January 2012 Issue

Volume 2, No. 5 January 2012 FREE

Your business:

Looking ahead Your home:

Food, wine and friends Your health:

Healthy Lifestyles Special Feature

Chris Streib Talbot Trail Physiotherapy Cover story: page 3

Incorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

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January, 2012

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Cover Story

Poor marketing can kill a business inside a year by Terry Carroll ........................page 4

HOMESTYLE Decorating

BUSINESS/COMMUNITY Economics

Graphic power

by Renée Carpenter ......................page 20

Looking ahead

by Serge Lavoie ................................page 5

At Home In Elgin New home trends

by Brian Lippold ..........................page 21

Your Business Nature or nurture redefined

by John Regan ................................page 6

Agriculture Achieving balance on the farm

by Janine Lunn ................................page 7

Technology Telling your story

by Peter Atkinson ............................page 8

Financial Management

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES Everyday Health The New Year and spinal health

by Dr. Greg Johnston ....................page 22

Personal Health Welcome to blizzard season!

by Ryan Huffman ..........................page 24

Food Choices New Year, new start ........................page 25

Volunteering

BUSINESS BEAT Front Page

Exercise

In-bound or out-bound?? ................page 9

Legal Business Good Samara: engaging the disengaged

by Monty Fordham ........................page 10

Chamber News 2012 Business After 5 plans ..........page 11

Pro Text Insurance to value: what it actually means

by Dan Reith ................................page 12

Member News RAK Day ......................................page 13

Feeling good on the inside is healthy too!

by Pam Buys ..................................page 26 Stay in shape with winter exercise ....page 27

Lifestyle Choices Resolutions for life

by Jane-Diane Fraser ......................page 28

Self Development Make 2012 an extraordinary year

by Sharon Lechner ........................page 30

Healthcare Caring for the whole person

by Judith Wiley ..............................page 31

Avoiding sickness

Positive Exposure

Prevention is best this cold and flu season ................................page 32

The 2012 public relations pro

by Allan Weatherall ........................page 14

That’s Life

Member News

Dreaming of the Nobel Prize

by Elizabeth VanHooren ................page 33

Market facts ..................................page 15

Time On My Hands

New Members Welcome new members ..................page 16

Chris Streib is growing Talbot Trail Physiotherapy by giving patients a good experience

by Dorothy Gebert

SPECIAL FEATURE

Saving for an education

by Ellen Luft ..................................page 17

Making people feel better

Muslim holiday feels like Christmas

by Duncan Watterworth ................page 34

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Wine & Food Food, wine and friends

by Jamie Quai ................................page 18

Savour Elgin A sweet experience

by Kate Burns ................................page 19

When I visited Chris Streib at Talbot Trail Physiotherapy a couple of weeks ago, he told me he had just opened his sixth clinic, this time in Blenheim.

“Smaller cities are strategically underserviced areas for physio,” Chris says, but he doesn’t think that people in small towns should have to go to London to get treatment. That’s why over the last 10 years, he’s opened offices in Aylmer, St. Thomas, the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, Woodstock and West Lorne.

He himself grew up in a small community near Copenhagen in Elgin County and attended McMaster University for Kinesiology and Physiotherapy.

Although he is now co-founder, president and director of rehabilitation for Talbot Trail Physiotherapy, one of the largest clinics in Southwestern Ontario, Chris keeps close to the customer by continuing to practise his physiotherapy skills and keep his training up-to-date.

“I really enjoy the physio part and working with the patients,” he says.

“We see all kinds of people from celebrities to your average Joe. They’re all different.”

Being able to offer his patients a one-stop shop for rehabilitation services is important to Chris. That’s why he has health care professionals on staff who specialize in different aspects of rehabilitation, from orthopaedic surgeons and rheumatologists to occupational therapists and kinesiologists.

As well as keeping current on the latest treatment methods, he and his staff provide information to patients about where they can get rehabilitation products required for recovery, something he says they are often told to use but don’t know where to get.

“I’m always looking for what can make patients better,” he says. “We bridge the gap between the doctor and the specialist, so I want people to have a good experience with physio.”

Cover photo by Philip Bell, Shutter Studios

Carroll Publishing President Terry Carroll Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Kelly Carroll

Elgin This Month Publisher Terry Carroll Editor Dorothy Gebert Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley

Graphic Design / Production Jim McHarg Sales Representative Greg Minnema Office Manager Laura Bart

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 Carroll Publishing, 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm January, 2012

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Poor marketing can kill a business inside a year

“

Knowing that and doing something about it are two different things

by Terry Carroll

A few years ago, when Helen LeFrank was manager of what was then Elgin Community Futures Development Corporation, she suggested five reasons that start-up businesses fail in the first year of operation. I was surprised to see one on the list. Here it is: poor marketing.

It surprised me because, in this digital age, it often seems that we live and breathe marketing. But just because it’s in the air, that doesn’t mean we know what we’re doing. A lot of us business owners and managers aren’t as good at marketing as we could be.

When we launched The Weekly News in March of 2009, I knew that we were reaching over 30,000 homes, apartments, farms and businesses in this area. That was about the extent of my marketing plan, if the word “plan” is appropriate. We didn’t hold a grand opening or make much of a splash in any way. After

all, we were on people’s kitchen tables every week. Wasn’t that enough?

In September of 2010, when we started Elgin This Month in partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce, we did things a bit differently. We co-hosted a Business After Five event, had some shirts printed with our logos, had name badges printed for full-time staff and started doing some digital marketing.

We advertised the monthly magazine in The Weekly News. Not a lot of marketing, but something was better than next to nothing. Obviously, some things had changed between March 2009 and September 2010, and I had woken up a little.

One small shocker had to do with newspaper name changes. We moved from the St. Thomas Super Shopper (the name of the original monthly) to the Super Shopper Weekly News to The St. Thomas/Elgin Weekly News within about eight months. And, man, that was a major adjustment for readers and advertisers. For a

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in this digital age, it seems we live and breathe marketing time, people seemed to call us “the shopping news” or “that little paper,” anything but the name on the front page of the paper. The difficulty of this transition proved to me that delivering newspapers to doorsteps weekly is not, in itself, marketing. Or, put another way, it’s poor marketing.

We have since developed a Facebook presence. In December, we engaged an Internet advisor to work on a revised web presence, with more “content” or “information,” the digital equivalent of what we once called “news.”

We are taking steps to revive a digital newsletter, are working with Biz Bio on a video blog, and with the Chamber on a presence in its digital newsletter. We’ve run the occasional contest in our publications.

There was another recent ‘a-ha’ moment when I had lunch with Chamber CEO Bob Hammersley, and he pointed out that we should own certain events. Rather than being a sponsor of all kinds of things in small ways, we should become a signature sponsor of a few events in a major way. We’re starting to do that.

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None of this comes easy or appears to be natural. Habits are ingrained or they wouldn’t be habits. But if people quit smoking or lose weight or get in shape – and they do – I think we can get better at marketing. We all know what the longest journey begins with.

Terry Carroll is the publisher of the St. Thomas /Elgin Weekly News and Elgin This Month.

January, 2012

BUSINESS / COMMUNITY ECONOMICS

Looking ahead Elected officials and community leaders will be facing some difficult decisions in the coming year

by Serge Lavoie

We all experienced the past year in our own personal ways, but in the world of economic development, 2011 was a bit of a watershed.

Newly elected municipal councils settled in for the start of their fouryear terms while the electorate endured a federal election and then a provincial election. Call it the perfect storm of political endurance matches.

The coming year suggests we will need to come to terms with several critical yet possibly conflicting challenges: creating employment while cutting government deficits. Easy, right?

The underlying factors are no less challenging. Municipalities are expected to maintain services, add new infrastructure to promote growth, and catch up with a historic backlog of crumbling infrastructure badly in need of repair or replacement.

Our senior levels of government need to get deficits under control, which may require cutting public sector jobs, while creating enough economic growth to reduce our stubbornly high unemployment rate (at time of writing, the London area is flirting with 10 percent).

Topping it all off, consumers are alarming economists with personal debt levels at record highs. In that circumstance, it’s hard to know whether to keep spending to drive the economy or curb spending and potentially slow our growth.

Economists, especially the governor of the Bank of Canada, are concerned that Canada’s corporations are

sitting on record high levels of cash assets rather than investing them to spur growth, improve productivity and take advantage of global opportunities.

Oh yes, and another thing. As bad as it seems here, it’s even worse for our global trading partners the United States and the European Union. Our continued economic health is based on their finding solutions to their problems.

For those involved with economic development, 2012 will be a year of lively debate over ideology, direction, strategy and tactics.

Full disclosure: in my position as leader of the Southwest Economic Alliance, I have some definite opinions about future direction, as do the people I work with. For the purposes of this column, I want to focus on the debate, not the solutions. At the end of the day, debate leads to understanding and better decision-making.

At the heart of the debate in our part of Ontario is how best to stimulate the economy, or whether stimulus is even a good thing. The Ontario government has proposed a Southwestern Ontario Development Fund to act as leverage for additional investment. In the legislature, not all parties agree with this approach. The Progressive Conservatives argue that we must first get our provincial fiscal house in order and maintain low taxes as the best means of spurring growth. The NDP argues that subsidies and tax breaks to companies haven’t so far created sustainable employment. Instead, programs should be targeted specifically to new jobs and should include performance

guarantees.

Among those who support stimulus programs such as the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, or the federal FedDev program, the debate is all about how to target the money for best effect. Since everyone is cash strapped, there are a lot of ideas floating about and it’s understandably difficult to get consensus.

Not all municipalities think alike, nor do companies necessarily agree on a single approach.

The range of options is daunting: offer grants or loans or both; a focus on small businesses or larger enterprises; a focus on rural and small urban or larger urban; include postsecondary institutions or not; fund municipal infrastructure or not; fund economic development organizations or not; target foreign investment attraction or home grown businesses; target existing businesses or start-ups?

Each of these options is worthy of

consideration because each contributes to the overall health of our complex regional economy. Yet, in this case we are talking about a fairly modest fund of $20 million annually designed to meet the needs of over 100 municipalities and their 2.4 million residents.

During 2012 films and media will have us talking about the Mayan calendar end of days. Simple stuff when compared to the really big challenge of forging a consensus on our economic path forward.

Serge Lavoie is president of the Southwest Economic Alliance.

The views expressed are his own.

Jeff Yurek, MPP Elgin-Middlesex-London Ontario Disability Support Program OHIP Cards Driver’s Licences Ontario Works Birth Certificates 750 Talbot St., (CASO Station Suite 201) St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2 519-631-0666 email: jeff.yurekco@pc.ola.org January, 2012

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY YOUR BUSINESS

Nature or nurture redefined

by John Regan

The debate by researchers on entrepreneurship has been going on for many years. The question is whether you are born with innate entrepreneurial talent or whether you can be taught to operate like an entrepreneur.

Is it nature or is it nurture; are entrepreneurship traits inherent or can they be taught?

