Hometown St.Thomas Jan-Feb 2022

Hometown St.Thomas Jan-Feb 2022

Hometown St. Thomas Jan-Feb 2022 Issue 36

There’s a New Cake in Town At the end of November, a new bakery opened its doors in St. Thomas, calledRubyBlues. If youhavea sweet tooth likeme, buckle- up; it is going to be a flavourful ride! Sam Mason moved to Canada with her family from the UK, where she had been a teacher and a nurse. She knew she wanted to stay, so one way to do that was to get a study permit – off to Fanshawe College where she graduated with a Culinary Diploma and a Baking & Pastry Arts Diploma. After spending time working in another bake shop, eventually becoming their head baker, Sam was looking for a change and knew she wanted to become her own boss, so she did. “It's just been a labour of love transforming this space from a lawyer's office into RubyBlues,” says Sam. RubyBlues offers custom cakes, as well as everyday baked goods, often with a nod to Sam’s British heritage. “Banoffee Pie has become our signature dish,” Sam says. “I know that there are a lot of good Canadian bakeries. I didn't want to start copying what you guys have already got; I just wanted to do the stuff that I knew and love.” If you are not familiar with Banoffee Pie, it is a buttery

biscuit base with a layer of a banana filling and a toffee caramel cream. You can also find eclairs, turnovers, macarons, baklava, and of course cake, either whole or by the slice. “We came up with the concept of just selling it by the slice because you don't have to have a celebration – you don't have to have a reason if you just want cake. So, we've given that choice back to the people here. They can order as small or as large as they like.” One of the things Sam is loving about running her own bakery is that she can be flexible in what she offers; if a customer wants something that she doesn’t have, she can try and make that customer happy. “We had a customer come in last week and asked me if we had a blintz recipe. I had never heard of it. I researched a recipe and rang the guy back two hours later and said, “Okay, I'll give it a go.” I sold 40 portions to him and he was so happy.”

Knowing a beautiful cake can some- times need a little extra touch, Ruby- made by Sam’s husband. Even if you bake your own cake and just need that finishing touch, you can get it here,” says Sam.

Next time you are looking try something on the sweet side, or need a custom cake to make your next celebration just extra special, make sure you stop into RubyBlues and say hi to Sam. RubyBlues is located at 578 Talbot St., St. Thomas .

Shop in-store, online or call for delivery!

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Page 2 Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022

30 Years of Celebrating Local The year is 1991; GST has just come into effect; Silence of the Lambs is a hit at the box office; a Big Mac costs $2.35, and Briwood Farm Market opens here in St. Thomas. In December, owners Brian Giles and Sherwood Lefler quietly celebrated their big 30th anniversary. To Brian, one of the fundamental keys to their success is keeping it simple: “Simple and fresh at a reasonable price while keeping the highest quality you can possibly get.” Briwood does this by offering as much local product as possible. With year-round local meats, cheese, dairy, honey, with local produce in season, you know when you shop at Briwood that you are not only supporting an amazing local store, but you are also supporting local farmers and producers. Briwood also offers pet foods, bird seed, and a seasonal garden centre. Another foundation of Briwood is its amazing staff. “Our staff are awesome,” says Brian. “A lot of our staff have been here since we opened 30 years ago when they were kids, and now their kids are here. We have at least four second generations now working here as well as the parents. It really helps; you're not turning over people and you're not bringing in new faces. Our customers like to see the same faces when they walk in, somebody they recognize, who will know the answer when they ask a question.” As much as Briwood does have an amazing selection of local products and a terrific staff, to me the keys to Briwood’s success areBrian andSherwood themselves. Even after all these years, you can still find them on the floor putting out product and helping customers. Brian would like to thank Briwood’s many customers over the last 30 years. “We really appreciate the dedication, the customers we had back then and now, the next generation of customers. It's nice to have people support a small local business like us and they do it very well. We try to support the community and obviously, they really have supported us.” Briwood FarmMarket is located at 1030 Talbot St., St. Thomas.

