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HB NEWS PROGRAM OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT Continued from page 1 nomic recovery and resil- ience plan, helps business- es improve their online presence. Hi was among the close to 70 small businesses to benefit from the pro- gram that saw the town award a total of $50,000 in grants. Now the town has received another $45,000 to continue the program. _ “COVID-1 8 jas caused rdshij Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette. “Enhanced online tools are critical to assisting our businesses in interacting with their customers and to generate and maintain much-needed revenue." To be eligible, business- es must have a physical storefront and fewer than 50 employees. ¢ Grants can be new web- sites, hardware or soft- [i] SCAN THs cope FOR MORE LOCAL “Ina very polite way, they told me my site was a little dated." - Darlene Hartung we ‘digital service squad will also be available to ae with social media, set- ip business profiles ang providing websi ite and e-commerce suppo! The deadline or busi- nesses to apply for a digital transformation grant is . 31. After applying and be- ing approved, Hartung met they told me my site was a little dated," Hartung said with a laugh. She worked with a web- site designer and builder to create a new site. She said town staff were very help- ful whenever she had ques- es in photorealistic draw- Sa Graham Paine/ Metroland Local businesses like those in the downtown core are eligible for funding for the Digital Main Street program. ings and also gives lessons to kids and adults, said her business has increased by 60 per cent and most o spots a her classes have bee tet ton hugely signif- icant," said Hartung. “Sending people to the old site, it didn't look modern. It didn't really reflect what ‘here was no mention of ‘essons. I was probably losing customers because of it." Now as she approaches her second year at Wil- iams Mill, her evaluation is complete. “There's no question, I'll be keeping the studio," she said. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: When a second round of Digital Main Street funding was an- nounced, we wanted to examine how businesses had benefited from the program the first time around. REGION EXPANDS VACCINE KATHY YANCHUS kyanchus@metroland.com Halton Public Health is expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 Pfizer vac- cine to children who are turning 12 in 2021, in accor- provincial dance with ‘Authorized by the official agent for Melanie Lang. guidelines. Those born in 2009 can receive their first dose of the vaccine, followed by a second dose after a mini- mum interval of 21 days, at walk-in clinics located at Gellert Community Cen- tre, 10241 Eighth Line in ELIGIBLILTY FOR CHILDREN Halton Hills, FirstOntario Arts Centre,1010 Main St. Milton, Compass Point Bible Church, 1500 Kerns Rd. in Burlington and St. Volodymyr Cultur- al Centre, 1280 Dundas St. W. in Oakville, as well as many Halton pharmacies and select primary care of- fices. The province has also approved third doses for particularly vulnerable people, however, Halton' public health department is not yet offering these at its community vaccination clinics. Graham Paine/Metroland Children turning 12 this year are now eligible for vaccine. WELLINGTON-HALTON HILLS 1-855-799-7004 | MelanieLang.ca Melanie@MelanieLang.ca @MelanieDLang O MelanieLangLiberal Oi UONEH - dl UL | 2 4 Zz € 5 = @ s g s g ie XR 8 8 Fg ES s 8