May 2012 Issue

Incorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

Your business:Your business: Work your network!Work your network! Your home:Your home: Time to “undecorate”Time to “undecorate” Your health:Your health: Name your fearName your fear

Your business: Work your network! Your home: Time to “undecorate” Your health: Name your fear

Ginette Minor andSuzanne Edwards ofGenuine Stitches Cover story: page 3

Ginette Minor andSuzanne Edwards ofGenuine Stitches Cover story: page 3

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2 E L G I N T H I S M O N T H May, 2012

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May, 2012 E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 3

Carroll PublishingPresident

Terry CarrollSecretary-TreasurerNancy Kelly Carroll

Elgin This MonthPublisherTerry CarrollEditorDorothy GebertSection EditorBusiness Beat – Bob Hammersley

Graphic Design / ProductionJim McHargSales RepresentativeGreg MinnemaOffice ManagerLaura Bart

Published monthly by Carroll Publishing, 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm

Material girlsGinette Minor and Suzanne Edwards are amother/daughter decorating team

Suzanne Edwards says she likes owning a business with her daughter,Ginette Minor. “It’s nice working together because I get to see mydaughter be creative,” she says.

Sewing and stitching have always been a big part of Suzanne’s life andwhen Ginette was growing up, Suzanne taught her how to sew. The loveof being creative with fabric and thread inspired both of them to startbusinesses of their own, one in custom sewing and the other in embroi-dery.

But in 2007, they decided to merge their individual companies andestablished Genuine Stitches (the G in Genuine for Ginette and the Sin Stitches for Suzanne), focusing on custom window coverings andembroidery.

It wasn’t easy at first. Ginette says it was a challenge letting peopleknow what they did. “It was mostly word of mouth,” she says, “espe-cially since we don’t have a storefront.” But now they’re known for pro-viding quality workmanship in all ranges of budget. She says they caterto the client’s style, enhancing and improving what’s already there.

Suzanne and Ginette are dedicated to providing their clients with thebest products and design, and they are demonstrating that commitmentby obtaining industry certifications, keeping up on trends in the designworld and networking with decorating professionals. Ginette has evenspearheaded the first Cana-dian chapter of The Win-dow Coverings Associationof America and is serving aspresident of its Southwest-ern Ontario chapter.

As women in business inSt. Thomas, Ginette saysthey’ve been very lucky andencourages other womento keep at it. “Get yourselfout there and when somethings don’t work, trysomething else.” Suzanneagrees and says, “Don’t getdiscouraged. Just keepworking at it and nevergive up.”

Cover Story

by Dorothy Gebert

Cover photo by Philip Bell,Shutter Studios

PUBLISHER’S LETTEREverything costs time or money by Terry Carroll ..............................page 4BUSINESS/COMMUNITYWorking in St. Thomas-ElginWork your network! by Deb Mountenay ..........................page 5TechnologyThink of the possibilities by Peter Atkinson ............................page 6AgricultureLife goes on by Janine Lunn ................................page 7SustainabilityGood for the planet equals good for business ......................................page 8

BUSINESS BEATThe Front Page36th Free Enterprise Awards coming ..page 9Member NewsShow space a hot seller! ..................page 10Chamber NewsYour Invitation… by Rob Mise ..................................page 11Legal BusinessSeclusion intrusion by Monty Fordham ........................page 12Member NewsThe price of getting, going and having ....................................page 13Pro TextPrevent disputes before they occur by Darren Reith ............................page 14Positive ExposureA note to dedicated people by Allan Weatherall ........................page 15New MembersBe seen, be heard, belong! ..............page 16

WOMEN IN BUSINESSSelf EmploymentWomen in business a growing wave by Susan Ward ..............................page 17The Corporate LadderWomen in the working world ........page 18FinanceHer Retirement Savings Plan ........page 20Advice From the TrenchesAround the boardroom table by Stephanie Farrow ......................page 22

YOUR BACKYARD AND GARDENGardeningWant a stunning backyard? ............page 23GrillingLet’s clear the smoke about barbeques ......................................page 24Adding ColourWant a feeling of space in your garden?

......................................................page 25HOMESTYLEDecoratingTime to “undecorate” by Renée Carpenter ......................page 26Cleaning HouseMore time to relax ..........................page 27DINING & ENTERTAINMENTWine & FoodConcentrating on wine by Jamie Quai ................................page 28Savour ElginLavender Sense by Kate Burns ................................page 29HEALTHY LIVINGEveryday HealthThe benefits of massage therapy by Dr. Greg Johnston ....................page 30Personal HealthAre you taking care of your teeth? by Sarah Foshay ............................page 31LIFESTYLESSelf DevelopmentName your fear by Sharon Lechner ........................page 32That’s LifeA toolbox of my own by Elizabeth VanHooren ................page 33Time On My HandsLong live skateboarding! by Duncan Watterworth ................page 34

Elgin This Month is a monthly magazine focusing on business andlifestyle issues and includes BusinessBeat, the St. Thomas & DistrictChamber of Commerce newsletter.The publication is available forpickup at no charge at news standsand other locations around ElginCounty, as well as distribution tobusinesses and selected households.


P U B L I S H E R ’ S L E T T E R

The call came to my office phone at1:17pm. “Are you still able to speakto us?”

As I rustled the pages of my dayplanner, a moment of sheer panic en-sued. Now that the call had comethrough, I remembered that I hadagreed to address representatives ofnot-for-profit organizations on thetopic of marketing. I was supposedto be at the YWCA at 1:15pm. But Ihad committed the most basic fauxpas: the failure to record the date andtime.

Within about seven minutes, I wasseated around the YWCA boardtable. But I was not prepared, and Idelivered a C performance. Makethat a C-minus.

I later had a few thoughts aboutthis (hindsight being 20/20 and all).Most not-for-profit organizationshave limited budgets for marketingor advertising. So a good topic wouldhave been, “Marketing when youhave no money.”

And I could have begun by treatingmy lateness and lack of preparationas what educators like to call a teach-able moment. An unprepared guywho shows up late is conveying animage. It may not be the image hewants to convey, but, regardless, he’sdoing it.

This is sometimes called “walkingthe talk.” It’s terribly important forpeople who represent organizations,it doesn’t cost a dime, and it’s mar-keting at its most basic. The trick, ofcourse, is to make the walk positive,not negative.

My friend Richard Haddow is well-known partly because at public meet-ings, he does an energetic fist-pumpand calls out, “Yes!” when somethingpositive about St. Thomas or Elgin is

said. He’s now so well recognized forthis that people chuckle when it hap-pens. He sells real estate. Fist-pump-ing and yelling “Yes!” doesn’t net himany sales commissions, not directly.But over time, he’s become so associ-ated with his “Yes!” that when peoplethink of someone who’s positive andcommunity building, they think ofRichard Haddow. And that has tohelp real estate sales.

This involves time and communityinvolvement. It may cost Richard theprice of an admission ticket now andthen. But other than that, it’s free –and very effective – marketing.

Nobody should try to imitateRichard, but there are “low-cost orno-cost” opportunities for all of us,whether we are introverts or extro-verts.

Here’s one: Make it a point, whenyou attend social mixers, to talk to atleast one person you have never met.All you have to do is approach some-one in a friendly way, stretch outyour hand, have a smile on your face,exchange cards and ask the person totell you about his or her business ororganization. Most people are glad tohave someone to talk to – often theyare feeling more socially awkwardthan you are.

The list of things you can do tomarket yourself and your organiza-tion for little or no cost goes on fromthere – friendly emails with useful in-formation to the people on youremail list, maintaining Facebook up-dates, sending birthday cards, creat-ing email newsletters, starting a blog,updating a website regularly.

Everything costs time or money orboth. In the field of marketing, if youare willing to put in the time, youmay be surprised how little money itactually takes.

Terry Carroll isthe publisher ofthe St. Thomas/Elgin WeeklyNews and ElginThis Month.

Everything costs time or moneyIf you invest in one, you may not need much of the other

there are “low-cost or no-

cost” opportunitiesfor all of us“

“

by Terry Carroll


Over the last few years we have seenmajor changes in the local employ-ment landscape. Not only have welost some of the larger, more visibleemployers in the county, the newgrowth in number of employers is inthe smallest businesses. Employersnow are hiring one or two employ-ees, and those employers can often beharder to find.

In fact, employers with 1 to 9 em-ployees are the growth area for Elginand St. Thomas.

Employers have always relied uponreferrals from current employees as agood source for finding additionalemployees. Why? Because it is a safebet. The current employee knows theworking conditions. When they givea recommendation, they are puttingtheir reputation on the line, so theemployer trusts that they will be rec-ommending people who will fit intothe company. For employers, it canbe the fastest route to finding a goodemployee. There are no stacks of re-sumes to go through, no disap-pointed candidates and generally aquick turn-around. For job hunters,this can mean that many jobs arenever advertised, but there is hope.With the small size of these employ-ers, many of them also rely on con-nections within their businessnetworks and within the local com-munity.

Job seekers also have networks, butoften we don’t tap into our completenetwork when looking for work. Ionce saw a person find a good leadfor a job in the stands at a hockeypractice. A small group of parentswere chatting when one of the par-ents mentioned that he was lookingfor work. Another parent spoke upand told him about a job vacancythat had just opened up. We kneweach other as parents of the kids onthe team, but until then didn’t have

any idea that someone we hadknown for quite some time was look-ing for work. Your referrals can comefrom unexpected places – just likenews on job openings.

Too often we put together a resumeto send out hoping that it will be suf-ficient to get us the face-to-facemeeting to secure a job. Your resumeis important, but it is still just a toolyou use. Your personal and profes-sional networks are tools you shouldbe using as well.

“To succeed: people need to likeyou, trust you, and believe your com-petence.” (Allison Graham, authorand leadership coach)

B U S I N E S S / C O M M U N I T Y

WORKING IN ST.THOMAS-ELGIN

Deb Mountenay is chair of the ElginWorkforce Development Committee.

by Deb Mountenay

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“

“


One of the things technology doesreally well is remove barriers. Jobs aredestroyed (think of wagon wheels andfiling cabinets) and jobs are created(say, manufacturers of cars and com-puter chips), but, for good and for ill,advances in technology let more peo-ple do more things in more places.

There was a time when the idea ofFords and Chryslers being made out-side Detroit, let alone outside theUnited States, was unthinkable. Butnow, you can trade stocks in your liv-ing room instead of on Wall Street.

These expansions, and countlessothers, happened because there hasnever been any limitation on ideasand the willingness to work hard.

Technical limitations create hubs, likeSilicon Valley or Hollywood. Buteventually advances let technologymove and, with the right conditions,thrive. For example, British Columbiaand Toronto vie for the title of Holly-wood North, and there’s Silicon Glenin Scotland and Silicon Gulf in thePhilippines.

Technology increases opportunitiesfor outliers. Outliers, such as a prima-rily rural county dealing with highunemployment as it struggles with thetransition of its traditional job mar-kets. Technology may have causedsome of the challenges, but it can ad-dress them too.

There are two paths a communitycan follow to take advantage of tech-nology. The first is led by government.

Since 1985, the Intelligent Commu-nity Forum has helped communitiesaround the world develop strategies todevelop both their citizens and theireconomies. Each year, seven commu-nities are awarded the IntelligentCommunity distinction. Winnershave been as small as LaGrange, Geor-gia (population 26,000) and NovaScotia’s Western Valley (population21,000). Locally, Windsor-Essex andStratford (in both 2011 and 2012)have been winners.

You can read about the Indicatorsand Success Factors on the IntelligentCommunity website. If an IntelligentCommunity sounds like a place you’dlike to live in, operators in local gov-ernment offices are standing by.

The second path is for individuals,people with ideas who aren’t surewhere to turn next. Our Elgin Busi-ness Resource Centre is a great re-source, but there’s online helpavailable too.

Entrepreneurs with an idea for theweb can join Sprouter, a free servicethat provides access to renowned en-trepreneurs, investors and expertswho’ve already led successful techstart-ups.

For creative types, Kickstarter callsitself the “world's largest funding plat-form for creative projects.” Kickstarterfunds films, music CDs, comics,video games and more. Viewing Kick-starter’s projects can be inspiring butalso helps understand what makes asuccessful idea. You can find funding,from $1,000 to $1,000,000...or get

nothing at all. Kickstarter uses an “allor nothing” funding model which canlet you know if your idea is a goodone or not.

Quirky helps people with a productidea. It works similarly to Kickstarter,(but with a $10 fee). Ideas are submit-ted, the community chooses the best,and then Quirky sees them throughthe design process to production andpays the inventor a “perpetual roy-alty.” I can’t imagine a safer, lower-costway to get an idea from paper to shelf.

I often wonder what our commu-nity could do if we put 3D printers(now costing as little as $500), somecreative types and our local CAD ex-perts into a room together. Until thathappens, 3DTin is a free and easy wayto use a 3D design program. Uploadfinished designs to Shapeways.com tosell the finished product or pay tohave it produced and sell it yourself.

It’s not about where you are any-more. It’s about what you can thinkof and how hard you’re willing towork. And that’s never been a prob-lem in Elgin County.


TECHNOLOGY

JOE PRESTON, M.P.ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON

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Think of the possibilitiesTechnology is opening more doors than ever before

there has neverbeen anylimitationon ideas“

“



I’ve been reflecting lately on whatit is that keeps us going. There areplenty of reasons not to. I’ve had achance to reflect on this lately as twofriends have been faced with personalgrief, but despite their devastation,the sun rises again and they are facedwith a new day. One repeats to her-self “each day, just get up and put onyour pants,” hoping that by focusingon the most basic of rituals, she cankeep herself moving into the future.The other takes comfort in theknowledge of community supportand deeply-rooted faith, to bring asmall ray of hope into each day.