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Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022 • Page 3

25 Years of Helping St. Thomas Breath Easy

Sometimes, the key to success in life is just knowing when to open the door when opportunity knocks! Local father and son team, John and Sean Thomas opened that door 25 years ago when John, who had recently been laid off from his role as a carpet salesperson, and Sean, who had recently graduated college were looking to work together and heard the knock. “There are about 111 Roto-Static franchises across Canada” says Sean, “And we saw that St. Thomas and area was open. We grabbed the opportunity and started from scratch.” Roto-Static started as a carpet and upholstery cleaning business, not steam cleaning or shampooing, but using a proprietary alternative product which Sean believes offers a superior solution. “The biggest difference is our cleaner,” Sean explains. “It's our own product; it's environmentally friendly with no soap, which means no residue, a big contributor to the negatives of carpet cleaning. With steam cleaning, a lot of water goes in and not a lot comes out, so you have to be careful on how much moisture is in the carpets.” John adds, “When I sold carpets, I would always recommend Roto-Static to my clients. Back then, everyone had carpets. They were everywhere in the house, even the kitchen, so of course they got stained, and Roto-Static was the best!” Of course, recognizing an opportunity will only get you so far. Hard work and knowing how your industry has changed is also key. “10 years ago, when laminates became popular, a lot less carpet was going into houses,” says Sean, who also points out that as the energy efficiency of houses increased, they became

closed more tightly. “Dust and dirt is in the house, so carpet is good because it's acts to filter that dust and dirt.” Now, with your furnace going in the winter, and your A/C in the summer, the dust and dirt go into your air ducts. Therefore, John and Sean also invested in equipment to clean your ducts. Sean says it is recommended you get your ducts cleaned every two to four years, depending of course on your home. If you have pets, or if you have done any renovations, it is recommended you get them cleaned more often. “If you start noticing more dust in your house than usual, that can be a sign that your ducts need to be cleaned,” says Sean. While duct cleaning has become a big part of their business, Sean says they will never use telemarketers to pressure you into a cleaning. John adds that you should be careful who you are dealing with over the phone. “We had someone call us and tell us this duct cleaning company showed up with a leaf blower and a shop vac. How can you clean ducts with that? We have thousands of dollars invested in the proper equipment.” If you need your carpet, or upholstery cleaned, or if you are not sure when you last had your ducts cleaned, then you should call Roto-Static at 519-637-7686 and rely on their 25 years of customer service and experience to help your family breath easier. Sean and John Thomas, Celebrating 25 years of Roto-Static in St. Thomas

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What an intention is not, is a goal or a "To Do" list.

Setting Intentions for the New Year by Kathryn White Human beings are hard wired to need a purpose and direction. We are also socialized to work on self- improvement. This is the time of the year when people look back at what they have been doing and want to hit a hard reset with new resolutions. We believe that resolutions will give a sense of

Instead, intentions can serve as the destination for what we really want out of life. For some people, intentions are measured in feelings while for others they may be measured inexperiences. Taking the intention-based approach to making change is a softer, more compassionate way of acknowledging the voice that tells you it is time for something to shift in your life. Essentially, intentions are not a forced approach to change but rather a softening into the truth to help be your best version of yourself. Your intentions should be closely tied to your personal thoughts, values, and perspectives on life. Intentions can be a clear and specific wish, or as simple as a word or phrase you’d like to align yourself with, like, “be more open-minded,” “love,” “vulnerability,” “peace,” “kindness for myself and others,” or “strength.” Try to keep the intention positive, so instead of saying “stop procrastinating,” or “be less selfish,” choose the intentions, “be more organized” or simply, “give back”. What is important to remember, as we enter a new year, is that intentions offer us the opportunity to recognize that each moment is a fresh start. Intention setting can become a daily practice or be something you explore when you feel compelled. There is no right or wrong time or place to practice intention setting, just the opportunity to learn more about yourself and to bring in kind and gentle shifts in your life. Kathryn White is a Certified Holistic Cancer Coach, Culinary Nutrition Educator, and Registered Yoga Teacher. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram under Kathryn White Cancer Coach and through her website www.kathrynwhite.coach

