Volume 3, No. 1 September 2012 FREE
• Business Beat Farm loss deductions • Jamie Quai Deconstructing the local challenge • Ellen Luft Beware the fraudster! Joanne Parsons and David Pfingstgraef Elgin Audiology Consultants Cover story: page 3
The Working Family
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E L G I N
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September, 2012
PUBLISHER’S LETTER Fall fluctuations by Terry Carroll ..............................page 4
BUSINESS & COMMUNITY Leadership Truth in selling by Shayne Wyler ..............................page 5
Technology Easy and portable by Peter Atkinson ............................page 6
AGRICULTURE Farming Opening the farm gate by Janine Lunn ................................page 7
BUSINESS & COMMUNITY Managing Money Buyer beware ..................................page 8
BUSINESS BEAT The Front Page Profit from apprenticeship ..............page 9
Chamber News Business Sample Show ..................page 10 New website services ......................page 11
Legal Business Farm loss deduction by Monty Fordham ......................page 12
Chamber News Sheer fundraising bravery ..............page 13
Pro Text Student coverage? by Jason Amero ............................page 14
Chamber News Skills survey results ......................page 15
New Members Welcome to the Chamber ..............page 16
BUSINESS & COMMUNITY Working in St. Thomas / Elgin Inspired not retired by Megan Bartlett ..........................page 22
HOMESTYLE Decorating Care for your furniture by Renée Carpenter ......................page 23
DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Savour Elgin
Cover Story
Tremendous growth and change Local audiology firm serves Elgin County and parts of southwestern Ontario by Terry Carroll
Howe Family Farm Market by Kate Burns ................................page 24
Wine & Food Deconstructing The Locavore’s Dilemma by Jamie Quai ..............................page 25
HEALTHY LIVING Everyday Health Connect with your child by Jacky Allan ..............................page 26
LIFESTYLES Self Development Living without reservations by Sharon Lechner ........................page 27
HEALTHY LIVING Everyday Health Manage those headaches by Dr. Greg Johnson ......................page 28
LIFESTYLES That’s Life! The shadow by Elizabeth VanHooren ................page 29
Time On My Hands Fathers, sons and the lawn by Duncan Watterworth ................page 30
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E
THE WORKING FAMILY Supermom? by Heather Derks ..........................page 17 The De Corte Family by Shelley Harris ..........................page 18 Working moms by Susan Brady ..............................page 19 Decrease the chaos by Laura Hoople ..........................page 20 The evolution of family ................page 21
Elgin Audiology Consultants won an Elgin This Month cover profile from a Successful St. Thomas contest that ran in The St. Thomas Elgin Weekly News.
Over the past 20 years, audiologists David Pfingstgraef and Joanne Parsons from Elgin Audiology Consultants have experienced tremendous change and growth both in their practice locations and in the phenomenal advancement in hearing aid technology. David and Joanne started as staff audiologists at the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital in the early 1990s. In 2002, when restructuring resulted in the Audiology Services at the Elgin General being closed, they soon found another location at 66 West Avenue in St. Thomas and have expanded rapidly since then. Offices were opened in Aylmer at 17 King St and at 146 Munroe St. in West Lorne. They have a Blenheim location and have opened the Lambeth Hearing Clinic. All five experienced audiologists currently with the practice enjoy their ability to help their patients hear well. Throughout the years, the practice has provided intern placements for the University of Western Ontario’s Audiology school. As well, Elgin Audiology was chosen as the centre for the Ministry’s Infant Hearing Program for Elgin and some of the surrounding areas. Through these partnerships, Elgin Audiology provides the latest and most up-to-date diagnostic, treatment and hearing aid services for every age group. David was the president of the college council, College of Audiologists and Speech Pathologists of Ontario, for four years and served on the regulatory college board for 12 years. “Our goal is to treat all of our patients well since ‘Hear they are part of our family,’” David says. In St. Thomas, call 519637-5925 to begin your journey to better hearing.
Cover photo by Philip Bell, Shutter Studios
Carroll Publishing Inc. President Terry Carroll Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Kelly Carroll
Elgin This Month Publisher & Editor Terry Carroll 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 Inc., 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm September, 2012
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PUBLISHER’S LETTER
It’s
September
in thebusiness cycle Time to strap on the boots and go for it by Terry Carroll
So we have moved to September, a time of transition, a shift in everyone’s lives that is triggered by “back to school.” But the impact of the month extends well beyond any school, college or university. Some combination of school memories, the noticeable lengthening of the days, the cooler nights, the browning of the vegetation, and, often, first frost, brings with it a note of melancholia. Summer dresses and shorts are stored away, tans begin to fade, winter’s on its way. At the same time, the business cycle picks up as people get back into the rhythm of things. In July and August, it can be tough to do business because my people can’t call your people and do lunch. Either my people or yours seem to be on vacation much of the time. Once we get past Labour Day, everybody can talk again. The first nine months of 2012 were a bit soft for many businesses, compared with a year ago – largely a reflection of the changes in our local economy due to the closing of the Ford and Lear automotive plants last September. Canada Post lists 1,134 businesses in St. Thomas, a drop of three from the 1,137 the post office listed in July. Realtors tell me they are doing more work to sell a house – more deals have been falling apart at the last minute because conditions such as financing have not been met. That being said, real estate is still moving in this area. The London St. Thomas Association of Realtors reports strong July sales in St. Thomas: “A total of 69 homes exchanged hands in that City, up 16.9 per cent, with an average sale price year- to-date of $191,340, up 1 per cent over last year (December 31, 2011).” CEO of the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Bob Hammersley studied building permit data and came to the rather startling conclusion that commercial permits were up in the first six months of 2012 vs. 2011. These are usually a reliable bellwether of a positive change in the economy. So good things are on the horizon.
That’s small comfort if you own or manage a business that is in the kind of situation that led to a net loss of three businesses in the Railway City since July. How do you survive or prosper when the big, bad wolf is closer to the door than he should be? One answer is to sell more every month. There is wisdom in this approach. A man I know and respect runs a newspaper in Canada and also has responsibility for other papers in his area. At a regional meeting, he pointed out to other publishers and managers that if every sales representative sold just one more $100 advertisement a week (and no existing sales were lost), that alone would increase the revenue side by over $5,000 per representative per year. Sounds achievable, sensible, a perfect solution for slow and steady southern Ontario. I have been known to suggest it to my own staff on the weekly newspaper side. At the same time, many business people know that the annual business cycle doesn’t look slow and steady. Instead, it shows peaks and hollows that are, if not reflective of the Rocky Mountains, then at least some kind of mirror of the Laurentians. While we do our best to increase the revenue side in the more hollow months, many of us know that our best bet is to enhance the peaks. With all its hints of sadness and change, September is the start of the climb to the December 25 peak for many businesses. The best thing we Terry Carroll is can do as business owners and manthe publisher of agers is to equip our sales and marthe St. Thomas keting team (even if it’s a team of /Elgin Weekly one) with the best hiking boots we News and Elgin can afford, and ask them to scale This Month. those peaks.
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M O N T H
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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
The truth about selling Empowered in your difference by Shayne Wyler
As always, I will work through seven questions intent on helping you find the clarity you need to be empowered in all you do to serve those around you. Let’s begin. What is your experience of being sold on something? When we are looking for a solution to our need, we place our trust in you. If you sell us something that meets a want, but not a need or meets a need, but not a want, we feel taken. In this experience, that bridge of trust has been burnt. In fact, we even sell ourselves on things. In this, we trust our own abilities less and less to make the right decision. Next, what is your experience of selling something? When we are out to sell something,
even to ourselves, we have an agenda to serve ourselves first. Others can smell our agendas a mile away. So, the questions become, is your solution the right tool to get the job done? And is this the right time for your solution? This involves two factors. 1. Does your solution answer their need? 2. Do they want your solution? If your solution answers their need, but they don't want it, anything you say is selling and dismantles trust. On the other side, if you sell your product to them when they don't really need it, you are burning a bridge. It happens all the time. We all have done it and fallen for it. Now, what is your experience of having a difference made in your life? To have a difference made in our lives leaves us knowing we are valued. It is here where others put us before their own agendas and give us a gift that ultimately builds a bridge. This bridge builds trust simply because our need is met and our lives are changed as we are empowered to move where we have been stuck. This process of making your difference, leads us back to the origin of
the word "sell". The original sense of the word sell comes from the Middle English word "sellan" which means to give up or hand over something voluntarily in response to a request. In making our difference, we serve others, giving them the right solution, at the right time, building a bridge and deepening our relationship in all we do. This is why we go back. This is why we bring friends and family. We want those we love to be empowered to move forward where they are stuck too. Who has made a difference for you? Take 5 - 7 minutes and make a list of those people and organizations that have made a difference for you. Once you have done that, continue. Okay, so now where have you made a difference? Make a list. Now, look at your list. These people have come into your life and organization because of the difference you make. This leads us to our sixth question. What is the truth about you? You make a unique difference. Either as a person or an organization,
there is a unique difference that you make. If your products and services are the right tools to use to make your difference, there is no "selling" needed. Your clients will want your products and services simply because using them makes your difference and answers their need. Our seventh and final question is this: What are you remembered for? Take some time to explore this. In answering this question, you have the opportunity to begin to clarify your difference, empowering you to move forward in the right way, for the right reasons, for the right people and in the right time. Thank you for the opportunity to begin to clarify your direction and shed light on the truth about selling. Shayne Wyler, CEO of Seven, works with people and organizations that need clarity. By asking the right questions, Seven clarifies your direction, giving you the clarity you need.
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES, CHUCK RAVEN After more than 40 years in public practice and 28 years serving the accounting and taxation needs of his clients in St. Thomas and surrounding area Chuck Raven is excited to announce he has sold his accounting practice to Graham Scott Enns LLP and will be pursuing his other passions in life. Chuck and the partners at Graham Scott Enns LLP are also pleased to announce Don Lemon and Kelly Ward will be continuing their employment with the partners and staff of Graham Scott Enns LLP in their St. Thomas office at 450 Sunset Drive (second floor of the County building). Chuck would invite and encourage his clients to join Don, Kelly and the partners of Graham Scott Enns LLP to continue to receive the high quality of service and professional advice they have grown accustomed to over the past number of years. Chuck is also confident his clients will have access to a number of additional services with the four tax professionals and extensive cross section of experienced staff and partners at Graham Scott Enns LLP.
