20 minute read
Running For Mental Health
RUNNING FOR MENTAL-HEALTH AWARENESS
By Lori Morris Photo Christian Dib
Advertisement
On July 3, Dom Dib of Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia will kick off My Island Run, a 295 kilometre, 10day fundraising blitz, with all proceeds going toward Canadian Mental Health Associations in Atlantic Canada.
“Mental health issues are on the rise across Canada, but Atlantic Canadians are experiencing the largest spike in anxiety and depression since the pandemic began. So, to me, there has never been a more important time to support mental health,” says Dib.
He is hoping to raise $50,000 before he completes his run on July 12, all of which, the 45-year-old father of two says, will support advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health issues and illnesses, and support recovery and resilience for Atlantic Canadians.
Shelley Muzika, Acting Executive Director for CMHA PEI, says she applauds Dib’s commitment to mental health, and the role his fundraiser will play in supporting Atlantic Canadians.
“This past year has been a struggle for many of us as we learned to adapt to the uncertainty in our lives,” notes Muzika. “This campaign will increase awareness around how important it is to continue to look after ourselves and each other, and to reach out if we need help. We are very appreciative of Dom’s efforts to get that message out there. CMHAs across Atlantic Canada have also been hit hard during this pandemic. The need for our programs, support and resources has never been greater--so every little bit helps.”
For Dib, organizing a fundraiser like My Island Run is more than philanthropy, it’s personal.
“After sustaining a back injury and hitting an emotional rock bottom, I decided to make a lifestyle change that involved better dietary choices and adding runs to my daily cardio routine, and I soon realized how running had also become an integral part of my mental health conditioning,” explains Dib. “It changed my life.”
He says the decision to run across PEI, rather than his home province of Nova Scotia, is also deeply personal.
“I am married to a beautiful Prince Edward Islander from Charlottetown. I am also a Lebanese Canadian citizen who was raised in Nova Scotia from a young age. A career in human resources management steered my family and I away from Atlantic Canada for 10 years, but we eventually found ourselves back on the East Coast, once again drinking in all the wonderful salt air we missed so dearly. Today, I call Hammonds Plains my home. But in the summer, we are fortunate enough to be
able to escape to our summer cottage on the wonderful north shores of PEI.”
Noting the current restrictions surrounding travel and COVID-19, Dib adds that he was sure to consider them in his plan.
“We’re watching the pandemic closely to see what options will be exercised to ensure I make a safe arrival to the Island before the run. This fundraiser is incredibly important to me, so I am doing everything I can to make sure it happens and happens safely.”
Dib’s run kicks off on July 3 in Tignish and ends July 12 in Elmira. To support Dom Dib and My Island Run, visit https://www.myislandrun.com/ and follow My Island Run on Facebook.
Dom Dib of Halifax, Nova Scotia plans to run across PEI over ten days during the month of July in an effort to raise $50,000 for CMHAs in Atlantic Canada.
▲Photo courtesy of CMHA PEI
About CMHA PEI:
The Canadian Mental Health Association PEI Division (CMHA PEI) is a community-based organization that began its work on Prince Edward Island as a division of CMHA National in 1959. Their mission is to promote the mental health of all Islanders by enabling individuals, groups, and communities to increase their control over, and enhance, their mental health.
To carry out this mission, CMHA PEI has over 150 volunteers and 80+ support staff who provide programs and services, education and information, research, advocacy and social policy development designed to help all Islanders improve their mental wellness.
All money raised for and donated to CMHA PEI stays in the province in support of mental health programs and services for Islanders.
Prior to establishing the successful “Farmers Fresh Inc.” umbrella, the Viaene family ran a single business: House of Peppers, a PEI vegetable farm.
“Growing large crops--garlic and bell peppers--was a very stressful time,” recalls Trisha Viaene. “Selling our produce to national chain grocers, we received next to nothing. But it became clear that we could successfully sell our vegetables from the Chuckwagon storefront.”
As the Viaenes expanded House of Peppers into Farmers Fresh Inc., their firsthand experience with the difficulties affecting local producers shaped their approach.
