HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-08-31, Page 51
i
n
the
Street
By Jim Beckett
B.L.A. manager Dolly Creces is collecting .intormation•to pro-.
• duce a booklet about Exeter. She is looking for interesting items
about -Te town, its history, and information. about businesses. If
you have an interesting story about your business you should write
to her at P.O. ilox 1161, Exctcr.. '
* * * * * * * *
One of then happiest people in the local retail scene is leaving the
variety store business September 1 for a change of scenery. Maria
(Mickie) Struyke has. resigned as Shaw's manager and will be
holidaying in I lolland for a few months before deciding on a new ca-
reer. Dale Marshall will be her replacement.
* * * * * * * *
The Stagger Inn (formerly. Keegan's) has opened in Centralia under
the management of Robert Coolas.
*.* * * * * * *
The Prydc Boulevard residents who were so vehemently against the
proposed sidewalks along their street because they would virtually
- dissect their front -lawns can rest -easy. Although the stakes are still
in the ground, apparently the construction plan has been halted.
* * * * * * * *
t11ike Burke and Scott Rundle, who operate Beyond The
Screen Door in' Dashwood, arc excited about the latest development
in their yearoId company. The decorative door manufacturer is
quickly moving its initial part-time operation into a going.concem
employing eight full-time workers with Dashwood Industries now
distributing its products in their retail stores across the country.
* * * * * * * *
Dave Wolfe will be competing in -October in the body-building
events at Waterloo -University as part of the Octoberfest activities.
The Big V employee, who has bccn working out for several years,
tells me his presentation this year will be choreographed by. Deb No-
ma]: •
* * * * * * * 4
The battle for the beach in Grand Bend was featured August 28 in a
lengthy article in the Toronto Star's Sunday edition. The $2.5 mil-
lion lawsuit lauched by Malcolm Gibbs of Parkhill could be decided
in September but no matter what happens there is a -good chance of
an appeal. The Star article raised the question of who is paying
Gibbsmassive legal fees. It also said the province is handling most
of the court costs although Grand Bend is putting out $100,000 for
representation at the trial.
* * * * * * * *
Our staff was watching a motivational ta;ieas part of a recent sales
training program recently when the speaker was stressing "attitude"
as one of the most important tools for success in business. Ile re-
ferred to the hated alarm clock as an "opportunity clock" that gives
you a chance to get started on another successful day.
* * * . * * * * 4
• A representative of another motivational company told us recently
that most employers don't realize it but, in his terms, "your assets
drive home every night."
* *, * * *" * •* *
Back
in time
10 years ago
• Debbie Stiles was declared champion of a "sit -on -it" competition
after beating Robin Jordan, Holley Whitney and Donna Unwin in an
endurance test. Stiles was participating in a novel promotion by Mount
Carmel Kawasaki. Motorcycle dealer Don Darling gave cach contest-
ant a chance to win back the price of their recently purchased bikes.
All they had to do was sit on their new motorcycle longer than the
other three. Sales won after sitting on her bike for 65 hours.
•Enrollment was down by 62 students in arca public schools from
1977 statistics the week before classes started in 1978.
'Grand Bend businesses reported a 10-15 percent increase in busi-
ness in the summer of 1978, cit.ng excellent weather and the "return of
families" as the main reasons.
20 years ago
•The T -A featured a front page photo of the honourable C. S.
MacNaughton breaking .a bottle of champagne over the bow of a
Hughes 38 — the first of its kind to be launched. Hughes Boat Works
were located at Huron Park.
"Canada's only manufacturing operation in bicycle tires will relo-
cate at thc Centralia Industrial Park this fall," a story in the T -A
• revealed. "Dunlop Canada Ltd. will transfer production facilities to
Centralia to meet a sales demand, growing at close to 10 percent a year.
•"You can talk most people inte,attending an event encs, but when
they return the second time you know they enjoyed it. Based on that as-
sumption, it is probably correct to say that,the Mid -Western Rodco has
found a spot in the hearts of many people in the district and its continued
success appears certain," Bill Batten wrote after the Second annual
Rodeo in Exctcr.
SO years ago •
-Under the heading: "Farming isn't what it used to be", an editorial
commented, "Just last Monday we heard a strange roar ing in an adjoin-
ingfield. A neighbour, you see, had moved in with his tractor. By six
o'clock that three furrowed plow had the surface of that large field
completely fumed over, doing in one day what the man with a walking
plow would -require a solid week to accomplish. By the way, the
thermometer that day was 86 in the shade and flies suggested the plague
in Egypt.
"The day's work done, the farmer drove his tractor into the shcd and
was ready for a good evening's ctloring.