Chuck has closed his Wellington Street office but clients can continue to reach Don and Kelly at 519-631-8250 or at the Graham Scott Enns main number of 519-633-0700. They would also be pleased to meet in person at their offices at 450 Sunset Drive. September, 2012
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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY
School’s in
And technology is easier and more portable than ever by Peter Atkinson
It’s that time of year when young minds, whether big or small, are pried open after indolent summer days to engage a higher gear. Yes, school is back. And, as in just about every other facet of our lives, technology plays an ever-increasing role. From devices through to websites, technology is not only making it easier to learn, it’s doing a good job of taking learning out of the classroom and delivering it to wherever there’s an interest in education, new ideas and self-improvement. Or just winning a bar bet. Technology is more portable than ever. Laptops are lighter and more powerful. Netbooks seem to have been an interim technology, surpassed by phones that are really portable computers. And we’re starting to see some solid choices in tablets at prices well below the standard-setting iPad; Samsung’s Galaxy series, Google’s Nexus and RIM’s Playbook offer high
quality and enough power to handle most portable needs. And while Kobo’s Vox might be called an ereader, it’s really a pretty good tablet for under $200. In addition to providing access to the web, these devices also enjoy evergrowing lists of apps, software tools that deliver services and, of course, information. iTunes has iTunes U, offering university level courses, and all of these devices have apps that help all ages learn math, art, anatomy, astronomy, the history of jazz (!) and much more. Information is more available online too. You can watch some of the most interesting people in the world speaking at TED.com or Fora.tv. Academic Earth lets you watch lectures – or work on a degree online – from some of the best American universities, including Harvard, Yale, USC and MIT. Canadian schools, from our soonto-be-local Algoma through to Toronto, Waterloo and Western also offer online learning programs through their websites. The Khan Academy is a not-forprofit that offers over 3,300 free micro-lectures. Inspired by his experiences teaching a cousin in another city, the founder discovered he had a
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knack for creating extremely effective learning courses. In 2010, Bill Gates of Microsoft fame discovered Khan’s work and started using it to teach his own children. The result was funding to found the Academy, expand the curriculum and start delivering on the mission to “. . . accelerate learning for students of all ages." Closer to home, two organizations are co-operating to address a real need in our community. A tougher economy has allowed factories to raise the hiring bar, and more and more are insisting on a secondary school diploma. What was e-Learn Ontario is now Contact North and, despite its geographically-limited moniker, it’s here to help people earn their GEDs. Funded by the Government of Ontario, Contact North offers courses from 24 public colleges, 20 universities, 40 school boards and 250 other partners. From what I can see, this is your tax dollars wisely spent; the online learning is supported by local offices where people can drop in for guidance or to use computers. This program helps people move from social assistance back into the workforce and into higher-skilled, higherpaying jobs. To take advantage of these opportunities, technology competency is in-
creasingly important and, though there’s more choice in devices, price can still be a barrier. Renewed Computer Technologies, also funded by the province through the Trillium Foundation, closes the technology gap. RCT collects and refurbishes computers, then works to get them back out into the community with a very clear focus on learning. The Charities program works with Ontario not-for-profits with a learning focus while the Outreach program provides refurbished computers at extremely affordable prices for low income earners who are enrolled in learning programs in the province. So whether you want to upgrade your skills or are just curious to learn more about a hobby, technology makes it easier for everyone to learn.
Peter Atkinson is E-Services Consultant at the St. Thomas Public Library.
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September, 2012
A G R I C U LT U R E FARMING
A gr i -t a i nm e nt g o e s b e y o n d cu te a n d c u d dly
Opening the farm gate by Janine Lunn
With fewer of our town and country neighbors claiming a direct link to a farm, we are being encouraged to fling open the proverbial farm gate and tell our story. This can be somewhat of a challenge for the strong silent farmer types who prefer the peace and quiet of their independent lifestyle, to being an ambassador to the masses. However, for others this public dialogue is as natural as breathing. We don’t have to leave Elgin County to see examples of farms that have become a mix of food products and tourist venue, creating a new brand some now call ‘Agri-tainment’. Today’s adventureminded family is always on the lookout for an informative, fun outing, and finding their fix seems to be only a Twitter hashtag away, or one more ‘like’ on Facebook for the latest food or farm event. While the tourism side of farming looks like all fun and games, catering
to the public is its own brand of work. Just as traditional farms are dependent on the weather for timely sun and rain, those open to the public or participating in special events spend hours of time preparing, marketing and staffing. And then comes the ’wait and see’ . . . on the day of the appointed corporate team-building event, school trip or season-opener, will it be sunny (but not too hot), or cloudy (but please no wind or rain!)? Members of the public bring along their own surprises too; despite being geared up for a day in the country, would-be farmers are not always prepared for ‘country-fresh’ smells, flies or mud. It can be hard for outsiders to understand that while modern farms may be busy and efficient at caring for animals, they may not be picture-perfect, nor meet the ‘cute and cuddly’ airbrushed image of a manicured petting farm. Many aspects of farming can be challenging to explain; while farmers
are witness to the miracle of birth, there is the reality of untimely death, not to mention that most livestock is destined for human consumption. There are now stories in the United States of animal rights activists taking secret video footage from farms to further their lobby against animal agriculture. If this isn’t daunting enough, there is always risk when opening the farm gate. Farm operations valued in the millions take their businesses seriously, so having a conversation with the public involves a lot of preparation, even more insurance and a lot of trust. Despite all the risks and pitfalls, there are so many rewarding moments in teaching others about our way of life. A young child’s first grasp on a baby lamb’s wool, a grown adult enjoying the wide open spaces, or a young couple marveling at the stars all make it seem worthwhile. We take for granted our space, and a different type of freedom away from the pavement
and the city lights, so it doesn’t hurt to be reminded once in a while what we work for. Farmers involved in more conventional cash crop or livestock operations may not be prepared or able to host visitors, answering questions and providing tours. But hopefully by visiting Agri-tainment venues, the public gains some good will and knowledge to improve their understanding and support of all farms. There will be a lot of questions, always some fun, and we will all get a little mud on our boots!
Janine Lunn hosts the Belmont Corn Maze, and lives on a sheep farm with her family.
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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY MANAGING MONEY worthless, or near worthless, shares. Affinity fraud works by targeting members of a group. It’s “Trust me because we (worship, work, golf ) together so we should do business together.” Even after fraudsters have taken a victim’s money, many can be re-victimized with a call to join a class action group trying to get their money back. Words such as guaranteed high returns, insider tips, offshore investments, profit like the experts and great investment opportunity should be red flag warnings. Very few victims come forward to report a fraud; less than one in five people who encounter a fraud take the trouble to report it. To track down and prosecute investment frauds successfully, securities regulators and police organizations rely on tips from the public and investment industry professionals. We all need to protect ourselves from this type of scam, but we also need to assist in the efforts of professionals to put a stop to this type of activity and protect the most vulnerable.
Buyer beware
Don’t be one of the million Canadians victimized by fraudsters by Ellen Luft
Fraudulent investment schemes are everywhere. Understanding some of the schemes rampant today helps to protect you and your money. Investment fraud is growing, and becoming ever more sophisticated. In a recent study, the Canadian Securities Administrators estimated that a million Canadians – or one in 20 adults – have been victims of investment fraud at some point in their lives. Of course fraudsters do their best to sound legitimate. The internet has made investment fraud easier, faster and less complicated. Phone Busters (an RCMP led antifraud organization) reports that spamming 10,000 people at the same time may result in 1,000 responses, and 50 people who may actually send money, up to $5,000 at one time. Seniors are a group of special concern for Phone Busters because seniors are considered more trusting and more likely to be repeat targets. But it is not just trusting seniors who are finding themselves ensnared in scammer’s schemes. A doctor in Toronto was lured over the internet to make a too-good-to-be-true investment in lakefront property at Mount Tremblant. The unfortunate doctor wired 1.2 million dollars to the lawyer who showed him pictures of the property on line, and promptly disappeared when the money arrived. The property turned out to be a sandpit owned by the local municipality, and not for sale.
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The doctor was well versed, knew all the scams, but he was not careful. Four typical types of investment scams to be aware of are: Ponzi schemes, Prime Bank scams, Pump and Dumps, and Affinity frauds. Ponzi schemes, also known as pyramid frauds, operate by paying early investors some or all of their money by constantly bringing in new investors. The scam is named after an Italian immigrant who, in 1920, promised investors 40 per cent returns in 90 days compared with the 5 per cent paid by bank savings accounts. Some early investors were paid off to make the investment look legitimate, but most got nothing. Prime Bank scams often rely on official sounding jargon such as “prime
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bank notes,” “debentures” or “rollovers.” Promoters of these frauds lead investors to believe they are being offered special one-time-only deals often made more urgent by signing non-disclosure documents. Key tipoffs include words such as off-shore, tax-free haven, little or no information about the specifics and confusing jargon. Pump and Dumps . . . ever receive one of those emails about unknown penny stocks that are poised to take off? Fraudsters take a large position in a lightly traded stock. They lure people into buying the shares to inflate the price at which point they dump their shares into the inflated market. This in turn depresses the price and leaves the victim holding
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This article was prepared by Ellen Luft who is an Investment Advisor with DWM Securities Inc. a DundeeWealth Inc. Company. This is not an official publication of DWM Securities Inc. The views (including any recommendations) expressed in this article are those of the author alone, and they have not been approved by, and are not necessarily those of, DWM Securities Inc.
Ellen Luft is an Investment Advisor with DWM Securities Inc. in St. Thomas. The views expressed are her own.
September, 2012
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St. Thomas Golf and Country Club now ranks 50th among of over 2,300 courses across Canada. See page 13.
Business Beat Table of Contents Business Sample Show ............................page 10 New website service ............................page 11 Farm loss deduction ............................page 12 Brave fundraiser ..page 13 College kids insured ............................page 14 Post secondary challenges ............................page 15 New Members ....page 16
Business After 5 Wednesday September 26 Port Stanley Festival Theatre, 302 Bridge Street, Port Stanley Sponsors: ME & Suzie’s Restaurant Port Stanley Festival Theatre Doors open at 5pm. Sponsor remarks and prize draws start at 6:15pm. Free admission for anyone from a business organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and your favourite beverages. September, 2012
Profit from apprenticeship Eighty-two per cent of employers who could have a skilled trades apprentice working for them today choose not to, despite stats that show employers get back $147 for every $100 spent on the costs, including wages, of having an apprentice in their employ. The Chamber and a number of our community partners want to improve the level of local support for apprenticeships. The St. Thomas & District Chamber, along with our community partners at Employment Services Elgin, Elgin Business Resource Centre, Fanshawe College and the Apprenticeship Network are pleased to announce we will host Ontario's Energy Minister and London West MPP Chris Bentley in a special luncheon meeting. Presentations will be made on apprenticeships, and how local employers can benefit from hiring apprentices, with special emphasis on technology and renewable energy. Our location will be the cafeteria at Fanshawe College's St. Thomas campus on Friday September 21. Seating for this special event is limited to 60 employers and the event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are available by advance sale only from the Chamber office or online via the Chamber website at $25 per person. The surprising statistics in the opening paragraph of this article come from a recent study by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, and are based on cross-Canada averages. The study also indicates that 55% of eligible employers have never had an apprentice in their employ at any time. Interestingly, this statistic mirrors a finding within the most recent research by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce on skills and barriers. (A summary report of the new study is on the following page.) Everyone attending our September 21 luncheon will be provided with a 12-page guide filled with useful information on eligibility, tax credits, signing bonuses and scholarships. Having Ontario’s Energy Minister as our guest at this luncheon is especially significant for a number of reasons. The Hon. Chris Bentley was elected to the Ontario legislature in 2003, 2007 and 2011. On October 20, 2011,
Ontario’s Energy Minister, and London West MPP, Chris Bentley
Bentley was appointed Minister of Energy. He has previously served as Attorney General, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and Minister of Labour. Chris is a lawyer who practiced criminal and labour law for almost 25 years. For 10 of those years he also taught part-time at the University of Western Ontario Law School, where he helped to establish the Law School Careers Office. Please consider joining us for this special event, but be sure to order your seats well in advance.