They’ve ensured that these four businesses are unique venues for local producers, farmers, craftspeople, and artists. The Farmers Fresh team has a knack for placing local brands in settings that appeal to customers, and they continue to find innovative ways to loop in Island enterprises from photographers to carpenters to butchers.
“Likeminded businesses are our allies, and we’re all ‘supporting local’ together,” Trisha Viaene emphasizes. “Over the years, Farmers Fresh Inc.’s storefronts have carried over 700 different local suppliers’ products. Local suppliers are changing the food system, and the ways people can source and support locally.”
Most visitors probably realize that the Chuckwagon Farm Market, Belfast Tulips, Country Taste Kitchen and Bakery, and Riverview Country Market are family businesses. In fact, all four spots are part of Farmers Fresh Inc.
Between Farmers Fresh Inc.’s four locations, guests can stock up on PEI fruits, vegetables, and flowers; taste family recipes; sip tea or coffee; entertain their children; and splurge on ethical, gourmet, and local treats. In this issue, PEI Living explores each location.
Four PEI Summer Favourites - and how They’re Tied Together
By Rebecca Spinner Photos Story Thorburn Models Wren and Ira Sheidow
The Chuckwagon Farm Market
The Chuckwagon’s games, activities and onsite restaurant make it almost a cross between a traditional “farm market” and a classic country fair. This charming Belfast landmark offers fresh, locallygrown fruits and vegetables, as well as meals and entertainment.
Some Chuckwagon produce is grown by Farmers Fresh Inc., some by nearby sources such as Brookfield Gardens,
One Vision Farms, and VanKampen’s Greenhouses. The farm market also stocks art, jewellery and handcrafts-including “my mother’s quilted table napkins,” smiles Trisha Viaene.
The kitchen at the onsite barbecue restaurant--which serves cheeseburgers, ribs, poutine and so on--relies on local produce. “We grow potatoes in the field behind the Chuckwagon, so you can easily get hand-cut fries harvested that same day.”
Once Island schools wrap up classes for the summer, the Chuckwagon’s yardful of games and activities--from “corn cannons” to a “ninja warrior course”--is open to guests daily. And just before classes resume, visitors can return to the Chuckwagon to find a path through the onsite corn maze, which opens from August into autumn. “That’s definitely among customers’ favourites!” Viaene says.
Belfast Tulips
“During the summer of 2019, Vanco Farms asked if we’d be interested in planting tulips to create a picture and u-pick destination,” says Trisha Viaene. “We agreed, and officially opened Belfast Tulips in 2020.” The u-pick--located onsite at the Chuckwagon--is now finishing its second season.
The atmosphere at Belfast Tulips is relaxed; guests were required to book in advance in 2020, but walk-ins are permitted for 2021. Viaene says kids and pets are welcome. “Children love to walk through, pick tulips, and get pictures taken. The tulips are great for all ages!”
Belfast Tulips also continues to accept bookings at belfasttulips.ca for the “In This Together Photo Sessions” first offered in 2020. (The sessions were created with the aid of Rachel Peters Photography; this year’s sessions are being shot by Zach Hancock Photography and Story Thorburn Photography.)
Guests can also visit the site with their own photographer; once admission is paid, there’s no extra fee for offsite photographers, Viaene confirms. “The field is especially popular for engagement and wedding photos.”
Country Taste Kitchen and Bakery
“Belfast’s first sit-in cafe with an espresso machine,” as Trisha Viaene notes proudly, opened in early 2021; it’s tucked inside a onetime family barn Farmers Fresh Inc. set about renovating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Country Taste’s cappuccinos, cortados and affogatos (espresso and ice cream) have made a splash. “Honestly, we didn’t believe we’d be as busy as we are,” Viaene says frankly. Although the space was once a barn, the menu and atmosphere aren’t striking guests as rustic: “Customers say that it feels like they aren’t in Belfast--that we brought the city to the country.”
In addition to beverages, Country Taste offers refreshments including soup, sandwiches, paninis, breakfast dishes and baked goods. The offerings are clearly meant to boost local producers: Lady Baker’s Tea and Caledonia House Coffee are front and centre on the cafe’s beverage menu, and the small retail section contains brands like Atlantic Mustard Mill and Truckin’ Roll Ice Cream.
