T HOLIDAYS

2020DIGITAL EDITION

WoodworkingWonderland

The Trading Post

Holiday Events

Adopt a Senior

ShoppingInnovations

A Tour of Local E-commerce

OR

NEWSFLASH

F R O M T H E E D I T O RHappy holidays and welcome to a spe-

cial December edition of OTR. This year, we have brought back the festive issue of On The Road in a digital format (fitting for current times).

My name is Jake MacAndrew and this month, I had the privilege of organizing this issue.

When I joined OTR a few months back, my main goal was to feature local businesses so that they can thrive. I believe that the businesses in Stouffville are not only a physical part of our community but a representation of our town’s character and charm.

Over the next dozen pages, you will find many local entrepreneurs featuring their cool ideas they run in Stouffville.

I would like to thank David Tuley and the Town for this opportunity and the business owners of Stouffville for making this town awesome! As we go into this new year, I hope to write about more people and businesses from our town. Enjoy!

Jake MacAndrew OTR Journalism Student

features

Ongoing: Stouvella Virtual MarketStouvella is a Facebook venue for crafters to display and sell their wares due to the cancellation of so many craft shows this fall. We hope to connect buyers and sellers in this unique setting to help make your holiday shopping easy and your season a wee bit brighter. Search Facebook "Stouvella Virtual Market".

December 17: Coping With the Holidays and Family Celebrations After A Loved One Has Died - Evergreen HospiceEvergreen Hospice is presenting a virtual zoom presentation about how to celebrate the holidays during a time of grieving. The next session is on December 17 at 7pm via zoom with a children's memorial activity offered before the session at 6:15. To receive your link, RSVP by contacting 416-499-2185 x. 107 or info@evgcares.org.

PAGE 03Community Events

PAGE 04Woodworking Wonderland

PAGE 08Tradition

PAGE 10Innovation

PAGE 14Holiday Giving

IMPORTANT INITIATIVES

3C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T ST O R Stouffville Sparkles December 4, Friday, 6pm Downtown Stouffville, 6240 Main St.

Join residents and the Town of WS for the lighting ceremony of our 25 foot tree at 6240 Main Street as we kick off the holiday season in town. Bring the family as there will be lights, carols, treats and shopping. Many downtown businesses will be open from 6-9pm for the event.

Drive-Thru Santa Claus ParadeDecember 5, Saturday, 6-9pm Hoover Park Drive

On December 5th, the Town of WS is presenting the first ever Drive-Thru Santa Claus Parade! RSVP Required. Please note that registration is now sold out. If you are inter-ested in attending, we encourage you to join the wait list as any additional spots will be offered to the wait list first. www.stouffvillesantaclausparade.com.

Trim the TownDecember 11-January 5 It’s time to decorate the town! This December, decorate your home or business with holiday spirit. The town of Whitchurch-Stouffville is hosting a decorating contest open to all residents and business owners. Prizes will be given to the top three decorated buildings in the category of either house or business. To enter, submit a photo of your decorated home or business to events@townofws with the address and business name if applicable. Submissions are open until 5pm on December 11. Voting will open at 9am on December 17 and will run through 5pm on January 5, 2021. The winners will be announced in the new year! Want to see all the decorated buildings? Check out trimthetownstouffville.weebly.com for an interactive map of all submissions.

Celebrate Christmas at EastRidge ChurchDecember 23, Wednesday, 4-7pm 12485 Tenth Line NorthAlthough many holiday events have been canceled this year, EastRidge Church is of-fering a FREE, safe, and socially distant option for the community to enjoy. This holiday season, EastRidge Church is hosting a Drive-Thru formatted way to Celebrate Christ-mas! At this event, there will be something for all ages. Activities include but are not limited to.. hot chocolate, glow stick giveaway, carolers, candy canes, family & kids grab bag with special treats, food bank donation opportunity, live Santa on a sleigh with the opportunity for parents to take their kid's picture while socially distanced, a live Nativity scene, and of course lots of trees with lights.

