PAGE 10 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS SEPTEMBER 2012

By Sherry AaltoOne hundred and twenty one years ofongoing planning, preparing, budgetingand recruiting volunteers can only meanone thing…you’ve got to be doing some-thing right! The Oliver AgriculturalSociety of Murillo Ontario have beendoing it right for all these years and theywant everyone to continue to come out totheir country fair and have the best familytimes of their lives.When it comes to family, friends and fun,The Murillo Fair welcomes everyone nearand far to join in, Country Fun forEveryone! This year’s country event was

held on August 25th and 26th in Murilloand as always, many activities, especiallyfor children, were featured.If you attended this year’s country fair,then you were probably not disappointedthat country is what is was all about.With events such as the Racing intermis-sion for the Antique Tractor Parade ofPower, Murillo Ranch Rodeo, All BreedHorse Show, Milking Competition, AllFarm Animals Display and Entries, Rabbitand Poultry Farm, Children’s Activitiesand Petting Zoo, well you know its coun-try.Homemade favourites to satisfy your taste

buds, was also available by many partici-pating vendors and on Saturday from 3:00

– 7:00 pm, a full home cooked dinner wasoffered in the Main OAS Hall. There waslive entertainment and a chance for theyoungers to be a star in the Children’sKaraoke Contest.The weather was perfect! The food wasgreat! The fun for all was another memorymaker! And let’s not forget that no countryfair would be complete without Horse

Racing and that, for many, stole the show!Skilled cowboys and cowgirls test theirbest in these big events out on the race

track which awed the crowd!One could say , ‘Aaah. It’s just another

fair!’ but you try and do something for 121years and keep it interesting! As long asyou keep coming back, they will keep put-ting on the fair for you and let you samplea style of living and fun that you just can’tget everywhere, anytime. And we allknow nothing is a success without yoursupport! Hope you had a great time!Keep coming back and bring the whole

family! See you next year in the quaint,little, friendly community of Murillo,Ontario!

www.johnrafferty.ndp.ca

409 George StreetThunder Bay, ON P7E 5Y9

Tel: 807.623.6000raffej@parl.gc.ca

John Rafferty, MP. Thunder Bay - Rainy River

New Democrat Critic for Forestry

409 George StreetThunder Bay, ON P7E 5Y9

Tel: 807.623.6000raffej@parl.gc.ca

Prosperous Future

“Working with

business for a

sustainable and

prosperous future.”

The 121st Murillo Fair

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS SEPTEMBER 2012 PAGE 11

By Sherry Aalto

2012 Westfort Street Fair, another suc-cessful yearly event!

The good news is the Westfort StreetFair, Thunder Bay, is perfectly scheduled

around other community events so youwon’t ever have to miss out. TheWestfort Village Association was proud

to present their 30th annual street fair.The fair is always free to attend and it iscomforting to know that the familiar ven-

dors, events and Westfort merchants arealways there for you.

The street fair has consistently, for 30years, provided the opportunity for fami-ly and friends to gather together, meetnew faces, get painted faces, sampletempting entrees, indulge in ice-cream

and other sweet delights and take advan-tage of the famous sidewalk sales, show-casing merchandise ranging from cloth-ing and jewellery fashions to culturalcrafts and accessories for practical andfashionable wear to interesting creationsin art and home decor.

The street fair which was held on August25, 2012 reported a notable crowd, rang-ing in ages from new born to somewherearound 100 years of age. Frederica Streetin Westfort was closed to motor vehiclesfrom just west of Brown Street, going fareast as Ford Street. Bicycles, baby car-riages, strollers, walkers, etc. were cer-tainly welcomed, but the average skate-boarder or those with roller blades, foundit a little difficult to negotiate a path asthe street was busy with patrons and

maybe an alien or two. Who knows?

Street-side musicians, busking, magi-cians, clowns and other forms of enter-tainment free of charge were enjoyed bythose sauntering along the street. Cuisinefeatured from the different cultures thathelp make up the wonderful diversity of

our city, were also part of the traditionalofferings that were enjoyed by many. Aswell, refreshments were also widelyavailable along with the ever popularpizza which still is a steadfast pleaseramongst the fair goers.

Continued Next page

Off To The Fair!!

PAGE 14 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2012

© 2012 Brian Babcock

Your home based business may not be ade-quately insured unless you have purchasedcommercial insurance coverages. Homeinsurance excludes most or all losses relatedto business activities (the policy terms vary,adding to the risk of confusion). All businessoperators, even home based, need advicefrom a qualified broker. Though less dramat-ic than other flood related losses, I could nothelp wondering how many home based busi-nesses suffered uninsured losses.

