2 July 2015

As June comes to a close, everyone

is getting ready for summertime!

The kids are out of school and

everyone is ready for summer

vacation. And lucky for us, our first

holiday weekend is Canada Day!

This year our grand country is

celebrating its ‎1 48th Birthday! With

parties and fireworks across the

nation, everyone is sure to enjoy

this holiday.

Canada Day means something

different to everyone. To some

people it’s a celebration, and time

with friends and family. To others it

represents the celebration of their

home and freedom. But no matter

what, Canada Day is big day for all

Canadians!

Being born and raised in Brantford,

for me, it represents a celebration of

home. It feels safe and nurturing

and is a reminder of the place that

has raised me and helped shape the

person I am‎. From our laws and

freedoms, our beautiful

environment, and to our

wonderfully diverse culture,

‎Canada is a great country with

amazing people.

Having lived in Brantford for a

large portion ofmy life, for me,

Canada Day is very rooted in our

local region as well. I've always

remembered going to see fireworks

in either Brantford or St. George.

Each year, our family would go out

and spend some time at the

festivities. We’ve always enjoyed

going out to experience Canada

Day in our community.

We are truly lucky to be able to

celebrate in so many local ways.

Every year our local Canada Day

committees provide great local

entertainment and exhibits that not

only showcases our country, but our

community as well. Whether it’s

local vendors, historical pieces or

local talent, we know how to put on

a great birthday party!

Another big reason why Canada

Day is so important to me is that it

brings people together. On this day,

we're able to come together, no

matter our backgrounds, to share

our differences and what we have

in common, our country. Everyone

is able and encouraged to share

their culture and background in this

country. Canada was built by many

people of various cultures and it’s

continuing to be shaped by our

cultural heritage.

As we all know, Canada is a great

place to live, work and play. We

can be at home in this country and

grow in the sharing of our

backgrounds. So on this July 1 st,

let’s all celebrate together!

July 2015 - Volume 1, Edition 10

BScene is a free monthly publication showcasing the great people, events, and ideas

ofBrantford, Brant and Six Nations.

BScene is distributed free to you through key community partners including local

advertisers, retail outlets, dining establishments, and selected community centres.

Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily held by the staff, editor,

publisher or ownership ofBScene.

Editor & Creative DesignerRichard Robillard (richard@bscene.ca)

Publisher & Social MediaJason Freeze (jason@bscene.ca)

Brand AmbassadorJoshua Wall (joshua@bscene.ca)

Chief PhotographerPatrick McEachern (patrick@bscene.ca)

Lead ReporterYvonne Van De Wiele-Cooper(yvonne@roundtablepr.com)

Photograher / Special ColumnistLuvern Mornin (13luvern13@gmail.com)

For advertising inquiries contactadvertising@bscene.ca

Submissions of articles contactsubmissions@bscene.ca

For listing in the event guide:events@bscene.ca

What it Means to be a Canadian Jason Freeze@JasonFreeze Jason.freeze BScene.ca

Seeking Local Musicians! Richard Robillard@RichieRoby genzeldotca BScene.ca

As some of you already know, BScene

isn't the only media project I have

going. In fact, this paper came to

being partly due to a chance

conversation Jason and I had at an

event at the Brantford Arts Block,

where I was discussing my love for

Brantford, music, and a passion for

radio.

You may have seen a couple 'ads' in

the paper for the stations, or seen them

online, in social media, or even on

posters at events such as the

Moonstone Rising Music Festival last

month.

Now these are not 'traditional radio

stations' so to speak. You can't pick

them up with an antenna, but you can

listen to them digitally through your

computer, phone, or bluetooth.

Why I mention this is not to boast or

advertise, but reach out. Part ofwhy I

do what I do is I want to get the word

out on the great talent that exists in

Brantford and area. Great local artists

such as the Ascot Royals, Sons of

Revelry, Innersha, Chris Strei, Andrea

Godin, NMEdj, Harbour, and Step

Echo all are on one or several of the

radio stations currently, and I'm

looking for more grat local artists to

put on the air.

Are you an artist that has radio ready

recordings? By that I mean studio

mastered and ready to go. Are you

interested in getting on air for one of

our formats? (Pop, Rock/Hard

Rock/Metal, Alternative,

Dance/Club/EDM, Hip Hop, Country)

I would love to hear from you, and get

you played alongside the top artists in

each genre on the radio. By the way,

there's no industry fee, no catches, no

jumping through hoops. It's all about

getting you the airplay and exposure

and willing ears.

Send me an email at roby@genzel.ca,

and let's get started! Can't wait to hear

more great local music.

3July 2015

Powerfest More Than Just MotorsDoug Wrightbrantfordpowerfest.com

“Head out on the highway, looking

for adventure and whatever comes

our way” are lyrics from

Steppenwolf’s iconic hit “Born to Be

Wild”, which we think would be a

fitting theme song to this year’s

Brantford Powerfest Car Show and

Street Festival being held July 18th.

Young or old, there will be an

adventure or two available for all

ages at the show this year. “It is a

show so large, we have to shut down

the entire downtown for it”,

exclaimed RPM Magazine Editor,

and President ofRPM KIDS First

Foundation, Chris Biro.

The show was formerly known as the

Telephone City Car Show until it was

taken over by RPM KIDs First

Foundation, an off shoot of

Brantford’s own RPM Magazine.

With the show just weeks away, and

months of rumors surrounding the

show, we wanted to get the final

word on what was new for this year.

“Jim Hardie and Dwight Rose have

built such a great base to work from”

explained Biro, “We didn’t want to

change anything, but rather add

several children and family activities

to the show”. From the list we were

given, they certainly seemed to

accomplished that.

First up is one of the coolest

challenges we have heard of, it is the

first ever “Creative Minds Print My

Ride Challenge” being held in

conjunction with the Brantford Public

Library. Open to 10-16 year olds, it

involves downloading a free program

called TinkerCAD, designing their

own car/truck/motorcycle and then

taking the design to the library by

July 10th. Where library staffwill

print the project off on their 3D

printer for free. On July 18th, the

public will be asked to vote on their

favourite vehicles, and prizes and

medals will be awarded to all

entrants. Complete instructions can

be found on the “Creative minds

Print My Ride” Facebook page. The

library will also be hosting other

activities for younger children.

Starting at 11 :45am there will be a

free Mad Science Show happening in

the Sanderson Centre. Rumor has it

that the Mad Scientist’s last

experiment might go a little wrong,

and they may conjure up Brantford’s

favourite pirate, Captain Jack

Sparrow. Captain Jack will be joined

by several Disney characters, and

adult models walking throughout the

show.

Latter in the afternoon the Sanderson

will be screening the Disney movie

“Cars”. All long with several real life

race cars displayed in Harmony

Square, everyone’s favourite

character Tow Mater will be found on

our city streets. There will be a

charge of a Loonie per person for the

movie screening, with 100% of the

proceeds going to charity.

The City will also be celebrating

Nelson Mandela Day on July 18th.