Most nature versus nurture discussions begin by defining the characteristics of an entrepreneur, but now, more than ever, these qualities are also a topic of hot debate. A 2009 study

by King’s College in London suggested that entrepreneurship may actually be in the blood and more to do with genes than classroom experience.

However other studies have shown that entrepreneurship taught in a

classroom are effective in creating skilled entrepreneurs.

Recently Ernst and Young, founders of the World Entrepreneur of the Year Program, published a report, ‘Nature or nurture? Decoding the DNA of the entrepreneur.’ The report perspective is from a survey of 685 entrepreneurial business leaders from around the world and challenges the stereotype that all entrepreneurs start their companies without completing a formal education and without any experience in corporate life. The article states, “In reality, there is no single entrepreneurship gene. But there are traits and experiences that make it more likely that an individual will choose the path of entrepreneurship and, crucially, succeed over the long term.”

In today’s global market it is an undeniable fact the modern entrepreneur is faced with a more complex world. Previous prerequisites of vision, mindset and passion may not be enough for fledgling entrepreneurs who face the challenges presented by social media, more forceful competitors and a weakened economy.

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Are you born with an entrepreneurial mindset or can it be learned?

there are multiple paths to becoming an entrepreneur

Personal drive can keep you in the game but like any endeavour in which you are engaged there are certain skills that must be developed, implemented and managed for your business to succeed. The Ernst and Young report stated that when asked what the most important source of learning in an entrepreneur’s career was, one third of all entrepreneurs, the highest ranking, said it was their experience as an employee. Thirty percent highlighted higher education and 26 percent pointed to mentors.

So whether entrepreneurship is based on nature or nurture, the reality seems to be that there are multiple paths to becoming an entrepreneur.

The truth behind entrepreneurial success may just be self-knowledge. By knowing one’s own self-limitations and strengths, entrepreneurs may be able to avoid some common pitfalls in growing and sustaining their business ventures.

Business failure statistics show that about 96 percent of small businesses (1–99 employees) that enter the mar-

ketplace survive for one full year, 85 percent survive for three years and 70 percent survive for five years (Small Business Statistics - January 2009, Industry Canada). To be one of the survivors, it is critical that new entrepreneurs be ready and skilled in all areas of business acumen. How or where they gain these skills, whether through heredity, schooling, education, mentors, business incubation or small business training, is far less important than ensuring that they recognize and pursue the critical knowledge needed to manage all facets of building and managing a successful, sustainable business.

John Regan Ec.D. (F) is the general manager of the Elgin Business Resource Centre.

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January, 2012

BUSINESS / COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE

Achieving balance on the farm The New Year is a good time to look at all sides of the business

by Janine Lunn

There is something hopeful about that first page on a new calendar; all those neat and tidy squares just waiting for important plans and the methodical, organized year that is about to begin.

And there is something peaceful about that fresh coat of snow; it cleans up the landscape and temporarily erases any ‘end of harvest’ jobs that didn’t quite get finished.

Despite any frustrations over unfinished work in the fall, anything from farm equipment to sand toys can look almost pretty under that blanket of white.

So with all this optimism, what better time is there to restore balance to the business? I recently attended a farm workshop, hosted by Farm Credit Canada. The lofty goal of the workshop was ‘excellence’ in management, but the take-away messages were focused on taking a balanced approach. The four quadrants, they explained, are: Operations, Financial, Marketing and Human Resources.

Many businesses, given the scorecard, will produce a not-quite-even diamond or kite-shape, and sometimes our shape will be even more lopsided than that. In farming, many of us are keen to focus on the operations end of things, so most attention is paid to efficiency in producing – higher crop yields, reducing energy costs, better return on feed, and so on, often at the expense of the other quadrants.

The workshop reminded us that, while operations are key to farming, the other quadrants can’t be ignored, and that future success (and possibly

even excellence) can be reached by paying more attention to the remaining corners. While it is tempting to leave the financial matters to the experts, or at least to the computer, we are encouraged to delve deeper and get to know our numbers better, and to keep some of these ratios top-ofmind to make better decisions, both for future purchases or expansions, but also where restraint is needed.

or Christmas parades.

A real eye-opener for many farmers is the importance of the so-called ‘soft side’ of management, which is to say taking care of human resources. Despite the practical, handson nature of many jobs in agriculture, the basic truths remain for human resources – in order to thrive and remain motivated, employees should be involved in deci-

sion making, must be compensated fairly, and can be very devoted to the business if they are shown the appreciation they deserve. Simple gestures like gift cards after busy times, or birthday dinners out with the boss, or a chance to attend planning meetings to provide input, can make a huge difference in commitment and retention of employees.

The idea of trying to fit all these improvements into our business ventures had my head spinning after the workshop was completed. But what if we broke the bigger goals into smaller tasks? We could achieve a few small gains, and may gradually see our lopsided-kite model of management become more balanced. I can see I’ve got my work cut out for me, but after all, what are New Year’s resolutions for?

Janine Lunn hosts the Belmont Corn Maze, and lives on a sheep farm with her family.

Making marketing a priority for some producers in the room seemed a little out of place. After all, those farming under supply management or marketing boards don’t need to market their products. Our workshop leader argued that every business can gain from improved marketing, whether it be a professional multi-media campaign directed at a specific target audience, or a consumer awareness conversation using social media that a farmer can handle from a smartphone, or good old-fashioned community involvement where farmers volunteer their time, equipment or sponsorship to local events, like local charities, teams

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create a book you can take pride in

Telling your story Creating a book to promote your business can be a do-it-yourself project with today’s technology

by Peter Atkinson

One of the things I’ve come to believe over the years is that everyone has a story to tell. For most folks it’s a tale from local or family history or a work of creative fiction that they want to share with the world.

For business people, telling your story through a book can be a great way to establish credibility and get your name out in the marketplace.

It’s pretty impressive when the information package sent to prospective clients includes a copy of a book you’ve written.

Whatever your goal, different technologies have arisen and merged to create great opportunities: webbased tools, social networking, the rise of apps (small pieces of software that run on tablet computers and smart phones), along with the

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY

steadily increasing popularity of ebooks and e-book readers mean that it’s never been easier for writers to create a book.

Starting at the beginning, Ficly, SixMinuteStory and FiftyWordStories put you in touch with other writers.

You can lurk quietly, read short stories and the community feedback or dive in and post something of your own. The comments are generally kind and it can be a great way to hone your craft.

Kibin is a community-based proofreading and editing service. You can purchase Kibin Points if you want, but their services are free if you provide the same service to someone else.

You’ll need a digital version of your book of course; if you don’t own a computer, the public computers at the library have Microsoft Word or you can use Google Docs for free on-

line software.

Once your manuscript is ready, you can publish using your name, but for under $100 you can register your own publishing company. That may be overkill for many, but it can open up tax benefits as well as business opportunities. The team at the Elgin Business Resource Centre can help you decide if this makes sense for you.

If you’re considering selling your book, or you’re publishing for business reasons, it’s worthwhile to register for a free International Standard Book Number (ISBN). An ISBN is a unique number assigned to published documents and, while not essential, having an ISBN opens up opportunities; your book can be listed in industry catalogues and most book stores will insist on an ISBN. ISBNs can be obtained from Li-

brary and Archives Canada, either through their website or by calling 1-866-578-7777. You can get one ISBN or several for future use.

I’d also recommend taking the time to create a book you can take pride in. Wikipedia has a terrific section about book design that will tell you what will make your book look as professional as one published by any of the big publishing houses.

With all that in place, the next step is to create the book itself. Lulu and Blurb walk you through the steps to create both e-books and physical books, including a cover, in a variety of sizes and formats.

Lulu and Blurb both offer additional services for a fee, but it costs nothing to create and sell your book.

They give you a wholesale price and let you set the selling price. Both work on a Print on Demand model, meaning books are printed only as they’re ordered, (no need to print hundreds of copies and store them in your home). They handle printing, shipping and sales, and can help you get your book into other online bookstores like Amazon. They even give you your own webpage, (e.g. lulu.com/yourbook), to help you promote the book.

Promotion is a whole other article, but now you know how easy it can be to tell your story.

Peter Atkinson is E-Services Consultant at the St. Thomas Public Library.

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January, 2012

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Business Beat Table of Contents Good Samara: engaging the disengaged ..............page 10 2012 Business After 5 plans ................................page 11 Insurance to value: what it actually means ........page 12 RAK Day ..................page 13 The 2012 public relations pro ................................page 14 Market facts ............page 15 New members ........page 16

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See details inside this issue of Business Beat on our full Business After 5 schedule for 2012.

January, 2012

In-bound or out-bound??

Some new statistics on local population may surprise you. Data compiled from income tax returns to December 31, 2010 confirms the migration of people to and from St. Thomas and Elgin has continued to be a positive number.

Contrary to what many might believe has been a shrinking market with manufacturing job losses, local population counts are on the rise.

Over the six-year period 2005 through 2010 inclusive, total net migration was 1,663 people. 19,309 people arrived and 17,646 departed to produce the net gain.

The Chamber obtained the latest migration data through its work with the Elgin-Middlesex-Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board. Debra Mountenay, the Board’s Executive Director also raises the new stats as an indicator of challenges ahead, saying “While we still had a net inmigration in Elgin to the end of 2010, we need to

Migration Characteristics 2005 to 2010 Elgin County Age Group 0-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65+ Total

In-migrants 5,093 2,460 7,184 3,283 1,289 19,309

Out-migrants 4,222 3,599 6,151 2,570 1,104 17,646

Net-migrants 871 -1,139 1,033 713 185 1,663

Source: Statistics Canada, Taxfiler

bring jobs back to Elgin as quickly as possible in order to keep skilled people here. The net out-migration

We have moved!

Here’s a reminder the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce offices relocated on January 1. Our new address is within the Elgin Business Resource

was among the 18-24 year olds who are less likely to have local ties through home owner-

ship and/or marriage, and are therefore more mobile to move to follow the job market.”

Centre. Phone/ fax numbers and e-mail addresses for all staff are unchanged.

Please update your lists and files to our new location: 115 – 300 South Edgeware Road St. Thomas, ON N5P 4L1

Report on RRSP’s and Investing A special feature in the February edition of Elgin This Month To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities like this, give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22) Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales

or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca February Edition Advertising Deadline is January 15th

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BUSINESS BEAT

LEGAL BUSINESS Legal News and Issues for Business

Good Samara: engaging the disengaged

by Monty Fordham

Last month I wrote some thoughts concerning the Occupy movement across North America and its current status and possible causes. Rather than focusing upon the ratios of the 1 percent versus the 99 percent, it was and is my view that we will see more of this type of protest the more people in either percentage perceive themselves as disconnected from the political systems, the laws they create, the manner in which they redistribute the tax revenue they receive and the places they spend it.

A short while ago, when I reached the age of 21, I remember I could hardly wait for my first opportunity to exercise my right to vote in an election. I have been a regular voter ever since. However, I have numerous friends and colleagues who are not. I have often wondered why. It would be easy to opine that the reason is simple apathy or lack of understanding of the process. However, knowing the people involved, their level of intelligence and sophistication, I cannot believe either is the

case. Furthermore, the number of non-voters seems to be increasing, along with the number of protests either by physical assembly or Internet blogging.

