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Celebrate Plastic Free July with our Best Sustainable Shopping Talk of the Town Award-winner, Ecofillosophy.

This Bronte Village refillery saves on packaging by allowing patrons to bring in their own receptacles and fill up on essentials like household cleaners, soaps, hair products and skin care.

Begin your zero waste journey with their ethically-sourced, locally-sourced and sustainably-made supply of reusables, personal care, home care and children’s care items.

You’ll find a zero waste swap for almost any of your needs at this beloved location.

Find an ethical ring for your special someone at Best Sustainable Shopping runner-up, Bluboho!

Choose from a unique selection of Canadian handmade engagement rings, wedding rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, using recycled gold and ethically-sourced gems. Looking for something exceptional? Give the gift of a one-of-a-kind ring made sustainably in Canada.

Minimize your carbon footprint while overhauling your wardrobe at Best Sustainable Shopping second runner-up, By Consignment.

Collect designer looks for half the cost while buying into renewable fashion at this Downtown Oakville consignment store. They carry brands like Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and more.

Thank you so much to everyone who voted! We will be announcing our next category on August 4, 2021 over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

2021 Talk of the Town Awards: Best Sustainable Shopping

1. Ecofillosophy

2. Bluboho

3. By Consignment

4. The Kind Matter Company

5. Plato’s Closet Oakville

Pick up your next summer blooms at Best Florist Talk of the Town Award-winner, Fiori Oakville.

This Downtown Oakville establishment is beloved by locals and sought out by tourists for their gorgeous arrangements and idyllic streetside boutique.

Patrons will find a beautiful bevy of local seasonal flowers that are hand-selected, cut and arranged by their dedicated employees. This boutique also offers free same-day delivery in Oakville and delivers across Toronto, Milton, Mississauga, Burlington and Hamilton.

Spruce up your next special arrangement with a purchase from this beloved florist.

Add a splash of colour to your decor at Best Florist runner-up, True Flowers!

Pick and choose from their selection of hand-tied bouquets, vase arrangements, DIY flower boxes, plants and gifts, or create your own custom designs with the help of their experienced staff.

Brighten up someone’s day with a beautiful bouquet from Best Florist second runner-up, Flower Deco!

Make any occasion special with this florist’s gorgeous selection of local calla lilies, roses, gerbera daisies and more.

Thank you so much to everyone who voted! We will be announcing our next category on June 23, 2021 over FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

2021 Talk of the Town Awards: Best Florist

1. Fiori Oakville

2. True Flowers

3. Flower Deco

4. Moon’s Flowers

5. In 2 Flowers Design Studio

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After they were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Games are now set to begin later this summer in Tokyo. Kicking off Friday, July 23rd, with the opening ceremony at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium – the Summer Olympics will span a total of 17 days.

The best part? Well, what we think the best part is anyway – local athletes from Burlington, Oakville and Milton will be competing in the Games! Here’s who to look out for:

Oakville Paddler, Alanna Bray-Lougheed

Burloak Canoe Club alumnus Alanna Bray-Lougheed is heading to the Olympic Games as a sprint kayaker! Alanna began paddling at the age of 10 when her mother signed her up for lessons after she bought a canoe but Alanna didn’t know how to paddle. Eighteen years later, Alanna is a Burloak Canoe Club champion and the only  female from the club to qualify for the Olympics. Many of the country’s top paddlers have come out of the Burloak Canoe Club – and multiple Olympic medals have been won by their alumni.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics weren’t always the plan for Alanna, though. After failing to make the world cup team in 2019, Alanna was considering retiring from the sport. She then competed at the 2019 PanAm games and won gold in K2 and K4 500m races, reigniting her confidence and passion for the sport. Now, Alanna has qualified to race K4 500m with her teammates at the Olympic Games.

Burlington Sailor, Evan DePaul

Evan DePaul was 14 years old when he asked his parents to sign him up for sailing camp at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club…then, he asked them if he could quit after just one week.  With encouragement from his father, Evan stuck it out at camp. And in a turn of events, he enjoyed camp so much that he went back the following summer, entering his first regatta in 2012.

Evan will represent Canada this year in the 49er class along with skipper, William Jones of Ancaster. The two first teamed up in the summer of 2015 to race in the 49er FX, before moving into the 49er in 2016. Just a year later, they won gold at the 2017 Junior World Championship held at their home training centre in Kingston, Ontario.

Jones and DePaul secured Canada’s Tokyo 2020 spot in the 49er by being the top Canadian boat at the 2020 World Championships for this class.

Oakville Kayaker, Simon McTavis

Oakville-raised kayaker, Simon McTavis, moved with his family to Sydney, Australia where he began paddling in 2011 at the age of 14. He represented Australia for 7 years from 2012 – 2018 on Olympic Hopes, Junior, U23, and Senior Teams.

In 2018 after completing his Bachelor of Project Management degree, the opportunity presented itself to return home to Canada and Simon jumped at it.