With speeches, information sessions,

and a BBQ located in the Laurier

Courtyard offGeorge St. Mandela

Day is more than just a celebration of

Nelson Mandela’s life and works, it is

a day were people are encouraged to

spend 67 minutes taking or joining an

action that will help make the world a

better place, even in a small way.

There will be many children’s games,

a demolition derby car for them to

paint, a display of several monster

machines for them to safely get close

to, and a live performance by

BarCode and other featured

performers in Harmony Square.

Many local restaurants are creating

one day super specials for spectators,

and there will be an event program

available free of charge the day of the

show outlining all the shows,

displays, and special areas of interest.

Many vendors will be mingled

throughout the streets as well.

The Telephone City Car Show was

the area’s largest car show for the last

ten years, featuring a huge variety of

vehicles from antique farm tractors to

modern super cars, old school gasser

race cars to top fuel dragsters. Now

as the Brantford Powerfest Car Show

and Street Festival and with the

additional family activities, we

expect to this event grow to one of

the area’s largest one day community

events. All proceeds from the 100%

volunteer run show will be used to

support Help a Child Smile,

Canadian Diabetes Association’s

Camp Huronda, and Salvation Army

Thrift’s Store’s Send a Kid to Camp

Program. Several other local charities

will also be present during the show.Sarah Wilson with 'Elsa' and 'Anna'

The Brantford Powerfest Car Show and Street Festival will be held July 18th.

Pam Stoutenburg poses with CaptainJack Sparrow

Fun for the whole family comes to Downtown Brantford July 18th.

4 July 2015

Walk A Mile In My Cape Dave CarrolDave Carrol@davecarrolCaptain Kindness invites you to be a superhero on July 25th. bigearcreations.blogspot.ca

July 25th I’m inviting you to “Walk a

Mile in my Cape.” As Captain

Kindness, walking around in a cape

has become a bit of a habit. I’ve come

to learn that wearing a kindness-cape

around town is an fascinating

adventure. I can hardly wait for you to

experience it.

Let me tell you about one of the most

moving encounters I’ve had while

“superheroing.” Starting in July, the

City ofBrantford will once again

show movies on a big screen every

Thursday Night at dusk in Harmony

Square. It’s one of the longest

standing square events and since the

beginning, Freedom House (with

Captain Kindness leading the way),

has run the Family Fun Pre-Show

entertainment. Once the movie starts,

I make my way past a number of bars

to “Decaptify.” I’ve become

somewhat accustomed to the light-

hearted barbs and cat-calls from those

on the patios enjoying an evening

libation.

But one night last summer, a

somewhat disheveled gentleman

started yelling, “Captain Kindness….

Captain Kindness…. Captain

Kindness” and came running towards

me. I was prepared to hear … nearly

anything. He continued by telling me

this story, “I wanted to let you know

that this morning I met a homeless

man downtown and I thought to

myself, ‘what would Captain Kindness

do?’ So I took him out for breakfast

and talked with him for an hour. I

wanted to say thank you for letting me

have this experience.” I was floored.

What a transformational moment to

hear concepts you’ve been espousing

and even attempting to personify in an

admittedly outlandish fashion, come

out of the mouth, life and actions of a

truly unlikely local hero.

I want to remind you that small acts of

kindness can turn lives, families and

cities upside down. July 25th, we’re

going to start at Freedom House in the

Market Square, don capes together,

and dispatch teams 1 mile in every

direction. We’re going to clean

streets. We’re going serve businesses.

We’re going to create kindness-

explosion-experiences for you to take

part in. We hope this gives you a taste

of the true superpower that active

kindness is. I started off as a skeptic

truthfully, but I’ve seen day after day

the holistically transformative

community treasures that are unlocked

by simply being actively kind. And

sometimes wearing a cape.

This specific event is also a fundraiser

for Freedom House. 1 2 years ago, my

wife and I were a part of starting, what

we call a Ministry Centre… where

church happens too. We were a part of

a team with dreams of finding new

ways to engage and unite the

community while playing a role in the

renewal of the city we love. Last

week someone asked me how many

people our community outreach

impacts annually. I didn’t know the

answer so I did some math. I could

barely believe it, but the number was

an average of 35,500 purposeful

interactions annually. That is 36% of

the city on average in a calendar year.

Freedom House is growing this

summer to make more space for more

people, but if you look at the number

of folks that attend services

throughout the year… we serve 70x

the number of people OUTSIDE of

the church as we do INSIDE the

church.

Not every interaction is poignant. Not

every outing makes a great story.

Most times you serve others… it isn’t

glamorous at all. But a united city of

us, moving humbly in the same

direction for the benefit of others truly

can earmark Brantford for extended

excellence. And July 25th, together I

think we can get a taste of this.

Register to “Walk a mile in my Cape”

at www.freedomhouse.ca.

5July 2015

A 14 Year Journey toCanadian Citizenship Yvonne Van De Wiele-Cooper

@YWiele roundtablepr.comVenezuelan Born Man Embraces Brantford as Home

What is the tower in the center of the

Parliament buildings called?

That’s one of 20 such prospective

questions candidates might be asked on a

Canadian citizenship test. 1 5 of the

questions must be answered correctly.

Candidates must also demonstrate a level

of language proficiency. Becoming a

Canadian citizen is tougher than it used to

be. Some say it’s a process many who

have grown up here would have a tough

time with. Venezuelan born Rodolfo

Flores got all 20 test questions correct

without any problem. He had 14 years to

study but insists the long difficult path he

had to travel to get to Brantford, Ontario,

Canada was worth it.

Flores was born and raised in the huge

metropolis ofCaracas, Venezuela. Many

of his peers had touted Miami as their

mecca. Flores had visited the Florida city

several times but says he knew, “that was

not my real place.” However, with the

late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

in the process of turning the South

American country into a communist

dictatorship, conditions were worsening

and he held on to dreams of setting up life

somewhere else. Flores describes the

scene there today as desperate,

economically disastrous and dangerous

with wide spread police corruption and

residents unsafe in their own homes. The

43 -year old, who had earned a Bachelor

in Administration and a Master’s degree

back home, was working in his mother’s

photography business when he lived in

Caracas. He says today, the paper to print

the photos on is in short supply, as is

sugar, milk, eggs and other everyday

items most Canadians take for granted.

One day, an invitation came from a friend

in Brantford who offered to help if Flores

could make his way to the Telephone city.

He managed to get to the U.S. with

intentions of crossing the border from

New York into Canada, but he got lost for

an incredible eight days. No one he met

spoke Spanish and he was forced to sleep

in the bus station during the ordeal.

Eventually he was able to find his way

to the border and cross over on foot.

When the female Canadian border official

asked him the purpose of his visit, he

blurted out “refugee.” She responded with

“Welcome to Canada. Welcome home,”

he said. A French speaking Chinese

Canadian official then took all of his

papers, a Spanish interpreter was called

and the long process of becoming a

Canadian began.

