June 2017

Your Business. Your Community.

LOUISE VONK

What it takes to succeed Cover story: Page 3

Inside: • Port Stanley: A summer destination Pages 20 & 21

• Canada’s 150th Pages 22 - 25

• Starting A Small Business Pages 26 - 29

Volume 7 No. 10, June 2017

City of St. Thomas

REGISTRATION OPEN NOW

Parks, Facilities, Recreation & Leisure

Register online http://www.bookking.ca/bkstthomaspub/index.asp Visit or call the Parks and Recreation office inside the St. Thomas Timken Community Centre at 75 Caso Crossing, 519-633-7112. Open Mon-Fri, 8:30a-4:30p

Jaycees Pool 2017

Registration Now Open

93 Inkerman Street, St. Thomas ON, N5P 3G5 Come in and Register for Swimming Lessons at the St. Thomas Timken Community Centre Extended Hours!!!

Saturday June 3 12—4pm Thursday June 15 12—8pm Wednesday June 21 12—8pm Saturday June 24 12—4pm

Swimming Lessons Session 1 July 3 - July 14 Session 2 July 17 - July 28 Session 3 July 31 - August 11 Session 4 August 14 - August 25 Each session runs Monday - Friday (10 classes) *More details online or by email aquaticsupervisor@stthomas.ca

Levels offered

*14 & under pay no HST* Swimming Lessons: $58.99+ HST (when applicable) per child & session (Parent & Tot, Pre-School, Swimmer)

Parent & Tot 1 (4-12 months) 2 (12-24 months) 3 (2-3 years)

*Parent/guardian must accompany child in pool

Preschool (3-5 years) Swimmer (5+ years)

Semi-Private Lessons: $88.67+ HST (when applicable) per child & session, 2:1 student-instructor ratio Private Lessons: $101.33+ HST (when applicable) per child & session, 1:1 student-instructor ratio Bronze Star/ Medallion/Cross: $114.03+ HST (when applicable) per person & session (two-week course and exam, manual extra)

Saturday June 3 12—4pm Thursday June 15 12—8pm W dnesday June J e 21 12—8pm 12—8p Wednesday Saturday June 24 12—4pm

Nature Camp Dates: July 10 – 14, July 24 – 28, August 8 – 11, August 21 – 25 Location: Designated days between Pinafore (95 Elm St.) & Waterworks Park (2 South Edgeware) Ages: 4-12

Opening Day for Public Swims June 30 June 30 1:00-4:00pm July 1 Free Swim 1:00-4:00pm July 2 1:00-4:00pm New Drop-In Programs (Visit the Timken or call for details) Senior Lane Swim ($5.00/Drop-in) Parent & Tot Swim ($5.00/Drop-in) Aqua Fit ($5.00/Drop-in) Weather Permitting

Monday - Friday: 1:30pm - 3:30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 6:30pm - 8:00pm Saturday & Sunday: 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Adult & Length Swim Only Evening Wednesday: 6:30pm - 8:00pm Child

$3.00

(17 & under)*

Adult

$3.50

(18 & over)

Family

$10.00

(max 5 swimmers includes 1 adult)

*Children 8 years of age and younger must have a parent/guardian (14 or older) in the pool within arm’s reach regardless of swimming ability

For additional information visit www.stthomas.ca under Parks and Recreation Aquatics page. For any questions, email Kenzie Bonnett (Aquatic Supervisor) at aquaticsupervisor@stthomas.ca or call St. Thomas Parks and Recreation at 519-633-7112

ALL CAMPS include themed activity days and events each week as well as special guests throughout the summer. All camps also include daily crafts, group games & water games.

EXTENDED CARE: Early drop off: 7:30 – 8:30am – $2.75/day/family Late pickup: 4:00 – 5:00pm – $2.75/day/family

DANCE

Time: 8:30am-4:00pm

Public Swims

June, 2017

Special Registration Extended Hours:

Lifesaving Society

Rates

Afternoon Evening Weekends

$142 per camp per week taxes included ($113.50 for short week in August, 8-11) Pick the week that best suits your schedule!

Nature Camps Activities: Daily splash pad time Educational nature hikes Outdoor themed activities Scavenger hunts Fishing at Pinafore pond - bring a fishing pole on designated days

Date: Tuesdays July 4 – August 22 Location: Timken – Gymnasium Cost: $30.25 Intro to Dance Ages: 2-3Y 6:00 - 6:30pm Intro to Dance Ages: 2-3Y 6:35 - 7:05pm Tumbling Ages: 4-5Y 7:15 - 7:45pm Tumbling Ages: 6-8Y 7:50 - 8:30pm

POWER SKATING

Session One Date: Saturdays – August 5 & 12 Ages: 7-9Y 12:00 - 1:15pm Ages: 10-12Y 1:30 - 2:45pm Session Two Date: Saturdays – August 19 & 26 Ages: 7-9Y 12:00 - 1:15pm Ages: 10-12Y 1:30 - 2:45pm Location: Timken Arena - STMHA Rink Cost: $30.25 per session

LEARN TO SKATE

Multi-Sport Dates: July 3 – 7, July 17 – 21, July 31 – Aug. 4, August 14 – 18 Location: St. Thomas Timken Centre (Arena) Time: 8:30am-4:00pm Ages: 4-12 Multi-Sports Camp Activities: Various sports activities including: Floor hockey (helmet & face mask required) Ice skating (CSA approved helmet required) Baseball at New York Central Park Outdoor activities – weather permitting Crafting & more Swimming trip to Jaycee’s Pool in St. Thomas

Date: Fridays – July 7 – August 25 Location: Timken Arena - STMHA Rink Cost: $69.75 Ages: 3-6Y 5:30 - 6:00pm Ages: 3-6Y 6:00 - 6:35pm NOTE: SMALL CLASS SIZES LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE

PREREGISTERED YOUTH SHINNY

Date: Saturdays – July 8 – 26 Location: Timken Arena - STMHA Rink Cost: $69.75 Ages: 6-8Y 9:00 - 9:50am Ages: 9-12Y 10:00 - 10:50am

DROP IN YOUTH SHINNY – PAY AT GATE

Date: Saturdays – July 8 – August 26 Ages: 13-14Y 11:00 - 11:50am Date: Friday – July 7 – August 25 Ages: 15-16Y 1:30 - 2:45pm Location: Timken Arena - STMHA Rink Cost: $5/game

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 2

The colour purple,

and so very much more An interview with Louise Vonk, president of Messenger Freight Systems Inc.

by Terry Carroll

Can you talk first about the trucking and delivery side of the business on Highbury Ave. in St. Thomas?

When you walk through our doors that connects our administrative office to our 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse, you will see the various types of commodities we warehouse and different services we offer our customers, including two rail lines that run into our building for offloading into a climatecontrolled warehouse. This service allows us to unload rail cars without the worry of the outside weather. The customer product is always safe and dry. We receive rail cars from Mexico and various states in the U.S. as well as Canada. Our rail service is unique as we will offload the customer product, warehouse it if needed and truck to various destinations all touched by our company. This is valuable to the customer, as there is no fear of loss or misplaced products – we are the only company touching their products.

We offer 24/7 service in trucking /warehousing / repacking / sorting to our customers and future customers.

We have come a long way from 1969 when my father, Cor Vonk, started Messenger. We were small – delivering flowers and groceries to people’s homes; we still deliver flowers and groceries but now to the grocery store chains. We went from a single Ford car to Chevy station wagons, to vans, to 1-ton trucks, to various types of trucks and trailers. Messenger delivers various types of commodities, from automotive, groceries and pet supplies to containers and paper products. We grew from a business that ran out of my parent’s basement to a 140,000 sq. ft. building on 15 acres on Dennis Rd, with an offsite maintenance shop on Laing Blvd, and a second location in Cambridge.

Our company continues to grow as we hold onto the values that have proven successful from the beginning: from our great staff that are members of “Team Messenger”, to our suppliers that we have partnered with for many years, to the strong busi-

ness relationship we have made with our valued customers How does the Cambridge location come into play?

When the automotive Louise Vonk in the industry took a hit in warehouse, keeping 2008/2009, Messenger another delivery on track was almost exclusively devoted to the volatile automotive industry, and fice. My father passed away in 2003. Taking over this hit our company very hard. Automotive does the business has had its struggles, personally, emohave its cycles of ups and down and we know the tionally, but in the end, if you love and have passion patterns; however that hit in the automotive (with for what you do, with the power faith and belief, Sterling and Ford leaving St Thomas) hit Messenger you can conquer anything. It might not happen as hard. As we started to see the trend in decrease I you wanted it to happen or play out a certain way, hired a salesperson to focus on … nothing automo- but through it all, I would not change a thing. It tive. He set out to do just that. It was hard going made me the person I am today.

I know all too well how a family business can rip at first, but we did not give up. There is nothing so out of reach, that I will say no right away, meaning people apart. After all, miscommunications and … No we don’t haul this or that, meaning “play- hurt feelings caused a rift between my siblings and ing it safe” due us not hauling a certain products. has not mended. I am determined that my own You need to be flexible in any industry and think three sons, will, I hope, avoid the rifts when I step outside the box to make things happen. We do the down one day. They don’t work together, well, not research with my management team and discuss really. Matthew is the Manager of the warehouse, how we could and would make the movement of Dexter the Manager of the rail/freight side, and freight happen. As a result of our persistence, help- Samuel is a licensed 310T mechanic in our repair ing and offering a chance to show what we could shop. Many family businesses implode because do for the customer, that customer took a chance family members work too closely together and step on Messenger, and we are now the largest outside on each other’s toes, but my sons all work in differcarrier for their company. As a result of the steady ent departments at Messenger. Squabbles are kept increases with our customer, we now have the loca- to a minimum.

They work side-by-side, but separately. One of my tion in Cambridge since 2011 with over 80 trucks.

Tell us about your personal journey to becom- biggest regrets with my own siblings was not communicating enough. It is important to be upfront, ing company president.

I worked in the family business as a young adult, and discuss even the most uncomfortable topics. I moving from washing the vehicles, to obtaining tell my sons, if you feel conflict between you and my AZ licence to drive the tractor trailers. I left your brother or myself, please say it. Do not let it the family business to work in banking and later fester, that is the worst thing. Something very mileft banking once I started a family, as I could take nor will turn into a bigger problem than it was origmy children to work with me; at that time, the of- inally. Assumptions destroy. Continued on page 29 fice was still operating out of my parent’s basement.

I was mostly on the road delivering, and once my Cover and page 3 photos by Mike Maloney father became ill, I started to work more in the of-

Elgin This Month Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley Freelance Editor Terry Carroll Sales Supervisor Geoff Rae

Advertising Consultant Greg Minnema Layout Janine Taylor Production Metroland Media Group

Elgin This Month is a monthly magazine focusing on business and lifestyle issues and includes Business Beat, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce newsletter.

The publication is available for pickup at no charge at news stands and other locations around Elgin County, as well as distribution to businesses and selected households.

