September 2012

northcountrybusinessnews.com
TODAY IS A
GOOD DAY
TO WEATHER TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
Now more than ever, sound financial
advice is critical. I can help.
Alan Paton* CFP®, B.Eng.
September 2012
Clement
talks
Twitter
By Chris Occhiuzzi
The organizers of an upcoming
business conference picked the
right man when they were able to
secure Muskoka-Parry Sound MP
Tony Clement as a speaker for
their Communications Trends
2013 conference.
The International Association of
Business Communicators Canada
East Region gathering is set for
Nov. 1 to 3 in Ottawa and will feature Clement as one of the key
speakers. Clement, an avid user of
social media, plans to discuss politics in the age of social media. He
plans to share his views and
knowledge of using Twitter both
on the campaign trail and throughout his term.
“As a politician, social media
offers powerful new ways for me
to reach out and communicate with
my constituents. There is a direct
connection and an immediacy that
has huge potential for engaging
citizens and informing policy,”
says Clement. “Governments and
politicians are increasingly moving in this direction, but the key is
knowing how and when to use this
direct line to Canadians.”
Most likely the most active
‘tweeter’ of all politicians,
Clement has almost 25,000 followers tuning in to his frequent Twitter
posts. Whether it’s announcing
government decisions, commenting on life in general or letting the
world know what he’s up to,
Clement is adept at using Twitter
CLEMENT - p. 12
Muskoka’s Business Newspaper Since 1997
The wheels on the bus
705-789-5246
[email protected]
38 Glenwood Drive
Huntsville, ON P1H 1B6
*Mutual funds offered by
Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc.
© Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2012.
The right cuts
A unique family history
leads to a precision
woodworking business
See p. 9
Scenic eatery
ROLLIN’: Greg Hammond, John Klinck, David Powley, Rick Williams and Fran
Coleman get comfy at the Corridor 11 Bus launch in Bracebridge. See page 9.
Restaurant offers fine
food and a prime view
See p. 3
Hammond targets Corridor 11
By Corey Wilkinson
With the demise of the Northlander Train service at the end of
the month, a new bus route is
hoping to pick up passengers
and provide Muskokans with
easier access to the towns and
cities to the south.
The Corridor 11 Bus from
Hammond Transportation will
begin taking passengers on Sept.
24, 2012. The Corridor 11 Bus
will run twice a day, Monday to
Friday, from Huntsville to Barrie
and twice back. The bus will
make stops along the way in
Bracebridge,
Gravenhurst,
Washago and Orillia for passengers to get on or off.
The Corridor 11 Bus project
received encouragement from
many agencies across Muskoka.
“Hammond Transportation is
excited about introducing a new
bus service to Muskoka,” says
Greg Hammond of Hammond
Transportation. “Without support from other organizations,
like the District of Muskoka, we
wouldn’t be where we are today
– about to launch an exciting
new transportation initiative.”
A key part of the bus service
will be to provide Muskokans
with an alternate way to get to
medical
appointments
at
Soldier’s Memorial Hospital in
Orillia
and
the
Royal
HWY 11 - p. 9
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September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
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Opportunities will soon be
presented throughout Muskoka for youth internships
thanks to another round of
FedNor funding through its
Youth Internship Initiative.
Over $400,000 is being
invested to create 15 youth
employment opportunities,
with seven to arise here in
Muskoka. Three organizations and four municipalities
are being granted $27, 500
each towards the individual
internships, where successful
candidates will gain experience and make contacts.
“Our government is proud
to help provide talented
youths with meaningful
employment opportunities in
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northern Ontario,” says
Muskoka-Parry Sound MP
Tony Clement, who is also the
FedNor m inister. “It is
important to families in the
region that their sons and
daughters have the opportunity to seek careers locally
rather than having to gravitate
to large urban centres to find
good jobs.”
The Muskoka Lakes Music
Festival intern will help complete a branding campaign,
identify target markets to capitalize on growth opportunities, as well as develop and
implement a social media
strategy to increase awareness
and engage stakeholders.
Savour Muskoka’s intern
will help market and promote
locally produced agri-food
products and identify economic opportunities for food
producers, processors and
chefs in the region, plus much
more.
Regional Tourism Organization
12
Parry
Sound/Muskoka is set to hire
an intern to collaborate with
regional businesses and stakeholders to develop and
enhance the tourism industry
in the region.
The Town of Bracebridge,
in partnership with the
Muskoka Small Business
Centre, will hire a youth
intern to work with its Youth
INC.ubator initiative, a youth
entrepreneurship development program.
The Town of Gravenhurst’s
intern will support the implementation of key priorities
identified in the community’s
strategic plan.
The Town of Huntsville’s
intern will support the community’s strategic planning
process and implement recommendations identified in
the strategy.
The Township of Lake of
Bays’ intern is being hired to
support the development and
implementation of a regional
economic development strategy for the communities of
Dwight, Dorset, Hillside and
Baysville.
Selling everything and the kitchen sink
PAHAPILL and ASSOCIATES
Chartered Accountants
Professional Corporation
With Offices in Huntsville, Burk’s Falls and Parry Sound
Carl W. Pahapill, CA
By Kim Hawn
Now here’s a Muskoka
store that has everything:
Kitchen sinks, wheelbarrows,
building supplies, furniture,
and computer equipment just
to name a small cross-section.
Most of the merchandise is
used, but some is new, and
most of it is 25 to 50 per cent
below prices found in big box
stores, according to the owners of MuskokaTraders.ca.
The store is located in Tor-
rance, in the 3,000 sq. ft.
building formerly occupied
by Ward’s Plumbing. It is the
brainchild of Larry and Trish
Moore, who each have extensive business backgrounds.
Larry says he was previ-
Partner
Head Office
6 Main St. W.
Huntsville, ON P1H 2E1
Huntsville: 705-788-0500
Cell: 705-774-0574
Email: [email protected]
Foundation gets boost
GORDON, GINGRICH, HARRIS & FLEMMING
C hartered Accountants
AUDITING & ACCOUNTING
SERVICES
CORPORATE, ESTATE &
PERSONAL TAX PLANNING
152- 3 Manitoba Street
BRACEBRIDGE
7 William Street
PARRY SOUND
705-645-5255
705-746-5828
www.cggh.ca
PARTNERS
F. Glenn Gordon, C.A. – Stephen Gingrich, C.A., CFP
Brandy Harris, B.Acc., C.A. – Howard Flemming, C.A.
FUNDING FOUND: Members of Muskoka Community Foundation
join with Ontario Trillium Foundation reps and MPP Norm Miller
to celebrate a four-year, $94,000 grant from Trillium to MCF.
ously one of the largest used
appliance dealers in Canada,
with a chain of stores across
southern Ontario, and a
60, 000 sq. ft. factory for the
purpose of restoring appliances.
“We didn’t get to be the
best used appliance supplier
by producing poor quality,”
says Larry.
Trish formerly owned a
company producing custom
built factory machinery
which is used for the manufacturer of friction brake
parts.
Larry and Trish each
employed about 50 people in
their respective enterprises.
“We bring a lot to the
table,” says Larry.
Now they have a new store,
which will stock materials
and products accumulated
from their past business activities. For now, it will only be
open on Saturdays.
The couple hopes to eventually also sell fine antiques,
and products from the Mennonite and Amish community.
September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
3
Dock of the Bay sails into town
New restaurant
hopes to capitalize
on prime location
By Jo-Anne Miller
The Dock of the Bay
Restaurant and Crystal
Galleon Banquet Hall is an
inviting new establishment
that opened earlier this summer on the Muskoka Wharf
in Gravenhurst.
The new business is
owned by Wayne Laio and
Peter Wu.
Laio says his vision for the
restaurant is, “to provide a
sociable atmosphere catering
to all and to provide a recommitment to ensure the success and re-growth of the
Wharf.”
