Columns & News

Empty shelves and rising costs

Neighbor Aid Center participated in the Kick’n Country Parade. The food collected by volunteer Nick Out will come in handy in addition to the $50,000 raised by Brown’s Socialhouse.

By Nadine Leming

Summer in Alberta is when food banks across the province can experience a harsh reality, a rise in demand with critically low donations as the community focus is shifted away from giving. These seasonal challenges aren’t helped by a wide-spread economic strain.

Many food banks across the province often seek community champions who can host or support summer food drives and cash donations to assist them through the tough times.

The Camrose Neighbor Aid Center in Camrose is dedicated to providing essential services to individuals and families in need within the community and are currently feeling the crunch with food and cash donations barely trickling in.

Browns Socialhouse recently stepped up to assist Camrose Neighbor Aid Center and raised $50,000 to help them tackle hunger in Camrose.

Jaime Ocampos, Neighbor Aid executive director said, “This is a significant fundraiser for us right now.”

She continued, “This is the kind of fundraiser we love because it doesn’t require a lot of work from our very small staff.” With this kind of support, Jaime and her team can focus their efforts on supporting their clients and programming.
With each hamper costing about $150 that they provide to just under 400 families per month, a major fundraiser like this provides the Camrose Neighbor Aid Center a little breathing room. Between donations of cash and non-parishable foods, this fundraiser could help them get through the next month.

The Neighbor Aid Center truly appreciates the corporate support they get from local grocery stores that organize case lot sales, fill-a-van, or pre-package non-parishables in bags for customers to purchase and donate to them at the till. They also appreciate the support from large companies that will randomly drop off a cheque in support of the essential service they provide to the community.

With food and cash donations currently very low, Holly Field, assistant director said, “We are seeing between 42 and 45 hampers go out everyday with another 100 in-between bags of food going out in between hampers for families each week.” This emphasizes the fact that food bank visits in Alberta are at an all-time high and reflecting the dramatic rise in food insecurity.

There are ways to support the Camrose Neighbor Aid Center. People can create and run their own fundraisers, such as organizing a bottle drive, neighbourhood food drive or consider a monthly donation. The options are limited only by one’s imagination.

To learn more about Neighbor Aid Centre’s programs, go to www.camroseneighboraidcenter.ca

Driving fore change on the green

By Nadine Leming

On September 18, On Track Kuntz & Co. will be hosting the Charity Golf Classic in support of the Kidney Foundation of Northern Alberta and Territories.

This fall marks On Track’s 30 year anniversary, and they want to celebrate their history and exciting plans for the future. Their goal was to host an event and provide thanks for the years of support, where the local community, their customers, and their suppliers can all come together.

Almost immediately, Tyler Priest, the chief financial officer at On Track, thought about getting the Kidney Foundation on board to support a great cause. Tyler commented, “It’s going to be a lot more meaningful (to support them).” He called Flavia (Kidney Foundation executive director) and she jumped at the opportunity right away.

On Track is well known for giving back to the community and this is a cause that is near and dear to them, both on a business and personal level. Tyler and his wife have been longtime supporters of the Kidney Foundation by participating in their walks or by donating money.

This organization hits close to home for Tyler as his wife Katerina has polycystic kidney disease that’s taken numerous members of her family. It can be managed to an extent with healthy living and diet, but there is a strong chance that treatment, or organ donation will be needed in the future. There is no cure for this hereditary condition and there is a high likelihood of passing it down to children.

Tyler said, “That’s been my motivation behind supporting the Kidney Foundation. They also do phenomenal work.” He continued, “Flavia and her team are just the most passionate and driven people, which is really amazing.”

On Track is a company that supports the community and gives back where they can. They have been one of the Kidney Foundation’s best supporters for many years and are one of the main charities they focus on.

Romonda Kuntz, On Track president, said, “It was through James’s (Kuntz) family that we were connected to the Kidney Foundation. His aunt donated her organs when she passed away and a local person in Camrose received her kidney. She got to live extra years that she didn’t have because of that donation.”

Romonda had kidney stones about 15 years ago that resulted in serious complications. It caused enough damage that even after five surgeries, it left her kidney basically non-functional, leaving her to rely on one kidney. Romonda explained, “I have to be more careful in life now. I’m very conscious of that and you can live successfully on one kidney and be well.”

