| Vol. 1 No. 5 1999-04-23 | ||
Bell Island Community Policing Newsletter Community Policing - Everyone’s Business |
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| CONTENTS Taking Aim At The Future |
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Taking Aim At The Future A few of you may have heard some organizations talking about having a vision and their core values. This term vision refers to the philosophy of the organization or group and indicates the development of a vision is a basic starting or changing point. A vision should give the overall picture of what the organization or group is about and utilizes a number of core values to guide it in the pursuit of this purposes. The RCMPolice has adopted the following vision: 1. Be a progressive, proactive and innovative organization. 2. Provide the highest quality service through dynamic leadership, education and technology in partnership with the diverse communities we serve. 3. Be accountable and efficient through shared decision making. 4. Ensure a healthy work environment that encourages team building, open communication and mutual respect. 5. Promote safe communities. 6. Demonstrate leadership in the pursuit of excellence. RCMPolice maintains it will be guided by the following core values: Integrity Honesty Professionalism Compassion Respect Accountability I have read this a number of times to make sense of it. I like the values and I think that many persons, organizations and groups would have the same or similiar values. What I see as important in the vision statement are the following words and phrases: "Partnership" "Team building" "Mutual respect" "Safe communities" Community and policing go hand in hand. The problems we face today cannot be dealt with singularly, we must develop partnerships and work as a team for the betterment of all concerned. The team approach creates a mutual respect and understanding of one another. Efforts focused on this theme will make our communities safe. |
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| From Sarge’s DeskI drove by a business in Portugal Cove on Sunday (99-04-18) on my way to the
boat. I noticed several of the windows in the front of the building had been broken out. I
immediately thought "Why would someone do this?" The same question I have asked
myself over the past 25 years as a police officer. There is no answer for this question
but it always seems to come up when I see wanton destruction of property like this. Even
when someone is apprehended you don’t find the answer because the people that do this
damage, often don’t know why they did it. Regardless of this, this question still
comes up. So, maybe it is not the right question to linger on very long. The question we
should pay more attention to is, "How can we prevent this from happening again?"
Firstly, we must understand the types of vandalism that are present in our community. Vandalism can be categorized into three basic categories: Tactical Vandalism - Causing damage for another purpose. Eg. Damaging something to get money from it. Vindictive Vandalism - Using vandalism to express discontent or frustration. The vandal is looking to hurt a specific person by damaging their property. Wanton Vandalism - Irrational, senseless, or wanton destruction of property. Vandalism is not a problem which exists only in Portugal Cove. It is everywhere, and unfortunately, Bell Island has its share of this problem. It is a problem which costs our communities, schools and businesses thousands of dollars each year. It demonstrates a lack of respect for the community, the residents and also the vandal him(her)self. Vandalism portrays our communities in a negative way. So, what can we do about it. There is no magic formula that will make the problem go away but it can be reduced and controlled through aggressive preventative and problem solving programs. Changing attitudes is an important step in any pro-active program. Vandalism is a crime, not a prank or a joke and it is prohibited by law. Planning - no single program will work. The major considerations when planning of a preventative program are two-fold: a)It must be community based. b)Caution must be exercised not to over-emphasize the problem. Determine how serious the problem is in the community and deal with it. Don’t make it bigger than it is. The basic steps in planning a program are: Assessment - Determine the scope of the problem. Involve - Get people involved in the solutions. Students, teachers, parents, police, community leaders, the media, utility companies, etc are all important partners in any program to prevent vandalism. Self-respect - Any program should have a strong emphasis on self respect and community spirit and pride. Education - A very necessary part of any preventative program. Our schools, media and community groups are excellent areas to promote awareness of a problem and the solutions. Uniformity - Simple, direct messages relating to the costs of vandalism and motivation to reduce the problem. What more can I say? If you see a broken window and ask the question, "Why?", then maybe it’s time to move on to "How can I make this situation better.? |
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Jesse’s
JourneyI came across this photo in
the fall 1998 issue of the RCMP Quarterly magazine.