And so, this has me making com-

parisons to farmers, and how theydeal with difficulty. There are plentyof those unschooled in farming,upon hearing about the myriad ritu-als, weather considerations, andeveryday chores, who simply say, “Idon’t know how you do it.” But thereis something in the daily rituals thatkeeps farmers grounded. Whether ornot it is exciting or appealing on anygiven day, the livestock farmer mustalways feed, water and care for thecattle. When it is too hot in the sum-mer, the crops are harvested. Whenit is too cold in the winter, the waterlines still need to be thawed so ani-mals can drink, and time is made toput the loader tractor to work, releas-ing neighbours from their driveways.

Family celebrations, birthdays, andtrips are planned around the timingof chores and crops, but that’s all partof the territory.

Any sick dairy farmer will tell youhe can still handle milking, becausehe’ll just catch a quick nap (likely onthe milk-house floor) in betweenrounds. Even when there is helpavailable (and neighbours alwayscome to the rescue when it’s needed),farmers do what farmers do. My hus-band hobbled out to the barn forweeks after an injury last year, doingas much as he could to keep thingsrunning so his flock would be caredfor. He could only last so long pro-viding instructions to family andfriends from the couch and had to

see and do things for himself. I have a clear memory of receiving

the call when my grandfather passedaway, and my mom going to thebarn to tell my dad. My parents hadspent every available minute with thefamily at the hospital in the daysleading up to this. And although Iknow they might have preferred tobe there until the end, the cows hadto be milked, just like every otherday. And so my parents were wherethey needed to be at that moment,getting us ready for school and doingthe morning chores, knowing thatmy grandfather would have ap-proved. Because on the farm, youcan’t just stop. And you can’t walkaway.

Even through the greatest chal-lenges, some of these rituals can pro-vide a source of comfort, knowingthat we are part of carrying on a tra-dition. Having plants, animals andfamilies depend on us for survivalkeeps us focused slightly outside ofourselves, offering a sense of purposethrough the most daunting chal-lenges. Farmers though they are not,my friends seem to share the samephilosophy – keep doing what youcan and doing what you love, andyou’ll pull through. Just don’t forgetto put on your pants.

Achieve Your True Potential in Business and in Life

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Lunch and Learn Programs CASO Station 750 Talbot St., St.Thomas 1130am to 1pm $20 each or 5 for $80 (tax included) Growth Coach to provide coffee and treats, R.S.V.P. to either Bryan or GordonDates and Topics:May 16 – Secret Weapon Every Business Owner

Needs to KnowJune 13 – Two Time Tested Tactics to Improve

Your Bottom LineJuly 11 – What is Holding Your

Business Back?August 15 – Five Winning Ways to Improve Your

Customer’s ExperienceSept 12 – Work, Life and BalanceOctober 10 – Employee Appreciation November 14 – Managing Change

in Your BusinessDecember 5 – Marketing 101

AGRICULTURE

Janine Lunn hoststhe Belmont CornMaze, and liveson a sheep farmwith her family.

by Janine Lunn

Lifegoes on There’s no taking time off on the farm



(NC)—As business leaders navigatechanging economic conditions andgovernment regulations, they are re-alizing more and more that sustain-ability is no longer the job of oneperson, or even one department.Businesses are investing in “green”across the organization, and the buy-in starts in the boardroom.

That's how it works at Staples Ad-vantage, a company that provides of-fice products and services tobusinesses across Canada. Their FiftyGreen program helps to minimizethe packaging of an order, as well asthe emissions from delivery trucks.Customers participating must ensuretheir orders are more than $50. If

not, a $5 charge is applied, with halfof the proceeds donated to TreeCanada—a not-for-profit organiza-tion that plants trees in Canada'scommunities.

The idea was not even born in thesustainability department. It camefrom the marketing team, when theysat down to brainstorm how to re-duce the operational and environ-mental costs of small orders.

“Fifty Green fits with the businessplan because it offers a triple win,”says Scott D'Cunha, the director ofmarketing for Staples Advantage.“It's good for customers because theyfind it easier to manage fewer deliv-eries and invoices; it's good for Sta-

ples because we're reducing the highcosts associated with small orders;and it's good for the environmentbecause we're reducing packagingand truck emissions, which is verysignificant when you're a distributioncompany. All this adds up to simplybeing good for business.”

Results from a 2010 Ernst &Young survey showed that 82 percentof Canadian executives believe that aresponse to climate change is imper-ative and at that time were planningto increase spending for climatechange initiatives.

More than 90 percent of executivessurveyed globally indicated that cli-mate change governance rests withC-suite executives or board mem-bers. This statistic reflects the grow-ing strategic importance of greeninitiatives for organizations who un-derstand that climate change is notjust a risk area but also an opportu-nity to reduce costs, increase revenueand gain competitive advantage.

For Staples Advantage, Fifty Greenis doing what it should.

“Within two years of launching theprogram, our supply chain team rec-ognized that they could reduce thenumber of trucks on the road andstill meet customer commitments,just because of this initiative,” D'-Cunha says. “Within three years wereduced the number of small ordersby half. And the fact that we have

funded the planting of 100,000 treeswith Tree Canada to offset the envi-ronmental costs of small ordersshows that we are really committedto sustainability, something our cus-tomers want to see in their partners.”

Scott Lesnet is EnvironmentalManager for HNI Corporation, thesecond-largest office furniture man-ufacturer in the world. They are theparent company for brands likeHON and Allsteel, available inCanada through Staples Advantage.He says he's worked in the sustain-ability field for 30 years, and has al-ways been able to demonstrate thatenvironmental responsibility lowerscosts.

“All the major furniture manufac-turers are doing the same kinds ofthings to reduce their environmentalimpact,” he says. “Why? Because itjust makes good sense.”

D'Cunha agrees, and advises thatyou can find innovative ways toleverage sustainability to meet yourbusiness goals.

“Businesses, in general, aim to ac-complish the same thing—to makemoney. Sustainability is a key en-abler—not an obstacle—to achievingthat goal. By embracing that reality,you can attain both commercial suc-cess and a sense of contentment,knowing that you are making theworld a better place.”

Good for theplanet equalsgood for businessFind innovative ways to leverage sustainability to meet your business goals

SUSTAINABILITY


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Business Beat Table of ContentsShow space a hot seller! ................page 10Your invitation..........page 11Seclusion intrusion ..page 12Management change at Gorman-Rupp ......page 13Prevent disputes before they occur ....page 14A note to dedicated people ....................page 15New members ........page 16

Business After 5

Participate in Our 3 Part Series on Small BusinessJune - Starting a Small BusinessJuly – Financing a Small Business

August – Running a Successful Small Business To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities

give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22)

or email me at [email protected] Edition Advertising Deadline is May 14th

Greg Minnema,Advertising Sales

May 15, 2012St. Thomas Public

Library153 Curtis Street

St. ThomasSponsored by

St. Thomas Public Library

Doors open at 5pm. Sponsor remarks and prizedraws start at 6:15pm. Freeadmission for anyone froma business organization that

is a Member of the St. Thomas & District

Chamber of Commerce.

Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and yourfavourite beverages.

• MAY 2012 •

Disbrowe co-owner Karen Johnson welcomesGM executives Dan O’Neill and Jerry Daniel tothe Chamber’s Business After 5 event hosted byDisbrowe Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac onApril 25.

April Business After 5 eventThe St. Thomas & District Cham-

ber of Commerce proudly presentsour 36th annual Free EnterpriseAwards Dinner on Wednesday, June20.

Since 1974, the Free EnterpriseAwards night has been the biggestevent on the Chamber’s annualcalendar.

Recognized as the “Oscars” oflocal business, the Awards cele-brate and recognize exceptionalsuccess and achievement by indi-viduals and businesses. The FreeEnterprise Awards of Merit honourrecent or short-term accomplish-ments. The Free Enterprise MasterAwards, generally a once-in-a-

lifetime honour, reflect on long-termsuccess. In both cases, recipientsmust be proven to be actively andsuccessfully engaged in free and fairenterprise, as well as in activities that

contribute to the social or culturalhealth of our community. The Chairof the Chamber’s Board of Directorsalso has the opportunity, at his or her

discretion, to present the ChamberChair’s Award to honour exceptionalcontributions that have supportedand bettered the Chamber.

Nominations for the 2012 Awardswere solicited earlier this yearuntil March. Our Awards &Recognition Committee re-viewed and evaluated one ofthe largest groups of awardnominees in our history thisyear. In the coming weeks, thenames and profiles of ourwinners will be released. For-

mal presentations with multi-mediaaudio/visual presentations will tellthe story of each winner at the FreeEnterprise Dinner.

36th Free Enterprise Awards coming

Articulate, straightforward andfunny, Dianne Buckner is a re-spected journalist and televisionproducer. She has hosted programson both of Canada's major net-works, from national newscasts toquirky magazine shows.

Dianne Buckner is best-knownto Canadians as the host of CBCTelevision's hit realityprogram Dragons' Den, whereeager entrepreneurs pitch theirbusiness ideas to a group of self-made Canadian millionaire in-vestors. Other viewers mayremember her 10 years as the hostof Venture, the successful and long-running series that chronicled theadventures of entrepreneurs.

In addition to her role on Drag-ons' Den, Buckner is a member ofthe Business Team at CBC News.She writes a weekly column aboutsmall business for cbc.ca, the num-ber one site for news in Canada.She also appears regularly onCBC's local supper-hour news-casts across the country, reportingon the top business stories of theday.

Buckner is an incredibly versatilepresenter with an appealing, self-effacing manner and endearingcharm. She has a talent for synthe-sizing information and making itaccessible to a broad audience –the talent that has made her one ofCanada's most popular speakers.

2012 keynote speaker:CBC’s Dianne Buckner

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our MembersBUSINESS BEAT

President & CEO Bob HammersleyAccounting Coordinator Susan MundayMember Services Wes BaileyMember Services Linda Crawford

Chair: Jason White Steelway Building Systems1st. Vice-Chair: Paul Smith P.J. Smith & Associates2nd. Vice-Chair: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Art CentreTreasurer: Mark Lassam, CA Kee, Perry & Lassam Chartered AccountantsPast Chair: Linda Sawyer BMO Bank of MontrealDirector: Beth Burns K & K LocksmithsDirector: Renee Carpenter Jennings FurnitureDirector: Pete Charlton Charlton’s Quality MeatsDirector: Monty Fordham Monty Fordham Law OfficeDirector: Jeff Kohler Presstran IndustriesDirector: Debra Mountenay Workforce Planning & Development BoardDirector: John Regan Elgin Business Resource CentreDirector: Darren Reith Reith and Associates Insurance & FinancialDirector: Allan Weatherall St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital FoundationDirector: Rob Mise myFM 94.1

Published by Carroll Publishing Inc. and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin County

For complete information on the St.Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce, reach us at:115-300 South Edgeware Rd., St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 4L1Telephone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466E-Mail: [email protected]: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

2012 Board of Directors


Another beer victoryIt’s official. For the third straight year, Railway City Brewing Company’s

signature Dead Elephant Ale was voted to be the featured bold-flavouredale at the Legislative Assembly for 2012-2013. The selection was made dur-ing the Ontario Craft Beer Tasting and Selection Reception at Queen’s Parkhosted by Speaker Dave Levac.

The full-bodied golden Pale Ale was one of 72 beers featured from 20 craftbrewers across the province. MPPs, staff and members of the media had theopportunity to sample the many beers and vote on their favourites in sevendifferent categories. Once again, the St. Thomas-brewed Dead Elephantimpressed the attendees and was voted to be the featured bold-flavouredale.

“I am a big fan of the beer Railway City Brewing Company brews andthis is just further proof that they brew one of the best beers in theprovince,” says MPP Jeff Yurek. “I’m proud to call Railway City BrewingCompany my hometown brewer; they’ve really created something specialin St. Thomas of which we can all be proud.”

The company’s third straight win is made all the more incredible by thefact that the St. Thomas brewery is only in its fourth year of operation.

MPP Jeff Yurek withWes Fiddy, specialevent coordinator forRailway City BrewingCo. (middle) and PaulCorriveau, RailwayCity’s vice-president ofsales and marketing.

By every indication, our newmulti-Chamber event at WesternFair District on June 14 is a hotitem.

Registration for exhibitors openedApril 2. Two weeks later, 84 ex-hibitors had booked and paid fordisplay space. That’s 42 percent ofour planned target to welcome 200regional businesses and far beyondall of our expectations as one of theorganizers.

“diSTRICTLY Business” is ashowcase of and for enterprise in thelocal and regional economy.

We sense it could be the biggestnetworking event ever held in ourregion and all indications point to itbecoming an annual function.

Part networking event and parttrade show, the inspiration behindthis event is to have a multi-cham-ber tradeshow that will not only ex-pand our Members' opportunity tonetwork, but also be open to thepublic so that we can showcase someof the amazing businesses in theLondon/St. Thomas area.

