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1 For the Week of: April 1-7, 2010 ISSUE #439 Weekly Community Magazine ~ Priceless ~ No News is Good News! Produced and distributed by ADvance Distribution this week to over 15,500 homes and businesses in Airdrie and surrounding areas. Reach us at heresthescoop@shaw.ca or call Something For Stevie Written By Dan Anderson I tried not to be biased in hiring a handicapped person, but his placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn t sure I wanted one. I wasn t sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little overweight with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down syndrome. I wasn t worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don t generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me. The mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded truckstop germ; the pairs of white shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truckstop waitress wants to be flirted with were who concerned me. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks. I shouldn t have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truckstop mascot. After that, I really didn t care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old kid in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was convincing him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus the dishes and glasses onto the cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social benefits in public housing two miles from the truckstop. Their social worker, which stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That s why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last winter, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was in a hospital getting a new valve or something put in his Treasure Cove Collectables $$SAVE MONEY$$ Used Electronics Games & Units All Tested & Guaranteed USED BOOKS AND ARCHIE COMICS HUGE SELECTION - LOWEST PRICES BUY - SELL - TRADE (continued on page 2) Return Time is Now 9 p.m.! WE ACCEPT ALL COUPONS FROM VHQ / MOVIE GALLERY Expires Feb. 28, , 960 Yankee Valley Rd, Airdrie (by McDonald s & Extra Foods) Page 1

2 The Lorne Elliott Comedy Show 2010 Friday, April 16 at 7:30pm Tickets: Adult $29; Student/Senior $24 Phone: CUSTOM AND ECONOMY GARAGE BUILDERS FROM THE GROUND UP 10% OFF OF OUR ALREADY LOW PRICES **LIMITED TIME OFFER ** Bill Fehr (403) or (403) *Airdrie Based DAVID BOWMAN Painting and Decorating For all your painting needs, commercial or residential Madie s Market Children s Store By Appointment Only or Online madiesmarket@yahoo.ca (continued from page 1) heart. His social worker said that people with Down syndrome often had heart problems at an early age so this wasn t unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, let out a war whoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of the 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and showed Belle Ringer a withering look He grinned. OK, Frannie, what was that all about? he asked. We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay. I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about? Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie s surgery, then sighed. Yeah, I m glad he is going to be ok, she said, but I don t know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they re barely getting by as it is. Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables. Since I hadn t had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn t want to replace him, the girls were bussing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face. What s up? I asked. I didn t get that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off, she said, This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup. She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 fell onto my desk when opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed Something For Stevie. Pony Pete asked me what that was all about, she said, so I told him about Stevie and his mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this. She handed me another paper napkin that had Something For Stevie scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply truckers. That was three months ago. Today is Easter, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he s been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn t matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn t stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busting cart were waiting. Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast, I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me. I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess, I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had Something for Stevie printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother. There s more than $10,000 cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Easter. Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what s funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Best worker I ever had. Page 2

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4 Pat Bishop Master Craftsman Call A cheerful giver does not count the cost of what he gives. His heart is set on pleasing and cheering him to whom the gift is given. BRICKWRIGHT MASONRY LTD. Virtue of the Week Generosity Generosity is giving and sharing. You share freely, not with the idea of receiving something in return. You find ways to give others happiness, and give just for the joy of giving. Generosity is one of the best ways to show love and friendship. You are practicing generosity when you Are thoughtful of the needs of others Notice when someone needs help Give freely without expectation of reward Give fully without holding back Are willing to make sacrifices for others Use wisdom about sharing treasured belongings Affirmation Cheap Smokes and Tobacco MAIN Phone: (South parking lot beside Zeus) OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK CHEAP CIGARS TOO! Same Owner... Great New Look Largest Selection of Cigarettes in Airdrie We also have ZIPPOS HUMIDORS PIPES I am generous. I look for opportunities to give and to share. I take time to be thoughtful. I give freely, fully and joyfully. The more one gives, the more one has. ~ Chinese Proverb Page Virtues Project International Inc Time to get peace of mind and have your will done We can help - Roots Legal offers - Wills - Probate - Corporate and Divorce Services Airdrie and Area residents, we can come to you tel fax "responsible; respected; reliable" web ROOTS LEGAL INC. Legal Resource Consultants info@rootslegal.com rootslegal.com

5 We do financial statements We do farm tax returns We do tax returns for small business Call now at (403) or Albert Ritchot Professional Corporation * Bring in this ad to receive 10% off our services (Some exceptions apply) Happy Easter! Sign on office bulletin board: In case of fire don t panic. Simply flee the building with the same reckless abandon that occurs each day at quitting time! Award Winning Realtor Award Winning Results NEW LISTING! STONEGATE $349,650 Pristine! This 3 bedroom, open concept, 2 storey is an amazing find! Oversized, double, front attached garage. Very unique backyard design! Call for more details! APRIL FOOL S! No, some jokes in your Scoop were not printed upside-down by mistake. That s just my little April Fool s joke on you! Gotcha! ~ Alioops PRICE REDUCED! C/S! KINGS HEIGHTS $574,860 ELEGANCE with modern flair! This executive style 3 bdrm + bonus room, former show home, is a must see! Maple kitchen, granite counters, hardwood, corniced, vaulted ceiling... and so much more! SUNRIDGE $309,899 This Mckee built, 4 bedroom, 1.5 bath bi-level with partial basement development is GOOD AS NEW. Two TIERED deck with HOT TUB, perennials and 2 ponds! C/S IN 3 DAYS! AFFORDABLE PRICE! AIRDRIE MEADOWS $284,900 Immaculate 3 bedroom, 2 bath bungalow with fully developed baement, oversized single garage, and updates galore! BIG HILL SPRINGS $189,900 UPGRADED mobile home! 3 bedrooms with addition and single garage! Must see! Stop paying rent! Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. ~ Victor Hugo SOLD! EVERGREEN $315,000 SOLD by Tammy! 40+ Living by Medican! Main floor unit offers 2 bdrms/2 baths in 1076 sqft of living space! And the amentities are too numerous to name here! COUGAR RIDGE Calgary It would be my pleasure to help you buy or sell your home! Domestic & Import Maintenance & Repair East Lake Blvd Airdrie`s only 3 year 60,000km warranty 2.32 ACRES! Century 21 Castlewood Agencies Bus. (403) Fax Page 5 SHARP HILL $759,000 Beautiful 5 bdrm, 4 bath home is situated on 2.32 acres. For her... kitchen boasts an eating bar and island... for him... a triple car garage... for the family... an outdoor, above ground pool! Call for more details! Tammy Forrest tforrest@creb.com Check out my BLOG... daily! Website: Not intended to solicit those already under contract. Centurion

