September 2013

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• Dorothy Gebert Serene water lilies Page 6 & 7 • Elizabeth VanHooren Seriously Page 29 • Duncan Watterworth Thumbs up? Page 30 September, 2013

ELGIN THIS MONTH

St. Thomas Crime Stoppers: Millions recovered in its 25-year history Cover story: Page 3 1

Crime Stoppers of St. Thomas Celebrates 25 Years! Participate in our 2013 Bail or Jail

September 26th and 27th at Geerlinks Home Hardware Be a “Detainee� (or persuade someone to be a “Detainee�) and the release from “Jail� will be determined by money collected previously by “Bail Pledges� or by phoning friends and relatives for bail money while you in jail. We will be Rewarding the “Detainee� who brings in the highest amount of collected pledges on the day they go to “Jail� with a very special prize.

it’s all about

YOU!

Call Constable Heather White at (519) 631-1224, ext 153 to get involved.

1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

We simply want you to have the best carbuying experience possible. After all, we you want the best. want your business, and

www.stthomascrimestoppers.ca

We Couldn’t do it without the support of the Community Supporting Our Community

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The St.Thomas Police Services Board & Members of the St.Thomas Police Service are Proud Community Partners with Crime Stoppers for 25 Years. ST. THOMAS POLICE 30 St. Catharine Street St.Thomas, ON N5P 2V8 519-631-1364 www.stps.on.ca 2

PROUD SUPPORTER OF CRIME STOPPERS

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September, 2013

Crime Stoppers recovers millions in property, drugs 25th anniversary celebrated with Bail or Jail by Terry Carroll

On September 28, St. Thomas Crime Stoppers is celebrating its 25th anniversary of community service with its Bail or Jail fundraiser, running again this year at Geerlinks Home Hardware in St. Thomas. It’s Crime Stoppers’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The second largest is a spring golf tournament. St. Thomas Crime Stoppers fundraises for $20,000 to $25,000 annually. Its operating budget is very small, since St. Thomas Police Services supplies office space and the loan of an officer, and three St. Thomas dealerships loan a vehicle annually in rotation. As a result, the local Crime Stoppers organization only has to fund basic office expenses and telephone. Most of the money raised goes to tipsters. Volunteers are involved in awareness activities such as high school presentations, posters around the community, involvement with St. Thomas Fire Muster and a St. Thomas Star Night. Former Crime Stoppers Police Coordinator Katherine McNeil runs a “Beat the Heat” fun event and fundraiser at St. Thomas Raceway in Sparta. A sub-group of volunteers called the Friends of Crime Stoppers assist with many of these activities. In addition, the organization receives public donations, sometimes spontaneously, from local donors. The local Crime Stoppers has been a consistent

Crime Stoppers Board of Directors meeting in August included: (Back left) Grant Hughson, Grant Hardman, Carrie Riddell, Terry Ronald and Cst. Scott Jones. (Front left) Georg Bisanz, Karen Clark, Shannon Gillis, Lynne Riddell, Colleen Burns and Liz Doerksen.

award winner, with one of the most prestigious awards going to Board member Carrie Riddell for his work in setting up a Crime Stoppers program in Afghanistan, one that utilized disposable cell phones for tipsters. St. Thomas Crime Stoppers was launched September 28, 1988 by the Chairman of the Police Commission, Janet Golding. Representatives from what was then Allview Cable attended the Commission meeting to tape the official kick-off of the new program. During the first 25 years of St. Thomas Crime Stoppers, volunteers allocated $152,430 to tipsters, resulting in a recovery of $8,482,300 in property and $7,425,233 in narcotics. Arrests due to tips in that time totaled 855, and 1,072 cases have been closed. These are all local statistics. Such achievements keep volunteers like Crime Stoppers president Grant Hughson and vice president Kelly Payner pumped about the organization and this year’s Bail or Jail. Kelly says the Geerlinks management and staff “promote the event all the way through” and Grant calls it “an ideal location.” The St. Thomas Crime Stoppers Board of Directors has 15 members, all volunteers. In addition, St. Thomas Police Constable Heather White acts as Crime Stoppers coordinator, and Constable Scott Jones from Aylmer is an advisor from that town. Grant says the anonymity of tips is maintained because all callers are assigned a number when they contact Crime Stoppers. That number is used right through the process. If the tip proves to be a good one, the payout is in cash at an assigned location where the tipster identifies himself or herself by the original number assigned. Kelly points out that “Not every tip leads to an arrest immediately. It can take months.” She adds that every tip is important, no matter how small. “If you see a person acting suspiciously, or a strange activity, call it in. It could result in something bigger.” Originally and most famously, almost everything was done by telephone to 519-631-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). In addition to telephone, tips can now be registered by text, email or web text. Since these new avenues have been offered, the local Crime Stoppers has received 482 web tips. The maximum payout is $2,000.

Elgin This Month General Manager Terry Carroll Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley

According to an OPP Tip Sheet, “Crime Stoppers is based on the simple principle that for every crime committed, someone othConstable Heather White, Crime er than the Stoppers Police Coordinator. criminal has information that might solve it. Crime Stoppers is the brainchild of a Canadian-born Albuquerque, New Mexico police detective Greg MacAleese. In 1976, MacAleese was assigned to a gas station robbery that resulted in the senseless murder of a young service station attendant. Frustrated by the lack of information that would assist in the investigation, MacAleese realized that the two prohibitions against the public coming forward in a criminal investigation were fear of reprisal and general societal apathy. “He reasoned if he was to offer complete anonymity to address the fear of reprisal and a cash reward to overcome apathy, this and other criminal cases might be brought to a successful conclusion. He approached the local media and re-enacted the crime on local cable television, hoping this would prompt members of the public to call in on a special ‘tips’ line with information concerning this crime. It worked as the crime was solved, as a direct result of the tips MacAleese received.” Today, some 900 Crime Stoppers programs operate around the world, with 107 in Canada and 38 in Ontario. People can register for this year’s local Bail or Jail through Crime Stopper’s website, Facebook or by calling Constable Heather White at 519-6311364 x 153. Cover photo (left to right): President of Crime Stoppers Grant Hughson, St. Thomas, Inspector Chris Herridge and Deputy Chief Jeff Driedger. Constable Herridge was arrested for Bail or Jail, charged with the crime of mixing whites with colours in the laundry. Cover photo by Philip Bell, Shutter Studios

Advertising Sales Manager Nelson Parreira Graphic Design / Production Metroland Media Group Sales Representative Greg Minnema

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

Published monthly by Metroland Media Group Ltd., 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm September, 2013

ELGIN THIS MONTH

3

INNES As I see It

Zen and the art of motorcycle meditation by Jim Innes Have you ever wondered why one holiday was so much better then another? If so, perhaps the answer lies in the emotional energy we brought to them. As I ponder this idea, I'm on vacation motorcycling through northern Quebec, over to the eastern Provinces. I'm passing from one awesome postcard into another, exploring coastal regions and a few inland historic sites. Currently I'm 'overlooking the fields of Cavendish' outside the home of Anne of Green Gables on PEI. Yesterday I was in Sydney NS after traveling around Cabot Trail. Excellent time except back at the hotel, I felt angered by an overpriced meal. A small stress. Some would wouldn't even flinch. But not me. It darkened my mood for the next half hour. I detest the feeling of being ripped off but I'm not quite sure why I was so intensely affected. My attitude was not quite aligned with the striking beauty and natural awe that are the Cape Britain Highlands. This was humbling as I've always preached that the inner journey is as important as the outer, perhaps even more so. When we are in touch with our inner process we can more easily address the outer journey with controlled thought and behaviour. When we are in touch with our inner process, we have the ability to choose the lens through which we define our experience. Which means having the ability to make or break any holiday cess is vital in having a sense of balance with those experience. The day around Cabot Trail began in hard rain. things around us. Doesn't mean we have to have It stayed that way for most of the morning and all our issues ordered and clear. Just that we need tapered off somewhat by lunch. I couldn't focus to make room for what we can understand; to be on much beyond the driving as the road's wind- somewhat conscious of what is mucking about ing steep angles were slippery to manage. I made inside. To make room for this enables us to match our the best of it by spending time in lookouts. That needs with our choices and create manageable stop-and-go pace opened me to the mesmerizing (almost unfathomable) panoramic depths of the situations and boundaries. Including what we choose to do on our holidays; hills, the lively salty sea rain, how we choose to interpret our and the rich damp smells of experience; and who we choose the wet woods. I was enchantto spend that time with (if any“ enchanted by the ed by the island's uninhibited one). sensuality. island’s uninhibited As I weave an awesome tapesIn my experience, to be in sensuality” try on this bike trip, I know that touch with our inner pro-

my inner process orchestrates my pleasure just as much as the beauty around me. Our inner process include all our natural biases, emotional triggers, inhibited and unstated Be much moreideas, effective, healthy truths. It includes our relational conflicts and all happy all aspects those things thatand niggle at ourinsense of well beof your daily life. ing. counseling is As I see it … Successful to be fully present and to therapy the world process thatpresent benefits to from around us, wea collaborative must learn to be fully thethe active participation of clients and therapist. world inside ourselves.