“diSTRICTLY Business” is a jointventure organized by the St. Thomas& District Chamber of Commerceplus the chambers in London,Strathroy, Ingersoll and Tillsonburgin partnership with Western FairDistrict. Our location will be thepopular and spacious ProgressBuilding. Exhibitor costs for displayspace start at just $225 for a 10-foot

by 10-foot space. 10 by 20 ($450)and 10 by 30 ($675) spaces are alsooptions. The show will be open tothe public on June 14 from 3-8pmin the Progress Building. All ex-hibitors will receive complimentarytickets to give to clients andprospects, and each of the partici-pating Chamber offices will alsohave a supply for free distribution.Electrical service and a small groupof other options will be available toexhibitors at cost.

The London Chamber staff hasagreed to handle all space bookingand payment processing on behalfof the five sponsoringChambers. For further details, St.Thomas & District Chamber Mem-bers should contact Bob Hammers-ley in our office at 519-631-1981,ext. 523.

Show space a hot seller!

“diSTRICTLY Business” is a showcase of and for enterprise in the local and regional economy.“

“Event registration is to be completed online via the London Chamber’s website

at this address: www.londonchamber.com/_forms/districtlybusiness/


Your Invitation…Rob Mise, General Manager of myFM Radio 94.1

and Chair of the Chamber’s Member Services Com-mittee, is inviting our Members to a special eventMay 31.

On behalf of the St. Thomas & District Cham-ber of Commerce, I'm extending a special invita-tion to you, your co-workers, business associates,family and friends to participate in our AnnualMember's Golf Day. Our annual tournament isone with a long and proud history. Our 38th an-nual event will be held on Thursday May 31, 2012at St. Thomas Golf & Country Club at Union.The 18-hole tournament is scheduled to begin at

11am with a shotgun start. We’ve had many great years of excellent participa-tion and everyone who played and volunteered had a great time. Again thisyear our Member Services Committee is actively engaged in developing anexcellent program.

As in the past, proceeds from this fundraising event will help the St. Thomas& District Chamber of Commerce provide economic growth for our area byallowing us to continue providing necessary tools to promote and advocatefor business.

Date: Thursday May 31, 2012Location: St. Thomas Golf & Country ClubRegistration: 9:45-10:45amShotgun start: 11amPrice: Foursome $590, Single $150Includes dinner, cart and 18 holes in your choice of format – scramble or

medal play.Register your foursome today by completing the registration

form on the Chamber’s website atwww.stthomaschamber.on.ca and faxingit to the Chamber office at 519-631-0466 to acknowledge your contributionto this tournament. Thank you for yourconsideration!

Respectfully,Rob MiseChair, Member Services CommitteeOn behalf of the Chamber's entire

Member Services TeamPS: Being new in this area, last year

was my first opportunity to play in theChamber’s Golf Day. I had a great timethat equaled and exceeded the experi-ences I’ve had at dozens of other courses.I’m excited to be back this year and towork with the Chamber in producingand delivering a first-class function youare sure to enjoy.

CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our MembersBUSINESS BEAT

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New market and labour force dataIf you and your business could benefit from a deeper understanding of

local trends in population, employment, employer numbers and sizes, anduse of social services, we have a new report you should get.

The Chamber is pleased to report the March 30 completion of the 2012Elgin & St. Thomas Labour Force Development Strategy Update. It’s an11-page document assembled with collaborative input from 13 communityservices and agencies, including the Chamber. It reviews municipal andcounty economic development strategies and confirms trends regardingshrinking and growing population, workforce development and education,and many issues or concerns that have impact on our local economy.

The report is free and can be downloaded from the Chamber’s website atwww.stthomaschamber.on.ca

Chamber asks for EHT changeWhen the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s 100th Annual General Meet-

ing and Convention is held in St. Catharines May 3-6, the St. Thomas &District Chamber will be asking delegates to support our request for achange in the exemption floor for businesses required to pay EHT, the Em-ployer Health Tax.

When the current legislation was adopted over 12 years ago, the OntarioGovernment exempted small businesses (those with annual payroll of$400,000 or less) from paying the tax. The exemption floor has not changedwhile wages have, resulting in more and more businesses being subjected tothe tax burden each year.

Our request is to ask the OCC to lobby the province for an adjustment ofthe exemption floor to $500,000. That amount is approximately equal toapplying an annual rate of inflation of 1.5-2 percent to the floor.

If approved, and enacted by the province, our proposal would have a cashimpact on 7,325 small businesses across Ontario.


A recent decision of the OntarioCourt of Appeal has significantlychanged the way lawyers and judgeswill approach the intricate area oflaw known as “torts.” Torts are, bydefinition, civil or private wrongscommitted by one party to another.The word derives from the Latin,“tortus,” which translates roughly as“twisted.” It also describes the way aperson feels after going through acivil court case.

Generally, in English common law,

from which our legal system hasevolved, a party has to show someeconomic loss in order to achieve anaward of damages from anotherparty. The clearest example is in acase of negligence giving rise to in-juries that, in turn, cause a disrup-tion of income. The law, in severaljurisdictions, notably England andthe United States, has gradually ex-panded to include some claims fornon-monetary losses. The path, how-ever, has been slow and limited.

The case of Jones v. Tsige involvedtwo employees of a major Canadianbank, who, although they worked atdifferent branches and did not knoweach other, were, in a sense, related.You see Ms. Tsige had over the yearsformed a common law conjugal re-lationship with Jones’ former hus-band. This relationship soured and,eventually, Ms. Tsige became in-volved in a financial dispute withMs. Jones’ former spouse. What, youmight ask, could that possibly haveto do with Ms. Jones?

Well, Ms. Tsige became curious asto where the gentleman’s money wasgoing, and, in particular, whether hewas paying child support to Ms.Jones. In order to satiate this curios-ity, she set about to access the per-sonal banking information of Ms.Jones; some 174 times. There was nosuggestion that Ms. Tsige ever pub-lished or shared the data she saw, orthat she used it to her personal ad-vantage. As well, the bank officialshad no knowledge of her actionsand, indeed, upon learning of them,suspended her for a week withoutpay and denied her a bonus.

Ms. Jones, however, unsatisfied bythe consequences to Tsige, sued fordamages for “invasion of privacy.”The trial judge dismissed her claimstating that Ontario law simply didnot recognize such a claim. In addi-tion, he awarded court costs againstMs. Jones. She appealed to the On-tario Court of Appeal.

Justice Sharpe, writing for the ma-jority of the three-person panel, de-termined that in Ontario there is acivil action for “intrusion uponseclusion.” He then set about to de-fine when this action is available.First, the conduct must be inten-tional; second, the defendant musthave invaded, without lawful justifi-cation, the plaintiff’s private affairs orconcerns; third, a reasonable person

would recognize the invasion ashighly offensive, causing distress, hu-miliation or anguish. (Amazing howoften legal precepts come in threes.)

However, Justice Sharpe notedthat, in these cases, damage awards“should be modest.” He pegged theupper limit of such award at$20,000. In finding in favour of Ms.Jones, he awarded her the sum of$10,000, vacated the court costsfrom the trial court, but ordered eachof the parties to pay their own costs(i.e. their own lawyers) due to thenovelty of the case.

Justice Sharpe suggested that hisruling would not “open the flood-gates” to similar action in the future,given the limited definition providedby him of “intrusion upon seclu-sion.” To this I would say only twothings. First, we are now in a techno-logical age where electronic snoopingis all too prevalent, and it’s amazinghow easily people can become dis-tressed, humiliated or anguishedwhen someone peeks at their per-sonal stuff. Second, the upper limitof damages is in the jurisdiction ofthe Small Claims Court, which is al-ready overburdened, but is the leastexpensive and most accessible court.

It will be interesting to see if thecase is further appealed to theSupreme Court of Canada. My guessis it won’t be. All the distress, humil-iation and anguish in the world can’tpossibly justify the cost of goingthere.

Finally, happy 30th birthday to theCanadian Charter of Rights andFreedoms!1.59% 1.64%6.9¢

Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares thismonthly column for the St. Thomas &District Chamber of Commerce andour Members. Monty is also a volun-teer serving on the Chamber’s Boardof Directors. Questions, commentsand suggestions for future columns arewelcomed by Monty at his Law Office,4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371or e-mail: [email protected]

LEGAL BUSINESS Legal News and Issues for Business

Seclusion intrusion:The case of Jones v. Tsigeby Monty Fordham


MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our MembersBUSINESS BEAT

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SECURE MANAGED OFFSITE CLOUD-BACKUPRECOVERY & DATA ARCHIVING

Is the cost of fuel affecting yourbusiness and your life? It impacts thecosts of everything we have, get ordo, so here’s a reminder to check thatyou are doing everything you can tomake a litre of fuel go as far as it can.

In 1979, a litre of gasoline inCanada cost $0.247; by 2007, it hadrisen to $1.06 as an average. Withinthe last few weeks, the average costhit over $1.40 in many parts of thecountry – with all indications that itwill remain at this level, or higher,into the summer and beyond.

From sales reps and delivery vehi-cles to the tomato in a grocery store,there’s no doubt that the price of fuelhas enormous impact. If yours is abusiness in which you claim or paymileage, the Canada RevenueAgency has posted the allowable

claim rate for the 2011 tax year at anew high level. In Ontario, the ratehas jumped to 57 cents per km, ac-cording to data posted online byCRA. (Source: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/travelcosts/)

As the price climbs, getting maxi-mum value for every dollar youspend is more than just smart busi-ness.

• Ensure that tires are properly in-flated. Under-inflated tires reducefuel efficiency by up to 5 percent(and the tires wear out faster as well).

• If snow tires are in use, removethem as soon as weather permits.Snow tires reduce fuel efficiency byup to 4 percent.

• Use the optimum grade of fuelsuggested by the automobile manu-facturer. Despite what the ads might

have you believe, a higher grade offuel will not improve your car’s per-formance and costs more.

• Keep the vehicle’s load to a mini-mum. Studies show that fuel econ-omy is reduced 1-2 percent for everyextra 45 kg of added weight.

• Speed is the worst enemy of fuelconsumption. Driving at 90 kilome-tres per hour instead of 110 kilome-tres will reduce fuel consumption byup to 20 percent.

The Chamber also encouragesMembers to explore the Esso FleetFuel program in our Member Bene-fits Bundle. A discount of 3.5 cents

per litre is available at any of almost2,000 Esso stations in Canada and atover 10,000 affiliated Exxon andMobil outlets anywhere in theUnited States, plus detailed monthlybilling statements for one vehicle orhundreds are key components of theprogram. For details, visit the St.Thomas & District Chamber’s web-site at www.stthomaschamber.on.caand click on the Membership /Membership Benefits link on ourmain page. The links appear in a barimmediately below our logo at thetop of the page.

Management change at Gorman-Rupp

The Chamber is pleased to welcome RobertFurneaux as the new General Manager at Gorman-Rupp of Canada Limited.

Robert succeeds Gary Creeden who is retiring.Gorman-Rupp has been part of St. Thomas’ indus-

trial community for over 50 years and is the nationalheadquarters of a U.S.-based firm, The Gorman-Rupp Company, established in 1933. The St.Thomas plant is at 70 Burwell Road, at the south-west corner of the Burwell/Edward Street intersec-tion.

Gorman-Rupp of Canada is a leading manufac-turer of self-priming centrifugal pumps. Its productsare used around the world in diverse applications in-cluding aviation, fire-fighting, agriculture, industry,petroleum, construction and wastewater manage-ment.

Robert Furneaux, GeneralManager, Gorman-Rupp ofCanada Limited

The price of getting,going and having

Federal Member of Parliament JoePreston and Member of ProvincialParliament Jeff Yurek have both ac-cepted our invitation to appear in aluncheon and Q&A session forMembers on Thursday, May 24.

Tickets for the event are on salenow through the Chamber office($25 per person plus tax), with re-served seating on single orders offour tickets or more. Admission byadvance sale only. Doors open at11:30am and our program will startat 12 noon with remarks by bothspeakers, followed by a question andanswer session.

The Chamber welcomes questionsfrom all Members via email in ad-vance of the event or from the floor

during it. The event will concludeby 1:30pm. Lunch is included inthe same “bistro” style format usedfor our State of the Municipalitiesluncheon in February and will beavailable to everyone attending assoon as they arrive.

Information about online order-ing for tickets will appear in ourweekly Green Mail email broad-casts, along with links to orderforms that can be faxed or broughtto the Chamber. Orders can also bemade by telephone to the Chamberoffice at 519-631-1981.

MP & MPPLuncheon May 24


Have you ever considered whatwould happen to your business if yourpartner or shareholder unexpectedlywere no longer there? Have you doneany retirement planning to determinesuccessors? What would happen ifyou were hit by a bus? What wouldhappen if a critical illness or disabilitystruck a key person? If your partnerpassed away, would you close yourdoors or keep your business goingwith the new owner (for example, thespouse)? Would you sell your sharesor purchase the shares from your de-ceased partner’s estate?

These are questions to ask yourself,when operating a business with some-one else. There is a lot of time, energyand money that goes into growing abusiness and it is easy to get caught upwith the everyday challenges. This iswhy it is essential to find ways to pre-vent future upsets and protect every-one involved in the event of death,disability and retirement of an owner,or even if someone just wants out.

An excellent solution is to purchasea buy-sell agreement. This will helpplace value on all the hard work that

has gone into making your business asuccess, while providing for its contin-ued profitability.

A buy-sell agreement is a legal doc-ument that can help prevent problemslater by ensuring a smooth transfer ofbusiness in the event that one of theowners leaves voluntarily, happily ortragically.