Recently, while searching the Internet for some possible answers to this apparent dilemma, I stumbled upon a website called Samara, a charitable organization that studies engagement with Canadian democracy. Incidentally, according to the site, a “samara” is the winged helicopter seed that falls from maple, elm and ash trees.

Ironically, it’s also a city in Russia.

The work of Samara, according to its website, focuses on three areas: political leadership, the participation of citizens in public life and public affairs journalism. From all appearances the content of the website is completely non-partisan.

Recently, Samara published its findings in a study called “The Real Outsiders: Politically Disengaged Views on Politics and Democracy.”

The report is the result of the work of several academics, and is well worth a read.

The question for the authors is

1.59% 6.9¢ 1.64%

quite simple: “Why are people disengaged from politics?” The report goes to great lengths to dispel the notion that the cause of the disconnect is apathy, disinterest or ignorance of politics. Between the months of August and October of 2011, the researchers at Samara spoke to a cross-section of Canadians across the country. The results of that discussion are surprising to say the least.

In summary, the findings were as follows: First, the respondents expressed a dislike for politics, not to be confused with a dislike for democracy or democratic institutions.

Second, it was found that the disconnected regard themselves as political outsiders. The report states, “On the basis of their experience, they described government, bureaucrats, politicians and the media as working for someone else, and, therefore, irrelevant to their needs.”

Third, the report revealed that people who are disengaged from the political system become so through their personal experiences with it. In other words, they have found that “engagement is futile.”

To me, that last finding was perhaps the most troubling of all. I think most of us, politically connected or not, would agree that we

Published by Carroll Publishing Inc. and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin County For complete information on the St.Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce, reach us at: 115-300 South Edgeware Rd., St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 4L1 Telephone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 E-Mail: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca Website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca President & CEO

Bob Hammersley

Member Services Coordinator Accounting Coordinator Member Services

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Mike Vecchio Susan Munday Wes Bailey

live in the best country in the world.

Its political system is one important reason it is the best in the world. We, as Canadians, simply cannot afford to become disengaged from the political process. Our democracy depends upon our participation, at least at the ballot box.

Fortunately, organizations such as Samara are studying the dynamics of our political structure and the Canadian cynicism that seems to be pervading it. Have a look at their site at www.samaracanada.com.

Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares this monthly column for the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and our Members. Monty is also a volunteer serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Questions, comments and suggestions for future columns are welcomed by Monty at his Law Office, 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 or e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca

Acting Chair: Linda Sawyer Vice-Chair: Jason White Treasurer: Paul Smith Director: Pete Charlton Director: Monty Fordham Director: Frances Kennedy Director: Jeff Kohler Director: Mark Lassam

BMO Bank of Montreal Steelway Building Systems P.J. Smith & Associates Charlton’s Quality Meats Monty Fordham Law Office P3 Strategies Presstran Industries Kee, Perry & Lassam Chartered Accountants Director: Debra Mountenay Workforce Planning & Development Board Director: John Regan Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Darren Reith Reith and Associates Insurance & Financial Director: Allan Weatherall St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation Director: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre

January, 2012

BUSINESS BEAT

CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

2012 Business After 5 plans With sponsorships for each of the Chamber’s monthly Business After 5 events sold-out for 2012 (and more than half of 2013), the Chamber is promising Members a valuable series of events to mix, mingle and stay in-touch with our market and our community.

Exact dates are still to be confirmed on some months and scheduled to avoid conflict with other programs on our calendars. Locations will be announced each month here in Business Beat via our weekly Green Mail email broadcasts and through our social media tools on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Here’s our 2012 sponsor line-up: • Tuesday, January 10 – Wayside Dining & Catering at Talbotville • Wednesday, February 8 – Boston Pizza • Wednesday, March 14 – Elgin Business Resource Centre • Wednesday, April 25 – Disbrowe Chevrolet • May – Grand re-opening of St. Thomas Public Library • June 14 – a new group venture with six regional Chambers. St. Thomas, London, Strathroy, Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg will co-host the biggest Business After 5 ever at Western Fair District in London • July – Quai du Vin Estate Winery • August – Louie’s Sportswear • September 12 – Port Stanley Festival Theatre • October 17 – Business Sample Show • November – Jennings Furniture • December – multi-sponsor Chamber Holiday Celebration Business After 5 is the best low-cost way for your business to make connections with hundreds of other local businesses and people, and show what you have to offer. Admission is free and open to anyone from any business or organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and your favourite refreshments, too!

Come for the connections – stay for the fun.

One special note about our new multi-Chamber regional Business After 5 next June. Details are still being confirmed by representatives from each of the six participating area Chamber offices, but businesses that are registered Members of the St. Thomas & District Chamber will have the opportunity to have exhibit space at this event. If you’re interested in regional exposure to a very large crowd, let Bob Hammersley at the Chamber office know of your interest. Bob is building a list of local prospects and would be pleased to provide final details as soon as the organizing committee confirms options. Approximately 200 exhibit spaces will be shared by Members of the six Chambers hosting this major event. Call Bob directly at 519-631-1981 or email bob@stthomaschamber.on.ca If your business or organization has an interest in sponsoring a future Business After 5 event, our best advice is to call and book a month as soon as possible. Interest in this very popular monthly Chamber event means we have an average of 18 months booked in advance. Chamber CEO Bob Hammersley is the primary contact for all Members on any aspect of participation or sponsorship in Business After 5.

We have winners!

Barbara Beechey of RBC and the Chamber’s Member Services Committee, and Mike Vecchio of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce staff, congratulate Dionne Knight of Yurek Pharmacy and Whitney McWilliam of MPP Jeff Yurek’s office as the pair celebrate victories in our “12 Prizes of Christmas” draws. They each won door prizes valued at $90, wine travel sets courtesy of Elgin Chrysler and gift cards from Toppers Pizza, at the Chamber’s December Business After 5 held at St. Anne’s Centre.

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BUSINESS BEAT

PRO TEXT Business Management News & Issues

Insurance to value: what it actually means Insurance to value is the most common discussion I have with clients.

It is not uncommon for consumers to misunderstand the concept and refuse to accept that insurance to value and market value (what you paid for the property or what you think it is worth) are not the same thing. The end result can be a considerable burden and cost to the underinsured policyholder.

Market value is based on a number of factors that have no direct association to the replacement cost of your home or office. The factors for market value include, but are not limited to: desirability (location), land value and market value of surrounding homes/buildings; condition of the property; upgrades relative to neighbouring properties and general demand for properties in your location.

Whereas, replacement cost considers a host of other factors.

Insurance to value is important because property insurance policies that offer claims settlement on a replacement cost basis carry a co-insur-

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ance requirement. This means that in order for a claim to be settled on a replacement cost basis (brand new for old), the insured structure cannot be insured for less than the co-insurance requirement to avoid penalty.

This is most commonly experienced with partial loss claims, simply because there are more partial loss claims than total loss.

The purpose of Insurance to Value (ITV) is for the protection of the policyholder to ensure that in the event of a loss no penalty is applied.

It is to determine the cost to replace, brand new, with like kind and quality materials, in accordance with today’s building standards, your home or office building should it be severely damaged or destroyed by an insured peril, such as fire. This is also referred to as replacement value (RV). RV or ITV is not what someone will pay if it were listed for sale or what it may be assessed for, for the purposes of property taxation or establishing market value for purposes of mortgage financing. Nor does it reflect what you paid to buy it or what your neighbour’s property sold

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replacement value is not what it would cost to build brand new

for. Likewise, it is not the cost if it were built brand new. RV or ITV costing reflects the costs of site accessibility, debris removal, contamination, materials, availability of labour, equipment, architectural and engineering fees and a profit mark-up for the builder. It is also important to note that partial loss reconstruction, a factor in rebuilding, is far more expensive to clean-up and rebuild as one must tie into existing construction, than if the site was clear. These are costs not associated with original construction.

Elements of reconstruction not part of original construction costs are as follows: Materials costs A reconstruction firm purchases in smaller quantities than a general contractor or a subdivision builder and does not receive the same volume discount pricing from suppliers.

The reconstruction firms factor their profit and overhead of 20-30 percent based on one home as opposed to many.

Cost of demolition and debris removal Before any reconstruction can begin on an existing home or building, debris from the damages must be removed. When removing debris, reconstruction firms must work without damaging existing driveways, landscaping, utilities, sewer systems and any undamaged portion of the structure that may be remaining.

Current building codes When rebuilding or restoring a home or commercial building, one may need to meet certain newer and more demanding building codes.

Building codes change over time and existing structures are often “grand-

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fathered” and not required to meet the new standards.

Special restoration procedures A full assessment of the home or building must be completed, at a cost, to ensure structural integrity.

Estimates for restoration have to be received, evaluated and awarded.

Restoration firms employ specialty skills in handling hazardous waste and operating in adverse working conditions. The site also has to be secured and damage to the neighbouring properties assessed.

Costs due to replacement with like kind Reconstruction includes the cost to reconstruct, at current prices, an exact replica of your dwelling or commercial building, using like kind and quality materials particular to your building. Older homes are more difficult to restore and result in extra costs for specialized trades and materials.

Higher labour costs There is a heightened urgency to get you back into your home or office as soon as possible. This can result in increased costs for materials, delivery fees and contractor fees.

When a builder has several houses or buildings under construction at one time, work can be scheduled for the most efficient and economical use of trades and delivery of goods. When only one home or office building is being rebuilt, the same kind of efficient scheduling is seldom possible.

Roof down versus foundation up New construction begins at the foundation and builds upwards. Repairing a home or commercial building that is not totally destroyed often involves removing the roof and rebuilding from the top down, a far more time-consuming and labour intensive process.

Therefore, when you get your next property insurance renewal, it is advisable you take the time to have the conversation with your insurance provider to ensure that a proper evaluation has been undertaken within the past three years. Remember, the process is to ensure a claim is settled in your favour putting you back to where you were before the loss, not leaving you penalized for the rebuilding.

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted

by Dan Reith, BA(Hons) CAIB, Principal Broker, Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via email: info@reithandassociates.com January, 2012

BUSINESS BEAT

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

RAK Day

RAK stands for “Random Act of Kindness.” Because one simple act can go a long way, organizers of St. Thomas’ RAK Day on February 1 think a whole city filled with good acts can be both tremendous and powerful.

St. Thomas’s first ever Random Act of Kindness Day is a day to celebrate those little niceties and encourage others to pay those “acts of kindness” forward.

All through this month, cards are being circulated throughout our community. The cards encourage the cardholder to perform a simple act of kindness for someone – a neighbour, a friend, a co-worker, or someone they don’t even know – and to hand the card over to that person – encouraging him/her to do the same.

