The Drive Magazine // Spring 2023 // issue 148

HEALTHFIRST PHARMACY

WHERE PATIENTS COME FIRST AND PERSONALIZED SERVICE IS KING

UWindsor Alumnus Trevor Georgie (MBA ‘11) and the Saint John Sea Dogs for winning the 2022 Memorial Cup!

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TREVOR BOOTH .......................................... Photographer

JEN BRIGNALL-STRONG ......................................... Writer

MONA ELKADRI Stylist/writer

DYLAN KRISTY Writer

SYX LANGEMANN Photographer

DEVAN MIGHTON .................................................. Writer

MAXIMUS REID ........................................... Photographer

MATTHEW ST. AMAND Writer

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 148

14

INNER-VIEW

A Clutter Bug’s Life. Local HGTV host helping people get and stay organized.

By Jen Brignall

Photos by Trevor Booth

58

FOOD

Oh So Mona – Spring Salad with Tahini Beet Dressing.

Photos by Vicki Bartel

THE DRIVE THRU

18 A Twist on The Traditional.

The Twisted Apron takes brunch to the next level at their new Walkerville location.

Story and Photo by Jen Brignall Strong

PORTRAIT

20 Putting Patients First at Healthfirst Pharmacy.

Story by Jen Brignall Strong

Photos by Syx Langemann

EDUCATION

30 Code Breaker founder Brian Aspinall Empowering Students to Learn.

By

Jen

Brignall

CHAMPIONSHIP

Strong Photos by Brian Aspinall

40 High Speed Chess Match –Local racing legend Roman De Angelis making history at Daytona.

Story by Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Syx Langemann

AROUND TOWN

51 Unique News from Around Windsor and Essex County.

MUSIC

52 Tea and Symphony.

By Devan Mighton

Photos by Maximus Reid

BOOK REVIEW

58 The Kilominator. More than a cycling book.

Story by Dean Chasnoff

THE ARTS

60 Inspiring Growth Through the Power of Art.

Story by Layan Barakat

Photo by Trevor Booth

THE PSYCH DRIVE

72 The Motivated Mind Set.

By Dr. Andrea Dinardo

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Spring, a season of renewal and transformation, is upon us and here at The DRIVE Magazine, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of all the exciting changes that come with it.

As we unveil our latest issue, we are thrilled to bring you an exceptional collection of captivating local stories that will inspire and entertain you. Get ready to immerse yourself in the music world with Jeff Burrows of The Tea Party and buckle up for a heart-racing interview with local motorsports racing driver Roman De’Angelis, who recently emerged victorious at the prestigious Rolex Daytona 24.

Our team also sat down with the creative minds behind The Twisted Apron to give you an exclusive peek into their exquisite new location in Walkerville’s iconic Strathacona building, where they share the secrets to their brunch mastery.

But that’s not all! Brace yourself for the launch of our latest and greatest specialty publication, W.O.W Magazine. Our first issue of W.O.W. (Women of Windsor-Essex) will be available both in print and online in the coming weeks, featuring profiles of some of the most dynamic and remarkable women in our region. From mental health and wellness to business, parenthood, and beyond, these inspiring women share their unique perspectives and life experiences.

And for our manufacturing and technology enthusiasts, keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming release of our W.E. Manufacture Magazine, highlighting the robust manufacturing and technology sector in our region.

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible team, valued advertising partners, and you, our devoted readers. Thank you for making The DRIVE Windsor’s premier lifestyle magazine. As always, the best is yet to come!

Yours truly,

Paul St. Pierre Publisher

NOT A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE

By Jen Brignall-Strong

With a specialized clinic offering relief to patients suffering from a condition that often goes overlooked, all eyes are on Lasalle Vision. While the modern optometry office has offered vision exams, prescription glasses, and more for the last five years, it’s their latest endeavor that is changing lives.

The Restore Dry Eye Clinic, located inside Lasalle Vision, offers a variety of specific diagnostic and treatment options to patients suffering from dry eye; a chronic, progressive disease which is caused by a lack of moisture in the eye. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include itching, burning, and redness, as well as sensitivity to light, fluctuating vision, foreign body sensation or ‘grittiness’ in the eye and even sharp, shooting eye pain.

“We have invested in some very advanced technology which has been revolutionary when it comes to the treatment of dry eye disease,” says clinic owner Dr. Krishna Khatri. “We were one of the first in the area to implement this and we’re the only office that offers three different dry eye treatments.”`

The concept of the clinic evolved from Dr. Khatri’s own personal passion for treating the condition, as well as a trend she was noticing at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There was a big increase in patients presenting with dry eye symptoms after 2020; the amount of screen time for everybody had gone up significantly and people were spending more time indoors,” recalls Dr. Khatri. “Almost every single patient I would see, including children as young as seven years old, was suffering from dry eye; from mild to more severe presentations.”

Dr. Khatri began researching what treatment options were available aside from the usual eye drops and hot compresses that are often recommended.

“Dry eye sometimes gets written off when you go for a regular eye exam. We decided that we needed to do more justice to our patients who present with more advanced symptoms because dry eye can truly be debilitating,” she says.

Once they started implementing the new treatments, patients were noticing fantastic results, says Dr. Khatri. After that, the office began fielding an influx of phone cal ls.

“We’ve been getting a lot of referrals. People seek us out based on what they’ve heard from others who have seen results,” she shares.

Restore Dry Eye clinic now offers a full panel of treatment using state-of-the-art equipment including Optima IPL, the Systane iLux MGD Thermal Pulsation System, and their latest and most popular treatment, FORMA-I radiofrequency.

“Patients love it because it feels like a hot stone massage and there’s zero downtime,” notes Dr. Khatri. “It also enhances collagen production, so as a positive side effect it tightens the skin around the eyes, making them appear more youthful.”

Before a treatment option is determined, Dr. Khatri sits down with each patient for an in-depth consultation which allows her to get to the root cause of a patient’s dry eye.

“It’s a specialized dry eye exam which is very different from a regular eye exam,” she explains. “We focus on symptoms and lifestyle and we have advanced diagnostic equipment which allows us to look at your tear film and your meibomian glands. Based on all of that, we make a diagnosis and come up with a custom treatment plan. Everybody’s treatment is different depending on their needs.”

Dr. Khatri says the best time to treat dry eye is as soon as you notice it so that it doesn’t progress. She encourages people to book a consultation if they’re experiencing symptoms.

“We’re here to listen,” she adds. “Dry eye is all we do at this clinic and we’re here to help.”

Photos by Trevor Booth

Lasalle Vision offering state-of-the-art treatment for chronic condition.

A (CLUTTER) BUG’S LIFE

Local HGTV host helping people get and stay organized.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

Photos by Trevor Booth

As a self-proclaimed “recovering super slob turned organizing expert,” Lakeshore local Cassandra Aarssen knows the struggles of keeping a home tidy…and she’s here to help.

Cassandra is the creator of Clutterbug™, a community dedicated to helping people discover their unique organizing style. For over a decade, she has helped hundreds of thousands of families from all over the world de-clutter and organize their homes with her proven systems for success. The mom of three offers advice and support through her YouTube channel, podcast, books, and her HGTV show, Hot Mess House.

“It’s kind of how I got started; I’m not an organized person at all,” she laughs. “It was really eye-opening to learn that I could get organized if I just did it in a different way.”

Tired of living in clutter, one day about 13 years ago Cassandra she decided to try again; venturing off to the dollar store to purchase containers to help sort through her mess.

“I was like, ‘I need a less organized approach to organization,’” she recalls. “I knew I couldn’t do this really detailed system because it would just get messy again. I was really shocked at how when I took a more laid back approach, my house started staying tidy.”

Feeling inspired, she began reaching out to friends and family who also struggled with clutter and assisted them with their organizing efforts. Soon, word caught on.

“Eventually, I was getting referrals to clients I didn’t even know and before I knew it I had a little organizing business that I did not try to do,” she says. “That’s when I realized there were four different organizing styles. I would go to someone’s house I would say to them, ‘If it doesn’t stay organized for 30 days, call me and I’ll come back and do it for free’ and some people were actually calling me back.”

Perplexed, Cassandra says she began looking at why some people could stay organized and some were falling back into old habits.

“I really had to figure out why it was working for some people and not others,” she explains. “That’s where the four organizing styles came from; I realized that when I could identify someone’s style before I even started organizing, I wouldn’t have to go back and reorganize it; it stayed tidy.”

With a proven method and plenty of tips and tricks, Cassandra began recording videos and uploading them to YouTube.