Country Taste Kitchen and Bakery itself is also a supplier; in addition to providing refreshments for guests onsite, the kitchen cooks and bakes for Riverview Country Market.
Riverview Country Market
Anumber of recipes prepared at Belfast’s Country Taste Kitchen and Bakery--including baked goods, jam and pickles--are carried by Charlottetown’s Riverview Country Market. The market also offers other Island-created items, as well as an extensive, carefully evaluated selection of Canadian and global products.
“We opened Riverview Country Market to give small producers such as ourselves the opportunity to be successful,” explains Trisha Viaene. “We felt that we could bring the country to the city, and share each farmer’s story with customers.”
Riverview Country Market, she notes, seeks out products with local or Canadian origins, as well as with sustainable, organic, or fair-trade production and/or business practices. It’s a resource for Charlottetown residents and visitors searching out specific, elusive grocery items, from gluten-free bread to local pre-prepared frozen meals (the latter prepared by Ores Bukateria, Out of Africa, and Country Taste Kitchen).
As public retail venues closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Riverview rushed to stock local products; on the customer end, Viaene notes, “We offered online and phone-in orders, curbside pick-up, and Charlottetown delivery.” Consequently, “Islanders who didn’t already shop local realized how important it was to shop at small local markets.”
The Chuckwagon Farm Market
5265 Trans-Canada Highway, Belfast 902.659.2246 belfastchuckwagon@gmail.com
Belfast Tulips
5265 Trans-Canada Highway, Belfast 902.659.2246 belfasttulips@gmail.com
Tulip Field/Activity Yard/Corn Maze
Admission: $13 ($10 prior to corn maze opening in August) Barbecue menu available weekends
Country Taste Kitchen and Bakery
5315 Trans-Canada Highway, Belfast 902.659.2479 countrytastekitchenbakery@gmail.com
Riverview Country Market
21 Riverside Drive, Charlottetown 902.892.9632 riverviewcountrymarket@gmail.com
Welcome to PEI Living Magazine Summer 2021
Personally, summer is my favourite season. For me there is nothing like waking up to the sound of birds singing, the sun shining, watching bees buzzing around and the beauty of plants, flowers and trees emerging from their winter sleep. Above all there is the beauty of the island itself, found in freshly plowed and planted fields, miles of sandy beaches, the many shades of green foliage and waterways that reveal how natures beautiful colours work harmoniously together. It is in these colours of summer life that I find true inspiration in design.
In the Home and Cottage section read and learn about local businesses and services to help you with Real Estate needs, building options and unique shops for home décor and furnishings. Learn about the newest cottage décor shop, Cottage Life Boutique and a quaint new florist shop in Kensington, Bloom House Flowers. Look to pages 76 and 78 for tips and home office inspiration, both large and small. Try out some DIY with three easy to create DIY projects that can be completed in less than an hour.
Our annual summer cottage feature is a new build home by the shore. The charming home is comfortably decorated with a calm seaside vibe. A space to spend summers by the ocean and walking on the nearby beach. Beautiful weather is on way and the biggest summer bonus of all, it looks like our province is on track to be fully vaccinated sooner than expected! At last end at the light of the tunnel.
I wish you a very happy and healthy summer. And from all of us who work on this quintessentially PEI magazine thank you for your support, encouragement, and readership. Susan Snow susan@pei-living.ca
Check out these all- time favorite kitchen books. Sure to inspire your taste buds these books are excellent resources for improving your cooking skills and wowing your family and friends this summer. Chef Michael Smith Cookbooks, How to Eataly, Olive Oil & Vinegar, and Meathead. For wine lovers What to Drink with What you Eat provides valuable information on food pairings.
1. 3. 5.
4. 6.
GINNAISANCE
A refreshing cold summer drink. From craft style to specialty gins to an abundance of flavoured tonics, G & T’s are more popular than ever. Gin cocktail recipes can be adapted simply by changing and/or adding botanicals, bitters, or aromatics. Lemon, lime, cucumber, fruit, berries or herbs, the choices are endless. Tip- Sliced lemon and lime slices can be stored in the freezer and used as needed.
TRIED, TESTED AND TRUE
Summer is a great time to throw open your windows and freshen up your house with a coat of fresh paint. Colours listed from Benjamin Moore.
1. Blue Stream CC-730, transform your laundry room cabinets with this soft chic pale blue 2. Chantilly Lace OC-65, a crisp modern white for interior trims and mouldings 3. Onyx 2133-10, adds a timeless elegance on interior and/or interior doors 4. Kendall Charcoal HC-166, a deep moody gray for cabinetry 5. Stonington Gray HC-170, a pale gray for cabinetry 6. Horizon OC-52, a no fail winner when you want a neutral wall
GROWING UP
Raised bed gardens make it easy to grow your own food practically anywhere without needing a huge space. Not only is it a way of eating healthy and knowing where your food is coming from, it’s but it’s also a good thing to do for your body and your mind. Plus it’s also a great family and kids activity to be shared.
SECOND TIME AROUND
It’s no surprise that thrifting is more popular than ever. It’s affordable, entertaining, and fun to shop for pre-loved clothing, household goods, books, estate jewellery and/or furniture. Explore local vintage and secondhand stores, flea markets, overstock stores or garage sales. Good for the environment, good for charitable causes and good for the pocketbook, thrifting is a win-win situation.
THAMARA PAPARONI
Excellent Service, Combined With Professionalism and Experience
By Katrina Geenevasen Photos Sara Bakker
Thamara Paparoni - Provincial Realty 18 Great George Street, Charlottetown 902.316.1623 thamara.paparoni@provincialrealty.ca | www.thamarapaparoni.com
As you prepare to sell a home, you want to ensure potential buyers see it in the best possible light; that dated furniture and accessories don’t hold home buyers back from seeing your house’s full potential.
“If you want to sell a home quickly and for the best possible price, staging is one of the easiest ways to make it happen,” says Thamara Paparoni, Real Estate Agent with Thamara Paparoni Provincial Realty. “No matter how nice a home may be, staging helps, because you are trying to show a buyer something that they can envision themselves in. And the chances of both buyer and seller having identical taste is low, no matter how nice the home is.”
Now, more than ever before, those listing here on PEI are seeing the value of home staging, she says, as many homes are being sold without the buyers present.
And presentation? Well, to Paparoni, it’s everything.
“I have had so many experiences with clients’ homes – as well as my own – where the homes sold so much faster, for higher asking price, only because they were presented at their full potential,” the experienced realtor explains.
Presentation aside, she says staging a home can sometimes even help a home sell for over asking price. It’s why she chose to offer this added service to her clients listing their homes.
And yet – surprisingly – home staging is a service many clients don’t even know exists. But they should. Oftentimes, it’s an instrumental element of successfully selling a home. One study by the National Association of Realtors revealed that 40 per cent of survey respondents said that home staging had an effect on most buyers’ views of a home.
After staging a home for sale, Paparoni also offers clients high-quality pictures and video to maximize the appearance of a home online. It’s all part of Paparoni’s dedication as a real estate agent to providing the best service possible. In other provinces, clients often have to pay for this added service, she says, but she provides complimentary insight.
“I take care of my clients well, I truly care about them,” she says. “I know this market quite well, but I also bring some different experiences from living in different parts of the world.”
– Luther Burbank
THE WORLD IS A GARDEN
▲ Sharon McIntyre and John Denver
Bloom House Flowers
By Katrina Geenevasen Photos Sara Bakker
Bloom where you’re planted.
A wise old saying, and one that Sharon McIntyre has taken to heart.
The owner of PEI’s Bloom House Flowers, McIntyre has been in the floral business for more than 30 years; a passion that swept her up and never let her go.
“It just envelops you and it feels amazing being surrounded by the good plant and flower energy,” she says, the shop’s golden retriever mascot, John Denver, faithfully by her side.
With the onset of the pandemic, says McIntyre, more people have been wanting to improve their living spaces - and making their homes bloom beautifully is one way they’ve been accomplishing that.
