June 2016

Your Business. Your Community.

DOUG & CHERYL LESTER

The self-publishing journey Cover story: Page 3

Inside: • Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Pages 18 and 19

• Starting A Small Business Pages 20 to 25

• Port Stanley – A Summer Destination Pages 26 and 27

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June, 2016

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

Lesters happy to have published first book

by Terry Carroll

In his first noble truth, the Buddha taught that all life is suffering, pain and misery. Publishing a book for the first time provides proof positive of the Buddha’s dictum. Local leadership gurus Doug and Cheryl Lester discovered this the hard way in a journey that began about three years ago during the Aylmer couple’s annual retreat when they decided to play what Doug calls “a bigger game”. A book struck them as the next logical step in their business and personal journeys. Little did they know what they were getting into..

At the time, Cheryl’s work with their company, Eagle Tree Leadership, was workplace-focused and largely with international organizations. Working primarily as an Eagle Tree mentor-coach, Doug focused more on integral living, self-discovery and selfleadership.

“I knew he had writing gifts and potential,” Cheryl says of the man she calls “a walking reference library” with encyclopaediac knowledge in the areas of psychology, philosophy, spirituality and self-development.

By October, 2014, Doug had written a first draft, which Cheryl now refers to as “a knowledge dump.”

It reflected Doug’s vast reading and his impressive recall abilities, and Doug thought the book was finished.

The Lesters called in management consultant Barry Fitzgerald, who says on his Linkedin profile, “I tend to ask business owners the tough questions that make them squirm.” Barry’s tough questions hit on the manuscript’s rather theoretical or academic tone.

Barry wanted to know who would buy the book, and how it might influence readers’ everyday lives and behaviour.

Following one of Cheryl’s insights, Doug decided to rewrite the book under a leadership theme, with Cheryl closely involved as muse and editor.

After another Lester getaway in November 2014, Doug began to reshape the manuscript that eventually became 12 Steps of Spiritual Leadership. He had two guiding lights on his rewriting journey: the 12step Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program developed in the 1930s (minus AA’s overt Biblical base) and the stages or steps in a mythic quest presented

by Joseph Campbell in his book “The Hero With A Thousand Faces”. Campbell describes universal ancestral tales, spiritual journeys of departure, initiation and return in which a hero leaves on a quest and returns to bring something back to the community.

The Lesters coin several new phrases and concepts in 12 Steps of Self Leadership.

One of these is CEO of Self Inc.™, and they differentiate between small “s” self and big “S” self.

The small “s” self they describe as “a poor representation of your potential … fragmented, chaotic, dysfunctional, undermanaged, unaware”.

The big “S” Self is the “confident, coordinating, organizing Self … who provides a proactive, collaborative, conscious and transformational style of leadership and takes responsibility for the overall operations, development, and performance of Self Inc.™.”

(Self Inc.™ is one of a handful of expressions the Lesters have trademarked.)

Nothing brings out conflict between the small “s” self and the big “s” Self like the pressure of writing and editing a book with someone else, especially if that someone is your life and work partner. However, Doug and Cheryl persevered, and they discovered that every roadblock was also an opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Doug’s rewrote with senior-level leaders in mind, but he also kept in mind the questions from Barry Fitzgerald that had made him squirm. The book had to be both accessible to anyone interested in a spiritual or self-improvement quest, and useful for a leader on a Monday morning in the workplace.

The 12-step framework provided the main solution, but it didn’t seem to be enough. With Cheryl’s guidance, Doug added quick-read sections at the start and end of each of the 12 steps: poems, blurbs and shortcuts they dubbed Fast Tracks, Footholds, Stepping Stones and Travel Tips.

When Doug completed the rewriting in early 2015, he didn’t have a publisher. “I didn’t want to spend seven years sending it out to publishers,” Doug says.

The Lesters decided to self-publish with FreisenPress

It took almost three years for Doug Lester, writing with Cheryl Lester, to publish their first leadership book. in Victoria, BC. In March 2015, they sent the manuscript to Friesen for the next round of editing.

Their objective was to have the book out by Christmas, but further editing and rewriting took longer than expected as did the process of getting permissions to reprint the many quotes and poems in the book. The Lesters also rejected the cover art suggestions from Friesen and had cover art designed by their son, a professional graphic artist.

Doug worked essentially full-time on the book.

Cheryl set aside much of her Eagle Tree leadership work from April 2015 until January 2016. “Even though we bought a good package, it all comes back to you for editing and final proofs,” Cheryl says. “We were determined not to produce a book just because we could.”

They chose a $10,000 publishing package, which includes 40 complimentary trade paperback copies and 15 in hard cover. There were additional costs for things like some permissions, as well as the loss of much income for almost a year. But the experience of finally having the book in their hands was unsurpassed.

They went with online, downloadable and printon-demand formats in hard cover and trade paperback (available around the world), rather than a bricks-and-mortar bookstore approach. And they are now in the next phase: marketing the book. For the Lesters, this includes book sales at speaking events, seminars and possibly 12 Steps of Leadership retreats.

And a return to a more ordinary life in which they plan to restore balance. “We have a life and a relationship,” Doug says. “And we also have a book.”

Cover and page three photos by Mark Spowart.

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, 2016

ELGIN THIS MONTH

3

INNES As I See It

When to wait, and when to act

by Jim Innes “My mind goes everywhere … all at the same time … and way too often. Bouncing about among circumstances is often the course of my life.”

This is a common complaint. Especially from those feeling stressed or disconnected. Something we all know when our lives become fast paced and a little too harried.

When it happens to me, I need remind myself that life is far more than the circumstances I encounter. And it is time to look inward and reconnect with Spirit.

In spiritual circles, there appear two predominant ways of interacting with our life situation.

First, receiving and reacting to life as it comes, and as some might describe it, learning to wait on God, trusting that all will be well. And second, moving into life with assertive creativity, fighting the good fight, energized by a dynamic sense of responsibility and purpose.

There is a tension between these choices.

Choosing to be creatively assertive assumes you know (or you think you know) what needs to be done. But assumptions are often misconstrued because of narrow understanding, or tainted sympathies, or – more easy to identify – those kneejerk, emotional reactions we all, at times, fall prey to.

One friend suggested, “It [assumptive behavand tax planning iour] gets worse the older you get.” Meaning that with age come the associations created by years of experience.

Experience that rears any number of unrelenting expectations not easily set aside, sediment from our past, commonly referred to as baggage.

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I agreed but added, “Being older has the unfortunate but arguable benefit of uncomfortably recalling failure.” And I can attest to how this humbling effect helps rein in assumptive choices, but not always.

Choosing to wait on God assumes you know it is best to not act or react in a particular moment or circumstance, but instead to raise the rudder and drift unassumingly. But such assumptions are as easily misconstrued as assumptions in choosing to act.

The choice to float rudderless can be symptomatic of an emotional wound, perhaps a fear-based reservation forcing a depressing passivity. It may also mask thoughtless egocentricity or ignorant indifference. Which is most likely the influence of past wounding also. More baggage.

A good balance between waiting on God and acting assertively is not easily found. The wellknown Serenity Prayer is one answer. It speaks of the need for “wisdom” to know the difference between what is possible to change (a call to action) and what must be accepted as unchangeable (a call to wait).

The prayer encourages our movement beyond the baggage, which, left unchecked, might stimulate a hasty overreaction or, trigger a fearful under-reaction (to the circumstance of our life). In moving beyond the baggage, we circumvent the (always destructive) fear-based behaviour that drives both ends of the choice spectrum.

So a balance between when to wait and when to act needs be sought so that we neither burn out nor rust out. But remain connected to our highest hopes for others and ourselves.

As I see it, the biggest challenge is in recognizing we are not balanced. This is the wisdom called for in the Serenity Prayer. It is about self-awareness, recognizing when we are half-consciously spinning in circumstances, reacting almost involuntarily to demands on our time, our thoughts or our energy.

When we are wisely balanced, we respond to demands and circumstance with a mindful presence grounded in a purposeful intentionality.

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Jim Innes is a clinically trained therapist and a priest at St. John’s Anglican Church in St. Thomas.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 4

Business & Community OUR COMMUNITY

New and unique ways to meet greater needs

by Serge Lavoie

Next year, in 2017, we will all rally together to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada’s nationhood.

There will be a second, perhaps less celebrated, milestone in 2017. It will be the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the personal income tax, better known at the time as the Income War Tax Act of 1917. It was designed as a temporary measure to help offset debts related to the Great War. This column won’t debate the concept of “temporary” or even the value of income tax, or income distribution, to society. However, it’s worth looking at the fact that no level of income tax, corporate tax, sales tax or regulatory fees is ever enough to pay for the growing needs of our country and its citizens. The apparent needs are so great that every level of government has generated record debts and deficits to meet them. It’s a twisted form of “paying it forward”.

The inability of governments to address future needs, let alone the costs of previous programs, has put more emphasis than ever on private giving and the work of the curiously-named “civil society”.

Personal giving isn’t new of course. A few years before our income tax began, the first Community Chest was launched in the U.S. and quickly spread across North America before finally adopting the name United Way in 1963 (1973 in Canada).

Non-government operation of services isn’t new either. I grew up in Quebec where most social services – schools, hospitals, welfare, birth and death registries, community centres and even cinemas – were owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Church.

For centuries, communities have been looking after their own (although if you’ve read Dickens you’ll know there have been serious gaps in the social fabric). That approach continues today, with over 170,000 charities and non-profits operating in Canada, some 85,000 registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. All of these exist to marshal cash and resources from Canadians and apply them to particular needs or projects, usually separate from

WeHave Moved

governments but increasingly in partnership with them.

