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4- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 16, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Strengthening the fabric of the community Continued from page 3 the Y earlier in the year, that an unspecified board member confronted him with the question: "Well, Bruce, when are we going to get our new building?" The question was not lost on him. But there were challenges to overcome first. According to Ireland the Y What's keeping you from having your dream kitchen? Consider these time, mess & cost saving options... a. Renew your cabinets with our unique "Tune-up". Our exclusive process restores and repairs the finish on wood cabinets (and any other woodwork in your home) to 90-95%. Time: 1 day Mess: almost none Cost: a fraction of replacement. was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1986 when he was hired. His initial task was to get the fiscal house in order. The second challenge was to establish some respect by delivering actual programs: this was achieved with a five-year plan for childcare centres in local schools chiefly designed by current vice president of Community Services, Lee-Ann Hand. "We borrowed money from the bank and worked our butts off," Ireland explained. "Then it all started to take off. The day camps grew as well in this time period. Only then was the time right to look towards a new facility." According to Jarrett there were a couple of false starts before they finally got some traction around 1998 with the hiring of Lisa Dodd as Director of Financial Development and the wooing of developer Peter Gilgan to co-chair the building campaign. In addition, Gilgan brought along his CFO, Don Walker, whose financial wherewithal was instrumental in moving the project forward. Said Ireland, "At the end of the day we raised over $7 million on a $14 million project. We still have significant debt, but it is manageable and that should be retired in another "At the end of the day we raised over $7 million of a $14 million project. We still have significant debt, but it is manageable and that should be retired in another seven or eight years." Bruce Ireland, president/CEO YMCA of Oakville seven or eight years." In the meantime, the Oakville Y ­ the Peter Gilgan Family Y ­ is a fabulous facility. The building process itself was a high point of Ireland's career, demanding, frustrating, exhilarating, by turns. Establishing the site, consulting the community, working with architects and engineers, he says it was "the most phenomenal experience," but stressful to the point that his health suffered. For all that, he wouldn't have missed it. The chief executive talks freely about how important his family is to him -- his wife Karen, daughter Michelle, son Sean, and three grandchildren. He understands first-hand the challenges of having a specialneeds child, and the wonders of grandchildren. But he also regards his Y staff as his extended family and appreciates that feeling of connection and caring. He knows that the health of his family and his own good health are "key pieces in keeping his life ticking" along. His brush with a heart abnormality four years ago and the more recent onset of type 2 diabetes have been wake-up calls. He feels fortunate to have an indoor track right outside his office door and staff members who encourage him to use it. We all re-invent ourselves to some degree if we live long enough. Ireland is not different. As for the Y, he sees a bright future in helping people to manage chronic conditions like heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, among others. There is also the troubling issue of childhood obesity. In short there is plenty the Y can do. "I don't think I would be here today if it wasn't still fun, challenging and rewarding," he said, "If I didn't feel we were strengthening the fabric of this community." For 22 years as leader of the YMCA, Ireland has been connecting the dots in Oakville, "strengthening the fabric," call it what you will. His life and his work are seamlessly intertwined. b. Reface You may already own half of your new kitchen! If your cabinet boxes are in good shape, why pay to replace them? We can reface with Real Wood or RTF to match your choice of new doors. Choose from the largest selection of styles and finishes available anywhere. See our website for ideas. Time: typically 2-4 days Mess: we clean every day and you never lose use of your kitchen Cost: 40-60% less than the cost of a new kitchen c. Reface & Re-style Turn the kitchen you have into the one you want. If you choose to Reface, we can change many other things you don't like about your kitchen. Add an island, pantry, molding or even new cabinets to match the refaced cabinets. Time: usually 3-5 days Mess: low disruption, thoroughly cleaned daily, often no loss of use Cost: considerably less than replacement d. Replace Sometimes it's the only way to get what you need. Our Designers will help you create a new kitchen that perfectly reflects your personal taste, goals and budget. When you were younger your parents couldn't help but worry about you. Now it's your turn. Sure, they're still active, but you can't help but worry just a little ­ especially when you're away. We can help. Vacation stay packages at our award winning residences include furnished accommodations, meals, activities and our exclusive LivingWell program that will help them remember their stay with us even after they're back home. Call Margaret at (905) 469-3232 for all the details or to book a tour. Bring your parents; we may even invite you to lunch. e. Don't forget the counter top There is nothing like a new countertop to dramatically complete your kitchen update. We supply and install all types of counter tops. Free Design Consultation & Estimate 905.637.3331 Showroom 3480 Fairview St., Burlington Eight "Trustpoints" set Kitchen Tune-Up apart. We guarantee our estimates - guarantee our work - arrive on time - clean work areas daily - return messages within 24 hours - strive for harmony with your daily routine - tell you what we're going to do before we do it - listen carefully, tell it straight and keep our promises. Give your parents a vacation and take the worry out of yours OAKVILLE TM 1459 Nottinghill Gate, just south of Upper Middle, west of Dorval pp www.delmanor.com kitchentuneup.com Kitchen Tune-Up, a division of KTU Worldwide, Inc. is a system of more than 300 independently owned and operated franchises · RICHMOND HILL