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12 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, February 10, 2011 Chamber names annual business award winners Continued from pg. 1 time, at Holcim we want to continue to be part of it." Dufferin Aggregates, a division of Holcim Canada, acquired the property and reformed operations and neighbour relations in 2001. Acton Quarry takes great pride in its contributions to improve the quality of life of the members of its workforce, their families and surrounding community. Giving back is a common mindset at Dufferin Aggregates. Some examples of how the company walks the talk in Halton Hills include: · Earth Week Tree Planting-- In 2010 300 people including Scouts Canada and local community members planted more than 4,000 native trees as part of the site's progressive rehabilitation efforts. · Annual community open houses · Acton Quarry Community Liaison Committee-- launched in 2008 to provide two-way communication between local residents/regional stakeholders and Dufferin on day-to-day quarry operations. · Active supporter of Limehouse Kiln Society · Drum Sponsorship Program-- Dufferin solicits donations from partners and suppliers in the industry who get to place their logo on the drum of Holcim's readymix concrete trucks with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to Halton Healthcare Services. · Acton Splash Pad-- Last year Dufferin made a significant material donation for the construction of the splash pad. McDougall said Dufferin Acton Quarry also supports a lot of local sports teams, the Bruce Trail Association, helped with the Halton Hills Fire Department expansion, and was the main sponsor of the Dufferin Rural Heritage Community Centre. "We also host Halton Regional Police tactical squad, they come in here to do some training," said McDougall. "We have also done a lot in terms of rehabilitation of the quarry." Entrepreneur of the Year Anthony Edwards of Party Cinemas said he was taken aback when he received the phone call informing he had been named Entrepreneur of the Year. "I'm very happy, ecstatic actually," said Edwards, adding his business partner Frank Marsh, who is away on vacation, is a big part of the company. Nominator Kathleen Dills said the business is "innovative and brings a new dimension to entertainment in our community." Party Cinemas provides big screen entertainment experiences. It's been in business for three years and throughout the summer offers Movies in the Park-- outdoor movies on a big screen in Prospect Park and Glen Williams Parkonce a month. The movies are sponsored by local businesses, and those who come out bring donations for the food banks. "We usually get on average 500 to 600 people," said Edwards. Party Cinemas also holds monthly Video Dance Parties throughout the year in Acton for youths aged 7 to 14. They also hold the parties in Rockwood, Erin and Bolton. Local sports groups and organizations volunteer to chaperone at the events and receive a portion of each ticket sold. "They are very good to work with and they have helped our group, Heritage Acton, with many events and support," said Dills. The Canadian Cancer Society hired Party Cinemas for the Relay for Life in Georgetown and the company also offers big-screen Sony PS3 and karaoke at parties. The company purchased a 40-ft screen last year. TED BROWN ing that decision," said Brown. "It's ironic that this is the year I stepped down from the committee and I receive this honour. It's following in the footsteps of others who were chosen who were quite deserving." Brown started at the newspaper, when it was located on Main St., as a part-time darkroom technician, and a year later was on staff as photographer. He wrote his first column-- about Christmas-- in 1989. "It worked well and a short time later (then managing editor) Hartley Coles retired and I started filling his space." Since 1991 Brown has penned his popular weekly column touching on his life and issues of the day. Each year Brown also writes and provides photos for The Independent & Free Press' annual Remembrance Day special section giving local veterans "a chance to tell their stories. "It's a passion. That's one of the perks of this job," said Brown. He said in 2005 and 2007 he had the privilege of travelling to Europe with local veterans and their families. "That was incredibly satisfying. To be able to file stories there and have them published within 24 hours in my hometown, that was just mind-blowing." He's also a regular contributor to The Independent & Free Press's Sideroads of Halton Hills magazine and reviews local theatre groups in the newspaper. "I feel I have a great job, because I can have the worst day of the year, and by the next morning I'm ready to go back at it again." Green Award Sheridan Nurseries is recognized for its recent construction of an environmentallyfriendly water recapture system consisting in part of a 3.5 acre pond that has allowed the company to take nearly 20 per cent less water from the Credit River to irrigate its trees and plants. "We are very honoured," said Peter Joubert, Vice-President of Nursery Operations at Sheridan Nurseries. "It's a bit of vindication, because it was such a big project. We worked for five years on it." The primary reason for the project was to provide a backup water source for irrigation if there were serious drought conditions, but it's since proven to have a huge Employee of the Year "Ted Brown comes to mind when one mentions The Independent & Free Press," said Martin and Helen Boomsma in their nomination for Employee of the Year. They said Brown is easily recognized "as an ambassador for this local newspaper and his association with local history and his regular feature articles contribute much to the community spirit of Halton Hills." Independent & Free Press general manager Steve Foreman said the recognition is well deserved. "Congratulations to Ted," said Foreman. "If we had a celebrity, Ted would be our celebrity. It's quite an honour, especially after The Independent & Free Press won the Business of the Year Award for 2009." Brown, a photographer/writer at the newspaper since 1983, said he was "humbled" by the honour. "Having sat on the (Business Achievement Awards) selection committee for several years I know what goes into mak- Valerie Stensson, Sheridan Nurseries' vicepresident Marketing & Purchasing, and irrigation superviser Steve Deschenes check out the recently constructed irrigation pond system. Photo by Ted Brown side benefit for both the company and the environment. Joubert said last year it saved 34 million gallons of water from being pumped from the river, "It's a demonstration that a lot can be done if you think big enough and if you can commit to it," said Joubert. The pond, that holds 32 million gallons of water, is just one aspect of the system designed by AECOM (formerly Gartner Lee Ltd.) It is made up of five components: · Fore-bay-- That collects irrigation run-off and rainwater via a centralized open ditch. · Wetland-- The water from the forebay moves through the 2-acre wetland where erosion sediment, toxins, nitrates, and pollutants are reduced through the wetland in order for it to be suitable for another round of irrigation use. · Wet-cell (Holding Area)-- This area collects the cleaned water downstream from the wetland until its recycled back into the main pond for future irrigation use. The water can be recycled at 500 US gallons/minute. · Main Pond-- It makes 10 million gallons of recovered water available at any given point. During July and August up to 1.6 million gallons of water are pumped out of the pond daily. · Pump House-- An automated system of two 60-horse turbines that can pump 2,300 gallons of water per minute during peak watering times from the main pond. Coupled to it is a sophisticated electronic control system that manages flow and pressure, records the daily amount of water transferred in and out. The system captures rainwater and overspray from Sheridan's farms making it a self-sufficient and environmentally friendly source for irrigation water. *** The awards banquet will be held Wednesday, March 9 at Glencairn Golf Course beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $65 each and are available by calling the Chamber at 907-877-7119 or emailing mary@ haltonhillschamber.on.ca. Entrepreneur of the Year award winner Anthony Andrews with his Party Cinemas truck. Photo by Ted Brown