WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1991 Island Living Real Estate Driftwood New name reflects APD focus An advocacy group for Salt Spring's disabled residents has recently changed its name to better reflect its focus and relation• ship to a parent organization. The Gulf Islands Handicapped Associa• tion will now be known as the Association of People with Disabilities, coordinator Bill Best announced last week. Best said the new name will conform more closely with that of a Vancouver-based umbrella group for disabled persons' rights. He said the change was also made "be• cause we are people first, who happen to have disabilities. We are more than just disabled; we have abilities, too." Now in its third year of operation, the APD has expanded the island's hand• icapped parking system to a total of 26 Fishing boats quietly wait out the season in Ganges Harbour on Salt Spring parking spaces. These are upgraded and maintained on an annual basis by the as• sociation, with assistance from the high• ways maintenance contractor. Application forms to acquire parking Evanishen leaving Salt Spring Islandplacards are available from doctors' of• fices, the Government Agent and Phar- to search for travel and a small townmasave drugstor e in Ganges. Unlike more established non-profit or• Danny Evanishen enjoyed the crowds University of Saskatoon. collected were better than anything you ganizations, the APD has no paid staff. that jammed his mid-island home last "You notice I make no mention of could buy." Coordinator Bill Best and secretary Murray weekend, but the growing Crowds on Salt Regina," he commented. "Nobody from By 1971, he had returned to Canada. He Shoolbraid volunteer numerous hours of Spring tell him its time to move on. Saskatchewan mentions Regina." spent summers fighting forest fires in the time to the association. Best says he is Evanishen enjoys small towns and Majoring in drama, Evanishen gained a Yukon and continued his travels during the available by phone day or night to serve the travel. And although Salt Spring's popula• university degree before hitting the road winter months. Of all the places he visited needs of disabled persons. tion has more than doubled since he moved once again. Ibiza, Spain ranks as his favourite. APD services include providing infor• here in 1978 prompting him to find a new "In 1968,1 set off to see the world," he "Oh boy," he enthused of Ibiza, "It's a mation, referrals and practical help to dis• home, Evanishen leaves behind him an is• said. wonderful place. It has an incredibly long abled individuals and their families. land-full of friends. He travelled extensively in Europe and history and the people are so friendly. At Best points out it is not necessary to be a Well-wishers stormed Evanishen's eventually found himself "down under" in the entrance to the city, there are two member ot the association to make use ot 'Tarewell Party" last Saturday evening, at• Australia. He taught school in Melbourne Roman statues. The statues have no heads its services. testing to his widespread popularity. and Queensland, and worked a mine in but they're still there at the gates." western Australia. During that period, he had been travell• "We operate more along the lines of ser• By BILL WEBSTER Evanishen's work was not confined to ing with a woman who came from Salt vice agency," he says, "and we have never Driftwood Staff Writer teaching and mining. Spring. At one point, just before they set refused help to anyone." "For a while, my sole source of sus• off for Europe, the pair came to visit her Evanishen was born in Meadow Lake, The association also provides advocacy tenance was playing guitar in a restaurant," relatives on the island. Saskatchewan, a small town 320 kilometres services to low-income residents, including he said. "I kinda got hooked on the place," (200 miles) north of Saskatoon. a low-cost income tax service which He also travelled door to door collecting Evanishen admitted. "It's the end of the highway," Evanishen enables them to obtain their Goods and scrap clothing for a man who recycled His visits to Salt Spring got longer and says. "And the end of the railroad." Services Tax and Federal Sales Tax them into wipe rags for garages. longer he would spend a weekend when he rebates. Although Meadow Lake met his defini• "I'm still wearing some of those rags," tion of a small town — population of less he said: "seriously, some of the clothes I EVANISHEN B4 Association B2 than 3,000 people — he left to attend the four weekly guide to GULF ISLANDS PROPERTIES PageB2 GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD Wednesday, January 23, 1991 ISLAND LIVING Association of People with From Page Bl Best says an important part of advocacy In cases where an application is refused, an walk-alert/drive alert program and the "55 Best says that in order for the APD's ex• work