#local Home & Garden Magazine
Join us in spring 2023 as we explore different local businesses to help you with your home and yard!
Join us in spring 2023 as we explore different local businesses to help you with your home and yard!
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
SPRING 2023<br />
ISSUE # 02<br />
Lawncare<br />
That Makes the Cut<br />
SPRINGTIME ESSENTIALS HOME & GARDEN PHOTO FEATURES
Contents<br />
Letter from the Editor 4<br />
We wish you a wonderful<br />
warm weather season.<br />
Spring Bucket List 6<br />
Some great ideas to<br />
make the most of spring.<br />
Bike Safety Tips 29<br />
Make sure to stay safe as we head<br />
outside with the warmer weather.<br />
<strong>Home</strong> and <strong>Garden</strong><br />
Businesses<br />
TJ’S FURNITURE<br />
& HOME DECOR<br />
8<br />
CO-OPERATORS CORUNNA<br />
10<br />
HUCKER FLOOR COVERINGS<br />
11<br />
IN MOTION HEALTH,<br />
WELLNESS & FITNESS<br />
12<br />
SIPKENS NURSERIES<br />
19<br />
BUSINESS DIRECTORY<br />
22<br />
GREAT LAKES REFILL CO.<br />
24<br />
DEAN HOLTZ PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
26<br />
10<br />
FLECK LAW<br />
28<br />
ADVANCED BUILDING<br />
MATERIALS<br />
30<br />
MCFARLAN ROWLANDS<br />
INSURANCE BROKERS<br />
43<br />
THE EYE OPENER<br />
47<br />
ALL SYSTEMS MECHANICAL<br />
52<br />
DEGROOT’S NURSERIES<br />
62<br />
hashtaglocal.com<br />
11<br />
62
Contents<br />
Spring Essentials<br />
SPRING BUCKET LIST<br />
6<br />
LOW WASTE PICNIC<br />
7<br />
BICYCLE SAFETY<br />
29<br />
CURB APPEAL<br />
31<br />
SELF CARE FROM<br />
GREAT LAKES REFILL CO.<br />
46<br />
SPRING CLEANING GUIDE<br />
54<br />
SPRING RECIPE FROM<br />
PERSONAL TOUCH<br />
EATERY & CATERING<br />
64<br />
14<br />
36 56<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES<br />
SIERRA REI HART<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
14<br />
BOOKFACE PHOTOS<br />
BY THE BOOK KEEPER<br />
36<br />
OH ME NERVES<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
56<br />
MISTAKES WE’VE MADE IN SUPPORTING LOCAL<br />
44<br />
RACE TO ERASE<br />
48<br />
#CHARITABLE<br />
66<br />
THE #LOCAL TEAM<br />
68<br />
hashtaglocal.com
20 24<br />
Nicole Smith<br />
Twin Bridges Exit Realty 20<br />
Great Lakes Refill Co. 24<br />
Green Scene Lawn Care<br />
and Landscaping 32<br />
32
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Letter from the Editor<br />
Welcome to the second edition<br />
of the <strong>#local</strong> magazine!<br />
If you’re a returning reader, welcome back. We are grateful for your continued<br />
support of this initiative. And if you are new to the magazine, we’re glad you are<br />
here.<br />
The <strong>#local</strong> magazine continues to be a space that centres on the community we love,<br />
Sarnia-Lambton, this time with a focus on your home.<br />
A home is a sanctuary. It is a place you can retreat from the world and be entirely<br />
yourself. And whether you love wild gardens or strict rows of flowers and trees,<br />
your yard is a natural manifestation of your home. It is the outside space that you<br />
can call your own, use as you desire, and enjoy. Plus, with summers like the ones<br />
we enjoy in this area, our outside spaces deserve as much love and attention as the<br />
inside ones!<br />
Fortunately, a home doesn’t just have to be the place where you rest your head. Here<br />
in Sarnia-Lambton, we hope that arriving home starts for you when you drive past<br />
the Lambton County sign and follows you all the way through your front door.<br />
When you work on something that means as much to you as your home and garden,<br />
you want to work with like-minded individuals. The local businesses featured in<br />
this magazine understand what it means to own a home and the pride you put into<br />
your space. They focus on providing quality services for everything from yard and<br />
garden maintenance to HVAC work, to helping you sell your home and find a new<br />
one. They can take care of your home, just like they would their own. We hope this<br />
magazine helps you find the right person or business for all the dreams you have<br />
for your space.<br />
From all of us at <strong>#local</strong>, we wish you a wonderful warm weather season. May the<br />
beer be local and cold, and the food on the grill taste extra sweet this spring. And as<br />
always, we hope you find the word home extends beyond your front door to include<br />
the places and businesses that make up this unique tapestry of a community.<br />
Kaley Holder<br />
4<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com<br />
publisher<br />
RICH BOUCHARD<br />
editor<br />
KALEY HOLDER<br />
copy editing<br />
ALEX CONDIE<br />
story writers<br />
MIKE BROPHY<br />
ALISON MCKINNON<br />
RICH BOUCHARD<br />
LAURA GREAVES<br />
KALEY HOLDER<br />
lead<br />
photographer<br />
SIERRA HART<br />
lead designer<br />
BLUE MONSTER<br />
CREATIVE<br />
lead sales<br />
RYAN METZLER<br />
For magazine inquiries<br />
please contact:<br />
hello@hashtaglocal.com<br />
Designed, printed,<br />
and produced in Canada.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 5
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
2. vist a local farmers market<br />
1. plan & plant<br />
your own garden<br />
3. enjoy a picnic<br />
bucket list<br />
5. have your spring<br />
family photos taken<br />
4. host the first BBQ<br />
of the year<br />
6. set up a bird feeder,<br />
bath, and house<br />
10. savour the first<br />
ice cream of the year<br />
9. visit Canatara Park<br />
7. host an outdoor<br />
movie night<br />
8. take a family bike ride<br />
6<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Hummus from Personal Touch Eatery<br />
and tortilla chips<br />
Grab one of their reusable Stasher bags<br />
or steel tins to store all your delicious snacks<br />
hashtaglocal.com 7
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
TJ’s Furniture & <strong>Home</strong> Decor<br />
When you walk into Sarnia’s TJ’s<br />
Furniture & <strong>Home</strong> Decor, do not<br />
expect to be instantly surrounded<br />
and steered toward the cash<br />
register. Rather, expect a welcoming<br />
smile from Danielle Russell<br />
and John Vander Maden who will<br />
gladly answer any of your questions<br />
and patiently guide you toward<br />
your potential purchase.<br />
You see, customer comfort and<br />
satisfaction is job number one at<br />
TJ’s. “When you come into TJ’s<br />
you meet John or me and we are<br />
genuine, authentic people and we<br />
want our customers to feel at ease<br />
when they shop here,” Danielle<br />
says. “Ours is a low-stress, super<br />
fun, non-commission sales job. It<br />
is all about customer service and<br />
that is how we market ourselves.”<br />
John, 70, has been working at<br />
TJ’s for nearly 25 years and says<br />
he has no plans to retire any time<br />
soon. “I couldn’t sit around and do<br />
nothing,” John proclaims, “I’ve got<br />
to keep busy.” Danielle, 43, is approaching<br />
her fourth anniversary at<br />
TJ’s. “This is a family-owned business<br />
and it has been around since<br />
1992,” Danielle says. “I did training<br />
and development for a non-profit<br />
organization prior to this so I was<br />
8<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
familiar with doing sales and retail.<br />
This was a new avenue for me and<br />
it is a lot of fun. I just knew working<br />
here would be a great fit for me.”<br />
The business was started by<br />
current owners Tim Kember and<br />
Janet Cole, who originally ran the<br />
business out of a flea market. TJ’s<br />
Furniture & <strong>Home</strong> Decor was then<br />
located on London Road where<br />
the Refined Fools Brewery is now<br />
before moving to its current location<br />
at 1644 London Line six years<br />
ago. “The owners pop in every now<br />
and then, but they also travel a<br />
lot,” John says, “They can see that<br />
Danielle and I both enjoy what we<br />
are doing here, so they feel at ease.<br />
They trust us to just do our thing.”<br />
John feels the fact TJ’s is an independent<br />
operation gives them<br />
an edge over some of their larger<br />
corporate competitors. “We don’t<br />
have a problem with the competition,”<br />
John says. “We are known<br />
for our quality and the non-pressure<br />
from our sales staff. The attitude<br />
of the sales staff at some<br />
of the big box stores turns some<br />
customers off. That is what I have<br />
been told. The customers don’t<br />
experience that here. They come<br />
in and within moments they are<br />
laughing, smiling, and having fun.”<br />
John enjoys hunting for good<br />
furniture he knows will impress<br />
his regular customers. “We do a<br />
lot of investigating before we begin<br />
a relationship with a new company.<br />
I like to read reviews and see<br />
and touch and sit on their product<br />
before we commit to it. Being<br />
a small independent, if we have<br />
an issue with a company, we know<br />
there are plenty of others out there<br />
so I wouldn’t hesitate to go to a<br />
better one,” John explains. This<br />
“It is all about customer service<br />
and that is how we market ourselves.”<br />
keeps the stock at TJ’s constantly<br />
changing. “You will see something<br />
one day and you might not<br />
see it again. Our regular customers<br />
appreciate it,” shares Danielle.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 9
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Co-operators Corunna<br />
Shaun Antle insists he has a<br />
great working relationship with<br />
his business partner, Tara. That’s a<br />
good thing considering Shaun and<br />
Tara are also husband and wife!<br />
The dynamic duo run Corunna’s<br />
Co-operators, a satellite agency to<br />
Sarnia-based Fabien Jagoo and Associates<br />
Inc. They delight in serving<br />
St. Clair Township as a team.<br />
“I started in 2009,” says Shaun. “I<br />
joined Co-operators in 2010, Tara<br />
joined us shortly after in 2012. Tara’s<br />
been in the business since 2006.”<br />
While Shaun was working for Co-operators,<br />
Tara was working at a brokerage.<br />
“It didn’t make sense for us to be<br />
working for different insurance companies,”<br />
Tara says, “so I decided to<br />
merge over to Co-operators.” Over the<br />
years, Shaun’s goals have changed in a<br />
large part because he values the opportunity<br />
of working with his wife and<br />
because of the autonomy their owner<br />
(Fabien Jagoo) provides the couple.<br />
This year marks their 10th anniversary<br />
in Corunna. Since opening, the<br />
Antle’s have evolved from representing<br />
about 87 households to over 700.<br />
Both Shaun and Tara feel it’s important<br />
to promote and be a part of<br />
their community. “At the beginning,<br />
I wore expensive watches and threepiece<br />
suits, but it wasn’t who I was,<br />
nor who I wanted to be,” Shaun says.<br />
“In a small town like Corunna, it’s not<br />
the materialistic mindset that builds<br />
trust, it’s connecting on a personal<br />
level with the people of the community.”<br />
Tara also knows the benefit of<br />
being grounded in the community.<br />
“I don’t want my clients running<br />
away from me at the grocery store. I<br />
want to be able to talk to and know<br />
them beyond their policy numbers.”<br />
Shaun recently had a client contact<br />
him after hours. “At the end, he<br />
thanked me and said he was sorry<br />
to bother me on the weekend, but<br />
my availability is one of the reasons<br />
he deals with me,” Shaun says.<br />
The couple believes their solid<br />
partnership gives them a leg up<br />
in the industry. “There are a lot of<br />
advisors,” Shaun says, “however,<br />
there are not many husband-andwife<br />
teams. That is something that<br />
we feel appeals to the community.<br />
Where one lacks, the other fills<br />
in the gaps, it’s how we operate.”<br />
Shaun recently completed two<br />
years of education through Advocis,<br />
the Financial Advisors Association<br />