As her YouTube following grew (she now has over 700K subscribers), executives at HGTV took notice. Someone from their team had seen Cassandra’s channel and approached her about a TV series. “Hot Mess House” is now in its second season of taking people from chaos to clutter-free.

“I was just sharing my message and all these things came out of that,” she reflects. “I feel so lucky. You find something in life and you say, ‘Wow, this is so fun’ and if you keep working at it, it really can turn into an amazing career.”

Cassandra now classifies her organizing styles into four, bug-inspired categories: bees, crickets, ladybugs, and butterflies. Each has their own unique traits, quirks, and sorting preferences.

“I’ve worked with thousands of people and through that I’ve noticed patterns,” she says, sharing that bees and crickets tend to be planners and very detail-oriented individuals, whereas butterflies and ladybugs are more impulsive and laid back.

“I’ll usually be able to tell a person’s style just after a five minute conversation with them,” she explains. “It’s been fascinating for me to see the correlation between someone’s organizing style and their personality traits.”

But it takes more than organizing skills to keep a home tidy, says Cassandra. The first step is getting rid of everything you don’t need.

“I think the biggest organizing lie is that ‘Everything in my home will fit if I just get organized,’” she says. “We can’t solve the issue of too much stuff by throwing more stuff at it, so buying bins and baskets is not the solution.”

She says it’s important to remove items from the home at the same rate new items are coming in.

“I’m really passionate about people throwing things in the garbage or donating what they don’t need,” she laughs.

While her HGTV series in filmed in New York, Cassandra continues to help local families de-clutter. Once a month, she and her team pick one household in the community to assist and donate all the supplies. She also offers a plethora of free resources on her website and social media accounts, but she reminds people that no matter how much clutter they have, to take it one step at a time.

“I wish more people would just be honest about the fact that they’re struggling with clutter and organization so we can all be a little kinder to ourselves and to each other too.”

I really had to figure out why it was working for some people and not others, that’s where the four organizing styles came from; I realized that when I could identify someone’s style before I even started organizing, I wouldn’t have to go back and reorganize it; it stayed tidy.

With a mouth-watering menu of brunch items that look as good as they taste and a stunning new dining room complete with one of the most Instagrammable walls in YQG, the new Twisted Apron location is a feast for the senses.

A staple in the Walkerville community for 12 years, the popular brunch bar recently moved into the newly renovated Strathacona Building, located just across the street from their original location. The space underwent a gorgeous transformation thanks to The Rosati Group and owner Katie Robinson couldn’t be happier with the results.

Katie says she was in the midst of looking for a larger home for the restaurant when she was contacted by the construction group about relocating to the historic building.

“I loved the fact that I was going to be able to design my own restaurant and have this beautiful open space,” recalls Katie. “It was nice to be able to go somewhere with a blank slate.”

Not only does the new restaurant feature a modern interior with a picture-perfect rolling pin “Insta” wall, it also offers a larger bar, larger seating capacity, and an adorable new alleyway patio, which Robinson is eager to open once the weather warms up.

A TWIST ON THE TRADITIONAL

The Twisted Apron takes brunch to the next level at their new Walkerville location.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

“We have a much larger patio and it’s at the side of the building, which was really important to me,” she says. “I didn’t like having our guests sit so close to the road at the old location, so we purchased the alley between the two buildings and closed it off so it’s a bit more secluded.”

A big part of the move was also the need to expand the kitchen, she explains.

“In our old location, we only had four working burners. We have 16 here, so we were able to expand our menu,” shares Katie. “It’s really helped with food times as well; our wait times have really decreased.”

In addition to keeping about 90% of their existing menu, Katie says they’ve added a variety of new items including several different pancakes, as well as the ultra-popular Mediterranean plate; a lighter option featuring grilled halloumi, labneh, roasted red pepper sauce, zaa’tar spice, cucumbers, tomatoes, marinated olives, choice of eggs, and warmed pita bread.

“The pancakes have been a huge hit,” she says. “One of them is our Biscoff Lotus pancakes which are loaded with cookie butter, Lotus cookies, French vanilla ice cream, and fresh berries.”

The restaurant has also been able to offer more gluten-free and vegan options to their guests as well, says Katie, noting that the extra space allows them to prepare those foods separately.

“That was really another part of us moving was being able to offer different varieties of foods.”

At the helm of The Twisted Apron’s new kitchen is Chef Charbel Boutros, whose creativity and passion has fueled their innovative cuisine for the past three years.

“He absolutely loves what he’s doing. He loves breakfast. We’re The Twisted Apron,

right? So we’re supposed to put a twist on foods that you love and make them better. That’s what Chef Charbel brings to the table.”

And with a larger bar, the imaginative team has expanded their drink menu as well.

“We invested in a top notch coffee machine for cappuccinos and espressos, and we’ve expanded our tea menu and our boozy brunch menu,” she says. Some of the most ordered brunch-themed cocktails include the Butter Tart Old Fashioned with butter tart liquor, vodka, and orange bitters, and a PB&J coffee made with peanut butter whisky, whipped cream, and a dollop of jam on top.

While The Twisted Apron has found their niche as a “brunch only” restaurant, Katie says they’re looking forward to hosting pop-up dinners in the near future.

“We won’t be doing regular dinners again like we used to, but we will be doing pop-ups and guest chefs at night,” she shares. “The space is so beautiful inside and we’re going to have such an amazing patio; sitting empty at night doesn’t make sense.”

“We’re looking forward to some fun tastings from some of our own chefs too who like to get creative,” she adds. “We’re also going to host special events, so if people wanted to host something here at night we’re able to do that.”

For those hosting an event at their home or office, Katie says they’ll soon be unveiling a new catering menu, with options ranging from someone having a small family brunch at home to a 100 person party or business brunch.

“People will be able to order it all online and just come pick it up,” she notes. “We’re really excited for the year ahead; it’s going to be great.”

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PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST

HealthFirst Pharmacy team meeting diverse healthcare needs across Windsor-Essex.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

Photos by Syx Langemann

When patients switch their prescriptions to a HealthFirst Pharmacy location, their initial reaction is often surprise.

“We get transfers every day from the big chains,” says HealthFirst co-owner Jeanine Nakhle. “The patients are very impressed by how quick we do things, how much more time they have with us, and how personalized things are.”

Patient-centric care has been the priority for the aptly named independent pharmacy group since forming just four short years ago. What started as three pharmacists coming together with a common vision has quickly grown into a multi-location healthcare enterprise, now with eight locations across Windsor and Essex County.

“Our goal has always been great service. Just that patient interaction and personal touch,” shares business partner Dennis Koren. “I worked at Big V when I was in pharmacy school and they kind of had that mentality; they were a good sized corporation but they treated their staff and patients really well and that’s something that stayed with me.”

Jeanine, Dennis, and their partner George El-Turk all began their careers as pharmacists two decades ago. Seeing the direction that some of the larger national chains were starting to take, each of them had made the decision to open their own independent stores. Since amalgamating, the group has expanded at a rapid pace.

That growth continues this spring with the opening of their newest location inside The Windsor Professional Centre on Howard

I think people are unaware of how easy it is to transfer their prescriptions to one of our locations. All they have to do is call us and we do the rest, once patients make the change, we can aid them with so much more than just prescription services.

Avenue, more commonly known as the Ziter Building, in April.

“We’re really excited to work with all the physicians and specialists in that building and develop programs for people with diabetes and other conditions,” says Jeanine. “We’re going to also have giftware like the Big V days, as well as a health food and nutrition store.”

Jeanine says their group already works directly with over 30 doctors among all their locations, and is looking forward to forming relationships with the over 60 family doctors and specialists at the new site, solidifying the store as a nucleus for healthcare in Windsor.

Although still in its infancy, the HealthFirst Pharmacy group has already developed a knack for identifying healthcare needs in the community and meeting them with

specialized staff and services including compounding, fertility, and mental health.

The group focuses on building one-stop healthcare centres from the ground up, with each pharmacy location being attached to a clinic, specialist, or other health practitioner to meet the unique needs of patients across the region. The trio even goes so far as to recruit physicians to the area, bringing in doctors from as far away as the UK and assisting them with all the necessary immigration paperwork.

“We really try to do it all,” says George. “We design, build out, and furnish medical space to then recruit physicians and staff and aid with training to ensure a well-oiled machine.”

In addition to opening their newest location on Howard Avenue, the group is also now expanding the programs at several

of their other sites, including a sexual health clinic at their Windsor Avenue building.

Sexual Health Windsor is now open to patients at 1329 Windsor Avenue. The clinic is staffed with a physician and nurse practitioner and offers services ranging from PAP tests and STI screenings to pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, and treatment and management of individuals who have tested positive for syphilis.