direction and purpose for the New Year. What if we were to shift the language around change and make it about setting intentions for ourselves instead of resolving to get things done? Resolutions certainly give our New Year direction. They tend to be clearly defined, measurable, and specific, a lot like goals. But, they are also often behaviours that we may be inadvertently quietly judging to be either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. For example, you may want to eliminate the ‘bad’ foods you eat, or bring in ‘good’ health-building habits. Intentions, on the other hand, are softer and more compassionate. They might include some degree of specificity, but they are less about measurement and more about being based in experience as it unfolds. Intentions embody qualities, which are more apt to be felt in the body before they are known in the mind. As an example, you may set the intention of finding more joy in your life rather than resolving to be happier. It’s subtle but it makes a difference.

Briwood has a large selection of local products and produce to help get you on your way to a healthier New Year – New You! Healthy eating starts local!

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Page 6 Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022

Are You Ready to Become a Healthier Human in 2022? Is it Time to Explore and Initiate Some New Health Practices? By Angie Mailhot, Owner of Railway City Health Hut

drugs and alcohol, eating nutritious foods, getting regular exercise and getting some counseling and support when needed, benefit both the body and the soul. Our spirit is our true identity; it’s our beliefs, values, culture, traditions, and practices. Being anchored spiritually shows us a source of truth that overrides the harmful perceptions we have developed in our thinking. Spiritual practices such as connecting with a faith community, helping others, trying yoga, meditating or praying, keeping a journal, getting out in nature, developing a hobby and finding a spiritual coach, help us to become more calm, focused, and peaceful. When we are able to make decisions for our health from a spiritually anchored mind and soul, we willfully choose to practice things that positively benefit our physical and emotional health. Developing healthy practices heal and strengthen the body, bring peace to the soul and confidence in our spirit, igniting a passion for living that activates a desire to live the best life you can live every day because you love the life you have been given.

As human beings we are made up of three parts; our body, our soul and our spirit. All of these parts need to be looked after in order for us to find a balanced state of health. Our body is our Earthsuit, the house for our soul and spirit, the tool we need in order to live life to the fullest every day. Healthy practices to consider for the benefit of our body are things like regular exercise, healthy nutrition and hydration, proper sleep habits and stress management. These types of practices support things like healthy weight management, reduction in metabolic disease, improved strength and mobility and improved energy, just to name a few. These boost immunity, encourage body healing and improve emotional well-being and mood. Our soul is made up of our thinking, our choosing and our emotions. It is a powerful tool that facilitates reasoning and applies knowledge. When we’re stressed, our body releases two stress hormones; adrenaline and cortisol. Their purpose is to give us a short-term energy boost when dealing with dangerous situations. Unfortunately, we can feel stressed even when there’s no ‘danger’ to escape from. Releasing these hormones too frequently can have negative long-term effects on the body, including weakened immune response, digestive problems, slow healing, sleep disturbances, anxiety, panic disorders, and an overwhelming amount of such emotions as fear, anger, frustration, sadness, shame and guilt. Living in a constant state of stress greatly impacts our physical and mental health. While all that sounds pretty negative, developing practices that assist us with new ways of thinking and reasoning show us how willfully to choose better outlooks. Healing in the soul produces emotions such as peace, contentment, hope, freedom, inspiration, gratitude, serenity and love. Practices such as learning to value yourself, surrounding yourself with kind and understanding humans, learning to deal with stress, quieting your mind (breathing, meditation, prayer), avoiding

Hometown St. Thomas Jan-Feb 2022 Cover Railway City Tourism office with their murals by Ann-Marie Cheung.