Published monthly by Metroland Media Group Ltd., 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm June, 2017

ELGIN THIS MONTH

3

INNES AS I SEE IT

Father of the bride looks in the mirror

by Jim Innes My daughter was married recently. I had the honour of walking her up the aisle, and along with her grandfather, performing the ceremony.

I was uncharacteristically cordial and the twoday event went smoothly. I didn’t drink much (not as much as I thought I might have too) despite the trials that came with spending time with extended family and a large number of people I didn’t know.

Throughout those two days, there was lots of talking and laughing, eating and drinking, celebrating and embracing. It was not until it was over I began to realize how emotionally packed the time had been.

I felt much more than the expected joy and tiredness. I was challenged constantly. As I reflect on that, what emerges most strongly is the adage ... with every gain there is a loss … with every loss there is a gain.

It began at the rehearsal. As the father of the bride and the officiant, I had more than a few tasks to accomplish. One of them was organizing the liturgical flow of the service.

I usually listen only to the bride.

But many others in the wedding party had their thoughts too … including the wedding coordinator, skilled at humouring dads like me.

I started to feel a little sulky, and after a short time, rigidly asserted they each listen “to me, and me only”. Ugh! It was definitely a moment to be regretted.

The curmudgeon came out. And it’s been my experience that when erratic behaviour rears up, it most always represents an emotional struggle.

Meaning that something less than a celebration of love and joy is stirring inside, and needs be let go of.

After the rehearsal dinner, I found myself sitting off to the side watching my daughter and sonin-law (to be) mingling about the festivities with great intent (and in everyone’s favour). They were great hosts: outgoing, conscientious and caring.

But a strange melancholy crept up on me. And as I sat pensively in that, not sure of what I was

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thinking, scary feelings of irrelevancy began to grow.

The incident at the rehearsal and this moment of distraction were likely connected. And they were, I suppose, foreseeable struggles because aside the fact our wounds can be triggered at the oddest of times, it is around those we feel closest to that both our best and our worst arise.

I had several such distractions through the entirety of the event but not all of them difficult to unpack. Like after the ceremony when I was sitting with family and someone snapped a photo of me holding my great niece’s baby. Looking at both our chubby round faces was a humbling reminder that I’m no longer an invincible youngster. A fact hammered home several times while mingling closely with guests my children’s age.

The father of the bride has a very unique role. In it, we are able to experience a distinctive and irreplaceable moment with our children and family.

For me, it was not just about letting go a daughter, and gaining a new son, it was also letting go of a number of feelings and thoughts and gaining a bit of matured wisdom.

As I see it, marriage is more than a celebration of new love and life; it is also a transition in which we are letting go of old ways, be they lifestyles, people, or even old habits and wounds.

Happy 150th Birthday Canada!

from the Quick Lane Team

New features every month Visit our website features and blog for timely investment and financial planning topics. www.farrowfinancial.ca

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Jim Innes is a clinically trained therapist and, until a recent transfer, was a priest at St. John’s Anglican in St. Thomas. Learn more at jiminnes.ca.

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1012 Talbot St., St. Thomas 519-631-5080 Monday - Friday 7:30am- 5:30pm and Saturdays 8am- 3pm

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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY OUR COMMUNITY

When council says, “Yes”, nice things happen

by Serge Lavoie

At a May event, comments by Central Elgin mayor Dave Marr got me thinking about how municipal councils can influence their communities, not just by their actions, but by their attitudes.

Receiving an ACO Heritage Award for the restoration of the Port Stanley West Breakwater, Marr recounted the long process of planning the project, funded primarily by the federal government when it turned the harbour over to the municipality.

The primary aim was to restore the breakwater so that it continued doing the important work of calming the waves and currents entering the harbour. But taking a cue from the decades of residents and visitors who walked the pier as part of their Port Stanley experience, Marr and council adopted a more ambitious vision of upgrading the breakwater to make it beautiful and safe.

The extra costs were substantial, but the vision was strong. Council said “yes” to the bigger vision and then held firm to their decision. Even more improvements are underway or planned for the harbour and beach areas. The result will be a rejuvenated Port Stanley where people will continue to build fond family memories of their time spent in Port.

As I’ve written about recently, St. Thomas is also rejuvenating itself right now. The capital infrastructure budget for 2017 alone is over $48 million. That’s for roads, sidewalks and the stuff buried under them. Several years ago, the city undertook a mandated infrastructure inventory and arrived at an infrastructure deficit number well north of $200 million. For a community of barely 38 thousand, that’s a lot of catching up to do.

Obviously the catching up had to happen, and quickly. It’s exactly how the city is catching up that’s interesting. Fixing roads, sidewalks, water mains and sewer lines is relatively straight forward.

As part of its vision, however, the city opted to use the opportunity to improve the efficiency, look, feel and ambiance of the city at the same time.

Road improvements are now subject to a “complete streets” policy that incorporates roads, parking, sidewalks, cycle paths and, dare I say it, a bit of aesthetic style. The Talbot Street renewal in-

cludes new lighting, benches and planters along with elements that highlight railway heritage.

For efficiency, the city is introducing roundabouts at key intersections. The granddaddy of them all is being built at the bottom of Talbot Hill and will manage the large volumes of traffic coming into the city’s western gateway as well as traffic to and from Port Stanley to the south.

The introduction of roundabouts in a city that hasn’t traditionally used them is controversial enough. Placing one at the most important intersection in the city is even more controversial. The icing on the cake, however, came when council said “yes” to a $186,000 piece of public art to be Stanley or the railway heritage art to be placed in situated in the middle of that roundabout. Jaws the Gateway Roundabout. dropped, tongues wagged, Facebook quarterbacks Councils adopted a vision and said “yes” and went into overdrive. now we get to enjoy things built “just for nice”.

From my perspective, city council went beyond basic city building – the provision of roads and Serge Lavoie has a 35-year career sewers – and entered the realm of community managing associations. He is building. They said “yes” to an investment decurrently leading the St. Thomas signed to please and make a good impression for Elevated Park project. residents and visitors alike.

The Shaker community had a phrase for that.

When their craftsmen added design elements that went a bit beyond basic function, they did that “just for nice”.

Contrary to the thinking that values a city solely on its balance sheet, real communities are built once the “just for nice” • Farm Drainage • Excavation of Basements elements are in place: lush parks, play• Watermains • Bulldozing grounds, skate parks, • Road Boring cycle paths, Jumbo • Brush Cutting memorials are all part FREE ESTIMATES — QUALITY WORKMANSHIP of that equation in St. Thomas.

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Business & Community Tourism

The Township of Southwold is in Bloom

by Katherine Thompson

Valerie Cron is a firm believer that a series of small actions has the potential to add up to something much bigger. It was because of this belief that in 2015, Valerie found herself the Chair of the Southwold Township Communities in Bloom Committee. As a founding member of the Southwold Township Economic Development Committee, she knew that in order to grow, Southwold must have a superior quality of place, a cultural vibrancy, and a tradition of community participation. These elements she believed were essential components of a community that is attractive to potential businesses and residents alike. After some initial investigation, Valerie was certain that participation in Communities in Bloom was a tangible way for Southwold to improve its quality of place, and increase community participation, one small step at a time.

Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility, and beautification through community involvement. Communities of similar sizes are compared to one another and awarded up to a total of 5 “Blooms”. These Blooms

are awarded not only for beautification but overall tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry activities, landscaping, and floral displays. The judges spend two days in each community considering everything from backyards to businesses. Communities first compete on a provincial level and then once they have achieved a certain level they are invited to compete at the national level.

The first year that Southwold participated, the committee focused on getting residents to do little things to improve their communities. Seminars were held that encouraged people to tidy up their properties, paint their mailboxes, and create wreaths and floral displays to dress up their doors and verandahs.

The committee began to notice people picking up garbage, taking care of their properties, and talking excitedly to their neighbours about the upcoming judges’ visit. That year, Southwold was awarded 4 out of 5 Blooms, a remarkable achievement for the community’s first year in the competition.

The judges recommended that Southwold include a larger heritage component in its program.

As a result, the Southwold History Committee was formed and has since added its own vibrancy to the area by creating historical walking tours for many communities in Southwold Township and being involved in an exhibit to be held at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa depicting Southwold Township in its early years of settlement.

In 2016, after incorporating a heritage aspect into their programming, adding more environmental aspects, and undertaking a tree planting initiative, Southwold was able to achieve 5 out of 5 Blooms.

This year, the Southwold Township Communities in Bloom Committee has planned an event with a distinctly Canadian flavour in honour of Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation. Community welcome signs and special planters at various locations have been

We Are Moving!

decorated with red and white flowers and the committee has purchased 200 new Canadian flags that will proudly fly across the Township this summer.

Every year on the final night of the judges’ visit, the committee holds a banquet at the Shedden Keystone Complex. Invited to the event are all committees of council and volunteer groups in the community including the Remembrance Day Group, the Canada Day Group, The Optimist Club, local soccer teams, local baseball teams, the Rosy Rhubarb Festival Committee and more. Each group has a few minutes to speak about its contribution to Southwold. This is a great way to share information while celebrating community spirit and developing community pride.

The committee is very proud of what they have been able to accomplish over the past three years.

At the beginning of the process, committee members didn’t know each other but after three years of dedication they have come together as a true team, each person bringing a special talent to the group.

“Everyone has put their heart and soul into this project,” Valerie says proudly. “You don’t have to have a big yard, a giant flower garden, or a huge home to participate. It’s not what you have, but how well you maintain it.”

This is a philosophy that has served the committee well and has planted the seeds for a spectacular bloom in Southwold Township.

Katherine Thompson is Marketing & Communications Coordinator with The County of Elgin

Wishing You a

Ellen Luft, Steven Knipe and Raymond Bosveld are excited to announce their move to a new location effective June 12th, 2017. Their new location will provide convenient parking, handicap accessibility and improved office functionality. They will be located at 188 Sunset Drive, Unit 2 near Sunset Café and the Petro-Canada Station and across from Fellows Fernlea Flowers. They are looking forward to continuing to provide all your financial planning needs in their new office location.

Happy Canada Day!

HollisWealth, a division of Scotia Capital Inc.

Investment Advisors Raymond Bosveld

Ellen Luft, CFP®

Steven Knipe, CIM®

1207 Talbot St., St. Thomas 519-633-0240

519-631-4088 HollisWealth is a trade name and a division of Scotia Capital Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence.

June, 2017

www.bridgeviewstthomas.ca

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 6

HEALTHY LIVING EVERYDAY HEALTH

Flip Flops and Plantar Fasciitis

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

Did you know that the average person takes between five and ten thousand steps in a day? That is a lot of pounding on the “old dogs”. One of the more common unfortunate effects of all this pounding can be pain along the arches and at the heel of the foot. This type of pain is commonly associated with a condition known as plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia is a band of thick connective tissue located on the bottom of the feet. This band of tissue starts at the heel and inserts at the base of the toes. It helps to provide the feet with their resiliency. As we walk the arches tend to flatten out to absorb some of the force created while walking.

As we take the weight off the foot, the arch springs back (hopefully). The plantar fascia assists in this process. With each step, the fascia is stretched pulling on its attachments which over time can lead to irritation at the heel resulting in pain.