Generally, the agreement simplifiesthe buy-out of the owner and dealswith:

• who will buy the shares

• what the terms of the sale will be• when the sale will take place• where the money to buy the shares

will come from• and what the purchase price will

beTo ensure the agreement is viable,

proper funding must be in place.Without funding, agreements can fallapart. There are a number of ways tofund a buy-sell agreement. You can:

• start saving today• borrow the funds from a bank• take the funds from current earn-

ings• sell assets• purchase life insurance and disabil-

ity insurance to provide the funds

Purchasing life insurance can be themost cost-effective solution to fund abuy-sell agreement when an ownerdies. It guarantees that money is avail-able when needed. Similar coveragecan be arranged to deal with potentialaccident or disability situations.

So, take the time out of your busyschedules to ensure the smooth andprofitable continuation of your busi-ness that often has taken many yearsof hard work to build. And, by work-ing closely with a team of financialprofessionals – lawyer, accountant, in-surance agent – the buy-sell agree-ment can be tailored to business andpersonal needs, giving you the knowl-edge that a lifetime invested in busi-ness will yield adequate income.

+ =

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POSITIONFILLED

PRO TEXT Business Management News & IssuesBUSINESS BEAT

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submittedby Darren Reith, a principal of Reith& Associates Insurance and FinancialServices Limited, 462 Talbot Street,St. Thomas. Darren is also a volun-teer serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Questions and commentson this column are welcomed by thewriter at 519-631-3862 or via email:[email protected]

Prevent disputes before they occurby Darren Reith

buy-sell agreements help prevent problems

if one of the owners leaves

buy-sell agreements help prevent problems

if one of the owners leaves“

“


This month I want to check in withsome thoughts on those special anddedicated people who believe in workwith no pay.

The golden rule of any communityis: take care of yourself, take care ofeach other and take care of the placein which you live. I say “THANKS!”to all the volunteers who give of theirtime and money in support of thewellbeing and health of our commu-nity. You’re worth your weight in gold!

April brought a special, annual eventcalled National Volunteer Week inCanada. While it is important that werecognize volunteers annually, I’mthinking we should declare everyweek as “Volunteer Week.”

Thanks to all who make our com-munity a better place to live throughgiving something special back. You arespecial people indeed. And, by allmeans, count yourself in if you didyour share of volunteering throughthe Random Acts of Kindness Dayheld recently in St. Thomas.

Former British Prime Minister TonyBlair said, “A fully employed societyisn’t just one where everyone whowants a job has a job. It is one whereeveryone contributes all their talents– through the things they do, paid orunpaid, in the service of others. A so-ciety in which when people ask you,‘What do you do?’ – it’s not just yourjob that you mention.”

At the St. Thomas Elgin GeneralHospital, we have many people whocan say they do so much without ex-pectation of any monetary compensa-tion. For example, the St. ThomasElgin General Hospital Auxiliary has,each day since 1986, faithfully oper-ated a gift shop and also, for manyyears, a small lunch area. Over thecourse of their volunteer time, they

have contributed over $1.6 million tothe hospital to buy equipment andsupport programs. Just recently theypledged a further $250,000! They notonly financially support the Founda-tion but give generously of their timein a volunteer capacity to ensure thatour community is a better place. Inaddition, the Foundation’s Board ofDirectors generously give their time toensure that donations received aremanaged in the donor’s best interestsand wishes and, therefore, are stew-ards for gifts received.

Another group worth noting is thehospital’s Board of Governors. Eachmember gives numerous hours inmanaging the many aspects of govern-ing an $80 million business. They en-sure that our hospital is there for eachof us as required.

Beyond the boards at our hospital,we also have several hundred othervolunteers who greet you at the door,take you to an appointment, delivervital equipment or spend valuabletime with patients. Thank you foryour time each and every one.

It’s easy for me to focus on the manyareas where people volunteer at ourhospital since it is part of my day-to-day life, but I also want to celebratethose countless others who do thingsat schools, churches, community cen-

tres and with sports teams, just toname a few. Thank you!

Many years ago I was told about thispoem about volunteers:

Many will be shocked to find,When the day of judgment nears,That there's a special place in Heaven,Set aside for volunteers. Furnished with big recliners,Satin couches and footstools,Where there are no committee chair-men,No yard sales or rest area coffee toserve,No library duty or bulletin assembly,There will be nothing to print or sta-ple,Not one thing to fold or mail,Telephone lists will be outlawed.But a finger snap will bringCool drinks and gourmet dinnersAnd rare treats fit for a king. You ask, "Who'll serve these privilegedAnd work for all they're worth?"Why, all those who reaped the benefits,And not once volunteered on Earth.

(Author unknown)So there is my communication piece

this month, expressing some words toall those who so willingly help ourcommunity to be a better place.

“Those who can, do. Those who cando more, volunteer.”

(Author unknown)

116 Edward St. St. Thomas www.disbrowe.com 519-631-7960116 Edward St. St. Thomas www.disbrowe.com 519-631-7960

Disbrowe Chevrolet, Buick, GMC,Cadillac is pleased to welcomePHIL FORDHAM to their sales

team. Phil is a graduate inAutomotive Management at

Georgian College and hasover 11 years of dealership

experience. Phil was raised ina GM family and understands

the importance of creatinggreat customer experiences

and building long termrelationships. A resident of

Dutton, Phil invites hisfriends, relatives and past

customers to contacthim for any of their

automotiveneeds.

Welcome Phil Fordham

[email protected] Ext.234

POSITIVE EXPOSURE Doing Public Relations RightBUSINESS BEAT

This article has been prepared for theChamber and our Members by AllanWeatherall, B.A., CFRE, APR – Executive Director of the St. ThomasElgin General Hospital Foundation.He received accreditation (APR) fromthe Canadian Public Relations Societyin 1993 and a CFRE (certifiedfundraising executive) in 2000. He welcomes your comments via emailto: [email protected] or telephone519-631-2030 extension 2247.

by Allan Weatherall

A note to dedicated people


The St. Thomas & District Chamberof Commerce is pleased to welcomethe following businesses and indi-viduals as our newest Members.The staff and management of theorganizations shown below wereaccepted as registered Membersfrom March 16 to April 15, 2012. Elgin Maid 201 – 300 South Edgeware RoadSt. Thomas, ON N5P 4L1 Phone: 226-926-6243Email: [email protected]: www.elginmaid.comContact: Heather Baker, OwnerBuyer's Guide Categories: CleaningServices Products & Services: Elgin Maid is locallyowned and operated, not a franchise.They provide residential cleaning servicesin London, St. Thomas, Dutton and sur-rounding areas. With over 18 years ofexperience in the industry, Elgin Maid un-derstands the need for reliability, trustand value for their clients. You will bene-fit from their competence, as Elgin Maid

is committed to delivering outstandingresults every time they clean a home.They guarantee it.

Fifth Avenue Collection32 Massey DriveSt. Thomas, ON N5R 5M6Phone: 519-913-1581, 1-866-744-4827Email: [email protected] Website:www.fifthavenuecollection.com/lmatchimContacts: Lisa Matchim, IndependentJewellerBuyer's Guide Categories:Clothing/Fashion; Jewellery - Sales &Service Products & Services: Luxurious and af-fordable jewellery which exhibits thehighest quality craftsmanship, highlight-ing Swarovski crystal, the beauty of AAAcubic zirconia, natural gemstones, lus-trous pearls, and durable finishes ofgleaming gold, rich rhodium or dramatichematite. Adding to its excellence, theFifth Avenue Collection is nickel, lead andcadmium free.

Silpada Designs Jewellery - IndependentConsultant 51 Rosebery PlaceSt. Thomas, ON N5R 2H9Phone: 519-637-3777Fax: 519-637-2996Email: [email protected] Website:www.mysilpada.ca/gail.mcnaughton Contact: Gail McNaughton, IndependentConsultantBuyer's Guide Categories: Children'sClothing-Retail; Clothing/Fashion; Jew-ellery - Sales & Service; Watches &Clocks - Sales & Service; Wedding Plan-ning & Services Products & Services: Silpada is # 1 inhome party sales in jewellery becausewomen are attracted to the high sophisti-cation and artistic whimsy that the silverjewellery envelops. Silpada was first inthe layered look in jewellery. Craftsman-ship is detailed and exudes excellence. Anew product line is charm bracelets andnecklaces with a wide assortment ofcharms that fit on both. If you like simple

jewellery, the gothic look, south westernflavour, bridal ensembles, formal andclassic, breathtaking rings, bangles galorethen you will want this jewellery. Being ahome party company, having your ownpersonal consultant and playing "Dress-Up with Jewellery for a Ladies NightOut" is a fun event. There is also jew-ellery for men and children and best ofall, your jewellery is guaranteed. Excitingopportunities await you if you are in-clined to own your own business and bean independent consultant.

Western I.T. Group 4 – 1900 Hyde Park RoadLondon, ON N6H 5L9 Phone: 519-936-8985Fax: 519-936-8663Email: [email protected]:www.londonbusinessphone.comContact: Geoff Warren, District SalesManagerBuyer's Guide Categories: Telecommuni-cation Services; Web Design Services Products & Services: London BusinessPhone is a brand for Internet telephonyproducts and services developed andmarketed by Western I.T. Group. Theysupply a full range of Internet Telephonyand Unified Communications solutions tohelp business customers realize significantsavings on their monthly phone bills.

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Save 3.5¢/litreChamber members qualify for Esso’sDirect Billing Program; you pay3.5¢ off the posted retail pump pricewhenever you fuel up.You may also get a convenient, detailedmonthly invoice and also qualify forSpeedpass®. For an application, contact:

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Stephanie Farrow of Farrow FinancialStephanie is a financial planner with 19

years experience in financial services. Sheholds a B.A. in Communications, Diplomain Financial Planning, as well as her Certi-fied Financial Planner (CFP) designationand is co-owner of Farrow Financial. Everyday she helps people realize their financialgoals. For the average person, there are

many financial questions to consider. Should I invest inRSP’s or TFSA’s? Will l have enough money for retire-ment? Is there a way to make sure I don’t outlive my sav-ings? How does the reduction in OAS affect me? Is therea way I can reduce tax on my severance package? ShouldI pay off my mortgage first or invest? Stephanie helpspeople find the answers they are looking for, creating per-sonalized financial plans, and supporting her clients everystep of the way. “A satisfied client is the best reward.”

T: 519.644.2641 www.farrowfinancial.ca

F: 519.644.2640 [email protected]

14107 Belmont Rd., Belmont, Ont

Women In BusinessWomen inbusiness agrowing waveMore self-employedwomen in Canada thanever before

In the past 15 years, there has beena 50 percent increase in the numberof self-employed women in Canada,according to a report released by theCIBC, "Women Entrepreneurs:Leading the Charge." There are now800,000 women business owners inCanada and the number of women-owned businesses is growing 60 per-cent faster than those run by men.

Reading this report provides inter-esting insights into what the "typi-cal" Canadian businesswoman islike. For instance, we're all familiarwith the income disparity betweenmen and women (in the generalwork force, according to StatisticsCanada, women earn, on average,80 cents for every dollar earned bya man), but were you aware thatwomen in business are less likely tobother to grow their businesses? Thereport suggests that 60 percent of

self-employed women are“lifestylers” – business owners whochose self-employment specificallyto balance the demands of work andfamily. This won’t surprise you, as70 percent of Canadian business-women are married and nearly athird of them have children underthe age of 12.

However, it may surprise you toknow that the fastest growing groupof business women are those over55, with an annual growth rate ofover 4 percent, double that of self-employed men in the same age

group. The CIBC calls “seniorpre-neurs” a key driver of small businessgrowth.

As for the fore-mentioned incomedisparity, it’s not as bad as it used tobe, but it’s still there. Generally, self-employed women don’t earn asmuch as self-employed men. Andthe gap between self-employed fe-male haves and have-nots is widen-ing. And 41 percent of women smallbusiness owners say that they are nottaken as seriously as male small busi-ness own-ers.

A particularly good piece of newsis that the growth in women-ownedbusinesses is more likely to be be-cause of choice than poor economiccircumstances than ever before. In2004, only one in five self-employedwomen who had worked as an em-ployee indicated that she waspushed into going into business forherself because of negative employ-ment circumstances – a rate lowerthan that of self-employed men,which is one in three.

What is the “typical” Canadianbusinesswoman like then? Accord-ing to this report, she is highly edu-cated, in her early 40s, more likelyto be in a professional occupation, amember of a trade association andless likely to be an immigrant than

previously.For both men and women

in business, the report providessome tantalizing food forthought about marketing andbusiness opportunities. “Senior-preneurs” and one-person oper-

ations, for instance, are rapidlygrowing segments of our small busi-ness sector, segments that you maywant to target with your marketingand/or develop new products andservices for.

Self Employment

by Susan Ward

the fastest growing group

of businesswomen are

those over 55

“

“


Karin Barrie of DundeeWealthKarin Barrie has been a financial advisor

with Dundee Private Investors Inc. for 17years. She has a Masters of Business Ad-ministration from Wilfrid Laurier University.As an independent advisor, Karin has ac-cess to products from a wide range of mu-tual fund, GIC, and insurance* providers.This gives her the opportunity to choose fi-

nancial products from a variety of companies to providefinancial plans with the best interests of her clients in mind.

Karin is also committed to the next generation of Finan-cial Planners by taking in co-op students studying in thefinancial services program. Karin likes to be involved inthe community through minor sports and was a part of theSt Thomas Library Revitalization. She wants to help peo-ple succeed and keep focused on their financial goals.