The golf classic will be a fun opportunity for local businesses to enter a corporate team to network and team build or to gather family and friends for a day on the golf course. For those who aren’t necessarily golfers, but want to participate, On Track has come up with a creative alternative.

The Kidney Cup Lawn Olympics will feature fun games, friendly competition, a steak lunch and more. This event is all about having fun at the golf course. Throughout the event there will be all kinds of surprises from games, to giveaways and prizes.

Tyler commented, “This (golf tournament) brings me a lot of joy, doing something great for the Kidney Foundation, to direct attention and potentially attracting new donors while supporting their amazing cause with all the people who have supported us both in the community and our customer base, bringing them all together.”

For more information about the OnTrack Golf Classic, reach out to Tyler at tyler@ontrackinc.net or Erin Hill, Kidney Foundation community development coordinator at erin.hill@kidney.ca

Heritage Railway Station High Tea

Nadine Leming, Camrose Booster

The Camrose Heritage Railway Station held a High Tea fundraiser to help support some upcoming projects. The afternoon was busy as people enjoyed treats and tea.

Participants of the High Tea fundraiser enjoyed the opportunity to inspect the display of vintage wedding dresses. Guests admired the delicate lace-trimmed gowns and other wedding attire available for viewing.

From left, Erhard Pinno, Glenys Smith and summer student Addison Longbotham were wonderful hosts at the fundraising tea making sure everyone was well taken care of.

The Heritage Railway Station was a hub of activity the entire afternoon with people walking through the beautifully groomed gardens and had fun taking rides on the train.

Guy Hanak owns a 1939 International Harvester

Guy Hanak says his International Model D2 is one of the smallest trucks with one the biggest motors in it.

By Adan Shaikh

Guy Hanak has owned his 1939 International Model D2 for almost 15 years. Over the years Hanak has turned the truck from a forgotten work horse into a custom-built hot rod that shows off pre-war styling and performance.

“I bought him out of an old storage yard in Camrose, it was by the steel plant, and he sat there for years and I bought him and brought him to the shop,” he shared.

The truck had clearly seen better days, but Hanak saw its potential. Rather than restoring it to factory condition, he decided to create a one-of-a-kind custom while preserving the unqiue look of the original body.

“The truck is bare naked,” he said with a laugh. “There’s no paint on it.”

The body remains mostly untouched, allowing the natural look of it to tell the tale of decades of use. But apart from the rusty look, everything has been updated.

“The frame was bad, so I had one of the guys at the shop build a new frame,” Hanak explained. “We put a Model A front end on it. The rear is a kit and it has a hairpin suspension. What’s left of the International is the body.”

Under the hood, the truck is powered by a Chevrolet 454 cubic-inch V8, that has replaced the truck’s original flathead six-cylinder engine.
“It’s one of the smallest trucks with one of the biggest motors in it,” said Hanak.

The 454 V8, introduced by Chevrolet in 1970, is known for producing strong low-end torque. It has always been a popular choice for muscle cars and heavy-duty trucks, making it an unusual but fitting addition to Hanak’s compact International.

Another distinct touch is the glass Mountain Dew bottle, that he has mounted to the firewall/side panel as a custom overflow reservoir.

The International Harvester Model D2 was introduced as part of the company’s light-duty truck lineup in the late 1930s. Their rounded fenders, narrow cab and upright grille made them instantly recognizable, while their dependable mechanical components helped many remain in service for decades.

The original D2 models are relatively uncommon, and surviving examples are often restored or transformed into custom builds.

Hanak’s truck showcases hot rod styling, but the handcrafted chassis, upgraded suspension and powerful V8 have completely changed the way it drives, the weathered steel body remains a nod to its historical value and highlights the truck’s working days’ marks proudly.

BRCF supports Animal Shelter

Bruce Rudosky, a director on the Battle River Community Foundation Board, presents the cheque to Sherry Lafortune, president of the Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society.

Submitted by Laura Young

The Battle River Community Foundation awarded a $1,100 grant to the Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society. The vision statement of the Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society, as stated on their website, is to provide “Responsible homes for happy, healthy pets.” The shelter’s low cost spay, neuter, and microchip program, supported by the grant from the Battle River Community Foundation, helps the shelter to fulfill this vision. According to Society president, Sherry Lafortune, “Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society is grateful to the donors and to the Battle River Community Foundation for their generosity and continued support for our low cost spay, neuter, microchip program.”

By assisting, as able, to provide accessible spay, neutering and microchip services, the shelter can help to afford cats a better quality of life. Spaying and neutering works to fight overpopulation, while it also helps reduce the risk of certain cancers and behavioural challenges. The microchip program ensures that, should a cat go missing and end up somewhere like the shelter, a microchip reader is able to provide staff with the information to return the cat to its home.

The Camrose & Area Animal Shelter can be home to at least 75 cats at any one time (the shelter is not equipped to take dogs). Accessing the shelter to view the cats is by appointment only, except the last Saturday of every month when an open house is held for those who might be interested in adopting a cat, volunteering, or who just want to know more about the shelter and how it operates. The shelter also holds a number of meet and greets with its community partners around Camrose, bringing cats looking for adoption out into the community to meet with potential owners.

The grant for the Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society is funded from income earned from the Alice Ofrim Fund, the Fred and Jean Molnar Fund, and the Jo-Ann Carter Fund.

The Battle River Community Foundation exists to support organizations in east central Alberta that benefit the local communities and positively impact the future.

Grants from the Battle River Community Foundation are primarily made possible through the generosity of individual donors and organizations that have created endowment funds. The principal of these endowment funds is kept intact, and the income is made available annually to support local projects and organizations.

Since it was founded in 1995, the Battle River Community Foundation has granted over $10,469,392 to support charitable activities in the Battle River Region.

Art Walk Through the Gardens

By Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Camrose Arts Society hosted its Annual Art Walk Through the Gardens for its fifth year. The event took place across Camrose, as seven local gardeners opened their homes to visitors to view their beautiful work in the soil and the works of several local artists.

This event has become a yearly tradition for many residents in Camrose, as they look forward to meeting new artists and gardeners each year. This year University of Alberta Augustana Campus students had their work on display at Andrea Wilhem’s “Restoration Garden”, adding a new flair to the Art Walk.

Terry Morley, Camrose Arts Society board president, thanked Isabelle Spohn, vice-president of the Society, for her hard work in putting the event together. With the help of several community volunteers, friends and committee members, Spohn gathered the artists and garden hosts to make sure the event was a memorable experience.

To learn more about the Camrose Arts Society, visit camroseartssociety.ca

Artist and president of the Camrose Arts Society Terry Morley worked on one of his pieces. Visitors Cheryl Chutney, top left, and Carol Qilliam watched Morley work and learned about his process.

Lisa Sharp was one of the garden hosts. Her garden “Honey” had one of the most beautiful patches of Hollyhocks that were almost eight feet tall.

Michelle Matier, an intuitive artist, showcased her pieces to the public for the first time ever.

Leanne Shapka has been participating in the Art Walk every year. This year, she shared some of her newer pieces and spent her time sketching the flowers around her.

Penny, left, and Jim Malmberg serenaded the visitors in one of the gardens, showcasing their work as musical artists.

Michelle Kennedy Hawkins explored the works of Augustana students at the “Restoration Garden”.

Finding the perfect audio frequency

By Nadine Leming

Rooted in Vancouver’s thriving music scene, Focus Your Audio weaves west coast energy with east coast charm that creates an identity that is beautifully captivating. They will be bringing their show to Camrose in a pay what you feel show on August 8 at the Bailey Theatre at 8 p.m.

Opening for Focus Your Audio will be Cory Vanderjagt. This local performer is known for his heart-felt vocals and stirring guitar melodies and is sure to remain a Camrose favourite. This dynamic duo includes Sarah Stewart and Bobby McAloney. Focus Your Audio is dedicated to letting the lyrics and melody take a front seat and have been compared to the likes of Lady A and Fleetwood Mac.

The audience can expect an effortless fusion of Indie Pop, Alt-Folk and Rock and will be mesmerized by the depth and passion of Sarah’s voice with Bobby’s perfect musical backdrop. Their chemistry is magnetic, that is sure to come across to listeners.