You do have options

Jim Jim Innes is Innes a clinically trainedCounselling therapist and A clinically trained and a priest at St. John’s experienced Individual Anglican Church & Couples Therapist

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September, 2013

STEGH Foundation Chair Affair

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING

A message from Honorary Chair Steve Peters It’s a privilege to participate in this year’s Chair Affair – a new signature event for the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation. Since 1892, our Hospital has provided a critical role in the life – and health – of Elgin County residents. For most of us, the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital has been the place we’ve relied

on for medical expertise any hour of the day or night, not only for ourselves, but for our friends, family members and other loved ones. This year’s Chair Affair will not only support the need to fundraise for direct patient care but will celebrate the artistic expression of talented people from across the County who have donated their time and talents to help their community hospital. Proceeds from this year’s Chair Affair are being directed to Mental Health, and we are raising funds to provide ‘comfort’ items that will make someone’s experience, or stay, at our Hospital comfortable, safe and dignified, and focused on their needs. About the Chair Affair The Chair Affair celebrates the artistic expression of artists, designers, upholsterers and crafters using something quite simple (and recyclable!) ‌ chairs. It’s an event that is bringing individuals and local businesses together, including people like you. Local businesses are participating as event sponsors and/or entering the myFM 94.1 Muskoka Chair Corporate Challenge. Individuals including area artists – many of whom represent organizations such as the Port Stanley Artists Guild, the St. Thomas Elgin Artists

Guild, the Association of Port Stanley Artists, the Portside Gallery of Port Stanley, and the Art Emporium of Port Stanley – are donating their time and talents to create oneof-a-kind chairs. On Saturday, October 26, a public silent auction Honorary Chair of both individual chairs Steve Peters and Muskoka chairs will be held at the CASO Station throughout the day, with a Gala and live auction of up to ten chairs to be held in the evening. Along with my role as Honorary Chair, I will assist with the duties of Auctioneer – and I can’t wait! This is going to be a great event, and I hope you will join us. For additional information, please contact the Foundation Office at 519-6312030, ext. 2727, or visit steghfoundation.ca.

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LIFESTYLE In The Garden

The enchantment of water lilies by Dorothy Gebert

When my husband and I were dating many years ago, he had hanging over his couch a large print of a Claude Monet painting called “Water Lilies.� It was a very calm, serene image of diffused flowers floating on water, mostly in shades of blue. I can’t remember what happened to that print after we got married, but recently I thought it would be neat to see the picture again and looked on the Internet to find it. To my great surprise, I discovered that Monet had not created just one painting called “Water Lilies,� but 250 of them! Over the course of 30 years, from 1897 to 1927, he became so fascinated with these flowers at his home at Giverny that he made them the focus of his work.

“it’s about serenity.� But it’s not just French Impressionist painters who are entranced by water lilies. I recently visited Sue See at

Moore Water Gardens in Port Stanley and asked her why people are attracted to these flowers. “The fascination starts with water,� she says. “It’s about serenity. If you have a small pond, and a water lily that’s blooming, it’s peaceful, and people like that.� Sue has been growing water lilies most of her life. Her father, Mont Moore, started the water garden nursery in the 1930s, and she has continued in his footsteps. Her son Farley See also works with her and is continuing the family tradition of growing and selling water lilies and aquatic plants to water gardeners across Canada. If you want to enjoy water lilies, you have to have a pond or large container with water. Although they grow in soil, “water lilies need a lot of moisture, and they need the water to get the leaves up,� Sue says. They also require full sun or at least six hours or more of direct sun. But after those requirements are met, they pretty much take care of themselves. Hardy varieties are perennials and can stay in the pond year round

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Display ponds at Moore Water Gardens showcase colourful water lilies. (Dorothy Gebert photo)

‘Charles de Meurville’ is a hardy early season bloomer. (Dorothy Gebert photo)

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Lifestyle IN THE GARDEN if the water is at least two feet deep. Tropical species are treated as annuals and are taken out of the water in the fall and overwintered in a sunroom or greenhouse. You can also enjoy water lilies throughout the day and evening because there are day and night blooming varieties. Night bloomers open at dusk and are perfect for people who work during the day and want to enjoy their flowers when they come home. Sue says hybridizers are coming out with new varieties every year, but two recent tropical lilies she recommends are ‘Moonbeam’ and ‘Tanzanite.’ ‘Moonbeam’ is a white day bloomer with a little flush of green in the middle. ‘Tanzanite’ has deep purple-coloured petals with leaves that are a mottled green and dark purple. I asked Sue how accurate Monet was in depicting water lilies in his paintings? Although she’s never visited Monet’s French garden, which inspired his water lily compositions, Sue says she sighs whenever she sees his work. “To me, he definitely captured the serenity and the peacefulness of water lilies.” Dorothy Gebert is a writer and garden enthusiast in St. Thomas

‘Moonbeam’ is a tropical lily that’s new for 2014. (Dorothy Gebert photo)

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‘Foxfire’ is a water lily with variegated leaves. (Dorothy Gebert photo)

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Business & Community Fundraising

Duck Dynasty’s Call On Farmtown Canada Major fundraiser for Elgin children’s charity Jase Robertson of A&E’s Duck Dynasty fame will be wowing audiences during Farmtown Canada’s Funny Farm Ministries major fundraiser October 12 at Budweiser Gardens in London. Farmtown Canada’s Funny Farm Ministries is a family-based Christian charity that works supporting marginalized school-aged children and youth across Elgin County. Kelly Franklin, Farmtown Canada’s Chairperson says, “This is the first time any member of the Quack Pack has officially agreed to come and help a charity in South Western Ontario. We were first to sign Duck Dynasty to an Ontario destination and we are quite proud of that. We reached an agreement with Jase Robertson in early April for him to come to Canada and give Canadian audiences a familyfriendly event about faith, family, and ducks. It’ll be a fundraising night with a lil’ huntin’… a lil’ preachin’… a lil’ music…and a lil’ story tellin’. This event will benefit both Farmtown Canada’s family counseling, youth support programs, and Funny Farm Kids Camps.” Duck Dynasty is a reality-based television series on A&E and the network’s most-watched. The show is based on the Robertson family in the Louisiana bayou, who makes products for duck hunters, including the famous duck call named Duck Commander. The series showcases the duck hunting expertise of Phil Robertson and his brother Si, and the everyday antics of Phil’s sons Jase, Willie, and Jep as they hunt together and work running a business redneck style. All of the Robertson men are known for their great sense of family, faith, and long flowing beards. “We love ducks at the farm! And who could be better than the most famous Ducks to help assist our agency in reaching our fundraising goals?” Kelly says, “We invited Jase Robertson because he and his family represent the same things that Farmtown Canada stands for … faith and family. Right now, we have more kids than ever who need our help and quite honestly, kids do not understand wait lists. They need our help now. Farmtown Canada is looking to expand its resources to help fill the need in Elgin County and we have Jase Robertson coming to the area to help with those fundraising efforts.”

Jase Robertson from A&E’s Duck Dynasty MP Joe Preston said he was excited to welcome Canada’s favourite duck hunting family to Elgin County. “For three seasons, the stars of Duck Dynasty have captivated audiences across Canada, especially here in rural Ontario. Now, the Robertsons are taking their show on the road for Duck Dynasty’s Call On Farmtown Canada. In addition to hearing from the Ducks themselves, the event will also feature some of Elgin County’s most outstanding businesses who have shown support for Farmtown. Kelly Franklin and her team have worked hard to make this a true community event that is sure to be a huge success.” Duck Dynasty’s Call On Farmtown Canada will take place at 7 pm on October 12 at Budweiser Gardens in London. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Budweiser Gardens website budweisergardens.com or by calling 1-866-455-2849. Special meet and greet packages and premium or corporate tickets are sold exclusively through

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Farmtown Canada. They can be purchased in person by cash, cheque, or money order. The development of Farmtown Canada’s Funny Farm Ministries Farmtown Canada was founded in 2005 by Kelly and George Franklin. The Franklins recognized the value and healing power of interacting with farm animals and knew that there was a need in the community for quality, Christian experiences for underprivileged or disadvantaged school-aged children. Understanding that many children never receive the opportunity to visit a working farm, the Franklins coordinated educational programs and counseling with rural experiences and animals, offering opportunities throughout the year, as well as summer camps to help children. Farmtown Canada’s Funny Farm Ministries is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency, and donations are always welcome, Kelly says.

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• September 2013 •

Business Sample Show October 23

Hee-haw! Disbrowe Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac service manager Todd Hope (left) and dealer / owner Karen Johnson announce the dealership’s new Goodwrench Express Service during the August 21 Chamber Business After 5. The new express service offers lube, oil and filter with no appointments necessary. The event was co-hosted by Disbrowe and Lynhurst Esso.

