Windsor Life Magazine September 2023

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Find out more about your unparalleled game day experience by visiting caesarswindsor.com.

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Moving Forward without Moving Out

SEPTEMBER 2023 VOLUME 30, ISSUE 6

Accessing your home equity can help boost your retirement income, ease pressure on your pensions and investments, and help you stay put.

IN A RECENT SURVEY of Canadian homeowners, while some Canadians felt in control of their desired timeline for retirement, more than half the respondents don’t know what their retirement income will be. 1One reason may be that investment values fluctuate, and for many, a significant portion of their wealth at retirement is tied up in their home. And selling their house to free up that money simply isn’t what they want to do.

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In addition to helping you stay in your home longer, there are other potential advantages. When you access your home equity: n Your withdrawals are tax-free, unlike withdrawals from registered accounts such as Registered Retirement Savings Plans and Registered Retirement Income Funds n You may be able to avoid cashing out other investments and locking in losses when markets are volatile n You can ensure ready availability of funds to meet unexpected home or health care expenses n You can reduce the cost of other debts by transferring those balances to the secured line of credit (if the interest rate is lower than your other loans) Keep in mind that you may need to have enough cash flow from other sources to cover the monthly interest payments on the secured line of credit. The best time to apply is before retirement. To protect yourself and keep interest costs from becoming a burden, it’s a good idea to put a cap on the amount you borrow – for example, 20 per cent of the value of your home.

Your home is an important asset that should figure in your overall retirement planning. Schedule a no-cost appointment with me to find out how well this approach fits your personal situation. And plan to enjoy your retirement knowing that reaching this milestone with less saved than you hoped for doesn’t necessarily mean you need to sell the home you love. n 1

2023 Manulife Financial Health Survey, www.manulifebank.ca/debtresearch.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL

Barbara Allen, HBA, CFP Senior Financial Advisor Manulife Securities Incorporated Life Insurance Advisor Manulife Securities Insurance Inc.

Manulife, Manulife & Stylized M Design, Stylized M Design and Manulife Securities are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license.

This is not an official publication of Manulife Securities. The views, opinions and recommendations are those of the author alone and they may not necessarily be those of Manulife Securities. This publication is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. This publication is not meant to provide legal, accounting or account advice. As each situation is different, you should seek advice based on your specific circumstances. Please call to arrange for an appointment. The information contained herein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by the writer, Manulife Securities or any other person as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness.

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FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR ALL LIFE EVENTS SINCE 1995

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1 CONTRIBUTING1 Matthew St. Amand WRITERS1 Ryan Percy

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Robert E. Robinson

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1 ART DIRECTOR1 Michael Pietrangelo PRODUCTION 1 George Sharpe PHOTOGRAPHERS1 John Liviero,

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Carol Garant

1 Sooter’s Photography 1 Michael Pietrangelo 1 Tony Pupatello 1 Alkan Emin 1 Nora Romero 1 Mike Chase 1 Simona Matovski 1 Aniket Prabhudesai 1 Monique Doucet 1

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ON THE COVER Canadian music icon, Jann Arden, pays a visit to the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor.

DEPARTMENTS

Photography by Alkan Emin See page 12

36

34 40

NEW & NOTICED BON APPETIT!

FEATURES 12

CANADIAN MUSIC ICON

26

Music Titan, Jann Arden, Has a New Album 16

THE ITALIAN NORTH

A WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT

The Career of One of the Best Canine Officers in the OPP

8

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The World House is Waiting Just Behind the Curtain 36

FIREFEST 2023

43

TOP CHEF

Windsor Chef Takes Home the National Chef of the Year Award

SATELLITE STARS

Jack Wawrow Discusses Putting a Satellite in Orbit 46

Windsor Firefighters Compete in a Gruelling Challenge of Their Skills

Change is Happening Fast 22

A FEELING OF HOME

SHIPS OF THE GREAT LAKES

Large Ship Watching Has Become a Popular Pastime 48

INFESTED

Author Christian Laforet Wins Horror Award

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Publisher’s Note Dedication. Some people have it and some don’t. Then there are those who have more of it than most could ever imagine.

In this edition of Windsor Life Magazine we are offering you a look at many people who have dedicated much of their life to their passions.

Chef Adelina Sisti-DeBlasis didn’t start out to be a chef but in keeping with family traditions, worked with her mother who she describes as a wonderful cook and her father who did the prep work. She left a career in dental to follow her passion. Her story on page 43 outlines her journey which led her to becoming National Chef of the Year for all of Canada.

Also in this issue we feature the Firefighters of the area who will compete in FireFit, a competition held this year in Windsor. The rigorous training necessary to compete at this level is truly a testament to their dedication to their profession.

Those of us who are dog lovers will understand the bond we have with our pets. But when the dog is a trained OPP officer and you are Sgt. Milan Matovski the bond is truly unbreakable. Follow their life long dedication not only to each other but to their teamwork resulting in more than 200 locates. We tell their complete story on page 22.

In our online continuation story beginning on page 46 we give you a look at Jack Wawrow who was destined to be involved in outer space science since he was born. His story tells about how he, along with Essence team, built a satellite that is now operating aboard the International Space Station. Be sure to go to www.windsorlife.com to see the path Jack took that led to this remarkable achievement.

Jann Arden, who will perform at the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor on August 25 has dedicated her entire life and is an icon in music entertainment. What began secretly with an old guitar hiding away in the basement of her family home, transformed into a monumental career. See her Windsor Life interview on page 12.

We also show you the tremendous ships that navigate pass our communities daily, take you on a trip to Italy and feature an award-winning novel by local author Christian Laforet titled “Infested”.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition as much as we have enjoyed sending it to you.

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The Indomitable

Jann Arden After Forty Years In The Music Business, This Canadian Music Icon Still Brings Her A-Game To The Stage STORY BY MATTHEW ST. AMAND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALKAN EMIN

“

It’s so much better now. I think we are all—myself, the band, our crew—we appreciate it so much.

We are filled with gratitude. It’s completely exciting and fun. I really enjoy the vibe now.

”

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ICONIC SINGER-SONGWRITER, Jann Arden, is coming to Windsor on August 25 for an 8 p.m. performance at the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor.

During Jann’s storied, forty-year career in entertainment, she has released fifteen albums, amassed nineteen Top-10 singles, garnered eight JUNO Awards—including Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year—10 SOCAN Awards and four Western Canadian Music Awards. In 2021, Jann was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, where she joined Canadian music luminaries, including Alanis Morissette, Bryan Adams and Shania Twain. Jann was also inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and has been awarded the Order of Canada.

She has published five books since 2002 and her booklength work of fiction is due for publication this November.

Jann starred in three seasons of the situation comedy “Jann” based loosely on her life and hosts The Jann Arden Podcast.

“Many years ago, Grandma told me to spread myself thin,” Jann says during her conversation with Windsor Life Magazine. “Seeds don’t grow if you plunk them down in one hole. She told me to try lots of different things!”

Born in Calgary, Jann was still a child when her family moved to Springbank, Alberta.

“I grew up in the country,” she says. “I went to school with forty-two kids at Springbank Community High School. I’m surprised that I can read and write! The teachers were great, it’s just that we were lunatics. People rode their horses to school and tied them up at a STOP sign. It was the wild west.”

Jann’s father was a construction contractor, and her mother was a dental assistant.

“It was the 1960s, and there was no mall for kids to go to after school,” Jann continues. “Our nearest neighbour was a mile away. So, it was in my parents’ basement that I escaped, listening to records. There was an old, battered guitar, and I found a finger chart that showed some chords. Right out of the gate, I was making up my own songs. Then, slowly, over time, mimicking other musicians and singers. By the time I was eighteen, I had written about two hundred songs—terrible songs! At the first sound of someone coming down the stairs, the guitar was thrown into the corner, and I pretended to be listening to Donna Summer!”

With her grandmother’s advice in the back of her mind, Jann embarked to become a professional musician.

“I busked in Vancouver,” she recalls. “Performed up in Dawson Creek and Yellowknife and Whitehorse and the Yukon and interior B.C. and northern Manitoba. Never mind the ‘B circuit’ I was on the ‘D circuit!’ I just didn’t have the sense to stop.”

It was her second album, Living Under June, released in 1994, that brought Jann and her music to a wider audience, with hits such as “Insensitive”, “Could I Be Your Girl?” and “Good Mother”. From that time onward, she has not looked back.

In 2022, Jann released her latest album, Descendant. Comprised of fifteen tracks—the most songs she has released on an album—Jann’s voice is in top-form. And so is her songwriting with deeply personal lyrics and self-revelations. This is the Jann we all know and love, who holds nothing back.

Speaking about the track “Was I Ever 13” Jann says: “It’s

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an absolutely autobiographical song. A lot of times, I borrow from other people’s lives, but ‘Was I Ever 13’ is about my dad being drunk and my brother huffing gasoline, and me being the homely girl in school…

It’s about waiting to go out on a date and have somebody kiss you…”

Tracks like “Moonbow”, “Loving You Is Like a Job” and “Glass Jar” are possessed of particular beauty. The music on this album is especially rich and evocative, which is quite amazing considering the songs were pieced together over a period of twenty months when Jann and her collaborators were seldom in the same city. Any skeptic wondering if Jann still has her “pipes” after four decades will have all doubts swept away by the track “Pink”, where Jann’s singular voice soars.

After all these years in music, the success and accolades, has performing before an audience lost any of its shine for Jann?

“No,” she says. “It’s so much better now.

I think we are all—myself, the band, our crew—we appreciate it so much. We are filled with gratitude. I think when you’re trying to break into the music business and try and establish yourself, there is this constant push forward, and it is really exhausting. Now, it’s completely exciting and fun. I really enjoy the vibe now. We’re not drunk!

We’re not hungover! We’re all so much more sensible! And it’s so great having a body of work where I can sit and play for a couple of hours, and I can see people going ‘Oh God, I was in high school when that song came out!’ Or ‘I broke up with my boyfriend!’ I can see their faces reminiscing as we go, and it makes the night really enjoyable.”

She continues: “Every time I sing ‘Insensitive’, or ‘Good Mother’, or ‘Could I Be Your Girl’, it’s like the first time I’ve ever sung them. There’s a newness because the band always approaches it in a different way. The songs just reinvent themselves every time you put them on the wheel and spin it around. There is a lot of joy in music. I’ll tell you, when I put on a Nina Simone record, Billie Holliday, or an Amy Winehouse from back in the day, I am just transported. I have a visceral reaction to listening to music. Music has changed and enhanced my life.”

Jann Arden will be at the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor on August 25 at 8 p.m.

For ticket information, visit www.caesars. com/caesars-windsor/shows, and to learn more about what Jann has going on, visit her website at jannarden.com.

WLM Back to Contents

Frank Saroli

Wanda Shreve

Andrea Thielk

Donald Leschied

John Jedlinski

Mary-Ann Keefner

Sheila MacKinnon

Peter Hrastovec

Jacob Benson

Jerry Goldberg

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Business Law ~ Wills & Estates ~ Commercial Leasing ~ Real Property ~ Condominium Law and Development Employment & Labour Law ~ Civil Litigation ~ Education Law ~ Administrative Law ~ Human Rights Main: 519-969-9844 Toll Free: 1-866-422-7988 Web: www.shibleyrighton.com 2510 Ouellette Avenue, Suite 301, Windsor, Ontario N8X 1L4 * Andrea Thielk practising in association with Shibley Righton LLP and not as a partner, associate or employee of Shibley Righton LLP.

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NORTHERN ITALY Times Are a Changing…

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY TONY PUPATELLO NO MATTER HOW old The Old Country gets, in some ways it never really ages.

Italy is a place where people passed through for millennia. Being the mid-size boot peninsula nation that it is, to this very day it is surprisingly still breaking its very own records. Namely in the areas of tourism, agriculture, commerce and trade, fashion, food, wine, art and sports (and no, not just in international futbol, or ‘calcio’ as it’s known there). It also boasts two premier world class educational institutions which are obtaining higher acclaim: Politecnico and Boccioni.

Italy, like many other Mediterranean countries, is highly regionalized. With 20 distinct regions within its national boundary, each having its own taste and society within it. It is also declining in population, as is with most developed countries right now. Its people are also aging; younger generations are not so young now. Legal and illegal migrants are still finding ways in; on top of annual visitors now topping over 65 million tourists per year, Italy can feel jam packed in most urban spots. Last year’s official data figures show it was the 5th most visited country on the planet (according to leading travel industry experts) with the dominating centers being

Clockwise from left: Frontal head shot of Michaelangelo’s, The David at the Galleria D’Accademia in Florence; pan aerial shot of Laglio, Lake Como; Il Duomo, Milan; Laglio mountain side, Lake Como; Canoli with jam and pistachio.

Milan, Venice, Tuscany, Naples (Pompeii & Amalfi) and Rome. Now, more recently are Sicily, Sardegnia, Puglia and many other lesser-known regions like Lombardy, which are booming in growth across the board. Chronic issues still grip the country at large that remain evident such as petty crime, isolated unemployment and a highly complex government despite an overall upswing.

The re-bound that Italy is in the midst of today really is quite a breath of fresh air to see. People who are coming in for business, study and, most of all leisure, to enjoy “la dolce vita” has increased dramatically in all 3 categories. Even with the changing political landscape which is now more right-leaning today, it’s quite nice to see everything back to normal and on an uptick for both locals and visitors.

Italy had a tough go for a long time.

It was also battered from the pandemic.

Probably more so than most other countries. Economic and political stagnation also happened in past decades. With still an ongoing humanitarian refugee crisis from the neighboring continent of Africa and the Middle East, it’s hard to grapple. Italians and Italian society have bounced back in full force from not so easy conditions and without much NATO and EU support. A recurring theme of the ages for Italy — rising, falling, and rising again.

This past early spring, the purpose of my trip was a Honeymoon/MBA program that led me to Rome with stops in the north.

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Lake Como Bordering Switzerland, Lake Como is less than an hour by ground (car or train). It is like the chic lake cottage country in Canada with the added luxury of amazing Italian Cuisine. The air is so clean there that when it first hits your body you get a rush. It really is that clean and crisp. This is a spot for laid back travelers that are looking for a nice vacation rental spot to cook their own meals and chill by night and tour the lake by day. Bellagio, Verenna and Menaggio are geared to more hotel driven seekers. All in all, the entire place is booming with massive hotel development on waterfront land in prime spots. One in particular is happening directly across from the lake’s favourite resident, Mr. George Clooney.

Sports The Monza track, the historical track on the Formula One global circuit, recently celebrated its 100th anniversary and got a track lift. In 2026, Milan and Cortina, along with several smaller towns in the north, will collectively co-host the Winter Olympics (again for Cortina).

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northeast there is the Ligurian Sea; part of the Mediterranean and where the famous Cinqueterra seaside villages are. From La Spezia to Livorno, you have near-coastal towns of Sienna, Pisa and Lucca to visit for day trips.

For outdoor lovers the alpine village of Bormio is where there is world class hiking to enjoy. For aquatic nature lovers, the small Island gem of Elba is worth the journey. Veneto and Venice are something to experience as well for what it offers, but the jaw-dropping Dolomites in the Alps is quite the venue for more mountain-type adventure seekers. It is breathtaking.

On the northeast, the Gulf of Venice, two beach friendly spots just south with elite seafood and nice waterfronts — Ravenna and Rimini are great and get lively at night.

Side note: the stunning beaches of Croatia are where most tourists tend to hit while passing through various Italian/European legs of their trips.

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official fashion weeks and over 6,000 retail stores. Plus, it has the longest street for retail shopping in the world. The Quadrilatero d’Oro (Golden Rectangle), includes the Via Monte Napoleone and a group of side streets containing variously sized high fashion boutiques.

Last year, the “Made in Italy” fashion brand achieved revenues greater than pre-pandemic levels, as it was officially recorded from the Studies Center of Confindustria Moda. In spending terms, this translates to industry revenues exceeding 8 billion EUR in 2022 alone which is an increase of 32.4% compared to the previous year.

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Design & Architecture Milan is becoming more important on the global stage with art, technology and design. Chinese direct commerce is becoming more collaborative. Buyers from the mainland, are doing business in Milan in the areas of sustainability, infrastructure, real estate and many artistic and digital spaces as well. Lush green garden tops and real trees now cover a lot of residential and commercial building spaces.

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a rich and heavy red sauce pasta with pork meat, this dish is a local staple. “Chingiale” is the wild boar that remains abundant and makes for one of the best pastas this side of Italia. “Carciofi”, the artichoke, the real big globe ones that make authentic Romani recipes amazing, one of my all-time favorites.

Almost all restaurants in bigger cities now adopt vegan and gluten friendly menus. I’m told, not only for tourists, but for younger generations of today.

Wine artificial intelligence is now being used to predict the best times for harvesting grapes. Picking at these peak ripe times does two key things: increases probability of better quality of wine and streamlines the wine-making process thereby reducing waste and expenses.

Biodynamic and organic farming that uses solar energy and water conservation techniques now accounts for about 350 official grape varieties today. In recent years, there has been a surge in lesser-known varieties. They are called “the new kids on the block”, like Pecorino in Tuscany, Timorasso in Piedmont and Susumaniello in Puglia.

