READER‘S CHOICE Wednesday, November 30, 1994 â€" 2 Great people make for a great community W hen people will talk about a business or service with minimal prompting, you know you ve There are few individuals in Oakville who hold the distinction of being a "household word," and Ann Mulvale is one of them. So rather than try to list her numerous achieveâ€" ments, we asked her worship to respond to this latest accolade personally: got something special. Our First Annual Readers® Selection Awards is a testament to the dedâ€" ication of Oakville‘s business community, in addition to its caring medical professionals and teachers. But what surprised us is that some businesses were named even though there were no applicaâ€" ble categories. Regardless of the method, each of the businesses which received recognition here deserves a tip of the hat for their valuable service to the Oakville community. Congratulations! In addition, the ongoing efforts of exceptional people help successful communities such as Oakville to continue to grow and flourish. Here are four such individuals who have our readers singing their praises: y thanks to the readers of the Oakville Beaver for awarding me recognition in the catâ€" . Â¥ L egory of "Best Elected Official" in a recent survey. The confidence that was displayed via the survey response is mirrored by the recent municipal election. In public life there are always people who support you and people who would rather have someone else in your office. It is nevertheless very gratifying to have a two for one victory on November 14th and then be recognized again in this survey. Elections are not ends, they are beginnings and I am anxious to continue to work with the people of Oakville to sustain and advance our high quality of life that we share together. Good communities don‘t just happen! They are the end product of people from all backgrounds coming together for one common goal through enacted partâ€" nerships, realized dreams and seized opportunities. These celâ€" ebrations realize the physical beauty and blessed geography of our Town reflecting the quality of life that together we achieve for all residents. ergeant Tom Chapman is a 20â€"year veteran of the Halton Regional Police Service, and is currently the acting staff sergeant for the community relations, traffic, marine, canine, and explosives divisions, as well as being liaison officer for the auxiliary police. "Those twenty years have gone by very quickly," says the busy pubâ€" lic servant. "But I take one thing at a time, and I always try to stay upbeat. I really love this job!" Sgt. Chapman is perhaps best known for his work with the Mayor‘s committee against Drinking and Driving, through which he has helped facilitate several initiatives in the community, including the RIDE and seatbelt programs, and educational presentations in malls and schools. "I really enjoy working with Ann Mulvale. She does a super job," he says. Through the community relations departâ€" ment of the Halton Regional Police Service, Sgt. Chapman also overâ€" sees the village constable, safety village, school resource and DARE programs. Yours very sincerely, Ann Mulvale, Mayor, Town of Oakville onstable Gary Ribble has spent the past 18 years with the Halton Regional Police Service, and says he still loves every minute. For the past seven years, Const. Ribble has been on foot patrol as a key member of the village constable program â€" making him "the longest walking village constable in Halton." His downtown Oakville beat stretches over 3. 7 km, and he says he goes through two pairs of shoes each year. His duties include undercover work in local bars on weekends to prevent underage drinking, and designing crime prevention programs for various segments of the community, such as antiâ€"burglary and other educational seminars for local merâ€" chants, residents and schools. Const. Ribble enjoys the close ties he has built throughout the downtown area, and is proud to have helped reduce the incidence of frauds, shoplifting and other crimes which plague many retailers. ‘‘The last eight years have probably been the most rewarding. It‘s nice to do something and see it working two days later," he says. ‘"Halton is the most advanced force in Ontario in many areas, and that attests to the excellent leadership." As a columnist for the Oakville Beaver, Diane Hart enjoys a rare opportunity. She is able to share her concerns (education, politics the environment are frequent topics), hobbies (she‘s an avid triathlete) | and other intimate tidbits with thousands of her neighbors, on a