The project is being lead by two very community-minded people: Rob Mise, General Manager of myFM 94.1 and Al Hughson of Williams Funeral Home. They are anticipating that several businesses, organizations, schools and individuals will take up the call to do something nice for their fellow citizens.

“Random acts of kindness are a wonderful way to touch the life of another person and absolutely make our world a better place,” says Rob Mise. “Random Act of Kindness Day will help bring a human face to our community.”

“We live in a truly amazing community where so much kindness happens every day. Let’s take a moment to recognize when someone does something nice for us, in return, do something nice for them, not just for one day, but every day of the year,” says Co-Chair Al Hughson.

On Thursday, February 1, the day will begin with kick-off coffee at The Timken Centre. At noon, there will be a chili lunch at Memorial Arena.

Other activities will be announced in the next couple of weeks.

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce will join with the organizers as a co-sponsor of RAK Day.

Here are some ways that you can get involved!

• Treat everyone to coffee and donuts in the morning.

• Allow your staff to leave a half hour early.

• Send an e-card to your employees letting them know how much you appreciate them.

• Share your “to die for” chocolate chip cookies with your cubicle mates.

• Offer to make the morning coffee run for everyone.

• Make a point of thanking a co-worker for their help on a recent project.

• Gather up your gently used clothes, toys, furniture and books and donate them to the appropriate organization.

• Carry groceries to the car and return the cart for a parent with a child, or a senior, etc.

• Say something nice to everyone you meet.

For more information, listen to myFM 94.1 or contact: Al Hughson, Williams Funeral Home, 519.633.6595 Rob Mise, 94.1 myFM Radio, 519.633.6936, rob.mise@myfmradio.ca

New Realty Watch Program launched The London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR) and the Ontario Provincial Police have launched a new community policing program – Realty Watch.

“The program has two components,” says Sgt. Steve Montpetit, O.P.P. Provincial AMBER Alert Coordinator. “The first has to do with reporting suspicious activity. REALTORS® can report either directly to the police or through Crime Stoppers any suspicious activity they observe in the course of their day-to-day business . . . and that’s potentially very useful when you consider how much crime takes place during the day when people

are away at work.”

“The second component of the Realty Watch Program has to do with responding to alerts,” Montpetit continues. “Both AMBER alerts, which go out in the case of child abduction cases, but other alerts as well, such as those that go out when people with a medical condition go missing. LSTAR has over 1,500 Members spread out over three counties linked together through an association-wide, Internet-based communications system that allows them to receive alerts immediately. From a police perspective, that’s a lot of eyes on the ground.”

Your Business Needs Video

Welcome Jamie McGibbon The Team at Disbrowe Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac is pleased to welcome JAMIE MCGIBBON, Sales Representative.

Jamie wishes everyone a Happy and Safe New Year and invites his friends and family to contact him to experience the Disbrowe Difference.

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

January, 2012

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BUSINESS BEAT

POSITIVE EXPOSURE Doing Public Relations Right

The 2012 public relations pro

by Allan Weatherall

Here we are well into 2012! What will it bring St. Thomas/Elgin County?

We all have our wishes but, most of all, good health tops many lists. Our personal wishes never seem to change … a good job, loving family, fun times with friends and so forth and, in my professional life, the hospital redevelopment project will be front and centre for sure as we see this project become reality.

My general assignment for Business Beat each month is to write about public relations (PR) and communications, although I admit to deviations! PR has changed significantly over the last few years. And 2012 will see it change even more. The PR pros still need the basic skills that they’ve always needed but entry-level professionals now need to be proficient at, among other things: • Writing – the cornerstone of a PR professional’s career. If you’re not confident about your writing skills, practice your writing and read what others do.

• Communications skills – learn to converse more effectively.

• Pay attention to detail – because nothing will drive your colleagues – and your clients – mad like poorly-edited work. Proofread everything and check every fact.

• Media relations – you’ll probably be doing media relations to some degree, e.g.– What’s in a media list? What are the pitching best practices?

• Be proactive – research the answer and if you can’t find the answer, ask.

• Work ethic – public relations isn’t a 9-to-5 job. It shouldn’t take over your life, but the nature of the work is that you may have last-minute deadlines and sometimes you’ll have to help others. There’s nothing worse for more

A sweet prize Crystal Underhill and Maggie Underhill of the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life present Melanie Miller of TD Canada Trust with a gingerbread house she won at the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce Business After 5 event December 7 at St. Anne’s Centre.

senior team members than watching the more junior ones walk out of the door at 5pm and then have to stay there until 9pm themselves. Put in that little bit of extra effort. It won’t be every day, but people will notice.

Alongside the regular skills that should be in your package of skills, I would add new attributes related to the online work, which is becoming so prevalent.

Among these I would include: • Blogging – you don’t necessarily need to have one (although it’s a big plus), but an understanding of the importance of blogs is fundamental today • Twitter or microblogging – it’s still an emerging technology, but I would say that an understanding of it is pretty well essential.

• Social networking tools – Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and more – an understanding of social networks is a very basic necessity today.

• Coding – basic HTML, PHP, VBScript and so on are not critical skills but very helpful.

• Blogger relations and social media ethics – everyone has their own lines when it comes to common ethical issues … but the old ‘do unto others’ ethic is pretty basic to remember It’s almost impossible to find someone with all of these attributes. If you’re like me you have some skills in some areas and in others a great deal of work and understanding is required. Figure out which areas are your weakest, and work on them. A few other areas to consider in the world of business communications are: • Business and finance • Business ethics • Multi-tasking and time management One of the things I heard many years ago was – marketing vs. public relations, what’s the difference? It was explained this way … marketing is ‘paid for’ … public relations is ‘prayed for’! All the same, an organized and active public relations program has proven time and again that it is a fundamental business function and the best PR decisions are closely linked to sound business practises and a responsible corporate philosophy. This will This article has been prepared for the Chamber and our Members by Allan never change.

Actor Errol Flynn once said, “A Weatherall, B.A., CFRE, APR – good PR practitioner should have Executive Director of the St. Thomas an ear for whisper, but you need to Elgin General Hospital Foundation.

He received accreditation (APR) from know what they are whispering the Canadian Public Relations Society about your organization.” So keep in 1993 and a CFRE (certified your ear to the ground, be proactive, fundraising executive) in 2000. react to challenges in a responsible He welcomes your comments via email way – and 2012 will be a good year. to: aweather@stegh.on.ca or telephone 519-631-2030 extension 2247.

New Location Now Open See Tony for all your mortgage needs

519-207-8669 tony@omac.ca

www.omacstthomas.com

3-9 Princess Ave., St.Thomas, ON N5R 3V3

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The Mortgage Group™

Tony Milles, AMP Mortgage Agent

January, 2012

BUSINESS BEAT

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

Market facts Trends? Stats? Opportunities? Comparisons? With provision of business and community information a key element in the Chamber’s service goals for Members, it should come as no surprise that we work to collect data from multiple sources that can benefit our Members in every sector and size of business.

Thanks to our work participating in the Elgin Workforce Development Committee, we have new information to share on the population of businesses in our market and employment trends. The information below has been compiled for the period December 2008 through November 2011, a three-year span that many will see as the beginning of the economic downturn to the most recent market information available. The data reflects the City of St. Thomas and all of Elgin County.

Size of businesses • The number of businesses with no employees, those defined as self-employed, is up by 6.3% to over 3,000. The Ontario average growth in this sector for the same period was only 0.14%.

• Businesses with 1-4 employees are also growing here at a rate above the Ontario average. 1,236 were identified, up 8.9% from 2008. Ontario’s average growth was less at 5.2%.

• The two stats above mirror information given to us last March by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce when we were recognized for adding 89 new businesses to our membership; more than any other Chamber anywhere in Ontario. 87 of those employ 0-6 people.

• There are now 506 local businesses with 5-9 employees, an increase of 30 or 6.3%. Across Ontario, an average decline of 1.87%.

• Looking at businesses with 10 or more employees, negative numbers everywhere. Elgin lost 14 employers in the 10-19 employee size (5.07%).

Not so much in the rest of Ontario with average decline at 1.31%.

• Losses of large employers hit us hard. Ontario’s average was a decline of

12.18% in employers with 500 or more on staff. Locally, the losses of Ford, Lear and Sterling dropped us by 42.9%.

• Among businesses with 200-499 employees, Elgin gained 11.1% as compared to the Ontario average of a loss of 14.3%. The bad news within this stat was that our growth in that sector came from shrinkage as two employers fell below the 500 employee mark.

Job growth and decline Economic change means employment change. Some sectors decline while others expand. Looking at small to mid-size employers only, those with 0 to 99 people employed, here’s what we see (the classifications are based on NAICS, a standardized international listing system): Gainers • Nursing and residential care • Securities, commodities and investment services • Social assistance • Ambulatory health care • Food & beverage wholesale Each of the top five gaining categories expanded absolute or net job growth by over 20%.

Losers • General administration and support clerical • Food & beverage retail • Retail • Fabricated metal manufacturing • Miscellaneous manufacturing Each of the top five losing categories reported declines at an average rate of 49.7%.

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Employment Services Elgin 400 Talbot St., St. Thomas P: 519.631.5470 Mon-Thurs 8:30am-6pm • Fri 8:30am-4pm

Aylmer Community Services West Elgin Support Services 25 Centre Street, Aylmer P: 519.765.2082 Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm Tues 9am-6pm

160 Main Street W., West Lorne P: 519.768.0020 Mon-Fri 9am-5 pm

www.jobselgin.ca January, 2012

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This Employment Ontario program is funded by the Ontario Government

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BUSINESS BEAT

NEW MEMBERS Welcome To The Chamber Network

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome the following businesses and individuals as our newest Members. The staff and management of the organizations shown below were accepted as registered Members from November 16 to December 15, 2011.

Be Fit Boot Camp 2 - 227 Adelaide Street West London, ON N6B 3H3 Phone: 226-688-5648 Email: lucas@befitbootcamp.org Website: www.befitbootcamp.org Contact: Lucas Miles, Health & Fitness Coach Buyer’s Guide Category: Personal Trainers Products & Services: Be Fit Boot Camp's plan is to get YOU started on the right foot and help YOU develop and maintain

a long-term healthy lifestyle that will last you for the rest of your life. Through their fitness assessments, consultations, personalized fitness programs, nutrition sessions and more they will help you reach your goals. They will take you step by step throughout the process day by day, week by week, and month by month through their health and fitness programs.

Hello Fashions 275 Talbot Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1B4 Phone: 519-207-6700 Contact: Helen Garton, Owner Buyer’s Guide Category: Clothing/Fashion Products & Services: Hello Fashions is new, and becomes the only consignment clothing store in the St. Thomas area. Hello Fashions welcomes you to shop anytime, and to consider turning

your gently used fashion items to all the party extras you need to cash through their unique concreate a memorable event. Let signment sales program.

Just Right Cakes bring the party to you.