“Of course, with everybody spending more time at home, plants, and the feeling of bringing the outdoors in [has been huge],” she says. “Spending more time at home meant loving your home more and loving what you put inside of it.”
Aside from memorable florals, Bloom House Flowers also offers a wide selection of home decor, including a selection of pillows, textiles, pots and an all-vegan and natural skin care line.
Shoppers can also find an incredible selection of candles, made right here on beautiful PEI and Canada only. Its signature scent, Back Home Again, was a “beautiful collaboration” with a small, family-owned company, says McIntyre. “We are supporting local to lift each other up.”
For fabulous fresh flowers and arrangements at affordable prices—and a furry friend that will leave your heart smiling—visit Bloom House Flowers.
“It really is just a magical little shop filled with charm, good vibes... and of course, John Denver,” says McIntyre.
Bloom House Flowers & Home Store 67 Woodleigh Dr, Kensington 902.291.2171
Cottage Life Boutique
This new Cavendish shop inspires visitors with lighthearted, unique, artisanal home decor
By Rebecca Spinner Photos Evan Ceretti
When it comes to their summer cottage, Marsha Doiron and her loved ones go above and beyond weekend trips. “We live in Charlottetown seven months of the year,” Doiron says, “and Cavendish five months of the year at our family cottage.”
So, when Doiron--a well-established PEI entrepreneur who’s worked with various local enterprises--began preparing to open her own shop, the notion of a boutique catering to “cottage life” drew her in.
“To me, cottage life is a state of mind,” Doiron rhapsodizes. “When we go to the cottage, we have the most amazing, panoramic view of the ocean, fields, dunes. Morning coffees and gatherings with friends and families on
- Marsha Doiron, Cottage Life Boutique founder
the deck, evening bonfires and glasses of wine, being outdoors in Cavendish, beaching--that’s what cottage life is for me.”
Of course, PEI is teeming with cottages, and innumerable Islanders and visitors adore the getaways Doiron describes. She maintains a friendly, flexible perspective on the backdrop “cottage life” requires; the boutique is meant for urban residences as well as literal cottages, she explains. “I want my customers to feel ‘cottage life’ in their homes, apartments, condos, and camper trailers!”
Doiron has painstakingly filled Cottage Life Boutique’s shelf space with items crafted nationwide. “I tried to be selective about who I’ll carry,” she reflects. “I want to promote artisans
who are local, regional, Canadian. I’m working with lots of small-batch artisans, so their products aren’t everywhere!”
She’s clearly appreciative of the help provided by the shop’s manager, Jennifer Stenhouse, in arranging the boutique itself; the atmosphere is largely thanks to Stenhouse’s merchandising skills, Doiron notes. “Jennifer knew the vibe I was seeking, and she nailed it to a tee!”
When Cottage Life Boutique opens in June, the merchandise will cover quite a bit of ground, including candles, home decor, earthenware, glassware, handicrafts, pantry items, houseplants and planters, and soap. (Doiron hints that, eventually, Cottage Life Boutique may also feature an art gallery space and cafe.) The local selection includes items sourced from Seaview Candles, run by Doiron’s son Porter.
In fact, Doiron says gratefully, other members of her immediate family also helped perfect the boutique. “My amazing husband, Adam, provided his support and guidance; and my daughter, Breagh, was there on the sidelines with technical advice and so much support!”
Cottage Life Boutique’s ongoing sales will partially benefit Hospice PEI. The shop opened June 14, 2021.
Cottage “Christmas Spirit”
Prior to fine-tuning her plans for Cottage Life Boutique, Marsha Doiron considered offering a Christmas retail selection. “I love Christmas!” she laughs.
Cottage Life Boutique, of course, isn’t focused on the North Pole. In spite of that, chances are that Islanders will be especially thankful for the boutique during the holiday season. “It’ll be super for gift-buying for those hardto-please people!” grins Doiron, who expects the boutique to open on post-Thanksgiving weekends till the holiday shopping season concludes.
Cottage Life Boutique 8572 Cavendish Road
(formerly “Wax World of the Stars” wax museum) cottagelifeboutique@gmail.com cottagelifeboutique.ca
