6 - Wednesday, February 07, [988 - North Shore News INSIGHTS ieed cash for charity? Talk to a rubber duck! WEB-FOOTED Lower Mainlanders lived up to their repu- tation during the Valentine’s Day brunch hour and launched a zany new spectator sport here in the process. Defying a monsoon-like deluge, they packed the banks of the Capilano in their thousands to watch a moving kilometre of the river turn from slate grey to solid bright yellow, as 24,680 rubber ducks battled their way down to tidewater. For sodden North Van Rotary Club organizers and helpers the first ‘Great Capilano River Duck Race’? wound up a re- sounding success — netting up to $60,000 for Rotary charities, thanks in no small part to the tempting prizes donated by Dick Irwin Chevrolet, Anza Travel, C.G.M. Sound & Colour, Caps Bicycles and Save-On-Foods. Elaine Monk of Vancouver, whose duck placed first, won the MAJOR. JOHN. McKAY...doing the ladies proud. Chev Corsica but most of the other prize loot stayed on the North Shore, Brent Battley, Winston Leeson and David Marrington, all of North Van, won respectively the trip for two to Expo 88 in Australia, the 21" TV and VCR, and the his-'n-her mountain bikes, while one of the two $500 grocery vouchers went to R, Savage of West Van. Now the fever has hit, believe me, we haven't seen the last of rubber racing ducks in these parts! eee WIVES AND LADY FRIENDS of the North Shore's own resident army were entertained to their one and only dinner of the year Satur- day at the Forbes Avenue Ar- moury, when the officers’ mess of 6 Field Engineer Squadron held its annual ‘Ladies Dining-In"'. Fol- lowing the grand old military tradition, their hosts, headed by unit C.O. Major Jotin McKay and mess president Capt, Mike Wood, did the ladies proud — with scarlet-uniformed escorts, an elegant candlelit table for 50, a six-course menu with matching wines and (gallant gesture) a long- stemmed Valentine rose apiece. After the toasts and speeches they cleared the dining area and danced into the small hours, Guests of honor were Brigadier General Peter Kilby, the Commander of Pacific Militia Arca Vancouver who retires later this year, and wife Barbara. And for the first time in the history of the event all three North Shore mayors and their spouses — Mayor Jack and Olive Loucks, Mayor Marilyn and Cut the deficit HE TORY ‘Stay The Course’ budget unveiled last week stands pat to work on the assumption that the national economy will continue to per- colate after the six years of recovery recently enjoyed. For the past three years, the country has logged in “the strongest economic and employment growth of the seven leading industrialized nations. The deficit has been whittled down from $38 billion, when the Tories took power, to $29.3 billion for '87- "88. Personal incomes grew by 6.9 per cent last year and Richard Baker, and Mayor Don and Marjorie Lanskail — graced the party. See you for dinner again, ladies. Next year, Same time, same place! ewe WRAP-UP: First concert of West Van's 1988 chamber music scrics takes place Saturday (Feb.20) at 8 p.m. in West Van United Church, featuring Bach's Brandenburg Concerto 46 with guest artists Ren- nic Regher (viola) and Brian Ep- person (cello). Contact West Van Ree Centre for info and tickets ... Only two days left to the Friday (Feb,19) deadline for nominations in the YWCA’s 1988 Women of Distinction Awards Program — call Louise Donovan, 683-2531, x: gen PONG t ne a ae for requirements ... Here’s your chance to quiz the man who knows all about that 22% auto insurance hike. ICBC boss Tom Holmes is the speaker at Thursday's (Feb. 18) lunch meeting of North Van Chamber of Commerce in the Canyon Gardens — if you’re not already a member, find one to take you along as a guest ... Roger Dawson, 222-2313, would like to hear from all ex-Brits interested in joining the recently formed St. George’s Society, which is plann- ing a big bash this coming April 23 in celebration of Merry England ... And the “reunion"’ business, it seems, is no longer confined to schools and pioneer communities. This time it’s former 1974-84 employees of the now defunct : Rentalsman who are organizing a reunion dinner dance March 26 at Vancouver's Century Plaza — call L.R. Tubman, 939-9950, for details and reservations. eee WRIGHT OR WRONG: Once pro- ven way to forget ail your troubles is to wear a pair of tight shoes. mENEWS photo Cindy Betlamy CYPRUS DESSERT...Jack Bunting prepares to sample ‘“‘kateifi’’, demonstreted by Sonin Chrysoruilides, at West Van Seniors Centre’s recent thesne dinner on the Mediterrancan island — featuring Cyprus food, wine and a video. i pion Gon , are expected to follow suit this year. Corporate profits shot up a whopping 25.6 per cent last year and are ex- pected to slow to 4.8 per cent growth this year. Joe Canuck, both blue-collar and white shirt and tie, . should be gleefully rubbing hands in anticipation of increased take-home pay this July when previously announced reductions in personal income tax are scheduled to kick in. Yet something smells. The feds have squeezed from this enterprise called Canada an extra $3.1 billion in revenue this year. Alas, the windfall will most likely be applied to high profile, quick fix, vote-getting projects to appease the many federal money-hungry have-not regions such as ours. . The effort to color the country Tory blue with the green stuff goes over great guns in the short term. But what of that lingering black hole of a deficit? Put the cream skimmed from the top of 2 run of ‘good years where it beiongs. Casve another slice from the national deficit while the knife is sharp and the cutting is good. Peter Speck Managing Editor... . Barrett Fisher Associate Editor .... Noel Wright Advertising Director . Linda Stewart North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 1tt, Paragraph Ill of the Excise Tax Act, is published eact Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door on the Norn Shore, Second Class Mail Registration Number 3895. 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