The Drive Magazine // Issue 153 // Winter

ISSUE 153

BEYOND THE FINISH LINE

TERRY JONES’ VICTORY LAP IN BUSINESS, RACING, AND REAL ESTATE

LIFESTYLE | CULTURE PEOPLE | TRENDS Page |Spinf

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The

DRIVE

PAUL ST-PIERRE ................................................ Publisher BREANNE MCGINTY..... Managing Editor & Director of Sales MEL MONCZAK ........................................................ Sales SAMANTHA GOSSMAN ............................................. Sales SABINE MAIN.........................................Creative Director MARNIE ROBILLARD ..................................... Art Director GREG EDWARDS ................................... Graphic Designer CONTRIBUTORS NICOLE BESTED ............................................ Photographer JEN BRIGNALL-STRONG ......................................... Writer MONA ELKADRI ....................Stylist/Writer/Photographer TERI GYEMI ...............................................................Writer SYX LANGEMANN ....................................... Photographer DEVAN MIGHTON ................................................... Writer RYAN OUELLETTE ...................................... Videographer ANTHONY SHEARDOWN ............................. Photographer MATTHEW ST. AMAND ........................................... Writer ANNA STANLEY .............................................Copy Editor MAXIMUS REID ........................................... Photographer

On the cover: ISSUE 153

THE DRIVE LIFESTYLE | CULTURE | PEOPLE | TRENDS

BEYOND THE FINISH LINE

TERRY JONES’ VICTORY LAP IN BUSINESS, RACING, AND REAL ESTATE

Beyond the Finish Line Terry Jones’ Victory Lap in Business, Racing, and Real Estate. Story written by Matthew St. Amand Photo by Trevor Booth

ISSUE 154

LIFESTYLE | CULTURE PEOPLE | TRENDS Page |Spinf

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CONTENTS

DRIVE

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ISSUE 153 AROUND TOWN 10 Unique News from Around Windsor and Essex County.

OUR CITY

Bridging the Past & Present: Featuring Ambassador Bridge and the Gordie Howe Bridge.

FOOD 18 OH SO MONA Delights us with her Buttermilk Pancakes recipe.

MOTIVATION 32 Three motivated people teach us how to follow our dreams and passion until they become a reality.

TRAVEL 36 Local Family takes the trip of a lifetime to Africa. Start Planning.

DRIVE THRU 42 519 Chef Hustle, elevating the art of catering and cooking demos in YQG.

22 PORTRAIT From dirt roads to demolition king, Terry Jones’ journey of grit and glory.

THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM

DRIVE MIND 44 Teri Gyemi enlightens us with learning the freedom of saying “NO.” THEN & NOW 52 *NEW SERIES - Enzo Mancuso delights us with his past cover from 2000- to where he is now.

REARVIEW MIRROR 56 A boy and his Father’s car – 1956 Ford Customline.

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A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER Welcome to the first issue of The DRIVE Magazine for 2024 – a year of new beginnings, inspiring journeys, and a return to our much-loved perfect bound format that makes our magazine a perennial coffee table favourite.

In this edition, we embrace the spirit of the New Year with a feature that's close to our hearts – "New Year, New Goals." This article delves into the lives of three local individuals whose stories of setting and achieving remarkable goals will undoubtedly ignite your own aspirations. Did you catch any of the local podcasts from our last issue, or have you created a vision board using tips from our latest W.O.W. Magazine? Whatever your goals, let these stories be your catalyst.

If you’ve been contemplating that once-in-a-lifetime vacation, we also encourage you to read this issue’s “African Adventure,” which highlights one local family’s recent safari adventure.

Gracing our cover is Amherstburg’s The Jones Group, a testament to the vibrant and dynamic community spirit that drives our publication. Their story is not just about business success; it's about the power of family, community, and relentless ambition.

We’re also excited to introduce three new regular feature articles. First, "The Rearview Mirror" takes motorheads on a nostalgic journey with local vintage cars. "Psych Drive" also makes a much-anticipated return with Teri Gyemi, offering insights into psychology and its impact on our daily lives. Lastly, "Where Are They Now?" revisits the stories of past DRIVE covers, providing insights into their current journeys.

In closing, we’d like to take a moment to thank you, our readers and valued advertisers, whose support not only fuels our magazine but also strengthens the community and businesses we cherish.

Happy New Year and happy reading!

Thank you,

Paul St. Pierre Publisher 8

AROUND TOWN

TOWN Welcome to our custom content page meant to highlight unique news from the Windsor-Essex region.

Since 1991, Kevin King has been a guiding force in financial services, establishing a reputation for excellence and trust.

In 2023, he founded The Wealth Center, bringing together a dynamic team of experts, including Administration Manager Kathy Macyshyn, highly knowledgeable advisor Evan Carrick, and the innovative Jack Sanko. This team represents a blend of experience, intelligence, and fresh perspectives, dedicated to treating clients like family. Specializing in life insurance planning, investment advice, group employee benefit packages, and pension plans, The Wealth Center has a proven track record of helping hundreds achieve financial security. Their comprehensive services cater to both individual and corporate clients, ensuring tailored solutions for every financial need. Looking to secure your financial future or enhance your business's employee benefits? Join The Wealth Center's family of satisfied clients. Contact us today for a consultation. Your journey towards financial peace of mind begins here.

Nestled in the heart of Forest Glade, Parks & Rec Gastropub redefines the dining experience with a fresh new menu with familiar favourites and mouth-watering additions! The friendly staff, inviting atmosphere, extensive beer selection, and classic board games make for the perfect outing. With 27 screens to catch all the games, this gastropub ensures both delicious and entertaining experiences. Summer evenings come alive on the covered patio, while Tuesday Trivia nights, billiards tables, and dart boards add to the excitement. For larger gatherings, a private room – “The Pavilion” can accommodate up to 70 people for any function. Adding to the allure, a recent late-night menu introduces favourites like mozzarella sticks and the new Tequila Lime Dip— perfect for sharing during sports games or live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Indulge in daily drink specials, including Tuesday's $6 Blue Moon and Heineken pints or Sunday’s $6 Caesars! Visit Parks & Rec at 3087 Forest Glade Drive!

Waseem Youans is the new owner of the 1 Spot barbershop located at 1825 Manning road, unit 300. He’s been cutting hair for almost a decade now and specializes in men’s hair and beard fades. Waseem also sells hair and beard products from WY signature brand and the most popular ones are the hair texturizing powder and beard oils made out of natural ingredients. His team's focus is not only to give a great haircut, but an overall experience with a touch of class. We deliver a modern sophistication that enhances our clients daily lives. Our official slogan is “Elevate Your Everyday.”

Instagram: @the1spotbarbershop/@waseemyouans the1spot.ca

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AROUND TOWN

Nestled in the heart of Windsor's vibrant Little Italy, Amalfi Panini & Cafe offers a delightful escape to the flavours of Italy.

This charming cafe, inspired by the allure of the Amalfi Coast, specializes in serving up authentic Italian panini and aromatic coffee. The menu boasts a carefully curated selection of panini, each crafted with premium ingredients to capture the essence of Italian culinary traditions. From timeless classics to inventive combinations, every bite is a journey through the diverse tastes of Italy. Beyond the delectable menu, the cafe exudes a warm and inviting setting for friends and family to gather. The cafe takes pride in sourcing top-quality coffee beans, ensuring a perfect complement to the rich and savoury panini offerings. Whether enjoying a leisurely lunch or grabbing a quick, flavourful coffee, Amalfi Panini & Cafe stands as a genuine taste of Italy, making it a must-visit destination for those who appreciate the authenticity of Italian cuisine in the heart of Windsor.

The Job Shoppe, founded in 2003, stands as a leading employment and staffing agency, renowned for connecting talented individuals with rewarding career opportunities. Headquartered in Windsor, Ontario, it has expanded its operations across multiple regions, demonstrating a commitment to both job seekers and employers.

