In Other Words by Cindy Davidson

You have in your hands the first edition of Lives and Times. It is hoped that as you leaf through it you find the stories and pictures interesting and informative. This is a new and exciting project for QUILL Network.

Over the next nine months, three more editions will be printed. Our goal is to get more people reading about the news and views in their communities. If you've ever had a hard time reading newspapers before this may be the paper for you. We hope that the print is large enough to read. We hope the stories are presented in a straightforward way. We hope people of all ages will be able to enjoy and understand our news.

We have received money from an organization called the National Literary Secretariat, which is part of the federal government. It is important that we can tell the government that a paper like this is needed all the time, not just for nine months. So please send us your comments. Tell us what you like and don't like. Tell us about things happening where you live. Tell us the best way to get more people reading the news.

Now, sit back, grab a cold or hot drink, put up your feet -- and enjoy reading!

ANYONE WHO ENJOYS WINTER has probably been in their glory the last month. Winter and snow finally arrived in midwestern Ontario in January and that was good news for snowmobilers, skiers and sleders.

Volunteers will be knocking on doors all across Ontario this month as the Heart & Stroke Foundation kicks off its annual canvassing fundraiser. Local chapters of the foundation have set their own goals to help fight one of the leading causes of death in Canada.

Organizers are hoping to raise almost $300,000 in midwestern Ontario alone. This is with the help of over 2,500 volunteers. Beth Slumski is the coordinator for the Grey-Bruce chapter of the Heart & Stroke Foundation. She says she has 1,700 volunteers involved in setting up the campaigns in every community and knocking on doors.

"We hope to bring in about $100 per volunteer...so that means a goal of $170,000," says Slumski. That's a little more than was raised last year, but she is hopeful it can be done.

The Huron and Perth chapters are also aiming to rais about 5% more this year. In Perth County the goal for door-to-door campaign is $79,000 and in Huron County the goal is $56,000. Steve Smith is the coordinator for both these chapters and he too is hopeful the goals can be reached.

"This year, we have more volunteers, covering more area. I'm very confident we can reach our goals," says Smith.