Crowd told to rise above hate

Martin van den Hemel, staff reporter

About 100 people came out Tuesday night to City Hall to honour those who died in last week’s terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.

Richmond Fire-Rescue chief Jim Hancock led a brief ceremony that included one minute of silence and the raising of the American and Canadian flags.

Both young and old joined local police officers and firefighters to offer their condolences by signing their names on a white banner and two books of condolence.

They will be available for locals to sign until 5 p.m. on Friday.

Community leader Balwant Sanghera urged locals to rise above the hate-mongering that has reared its ugly head in parts of North America since last week’s tragedy.

Investigators suspect that the hijacking of four airplanes was led by Muslim militants.

“This community has made me really proud of this community,” Sanghera told the audience, referring to the outpouring of assistance and compassion to passengers stranded in Vancouver after the unprecedented closure of North American airspace.

On Wednesday, Sanghera said that Richmond is a real model of ethnic tolerance, adding that he’s hopeful locals will avoid the pitfalls of pointing fingers.

“To link up religion...with that act of terrorism is not right,” Sanghera said.

City emergency co-ordinator Suzanne Bycraft said there were more offers of assistance than there were people needing help.

Fears at home and abroad for Muslim community

Chris Bryan, staff reporter

Last week’s catastrophic attacks in the United States has left many Richmond residents anxious about the future, and that anxiety is no more keenly felt than in the local Muslim community.

An anonymous threat last Wednesday from a telephone booth led the local Muslim school on Blundell Avenue to shut its doors for the week, and there have been reports of attacks against Muslim persons and property in several cities across Canada.

However, Muslim Canadian Federation co-chair Mahmood Awan said the people of Richmond have been very keen to ensure that none of the anger surrounding last week’s events has been targeted against our city’s Muslim population.

“We’ve had lots of calls of support,” said Awan, a Richmond resident who has lived in Canada 30 years. “I appreciate the support of the community in Richmond.”

Representatives of the Muslim community met with Richmond RCMP on Wednesday to discuss their concerns about being “singled out” and issues of safety. Police also provided a visible presence near the Muslim mosque on Blundell near No. 5 Road Friday when a prayer service was held to remember the people killed in Tuesday’s tragedy.

Aziz Khaki, vice-president of the Muslim Canadian Federation, said although many of the terrorists identified after last week’s events had Muslim-sounding names, most Canadians are staying level-headed.

“When you talk to ordinary people, there’s so much understanding that you don’t write off the entire Muslim population,” he said.

The real concern for both Khaki and Awan is the question of what will happen next.

Awan, who is from Pakistan, has grave fears that the ramifications of using the country as a staging point for a military pursuit of suspected terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in neighbouring Afghanistan. There are between five and seven million Afghans living in Pakistan, and Awan fears the country of his birth could be torn apart.

“Five million is not a peanut,” Awan said. “Five million can do a lot of things. That is our biggest concern.”

Also, Awan questions Canada’s pledge of seemingly unconditional support of the U.S. in any future actions they choose to undertake to fight terrorism.

“Unconditional support to do what? To go and take over Afghanistan? To be attacking innocent people in Afghanistan?”

Here at home, the Richmond RCMP have planned a number of steps to promote continued cultural harmony in the face of recent events, said RCMP Const. Peter Thiessen. All local officers have received a communique advising them how to handle threats, harassment or intimidation against the Muslim community. Also, cultural seminars have been planned, which will be also open to the public.

Zijad Delic, the head priest of the local Muslim community, said things are back to normal this week at the local Muslim school. They have received no other threats other than the single call last week.

On the contrary, they’ve received numerous calls and written messages of support, Delic said.

“I wasn’t expecting the community would respond that way,” he said. “In B.C., I think we are blessed.”

Shots fired at house to send message?

Martin van den Hemel, staff reporter

Someone was clearly trying to send a message to the residents of a house at 11340 Williams Rd. this weekend.

On Sunday morning around 5 a.m., the windows to both the cars parked in front of the house and the house itself were shattered.

The violence then escalated Monday morning, when at around 1:15 a.m. between four and six shots were fired into the house, where more than half a dozen people slept, including as many as four children.

Fortunately, there were no injuries, according to resident Sarb Dhanda. Asked whether he knows why they were targetted, he said: “I don’t know.”

