Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 11, 2009, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page a6 a 6 Winnipeg free press sunday january 11, 2009 top news Winnipeg repress. Com sunday papers with Beau & Tom sunday mornings 10am noon hear All about it As Beau and Tom take you Back to this very month and year in the 1980 s. All the music and news that fits s s a a t t u u r r d d a a y a j j a a n n u u a a r r y y 1 1 7 7, 2 2 0 0 0 0 9 9 Call the classified department at 697 7100 to place your special announcement or fax 697 7375 email of class free press. My. Ca mailing address Winnipeg free press classified advertising department 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg my r2x 3b6 be one of the Many proud participants in our annual Issue of babies of the year to be published saturday january 17, 2009. Minimum and size includes a picture and 4 lines of text. You will also receive a complimentary laminated Keepsake of your announcement. Prepayment is required. For your convenience we accept visa and master card. To ensure publication your and & photo should be received at the Winnipeg free press by 12 00 noon monday january 12, 2009. B y age three Charlie Bairstow was playing chess. By age 10, he was doing calculus. But its with social skills that Charlie who has autism spectrum disorder needs assistance which will become More costly As he grows older. Thatus Why the new registered disability savings plan has parents like Barbara and Todd Bairstow overjoyed. What other program puts up to $ 3,500 in Federal funds per year into a savings account to help people like their son i think its incredible for families said Barbara. Having this in place gives us peace of mind in the event that if were gone there will be Money to assist Charlie. The registered disability savings plan takes effect this year. The plan could eventually help up to 500,000 individuals across Canada. Statistics show about 17 per cent of canadians have a disability although not All would qualify for the resp. Ottawa expects the program to eventually Cost about $ 200 million annually. The new resp recognizes a growing problem in our society said David Steen ceo of the society of Manitoban with disabilities. There Are extra costs that go along with having a disability. We need to find Way to pay this Cost. The savings plan will one Day help Charlie to live independently Bairstow said. For example it could help defray future schooling costs. Charlie is passive when hers learning aggressive when school is out such As during summer. So he May always be furthering his education. Hers very smart and his mind keeps going and going and going his Mother said. The resp Grants Are mainly for families in lower and Middle income categories. Families with net incomes under $ 75,769 can obtain a Grant of $ 3 for every $ 1 contributed on the first $ 500 $ 2 for every $ 1 contributed on the next $ 1,000. That works out to a maximum of $ 3,500 in Federal funds per year on a $ 1,500 investment by individuals or families. It can grow to a maximum $ 200,000. Whether i have to beg borrow or steal i will Max it out every year said Bairstow. The new program also pays an annual Federal Bond of $ 1,000 to disabled people with incomes under $ 21,287, and $ 500 on incomes from $ 21,287 to $ 37,885. The catch for Many people particularly people on lower incomes is they must first be approved for the disability tax credit which gives a tax break in the $ 2,000 Range per year in recognition that disabled people incur extra costs. But obtaining the dec can be complicated. Bairstow was helped by Bre Matson and associates run by Susana Scott whom Bairstow called a Pioneer in this Field fighting for people who need it. Scott has a disabled daughter and launched her company after she found a reluctance by volume oriented tax filers to handle the often time consuming disability tax credit cases. Bre Matson helped Bairstow get two years Worth of retroactive dec refunds that the family will spend to Send Charlie to mini University Over the summer. Scott says there Are easily tens of thousands of canadians who Are eligible for the dec Many of them in Low income brackets or on social assistance but dont know it. But there is great confusion Over who is eligible for the dec needed to Access the resp. Neither Are doctors Well informed. And navigating an application through the Federal bureaucracy can be Tricky particularly if you make a mistake on one of the forms. Scott said about 30 per cent of clients she has successfully processed for the dec had previously tried and failed. For All of those reasons the resp program will spread slowly at first she predicts. There Are no restrictions on when or How resp funds can be used although there is some penalty for Early withdrawal in relation to the last Federal contribution. The government contribution is taxable upon withdrawal but the personal contribution is not. People still have until March 2 to sign up for the 2008 tax year. If someone does not yet have his or her dec its probably too late to be eligible for the resp in 2008. Bill. Redekop free press. My. Ca new support for disabled savings plan supplemented by govt funds by Bill Redekop these Days its hard to imagine working at the same company for 45 years or even 35. However several employees of nonprofit Charity versa tech industries were recognized for achieving those milestones last night at the company is 27th annual dinner and dance at the Winnipeg convention Centre. The organization which began life As arc industries in 1961, employs intellectually disabled people in the Fields of document shredding packaging and Assembly and recycling. About 250 of versa techs 300 employees have an intellectual disability. Gordon Pirt whose Job is assembling toasters was being honoured for 35 years of service. His Favourite part of working with versa tech is his co workers. There Are Good people to work with said Pirt. Its Good just to meet people and get to know other people. Richard Doyle president and ceo of versa tech said that for those in the organization it is about More than just performing meaningful work. We teach them a lot of things about everyday living said Doyle who has been with the organization for two years. Were offering them growth and development in terms of skills. Ace Burpee and Chrissy Troy of hot 103 were masters of ceremonies for the event which was attended by about 600 people. Burpee has a close Friend who works for versa tech and said that both employees and clients Are satisfied. The people who use the versa tech services hold them in High regard and rightly so said Burpee. Its a valuable resource to have in this town. In addition to the service awards which were awarded to employees at 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years Manitoba Hydro was awarded the partner of the year award. Hydrous recycling department has 14 versa tech workers. Dan. Falloon free press. My. Ca versa tech honours longtime employees by Dan Falloon Phil Hossack / Winnipeg free press the Bairstow family left to right Barbara Jilian Todd and Charlie in front who has autism spectrum disorder. A _ 06_ Jan 11 09. Ind a6 1 / 10/ 09 9 23 45 pm ;