The clinic was designed to offer complete sexual health care for those who wish to access a confidential and judgement-free space.

“As providers we recognize that some Windsor-Essex residents, particularly those without a primary care provider, may face barriers to accessing timely sexual health services,” says Kim Kirkpatrick, Nurse

Practitioner at Sexual Health Windsor. “This ultimately leads to a delay in testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or screening for cervical cancer. Anyone who is sexually active should make STI testing part of their regular wellness check-up.”

The nurse practitioner also runs a Functional Wellness Clinic onsite at the Windsor Avenue location. Functional medicine offers patients an individualized, science-based approach to addressing the root cause of their ailments, rather than simply managing symptoms, shares Kim. Patients interested in booking an appointment can do so online at functionalwellnessclinic.ca .

Jeanine says the group works closely with the Canadian Mental Health Association and is striving to make this location a mental health hub for Windsor as well.

“We’ve been CMHA ambassadors for many years and have a passion to increase the accessibility of mental health care here in Windsor-Essex County,” she continues. “We offer specialty services and counselling on all mental health prescription medications as they can entail complex regimens and undesirable side effects.”

The group’s other six locations have also seen significant growth over the past few years.

The Banwell Pharmacy location, which opened in 2019, is now the premier compounding site in Windsor Essex-County. Compounding medications can be life changing, explains Jeanine, allowing pharmacists to formulate custom medication to fit the unique needs of a patient.

It requires specialized training, she adds, which each of the site’s employees has received through PCCA, the world leader in pharmacy compounding.

“Banwell is the hub for all the HealthFirst locations, so you can bring your compounding prescriptions to any of our locations and we’ll do the rest,” says Jeanine.

It’s not just humans who benefit from the group’s specialized offerings. The HealthFirst Banwell location is also able to formulate medications for four-legged companions including dogs, cats, and Guinea pigs.

“We’ve had some of the cutest little patients. We helped cure a hamster’s UTI once,” laughs Jeanine.

Their newest site, Beachside Pharmacy on Amy Croft Drive, has quickly grown to include six family physicians. Managing partner Stephanie Tootill is extremely knowledgeable in weight loss management with Ideal Protein, as well as compression socks and bracing, adds Jeanine.

“We’ve also partnered up with a hearing instrument practitioner and taking on a business venture called ‘Hear Us,’” shares Dennis. “It will be launching in April in Amherstburg with plans to launch numerous other sites around the city down the road. This will be another adjunct to prescrip -

While each site offers their own unique services and some locations have different names, Jeanine says patients can expect the same personalized touch wherever you see the HealthFirst Pharmacy logo; from Essential Pharmacy in Lasalle to Beachside Pharmacy in Lakeshore and every location in between.

Despite their swift evolution, George says the stores have managed to maintain that intimate approach to patient care, largely thanks to the friendly, dedicated staff they’ve brought on to oversee the pharmacies. The team jokes about their virtually non-existent turnover rate and has only ever had to hire staff to meet the growing demands of their expansions, never to replace anyone.

“I’m proud we’ve been able to bring together such an amazing group of people and help them pursue their passion,” George continues. “We’ve created an environment where people want to come to work every day and customers feel taken care of.”

“We try to treat our staff really well because they’re the heart of our stores,” adds Dennis. “If you have happy staff, you have happy patients.”

tions because we can help with hearing aid purchases, repair, and hearing tests.”

The group is also incredibly proud of the HealthFirst Pharmacy Twin Oaks location, which specializes in prenatal and postnatal care and works closely with obstetricians Dr. Victory and Dr. Pattinson and their fertility clinic patients. The store also carries breast pumps and baby giftware, as well as other niche items for new moms.

“Our partner there, Kinga Kowalik, and the team have done a lot of specialized training on all the prescription medications for fertility and go above and beyond for their patients,” says Jeanine. “They’ve gone in after hours if someone ran out of their meds. The counselling they give their patients is extensive; they really devote their time to ensure the patient comprehends everything during what can be a stressful time of trying to conceive.”

There are many other benefits to dealing with an independent, locally-owned pharmacy, notes George. In addition to offering conveniences like city-wide delivery, curbside pickup, and a mobile app for refilling prescriptions, the group also maintains a strong community presence.

“We love supporting local and we love giving back to the community,” he says. “We sponsor different teams and events throughout Windsor-Essex County because our patients allow us to do so. That’s the importance of locally owned and operated.”

Dennis says people looking for that homegrown approach to healthcare need only to pick up the phone and call.

“I think people are unaware of how easy it is to transfer their prescriptions to one of our locations. All they have to do is call us and we do the rest,” says Dennis. “Once patients make the change, we can aid them with so much more than just prescription services.”

To learn more about the HealthFirst Pharmacy group and the services they provide, log on to healthfirstrx.ca .

We get transfers every day from the big chains, the patients are very impressed by how quick we do things, how much more time they have with us, and how personalized things are.

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BREAKING ALL THE RULES

Code Breaker founder Brian Aspinall empowering students to learn.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

I really want to inspire young people who come from rural communities to understand that you don’t have to move to Toronto to chase the ‘dot-com dream.

Photos by Brian Aspinall

For more than a decade, former elementary school teacher Brian Aspinall has traveled the globe, working with educators, school boards, and government officials to introduce coding and computer science into classrooms.

And it all started with a pooping baby video game.

“In 2006, I started my first after-school coding club for kids,” recalls the Colchester native. “A Grade 8 approached me and said, ‘I want to code a game. I have the greatest idea ever…I want to create a pooping baby!”

That pooping baby radically changed how Brian taught mathematics.

“I watched this child construct their own knowledge of math without any explicit teaching,” he explains.

Since then, Brian has gone from teaching coding to his own students in the ChathamKent school district to delivering keynote speeches across North America, hosting workshops, and changing the way we look at education through Code Breaker Inc., an organization whose mission is to engage students and amplify voices of passionate educators who believe that all students can achieve if given a fair chance.

Brian and his team lead professional development programs that inspire educators to create curious students in classrooms built on trust, risk-taking, and a freedom to fail. The company has also developed a publishing wing, with over 40 books including a leadership series for educators and a kids’ collection.

“I really want to inspire young people who come from rural communities to understand that you don’t have to move to Toronto to chase the ‘dot-com dream,’” he explains. “I was forced to make that decision in the Y2K era and I chose to stay in a small town. A part of my work has become this mission to show that in the era of connectivity, you can change the world from your own backyard.”

Brian’s love of computer science began long before he became a teacher, he says, sharing that he first learned about coding in the late 90s from an uncle who worked for a mining company in Northern Ontario.

“His job was to write software to make sure the computer clocks didn’t roll over from 1999 to 1900 instead of 2000,” he says. “His job was to literally solve the Y2K bug and I was so enthralled in this idea of this real world,

one-shot deadline; it was like something out of the movies.”

In high school, Brian’s fascination grew, culminating with him creating the first ever Harrow District High School website.

“I built a website for a school project; the principal caught word of it and asked if I could build one for the school,” he recalls. “Before I knew it, I was creating websites for the local lumber yard, a pizza joint, a flower shop. I like to joke that I graduated at the turn of the century working remotely at the age of 17.”

Brian earned a degree in Computer Science at the University of Windsor, ultimately deciding to pursue a career in education rather than moving out of town to work for a tech start-up.

“I come from a long line of teachers, so education was always something that was in my head. And let’s be honest, having summers off was pretty enticing,” he laughs.

As a teacher, Brian integrated his love of computer science into the classroom, teaching coding during mathematics and finding new ways to engage his students.

“We as educators teach to our strengths because that’s our comfort. If we’re passionate about something, then the kids feed off that energy and when we’re talking about things we enjoy, kids are likely to invest in it.”

When the idea of coding in schools became a hot topic around 2008, Brian says he began getting tapped on the shoulder by people who were interested in how he had integrated the concepts into the existing curriculum. Soon after, he began presenting at conferences across Ontario.

“In many ways, Code Breaker fell into my lap,” he explains. “I started consulting for school boards around Ontario and was awarded the Prime Minister’s award for teaching excellence for coding in 2016. That same year, I did my third TedX talk and that’s when it really blew up. I was approached by the Ontario Ministry of Education to lead a team of teachers to develop coding curriculum. I took that gig and the rest is history.”

Brian has now done consulting work for school districts throughout Canada and the US, as well as Microsoft Canada. He also pursued his master’s degree in Math Education and has taught at Western, Trent, Queens, as well as his alma mater, University of Windsor.

