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4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, September 29,1993 Section Two :<■ V : 'M Clubs and Organizations SolinaW.I. Visits Apple Plant The September 16/93 meeting was held at the home of Betty Blaker. President Shirley Brown opened the meeting with a welcome and a poem with a humorous touch. The Mary Stewart Collect was repeated and acting acting secretary Marian Allin read the minutes. The roll call, name a Canadian Canadian artist was answered by 19 members. members. We were pleased to have two Piano Exam Results The following students of Janet Rice were candidates for Royal Conservatory Conservatory of Music piano examinations examinations in June 1993. All candidates were successful. Stephanie Matheson Gr. II - First Class Honours, Jennifer Matheson Gr. IV - Honours, Jcimifcr Eeuwes Gr. V - Honours. Jennifer Eeuwes also received a mark of 95% in Grade II Rudiments (as a theory student of Brenda Holmes) visitors, Anna, sister of Betty Blakcr and Jean Yurichuk, friend of Shirley .Brown. Tire Treasurer's report was . given by Betty Lou Locke in Liddy Bouwmccster's absence. Correspondence Correspondence was read from Focus, a women's women's issues group with an invitation to attend a dedication ceremony at Visual Arts Centre September 17/93 at 2:00 p.m. The Newcastle Historical Society would like to use our display from Orono Fair which placed first in com- ■petition. Park House, to which our branch donated $300 has asked for a list of members. If you receive a request request for a donation to Park House, please contact Shirley Brown. The convention is being held at Howard Johnson Hotel at Markham Rd. in Toronto, October 22 and 23/ 93. The Branch will send a delegate. Thelma Gilbank presented the information information for the fun fair October 14/ 93 at 2 p.m. in Nestlcton. Our Branch will be part of the entertainment. If you can help with a donation of sand wiches or items lor the bake table, please contact Joan Tax. The motto was given by Barb Wood and the program with Marie Becker's Education and Culture committee committee presented local artist, and former former president of the Eastern Central Artists's Association, Les Jones. Mr. Jones spoke on the visitor's centre at Algonquin Park where an art festival and juried art show were on display. Marilyn Martin thanked the speaker speaker and presented him with a gift of appreciation. Members were asked to sign up for a dinner theatre evening in Cobourg, October 28/93. Please contact Shirley Brown for further information. information. Before adjourning the meeting, the President Shirley Brown thanked hostess Betty Blakcr for opening her new home for our meeting and invited invited everyone to enjoy the prepared lunch. The next meeting is October 21 at 1:30 p.m. with Sylvia Payer as convener. M. Dow P.R.O. ■ The September meeting of Solina Women's Institute was held on Wednesday, September 8 in the afternoon. afternoon. Members met at the hall and drove to Caldor Orchards at R. R. 4, Bowmanville, owned by Martin Ger- rits and Sons. We enjoyed a most interesting interesting walk through the apple packing and storage plant where we learned about the many facets of a successful apple plant. Mechanization Mechanization and computers play a large part in the operation. Each received a bag of Paularcd apples. The Gerritts were thanked for their hospitality and generosity. generosity. We returned to Solina Hall for the remainder of our meeting. President Margaret Ford opened the meeting with the Opening Ode and the Mary Stewart Collect. The minutes of the June meeting, the W.I. Picnic and the Summer Outing were read. The treasurer's report was given by Alma Langmaid, She reported that the list of members names had been requested to have on file at the office at Guelph. We decided to take up the offer to have our Tweedsmuir History microfilmed. microfilmed. Doris Hills will transport the books. The fall 4-H Club begins September September 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the hall with Karen Dair and Jenny Bowman, leaders. leaders. The area Convention is October 22 and 23 at Howard Johnson's in Scarborough. Workshops will be presented presented Friday afternoon. Marion Peters Peters is our delegate to this convention. convention. Several members will attend Friday. Our donations (the 39 loonies) in cheque form arc now due and can be sent by cheque to Guelph. Suggestions of a project for the District were made for the 100th Anniversary Anniversary in 1997. A small bag for our W.I. books seems appropriate. Reports were presented. Marion Broome and Marjorie Cryderman gave the Friendship Report. Jean Taylor's report on the Pro-Lift was Top Franchisor of 1992 Speaks to Bowmanville Rotary Minutes from Maple Grove W.I. Meeting BsM XV X The keynote speàker at Thursday's Rotary Club luncheon meeting was M & M Meat Shops founder Mac Voisin (at podium). Mr. Voisin spoke to a crowd of approximately 100 Rotarians and their guests on how he opened a single shop in Kitchener 12 years ago and turned it into a successful chain of 123 stores with still more on the way. At the head table are (1-r): Linda and Dennis Moore, franchise owners of Bowmanville M & M Meats, speaker Mac Voisin, Acting Rotary President Paul Morris, and Mayor Diane Hamre. ' by Lorraine Manfredo Mac