(L-R) Cst. Jason Derry, team members, John Hodder and Ed Coxworthy, walker John Davidson, team member Mike Woodward, Cst. Duncan Chisholm, team member Tricia Federkow, Cpl. Paddy MacNeil. This photo was taken on April 10, 1998 during a stopover in Deer Lake, Nfld. The RCMP
of Deer Lake assisted John Davidson and his team during the walk through their detachment
area. John Davidson’s son, Jesse was stricken with Muscular Dystrophy and John
embarked on an 8300 km trek across Canada to raise funds for genetic research into this
disease. One of the team members, Ed Coxsworthy (3rd from the left) is a resident of Bell
Island and accompanied John on this journey.
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| March StatsThe RCMP Bell Island
Community Policing Office handled 58 calls for service during the month of March. Most of
the calls were of a routine nature.
Here is a sample of the calls received during March: Sometime between 99-02-28 and 99-03-02 two concrete lawn ornaments were stolen from a residence in Lance Cove. One ornament was a lion which was painted white and weighed approximately 200 pounds. The other ornament consisted of a white seat with two green frogs. Two 15 year old Bell Island youths were apprehended for operating ATV’s on a roadway. Both vehicles were seized as a result of this investigation. One youth has been referred to youth diversion and the other youth will appear in court on 99-04-14. On 99-03-24, three Bell Island Youths were apprehended for theft of money and possession of stolen property. The money was stolen from a six year old boy. The investigation is continuing and charges are pending. On 99-03-25, two Bell Island youths and one adult male were apprehended for setting a grass fire near Scotia #1, Bell Island. Both youths are being referred to youth diversion and the adult male will appear in court on 99-05-12. Between 99-03-19 and 99-03-22 a licence plate # HAL040 was stolen from a vehicle belonging to an East End resident. Sometime between 99-03-22 and 99-03-29, a vacant residence on Memorial Street was illegally entered. Entry was gained through a rear kitchen window. Once inside culprit(s) took electric stove elements, bathroom sink, small cupboard from bathroom and a fire extinguisher. On 99-03-20 between 2:00 am and 4:00 am, the Scotia#1 pump house was illegally entered. Once inside the culprit(s) cut a water pipe in two places and turned on the valves causing water to flow out damaging the electrical system. On 99-03-27, the Bell Island Fire Department and the Bell Island Community Policing office responded to a number of grass fires in the area behind the Monsignor Bartlett arena commonly referred to as number 3 yard. There were also two other grass fires in the area off Number 2 road known as the Dust Bowl. The fire department quickly extinguished the flames but the situation could have been more serious had the winds been high. It is believed these fires were deliberately set and the police investigation is continuing. The police and fire departments responded to another grass fire on 99-03-28. This resulted from a Bell Island resident burning grass in his yard and the fire went out of control. The fire department quickly extinguished the fire.
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| Bell Island Fire DepartmentChief Jim Pendergast reports that the fire department
responded to 5 calls for service during the month of March. Four of these calls involved
grass fires of which three were deliberately set. One grass fire was accidental which
involved a resident burning the grass and his property and the fire getting out of
control. The grass can become extremely dry this time of the year and can be quite
hazardous if it is ignited carelessly. The fire department here consists completely of
volunteers and if they are responding to grass fires,
especially those deliberately set it makes them unavailable to respond to other fires which might occur. Anyone who wishes to burn grass in their yards, should ensure they take the utmost of precautions when doing this. Prior to starting any fires they should seek advice from the fire department or the Provincial Forestry Department. At certain times of the year a permit may be required. They should check the weather conditions paying particular attention to any wind. They should also ensure they have the proper equipment prior to starting. Items such as shovels, wet cloths and a water hose are required before starting any fire of this nature. Lastly, work on only small areas at a time and ensure you have control at all times.