“As much as it hurt to give up my classroom, I landed in a position where I get to impact classrooms everywhere,” he says. “I get to see what teaching and learning looks like all over the world and that really drives me.”

In addition to teaching coding, Brian says his team hopes to exact change in the classroom by shifting the focus away from the performance model based approach to education.

“We want to have bigger conversations about assessment, report card writing, and other things that we feel need to change in the education space,” he explains. “Everything about school has changed so much over the past decade; everything but the evaluation process. We’re doing really amazing things in schools with computer integration, but like everything else, there’s always work to be done.”

NOR-BUILT CONSTRUCTION

INTRODUCES EXCITING NEW PROPERTIES

Brittany’s Gate and 359 Dalhousie built to impress in Amherstburg.

By Devan Mighton

For 35 years, NOR-BUILT Construction has been your locally owned and operated home for quality residential and commercial construction. Since their founding in 1988 by owner and president Norbert Bolger, with their award-winning service, coupled with quality craftsmanship, NOR-BUILT has held a reputation for building quality homes in Amherstburg and across the Windsor-Essex County region with a specialty in Accessible Homes.

NOR-BUILT Construction is proud to announce their two latest projects in the Amherstburg area: Brittany’s Gate and 359 Dalhousie.

Brittany’s Gate is being developed as an executive-style subdivision with all of the feel of a quiet and gated community. Brittany’s Gate will feature 18 lots, starting at 76-ft. by 160-ft., that will cater to the families of young professionals, and empty-nesters alike.

“It’s going to be nice,” says Bolger. “The kids are going to be able to play hockey on the street without having to worry about cars zooming by and everything else because it’s only one-way in and one-way out. It’s tucked away and hidden.”

The subdivision, which will be breaking ground soon, is described as fairly secluded, in an area that sits on the edge of nature, and feels quiet and private to live in, yet only minutes away from Downtown Amherstburg. The tentative price-point of the homes in Brittany’s Gate will start at approximately $1 million and up and each home will be unique and different from their neighbours.

The second project, at 359 Dalhousie, which is located across from the Coast Guard station, is only two blocks from Amherstburg’s historic downtown section on the Detroit River waterfront. NOR-BUILT Construction will be building a series of high-end condos that will not only be the talk of the town, but also the region. This 12-unit luxury complex will be located in a prime section of one of Canada’s most important historical towns, only a short walk from a variety of local features like the gorgeous King’s Navy Yard, Fort Malden, and a plethora of exquisite local restaurants and shops.

For nearly four decades, NOR-BUILT Construction has been diligently building

up both the Town of Amherstburg and Essex County. They are a part of the bedrock of the community, contributing to both Amherstburg Community Services, the Miracle League located at the Libro Centre, as well as many other local events and charities. In fact, Bolger’s daughter, Brittany, threw out the Miracle League’s ceremonial first pitch!

NOR-BUILT Construction is proud to announce the addition of a new partner— Chase Goodfellow. Chase has been a part of the NOR-BUILT team for six years and took the leap to become a partner in the last year.

When you arrive at NOR-BUILT Construction, you will be greeted by many friendly and familiar faces, like Kelly, the general manager, or Barbie, the office manager who has been there for almost a decade, and Mick, who handles estimating and is in his 11th year with the company—as well as many newer faces.

“We try to stay loyal to everybody, and they try to stay loyal to us,” explains Bolger. “I think a lot of people like that we’re local because they know we’re around. They can

St. in Amherstburg. Bolger says that he has expanded the company to go with what the customer needs. “We can store more materials and take deliveries and store products that can be hard to get at times, and we have a lot more equipment now so we can cut down on rentals and relying on other people—we can be more self-sufficient,” he states. His staff are also equipped with iPads for the worksite so that his employees have technology to access information on-site, without time consuming runs to the office or carrying around paper files.

NOR-BUILT is keeping busy, building up the community. After having developed a 141-unit subdivision, with long time business partner Jason Laframboise, just across from the Libro Centre, they are exploring an additional five-acre piece there for either condo/apartments or commercial development, or a combination of these. They have been hard at work on their Victoria Estates project in Ridgetown, putting together the new Capri Pizza Plaza in LaSalle, setting up for the Kimball Lumber rebuild, and making plans for the old Anderdon Tavern site in Amherstburg.

literally drive to our building if they have questions or they want to talk to you about something, instead of us just being an online person or being out of town—it’s a lot more personal.”

As a local business, who likes to keep it local, you’ll be impressed with NOR-BUILT’s newly expanded headquarters at 1000 Alma

In the end, it’s all about community and making your community better—for you, your neighbours, and your family.

For more information on NOR-BUILT Construction’s exciting new Brittany’s Gate development or the 359 Dalhousie luxury complex, please visit their website at norbuilt.com.

SALAD spring WITH TAHINI BEET DRESSING

INGREDIENT:

FOR THE SALAD

3 cups of baby arugula and spinach mix

½ cup of spicy mustard micro greens for garnish

3-5 peeled French carrots

1 tbsp honey

Pinch of Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cupFresh-shelled English peas

1/3 cup Feta cheese

FOR THE DRESSING

½ cup tahini

2 cooked and peeled beets

1 tbsp honey

¾ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp Himalayan salt

Serves 2

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Toss carrots in a bowl with honey, salt, and pepper. After tossing, transfer the carrots to a lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 min, or until the carrots caramelize on the bottom. Set aside to cool.

For the salad assembly, layer your ingredients starting with the baby spinach and arugula mix, then the mustard micro greens, English peas, and feta cheese, then top with your roasted carrots and dressing to enjoy.

Add all the dressing ingredients into a food processor, and blend until the elements are fully incorporated with a smooth consistency.

Mona Elkadri is a lifestyle blogger with a fondness for everyday living and entertaining, from sweet recipes to home décor and DIY, and everything in between. Ohsomona.com

WOMEN ON A MISSION TO PERFECT YOUR HOME, INSIDE AND OUT!

Imagine coming home to a clean home, manicured yard, and a perfectly balanced pool.

By Devan Mighton

It’s Spring Cleaning Time! Is your house in need of a cleanup? Is your lawn in need of a little sprucing up? Has your pool become a swamp just in time for swimming season? The women behind Rose Cleaning Service, Plantscape, and The Pool Maid are your local solution to your yard and household problems!

Rose Cleaning Service was founded in 2019, by Natalie Hartleib when she moved back to Windsor after a 14-year career in the Toronto corporate world. Now, Rose Cleaning Service is providing residential and commercial services all over WindsorEssex County and is focusing on hiring the right people to ensure client satisfaction.

“At Rose Cleaning Service, it isn’t about what we will or won’t do, it’s all about customizing the cleaning experience based on the client’s needs,” explains Natalie. “We focus on using natural cleaning products as much as possible and take pride in a consistent level of service from one client to the next.”

As a mother of two and the owner of two businesses, Natalie understands that life is busy and loves allowing families to enjoy their downtime rather than worrying about cleaning. As an added bonus, Rose Cleaning Service also offers dog walking and organization services during cleans or as a standalone service.

Rose Cleaning Service can be followed at @rosecleaningontario on Instagram, a treasure trove of quick and easy recipes, as well as cleaning and organization tips.

It’s all about helping you simplify your life and Natalie and the team look forward to doing just that this year!

When Jodi Brewin started working in the pool industry, she fell in love with

the complexity and chaos of the business. Having combined 14 years of experience in the Canadian Armed Forces, learning the values of strength and commitment, in addition to 10 years of hard work in the pool industry, Jodi learned and sculpted the skills needed to make her own company— The Pool Maid!

Celebrating her business’s fifth anniversary, Jodi is not only proud of her accomplishments, but has also developed a greater respect for all entrepreneurs and what they face day-to-day to make their company be outstanding and long lasting.

“Being a woman, I balance family, business, and do my best to not make any compromises on either end,” she says. “The support and mentoring from my colleagues and customers has been impressive and inspirational.”

The Pool Maid offers a variety of services, including in-ground pool and spa maintenance, which includes opening, closings, and all technical services needed. They also provide pool and hot tub one-on-one training for those new to their equipment, pool sitting for people going on vacation, and “green cleaning” for your pool. More information on The Pool Maid’s services can be found on their website at ThePoolMaid.ca.

“Going into the 2023 season, knowing that I have amazing staff and the community’s support, means more than words can express,” says Jodi, adding that as the company expands, she plans to give back to the community by sponsoring youth camps and giving to local charities. “I’m looking forward to another five years of growth, expansion, and becoming a leader in this market.”

