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"There is a man who moved to Port Perry five short years ago and gave up a 13 year career job ase police officer to devote almost all of his time to his community and his business. I know how hard this man has worked because no one could be more proud of him than me. You see, this man is Peter Kneale, and he is my husband. Peter has worked day and night to establish himself and his busi- ness in this community because, You see, his dream was to move to a town where the people were friendly, and where what he could do to better himself and his com- munity would be appreciated. Peter joined the Kinsmen Club of Port Perry shortly after ~e began our business and become one of the lar rps fundraisers for this club. always active in any of the do that the Kinsmen are involved in whether it be Master of Ceremonies for the 'Proud to be Canadian' tour, entertaining at Festival Days, organizing the Kinsmen Golf Tournament, Kinfest -- you name it -- he's there orga- nizing and working hard. One good example is his work raising money for the Kinsmen Club and the Scugog Animal Shelter in the way of his Pet Walkathon. If his customers, friends or family need him, he is there. He thinks nothing of driving to Oshawa to deliver dog food to the elderly customers who cannot get to Port Perry for their pet's food and treats. | have seen him come back to the pet store during a Sunday dinner to help a customer whose bunny was sick. He truly is a businessman who really cares about his customers and { think that anyone who has dealt with him will agree with me. There are just so many things that Pete has done for this commu- nity in five short years, and he has done it because he thinks that Port Perry and the people who live here are the greatest. But Port Perry is the greatest because of people like im. DON'T EVER CHANGE, PETE, BECAUSE | AM PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THIS WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AROUND." --Pat Kneale. If Pete Kneale wants to do something, he doesn't sit around and think up 100 reasons why it can't be done -- he just does it. He calls himself a "spur of the ., moment person", and he gets trait honestly, from his father. The Kneales were living in England when Peter's father decided he'd like to live in Canada. He lived in Windsor for four months before bringing the rest of the family over to live with him -- in a complete stranger's house. When his father had arrived, "He looked up anybody in the phone booth with the same last name and moved in with them." When he was settled in, his wife and four children shipped across the Atlantic in the Queen Mary. It was 1956 and Pete was only two years old. His whole fam- ily wound up living with the Windsor Kneales, who were no relation, for an entire year before finding a place of their own. That same kind of gutsiness carries on in Peter, who gave up a $50,000 job as a Toronto police officer to open up a little pet food 1991 CHEV LUMINA Z34 - $17,995. 3.4 litre, black with grey Interior, auto, 2 door, 26,000 1988 OLDS C Loaded, 4 door, Rosewood with 1990 CHEV CAV, 3.1 litre, red, Eagle GT+4 Tir , auto, 90,000 kms., Interior. Very comfortable. . Z24 - $11,995. 1988 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE - $4,995. 4 door, automatic, white with burgundy interiot AM/FM rad, 90,000 kms. Clean inside and out. 1987 PONTIAC SUNBIRD - $3,995, 4 door, § speed manual, AFM radi, red, front byckets. 1978 BUICK RIVIERA - $1,995. | CONSIGNMENT SPECIAL 108,000 original miles. Mainly Southem USA driven. 403 cu. CHEV - engine, Bridgestone SF-375 tires. GEO - OLDS LTD. Peter Kneale and Caeser. shop in the Port Pery Plaza called Pet Pantry. Pom of the best Rings 1 Sot did was join the police force," he says. "One of the next best things | ever did was quit." If he hadn't been a cop, Pete might not have met his future wife, Pat, who is blonde and pretty and fiercely loyal to her handsome hus- band. They met at a policeman's jack and jill stag -- Pat was infatu- ated with the groom and Pete had come to the dance with another woman on a blind date...but some- how they ended up together -- and eventually, married. They made their home in Scarborough, but spent a great deal of time -- some- times every day after work -- at Pat's parents home in Scugog. Eventually, they moved to Scugog Island. Pat commuted to the city * where she had a prestigious execu- tive Soc) Job vi with =n squally lk