Wednesday, February 10, 1993 @ Community Services names its counselor Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER It’s finally happened. . ; The Castlegar and District Community Services Centre has hired Marilyn Gauthier to take on the new counselling position for women who have been victims of violence. . “['m happy that the program is finally underway,” Patricia Lakes said. : The centre received $50,000 from the Ministry of Women’s Equality in late-November. : However, between waiting for grant money and the right per- son to walk in the door, the centre has had to do without its ad- ditional staff person, the centre’s administrator said. Lakes said she has waited a ime Anema - funding for such a rogram and she’s happy that it’s ly here. i In the past, panting who have been victims of violence have been sent to counsellors who are not necessarily trained to deal with such issues. “It’s good to have a nice clean mandate... and now we have that.” Gauthier started work this week. Letters toTHE EDITOR Thanks for the support The Castlegar chapter of the Learning Disabilities Associ- ation of British Columbia would like to express its sincere ap- preciation to The Castlegar News for its invaluable support since our inception six years ago. The News has provided timely and invaluable information to people with learning disabilities throughout the district. Your contribution of helping us create an awareness has made a real difference in our community! Bernice Beckstead Castlegar Chapter President - LDABC VARIETY CLUB HELPING B.C.'S SPECIAL CHILDREN AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE FROM THE MASTER OF TERROR! Jo ITHGOW T VIDOVICH RAISING CAIN STEREO SURROUND VALLEY VIDEO CASTLEAIRD PLAZA ...at your house? It’s time to call your Welcome Wagon hostess. She will bring congratu- lations and gifts for the family and the NEW BABY! \oo Vetame Wagon. SINCE 1930 Phone 365-2455 © Bracelets Bosse's Jewellery (1979) Ltd. 1104 - 3rd. Street, Downtown Castlegar WAREHOUSE PRICES © Gold Chains © Diamond Earrings MATTRESSES Huge Selection - Huge Savings — prices from 75.” to 599." “ “After the expensive champagne dinner has fizzled from her memory... Shell remember you far the jewelry forever. Engagement Rings Wedding Bands * BS & Good Selection Of © Gold Charms © Pendants © Genuine Stone Rings 365-7141 LC — BASIC SIZES | QUALITY PRACTO- PEDIC CHIRO- EXCELLENCE POSTURE DELUXE Sealy TWIN 2 PC. SET "299 DOUBLE 2 PC. SET QUEEN 2 PC. SET “GAVE MONEY! Why Not?” Choosing to buy Furniture & Mattresses elses like LOCATIONS choosing to pay higher prices. NO FRILLS NO GIMMICKS LOW PRICES n Wednesday, February 10, 1993 AroundTOWN for Our People Corinne Jackson 365-7266 SOMETHING TO HARP ON Selkirk College’s continuing education program is offering a class on making door harps. Learn fine line and tulip strokes plus antiquing and flecking. The class — slated for Feb. 16 at Kalico Korners — will cost $26.40 plus GST. PUTTING PEN TO PAPER Canada Post's 9th annual National Student Letter-Writing Competition is under way. Anyone between the ages of 11 and 15 is eligible to enter. The theme is 300 years of postal communications. For more information call (403) 944-3137, or write: Public Relations, Canada Post Corporation, 720 Heron Rd. Station 483, Ottawa, ON., K1A 0B1. _PASS IT ON Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay, Que. is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. If you, or someone you know, attended, or worked at the school please contact the even committee at 21: McLeod St., Chateauguay, Que., J6J 2H4. | lies at reading,” she jokes. @ Feminist writer quits the business — for the hundredth time Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER Helen Potrebenko gave people a shock last week. : ‘We don’t know about the dreams and loves of the Serfs and I don’t want that to happen to our age. I want people to know about real people.’ —Helen Potrebenko People who came to hear the feminist writer read from some of her works at Selkirk College were later told that she was going to quit writing. Now she’d like to take it back... possibly. “I can see the headline now. ‘Potrebenko According to the 53-year-old Burnaby- writer, stories just flow out of her and she has never experienced writer’s block. However, the writer says that the job just doesn’t pay and she’s enjoying her new bookkeeping job. “If I could get enough money to live on with my writing, I’d be happy,” she says. But as it is, she says “you can’t do another job and write.” Potrebenko laments at the level of interest by Canadians in their own writers. “If we didn’t have Canada council we wouldn’t have Canadian literature,” she says, commenting on how our young people are bombarded with American writings. But Potrebenko says she could never quit writing for good and admits “I’ve tried to stop writing a hundred times now.” At this point, a publisher is looking at a manuscript of Potrebenko’s poetry. She also says, perhaps the answer to her lack of writing time is in authoring essays. Calling herself “a documentor,” Potrebenko says she has started a project and she’d like to see it completed. Documentation during the Middle Ages of the relationship between landlords and Serfs was written from the view of the upper class, she says. “We don’t know about the dreams and loves of the Serfs and I don’t want that to happen to our age. I want people to know about real people.” 's staff photo by Corinne Jackson Helen Potrebenko thrilled her Selkirk College audience at a recent reading. The Burnaby native credits her success to Canada Council grants, which allowed her to pursue her passion of writing. Potrebenko illustrates her point by reading from her story “The Interview.” In the story, a writer questions their subject’s memory of a strike, telling her there’s no record of it. The writer is promptly told by the poor elderly woman to read Peter the Great. “It’s an important book?” (the interviewer says.) “No,” (the woman responds.) “Why do I want to know about Peter the Great? “If you read that book you will know more about Peter the Great than you'll ever learn about me. Or about the next person who takes your cash when you buy something or the woman who serves you in the restaurant or the woman who answers the phone the next time you make an enquiry about something. Those people you will never know about, no matter how many books you read or write.” Potrebenko puts the book down. “And it’s true,” she says. “You and I know more about Peter the Great than the guy that brought us our coffee. that matter.” That’s where Potrebenko’s dreams lie. She wants to document the lives of the working class. “I want to celebrate working people,” she declares. Potrebenko has in fact gone a long way in describing the lives of common folk through such works as Taxi!, A Flight of Average Persons and Life, Love and Unions. Is she satisfied. that her work has accomplished this goal? “None of my books are good enough. They’re a good beginning, but I’m hopeful that if it’s not me it will be someone else who develops literature that reflects the miracle of (the working class’ accomplishments).” It’s still unknown whether Potrebenko will quit writing this time or not. It’s pretty clear, however, that if she did quit that it wouldn’t be out of choice. “When I was younger I used to write just wherever I was... I can’t do it anymore. Smiling, she adds, “but I’m not complaining about getting 365-3777 New Release Headquarters “Nobody writes about working class women — or men for old because life’s getting better.” Castlegar “MSMINO RG. | ormmonceinUs Sree Geass °°" | CSI]