Just Right Cakes 161 Ross Street Maurice A. Neville - MemberSt. Thomas, ON N5R 3X9 ship Recruitment Phone: 226-374-4450 R.R. #3 Email: St. Thomas, ON N5P 3S7 justrightcakes@rogers.com Phone: 519-765-4469 Website: www.justrightcakes.net Email: foxwood@porchlight.ca Contact: Jesika Mackie, Owner Contact: Maurice A Neville, Buyer’s Guide Category: Food Owner Specialties Buyer’s Guide Category: Products & Services: Just Right Professional Speakers Cakes specializes in 3-D hand Products & Services: Maurice is a carved cakes, gourmet cupcakes specialist in working with comand the trendy new craze. Their munity groups, service clubs and mission is to alleviate the stress membership-based organizations and panic involved when planacross southern Ontario to enning the cake and party extras hance Membership recruitment for a celebration. They strive to through education, coaching and provide customers with amazing focused fundraising. cakes, cupcakes and all the sweet treats you'll need. As an Simalam Media Inc. added service, they will shop for 999 Collip Circle (Convergence Centre) London, ON N6G 4X8 Phone: 519-520-3553 Email: info@simalam.com Website: www.simalam.com Contact: Adam Malamis Buyer’s Guide Categories: Advertising/Promotion; Business Advisory Services; Graphic Design; Web Design Services Products & Services: Simalam Media Inc. specializes in helping small to medium sized businesses create customer perception, or a “brand” through definitive marketing plans, logos, print material and web solutions. They custom tailor your media to appeal to your customers. As their motto says “Without a professional business approach, all you have is a pretty picture.”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY Save 3.5¢/litre Chamber members qualify for Esso’s Direct Billing Program; you pay 3.5¢ off the posted retail pump price whenever you fuel up.

You may also get a convenient, detailed monthly invoice and also qualify for Speedpass®. For an application, contact:

Lynhurst ESSO & Variety 16

Wellington Road at St. George St. 519-633-0002

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voip business systems

P.O. Box 20155, St. Thomas (519) 633.0080 • rblaxall@sympatico.ca

Residential • Commercial • Industrial E L G I N

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t!

Fresh at Its Bes

• Delicious, Fresh Baked Goods like no other!

• Parties • Weddings • Anniversaries • Meetings • Any Special Occasion

24 First Ave., St.Thomas • 519-633-0101 kathyscatering@sympatico.ca

January, 2012

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

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Savings Grant (CESG), each child must be a Canadian resident with a valid Social Insurance Number.

• Total lifetime RESP contribution limit is $50,000 per beneficiary. The annual contribution limit has been removed.

• RESP contributions are non-deductible for tax purposes.

• Each child accrues $2,500 in grant-eligible contribution room each year since 2007.

• All grant eligible contributions are entitled to receive a 20 percent CESG. Note that lower income families may be entitled to a larger grant.

• Maximum lifetime CESG limit is $7,200 per beneficiary.

• RESP beneficiaries are entitled to receive $500 in CESG per year, up to and including the year they turn 17.

• Only one previous year’s worth of grant eligible contribution room can be carried forward to the current calendar year.

Saving for an education

The rules regarding Registered Education Savings Plans

by Ellen Luft

During the Christmas season I had several conversations with clients regarding the best gift they could give their children or grandchildren.

While we talked about toys, electronics or the latest gadgets, as a financial planner, my thoughts turned to gifts of monetary value, such as stocks or maybe even an Education Savings

build a solid foundation for your loved one’s future

Plan. Because there have been significant changes to the rules governing contributions to Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) over the years, I thought it would be great to review the rules regarding these investments, in case you are thinking of saving for your child or grandchild’s educational future.

• In order to open an RESP and be eligible for the Canadian Education

• The maximum age for RESP contribution is up to and including the 21st year of the plan’s existence.

• Contributions made after the year in which the beneficiary turns 17 are not CESG eligible.

• Interest, dividends and capital gains inside the RESP are tax-free.

The benefits of saving for your child’s education are many, especially since over the last two decades the average cost of tuition in Canada has more than tripled. Giving a financial gift that will benefit for a lifetime is the best you can do for your family.

Ellen Luft is an investment advisor with Dundee Securities Corporation in St. Thomas.

Business ownership should be about money, freedom and fun... Are you on track?

Bryan Vine 519-207-4865: Office 519-857-4865: Cell b.vine@thegrowthcoach.com • www.thegrowthcoach.com/bvine Each office is independently owned and operated

The REVITALIZED

St. Thomas Public Library reopens at 153 Curtis Street, St. Thomas on Monday, January 16, 2012.

St. Thomas

Public Library

January, 2012

Phone: (519) 631-6050 website: www.st-thomas.library.on.ca blog: http://stplblog.wordpress.com E L G I N

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

Food, wine and friends How to host a great wine and food pairing party

by Jamie Quai

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accomplish this, present the foods all at once in the centre of the room. I prefer to host in a living room, because the dining room tends to add an unnecessary air of formality. I also have yet to find an endlessly comfortable dining room chair. The background music should be easy on the ears. And most importantly, at a wine and food party, cut out the nonsense smells! Your guests will enjoy the experience much more if their senses are not being pulled in E L G I N

too many directions, with overpowering scented candles, excessive use of ‘air fresheners’ and the perfumes we too often douse ourselves in before a big social.

A diverse selection of wines is the one factor that people often spend too much time fretting over. When we host, I like to cast the widest net possible to cover all tastes. For example, at our recent party, we opened 11 bottles. Three were from my personal reserve cellar.

They all had a great story, and those stories fostered conversation. Three were from my winery, which were safe choices for me (but only include a few safe ones; too often at food and wine parties, people are afraid to branch out). The next three were recent purchases I made especially for this event to fill in the wine spectrum we were trying to showcase. The last two were wild cards – something really different – in this case, a vintage port and a Nova Scotia grappa. When hosting, I don’t subscribe to the BYOB concept. While I find it can work, it just doesn’t create the same great ‘wow’ experience. Additionally, I ensure that the wines are all opened at once and placed with the foods. Any special care, including decanting, is

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done ahead of serving.

A mixed group of guests ensures that no single track of conversation dominates the evening. There is little shoptalk, everyone feels welcome, and, because not everyone has had the same experiences, the conversation can go anywhere. A great wine and food pairing is communal – shared glasses, shared plates and shared enjoyment! Cheers everyone!

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My wife and I found ourselves in the Distillery District of Toronto recently and we had the chance to revisit a terrific chocolate shop. Among the many items we purchased was a cleverly packaged assortment of four dark chocolates from various corners of the world.

This purchase inspired us to host a wine and food party the following week. The party theme evolved to include a selection of specialty cheeses, spreads and a dozen assorted wines. The party was a huge hit and since that night, my thoughts have dwelled on the fact that the difference between a good and a great wine and food pairing is all in the details.

For me, a great wine and food party is the balance between several factors – well-prepared foods, a relaxing environment, a diverse selection of wines and, of course, a mixed group of guests.

Well-prepared foods is a given. We didn’t buy the cheap chocolate; we bought the good stuff because it offered a variety of quality taste experiences. The cheeses we selected were distinctly different and all made by quality producers. All of the extras, including fruits, breads, pastries, baked goods and dips, were either homemade or purchased from those who take pride in their products.

A relaxing environment means a venue that is welcoming, pleasant and minimizes distractions. Parties that are centred on food and wine exploration should be based on fostering communal dialogue. To

a great wine and food pairing is all in the details

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

January, 2012

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

A sweet experience Rush Creek Wines is known for its fruit-based wines Nestled along the North Shore of Lake Erie is family-owned and operated Rush Creek Wines. Kim and Wendy Flintoft, along with daughters Jennifer, Amanda and Racheal, grow many of the fruit varieties found at the winery, including blackcurrants, elderberries, gooseberries, red currants, raspberries, huckleberries, to name a few. All other fruits not grown on the farm come from neighbouring farms in Elgin County.

The Flintofts have farmed their entire 33 years together. Opening the winery in 1996, the self- taught couple have stayed true to the fruit that the wine is made from.

Over 20 varieties of wine are made and bottled from dry wines to rich dessert wines winning over 210 national and international awards, including ‘Fruit Wine Maker of the Year Across Canada,’ ‘Best Fruit Wine of Canada’ and many double gold medals on wines from the USA and Canada.

In 2011, Rush Creek Wines was

honored with the ‘Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation’ for their Decadence line of products, which includes wine jelly, body cream, body sugar scrub and body spritzer. The combination of strawberries and chocolate has created jobs, increased tourism dollars and given business to local honey, fruit and chocolate producers.

Rush Creek wines are made from a pulp fermentation using the whole fruit, skin and all the fruit. This is where the true colour, bouquet and flavour of the fruit are captured.

Making approximately 40,000 bottles a year, Rush Creek is still considered a small family winery, just as they like it!

The winery is open year round and offers complimentary tastings daily, a large gift boutique, and a place to have a light lunch in the brushetta bar and dessert area. The winery is also a second location for artist Shelley McVittie to host her beautiful artwork.

Explore your senses with wine from Rush Creek Wines.

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by Kate Burns

Rush Creek Wines is a member of Savour Elgin. Savour Elgin is a program with a goal to promote and enhance culinary tourism in Elgin County and St. Thomas. The Savour Elgin trail is a route through Elgin County that visits some of the best restaurants, farms, wineries, and other culinary attractions that focus on food and drink that’s local and unique to Elgin County and St. Thomas. For full trail information visit www.savourelgin.ca.

Rush Creek is still considered a small family winery

Kate Burns is the business development coordinator at the County of Elgin.

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1063 Talbot Street, St. Thomas NEW CHEFS! January, 2012

519-633-6500

www.kingsbuffet.com E L G I N

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HOMESTYLE DECORATING

Graphic power Geometric and abstract patterns and prints can add punch to your décor

by Renée Carpenter

Is the sight of the same old solidcoloured wall getting you down? Does the prospect of picking out a print throw you into paralysis? Well, suffer no more! Think geometric! Or, are you one of those who want to break the rules, colour outside the box, and do the opposite of whatever everyone else does? Then abstract patterns might be up your alley.

There are many kinds of patterns out there but they can be categorized into just a few: floral, nature, animal, geometric, abstract and scroll. In this article, we’re going to concentrate on the graphic power of geometrics and take a quick ride through the unpredictable world of abstract prints.

Geometric patterns are some of the oldest types of design, based on simple shapes of circles, squares, rectangles, and ellipses. Over the centuries, we have had endless variations of geometric patterns but a few have

become quite distinct and popular. In Arab cultures, geometric patterns play an important role in design. Religion decreed that artwork be limited only to geometric patterns and calligraphy as any figurative art was considered a form of idolatry and a sin against God. Consequently, incredible complex patterns arose from simple geometric forms as shown in ancient tribal rugs and mosaic tile work. A Persian rug traditionally can show a diamond pattern with tribal motifs of varying geometric shapes, and can be used in both traditional and contemporary homes as their small patterns complement most furniture styles.

Current designers have re-interpreted Arabic patterns and translated it for modern homes. Designer Thom Filicia uses interlocking hexagon shapes for his contemporary take on Arabic styles. This simplified design is perfect for the more minimalist decors.