Neighbours say this weekend’s incidents were completely out of the ordinary.

“They’ve been there for about 20 years,” one neighbour said of the Dhanda family. “We’ve never had any problems with them.”

“I heard noise but it sounded like somebody beating on a metal tool shed,” one neighbour said of the incident.

“They were right in front of the house,” another neighbour said of the suspects, who stood about six feet in front of one window when they started shooting.

“I think they were trying to scare the shit out of them. I think they were trying to send a message.”

One of the suspects called for one of the residents of the house to come out, he said.

Police arrested a man nearby who had an outstanding warrant. But it wasn’t known if he was involved in the shooting or violence.

Neighbours reported seeing a silver coloured vehicle leaving the area.

Schools deal with students’ anxieties

Chris Bryan, staff reporter

At local schools, several principals have reported little outward signs of anxiety among students, but there’s been a lot of discussion about last week’s tragedy in the United States.

Blundell Elementary principal Dave Bradley said this week that the counsellor at his school hasn’t seen an increased number of visits.

“We’re not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” said Bradley, speculating that the kids may have become desensitized from years of watching fictional death and destruction on TV and in movies.

On the other hand, he said, schools and families may have been successful in helping relieve anxiety and fear.

The main response among students at Blundell has been “what’s going to happen next,” Bradley said.

“It’s a question we can’t answer.”

The Richmond school board has sent three separate messages since the hijackings last Tuesday, two to administrators and a third sent to parents yesterday.

Superintendent Chris Kelly instructed teachers last Tuesday to avoid any speculation about what would happen next, and stressed the need to maintain communication and address questions of immediate safety and security.

The second memo emphasized the fact that the events have sparked a process of learning that will continue indefinitely, for parents, teachers and children alike, addressing the questions of “why?” and “what next?”

McMath Secondary principal Alex Campbell said the reaction has layers and everyone will be dealing for some time to come.

“I don’t think some people have a full appreciation of what happened,” he said. “That may play out as weeks go by.”

Gary McBride, principal at General Currie Elementary, said they’re sticking with the basics.

“We’re dealing with the facts,” McBride said. “We’re not trying to anticipate what’s going to happen.”

At Cook Elementary, where they have students from 40 different countries, students became concerned last week when the nearby Muslim school was closed due to threats.

“That seemed to create a bit of anxiety,” said principal Wendy Durnin. And during the moment of silence last Friday, a couple of primary students were crying.

“They thought something was going to happen to them,” Durnin said.

But all the principals contacted reported the general atmosphere in classrooms as being relatively normal.

Students across the city are being encouraged to voice their questions and feelings in response to the catastrophe, and teachers have been encouraged to practice active listening, Kelly said. The main focus is on continued among cultures in the immediate community, he added.

“We are working from an unusually strong base of understanding among cultures in this community. Now we have to emphasize it,” Kelly said.

Through a child’s eyes

Chris Bryan, staff reporter

Richmond therapist offers tips to help parents, children adjust to last week’s tragic events

It’s often said that children are “sponges” that absorb the world around them like hungry animals.

Normally that’s a good thing, and it helps them learn quickly. But Janet Law is likely not alone when she worries about how her five-year-old son will digest the events in the United States last week.

To get an idea of how much her son had taken in, she asked Brandon to draw the images of what happened. He drew a tower, a plane, fire, an ambulance and two people.

There was also a small Statue of Liberty off to the side. One person appeared to be falling out of the tower—he didn’t make it, Brandon said. The other person was okay.

“He took the stairs,” he said.

When Law asked her son what he thought of the terrorists, he said they needed brain surgery. Then, his mother asked him to draw a second picture of what he wished had happened.

This time, the Statue of Liberty was much larger, about the same size as the tower. The statue represented liberty, he said, and because it was taller the plane had to go over and missed all the buildings completely.

Phoebe Tsang, a child and family therapist with Richmond Health Services, said Brandon’s mom has the right idea.

Tsang recommends several ideas that can help relieve anxiety in children, and adults alike. One is to create a worry jar, where children (and adults) can write what their worried about and drop it in. Then the family can set aside a time when they sit down together and discuss the worries.