Participate in our October feature “Get ready for winter” To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22) Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales
or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca October Edition Advertising Deadline is September 10th
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BUSINESS BEAT
CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members
St. Thomas uncorked!
diSTRICTLY Business update
If you enjoy wine, food and art, you’ll want to mark next January 26 as a date not to miss. The Chamber’s Member Services Committee is planning a new event for Members that will mix business with “good taste” at several levels. Preliminary plans call for opportunities to showcase and sample local wines, plus regional favourites from Niagara, other Canadian venues such as British Columbia, the U.S., and the world. Added to the wine sampling will be a variety of food samples provided by participating Members in our food service/hospitality sector. Our venue completes the agenda, adding an opportunity to see and hear about art. Look for more details soon and please feel welcome to call or visit the Chamber if you sense an opportunity for your business to be included in the program.
It’s official. Our success this year means all area Chamber offices will work to co-produce a large, regional business show/networking event again next year, just as we did in June at Western Fair District. Thursday June 6 has been agreed as the date, and the location will remain as the Western Fair District’s Progress Building. Mark your calendars now. Our planning team starts meetings in October to confirm details for our 2013 event.
Business Sample Show open for bookings As part of our National Small Business Week activities, the St. Thomas & District Chamber will again present our Business Sample Show on October 17. The Chamber’s Member Services Committee has confirmed plans to again host our popular event. Chamber staff and committee volunteers will work to produce and deliver the show. The 2012 event will take place Wednesday October 17 at St. Anne’s Centre and can accommodate displays and exhibits by up to 70 Members. As the name implies, we focus this event on samples or anything from food to products and services. Exhibitors are asked to in-
clude take-away items in the displays or, for those that can’t provide hundreds of free samples, we ask a contribution to our door prizes. Space sells out quickly on this event. For details, contact Linda Crawford or Wes Bailey at the Chamber office at 519-631-1981 or please email us at: events@stthomaschamber.on.ca The show runs from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with an “exhibitors only” preview starting at 3:00 p.m. before the doors open to the public. Exhibitor display space is available from $150. An exhibitor info package with full details on every aspect of the show is available from the Chamber office
MP/MPP Luncheon to be repeated The surveys say we should do it again. So we will. As is our custom following all of our larger events, the Chamber conducts a post-event survey with those who attended. Fifty people from the audience at our MP/MPP Luncheon were invited to comment on the event, and their response strongly favours making this forum a regular event. The planning to secure an acceptable date on calendars has begun,
and we will aim to give our Members a chance again in 2013 for direct dialogue to our federal and provincial elected representatives. Our target date is in the second half of May next year and our intention is to make the event annual, just as our spring luncheon with the local municipal mayors has become. The Chamber thanks all Members who attended our August 14 event, especially our MP & MPP for their enthusiasm to participate.
MP Joe Preston, left , and MPP Jeff Yurek responded to 60 minutes of audience questions as the Chamber hosted the pair in a luncheon event August 14.
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 Accounting Coordinator
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Susan Munday
Member Services
Wes Bailey
Member Services
Linda Crawford
Office Assistant
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Bob Hammersley
M O N T H
Julie Forrester
2012 Board of Directors Chair: Jason White Steelway Building Systems 1st. Vice-Chair: Paul Smith P.J. Smith & Associates 2nd. Vice-Chair: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Art Centre Treasurer: Mark Lassam, CA Kee, Perry & Lassam Chartered Accountants Past Chair: Linda Sawyer BMO Bank of Montreal Director: Beth Burns K & K Locksmiths Director: Renee Carpenter Jennings Furniture Director: Pete Charlton Charlton’s Quality Meats Director: Monty Fordham Monty Fordham Law Office Director: Jeff Kohler Presstran Industries Director: Rob Mise myFM 94.1 Director: Debra Mountenay Workforce Planning & Development Board Director: John Regan Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Darren Reith Reith and Associates Insurance & Financial
September, 2012
BUSINESS BEAT
CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members
New website service launches Community & Social Services info ready The Chamber is proud to launch a new on-line service that gives Members a quick and easy path to participate in our activities and events. In addition to getting event details on our website, you can now register to attend events, purchase tickets to Chamber events, or even book exhibit and display space at our events online from the main page at the Chamber’s website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca The registration process is quick and convenient, allowing easy communication between the Chamber and our Members, and the service is available whenever you want it, 24/7, not just during office hours. Online registration for Chamber events allows Members two options for payment. Members may request to have a Chamber invoice sent to them, or pay at the time of ordering with a credit card (VISA, MasterCard or Amex). Please note that our online registration is a safe and secure process. All payment information provided will only be used to process your event ticket order. How to Register for an Event Online: Go to www.stthomaschamber.on.ca. The events sidebar is located on the right side of the main webpage. Click on an event for more details and registration information. Underneath the description of the event, you will find the registration form. Begin your registration by typing in the quantity of tickets you would like to order. Select “Register Now!” Provide required contact information. Some events require that you provide the name of all attendees; these tickets will be marked with a red X. To add the name of an attendee, select “Add Attendee.” Select “Insert New Attendee” and type in the name of the attendee. Repeat for each additional ticket as required. Select your method of payment and select “Proceed.” Fill in additional payment information if applicable. During the registration process, you will be asked to provide your email address. Within fifteen minutes, an email confirmation will be sent to this email confirming that your order was successful and we have received your order. This is not an e-ticket and will not be accepted as proof of registration at an event. If you do not receive this confirmation email, please contact the main contact for the event, located at the bottom of the event page. Once your order has been processed by Chamber staff, you will receive a second email with confirmation of your purchase and your e-ticket. If you have any questions regarding a Chamber event or the registration process, please contact us at 519-631-1981 or email us: events@stthomaschamber.on.ca Additional Features Search by category: Looking for a certain type of event? Simply click on the category at the bottom of an event page for a list of similar events you may like to attend. Events Calendar: Easily search for upcoming events and save the date. Sponsors’ Information: Located at the bottom of each event page, this is one more opportunity to thank our fantastic sponsors!
With big thanks to our summer student employee, Julie Forrester, the Chamber is pleased to confirm the 2012 – 2013 update of our Community & Social Services (C & SS) data is complete and that print copies are available for sale from the Chamber. Our C & SS data is a companion product to the extensive listings and files the Chamber maintains on businesses. It lists over 530 agencies, services, clubs, government offices and organizations that are not businesses, but provide services in or for our community. One of Julie’s tasks working with us over the summer has been to completely review and update the information on all entries in the data, and to make additions and deletions as required. Given that many of the organizations are notfor-profit or volunteer-based operations, collecting and verifying the information is not small task! The C & SS information is used by the Chamber in various forms to respond to requests received in our office and to share with Members. A summarized version is printed in our annual Membership Directory and Buyer’s Guide which is expected to be released later this month. Printed copies are sold at the Chamber for a modest cost-recovery charge of $40 plus applicable tax. Copies are also donated by the Chamber for public reference in area libraries and schools.
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BUSINESS BEAT
LEGAL BUSINESS Legal News and Issues for Business
Farm loss deduction revisited
by Monty Fordham
It is generally accepted that the decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada, it being the final court of appeal in the country, are final and binding on all other courts. One might even conclude that, in law, its decisions are binding on the Supreme Court itself. The legal principles of stare decisis (it stands decided) and res judicata (the thing decided) are foundations of common law and promote consistency and predictability in the application of the laws of the land. So, it came as a bit of a surprise when the Supreme Court of Canada
rendered its decision on August 1, in the case of Her Majesty the Queen v. John H. Craig. The Court received the case by way of appeal by the Minister of Revenue for Canada from a decision of the Federal Court of Appeals. The case involved the applicable rules to be considered when a taxpayer claims farm losses against income from other sources. The decision has great importance for persons who engage in farming not as their sole source of income. Mr. Craig was a lawyer who also was engaged in the business of farming, in particular the raising and racing of horses. He sought to deduct losses in excess of $200,000 in each
of 2000 and 2001 taxation years, even though his primary source of income was from his law practice. It is important to point out that Mr. Craig’s farming business was not considered to be what is commonly referred to as a “hobby farm”. The farm business had seen profitable years in the past. Section 31 of the Income Tax Act provides that “Where a taxpayer’s chief source of income for a taxation year is neither farming nor a combination of farming and some other source of income...” the maximum deduction would be $8,750. Mr. Craig’s horse racing business would qualify as “farming” for the purposes of the Act. Sounds like on a plain reading of the section Mr. Craig would be out of luck. To add to Mr. Craig’s troubles, the Supreme Court of Canada had already decided a case with almost identical issues back in 1978. In the case of Moldowan v. The Queen The Supreme Court held that the upper limit of deductibility in S. 31 applied. There was, and could never be an appeal of that decision. However, a few decisions, Mr. Craig’s included, of the Federal Court of Appeals, seemed to run contrary to the Supreme Court decision in Moldowan. In these decisions the Federal Court of Appeals adopted a more flexible approach to the issue of farm loss deductibility.
1.59 6.9 1.64 %
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And so, it fell to the Supreme Court Justices to correct this apparent anomaly. While mildly chastising the lower court for having the effrontery to purport to overrule the Supreme Court, the Justices wound up agreeing with the lower court and overruling themselves. The Court found that “the relevant factors to consider are the capital invested in farming and the second source of income; the income from the two sources of income; the time spent on the two sources of income; and the taxpayer’s ordinary mode of living, farming history, and future intentions and expectations.” The court concluded that where the taxpayer places significant emphasis on both his farming and nonfarming sources of income there was no reason to conclude that such a combination should not constitute a chief source of income, and in such cases the taxpayer would avoid the application of the loss deduction limit of s.31 of the Income Tax Act. In other words farming did not need to be the primary source of income. It isn’t often the Supreme Court admits it was wrong, even where none of the presiding justices were the same as in the previous decision. The case seems to stand for the principle that the law must evolve to accommodate ever changing business models in an ever more complex business world. 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
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September, 2012
BUSINESS BEAT
CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members
The Chamber enthusiastically salutes one of our Members for sheer fundraising bravery. Darren Connolly is the owner of Allsource Depot Home Health Supplies and the father of eight-year Tyler, who suffers from cerebral palsy. On September 27, Darren will set his fear of heights aside and participate in an Easter Seals fundraiser like no other. Darren will rappel down the side of a 26-storey building!! The site will be One London Place, the tallest office building in downtown London. He will also be dressed as a superhero, in keeping with the organizers’ note that all participants will be complete superheroes to the Easter Seals kids they support. At press time for this issue, Darren would only confirm he will NOT accept suggestions he dress as Super Woman! Darren’s fundraiser goal is $1500. If you wish to support him (and we hope you will) visit this website: www.thedropzone.ca and search the London participants.