The Art Deco style, which origi-

nated from the 1920s, also used many geometric patterns in its décor. Art Deco patterns are perfect for elegant, glamorous homes. Midway through the 20th century, pop art became big and its bright and colorful parodies of cultural traditions influenced design in every field.

Also emerging from the mid-century era was the op-art movement.

Optical art takes advantage of optical illusions, the interplay between illusion and the picture plane. Various rug styles create an optical illusion of stepped-up blocks when all there really exists in the whole composition are only two geometric shapes, a hexagon and a parallelogram in various orientations.

Abstract prints are the complete opposite of geometrics. Geometrics are based on basic shapes of circles, squares, and rectangles whereas with abstracts anything goes. Abstract patterns play well with contemporary and modern style interiors. They’re usually fresh, wild and won’t remind

your friends of your grandmother’s taste.

Abstract prints can be created in two ways: take something real, (a leaf or a flower) and take out the details or “abstract it.” There’s still some detail left to recognize what it once was but now the emphasis is on lines and shape – the design – rather than the flower.

Abstract prints can also come out purely from the imagination such as landscapes. Because of the lack of rules, abstract prints can come in a diverse selection – making for a bountiful source for fabrics, rugs, and wallpaper. So if floral or geometric prints seem passé, take a look at abstract prints for your next design plan.

We've covered only the tip of the iceberg with these examples of geometric and abstract patterns. But as you can see in the variety, they evoke different moods from fun and wild to subtle and elegant to complex and ethnic. Next time you want something dramatic or different, look for a geometric print that fits the mood of your room.

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

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January, 2012

HOMESTYLE AT HOME IN ELGIN

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An impressive great room that opens into a spacious kitchen

New home trends

Brian Lippold is Manager of Builder Markets at Reliance Home Comfort™ and Vice-President of the St.Thomas & Elgin Homebuilder’s Association.

Find out how luxurious design and practical needs meet in local new homes

by Brian Lippold

Our population is moving and changing more rapidly than ever before. The consumer is both stylish as well as tech-savvy. We are also living in a society with peaked concern for living expense and the environment.

However, we are also consumers, generally unwilling to give up the luxuries that make life convenient and enjoyable. So when we are looking for a new home, we no longer have to be disappointed. We can have both luxury and practicality.

You can see this concept best in the features being incorporated into houses being built in St. Thomas and Elgin County.

Design has moved away from the multi-room mansion with formal dining rooms, centre hallways and tight washrooms. The focal point of today’s design is an impressive great room that opens into a spacious and functional kitchen. This is where you’ll often find an island with seating in addition to an opening dining area. Gone is the formal dining room.

In the last five to seven years, rising utility costs, legislation and ecofriendly consumer thinking have greatly advanced efficient technologies in a home.

Newer plumbing fixtures are more stylish but cleverly engineered with water conservation in mind. Many of these technologies come from Masco, the plumbing fixture manufacturer located right here in St. Thomas.

Electrical energy reduction has been achieved without sacrificing January, 2012

luxury or aesthetic qualities. Motion lighting, doorjamb switches, natural sunlight tubes (or sono-tubes) and compact fluorescent light bulbs have cut lighting costs dramatically in new homes. Only by looking at your reduced kilowatt usage can you tell that these technologies are practical.

High-tech heating and cooling systems, as well as water-heating systems, are far more efficient today than they were just ten years ago. Direct drive, ECM furnace motors with modulating gas valves make heating bills reasonable. Newer, scroll compressors in air conditioning systems significantly reduce power usage.

And tankless water heaters are 15-30 percent more efficient than your traditional storage type water heater.

Not only are utility costs reduced, each of these systems is quieter than its predecessors.

Outdoors is in. In summer, you can sit or entertain in outdoor living spaces, furnished with weather resistant pieces that resemble what you might find in a living room. When it is time to come in, you step right back into home air quality that’s comparable to the outdoors. Progressive builders recognize the healthy home concept by providing ventilation, coupled with heat recovering technologies, like ERVs and HRVs. Smart homes are wired into a central hub. This panel provides convenience and improves efficiency.

Lighting, heating, security and media needs can be controlled by laptops and smart phones at home or even from the office.

In St. Thomas and Elgin County, all these wonders of modern technolE L G I N

ogy are hidden behind some of the most beautifully designed homes in Canada. Visit some of our local model homes to see how practicality and luxury can work together.

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KEITH HUNT

CONSTRUCTION LTD.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ~ COST CONSULTING

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519-765-2666

C.E.T., P.Q.S. President

20 Harvey St., Aylmer, ON

www.keithhunt.ca M O N T H

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S EVERYDAY HEALTH

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The New Year and spinal health

Neck pain is a common spinal problem

Make one of your resolutions to keep your spine in good shape

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

What do spinal health and New Year’s resolutions have in common?

The point is that if you don’t have your health, then really none of the other resolutions matter. We have explored the concept of health in past articles and it has many components.

This New Year I’d like you to consider the importance of spinal health and resolve to take better care of your spine.

The spinal column encloses and protects one of the most important structures in the entire human body – the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a vital component of the nervous system, which includes the brain as well

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as all of the nerves that carry messages to every tissue in the body. The nervous system is the master system of the body and controls all the functions that are happening at any given time. As a result, at the heart of good health is a properly functioning nervous system. This is why spinal health is so important.

Stress and strain on the vertebrae of the spinal column can result from normal daily activities, work demands, sporting and fitness activities as well as many other sources. This stress and strain can damage the joints of the spinal column leading to loss of normal function. The resulting physiological changes can affect the flow of neurological information as it passes along the nerves that enter and exit the spinal column. This is why a spinal problem can have far-reaching effects such as arm and leg pain.

One of the most common types of spinal problems in our society is back pain. Back pain is second only to upper respiratory infections for lost work hours and is the second leading reason for visits to the family medical doctor. Eight out of ten people will suffer at least one bout of back pain in their lifetime and 20 percent of society suffers from some level of back discomfort at all times.

Neck pain and headaches are also common types of spinal problems.

Neck pain and disability from neck pain are widespread experiences. In North America about 5 percent of the general population is disabled because of neck pain. Studies show that between 10-20 percent of society suffers from persistent or chronic neck pain. Headaches are one of the most frequent reasons people seek medical advice and are the primary

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complaint of about 10 percent of chiropractic patients. Both of these conditions may be related to vertebral joint dysfunction similar to back pain and as a result also have far reaching effects.

Chiropractors are highly trained healthcare professionals who specialize in the assessment, detection and treatment of the ailments discussed above. In other words, the scope of a chiropractic practice includes things that affect the nerves, muscles and skeleton of the body including the joints of the spine. In Ontario, chiropractors along with medical doctors, psychologists, dentists and optometrists are the only health care providers legislated by the Regulated Health Professions Act to diagnose.

This responsibility is granted to chiropractors because they have been trained to examine and diagnose in the same manner as these other health care professionals.

Maintaining the health of your spine is vital to maintaining the overall health of your entire body. Spinal ailments can have far reaching affects and lead to a variety of health problems. Your local chiropractor is highly trained in the detection and treatment of spinal problems and is therefore an excellent resource for you to utilize to help achieve and maintain optimum spinal health.

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

January, 2012

We have four Chiropractors with over 50 years of combined experience We offer a full scope of care for WSIB, sports-related injury, motor vehicle and personal injury, mobility issues associated with aging, and pediatric care.

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Whether it be for stress relief, muscle aches and pains, trouble walking or just relaxation. We can help!

Scott Paton

519-637-8727 Recognized as the best sports specific personal trainer in SW. Ontario

Heather Vance, RMT 519-633-4147 Services often covered by extended health care benefits

Scott Paton has created a fitness and training facility that combines professional expertise with state-of-the art equipment. If you are tired of large and impersonal gyms, or want a health and wellness facility that pays attention to your individual needs, visit us. You won’t be disappointed.

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Moonstone Holistic Spa offers a variety of spa treatments which are based on Indian and Tibetan healing rituals and practices.

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170 Wellington Street, St. Thomas January, 2012

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S PERSONAL HEALTH A state of emergency was declared last year in Lambton County due to extreme weather conditions. Snowplows did their best to clear roads during high winds and awful visibility; warming shelters opened to assist those without heat or power and the Canadian Forces arrived with an assortment of vehicles and personnel to assist in rescue efforts. The result was that over 300 motorists stranded on Highway 402 were brought to safety.

The weather last winter was brutal, and in all likelihood, this year will not be much different, so how should you prepare?

While no one leaves home the morning of a storm expecting to be stuck in a snowdrift for 48 hours, many drivers can do more to prepare. This includes having more than enough gas to make it to work and the gas station at lunch, clothes suitable for weather below 20°, and hopefully a bagged lunch. Travelling in January without adequate fuel, food and clothing has the potential for disaster. These essential supplies are vitally important for travelling in winter, especially during a storm.

A few simple measures can minimize the risk of facing the elements for too long. The saying goes that hoping for the best is not a plan. Taking action, using a few simple steps, is a great way to prevent a bad situation from becoming dangerous. Fortunately, the best way to prepare for disasters is the same for all emergencies and is summarized in three easy steps. They are: 1. Know the risks 2. Make a plan 3. Get a kit The risks related to stormy weather and dangerous driving conditions are well known. Bad weather impairs a driver’s ability to steer, brake and respond to hazards. The risks are understood, so the message is clear – stay off the roads if you can during snowy and icy conditions. If you must travel – slow down.

Now that the risks are defined, it is time to develop an emergency plan.

Gather your friends or family to discuss why you need to prepare for an emergency. What types of emergencies could happen? What would you do in each case?

Our ability to communicate with

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one another often breaks down during a disaster. People are located at work, school and home or anywhere in between, yet they still need to contact one another for confirmation of everyone’s safety. Does each person know what to do if your group is not together during the crisis? Have you identified a meeting place or a central contact number? Knowing how and where you will make contact with your family and friends is crucial, but remember the power may be out or the cell phone could need charging.

A fun part to preparing for an emergency is developing an emergency survival kit. The kit should contain all of the basic items you need to remain comfortable for at least three days. Keep in mind that families with babies and toddlers will have additional needs for their kit. This includes things like diapers, baby food and formula, bottles and toys. The following is an emergency survival checklist of basic items to include in your kit: • Flashlight and batteries • Radio and batteries or crank radio • First-aid kit • Candles and matches/lighter • Extra car keys and cash • Important papers (identification) • Non-perishable food (ready-to-eat items that do not require refrigeration) • Manual can opener • Bottled water (4 litres per person per day) • Clothing and footwear • Blankets or sleeping bag • Toilet paper and other personal items • Medication • Whistle (to attract attention, if needed) Practising your family emergency plan provides training for a real emergency. You should review your plan regularly and update contact numbers and meeting locations, as needed. In addition to practicing your plan, make sure to replace the food and water in your emergency survival kit once every six months.

While the events in Lambton last year where extraordinary, extreme temperatures are common.