Flores was allowed to board a Brantford

bound train and headed to his friend’s

home where he slept on the floor for two

weeks. He found help in the city and

admits he’s not ashamed to say he was on

social assistance for a time. He signed up

for English as a second language and it

was suggested he volunteer to help

himself find a job. He landed a volunteer

position at The Home ofLearning

Development in Brantford, working with

mentally challenged adults. “Oh my gosh.

it was the best ever! ” he said. That

volunteer position turned into a part-time

job after about four years where Flores

handled meals, medication and helped

residents with grooming and other needs.

The part- time position has since turned

into full-time work and Rodolfo Flores is

now a Brantford homeowner. He was also

able to buy a new car.

One of the darkest periods in the 14 year

saga of becoming a Canadian citizen

came in 2009 was when Flores was

ordered back to Venezuela to wait for his

official permanent residency papers. That

lasted more than a year and he says he

became paranoid and suicidal during that

time. However, permanent residency was

finally granted in 2010.

Flores credits YMCA Immigration

Settlement Services in Brantford, in

particular settlement specialist Mike

Simon as a major source of help in

navigating the process. The organizations

three settlement specialists help refugees

with language barriers, filling out forms

for things like social insurance cards and

they provide homework labs. General

Manager Asrim Aliu oversees the

operation, which covers Hamilton,

Burlington and Brantford. Government

downsizing means the organization’s

multi-cultural festivals are a thing of the

past, but Community Connections

Coordinator Azra Chaudhry says they

continue to provide help for nearly 200

newcomers a year.

Flores’ sister is also now living and

working in Brantford in hopes of attaining

citizenship like her brother. Flores is

confident Canada won’t let her down.

“The truth from the bottom ofmy heart, I

trust Canada and I know Canada won’t let

a single mom with two kids down,” he

said. Both children age 19 and 14, speak

French, English, Spanish and Italian and

the 19 -year-old is studying to become a

doctor. “I know my sister won’t be any

problem to Canada,” he said.

On May 14th of this year, 1 4 years after

coming to what he refers to as “the most

beautiful country in the world,” Rodolfo

Flores took the oath of citizenship in

Stoney Creek, with Brantford’s Donna

Summerhayes officiating as Citizenship

Judge. Flores related strongly to her

inspirational words, which he

paraphrased. “My heart is as red as the

maple leaf. My blood is maple sugar and

my soul is white like a diamond in the

Antarctic.” As an added bonus, his

passport arrived June 11 th and to

celebrate he did something he thought

he’d never do. He had a maple leaf

tattooed on his ankle. “Canada gave me

peace,” says the grateful Flores.

Meantime, in case you’re still wondering

what the answer is to that citizenship test

question at the beginning of this article,

it’s The Peace Tower.

Left to right: Rodolfo Flores, YMCA

Immigration Settlement Services

Community Connections Coordinator

Azra Chaudry, and the organization's

General Manager of Settlement Services

Arsim Aliu.

Rodolfo and Citizenship JudgeDonna Summerhayes

Rudolfo's tattoo, celebrating Canada

and Venezuela.

You can see more pictures for

this story online at BScene.ca

6 July 2015

Getting Involved Stef-Han Singh

It is required by every high school

student in Ontario that they obtain 40

hours of community service hours in

order to graduate. Now that’s an

average of 10 hours per year for four

years at high school. To any high

school student that sounds easy, but it

is really one of the hardest tasks to

complete in order to graduate.

Volunteering at a community event

such as the Canada Day festival at

Lion’s Park, or an event that only

happens every few years like the Pan

Am Torch run that happened on June

19th, or even volunteering through a

school event are all events that any

high school student can volunteer at,

but choose to make it difficult for

themselves to find something they

would enjoying volunteering for,

because they are trying to find the

“easy” 40 hours of community service.

To most students those 40 hours are

just an extra task on top of the

compulsory credits and electives that

also must be taken throughout the four

years of high school. 40 hours of

community service shouldn’t just be

40 hours of community service, it

should feel like a difference is being

made in the community, and that the

organization is benefiting from the

help they are getting from the young

and keen high school student. That is

why staying involved in your

community is so important, to make

the positive changes in your

community to make it better.

When a director or volunteer

coordinator in an organization sees that

a high school student is interested in

volunteering for their organization they

become ecstatic, and the director really

can’t wait for the student to get started

with their organization. When in

reality, most high school students are

just signing up for the “easiest”

volunteer opportunity they can find so

they can get their 40 hours of

community service hours out of the

way. This is starting to become more

frequent trend among high students

because working at a part-time job,

and trying to save money for a post-

secondary is already hard enough

along with school, and then when 40

hours of community service gets

thrown into the mix, it becomes very

hard for a student to try and balance.

That’s why trying to find an “easy”

organization to volunteer for is so

common now, because of the amount

of effort that they want to put in to the

volunteering. The director or volunteer

coordinator of an organization may

really enjoy the high school student’s

work and might ask them to volunteer

again, but once that high school

student obtains their 40 hours, they are

done with volunteering.

If all high school students think of 40

hours of community service as just that

then nothing will be changed in the

community. But if they were to think

of 40 hours of community service as

community service, and making a

difference in the community, then there

would be more volunteers in our

community. I was able to speak with

Marc Laferriere, the New Democratic

candidate for Brant in this year’s

federal election, about his thoughts on

community involvement and why it’s

so important. “It (volunteering) is the

best way to make sure things get better,

not worse” Laferriere said with

enthusiasm, and he is right. Once

students from the elementary grades,

and high school students start to take a

real interest in changing our

community in anyway, then the

community will improve. Laferierre

also mentioned that his grandmother,

Isabel, instilled a family value of

volunteerism, “that volunteers make

things happen in this community. “

Volunteers do make things happen in

this community, volunteers are reasons

why some organizations are still up

and running today such as Rogers

Television where co-op students and

volunteers come in every day and help

produce all of the television shows

produced there. Volunteers can change

this community by just getting

involved and showing interest in being

a part of the changes in Brant-Brant

County, they just need to look past the

“40 hours of community service” part.

Volunteering isn’t supposed to be all

business, or all formal, volunteers are

allowed to have fun! Volunteers tend to

volunteer for organizations and causes

that they are interested in and want to

help make a change in our community

with. Those volunteers can make their

volunteer experience enjoyable not

only for the folks from the

organization, but also for themselves.

If there is a common goal to help

better our community, between the

volunteers and volunteer coordinators,

then don’t make it a chore to be there,

make it fun. 40 hours of community

service shouldn’t feel like a chore, it

should feel like an experience that

anyone would be proud to say that they

were a part of. Don’t make it work,

make it hanging out with a group of

people who have a common interest,

and wants to make the same strides in

the community.

High school students are the future of

Brant-Brant County, they are the

generation of people who can really

make a difference in this community,

and it all starts with volunteering in the

community because they want to, not

because they have to. Making a

difference should be an experience to

enjoy being a part of, not feel like a

routine. Nothing in this community

can be changed if high school students

don’t take an interest in trying to be a

part of that change, outside of those 40

hours of community service. Marc

Laferierre has been helping this

community since he was a high school

student, and look at the changes he has

been a part of. Be that change. Get

involved!