The duo are about to release a new single this summer that was co-written and produced by Adam Hurstfield who’s worked with the likes of Loverboy and Ne-Yo. They are poised to break new ground and transform into a musical phenomenon and Camrose is sure to enjoy this group.

Sarah said, “We’re looking forward to experiencing Camrose for the first time. One of the best parts of being a band is discovering new communities through live music, and every audience leaves its mark on us just as much as we hope the music leaves something with them. We can’t wait to share the evening together.”

For anyone who is looking for a night out, this show will surely not disappoint. The atmosphere at the Bailey Theatre is second to none for live music. For more information, go to www.baileytheatre.com

Camrose Blues Festival hits a home run

Nadine Leming, Camrose Booster

Camrose Blues Festival’s second annual event at the Bailey Theatre definitely avoided the sophomore slump and lived up to the hype as the party of the summer.

The party kicked off on July 16, featuring Rose City Rollers and local favourite Godfrey Blaque. These two local bands performed and thoroughly entertained the crowd.

The weekend included an award-winning lineup with the likes of Ollee Owen, Donald Ray Johnson and the Andrew Michael Blues Band.

Throughout the event, the audience continually showed each performer their appreciation. There were many standing ovations and encores requested by delighted music lovers.

The Bailey rivaled some of the best Blues bars anywhere. Audiences enjoyed some of the best Blues performers in the business as they soaked up the music and vibe of the weekend.

The trend of this local Festival is on an upward swing. Fans of live music will want to get their tickets early next year.

A blues festival isn’t complete without the Blues Brothers, especially when they’re hustling 50-50 tickets in support of the Bailey Theatre.

Fan favourite Samantha King returned to this year’s Festival. She’s a Juno Award nominee and is considered one of Canada’s most compelling live performers.

Grammy winner Donald Ray Johnson entertained the crowd with his soulful voice. He is the epitome of a Blues singer as he interacted and had fun with the crowd.

Jodie Bogstie and Shelby Bianic worked the merchandise table as part of a valuable volunteer team at the event. They were an important part of a well-organized festival.

Volunteers were the heart and soul of the festival. With their hard work and dedication, it was a fabulous weekend. From left, Kelly Olafson, Festival board; Ollee Owens, performer; and Mike Ploner, Festival board.

Rose Vanderwerf is one of the many talented staff at the Bailey Theatre. She had several roles during the Festival, from working the ticket office to bartending.

Five days of harmony

By Nadine Leming

Messiah Lutheran Church is hosting a five day musical for students ages seven and up. This faith-based musical is intended to be a fun opportunity for participants to learn and perform an entire musical in just five days.

Led by Deanna Decelle and Michelle Kennedy Hawkins, this camp will run from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., August 10 to 14. The production is a version of The Story-Tellin’ Man which tells some of the parables and stories of Jesus.

Michelle said, “Deanna and I welcome children of all experience levels, shy or outgoing, energetic or focused, those who want solo speaking parts and those who just want to be part of the group.”

She continued, “We’ve chosen a musical that can be adjusted to suit the children who attend, and that fits our five day time frame. We are excited to get to know our Five Day Musical children and have fun singing, moving, and acting together!”

For anyone with questions or wanting more information, email music@messiahcamrose.ca
To register for the five day musical, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs KN7uXWwg3pI2N5Ol69j0A8t-iS0p8WxhBex_ malWv2syg/viewform.

Kick’n Country Parade kicks off long weekend

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Camrose Academy of Dance won Best Community Entry award. The group put a lot of work into their country-themed float and danced behind it as they entertained the crowd throughout the parade route.

Part of the Camrose Academy of Dance were two group members dressed in complete Edmonton Oilers’ fan gear. From painted faces to a wheelbarrow to match, the duo handed out freezies to children on the hot day.

Currents Art Therapy had a beautiful display of whimsical artistic pieces including a bicycle dragon and ribbon dancing.

The Centra Cam group was excited to see the community as they showcased their organization in cowboy hats and a decorated float.

Premier Danielle Smith joined Camrose MLA Jackie Lovely for the parade this year. From left, Aaron Morris, executive director of the Camrose & District Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer Fossen, president of the Camrose & District Chamber of Commerce; Premier Smith; and MLA Lovely. Several MLAs from constituencies across Alberta were in attendance this year.

It’s all about that softball base

By Nadine Leming

The Camrose Crossfire U15 Basarab have concluded their season that saw steady improvement that led them to finish on a high note. They kicked off with a tournament in Bashaw that saw them take an early exit in round robin play.
They moved on to tournaments in St. Albert and Bonnyville with a full roster, the team continued to grow and develop that led to bringing home a bronze medal. Holly Benoit, team manager, said, “This is when the girls really started to come together as a team.”

The team travelled to Calgary for a tournament, where the team struggled with the line-up and brought up a couple of U13 girls as well as a player from Bashaw who also participated with the team at provincials. They finished the tournament with a 3-1 record in round robin and came home with another bronze medal.

Coach Steve Basarab commented, “That’s when excitement for provincials started to grow.” He continued, “We had a special group of girls. When we brought players in to fill our roster, the girls were so accepting and it was like they were all a part of the team from the start of the season.”

Leading up to provincials, the team played a few exhibition games and tried to get all the girls into the lineup to evaluate each of their strengths. Two players were brought in for their pitching ability and another for her catching prowess.

“We went into the provincials weekend not knowing what to expect,” said Steve. They started the tournament against the hosting Grand Prairie team.

Steve added, “The whole lineup was hitting and everyone was playing great defence. We ended up winning 17-2.”

The team continued to see success throughout the tournament going undefeated into the gold medal game where they faced the only other undefeated team, the Drumheller Diamonds. The girls put their hearts and souls into the game.

They left everything out on the field as they battled through injuries and a great hitting Drumheller team.

The game was back and forth before being tied at five a piece going into the seventh inning. The girls found a way to add an additional run to make it 6-5 before the defence took over to close out the game to win the gold medal and become the Tier D champions.

Steve remarked, “Every girl just did what needed to be done for the benefit of the team.”

While celebrating on the field, Steve had an opportunity to pull girls aside and let them know how great they did and how much they grew over the season.

Holly commented, “I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of a group of girls, let alone my own daughter.” She continued, “They all just become your family.”

Steve shared, “As a coach, I don’t know if those players will fully understand how much pride I have for each one of them. It’s amazing to see how much they grew as ball players over the season.”

He added, “They all grew, not just as ball players, but as people and young women, gaining confidence and learning about perseverance and what they are capable of.”

As a team, the Camrose Crossfire U15 Basarab girls were a perfect 6-0 through provincials.

While provincials marked the end of this year’s games, the true impact of this season will be felt for years to come. The success of the team was formed through dirt-stained uniforms, dugout chants and unbreakable bonds between teammates.

Grand Opening Main St. Dental

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Main St. Dental Hygiene marked their grand opening day with a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 18. From left, Jacob Berger; Brad Berger; Mayor PJ Stasko; Christina Berger, owner of Main St. Dental Hygiene; and Brady Berger. Missing from the photo is Christina’s son Caleb Berger.

First Responders donation

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

First Responders of Camrose raised $10,856.65 for Make-A-Wish Foundation through a barbecue hosted in collaboration between Camrose Police Service, Emergency Medical Services and the Camrose Fire Department. From left, EMS paramedic Jenelle Tizzard, Laurie Gawlicki from Make-A-Wish Foundation, Constable Dave Devaney from Camrose Police Service, Chief of Camrose Fire Department Eric Graham and Chief of Camrose Police Service John Corbett.

Men's Shed raffle

Nadine Leming, Camrose Booster

The Camrose and Area Men’s Shed has been around since 2015. The Shed is open to men 18 years and over meeting each Thursday for coffee, connection and community projects. They recently raffled off a shed with a raffle licence held by the Camrose Helps Foundation. They built the shed to raise funds to support the community projects they work on. The winner of the shed was Carmen Peacock.

Canada Day Bronze Sponsors

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

The yearly Canada Day festivities in Camrose were made possible with the support of many local businesses and community partners. This year’s Bronze Sponsors include: Ember Explorers, Harrison Bowker Valuation Group, Home Hardware, Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Kroeger Joyce Inman Chartered Professional Accountants, Kudrowich Nahirniak Quinn & Associates - IG Private Wealth Management, Prestige Physiotherapy, Purity Water Company, Ramada by Wyndham, Real Canadian Superstore, Rose City Organizing, Rotary Camrose, Camrose Legion, Canadian Royal Purple, Bailey Theatre, ADL, Battle River Plumbing & Heating, Brock Disposal, Boston Pizza, Camrose Bounce House & Party, Camrose Centennial Museum, Camrose & District Chamber of Commerce, Camrose County, Camrose Wellness Collective Ltd., Camrose Toyota, CEL Electric Contractors, CSN Collision Centres Auto Shoppe, Dominos Pizza, Duggan Cinema and Camrose Elks.

Elks Donation

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

The Camrose Royal Purple received a generous $50,000 donation from the Camrose Elks. President of Camrose Elks Gerry Czapp shared that the donation was to thank the ladies of the Royal Purple for their years of support, service and dedication to the Camrose Elks.

Reflections

By Bonnie Hutchinson

It is a puzzlement

Summer is the season of things done for sheer enjoyment. One of my things is puzzles. Crosswords, Sudoku, Ken Ken, Logic Puzzles, Jumbles, Word Search – I enjoy them all. Sitting on a shady patio puttering over a puzzle, it occurred to me that puzzles are relevant to life.

The pattern

In puzzles, as in life, there’s a pattern to finding solutions. First you notice the easy things, you fill in the easy words, the easy numbers. That feels good. Each time you add one more word or one more number, you notice something you didn’t see before. Each small answer reveals another small answer. You’re on a roll. In puzzles and in life, each step opens the door to something you couldn’t see before.

And then there’s the impasse. You’ve solved the easy parts. What’s left is not obvious. You look at it, re-read the clues, nothing jumps out at you. You’re stuck. Sometimes you pause, look away, look back, notice one small thing and you’re back on a roll. But sometimes you really are stuck stuck stuck.

I’ve learned that in puzzles and in life, if “stuck” lasts more than a few minutes, the best thing to do is take a break. When you come back, you nearly always see something obvious that you didn’t see before. Often that leads to a solution.

Optimum challenge

In puzzles and in life, there’s an optimum level of difficulty. Easy enough to be solved, but not so easy that it’s boring or even insulting. Hard enough that it’s a stretch, but not so hard that it’s overwhelming.
In a book called In Over Our Heads, Robert Kegan talks about how to foster young men moving from adolescent self-centredness to the adult ability to look after the well-being of others. Kegan talks about “an ingenious combination of challenge and support.”

In puzzles and in life, to help yourself or another person grow to their next level, set a challenge that’s somewhat beyond their ability and provide enough (not too much) support so they’re not overwhelmed. The challenge has to be worthy. For example, even teenagers who dislike reading will pore over the driver’s manual to get a driver’s licence – a worthy challenge.

Too much of a good thing

Doing puzzles is fun when it’s a short break. I know I’m in trouble when a deadline is looming and I’m doing my third Sudoku on the way to a fourth Crossword.

I’ve learned to tell the difference – when puzzles are a harmless diversion, and when they’re becoming an addiction. In puzzles and in life, “just one more” can be dangerous.

Mistakes aren’t always obvious at first

In puzzles as in life, sometimes the impact of an early mistake doesn’t show up until later. There you are on the second-last number or word and discover that – oh no! – there’s a mistake. And no, just changing one number or letter won’t fix it. You have to go right back to the beginning and start over.

Not like real life

One way puzzles are not like real life is, in a puzzle when you discover a mistake, you can erase what you’ve done and start over. That’s not true in real life. What’s done is done and you can’t push a “reset” button. Pity.

Another way puzzles are not like real life is probably one reason I enjoy them so much: Unlike real life, puzzles actually have a correct solution.
In the musical The King and I, at one point the king sings a song about how, when he was a boy, right was right and wrong was wrong and facts were facts. But as an adult, many things are not so clear. The punchline of the song is, “It is a puzzlement.”

As adults in a tumultuous world, we face many situations that seem not to have a solution – just choices and consequences – and consequences are unpredictable.

Much of real life is not a puzzle. It is a puzzlement!

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I’d love to hear from you. If you have comments about this column or suggestions for future topics, e-mail Bonnie@BonnieHutchinson.com. I’ll happily reply within one business day.