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| Meet
Your Police Our featured member this month is Cst. Tony Griffiths. Tony was born in Beaconsfield, Quebec in 1966 to proud parents Keith and Lucy. Keith Griffiths was born in Wales, United Kingdom and Lucy was born in Petty Harbour, Nfld. Tony and his family moved to St. John’s, Nfld in 1980 and he graduated from Beaconsfield High School in 1984. Tony attended Memorial University where he completed studies in Psychology, Sociology, and Criminology in 1990 and 1991. He did some pilot training with the Canadian Armed Forces in 1987 and joined the RCMP in 1992. He also completed French language training as part of his RCMP training. He graduated in 1993 and was posted to Botwood, Nfld until 1997. In March of 1997, he was transferred to Bell Island Community Policing Office where he is presently stationed today. Since coming here he has trained with the Tactical Troop Team and is presently a member of the "B" Division Emergency Response Team (ERT). Tony married his wife, Carla, in 1993 and they have two children. . Meaghan was born in 1995 and Noah was born in 1998. Tony enjoys all sports but particularly, soccer, swimming, weightlifting and jogging. He also dabbles in woodworking however, most of his spare time he likes to spend with his kids. Tony has been involved with a number of community groups and schools since coming to Bell Island. He is involved with the Student Support Services Group, the Youth Advisory Committee, the Wabana Boys and Girls Club, School Council at St. Michael’s High School, School Council at Immaculate Conception School, Brighter Futures, and with the School liaison program. As you can see, Tony is very involved with the youth and has strong beliefs about the youth and communities. He believes that youth have the power to improve their community and should become more involved. They are the future leaders on our community.
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| Unsolved Crime of the MonthOn 99-04-05, we were hit by a severe spring snow storm.
Approximately 80 centimeters of snow fell in a 30 hour period and winds gusting at times
over a 100 kilometers per hour made travel in the community very difficult. A number of
vehicles went off the road or got stuck due to the treacherous driving conditions. Most
businesses closed early due to the storm and the Bell Island Curling Club decided to do
the same. Shortly after 7:00 pm the bartender closed up and went home. The best place to
be on a night like this was home. However, some person or persons had other ideas.
Sometime between 3:00 am and 4:00 am someone smashed out the front window to the Curling
Club and illegally entered the premises. Once inside the culprit or culprits broke into
one video game and attempted to gain entry into another but were unsuccessful. There was
no money in the games so the culprits went behind the bar and stole 20-25 packages of
assorted cigarettes - Players Light, Players Light Kings, Dumaurier Regular, Dumaurier
Kings, Export A Light and Export A were the brand names of the cigarettes taken. An
investigation was conducted and is continuing. Anyone with any information is urged to
contact the RCMP Bell Island Community Policing Office at telephone # 709-488-3312 or
Crime Stoppers at telephone# 1800-363-8477. Your identity will be kept confidential.
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| 2410
Army Cadets The 2410 Army Cadet Corp is presently parading at St. Michael’s School, Bell Island on every Sunday between 1:20 pm to 4:30 pm. The corps starts their year in September of each year and finishes for the year in June. There are 35 cadets (both male and female) ranging in age 12 to 18 and are involved in a variety of training activities. Every summer, a number of these cadets go to summer camps, where they engage in courses such as Wilderness, Band, Rifle training, PE&RT(physical fitness) and other activities. Cadets get the opportunity to also go to places such as Germany and England, as well as other provinces in Canada. The cadet corps is a very important youth program, which promotes leadership, citizenship, hard work and dedication. It is very gratifying to see so many of our youth involved and doing well in this program. Any youths who are between the ages of 12 to 18 years and are interested in the cadet corps, can contact, Captain Wayne Fitzgerald, the Commanding Officer of the 2410 Army Cadet Corps at telephone #709-488-3057 for further information. Capt. W. Fitzgerald CO 2410 Army Cadets
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| Council
NewsThe Wabana Town Council has
designated the month of May this year to clean up the car wrecks in our town. Any person
wishing to have a car wreck removed please call the Council Office at 488-2990.
