THANK YOU GROH PUBLIC SCHOOL

Dr. Dan Holt and I had an informative and enjoyable experience at Groh Public School again yesterday. We had attended there two years ago again via an invitation from teacher Ms. Alana Simpson. At that time we spoke to I believe two classes of Grade 7 children. Yesterday's chat and presentation was with approximately 70-75 kids (3 classes ?) of Grade 8s. Wow calling them kids is appropriate chronologically (13 years old?) but as Dr. Dan only slightly exaggerated when he said to me, half the kids, boys and girls, were my height. I am (was?) 6' 1 1/2" most of my life and always thought of myself as tall. Apparently not so much anymore. Anyway I will say this, those kids were very well behaved and clearly the two lady teachers present were in charge and there wasn't the least hesitation by any of the students in following all directions from them.

Dr. Dan and I had been preceded the previous week by a speaker from the Region of Waterloo who talked to the students. The speaker had talked about how and where the water gets to households in the Region and she touched upon salt as a water quality issue. Dr. Dan and I expanded somewhat on that topic both with ongoing Elmira water quality issues as well as with ongoing TCE (trichloroethylene) issues in Cambridge and Kitchener-Waterloo. There was some discussion regarding how both corporate money and politics overwhelms regulatory bodies (MOE/MECP) as well as local politicians. I believe that the message did get through that everybody now a days understands that an ounce of prevention/awareness is worth a pound of cure after pollution has occurred.

Dr. Dan and I each received a card and small present afterwards from the kids and greatly appreciated the opportunity to speak with them.