To Market, To Market Different times inspire a different ......quickly becoming totally responsible for run-ning the market. The ÒvirtualÓ part of the market refers to the order

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Business Beat

JULY 2020 | Volume 05, Issue 07

Team members ofCultivate Virtual Farmers’ Market prepare for customer pickups

COVER STORY:

Incorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of CommerceIncorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

To Market, To MarketDifferent times inspire a different kind of farmers’ market Page 3

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3July 2020 THIS MONTH IN ELGIN

Cover Story

This Month In Elgin is published monthly by The Aylmer Express Limited - 390 Talbot St. E., Aylmer ON N5H 1J5It employs local people, is owned locally and its future depends on local prosperity and support. 519-773-3126 [email protected]

This Month In Elgin • July 2020

Publisher: John HuestonDesign & Layout: The Aylmer ExpressFront Cover and Page 3 Photos: Brett HuestonEditor: Brett Hueston

This Month In Elgin is a monthly magazine focusing on business, culture & lifestyle issues and includes Business Beat, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce newsletter. The publication is available at no charge at locations around Elgin County, as well as distribution to businesses and selected households.

To Market, To Market■ by Brett Hueston

If necessity is the mother of innovation, then early shortages that exposed the fragility of our food supply chain served as a catalyst for getting fresh, local food to more consumers, all while respecting COVID-19 safety protocols. The ne-cessity brought about a change to the farmers’ market business model that has gone essentially unchanged for at least decades.

Since March, when the global coronavirus pandemic hit locally, causing mild panic and leaving grocery store shelves bare, perishable food producers in the area have been looking for ways to get their products to consumers in a safe way.

Enter the first fully certified virtual farmers’ market member of the provincial association, Farmers’ Markets Ontario. Cultivate Virtual Farmers’ Market held its first customer pickup

in downtown St. Thomas on Thursday, June 11 and in just a couple weeks has been operating as smooth as any professional organization – that’s run almost completely by teenage volunteers.

Vicki Asher, manager of the Talbot Teen Centre, which oversees the market, along with staff Spencer Medeiros and Rachel Surgent, are shepherding about 21 youth volunteers who are quickly becoming totally responsible for run-ning the market.

The “virtual” part of the market refers to the order procedure. There is indeed real food and customers still have to come to the Centre to pick up their orders. Customers must use Cultivate’s online order site each week anytime from Sun-day to late Tuesday night and order what they want from any of the listed vendors. Cultivate sends the orders to each vendor on Wednesday

and the vendors de-liver their products to Talbot Teen Centre on Thursday mornings. Customer pickups start Thursdays at 3 p.m.

Ms. Asher, on Thursday, June 25 before pickup time, noted the baked goods delivered that morning were still warm when they ar-rived, and the lettuce had been picked that morning. The staging room for the produce also smelled of fresh-picked strawberries. “We have a passion for farm to table. It’s important to support local, especially our farmers.”

About the virtual market itself, she noted that idea was a response to the super-market shortages seen early in the pandemic.

But, before that, the Centre volunteers had al-ready been planning to grow, harvest and even cook their own food to sell at a market or else-where. The plan had always been food, they just didn’t know what direction it would take.

“Then COVID hit,” said Ms. Asher, “and we had to shift our thinking.”

Rules on physical distancing and minimizing contact would make markets more of a chal-lenge, so the virtual market idea eliminated much of the crowd concern, and staggered pick-ups did the rest. All volunteers wear masks when handling the food and complete regular health declarations.

Of getting the market off the ground, Ms. Asher said Farmers’ Markets Ontario (the pro-vincial umbrella organization) was offering an online ordering tool and Cultivate was able to quickly get it up and running. The youth vol-unteers were also a source “of great ideas I wish I’d had.”

As a result the, “The response from the com-munity has been overwhelming,” she said. As if by design to illustrate that point, during the initial interview, Constable Katherine McNeil walked into the centre, as part of her downtown rounds. As it turned out, her family farm was also a vendor at Cultivate and at other markets as well.

The Talbot Teen Centre is the hub and parent of the Cultivate market. It operates in down-town St. Thomas as a drop-in centre for youth in Elgin-St. Thomas. “It’s a safe space where everyone is welcome,” explained Ms. Asher, and served as a check-in for some youth, as well as providing opportunities for them to participate in the community.

It’s currently restricted in operations because of COVID-19 safety protocols, with drop-ins still welcome on certain days. It has also limited the number of youths who can help with Culti-vate. However not all volunteers need to be there on market day. Ms. Asher noted, by the third week of operation, the youths were completely running the Thursday pickup day. She has been able to add volunteers in marketing roles and others to learn bookkeeping and the financial side of the market.

continued on page 4

Ethan Westendorp, 13, left, and Darien Gordon, 15 load fresh produce and goods into the back of Kara Lynds’ car on Thursday, June 25 at Cultivate Virtual Farmers’ Market. Operating out of Talbot Teen Centre in St. Thomas, market orders are taken online during the week, and filled on Thursday afternoons. June 25 was the third week and organizer Vicki Asher said the teen volunteers were practically running it themselves.

4 July 2020THIS MONTH IN ELGIN

Asked to describe how the first week – June 11 – went, Ms. Asher laughed and said the process has “definitely smoothed out since then.” She was still happy with how it went, considering such a system was completely new. And better yet, the Cultivate youth volunteers were respon-sible for recommending and implementing many of the improvements for the second week. By the third, June 25, about 60 customers were expected for pickups. That number has been growing steadily since the beginning.

One of the biggest improvements was stream-lining the delivery to a customer’s vehicle. A sin-gle “runner” collects all the items for a customer and brings them to a quality control volunteer before they’re handed off to the customer rela-tions volunteers who place them contact-free into a customer’s vehicle. Pick-up day goes quickly as the youths only have a couple hours to check all the vendor drop-offs and make sure all orders are accounted for. The orders are gathered in a staging room, with cooled items held in large,

donated refrigerators. Feedback from customers has been

“really, really great,” said Ms. Asher, who sees the market as the first step in what the youths can do. She hoped the market could operate year-round, and “my dream is to make it a credit pro-gram through the schools.” Other ideas included making the market “mobile” for potential customers who couldn’t get out to a market, including nursing home residents. The Teen Centre’s certified kitchen was also a potential way to add value to some of the local produce. Ms. Asher noted the timing of the innovative

market worked well for the Talbot Teen Centre as it was looking to re-launch in the commu-nity. Being part of the community for 15 years meant it was “time to let people know the value and purpose of the teen centre. I really like to talk about the centre, the youth and Cultivate.”

She noted the market was not considered competition for estab-lished markets in the area. Referencing the 100,000 people just in Elgin and St. Thomas,

she said the population certainly could support everyone, and by offering pickups mid-week, that catered to a different crowd than those who wanted to walk around at a Saturday-morning market, and both were different from the crowd who might prefer a Friday-evening market.

Her observations seem to be borne out by the local examples. A new, Friday-afternoon and evening market opened earlier this year at Wild-flowers Farm with over 700 customers on open-ing day. And in St. Thomas, the Horton Farmers’ Market, one of the oldest in the area, opened June 20 to line-ups of customers. Beyond that, Howe Family Farms is operating their own re-tail locations in St. Thomas and Aylmer, as well as selling at farmers’ markets, and Briwood is a long-time fresh-produce staple in St. Thomas.

Meanwhile, at pickup time on Thursday, June 25, the lineup was immediately busy at the 3 p.m. opening. Customers were excited for their orders and after a few had been sent on their way, one of the more experienced youth volun-teers – unprovoked by any staff – offered praise to a newer youth volunteer in how they’d been working well during the early rush.

continued from page 3

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Other markets in the area include Wildflowers Farm, just south of St. Thomas. It opened in early June, operating on Friday afternoons, to a long line-up and over 700 customers.

Howe Family Farms have their own retail locations in St. Thomas and Aylmer but also sell fresh produce at Horton Farmers’ Market in downtown St. Thomas on Saturday mornings. The market recently opened with COVID-19 safety guidelines in place.


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Teen kayakers rescued south of Port Bruce

Elgin Ontario Provincial Police Constable Troy Carlson reported that the U.S. Coast Guard assisted police and local boaters with the rescue of four kayakers – three 14 years old and one adult – from Lake Erie just south of Port Bruce on Tuesday night, June 23.

The three youths, all from the Aylmer and Malahide area, were out kayaking, he said, but got into trouble when they realized they couldn’t paddle back to shore because of very rough and windy conditions at around 9:05 p.m.

Witnesses on shore called police, stating the kayakers were being pushed further offshore into open water.

An adult tried to kayak out to the three teens, but also got into trouble.

Local boaters plucked two of the

kayakers from the water, and the Canadian Joint Rescue Coordina-tion Centre in Kingston called in a USCG helicopter, which arrived at 10:10 p.m.

The Coast Guard helicopter dropped a rescue swimmer into the lake, who remained with the two kayakers still in the water un-til they could be picked up by boat and returned to shore.

One youth was treated by para-medics for mild hypothermia, Const. Carlson said.

Malahide Fire Service was also at the scene, helping with the rescue.

Const. Carlson said all the kay-akers had been wearing life jackets, which “was a key component in their survival.”

