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

13 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, March 24, 2011 SHOPLOCAL SHOP SMART... SHOP HALTON HILLS PEOPLE IN BUSINESS Muttley Crew Dog Training and Daycare Inc. Tom Allen has taken his love of dogs and turned it into a career. Tom is the owner and operator of Muttley Crew Dog Training and Daycare Inc., a Georgetown-based business that offers a variety of dog-related services, including training, walking and daycare. Tom travels to his clients' homes so he can train the dogs - and their humans - in an environment in which they're comfortable. He also provides help in dealing with behavioural issues like fear and aggression, creating customized programs to meet the needs of both the dog and the owners. "People don't necessarily understand their dog and I want to help," he adds. "I want to help from the dog's perspective and I want to help people get the behaviour of their dog under control." In addition to these services, Tom also helps people find the right breed of dog for their lifestyle. He meets with clients and conducts a detailed interview to learn how active they are, how often they're away from home and other information to get an overall view of their life. "Too many dogs end up at the humane society because people don't know what they need or because they don't think there's anybody out there to help with behaviour problems," he says. "If they're willing to work with me and be guided properly, we can make sure their dog doesn't end up there." SHOPLOCAL SHOP SMART... SHOP HALTON HILLS Nova Computers Computers are an ever changing and often confusing form of technology that are an integral part of our everyday lives. Luckily for those of us living in Halton Hills, we have Leeann Carlson and the staff of Nova Computers to make sense of it all for us. Located in Georgetown, Nova Computers services and sells computers, accessories and software. Nova's knowledgeable staff provide a variety of services such as virus and spyware cleanup, hardware upgrades, computer troubleshooting and laptop repairs for problems like cracked screens. The business also sells new and used desktop computers and laptops. Over the course of its two years in business, Nova Computers has earned a reputation for friendly customer service and understandable explanations. "We explain the problem in a manner so that the customer can understand the situation" says Leeann, who was born and raised in Georgetown. "We do our best to make sure they understand what's going on and we get a lot of referrals because we're keeping people happy." In addition to superior customer service, Nova Computers also provides a fast turn around time on their work. "We're here to make our customers' lives easier, so we do everything in our power to resolve the problem quickly," Leeann says. "We try to go out of our way to keep our customers happy." TOM ALLEN muttleycrew.ca muttleycrewinc@gmail.com Phone 905-299-1489 Tom Allen, President 93 Armstrong Ave. (Armstrong & Sinclair) LEEANN CARLSON 905.877.3166 info@Nova-Computers.ca Paul C. Armstrong Insurance Brokers Ltd. Ask not what your community can do for you - ask what you can do for your community. Paul Armstrong lives by those famous words. "Communities like ours prosper when our businesses and residents use the resources available to them," Paul says. "In Halton Hills, we have an abundance of businesses willing and capable to serve our needs. When our townspeople purchase a product or service locally, the money is rolled back into our economy, strengthening and nurturing it for today and tomorrow." Many people know Paul as the owner of Paul C. Armstrong Insurance Brokers Ltd. Most know him, or at least his name, from his involvement and sponsorship of many local organizations, fundraisers, sports teams and charities. That sense of civic responsibility carries over to his business as well. Paul C. Armstrong Insurance Brokers Ltd. offers property, auto and business insurance. The business represents a number of different insurance companies and helps clients find the best insurance options to meet their needs. "Insurance can be a complex commodity, but our staff have the knowledge and competence to erase insurance confusion and relieve the stress you might encounter when you buy from anyone unknown to you," Paul says. "When entrusting the values of your auto, home or business, you ought to know who you are purchasing from." Rainbow Connections Autism Consulting Paulette Cormier's journey with autism began when her son was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of three. After trying many different treatments and programs, Paulette was overjoyed to learn about Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®), a program that not only addressed her son's core issues, but trained her in the critical role of guiding her son's remediation. She saw amazing results, became a Certified RDI® Program Consultant, and started Rainbow Connections Autism Consulting in 2006. Paulette combines her RDI® training with her teaching background to deliver a step-by-step curriculum that targets deficits of autism (including Asperger's) previously thought untreatable. She coaches parents to become effective guides so they can fill in the missing developmental "gaps" that make life challenging for their children. She teaches parents how to use lifestyle activities such as chores, daily routines and play to create opportunities for optimal growth and development. Paulette meets with families both in person and via web conferencing to monitor progress, model strategies, and troubleshoot obstacles. She uses an on-line system that allows parents to upload videos they take of themselves interacting with their child. This allows her to provide timely feedback to continuously move progress forward. "RDI® not only helps the child progress, it also benefits the whole family," she says. "It helps parents get back to being parents of kids and not parents of kids with special needs." PAUL C. ARMSTRONG INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. Paulette Cormier, B.A., B.Ed Autism Consultant Certified RDI® Program Consultant paulette.rdi@cogeco.ca www.rainbowconnections.ca 905-873-9491 143 Mill St., Georgetown PAUL ARMSTRONG 905-877-0133 YOUR THE INSURANCE HOUSE PAULETTE CORMIER Rona Georgetown Local boy Riley McAneney has such a soft spot for his hometown that he recently convinced his bosses at Rona to open a small satellite store in Halton Hills. Officially opening on March 30, Rona Georgetown is located in the Knolcrest Centre at 348 Guelph Street, Unit #8. The store carries home improvement essentials like tools, lighting, plumbing, electrical, cleaning products, paint, hardware, lumber and building materials. Don't let the size of the location fool you: Rona Georgetown is owned by the same people who own three big Mississauga stores and can get the same items as a big box store on the same day or the day after. In addition to home improvement products, Rona Georgetown also offers a wide variety of services for homeowners and contractors. The store's friendly and professional staff can help with house and garage blueprinting, paint colour matching, deck and fence design, key cutting, kitchen design, door and window quoting services and installation services for kitchens, bathrooms, doors and windows. "We wanted to thank our customers from Georgetown who were shopping at the Mississauga stores by bringing the store to them," says Riley, who was raised in Georgetown and has strong ties to the community. "We're bringing you a big box store in a small, hometown style." Russell's Handyman Services When Russell Hillier starts his day, he knows he won't be doing the same thing he did the day before. As the owner and operator of Russell's Handyman Services, he helps clients with the home repair projects they aren't able to do themselves, such as trim work, custom closets, painting, tile work, crown molding and interior and exterior door installation. "I like the different jobs I get to do," Russell says. "Every day is a different thing: could be tile, could be drywall, could be carpentry work." The Georgetown native founded his business seven years ago after moving to Mobile, Alabama. Home repair had always piqued his interest and he soon found himself with a thriving business on his hands. "I only advertised once and I was busy for five years straight," Russell says. When he moved back to Halton Hills to be closer to family, he brought his business with him and word soon got out about his work. Russell attributes his business's success to his honesty, punctuality and commitment to getting the work done in a timely fashion. "I wouldn't do a repair on someone's house that I wouldn't do on my own," he says. RILEY McANENEY, Manager 348 Guelph St., Georgetown 905-877-2947 RUSSELL HILLIER