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10 Sports & Leisure, Thursday, February 18, 2010 Time running out to enter Driven to Quit contest Gardening guru is The Driven to Quit Challenge to become a support buddy in the · online at www.DrivenToQuit.ca is a health promotion campaign Challenge for their chance to win a · by faxing/mailing a registration keynote speaker that encourages Ontario adults buddy prize. form (available from Halton Region) who are daily smokers or tobacco This year, working together · by calling Smokers' Helpline at at Garden AGM users to make a quit attempt with with the Halton Region Cessation 1-877-513-5333 the support of a "buddy" for the chance to win a hybrid car or other prizes. Friends and family members of smokers are encouraged Community of Practice (CoP), the Region hopes to see 1,200 entrants in Halton. There are three ways to enter: The Challenge will have regular upBy JANE FOGAL dates and quit tips on Facebook at www. Friends of the Old Seed House Garden facebook.com/smokershelpline and on Ed Lawrence, retired Chief Horticultural SpecialTwitter at www.twitter.com/driven2quit. ist for the official residences in Ottawa and gardenRegistration is open until Feb 28. ing guru on CBC Radio's Ontario Today phone-in show will be the special guest speaker at the Friends of the Old Seed House Garden annual meeting on Tuesday, March 30. Lawrence is perhaps the best known horticulturalist in Canada. His down-to-earth style and practical solutions have contributed to his popularity during his 20 years of solving horticultural problems for CBC radio listeners. Although Lawrence's voice is very familiar to thousands of gardeners, his real claim to fame is his successful career as Chief Horticultural Specialist to six Governors General, numerous Prime Ministers and Leaders of the Opposition. Lawrence was hired straight out of Humber College by the National Capital CommisED LAWRENCE sion and began his career at Rideau Hall in 1975. In this role, he has shared gardening insights with his share of political stars and celebrities. "These people are there because they're in a position of power, but they're sitting down and talking with you about plants," he explains. "And when that happens, you meet them as human beings instead of as politicians, or TV stars, or whatever they might be." When Ontario proposed its cosmetic pesticide ban, Lawrence was quick to applaud the move. He was a staunch proponent of natural methods for dealing with pests long before the pesticide ban was ever contemplated. He has been instructing gardeners on safer methods than using commercial chemicals for decades. Common soap solutions and even beer form part of the arsenal recommended by Lawrence to combat pests and other garden problems. During his tenure at the National Capital Commission he was successful in gradually eliminating the use of cosmetic pesticides while maintaining the properties in a style fit for a Governor General or a Prime Minister. Lawrence is the best-selling author of Gardening Grief and Glory. In his book, Lawrence shares his practical and easy solutions to a myriad of gardening woes. The Friends of the Old Seed House Garden are thrilled to welcome Lawrence to their 10th Annual General Meeting to be held at the John Elliott Theatre, 7 p.m., where Lawrence will be the guest speaker and will answer gardening questions from the audience. Following the presentation there will be an opportunity to purchase his book and have it autographed during a reception in the Gallery. Tickets are $20 and are available from the Theatre Box Office, the Freckled Lion book store, Bergsma's Paint and Wallpaper, Acton and Georgetown branch libraries or by calling 905-877-3455.