Summer Safety: Wear a life jacket, seatbelt, helmetThe Ontario Provincial Police are

urging everyone to wear a potentially life-saving personal flotation device (PFD), all-terrain vehicle helmet or a seatbelt for safety while enjoying the summer season.

Having a PFD nearby in case of a boating or swimming emergency just wasn’t good enough, police said. A PFD “is inarguably the most under-utilized piece of safety equipment in seasonal outdoor recreation.

“More than 80 percent of people who die on OPP-patrolled waterways are found not wearing a PFD.

“With falling overboard and capsized vessels leading causes in boating deaths, the only safe PFD is the one you are wearing.

“Seven of the eight boating fatality victims this year were found not wear-ing a PFD. Half of the victims were in canoes – an important reminder that paddlers are at risk as much as other boaters.”

Moving to off-road vehicles (ORVs), OPP said of the six fatalities investigated so far this year, three of the dead were not wearing a helmet.

“With losing control a top contrib-uting factor in ORV fatalities, wearing a helmet can provide crucial protection if you crash, tip over or fall off your ORV.

“A helmet is equally important for cyclists. Every cyclist under the age of 18 must wear an approved helmet.

“For youths and children under 16 years of age, a parent or guardian must ensure their child wears a helmet every time they ride their bicycle.”

Finally, police said, “Lack of seatbelt use has been linked to 20 OPP-inves-tigated road fatalities so far this year. Drivers and passengers are reminded that preventing ejection is not the only way a seatbelt can save your life during a collision.

“A seatbelt holds you in the position where you receive the greatest benefit from your airbag. Wearing a seatbelt also reduces the risk that you’ll be thrown around in the vehicle and injure yourself by colliding with hard objects.

“You also risk colliding with other occupants and endangering their lives, even those who did do the right thing by buckling up.”



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Living with an abundance of caution■ by Serge Lavoie

At this point in the pandemic (110 days at time of writing) we are all enjoying the new little freedoms we have been granted as restrictions are loosened. We have all learned to live our lives with “an abun-dance of caution”, a phrase we heard constantly as COVID-19 played out.

At the outset, the restrictions were relatively mild, had a clear purpose, and were easy to understand and support. Then, day by day, they got tougher, more drastic, more confusing, but we followed them regardless, out of an abundance of caution.

Caution, especially an abundance of it, was an easy political sell. It fits neatly into our national ethos of “peace, order and good government”. Then, finally, we were on the other side of the peak and restrictions were slowly relaxed. That’s when the debates started. Why are there so many rules? Why are they different from province to province, region to region, city to city? If the initial purpose of restrictions was to “flatten the curve”, why is it that with hospitals largely back to normal we are now being told that restric-tions can only be lifted once the number of cases is reduced to almost nil?

I’m not arguing against COVID-19 measures. They were largely necessary and clearly worked to reduce the number of cases and deaths. What I’m observing is that the sheer volume of regulations, the inconsis-tent ways they were interpreted, and the confusing daily proclamations from the prime minister, the pre-miers, the medical officers of health, the municipal

mayors, have us all wondering if we shouldn’t be do-ing a serious evaluation of our COVID-19 responses in preparation for the next waves of the pandemic.

There are a couple of reasons to be concerned. Confusion, inconsistency and mixed messaging begins to erode public confidence. We all mostly lis-tened and complied during the first 100 days. What happens if more of us begin to question the value and logic of some policy decisions?

If compliance rates go down, the effectiveness of the measures decline as well. We’re seeing that phe-nomenon at work in the United States, although the shameful anti-authority statements of the president are making things far worse.

But the seemingly erratic rules about which stores can be open (that clearly favoured larger, big box stores), the opening of beaches, of parks, of farm-ers markets, of churches, of cemeteries and funeral services, all had people questioning just how much logic was at work and how much things were being made up on the fly. As inconvenient as these endless regulations are, there is another, more problematic element to how governments have responded.

During the pandemic, all levels of government passed legislation, regulations and bylaws in support of what the Canadian Civil Liberties Association calls “an extraordinary governmental effort at mass behavioural modification, for public health reasons, (which) had the effect of limiting our civil liberties”.

In a well-researched 60-page interim report pub-lished in mid-June, the CCLA argues that while there

was a need for legislative and regulatory responses to the pandemic to protect Canadians, government efforts were often sloppy, illogical and overreaching in the powers they gave themselves to control us, the citizenry. (Google “CCLA COVID report pdf” to download a copy.)

They go on to argue that the regulations need to demonstrate that they have a specific objective, are absolutely necessary, are proportionate to the problem, and are

time-limited. All sounds quite reasonable, but as the report illus-

trates, not all governments were up for the challenge.

In Alberta, for instance, very few of the regulations had time limits. In Ontario, most were time-limited, but several tended to overreach.

For instance, our province hastily put together a database of everyone who had been tested for COVID-19 and gave access to every first responder. That may seem reasonable as a public safety tool, but the database is permanent and also fails to give the date of the test. Is that necessary or proportionate? What purpose does the information have two weeks, or two months after the test result?

I don’t think we should waste a lot of time finding out why our governments turned to overregulation over the past few months. We already know the answers: fear, urgency and the need to act with an abundance of caution.

Now it’s time to review, reevaluate and arrive at a series of responses that are absolutely necessary, logical, and transparent, and aim for an abundance of respect for our civil liberties.

Communications Manager Megan Cornwell, left, and Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock have been providing weekly video updates on the Southwestern Public Health website during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serge Lavoie has a 35 year career managing associations. He is currently leading the St. Thomas Elevated Park project and operates a small food stand at the Horton Farmers Market with his wife Debbie.



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Front middle, from left, Andrew Gunn and Maddie King, consultants for the Estate of the late Donna Vera Evans Bushell, were joined at the St. Thomas Elevated Park for bequest announcements Wednesday, June 10, by, back, General Manager Elizabeth VanHooren of Kettle Creek Conservation Authority, Terry Carroll of the St. Thomas-Elgin Community Foundation, General Manager Christopher Wilkinson of Catfish Creek Conservation Authority, Serge Lavoie of the Elevated Park and Laura Woermke of the St. Thomas Elgin Public Arts Centre.

Bushell Estate gives $2.5-million to local projects

■ by Rob Perry The Estate of the late Donna Vera Evans Bushell has

contributed $1.25-million to the Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation.

Of that, $100,000 will establish the “Evans Sisters Tree Fund” to support tree-planting projects in Elgin County and St. Thomas.

Foundation Board Chairman Sarah Groeneweg said the gift from Ms. Bushell’s estate was touching “because Doris Evans, Donna’s sister, was a founding donor of the Foundation before our launch in 2003.”

The Bushell Estate will provide a total of $2.5-mil-lion to local projects, Andrew Gunn said.

He and Maddie King are consultants to the Estate. He said, “Our focus has been on environmental

sustainability, education, parks, heritage and culture, and community-building. We know that the Evans Tree Fund within the Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foun-dation will serve as a vehicle to support the planting of trees in the community for many years to come.”

Two projects also receiving support from the estate

have already been announced, one for a new perfor-mance stage at Springwater Conservation Area and one for a Kettle Creek Conservation Authority “water trail” through Dalewood Reservoir on the north side of St. Thomas.

More projects would be announced in coming weeks, Mr. Gunn said.

In a ceremony at the St. Thomas Elevated Park on Wednesday, June 10, two such projects were announced.

One donation was for $100,000 for improve-ments to the park, includ-ing the installation of grass, pathway lighting and an arboretum for 3.5-kilome-tres on the west side of the railway trestle that is the focus of the elevated park.

Serge Lavoie, who has led the campaign for the elevated park, said the “Arboretum Line” west of the bridge would feature every species of tree native to the local Carolinian climate zone.

The park would be “bigger, brighter and greener” as a result of the bequest, he said.

Mr. Gunn also announced a $115,000 grant to the St. Thomas Elgin Public Arts Centre to add new installa-tions to the elevated park and other green spaces in the local area, as part of an “Arts, Trees and Trails” project.

Laura Woermke, the arts centre’s executive director and curator, said the project would help make local artists better-known to area residents.

She said the project would be undertaken in partner-ship with the Elevated Park, Kettle Creek Conservation Authority and Catfish Creek Conservation Authority.

The project would bring history and contemporary artworks from the arts centre’s permanent collection of over 2,000 pieces to the Elevated Park and conservation authority trails through the installation of signs that featured high-quality reproductions.

Donna Vera Evans Bushell died November 9, 2019, in her hundredth year, the last of her family.

Her sister Doris Evans taught music as a church organist, and the oldest sister, Thelma Joiner, taught elementary school around Aylmer for 45 years and researched local North Yarmouth history.


All systems … questionable?■ by Janine Lunn

Summertime is go-time for farmers. Crops and livestock are growing, weather is constantly mon-itored, and all that pent-up waiting from our long winter has everyone scrambling to catch up or get ahead. Whether or not there is any actual baling being done, everyone is trying to ‘make hay while the sun shines.’

In a lot of ways this summer seems no different. Despite all the adaptations around pandemic real-ities, so many aspects of farming are unchanged. Long before the lockdown situation took hold, summer business plans were already in place for farms across all commodities. Long before the soil has warmed for planting, the seed, equipment and marketing are arranged. And months ahead of shipping dates, livestock breeding and feeding schedules are set.