Their executive chef Dar-
ren Hehir has been in the
restaurant business for the
past 24 years and is no
stranger to Muskoka, having
spent six years at Windermere House.
The Dock of the Bay menu
offers a wide selection that
draws from a variety of
inspirations from home and
abroad.
Appetizers include a
seafood chowder which is
described as a medley of
seafood and lake fish. They
also offer a Muskoka wild
berry salad that includes seasonal berries, watermelon,
goat cheese and pickled
onions topped with maple
balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
The entrees are a global
cuisine mix with some interesting flavours from Italy,
the Caribbean and Asia, as
well as the Dock steak
options.
They have more than 10
varieties of beer on tap, plus
10 different types of wine by
the glass. The actual wine list
is much more extensive.
All meals are prepared inhouse, and fresh fish is
brought in three times a
week. Chef Hehir says that
they, “use local produce and
products whenever possible.”
The restaurant sports an
expansive patio that seats
120 with a wonderful view of
Lake Muskoka.
There is ample dock space
at the Wharf to park boats
and plenty of room for cars
across the street. Indoors
there is seating for 80.
“The restaurant has a
come as you are policy,” says
Hehir. “It’s price sensitive,
with a $2 million view.”
He says Dock of the Bay is
also a family restaurant.
Children are welcome and
they accommodate young
patrons with burgers, fries
and more.
The restaurant has a banquet hall upstairs that can
accommodate parties from
20 to 120 people. It has the
same great view of the lake
as the restaurant and can be
used for weddings, birthday
parties, anniversaries or conferences.
They expect to have a
website up and running in the
near future.
The restaurant has daily
features and is open seven
days a week from 11 a.m. to
10 p.m.
READY TO SERVE: Owner Wayne Laio and
chef Darren Hehir prepare for a busy day.
Township hires development officer
INCREASING EFFICIENCY: Lisa McMurray has a lot to do in her role with Muskoka Lakes.
By Corey Wilkinson
Promoting
Muskoka
Lakes as a year- round destination is the focus of the
Township’s recently-hired
community economic development co-ordinator.
Lisa McMurray started in
the newly created position
this summer. It was created
under the 2012 budget and
marks the first time the
Township of Muskoka Lakes
has had a dedicated economic development co-ordinator.
“I’ll be working with
council and using the strategic plan as a guideline,” says
McMurray. “We want to
promote Muskoka Lakes as
a year-round destination
and encourage people to
come to Muskoka Lakes for
all seasons.”
McMurray’s
duties
include web development,
community event co-ordination, grants and overseeing
the Township’s community
halls. McMurray took on her
new position at the end of
June after having spent two
years working in the
Township
clerk’s
department.
“Right now we are
reviewing
council’s
strategic plan and picking out things that can
be accomplished in the
short term,” says
McMurray. “We’re also discussing existing and new
opportunities for events in
the Township.”
McMurray hopes to assist
event organizers through the
steps they need to follow for
hosting an event in Muskoka
Lakes. This includes ensuring events have the proper
approvals, insurance and
facilities for the event. She
says a couple of months lead
time is all that is needed to
get all the approvals in place
for most events.
“One of my goals is to
The other focus of
McMurray’s position will be
improving online communication and developing a
stronger web presence for
the Township. In this role
she is working closely with
Molly Ross, a
marketing development co-ordinator hired on a
contract by the
Township. The
two will be working together to
improve brand
awareness of Muskoka
Lakes, and to develop a new
website for the Township.
“We want to encourage
economic development and
encourage events in Muskoka Lakes and for the participants to stay and enjoy what
Muskoka Lakes has to offer,”
says McMurray.
“We want to promote
Muskoka Lakes as a
year-round destination”
increase the efficiency of the
event approval process and
to help event organizers
through the process,” says
McMurray. The Township
hosts many events, especially
over the summer months –
with the Bala Cranberry Festival being the largest event
in the fall.
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4
OPINION PAGE
September 2012
EDITOR’S NOTEPAD
The social
media myth
When it comes to social media and using a Blackberry, local MP Tony Clement is recognized as having the
fastest thumbs on Parliament Hill.
In early November, Clement will take the stage as a
keynote speaker during a business conference in
Ottawa, where he will discuss social media and its
advantages.
Twitter, Facebook and a strong online presence are
seen as the new road to marketing success for business, and for many it’s paying significant dividends.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s the right route for
everyone.
Tony Clement has over 25,000 followers on Twitter.
Does the average small business in Muskoka have that
many followers, or could they ever hope to have that
many?
An extravagant website could have all the bells and
whistles, and be the most user-friendly one on the
Internet. However, if no one ever sees it, it’s of no benefit to the business. Likewise for Tweets that no one
ever reads.
There are many ways to offer your product to the
marketplace including, among others, print media,
online, radio, direct marketing and television. Not all
of these tools work for all businesses. For some, it
might be one or another, or possibly a combination of
several.
Social media is just one tool in the marketing toolbox
but it’s a myth to suggest it works for everyone across
the board.
For certain businesses, social media might be the next
‘big thing’ in marketing and a useful way to open up
their product to an entirely new customer base. For
others, it might serve as nothing more than a curiosity
with no real world pay off.
Smart business owners should consider social media
for its potential, but proper research needs to be done
before they fully embrace it.
If something sounds too good to be true, usually it is.
We welcome letters to the editor. Send your letter to:
[email protected]
Box 180, Bracebridge, ON P1L 1T6
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
The consumers and producers
in the new digital economy
It is clear beyond a certainty of a
doubt that in our region we are consumers of digital services.
We consume digital information
and services more than we ever
have before. We now often use our
computers and mobile devices to
watch videos online instead of
watching traditional TV. We buy
digital products and services online
such as music, apps, ringtones,
media subscriptions…and the list
goes on.
In addition, through our tax contributions, we consume useful digital services such as aerial photography for mapping by municipalities,
and MRI and CT scans in public
health care.
There are lots of products and
services to consume in the digital
world. The list of digital services
available changes and grows every
day.
In our region we are also producers of digital products and services.
We have businesses and organizations that produce digital media
such as online newspapers and
Muskoka
Community
Network
By Rob McPhee
magazines. We are producing digital products in the health care system. Our businesses are hiring web
developers, videographers, and
writers to market their products and
services.
So in our overall regional economy, we have a segment of our economy that are digital producers.
They create value and income by
producing.
What if we added more emphasis on growing the production end
of the digital economy in our
region? We can have digital animation. We can have film editing.
We can have software engineers.
We can have data warehouses.
If we strategically continue to
work to produce value in the digital economy, we have not only the
The law and leaning fences
The Trespass to Property Act
addresses situations when a person
enters the lands or premises of
another person without a legal right
to do so.
Trespass may also occur when a
structure, such as a wall, intrudes
onto the lands of another or when an
object, such as an eavestrough,
intrudes into the airspace of the adjacent property.
These trespasses are governed by
decisions of the court system (“the
common law”) not by the statute.
When a trespass involves a structure
or an object, the trespasser may have
a defence if the trespass was not
intentional. There are many fences
along property lines on the farm
lands and cottage properties in
Muskoka. Many of the fences are
leaning to one side or the other side
of the property line.
The New Brunswick Court of
Lange
on Law
By Donald Lange
Appeal addressed a situation where
a fence leaned over a neighbour’s
property. The court was dealing with
a fence which the neighbour had
built wholly on their own property,
perfectly straight and flush with the
boundary, and which the court found
was leaning a few inches in certain
places after three years due to the
natural forces of snow or frost.
The court described the facts of
the case as follows: “With respect to
the claim that the defendant had in
1955 put up a fence, the top of
which three years later was found by
Sherren (the land surveyor) to proj-
North Country Business is published by Cottage
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and Service
local and regional markets to
serve, we can bring many products and services to a global market.
