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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-11-23, Page 2222 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, November 23, 2016 Women in Business in Huron East Whatever possessed a stay-at-home mother of a dozen kids to open a business? When Janet Billson looks back at her early years growing up in Quebec, she never pictured herself as a business owner. Her dream was to go into medicine. There wasn't a lot of family support for a girl from a small town to go to University, however, so she left home at 17 years of age, and traveled to Ontario to visit her high school sweetheart, Rick. She didn't know what to do next, so she enrolled in the Secretarial Program at Conestoga College in Clinton. After finishing the first year, she went to work in a factory in Stratford. Instead of going back to school, she was married at 18 and had her first baby when she was 20. She loved being a mom, and poured her life into the family. She became a homeschooling, homesteading manager of her household, while helping her husband in his computer business. A large family is expensive, so Janet found creative ways to reuse things. An old dresser was re -vamped into a kitchen island. Tables, hutches, buffets, and filing cabinets were given new life and purpose. Janet never liked to throw things away if they could be transformed into something new and useful. Then, in February 2007, everything changed. A head on collision gave her a severe whiplash injury. Her life became a whirlwind of appointments: doctor, lawyer, physiotherapy, massage, and chiropractor. She was informed by a pain specialist that less than 15% of whiplash patients have ongoing, chronic pain, and that unfortunately she was in that number. By the time Janet finished homeschooling the children, she wanted something to do that was not full time. Ongoing pain meant that she must change position frequently and rest when necessary. She was wondering what she could do to earn some money and stay busy, and a flyer came in the mail from Murphy's Bus Lines. Janet loved being a bus driver. She had a wonderful route in the country, with spectacular sunrises and gorgeous vistas. She loved the children, and enjoyed interacting with the parents and teachers at the schools. Murphy's Bus Lines was very accommodating with her chemical sensitivity to diesel fuel, and always filled the bus for her. They made sure the armrest on her seat was repaired to help lessen the pain she experienced as she drove. She thought she would drive for many years. Meanwhile, a friend of Janet's, recently divorced, was looking for something to do. This friend is an extremely creative person, and when she discovered Fusion Mineral Paint, a paint made right here in Canada by Homestead House, she got Janet hooked. It was so much better than a popular chalky paint they had used, which gave Janet an instant headache. In the months leading up to her store opening, Janet visited and helped her friend with her website. Janet said, "She got me to paint a chair for her, and I was hooked! I absolutely loved Fusion Mineral Paint. The colours were brilliant, the coverage was fantastic and best of all, it was completely non-toxic. None of the products cause me to have a reaction of any kind!" In June of 2015, Janet applied to become a Fusion Merchant, and was accepted. It was a lot of work, but with help from family and friends, Janet renovated space at home, turning a large family room into a store and workshop. She had a display at the Seaforth Fall Fair, and opened the store in October. She entered the Toy 'N Craft show as well, and more people became aware of her business. After her bus run every morning, Janet worked in the store, painting furniture, signs, and other small items. She had to keep her eye on the clock, and always felt torn in two different directions. She wanted to put everything into the business, and wanted to be a great bus driver, too. There didn't seem to be enough hours in the day. When school let out for the summer this year, Janet felt a great sense of relief. Finally, she could concentrate on her business! She entered the Win This Space competition in order to get some business training. The other women entrepreneurs in the competition were inspiring to her, and the training from Alison Lobb was invaluable. Janet spent the summer working on her business, and took advanced training to become a certified Fusionista — not simply a Fusion Merchant, but now she's trained in advanced techniques. She took a business course in Furniture sales, and enrolled in Furniture Painting University to leam more about all aspects of the business. She became an administrator for The Artisan Markets of Southwestern Ontario (Huron -Perth, Middlesex, Oxford and Waterloo Counties). The Artisan Markets opened in June. This is a worldwide selling plafform on Facebook, featuring furnishings for the home. All of the artisans are handpicked for their quality of product and service, and each region offers a spectacular selection of handmade or refinished home furnishings in a safe buying environment. When September came, Janet went back to bus driving, and was disheartened by heightened pain and sickness. She said, "Unless you have experienced Chemical Sensitivity, you have no idea how debilitating it is. I'm not sure what the fragrance was that caused me to be so ill, but when certain