There have been plenty of challenges trying to react quickly enough to market changes we’ve never seen before. It seems almost unbelievable that with the same number of people needing to eat at home versus eating out, that there could simultaneously be so much surplus and so many shortages. Milk surpluses seem to have evened out, as processors adjust from restaurant needs to household habits. Livestock growers still ride out uncertainties as certain products are in lower demand, and processors have struggled to main-tain operations through staff illnesses and modi-fying shifts and workflow to maintain distancing

protocols. But speciality growers have seen huge losses as contracts are lost for perishable crops like greens and asparagus. Even on our small scale, we couldn’t keep up with the sudden requests for fresh eggs while the stores ran out, and could have sold several freezers full of meat if only the queue for our butcher had been shorter.

This crisis has brought on lots of questions about our systems. Healthcare, urban planning, transportation, communications … and of course the food system which saw a chain reaction that revealed weak points very quickly. In normal times specializing has been a good and efficient plan; a farmer raises pigs, a trucker transports them, and the processor converts them into the final product.

When the system breaks down, it becomes nearly impossible to complete the food cycle close to home.

It’s one thing to set up farm-gate pickup for surplus vegetables or flower sales, but there aren’t simple fixes nearby for pasteurizing milk or smoking bacon. Another complicated matter is the human factor. La-bour-intense tasks like planting and picking produce, and pro-cessing meat rely on both local and even

more so on essential, seasonal foreign workers. Issues of travel, borders and physical spacing make everything more complicated, but if workers aren’t healthy and well, the system can’t thrive.

It would be pleasant to imagine we will go back to normal, wisdom from past crises would suggest that the normal we knew may not be available again. We all have this time to evaluate our person-al, lifestyle and business decisions to see how they have held up, and through whatever comes next.

While we’re at it, those of us involved in the food system have some thinking to do as well. Let’s not forget what we are really valuing now, and see how that can be applied to farming as well. What we have lost in productivity, we have gained in slower extracurricular schedules, neighbourhood check-ins and pop-up parades. Perhaps ‘new normal’ means smaller-scale, regional food processing, with a focus on local and national food security.

Or returning to victory gardens and home-can-ning? Different crops and processes to harvest more food with fewer hands? Less bureaucracy and more heart and common sense? Food that reflects the full costs of its production? Hopefully whatever normal we find, the value of people and community will win the day, and we’ll have a harvest generous enough to feed a healthier fu-ture. While we have this time, let’s not stop asking questions, shall we?

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ON THE FARM

Janine Lunn lives with her family on a farm just south of Belmont.

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Be seen. Be heard. Belong.A message from Paul Jenkins CEO

I wrote these words for a presen-tation I gave when applying to be the next CEO of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce late last year.

My pitch sought to amplify the Chamber’s impact and our important role as the voice of local business. I focused on what the Chamber already did well and where we could elevate the support we provide to our mem-bership.

More than six months later, nearly 100 official days into my job, and with the greatest economic crisis of our gen-eration thrown in, it is refreshing to see these three sentiments still hold strong.

What does be seen, be heard, and belong mean? And, what, in particular, does it mean to our current and future

members?It is best to start with our organiza-

tion’s vision, which is to “be a leader by providing relevant collaboration, en-gaging the diverse business community and being adaptable to change in our economy.”

Over the past several months, we have centred our response on the last sentiment of our vision statement, “being adaptable to change in our economy.”

And you’ve probably guessed the reason already… the economic impact of COVID-19.

Serving more than 500 local orga-nizations, being the voice of business, (currently the voice of business in a pandemic), is a role we take seriously. It is the guts of what our organization

is all about, our respon-sibility to serve our membership through good times and bad.

To best serve our members, we needed to better hone in on the value of being seen, be-ing heard, and belong-ing to the St. Thomas &

District Chamber of Commerce.Be Seen

The Chamber is your platform to broaden and deepen your business network. And while our Business After Fives have been on hiatus for the past few months, we have continued to bring businesses together through our online Coffee Talk series.

This isn’t a perfect solution as there is no substitute for in person connec-tivity, but it has allowed us to showcase our community’s talent; empower businesses to reopen with the support of Southwestern Public Health; and facilitated honest conversations with our elected representatives.

To be seen means having a visible presence in our community and since we can’t currently deliver these expe-riences in person – for the most part – we’re currently making them work online.Be Heard

The Chamber prides itself on bring-ing strength of voice to our local busi-ness community’s concerns.

Working closely with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Ontar-io Chamber of Commerce, we connect

with the highest levels of government to communicate our local business community’s needs.

Early in the pandemic, this collab-oration led to specific and timely im-provements to several of the funding programs announced by government. Your voice is amplified by being a Chamber member. Belong

Belonging starts with sustaining your businesses in the first place and here the Chamber provides consider-able value. In fact, many businesses can pay for their membership simply by taking advantage of programs that they can only access through the Chamber.

These include, but are certainly not limited to:

• The Chamber of Commerce Group Insurance Plan, offered by Arc Benefits, which includes den-tal benefits, extended health care benefits, critical illness insurance, and long- and short-term disabil-ity insurance.

• The Intact Insurance plan, of-fered by Reith & Associates, who deliver individual home and car insurance to members of employ-ee and association groups, and commercial insurance programs to businesses.

• Direct savings on fuel through the Esso Business Card Program, and reduced shipping through our partnership through UPS.

Being the voice of the business com-munity is about taking a leadership role in surfacing and responding to membership needs.

Being a member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is about seizing your business’s opportu-nity to be seen, be heard, and belong.


Business Beat Legal Business

Published�by�5IF�"ZMNFS�&YQSFTT�Ltd.,�and�delivered�to�businesses�in�St.�Thomas�and�Elgin�CountryFor�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�E-Mail:�[email protected]:�www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

3PCFSU�'VSOFBVYSusanMunday

ChristyHunkingBarry Fitzgerald

*OUFSJN�$&0�Accounting�Coordinator�Member�Services�Member�Services�

Business BeatChair: Bob Ward The Auto GuysImmediate Past Chair: Sean Dyke St. Thomas EDC1st Vice-Chair: Tara McCaulley Small Business

Enterprise Centre2nd Vice-Chair: Chris Patriquin Simply Pure WaterTreasurer: Kristina Schmitt KES ConsultingMSC Chair: Tatjana Burcul ARC Benefits Planning

Impact Committee Chair: Ray Bosveld Holliswealth,

Investment Advisor/Broker

MTM Committee Chair: Scott McRae Forest City Castings

Director: Kevin Jackson EBRC, General Manager

Director: Scott Caslick Clar-i-ty Solutions Inc.Director: Dr. Greg Johnston Family Health OptionsDirector: Robert Furneaux Gorman-Rupp CanadaDirector: Earl Taylor St. Thomas Downtown

Development BoardDirector: Sarah Groeneweg Locke Insurance BrokersDirector: Angela DeVries St. Thomas & Elgin Home

Builders Association

St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce2020 Board of Directors

Chamber CEO Paul JenkinsChamber Staff Barry FitzgeraldChamber Staff Christy HunkingChamber Staff Susan MundayFor more information, contact your First Data Business Consultant at 1-888-265-4117.

© 2016 First Data Canada Ltd. is a registered ISO/MSP ofWells Fargo Bank, N.A., Canadian Branch,Toronto, ON, Canada. All trademarks, service marks and trade names used in this material are theproperty of their respective owners.

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RUNNYMEDE REDUX■ by Monty Fordham

A late colleague and mentor proudly dis-played a copy (at least I think it was a copy) of the Magna Carta upon the wall of his office waiting room. Whenever I had the pleasure of attending his office I would take the opportunity to pore over the Latin script in the hope I would develop a greater appreciation of the profound significance of the document. Five years of Latin studies notwithstanding, the original text of the ancient tome remains a mystery to me.

Of course, all Canadian law students are com-pelled to embrace the English text of the Great Charter, at least the portions which have sur-vived over the 805 years since its creation. The famous British Jurist, Lord Denning, once called the Magna Carta “the greatest constitutional document of all times – the foundation of the freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot.” And, as all law students know, when Lord Denning spoke, everyone lis-tened. It is time we all listened again.

On June 10, 1215, at Runnymede, King John signed the famous charter, but you can’t help but suspect he did so under great duress. The barons of the land were threatening to revolt over the manner in which justice was being dis-pensed by the King, in particular as it related to

taxation and prosecution of offences. Now, you might think that John would have little to fear from a bunch of disgruntled barons, but not so. The barons of the land commanded great wealth and power, and their own armies.

But old King John died the following year, and the document almost died with him, but for those persistent barons banging at the gate. Through subsequent revivals, the Magna Carta kept peace in the realm for many years, or, at least the mythology of it did. It is of some signif-icance that the Great Charter only diminished the power of the king in relation to the nobility; the common man (and woman) of the day was unaffected. Then, for approximately 400 years its impact upon British Monarchy seems to have waned.

The later 17th and early 18th century were periods of awakening for the concept of the paramountcy of individual rights and freedoms, across the British Empire. The Magna Carta is generally regarded as inspirational, even foundational, for the American constitution and its recognition of the individual within the modern state.

As parliamentary democracies and republics evolved, the need to commit the recognition of fundamental individual freedoms to written form became more and more apparent.

