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HAVE YOUR SAY: Comox Valley native spreading a little happiness

I lived and grew up in the Comox Valley for my entire childhood (1993 to 2006).

I lived and grew up in the Comox Valley for my entire childhood (1993 to 2006). I always look back at my life, growing up, and going through school in the Valley and realize it is exactly why I am so into the outdoors and adventure now! What an amazing place! What an inspirational place! Mountains, rivers, beaches, you name it! Recently I started a team called Miles of Smiles Adventures with two friends from Britain. We will drive a rickshaw across the entire country of India in 14 days this January 2014, delivering Smile Packages and raising money for charity! I just thought maybe you would be interested in sharing this adventure? or helping us spread a little happiness! Check out our website at www.milesofsmilesad.com and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MilesofSmilesAdventures.

Green bouquets to those water-metered Comox residents who have become informed and educated about water use. Fifty-one percent of Comox customers consumed more than 49 cubic metre (m3) in July. After fixing leaks and becoming more aware of their consumption, only 4.5 per cent of customers consumed over 49 m3 (considered excessive) in September. "What gets measured gets done" — water meters work, but many will choose to pay for irrigating their green space. Water cost should not be subsidized by flat rates, nor should they be a "cash cow" by metering.

I have been meaning to send this in for a long time. I would like to make a comment about the exercise equipment installed at Anderton Park (I believe it was over a year ago). I live in this area and I’m either at the park or passing by every day, sometimes more than once a day, and have never seen anyone really using this equipment, other than kids playing on it. A few adults try them out but I don’t think anyone really uses them to the extent they were installed for. To me it’s a waste of the taxpayers' money! I think a waterpark for the kids would have been much more appropriate, as there is no swimming pool at the rec centre here in Comox and no waterpark! There’s a rec centre in Courtenay and a waterpark at Lewis Park, so why not have a waterpark in Comox? After all, there’s a playground there so why not at the least, a waterpark, so they don’t have to go all the way to Courtenay?

Sincere thanks from The Salvation Army to the patrons of Quality Foods for donating food items to our emergency food pantry. You can be assured that these contributions are distributed responsibly to those in honest need.

I am writing to express my concern regarding cats left out to roam free in our neighbourhoods. We can no longer eat the berries and herbs we grow in our fenced in backyard as I have seen a neighbour's cat lift his leg and spray our blueberry bush. We like to garden and frequently we find cat poop in our flowerbeds. My husband had to change our nicely landscaped front yard as he had included a patch of sand that the cats quickly found and used as a kitty litter box. They also are a noise problem, especially during the night. Many times my husband has been out in the middle of the night, chasing cats out of our fenced in backyard as they are yowling right under our bedroom window. The worst part is that they kill our native birds. We very much enjoy watching the birds that visit our backyard. On more than one occasion we have found little piles of bird feathers indicating that a cat has killed another one. We'd like to put up a bird feeder in our fenced in backyard but we certainly wouldn't enjoy watching the cats torture and kill our cute little birds. There was recently a television news story showing that an Environment Canada study states that cats are Canada's biggest bird killers. There was a time when dogs were allowed to roam free but that is no longer the case. The time has come for the same rule to apply to cats. It is my understanding that there are bylaws in place for every other pet to be kept in their own yard, dogs, chickens, goats, you name it. Why should cats be any different? Please, could we have a bylaw requiring cat owners to keep their cats in their own yards?

The Merville Grand Mothers wish to express our heartfelt thanks to this community for supporting our recent fabric sale. All proceeds of the sale, $3,600, will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support grandmothers in Africa who are raising their orphaned grandchildren. This event would not have been possible without all those who generously donated fabric, the Potters' Place that accepted donations, the local newspapers promoting the event, and the many people who came to the sale. Thanks also to Gordon Sherriff for the donation of two solar clothes dryers and to World Community for coffee, to our friends who helped sort fabric and assisted with the sale at St. George's United Church. If you missed the sale, you may still find great bargains on some of this fabric at Too Good To Be Threw Thrift Shop.

The Salvation Army would like to thank the caring congregations of the Comox Presbyterian Church and the Comox Community Baptist Church for their faithful contributions of food to assist us in helping others in our community.

Special kudos to local musicians Sue Medley, Anela Kahiamoe, Des Larson, Alan Jossul, Iain Cameron and Nathan Senner who were kind enough to play at the Trevor Ashwell Benefit on Nov. 10 at the Little Red Church in Comox. Their generosity allowed the community to come together to help one of our own, and is inspiring to say the least! We salute you all and we urge residents to support our generous local musicians!

I find it quite astounding this drive by the regional board regarding garbage collection is being pushed through without a clear direction. If, for example, there are three or say five different residences on one registered parcel of land (i.e. many farms), does that mean there will be one bill for that parcel and only one garbage can or will there be three or five bills and three or five garbage cans on pickup days? For some reason there does not seem to be any answers from the board. If they do not have answers, why would we push forward with this motion?

In appreciation of the effort put in by a number of volunteers whose work helped make the Kiwanis Social Club’s Thanksgiving Day dinner a great success, we recognize the following people: Margaret, the poster chairperson; Kathy, who kindly purchased supplies; Flo, the chief cook; and Linda, Genny, Dan and Gail, the helpers. Their work was appreciated.

I am writing to thank the kind man for helping me last Nov. 2 in the parking lot across from Claude Bigler's studio. I was in shock and frightened by a large, vicious dog in the back of a pickup truck next to my car when this gentleman came to my rescue. Thank you!

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Do you have somebody to praise or something you have to get off your chest? Have your say by submitting to editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com. Please focus on people's ideas rather than speculating about their character. You can also get a written submission to 765 McPhee Ave., Courtenay, B.C. V9N 2Z7 or fax to 250-338-5568. If you wish to talk to the editor, phone Mark Allan at 250-338-7816, 2309.