It would be hard to argue that Canadians haven’t been well served by this approach. Certainly here in Elgin and St. Thomas we can point to dozens of organizations doing really important work, either in mental health, poverty reduction, youth issues, diversity or even supporting infrastructure such as playgrounds, museums, tourist venues or heritage assets.

The system is showing signs of stress however. Increasingly you hear charities talking about “donor fatigue”. We won’t get into the reality of taxpayer fatigue.

Almost all charitable organizations are involved in operational shift or reorganization, looking for efficiencies and trying to get attention in a very fragmented social media world. Some very innovative thinking is coming out of that process. Charities and other civil society organizations are trying to meet the challenges of the moment: charitable donors want greater say in how their money is applied; they want organizations to run more efficiently; there are more and more mechanisms for donating directly while cutting out “the middle-man”.

You can see that at work in the Elgin St. Thomas Community Foundation. Last year the foundation managed 31 separate funds, gave 64 grants to 50 charities and distributed 22 scholarships.

(Full disclosure: one of those funds is for the St. Elevated Park, a project I am involved with.) Just as important as the funding, the community foundation is active in generating discussions within the community about innovations in community building and community engagement.

It hosted idea-generating Ignite sessions

and is now engaged in the interactive program known as 100 People Who Care in which 100 people each donate $100 with the $10,000 going to a single charity that comes up with the best idea, as determined by the donors themselves. As an idea, it’s open, transparent and engaging. It uses the tools and approaches of social media funding (think Indie-Go-Go or Go Fund Me) while generating community engagement.

On the horizon, look for discussions on Social Impact Bonds and other innovative financing vehicles too complex to discuss in this column. Look them up online. The bottom line is that greater needs are generating new and unique ways to meet those needs. The impetus for all this seems to be the fact that as a whole, the baby boom generation and their parents are sitting on record-breaking assets in their retirement years.

The future of community giving is no longer simply in tapping our pay cheques; instead, it’s all about getting us to actively invest our accumulated assets in solutions to long-term community challenges.

Serge Lavoie has a 35 year career managing associations. He is currently president of On Track St. Thomas. He lives in St. Thomas.

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

5

Business & Community Financial Planning

Life insurance discounts tied to your fitness level?

Your Fitbit will prove it. health and takes very good care of yourself? What if you are significantly more fit and active than the Life insurance meets modern technology. Any- majority of the population, committed to exercise one who has applied for life insurance will know on a regular basis, and eat well? Should you be you need to answer a long list of health questions, granted a discount? How can you prove ongoing possibly participate in a paramedical exam, and good health? Enter Fitbit technology. your doctor may be asked to complete an attendManulife Financial Corporation’s US subsidiary ing physicians report on your health in order to (John Hancock) is now offering rate reductions to secure coverage. customers who can demonstrate they are mainIt’s no secret that insurance companies do their taining their fitness and good health, as proven by homework on your health before agreeing to a their Fitbit. It looks as though a Canadian launch policy binding them to pay thousands of dollars of insurance discounts tied to healthy habits may should you meet an untimely death. Insurance not be too far behind. underwriters carefully manage the longevity and How does this work? Similar to traditional life mortality risk for the pool of people they insure. If insurance, you complete an application to qualify you have poor health, you may be denied coverage for your policy, and from there you can register to or required to pay a higher price for it. On the flip link your Fitbit or other wearable technology to side, if you have good health you may be offered the program. Once enrolled, members start earna standard or sometimes preferred rate premium. ing points for maintaining healthy lifestyle activTwo people the same age and sex with similar ity. Based on the amount of points accumulated, health at application will pay the same premium, a healthy person could earn up to an additional but as time goes on, each of those people may treat 15% off their premium, compared to their less actheir ongoing health and fitness very differently. tive counterparts.

What if you are the person who has excellent Details of the Canadian program are still being ironed out but it appears as though Canadian consumers are interested.

Wearable technology has become widespread and the demand for fitness trackers continues to grow.

Critics and privacy PROPANE • FUELS • LUBRICANTS experts express some concern due to the perKARN FAMILY COLLECTION • A SIGHT TO BEHOLD! sonal nature of the data collected and indicate this might not be an ideal choice or a discount that’s worth it for everyone.

On the opposing side,

by Stepanie Farrow

insurance companies already collect lots of personal health data to determine insurability and already follow strict rules and regulations surrounding privacy laws.

While some consumers might not be comfortable with this health data collection, many others will welcome it. Millions of people around the world already track and document their personal fitness, health and other information on different apps, technology and devices. This concept allows people to put their data to work and prove themselves worthy of a fitness discount.

It will be interesting to see what happens with fitness tracking and wearable technology in the Canadian life insurance market in the coming months.

Stephanie Farrow, B.A., C.F.P., is a Certified Financial Planner and co-owner of Farrow Financial Services Inc., in Belmont

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

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY Tourism

The New New Age –

Celebrating the wild abundance of Elgin County

by Katherine Thompson

Stephen Hotchkiss, owner of The New New Age, spent his youth in Elgin County, but it was when he was living in Los Angeles that he met his wife and business partner Katie. Together the two started an herbal tea company and were in the process of opening a storefront location when they learned that Stephen’s father was looking to retire from farming back in Canada. The opportunities to grow all their own ingredients and to be stewards of their own land were appealing to the pair who decided to move north of the border and settle on the family farm in Bayham.

After arriving back in Elgin, Stephen and Katie began to transform the farm into an oasis of biodiversity, restoring it to its original habitat, and encouraging the growth of native species. Many of the herbs that are featured in their organic tea line are now grown or wild foraged directly on the farm using sustainable practices that go beyond just producing organically grown products. They focused on the restoration of the entire ecosystem of the farm including increasing the biodiversity of organisms, creating a wetland habitat on the property, planting native species on 40 acres, and planting 20,000 trees. The farm also became a sanctuary for pollinators of all sorts; especially bees who are kept using natural, minimally invasive methods.

Stephen and Katie sell their organic teas, honey, and other herbal products at The New New Age, their storefront location in Port Stanley. This unique artisan market expertly combines the atmosphere of a trendy Los Angeles boutique with the earthy, laid back vibe of the lakeshore. In addition to the complete line of herbal teas, The New New Age also offers homemade chocolate, spices, farm fresh cheese, Kombucha tea, and lo-

cal artisan goods such as pottery, glassware, natural body products, and fine art.

The New New Age is also home to a bistro that specializes in dishes created using wild foraged, local, organic ingredients such as fiddle heads, Lake Erie fish, and sustainable Amish farm products.

Approximately 90% of products on the menu come directly from Elgin County suppliers.

The newest edition to The New New Age is a brew pub, Last Castle Brewing Co. This partnership between Stephen and Brewmaster Aiden Norton Katherine Thompson is Marketing & specializes in small batches of herbal and farmCommunications Coordinator with house style ales inspired by the ingredients of the The County of Elgin Elgin County countryside.

The New New Age also hosts a series of workshops and classes both on the farm and in-store.

On-farm Yoga and permaculture workshops will be held on the farm throughout the summer, and various beer and wine tastings, chocolate making demonstrations, and nutritional workshops ay lent each sund will be held at the Port l, cal Musical ta c el lo sh g in nd sin as Ba ca s show F Jone Stanley location. t the Morris at , st. thoMas et re st M el , Park aFore P For more information Pina d) icated Swing (big ban about The New New June 5, 6 pm • SophiSt iouS) (var art agg mct meg June 12, 6 pm • Age or to register for a choir) S SliderS (trombone June 19, 6 pm • Stevie’ /rocK) class or workshop visit pSaKeS (original pop Kee the & ly Ser caS ntry) June 26, 6 pm • chriS y claSSicS band (cou them online, like them ntr cou the • pm 6 July 3, ) entertainment (variouS eSt ribf • day on Facebook, or follow all July 10, y muSic (country) ntr cou – dS rea ret • July 17, 6 pm them on Instagram. (country) 6 pm • traci Kennedy

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 7

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY Leadership

Avoiding the drama merry-go-round This adrenalin response is so powerful that, when triggered, we can become immediately floodMost of your life, you are six seconds away from ed. Heart rate increases, muscles disaster or wisdom. tighten, anger and fear mix toIn the time it takes for three deep breaths, you gether in a flood of adrenalin. If can allow your grown-up brain to guide your next you do not use your six seconds response … or you can react from fear and excite- well, it may take several minutes ment. to regain your composure. Men If you act before you pause when confronted in are more vulnerable than women a back alley or a board room, your emotional re- to this hormone-initiated loss of clear thinking. sponse centre will sound an alarm and take over, The person challenging you in the business and you will do or say something that is less than meeting may be devious and mean-spirited but helpful. he is not your abusive father. The colleague may The reason this is dangerous to our professional be reactive and entrenched but she is not your and personal relationships ex-wife. You may is that most of the time we have good reason the colleague may be think we are using our big to be cautious, but brain when we are really the decision making thinking with our primineeds to be made tive little brain and reacting calmly in the presbut she is not your ex-wife from primeval fight-flight ent moment. responses. Instead of being Being aware fully present and processing the information as a doesn’t change the reality that you are a sensory confident co-creator, we default to old experiences response creature, and you have stored every exand jump onto the drama merry-go-round. perience from conception. All it takes is a smell, a look, a tone or gesture to bring your limbic response system into high alert. Deep in your brain there are a pair of small almondshaped receptors. The left and right amygdala are part of your survival system. The amygdala are involved in the processing of emotions such as fear, anger and THE A/C SYSTEM pleasure. They are also SERVICE SPECIAL INCLUDES: responsible for memo• Evacuate and recharge A/C System ries of painful experi• Includes Freon top up to 1/2 lb ences from the past.

