The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, AUGUST 29,2001 PAGE 7 Avon BY CRYSTAL CRIMI Staff Writer OSHAWA - With just a $7,500 loan behind her, Stephanie Jukes of Oshavva turned a simple idea into a multi-million dollar franchise. Beating the odds has won Mrs. Jukes the Avon Canada Woman of Inspiration Award for the entrepreneurship entrepreneurship category. Over just 10 years, Mrs. Jukes's 'Hand Me Downs' empire has increased to 10 stores in Ontario with one each in Oshawa and Courtice. "True rags to riches; I had nothing," said Mrs. Jukes, 35. "Being a teenage mom and not finishing high school, I did things a little backwards. The odds were pretty stacked for me to lose but it really didn't matter." It all started when Mrs. Jukes was bookkeeping for an accountant full-time to pay for a one-bedroom apartment . which was so small, she and her daughter daughter had to share the same bed. While shopping at second-hand stoics for women, she wondered why . there weren't any for children. She tossed the idea of a second-hand store for children around for a year and one day the opportunity presented itself. While doing night courses for accounting accounting at college, she saw a poster that read j 'Be Your Own Boss.' It was a govern- ■ ment program offering a $7,500 loan for anyone who could come up with $1,500 and a business plan. But it wasn't that easy. She borrowed $1,500 from family members because she didn't have a cent in the bank, but still got denied by the official official reviewing her loan application. i "The more he said 'No,' the more I realized realized this was my mission," she said. She went to Queen's Park and argued her case to bureaucrats. After endless struggles she finally got the loan. Family and friends worked at the store for free the first year and it still almost went out of business. She continued to work at the bookkeeping job and began looking for partners who could run the business in her absence. In the meantime, she got married, had a child, dropped her night courses at college college to focus on her business and switched locations. "You just don't turn a key and make money. There is some real pain and suffering." suffering." Things went sour with her partners partners and to run the business the way she wanted to, her new father-in-law put a full mortgage on his house to lend her money to buy them out and begin franchising franchising the business - a big risk in the early 1990s in the heart of a recession. "I survived the decade-from-hell in retail," she said. "I have an amazing network network of people who have been positive since I started the business," she said. Her mother-in-law even sent in the nomination form to Avon, and her business business isn't the only reason she was picked for the award. She has also taught accounting, accounting, administered correspondence courses for college, and is highly involved involved with the Business Advisory, a non-profit organization advocating small business. She is also a former winner of the Durham YWCA's Woman of Distinction Distinction award. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? Be 100 per cent sure you want to start a business and take the leap because you are passionate about it, not for the money. This is the second year women across Canada have received the Avon award, which has five categories: arts and culture, culture, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, wellness, social action, and education. The award is presented to women whose actions actions and commitments bring spirit and | passion to their community. Enniskillen street dance coming up ENNISKILLEN - Prize donors and volunteers arc wanted for an upcoming upcoming barbecue and street dance in Enniskillen. The event, sponsored by Enniskillen Enniskillen United Church Sunday School, will be held Sept. 15 from 4 to 10 p.m. Anyone who wishes to volunteer or donate raffle prizes is asked to call Chris Jacobs at 905-263-4795. All proceeds from the event will go to Enniskillen's Sunday School. Kick Start your Health Prices i effect until September 29. 2001, while quantities last =EATURE PRODUCTS Natural Factors -- Learning Factors Capsules Liquid Smoothie Mix Daily Nutrient Boost 900g Powder ONLY 59" 2 90's 150mL ONLY ONLY 13" 10" Health Pood (^pFitness Oshawa Centre ®: Registered Tradnark of Sears, licenced for use in Canada. © 2001, Sears Canada Inc. Stephanie Jukes of Oshawa, who turned her Hand Me Downs store into a 10-outlet empire, has been given the Avon Canada Woman of Inspiration Award. Clarington This Week Silt Canabmn Statesman Visit Durham's best on-line classified advertising directory durhamregion.com SALE PRICES END SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, OR WHERE SEARS IS CLOSED,iATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2001 NOW 799 FOR TEAM KENMORE® LAUNDRY TAM SAVE $100. Washer. 2.5-cu. ft. extra-large capacity. Features 6 cycle otions and 3 temperature options. #12202. Sears reg. 549.99.449.99 SAVE $100. Dryer. Extra-large capacity. Features -drying options. #62212. Sears reg. 499.99.399.9! SAVE AN EXTRA $50 WHEN YflJ BUY THE TEAM \ V' é - ~ * - * 'i-rx" 1 ... * ' k-Y* \ </ our National AppSance Sale V'V 4 '< ' C'\; if m& plus everyday giod values I t : ; M : : 4 : ' y ?" fl. 1": >•' rf ; : . «% 'bi ull year* and don't on all major apiances *1" Sears stores close to you, close to home Major Appliances are available at the following Greater Toronto locations: North Bolton Dealer Store (905) 857-4390 Markham Furniture, Appliances & Home Improvements Store Don Mills & Steeles (905) 881-6600 Markville Shopping Centre (905) 946-1866 Promenade Shopping Centre (905) 731-3388 Richmond Hill Furniture & Appliances Store Hwy. 7 and YongeSt. (905) 762-0870 Upper Canada Mall Newmarket (905) 898-2300 Woodbridge Furniture & Appliances Store Hwy. 7 & Weston Rd. (905) 850-6406 East Oshawa Shopping Centre (905) 576-1711 Pickering Town Centre (905) 420-8000 Scarborough Furniture & Appliances Store Kennedy Rd. & 401 (416) 332-8577 Scarborough Town Centre (416) 296-0171 Central FairviewMall (416) 502-3737 Genard Square (416) 461-9092 Sherway Gardens (416) 620-6011 Woodbine Shopping Centre (416) 798-3800 Yorkdale Shopping Centre (416) 789-1105 Allen Rd. Furniture & Appliances Store Allen Rd. & Sheppard Ave. (416) 398-9947 West Ancaster Furniture & Appliances Store Golf Links Rd. & Legend Crt. (905) 304-1440 Bramalea City Centre (905) 458-1141 Brampton Furniture 8 Appliances Store 535 Steeles Ave. E. (905)455-1255 Burlington Furniture & Appliances Store Plains Rd. East &QEW (905) 631-9655 Erin Mills Town Centre (905) 607-2300 Georgetown Dealer Store (905) 877-5172 Hamilton Centre Mall (905) 545-4741 Umeridge Mall Hamilton (905) 389-4441 Mapleview Centre Burlington (905) 632-4111 Milton Dealer Store (905) 8784104 Mississauga Dealer Store (905) 848-8882 Mississauga Furniture & Appliances Store Hwy. 5.8403(905) 820-6801 Oakville Place (905) 842-9410 Square One Shopping Centre (905) 270-8111 Major appliances from Sears are Canada's Bestsellers ■ Based on independent national surveys current at time of advertising preparation NP0910401 Major appliances online at www.sears.ca •Don't pay until September 2002. on approved credit, only with your Sears Card. Minimum $200 purchase. $45 delcrral fee and all applicable taxes and charges are payable at time el purchase. Excludes items in our liquidalion/Oullct stores and Catalogue purchases. Oiler ends Sunday, September 30, or where Scars is closed, Saturday, September 29,2001. Ask 1er details. Copyright 2001. Sears Canada Inc.