@StefHanSingh Stef-Han Singh

Jason and I were delighted to sharea meal with Sacred Fire founderHeidi and executive director Jennyto learn all about their new serviceKiss and Tell . Al low me now to kissand tel l you all about it.

Over a candlel it dinner at thefabulous Olde School House, Heidiand Jenny explained that thisconcept was put into the universeover a brainstorming session. Theythought about how to inspire ablend of old and new fashion thatwould give men and women theabil ity to feel elegant and l ive in themoment. This new service wil l al lowyou to rent your wardrobe, get yourhair, nai ls, and makeup done, and

find a new you within yourself- withthe help of others. The shop offersdonated clothing, handmade bodycreams, soaps, and perfumes. Theconcept of Kiss and Tell is to getdressed up with your rented itemsand have a night out on the town; toenjoy and experience love and lifeand infuse the items with yourpositive spirit. After your experiencehas ended, you're encouraged totel l your personalized story of yournight out. Each item in the shop wil lhave a journal transcribing its prioractivities and wil l al low the wearerto add their own.

The shop is located at 25 Wil l iamStreet in beautiful downtown Paris,

and is available for its Kiss and Tellservice by appointment only. Youcan help make this idea soar bydonating items from your wardrobethat are no longer needed to helpmake another's day. Take

advantage of and receive moreinformation about Kiss and Tell bycontacting peacetrain@live.ca orSacred Fire at 51 9 900 4050.

Sacred Fire Presents:Kiss and Tell Joshua Wall

sacred-fire.ca

7July 2015

BAdvised - Great advice from your neighbourhood expertsBody and Mind

What do you think of when you hear the phrase “salt of the earth”? I t usually refers to aperson of fundamental goodness. Pink Himalayan Crystal Salt is the true “salt of the earth”& is jam-packed with goodness!

Why this salt is superior: I t is unprocessed salt in its natural form, & is mined from deepunder the Himalayan mountains, so has never been exposed to oil spi l ls, radiation &pollution l ike sea salt can be. Unlike processed table salt, which has been stripped of itsminerals, Himalayan Salt is 86% sodium chloride, but also has over 84 trace minerals! Thehuman body requires many salts, about 0.4% by weight. Salt is necessary to retainhydration & electrolyte balance. I t is vital for ful l-term babies, regulates blood sugar, apowerful natural antihistamine & even a sleep aid! While TABLE salt, without the minerals,may raise blood pressure, Himalayan salt balances blood pressure. I t detoxifies the body,balances pH, reduces muscle cramps, aids weight loss by balancing hormones &improving energy, & supports thyroid & adrenal glands. I t keeps bones strong, treatsexcess saliva (a sign of deficiency), aids healthy l ibido, prevents arthritis & gout, preventsvaricose & spider veins. Wow! And it is very affordable! To use, add to food & make a solewith 1 ” of salt in a glass mason jar of pure water & leave overnight. Enjoy 1 tsp in a glassof water each morning.

Himalayan Salt Lamps & salt rooms provide many benefits too, including clearing lungs &sinuses, reducing stress, improving mood & mild depression, focus & concentration,calming colicky babies. They put negative ions into the air, which attract to & neutral izepositively charged ions. Indoors, positive ions are produced by central air, fluorescentl ights, electrical & electronic equipment, blow dryers. In nature, dust, mould, high winds,humidity & air pol lution al l are positively charged, making us feel tired, tense, cranky withlow energy. Negative ions are abundant in nature, in forests, near waterfal ls, & especial lyat the ocean. Think about how energizing & refreshing the air is after a thunderstorm. Howgreat you feel at the beach! This is what Himalayan Lamps can do in your home. Amplifiedimmensely in a salt room! Bring in this article & get 1 0% off salt lamps & salt, or 2 peoplefor the price of 1 for 45 minute salt room treatment! Watch for the Grand Opening of TipTop Health Shoppe & Crystal Salt Spa in West Brant Plaza in early July!

Taryn CrieghtonTip Top Health Shoppe304 Colborne Street519.759.3304www.tiptophealthshoppe.com

Home

BUYING LOCAL: What does that reallymean?

We hear the phrase “buy local” often, yet do we ever really think about what it means?

Buying local is so much more than shopping at a local business, it is about keepingjobs in our communities, providing for our youth (the next generation), supporting theelderly (the generation that provided for us), and l iving a healthier l ifestyle whilebuilding a strong, vibrant, community.

First, let’s look at the definition of buying local. I t is buying products and/or servicesfrom a business in your area that is owned by a member of the community who hasdecision making control over the business and business operations. Thesebusinesses are owned and/or managed by people who live and work in ourcommunity, raising their famil ies and investing in Brantford and Brant County’s future.They support our churches, schools, organizations, and increase our quality of l ife;thus improving the health of our community overal l .

Quite often, we equate buying local with paying higher prices. In some instances thatmay be the case but not always. I f we change our attitude to think about the biggerpicture and the impact that we all have as consumers, shopping local can increasevariety, create more competition and over time stimulate a more diverse marketplace.

We, at The Colour Shoppe, are an independent store that is local ly owned andoperated and have been so for 40 years. We strive to provide expert advice, productsof superior quality, and unrivaled services that larger, box stores or franchise storescannot provide. Our prices are competitive if not better. We work hard to support oureconomy by carrying many products from Canadian companies. Come in and talk tous to see the difference shopping locally can make. Running to a store that has“everything under one roof” can often hurt you more than it can help you. Shopping atlocal ly-owned businesses in your community helps to circulate and keep more dollarslocally. Let’s work at supporting and strengthening our own communityOBrantford andBrant County.

Chris SchmidtThe Colour Shoppe Inc.41 Morton Avenue East519.753.3406www.colourshoppeinc.com

Real EstateHarry BazoianRE/MAX Twin CityDirect: 519.758.6801Office: 519.756.8111www.BrantfordBroker.com

Save Up A Bigger Down Payment?

I know we all love math! NOTOO. But here is some Real Estate Math worth taking note of and Ithink you’l l find this math could save you a ton of money, or I should say, GAIN you a ton ofmoney.