Typically, individuals suffering from this condition experience pain on the bottom of the foot along the arch. They may also experience the majority of the pain in the heel. This is commonly referred to as a heel spur. This term is misleading however, as heel pain does not mean that you actually have a piece of bone in our heel. Often it feels that way, but the pain is really just due to inflammation. With chronic cases of plantar fasciitis, the body may start to calcify the attachment of the fascia at the heel. On x-ray, this often looks like a sharp piece of bone that is mistakenly blamed for the pain.

Commonly, plantar fasciitis seems to have a cycle of pain. Usually the pain may be at its worst first thing in the morning with the first few steps on initial rising. This may recur during the day after other periods of non-weight bearing. When pressure is taken off, the plantar fascia actually shortens and shrinks, and when we step down on it again, some of the tissue is torn resulting in pain. The pain may partially subside during the day with activity and use although prolonged

standing and walking can certainly aggravate the condition.

One reason this happens is that the feet are not working properly. Approximately 70 % of feet over-pronate. This term refers to the tendency of feet to flatten out and rotate too far to the inside when walking. If you tend to have low arches and feel as though you walk on the inside part of your feet, chances are that you are an over-pronator.

When this occurs, an increased amount of strain is placed on the plantar fascia and over time this may result in plantar fasciitis. Sometimes a special shoe insert called an orthotic may be helpful to correct the foot mechanics.

We tend to see more complaints of plantar fasciitis in the summer. When the warm weather finally shows up, everyone is in a hurry to kick off the good supportive footwear they’ve been wearing over the winter and don the good old crappy flipflops that we see all summer long. Flip-flops aren’t good for anyone’s feet, but if you are an over pronator (which remember 70% of you are), then you are just asking for trouble.

At the very least look We can make for a good support the music in pair of sandals. There your classic car are many brands and styles available these sound just like days. There are also your new car options for sandals without vehicle that include custom modifications. orthopedic foot beds and orthotics as well.

It is actually possible to get a pair of

Birkenstock sandals made with a custom corrective footbed. These options can be found through chiropractors, physiotherapists, chiropodists and pedorthists. There may be other health professionals that may assist you with orthotics and special footwear but make sure they have the proper training to assist you.

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

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

7

Homestyle Decorating

Connecting rooms with colour

by Renée Carpenter

Carrying colour throughout your home creates a cohesive designer look without duplicating the same colour scheme in every room. Unifying colour just requires planning and knowing a few tricks of the trade. Working with the entire home may seem overwhelming but not if you take one space at a time.

Using unrelated colours in adjoining rooms can make the house feel like a disjointed series of spaces, while colours that relate to each other draw the eye from one room to the next and create a pleasing flow.

In a house with an open floor plan or one where rooms connect through wide openings, it’s even more important to choose colours that relate to each other in a pleasing way. The challenge then is to give each space its own identity according to its function and still achieve a unified feeling.

Using a thread of colour gives each room its own colour personality while ensuring a cohesive feeling using a single hue as a theme that runs throughout.

Even if you love lots of colour, you can still achieve flow by choosing one hue to be a unifying thread that runs from room to room. This unifying element can be the woodwork – baseboards, door and window frames, and moulding at the ceiling. The connection can be more subtle, too, such as a recurring colour in the fabrics, accessories, and furniture in each room.

You also can acquire a feeling of continuity by limiting your palette to two or three colours that you use in different amounts and applications throughout the house. Each colour can be used in different values and intensities to produce a wide range of effects.

Open floor plans allow builders to maximize the feeling of space without increasing square footage. But, that doesn’t mean you have to paint all of the connecting spaces one colour. Give each area its own personality and achieve a unified look by choosing two or three colours that work well together and use them in varying amounts from room to room.

If you paint adjoining rooms in strongly contrasting colours, connect them by using flooring or area rugs that include both colours. The wall and rug hues don’t have to match exactly; one can be slightly darker or lighter than the other, and the eye will still perceive them as closely related.

White trim ensures that these spaces look connected, and reinforces the effect with subliminal cues or markers to make people feel anchored as they move through your house.

Also remember, it’s a simple fact that light changes the appearance of any given colour. You can take the same can of yellow paint and apply it to two

Happy Father's Day

Dad!

rooms, one that receives little natural light and another that’s flooded with sunshine, and it will look like two different colours.

To achieve a feeling of continuity and still give each room a subtly different feeling, choose two closely related hues and apply the lighter one to the sunniest space, drenching it with a sunny feeling all day long. This works well for L-shape rooms, where one leg of the L is the living area and one leg the dining area.

Renée Carpenter owns Jennings Furniture and Design in St. Thomas.

She can be reached at renee@jenningsfurniture.com.

KAREN VECCHIO, MP Elgi Elgin-Middlesex-London

TOWN HALL MEETING (open discussion) Topic: Marijuana / Cannabis Legislation

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 8

Tires • Brakes • LOF Batteries • Alignment WE SERVICE ALL MAKES AND MODELS

1012 Talbot St., St. Thomas 519-631-5080 Life is better in the Quick Lane.™

• JUNE 2017 •

Lucky man

Tim Townsend from COAD/My Fireplace walked away with an Oil Diffuser & K-Cups gift pack in the door prize draws at Geerlinks Home Hardware Building Centre and Furniture Store May 17.

June Business After 5 Date:

Wednesday June 21

Time:

MP / MPP Luncheon June 28 The Chamber’s annual luncheon with our Elgin-MidThis event is made possible thanks to sponsorship by dlesex-London MP (Member of Parliament) and MPP Dowler Karn Limited, Phil Mauer & Associates, and the (Member of Provincial Parliament) will be held Wednes- Elgin-Middlesex-Oxford Workforce Planning & Develday June 28 at St. Anne’s Centre. opment Board.

Doors open at 11:15 with buffet lunch service running 11:30 ‘til 12 noon. From noon ‘til 1:30, MP Karen Vecchio and MPP Jeff Yurek will deliver remarks and participate in an open question-and-answer session.

This annual event is an ideal opportunity for Members to connect with our MP and MPP, and to engage them in discussion on any relevant topic. Questions for our speakers may be submitted in advance by email to mail@stthomaschamber.ca, or presented in writing or in-person at the event.

Admission by advance sale only. $32 per person via the Chamber office or on-line at the Chamber website in our Events sec- MP Karen Vecchio MPP Jeff Yurek tion.

Event Sponsors:

Doors Open at 5:00 p.m.

Presentations & Prizes at 6:15 p.m.

Winner, winner

Elgin St. Thomas United Way’s Doug Butler came up a big winner at our May edition of Business After 5 at Geerlinks Home Hardware. Doug scored the top prize in our door prize draws – a new Broil king BBQ valued at over $500 (see page 15) then got lucky, as shown in this picture – by finding a $100 Home Hardware Gift Card in a Treasure Hunt. At the conclusion of our event, everyone attending was directed to the seasonal and specialty goods section of the store where five $100 cards had been hidden.

Site

Fanshawe College, St. Thomas Elgin Regional Campus 120 Bill Martyn Parkway Come celebrate Fanshawe’s 50th anniversary with an outdoor BBQ, refreshments, prizes and more

Sponsors

Co-sponsored by: Local Employment Planning Council Fanshawe College Elgin Regional Campus

Free Admission to all personnel from any organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.

Participate in Our Series on Small Business July – Financing a Small Business August – Running a Successful Small Business

Business Beat Table of Contents Page 10 .................... Easier life Page 11 ................... Great golf Page 12 ...............Own a home Page 13 .................. FE winners Page 14 ............ Legal Business Page 15 ................ Canada Day Page 16 ............ New Members June, 2017

Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales

To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 222) or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca July Edition Advertising Deadline is June 19th

ELGIN THIS MONTH

9

Chamber News Five ways the Chamber can make your professional life easier We’re all so busy these days. That’s part of the reason life hacks are so popular. But did you know one of the best professional life hacks is chamber membership? Here’s what you can get out of it to help you do more for your business or professional life with less: Professional advice When you need assistance in business, either to take your business to the next level or maybe you’re thinking about selling your business, the chamber can help. There is no other better-connected business organization in your community. They know the professionals dedicated to your type of business problem and can place you in touch with them.

The chamber can also provide assistance when you’re not even sure what kind of business acumen you need because it’s likely they’ve seen similar issues before.

A new job or new clients Because the chamber is connected to so many businesses in town, they often know of openings before they are officially announced. They also are aware of businesses that are coming to the area.

And when it comes to knowing “Who’s Who”, the Chamber’s online business directory is the best source of data that connects people and opportunities. From job knowledge of what employers want, to making introductions, to sharing business links that work, there’s no better place to get involved than with your local chamber.

Applicable business learning

If there’s a skill you’re interested in picking up, you can go onto the Interwebs and look around. Maybe you can find a teacher or a mentor virtually, but chances are they don’t know the economy of your town or the obstacles or positives in your community. Plus, when you’re using online learning you never know if it will be worth your time and money.

The chamber offers business learning that is personalized to your community. The Chamber is connected to local expertise and the Chamber staff are always willing to share connections with Members. Learning through the chamber is affordable and improves your networking as you’re doing it.

Building an audience Who has time to build an audience? Well, if you want to be successful in business, you need to find the time. But a chamber membership can almost be a life hack in this department because you’re getting exposed to a whole new audience when you connect with the chamber. For instance, let’s say you submit news information the Chamber could publish in one of its online or print products. Now a whole new set of eyes is looking at your materials and seeing you as an industry expert.

Engage with the chamber on social media. Chambers often have large followings and engaging with the chamber places your content in front of their audience. The St. Thomas & District Chamber has a very open policy on Members utilizing the Chamber’s public Facebook Page and the Chamber’s private (Members only) Facebook Group. The Chamber website gets We’ve got you covered. Guaranteed. high-volume use with over 500,000 searches As a small business owner, you’re trying to stretch every dollar. and views projected

Self-employed?

this year. And there’s also the weekly Green Mail newsletter with weekly reader circulation over 2200.

Get by with a little help from your friends Finally, if you’re a small business owner who doesn’t have many business owner friends, you may find you have few people to bounce ideas off of.

You may long for a group that faces the same challenges and one that will celebrate your small professional victories, knowing that they’re much larger than they sound.

Joining the chamber exposes you to a whole different group of people, people who understand the importance of business in the economy and ones you can talk to about business without their eyes glazing over. Connections made through chamber membership do more than just cultivate sales for your business. They become lifelong friends and a staunch professional support network.

Don’t join the chamber because it’s an expectation for business success. Join it because of what it’s able to do for you and your business. Membership will make your life easier as it extends your marketing reach and their offerings increase your business knowledge.

Do it for you. Because sometimes, just sometimes, it’s okay to be purely selfish in your motivations.

Christina R. Green teaches small businesses, chambers, and associations how to connect through content.

Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.com and the Event Manager Blog.

The last thing you want to deal with is unexpected health care costs.

The Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan® has guaranteed benefits for firms as small as one or two lives.

No health questions. No medical exams. No waiting period.

Coverage is guaranteed and effective the first day of the month following application.

