The Citizen, 2010-02-04, Page 1Treats from the sweets
Students of Blyth’s Montessori School have been baking and delivering cookies as a
fundraiser for an orphanage in Haiti. In the kitchen last week were, from left: Brette Brohman,
Darcie Brohman and Kayla Cowan. Over $550 was raised in the first four days. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
The initial stages of the Business
Retention and Expansion survey in
Brussels are underway and so far the
results have been promising.
Huron East economic
development officer Jan Hawley has
begun the first round of interviews
with businesses in and around
Brussels and hopes to have over 50
interviews done in the coming
months.
Hawley says that while the
interviews thus far have been
promising, she is hoping that more
businesses from the Brussels area
will be willing to participate. She
says the survey is done by local
merchants for local merchants and
that this could do wonders for the
community of Brussels.
“This will help to address the
business needs and concerns in
Brussels,” Hawley said. “We’re in
the process of opening dialogue and
well on our way to developing a
community strategic plan for
Brussels.”
Hawley, with the help of
economic development specialist
Nancy Ross, hopes to continue these
interviews through the next few
months and have the beginnings of a
solid strategic plan by the spring.
Ross is a retired economic
development consultant from the
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs and was involved in
the pilot business retention and
expansion survey, which took place
in Seaforth 10 years ago.
“We’ve got a leadership team set
up and we just need to make sure
that business owners and managers
know that this is going on,” Hawley
said. “There are approximately 100
businesses throughout the Brussels
and Walton area and the more we
talk to the better.”
The team includes Huron East
councillors, local business owners
and citizens, including: Debbie
Seili, Lois Lee, Alvin McLellan,
Paul Nichol, Kathy Nichol, David
Blaney, Frank Stretton, Tim Prior
and Rene Richmond.
Hawley says that the Brussels
downtown area has wonderful
assets, including very unique
businesses that are doing very well.
“What we’re trying to do is
expand on that success,” she said.
“We’re trying to put a face on
economic development.”
For more information on business
retention and expansion in Brussels,
contact Hawley at 519-527-0160.
They may be small in stature, but
they are already learning what it
means to have a big heart.
The students of Blyth Montessori
School have been baking cookies to
raise money for the Children of the
Promise orphanage in Lagosette,
Haiti.
Angela Horbanuik, the owner of
the school, said Johanna Steegstra,
the grandmother of student, Owen
Verhoef left for a week-long trip to
Haiti, Jan. 22. This is her second
mission there and she is leading a
group of five women to care for the
children at the orphanage.
Horbanuik said that through
discussion Owen, along with some
of his friends, inspired the idea of
Caring Cookies. The Montessori
children have been baking cookies
like crazy since and will continue to
do so for at least this week. Orders
can be made by calling the school at
519-523-4800.
“If they are placed by 10 a.m. they
will be delivered later that day,” said
Horbanuik.
Cookies offered are chocolate
chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, egg-
free chocolate chip and gluten-
casein-free chocolate chip. Cost is
$1 per cookie with 100 per cent of
the proceeds going to the Children of
the Promise.
Since the effort began, the
community has responded well. In
the first four days the drive raised
just over $550. “That’s cookies sold.
Others have just made a donation,”
said Horbanuik.
But besides the benefit to the
orphanage the fundraiser has also
been good for some other children.
“The kids are really liking this. It’s
a great way for them to be part of the
whole process,” said Horbanuik.
Top administrators at the Avon
Maitland District School Board
became well-practised in the art of
letter-writing over the recent
Christmas holidays, drafting official
responses to numerous concerns
about the ongoing accommodation
review processes in Bluewater/South
Huron and Huron East/North Perth.
“I wish I could take credit but it
really was a team effort,” responded
director of education Chuck Reid,
when complimented for his letter-
writing prowess by board chair
Jenny Versteeg.
The letters were mostly written
during the month of December, in
response to a series of concerns
raised by municipal and federal
politicians from Huron County.
Among the correspondents were
representatives from Huron County,
the lower-tier municipalities of
Huron East, South Huron and
Bluewater, as well as Huron-Bruce
MP Ben Lobb.
Versteeg noted that, in general,
trustees are consulted about such
responses during regular board
meetings. But, due to the fact the
original letters arrived just before the
Christmas holidays – during which
no regular meetings are held – she
informed Reid that he could draft
responses without consulting
trustees.
Versteeg added that, during a
meeting in late November, trustees
had already discussed their response
to a similar concern.
The letters to the board range from
a short and concise request from
Lobb to “stop the current
Accommodation Review Committee
process until after the review of the
funding formula for 2010,” as well
as similarly-worded municipal
council resolutions, to Huron East’s
request that the Huron East/North
Perth review be postponed until
additional capital cost information is
received from the provincial
government.
The Huron East letter, written
Dec. 4, was discussed by trustees at
the board’s Dec. 8 regular meeting.
At the time, it was decided that the
information currently on hand for
Avon Maitland administrators is
adequate.
Subsequent letters of concern
requested postponement until after
an as-yet-unconfirmed review of the
provincial education funding
formula. The responses from the
board reiterate an argument already
made at previous meetings: that,
even though the legislation that
created the funding formula called
for a 10-year review in 2010, it now
seems unlikely that will happen.
“They aren’t going to be reviewing
this funding formula,” offered Reid
in an interview, following the Jan. 26
meeting. He suggested that, instead
of a one-time review, the ruling
Liberals have made adjustments
over the years, in an ongoing effort
to alter the formula.
Reid’s letters on behalf of the
board also highlight the provincial
government’s response to the recent
economic downturn. He cites “a
projected expense drop of $1.7
billion in 2011-12,” which will
combine with a predicted increase in
pension support requirements to
create “a projected reduction of $3.7
billion for the province.Initial stages of survey
show promising results
CitizenTh
e
$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010
Volume 26 No. 5MONEY- Pg. 10Financial advice for 2010 NEWS - Pg. 19 Long-time Festival stafferbids farewellHONOURS- Pg. 6Brussels Agricultural Societypresents annual awardsPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Reid says letters
were a team effort
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Children sell cookies
to help Haitian orphans
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen