HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-05-10, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018. PAGE 7.
Strength, flex results a revelation for Godkin
Innovation
Walton -area native Mitchell Godkin has made a
breakthrough with baseball bat drying that has yielded
fascinating and exciting results. As a result, Godkin created
Leadbury Bat Co., a nod to the former community of
Leadbury, just south of Walton, that has disappeared from
many maps in recent years. (Photo by and courtesy of Paul
Mayne/Western News)
Continued from page 6
Western News that the traditional
kiln drying process can leave
moisture at the centre of the lumber.
"No one has reinvented the drying
process in a long time. Typically, the
process uses ambient heat, but I'm
using a different process to do that.
It's not just a gimmicky new thing;
it's a big change to the
manufacturing process," he told Paul
Mayne of Western News. "My
process allowed the wood to dry
much faster, more evenly and
without as much damage to the grain
structure of the wood. That results in
a stronger bat with more flex -
meaning more bat life and more
performance. Those are the main
two things you want in a bat.
"That's the big thing that I can
offer my customers - I'm a
woodworking drying expert making
baseball bats, rather than a baseball
guy trying to learn the woodworking
side of things as he goes along."
Godkin says he is a baseball fan
who frequently attends Toronto Blue
Jays games when he can and admits
that one day he hopes to see
Leadbury bats in the hands of those
Major Leaguers.
His first focus, however, is the
local London market and then
Ontario before he aims to expand to
the rest of the Canada and the United
States.
Godkin says that Ontario is such a
great baseball market that it makes
sense to focus on his home province
before getting any bigger. If he can
manage the growth and quality
control, he hopes to expand if
possible within the next three to five
years.
Tenders come in under budget
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Morris-Turnberry ratepayers can
be happy knowing that some
purchases in the 2018 budget, which
resulted in low residential increases,
are already coming in under
expected costs.
During Morris-Turnberry
Council's May 1 meeting, Director
of Public Works Mike Alcock
presented two tenders that will result
in lower-than-expected costs: a
tender for a new pick-up truck for
the municipality and another for
surface material.
The surface material tender
resulted in the larger savings of the
two, with council approving a
vendor that will charge almost
$60,000 less than anticipated.
The joint tender issued by Morris-
Turnberry, Howick and South Bruce
included the supply and placement
of surface treatment on municipal
roads.
Morris-Turnberry's portion of the
project includes 7.6 kilometres of
Class 1 Surface treatment over
existing surface roads on Brandon
Road from the east limit of Belgrave
to Clyde Line and Clyde Line from
St. Michaels Road to Cranbrook
Road.
The original estimated cost for
Morris-Turnberry's portion of the
project was $210,000, however
Norjohn Contracting and Paving, the
lowest bidder by nearly $4,000,
came in at $153,043.95, a savings of
more than $56,000.
BUY? SELL?
TRY CLASSIFIED
Council approved the purchase,
with Alcock stating in his report that
the company had completed similar
projects in Morris-Turnberry in the
past and that he approved of their
work.
The pick-up truck purchase was
budgeted to cost $40,000, with staff
saying a crew cab, four-wheel drive
vehicle with safety lights, tonneau
cover and snow tires were necessary
for the new vehicle.
Two companies provided tenders
for the purchase: a numbered
company identified as Dilawri Auto
from Ontario that offered a Dodge
Ram for $32,000 and Leslie Motors
of Wingham which offered a
comparable Ford for $39,202.20.
While council went with the less
expensive Dodge Ram, the decision
wasn't without controversy as
Councillor Jim Nelemans requested
a recorded vote on the issue. All of
council, save Councillor John
Smuck, voted in favour of the truck,
resulting in $8,000 in savings from
the budgeted expenses.
Listowel
Wingham
HOSPITALS ALLIANCE
Enriching Life's Journey Together
Corporation of the Listowel Memorial Hospital
Corporation of the Wingham and District Hospital
ANNUAL MEETING & ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018
7:00 PM
WINGHAM AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL BOARD ROOM
285 CATHERINE STREET
WINGHAM, ONTARIO
The Annual Meetings of the Listowel Memorial Hospital and Wingham
and District Hospital will be held jointly for the purposes of receiving
the financial reports and statements required by the Public Hospitals
Act, for the election of Directors, and for the transaction of other such
things as may properly come before the meeting.
Copies of the Annual Report/Financial Statements may be obtained at
the front desk of both Hospitals effective June 6, 2018 and at the
Annual Meeting.
Memberships granting voting privileges may be purchased at the front
desk of the hospitals for five dollars ($5.00) prior to five o'clock p.m.,
Tuesday, May 30, 2018. No membership sold after that time will entitle
the purchaser to vote at the Annual Meeting.
He says he has some connections
in Ontario, as well as in Florida,
Texas and Virginia, so he hopes to
attend spring training next year and
see whose hands he can get his bats
into during the earliest days of the
baseball season.
While he grew up playing
baseball, the Walton -area native's
first love as a child was motocross.
He was an accomplished rider and a
regular at the Walton Raceway for
years before he went to Western in
London.
Leadbury Bat Co. is a nod to the
former community of Leadbury,
which was just south of Walton, but
has since vanished off of many
maps.
Godkin still has one more year left
to study at Western, but with his
company's success and the initiative
he has shown, his professors are
working to nurture that work and
help him to grow.
He says he has had access to
tremendous intelligence and support
at the university and his professors
have tailored the course around his
business. His fourth-year thesis will
be based on the research being
conducted with Leadbury Bat Co.
and that year's work will also tie into
the company and its expansion and
research.
In the meantime, Godkin is just
weeks away from launching his
web -based store. There, people will
be able to buy all of his bats and
other merchandise.
For more information on Godkin
and Leadbury Bat Co., visit the
company at leadburybatco.com or
find it on Facebook and Instagram.
See histories and historic
photographs on the
Huron History section
of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
Run for Mental Health Awareness
Saturday, May 12 at 9 am at the
seap
*AII proceeds go to the Canadian
Mental Health Association, the Huron-
Perthstration Centre for Children and Youth,
and will and the Tanner Steffler Foundation.
Regi
is $10
be collected at
the event.
Pledge forms can be picked up at Optimal Health,
UPI, Local Organics, Total Image, and Degree
CrossFit. in Seaforth, as well as Workhorse in Clinton
and All Styles II and Deck Dentistry in Mitchell
Please wear green and come on out to
support a great cause!
- Sponsored by McGavin Farm Equipment
f1`
entral Huron
Central Huron Donation Fund
The Municipality of Central Huron is pleased to announce their
annual Central Huron Donation Fund. The Municipality will again set
aside funds to assist and promote community-based non-profit
organizations.
To Qualify
Organizations must be non-profit. Proposed programs or events must
clearly demonstrate a direct social or economic benefit for residents
of Central Huron. Successful organizations will be required to submit
a post project report identifying the use of the funds.
When applying please include complete description, budget and date
of the program or event, also supporting information including
statistics for previous similar projects and the amount of funding
requested, specifying whether a cash or in-kind donation is required.
The Municipality reserves the right to fund only programs or events
as deemed appropriate.
Deadline for applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. noon Friday,
May 18, 2018 in person, by email: info@centralhuron.com fax: 519-
482-9183 or by mail, and are to be addressed as follows:
"Central Huron Donation Fund"
Attention: Brenda Maclsaac, Clerk
Municipality of Central Huron
P.O. Box 400, 23 Albert Street
Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0
For further information please look for details on the website
www.centralhuron.com