Coverage includes:

The Chambers Plan is designed for small businesses just like yours, featuring:

• Stable rates • $25,000 Life Insurance • Simple online administration • Health coverage including prescription drugs, paramedical • Quick and easy claim submissions with services, ambulance, medical equipment, vision, even our mobile app emergency travel coverage • Human Resource, Legal and Accounting • Basic Dental benefits including exams, cleanings and fillings services included in every plan

Don’t delay! Get a free quote at www.chamberplan.ca or contact your local Chambers Plan advisor.

450 Sunset Drive, Suite 237 St. Thomas 519-637-0181

June, 2017

Business Beat Published by Metroland Media Group Ltd., and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin Country 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.ca Website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca President & CEO Bob Hammersley Accounting Coordinator Susan Munday Member Services Christy Hunking Member Services Barry Fitzgerald

St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce 2017 Board of Directors Chair: Robert Furneaux Gorman-Rupp Canada 1st Vice-Chair: Ray Bosveld HollisWealth 2nd Vice-Chair: Brian Helmer Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Treasurer: Mark Lassam, CPA, CA Lassam & Co. Past Chair: Dan Kelly, CPA, CGA Dowler-Karn Ltd. Director: Kathy Cook World Financial Group Director: Sean Dyke St. Thomas Economic Development Corp.

Fanshawe College Director: Ross Fair Director: Kevin Jackson Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Tara McCaulley Small Business Enterprise Centre Director: Ginette Minor Alexelle Slipcovers & Décor Director: Chris Patriquin Simply Pure Water Director: Joe Preston Wendy’s Restaurant Director: Bob Ward The Auto Guys

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 10

Chamber News Summer with the Chamber The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Jeff Kelly to the Chamber staff this summer.

Jeff joined us as Office Assistant on May 15 and will be with us until he returns to school this fall. A student at the University of Ottawa, Jeff completed a year of business administration studies at the Telfer School of Management during the 2016-17 school year. He is a graduate of St. Joseph’s High School in St. Thomas and has been involved in a wide range of community and sports activities.

Over the coming months, Jeff will be involved in production and delivery of Chamber events and be directly involved in the pre-publication work for the next edition of the Chamber’s City/District street map to be released in late August.

Golf events update

Best Ball Open returns As a result of the strong support for our May golf event, we’re bringing back an event we ran annually until 2010: The Best Ball Open.

We’re guaranteeing both a bargain and a fun-filled afternoon at The Bluffs Golf Club in Port Stanley on Wednesday August 23.

The price is just $49.95 per player including 12 holes of golf with cart, a BBQ dinner, fun contests and amazing prizes. Members can register and pay online now in the Events section on the Chamber website at www. stthomaschamber.on.ca.

Registration opens for this event at 1:00 p.m. then everyone’s off in a shotgun start at 2.

The Bluffs Golf Club is at 35593 Lake Line in Port Stanley. Our capacity for this event is 24 foursomes.

Demand is strong so we’re producing not one, but two golf days for our Members this year. And it appears we’re setting some performance benchmarks as we go.

Our annual Members Golf Day is traditionally held on the last Thursday in May at the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club in Union. This one’s a big tradition for us over 43 consecutive years, meaning we were doing a golf day long before the throngs of other causes and organizations jumped on the cart.

This year, our May event was – for the first time in 43 years – cancelled and rescheduled due to weather. It will now be held Thursday August 17.

Chamber staff have notified the sold-out field of golfers and all sponsors. The date change means both of our golf events this year will be held almost backto-back with the Best Ball Open set for August 23.

As anyone who’s ever managed a golf event knows, the event is more than players. It’s hole sponsorships, event and cart sponsorships, food and beverage, prizes and much more. This year, again, we hit a new high: a complete sell-out on all sponsor options we had!

!

toeveryonewhosupportedourDonatetheDoughfundraiser forJesseBonMay29th.Allproceedsfromallpizza soldwent towardsJesse’scause

TheBaughmanfamilyandDominosisverythankfulforallthesupport.

open at 11am everyday We Deliver all Day and Night www.dominos.ca Shred-It Day

In support of National Police Week, the St. Thomas & District Chamber hooked-up with St. Thomas Police to offer a free “Shred-It Day” on May 16 for local businesses and individuals. Chamber Accounting Co-ordinator Susan Munday, right, was one of the first customers with a box of old documents from her home. Police Officers, l to r, Jeff DeLeeuw, Tanya Calvert and Dan Bailey staffed our parking lot with bins and equipment to safely and securely process hundreds of pages.

June, 2017

519-633-3123

omaS TreeT ST.Th 965 TalboT S

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 11

Pro Text

Ten steps to home ownership

by David daCamara

Dreaming of celebrating this beautiful summer weather in your very own home? Do you picture yourself enjoying some drinks on your very own patio with your friends and family? Maybe it’s not as far away as you think, and your dreams can become reality quicker then imagined. In fact, you might be just ten steps away!

1. Start off on the right foot and talk to a professional mortgage broker. They can help you determine if you’re ready to buy or will give you tips on how to get ready.

2. A mortgage broker will work with you to determine how much home you can comfort-

ably afford. This is the most important step of finding your right-fit home.

3. Work with an experienced realtor to find your home. If you don’t know who in your area to work with ask around; friends, family, trusted professionals including your trusted mortgage broker. Your chosen realtor should ask a plethora of questions to determine your housing needs, goals and future plans.

4. Find your perfect home by dedicating time with your realtor to survey all potential options in your budget and desired requests. If they have asked you the right questions they should be able to narrow your search and show you houses to your desires. Once you have fallen in love –

make an Offer to Purchase that is subject to financing.

5. Gather up the documents needed to support your mortgage request.

6. Get your mortgage approval, waive your financing conditions and sign your mortgage commitment. It is imperative that you read all documentation thoroughly before signing to ensure there are no hidden fees or hidden contractual obligations not anticipated.

7. Don’t make any significant changes to your income or debts before getting possession of your home. Bad debt gets in the way of building long-term wealth, and creates an ongoing burden that ranges from uncomfortable to crippling. This includes credit cards, high-interest loans, and any of the dreaded “buy now/ pay later” purchases.

8. Meet with your lawyer approximately a week before the house becomes yours to finalize everything.

9. Arrange for home insurance.

The more time you can give your broker the better to ensure they have Job Search Support time to get all the required information and appropriate quotes.

Employment Counselling 10. Pick up your keys and walk in your very own front door!

Direct Links to Employers Now that you’re home, your mortgage broker will help you make the most of your home ownership with Youth Employment Programs tips to help manage your mortgage and power down your debt as quickWorkshops ly as possible.

It is important to consider a few mistakes purchasers make when buying a new home; • They fail to get a home inspection • They don’t get their contract lawyered • They’re ambushed by hidden closing costs • They blow through a set budget • Skipping mortgage qualification It may seem like a daunting task to home ownership but if you work with professionals you trust and care, your new home will be yours before you can say, “I AM A HOME OWNER!”

Free Services

400 Talbot Street, St. Thomas (519) 631-5470 Text: (226) 376-0320

160 Main Street, West Lorne (519) 768-0020 Text: (226) 376-0393

www.employmentserviceselgin.ca June, 2017

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted

by David daCamara, Financial Advisor, of Reith & AssociDavid daCamara ates Insurance and Financial Services Limited, 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via e-mail: info@reithandassociates.com.

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 12

Chamber News

The power of the network We’re thanking our friends and neighbours up the road in Sarnia-Lambton for hosting the annual Ontario Chamber of Commerce Convention and Annual General Meeting over the first weekend in May. Chamber Board Chair Robert Furneaux and President/CEO Bob Hammersley joined among over 250 attendees representing 168 Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade from every corner of Ontario as this annual gathering took place May 4 – 7. Delegates participated in multiple events over the convention, including presentations by the leaders of Ontario’s three main political parties – Ontario Premier and Liberal Party Leader Kathleen Wynne; NDP Leader Andrea Horwath; and Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown.

The highlight of the meeting for most attendees was the policy sessions on Saturday May 6 that saw delegates hear and debate 83 pages of proposed resolutions on topics ranging from taxation to skills, competitiveness and transportation.

Next year, Chamber staff and volunteers have the opportunity to connect again as Hamilton hosts the provincial convention.

Agri-Net will return!

Mark your calendars now: Thursday November 23 at The Western Fair Agriplex.

Agri-Net, a first-time venture last year by the Chambers of Commerce in London, St. Thomas, Tillsonburg and Ingersoll, was a solid success according to exhibitor surveys and participant feedback.

Planning for our 2017 event is underway and we’re pleased to confirm the show will follow the same format as in 2016. An exhibitor-toexhibitor Networking Hour will run 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. then the show will open doors to the public from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

As the name suggests, Agri-Net is an event designed to connect businesses, people, producers and services in regional agriculture. Exhibit space will be $150 per booth this year and general admission ticket price remains unchanged at $10.

If your business or organization is focused to customers in any dimension of agri-business, this is a not-to-be-missed event.

As the event date draws nearer, watch for more news on entertainment and special activities.

The London Chamber of Commerce will handle all aspects of the ‘business’ of the show and book/process all exhibitors. Locally, the St. Thomas & District Chamber staff can respond to questions and assist any Member needing more information.

St. Thomas & District Chamber Board of Directors Chair Robert Furneaux, right, was joined by Chamber President & CEO Bob Hammersley at the OCC’s recent convention in Sarnia.

Gardening The Smart Way EquipmEnt for EVErY proJECt

LAWN AERATION

• • • • •

2017 Free Enterprise Awards update

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce proudly recognized the 2017 Free Enterprise Award winners in presentations on May 10. For anyone who missed the event, the award presentation videos can be viewed on the Chamber’s Facebook page or our private Facebook Group. Pictured above, l to r, Ian Rigg, Vice-President Sales, Service & Marketing at Buckland; Gary Coutts, recently retired commercial banker with RBC; Chris Streib, founder of Talbot Trail Physiotherapy; our 2017 Chair’s Award winner Janet Baker; Ontario Grape King and Quai du Vin winemaker Jamie Quai; and Kevin Jackson, General Manager of the Elgin Business Resource Centre.

June, 2017

• • • • •

ROTOTILLING

Aerators & De-thatchers Roto Tillers Lawn Mowers Hedge Trimmers Rent for 4 d (Gas/Elec.) ays K EEP IT FOR 7 and Lawn Rollers DAYS Rent for 3 w (Hand/Tow) e Weed Sprayers KEEP IT FOR eks and 4 WEEKS Wheelbarrows Seed/Fert. Spreaders Post Hole Augers Cement Mixers

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 13

Legal Business

OMB, LPAT and NIMBY

by Monty Fordham

Under Ontario planning legislation, anyone who wishes to change the use of their property, say from residential to commercial, must make application to the municipality for what is known as a rezoning. As well, if one wishes to sell part of their property and maintain ownership of the rest, often a “consent to sever” is required. In addition, if you discovered that your property did not conform to the zoning bylaw requirements in all respects, you could apply for a “minor variance” to the zoning bylaw.