The next time you consume any
kind of digital service, take a
minute and think about who produced that digital media, and
where they might be located.
I have a challenge for our entire
region, whether you are a resident,
business, government or a not-forprofit organization: Every time
you are going to consume something in the digital world, ask
yourself “Could we produce that
here in our region?”
The answer, of course, is yes.
Yes, we can.
Rob McPhee is a guest columnist
and has been developing technology capacity in communities for over
25 years including technology education and training, infrastructure
planning and development, software development and deployment.
Rob is currently the Executive
Director of Muskoka Community
Network.
Copyright© 2012, Sun Media Corp.
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material
published in North Country Business is strictly
prohibited without the written permission of the
publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility
for unsolicited material.
ect ... over the plaintiff’s side of the
line dividing the two lots, I am
bound to find that the defence has
failed to contradict the findings of
Sherren in this respect and that the
top of the fence, whether due to frost
or snow, encroached in 1958 a few
inches over the plaintiff’s property.”
The court likened the leaning
fence to the encroachments of
boughs and roots which would constitute only a nuisance but not a trespass.
The court stated: “Trespass to
land is the act of entering upon land,
in the possession of another, or placing or throwing or erecting some
material object thereon without the
legal right to do so. In all such cases,
in order to be actionable as a trespass, the injury must be direct, within the meaning of the distinction
between direct and consequential
injuries.”
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September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
5
B&B owners need to have the right kind of insurance
For many people, running
a quaint bed and breakfast in
a tranquil, beautiful area like
Muskoka may be a dream
come true; and it can be, but
it’s important to understand
the risks involved and to
plan accordingly.
What to look for in your
insurance policy
With their warm and gracious hospitality, Muskoka
bed and breakfasts are
amongst the most popular
in the country. You’ve likely put a lot of TLC into
your B&B, and it’s important to protect your investment with the appropriate
insurance coverage. You’ll
want to talk to your insurance broker about your specific needs, but you’ll want
a policy that provides protection for both the business operation as well as
Protecting
your
investment
By Beckie Scarrow
your personal contents if
you reside onsite.
You’ll want to make sure
you have the right amount
of liability coverage, as well
as coverage for any specialized items you may have,
such as art, collections, personal watercraft, garden
tractors, and any jewelry
you have.
Some insurers offer an
extension to your B&B policy that provides legal liability coverage for guests’ personal property while at the
B&B, such as coats left at a
coat check or items left in
storage lockers. Coverage is
also available for additional
buildings or structures on
the premises which are
detached from the B&B
dwelling, as well as additional expenses, including
moving expenses, resulting
from a B&B dwelling being
unfit for occupancy or
requiring the owner to move
out while repairs are being
made after an insured loss.
Inspections help
minimize risks
One of the most important
ways to manage risk is to
have regular inspections of
your roof, windows and
entry points to ensure everything is secure and to catch
any potential fixes early.
This is doubly important
after a severe wind, hail or
thunderstorm.
The age of the building is
also an important consideration; heating, electrical,
plumbing, and roofing
should all be updated to
acceptable standards. Additionally, water damage due
to plumbing leaks can be a
common issue for B&Bs, so
if your guests report a leaky
faucet be sure to have it
fixed promptly to avoid
damage. You’ll also want to
check smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors regularly to ensure they’re in working order and haven’t been
tampered with.
Protecting your guests
Located in one of
Ontario’s favourite yearround vacation destination,
many Muskoka B&Bs offer
excursions and activities
such as swimming, hikes
and bike tours, wine tours,
and more, and it is the own-
er/operators’ responsibility
to make sure these are safe.
If your guest asks for recommendations on a walking,
hiking or biking trail nearby,
be sure to send them on a
safe route during daylight
hours.
If you are serving alcohol,
it’s important that you have
the right insurance coverage, including host liquor
liability, and that guests
don’t drive or boat after one
too many.
It’s important that each
guest room has a lock on the
door, and that you encourage guests to use them. You
may also want to install
individual safes in each
room for guests to store their
valuables and to make them
aware of what to do in the
event of a fire or emergency
evacuation.
When it comes to bath-
rooms, you’ll want to make
sure that there are non-slip
coatings on tubs and showers, and that everything is in
good working order.
Interior and exterior stairs
and hand-rails should be in
good condition to prevent
slips and falls and minimize
the chance of bodily
injuries.
B&B operations have specific requirements that are
unique to this type of business, and not all small business insurance policies
reflect this.
Your insurance broker
will be able to work with
you to tailor coverage to the
specific needs of your operation, ensuring your dream
doesn’t become an insurance nightmare.
Beckie Scarrow is the
director of commercial
insurance at RSA Canada.
Sears scores Gold Badge honours for service
Repeating their success
from 2011, the Huntsville
Sears Hometown Store was
recently presented with the
Sears Gold Badge Award
for Outstanding Customer
Service, and also named top
regional sales increase for
central Ontario.
Owners of the Huntsville
store, Annette and Kenneth
Donald attended the annual
Sears Hometown Connection conference and were
recognized at the company’s Gala Awards evening
BIG WINNERS: The team from Sears in
Huntsville celebrate a pair of big honours.
in August.
The Gold Badge Award is
presented to Sears Hometown Stores who exceed the
Sears’ corporate benchmark
for customer service.
“Sears conducts an independent survey with our
customers and they are
asked to rate our performance in five key areas,”
says Annette Donald.
“We are very proud of
our team and their attention
to customer service that
makes all this possible.
They have won the Gold
Badge Award three years in
a row.”
Kenneth Donald says all
of the credit for the Gold
Badge Award goes to the
team.
“Their focus on the customer is critical to our success,” he says.
Presented to stores across
Canada, the Huntsville
store won both the cus-
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tomer service award and
top sales increase, putting
them in the top five per cent
of Hometown Stores.
“Considering the challenges of today’s economy
it is fantastic that we have
received the award for top
regional sales increase for
two years in a row,” says
Annette. “Market conditions are extremely compet-
itive and the gains do not
come easily. We really want
to thank our whole team for
their
professionalism,
enthusiasm and commitment to success.”
6
BACK
September 2012
TO
BUSINESS
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
Autumn is time to prepare your building
A strong and successful
business requires a great
product and excellent customer service.
But those who have operated successful businesses
for a while will tell you there
is much more to it than that.
While product (or service)
is important, there are many
things behind the scenes that
businesspeople have to consider.
The actual building in
which the business takes
place needs proper care. Just
like a home, it may require
new windows, roof or even
touch up work like painting.
It has to be a welcoming
place for clients and a safe
place for employees.
As the leaves change and
Muskoka moves from summer into autumn there are a
few steps that business owners need to take with respect
to their facilities.
Winter is a season which
some people love to hate
while others just can’t wait
for it to arrive. In either case,
we all have to be ready to
face up to it.
So fall becomes the ideal
moment to start your preparations and putting your
WEATHER WORRIES: As winter approaches,
now is the time to prepare your business.
business at the top of the list
would seem to be logical.
Over the next few months,
frosts and thaws are certain
to put your business’s roof to
the test as far as watertightness is concerned.
Even if you don’t believe
that there are any leaks, it is
still recommended that you
carry out a few checks.
Building experts are unanimous about the fact that a
simple annual inspection can
avoid serious problems in
the future.
A roof in need of repair,
even if it only involves a
very small area, can cause a
building to deteriorate and
risks costing you dearly.
There are many qualified
experts in Muskoka who can
help with all of your roofing
needs.
The fall is also the obvious time to clean out the gutters in order for rainwater to
drain efficiently.
First of all, always bear in
mind that blocked or poorly
maintained guttering can
damage your building and
herein lays the importance of
cleaning them properly.
An overflowing gutter can
lead to cracks in walls and
foundations as well as discolouration of the walls.
