ÿWPCA 9¨äÈ›úk9ˆËk ˆå ùZ×Ën[tÏ‘:S )²ÿ.=í!éÉ#Î…f_}Ù¯[éÎÇäw”Ó˜…kD€CÏ^x¿Þé C€Žž nîŠq¬‘þä= ÌÓœ;ç†#›éÌÝ}9‚ãÊØÓZÕ­&¬Ð>¨¸¿]¾¬!1ê¶QÜ)ˆT¤#üÇË •R·ŠÃ•±jÝ· ýY¹\15‘+›ójr÷Î?¼íjÝEuÓ'š+³ýpÿZTFÔü¢ù¨yXUf†¥ u¯ÀïÌßdÕ "¤Œ×áPà G¥?#üZÊⶇ¬¯Vù¢²€¹®“R‹ùdú¼¾×AÌlcf‘ÏÂ?)Ÿ7ex”_Û;ç±¢³­ë æÖDoW¸Q¡üMäîÛ,ºix ˆËJÝ3UÐq°Sè'ì\%ŒY¨ÆíŠVŒ³&³s¾ùýSJá Lßé&‹ SgQFó¾>[æ×„tŒ²&Õž–Ó’¡ÃuOˆ>¤r…#ÝEÈÜ“EöÝ®Œúx½à•èúÓ' ‘¦çÀ5Y§¾gwzȪ™óÒÍõê[=‹ƒå™Hx—’?£>­t°8›ªð¾í¼£N íÚØƒK \érÅ>ð¥ûµ #Á¨UNi %· 06½óN^ w4( m*˜Brother MFC-6000,,TT,,0ðaê® Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(+G$¡¡ÔCEUSÔ3|x3¼g: _3ê:i¢×+00ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒ+G!ÝÔCEUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òòòÔ€vÔ³vXXÔÔ€ôIäòvvÔ³Ôóóó óAnd€then,€there€was€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô!Ð ° ÐÌBy€Juan€Carlos€Ô_ÔCanalesÔ_Ô„Ô_ÔLeytonÔ_ÔÐ @ ÐManaging€Editor€(V)Ð X Ðon€behalf€of€the€Street€Feat€crewÐ Ð  ÐÌHow€could€I€possibly€even€think€of€writing€right€after€the€paperððs€master€„€unless,€of€course,€it€has€to€do€withÐ ` ° Ðwriting€about€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€Riley,€our€own€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô.Ð ( x ÐÌShe€came€in€to€the€office€in€1998,€before€we€were€one€year€old,€with€the€express€mission€of€working€here.€As€weÐ ¸   Ðhad€no€positions€open,€she€said€she€would€try€anything€and€this€is€how€she€became€the€very€first€commission€salesÐ € Ð  Ðrep€we€ever€hadÐ H ˜  ÐÌShe€got€her€own€telephone,€desk€and€phone€book.€Day€after€day,€she€got€empty€promises,€rudeness€and€some€adsÐ Ø(  Ðfrom€the€people€she€called.€I€ran€into€her€call€log€€folders€the€other€day€and€I€could€not€help€rolling€a€couple€ofÐ  ð  Ðtears€in€her€memory€but€also€in€amazement€at€the€body€of€work€she€produced.€Everything€is€documented,€who€sheÐ h¸  Ðcalled,€when,€results,€when€to€call€back,€if€ever.€As€a€matter€of€fact,€in€preparation€for€this€11òòthóó€anniversary€issue,€IÐ 0€  Ðmade€up€lists€of€prospects€to€be€called€by€our€sales€reps,€and€I€indicated€the€repððs€number€that€had€sold€the€last€adÐ øH  Ðto€that€prospect.€I€was€amazed€to€see€that€a€great€many€number€of€them€had€a€ð ð13"€for€last€rep,€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ôððs€number.Ð À ÐSaltyððs€purchased€an€ad€which€had€not€ben€sold€to€them€since€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€left.Ð ˆØ ÐÌBill€mentioned€the€case€of€one€particular€difficult€to€get€retailer.€Let€me€tell€you€the€details.Ð h ÐÌWhen€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€asked€you€if€it€was€alright€to€call€you€back€next€time,€she€meant€it,€she€would€call€you€back,€likeÐ ¨ø Ðclockwork.€In€the€case€of€this€particular€businessman,€she€called€him€month€in€and€month€out,€always€getting€a€noÐ pÀ Ðfor€an€answer.€About€three€years€later,€she€sold€him€an€ad!€I€could€not€believe€it,€the€persistence€shown€by€thisÐ 8ˆ Ðmeek€and€sweet€giant€of€a€person€(she€was€tall€woman€with€a€presence€Ô_Ôand€her€walk€was€so€even€she€looked€as€sheÐ P Ðwas€floating€off€the€ground€when€she€was€ð ðon€a€missionðð)€humbled€me€as€she€succeeded€where€others€would€haveÐ È Ðgiven€up€long€before.€The€guy€just€liked€exerting€power€over€her€„or€so€he€thought„€by€making€her€talk€and€explain,Ð à Ðsimply€playing€with€her€for€an€ad,€much€like€a€cat€plays€with€a€mouse,€except€that€this€mouse€made€him€run€out€ofÐ X¨ Ðobjections€and€he€had€no€option€but€to€buy€from€her!Ð  p ÐÌBill€rightfully€recalled€the€way€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€would€address€you€if€something€was€not€quite€of€her€liking€about€you€„youÐ °  Ðsee,€we€used€to€get€into€very€deep€religious€discussions€and€other€topics„.€ð ðYou€are€so€comicalðð,€words€that€comeÐ xÈ! Ðback€to€my€brain€in€her€deep€and€loud€voice,€always€with€a€little€giggle€following.€Oh,€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô,€I€miss€our€officeÐ @" Ðcamaraderie,€I€learned€Ô_ÔsoooÔ_Ô€much€from€you.Ð  X# ÐÌLike€when€she€told€me€she€had€difficulty€calculating€ad€rates€from€the€agate€line€base,€which€is€not€simple.€SheÐ ˜!è% Ðsaid€that€math€was€one€of€her€big€challenges.€What€did€I€find€out€she€was€doing?€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€got€herself€enrolled€in€aÐ `"°& Ðmath€tutoring€program€that€was€available€to€the€community€at€the€Bloomfield€centre€back€then.Ð (#x' ÐÌÔ_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€also€sold€newspapers€on€the€street.€She€preferred€to€work€the€Argyle€St.€area€at€night,€where€the€sales€were€aÐ ¸$ ) Ðbit€simpler€to€make;€or€at€the€Halifax€waterfront,€by€Perkððs.€She€made€a€point€of€making€herself€available€to€workÐ €%Ð * Ðat€special€events€too,€of€which€the€Multicultural€Festival€was€usually€the€high€point€for€the€year.Ð H&˜!+ ÐÌWhen€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€wrote€an€article,€I€knew€it€came€from€both€her€brain€and€her€heart.€She€used€simple,€commonÐ Ø'(#- Ðlanguage€and€she€wrote€as€she€spoke,€a€rarity€in€a€world€where€people€sound€so€sophisticated€when€they€write€(orÐ  (ð#. Ðtry€to).€Not€her.€She€thought€it,€she€wrote€it.€Her€style€was€refreshing.Ð h)¸$/ ÐÌOne€day,€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€discovered€a€little€computer€program€called€Paintbrush€and€she€asked€me€if€she€could€try€it€outÐ ø*H&1 Ðduring€breaks,€to€which€I€said€yes.€Paintbrush€is€a€basic€graphics€program€that€allows€drawing€of€lines€and€ofÐ À+'2 Ðgeometrical€figures,€colouring€and€text.€One€of€its€functions€allows€the€user€to€go€into€ð ðzoomðð€mode€and€fill€littleÐ ˆ,Ø'3 Ðtiny€squares€with€a€colour€or€a€blank,€much€like€the€hand€made€embroidery€craft.€She€became€an€expert€in€a€shortÐ P- (4 Ðperiod€of€time,€to€the€point€that€she€was€making€designs€of€flowers€and€other€fancy€images.€Ð .h)5 ЇWe€always€discussed€the€topic€of€the€next€issue€so€that€her€selling€of€ads,€and€writings€could€focus€on€the€topic€ofÐ ° Ðthe€issue.€I€ended€up€ð ðcommissioningðð€artwork€from€her€for€the€paperððs€cover.€One€was€the€image€of€a€man€lyingÐ xÈ Ðdown€on€a€park€bench€and€a€small€child€and€mother€walking€by,€illustrating€the€issue€of€homelessness.€A€secondÐ @ Ðone€was€about€the€poverty€trap€and€the€lack€of€access€of€banking€to€the€poor;€it€had€a€black€woman€walking€by€aÐ X Ðbankððs€door,€head€down,€knowing€that€Ô_ÔthatÔ_Ô€business€had€nothing€to€offer€her€(or€wouldnððt).€Like€the€great€artists€ofÐ Ð  Ðyesteryear,€she€placed€herself€in€the€drawing.