So here’s what I mean. I have had people tel l me from time to time that they are not ready topurchase yet because they would really l ike to wait a year to save up a few more bucks for alarger down payment so their mortgage payment won’t be as high. A valid concern, but this is whythis is so self defeating if you understand the Real Estate Math on this. So, lets take a look at this.Lets say you’re looking at a home for $200,000

Payment on a $200,000 home @ 3% Interest is $946.49 (5 year fixed, 25 year amortization)At a nominal 4% increase in home prices, that same home a year later is now worth $208,000, solets say you saved up another $5,000, ($208,000 subtract the $5,000 you saved up so thepurchase price is now $203,000) Now the payment on that same home with the extra $5,000 putdown on it, at the same 3% Interest is now $960.69 The payment actual ly increases $1 4.20BUT, it gets better, understand that the $8,000 that the house went up in that year is $8,000 in lostequity that you’d have realized so essential ly, you LOST $8,000Now, it todays market it’s very reasonable to say you’re paying at least $1 ,000 a month for rent sothere is another $1 2,000 in rent that you lost and you’l l never get back.Then, factor in the amount that you would have paid down the mortgage on the house in that firstyear. That amount is $5,454 based on the same $200,000 purchase price @ 3% interestSo, between the Lost Equity = $8,000 + Rent paid you never get back $1 2,000 and the $5,454 thatyou would have paid down on your home had you bought it a year ago, that al l = $25,454! ! GONE!Now if al l that’s not bad enough, it wil l take you 1 year longer to pay off your home because youstarted a year later! And again, al l that just to actual ly pay $1 4.20 MORE a month when your goalwas to save a bigger down payment to bring your payments down. Sti l l want to wait and save upfor a bigger down payment?

For more insightful Blog posts, please visit www.BrantfordBroker.com

TechnologyBo HluchaniukEverything Automotive35 Henry Street, Unit 6519‐751‐3500www.everythingautomotive.ca

Today’s vehicles are becoming more technological ly advanced: hands free call ing,hands free music, proximity sensors, reverse cameras, and Wi-Fi. With al l of theseadvances, however, people tend to forget that there are sti l l fundamental systemswith their vehicles that need to be looked after.

Something as simple as checking your oil level can give you the assurance thatyour engine is running in tip top shape. A hint that it’ l l need maintenance is the oilbeing extremely dark and hard to see through or the oil is below the recommendedlevel on your dip stick. I f your vehicle isn’t equipped with sensors to let you knowwhen your oil change is due, keep in mind oil change intervals vary betweenmanufacturer and vehicle age. Check your manual to find out your manufacturerrecommended oil type and oil change interval.

You should also regularly check your tires – tread depth, rubber condition, andwear. I f you notice that your tires are low, check for foreign objects stuck in the tire.I f you notice that your tread is wearing more on one side than another, chances areyour vehicle needs an alignment and wil l need to be serviced. Tires also have awear bar within the tread that wil l help warn you when the tire is worn out andneeds replacing.

Whether your vehicle is 2 years or 50 years old, there are sti l l basic componentsthat require regular maintenance and servicing. By keeping your vehicle’s serviceschedule up to date, you’l l ensure that you and your vehicle wil l have a long,healthy relationship together.

Don’t forget to check out our charity car show: Saturday July 4th from 11 am to 3pm on Henry Street between West Street and Harris Ave. All proceeds going to theBoys & Girls Club of Brantford.

8 July 2015

Stay Updated! Visit BScene.ca for additions and changesFollow @BScenePaper on twitter and BScenePaper on facebook

Send your event listing to events@Bscene.caDeadline for Next Edition: July 25

9July 2015

Stay Updated! Visit BScene.ca for additions and changesFollow @BScenePaper on twitter and BScenePaper on facebook

Send your event listing to events@Bscene.caDeadline for Next Edition: July 25

10 July 2015

"On the grow" w/Brantfro Joshua Wall@Brant_Fro BScene.caBrant Fro is Visiting Great Brant Businesses

Mike from the Station Coffee House & Gallerytreated me to a coffee and told me about theenvironment they have created to encourage adifferent type of small business.

B: There’s a history here at the Station House.What’s the story and how did you come to openup here?

Mike: The history behind the building is fascinating. I twas built in 1 905 and this September the building wil lbe celebrating its 11 0th anniversary. The building wasoriginal ly used for baggage storage and was calledthe express office. I t remained so unti l the 1 960’swhen the Toronto Star began to use it as a dropoff/pick up point for its newspaper. I t then was takenover by CN Rail as their office and this continued upunti l about ten years ago. When the space was put upfor lease, I approached the realtor and within forty-eight hours I had worked out a deal to renovate andchange this into an art gal lery/coffee shop. That wasin 2008 and we opened for business in 2009.

B: You’ve created a mecca of arts and culturehere at the Station House, what's the inspirationfor it?

Mike: I have always had an interest in visual arts andI hosted my first art show at the Brantford PublicLibrary in the late 70’s. I ’ve always enjoyed promotingthe arts and expanding on that I studied art at theOntario College of Art and graduated in 1 988. In thelast thirty years I ’ve hosted many shows all overSouthern Ontario and once owned another art gal leryon George St. here in Brantford. Art has always beena part of my life and since we opened here in 2009we’ve held over eighty different art exhibits. In thesame vein as the art, right away when we opened westarted hosting local bands and musicians andregularly host weekly l ive music events and shows.As of two years ago we started having a comedyshow every Thursday night and they just recently hada large show celebrating their two year anniversary.

B: Take us through an average week at theStation.

Mike: In an average week you’l l have a not for profitgroup meeting, a local artist hosting a meet and greetshowcasing their art. There is of course the comedyshow which always brings in a different crowd ofpeople to enjoy the show. A live band wil l perform in astanding room only setting bringing in people from allover the region and to top it al l off we get our regulardaily visitors for lunch and coffee from the ten of sopassenger trains that run through the station.

B: In what ways do you impact the community?

Mike: The biggest impact I think we have in thecommunity is exposing artists and their art to al l agesof visitors not only from the community but fromvisitors abroad via the train station. We provide aperfectly located venue for artists to hold shows andwe enjoy promoting them to arrange for as manypeople as possible to visit.

B: Tell us something we didn't know about theStation Coffee House & Gallery.

Mike: We offer, as we’ve been told “some of the bestcoffee in town”, we also have a liquor l icence andserve beers, wines, and spirits. Artists, musicians,and comedians from all over the world visit us toshow off their art and if you ever visit and get achance to look over our guest book you’d be amazedto see how many people from how many differentplaces have visited our gallery. Oh and how could Iforget, free parking?

John from Webfire 360 Photography sharedwith me how he connects businesses in newand interesting ways.

B: What exactly do you do?

John: I reach out to local businesses and explain theimportance of creating an online virtual tour of theirlocation. I t helps to boost a business's profi le on

Google searches. Everyone knows Google is a greatplace to start building your business profi le andanything that can be done to help build that profi le isgoing to help your business reach more people. Thesecond part of my business, Webfire Designs, workswith local businesses to design from the ground upwebsites that are both modern and interconnectedwith social media platforms and optimized for Googlesearches. I can also work with existing infrastructureto modernize a client's website and assist withproviding hosting, email and/or any web promotionthey wish to do.

B: When did you start the business and how didyou get into it?

John: I started business in October of 201 4. I hadseen some virtual tours online in the past and thoughtthat it would be a great way to promote some of myexisting customers. The integration occurred natural lyas it fit perfectly with my web design business that Iopened in 2009. As a photographer myself, I alreadyhad the equipment and experience, so I was excitedto start offering this great new service.

