Hurricane survivors celebrate AFTER A harrowing vaca- tion in Jamaica, courtesy of Hurricane Gilbert, John and Carol Breining are looking forward to a quiet Christmas in warm, ‘“‘dry” North Vancouver. For the Breiniags, who run a local business, Performance Auto Repair,. it will be a pleasant rest after a recent battle for their lives, . weathering gale force winds and torrential rains in Montego Bay. A‘note warning them of slight winds ahead was slipped under their door just two days atier they arrived for a Jamaican vacation they had been planning for. the past year. : Rough .seas and gusty winds oon made it necessary to stay in- si By 4 p.m., the hurricane was in full force, eventually blowing the toof off the Holiday Inn where they were staying. Waves roared over the ocean reef, filling. the lobby with sand. : The mattresses the Breinings had put'up against the windows were no match for the, wind, so. the couple fled to the other end of the _ building and hid in the stairwell. “We could easily have been kill- ed,"* said John Breining. The hurricane suddenly ended at about 8:30 p.m. “It was like somebody turned the switch off,"' Breining recalls. .. It was a different world that met their gazes... ‘Trees were gone and ’ From Page, 7 -four-year-old daughter — "from the . Lynn Valley. . .. “We've been in a whirlwind sell- ing’ one house and © buying another,’’ he laughs, but says he is “North Shore again. Blood LYNN VALLEY fesidents will have their chance to help with the’ - Red Cross blood donor drive on | Friday, Dec. 30. 20 ; Between 2 p.m: and 8 p.m. that day, a blood clinic will be held at Lynn: Valley- Centre, 1199 Lynn | _ Valley Rd. ’ Fhe Red Cross’ is launching a - major drive to bring in blood donors over the critical ‘holiday Season. ~The Christmas period is always a . difficult one for blood collection because of holidays and the other demands on people’s time. Last -:: January the Red Cross had its first critical Shortage in two years because it went into the Christmas period without. the necessary backlog of blood donations, said Len _ Lifchus,. director of blood donor recruitment. for the Red Cross, . Lifchus explained - that each donation of whole blood is sepa- - rated into its components and has the potential.to save four lives. A total of approximately 135,000 units of whole blood was collected fast year in B.C. -_ For more information. on donating blood, or alternate clinic locations and times, call. the Red Cross at 879-7551. cars were piled up and flattened. The hotel, itself, kad received about $24 million worth of dam- ages. “It reminded me of scenes from a war movie,”’ Breining reflected. The couple were booked for a flight home. So the hotel put them in one of the less damaged rooms where they waited out another day of heavy rains. But with roads blocked and communications systems down, it was hard even to get food for meals. To notify people at home East .End of ‘Vancouver, to Upper . :iG0king forward to living on the © week: and were unable to get a Schermbrucker is also working . . on another book — a literary trav- + family ; — wife “Sharon, and a eller’s: account of: his journeys through England, Kenya and TADDUINCCOMPINY budget. MON.FRI. 8:00-5:30 of $12.95. Lawyers « Initiat consultation without charge '® Weekdays 9.00-5:30 pm. « Thurs. evening until 9:00 pn 10:00-12:00 ° Saturday mornings bi RABBITS..WABBITS, BUGS..BEETLES, BUSES..VANS NO MATTER HOW YOU SAY IT 985-5022 985-1008 ae WE DO IT THE BEST — GUARANTEED Complete mechanical: repairs, paint and body work. . Everything from simple service work to complete restora-: tions. We locate and custom build VW's to suit your ANYTHING CAN BE DONE 41485 RUPERT ST., NORTH VAN. 4 BLOCK NORTH OF MAIN — ” OFF MOUNTAIN HWY. photo Cindy Bellamy THESE T-SHIRTS" were among the few items that John and Carol Breining were able to bring back from Jamaica recently after they battled Hurricane Gilbert. . College pioneer notes changes South Africa. Mimosa is available at most North Shore bookstores, at a cost a om 9 - Sunday, December 25, 1988 — Lynn Valley Echo quiet Xmas that they were alright, the Brein- ings had to walk out to a beached tugboat to make their calls. A day or so later, the weather began to improve and the tourists, joining the locals in their efforts, helped clean up the beach so they BILL WOODMAN OWNERIOPERATOR could make the most of their holi- days. Home now and recovered, the Breinings are planning their next trip. ““We need a vacation,’’ Breining explained. Season’s 1989! Greetings S& andthe & Bestof & luckin ¥ RX SNe os TT SAE wls> Amie ALEX MARGARET OPTICAL — , 16 1529 LONSDALE AVE. 980-8613" May your house _ be filled rafter to rafter with love and joy =~ and lots of laughter — on this Christmas Day and ever after. KEITH We look forward to serving you in the New Yearl LYNN VALLEY - INSURANCE 3171 MOUNTAIN HWY. JERRY PENNY - AGENCY 984-4515 , vfll ee & -_ ya