In last month’s Newsletter reference was made regarding dogs at large around our town. Since then Council has received complaints about sheep, horses, and cows not properly secured by their owners and this has resulted in charges laid against owners for animals not properly secured. All owners of animals including dogs, sheep, horses and cows must be responsible or charges will be laid against them. Council has conducted a inspection of dilapidated buildings around town and notices will be sent to have the property owners repair or upgrade the properties or to demolish them. All property owners are encouraged to take pride in their surroundings and do their part to help make our community clean and beautiful to our residents and visitors to our island. Notices will be posted around town in early May for clean -up this year. Council wishes to congratulate the IAS Committee and the Association for Community Living on the excellent two-day conference held at the Wabana Complex on March 30 and 31. It was a well attended event and good presentations made.
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| On the WebHey, all you web surfers out there, here’s a few
more web sites you may find interesting:
www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca - this is a site which provides information on the new firearms laws and regulations. www.family.go.com - This is a Disney channel which offers advice and support on parenting and family issues. www.members.home.net - this is web site of J.E. (John) Religa, a retired RCMP Superintendent who was formerly stationed on Bell Island. This site contains stories of policing in Newfoundland and other items. |
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| RewardPyramid Construction was working on Bell Island last
summer, extracting quantities of white rock from the West Dam area. On July 29, 1998, Cst.
Boyd Decker of the RCMP Bell Island Community Policing office responded to a report of a
fire on the West Track Road. When Cst. Decker arrived on the scene, he found a John Deere
490 Excavator on fire. The fire department contained the fire and extinguished the flames
shortly after. The excavator was extensively damaged as a result. An examination of the
scene revealed the remains of some tires which had been deliberately placed below the
engine compartment where the fire originated.
One of the tires was determined to be brand name Pacemark and size P255 50R16. Damage to the excavator was assessed at approximately $75,000. The placement of the tires ensured the entire machine was engulfed in flames and for this reason, investigators feel the person(s) responsible may have had some knowledge of this type of machinery. An investigation is continuing into this matter however to date, no evidence to support a charge has been obtained. Wilf Curran, General Manager of Pyramid Construction Limited advises that Pyramid Construction is offering a reward of $2000.00 to anyone who provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this offence. Anyone having any information of this nature can contact the RCMP Bell Island Community Policing office at telephone # 709-488-3312 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-363-8477. Your identity will be kept in confidence.
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| Court
WatchThe following are persons
convicted of offences at Provincial Court, St. John’s during this reporting period:
On 99-03-17, a 28 year old Bell Island man was sentenced on a series of offences which occurred over the past 10 years. The man was convicted earlier this year of seven of eight charges committed against his common law wife. The offences included assault with a weapon, common assault, uttering threats, breach of undertaking and obstruction of justice. The man was sentenced to 18 months in jail and placed on probation for two years upon his release. He is also prohibited from possessing firearms for ten years. The man has been in custody since December 1998 while awaiting sentencing. Also on 99-03-17, a 46 year old Bell Island man was sentenced to serve 4 months in jail for 3 counts of assault and a breach of undertaking. The assaults occurred on the man’s children between 1992 and 1999. He was also placed on probation for two years upon release from prison. A 28 year old Bell Island man was convicted on 99-04-14 for offences of theft of motor vehicle and impaired driving. The man was charged as a result of an incident which occurred on 99-03-03 when he stole a delivery truck from a local business. The man was later apprehended and found to be intoxicated. He was sentenced to serve 45 days in jail and placed on probation for 18 months upon his release. He was also prohibited from driving for a period of 18 months. A 40 year old Bell Island man was convicted on 99-04-14 for an offence of fraud. The charge resulted from an incident reported on 99-02-19 where the man knowingly cashed a cheque with a stop payment on it. The man received a suspended sentence and was placed on probation for a period of one year. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $500. A 55 year old Bell Island man was convicted on 99-04-14 for an offence under the Dog Act. The charge resulted from an incident reported on 99-02-24 where three dogs attacked a sheep. The man received a $75 fine. Two other Bell Island residents charged in this matter have chosen to have a trial and will appear at a later date for that purpose. A 34 year old Bell Island man was convicted on 99-04-14 for a charge of assault. He was fined $75 and given a victim fine surcharge of $7.50. He was also placed on probation for a period of six months. The charge resulted from an incident which occurred on 99-02-25 when the man assaulted a 30 year old Bell Island man on the parking lot of a local business. This resulted in the 30 year old man later attacking this man with a baseball bat. A trial is being held in relation to this incident on 99-07-15. A 27 year old Bell Island man was convicted of assault on 99-04-14. The incident occurred on 99-01-23 and involved this man assaulting a 19 year old Bell Island man. The man received a suspended sentence and probation for a period of 6 months. A 41 year old Bell Island woman was convicted of assault on 99-04-14. The charge resulted from an incident reported on 99-01-29 when the woman assaulted a 16 year old Bell Island youth. She was sentenced to a conditional sentence of 30 days and placed on probation for a period of one year. A 26 year old Bell Island man presently serving nine months in jail on charges of uttering threats, criminal harassment, assault and other charges appeared in court on 99-04-14 on two charges of possession of stolen property. One charge was a result of a report of a theft of copper wire from an old pole line off Nish Jackman Drive on 98-10-24. There was approximately 1500 feet of copper wire with a value of approx. $1200 stolen and the man was found to be in possession of this. He was sentenced to a further two months in jail in addition to his present sentence. A trial date of 99-09-15 has been set for the other charge which involves a stolen licence plate. A 43 year old Bell Island man was convicted on 99-04-14 for misleading a police investigation. On 98-07-16 the man reported the theft of a chainsaw from his shed to the police. An investigation revealed the man had made a false report and charges were laid. A trial date was set for February and it was postponed to this date for a decision. The man was sentenced to serve a conditional sentence of 30 days and placed on probation for 1 year. A 16 year old Bell Island youth appeared in court on 99-04-14 on charges of damage to property, taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and operating an ATV on a roadway. He was given an absolute discharge on the damage to property and taking motor vehicle charges and placed on probation for nine months. On the ATV charge, which was his third offence of this nature, he received a $15 fine. A 17 year old Bell Island youth was convicted on 99-04-14 on a charge of assault. The charge resulted from an incident which occurred at a local school. He received an absolute discharge and was placed on probation for a period of eighteen months. A 17 year old Bell Island youth was convicted on 99-04-14 on a charge of assault. The charge resulted from an incident at a local school on 98-11-10. The youth was given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for a period of twelve months. |
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| Motor Vehicle AccidentVehicle involved in an accident on 99-04-09.
On 99-04-09, the RCMPolice were called to the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Main Street. The above noted motor vehicle had gone out of control and struck a utility pole. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle left the scene but was later apprehended. The driver was identified as a 24 year old St. Philip’s man . He is facing charges of impaired driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and theft of motor vehicle. He will appear in court on 99-05-12. The man was not injured as a result of the accident but damages are estimated to be close to $10,000.