Sew Festive Museum WorkshopDecember 8 & 10 W-S Museum, 14732 Woodbine Ave.The Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum & Community Center is hosting two adult holiday sewing workshops with Amy Buchanan. On December 8 from 7-9pm, enjoy a festive atmosphere as you learn the basics to craft two of your own reusable gift bags with little to no machine knowledge required. Then on December 10 from 7-10pm, craft your very own Christmas Stocking (basic sewing machine knowledge required for theDecember 10 program). The first class is $30 with the second being $40 or register for both with the discounted price $65. Participants are encouraged to bring their own scissors, needles, seam rippers, thread, sewing needle, etc.. if possible. If not, they will be available on a first come first serve basis at time of booking. All COVID-19 Safety Protocols will be in effect. Masks are required.

If there is one thing Stouffvillians like, it must be wood! I mean not only are we surrounded by forests, but we have plenty of local business owners who work with wood of all kinds. Whether it’s reusing wood to make something interesting, redefining a piece of furniture to make it go from shabby to chic, or using it to make cool home decor… Stouffville's got it!

This segment is dedicated to a few local businesses that work with beautiful wood and furniture. JM.

W O O D W O R K I N GW O N D E R L A N D

Redefined Finds has been described as Stouffville’s hidden gem for furniture paint and DIY workshops. At their store location on Main Street, not only do they provide redefined furniture and paints, but gifts and holiday decor from local artisans. Check them out as they always have something cool. As store owner Alison mentioned in a prior interview “the store is always changing.” Redefined finds can be found at 6528 Main Street, on their online marketplace; redefinedfinds.ca or on Social @redefined_finds on IG and @redefinedfindsgta on Facebook.

Denise Gillham started Born Again Shabby Chic eight years ago when a neighbour was getting rid of a coffee table. She asked if she could take it off their hands and that’s when it all started. As Denise wrote, “I painted and distressed the table, then decided to see if anyone on the Stouffville Buy and Sell Facebook page would buy it.”

Turns out, someone bought it for $35 and almost a decade later, Born Again Shabby Chic is quite the operation. As Denise reflected on the past eight years, she stated “I have met some incredible people and have done many pieces from end tables to hutches to dining tables.” Along with custom work, she has added handcrafted signs to the mix of Shabby Chic signatures ! “These have taken off and been incredibly popular,” said Denise. Gift baskets of her handcrafted works can also be purchased. See more on on Facebook and Instagram @bornagainshabbychic

Steve Hoover has been running his woodworking business for almost a decade. "It started out making a birdhouse for Jeni (my wife),” Over the years, he has gained more popularity for his creations. He writes, ”Due to social media, it evolved into much more. My 8 x 10 shop which was originally my mother-in-law‘s potting shed, stood the test of time until last year when we built a new shop which allowed me to work year-round and even keep warm in the winter.”

Of course, with more business traction comes an expansion of services. “At first, I was just using reclaimed lumber and pallet wood but then as the demand grew, I expanded our line into more Barnboard, tobacco sticks, old furniture such as pianos, tables, chairs, and dressers. Our main focus is home decor which includes rustic style trays, hand-painted or natural Lazy Susan‘s, and of course bird houses!”

In recent years, Steve has switched his focus Steve from attending local craft shows to a showroom at his home. Get in touch with Steve (aka Big Papa Hoovs) on Instagram and Facebook under The Reclaimed Nest or their website at bigpapahoovs.com.

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Weezel’s Wood Working is a local Stouffville business that makes live edge, sustainable masterpieces. All of the pieces that come out of Weezel’s Wood Working’s shop are sourced from locally & naturally fallen trees. They are made with sustainability top of mind and in a chemical-free manner. All pieces from tables to shelves, to charcuterie boards, are all finished with multiple layers of high grade, food-safe Odie's Oil.

Weezel’s Wood Working has been in business in the Stouffville community for just over a year and business has taken off! You may recall seeing them at the Spring/Summer Farmers Market where they gained quite a large community following and now have items that can be found in Redefined Finds on Main Street this holiday season! For all of your live edge woodworking needs this holiday season and beyond, please reach out to Mark to get started on your own masterpiece!

Instagram: @Weezels_Wood_Working. Facebook: @Weezels Wood Working

W O O D W O R K I N GW O N D E R L A N D

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STOUFFVILLE’S NEW TRADING POST Centuries Old Lumber Mill is Ready For Retail!Jake MacAndrew, OTR Journalism Student

Century Mill Lumber has been in the lumber industry for over 160 years. At their location situated close to the corner of Kennedy and Stouffville Road, they employ local woodworkers and provide lumber for many projects from hobbyists to commercial contractors. They pride themselves on their large variety of unique lumber both domestic and exotic. With a combined 100 years of staff experience, it’s safe to say they know a bit about wood!