B: You offer some very exciting services designedto boost a business public profile. When doingthe business view photography what's theprocess?

John: To start, I contact the owner or management ofthe business and express that this is an opportunity toenhance their exposure not only within theircommunity but on a global scale. When someonesearches for a business the information that appearsin the Google search result is in part pul led from thebusiness’s Google Business page. The more you canbuild that up, the richer your online presence is. Avirtual tour is something that is interactive andimmersive and allows people from the comfort of their

home, work, or mobile device to view and visit yourbusiness. When we enter the location we take aseries of photographs using Google Street Viewtechnology. Then we create a series of l inked 360degree, panoramic images that al low the viewer towalk from one image to the next and tour through theentire business online. The images and tour are thenpublished to their Google Business page and wil lshow up in Google searches, Google Maps and caneven be embedded on the business’s website. Asidefrom a one-time cost for the photography, Googleoffers hosting of this content at no cost to thebusiness.

B: How does what you do affect the community?

John: Anything we can do to promote local businessis good for the community as a whole. I focus stronglyon that when I ’m out in the field. For an example;when people search for a restaurant they arepresented with images, reviews, contact information,etcetera and in conjunction with our service they canbe presented with an immersive, interactive, 360degree, virtual tour. They are able to discover if therestaurant meets their needs, and see the inside ofthe business to get a sense of the atmosphere andthe décor. I t is a very exciting way to explore yourcommunity. I take great pride and pleasure workingwith local business, promoting them, and bringingtheir business to the attention of more people throughour virtual tours. Every business should have thisservice.

B: How did the name Webfire 360 come to be?

John: My web design business is Webfire Designsand the virtual tours we offer are 360 degree,immersive, panoramic images. I t just seemed naturalto go from Webfire Designs to Webfire 360Photography. Catchy isn’t it?

11July 2015

"On the grow" w/Brantfro Joshua Wall@Brant_Fro BScene.caBrant Fro is Visiting Great Brant Businesses

Matt from Fat Panda Studios met me betweenshoots to discuss all about how his video workhelps to promote businesses, community eventsand organizations.

B: When did you start your business and what wasthe catalyst?

Matt: I started the business in Apri l of 201 2. I wrote mylast exam at McMaster University, headed back toBrantford and went right to the B.R.C. and set up mybusiness l icense that day. I had been doing freelancework while I attended university and it was something Iwanted to have a formal go at, to make a living. Jobs inmy industry are few and far between so I figured I would

pay my dues on myown. I went to work andcut my teeth.

B: What do you doand where can we findyour work?

Matt: Fat Panda Studiosis a video productioncompany and we arebased here in Brantford.We produce all sorts ofvideo content for ourcl ients in southernOntario and Muskoka.We create anythingfrom promotionalvideos, commercials,training videos, andalmost anything you canthink of that involves acamera rol l ing. Onething we love to do iswork with not for profit

organizations. I have a great ongoing relationship withthe Brant Community Healthcare System foundation. Iwork with them producing videos that aid in raisingfunds for critical patient equipment. A lot of my work isonl ine and is available at www.fatpandastudios.ca or onFacebook at (facebook.com/fatpandastudiosonline). I ’mvery active on social media and work with great partnersto promote content I produce.

B: What are some of your upcoming projects?

Matt: Something we are working on right now is theonline messaging for St Leonard's community services.They have a brand new website and we are developingvideo content to help promote them in the community.

We want to promote what St Leonard’s is al l about,services such as mental health and addictionscounseling, justice services and employmentassistance.

B: What is your most memorable project so far?

Matt: I have a couple. I t’s always fun to work with bigagencies and companies. One in particular is the work Ido with the Brant community Healthcare SystemFoundation. I ’m a big supporter and also a donor andshooting in the hospital is always interesting. I ’ve hadthe opportunity to showcase their great diagnosticimaging equipment, critical care facil ities, cancer cl inicand other areas of the Brantford General Hospital. Theyhave wonderful care givers there and we get to capturetheir passion on camera. Another project that stands outto me is a series of product videos for a local companythat manufactures equipment to paint the l ines onhighways and municipal roads. We closed off a sectionof Upper Paradise Road in Hamilton and had a 25 footcamera crane set up in the middle of the road and awhole crew of people working. I t was a very excitingexperience. I loved doing the shoot and the chaos ofworking in traffic.

B: Where does the name Fat Panda come from?

Matt: That’s a tough one. I t started as an inside jokebetween a couple of friends and when it came time tostart the company I ran with it. I get asked that questiona lot and well yeah, the name is unique and memorable.A friend of mine from school who's a talented artistcreated my logo. I wanted it to be a fat panda sittingdown eating some bamboo and he came back the nextday with a draft and I loved it. I t hasn't changed sincethat day. Some people look at it and say "Fat Pandawhat’s that?” other people instantly recognize the logo.They might not know from where but they remember it.That always puts a smile on my face.

Ivan and Theresa from Metro Interactive Agencyjoined me for lunch and told me all about how theyhelp to support and promote business and businessowners.

B: What does Metro Interactive Agency specialize inand when did you get started?

Ivan: We started in 2000 and the goal was to providesolutions to companies looking to acquire and retaincustomers. Every company is either looking to retainexisting customers or acquire new ones. We help do thatby using proven marketing strategies and compell ingdesigns.

Theresa: We special ize in anything that is going to helpmarket small and medium sized businesses. We can helpget their website started and produce their other businessmaterials. Things such as business cards, flyers,letterheads and other promotional materials. Our priority is

helping them ease into the marketand letting people know they exist.

B: What are some tips you havefor small business ownerslooking to grow their business?

Theresa: A lot of business ownersspend all their money and timemaking sure they have a locationand services or products to sell butforget to put the money intomarketing it. They may be in alocation for a year or more and thenfind they are no longer getting thesame amount of business as whenthey started. My biggest tip would bethat marketing is one of your biggestassets. You need to use it as a toolto grow.

Ivan: Just to continue on whatTheresa said, there is a reason whyroughly two thirds of businesses fail

in the first five years. When you create a company andhave a great idea you figure if you build it they wil l come,but it doesn't always work that way. You need to protectyour investment in the company by investing in marketing.

B: You started a small business networking event herein Brantford, when did this get started and what makesit unique?

Ivan: We created the networking group Simply Networkingto fi l l a niche needed in the city. When people go to anetworking event they find that they are there with otherbusiness representatives. They hand out cards anddiscuss their services and it is a wonderful and greatopportunity. However, because most companies are notjust business to business but also business to consumerwe created Simply Networking to bring consumers into thisarena. We meet every few months in the spring andsummer and almost every month in the fal l . We decided on

the Piston Broke in beautiful downtown Brantford. I t is agreat central location in the city and we even have peoplewho come in from neighboring cities to attend.

B: In what ways does your business reach out andsupport the community and community events?