The firm specializes in a variety of sectors including administrative, professional, skilled trades, and industrial positions. Under the leadership of CEO Meighen Nehme, The Job Shoppe has built a reputation for its innovative approach to workforce solutions, emphasizing personalized service and a deep understanding of both client and candidate needs. The company's success is rooted in its core values of integrity, teamwork, and excellence, driving a culture that fosters inclusivity and employee development. The Job Shoppe's community involvement is noteworthy, actively participating in local events and initiatives. This engagement reflects their dedication not just to business growth, but also to the betterment of the communities they serve. With a client-centric approach and a dynamic team, The Job Shoppe continues to be a pivotal leader in the staffing industry.

Ford City Potters is a full-service pottery studio founded by Gisele Bick and Lisa Gabriele. The studio offers classes (handbuilding and wheel) workshops, corporate events and monthly memberships. It’s a welcoming space to learn and practice the art of pottery, with the goal of becoming a vibrant hub for Windsor’s enthusiastic pottery community. Gisele has been practicing pottery for fifteen years, teaching for eight. Her wares, under the brand G-Pots, are available in retail stores across Essex County.

Lisa has been practicing for three years, after a 35+ year hiatus since learning in high school—from the same teacher as Gisele!

They’re excited about contributing to the cultural renaissance happening in Ford City, a hotspot for creative entrepreneurs.

Check out www.fordcitypotters.com, and join the mailing list for class notices. Instagram @fordcitypotters

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DRIVE

BRIDGING THE PAST & PRESENT Nearly a century after the Ambassador Bridge was built, Windsor has taken on and nearly completed yet another monumental span across the Detroit River.

By Matthew St. Amand

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OUR CITY

Paris has the Eiffel Tower. Athens has a bridge, offer the best solution of the crossthe Parthenon. Windsor has the Ambas- river traffic problem, F.G. Engholm, of sador Bridge.

Toronto, engineer for the Detroit Subways Few cities possess a single iconic struc- Company…” The article was accompanied ture that embodies its identity. The majestic by futuristic depictions of Windsor’s waterexpanse of the Ambassador Bridge says all front, entirely paved, fi lled with subway anyone needs to know about Windsor: We cars and boxy terminal buildings. Not a build things here—big things, things that tree to be seen! stand the test of time.

Most municipalities—then and now— faced with choosing between massive projects would spend years studying, stalling, debating, deferring before choosing one of the two options. The 1920s was a time of bold action, and the leaders in Windsor and Detroit chose to build both a bridge and a tunnel. Construction of the Detroit– Windsor tunnel began in the summer of 1928 and was completed in November 1930.

Construction of the Ambassador Bridge began on August 16, 1927, and the bridge opened for use on November 15, 1929, less than a month after the catastrophic stock market crash that precipitated the Great Depression.

The city is doing it, yet again, almost a hundred years later with the Gordie Howe International Bridge. As the people of Windsor go about their lives, the multi-billion-dollar construction project progresses inexorably toward completion on the western bank of the Detroit River. More than 8,500 individuals have worked in one form or another on the new international bridge. More than forty percent of those people are from this area: ironworkers, operating engineers, carpenters, millwrights, bricklayers, cement masons, electricians, plumbers and labourers. At the zenith of its construction, the $23 million Ambassador Bridge project, 1927-1929, had more than Private enterprise had the most to gain 600 labourers working on the site. from the span, so investment from the This is not history repeating. This is the business community—locally, and reaching face of a city whose forge of industry and all the way to New York City—was incorporated as the Detroit International Bridge innovation has never cooled.

Corporation. This would come back to Following the horror and trauma of haunt the bridge half a century later, in World War I, 1920s North America was a 1979, when Detroit billionaire Matty time of great optimism, dynamism, and a Maroun purchased the bridge company. renewed belief in human ingenuity. That “The only way things can be done today,” sense was no more evident than in Windsor, Ontario during the later years of the decade, proclaimed Henry Ford, one of the project’s where two colossal projects were undertaken backers, “is by private business.” virtually simultaneously: the construction of The Ambassador Bridge’s origin story the Detroit-Windsor tunnel and construc- begins in the mid-1920s when New York tion of the Ambassador Bridge. businessman, John W. Austin, approached Supporters of the bridge project were matched by those who felt a tunnel was the better option to connect Windsor and Detroit. The October 3, 1925, Border Cities’ Star ran a front-page article stating: “The controversy as to whether a tunnel or bridge would be the better means of overcoming the transportation difficulties of the Detroit River is over half a century old. It is not by any means a new issue.”

A third idea was published in the November 14, 1925, edition of the newspaper: “Plans to connect the Border Cities with Detroit by subways, rather than THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM

#FlyWithRye

financier Joseph A. Bower—who had lived for twenty years in Detroit earlier in his career—about reviving previously abandoned plans for building a bridge across the river.

The 1920s was certainly a dynamic time— from that meeting between John Austin and Joseph Bower, a $23.5 million privately financed link between Detroit and Windsor was born.

Few aspects of the bridge’s construction were easy after that point. The feat of raising sufficient funding was almost negated when a Toronto financier who was “hired to sell its securities instead stole the money, ran 13

OUR CITY

Carefully, gingerly, meticulously, painstakingly, the cables were replaced. No textbook existed to guide the process. The engineers and iron workers on the project just figured it out. Following this setback, progress resumed.

off and ultimately committed suicide in a jail cell after being convicted of murdering a drugstore clerk…” according to a May 21, 2015, MacLean’s Magazine article.

Then, like now, the bridge’s construction created a “knock-on effect:” not only was the immediate location affected by the project, but roads throughout the City of Windsor, leading to the bridge, required upgrading to handle the anticipated increase in traffic to the new crossing. This is a scene currently being replayed around the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

Interestingly enough, the bridge that was planned in the 1920s is not the one that was ultimately built.

The Ambassador Bridge was dedicated on November 11, 1929, and the event came off in true Windsor form. As politicians and representatives from the business community squared up to speechify to the fifty thousand people gathered on the Canadian side of the bridge, the crowds took matters into their own hands, breaking through the rope barriers and pouring onto the bridge. Some daring souls even climbed the catwalks to the top of the piers. It was the most massive structure those citizens had ever seen in their lives, and they sought to experience it firsthand, viewing the river from its great height. The newspaper of Photo courtesy the day stated: “No ceremony could have of The Windsor Star been half so impressive as the unbridled, was embraced. Nearly a century later, in uncontrollable rush of thousands of people, the science fiction year of 2024, Windsor turning out to see this new engineering residents are once again witnessing what marvel of the world.”

Today, the Goliath structure of the their sepia-toned forebears beheld: a massive structure slowly coming together over the Gordie Howe International Bridge looms Detroit River. over the west Windsor landscape.

Incredibly, by March 1929, the Ambassador Bridge project was fourteen months ahead of schedule. By that time, the cables were all in place and the main span was being built. Later that month, however, while Joseph Bower attended a dinner to celebrate his accomplishment with the bridge, a pair of engineers took him aside and informed him that the heat-treated, high-carbon steel wire used in the bridge’s cables was defective. One can only imagine the look on Joseph Bower’s face upon hearing that news. Pat Brode captured the moment in his book Border Cities Powerhouse, writing: “As Bower later recalled: ‘The whole thing had to be torn down and replaced… I didn’t want any more food that night nor wine either.’”

“The original bridge design called for a much larger structure,” says Windsor historian, Pat Brode. “The original design was going to be a huge, brick structure—a train bridge. In the 1920s, people couldn’t wrap their heads around the idea of motorists driving across the bridge in cars. They imagined people would only cross in trains The December 11, 1993, edition of The and buses. The original entrance to the Windsor Star recalled: “Within days the bridge area would have been at Tecumseh suspended roadway was removed, along with Road, rather than at Wyandotte Street.” the suspending cables and the main cables As with all grand plans, the original cut into thirty-foot sections. By June, with designs for the bridge evolved and the the dismantling completed, new cables were notion of automobile traffic across the span spun, using traditional cold-drawn wire.”