In January of last year, Chris Black purchased Century Mill Lumber and the land around the lumber yard. Honestly, this journalist does not know how much wood is typically available

at lumber yards, but they have quite the selection! Aside from your typical wood, they offer cedar beams as well as reclaimed barn boards. Just recently, wood was the only product Century Mill offered to its clients (aside from a few stains). It wasn’t until General Manager Chris, inf luenced by his passion for sales and people, turned one of the lumber yard’s buildings into a 2500 square foot retail space. He has turned this facility into a store filled with wooden creations from local craftspeople. As he recalls, “So many talented makers shop [at century mill] and I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get their work in front

of more people since I have not only a built-in client base but also a gorgeous new space that would help showcase their work!”

One focus of the Trading Post is to work with Century Mill Lumber’s customers. “People can buy lumber from [Century Mill], craft something and then sell it at the Trading Post for the public to see.” This way there is, in Chris’ words, “no conflict or competition” with his clients who sell their work elsewhere.

Aside from crafts such as tables, chairs, and cabinets, the Trading Post offers supplies for you to get crafting. Tools, screws, stains, and oils of all kinds are available for purchase. As well, they will be carrying my favorite… knick-knacks. Candles, canoe paddles, wooden clocks, cutting boards, and other homewares are at the Trading Post as well.

The Trading Post opened on November 25, 2020. It is located about 100 meters down the Century Mill driveway at 3993 Stouffville Road. Their current hours are Tuesday to Friday from 11-6 and Saturdays from 11-4.

Although the Trading Post is currently only offering its showroom, Chris says there are bigger plans down the road. After the pandemic, he plans to host some workshops at his Trading Post facility. He says he would like to see artisans come and show the public how to craft their creations.

For updates on Century Mill Lumber and the Trading Post, follow them on Instagram @centurymilllumber or visit their website centurymill.

T R A D I T I O N8

Christina Cooks | 416-908-5171 | christinacooks@rogers.com | christinacookscatering.com

POACHED EGGS ON POLENTAMemories of Nonna

Growing up, my “Nonna” (grandmother) cooked polenta for our family all the time. Soft, creamy polenta, served with meat sauce. I remember the warm feeling we got when we ate this. It was our ultimate comfort food!!

Polenta was once known as “peasant food.” But it has come a long way! Polenta is very versatile and can be the base for any topping. Try polenta topped with wild mushrooms and truffle oil, or a simple creamy polenta tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients4 cup water1 cup instant cornmeal¼ teaspoon salt¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese1 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese4 large eggs1 teaspoon olive oil¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper2 Tbsp white vinegarServes 4

Holiday

RECIPE

Christina has been cooking since a young age. When she was young, she loved to cook Italian Cuisine with her grandmother. She graduated from George Brown’s Culinary Arts program. Since then, she has worked in high end restaurants, 5-star hotels, golf courses and more. She has graduated from the University of Toronto Teacher Education Program and now runs Christina Cooks Catering Company. As she put it, she has “always stayed true to her roots of that little girl who loved to cook with her grandmother.” Contact her award winning company for your next venue.

Christina Cooks Catering Company

InstructionsIn a small saucepan, bring the water and salt to boil. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to boiling water, stirring constantly.

Turn heat down to medium and whisk for approx. 4-5 minutes or until mixture is thick. Stir in parmesan cheese.

For poach eggs, bring 4 cups of water and 2 Tbsp white vinegar to a simmer. Crack each egg in a small bowl individually, and pour each one into the simmering water. Cook for 2-3 minutes for a perfect runny egg.

Serve polenta topped with poached egg, parmesan cheese, crumbled goat cheese, green onion, cracked black pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

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FROM BRICK AND MORTARTo Click and OrderJake MacAndrew, OTR Journalism Student

The Reesor family traces back to 1804 when they settled in the Markham/Stouffville area from Pennsylvania. In fact, town founder Abraham Stouffer was married to a Reesor. Mr. Stouffer's wife, Elizabeth Reesor Stouffer may have passed away over 100 years ago but the Reesor name lives on in this town. Jay Reesor, a Markham/Stouffville resident, has run the Reesor’s Markets for three and a half decades. If you live in Stouffville, you have most likely shopped at Reesor’s Farm Market or Reesor’s Market and Bakery. This year, with

the pandemic, Jay opened up a third Reesor’s location in a virtual format... the Reesor’s Online Market.