The applications for severance and minor variance,

in the case of a rural property in Elgin County, are made to the Land Division Committee, and, in the case of an urban property within St. Thomas, to the Committee of Adjustments. In all cases, the application is circulated to nearby landowners, who have a right to attend and be heard at the hearing of the application. The municipality, or the statutory committees, then make a decision to grant the application or dismiss it. But this decision is not considered final until the appeal period expires, within which anyone affected by the decision may appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).

Up until now, the procedure at the OMB appeal consisted of what is known in legal parlance as “a hearing de novo”. In other words, regardless of the wisdom or folly of the decision at the committee level, the whole application is heard all over again.

Witnesses are called, documents are exchanged and arguments made. Hearings before the OMB can take several days, weeks or months. The final decision, in many instances, bears little resemblance to the decision of the original committee.

The Ontario government is about to introduce legislation which will limit the scope of hearings before the OMB, or the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) as it will now be called. Once the legislation is passed, the Tribunal will no longer be able to substitute its own decision for the original one. It will be limited to considering only if the proposal conforms to provincial policies and the municipality’s Official Plan.

Should the new tribunal determine that the original decision was wrong, it will now have to return the matter to the local municipality,

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June, 2017

which would then have 90 days within which to render a new decision. Presently, the OMB makes the final decision, except in rare instances of Court appeals of its decisions. The new tribunal will get the final say, however, if the municipality, on the second kick at the can, still fails to follow appropriate provincial policies.

But why all the changes? Well, for some time now, certain people have argued that local municipalities, and their citizens, have not maintained enough power over planning decisions. The government news release states, “The new tribunal would be mandated to give greater weight to the decisions of local communities, while ensuring that development and growth occurs in a way that is good for Ontario and its future”. Sounds downright “populist” doesn’t it?

In addition, the appeals process is to become more streamlined, including a “case management” process, limitations on oral testimony and emphasis on written submissions. The stated goal: “giving elected officials greater control over local planning, resulting in fewer decisions being appealed, thereby making the decision-making process more efficient.”

Free legal and planning support will be provided to individuals within the process.

Sounds like high fives all around. Well, not quite.

Members of the land development industry and the builders associations have expressed serious concerns about the effect of the reduced powers of the LPAT to render final planning decisions. As well, concerns have been expressed that decisions at the local level will be “NIMBY” driven, and not by sound planning principles.

We should have a better take on the proposed legislation next month. Stay tuned.

Questions, comments and suggestions for future columns are welcomed by lawyer Monty Fordham at his office: Fordham & Brightling Associates – Lawyers, 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 or Monty Fordham e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca

Play ball!

Brian Burleigh from Ships Ahoy Marine accepts Blue Jays tickets from Craig Geerlinks of Geerlinks Home Hardware Building Centre and Furniture Store during the Chamber’s Business After 5 in May.

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 14

Member News Map update

Confused on Canada Day? With our country’s sesquicentennial, our big 1-5-0, falling on Saturday July 1 this year, the Chamber office has been hearing from businesses and employees with questions on how, or if, this big national holiday will be observed when it falls on a Saturday.

First, let’s start with the reality that Canada Day is a national, statutory holiday. In the workplace, with few exceptions, that means a day off with pay for management and staff.

But what happens to businesses and employees that don’t normally work on a Saturday? Should they observe the stat on Friday June 30 or Monday July 3?

The Chamber has checked with City Hall, federal and provincial offices, and a random sample of other Monday - Friday operations and finds Monday July 3 is the day of choice.

For businesses regulated under the RBHA (Retail Business Holidays Act) please note the provisions of that legislation prevail. Most retailers, excepting those that qualify for exemptions, will be required to be closed on the Saturday.

For compete details on business holidays and employer/employee obligations, the Chamber suggests you read details on our website at www.stthomaschamber. on.ca At the bottom of our main page you will find a list of subjects and articles on popular topics. Under the Business & Community section, just click on ‘Holiday Info’.

Advertiser interest and support for the next edition of the Chamber’s popular City/District street map has been so strong that we have advanced our production schedule and moved from plans to release the new version this fall to do it in late August.

We will print and distribute 70,000 copies of the map. Upon publication the new maps will be available in convenient locations across our service area. In addition, we are making arrangements for distribution of one copy to each business and residential address in the City of St. Thomas, Central Elgin and Southwold. The next edition of our product will have a life over 2 years and be used in a variety of applications ranging from an info source for locals to a promotion product featuring photos and facts for distribution to all who ask.

Join US For

rk Music in the P2a017

ConCert SerieS

lent cal Musical ta ng loc siin as nes showca Jo F rris day at the Mo nd un rk, each su Pa re naFo n Bandshell, Pi as M o th . st elM street, d) ticated Swing (big ban June 4, 6 pm • SophiS uS taggart (vario ) June 11, 6 pm • meg mc charrette (variouS) June 18, 6 pm • gerard oir) SliderS (trombone ch e 25, 6 pm • Stevie’S

Jun

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ShowS!

2 hours at 6 PM and run l concerts start ll al stated. ise rw he ot in length unless

Havee a Safe and Happy Happ

Canada Day!

TFSAs* •• Long Longterm termcare careinsurance insurace • • RRSPs RRSPs TFSAs* I can help with your goals.

Let’s talk about Money for Life.

Michael Moore* Tel: 519-637-7747 michael.moore@sunlife.com www.sunlife.ca/michael.moore #3 - 9 Princess Avenue St. Thomas, ON N5R 3V3

anket and enJoy Bring a lawn Chair and Bl r people oF all ageS. mUSiCal entertainment Fo Be collecting rForMers will Per rForMances.

Pe r ei ations For th na don cal artists! lo r lP suPPort ou Please hel

For more information call the Parks and Recreation Department 519-633-7112 June, 2017

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

Life’s © Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2014.

ELGIN THIS MONTH

brighter under the sun 15

Member News

New Members

Showered with luck

Tom Hughes (right) from Locke Insurance wins a Delta Shower Gift Pack at the Chamber’s May Business After 5, presented by Craig Geerlinks of Geerlinks Home Hardware Building Centre and Furniture Store.

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes the following businesses and individuals as our newest Members. Those listed below were accepted as registered Members to April 16 – May 15, 2017.

Once an organization registers with the Chamber, all personnel (owners/ managers/staff) within the organization have full access to all Chamber programs, projects, events and services.

Amanda DeVries Brand Consulting and Graphic Design 6986 Middle River Road St. Thomas, ON N5P 3S9 Phone: 226-927-0771 Email: amanda@amandadevries.com Website: www.amandadevries.com Contacts: Amanda DeVries, Owner Buyers Guide Categories: Graphic Design, Advertising/ Promotion Products & Services: Amanda DeVries has been an independent brand consultant and graphic designer for 12 years.

Amanda launched her business knowing that people were stuck between having a beautiful product or service, but that most didn’t know how to tell the rest of the world in a wonderfully minimal, gorgeous way. She specializes in the development and execution of visual identities for creative people. She’s helped chefs, coffee shops, retailers, real estate agents, home builders, interior designers, artisans, and stylists with their brand development, websites, signage, digital marketing, social media, printed publications, and much, much more.

St. Thomas and Elgin Home Builders’ Association PO Box 20126 St. Thomas, ON N5P 4H4 Phone: 226-289-9710 Email: stehba@25percentmore.com Website: www.25percentmore.com Contacts: Amanda Koning, Executive Officer Buyers Guide Categories: Building Contractors, Carpentry, Design/Build, Developers, Renovations/Additions, Restorations and more.

Products & Services: The St. Thomas & Elgin Home Builders’ Association, incorporated in 1962, is a professional body composed of local companies which strive for excellence within the residential construction industry.

The old adage about strength in numbers is very true in the residential construction industry. Due to the strength of STEHBA and their parent organizations on the provincial and national levels, a positive relationship has been built with all levels of government – thus ensuring the stability of the housing industry in which they all work.

Comprised of builders, renovators, land developers, suppliers, sub-trades, manufacturers, financial institutions and professionals – from small to large firms – STEHBA members account for more than 80% of the residential construction activity in St. Thomas and area.

St. Thomas Downtown Development Board 545 Talbot Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 3V7 Phone: 519-633-5248 Email: info@downtownstthomas.ca Website: www.downtownstthomas.ca

Contacts: Earl Taylor, Chair; Beth Burns, Vice-Chair Buyers Guide Categories: Agencies & Associations Products & Services: The St. Thomas Downtown Development Board is a volunteer-based committee of Council tasked to oversee the improvement, beautification and maintenance of municipally owned land, buildings and structures in the area, beyond that provided by the Municipality and to promote the area as a business and shopping area. The DDB is responsible for banners, Christmas lights, downtown events like out Nostalgia Nights Car Show and keeping the downtown clean.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 16

Gateway Project

St. Thomas Roundabout at Sunset Drive & Wellington Road

Simple Rules for Driving a Multi-Lane Roundabout

1. Choose your lane well in advance of the roundabout.

2. Slow down and yield to pedestrians.

3. Yield to both lanes of traffic already in the roundabout.

4. Keep to the right of the centre island and drive in a counter-clockwise direction until you reach your exit.

5. Do not change lanes or stop inside the roundabout.

6. Trucks will take up both lanes on the approach and within the roundabout, so give them plenty of room.

7. Signal to exit.

Most Common Driver Errors in a Roundabout

1. Failing to yield to both lanes. Vehicles may exit from either lane within the roundabout so drivers need to wait for a clear gap in both lanes before entering.

2. Changing lanes inside the roundabout. At multi-lane roundabouts drivers must choose the lane they want in advance and then stay in that lane throughout the roundabout

For more information go to

www.stthomas.ca/roundabouts June, 2017

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 17

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce

Members of Farmtown Canada made tacos at Miller’s valu mart on Sunday, May 14 for their customer appreciation day. Owners Martin and Kim Miller surprised 19 customers with free groceries. It was their way of saying thank you to their customers and community for making their store so special.

Aylmer Optimist

J unior GOlf tOurnAment Qualifier for the southwestern Ontario District Championships

Thursday, July 6th, 2017 at Pleasant Valley Golf & Country Club

OPen TO eVeryO ne

AGes 10 TO 18

iOns 6 DiVGiis rls: 10-14 yrs old 15-18 yrs old Boys: 10-11 yrs old 12-13 yrs old 14-15 yrs old 16-18 yrs old

Only

15

$

includes 18 holes of golf, hotdog and drink for lunch and unlimited water all day.

Call (519)

773-2911 to register “It’s always Pleasant at the Valley”

Highway 3, 8kms east of St. Thomas, 6kms west of Aylmer

www.pleasantvalleygolfcc.com June, 2017

Aylmer Police Chief Andre Reymer, enjoyed the Tulip Festival celebrations after the parade. The Mountie and Beaver inflatable were part of the parade that went through the downtown as part of the Canada150 celebrations. The parade was a huge success with floats, school groups music, and cars.

ELGIN THIS MONTH

18

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce

Customers in downtown Aylmer on Saturday, May 13 were treated to some toe tapping music as part of the Tulip Festival celebrations. Sidewalk sales, live music, a parade and events in the park were all part of the Canada150 celebrations.

