Reader to Reader: August 10, 2024

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Gratifying job

Do you like to drive? Do you enjoy meeting people? We need you.

Imagine being told you have cancer, and that you need to travel each day to receive life-saving treatment. Now imagine you don’t have a way of getting to those treatments. For many living with cancer, worrying about travelling to appointments is stressful and that is where the Canadian Cancer Society’s Wheels of Hope program comes in to help people living with cancer get to and from their treatment.

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My name is Mark, I’m a cancer survivor, and I began my work with the Canadian Cancer Society as a volunteer driver.

The first person I drove more than nine years ago was Shirley. I had just moved back to town with extra time on my hands. During our ride, Shirley told me she had breast cancer and she was not able to drive anymore. Her husband of 49 years had passed away the year before, and her daughter was living overseas. We chatted about hockey and her confidence that the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to go all the way to the Stanley Cup (I thought it must be the medication).

As Shirley got out of my car, she said “You are such a nice person to be doing this, thank you so much, Mark. I probably wouldn’t have gone for treatment if it wasn’t for this driving program. The volunteers have been so lovely.”

The look on Shirley’s face went straight to my heart. As she was walking to the door, she turned and waved goodbye to me and my eyes started to well with tears. I wasn’t sad, it was just the opposite. Shirley had lifted my spirits. I thought “Wasn’t this supposed to be the other way around?”

As I drove more and more people to treatment, I was so moved by the heartfelt appreciation from people, and I was just giving them a lift. You will feel the same thing when you help a stranger from your own community.

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If you’ve got time in your day, enjoy driving and want to do something that helps people with cancer, I encourage you to consider Wheels of Hope. We need volunteer drivers from London and all the surrounding communities.

Please visit volunteercancer.ca and click on Wheels of Hope to apply. For more information, email volunteer@cancer.ca or call 1-888-939-3333.

Mark Kahan, London

Decoration days today

The annual decoration day at St. John’s Cemetery, Arva, is Sunday with a service of celebration at 3 p.m. in the church. A donation box will be available for donations to cover maintenance of the cemetery. Tax receipts will be given on donation more than $20. The cemetery excepts cash, cheque, e-transfer (stjohnscemeteryarva@gmail.com) with name, address and postal code. Further information, contact Mark McCullough, manager, at 519-434-8903 or email stjohnscemeteryarva@gmail.com.

Mark McCullough, Arva

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Townline Cemetery at 296246 29th Line, Zorra Township, is celebrating 165 years. Decoration day is Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be no memorial service. Donations may be made at the donation box on the grounds or directed to Townline Cemetery c/o David Waud, 6 Norsworthy Lane, Ingersoll, ON N5C 4GS.

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Carolyn McGaw, Ingersoll

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Curries Pleasentview Cemetery welcomes you to decorate your family grave site on decoration day Sunday.

Marlene Boakes, Woodstock

VJ Day anniversary

Thursday, Aug. 15, is the 79th anniversary of VJ-Day, the liberation of the Far East prisoner of war camps (military and civilian) and the end of the Second World War.

Lest we forget.

Sallie Hammond, London, secretary, Malayan Volunteers Group, Canada/USA

Yard sale

The new Melbourne United Church is holding a yard sale at the manse, 3 John St., on Aug. 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Janet McCallum, Melbourne

Podcast appreciated

A tennis tournament in memory of Justin Bourassa, killed nearly three years ago by London police, was held in Sarnia where Bourassa was the tennis pro.

London media personality and podcaster Craig Needles, who did not previously know Bourassa or his family, attended, much to the appreciation of all who loved Justin. Needles has recorded three podcasts outlining concerns about how and why Bourassa died. Thank you, Craig, from all of us.

Cathy Borshell, London

Looking for vendors

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London Central Lions Club seeks people who make and sell handcrafted items to take part in our winter craft sale Nov. 16 at Trinity Lutheran Church from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Table rental is $50, with the first $25 required when you register and the remainder by Oct. 16. The only cost to crafters is the table rental; money raised through table rentals goes toward meeting needs in our London community. For more information, please contact Lion Sarai Guerrero (sguerrero@live.ca).

Catherine Dallas, London

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