Page 32 - December 2007 The Game

32 The Game, December 2007
Fire Safety Award
“All in all they did an excellent job.” said Bob Webb, Woodbine’s Fire Safety Manager.
Hastings Gate Crew 2007
Starter Joe Gray and his proficient gate crew at Hastings Racecourse wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
the daily grind ASpecialThankYou! take the role of
Woodbine’s Barn 7 was this year’s recipient of the Annual Barn Safety Award.
The Gift
with Chaplain Shawn
The trainers in Barn 7 include: George Billers, Terry Brooker, Frans Crean, Siobhan Deverell, Carlo Fuoco, Eric Garcea, Frank Huarte, John Mackenzie, An- thony Polsinello, Terry Regan, Joe Walls, Norman Bowles.
Imagine a group of shadowy
gures, meeting in a clandestine set- ting, nervously glancing over their collective shoulders, lest they be found out. Now imagine still their meeting area: a site once teeming with activity, now destined for storage of things use- ful and not so useful. Imagine, if you will, this trio, plotting on behalf of the many. Imagine...OK, stop
imagining. Yes, we met
and yes, we planned, for a
moment I was caught up in
my Dick Francis mode and
it felt a little more exciting
with a mysterious twist
thrown in. More on this in
a moment...
very elements or people they should be avoiding, yet a person in distress should not be expected to live the life of a hermit. When a person needs help at Woodbine, there are many people available for that, yet few places, if any, that a “refugee” can nd solace.
Barn 7 was awarded the Barn Safety Award because of their due diligence in keeping the barn areas clean and safe and keeping the use of extension cords to a minimum.
At this time last year, I received a call from Sue Leslie, El
The Game December 2007.indd
32
12/1/07 4:06:35 AM
To everyone who made this a rounded by the
Wonderful & Memorable Season.
Wishing you a Beautiful Holiday Season and a New Year of Peace & Happiness.
~ Trainer Ian Black ~
Season’s Greetings
Thanks to everyone who supported us this season, especially our horses. Thanks also to Frank, George, Whitey
and the rest of our amazing team.
We have limited space for new clients in 2008. Best Wishes to All!
Horsepower Racing Management
Tim Orlando Beverley Chubb 416-806-0527 • 647-220-0527 timmyo@sympatico.ca
In the Old Testament,
around the time of Joshua
(as in “Fit the Battle of
Jericho”), God commanded
His people to build what were known as Cities of Refuge. There were six in all, three on the west side and three
on the east of the Jordan River. These cities provided a haven for someone
if they accidently killed someone.
In those days, it was an eye for an
eye and a tooth for a tooth- people didn’t wait around for a trial or the
CSI Team. In these cities, a person seeking refuge, a refugee, could re- ceive a fair trial and subsequent protec- tion. Three things distinguished these places of refuge: they were visible, they were approachable and they were hospitable. Let’s jump forward a few thousand or so years...
Today, on many racetracks, there are a lot of people who guratively
Presidente of our Ontario HBPA. She had received inquiries regarding a nancial donation that would bene t the horse people of Woodbine. Would we be able to make use of said nances?
a refugee. They
This center will be home to of ces for the Chaplaincy and the Employee Assistance Program counselor and
the Woodbine Alcoholics Anonymous group. It will house a library, clothing depot and in the future, a learning cen- ter. Don’t expect TVs and music- it’s not a house of entertainment. What it will be is a place of safety, where those who feel threatened by the pressures
of life can nd peace and comfort. Work on the building will start at the end of December. This is a gift and I am grateful to WEG, our Chaplaincy Council at Woodbine and the Jake Howard family. After all, gift giving
is the norm at this time of year and I can’t think of a better one than this. May God bless you in life and racing and I’ll see you in 2008.
are running from
the pressures and
stress of life, from
drug or alcohol
addiction or from
of the racetrack workplace. There are few “safe havens” on the backstretch. Oftentimes
a person nds themselves sur-
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Get Tied On
After consulting with our Chaplaincy Council and our accountant, we said yes and pursued the
possibility of refurbishing part of the old maintenance building, south of
the track kitchen. Steve Koch, rep- resenting Woodbine Entertainment Group, together with Sue, myself and other members of our Council made many trips through the facility which comprised washrooms, a lunch room and a garage. After determining the best course of action, Steve presented the Chaplaincy with a ten year lease proposal for the princely sum of one dollar per year. We signed. In late October, with great joy, we were able to put a small sign on the north door of said building: “Future Home of the Jake Howard Memorial Multi-Purpose Center”.