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may react to a person in the present as if they were a person from your past.

Daniel Goleman coined the phrase ‘amygdala hijack’ to describe what happens in us when we perceive a threat and act from the amygdala rather than our higher decision-making capabilities.

When life is flowing smoothly, we process information through our neocortex, the complex part of our brain where logic occurs. The neocortex makes us fully human, providing a Self-leader with abstract reasoning, aesthetic values, judgement and language.

When stakes are high and emotions are strong often the thinking brain is bypassed and signals are sent straight to the emotional brain. When this happens, you have an immediate, overwhelming emotional response disproportionate to the present experience.

By pausing for a few deep breaths, you can remember who you are, where you are, and what you really want.

When you have paused, you may still decide to run, but at least you’ll know why you’re running and you’ll be running in the right direction.

Cheryl Lester and Doug Lester—individually and together—making a difference through leadership coaching and development, writing, and speaking. Co-authors of 12 Steps of Self-Leadership. eagletreeleadership.ca.

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

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• JUNE 2016 •

He’ll put one on the barbie!

Disbrowe Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC Ltd. general manager Paul Johnson (left) is pleased to accept a Broil King Signet 320 BBQ, courtesy of Dowler-Karn, from myFM sales manager Doug Chard during myFM’s fifth anniversary celebration at the Chamber’s May Business After 5 hosted by 94.1 myFM.

June’s Business After 5 A 10th anniversary celebration!

Date:

Wednesday June 22

Time:

5:00 p.m.

Sponsor & location:

Elgin Chrysler Jeep Dodge, 275 Wellington Street Free Admission to all personnel from any organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.

Celebrating the 2016 Free Enterprise Award winners!

Pictured above, l to r, Sean Dyke, St. Thomas EDC; Debra Mountenay, Workforce Planning Board; Dennis Broome, St. Thomas EDC; Shawn DeVree, Vesta Parenting; Bill Graham, CPA, CA; Melanie Taylor, Vesta Parenting; Joe Preston, Wendy’s Restaurant/Boston Pizza; Suzanne & John Gurr, Gurr Auto.

Truly outstanding!

They say enthusiasm is contagious. Now we have proof.

The Chamber’s 42nd presentation of the Free Enterprise Awards on the second Wednesday in May has proven to be one of the most electrifying and enthusiastic adventures ever.

We could tell our event was going to be bigger and better in the weeks leading up to it.

It all started with the number and quality of nominations the Chamber received. Our Awards & Recognition Committee took on the task of reviewing and deciding winners once nominations closed at the end of March.

Led by the Immediate Past Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Ross Fair, this team of Chamber volunteers and staff had tough choices to make. They had to make selections from a pool of nominations that exceeded the number of awards available. Their challenge led to decisions to hold some nominations and recommend reconsideration to the 2017 committee.

When the day of the Free Enterprise Reception arrived we knew our expectations of a large audience would be met but, until the first winner was announced, we had no way of knowing the level and volume of enthusiasm in the room.

Polite and courteous applause in the right places is expected but this year we saw it become loud and aggressive! And the smiles it brought to our winners as

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..............Satisfy wants Page 11....................... Too big Page 12.................. FE Awards Page 13......... More FE Awards Page 14...................... Pro Text Page 15........... Legal Business Page 16........... Chamber news June, 2016

they advanced to the stage to claim their trophies spoke volumes.

Another curious, but very positive, dimension this year was what seemed a common thread in the remarks and comments each winner made. Each one made special note of the value and rewards in recognizing that a caring attitude in both business and community life is the best path to success. Master Award Winner Joe Preston reminded us of the late founder of Wendy’s Restaurants, Dave Thomas, saying “It’s OK to make a profit.

But make sure you give some back to the community you took it from.” Merit Award Winner Melanie Taylor of Vesta Parenting took her remarks public with a post of her notes on Facebook, explaining she is thankfully suffering from “the Entrepreneurial Disease” and said that “If you build it, they will come”. She concluded with saying how proud she is of this community and that she has great hope and vision for it.

In the seven days following the Awards Reception, the Chamber observed some other happy highlights with social media. Each of the presentation videos was posted on the Chamber’s Facebook Page and in our Facebook Group. Net result: over 10,000 looks, likes and shares.

We’re impressed. And we’re very happy. To all of our sponsors and Members who supported the 2016 Free Enterprise Awards Program we say THANKS in a huge way. Quite literally, we couldn’t do it without you.

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 20th

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 9

Viewpoint

Want them to want you?

Three tips on driving customer action

by Christina R. Green

Every living thing needs something in order to continue its existence – for humans, that’s food and shelter. Even if you are in the business of providing one of those very basic needs, a person doesn’t need your product. They need a form of what you offer. Could be yours; could be the other guys. You shouldn’t care what they need anyway.

Humans aren’t driven by needs. They’re driven by wants.

A basic premise of economics begins with “assume the buyer is rational.” You can do that all day long, but it won’t improve your revenue. People are motivated to purchase out of want, or desire, for your product. You can entice them to want through positives like “good value” but ultimately, you want to present something that drives action.

Here are a couple of ways to make your product or service more desirable.

Solve a problem This is the basic want motivator that even a practical, no-frills customer will find interest in. They have a problem; you have a solution (hopefully one that’s better than what they’ve heard). Many car buyers have started taking this approach in their marketing. For example, a customer wants a

new car but doesn’t feel like giving up a Saturday to do it. The pain of giving up free time is greater than the need for a new car, until the dealership offers a one-hour guarantee, haggle-free pricing, or some other promise that tells them the car purchase will be quick and painless.

You can achieve this same success by thinking about why your customer buys from you. What pain do you solve for? Then stop talking about your product and service and start addressing that pain in your marketing.

Build an image This is the approach the big brands take. They create a line targeted at a certain type of person.

They hope to sell their product to that person but also the person who wants to be perceived as that type. Apple did this as it evolved out of “education’s computer” and into the cool machine for designers. Their product placement team worked tirelessly. In the early days, every time someone pulled out a computer on Sex and the City or a number of other shows, it was a Mac. People didn’t buy Macs because they were cheap. A large portion bought them for what others saw when they opened one.

To do this on a national level takes deep pockets.

However, you can accomplish this same sort of branding through content marketing, reviews, and referrals. You need to tie your line to a popular trend, or create one, and then target all of your content on supporting that trend.

For instance, if you carried a line of maternity fitness wear and you wanted to become the name in that niche, you would focus all of your content on fitness during pregnancy, things to be aware of, best things to do, etc. Concentrate

on making that person feel whatever your product or service evokes and create content around it.

Create a story/furnish the dream Storytelling is used in a variety of ways today.

Businesses tell their stories. Businesses tell their customers’ stories. Customers tell their stories on behalf of the business. You get the idea. But another effective use of storytelling is creating a vision in your customers’ heads of how things will be with your product or service. It involves taking the dream they’ve already created in their minds and casting your product or service into a role.

This works especially well for big tickets items like homes and luxury vacations. It’s also easier than creating the desire itself. The desire is there. They have a dream home pictured. You’re merely their dream interpreter who will suggest your product is what they’ve been envisioning all along.

You’ll see this when real estate agents use the approach of, “Haven’t you always wanted to live by the sea?” or “Can you imagine seeing the sun rise over that hill as you drink your first cup of coffee in the morning?” Adding your product or service to the customer’s internal story goes a long way to closing that sale.

Marketing has changed greatly over the past twenty years. It’s less company-driven (in the way that companies can make the decisions of what’s important and worth talking about) and more consumer-driven as customers become more adamant in sharing their likes and dislikes. To appeal to today’s savvy customer, you must uncover and market to what they want. This generally means solving a problem, helping them become something they’ve envisioned, or building on their dream.

Christina R. Green is a frequent contributor to the Chamber and our publications. She 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. She’s a bookish writer on a quest to bring great storytelling to organizations everywhere.

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.on.ca Website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

247-450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas, ON 519-637-0181 x204 1-888-877-2119 www.arcbenefitsplanning.com

June, 2016

President & CEO Bob Hammersley Accounting Coordinator Susan Munday Member Services Christy Hunking Marketing Intern Lucas Tyson Office Assistant Kylie Lechner

Stability & Predictability for Small Businesses

EGGS 8.5X11-10-12

St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce 2016 Board of Directors Chair: Dan Kelly, CPA, CGA Dowler-Karn Ltd. Vice-Chair: Robert Furneaux Gorman-Rupp of Canada Ltd. Treasurer: Mark Lassam, CPA, CA Lassam & Co. Past Chair: Ross Fair Fanshawe College Director: Ray Bosveld HollisWealth Director: Kathy Cook World Financial Group Director: Sean Dyke St. Thomas Economic Development Corp.

Director: Brian Helmer Reith & Associates Insurance & Financial Director: Kevin Jackson Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Phil Mauer Phil Mauer & Associates Inc. Director: Ginette Minor Alexelle Slipcovers & Décor 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

Our annual MP / MPP Luncheon Tuesday June 28

Queen’s Park issue on your mind? Questions about anything federal?