First, a Reesor's history lesson. In 1985, Jay Reesor began selling Strawberries and Sweet Corn from his 22-acre farm at the corner of Ninth Line and Elgin Mills. 35 years later, he is still at the same location selling fresh produce, baked goods, and preserves out of the red barn. The Farm Market is open from June to October. Along with the successful Farm Market, more ventures have been pursued as well. In 2004, Jay decided to open up Reesor’s

Market and Bakery on Ringwood Drive. “The hope was that with a year-round location, we could keep staff employed year-round and start offering more entrees and other items,” said Jay (and aren’t we glad he did!) What would we do without our morning glory muffins, coffee cake, and shepherd's pie? That's why when the pandemic hit, Jay saw the opportunity to create a virtual shopping experience.

In the early days of the pandemic, locals called in to the Market and Bakery with their pick-up orders. As Jay describes the process, “customers

called the store with their order, we took payment information, put their order together and they picked it up.” Although the process worked, “it was very cumbersome and took up a lot of space in the store.” As a result, this past spring Reesor’s launched a dedicated online ordering website. At shopreesors.ca, you can order "virtually everything" the brick and mortar location has to offer. “Just remember that baked goods must be ordered before 5 am on the day of pickup as they are baked fresh daily,” says Jay. Reesor’s even created a mini

market at 61 Ringwood Drive Unit 3 where staff shop a private stock of Reesor’s inventory to put together online orders. This is also the location where Reesor’s Online Market orders are to be picked up. Once an order is placed, customers can select the time and date for pickup at checkout. Alternatively, local orders are eligible for delivery. Reesor’s delivers to Stouffville, North Markham, and Ballantrae.

As we move into the winter season, we do not know what the current situation will look like with the

pandemic. But know that Reesor’s has the contactless option ready for its customers to purchase “good food.” What’s next for Reesor’s Online Market? Well, Jay Reesor says it best, “We want to be Stouffville’s first choice for local food.”

Find the Reesor’s Online Market at shopreesors.ca.

[left to right] Elise Niemeyer, Jay Reesor, Eve Lilley, Marie Reesor

I N N O V A T I O N

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I N N O V A T I O N

E-COMMERCE TOUR

This holiday season, we are featuring businesses run online from Stouffville. We reached out to many online businesses in Stouffville to give them the opportunity to tell our town what their business is all about. Hopefully, you might find some cool gifts to give this season from a local, just like you! Here is what they had to say about their businesses.

The Plant PlaceBrighten Up Your Space With The Plant Place!

"I’m Mena and I am the owner and visionary behind The Plant Place. I started The Plant Place after COVID-19 hit because what brought me some joy in those difficult days was having plants around me, and I wanted to share that with people. Not only do they provide a decor element, but they help boost your mood and decrease stress levels, as well as purify the air.

I started only selling plants, but am thrilled that I am now also selling unique planters, hand-poured candles, as well as modern farmhouse home goods. All products are either handmade or carefully curated by me, which gives The Plant Place a unique and authentic feel." Mena.

Find Mena’s plants on Instagram @theplant.place or on her website at the-plants-place.myshopify.com

Cannoli ExpressPiping Up Some Sicilian Cannoli Perfection!

“Cannoli Express specializes in freshly piped Sicilian cannoli with a twist

Family, quality, and customer service!! Three things that we at Cannoli Express pride ourselves on. We strive to be the best we can while providing the freshest of ingredients and always treating everyone like family because that’s how we were raised. What started as a passion and when entertaining family and friends has now become something we can share with everyone.

We are located in Ballantrae and offering contactless pick up only at this time. Our baker's dozen is 13 cannoli for $20.00. Our flavours include classic vanilla, salted caramel, and strawberry sundae. These flavours can also be assorted. We offer specialty flavours as well! These include pistachio, Nutella, cookies n cream, cappuccino chocolate mousse, pumpkin spice eggnog, key lime, pina colada. Speciality flavours require a minimum order of 13 of each flavour and there is no extra charge for these flavours. We appreciate a two-day notice but depending on the day, we might be able to accommodate an order one day prior.” Anna.