of Canada, obtaining his Professional<br />
Financial Advisor Designation.<br />
He adds this to nearly 14 years of experience<br />
and his industry-standard<br />
Life License (LLQP). “My experience<br />
and education give me the tools required<br />
when it comes to advising<br />
and providing a holistic approach<br />
for clients.” Tara currently holds her<br />
Other Than Life License and specializes<br />
in <strong>Home</strong>, Auto, Commercial/<br />
Non-Profits, and Farm insurance.<br />
With nearly 17 years of experience,<br />
Tara is well-equipped to provide her<br />
clients with the necessary professional<br />
advice they need. With over 30<br />
years of combined experience, this<br />
power couple not only enjoys what<br />
they do but believes they are thriving<br />
thanks to the support of their local<br />
community and its surrounding area.<br />
10<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Hucker Floor Coverings<br />
Charlie Hucker started working in<br />
the flooring industry when he was<br />
18 years old. In 1992, after many<br />
years in both installation and sales,<br />
Hucker bought a shop-at-home<br />
flooring franchise. All the flooring<br />
samples were in his van and he<br />
brought them right to the customer’s<br />
home. Ten years later, he decided<br />
to leave that concept and opened<br />
Hucker Floor Coverings, a brickand-mortar<br />
store with a showroom.<br />
Hucker Flooring has been at its current<br />
location, 1383 Confederation<br />
Street, for ten years, and in 2018 they<br />
expanded the showroom and warehouse<br />
to offer a wider selection to<br />
their customers. Hucker’s sons, Kevin<br />
and Dale, joined the family business<br />
in 2007 and 2012 respectively.<br />
“I look after the sales side of things,<br />
and Dale manages the warehouse and<br />
installations. My dad is here regularly<br />
to support and consult with us,”<br />
explains Kevin. Both brothers had<br />
careers in other cities but returned<br />
home to put down roots and contribute<br />
to the family business. “My<br />
grandfather owned a flooring store<br />
and my great-grandfather was in<br />
flooring as well, so we are the fourth<br />
generation of Huckers involved in<br />
this business and we are proud of that<br />
legacy. Our goal is to keep that going.”<br />
Hucker Floor Coverings sells<br />
brand-name tile, laminate, hardwood,<br />
carpet, and luxury vinyl.<br />
They also install custom showers,<br />
backsplashes, and accent walls. “We<br />
have a fantastic team who are 100%<br />
customer-focused and passionate<br />
about design. Our job is to make the<br />
whole process as easy as possible,” explains<br />
Kevin. Customers are asked a<br />
range of questions to help determine<br />
which type of flooring would be best<br />
for them and are encouraged to take<br />
samples home to see how the flooring<br />
looks with their furnishings and<br />
lighting. “We stay on top of trends<br />
by going to design shows and flooring<br />
conventions.” The team at Hucker<br />
can also take any broadloom product<br />
and make a custom area rug.<br />
The majority of Hucker Flooring’s<br />
business is residential, but they<br />
complete work in new builds and<br />
commercial properties as well. The<br />
installation team prides itself on its<br />
workmanship. “Our installers are<br />
professional and knowledgeable,”<br />
shares Dale. “We are here for our customers<br />
before, during, and after the<br />
sale. I love seeing a customer’s room<br />
or project completed and how happy<br />
they are with their choices and the<br />
entire process. It’s very rewarding.”<br />
“It’s great to be able to help people<br />
transform their homes,” Kevin adds.<br />
“I really love the interaction with our<br />
customers.” Both value the creativity<br />
and flexibility that comes with owning<br />
a business. “I can’t gush enough<br />
about our staff. We work hard to<br />
create an environment where everyone<br />
can thrive.” The Hucker family<br />
is grateful for the support the community<br />
has shown them. “The people<br />
of Sarnia have been extremely<br />
loyal and we are thankful. As kids,<br />
we were told that if you do a good<br />
job, the business will flourish, and<br />
that’s exactly what has happened.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 11
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
In Motion Health, Wellness & Fitness<br />
Things have changed a bit for<br />
In Motion: Health Wellness &<br />
Fitness since the doors opened in<br />
2007. When recent graduates Dr.<br />
Brendan Carney Kilian and Dr.<br />
Luke Winegard started the business,<br />
their vision was to create a<br />
multidisciplinary clinic that could<br />
help clients set and achieve their<br />
health and fitness goals. “This was<br />
a new concept in Sarnia, but we<br />
managed to do it,” Dr. Brendan explains.<br />
Since those early days, Dr.<br />
Winegard has departed for Spain,<br />
but Dr. Brendan, alongside his<br />
faithful office manager, Jodi Rawcliffe,<br />
are determined to make In<br />
Motion bigger and better than ever.<br />
In Motion’s staff has expanded<br />
to include chiropractors Dr. Jane<br />
Pilkey and Dr. Joel Simpson, registered<br />
massage therapists Amanda<br />
Sargent and Jennifer Van Horne,<br />
personal trainer Kristi Kleinsmith,<br />
chiropodist Adam Gray, client relations<br />
specialists Erica Verberne and<br />
Alexis Rosandich, and registered<br />
dietician and sports nutritionist<br />
Stefanie Senior. “We’ve been able<br />
to bring all kinds of talented people<br />
together in one location to offer personalized<br />
and evidence-based care<br />
to our clients,” Dr. Brendan adds,<br />
“We are always looking for extra help<br />
to meet demand and are currently<br />
working to add additional massage<br />
and physiotherapy team members.”<br />
Like so many businesses, In Motion<br />
was hit hard by the COVID-19<br />
pandemic. “Our business was closed<br />
for nearly three months and that was<br />
a trying time,” Brendan says. “We<br />
were only able to provide emergency<br />
care to patients and there were<br />
some moments when we weren’t<br />
sure how things would rebound.<br />
With the benefit of hindsight, I<br />
can now say we have come out<br />
the other side stronger as a team.”<br />
In Motion is now also offering additional<br />
treatments and technologies<br />
to maximize patient outcomes.<br />
“Since opening, we have expanded<br />
our offerings to include medical la-<br />
12<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
ser, shockwave therapy, custom orthotics,<br />
regular nail and foot care,<br />
orthopaedic and sports bracing,<br />
compression stockings, medical<br />
acupuncture, and cupping,” Dr.<br />
Brendan explains. “It is wonderful<br />
to have so many options available<br />
to our clients – what works<br />
for one patient does not always<br />
work for the next and so it is great<br />
to have a strong team and multiple<br />
treatment options available.”<br />
What makes In Motion stand<br />
out from other healthcare clinics<br />
is the staff ’s dedication to exceptional<br />
customer service. Dr. Brendan<br />
asserts, “We are passionate<br />
about helping people live healthier<br />
and more active lives. We regularly<br />
hear from our clients that they<br />
appreciate the friendly and welcoming<br />
atmosphere along with the<br />
quality of service, the variety of<br />
options, and the results they see.”<br />
If you are looking for a onestop<br />
shop for all your health and<br />
fitness needs, you should check<br />
out In Motion: Health-Wellness-Fitness<br />
on Pontiac Drive.<br />
Prevent Injuries While<br />
Working In Your Yard<br />
Did you know gardening is the most common source of<br />
back and neck pain during the warm weather season?<br />
Many Ontarians sustain injuries that could easily be<br />
prevented with a little know-how.<br />
In Motion has provided 8 tips to help keep you in your yard<br />
doing what you love most!<br />
1. Stretch before you start: reach to both sides, twist your torso,<br />
rotate your shoulders and wrists, and touch your toes (5 times<br />
each) gently.<br />
2. Before lifting something heavy, get close to it and bend to lift<br />
using your legs keeping your back straight. Pivot your feet, don’t<br />
twist!<br />
3. Alternate chores: heavy-light-heavy-light. Don’t do it all at<br />
once!<br />
4. Change your position often: kneel, then stand, then sit, then<br />
move.<br />
5. When raking, ease potential back strain by putting one leg in<br />
front of the other and switching legs and hands from time to time.<br />
6. Kneel to plant and weed. Don’t bend! Use knee pads or a mat<br />
to reduce back strain.<br />
7. Take frequent breaks to stretch, drink water, rest, and reapply<br />
sunscreen.<br />
8. If you suffer an injury, visit a chiropractor so you can get back<br />
to doing the things you love.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 13
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Sierra Rei Hart Photography<br />
Sarnia-based photographer Sierra Hart works closely with <strong>#local</strong>,<br />
capturing businesses, organizations, and events across the county.<br />
14<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 15
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 17
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
18<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Sipkens Nurseries<br />
The first thing that jumps out to<br />
any visitor to Sipkens Nurseries<br />
website is the bold statement: family-owned<br />
and operated in Wyoming<br />
since 1989. That’s because, without<br />
question, the Sipkens family takes<br />
great pride in their homegrown business<br />
that was started by parents Ken<br />
and Jennifer. Their five children have<br />
taken over the operation of Sipkens<br />
Nurseries, but Ken and Jennifer are<br />
still very much a part of the operation.<br />
“My parents were looking for an opportunity<br />
for growth,” says Brian Sipkens,<br />
who serves as the garden centre’s<br />
manager. “Ken was previously engaged<br />
in horticultural businesses and<br />
didn’t see any opportunities where he<br />
was, so he struck out on his own and<br />
originally started with a landscape and<br />
garden centre and wholesale growing<br />
operation. Each of those parts of<br />
the business has grown since then.”<br />
Like many children whose parents<br />
run a business, Brian remembers<br />
working at the nursery from a very<br />
young age. “Every day after school I<br />
remember doing something at the<br />
business – whether I wanted to or<br />
not,” Brian says with a chuckle. It<br />
was a natural progression when the<br />
kids joined the business on a fulltime<br />
basis. “There was no coercion<br />
or my parents saying, ‘You have to<br />
do this,’ ” Brian insists. “It was in<br />
our blood. We have all been actively<br />
working in the business full-time<br />
for 20 years.” Brian works with his<br />
brothers Mark, Brad, and Chris as<br />
well as their sister Alyssa Degroot.<br />
Sipkens Nurseries is divided into<br />
three divisions – the landscaping division,<br />
which is design-to-completion;<br />
a wholesale plant division, which<br />
focuses mainly on small plants; and<br />
a garden centre, which is open yearround.<br />
Brian laughs at the notion<br />
that people who work in the industry<br />
take the winters off. “It seems we get<br />
a couple of days off at Christmas and<br />
then we are right back into it with<br />
business and production planning for<br />
spring, which is our busiest season,”<br />
Brian says. Like so many businesses,<br />
Sipkens Nurseries had to rely heavily<br />
on online sales during the COVID-19<br />
pandemic to remain profitable.<br />
“When we were forced to shut down,<br />
we moved our operations to entirely<br />
remote services doing curbside<br />
pickups or delivery services,” Brian<br />
says. “We were live-product shopping<br />