“

by Ryan Huffman

prevent a bad situation from becoming dangerous

Welcome to blizzard season!

Are you prepared for what this winter may throw at us?

DRL Professional Massage Therapy Clinic

Visit our new location at 15 St Catharines St., St Thomas Serving St. Thomas and area for 17 years

Three RMTs to serve you with special interests in work and sports related injuries, motor vehicle and personal injury, as well as health and wellness needs. There is absolutely nothing better for stress and tension reduction.

Services are often covered by extended health care benefits such as WSIB, Greenshield, MVA treatments, etc.

Dean R. Lush, RMT Shara Ross-Jelfs, RMT Andrew VandenDool, RMT

519-631-2829 24

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Ryan Huffman is a Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Elgin St. Thomas Public Health.

For more information, visit: www.elginhealth.on.ca or http://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca January, 2012

H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S FOOD CHOICES

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start your day off right

New Year, new start Turn drab into fab with healthy alternatives for your favourite grub

(NC) Mustering up the willpower to eat healthy, balanced meals in the New Year can be a challenge. Holiday treats and gift baskets are still lying around and the healthy options seem like a bore. New Year, new start. Turn the drab options into fun, healthy alternatives and get the year started off right.

Check out these healthy and trendy food ideas: 1. Stay sustainable Environment and health are hot topics right now. Help protect the envi-

ronment and your health by choosing sustainable options at the grocery store. Some grocery stores feature sustainable seafood including Pacific Sole or Pacific Halibut that will provide your daily intake of Vitamin D. 2. Get your grains Quinoa is all the rage right now. A delicious, gluten-free alternative to pasta, quinoa is protein-rich and boosts energy levels. It blends well with your favourite vegetables and spices to make a nutritious main or

side dish.

3. Take it off Chicken breast is one of the leanest proteins and is an excellent substitute to other, fattier meats. What you may not know is that 45-75 percent of chicken fat is stored in the skin. Try putting herbs and spices on skinless chicken. They can pack big flavour, so you will never notice the skin has been removed.

4. Go natural Nuts are an excellent source of pro-

tein but are often mixed with unnecessary oils. Go natural this year and try natural peanut butter made just from peanuts. It's free of vegetable oils and goes great with fruit, crackers or toast.

Or try raw nuts and crack some right out of the shell.

5. Go Greek Top up your protein intake with this decadent yogurt. With nearly twice the protein as regular yogurt, Greek yogurt boasts a nutritional content that is sure to start your day off right.

On The Road To Serve You Better Mobile Unit

Accessible Healthcare & Community Programs Our Vision is to work with our community in pursuit of Good Health and Wellness for Everyone.

January, 2012

Coming Soon to St. Thomas, Southwold and Central Elgin.

Call 519-633-7989 for more information or visit us at

www.centralchc.com

“Where Every One Matters” Serving Southwold Township, Central Elgin & St. Thomas 359 Talbot Street, St. Thomas 519-633-7989 Fax: 519-633-8467 Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Some Evening Hours Email: info@centralchc.com www.centralchc.com E L G I N

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S VOLUNTEERING

Feeling good on the inside is healthy too!

Volunteering can bring benefits to everyone involved

by Pam Buys

maintain their independence at home with pride and dignity. Meals on Wheels is a program to ensure they are eating healthy, blood pressure clinics help them monitor their blood pressure, SMART exercise classes ensure they are staying physically active, and transportation helps individuals get to medical appointments or other errands.

But along with the physical aspects of a healthy lifestyle, feeling good on the inside is also important to living a helps us feel great inside. When we happy and healthy balanced life. Feel- feel great on the inside, it affects our ing worthy, valued and full of passion entire well-being, giving us energy and strength to apply to all factors in our lives.

The VON’s Volunteer Visiting program offers these type of benefits to both the volunteer and the person visited.

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a friendly face to visit with

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We are often reminded about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that really mean? It generally means eating healthy, being physically active, not smoking and overall taking better care of ourselves. By taking small steps in our lives, we can make changes towards living a healthy life.

At VON, we believe that ‘Health Starts at Home.’ We offer programs for individuals over the age of 55 years, or adults living with a disability, to help ensure they have the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle and

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Irene Kocus (left) and Michelle Elliot during one of their visits.

time I visit with Irene, I leave feeling like a better person because I know I made her day. We learn so much from each other during our visits.”

One of the things they do during their visits is go for a walk. Irene is legally blind and cannot do this on her own. Even Michelle benefits from the experience. “I would not be going out for a walk on my own if I was at home and not visiting with Irene,” says Michelle. This activity has given Michelle as much motivation as it has to Irene.

Being healthy emotionally is just as essential as being healthy physically.

Having a friend to laugh with, talk with and sometimes cry with is important because everyone deserves to have a friend. Why not break your winter blues, and someone else’s too and begin the New Year with those warm and fuzzy feelings on the inside, just like Michelle.

Imagine living day-to-day, waking up and then going to sleep at night without speaking to one individual that day. Can you imagine the joy it would bring to your heart if you heard a knock at the door and a friendly face was there to visit with? It is moments like these that give volunteers a great RESOURCES feeling inside, knowing they have touched the life of one individual, and that the person can’t wait to see the If you are interested in volunteering volunteer week to week.

Michelle Elliot is a volunteer in the with the VON visiting programs, visiting program who has been com- including Dementia and Hospice, please call 519-637-6408. ing to see Irene Kocus for a year and a half. Through these visits, they have established a very strong friendship.

“Volunteering in this program has Pam Buys is Coordinator of Client made me realize there is a need out Services at VON Middlesex-Elgin there to visit with seniors who are Branch. alone,” says Michelle. “Each and every

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January, 2012

H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S EXERCISE

Stay in shape with winter exercise Ways to increase your physical activity even when the weather is cold outside

Don't forget your shovel. That snowy sidewalk has to be cleared anyway, so why not turn shovelling into an impromptu workout? Shovelling snow requires as much energy (read: burns as many calories) as running at 15km per hour. A fullyloaded shovel can weigh up to 25 pounds. But you can minimize the strain on your muscles and joints, and still get a great work out by taking your time and stretching beforehand.

Drink plenty of fluids. Remember to stay well hydrated when exercising in cold weather just as you would when exercising in warm weather.

Even if you're not thirsty, remember to drink water or sports drinks before, during and after your workout.

You can become just as dehydrated in the cold as in the heat from sweating, breathing and increased urine production, but it may be harder to notice during cold weather.

Speak to your doctor before you start a vigorous activity to ensure it's suitable for you.

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(NC) With the cold winter months upon us, we can choose to hibernate or we can make the best of it and discover a winter wonderland that is full of possibilities. While bundling up in front of a crackling fireplace has its appeal, taking a brisk walk on a crisp, sunny day beforehand will make it that much more enjoyable.

Staying active year-round has many health benefits. Properly designed activities can keep your weight in check, increase your flexibility and overall fitness, and do wonders for your state of mind.

When it comes to your joints, physical activity can provide direct benefits. When you're active, you're actually “feeding your joints.” Cartilage depends on joint movement to absorb nutrients and remove waste.

Cartilage, ligaments and bone also become stronger and more resilient with regular exercise. Physical activity and exercise actually help keep joints healthy.

Even if you haven't been physically active in a while, it's never too late to start. Physical activity doesn't have to be difficult. Try the following winter tips: Stay warm. When heading outdoors, remember to wear a hat even on moderate days. If it's very cold, breathe through a balaclava or scarf.

Take to the trails. Consider taking a lesson in cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Both activities have a low impact on your knees, yet work the whole body and can burn an incredible 480 calories per hour even at a relatively relaxed pace. Many winter resorts, ski clubs and provincial parks offer equipment rentals, as well as instructions.

Play in the snow. Build a snowman or a snow-fort, or make snow angels. Or challenge the neighbours to a game of “snow-pitch.”

why not turn shovelling into an impromptu workout?

Elgin St Thomas Public Health – 2011 Healthy Workplace Awards Gold Award Winners:

The Healthy Workplace Awards are presented annually to deserving organizations who have an active workplace health, wellness and safety program. For complete details and resources, contact Janet Baker at the Health at Work 4 All! program of Elgin St. Thomas Public Health.

Elgin Business Resource Centre

Milestones Children’s Centre

St.Thomas Elgin General Hospital

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Healthy LIFESTYLES LIFESTYLE CHOICES

(NC) If you could add a decade or more of healthy years to your life, wouldn't you grab the chance? The simple things can make the biggest difference, says Heart and Stroke Foundation lecturer Dr. Clyde Yancy, adding that up to 80 percent of premature heart disease is preventable.

Follow these seven simple steps to embrace your best health potential.

1. Get active. Physical activity can be a lifesaver – literally. Inactivity can shave almost four years off a person's expected lifespan. People who are physically inactive are twice as likely to be at risk for heart disease or stroke.

2. Know and control cholesterol levels. Almost 40 percent of Canadian adults have high blood cholesterol.

You can get your numbers on track by making healthy dietary changes, being active 30 to 60 minutes most days, achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight, and becoming tobaccofree.

3. Follow a healthy diet. Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health – yet about half of Canadians don't meet the healthy eating recommendations. The Foundation recommends that adults eat seven or more vegetables and fruit every day. Canadians can find healthy eating tips and recipes at healthcheck.org.

4. Know and control blood pressure. By knowing and controlling your blood pressure, you can cut your risk of stroke by up to 40 percent and heart attack by up to 25 percent.

5. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. Being obese can reduce your life span by almost four years.

6. Manage diabetes. By 2016 an estimated 2.4 million Canadians will live with diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, nar-

Resolutions for life Seven simple steps to better health

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physical activity can be a lifesaver

rowing of the arteries, coronary artery disease and stroke, particularly if your blood sugar levels are poorly controlled.

7. Be tobacco-free. More than 37,000 Canadians die prematurely each year due to tobacco use, and almost 8,000 non-smokers die each year from exposure to second-hand smoke. As soon as you become tobacco-free, your risk of heart disease

and stroke begins to decrease. After 15 years your risk will be nearly that of a RESOURCES non-smoker.

“Healthy living is key to preventing heart disease and stroke,” says Bobbe Canadians can take a personalized ‘My Heart&Stroke Risk Wood, president of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. “The Foundation Assessment’ to find out how their age, family history, and medical is committed to raising awareness about heart health and helping Cana- conditions affect their heart health at www.heartandstroke.ca/risk. dians live longer, healthier lives.”

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S SELF DEVELOPMENT front and met a gentleman who writes the Sunday crossword puzzle for the Washington Post. He was all too happy to recommend restaurants in another part of Florida to which I was travelling that same day.

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even coaches need to be coached

Make 2012 an extraordinary year Why not build on the great things that happened in 2011

by Sharon Lechner

As I write this column, I can hardly believe that 2011 has come and gone.

What a ride it has been! I began the year working for someone else and ended the year gainfully self-employed in the Personal Development field. I was blessed to have taken three wonderful trips to sunny destinations, including my most recent trip to the ‘I Can Do It In Tampa’ conference in the middle of November.