They are all welcome as the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce hosts our Elgin - Middlesex - London Member of Parliament (MP), Karen Vecchio, and Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Jeff Yurek in a luncheon meeting/question-and-answer session on Tuesday June 28.

Tickets by advance sale only. $32 per person.

Federal MP Karen Vecchio and Provincial MPP Jeff Yurek. The Chamber sincerely thanks our event sponsors for making our MP/MPP Luncheon possible: Phil Mauer & Associates Inc., Dowler-Karn, and the Elgin-Middlesex-Oxford Workforce Planning & Development Board.

Look who’s here The popularity of electronic connections for business often means we lose the personal connection. To help our Members connect names and faces, we’re pleased to intro four of the Chamber staff. You could likely hear from any of these folks this summer as we work with you on community and Chamber services and products. Left to right, Accounting Co-Ordinator Susan Munday; Marketing Intern Lucas Tyson; Member Services Representative Christy Hunking; and Office Assistant/Summer Student Kylie Lechner.

Small business too big to ignore At the Ontario Chamber’s annual conference in late April a new research paper was shared with the network. Titled Top 3 Obstacles To Small Business Success, it is the result of detailed analysis and consultation with Ontario’s small businesses; any entity with less than 100 employees. The full report can be viewed through the News section of the Chamber website at www.stthomaschamber.on.ca The key findings are: 1) A Lack of Access to the Workers We Need 2) Key Infrastructure Gaps 3) The Rising Cost of Doing Business The result of the research is the launch of a new initiative we call Small Business Too Big To Ignore. This spring and summer you will see us raise awareness of the issues since they’re really everyone’s issues. Small business employs over 3 million people in Ontario and creates 98% of the jobs here.

And small business has a huge link to bigger business as suppliers of goods and services.

Now through the end of summer we will join with our colleagues across the province to seek input and answers. In the coming weeks, watch for chances to join us for conversations over lunch when we will ask questions and report the views of St. Thomas & District small business back to the Ontario Chamber. During Small Business Week this October, we will release a final report that incorporates local feedback from communities across the province and ideas or recommendations to address the obstacles and barriers we face.

June, 2016

Orders can be placed now at the Chamber office.

Ticket price includes a hot/cold buffet luncheon.

Call us for more at 519-631-1981.

Our location for this event will be St. Anne’s Centre on Morrison Drive, St. Thomas. Doors open at 11:15 a.m., buffet service runs 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon, then our guests take the stage for remarks, followed by an open question-and-answer session.

The event will end by 1:30 p.m.

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

2016 Free Enterprise Awards Chamber Board of Directors Chair Dan Kelly named Debra Mountenay of the Workforce Planning Board to receive the 2016 Chamber Chair’s Award. Deb has been a Chamber volunteer on our Board and numerous committees and projects non-stop since 2000.

Connecting over conversation is always a component of Chamber events.

Left, MP Karen Vecchio and former MP/Award Winner Joe Preston mingle with constituents after the official ceremony.

Left, Chamber Board Director Bob Ward congratulates Joe Preston on his years of business and community service by presenting him with the Free Enterprise Master Award.

Vesta Parenting Inc. owners Melanie Taylor, left, and Shawn DeVree celebrate receipt of a Free Enterprise Award of Merit from Chamber Board of Directors Vice-Chair Robert Furneaux.

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115 - 300 South Edgeware Road, St. Thomas Phone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 Email: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

June, 2016

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

2016 Free Enterprise Awards Left: Volunteers on the Chamber’s Board of Directors complete their terms and the end of December each year but we hold off on recognition until a large crowd is present at the Free Enterprise Awards Reception.

A donation has been made in the name of each retiree to a charity or project of their choice. Left, Jeff Kohler and Laura Woermke with our 2016 Board Chair Dan Kelly. Rob Mise, formerly of myFM radio has relocated to Peterborough but was also recognized at our event.

Right: Recently retired from the accounting firm he co-founded, Graham Scott Enns, accountant Bill Graham, right, was presented with the Free Enterprise Master Award by the Chamber’s Member Services Committee Chair Ray Bosveld.

Left: John Gurr of Gurr Auto received a Free Enterprise Award of Merit presented by Kevin Jackson from the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

Above: Chamber Vice-Chair Robert Furneaux, right, presented a Free Enterprise Merit Award to staff of the St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation, Railway City Tourism and the Small Business Enterprise Centre. L to r, Cindy Hastings, Amy Hiscox, Megan Pickersgill, Sean Dyke, Tara McCaulley and EDC President Dennis Broome.

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2015 CAA Facility of the Year – Silver (out of 55 facilities in Southwestern Ontario) 2015 Best Local Business – Spirit of St. Thomas Awards 2014 Best Mechanic – Matt Mitchell – Spirit of St. Thomas Awards “Our team is responsible for these award wins,” said Bob Ward, owner of St. Thomas Auto Guys.

“Without the excellent team we have here, these awards would not be possible.”

From a Small Office to a Large Factory Lunch Safety Meetings,Lunch wardYour Staff Meetings or to Reward for a Job Well Done!

The St. Thomas Auto Guys continue to maintain strong ties to the community, having previously won the 2013 CAA and OTS Recycle Drive winning $20,000 to rebuild an unused courtyard at the Elgin Court Public School in St. Thomas. They also applied and won a $25,000 Community Builder Grant for the Elgin Court School from Libro Financial in 2014.

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

Pro Text

Here comes summer! Make your cottage safe

by Cody Benner

In the summer many like to get away from their daily routines and head to their favourite destination where they may relax in the sun and enjoy their leisure time away from the daily grind.

If you own a cottage or any secondary location, there are always safety precautions that need to be taken yearly when preparing for the family holiday.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare your cottage for the upcoming summer season: Ensure all insurance documents for your cottage are correct: At every renewal, review your cottage policy very carefully, and if anything is incorrect or miss-

ing, inform your insurance company immediately yearly inspection to verify it is still in sound workand prior to your departure. For example, if the ing condition. policy states the cottage is a wood frame but it is Replace and test all batteries in your smoke actually brick veneer, your premiums would be alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and flashhigher. Be sure to also check lights at your cottage or one of the highest types of other details on your polisecondary location: cies such as wiring, plumbThese types of alarms can claims is from ing, and furnace specifics are save your family’s lives and accurate to ensure you are can also minimize the damproperly insured. If the wirage if a claim does occur. You ing type is aluminum, most insurance companies should be checking the batteries of the smoke alarm will request an inspection to be done by a certified and carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year. electrician as aluminum has a higher susceptibil- When checking the alarm systems, you should also ity of starting a fire. If the furnace is 25 years or check your fire extinguishers. If your cottage does older, your insurance company would request a not have one, invest in a fire extinguisher, and keep it in the kitchen area. Lastly, check the batteries in your flashlight once a year and have one in every room of the cottage. If there were to be a power outage or you find yourself in a location that does not have electricity, a faulty flashlight would benefit no one.

Before you get your water system going at the cottage, check all water pipes and exterior for damage: One of the highest types of claims is from water damage. It is imperative to check your cottage exterior for any damage to powerlines, the chimney, the roof, the deck, windows, screens, and beneath the cottage at the posts, pads, foundation, and beams. If any part of the cottage exterior was damaged during the winter months it can cause water damage to the interior of the cottage and its contents. Look for possible leaks where water can trickle through should there be a faulty seal on the windows, cracks in the foundation, holes in the chimney, holes in the roof, and possibly powerline damage which could lead to sump pump failure or hot water tank leakage. Once you have double checked all water entrance points, run all taps to clear the air and excess water in the drain before opening the valves.

Following these easy safety tips to opening your cottage will help to ensure you will have a safe, relaxing family vacation this upcoming summer.

“

water damage”

Youth Employment Programming Ages 15-29

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www.employmentserviceselgin.ca joblink@employmentserviceselgin.ca June, 2016

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted by Cody Benner, RIB (Ont).

Cody is a Broker/ Cody Benner Advisor with Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited, 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via e-mail: info@reithandassociates.com

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

Legal Business

Flim flam in the Electronic Age client. The lawyer was then approached by the friend. That information can be used by fraudsame client to act in relation to a business loan sters to obtain (electronically) your key pieces of and equipment purchase. Loan proceeds in ex- identity, and ultimately your identity itself.

One of my favourite Hollywood musicals is The cess of $300,000 were directed by the “lender” So, don’t be too surprised if your lawyer requires Music Man, and not just for the music (and Ron to another corporation. Lawyers always conduct a face to face consultation with you concerning Howard and Shirley Jones). The character of Har- such transactions with certified cheques or bank your business or personal transaction. Expect to old Hill, the traveling music teacher/salesman, is, drafts, for all the usual reasons, but more impor- be asked detailed questions about the transaction. by far, one of the most intriguing in the musical tantly, because if the cheque is no good, it’s dis- Specific information will be required concerning genre. He, of course, is not all he seems, and it honour by the bank could clean out the lawyer’s any lenders involved. Be prepared to provide sevappears for a while he will swindle the good folk trust account (and all the other clients’ money in eral pieces of identification, a verifiable address, of River City of their hard earned money, and it). and land line phone number. And, oh yes, forvanish into the darkness of the Midwestern night.