6 Flower of Spring ~ Donald Laverne Walker WELCOME WAGON Baby Shower PLANNING A WEDDING? we offer a FULL LINE OF WEDDING PRODUCTS online at ourweddingsupplies.com COME AND MEET THE LOCAL BABY EXPERTS GUEST SPEAKERS - DOOR PRIZES - GIFT BAGS Register for FREE at www. welcomewagon.ca or call ourweddingsupplies@telus.net Tranquil Touch Escape to the country for peace and tranquility Sole to Soul The Sole to Soul Wellness Treatment is great for those people looking to help a specific problem using multiple techniques or those who want to sample other treatments. During a session you may experience a combination of Therapies! Services to choose from: Book a Treatment and receive a Sauna Session for FREE Gift Certificates Available Melissa Wurz, R.M.T Look for us on facebook... Tranquiltouchwellnesscenter Page 6 O flower of spring so pure and fair, How you enchant the garden air. I ve watched you sprout from out of clay And marveled at the mighty way You grew more lovely every day - O flower of spring. O flower of spring, though bound by sod You turn your petaled face to God, And in your little corner here You spread a daily wealth of cheer To those who may be passing near - O flower of spring. O flower of spring, I ve learned from you What God would like to have me do. You gave to me the secret of The flowers that trust the hand above, And grow by yielding to His love - O flower of spring. O flower of spring, through you I see The great Creator teaching me. I, too, can grow in strength and grace, Though anchored in a humble place, If in my youth I seek God s face - O flower of spring. April 1. This is the day we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty four. ~ Mark Twain Everything you need for Easter under one roof! Belgian Easter Chocolates have arrived!

7 JEWELLERS Exquisite jewellery yes! But so much more in the store... Gifts for weddings, birthdays, babies, anniversaries & more! Make Your Old Rings Look New Again! We Can Design Your New Rings Too! #3, 704 MAIN STREET S.E., AIRDRIE Everyday is Senior s Day - 10% off! A guy goes into a restaurant/lounge wearing a shirt open at the collar and is met by a bouncer who tells him he must wear a necktie to gain admission. So the guy goes out to his car and he looks around for a necktie and discovers that he just doesn t have one, although he does see a set of jumper cables in his trunk. In desperation he ties these around his neck, manages to fashion a fairly acceptable looking knot and lets the ends dangle free. He goes back to the restaurant and the bouncer carefully looks him over for a few minutes and then says, Well, OK, I guess you can come in just don t start anything. Create A Fresh Easter Tradition For Your Family Meet us at Nose Creek Park for Living Spring s MASSIVE EASTER EGG HUNT & Children s Easter Service Living Spring s A Community for Your Family Easter Egg hunt will begin at 10:00 AM Sunday April 4th In Nose Creek Park For more Info Please call Ron or Chad Good King Wenceleslas (Warning: This one will make you groan!) Good King Wenceleslas went out to the pizza parlour and ordered a pizza. The assistant asked Do you want your usual? Deep pan, crisp and even? Odd Necktie Stay Healthy - Lose Weight CALL TODAY! , 2903 Kingsview Blvd. S.E. Airdrie Page 7

8 T he Signature Lounge Crazy about Wings? Over 25 delicious flavours to choose from! Located in the Best Western Regency Inn 121 Edmonton Trail S.E. Airdrie Phone: The Pastor, the Priest, and the Atheist One day a Pastor, a Priest and an Atheist go on a fishing trip together. They are in the boat and the Pastor says, Oh! No! I left the paddles on shore! So he proceeds to get out of the boat and walk on the water to the shore to get them. The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected. ~ Will Rogers Spice things up this Spring! Book your appointment today! , 400 Main St N., Airdrie Jim Joyce Airdrie Resident Realtor Thinking about Selling? I Provide: * Quality Service * Full MLS * Virtual Tours * Open Houses * Competitive Commission Rates * Complementary Home Market Evaluation When Buying or Selling Call Alberta Independent Realty Ltd. Helping you with all your Residential & Rural Real Estate Needs Once he had gotten back into the boat, the Priest says, Oh! No! I left the bait on shore too! And, like the Pastor, the Priest exits the boat and walks on the water to get the bait. When the Priest climbs back into the boat, the atheist yells, Well if you guys can do it, so can I!!! and proceeds to climb out of the boat, but he falls into the water. At this point, the Pastor says, Do you think we should have told him where the rocks are? Page 8 A Troublesome Fruit It wasn t the apple that caused the trouble in the Garden of Eden, it was the pair on the ground. Christians in Heaven Why are there no Christians in Heaven yet? Because they are all still at the gates, saying to each other: After you, No, I insist after you...