Karin Barrie, MBA, CLU, CFP®, R.F.P. 519-631-4724Certified Financial Planner 130 Centre StreetDundee Private Investors Inc. St. Thomas, On N5R 2Z9 [email protected] www.dundeewealth.com

*Insurance products provided through Dundee Insurance Agency Ltd.

The Mother-Daughter Team atGenuine Stitches

Suzanne Edwards and Ginette Minor,Southwestern Ontario’s only mother-daughter team running a full-service cus-tom window covering and embroiderycompany, are among the nation’s foremostexperts on window treatments, soft homefurnishings, window treatment design andembroidery products.

Their company, Genuine Stitches, is the area’s only firm thatoffers such a wide variety of window fashions and other “soft”furnishings, as well as special design software that enablesclients to visualize how their treatments and fabrics will look be-fore they purchase.

Both Suzanne and Ginette are highly-skilled sewing and em-broidery specialists who create their own custom soft products.Together, they operate a one-stop shop offering everything fromcustom draperies and shades to blinds, shutters and other homedécor products and embroidered goods to homeowners, dec-orators, designers and businesses in Elgin and Middlesex coun-ties and other Southwestern Ontario communities.

www.genuinestitches.com 519-494-0787

Women In BusinessWomen inthe workingworldSometimes if you’re notable to go up, don’t beafraid to go sideways

It’s not easy climbing directly upthe corporate ladder. Opportunitiesat the top are fewer the higher yougo. But if you’re not able to go up,don’t be afraid of going sideways. Infact, expect to go sideways severaltimes in your career. Taking a posi-tion in a different area signifies thatyou are both flexible and willing towork hard mastering new skills. Thehigher you climb, the more you’llneed to be a “big picture” kind ofperson. Gaining experience in mul-tiple areas provides the CEO per-spective.

In your journey up (or across) theladder, here are a few things to keepin mind:

Let decision makers know you haveambitions. If people don’t know youwant to move up, they probablywon’t assume the risk of putting yourname forward. But broadcasting

your ambitions is not a good idea ifyou aren’t able to perform your cur-rent responsibilities well. Asking fornew responsibilities when you’re al-ready having a difficult time makesyou look like a quitter. It’s best first

to figure out how to demonstrateyour ability to overcome tough ob-stacles.

Finding a mentor within your com-pany is always an excellent idea. Cre-ating this relationship isn’t easy, but

it’s quite important. As long as youare absolutely loyal, a good mentorwill share insights about the peoplein your organization that you other-wise simply could not obtain. Butthe greatest benefit of a mentor is inhaving someone who is brutally hon-est with you when all you really wantto do is let others know how flawlessyou are. Expect, and even solicit yourmentor to help you identify yourweaknesses. Then work on correctingthem!

Own up to a weakness. No one willoffer you any suggestions about howto improve your management effec-tiveness if you don’t admit you’re notperfect. We all know that no one isperfect, and trying to convince oth-ers that you are will only make youlook foolish.

Don’t be modest. While modesty isa time-honored Chinese tradition,most corporations are now heavilyinfluenced by western ethics. Youshouldn’t brag about your accom-plishments, but you will certainlyneed to let other people know youhave a strong track record. If behav-ing in this way seems uncomfortablefor you, you should at least considerchanging just a little bit. This trendtowards self-promotion isn’t likely toend soon.

The Corporate Ladder

let other people know you

have a strong track record“

“


As a mortgage professional, Diane prides her-self on offering her clients personal and promptservice. She is pleased to be a member of theInvis team. Invis is comprised of the mostknowledgeable, ethical and professional mort-gage professionals in the Canadian mortgage

industry. Diane will work on your behalf to get you the bestproduct that suits your needs at the most competitive rates.

Diane Baker of Invis

Diane E. Baker, Mortgage Agent519-872-9035 [email protected] License #: 10801, License #: M09000012

Hetty Teuber, owner of Silverthorn Landscape Suppliesfor 20 years, has brought a strong female presence to amale dominated industry by employing and mentoring astaff predominantly comprised of women. Hetty has cre-ated a location on Hwy 3 that you can drive in and loadup with basic landscape needs, but also a destination spot

where you can browse displays of gardens, patios, and much, muchmore.

Hetty Teuber of Silverthorn Landscape Supplies

(519) 765-2379 www.silverthornlandscape.com

46400 Talbot LineEast of St. Thomas

Valerie Marchand is the owner of Curves in StThomas and is a qualified Zumba Fitness In-structor. Zumba is for your cardio as well as thecircuit for your strength training. You don't needto know how to dance just move your feet andhave fun. Curves is a facility specially designed

for women featuring a complete 30 minute workout andweight management program that is fun, fast and safe.

Valarie Marchand of Curves

519-631-8408 53 Princess Ave, St Thomas Meet real women finding real success at curves.com/story

Angela is a full-service Realtor in the St.Thomas/Elgin area working as a team with herhusband Wayne. She guarantees dedicatedservice and personal attention to your requests,from the first contact to the signing of your pur-chase or listing agreement and beyond.

Visit Angela at facebook.com/propertybarnrealestate.

Angela DeVries of Elgin Realty

Angela DeVries, Sales RepresentativePh: 519-637-2300Cell: [email protected] Talbot St. St Thomas

Women In Business

Elgin Business Women's Network (based in St. Thomas, On-tario) is a business and professional women's organization thatmeets monthly to offer networking and business support forits members and guests. Join us to interact with other businessand professional women, hear informative speakers and learnpractical ways to help you succeed in today's business world.Elgin Business Women's Network monthly meetings are heldthe third Wednesday of every month.Membership fees are at a rate of $40 per year help to cover

web development costs and put into a secure member accountto assist with membership promotional events and activities. There are several benefits to being a member of EBWN. You

receive support from dynamic women and your company willbe listed on the EBWN website including your photo. There arenetworking and business promotion opportunities at monthlymeetings including member presentations, guest speakers,special events, success meetings, trade-shows, education andtraining. Through EBWN’s membership with the St. Thomas &District Chamber of Commerce, and the Dutton/DunwichChamber of Commerce, you have access to any of their events.

You will receive support from our Website Administrator andour Administration Team as well as exposure on social mediasuch as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Elgin BusinessWomen’s Network has been going strong since 1997.On May 16th at 6pm, Cheryl Lester will do a presentation on

“What you love most about what you do.” For more informa-tion contact Gail McNaughton be emailing [email protected]

Elgin Business Women's Network


Your Neighbourhood Insurance Company

www.yarmouth-ins.com

Yarmouth MutualFire Insurance

Company1229 Talbot StreetSt. Thomas519.631.1572

Iris Brown of Yarmouth Mutual Fire InsuranceIris Brown has been the President/CEO of

Yarmouth Mutual Fire Insurance Company forfifteen years. She began her insurance careertwenty-one years ago with Germania FarmersMutual in Ayton, Ontario. She is also the FirstVice-Chair of the Ontario Mutual Insurance As-sociation a trade association representing allfarm mutuals across Ontario.

Yarmouth Mutual has been serving the residents of ElginCounty for 131 years providing property and auto insurance toits clients. Yarmouth’s roots are in the agricultural community ofElgin County and the company is a pure mutual owned by itspolicyholders.

Iris is passionate about the farm mutual system, “YarmouthMutual has been providing its clients with outstanding personalservice and financial security at a reasonable cost. When you callYarmouth Mutual you are dealing with a local company that sup-ports its community not a call centre in Toronto. The companyis based on the philosophy of Neighbour helping Neighbour.”

In business for 13 years, Gail Mc-Naughton is co-owner of Dog & PonyProductions Inc. and Social MediaCOO. She helps people “tell their storyto get noticed” through video, anima-tion, websites and social media. Beingentrepreneurial, Gail is an IndependentRepresentative for Silpada Designs andsells beautiful jewellery through homeparties (Free Jewellery for Silpada Host-esses). Near and dear to Gail’s heart isher adventure in art, under the label

“The Photographic Heart”. She makes and sells photoart greeting cards of local tourist attractions. You will also findher “Flowercat ™ and Friends doodle art whimsical and en-chanting. You can order her postcards, art cards and posterson-line. Gail is Author of five books, her newest coffee-tablebook, “Angel Witness”, if you are intrigued by spirituality andangels.

Gail McNaughton 519-637-3777 www.gailmcnaughton.com

51 Rosebery Place, St. Thomas, Ont.

Gail McNaughton

This Lady Wears Many Hats

www.mysilpada.ca/gail.mcnaughton

Women In BusinessFinance

(NC)—There are special consider-ations for women when it comes toretirement financial planning. Sev-eral factors may impact their pensionand savings, such as situations wherewomen may leave the workforce tocare for parents, children or both.Another reality is that women oftenlive longer than men, and when

paired with the fact that for manymarried couples, the husband is olderthan the wife, this may add up to alonger time in retirement for womenthan men.

When you consider that data sug-gests that post-retirement years havestretched from 13 to 20 years, or54% longer, it's clear that a propor-

tionate increase in savings is neededto fund a longer retirement.

“While longevity is exciting whenthinking about additional years outof the workforce and more time withfamily and friends, it may be some-what concerning when it comes toretirement savings,” says CrystalWong of TD Waterhouse FinancialPlanning. “In order to fund a longerretirement, it's essential to start sav-ing as early as possible, and to makesmart investments that will provideincome in retirement.”

So what can women do to help en-sure their retirement planning is onthe right track? Wong offers her sug-gestions:

• Ensure you have a written, com-prehensive financial plan. A recentTD Waterhouse poll found that only31% of Canadian women have a fi-nancial plan. It's an essential way todefine your long-term goals, and thesteps you'll take in the short term toget there.

• Consider working with a finan-cial advisor to ensure your invest-

ments match your long-term goalssuch as retirement, estate planningand kids' education. Advisors canalso provide advice on investments toconsider if you don't currently havea diverse portfolio.

• Take an active interest in yourfamily's finances. Even if you're notthe one in your family paying thebills or making the investment deci-sions, it's important to understandwhere your savings and investmentsare housed; your family's investingstrategy; any tax strategies; and alsoto know whether loved ones have anestate plan and a will.

• Consider planning for unex-pected events. Many Canadians areliving beyond their means, leavingthem vulnerable to unexpectedevents, such as the death of a spouse,the loss of a job or the need for majorhome repairs. A good emergencyfund should include six monthsworth of living expenses shouldsomething unexpected happen.

“What's most important is feelingconfident that your future is finan-cially secure,” adds Wong. “And byhaving a financial plan that includesa clear retirement savings plan andmeasures in case of the unexpected,you're in good shape.”

Her RetirementSavings Plan

Special considerations for women

only 31% of Canadian women have a financial plan“

“


Ronda Stewart is the Elgin/StThomas Small Business Enter-prise Centre Manager. Rondaworks with her team to providebusiness supports and pro-grams for our communities.

We offer resources and opportunitiesvia business counselling and mentorship,seminars, networking events, and youthbusiness grants.

Learn how to get connected by joiningour Entrepreneur Club. We can help. OurBusiness is your Business. Call Ronda for more details at 519-633-7597 ext 330.

Ronda StewartSmall Business Enterprise

Centre Manager

Prosperity Coach for Your Business and You

Prosperity Coaching requires an interesting toolkit. As a Qual-ified Accountant experienced in financial man-agement I have the ability to providebookkeeping, payroll, income tax and budgetanalysis which enables me to provide review,analysis and recommendations to my clients on amonthly basis to fully utilize this important tool.

As a Life Licensed Broker and financial planner,I have the ability to prepare and monitor your networth. I provide counselling on your insurance

and investment needs under an umbrella which provides creditorprotection to meet your business and retirement goals.

Gail Dennis of Accounting with You

519-633-7597 ext 405300 South Edgeware RoadSt Thomas, Ontwww.accountingwithyou.com R

Heather Baker, owner of Elgin Maid, openedher business in 2010. Elgin Maid is locally ownedand provides quality residential cleaning, offer-ing service in Elgin County and London. Heatherhas 18 years of experience in the cleaning indus-try, having worked in maid and janitorial services

in Oxford County before relocating to Elgin County. She has alsopartnered with Cleaning for a Reason, providing free cleaningto women with cancer and has donated over $2,000 in freecleanings since opening.

Heather Baker of Elgin Maid

226-926-6243300 South Edgeware Road

St. Thomas, Ont. www.elginmaid.com

Delia Reiche is the Business Development Manager of ICE, shebrings over 25 years of business experience to her position. Deliahas received her certification in Economic Development from theUniversity of Waterloo. Her job is to assist businesses in the Incu-bator and accelerate their growth, so that they may create and sus-tain jobs in our community. See her if you are interested in movingyour business out of the basement and into a COOL place.

Contact Delia ReicheBusiness Development Manager at519-633-7597 ext 332for info on getting a cool space all your own.

EBRC’s Community Eco-nomic Development (CED)works with partners and proj-ects from St Thomas and ElginCounty to facilitate prosperityand strengthen our commu-

nity. Marilyn’s current projects include theEBRC Aylmer office, Labour Force Devel-opment committee, and Local Immigra-tion Partnership. Small CED grants areavailable to help launch new communityprojects and the annual Helen LeFrankYouth Award assists with youth in busi-ness.Call Marilyn at 519-633-7597 ext 327

Marilyn CreweCommunity EconomicDevelopment Officer

Brenda helps aspiring entre-preneurs with their new busi-ness start-ups and bestbusiness practices. SEB Par-ticipants benefit from busi-ness planning workshops,

social and informative network events,coaching that inspires plus a great se-lection of onsite business resources andloan department. If you are EI eligibleand wanting to start a business, then at-tend an Information Session soon.Next Info Sessions: June 13th & Au-gust 8th 9:00am to 10:30am Call 519-633-7597 ex 335 to register.