Wed. September 25 5:00 p.m. New Railway Station at Talbot & Moore Streets, St. Thomas ADVANCE TICKETS ONLY See page 10 for story, details

The Chamber's annual table-top business expo, our Business Sample Show, is held to mark National Small Business Week. For 2013, that's October 20 to 26. Our event will be held at St. Anne's Centre on Wednesday October 23 and does double-duty as our October Business After 5 with our usual invitation to all Members to attend PLUS an open invitation to the entire community. The Business Sample Show is both a business-to-business event and a consumer-to-business function. The show runs for 4 hours, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It will be advertised to the public as being open from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. with our intention being

Business Beat Table of Contents Catch the train .......... Page 10 Social Media Webinars .......... .................................. Page 11 Temp workers? .......... Page 12 Strategic Plan ............ Page 14 See the sub! .............. Page 15 The who’s who .......... Page 16 Life insurance ............ Page 17 September, 2013

Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales

to focus the first hour for the exhibitors and let everyone see and view the show. Admission for everyone attending is free. Display spaces are open for booking by Chamber Members now, on a first-come basis. We can accept up to 60 single-space bookings. All spaces are 10' by 10' and priced from $150 (outer perimeter) to $175 (main floor) each, with a maximum of 60 spaces available. New this year: 10 spaces will be available at a premium price of $175 or $200, but these spaces will be designated as passport stamp locations that MUST be visited to make the passport holder eligible in a draw. Everyone attending will be given a

passport which must be stamped at a minimum of 8 of the 10 designated spaces. The premium-level exhibitors will be named on the passport and their displays will be placed around the hall in such a way that everyone will get maximum traffic at or around their location. Completed passports will then be eligible in a bonus prize draw for $500 cash! Space bookings and reservations can be made now through the Chamber office. To reserve or confirm your space, call Member Services Representative Jeff Sheridan at the Chamber office at 519-631-1981 Extension 526 or email jeff@stthomaschamber.on.ca

Participate in our October feature “Be Ready For Winter” To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22) or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca October Edition Advertising Deadline is September 13th

ELGIN THIS MONTH

9

Viewpoint Events and News of Interest to our Members

K & K’s relocation & restoration

Rob & Beth Burns and the staff at K&K Locksmiths have completed their move to newly-restored premises at 632 Talbot in St. Thomas. Their relocation involved extensive & impressive work to their new building on the interior and exterior before they opened for business there on May 30. The structure was erected in 1910 as a merchant tailor shop. In 1915, it became the home of a plumbing business and remained as one for almost 100 years until purchase by the Burns in 2012.

Our first – a MOBILE Business After 5 All Chamber Members are invited to be part of our first-ever mobile Business After 5 on Wednesday September 25. Port Stanley Terminal Rail will be our host and sponsor and our event will take place aboard a PSTR passenger train running from St. Thomas’ new downtown train station at 605 Talbot. Here’s the plan. The train will arrive in St. Thomas to meet our Members beginning at 5:00 p.m. At 5:30, we head south to Union, then return by 6:30 p.m. Food & beverage service will be available (fully licensed) as we travel. Please note, however, that passengers on this 3-car train cannot move from carto-car while the train is in motion, but everyone will have a chance to recharge their cups and plates during our stop at Union. Our agenda of prize draws and announcements plus remarks by our sponsor will take place on the return leg of the trip. Our train will carry a maximum

of 170 passengers, so advance tickets are a must. They are free, and exclusively for our Members on a first-come/first-served basis with a limit of 4 per person while they last. If you’d like to see the train and the new station but can’t fit the train ride agenda into you plans, no problem. Legends Tavern is directly opposite the train station and will welcome Members in the period between the train coming and going. See us before we leave, or as we return. PSTR will have the train remain in the station for at least 30 minutes following our brief trip if you’d care to explore it and/or the new railway station. Tickets for the train ride are at the Chamber office at 300 South Edgeware while they last. Phone reservations can be made by calling us at 519-631-1981, with delivery pick-up options to be agreed when you call. Please join us as we make a little history with our first mobile Business After 5.

This PSTR locomotive and crew made local history August 14 with the first run to Talbot Street in St. Thomas on the newlyinstalled tracks, within a few metres of crossing Talbot. The last time a train had been in this location was over 40 years ago. Pictured are PSTR President Dan Vernackt, left, and train conductor Bill Turvey. Photo courtesy stthomastoday.ca

www.chambers.ca 10

ELGIN THIS MONTH

September, 2013

Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Social Media Webinars Start This Month Sharpen your skills on Social Media!

Beginning September 18, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce launches a monthly series of web-based seminars or “webinars” to give you skills in, and/or make the most of, social media. From Facebook to Twitter, we’ll cover it all with expert leader and trainer Frank J. Kenny. Each webinar lasts 60 minutes, and will run on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. From the comfort of your own desk, home office, or anywhere you choose, our new webinar series gets and gives useful information that you can put to work immediately. The price? $79, but there’s a 50 per cent discount for Chamber Members with the right password, so the cost for Members is just $39. To get your Member password, check any recent issue of our weekly Green Mail newsletter or see the Chamber’s website at www.stthomaschamber.on.ca. All payments and registrations are processed only via the links below. There are no minimums or maximums. Sign-up

for one webinar now and try it, or pick any webinar at any time, or make participation a monthly habit! Here’s our schedule to the end of the year. Registration links are open now. Additional information on each session will follow but it’s not too early to book-in as space is limited in each session.

November 20 - Google+ For Your Small Business http://frankjkenny.enterthemeeting. com/m/E7ZRVG4W

September 18 - LinkedIn for Small Business - http:// frankjkenny.enterthemeeting.com/m/29J96VMK October 16 - YouTube For Your Small Business - http://frankjkenny. enterthemeeting.com/ m/656K6DM3

“Uncorked” Returns! Our first-ever wine and art event last January was a huge success and a complete sell-out so it comes as no surprise that our Member Services Committee is preparing for the 2nd edition of “St. Thomas Uncorked” Saturday January 25 at the St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. David VanDinther of TD Canada Trust returns as our Chair of the project and has assembled a great team of volunteers who will work with Chamber staff to ensure a memorable and fun event for all who attend. Mark the date now and look for the announcement to launch ticket sales soon in our weekly Green Mail newsletter and in the Events listings on the Chamber’s website. For details on sponsorship participation and other options beyond attendance, call Member Services Representative Jeff Sheridan at the Chamber office at 519-631-1981 Extension 526 or email jeff@stthomaschamber.on.ca We promise a great experience tasting and sampling wines from the local, national and international markets, combined with an exclusive art viewing opportunity, and a variety of foods to complement the diverse wine samples.

Did You Know? Metcalfe Gardens has their own Quiet, Comfortable, Internet Friendly Library for their Residents to enjoy. At Metcalfe Gardens, It’s About Living, It’s About Life.

It’s not what you earn... It’s what you keep.

• • • •

Accounting Auditing Business Plans Tax Services

Kee, Perry & Lassam offers a full range of public accounting services. Our chartered accountants and staff have the experience, training and skills to deal with your business needs.

September, 2013

Cash Flow Preparation Management Consulting Small Business Services Bookkeeping Services

At Kee, Perry & Lassam we ensure our clients recieve the service and expertise they need to succeed. Please make a call to our office your first step on the road to success.

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15 Barrie Boulevard St. Thomas, ON Canada N5P 4B9 519-631-6360 519-631-2198 fax

11

Legal Business Events and News of Interest to our Members

New rules for temporary foreign workers of temporary foreign workers increased even as the loss of competitiveness in the global econthe unemployment rate hovered at 8%. In some omy, and that some employers may be discourcases, worker were paid up to 15% less than cur- aged from setting up shop in Canada. Labour rent market rates. After growing pressure from groups feel the new rules do not go far enough economists and even outgoing Bank of Canada and assert that the program has often been misgovernor Mark Carney, the federal government is used by employers to obtain cheap labour from now introducing modifications to the program. abroad while avoiding the labour relations issues Effective July 31, 2013, a new Service Canada fundamental to the Canadian economy.While fee of $275 to cover the cost of what is called it is true that Canada must remain competitive and increase productivity a Labour Market Opinion in our trade and commerce, (LMO) must be paid for each we cannot lose sight of the position requested by an employer. A LMO considers the “the numbers of for- most serious problem facing us: the chronic unemployment labour market impact of hiring temporary foreign workers for a eign temporary workers and underemployment of our increased even as the youth. While Statistics Canada specific job. While LMOs were reports an unemployment rate required previously, no fee was unemployment charged. In order for a foreign rate hovered at 8%â€? of 7.2% across the country, we all know this is not the whole worker to be hired, a positive story. When the numbers of LMO must be obtained which shows that a foreign worker is required to do the people who have given up looking for work and job and that no Canadian worker is available for those who are employed part-time but are seekthe position. No fee is charged in the case of ag- ing full time are factored in, the rate rises to over 11%. In the case of young people, between 18 riculture and care-giver positions. Prior to the new rules, employers had to adver- and 25, the rate is even higher. Programs such as the Temporary Foreign Worktise for two weeks for positions. This has been expanded to four weeks, and employers must ers Program may be useful in certain sectors and now demonstrate that, in addition to the nation- in times of acute labour shortages. But in times al Job Bank, they have utilized at least two other like these, surely the emphasis must be on the acceptable recruitment word “temporary.â€? methods which would be expected to reach Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares this the target labour marmonthly column for the St. Thomas & District ket for the position. The Chamber of Commerce and our Members. government eliminated Monty is also a volunteer the “wage flexibilityâ€? serving on the Chamber’s allowance in April after Board of Directors. Questhe RBC outsourcing tions, comments and suggesdebacle and introduced tions for future columns are some oversight proviwelcomed by Monty at his sions to ensure the oboffice: Fordham & Brighjectives of the program tling Associates - Lawyers, were being followed by 6WDUW ZLWK SURIHVVLRQDO DGYLFH 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Monty Fordham employers. Telephone 519-633-4000, Critics of the new rules $ SURIHVVLRQDO $GYLVRU FDQ KHOS \RX FAX 519-633-1371 or ewarn that Canada risks XQGHUVWDQG WRGD\ÂśV PDUNHW DQG SURYLGH WKH mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca

There are certain words which should be banned from use in the language of legislation. One such example is the word “temporary.� Like so many vestigial adjectives, it only distracts us from the actual substance and purpose of legislation. No one alive today would recall the “temporary� Income War Tax of 1917, but at the end of April each year we all receive an expensive history lesson. Perhaps we should apply a stamp on our tax return which reads “but you said it was only temporary.� The Temporary Foreign Workers Program was expanded from largely agricultural and domestic workers to low-skilled occupations in other sectors by the federal government under the Liberals back in 2002 to address a perceived shortage of skilled and semi-skilled workers in the various economic sectors of Canada’s booming economy. The average unemployment rate across the country was around 6% and, clearly, certain jobs were hard to fill with the domestic labour force at the time. The number of foreign workers increased dramatically over the next few years. Then 2008 hit. One would have thought that as a response to the worst recession since the great depression, bold steps would have been taken to avert the effects upon the domestic labour force of such an economic down-turn. Instead, the numbers

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September, 2013

Member NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members ST. THOMAS ELGIN GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION PRESENTS...