For classic old-world wines, Vermentino and almost anything Piedmont are a definite “go-to”!

WLM Back to Contents

Make the Most of Your Home SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO has a lot going for it: its climate, waterfront and nature trails. Being one with nature in Essex County, however, is sometimes a challenge. Between the humidity and the area’s insect population, there is always some element seeking to spoil the party.

For almost 50 years, Seaton Sunrooms has been helping residents of Essex County bring the outdoors inside.

“Many homeowners are interested in making their outdoor space more usable,” says Brooke Watorek, who operates Seaton Sunrooms with her husband, Jason. “Sunrooms are very popular, as are motorized retractable screens. They’re a place where you can go out, enjoy your wine at night, enjoy your coffee in the morning.”

Any sunroom can be equipped for comfort with Seaton Sunrooms’ installation of optional heating and cooling systems and solar blinds.

The “Products” page of the Seaton Sunrooms website offers a glimpse at the various custom styles they have installed over the years. Screen rooms allow homeowners to enjoy outdoor lounging, reading or eating without the hassle of insects. This space allows people to keep their patio furniture outdoors year-round, eliminating the need for additional storage.

Three-season sunrooms continue to be a popular choice, especially given the southwestern Ontario climate. Three-season sunrooms are constructed with single pane glass and insulation in the roof panel. A door can separate this space from the rest of the house for the coldest days in winter. With a little planning, an effective space heater can make the area quite pleasant during the darkest days of winter.

The four-season sunroom is a full addition to a home. It is constructed of glass and vinyl, double-pane windows, it has a thicker roof and is fully insulated so that the door between house and sunroom can be removed if the homeowner desires.

Sunrooms are fabricated in Seaton Sunroom’s shop right here in Windsor. As Jason explains: “Our products are made with our own proprietary aluminum extrusions that won’t rot or rust. All glass and roof panels are cut to order by Seaton Sunrooms professionals,

which allows us to create the perfect design to complement your home, rather than trying to retrofit a kit sunroom. The knowledge and experience of installation makes a world of difference. When you have a forty-nineyear-old company working for you who specialize in Sunrooms and Motorized Screens, you can rest assured we know what we’re doing and will be around to take care of our customers in the years to come.”

“We can work around anything,” Brooke explains. “If a homeowner has funky pillars, we can be creative, add fillers and notch stonework. Our team has the knowledge and tools to make it look 100 percent polished.”

Homeowners can even get a free quote right on the Seaton Sunrooms’ website.

There is a fillable form on the “Contact Us” page where the homeowner provides their contact information and can even upload photos of their property. Seaton Sunrooms will reply with a rough quote and photos of similar jobs. If the homeowner is interested, a rep will come out to get exact measurements and finalize the quote.

For more information about Seaton Sunrooms, and to view examples of their work, visit them online at seatonsunrooms.com.

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TO THE MAX

Record Breaking Essex Police Dog Retires STORY BY RYAN PERCY / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE OPP IT IS NOT often someone gets to retire knowing that, not only they were a great employee, but a good boy too.

Maximus is a 9-year-old German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix. But while he might look like just another adorable family dog, if the numbers are one thing to go off of, he is potentially the greatest canine police officer the OPP has ever had.

Alongside his trainer and partner, Sgt. Milan Matovski, the two became a solid unit that were pivotal in hundreds of cases over the past 7 years.

While one might just assume Maximus was born a super dog, with breeders pointing to the crossbreeding having strong work ethic and drive, Sgt. Matovski says natural talent was not everything.

“What brought him to that was the amount of work that we’ve done,” Sgt. Matovski says of how Maximus was trained. “Every single day we were doing practice tracks (hiding an object with someone’s scent) and training tracks. I had my kids set tracks as well as my wife, members of the public and coworkers. If it was just the same person’s tracks he’d get used to finding that one person.”

The training paid off.

During their joint career, Maximus had 204 locates and Sgt. Milan Matovski said that while the vast majority of them had been Maximus locating criminals, there were around 25 which served a more search and rescue role.

Clockwise from top: Maximus takes part in an agility course designed to teach canine officers to move through tight spaces; Maximus and Sgt. Matovski enjoy some quality bonding time; Maximus is trained to clear flights of stairs for threats prior to officers advancing; Now that he’s retired, Maximus enjoys some quality time at the beach.

Photo by Simona Matovski.

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“In the OPP we have dogs for search and rescue that are non-aggressive,” Sgt. Matovski says of how locating a missing person usually is done. “Maximus was used to search because of the urgency. He is aggression trained but he never bit anyone that wasn’t justified.”

With such a long career of locates there was never a dull day for Maximus and Sgt. Matovski, though there were some moments that stood out more than others.

“Maximus helped locate a two-year-old who was missing overnight in a cornfield,” Sgt. Matovski said of one of the times that really stood out to him during his career with Maximus. “The kid was lost in a rural area where there were threats like coyotes and whatever else. I think the cornfield protected him from the elements, but he definitely would have died had Max and I not found him. It was rewarding to find him and reunite him with his family.”

But with all the good stories there were also bad ones. While Maximus served as a canine police officer, and in the course of the line of duty, he had taken his fair share of bumps and bruises, but sometimes it became a bit more serious.

According to Sgt. Matovski, when a canine officer is used to locate drugs, the area is cleared and then the canine is sent to look through the area. If they find something they will indicate to their handler, but while doing a search warrant in Leamington in 2020, it did not go as planned.

“He located cocaine, it wasn’t in a bag, it was loose, and it was collocated with some fentanyl powder,” Sgt. Matovski says of the search. “He ingested it through his nose and at the time I just thought it was cocaine. Dogs have a higher tolerance for drugs than humans, so I didn’t think it was as big a deal. I was monitoring him and you could tell he had laboured breathing and was laying on his side. I knew it wasn’t cocaine because, if it was, he’d be doing the opposite.”

Sgt. Matovski gave Maximus a shot of naloxone in an attempt to save his canine partner’s life. He rushed Maximus to Erie Veterinary Hospital where they washed any residual drugs off the dog’s fur and eventually administered a second naloxone shot.

Maximus survived.

Every year of a dog’s life is roughly the equivalent to four or five years for a human.

This means Maximus’s outstanding 7-year career was the equivalent of 28 to 35 years of service had he been a human officer instead of a canine one.

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If you could imagine working a threedecade long career that put you at the top of your field, it would be a noteworthy place to finally retire.

But going from a police dog to retiring into a regular family dog is something that also takes planning and consideration.

“With dogs like Maximus that are trained to track and trained for aggression, the only person that can adopt them is their handler or another handler from the OPP,” Sgt. Matovski says. “So when he retired I was happy to adopt him. He’s integrated well with my family; he’s walking around and just being a normal dog.”

Sgt. Matovski is no longer a member of the canine unit, instead he has moved on to being a patrol sergeant. While this was a promotion, the timing of the decision was spurred on by Maximus retiring.

“Ninety per cent of Max retiring was the reason I left the unit,” Sgt. Matovski says of leaving the canine unit behind, “I had an opportunity to compete for a promotion two years ago. I turned it down. I didn’t compete then because Max wasn’t ready to retire. He would have gotten reteamed with another handler and I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to adopt him when he retired. I wanted to be with him until the end of his career.”

Sgt. Matovski had spent nearly a decade with Maximus, a bond forming that only that kind of relationship can make.

“It’s almost like he’s my child,” Sgt. Matovski says with a smile. “You develop a bond like you would with your own kid, because we were never apart. Our day started with me taking him out of the kennel.

He’d go to work with me, he spent the entire day with me and he’d come home and spend the entire night.”

The pair’s bond found its hardest moment the day after Maximus retired, when that separation first hit.

“That entire first day without him was emotional,” Sgt. Matovski says. “We had a call while I was on patrol that needed a dog and that’s when it hit me like a wave.

My dogs retired and I’ve got a different role now.”

Maximus was the same, pacing around the house waiting for Sgt. Matovski, his handler turned dad, to get back.

But when Sgt. Matovski comes home, that companionship and bond is as strong as ever.

There is something so powerful about that bond.

A man and his dog.

WLM Back to Contents

Real Estate R E IMAGINED A LIFE-CHANGING opportunity for real estate agents has come to Essex County.

One of the first franchises of Realty ONE Group has been established here and from top to bottom, it is a new experience for realtors.

The company’s corporate team is made up of highly motivated professionals with the goal of ‘lets make it better today than it was yesterday, lets make it better tomorrow than it is today’. “Nobody does it better,” says Rob Mathers, one of the franchise owners.