children climbed aboard the bus, I got an instant headache. Not only that, but my face went numb and tingly, and I was nauseated immediately. The measures taken by the school and the bus company were not sufficient, and I simply couldn't continue." After the initial sadness of missing the bus and the children, Janet has embraced her circumstances. "I love what I do!" she declared. Fusion Mineral Paint has a tagline, "Paint is good for the Soul!" There is something so satisfying about transforming an outdated piece of furniture into something new and beautiful. Janet gets to be creative, using her imagination to dream up which colours to use, which layers to apply, and which finish she wants. She has stencils, embossing paste, transfer gel, crackle, fresco — many different ways to add interest and appeal to a piece! Janet loves working from home, too. Because of ongoing issues with pain, she likes to be in an environment where she can take a break and go for a walk, or sit and stretch for a bit. Add Some Flair is located near Winthrop, on the side of her country home. There's plenty of parking, and when you walk across the deck you'll be greeted by two dogs and a pet chicken. None of them bite! The store has plenty of pieces to choose from, and more are added every week. Janet also does custom work. If you have a vision for a piece of furniture or any other treasure you want to transform, come in and talk to Janet. You will find her to be friendly and capable, full of great ideas and willing to listen to you. If you don't have the time or the inclination to do the work yourself, Janet will give you a detailed quote and time frame to complete the piece. If you want to paint it yourself, she will talk you through the steps to achieve the look you're going for. Learn how to work with Fusion! Everybody's talking about this new way to enhance objects of all kinds. The workshops are guaranteed to be fun, and you'll go home with a finished piece every time. There are many techniques to learn, from prep work to application and distressing to finishing. You'll learn which sort of brush works best for each technique. Participants are limited to fewer than six people, so each one has plenty of opportunity to ask questions and understand what they're doing. If you've ever been to a painting party, you know how much fun they are! Janet is holding an open house on Friday, December 16, from 7 — 9 pm. Stop in and have some hot apple cider, and try your hand at using Fusion Mineral Paint. Add Some Flair is open Tuesday — Friday from 9:30 am — 5 pm, and Saturday from 9 — noon. Workshops are scheduled for evenings or Saturdays, depending on demand. The Artisan Markets can be found at http://www.theartisanmarkets.com/. Check out the Directory to find the local group. What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Are there obstacles to overcome, especially if you're a woman going into business for yourself? Janet Billson is writing a series of articles about business women of Huron East, focusing on sole proprietors and entrepreneurs. Janet is the owner of a small business, Add Some Flair, and is passionate about using non-toxic, Canadian -made paint to transform ordinary objects in the home into extraordinary treasures that you love. She has furniture for sale in her store, and offers workshops that are fun and informative! Add Some Flair 43057 Winthrop Road, Seaforth • 519-527-2682 • info@addsomeflair.ca Janet Billson, owner POLICE BRIEFS Police chase results in numerous charges (HURON EAST & CENTRAL HURON, Ont.) - A male driver remains in custody on a total of 10 charges following a police chase that took place in early November. Shortly before 3:00 p.m. on November 2, 2016 Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) offic- ers were dispatched to inves- tigate a fail to remain collision that had just taken place on Huron Road near Maple Line. Officers learned the driver of a Pontiac Pursuit was travel- ling westbound on Huron Road when the driver clipped the front end of a pickup truck while trying to complete a pass. The driver of the Pontiac Pur- suit did not stop and proceeded to flee the scene of the crash. The victim followed for a short distance however the sus- pect vehicle was quickly lost. Minutes later officers began receiving calls about the sus- pect vehicle travelling in the Town of Seaforth in a danger- ous manner nearly striking some pedestrians. An officer spotted the suspect vehicle on Front Road at Kinburn Line and signaled for the driver to stop however the driver failed to stop for the officer and con- tinued westbound. Shortly thereafter, another officer spot- ted the suspect vehicle trav- elling into Vanastra ata high rate of speed. The officer gave chase and followed the sus- pect vehicle toward Clinton on Highway 4. Upon entering Clinton the driver of the sus- pect vehicle drove over a tire deflation device and the Pon- tiac Pursuit came to a stop a short distance down the road. The driver was quickly placed under arrest and taken into custody. A 31 -year-old from London is facing the following charges: • Dangerous Driving • Flight From Police • Fail to Stop at the Scene of an Accident • Driving While Disqualified • Take Motor Vehi- cle Without Consent • Careless Driving • Fail to Remain at the Scene of an Accident • Drive While Under Suspension • Breach of Proba- tion (2 counts) Police called to vehicle in the