Photo by Frank Pelsoczi

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Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022 • Page 7

Small Steps Lead to Big Gains in Mental Health by Steve Bond, BScPhm, RPh,CDE, Yurek Pharmacy & Home Healthcare

Live in themoment. An exercise in mindfulness helps us to stop worrying about the future or focussing on the past and just living in the present. It is a form of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling at any given time. It may involve breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. It is done without interpretation or judgement. Get active. This doesn’t mean that you need to lace up your runners and do a half marathon. Numerous studies have shown the positive impact of exercise, and adding a social aspect is even better. So grab a friend and go for a walk! Doing for others also does for you. Helping a neighbour, cooking something for your partner or bringing a coffee to a colleague gives you a sense of connection and makes you feel more positive. Little steps can help your overall mental health. Of course, it’s also important to be able to talk about how you feel. While these steps can point you in the right direction, sometimes you may need more help, including an intervention from a medical professional. Take care of yourselves and each other.

The past few years have been trying. That is probably an im- mense understatement. Our en- tire world has literally been turned upside down. Rules about and our knowledge of COVID keep changing and evolving. Person- al feelings and beliefs have pit-

ted neighbour versus neighbour as we all try and navigate this pandemic, which most would agree has gone on for far too long. How are we managing our mental health? Studies show that anxiety and depression are on the rise and I can attest that patience for some is dwindling. There are some small steps we can all take to help our mental health. First, have an attitude for gratitude. Positive psychology has shown that being grateful leads to positive emotions, better health and better relationships. Instead of focussing on what is wrong or lacking in your life, take time to recognize your blessings. Each night for example, take the time to write down two or three good things about your day. They don’t have to be monumental. Even simple things like the kids making their beds without being asked, or your completion of a project at work, or getting a great parking spot at the grocery store can be worth jotting down.

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Page 8 Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022

#ivegotyourback911, Retail with a Reason

an important step to vet the applicants; essentially, you need to be at a certain place in your own recovery in order to get one of these dogs. If you can't take care of yourself, because you're in such disarray because of everything that has happened to you, then how are you going to take care of a dog? It's one of those things that we find invaluable, and it is literally life-changing when we donate a dog to a first responder who is in dire need of assistance. It's something we're pretty proud of, and we hope to keep giving the dogs away and helping as many people as we can.” #ivegotyourback911 also recently partnered up with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “They've been quite supportive with our organization,” says Jill. “They held a fundraising game where they dedicated the funds to our service dog program.” Adds Shaun, “That was kind of huge for us to be involved with them. They're a great organization.” Together Jill, Shaun and their amazing team have shipped products all over the world and continue to expand their line. The more products they have, the more they can contribute to their fantastic programs.

St. Thomas is brimming with local success stories – those who have taken a kernel of an idea and watched it grow into a thriving business. Jill Foster and Shaun Taylor, who are active paramedics, saw a need to help first responders who were suffering from mental distress. #ivegotyourback911, has grown into a brand; that brand has grown from just sweatshirts and t-shirts sold to raise money, into countless items, with part of the proceeds going to help those first responders who are struggling. In collaboration with Phoenix Canine Initiative, Jill and Shaun have started assisting first responders to get service dogs. “We were getting a lot of messages from people that seemed like they were being taken advantage of with the whole service dog industry,” says Jill. “Shawn and I chatted and thought maybe we can kind of set up our own program. We've been working over the last year and a half to get it up and running. We have an application on our website where people can apply for a service animal; they have tomeet a fair bit of criteria in order to qualify, but once they've qualified and been selected, then we do all the background vetting and then financially provide for the entire process. We purchase the dog, and then we pay for all the training. All in, it’s around $20,000 for each dog.” “We were on the periphery before,” says Shaun. “We were working with some other organizations that provide service dogs, and we would donate to them. But we really were not real hands- on with the whole program. We decided about, almost two years ago now, to take the bull by the horns and really dive into it. It is

The #ivegotyourback911 shop is located at 192 Talbot St, St Thomas.