Our New Signature Event Full Display of Chairs and Public Silent Auction Available: Hospital Atrium: Elgin Mall: CASO Station:

There is no charge to register a bid. Successful bidders will be notified after October 26th.

Our fundraising goal is $25,000 for direct patient care at STEGH

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Steve Peters Honorary Chair

October 14-18 October 22-25 October 26 (10am-4pm)

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“It’s a privilege to participate in this year’s Chair Affair – a new signature event for the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation. Proceeds from this year’s Chair Affair are being directed to the new Mental Health Care program, and we are raising funds to provide ‘comfort’ items that will make someone’s experience, or stay, at our Hospital comfortable, safe and dignified, and focused on their needs. This is going to be a great event, and I hope you will join us.�

For information, please contact the Foundation Office at 519-631-2030, ext. 2246 or visit www.steghfoundation.ca/sub-chair-affair

September, 2013

ELGIN THIS MONTH

13

Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Adopted: Strategic Plan 2013 - 2018 The Chamber has completed a fresh Strategic Plan for operations, service and growth over the next five year. Our Board of Directors accepted and approved the Plan on July 24 after months of work by our Members, volunteers and staff. John Regan, 2013 Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, saw the evolution of the Strategic Plan as a primary goal during his term as Board Chair. John told us, “I’m so pleased that the Board and Members participated in this plan. It becomes mission critical for the Chamber, communities and Members we serve as our economy transitions from what we were to what we will become.” The Chamber’s new Strategic Plan captures both reactive and proactive elements of service to our Members, and tables a vision over the horizon. “Looking at what we do exceptionally well is where we need to focus grow and build capacity,” explains Regan, adding, “The plan also covers areas that will enable us to continue to provide relevant service and support to our Members in areas such as Human Resources and governance.” Established in 1869, the St Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce has been the Voice of

Business in St. Thomas and the municipalities of Southwold and Central Elgin and is recognized across the Chamber network for strengths in activity and service. As a voluntary, not-for-profit business organization which is part of the world-wide Chamber of Commerce/Boards of Trade network, we serve over 600 businesses and organizations locally as Members. Over 80% of the people who work in the local Chamber service area are employed by a business or organization that is registered as a Member. The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is financed by the business community alone. Membership fees provide approximately one-half of the Chambers’ revenue. The balance is earned through projects, programs and activities. In an effort to continue to grow our Membership and to keep up with the diverse needs of our Business community, earlier this year the Chamber set out to develop our plan by soliciting input from Members, volunteers and staff. The result is a strategic plan which will act as a guide for opportunity and growth. Key elements of the new Plan are captured in a summary which states the St Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce will encourage prosperity in our community through:

-

2013 Chamber Board of Directors Chair John Regan evolving our Communications Strategy - Gathering Local Intelligence from Members and non-Members - Human Resource Development for Board, Staff and Volunteers - Revenue generating strategies - Evaluating existing Chamber programs As these strategies unfold over the next five years, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce will continue to be known as a strong voice of business, focused on developing an engaged and prosperous business community.

Youth Employment Fund

Providing incentives to employers... Providing opportunities for youth. Youth:

Employers:

If you are unemployed, not in school full-time, and between the ages of 15 and 29, you may be eligible to be connected with employers for a job placement of four to six months.

The Ontario Government is expanding employment opportunities to help employers ÀQG WKH VNLOOHG ZRUNHUV WKH\ QHHG, and to help young people gain job skills and experience.

Job placements will provide opportunities for youth to EXLOG VNLOOV FRQÀGHQFH, get valuable work experience, and connect with employers.

Employers will receive incentives to help cover the cost of wages and training for new hires when they provide a job placement of four to six months.

For information about eligibility, please contact Employment Services Elgin | 400 Talbot St., St. Thomas | 519-631-5470 www.jobselgin.ca or visit www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/employmentontario/youthfund 14

ELGIN THIS MONTH

September, 2013

Member News Events and News of Interest to our Members

HMCS Ojibwa Significant economic impact The latest unique addition to the Elgin economy is quickly producing spin-off business that touches our entire region. The “Sub-Station” of the Elgin Military Museum, HMCS Ojibwa, will draw traffic year ‘round and the planned addition of the adjacent Museum of Naval History can only add to the asset. When the Elgin Military Museum started the project to acquire HMCS Ojibwa they wanted to honour Canadian Cold War veterans and educate the public on that important time of Canadian history. A solid business plan was needed to make it work. The economic impact it is having on the local area has been a significant side effect. From the beginning, the Museum wanted to partner with the local area businesses. The site in the valley at Port Burwell allowed Ojibwa to be placed close to the business district yet not take over the horizon and change the charm of this historic village. Timed tours allow 10 new customers to enter the submarine every 12 minutes. To the untrained eye the site looks almost empty, but a count will show many hundreds are visiting every day. During busy

90 metres or 300 feet long, and five storeys high, the Oberon-class submarine Ojibwa was in active service for 34 years. It opened at its new permanent residence in Port Burwell on June 29. Both inside and outside tours are attracting thousands and bringing business in a big way.

hours, people may have to wait a significant time for their tour. Instead of this being a disaster, people are able to book a tour time, then visit local shops, restaurants and other area attractions. One restaurant has noted that midweek traffic is up fourfold and weekend traffic is double, daily records being broken frequently. New establishments have opened, and others on the verge of closing have rebounded and stayed open. All such places have increased labour forces these days. Since the arrival of the sub, two real estate companies have begun using its image on their business cards. The average selling price of property has increased, and realtors Ojibwa’s control room is a fascinating tour point on the 45-minute tours report no one is selling for offered daily.

less than the list price as was the case in the last few years. And with the dredging done by the Museum last year, the amount of small boat traffic has increased. The biggest source of economic impact has occurred through increased employment. A staff of about 45 has been hired, many of whom are local residents. Almost overnight, the Museum became the largest employer in the village with all jobs paying more than minimum wage. The Chamber congratulates everyone involved on the Ojibwa project for their successes to date and for bringing fresh business opportunities that impact our entire region. It is rare for a cultural charitable organization to do something that produces such a swift and significant economic impact. Pre-Labour Day tour hours: daily between 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. September 3 to November 17, daily hours will be 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For additional information, go to www.projectojibwa.ca or email info@projectojibwa.ca.

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Financing & Lease Rates starting at 0% 116 Edward Street, St.Thomas September, 2013

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2014 Buick Encore

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Up to $1500 Loyalty Bonus (on select models)

519-631-7960 15

CHAMBER News Events and News of Interest to our Members

The Who’s Who in the Chamber! The 2014 Membership & Buyers Guide we will publish and deliver to you this fall will look a little different. Still filled with all the Member contact information, valuable community information, statistics and advertisements, new this year will be a different way to view the listings, and you will now see event photographs throughout. This directory is the Who’s Who in business and service in the St. Thomas Region. Filled with the contact information you need, it gives names and numbers of the business executives you want to connect with. An advertisement in the directory will make you stand out from the rest and reach your target market. Also new this year is the option to Profile your Business. This full page opportunity highlights your business with a written profile and photograph. AE Media will conduct a Q & A interview and do all the writing. This innovative addition to our directory is the best way to introduce and promote your business or service to all chamber Members. Whether you are a new business, or

have been in business for years, you benefit with this type of promotion and the collective resources of the Chamber network to share and deliver. With sales and production underway, now is the time to contact AE Media, the Chamber’s production partner, to place an ad or sign-up to be a part of the new Business Profile opportunity in the 2014 Membership & Buyers Guide. Contact AE Media – Michelle Barrett at 519-773-3126 or ads@aemedia1.com The Chamber also urges all Members to check and update listing data in the current version of the Buyers Guide and/or the online business directory in the Chamber’s website. Personnel changes and updates on addresses, phone numbers, emails and websites are welcome anytime at the Chamber office by phone, fax or email.