In May 2019, he secured a spot on the Canadian National Team by winning gold in the K1 x 1000 & K4 x 500 at National Team Trials 1 in Montreal. Simon is a proud member of the Mississauga Canoe Club and will be racing Men’s K4 500m at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Burlington Sailor, Sarah Douglas

Sarah started sailing at the age of seven and was drawn in by her family’s love for the ocean. Growing up in Barbados, Sarah had access to the water all year-round and took advantage of it. She was just 10 years old when she competed in her first world championship in the Optimist class. Sarah returned to Canada in 2008 to attend high school and quickly became one of the top youth sailors in the country.

Of Sarah’s many successes, the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru is certainly one to be highlighted. In 2019, she stood at the top of the podium despite a bacterial infection that kept her mostly in bed when she wasn’t racing. A month later she posted a seventh-place finish at the official Olympic test event for Tokyo 2020, proving to her what perseverance could do. Sarah’s success has come despite being diagnosed at age 14 with the genetic blood disorder alpha thalassemia, which reduces the amount of hemoglobin her body can produce. 

Milton Cycler, Michael Foley 

Believe it or not, Milton cycler Michael Foley only began cycling when the Milton velodrome opened in 2015. Before that, he had competed in sailing – but cycling suited his competitive personality more. It wasn’t long before he found success.

In December 2017, Michael stood on his first World Cup podium as the team pursuit won silver in Milton. From there, he won medals in 2018 and once again at the Pan Am Games in 2019. Now, Michael is off to Tokyo for the ultimate cycling competition. 

From all of us at Look Local Magazine, we wish all of our local (and Canadian) athletes the best of luck!  

Go plastic-free this July with PARK Market & Refillery!

PARK Market & Refillery is a low-waste shop in Burlington focused on helping the community reduce single-use plastics and packaging. 

“We do this by refilling home and body care products, supplying a large variety of Canadian made sustainable hard goods and are in the process of expanding our grocery items,” said Kelly Goddard, customer experience coordinator with PARK. “Our storefront is in Burlington but we try to be as mobile as possible. We participate in local pop ups and markets in Oakville and Hamilton, have a refill station in Hamilton and provide a delivery service through much of Halton.”

Throughout the month of July, PARK is hoping to raise awareness about #PlasticFreeJuly and rally people together to engage in this global initiative.

Launched as a grassroots initiative in Australia in 2011, Plastic Free July has grown into a world-wide movement to raise awareness about plastic pollution each July and encourage people to switch out their single-use plastics for eco-friendly reusable alternatives. Visit Plastic Free July online for educational resources and ideas about how you can take the challenge and be a part of the solution to reduce plastic pollution – so we can all have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.

PARK will be setting up their mobile refill station at a variety of pop-ups and markets in the local community. Stop by to purchase sustainable lifestyle goods and join the #RefillRevolution by refilling your home and body care products with eco alternatives. Plus, by making a purchase (or refill!) with PARK in July, you’ll be supporting Water First.

“This month we are pledging to donate 10% of our sales to Water First. They are a Canadian organization working with Indigenous communities to resolve local water challenges,” said Goddard.

Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?

PARK pop-up and market dates:

  • Sat, July 17th from 11:30am-2pm @ Nickel Brook Brewery
  • Sun, July 18th from 12-3pm @ West Avenue Cider
  • Sat, July 24th from 8-11am @ Odeon Fitness
  • Tues, July 27th from 4-6pm @ Green Venture
  • Sat, July 31st from 8am-2pm @ Ottawa Street Farmers’ Market 

Releasing a book at any time can be a challenge – but doing so during a pandemic, well, that comes with its own unique obstacles. But our summer reading list is brought to you by authors who did just that. Meet local authors who took a leap of faith and published their book during uncertain times – and we’re so glad they did!

Jane Austen Society 

by Natalie Jenner 

When Natalie Jenner of Oakville wrote Jane Austen Society, she likely didn’t expect it would take off the way it did. As an instant international bestseller, Jane Austen Society has snagged copious awards and nominations, including Historical Fiction and Debut Novel nominations from the Goodreads Choice Awards.  

A fictionalized account of the real Jane Austen Society – the book takes place in the 1940s in the village of Chawton, England, where Austen lived and wrote her six famous novels.Before Jenner tried her hand at writing, she was a corporate lawyer and founder of the independent bookstore, Archetype Books, in Oakville. Jane Austen Society was so successful, that Jenner is scheduled to release a second novel next spring. 

nataliejenner.com 

Find You First 

by Linwood Barclay 

Since retiring from the Toronto Star in 2006 where he worked for more than 30 years, Linwood Barclay has become an international bestseller. He’s written more than twenty “edge of your seat” thrillers, including such bestsellers as Elevator Pitch, Never Saw it Coming, and Find You First. 