You probably guessed by now that there really get about pressuring the lawyer to complete the However, Professor Hill has a conscience, and a was no lender, and no equipment purchase, and, transaction “yesterday”. face, so wonderfully drawn by Robert Preston, yes, the bank draft which was deposited in the In the words of Professor Hill, “Yes, we’ve got and, in the end he fesses up and all is good again. lawyer’s trust account was forged, as was the cli- trouble”, but not just in River City; thanks to Notice I said the good professor had a face; he ent’s identity documents. By the time the bank modern technology, it’s everywhere. was right there in front of the very people he was personnel realized the draft was forged, the fraudtrying to dupe. Not so in the modern flim flam ster was long gone, and so, apparently, was a lot schemes. In many cases the victims don’t even of money. And yes, there is normally insurance of Lawyer Monty Fordham know they’ve been had, much less have any idea various kinds in place to cover the losses arising prepares this monthly column of who the culprit is. The reason for this is very from these scams. As well, lawyers are continufor the St. Thomas & District simple: electronic business transactions and the ally being briefed by our governing body and our Chamber of Commerce and resulting lack of personal contact between the insurers with respect to risk avoidance and best our Members. Questions, parties. practices. comments and suggestions for Much of our business nowadays is not transactOther frauds involve a previously unknown clifuture columns are welcomed Monty Fordham by Monty at his office: Fordham ed face-to-face. We bank, pay bills, order goods ent engaging a lawyer to act on contrived matters and services, and even close our real estate trans- involving collections, small business loans and & Brightling Associates – Lawyers, 4 Elgin Street, St. actions over the internet. And, it is not just the real estate and mortgage transactions. Lawyers are Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 average consumer who is being fleeced. In some being warned to be on “high alert” before bank or e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca cases, it is the lawyers themselves, as well as their holidays as these peclients who are being hoodwinked. riods have the highest In one case, a lawyer was approached and di- incidence of this type John & Suzanne Gurr would like to rected to incorporate a company on behalf of the of fraud, due, in part, Thank the St. Thomas & District to the delay in Chamber of Commerce for Honouring electronic transthem with the Award of Merit. fer of funds over a long weekend.

All these schemes rely on one thing: the lawyer does not actually know the client. He/ she is given false identification, address, banking information, much of it stolen John & Suzanne Gurr from someone else. How did “We look forward to continuing they get it? Ofour pursuit to contribute to our ten, this docucommunity for years to come.” mentation is assembled over the internet using social networking sites. We all must be much more careful in the kinds of information we A tough job that somebody’s gotta do Gurr provide to these 8 Duckworth Ave., Auto The Immediate Past Chair of the Chamber’s Board always sites. Otherwise Duck Worth Ave. heads up our Awards & Recognition Committee. Ross Fair perfect strangers St. Thomas spoke to our audience at the Free Enterprise Awards Edward St. will know more 519-637-9861 ceremony May 11 at St. Anne’s Centre on the tough choices about you than St. thomaS the committee faced in naming our 2016 award recipients. your closest www.gurrauto.com Shoppers

Ontario Rd.

by Monty Fordham

First Ave.

June, 2016

E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 15

Chamber News

Shredding made easy The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and the Elgin Business Resource Centre co-sponsored and hosted a free document shredding day during Police Week. And we think we set some kind of record. Mid-way through our 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. offer, the trailer and the bins were full and a call was made to bring in a truck. Over 6,600 lb. were shredded!

Thanks to STPS Constables Jeff DeLeeuw and Tanya Calvert for the lugging and slugging!

Meet Doug & Kent MyFM Radio hosted and sponsored the Chamber’s May Business After 5 event to mark the station’s 5th anniversary on the air and to welcome two new senior management personnel to our community.

Pictured as they prepare to slice the birthday cake, new Sales Manager Doug Chard, left, and new General Manager Kent Coleman.

The map behind the pair shows all 22 southern/eastern Ontario stations that form MBC – My Broadcasting Corporation.

We’ll be on air!

Bill Lee (right), representing Psychiatric Survivors Network of Elgin, was the lucky door prized winner of a long weekend advertising package worth $1,100 from myFM’s new Sales Manager Doug Chard at the May Business After 5 celebrating the radio stations fifth anniversary in St. Thomas.

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

HEALTHY LIVING Everyday Health

So-called back cracking one of many options

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

Recently a new patient reported to my office looking for relief from lower back pain. She had tried many traditional medical and home remedies with no relief. Finally, out of desperation, she decided that she would see a chiropractor.

She naturally discussed her decision with family and friends who unfortunately (and this is all too common) gave her all kinds of advice related to chiropractic. Some of it accurate but sadly much of it inaccurate and fearful. To her credit, she persevered and kept her appointment.

When she did finally arrive for her initial consultation, she was very anxious and concerned about the misinformation that her family and friends had provided. Many of them had tried to describe forms of spinal manipulative therapy (cracking of the back) based on either personal experience or hearsay. From her description, the procedures sounded more like potential forms of torture than forms of therapy. As well, many had given her false information about other potential risks and problems that they felt were associated with chiropractic treatment.

The information that she received was very narrow-minded and extremely inaccurate but it certainly was not the first time that I had heard many of these myths and misconceptions.

We discussed her concerns, and I explained to her that the first step in the process would be to take a careful history. Through some very specific questions, we could start to determine the possible sources of her back pain. Once we had started to narrow down the potential causes, then we would perform a thorough examination which would include a postural evaluation, range of motion testing, orthopedic testing, neurological testing and, if clinically warranted, a radiographic study (x-ray).

I explained to her that following this procedure, we should be able to come up with a formal diagnosis and then, and only then, would we be able

to determine what the best course of treatment might be to help her with her problem.

After following the procedures discussed above, I became suspicious that the source of this patient’s back pain might be a serious but not lifethreatening condition called spinal stenosis. The simple explanation of this condition is that spinal arthritis has caused the bony canal that houses the spinal cord to narrow leaving less room for the spinal cord. Patients will typically report a history of longstanding or recurrent back pain and leg pain. The pain is made worse with long periods of standing and walking. A key symptom in the history is that the patient may experience back and leg pain while grocery shopping but they find relief by leaning on the grocery cart.

The position of forward flexion actually helps to open up the spinal canal making more room for the spinal cord.

I discussed my suspicions with the patient, and we reviewed the arthritic findings on her x-ray.

We discussed referring her back to her general practitioner to get a referral for an MRI. We also discussed a course of treatment that we could initiate, if she chose, that would be safe and effective for helping her with her back and leg pain.

I carefully explained that there were many options when it comes to treating these types of conditions, but as with any patient, it was important that we design a treatment plan that worked for her. We would endeavour to find treatment procedures that relieved her symptoms while carefully monitoring for any signs of increased leg pain or other symptoms typically associ-

ated with spinal stenosis.

The patient was very surprised that I didn’t suggest that we “crack her back”. I explained to her that spinal manipulative therapy (cracking the back) was only one of many tools that a chiropractor might use when it was appropriate to do so, and that I felt that other treatment options were more appropriate at this time. This seemed to relieve her anxiety and to date we have experienced good results with her treatment.

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

Join us for our

Fireworks display at 10 p.m.

Friday, July 1st 2016

For Vendor opportunities please contact the parks & rec department at 519-633-7112 June, 2016

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

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce

Learn the ABCs of RESPs

by Karyn Silliker

With rising tuition costs, being able to afford to send your child to the post-secondary school of his or her choice can be a daunting prospect – particularly in these challenging economic times.

As a result, many students are graduating with large amounts of debts from student loans.

“With the average cost of a four-year post-secondary school education expected to cost nearly $60,000, parents need to be proactive about saving for their children’s education,” says Wade Stayzer, Vice President, Retail and Investment Services at Meridian, Ontario’s largest credit union. “By contributing to a Registered Education Savings Plan, parents can benefit from government grants and invest up to $50,000 per child tax free.”

Meridian offers parents the following ABCs about RESPs: 1. Start an RESP as soon as possible. All you need to open a savings plan is a social insurance number for your child; and remember that the sooner you start the more you can take advantage of compounding your savings over time. More importantly, you can open an account with as little as $20.

Investing into an RESP is a wise investment

option and arguably the best way to save for post-secondary schooling as RESPs can be supplemented with a variety of government grants including the Canadian Education Savings Grant (CESG) and the Canada Learning bond.

2. Does your teen have dreams of attending university abroad? There are literally thousands of International schools – from junior colleges to Ivy League schools– that qualify as educational institutions for your RESPs. You can visit www. canlearn.ca to find a list of institutions.

3. What happens to your RESP if you’re child no longer wants to go to post-secondary school?

It’s not a loss, but you will have to refund all of the grant dollars received – but not the growth.

You take all your invested capital tax free and take the growth out as taxable income. Or if you have an RRSP with contribution room to spare, simply move your RESP to your RRSP as a contribution to offsite the tax liability.

4. RESPs can remain open for up to 36 years, so even if your graduating secondary school student isn’t keen to go to university or college right away, you can push the date of attending a postsecondary institution forward a few years until your teenager has a clear goal for their future.

For more information, visit www.meridiancu. ca or come and visit us at Meridian’s Aylmer branch located at 36 Talbot Street West.

Karyn Silliker is Meridian’s Aylmer Branch Manager.

Members of the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce gathered for their monthly Chat & Chew at the Family Central on Wednesday, May 11th. Monthly, members come together to network and have casual conversation over lunch.

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www.theweeklynews.ca May, 2016

WISHING YOU A HAPPY CANADA DAY! ELGIN THIS MONTH

18

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce

Members of the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce attended a Business After 5 hosted by Redding Designs on Wednesday, May 11. Rob Redding and his team gave tours of their newly expanded office space in downtown Aylmer. Redding Designs Inc. is a web development company that started over 10 years ago and has grown to the beard-loving multi-media company it is today. Shown in the photo are owner, Rob Redding, Erica Unger (Heartland Farm Mutual) and Christy Hiemstra (Clovermead).