Go ahead ‌ Tell ’em! Government in your way? Bureaucratic red tape, laws, regulations, inspectors & audits all surfaced in our latest survey of Members on business issues that lots of folks lose sleep over. Here's a chance to let the Ontario Government (the source of 90% of the laws that impact businesses and employees) know what gets you down. Go ahead . . . Tell ’em. Just visit this website to share your information and concerns: http://www.ontariocanada. com and use the extension /registry/ contact_us.do?action=init

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

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Pro Text Events and News of Interest to our Members

Life insurance . . . Because life happens by David daCamara

3. Generates income: Helps replace lost income What does your future hold? One moment your life is unfolding exactly as you planned. for years to come so that surviving family memThe next, you die from a heart attack, a stroke bers can continue to pay for life’s necessities. 4. Offers flexibility: Gives a surviving spouse the or are diagnosed with terminal cancer. September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, the perfect chance to take need time off work or to switch to time to take stock of what life insurance you may a job that offers more flexibility. 5. Create opportunities: Can provide funding have and determine if it will be enough for your family to fulfill the plans and dreams you have to start a business, or pay for school so surviving family members can train for a new career. for them. 6. Funds the future: Offers a way to fund longer Life events can be unexpected, unpredictable, amusing, annoying and, unfortunately, tragic. range goals like a college education for the kids or The real tragedy may not be your death as much a secure retirement for a surviving spouse. 7. Leaves a legacy: Gives parents the chance to as it is the fact that your spouse is left with funeral and estate taxes ‌ or loses the house, has to sell leave future generations with the legacy of longthe cottage at a loss, or the children can’t attend term financial security. For some, a big question of concern may be: post-secondary school, let alone finish it, because there isn’t enough money after your death. Every Will my business be OK without an adequate life insurance plan? Not likely. Busiday, you take little steps to improve nesses can often fail after the passthe odds that good things will hapof an owner or key employee pen and to guard against the bad. “offers to fund ing because it is at this point that busiFor instance, you wear a seatbelt; longer range nesses are most susceptible to attack you lock your doors when you leave by competitors, banks reducing or home; you turn off the stove when goals like a you finish cooking, but why do you college education calling lines of credit and customers and other employees loosing fail buy life insurance for the same for the kidsâ€? trust and looking elsewhere. “Key kind of reason — to protect your person protectionâ€? involves the use family financially? Properly planned life insurance programs ensure that your loved of life insurance to creones will have the kind of lifestyle and opportu- ate immediate working nities you always hoped they’d have, even if you’re capital for a business to meet immediate cash not here. Only eight percent of consumers consider needs and to find a rethemselves very likely to purchase life insurance placement in the event in the next year. Many of these consumers begin of the death of a busishopping for life insurance when life-changing ness owner or a key events occur, such as marriage, having children, executive. The business buying a house etc. Why wait? Why not take ac- owner(s) and/or other key executives spend tion and begin planning? considerable time and Consider the 7 Wonders of Life Insurance: 1. Buys time: Allows loved ones to focus on effort in acquiring the their grief by helping to pay for the funeral and knowledge, experience, judgment, reputation, other final expenses. 2. Provides a fresh start: Lets loved ones start relationships and skills with a clean slate by helping to pay off credit card that make them valuable to the business. bills, outstanding loans and even the mortgage.

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The death of such an individual results in the loss of a key member of the management team and can have a severe financial impact. During the resulting disruption, lenders may curtail credit, creditors may press for immediate payment, debtors may delay making payments, employees and customers may lose confidence, and competitors may take advantage of the situation. With key person life insurance, these worries are addressed, and business owners are relieved to have the proper plan for their successful business to prevail after they have passed. Purchasing life insurance is a key component of a sound insurance program for both your family and your business. When you die, having the right amount of life insurance protection will provide your family and business with a future that is financially secure and comfortable. This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted by David daCamara, Broker/Life Insurance Advisor, of Reith and Associates Insurance and Financial Services, 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via e-mail: info@reithandassociates.com

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

17

The Working Family

How to save for life's milestones From one big price tag to the next

(NC)—Saving for a major purchase – whether “It's important to create and write out a comit's a wedding, a home or a child's prehensive financial plan that education – can be challenging, lays out what your financial especially with so many competgoals are and how you're going priorities and expenses. Add ing to reach them,â€? says Crys“make sure to factor in on top of that, investing for your tal Wong, Senior Regional long-term financial future. How expenses related to life Manager, TD Wealth Finaneventsâ€? do you find money to cover it all? cial Planning. “Make sure to TD Bank Group commissioned factor in expenses related to Environics Research Group to conduct an online life events such as a home purchase or starting a custom survey of 2,014 men and women. All re- family in to your plan. Adjust if necessary when spondents had investable assets and sole or shared these milestones occur.â€? responsibility of the household financial planning Wong recommends the following tips for saving or investment decisions. Responses were collected for life's milestones: from August 24- 30, 2012. That survey found • Pay down debt: This should be a top priority. 21% of Canadians fear they may not succeed in Consider making a lump-sum payment, especially achieving financial success. if the interest on the debt is not tax deductible.

• Pay yourself first: A regular, automatic transfer to a savings plan makes setting aside money for your future goals part of your routine. Meet with an advisor to learn about which investing vehicles can help your savings grow. • Create a flexible savings strategy: A contribution to a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) can be part of your savings strategy. Interest earned and investment income is not taxed. Also, because you can withdraw funds from your TFSA at any time, it's a great option for use as an emergency fund. A good rule of thumb is to have three to six months of living expenses set aside for contingencies. www.newscanada.com

Managing money as a couple Wedding bells and beyond

(NC)—A wedding is a joyful life milestone, but venue, to flowers, to cake, and everything in befor many it comes with a big price tag! The stress, tween. Beyond just your wedding, you should be not to mention the cost, of wedding planning can open and willing to talk about money, learn about be a challenge. Successful couples need to discuss each other's financial history and views about finances together. Establishing good financial money. habits while planning for your wedding can start • Not having a budget or financial plan. Many you down the path towards a successful financial couples don't take the initiative, or wait too long future together. to write down their short, medium and long “A wedding may be the biggest term goals. Work together expense you've ever planned and on your finances beyond the saved for together. It's a great opwedding day. Discuss and portunity to start 'money talks' establish goals, keep track of “write down short, which should continue throughyour spending, and make the out your marriage,â€? says Sandy medium and long term 'money talk' an ongoing conCimoroni, President, TD Mutual versation. goalsâ€? Funds, and Executive Sponsor of • Being on a different page TD's Women Investor Program. when it comes to finances. Cimoroni shares three common mistakes cou- You and your partner may have different attitudes ples make when it comes to managing money, about money; one person may be a saver, the other and how to overcome them: a spender. Acknowledge your differences and take • Failing to communicate. Discuss how you'll advantage of each other's strengths to successfully pay for any wedding-related expenses – from the manage your money as a couple.

“Open communication starting in the early stages of marriage – and even before - helps you stay on the same page about your combined financial goals and strategy,� adds Cimoroni. www.newscanada. com

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

September, 2013

The Working Family

Five steps to easily organize your workspace by Sharen Symondson or being distracted by things, or approximately 7 ately and get rid of any garbage or any 1/2 per work week.� So if this area is organized, non-relevant information. you will spend less time looking for information, – The more clutter you have, the more overand more time doing what makes you a profit or whelmed you may become. simply getting your work done. 5. Do not procrastinate. A few pointers or suggestions to help you relieve – The longer you procrastinate, the larger some of the stress and to help you better manage the job becomes in your own mind. Tackle your time, and therefore your business: that job immediately. 1. Set up an area where you can work. The above pointers are suggestions only, and – It does not have to be a separate room, just they may not all work for you. Hopefully, if just a space that is dedicated. one of the above-noted points assists you in be2. Set aside a dedicated time. coming more organized, reduces your time trying – If you write down in your calendar that at to find things, and helps you funnel your energy a certain day and time you will complete a and time into your business, then reading this arcertain job (for example, paying bills), you ticle was relevant. will be more likely to perform that job or errand. 3. Set small, achievable tasks. – Make a list. – When setting aside time, don’t set the task Sharen Symondson is a Business of completing everything at once. Assistant with Elgin Business Resource – Small tasks that you complete, and cross Centre. off your To Do list, give you a sense of accomplishment. – An example would be – today at 4:00 pm I will pay all the bills, or I will answer all You have a dozen different things pulling you in my emails. a dozen different directions, and doing paperwork 4. Get rid of clutter. is the last thing you really have time for or really – Anything that Century Sound Sales and Service want to do, although it is a necessary evil. In order is not relevant, to make the task not such an onerous one, you remove or delete will find that organization is one of the key areas it. When you you will need to focus on, and one in which you open your email have all the control. and see a long list Workspace, whether it is a vehicle, your briefof emails, it is a case or your ofdaunting sight. fice should be So if you remove/ where the control or delete anystarts. As Dr. “anything that is not thing that is not Donald E. Wetrelevant, remove or relevant, it helps more, an expert delete it� the next time you on time manageopen your email. ment from the – The same applies Productivity Institute, puts it, “A person who to snail mail. works with a messy or cluttered desk spends, on Open immediaverage, 1 1/2 hours per day looking for things

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Homestyle Decorating

Small space can FEEL big! (Part 1) by Renée Carpenter

It really is possible to add big style to a small allow you to see space by simply following a few decorating tips. through them to the Ideas are available for every room in your home walls and floors. But to help you make the most of your limited square do not overcrowd the footage. Turn small rooms, small homes, condos, room with too many apartments, or cottages into more functional and small things or else it livable space. will feel cluttered and Windows are often used to visually enlarge a too full. small room because your eye moves beyond the Although small wall, embracing the outdoor view as part of your rooms can easily do living space. Yes, it cuts back on big wall space but enlarges the eye’s living space. Remember, we are “do not overcrowd trying to make it FEEL bigger, not actually always be able to the room” add square footage! Leave the windows bare or dress them bold colours well, and I love with draperies that match the wall colour to elim- making small rooms pop in this manner, if the inate boundaries and open the space. If privacy is need is to expand the room's feel rather than needed, install blinds that can be pulled out of the keeping it small and cozy, keep the room white way during the day so the view is visible. and light to open up the room. White surfaces Choose small-scale furnishings for the room. bounce light around the room, keeping the small Small spaces can become overwhelming very space feeling bright and open. quickly with large or overstuffed furnishings. Here’s another colour trick. Rather than using Neatly upholstered pieces with compact frames white walls as a backdrop, try the opposite efand slimmed-down, leggy pieces without skirts fect by tying a coloured wall to the scenery and spaciousness outside the windows. For instance, I T ’ S B A A A A C K ! O U R SEPTEMBER SALE! if the view through the windows is mostly greenery, a green wall colour would blend in with the window view making it feel like it was all more open to the world outside, while white furnishings and accessories, along with white painted architecture will keep the room open and bright. Throw in a handful of green accents, and it's all tied together. Increase the height of a room by using vertical lines that lead the