Free Member-To-Member option Over 245 of the Chamber’s Member-businesses and individuals are already registered on the Chamber’s Facebook group. Are you? It’s completely free and offers you the chance to post information on or about your own business activities, promotions, special events and even employment opportunities. You’ll also see regular updates from the Chamber on our events and programs. To register, just log-in to your own Facebook account and search “St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.” Click on our Group, then click on the request to join our Group. One of our site administrators will respond, usually the same day. Participation in and on our Chamber Group is open to anyone from any business or organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber, as well as affiliates from other Chamber offices is our network.
Walk a mile?
photo courtesy Mark Girdauskas, Photos by MG
Go, Darren, go!
Local golf course leaps in popularity The Chamber is pleased and proud to congratulate one of our Members on an achievement that’s a great reflection of our entire area. St. Thomas Golf and Country Club at Union is celebrating the recent release of ScoreGolf ’s biannual list of Top 100 Canadian Golf Courses and has made a gigantic jump up 14 spots in just two short years. The course now ranks 50th among of over 2,300 courses across Canada!. Courses are rated by golf professionals, course superintendants, in-
dustry members and players from across Canada who must not be Members of any course they rank. Courses are ranked in nine different criteria, including strategy, challenge, design, and of course, fun! St. Thomas Golf & Country Club has done the extraordinary, becoming one of only five courses to break into the top 50 this year. Overall, courses across Ontario excelled, taking 21 of the top 50 spots. The Number One ranking went to the National Golf Club of Canada in Woodbridge.
Striking Out when it comes to Hiring? Job Developers at Employment Services Elgin can help.
VAWSEC (Violence Against Women, Services Elgin County) is again organizing a local version of an event that will be held in communities near and far. On Sunday September 23, 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Pinafore Park, men are challenged to participate in a fundraising activity that sees them walk a mile in women’s footwear. That amounts to about two laps around the park roadway and involves dozens of participants. In the past, St. Thomas Police Chief and Fire Chief have walked, as has our MP and MPP and our Chamber CEO. Local proceeds support the operation of Women’s Place, our local 24-hour safe haven for women and children who have been abused. To sign up or donate, call 519-633-0155.
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BUSINESS BEAT
PRO TEXT Business Management News & Issues
Student Coverage? by Jason Amero
With the school year launching, and many students heading away to school with a trunk full of expensive items such as a laptops, iPads, flat screen TV’s, DVD/Blueray players, and gaming consoles, it is a good time to make sure all of their belongings and actions are covered. Not long ago, students heading to college or university may have had an old TV, a couch from their parent’s basement, a mattress and a suitcase of clothes. These days, dorm rooms are full of more electronic gadgets than ever before. Combine this abundance of gadgets with open dorm rooms and student houses – not to forget the occasional party – it’s no surprise that items will go missing, easier and quicker than if the student was living at home. The good news is that insuring your son or daughter’s belongings is easy and affordable. While most students are covered under their parent’s homeowners in-
surance, it is a good idea to contact your insurance broker/insurance provider to review your personal homeowners’ policy to determine if there are any gaps in coverage. It may be beneficial to obtain a Tenants Package/Renters policy for your son or daughter – as this would ensure proper coverage for contents and liability, and in the event of a loss, the parent’s homeowners’ policy would not be affected. Most insurance providers offer a Tenants Package/Renters policy with a minimum Contents coverage of $20,000 $25,000; contents coverage is on a replacement cost basis, which means you will have old items replaced with new items. The annual premium for a Tenant Package/Renters policy can range from $150 -
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$300/year, depending on the policy coverage, limits, and deductible chosen. Below is a brief list of common liability exposures for students living away from home: Student hosts a friendly get together/party at their residence; result – unrelated third party suffers alcohol poisoning, injures himself or herself while on the premises, or worse, dies in a car accident after leaving the residence behind the wheel of a car. Student leaves candle burning; result – fire loss, property damage or bodily injury to others. Student neglects to turn the bath tub water off; result – water damage, property damage to others. Student BBQs on the front porch/back deck; result – fire loss, property damage or bodily injury to others. Identity Theft Now let’s look at auto insurance. If the student is a listed driver on the parent’s auto policy, and will not be bringing a family vehicle owned by the parents to school, some insurance providers will discount the occasional driver premium while the student is away from home. Factors that may determine this discount are distance of college/university away from home and frequency of student returning home during school year. This discount varies with each insurance provider so it is recommended
you contact your insurance broker/insurance provider to find out more. It is recommended that you not delete your son/daughter as a listed driver while they are away at school, as it is more beneficial to your son/daughter to be continuously insured so that when the time comes for them to apply for their own auto insurance, they will have the benefit of insurance experience. If your son or daughter plans on bringing a family vehicle with them to school, you must notify your insurance broker/insurance provider, as the vehicle will have to be rated for the city they are attending school in, as each city is rated differently. Failure to do so may result in a potential claim being denied. While the student is attending school, it will be common for them to have their books, laptop, cell phone, iPad, etc. in their vehicle as they travel to and from school. Be advised that if the vehicle is broken into, and the contents of the vehicle taken, it is the property policy that will respond to such a loss, and not the auto policy – this is a common misconception. In summary, it is always best to be safe and not sorry. Contact your insurance broker/insurance provider for a full review of your home and auto coverage. To all the students attending post secondary education for the first time, and those returning: Good luck! And all the best in your studies!
This column appears monthly in Business Beat and has been submitted by Jason Amero, RIB(ON), Broker/Advisor at Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited. Questions and comments are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862, Ext 222 or email: jason@reithandassociates.com
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Your Business Needs Video T H I S
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September, 2012
BUSINESS BEAT
CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members Network Skills Initiative: Results from skills survey #1 Theme: Domestic Skills Development: Post Secondary Education
Over the course of 16 weeks, from March to June 2012, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce released eight surveys to its chamber network. Each survey focused on a particular theme under the umbrella of the skills challenges that Canada faces. Chambers across Canada, including the St. Thomas & District Chamber, were encouraged to circulate the surveys to their business Members throughout the survey period. If your firm responded to our request, we thank you! What follows are the results from survey #1 which asked respondents for input on the challenges they face relative to post-secondary education. As you will note in the charts [right], many of the survey respondents represent small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs); the feedback and commentary provides useful context and a foundation for the Canadian Chamber as it prepares its first report back to the chamber network on the skills challenges that Canada is facing. The Canadian Chamber will present its full report at the national Annual General Meeting this September in Hamilton. Selected Comments: Q: With respect to post-secondary education, would you consider creating an apprenticeship, internship or co-op placement for a university or college student? We already have an apprenticeship program – wish there was more government support As an adult learner, I have realized that classroom theory doesn’t adequately prepare a person for the workforce. The employer expects immediate productive capacity, whereas most entrants do not enter an
owe ol r b s o Di Sch w o t o k Bac ls on N ck Dea l in-sto l on a 012s, d 2 n s, a d o m de owne pre icles! veh
area that they have trained hands on for. A co-op program would help both the entrant and the employers. We routinely hire co-op students for summer field work positions. Our Co-op students often later become full-time employees. Having a student placement is a valuable tool not just for them to learn from the business but also for the business to learn from them on new methods to complete tasks. Our youth have skills that are so very much being ignored I already actively take part in the work experience
Our Community is Our Business! Join Us at Disbrowe for a Hosptial Charity Car Wash & BBQ Saturday September 8, 2012 10:00 am - 2:00 pm • Hand wash & chamois for $10.00 • Hotdog, chips & drink for $5.00 • Test Drive the all new Chevrolet Malibu, Spark or Volt and Disbrowe will donate $10.00 to the Hosptial Foundation • 100% of proceeds from the car wash and BBQ will be donated to the Hospital
116 Edward Street, St. Thomas September, 2012
program for high school students, as well as a few work placements through the colleges. These are where some of the best “diamond in the rough” employees come from. I would always consider it, but I would do it for sure if there was financial support to hire a current or a recent graduate. I believe the internships prepare the students for the position. This also helps the student to get a good feeling of their career choice and if it’s a good fit or not. This is key to giving young people and students practical skills, especially if it is provided in a progressive step-by-step way. This would be of great benefit to both student and non-profit; mentoring and intergenerational working together is extremely important for the future of our communities. Q: With respect to post-secondary education, would you consider student sponsorship in the form of a bursary? If I could afford to do so, I believe this is the right way forward We have made contributions to scholarship programs in the past and provide a salary for co-op students/interns Q: With respect to post-secondary education, would you consider creating any of the above if government incentives were available to assist? We do all of this now and feel it is incumbent on business to support the future without Government assistance I don’t think Government incentives should be necessary. Businesses should see it in their own interest to train and hire young people. Yes, as it is only costs that hold me back
519-631-7960 E L G I N
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www.disbrowe.com 15
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 to August 15. All Pro Plumbing & Drainage 22 Spackman Boulevard St. Thomas, ON N5P 4A3 Phone: 519- 633-5838 Email: tammy@allpropandd.ca Contacts: Bonnie Lake, Owner; Craig Lawrance, General Manager Buyer’s Guide Categories: Plumbing & Heating Services (Main); Excavating Services, Septic Tanks-Cleaning; Sewer Cleaning Services & Equipment Products & Services: Licensed service plumbers ready to take care of all of your plumbing needs. They offer competitive rates and professional experts. Plumbing services include bathrooms, kitchens, laundry, water heaters, copper and water line repair or replacement, dishwashers, tubs and showers. Drainage services include septic system repair and installation, sewer and water line repair or replacement and video inspections, as well as, electronic locating and foundation water proofing.
