SENIORS NEWS 11 - Wednesday, April 5, 1989 - Capilano Chronicle | | RETIRED PEOPLE VULNERABLE TO DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES Seniors warned to be wary consumers HAVE YOU ever found yourself in a situation where you felt obliged to buy something that you didn’t really want? ‘We have had several calls here at the North Shore Information & Volunteer Centre from seniors who have had this experience and who, particularly, have had problems with “pushy”? sales people often selfing on the phone or door-to- door. Retired people can be vulnerable to. direct selling of this kind because they are usually at home for much of the day. Any wise consumer will be extra cautious when approached in his home, particularly when the deal being offered seems too good to be true. Sometimes goods are offered for sale and, of course, in your own home you have nothing with which to compare the price and quality. Sometimes these deals are repre- sented as only being available if you’ sign “right now.” Be very wary of these! We are all brought up from childhood to treat people in our homes almost as guests, but we should not be afraid to say a firm ‘NO’ to unsolicited callers. In some instances it’s possible to cancel (within seven days) a con- tract made away from the com- pany’s regular place of business. Phone our office or the Consumer Association, 682-3535, about this. By far the most problems seem to occur when services rather than goods are being offered for sale. We have had several calls from seniors who have been approached by independent contractors who try to convince the homeowner that some repairs are urgently needed to their home. They’ve come to the door with a story of ‘just happening to notice the state of your roof, chimney, driveway, fence, etc." Take some elementary precau- tions before making a commitment to any contractor, such as asking for references, checking the refer- ences, and getting at least two - other estimates from other com- panies. It might be worthwhile to ask your friends and neighbors for their recommendations. Take plen- ty of time to make up your mind. A call to the Better Business Bureau will tell you if there have been any complaints about the company and the 'usiness Licens- ing Department at City Hall will be able to tell you that a company ON THE SENIORS’ SCENE NORTH SHORE INFORMATION AND VOLUNTEER CENTRE Another problem that comes up frequently is when an appliance in your home, such as a refrigerator, needs repair, Who do you call? Again, I would check with your friends and neighbors to see who they use. LIBRARY NEWS Librarians review the pick of the crop AMONG THE interesting new fic- tion received by the Capilano District Library this month is Duncton Quest by William Hor- wood. This is the long-awaited sequel to Duncton Wood, a fantasy that brought. to life the secret world of moles. In this saga, a baitle be- tween the forces of good and evil takes place in the Holy Burrows of Uffington in the North. It’s a sure-fire winner for fans of Water- ship Down. By contrast, Hickory Cured by Douglas C. Jones is real hometown Learn about — modern A REPRESENTATIVE of the local Canada-China Friendship Association will speak at the papiieno library tomorrow at 7:30 PrThe Canada-Chinese Friendship Associations were formed to pro- mote understanding between the two cultures, and to build bridges of communication in the areas of education and travel. The associations, of which there are 15 in the federation, entertain visitors and sponsor educational events and cultural exchanges. Don Ricketts will taik about the China role of China in the modern world and some of its possibilities for travellers and students. His slide show will represent a tour through China, showing the major historical sites and geographic regions as well as the many faces of the Chinese people today. There is no charge for the pro- gram, but would-be travellers are asked to come in good time as seating is limited. For more infor- mation call 987-4471. The Capilano library is located at 3045 Highland Blvd. CANADAXOUR CARE IS SHOWING, Deer Cakg: my dara de, Bi, A sues ape are cunhant ?P na Sawue nyo. paved about Cr ope, sephnd > , Abas 5 teat, he ‘CAREINA TION 7 UCTIBLE DONATION AVAUE 1O.CARE. CANADA ‘PO. BOx-8q00: aT TAWA KIC storytelling by the narrator Shanks Caulder, longtime resident of Weedy Rough. Ten related tales paint a colorful picture of small-town life in 1930s Arkansas, with their eccentric and often humorous characters. From Canada comes an intrigu- ing story of suspense and romance from Tim Wynne-Jones, award- winning author of Odd’s End. Fastyngange is the tale of a Toronto woman whose marriage has just broken up, and the trip PE Ros] 2 does, in fact, have a licence to do business. Be aware that companies are not legally obliged to hold a business licence before they can advertise. Finally, when you have decided who you would like to do business she takes to England to find herself again. She is drawn to an ancient castle called Fastyngange and to the dark presence that in- habits it. On the new non-fiction shelves is a fascinating new book by David Verchere called A Progression of Judges: 2 history of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. It sounds dry, but it’s not; the book traces the history of the court through the lives and major cases of its judges, and at the same time with, ask thera for references and check them. Of course, it often seems to happen that problems manifest themselves in the evening or on weckends, Many people turn to the Yellow Pages for guidance. Read the ad- vertisements carefully. Look for details such as whether there is an address, as well as a phone number printed in the advertisement and what makes of appliance are ser- viced by the company.. When you phone, ask how long the company has been established, how much the call-out charge witl be and whether the work will be guaranteed. Being a good and successful consumer means doing some careful homework, but it will be worth your time and trouble. So many consumer problems stem from making uainformed deci- sions. By doing some research and making sound judgments you can protect yourself and enjoy your purchases. chronicles the growth and devel- opment of our province. - Capilano Branch librarian Teresa James also points out that the library has just received from the National Library’s Multilingual Biblioservice a brand-new ship- ment of German books. : These are mostly current fiction, and they look exciting: German readers will want to check them out. — Submitted by the Capilano District Library. Por | a] | a | a] esl cuore ana wf [ses sve vol San aa ss] ne] en] as peste Te fate fet els] | safle! so] Lee | |_ 260 | 202 | 7 [se Paeoa [oe [vo [ve [aor | aw [ ese | aw [em | | oor] oo | oa | om [oer [area | van | se | tee [ars [aes { arr | avo | 206 | ane | are | aco [aro | sn {ele ie el ee af [se | or | woof ef sf see] [33 | | 370 | ee