What a thrill to finally hear the people who most inspire me as they spoke about motivational topics.

They left me feeling more inspired than ever! Two thousand five hundred like-minded individuals attended the conference, most of who were Americans, although I did meet a woman who came all the way from Tuscany.

Over the course of three days, I met some very interesting people at the conference, as well as outside of the conference. I even met inspiring peo-

ple on the plane ride from Detroit to Tampa. Although I had one of the last seats on the plane, I was seated next to a long-time married couple from Ann Arbor, Michigan. The woman revealed to me that she and her husband were travelling to Tampa because both of her parents had been killed in a car accident two days before. Despite this tragedy, these people turned out to be amongst the most positive people I had ever had the pleasure of meeting.

They spent most of the flight showing me pictures of the departed couple on their iPad. Not once did they seem sad. They were truly celebrating the lives of two people who were parents, grandparents and even greatgrandparents to people all over Michigan and Florida.

On the final day of the conference, I took a stroll along the Tampa river-

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Throughout this past year, I spent a good deal of time upgrading my life coaching and speaking skills. I even had my own life coach. I was interested in doing some volunteer life coaching for a group in London and, in order to coach for this particular program, I had to first go through their program as a participant. My coach was an incredible woman who worked for the Ontario Government and has lived and worked in five countries. I am a firm believer that even coaches need to be coached.

The year 2011 confirmed more than ever my belief in the Law of Attraction. The people and resources I needed to fulfill my goals easily manifested themselves. I got to work with incredible clients both corporate and individual, all of who were motivated to achieve change in their lives.

The end of 2011 resulted in the completion of my first book, something I am very excited about.

I look forward with great anticipation to 2012. My number one goal is to help other people achieve their Extraordinary Lives. I want my clients to end the year saying, “2012 has been the best year of my life.” What a ride.

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S HEALTHCARE

Caring for the whole person The key elements of an all-inclusive approach to healthcare

by Judith Wiley

At Central Community Health Centre (CCHC), we focus on two areas of healthcare: illness prevention and health promotion. Services are balanced to include traditional primary care (physicians, registered nurses and nurse practitioners), as well as programs to keep people well.

We work on increased access to programs, making a special effort to connect services to those whose circumstances have made them vulnerable to poor health. We regularly poll our clients, other agencies and local community members to find out what services are needed and how the services in place are being received.

We are committed to making this agency client-focused, driven by the needs of the community. For instance, our community outreach worker, in partnership with other agencies such as the Salvation Army and Talbot Teen Centre, works with youth to assist in building self-esteem, finding appropriate housing, understanding the impact of sub-

stance abuse and other issues youth have identified. Our health promoter works with community members to help them quit smoking, start a walking program or develop a seniors’ support group. Our social workers help CCHC clients deal with issues that may be getting in the way of leading a full and satisfying life.

As well as offering primary care, CCHC has on staff the services of a chiropodist, a dietician, health promoter, social workers and community outreach worker. Many of our programs, such as smoking cessation, walking, ID clinics, anonymous AIDS testing and others are open to the general public. Drop by for more information or visit www.centralchc.com. And watch for our mobile unit coming soon!

Judith Wiley is executive director of the Central Community Health Centre in St. Thomas.

Health promoter Gerry Moniz and dietitian Elizabeth Ailles promote the goodness of eating fresh fruit at the Central Community Health Centre.

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S AVOIDING SICKNESS

Prevention is best this cold and flu season Some ideas to keep you healthy and feeling great this winter

Integrate your Mind, Body and Soul

Breathe and Stretch your way to Better Health

(NC) It's that miserable time of year again when everyone you know is hacking, sneezing or blowing their nose. It's times like these that you wish they'd all stay away from you, especially since you feel so great. But what if they live with you? You can't exactly hibernate for the entire winter. Here are some valuable tips to help you avoid getting sick and even some that will help you get better fast once you're hit with a bug.

First, how do you know if it's a cold or the flu? With a cold, you'll have a scratchy, sore and dry throat, sneezing, coughing, runny nose or congestion, headache or earaches, and a slight fever or chills. With the flu, you'll have a high temperature, fatigue, muscle aches, but no blocked or runny nose.

Here's how you can boost your immunity: • Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.

• Drink plenty of fluids.

• Talk to your health care professional about the flu shot.

• Get a sufficient amount of sleep.

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle of a balanced diet and exercise to help boost your defences against cold and flu symptoms. Consider going for a walk outside because staying indoors exposes you to even more germs.

• Relax. Rest and downtime allows your body to recuperate.

• Check the expiration dates of the cold medicine you currently have and if any are expired, ask your pharmacist about safe disposal.

From multivitamins to decongestants to hand sanitizers and beyond, there are many products available to help you battle these bugs. Here are some of the season's other popular items: immune boosters like vitamin C, Cold FX or echinacea; antibacterial hand soap; travel-sized hand sanitizer; bottled water or a water filtration product; disinfectant for home surfaces; cold and flu over-thecounter medications to treat your symptoms.

The best defence is not to get exposed to the germs and viruses. Unfortunately, however, we can't hide under the covers for the whole winter, so we have to do what we can to avoid picking up a bug when we're out and about, so wash hands frequently and carry hand sanitizer. Try to avoid touching high traffic surfaces in public with bare hands. Try to use winter gloves, a sleeve or paper towel instead. Avoid excessive hand shaking. If you must sneeze and cough, do so into a tissue or into your sleeve – not your hand.

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S THAT’S LIFE

Dreaming of the Nobel Prize You never know where nurturing your children’s creativity can lead

by Elizabeth VanHooren

Yesterday, I found my eldest son sitting in his toy drum. He looked like a clam trying to get out of its shell.

His legs were just long enough to still touch the floor and he pulled himself along the kitchen floor buzzing his lips.

When I asked what he was doing, he replied with just a hint of frustration, “It’s my machinery, Mom.” Obviously I lacked the imagination and further that “Innovation is not necessary to envision a toy drum as a the product of logical thought…” piece of machinery. I guess I couldn’t More recently, Steve Jobs, the man see past the perfectly good John behind the Apple computer, said, Deere tractor and combine Santa “Innovation distinguishes between a had left him for Christmas. leader and a follower.” He was the Still, I didn’t stop his creativity that man who brought the sci-fi Star Trek day. He soon discovered on his own gadgets to our everyday lives. that a toy drum is an uncomfortable Now I know my boys are not budpiece of machinery. But more impor- ding Einsteins simply because they tantly, as long as toys or his little can see a mountain out of a pile of brother doesn’t get hurt, I think his socks or would rather play with a imagination is a good cardboard box thing. than the toy that I know my For one, when my was in it. But a boys are not sons are using their mother can still imagination, they are budding Einsteins dream. usually the most conSomeday my tent. One day they played with my son’s piece of machinery may predict husband’s belt for a full hour. To- weather events a year in advance. gether, without fighting, they took Natural disasters will be averted beturns leading each other around the cause communities will have enough house as if one or the other was a time to prepare for the storm. As he horse. When they got bored of that refines his machine, he may complay, the belt morphed into a snake pletely solve climate change, thus nipping at each other’s heels. saving the rainforests, thousands of Secondly, Albert Einstein once said nearly extinct animals and the planet that, “The true sign of intelligence is itself. not knowledge but imagination,” When he stands up to accept the

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Nobel Peace Prize he will pause and scan the crowd. Everyone will wonder who he is looking for. His eyes will finally lock upon a woman sitting in the front row. She looks good for her age and is beaming with pride.

And then in a clear strong voice my son will say, “I’d like to thank my mother for nurturing my creativity and letting me play with my toy drum.”

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Elizabeth VanHooren is general manager of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.

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H E A LT H Y L I F E S T Y L E S TIME ON MY HANDS

The dry riverbed in the middle of town was flooded with livestock for sale.

Muslim holiday feels like Christmas

Animals were bought and carted home in the trunks of taxis and cars.

by Duncan Watterworth

It took a little getting used to – people looking at me and drawing their fingers like a knife across their throats. But the slit throat gesture was sign language in Morocco for Eid al-Adha, the ‘Festival of Sacrifice.’ The biggest holiday of the Muslim year, it celebrates Abraham’s supreme act of obedience to God almost 4,000 years ago. These throat slashers were just telling me why their store would be closed for a couple days, or why the busses weren’t running.

My wife and I had been visiting Morocco and, after she flew home, I remained to explore the southern part of the country. For the Festival, I settled into Tafraoute, a mountain town flanked by eroded granite ridges.

I remember from Sunday school the story of the prophet Abraham. It is in the Bible – Genesis 22:1-13.

God told Abraham, in a dream, to kill his son, and offer him as a burnt sacrifice. As Abraham was about to

carry out the deed, God told him to stop and provided a ram to be sacrificed instead. Abraham had passed the test. Almost four millennia later, his obedience is celebrated in Muslim households worldwide by the slaughter and barbeque of millions of sheep, goats, camels and cattle.

Abraham’s story is also found in the Quran – 37:100-110. Christianity, Islam and Judaism are sister religions and all worship the God of Abraham.

Muslims consider Jesus a prophet of God, but believe that the line of prophets from Abraham to Jesus extends to Muhammad, the last and greatest prophet. Although the three religions worship the same God, they disagree on the relative stature of His prophets.

In Tafraoute, the Festival of Sacrifice felt like Christmas. Commerce stopped, families got together, people were especially friendly – to Muslims, Infidels, whoever. But everywhere, instead of Christmas trees, were sheep and goats. The dry riverbed in the middle of town was flooded with livestock for sale. Animals were bought and carted home

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Goodwill toward men.

Sheep and goats, not so much

everywhere, instead of Christmas trees, were sheep and goats in the trunks of taxis, on roof racks, in wheelbarrows, and over the shoulder. And instead of Christmas merchandise, stores displayed bags of coal, collections of knives, hatchets and cleavers, wooden carving blocks, barbeques and skewers. The Festival is an annual exercise in amateur butchery on a massive scale.

On the big day, I set off on an allday walk, and soon found what I was looking for – some slaughter. Four men and boys had two sheep hanging from a tree, half skinned. A third sheep lay on its side, legs tied together. I watched the knife slash its neck.

A few kilometres out of town, I wandered through a village stuck on the side of a mountain. I could find no stores open to buy water, so I motioned to an old man that I could sure use a drink. He walked me to his friend’s house, and the friend insisted on giving this infidel two large, storebought bottles of water. He even offered a soft drink. He told me he had

come home from Casablanca to be with family for the holidays, and that he had killed five sheep that morning.

Later, back in town, I was dining alone when two women, in the holiday spirit, invited me to join their table. One British and one French, they were both solo travelers who had met the day before. They had gone for a walk together that morning, and were invited into a home to share the family’s holiday meal. For a traveler, that is hitting the jackpot.

But even holiday goodwill can have a downside. The meal, they soon found, was kidney, liver and heart.

Duncan Watterworth is recently a retiree and emptynester in St.Thomas.

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