In 1950, John Diefenbaker, when he was a Saskatchewan MP, delivered a speech in which he stated the need for a Bill of Rights, to take “a forthright stand against discrimination based on colour, creed or racial origin.” In 1960, when Mr. Diefenbaker was Prime Minister, the Cana-dian Bill of Rights was proclaimed. In fact, by its recognition of the freedom to own property, it exceeds the freedoms delivered by the later Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in 1982.

Only three clauses in the original Magna Car-ta remain the law of the land in England, but one is particularly significant:

“No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his freehold, or be outlawed or exiled, or any other wise destroyed, nor will

continued on page 11


Business Beat Member News

*Mutual funds distributed by Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc.Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is a member of the Sun Life group of companies. © Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2020.

Worried about how these challenging times are going to affect your business? I’m here to answer questions about your investments and/or insurance as we weather COVID-19.

Let’s connect.

I’m here for you.

Michael Moore* BA ECON. Tel: 519-637-7747 Cell: [email protected]/michael.moore 9 Princess Avenue, Unit #3 St. Thomas, ON N5R 3V3

Mark Lassam, CPA, CA115 Curtis Street, St. [email protected]

Commitment Commitment to Excellenceto Excellenceto Excellence

Demonstrated in the High Level ofQuality Service each and every time.

Full Range of Accounting ServicesAuditing • Accounting • Taxation

Our Knowledgeable and Friendly Staff have the experience and training to help you with

all your accounting and taxation needs.

ASSISTING OUR CLIENTS with the various Government-financed support

programs related to COVID-19.

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes the following businesses, organizations and individuals as our newest Members. Those listed below were accepted as registered Members in June 2020.

New MembersCliff’s Overhead Doors

220 Edward StreetSt. Thomas, ON N5P 1Z5Phone: 519-631-1507Email: [email protected]: www.cliffsdoors.caContact: Fred Olar, PresidentBuyer’s Guide Categories: Garage Doors & ServiceProducts & Services: Since 1985, Cliff’s Overhead Doors is your local garage door specialist for residential, commercial, agricultural and indus-trial applications, proudly serving the London, St. Thomas and area. They offer personalized advice in the process of purchasing a new garage door, provide installation that meets the highest industry stan-dards, and unequalled after-sales service thanks to their maintenance and repair program. Cliff’s Overhead Doors carries a full range of products including garage door openers and many other garage accessories.

SPW Display Media

123 Wellington StreetSt. Thomas, ON N5R 2R5Phone: 519-637-3306Email: [email protected]: www.spwdisplaymedia.comContact: Chris & Jame Patriquin, OwnersBuyer’s Guide Categories: Adver-tising/Promotion/Marketing; Media; Signs/Screen PrintingProducts & Services: Make an IMPACT with SPW Display Media. Since 2010, they’ve been providing a unique advertising opportunity that GETS NOTICED! The busy corner of Wellington Street and Princess Ave. sees up to 10,000 cars per day. Your 8 second high frequency spot on their high resolution billboard is sure to be seen by thousands and thousands of people every month. Their cost-effective form of advertis-ing is available on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual basis. Your ad in-cludes 25,000 daytime impressions and one complimentary ad creation

per month to keep your messaging fresh. They offer special reduced rates for St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce and Elgin Business Women’s Network Mem-bers, service groups, non-profits and fundraisers.

The Ice Box

125 Ross StreetSt. Thomas, ON N5R 3X9Phone: 226-289-2235Email: [email protected]: www.theicebox.caContact: Markus Hawco, OwnerBuyer’s Guide Categories: Food Specialties; Dairy Products; Bever-ages; Health FoodsProducts & Services: The Ice Box is a frozen yoghurt and ice cream parlour, located at 125 Ross Street in St. Thomas.They are committed to their community and will be donating 15% of proceeds to the different lo-cal charities and not-for-profits.Treat Yourself, Treat the Community!

Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares this monthly column for the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and our Members. Questions, comments and suggestions for future columns are welcomed by Monty at his office: Fordham & Brightling Associates – Lawyers, 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 or e-mail: [email protected]

we not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by the Law of the Land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.”

This right to due legal process has been en-shrined in the U.S Constitution, our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and many other con-stitutional documents in modern democratic societies. And, although the Great Charter probably originated more out of perspiration than inspiration, it remains both fundamental and powerful.

It remains the foundation of our democra-cy, and will continue to be; but only if, in the somewhat cryptic words of Ben Franklin, we can keep it. Or, perhaps every once in a while we just need to knock very loudly at the gates.

Happy Canada Day everyone!

continued from page 10


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Contractors & Pollution Liability – the risk is real■ by Dan Reith

Contractors, no matter what industry they work in, face environmental risks stemming from opera-tions on a daily basis. For most contractors, a single pollution incident or loss can seriously damage their operations, balance sheet and even reputation. Making matters worse, pollution incidents can be sudden or occur gradually over time. The reality, however, is most contractors do not appreciate the reality of the risk and chose not to protect themselves or their customers.

While many contractors assume that environmental claims will be covered under their commercial general liability (CGL) policy, the unfortunate reality is the most CGLs contain pollution exclusions that leave con-tractors uninsured in the event of a pollution incident.

The solution: contractors pollution liability (CPL) insurance to ensure they have the right coverage in place to remain secure and profitable.

CPL Coverage BasicsCPL policies provide contractor-based insurance

for third-party coverage for bodily injury, property damage, defence, and cleanup as a result of sudden and gradual pollution incidents arising from con-tracting operations performed by or on behalf of the contractor. CPL insurance is intended to provide cov-erage to all types of contracting operations, including contractors who are involved in building construction and environmental firms that remediate polluted sites.

CPL policies are offered on either a claims-made or occurrence basis. What’s more, CPL policies are non-standard, meaning each policy is different and

can be modified to cover the various needs of the con-tractor purchasing the policy. Policies can be offered on a project or blanket program basis.

In some instances, CPL policies can also be used to cover losses from civil fines, penalties and punitive damages.

Covered Pollution IncidentsContractors should keep in mind that CPL insur-

ance policies differ in regard to the types of pollution incidents that are covered. Two important consider-ations when evaluating CPL insurance policies are:

• Whether or not the policy will respond to grad-ual releases of pollutants, as opposed to sudden and accidental releases; and

• The types of substances that are considered “pol-lutants” under the terms of the policy.

Generally, policies that cover both gradual and sudden releases of pollutants provide contractors with a broader scope of coverage. In addition, poli-cies that provide a broad definition of pollutants are considered superior to those that contain a narrow definition. Accordingly, it is important that contrac-tors work with their broker to find a CPL policy that is tailored to their needs.

CGL Pollution Exclusions A primary reason why contractors obtain a CPL pol-

icy is due to the various pollution exclusions contained in most CGL policies. The pollution exclusions found in most CGL policies take one of two forms, either

“absolute” or “total.”CGL policies with an absolute pollution exclusion

remove coverage for most pollution events that would occur in the course of an insured’s business operations. However, despite its name, an absolute pollution exclu-sion may preserve coverage for certain incidental pol-lution damages, products and completed operations liability, and certain off-premises work.

However, more commonly, CGL policies include a more restrictive “total pollution exclusion.” This type of exclusion effectively removes coverage for any event the insurer characterizes as a pollution incident.

Contractual RequirementsContractual requirements serve as another motivat-

ing factor that lead many contractors to obtain a CPL policy. In many instances, project owners and general contractors will require contractors to obtain pollution insurance that meets certain, predetermined standards. From this perspective, having a CPL insurance policy in place can serve as an upfront sales tool during the bidding process that enables contractors to qualify for opportunities when such coverage is required.

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted by Dan Reith, BA (Hons), CAIB, President and Principal Broker at Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited, 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via e-mail: [email protected]


Doing business post-COVID-19■ by Amanda DeVries

So it seems as if, at least for now, the threat of the pandemic sweeping Elgin County in a devastating way seems to have abated. We don’t know if that means it’s gone for good or that we should be brac-ing for another wave, but in the meantime, life is slowly getting back to normal. And that, for some, means business is back to normal.

Whether or not you have reopened your busi-ness, you are probably wondering: should we be preparing for some unknown future event? Should my business be changing the way it interfaces with customers and suppliers? Can it survive another shutdown?

Consider the way you perhaps have changed your own purchasing habits. Did you do any online

shopping for your groceries or clothes? Did you try the local online farmers market called “Culti-vate Virtual Farmers’ Market”? Did you patronize

any of the local businesses who quickly adapted to curbside pickup? And if you interacted with lawyers, insurance agents, or other professional services, did you find that signing papers digitally and emailing them back and forth was admittedly pretty convenient?

Okay, so these are a lot of questions! But if you yourself found a small appreciation for being able to order something at 11:30 at night, and then quickly picking up those items when they were ready, or not having to make a phone call to sched-ule a service appointment, consider that your cus-tomers likely feel the same way. Yes, it’s a new way of doing business, and yes, it can be a pain to learn and implement a new sales channel, particularly when you’ve worked for years to create efficiencies in your present model. However, in general the world is moving this way and many of the younger demographic prefer the convenience of an online marketplace.