Brenda SmallmanSEB Program Co-ordinator

and Business Advisor

Women In Business

300 S. Edgeware Road

St Thomas Ont

519-633-7597

www.elginfdc.cawww.facebook.com/elginbusinessresourcecentre


Women In Business

I have been a businesswoman for19 years. When I started my career, Iwas a young woman among a hand-ful of females in a male-dominatedfield. In my first management role, Ihad a staff of 11 financial advisors:10 men and one woman. At a na-tional management conference ofroughly 250 managers, I was one of10 women. Yes, I know well the feel-ing of being a woman sitting arounda boardroom table of men. The suc-cesses and challenges of women inbusiness are near and dear to me.

In the early years, I was bothered ifsomeone assumed I wouldn’t last. Iwas hurt if I felt I wasn’t taken seri-ously. I was angry when I overheardcolleagues saying I must have landedthe account because clients wanted apretty blonde. But as time went on,my skin grew thicker and I weath-ered the storm. I focused on mygoals, kept my head down andworked hard. I was steadfast in thebelief that work ethic, intellect andprofessionalism would win out. Suc-ceeding despite people’s assumptionswas satisfying.

Mine is only one story. Women inmany different types of business aresucceeding every day despite therocky road they may be travelling. Infact, women are increasingly success-ful in business all the time. I think itis important for women to know

their work as entrepreneurs and inbusiness leadership is being noticed.Women need to be confident theyhave what it takes to be successful.

My advice to women starting abusiness or taking on a leadershiprole in a corporation would be:

Work hard, be yourself and be honest– These three attributes will form thebackbone of your reputation andeventually pay you dividends.

Sticks and stones – People can bemean sometimes. Don’t let them pullyou down. Keep focused on movingyour business forward in a positivemanner.

Maintain your professionalism at alltimes – Professionalism is a corner-stone to your success. You can’t let itslide.

Be faithful to business planning andcrunch your numbers – Make a com-mitment to regular business plansand financial reviews. Check the sta-tus of key business measures so youalways have a good pulse on whereyour business is. Planning will helpkeep you ahead of the curve, andcould give you insight to potentialrisks before you reach them. Knowyour numbers inside and out.

Surround yourself with the kind ofpeople who you would be proud to beassociated with – When hiring staff orcreating business alignments choosecarefully. They are a reflection ofyour business. Treat people fairly andwork to maintain positive business

relationships. When a bad businessalignment exists, discontinue that re-lationship as soon as prudently pos-sible, or it could do your businessmore damage than good.

Courageous conversations need to behad, and hard decisions need to bemade – Don’t put these off. Do thesein a clean concise manner and moveon.

You’re not Wonder Woman – Theseare my mother’s words, and aswomen in business we are notoriousfor this. Don’t take on too much atonce, and keep balance with work,home, family, volunteering, commu-nity and time for yourself.

Remember the national manage-ment conference I mentioned whereonly 10 of 250 managers werewomen? Flash forward 11 years atthe same national management con-ference. This time, I was the nationalmanager for leadership development,presenting to an audience of almost300 managers. By then, there wereclose to 30 female managers in thegroup and here I was, a woman, tak-ing a place at the helm. I could seethe tide had started to turn.

My hat is off to businesswomeneverywhere. In some small way, wehave all taken part as pioneers forwomen’s business success. Ourdaughters’ futures are looking verypromising.

Advice From the Trenches

Stephanie Farrow,B.A., CFP, is aCertified Financial Plannerand co-owner ofFarrow FinancialServices Inc. inBelmont.

by Stephanie Farrow

Around theboardroom tableAround theboardroom tableThings are different than they were even a few years ago for women in business

Succeeding despite people’sassumptions was

satisfying

““


Y O U R B A C K YA R D A N D G A R D E N

GARDENING

May Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-7pm Sat 8am-5pm Sun 10am-4pm 519-765-2379

www.silverthornlandscape.com

WE DELIVER!

(NC)—You don't have to spendhundreds (or thousands) on a land-scape architect to add major impactto your garden. Look at these sim-ple—and affordable—ways to pumpup the wow factor.

PlantersNever underestimate the power of

planters. Set them around the edgeof your patio to separate the spacefrom the yard or put them right inthe garden. Fill them with tall orna-mental grass for added privacy as wellas visual interest. For a designertouch, pick an affordable and chiclooking artisanal planter like an au-thentic terra cotta pot.

VinesVines can be so helpful—especially

if the view of your backyard includesa chain link fence or the side of ashed or garage. Use colourful, fast-growing vines like Honeysuckle orVirginia Creeper. If you're beautify-

ing a wall, you'll need a lattice, whichyou can buy in sheets at the hardwarestore.

Hanging basketsHanging baskets always look stun-

ning on a porch or a veranda.Choose a bright basket and use mul-tiples to create a look of balance. It'san easy way to brighten up a deck,balcony or front porch.

WaterThe sound and motion of water

gently falling from a fountain bringsserenity to your garden—and looksfantastic. Place a water feature in thecorner of your patio or right in thegarden bed, as long as it's on a sturdybase.

LightingLighting adds so much to a garden.

Aim a spotlight up the base of a treeinto the branches for some realdrama. Strings of white lights aroundbushes are a special touch—and you

can even place them throughout to-piary forms to emphasize the shapes.

AccessoriesAccessories are affordable and make

a difference. Add some instant char-

acter by setting up an antique-stylebench padded with comfy cushions.Or hang a mesh hammock undersome shady trees and drape it with acozy fleece blanket.

39 Vineden Drive, St. Thomas 519-633-2906

From Concept To CompletionWe create landscapes to compliment your homeWe create landscapes to compliment your home

From Concept To CompletionWe create landscapes to compliment your home

Member of:

CELEBRATING 38 YEARSIN BUSINESS

• Landscape Construction/Planting• Landscape Construction/Planting• Design • Grounds Maintenance • • Design • Grounds Maintenance •

and Much More!

• Landscape Construction/Planting• Design • Grounds Maintenance •

and Much More!

Want a stunning backyard?

Want a stunning backyard?

Plant a designer garden without the designer prices



GRILLING

4683 Sunset Rd, Port Stanley 519-782-4052 w w w . m o o r e w a t e r g a r d e n s . c o m

(NC)-Summertime, and thegrilling is easy if you have the rightbarbecue for your backyard needs.Before you venture to your local grillstore in search of a new barbecue,here are a few things to consider:What is your favourite grilled food?

If hamburgers, hotdogs and the oc-casional steak are as far as you get,there is a wide range of reliable, rea-sonably featured grills to choosefrom. If you are cooking a variety of

meals, a number of burners will giveyou more precise control, while sideburners and rotisserie capabilitymake it even easier to impress yourguests.How many people are you grilling for?

Most grills can be filed into a fewcategories. Small, space-consciousgrills designed for condo living andempty nesters make preparing a mealfor four to six people easy enough,but for more than that you will have

to get creative. Most grills in this cat-egory have a primary grill surface ofbetween 300 and 400 square inches.Grilling for between four and eightpeople and occasional crowds of 12or more is better suited to 400 squareinches or more. If you're preparing afeast on a regular basis, many grillingsurfaces are available with more than500 square inches.How will it perform?

Quality construction and soundcooking performance are likely thereason you're replacing your old bar-becue, so do some homework for thenew one. What kind of burners arein the new barbecue, what are theymade of, and how are they shaped?Tube style burners, and 'H' or '8'shaped burners offer even heat distri-bution and excellent performance. Isthere something covering the burn-ers? This is called the heat medium.Briquettes and lava rock are anti-quated heat media, most new grillshave stainless or porcelain coatedsteel vapourizers. They are reliable,durable, and easy to look after. It isimportant that they protect theburner from food residue, promoteeven heating, and don't have flat

spots for grease to pool and flare up.Most importantly, these vapourizerscreate that smoky barbecue flavouryou're looking for by vapourizingjuices as they fall through the cook-ing grids.

What are the cooking grids madeof? Look for cast iron or stainlesssteel. These cooking grids are heavyenough to retain heat, and promoteexcellent cooking performance. Ei-ther of these options will let you cre-ate steakhouse style sear marks towow your guests, and they are stilleasy to look after.Where is it made?

While it is possible to buy foreign-built barbecues that perform well,and are durable, there are domesticmanufacturers building outstandingbarbecues at a great value. By pur-chasing from a North Americanmanufacturer you get customer serv-ice at your fingertips should you everneed it. When buying, look into thewarranty. Any reliable barbecue man-ufacturer will offer a significant war-ranty covering all components, andback that up with attentive customerservice.

Rental BonusRent for 4 days and keep it for 7 days

Rent for 3 weeks and keep it for 4 weeks

All the Equipment You Need to Buildthat Backyard and Garden Paradise

Aerators Bobcats De-Thatchers HedgeTrimmers (Gas and Electric) Lawn Mowers Lawn Rollers Roto Tillers WeedSprayers Wheel Barrows Seed Spreaders

WE HAVE IT ALL.RENTALS & SALES

www.stthomasrentall.com

QUALITY EQUIPMENTWELL MAINTAINED

RENTINGThe Smart Way

To Get Things Done.

Let’s clear thesmoke about

barbequesTips to make you a grilling hero



ADDING COLOUR

(NC)—What is most commonlystated as a “favourite colour,” yet theone we paint with the least? Colourexpert Janice Lindsay, owner ofPINK colour + design, says it iscobalt blue; the blue of lapis lazuli,for centuries considered the mostprecious and divine of hues.

And now, this cool mystic blue isthe hot colour for small gardens.

“Blue is the colour of sky and sea—a recessive colour that makesthings look further away. It will cre-ate the feeling of ‘space,’” explainsLindsay. This quality makes it a goodchoice for the fence around a smallgarden. “It looks airy and creates asense of openness.” Lindsay also likesto use it on sheds, because this colourof air and water dissolves the solidityof structure, softens edges, and isgentle on the psyche.

“Being analogous to nature'sgreens, blue blends in, makes friends,and relaxes the palette,” says Lindsay.

She recommends deep blues, becausethey take up less visual space than redor white and bring a sense of mysteryto the garden. She also likes brightblue because it is a bit quirky—an el-ement of fun that lightens the mood.“The appearance of cobalt blue in thegarden is surprising and a bit surreal.The effect is enhanced by vibrantplantings in magenta and yellow-green."

Lindsay shuns yellow with this ce-lestial hue (too French Country), andfeels that orange—its complement—interrupts its aura. Like all blues, shesays, it looks good with white butthis season, prefers unbleached linenas its neutral companion.

Many ancient cultures believed thatbold blue on a gate kept evil from en-tering the garden. Do it too thissummer and create an atmospherethat is both inviting and intriguingfor your guests.

Annuals, perennials, trees,shrubs, designer

planters, fertilizersand garden accessories

WE’RE READY FOR SPRING

South of Aylmer at 8467 Imperial Road S. (Hwy. 73)

Open 7 days a week519-773-8969

295 Wellington Street, St. Thomas (Corner Wellington and First Ave.)

Open Mon-Fri. 7-8, Sat. 7:30-6, Sun. 10-5

Let Home help you with thatBackyard Paradise.

GEERLINKS HOME HARDWARE

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DECORATING

According to the upcoming marketreports, a few trends are going to behuge this month.

The UK-based trend-forecastingagency Trend Bible began workingon its autumn/winter 2012/2013forecasts in early 2011. The expertsobserved social, economical, culturaland consumer behavior in order tobuild a picture of what they thoughtthe future might look like. Whatthey found is the resurgence of “ca-sually-styled” spaces, where decor ismismatched yet sentimental, andwhere tactile handmade goods takecentre stage. Here’s some informa-tion about the four big trends, TrendBible says are going to be big.

Undone“Artful, eclectic curation to reflect

a sense of personal style” sums upthis trend. Salvaged, “rustic, weather-beaten materials and finishes sitalongside warm and cozy fabrics,” ac-cording to Trend Bible. “In essence,this trend is about the celebration oftactile qualities in a post-digital era,where products that tell a story andbring a wholesome, unrefined atti-tude are valued.” Think reclaimedrough wood, rusted metal, hand-knitted and crocheted fabrics, as wellas felt, leather and wool. Distressedfinishes on furniture add a tactilequality as well.

CuriosityDramatic yet whimsical romantic

elements will carry over fromspring/summer 2012. “Productshave a playful quality that remindsus of our childhoods, as adults retreatinto child-like worlds in times of po-litical, economic and environmentalconfusion,” according to Trend Bible.

Along with the romantic elements,comes bold, graphic patterns and“feather-light” fabrics. Decor ele-ments include chandeliers, pendants,flowers and nostalgic, vintage decor,plus soft lighting, plush rugs, flowingcurtains, hand-drawn illustrativecharacters and damask patterns.