This chore does not have
to be complicated. To start
with, you will need a good
pair of gloves. This will
make it easier to remove all
the dirt, leaves, particles of
metal, etc., you may find.
Of course, a good ladder is
GBS Contracting Services Inc.
We install Windows & Doors
Specializing in roofing, renovations
& general contracting
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oofing
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TAR & GRAVEL
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10 year warranty on labour
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Manufacturer warranty prorated
after first 10 years
BOOK NOW - 705.687.9143
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Phone: 705.641.8898
Fax: 705.689.8834
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.gbscontracting.com
Roofs:
Flat
Tar
Shingle
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Gravel
Steel
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Windows
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We Carry 5 million dollars of Liability Insurance and are
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essential for reaching the
guttering as well as a small
gardening tool to help you to
dislodge any awkward
scraps. At the worst, you can
always use a drain auger
(plumbing snake) if everything is totally stuck.
In order to work efficiently, attach a garbage bag to
your ladder for all the junk
you retrieve. And lastly, a
small jet of water from a
hose will finish your cleaning job nicely.
It’s very important to do
this work when fall arrives
but, if you want to make it
even less complicated, the
installation of wire meshing
or a cover for the gutter will
save you a lot of time and
effort.
Bracebridge hosts
events workshop
The Town of Bracebridge
economic
development
department, with financial
support from Muskoka
Futures, is hosting a series of
educational workshops for
festival and event organizers
in October.
The workshop is open to
not-for-profit organizations,
businesses, municipalities
and individuals from across
Muskoka who are interested
in gaining tangible knowledge and skills to increase
revenue and outside support
for their festivals or events.
The workshop will be held
at Nipissing University in
Bracebridge and will encompass learning and networking
opportunities
On Wednesday, Oct. 10, a
workshop entitled Successful
Grant Applications: Insider
Tips from the Funders will
take place.
A panel of experts, including representation from FedNor; the Ontario Trillium
Foundation; the Ministry of
Tourism, Culture and Sport;
Muskoka Futures; and
RTO12, will be on hand to
run through the grant programs their organizations
administer and to provide tips
and examples of successful
applications.
Registered individuals will
have an opportunity to meet
one-on-one with funders after
the formal portion of the session.
This is the second of two
educational workshops that
were included in the Town of
Bracebridge 2012 corporate
and departmental business
plan and developed by the
economic
development
department after surveying
the recipients of funding
through the Town’s event
tourism grant program and
the Bracebridge Festival Network.
Cheryl Kelley, director of
economic development for
the Town of Bracebridge
says, “Our event operators
have identified that they need
assistance in becoming successful in their endeavours to
secure outside funding to support their events. Our investment in this initiative will
encourage organizers to
engage other sources of funding and to pursue greater
sponsorship opportunities
that will in turn make their
festivals and events more sustainable.”
In September, they hosted
a sponsorship workshop as
the first of the two-part series.
Registration information
and forms are available on the
Town of Bracebridge website
at www.bracebridge.ca .
The educational workshops are funded in part by
Muskoka
Community
Futures Development Corporation and FedNor / Industry
Canada.
The Town of Bracebridge
has been supporting local
tourism events through an
Event Tourism Grant Program for the past five years.
The grant program is supporting nine events in 2012 with
$24,500 in financial assistance.
BACK
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
TO
BUSINESS
September 2012
7
Many ways to keep fit and stay productive
Daily exercise is a great
way to stay healthy well into
your golden years, and help
stay productive at work.
When coupled with a healthy
diet, a workout regimen
becomes even more effective.
For those adamant about
working out but unsure of
how to maximize their workouts, the answer might just lie
in your daily diet. Fitness
fans who learn how to make
their diets work for them
often find their workouts
become even more effective,
improving both how they feel
and how they look. The following are a few tricks of the
trade for men and women
who want to make their diets
work for them.
* Don’t discard breakfast.
Many men and women prefer to workout in the morning, when temperatures
might be more amenable to
a morning jog or gyms
might be less crowded than
during peak hours. However, morning exercise enthusiasts should know that a
healthy breakfast before
working out can provide
them with more energy,
leading to a more effective
workout.
Men and women who
don’t eat before their morning workouts are bound to
feel more sluggish, as the
majority of the energy from
the previous night’s dinner
has already been used up. A
light breakfast of wholegrain cereal or bread paired
with low-fat milk an hour
before working out can provide the added boost your
body needs and make your
morning exercise routine
that much more effective.
Fruit, including bananas or a
few apple slices, can also do
the trick. Just try to avoid
working out on an empty
stomach and give yourself
enough time between eating
and working out for the
added energy boost to take
effect.
* Don’t overdo it. A small
meal prior to working out is
generally the best way to go.
You can workout after a
large meal, but you’ll need
to give yourself more time
between eating and exercising, ideally several hours. If
you like to workout after a
long day at the office, eat a
light snack, ideally an hour
FITNESS FIRST: Eating right and exercising
can keep you healthy and focused at work.
before you expect to begin
your workout, so your blood
sugar won’t be too low. In
addition, a light snack
before a workout might provide some extra energy that
will come in handy when
you hit that treadmill or start
lifting those weights.
* Choose the right snacks.
A snack before working out
is alright, just make sure it’s
the right snack. A bag of
potato chips, for example, is
not an ideal preworkout
snack, as it might produce an
adverse effect, making you
feel sluggish as you prepare
to exercise. Fresh fruit, energy bars or drinks, granola
bars or even a fruit smoothie
will quell your hunger and
help you maintain proper
blood sugar levels.
* Find something to eat
after you exercise. Eating
after you exercise is also
important. After working
out, eating a meal with carbohydrates will promote
muscle growth and recovery, restoring your fuel supplies that were lost during
your workout. This will
come in handy tomorrow
when you want to work out
again.
Eating protein after a
workout is also important.
Doing so is beneficial when
trying to build muscle, and
protein also promotes muscle repair. Many fitness
experts feel the meal after a
workout is the most important meal of the day, but just
be sure yours contains both
carbohydrates and protein.
* Don’t forget fluids. Fluids are part of your diet as
well, and they’re especially
important when exercising.
Whether your typical exercise routine is vigorous or
not, you are going to lose
fluids when working out,
sometimes a large amount of
fluids. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends men and women
emphasize drinking fluids,
ideally water, before, during
and after their workouts. It’s
important to stay hydrated
throughout the day, but it’s
very important to begin a
workout with adequate fluids in your body and to
replenish those fluids during
and after your workout as
well. Water is adequate for
those whose workouts are
60 minutes or less, but
choose a sports drink if you
workout for more than an
hour at a time. The sports
drink will help you maintain
your electrolyte balance and
give you more energy as
you’re working.
ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS!
Healthy Bodies = A Strong Bottom Line
In Canada all Corporate Memberships paid by Employers are 100% Tax Deductible to the Employer as
Fitness Memberships for Employees are deemed to be a Health/Benefit expense.
WHY SHOULD YOU PURCHASE A FITNESS MEMBERSHIP FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES?
*Wellness programs are highly valued by all generations in the workplace and send a clear message
the company CARES about the employees’ well-being.
*Healthy, active employees take 27% fewer sick days and 14%-25% fewer disability days.
*An employee with three or more risk factors (i.e. smoker, overweight or drinks too much) is absent 50% more
often than staff with no risk factors. The more risk factors someone has, the greater the cost to your business.
Our Corporate Membership Program will do the following for your company:
*Significantly reduce your business costs caused my absenteeism.
*Reduce turnover by creating a “Loyal to Company” attitude.
*Enrich the quality of work life for your employees.
*Significantly impact employee morale, focus and productivity.
Call us today or stop in and see what we are able to offer your company.
Your investment in your employees is one of the best investments you will make.
THE MUSKOKA FITNESS CLUB
550 ECCLESTONE DRIVE, BRACEBRIDGE • 705-646-1848
8
September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
Business Spotlight
• Bedrock Footings
• Foundations
• Floors
Looking for
a Great Employee?