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| Island Advisory Services Report Island Advisory Services Inc. in co-operation with the Bell Island Association for Community Living recently held a Social and Economic development conference at the Wabana Complex. The conference, Proud of our Past, Building for our Future stimulated discussions on issues that effected the lives of people with developmental disabilities and at the same time gave residents and business people the opportunity to discuss economic development opportunities. Working in unity both organizations brought together business leaders, community leaders, resource people and members of the community to showcase development potential of the island and also discuss future development plans. The conference was an open house for all Bell Islanders that featured exhibits, information sessions, presentations etc. Day one started with the official opening of the conference as IAS Chairperson, Patrick Craig welcomed all participants, guests, and members from the business community. Mr. Craig also introduced all presenters whose presentations were indeed very informative and captivating. Also included in day one was a luncheon that took place at St. Michael’s Hall. At the luncheon we were indeed honoured to have in attendance our MHA, Mr. Jim Walsh, and indeed not to say the least our Keynote Speaker Honourable Sandra Kelly, Minister of Industry Trade & Technology. Ms Kelly spoke on all the development opportunities that are available for communities such as Bell Island and also reminded us of the successful businesses that have grown and developed here on the island. Ms. Kelly also spoke of the uniqueness of our conference. She was very impressed that we had combined social issues with economic development opportunities. She was equally impressed that so many groups had united to work together to make our community a better place to live. Day two was once again opened by IAS Chairperson, Patrick Craig. The morning session continued with presentations as the previous day; needless to say we were all once again overwhelmed by the excellence of presentations from our presenters. At 12 noon we took a short break at which time soup and sandwiches were served. We were then entertained by The Submarine Miners. This local group brought back through song the reflections of our fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers who had indeed endured many hardships, as well as successes that has seen our community grow from a small mining town into the community that we now have today. From here we continued on to the official ribbon cutting and the official opening of the Wabana Complex. This was done with the aid of our Submarine Miners, Mayor, IAS Chairperson, and indeed our youth of today, bringing together in full circle our conference theme, Proud of our Past, Building for our Future. The day was concluded with a Underground Mine Tour which brought all back to the reality, bewilderment, and awareness of how proud we all are of our fathers before us and how encouraging we look to our youth of today that will be our Future of years to come. The organizing committee would like to thank all those individuals who participated and made our conference so successful. Although we would have considered 50 participants a success we were very pleased that in excess of 100 attended the conference. |
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| Community Enrichment Committee The Community Enrichment Committee was recently formed in February 1999. This committee will be affiliated with the Nfld and Labrador Crime Prevention Group. The committee’s purpose is to develop and implement preventative programs which will help to improve the quality of life in this community. While they remain independent, they work together with the police, elected officials, other government and community organizations and groups, in a partnership toward the same goal of safer homes, safer communities. The members of this newly formed committee are: Gordon Shea - Chairperson Dorothy Bonnell - Vice-Chairperson Lorraine Cahill - Treasurer Kay Crane - Secretary Henry Crane - Adult Probation Liaison Cst. Hazel Duncan - police liaison Sgt. Wayne Hebb - police liaison The first official function of this committee was to invite community groups and organizations to a luncheon on April 16. The purpose of this luncheon was to introduce the committee and to obtain ideas on the issues facing this community. Approximately 30 people from various community groups and organizations attended and enjoyed a light lunch of soup and sandwiches. A great deal of interest was generated and a number of people participated in lively discussion on crime prevention and community policing. The committee received a number of ideas and suggestions which they will examine at their next meeting. |
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| Policing Stories from the Past Sometime ago, when I was stationed in Marystown (between 1985 and 1991) I had an unusual encounter. I was working the night shift one cold and rainy spring night. The rain was heavy at times and generally it was a night not fit for man or beast. However, I guess I was thankful to a certain degree, because for the most part criminals are fair weather people. So, it was shaping up to be a quiet night until telecoms called me around 2:00 am. The operator advised they had received a call from a woman reporting a prowler around her house. The woman lived in a housing area called Site#1. I was close by so I took the call and proceeded to the scene. I guess Mother Nature decided to pump up the weather because at that moment the rain started coming down in sheets. I approached the location and I saw a man outside the residence. He also saw me and started to walk