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Residents want Halton Hills' `small-town' character maintained PAGE 4 CITIZENS' SURVEY Look inside for the latest news and views from the Chamber of Commerce 12 PAGES BUSINESSLINK www.theIFP.ca Tuesday, January 17, 2012 Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper serving Acton & Georgetown 32 Pages 50 Cents (+HST) Globe-trotting Gills taking the long way back to Glen home By LISA TALLYN Staff Writer After living overseas for the past 21 years the Gill family is coming back to Canada and their house in Glen Williamsbut they're taking the long way home. The family-- Barbara and Wayne and their son Jacob, 9--recently left Africa, where they have been for 18 years. Instead of coming straight home they're taking the scenic route-- an around-the world seven-month adventure with stops in the Galapagos, China, Turkey, Italy, Ireland to name a few before arriving back home in Canada in August. "All of us are looking forward to different parts of the trip," said Barbara. "We've got friends in seven different countries." She said Jacob is looking forward to visiting Greece and checking out the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race in France. The grand finale of their trip-- a cruise on the Queen Mary from England back to Canada-- is something she's very excited about. "I think I'm looking forward to the cruise-- to relax-- stare at the ocean," said Barbara. First stop on the tour is Florida and a visit to Disney World followed by stops in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, San Francisco, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, China, Kazakhstan, Moscow, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, England, Isle of Mann and Ireland. The Gills have owned a house in Glen Williams since 2003 but have only been able to spend a month each year there. With Wayne working as senior advisor to the United Nations in monitoring and evaluation for HIV and AIDS for the past 21 years they have been living overseas in Africa (Sudan, Malawi, Botswana, and South Africa) and the Caribbean (Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent). Wayne, who grew up in Halton Hills, has also served as head of a Canadian non-governmental organization, World Food Programme logistics manager working on drought relief in Malawi, and is cur- The Gills-- Barbara and Wayne and their son Jacob, 9--recently left Africa, where they have been for 18 years. Instead of coming straight home to their Glen Williams home, they're taking the scenic route-- an around-the world seven-month adventure with stops in the Galapagos, China, Turkey, Italy, Ireland to name a few places. Submitted photo rently working on his PhD. Barbara has been a missionary, relief and development worker for two Canadian nongovernmental organizations in Malawi Africa, and a personal trainer, exercise specialist and Cancer Well fit trainer. This trip of a lifetime, which will cost $40,000, is something they have wanted to do for years and are hoping their adventure might inspire others to do the same. See GLEN, pg. 3 $ 7e HANDLE ALL INSURANCE work. 259 with Vi s i t o u r s h o w r o o m per month $ 0 down sTruck Accessories s5PHOLSTEry s(Eavy %QUIPMENT 'LASS s7INDow 4INTING 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 33 MOUNTAINVIEW ROAD NORTH · your window & door professionals · (905) 873-1655 2012 CRUZE 905-877-6944 341 Guelph St., Unit 3 Georgetown 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca · awarded readers choice 16 times ·