involves assisting people with per• appeal is launched and is usually success• Alive" seniors' safe driving course. tensive work to continue, financial support manent disabilities to obtain the pensions ful, says BesL Best says ongoing liaison with the B.C. is needed from the community. and medical benefits to which they are en- Assistance is also offered by the as• Ferry Corporation has resulted in the instal• "We find that as we become better tided. This includes helping applicants ob• sociation to victims of motor vehicle acci• lation of elevators on all major vessels, and known, the demand on our services in• tain necessary medical documents and dents who find themselves with a improved signage indicating the location of creases and is reflected in operating costs. complete application forms. permanent disability. accessible washrooms and elevators. These include stationery, secretarial ser• APD advocates will accompany ap• Public education is another activity of In 1988, the local association awarded a vices, long distance calls and transporta• plicants to interviews with appropriate the APD. Last year members helped imple• certificate of recognition to Long Harbour tion," he says. agency staff. In addition to providing moral ment the Capital Regional District's ferry terminal staff for providing priority Best says obtaining government grants support, the advocate ensures all facts are bicycle safety program in local schools, the boarding to disabled passengers. is not easy for a relatively new association presented and proper procedures followed. As an active co-sponsor of the Salt like the APD and so it must rely on the Spring Island Community Centre Society's generosity of individuals and community tow-income housing proposal, Best says groups. Tax-deductible receipts are issued the APD has recommended the adoption of for all donations. a new construction concept — "adaptable For further information about the As• f....... housing standards" — which makes units sociation for People with Disabilities, call easily adapted to the needs of disabled Bill Best at 537-4386 or Murray tenants' needs and at minimum expense. Shoolbraid at 537-5432. Stewart Scotvold Holdings Ltd. BRITAIN — My neighbour was a Yorkshirewoman from York, which is about as Yorkshire as you could get. We were both there to mark the golden wedding anniversary of our host and hostess. Like other such gatherings, it was RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION a happy and friendly luncheon group. The lady from York enquired of my background and I explained that I was With a Project Management approach from Canada. She was immediately interested because she and her husband were in British Columbia during the early, wet summer and they had, despite RODNEY H. SCOTVOLD, P.ENG., M.B.A. the moisture, enjoyed their holiday. They had noted Salt Spring Island, but they P.O. Box 932. GANGES, B.C. VOS 1E0 never got there. The views of a couple having seen B.C. for the 2first time kept (604) 537-2344 FAX (604) 537-4243 an interesting exchange going during the meal. Did I know Prevost Island, asked Judith Bradley. She and her husband, Char• les, had visited Prevost on their holiday and they had received a Christmas card from their hostess, Barbara. Your Local Moving Company Judith related their experience at Prince Rupert, when they left the ferry to * Fully Licensed walk into the town late at night. They staggered into darkness and decided to abandon their plan. Yet, neither dark of night nor constant rains dismayed them * Fully Insured and they came back with happy memories of the west coast. * Free Estimates * Honest & Reliable The Two Ronnies * Regular Trips to Many a T. V. fan would recall the periodic appearance on our screens of The Vancouver & Victoria Two Ronnies. The English comics engaged in fake news reports and their clos• ing signal was always: "And that's Goodnight from me ... and Goodnight from Fax537-9204 him!" Tei 537-9501 when you listen regularly to British newscasts you learn that this is the na• tional signing-off call. Every newscaster concludes with either, "Goodnight from me!" or "That's Goodnight from Charlie and Goodnight from me!" Or Jonathan Yardlev- architect "Good morning." With over 16 years ex• I read the Daily Telegraph regularly over here and the Daily Express fre• perience on the Gulf quently. The sober presentation of the news in the former is relieved by the Islands I will work with you to steer your project more boisterous character of the latter. Both papers, incidentally, have close from idea to reality. connections with Canada. The Express was Beaverbrook's invention and more Projects may vary from Canadian than Lord Beaverbrook would be difficult to imagine, mtimate of simple additions and renovations to new Churchill, the Beaverbrook contribution to national affairs may never be houses and commercial measured.