We’ve got skilled candidates
ready to make an immediate
contribution to your business.
MARK & KIRK
(705)
Wage incentives may be available.
Brent McIntosh – Employer Liaison
YMCA Employment Service - Huntsville
60 King William Street
705-787-0349
[email protected]
644-4434
OR
(705)
644-9636
This Employment Ontario service is funded in part by the Government of Canada
Brent McIntosh, Mary Ellen Fetterly and Eileen Lee are part of the team at
the YMCA Employment and Literacy Services location in Huntsville.
YMCA programs support
employers and employees
Your foundation coating
& sealing professional
Basement waterproofing
Driveway & interlock coatings
Call now for your free consultation
705.645.6792
www.steernorth.ca
There are a number of valuable opportunities for employers offered by the YMCA
Employment and Literacy
Services in Huntsville.
The experienced, professional and reliable team of
individuals will help to create
win-win situations where any
employer’s needs and requirements are met and a place
where job-seekers can find
sustainable employment.
Kait Parrott, Labour Relations for MBRP attests to the
fact that the YMCA’s employment services are first-rate.
“As a growing manufacturing facility in Huntsville, we
have been challenged with
finding suitable candidates for
our production team. YMCA
has assisted us with placement
and training of additional team
members,” Parrott writes.
“They offer a training
incentive program that has
assisted in offsetting training
costs for new employees. All
of the candidates that we have
hired through the YMCA are
currently valuable members of
the MBRP team,” adds Parrott. “This has been a mutually
beneficial relationship.”
Employers can seek out other support services from the
YMCA such as a full range of
literacy services.
“Our literacy services offer
a place for employers to get
help for their existing workforce,” explains Fetterly. “For
instance, our staff can offer
services in literacy upgrading
for a skilled worker to
improve his or her reading and
writing skills to perform new
job-related tasks. It’s a great
way to strengthen and improve
upon an employer’s existing
work force.”
Training makes a difference.
“Workplace literacy studies
have reported that employees
who took basic skills programs were able to work more
independently and were better
suited to assume greater
responsibilities,” says Literacy
Services Co-ordinator Eileen
Lee.
“The YMCA Literacy Services can help employees
upgrade their basic skills in
workplace writing, reading
and math. Small group
instruction, as well as one-toone tutoring, is available during the daytime as well as in
the evenings,” she says.
There will be two new
workshops offered this fall:
Filling in Forms and Basic
Computing Skills. These, of
course, are also offered at no
charge and take place at the
YMCA in Huntsville.
Beginning on Oct. 18, the
YMCA job developers will
offer the first series of their
Lunch & Learn sessions.
According to Employment
Specialist Mary Ellen Fetterly,
the YMCA’s Lunch and Learn
series provides employers or
their supervisors with addi-
tional information to strengthen their human resources
knowledge which in turn will
increase their effectiveness in
recruiting, training and retaining their staff. They are created to assist employers in promoting and fostering positive
employee relationships, resulting in a committed, loyal and
successful team within the
workplace.
The five-week Lunch and
Learn series runs every other
Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1:30
p.m. starting Oct. 18 and there
is no cost to participate in
these workshops.
Some of the topics covered
during the series are: Employer Responsibilities, Recruitment and Selection and
Employee Performance Management.
Employment and literacy
workshops are held on site at
60 King William Street. Literacy workshops can also be
held on site at the employer’s
place of business. Please call
(705)787-0349 for more information.
The YMCA is looking forward to hosting an Open
House at 60 King William
Street in Huntsville in the fall.
For those who are interested,
watch for an upcoming Save
the Date announcement
through the Huntsville/Lake of
Bays Chamber of Commerce.
This Employment Ontario
service is funded in part by the
Government of Canada.
R
oofing
of all Types
GBS Contracting
Services Inc.
SPECIALIZING IN FLATS/
TAR & GRAVEL
GENERAL CONTRACTING
ALL WORKMANSHIP
5 YR WARRANTY
COMMERCIAL / RESIDENTIAL
[email protected]
705
687-9143
Cell: 705-641-8898
www.gbscontracting.com
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
24 HOUR
Tell Muskoka
residents
who you are
and what you
offer!
Spotlight your business in
this advertising
feature - includes both
advertising and
editorial content.
Call your Sales Rep. Today
705-646-1314
September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
9
Accutrim offers accuracy
E
MICHA L LITTLE
.
J.DCHARTERED ACCOUNTANT, CPA (ILLINOIS)
MASTER OF TAXATION (UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO)
Income & Commodity Taxes
Small Business Accounting
Personal & Corporate Planning
97 Kimberley Avenue
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1Z8
CAREFUL CUTS: Mike Prindiville has had a keen interest in woodworking since childhood.
Cutting wood with precision is something Mike
Prindiville has been doing
since childhood.
Prindiville just opened
Accutrim in Bracebridge, a
business in which he specializes in home finishing
and decorative woodwork.
Prindiville’s grandfather
was a builder who wanted to
teach his grandson about
construction when he was
just seven or eight years old.
However, they did not live in
the same community. As
such, Prindiville’s grandfather would mail him pieces
of 2 x 4s, or plywood
marked to show where they
should be cut. Prindiville’s
job was to see just how
straight and accurate he
could cut them and then send
them back for his grandfather’s assessment.
“I have had a keen interest
in fine woodworking from
those days onward,” says
Prindiville.
Later on he studied carpentry at Sir Sanford Fleming College in Peterborough, and practiced his trade
with a Gravenhurst contractor for a few years. Following that, he gained experience working in the furniture and high-end cabinetry
industry.
Prindiville believes his
combined experience gives
him a unique skill set. He
can handle projects from
baseboard to crown mould-
ing and everything in
between. His work is warrantied, and Accutrim is fully insured. He enjoys making solid wood tables,
dressers and fireplace mantels as well.
Prindiville says he enjoys
helping people realize their
dreams through woodwork
and looks forward to helping
them make the transition
from the construction stage
to the finished stage as worry free as possible.
Tel 705-646-1100
Fax 705-646-1196
Port Carling • Rosseau • Ullswater • Sprucedale
705-765-6447 • 866-478-2779
[email protected]
nicholas popovich
planning & associates
Specializing in Land Use Planning
783 Manitoba St. Bracebridge P1L 1W9
[email protected]
705-645-6022 • 705-394-5044 (c)
Bus stops at hospitals, schools
Continued from FRONT
Victoria Hospital in Barrie.
“We’ve consulted with
both ... hospitals to ensure
the Corridor 11 Bus schedule
will meet the needs of
Muskokans,” says Hammond.
The bus will also provide a
link for students by stopping
at the Georgian College campuses in Orillia and Barrie.
“We’ve also been in touch
with Georgian College to
look at student enrolment
and we’re pleased that potential ridership there is substantial,” says Hammond. “We
hope the Corridor 11 Bus
will be well utilized so we
can maintain and even possibly grow the service in the
future.”
The bus will depart from
the Huntsville Place Mall at
(all times approx.) 6:30 a.m.
and at 10:30 a.m. The bus
will stop in Bracebridge at
Oliver’s Coffee on Manitoba
Street at 7 a.m. and at 11:15
a.m. then 15 minutes later
will stop in Gravenhurst at
141 Main Street. The bus
will then continue south
stopping in Washago, before
reaching Soldiers Memorial
Hospital in Orillia at 7:45
a.m. and 11:15 a.m., followed by a stop at Georgian
College’s Orillia campus.
The bus then travels to the
Royal Victoria Hospital in
Barrie, arriving at 8:20 a.m.
and 12:20 p.m. with a final
stop at Georgian College in
Barrie after that.
