uxbridge town talk - august 2015

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www.uxbridgetowntalk.com | august 2015 1 uxbridge town talk how ms changed my life | what’s your ‘wow’ factor | help blaze a trail with dmba Volume 7 | Issue 6 | August 2015

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Page 1: Uxbridge Town Talk - August 2015

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uxbridge town talk

how ms changed my life | what’s your ‘wow’ factor | help blaze a trail with dmba

Volume 7 | Issue 6 | August 2015

Page 2: Uxbridge Town Talk - August 2015

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explore the shops in Uxbridge. discover globally sourced products. shop locally for brand names & unique gifts. dine out at a local restaurant or relax during a hair or spa treatment. Be a home-town tourist & THINK LOCAL FIRST!

The Uxbridge BIA invite you to become a home-town proud!

4 Banff Rd., Hwy47S, Unit #7, Uxbridge, Ont., L9P 1S9www.roanespaint.com phone: 905-852-5315 fax: 905-852-2215

It’s the time of year to focus on outdoor paint and stain

ROANE’S PAINT & WALLPAPER

ALL ABOARD TO.... U X B R I D G E

F U N activities vary daily!

Celebrate with

SAVINGS!6 DAYS OF

SHOPdowntown Uxbridge

uxbridgebia.com

Sidewalk

STOP

SHOPU X B R I D G E

Sidewalk

“SALEbration”

Classic Car Show, Bouncing Castle,

Boom Box, Delicious Food,

& much more!

Geocaching for prizes & a chance to

Day out with Thomas Train RideWIN TICKETS for the

August 14th, 15th, 16th, 21st, 22nd & 23rd

Join us for the6 DAY

SALEbrationAug 14-16th &Aug 21-23rd

Find all your favouriteTHOMAS & FRIENDS toysright here in Uxbridge

www.littleacorn.ca | 77 Brock St. W | 905 862 3524

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v o l u m e 7 | i s s u e 6 | a u g u s t 2 0 1 5

4 5 11

STAFFManaging Editor: Elaine LeighGraphic Designer: Sandi LeighSales Manager: Sandi Leigh

CONTRIBUTORSDarrin DavisRoger PrinceDeby KasmanWilliam Ducey

COVER PHOTOElaine Leigh | Sweet World Media

CONTACT USPhone: 905 862 3747Email: [email protected]

MAILING ADDRESSPO Box 1035, Uxbridge ON L9P 1N3

OFFICE ADDRESS24 Toronto St. N., Unit 3Uxbridge, ON LNP 1E6

facebook.com/uxbridgetowntalk twitter.com/uxtowntalk

contents

Pick up copies at: Zehrs,Vinces, Blue Heron Books, Township Office,Uxbridge and Zephyr libraries, NRG4Life and more.

EDITORIAL MESSAGE Unless otherwise stated, all product reviews, articles and other features are chosen by us at our discretion. If you would like to be featured please contact us.

Uxbridge Town Talk is a monthly publication by Sweet World Media. The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for the claims, views, opinions, comments or advertisement herein. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Uxbridge Town Talk does not endorse

any advertised product, service or event. The Publisher is not responsible for any typographical errors. Advertisers are responsible for any copyright issues. Uxbridge Town Talk will not be held

responsible for errors, print or otherwise, in submitted ads. No part of this publication, including advertisements, may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

Copyright © Sweet World Media 2009-2015 www.sweetworldmedia.com

The font used in “Uxbridge Town Talk” is the Gibson Family Font designed by Rod McDonald to honor my father in law John Gibson. It is available for sale at www.canadatype.net/fonts/

gibson. All proceeds are donated by Canada Type to various programs to help improve creative arts and to elevate design programs in Canada.

This month is a difficult editorial to write, not because I have a local publication and it needs to be said, but because I have lost a good friend. Yet, more importantly Uxbridge has lost a good friend too. Pat Mikuse was a councillor, mother, neighbour and friend to many. In all cases dedicated, hard working and loyal. We will never forget her.

Next time you are at a local event, remember that it was Pat that was involved in making them spectacular. I had the honour of work-ing with Pat on the Canada Day committee. She was instrumental in building this group of dedicated and hard working volunteers. I will say without a doubt she consistently advocated for our small yet mighty group. Our success as a volunteer committee was in a large part because of Pat’s leadership skills. Her list of tireless vol-unteerism also included organizing the horse and wagon rides for the YDHR, the Horse lover’s tour and the farmer’s market. They were all driven by this incredible woman. Pat had this gift of persuasion where she could proudly arrange events at little or no cost to the taxpayer. She was a difficult lady to say no to!

As a business owner in Uxbridge Pat was definitely helpful with connecting me with the most interesting people of Uxbridge. Often it was providing me with story ideas because she believed in the cause and also setting me straight when my ideas were not prac-tical! And yes we occasionally disagreed but always respectful of each other. Pat introduced me to Uxbridge’s diverse population and with every introduction came a clear respect for each and every resident in Uxbridge. As a councillor, Pat always advocated that she was just a “resident with a title”. I loved her passion and sincerity.

Pat not only loved Uxbridge, but more importantly loved Ux-bridge’s history. We constantly had discussions about the history of Uxbridge and the importance of saving our Heritage. She was involved in all the murals around town that businesses now display proudly on their walls. With her powers of persuasion, she was able to encourage building owners to bear the cost of these murals. How I will never know, but as residents of Uxbridge, we should certainly all be grateful. The historical murals are not only beautiful, but a tes-tament to Pat’s dedication. Remember Pat next time you admire one of these many murals in town. The Uxbridge Museum was another passion of Pat’s and of course Lucy Maud and the historic York Durham Train, the Legion and Tour-ism…..well the list is endless.

Although she has passed, Pat will live on in our hearts and the committees that she was a part of. She was a true friend to our town and that one person that leaves an amazing legacy in Uxbridge.

I will miss your laugh, I will miss your advice, I will miss you. Rest in peace my friend.

-town talk

4Town Talk TidbitsAugust Facts

5Faces of UxbridgeBig Business Supports Local Economy

6Guest ColumnHow MS changed my life

7Guest ColumnSloane House

8Community CalendarAugust 2015

9Community Calendar Cont’dAugust 2015

10Peacefully ProductiveGo Forth and Create Your Hive

11Spotlight on YouHelen Spring

12Guest ColumnWhat’s your ‘WOW’ Factor

13Your CommunityLocal Living

14UTT KitchenBlueberry-Raspberry Gratin

15Feeling FineHelp Blaze a Trail with DMBA

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s| august facts | SOURCED FROM: TIMEANDDATE.COM | DUCKSTERS.COM | FAMOUSBIRTHDAYS.COM | MOONGIANT.COM | CANADIANGARDENING.COM

BIRTHDAYS Barack Obama celebrates his

birthday Aug 4th. Neil Armstrongs birthday was on Aug 5th and Lucille Ball was on Aug 6th. Local Ontario singing sensation Shawn Mendes

celebrates on Aug 8th and the late Michael Jackson would have been

51 on Aug 29th.Happy Birthday!

Gardening in the Fall

Procrastinators, rejoice! It’s not too late to plant perennials, trees,

shrubs and other hardy plants. In fact, autumn is actually the

best season to get many hardy plants into the ground. So if

you’ve put off starting a new bed or missed getting those trees in

last spring, you can still do so any time between mid-August and about six weeks before the first killing frost (in most of Canada,

that means well into October and sometimes beyond).

Typically, a fall-planted perennial will reach its full size the first

summer, while a spring-planted one can take two or three summers to become

well established. Though the difference is less dramatic, the

same holds true for many trees, shrubs and conifers.

The birthstones for August are the peridot and the sardonyx. The birth flowers for August are the gladiolus

and the poppy.

The first Monday of August is a holiday for people in many parts of Canada. It is a statutory holiday in some provinces

and territories but in others it has another legal status. It is often called

the “August Holiday”, “Civic Holiday”, “Provincial Day” or other local names,

such as Terry Fox Day in Manitoba.

Moon FactsIt takes the moon about 27.3 days to travel it’s complete orbit around the earth and it’s moon

phase cycle is 29.53 days. With the months being 28 to 31 days long it makes the Full Moon

and New Moon fall on a different day of the month every year.

Full Moon - The moon is full when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. Another way to look at it is that the moon, sun and earth are in a line with the eath being between the sun and moon. When this occurs the entire surface of the moon looks to be illuminated. The full moon occurs every 29.53058 days.

New Moon - A new moon occurs when the moon is between the earth and the sun. We are seeing the oposite side of the moon that the sun is shinning on. At the exact time of the New moon the moon is to close to the sun to see at all.

Blue Moon - Today we consider the Blue Moon to be when a full moon occurs twice in one month. This is a relatively new concept for the term. Originaly a blue moon was considered to be when a full moon occured 4 times in a season. A season usualy has 3 full moons. The term has became popular when referring to any rare event.

August Moon Phases

WORLDWIDEAugust in Other LanguagesChinese (Mandarin) - bayuèDanish - augustFrench - aoûtItalian - agostoLatin - AugustusSpanish - agosto

AUGUST

3, 2015Civic Holiday

Last Quarter

August 7th August 14th August 22nd August 29th

First QuarterNew Moon Full Moon

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| big business supports local economy! | BY ELAINE LEIGH

We would like to introduce Paul Robbins of Castool Tooling Systems as our August Face this month. Paul is a dedicated and community minded resident of Uxbridge and General Manager of Castool. His company prides themselves as being a community leader, successful corporate entity and a strong, forward thinking employer. Paul’s corporate philosophy is impressive and evident in his BLOG. His positivism shines

through in his writings where he stresses dedication and compassion for his employees and focuses on the necessity of corporate responsibility.

Castool was born from Extrusion Machine Co. Ltd. His dad started this business in 1952 and was located at Broadview and Danforth where they manufactured extrusion dies. In 1986 Castool was born manufacturing “tooling”.This evolved into Tooling Systems for the Aluminum Die Casting and Aluminum Extrusion Industries.

A weekly drive through Uxbridge, on their way to their Lake Simcoe cottage, drew Paul to our community in 2004. He quickly realized that it was a great place to have his business operations! He moved Castool here in 2006 and strives to employ as many local residents as possible. That translates into about 40% of the staff living within the Uxbridge Township. It is important to note that big businesses like Castool benefit our local economy. They eat, invest, shop, and service their cars in Uxbridge. What a great partnership as the Castool business is helping our local economy!

Paul’s positive and giving back philosophy is evident in that he

proudly sponsors and supports many local events too. The long list includes the Fall Fair, Heritage Days, Jennifer Ashley Children’s Charity and the Brent Foster Ride to Remember to name a few.

Yet, Paul isn’t all business. We uncovered his daring, fun side as well! Paul is a racer, in particular vintage motorcycles. I was surprised that he not only races but races well, and has for 25 years. Paul is a serious competitor, placing or winning several races at Mosport, Calabogie and Shannonville., 5 wins Serious business all round for Paul.

Good luck on your next race!!!

As a resident of Uxbridge Elaine has taken the helm of Sweet World Media, publisher of Uxbridge Town Talk. Elaine has three passions, family, photography and her Golden Retriever Jake. With a new business, three grandchildren and plenty of photo opportunities in Uxbridge, life’s been busy but fun!

Friday, Saturday & SundaySeptember 11, 12, 13Elgin Park, Uxbridge

General Admisson provides free admission to all events.Parking and seating not guaranteed.

General Admission $12Children aged 13 & under FREE

Parking FREESaturday offsite Shuttle FREE Saturday

Buildings and Midway Open ..10:00 a.m.Barnyard Rodeo...10:00 a.m.Sheep Show, Goat Show& 4H Rabbit Show......................11:00 a.m.Open Dairy Show..........NoonApple Pie Auction...1:00 p.m.Durham West 4H & Open LawnTractor Pulling Club....................... 1:00 p.m.Demolition Deby......7:00 p.m.Buildings Close.....10:00 p.m.