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eye from floor to ceiling. Use stripes, hang a collection of artwork on a wall arranged toward the ceiling, add crown molding around the perimeter of a room, or add architectural molding on the ceiling and an intricate medallion around a light fixture to enhance the details overhead. Another trick is to hang drapery from floor to ceiling to elongate the look. Mirrors are yet the all-time best to increase a room’s volume. Hang a large mirror with decorative frame (or prop it against a wall) to create the illusion of depth in a small room. Any mirror size for that matter expands the sense of space by reflecting views and light, but an oversized mirror has dramatic effect as it reflects a large chunk of the room and makes one feel like they could walk into the ‘next room’! Take the edge off a small space by adding round elements to a small square room. Soft edges, instead of rigid corners, turn small into cozy. Watch next month as we continue with more helpful expansion tips! Renée Carpenter owns Jennings Furniture & Design & Stage It With Jennings in St. Thomas.

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September, 2013

Staying cool with back to school

HEALTHY LIVING EVERYDAY HEALTH

by Michelle Virdee If you are a parent or family member helping a child through a busy back to school season, there are many ways to help your child through this time. Give your child the skills they need to get through this time of year with ease. Here are a few tips to ensure a smooth start. Start a new routine Breaking the summer routine can be hard. Getting into a new routine takes time, love, and patience. Prepare ahead of time by talking with your child about what lies in the days ahead. This will take some of the pressure off. Discuss rules, the new setting, and what the day will be like. Try to make time to help your child adjust to the school routine. You could prepare with a visit to the school ahead of time or try to arrange a meeting with a teacher. Talking to other parents and neighbours can be a great help as well. Take time to reflect Whether or not your child is struggling through this time, be sure to check in. Be there for your child and get involved in their life. Invite each family member to share something about their day at dinner-time. Ask your child, “Tell me about your day today,” or, “What were your favourite and least favourite parts of your day?” Listen for their responses “be sure to check and ask questions about what they tell you. This will give your child a safe space to talk about their day. Talking about what goes on at school will give your child a chance to share any issues they may

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different for all children, and may include: mood changes or short temper, trouble sleeping, or changes in their eating habits. Find ways that work for your family to deal with the stress of changing to the new school routine. Remember – staying active and spending time with family and friends are healthy ways to deal with stress. Know where to find extra help You know your child best. Contact the school staff or school public health nurse if you think that your family could use some extra help. The public health nurse in your child’s school can get you in touch with others that can help you through this busy time of year. We wish you a happy and healthy back to school season! Michelle Virdee is a Registered Nurse who works with the School Health Team, Elgin St. Thomas Public Health.

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Dining & Entertainment Food & Wine

Bigger isn’t always better The woes of a major Australian wine company by Jamie Quai

If you’ve followed this column you may have noticed that, almost without exception, I don’t tend to reference specific companies or brands. This column has always been about promoting wine in general, and I’ve tried to steer clear of any specific brand commentary. As hard as I’ve tried to avoid the particular, in the wine world there’s the story of the summer and I want to share it. One of the largest wine corporations in the world is an Australian conglomerate called Treasury Wine Estates. The origins of the company date back over a hundred years. Over time, the company has acquired more and more brands, consolidated operations, and generally grown at a lofty rate. Treasury Wine Estates is the company behind such popular brands as Wolf Blass, Beringer, Lindemans, Penfolds, Chateau St. Jeans, Rosemount, Sledgehammer, Greg Norman, Stag’s Leap, and Castello di Gabbiano. The company has struggled over the past decade and half. Around the turn of the millennium, the precursors of Treasury Wine Estate (called Southcorp and Beringer Blass) had become public companies, and were both taken over by the largest beer company in Australia: Fosters. There was very active interest around 2005 by a lot of beer and spirits companies in diversifying into wine. What they eventually realized is that the timelines for profitability didn’t fit into their visions, and by the beginning of the recession, the beer and spirits companies were spinning off their wine divisions as quickly as possible. Fosters spun off their wine division and Treasury Wine Estates, as it currently exists, was born.

“a simple write-down isn’t so simple”

In July of this year, Treasury Wine Estates announced that it had almost 160 million (Australian) dollars worth of wine in the American market that was deemed ‘old and aged’ and whose sale would be considered detrimental to the reputation of the company. The company had made the decision to write-down the wine as a loss. This was over and above the company’s announcement that their overall exports had dropped by almost 2 million cases in the last 12 months and that they seemed on track to lose greater market share. The majority of the wines were priced in the value category and retail at less than $5 a bottle. Of course, a simple write-down isn’t so simple. The cost of destroying the wine was estimated at an additional 35 million dollars, there was stock that was discountable and selling that wine would result in a loss of potential revenue totalling another 40 million dollars. Because the wine world works on multi-year cycles, this downturn in sales has

created a backlog in their bulk wine and future grape purchase contracts worth approximately 85 million dollars. Not surprisingly, the publicly traded company’s shares dropped almost 14% in value overnight. The company blamed overly confident sales projections, improved distributor logistics, and new product launches on the hiccup in their sales (all of which have been thoroughly dissected and debunked in the wine press). In brief: the old and aged wines were largely under 2 years old, the logistics system is used successfully by every other global wine company, and sales improvements take time. What was almost lost in all of the numbers were three broader truths and the core of this summer’s story: Large wine companies don’t understand consumer demands any better than their smaller counterparts; the least expensive wines on the shelves are really not stable products (quality does cost money); and consumers’ demands are interestingly and very welcomingly on the rise. Everyone says they want lower cost wines, but when given the option they are increasingly choosing to pass on them. It may not be long before we see a real improvement on that bottom end of the spectrum. Treasury Wine Estates problems were a very public signal that the markets are evolving. As a winemaker I am keen to see what this summer’s events lead to, and as a lover of fine wines – I really can’t wait to taste the results!

Jamie Quai is head winemaker at Quai du Vin Estate Winery in Elgin County

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Dining & Entertainment Cultural Diversity

Le CafĂŠ Siam Thai cuisine Food for thought and the body by Alfredo MarroquĂ­n ing ‌ it was really tough,â€? says Daranee when business include meeting interesting people who describing her 2002 move. “I wanted to bring my are open to learn new things, love food and want three children and worked hard for it.â€? Yim, Yoh to hear the story of the family’s cultural heritage. and Yok joined her in Calgary in 2004. Their generosity also reaches the wider comIn 2005, the family found and bought a build- munity. They donate food whenever possible, to ing in St. Thomas that was perfect for their new organizations such as the Destination Church dream. “To stay in Canada, we had to do some- Program, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and thing unique,â€? Daranee says. They drove from door prizes for events. Calgary to St. Thomas. If you don't have the chance to actually travel Le CafĂŠ Siam opened its doors in 2007, and to Thailand, then come to 392 Talbot Street, St. since then it has been offering authentic Royal Thomas for a genuine taste of Thailand and the Thai cuisine, tasty and healthy, to not only resi- experience of meeting this amazing family. dents of St. Thomas and Elgin, but to passionate foodies who come from neighboring places. Alfredo MarroquĂ­n is the Project Daranee explains: “We think about our customCoordinator of the St. Thomas-Elgin ers first, and about their happiness when they eat Local Immigration Partnership and our food.â€? Her love and generosity is founded on co-founder of the St. Thomas-Elgin her belief that “if you think about money first, Cultural Diversity Committee. then you cannot make a customer happy.â€? Yoh, her midAY L M E R dle son, agrees. All the members of the family are working SEASON LINEUP COUNCIL at the restaurant and are ual Shows $25 a crucial part t Indicvkeid 0 0 go on sale June 20th, 2013 1 s t $ i t of the success ets now t Individual k c i sale of the family ’s T sonn tickets are on a e business. Yoh S Seaso explains that Full the rewards of being in this

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You have probably heard that “food for thought nourishes the mind.â€? But have you heard that a Le CafĂŠ Siam Thai Cuisine experience not only nourishes the mind, but also the body, your senses and your soul? Strategically located in downtown St. Thomas, Le CafĂŠ Siam Thai Cuisine, is a gem of a restaurant that is just waiting to be discovered. There are still many in Elgin who do not realize that Thai food so excitingly engaging and delightfully delicious is available close to home. The atmosphere at Le CafĂŠ Siam, decorated with traditional Royal Thai Art, is one of coziness and casual elegance. The uniqueness of the physical space and atmosphere is beautifully complemented by the authentic Thai cuisine experience and the warmth displayed by members of the family who do their best to make customers happy. “When I try to do something, I try to do the best,â€? says Daranee the owner of Le CafĂŠ Siam, who came to Canada 11 years ago and then brought her three sons, Yim, Yoh and Yok to join her. She has worked hard to succeed while raising her three children. Before coming to Canada, Daranee obtained a degree in health, was a vice president of an insurance company, a manager in the sales department of a newspaper, a salesperson in a car dealership and worked in the banking sector in Thailand, to name a few. New challenges came when Daranee decided to move to Calgary. “I started from scratch, with no house, no relatives, no friends, nothing ‌ noth-

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Healthy Living EvEryday HEaltH

Pack it light... wear it right Choose the right backpack to avoid injury by Dr. Greg Johnston B.H.K., B.Ed., D.C.