Allan Weatherall Phone: 519-494-8700 Email: allanweatherall@rogers.com Buyer’s Guide Categories: Advertising/Promotions; Media; Video Production Products & Services: A seasoned executive with dedicated expertise across several platforms; media & public relations, advertising & marketing, fundraising, and video production to assist you in customizing a plan of action in these disciplines. A passionate community volunteer with professional accreditation benchmarks in fundraising (CFRE) and public relations (APR), he can provide small, agile personalized services bringing real value to any organization needing help with communications. Habitat for Humanity Oxford Middlesex Elgin 15 St. Catherine Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 Phone: 519-5216955 Contact: Wade Woznuk, Co-Chair St. Thomas Build; Joanne Dowswell; Jodi Shorrock, Co-Chair St. Thomas Build; Sarah Locke, Co-Cair Fundraising Buyer’s Guide Categories: Agencies & Associations; Community Services Products & Services: Habitat for Humanity Canada’s vision, mission and values are delivered by Habitat for
Humanity affiliates that work in over 300 communities across Canada. Habitat affiliates select and prepare partner families for homeownership, manage the construction of Habitat homes, and hold partner family mortgages. They play a vital role at the local level by engaging community volunteers, securing resources, increasing the profile of Habitat for Humanity and raising awareness about the issue of affordable housing in their communities. This international organization has expanded to include a new St. Thomas location and is working to establish itself in St. Thomas-Elgin. Intelligent Office 1000 - 255 Queens Avenue London, ON N6A 5R8 Phone: 519-913-8000 Email: londonsales@intelligentoffice.com Contact: Don Grandy, Manager / Sales Coordinator Buyer’s Guide Categories: Commercial Space; Real Estate - Commercial Products & Services: Intelligent Office London is located at One London Place. Conveniently located in the heart of London, One London Place is the city's most recognizable and distinguished business address. This location has 27 brand new offices and 2 meeting rooms equipped with the latest technology.
Offices are available by the hour, day, week or month to fit any sized budget all with access 24/7. Kaz Carpentry 783 Talbot Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E3 Phone: 519-902-8595 Email: kazcarpentry@sympatico.ca Contact: Kaz Bucki, Owner Buyer’s Guide Categories: Custom Furniture Designers & Builders (Main); Kitchens & Bathrooms Products & Services: After many years of service in the St. Thomas community, Kaz Carpentry feel confident that they can cater to your needs. They get the job done and they don’t just meet expectations; they exceed them. Their customers keep coming back because they are dependable, knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. Kaz, owner and operator of Kaz Carpentry, is a wood technician with over 20 years experience. His employees provide unmatched service, delivering top quality service for your needs. Each is committed to personal service. In keeping with this desire, they are not satisfied with their work until you are. NAPA AUTOPRO 239 Wellington Street St. Thomas, ON N5R 2S6 Phone: 519-631-0500 Email: tnoble@lylecook.ca Contact: Kathy Cook, Owner; Todd Noble, Service Manager Buyer’s Guide Categories: Auto Repairs; Auto Services Products & Services: NAPA AUTOPRO is located in the Lyle Cook Automotive Service Centre, where the Cook family has been serving the motoring public since 1927, taking care of all your vehicle needs including mechanical repairs and maintenance services including: diagnostics, shocks/struts, brakes, electrical, exhaust, air conditioning, suspensions, specializing in preventative maintenance, and much, much more. At NAPA AUTOPRO, the certified technicians and professional service advisors work to keep your car young for a long time. Free Peace of Mind Warranty that covers parts and labour for 12 months or 20, 000 km. NAPA AUTOPRO is the only WomenCertified repair facility in St. Thomas and surrounding area. WomenCertified is the voice of female consumers. The WomenCertified Seal is a symbol of excellence in customer experience.
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:
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Residential • Commercial • Industrial September, 2012
Special Feature T H E
WORKING
F A M I LY
My life as a Supermom by Heather Derks
Like many other working moms out there, I’m always putting myself at the bottom of the barrel of priorities, but when the reality of life means working a six-day-week at a factory, it leads to very little time to be a parent, and the end result of that is guilt. It makes it tough to focus on yourself. My husband Ron is overloaded, too. He’s a helicopter pilot, which means strange hours and long days and a lot of time away from home. When he’s here, he does more than his fair share of the work around the house, but when he’s not, it’s even busier for me. I graduated in 2003 with a degree in English Literature and never dreamed that almost ten years later I’d still be working menial jobs, but that’s what happened, and if you think that I’m the only university grad that works there think again. The jobs my generation thought we’d be applying for never materialized, and neither did my big dream of becoming an author. I wrote, at home, short stories mostly, because unfortunately it’s all I really had time for. There’s always supper to be made, and baths, and thanks to off-peak hydro pricing, laundry after seven. The reality of life was wearing me down, and I knew it. I would walk past my degree, hanging dusty on the wall, and I would think, well isn’t that symbolic? and then I would lace up my steel toes and go to work. It felt like it was all for nothing, all the struggle of the rat race, if all it got me was a few quick hours with my family each night where I was too tired and busy to sit down and spend some time with them, and that’s when I knew that something had to change. One advantage of repetitious work is that it gives you time to think, and so I started thinking about what was getting me down, and it turns out it was the writing more than anything. Sure, I had parental guilt, but underneath there was a deeper guilt, the guilt of not pursuing the dream I’d be-
lieved in since childhood. In putting myself last, I was ignoring something that had been important to me all my life, and so I made a plan to make it happen. I got my husband to take over baths so I could slip downstairs one night a week to write. I started working on a novel. It’s slow going, but now I think about that at work – plotting out the details, and it makes the few hours per month that I actually get to spend on it more productive. I’m happier now that I am budgeting out a little time for myself. I’m in a better mood, and if the dishes have to sit there for a while so I can do it, chances are my husband will have them done when I come back up anyway. He’s good like that. He’s one of the rare lucky few that actually gets a lot of joy out of his job, and so he understands why it’s something that I’ve got to do. Life in the working family isn’t easy, but I’ve learned that if I want my kids to go after their own dreams one day, they need to see me make the time to go after my own. I’m going to finish my novel some day, and when I’m done, I’m going to start another one, and after that, another one, until I get good enough to sell one, and when that happens, forget about burning bras. I’m going to burn my work boots.
Heather Derks is an auto worker and writer living in Sparta
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September, 2012
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Bryan Vine 519-207-4865
Gordon Hall 519-854-6274
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Special Feature T H E
Central Elgin Farm family
They know about the work in working families by Shelley Harris
Raising a family while running a small business is no easy task, but many families across Elgin County succeed while still finding the time to give back to their community. When Catherine and William de Corte emigrated from Holland to St. Thomas in the 1950s, they had dreams of starting a family and owning their own farm. They were first employed at the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital and worked on several local dairy farms as hired hands. This hard work enabled them to purchase the current de Corte dairy farm located in Central Elgin. Their love of farming was passed on to their two sons, Tony and Murray, who inherited the farm after their parents retired to hand it to the next generation in 1986. Tony, his wife and their children settled on the home farm, while Mur-
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ray and his family established a home on the farm two miles down the road. Each morning, Murray travels the short distance to the dairy farm to do chores and milking with his brother. In addition to milking and cash cropping (planting, harvesting and shipping crops), Murray and Tony are both dedicated volunteer firefighters on the Central Elgin Yarmouth Centre Volunteer Fire Department. Murray is the department’s Chief, while Tony is a Captain. Their roles on the fire department require both de Corte families to be adaptive and understanding as a call could come at any time, day or night, even during the busy planting and harvesting season. With both wives working off the farm (Rose is a nurse and Kathy is a bookkeeper), it took a lot of coordination and planning to raise small children while running the farm and being a part of the fire department. Each family had to be flexible and understanding if a fire call came in or they had to work through the night to make sure the crops were planted or harvested. While growing up, the kids were active in sports and Girl Guides while
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also finding time to help out wherever they were needed. It was a balancing act trying to work to care of the kids, the farm, and their home while remaining active members of their community. In 2010, the de Corte family volunteered a portion of their land to be used for the International Plowing Match with thousands visiting the farm over the week event! Now, most of the de Corte children have careers and families of their own. The de Corte Bros farm is still going
strong with assistance from their children who come home to help out whenever possible. From getting ready for the International Plowing Match or putting up a grain bin to simply bringing the guys a coffee or snack in the barn, the family pulls together to ensure the family farm succeeds. While it hasn’t always been easy, the de Cortes can be proud to have passed on the legacy of hard work and commitment to community.
Shelley Harris is Manager of Education and Employment, YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin
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Peter Yurek B.Sc. Phm. Ed Yurek Phm. B. CONVENIENT HOURS:
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519-
631-3330 1-866-631-3330 September, 2012
Special Feature T H E
WORKING
Five tips for the work-athome mom Good intentions alone won’t do it for you by Susan Brady
Operating a successful home-based business is very time consuming and challenging. As a work-at-home mom, you are not only responsible for the success of your business, but for your family as well. It’s easy to let the paperwork, phone calls and emails keep you tied down, making you feel that you don’t have time to take a break or to spend quality time with your family. Don’t worry, you are not alone, it happens to many of us. Below are five tips to help you find balance and harmony in your business and your life: 1. Take Inventory - Take a real close look at how you are surviving today, and be open and honest with yourself, especially if changes need to
be made. You probably started your business with the best of intentions – to be able to be at home with your children, to contribute financially to your family, or simply to have a little spending money of your own. Take a moment and honestly ask yourself how you’ve been handling the time commitment of owning a business: • Are you spending too much time on the phone, the computer, etc? • Do you worry about your business – to the point that it distracts you when you are with your family? 2. Create time for YOU – That’s right, I said you. Are you finding time to exercise? Maybe you need to
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set your alarm an hour earlier just so you have the opportunity to go for a walk, or hop on the treadmill, or maybe it’s putting in one of those exercise DVDs that is sitting on the shelf. Whatever it is – make YOU a priority; your health is number one. 3. Make a list – This is probably the simplest yet most overlooked tip for business owners. Before you go to bed at night, make a list of the most important things to do for tomorrow. Don’t have too many things on the list. Narrow it down to six to eight items, and prioritize them in order of importance. Tackle the first thing on your list before moving on to anything else. Even though there may be things on your list that would take just a few minutes, and you may be tempted to just get them out of the way – don’t – complete the most important first before moving on. 4. Have a weekly plan sheet – Even though you work for yourself, you still need to have working hours and some type of structure. This can be a calendar that is up on your fridge for everyone to see, or a wall or desk calendar in your office. Decide the number of hours you are going to work, and plot them out. There is nothing wrong with chang-
ing up the calendar and moving around your working hours to accommodate your family, but keep in mind you need to put in the time in order to be successful at whatever job you do. 5. Have a support network – Working from home can feel like you are working in isolation. Look for groups of like-minded people for you to share with, run ideas by, and get support from. I have found myself that being part of a network of successful business owners who connect weekly and having a mentor and/or business coach have been instrumental to my success. Take the time to find what works for you. Make it a point to evaluate your priorities every few months to make sure that your time in spent properly. The rewards will be well worth it, when your family not only is proud of your accomplishments in your business, but also more importantly your accomplishments as their mom.