SundayHeavy Horse Show ......................9:00 a.m.Canine Equine Challenge ...............9:00 a.m.Buildings and Midway Open ....................10:00 a.m.Cruise-in Car Show, Baby Show,Poultry Show...................11:00 a.m.Beef Show...................NoonHorse Pull .............2:30 p.m.Fair Closes ............5:00 p.m.Friday, September 11

Evening Schedule for Midway1. Kiddies Rides will close at 10:00pm2. Ticket booths will close at 10:30pm3. All rides or attractions will shut down promptly by 11:00pmConditions of Entry to The Fair1. No skateboards2. No Bicycles3. Wristbands must be worn4. No Alcohol5. Backpacks and bags will be subject to search

FridayFair Opens...................5 p.m.Tractor Pull..............7:00 p.m.Youth Entertainmentat Bandshell ...........7:00 p.m.Buildings Close ....10:00 p.m.

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I have welcomed the opportunity to write a number of articles on the way Multiple Sclerosis affects not only my overall health, but my day to day activities.

I grew up in a “typically” normal family. I always considered myself able-bodied and fit. I saw myself as young and vibrant. I believed myself a healthy person (so I thought). I was 27 years old when I began noticing things out of the ordinary. I began having difficulty

with my vision. As well, I had begun having difficulty walking. I was walking like a zombie does. I shuffled my feet everywhere I went. I was not sure footed. I was asked on more than one occasion if I was drunk. A few times I was kicked out of a bar before I had even been served. My balance was unsteady and my coordination was off. I wasn’t the only one to notice. I had to get checked out.

At first I saw an ear nose and throat specialist. I thought that my inner ear might be the source of my balance issues. The ear nose and throat specialist was unable to find anything wrong with me. It was suggested to me that perhaps I should see a neurologist, maybe they could find out more. I immediately set up an appointment with one. The neurologist performed a series of tests on me in his office… He bopped on my knees with a rubber hammer to test my reflexes … I was asked to walk to the end of the room and back with my eyes closed while being observed… I was asked to get an MRI so that an objective view of my brain and spinal cord could be examined. At the end of the appointment I was asked to set up for another visit. It would be a while until the results of the MRI would come in. I would return at that time to go over them. I had time in the interim to attend to my vision.

I went to see an optometrist. They did all their tests and provided me with a prescription for my eyes. I got a new set of glasses but it was not long until I was having difficulty seeing again. I went back to the optometrist where more tests were performed on my eyes. I was then provided a new prescription. My eyes had changed significantly in a short amount of time. In retrospect that should have been a clue to me, a clue to my doctors as well. It was now time to go back and see my neurologist. I went back to his office. I remember him sitting me down as he begun to tell me about auto immune diseases and how they worked. I asked him to hurry up and get to the punch line. He said… You have MS… I should have let him butter me up a bit.

I had no insight into the days that followed. The drive home after my appointment was filled with panic and fear. I remember walking in the front door of my house. My mother was sitting at the bottom of the stairs by the door. She asked me… Did you find anything out?… I told her that I have MS. We both cried. Neither of us knew anything about the illness. The next few years would educate us quite well. I heard several prognosis from doctors and fellow MS sufferers alike. Some of the expectations set before me seemed manageable. On the other hand, some of those expectations were very scary. I wound up somewhere in the middle of the best case and the worst-

case scenarios of my illness progression expectations. For that I am actually quite thankful. Although scary at first it was a great help to me to reach out to the MS community. At a time when I felt most alone and frightened, it was good to surround myself with caring and knowledgeable people. Being surrounded by caring individuals (family and friends) who offered me comfort and support as well as surrounding me with other MS’ers, gave me insight and taught me some tricks to help deal with and manage my newly diagnosed condition. It was good to know I wasn’t alone through this. It was very helpful to me to remain social and involved. I learned things important about my day to day struggles and how to stay positive in spite of them.

Now that you know a little about me and my credentials so to speak, we can start talking about the things that help and excite me. There are things I do every day to make my day better for myself. Physical activities as well as care and thought towards my foods and nutrition are examples. In upcoming issues, I look forward to sharing with you some of this personal experience and the benefits it has offered me. I would like to get feedback from you about an article you have read or an article you would like to read in the future. Either way email me at [email protected] , I would be happy to hear from you. I have plans to address accessibility issues and transport issues just to name a few. Please feel free to offer any input, insight, express your concerns or interests.

William Ducey was a young man when he received his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. After receiving his diagnosis of MS he attended college and received a diploma in general arts and science. He then attended several universities. In more recent years he has spent lot of his time researching and learning about helpful lifestyle practices.

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| sloane house | BY ELAINE LEIGH

“There is a plan and a purpose, a value to every life, no matter the disability.”

~S. Angle It is difficult for those of

us with typically developing children to comprehend the challenges faced by families who struggle with the challenge of children with

high health needs. Children with disabilities will and do make a difference in this world even when facing extraordinary challenges. As a society, it is incumbent on us to make a difference in their lives. If we educate ourselves on some of the challenges these families face, it will allow us to significantly change the lives of those facing what we all take for granted…healthy children. It is the hope of this article to not only educate our readers on the struggles that Durham Region faces in this area, but also to tell you about Sloane’s House. That is, the care facility that has to happen.

Sloane’s House is the dream of the Pasher family.The background of this story starts with the Pasher family. Already

with 2 year old twins, the Pashers gave birth to their 3rd daughter Sloane. Sloane was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome, a disorder that poses severe developmental challenges. The Pasher family experienced first-hand the challenges faced when loving and caring for a child with severe development issues. Through their difficult journey the dream of Sloane’s House was born.

Volunteers, donations and passion can and will make a difference. A group lead by the founders Neil and Stephanie Pasher will make this dream come true… it has to. Durham Region has a huge need for a care facility, a safe and comfortable home-like environment for children. This group of volunteers is passionate and determined to

make this happen. 8 million dollars, a dedicated group of volunteers and you, will make this dream and ultimate necessity come true.

Did you know Durham Region has the highest ratio of special needs children? Yet, it is the one of the only regions without a children’s respite facility! Care and support facilities are not yet readily available, making it impossible, stressful and expensive for these families to travel to downtown Toronto to get the support required. Durham Region needs that support. Sloane’s House will be that support.