Some insurers offer homeowner policieswhich cover specific levels or types of busi-ness activity. In other situations, the issuemay be whether the business activity “mate-rially changed the risk to the insurer” fromwhat was disclosed when purchasing the pol-icy. Those situations end up in the courts,

which is not what you want when you buyinsurance.

Dozens of coverages might apply dependingupon your situation. An experienced com-mercial broker knows the risks and the mar-kets to insure them. As a lawyer, I wouldnever advise a client about what coverage isavailable to them. Certain basic types,though, are most common.

Legal liability insurance is included in mosthome owner’s packages, but few people evennotice it, worrying mostly about the fire andtheft property coverage. If a courier or cus-tomer is hurt on your property, your homeowners’ coverage might not respond. A com-mercial liability package may also insureother risks related to your specific business,from product liability to defamation, depend-ing on the coverage obtained.

Your home owner’s policy will likely also

not insure business assets from fire, theft orother damage. So to replace everything fromtools to electronics to inventory to the dataon that hard drive, talk to your commercialbroker.

Loss of money coverage is very limited inhome owner’s policies, so if you keep a floatof cash, or other valuables, that needs specif-ic coverages.

You also need to consider business continua-tion coverages. This is simply not included ina home owner’s package. If you can nolonger do your business from your home,how will you replace that income?

We buy insurance for peace of mind. It isnever a good day when I have to tell a clientafter their loss that they did not buy the cov-erage they needed. It is far better if you talkto your broker before you end up in a lawoffice.

Is Your Home Based Business Insured?Legal

Matters

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2012 PAGE 15

The scene near the corner of Balmoraland Beverly Street was an interestingone on August 20th as you saw peoplerepelling down the 14-storey building allfor a good cause.“ The Easter Seals Drop Zone is an inau-gural event in Thunder Bay but has beengoing on across Canada for the last 7

years. We wanted to do something spe-cial this year being Easter Seals Ontario90th Anniversary so brought the event toThunder Bay,” said Rhonda Harrison ofEaster Seals Thunder Bay. “ We have 30people repelling 14 stories downMaplecrest Condominium, brave souls.They worked hard raising pledges insupport of Easter Seals Kids. It is scarybut they are overcoming their fears.Everything has gone so well. I wouldlove to do this again if the people let us.”

Remote Access Technology( RAT) isthe company based in Nova Scotia thatdoes these types of events for 2 months

in the summer across Canada. They havethe technical expertise to allow the eventto happen.

Laura Zaina, CKPR Morning ShowRadio Host, was a participant in theevent and came down MaplecrestCondominium. “ It is frightening whenyou are up there getting the instructions.The part where you first put your footover the edge of the building is the mostfrightening. Just getting your feet on theedge of the building is the worst part.The guys talking you through it is greatbecause they tell you exactly what to dowith your hands, “ smiles Laura Zaina. “You are controlling your descent but ifyou happen to let go you might drop justa bit but it won’t be much because yourequipment locks. These guys are thecompany that clean the CN Tower whichmade me feel better.”

Laura has a fear of heights so this washuge for her who told me she had trou-ble standing on a third storey balcony.It took Laura 8 minutes to come down. “

I decided I wouldn’t look around until Igot to the 3rd floor. When I got goingdown it was good but it was countingthe floors. It was exhilarating I’ll saythat much but I was glad to be on theground,” said Laura. “ Some of the peo-ple raised way more than they wererequired to which was $1500 per person.I talked to some people who came up tome and said they would do it next yearbecause they knew how scared I was andaccomplished it.”

Lindsay Gaw- Martin was another par-ticipant in the Easter Seals Drop Zone

and dressed as Robin of Robin andBarman fame for the occasion. “ I heardof the event months ago on the radiowhen they first started advertising it andjust decided I wanted to go and help thecause. I work with kids in the schoolsystem and really want to give some-thing back and I though this would be agreat opportunity,” said Lindsay whoraised $1600 just by asking everyone sheknew. “ I had to go all out and getdressed up as Robin as well. I’m excit-ed!”

Easter Seals Drop Zone Event Big SuccessBY SCOTT A. SUMNERThunder Bay BUSINESS

Top: Laura ZainaAbove: Lindsay Gaw- Martin

PAGE 16 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2012