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Local media recently reported that the support tower on the Canadian side of the Gordie Howe International Bridge now stands at its full height: a dizzying 722 feet (220 meters). Its counterpart on the U.S. side reached its full height in August.

Heather Grondin, vice-president for the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) explained: “The towers are significant. They hold the weight of the bridge, not just the bridge itself, but also the future traffic and they hold the cables that attach from the road deck to the towers themselves. People can really start recognizing what the cable stay bridge design means for the skyline.”

“Schedule,” “budget,” and “progress” are key words connected to the Gordie Howe bridge project, but the most important word on the work site is “safety.”

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge project team emphasizes the importance of health and safety and employs extraordinary measures to ensure the well-being of workers and the public,” says a bridge official.

OUR CITY

This is particularly meaningful after a worker on the Ambassador Bridge plummeted more than forty meters into the Detroit River last summer. Thank goodness, he survived. In a world abounding with guardrails, seatbelts, and bicycle helmets, that accident was a sobering reminder that working on the bridge structure is a dangerous endeavour.

section of the Joe Louis Greenway. Users of the bridge’s multi-use path will access local street connections on West Jefferson Avenue, adjacent to Historic Fort Wayne.

From there, users can travel along the new West Jefferson Avenue multi-use path to connect to new cycling infrastructure via Green Street or Campbell Street which leads to bike lanes on Fort Street.

Additional bike lanes have been integrated into the new road crossing bridges at Springwells, Green, Livernois and Clark Streets to connect the communities on the north and south sides of I-75.

When completed, the clear span of the Gordie Howe International Bridge will extend 2,798 feet (853 meters) making it the longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge in North America. The Ambassador Bridge When the new bridge reaches compleextends 1,850 feet (563 meters) in length, tion and opens for use in 2025, Windsormaking it the longest bridge in the world Essex will have yet another symbol of its until the Golden Gate Bridge was completed industry and ingenuity, another towering in San Francisco in 1937. statement that tells all who behold it: We The Gordie Howe International Bridge build things here. will not only provide a new crossing option for people and goods, but it will be a gem along the Windsor shoreline, bringing beauty to an area sorely in need of it. It will be a spectacle to behold each night: The majestic bridge towers will be illuminated by white LED lights. “Light spillage” will be limited by optics and shielding that will have the ability to adjust—as needed— to accommodate for such as fog, or peak migratory bird season. The bridge’s stay cables will be individually illuminated from the base upward with white, precision optic LED lights, positioned to allow the bridge towers to absorb the glare, further reducing light spill into the sky. The bridge deck will be lined linearly with white LED lights defining its edge from one end of the bridge to the other.

Beyond the new bridge’s aesthetics, it will be accessible not only to vehicle traffic, but also to cyclists and pedestrians by way of a multi-use path that will accommodate two-way traffic in either direction. Pedestrians and cyclists will be protected by concrete barriers separating vehicular traffic from people on foot or bikes, with dedicated processing areas at each Port of Entry to welcome them.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge team is working with the City of Detroit to create pedestrian and cycling connections into adjacent road and trail networks in the city, including the Southwest Detroit THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM

Photos courtesy of The Windsor Star

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FOOD

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FOOD

THE BEST BUTTERMILK

pancakes INGREDIENTS 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg 2 egg yolks 1 tbsp vanilla 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup canola oil 1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup butter, for cooking

METHOD If you do not have buttermilk, add 1 tbsp of vinegar to a liquid measure, then fill it with milk until it hits the 1 cup mark. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Whisk egg and egg yolks with sugar in a medium bowl until well combined.

In another bowl, measure flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder, set aside.

Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and oil into the bowl of eggs and sugar and mix until combined.

Whisk both the wet and dry ingredients until all ingredients are incorporated.

Don’t overmix! Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

In a nonstick frying pan on medium heat, add 2 tbsp of butter and using a ladle, drop 2-3 pancakes, depending on the size of your pan.

Flip the pancakes when you see bubbles forming on the top of each pancake.

Be sure to add more butter between batches.

Makes 8 - 6 inch pancakes

Mona Elkadri is not just a food writer, but also a skilled recipe developer, former restaurateur, and culinary teacher. She possesses a keen appreciation for that elusive secret ingredient that invariably elevates each dish to perfection.

THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM

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PORTRAIT

AN EYE FOR OPPORTUNITIES Amherstburg native, Terry Jones, started with very little, but his wits and work ethic have taken him to heights he could not have imagined when he first started out.

By Matthew St. Amand Photos by Trevor Booth

There are no half measures in the life and experience of Amherstburg native and serial entrepreneur, Terry Jones.

“One day he wanted to start auto racing,” Terry’s wife Lisa remembers. “The next thing I knew there was a race car in the driveway.

Terry was thirty years old. Most drivers start when they’re twelve.

That’s why Terry’s racing number is ‘30.’”

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PORTRAIT

Born and raised in Amherstburg, Terry attended Western Secondary School and worked for his father, Ron Jones, who owned a landscaping business and a moving company. Upon graduating from Western, Terry had no trouble keeping busy. He landed a government job operating a grader on road work projects in the county and worked for his father during his off-hours.

“My dad passed his work ethic to me,” Terry explains. “There is no way around it. That’s how you get things done. You do the work.”

July 30, 1993, found Terry working on Boblo Island dismantling rides at the newly closed amusement park for his father’s company. It was Terry’s twentysecond birthday and he looked forward to going out, later, to celebrate with his friends. He had no idea this was the day his life would change.

“My dad came over to the island and said to me: ‘You’ve got to do this moving job for me today.’”

Not the words Terry wanted to hear.

“I said to him: ‘I’m going out with my friends!’ And my dad said: ‘You can go out after.’”

There was no sense in arguing. The work would not do itself.

“After I finished at Boblo Island, I was dirty and grimy and just wanted to get the furniture move done,” Terry recalls. “The job was at an apartment. When I knocked on the door, this beautiful blonde opened it. I nearly fell over.”

That was the day Terry met Lisa “I jogged by the site everyday until Meloche. Although they would marry Terry called me,” she says. on December 30, 1995, at that moment, Lisa had zero interest in kindling a new “Yeah, I saw Lisa jog by a few times,” relationship.

Terry recalls, “and finally I worked up the “I was at the end of a relationship—I courage to call and ask for a date.” was done with guys,” Lisa says with a After thirteen months working as a laugh. “Then Terry shows up at my door!” grader operator, Terry left the job. His Soon after, Lisa learned Terry was friends thought he was crazy. doing grading work at a property near her “I couldn’t handle it,” Terry says. “I parents’ home, so she incorporated that couldn’t work at that pace. That’s when area into her morning jog.

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I decided to start my own business. On my way home, I stopped at the bank and wanted to get overdraft on my bank account. I said to them: ‘I’m a businessman!’ The person I dealt with asked: ‘How long have you been in business?’ And I said: ‘I just started!’ I didn’t get the overdraft.”

Lisa connected with Terry just in time to help him with his new venture: installing interlocking brick. If anything

PORTRAIT

will test the strength of a relationship it’s working together on tough, tedious projects.

“We worked out of our house, I was his secretary—which didn’t last,” Lisa says.

“Terry wasn’t much for keeping receipts.

I helped him lay interlocking brick. On weekends, he shuttled racehorses back and forth to Florida. He was always working, always motivated. He saw opportunities in everything he did.”

“Finally, I got tired of being bent over looking at the ground all day,” Terry says.

“So, I started in demolition.”

Around that time, Terry’s father showed him a notice in the newspaper.

There was a demolition job at a property in Brighton Beach.