Two other jars can be set up, too, she said. One can have good things written down, and another can be used for worries that have been discussed and have been deemed unfounded or very unlikely to come true.

Tsang suggests that discussions also explore ways the children can make themselves feel more secure, such as by holding a Teddy bear or hugging a parent. Parents are encouraged to share their own concerns.

“It’s kind of labelling the feelings for the kids, saying it’s okay to feel that,” said Tsang.

To reduce immediate anxiety, children can use bubble wands and be encouraged to blow very large bubbles. This requires slow, conscious breathing. It calms the nerves and can also be fun, too.

Ultimately, Tsang said the best thing parents can do is increase the amount of bonding time they spend with their kids. Instead of buying a quick take-out meal, sit down for the relaxed family supper.

“The main thing is spending more time together,” she said.

“This is a time for bonding because everyone is scattered by the events.”

Roofers blamed in church blaze

Martin van den Hemel, staff reporter

Fire causes $350,000 in damage to West Richmond Gospel Hall

The West Richmond Gospel Hall on Francis Road was gutted Monday afternoon when a fire was accidentally ignited by workers putting down a new roof.

Richmond Fire-Rescue fire inspector John Mitchell said the work crew may have unwittingly lit a bird’s nest —perhaps hidden under an overhang—on fire shortly before heading out for lunch. When they returned shortly before 1 p.m., they saw smoke and called 911.

Mitchell suspects the fire started underneath an overhang where a steeply pitched roof meets a flat roof at the western end of the L-shaped building.

Once started, the blaze worked its way into the building, creating a tremendous amount of heat before fire crews arrived. The excessive heat caused ceiling tiles to come unglued and they rained down onto the pews below.

But thanks to the quick work of firefighters, the fire was contained to the chapel area. There was smoke and heat damage to the rest of the building.

Mitchell estimates damage to the building at around $350,000 with about $50,000 in damage to its contents. The building was insured.

Church staff question where credit was due

Chris Bryan, staff reporter

Candidates say they were not opportunistic

Staff at St. Paul’s Church were shaking their heads this week in response to reports in the Sing Tao newspaper about stranded travellers who stayed in their school.

The Sept. 16 article stated in the headline “Richmond Canadian Voters offer warmth and love” and suggested that members of the civic political party had initiated the relief effort at the church.

“They had nothing to do with it,” said Mary Wozney, a relief co-ordinator at St. Paul’s who contacted numerous local businesses to provide food and sleeping supplies. Wozney sent a letter to The Richmond Review this week to clarify the issue, and thank all the local businesses who helped out. The church provided relief to 110 Chinese and 20 domestic travellers who were stranded in Richmond after air traffic was halted last Tuesday.

Richmond Canadian Voters issued two press releases to the media last week about their assistance at the church.

“Assisted by their campaign volunteers they also organized local businesses to donate food for the travelers in need,” one release states, following with a list of 12 restaurants, supermarkets and bakeries that pitched in.

By 6:30 p.m. last Tuesday evening, the church had already gathered enough bedding, food and offers of billeting to accommodate 400 people, Wozney said.

Members of the Richmond Canadian Voters did arrive at the church on Wednesday, she added, but they were more in the way than helpful.

“They did come down and cause us problems, because they thought they were taking over,” she said. “They came in and they just had to have billets.”

“The Sing Tao misquoted us,” Richmond Canadian Voters council candidate Hanson Lau said.“They gave the impression we arranged everything, but we are part of the team. That’s not our fault, though.”

Lau and his fellow slate members provided food from Hon’s Wun-Tun House and Maxim’s Bakery.

Also, council candidates Bill Ma and Anna Bloomfield housed stranded travellers in their homes.

Lau said they came to the church out of a genuine concern for the stranded travellers, not from an opportunistic aim to gain public support.

“That’s definitely not our intention.”

Jealousy led boyfriend to murder, says Crown

Martin van den Hemel, Staff Reporter

Man on trial for 1994 murder of girlfriend

It’s been a little more than seven years since 20-year-old Wanda Lee Martin was murdered inside a local apartment building. But now her parents are finally seeing some justice.

Martin was murdered on Sept. 6, 1994 and this week her boyfriend—the father of her now eight-year-old son named Ian—is facing life in prison.