€So€many€times€I€wished€we€had€the€resources€to€facilitate€theÐ ˜è Ðfurthering€of€her€schooling€so€that€she€could€go€into€this€type€of€career!€Incidentally,€as€I€write€this,€I€went€to€checkÐ ` ° Ðthe€old€computer€where€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€would€type€her€stories€and€do€some€of€her€graphics€work,€and€found€only€two€suchÐ ( x Ðdrawings,€one€being€in€the€shape€of€a€dog,€very€basic,€and€a€second€one€that€she€named€Ô_ÔCATINHATÔ_Ô,€shown€onÐ ð @ Ðthis€page.Ð ¸   ÐÌAnother€aspect€of€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ôððs€social€skills€was€her€incredible€good€memory€with€peopleððs€names€and€faces.€YouÐ H ˜  Ðpractically€had€to€only€say€your€name€once,€no€matter€how€complicated,€and€she€would€learn€it€and€remember€it.Ð `  ÐShe€would€had€made€a€perfect€executive€assistant€just€with€that€skill!Ð Ø(  ÐÌThings€that€would€look€or€sound€bad€coming€from€anyone€else,€were€just€bundles€of€joy€when€they€came€from€her.Ð h¸  ÐI€remember€(and€I€am€both€crying€and€laughing€as€I€write)€her€having€an€animated€conversation€with€one€of€herÐ 0€  Ðadvertising€prospects€(she€always€talked€to€them,€she€never€tried€to€ð ðsellðð€from€a€script).€She€was€talking€andÐ øH  Ðlaughing€at€whatever€this€other€person€was€saying€and€suddenly,€she€said,€ð ðOh,€stop€your€noise!ðð€I€almost€fell€offÐ À Ðmy€chair€at€the€thought€of€a€rep€talking€to€a€potential€advertiser€like€that€and€before€I€could€go€into€full€fledgedÐ ˆØ Ðdamage€control,€she€was€closing€the€sale€of€an€ad€with€that€prospect!€I€shut€up€and€minded€my€own€business€for€theÐ P  Ðrest€of€the€day...Ð h ÐÌEvery€day,€there€were€two€personal€calls€she€would€make,€one,€to€her€mother,€with€a€great€deal€of€difficulty€as€Mrs.Ð ¨ø ÐRiley€is€hard€of€hearing,€and€the€second,€to€her€beloved€Sister€Smith,€the€wife€of€the€pastor€at€her€church.€TheyÐ pÀ Ðwere€like€battery€recharges€for€her€and€I€never€thought€she€felt€forced€to€making€the€phone€calls.Ð 8ˆ ÐÌÔ_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€left€us€to€find€a€full€time€paying€job,€with€a€wage€attached.€She€found€it.€But€she€never€left€us,€as€she€wouldÐ È Ðcome€back€to€use€computers€when€we€were€a€C@P€site€and€to€participate€in€special€events€whenever€we€invitedÐ à Ðher.€Her€love€for€the€poor€and€passion€to€combat€poverty€were€incessant.€She€went€to€public€forums,€attendedÐ X¨ Ðmeetings,€joined€us€for€the€2006€North€American€Street€Newspapers€Association€gathering€here€in€Halifax.Ð  p ÐÌÔ_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€Riley€was€a€decent€woman,€a€child€of€God,€a€credit€to€the€human€race.€I€never€heard€her€talk€ill€of€someoneÐ °  Ðelse,€never€ever€did€she€use€foul€language€or€even€showed€disrespect.€When€she€got€angry,€she€would€get€up€and€goÐ xÈ! Ðor€she€would€become€very€silent.€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€was€a€good€follower€of€her€religion,€she€truly€Ô_ÔpracticedÔ_Ô€what€she€preached,Ð @" Ðand€her€invitations€to€visit€her€church€were€a€must€with€anyone€she€just€met!€(During€her€funeral€service,€IÐ  X# Ðcommented€to€Heather€Maxwell€how€lively€the€service€had€been.