Plantscape Windsor Inc., founded in 1976 by Victor Desmarais, is a landscape design and build firm that also offers property maintenance and snow removal services. After four decades at the helm of the company, Vic convinced his eldest daughter, Liana, to leave her banking career and join the family business, where she took over operations as he transitioned into retirement.

With a degree in business administration from the University of Windsor and 12 years experience in management, financial planning, and business planning, Liana brought with her a new perspective, energy, and process. With an already highly skilled staff in place, including experienced landscaper and snow removal expert John Nowak, her hands-on approach has brought a new level of customer service to the landscaping trade.

In 2021, Plantscape relocated to a 26-acre farm on Howard Ave. in Amherstburg, where they have returned to their roots by starting a tree farm.

At Plantscape, they want you to “Love Your Space” and customer satisfaction is always a top priority. They offer premium landscaping, hardscaping, commercial services, maintenance, snow removal, and financing options.

Plantscape is very involved in the local community, having donated $2,500 to The Cancer Centre in honour of the company’s head estimator’s father, also to Children’s Aid, the Windsor Downtown Mission, and numerous other deserving organizations. Liana also sits on the advisory committee for the Landscape Ontario Apprenticeship Program and chairs the membership engagement committee for Landscape Ontario.

For more information on Plantscape’s services, please visit their website at Plantscape.ca

Photos by Fotogenix

HIGH SPEED CHESS MATCH

Local racing star Roman De Angelis helps make history in Daytona, Florida with a big win.

By Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Syx Langemann

The duration of the race was twenty-four hours, but the margins dividing success from failure, win from loss, were measured in micro-seconds. Those micro-seconds stacked in the favour of local endurance racing phenom, Roman De Angelis. On January 29, Roman and his teammates on The Heart of Racing, Marco Sorenson, Darren Turner, and Ian James, took the top spot at the Rolex 24 At Daytona GTD category at Daytona International Speedway. The win was an historic first victory at Daytona for The Heart of Racing and Aston Martin—particularly sweet for Aston, which has competed in races at Daytona since 1964. The team also took home the Michelin Endurance Cup for having the best-in-class position at the six, twelve, eighteen, and twenty-four-hour marks.

You’re not dealing with seconds or minutes, but micro-seconds. It’s like a high-speed chess match.

Winning on top of winning.

The following day, Roman was back to his Engineering classes at the University of Windsor, quoted in local media as saying: “I’ve had a couple hours sleep. To be able to win [in Daytona] is definitely a dream come true.”

The win in Daytona is the culmination of a lifetime of competing on the track. At age nine, Roman began racing go-karts. These, however, were not the go-karts of most people’s youth, with pull-start engines. Roman roared around tracks at seventy and eighty miles per hour. He won the first kart race he ever entered.

“I competed in go-karting all over North America,” Roman remembers. “In Vegas, Quebec, California, Texas.”

Even at that young age, Roman kept his eye on the prize, racing his way to Canadian National Karting Champion.

He brought his winning ways to the Formula 1600 circuit when he was fourteen years old and was named Rookie of the Year.

That was a long way away in Daytona in January.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona is as grueling as it sounds.

“The driving is divided between four drivers,” Roman explains. “The race has minimum drive times. Each driver must drive at least four hours thirty minutes. Once the driver does that, then the strategy takes over and whoever is faster in the car drives the most. I drove for about eight hours.”

The race was meticulously monitored by members of The Heart of Racing team. Engineers kept constant contact with drivers via radio communications. The cockpits in these Aston Martins look more like fighter jets than a commercial roadster.

“They tell us which knobs and settings we need to go through,” Roman says. “There are anti-brake-locking systems, two engine maps—one looking at air/fuel ratio, the other alters how the power gets applied to rear wheels. There are smoother maps, or fuel-saving maps that you’d use when stuck behind a car.”

The team is always working on strategy.

“Certain times you don’t have the speed or the room to pass another car,” Roman

continues. “Using up less fuel when following behind someone means less fuel is needed at the next stop. You might beat that driver out of the pits.”

No detail is left to chance. The drivers spend considerable time practicing “driver changes”—when one driver pulls into the pits and exits the car so his replacement can take over.

“We can do it in fifteen to twenty seconds from the time the car stops, undo all five belts, and take out your seat insert. There are lots of tiny details,” Roman says. “These add up to big picture results.”

This doesn’t even take into consideration the physical punishment the drivers endure while behind the wheel. The temperature within the car can reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

“We wear heart and temperature monitors,” Roman continues. “Our resting heart rate is around 140 for the two or three hours we’re in the car. All the while maneuvering around sixty-three other cars that are all hunting each

other, trying to find an edge. You’re not dealing with seconds or minutes, but micro-seconds. It’s like a high-speed chess match.”

During breaks from the track, drivers visit the team nutritionist for food and hydration. Then it’s over to physio to work on any aches or nascent injuries. Drivers also spend time with the strategist to ensure everyone knows the plan: when that driver drives next, and for how long.

“Whatever time is left over you rest and prepare yourself to drive again,” Roman says.

Following the Daytona win, Roman was quoted: “I’m just so happy to be here with this team in victory lane. The whole Heart of Racing family is great, they executed pit stops perfectly. The 24-hour race in Daytona is the one I have always wanted to win since I was a kid…”

There is no rest for the successful. Roman is back attending his classes, and in March he will be in the driver seat for The Heart of Racing competing in the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida.

Global Investment Strategies

Join the Sechopoulos Valente Group of RBC Dominion Securities for a complimentary seminar on global investment strategies. Enjoy an exclusive dinner presentation and gain expert insights on investing for growth and wealth preservation in today’s global capital markets.

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 | 5:30 p.m.

Essex Golf & Country Club 7555 Matchette Road, Windsor, ON

Hosted by: Sechopoulos Valente Group

Please RSVP by April 5, 2023, to Stella Dhono at stella.dhono@rbc.com or 519-252-3178. We look forward to seeing you.

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©2022 RBC Dominion Securities Inc. All rights reserved. 22_90621_MT6_002

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Speaker: Panos Sechopoulos CFA, CFP, FMA Senior Portfolio Manager & Wealth Advisor, RBC Dominion Securities

Transform Your Space With Beyond The Box’s Professional Services

519-984-3172

• Indoor/Outdoor Furniture Assembly

• Gazebo and Pergola Assembly

• Shed and Jungle Gym Assembly

• Pavers

• Interlock Work

• TV Wall Mounting

• And so much more!

We at Beyond The Box offer a wide range of services including Hardscaping services. We create Patio Stone, Interlock and Paver Pads and Walkways for your Backyard and Backyard structures. We create beautiful and decorative pads and walkways, for any of your property and backyard structure needs.

TOWN

Welcome to our custom content page meant to highlight unique news from the Windsor-Essex region

Bride to Be Boutique, owned by Katie Minardi, President, and Tina Jewhurst, General Manager, opened at 3065 Dougall Road in South Windsor, in January. The upscale bridal salon carries bridal gowns by designers Sophia Tolli and Sophia Tolli Platinum; Maggie Sottero and Sottero and Midgley; St. Patrick; Demetrios and Enzoani. They are thrilled to announce the recent addition of spectacular gowns by Eva Lendel and Wona. Bride To Be also carries beautiful Mother of the Bride/Groom dresses by Mon Cheri’s Montage, Ivonne D and Cameron Blake. Their Bridesmaids dresses included Jenny Yoo and Bari Jay. Adorable Flower Girl dresses, beautiful veils and fabulous accessories, along with a few ‘other surprises’ are available to choose from too! Both Katie and Tina bring years of experience in the bridal business to their beautiful boutique and are excited to give every Bride To Be a truly memorable and extra special experience! Appoment Only: 519-969-1414

24HR FULL MUSCLE FITNESS EXECUTIVE GYM

Who knew a shared passion of fitness and insatiable research into aging well would facilitate such a fun, supportive community?

