Feature Article October 9, 2002
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Sam Jarvis kick starts KBV Fire Dept. fundby Will Cybulski Cloyne - Sam Jarvis is the advertising sales rep for The Frontenac News, and every now and then, he comes up with a great idea that crosses over into the administrative territory of the paper. Several weeks ago, Sam awakened one morning with the thought that the paper should do something to recognize the strength and fortitude shown by those who stood up to the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001. With the "Twin Towers' Disaster" anniversary fast approaching, Sam realized that the north-western area covered by The News had also undergone its own pummelling in the microburst storm of August 2. In that aftermath, North Frontenac Municipality had passed a resolution that was expected eventually to ask the province for disaster relief aid. So, for Sam, the stage was set, and he went about seeing what the paper could do to help here. Our intrepid salesperson went to his customers, primarily targeting those from outside the area hardest hit by the microburst (so as to not further burden any businesses already suffering losses from the storm) and asked them to support a special insert to The News. The edition would focus on the effects of our local storm, as seen one month after the event, and part of the income from the ads would support any local disaster relief fund. Sam's sales campaign was a success, as was the special "A Caring Community" edition of the paper, but then the municipality amended its resolution not to include aid to private citizens. With that change, any chance for the set-up of a Municipal Disaster Relief Committee died. That subsequently left Sam and The News sitting on the collected money, but no local relief fund to which it could be given. To make a long story short, a decision was made to donate the money to the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department for the purposes of emergency preparedness. Our fire department has to work under budgetary constraints, and it does not have the benefit of an Auxiliary Unit to raise funds, so any assistance to the cause goes a long way. On Monday night, September 30, on behalf of The Frontenac News and its supporting advertisers, Sam presented a cheque for $525 to the fire department at the Cloyne station. While Chief Casey Cuddy said the donation's earmarking would be discussed and decided by the whole department, he thought the money might best be applied towards the eventual purchase of a generator to be used during emergency situations. Congratulations are in order to Sam for his foresight, the Frontenac News for furthering the idea, and those businesses that showed how they too give something back. The whole exercise once again proves that we are "a caring community" of neighbours who look out for each other. While our disaster was miniscule on the scale of that seen on that horrific September day a year ago, we can be proud of the fact that we stood tall as well in the face of adversity. To all those who pitched in to help, a simple "thank you"!