When this dream is accomplished, Sloane’s House will provide practical, physical and emotional support for children of families with high needs. These children may have specialized treatments, medication and therapies requiring 24/7 care. Sloane’s house will provide temporary relief to those families. Their hope is to create a facility that will allow for short–term accommodation, in a facility outside the home. Loved ones will be cared for in a home like, loving environment, with caring, knowledgeable professionals, giving every family some much needed relief.

Spend some time getting to know this fantastic group of people and please spread the word. Let’s share with others that it can be done. How can you get involved? Visit them on facebook, like their page www.facebook.com/SloanesHouse or their website at http://sloaneshouse.com/. Perhaps you are a golfer. The volunteers have an inaugural golf tournament planned on August 26th where you can donate or join. I promise you will be helping a group of people

make a much needed dream come true.

As a resident of Uxbridge Elaine has taken the helm of Sweet World Media, publisher of Uxbridge Town Talk. Elaine has three passions, family, photography and her Golden Retriever Jake. With a new business, three grandchildren and plenty of photo opportunities in Uxbridge, life’s been busy but fun!

1570 Concession 3, Goodwood, ON L0C 1A0 | DEBY’S CELL (416) 818-7841 STEVE’S CELL (416) 464-6517

Canadian Raised | Canadian Made

Twistlane Alpacas is proud to develop Canadian products from our fibre. Our wide range of products include scarves, cowls,

socks, mitts, insoles, alpaca duvets, pillows and throws. We can be found at the Markham Farmers Market every Saturday and at

our farm in Goodwood by appointment.

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r| august community calendar |

SATURDAY AUGUST 8TH

Lavender Workshop at Museum Learn all about the benefits of lavender from local art-ist and lavender grower Rosanne Middleton. Make lavender wands (the best method to pre-serve lavender) and a lavender wreath using Rosanne’s organic lavender. Cost is $35 per person which includes lavender for the crafts and refreshments. Lavender products will also be available for sale. The workshop runs from 11am to 2pm in the Historical Centre’s heri-tage schoolhouse. Space is limited; reserve your spot by contacting the Centre at 905-852-5854 or [email protected]. Fundraiser for Uxbridge Historical Centre.Time: 2:00pmWhere: Uxbridge Historical Centre SchoolhouseContact: 905-852-5854 or [email protected]

SUNDAY AUGUST 9TH

Passenger Appreciation BBQ at the Rail-way A&W (Durham Region) have generously offered to sponsor the York-Durham Heritage Railway Passenger Appreciation BBQ. A&W are providing free Mama burgers with all the fixin’s and Root Beer to all Uxbridge and Stouffville passengers along with some fabulous cou-pons. We would welcome you to come and ride our Heritage Train through the picturesque Oak Ridges Moraine and enjoy our Passenger Appreciation BBQ that will be served to all Stouffville and Uxbridge passengers at the Ux-bridge Train Station from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm compliments of A&W Durham Region. Fares: Adult $25; Senior/Student $23; Child $17; Family Pass $77Time: 10:00am - 5:00pmWhere: 19 Railway Street, UxbridgeWebsite: www.ydhr.ca

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 12TH

High Tea & Entertainment Our 5 course lun-cheon teas are always an adventure. Enjoy sal-ad, appetizers, sandwiches, scones and top it off with a delicious dessert before enjoying our varying and delightful entertainment! This

week we feature Gardening with Grasses, hosted by Karen Young. Teas sell out quickly, so book early to avoid disappointment.Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pmWhere: Historic Leaskdale Church, 11850 Durham Road 1 Website: www.ydhr.ca

Uxbridge Horticultural Society August Meeting Guest Speaker: Janis St. John Topic: Repurpose Items for Your Garden Flower, veg-etable, fruit and design Show; Refresments served.Time: 7:30pmWhere: Uxbridge Senior’s Centre - 75 Marietta St.Website: www.uxbridgehorticulturalsociety.com

FRIDAY AUGUST 14TH

DAY OUT WITH THOMAS at the Railway Thomas the Train comes to Uxbridge for the first time. This event is a wonderful experience for the kids. They get to meet Thomas in per-son, go on a train ride with Thomas, meet Sir Topham Hatt and enjoy games and activities. This event is fun for the entire family and best of all it creates lasting happy memories for the children. Friday, Saturday and Sunday Fares: $25 per person; Children under age 2 are free.Time: 9:00am - 5:00pmWhere: 19 Railway Street, UxbridgeWebsite: www.ydhr.ca

Downtown Uxbridge 6 Day Sidewalk SALE-bration. Come visit the many shops of down-town Uxbridge during the Thomas event to see what special things they have going on. I spy game, Bouncy castles, entertainment and much more. Friday Aug. 14th-16 and then again Friday Aug. 21st-23rd. Free for all to enjoy so come out and support your local businesses.Time: 9:00am - 5:00pmWhere: 19 Railway Street, UxbridgeWebsite: www.ydhr.ca

SUNDAY AUGUST 16TH

Maud of Leaskdale Maud of Leaskdale returns to the Historic Leaskdale Church! This original show explores the life of Lucy Maud Montgom-ery, chronicling the years she spent as a suc-cessful author, devoted mother and minister’s

wife in the Ontario countryside. Share in her soaring joys and deepest sorrows, all through Montgomery’s own powerful words. Don’t miss this powerful production set in the pictur-esque rural Ontario countryside that inspired the prose of a Canadian Literary giant.Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pmWhere: Leaskdale Church

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19TH

Young Life Uxbridge Golf Tournament Our annual event to provide adequate funding for leaders in Uxbridge Young Life to work and play along side teenagers in Uxbridge. Loving kids in their world!August 19, 2015 - Wooden Sticks Golf ClubTime: 12:00pm Where: Wooden Sticks Golf ClubContact: Cindy Smith - [email protected], 416-709-3260

THURSDAY AUGUST 20TH

6th Annual Farmers of UxbridgeYou are invited to attend the 6th Annual Farm-ers of Uxbridge event at the Uxbridge Arena. There are over 30 local farmers with an exten-sive variety of products. Buy local and learn about the farm industry. We have farmers that produce dairy, beef, pork, corn and fresh fruit and produce. Specialty items include local honey, maple syrup, sheep cheese, jams and a local wine producer. New exciting surprises, where does your food come from? Children and Adults will learn so much about farm life.Outdoor displays include, tractors with a vari-ety of farm equipment. This is a free event with free parking. Refreshments are provided. Join us again or for the first time and learn about our local farmers. “Farmers Feed Families” Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm Where: Uxbridge Arena, 291 Brock Street WestContact: Pamela Beach 905 852-6440 or 905 852-9181

Maud’s Island DinnerJoin us for our second Island dinner this summer at the Historic Leaskdale Church. Enjoy authen-tic Island cuisine followed by a performance of

always accepting

new patients

Uxbridge Stouffville Midwives

2 Campbell Drive, Unit 207 | 905 862 3535 | www.uxbridgemidwives.com

www.sweetworldmedia.comPublished by:

BusinessYourself

YourExpress

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our popular original play, Maud of Leaskdale. A whimsical night reminiscent of warm sum-mer evenings on the Island. Last year our din-ner sold out, so book early!Time: 6:00pm - 9:30pm Where: Historic Leaskdale Church, 11850 Durham Rd 1

FRIDAY AUGUST 21ST

DAY OUT WITH THOMAS at the Railway Thomas the Train comes to Uxbridge for the first time. This event is a wonderful experience for the kids. They get to meet Thomas in per-son, go on a train ride with Thomas, meet Sir Topham Hatt and enjoy games and activities. This event is fun for the entire family and best of all it creates lasting happy memories for the children. Friday, Saturday and Sunday Fares: $25 per person; Children under age 2 are free.Time: 9:00am - 5:00pmWhere: 19 Railway Street, UxbridgeWebsite: www.ydhr.ca

SATURDAY AUGUST 22ND

Uxbridge Heritage Days Family fun for all, live entertainment, 1812 re-enactments, kids programs and much more. Rich is Uxbridge’s history with farming; come see antique farm machinery, tractors, and vintage cars. Tour the Museum grounds with its historical build-ings and wartime artifacts. The Passport Chal-lenge will have the children leaning about the Historical Centre while visiting various areas and buildings on the grounds. Sit in the shad-ed Beer Garden sipping a cool drink; enjoy a snack from the Meat Merchant Food Truck; a cob of corn cooked in a cauldron on an open fire; or a slice of pie with Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream for dessert. A friendly Horse Shoe tour-nament takes place on Saturday from 11 – 5 pm. A non denominational church service will be held on Sunday at 1:00 pm. Adults $5.00; kids under 12 – freeTime: 11:00am - 5:00pmWhere: Uxbridge Historical Center, 7239 Conc. Rd. 6 Contact: 905-852-0758 or [email protected]

REGULAR EVENTS

Monday Morning Singers. Anne Mizen Bak-er directs this women’s choir in a variety of mu-sic from folk to classical. No auditionsWhere: St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 65 Toronto Street SContact: 905-852-3693

Wanna Dance? Line Dancing. “You can dance, have fun and exercise all at the same time!” says Dianne Wiseman, the instructor for the line dancing classes being held at the Seniors Centre in Uxbridge. For ages 55 plusLine dancing is great exercise for virtually your whole body. Every Thursday.Time: 9:00am - 11:30amWhere: 75 Marietta Street, UxbridgeContact: 905-852-7792

Taoist Tai Chi at the Uxbridge Seniors Cen-tre. Includes a gentle set of movements that promote well-being for people of all ages and in all conditions. Beginner class: every Friday 9-10am. Continuous class: every Friday 10-11:30am. Where: 75 Marietta Street, UxbridgeContact: 905 852 2587

Royal Canadian Legion Every Friday night we play euchre, so if you are interested please come out at 7:00 to sign up and play starts at 7:30 PM. It is a great night of fun for all in the downstairs clubroom.Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion We have Bingo ev-ery Thursday night at 7:30 P.M. until spring. Come on by the upstairs hall with your friends, it could be your lucky night.Time: 7:30pmWhere: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge.

Royal Canadian Legion Darts runs every Wednesday night at 7:30 P.M. until spring. Teams are all set but someone is always look-ing for a spare. Cost for a spare is $3. It’s a great night of fun for all in the upstairs hall.Time: 7:30pmWhere: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion Meat rolls run every Saturday afternoon from 4–5 PM until Spring. It has been a Canadian Legion tradition for years. Come on out and support your local le-gion and maybe take home dinner..Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pmWhere: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion On the 3rd Monday of every month we hold a veterans afternoon from 2-4 P.M. This is open to all veterans and their spouse/guest in the area not just Ux-bridge members. They enjoy food, beverages, entertainment and door prizes compliments of the Uxbridge Legion. So come out and enjoy an afternoon with old friends and acquaintanc-es or meet some new ones. Night of fun for all in the upstairs hall.Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Open Mic Thursdays. Open Mic Thursdays are every Thursday at Wixan’s Bridge Present-ed by Beau’s All Natural Beer and Wixan’s Bridge! Watch awesome local talent, and sing a few songs if you feel up to it! It’s always a great time! The first Thursday of every month there’s a free sampling of Beau’s Lug Tread beer.There’s raffles every Thursday for the perform-ers and the audience! Starts at 9pm. Hosted by Bodan. 2 mics, an acoustic, a bass, a cajon and a foot tambourine are provided for gener-al use!Time: 9:00pm - 11:45pmWhere: Wixan’s Bridge 65 Brock Street West Uxbridge.Contact: 416-587-4572

Karaoke Wednesday. Karaoke is now every Wednesday Night at Wixan’s Bridge in Ux-bridge! It’s All Ages on the main floor.Time: 8:00pmWhere: Wixan’s Bridge 65 Brock Street West Uxbridge.Contact: 416-587-4572

Friday’s at the Foster Time: 7:30pm - 8:30pmWhere: Foster Memorial CemeteryRegional Road 1, Victoria Corners, ON L0CContact: 416-587-4572

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| go forth and create your hive | BY DARRIN DAVIS

Most great art is not created in a vacuum. Our experiences, struggles, triumphs and the risks we take are often a large part of what determines how successful we are at creating meaningful art. And a large part of what determines our experiences is who we spend our time with. Quite simply, as artists, we are very sensitive to everything in our environment. The textures of our clothes, the scent of a lilac in our neighbours backyard, the sound of the wind in the pines at night at the cottage... All of these things find their way into our creative projects, one way or another. True artists are always creating. A writer picks up on the peculiar, intriguing lilt of the new baristas voice at her favourite coffee shop, and jots it down in her notebook for a future character. A songwriter hears a bird singing while he’s walking in the woods, and sings the melody into his iPhone for his next song.

These are rather passive examples of how our influences shape our art. It’s why I believe places around the world that have rivers running through them tend to have a similar ‘something’ to their music. Why Russia and Canada have a common thread running through their literature. This is why I’ve often said, if you want to create better art, get better influences. This can be done in the passive sense by simply being more aware of your surroundings. But how about in the active sense?CREATE YOUR HIVEOne of the most important concepts in the field of creativity in recent years is that of the Creative Hive. In his highly recommended book ‘Uncertainty,’ Jonathon Fields discusses at length the importance of finding a creative community. He stresses how effortless it has become to find other brave souls working in similar fields, with a quick google search. Do you build guitar amps out of upcycled Altoid Mint tins, and need some feedback on your wiring? Good news, there’s a friendly chap in Fresno doing a similar thing, and his email and sound advice are just a few clicks away.

But I’m more interested in tangible, face-to-face creative community. The thing I miss the most from my Art School days at York University were the weekly ’Crits.’ Every week, all of my studio classes would have an informal critique where we would each have our work and progress discussed by the entire class. These sessions were at first scary, but soon grew to be the most valuable part of my Fine Arts education. Since then I’ve been an active member of many creative hives through the years, and in my mind there is no better way to help your art flourish. Over the last year, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of watching several timid, self-doubting musicians transform into remarkable songwriters and performers simply through their dedication and persistence in attending the Wednesday and Sunday night Open Mics at Colonel McGradys Pub in Uxbridge. The supportive, attentive and constructive nature of those weekly events make everyone who attends better for their participation.

When I was living in the Big Smoke, I started a monthly networking group for musicians and songwriters. We’d share contacts, discuss which venues treated the talent properly, etc. Soon it started becoming a place where we’d share early iterations of songs too, and suddenly our little Hive was abuzz. All of our Hive member’s creative output expanded exponentially with each meeting. It gave us accountability, valuable constructive feedback and that little added push we all needed here and there to get our artsy little butts in gear.

So how can you get your own hive going? Based on the varied success of several such incubators I’ve been a part of, I’ve come up with a little rhyming screening process for how to select members of your hive. You want to align yourself with people who can:BE KIND- First and foremost, you don’t want to be baring your artistic soul and newborn, fledgling creative babies to complete jerks. Kindness goes a long way in the development of a project. And while you’re at it, shine some of your glowing kindness light on yourself. FORGET TO REWIND- Sometimes your harshest judges are your family and close friends. They are so used to the ‘old you,’ the one who’s perhaps dropped the ball a few times in the past, that they may be blind to the EMERGING YOU, the one that your Hive is designed to foster. It’s not impossible to house your Hive with close friends or family. Sometimes they can be your biggest supporters. Just make sure that they don’t get stuck in an outdated version of who you are when they are critiquing your new work. HAVE A LIKE MIND- What’s your ‘support style?’ Are you an introvert

who likes to give and receive gentle suggestions for improvement and give understated praise, or are you an extroverted cheerleader type, who gives boisterous praise of work you like, and occasionally quite vocal constructive criticism when something isn’t working? Chances are, your hive will work best if it’s made up of creators with a similar support style. Queen Bees and Drones don’t tend to have great meetings in the Hive. HANDLE THE GRIND- Critiquing is a fine art. As we’ve discussed above, no one should feel attacked. But your work isn’t going to get better if everyone just pats each other on the back each month. Rarely is the first version of your song the best version of your song. You need people with good noses who are brave enough to say when something smells a bit fishy. And they also need to be able take it, too. Don’t stock your hive with Weak-Kneed Nancy’s and Feeble-necked Phils. Art is tough. Your Hive should be, too. Creative work is a lot like developing a connoisseurship for coffee. In the beginning, instant coffee still gives you a good buzz and creates gratification. But as you grow, you learn that a bit of expert roasting and a fine fresh grind make the purest, most satisfying cup around. Even if it is a bit more work. BE EASY TO FIND- No big secret here. If the members of your Hive are always buzzing off doing other things, ain’t nobody home to make the damn honey. Commitment is key when you’re getting this off the ground.

Good luck to you, friends. Shoot me an email to let me know how it goes!

Darrin Davis is professional musician, singer/songwriter, painter and-photographer. His weekly live music video series ‘Songs on a Pink Couch’ can be followed at www.youtube.com/user/thedarrindavis-band. Darrin hosts a weekly Sunday night Acoustic Open Mic at Col-onel McGrady’s Pub. He lives in the wildwood splendor of Uxbridge, Ontario with his lovely wife Amy, and his incorrigible pup, Dublin. All three are relentless Blue Jays fans.

44th Annual Heritage Days August 22-23, 2015 10am – 5 pm. (Formerly known as Steam Threshing Days) Uxbridge Historical Center, 7239 Conc. Rd. 6

Family fun for all, as the days are filled with live entertainment, Military re-enactments, kids programs, animal exhibits and much more.

Rich is Uxbridge’s history with farming; come see antique farm machinery, tractors, and vintage cars. Tour the Museum grounds with its historical buildings and historic artifacts. The Passport Challenge will have the children learning about the Historical Centre while visiting various areas and buildings on the grounds.The view from the top of the hill that overlooks Uxbridge is breath taking.. Sit in the shaded Beer Garden sipping a cool drink; enjoy a snack from the Meat Merchant Food Truck; a cob of corn cooked in a cauldron on an open fire; or a slice of pie with Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream for dessert.

A friendly Horse Shoe tournament takes place on Saturday from 11 – 4 pm. A non denominational church service will be held on Sunday at 1:00 pm. Adults $5.00; kids under 12 – free . Parking – free

Uxbridgehistoricalcentre.com

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| helen spring |

Helen Spring resident of the Vivian Woods since 1960 wrote a number of children’s stories in her mid 50’s. She created the accompanying illustrations for these which led her to the local high school, Stouffville District Secondary, where artists/teachers Jane Warren and John Roberts assisted her in gaining admission to the Ontario College of Art and Design. Upon graduating, Helen continued her studies in fine art at Guelph University and in London, England graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with an honor standing.

Helen works in many different mediums; watercolour, oil, metal, wood. In recent years Helen has focused on wood carving with a Port Perry group of artists and taught watercolour classes. Working closer to home now, her recent watercolour Happiness series explores the interaction of colour and circular shapes. A watercolour piece is yet percolating of a vision of a Texas lineman buying hot tamales for his luncheon...

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n| what’s your ‘wow’ factor | BY: ROGER PRINCE

Success today in business requires Entrepreneurs to intimately understand their customer. In a crowded marketplace with competitive pressures on multiple fronts how do you differentiate your product or service? Why would an informed buyer want to purchase from you or your business? What is your ‘WOW’ Factor? Not sure? Read on…..

M a n y b u s i n e s s e s today are driven on the premise that it is competitive pricing or s u p e r i o r service. Both are short lived for the simple reason it is the same

strategy that your competitors are using. It follows the same logic that Henry Ford used in mass producing the automobile ‘you can have it in any colour as long as it is in black’. The difference is Ford had no real competitors. In doing a ‘deep dive’ into finding out their ‘WOW’ factor, one of our clients a 25 year old plumbing company, discovered that their customers were stay at home mom’s, struggling to balance work/life/family spinning multiple plates. The company’s motto was ‘Great on time service at a competitive price’ (where have you heard that one before). In intimately understanding ‘their’ customer, they discovered that her ‘honey do’ list was long and getting longer. In our session they discovered a ‘WOW’ factor. They would provide their client with 30 minutes of ‘man’ power around the house to attack anything on the ‘honey do’ list for free! The impact? Their business has grown 60% year over year for the past three years! Not bad on a $10 mill operation which had flat lined!

Your approach for discovering your “WOW’ factor can be the five ‘W’s (Who, What, When, Where and Why) coupled with how. Our approach is to take clients through a deep dive on our ‘Business Model Optimizer’ workshop. This 12 step process is designed to identify the strengths of the business and areas of concern including human capital. We start with a four hour, hands on whiteboard session. Step one is to narrowly define and derive insight on the ideal customer. Too often businesses are vague as to their ideal client. For example an Optical store might say anyone with a pair of eyeballs or a Dentist anyone with teeth. Both are true and both now compete for the same customers that all Optometrists/Dentists compete for. An Optical store would be better to ‘target’ a specific niche…..say the upwardly mobile executive looking to make a power statement in business....a dentist….might target the 55 plus crowd. The second step is two identify the ‘Value proposition’ associated with the target audience. Nine out of ten businesses typically include ‘service’ as their value prop. That does not work. It obligates the customer to buy in order to figure out whether your business has value. Most potential customers will take a pass. A more focused approach on potential clients might look like this……The Optical store tag line could be ‘With an Eye on Business’ and the Dentist….’Helping you keep a firm bite on the next 30’.

Given a clear target and insight to the ‘target’ customer, the next steps go through an exercise of all demand generation ideas which are then prioritized creating a lead generation program. The business can now focus and execute a plan to target their ideal customer. Critical to success is understanding your cost of acquisition. For example the optical store may be better served by spending $10 per 100 prospects versus $1 per 1,000 prospects if their client acquisition is a 10x factor

with the 100 prospects versus a 2x factor on the 1,000 prospects. This would give them a 400% increase, in qualified prospects at the same marketing spend.

All businesses need to ‘flow chart’ their sales process. Each step of a client acquisition must be identified and everyone follows this process. This provides the mechanism for developing an effective pipeline with probability percentages attached to each phase as the opportunity advances in the sales cycle. Tracking ‘funnel’ conversion exposes gaps and provides the basis to improve closing ratios.

Unless you are a ‘Solopreneur’ your success will depend on understanding and leveraging the capabilities of your team. One of the best ways of getting to your team’s ‘Entrepreneurial DNA’ is to conduct a team assessment. You can have your team members undergo a free assessment which can be found at www.princeleadershipgroup.com or contact me at [email protected] to arrange for a certified BOSI Catalyst.

We are often asked what results can a business expect with this increased focus? The clients in our ‘operating partner portfolio’ experienced an average 55% year over year revenue growth in 2014. How does your growth compare?

Roger Prince is the Founder of Prince Leadership Group. He is a Certified Coach Practitioner, Speaker and Author helping Companies and Executives ignite their growth and explode their full potential. His area of expertise is Onboarding New Executives. His 35 years of hands on with Fortune 500 companies has enabled him to gain a deep understanding of why leadership matters. Roger is available for individual or team coaching, speaking engagements, leadership development, sales training and workshops.

Uxbridge Renovation Showroom | 905-852-7722 | 17991 Lakeridge Road

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| local living |

44th ANNUAL HERITAGE DAYS August 22-23rd, 2015 10am – 5 pm.

(Formerly known as Steam Threshing Days) Uxbridge Historical Center, 7239 Conc. Rd. 6Family fun for all, as the days are filled with live entertainment, Military re-enactments, kids programs, animal exhibits and much more.

Rich is Uxbridge’s history with farming; come see antique farm machinery, tractors, and vintage cars. Tour the Museum grounds with its historical buildings and historic artifacts. The Passport Challenge will have the children learning about the Historical Centre while visiting various areas and buildings on the grounds.

The view from the top of the hill that overlooks Uxbridge is breath taking.. Sit in the shaded Beer Garden sipping a cool drink; enjoy a

snack from the Meat Merchant Food Truck; a cob of corn cooked in a cauldron on an open fire; or a slice of pie with Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream for dessert. A friendly Horse Shoe tournament takes place on Saturday from 11 – 5 pm.

A non denominational church service will be held on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

Adults $5.00; kids under 12 – free

151st UXBRIDGE FALL FAIR September 11-13th, 2015 10am – 5 pm.

The 151st Fair celebrates agriculture and its future practitioners. This family centred event features Horse and Tractor Pulls, Livestock and Poultry Contests and Shows along with Vegetable and Flower Contests and Displays. Other popular features are the Homecraft Building, Demo Derby, Amusements, Live Entertainment and Food

Vendors. Something for everyone in the family. Location: Elgin Park, Uxbridge. General admission is $12 for adults, children aged 13 and under are free, parking is free and the Saturday offsite shuttle is free. General admission provides free admission to all events.

6TH ANNUAL FARMERS OF UXBRIDGEAugust 20, 2015, 5pm to 8pm. Uxbridge Arena

You are invited to attend the 6th Annual Farmers of Uxbridge event at the Uxbridge Arena. There are over 30 local farmers with an extensive variety of products. Buy local and learn about the farm industry. We have farmers that produce dairy, beef, pork, corn and fresh fruit and produce. Specialty items include local honey, maple syrup, sheep cheese, jams and a local wine pro-ducer. New exciting surprises, where does your food come from? Children and Adults will learn so much about farm life.Outdoor displays include, tractors with a variety of farm equipment. This is a free event with free parking. Refreshments are provided. Join us again or for the first time and learn about our local farmers. “Farm-ers Feed Families” For more information please contact Councillor Pamela Beach 905 852-6440 or 905 852-9181

Fun for the whole family!Fun for the whole family!43rd Annual

Published by:(905) 862-3747 | uxbridgetowntalk.com uxbridge town talk

IN THE UXBRIDGECOSMOS

AUGUST 13TH1A1

1A1

Mayor’s Message

Township of Uxbridge • Community Guide • Fall & Winter 2015-2016

Published by: SWEETWORLDMEDIA

Publisher of

Cover images taken at Uxbridge Fall Fair 2014 by John Cavers

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| blueberry-raspberry gratin | PROVIDED BY: DEBY KASMAN OF TWISTLANE ALPACAS

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter1/2 cup sugar1 tsp cornstarch1 egg, seperated1/2 cup light cream1 tsp vanilla2 cups blueberries2 cups raspberries1 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. In heavy saucepan blend butter, all but 1 tbsp suger, cornstarch; wisk in egg yolk and cream. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly for 3 minutes until thickened. Add vanilla.

2. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy. Fold in cream mixture.

3. Spoon custard over berries. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil 4” from heat for 1-2 minutes.

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| help blaze a trail with the dmba | BY ELAINE LEIGH

The DMBA

(Durham Mountain Bike Association) is on a mission. They are creating world class mountain bike trails right here in Uxbridge! What a compliment to our existing “Trail Capital of Canada” system that will include this incredible mountain bike trail system and bring riders from all over Ontario.

Steve Snoddon spent a great deal of time and effort with me to share the DMBA vision founded on a passion for riding. I can tell you it was a rainy day but full of dedicated cyclists building this incredible trail. I was amazed at how well attended this particular build was considering the weather. I really thought our interview would be cancelled but definitely not. It was packed with volunteers who clearly have a rain or shine philosophy. This was certainly my most adventurous and enjoyable interview. It was a pleasure listening to and seeing the passion in this group!

A bit of history: It took eight years of planning with a final agreement with the TRCA (Toronto Region Conservation Authority) and a successful matching bid for $20,000 dollars from the National Trails Coalition to get this project started. Then there were two years of designing, planning and getting approvals to begin this project. In early spring of 2015 the committees began working with professional trail building contractors and trail excavators that began roughing in the trail corridors. The remaining work is followed by volunteers with the difficult task of hand finishing and detailing the trails. The trails are built to international standards. In fact, this is one of the most ambitious trail projects to date that have had over 2979 volunteer

hours that have been carefully documented. These volunteers have now completed 10K of trails with the goal of having 12k completed by their projected fall opening.

The approval process on such a huge trail system is unbelievable! The DMBA group of volunteers have carefully mapped and planned every detail. It does not stop there! The trails could not compromise any protected trees (and believe me there are many) and protected nesting areas or rock piles that have been there for years (snakes nesting). The entire project was planned and mapped to respect all aspects of the environment, minimizing the impact of this beautiful forest. Combining that with trail safety, water drainage and pleasure of the ride has made this a giant project, a project that is completely volunteer driven.

The completion of this trail system will be linked to Durham Forest and East Duffins Forests and will be a significant addition to Uxbridge’s designation as “The Trail Capital of Canada”. More importantly, it will give riders the most spectacular and scenic ride winding beautifully through a mature and diverse forest and bring thousands of visitors every year to the Uxbridge area.

This group is without a doubt the most organized and devoted volunteers I have met to date. Their only focus is getting these trails built. No detail has been forgotten including the hard work and heavy labour involved. How can you be a part of this initiative? The DMBA have carefully planned a donation strategy that suits all budgets. If you are interested in helping this great cause you can

volunteer or donate and you could win a Fat bike, or receive one of the awesome Limited Edition Dagmar Riding Jersey’s pictured above. Reach DMBA at d u r h a m m o u n t a i n b i k i n g .ca to volunteer or to durhammountainbiking.ca/donate and please note to choose The Dagmar North Trail Project.

As a resident of Uxbridge Elaine has taken the helm of Sweet World Media, publisher of Uxbridge Town Talk. Elaine has three passions, family, photography and her Golden Retriever Jake. With a new business, three grandchildren and plenty of photo opportunities in Uxbridge, life’s been busy but fun!

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Excavating/TrenchingOutdoor LightingGeneratorsSolar Systems

Service UpgradesResident Work

IndustrialCommercial

We do FARM WORK& NEW CONSTRUCTION LETS GO GREEN

Update your lighting to LED.

FREEESTIMATES

Be ready for STORMSInstall a GENERATOR!

We do HOT TUB& POOL

HOOKUPS