There’s a fearsome thunderstorm blowing in, and it could very well knock out our surprisingly fragile electrical supply. Let’s see if I can post before the power goes out.
We went on a family outing to Heeman’s Strawberry farm today and it was an informative trip for me. I didn’t learn a thing about strawberries (not that I expected to) but I did get a lesson in ethical business. Out front of the building there was a charity barbecue, raising funds for the Terry Fox Run, and every employee was wearing a ‘Run for The Cure’ t-shirt. With a very simple and cost-effective effort, the good people at Heemans were taking part in the community around them and giving back to it. And for the last two weeks, Heemans has donated a field of their pick-your-own strawberries to Community Harvest. The berries were picked by volunteers, and those berries were shipped out to the food bank and other front-line services in town. What a simple way to make things better.
I’m more ambitious than informed right now, which I think is a normal stage for someone looking to help out. It turns out that there are already good, ethical businesses who love their community and want to make it a better place for everyone. I have to remember to be patient and learn about the community before I rush off trying to save it. There’s no need to re-invent the wheel.
In other news, my little dude serenaded the wife and I yesterday with a rousing rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for our country. There is nothing better than hearing a cheerful 3-year-old belt out “happy birthday, dear Canada!”. And during bedtime tonight, he decided that he would tell me a story about yesterday. You see, after we read a few books and turn off the lights, he usually likes to hear a story. The story must be a factual retelling of the day’s events, with no silly business. But tonight, after I began the story of today’s trip to the strawberry farm, he stopped me and said that he wanted to tell the story of Canada Day. He clarified that he wasn’t going to tell the whole story, just the beginning, and after that point I would take over. This is how he began it:
“One day, somebody had a birthday. But they weren’t people like you and me, people with skin. It was Canada’s birthday”. So there you go. No skin on Canada. That boy is something else.
Chris Loblaw, Author 