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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, May 22, 2015 | 6 Looking for new blood Will you step up and be one of the 24,000 new blood donors Canadian Blood Services is seeking too boost blood reserves before May 24? That's 24,000 more moments you're giving back to families, 24,000 more moms to hug their kids, 24,000 more hockey fans to cheer on their favourite team... 24,000 more lives. Why? The need for blood and blood products is constant and you could save a life. Canadian Blood Services is challenging all of us to get involved and donate by May 24 -- traditionally the date associated with the rst long weekend of the spring and summer season, when travel and outdoor activities increase the need for blood. You never know what awaits around every corner. Life is full of uncertainties. And sometimes, the need for the gift of life -- blood -- may be a need you will face. Anyone who has been involved in a life-threatening accident or required a life-saving surgery knows well the importance of donating to Canadian Blood Services, a national, not-for-pro t charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Québec. For anyone who hasn't relied on its services, there's always a possibility we may need to one day. To become a blood donor in Canada you must be: · In good general health, feeling well and able to perform your normal activities · At least 17 years old · Meet the height and weight requirements if you're between 17 and 23 years old. For their safety and the safety of the patients, all volunteer blood donors must be evaluated to nd out if they're eligible to give blood. When you go to donate, you will be asked a number of questions to determine your eligibility. A Canadian Blood Services team member will make the decision about whether or not you're eligible to donate. You can search out a nearby clinic or permanent blood donor centre at www.blood.ca or by calling 1-888-236-6283. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted. Help someone get back to his or her everyday life by becoming a blood donor. You won't be there, but your blood will be. Canadian patients depend on Canadian Blood Services to manage a safe, secure and cost-effective blood system. It also provides the following unique services to Canadians: it operates the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network; it builds and operates Canada's national public umbilical cord blood bank; it manages national patient registries for organ donation and transplantation; it leads national practices, professional education, public awareness and system performance activities for organ and tissue donation and transplantation and it does bulk purchasing of pharmaceutical plasma protein products and it conducts leading-edge research and advancing practice in transfusion and transplantation medicine nationally and internationally. For all those reasons, besides the fact it may save your life, donate the gift of life... it's in you to give. Editorial C E L E B R A T I N G "Connected to your Community" P A R A M E D I C S 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 53 | Number 41 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production Four Halton EMS personnel stopped by Trafalgar Lodge Retirement Residence on Randall Street to mark Paramedics Appreciation Week (May 17-23). In uniform from left are: Tad Nelson, Kim Kennedy, Steve McCallum and Sam Comeau-Seguin. Seniors, in front from left: Quita McKewon, John Pearson, Marti Kay, Doreen Greenland and Don Flynn. Managers, in back from left: Angela Bosco, Sarah St. Pierre and Chad Smith. "Trafalgar Lodge celebrates Paramedic Appreciation Week. We are recognizing the paramedics and how hard they work. They are wonderful with our residents and take such good care of them when they have to go to the hospital. Thank you for everything you do in the community," said Angela Bosco of Revera Retirement Living. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager WOSS, and Emily, excel at Tech Skills competition On behalf of the Ontario College of Trades, I would like to congratulate White Oaks Secondary School on its participation in the 2015 Ontario Technological Skills Competition. I would also like to recognize Emily Fell for her rst-place nish in the Auto Painting category. This was the second year I've attended the competition, and once again, I was genuinely blown away by what I saw. Gail Smyth and her team from Skills Canada-Ontario should be proud of putting together such an impressive event. The level of skill and expertise that was on display at RIM Park in Waterloo was phenomenal, and it's clear that some of Ontario's best and brightest young minds have whole-heartedly embraced skilled, technology-based trades. It might `only' have been a friendly competition to some, but it wasn't to me. What I saw was a dress rehearsal for nothing less than the future of Ontario's economy. If we want our province to stay competitive and compete on a global scale in the future, skilled trades professionals need to play a central role. We believe that a career in the skilled trades is a viable career option for more of Ontario's youth. There is an enormous demand for skilled trades professionals in Ontario. That's why the College has created earnwhileyoulearn.ca -- an interactive youth website highlighting the wealth of opportunities in the skilled trades. Again, on behalf of the Ontario College of Trades, congratulations to White Oaks Secondary School and Emily Fell on her impressive achievements. I wish her the best of luck in all of her future endeavors. David Tsubouchi Registrar and CEO of the Ontario College of Trades Letter to the Editor Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.