Frustrated by gym closures, which kept friends apart, Bruce Lanoue and Kristi Spidalieri decided to open an elegant fitness playground to celebrate their 50th Birthdays. They decided to shake things up a bit with a new concept of an affordable executive membership that includes trainer, nutrition, and supplement support to optimize clients’ efforts. Staff not only provides guidance during executive hours, there are also highly experienced one on one personal trainers along with challenging and exciting small group classes. Within this new gym culture, a surprise sprouted, clients organically began helping the gym and helping one another. Cooking, cleaning, shopping for and caring for everyone’s wellbeing grew naturally into a healthy, playful tribe. Now open 24hrs, Full Muscle Fitness offers limited executive memberships to ensure clients receive guidance in fitness and aging well. Must see new RED Light Therapy room. 416 Advanced Blvd Tecumseh 519-567-1969 fullmusclefitness.com

Live Well Real Estate Group is made up of three local Real Estate agents who have joined forces to better serve our community under the Deerbrook brokerage umbrella. At Live Well Real Estate, we believe that living a well balanced lifestyle begins with the foundation of a happy home. With three diverse real estate backgrounds, our team serves the Windsor and Essex County area for all buying, selling and real estate investment needs. Our client portfolio spans from first-time home buyers and growing families to luxury properties and investors across Canada. Taking a holistic approach, Live Well Real Estate is dedicated to supporting clients in making the right decision when it comes to buying and investing in real estate. Our mission is to educate buyers, foster long-lasting relationships and guide them toward a life well-lived.

TEA & SYMPHONY

The Tea Party rocks Windsor and Sarnia with the International Symphony Orchestra.

By Devan Mighton

Photos by Maximus Reid

There have been a few notable symphonies in the past. On Sept. 24, 1969, British rock legends, Deep Purple, blurred the lines between classical music and prog rock when they performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. This show resulted in the famous album Concerto for Group and Orchestra. Just over three decades later, Metallica added some metal to the mix with the San Francisco Symphony, first over a weekend in November 1999 and, again, 20 years later resulting in both their S&M and S&M2 live albums.

Although Canadian rockers, The Tea Party, have dabbled

in orchestra shows in the past, on February 3, at Caesars Windsor, and again, the next evening, at the Imperial Theatre in Sarnia, the Windsor-born band brought Canadian rock to a whole new level.

Lead singer and guitarist Jeff Martin, bassist Stuart Chatwood, and drummer Jeff Burrows brought out all the classics that weekend, “Temptation”, “Heaven Coming Down”, and “Sister Awake”, but also heartwrenching ballads like “Psychopomp”, “Release”, and their cover of Daniel Lanois’ “The Messenger”, as well, quintessential deep cuts like “Gone” and “Oceans”.

The event took root when Yunity, formerly known as Bluesfest Windsor, a not-for-profit that Burrows partners with, approached Caesars Windsor about which Canadian act they would like to see brought in for a show. According to Burrows, Tim Tremblay, Caesars Windsor’s director of entertainment and the band’s former A&R guy at EMI Records, told Yunity that he thought bringing in The Tea Party with a symphony would be a real showstopper.

“We made it so it was a fundraiser,” explains Burrows. “We donated a very significant amount to Transition to Betterness and then invited around 1,500 frontline workers.”

Luckily for the band, the groundwork was laid for their symphony shows over two decades ago when the band did a handful of Canadian dates with an orchestra in late 2002.

“Our music has been transposed for years now,” explains Burrows. “We did a Canadian

We are confident enough to release it as an album. It will be mixed in such a way that you’ll be able to hear every little nuance—it makes for such a great audio experience.

one almost 21 years ago. We also did Sydney and Melbourne, Australia in 2017 and those were outstanding.”

He says that the band was excited by the challenge of playing with so many skilled musicians.

“It’s a lot of brainwork, it’s a lot of memory work,” says Burrows. “It’s almost the complete opposite of what you do when you’re on tour. On tour, there’s X amount of days of rehearsal, X amount of days of production rehearsal, and then two shows in, you’re firing on all cylinders. Whereas this, we’re playing songs that we normally don’t play, we’re playing arrangements that the symphony music was written for 20 years ago that is completely different than how we play them now.”

He says that at first, it seemed like a daunting task, but once the band started moving, they got into the groove of things.

“By the second show, it was just as if we were on tour—we just rocked it,” he says. “It was a very different show in Sarnia then in Windsor, but what an opportunity to do

both like that. We were pretty excited.”

Burrows explains that both shows were recorded and the band plans to release a live album of the music with the International Symphony Orchestra at some point, both on double vinyl and a double CD edition with download.

“We are confident enough to release it as an album,” he states. “It will be mixed in such a way that you’ll be able to hear every little nuance—it makes for such a great audio experience.”

However, with a band whose lead singer lives in Australia, a bassist who lives in Vancouver, and Burrows, who stayed local, it takes a lot of work and discussion to get things moving. Getting the band together in one location to either write, rehearse, or just to get together is a costly endeavour, but Burrows thinks that the symphony shows have lit a spark in the band.

“It really lit a fire under our ass in regards to doing something again and doing something special—and, hopefully, doing more symphony shows,” he states. “They

are very special, and they work the mind quite a bit.”

“I think you can expect to see another few symphony shows in and around Southwestern Ontario within a year or so.”

The band is also talking about a possible tour and doing a couple writing sessions in the fall.

“Usually, after a tour, you are very satisfied and you’re kind of pooped and you’re pretty excited to just go home,” explains Burrows. However, after the two symphony shows, the band felt energized, and they want to stay busy. “It’s a different kind of vibe, but we are very much looking forward to doing something different again, start writing again, and so on.”

Burrows says that he has received nothing but positive feedback from the symphony shows, but adds that some who took in both shows felt the shows differed—the Windsor show was more symphony-driven, while in Sarnia, it was more rock-driven due to the Imperial Theatre’s small setting.

Having formed in 1990, fresh out of high school, The Tea Party have grown up together. Over time, things change—including how they interact with one another.

“We had a six-year timeout many years ago, but what we learned in that time off and the time away was that everyone always compares bands to a marriage—and it really is,” recalls Burrows. He says that lines of communication need to be crystal clear because they are both friends and business partners. “One of the main rules in business is ‘never go into business with your friends.’ It’s a bit of a juggling act, but since we’ve been back together, the beautiful thing is the complete and open communication.”

Burrows adds that, even in disagreement, they are not disrespectful to each other. “If there’s something that needs to be addressed, then we address it as if it is a business thing and not a personal issue— let’s keep the band going.”

“As long as we’re being creative and we’re satisfying our own desire to write and are happy with how the songs are coming out, we’re not just selling junk, then, yeah, we’ll keep it going and we’ll enjoy ourselves.”

If conditions are dry, it’s hours before dawn and the temperature is one degree above freezing, chances are LaSalle author Matthew St. Amand is outside riding his bicycle. Since May 2020, Matthew has cycled more than 50,000 kilometers around Essex County. He has written a book about the experience titled The Kilominator: Cycling Through a Global Pandemic In Search of Sanity & Stability, available at Amazon.ca, Juniper Books and Storytellers Bookstore.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the lockdowns began,” Matthew remembers, “I realized I could choose which ‘95’ I wanted to be. I could eat and drink and laze my way to 395 pounds or get on my bike and pedal toward 195 pounds.”

He chose the latter.

Up until that time, Matthew struggled with his weight most of his adult life.

“I don’t know how I didn’t just explode beyond three hundred pounds,” he says. “It wasn’t from a lack of trying.”

A technical writer by trade, Matthew’s work life involved countless sedentary hours stationed in cubicles.

THE KILOMINATOR MORE THAN A CYCLING BOOK

A local author writes about finding solace in cycling during the 2020 lockdowns.

By Dean Chasnoff

“I’d come home exhausted after a day of sitting,” he recalls. “I made many attempts to improve my fitness, but nothing lasted. I’d get motivated for a few days, but then I’d go back to my bad habits.”

It was during a spell of freelancing that Matthew took his first bike ride as an adult. After shoveling snow one winter’s day in 2005, he was putting his shovel away when he beheld a sight in his garage.

“My father-in-law passed away two years before and we had his mountain bike,” Matthew remembers. “I don’t know what possessed me, but I took it out and coasted to the bottom of the driveway.”

When he came to the road, Matthew didn’t stop. He writes:

“I placed my boots on the pedals and pedaled the bicycle. The motion was transforming. Simple as picking out ‘Chopsticks’ on a piano or doodling a smiley face. Thrilling as jumping through a ring of fire on water-skis.”

After half a year of regular cycling, Matthew landed another office job and all efforts toward self-improvement ceased.

Fast forward fourteen years, to the heart of the first pandemic lockdown: Matthew was on his sky-blue mountain bike, riding his first “metric century”: 100 kilometers.

“It was an incremental process getting to the metric century,” he explains. “I finally found exercise that I enjoyed, and so I pushed my limits on each ride.”

In the book, Matthew writes that his immediate goal wasn’t even fitness. Cycling exhausted that part of him that fueled his anxiety about the pandemic. After an extended bike ride, there was no energy left for his distress.

Over the years, he had clawed himself down to an uncomfortable 236 pounds by the time he took up cycling regularly in 2019. It was in 2020 that he began recording his cycling data with an app: distance, time, calories burned.