Grey GardensThis trend forecast gathers inspira-

tion from the 1970s documentaryand subsequent 2009 film called“Grey Gardens,” which tells the storyof the decline of a 1920s householdand its inhabitants. Once decadentand luxurious, the bohemian homeslowly decayed, resulting in “flickersof faded grandeur,” as reported byTrend Bible. The agency’s forecasterssay the trend also was inspired by the

effects of the global recession, result-ing in “down-at-heel glamour.” Moreelements picked up from the originalGrey Gardens include the concept ofa garden inside the house, such aswrought iron and rusty finishes,birdcages and fresh flowers; luxe fin-ishes like plush velvets, paisley pat-terns and furs; and chinoiserie.

Wild spiritThis trend celebrates different cul-

tures’ traditional handmade goods,such as patterns and crafts fromScandinavia, Mexico and SouthAmerica, and Native American

goods like “dreamcatchers andfeather trims influence decorationand print,” according to Trend Bible.The trend includes a multi-colouredpalette, primitive decoration, simpleillustrations, handcrafted textiles,pieced and patched fabrics andwood, raw and rough-edged ceramicsand strong angular geometric pat-terns.

Renée Carpenter is the owner of Jennings Furnitureand Design in St. Thomas.

Time to “undecorate”Time to “undecorate”Four emerging designtrends you can use inyour home

by Renée Carpenter

tactile handmade goods take centre stage“

“


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(NC)—We've all seen it: the homeof a friend, relative, or neighbourthat looks like the pages of a designmagazine. Nothing is out of place,and then, often green with envy youreturn to your home to find dustbunnies, food crumbs, and splattersof toothpaste on the bathroom mir-ror. How do some people work allweek and still find time to clean?Surely, they must be scrubbing allweekend.

The truth is, homeowners can keeptheir homes tidy during the busywork week with just a few simpletips. That way, you can relax on theweekend. Soon enough, you'll beshowing envious guests around yourown spotless home. Here's how:

Tips for the kitchen• Wipe up cooking messes from the

stovetop or counters immediatelyafter they happen, before they dryand become difficult to clean.

• Use a damp sponge and a cup ofwater boiled in the microwave towipe away crusted food stains.

• Consider using a robotic vacuum

to keep floors free of dirt, dust, foodparticles, and hair while you finishother chores or watch TV.

Tips for the bathroom• Keep a squeegee handy to wipe

windows, mirrors, and counter sur-faces after a shower to keep themsparkling.

• The touchless faucet is both prac-tical and chic. Faucets with the op-tion for hands-free activation canensure that sticky or greasy toiletriesare not transferred to the faucet han-dle, minimizing weekly cleaningtasks.

• Use an automatic toilet bowlcleaner that you can set and forgetwhile still keeping toilet bowls freshall week long.

Around the house• Fifteen minute power cleaning or

de-cluttering sessions, done a fewtimes a week, can help to cut downon out-of-control messes. Pick onesmall space to attack each time, andyou'll be surprised how it helps keephousehold clutter under control.

Little tricks keep your home always

looking clean

Moretime torelax


D I N I N G & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

A few weeks back, my wife and Iwent out to dinner with some friendsof mine from university, who all hap-pen to be very active in the academicand research spectrum of the wine in-dustry. Over way too much deliciousThai food and several hours of livelyconversation, we got onto a topic thatI admittedly have largely been ignor-ing for the better part of the last fewyears – sweet red wines.

It turns out, says one of my friends,a Ph.D. who now works for one ofCanada’s leading agriculture researchinstitutes, that off-dry to sweet redwine is the fastest growing segment ofthe Ontario wine market. There was acollective shrug at the table when thequestion was asked how a trend likethat could become so widely popularbut be so rarely discussed. We all hadspeculations but no solid trail of evi-dence that pointed to how sweet redwines got to be so popular. I left thedinner with some unanswered ques-tions that have been rattling aroundmy brain for weeks and needed fur-ther examination.

Why are sweet red wines so popu-lar? The answer: people want fullerand fuller-bodied red wines that are,paradoxically, smoother than ever be-fore. Unfortunately, there is a congen-ital limit to the tannins and potentialalcohol that are present in the grapesto give a wine body. So as winemak-ers, we use techniques like barrelaging to help build structure. And itso happens that compounds that givethe perception of full body, those tan-nins and alcohol, are tactilely very bit-ter. To achieve the smoothnessconsumers want, winemakers add alittle residual sweetness, and voila –the bitterness is diminished.

What’s wrong with sweet redwines? From a taste standpoint, noth-ing is wrong. They are technically,very well crafted. My concerns withsweet red wines actually have to dowith how they are produced or rathermass-produced. As a wine ages, thebody naturally becomes smoother.Sweetening a redfor earlier drinkingseems like a dodgeon tradition.

There is also the“how” of gettingthat sweetness intothe wine. Becauseof the way red wine is made, it isn’tpractical to stop fermentation andleave natural sweetness, as in the mak-ing of white wine. There are red grapeconcentrates on the market that weredeveloped to boost a wine’s colour(wine colour is also a visual cue forbody), and of course, these concen-trates are sweet. It’s an old technique

in the wine industry, but its use seemsto be more prevalent as our reds getsweeter. Would you still pay hugeprices for a wine “made with concen-trate”?

What’s right with sweet red wines?They have a very short lifespan. Theyfit into a category we call “pop and

drops” in the wineindustry. Flavoursare not complex,they are enjoyable,they are approach-able, and since theyare manufactured,en masse, they are

extremely economical to produce.They have a quick turnover, they ap-peal to the repeat business crowd, andany in-roads wine makes as a lifestyleproduct is great by me.

Do people notice that their redwines are not dry? This is the onethat I haven’t been able to completelyanswer. I did a very unscientific survey

of several value-wine reviewers’ topchoices and made a list of the top redwine “pop and drops.” Over 80 per-cent were sweet. With sweet red winesgrowing in market share, anotherquestion arises: do consumers care ifthe red wine calorie count is creepingup? My supposition is that they donot. Wine does not need much actualsugar to taste sweet. So as fuller andfuller red wines gain in popularity, itis inevitable that those wines are justgoing to get sweeter and sweeter.

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Jamie Quai is head winemaker at Quai du Vin Estate Winery in ElginCounty.

by Jamie Quai WineConcentrating on

Would you still pay huge prices

for a wine “made withconcentrate”?““


AllYouCanEat

AKITA SUSHIAKITA SUSHIDINE IN · TAKE OUT

Open EverydayMon. – Sat. 11AM – 11PM Sunday 11AM – 10 PMSeniors’ Special (Mon-Wed) $14.99

519-637-58881063 Talbot St. Unit 85

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Mon. – Sat. 11AM – 11PM Sunday 11AM – 10 PMSeniors’ Special (Mon-Wed) $14.99

519-637-58881063 Talbot St. Unit 85

Fresh, Healthy Sushi nowavailable in St. ThomasSushi, popular for centuries in Japan, hasbecome immensely popular in the Westernworld in recent years. You may soon findyourself invited to enjoy sushi with friendsat Akita Sushi at 1063 Talbot street in StThomas. Sushi is a simple and deliciousfood that can easily be enjoyed by adults,children, vegetarians and even the ex-tremely squeamish. Sushi is a very healthy meal made mostlywith rice, fish and vegetables. Sushi is al-ways made with fresh ingredients. Not onlyfor the safety of the eater but for the fla-vors. The delicate flavors of rice, vegetablesand fish are enhanced with healthy soyasauce, ginger and wasabi. What are the health benefits of sushi?The rice used in making sushi is low in fatand sodium free while also being a com-plex carbohydrate which is needed as fuel

for your body. The various fish or meatsused in sushi are excellent sources of pro-tein and minerals. Whether you're eatingvegetarian sushi or it is mixed with fish, thefresh, uncooked vegetables provide the vi-tamins and other nutrients you look for ina healthy diet. Even the condiments served with sushihave health benefits. Ginger, called 'gari',is served alongside sushi and helps with di-gestion while also fighting bacteria. This isespecially of interest to those concernedwith the bacteria found in uncooked meat.Wasabi, Japanese horseradish, can also killbacteria found in raw fish and is often pro-vided alongside sushi servings as a garnish. If you are looking for a meal that is healthyor you just enjoy the flavors and art formof sushi, you are sure to benefit from a visitto Akita Sushi.

Lavender Sense is a premier growerand purveyor of exquisite lavenderand lavender products. The beautifullavender fields and charming cen-tury-old farmstead are nestled beside25 acres of Carolinian forest justminutes from Lake Erie in Wallace-town.

Pamela and Jesper Andersen havemade it their goal to develop a verti-cally-integrated model of sustainableagriculture, thus enabling them topreserve farmland from further de-velopment, protect it from pollution,create employment opportunities forpeople in the community and pro-vide a destination of natural beautyfor all visitors to enjoy for many yearsto come.

Start your experience at LavenderSense by taking a stroll in the fields,where seasonal pick-your-own laven-der is available, usually early to midJuly.

Browse the boutique, which offers

a selection of lovely lavender prod-ucts in four themes: Care, Calm,Taste, Bouquet. ‘Care’ offers nourish-ing face crèmes to rejuvenate theskin. ‘Calm’ includes essential oils,pillow mists and air mists. ‘Taste’ isa choice of delights with jams andmarmalade, lavender-infused honey,delicious blends of teas, culinarylavender, cookies and more. ‘Bou-quet’ offers dried lavender arrange-ments. The boutique opens onMothers’ Day, so spoil mom withsome lavender products this year.

Trails through the rich, Carolinianforest are available to explore for thefit and energetic nature lover. Deer,wild turkeys and many birds of preyare plentiful and can often be seen.Even bald-headed eagles nest in theneighbourhood. Enjoy local art inthe ‘Gallery in the Forest’ and seeElgin County’s first barn quilt.

After a long hike, consider stayingat the bed & breakfast retreat, offer-ing two guest rooms, both with viewsoverlooking the lavender fields. At

night, relax by the pond on the cov-ered gazebo or in an easy chair totake in the stars and the sights andsounds of nature; then wake to ahearty country breakfast.

Pamela and Jesper look forward togreeting you, showing you aroundthe grounds and to sharing the un-

equaled versatility of lavender – fromits relaxing and healing properties toits uses in decorating and cooking.

D I N I N G & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

SAVOUR ELGIN

Kate Burns is thebusiness develop-ment coordinatorat the County ofElgin.

Lavender Sense is a member of SavourElgin. Savour Elgin is a program witha goal to promote and enhance culi-

nary tourism in Elgin County and St.Thomas. The Savour Elgin trail is a

route through Elgin County that visitssome of the best restaurants, farms,wineries, and other culinary attrac-tions that focus on food and drink

that’s local and unique to ElginCounty and St. Thomas. For full trailinformation visit www.savourelgin.ca.

by Kate Burns

Lavender SenseTake a stroll through the fields and experience a destination of natural beauty


One of the things I enjoy the mostabout being a chiropractor is havingthe opportunity to work with a vari-ety of health care practitioners, in-cluding medical doctors,physiotherapists, kinesiologists,naturopaths, acupuncturists andmassage therapists, all who havesomething unique and beneficial tooffer. Out of all these practitioners,the ones I find myself working withthe most are registered massage ther-

apists. The addition of a registeredmassage therapist to your healthcareteam can be extremely beneficial.

What is massage therapy?Massage therapy is the assessment

of soft tissues and joints of the body,and the treatment and prevention ofphysical dysfunction and pain in thesoft tissues and joints by manipula-tion. This manipulation is used todevelop, maintain, rehabilitate oraugment physical function or relievepain. (Ontario Massage Therapy Act1991)

Massage therapy is controlled by

the same Regulated Health Practi-tioners Act (RHPA) that regulateschiropractors, doctors, nurses, phys-iotherapists, dentists and others.When looking for a practitioner, besure to find a Registered MassageTherapist (RMT). An RMT is re-quired to fulfill 2,200 hours of edu-cation in areas of anatomy,physiology, pathology, kinesiology,theory, treatments and business acu-men at a recognised massage therapyschool. To become registered, anRMT must pass a written and oralboard exam. To maintain their li-cence, an RMT must complete con-tinuing education units on a yearlybasis.

Not all massage therapists are reg-istered massage therapists, so it is im-portant to look for one that has theappropriate qualification and to re-quest information about their educa-tion, training and certification. Thiswill ensure that you are receiving atruly therapeutic massage and that itwill be delivered in a safe and benefi-cial way.

What are the benefits? Massage therapy can increase circu-

lation, lymphatic flow and range ofmotion, decrease muscle tension, ad-hesions, scar tissue, pain and inflam-mation, improve posture, sportsperformance, immune function andrespiratory function, and increase re-laxation, rate of healing and well-being. Regular massage therapysessions can also be used as a part ofone’s overall wellness plan to helpprevent injury.

Who can benefit? Massage can help individuals in-

jured at work, home or in a motorvehicle accident. Massage therapycan help ease the discomfort of preg-nancy. It can help athletes, factoryworkers, individuals that work at acomputer, long distance drivers, andindividuals with stressful jobs. Any-one with headaches, back pain, neckpain, arm pain, hand pain, leg pain

and/or foot pain can benefit frommassage therapy. In short, everyonecan benefit from massage therapy!

What to expect on your first visit?As with any qualified healthcare

practitioner, you will be expected tocomplete a thorough health profilequestionnaire. This will aid yourtherapist in determining the mainareas of concern, as well as providingimportant information about healthconcerns so that an appropriate reg-imen of treatment can be provided.Next a thorough history and physicalassessment of the area or areas ofconcern will be performed. The prac-titioner should then relay to youtheir clinical opinion and describewhat they feel would be an appropri-ate course of action. Upon your ap-proval and consent, a treatment isgenerally performed.