It’s back to school time yet again. This is the perfect time to review how to choose and how to wear the proper backpack to minimize the chance of spinal injury. Backpacks have become the most common school accessory to help in the transportation of the plethora of supplies and personal belongings that our children lug back and forth to school each and every day. They are the most efficient way to transport heavy materials over moderate distances while maintaining the safety of the spine which is why students should be encouraged to carry their gear in a backpack. If, however, they don’t have an appropriately fitted and loaded backpack, these all-important accessories can lead to back and neck pain. In fact, wearing a poorly designed or overloaded backpack may have serious and long lasting consequences for a growing and developing spine. A heavy backpack carried on one shoulder forces the muscles and the spine to compensate for the uneven weight. This will place stress on the mid and lower back creating pain in the short term and perhaps increasing the likelihood of back problems later in life. More than 50 percent of young people experience at least one episode of lower back pain by their teenage years. Research indicates that this could be the result, to a great extent, of improper use of backpacks. A 2002 Queen’s University study found that choosing the right backpack and taking care to distribute the weight evenly can make a big difference in avoiding injuries and being pain-free. Here are a few pointers to help your school age children choose an appropriate backpack and load it properly.

“select a backpack made of lightweight material�

Choosing the right backpack 1. Choose a backpack that is proportionate to body size and not larger than what is needed. The top of the backpack should not extend higher than the top of the shoulder and the bottom half should not fall below the top of the hip bone. 2. Select a backpack made of lightweight material (vinyl or canvas instead of leather). 3. The shoulder straps should be at least two inches wide, adjustable and padded. Ensure that they do not cut into or fit too snugly around the arms and arm pits. Poorly designed shoulder straps can dig into the muscles and compress nerves. 4. Look for a padded back for added protection and comfort. 5. A hip strap or waist belt helps to effectively redistribute as much as 50 to 70 percent of the weight off the shoulders and spine into the pelvis, equalizing the strain on the skeleton and muscles. 6. Choose a backpack that has several individual pockets instead of one large compartment. This will help to distribute the weight evenly and keep the contents from shifting. Packing a backpack properly 1. Backpacks should never exceed 15 percent of a student’s body weight. For elementary school

students, that maximum should not exceed 10 percent. 2. Ensure that the weight is evenly distributed in the backpack. 3. Pack the heaviest items closest to the body; this reduces the strain the load may create. 4. Only carry essential items. Putting on and lifting the backpack It is a good idea to help young children with this the first few times. Put the pack on a flat surface at waist height. Slip the pack on one shoulder at a time. Adjust the straps to fit comfortably. Remember to lift with the legs. If your child does complain of back pain, neck pain or headaches, seek the advice of a qualified health professional. A chiropractor would be a great place to start. The above recommendations are great tips for adults as well. Whether you are off on a backpacking adventure or just heading to the gym, remember to pack it light and wear it right. Dr. Greg Johnston is a Chiropractor and partner in Family Health Options Treatment & Resources Centre in St.Thomas

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September, 2013

Business & Community EmploymEnt

Vintage Prom for Big Brother Big Sisters anniversary “The rarest of rare opportunities,” says executive director This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and locally it’s the 43rd anniversary of Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. ThomasElgin. In recognition of these achievements, local volunteers are planning a really big show in September. In partnership with Wendy’s and other sponsors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Thomas Elgin is hosting a gala event called the Vintage Prom September 14 at the CASO Station in St. Thomas. Think a chance to get all gussied up. Think retro. Think the excitement of prom night, great food, wonderful music and nostalgic corners. And the opportunity to look ahead, as well as look back. It will be the event of the 2013 fall social season, says executive director Barb Matthews. And it’s for a great cause, the mentoring of young people, an area of service Barb knows well. “For 22 years, I have had the privilege to meet a community filled with passionate volunteers and financial supporters who share our mission of fostering positive selfesteem and competency in children by providing guidance and encouragement through friendship.” Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Thomas-Elgin was incorporated on October 15, 1970. For the past 43 years, many individuals have impacted the lives of children and youth by making a difference as members of the board of directors, big brothers, big sisters and financial contributors. “As adults, we know the importance of giving back to one’s community and we feel a responsibility to instill this quality in our youth,” Barb says. “By making a difference in the lives of today’s young people, we are strengthening our community for the future.” Over their 100 year history, Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations became more formalized

and amalgamations took place. The first joint Big Brother / Big Sister agency in Canada was formed in Halifax in 1975. Big Brothers Big Sisters International was founded in 1988, and in 2001, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada, Big Sisters of Canada, and Big Sisters Association of Ontario merged to become Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. As of December 2010, 33,510 young people were being served. Since 1913, over 472,000 children have been served in Canada.

The Vintage Prom celebration is “not only the rarest of rare occasions but it is the rarest of rare opportunities for Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Thomas-Elgin to celebrate our own history and our successes and to ignite new interest in our community and to start something for the next 100 years,” Barb says. For further information about the gala, or about Big Brothers Big Sisters St. Thomas-Elgin, visit www.bbbselgin.org.

share the road

Update and clarification about adult literacy and education in Elgin The August issue of Elgin This Month featured a column about adult literacy and education, and some information was lost in the editing process. So here’s an update. The article was a joint effort by Shelley Harris with the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, Rob Rombouts, and Literacy Link South Central. To learn more about this important topic or to join a program, contact any of the following organizations: YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin Adult Education Program 519-631-9800 x33 Fanshawe College Academic Upgrading 519-633-2030 x242 Balaclava Street Adult Learning Centre 519-631-0231 September, 2013

same road, same rules, same rights ST. THOMAS

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25

Lifestyles Elgin Arts trAil

Concreations

Home to hidden garden treasures by Katherine Thompson

Concreations concrete statuary offers unique, hand cast and hand finished outdoor ornaments, with statues varying from functional to fun. These delightful garden ornaments include animals, stepping stones, and masks that are sure to make any garden or patio come alive. Andy DeVries, a self-taught craftsperson, is the creative mind behind each piece at Concreations. His work is a labour of love, and he spends a great deal of time making sure each piece is one-of-a-kind. Visitors to his working studio can see for themselves how DeVries casts garden ornaments in concrete and finishes each statue with stains and varnish to achieve an antique, weathered look. DeVries’s career as a concrete artist began when his son purchased him a mold for a concrete alligator statue as a retirement project. What started as a hobby making gifts for friends and family quickly became a successful business as demand for the statues increased. The business further took off when he began to sell his creations at the Western Fair Farmers’ Market over five years ago. Recently DeVries brought Concreations home to central Elgin County, opening a new rustic barn store on his

own property. DeVries relishes the opportunity to work from the comfort of his own home, and his customers have enthusiastically accepted the new location as well. Concreations has become quite the tourist destination for art lovers who enjoy a day out in the country, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. For more information about Concreations or the Elgin Arts Trail visit www.concreations.ca,

www.elginartstrail.ca or look for Concreations on Facebook. Katherine Thompson is Marketing & Communications Coordinator with The County of Elgin

The Parade of Elephants is a travelling exhibition of one-of a-kind elephant sculptures created by artists on the Elgin Arts Trail in partnership with the St. ThomasElgin Public Art Centre. Every month the elephants will travel to a new location and at each location a new elephant will be added to the collection. The next exhibit will be on display at: St. Thomas Public-Art Centre 301 Talbot St., St. Thomas Aug 24 – Sept 28, 2013 For a complete list of exhibit locations visit www.elginartstrail.ca/paradeofelephants

The Elgin Arts Trail is a program with a goal to promote and enhance arts tourism in Elgin County and St. Thomas. The trail is a route through Elgin County that visits some of the best galleries, studios and artisans in Elgin and St. Thomas. For full trail information visit www.elginartstrail. ca or find us on Facebook 26

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September, 2013

Agriculture Farming

Farm women, unite by Janine Lunn

Several years ago, when our children were quite small, a friend and I decided we would take our children camping. Two nights at a serviced lot nearby wouldn’t sound like much of a task, if it were not for the ‘farm factor.’ The likelihood of us coordinating a weekend with both farms was slim to none. Soon, our theme of ‘Farm Women, Unite’ emerged and we began planning, husbands or not. Regularly scheduled weekends off from the farm can be enough of a challenge: overnight camping and morning chores don’t mix all that well. We decided we could make it work if we camped close enough to home that the guys could at least visit. Luring a farmer to a campsite can be a tricky business ... it involves leaving wide open spaces to live in close quarters in a busy camp neighborhood. And, let’s face it, farmers do enough ‘roughing it’ on a daily basis. We’ve since held a few campouts over the years, usually with other farmers, and now it’s a tradition. The guys can’t always make it for a visit, or if they do, it’s short, but when it happens, it’s nice to have back-up for canoeing, campfire and s’more duty. Whether at the farm or camping, there will always be dirt; so the sooner we embrace the mess, the better. The secret ingredients seem to be Tonka trucks and dirt. The ratio of construction vehicles must be higher than the number of children. The pool is a big draw, but we always spend lon-

ger at the beach, because there is sand, which is a lot like dirt, and makes its own variety of great, grainy mud. This year, we gave in and moved the Tonka trucks with us down to the beach. If we’d had enough food down there we’d never have had to leave. Even on our getaway there was work to be done. Our little farm people had noticed the newly mowed yard. They decided that this ‘hay’ couldn’t be left just lying around. They marched around and harvested all the grass they could find to make enormous piles of haylage, just like their dads were doing at home. This year, we were lucky to have two days of dry weather, but unlucky enough to have about 40 minutes of pouring rain right about noon. This was to be our final lunch but we glanced around at all the gear to be packed and adjusted quickly. Despite our healthy-ish menu for the rest of the trip, we herded the kids into one tent, tossed in a sleeve of drinking boxes, a bag of cookies and a package of crackers and zipped them in. The moms crammed the contents of our sites into

three trunks, and the kids cruised home on a sugar high so we could all eat a late lunch in our dry kitchens. Why do we decide it will be ‘fun’ to load up most of the contents of our house for a vacation, only to unpack it all again, dirty, in two days? But when we ask the young ones, “What was the best part of camping?” and they reply “Everything,” we know we will make it happen all over again next year. Janine Lunn’s family operates a sheep farm, a source for local sheep’s milk cheeses.

