4 - Sunday, May 8, 1994 - North Shore News Mother and child reunited after 35 years’ separation From pase t much beyond a memory of seeing the baby's father siting beside her bed. ‘There was a feeling of being too ushamed to talk to a new mather in the next bed. Croigen had a general anesthetic. She knows that she never saw her baby. When she awoke the next day, someone, she doesn’t remem- ber who, said it was a girl. She does have one definite recol- lection: “l remember going home without a baby.” Craigen describes her desire to see her child as a “constant crav- ing.” She would find herself looking intently into the faces of young girls with the romantic idea that someday she'd find herself staring into the eyes of her beloved unknown child. Craigen remembers doing things which now seem silly like going back and asking a bank teller with a Debbie name tag what day she was born. Sixteen years ago, she bought a tiny doll which she named Debbic. It had a featureless face with slit eyes, no expression ind no person- ality. It was just like Craigen’s dis- turbing mental impression of her child. ' Then something happened to change the way she would deal with her anguish. When Craigen held her baby granddaughter for the first time, she was overcome with a strong feeling that she had to find out what hap- pened to her own baby. The pain of not knowing had to end. Craigen approached North Shore Family Services. The agency teferred her to the Adoption Reunion Registry office in Vancouver. In dune of 1992, she filed papers te search for her child, Craigen did not know that her birth daughter was contacting the adoption registry at about the same lime. Craigen’s Debbie turned out to be Bobbie Holob, raised in a happy. loving environment on Vancouver Island by her adoptive parents. Wtook one and a half years after filing papers before the birth mother and daughter finally met “I's a girl She is 5°6" long and 120 ibs..” gushed Craigen while the sad Debbie doll sat unnoticed beside her on the couch. Craigen’s brag book now con- tains pictures of all her chifdren and grandchild. The pictures reveal an uncanny resemblance between mother and daughter. [t extends all the way to a crooked front tooth. The major dif- ference: Holob has dark hair while her birth mother is fair-haired. Craigen thanks Holob's parents for raising well this special person. She thanks her daughter, Sarah, 19, from a second marriage, for sup- porting her mom’s efforts. This Mother's Day, Craigen will do more than display another card in her living room. Her 35-year-old questions about the fate of her first-born child are finally answered. And now she can think of all her children with equal fondness. “Now, there is not that void. I now know my three children, | didn't think that { would ever say this, but f really know now what it's like to be a mother. a complete mother,” said Craigen. Rotary Club proposes Ambleside as site for West Van Oktoberfest THE WEST Vancouver Rotary Club would like to introduce an Oktoberfest as a community event to be held October ft at Ambleside. The Rotary’s Oktoberfest. as proposed to West Vancouver Council, would take place on 1Sth streets, amaiking use of the area around the Ferry Building, The event would feature ! German music and food, The Rotary Club would under- write the event. Funds raised would ' go to the Raise the Roof campaign to finance an extension of the West Vancauver-Seniors Recreation Centre. ‘elieandlor ratte eecrie trraie 1° OFF ANY NEW & LASER * Offer expires June 15/94 | VIDEO RELEASE, SNES, GENESIS * Mon.-Thurs, * Not valid with any other offer (WITH THIS AD) ALL VIDEO TRANSFERRING HOME MOVIE SUPER 8 & 8 MM, SLIDES & PHOTOS TO VHS BETA, 8MM CASSETTE, PAL, SECAM, NPAC VIDEO TO VIDEO! OFFER EXPIRES JUNE 15/94 1431 Marine Drive, N Van 2403 Marine Drive, W. Van “Your One Stop Entertainment Store” a 988-3394 988-7778 925-9993 925-9994 SZ ARS a The Best Casual Pants in the Werld? They qo where joans fear to tread -— whether to the boundless steppes of Mougoka orto lurch ata fine restauram. Tiley Classic Pants are ucknowledted “te test, mast pmuctical, casual slacks inthe wortd”. Washed eastly (Gite lent Aeli” washing instructions) and ho ironing needed: stant ooking ad cones table where it counts. They'll probally last you for years Use ube four Vederoclosal security pockets and the inside secret pocket to protect your valuables from nimble fingers. fang ‘em up by the stainless stecd Dering when you're fevling lazy. Most people use then as ecening wear, al hore alter dhe working day, and of course they're de rigueur for the weekend! More sizes than any other pants in the word! Women's sizes Vito 24 and men's odd and even sizes 28 (o 40, plus 42, 44. $117. Sizes 46 to 52, $127, Tall sizes add $7. Avialable in Khaki, navy, white and black. t/ HEN” PS. We have it all made in Canada, whore f can keep a watchful eye! Tille Endurables | Youll enjay your vitut to Bivbara und Jotin Tilloy's “Tillay Westem® stores, Alea’s dealeta sina? ‘85, VANCOUVER 732-4287 1537 W. Broadway | NORTH VAN 987-6424 1194 Marine Drive 10am to 5:30pm, Monday to Saturday [8.C. MAIL ORDER FREE 64-PAGE CATALOGUE § 1- 800- 665- ~4287 | Nestled between ps hic and Blackcomb Se ium Centre . 7 : i re You can build on the dream .. witha year-round condominium ‘Fron. JUSL $89, 900 - your strata tilled rag his oy Bye PAR 5 year guaranteed return of 7% of * 75% of the purchase price. , What a combination! A superb, affor dable real! estate investment right i in the fun... and dreams! condo-features a oP i first-cl lass, amenities - " ee : restaurants, retailers ‘and recreation centre. Whistler Village Centre... realistically — priced condo living for year-round. .