Theresa: We work with the community on multiple levels.One example would be a community garden project weworked on. We grew food and donated it to the food bankand local participating churches. Another way we giveback is through our customers. We wil l work with abusiness that is just starting or an existing business thatmay be suffering from financial struggles. Instead ofturning away the project we wil l give them incentives towork with us. We wil l lower the price or perhaps work on abudget, we offer payment plans or even in some cases dothe initial startup work for free. Each year, we provide freedesigns and internet marketing services to five localstartup businesses who are working with l imitedresources. We want to help them get their name out thereand to help them grow. As a marketing company we wantto encourage business success and not fai lure, we helpbusinesses and organizations when they need us and aimto maintain happy and loyal customers forever. Charitydoesn’t always have to be to charity. Sometimes its onebusiness helping another.

B: What’s the story behind the business name?

Ivan: We wanted to capture what we do. We know it’sabout communication and relationships. Good andsuccessful relationships are interactive. Our purpose is tocreate the best environment between our customers andthe market place. That way our customers cansuccessful ly communicate their message to the market,get feedback and tai lor their business to it. What we do inBrantford may be different from what we do in another city.Marketing is not just about bi l lboards and websites, it isabout being interactive with the market place and gettingnew and customized information to different groups ofpeople. Hence the name Metro Interactive Agency.Audrey.

12 July 2015

13July 2015

For over 30 years, Nova Vita has offered

help, hope, and healing to families in our

community who are victims of domestic

violence. We strongly believe that

everyone deserves a life free from

violence. Nova Vita offers a 33 bed

emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis line,

and counselling for men, women, and

children. Due to the success ofMen in

Heels, Nova Vita receives much needed

funding for our programs and services.

On Saturday, June 20th, Nova Vita

Domestic Violence Prevention Services

hosted our 5th Annual Men in Heels –

Standing Tall Against Domestic Violence

event. We are very grateful for the ever

growing support from our community –

Brantford and the County ofBrant. This

year, 2015, we had over 100 walkers join

us, and we surpassed our goal of $40,

000 – raising over $43, 000 and counting!

Each year, we are very appreciative of

annual support of our walkers and

participants. This year, we are delighted

to report that more and more walkers are

participating in the event due to the

tireless recruitment by our veteran

walkers of new participants. In the spirit

of camaraderie, competition and a

heartfelt desire to make a difference in

the lives of the abused and homeless

women, our red shoe walkers upped the

ante and brought in the Sunrise Rotary

Club who raised over $8,000 and our

Top Team veterans, the Pirates, who

brought in over $12,000! These two

fabulous teams raised half our pledges

alone!

A number of participants brought their

enthusiasm for the event into their

workplaces and initiated challenges and

fund raising opportunities including dress

down days, golfing in heels, bottle drives,

wallpapering business walls with paper

shoe pledges, and photo opportunities.

Our top Individual fundraiser, Joshua

Wall, with the help of Patrick

McEachern, raised over $5,000 on his

own!

We would be remiss ifwe didn’t mention

and thank our local dignitaries – Mayor

Chris Friel, Dave Levac, MPP and Phil

McColeman, MP for their unfailing

support. For the past five years, our

community leaders have stood tall against

domestic violence and supported Nova

Vita… all three dignitaries stated that we

all have a responsibility to our sons to

teach them about respectful

relationships…that violence in any

relationship is wrong!

We are already looking forward to the 6th

annual Men in Heels/Standing Tall

Against Domestic Violence event in

2016.

Many thanks and props to the Brantford

Police Services officers in their red

dancing shoes and Brantford Fire

Department for participating in the event.

We would also like to thank all of our

participants, sponsors, spectators, and

volunteers who helped make this day a

wonderful success. A special thank you

to Esthetik Fetish for sponsoring this

article.

For more information about our services,

future events, or how to donate, please

visit our website: www.novavita.org.

Oyez! Oyez Oyez!Send our Town Crier away! Joshua Wall

@Brant_Fro BScene.ca

Men In Heels Passes Goal

This September, Brantford’s very own

Town Crier David McKee plans to attend

the Central Otago World Town Crier

Tournament in New Zealand. However, he

needs your help.The round trip will cost

nearly $4500 and so far, as of this time of

this article, he has raised nearly $3000 with

the generous support or local businesses

and community members.

The Central Otago World Town Crier

Tournament is being held in New Zealand,

September 24th through 30th. It is a

showcase of twenty-five of the worlds best

town criers. They are expected to prepare

and perform up to three 100 to 125 word

cries and are also expected to use humor,

enthusiasm and background knowledge of

the topics to receive audience participation

without physically going into the crowd.

The first cry is a hometown cry, a

promotion of the crier’s home town. The

second is a commercial cry, for which the

crier is presented with information about a

sponsor and is expected to deliver an

interesting advertisement that not only

informs, but entertains the crowd and

judges. The final cry is related to the

location of the event. The region they will

be performing in was once a gold mining

area and the chosen topic for the cry is

“gold”. Anyone who has seen our crier

perform is well aware of the enthusiastic

and exciting performance he is able to

deliver. It would be a great honour for the

citizens ofBrantford and Brant County to

send him to this event.

“Brantford has a lot to offer visitors that

come here. Over the last twenty-three years

as town crier, I have witnessed that my

participation in events abroad has had some

positive effects on tourism in Brantford”

— Town Crier David McKee

In the fall of 1990, the Chamber of

Commerce posted an advertisement looking

for a town crier for the Chamber’s 125th

anniversary year in 1991 . David applied on

a whim, using experience gained through

years of entertaining, public speaking and

community involvement as a salesman of

monitored security equipment throughout

Southern Ontario. In 1992, he was

appointed to the position ofTown Crier for

the City. Shortly after becoming town crier,

he began entering crier competitions. After

twenty-three years in this position, he has

been named top five in the world numerous

times for his cries. Our town crier, who is

regularly seen at charity events, grand

openings, Chamber events – almost any

event in the city you can imagine – will

deliver up to seventy-five cries throughout

the year. He honors an age old tradition of

town crying, from his regalia to his cries.

Brantford is delighted to have him represent

us.

If you would like to support David McKee

in his endeavor to travel abroad promoting

our fine community you can do so in

person, via email at

brantfordtowncrier@rogers.com or by

donating directly through any TD Canada

Trust branch. Deposit to Account # 03402-

6528504. The account name is under David

V. McKee. Any contribution of any amount

will make this an opportunity to boast about

Brantford on the other side of the pond!

God Save the Queen.

14 July 2015

Opening the Closet Door for a CauseTammyJeanene

Tammy Eechaute

My name is Tammy Eechaute owner of

The Closet Door. Since opening on

May 11 , 2014, The Closet Door has

gifted to date $6,400.00 to The Cancer

Care Clinic at The BGH, and had

gifted 24 Cancer Care patients with

items totalling $2,600.00, brings the

total donation of $10,000.00.

The Closet Door has helped with other

Donors to purchase new

treatment hospital grade

Lazy Boy Chairs,

thermometers, family

chairs, all new

renovated waiting room,

a renovated nurses

station where a

chalkboard inspired by

The Closet Door hangs

with inspirational

messages that can be

viewed by the patients

receiving treatments,

personal viewing TV's,

medical storage cabinet

and vital sign monitors.

