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22 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 23, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com LOOKING FOR A BIRD "SEED SALE" ANNUAL SEED AND SUET SASALE ANNUAL SEED AND SUETAL ALE ENDS MARCH 25, 2007 ENDS MARCH 26, 2007L OUR OCT SALE PREBOOK YOUR SEED TILL OU OC UR OCT. STORAGE YOUR SEED TILL OUR OCT. SALE IS FREE PREBOOK HEATED BIRDBATH PRODUCTS 15% OFF PRODUCTS U Running towards a goal T 3350 FAIRVIEW ST., BURLINGTON, ONTARIO 905-634-7700 E-MAIL:wbu@cogeco.ca Location: Exit Walkers Line go south to Fairview St. turn right count two stop lights; we are on your left, turn left in the median. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER ON THEIR WAY: Lisa Newman, Oakville Y co-ordinator of health, fitness and recreation, with Y member Stephanie Kennery. TaxTime February 23rd - April 15th, 2007 NOW NOW making it easy to do your taxes! NOW 21294 5 REG $2.49 - $6.99 799 REG $12.99 File your returns 999 Organize your desktop REG $14.99 Prepare your workspace % 15FF O Collect important receipts % 15FF O NOW 6 79 49 % 15FF O etur n Tax R line Dead 0th 3 April 8 REG $7.99 - $9.99 169 - 74 29 Store your documents NOW NOW REG $1.99 - $34.99 Archive your work % 15FF O REG $6.99 - $29.99 594 - 49 25 15% NOW OFF 424 49 8 REG $4.99 - $9.99 WHITBY Hwy 401 & Thickson 905-433-8746 TORONTO Yonge & Eglinton 647-430-8749 DUFFERIN MALL Dufferin & Bloor 416-516-6635 RICHMOND HILL Hwy 7 & Bayview 905-771-0001 OAKVILLE MISSISSAUGA Mavis & Britannia 905-826-3477 BRAMPTON Hwy 410 & Bovaird 905-494-5899 WOODBRIDGE Hwy 7 & Weston 905-850-7342 www.solutions-stores.ca Hwy 403 & Dundas 905-829-1084 here's a certain kind of energy that you get when you push yourself to try something new -- something that you thought you could never do -- and it works. That's the energy that running has given to Stephanie Kennery ­ the kind that has added a sparkle to her eye and a bounce to her step. When the new YMCA of Oakville opened in 2002, Kennery had gained some weight over the years and was ready for a change and the Y fit the bill: "I wanted the best. I have been a `gym rat' all of my life and now getting older means that safety and results were important to me. It's already tough to stay in shape without getting hurt." Familiar with the fitness world, Kennery knew that she would find what she wanted at the Y: "It's about the attention to detail. You know the quality of training that the Y provides and you see the differences." Armed with her water bottle and her program schedule, Kennery tried all of the different aerobic fitness classes and then even went beyond to take new things like CycleFit, Pilates and YogaFit. "Once I felt comfortable here, people like Lisa Newman convinced me to go outside my comfort zone and try new things. I needed to progress gradually, they said, and be patient to get the results. And I never felt inferior or alone." When a walk/run clinic was advertised in 2006, Newman, the Y's coordinator of health, fitness and recreation, encouraged Kennery to join, but it was not an easy sell. "I never thought of myself as a runner. But you just keep at it and all of a sudden you realize you've come a long way," said Kennery. And come a long way she did, with the help of the walk/run clinic classes which trained her in the fine points of shoes and technique and rhythm. "It's just about increasing your distance each time and doing the right things." In spring of 2007, Newman approached Kennery to help out with this year's run clinic, with a goal to run the Mississauga Half Marathon on Mother's Day weekend. Awed with both the goal and the idea of helping to run a clinic, Kennery hesitated -- but then jumped in with two feet. "You hear the trainers share their own goals -- and you think that if she can do it, so can I." Results? Stephanie has had them in spades. "Over the last year, I have gone from a size 24 to a size 12 and it feels great. We have two boys, aged 20 and 17 and they can't get over me doing this ­ they think it's just awesome." The right challenge. The right support. They have added up to great energy for Kennery, and are giving her the energy to help others. For more information on the YMCA of Oakville, go to www.ymcaofoakville.com, or call the Y at 905-845-3417. -- Submitted by the Oakville YMCA.