The buses return to
Gravenhurst at 9:40 a.m. and
4:40 p.m., to Bracebridge at
9:55 a.m. and 4:55 p.m., and
to Huntsville at 10:25 a.m.
and 5:25 p.m.
The Corridor 11 Bus is a
three month pilot project that
will run until December
2012. Depending on the
demand for the service the
hope is for the bus service to
be extended. Routes, pricing
and scheduling will be evaluated at the end of the project.
“We hope by December to
have a good sense of the
numbers and the need,” says
Hammond. “There’s a number of transportation needs in
Muskoka.”
The District of Muskoka,
one of the agencies involved
in the project, feels the service will be a great benefit to
their clients.
“Historically, Muskoka
has been under serviced in
terms of transportation and
many of our clients struggle
finding reliable and affordable transportation for essential services such as medical
appointments or to educational opportunities,” says
Rick Williams, commissioner of Muskoka community
services. “With the Ontario
Northland train service ending this month, the Corridor
11 Bus service will be even
more essential.”
Seats on the Corridor 11
Bus can be booked by calling
Hammond Transportation at
705-645-2583 or tickets can
be purchased directly from
the driver. For more information on prices, scheduling
and pick-up and drop-off
locations, and to find out
who was involved in the Corridor 11 Bus project, go to
www.corridor11bus.ca.
Committed to
Muskoka
Contractors
440 Ecclestone Drive
Unit 19
Bracebridge
866-461-7599
P 705-646-1600
F 705-646-1630
Donald J. Lange, LL.B., Ph.D.
Barrister-at-Law
Civil Litigation - Ontario Superior Court
20 years Toronto experience
Defending or launching lawsuits
• Property disputes • Road access • Sale/Purchase problems
• Family Cottage issues • Estate litigation • Legal opinions
Phone: 705-489-4974
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.donaldlange.com
Office Location:
69 Main St., Minden
(by appointment only)
10
September 2012
MUSKOKA’S CHAMBERS
OF
COMMERCE
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
Bracebridge seeks title sponsor
15 Robert Dollar Dr.,
Bracebridge
Phone 705-645-3057
Toll Free 1-800-461-5495
www.muskokawindowanddoor.ca
Tell Muskoka
businesses who
you are and
what you offer!
Showcase your business in
our Business Spotlight
feature - includes both
advertising and
editorial content.
Call your Sales Rep.
Today 705-646-1314
Brokerage, Independently Owned & Operated
By The Bracebridge Chamber
of Commerce
The Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce
is preparing to host its 19th Annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards and
Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
This event is anticipated by the business
community and is very well attended. It is
also an important fund-raiser for the Bracebridge Chamber.
We have invited Mayor Graydon Smith to
address the business community through the
keynote address format. In past years this has
turned out to be the luncheon highlight.
To keep it simple and unique, we are limiting the Title Event Sponsorship opportunity to a single sponsor.
For $1,500 a title sponsorship would allow
the Chamber to promote the sponsor through
a number of mediums.
These include placing the sponsor’s logo
and/or name on all advertising for the event
including web, newspaper, radio, newsletter,
e-broadcasts, cable TV, digital display ads
and all media releases.
As well, the title sponsor receives two
luncheon tickets, a three-month digital display contract advertising the sponsor’s business and three e-mail broadcasts.
The title sponsor is also provided advertising space in the event program on the inside
front cover to promote their company, its
product(s) and local affiliates, if appropriate,
and the lower third page of the front cover
for logo recognition.
OUTSTANDING: Don Skinner, with wife Jenn, won 2011 Outstanding
Contribution to Bracebridge Award last year. The award was presented
by Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce president David Powley.
As an added piece the title sponsor would
assist the Chamber President with the presentation of the Outstanding Contribution to
Bracebridge Award.
If you are interested in becoming the Title
Welcome to our new chamber members
HUNTSVILLE/LAKE OF BAYS CHAMBER
Discount Car & Truck Rentals Huntsville
705-788-3737
KJ Chris: DJ and Karaoke 705-789-1502
Lord and Partners 705-788-1966
North Muskoka House Ltd. 705-787-0330
Ontario SPCA – Muskoka Animal Centre
705-645-6225
Typhoon Hot Tub Service 705-394-5800
BRACEBRIDGE CHAMBER
Cedar Lane Motel 705-645-9757
Flemming & Associates Collaborative
Solutions 705-637-0362
Muskoka Fitness Club 705-646-1848
Muskoka Information Radio 705-385-8787
Ontario Cottage Coppers #38 705-641-8697
GRAVENHURST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Frosty Pint 705-687-4333
PORT SYDNEY, UTTERSON AND AREA
Carbon Footprint Solutions 705-640-2133
MUSKOKA LAKES
Duke Boats Limited 705-765-3141
Port Carling Taxi 705-394-5038
TelCom North Technologies 705-765-3254
Bait, Tackle and More 705-765-3474
Revive Salon and Spa 705-762-4888
Classic Muskoka Homes 705-769-1835
Ben Hopkins Renovation 705-769-1835
Blue Canoe Media (Dockside Magazine)
705-681-0709
F2F Contracting 705-646-4068
P romotional P roducts
Advertising Specialties
Proudly supporting the Chambers of Commerce
www.rlpmuskoka.com
Sponsor for the 19th Annual Bracebridge
Chamber Outstanding Business Achievement Awards, please contact John Crawley at
[email protected] or call
him at (705) 645-5231.
Proud Supporter of the
Chamber of Commerce
PENS • LABELS • DECALS
CALENDARS • GLASSWARE
126 Greer Road, Port Sydney
705-385-2311
www.homesmuskoka.com
Box 201 • Port Carling • ON P0B 1J0
(705) 765-5352
Est. 1956
HELP SUPPORT
YOUR CHAMBER
Call 705-646-1314
to advertise
[email protected]
northcountrybusinessnews.com
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
MUSKOKA’S CHAMBERS
OF
COMMERCE
September 2012
11
Fond Farewells
By The Port Sydney, Utterson and Area Chamber of Commerce
A sincere thank you to two of our outgoing members of the board
of directors, Danielle Eakins and Marilyn Austin who have both made
significant contributions to the chamber over the past few years.
Danielle has served this chamber and community for the last three
years and has been a dedicated volunteer. She has been instrumental
in many areas of fundraising, coming up with great ideas and organizing many of the drives. She organized a very successful Blue Spruce
Seedling fundraiser this year and you would have seen her down at the
beach on Canada Day with her arms full of pool noodles. She has been
selfless in her dedication and commitment and has gone the extra
mile. We will miss you Danielle. Very best wishes in all your future
endeavours.
Marilyn has been a member of this organization for the last two
years and she, also, has been a dedicated volunteer. If a job needed to
be done then all we had to do was ask Marilyn and know that it would
be done, and done well. You have probably seen Marilyn out in the
community gathering silent auction items, putting up posters etc. She,
too, has gone the extra mile and made a great commitment to the
chamber and community. We will miss you too Marilyn and wish you
the very best for your future plans.
The Port Sydney, Utterson and Area Chamber of Commerce is
hosting our AGM on Sept. 18 at North Granite Ridge Golf Club. Join
us and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments prior to meeting.
Events listing
The following events are for chamber of
commerce members only. If you would
like to attend, contact the hosting chamber
about joining or to find out about guest
invitations.
September 20
End of Season Muskoka Lakes Cruise is
being hosted by the Muskoka Lakes
Chamber of Commerce. Enjoy the beauty
of Lake Muskoka aboard the Wenonah II
from 1 p.m. to 3:30 pm. Tickets are $40
each or $35 per person for groups of 20 or
more. Ticket price includes bussing from
Port Carling to Gravenhurst, Marche
lunch, live entertainment and a silent auction. Tickets available at the chamber
office at 3181 Muskoka Road 169, Bala
Pines Plaza, or call 705-762-5663 with
your Visa number to reserve.