€She€said€she€already€knew,€as€she€had€beenÐ Ð $ Ðinvited€to€attend€by€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€in€the€past).€€She€had€an€innate€goodness€that€has€transcended€her€own€life€span.€TheÐ ˜!è% Ðpresenters€at€her€service,€this€issue€of€Street€Feat€and€the€comments€that€our€readers€will€make€of€their€encountersÐ `"°& Ðwith€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô,€all€attest€to€her€impeccable€nature,€to€her€higher€standards.€Ð (#x' ÐÌWhen€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€asked€for€something,€it€was€in€earnest,€because€she€needed€it€or€because€she€wanted€it,€and€to€see€aÐ ¸$ ) Ðgrown€up€woman€demonstrate€happiness€at€the€simplest€things€in€life€was€a€real€treat€to€those€who€witnessed€it.Ð €%Ð * ÐÌAn€example€of€something€Iððd€never€think€of€doing€myself,€or€have€never€seen€done€by€others.€When€we€went€to€theÐ '`", Ðcemetery€in€Sackville€to€bury€our€eldest€vendor,€the€Warrior€Dominique€(Vivian€Martin€Ash),€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€was€part€ofÐ Ø'(#- Ðthe€group.€After€the€burial€was€concluded€and€everyone€started€to€go€their€own€way,€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€and€others€were€kindlyÐ  (ð#. Ðoffered€a€ride€back€to€Halifax€by€the€Ô_ÔCruickshankÔ_Ôððs€Funeral€Home€driver.€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€asked€if€it€would€be€OK€to€get€aÐ h)¸$/ Ðdrive€to€Ô_ÔLucasvilleÔ_Ô€instead,€which€is€close€to€Sackville,€so€that€she€could€visit€her€mother!€If€nothing€else€had€doneÐ 0*€%0 Ðit,€that€simple€act€of€remembrance€of€her€mother€and€ingenuity€of€finding€a€way€to€go€visit€her€won€my€respect€andÐ ø*H&1 Ðmy€heart!Ð À+'2 ÐÌÔ_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€did€not€get€intimidated€by€peopleððs€stance€in€life,€nor€did€she€feel€better€than€those€less€fortunate€than€her.Ð P- (4 ÐShe€treated€people€on€a€same€level€basis.€This€is€why€people€like€Maureen€MacDonald,€the€MLA€for€HalifaxÐ .h)5 ÐNeedham,€who€was€also€a€tenant€at€Bloomfield,€on€the€same€floor€as€our€office,€showed€up€at€her€service.€Once€youÐ ° Ðmet€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô,€you€got€to€know€her,€and€to€like€her.€Thank€you€Maureen€for€comforting€us.Ð xÈ ÐÌI€will€never€again€meet€another€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€Riley,€as€we€are€all€unique€in€our€own€ways€and€looks,€but€the€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€Riley€IÐ X Ðmet€will€never€leave€my€memory,€my€affection.€She€won€people€over€by€simply€being€a€simple,€caring,€truthful,Ð Ð  Ðhonest,€obedient,€humble€person.€And€I€have€photos€and€a€newly€found€video€of€her,€singing€Amazing€Grace,€thatÐ ˜è Ðwould€make€you€cry€into€prayer,€even€if€you€are€a€non„believer!Ð ` ° ÐÌGo€on,€Ô_ÔFerneÔ_Ô€Riley,€I€donððt€think€of€you€as€an€angel,€or€a€saint;€I€see€you€as€the€person€that€was€supposed€to€learnÐ ð @ Ðfrom€me€who,€instead,€ended€up€teaching€me€higher€practices€of€life€with€your€God„given€excellent€nature.€MayÐ ¸   Ðyour€misdeeds€be€forgiven€and€your€many€Ô_ÔsuperdeedsÔ_Ô€rewarded€plentifully,€as€only€He€can€reward€them.€ThanksÐ € Ð  Ðfor€being€you,€among€us.Ð H ˜  ÐÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