on our website within three days.”<br />
Business flourished for Sipkens<br />
during the pandemic. “People have<br />
been stuck at home the past few years<br />
and there is definitely more attention<br />
paid to the property where they are<br />
spending the majority of their time,”<br />
Brian says. “There is so much health<br />
and well-being associated with being<br />
in the garden or in the yard, enjoying<br />
fresh air outdoors, seeing the beauty<br />
of creation.” The Sipkens family<br />
feels very blessed to work together<br />
carrying on their parents’ dream.<br />
“We are all putting our vision to<br />
work in little and larger ways,” says<br />
Brian. “It is a group effort – a team<br />
effort. Being able to work as a family<br />
is rare, but it has a lot of perks.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 19
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Nicole Smith - Twin Bridges EXIT Realty<br />
Nicole Smith is the first to admit<br />
that the thrill of closing a deal is what<br />
motivates her when it comes to working<br />
as a real estate agent. “I’ve always<br />
worked in sales and I am definitely a<br />
very social person,” Nicole proclaims.<br />
“I got to know a lot of people while<br />
working locally at the mall, first at Aldo<br />
Shoes and later at Danier Leather as a<br />
manager at both stores. At the time, we<br />
had a booth at the mall for real estate<br />
agents and I started talking to a guy at<br />
the booth who suggested that I would<br />
make a fantastic real estate agent. I<br />
had thought about it before, but when<br />
he said it to me, I took his advice to<br />
heart and that was a driving force for<br />
me to take the appropriate courses.”<br />
Not being one who shies away from<br />
challenges, in 2014 Nicole plunged<br />
headfirst into her new career by joining<br />
Sarnia’s EXIT Realty Twin Bridges<br />
located at 1323 Michigan Ave, Sarnia.<br />
She was an immediate hit, winning<br />
the company’s national Rookie of the<br />
Year Award. “It was amazing,” Nicole<br />
recalls. “It was a huge surprise. Being a<br />
new agent, I didn’t even know that the<br />
award existed. I was surprised when<br />
the Canadian president of EXIT Real-<br />
20<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
ty honoured me with a special breakfast<br />
and made the big announcement.”<br />
Winning the award compelled Nicole<br />
to work even harder to close sales in<br />
her second year. “I didn’t want to fall<br />
back. I just keep trying to do more.”<br />
When it comes to selling homes,<br />
Nicole has a simple system: set a goal<br />
of how many sales you want to make<br />
in a year and try to match or beat that<br />
mark. “I wasn’t focusing on a dollar<br />
amount; it was just a goal of saying I<br />
want to hit 25 sales and go from there.<br />
Our award system at EXIT Realty starts<br />
at 25 so that was definitely my goal<br />
in my first year. And I hit that goal!”<br />
Even though she was an overnight<br />
success, the transition from mall<br />
sales to helping clients buy and sell<br />
homes wasn’t an easy one. “The seriousness<br />
of making such a big purchase<br />
was obviously a huge change<br />
from selling garments and shoes,”<br />
Nicole says. “Getting to know people<br />
and understanding what their<br />
needs and wants were in purchasing<br />
a home was paramount. It was a<br />
change from what I was used to, but<br />
I quickly learned to get down to the<br />
nitty-gritty in terms of what they required.<br />
Helping people accomplish<br />
their goals is an amazing experience.”<br />
The past few years of a very hot<br />
market made it difficult for realtors<br />
like Nicole to help their clients stay<br />
focused on what they need. “Making<br />
people feel comfortable and happy<br />
with their purchase is very, very important<br />
and I think some people did<br />
get caught up in the competitiveness<br />
of the market. I am happier now that<br />
things are a little more controlled and<br />
“Making people feel comfortable<br />
and happy with their purchase<br />
is very, very important...”<br />
I can walk my clients through the<br />
process of their conditions and feel<br />
confident their needs are being met.”<br />
Nicole believes that the most important<br />
thing to keep in mind about<br />
selling real estate in a small community<br />
is building trust and a solid reputation.<br />
She is very active in the community<br />
and hosts occasional movie<br />
nights for clients as well as sponsoring<br />
youth sports teams. “Word travels<br />
very fast in a small community,” Nicole<br />
says, “so you want to make sure<br />
you do a good job for your clients<br />
because we work off referrals. One<br />
happy client can lead to many more!”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 21
Local <strong>Home</strong> & <strong>Garden</strong><br />
Real Property Management Riverview<br />
Maximize your real estate investments with our hassle-free property<br />
management services. Whether you are new to investing in real estate<br />
or a seasoned pro, we have a solution for you!<br />
519-900-2033<br />
www.riverview.realpm.ca<br />
Sarnia <strong>Home</strong> Hardware<br />
Your neighbourhood hardware store offers a full selection of home<br />
improvement supplies, housewares and giftware.<br />
120 Russell Street North<br />
519-383-0688<br />
Oil Town Brewing Co.<br />
Small batch, craft hot sauces brewed using home grown, all natural<br />
and local ingredients.<br />
Instagram: @oiltownbrewing<br />
Facebook: @oiltownbrewing<br />
www.oiltownbrewing.com<br />
22<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Junior Baker<br />
A dedicated gluten-free bakery serving bread, buns, cookies and<br />
cakes. Custom orders welcome.<br />
165 Lochiel Street, Sarnia<br />
juniorbaker@cogeco.ca<br />
519-336-0440<br />
South Shore Co.<br />
A clothing brand inspired by the South Shore of Lake Huron.<br />
Email: stimper75@gmail.com<br />
Instagram: south_shore_co<br />
Facebook: @southshoreco23<br />
519-331-2628<br />
www.southshoreco.com<br />
The Cheese Wedge<br />
A gourmet cheese and fine foods store<br />
ready to help you take your tastebuds all over the world.<br />
601 Michigan Ave, Point Edward<br />
519-491-1199<br />
www.thecheesewedge.ca<br />
Pawsitive Pottery - The Shoppe<br />
Artisan Boutique filled with home decor, gifts and more from 30+<br />
local artists and small businesses.<br />
Open Saturdays 10am to 4pm or by appointment.<br />
84 Milton St, Courtright<br />
www.pawsitivepottery.com<br />
Imperial City Brew House<br />
Premium craft beer and seltzers made right here in Sarnia, Ontario.<br />
1330 Exmouth St, Sarnia<br />
519-491-5191<br />
www.imperialcitybrew.com<br />
hashtaglocal.com 23
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Great Lakes Refill Co.<br />
Laura Greaves has a warm place<br />
in her heart for Great Lakes Refill<br />
Co. (GLRC). “At home, we’ve always<br />
tried to do our part for the environment<br />
and GLRC made that a lot<br />
easier. I always liked that you could<br />
buy as little or as much as you need.<br />
That helps save money and cut down<br />
on food waste, which is a big issue.”<br />
When Laura heard that the business<br />
was being put up for sale, she jumped<br />
at the opportunity to purchase it.<br />
“What the previous owners have created<br />
is a beautiful space where you<br />
can buy products that you feel good<br />
about,” Laura says. “When you shop<br />
at Great Lakes Refill Co., you know<br />
that you are doing your part for<br />
the environment by reducing your<br />
plastic waste and your food waste.”<br />
It’s not as though Laura was actively<br />
looking for a career change, but when<br />
the opportunity arose, she did a quick<br />
pivot. “I had been running a local re-<br />
24<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
search agency and through that job<br />
I had the opportunity to chat with<br />
many business owners, hearing a lot<br />
of their success stories and what they<br />
loved about their jobs,” Laura says.<br />
These conversations were inspirational,<br />
but it took the right business at the<br />
right time for her to make the move.<br />
“When my partner, Rich Bouchard,<br />
told me the business was for sale, I<br />
thought, ‘Oh, I love shopping there!<br />
I wonder what it would be like to<br />
work there every day.’ I decided that<br />
I had to take the leap and find out.”<br />
Great Lakes Refill Co. is located at<br />
454 Christina Street North and offers<br />
a wide assortment of products including<br />
groceries, home essentials, personal<br />
care products, and sustainable<br />
goods such as bathroom, kitchen and<br />
household accessories, travel accessories,<br />
food storage and bottles and jars<br />
among many other things. For Laura,<br />
the change in careers is a welcome<br />
one. “I am loving it,” Laura says. “I<br />
am having a great time. There’s a lot<br />
to learn, but I am blessed to have two<br />
team members, Anna Glaser and Scott<br />
Meharey, who worked here previously<br />
and have been a huge support. They<br />
are passionate about the work and they<br />
know the products inside and out.”<br />
For Laura, getting out from behind<br />
a desk and chatting with customers<br />
on the sales floor has been amazing.<br />
“There are so many amazing products<br />
in the store and I’ve enjoyed hearing<br />
how customers use them in unique<br />
and inspiring ways.” Transitioning<br />
into the unknown can be scary, but<br />
Laura has approached this head-on. “I<br />
knew when I took over I didn’t want to<br />
change everything, but as I get more<br />
established I am starting to think about<br />
what new products I might like to add<br />
and about other partnerships I’d like<br />
to form. I am excited to take the store<br />
and start to make it truly my own.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 25
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Dean Holtz Photography<br />
Using stunning, professional images<br />
for real estate listings is a proven method<br />
to help sell houses. Dean Holtz Photography<br />
has developed an expansive<br />
portfolio of services including ambient<br />
blended photos, aerial images using the<br />
latest drone technology, and cinematic<br />
videos. In 2017, he launched the 3D interactive<br />
showing platform. “It uses the<br />
RealVision® system which is the highest<br />
caliber system out there. I’m currently<br />
the only provider in Sarnia- Lambton,<br />
London, Chatham-Kent, and Windsor.”<br />
What started out as a hobby has<br />
turned into a lucrative professional<br />
venture. In 2006, Holtz and his wife<br />
were looking to purchase a new camera<br />
to capture photos of their growing<br />
family. “I’m thorough and do a<br />
lot of research. A visit to Carmen’s<br />
and a discussion with Chris sold<br />
me on buying my first SLR camera.”<br />
Camera in hand, Holtz saw an opportunity<br />
to provide real estate photography<br />
to agents and introduced<br />
it to the local market in 2008. “I’m<br />
proud of this fact. My first client was<br />
Mark Reynolds.” His presentations<br />
included statistics that showed using<br />
professional media helped sell homes<br />
quicker and for more money. A meeting<br />
with three agents at Magic Realty<br />
acted as a springboard for the business.<br />
“When Rob Simrak, Rob Longo, and<br />
Steve Park started using my services,<br />
things started to take off. Other high<br />
sales agents like Andrew Howell, Gary<br />
Vanderburg, Curt Najdzion, and Linda<br />
Miller jumped on board as well, which<br />
prompted even more agents to follow.”<br />
To date, Dean Holtz Photography<br />
has worked with nearly 200 agents and<br />
has created media for more than 6,000<br />
homes in Sarnia-Lambton. “When I<br />
got my start in 2008, I was the first in<br />
Sarnia. Now it’s exciting to see others<br />
in this space.” Holtz has consistently<br />
brought new editing innovations to the<br />