Get involved! Like us on Facebook!

Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022 • Page 9

Feeling well includes feeling like you belong By Dr. Beth Mitchell and Linda Sibley, co-CEOs, CMHA Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services Connecting with other people and your community doesn’t just feel good, it’s good for your mental health. Especially after the long periods of increased social isolation brought on by the pandemic, almost everyone can relate to how this makes us feel—well, lonely. The good news is that there are many ways to overcome loneliness, and it can start with even one relationship or social connection. At its core, belonging is a sense of connectedness – to family, community and the world around us. What this looks like in daily life is the love, kindness and respect we feel from others, and after the 18 months we’ve had, we could all use a little more love, kindness and respect. We all need to feel like we belong and that others care about our well-being, and social support is exactly that: the belonging and care we receive from other people. Our social support network can include many different groups of people, including friends, family members, teammates, co- workers, neighbours or even professionals like your doctor, your mail carrier or the person you get coffee from. When you feel like you belong, you feel like a valued and equal member of the community, and that feels good. Plus, a person is less likely to experience anxiety, depression or problems with substance use if they have friends and healthy relationships, feel they are a part of a community and can meet their basic day-to-day needs. That way, if they’re going through a tough time, they also have a support system to lean on. So, now that you know how important social inclusion is, how can you go about building your own 1. Focus on what you have in common – some people have a few strong personal connections, and some people thrive when they are connected to larger groups like those on social media or their broader cultural or religious community. It’s normal for people to feel comfortable in groups where they have something in common, whether it’s a sense of THE TURKEY SHOPPE sense of belonging? Here are a few tips:

style or career goals. You may feel like it’s easier to relate to someone who is similar to you and this gives you a sense of group membership. 2. Express your needs – be clear with the people in your life about the kind of help you need, whether it’s someone to talk to or help with a problem. Tell people what you need—they may be able to offer better help when they know what you’re looking for. 3. Make a contribution – even if you’ve been hiding away during COVID, it’s never too late to take care of the important relationships you already have. To build a connection, you need to contribute to relationships, too. Offer support to others in your life, whether that’s chatting with your neighbours or calling an old friend on their birthday. 4. Meet new people – our routines are upside-down right now, so try to make opportunities to meet new people. Join social activities, take an in-person or online course, volunteer, or get involved in an organization. You can also ask friends to introduce you to other people. 5. Give it time – give relationships time. It takes a bit of work to build them. You won’t be friends with everyone you meet, and when you do make a new friend, it will take time to strengthen your relationship. Think of belonging as a process, not a one- time event, and you’ll get there. If you or someone you love is struggling, there is hope and help: • If you are in crisis, please call or text Reach Out at 519-433- 2023, or connect via webchat at www.reachout247.ca. You can also go to the Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Centre at 534 Queens Ave, London. Both services are available to those in need 24/7. • If you are feeling anxious, depressed, lonely, overwhelmed or just need to talk something through with someone, contact the Support Line at 519-601-8055 (toll free: 1-844-360- 8055). The Support Line, provided by CMHA Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services, offers confidential listening and support 24/7 to individuals aged 16+. • To connect with a mental health and addictions professional, please visit www.cmhatv.ca to find your closest point of access as well as programs and services that are available to you.