"It's a far cry from the day when that field was grub -hoed into
production.
"Yes, there's comfort in modern farming. When it comes to the con-
sideration of profits, well, that's up to the management. We know of a
neighbouring field that has been plowed by the old fashioned walking
plow method and that the farmer and his team are in prime physical
condition. A farmer, nowadays, is something more than a dull plodder,
as our best citizens realize.
70 years ago
•"The Fuel Controller has notified Reeve Beavers that Exeter's allot-
ment of coal for this winter is 3,000 tons, which is.70 percent of the
average amount'reccived here during the past two winters. This means
that there must be an even distribution of the supply, or someone will
be cold. We estimate that probably not more than one third of this
supply has been received yet. Coal stoves should not be lighted until it
is absolutely necessary."
•As divisions which drew on Huron County youth began to see action
again in a World War i offensive against Germany. the Advocate was
filled with news of casualties in Europe. • •
'The district casualties are much larger in number an ever before,
showing that Western Ontario boys, after being com tivcty safe for
several months. are now in the great push, and helps todrive•the Hun
• back.
I Imes -Advocate, August 31, 1988
Page 5
Smoothing the rough edges of
move to office
By Adrian Harte
EXETER - For many companies,
the move to•office computerization
can be a traumatic and difficult ex-
perience; Gerry Parsons is in the
business of smoothing that transi-
tion.
G.W. Parsons and Associates Inc.
are consultants for local businesses
seeking new equipment and the
software to suit their needs. .
"We try to provide the complete
package," said Gerry Parsons. The
company's team �f himself, - Doug
Denomme and Karen Neevel aria:
lyze and discuss the amount and
type of information the company
handles. t .
A computer system and programs
are chosen based on thQ a needs. A
training program to familiarize staff
with the new system is also part of
that package.
The main types of equipment
G.W. Parsons deals with are IBM
and IBM compatible systems.
The also focus on stand-alone mi
crocomputers rather than networked
systems,
"Our recommendation to the first-
time computer users considering
networking is they have a staff
member with in-depth computer ex-
perience to act as the system opera-
tor," said Karen Neevel. The mi-
cros are useable by anyone starting
from scratch,
- Another question the company
has to deal with is whether or not a
client will want Microsoft's new
OS/2operatingsystem or stay with
the more common DOS.
"It's a new technology," said Nee -
vel of OS/2, "and with the amount
of proven DOS-based software in
automation
use now, DOS has not become ob-
solete."
Parsons points out that, with the
low cost of present PCs and contin-
ual releases of new software packag-
es, it will not be difficult or costly
to convert to OS/2 technology at a
later date, if, the need arises. ,
G.W. Parsons is geared up to
serve the local communities, even
though they have clients in London
and Toronto.
"We would like to deal locally as
much as possible," said Parsons.
The nine-month old- company
mainly provides consulting in com- •
putcrized areas of accounting, word
processing, spreadsheets and data
COMPUTER CONSULTANTS - G.W. Parsons team of Doug Denomme_"(left), Gerry Parsons, and
vel are in the business of advising local businesses on what computer system is.best for them.
Lost Ford contract
causes Fleck layoffs
HURON PARK - A contract The union is presently await -
to supply Ford with wiring har- ing a report from the provincial
-nesses has gone to a competitor, conciliator that negotiations
and F1cck manufacturing is lay- have broken down. Once thc re-
ing off 40-45 of its Huron Park port arrives, employees would
workers. have thc right to strike within
The wiring harnesses were for • 16 days.
Ford Ranger trucks, but they__ The workers are seeking a con -
will now be manufactured by an- • tract for higher wages, improved
other company in Ontario. sickness and accident benefits
The layoffs arc effective Sep- and a better long-term disability
tembcr 9 and fall in the midst of plan.
contract negotiations between Currently, Fleck workers cam
the CAW Local 1620 and Fleck S6.65 to S7.04 an hour. •
Manufacturing Inc.
Who remembers labour?
Continued from page 4
by the sweat of your brow.
Labour that took possession of
your body and soul, that allowed
nothing else. that broke your
spirit unless you found a way to
get out from under it.
Most people who laboured had
no chance at all. They had little or
no education. They knew nothing
of recreation. When they didn't
toil, they slept. They worked like
slaves to feed their families'
hungry mouths. If they were
single, they spent their week's
earnings in a beer parlour on
Saturday night.