Wade Skiffington is charged with second-degree murder, accused of shooting Martin with a 9-mm. gun six times, including two shots fired at close range execution style.

During his opening statements to the six-man and six-woman B.C. Supreme Court jury, Crown prosecutor Michael Luchenko said the motive for the murder is a fairly common one: jealousy.

Luchenko said witnesses will testify that Skiffington was both a jealous and demanding boyfriend.

Some years after the murder, the Richmond RCMP conducted an elaborate and extensive undercover operation which resulted in Skiffington finally admitting to an undercover officer posing as an underworld figure that he murdered Martin. (Details of the undercover operation cannot be published under a court-ordered ban)

“He said she had been (fooling) around on him.”

The idea that his son saw her fooling around with another man “broke him up,” Luchenko said.

The Crown’s theory is that Martin and Skiffington were under the usual stresses of any young couple that was living together for the first time. Those stresses, combined with Skiffington’s jealousy, precipitated the murder, the Crown says.

On Tuesday morning, a former nearby resident testified that she saw a white Sears carpet cleaning truck parked near the apartment building at around the time of the shootings.

The woman, who was walking to the grocery store with her mother and young family, made special note of the longer white van because she recalls thinking that perhaps she should get her carpets cleaned.

She testified the van was parked about a block away from the Greystone apartment building, at the corner of Bath and No. 5 roads. The identification of the van is a crucial link as Skiffington had been working for Sears Carpet and Upholstery at the time of the murder and was in Richmond, witnesses will testify.

On the afternoon she was murdered, Martin and her then 18-month-old son had been visiting friends. When those friends had to leave to run an errand, Martin chose to stay inside the apartment.

A short time later, when those friends returned, they discovered her bullet-riddled body in the bedroom in a fetal-position, with her unharmed son nearby.

A forensic crime scene analyst testified that there were no apparent signs of forced entry into the apartment, which originally led police to believe that Martin’s assailant was known to her. There was a peephole in the door of the apartment, police said.

A few days after the murder, Skiffington returned to Newfoundland to care for his son.

Following the undercover operation, Skiffington was arrested in February of 2000.

Viveza to offer lively, eclectic evening Salon music quartet to open Richmond Concert Association’s season Sept. 28

Chris Bryan, Staff Reporter

Viveza promises a lively evening of music when they come to Gateway Theatre Sept. 28.

The four piece group is one of Canada’s premier salon music groups, and focuses on miniatures —the shorter songs by great composers that were often played in the grand hotels and salons of Europe.

The concert is being produced as part of the Richmond Concert Association’s Distinguished Artists Series, which brings high-calibre artists to Richmond from around the world.

Vancouver-based Viveza includes Gwen Thompson, one of Canada’s premier violinists, as well as Mark Koenig (violin and melodeon), Wilmer Fawcett (double bass) and Robert Holliston (piano).

Not only will they perform well-known numbers by composers such as Brahms and Dvorak, they also have a flare for the tango.

There will be traditional tangos, but also progressive ones as well, by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla.

“He was actually banned from Argentina for a number of years because of what he did to the tango, their sacred music,” said Koenig, who also plays in both the CBC Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.

Among the Piazzolla songs performed next Friday will be “Ano Nacional” and “Allegro Tangabile.”

Koenig said when Viveza (Spanish for “lively, vivacious”) get together, the performance is always playful and fun.

“We’re all pretty high energy when we get out there,” Koenig said.

“There are going to be pieces the audience will know extremely well or will have heard. Even if they don’t know the names.”

Viveza has toured all across Canada and has performed in the U.S. and Korea. They have released five CDs since it formed in 1988. The latest, Tango Tango, is on the Omega label.

The performance Sept. 28 starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at Gateway Box Office at (604) 270-1812.

Passengers warned of long delays

Martin van den Hemel, Staff Reporter

Increased security measures now in effect at airport

Passengers have been warned to expect long delays after Transport Canada called for airports to introduce “heightened security measures” following Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in the United States.

Airport users can expect an increased police presence at major airports, increased passenger screening and other enhanced security procedures, such as more hand searches of baggage, Transport Canada said.

Transport Canada advises travellers that they can take steps to minimize the delays.

• check with your airline to ensure your flight is scheduled and follow-up to confirm it is on time

• arrive at least three hours before your flight

• bring photo identification when travelling

• do not wrap or package gifts, so they can be inspected by security personnel

• pack lightly and with as little baggage as possible

Richmond RCMP Const. Peter Thiessen said police remain at Vancouver International Airport assisting the existing security personnell should they discover passengers are carrying inappropriate items.

“What those (inappropriate items) are , I’m not clear on,” Thiessen said.

In the United States, police are reportedly sweeping airplanes before passengers board, looking for weapons or other devices that may be planted. And while American passengers were previously allowed to check in their bags at the curb, that’s no longer being permitted.

Some U.S. airports have reportedly stopped allowing cars to drop off passengers at the terminal, instead forcing them to stop in the parking lot and walk over.

Fire department mourns lost brothers

Martin van den Hemel, Staff Reporter

Richmond Fire-Rescue paid respect Friday morning to their fallen New York brothers who died heroes as they scrambled to save victims of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center’s twin towers.

“It’s been a tough week,” Fire chief Jim Hancock said following the ceremony at No. 1 Fire Hall at Gilbert and Granville.

It was attended by firefighters from across Richmond and a small group of local citizens.

The death of upwards of 200 firefighters and dozens of police officers resulting from the collapse of the two 110-storey buildings, has brought local fire crews “together even more as a family,” Hancock said.

Despite the tragic circumstances, Hancock said something positive can come from what happened this week.

Emergency crews got their first chance to experience dealing with the aftermath of a disaster.

“All the practise in the world can’t beat hands-on experience.”

Even though it took place thousands of kilometres away, the local fire department, police department and other emergency services faced the repercussions of the closure of the Vancouver International Airport that left thousands of passengers diverted from U.S. destinations with no place to stay. Fearful that the terrorist attacks might spread to cities north of the border, fire crews were on high alert preparing for the worst.

“I think it went off really, really well,” Hancock said.

He said the fire department is much more confident now in being able to handle an emergency such as an earthquake.

And he’s delighted by the tremendous display of compassion by Richmondites.

“We were overwhelmed with this community’s caring.”

Not only were dozens of locals ready to offer shelter to complete strangers diverted from destinations in the United States, but others donated beds, blankets and other necessities to help ease the impact of one of the darkest days in U.S. history.

Phone calls and e-mails have flooded into the fire department from people extending their condolences.

“I can’t believe so many people would think of us,” Hancock said.

Next week, emergency officials will take part in a post-incident analysis to look at what went right and what went wrong this week.

Hancock said comments and criticisms from the public will be brought into those discussions. How that will happen he’s not yet sure of, he said.

Thank you Richmond

Martin van den Hemel, Staff Reporter

City, police applaud efforts of volunteers, staff and residents

Last week’s tragedy tested the mettle of many Richmondites, who showed this week that they were up to the challenge.

The City of Richmond received literally thousands of phone calls from residents throughout the Lower Mainland, offering assistance to passengers stranded at Vancouver International Airport by Tuesday’s closure of North American airspace.

City of Richmond spokesman Ted Townsend applauded the countless hours of hard work put forward by volunteers, city staff and local residents who opened their hearts and homes to complete strangers in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.

“We know if we do have a major emergency we can rely on the local community for help,” Townsend said Friday.

“There were people in need and we were able to help them.”

The city’s emergency operation centre was up and running in a short time at Thompson community centre, Townsend said, following the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Centre and after it was known that air travel in North America had been suspended.

Mini shuttles and school buses were mobilized to bring passengers from the airport to the city’s two emergency shelters at the Workers Compensation Board building and St. Paul’s Parish.

Townsend said many passengers —who had come into Vancouver on flights originating in Asia and bound for San Francisco and Los Angeles—didn’t even know they were in Vancouver or what had happened in New York and Washington.

Telus offered passengers cellular phones so they could contact loved ones, Townsend said. Computers were also made available to stranded passengers.

Some 150 passengers were given shelter on Tuesday night and 200 on Wednesday night, Townsend said.

The city had been bracing itself for many more passengers after the airport announced that some 4,000 to 6,000 unexpected passengers on 34 airplanes were going to be landing at Vancouver International Airport Tuesday.

The city was preparing for the worst, however on a small number or passengers needed shelter.

As many as a dozen passengers may be staying in the WCB building for a couple of days as they wait to finally leave Vancouver perhaps as late as Sunday.

Some people were so eager to help that they became frustrated when their offers of assistance weren’t taken up, Townsend said.

As of Friday afternoon, the city was still being asked for assistance.

The city was asked to supply event tents to provide sun shade for passengers lined up outside the jam-packed airport.

Richmond RCMP Supt. Ward Clapham also applauded the efforts of locals.

“This is truly an exceptional effort by everyone involved,” Clapham said. “It is during these difficult situations that community spirit is tested and our community passed with flying colours.”

Clapham also praised Vancouver International Airport Authority for co-ordinating security efforts at the airport.

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People wanting to offer their condolences to those impacted by the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. can now do so at the local library.

A book of condolences is available daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21 in the city hall meeting house at the Brighouse branch of the Richmond public library.

The books have been donated by the Richmond Funeral Home.

Church helps stranded travellers

Martin van den Hemel, Staff Reporter

As late as Friday afternoon, some passengers impacted by the two-day closure of Vancouver International Airport were seeking help from Richmondites.

About a dozen tourists who had been staying at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey were told that neither the hotel nor the airline they were travelling with were going to foot their hotel room bill.

Sheraton general manager Simon Mais said Continental Airlines paid for their first night of accommodations and Sheraton paid for the second night. But neither were going to pay for the third night.

Mais said the passengers were told they would have to pay $59 for the third night, but 14 indicated they couldn’t afford that expense and opted be closer to the airport and take up the hospitality of Richmond residents.

Broadmoor Baptist Church officials were contacted to see if they could billet the passengers. Those details were being ironed out as The Richmond Review went to deadline Friday afternoon.

What’s cookin’? Local program forges friendships in the kitchen

Tia Abell, Contributor

It’s a recipe for comfort and joy: mix people from different cultures, add a dash of favorite, ethnic dishes and serve in an open kitchen.

The result is often more than a hearty meal that’s easy on the wallet.

Richmond Community Kitchens is about bringing the community together, says Hardev Mann, program co-ordinator for Family Services of Greater Vancouver.

“Food is a good way to bring different groups together. They eat together, they share their cultural backgrounds and bring their recipes. It gives them a better understanding of each other.”

Mann leads five groups that meet twice monthly at St. Alban’s Hall and South Arm Community Centre. During the three years she’s worked as co-ordinator, Mann has seen people from countries as far flung as Trinidad, Kenya, Japan, India and China cook together and forge friendships in Richmond kitchens.

She says when people share their recipes, they also share their traditions associated with food.

“It’s really a life-enhancing experience for them. We’re fulfilling the community’s needs in learning how to cook, as well as to experience other cultures through their wonderful foods.”

In her classes, Mann focuses on nutrition as well as on how to stretch a cook’s budget. All the recipes are economical, although not all the participants have low incomes—some may be newcomers who are looking for some fun, social interaction and a chance to practice speaking English. Sometimes the meals are enjoyed on the spot, or the cooks divide up the feast and bring it home.

Food is prepared on a cost-sharing basis with participants paying about $2.50 each a meal. Sessions run twice a month, with evening and morning classes.

But Mann doesn’t do all the instruction herself. Her cooking students often take a turn teaching their favorite dishes.

Some students, such as Richmond resident Julia Logan, have attended for years. It’s not because she can’t cook, rather it’s because cooking is a passion for her.

“What’s really enjoyable is learning about the different foods, different herbs and spices,” she says. “You learn how food is connected to culture a lot more than you may think—you’re meeting people from different nations and experiencing their foods as well. “

The groups’ culinary learning process continues outside of the kitchen. They take field trips, including a visit to a local temple for a traditional meal or another community kitchen for fresh ideas. During the last session, one of the Chinese participants took Logan’s class on a tour of a Chinese supermarket.

“She told us what everything was, how we could use it and what brands were good for specific tastes,” Logan says. “It was great. We’re hoping to do it with Indian food this time.”

Those wary of ‘too many cooks’ need not fear. According to Mann, the groups haven’t cooked up a disastrous meal, yet.

“Touch wood,” she laughs.

For more information, call Hardev Mann, at 279-7100.