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Page 10 Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022

Find the Best Fit for You to Get Fit by Karen Nixon-Carroll, Owner of F45 Training From big box to private dwelling, or from studio to at-home workouts, there is something in the fitness world for everyone. It can be difficult, but the key is to find the right fit for your lifestyle. That way you’re most likely to stick with it for the long-haul, meet your goals, make new ones and be healthy for life. That being said, there isn’t any ‘one size fits all’. Sometimes it takes more than a couple of exercise plans, depending on what you need for each day or each week to suit your needs. For example, you may love yoga and you can certainly do that every day. However this may only achieve one of your goals. If you sign up for a race, yoga may make you feel relaxed and centered throughout the race, but it won’t improve your endurance or speed; you’ll need a good running program and may even a running coach if this is your first event. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding what best fits with your schedule. Not many work ‘9 to 5’ anymore and may require really early morning, later evening or even middle of the night exercise times. If you can motivate yourself to get moving anytime, 24- hour availability may suit you best. If you need assistance or a group program at odd hours, you may need something with early/late programming or that has on-demand or recorded options that you can do at home. In terms of choosing a centre or program that works best for you, just take a look at the other aspects of life that make you feel happy, that you have stuck with for a long time. If you really like music and being with others, we might look towards a group program. Alternatively, you may love music but you’d like to listen to it independently, what’s best for you may be a gym that isn’t overcrowded, where you can put on your headphones. Have you felt at your best when playing sports? Do you love working as a team and having a captain or coach and cheerleaders to help you perform your best? Group circuit or Boot Camp team training might be the answer to feeding your soul. These types of programs are highly motivating and bring you immediate satisfaction when you complete a gruelling set, or get affirmation from a coach or fellow participant that ‘you can do it!’ They are not for everyone though, as some people may require a slower pace or something a bit quieter. With the way things have gone in the past couple years, many have had to figure out at-home fitness practices, which could be really hard. However, most fitness businesses are offering live online or in-person, at-home offerings. To have a trainer

work with you in real time will make sure you are doing things correctly; a trainer will help you get creative with space and with things you have available that you might not have considered. A trainer will also help you to gain the confidence to come to a more public offering if that’s where you want to be someday. There are also great offerings that involve the whole family and this is key, especially if you have little ones. It’s great when the whole family can get fit together and form healthy habits in and out of the home. This will start great conversations with kids and will instill in them a need to move their bodies. Something else to consider is the education, experience and training level of the individuals delivering your program, or if there are any at all! Whether you are new to fitness or just trying something new, you’ll want to make sure to consult the help of a trainer/coach/instructor who has experience, expertise and certification for that purpose. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to shop around or just or to take advantage of trials ... just make sure you actually go and try at least 3-5 times to have a clear picture of what you’ll be getting. Yes, there are apps and tons of videos to follow but this is risky; if no one has assessed your readiness, if no one is monitoring your form and helping you modify it properly, this puts you at the greatest risk for injury. It can also get boring or hard to choose what to do next when you are not sure of the natural or recommended progression. Overall, the point is to get your body moving and feeling good, and to build your immune system to fight illness. You want to avoid injury, feel confident and live a long, healthy life. Physical and mental fitness is one of our best, if not THE best of our defenses. Find movement and support that makes you happy.

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Improving Your Health during a Pandemic: Easy Steps by Adam Morse, RN The overarching idea across media platforms these days is to reduce stress and take time for yourself. This may include a new diet, exercising at home, or having some time away from computer screens. It can very challenging to stay committed to a new diet, an extreme exercise routine or personal transformation. The idea of failure is always difficult, making the motivation to get started challenging -- considering that we have been surviving almost two years now in the pandemic, you might wonder if the effort is worth the risk of failure? Most people want something simple to show results, so here are a few suggestions to help get that healthier change started with minimal effort. • REDUCEvs. CUT-OUT: Weneedcopingmechanisms tohelp us through challenging times. There are a variety of coping measures that people use, and reducing stress is not always possible or easily accomplished, but we can change how we cope. Many people use fatty foods, smoking, or alcohol as coping mechanisms. Although these are not always healthy options, they work for many people and the challenge is how to quit. Don’t feel that this needs to be an ‘all or nothing’ goal; choosing to have one less drink in the evening, one less bag of chips; substituting one apple instead of a chocolate bar, or saying no every other day to a midnight snack will add up over time, reducing your body’s intake of unneeded calories and unhealthy sugars. These small changes will slowly get you on the path of a healthier lifestyle. Small steps are how we begin to empower ourselves. • TAKE A VITAMIN : Often, our diet fluctuates throughout the week and staying on a new, extreme diet can be challenging – and depressing if you fail. Taking a multivitamin each day in the morning or before bed requires very little effort but will help increase your body’s intake of many essential nutrients that you may be lacking. • WALK: Do you remember as a kid being excited and running down the hall and someone says walk, don’t run? This is because walking reduces your chance of falling. When they get excited, people don’t want to fall or fail, so they run headstrong into a new routine; instead, walk yourself into it. Walking around in your house, on the stairs or on a treadmill, or walking outside in your neighbourhood will help increase blood flow, burn calories and help build your motivation towards bigger steps. Something as simple