“I got all the permits I needed and entered a bid,” Terry recalls. “I got the job. I later learned that my bid was half of everyone else’s. It was like being paid to go to school. At the time, I didn’t even own a piece of equipment. I just figured it out as I went.”

And the Jones Group was born.

Terry continues: “It took about five years to complete the circle—to earn enough money for the big equipment, trucks, yards, get all that into place.”

My dad passed his work ethic to me,” Terry explains. “There is no way around it. That’s how you get things done.

You do the work.

One of the things Terry always looked at regarding business was taking on tasks nobody else was willing to do.

“It’s cool knocking down a building,” he says, “but nobody wants to clean up the mess. That’s where I come in. I became good friends with John Moceri—God rest his soul—of Windsor Disposal Services. He THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM

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PORTRAIT

was a great inspiration. And Gagnon Demolition. They’re great people to work with.

Everyone thought we were enemies, but we were good friends. John would come over and cook for me and my race team! Friendship is friendship and business is business, and we could differentiate the two.”

There are many moving parts in the “I couldn’t race and run a business,” Terry says. “I had some good races. I came entity of Jones Group. Those machinain second at Daytona, once, and had many tions continued while Terry recovered from his injuries. respectable finishes.”

These days, Terry is a team owner and his son, Kasey, is heavily involved in the racing team: Rette Jones Racing, based in Terry has a way of making the impossible Mooresville, North Carolina. Among other seem doable. He figured out demolition like drivers racing for the team, former actor someone untangles bad driving directions. Frankie Muniz, known for his starring role in the ’90s TV show Malcolm in the Middle, “It’s capital intensive,” Terry concedes. came aboard as a driver in January 2023, “Most of all, though, you need great people to make it all work. I have great employees.

They are the best part of the success. I can’t be everywhere, so I need great people and I have great people.”

As the Jones Group flourished, Lisa made her own way at her family’s automobile dealership, Joe Meloche Ford in Amherstburg, which she owns with her sister, Michelle Ropac.

In 1997, Lisa and Terry welcomed their daughter Mackie into the world, and in 2004, their son Kasey was born.

Terry’s ability to take chances has not only served him well in business, but throughout his life.

During a rare, idle afternoon in 2001— while Lisa was out with Mackie—Terry’s life took another dramatic turn.

At the time, nobody knew if I would survive. I was in a coma for a few weeks. My grandmother was looking out for me. I also had a pair of great surgeons. They were brothers, actually—one worked on my skull and the other worked on my pelvis.

I wish I could meet them, again, and thank them. They saved my life.

along with NASCAR driver Noah Gragson.

“I was watching NASCAR on TV,” he recalls. “I remembered asking my dad, years Speed has not always served Terry well. ago, if he would sponsor me in auto racing. There was an evening in 2017 when he rode He said: ‘No way I’m going to spend my a friend’s full-dressed Harley Davidson money on that!’ By the time I was thirty, I motorcycle. had enough money to do it.”

“We were only about a mile from my Terry says: “I raced in the CASCAR house,” Terry remembers. “We had turned series at Delaware Speedway, but I got tired the corner going down Third Concession of the two-hour drive each way. Somebody and I suddenly lost control of the motorrecommended Toledo Speedway in Ohio— cycle.” that’s only forty-five minutes away. I started Terry takes a breath and continues: “At having success there. I eventually won so the time, nobody knew if I would survive. many races in the ARCA Series they didn’t I was in a coma for a few weeks. My grandwant me in the league anymore!” mother was looking out for me. I also had a Terry moved up to NASCAR and pair of great surgeons. They were brothers, raced until 2017. He knew from his actually—one worked on my skull and the business experience that to be truly great at other worked on my pelvis. I wish I could something, one had to focus all their time meet them, again, and thank them. They and energy on it. saved my life.”

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Before the motorcycle crash, Terry began acquiring properties. Area realtor John D’Alimonte called while Terry was in Florida, racing, and asked: “Are you interested in a marina?”

“Which one?”

“Bru Mon Yacht Club in Amherstburg.”

“OK.” Terry laughs recalling the day. “That’s how simple it was. I don’t have a pension.

My properties are my pension. I always tell my kids: ‘Don’t sell the marinas. They’re great pieces of property.’”

They also provide great opportunities for his family.

“My daughter, Mackie, took Business in university and now she owns The Towne Shoppe in Amherstburg,” Terry says.

“Demolition isn’t the environment for her.

She could handle it, but she’d be on the road all the time. She’s a young woman and will want to have her own family, someday, and that’s why I’ve bought the marinas, and the clothing store, apartment buildings, warehouses. She’s my property manager.”

As for working on property deals, Reliable Realtor John D’Alimonte says: “I’m proud to be part of the team!”

“He sees my vision,” Terry says of John.

“He understands me.”

A project of particular note, that the group is excited about is the St. Anthony’s Lofts—soon to be unveiled. For this gem, Rosati Group was brought in along with cabinets by Cremasco. Mr. Style will stage the model loft.

No one is more astonished by this amazing journey than Terry himself. He credits the love and support of his family and friends and valued employees for his success. He doesn’t spend much time reliving his victories or lamenting disappointments. He’s too busy looking for that next opportunity.

The Reliable Realtors Team is proud to have assisted the Jones Group.

Follow our website for The Grand Opening of The Lofts 247 Brock St Amherstburg. liveatthelofts.ca

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PROFILE

A NEW ERA OF SKINCARE Dr. Tan and his team at Healthy Image are revolutionizing skin health with a holistic approach.

By Layan Barakat

“I highly recommend Dr. Jerry Tan and his professional staff. They exceeded my expectations and made my visit worthwhile. They took the time to answer all my questions and educate me on therapies and treatments,” raves a satisfied client, echoing the sentiments of many who have experienced the exceptional care at Healthy Image Centre, an esteemed medical center that has recently undergone a remarkable expansion, ushering in a new era of cutting-edge treatments and personalized care that transcends the conventional boundaries of dermatological aesthetics.

Led by the distinguished Dr. Jerry Tan, a certified specialist in dermatology with over 25 years of dedicated service to the Windsor community, Healthy Image Centre stands out as the leading medical clinic for holistic skin health. Dr. Tan’s passion for dermatology is deeply rooted in a personal connection, driven by the skin issues prevalent in his own family—acne, rosacea, and eczema. His journey from medical school to becoming a revered figure in the field reflects a commitment to understanding the profound impact of skin conditions on individuals and their loved ones.

At the core of Healthy Image Centre’s success is a team of skilled professionals— nurses and aestheticians—specially trained to provide comforting, courteous, and professional assistance before, during, and after treatments. The center’s commitment to excellence is evident in its state-of-the-art treatment rooms and advanced equipment, creating a soothing environment where clients can embark on a journey to radiant skin.

A holistic approach to your skincare needs.

What sets Healthy Image Centre apart is its 360-degree approach to skincare. The center houses dermatologists, dermatological nurses, and aestheticians who specialize in a range of advanced procedures, including hydrafacials, injectables, radiofrequency fat reduction, microneedling, and lasers. The process begins with a personalized consultation focused on individual concerns, guiding clients through a tailored program designed to maximize skin health.

Chelsea Geschiere, Marketing Specialist and founder of Socially Collected, the 30

PROFILE

digital marketing company associated with Healthy Image Centre, sheds light on the unique aspects that make the center stand out. “A lot of people really love the Healthy Image team because of the relationships they’ve built with their clients, so many of their clients are very long-term and loyal to Healthy Image because of their attention to detail and the one-on-one care they get.

They don’t just recommend things to get another appointment booked; they recommend what they feel their clients really need. Also, Dr. Tan is very thorough, and that’s something that’s always mentioned in the testimonials.”

Healthy Image’s fresh new look.