“I became obsessed with the numbers,” he concedes. “If I was at nineteen kilometers at the end of a ride, I would round the block until the total rolled to twenty.”

By his forty-ninth birthday in July 2020, he weighed 195 pounds.

He is quick to say that The Kilominator is not an instruction manual on cycling.

“All I know with certainty is that I enjoy it,” he says. “I was cycling more than a year before I understood the benefit of proper tire inflation.” Then he adds: “Always wear your helmet!”

The descriptions of Matthew’s rides across Essex County—more than once, he embarked on 200 km rides—he shares the stream-of-consciousness thoughts and memories that come to him as he pedals. He also takes time to describe the painful, overweight years when reaching his goal of 200 pounds seemed impossible to achieve.

Matthew writes: “The only way to talk about riding, cycling, and kilominating is to talk about the times when it wasn’t happening. Motion is meaningless without stasis.”

The town of Emeryville is a frequent destination for Matthew’s long rides. The Puce/Emeryville region holds great personal meaning to him, which he also includes in the book.

“My childhood friend, J.T. Hurley, lived in Puce,” Matthew says. “He passed away at the age of nine in 1979. I have great memories of playing with him on his beach on Lake St. Clair. I ride by the property where his house once stood each time I’m in the area.”

The pensive memories are counter-balanced with plenty of humour.

The book, itself, is quite a ride, and readers don’t have to be into cycling to enjoy it. Anyone interested in Essex County history will find this book worth reading.

“History abounds when kilominating,” Matthew writes in a section about his grandfather, Arthur St. Amand, who worked on the construction of the Ambassador Bridge in the late 1920s. Matthew also includes an intriguing story about his grandmother reading tea leaves. His maternal grandfather, “Grandpa Ted” makes frequent appearances with his storied life in Ireland and in Canada.

More information about Matthew and The Kilominator can be found at kilominator.com. He is also the author of the law enforcement book Gas of Tank: A Canadian Law Enforcement Odyssey 1979 – 2019, gasoftank.com. Both books are available at Amazon.ca, Juniper Books and Storytellers Bookstore on Ottawa Street.

INSPIRING GROWTH THROUGH THE POWER OF ART

By Layan Barakat

“I know when I walk around the gallery. I see the city of Windsor - a young, diverse, energized, creative audience engaged with art,” said Jennifer Matotek.

With over 20 years of experience in the sector, Jennifer brought her unique knowledge of arts and culture to the WindsorEssex community since taking on the role of Executive Director at Art Windsor-Essex in April 2020. She began her journey into the art world, taking on roles as an educator and a curator. Then, in 2013, she took over the directorship of the Dunlop Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan, an art gallery that runs as a department in the city’s public library.

“That opened my eyes to what you can do in a more open, community-centered environment. We would have an art opening at the Dunlop, and the whole community would come out,” said Jennifer. “It was a shift from events we would have at TIFF or The Power Plant [Contemporary Art Gallery], where you see many movers, shakers, arts, and culture-makers. It was different when I would have a reception at the Dunlop; it was all social classes, all walks of life, and everybody from different economic backgrounds. That was such an enriching opportunity for me. Bringing the lessons around engaging and inspiring a whole community to be excited about and contribute to your work has helped me since coming to Windsor”.

Jennifer began her role as Executive Director at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing her and the rest of the team at AWE to reimagine themselves as an art gallery without a functional building.

“That quickly led to us hitting the pause button, and it allowed the board to work on our strategic plan and figure out what does art do? How does art function? How does art unite people in our region, whether virtually or physically outside? What’s our role as a presenter for art education? What do we actually want to be and mean to people? That’s when we landed on a new mission for the gallery: ‘inspiring growth through the power of art’ and our vision to be a person-centered and community-driven art gallery for the 21st century. It was challenging but also, in a strange way, exciting to rethink our identity and our role in such a strange and pivotal moment in human history”.

The AWE team aims to help Windsorites reimagine art by implementing multidisciplinary, citizen-engaged approaches to their exhibitions.

“There is so much creativity embedded in so many different professions in WindsorEssex that go beyond visual arts,” said Jennifer. “These people are often creators, makers, and creative thinkers in different ways; there is an important way that the work we do at AWE can tie into different kinds of work people in the community are doing and even see the work they do from different perspectives.”

Recent exhibitions at AWE have tapped into various arts, science, and engineering sectors to create exhibitions. In May 2022, the gallery launched “Grey Matter: Your Brain on Art”, curated by Julie Rae Tucker, and Dr. Lori Buchanan, a neuroscientist at

the University of Windsor. The exhibition, conceived as a research project, looked at what happens to the human brain when we look at art.

In February 2023, AWE opened a digital, immersive art installation funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The project, titled ‘Flowing Forces’ and created by Montreal’s multimedia entertainment studio Moment Factory, showcases selected artworks from AWE’s nearly 4000-piece collection in new ways. “We’re thinking beyond what a more narrow definition of visual art might be. We’re not about art for art’s sake; we’re more about wanting to inspire growth through the power of art.”

Jennifer and her team at AWE welcome all community members to stop by and participate in their programs and events and immerse themselves in the local arts scene. They also encourage community members to step outside and take in the artworks from their collection placed throughout the community.

“Walk around your neighbourhood and appreciate the public art outdoors. Some of the work we’ve been doing since I came here in 2020 has involved putting reproductions of artwork out in the community. We currently have 8 downtown, 11 on the St.Clair College campus, and 5 in Amherstburg. In the spring, we will put over 20 art reproductions in other BIAs across Windsor.”

For more information, please visit artwindsoressex.ca.

Photo by Trevor Booth

HISTORIC CUP HAS CONNECTIONS TO UWINDSOR CAMPUS

By Dylan Kristy

When Trevor Georgie found himself in Ontario last month and in temporary possession of the Canadian Hockey League’s ultimate prize, the Memorial Cup, he knew exactly who to share it with, even if it meant a long drive down the 401.

Georgie, President and General Manager of the Saint John Sea Dogs (and UWindsor alum, MBA 2011 from the Odette School of Business) brought the historic trophy to the APEX MBA students who are currently paired with his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team.

The students have completed the first phase of a season ticket marketing study in partnership with the franchise.

APEX is an exclusive and integrated offering to the Odette MBA, allowing students the opportunity to develop skills and acquire experience. The MBA student teams are paired with corporate partners to consult on challenges the partner is experiencing, providing students exposure to new industries, corporate contacts, and experiential learning. It is real work on real projects for real clients.

“This is the third team of students I’ve worked with since I’ve been with the Sea Dogs. I try to make it a priority to work with and hire Odette grads.

Having gone through the program, I know the rigour, so it’s an easy sell for me.”

The Odette MBA APEX program provides the corporate partner with the invaluable resources of an MBA team dedicated to their business needs. Corporate partners are consistently engaged with their student teams and they assess, evaluate, and provide feedback on each student’s leadership talent, execution skills and other core competencies.

“Being alumni, I think it’s very important to be an ambassador of your program,” remarked Georgie. “I can remember the very day Richard Peddie came in to talk about his experience with Maple Leaf Sports. I decided that was my dream job, to run a sports franchise.”

won our ultimate goal, the Memorial Cup, and to bring it here and see students take photos with it, it’s very special.

Georgie joined the Sea Dogs in 2016.

The team claimed the 102nd Memorial Cup championship this past June while hosting the event in Saint John, N.B. by defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-3. It’s the Sea Dogs’ second Memorial Cup, having also won the title in 2011.

APEX corporate partners can participate in classroom discussions, observe the students in action, and identify Odette MBA student talent for their organizations.

For Georgie, the opportunity to claim the trophy has been not only a source of pride, but reflection.

“Ten years later, to be able to come back having won our ultimate goal, the Memorial Cup, and to bring it here and see students take photos with it, it’s very special,” said Georgie.

“Maybe this will spur someone sitting in this class to return and share their success and their motivation with the next group.”

Ten years later, to be able to come back having

BOB BELLACICCO Reporter Bell Media/CTV News Windsor

FIL GRADO Advance Projects Technical Lead Stellantis

JULIA LANE Canadian Award-Winning, Multi-Sport Athlete

OHIO POLICE

Guardians of Highway Safety or Municipal Fundraisers?

By Steven Bezaire

I recently returned from my annual, winter, month-long automobile pilgrimage to the Gulf of Mexico where I visit some family and friends in Fort Myers while on a 'working' vacation, and then the Atlanta area on my way back (I'm a Pisces and I've always considered the ocean air, salt water beaches, and intercoastal waterways of Florida as a substitute womb ever since my first visit).

