Christmas is fast approaching and although for most of us, this is a time for celebration with families and friends over a feast, let’s not forget that we also have other Barrie locals who may not be as fortunate to pain the same picture. In this regard, the annual Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign is now up and running once again and you might notice such kettles hanging on our malls and shops.

The Kettle Campaign’s roots can be traced back in the year 1891 when a Salvation Army Captain by the name of Joseph McFee noticed the large number of individuals who were going hungry and the Christmas holidays made it even more prominent to his eyes. This made him realize that he would start a campaign to feed the hungry on a supposedly joyful event and from then on, the Red Kettles have started popping up on crowded streets and shops all over the world.

This year’s Kettle campaign is no different from what McFee has started and that we should all do our part to spread the love and joy of Christmas by helping the poor among Barrie locals have a warm meal.

Said to be the 1^st choice for a university education in Simco County, the Laurentian University is trying to spread its wings to cover as much as they can on the student population of Barrie Ontario by giving away a $5,000 grant to a qualified student. Qualified meaning a student that has at least a 70% average and he/she chooses to be enrolled in the university’s main campus in Sudbury – where they are said to have a chance to discover what it is to live a university life and enjoy a wide array of programs in a small class setting.

This great news for the students of Barrie Ontario came along with the university president’s, Dominic Giroux, visit. He also added that qualified students will love the existing university campus – including the 750 acres of ground which also houses a golf course, 5 lakes, not to mention the beach – and more so with the current expansion programs that include the $10,000,000 expansion to its sports facilities and the $12,000,00 residence being built.

The university has a lot more to offer its students so if you know someone who is qualified, then have them try this great opportunity.

We now have the first flu centre in Simcoe county and the eager medical professionals, lead by Dr. Monica Wolnik, would like everyone to spread the word around the city after it has successfully seen around 167 locals for flu-like symptoms.

The flu centre’s aim is to do its part on decongesting the already crowded emergency rooms of hospitals and clinics elsewhere for non-urgent cases of the flu. Within its opening, the centre has already succeeded in doing just that by seeing almost two hundred individuals who should have sought medical attention elsewhere if the centre was not operating.

The keen medical professionals stationed at the flu centre is more than capable of assessing cases of influenza, this includes giving prescription drugs and other medical options to those who need it. Although H1N1 cases are not treated, nor are vaccines available, the centre does it part by providing valuable information and it can refer suspected carriers to the right facility when needed.

The centre can be visited at the Presbyterian Church of Westminster which is specifically located at 170 Steel Street. It is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 1am-9pm. On Saturdays, you can visit from 9am-1pm. And on Sundays, they are open from 5pm-9pm so spread the word everyone!

Barrie will soon welcome a guest of iconic proportions, the renowned Olympic torch. It will stop over our magnificent city as it gradually makes its way to Vancouver.

This is part of the Olympic torch’s relay all over Canada, an event that started on the 30^th of October and is scheduled to end on the 12^th of February when it reaches its final destination in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics. By then, the symbolic torch will have gone by at least 1,000 communities regardless of size and grandeur.

Who are the lucky ones to not just touch the Olympic torch but actually have the honor of carrying it all over Canada? You might be thinking of our most renowned sports icons by now but hold on to your horses because the famed torch is actually going to make its way around the country through the hands of volunteers. But these volunteers are not just volunteering to carry the Olympic flame, they are volunteers who have also made a pledge to do whatever they can to improve their designated places of origin.

And for Barrie Ontario, this honor belongs to our local real estate broker, Mr. Bill Hamilton – the person responsible for making the hazardous disposal site for used batteries and printer cartridges a reality.

Whatever you’re looking for in your next getaway from Toronto or anywhere else in Canada or the world, Barrie has something for you all year round. Considered as one of Canada’s fastest growing cities, Barrie is as dynamic as it can be. From the fresh air that greets its visitors to the breathtakingly clear blue beaches, to the great ski spots and outdoor adventures, and not to mention the city’s buzzing restaurants and nightlife, Barrie is guaranteed to awaken all your senses.

Keep posted and we will help you know more about our picturesque city from the festivities, activities, spots, and business establishments, be assured we’ll fill you in on anything Barrie!