Summer is just around the corner! It’s hard to believe the warm weather has finally arrived. The Aylmer Splashpad is now up and running 8am-9pm 7 days a week for your enjoyment. Bring the family and spend the day in downtown Aylmer!

40

As we mark our

years at

Aylmer Tire, Wishing You a Happy Canada Day Weekend!

join us in celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday!

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19

Port Stanley: A Summer Destination beautiful views and surroundings to complement your dining and eating experience at prices much less than the ‘big city’.

There’s always something to celebrate or entertain you in Port Stanley – for example Canada’s 150th over the July 1 weekend with fireworks on July 2, a Canada Day Boat Parade, Live Music in Glover Park and more!

Or register for CrossFit Elgin Beach Brawl 2017 running July 8 in Port Stanley, 9am - 3pm on the Main Beach. Last year the village had 70 teams of athletes participate in a stunning spectacle of fitness and CrossFit community! Beach Brawl 2017 is going to be even bigger and better! GearBox RX is bringing a larger rig this year so the hosts can fit more amazing people into the event. The last 2 years completely sold out quickly and while a bigger rig will allow for a few more teams, space is limited. Register your team today at crossfitelgin.com/beach-brawl-2017.

Harbourfest returns for August 5, 6 and 7, featuring plenty of live music, vendors, kid area, street performers, fireworks and much more.

Continued on page 21

Visit Port Stanley’s beach and so much more With files from portstanley.net Beyond its reputation as a quaint little fishing village with a gorgeous beach, Port Stanley has earned well-deserved accolades for providing visitors and locals alike with some of the very best food offerings in the region. Several restaurants specialize in serving famous Lake Erie perch (both yellow and white perch) and other local catches. The village has family restaurants and bars, banquet facilities, pizza and burger joints, coffee, bakery and specialty dessert shops, the famous Mackies at the beach, and award-winning chefs and fine dining available throughout the year. Many establishments offer

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Port Stanley: A Summer Destination

Continued from page 20 Port Stanley Festival Theatre, 302 Bridge St, Port Stanley continues its successful series of plays with Buying The Moose July 5 - July 22. Rob and Betty, and Greg and Cheryl have been friends forever, but then something happens that changes everything. Or does it? Tube tops and inflatable dolls, car chases and ice cream, tattoos and true love … life just gets complicated sometimes. A delightful romantic comedy from the writer of “Love Shack” and “7-10 Split”. portstanleytheatre.ca. On a First Name Basis by Norm Foster finishes July 1.

Come ride the train, departing from Port Stanley Train Station 309 Bridge St. For more information and departure times, visit pstr.on.ca, or call 519782-3730.

After a great day by the lake, why not stay a while and leave your car parked for the weekend.

Take the time to explore the beautiful village and spend a relaxing night or two in a room or suite in one of its fine inns, charming B & Bs, or hotel or cottage by the beach. Reservations are advised.

Or stay for a lifetime. In January 2016, Port Stanley was voted one of the best six places to retire in Ontario by the Globe & Mail.

When The Municipality of Central Elgin purchased the harbour from Transport Canada, it began a transformation of the village that has been nothing short of astounding.

The beautiful pier has been reopened and you can walk all the way from Little Beach, through the village up the West Breakwater Walkway and around the pier all the way to Main Beach. And the improvements are continuing. Come soon, come often to see for yourself.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 21

It’s Canada’s 150th Canada 150th celebrations across Elgin-St. Thomas Double-check with each municipality about July 1 long weekend, as all plans were not finalized at press time.

West Elgin At the Canada Day Celebration & Kids Country Carnival in Miller Park on Jessie Street in West Lorne July 1, the day starts with the Kid’s Country

Join us for our

th

150 8

Fireworks display at 10 p.m.

Saturday, July 1st 2017

For Vendor opportunities please contact the parks & rec department at 519-633-7112

Happy 150 th

Birthday Canada!

Carnival. A fish fry at 5pm is followed by opening ceremonies. The Knights of Columbus Canada Day Fish Fry (519) 636-9053 is in the West Elgin Arena, 171 Graham Street, West Lorne. Fireworks begin at dusk. westelgin. net. (519) 785-0560.

Dutton Dunwich An afternoon of entertainment awaits July 1 at the Dutton Dunwich Community Centre. Lots for the young and the young at heart to do.

1:00-5:00pm Craft Corner & Games 1:00-5:00pm Kids Firefighter Challenge 1:00-4:00pm Face Painting & Balloons 1:00-3:00pm Free Public Swim 2:00pm Dunk Tank 2:30pm Slip ‘N Slide 3:00pm Dog Contest 4:00pm Pickleball Demonstration 5:00pm Opening Ceremonies 5:30pm Cupcakes & Refreshments 6:00pm Strolling Magician 7:30pm Musical Entertainment by Rod & Rebecca FIREWORKS AT DUSK! (Donations appreciated)

Happy 150th Birthday Canada!

W encourage everyone to get We our and enjoy the celebrations.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 22

It’s Canada’s 150th Southwold Look for Canada Day Fireworks sponsored by the Optimist Club of Fingal-Shedden and the Township of Southwold June 30 at the Fingal Ball Park. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. Entertainment includes Dotsy the Clown, face painting, cake, and music by Bill Farquhar. Bring donations of canned goods and dry goods for the Talbot Teen Centre, and a food booth will be available with proceeds to Shedden Soccer. The evening is supported by Green Lane Community Trust and Libro Credit Union. Rain date is July 2.

Also in 2017, The Southwold Township Communities in Bloom Committee has planned an event with a distinctly Canadian flavour in honour of Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation. Community welcome signs and special planters at various locations have been decorated with red and white flowers and the committee has purchased 200 new Canadian Flags that will proudly fly across the Township this summer.

Port Stanley Come celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in one of southwestern Ontario’s hidden gems – Port Stanley June 30 – July 3. The village will be celebrating with fireworks on July 2, a Canada Day

Boat Parade, live music in Glover Park and more!

Experience a weekend full of family fun, fireworks unique shopping and warm Canadian hospitality so come shop, dine and stay. portstanley.net.

St. Thomas In honour of Canada’s 150th birthday, the City

Happy Canada Day

of St. Thomas is compiling a list of 150 events happening in the Railway City in 2017. If your school, group or organization is planning an event/events for 2017, the City would like to hear about it. Big or small, they’ll list them all!

Send your event listings to hwelsh@stthomas.ca or complete the online form.

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When Canada was born, we were already 10!

We’ve been insuring local communities for generations. We live and work here and we know our neighbours and their needs. Trust Westminster Mutual. When you need us, we’re here for you.

Happy birthday to this great country!

We’re proud to be part of the Canadian story.

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Belmont, ON

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 23

It’s Canada’s 150th For Canada Day there will be celebrations in Pinafore Park.

8am $5.00 pancake breakfast, vendors and entertainment all day, water festival will be participating this year as well as the STEAM Centre. Free inflatables in the afternoon and the Kinsmen Club hosting a beer garden at 11am and fireworks at 10pm.

Belmont Don Yeck Park is the location for the annual Canada Day festivities. Food, fun, games for kids and much more! Fireworks begin at dusk in Don Yeck Park.

Aylmer Aylmer’s Canada Day Celebration runs Sat., July 1, 5pm - 11pm at the East Elgin Community Complex, 531 Talbot St W, Aylmer. Malahide Township is co-host, and the Aylmer Kinsmen are organizing the fireworks. balaur@town.aylmer.on.ca.

Come out and Participate in Canada’s

Happy Canada day!

150thh Birthday Bir day

Let’s do what we can to keep our country beautiful.

Gurr Auto has planted 1740 trees (for every vehicle service they do), nicknaming them the “Tree Sponsors” by the local Scouts.

and celebrate everything our great country has to offer!

John Gurr, Owner

WE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!

June, 2017

Ontario Rd.

Gurr Auto Duck Worth Ave.

Shoppers

First Ave.

2016 St Thomas Chamber Award of Merit

Edward St.

St. thomaS

8 Duckworth Ave., St. Thomas 519-637-9861

www.gurrauto.com

Allan Hughson

Owen Boughner

Owner Licensed Funeral Director

Licensed Funeral Director

David Gifford Licensed Funeral Director

Ali (Hughson) Harris

Matt Hughson

Office Manager

Internship Funeral Director

45 Elgin Street, St. Thomas (519) 631-0850

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 24

It’s Canada’s 150th Bayham – Port Burwell Bayham’s Canada 150 themes include “Paint The Town Red ... And White”, “1967 - Where Were You In Centennial Year?”, and “Honouring Veterans and Peacekeepers in Canada’s History”.

Visit Port Burwell on July 1 for what the organizing committee is calling Bayham’s biggest Canada Day celebrations ever.

There are several ways your family, business or organization can get involved:

1. Light up your house, store or boat. Bring out your red and white Christmas lights for the summer! Light up the whole municipality on for festivals including June 30 - July 2 for Canada Day. 2. Decorate your house exterior. Plant red and white flowers.

3. Pick one of the three themes, and bring a float to Bayham’s biggest July 1 parade ever.

4. Dress in costume for Canada Day – from

any period in Canada’s history, or in fun red and white.

5. Kids: Decorate your bikes and ride in the parade.

6. Bring a historical display about your family, business or organization to the all-day Canada Day Erieus Streetfest.

Happy 150th Birthday Canada & Ontario!

JEFF YUREK, MPP

ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON

Office Hours:

Monday-Friday 10am-4:30pm 750 Talbot St., (CASO Station Suite 201) St.Thomas, ON N5P 1E2 519-631-0666 email: jeff.yurekco@pc.ola.org www.jeff yurekmpp.com

Happy

150

th

Birthday Canada

Shop At Briwood Farm Market and Support Local Farmers 519-633-9691 1030 Talbot Street, St. Thomas Open Monday to Saturday 8am - 8pm •Sunday 8am - 6pm May, 2017

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 25

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Some people decide to “unretire”

by Nancy Proctor

I’m a St Thomas entrepreneur who opened a clothing alteration and sewing instruction business March 1 of this year. I’d been retired for 12 years enjoying the good life travelling with my husband as full time RV’ers but there was something missing. Feeling a need to be more productive, a desire to teach the skills acquired from a lifetime of experience, and to build a community of people who shared my interests and passions, I decided it was time to un-retire.

Having operated a small business previously, I was determined to avoid some of the mistakes and pitfalls I’d encountered before. To begin with, it is important to make sure that there really is a market for what you are wanting to do. Just because it’s your passion, doesn’t mean that it will appeal to others. Extensive market research determined that there was indeed an increased interest in learning how to sew driven by shows like Project Runway, by the internet with people sharing their DIY projects on Pinterest, You Tube and Instagram and through the thrifting trend as shoppers want to upcycle their bargains to fit and compliment their own figures.

If I was going to work after retirement, I felt that it was important to choose work that excited me and not get bogged down by taking on projects that were of little interest. As you get older, you realize life is shorter, and you value the time you have more. Settling on a niche market in bridal and formal wear alterations and offering classes in fashion sewing and art quilting reflected my personal passions. In re-

tirement, it is important to work not because you have to but because you want to. Staying in an industry that I was already familiar with also reduced the need for a great deal of startup capital. Most of the equipment needed for the business was already in place.