How to be a stay-at-home dad

Tia Abell, Contributor

Local program helps young fathers cope with child-rearing

The idea of having a baby used to worry Adrian Mayers.

He thought the responsibility alone would be overwhelming, never mind the multiple demands of an infant.

“I figured it would be 24 hours a day with the baby, the baby would be crying, and I wouldn’t be able to do anything for myself—just family, family, family, all the time,” Mayers says with a grin.

These days the 29-year-old Richmond resident is happy spending time with his seven-month-old daughter, Kara. In fact, he took parental leave just to be with her.

He credits much of his current state of contentment and paternal confidence to the Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program at the Richmond Youth Services Agency.

The program offers young men to age 24 (or those like Mayers who have a partner under age 24) one-to-one counselling with one of B.C.’s only two male full-time fathers’ workers, as well as the opportunity to join in a fathers’ group.

The program also offers similar services to women, who have mothers’ group meetings the same evenings as the men. Child care is offered during those meetings.

The fathers’ group meets weekly to discuss their experiences, seek advice or attend activities as a group with their children—and without their partners.

Dads with children activities can mean anything from barbecues to bowling.

“It breaks out of tradition, the idea that if you’re going out you need to have the moms there,” Mayers says. “At first, some of the guys were a little bit apprehensive. But in between bowling frames, the guys would take care of each others’ babies.

“It’s about breaking down the stereotype that dads are only the breadwinners and moms are the nurturers.”

The men who join the group or take advantage of the counselling sessions all attend for different reasons, he adds.

Being a father can be a scary prospect for anyone—especially if the new dad isn’t even old enough to vote or faces big challenges in his work (or lack of it) and relationships.

While the Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program doesn’t offer financial assistance, young fathers can find help with employment or information on education and careers, with finding subsidized housing or accessing other services such as the food bank.

Other fathers join for the social connection with other young dads—some even meet for coffee outside of the regular group.

Mayers had recently moved to Richmond from Montreal to start a new job before he joined the program. Although he says he knew nothing about children or parenting, he was hesitant to join the group or attend counselling.

“I felt there’d be a stereotype, a label. (The attitude) that if you’re going to see a counselor there must be something wrong with you.”

Now he describes the one-on-one sessions as a ‘safe haven’.

“Just having someone to talk to, one on one, that I met with once a week, and not just all about parenting, but what was happening in my life. I could unload my stress and (the group sessions) are a good place to connect with other young dads.”

An added bonus were the time-management strategies he learned as well as the relationship skills.

“The bottom line is the program helped me immensely—if we hadn’t been doing the counselling stuff I don’t know how it would have turned out.”

A lot of what the young men learn from the program, according to fathers’ worker Trevor Warren, is that they, too, can be competent, responsible and nurturing parents.

“Historically, women have been the main caretakers of the children for whatever reason. We’re working to uphold the importance of dads in the community—in many families, dad is seen as the back-up to mom.”

Yet while expecting and new mothers have plenty of choices for helpful programs, young fathers have few resources designed specifically for them.

Why?

Warren says it’s likely because of an old but sticky stereotype that fathers don’t need support, and worse, that there’s something wrong with them if they’d like some help.

“The idea of counselling, years ago, was only for people who were psychotic. It’s a new kind of thinking to have support for dads. It’s about the attitudes in the community as well, sometimes dads are excluded—it’s not explicitly said, but they’re not included or invited.”

Warren says he and his colleagues at the Richmond Youth Services Agency are working hard to dispel these attitudes and stereotypes—and reach the young fathers who could benefit from their services. About 25 men join the program yearly.

“They’re a very hard population to access. They’re generally not the touchy-feely types, and they like to do it themselves.”

Even so, the young men have surprised Warren with their receptiveness during the group discussion sessions.

“I was worried if we weren’t talking about, say, sports, it wouldn’t be successful. But most dads valued the process part highly as a time when they could talk about the trials and experiences of being a dad.”

The fathers’ group took a break over summer and is expected to meet again on Wednesdays, starting in mid-October. Call 271-7600, ext. 23 for more information.

General Currie sprouts new wing

Tia Abell, Contributor

School to officially open latest addition at open house Thursday

General Currie is celebrating the official opening of its new wing with an open house on Thursday.