For those unfamiliar with Realty ONE, it’s the fastest growing real estate franchises in the world. It claimed the No. 1 spot for real estate franchisors for the second year in a row on Entrepreneur’s highly competitive 2023 Franchise 500® list. With 19,000 agents working from 450 locations in 14 countries, it has the culture, training, and technological tools to turn agents into superstars.

“If we tried to recreate what Realty ONE offers, it would take millions of dollars and ten years,” says franchise owner Chris MacLeod.

Rob and Chris have worked together since 2017, building a real estate brokerage, which grew organically into 2021 creating a need. At that time, Rob and Chris looked at ways of taking their brokerage to the next level. There is no shortage of real estate franchises in the world, but Rob and Chris’ culture aligned perfectly with Realty ONE. “That’s what we lead with—our culture,” Chris explains. “Everyone has a voice. Our culture is democratic.”

“The reason it’s the fastest growing real

Photo by Lauren Hedges

estate franchise in the world,” Rob notes, “because no one else gives agents the tools, support and training that Realty ONE does. They’ve really done their homework.”

Rob and Chris recently experienced the full force of the Realty ONE Group brand in Arizona where they met its corporate leadership and staff. The more Rob investigated Realty ONE, the more impressed he was—which is something considering he has forty years in the industry, and whose grandfather and parents were realtors.

“Everything in the franchise is geared toward making agents’ lives easier,” Chris says.

“They have access to a Customer Relationship Manager at no cost, which automates their connections and customizes newsletters for them. Agents get a personalized website, and access to ONE University which has thousands of hours of training. We have an inhouse marketing platform for creating open house materials, Instagram and Facebook posts, listing presentations for buyers and sellers.”

New agents have access to Realty ONE’s “Rev Up” program, which takes them through the “A to Z” of selling real estate the Realty ONE way. There are also training/certification courses for developing Team leaders and would be Trainers.

“If you’re leaning toward luxury home sales, they have the “ONE LUXE” program to train you in this,” Chris says. “Or you’re into new/pre-construction sales, there is the “ONE BUILD” training program on how to market and sell new developments.”

He continues: “The icing on the cake is that ours is a hundred percent commissionto-the-agent system. We don’t have a traditional commission split. We use a fixed fee per transaction. The result is that agents keep more of what they make.”

New and seasoned agents are welcome. Culture is everything at Realty ONE Iconic. If this feels like a good fit, learn more about opportunities by contacting Chris MacLeod at 519-944-0111 or visit Realty ONE Group Iconic online at realtyonegroupiconic.com.

531 Pelissier St. Suite 101, Windsor, Ont. 519-944-0111 | realtyonegroupiconic.com

The World House A Place To Love Each Other STORY BY MICHAEL SEGUIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PIETRANGELO

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YOU MIGHT HAVE caught glimpses of it. It’s not obvious. Not at first, at least.

Many people have no idea this treasure exists in their own backyard.

An unassuming street turns into another.

A line of trees decorates the horizon, forming a natural curtain. An equally unassuming cul-de-sac waits at the end of the road.

You turn into a narrow driveway.

And then, the curtain lifts.

Welcome to the World House.

Although you might be a guest, something about the atmosphere that closes around you suggests otherwise.

For now, you’re home.

For now, everything under that roof is your entire world.

The doorway opens into a wide hallway.

A mahogany set of drawers stand brilliant against the white walls. A clock and a jar of flowers wait atop it.

Clockwise from left: The living room. A perfect gathering place; the dining room featuring dark and light aesthetics; a sitting area for friendly conversations; the Kitchen, the centerpiece of the home. The rules are outlined on the sign: always love each other; the entryway. You’ve just entered the World House and you’re invited to travel deeper.

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The World House invites you to travel deeper. And the Kitchen might just be the World House’s most well-traveled path.

Eggshell-white cupboards flank a glittering quartz island. Two ovens stand next to a stove. A massive, stainless-steel fridge catches the late afternoon glare. A clear glass table sits in the corner, circled by a row of black leather armchairs.

There’s a sign on the wall. It’s a sign that lays out the World House’s ethos, the ground rules: “Family Rules: Keep your promises. Say please and thank you.

Learn from mistakes. Be kind with your words. Hug a lot. Respect each other. Embrace differences. Laugh everyday. Be thankful.

Have a sense of humour. Show compassion. Do your best. Take care of each other. Don’t hold grudges. Say I love you. Always tell the truth. Love each other.”

But let’s continue our tour of the main level.

Right: The ultimate home office featuring shimmering cabinetry designed by Wayne’s Custom Woodcraft. Below left to right: the master ensuite bathroom features a customized walk-in closet which can be separated by double sliding doors; the oldest daughter’s bedroom, with a Paris theme. The left hand wall displays an entire hand-painted City of Lights skyline; The theatre room complete with a 120-inch screen that is perfect for afternoon games or evening movies.

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Next to the kitchen is the formal Dining Room. A vaulted ceiling stretches overhead. An oak table waits beneath. Eight cushioned grey chairs wait for loved ones to gather around. A dark China cabinet stands nearby. The doors are glass, reminding everyone that the dishes—and, by extension, a warm family meal—are always within reach. A window looks out onto the backyard, which is still ringing from the family’s latest exploits. The whole area was expertly designed by Urban Home, and it might just be one of their greatest accomplishments.

Nearby is a Home Office. And, at first glance, with all that shimmering oak and that hard slab of a desk (both courtesy of Wayne’s Custom Woodcraft), it seems intimidating. It seems as though only serious business is conducted behind those doors.

But there are little hints of personality that soften the room’s hard edges. A set of bookshelves swallow two whole walls. Various odds and ends are displayed. A football.

A trio of decorative owls. Books on iconic artists like Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

A race car. And, of course, lots and lots of family photos.

This is indeed a Home Office. But the home half is clearly winning out.

At the end of the day, the family often meets in the Living Room—which was also the product of Urban Home. It has a traditional feel, with a lovely brick fireplace and a mounted flatscreen television. All sorts of accoutrements rest on the shelves—a set of fans, speaker, a set of crystal balls, other works of art.

As well, some leather sofas gather around an eye-catching centerpiece. A glass countertop rests on a wooden frame. But, instead of showing the carpet beneath, the “table” is filled with stones.

It’s an interesting statement: a reminder of the places beyond the World House’s walls, calling to mind past adventures.

And the main level contains one more special treat: a Theatre Room.

There, on winter days, the family gathers around a glowing 120-inch screen to watch a race or a football game. The room comes equipped with another stone fireplace, another bar and five traditional theatre recliners. A poster of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is suspended above the seats, generously allowing Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Yoda an unobstructed view of the screen.

At night, when the sun goes down, the sounds of Disney movies often travel throughout the whole house.

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1637 Provincial Rd. 519-969-0300

Seen enough? Good, let’s take a trip upstairs and see what else is waiting for us.

There are four bedrooms upstairs. The Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom have just been redone by Family Home Improvements. An unused soaker tub was completely torn out. A couple walls were also blown out, opening up the Master Bedroom’s closets. Now, the room has an absolutely stunning walk-in closet.

One of the other bedrooms demands your attention. The oldest daughter’s bedroom is painted in a Paris theme. It took a local painter weeks of work to create several murals celebrating life in the City of Lights.

And, keeping with the European theme, another room—a “Bonus Room,” as the owner describes it—showcases murals of life in Italy.

Much like the centerpiece in the Living Room, the murals serve both as a reminder of the places beyond the World House, and a promise. A promise of adventures— both past and future.

Anyway, that about concludes our tour of the World House.

You’re reluctant to leave. And who could blame you? It’s a magnificent piece of architectural engineering, bordering on a work of art. It has an effect that travels, that lingers.

And that is perhaps the World House’s final treasure. It’s not a feature or a centerpiece. It’s not a pattern or a color-scheme.

It’s not something with easily measured dimensions. It’s not something that can even fit under a vaulted ceiling.

It’s something else. Something insubstantial. Something abstract. It’s a sense of warmth. It’s a feeling of home.

It’s the way an entire world of expert craftsmanship and love radiates out each room.

And it’s a feeling that you will take with you, even as the trees close behind you and the curtain falls.

WLM Windsor Life Magazine is always searching for interesting homes, landscaping, gardens, patios and water features to show our readers what others in the community are doing with their living spaces. If you have a home that you feel would be interesting please email photos to info@windsorlife.com. Photos need to be for reference only. If your home is chosen we will arrange for a complete photo shoot. If you wish, you may remain anonymous and the location of your home will not be disclosed.

Back to Contents

Jennifer Lecours, Ken Quinn and Dylon Gascoigne.

Empire Roofing Corporation Welcomes a New Team Member Ken Quinn has joined as New General Manager of the Windsor Branch EMPIRE ROOFING, one of Canada’s most prominent names in the industry, has recently welcomed a new arrival.