A consideration for retirees in becoming an entrepreneur is not wanting to risk their retirement savings on a new venture.

There were some surprises in getting this new enterprise going. Everything from constructing the studio, to planning and prepping for classes, taking care of promotion and putting bookkeeping systems in place seemed to take much longer than expected. Patience with yourself and for the process is a major factor in dealing with the resulting stress. On reflection, building a website without engaging professional help may not have been the best use of my time, but it was a great learning experience and gave a wonderful boost in confidence once accomplished.

One of my goals is to still be able to enjoy retirement, so with energy levels waning slightly, a time management study early on in the business planning stage was important in determining how many

classes to plan and how much alteration work to take on. Completing an in-depth business plan was also instrumental in clarifying the mission for the business and establishing realistic goals. Working with the Elgin/St Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre was an integral part of the entire process and I would encourage other new entrepreneurs to seek out their help and guidance.

Nancy Proctor owns Textile Artforms. Her website is textileartforms.com.

Your own business can be an eye-opener dren were young. I ultimately make every decision about what direction my business will take, day to I get to choose my hours! I don’t have to listen to day. And I do what I love, at least most of the day. anyone barking orders at me! I can do what I love, But the realities of owning your own business also every single day! I can finally be appreciated for my pose some issues that I think most people don’t contalents and hard work! When you daydream about sider when they set out down the entrepreneurial owning your business, I’ll bet these thoughts swim path. Choose your own hours? Do you think I turn through your head as you picture yourself swivelling down a job just because it happens to be a rush projin your office chair, your name on the sign outside, ect that falls on the weekend, and the sun is out? proud owner of your very own establishment.

Heck no! I don’t know if next month is going to Of course, that is “mostly” true. I started my own be slower than this month so when a client says graphic design firm because I wanted flexible hours “jump!” I definitely say “how high?” in order to be the dominant caregiver while my chilBeing the boss of a company where you directly interact with clients or customers every day means listening to them and their concerns, and ultimately making sure CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT they are thrilled with your work or prod– Your Trusted Business and Tax Advisor – uct. This doesn’t always mean deciding how • Small Business, Corporate and when to do things. and Personal Tax Services My projects with clients are very much a collab• Bookkeeping, Sales Tax, orative process. They are WSIB and Payroll informed by both my • Estate and Tax Planning creative design, my marketing experience and www.markawales.ca the need for the client to make money, so I can 190 Centre St, St. Thomas hardly sit back and just 519-637-0700

by Amanda Devries

MARK A WALES

June, 2017

ELGIN THIS MONTH

do what I feel like.

The ultimate eye-opener for most people who set out to work for themselves is that, sure, you get to do what you love most of the time, but you are also the customer service department, accounting, and marketing, all rolled into one. This means that sometimes as much as 50% of your day can be swallowed up by “non-work” work. In truth, I’ve enjoyed the learning curve in some of these areas, but not every business owner is happy about interacting with a wide variety of personalities every day or the mundane task of having to keep track of gas receipts.

Possibly the biggest lesson I’ve learned about owning my own business for the last 12 years is that it really helps if you stay focussed on your passion.

You can be so busy with the day to day that you forget to pop your head up once in a while to redirect your ship to ensure it is still heading toward the horizon you’ve envisioned for yourself. As Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneurial internet millionaire, declares: “Passion is an unmatched fuel. Add being happy to that and you have a wonderful formula for good health.”

Eyes on the prize!

Amanda Devries owns Brand Consulting and Graphic Design. Her website is amandadevries.com.

26

Starting a small business

Small business equals large scale employment

by Jeff Sheridan

It has often been said that small business is the backbone of the Canadian economy. Recently, with the exponential growth in the small business sector it could also be said that the small business sector has evolved to form the remainder of the entire skeletal system. In fact in 2015 the Canadian small business sector accounted for 70.5% of all private sector jobs and that number continues to grow each year.

What inspires people to start their own small businesses? Freedom, control, money and passion are some of the most frequently stated reasons.

Advancements in technology and an integrated economy have created the right conditions for growth in the small business sector.

However before you jump into the great unknown that is “self-employment” make sure you have covered the basics. Have a plan that identifies your potential customers, know how you are going to earn their business, know your personal financial needs and what level of funding your business will require during the startup and expansion process. Often entrepreneurs underestimate the amount of money it takes to keep a business running all year long. When seasonal trends lead to slow monthly sales, cash flow can turn negative.

Those monthly bills continue to show up rain or shine. Knowing in advance how you will manage those lean periods and still have something left

over can be the difference between success and failure. Creating a comprehensive business plan prior to launching your business will significantly reduce the number of sleepless nights awaiting most entrepreneurs.

Be prepared! Much like snowflakes, no two successful entrepreneurs are exactly alike however they do often share similar characteristics. Be prepared to invest significant hours and “sweat equity” into your start up business. Having a supportive team of family and friends outside of the business environment is critical.

Be prepared to learn from your mistakes. Understanding how you deal with failure will shape the manner in which you deal with success. Be prepared to have a short term memory. Do not spend too much time dwelling on past successes or failures simply focus on the task ahead and prepare for your next customer interaction.

Be prepared to adapt and evolve your business model. Today Nokia is known as one of the world’s leading technology and communications companies. Originally Nokia was a world leader in the pulp and paper industry. Be prepared to embrace

technology. Consumers are continually changing the way in which they interact and purchase their goods and services. Embracing technology can allow your business to operate more efficiently, reduce operating costs and improve your bottom line. If you are considering joining the growing small business sector do your research, always put your customers’ needs first, plan for success, follow your passion and take that leap of faith.

Jeff Sheridan is a business counsellor with Elgin Business Resource Centre.

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kjackson@elgincfdc.ca

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 27

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Courageous leadership, a.k.a. radical candour mination had a lot of weight. No one wanted to go formance issues. to work under those conditions and certainly not for 6 Communicate openly and frequently.

A recent article in Forbes magazine used a newer 25 to 50 years.

7 Lead change term we’ve been hearing a lot about called ‘couraIn with the new 8 Make decisions and move forward geous leadership’. It seems to run alongside another The new generation of leadership calls for clear 9 Give credit to others. term we’ve heard recently called ‘radical candour’. communication and action as processes need to 10 Hold people (and themselves) accountable.

Both terms conjure up an image of someone who’s move in multiple directions simultaneously. Our This new generation of leaders will not tolerate bold and shows little fear for saying what needs to be new generation of leaders don’t assume job secu- anything that is counterproductive to their goals. said and doing what needs to be done. rity and as a direct result are not as vested in any And guess what? As technological and economic Out with the old particular employer. Today, new leaders plan to shifts continue to require organizations to move at What we are seeing is an overall organizational switch jobs every few years. This means that employ- an extremely rapid pace, these courageous leaders are cultural shift that moves away from the traditional ers can’t instil as much fear as in generations of the in demand and will be snatched up by leading edge business model where performance and change past. They want to work for an organization whose organizations that want to succeed in the new world. management systems are very structured and lin- culture emanates inclusiveness, individual contribuear and requires employees to simply ‘tow the line’. tion, innovation and creativity and an opportunity Nancy Annett, MBA, CHRP and These traditional systems include a significant role to continuously challenge the status quo and have Laura Pavilonis, MBA CHRP for highly professional communication with clear their ideas be heard. own Flashpoint Training and parameters and carefully worded language.

One positive outcome from this is a new generaDevelopment.

Historically business was managed for the most tion of courageous leaders. These are not yes men or part by fear-based rules. Fear equalled respect. That women. They are people that stand up for who they fear could include being yelled at by your boss, be- are and what they stand for. What do these couraing isolated from your co-workers, being overlooked geous leaders do? for promotion or being terminated. And for much 1 Confront reality of time, fear was embedded using policy and pro- head-on. cedures that laid out ‘the way things will be’ or oth2 Seek feedback and erwise ‘face the consequence’ type of attitude and listen. about 4 seconds for a customer to

by Tricia Flatley culture.

3 Say what needs to Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce form a first impression. When a cusWe know that these fears still exist today. However, be said.

Planning and Development Board tomer arrives in store, greet them in the past it was common for individuals to work at 4 Encourage pushimmediately with a friendly and welthe same workplace their entire career, which meant back.

Customer Service is “the assistance coming attitude. that the threat of a toxic work environment or ter5 Take action on perand advice provided by a company Setting the standard – Rethink the (a.k.a. your employees) to those role of customer service as a custompeople who buy or use its products er helper. Make sure your staff are or services”. According to the 2017 proud, professional and proficient.

EmployerOne Survey results, Elgin Talking with customers – The employers rated “customer service” words an employee uses, the tone, as the most sought-after skill in an speed, pitch and body language all employee. But, while customer ser- work together to send a message to vice skills may seem like common the customer. It’s important to listen sense, as most of us know, common to the customers’ needs and undersense isn’t all that common. Ensuring stand what they want so that you can that your employees understand how provide the information they are askto provide excellent customer service ing for. will create an excellent experience for Dealing with irate customers – your customers and will pay off in the Customers who complain should be long run, especially if your business is appreciated and thanked; they are located in a tourist destination. giving you an opportunity to make In April, over a dozen local busi- changes and improve. More than nesses attended a customer service anything else, all businesses are deworkshop at the Royal Canadian fined by the level of customer service Legion in Port Stanley. Employers they provide. were provided with local resources Cell phone use on the job – For they can tap into and presented with most situations, a cell phone should We’ve found that open, trusting, ongoing relationships some tips to help their new recruits not be used during working hours; help us understand where you are, how you work, and understand how important custom- however as an employer, you should er service is. Most of the businesses let your staff know what your exwhere you want to go. We invest the time and effort to said they found it challenging to find pectations are. The more employees provide services to you at a personal level. young talent with the right attitude engage with customers, the clearer and customer service skills; however, things become and the easier it is to it’s important to note that as a com- determine what they should be doST. THOMAS 519-633-0700 munity we all have a role to play in ing.

AYLMER 519-773-9265 helping develop talent in our area. grahamscottenns.com Here’s a list of five key points, you Tricia Flatley works in as an employer, may want to review Communications with with your staff members to ensure a Elgin Middlesex Oxford consistent customer service experiWorkforce Planning and ence.

Development Board.

First impressions matter – It takes

by Laura Pavilonis and Nancy Annett

Well-trained employees

Result Focused.

Relationship Driven.

June, 2017

ELGIN THIS MONTH

28

Starting a small business

Eight ways to increase your ‘shine’ factor

by Doug Lester

For many people the admonition to “Let your light shine” has lost its meaning.

It has been said so often that the phrase has no more impact than a quick, “Have a good day.”

However, at its best, “Let your light shine” is much more than a trite phrase. It is a call from the deepest part of life to the deepest part of you. It is a call to show up fully and make a difference.

How do busy people shine—in the midst of life’s constant challenges, disappointments, and demands?

Some people seem to have the ability to “light up a room” while for most of us lighting up enough ambition to get out of bed on a cold cloudy morning is a struggle.