Voisin knew he had an excellent excellent business idea 12 years ago when he struck up a conversation with a restaurant restaurant meat supplier. He also knew the market was primed for what he was planning to sell. What the ex-home builder hadn't yet discovered was that even perfectly-timed, perfectly-timed, good ideas are not always enough to get a business off the ground. But, despite a difficult start, Voisin and his partner managed to turn their first meat shop in Kitchener into a thriving, 123-store chain that captured a top franchising award in 1992. Mac Voisin is the founder and president of M & M Meats, He revealed his secrets for success last Thursday during a lunchtme address address to Rotary Club members and guests gathered at the Hying Dutchman Dutchman Hotel. According to Voisin, the venture was a success because of years of persistence, persistence, a knack for turning adversity into opportunity, and some incredibly off-the-wall marketing schemes that worked. He recalled the early days. Back in 1980, Voisin and his brother-in-law Mark, (hence the name M & M) were enjoying themselves at a barbecue. "Wc started discussing the inability inability to buy consistently good steaks in supermarkets," he said. "Wc knew that was not the ease for high quality restaurants." The two took their questions to a local meat supplier who told them restaurants restaurants used aged meat, in which the tougher fibres have been. broken down. The supplier also told them about specially prepared main courses, like Chicken Kiev and Beef Wellington that he also sold to restaurants. Voisin learned that grocers didn't stork. Vl b| : n' r V| itcrn because shoppers top marks for reifl r . with , thc ™' or ac " grade when it c o mè ^ide inre guess Mommy and Daddy sponsible for safety in the honrgi Last week, I was sitting ini while Morgan was watching ai body's favorite dinosaur, Barney don't know Barney, he's not the f. toon character who hangs out w and Wilma. He's the purple ant tosaurus who's making big bua songs to kids. I only wish^ instead of the mother who, V tain the neighborhood kids. As we watched Barney, l nod, one half of my brain fl while the other half was do ) ing job about the benefits o that her Daddy's watchful shut, Morgan made a break » from the room In a flash. 6 Everyone has experienced^ when you hear something thav can't makp up your mind if you Investigate. Finally, the souno around on cupboard shelvet tail stores the quality of meats available available to restaurants. The advent of microwave ovens and home freezers combined with the trend of homemakers entering the the paid labor-force, told him the market was ready for quality convenient foods that didn't require hours of preparation and clean-up. But, when he opened his meat store doors in Kitchener, the customers customers stayed away. "We had a long, cold winter," he recalls, "Sales were just rotten." During their fourth month in business, business, Mac and Mark figured they'd hit bottom when they went an entire nirie- hour day without a single sale. "We laughed about it. We always believed there would be line-ups the next morning." Yet things got worse. "We walked in one morning and found that the walk-in freezer had broken down and that all our products had thawed." They turned disaster into a boost that day by hosting a giant barbeque. They gave away free lobster tails, fillet fillet mignon, and steaks. The crowds walking up and down the boulevard were impressed. "Hundreds of people went away telling everyone else about the nice people at M & M Meat shops," says Voisin. When an article about the shop appeared appeared in a local newspaper, things really got going. The owners went out of their way to stage outlandish displays at their store. ... They,fi|led,theif,store with trailer loads of carved pumpkins at Hallowe'en. Hallowe'en. Smoky barbecues stopped traffic and attracted the curious. They, wore crazy hats to make the kids laugh. They even sent four pounds of the world's longest sausage to the queen and got a thank-you letter in reply. The sausage they had prepared was eight miles long. "We believed in the theory of 'think big, act big,"' he said. "Sales were generated just by thinking that way." M & M meat shops remain successful successful today because of a quality product and genuine attention to customer customer service, Voisin says. He invited everyone to conduct their own little survey at any ten retail outlets. Try beating the clerk to saying 'Thank-you', he said, and count how many clerks respond by saying, 'You're Welcome'. "The Thank-you's should be going the other way. I don't know why, but for some reason, in Canada, customers thank the clerk. We think that is totally wrong." Success depends on properly trained, motivated and trustworthy staff, he said. "At M & M Meats, we keep the troops fired up. We truly believe they arc partners and not the enemy." The Maple Grove W.I. met on September 13th at 8 p.m. in the C.E. Hall with 1st Vice-President Mrs. S. Found chairing the meeting. Mrs. Found welcomed everyone and read a poem entitled "Smiles". The singing of the Ode and the repeating repeating of the Lord's Prayer opened the business. The Roll Call was "«A rural sound you enjoy." The Minutes were read and approved approved and the Treasurer's report given and correspondence was read. Our delegate to the Area Convention Convention on October 22nd and 23rd will be Mrs. A. Vandergaast or her alternate, alternate, Mrs. S. Found. Solina is chartering chartering a bus as some wanted to go that way. Mrs. H. Cryderman gave her 'A Good Neighbours' report. Members congratulated Mrs. H. Bradley and her husband who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Mrs. R. Metcalf commented on the W.I. displays at Orono Fair where Maple Grove won 2nd prize. The new 4H Club is on "Drama.' Mrs. H. Bradley had attended the District Executive meeting planning our Fun Fair which will be held at Nestlcton on October 14th at 2 p.m. Arrangements were made for the part that Maple Grove does and we arc on program. The regular collection and ; Pennies for freindship were taken up. Mrs. G. Besse, convenor for "Agriculture" "Agriculture" was in charge of the fol- • lowing program. Mrs. H. Prescott, commented on ■? the.Motto 1 "Agriculture is the strong- ' est spoke in the wheel of industry." She said "Agriculture demands both physical and mental stability." Agriculture provides food for the whole world. The products of agriculture provide provide flour, meats, fmits for canning and various other uses. The daity industry provides milk, cream and ice cream, just to name a few. The poultry industry provides eggs and poultry for food. The agriculture agriculture industry provides large equipment equipment to plant and harvest the farm crops. It is also a large consumer for other industries. Mrs. S. Doyle with Mrs. W. Laird at the piano sang, "School Days'. Mrs. R. Metcalf spoke on Agriculture - "What is it's Message?" Mrs. Metcalf informed us about the changing role as regards a Dairy Princess for each country. It is now known as a dairy educator and we arc very proud to have Mrs. Metcalf selected selected for this position. Our congratulations, congratulations, Brenda! In discussing farming farming in general, there are fewer than 10% of Canadians directly farming. Canada has the 2nd cheapest cost of food in the world. It takes 6 lbs. of feed to produce lib of beef or pork. Mrs. Metcalf and family arc involved involved in the dairy industry. She told of many of the practises carried out in farming which arc much different than several years ago. For example the semen that many dairy farmers use to produce their calves is shopped for much like you would in a Scars catalogue. Mrs. Metcalf had a leaflet of "Milk's delightful Drinkables' and a pencil from milk marketing board for each lady. Mrs. S. Doyle gave a reading 'The Contemporary Farmer' and then favoured favoured us with another solo entitled "Beneath the crust of the old apple pic." The meeting closed with the repeating repeating of the Collect. The group in charge served a variety of fruit crisps with whipped cream, tea and coffee during the social hour. Our October meeting will be on October 18th, with a visiting Institute. Institute. We are asked to bring articles for a silent auction. Press Secretary. Win Brown. given by Vi Ashton. We now have $16,800.00 or approximately. Tickets arc still available for the "Pat Best Painting" which will be drawn for in November. Members have tickets for sale. There will be a bake sale November 12 to raise funds. Barbara Kaptcyn reported on our fair display for Blackstock and Orono. Orono. The Fun Fair is October 14 at Nestlcton. More details later. Mary Millson reported the "Solina Books" are still available at $20.00. Our Roll Call "What I read first in the Newspaper" - was well answered. President Margaret welcomed member Rita Fraser from British Co-' lumbia. The programme under the direction direction of the Bradley's group followed. Marion Peters chaired this part. She began with a reading "All I ever needed to know, I learned in kindergarten." kindergarten." Lois Ycllowlccs gave the motto "Children taught respect, tolerance and obedience seldom have to be taught by the law later." She expressed expressed the thought that "if you don't help your child find the right way someone with more time will help him find the wrong way." Lois ended with "give him roots and wings and we can only hope for the best." Ida Bray led a sing song of familiar familiar tunes. Marion closed with a reading that suggested we must "lose one's life to find it," thus we should "enjoy each moment." Next month our meeting is open to visitors, men, friends husbands, Ross Stevenson, M.P. will be our guest speaker on the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mark the date - October 13, 8:00 p.m. at the hall. Our meeting closed with O Canada Canada and the W.I. Grace. A social hour followed in the lower lower hall with the raffle for A.C.W.W. by the East Group. P.R.O. Report Solina W.I. Donna Barkey CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON ffHIS WINTER. When It comes to fighting snow, there's a John Deere snowblower that's right for you. Choose from 8 powerful models with cutting widths of up to 32 jnches. You get fingertip control; sure starts and John Deere reliability, , to help you clear anything from a driveway to a parking lot. And all models come with money saving rebates of up to $140.00. Factory rebates only last until December 27. And that's no snow job. So hurry to your nearest John Deere dealer today to choose the perfect snowblower for you. jjUv. 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