Driving through Ohio is the most monotonous torment of all North-American ground transportation experiences. Whether you're on the I-75 or the Ohio Turnpike), there are inevitable and exasperating certainties:

1. The topography is flat farmland, and the scenery is eternally featureless.

2. The speed limit is routinely 5-15 mph. slower than elsewhere - especially near cities of even moderate population.

3. Police enforcement of traffic violations is ubiquitous, inflexible and excessively punitive.

As a curious person, I decided to nose around this phenomenon for a better understanding. It turns out that, despite the regulatory vigilance, Ohio’s highway safety statistics are no better than average: it is the 24th ranked most dangerous state in which to drive according to fatality rates and negligent driving data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.1 It ranks 8th on the list of states with the most impaired driving related fatal accidents,2 and it ranks near the very bottom in a 2020 report released by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety which conducted a national survey of the efficacy of state traffic safety laws.

So, if highway safety isn’t the real objective, or the result, of this significant enforcement, what is? Not surprisingly, it is revenue.

In the United States the federal government issues over $600 million in highway safety grants to subsidize states’ ticket writing: the number of tickets issued annually loosely

correlates to the size of a state’s annual safety grant from the federal government and

Although federal officials say they do not impose quotas, at least 20 states [including Ohio] have evaluated police performance on the number of traffic stops per hour, which critics say contributes to overpolicing and erosion of public trust, particularly among members of certain racial groups.3

The New York Times’ ground-breaking study and reporting on this in 2021 found that many rural midwestern municipalities maintained “outsized” police forces predominantly for this purpose; that towns that depend most on this type of disproportionate revenue have fewer than 30,000 citizens; and that no fewer than 730 American municipalities use ticket revenue to fund 10% or more of their annual budget – an amount that is easily enough, in many instances, to fund the total cost of their police force.

Ohio is also unique in that it is only one of two states that authorize ‘Mayor’s Courts’ (Louisiana is the other). These are courts allowed by the State constitution for towns without a municipal court. The mayor or his designate may establish the court to dispense justice in minor cases. These are not considered trial courts or courts of record and are not subject to the supervision of the Ohio Supreme Court. Most of the revenue generated from fines and court costs go to the city or village, unlike fines and costs levied by a municipal or county court. The vast majority of mayor's court cases - over 84 percent - are traffic tickets and about 86 percent of the time, the defendant is found guilty. 4 Ohio has over 300 such mayor’s courts.5

As the New York Times pointed out, this anomaly allows for some eye-popping revenue for some small towns. It cites the example of Newburgh Heights, a “frayed industrial village of about a half square mile with 2,000 residents” which is only five miles south of Cleveland. It has 21 police officers (which is more than four times the national average of 2.4 officers for every 1000 citizens6)

who “doggedly monitor traffic on the short stretch of Interstate 77 that passes through” to typically generate more than half of the town’s annual revenue. In fact, in 2019 the police in that town generated $3 million in revenue from traffic offences.7

Lockland, Ohio is another small town. It is home to only 3400 people just twelve miles northwest of Cincinnati, completely contained within just 1.22 square miles. It has a police force of 13 members (more than 1½ times the national average) who, on average, wrote 386 tickets each in the year 2016 – that was over ten times the average rate of full-time police officers in the nearby city of Cincinnati, earning the municipality over $730,000 in revenue that year. 8

These observations compelled the authors of the Times column to draw the astute conclusion that:

A hidden scaffolding of financial incentives underpins the policing of motorists in the United States, encouraging some communities to essentially repurpose armed officers as revenue agents searching for infractions largely unrelated to public safety.

So, when you find yourself on a highway in Ohio, especially a rural one, be wary of not only speeding, but having a defective taillight, loud exhaust or overly tinted windows, as these are low-hanging fruit easily harvested by small town cops for revenue. Now, if only the police in that state would start enforcing the “keep right except to pass” law on the oblivious motorists tying up the passing lane on I-75 – enforcement of that law alone could probably fund a new arena or public library every year in one of these towns.

1. www.automotive-fleet.com/10187851/forbes-the-safestmost-dangerous-states-for-driving

2. www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/most-dangerous-statesfor-drivers/

3. www.nytimes.com/2021/10/31/us/police-ticket-quotasmoney-funding.html

4. www.thenewspaper.com/news/05/558.asp

5. www.acluohio.org/en/mayors-courts-ohio-cities#:~:text=Ohio%20has%20nearly%20300%20local%20 mayor's%20courts

6. www.wweek.com/news/2022/09/28/portland-ranks48th-among-50-big-cities-for-cops-per-capita/#:~:text=The%20national%20average%20is%202.4,50%20 largest%20cities%20is%201.8.

7. Ibid, footnote 3.

8. www.acluohio.org/en/mayors-courts-ohio-cities#:~:text=Ohio%20has%20nearly%20300%20local%20 mayor's%20courts.

9. Ibid, footnote 3.

BUILDS

When we speak of Adaptive Synergies, we celebrate the extraordinary potential of our corporate diversity. Having in-house expertise across so many construction disciplines allows us to be more flexible, more responsive and more

innovative. This highly productive structure is a key reason why we have been entrusted with so many of Ontario’s largest and most challenging undertakings. At Amico, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

AMICO & ITS AFFILIATES BRING EXPERTISE ACROSS A WIDE VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES

401 Extension, Mississauga $0.7 B

Strong focus on ESG

U of W CoRE – Design/Build

North Shore Residence $210 M

THE MOTIVATED MINDSET

What is critical in the field of psychology is to never treat the symptoms of a disorder in isolation. Instead, you need to look below the surface to truly understand the source of the issue. This approach to understanding human behaviour applies not only in the therapist’s office but also in life, especially when it comes to figuring out why some people are motivated to peak levels of performance and transformation, while others are not.

Psychology professor and keynote speaker with expertise in stress, resilience, and mental health. Visit DrAndreaDinardo.com to learn more about her speaking services and leadership programs.

Dr. Andrea Dinardo

Attribution Theory and Human Behaviour

Using Attribution Theory, I can tell a lot about someone by the way they interpret the events that happen in their lives. In particular, the explanatory style they use in describing their setbacks and challenges. This gives me insight into how motivated they are to create lasting change versus staying stuck in destructive habits, situations, or relationships.

Opportunity for Learning and Growth

Individuals with a motivated mindset view negative circumstances as an opportunity for growth and expansion. They consider the opportunity as a jumping-off point for learning about themselves and the people around them. Rather than point the finger at the crisis, they use it as an opportunity to look within and take accountability for their contribution to the challenge at hand.

Personal Accountability

Problems are viewed as temporary in time, limited in scope, and universal to everyone around them. In contrast, individuals with a de-motivated mindset see every hardship as permanent, pervasive, and personal.

Is it possible to change one’s mindset? Absolutely!

Laid Off From a Job

Permanent in Time

I will never get another job. No one will want to hire someone who was laid off. They will assume that I was fired and never even consider me for an interview.

Temporary in Time

This is a new challenge for me. But it doesn’t need to be the end of me or my career. I am going to call up everyone I know and get real with them. Ask them when and if they have ever been laid off from a job and ask them how long they were laid off. And equally how it changed the trajectory of their careers. Did they have regrets, or did the setback lead them down a different, unexpected, exciting path?

Failed Out of First Year University

Pervasive in Scope

I am a loser in every area of my life. There is not one thing I am good at so why bother applying myself at school or anywhere else in my life?

Suddenly Single Personal to Me

I will be single forever so why would I even bother going out to meet new people and start a brandnew life? Especially since I am the only person in the world that is single. Everybody that I meet and see online is coupled up.

Limited in Scope

When I am honest with myself, I realize that I was never interested in this program in the first place and I only chose it to please my parents. In truth, I am amazing at many different parts of my life, especially as a host at my part-time job. I love making people smile and come alive when they arrive at the restaurant. I am also great at cooking, helping my grandparents out, and taking care of my fitness. Perhaps I should choose another program, like something in hospitality, where I get to engage directly with the customer.

Universal to Everyone

This is the first time in a very long time that I have had this much time to myself. And knowing this, I am going to use this time to join a tennis league that I have always wanted to try and expand my interests in my local community. I am not the only person in this world that is single and has gone through a breakup. This will be a great opportunity for me to lean in and ask people about their time being single.

Motivation Mantra Know Thyself

Motivation Mantra I Am Awesome!

SETBACK DE-MOTIVATED MINDSET MOTIVATED MINDSET TAKEAWAY

Motivation Mantra Embrace the Unknown