Follow Cannoli Express on Instagram at cannoli_express and Cannoli Express on Facebook. Email them at cannoliexpress1@gmail.com.

Front Porch RefilleryLow-waste For The Holidays.

“Front Porch Refillery is a Stouffville based delivery service that helps people decrease their waste by refilling their existing containers. We seek to make low-waste living easy by offering next-day delivery of refills right to your front porch. From shampoo to mouthwash, baby lotion to laundry detergent - we have over 20 products available for refill plus other low-waste products that can be found at frontporchrefillery.ca

The business idea for Front Porch Refillery came after I learned only 9% of plastic actually gets recycled in Canada each year. That stat completely flipped my world upside down and I was on a mission to start decreasing our family's dependence on our blue bin. I started driving 30 minutes to a refillery every couple of weeks when I decided it would be ideal if refilling was more accessible to Stouffville. And, of course, the rest is history.

All of our bulk refill products are Canadian-made and our entire offering is eco-friendly (no nasty chemicals here!). Community is important to us which is why we donate 5% of our sales to a meaningful organization each month. This month we are donating to the Stouffville Food Bank.” Kristen Hosick.

Visit their website for new low-waste gift giving content this holiday season.www.frontporchrefillery.ca. FB & IG: @front.porch.refillery.

NEVCO FoodsQuality Food Distribution Put Into Fruition.

“NEVCO Foods is a Food Distribution company I founded in April 2020 after my summer internship was canceled. We deliver quality frozen meats from HACCP approved suppliers directly to your doorstep - completely contactless from ordering to delivery. Some of our most popular products include Non-Breaded Chicken Burgers, Mild Italian Sausages, and Beer Braised Pulled Pork. This Holiday season we are expanding into vacuum-sealed, prepared frozen meals - just heat up and enjoy." Nevin.

In case you are not a food safety expert like me, HACCP is a certification given to those who are recognised internationally for food safety.

Follow us @nevcofoods on Facebook or Instagram to be the first to hear about our latest updates!

More online businesses can also be found on our “Everything Stouffville” website L4A.ca.

H O L I D A YG I V I N G

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Christmas Wishes Begin with Thoughts: ADOPT-A-SENIORDavid Tuley, Contributor

What about the plight of the valued members of our local senior community during the COVID pandemic? As we all go about our daily lives, we don’t often think of our senior population. Lock downs have been especially hard on them with some being restricted to one room in an institution and being denied access to friends and family, daily activities and even dining facilities where they can normally socialize with their fellow residents. The Adopt-A-Senior program was developed to bring some special cheer to our seniors. It began when a local volunteer and community advocate Susan Tucker asked this very question: “Who is looking after the seniors?”

Susan wanted to know that something was being done. She wasn’t seeking an ultimate fix to the senior dilemma, but something to brighten their days over the holiday season. She pondered the idea of gift bags and spoke with the management at the Buckingham Manor to develop a conceptual wish list. Susan was stunned by how many of the items were to fill daily needs, like soaps, shampoo and other essentials.

With the need established, the idea of the Adopt-A-Senior program became cemented.

She made a few calls, reaching out to local businesses for donations. The response was overwhelming - financial commitments totalling to $4,070 from (chronological order): Mayor Iain Lovatt, Zeal Burgers, Jodi McGuirk - Keller Williams Realty, On Point Home Services, Michael Roseman CA, Becky Sullivan-Stedman, Jodi Shaw-Dorfman, Elica Mackovski-Ivansovski, Victoria Taing Li, Fickle Pickle Restaurant, O'Neill Funeral Home, No Frills, Metro, Councillor Sue Sherban, Canadian Tire – Stouffville, Jennifer Vargas and Samantha D’Souza.

Fabric bags to hold the gifts were donated, and the shopping team set out to fill the bags through donations and purchases. A connection to Procter & Gamble arranged for a donation of toiletry items, Redefined Finds gave scarves, while Lindy's Floral Boutique donated bath soaps and ceramic pots for succulent plants. The Trentadue Torres team donated a large supply of socks, Stouffville I.D.A. and

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Pharmasave provided products at cost, No Frills and Metro provided gift cards to purchase items in their stores. It was also a target to keep all the shopping to local stores to support our town businesses.

Susan has been thrilled with the project. “It has been a community effort – powered by neighbours,” she said. The gift bags will be delivered to seniors the week of December 21-24.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville