Counting on variety of community services

A litter of bright pink, and absolutely adorable piglets, all looking for foster homes will be dropping by Valu-Mart in Morrisburg this Saturday, February 7 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

This year’s brood is all ready and eager to go to their month-long foster home in support of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Wheels of Hope program that provides transportation for are folks needing to travel for cancer-specific medical appointments and treatment.

The little piggies will be travelling with their good friend Jennifer Hindorff, who will be on hand to handle the adoption procedures, and who, as a Wheels of Hope volunteer driver is available to answer any questions about the Piggy Bank fundraiser as well as the Wheels of Hope Program.

“The Wheels of Hope service is especially vital in communities such as ours, as many clients travel outside of our area for treatments,” says Carolyn Bourassa, Community Manager for the SDG Prescott & Russell Canadian Cancer Society office. “Some people would literally not be able to make it to treatment without this crucial program.”

Volunteer drivers are on the road everyday to ensure that people get to their treatments in Montreal, Ottawa and Kingston. While some cancer treatments are handled at Winchester District Memorial Hospital, many cancer patients in the immediate area have to travel to Ottawa.

The local transportation program filled 5,800 requests and drove 333,650 km to take more than 426 clients to their cancer related appointment in 2013. Locally, the direct cost of the transportation program in 2014, was $121,000.

The average cost to take one patient to one round trip appointment/treatment is $75.

The Piglets of Hope fundraiser first ran locally last year and was a huge success. Organizers are hoping to top their success this time around. 

Last February, 25 pink Piglets of Hope (banks) were adopted for the month of February at Valu-mart, taken home, taken to retail locations and taken to people’s workplaces, where for one month everyone chipped in their change to fill the little pink guys and gals.

At the end of the month they were returned with what had been collected.

Each little piggy is hoping for $75 worth of donations which is the average cost of one trip, and each foster family/group has one month to make donations to their piggy banks.

Piglets of Hope will be available for adoption at Valu-Mart this Saturday, February 7 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The Wheels of Hope directly assists local folks to get to their cancer treatments. Those in need of the service pay a one-time $100 registration fee.

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Michael Harvey, co-founder of the Back to Church movement and author of “Unlocking the Growth”, says essentially, “the heart of the “Back to Church Sunday” movement is to get a movement of invitation going. I’m interested in inviting, which is different than bringing.”  He adds that, “It’s okay for people to say yes or no. The problem is, we aren’t hearing enough invitations.”

Harvey’s “Unlocking the Growth” seminar offers ideas for increasing the number of people at church. It is designed to inspire church leaders and lay people to help their church grow and at the heart of the growth movement are invitations to families and friends to come to church.

“It’s so easy to drift away from church these days,” says Harvey. “One day becomes two days and two days becomes two weeks.” He says that after while it has been so long that people find it awkward to return.

“That is why invitation is so vital.”

According to Harvey, research shows that the number one reason people don’t offer invitations is that they fear the answer will be no.

The Back to Church movement began in 2004, and early results were amazing.

Harvey, who on Friday was in his second week of a three week tour which started in Western Canada with stops in Vancouver Island, Edmonton and Winnipeg, then Toronto, prior to coming to Williamsburg, said of the smaller venue “I’m always delighted to visit places like this.”

He explains that the results of the movement are tracked by having churches register. Last September, he says 14,000 churches in 17 countries took part and 200,000 people accepted invitations.

“You can do the math and it’s only about 14 people per church, but it’s a start. We’ve almost convinced ourselves that people aren’t into church, but it’s not true. The welcome to get them past the threshold has got to be invitational.”

In 2004, Harvey gave up a demanding job in London, England to teach church leaders to see new possibilities within their churches. Since then he has spoken to thousands of church leaders and has challenged churches of all sizes to double their congregation in a day.

In addition to the hosting Lutheran pastors, a number of South Dundas clergy accepted the ‘invitation’ to attend Friday’s seminar along with the general public. 

The Seaway cluster of pastors who invited Harvey to speak at Williamsburg included Pastor Norine Gullons of the South Dundas Evangelical Lutheran Parish of South Dundas, Rev. Jo Barkley-Probst of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Riverside Heights, Rev. Bruce Thompson of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Brockville, Rev. Robert C. Wiesner of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Belleville and Rev. Steve Hoffard of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Kingston.

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 South Dundas’ newest business is hoping everyone in the community  will come out and “officially” meet them on Thursday, October 11, from 4-7 p.m. 

Hicks Insurance Brokers Ltd, very much a family business, opened an office in Morrisburg in May, 2012. In the words of Doug Hicks, “We look forward to being active members of this business community.”

He is echoed by his son, Daryn, who has been a member of the brokerage since 2006. “We want to extend our support to the South Dundas community as a whole.”

Assisting them in the Morrisburg office are Laury Pilon, and Lise Van Beilen, both residents of the South Dundas area, and experienced in the needs and concerns of this community.

On Friday, October 5, Doug and Daryn talked to the Leader about their background in insurance and  about their new Morrisburg location.

The original family business was established in 1946, in Metcalfe, by Doug’s father, Stan, working alongside his wife Hazel.  

Doug, who was studying business at Ryerson, came home to join the brokerage in 1977. 

“I really enjoyed the challenges the insurance industry offered,” Hicks said. “I learned about what the industry had to offer, and, really, it remains a learning experience for me.”

Son Daryn joined the firm in 2006, after earning his degree in business from Algonquin College. He is the youngest of three children. While his older brother and sister have chosen other careers (“They couldn’t work with Dad,”  Daryn commented, laughing), he has enjoyed the challenges of working in the insurance field. 

“We really are a family business,” Doug said. “Hicks is now six years into the third generation of the company. My mom, Hazel, who is 88, remains keenly interested in the business, and will actually be at our October 11 opening.”

The Hicks family purchased Benson Latimer Insurance in Metcalfe in 1985, forming Hicks Insurance. Their next acquisition was made in May, 2012, when they purchased Fred Hill Insurance in Morrisburg. 

“I had been friends with David Hill for about 30 years,” Doug explained. “When he decided it was time to move on, the opportunity to purchase the Hill brokerage came to us, and we finalized the deal in May, 2012.”

Hicks Insurance is situated at 147 Main Street (Pinkus Plaza) in Morrisburg, in re-vamped and re-furbished modern offices. 

They kept familiar long term staff with them when they opened in South Dundas. 

Laury Pilon joined Hill Insurance in 1985, and brings 29 years of insurance experience to the Hicks brokerage. Lise Van Beilen joined Hill in 2001, and also brings her business expertise to Hicks.

“Frankly,” Doug Hicks said, laughing, “I think we are just here to support our great long-term staff members, Laury and Lise.”

Doug and Daryn handle all lines of insurance, primarily property and casualty, and welcome enquiries from clients with insurance needs.

“In the last 20 years, insurance has become very competitive,” Doug commented. “We keep up with what the market has to offer. We feel that we are doing this in both offices. 

Market and technology changes really demand that we stay current.”

Hicks Insurance Brokers Ltd. looks forward to serving the business needs of people in South Dundas. 

The members of the Hicks family look forward to meeting new friends and clients as they welcome everyone to their grand opening October 11.

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