non-chalently away from the residence. Then, as I got closer ,he took off in an all out gallop. I jumped out of the car and I was soaked instantly. I ran after this fellow who had gone around the corner of the residence and between the rows of housing. I slipped a couple of times on the grass and mud but I continued after this guy. I shouted out "Halt police!" but he kept running without looking back. We ran through more yards and around houses. Finally, I yelled "Halt Police!" again and I gave a last burst of energy to catch this fellow. I was sort of angry, totally soaked and cold at this point. I was getting closer when all of a sudden, the man stopped. He turned around abruptly and said, "How’s she going buddy?" I was so taken back by this approach, I just couldn’t respond. A minute earlier, I thought I was in for a good racket with this guy. Now, it was all I could do, to keep from laughing as I told him he was under arrest. I brought him into the cells for the night. The next day we joked about it as I gave him the summons to appear in court. They say you should learn something from everything you do. Well from this I learned it’s difficult to be angry when you’re laughing. |
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| The
Running Lady During the past year or two, some of you may have seen a woman running around our fair island. She seems to especially like running up Beach Hill. Well, in case you might not know, that’s Marie Decker, Cst. Boyd Decker’s wife. I mention her, because on the day I prepared most of this newsletter, Monday, April 19, she is running in the Boston Marathon. She and Boyd left for Boston on Friday April 16. Marie has run in a number of marathons in this province but this is her first Boston Marathon. Our thoughts are with her today. |
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| The Bell Island Foodbank NewsThe Bell Island Community Food Bank opened its doors to
the public on February 23, 1999. With the assistance of volunteers on a rotating basis, we
were able to accomplish an enormous amount of work such as food pickup, inventory,
unpacking groceries and preparing food hampers. Right now, we are in the process of
selling a community birthday calendar both on Bell Island and Ontario. This calender
consists of birthdays and anniversaries throughout the months, with supporting sponsors on
the front cover. An added bonus to the calendar is a picture of Bell Island donated by Ron
Bennett. The calendar will also have a count down to the new millennium (a keepsake) I
want to thank everyone who purchased an ad and a very big thank you to the volunteers,
Maureen Simon, Marie Cummings, Sharon Hebb and Al Jones who have been so involved in
making this fund raiser successful. It is reassuring to have the support of Bell Islanders
both here and away from home.
Mary Murphy |
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| CommentsApril 18 to 24 is volunteer week. It is a time to recognize those very important people in our community who make it a great place to live. No where are volunteers more important than in small communities. They often provide free services, which are paid services in larger centers. More importantly, they volunteer because of a sense of pride , not for any personal gain. They have a genuine desire to help to make things better. Some of these people have such a strong sense of duty that they often over extend themselves and take on too much. No, you won’t hear them complain or see them stand in line waiting for rewards. They’ll just plug away for the love of their community. Just stop for a minute and think where we would be without volunteers and I think that you’ll agree it would be a sad state of affairs without them. So, take a minute this week or any week for that matter and make it a point to say thanks. It’s important. It’s the right thing to do. | ||
| Atlantic Junior "B"
Hockey Championship The Atlantic Junior "B" Championships were hosted on Bell Island this year between April 14 to 18th. Five teams participated in this tournament from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Labrador City and Bell Island. Eleven games were played with the Gold medal game being played on Sunday. The Monsignor Bartlettet Arena was filled to capacity for the championship game between the New Brunswick Bears and the Bell Island Junior Blues. The Blues put in a valiant effort but weren’t able to stop the Bears. The Blues ended up with the silver medal and Labrador City captured the bronze medal. Congratulations to the players and coach of the Bell Island Junior Blues for a job well done. Congradulations are also in order for the organizers for a well planned event. |
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| Special
Olympics The RCMP Bell Island Community Policing Office is preparing for the Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run which will be held in June 1999. This event involves police and enforcement officers running across the province and country in aid of the Special Olympics. Cst. Hazel Duncan is organizing the Bell Island participation in this event. Each year the Special Olympics sell T-shirts as well as complete sponsor sheets to raise money for this event. T-shirts are available at the RCMP office for a cost of $12.00 and are available in Large, Extra-Large and children sizes. Should wish to purchase a T-shirt please visit our office or contact us by telephone #709-488-3312. |
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| Closing If you have any comments about this newsletter or wish to discuss a personal or community problem, by all means contact us at the following: Telephone - 709-488-3312 Fax - 709-488-2311 Email - whebb@nf.sympatico.ca EVERYONE IS WORTHY OF RESPECT
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