Here are eight ways that you can increase your shine factor: 1. Think of yourself as pure energy in a vibrational field.

2. Increase your voltage by connecting with na-

ture, music, movement, art, good food, and rest.

3. Focus your intention on brightening the world.

Energy follows intention.

4. Breathe deeply, often. Your inner fire needs oxygen.

5. Choose to find meaning even in the toughest situations. By facing reality, you become strong.

6. Work hard at the tasks you find in front of you.

Let your genius lead.

7. Accept help. You are not alone. Others will assist you and fuel your energy when you least expect it.

8. Embrace the mystery. Let the light of life shine through you.

When recognized and developed, the light shines differently through each of us.

Muhammad Ali shone as a great boxer by dancing like a butterfly and stinging like a bee. Martha Graham transformed modern dance and choreography.

Picasso shone through painting. Stravinsky lit up the music world. Bill Gates found his passion in coding all night as a teenager and dropping out of

college to found Microsoft. Tama Kieves left a successful law practice to let her light shine through writing and teaching. Nelson Mandela’s leadership light grew brighter during 27 years in prison.

The world needs you to use your unique ‘light’ to help make the world a safer, saner, better place.

With intention, you can fan the flame and brighten your ‘light’ throughout your life. Martha Graham continued to dance into her mid-70s and choreographed until age 96, challenging us with these words, “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.”

Shine your light. Trust the universe. You are made from stardust and you were meant to shine.

Cheryl Lester and Doug Lester. Helping people live and lead on purpose. Coaching; Personal/Professional Development; 12 Step Recovery Circles. Co-authors of 12 Steps of Self-Leadership. differencemakerscircle.com

Messenger Freight Systems Inc.; where passion, dedication and respect are essential Continued from page 3 How many employees does Messenger have, and what do you look for in employees?

We have over 250 and counting employees, whether directly or indirectly employed by Messenger. We have a wide range of employees working for our Company. We look for passion for the job; whether it is a forklift operator, train operator, repacker, maintenance, dispatcher, office staff, receptionist, management, mechanic, professional driver AZ, DZ, G, you need to see the passion, dedication and the respect of the equipment they would use. If you are here or any place of business just for the paycheque, and not engaged in your job, your unhappiness will reflect back to customers. If the customer is not happy, we have no customer and without the customer, we do not exist. Employees are the most valuable asset to a company.

How would you describe your management style?

I would say flexibility and allowing my Management team to run with their ideas. There is no bad idea or way to move freight. We can figure it out to help our customer move their product, so the customer can focus on their business. When my customer succeeds, Messenger succeeds. Leave the movement of freight /product to us. If we cannot make it happen with our equipment, then we will reach out to other trucking companies we work alongside with, knowing and trusting they would not backdoor us. Trucking is a very cutthroat industry and trust in this industry is respected. I work as a “We” Team environment not an “I” environment In your leadership role, who or what inspires you the most?

Remembering how we got to this point. Messenger has grown because of my team and my valued employees. Without everyone’s help and dedication towards Messenger, I /we/Messenger would not succeed.

We are in a world where judgment comes swiftly without getting all the facts. I say often as a result June, 2017

… everything is not always as it may appear to be. the colour has given me confidence, and it breaks It’s a 21st century, 24/7 work world. Are there the ice at times, particularly because I am often some things you do to achieve work / life bal- the only woman in the male-dominated industry ance? of trucking at the table. It has even helped me reMy balance is … Today is today – deal with to- evaluate decision-making at work: as it is okay to day’s issues and/or struggles today, as tomorrow is alter course and try something new. a new day!

How does community involvement fit in with your business philosophy?

I give back to my community, to the various non-profit, animal shelters, and house leagues, because without the support of St Thomas and the employment staff from St Thomas, and surrounding areas, Business Plans • Management Consulting Messenger could not Small Business Services • Bookkeeping Services succeed. When you Financial Reports • Payroll • Budgets are in your city doing Business Succession Planning business, the city also becomes your partner Our Knowledgeable and Friendly Staff in business. have the experience and training to help you with Anything you’d like to add? all your accounting and taxation needs I should address my hair. I know it’s a subject most of the time, and when I walk into a board room, my hair always seems to be a topic. At first, I was very hesitant to add the colour, and I Mark Lassam, CP CPA, CA have to say, my stylist 115 Curtis Street, St. Thomas continually wanted to “just try it” and I was 519-631-1631 not convinced the purmark@lassam.ca ple was a good move.

But I have to admit

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 29

Lifestyle Time On My Hands

Lucky and blessed for sixty-five years But do I have the heart for the long run?

by Duncan Watterworth

Five words you never want to hear from your doctor: “Eat less and run more”.

Didn’t see that coming. I’ve been eating right and running for years, and doing weights at the Y. I’m not the type who needs to be told that. At least, I didn’t used to be.

Even worse, the doctor wants me back in three months to check my progress. I’ve watched enough 600-pound people on TV to know how this goes. I’ll swear I’ve followed orders. I will actually weigh more. I’ll be humiliated, and proven to be a liar and/or delusional.

My only consolation will be that half the scorn is always heaped upon the skinny enabler. In my case my wife and master chef, Barbie.

But it’s time to face the facts. I have put on a few pounds in the last eighteen months. My running has stumbled. And that other fact: back then, my cardiologist announced that I had developed atrial fibrillation.

A-fib is a fast or irregular heartbeat that makes the heart work less efficiently. Mine is a continuous irregularity, like a permanent limp.

I had felt no symptoms, but I told him my running had become much harder, and I didn’t know why. He did. It was right there in the squiggly lines on his screen.

I had been seeing the cardiologist once a year because I have elevated cholesterol. The medications keep it in the normal range, so I don’t worry about it. And the cardiologist had also noticed years ago an electrical quirk called Wolfe-

Parkinson-White syndrome. Shouldn’t affect my longevity, he said. But if you’re counting, my tally of heart conditions is now at three. And just one heart.

My life-plan has always been to live a tolerably healthy lifestyle, stay lucky and blessed, and somehow evade all the aging/medical stuff. It’s worked very well so far.

Two symptomless medical conditions, plus one with only minor symptoms, is hardly grounds for complaint.

I might not even have noticed the A-fib if I weren’t a runner. But the loss of stamina made running discouraging.

I ran less far, and then less often. And so my fitness level declined. It’s a downward spiral.

Medicine aside, the real pain from these heart issues has been inflicted by my travel insurance company. Even before the A-fib, I was paying almost $200 per week while out of the country, even though my cardiologist said my overall health risk was lower than the general population. Each year I wrestled with the medical questionnaire. The questions and terminology confounded both me and my cardiologist. It lumped me with people who had actually suf-

“half the scorn is always heaped upon the skinny enabler”

fered heart attacks or congestive heart failure. It made me feel like a dead man walking.

Then last fall, for the India trip, my company refused to insure me at all. The fair-weather bloodsuckers deemed me medically “unstable,” and therefore uninsurable, simply for having a medical test or a change in medication within six months of departure. My only satisfaction will be to give my business to a competitor for the next couple decades.

One thing I have learned: I must carefully schedule my doctor visits with an eye to travel departure dates.

I recently asked the doctors to check me for anything besides the A-fib that could be causing my loss of running stamina, and my weight gain. Just to be sure. All results were negative.

So the medical picture is clear. But I need to fashion a new vision of fitness – one with a stuttering heart.

And my assignment is clear. Doctor’s orders: Eat less and run more.

Duncan Watterworth is a life-long resident of Elgin County and a retired lawyer. He can be reached at duncanetm@gmail.com.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 30

Binding the Generations Sponsored by

A conversation with Dan Burns of K & K Locksmiths Dan Burns currently works with his father Rob and his mother Beth. He is in transition to take over the family’s locksmith business.

Aside from that. It is important to make sure that the details of the transition have been discussed and agreed upon so that it works Can you give us some background on well for both parties.

K & K Locksmiths?

This is especially imporK & K Locksmiths started in 1962 with tant in a family business Karl Krystoff as the owner, and then in because at the end of 1987, Rob Burns purchased the busithe day, you are still ness. We have gone full circle. When Rob family and that relationbought the business, it was located in a ship is extremely imbasement on Talbot Street in St. Thomas. portant (and my mom He then moved it to Ross Street and evenmakes great apple tually to Elgin Mall. As of May, 2013, K & K crumble that I wouldn’t Locksmiths is back downtown at 631 Talwant to miss out on at bot Street.

Dan Burns shows the next generation how it’s done. family dinners).

What’s the current direction for your Can you give us a couple of important lessons from people who business?

Our business has expanded over the last couple of years. We are have mentored you along the way?

Good customer service and learning to be a successful locksmith still doing everyday repairs, rekeys and hardware installs. However, with advances in technology, we have seen an increase in demand top the list. I learned early on the importance of spending customfor more electronic hardware. In order to better serve our customers, ers’ money as of it was your own. What I mean by that is that just as we have expanded the scope of our services. Keypad locks, access I wouldn’t go out and buy something I didn’t need, I wouldn’t make control systems (card swipe locks) and accessibility operators are just my customers pay for something they don’t have to. Knowing what a few of the new areas we cover. We also hope to increase our in- your customer needs, and how to get it accomplished for the best store service to include newer, more advanced automotive keys and price you can, are very important. As for being a successful locksmith, you have to be knowledgeable about the different hardware on the remotes.

Who were some of the people who influenced you the most in market and to be ready for new, advanced hardware. To do this, I take courses and continually conference with our various distributors. the early days?

What are some things you do to mentor and encourage others?

In the early years of learning the trade, an employee named Scott We have had a few co-op students over the years, and we are very who had been with K & K for several years taught me the everyday operation of a mobile unit. Over the years, Mom and Dad have shown happy to have our current co-op student, Connor, enrolled in the Onme what it takes to run and maintain a successful business. And what tario Youth Apprenticeship Program with us. Having a good grasp of the basics is important, from functions and parts to repairing and I have learned from my customers cannot be underestimated.

What are some secrets of success for a family business, as you installing hardware. It is important to be patient and to encourage others so they will be able to succeed. I try to keep my comments manage the transition from one generation to the next?

There really is no secret. You need to maintain current business constructive and positive in order to instill confidence in the next genpractices in order to avoid any negative impact on customer service. eration.

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St. thomaS WinS Bronze

aS Bicycle Friendly community Share the Road has awarded the City of St. Thomas the Bicycle Friendly Community designation for the efforts the City and community partners have made to raise awareness of the rules of the road, improve the cycling culture and create a safer cycling environment.

Bicycling isn’t just a way to get from one place to another; it’s an avenue to a healthier lifestyle.

FEaturEs oF a BicyclE FriEndly community Engineering Physical infrastructure and hardware to support cycling Education Programs that ensure the safety, comfort and convenience of cyclists and fellow road users Encouragement Incentives, promotions and opportunities that inspire and enable people to ride Enforcement Equitable laws and programs that ensure motorists and cyclists are held accountable Evaluation & Planning Processes that demonstrate a commitment to measuring results and planning for the future

MAKE YOUR BIKE LEGAL! Helmet for cyclists under 18

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June, 2017

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 32