Susan Brady is ‘The Make Six Figures Working From Home Coach.’
Elgin Counselling & Mediation Centre & Mediation have a core belief in relational social work. Owner Daphne Spence says “It is in building therapeutic relationships with clients that we believe change occurs. It’s true social work. The focus is on the client self-determining, rather than one of us saying, ‘You need this many sessions.’” Therapists are very comfortable working with doctors and completely understand the role that medications can play. At the Centre, they are also engaged in community work, including field practicum for university students But that’s not their preferred who may work for free (there is a waiting list). model. All associates at Elgin Counselling In the comfortable environs of the
Professional, affordable solutions to client needs The professionals at Elgin Counselling & Mediation Centre do their very best to work with people with many different budgets. For instance, if a person has a six-week referral from a corporate Employee Assistance Program, counsellors will do their utmost to do as much as they can within those six weeks.
Centre at 19 Queen Street, a dozen therapists – highly qualified Registered Social Workers, Psychologists and Mediators – bring years of experience to sessions with their clients. Many people who call have been experiencing losses: of a relationship, a loved one, a job, or other losses. Some people are living with mental illness, or in the case of children, perhaps anxiety. Daphne notes that, since the downturn in the economy, they have been seeing more people with depression. On the plus side, the Centre offers professional counselling assistance and hope for people right here in Elgin.
Daphne Spence, B.A., BSW, MSW, RSW and Mike Ware, MSW, RSW outside of Elgin Counselling and Mediation Centre.
19 Queen Street, St Thomas (519) 633-4423 www.mediationcentre.on.ca
September, 2012
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E L G I N H E A LT H THE WORKING FAMILY
Decrease the chaos that some families feel by Laura Hoople, RN, Public Health Nurse
PEACE OF MIND Is knowing that my child is in a caring, safe, educational and very fun environment. Your child can learn and explore at his/her own rate of development. "When your child runs into the program in the morning excited about the day and they are just as happy when you pick them up, it gives you a great peace of mind as a parent." Kathy, parent of 5 and 7 year old.
Milestones School Age Programs Milestones offers Before and After school age care to children enrolled in JK to 12 years of age in various schools throughout St. Thomas. Care for school aged children is also offered on Professional Development days, and during Christmas and March breaks and over the summer. For more information about school age care or care for infants, toddlers or preschoolers call 519-631-0952 or visit our website at www.milestonescc.ca
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The life of a working family can be busy– getting yourself and your children ready in the morning, drop-offs, pick-ups and other day-to-day household chores can be a challenge. It is important to balance family life, friends, interests and work to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. There are many time-saving tips available to help families. Some to consider and try may include: Set a meal plan for the week. With a meal plan, you can avoid multiple trips to the grocery store and it gives you a chance to plan a variety of nutritious meals for your family. Planning the meals together as a family allows everyone a chance to say what they would like to eat. Double up your meals and put the extra in your freezer to be eaten on a night when you’re short on time. Get ready the night before. Pack lunches or the diaper bag, get out clothes for the next day, grab a bath or shower, and perhaps begin meal preparation. Having spare time in the morning always feels better than being rushed out the door! Set up a “chore chart” to help with the household work. Items should be age appropriate for the child and can be done if there is time after homework and before bed. Prioritize the household chores so less important items are done when time allows. If you can afford it, hire someone to help you with the cleaning and chores around the home. Ask for help from family and friends. Establish a routine that is predictable, yet flexible, for the family. Living an unpredictable lifestyle can be confusing for some families. Children can feel overwhelmed and frustrated when routines are not consistent. Be organized. A family calendar in a central location, or a “to-do” list are a couple ways to help stay organized. Limit obligations. Look at your monthly calendar every so often and T H I S
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determine if your family is taking on too much. Do the children need to be involved in so many activities? Do you need to host the monthly book club in your home? Maybe there is something that can be changed to allow more time for relaxation at home. Enjoy making memories with your family. Take the time to play a board game, read a story, play in the park, or share a laugh. During meal times, turn off the television and sit together at the table talking about your day. Don’t feel guilty about the list of things you want to get done and enjoy the time together. Even a drive to soc-
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Time-saving tips to establish a work / home life balance
not all tips will always work for everyone
cer practice can turn into an opportunity to spend time together and have fun singing or talking. Also important is taking care of yourself. Be sure you’re sleeping 7 to 9 hours, eating well, being active, leaving work stress at work, getting out with friends, or doing a hobby you enjoy. Set realistic goals for yourself and take some “me” time when you can. Some parents find a quiet moment in the morning with a cup of coffee can help prepare them for the day ahead. Every family is different and not all tips will always work for everyone. Finding ways to balance work life with family life work can help to decrease some of the chaos that many families feel.
Laura Hoople is a public health nurse who works on the Early Years Team. September, 2012
INNES THE WORKING FAMILY
Family structures evolve
People do their best to lead balanced life by Jim Innes
Charles Darwin says, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change.” I am reminded of what a wit told me last week outside my parish (where I have been posted for about six years now). I was sitting on my motorbike, about to pop down to Port for a break, and got chatting with a passerby about the gouging price of gas. He shared, “I will always remember grandfather telling me that he had come into this world without much, and after all his years, he hasn’t ever fallen behind.” This little anecdote is one of many I’ve heard over my 25 years as a priest and counsellor. That afternoon, as I sat reading beside my bike along the harbour’s west walkway, I got to ruminating on grandfather’s subtle wisdom. He seemed to believe that prosperity is attitude and this struck me as a valuable paradigm shift. Prosperity has been, in the main, measured with one’s back against the doorframe of economic stability. Prosperity, and the process of ensuring we have it, was once accomplished by work ethics that incorporated structure, roles, and a model of loyal ‘tribalism.’ Over the years, this has changed. In my experience, and folk get frustrated, and even depressed, by unsuccessfully applying the old principles to our new
economic realties. Employment has evolved into short-term contracts and regular migrations and, by and large, prosperity has become an ongoing process of responding to fluctuations in income. This ongoing process has systemic consequences and is a major factor in our country’s changing family structure. In Canada, one in four of us spends over 50 hours a week trying to make ends meet. There are a growing number of working families (or as Stats Can likes to say; ‘economic families’). In 2010, these joint income earners averaged $91,000 annually (before tax). If Canada is statistically similar to the US, then our percentage of two-parent families with only one of the parents working is an extremely small minority group. Families have fewer members, and there are a decreasing number of families with children living at home. As family structure evolves in re-
sponse to our economic realities, we do our best to lead a well balanced life. This is an exceptional feat for working families and single parents. They are responsible bread winners and remarkably skilled at juggling their children’s outside commitments. The important virtues are flexibility, open mindedness, and a
healthy dose of resiliency. Grandfather’s idea that ‘true’ prosperity is but attitude may offer a valuable tool in helping to manage our family life. It is an attitude of prosperity built upon the age-old dictum that ‘we become what we think about the most.’ It is an attitude grounded in accepting that we can’t always control our environment but we can control how we respond to it. A scholar once wrote, “It is an important moment in your life when you discover . . . that things may happen around you, and things may happen to you, but the only things which really count are what happens in you.” The word prosperity comes from the Latin root which translates as ‘according to hope.’ Hope is but optimistic faith, and faith is but attitude. Attitude, unlike precipitating economic realities, can be changed. If we separate ourselves from the attitudes that are less then hopeful perhaps we can discover the abundance that is ever present, and all sustaining, deeper down in the heart of our family. Jim Innes is a clinically trained therapist and a local Anglican priest
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September, 2012
45 Elgin Street, St. Thomas (519) 631-0850 E L G I N
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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY WORKING IN ST.THOMAS & ELGIN
Inspired not retired A TIOW success story by Megan Bartlett
Twelve strangers came together to begin an eight-week journey through the Targeted Initiative for the Older Worker (TIOW) program. What they got from the TIOW program is much more than they could have
hoped for. People of varying ages and backgrounds, and with different skill sets, came together on the first day not knowing what to expect or how this program would help them. Group
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members listed expectations such as stability, networking, sense of worth, updated and fine-tuned job seeking skills, “get a job,” interview skills, building relationships / friendships, and new possibilities. At the time, some of these goals seemed impossible to achieve. Typically, a TIOW group combines activities such as understanding potential work options, resume writing, interviewing techniques, informational interviewing, conducting a targeted job search, and basic familiarity with computers to enhance the job search. Registrants in the TIOW program may be able to access short term training dollars in an area such as forklift training to help some gain employment immediately. Member of this particular group wanted help not only with their professional goals but also with their personal goals. One of the group members recalled working through a very dark personal time, and the support of the group helped this member overcome personal challenges. At times, the job searching world can be unkind especially to a mature worker. Many participants felt that they were often overlooked due to their age. In this circumstance, it’s easy for people to begin to question their skills and abilities. Quite the contrary, according to this successful TIOW group who indicated that they have a lot of years left, have tremendous skill sets, and are mature and very loyal. These talented, mature workers are committed to the jobs they do and the companies or organizations they are involved with. Many participants agreed that the
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group felt like a family. People worked together finding online postings that best fit each person’s job skills. They encouraged each other to continue to remain positive and offered advice. Not to mention, they were able to see additional skills in one another that they couldn’t see themselves. TIOW also offered an opportunity where each participant felt accepted and respected. Group members were impressed with the staff and facilitators of the group, strong factors that contributed to their success. “Everyone was invested in me. For total strangers to invest in me in such a solid way . . . that hasn’t happened in a long time,” said one of the TIOW members. Twelve strangers gathered together, feeling beaten and battered by the tough economic times. Eight weeks later, they were positive, energetic, and enthusiastically looking forward to the next chapter. Five participants found employment, and staff will continue to work with the rest until they achieve their goals. “I’ve got more tools in my toolbox,” one participant said. “I can put anything in my landscape.” To learn more about the Targeted Initiative for the Older Worker program, please call 519-631-5470 or stop into Employment Services Elgin for more information.