Small Business
Financing
•••••
Community Development
Grants
www.muskokafutures.ca
(705) 646-9511
1-800-414-6570
CELEBRATION: Mary Ellen Fetterly, Jenny Cressman, Tammy Scott and Liz Geissebuhler share
some good cheer during the Huntsville/Lake of
Bays Chamber of Commerce Business at Lunch
Time event held on Sept. 6 at reVibe.
Uniglobe the Travel Agency from 5:30
p.m. to 7:30 p.m. RSVP is required and
can be done by calling 705-687-4432 or
emaling [email protected]
The Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce
invites members and their guests to a
monthly Business After Hours at Northern
Lights Canada Employment Services Centre, 195 Wellington St., Bracebridge from
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. RSVP is required at
(705) 645-5231.
September 26
The Port Sydney, Utterson and Area
Chamber of Commerce is hosting its
Chamber Classic Golf Tournament at Diamond in the Ruff Golf Club. Cost is $99
plus HST. The day includes 9 holes of golf
with power cart ending with a Steak dinner
and prizes. Call the chamber at 705-3851117 for more information.
October 11
The October Business at Lunch Time will
take place at Habitat for Humanity
ReStore will take place from 11:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m.
Come out and network with fellow chamber members. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served. RSVP to [email protected] or by
phone 705-789-4771 ext. 21
October 17
The Port Sydney, Utterson and Area
Chamber of Commerce will be holding a
Business After Hours from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Members and guests please take advantage
of this networking opportunity. Feel free to
invite any new businesses who may be
interested in becoming a member of our
growing chamber. Bring your business
card for our draw. For details email:
[email protected]
The Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce
will be hosting a Business After Hours at
BRACEBRIDGE
HUNTSVILLE/LAKE OF BAYS
PORT SYDNEY/UTTERSON AND AREA
1-1 Manitoba St.
705-645-5231, Fax: 645-7592
[email protected]
www.bracebridgechamber.com
8 West St. N., Huntsville
705-789-4771, Fax: 789-6191
[email protected]
www.huntsvillelakeofbays.on.ca
15 South Mary Lake Road, Unit 4, (next to
Dean’s Home Hardware) Port Sydney
705-385-1117, Fax: 385-9753
[email protected]
www.portsydneycoc.com
GRAVENHURST
MUSKOKA LAKES
3181 Muskoka Rd. 169, Bala
705-762-5663, Fax: 762-5664
[email protected]
www.muskokalakeschamber.com
Our next
advertising
deadline is
Wed., October 3
Muskoka’s Largest
Sleep Galleries
67 Silverwood Drive
Huntsville
705-789-5589
6 Robert Dollar Drive
Bracebridge
705-645-2279
How to contact
your chamber
Jacqui Semkow
Muskoka Mortgage
Specialist
Muskoka and Parry Sound
705-646-4238
705-646-1314
Proudly sponsored by
make the most impact with online marketing opportunities. Call Tara, 705-687-4432
or [email protected]
The Gravenhurst Chamber is hosting a
one-hour workshop for members to share
information on how to get started and
685-2 Muskoka Rd. N.,
705-687-4432, Fax: 687-4382
[email protected]
www.gravenhurstchamber.com
111 Manitoba Street
Bracebridge, P1L 2B6
Fax: 705-646-1810
Pager: 1-866-767-5446
[email protected]
YOUR COTTAGE
COUNTRY BUILDING
SUPPLY STORE
Bala • Bracebridge • Dorset
Gravenhurst • MacTier
www.timbrmart.ca
12
September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
Port Syndey waves hello to Uncle Larry’s
By Chris Occhiuzzi
Goodbye Zanetti’s, hello
Uncle Larry’s.
After 19 years under
Zanetti family ownership, the
Port Sydney general store has
been sold to Cathy DeNardis,
who has changed the name to
Uncle Larry’s, but plans to
keep the family feel.
DeNardis’ son Nathan and
daughter Halle have been
recruited to help man the
shop, which they took over
this summer.
DeNardis changed the
name to honour her father
Larry, who passed away a
couple of years ago, and
whom
the
community
referred to as Uncle
Larry.
“It was just something we
always thought about,” says
DeNardis. “We had looked at
it a couple of years ago when
it was up for sale.”
DeNardis eyed the Zanetti’s location back then, but
the time wasn’t right. When
the opportunity came and
Chris Zanetti was selling his
store, DeNardis jumped at the
chance to purchase it.
Next year, the general store
will celebrate its centennial
and DeNardis says she is
A FAMILY AFFAIR: Halle DeNardis welcomes customers to Uncle Larry’s. The DeNardis family
recently purchased the 99-year-old Port Sydney store, which was previously Zanetti’s.
excited about being able to
combine both a one year and
a 100 year birthday party into
one.
The store has had several
owners and names, including
Lucas’ and Clarks’, according to DeNardis.
The new name isn’t the
only thing DeNardis plans on
changing in the store. She
wants to introduce more local
products to promote and support fellow Muskokan entrepreneurs.
“We’re going to be using
Muskoka Roastery coffee,”
she says. “The aim is to be
more local. We have a small
amount of produce now.
We’ll be carrying local meat
from a farmer. We carry Henrietta’s and we carry glutenfree products. We’re trying to
have items available for various diets.”
Within the store, they’ve
moved some of the locations
of product to different areas.
DeNardis says they don’t
have as many gift items as
they would like at the
moment, but in the future
there will be a larger choice.
“Next year we’ll get more
into the gift items,” she says.
“We’ve increased our ice
cream. We do milkshakes,
sundaes and floats, which is
new.”
Of the gifts they are planning to bring in, DeNardis
says 90 per cent are going to
be local. Right now, they
have Kelly B pots. They will
be carrying Baggy Pants
from Sue Stevens and are
going to have products from
a local soap maker.
“People are coming here to
get a piece of Muskoka,” she
says. “So, that’s what we’re
going to give them.”
Clement talks to business
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Continued from FRONT
to let the public into his
world.
The conference will also
feature dozens of panelists
and speakers discussing
emerging trends and technologies, which could help
their businesses gain an edge
over the competition in 2013.
Using social media to
engage consumers is a big
part of both the present and
future of business world
wide, say organizers.
“We have seen the power
of social media in politics
with the U.S. presidential
campaign and now with Minister Clement. Learning from
the effectiveness of social
media in politics is valuable
because these campaigns
embrace changing attitudes
and behaviours over a relatively short period of time,”
says Yasmin Ranade, chair of
the IABC 2012 Canada Business Communicators Summit. “Minister Clement can
teach us how to use a multidimensional Twitter profile
like his to engage authentically and build a following of
enthusiastic supporters who
rave about our brands.”
The International Association of Business Communicators is a global network of
communication professionals
committed to improving
organizational effectiveness
through communication.
Established in 1970, IABC
serves more than 15,000
members in 80 countries.
IABC Canada has two
regions, representing more
than 5,500 members in 14
chapters across the country.
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
SEASONAL PARTY PLANNING
September 2012
13
Party planning made easy in Muskoka
A wide range of
options exist for
holiday festivities
It’s never too early to start
planning an office holiday
party.
With so much to organize,
including number of guests,
location and entertainment,
the festive event can take on
a life of its own.
Decorations, party favours
and a seating plan are just a
few items on a party planning itinerary. As an employer or employee trying to fit
planning a holiday party into
one’s schedule, this can add
a huge amount of work to an
already full plate.
Luckily in Muskoka, there
are several options, from
extravagant to low key, to fit
the needs of businesses big
and small. Rather than stress
over caterers, bartenders and
seating, let a group of entertainment professionals make
the event easy.
Several businesses adept
at handling group events are
willing to take the stress out
of planning a party. Using
the professionals can also
make budgeting for a holiday event less onerous.