Doug and Cheryl Lester from Eagle Tree Leadership spoke to the members at the May Chamber Chat & Chew.

The 3 P’s of Engagement 1. Pause for a moment at the beginning of each day--if possible before you even leave your bed--to set your intentions for the day.

2. Pause at any time during the day to re-calibrate, refocus, and re-energize.

3. Pause at the end of your work day or evening and find three things that you are grateful for.

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19

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Mr. Cool expands and returns for Year 3

by Tara McCaulley

If you’ve been to Pinafore Park the last two summers, you’ve likely seen Mr. Cool Ice Cream at the dance pavilion. This business was started through the Summer Company program by 20-year old Josh Self, of Iona Station in Elgin County.

The Summer Company program is delivered by the Elgin/St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre and funded by the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.

The program helps enterprising young people between the ages of 15-29 years of age start up and run their own summer business.

Included in the program are 12 hours of business training, coaching and mentorship and up to $3,000 in awards. $1,500 is to help with business start-up costs and there is an additional $1,500 for those youth who successfully complete the Summer Company program.

Like many Summer Company participants, Josh has continued his business. He will be back for his third summer at Pinafore Park serving Shaw’s Ice Cream. He has grown his business from a one-man show in 2014 to 5 employees in 2016. New for this year is a trailer, and you will see Mr. Cool travelling throughout Elgin County this summer serving ice cream at events. Along the way, Josh has learned many lessons and tricks of the trade. We stopped in to see him to get his insight on starting a business.

Young entrepreneur Josh Self serves a chocolate ice cream cone to an even younger customer at Pinafore Park during the Victoria Day long weekend.

One of the most important aspects is you need to have a passion for what you do. You also want to ensure that you know who your customers are Why did you decide to start a business?

I was unable to find a summer job so I spoke and the most effective way to market to them.

You will want to ensure to a family friend that you have extra money who suggested the you should be prepared to tap into in case someidea of owning my thing goes wrong. Findown business selling ing a good location to sell ice cream during the your product is critical. summer. I liked the You should be prepared to idea of owning my own business. Our family friend told me about work long hours, more than you think. the Summer Company program and I decided What has been your biggest success? to go for it.

My biggest success was making it through the What are important steps to consider when first year and making a profit during this time.

Hiring has also been a success for me as I went starting a business?

“

to work long hours”

from 1 employee to 5 in 2 years.

What has been your biggest challenge?

I spent a lot of time researching a location that was suitable and that fit into my budget.

What is one piece of advice you would give to anyone starting a business?

Surround yourself with encouraging people who will help you to succeed. Find mentors who have experience in the industry and in business.

Ask for and be open to feedback. Always look to improve and prepare to work hard.

Great advice Josh!

Tara McCaulley is the manager at the Elgin/St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 20

HEALTHY LIVING SELF DISCOVERY

Health and safety.

It’s personal

by Anouschka Van den Bosch

Today I wrapped up my student orientations for another summer season. We have a great group of students that joined us this summer and I enjoyed every session with them as they are excited about their summer jobs and learning new skills.

We covered the necessary and required topics, and I made it more interactive this year as most of them have heard it all before, and I really wanted to make it more a conversation about what they knew already, what they had forgotten and what they needed to be reminded of.

A few years ago, I attended a Health and Safety conference where one presenter took Health and comfortable to speak up and let their supervisors Anouschka Van den Bosch is a Safety to a more personal level, and since that pre- know if they are uncomfortable or unsure on how Human Resources Professional and sentation I have done exactly that with my Health to perform a task or job assigned to them.

Certified Life and Career Coach.

On the flip side it is just as important that our and Safety topics. It is obviously important to cover the policies and the Health and Safety regulations; managers and supervisors are trained to know the however how much is any of that is going to have hazards our students may encounter and show them the proper way of using their tools. They need meaning for them?

It is a well-known fact that new and young em- to be open to any stuployees are more likely to get hurt than more ex- dent’s suggestions and perienced seasoned employees. (I do struggle with concerns. Allowing this that statement as seasoned employees can get com- comfort level between placent and not worry about safety as much they supervisors and students should. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and noth- can be the difference being ever happened before.”) So I make the end of tween a student speaking up and a student my Health and Safety topic more personal.

I ask the participants to think of four members fearful of losing her job of their family that would be concerned if they for speaking up. did not come home for supper tonight. If new and young employees they can’t think of four people, think of a pet, Business Plans • Management Consulting anything warm-blooded that is waiting for you to Small Business Services • Bookkeeping Services come home. After some Financial Reports • Payroll • Budgets thought, I ask them to Business Succession Planning imagine these four peoMaybe I take all of this ple/pets waiting for them to come home but they Our Knowledgeable and Friendly Staff are not coming home, ever. I pause and let that too personally; howhave the experience and training to help you with ever I know many of my land with everyone. all your accounting and taxation needs colleagues Give it some thought. What if you would not be HR/H&S feel the same.

We cover coming home tonight or the next night or the next because you took a guard off the circle saw, you all the bases during the took a short cut in getting the job done, or you de- training and when we cided you did not need your hard hat while work- send them out to their ing on the side of the road and a rock hit your head. departments we hope It is this conversation that I believe will sink in even they will enjoy another more than discussing our policies and covering the safe summer.

It is personal to us as Ontario Health and Safety Act regulations.

Make it personal. It is frightening to hear some of well because at the end Mark Lassam, CPA, CA the stories the students share during these sessions. of the day we all have 115 Curtis Street, St. Thomas I don’t have to make up examples; they provide four people or furry 519-631-1631 them for me. Most of them understand the haz- friends who are expectmark@lassam.ca ards on the job and they all promise me that they ing us to come home will ask questions. I just hope that they truly feel tonight.

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

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STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

You can start a business, with some help

by Mark McIntosh

Many dream of starting their own business.

There is a real attraction to being your own boss and doing things the way you want. We have seen a tremendous shift in our local economy becoming more reliant on the small business community.

As the big employers have closed, much of the local employment became devastated. However, we seem quite resilient, and the increase in entrepreneurs, making their own business dreams come true, has helped us bounce back. Hey …

I’m one of them.

Sometimes it takes that extra “push” to make it happen.

Starting a small business seems simple enough.

You have a service or product to sell, so make up a name and go do it … right? Well not quite.

Starting a business, no matter the size, takes time to investigate and plan. Neglecting this step is a big downfall for many new start-ups. For me, I had a service I knew people could use. However, would it work?

I had to consider whether people really needed my service, how big of a market there is that I am able to service. Next, who is already out there providing the same services: the competition?

If your business relies on a manufactured good, one big factor is capital cost. Do you have the ca-

pacity to produce the goods and the money to make it happen?

Okay, the list is getting longer. Don’t let these things deter you, but keep them all in mind as you move to make the dream happen … and it can!

I had some wise counsel to guide me before jumping into the lion’s den. There is a terribly important point … wise counsel. With your idea in hand, seek out those who have experience in starting a successful business. I always suggest going to the Elgin Business Resource Centre.

There is a wealth of information and people there to guide you through the process.

You will need to surround yourself with other experts too that can help you start out the right way: business advisor, accountant, lawyer, bank advisor for small business, just name a few.

Basically, what I am describing here is constructing a solid foundation for you to build your business. As we know, something built on a partial

or crumbling foundation tends to collapse. Once that base is in place you can start building a successful business.

Build your dream, but start from the bottom up.

Mark McIntosh owns markIT Technology Solutions Group in St. Thomas.

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

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Benefits of social media marketing Old world problem meets new world solutions

by Jeff Sheridan

Creating an effective advertising campaign usually involves a bit of luck, creativity and an in-depth understanding of your ideal customer.

In the age of “virtual reality” getting inside the consumers head has never been easier. Today’s consumers routinely provide personal information in exchange for becoming “connected” in the online universe. Online users have become accustomed to providing personal data, likes, dislikes, hobbies, location and other demographic details in exchange for joining an online platform or group.

Online connections can take the form of simply staying in touch with a company or brand, receiving updates, news, sales information, discounts, educational opportunities or joining a social community. Most social communities allow users to meet and connect with family, friends and individuals around the world who share similar interests and values at little or no cost to the user.

As a result vast quantities of consumer data has been compiled and stored by online search engines and social media companies. This data base creates a golden opportunity for business owners to create a customized advertising campaign that targets their ideal client.

Not long ago access to this level of targeted marketing was simply too expensive for the average small to medium size business owners. Today businesses can work with Google, Facebook, twitter and other social media giants to create advertising campaigns targeting only those consumers demonstrating a higher probability of purchasing their products and services.

Online advertising campaigns can be very

broad in scope, i.e., anyone living in Ontario, narrow in scope, i.e., 30-year-old women living in St Thomas that enjoy golf, or more specifically anyone using the search word “plumber”. The fact that this can be accomplished for a fraction of the cost when compared Jeff Sheridan is a business to advertising with traditional media providers counsellor with Elgin Business has enticed thousands of business owners both Resource Centre. large and small to enter the arena of online advertising.

As a result digital advertising continues to grow exponentially. Current estimates project global digital advertising to exceed $197 billion(USD) in 2016 and surpass the $250 billion(USD) mark by 2018. When implemented properly a digital advertising campaign can even enhance Small Business the overall effectiveness Specialists of a print media, television or radio advertising Kee, Perry & DeVrieze offers a campaign. full range of public accounting Perhaps it is time to services for your Small Business. consider how your business can claim its piece of the digital pie.