plainclothes jobs, amongst hookers and drug addicts in booze cans. His job might sound, um, inter- esting (he just missed getting hit in the head with a tire iron four whl Foe ui nt er 19 years on the job, with little chance of promouge, Parst wis getting bored. "When I became , 1 used to visit a pet food store called the Pet Pantry," he says. The Fred and Pete thought Fred had it good. His customers, all or owners, were always Spruce Trees HALF PRICE $7.00 ft. / All Other #%, Types of Trees 4 Available. unlike Pete's 'customers' who weren't so friendly when etn were on their wi Lyd fo te fo th a great life." But, of course, nobody thinks their has life is perfect. Fred told Pete he'd like to one day sell his city business and set up in a small town, Pete took:that to heart, and decided if he was ever going to start a business, he'd do it in a small town, right at the start. "I talked to him for months. I picked his brain for everything 1 could. And then I quit," Pete says. "Pat just about had a heart attack." It was a big move, giving up a secure job, but, "I realized I wasn't going to go any further with the police department. To me, it's 'why do something if you can't get ahead'?" And besides, the drive back and forth to Toronto was beginning to get to him. "The com- muting got to me and the town got to me. I thought, this would be a great way to spend the rest of my life." So, they both quit their jobs and opened their own pet food store. To make ends meet, Pete worked part-time at the beer store and cut- ting grass -- and anything that trust amongst their loyal cus- tomers, and earning themselves a welcome place in the community. 'Wanting to get to know people, he joined the Kinsmen Club. Wanting to get involved in the Specially Blended SCREENED TOPSOIL & PEAT $1 0. per.yd. SPRING SPECIAL, entertainment field, he karaoke business, doing dances at Trader Sam's every Friday and Saturday night, as well as conven- tions and large parties. Whether it's the Scugog Chamber of Commerce or the Kinsmen Club, Pete gives it his best shot -- his latest project is the Kinsmen's 'Pet Walkathon', Sunday June 7, with all proceeds to the Scugog Animal Shelter and Kinsmen projects (if you'd like to walk your pet, rise some money for less fortunate pets and maybe' win yourself a prize, call 985-08 Plainly, (1A is a busy man, But he likes it that way. Business is so he has expanded into a larg- er store and has joined a buying group known as Paulmac's Pet 'oods. He has a wife who loves him dearly, a pet parrot named Caesar who eats frénch fries for lunch, and two pooches, a peekapoo named Bear and a Wheaten terrier named Kelsey. In their rare free time, Pat, Pete wand Kelsey hit the waters of Lake Scugog on their jet skiis -- the humans have their own, and Kelsey (with his own life jacket) joins Pete on his. But Peter Kneale has little time for spare time, He's a man with a mission, or as he puts it, ever so simply, "I can't sit still." Quick Q & A: Peter Kneile 1. What's your favourite thing about Scugog? "Friendly people. More than friendly, they're loving and caring here, When we moved our business, 10 to 15 customers hel, nd 10 to 15 more wanted to help, 2. 's your least favourite thing about Scugog? "Water levels and the weeds in the lake. Oh, and no traffic lights at the plaza. That really bothers me because some- body's going to get killed and that's what it's going to take before the lights get put in. It's taking 00 i ling. Waverunng (on his jet ski). The dogs. And Caesar, the bird.' 4, Favourite book? "Trivia books on music and old TV show tunes, I like reading birthday cards 00 because I get a lot of jokes off them." 5. Favourite movie? "The Onion Fields, It always stuck in my mind. It's probably something that helped me survive the police force." 6. Favourite music? "I like it all, From Frank Sinatra to Right Said Fred." 7. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Pete had a chance, when he 'was barely out of bis teens, to work for a guy named John Y. . That 'guy' turned out to be the governor of Kentucky, and Pete figures he could be a very rich man if he had of taken the chance and worked for Mr. Brow. Despite that, if Pete could change one thing, be says, "T would have moved to Port Perry a lot carlier." 8. What haven't you done that you would like to do? "Ballooning. But I'm going on July 4 for my birthday, And I'd like 10 retire. I haven't done that 9. What words of wisdom do you live by? "Live life to the - fullest."