local industry such as sky/lawn replacement,<br />
aerial property markings, neighbourhood<br />
tags, and more. “I’m always<br />
looking for ways to increase the quality<br />
of media in this industry and provide<br />
my clients with increased value.”<br />
Holtz has expanded his services beyond<br />
real estate and has done commercial<br />
shoots for clients such as<br />
Lowe’s Canada, the federal government,<br />
Enbridge, McKerlie’s Kitchen<br />
& Bath, About Face & Body, and others.<br />
“I’ve developed my own proprietary<br />
techniques. There’s a quality and<br />
finish to them that nobody else produces.”<br />
Holtz has won eight international<br />
awards for his media creation<br />
and marketing and has been nominated<br />
for local awards with the Sarnia-<br />
Lambton Chamber of Commerce.<br />
Business is a crucial part of Holtz’s<br />
life and he has been known to motivate<br />
others to step out on their own in<br />
business. “My father started a counseling<br />
business that he ran for eleven<br />
years. My experience has inspired<br />
others.” Even with a busy and diverse<br />
business, Holtz still remains active in<br />
his church and community. He is currently<br />
the Chairman of the Board of<br />
Directors for the Celebration of Lights.<br />
“I have really enjoyed being involved<br />
with the Celebration of Lights. It’s an<br />
important community event that I<br />
want to see continue.” Photography has<br />
become another means of expressing<br />
himself. “I’m a musician and photography<br />
is another artistic expression. I’m<br />
blessed to be able to do it for a living.”<br />
26<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Fleck Law<br />
Do you believe in destiny? Catherine<br />
Wilde certainly does. Cathy<br />
was simply looking for a summer job<br />
when she applied to Sarnia’s Fleck<br />
& Daigneault law firm in 1999 as a<br />
student. She got the job, and fast forward<br />
to today where Cathy is now the<br />
owner of the firm. “I started here as a<br />
student and then returned in 2000 to<br />
article when I finished law school,”<br />
Cathy says. “Then in 2002, when I<br />
was called to the bar and became a<br />
lawyer, I stayed on as an associate,<br />
eventually becoming a partner and I<br />
have owned the firm since 2015, when<br />
we changed the name to Fleck Law.”<br />
Fleck Law is a personal injury litigation<br />
firm and Cathy has embraced<br />
helping others who have been wronged<br />
find justice. “I have been very fortunate<br />
to have a fantastic experience and<br />
wonderful mentors. When I started<br />
here, I certainly did not see ownership<br />
of the firm as an end goal. I was able<br />
to get first-class legal experience under<br />
my belt before I moved into the next<br />
stages of partnership and ownership.”<br />
Cathy purchased Fleck Law in 2015<br />
from Carl Fleck and Pascale Daigneault,<br />
who both continue to be involved with<br />
the firm. Since then, Cathy has continued<br />
representing people who have<br />
suffered serious injuries in automobile<br />
accidents, slip-and-falls, assaults,<br />
and other personal injury matters.<br />
To give back to the community, the<br />
firm is a part of the Ontario Trial Lawyers<br />
Association campaign, Helmets<br />
on Kids. Fleck Law educates local children<br />
about bike safety and provides<br />
each participant with a free bike helmet.<br />
“We see individuals of all ages who<br />
have been injured in bike accidents,<br />
and when they do not wear a helmet<br />
the brain injury is often permanent,”<br />
Cathy says. “Wearing a helmet might<br />
not prevent injury, but it can significantly<br />
minimize the damage suffered.”<br />
Cathy is a big supporter of Big<br />
Brothers Big Sisters of Sarnia and she is<br />
a board member and donor to Noelle’s<br />
Gift. Through the Fleck Law Charitable<br />
Fund, many other community organizations<br />
have also been supported,<br />
including the Sarnia Art Gallery and<br />
Bluewater Health Foundation. Recently,<br />
the Bluewater Health Laboratory<br />
has been named the Fleck Law Laboratory<br />
in recognition of that support.<br />
When it comes to attracting clients,<br />
Fleck Law takes a low-key approach,<br />
often relying on word-of-mouth referrals.<br />
“I define success not just by<br />
the compensation we obtain for our<br />
clients. That is important, but success<br />
must include being there for clients<br />
and supporting them throughout the<br />
entire process.” This starts with the<br />
first meeting at Fleck Law. Getting<br />
suddenly injured is stressful and scary.<br />
“Our clients cannot work to support<br />
their families and worry about paying<br />
bills. Dealing with insurance companies<br />
is intimidating – they want to<br />
overwhelm you, hoping you will just<br />
go away.” While the majority of cases<br />
are ultimately settled, the resolution<br />
of a claim can take years, so the entire<br />
team must have good and supportive<br />
relationships with their clients. “That<br />
way, when the claim is finished, we<br />
have helped our clients to recover from<br />
their injuries, taken some of the stress<br />
off of them, and helped them find their<br />
way to a new, but different, path in life.”<br />
28<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Warm weather is the<br />
perfect time to get out on<br />
your bike as a family!<br />
Before you pedal to the beach,<br />
be sure to take the time to review<br />
these Bike Safety tips with<br />
your family!<br />
1. Wear a properly fitted bicycle<br />
helmet. Helmets should be snug and<br />
not move more than an inch in any<br />
direction.<br />
2. Ensure the bicycle fits the rider.<br />
This is important when you pull your<br />
bike out of storage, but also throughout<br />
the season with growing children.<br />
3. Check your equipment. Tires<br />
should be properly inflated, mirrors<br />
positioned correctly and your parts<br />
should all be working.<br />
4. Be seen! Wear bright colours so<br />
other riders and motorists can see you.<br />
5. Know your hand signals. Let everyone<br />
know your next move on your<br />
bike.<br />
6. Whenever possible, ride your bike<br />
during daylight hours.<br />
7. Ride single file.<br />
Brought to you by Fleck Law.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 29
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Advanced Building Materials<br />
In 1989, David and Olga Williams<br />
purchased interest in a small company<br />
named Advanced Building Materials<br />
and in 1991, they purchased the<br />
remaining shares. “We were originally<br />
located on Tecumseh Street in<br />
Sarnia. Three moves later, we are at<br />
our current location at 591 Gladwish<br />
Drive. We needed more property and<br />
even though we are located a little off<br />
the beaten track, the location serves<br />
us well because of a product mix<br />
that makes our store a destination,”<br />
explains Norm Williams, who purchased<br />
the business from his parents<br />
in 2017. Advanced Building Materials<br />
sells high-quality, innovative, and<br />
value-driven building materials. “We<br />
sell items that are unique and not<br />
typically available in larger box stores<br />
and we back those products up with<br />
excellent product knowledge, advice,<br />
service, and post-sale support.”<br />
Initially, Advanced Building Materials<br />
specialized in civil construction<br />
products, concrete restoration, geotextiles,<br />
erosion control materials,<br />
pre-cast, and coatings. In 1996 they<br />
were able to secure a high-quality line<br />
of PVC railings, fencing, and decking<br />
to promote in Ontario. “The vinyl<br />
fencing and decking was new and innovative<br />
and brought more consumers<br />
through the door. This also opened<br />
up the opportunity to deal with a different<br />
type of contractor. As a new<br />
member of the Timber Mart buying<br />
group, we were able to offer interior<br />
doors, trims, cabinets, columns, siding,<br />
glass railings, and a wide variety of<br />
architectural products for the home.<br />
We decided to build a showroom<br />
to display the new product lines.”<br />
About 65% of Advanced Building<br />
Materials’ business comes from local<br />
contractors. “We have a strong working<br />
relationship with several smalland<br />
medium-sized contractors. Word<br />
of mouth is an important aspect of<br />
advertising for any business located<br />
in Sarnia. When you offer great<br />
products, value, and service, referrals<br />
are the best form of advertising.”<br />
Williams is also proud of his staff.<br />
“I have a great staff with a lot of experience<br />
in the business. Everyone<br />
works together as a team to support<br />
our vision of offering great products,<br />
with top-notch service, and<br />
great value. We also travel to trade<br />
shows throughout North America<br />
to learn about the latest products in<br />
construction.” Advanced Building<br />
Materials is currently the Canadian<br />
distributor for Ertec Environmental,<br />
which manufactures Species at Risk<br />
fencing and an innovative line of silt<br />
control products. They are also the<br />
Canadian distributor for Millboard,<br />
a new composite decking and siding<br />
material made from limestone.<br />
Advanced Building Materials was<br />
instrumental in the supply of construction<br />
products and providing<br />
advice for high-profile projects such<br />
as the second span of the Blue Water<br />
Bridge, the St. Clair Tunnel, the<br />
SSEC, Lambton College, and several<br />
plant expansions. For Williams, the<br />
most rewarding part of the business<br />
is being able to provide a good job<br />
in a fun and safe working environment<br />
for the employees and having<br />
the ability to give back to the community.<br />
Next year they will be celebrating<br />
their 40th year in business<br />
in Sarnia and do not look like they<br />
are slowing down anytime soon!<br />
30<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Improve Your<br />
Curb Appeal<br />
Are you looking to add some pizzazz to your home ahead of selling?<br />
Or perhaps just for your own enjoyment?<br />
We asked real-estate experts Dean Holtz and Nicole Smith what they think can help<br />
improve the curb appeal of your property. Check out their tips below!<br />
“Having photographed over 6,000 properties in the area, I’ve noticed<br />
a few elements that help a home stand out to have more curb appeal.<br />
First, stonework as a border for gardens is a timeless touch. However,<br />
colour and texture are everything. If your home facade has a busier<br />
texture, then keep the stone bordering more monochromatic, and<br />
if the home texture is simple, then allow the gradient texture of the<br />
garden border to show. Secondly, greenery is always beautiful, but<br />
don’t underestimate the value of evergreens. Their more symmetrical<br />
shape and constant colour year-round offer a nice juxtaposition to<br />
whatever other elements you add to your garden space. Lastly, lighting<br />
is the ‘jewelry of the home,’ a saying I heard from local Realtor<br />
Jenn Johnson of RE/MAX Realty Inc. and she’s absolutely right! But<br />
many people don’t consider how important that is to the front of their<br />
home as they visualize their curb appeal in daylight. But the welcoming<br />
and dramatic ambiance of the right style, colouring, placement,<br />
and intensity of exterior lighting can make all the difference.“<br />
“It might seem like a no-brainer but when<br />
it comes to curb appeal my first recommendation<br />
is clear and weed any overgrown or<br />
dead foliage. Trimmed shrubs and trees<br />
make a huge difference! From there, I suggest<br />
taking the care a bit further with your<br />
lawn. Always maintain your yard with cut<br />
grass that is properly watered for strength<br />
and colour. Most people don’t realize there<br />
are several varieties of grass out there, so<br />
you’ll want to ensure you’re treating your<br />
lawn properly. And finally, painting your<br />
front door can make a huge difference! Fresh<br />
paint and stain on your windows, doors,<br />
decks and features keep everything looking<br />
clean and crisp rather than worn and tired.”<br />
- Dean Holtz<br />
Dean Holtz Photography<br />
- Nicole Smith<br />
Twin Bridges EXIT Realty<br />
hashtaglocal.com 31
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Green Scene Lawn Care & Landscaping<br />
When Conner Oakes was 18<br />
years old, he had his entire future<br />
mapped out. First, he was going<br />
to attend either the University of<br />
Western Ontario or the University<br />
of Waterloo, both of which had<br />
granted him acceptance. Then<br />
he was off to law school to fulfill<br />
his dream of becoming a lawyer.<br />
While it was a great plan, he ultimately<br />
had to go in another direction.<br />
“My dad ended up getting sick<br />
and my siblings and I had to take<br />
care of him,” Conner recalls. When<br />
his dad, Chuck ‘Shiner’ Oakes<br />
passed away from cancer, Conner<br />
had missed the deadline to sign<br />
up for university, so now he needed<br />
to find a Plan B. “I didn’t really<br />
have any money at the time, so I<br />
figured, why don’t I just start cutting<br />
grass? That’s where it started.”<br />
In 2010, Conner created Green<br />
Scene Lawn Care and Landscaping<br />
in Corunna. Conner had some experience<br />
in the field, having worked<br />
for a small lawn maintenance company<br />
prior to starting Green Scene.<br />
“I really had no idea at the time<br />
how things would work out,” Conner<br />
admits. “Prior to opening my<br />
business, I used to help my uncle<br />
do outdoor work around his house;<br />
things like planting trees and building<br />
waterfalls. He also had a lot of<br />
gardens that we worked on. It kind<br />
of grew from there. I like dealing<br />
with people so I had no issue with<br />
meeting people who could hire me<br />
and give me jobs. It was nice to be<br />
out and on my own. Going solo<br />
put me in a much happier place.”<br />
Conner quickly found there is<br />
more to running a lawn care service<br />
and landscaping business than<br />
32<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
simply filling the lawnmower with<br />
gas and firing up the engine. “There<br />
was so much to learn. From doing<br />
quotes and learning all about customer<br />
service and also doing the<br />
repairs on your own equipment.<br />
Of course, there are fallbacks and<br />
headaches, but you learn to deal<br />
with them. I learned at a young<br />
age that things will break so there’s<br />
no sense sitting around and worrying<br />
about it. You do your best<br />
to get it fixed so you can get back<br />
out there and complete the job.”<br />
Even after the passing of his father,<br />
Conner received plenty of support<br />
“Working in yard care<br />
and landscaping is hard labour,<br />
I am fortunate to have a great crew.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 33
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
from his family. “My mother Lorie-<br />
Anne Williams was one of my biggest<br />
supports. And I couldn’t have<br />
asked for a better role model and<br />
mentor than John Shelley. He was<br />
my mother’s fiance and has recently<br />
passed away. But he was a key part<br />
of getting us where we are today.”<br />
To date, Conner’s most significant<br />
adjustment was learning how<br />
to properly handle Green Scene’s finances.<br />
“I can go out there and work<br />
and put in all the hours required to<br />
get a job done, but getting back to<br />
the office and making sure you bill<br />
properly and that people are paying<br />
you was a learning experience for<br />
me.” Fortunately, Green Scene has a<br />
lot of loyal customers that make the<br />
billing process easy. “But like any<br />
small business, we occasionally get<br />
someone who feels that they don’t<br />
need to pay in a timely fashion. It<br />
has only happened a few times, but<br />
after you have put in all the hours<br />
to do the job, it is frustrating.”<br />
Green Scene employs up to 15<br />
people during the summer and 10<br />
during the winter. That said, one<br />
of his biggest challenges is finding<br />
and keeping good workers. “Working<br />
in yard care and landscaping<br />
is hard labour,” Conner says. “I<br />
am fortunate to have a great crew,<br />
but when we need to find extra<br />
guys for things like snow removal,<br />
it can be difficult. We focus on<br />
competitive wages – $25 an hour<br />
– but getting people to commit<br />
34<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
to the season can prove difficult.”<br />
Green Scene is Canada’s only<br />
dealer of custom artificial palm<br />
trees and also owns a large parking<br />
lot sweeper to clean parking<br />
lots at large businesses such as the<br />
Sarnia Courthouse. Green Scene<br />
offers plenty of services including<br />
weekly lawn maintenance, gardens,<br />
full landscaping, hardscaping,<br />
waterfalls, fireplaces, and fire<br />
pits. “We can put in pools and<br />
spas as well as irrigation systems,<br />
snow removal, and salting,” Conner<br />
says. “We also do commercial<br />
cleaning as a side division.<br />
We are planning to open a landscape<br />
yard at our shop in Corunna,<br />
but that will take a little time.”<br />
To make things easy for their<br />
business clients, Green Scene offers<br />
bundles of their services. “We offer<br />
so many services in one convenient<br />
package,” Conner says. “A lot of our<br />
clients are looking for someone to<br />
take care of not just their lawn, but<br />
their eavestroughs, their windows,<br />
their gardens, the fertilizing, and<br />
spraying. They want somebody to<br />
pretty much do it all, including their<br />
“We often get multiple jobs from one<br />
customer... with a focus on service,<br />
they keep coming back. ”<br />
snow removal and concrete work.<br />
We often get multiple jobs from<br />
one customer. And with a focus on<br />
service, they keep coming back. ”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 35
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Book<br />
Faces<br />
Brought to you by your<br />
favourite indie bookstore:<br />
The Book Keeper<br />
36<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 37
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
38<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 39
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
40<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 41
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers<br />
The decision to move to Sarnia<br />
more than three decades ago proved<br />
nothing short of life-changing for<br />
Craig Musico. “I started in the insurance<br />
business in 1990 as a claims<br />
adjuster,” Craig recalls, “I was with<br />
a firm based in London, ON, and a<br />
couple of years into my tenure business<br />
was getting a little quiet and they<br />
approached me and said I could stay<br />
in London, but if I did, I might not<br />
have a job after a while.” At the time,<br />
representation was down in Sarnia,<br />
and the firm suggested it might be a<br />
good fit for Craig to open an office<br />
there. “Being 23 years old and not<br />
knowing any better I put the furniture<br />
in the back of the van and I was gone.<br />
It’s been 32 years and I’m still here.”<br />
Craig would eventually leave the<br />
claims adjustment side of insurance<br />
and move into sales in 2004. Four<br />
years later, he became a partner in<br />
the business, and finally in 2017<br />
merged with McFarlan Rowlands<br />
Insurance Brokers. “It’s a business<br />
environment now – scale and capital<br />
matter.” With a larger firm, there<br />
are more efficiencies with support<br />
for things like human resources, accounting,<br />
and technology development.<br />
Rather than navigate all that<br />
as a single office, McFarlan Rowlands<br />
has 18 offices across southwestern<br />
Ontario. “These kinds of numbers<br />
give us strength to do what we do<br />
best on a day-to-day basis. Which is<br />
to assist our clients in securing the<br />
proper insurance to protect their<br />
businesses and personal property.”<br />
There is another advantage, too. “Being<br />
with a larger firm gives us access<br />
to a greater number of markets (insurers).<br />
I specialize in commercial insurance<br />
and having access to markets<br />
is critical when dealing with business<br />
owners from retail and restaurants<br />
to very specialized niche professionals<br />
and business operations.“ As<br />
insurance brokers, Craig and his<br />
team work to find the best rates and<br />
products to meet their clients’ needs.<br />
They provide clients coverage and<br />
premium information so an educated<br />
decision can be made when managing<br />
the complexities of coverage<br />
on business and personal insurance.<br />
When the time came for growth,<br />
Craig had a couple of different options<br />
but he knew in his heart there was really<br />
only one way to go. “We had built<br />
a very reputable firm in town and I<br />
had worked on building a positive<br />
cultural environment for our staff<br />
to work within.” When he made the<br />
move to McFarlan Rowlands, Craig<br />
had three things in mind. “Preservation<br />
of the staff, preservation of the<br />
office, and preservation of myself. We<br />
had other organizations interested<br />
in our firm, but McFarlan Rowlands<br />
had started and grown in communities<br />
such as Sarnia. Their belief in the<br />
office and their interest in continued<br />
involvement in the Sarnia community<br />
made the decision quite obvious.”<br />
Working with McFarlan Rowlands<br />
also gave Craig the opportunity to<br />
continue to be an owner in the organization.<br />
Just a bigger organization<br />
now. “I wanted to see what things<br />
looked like through the lens of a bigger<br />
organization, but I wanted to remain<br />
true to the fact that I was and<br />
always will be, a small business guy.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 43
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Mistakes<br />
We’ve Made<br />
In Supporting<br />
Local<br />
44<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Supporting local is kind of<br />
a big deal around here (if the<br />
name didn’t give it away!). But<br />
shifting to a more local lifestyle<br />
takes intention and time,<br />
and there are bound to be a<br />
few mistakes along the way.<br />
We will be the first to admit that we<br />
are not perfect. We have trialed and<br />
errored our way through supporting<br />
local, and have discovered three fairly<br />
common mistakes people can make<br />
when it comes to supporting local.<br />
Thinking Once<br />
is Enough<br />
It’s hard to believe that not too<br />
long ago we were experiencing<br />
lockdowns and limitations. The<br />
COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot<br />
of things for us. We listened to our<br />
neighbours and business owners. We<br />
bought take-out once a week and<br />
did phone orders from local stores.<br />
Then the economy reopened,<br />
and some of us waited<br />
in line at <strong>Home</strong>Sense.<br />
We get it. There is a convenience<br />
to shopping at some larger big box<br />
stores. One-stop shopping has its<br />
time and place. And while your<br />
purchases during a major crisis are<br />
extremely important - we can’t stop<br />
there. Local businesses are continuing<br />
to recover from staffing shortages,<br />
supply chain issues, and the<br />
impacts of inflation. Your support<br />
continues to be just as necessary as<br />
it was during any of the lockdowns.<br />
At <strong>#local</strong>, we advocate for considering<br />
local before any other solution.<br />
And in a community the size of Sarnia-Lambton,<br />
you can find pretty much<br />
