The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-03, Page 1311, . Y L V 1 f?Y�C :7 ��%: Y 11 ll'_. tE.. i►ln i •'J Jo') - J r-` 1 Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, June 3, 2009 - Page A13 Photos by Denny Scott Goderich's Chamber of Commerce held its annual general meeting on May 28, and the good news flowed like water, with announcements being made regarding several projects coming to fruition. Mayor Deb Shewfelt (above) praised the chamber's actions in creating the Growth for Our Future Group, while chair Laura Herman (left), explained how membership was up and projects were on schedule. The luncheon was keynoted by a local speaker, author Kevin Morrison (centre), who shared his insights as a newcomer to Goderich. Chamber's annual general meeting highlights a great year Danny Scott signal -star staff• Goderich's Chamer of Commerce Annual General Meeting included introductions, fond farewells and the commentary of author, ana- lyst and professional speaker Kevin Morrison. The meeting, which was held on Thursday, May 28 at the Legion, was catered by Bailey's Restaraunt. and was filled with good news. Chair Laura Herman led the event, thanking all the members that make the group what it is. Herman also introduced new treasurer Ryan Shelton, and thanked the group for their hard work during her absence. It has been a year of great accomplishments for the chamber, she said, explaining that the Biz After 5, and Breakfast Before Biz meet- ings that started this year have been a huge success. Another achievement that was highlighted included the launch of the Cornerstone Corpo- rate Sponsorship program, which saw compa- nies like Epcor, the Ontario Lottery and Gam- ing Corporation, and Bell, as well as several local companies, donating money to help the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber also moved into an office over the past year, and with the recent re -launch of the chamber website, as well as the successful running of the Growth for Goderich/Growth for our Future group, the Chamber had a lot to be proud of. Mayor Deb Shewfelt brought greetings from the town and council, and thanked the chamber for its hard work over the year. "[The Growth for Our Future Group] was very unique, and it really helped to untangle the Volvo problems," Mayor Shewfelt ex- plained: The mayor went on to explain that Goderich has seen its fair share of closures before, and that Goderich just needs to press the 'reset but- ton,' and continue on. Guest speaker Kevin Morrison regaled the group with some of his stories, which, focused on largely on Goderich. As a new member of the chamber and the community, Morrison ' was able to share his lessons, and apply them directly to the people and experiences of God- erich. Morrison has lived throughout North Amer- ica, but was originally born just outside of London, and still maintains a house there, but he now considers Goderich his home. One of the most important lessons that Mor- rison had to share was that businesses don't end because of other businesses; the only person responsible for a business success or failure is the owner. He also highlighted the importance of the word of mouth advertising, and gave an example with his own experience in town. "I love living on the square," he explained. "I can walk anywhere to get anything." Other highlights of Morrison's speech in- clude the importance of shopping local, laugh- ing and having fun, and the importance of sup- porting each other. He further elaborated on the last item by saying that he would waive his. • fees as a business analyst for fellow members of the chamber. "We've ve got to work together," he explained. r pr //� Health Clink c Effective June 1, thhnaty Health i Clinic will be open Mondays, 'e s- and Fridays from 12:00 noon to 4:00 ►. i. The V nesday clinic will rio longer be open until .m. Health Link offers a variety of services including11 sexual health information, access to biirifi 'control, sexual transmission infection testing, pregnancy option counsel - immunizations, and family support ser- vices like parenting and infant nutrition. The clinic is located at the HuropCounty Health Unit's Cht sits at 777 LOndou 1004 f Width Link is a drop-in clinic. You only need to book _ - ointments if you are getting immuniz* ' 'so your record will be ready when you arrive. The Dire a month Health Link itria' munizat$ service held in Wingham will not titan e /<yr /%D�;. r<Forr more infonr iti or to book an ap. pointment, c Huron County Health Unit at 482.S6, , or 1-877-837-6143 if ing long dist ce / For mnore information about Health Link,. deck out www.huroncounty.ca/health >m e control over your finance through consolidation The first few months of a year can be quite bust when it comes to your finances. There may be contributions to make to your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and to the new Tax -Free Savings Account. And of course, there's your personal income tax return to prepare,, which thankfully will soon be wrapped up for most of us. Once that's out of the way, you might want to consider also adding this to your financial "to-do" list: If you have retirement savings and investment accounts scattered among a variety of financial institutions, consider taking control by consolidation everything into one place. It'll probably make things easier for you next year and beyond. To start, you'll be able to more effectively track your finances. Your records will be streamlined, sparing you from having to pore over a series of statements and tax documents from different institutions. Monitoring will require less effort and you'll likely be able to see the "big picture" more clearly. 'This should make setting your investment goals and tracking your progress more straightforward. For example, it'll be easier to gauge aggregate investment returns. At a glance, you'll be able to assess the specifics of your asset allocation and portfolio construction. When it's time to choose new investments or rebalance your portfolio, working with one institution makes everything simpler. In particular, buying and selling investments is less complicated' because you can readily move cash from one investment to another. You may also realize a reduction in account fees for services such as withdrawals and transfers. Consolidation can be especially important to your RRSP or other retirement accounts. When all your retirement investments are under one roof they can be managed more eficientiy. For example, if you have a self-directed RRSP, selling investments and reinvesting the proceeds is easy. However, if you have many RRSP accounts spread out among financial institutions you won't necessarily have that type of flexibility. • What's more, dealing with a single institution eases the transition from an RRSP to a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) when you turn 71. And a related point to keep in mind is that if you or your spouse should die, it becomes a much simpler, more convenient and more efficient process to deal with one institution. • Perhaps the most important benefit of consolidation is the potential for better financial advice. When you deal with a single institution you can have more informed guidance and a closer, more comprehensive relationship with a financial guidance and a closer, more comprehensive relationship with a financial advisor who has a clear view of your full financial picture. That expert is put in a better position to help keep you on target for meethng your long- term goals. In short, consolidating can allow you to take control of your financial life could improve your wealth -building potential by making it much easier to set goals, invest in line with your risk tolerance and investment objectives, and track your progress. If your accounts could use some consolidating, speak to a financial advisor who can assist you with the needed paperwork. ' did Jones, Member CIPF iii ij • r ;. i Y, C) Wig;::.. j.: