Salisbury & Area Folks

MEET THE CANDIDATES

2006-09-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

by Margaret Harriman

R. Wallis (Wally) Stiles, our current MLA for the Petitcodiac Riding and life-long resident of this area, got his feet wet in politics by serving 2 terms on Petitcodiac Village Council. In 1999 he was elected as MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) to represent this riding in the Provincial Legislature. This is Wally's third candidacy in 7 years, and during his role as MLA he has not sat idly by, waiting for the next election.

Not long after being sworn in under Premier Lord's Consevative Government, Wally was chosen to serve as Chairperson of the Select Committee on Private Automobile Insurance and also served as Vice-chair of the Select Committee on Wood Supply. Over the years, he has served as Chairperson of the Select Committee on Crown Corporations; Member of the Accounts Committee; Member of the Education Committee; Member of the Health Care Committee; Member of the Law Amendments Committee; Member of the Private Bill Committee; and Member of the Legislative Administration Committee, as well as P.C. Caucus Chairperson and Government Whip.

Wally Stiles has been a part of making several projects come to reality in the riding, including a new school for Havelock; water treatment facility for Salisbury; the addition to Kodiac Place senior's housing (Petitcodiac); the sidewalk project in Havelock and asphalt projects for Rte. 126, Petitcodiac Village, Homestead Rd., Havelock/Canaan, Crossman Hills Cross Road, and Indian Mountain Road, which is still in progress.

He has been instrumental in the creation of parks, playgrounds, and the provision of equipment; assistance for volunteer, non-profit, service clubs and Legions; upgrading and chipsealing of rural roads; new 50-bed Lifestyle Complex at Jordan Memorial Home; addition to the Salisbury Elementary School; new facilities for the R.C.M.P. in both Salisbury and Petitcodiac; Phase 1 of the Petitcodiac Arena addition, and the creation of his constituency office in the center of the riding (Petitcodiac).

Presently, Wally is involved with several on-going projects in the riding including the upgrading and repairs of our schools; environmental trust fund grants; downtown improvement grants; Phase 2 of the Petitcodiac Arena up-grade and repairs; community recycling program; silviculture; Planning Commission grants; training and skills development; student employment; continued assistance for seniors, veterans, youth, agriculture, forestry and tourism; addition to the Lion's Seniors' Villa in Salisbury; special care home for the Indian Mountain area; and a water treatment facility for Petitcodiac.

Wally's key issues and priorities for the future of the Petitcodiac Riding include the Havelock Clean Water project; employment; the forrestry industry; Petitcodiac War Museum; change of policy for owned and non-maintained rural roads; the continuation of rural road upgrades and rural beautification; continuing to assist industry and entrepreneurship; continuing to work closely with the new members of parliament and the Harper government in Ottawa; N.B.'s economic future; securing the riding's share of the Rural Infrastructure funding; tax incentives for youth to learn skilled trades, and for businesses to hire apprentices; and lower taxes and lower provincial debt.

If all of this sounds like it came from a campaign pamphlet, that's because it did; however, in a recent interview with Wally Stiles, I asked him to explain some of his future priorities and what they would mean to poeple of the Petitcodiac Riding.

The first issue we addressed was the Havelock Clean Water project. "Havelock has had an on-going situation for a lot of years - 50, 75 years where, with its limestone base and its industrial activity, it has had a lot of pollutants go through the limestone, and that travels for miles in the limerock," he said. "There are two types of polution problems they have there, and there are a few wells around there that are unsafe to drink from, so they make arrangements to drill a new well. (Havelock's present water supply comes from all private wells.) What I would like to see for the Havelock area is a new municipal water supply for the community. I'd really like to see a very active LSD (Local Service District) that I could work with, so that in the future we could develop a water supply that we would pay a share and the LSD pay a share, with just a small increase in their taxes.

Regarding "change of policy for owned and non-maintained rural roads", Wally explained that some roads are designated roads (for grading, snow removal, etc.) and some are not, like cottage roads and long, privately-owned roads/lanes; some are both, depending on how far in the road there are homes. "What I would like to see, is to get some enhanced services for these roads. They are supposed to grade these non-designated roads, at least once a year, but often they don't do them if they have never been asked to do them before. I would like to see more of these roads graded."

We continued by discussing another of his key issues: "tax incentives for our youth to learn skilled trades, and for businesses to hire apprentices." He said he wanted to see the existing programs enhanced. "The whole idea," he said, "is to get people to work and off assistance. When I spoke to him about the many talented people in our area who could, for instance, take a car apart and put it back together, but cannot get the licences to get well-paying jobs doing what they love, and about those who were unable to get enough education to be able to decipher a manual, he said, "The pendulum is actually beginning to swing back a little bit (where ability is looked at over a piece of paper saying Grade 12 completed.). Look at the trades - plumbing, carpentry. If you were looking for a plumber today, where would you go? We have to try to keep these trades in the rural areas. Some of these people are near retirement; who's going to take over? People have asked me why can't we do more of that trades in the highschool? So, the pendulum is starting to swing back."

Our next issue for discussion was "Employment." On the subject of call centers, Wally explained that there are two different ways of dealing with call centers for employment creation. "One," he said, " is to give you money for you to set up a call center, and the other one is: okay, you set up a call center, and I'll pay you for the jobs you create. In other words, you reward success, rather than just reward a promise. If you noticed in the last few years, fewer and fewer grants have been available. Let's face it; in the past, some people took those grants and very few were successful. Right now I am trying my darndest to find something in the Salisbury area, to actually put a call center in here. There is a very successful one in Petitcodiac, and I would like to see one in Salisbury."

When I asked Wally Stiles to tell me something that he would really like to see in this article, he said, "One of my biggest priorities is actually the roads in our riding. In 1999, when I was first elected, I made a very concerted and concentrated effort to redo some of the roads, to repair the damage that was done to some of the roads with the building of the four-lane highway. Because of the heavy trucks on the rural roads, a lot of roads were just completely demolished; over the period of years I've been able to bring that up to a level. What I inherited was roads that probably weren't brought up to scratch, so it's taken me quite a while to bring them up to scratch. And we've still got more road work to do, no question about it, and every so many years you have to go through a reseal program. I would like to see more money put into rural road initiative, and the leader has indicated they will do that. And we have a good relationship with the federal government, and they have indicated that they would like to help us out with the Rural Road Initiative, too. I'm looking forward to seeing more money put into roads; it's always been one of my personal goals. Probably one of the worst roads in New Brunswick was the road from Havelock to Canaan; it was horrendous. So, we got that road done now. I want to do some roads between Canaan and Salisbury; I want to do between Salisbury and Moncton. We'll be starting some work on the road in Indian Mountain. I've got some in the Havelock area that I want to see finished. One of my priorities is that I want to go from Havelock to Cornhill, the Cornridge Road; it's a well-used road.

Then I asked Wally Stiles my own priority question: 'What is your stand on (adult) literacy?' "I would like to see everyone in New Brunswick raise their level of literacy," he said, "and it is a challenge to see everyone reach full literacy. I want to see the existing programs continue and be enhanced. In fact, under the Department of Education's mandate, literacy is among its top five."

"Just one more thing, though," he added. "I want to talk about our announcements for the seniors. Back when we took power in '99, at that particular time, people who were going into nursing homes sometimes even had to sell their house just to pay for their stay. That was wrong, and we did make some changes, and just in the last year we've actually made a change - the house, itself, is not calculated in anything. And now we've announced that any senior's assets - I mean, if you have a few bucks in the bank, do whatever you want with it; that's your business as a senior. If you have a cottage or a car or a four-wheeler, whatever, it doesn't have to be sold, and it is not included as assets. The only thing included is income. That is such a big move. I think the seniors, or anyone else involved, is going to benefit from this."

You may reach Wally Stiles through his offices at 3158 Main Street, Salisbury (372-5995; 372-9930; 372-8797; Fax: 372-5996) or at 229 Old Post Road, Petitcodiac (756-3509; 756-3601; Fax: 756-3915)

Terry Keating has been involved in politics since 1995 when he was elected to Salisbury Village Council and appointed deputy mayor, holding that post for 9 years after being relected in 1998 and again in 2001. In 2004, Terry ran for mayor and was elected and currently holds that position.
He has lived in and around the Salisbury area for the past 37 years. Following his graduation from Salisbury Regional High School in 1973, he attended NB Community College. Terry has worked at Co-op Atlantic, McKay's Dairy as driver salesman, and was a Canada Life agent, supervisor, and manager for 8 years. He was both owner and salesperson of his own construction company for 4 years and presently operates his own yard care company. Over the years, he has completed various computer and landscaping courses.

Terry has been actively involved in numerous organizations as member of the Petitcodiac Valley Golf and Country Club, and served as its director for 2 years. He has been very active in sports as a player in both softball and hockey in the community, and was coach for the Boys' Bantam Provincial Softball team and the Girls' Midget Provincial Softball team. As a member of his church, he has served on various boards and committees. Terry also plays guitar.

While the Liberal Party's slogan for this campaign is "People for a Change", Terry Keating's pamphlet has one of his own slogans: "Making a Change to Make a Difference". During a recent interview, I asked Terry Keating what he believed were someof the major issues facing the residents of the Petitcodiac Riding. Among those were: safety concerns 'on the hill' (Irving Big Stop area) on the Fredericton Road; keeping people employed; expanding Jordan Memorial Home; bringing back trades into the schools; helping existing and new small businesses; helping forrestry and agriculture; water and sewage in Havelock; and the state of the roads.One by one we talked about these isues.

"Safety on the Fredericton Road is very important to me," Terry said."There wasn't enough thought went into what was built up there. It has to be fixed before it accommodates much more business, and we know there will be more businesses and, more importantly, it has to be fixed before someone is killed. We can't keep on with a government attitude that appears to be, 'When someone gets killed, then we'll consider doing something about it.' I plan to fight to have it fixed now, because, as growth continues up there, it's going to be even harder to fix."

"About keeping people employed at places like Fawcett's in Petitcodiac, for instance, a major employer in our area, is so important", Terry said. "The closure of woodlot businesses is not good for any mill. Keeping jobs - and creating new jobs - not only there, but in other parts of our Petitcodiac Riding, is something that has to be addressed. We need our families home here in New Brunswick, not out west, and we need a job strategy to keep them here. That's always a concern. Our kids are leaving home because they can't find good jobs. Right now, Moncton is expanding west, and there is going to be a motel built up by the Irving Big Stop. Once one is built, there will probably be another, and perhaps another. These will create much-needed jobs for our riding. And our people should be able to work in their own area. There seems to be tax incentives for corporations for the urban areas, but there's not much incentive for them to set up in the rural areas. I don't believe it's always necessary for corporations to be in urban areas. The villages in our area are close to Moncton. Tax incentives should also be for corporations to set up in rural areas, and I want to work to see that our government will encourage them to do so. When you have job-based businesses in the area, that will attract more job-based businesses."

Then we talked about the need for trades training. "I think it's time we put trades back in the highschools. It has been announced that 12,000 seats will be created over the next 5 years, for training in trades at the New Brunswick Community Colleges. I think this is a big step in the right direction," he said. "Now what we have to do, is identify what trades are needed in our own areas. And we have to provide these trades at our community colleges. There is no sense in training people in trades that they can't apply here at home. If we do that, we're just giving them a passport to leave New Brunswick."

Terry then talked about small business and entrepreneurship, saying that we have to train people about understanding business and how to apply business skills to whatever business they may go into. "A lot of people go into business with great intentions, telling themselves, 'This is going to work.' But they have no plan. As the saying goes, 'we don't plan to fail; we fail to plan'. And not only that; I think we should not only train someone to be a janitor or a mechanic, as examples, but how to set up their own business, then they can become self-sufficient and maybe they, too, will hire staff."

Terry continued on, expressing his concern for seniors who need nursing home care and how important it is to be able to stay near theri friends and family, not just sent to wherever there might be an opening in another area."We have a beautiful building at Jordan Memorial Home (The Glades), but I believe there is a need for more beds than the 50 that exist already. There are people in hospitals and at home a lot longer than they should be. That puts a tremendous pressure and stress on families. The building was designed so that wings can be added to it; there should be at least another 25 beds added. Another 25 beds at the Jordan would also create more jobs - good quality jobs for people in our riding. i want to see that happen."

Regarding forestry and agriculture, Terry had this to say: "This riding, for the most part, is a rural riding, and we have beautiful forests and wonderful farms, and many of our folks work in both these areas. But too many of them are struggling. They need help. We can't afford to lose another farm or another woodlot business, and I plan to work to see that this doesn't happen."
Water and sewage for Havelock is another of what he sees as a major issue. "There's no question; it's a major problem; it's a real concern to the residents of Havelock. I can guarantee the people that I will bring that up with the premiere (Graham or Lord )at the first opportunity after the election. It's a serious issue and one that has to be dealt with, not just looked at and talked about for years and years.

And then we talked about roads. "Indian Mountain to Magnetic Hill needs work," he said, "and the Salisbury Rd, needs paved and upgraded, to name only two. Our riding goes as far as Toys For Big Boys - just past there. Technically, Moncton gets 41/4 MLAs," he said as an aside. "Then it goes to Coles Island, and down to Millstream near Sussex. There are so many roads that need to be looked after. Every New Brunswicker is important. When our roads are unsafe, our chances of losing New Brunswickers increases. We can't afford to lose our people. It's bad enough we're losing them to jobs outside the province.

I had asked Terry Keating my key issue question earlier, at the nomination convention: "Where do you stand on Literacy? This is what he told me: "I am a great supporter of literacy. We need education and training for jobs, but you've got to start somewhere. We need the Adult Literacy Program here. We're all for it."

"There are also other issues out there in this riding that we haven't identified yet," he continued. "I believe the only way to know those issues is to talk to the people, individually, and as groups. What may be an issue to our residents in Havelock may not be an issue to people at the Head of Millstream, or along the Salisbury Road. It's important to know the needs of the people you are serving, and then you know that those are the issues you need to address. I imagine that, from now until the election, I will be getting an earful, and I'll be glad to get it. I want to talk to people about the things that are important to them, and I also want to talk to them about what I can do to help them.

Sometimes we don't give people enought credit; lots of times the people will have some great ideas, and they can see the solution to their problem, but they have no one to act on it on their behalf. I think that sometimes we neglect to find out what the person on the street really needs. Sometimes there's a quick solution; other times it takes longer; but without knowing those needs, we can't help solve them. Let's find out what the people want to do. Let the people make the decisions how they want their issues handled. People will vote you in, and people will vote you out, but you've got to work with the people, and that's going to be very strong in our campaign. Most politicians don't listen to the people; they listen to themselves and those higher up, and I think that's not always the right approach to take."

"After the election, and when I'm elected, I plan to stay in touch with the people. And we'll go where the people are; like 'town hall' meetings, in every community. I'm sure at first, the turnouts may not be large, but once they see we are sincere, I think they'll say, "Let's talk." But you have to give the people the opportunity to express themselves, and I plan to do just that."

Terry Keating can be reached through his constituency offices at 3116 Main Street, Salisbury (372-9770; 372-9021) or 59 Main Street, Petitcodiac (756-9003; 756-6243)

Author's note: If you're wondering if your vote counts, or if you're thinking, "What's the use of voting?" - just think about the Quebec referendum: Canada is together today because of a 1% voting margin. Or you can check out our newscasts that show people in other parts of the world being murdered when they try to go vote. Lucky us - we have the right! VOTE AS YOU LIKE, BUT VOTE!

Margaret (Maggie)Harriman is an educator and free-lance writer and lives in Salisbury West, NB. To see more articles on Salisbury, visit her blog at http//salisburynb.blogspot.com. You may contact her through email at maggiebim@hotmail.com

And the Winner Was.......

2006-08-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

by Margaret Harriman

It was a packed Legion Hall in Salisbury the evening of August 22, 2006, when 216 members of the Liberal party voted to choose their candidate to represent the Petitcodiac Riding in the upcoming September 18 provincial election. Candidates Bethany Dykstra and Terry Keating each gave a 15-minute address to the crowd, which also included non-voters, candidate's families, interested parties and media representatives from the Community Digest.
Stuart Jamieson, Environmental Critic, and 16-year veteran of politics was guest speaker for the event. During his talk, he made reference to our smaller communities and what they have to offer, saying, "This should not be a drive-through province." He spoke on jobs and said, "Some of our brightest minds have gone out west. Since the Conserevatives came into power, over 300 farms have been lost and 17 woodlot companies." And on education he stated, "We should be reversing our test scores from worst to first." He reminded everyone that the campaign slogan of the Liberal Party was We Are People For A Change.
Following Mr. Jamieson's remarks, the nominators introduced their candidates prior to each one giving their address. Terry Keating was given the opportunity to speak first
Terry Keating (nominated by Doug Duff and seconded by Stephanie Merrithew), introduced his address with, "You may ask, 'Why Terry Keating, and Why Now?" He continued his address in response to that question. "First let me tell you that, like most of you here tonight, I work hard for what I have. But it seems the harder I work, the less I seem to have. The government of Bernard Lord seems to find a way to keep taking more and more." Keating went on to cite examples of his statement: "Bernard Lord told us we would save money with regulated gas prices. He said regulation would be good. It sure was! Good for the oil companies and good for the Conservative government, but it was no good for us. And now at election time, the Premier waves his magic wand and down goes the price of gas." He went on to say that electric bills have increased 25.9% since the present government came into power. "We can no longer ask the people of New Brunswick to keep paying more and more," Keating said.
Keating also spoke of his concerns for the seniors of the Petitcodiac Riding. "No senior should have to face the future filled with the dread of the unknown." He told the audience about an area man who, after 62 years of marriage, had to put his wife in a nursing home, and that in order for his wife to receive nursing home care, the government took all that they had saved and worked so hard to get. "He was forced to sell his home and now lives with his daughter. In order to keep his own pension to survive, he was forced to sign a legal separation from him wife. This should not happen. Since then," he said, "Mr. Lord has changed his mind. (August 21/06) I'm sure this is a great comfort to this man who has lost everything. Our seniors are our treasure, and I will work to see that all our seniors have the golden years they deserve."
Keating spoke of being a father and seeing our education system slowly eroded by cutbacks. "The future of our province, and indeed, our country rests with our young people," he said. he praised the present government for the creation of 12,000 new Community College seats over the next 5 years, but questioned where the jobs would be for them afterwards. Keating emphasized the importance of a job strategy program that would provide a good stable life for these learners and their families. "We want to keep our families here at home, and together," he said.
Terry Keating spoke about his 11 years in municipal politics: 9 years as deputy mayor of Salisbury and 2 years as its mayor. "My experience will be put to good use as I deal with some of the serious issues facing our riding," he said. He went on to talk about the Petitcodiac Riding being primarily rural and how these areas suffer from lack of money from the provincial government to fix and update the roads. He spoke of environmental issues that come with an ever-growing population in the riding and his concern with water systems to meet this growth.
Keating ended his address by saying,"As your candidate, I will work at all times in your interest and listen to your problems and concerns and work to solve and resolve them. I will not be afraid to seek your help and advice to make certain that on September 18th that this riding will be a victory for the Liberal Party. I ask for your support tonight, because I bellieve the people of the Petitcodiac Riding deserve a government as good as they are."
Dykstra (nominated by Cory Cromwell and seconded by Annette Taylor), whose speech followed the theme: "What Does the New Petitcodiac Riding Need?" gave answer to that question with, "a person who will listen to the concerns of the people." Dykstra described the New Petitcodiac Riding as 'huge', from Indian Mountain and Gallager Ridge to Salisbury, Petitcodiac and Havelock, to Coles Island, Head of Millstream, Whites Mountain, Carsonville, to Anagance and Portage Vale.- and everything in between. "I counted 504 roads and streets within this New Riding," she said.
Dykstra went on to say that the new Petitcodiac Riding needed "someone with an education who can sift through the statistics and reveal the true picture affecting the people" and spoke of her degree in Education, which concentrated on Special Education and Mathematics.
"I have looked at the tax rates that we are paying now in 2006 compared to 1998 when the Liberals last led this province. The government today is taking in 30% more on Personal Income Tax; 32% more on Real Property Tax; 27% more on the H.S.T.; 37% more on Gas/Fuel Tax;17% more on Tobacco Tax, and 58% more on Insurance Premium Tax. All in all, we are paying $500 million (that’s half a Billion dollars) more than we did under a Liberal government. So much for tax cuts", she said.
Dykstra also cited that the cost of living has increased 17% from 1997 to 2005, yet people on social assistance and fixed incomes have not received an increase from the province since 1997, with the exception of 2% of the 6% increase Premiere Lord promised last year. She also spoke about investing in infrastructure, like energy, that will be able to attract business, citing the McCully natural gas find as an example. She also talked on the need for a candidate to stand up for fairness and equality in government, using as example that private truckers in Havelock were not hired to do government-contracted road work in Havelock, and questioned why the present government provided aid to only 1 barn fire in the riding when at least 3 other individuals incurred the same losses.
To her list of beliefs of what the new Petitcodiac Riding needs in a candidate, she added: 'a person who understands the need for proper emergency services (24-hour ambulance, not 12), and the need for more RCMP, stating that the force for our area is stretched to the max trying to provide service from Irishtown to Elgin. And a person who will stand up for the people, not merely the corporations. She said that if corporations were paying the same rate of taxes that they did when Medicare was first put in place, we would not have a problem funding the health care system today.
Dykstra ended her speech by saying,"I cannot promise to fix everyone's problems, but I do promise that I will fight to make sure your concerns are heard. I know that the riding of Petitcodiac wil be won to the Liberals this time, but only if we all work together."
And the winner was.....Terry Keating. With 109 votes needed to win, Keating received 117, while Dykstra received 99.

TLC Kennels Becoming Well-Known

2006-08-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

TLC seems to be the perfect choice for the name of a boarding kennel, at least the one Barb and Trevor own at 5004 Old Fredericton Road. They've based their growing reputation on the TLC (Tender Loving Care) they give to any dog or cat that spends time with them. In their two years (December) of being in business they've never lost a customer; in fact, every customer has been a repeat customer.

Barb operates the business, but it wasn't planned that way. Trevor explained, "Barb is a person who was born and grew up and spent her life in downtown Hamilton, Ontario. When I met Barb, she had an apartment and one cat - no dogs. I had eight dogs and bred champion hunting, show, and trial dogs, and did the circuit from Wisconsin to New Brunswick. Six years ago, I gave her an English Setter, (Remington, the daughter of Chips Diablo Jane - two-time grouse and woodcock champion). Now Barb's here in the woods, has 6 dogs, and the kennel dogs besides. We were down here on vacation and Barb fell in love with this piece of land, so I bought it for her. We built our house on it and moved here permanently two years ago May."

" We also built the kennels for our six dogs," Barb added, "but they weren't too interested in them. They were used mostly when our friends visited and brought their dogs with them. Then a freind of ours said 'Why not open a boarding kennel?' We gave that some thought; there weren't many around, so we thought we'd give it a go and see how it went. We registered as a business with the province, and started advertising through The Community Digest and putting up fliers at local businesses." Today their clients not only come from the local area, but from as far as Minto and Barachois, and anywhere in-between.

"The original plan," said Trevor, "was that I would run the kennel and look after the dogs, and Barb would go to work. But Barb couldn't get the work she had experience at because she wasn't bilingual. So, I went to work on a special project and Barb became operator of the kennel."
Barb credits her initial success to Lynda Bannister, owner of K-9 and Kitty Country Boarding Kennels on the Grub Road (Salisbury area).

"We got to know her, and she was very generous with her advice. She was a big help in the beginning when we needed it and referred people to us when she was full. It's built up gradually, the first year being slow, but this year has been very good. We thought that we would have dogs mostly for 3 or 4 days at a time on week-ends, but most of the time they're here for a week or a month." (One dog spends 3 months out of the year with Barb and Trevor.)

In a business that has no provincial guidelines or rules, it falls on the kennel owners how they operate their businesses. For many pet owners that have no children at home, their dogs or cats are their day-to-day family, their "children". Having their pets kept in a cage and a small common run for days on end is unacceptable. Barb and Trevor treat their canine and feline guests as they would want their own treated - the kennels are heated, and each kennel has its own, readily accessible, outdoor run. Both have cement floors. The dogs are walked 4 times a day, regardless of the weather, and each dog, in turn, spends time with Barb in her office, a 200-square-foot room which is part of the kennel building. Also, inside the office are 2 cat kennels, their doors left open so the cats can move around as they please. One of their clients has a dog and two cats, and they don't like to be separated, so Barb houses them in the "office suite", as some of her customers call it. Some call to ask if it's available.

When asked if she had ever been bitten, Barb said, "No, but we did have a large dog that would bite anyone, even it's owner. Other kennels refused to take him. It had been an abused dog before the owners got it, and didn't trust people much. I just gave him his space and, with the individual run attached to the kennel, I could feed him without disturbing him. We had him for a week, and he never once tried to bite me. Another dog we have 2 or 3 times a month, growled at me at first, but within a couple days she relaxed. She walks with me now and lets me pat her. After awhile you get to know the dogs and you look forward to them coming, and they do, too. Some of them bound out of their cars and head straight for the kennels."

Barb laughs as she talks about one such dog. "It takes two trips to get him here. One to bring his things - a day bed, a night bed, and a car load of toys, everything they think he needs for a month or so. The owner lives several miles away, so Trevor decided he'd drive to meet them halfway and pick up the dog's things."

Barb has some advice for people who need to take their pet to a kennel: "Dogs or cats must have all their shots and be free of fleas. I also advise my clients to get their dog innoculated for Kennel Cough. I've never had an outbreak, but I know how fast it can go through a kennel. You'll need to take any medication with you that your pet may need while you are away, and the name and number of your vet."
TLC Kennels offer some of the best rates in the business: $15.- daily; $40.- week-end (Fri. - Sun.); $75.-weekly; $200.-monthly. (All taxes included - cash or cheque only). Extra is charged for pet pick-up and delivery, and to work hunting dogs daily on wild birds. "And you can drop in anytime", said Trevor. " We're always open for inspection; no appointment necessary. And we don't charge another day's fees if someone doesn't pick their pet up at a certain time. One Christmas Eve, a family came to pick up their dogs at 2:00 A.M. We don't encourage that hour, but this family came in on a late flight and wanted their kids to have the dogs home for Christmas Eve. We didn't charge them for another day. Apart from the exercise and the amount of one-on-one time spent with each pet, that's another thing that makes our kennel unique."

Find out for yourself. Give Barb or Trevor a call - (506)-534-1969; E-mail them at bruch@nbnet.nb.ca or visit their website at www.tlcboarding.com.

Where Were You in ' 66

2006-07-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to remember where we were 5 years ago, but 40 years ago.....! If you need help, here are a few events that might jog your memory: "Alphie" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" were popular movies that year, but it was "The Sound of Music" that won the Academy Award for best picture ; the record of the year was Herb Alpert's "A Taste of Honey", and Truman Capote wrote "In Cold Blood." The first Star Trek episode - "The Man Trap"- aired on September 8th; Walt Disney died that year; the U.S.Food and Drug Administration declared 'the Pill' as being safe for human use, and Montreal defeated Detroit 4-2 to win the Stanley Cup. And right here at home, Salisbury became incorporated as a village.That year also marked the 20th anniversary of the first local government for Salisbury, with preliminary meetings held to lay plans to incorporate as a local improvement district for the purpose of installing street lights and sewers.
When the Viallge of Salisbury became incorporated in '66, T.T. (Truman) Wilson was acting mayor and Nelson Alward and Boyd Price were its councillors, all three having been the improvement district commisioners. At the first village meeting after incorporation, it was decided to hold council meetings the 4th Monday of every month. The budget that year was $2,000. for street lights and $3,425. for sewage. Salaries for mayor and council were also established: $300. for the mayor and $225. for each of the two councillors. The clerk's remuneration was set at $100. a year. The following spring, Salisbury held its first election; however, there was no vote since the three members of council were unopposed.
This year Salisbury is celebrating its forty years of incorporation by having Salisbury Celebrates 40 Years as its theme for Salisbury Community Days, August 17 - 20. The parade this year on Saturday, August 19th at 12 noon - rain or shine - will reflect that theme. The Community Days committee is encouraging musical entries. So get your guitfiddle and come out and play that 60's music, or any other music that will entertain the folks that line the streets for the annual Salisbury Community Days parade. And if you want to put someone in the mock jail for awhile (sponsored by Salisbury St. John Ambulance and Salisbury Fire and Rescue), get into a pie eating contest, Sport Stacking (this is a new craze that you don't want to miss whether you participate or not), go to a giant yard sale, a casino night, see a ball tournament, a magic show, or a hypnotist, you can do all this during Salisbury Community Days. And there's lots of stuff for the kids, too.

Did you know that Salisbury Community Days actually began many years ago as a community picnic? For several years it was not a regular event, but it was revived once again in 1974, and from that it grew into the event it is today. So come out and be a part of it, as a participant or an observer.

There's good food in Salisbury, including the popular Salisbury Lion's Club pancake breakfast on Saturday, parade day. And keeping in tradition with its beginnings, there will be a barbeque and picnic, along with gospel music at Highland Park on Sunday, August 20th at noon.

Over the years, Salisbury Community Days did not come into being or grow all by itself. Many people have put in many volunteer hours to make sure that it has continued and become bigger and better each year. It has become a part of our community, our identity, and it's just one more thing that makes Salisbury a great place to grow and raise a family.

See ya at the parade - or the park - or the pancake breakfast - or in 'jail'.

Turning Sense Into Dollars

2006-07-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Mac's Treasure Chest consignment shop in Salisbury now has a new name and a new owner.

When Anne-Marie Bazinet opened for business 9 years ago, she did so in the basement of where Salisbury Fitness Center is now. A little over 2 years later, she moved to the same building that houses Tom's Corner, where she stayed until last year when she decided to make the move to the as Firehouse Variety building, allowing her to continue having a storefront operation on Main Street in Salisbury.

During those years, Anne- Marie also opened a second shop in Riverview under the same name. In May of this year, the owner of that building needed the space for another franchise he was undertaking. Anne-Marie had a choice - relocate or close. The loss of her husband, Gerry, last year, and changes occuring in her life helped her make her decision to close out the Riverview outlet and move all the merchandise into the Salisbury shop.

During those years of operation, one of her customers was Lori McKinley. Little did she know that she would one day be its proprietor. "I was in the shop one day when it was beside Tom's Corner," Lori explained in a recent interview, "and Anne Marie and I were chatting. She had just opened the shop in Riverview and was telling me how busy she was. So said, 'If you need somebody to fill in for a day or two, give me a call.' She did, and I ended up working full time. For the last four years, I've mainly run the shop in Salisbury, and worked at both shops."

Last year after Anne-Marie lost her husband, Gerry, she decided to close the Riverview shop rather than relocate it when the space was needed by the owner for a franchise. All the merchandize was brought to Salisbury. With other things happening in Anne-Marie's life, she was able to spend less and less time on the shop. Jokingly one day, Lori said to her, "If you ever want to get rid of the shop, you know who to come to; give me first dibs." It wasn't long before Anne-Marie took Lori up on her offer, and on June 1 of this year, Lori became the new owner. She has renamed her shop to Make Cents Consignment and Red Hat Shop.

Since Lori knew the business, it was not a hard transition from employee to owner. And her experience in retail goes back to when she was a young teen. "My first job," Lori said, "was working for my Dad, Art Hayden. He ran the Irving at St. George and Mount Royal Boulevards in Moncton, and at that time they were changing the Irving service stations to convenience stores. I was in grade nine and I begged him to work for him. I stayed with him until after I was married and we had our boys. I loved it. I love to chat with people. My Dad was the best boss. I was good to him and he was good to me. Dad retired and sold the business to Sue Stultz, one of his employees." Lori also worked for Merle Norman in Highfield Square until she was expcting her daughter. "It's great for me here (Salisbury). My daughter goes to school here, and I have a wonderful sitter for her for after school."

One difference for Lori is the hours she puts in owning her own business. She is now the sole employee except for every second Saturday when her friend, Kate, comes in to give her a full week-end off. She has also decided to close on Mondays.

So how does consignment work? It's simple, really. Lori explained the process: "People bring in the best of their best clothing, accessories, jewelry, footwear, baby and children's clothing and baby accessories, things like that. We have our own pricing, and we try to stay competitive with other places. We also try to keep our prices low enough that people keep coming back. So whatever we can sell it for, they (the consigners) get 50%. We keep items on the rack for a minimum of 3 months - seasonal. Like right now, we're only taking summer clothes because we're not going to sell too many winter jackets in July. Consigners can choose to take the money or receive a credit to purchase items in the shop. A lot of them prefer to do that, which really works out well for all of us.

Make Cents Consignment and Red Hat Shop also caters to the Red Hat Society by carrying a variety of red hats, purple dresses and outfits, purses, shoes and jewelery. "The Red Hatters come in faithfully," said Lori.