everything you could buy at a big<br />
box store in a small, locally-owned<br />
operation. You can learn more<br />
about businesses in Sarnia-Lambton<br />
through the <strong>#local</strong> magazines,<br />
or by visiting hashtaglocal.com.<br />
Higher<br />
Expectations<br />
than Chains<br />
If one of the many fast-food chains<br />
of the world messed up your burger<br />
order would you swear to never visit<br />
again? Our guess is probably not.<br />
But when it comes to supporting local<br />
businesses we seem to adopt a much<br />
stricter “one and done” mentality.<br />
Extending local businesses’ grace<br />
and understanding during peak<br />
hours or busy seasons is so important.<br />
Businesses may also be short-staffed,<br />
training new employees, or just having<br />
an off day. Whatever the reason -<br />
go back! Try again! Remember, if you<br />
went back for that drive-thru burger,<br />
you can go back for anything else!<br />
Forgetting<br />
the Review<br />
You just had an amazing experience<br />
with a local business. Perhaps<br />
they did an incredible reno or<br />
served you the best meal of your<br />
life. You loved it, you were satisfied,<br />
and then the worst happened…<br />
you forget to let others know.<br />
Local businesses don’t have the<br />
marketing budgets of major corporations.<br />
They can’t buy air time on major<br />
television channels, billboard space,<br />
or pay for large-scale online ad campaigns.<br />
Word of mouth is usually one<br />
of the top ways they gain business.<br />
Meaning your review is so important!<br />
Sharing business cards or telling<br />
your friends and family is a<br />
great place to start, but we are<br />
seeing a shift to online reviews.<br />
Did you know the new <strong>#local</strong><br />
platform has the perfect space for<br />
reviews? Shoutouts are connected<br />
to business profiles and ensure<br />
that other citizens have a chance<br />
to see your Shoutout. Who knows?<br />
You may help your favourite organizations<br />
gain some new loyal<br />
customers! If you’ve never considered<br />
yourself a writer, don’t be intimidated!<br />
Reviews don’t have to be<br />
novels! Five stars and a line or two<br />
are more than sufficient. Leave your<br />
first Shoutout at hashtaglocal.com.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 45
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Self-Care from Great Lakes Refills Co.<br />
After a hard day working on your<br />
home and garden, nothing beats a little<br />
self-care! Find low waste solutions for<br />
relaxation with Great Lakes Refill Co.<br />
Whether you’re in need of shampoo and conditioner, a<br />
good soap to scrub the day away, or a bubble bath to<br />
relax, Laura and her staff at Great Lakes Refill Co. can<br />
help you find the perfect products for a night of selfcare.<br />
Take your treatments to the next level by adding<br />
in low-waste tools such as Konjac Face Sponges, scalp<br />
massagers, or reusable cotton rounds. And the best<br />
part is that you’ll be helping the environment by cutting<br />
down on waste while maximizing on your indulgence.<br />
And let’s not forget, Great Lakes Refill Co. has plenty<br />
of delicious snack and beverage options to add to<br />
your “me time”. So what are you waiting for - you’ve<br />
earned a little extra special self care!<br />
Featured products include:<br />
Scalp Massager<br />
Oneka Shampoo and Conditioner, Angelica and Lavender<br />
Pure Bubble Bath, Lavender<br />
Konjac Face Sponge, Turmeric<br />
Do Good Candle, Almond Milk and Caramel<br />
Come Clean Bath Soak, Eucalyptus and Spearmint<br />
Routine Shampoo and Conditioner Bars, Fixer<br />
Bottle None Face Wash Bar<br />
46<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
The Eye-Opener<br />
It’s unusual to have three opticians<br />
under one roof, but that’s what you<br />
will find at The Eye Opener in Corunna.<br />
Mark Hodgins opened the<br />
business in 1979 on Lyndock Street<br />
and by the early eighties, moved to<br />
219 Hill Street, where they remain<br />
today. Then, his son Jason and daughter-in-law<br />
Kate joined the business.<br />
“While we’ve always had part-time<br />
staff, it’s truly a family business. My<br />
grandfather worked here for ten years<br />
after he retired from his career and<br />
my sisters and I worked here when<br />
we were in high school,” explains Jason<br />
Hodgins. He and his wife, Kate,<br />
met in school and graduated from<br />
Georgian College in 2010. “Our education<br />
was a little different from my<br />
dad’s. He travelled and completed<br />
his studies through correspondence,<br />
while we had a traditional education.<br />
He would be in California, for example,<br />
and they would ask him to complete<br />
his exams at a nearby college.”<br />
The team understands the advantage<br />
of completing all the work in-house.<br />
“You get to use your hands on the mechanical<br />
side while running the equipment.<br />
You get to crunch numbers and<br />
do math with the prescriptions. I love<br />
those parts, but I’m also super excited<br />
about new fashion. I love it when<br />
the new frames come in.” Every single<br />
frame in the shop is hand-picked by<br />
Hodgins. “We enjoy helping customers<br />
pick that perfect frame. I enjoy<br />
the challenge of making their lenses<br />
cosmetically appealing, even with a<br />
strong prescription.” Having an on-site<br />
lab makes this all possible. “My dad<br />
established the lab early on and that<br />
sets us apart.” The lab also allows them<br />
to do on-site repairs for customers.<br />
Creating someone’s prescription<br />
lenses is an art. “You want to keep them<br />
as thin and as light as possible. Having<br />
the ability to do this on site makes it<br />
that much easier to work out front.”<br />
The staff helps customers pick out the<br />
right frames for their face shape and<br />
style. “If we aren’t sure if their prescription<br />
will work for those particular<br />
glasses, we can run to the back<br />
and work out the numbers. If it won’t<br />
work, we can steer them in another<br />
direction, so we can get them in the<br />
best possible fit.” Along with the three<br />
full-time opticians, Margy has worked<br />
with the family since 2000. “She not<br />
only ensures the lab runs smoothly,<br />
but she can also jump out front to<br />
help our clients find the perfect frame.<br />
She’s been here for long enough that<br />
she knows most aspects of the business<br />
and is practically family as well.”<br />
The Hodgins family is dedicated to<br />
giving back and serving their community.<br />
The Eye Opener is a regular<br />
supporter of various charities, including<br />
#charitable. And after serving the<br />
local community for over 40 years<br />
at 219 Hill Street, The Eye Opener is<br />
building a bigger and better location<br />
directly across the street. “This new<br />
store will allow us to better serve our<br />
customers. We are fortunate to have<br />
so many loyal customers we see every<br />
year. My dad started dealing with<br />
them when they were young and now<br />
we are fitting their kids with glasses.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 47
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Race to Erase<br />
If you ask Race to Erase co-founders<br />
Rich Bouchard and Scott McKay<br />
what the event is all about, they<br />
will sum it up in one word: fun.<br />
The Race to Erase is a road rally<br />
event in which teams of four visit<br />
businesses and not-for-profit locations<br />
to compete in timed challenges.<br />
The team with the fastest overall<br />
time is crowned the Race to Erase<br />
champions and has their names engraved<br />
on the trophy. Each team is<br />
asked to fundraise a minimum of<br />
$500 and chooses which charity they<br />
would like their funds to support.<br />
The idea for the event came about<br />
when the two, who met through<br />
the Chamber’s Young Professionals<br />
Group, were playing a round of<br />
golf. McKay had organized a similar<br />
event for his office a few years<br />
prior and they both agreed that<br />
sending teams of four to compete in<br />
timed challenges throughout Lambton<br />
County would create a fun and<br />
unique experience for everyone involved.<br />
In the first year, the event<br />
was called the Race to Erase Hunger<br />
and participants raised funds for The<br />
Inn of the Good Shepherd’s Food<br />
Bank. “In the second year, we ran<br />
the Race to Erase <strong>Home</strong>lessness and<br />
raised funds to help build The Good<br />
Shepherd’s Lodge. Since then funds<br />
have gone to support many more<br />
charities,” says Bouchard. To date,<br />
the event has raised over $750,000.<br />
Since that first event in 2006, they<br />
have learned a thing or two. For instance,<br />
in the very first year, teams<br />
traveled in the same order. As more<br />
teams took part in the second year,<br />
it was necessary to change to a shotgun<br />
start. “If we tried that today we<br />
would still be working through the<br />
event at midnight!” Bouchard recalls.<br />
Highlighting local organizations<br />
has remained an integral part of the<br />
process. “The stop challenges are<br />
designed to be fun but we sneak a<br />
bit of education in there as well,”<br />
Bouchard explains. “We work with<br />
each location to make sure we highlight<br />
what’s important to them.” Each<br />
year the committee brainstorms an<br />
entirely new set of challenges. They<br />
meet with local businesses and notfor-profit<br />
organizations to create<br />
challenges that are both fun for the<br />
participants and raise awareness<br />
and exposure for the host locations.<br />
Over the last couple of years, the<br />
event has seen major upgrades.<br />
“We’ve invested in almost every aspect<br />
of the website technology, which<br />
has made running the event much<br />
easier. It was very manual for years<br />
and has cut down on most of the<br />
late nights leading up to Race day,”<br />
Bouchard adds with a laugh. The<br />
timing for the event is now completed<br />
using a smartphone app. “This<br />
was the biggest piece that we tackled.<br />
It allows us to see everything<br />
in real time. We can see if there are<br />
bottlenecks and volunteers know<br />
how many teams still have to visit<br />
their stop.” The pair are excited to<br />
see the event grow. “We are a registered<br />
charity now and can’t wait to<br />
help other cities raise much-needed<br />
funds for their local charities.”<br />
48<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 49
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
50<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
This year’s event will be held on<br />
Saturday, May 27, 2023<br />
sarnia2023.racetoerase.com<br />
hashtaglocal.com 51
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
All Systems Mechanical<br />
Adrian Williams’ confidence and<br />
expertise were the perfect combination<br />
to go from working for others<br />
to owning his own company,<br />
Petrolia’s All Systems Mechanical. “I<br />
have done heating-cooling throughout<br />
my whole career,” Adrian says.<br />
“I was dealing with largely commercial<br />
and industrial HVAC (heating,<br />
ventilation, and air conditioning),<br />
but I was doing that for other companies<br />
until 2018 when I decided I<br />
could do this as well as anyone else,<br />
so I started All Systems Mechanical.”<br />
When it comes to starting your<br />
own business, there is a certain<br />
amount of risk, but Adrian felt<br />
confident he could make a success<br />
of his new business. “Besides, I always<br />
have my licenses to fall back<br />
on. I am a licensed gasfitter and<br />
licensed commercial refrigeration<br />
technician and when it comes to the<br />
trades, they are always screaming<br />
for people. If things didn’t work out,<br />
I could always go back to working<br />
for someone else. Hopefully, that<br />