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

23

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Anyone can be self-employed Owning a real business is another matter

by Glenn Thorel

The E-myth by Michael Gerber highlights the major difference between self-employment and business ownership in the statement that self-employment is not a business; it’s a job. And it’s the worst job in the world because you are working for a lunatic. You can’t close it when you want to, because if it’s closed you don’t get paid. You can’t leave it when you want to, because if you leave there’s nobody there to do the work. And you can’t sell it when you want to, because who wants to buy a job?

For five years, I operated as a self-employed individual and came to understand a very simple reality about my business ownership – I have never worked so hard for so little. Unlike my business vision which assumed that my hard work and effort would provide me with a good living, I found that I was getting paid slightly more than working for someone else but working far more

than a standard 40-hour work week.

For the past 17 years, I have worked as a business counsellor at Elgin BRC assisting others to understand this reality and prepare for their own enlightenment about business ownership. You think it would be easy to tell newbies to avoid the same pitfalls you experienced, but the sad reality is that we must each learn the lesson in our own way and time.

Eighty percent of first time business owners launch their endeavours after suffering from the Entrepreneurial Seizure; and they have the optimism and energy to believe that the world will be blown away by their passion, energy and knowledge. Business plans are hastily drafted and filed away, because it is obvious that their ideas cannot fail. And for the most part they do succeed – they secure work for themselves, make some money and implement some basic processes. They succeed in becoming self-employed – working very hard, harder than most thought possible and not getting any closer

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to those goals they envisioned.

Everyone should be forced to experience basic self-employment as part of the education system because it is only after this realization that business ownership can be appreciated. Business ownership is the understanding that a business is an organization of systems and processes that a business owner manages. A business develops repeatable, scalable, profitable processes that are simple enough to train employees in, systems that deliver consistent customer satisfaction and value. Systems that are measured, monitored and improved. This is the true nature of business ownership.

The purpose of this article is not to convince the newbie that they are heading down the wrong path; that road is going to be travelled no matter what I say. No, the purpose of this article is to reach those already involved in the journey. If you are not happy with the future you see in front of your business, it is not too late to grow from self-employment to business ownership. Lessons learned in self-employment are great building blocks for business development. Now is the time to build the business vision and get you out of doing the business and into managing the business.

Glenn Thorel is a business counsellor with Elgin Business Resource Centre.

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

SUPPORTING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

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

Port Stanley: A Summer Destination Just some of the upcoming attractions in Port Stanley Live theatre “Wichita Lineman: The Music of Glen Campbell” by Leisa Way winds its successful run at Port Stanley Festival Theatre, 302 Bridge Street on Saturday June 4, 2pm – 4pm.

The incomparable Aaron Solomon teams up with Leisa Way to pay tribute to the greatest country crossover artist of them all. From “Rhinestone Cowboy” to Southern Nights” to “Gentle on My Mind”, “Wichita Lineman” brings a non-stop parade of hits to the brand new Port Stanley Festival stage.

Next up in June at Port Stanley Festival Theatre is The Ladies Foursome by Norm Foster.

Margot, Tate, Connie, and Dory spend a day on the links to pay homage to a departed friend. It sounds harmless enough, but fueled by competition, revelations, and recriminations, the outing becomes more than anyone bargained for. Check the PSFT website for Ladies Foursome dates and times.

Ride the train All aboard! Port Stanley Terminal Rail offers an amazing and leisurely rail experience for young and old. For dates, times and information about all PSTR has to offer, visit the website at: www.pstr.on.ca or call 519-782-3730.

Art Emporium Nestled at the south end of Main St in Port Stanley, near Little Beach, Art Emporium is one of the region’s largest and most dynamic galleries, carrying work by regional artists and artisans working in many mediums and disciplines.

Featured artists for June include June-Anne Reid, Shirley Mihlik Thompson, Kathy MacKay, David Dale, Candy McManiman, Wilf Chappell, Pat Brown and Tom Scanlan.

A reception is planned for June 12 from 2-4, where you can meet the Art Emporium artists. Enjoy the company of featured artists and the opportunity to learn about their art, techniques, motivations and stories. Refreshments and parking are free.

APSA outdoor art show On Sat, July 2, 11am – 5pm, at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 410, 310 George St, Port Stanley, browse the first of two ASPA summer shows on the front lawn of the Legion.

Marvel at original art created by members of the Association of Port Stanley Artists, in a variety of media with something for everyone!

Mark your calendars for Harbourfest On August 6 and 7, come once again to see a Tall Ship, enjoy live music, be entertained by street performers, explore the vendor fair … and more!

Port Stanley West breakwater reopened On September 5th, 2015, a ceremony was held at the entrance of the west breakwater in Port Stanley to celebrate the reopening of the breakwater to the public.

After the ribbon cutting, pedestrians were led down the breakwater for the first walk by a bagpiper.

At the ceremony, Mayor Dave Marr said, “The re-opening of the breakwater to the public is a significant moment in Port Stanley’s history. It will be a major tourist attraction for the area, and taking a walk along the breakwater will bring back fond memories of Port Stanley for many people. Safety has been first and foremost in our minds throughout the whole process, and many steps have been taken to make sure that those who visit the breakwater are able to do so safely, and enjoy the experience.”

Public safety is a priority for Central Elgin Council and staff, and a public education campaign on breakwater safety has been initiated. Information on breakwater safety can be found on signage around the breakwater and at the Central Elgin Municipal office.

The breakwater is open to the public through the spring, summer, and fall, closing November 1st each year and opening again in the spring.

Central Elgin obtained ownership of the breakwater through the transfer of lands from the federal government in 2010. The rehabilitation of the breakwater cost a total of approximately $3.1 million. Funding for the project came from the harbour contribution funds and investment income that the municipality received from Transport Canada in 2010, and had no impact on property taxes.

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

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Port Stanley: A Summer Destination Enjoy the village and the area this summer

Port Stanley offers summer theatre, hiking, golf, boutiques, galleries and an historical tourist train.

Stroll on the clean, sandy Blue Flag beach and have some lunch. It’s the only Blue Flag beach on the north shore of Lake Erie.

Enjoy the village flavor of inns, bed and breakfasts, fine dining, pubs, outdoor patios, a beach bar and small treasures you only find in our harbourtown. Port Stanley is one of the last working harbours, with fishermen going out each day, in all kinds of weather, to make their catch.

Plenty of beach rentals are to be had, and don’t forget to stop for a cone at a real old fashioned ice cream parlour and stroll the harbour walkway!

For those staying a bit longer, savour a day trip to a Quaker village, a lavender farm, a winery or a rustic tearoom in tall pines for lunch. Imagine all you can do in Port Stanley and area!

Additional donation to newly renovated theatre The president of Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Brian Welsh, and Director, Simon Joynes, were delighted to announce a further $1,000 donation from Port Stanley Lions Club this spring to the newly renovated theatre.

This generous addition to a previous $10,000 commitment by the local Lions allowed the theatre to name an entire row of seating after the Port Stanley Lions Club. During the presentation it was noted by Lions member Ray Filewood that their organization feels PSFT is a “valuable part of the community”. At the cheque presentation, Welsh shared his thanks with John Johnstone and Ray Filewood for presenting this additional contribution to the theatre.

Further donations have also been accepted recently from EllisDon and Bellport Resources Ltd. Expand the Experience and Pull Up a Seat donations are still being accepted through the theatre’s website. www.portstanleytheatre. ca Port Stanley Festival Theatre celebrated the grand re-opening of its newly renovated auditorium during a public open house on Saturday May 14.

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HOMESTYLE Decorating

Closet hacking ideas

by Renée Carpenter

I cannot explain it – it just happens. You clean out a closet or drawer and in no time it is filled again. And usually it is filled with stuff that isn’t needed or ever used again. I’ve personally tried several strategies to prevent this from happening, and some work better than others. I’ll share a few secrets with you.

Let’s start by taking a serious look inside the closet. Take a close look at each piece and ask yourself this simple question: Would I buy this again today? Not, well I might fit in to it again someday, etc., but would I buy it today? If not, put it in the ‘to go’ pile.

Call me anal but I like to make sure I have all the type, size and colour of hangers. It just adds to the uniformity of the overall closet once it is complete. You can even divide and organize your clothes with labeled dividers or different colour of hangers, but still using the same type and size to divide blouses, pants, skirts, dresses. And if you are

Look forward to carefree summer driving!

really OCD, colour coordinate the clothes within these dividers.

This really does help in the long term because it tends to direct you to where to put it away in a sort of ‘thinkless’ way and it helps to keep things in better shape for a longer period of time. The work of setting it all up and dividing it is done initially even if occasionally an item is misplaced. The tidyup job is then much shorter periodically.

Folding clothes in half can also allow for an extra layer of hanging, whether up or down, if needed.

There are also secure ways to hang sweaters that prevent them from stretching if folded storage space is limited.

For the shelves above the closet rod, either organize shoe boxes or get clear bins so that you can see what is in them to stack above without having to pull Major & Minor Repairs them down all the time to remind yourself what Brakes & Mufflers you have in them. You Front-End Suspension can neatly stack scarves, Air Conditioning sweaters, purses, belts,

hats, and on. You know that all that is in that bin is the same type of thing. Plus, adding a label to the front helps.