The shop also carries formal wear, like Mother-of-the-Bride and prom dresses. There is a plus-size section and a men's wear section. "I wish I had more men's clothing coming in, because we have more and more men coming to the shop all the time. We have ladies' clothing, including bathing suits. We have infants', toddlers' and bigger kids' clothing. We also carry jewelry, including some Avon jewelry, and I even have hand-crafted jewelry from one of my consigners. I do take odds and ends, like this Celine Dion book. I wish I had more room so I could take furniture. I have people come in looking for it. Baby accessories - cribs, strollers, highchairs, bassinets - those go very well." Lori pointed out a pair of matching bassinets that came from two separate consigners. "These sell new for around $129. One of these is priced at $50., the other at $69. because their condition varies a bit."

"We have faithful customers and consigners," Lori continued. They come from Salisbury, Petitcodiac, Moncton, Riverview, Havelock, and all points in between. And if someone is looking for something, like a crib or a certain pair of jeans, I take their name and number and call them when I get in what they need. I hod things for people for a week or so, and I also have layaway with a deposit. A lot of shoppers will put a stack of clothing on layaway until payday. Now that Stedman's is no longer here in Salisbury, it's the only place here to buy clothing and accessories. It's a great little business. I love it!."
That's not hard to tell. Lori's friendly way and her beaming smile make you feel important the minute you walk in the door.

Lori welcomes new customers and new consigners. You can give her a call at the shop - 372-5868. Her hours are Tuesday, Wednesday -10 AM to 5 PM; Thursday, Friday -10 AM to 8 PM; Saturday -10 AM to 4 PM. Make Cents Consignment and Red Hat Shop also accepts Interac, Visa, and Mastercard. And if you like an extra bargain, Lori has an on-going sale: Buy 2 items - Save 10%; Buy 3 items - Save 15%; Buy 4 or more items - Save 20%. Now that makes sense to me!

John Constable: BIG on Miniatures

2006-07-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes doing a favor for a friend can lead to all kinds of things. For John Constable, owner of Maritime Miniatures - the only dollhouse miniature supply store this side of Montreal - a favor led to his business.

"I was given a friend's miniature general store kit and asked to assemble it for her", John said in a recent interview, "and while I was doing it, I thought, 'This is kind of interesting.' I went from that to ordering a dollhouse kit, then another, and so on from there. They are all made to 1/12 scale, meaning that every 1" of a miniature doll house is equal to 1 foot of an actual house." But John's new hobby was soon to take him into business.

" I had made a dollhouse I wanted to sell to give me room so I could begin another. The person who bought it asked where they could get the furniture for it, so I started bringing it in." Since that time, in 1990, requests for miniature accessories have led John to opening his own store/workshop where he creates dollhouses from kits (or from scratch), depending on a customer's request, and can furnish them with anything from miniature cutlery to fireplaces to working lights and lamps. He carries furniture, rugs, wallpaper, - anything you might find in an actual home - all made to 1/12 scale. And he never makes the same doll house twice.
"Sometimes I buy the kits and the customer just wants to assemble it themselves, buy the furniture and put it in. Others want me to do the assembly, lighting, interior decor, exterior changes like verandas and added rooms - everything."

John has a sign in his shop that lists his rates. It says '$6.00 per hour', but he admits that it often works out to about $2.00 per hour since time spent on making a doll house, completely finished inside and out, can range from 40 - 600 hours, depending on the size and detail. Right now he is working on his 62nd doll house.

The reasons people order doll houses are as varied as the doll houses themselves. One lady ordered a doll house that was an exact replica of the house she was moving from in Toronto. Presently he is recreating in miniature a full replica of a family homestead and is just waiting for the layout of the interior so he can complete it. He has also built dollhouse replicas for anniversary gifts. "I've just received the plans of a house from a lady of her dream home that she now realizes she will never have, so she wants me to do it in miniature."

One lady invested $4,000. in a doll house that she plans on handing down as a family heirloom. (Dollhouse kits without furniture and lights, 1/8" tab-and-slot punch out pieces, run from $30. - $300. while 3/8" cabinet grade kits range from $150. - $800., but they can go up to $2,000.)

John has also made a miniature house for the Royal Bank that travels from one branch to another each month to promote thier mortagages. When he was a member of the Moncton Miniature Club, a group of miniature enthusiasts who meet regularly to exchange ideas and to create miniature projects of their own they built replicas (1/48 scale) of Moncton heritage buildings in celebration of Moncton's 100th Anniversary.

There seems to be no age limit on those who orders dollhouses. "A lady called me and wanted a dollhouse for a one-year-old, but she was really fulfilling a life-long dream of her own. We talked a while and she decided to get a small one for the one-year-old that can be played with, and another larger one for herself. Speaking of age, there is no age limit on miniature creations either; John's mother-in-law, Blanche Boyden, who is 95 years young, crochets beautiful floor rugs for the dollhouses.

Not only are dollhouses popular, but the 'room boxes' John creates have become popular as well. "I often do room boxes for people who don't have the space for a doll house. They enjoy them because they change the interior to match the holidays, like Christmas, or special days like Halloween. I did an exact replica of a principal's office as a retirement gift from her daughter. And I've even done a miniature bathroom scene for a gynaecologist in Montreal who wanted to put it on his counter. Room boxes have also been built in tea cups and microwave ovens."

In 1991, John's wife, Gayle, created probably one of the most challenging miniatures of all. When she was in college in 1973, she had made a large landscape in needlepoint. "I said to her jokingly one day, 'Why don't you do it in miniature?' It took her 3 months to calculate the number of stitches she would need per square inch compared to the original. Regular needlepoint thread was too large, so she used a single ply of sewing thread. A regular needlepoint has 144 stitches per square inch; the miniature has 1024 stitches per square inch. Then she discovered that when she had to do a colour change, the change would be too drastic in the miniature, so she would lay the thread out in the sun for a couple days to lighten it, or if she had to go darker, she would dip it in tea for a few minutes."

John and Gayle Constable plan to completely retire in the next year. Gayle is a literacy teacher and John, who taught math for 31 years at Riverview High School, retiring in 2000, now teaches calculus at Atlantic Baptist University two mornings a week. He plans to continue building dollhouses at his leisure, but he is selling the miniature accessories business. "I don't feel I'm being fair to my customers," said John. "We would like to spend as much time as we can at the cottage, and after retirement, we plan to travel. We took our first vacation last year in 13 years, a cruise to Alaska. It was wonderful!."

While John admits it's a limited business ( bigger in the US, but growing in Canada), and that it's not a business for a mall where higher rents are charged, it is, however a steady business that has resulted in orders from all across Canada and parts of the US. One order he received for a completed doll house was from a lady who lived 1000 miles north of Manitoba. "I built it, shipped it, and said, 'Send me the money.' Afterward I thought to myself, 'You fool. You might never see the money.' But she paid me. In fact, in 16 years of being in business, I have had only one customer who didn't pay me.

"It's a hobby that you're not going to get rich on quickly," he added, "but there's a steady income. So if there's someone who wants to stay at home, or go on the internet and sell miniature accessories, they could certainly increase the business."

You'll find John's Maritime Miniatures under "Dollhouses" in the yellow pages (it's the only listing) - (506)372- 4634.

There's Variety and There's VARIETY!

2006-07-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

It hasn't been that long ago since the Rite Stop/K&R Movies opened for business, but with its wide variety of merchandise and 24-hour operating schedule, the business is doing very well. Its owners, Melissa Patten and Tanya Hopper, are pleased with its progress.

So how did these two ladies become partners? Tanya Hopper planned to open a variety store; Melissa Patten owned a movie store in Salisbury. It made sense to these two proprietors to have a building contructed large enough to accommodate both. They did just that. Their store at the corner of Coverdale Road and Salisbury Back Road has just had it's official grand opening.
The variety store - and what a variety store! - is under the Co-op Atlantic's banner store name of Rite Stop, a name given to variety stores who are supplied with products from Co-op. Tanya Hopper explained how that came to be:
"The man who sells advertising for the telephone company came over to talk to me one day, and I told him I was planning to open a variety store. He told me that he had heard that Co-op was looking for stores to open under their Rite Stop banner name. I contacted them through their website, and they got in touch with me the next day. I really liked what they had to offer."

The store also leases space to Country Leisure Wear. (Looking for a "Trailer Park Boys" t-shirt, or a "Playboy" t-shirt with the bunny logo? Or maybe a jacket?) And another space is leased out for crafts. All of this adds to the great variety of the business. You can find anything from 'Free Willie' to fertilizer, sweets to sweatshirts, peanuts to purses, gummy bears to gifts. And there is more than one wall that offers dollar items. Bread, and other fine things from Wright's Country Bakery, are also available; just look for the bread wagon at the front of the store.
The store is very clean. While the newness of the building and its decor gives it a glistening appearance, the owners credit their eleven staff members (all from the local area) for keeping the place sparkling clean.
"Our staff are friendly, knowledgeable and hard-working. It's always clean here because the staff keep it that way."

There is always something that you can have a chance at winning at the Rite Stop. While several draws took place at their grand opening, it doesn't mean the chances to win are over. Right now there are tickets being sold on a Harley Davidson. The tickets are $50. each and when all of the 300 (that's all) tickets are sold, the draw will take place. The money will go to charity.
Supporting local charities is at the top of the list for Melissa and Tanya. Proceeds raised at their grand opening were earmarked for the Salisbury Fire Department. Other charities will include the schools and the daycares in the area. Both owners realize many charities in the area need help, and they have something to offer them as well.

"Our yard out here is available to any charity or group that is raising money. They can hold car washes here, yard sales, barbecues, whatever, as long as it is for charity or group purposes (like Safe Grad). All they have to do is call us." (372-5636)

Watch for Rite Stop flyers in your mailbox to see what their specials and extra draws are. Their everyday specials include 18 L of water for $3.94. ("Cheapest price around," said Melissa.) And you can get 2 Superdogs + a Coke product, including taxes and bottle deposit, for only $2.40. Now there's a deal!

Lizette LeBlanc

2006-03-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

Lizette LeBlanc ~ From Here to Afghanistan

by Margaret (Maggie)Harriman

Lizette LeBlanc is the first Regular Force, Non-Reserve, female in Canada to ever become a Master Corporal in our Canadian Armed Forces.

Lizette is from Salisury, New Brunswick, and those of you who were a part of the Salisbury Air Cadet Squadron from 1992 until six year ago would remember her as Lisette Lewis. Until she joined the military in 2000, she had always gone by her step-father’s name, (Dexter) Lewis. When she enlisted, she found out it had never been officially changed from LeBlanc.

Lizette LeBlanc became passionate about the military when she checked out Air Cadets out one night with a friend. She was eleven.
“My joining Cadets was actually a fluke,” she said in a recent interview. “One of my friends, Peter McGill, couldn’t hang out with me one night because he was busy; he had to go to Cadets. He said, “Come and see.” I did, and that was it! I thought it was awesome. I loved it. But they wouldn’t let me officially join until I was twelve.”

Lizette attended school in Salisbury for a brief time, but because her first language was French, she found it to be too much English for her at that time, and she attended French schools in Moncton, graduating from Mattieu Martin with honours in her final semester.
Lizette never had a question about what she wanted to do – have a career in the Canadian Armed Forces – but it was a year after graduation before she joined up. During that year, 1999, she became part of the Canada Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.
“It was fantastic; one of the most amazing things ever.”
Prior to the Canada Games, Lisette had successfully participated in air rifle competitions for Cadets International, and while she did not represent the Cadets at the Canada Games, it was during her time with Cadets, while competing nationally in a biathlon (skiing and shooting), that a scout for the Canada Games saw her.
“So I was one of the lucky few who got asked to come and try out, and I ended up making the cut”, she said. “I had a really excellent time. My shooting was bang on. (She grinned.) I did better shooting standing up, even though in Cadets I always did my shooting laying down. The coaches couldn’t understand it, because it’s so much easier to shoot lying down.”

Lizette, now going on her sixth year in the Canadian Armed Forces, has just signed up for another 14 years. (She can retire at 39.) She is stationed in Shilo, Manitoba, and is with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry – Bravo Company. When asked why she chose infantry, she replied, “Because they told me there weren’t very many females in it, and females couldn’t do it. I am so driven, I wanted to know why. ‘Why are you telling me that? Why are you telling me this is a man’s job? Why? I want to know.’ And here I am today a Master Corporal. It’s obviously not just a man’s job anymore,” she said with a broad grin.
But the army was right when they told her there not many females in infantry; just how few astonished Lisette.
“The female ratio is ridiculous! she said. There are 3 females (two more joined recently) in my battalion and 300 guys; all the other females there are either cooks or clerks.”

Since joining the military, Lisette has trained in BC, Alberta (Wainwright), Quebec (St. Jacques), California (Mojave Desert where temperatures are 37 – 40 degrees C during the day, and infantry must each carry 80 lbs of weaponry and supplies), Bosnia, and Croatia. On January 25, 2006, Lisette was among the troops that left for Afghanistan.
“When you’re in places like Bosnia and Croatia, you’re in the middle of everything, including the poverty. That stint (Bosnia) was not mission-specific; it was peace-keeping, so we rebuilt houses, gave out food and clothes. It was not out of the ordinary to see a one-room house, 8’ X 8’, that had 3 kids, 2 cats, 2 dogs, and no food, no bathroom. In the winter their bathroom is in the house. They pick a corner of the house and that’s their washroom area. And then they scoop it and shovel it outside.”
“But you’re not in that situation every day. You move around. You look for people who need help; you visit coffee shops, taking various routes, and you’re trained to notice things. Most people were very kind. They understood why we were there. We actually had a family make us a meal; a lot of ladies would make us tea or coffee. Children just loved us because they picked our pockets for candy all the time. For the most part, teenagers and young people – they’re all like us.”
“The most difficult situation in Bosnia was the language barrier. Even though we take language classes, we can only learn so much so fast, so in foreign countries the language barrier is the greatest problem, especially when you don’t have an interpreter with you. Simple words, like hollering ‘Don’t move!’ to someone who is standing in a mine field. They don’t understand you, and they think you’re being hostile, and the interpreter is taking too long to come to you to explain things to them.”

Lizette must now try to communicate in Pashtu, a language used by the majority of Afghanis. At our interview in late December, she spoke of her feelings about going to Afghanistan in light of things that are happening there today.
“I’m nervous. I think it’s just fear of the unknown. I’ve got the normal, natural fear, like everyone else, but as far as trusting my skills – absolutely. I’m not scared in that aspect at all. It’s my job. I have excellent training, and this is what I’ve trained for.”

That training, and Lizette’s outstanding ability, resulted in her promotion to Master Corporal last December. Getting there wasn’t easy.
She was required to learn how to teach classes, properly give drill, study military law and ethics, teach people how to deal with different authorities, and how to charge someone and know what offences and rulings to use. There were 6 manuals in all, 5 of which were infantry-specific. Lizette chose to study most of them twice: once in French, so she could understand them well, and then in English, so she would know how to relay what she learned. Apart from this, her training for Master Corporal, included going out into the field for 2 months. Once there, scenarios were put into place to duplicate enemy combat situations. Lizette remembers it well.
“All of a sudden you hear, ‘Here’s the enemy attacking your position. You’re in charge.’ You have to set up your defenses, among many other things. You drive yourself for days; you have less food and much less sleep. But it’s good. You do all the things you can do, so you can gain faith in your own ability to lead others.”

Will the guys resent her promotion? Not according to Lizette.
“You know what? I just got promoted before I went on leave, so I don’t know. Actually, the guys I work with are pretty good. They’re more like brothers than anything else, and they’re very good like that. They know that, being a woman, you have to work a little bit harder to compare with the guys. They see that, and they understand it.”

While our Canadian Military gives equal pay for equal rank, money for the operation of our Canadian Forces at home is slow coming, and replacing obsolete basics sometimes takes years.
“I got in five years ago,” Lisette recalled, “and on the day I joined, I was told that new rucksacks (knapsacks) were coming. I’ve got the same rucksack as when I joined. But,” she added, “there’s definitely more money when you’re going on a mission, in order for you to do the job properly …..money for more bullets, more training, for more of everything, including new backpacks. It’s like: ‘This is your project, or your mission. You have six months to train. Here’s your allotment.’”

When asked what she did for entertainment overseas, Lizette answered,” Read a book. Write letters. Play pool. Work out in the gym. Your off-time is generally spent on the base, which is surrounded with security, but there are occasions when you may go out for a stint of time. We have American TV programs, and we can get Alberta and Manitoba radio stations.”

Lizette has no immediate plans to remuster into a different division, but she knows that 20 years in infantry would take its toll.
“I love what I’m doing now; it’s great! But I can’t see myself doing all 20 years in infantry. It’s hard on your body. Traffic Tech and Photo Tech both appeal to me, but I’m going to have to get my head into it before I decide.”

What does she miss about home? “Scenery! I live in Manitoba, and it’s flat. Shilo is about 2 hours from Winnipeg, and there’s no scenery but fields…wheat fields, corn fields…fields. I miss the mountains and clean rivers and the ocean. Oh, how I miss the ocean; the taste of the salt, the sound of the ocean.” Most of all, she misses family.
“I love family to death. Family is so fantastic, and that’s what makes home, home. This will always be home.”

When I asked Lisette if there was anything particular that she wanted to make sure was in this article, she said, “If people are thinking about joining, I want to tell them to join for the right reasons. Don’t join because you hear the money’s good, or you get to travel a lot. Join because it’s what you want to do, because that’s the only way you’re going to make it, only when you’re truly passionate about it, seeing it as something you can do and enjoy. There are a lot of people that come in, but they only make it through the 3-year contract.”

Lizette LeBlanc has a deep and sincere love for her career as a soldier. When one talks with Lizette about her military life, her enthusiasm is wrapped around every word she speaks. It’s an enthusiasm that leaves you with a feeling of renewed pride in our Canadian Armed Forces, and in Canada.

(Master Corporal Lizette LeBlanc is the daughter of Angie LeBlanc-Lewis, and the granddaughter of Claudette and Bob Lewis, Monteagle.)

Note: Since I interviewed Lizette in December, she has gone to Afghanistan. At present, Lizette is the only female Canadian Infantry officer there. She was recently the topic of news from Afghanistan on both Global TV Network and CTV.

Margaret (Maggie)Harriman is a teacher, tutor, and free-lance writer. She lives in Salisbury West, NB, and may be contacted by e-mail at maggiebim@yahoo.com or through this blog.

Fox Chase Farms' Future Will Include Its History

2005-11-16T20:15:00.000-08:00

by Maggie Harriman

The name Fox Chase Farms may not ring a bell, but give it time. The farm, located on Rte. 112, near Salisbury, was originally a fox ranch owned and operated by the Morris Colpitts family. And prior to this year, it was the property of Catherine and Peter Peck who ran boarding facilities for horses and gave riding lessons. For these purposes, the Pecks built the large existing stable, and the indoor riding arena, believed to be one of the largest indoor riding arena in New Brunswick. They had named their farm Horsefeathers. Earlier this year, the Pecks made the decision to sell.

June and Craig Farrell, and their two daughters, were living in Woodstock, New Brunswick, when they heard about the farm being for sale. June, an equestrian who trained for competition under USA Eventing Olympians, Michael Godfrey and Jill Henningburg, and June’s husband, Craig, a farrier, decided to drive down and look it over. Finding the right place was not exclusive to stables and indoor riding facilities. The Farrells also wanted a good place to bring up their two daughters, Brittany, 6, and Nikki, 4.

“We lived in Woodstock two years”, June said in a recent interview. “We wanted a country life. Craig is Canadian. We were married in New Jersey, and we lived there for a while, but New Jersey is very built up. Craig has a sister in Woodstock, so we went there. But it just didn’t seem like the area to start the business. We heard of this area, checked it out more and more, and thought this would be a good area to start in.”

Not only were the Farrells happy with the area, the house was just what they were looking for.

“It’s a nice old home. A neat house,” said June. “The walls are a foot thick. You don’t hear a lot of noise from outside. We wanted an old home because no other house is like it. We love it.”
“The poor telephone man,” June recalls with a laugh. “He came in one morning and he was here until 2 o’clock in the afternoon, all in a sweat, just putting in four phone jacks. I think he transferred after that,” she joked.
And the children love it here, too.
“Brittany enjoys going to Salisbury Elementary, and Nikki just loves attending pre-school at 100 Acre Woods. Both girls love to ride, Brittany on the Gray and Nikki on Princess, the pony.”
June and Craig like the area very much, and have decided to make it their home. And on August 12, 2005, Fox Chase Farms was officially opened. June talked about the farm and the business.

“It’s really nice, because it opens up our options,” she said. “We can do indoor horse shows; you can set up a whole jump course in there,” she said, referring to the indoor riding arena. Delete the sentence “ In a lot of …….etc.”We decided when we purchased the farm that we were going to continue boarding as well as have a lesson, training, and show facility. There is a lot of potential here to do a lot with it.”

One of the things on the list of renovations is the fox tower. June Farrell appreciates its history. Today it is a landmark to local residents. She wants to preserve it, while at the same time making it a part of the business. She sees its potential as a wonderful viewing point for competition and show judging.

“There are a lot of horses in this area, but I think the show facilities are few and far between, and there are horseshows in the area, but we need more.
Another thing that is needed around the area is the recognized shows. This is it; this is what gets my husband and I really motivated, that riders in this area are at a very big disadvantage because we don’t have the recognized shows in this area to qualify riders for the big competitions, like The Royal in Toronto. It’s very difficult for them, so we thought, this area needs more recognized competitions to be able to give these young riders the opportunity to achieve their goals,” June Farrell explained.

“What happens, too,” she added,” is that we get a lot of good riders in this area and they end up going to Ontario; we’re losing a lot of good riders to Ontario. If we can keep those riders here, then this area will develop into becoming a more competitive area. Right now, we have a lot of the bigger shows in Nova Scotia and Ontario. The week-end of October 21st, local equestrian coach, Shiela Pickeral was here doing a clinic, and she has two student going to The Royal.”

June and Craig didn’t go into business blindly. Both have years of experience with horses. For June, it began in New Jersey, USA, when she was 7 and got her first pony, a little chestnut named Sally.

“My parents were sick and tired of my nagging and finally gave in. But they believed that it was a passing thing and that I’d lose interest. But I always stuck with it. I was very dedicated. The pony was boarded out, and I rode my bike for miles every day, back and forth, to spend time with my horse. My parents, especially my Mom, still can’t figure out where my interest comes from. None of my brothers, or my sister had any interest in horses or animals, and I’m here with four dogs, ten horses and four cats; no one else in the family is like that.”

Over the years, June would have many horses. As she moved on in competition, the mount became more and more important and it was often necessary to change horses and get another one to meet the demands of the competition.
“I started in the hunter ring as a kid, then I took off in my own direction as far as dressage and eventing go.”

June always had a pony or a horse. And she always boarded it out.
“I was the (horse) boarder, she remembers. “The problems I had as a boarder! But, I fixed those problems when I decided to work with horses full time.”

It was a decision she knew she had to make.
“I’ve always ridden and competed - forever, but parents want to guide you toward what they think is best, and while in college, and working in corporate banking, I did that.
And then one day I thought, ‘I’ve had enough of this.’ - Sorry Mom and Dad. I gotta bag the whole normal life thing and do the horses full time.’ When it’s in you like that, you have to follow it, or you’re not happy.”

So June opened a horse farm in New Jersey, and she plans to do here what she did there.

“A lot of places charge you for every extra little thing that your horse needs. Individual horses all have their own needs. Some horses need to be fed three times a day; some need to be fed two times a day. It’s my job to take care of your horse, so why would I charge you extra for what your horse needs? To me, it’s all included. I think horses are individual, just like people.”

Fox Chase Farms plans to be a complete boarding and lesson facility. “We are planning on holding a lot of shows, like the recognized shows, to make more opportunity for the young riders in this area to be able to qualify for such big competitions like The Royal.. There’s a lot of work to putting on a show – so many committees to deal with, and everything has to be just so.”

But June believes in their plans. And she is a great believer in Everything is meant to be.

“When I think of all this,” she said, “even though we made a little detour to get to this place, it all happened at the right time. Of course I would have loved it, Boom! right then, when we moved from New Jersey, but this was the best route.”

And she believes it was meant to be when she married Craig.

“I always knew that when I married, I would have to marry someone involved in horses because there’s so much of that in me. I talk about horses so much; the person would have to know what I’m talking about.”

It was Jill Henningburg who introduced Craig to June. Craig, a graduate of the Farrier Program at Seneca College in Ontario, has made his career shoeing horses, something that he loves. He works hand and hand with many vets, and has gained an excellent reputation for his work, often being flown to Ontario to shoe horses, some of which are Olympic level. He also has clients in Fredericton.

“He has begun to develop business in the local area and, hopefully, he can eventually cut down on his travel. He wants to be here, and the more this (business) grows, the more he’s going to be able to do that. His interest in shoeing was not carried over from any family occupation. It came from his love of horses, wanting to be around them, and wanting to help them. He’s very good at what he does, and he has a good way of being around horses,” she said proudly.

June remembers that her admiration of Craig’s work began not long after they had started dating.

“I had my own farrier when I started dating Craig, and one of my competition horses was doing jumps well, but when he walked, he had this little stumble every now and then. My farrier tried setting the shoes back, rolling the toes, doing this and that, trying to get this stumble out of his walk, because the dressage tests, that I had to perform on the flat, had to be perfect, without a stumble. I told Craig about it and asked him if he could fix it, and he did – just like that! I knew then I had to marry him,” she smiled.

Together, June and Craig are both doing what they’ve always wanted to do. Their pamphlet says a great deal about how you can expect to be treated at Fox Chase Farms: It says, “Our Primary Focus is on You and Your Horse.”
People boarding their horses at Fox Chase Farms are very pleased with their facilities - three well-maintained barns, indoor riding arena and outdoor rings. And they are pleased with the care of their horses, including daily individual or group turnout (weather permitting) in well-tended paddocks; the full service available; quality feed and hay offered three times a day; hot/cold wash stall, grooming vacuum, and farrier on the premises. They have a heated lounge and individually locked tack lockers.

Their Training Program for horses offers weekly sessions or full training, depending on the horse’s needs; apprentice programs are also available.
For anyone interested in riding lessons, for show or recreation, their program is designed to encourage new riders and direct current riders to reach their goals. Instruction is available in various formats – private, semi-private, or group sessions.

Fox Chase Farms is located at 2563 Route 112 (Coverdale Rd), Colpitts Settlement, NB. You can contact June and Craig by calling 506-372-0087, or by email at foxchasefarms@nb.aibn.com .

P.S. This interview also included yours truly getting a riding lesson, and after not being on a horse for over 30 years, I was shaking in my stirrups - (once I got on the horse, that is, but that’s a story for another day) - but June’s way with people and horses soon took all that away. I’m seriously thinking of going back. Maybe I’ll see you there.

Tom's Corner Celebrates 10th Anniversary

2005-11-16T19:54:00.000-08:00

Tom’s Corner Celebrates Ten Years in Business
By Maggie Harriman

Owning a store is not something Tom and Judy Taylor spent their married life thinking about; in fact, they had no intentions of it at all. Lorne Stuart had begun renovations on the property, at the corner of Main Street and Douglas Avenue in Salisbury, with his own intentions of opening a store there.

“Lorne passed away before he could do that,” said Judy Taylor in a recent interview, “so we thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s not a bad idea, operating a store. We’ll try it,” And now, ten years later, Judy and Tom are still in business – quite a thing for two people who had never owned or worked in a variety store before. Tom had always been in sales, having worked 19 years with Toys for Big Boys; Judy had always done office work, working at Sumner’s, Blue Cross, Positive Impact, until it closed, and going on to produce her own community flyer. Judy recalls her days at Sumner’s.

“I remember when I worked at Sumner’s, back in the days when I thought I was going to be there until I retired. I remember walking in there every day and seeing this brass plaque that said ‘Established 1885, and I’d think, ‘This place is going to be here. I’m going to be here.’ Then they broke it all up into divisions and sold it. I thought, ‘If this place isn’t going to stay, nothing is.’

But seeing the business survive for ten years in a small community is not a surprise to Judy Taylor. When asked what growing pains they had as a business, Judy thought a moment then answered, “None, really. When we opened, we hired Debby (Gourley) Lewis. That’s what she always did, work in a store, from the Mom and Pop type business (Gourley’s River Glade) to the Ultramar, where corporation rules have to be followed. She knew both types of business. She was a bonus!”

Judy and Tom also can’t say enough about Wendy Archibald, who was running the River Glade Ultramar at the time. “She was a tremendous help to us. She knew everything we needed to know, and she helped us in any way she could.”
Tom, Judy, and Debby ran the store for the first 10 months. Then they hired who Judy fondly refers to as ‘another big bonus!’ - Angie (Robichaud) Steeves.

“She’d worked at Save Easy and the North River Co-op, so she was an excellent, excellent find, too. When the North River Co-op closed, everyone around there knew Angie, and when she started here, they came here. So we didn’t really have any growing pains, not with Debbie and Angie here. And four years ago, we hired Donna Irving. All three are still here.” It certainly says something for Judy and Tom as employers, even though they give full credit to their staff. They say it’s because of their staff, that they can pursue their passion for boating.

“It sure makes a difference, I’ll tell you, because we got all the trust in the world in them. They’re loyal, honest and dependable, everything you could want.” Judy also praises our local RCMP. “We’ve had one armed robbery and one break-in, and the cops were excellent and caught the guys on both occasions.

The removal of the gaming machines from stores had a great financial effect on store owners, and Tom’s Corner was no exception. Judy Taylor believes there is nothing else that compares to a gaming machine as a revenue maker. “It takes up such a small area, at practically no cost, only the power, and very little labor – just take the money out of the machine. When the machines were removed, that was a big difference.

Judy and Tom tried to get Atlantic Lottery tickets at the store, both print and scratch, but were originally told they had to sell so many break-open tickets –“hundreds and hundreds” before they would bring in anything else. “But they must have changed the rules at the Lottery Corporation,” said Judy, “because, a couple years ago, we got everything.

While all variety stores are pretty much the same, Tom’s Corner has a uniqueness not readily found nowadays. On any morning, from the time it opens, the parking lot at Tom’s is well filled. When you open the door, the smell of freshly brewed coffee invites you in, and the ‘coffee klatchers’ nod and say hello. Those on their way to work gather early, then come those who are retired now and just like to get together to tell a few yarns and discuss everything from politics to the weather. One of their topics at Tom’s Corner led to action for change a few years ago, and Toll Busters was formed. Through their perseverance, the tolls became an election promise for Premier Lord, and resulted in the tolls being removed from New Brunswick highways. And when it’s time for the municipal elections for Village Council, a lot of campaigning goes on at Tom’s Corner.

The location of Tom’s Corner has been a meeting place for people for years, and it still is. “Meet me at Tom’s” or “I’ll pick you up at Tom’s” are familiar phrases in the area. When the cadets are going on an outing, Tom’s is the meeting place.

The building has also been, for years, a meeting place for high school students, before class and at lunch time. “Like anywhere else,” said Judy, “there are always some kids that cause you problems, but the majority of kids that come here are fine; they’re good.”

And like everywhere else, there are always groups and organizations that are trying to raise funds. It’s difficult for a small business in any community to give financial support to every group, sports team, or event. Tom and Judy are involved with the Salisbury Legion and the Salisbury Lion’s Club, and the business contributes to the fundraising efforts of both organizations, like the Legion Dinners or the Lion’s Club Breakfasts. The remainder of their support is given to help the kids with school team projects.

Tom’s Corner has been a Kwik-Way ( a Sobey’s banner store) since it opened, and Tom and Judy have been very satisfied with that affiliation.
“Wendy (Taylor) sent the rep down,” Judy explained, “and he was really, really good. I don’t think there’s another salesman like him in the country. We checked out other banner stores through Atlantic Wholesalers, but first off, they wanted us to be bigger, have more square footage, and they didn’t offer as much as TRA offered with Kwik-Way Mart.
While most variety stores carry just about the same general merchandise, there are a few things that make Tom’s Corner unique in the village.

Over the years requests from customers have brought some additions to the regular fare. “Some of the high school students requested toe rings and tongue rings, so we got them in,” said Judy. “Power drinks. We carry 7 brands of power drinks. We have grilled cheese sandwiches, and we carry fireworks. And now we have the propane exchange, where you can bring in your old tank, if it’s less than ten years old and in good shape, and switch it for a new one, the same way you would do for bottled water, which we also have.”

And they’ve recently added Theater Style nacho chips, salsa, and cheese sauce, selling it at a much lower price than the theaters charge. It’s become a popular alternative to popcorn as a movie night treat. Another thing that makes Tom’s Corner unique is its Movie Rating Board where customers can write their opinion of the movies they rented at the store. And if you want the staff’s opinion on the movies, just ask. They’ll also put your name on the Reserved Movie list any day from Tuesday to Sunday.

“We’re doing okay here,” said Judy. “We’re making a living. We’re not going to be rich, that’s for sure, but the main thing you can say about this place is that everybody that’s here is local. We’re local people serving local people. If we need a repair done, we hire local. If we need a plumber, an electrician, or a carpenter, we get it right here. If we need to buy anything, we buy local whenever we can. Salisbury is a great little village,” she added. “The only thing missing,” she said “is a laundramat.”

Tom’s Corner is open every night until 11 p.m. It opens at 7 a.m. Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. on Saturdays, and 9:00 a.m. on Sundays. Drop in and wish Tom, Judy, and the staff a Happy Anniversary and many more. Have a cup of coffee and a chat. Who knows, maybe someday the school kids that meet behind the building will be the ones that greet you when you walk inside.

(This article appears this month in The Community Digest)

THE CROSSWALK MAN

2005-11-09T17:23:00.000-08:00

THE CROSSWALK MAN
By Maggie Harriman

Myles MacCallum is a quiet man. You’ve probably met Myles if you’ve gone to school in Salisbury in the last 15 years. Or you’ve probably seen him walking down Main Street, three times a day, carrying his STOP sign. And if you did, you probably just know him as “The Crosswalk Man.”

In 2002, the graduating class of JMA Armstrong High School honoured Myles by dedicating their year book to him. It is a beautiful dedication and I am going to reprint it here because it speaks volumes of how the students then, the students before them, and the students now, feel about Myles MacCallum.

“Myles MacCallum, Salisbury’s known and loved crossing guard, has been protecting the Class of 2002, ever since the very first year they started school. Since 1990, Myles has helped everyone from Kindergarten through grade 12 find his or her way to school safely.

Many people have never said or thought much about what Myles really means to SRES, SMS, and JMA. However, most of us could probably stop and count on one hand the amount of days he hasn’t been there to help us cross the street. The weird feeling you got in the pit of your stomach when he wasn’t there made you wonder at the last second if there really was school at all. Some even remember Myles being there while the school teachers were on strike. Talk about dedication!

Throughout our scholastic career, Myles has been there morning, noon, and at the final bell of the day. Practically every student who has attended JMA in the past 12 years has met or talked with Myles at some point or another, and are proud to say that they know him. Myles has, without question, one of the best jobs in Salisbury, and he does it very well.

For this reason, we dedicate this book to him, for helping each of us along our separate paths every day since we first started learning about the 3 R’s, way back in grade one.

We sincerely hope that Myles will be around for a long, long time to help other students in the way that he has helped our graduating class this year. Thank you for being there to watch out for us, Myles.”

(JMA Graduates, 2002)

Myles MacCallum loves his job. But it has been a road of struggle for him to be where he is today, the constant in so many children’s lives.

When Myles was born in 1950, he was born with epilepsy. He had seizures daily, but he never let them stop him from doing whatever the other kids did. And he had determination.
“If he had a seizure and fell out of a tree, he would climb right back up the tree,” said his sister, Carol Muller, with whom Myles lives. “And if he had a seizure while he was driving his bike, he would get right back on it and away he would go. Our mother constantly worried about him.”

Regular attendance at school was nearly impossible for Myles because of his epilepsy. At most, he was able to attend only 3 or 4 days a year. His teacher, Inez Colpitts is 90 now, and Myles bikes to visit her.

Myles would be 20 years old before the doctors found medication for his epilepsy. Over the years they would change the prescription as others became available, finally finding one that would eliminate the seizures altogether. For Myles it meant he could finally get a steady job, but with no education, this was not to be. Myles worked, instead, helping his mother with the residents she had at her nursing home on Main Street in Salisbury. And Myles played sports…baseball and hockey.

Myles’ loves hockey. When he played in his younger years, the rest of the players would hear him emceeing the game, as he played, as good as any sportscaster. Today Myles knows every player on every team. He often watches a game on television while, at the same time, listening to a radio station broadcasting a different game in another language.

A little over a year ago, Myles got a tutor through the Greater Moncton Literacy Council, and he began learning to read.
“He’s made such a difference in Myles’ life, “Carol Muller said, referring to Ron Weagle, Myles’ tutor. “He had to start from the very beginning, and now Myles can read the stories in his books, and it excites him, knowing he can understand what he just read.

School for Myles has just begun. But then again, Myles has always had determination. Perhaps someday Myles MacCallum will be in another year book…..as a graduate.

This article was first published in October, 2005, in the Community Digest.

Cornhill Nursery (An Interview with Bruce Marks)

2005-09-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Bruce Marks, Profiles Cornhill Nursery's Growth

(This article first appeared in the September, 2004 issue of The Community Digest)

When you go to Cornhill Nursery, just outside the Village of Petitcodiac, NB, you expect to see flowers and shrubs, grapes and kiwi and dwarf evergreens. And you do, in abundance. And if you're a regular visitor, you expect to see the familiar straw hat and the man who unknowingly has made it his trademark.

Bruce Marks has been at Cornhill Nursery over twenty years. When you talk to Bruce about the history of Cornhill Nursery and its annual, upcoming Grapefest, you can hear the pride in his voice and the admiration and respect he has for his employer, Bob Osborne.

"I feel quite close to this nursery. This nursery is basically Bob's dream, and Bob is everything behind this nursery," Bruce said in a recent interview.

"What Bob has done, is taken things that are out there and try them here. For instance, when we started growing grapes here, 16 years ago, he knew there were people around here that grew Concord or other grapes, but they never had very good luck with them; they didn't ripen quite right here in our region, or they killed back too far. So Bob, through his contacts, started bringing in hardier varieties, that were always around, but weren't as well-known. That's when the vineyard began."

The vineyards and the beautiful gardens, that now seem as if they were always a part of the landscape, were nonexistent when Bruce Marks began working at the nursery.

"You couldn't see the (Cornhill Nursery) sign for the hayfields and the hedgerow. We used a four-storey barn at the bottom of the hill for the nursery", Bruce explained. "In 1984, the barn burned and a new one was built. The whole nursery moved to this side of the road then."
When Bob first began, Joe Wall was a partner in the nursery, but decided to pursue other interests. Today it is a family business.

In 1990, Cornhill took a major step toward expanding its products.

"Bob got a grant to hire a student that summer and he hired Donny Brubaker. Bob got four pieces of root of a dwarf Ottawa apple, propagated them to get more, and grafted trees onto them." Apple trees became part of their nursery.

Over the years Bob Osborne has employed other Brubakers, and Dunfields; just about everyone in the valley (Cornhill) has worked for the nursery. Today he employs 20 - 30 staff.

"The nursery began expanding again when we started using tractors and machinery", Bruce continued. "Up until then, everything was done with horses, or by hand. Bob and I used to work in the fields with everybody else. I remember many times just hoeing - just me and Bob", Bruce reminisced. "That's where I learned most of what I know, from all those times spent together. It would be almost like being in school; there were always questions and answers, and experimenting with new things that Bob would bring in.

We started with roses and putting them on their own roots - one of the biggest innovations the nursery did, because at the time, you couldn't buy roses on their own roots; most were grafted on, and after a time they would start suckering and grow wild. Right now we probably do a larger selection of own-rooted roses than almost anybody. Like the Stanwell Perpetual, which is difficult to find anywhere. They're a slow-growing, old Scottish rose and one of the few Scottish roses that reblooms. Around here nobody wants to buy a grafted rose anymore."

Cornhill nursery is also known for its kiwis. Developed for our maritime climate, many New Brunswickers are now able to grow their own kiwis, and chances are that Bob Osborne has touched them in some way, whether he imported them or sold them direct.

Cornhill Nursery is a unique place. From its gardens to its Cedar Cafe, where good home-cooked meals are served by a friendly, efficient staff.

The back door of the cafe leads onto a grape arbor patio. Placed around the edge of a table in the center of the patio are white shallow dishes with floating lily blooms, their many varieties and colours outstanding. Coming up through the middle of the table is an 8-foot tree trunk. Holes have been made in the trunk, in each hole is a small water container (like the kind a florist puts a single rose in), and each contains a lily bloom.

Cornhill Nursery is also known for its seminars held the first and third Saturday of every month from spring to fall, like the one to be held on September 18th - Tasting the Wines of the World. And for the past several years, the annual Cornhill Nursery Grapefest plays host to hundreds of visitors.

This year (2005) the Grapefest will be held October 1 &2, beginning at 9 AM.
"It is a celebration of the grapes and the harvesting of all the other things we have", said Bruce. "We have live music, tours around the nursery, a barbecue, and free seminars. When the Grapefest is over, we begin putting our plants away, but the nursery itself never closes. You can buy plants in the middle of winter if you want."

Cornhill Nursery-map, located on Rte 890, may be contacted by phone (506)756-3635; fax (506)756-1087; or e-mail Osborne@cornhillnursery.com (if registering for a seminar, please put "seminar" on the subject line of the email).

You can also visit their website at www.cornhillnursery.com

And here's a tip from Bruce:

If you plan to prune your grapes, do it in the autumn after they have shed their leaves; they're going dormant then, and they don't bleed as much.

See you at the Grapefest.

2005-09-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Artistry in Wood

2005-09-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

ARTISTRY IN WOOD - an interview with Bill Goggin
by Maggie Harriman

(This article first appeared in The Community Digest in June, 2005)

When Bill Goggin was a kid, he used to gather up all the old boards around the farm, nail them together, and try to build something. Then his grandfather would come along, take the nails back out, and use them for something else. Today Bill works with new wood, and there's no fear of anyone taking out the nails, because there aren't any. Bill Goggin is a wood carver and an intarsia craftsman.

In the fall1984, Bill was invited to join the fall woodcarving classes of Reinis Freimanis, a European carver and family friend. He had been asked many times before, but fall was hunting season, and Bill Goggin is an avid hunter. Finally he agreed to join the Saturday morning classes once hunting season was over. It was there he began learning the techniques of the fine art of wood carving.

"I went every year for a number of years. Finally I decided I had learned enough to carve on my own, so I did that for a while," Bill Goggin said in a recent interview.

During that time, Bill created many beautiful carvings - both landscapes and individual pieces, some taking as long as two winters of Saturdays to complete. They reflected his life-long passions: nature and wildlife.

Then Bill came across an article in a Crafters magazine about a process called 'intarsia', defined

as ..."mosaic..especially of wood" and described as the cutting of individual pieces of wood, sanding them, and fitting them together, like a jigsaw puzzle, except the pieces are not all the same size. They are often made from different colors and types of wood. Pieces are raised and lowered to give a three dimensional effect.

"So, I got myself a scroll saw and thought I'd get into it. And I really enjoy it," said Bill, "Sometimes I have five or six projects on the go at the same time, and now I can produce a project in probably two weeks."

Using different kinds of wood became a challenge. It just wasn't readily available, and some were very expensive - too expensive for a hobby. Then Bill solved his problem.

"I decided to use pine and different kinds of stains. I have a good source of pine here at Colpitt's Hardware. Mostly, I work with 3/4 inch pine. If a piece needs to be raised, I add a thin piece of wood to the back; if a piece needs to be lowered, I use a thinner piece of pine. The patterns show you which way the grain should go. you don't just lay your pattern down and cut it all out," Bill explained. "No matter how how large, or how intricate, the pieces are all cut out individually, sanded individually, and stained individually."

Each piece must be cut to fit snug to the piece before it. Once the cutting is done, the pieces must all be sanded, one at a time. Then they are laid out and put together and checked for proper fit. Then the stain is put on, one piece at a time, so it does not run onto the other pieces. The stain brings out the grain in the wood, making each project unique, even if the same pattern is used more than once.

People began taking an interest in his intarsia work, and some wanted to buy it. One year Bill and his sister-in-law, Terry, whose artistry is stained glass, decided to share a booth at the Sussex Balloon Fest; they've been doing it ever since. Registration to have a10' X 20' booth in the sale is $300. Selling enough to cover costs makes Bill happy, but he has other reasons for going.

"I wouldn't miss it. We even changed our vacation plans this year so we could be there. It's a big effort to set up, but you meet so many people, and you get a lot of positive feedback on your work, and you need that. It's just a fun time."

During the last ten years, Bill enjoys more time on his hobby. After a 35 year teaching career, he retired in 1995. But he's aways been busy. He was on Salisbury Village Council for six years and served as its mayor from 1978 - 1986. As a volunteer, he has been on the Westmorland-Albert Solid Waste Committee, the Salisbury Library Board, involved with minor hockey and Home and School, and is now the chairman of the Lion's Pool Committee, having joined the Lion's club two years ago.

Artistry runs in the Goggin family. While Bill pursues his creative hobby, and enjoys his love of gardening, his wife, Eleanor, retired also from teaching, follows her passion of writing and researching geneology (right now it's the Jonahs) and the history of Elgin, where she was born. Their son Andrew is a lieutenant in the Canadian Armed Forces (navy), is particularly good with languages and has a way with the written word. Their daughter, Colleen, travels the country in her work with Health Canada. Both now live in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Their son Eric is well known locally and elsewhere for his artistic ability and his business, Goggin Signs. Bill is very proud of his family, and he loves retirement.

"Never a day goes by that I'm bored. I always find things to do. My woodcrafting is my hobby. It started out as a hobby, and it's still a hobby. I do it for the challenge."

Gerry Jones- "The Electrolux Man"

2005-08-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

"The Electrolux Man"
by Maggie Harriman

(This article first appeared in the Community Digest in October, 2004) Jerry Jones has been a part of Electrolux a long time - over twenty years. He's won several awards for his salesmanship and service, not to mention a myriad of prizes, and trips. He contributes all these successes to his customers. And after surviving his fourth heart-attack on September 1, he considers himself very blessed.

Born and raised on the Sanitorium Road, Jerry and his wife Carol renovated and moved into his family homestead in 1985. In this same house, there once was a general store (Jones' Store) that Jerry's great-grandfather opened in 1859. His grandfather continued living in the house and operating the store, as did Jerry's father, who ran it until 1950. "They sold everything from whiffletrees to toothpicks." laughs Jerry. (A whiffletree is 'the pivotal swinging bar to which the traces of a harness are fastened, and by which a vehicle or implement is drawn' - so says Miriam-Webster.)

Jerry went to school in River Glade up to grade 6, then was bused to the Salisbury Regional School (where the elementary school is now). In 1963, Jerry went straight from graduating high school to being a salesman with the Canada Life Insurance Company.

Later he joined Roussel Pharmaceuticals as a commercial traveler. In 1975, seven years after being on the road Monday to Friday, seven out of every eight weeks, and seeing his sons, Darin and Sean, growing up and not really knowing them, he went to work for Sears. It was in 1982, while still with Sears, that Jerry was introduced to Electrolux.

"Karen Fawcett, Jack Fawcett's daughter, was the manager of Electrolux on St. George Street, and she came to me and said, 'Jerry, I think you could sell Electrolux vacuums.' So I tried it, part-time. Carol said she'd always wanted an Electrolux, but we couldn't afford it, and if I was going to sell them, she was going to have one - and the shampooer - so I guess you could say that my first sale was to my wife."

And Jerry remembers his fifth sale. "It was to a lady in Harcourt, a Mrs. Bernard. I needed five sales for a $500. bonus, and I got it because of Mrs. Bernard."

Jerry continued with Sears for three more years, but the job was becoming stressful. Carpeting was entering a slump; allergies, and the convenience of hardwood flooring or linoleum was changing the market. In 1985 he decided to take a chance and become a full-time salesman for Electrolux.

"It was kind of scary", he recalls, "because you didn't have any benefits, and you had to get out there and make sales if you wanted to make the commission to survive. You had to go the customer, the customer wasn't coming to you, like at Sears."

The company at that time had a lot of incentives which included cash, prizes, and fully-paid trips. Jerry and Carol enjoyed many trips together: San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Antonio, even a Carribbean cruise. In 2000 the Ladies US Open Championship was being held in Nashville, Tennessee. Jerry and Carol had been avid golfers, but Carol, a Nurse's Aid, could no longer golf because of a work injury in 1981 that she still suffers from today. Jerry wanted so badly to take Carol to that tournament.

Jerry remembers, "I called on Bert Bishop, and I said, 'Bert, I need ten sales by Monday to win a trip to Nashville. I want to take Carol to the Ladies US Open. I think I can pull it off, but I'm going to need some help'. By Saturday I had nine sales. Bert called and asked Carol how I was making out.

He said, 'Tell Jerry to come and see me this afternoon; I'm going to buy one for my daughter.' It was basically due to Bert that we were able to go. Without the customers I've had, all the trips and all the prizes would have been impossible." One prize in those early years, he had to refuse. He had won a $6,000. bedroom set, but they didn't have a bedroom big enough to put it in. Instead, he took five or six smaller gifts, including a tv and vcr, and gave them to family members at Christmas.

Jerry's recent heart-attack has made him rethink his career. And a big part of that rethinking was based on the customers that have been so loyal to him over the years. "I want to be there for them, because they have always been there for me. My customers have been wonderful", Jerry says proudly, "They're fantastic!"

So Jerry has started a new career that gives him the best of both worlds - servicing his customers and reducing the stress of meeting quotas. He recently opened Jerry's Vacuum Service to look after his customers by providing parts and service for not only Electrolux, but for any other models people may have.

At the same time, he will sell an Electrolux to anyone who wants to purchase one. He can now provide his customers with a choice of central vacuum systems, as well as conventional uprights and cannister models. His business includes free estimates, pick-up and delivery.
"As we get older, our incentives aren't the trips, or the diamond rings, or entertainment centers; we find other reasons to continue to work."

Jerry's timing couldn't be better. With Electrolux going to franchise a year-and-a-half ago, and telemarketers now making initial contacts with customers, things have changed. Jerry prefers selling to his customers face-to-face and is not a fan of telemarketing.

Does he have any regrets? "My only regret is that I can't remember every customer's name, over 3000 of them. I've always said I never sold an Electrolux, an Electrolux always sold itself. And I still believe that an old Electrolux, repaired, is twice as good as the cheap ones you can buy in the stores today."

Jerry is excited about branching out on his own, his health being his only boss. And he's learning to relax. He is proud of his two grandchildren, Brittney, 10 and Bethany, 7, and enjoys spending time with them. In the warmer seasons, he doesn't think of Vegas, or Nashville, or going on a cruise; he just likes to relax at their trailer at Cambridge Narrows. He loves to dance and golf, and is a member of both the Petitcodiac Golf Club and the Salisbury Legion.

Jerry invites you to give him a call at 372-4715 for sales, service, and supplies, on all makes and models. Margaret Harriman is a teacher and freelance writer. maggiebim@hotmail.com

Love of Cars Leads to Business Partnership

2004-09-04T12:16:00.000-07:00

Love of Cars Leads to Business Partnership
by Margaret Harriman

With little over nine months of being in business together, Dave O'Blenis and Doc O'Brien have no regrets. Doc was brought up in Salisbury; Dave in Boundary Creek. Friends since grade school, they have always shared a love for cars and stock car racing. Doc worked in muffler shops most of his life, and was a parts manager in Moncton. Dave went into business for himself, operating Salisbury Ultimate Motor Sports (performance auto parts), as well as building race car chassis and stock cars. Dave sent all his muffler work to Doc.

Over the years they talked about going into business together, but not until the first of January this year did that become a reality, when they opened Salisbury Discount Auto Parts and Salisbury Discount Muffler & Brake. The three companies are now under one umbrella.

Opening at 9 AM, Monday to Friday, and working 12-14-hour days, has become the norm for the partners. With Dave applying his expertise to the performance end of the business, and Doc using his skills in the garage, their reputation for quality parts and labour is steadily growing.

"Business has gone a lot better than we expected", said Doc O'Brien in a recent interview. Their hard work is paying off; they were recently able to afford the purchase of a new pipe bender that now lets them do custom exhausts (their specialty) for both racing and road vehicles.

"Racing is all part of the business", said Doc. And it doesn't stop there. On week-ends from May to September, Doc and Dave can be found at the races in Fredericton, Shediac, or River Glade. (Right now they're in first place in the pro stock division at NBIS in Fredericton.) And the whole family goes in style.

Sitting in the shops' parking lot is what looks like an ordinary transport truck and trailer, but a closer look erases any of those notions. Inside is Dave's home-away-from-home, his track ranch. Using a generator to power the lights, satellite tv, microwave, and other appliances, the living quarters are set up to include a lot of the comforts you might find in any travel trailer, including a bathroom with shower.

But there are a couple of things about this trailer that you won't find in your average camper. Three quarters of this trailer has car-part storage areas built under and over workbenches that run along each of its 53' sides - a place for everything, and everything in its place - including two-way radios and spare rear end, ready for Doc and the pit crew during a race. The ceiling looks like patterned glass (it's actually checkerplate) and works to reflect light over the work area, but its delicate looks are merely the underside of a steel floor overhead. There, ready for action, sit #48 and #48X, Dave's two stock cars.

When Dave O'Blenis custom built the transport trailer, he wanted to not only accommodate his family (including his racing-buff daughters, Courtney and Alexandra) and spare parts, but also the stock cars themselves. To make this possible, Dave engineered the tailgate in such a way that it also serves as a sort of dumbwaiter. The door comes down and sits flat on the ground. A stock car is driven onto it. The door, operating hydraulically and by remote control, then hoists the car and places it parallel with the overhead floor. The car is then pushed to the front of the trailer, and the second stock car is brought on board the same way.

Asked if they would ever customize a similar trailer for a client, Doc said the whole process would be too costly and time-consuming to consider. Right now their concentration is on building their business, hoping someday to bring it to the point where they can hire staff and shorten their own work days.

They have little spare time. When they do, they prepare for the car show circuit; Dave O'Blenis is well-known by car buffs for his many first place entries. Doc's spare time is devoted to his children, Ashley and Alex, and to the Salisbury Fire Department where he is a volunteer firefighter and crew captain with 12 years of service.

Salisbury Discount Muffler & Brake works by appointment and also offers safety inspections. They are located at 2465 Salisbury Road (Rte.106). Give Dave and Doc a call at 372-5104.

Margaret Harriman is a teacher and freelance writer and lives in Salisbury West, NB.
(maggiebim@hotmail.com)
September issue, Community Digest, 2004