Moving online doesn’t have to require a huge amount of investment to start. It can be as simple as selecting 5-10 of your most in-demand products and putting them up on a Square store. Or it can be implementing an online booking system for your consulting business. I myself am a couple of weeks into working with an online personal trainer and I honestly don’t know if I will be motivated to drag myself to a gym in the dead of winter anymore!

In almost any case, you will find new customers and new markets by allowing yourself to be open to new ways of doing things.

Stay ready and adaptable!

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Impressions Printing (St. Thomas)

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Alexelle Slipcovers and Upholstery (St. Thomas)

Ginette Minor; [email protected]; 519.494.0787; https://alexelleslipcovers.houzz.com/

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Flexus Industries (Aylmer)

Isaak Neufeld; [email protected]; 519.873.0825; https://flexusind.com/

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Best Damn Doors (St. Thomas)

Brad Cairns; [email protected]; 519.494.2883; http://bestdamndoors.ca/

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Canadian IPG (St. Thomas)

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Aylmer Express Graphics Group (Aylmer)

Cindy Berkelmans; [email protected]; 519.773.3126; www.aylmerexpress.com

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GCW Custom Kitchens & Cabinets

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North Star Windows & Doors

Gary Husen; 519.637.7899 https://www.northstarwindows.com/

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McBain Signs (Central Elgin)

Lisa Rattray; [email protected]; 519.775.2230; https://www.mcbainsigns.ca/

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St. Thomas Canvas & Awning (St. Thomas)

Dan Williams; [email protected]; 519.633.4444; www.stthomascanvasandawning.com

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Yurek Pharmacy (St. Thomas)

[email protected]; 519.631.3330; https://yurekpharmacy.com/

Forehead Thermometers; Sanitizer; Gloves; Masks


A&M Sounds Disc Jockey Service (St. Thomas)

Adrian Peters; [email protected]; 519.639.2336

Masks (3 ply) St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

Positec Canada Ltd. (Mississauga)

Nelly Thomas; [email protected]; 647.505.3045; https://www.xam-med.tech/en

Masks; K95s None – but rep is locally based.

Pro CNC Inc. (Aylmer)

Isaac & Joelly Bergen; 519.851.8569; http://procnc.ca/

Face Shields None – but org is locally based.

BRACA Shirts (Aylmer)

Catharine Janssen; 226.376.1599; [email protected]; https://www.bracashirts.ca

Cotton Gowns None – but org is locally based.

Enns Textiles (Aylmer)

Francisco Enns; [email protected]; 519.773.8990; http://ennstex.com/

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Thanks to the Karn Family Fund within Elgin - St. Thomas Community Foundation, and generous support from Dowler-Karn, its employees, and the Esso Community Program, an amazing $18,000 has been donated to six

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County ponders $50-million to put high speed Internet fibre everywhere■ by Rob Perry

Elgin councillors on Tuesday, June 23, directed that their new broadband connectivity committee explore the possibility of installing fibre-optic cable along every road in the county in a $50-million project to ensure all residents and businesses have access to high-speed Internet.

Economic Development General Manager Alan Smith and Finance Director Jim Bundschuh had reported on a “rural and remove broadband confer-ence” they had electronically attended June 8 and 9.

The preferred option for providing high-speed ac-cess to remote and rural areas involved local govern-ments installing either fibre-optic cable or wireless devices as a sort of public utility.

Internet service providers (ISPs) could then use those connections to serve new customers, they said.

Mr. Bundschuh compared Internet access to the development of roads for automobiles 100 years ago.

Currently, the hodgepodge of access was similar to what would have happened had major manufactur-ers like Ford and Chevrolet had built roads that only their own automobiles could use.

Instead, they said, roads had been developed by municipalities, which then allowed any vehicles to use them.

Having municipalities provide a broadband “back-bone” would give everyone high-speed access and allow smaller ISPs to compete with larger ones.

Fibre-optic cable was more expensive to install at $30,000 per kilometre of road than wireless devices, they said, but the latter quickly became outdated, which fibre was expected to have a 50-year lifespan.

The cost per kilometre, Mr. Bundschuh said, was much less than what the county spent to build a new road or rebuild an existing one, at $500,000 a kilometre.

He said Elgin County had 1,850 kilometres of road that were under-served for Internet access.

The SWIFT (South Western Integrated Fibre Technology) pro-gram run by the Western Ontario Warden’s Conference, and funded by private companies, municipali-ties and the federal and provincial governments, was expected to serve only 22 percent of the current shortfall in Elgin, leaving 1,400 kilometres still without high-speed access capability.

The county’s expected $35-million Terrace Lodge long-term care redevelopment project was expected over the next three years to take up only one-third of the maximum debt the county could financially sus-tain, he said. That left plenty of room to finance up to $50-million for the proposed fibre system for Elgin.

A 30-year loan for fibre would cost Elgin $60-mil-lion to repay, he continued. The conference had sug-gested some of that could be recovered through ser-vice fees charged to ISPs, leaving about $1.2-million a year in repayments to be covered by local taxpayers.

Increasing the annual county tax levy by one-third of a percent annually for 10 years would cover that, he predicted. And some of that might be recovered as commercial and residential developers found Elgin, with its con-nectivity, a more attractive place for growth.

Southwold Mayor Grant Jones said in the 1930s through 1950s, every community had its own tele-phone company to ensure service reached all resi-dents, not just some.

He didn’t see why that accomplishment couldn’t be duplicated for Internet access.

Dutton Dunwich Mayor Bob Purcell said he recalled when not every road had electricity lines running down them as well.

Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn said fibre access was important, but individual connections to homes couldn’t go more than 200 to 250 feet from the main cable, and many farmers resided further away from roads than that.

She was also concerned about cellular telephone coverage, and suggested the broadband committee look at that as well.

A Sparta family was recently forced from their home due to a fire and took cell phones with them to call the fire department.

But they couldn’t get any service for their phones immediately, so what had been a small fire when they left consumed their home.

Many pockets of Elgin had very poor cell service, she said.

Mr. Bundschuh said that, too, could be addressed by the county.

Councillors voted to have the broadband commit-tee further investigate the installation of fibre-optic cable on every road as a public utility.

“It gives us some hope for the future,” Warden David Mennill, mayor of Malahide, observed.



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Tune Out News During Stressful Times

■ by Paul Bode Your phone dings. Another news alert. Do

you reach for your phone immediately, eager to see the latest update? While technology makes it tempting to stay connected 24/7, sometimes the best thing you can do for your health – and your long-term financial strategy – is to tune it out. Here are some ways to tune out negativity during uncertain times.

Put down the phone and turn off the news. Allow yourself just one hour of news time each day, preferably in the middle of the day. This ensures you don’t start or end your day anxious. It’s important to stay informed, but once a day should suffice.

Focus on the positive. List the top five (or more) things you’re grateful for each day. Your list may be the same from day to day or it could change based on the past day’s experience. It could be as simple as being thankful

for the roof over your head or a smile from a stranger as you walk your neighborhood.

Get physical. You’ve probably heard it before, and that’s because it’s true – physical activity is just as healthy for your mind as it is for your body. This doesn’t mean you have to train for a marathon or become a yoga guru. Start small. Simply going for a walk or doing basic stretches can help keep your mind and body at their best.

Connect with family and friends. Having a strong support system is important during good times, but even more so during challenging ones. Reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while to see how they’re doing. Send a text or card or give them a call. If your family is spread out across the country, use digital apps to connect and play games.

Stick to a schedule. When you’re stressed, it often takes a toll on your sleep schedule. Keep-ing a consistent routine can help. Get up and go to bed at the same times each day, even on weekends. Know your stress triggers and pay attention when you notice them flaring up.

While it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in the world, focusing on the bad news won’t help your financial strategy or your health. Remember, you’re in it for the long term.

This column has been submitted by Paul Bode, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. To learn more about the Edward Jones advantage visit edwardjones.ca or visit my office located at 287 Talbot St. West, Aylmer.


Working from Home Can Be A Real Pain in the Neck

■ by Dr. Greg JohnstonWorking from home has literally become a real pain

in the neck. Many people have now been working from home for two to three months. Working on laptops on dining room tables, sitting on the couch or perhaps even worse, slouched over, sitting on their bed has created a new epidemic of neck and back pain. As the realities of the coronavirus hit, many offices and work places were suddenly locked and people were unexpectedly forced to improvise and work from home.

For the first few weeks many people were able to seemingly “get away” with these poor ergonomic conditions but gradually over the ensuing weeks there has been a rise in neck, back and shoulder complaints as well as other repetitive and postural strain injuries. The problem with these types of injuries under these

circumstances is that they are sneaky. Peo-ple think they are getting away with it, but these problems creep up over time. At this point, it appears that many people may be continuing to work from home so here are a few things to consider.

By design, laptop computers are a poor ergonomic choice from the start. With the keyboard directly attached to the monitor it is impossible to set the monitor and keyboard heights in the proper location. If the monitor is at the correct position for your eyes, neck and shoulders then the keyboard is probably way too high for your hands, arms and shoulders. Of course, lowering the computer only has the opposite effect by putting it too low for

your eyes, neck and shoulders. What can be done? The first and easiest way to start to rectify this is to obtain a separate, external keyboard. Many are wireless, making them even easier to use. Once the laptop and the key-board are no longer attached it is easy to start to create a more ergonomic station.