doesn’t happen because I enjoy the<br />
flexibility of being a business owner.”<br />
Looking back to when he<br />
branched out on his own, Adrian<br />
admits he didn’t exactly have a<br />
blueprint for success. “I didn’t have<br />
much of a vision for the business,”<br />
Adrian says. “I was flying by the<br />
seat of my pants. I was confident<br />
that I knew how to do the work<br />
and that people enjoyed my work.<br />
As a bonus, I also have the proper<br />
licenses to do the work.” Ultimately,<br />
Adrian’s goal was to provide excellent<br />
service. “I always wanted to<br />
be that person that people could<br />
count on. When something breaks,<br />
I want people to know I can be<br />
52<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
there in 20 minutes to fix it. Being<br />
local helps. The company I worked<br />
for previously was purchased by a<br />
larger company and when that happened,<br />
the feeling of being part of<br />
a local small business was gone.”<br />
Though based in Petrolia, All<br />
Systems Mechanical regularly does<br />
business in Sarnia and Lambton<br />
County as well as Chatham-Kent.<br />
Adrian has grown from being on<br />
his own to leading a team of four.<br />
“The manpower has probably been<br />
the biggest challenge for me,” says<br />
Adrian, 40. “Finding people to<br />
“I always wanted to be that person<br />
that people could count on.”<br />
work in the trades that are a good<br />
fit hasn’t been easy, especially in<br />
Sarnia which is a real union town.<br />
I am a non-union outfit. Getting<br />
our name out there, in the beginning,<br />
was also a challenge. Over<br />
time, people have seen that this<br />
company is here for the long haul.<br />
The fact that we are established now<br />
makes it easier for somebody to<br />
leave another company to join us.”<br />
All Systems Mechanical offers a<br />
variety of services, including installation,<br />
maintenance, and service<br />
for residential furnaces, ventilation,<br />
cooling, water heaters, and commercial<br />
refrigeration and restaurant<br />
equipment. “Also, we bring a different<br />
type of service to people with no<br />
pressure and no obligations,” Adrian<br />
says. “I like to boast about our<br />
same-day service and often when<br />
we are leaving a job, the customers<br />
will tell us we are awesome. Hearing<br />
those words and knowing we solved<br />
a problem that was going to affect<br />
their bottom line is a great feeling.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 53
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Spring Cleaning Guide<br />
Take the toxins out of your home this Spring<br />
when you shop at Great Lakes Refill Co.<br />
Pure Multi-use<br />
Ultra Concentrated Cleaner<br />
This multi-purpose cleaner is biodegradable, safe for septic-systems<br />
and smells amazing! When you only need 1<br />
teaspoon of concentrate to create 2L of cleaner, you’re going<br />
to get the most bang for your buck!<br />
Pure Surface Disinfectant<br />
This ready-to-use disinfectant kills fungi, germs, bacteria,<br />
and viruses. Approved by Health Canada, Pure Surface<br />
provides all the clean without the harsh chemicals.<br />
Skoy Scrub Pads<br />
Hard-to-clean messes need tough scrubs! These scrub pads<br />
are non-abrasive, so you can use them on glass, ceramic<br />
stovetops, cookware, granite, and more. Replace your traditional<br />
scouring pad with these reusable, long-lasting, and<br />
adorable cleaners! (As an added bonus - get these extra<br />
clean by tossing them in the top rack of your dishwasher!)<br />
Sodium Percarbonate<br />
(aka Safe Bleach)<br />
This safe bleach will get your white linens sparkling new<br />
without the harmful chemicals in chlorine bleach. Sodium<br />
Percarbonate is not harmful to the environment, to humans<br />
or to textiles, provided that the usual precautions are observed.<br />
Break out this powerful stain remover and degreaser<br />
for that extra deep clean this spring!<br />
Reusable Dish Brushes<br />
Say goodbye to smelly cleaning sponges and hello to reusable<br />
dish brushes. With handles of metal or untreated<br />
beech wood, these brushes will stand the test of time, while<br />
their heads are easy to swap out at the end of their life -<br />
and can be composted!<br />
Refillable Cake Soap<br />
Whether you’re giving all your dishes a scrub, or attacking<br />
the bottom of those cupboards, a good soap is a necessity!<br />
This soap is made of a powerful degreasing agent - meaning<br />
brilliant results with minimal effort. And you can’t beat<br />
the low-waste packaging.<br />
54<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Oh Me Nerves Photography<br />
For photographer Shaun Antle,<br />
the COVID-19 lockdown was as<br />
difficult as it was filled with opportunity<br />
and time. “I had been into<br />
photography for the better part of 25<br />
years,” says Shaun. “I just loved the<br />
thought of capturing life’s moments<br />
and the world around me, so as a kid,<br />
as soon as I could have a camera, I<br />
had one.” Shaun spent his early years<br />
taking pictures of friends and different<br />
locations during family trips to<br />
Newfoundland. His Newfoundland<br />
roots can be found in the name, Oh<br />
Me Nerves. “It’s a common expression<br />
for when things are wearing on<br />
you, and with photography, whether<br />
it’s waiting on wildlife, or seeing<br />
something amazing, your nerves are<br />
always firing somehow some way.”<br />
When the pandemic hit, Shaun<br />
found himself with more free time<br />
and struggles with his mental health.<br />
“I turned to photography as a therapeutic<br />
way to escape all the noise<br />
caused by depression and anxiety. It<br />
was then that I found a passion for<br />
capturing birds. From there I started<br />
taking pictures of all kinds of wildlife.”<br />
Currently, Shaun’s go-to camera<br />
is a mirrorless and crop-sensor<br />
Canon R7 paired with a Sigma 150<br />
to 600 telephoto lens. And he has no<br />
hesitation in traveling to find a great<br />
location for taking photos. “There’s<br />
not a lot of wildlife in Corunna, so<br />
I occasionally head out on expeditions<br />
to places like Ontario Parks<br />
and Point Pelee; either solo, with<br />
the family, or with my good pal and<br />
fellow photographer Tim Dezan.”<br />
Shaun has also started to get his<br />
work out to the public. Aside from<br />
having a number of his pictures<br />
featured locally in the Sarnia Journal,<br />
Shaun has also had the good<br />
fortune to have his work featured<br />
by Canadian Geographic. That<br />
was a game-changer! “My four top<br />
goals as a photographer are to be<br />
featured by Canadian Geographic<br />
56<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
and National Geographic, and then<br />
to be published in Canadian Geographic<br />
and National Geographic.<br />
After two years of really starting to<br />
take this seriously, I have accomplished<br />
the first of those four. ”<br />
To help introduce people to his<br />
art, Shaun has created a home studio/gallery.<br />
“We painted the studio<br />
and put in gallery-style lighting,”<br />
Shaun says. “I want to have parties<br />
where people can come for<br />
wine and snacks and check out my<br />
work. The idea is to change it up<br />
regularly, so they see the different<br />
art.” Although Shaun isn’t interested<br />
in shooting weddings, he has<br />
branched out to doing headshots<br />
and lifestyle shots with families and<br />
pets, both in-studio and outdoors.<br />
Before the holiday season, Shaun<br />
put together his first calendar featuring<br />
his photographs and it was<br />
a massive hit. “To drop $600 or<br />
$700 on 50 calendars not knowing<br />
if you’ll be able to sell them was a<br />
big leap of faith for me and my wife,<br />
Tara,” Shaun says. “Before I received<br />
the first 50 I had sold them, so I<br />
ordered 100 more and before the<br />
order had even been placed, I had<br />
to order 300 more. This year I am<br />
hoping to start with at least 500.”<br />
Moose - Algonquin Park<br />
Moose - Algonquin Park<br />
hashtaglocal.com 57
Red Winged Black Bird<br />
Keith McLeans Conservation 2022<br />
Common Loon<br />
Sarnia Bay 2022
Yellow Rumped Warbler<br />
Cantara Park 2022<br />
Male Wood Duck<br />
Keith McLeans Conservation 2022
Eastern Bluebird<br />
Keith McLeans Conservation 2022<br />
Northern Shovellers<br />
Westminster Ponds, London 2022
Northern Cardinal<br />
Cantara Park 2023<br />
American Kestral<br />
Corunna 2023
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Degroot’s Nurseries<br />
It was 1952, and with limited opportunities<br />
in Holland, John and<br />
Atty DeGroot and their six kids<br />
boarded a ship for Canada. Within a<br />
few years of arriving, John landed his<br />
first “real” job at Dow doing janitorial<br />
work. “For my dad, working at Dow<br />
was not terribly rewarding. Too often<br />
he was asked to clean windows that<br />
didn’t need cleaning. My dad kept the<br />
windows so clean that a visiting executive<br />
once walked right through a pane<br />
of glass,” explains John DeGroot Jr.<br />
It wasn’t long after taking on the job<br />
at Dow that John and Atty moved to a<br />
small home on Carr St., with a backyard<br />
large enough to grow flowers. The<br />
couple started growing gladiolus that<br />
they sold door to door and at a roadside<br />
stand before eventually selling to<br />
Dominion Food Stores at Northgate.<br />
It didn’t take long for John Sr. to leave<br />
Dow and pursue growing full-time.<br />
In 1957, the year John Jr. was<br />
born, the family moved to a large<br />
property at the corner of Exmouth<br />
Street and Indian Road, where No<br />
Frills plaza now sits. At the larger<br />
property, the business expanded<br />
to include trees and shrubs along<br />
with pots, tools, and gardening supplies.<br />
Like many family businesses,<br />
the eleven DeGroot children were<br />
62<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
all involved from the beginning.<br />
In time, after John Jr. went to Michigan<br />
State University and Art DeGroot<br />
returned from a European adventure,<br />
the two brothers took over<br />
the business. In 1981 the operation<br />
moved to its current location at 1840<br />
London Line. A major renovation/<br />
expansion took place in 2005 and<br />
another expansion began in 2022.<br />
“Our current expansion necessitated<br />
the removal of the <strong>Garden</strong> Tea House<br />
which was hard hit by Covid. We’re<br />
making way for a larger store, more<br />
greenhouse space, and an expanded<br />
tree and shrub offering,” John Jr.<br />
explains. Another expansion is also<br />
in the works for the rapidly growing<br />
landscape department, which<br />
now makes up about 50% of sales.<br />
In addition to its greenhouse and<br />
landscape offering, DeGroot’s has<br />
also become a local event centre. “In<br />
2005, I approached St. Joseph’s Hospice<br />
with the idea of using the greenhouse<br />
space for a fundraiser in the fall<br />
after many of the plants were tucked<br />
away for winter. That first Dancing<br />
Under the Stars gala drew 600 guests<br />
and raised $39,000 for Hospice,” John<br />
Jr. shares. In recent years, Lambton<br />
County Developmental Services were<br />
invited to put on Fusion, an annual<br />
“Our livelihood depends on<br />
the community, so it only makes sense<br />
the community depends on us.”<br />
food and wine festival. Other events<br />
include the Chamber of Commerce<br />
Showcase, a craft and vendor sale,<br />
and the Pigeon and Poultry Show.<br />
Giving is a key part of DeGroot’s<br />
business model. “Our livelihood depends<br />
on the community, so it only<br />
makes sense the community depends<br />
on us. Events bring and hold people<br />
together, which is as important as supporting<br />
worthwhile causes,” says John<br />
Jr. “I’m not big on golf and I don’t like<br />
watching sports on TV, which frees<br />
