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4 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2007 Attention Seniors To alleviate the high cost of heating for 2007 Branch 197 of the Royal Canadian Legion Will provide a one time grant to Seniors. To be eligible you must provide Proof of Residence in the Town of Acton Copy of recent existing heating charges for that residence Be a recipient and have proof of GIS from the Federal Government You may be renting, but are paying heating costs and provide proof thereof You may be married or single You must be over 65 Years of age At apply send your name and address to: Royal Canadian Legion Branch 197 15 Wright Ave. Box 69 Acton ON L7J 2M2 Attn. David Crook Chairman Veterans & Seniors Branch 853-0910, Home telephone 853-0275 All replies will be held in the strictest of confidence. No applications accepted after Jan. 31/07 From the Poppy Fund LEGION NEWS By James Hayes P.R.O. BRANCH NO. 197 Comrades, By now we should have recovered from the indul- gences of Christmas and New Years Eve partying. We wish at this time to say a sincere thank you to bus driver Pat for ensuring her charges arrived home safe and sound after the New Years Eve party. The T.T.C. really is the better way. I hope not too many of you were stricken with the flu-like sickness that was going around, and could not be blamed on over-in- dulgence. On January 1, at the Pres- idents Levee, Ronnie & The Corvairs played for our pleasure and Joyce and Gloria set out a very appe- tizing table for our culinary delight. The afternoon was round- ed off by President Wes Kutasienski announcing the names of the three early- bird winners, names drawn by 2nd Vice President Bob Service, and confirmed by membership chairman Kathleen Bevan. Comrades: Hank Earle, Diane Aplin and James Porter will all have their 2008 membership dues paid by the Branch. A gentle reminder about the Progressive Euchre Tournament being orga- nized for Sunday, January 21. Why not drop by the Branch for all the details? It should be a fun time for those who enjoy a good afternoon of cards. Sports. The fun day curl- ing is on Jan. 13. A date for your diary: Branch General meeting, January 8, 2007. Yours in comradeship, Jim Hayes, Branch PRO. Ladies Auxiliary News I hope everyone had a happy holiday season. Our next L.A. meeting is tonight, Thursday, January 4, at 7:30 p.m. My best wishes to every- one for a healthy, happy new year. Yours in comradeship, Annamarie Lowin, L.A.President. By Frances Niblock Shearling and shovels didnt sell, but just about everything else did as many Acton merchants report great in one case, record sales this holiday season. While the warm weather sidelined sales of almost anything to do with snow, it made conditions great for shoppers to get out and about. At Dollar Stretcher Daze, now Actons only dollar store, Linda Ann Hush is confident the year-end fig- ures will show their fourth year was their best ever. We had an awesome Christmas, and even in December we bought more for Christmas because we were selling out, and that all sold too, Hush said last Thursday as she prepared to restock the bare store with items for Valentines and St. Patrick Day. Hush, whose business partner is Heather Wed- lake, said they sold several hundred stockings, couldnt keep cookie tins in stock, and there was a steady run on wrapping paper and stocking stuffers. Were happy. It was our best Christmas everwere excited to be doing so well, Hush said, thanking their loyal customers, noting they go shopping next week for their Christmas 2007 stock. Very pleased At Giant Tiger, general manager Alec Boyd reports they are very pleased with sales that are very comparable to last year, which was the best ever year for the store, now open for four years. I think the (warm) weather this year kind of took the wind out of our sails, but overall, it was still a very good season, Boyd said, adding they saw a lot of regular customers, but also some new faces. We actually did a postal code survey a little while ago because things have changed in town and theres a lot of competition around town, he said, adding it showed a loyal local cus- tomer base with a growing number of shoppers from Georgetown, Milton and Guelph. First Christmas Jennifer and Tim You- mans were not sure what to expect for their first Christ- mas at their Country Korner that they opened just two weeks ago on the southwest corner of Main Street and Mill Street just two weeks ago. Tim Youmans said sales were excellent. Business was good, and a lot of people know about the store now, so weve been noticing a lot of the same people coming back, Tim Youmans said, adding it got crazy just before Christmas with last-minute shoppers. Despite slower sales, a layoff and some recent van- dalism, it wasnt a bad year at Acton Motors, according to owner Norm Paulsen. We probably didnt sell as many cars as we did the year before, we laid one man offbut, in general, it was a very good year, Paulsen said. Awesome year Business jus t keeps getting better at Country Reflections on Mill Street where owner Judy Mac- Donald had her best year ever her 11th in Acton. I had such an awesome year last year was my best ever and this one was just that much better quite a bit better it was a great year, MacDonald said, adding she was passing her good fortune along to customers with a half-price sale on everything in the store. MacDonald said the store remains for sale, and while several deals have come close, she is confident when it is right, it will happen. At the olde Hide House, where the annual coat sale was in full swing, manager Cathy Coles said the warm weather hurt and helped sales. Weve experienced some problems with the cold weather items they are a little slower than last year, things like shearling coats and boots, but the all-weather leather (sales) take up some of what we lose, Coles said, adding they are happy with sales that are comparable to past years. She said surprisingly, furni- ture sales, normally down this time of year, had been strong, possibly because of all of the new homes in Acton. SOLD OUT: The shelves were temporarily bare after Christmas at Dollar Stretcher Daze where co-owner Linda Ann Hush enjoyed record sales. Frances Niblock photo GREAT DEALS: Actons Teri Villard, a regular customer, found great deals and lots of stock during Boxing Day shopping at Country Reflections. Frances Niblock photo Those register bells were ringing for Yule season Merchants report great sales