The Closet Door began as a small

fundraiser in my basement to honour

my mom Diane Hunt, raising

$1 ,605.00, to the growing partnership

with the community allowing The

Closet Door to continue gifting to the

clinic and patients. I have recently

added volunteers Jody, Jolene, Austen,

Laura, Crystal and employees Cora and

Jessica to work along side me for the

cause.

The Closet Door runs on community

donations of in style Apparel and

Accessories for Teens, Mens and

Ladies. The Closet Door showcases a

Community Chalkboard where

"Everybody knows your name"!

Donators and Shoppers are given chalk

to sign the board, then is photographed

every month and is included with the

gift for the patient. The Closet Door

can also be found on Facebook

where you can find

advertisement of thrift sales,

pictures of inventory, monthly

donations gifted, and DRAW

SURPRIZES for the

community.

If you would like to gift from

your closet to ours Teen, Men

and Ladies as well as

accessories you can drop off to:

The Closet Door

111 Sherwood Drive

Tuesday 11 -6

Wednesday 11 -6

Thursday 11 -8

Friday 11 -6

Saturday 10-4

I am very thankful to the Brantford

Community, my family and friends, for

being the Bright Spots to patients and

being a huge support to its success.

Left to right : Jessica, Jody, Austen, Cora, Laura and Jolene.Absent Crystal

Impressions AlongMy Path Karen BernsteinSome years ago, I developed a

problem with my feet that

changed the avenues available

to me for my own working

career. Though I have had

problems with my feet since

birth, they got much worse after

years of running. So much so,

that I could no longer stand for

any prolonged period of time.

Some days are worse than

others, and I may have pain

after just a few minutes. As this

is not a visible disability, most

people would never know I

have it.

As a job developer for L. Tara

Hooper and Associates, I go out

into the community to meet

employers and learn about their

hiring needs. Then I check to

see if any of our clients' abilities

match with those needs. Doing

this kind ofwork is incredibly

gratifying. I am opening doors

to find new employers who

want to be inclusive, and

finding job opportunities for

people who want to work and

need the chance.

One of the barriers I face when

speaking with employers is the

misconception that people with

disabilities are all the same, and

therefore cannot do the work.

Where someone may assume

that I am completely physically

able, they may also assume that

someone who is visibly

disabled, is completely unable.

These misconceptions

undermine our desire to be a

close knit community, where

everyone can have the

opportunity to shine for the best

ofwhat they have to offer.

Every human being has their

own strengths and weaknesses.

In speaking with me, employers

may refer to people with

disabilities as "them", but in

fact, I am one of "them", and

completely capable.

Mostly, however, the employers

in Brantford have been

amazing! For a city that is fairly

small in size, we are blessed

with open-minded people who

genuinely care about others in

our community. I see the desire

to be inclusive and it makes me

feel so grateful to have chosen

this beautiful city to be my

home."Every individual is uniquely created...like a work of art."

15July 2015

LOL Luvern on Laughs Luvern MorninOur monthly focus on the Brantford Comedy Scene. backoftheroomphotography BackOfTheRoom.ca

Welcome back comedy fans. This month

we'll learn 'how to respond to comics'. I

ask random people why they don't go to

comedy shows, and the common answer

is “What if the comedian asks me a

question?” or “What if the comedian

picks on me!”

These are long time issues for audience

members however, times have changed in

the Brantford comedy scene. In my

opinion, the comedians work hard to

figure out their audience to find topics

you will laugh at. They want you to

enjoy their time on stage. Sometimes,

you'll be asked a normal question “How

are you tonight?” or “Are you married?”

The comedian is trying to figure out

which direction to take their performance.

They all have a list of jokes to tell, and we

all love a room full of laughter and

smiles. Next time your faced with

answering a direct question, relax and feel

free to respond. You'll find that comedian

will quickly go into their joke on stage,

and leave you alone. I'd love to guarantee

this result 1 00% forever, so I will. LOL.

To prove me wrong, you must show up to

a show!

Attending a free show is great for those of

us who, well. . .are broke lol It's wonderful

to have so many free shows available to

us in this Brantastic city. If you were to

pay for a comedy show, say $35.00, I'll

assume you would pay attention to every

word, turn your cellular phone off or onto

vibrate, and keep your voice low during

the performances. You might even glare

at people speaking loudly around you.

You know, that evil eye you give people

when their interrupting the show? These

same polite considerations are definitely

appreciated at a free show too. Please be

sure to refer to our events calendar for the

list of free shows in town.

The Brantford Comedy Festival has

announced the talent, and as a lover of

comedy, may I suggest you keep the date

Saturday September 26th available.

Nikki Payne is in town! ! Debra

Digiovanni is with her! ! Tickets range

from $25.00 to $45.00. These two

women are hilarious, top notch

performers and I'm thrilled they are

coming to Brantford! LOL! :)

Nikki Payne, coming to the Brantford Comedy Festival this SeptemberDebra Digiovanni

Brantford Red Sox Teal NightFriday, July 24th, at Cockshutt Park.

Let’s Play Ball! Make plans to join in the

fun at Cockshutt Park, on Friday, July

24th at 8pm. This is when the Brantford

Red Sox will be hosting the second

annual Teal Night in support of the 2015

Brantford Ovarian Cancer Walk ofHope.

With a 2-for-1 coupon, one member of

each family will receive free admission to

the game. Coupons are available by going

to the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of

Hope – Brantford page on Facebook.

Last year’s Brantford Red Sox Teal Night

was well attended, and the field was

awash with teal – the colour representing

hope for ovarian cancer patients. Again

this year, the Red Sox players will be

lacing up with teal to show their support

for the women and families affected by a

diagnosis ofOvarian Cancer. Join the

players, wear something teal and join a

winning team.

The Teal Night game is a fundraiser for

the 2015 Brantford Walk ofHope. Walk

committee members will be wearing teal

and selling bags of delicious kettle corn,

as well as providing information about the

Walk ofHope. This year’s walk will be

held on Sunday, September 1 3, 2015, at

Waterwork Park in Brantford.

In Canada today, approximately 17,000

women are living with ovarian cancer.

They are our mothers, partners, sisters,

daughters and dear friends. We are

walking for HER. All proceeds from the

Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk ofHope

support the only national charity that is

dedicated to overcoming this disease.

Every dollar donated to Ovarian Cancer

Canada is maximized to its fullest

potential. The organization has been

recognized for its integrity, and has been

accredited by Imagine Canada, based on

OCC’s demonstrated excellence in

governance, financial accountability and

transparency, and volunteer involvement.

So, get your coupon, put on your teal, and

come out to Teal Night on July 24th. Join

the Brantford Red Sox as they support

ovarian cancer awareness and the 2015

Brantford Ovarian Cancer Walk ofHope.

See you at the ball game!