up a lot of time to be a Rotarian and<br />
to serve on several local boards. I am<br />
now working with a small group to<br />
develop supportive affordable housing.<br />
I want to do what I can to make<br />
Sarnia-Lambton a great place to live.”<br />
hashtaglocal.com 63
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Personal Touch Eatery and Catering<br />
Enjoy a delicious seasonal treat this spring courtesy of Chef Paresh Thakkar of Personal Touch Eatery & Catering.<br />
See page 65 for the recipe.<br />
64<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Asparagus and Lemon<br />
Honey Goat Cheese Tarts<br />
SERVINGS: 24<br />
Ingredients<br />
1 bunch of asparagus (thinner if possible)<br />
2 cups of chevre (soft goat cheese)<br />
2 tbsn Twin Bridge Lemon Honey<br />
1 package of puff pastry sheets<br />
Lemon zest<br />
1 egg<br />
Salt & black pepper<br />
Directions<br />
1. Preheat oven to 400, and boil 1 pot of salted water.<br />
2. Beat 1 egg with 2 tbsn of water to make “egg wash”.<br />
3. Blanch asparagus by putting in the pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds,<br />
4. Roll out thawed puff pastry to about 1 1⁄2 times size, and cut each sheet<br />
into 12 squares.<br />
5. Place the squares inside muffin tins (each square one space) and brush with egg<br />
wash and prick with a fork on the bottom.<br />
6. Bake for 5-7 minutes.<br />
7. While baking, chop asparagus into smaller spears. Then, mix together chevre,<br />
lemon zest, lemon honey, salt and pepper.<br />
8. Once the pastries come out, fill each with a spoonful of the goat cheese mix, and<br />
top with the asparagus.<br />
9. Place back in the oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown<br />
on the edges.<br />
10. Let pastries cool for 8-10 minutes, and serve at room temperature.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 65
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Hashtag Charitable Foundation<br />
Founded in 2020, #charitable<br />
sought to solve two of the major<br />
problems facing charitable organizations.<br />
“Having worked alongside the<br />
charitable sector for many years, there<br />
were a few issues we saw repeatedly.<br />
First, there is a significant amount of<br />
charitable cannibalism. And second,<br />
we continue to run into citizens who<br />
struggle to know when, where, and<br />
how to donate effectively,” explains<br />
Executive Director, Rich Bouchard.<br />
With the help of technology and collaborative<br />
fundraising, #charitable is<br />
creating solutions to these problems.<br />
“Charitable cannibalism is how we<br />
describe organizations competing<br />
with one another in an attempt to secure<br />
fundraising dollars. It’s through<br />
no fault of their own. They are doing<br />
what needs to be done to meet their<br />
mandates, but there are only so many<br />
donor dollars to go around, and every<br />
organization can use more funding.”<br />
To solve this, #charitable has designed<br />
collaborative fundraising events that<br />
bring together multiple charities for<br />
one single, large-scale event. “Since<br />
2006, we’ve been running Race to<br />
Erase and have seen that when everyone<br />
works together, everyone<br />
benefits,” Bouchard explains. While<br />
it would be easier if every fundraising<br />
event ran without overlap, that<br />
just isn’t possible - yet. “Rather than<br />
forcing people to pick and choose the<br />
events they participate in, citizens can<br />
actively engage in one, and know they<br />
are benefiting multiple organizations.”<br />
Participating in collaborative events<br />
has other benefits for organizations.<br />
“Rather than forcing people to pick and<br />
choose the events they participate in,<br />
citizens can actively engage in one,<br />
and know they are benefiting multiple<br />
organizations.”<br />
“Many charities run on tight budgets,<br />
which leads to small teams of staff<br />
who wear many hats. Being able to<br />
create fundraisers that work and take<br />
pressure off charities to fundraise<br />
66<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
means that the staff can prioritize<br />
their mission. We are a charity that’s<br />
designed to help other charities!”<br />
For donors, #charitable provides<br />
citizens with two donation opportunities.<br />
“We know that there are<br />
community members who want to<br />
donate in the traditional way. They<br />
want their dollars to go to personally<br />
significant causes. But there<br />
are others who just want to know<br />
that their money is going where it’s<br />
needed most. With #charitable, citizens<br />
can do both.” Donors can set<br />
up one-time or monthly donations<br />
through their personal profiles on<br />
the website. Their donations can be<br />
organization-specific, or they can let<br />
#charitable direct the funds to organizations<br />
most in need. They are also<br />
able to review past donations, learn<br />
more about the impact they’re making<br />
through story updates, and easily<br />
access their tax receipts. “We’ve<br />
even built the platform to send you<br />
a reminder during tax season to<br />
download your receipts, or forward<br />
them straight to your accountant.”<br />
#charitable considers itself to be<br />
a citizen-led organization. On their<br />
website, this is explained as the board<br />
of directors are first and foremost active<br />
citizens. They are local professionals<br />
who volunteer their time to<br />
help create events and fundraisers<br />
that are for citizens by citizens. “As for<br />
our team, they are passionate about<br />
their community, and they are great<br />
at what they do. Good people, with<br />
great tools, making a big difference.”<br />
Leveraged Fundraising<br />
Support #charitable initiatives by<br />
joining up as a Leverage Fundraiser!<br />
What is<br />
leveraged<br />
fundraising?<br />
Leveraged Fundraising is an<br />
initiative where members of the<br />
community provide a monthly<br />
donation to help local charities.<br />
These funds cover administrative<br />
costs to run local fundraising<br />
events. We are building on<br />
our many years of success with<br />
Race to Erase to offer a variety<br />
of events throughout the year.<br />
Instead of only one charity benefiting<br />
from your donation, we<br />
multiply it by using the funds to<br />
run events that benefit many local<br />
charities. Your donation will<br />
be leveraged to raise even more.<br />
The donations received through<br />
leveraged fundraising are pivotal<br />
to creating these large-scale<br />
events that see all the money<br />
raised going to local charities<br />
to help them with their missions.<br />
Many of the events also highlight<br />
local businesses, making<br />
this a win-win-win! Thanks to<br />
Leveraged Fundraising we can<br />
continue to raise even more!<br />
How to get<br />
involved<br />
In order to have the biggest impact<br />
on local charities, #charitable<br />
is looking to recruit more<br />
citizens to participate in this<br />
initiative. The funds provided<br />
through Leveraged Fundraising<br />
ensure that 100% of the funds<br />
raised in #charitable events<br />
go where they are needed<br />
most - to the charities we serve.<br />
Participating in Leveraged<br />
Fundraising is easy. Just scan<br />
the QR code or head to:<br />
https://hashtagcharitable.<br />
com/donate, select your<br />
monthly donation amount, and<br />
complete your details. #charitable<br />
will handle the rest, and<br />
ensure you have a tax receipt.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 67
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
A team of passionate people working together to<br />
support the communities we love!<br />
RICH BOUCHARD<br />
Community builder, marketing wizard,<br />
and craft beer connoisseur.<br />
JEREMY LAIDLAW<br />
Self-proclaimed nerd of all things<br />
tech and business.<br />
KALEY HOLDER<br />
Productivity ninja with a love for books,<br />
tea, and content creation.<br />
SARAH STOCK<br />
Designer, brand builder,<br />
and knitter extraordinaire.<br />
68<br />
hashtaglocal.com
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
MIKE BROPHY<br />
Writer, expert interviewer, and sports guru.<br />
HEATHER CASH<br />
Steve Irwin of house pets, artist,<br />
and full stack developer.<br />
ALEX CONDIE<br />
Storyteller, copy editor,<br />
and missing comma catcher.<br />
SIERRA HART<br />
Photographer with a passion<br />
for all things making and creating.<br />
ALLA HUBKO<br />
Full stack developer, code genius,<br />
and sphynx cat whisperer.<br />
PEDRO BOTAS<br />
Front-end coding warrior, bug finder,<br />
and may only sleep 4 hours a day.<br />
RYAN METZLER<br />
Bearded seller<br />
of all things hashtag.<br />
hashtaglocal.com 69
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
Advertisers Directory<br />
8<br />
10<br />
11<br />
12<br />
14<br />
19<br />
20<br />
24<br />
26<br />
TJ’s Furniture & <strong>Home</strong> Decor<br />
1644 London Line, Sarnia, ON N7W 1B2<br />
519-541-2323<br />
Co-Operators Corunna<br />
197 Hill St Unit C, Corunna, ON N0N 1G0<br />
519-862-5903<br />
Hucker Floor Coverings<br />
1375 Confederation St, Sarnia, ON N7S 5P1<br />
519-337-3743<br />
In Motion Health, Wellness & Fitness<br />
6-1150 Pontiac Dr, Sarnia, ON N7S 3A7<br />
519-542-6060<br />
Sierra Rei Hart Photography<br />
sierrarei@msn.com<br />
Sipkens Nurseries<br />
3261 London Line, Wyoming, ON N0N 1T0<br />
519-542-8353<br />
Nicole Smith - Twin Bridges EXIT Realty<br />
1323 Michigan Ave, Sarnia, ON N7S 4M6<br />
519-402-3377<br />
Great Lakes Refill Co.<br />
454 Christina St N, Sarnia, ON N7T 5W4<br />
(519-491-6446<br />
Dean Holtz Photography<br />
1234 Nottingham Dr, Sarnia, ON N7S 5B9<br />
(519) 330-4490<br />
70<br />
hashtaglocal.com
Fleck Law<br />
131 Kendall Street Point Edward, Sarnia, ON N7V 4G6<br />
519-337-5288<br />
Advanced Building Materials<br />
591 Gladwish Dr, Sarnia, ON N7T 7H3<br />
519-336-2212<br />
Green Scene Lawn Care & Landscaping<br />
252 Hill St, Corunna, ON N0N 1G0<br />
519-330-8578<br />
The Book Keeper<br />
500 Exmouth St, Sarnia, ON N7T 5P4<br />
519-337-3171<br />
McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers<br />
1315 Michigan Ave, Sarnia, ON N7S 4M6<br />
519-679-5440<br />
The Eye Opener<br />
219 Hill St, Corunna, ON N0N 1G0<br />
519-862-5171<br />
All Systems Mechanical<br />
3964 Petrolia Line, Petrolia, ON N0N 1R0<br />
519-381-4328<br />
Oh Me Nerves Photography<br />
447 Dallas Court, Corunna, ON N0N 1G0<br />
519-466-8217<br />
DeGroot’s Nurseries<br />
1840 London Line, Sarnia, ON N7T 7H2<br />
519-542-3435<br />
Personal Touch Eatery & Catering<br />
144 Mitton St S, Sarnia, ON N7T 3C7<br />
519-344-7070<br />
EXIT Realty - Julie Jenkins<br />
1323 Michigan Ave, Sarnia, ON N7S 4M6<br />
519-328-4963<br />
28<br />
30<br />
32<br />
36<br />
43<br />
47<br />
52<br />
56<br />
62<br />
64<br />
74<br />
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
hashtaglocal.com 71
<strong>#local</strong> Sarnia-Lambton<br />
#charitable is excited to announce<br />
its newest collaborative fundraiser<br />
the 24-HOUR<br />
CHARITY HOCKEY GAME!<br />
Teams will play in a one-hour time slot,<br />
with games matched on age and skill level.<br />
The game will bring together collaborative fundraising,<br />
local charities, and fun for one amazing 24-hour event.<br />
To participate, each team will be asked to raise a minimum of $1,000<br />
for a local charity and perform one good deed in the community.<br />
Plus get excited to see your 2023/2024 Sarnia Sting<br />
take the ice alongside other Junior Level teams!<br />
Interested in joining in on the fun?<br />
For more information visit<br />
hashtagcharitable.com/initiatives<br />
72<br />
hashtaglocal.com
PRESENTS...<br />
Friday, September 8 @ 8:00 a.m. - Saturday, September 9 @ 8:00 a.m.<br />
Progressive Auto Sales Arena<br />
Brought to you in part by The Sarnia Sting, Enbridge, and The City of Sarnia.