as walking instead of driving to the mailbox, or walking on a treadmill while watching tv is a good way to avoid the boredom of exercise, while starting better habits with minimal effort. • STRETCH EVERY DAY: Passive stretching each morning or evening will increase flexibility, blood flow, and overall health. Don’t feel like you need train to be an Olympic gymnast or purchase fancy machines to accomplish this. It can be something as simple as trying to touch your toes every morning and night, as simple as bending over and counting to 10. See how far down your leg your fingers go; as your flexibility increases each day, you will see progress as you come closer and closer to shaking hands with your feet. • BECOME ACCOUNTABLE: Being accountable has shown to increase success at keeping with a new routine. There are many ways to increase accountability, like setting daily goals and using a step counter on a watch or phone to see if you are meeting your steps goal each day. I suggest 7,500 steps to start. You don’t have to join a fitness group or a social media team and feel bad every time you fail. Tell a friend, neighbour, family, or someone you see very day, like the person who serves you coffee. They don’t have to be invested in your success, but sharing your accomplishments helps to build your confidence and achieve your goals more frequently. • CHECK YOURSELF OUT! You may not always get positive reinforcement from other people, especially during a pandemic. It’s time to give yourself the positive reinforcement you deserve. Look in a mirror and tell yourself how well you’re doing and give yourself compliments. Some people find this form of motivation challenging and may hide themselves by wearing bulky clothes or avoiding mirrors. No one likes to be judged, so stop being your worst critic and become your biggest fan. If you really want to build your confidence, compliment yourself while standing in front of a mirror naked. Remind yourself there is no one else there, just you, and give yourself compliments. During a pandemic there is no reason why you can’t hear positive reinforcement every day. We are all beautiful. • FAILING IS OKAY: Don’t feel bad at the end of the day if you’ve failed to meet that day’s goal. Each day is a new day, so use your mistakes as motivation to do better the next day -- and the day after that, and the day after that. Getting healthier is not a one-time occurrence but a journey that begins with creating good habits. There’s always a reason not to start now but if you do, you’ll soon be looking back and feeling grateful that you chose today to make a difference instead of tomorrow.

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Page 12 Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022 To advertise here, please contact [email protected] Fellows Fernlea Flowers (519) 631-3600 www.fellowfernleaflowers.com

Returning to Their Roots For decades in St. Thomas and area, the Inch family name has meant the highest standard in customer service for heating an air conditioning. Peter Inch is proud to carry on this legacy with his new company Peter Inch and Associates Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. While the company may be new for Peter and his team, they are experts at the business of keeping your homes comfortable. “Peter Inch & Associates came into existence when some co-workers from my previous company approached me,” says Peter. “They wanted to start something new, a company that got back to focusing on great customer service. Each partner is an active participant in the company, and each has essential skill sets for the success of the company.” The Peter Inch and Associates team include Peter as the GM, Vanessa Holmes-Bell as theOfficeManager, with Stephen Gilbert in sales, and Brandon Baldwin, Roberto Coto, Craig Hern, Josh Bettencourt, and Brandon Inch as service technicians. While the headquarters is based in London, this company has roots in St. Thomas because this is where the majority of the partners call home. “Our ties to St. Thomas are very strong, as that is where my grandfather's company started, and we certainly want not only to give great service in London, but to get back to our roots and look after the St.Thomas-Elgin region as well,” says Peter.