Megan Bartlett is with Employment Services Elgin September, 2012
HOMESTYLE DECORATING
Furniture care and cleaning tips Help your wood furniture to last and enhance its natural beauty Quality wood furniture is a significant investment you expect to last for generations. To maintain its beauty and help it last, wood furniture needs the appropriate care. As a rule, higher end products are finished with two to three coats of lacquer for extra depth and long-lasting durability. The sheen or gloss of the finish ranges from high to low, depending on the piece or collection. The finish protects the wood and adds to its beauty. No finish is totally indestructible. But with regular care, the finish will last much longer, providing years of enjoyment for you. Wood is a natural material with variations of colour shade, configurations, streaks and grain structure. Just as trees in the forest are not the same, each individual wood piece has characteristic markings that may differ from photo and showroom samples. Many of today’s most popular wood furniture styles offer a finish technique called ‘distressing’ that gives the furniture an aged appearance with wear marks and dents, simulating the look of heirloom antiques. Following are recommendations to protect and care for your furniture… Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight, as sunlight causes fading. Avoid placing plastic or rubber materials on your furniture, as certain plastics contain ingredients that may discolour or damage the finish. The type of plastic material that may cause problems include: plastic feet on computers, calculators and telephones and other products such as lamp bases, vinyl notebook binders and placemates. Always use felt pads under these articles to prevent discolouraiton of the finish. Avoid placing hot cups or dishes directly on the furniture. Use pads, cloth or felt to protect the furSeptember, 2012
We recommend polishing your furniture approximately every six months with a lint-free cloth and rubbing in the polish in the direction of the grain. There are three basic types of furniture care products: silicone cleaners, waxes and polishes. Avoid using silicone cleaners and waxes, because both can cause problems such as buld-up of a grimy film. Polishes, which we recommend, contain detergents, emulsifiers and mineral oil. The detergents clean dirt from the furniture, emulsifiers give it body to clean and last longer, and the mineral oil is left behind as a barrier for dirt and moisture that could harm finishes.
niture surface from plastic, rubber, hot items, bookends, flowerpots and vases. Avoid extreme changes in temperature by arranging furniture away from radiators, heat and air vents and air conditioning units. Periodically rotate accessories on furniture so they don’t sit in the same spot all the time. Clean up spills immediately. Use a blotting rather than a wiping action. Water left over a long period of time will cause white spots in the finish. Alcohol, perfume, after-shave and medications can cause severe finish damage. Use a protective pad when writing with a ballpoint pen on the furniture surface. To clean and polish your furniture, it is recommended that you dust frequently with a clean, soft, dry and lint-free cloth. Clean the surface by rubbing in the direction of the grain.
Renée Carpenter is the owner of Jennings Furniture and Design in St. Thomas.
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www.keithhunt.ca 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 SAVOUR ELGIN
Fifth generation of farmers expands in Elgin County by Kate Burns
After many years of selling strawberries and other seasonal produce at their road side fruit stand, the Howe family has created a new feature to sell their farm fresh goods. Howe Family Market has been open since June, 2010 selling its own produce, including strawberries as well as farm fresh produce from other local growers in Elgin County.
Opening the market was Ryan Howe’s idea. He and his brothers Rick and Kevin are the fifth generation of farmers in the Howe family dating back to 1861, when William Howe came from England and settled on John Wise Line. Ryan and his wife Jill recently had their first child and are busy helping new grandparents Glenn and Monica Howe to prepare for the busy harvest season and expansion into Elgin County’s agri-tourism industry. This spring, Kevin completed an agricultural degree from the University of Guelph and is managing and expanding the greenhouse operation. Rick is pursuing a separate career, but contributes to the farming business whenever he can and wherever he is needed. There’s constant visitor activity during the growing season, which lasts until early November. The farm – officially G & M Howe and Sons Ltd. – produces several varieties of strawberries, each with their own specific characteristics such as flavour, size, texture and colour. The farm also grows a wide variety of other fruits
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and vegetables including beans, beets, cantaloupe, cucumbers, melon, okra, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes and much more! The Howes work with neighbouring farms in order to supply their customers with high quality produce including blueberries, cherries, peaches, sweet corn and raspberries. Rich sandy loam, spring-fed ponds and an efficient drip irrigation system add to the quality of the crops. These are sold to grocery stores all over southwest Ontario, but now the advent of the market has extended the farm’s reputation far beyond provincial boundaries. People from all over the world camp at nearby Port Burwell Provincial Park and Springwater Conservation Area, and keep well fed with Howe’s fresh produce. Experience what campers from around the world already know: Howe’s Family Farm Market is your local destination for quality, fresh and delicious produce. Hours June – November Monday to Saturday 9am -6pm Sunday 11am – 5pm The market is located on the corner of John Wise Line and Rogers Road at 48596 John Wise Line. For more information, please call 519-773-3779 or 519-773-3837.
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The Howe Family Market 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 or find us on Facebook
Kate Burns is the business development coordinator at the County of Elgin.
September, 2012
D I N I N G & E N T E R TA I N M E N T WINE & FOOD
Deconstructing The Locavore’s Dilemma Going global vs. going local by Jamie Quai
I just finished reading the book “The Locavore’s Dilemma: In praise of the 10,000-mile diet,” written by Pierre Desrochers and Hiroko Shimizu. And as someone who gets almost all my vegetables from a CSA program, fruit from a farmers market, grains from a baker and meat from a butcher, I was a little incensed that two academics had the nerve to write a book that attacked something as fundamental to my way of life as supporting local. But the reality is that going local is a political statement, and a book like the Locavore’s Dilemma is merely presented to offer the dissenting opinion. The authors make excellent cases that the local food movement will not be enough to meet the needs of the growing global population, that in high population density countries going local is not physically possible, that different parts of the world are simply better suited to growing specific crops, and that the modern food supply chain has evolved to, supposedly, maximize efficiencies and minimize risks. The authors make a solid argument that if the food supplies of simpler times were better than they are now, our current system would never have evolved as it did. Despite all of the good issues raised in the book, I was left feeling a little let down by the effort. The book tried too hard to cover all of the topics of food economics, supply-chains, government policy, and health. Topics that merit detailed discussion are only lightly touched on. The serious topics that are presented warranted a book easily twice as long. Additionally, within one week of finishing the book I had three separate encounters that put several of the arguments in “The Locavore’s Dilemma” under scrutiny. September, 2012
I had a discussion with my fatherin-law, a retired manager from one of the refineries in Sarnia. The authors claimed that shipping over large bodies of water is more efficient since the fuel transport ships use is not as heavily processed and cheaper to use. What the authors fail to mention is that transport ship fuel is extremely dirty, and environmental policies are now mandating that ships upgrade to cleaner burning engines that require more processed and expensive fuels. Refineries are also working harder to recover more from a dirty fuel that is being slowly phased out. Driving to work, I listened to a talk radio program that was discussing the summer drought that has befallen North America. Food prices are expected to skyrocket. Speculation on the global supply of ‘essentials’ like corn and soybeans predicts shortages of huge proportions. An expert on global food supplies (someone who is actually cited in “The Locavore`s Dilemma”) told the interviewer that the way to mitigate some of the costs that are expected to rise is to buy locally produced foods when they are available. Locally produced food is the buffer in an increasingly volatile global food market. E L G I N
The final encounter I had in that week was with a well-respected chef who laughed at the author`s claims that mass-produced foods with global distribution were of equal quality to fresh local ingredients. Quality minded chefs will use local and seasonal wherever possible. Any efficiency lost in supporting local foods is more than offset by the quality and value to the consumer of the final product. If the authors’ claims of equal quality in foods were true, then the cost savings of buying less expensive supermarket foods would
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have all but ended the local food movement in restaurants. (This was around the same time the news was reporting a singular E.coli outbreak in the food supply that affected significant parts of North America). I respect Pierre Desrochers and Hiroko Shimizu for writing this book. It is important every now and then to listen to the other side of the debate on an issue as political as going local. I closed this book with a renewed faith in my local food choices, but less disdain for the global food supply chain; they made me appreciate why we have it and why it is necessary. I am also looking forward to an expanded edition of this debate in the future.
Jamie Quai is head winemaker at Quai du Vin Estate Winery in Elgin County.
ELGIN FARM ADVENTURE TOUR September 9, 2012 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join our self-guided tour to experience a variety of farms in East Elgin and enter the draw for a “Basket of Local Food”. Maps available at all Elgin County Libraries and the St. Thomas Public Library Or visit elginfarmers.ca - events page to download the map
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H E A LT H Y L I V I N G EVERYDAY HEALTH
Time to make a connection with your child
Why open communication should be on your back to school checklist by Jacky Allan
Know that as a parent you matter! Parents are the most powerful influence on their children and youth when it comes to drug use. Not friends. Not school. You! And it’s up to you to be proactive and use that influence early and often. It’s a conversation that needs to happen so that your kids know where you stand on this critical issue. A healthy relationship with your child requires communication; children have valuable things to say and, when a parent listens genuinely, it helps selfesteem and confidence. The most important thing to remember when it comes to talking about difficult subjects like drinking and drugs is that it's not a five-minute "talk" — it's about building an ongoing dialogue. As your children grow up, they will need more and more information, so start early and build on the conversation as your child matures. Youth in particular strive to figure out who they are and who/where they fit in the world. The drive for independence is a dominant force in their life and their friends’ advice, thoughts and opinions rule. They may not be an adult yet, but telling them that will not benefit either of you. Youth want to make all their own decisions, even with things they’re not quite ready to do
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 26
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(i.e., drinking and sex). Talking with youth about risk taking behaviours (e.g., substance use) in a constructive manner takes a lot of patience, understanding and respect for what they’re going through as their hormones, bodies and brains develop and strive to find individualism and balance. Children and youth actually feel more secure when they have clear boundaries on issues like drugs and curfews, but don’t make them up on the fly. Hammer out rules well ahead of time (maybe before school starts each year), and remember to build in more and more freedom and responsibility as your child gets older. Just as they were toddlers exploring, let them make reasonable decisions and mistakes. You want to teach your kids grown-up concepts, but in the end, they need to figure things out for themselves too. Give them the wheel, but hold onto the emergency brake, let them practise responsibility to demonstrate and build on their skills, but be there to provide support, guidance and boundaries if things start to get ‘out of control.’
Tips on how and how not to have a conversation with your child: Don’t harass – Give space and time Don’t smother – Let them come to you and show you care and want to talk. “And like a lot of kids they are scared that if they tell their parents that their parents are going to tell them they can’t hang out with certain friends” – Female, Youth Don’t over-react – Be calm and open to options. “Don’t freak out on us, that is the worst thing to do” – Male, Youth Don’t criticize – Respect their choices and understand their reasons. “Well, most of the time when parents ask you, you don’t know whether to be honest with them ‘cause you don’t know how they are going to take it right. ‘Cause they could just be asking and then you tell the truth and then they freak out on you” – Male, Youth Don’t jump to conclusions – Listen and let them explain. “Just be calm about it and don’t come at us like we are some sort of criminal or something” – Female, Youth Don’t be afraid – Ask and let them explain. Source: PIER (Peers, Information, Education, Resources) Project, Addiction Services of Thames Valley. 2011. To learn about conversation starters and important relationship tips visit: search-institute.org
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Jacky Allan is a Public Health Nurse who works in the schools September, 2012
LIFESTYLES SELF DEVELOPMENT
How one woman lives without reservations
Learning from the energy and experience of Barbara Elaine Singer by Sharon Lechner
As mentioned in at least one of my previous columns, I was fortunate to attend the I Can Do It in Tampa Conference last November where I met some incredible people. One of those people is Barbara Elaine Singer. I met Barbara at one of the keynote events featuring well known psychologist and self-improvement expert, Wayne Dyer. I had arrived at the event a little early to get a good seat, and a few seats down from me sat Barbara who just beamed with happiness so I immediately went over to say hi to her and have a quick chat. Barbara, a divorced mother of one daughter, at one point had all the outward signs of success. She had a dream job in Orlando and she lived
in a beautiful house. At the same time that her daughter was heading off to university, her fiancé died of a heart attack and Barbara had a really hard time coping. In fact, she took a leave of absence from her job. This was supposed to be a temporary leave, but Barbara eventually decided to quit, and three days after quitting, she flew to Pennsylvania where she and her dad embarked upon a crosscountry road trip to Alaska. While on the trip, Barbara began to take notice of all the beautiful scenery that she saw and all the wonderful people that she met. It was at this point she decided that she didn’t need all her material things to be
happy. She sold everything and moved to Cape Coral, Florida where she rented a room and got a job at a Tiki Bar. One of the bar’s patrons owned a large sail boat and offered her a job sailing around the Caribbean. With no previous sailing experience, Barbara signed on. After the Caribbean, she went to Tuscany where she met Giuseppe Sala whose family owns I Selvatici Winery where Barbara now lives for eight months of the year. Barbara is the author of “Living Without Reservations” which details her story and inspires others to let go of their fears and live life to the fullest. I spoke to Barbara via Skype a couple of weeks ago. Just Skyping Barbara was exciting as she is so full of life and energy. During our conversation she told me her goal is to encourage people to get off of what she calls “the money wheel.” For many of us, selling everything and moving to Tuscany may not be a viable option but Barbara’s lifestyle does tell me that many of us could reduce our expenses and have more freedom and happiness. Instead of living beyond or even at your means, perhaps you could consider living below your means.
She is starting a blog which is designed to help people cut their expenses so they can do more of the things they really want in life. Too often, I have seen people work until the age of 65 and either die early or have their spouses become terminally ill. My favourite retired boss worked until he was 65, and although he had the financial means to have a very exciting retirement, sadly his wife got Alzheimer’s and their retirement years didn’t turn out quite the way he had hoped. If you are going to work until you are 65, I encourage you to ensure your work and your passion are closely aligned; otherwise, start thinking about how you can reduce your expenses now so that work eventually becomes a choice rather than a necessity.
Sharon Lechner is a certified master life coach and owner of Reach for the Stars Empowerment in St. Thomas.
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H E A LT H Y L I V I N G EVERYDAY HEALTH
Chiropractic management of headaches Treatment of the cervical spine by Dr. Greg Johnston B.H.K., B.Ed., D.C
Headache is one of the most frequent reasons people seek medical advice and is the primary complaint of about 10% of chiropractic patients. It is important to note that headaches my have a “sinister” cause including accidental injury, a space occupying lesion in the brain or other serious disease processes. These types of headaches are called secondary headaches as they are being caused by another problem. The greatest number of headaches are usually benign which means that they are not linked to any other injury or disease process and are
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therefore known as primary headaches. However, benign does not mean mild; in fact these headaches can be severe and occur frequently leading to great suffering and disability. The three most common types of primary headaches are migraine, tension-type headache (TTH) and cervicogenic headache (CGH). In 1988 the International Headache Society (IHS) published a new classification of headaches and released several research based conclusions about headaches. One of the most significant findings was the conclusion that there is a continuum between what had been thought previously as separate types of headaches. It was also noted that movement abnormalities or dysfunction in the cervical spine were a significant contributing factor in primary headaches. Since that time, numerous research studies have been published that have shown the link between primary headaches and dysfunction in the cervical spine. Most importantly for patients however has been the increase in scientific evidence that suggests that because this dysfunction is a significant contributing factor to these headaches that the use of spinal manipulative therapy may be a very effective treatment for these conditions. In 2001, the well-respected Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center published researched that concluded that one of the best ways of treating primary headaches was with cervical manipulation. They went on further to state that manipulation had two distinct advantages over the use of medication. The first was that the treatment actually specifically targeted the source of the pain rather than just controlling symptoms. The second was that manipulation was safe and had fewer side affects. The latest research trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache is from an interdisciplinary team of researches in the western United States and has become known as the “Western States Trial.” They have published there results in the prestigious and well known journal called “Spine.” The results of this study indicated that chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy was an effective treatment for people with cervicogenic headache. They
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found that the participants in their study were able to cut the frequency of their headaches in half after eight weeks of treatment and experienced a clinically significant improvement in the severity of pain experienced. In chiropractic practice, the first and principal question is whether a patient’s headaches are primary or secondary. There are many causes of secondary headaches but many may be very serious and potentially life threatening. A thorough history and physical examination, which are always important but especially so with headaches, should be able to determine secondary headaches. These cases should be referred to the appropriate specialist. Once it can be determined that the patient is experiencing a primary type of headache, then a careful examination of the cervical spine as well as the rest of the spine, pelvis and extremities should be performed. This is because cervical spine dysfunction may be a compensation for imbalances and dysfunction elsewhere in the spine and musculoskeletal system. Considering this, Chiropractic management should address all joint dysfunction and may include spinal manipulation, prescription of custom orthotics as well as rehabilitative exercise. Finally, it is important to remember that headaches are complicated entities with many factors contributing to them. Various headache triggers such as foods, behaviours, medications, psychological factors and lifestyle factors must be considered and addressed. The optimal management of headache is usually achieved through a multidisciplinary approach co-coordinating various healthcare professionals. It is clear now that one of the components of this approach should be skilled examination and treatment of the cervical spine by a practitioner specializing in this area.
Dr. Greg Johnston is a chiropractor and partner in Family Health Options Treatment and Resources Centre in St. Thomas. September, 2012
The older brother has a shadow
LIFESTYLES THAT’S LIFE
But he finds ways to turn the tables on the copycat
by Elizabeth VanHooren
When you are a four-year-old, imitation is not the sincerest of flattery. “Mom! He is copying me AGAIN,” my four-year-old screams with frustration. And right on cue, his younger brother echoes him, “Copying me!” and grins with delight. There is no denying that right now we have a copycat living in the house. Unfortunately, my twoyear-old’s exp a n d i n g vocabulary and dexterity is often at the expense of his older brother, which is difficult to explain to someone who is working hard to gain a little independence himself. There is always a shadow following my eldest son. If he is riding his bike, junior is close behind on his tricycle trying to keep up. Our copycat tires of that play at the exact moment his brother does, and they both head off to the sandbox. At supper, he waits for his older brother to decide if he
wants chocolate milk or juice, and he orders the same. He’s done eating the moment his counterpart decides he is full. Excitedly my four year-old recounts to Dad that he found a caterpillar outside today; it was fuzzy and yellow and tickled when it climbed up his arm. His ever faithful double chimes in that he too, “Found a caterpillar, Dad” even though he didn’t and was in fact sleeping at that point in the day. And while Dad tries to show interest in both recollections, my fouryear old knows the truth and sulks away feeling as if his original story has lost its lustre. No, my four-year-old is less than impressed with his younger facsimile. But don’t let that fool you because he has also learned how to use this unwanted flattery to his advantage. As it turns out, when in trouble your double is a convenient way out. Through the tears and requests for band-aids, I learn that it was his younger brother’s idea to pull each other in the wagon behind their battery-powered John Deere tractors. I may have told them not to jump on their beds, but HE did it first. It would appear that our copycat is responsible for all things amiss in the house – toys not put away, shoes left out, sticky handprints and dirty footprints – it’s all him. When questioned my four-year-old points to his brother with an incriminating look
and says, “He did it,” knowing full well the parrot-like response back will be “I did it.” Still, there are other days when my eldest seems to comprehend his “older brother” responsibilities. This past summer, he taught his brother how to put his Crocs on himself, wash his hands at the kitchen sink using the stool and hull peas for a treat straight from the garden. My four-year-old may not fully appreciate his younger brother’s adoration right now, but most days he is setting a good example – worthy of imitation. And amid the frustration and accusations I see glimmers of what I hope is a life-long friendship.
Elizabeth VanHooren is general manager of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.
JOE PRESTON, M.P.
ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON • Passports • Revenue Canada • Seniors’ Issues • • Citizenship & Immigration • • Employment Insurance • 24 First Ave., Unit 2, St. Thomas, ON N5R 4M5
519-637-2255 • 1-866-404-0406 www.joeprestonmp.ca
September, 2012
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LIFESTYLES TIME ON MY HANDS
Fathers, sons and the lawn
Of flower power and lawnmower scars by Duncan Watterworth
As a teenager growing up in Aylmer, it was my job to mow our rather large lawn. Being a reasonable adolescent, I was quite willing to take on the job. I said so, and I meant it. The only problem was that my dad and I never agreed on how often the
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lawn needed to be cut. He had this ridiculous idea that it needed cutting more often than it really did. So whenever he told me to cut the grass, I said I would, but later when it really needed it. This became our father/son head-butting ground. The grass would always get cut, sooner or later, but I developed an aversion to lawn mowing. Parental unreasonableness, arguments and the lawn somehow melded into a permanent sore spot in my adolescent psyche. Not only did I have to cut the grass at home, but I had to cut it when we went to our cottage too. And there, my Dad came up with a whole new way to be unreasonable about the lawn. He insisted I keep pushing the lawnmower under the cedars and over the sumacs, in an ongoing campaign to make the lawn larger. As a first-wave Aylmer flower child in the sixties, I could see he was stuck in some outdated clear-the-land or beat-back-the-wilderness headspace. And as the one doing the cutting, I
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knew better than anyone that the lawn was plenty large enough already, or even too large. At the cottage, my act of mower rebellion, my statement of flower power, was to mow around the clumps of daisies and other wildflowers that readily popped up in the lawn. The colourful bouquets I spared were defiant symbols of nature and adolescence taking a stand against the machine. To my surprise, my dad, instead of seeing the flowers as an affront to proper mowing (or to him personally), liked the idea of sparing the wildflowers. What the heck? My dad has been dead for 28 years. To this day, I haven’t personally cut the grass at my home (although my dad cut it once when I was in a pinch). I do cut the grass regularly at the cottage. (“Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” said Emerson.) Not much has changed at the cottage since Dad’s day, and it is at the cottage that I think of him most
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often. When I sit at the head of the table at suppertime, the sun shines in my eyes just like it always did to his. Pull that curtain a bit, please. I always think of Dad when I mow the lawn there. Those adolescent squabbles still resurface in my mind. I think how much more reasonable he became as I grew up. I think how very lucky I have been in so many ways. And more than once, as I pushed the lawnmower under the cedars and over the sumacs, beating back the wilderness yet again, I have wiped tears from my eyes.
Duncan Watterworth is recently a retiree and emptynester in St.Thomas.
September, 2012
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