Ken Quinn has come on as their General Manager of the Windsor Branch. The man has built a fantastic name for himself and brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the field. He is already improving Empire Roofing Corporation services the Windsor area in new and exciting ways.

And while many can boast of years of experience, Ken has been working on rooftops since he was a kid. He comes from a long line of roofers and has decades of experience behind him. He rose through the ranks when he was still in his early teens, when most of us were still having awkward conversations with our high school guidance counsellors.

In his free time he is an avid boater and loves to spend quality time with his family.

He has dedicated himself to providing new and existing clients with the best possible experience—which is where he thrives the most. Few understand the community or the Windsor Roofing market better.

The expansion of the Windsor team has also included the addition of two new roofing consultants, Ryan Mickel and Dylon Gascoigne. Along with longtime Senior Service Coordinator Jennifer Lecours, the team is ready to dispatch emergency services in two hours or under, repair any roof system, offer condition reporting for replacements and perform portfolio maintenance and management.

Since 1929, the Empire Roofing family has transformed from a two-person operation to a national powerhouse with over 200 skilled roofers and staff members in 5 locations across the United States and Canada.

Empire Roofing is a Turn Key Service offering 30 yr warranted worry free roofs.

And the client experience is something Empire Roofing is renowned for.

Empire Roofing is driven to provide the highKEN QUINN General Manager est level of service. The company has set new of the Windsor Branch

standards with the client experience through response times, reporting systems and customized service methods.

And that customized, personalized approach is what sets the company apart. At Empire Roofing, every account is assigned a designated Account Manager.

Empire Roofing sees every project as an opportunity to apply all that they have learned over the years in providing our community with the highest level of care.

Ken appreciates all his long-time customers who have followed him through his career and welcomes new customers every day to experience the Empire roofing client experience.

Interested in working with Ken Quinn and Empire Roofing? Call today at 519-969-7101 or visit empireroofingcorporation.com.

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NEWANDNOTICED

HOSPICE FACE TO FACE CAMPAIGN

The Hospice of Windsor & Essex County’s Face To Face initiative is excited to kick off their 21st Annual Campaign. Each year, the Campaign which runs from August 15th to September 30th, raises funds for the Fairley Family Transportation Program, which provides rides to medical appointments for Hospice patients and families across our community. Last year, a new program was introduced – The G.E.N.I.E. Program (Granting Exceptional N’ Impactful Experiences) offering the opportunity for patients receiving Hospice care to request special trips or outings to family reunions, or to spend a few hours at a local park, or even to visit their family home one last time – creating a memorable experience for them and their loved ones. Pictured here are Nancy Brockenshire (Hospice Executive Director) and John Fairley (Hospice Face to Face Campaign Founder) with the total raised as part of 2022 Hospice Face to Face Campaign. thehospice.ca

CAESARS WINDSOR HEROS PARTICIPATE IN HABIT FOR HUMANITY WINDSOR-ESSEX

Caesars Windsor HERO employee volunteers continued their commitment to the Windsor-Essex community by participating in Habitat for Humanity Team Build Days to help build homes in Ford City on Thursday, July 20, and Friday, July 21. Over the years, HERO employees have volunteered over 100,000 hours to local organizations, giving their time, expertise, creativity, and passion to initiatives that improve people’s lives right here in Windsor-Essex. caesarswindsor.com

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DISC ’N DAT AUDIO-VIDEO

Since 1989 Disc ’n Dat Audio-Video has supplied and installed high quality audio and video equipment as well as electronics needed to run all of the features of today’s modern homes. Recently, Kevin and Lisa Swarts, along with their knowledgeable sales team and CEDIA Certified staff have moved to a new location at 13350 Lanoue St, behind the Manning Road McDonalds in Tecumseh. They can be reached at 519-972-1555.

WECF 40TH ANNIVERSARY COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TO BRYERSWOOD

A 40th Anniversary Community Legacy Investment from WindsorEssex Community Foundation allowed for the construction of the brand new, 6-bunk cabin at Bryerswood Youth Camp. Picture are WECF Executive Director Lisa Kolody (Left) with Bryerswood Youth Camp Optimist Club President Kathi Poupard. wecf.ca

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More than 250 people participated in an open house July 16, 2023, for ERCA’s 50th anniversary including previous/current employees included (from left) Henrik Hoyer, Dan Lebedyk, Chris Allsop, current COA Tim Byrne, and Corinne Chiasson. essexregionconservation.ca

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UNIFOR LOCAL 444

Recently, representatives from Unifor 444 delivered about 40 refurbished bicycles to students at Assumption College Catholic Middle School. Representatives of the Brain Injury Association were also on hand to donate helmets to the kids. uni444.ca

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Enter to Win! 1. Go to windsorlife.com 2. Click “FREE Online Subscription” 3. Enjoy Windsor Life Magazine on your favourite device RE/MAX PREFERRED REALTY LTD.

This years Under the Lights Long Drive Competition, held at Rochester Place Golf Club was sponsored by RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. complete with the RE/MAX balloon. remax-preferred-on.com Back to Contents

OR Scan this QR Code No purchase necessary. Winners will be drawn randomly from Windsor Life’s Online Subscribers list, no less than 8 times per year. Winners will be contacted via the email address provided to Windsor Life Magazine and will have 24 hours to respond to receive their tickets. After 24 hours, the win will be voided and another Subscriber email will be selected.

Winners must agree to allow their names to be published. *Win 12 (twelve) $30 discount certificates, each valid for one month throughout the year ($360 maximum value). Certificates have no cash value—valid for product only. Windsor Life Magazine employees and their immediate family members are not at all eligible.

TOUGHEST TWO MINUTES FIREFIGHTERS COMPETE AT WINDSOR FIREFEST 2023 STORY BY MATTHEW ST. AMAND / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NORA ROMERO

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Task 4: Run around a series of hydrants for 140 feet to a 1.75” fully charged BullDog Hi-Combat hose line.

Task 5: Hose Advance has competitors dragging the fully charged hose 75 feet, where they stop and hit a target with a stream of water. The nozzle must clearly cross the doorway marker (blue line).

Task 6: Victim Rescue involves competitors dragging a 175 lb. mannequin, backward, 100 feet. Carrying the mannequin in one’s arms or over a shoulder is not permitted. The mannequin must not be grasped by its clothing or appendages.

“It’s an excruciating minute-fifteen to two-minute competition,” says twenty-six-year veteran Jack Bailey, Team Lead and Captain, Windsor Fire & Rescue Services. “We train to be able to take it to the limit—we train hard! It’s something you haven’t felt before until you do it. We’re wearing full firefighting gear, breathing from compressed air, running, slamming and rescuing the mannequin at the end. The advantage we have now for the young guys—those of us who have done it over the years, we’re teaching them. Darren Hillman, Captain - Windsor Fire & Rescue Services, came back to help as a coach. He’s been instrumental in training the young guys.”

The FireFit competition is just one of the “Four Rugged Competitions” occurring at FIREFEST 2023 at the Riverfront Festival Plaza. There is also the Transition to Betterness (T2B) Rescue Relays – Community Obstacle Course on September 8.

“This is where community teams can try out this one-of-a-kind course,” says David Bellamy, Marketing Chair, Windsor FIREFEST 2023. “We will have teams made up of five-to-seven people that will try their best to do what the professionals do. We only have room for twenty teams.”

The second Rugged Competition is a five-kilometer run with first responders on September 9th. This is open to the public and 500 participants are anticipated to take part. Proceeds from the

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IT HAS BEEN CALLED “the toughest two minutes in sports” and it’s coming to Riverfront Festival Plaza September 8, 9, and 10: the FireFit Championships as part of Windsor FIREFEST 2023.

“Windsor Fire and Rescue Services is excited to host the 2023 Windsor FIREFEST, including the FireFit Western Ontario Regional,” says Fire Chief Stephen Laforet in a promotional release.

“The Windsor Firefighter Challenge Team members have participated and set records in these events since 1997. In addition, their actions extend beyond the competition, donating equipment to the department and extending fundraising opportunities that support local organizations. We look forward to cheering them on again in September.”

Team members representing Windsor are Carlton Ylinen, Chris Horvath, Darren Quennell, Jack Bailey, Captain (has competed for eleven years and is in FireFit Hall of Fame), Jason Laughland and Kory Bremner.

The FireFit competition—individual and relay—is based upon firefighting tasks often performed in emergency situations. The course is highly demanding and each task is completed while wearing full firefighting gear, which weighs 80 lbs.: Task 1: Stair Climb has firefighters carrying a “Hi-Rise pack”—a four-foot bundle of four-inch hose weighing 42 lbs—up a five storey tower.