Label everything! Memorize these two words and you will be so much further ahead. You will find it helpful in the pantry, linen and clothes closet, mudroom, or anywhere else in the house where you find things stored. By assigning a location and making it public, it is much more likely that it will return to its original place. That is not a promise, but has a much higher potential than just hoping someone remembers or cares where they got it.

By properly utilizing every area of your coat or clothes closet, you can not only make room to grow but also properly see what you have and find what you need when you need it. The concept is to provide tools to help in keeping it organized with an occasional refresh rather than wait until it is totally out of control. Hold everyone that is using that space accountable to maintain it, and you will have a more extended length of time to enjoy the organization.

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 28

Dining & Entertainment Wine & Food

W H AT ’S W I T H U N F I LT E R E D W I N E ?

Part one

by Jamie Quai

The next two articles are all about a topic that I’m sure not many average wine consumers spend any time thinking about: unfiltered wine. There are several advantages and several disadvantages to filtering wine. The challenge for the consumer is to sift through all of the marketing spin and get to the core issues around whether buying unfiltered wine is right for you.

As a primer for this topic, let’s do a quick history review of wine filtration. Through most of history, the vast majority of wines were consumed unfiltered. The wines were enjoyed almost as soon as they finished fermenting. Wine was prone to spoilage and as a result, quick-drinking wines ruled.

The wines of centuries past were all dry. Vintners knew that if the wine had residual sugar it was likely to spoil quicker. When wine finishes fermentation it begins a slow process of dropping sediment. The quick drinking wines were almost always cloudy.

But some producers discovered that if they left the wine undisturbed for an extended period of time the wines would eventually clear up. These clearer wines were less likely to spoil (since the spoilage bacteria and yeast had dropped out with the sediment). The clearer wine would taste fresher, since off-odours / off-tastes often are associated with the haze particles. Consumers came to understand that if the wine was clear, it was better.

Then everything changed.

The modern wine industry saw the introduction of cellulose filter pads and synthetic fiber membranes, of various porosities, in the second half of the twentieth century. All of a sudden, clear wine didn’t mean time and care was necessarily taken anymore. Wine could be cleared effectively without the time commitment.

The use of filtration is probably one of the top three most important advancements in the wine business in the last century. Walk through a wine store now, and most of the wines have some level

of sugar (even the ‘dry’ reds!). This was not possible before filtration technology was effectively able to separate single-celled yeast and bacteria from the wine.

The risk of large scale refermentation was just too great. Late harvest or icewines were very rare and treasured as a result.

The early technology often stripped or scalped flavour from the wines. lines of bygone days must be adhered to. In esToday, most consumers would be hard pressed sence, unfiltered wines were more authentic.

Next month we are going to pick up this issue to tell a filtered and an unfiltered wine apart. If used properly and judiciously, most experts agree with a greater dive into characteristics of unfil– there is no flavour effect from the use of the tered wines, and some finer details on what to look for, and what to avoid, when buying unfilfilter media.

So if filtration allows winemakers to make a tered wines. broader range of wines, shortens the timelines, and risks of spoilage, why would we even pay any Jamie Quai is head winemaker attention to a range of wines that are unfiltered? at Quai du Vin Estate Winery in This is where the marketing spin comes in.

Elgin County Several very influential wine critics, including Robert Parker, and wine merchants, including Kermit Lynch, became enamored with producers who rejected the use of filtration. These producers felt that the technology really did strip core elements of their wines, and since they were special wines, unfiltered was the only way forward. If the wines are unfiltered, Call for your Free Consultation with the care in decanting Brandi Pisek, DD or Mike V. Pisek, DD! off sediment in the Walk in patients and new patients cellar, care in racking, and care in bottling, are always welcome. are all brought to the All insurance plans are accepted forefront. These marks (financing available). of quality can’t be Come visit us today and let’s get started skimped on. The time-

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

Lifestyle Time On My Hands

Legalize marijuana?

It’s high time Le Dain’s recommendations adopted – half a century late Opium, morphine, cocaine and Our new Liberal government’s promise to legal- marijuana became ize marijuana is giving me flashbacks. It’s time for criminalized in the a retrospective. early 1900s, during My generation came of age in the 1960s, with a time of anti-Asian the blossoming of the hippie counterculture. Pot xenophobia and became widespread as the intoxicant of choice. It news stories of Chinese traffickers selling opium was regarded, as John Lennon famously said, as “a to white women. Following the 1920s, the law was harmless giggle”. rarely enforced for decades.

But possession of pot was a criminal offence, so Then came the 1960s. Peace and love. Challengmany of youth grew up as outlaws, with a corrod- es to traditional social values. The marijuana laws ed respect for a legal system that seemed unjust. were used as a weapon against the counterculture.

In 1971, 8,389 were convicted for possession and It was controversial. It was political. earned criminal records.

In 1969, then Prime Minister Trudeau convened It’s a punishment that lasts a lifetime – a goal the Le Dain Commission to study marijuana and accomplished in olden days and other places by the existing criminal law. It conducted a thorchopping off a hand, or applying a branding iron ough four-year study, held public hearings, and to the forehead. Canadian young people who got reviewed 2,600 scientific papers. The commission busted found that their lifelong punishment could concluded that the existing legal penalties for posinclude restricted career options and curtailed in- session were “completely unreasonable”, and that ternational travel. possession should be decriminalized.

The criminal law is society’s blunt weapon of last It was the voice of reason, and many expected resort to protect itself – to protect victims – from the immediate legalization of pot, together with harm. Surely there were compelling reasons for new laws to regulate its use – perhaps like alcohol. this harsh law. Weren’t there?

What a pipe dream that was. Instead, we got forty years of legislative inaction. During that time, pot became widespread and entrenched in all segments of society.

And thousands more people were branded as criminals. All at a huge annual expense to the taxpayer.

In 2003, the ChreQualifier for the southwestern Ontario District Championships tien Liberal government introduced a bill Thursday, July 7th, 2016 at to decriminalize pot, but parliament was proPleasant Valley Golf & Country Club rogued. Then Harper was elected. There’s a guy who didn’t inhale.

By Duncan Watterworth

Aylmer Optimist

J unior GOlf tOurnAment

He actually toughened marijuana laws.

In the 2015 federal election, the parties took opposite sides on the legalization question. I expected fiery debate on the rationale for the law, but both sides shied away.

It seems both sides found the arguments awkward. And perhaps that explains why society, and our leaders, discovered it was easier to do nothing for forty years.

Has the issue always been to keep pot away from children? But has stricter law kept pot away from the halls and washrooms of our high schools?

Was it to protect us from stoned drivers? They are real criminals with real victims, but unfortunately the law hasn’t stopped them.

Was it about protecting health? But if society is willing to bring out the big guns to protect health, we should first criminalize alcohol and tobacco.

Then sugar and salt. Fast food should be sold in a plain wrapper with a fat person’s picture on it.

Makers of TV ads for greasy fast foods should go to jail.

Or was it because of a moralistic feeling that society shouldn’t allow more intoxicants, and alcohol has first dibs?

The whole saga has been an awfully clumsy example of decision-making. And by damaging the futures of thousands of young people, we failed even the physicians’ minimum standard: First, do no harm.

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

LIFESTYLE That’s Life

In life, in death, teachable moments … almost

by Elizabeth VanHooren

I had no time to prepare him for the shock. No time to avert his eyes. No time to call my husband in for back-up because my eldest son saw his pet rabbit’s lifeless body at the exact moment I did.

Then, just five years old my son had never known death, that dark fringe of life. And yet, his tears were immediate. “Mom, what’s wrong with Fluffy?”

Explaining death to your child is not something you Google in advance of the situation. Rather like so many things you face as a mother, you wing it, feigning confidence and then lie awake at night knowing you could have, should have or will do better.

So I knelt down, held my son’s hand and told him the truth, “Oh honey, Fluffy is dead.” My son, buried his face in my shoulder and cried.

It may have been a moment save and except for my younger son trooping in on the scene, “Do you mean dead, dead mom? Like never gonna breath again?

Dead like the bird that hit the window?”

Time for reinforcements. I hustled the boys back inside and tracked down my husband. In an effort to calm the situation I declared that we would have a family funeral following bath time. I surmised that this should give my husband enough time to collect bunny into a shoebox and prepare for her burial. Speechless, my husband threw me a quick glance which said, “We’re doing this? Having a bunny funeral?” To which I replied with a narrower, firmer glare, and a head nod for emphasis, “Yes, yes we are.”

And so half an hour later the family assembled around a small hole behind the pine trees. We gathered that evening to say goodbye to our friend, Fluffy. She was welcomed into the VanHooren family Easter Sunday 2009. A cousin to the Easter bunny, looking for a good home, she was left on our back step by the big guy himself.

She summered in Belmont enjoying clover from the farmer’s fields and fresh greens from the garden. She wintered in Pa’s barn where we visited

her often. In time she made friends with Ruby the dog. She left behind one little boy who loved to feed her apples, touch her soft feet and nose and dreamed of taking her for walks on a leash someday.

Following that eulogy I bent down to put the first handful of dirt in the hole. Again, it may have been a moment except I didn’t see a shoebox at the bottom of the hole. Instead, I saw bunny swaddled in my best tea towel.

I looked up at my husband who just shrugged.

It turns out bunny didn’t fit into a shoebox so my husband winged it too.

Fluffy the bunny was dearly loved. I don’t know if my husband and I handled our son’s first encounter with death and loss as may be prescribed by the experts. But, I can confidently say that bunny – in life and death – is an important part of our family memory.

Elizabeth VanHooren is General Manager of Kettle Creek Conservation Authority

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E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 31

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