Determining group size,
appropriate dates and having
a realistic budget can go a
long way to making the
event a success. As well,
booking accommodations
can be a very cost-effective
way to keep everyone safe
and worry-free when compared to transportation
options.
“Think outside the budget
box,” says Dean MacNeil,
director of food and beverage for Deerhurst Resort.
“Determine how much the
company is willing to spend
and if colleagues may be
expected to cost-share to
provide the experience the
group wants. This can be a
set amount per person, or as
simple as a cash bar. We
have package offerings to fit
every type of party experience you may be looking
for.”
At Deerhurst Resort, they
are taking holiday parties to
the next level with brand
new live concert holiday
parties, complete with dinner and dancing.
Offering dinner and concert packages, as well as
those including accommodations, Deerhurst is featuring
two Canadian rock icons as
part of their holiday festivities.
On Dec. 1, David Wilcox
takes the stage to show off
his incredible ability on the
guitar. Wilcox has spent 20
years in the entertainment
business as a songwriter,
singer and guitarist, putting
together five gold and platinum albums with such hits
as The Groove, That Hypnotizin’ Boogie and Can’t Stop
Rockin.’
On Dec. 8, Kim Mitchell
brings his classic rock
anthems like Go For A Soda
and Patio Lanterns to Deerhurst. Sure to please the
audience, many of whom
will be able to sing along
with every lyric, Mitchell is
a true Canadian rock legend.
“Deerhurst has always
been known for the crowd
appeal of its stage show
Decades so we know there's
nothing like live entertainment to break the ice and get
everyone in the party mood,”
says MacNeil. “With the
success of our classic Canadian rock concerts this summer, featuring Trooper,
Loverboy and April Wine to
name a few, it seemed like a
natural extension to host
headliner entertainment dur-
JOLLY GOOD TIME: Deerhurst Resort provides packages to fit any size of holiday celebration.
ing the most festive time of
the year as well.”
It’s not just the live concerts Deerhurst Resort is
offering for holiday parties.
Customized parties for private group events and
Decades dinner and dance
packages are also available.
Special holiday banquet
menus feature throughout
the season. Laura Kennedy
says Deerhurst's website is
the place to go for party
packages and menus, and
she says the customizable
options are almost limitless.
“We make it easy, we
make it fun, and more
affordable than you’d think
for the same setting that welcomed world leaders,” says
MacNeil. “As Muskoka’s
Rotary Centre for Youth
131 Wellington St., Bracebridge
Hall Rental
Book Now
for Your Holiday Party
Call 645-2036 or
www.clubrunner.ca/bracebridge
Wi-Fi and Electronic Projection Equipment on site
Catering Available
most complete retreat, Deerhurst offers so many onestop celebration options for
groups of all sizes. From private gala dinners for up to
800 to smaller offices who
want to join in the fun of a
larger party with live entertainment, or have their own
casual get-together.”
Don’t think because golf
season is coming to a close,
there’s not still plenty of fun
to be had at The Mark
O’Meara Clubhouse. Food
and beverage manager Raffaele Occhiuzzi welcomes
holiday celebrations and a
group event could have
exclusive use of the clubhouse during golf’s off-season.
“The O’Meara Ballroom
is a softly lit, well decorated
reception and dining space
which can comfortably host
300 guests,” says Occhiuzzi.
“The room can be divided
without any difficulties and
without affecting its appearance into a smaller more
intimate area for parties of
50 to 180. There is a private
bar and cocktail area very
comfortable and easily
accessed from a large parking lot. All restrooms are
wheelchair accessible, as is
the Clubhouse and banquet
space.”
O’Meara Clubhouse chef
Vincent Dion will work
closely with event organizers to ensure the best possible menu for their function
and while decorating is up to
the party planner, staff is
happy to assist with creating
a truly festive atmosphere
and the Clubhouse is
equipped with a good selection of Christmas décor, says
Occhiuzzi.
“The O’Meara Clubhouse
is a private club environment, however we do gladly
welcome the community to
take advantage of its facilities for events, banquets,
wedding and of course holiday celebrations,” says
Occhiuzzi. “We have a topnotch culinary and service
staff whose only aim is to
ensure the satisfaction of our
guests and members.”
The Town of Huntsville
features two party options
for the festive season, with
14
September 2012
SEASONAL PARTY PLANNING
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
ELEGANT DINING: The ballroom at the Mark O’Meara Clubhouse is
the perfect venue for entertaining a corporate holiday group event.
‘Tis the Season for a
Taste of Sherwood Inn
This special time of year allows you the ideal opportunity to reward your
employees with a festive break from their daily pursuits.
Annual
Party In a Party
Saturday,
December 8, 2012
Great for Small Offices to enjoy a Big Party.
Tickets are $40.00/person plus tax & gratuity and include a
Gourmet Buffet Festive Dinner, Festive DJ, Dancing and Door prizes
Kris Kringle
Luncheon
Friday,
December 21, 2012
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
We know the Holiday Season is full of weekend commitments,
so why not celebrate with your staff at our Kris Kringle Luncheon.
Join us for a Cottage Country Buffet!
Only $24.95/person plus tax & gratuity.
Reservations required for both events. Inquiries please contact
Christina Van Kempen at 705-765-3131 ext 431 or [email protected]
We also cater to Private Corporate Festive Events Inquiries please contact
Jody Gillis at 705-765-3131 ext 420 or [email protected]
SEASONAL PARTY PLANNING
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com
both an event room booking,
and the total package with
party room, dinner, bar and
entertainment included.
Kathy Janelle, sales coordinator for the Town of
Huntsville, says they have a
great package available
with Three Guys and A
Stove taking care of the
food and beverages. They
will include holiday decorations as well.
While groups can book
just a party facility from the
Town, they will need to purchase insurance and a liquor
license on their own. Janelle
can offer help in getting the
proper paperwork completed.
“The Active Living Centre is open and available for
anyone who wants to rent it
and use it as a Christmas
party facility,” she says. “Or
they can go with a package
we have available. It’s a
three course meal catered by
Three Guys and A Stove.
Musical entertainment will
be included and we can
accommodate groups up to
180 people.”
Sherwood Inn bills itself
as the perfect destination for
parties of all sizes. Intimate
private dining locations can
host smaller groups of up to
14, while larger corpora-
tions have the option of
exclusive use of the property with dinner, dancing, and
overnight accommodation
for up to 100 guests.
“When you inquire with
Sherwood Inn we take care
of all the details for you,”
says Christina Van Kempen,
Sherwood Inn’s conference
services manager. “From
decadent menus to entertainment ideas, we are a perfect location for your year
end celebratory toast.”
For the holiday season,
Cottage Cravings in Bala
offers homemade baking in
a variety of sizes including
dessert trays, butter tarts and
lots of pies perfect for a festive celebration. They have
cheesecakes,
Christmas
cakes and quiches, as well
as providing some catering
focused on appetizers.
“We have seating for up
to 20 for Christmas lunches
and we have seasonal gifts
and cards,” says Cottage
Cravings owner Randy
Brown.
Those planning holiday
parties for their co-workers
or employees have a wide
range of choices on where
and how to host the celebration in Muskoka. It all
comes down to a matter of
taste.
September 2012
15
WARM AND COZY: Huntsville has party rooms available to rent in the Active Living Centre.
Host an Event
Our majestic and elegant clubhouse is the perfect setting for your memorable
corporate event or family reunion during the upcoming holiday season and all year round.
Just five minutes from the scenic and historic town of Huntsville, our clubhouse typifies the
Muskoka experience. Our banquet facilities can accommodate up to 250 guests.
Our planner will work with you on every detail of your special occasion.
Our executive chef will help you design a menu that will impress your guests.
We also do weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions.
Call us today for a consultation 705-788-9978
245 Grandview Drive North Huntsville, ON
t: 705-788-9978 | f: 705-788-9551
16
September 2012
www.NorthCountryBusinessNews.com