Canada’s Number One Suburban Newspaper re Ta HES Seo ROF NEWS photo Stuart Davis “ WHO § SAID raising money for the North Vancouver Christmas Bureau couldn't be fun? The Army, Navy ‘and Air- | ‘force'Drinkers and Loose Change Society mix their drinks with charity. By contributing 25 cents each time they take "-a seat at the club table in branch 45 of the Army, Navy and Airforce Veterans Association and by staging fun events ‘lke the Great Trek from Horseshoe Bay and the Great Waiters s Race, the loosely-knit group has raised $4,545.45 for ‘the N rik. ‘Vancouver Christmas Bureau. ave spirit of giving “Some people are so alone in- ‘this world, and so desperate to do the right thing.’’ —- Ida Paddock, chairman ° of the charitable “bureau, was speaking of a young single mother suffering from pneumonia, who dragged herself ‘to the ‘ Christmas Bureau toy store this week to buy her five-year-old child a Christmas present. ’ She. could not. send someone else, because be- ing new to the city she. did not know anyone, Paddock said... : But fortunately the North Shore is full of giv- ing people. _. Through the North Van- couver . Christmas. Bureau (NVCB) and the West Vancouver Santa ‘Claus Fund (WVSCF) some 1,700 needy. families will be helped this Christmas. Both. campaigns are well : ‘Paddock, North: Vancouver Christmas Bureau. underway with support from community groups, businesses and’ the ‘North Shore News, which is organizing its own Christmas Food Depot program to help the NVCB and the WVSCF. POURING IN But while food and Money are pouring in to the NVCB faster than ever, West Vancouver’s program is behind schedule. “We're down a little, especially in food and money,” said Ruth Stout WVSCF chairman. ‘‘Maybe people are a little slow this year.’’ West “Vancouver Mayor Derrick Humphreys said Friday: ‘“*With all the wor- thwhile charitable needs, our own Christmas fund must not be overlooked. For years this fund-of food and toys has been a god- send to those in passing need.”* Donations can be made to the West Vancouver Fire Hall on 16th Street, to the various News Christmas Food Depots (listed in to- day’s issue, page 47), or directly to the WVSCF at Box 91114, West . Van- couver, V7V. 3N3, or call 922-6522. NEED UP And while donations are up in North Vancouver so is the need, Paddock says. The NVCB his given out over 1,500 applications 10 needy families, but ‘‘pretty well all of them have been received back,’’ Paddock said. ~ Donations can be made to the NVCB at Box 86081, North Vancouver, V7L 4J5 or call 984-XMAS, or News depots. Paddock. credits the News’ Christmas Food Depot program for much of the increase in dona- tions. “Everyone is getting in- volved. There is no ques- tion that the North Shore: News Christmas Food Depot program has in-.” . creased awareness,’’ Pad- dock said. ‘‘When North Vancouver residents put their heads and_ hearts together, they never fail."” “T just picked up $415 from two depots,’’ said Paddock, ‘‘and those were just the financial dona- tions. “Hf that was the general response, we would be hysterical with glee,’’ Pad- dock added. | self-exam ~ "PAGE 33 KILLER corners, roaring motorcycles and disap- pearing buses are rendering Lower Lonsdale a dismal place in which to retire, according to area senior citizens. In a recent meeting called by the 200-member Lower Lonsdale Seniors Associa- tion (LLSA), the member- ship fired a barrage of con- cerns at Mayor Jack Loucks, Metro Transit’s vice-presi- dent of planning Larry Ward and North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Don Jette. They called for the im- mediate installation of a four-way stop sign at the St. Georges and Fourth Street intersection, where Muriel Brown, 68, a senior member of their association, was struck and killed instantly by a southbound vehicle July 12. Seniors also complained that the evening peace of the Lower Lonsdale area was fast disappearing amid the roar of motorcycle engines, mufflerless cars and the squeal of tires on pavement. Firecrackers and loud voices in the night were also pointed to as noises that had gone beyond the reasonable. Cpl. Jette said Wednesday that concerns expressed at the LLSA meeting were valid: ‘‘We are aware that there is a noise problem in the area, and it is something we are looking into.”’ The major logistic dif- ficulty for the RCMP, Jette said, was catching noise of- fenders in the act. “In order to be effective, an officer has to be there at the time of the offence, and for us to police the area on a permanent basis for loud noises would be a_ real misuse of manpower.” Jette added that solutions to the problems raised would be addressed in a special en- forcement meeting next week. LLSA spokesman Lawrence Pomeroy said another major concern of his association was the disap- pearance of bus service up St. Georges Avenue and along 15th Street, and the Jack of Sunday service along East First Street and St. Patricks Avenue. “Without the bus up St. Georges, a lot of seniors feel cut off from their best route to Lions Gate Hospital and without the bus along First, the seniors in the area have to walk all the way to Lonsdale to catch a bus,” Pomeroy said. Ward said changing bus routes was a complicated and involved process, ‘‘but we've told the association to submit concerns in writing. So the bail’s really in their court now.”* Agreeing with Ward that the seniors would be further ahead putting their concerns on paper, Loucks said he did not as yet see a solution to their transportation pro- blems. “It takes a long time to change a bus route, but-{’m looking into what can be done about all the concerns raised.” Loucks added that he would discuss with city engineering staff the feasibil- ity of putting a four-way stop at the St. Georges in- tersection as soon as possi- ble.