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Healthy Living SELF DISCOVERY

Trust the process A mantra to overcome mixed emotions by Anouschka Van den Bosch

With a quick swish of my pen, my signature is stand that plant closures, company buyouts and on my third and final contract extension for the organizational restructuring are all part of doing organization I have been working with for over business. I have been on the other side of terminatwo and a half years. As I put my pen down and tions as well, and although it will never get easier, place the contract in the inter-office mail enve- I understand that they are business decisions. lope, I sit back with my coffee, And so I take my mixed emoreflecting on this final contract tions to my mantra (I have sevextension with mixed emoeral but this one has helped so tions. It has been an interesting “don’t they see I am much over the years): Trust the two and a half years. I learned process. I trust that wherever I so much. I gained skills that are THE perfect candidate?” am right now is exactly where certainly transferable into any I need to be, and I trust that new role and I am very grateful I will land wherever I am supfor being extended several times after my one-year posed to be. That may sound a bit fluffy for some mat leave contract was completed. of the job searching readers out there, but believe Why the mixed emotions? Over the past 10 me, trusting in the process is a choice I made after years I have received termination packages three my first package. I had a choice to stay miserable, times. As a human resource professional, I under- feel unappreciated etc., etc., or the choice to trust

that I would land wherever I was needed. I also trusted that my unemployment was part of the process. The last time I was unemployed was the longest time I was in transition, and during that time, I learned much more about myself and how I adapt to change. I learned to see the positive side of my “packages.” I realized that I was able to leave a little bit of “Anouschka” with every organization I worked for. And I totally see that as a good thing! I have been exposed to some great interview processes and some not-so-great, and those experiences I will take into any new role as a Human Resource professional. I have met some great people while waiting in lobbies for my interview ... I was almost offered someone’s lunch once! I have also cried a thousand rivers when I was turned down for a job that I truly thought was mine. What were they thinking? Don’t they see I am THE perfect candidate?? And off I went into my “poor me / nobody wants me” pity party. Sometimes my pity party lasted for days until I realized that being miserable was not serving me any purpose and not allowing me to move forward into a new position. Trusting the process brought me back into action and back into believing in myself. Any transition you go through is never easy, and I have learned each time that trusting the process truly works. Each new job brought new opportunities, new skills and new friends. So as I finish my coffee, I take a deep breath, trusting the process that I will land somewhere perfect once again.

JEFF YUREK, MPP

Rev. Jim Innes BA, MDiv.

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September, 2013

LIFESTYLE THAT’S LIFE

Men and their need to get going Summer vacation trips take organization ‌ seriously by Elizabeth VanHooren

“Seriously,� my husband said with exasperation. “We’re only going to be gone for a couple of hours.� He smirked sheepishly as I looked up from the bag I was trying to organize for our day trip away from the cottage. The plan was to leave by 9 a.m. by boat, grab our truck and drive to the start of a scenic hike with the boys, ending the excursion with lunch at the French River Trading Post. Then my husband rolled his eyes and impatiently stood with the cottage door open, while I ran through my list one last time. Snacks, drinks, camera, purse – check, check, check, check. I brushed past him on my way to the boat, lugging my well-packed bag, still crossing items off the list in my head. As I climbed into the boat, I checked one last item. “Remember boys, stay out of the water.� The day was cold and windy, and I had only packed one set of warm clothes for our week’s vacation. That is, one pair of running shoes, one pair of jeans and one sweatshirt for each boy, and they were wearing them. The marina is about a five-minute boat ride up river. By the time we docked in our boat slip, I felt prepared for the day; I was confident I had covered all my bases. We were on vacation after all. Time to relax and enjoy. And that’s when it happened. While both my

husband and I were tying the boat to the dock, I looked up just in time to see my youngest son send his foot through a crack between the dock and the catwalk. His one leg was soaked from shoe to hip. We had to go back. I had a bag full of stuff, but no extra socks and no extra shoes. So we loaded both boys into the boat and made the five minute boat ride back to the cottage. Upon arrival, I found a second set of socks for my son and used the hairdryer to upgrade his jeans from soaked to damp. His running shoes were a lost cause and I finally convinced him to wear his sandals with socks. My husband and I managed to smile as we loaded everyone back into the boat and disembarked again. DĂŠjĂ vu, we said. Take two, we said with a chuckle. At 10 a.m. we made it back to the marina. This time, I made both boys stay in the boat until it was secured and we could walk them safely to dry land. Now, our truck was in sight. It was only a

short ten-minute drive to the hiking trail and trading post. Our adventure could begin. S u d d e n l y, my husband stopped dead and slapped his open palm to his forehead. I expected him to say he had thwarted another horsefly bite, maybe a large mosquito. Instead, he said, “I forgot my truck keys.� “Seriously?� I answered. “Seriously,� he answered with a sheepish smile. After just a couple of hours of loading the boys in and out of the boat, wet pants, retrieved keys and filling the boat with gas, just to be safe, we finally got around to having our adventure that day. Seriously.

“remember boys, stay out of the water�

Elizabeth VanHooren is General Manager of Kettle Creek Conservation Authority

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29

LIFESTYLE Time On my Hands

Thumbs up for hitchhiking You’re in the driver’s seat. Will you stop for a stranger? by Duncan Watterworth

I pick up hitchhikers. In his parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus tells us to help the strangers we encounter along the road. So perhaps my inclination to do so is a holdover from my Baptist upbringing, like my avoidance of gambling, or my inability to dance without a couple of stiff drinks. Or maybe it’s a Karma thing, an impulse to repay my cosmic debt for all the drivers who have responded kindly to my thumb. Whether you’re a Baptist, a Buddhist, or just a human, an extended thumb is an opportunity to help a stranger, meet someone from a different walk of life, and have an unpredictable conversation. About three years ago I picked up a guy – slightly scruffy looking - coming from London to St. Thomas. In conversation, I mentioned I was a retired lawyer. “I know some lawyers in St. Thomas,� he said, and promptly named five. Not everyone could do that, I thought. I smiled at him and said, “Those are all criminal lawyers.� He smiled back. He started to tell me the story of his “twoarmed robbery,� which he thought I might remember from the newspapers. I had heard of a one-armed bandit, but why was his use of both arms noteworthy? I finally realized he meant his two armed robberies – the he was a Chinese scholar. He first armed robbery, and then the everything he said. He second one. ...“okay, so that repeated had a grocery bag full of used Okay, so that stranger was a stranger was a books, and was going to the City criminal. It’s a different walk of Lights Book Store in London to life, but I was able to help, and criminal�... exchange them for other used the conversation was a delight. books. So we chatted about the Perfect. store’s former owner, Mark EmLast summer I picked up a guy – a bit scruffy – who had one pant leg rolled ery, the “Prince of Pot.� When I let him out up, and a lot of tape on his glasses. He said at the Dearness Nursing Home (my frequent destination to visit my mother), he hit me up for bus fare to get the rest of the way downtown. I picked &ROM up the same guy again t -BSHFS WFIJDMFT FYUSB last winter. Same mist 7FIJDMFT XJUI QFU IBJS FYUSB EJSUZ BEEJUJPOBM DIBSHF sion, different bag of books. Last spring I picked up a middle-aged guy Other Services: Inside Shampooing, with a ponytail and Leather Cleaning & Conditioning, tattooed forearms – Glass Treatment & Fabric Protection kind of scruffy looking – coming from London to St. Thomas at 8:30 in the morning. He had a factory 160 Burwell Road, St. Thomas job, his usual ride had 519-631-5502

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cancelled, and he did not want to be late. His shift started at 2:30 that afternoon. I will never find enough hitchhikers to balance the Samaritan drivers who pulled over when I was the scruffy one. I started thumbing because Shorty, at Steen’s Pool Hall in Aylmer, wouldn’t allow players under sixteen. The Glen Haven in St. Thomas would. By twenty I was a veteran of the road, and I hitched to Vancouver and back. Since then, I have thumbed on five continents. I’ve had some crazy adventures as a hitchhiker, but the only real mishap was on the trip out west, when my thumb took the day off, and I hopped a freight train through the Rockies. Ask me about my stitches. When a hitchhiker climbs into a car, two strangers are taking a chance on each other. It’s a vote of faith in humanity. It feels good when the faith is tested, and affirmed. It’s your call: Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Duncan Watterworth is a retired lawyer whose mind tends to wander.

September, 2013

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

September, 2013

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