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As a symbol of unwavering dedication to skin health, Dr. Jerry Tan and his team at Healthy Image Centre invite you to experience the transformative journey towards a healthier, more radiant you. With a legacy that extends back almost three decades, the center continues to be a trusted skincare haven for the Windsor-Essex community, offering unparalleled expertise and personalized care in the pursuit of a Healthy Image.

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MOTIVATION

MOTIVATION

BY THREE VERY MOTIVATED PEOPLE A champion bodybuilder, a bathing suit model, and a triathlete talk overcoming adversity and digging deep.

By Devan Mighton Photos by Maximus Reid

Success doesn't just fall into one's lap. It is pursued, it's cultivated, it's nurtured, and it is grown. The commonality between self-made and successful people is the drive to succeed.

All walks of life exhibit challenges and meeting those challenges sometimes result in failure. However, it is the response to that failure that makes the person and determines their success.

We recently had the privilege to discuss motivation, success, and hard work with three laser-focused individuals from the WindsorEssex County community, their life journeys, and what it took for them to succeed.

Fitness as a Foundation By 2009, Richie Keirouz was sick of running into the same wall, over and over again. Recently married, Keirouz had been dealing with a prolonged depression that began with the loss of his business two years prior.

"By early 2009, I was looking for a way out," he explains. "A way to get my mental health back and get back on track in a positive state of mind."

In his youth, Keirouz had been into bodybuilding, idolizing the greats like Kevin Levrone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

However, in recent years, his love of the sport had fallen by the wayside.

"A close friend of mine, who was a pro bodybuilder at the time, said to me, 'If you want to compete in a show one day, I'll train 32

you and show you what to do,'" he recalls. "I took that as a sign to say that this was my opportunity to get back into this thing and start to get my life back on track."

and started buying books and magazines on states. "If you feel good and you look good, the subject and following the lead of two of it propels everything else that you're doing." his cousins who also pumped iron. Soon, Two Choices: Stay in bed—or make it! he made the high school football team and At 36 years old, Bozena Mailloux was Keirouz took up the offer and worked continued to pack on muscle and size. going through a recent separation with her with him for a year. He ended up winning He says his life as a bodybuilder has been then husband. She was the doting mother his first ever bodybuilding competition in transformative to him as a person. He enjoys of three young children—Mason, Tavia, and 2010. "I got bit by the bug at that point and the love and support of his parents, his wife, Owen—but had fallen into an undiscovered I've been competing ever since." and his daughters, as they understand the country of sorts—being a single mom with Last October, Keirouz won the Canadian sacrifice his sport requires and its importance no career. national championship. An effort 14 years in to him.

She says she had two options: stay in bed the making.

"It's a selfish sport," he admits. "You're or make it.

"To me, it's the endorphin rush— in the gym a lot, you're not going out for Born in Poland and coming to Canada getting in the gym, training, putting your dinners, you're sleeping early, you're up early... as a child, Mailloux had spent her married headphones in, getting that pump, getting there's a lot of sacrifice that goes into it. They life working for her ex-husband. Now, the blood flowing and heart rate going— know it makes me who I am." in need of work and money to raise her that's what sets me off and it puts me at At 46, Keirouz is an established and children on her own, she turned to a childanother level," he explains. well-known bodybuilder, but he has also hood passion—modelling.

His foray into bodybuilding had an become a certified life and fitness coach.

"I started on my own, I started doing auspicious start. At 14, his father, who saw Having quit his corporate job last June, he my homework and my research," she recalls.

Keirouz as undersized and frail, feared that now operates his own business and leader- "I made a lot of mistakes at that time he would develop a humpback, as did his ship consulting firm in his own name. because I didn't even know where to start. grandfather. He brought home weights for "The one thing I say to everybody when I got a lot of nos, I got a lot of rejections. the boy and told him to strengthen his back I'm working with people is that fitness is the I was raising kids while trying to find the and shoulders. Keirouz took the task to heart foundation for building a successful life," he right photographers."

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MOTIVATION

Since then, the offers have been rolling in. She has been hired to host a TV show that she cannot yet speak about, but will be visiting exotic locations like Greece and Florida.

She credits her children as her biggest fans and supporters. "They love it, my number ones have always been my kids," she says. "They always stood by me. They were little when I started and didn't know any better. When they were little, I worked around their schedule, where I travelled to do these photo shoots."

Mailloux says that along with keeping a positive attitude, staying fit is just as important for her mental health.

"I've done it for over 25 years," she says.

"I was also the director for the West Miss Universe pageant, and I had to tell the girls, doing modelling or doing bikini shoots, you've got to workout and you've gotta stay fit, lean, for yourself, mentally as well."

Mailloux's mental toughness and drive to succeed is a testament to her commitment. "I just said to myself that I'm not quitting after so many years. I've gone really, really far, this is what I love and have always wanted, and it's something I'm good at—I just don't want to give up."

Running the Road Less Travelled

She has always been interested in modelling, even briefly trying it when she was young. She says that she was very insecure as a child and it didn't work out, also, being in a young immigrant family, she felt responsible to watch her siblings while her parents worked.

In the meantime, she picked up a great job working at Overseas Motors BMW to support her family and her passion—but, she was still trying to get her name out there.

As a student at Holy Names Catholic High School, Gabriel Chalut was an exemplary student-athlete. Competing in six different high school sports, even winning a WECSSAA and SWOSSA title in basketball while in Gr. 11, Chalut was able to pull off a 90-plus average, earning an admission scholarship at the University of Waterloo where he was to study math.

"After so many rejections from so many agencies," she says. "I had also been submitThen COVID-19 happened. ting to Maxim magazine for almost three Working at local fitness clubs as a years. I had been rejected for that as well, Chalut attempted the online learning fitness and spin instructor, something she but, finally, in April, I got an email saying offered by the university, but like many had done since she was 18, she struggled to post-secondary students around the world, that they had accepted my submission." make the right moves in the business and found the experience hollow, defeating, and She says that Maxim wanted to fly struggled with depression following rejecextinguishing to his academic growth. her out to some exotic locales right away, tion after rejection.

As he watched, while COVID destroyed "At 40 years old, I got an agent from however, with work and family obligathe plans he put forth, he struggled to find tions, she chose to defer to a later date.

Six New York—a modelling agent that wanted meaning in his life. to scout me and put me through seven or months later, Maxim flew her to Tulum, "It was actually my brother who started eight photographers that were well-known Mexico, the last trip of the year for the worldwide photographers," she explains. magazine, where they did a feature with getting into running, because all of the gyms were closed," explains Chalut. "I was heavily "This was during COVID, and I went for it." her and a Q&A interview.

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influenced by my grandfather and uncle, who cycle in Italy, so I started riding my bike at the same time that my brother was running."

For Keirouz, he advises that success starts when people get past their fear of a new beginning.

Chalut credits his brother with the idea for what came next—he entered into an Ironman competition—a triathlon event involving running, biking, and swimming.

With the pandemic starting to wane, Chalut looked for the closest event, which ended up being the 2021 Muskoka 70.3.

"Just get started," opins Keirouz. "Most people are afraid to even start because they look too much into it. 'I don't have the right diet, I don't have the right training program, or the right coach. Just get into it.

It could be as simple as just getting up and starting to go for a walk every day."

"After I did well at my first 70.3 in Muskoka, I just kind of fell in love," admits Chalut. "I signed up with a coach and worked at home, by myself, on a trainer. I was running, swimming, and biking, and loved it." Eventually, he hooked up with a coach from Texas who helped him with accommodations and finances.

"Success builds on success; success breeds success."

He credits his love of competition, something he missed from his high school days, as the element that led to his choice to pursue triathlon competitively. "I took the opportunity and never looked back."

For Mailloux, her advice is to focus on what you want and don't let the negative voices, the haters, discourage you from your dream.

"Never stop, never quit, never listen to what people have to say from the outside— the criticism and judgment," encourages

Mailloux. "Whatever career you want to get into, at any age, you can do it. You just have to work hard for it, do your homework, and your research."

Finally, Chalut says that being successful and achieving your dreams involves getting out there and getting noticed.

"No one's going to come knocking on your door to give you the opportunity," divulges Chalut. "If you want to get an opportunity to get discovered, get sponsorships, you have to go out and be proactive, you have to talk to as many people as you can. It's me putting myself out there that's creating these opportunities."

As seen with these three successful Windsorites, if you are motivated, have a plan, and are willing to put in the work, success is waiting for you.

In 2023, Chalut competed in six races, finishing Top 10 in every event—in his age group and among all amateurs—against a plethora of competitors. In Mont Tremblant, he finished second, took fourth place four times, and managed to improve his Muskoka time from 4:44:53 in 2021 to 4:14:19.

He qualified for both the 2023 and 2024 Ironman World Championships, but has elected to diversify his 2024 season instead, including bike racing in Spain, Olympic distance racing in Australia, and two more 70.3-mile Ironman races.

Chalut says there has been a lot to sacrifice to become a triathlete—certain foods, free time, and the security blanket of the college lifestyle.

"Sometimes you're thinking, 'Is this really the right play? Is this the right thing to do?'" he admits. "I'm passionate about it and I'm sacrificing the things I need to sacrifice, so I can battle through anything I'm faced with."

A Word From the Wise Keirouz, Mailloux, and Chalut all chose unconventional paths in life. These choices were made with deliberation, as they were life-altering, and all three did so after running into the proverbial brick wall, rebounding their lives into unrealized dreams.

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TRAVEL

AFRICAN ADVENTURE An Essex County family turned a personal loss into the experience of a lifetime.

By Matthew St. Amand Photos by Myah Robillard

If 2023 has taught us anything, it’s “Seize the day!” Take nothing for granted.

One of the most meaningful ways of seizing the day is through travel: seeing the world, seeking out new experiences.

After losing her mother last year, Marnie Robillard and her family embarked on an epic two-week African safari in August.

Inspiration for this adventure came from Marnie’s mother, who loved travel, herself, and who left Marnie’s family the means to take the trip of a lifetime.

“My mom loved to travel,” Marnie recalls. “When she was in her sixties, she went on a six-week trip to China.”

Marnie and her husband, Jeff, were no strangers to travel adventures.

“I've traveled to Dubai, my husband has been to Egypt,” she notes, “and we have traveled all over Europe together.”

Planning for the African safari took nine months.

“My brother-in-law was instrumental in planning. He and his family traveled with us,” Marnie says. “We decided on a travel agency in Africa so that we’d have someone close to us.

They were fantastic.”

On August 2, Marnie and Jeff Robillard, and their children, Hunter Stuart, 21, and Rhys, 13, as well as her brother-in-law and his children, flew from Detroit to New York, and then on to Cape Town, South Africa.

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TRAVEL

“Our guide met us at the airport in Cape Town, and he was with us most of the time we were in South Africa,” Marnie says.

“He brought us all over. They have many beautiful wineries. We hiked the Lion’s Head Mountain and visited Boulder’s Beach with all the penguins.”

They also visited the Cape of Good Hope, which is less than 300 kilometers from the most southerly tip of the African continent.

“We drove along Chapman’s Peak on the coast,” Marnie says. “It was one of the most beautiful coast lines we’ve ever seen. We stayed right on the Atlantic Ocean.”

After four days in Cape Town, the Robillards traveled almost 2,000 kilometers northeast to the Tulela Safari Lodge.

They stayed in a private lodge that was fully catered, staffed, complete with a luxury swimming pool, outdoor showers, and deck.

“From our deck, each morning, we had a view of a watering hole where elephants gathered,” Marnie remembers. “One morning some elephants were there, and another came from a different direction. It wanted to join them at the water, and there was a stand-off: the female and two younger elephants who were there first seemed to be telling the other elephant he wasn’t welcome. Eventually, that lone elephant walked away. The next morning, we mentioned this to our guide, and he explained that it was like a stranger showing up and trying to join our picnic.”

At five o’clock each morning, guide Werner Miller pulled up to the lodge with the tracker in a large, open bush vehicle.

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TRAVEL

It was the first of two daily visits to the apparently, very rare. The guide was very “This never gets old,” Werner was heard Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. excited. There were hyenas, wildebeests, elk. to say.

“We started out while it was still dark,” One afternoon, we stopped and watched as After three days and six treks into the Marnie says. “The mornings were cold. Even hundreds of African buffalo just walked by Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, the family before the sun rose, the tracker combed our vehicle.” traveled to Zimbabwe. What excitement could the bush with a flashlight, pointing out At one point, the tracker was uncertain possibly follow being among lions in their vegetation. His eyes were so attuned to that they would see lions. He had observed a natural habitat? The Robillards found it. landscape that one morning, he spotted a pride of twenty lions leaving the reserve.

“We toured the Victoria Falls,” Marnie chameleon in a tree, and he was even able to Then, on the last afternoon, the tracker says. “It’s among the largest falls in the world. capture it and show it to us up close.” noticed lion paw prints along the side of We stayed at the Victoria Falls Hotel, built As the sun rose, the Robillards beheld the road. when they were building a train line there. the majesty of the rugged setting, seeing miniature owls, eagles, as well as different types of plants. The tracker plucked a couple of Spike Thorn leaves and demonstrated how they could be folded, creased, but how the leaves mended themselves after he pressed his finger against the crease. He also showed the group Dwarf Papyrus, a vine that can provide water when crushed with a stone or braided and used to make shelter.

After the morning venture into the reserve, the family returned to the lodge to rest and have a meal. At three o’clock in the afternoon, Werner and the tracker returned in the open vehicle for the afternoon safari.

“That’s when we saw animals,” Marnie says. “There were wild dogs, which are,

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“They’re close,” he said.

There are photographs everywhere of Queen Elizabeth as a young girl when she visited.”

Using skills honed over a lifetime, They also took an evening cruise of the the tracker guided Werner into the bush, Zambezi River. following the paw prints.

The coup de grace, however, was the “We tracked the lions for about half-anhour,” Marnie recalls. “We drove right into day Hunter Stuart bungee jumped from the bush! Then he said: ‘Oh my gosh! They the Victoria Falls Bridge with his cousin, Jarret. The bridge stands 420 feet above the have a giraffe!’”

Zambezi River. Not to be outdone, Rhys and There were thirteen lions; some feeding his father, Jeff, ziplined, across the river. on a giraffe they had taken down. Others lay All too soon, the adventure came to an around, resting. end. The Robillards flew out of Johannesburg “The lions were looking on completely to New York, and then New York to Detroit. unbothered by us,” Marnie says. “The “It was something we will always tracker took us within feet of them. My son Hunter said to me: ‘It’s like they’re staring remember,” Marnie says. “It was truly the trip of a lifetime.” right into your soul!’”

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DRIVE

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DRIVE-THRU

GLOBAL FLAVOURS, LOCAL CHARM 519 Chef Hustle Elevating the Art of Catering and Cooking Demos in YQG.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

From working in renowned resorts across the globe to apprenticing at the most iconic Windsor gastronomic institutions, chefs Scot Brooks and Sergio Zevallos bring a world of experience with them when they walk into a kitchen.

As 519 Chef Hustle, they also bring passion, culinary creativity, and a heaping spoonful of witty banter.

Born from the pair’s shared love of entertaining, 519 Chef Hustle is a catering service that specializes in private at-home dinners, corporate caterings, and interactive cooking demonstrations, with Brooks and Zevallos utilizing their decades of experience and cultural backgrounds to craft one-of-a-kind, fusion-style menus featuring locally-sourced ingredients.

The concept for the business came to fruition at the tail end of the pandemic, as restrictions on gatherings were being lifted and people were hesitant to dine out in large groups.

“There were still some restrictions and people were still uneasy about going out, so the idea was let’s cater to those small gatherings,” explains Brooks. “Like, you can’t come to us? We’ll come to you.”

Zevallos says the pair had known each other for over a decade and would consult each other on various projects throughout the years. Although their expertise and culinary preferences differed somewhat, they knew the yin and yang of their partnership would allow them the opportunity to offer something unique to people who were looking for new food-themed experiences in the area.

“Our styles and knowledge are very complementary,” says Brooks. “When it comes to fine dining, Sergio is more versed in that, whereas I’ve got more experience in dealing with catering, so we really feed off each other.”

“We knew that we worked well together. We knew that we both wanted to be entrepreneurs,” adds Zevallos. And with both chefs having worked in the industry from a young age, they also knew they

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During these monthly events, an wanted to pursue a business that offered more flexibility and creativity than a tradi- intimate group of diners are treated to a multi-course dinner prepared right in tional brick and mortar could provide. front of them by Brooks and Zevallos, who “What we do with 519 Chef Hustle is explain each of the dishes and the various different than the everyday. I think we can techniques that go into preparing them. both agree that we would never want to go The opportunity presented itself back to work on the line in a kitchen,” says Brooks. “Doing this, we create our menus, in early 2023, shares Zevallos, when a we know who our clients are, and we get to colleague recommended the duo to the Forest Glade Fireplace team, who were interact with them. Everybody’s happy.” looking for a unique way to showcase their “Having managed many restaurants, it’s product offerings. quite a tough gig that takes a lot of sacri“To us, it’s all about product education, fice,” echoes Zevallos. “This is something we see as a viable business for us as opposed supporting local, and building commuto being stuck in one location, potentially nity,” says Cathy Chimienti of Forest Glade facing some serious challenges, like a lot of Fireplaces. “These guys are a joy to work with and I’m always learning something restaurant owners are right now.” new every time I watch them.”

Following a “ghost kitchen” model, the Looking at the year ahead, Brooks and pair currently works out of Other Place Zevallos are excited to continue growing Catering on Walker Road. They have 519 Chef Hustle; hosting more cooking also found a place to call home in Forest demonstrations (which continually sell Glade Fireplaces, where they host their out,) as well booking more caterings, and popular cooking demonstrations in a fully offering some of their signature sauces and functional showroom kitchen, equipped dishes for purchase, including their popular with all the latest foodie appliances and empanadas and guasacaca; an avocado-based accessories including a pizza oven, smoker, sauce popular in Zevallos’ native Venezuela. barbecue, and more.

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“We’re really focused on growth this year but I think it’s also important to enjoy where we’re at,” says Zevallos. “We’re at a time in our careers where we want to be happy in what we’re doing and to bring that joy and passion to others.”

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DRIVE MIND

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DRIVE MIND

SETTING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES Learning to Find the Freedom in Saying “NO.”

After almost two decades as a Certified Life Coach, what I believe to be true is…

A key obstacle for people in pursuit of living a life they love, is their inability to set healthy personal boundaries. This shortcoming could be the reason why someone is on sick leave, out of shape, feeling unappreciated, unsuccessful in their career, or have kids that don’t listen. In short, people often fall victim to saying “Yes” when they really want to say “No.” The ability to implement the valuable practice of setting personal boundaries enables others to clearly understand our expectations and desires, thus leading us to stronger relationships based on honesty, success in our careers and harmony in our family life.

When clear boundaries are not established in relationships people can find themselves feeling depleted, attacked, and resentful. This is because we are going against our own personal integrity, values, or rights to please another. Saying “No” to somebody can often be challenging because we fear being rejected.

The good news is … this is an inside job, and the solution is totally in our control.

Learning how to turn our radar inward

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DRIVE MIND

towards our own needs, versus the radar being turned outward toward the needs and desires of others is the first step to a happy and healthy life. Why does a flight attendant tell us to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first before placing one onto a child? We must take care of ourselves first.

Does this seem selfish? Yes, but we must be selfish to be selfless.

Many individuals become peoplepleasers because of internalizing this concept that it is selfish to put one’s own needs ahead of the needs of others. They continuously say “Yes” to the demands of others to avoid their disapproval, conflict, and criticism.

As children, many of us learned that pleasing others before ourselves earned us praise, acceptance, and love. Thus, we live our lives “going along to get along.” We internalized the following: DO IT FOR ME = BAD & UNLOVABLE DO IT FOR THEM = GOOD & LOVABLE Not learning to say “No” sets us up for failure because we commit our lives to benefiting others rather than being true to oneself. That behaviour is not sustainable.

It takes a toll on our mind, body, and spirit and ultimately our life.

Having and maintaining healthy boundaries has everything to do with being comfortable in saying “No.” Some boundaries are non-negotiable.

These include experiences of physical and emotional abuse and need to be asserted firmly. For example, “It’s never okay to hit me.” “It is not acceptable to call me names

or lie to me.” Being addicted to saying “Yes” can be like a thousand paper cuts, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and overburdened.

A simple tool that supports the practice of saying “No” is to pause momentarily before answering “Yes” or “No” to a request.

When others make a request, we can simply respond with, “That sounds interesting, let me get back to you.” If it is not an unequivocal “Yes,” it is likely a “No” that we are trying to make into a “Yes.” We need to remember to take the time to check in with ourselves to consider whether we are acquiescing out of a desire for approval or to stave off disapproval. There is nothing wrong with agreeing to the requests others make of us, provided these requests do not infringe upon our own health or happiness.

to acknowledge their request, be clear, firm (but still loving) and get your needs met.

Do it directly, concisely and without anger.

The key is consistency, learning how to say no without an apology.

When delivering a boundary, we do not need to justify our decision. If, however, we do feel the need to explain saying “No,” we can make it about ourselves by using the words, “I feel.” It signals to the other person that you are not rejecting them; you are rejecting their request. The following exemplifies this point:

We need to learn to say “Yes” to what we value and “No” to that which is a low priority for us.

First, acknowledge their request: “Son, I know you would like to take my car tonight.”

Secondly, state your “No”: “However, I need my vehicle as I feel stressed after my day at work today and need to get to the gym. In the future, I will need more notice, so I have to say no this time.”

Thirdly, acknowledge their need while clarifying your expectation: “Next time I’d be happy to lend you my car if you give me 24 hours’ notice.” This method allows you

Sometimes it can be intimidating to deliver a boundary in person. We may think that we will not be heard or allowed to speak freely. In this case, write it in a letter.

Here are a few more examples: “I can see you’re busy. I wish I could help you, but I can’t put another thing on my plate. I’m confident that you will find a way.”

“I know this is important to you, but I’m not prepared to do that right now. Let’s find a way to make this a win/win for both of us.”

Is your “Yes” your health, career, leisure time, time with friends, family, making money? We must always place ourselves and what we value on the top of that list, otherwise, the systems are going to fail.

In closing, my advice for readers is as follows: Look at your life. Where are you feeling overwhelmed, depleted, attacked or resentful? This would be a great place to start saying no to others needs and yes to your own needs. Decide to deliver a boundary this week and give yourself permission to do it imperfectly. Chances are high that your recipient will recognize and appreciate your initiative to take good care of yourself and maybe you’ll liberate them to do the same.

I’m Teri Gyemi, a passionate life coach with a strong love for human behaviour. My own flawed past and my will to understand the hidden impulses that led me there, as well as my unrelenting desire to serve others, is what inspired me to become a life coach. Equipped with my certifications from the late Debbie Ford of The Ford Institute for Integrative Coaches, 2 decades experience as a life coach, practice as a workshop leader and educator, I have successfully supported clients through a holistic approach in realizing and executing their goals, healing emotionally, reviving their relationships or uncouple from unhealthy ones.

My hope is that something I write will encourage those in need to take a step toward positive personal growth. terigyemi.com | psychologytoday.com

46

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51

THEN & NOW

THEN & NOW

WITH ENZO MANCUSO

By Jen Brignall-Strong Original cover photo by Kevin Kavanaugh

You might not know Enzo Mancuso, but you probably recognize his face from one of The DRIVE Magazine’s most iconic covers.

Kevin Kavanaugh

Photo by Kevin Kavanaugh

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53

THEN & NOW

Photo by Syx Langemann

In December 2000, “the guy eating the giant plate of pasta” could be seen all across Windsor-Essex: not just on the cover of magazines, but plastered across buildings, billboards, and the back of buses.

“It was literally everywhere,” laughs Mancuso. “I would be walking down the street or at the mall and I would have people kind of stop and look at me like, ‘Who is this guy? How do I know him?’”

Two decades later, the restaurateur turned Executive Director of The Windsor Club is reminiscing about the origins of the now famous photo and the role it played in helping him launch his second successful Erie Street restaurant all those years ago.

“That cover originated because I was opening up my second restaurant (Mancuso’s) that January, so it was very timely,” he explains. “I already had Tutto’s on Erie 54

It was literally everywhere, I would be walking down the street or at the mall and I would have people kind of stop and look at me like, ‘Who is this guy? How do I know him?’

Street, which I opened in ’98, and had been advertising in The DRIVE. I had known Dave (Hunter) for years and really believed in what he was doing, so when this came up and they were kind of rebooting the magazine, I was in.”

The concept of Mancuso slurping up the mile high bowl of pasta, he says, was

dreamed up by DRIVE photographer Kevin Kavanaugh and photographed in his Walkerville studio. It took nearly five hours to pull off.

“There’s actually chicken wire under the pasta to give it that height,” he shares.

“I brought the bowl and the pasta and everything from the restaurant and Kevin built this pyramid and piled it all on top.”

The hardest part, he muses, was holding the pose.

“Me sucking up that noodle; my cheeks were killing me,” he laughs. “Even my hands hurt after from gripping the spoon and fork. I was like, ‘Hurry up Kev and take the pictures!’”

The final result was well worth the minor discomfort, he laughs.

“That cover absolutely helped me kick start Mancuso’s. It was such an important

THEN & NOW

part of my branding; I used it everywhere,” he says. “I remember people recognizing me at food festivals and based on the photo, they would come try the food.”

Of course, it was the mouth-watering Italian fare that kept patrons coming back.

Mancuso ran the popular eponymous restaurant for five years, later opening another endeavour, Enzo’s, which operated for nearly a decade.

While Mancuso planned on taking some long overdue vacation time after selling the restaurant and turning over the keys in June 2021, his break was short lived. A few weeks later, he stepped into his current position as Executive Director of the prestigious Windsor Club.

“The former president of the club heard through the grapevine that I was selling my business,” he shares. “He reached out to me one day and said listen, there’s an opportunity and I think you’d be great.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

Despite originally pursuing a career as an accountant before his Erie Street days, Mancuso said he’s always had a deep love for the hospitality industry; working in restaurants from a very young age in both front of the house and back of the house positions. Now, at The Windsor Club, he’s enjoying the administrative side of things, which in turn allows him to spend more time with family while still engaging with members and being a part of a fun, thriving atmosphere.

“It’s been fantastic. For 25 years, my life at the restaurant was non-stop; now I’m able to have structure and creativity and things are really great here,” he shares. “I also get to enjoy going out to dinner and visiting my friends’ restaurants.”

While Mancuso has enjoyed the change of pace, he still keeps a reminder of those hectic restaurant days hanging in his office.

“That DRIVE cover hangs on the wall in my office at work,” he smiles. “It was so memorable; I base much of my early success on that picture. It was so crucial.”

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55

A BOY AND HIS FATHER’S CAR Larry Newport recovers car after 42 years and brings it to life.

By Devan Mighton Photo by Trevor Booth

56

For Larry Newport, a core memory was formed on the day of Sept.

21, 1956. Not even five years old, he rode a bus with his father from the village of Cottam, into the Big City. When the young lad arrived at Windsor’s Webster Motors, what awaited him and his father was a passion that would accent his life, on and off, for decades to come.

A raven black two-door 1956 Ford Customline six-cylinder Tudor stood before them, glinting in the sun. To this day, he still recalls riding in the backseat home, with his father, Harvey, at the wheel, to their family farm out in Essex County. Now 72 years old, Newport says that he got the “car bug”, along with his friends, when he hit 13. “I couldn’t wait to learn how to drive,” recalls Newport.

“We lived on a farm, and I’d driven a tractor on the road, but that’s where it started.”

“My father bought that car brand new for $2,150, believe it or not, and no tax,” he says. “I bought my father’s car when I was 15 and got it on the road the next year when I got my license.”

Newport tinkered with the vehicle. A family car in the era of “Gassers”, Newport wasn’t having it with the original 223 inline six-cylinder engine that came with the Customline. He picked up a used 1957 Ford Station Wagon, pulled the V8 motor out of it and threw it in his car. Later, he switched to a Ford 351 Windsor engine and a straight axle for good measure.

REARVIEW MIRROR

However, the 1970s were a time of change for Newport and the young man decided to put his car up for sale. When it comes to cars, generally, this is where the story ends. Cars come and go.

Most people have keen memories of their first car, and it sticks with them, and it pushes them to make sure their children’s first car is a decent experience as well. Some people are obsessed with their first car, and when their inevitable midlife crisis hits, they try to recapture the magic with a high-power car that will make them feel the wind through their hair once again.

My father bought that car brand new for $2,150, believe it or not, and no tax, I bought my father’s car when I was 15 and got it on the road the next year when I got my license.

had my steering wheel on it that I put in.” He adds that, back in the day, he had reupholstered much of the vehicle, and much of it remained.

His son, now 43, ended up doing the bodywork and repainted it. They also dropped a 390 four-speed into it, and soon got it back onto the road. “We were building a car from nothing,” he states.

“It’s still got a few bugs in it I’ve gotta get out, but I just got it on the road last spring.”

These days, Newport loves getting behind the wheel of his dad’s old car. He enjoys taking it down to the Leamington Dock, where there is a cruise night on Thursdays. However, in the end, just like he received the Customline from his father, Larry would like to keep it in the family and some day hand it down to his son.

“Kenny will be getting it—if he wants it,” says Larry, proudly.

“He’s got a lot of work into it, himself.”

Larry’s story is different. His father’s old car was the one that got away.

“It was one of those cold winter days and the wife and I were going through old pictures, and I came across one of the ‘56,” recalls Newport. “I still have a picture of when I was 16, standing beside it. I decided that I’d go and see if it was still around.”

After four decades, Newport still had the original bill of sale. “I went to the license bureau, and they gave me a used car package ... it tells you if there’s a lien on the car and who owns it.” states Newport. “It went back as far as ‘82 for the people who owned it. The last guy who owned it was out in Dunnville, up by Niagara Falls.”

Out of curiosity, Newport dialed up the last known owner, and lo and behold, he still had the car in his possession.

“I went and had a look at it and, oh boy, it was rough,” said Newport, gravely. In March 2015, Newport called the owner and the two worked out a deal to bring the car home. “I basically grew up with that car, so, yeah, it felt good to get back in it again,” admits Newport. However, the car was in rough shape. “I kept saying, ‘I should have left this damn thing in Dunnville!’ But it was history.”

What came next for Larry was an eight-year odyssey, with his son, Kenny, by his side, bringing the old ‘56 Customline back to life.

Newport says he yanked out the old 351 Windsor that was still its motor and found the frame to be a rotted-out nightmare.

“Luckily, I found a whole new frame in a convertible—so it was a lot stronger—and it was almost perfect. I sandblasted it in front of the barn and that’s where I started—from the frame up.”

He was amazed by how much of his original work from his youth was still intact 42 years later. “There were a lot of parts that still had my fingerprints on them,” he says. “It did have a straight axle in it when I bought it ... and that’s how I sold it, and it still THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM

57

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