water (LAKE HURON, Ont.) — On November 15, 2016 at 3:53 p.m., the South Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a report of a vehicle enter- ing the waters of Lake Huron from the north pier of the Kin- cardine Harbour. Officers responded to the area with Bruce County paramedics, Kin- cardine Fire and Emergency Services and members of the Saugeen Shore Fire Service. Using 2 Zodiac boats, emer- gency responders searched for the vehicle until sunset. The OPP Underwa- ter Search and Recov- ery Unit (USRU) is attend- ing to assist the South Bruce OPP with this investigation. The South Bruce OPP is requesting anyone with infor- mation that can assist police to call 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anony- mous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or sub- mit a secure web -tip at www. crimestoppersgb.ca, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000. Deceased identified (BLUEWATER, Ont.) — Investi- gators from the West Region Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Technical Traffic Colli- sion Investigation (TTCI) Team continue to investigate a two - vehicle fatal crash that took place west of Zurich today. At approximately 12:00 p.m. Huron County OPP, Zurich Fire Department and Huron County Paramedic Services responded to the crash scene located at the intersection of Zurich- Hensall Road (Huron County Road #84) and Bronson Line. Investigators have determined the driver of a Jeep Compass was travelling southbound on Bronson Line when he failed to stop at a stop sign control- ling the intersection of Bron- son Line and Zurich-Hensall Road. The Jeep entered into the intersection whereupon it was struck by a Chevrolet Sil- verado that was travelling east- bound on Zurich-Hensall Road. The driver/lone occupant of the pickup truck was ejected from his vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identi- fied as John VANDERBURGT, 61 years of age from the Municipality of Bluewater. The driver/lone occupant of the Jeep Compass, a 57 -year-old male from Mount Vernon, Illi- nois was transported from the scene by land ambulance to a local hospital where he was treated for minor injuries. A charge under the High- way Traffic Act is pending. Zurich-Hensall Road remains closed between the west edge of Zurich and Black - bush Line. Bronson Line is closed between Danceland Road and Rodgerville Road. Police execute search warrant and arrest four suspects (MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER, Ont.) -As a result of an aggra- vated assault incident involv- ing non -life threatening inju- ries sustained by a male per- son on November 14, 2016, the Huron County Ontario Pro- vincial Police (OPP) executed a Criminal Code search war- rant at a residence on Rich- mond Street South in Hensall. Members of the West Region OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT), the West Region OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), the OPP West Region Forensic Identification Unit, as well as the West Region OPP canine unit assisted Huron County OPP officers in the execution of the warrant. A search of the residence resulted in officers locating a quantity of cannabis mari- huana as well as a stolen fire- arm. Four persons inside the residence at the time of the execution of the warrant have been charged with numer- ous Criminal Code of Can- ada and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act offences. All four persons have been charged with the follow- ing Criminal Code of Canada offences: - Careless storage of firearm - Possession of a pro- hibited firearm - Possession of a weapon obtained by crime. All four persons have also been charged with the follow- ing Controlled Drugs and Sub- stances Act offences: - Pos- session of cannabis mari- huana over 30g - Produc- tion of cannabis resin A 29 -year-old of the Munici- pality of Bluewater has also been charged with the fol- lowing Criminal Code of Can- ada offences: - Possession of firearm contrary to prohibi- tion order - Possess ammu- nition contrary to prohibition order - Breach of probation A 36 -year-old of the Munici- pality of Bluewater has also been charged with the follow- ing Criminal Code of Canada offences: - Aggravated assault - Assault with a weapon - Use firearm in commission of indictable offence - Possess firearm contrary to prohibition order - Possess ammunition contrary to a prohibition order. A 36 -year-old of the Munici- pality of Bluewater has also been charged with the follow- ing Criminal Code of Canada offences: - Possession fire- arm contrary to prohibition order - Possession ammu- nition contrary to prohibition order - Breach of probation A 23 -year-old of the Munici- pality of Bluewater has also been charged with the fol- lowing Criminal Code of Can- ada offences: - Aggravated assault - Assault with a weapon — Use firearm in com- mission of indictable offence All four charged persons attended a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Goderich on Friday Novem- ber 18, 2016. They have all been remanded into cus- tody and will have to re- appear for a bail hearing on Tuesday November 22nd. Any person with informa- tion regarding this incident should immediately contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310- 1122 or (519) 524-8314. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1 -800- 222 -TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.