weekâ€" | ly basis. While the thought of such close scrutiny may send some peoâ€" | ple scurrying for cover, Diane says that for the most part, she has enjoyed the past six years. "I get to write on a wide variety of topics, and sometimes they spark an enormous reaction. You get stopped at the club, and in schools, and people tell you what they think, but I kind of like that." Diane says her work as a reporter enhances the scope of her § columns, as do frequent chats with her editors. "I think it has worked J out really well. I try to separate the assignments from the column, and § Ihope that people recognize the difference." Thirteen years as an Oakville resident helps too. "The longer I live here, the more interested I become in the comâ€" munity. I really enjoy being part of it." Most readers of the Oakville Beaver are familiar with Steve‘s insightful vignettes on daily life, as revealed through the comic strip adventures of Pud and his family, who just happen to resemble the artist‘s own boisterous brood. The Oakville resident is also responsible for the Beaver‘s editorial cartoons, which along with ‘Pud," appear in 14 Metroland community newspapers surrounding the Toronto area. ‘Pud‘ is also enjoyed each month by the readers of City Parent magazine. Steve‘s editorial cartoons have also been feaâ€" tured in ‘Portfoolio‘ (an annual collection of Canadian cartooning), and ‘Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year‘ (an annual collection of carâ€" toons from the U.S. and Canada). As Art Director for the Beaver, Steve helps shape the appearance of the newspaper through graphic design. "The Pud comic strip comes from my heart. The fact that so many readers young and old, can identify with the humor suggests to me that family really is the most important thing in people‘s lives...even if it does drive us crazy on occasion!" CCNA -1991 BestSporls pgs. CCNA 1983 ard. General Excellence sest SDoOrts NeWs COONA 1954 (,eneral â€"xXCenence ne TI-IE OAKVILLE BEAVER s THANK YCOU OAKVILLE FOR CHOOSNG USI ‘Your better price advantage‘ THE BAY, OAKVILLE PLACE (Best Department Store) "BEST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER" and her staff work hard to maintain their commitment to superior customer service. From the successful introduction this year of seasonal fashion events with donations to Halton Women‘s Place, makeover contests, Seniors‘ Days with special discounts, to special giveaways and other inâ€"store activities such as raising 1,200 pounds of food for the Fareshare Foodbank, the focus is always on the customer. "We work in an atmosphere of teamwork and mutual respect, where staff members are encouraged to take pride in their work," Guitard says. With that commitment comes a promise to ensure complete customer satisfaction â€" by offering quality merchandise to suit every cusâ€" tomer. For instance, you‘ll find distinctively styled ready to wear fashions for women, including petites and the Bay‘s own specnally developed brands: Northern Spirit, Concept XXV, Real Clothes, Principles, Charter Collection, Mirror Room, Bay Club, and Fair Set. Discover too such respected designer labels as Liz Claiborne, Elizabeth For Above Average, Jones New York, Rena Rowan, Rouie, Bianca and Nygaxd Collections. International. ï¬ t The Bay, store manager Pat Guitard _ and how to wear them, The Bay hosts frequent To keep customers apprised of the latest trends "workshop" sessions with clothing vendors in this department. Men can enhance their image with pieces by Tommy Hilfiger, Chaps, Claiborne for Men, Dockers and Jones New York. "We try to supply the customer with the product knowledge they need to make informed purchasing decisions," explains Guitard. "That‘s why we offer ‘Meet The Experts‘ days, where our customers have an opportunity to talk to the people who provide our fashion, lingerie, cosmetics, housewares, and home and leisure merchandise." The Bay‘s strong fashion image also extends to other areas â€" including the home. Discover the luxurious désigns of Ralph Lauren in the linen section. A current program of interest to Christmas shoppers is the "Double the Difference"offer for electronics items and small appliances â€" see inâ€"store displays for details. Customer feedback is yet another opportuniâ€" ty for store staff to continue to refine their level of service to the local community, Guitard explains, and comments are always welcome. "We are striving to be the first and foremost fashion and department store, and we‘ll do whatever it.takes to keep our customers happy," she promlses ------- Readers Selection