Also planned as a meet-the-teachers event, the school’s open house features a presentation in the gym and an unveiling of a plaque.

School principal Gary McBride said while the architect, school trustees and parents are expect to attend, the event will be informal.

“It’s an official opening of a wing, not a new school.”

All the same, McBride expects many of the historic school’s former students will be interested enough to drop in. And they’re all welcome.

“Lots of people always stop by already—people who went to the original General Currie.”

The new wing for the 450-student elementary school was completed last February.

The original schoolhouse, built in 1918, is still on the grounds. It was recently used for Kindergarten classes but McBride said the youngsters will now attend classes in the main building.

The old schoolhouse won’t go to waste, however. It’s expected to house classes for Adult ESL as well as the Retired Richmond Teachers Association.

The big impact of the new addition is on the students’ comfort, McBride said.

“It provides them with the super opportunity to be in one building. It’s very nice to get rid of the portables.”

General Currie’s teachers will be meeting with parents from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The new wing’s official opening ceremonies are planned for 7 p.m.

Youth are reaching out

Don Fennell, Staff Reporter

Youth group calls for more wide-ranging programs

by Richmond kids are being encouraged to get ROWDY.

ROWDY is an acronym for Reaching Out With Dollars for Youth, the brainchild of four local students who head up the Richmond Foundation’s youth committee.

Youth Supporting the Community of Richmond (Y-SCOR for short) hopes to raise awareness of and help their peers create meaningful change in the community.

One of their first projects is a district-wide coin drive, which student councils at all Richmond secondary school are being asked to help promote. The aim is to raise $20,000 which organizers say is attainable if each student contributes $5 during ROWDY week Oct. 15 to 19. The funds will be redistributed to youth groups for various community projects.

Schools participating in the project will be competing for a keeper trophy and a mini-grant of $500 to be used for a school program. The class raising the most per person will also win a lunch.

“It is our hope this can become an annual event to kick off the school year,” says Y-SCOR chair Claudine Santos, who has been part of the youth group since its creation in June 1999.

A Grade 12 student at Little Flower Academy in Vancouver, Santos, 17, says Y-SCOR is a concept that can help create positive change for youth in Richmond.

“When I look around I see teens drag racing, youth fights, graffiti and people wasting away their lives,” Santos says. “And that’s because the city doesn’t provide them much opportunity to do anything else.

“What this community needs is more youth-oriented programs.

“People are constantly telling us we are leaders of tomorrow; however, they don’t provide us with ample opportunities to develop the skills we need to lead. They don’t give us an opportunity to congregate really and do something positive.”

Partly based on a successful youth program rooted in Michigan, Y-SCOR hopes to help raise the profile and enthusiasm of city events in the arts, cultural activities and heritage programs. It also hopes to promote projects fostering leadership skills and the environment.

Santos says youth need to be given more opportunities to make a positive difference in their communities. And she believes with the help of Y-SCOR young people will be more motivated and confident to reach out.

“We’re not doing as much as we think we are as a community,” she says. “We need to publicize programs more, but that’s just the first step.

“We should not just look at things to keep youth occupied but things that are productive in their lives and that provide experience and life-building skills.”

Santos says she doesn’t just hang out with go-getters and hears a lot of apathy from her friends. She says we need to instill a sense of pride in them.

“It would be idealistic to think we can change everything, but we need to focus on programs out there and try to support them,” she says.

“There are a lot of good programs but I see a lot of them in athletics. There needs to be more wide-ranging programs.”

Many youth hang out at the corner store because they believe there’s nothing better to do, says Y-SCOR member James Lam.

“They feel they can’t make change around them,” he said.

But he said the skateboard park was an initiative of Richmond youth, and an example of something they really cared about.

A second year university student, Lam, 18, says he was drawn to Y-SCOR by a desire to make a difference. He says he continues to be inspired because he wants other youth to realize their goals.

“I have a strong vision of what could be,” he explains. “Youth themselves are saying they need to feel like they have some sort of connection to the community.”

Harley Syyong, 19, says existing youth programs provide a good platform, but we need to continue to help them expand.

“I can’t really say I had clear expectations for Y-SCOR,” says Syyong, who is planning a career in pharmacology.

“But it’s been a surprise to see how far we’ve come (already).”