The Peter Inch and Associates Heating and Air Conditioning team are ready to help!

Peter Inch and Associates will be offering the traditional sales and service for furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, air purification and water heaters (both tank and tankless). “But our main focus,” says Peter, “Is to look after our customers. Companies talk about great customer service, but lack the delivery. It is our main focus to provide the customer with a great experience.” For more information on Peter Inch and Associates Heating and Air Con- ditioning, go to their new website www.peterinch.ca.

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Hometown St. Thomas • January 2022 • Page 13

Human Trafficking. Yes, Even St. Thomas Submitted by Courage for Freedom

“The reality is that nothing our community has done to date has reduced the prevalence of human trafficking in Canada,” says Kelly Tallon Franklin, CED of Courage for Freedom, a registered, incorporated charity that is Elgin home grown, and well respected as Canada’s leading expert in human trafficking of minors’ prevention and training. The facts from across Canada, in Ontario and yes, even St. Thomas, continue to prove this although over 60 percent of our community do not understand. The prevalence of sex trafficking was poised to and increased during the pandemic, although the instances of reporting and requests for services to victim/survivors and convictions decreased. Agencies and NGOs like Courage for Freedom continue not only to educate, but meet victim gaps in services and start projects and movements in response to survivor outcries, and to influence governmental will. Their list of accolades and accomplishments is renowned; their training is sought after by justice, medical and social service professionals, but their best work is shown in the life of a safe, exited and thriving survivor and family members who have been guided in system navigation and often intersected through the Courage for Freedom horses that heal program and safe supports. It is a complicated issue that requires solutions lead by survivors equipping communities to take responsible actions, not only to help survivors, but create prevention and intervention activities. To date, Kelly and her team have supported over 417 minor aged victim/survivors and their communities in Ontario

Kelly Tallon Franklin, CED, Courage for Freedom Canada

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Page 14 Hometown St. Thomas • January-February 2022

single indicator proves that a girl or woman is being trafficked, a combination of “symptomatic behaviours” is a good guess. She says it is more responsible to discuss these than pass out a grocery list of signs without giving the public an opportunity to discuss and understand the accompanying behaviours. For a more robust understanding, contact the Courage for Freedom office for community and industry specific awareness and response training. [email protected] Step 3: Put Response Numbers in your phone and use them. Contact the CCTEHT Hotline – 1-833-900-1010 Crimestoppers Elgin – Dial 1.800.222.TIPS (8477) St Thomas/West Region OPP Police Services – Dial 911

– including St Thomas. For the purpose of anonymity and confidentiality sharing of specific details is difficult until a survivor decides to go public, or there is court or public record. This past holiday season, CFF and partners ensured 47 survivors were gifted some merry and bright basic care items and vital needs gifts. When resources run out, their charity takes years to develop mentor relationships for survivor success. There will be a decrease of this crime if Elgin-St Thomas and our community neighbours take three steps to help Courage for Freedom and 2. Pay attention and know more than signs – learn behaviours; 3. Put the CCTEHT hotline, Crime Stoppers and your local Police number in your phone after learning how and when to make a call. their prevention work: 1. Educate yourself; Educate yourself or your group to understand the process of luring, grooming and trafficking women and girls, so their pimps and traffickers cannot exploit your lack of awareness to perpetuate this gross act of exploitation. Here are some key points to know: Reminder: Sex trafficking impacts every demographic group, every region of our community and every income level, which is why it is up to all of us to make a difference. Pay Attention – Know Signs and BEHAVIOURS Kelly continues to stress it is essential that all persons pay attention to their community. Family and friends play a crucial role in preventing human trafficking and supporting those who are impacted by these criminal and traumatic acts... While no

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