By placing the laptop on top of a stack of books the ideal viewing height can be achieved. Stack the books until the top line of text is roughly even with your horizontal gaze as you sit or stand in a good postural position. Hopefully, the table or desk top that you are using is not too high. Ideally, your elbows should be comfortably by your side with the keyboard only 2 inches or so above your lap. A good alternative is to simply rest the keyboard directly on your lap if the table

top is too high. In addition to a separate keyboard, a separate mouse is helpful. Again, having it too high on the table top or in a position that causes you to have to reach for it can put extra strain on your shoulder and arm. Something called a track ball mouse can allow for more flexibility in positioning the mouse.

The absence of a good ergonomic chair at home can be a big contributor to neck but also back pain. One choice is to use pillows propped behind you to support the lower back. It might also be necessary to have a step stool or an additional stack of books to place your feet on if you find your feet dangling above the ground. A great option is a standing work station. Often a kitchen island or a bar height table can be very helpful. Again, stacking extra books to place the laptop on can help you adjust to get the correct monitor height. Another good idea is to wear some good supportive shoes especially if you are going to opt for a standing work station.

As always, trying to change positions frequently and taking the time for breaks to move is important. As the world around you begins to open up, chiroprac-tors, physiotherapists and massage therapists are now opening their clinics and are prepared to help you with the extra aches and pains that working from home may have created. Make an appointment and let one of them help you.

November, 2017 E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 37

HEALTHY LIVINGEVERYDAY HEALTH

Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as the “sun-shine vitamin” as much of the vitamin D we need comes from sun exposure. As the dark winter months approach, it is important to learn about the importance of Vitamin D and how our colder northern climate may be impacting your life.

The “sunshine vitamin” is involved in a myriad of functions in our bodies including cell growth and metabolism as well as immune system function. In fact, vitamin D receptors are found in almost ev-ery cell and tissue. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis, asthma, autoimmune dis-eases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, disturbed muscle func-tion, and lowered immune system function.

Many people are aware that Vitamin D is very important for the growth, development and main-tenance of our bones. Vitamin D3 supplementa-tion has been well established as an important component in the prevention of osteoporosis in adults. Children may be susceptible to developing a bone softening disease called rickets if they do not have sufficient levels of vitamin D. The Cana-dian Paediatric Society recommends a vitamin D intake of 800 IU (international units) for infants in the first year in far northern communities and 400 IU per day in the more southern regions of Canada. The Institute of Medicine recommends 200 IU per day for children between the ages of one and eight.

Besides the classic function of Vitamin D in helping to support the skeletal system, more and more evidence is mounting that it also plays a role in immune system function. Individuals with lower vitamin D levels may be more susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections. A study in Finland of 800 military recruits found that those with lower vitamin D levels lost significantly more days from active duty due to upper respiratory tract infections than recruits with higher vitamin D levels. There have also been studies that suggest a greater susceptibility to contracting influenza when vitamin D levels are not sufficient to sup-port the immune system.

More recently, there has been mounting research

that indicates a possible link between Vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of acquiring mul-tiple sclerosis (MS). MS has been shown to be much more prevalent in higher latitudes where sunlight is of a lower intensity than in lower lati-tudes. Canada is one of the countries with the highest incidence of MS worldwide. Interesting-ly, the amount of sunlight exposure is very impor-tant during childhood and adolescence. Even the amount of sunlight exposure of the mother while she is pregnant may have implications related to vitamin D status and the risk of developing MS.

As we enter the month of November, our expo-sure to sunlight of course decreases. Unfortunate-ly, this is one of the major sources of vitamin D. A cross sectional study done by Health Canada indicated that about 40% of Canadians fell below the minimum recommended levels of vitamin D needed for optimal bone health during the win-ter months. Keep in mind this is only looking at one component, specifically bone health. The im-mune system component that we have discussed may require greater amounts of vitamin D than is required for minimum bone health. The good news is that besides sun exposure we can also increase our vitamin D levels through diet and supplementation.

As we progress through the winter months it is important to pay attention to the amount of vi-tamin D that you are getting to help you to fight off the common infections during the cold and flu season. Foods that are sources for vitamin D include fish especially salmon, fortified foods such as orange juice, and dairy products and eggs. Supplementa-tion with a good qual-ity vitamin D product and even good old fashion cod liver oil may also be a good idea.

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

Dr. Greg Johnston is a Chiropractor and partner in Family Health Options Treatment & Resources Centre in St.Thomas

“Sunshine vitamin” boosts immunity

Dr. Greg Johnston is a Chiropractor and partner in Family Health Options Treatment & Resources Centre in St.Thomas

HEALTHY LIVING

EVERYDAY HEALTH


The New 3 Rs■ by Kevin Jackson

When I was growing up the three R’s were reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic. Obviously spell-ing for my generation was not a high priority. During these trying times of global pandemic, I’d like to say that the new 3 Rs are reinvent, restart and recovery.

Reinvent: That business plan that you worked so hard to develop, maintain and evolve needs to be reconsidered. The rules have changed and it’s time to have a good hard review of what your business looks like. Obviously, some aspects of your business will remain the same, but many will be forced to look different as we move for-ward. Additional social media, a new brand of marketing, and for many, a whole new delivery model will have to be considered. Storefront operations may become online operations. A blend of storefront and online might be most appropriate. Manufacturing might need to be re-examined as well. How close does one person work next to another? How many people on a given work shift at one time? There are so many uncertainties with respect to COVID-19 recov-ery that the future must be not only considered in your planning, but your business model must be more fluid and flexible.

Never before have entrepreneurs faced such an uncertain future. So, this is why planning is more important than ever. Look at your business model and try to figure out how it fits with the

“new normal”; some aspects will, some aspects will not. It’s up to you to sort that all out if you want to be successful in 2020, 2021 and beyond. You will need to build in the possibility of a future shutdown like what we’ve had this year. You’ll need to understand how that can happen and how you can stay relevant and profitable.

Restart: Consideration must also be given to when you fully restart your business. Some of

you will have been able to operate during the pandemic in a reduced manner while others have had to shut down altogether. Being aware of government policies regarding reopening is imperative; both from a legal standpoint and a conscientious standpoint. It’s important that we obey and adhere to the rules provided by the government for our business restarts. New budgets will have to be drafted to include

things like PPE and workplace adap-tations. This is not easy when already financially strapped, but absolutely nec-essary to move forward.

Recovery: What does recovery in your industry look like? Sadly, some business-es will not recover. The truth is that this shutdown has been too harsh for many small businesses. This is when you may want to go back to the first R and reinvent yourself. If you are truly an entrepreneur in spirit, this is a chance for a fourth R. It’s a chance for you to be reborn as an entrepreneur. Learn from this extreme situation and develop a new business plan that will survive the next crisis. Easy

to say, I know, but restarting and reinventing is what entrepreneurs are extremely good at. Adapting to the society and the conditions around you to morph your ideas into some-

thing that you can restart and reinvigorate. One of our Board Directors, Helen Haddow

said it best to me in a recent conversation. To paraphrase, she said that as horrible as this sit-uation is, the most positive thing going forward is what we learn from this pandemic. We must take any positive lessons from this so we can move forward and adapt our world.

This is a very tough time for small businesses, medium-size businesses and large businesses. It is important to consider the new 3 Rs. Just reacting to the crisis is not enough; planning is the key to a better future.

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If you wish to have a public service in the future, then we would accommodate that at a later date at no extra charge.

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Kevin Jackson is the General Manager of the Elgin Business Resource Centre with offices in Aylmer, St. Thomas and Port Stanley.

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School boards to decide education delivery■ by Rob Perry

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Friday, June 19, that each school board in the province would decide what education would look like in their juris-diction come September.

No matter what, though, he promised parents would have the option of continuing to keep children at home and using “distance learning” instead of re-turning to classrooms.

As more parents head back to work as Ontario’s economy re-opens, he said, “I know the return to school is top of mind for families across the province.”

He said he understood being away from friends and extracurricular activities hadn’t been easy for students. “I know kids are eager to get back into the classroom, and parents are looking for guidance for the plans this fall.

“But it must be done safely, and it must be done

under the right conditions.”The provincial government couldn’t offer a blanket

solution that fit all of Ontario, he said, so a regional approach would be taken.

The government would work with every school board and public health officials to tailor individual plans across Ontario.

Classroom learning could return, he said, but only on “cohorts” involving a maximum of 15 students, being taught as much as possible by one educator.

Those cohorts would be able to mix freely and be in close contact with each other, but not with other stu-dents, he said. They would attend school either every other day, or every other week.

“The fact is, this virus remains a threat, and the health and safety of our children will always remain top of mind.”

Another option would be continuing distance learn-

ing for an entire board, which was put in place after schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March, or a mix of classroom and distancing learning.

“Our plan ensures whether you live in St. Thomas or Mississauga, Ottawa or Kenora, rural or urban Ontario, school boards have the flexibility to choose what works for their students, their schools and their teachers.”

He added, “If you don’t feel comfortable, if you’re worried about children returning to school, we’ll keep at-home learning available.”

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said what the government has heard loud and clear from parents was “You want to be in the driver’s seat, and you want to have a choice.”

To facilitate the new learning environment in Sep-tember, the provincial government is giving school boards an additional $730-million in funding this year.

They would also receive $10-million more for mental health, $15-million for technology including 37,000 electronic devices that could access the Internet, and $4-million for additional cleaning measures.

Special education classes would also receive additional funding, and he as-sured parents that students with “signif-icant needs” would be accommodated in classrooms all week.

He acknowledged working parents would still have to find ways to look after their children on the days they weren’t at school, or if they continued exclusively with distance learning.

However, he said, the health and safe-ty of children had to trump those needs.

He predicted that summer day camps might be extended into fall as a possible solution.

Within a couple of hours of the pro-vincial announcement, Thames Valley District School Board said it would be using a high school and an elementary school in London to test public health measures necessary to allow a return to classroom education of some form this September.

The board stated that planning on class scheduling with modified sizes and using “alternate learning spaces such as gyms” was underway, as was the possi-ble blend of online learning alternating with days at school.

TVDSB Education Director Mark Fisher said, “We will be working closely with public health officials and using these test schools to develop our plans to submit to the Ministry (of Education).

“We will also be taking photos and videos to share with families to help everyone understand what school may look like in the fall, as well as the process for entering and leaving school build-ings.”

Saunders Secondary School and Ea-gle Heights Public School, among the largest of the board’s 161 schools, were chosen as summer test sites for physical distancing, including the use of pro-tective barriers, directional signage and floor markers, enhanced cleaning and alternative classroom configurations.


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What Will the Food Industry Look Like after COVID-19?■ by Jacqueline Demendeev

The food sector has been especially hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and many spots have had to radically change how they work. Each phase has meant a new way of working for these businesses. Whether it’s opening a new distanced patio, or continuing take-out and de-livery service as the primary model for sales, all these changes are sure to have a lasting impact on the industry.

At Western University, a new laboratory has opened to help research this impact. Led by Dr. Jason Gilliland, the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory (HEAL) is joining a grow-ing group of community partners to help bring the FRESHER Project to life.

The Food Retail Environment Study for Health and Economic Resiliency (FRESHER) project is a study that will explore the effects of COVID-19 on the retail food environment across urban, suburban, and rural contexts. This evidence will be useful for policymakers to assess the impacts of COVID-19 financial support programs on business survival and

adjust policies and pro-grams to ensure Ontario’s food security during future pandemics and emergency situations.

This research will iden-tify the struggles faced by business owners and op-erators, and their current and former employees, as well as the variety of strat-egies that they have used to keep their businesses from closing. It will also identify responses by governments, BIA’s and other organizations to the COVID-19 crisis, exploring how these policies and pro-grams have contributed to the resiliency of food retail businesses.

The results of this research will be made pub-lic to help inform the community, and an ad-ditional community tool is also on its way. The research team is striving to create a map of food retailers who are offering modified services, so residents can see and support the businesses who need it most while making their food and dining choices.

Are you an employee or owner of a restau-rant, takeout, bakery café, grocers, bar, pub, brewer, market vendor, or other food retailer? If you are interested in participating in their study, we invite you to complete their survey of employees and busi-ness owners at gofresh-er.theheal.ca.

You can keep up to date about the study (and view the map when it’s released) at fresher.theheal.ca or following along on Twitter and Instagram via @fresher_canada.

Jacqueline Demendeev is the Communications Manager at the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board.


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After months spent indoors, protecting their fam-ilies from the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and guardians want to make summer memories with their children while keeping them safe. With the virus still active in many communities, its import-ant to balance children’s mental and physical health needs with the necessity of practicing the public health measures that keep the virus at bay.

Southwestern Public Health suggests parents think back to their own childhoods in the 70s, 80s and 90s and draw from their own experiences: water balloon battles, sidewalk chalk art, backyard cam-pouts and looking for fireflies. “Low touch” activities such as tennis, badminton, soccer are all good ideas – just sanitize your equipment before and after use. All these activities have the benefit of get children moving their bodies outdoors and as a bonus they are inexpensive and easy on the environment too!

Live near water? Kayaks, canoes, and paddle-boards provide hours of fun on the water and offer built in physical distancing (as do bike riding and roller blading). Area beaches are open, as are munic-ipal splashpads and wading pools. Stay safe by phys-

ical distancing, using hand sanitizer before and after eating and after using public washrooms, and by limiting your length of stay to avoid overcrowding. Avoid sharing toys and snacks and consider taking your own lunch and drinks so that you can skip long lineups with your kids.

For some higher tech fun for those rainy days, consider a virtual visit to a zoo or aquarium, or conduct an at-home science experiment (find some great ideas online with the Ontario Science Centre).

Indoor activities such as watching movies and sharing snacks are higher risk and should be avoid-ed with people outside of your social circle. Have you ever been to a drive in movie? This is the perfect summer to treat your family to this fun experience – in the safety of your own vehicle!

SAFE FAMILY FUN | Enjoying Summer, Despite the Pandemic

Left picture, Central Elgin Deputy Mayor Tom Marks, left, Councillor Dennis Crevits, Kettle Creek Conservation Authority Water Conservation Supervisor Jennifer Dow and Cr. Colleen Row watched as Mayor Sally Martyn raised a “Blue Flag” over Port Stanley’s beach when it reopened to the public on Monday morning, June 22. She said that in addition to the usual environmental issues that had to be satisfied to qualify for “Blue Flag” status each year, Central Elgin has also had to take additional precautions over the COVID-19 pandemic, including warning signs (right picture). (AE/Rob Perry)

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Rinse fillets with cold water and pat dry with paper towel.

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A boat crosses under the King George VI Lift Bridge in Port Stanley amid the reconstruction on June 4. The construction is expected to be completed by May 2021. In the meantime, “to the extent possible,” at least one leaf of the bridge is to remain open to allow in-water traffic. (AE/Veronica Reiner)

King George VI Lift Bridge ReconstructionThe $5.25-million rehabilitation construction project is underway on the

King George VI Lift Bridge in Port Stanley. The work began this spring and is expected to be completed in May 2021.

The bridge is closed to all traffic for the duration of the project. Motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians are required to take an alternate route through the village to get between downtown and the beach. Resident, business, and beach access will be available via Warren Street (CR 21) to Carlow Road (CR 20) and back to Bridge Street (CR 4).

Boat passage under the bridge is to remain open as much as possible. County of Elgin information on the project states, “To the extent possible, at least one leaf of the bridge will remain open to allow in-water traffic clear passage ... Warning signs will be posted for watercraft who need to be aware construction work is ongoing.”


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Investment Capital Gains and Losses■ by Ellen Luft

In simple terms, a capital gain is the difference between the purchase price and the sale of an asset or investment such as a stock, bond or mutual fund. In other words, it is the increase in value of the as-set. If you sell an asset for less than what you bought it for, you end up with a capital loss.

If you sell an investment and end up with a resulting capital gain (you made money), you have to pay taxes on that capital gain. Currently you have to include half of the gain in your income and pay tax at your marginal tax rate. If you have capital losses (you lost money), they can offset your capital gains for that year or they can be carried back three years to offset any taxes you previously paid on capital gains. They also can be carried forward indefinitely to offset capital gains in the future.

Three pieces of information are required to report a capital gain or loss. The proceeds

is the selling price of the investment, the costs incurred on the sale and the adjusted cost base (ACB) which is the cost of the investment, plus costs such as commission on the purchase. To arrive at your capital gain, you subtract the ad-justed cost base and the costs incurred on the sale of the proceeds.

In some situations a capital gain or loss can be triggered without actually selling an invest-

ment. You may need to report capital gains from mutual funds even if you don’t sell them. By selling in-vestments held within the mutual fund the manager can trigger gains or losses. You will receive your portion of gains or losses based on how many shares or units of the fund you own. You will receive a

tax slip (T3 or T5) from the Fund Compa-ny outlining these gains or losses.

If you transfer an investment into your RRSP, you will have to pay taxes on any capital gains from the date of purchase to the date of transfer. The fair market value is used as the amount of the contribution and the proceeds for calculating the capital gain. A transfer of an investment with a loss will not create a usable taxable loss.

Most mutual fund companies will allow the investor to switch from one fund to another. This is considered a sell and a buy and capital gains or losses created must

be reported. This can be avoided by buying a special class of mutual funds.

The CRA does not want people to artificially create capital losses to be used to offset capital gains. The superficial loss rule states that if an investment is sold at a loss and repurchased by the taxpayer within 30 days, the loss will not be allowed for tax purposes.

It is the investment owner’s responsibility to consider and report all capital gains and losses due to investment activity. Working with a Fi-nancial Planner can help to focus on minimiz-ing capital gains as every investment decision should be made with some consideration to the tax consequences.


FINANCIAL PLANNING

This information has been prepared by Ellen Luft who is an Investment Advisor for HollisWealth®. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the Investment Advisor only and do not necessarily reflect those of HollisWealth. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the

Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.


Living Forward■ by Jim Innes

Despite the challenging times and all the weighty news of violated peoples, we must live forward. By living forward, I mean, despite all circumstances staying hopeful and creatively active.

One major obstacle to this ‘living forward’ is that the magnitude of some struggles tends to have us pessimistic about our ability to change anything. And many of us are confused as to whether we are part of the problem.

Despite the obstacles, through the struggles of others, we become increasingly aware that the status quo will no longer cut it. Someone, or some circumstance, or some current failure, needed to be addressed yesterday.

We live in an interconnected system that shifts to-gether, falls together, and rises together. One person’s joy elevates us, and another’s can equally decimate us. And because we are all in the process of growth and change (moving towards en-lightenment), our ignorance will cause others to suffer. Our redemp-tion will cause others to be free.

The weight of our shared hu-manity is enormous. This weight is frustrating. We don’t always know what to do (maybe less often than we admit). It is a weight borne by the victim(s), and those not wanting to victimize. And I believe this frustrating weight (or perhaps better stated as confusion) creates most inertia around social change.

This inertia around social issues is dangerous energy. It can be seen as apathy and stir up hate and vi-olence. Such reactions cycle back on themselves. Instead of being aware of (and then freed from) our confusions, we become lost in more intricate issues, increasing our inertia. Apathy is real. We must watch for its insidious non-action. But apathy might not be the reason some do not act.

It takes faith to manage these systemic issues. Faith believes life is more than individual experiences (or the needs of a small collective of a ‘chosen’ race) running amuck looking for ways to stay ahead and prosper. There is an interconnected order to things. And this order has a creative rationale that is, in my experience, based on compassion. It can be aptly called “our shared humanity.”

Christian literature is filled with stories of compassion. Many of these stories speak to courage; the courage to step outside the ‘norm’. Such courage gives as needed, in-stead of as deserving. In many ways, this is my attraction to the life of Jesus and his early disciples.

Jesus and his disciples acted from their hearts. There was not a

question as to right and wrong, only a question as to what is loving and needed. For them, politics be damned. And though they struggled a bit to know

who to reach out to, in the end, it was their mission (and purpose in life) to increase the health of every person they encountered.

Jesus and the disciples ‘lived forward’ by unclut-tering their minds with worry. They didn’t eat up their energy or time with imagining the worst and planning avoidances. They risked failure. And they put themselves in harm’s way.

As I see it, ‘living forward,’ is a matter of living with compassion. It will take courage, but as we place one foot in front of the other, and risk fail-ure and criticism, we will discover energy, hope, and creativity.

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INNESAS I SEE IT

shame. Some of this shame arises within us (the bears) when we have been a little scary to others. But a lot of shame can be provoked in others (the bear’s friends) who take our growls to

Jim Innes is a clinically trained therapist who�served for many years as a priest at St. John’s Anglican in St. Thomas.

Jim Innes is a clinically trained therapist who served for many years as a priest at St. John’s Anglican in St. Thomas.

This inertia around social issues

is dangerous energy


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LESSONS FROM – AND ABOUT – FICTION■ by Duncan Watterworth

Okay fiction lovers, I hear you! And I think I get it. Last month I wrote that I don’t read much fiction,

preferring to extend my knowledge of the world via non-fiction. My fiction-loving friend Mark had chid-ed me for being unfamiliar with the great American novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and for being blind to the value of fiction in general. To bring me along, he bought me the book.

Ever since the column hit the streets, friends have been praising the book’s inspirational value. Now I have read and enjoyed it myself. Thank you all; you were right. And I may have learned some lessons be-yond the book, as well.

My old friend Shelley, who studied Russian litera-ture, and was Matron of Honour at my wedding, has read a novel per week since she was in her twenties.

She weighed in with an email extolling the value of fiction. “I agree with Mark”, she said. “[Some of my favourite novelists] have taught me more about life, filtered and shaped through their art, than my take alone could ever embrace. Reading fine literary work expands one’s breadth of understanding beyond our individual capacity and openness to learn and grow.”

I have an analytical mind, and I’ve always thought it was more efficient to take my information and truth straight up, unencumbered by plot lines and charac-ters. Non-fiction books are to be studied, the main ideas highlighted in yellow.

But Shelley’s pretty wise; was it possible I have been missing something by forgoing fiction?

Since reading Mark’s Mockingbird gift while in COVID isolation, I’ve read Hosseini’s “A Thou-sand Splendid Suns”, set in Afghanistan, a country I backpacked through in 1972, and Vanderhae-ghe’s “The Last Crossing”, set in 1880s western Canada and U.S.A. Good books both. I picked them up a couple years ago on a whim in a used book store. They probably would have sat forever on my shelf if not for COVID, and the fiction vs. non-fiction kerfuffle from my column.

I bragged to Shelley about having read the two good novels. I figured there might only be one book set in Afghanistan. But Shelley knew there are a number of Afghani writers of note whose fiction has won global awards. And Guy Vander-

haeghe is one of her favourite Canadian authors. Shelley praised “some gritty fiction coming out of

Newfoundland”. I asked for names, and she replied with “Sweetland”, “River Thieves”, “The Wreckage”,

and “The Innocents”, all by Michael Crummey. She said he is “outstanding…but you have to steel yourself for his unromanticized take on the setting”. And Lisa Moore “has the same tough streak”.

Armed with these names, Barb and I headed over to the Goodwill Used Bookstore in south London. I felt adventure and serendipity in this first shopping excursion in three months – in search of fiction, no less! We scored two Crummeys, two Michael Winters (another NFLD author), and a couple other reads.

Now we are settled into isolation and fiction at the cottage. I’m half-way through Crummey’s “River Thieves”, caught up in the struggles and perspectives of fishing outpost inhabitants, class-conscious Brits, and Beothuk natives in the early 1800s. And yes, I am highlighting select insights and turns of phrase.

Writers and journalists have always contended that we learn best through stories, where ideas are adorned with emotions, images, people. Perhaps evolution has hardwired this through eons of evenings around the campfire. I admit I have noticed, reading at night, that non-fiction puts me to sleep, but fiction keeps me awake.

Maybe you can teach an old dog new reading habits.

Duncan Watterworth is a life-long resident of Elgin County and a retired lawyer. He can be reached at [email protected]


Brad Jones – Your Neighbourhood Needle NetworkBrad Jones performs a public cleaning service

that few are willing to do – anywhere, for any price.

Every day for almost two years he’s been walking the tracks, alleys and dark corners in St. Thomas’s downtown, collecting used needles and other drug paraphernalia scattered on the ground. His pay is whatever donations he can scare up from time to time, though he’s been grateful for an outpouring of support from some generous community members.

Mr. Jones, who goes by “Mr. Jones” said he was motivated to start cleaning up his city – in which he says he can trace back his family history for over a hundred years – after he came across discarded needles while walking in September of 2018. He was disappointed when it took over two hours for police to come and safely dispose of the hazardous materials.

Since then he says he, with help from a few

volunteers, has cleaned up over 1,600 needles. He knows because he keeps a spreadsheet of the quantity and location of all his stops. He wears safety boots and bright orange safety gloves that resist punctures, donated to him by supporters of his efforts. He puts needles in plastic “sharps” containers, of which there are several in his backpack. “I’m willing to keep this town protected,” he says, “I’m here to help clean up.”

Mr. Jones doesn’t blame the drug users who discard the needles, as often their troubles are much more complex and involve a combination of addiction, homelessness and men-tal health needs. “It’s such a screwed up system,” he said of the way addicts and homeless interact with health care and the justice system. “So many

people are hurting in the community, but so many other people aren’t hurting and could be doing more,” he noted.

While he’s the only one doing what he’s doing in the area, he wondered why it should be up to volunteers to clean the needles and keep the areas safe. He questioned the wisdom of some com-munity outreach programs that give out free needles to anyone who asks. While that might promote clean needle use, it also can lead to more discarded needles. He wondered instead about enforcing an exchange, where turning in a needle gets a new one.

One time he collected 207 needles, dumped near Flora Street, on a call from someone who came across them.

He hands out business cards all over town, en-couraging anyone to call if they see something that needs to be handled. He filmed a video of

that find and posted it online – as he does with several other clean-up efforts, documenting what might otherwise be hard to believe.

Ultimately, he’s hoping to turn his volunteer work into a business and has been working to-ward that lately including outlining a business plan with professional advisors. He said a better business model would be for someone or an organization to call and hire him for the service, by the hour.

Until then, he’s been counting on donations from the community to cover his costs and is otherwise only supported by ODSP income. He noted the generosity of the residents though, in-cluding Mayor Joe Preston, the city firefighters’ union and a successful GoFundMe drive.

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Funeral Director Licensed


Allan HughsonOwner


Gary HughsonOwner


Ali (Hughson)Harris

Pre-Planner


Funeral Director


Funeral Director




Allan HughsonOwner


Gary HughsonOwner


Ali (Hughson)Harris

Pre-Planner


Funeral Director


Funeral Director



Please be Safe & Healthy to protect against the COVID-19 virus

Brad Jones, left, known as “Mr. Jones”, who cleans up discarded needles mostly around downtown St. Thomas, checks in on anyone he comes across. In this case it was Ron Hodges. Mr. Jones said Mr. Hodges had helped him before when he needed it.

Your Neighbourhood Needle Network, run by St. Thomas native Brad Jones, is available seven days a week to clean up needles or other drug paraphernalia found outside where it could be a safety hazard. His costs are only covered by donations from community members, and himself. “I’m here to help,” he says.

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To Market, To Market Different times inspire a different ......quickly becoming totally responsible for run-ning the market. The ÒvirtualÓ part of the market refers to the order