The resilience and creativity of the human spirit is clearly what turns our world around (in more ways than one!) Take Jose (pronounced Hose-Eh) Rodringues, for instance. He had one of those sought-after, stable jobs. For over 20 years he worked in the warehouse for Oshawa Foods. His daily work involved the receipt, shuffling, storage…
We moved to Barrie in a blizzard, March 1, 1971. Bob Norman had rented us the bottom floor of a house at 128 Bradford St. ($95 a month). It’s now under pavement at Jacksons Toyota and across the street was Beaver Lumber, managed by Andy Malcolmson. The Shanahan’s lived one one side of us and…
It was 1995 when I first successfully tendered to deliver the federal government’s Self Employment Assistance Program in the Barrie Region. In fact, that first year Orillia was also within my mandate. The next year, delivery of the Orillia contract moved back to the Orillia Area Development Corporation and into the hands of Gina Hardy…
It’s funny how fear can hold us back. Sylvie Chouinard works as an employment specialist. She helps open doors for people who are looking for jobs. The people Sylvie works for are hearing-impaired. Some of them have been deaf since birth. Others (the deafened) have lost their hearing sometime after learning how to read, write…
It’s Fathers’ Day. It’s the day when more men will open packages of socks and boxer shorts than at any other time of the year. It gives us pause to say “thanks” to Dad, cover him with sticky kisses, hug him hard, and laugh with him over dinner. “Dad” has gone through a tough time…
A few days ago I was privileged to sit at the convocation ceremonies for the Medical School of McMaster University. Families were abuzz; flowers were pungent in the room; people were excited. And proud. I was there as part of an applause contingent for Callie Honeywood, former student at Guthrie Elementary School and graduate of…
When I think of Sally Macklem Rodgers, I think of bright, blue, dancing eyes, a wide smile, a throaty voice, and a direct hit. As we travel through our lives, people gift us in many ways. And Sally’s gift was outward optimism, a light heart, a considerate attitude, and a strong will, anchored firmly in…
Look around your house and pick out all the modern conveniences that you enjoy. You’ll probably identify things like computers, entertainment systems, music systems. Now add a few more, like chairs and sofas, eating utensils, a stove, a microwave, a washing machine, a selection of clothes, a vehicle. A water tap. Actually, nearly everything in…
On Monday, May 7, CHUM Radio went off the air. Not really. But CHUM 1050 Toronto abandoned its rock format in favour of a new all-sports format. CHUM signed off by playing the song that initiated the radio station into being 44 years earlier, almost to the day. That was Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up”,…
Moms need their own insurance. You know how you can buy mortgage insurance? critical illness insurance? disability insurance? life insurance? professional liability insurance? I could go on and on. Well… since you might be reading this on Mothers Day, it occurred to me that the mothers of the world–whether they’re mothers of the flesh or…