And some of my women readers
will remember labour before
washers and dryers. dishwashers.
electric stoves and refrigerators
in fact before electricity and
indoor plumbing. Before pampers
and school buses. supermarkets
and shopping centres. To be a
"housewife" was not only a full-
time job. it was full-time hard
labour. especially on the farm
where chickens and pigs and the
vegetable garden were the
woman's responsibility.. •
Labour Day i3 just around the
corner. It has more or less become
credit is due to the early labour
unions who helped to improve the
lot of labourers ever so gradually.
But today I associate the union
movement with teachers and
nurses, professionals and
technicians, inside postal workers
and crown prosecutors. None of
these people do anything remotely
resembling what I remember as
labour. They are earning a decent
living, working in pleasant
surroundings, doing what they are
trained to do and what they
presumably love to do. 'their
unions help them. to,get more
money. a better working
environment. job security, all
very worthwhile causes. But none
of this has anything to do with
labour.
On this Labour Day I think of
the true labourer, who works
harder than most. On farms, in
mines and factories, on
construction sites and wherever
else the hands and heads of human
beings are still superior or more
cost-effective than machines. 1
salute you. "all ye that labour and
are heavy laden".
BAN K
Toronto Dominion
Bank
invites you to
Investor information
Evening
DATE. September 8, 1988 ,
TIME: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. „
PLACE: Grand Bend Legion
Representatives from Treasury and Investment wanking and
Registered Savings Plans to be present
Seating is limited, please call Bank at 238-8435
for your reservation
Karen
Nee -
bases. 11 anyone is looking for
something in high-tech areas such
as computer-aided design (CAD)
then G.W. Parsons will work with
the support of specialists in that
field. • -
"We will not sell a, system that
we cannot properly suppon," said
Parsons.
Being in the computeraonsulting
business means staying on top of
all developments in technology and
software. Both Denomme and Nee -
vel have backgrounds in computer
technology, but are frequently tak-
ing courses to keep on top of the
industry.
Believe itor-not, the actual deci-
sion on which computer best suits
a local business is not made by a
computer.. After surveys and qucs•
-
tionnaires about thc company's
needs are reviewed, all three mem-
bers of G.W. Parsons make their
recommendations based on their
first-hand experience.
"The one thing we do not want to-
do is lose the personal touch in our
customer base," said Parsons, even
though it might be necessary to re-
strict their rate of growth to do so.
While the typical G.W. Parsons
customer is nota first-time com-
puter buyer, the company docs offer
computer accounting services to
those without present systems as a
basis for demonstrating what can he
done with office automation..
For those looking to get the most
use out of their_ present computers,
G.W. Parsons and Associates will
advise on software packages and
may even customize application
software for specific information re-
quirements.-
"If
e-
quirements."If there's something available
out there we'll try to get it. If not,
we'll consider programming," said
Parsons..
"With Computer Associates
ACCPAC line of integrated soft-
ware for general business necds...we
feel we have a very good software
base," said Denomme.
G.W. Parsons believe client con-
fidentiality is of prime importance.
The office is kept clean of any.
client data or information. Parsons
says this is the way a consulting
business has to be run.
"We would like our customers to
bc.treatcd as we would like to tic
treated ourselves," he said.
Farmers to receive
interim grain payments
TORONTO -, Ontario farmers
will receive approxinnately .S7 niil-
°-lion in interim payments for grain
through the 1987-88 stabilization
hmgrain of the Farm Income Sta-
bilisation Commission, Agriculture
and Food Minister Jack Riddell an-
nounced today'.
"We're making -these interim pay-
ments before. the end of the year to
help case the financial pressure
growers are facing because of de-
pressed commodity prices," said
Riddell. "Rather than wait to give a
lump sum near the end of the year,
we wanted to give them some need-
ed financial support now."
This payment will be based on
the number of toi rig a producer
rc,istcred for 1987 and cheques will
begin tri flow by blit end of August.
Producers «ill he paid for 60 per-
cent of their registered tonnes, us-
ing a payment per tonne of S3.68
for corn, seed corn, barley. and -oats,
516 for white beans and S$.96 for
canola. Any required adjustments
will be made on the final payment,
which will be based on sales. •
Producers growing several com-
moditics will receive one payment
cheque this year, rather than separ-
ate cheques for each commodity.
Only producers registered in the
1987 Grain Plan offered by the
Farm lncomc Stabilisation Corn -
mission arc eligible for payment.
Drive Carefully
Children are
going back to
school
Lana
Q
W
1111111111111111111
on all
remaining
summer
merchandise
/Z
1'
01=
gleC
W
including:
• Nash Pants •
• Gant Sportswear
• lzod Lacoste
• t_ondon Fog "
• Arrow Shirts
GENILLITEINici
383 Main St., Exeter 235-2590
Where Fashion, Quality and Service All kter•i
1