Task 2: Hose Hoist occurs at the top of the tower, where competitors hoist—hand over hand—a 45 lb. donut roll of BullDog LDH hose tied to a 5/8” kern-mantle rope.

Competitors then bolt back down the stairs for Task 3: Forcible Entry, which utilizes a chopping simulator (Challenger Force Machine) using the 9 lb. Trusty Cook shot mallet provided.

Firefighters move the beam along the decal into the “green” (Green means go). Once this task is complete the hammer must be placed on the designated 4’ x 4’ area.

Clockwise from above: FIREFIT’s Victim Rescue - Firefighter rescues 175 pound lifelike adult mannequin and drags it in reverse 100 feet; FIREFIT’s 5 storey tower at Windsor’s Riverfront Festival Plaza during the 2022 Can-Am Police Fire Games; Windsor’s FireFit team (l-r) Kory Bremner, Darren Quennell, Jack Bailey, Stephen Laforet (Fire Chief), Carlton Ylinen, Jason Laughland, Chris Horvath.

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run benefit the Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor-Essex County Branch as well as the Law Enforcement Torch Relay for Special Olympics.

Also, that day, is the Tug Across the Detroit River.

The FireFit competition is the focal point of FIREFEST 2023. Although Windsor has not competed since 2014, from 1997 until that year, the Windsor Team took five Canadian National titles and two World Championships. Four Windsor firefighters are in the FireFit Hall of Fame.

“We won back-to-back World Championships starting the year Deerfield Beach, Florida hosted and then in Ottawa, the only year that the Worlds were hosted in Canada—2002 and 2003,” Jack says. “This year, however, is an interesting time. We have a new team. We haven’t done this in a number of years as a team. We’ll see if this is something for the future.”

As for the FireFit tour, this is the tenth time it has been in Windsor.

“The Canadian National Championships take place in Sarnia one weekend after Windsor’s FIREFEST 2023,” David says.

He goes on to explain: “The success of the Windsor team has translated into benefits for the city. When the team was at its peak of success, it not only won bragging rights, but also a variety of prizes, some of which were donated to the City of Windsor. Namely, seven thermal imaging cameras with a combined value of $130,000.”

“One of the first thermal imaging cameras was placed on one of our vehicles,” Jack adds. “At the time that was really something. Now, we have a thermal imaging camera on every vehicle in the city. These cameras aid us in saving lives and property.

They help us detect danger areas through thick smoke and give us an idea of where the fire is at its worst before we go there.”

This is the 18th year Windsor Firefighters have competed, and more than 25 Windsor Firefighters have participated over the years in the gruelling challenge.

“It’s worth noting that team members train and compete on their own time and at their own expense,” David says.

Windsor FIREFEST 2023 is not only a free event, but a family event. There will be a Kids’ Zone and opportunities for the public to interact with members of the fire service and other first responders.

For more information about Windsor FIREFEST 2023, view further details at windsorfire.com/firefest.

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Antonino’s Original Pizza - South Windsor, Tecumseh, LaSalle. Multiple-award winning pizza with the money back guarantee! Fresh salads & authentic Sicilian Cannoli that even your Nonna will love! Google our menu. originalpizza.ca

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Kingsville location open Sat-Sun 12-9 pm.

13300 Tecumseh Rd. E., Tecumseh 519-999-9116. cheesecakeonastick.ca 460 Main St. E, Kingsville 519-999-6024 Cotta Food Bar - Let us be your place for private events, holiday parties, weddings, dine-in, takeout, catering and more! With a wealth of experience, our talented chefs pride themselves in creating delicious contemporary Italian food.

Friendly service. 3891 Dougall Ave., Windsor.

519-915-6882. cottafoodbar.com Cramdon’s Tap and Eatery - South Windsor’s friendly gathering place. Offering great food at affordable prices. Satellite sports and billiards in a pub-like setting. www.cramdons.com 2950 Dougall Ave. 519-966-1228 Erie St GastroPub - Located in the heart of Little Italy, this hidden gem offers elevated pub fare and a scrumptious Asian-fusion menu. The bar features local Ontario wines, a constantly rotating craft beer menu, handcrafted cocktails as well as alcohol infused ice cream.

ErieStGastroPub.com 839 Erie Street, Windsor. 519-252-3743 Fourteen Restaurant & Skylounge - Experience dining with a panoramic riverfront view of the Detroit skyline from the 14th floor. For both casual and special occasions. Private and semiprivate rooms available. Live music in our lounge most Saturday nights. Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday at 5pm. Reserve online or call 226-526-7214.

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Frank Brewing Company - FRANK is pure, straight-to-the-point, old-fashioned beer crafted with dedication and pride. Beer-loving folk enjoy FRANK’s small-batch brews made with only four natural and simple ingredients: water, hops, grain and yeast; and foodies enjoy the small plates, pizzas and sandwiches for pairing, and all the peanuts you can shell. 519-956-9822 12000 Tecumseh Rd. E., Tecumseh, ON

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Original Guys Pizza Pies - The “Windsor style” thin crust pizza skillfully rolled and hand tossed is cooked to perfection in a stone baked oven.

With vegetarian and vegan options, pizzas are tailored to each customer’s individual taste. Also offering wings, salads and subs.

3335 Banwell Rd., Windsor. 519-979-8808 ogpizza.ca Mamo Burger Bar - Burgers made with local beef are piled high with creative topping combinations at this casual spot. Recently voted 9th best burger in the world. Kids menu also available! mamoburgerbar.com 1515 Ottawa Street, Windsor. 519-973-1234

Neros Steakhouse - Indulge in the finer things in life at Neros where modern upscale dining meets traditional steakhouse fare. Fresh, local ingredients, an incredible wine selection and superb service. OpenTable.ca 1-800-991-7777 ext. 22481.

SONA Ristorante & Taverna - An upscale casual dining experience inspired by cliffside restaurants of the Mediterranean. Spend an evening in our ristorante, featuring seasonal cuisine and international wines for your enjoyment.

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519-974-7664. sonacanada.com Thirteen At The Inn - Casual/finer dining with a comfortable, modern ambiance. Carrying on traditions of Thirteen Russell Steakhouse, enjoy old favourites or something new. Prime Rib, fresh Lake Erie fish, steak and seafood. Cocktail lounge. Waterfront patio. Private parties. 40 minutes from Windsor/Detroit. Reservations recommended: 519-324-9266 Ext 215.

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Georgia Rae’s Hot Chicken & Barbecue - Serving Nashville Hot Chicken (Available in 6 different spice levels) & House Smoked Barbecue (Brisket, Ribs, Chicken Wings) with scratch made sides and desserts. Open Wed-Sun at 4pm.

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Twigg’s Bar + Grill - Family oriented local establishment offering freshly prepared pubfare. We take pride in providing prompt service in a unique atmosphere with craft beer, specialty cocktails, daily specials, live entertainment, catering and more. www.twiggsbarandgrill.com 1207 County Rd 22, Emeryville 519-727-8704

For information on listings and advertising in Bon Appetit! please call 519-567-0603.

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QUEEN OF THE KITCHEN The Culinary Federation of Canada Bestows Its Top Award on Windsor Chef STORY BY MATTHEW ST. AMAND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN LIVIERO IN A WORLD WHERE most food consumed by people is processed, pre-packaged, or emerges from a drive-thru window, the simple act of preparing meals has never been more of an artform. And as much as top chefs in charge of industrial kitchens are portrayed as shouting tyrants—sometimes the whipcrack of terse words are needed to keep the choreography going in the undemocratic confines of the kitchen—a lot of love goes into the meals that are prepared there.

No one exemplifies this more than Windsor’s own Chef Adelina Sisti-DeBlasis, the 2023 recipient of the National Chef of the Year award from the Culinary Federation of Canada. Founded in 1963, the federation is a Canadian association of professional chefs and cooks. Each year, they recognize three Regional Chefs of the Year and one National Chef of the Year.

Adelina is only the second person from Windsor to win National Chef of the Year (Hans Bueschkens won in 1974) and she is the third female chef to win since 1965.

“I did not believe I was going to win,” Chef Adelina says. “The other nominees were equally deserving!”

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Above: Chef Ade’s Blueberry Citrus Cheesecake topped with Summer berries and Vanilla Marscarpone mousse.

The road to this top honour has been anything but a straight line.

Adelina grew up in a kitchen, cooking primarily with her mother, Immacolata Sisti—though Adelina’s father, Ferruccio, was always her biggest cheerleader.

“My mom was a wonderful cook,” Adelina remembers. “She cooked at the Ciociaro Club and passed away the year she was going to retire. She was very well known at the club for her culinary contributions. She was my biggest inspiration to get into culinary.”

Adelina’s earliest career plans, however, did not include the kitchen.

“I was actually in dental,” she continues, “but later in life, when I had children, I started a catering business, which I ran for twenty-five years.

This was very rewarding but could not have happened without the support of my sister, retired teacher Anna Maria, and my dad doing all the sous chef prepping!”

During her catering years, people referred to Adelina as “Chef.”

“I didn’t feel I deserved that prestige,” she recalls, “so I went back to school to earn that title.”

Adelina graduated at the top of her culinary class and was asked to teach at the college afterward. Soon after, she earned her Bachelor of Education degree. After doing some one-off cooking classes in an area high school, administrators saw how motivating her approach was to the young chefs S e p t e m b e r

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and suggested that Adelina remain at the high school level. She did—thinking: “Maybe I can make a difference in that role.”

Today, she teaches at P.A.S.S. Secondary School and is an instrumental part of the Community Kitchen Program.

Adelina continues: “I always tell my students the Julia Childs’ quote: ‘Find something you are passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it.’ Education is never lost. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can always learn. The day you stop learning is the day you stop living.”

To be considered for National Chef of the Year, Adelina was nominated and won the Chef of the Year for the Culinary Federation Central Region in April 2023. From there she and two other chefs from across Canada—east and west coast winners—were eligible for the top honour.

“This recognition is based on an individual’s outstanding culinary skills, culinary contributions across Canada, dedication, and professionalism,” Adelina says.

It is the highest single achievement within Canada in the culinary sector. As part of the honour, Adelina was knighted with the Ceremonial Steel.

“I am still taking it all in!” she says. “I’m still me, doing my thing, still teaching. I love my students. My goal is to inspire some of them to move forward in the hospitality and tourism trade, and the culinary world.”

Adelina has been very grateful to her family for their continued love and support: her husband, Piero, and her children Dario, Annessa, and Alessio. Not everyone has been here to see Adelina achieve this success. Her father joined her mother by passing away last year. But they are here in spirit.

When Adelina is not busy with her students at P.A.S.S.

Secondary School, she is a support manager for the Canadian Culinary Team, which competes in the Culinary Olympics every four years. They go up against teams from around the world in two areas of competition: Restaurant of Nations—a three-course menu for more than 100 guests served at the restaurant table; and Chef ’s Table—half a dozen different dishes, at a large table in front of the competition kitchens, with personal service.

Not only was it Adelina’s love of cooking that led her to becoming a chef, but among the industry’s core values is working with others, helping others.

“Mentorship is huge in culinary,” she says. “We have an obligation to help anyone who has an interest in this, to give them the knowledge we have. I don’t know any chef who wouldn’t be willing to help a young chef who wants to learn.”

Beyond helping students, Adelina is passionate about helping in her community. The issue of food scarcity is close to her heart.

Currently, the Culinary Federation Windsor Chapter is pairing up with Unemployed Help Center (UHC) for an event called “Pastabilities” which will take place on October 17 at the Ciociaro Club from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Numerous local restaurants are contributing and volunteering at this event,” Adelina explains. “We are selling tickets and one hundred percent of the proceeds will go back into the community.

Attendees can cast their vote for Best Pasta/Noodle dish, though many different types of food from around the world will be represented. If you’re a foodie and care about your community, this event is for you!”

For more information about the Pastabilities event at the Ciociaro Club, visit www.uhc.ca. To learn more about the Olympic Culinary Team Canada visit culinaryteamcanada.com.

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THE CEDAR HOUSE

Your Year-Round Home Away From Home

winter months the wineries are still active and Point Pelee is still open and close by.”

The Cedar House has already made a considerable impression on everyone who passes through its welcoming doors.

“People are always blown away by the home,” Jeremy states. “They often leave comments with people saying things like: ‘This place is even better than what the images show!’”

The Cedar House is perfect for all kinds of visitors, whether family or friends.

JEREMY WINTER and his business partner Chris Whalen have worked in construction for almost 30 years each.

As such, they know a prime location when they see one.

“A friend of my wife and I’s originally owned the house for a handful of years, and when he moved in with his spouse, he told us the place was going on the market,” Jeremy recalls. “We mulled it over for a while, but we saw the potential there. We knew it could be turned into the perfect vacation home.”

Shortly thereafter, work on what would eventually become the year-round getaway commenced.

And now, two years later, the Cedar House stands tall as one of Windsor and Essex County’s most beautiful vacation spots!

“The Cedar House has been fully operational for some time now,” Jeremy explains. “We’ve had a lot of great people come by.

And a lot of repeat guests! We’re excited for more people to see what the Cedar House and surrounding area has to offer.”

And the Cedar House does have quite a lot to offer! Located in the shimmering hills of Essex County—near Kingsville on Cedar Creek—the vacation home is close to all kinds of amenities. The home is walking distance from the picturesque Cedar Beach, and just a few kilometers away from over a dozen wineries and restaurants. As well, the Cedar House is only a few minutes’ drive from the Cedar Island Yacht Club.

Whatever your pleasure—be it fishing, golf, kayaking (provided) or boating—the Cedar House is near all your favourite activities.

With Point Pelee and all it has to offer not far away either.

The Cedar House is available all year round. The home is fully equipped with all modern comforts, regardless of the season.

“It’s not a summertime getaway – it’s an anytime getaway!”

Jeremy stresses. “We have air conditioning, a gas and fire stove, a fireplace—everything! It’s not a cottage. There’s always something to do close by. In the winter there’s ice fishing. As well, during the

“In terms of visitors, the Cedar House is split 30%-30%-30%,” Jeremy explains. “We get a lot of fishing groups coming through. We get a lot of couples with young children. And because we have over 17 wineries at our fingertips, we get a lot of women’s getaways. But the Cedar House is perfect for anyone.”

Interested in spending some time at the Cedar House? Reservations can be made at thecedarhouse.ca or on Vrbo.

“The easiest way is probably to book on Vrbo,” Jeremy states. “All the fees are built-in. But you can also book directly through the website. Regardless of whichever option you choose, the prices are all the same. We hope you visit us soon!”

For more information call 519-981-1417

WLMONLINE

ORBITING DREAMS Jack Wawrow Discusses Canada’s New Climate Research Satellite STORY BY RYAN PERCY

MANY KIDS GO through their space phase, leading to countless telescope purchases and bright-eyed wishes to one day be an astronaut. But while many grow out of this, seeing it as just a childhood phase, Jack Wawrow took his love of space to new heights.

It was June 5, in a clear sky Cape Canaveral, Florida, when Jack watched his dream come true. Three years of blood, sweat and tears leading up to the countdown before watching a satellite he helped build launch up towards the ISS (International Space Station).

“Everybody was just so nervous wanting to see the rocket launch,” Jack says of that fateful morning. “It wasn’t even until the last 10 seconds that it really sunk in that this was happening. As soon as T-minus Zero hit it was a wave of emotions as three years of my life culminated at this moment.”

The satellite that Wawrow and the rest of the ESSENCE team constructed is known as a CubeSat. The small satellite is roughly 10 cm by 10 cm by 30 cm and is put on the ISS for later deployment in orbit above the Earth. The project is primarily to forward environmental study of Canada’s permafrost.

Above: Jack Wawrow on the roof of NASA Operational Support Building II (OSB-II) with the SpaceX CRS-28 rocket that carried ESSENCE to the ISS in the background. Photo by Aniket Prabhudesai. Lower left: image of the ESSENCE CubeSat. Photo by Monique Doucet

“Its main goal is to image the northern Arctic ice and permafrost regions as well as do a couple other experiments on board,” Jack says of the plans for the ESSENCE project over its three-year lifespan. “We’ve got a wide-angle camera to image the arctic and also a proton detector to measure space weather.”

Jack was able to get involved with the ESSENCE project as a volunteer during his Space Engineering undergrad at York University. He says a major factor in him even pursuing this path was a deep love of space, something he attributes with thanks to his parents.

Read the complete story at windsorlife.com.

AN AURA OF ROMANCE

Local Boat Watchers Follow Their Favourite Vessels STORY BY MICHAEL SEGUIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE CHASE THERE’S SOMETHING about the river that draws the eye. The way the sunlight shimmers against the waters. The way that blue expanse crouches against the horizon. The sound of the waves lapping against the shore. The way the smell of the lake reaches your nostrils when the wind is just right.

And yet, as Windsorites, we sometimes take for granted the majesty of living on the water. And we also sometimes neglect to notice all the different freighters and barges that drift down the Detroit River.

But many do take the time to notice these magnificent vessels.

And many, many more have even formed communities around charting their favourite ships.

One such superfan is Roger LeLievre, the Editor and Publisher of Know Your Ships: Guide to Boats & Boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway, a 63-year-old annual publication. The book provides essential stats on hundreds of freighters, including the owner, year, length, capacity and more. It also shares information on the materials these big boats carry, where they load and unload, all the different canals and waterways they travel down and what the different whistles mean.

“There’s maybe 150 assorted vessels supplemented by saltwater ships

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Above: the SS Keewatin headed downstream on her way to her final resting place at the Maritime Museum on April 26th, 2023.

that sail down the seaway,” Roger LeLievre explains. “Tugboats. Barges. Tankers. Carriers. We get quite the traffic down the river!”

Roger has been a boat enthusiast all his life. He’s been a figurehead of the community for decades, sharing his knowledge with countless other fans.

“Since 1995, during the Read the complete story at windsorlife.com.

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Parisien Denture Clinic Knows About Quality of Life

THE CARE AND COMFORT of patients has always been the priority at Parisien Denture Clinic. That is why owneroperator, Barry Parisien, has always made a point of staying at the forefront of technology. Among the most startling advances is digital dentures is 3D. “We have the ability to 3D print and mill dentures,” Barry explains. “The milling process entails a mill carving out a denture from a solid block of acrylic. This technology brings in a new level of precision, which has improved the fit and comfort of people’s dentures. It has also meant patients are getting their teeth faster than before.”

The Parisien Denture Clinic now utilizes digital technology to 3D print the metal frameworks for partial dentures as well which offers a level of precision not available before.

“We’re having this metal 3D printed, now,” Barry continues, “which is creating the best fit I’ve seen in my career. We had a patient who recently had a new set of teeth made. Just this morning, she called and told us how much better she can eat. She can eat her grapes and salads, which she couldn’t before. She had put off taking care of her teeth for six or seven years and is now one of the many people who say: ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?’”

The fact is people are creatures of habit. If there is one unfortunate knack so many of us have it’s the ability to live with discomfort, particularly when it comes to our teeth or dentures.

People do not often realize how much their teeth impact their overall health. Digestive issues can arise from poorly chewed food. Once teeth are removed, that area continues losing bone throughout the patient’s lifetime. For this reason, it is important to have dentures examined yearly to ensure they fit and function properly. People with old or poorly fitting dentures may suffer from headaches, jaw aches or clicking in the jaw.

Some patients even experience ringing in their ears.

“Teeth wear down so slowly,” Barry says, “that we don’t really notice.

Their old set of dentures is comfortable like an old pair of slippers: they’re worn out, have no traction, but they’re comfortable when you put your foot into them.”

Too often, the barriers to seeking help with poorly fitting dentures are created in our own minds. Some people are hesitant to spend money, believing that new dentures are too expensive. Others are concerned that the process might involve pain.

“For people who are hesitant based on cost,” Barry says, “I point out that we have several options that are worth looking into. We sit down with every patient and explain the process and discuss their options. The more people know, the better their decisions will be.”

One of the options that has become increasingly popular in recent years is implants.

“Implants make a night-and-day difference in people’s lives,” Barry says. “And this technology has improved so much. Years ago, the process might take a year. The procedure, now—in some cases—takes only a few hours. And so many patients come away saying: ‘I should have done this twenty years ago!’”

Information is the key. Information that could change your life is just a phone call away. Check out the Parisien Denture Clinic website parisiendentures.ca to see how they might improve your quality of life.

Barry Parisien dd

owner / denturist

375 Cabana Rd. E. • 519-997-7799 www.parisiendentures.ca

Daniela Ferro dd

denturist

INFESTED

Local Author Wins Award for Debut Novel STORY BY MICHAEL SEGUIN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN LIVIERO

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AUTHOR CHRISTIAN LAFORET finds few things as unsettling as apartment buildings. “They’re kind of strange, when you think about it,” Christian muses. “Especially in North America, where we have these big bubbles of space. But then we choose to live in these cramped buildings with hundreds of strangers in them. And there’s all these weird noises and weird smells that aren’t yours. It’s your home, but it’s infested with people you don’t know.”

Christian’s path to words was—if you’ll forgive the pun—a storied one.

Initially interested in cartoons, Christian studied animation at St. Clair College.

However, it wasn’t long before he realized that his interests were a bit less collaborative.

“I had a eureka moment after graduating,” Christian recalls. “I realized that it wasn’t so much the drawing and the animating that I liked, it was the storytelling. Being able to just write something and not have to draw 7,000 pictures to go with it was a huge relief!”

After discovering his real passion, Christian abandoned frames for pages. For a time, he focused on comics, churning out scripts for different artists.

Although eventually, another eureka moment hit him “like a truck.”

“It eventually dawned on me that if I just wrote prose fiction, then I didn’t need someone to draw it,” Christian explains. “I didn’t need to work with an artist. I could just let the words speak for themselves.”

Inspired by this realization, Christian began his writing career in earnest. At the age of 29, he sat down and furiously pounded out his first novel, The Sands, in three weeks.

And the end result was— “The worst!” Christian laughs. “It was no good! But I thought it was incredible at the time. And the experience was unbelievable. I was hooked after that.”

For the next few years, Christian did what all young artists do. He experimented. He attempted different stories, different characters. He embarrassed himself. He tried to please his increasingly fickle Muse. But, as with all young artists, the few pearls of wisdom he discovered during those years were enough to keep him moving forward.

“I spent those years focusing on short stories,” Christian recalls. “I decided that if I worked on these bite-sized projects then I could learn the craft and wrap my head around storytelling.”

Christian posted most of these stories on a blog he maintained at the time. He even submitted a few to literary journals and received some “very nice” rejection letters.

And eventually, Christian found a place for himself among other local writers.

“I had some friends who were amateur writers as well,” Christian states. “We ended up joining a now-defunct writing group. Every two weeks we would meet, show off our stuff, and get it critiqued.”

Fortunately for Christian, some of the members of the group were established published writers.

“They were all very kind,” Christian explains. “They would go through my work and tell me the mistakes I didn’t understand I was making. They would say stuff like, ‘You went from limited to omniscient perspective in this scene.’

And I would just blink at them!”

But Christian’s talent was always there.

And before long, thanks to some guidance and encouragement, his skill started to keep pace.

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Christian continued to hone his craft on short stories, eventually publishing a collection: The Space Between Houses.

And meanwhile, he was sinking his teeth into what would eventually become his debut novel.

“I spent five years on that novel,” Christian admits. “And it wasn’t even because it took that long to write, necessarily. It was because I wrote it and rewrote it. I did multiple drafts.”

After about three years of labor, Christian was unsatisfied with the results. He put the whole project on ice and changed his focus.

“I started working on a crime novella in the meantime,” Christian recalls. “And it was while working on that project that my writing voice truly emerged. I really liked the way I wrote that story. It felt like me.”

Christian tried to revise his manuscript using the new skills he’d developed. But unfortunately, he found the process impossible.

“It was like dumping out two boxes of puzzles and trying to put it all together,” Christian states. “I eventually realized that fixing it would take longer than just rewriting it.”

So Christian did the one thing that haunts the nightmares of all writers. He opened a fresh Word document and typed in: “Chapter One.” And one year later, Christian had Infested.

The novel tells the story of Olivia, who wakes up in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm to discover that all her neighbors have been infected by parasitic insects. After trying to escape, she finds that an unseen force may be keeping her there for nefarious reasons.

Infested is a simple premise, written in a way that allows for maximum impact.

“The whole book takes place in one night,” Christian explains.

“And I want the act of reading the book to reflect that. It’s very in-the-moment. You feel like you’re moving in real-time with Olivia. It’s less like a rollercoaster and more like a funhouse. There’s no breaks.”

Infested was published in 2022 by Eerie River Publishing (under the penname C.M. Forest).

And now, a full year after its release, Infested won the 2023 Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for Best Horror Novel.

“The award took me by surprise,” Christian admits. “Eerie River submitted the book to the horror category, but that was a long time ago. And the book had already been out for a whole year. Then all of a sudden I got a notice that it was a finalist!”

While all the accolades have meant a lot to Christian, the praise from his writing community has meant the most to him.

“I’ve come to know an accomplished author named Craig Davidson, who publishes under Nick Cutter and Patrick Lestewka,” Christian states. “I reached out to him to do a blurb for the book, to see if he liked it and was interested. He gave me just this glowing review. That meant so much to me, as a fan of his. And in talking to him since then, he’s continued to champion the book. He really talks it up to people. It was surreal!”

And now, having experienced his first true success, Christian is doing what all young artists do. He’s continuing to experiment, attempting different stories and different characters. And now, instead of just trying to please his Muse, he’s trying to appease his new legion of adoring fans.

It’s not a task for the faint of heart, but Christian is up to the challenge.

Just don’t ask him to swing by your apartment complex.

Infested is available where all books are sold.

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