As with many physical therapies, itmay be necessary to have severaltreatment sessions to properly ad-dress your specific problem. Massagetherapy physically manipulates thesoft tissues attempting to lengthenmuscles, release adhesions and breakup scar tissue. Unfortunately, thesechanges do not happen instantly. Ittakes hard work at times. Some mas-sage therapists may also suggest cer-tain exercises and make additionalsuggestions regarding hydration, restor the use of hot or cold packs.

A qualified registered massage ther-apist should be on everyone’s health-care team. Consider adding one toyour team.

H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

EVERYDAY HEALTH

Dr. Greg Johnstonis a chiropractorand partner inFamily HealthOptions Treatmentand Resources Centre in St. Thomas.

The benefits ofmassage therapy

Add a registered massage therapist to your healthcare team

by Dr. Greg Johnston B.H.K., B.Ed., D.C


H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

PERSONAL HEALTH

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FIREWORKSFOR YOUR LONGWEEKEND FAMILYGATHERING

We HaveWe Have

The cost of not brushing and floss-ing can be much worse than time,money, pain and tooth loss. Studiesshow it can have an effect on youroverall health too. According to theCanadian Dental Association, dentaldiseases such as cavities or infections(gingivitis or periodontal disease)may have a connection to lung dis-ease, heart disease, strokes, diabetesand pre-term, low-birth weightbirths. If your hands bleed whilewashing them, you would run to thedoctor with concerns. Healthy skindoesn’t bleed; healthy gums shouldn’teither. Consider it a warning sign,because dental problems can be pre-vented.

Cavities and early childhoodtooth decay

Tooth decay remains the numberone chronic disease among Canadi-ans. In a 2007-2009 Canada HealthMeasures Survey, 58 percent of 6-19

year olds have or have had a cavity.Cavities are holes in the white part(enamel) of the teeth. The bacteriathat causes teeth to rot spreads insidethe tooth and to other teeth. It canalso spread through spit (saliva) bysharing food, drinks, utensils or kiss-ing. Babies may first be introducedto cavity-causing bacteria from acaregiver. The bacteria together withpoor brushing or no brushing, cre-ates the nearly invisible sticky white-yellow film that sits on the teeth andcreates the damage that leads to cav-ities and gum disease.

Babies are at risk for cavities too. Asurvey by Toronto Public Healthshows cavities are on the rise. In1999, 9.8 percent of five year olds

had cavities; in 2005, the percentagehad risen to 11.6. The causes of earlycavities range from snacking, unlim-ited sippy cup drinking, going to bedwith a bottle, and lack of brushing.Cavities can be prevented by limitingsugary foods and drinks, puttingwater in sippy cups or bottles andwiping or brushing teeth two timesdaily with a cloth or infant brush.The Canadian Dental Associationrecommends that at a child’s firstbirthday you make an appointmentfor a dental screening and ask whento use fluoride toothpaste.

Fluoride varnishFluoride is scientifically proven to

strengthen teeth and prevent cavities.But fluoride is found in many forms:

(systemic or swallowed) water, teaand certain foods, and (topically orapplied to the tooth) toothpaste,rinses, gels and varnishes. Fluoridevarnish is an easy and inexpensiveconcentration of fluoride that ispainted on the tooth. It holds fluo-ride close to the tooth for 4-6 hoursand is then brushed off. Studies doc-umented in the Internet Journal ofDental Sciences show a 25-45 per-cent drop in cavities (some as high as75 percent).

Fluoride varnish is a safe and usefulway to help prevent cavities and de-crease the need for expensive andpainful dental treatments (fillings,crowns), which in young children re-quires dental surgery (with generalanesthetic). Fluoride varnish pro-grams apply varnish regularly 3-4times per year and are held at localhealth units, schools or daycare facil-ities.

“How long do I want to keep myteeth?” Your teeth are meant to lastforever and, with the proper care,they can.

Are you taking care of your teeth?

by Sarah Foshay, RDH

Oral health, cavities and fluoride varnish

Sarah Foshay works as a Dental Assistant at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health.


L I F E S T Y L E S

Many people have fears of one kindor another. I was watching the TodayShow recently and one of the guestswas a former U.S. soldier and policeofficer who now works as a bountyhunter. The host asked him if hiswork caused him to have fear, towhich he said “No.” He respondedthat he never felt fear in any area ofhis life, except when he was on tel-evision.

Although I found this interest-ing, I wasn’t terribly surprised.Several people have turneddown being a guest on my tele-vision talk show for the samereason – fear.

As you probably know, sta-tistics show that many peopleare less afraid ofdying than ofpublic speaking.Another verycommon fear isfear of flying,which I had formany years. Backwhen I had thisfear, I would beginthinking about myupcoming flight amonth before it occurred, andthe anxiety would start to reallyset in a couple of weeks before-

hand. Once, when one of myflights was ascending, we experienced

terrible turbulence. I actually asked thepassenger beside me if she thought wewere going to crash. Considering she washolding a young baby, I am sure she didn’tappreciate the question. Fortunately, I gotover my fear of flying many years ago. Ijust enjoy the reward of travel too muchto let anything keep me from going towonderful places.

Naming your fear is often the first stepto overcoming it. Is your fear based on afear of doing something or could it be afear of not being good enough? Last No-vember, I attended a wonderful motiva-tional conference in Tampa, Florida, whereone of the presenters was Colette Baron-

Reid, a well-known motivational speakerand psychic. During her session,

she did a guided medita-tion that re-

quired

the audience members to put a name totheir fear. Tony Robbins, another well-known personal development celebrity, alsoasks his audience members to name theirstate of mind when they are experiencingfear.

Many of our self-limiting beliefs reside inour subconscious minds. You can overcomeyour fear by re-writing your life story toone that sees you as an empowered person– one who doesn’t allow pre-programmingby others to hold you back from doingwhat you really want to do. You can do lotsof things like repeating positive affirma-tions.

The really exciting thing is that so manyopportunities and rewards lie just on theother side of our comfort zones.

What is fear holding you back from?Could it be an exciting new career thatwould allow you to be your authentic self?Many people stay in unrewarding careersout of fear. They may have a fear of failure

or they may have a fear of suc-cess. That’s right, a fear of suc-cess. What if you changedcareers and suddenly you hadmore work than you everdreamed of because you are re-ally good at what you do? Iwould say that’s a fear worthfacing.

Beginning today, I encourageyou to start naming your fearsand start taking steps to over-

come them. If you have a fear of publicspeaking, take a course to get more com-fortable with speaking in front of an audi-ence. If you have a fear of flying, start bytaking a shorter flight with someone youfeel comfortable with. Ask the airline staffabout the safety of the plane. I did thatwhen I had my fear of flying.

For every fear, there is something you cando to overcome it. The year 2012 is nearlyhalf over. Face your fear, and it will disap-pear, or at least it will diminish enough toallow you to see what you’ve been missing.Hopefully, that will inspire you to conquerit once and for all.

SELF DEVELOPMENT

Sharon Lechner isa certified masterlife coachand owner ofReach for the StarsEmpowerment in St. Thomas.

fearName your

by Sharon Lechner

Don’t let fear hold

you backfrom

success

“

“


I think every woman should have atoolbox of her own. Ironically, it wasmy father who provided me with myfirst toolbox.

He presented it to me the day Imoved into my first house. He un-snapped the lid and carefully tookme through its contents: a hammer,an assortment of Robertson screw-drivers, some hooks for hanging pic-tures and needle-nosed pliers. Thetoolbox was not professional grade,but I remember being immenselyproud of this housewarming gift. Myfather, a carpenter by trade, had al-ways told me that tools should be re-spected for their power – and for thefirst time I actually believed him.

From then on,whenever I asked myparents over for sup-per, soon after dessert,my dad would in-quire as to the tool-box. I’d report that itwas in good condi-tion. Why just theother day I had usedthe needle-nosed pli-ers to scrape wet grassfrom the deck of thelawnmower. I detected a slight gri-mace as he headed to the garage toproperly winterize the lawnmowerfor me.

Still, it wasn’t until I got marriedthat I realized the full power of mytoolbox. I married an electrician andnaively expected that I would wantfor nothing electrical in my marriedlife. I was shocked to discover thatelectricians work long hours, and thelast thing that they want to look atwhen they come home is morewiring.

After weeks of looking at un-re-placed light switch covers followingthe painting of our main floor, Icalled my mother to vent. She of-fered little sympathy. “You have totake matters into your own hands,”she said. “Why do you think I askedfor a battery-powered chainsaw forChristmas? I’m tired of waiting foryour father to trim the trees.”

When my dear husbandcame home that night hewalked in to find me fum-bling with a screwdriver andsome face plates. He had thecovers on before I had supperon the table.

Last week I decided it was hightime the broken fluorescent lightsin our basement were replaced. Myhusband was just heading out for around of golf when I walked by witha crowbar. I knew it was probablynot the proper tool for the job, but Ithought I could pry the fixtures offthe ceiling with it.

It turns out replacing the light fix-tures was not a big job after all. Myhusband set down his golf clubs andpicked up his tool pouch. “No,” hedidn’t need my help. So, I busied my-

self in the kitchen. By thetime he was done, I had agood, home-cooked mealon the table, completewith apple pie.

There was peace in ourhousehold that night. Ihad brilliant new lights inmy basement. And whilemy husband didn’t get around of 18 in, he didhave a happy wife and afull stomach.

I was basking in my accomplish-ments when my mom called. Shewas also happy to report that Dadhad a sudden urge that afternoon totake the limbs down in the backyard.

Yes, every woman should have atoolbox of her own. A crowbar,chainsaw and even a screwdriver canwield a certain amount of power –whether you know how to use themor not.

L I F E S T Y L E S

E-mail: [email protected]: 519.200.2521

create.community.culture

www.artcompany.cacreativity

is your team ready toReduce stress?

creativity as they smash

corporate membership today

ElizabethVanHooren is general manager of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.

by Elizabeth VanHooren

A crowbar, chainsaw and screwdriver canwield an incredible amount of power

THAT’S LIFE

A toolbox ofmy own

“You have to takematters intoyour own

hands,” mymom said.

““


L I F E S T Y L E S

The demolitionwithout warning ofSt. Thomas’ skate-board park had me

thinking back – wayback. I would like to

offer a word on be-half of skateboard-ing, one of the lastbastions ofteenage free-form athleticism

and goofing off. Theword I would like to offer (loudly) is– COWABUNGA!

I was fortunate to grow up in thegolden age of benign parental neg-lect. In Aylmer in the 1960s, themain rules for my buddies andme were: Have something for

breakfast, and be home by dark.We were active, free-range kids.

We learned all we needed to know,but often the hard way. I saw a friendshot in the face in a pellet gun fight.Another guy got a dart in the head.Swinging on a Tarzan vine endedwith a broken leg. Cooking a can ofbeans over a campfire ended in agrass fire, and a visit from the fire de-partment. Many lessons, welllearned.

And we skateboarded a lot. 1963, Ithink, and Beach Boys music andCalifornia surfer culture started theskateboarding craze. I built my firstskateboard by flattening some oldrollerskates and bolting them onto apine board. I rode it until the metalwheels disintegrated.

Our skateboard park was a nicelysloped parking lot behind East ElginSecondary School. We practised ourskills and hung out with our friendsfor hours at a time. Occasionally, thetown’s only police car would cruiseslowly through. It seemed the officerwas uncomfortable with our youth-ful presence but unable to put hisfinger on any specific transgression.

Our monster wave, our Oahubreaker, was about eight miles southof Aylmer, where the highway makesa long, steep drop into Port Bruce.Learned some lessons there. Think-ing back, I can hardly believe ourparents just drove us there anddropped us off.

These were wild, heady times for a14 year old in Aylmer. We were rid-ing the wave of pop surfer culture,and would whoop, in the slang of theday, “COWABUNGA!”

Much has changed in the last 40years. Kids’ lives have become muchmore structured and regulated. Mostsports are scheduled, coached andrefereed. Safety and liability concernstrump all else.

But skateboarding has survived andthrived, like a hardy weed in the cor-ner of the playground. It has been as-sailed by commercialization,organized competitions, fashion andcelebrities, but at heart it remains thescrappy, grass-roots activity it alwayswas.

Some may think skateboarding hasbecome the turf of the rebelliousyouth, the ones who won’t play or-ganized sports or wear their pants ata proper height. Maybe so, but allthe more reason to rejoice in andsupport their interest in an active,outdoor, skills-based activity.

Who hasn’t watched and winced assome skinny-legged kid repeatedlyattempts a kick-flip, leaping up whilehis board spins underneath him, andactually hoping to land his feet backon it without snapping a bone? Callit crazy, but don’t miss the determi-nation and perseverance in his youngface.

To this day, whenever I watch somekid take a run at a homemade ramp,or launch into a drop at a skateboardpark, I am silently rooting for him.And a voice in my head still says:COWABUNGA!

Duncan Watterworth is recently a retireeand emptynester in St.Thomas.

TIME ON MY HANDS

Long live

skateboarding!When it’s this muchfun, don’t tell themit’s good for them

by Duncan Watterworth

skate-boarding

has survived andthrived, like ahardy weed“

“


Survey work has begun and sitework will be starting soon.

Visit 8 Osprey Lane to reserve your lot in ‘Tanager Place’ located at

the end of Hickory Lane in Lake Margaret Estates.

For more information on Tanager Place,

contact Michelle Milles at 519-637-8266


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May 2012 Issue