Find You First introduces Miles Cookson, a Connecticut-based tech entrepreneur and multimillionaire who seems to have life under control. But near the start of Mr. Barclay’s whirligig of a novel, the unmarried Miles is hit with life-changing information: he has a debilitating hereditary disease that will leave him physically helpless before killing him.Barclay’s books have sold millions of copies in more than two dozen languages, and many have made it onto the New York Times Best Seller List. 

linwoodbarclay.com

Oh She Glows for Dinner 

by Angela Liddon 

When you find the recipe for success, why change it? That’s Angela Liddon’s motto anyway. In 2009 she released her first book, Oh She Glows, and since then, Liddon has become an international phenomenon. In her new cookbook, Oh She Glows for Dinner, Angela shares many favourite recipes from her first book, along with meal prep plans and new easy dishes.

ohsheglows.com

Idia of the Benin Kingdom

by Ekiuwa Air

Nigerian-Canadian author, Ekiuwa Aire, noticed a frustrating gap in children’s books – a lack of Black characters and African heroes. As a mother of two, Ekiuwa was determined to change that, and she began writing Idia of the Benin Kingdom.

Idia of the Benin Kingdom is an empowering children’s picture book that takes readers on a beautifully illustrated journey to the 1500s in ancient Africa. Readers are captivated as they watch Idia transform herself from the young and curious daughter of a village warrior to becoming the Queen of the Kingdom of Benin.

Her Name Was Margaret 

by Denise Davy

In the 26 years that she worked at The Hamilton Spectator; Denise wrote stories on an almost daily basis. The one that stayed with her the most was about a homeless woman named Margaret. 

After years of research, Denise turned her story into a book called Her Name Was Margaret: Life and Death on the Streets. It’s not only Margaret’s story but the story of thousands of people who were impacted by cuts to psychiatric hospital beds which began in the 1960s. 

The homeless we see on the streets today are the legacy of those cuts. Denise believes this story needs be told as the lack of community supports and housing created a sub-culture of homeless people who struggle with a mental illness.  

denisedavy.ca

Maybe: A Life of Choice & Chance

by R.J. Barnett

Born at the start of the Second World War, Burlington’s R.J. Barnett has maintained a lifelong fascination with world history, having devoted many hours to reseraching historical events and reading memoirs of wartime personalities.

Through his acclaimed historical fiction ‘Maybe: A Life of Choice & Chance’, Barnett’s historical insight and passionate storytelling bring to life the intriguing tale of an emerging Nazi German star, Reinhart Adler. The page-turner takes readers along a journey as they experience Adler’s rapid rise, sudden fall and harrowing escape from death, as he plots his revenge during bedlam of WWII politics.

www.rjbarnett.ca/

Many local dog parents will already know Jeanine Trabucco as ‘The Vegan Groomer’.

Well now you’ll also know her as the owner of the newest bark-bershop in town: RUFF The Dog Barbershop at 336 Church St. in Downtown Oakville.

Jeanine has been grooming dogs ever since she was a kid and she’s now realized her lifelong dream by turning that passion into a full-fledged career and business.

“From as far back as I can remember I’ve been grooming dogs. I was the kid who inspected and instinctively cleaned every dog’s ears and eyes, while all the other kids were preoccupied with belly rubs and wet-nosed kisses. I was the ‘unofficial’ nail cutter of every dog in the neighbourhood, and I loved it!” said Jeanine.

When Jeanine had the unfortunate experience of having both of her dogs become severely ill only months apart, she was frustrated to discover that not a single grooming salon was able to ensure their safety.

Warned by her veterinarian that she should keep them away from other dogs, as they were in such a frail state that even the slightest touch affect their health and safety, Jeanine knew she couldn’t take them to any grooming salons.

“I wasn’t willing to take any chances with my fur babies!”

However, that meant that Jeanine had to swiftly come up with a Plan B, so she made it her mission to safely groom her dogs herself.

“I had two poodle mixes who, with every passing day, started to resemble sheep ready to be sheared for their wool… I needed to do something and fast! This was my motivation and my dogs were my muse,” Jeanine recounted.

Fueled by determination and love for her two dogs, Jeanine read every ounce of grooming content she could get my hands on and watched every grooming tutorial video she could find. 

“After a few dozen unfortunately hideous grooms on my own dogs (they were good sports) I got the hang of it!” said Jeanine.

That ‘eureka moment’ led Jeanine to fine tune her skills by training under one of the top groomers in the world.

After launching her dog grooming career as ‘The Vegan Groomer’, Jeanine is now excited to have made a home for her business in Downtown Oakville, with RUFF the Dog Barbershop – with chique décor and a comfortable atmosphere that will have your pup feeling paw-sitively pampered with the coolest cut in town!

“I designed RUFF through the eyes of your dog, creating a space and experience where they would feel most happy and safe,” said Jeanine. “As a pet parent, I understand how important it is to trust the person you’re leaving your fur baby with. At RUFF, we pride ourselves in making you feel comfortable, knowing your dogs are under the best of care!”

Check out RUFF the Dog Barbershop online at https://ruffthedogbarbershop.square.site/ and find them on Instagram at @ruff.the.dog.barbershop

Burlington resident Anne-Marie Tice has a long connection with John McDermott, one of Canada’s premier tenors who has recorded more than 25 albums.  She tells us, “My connection with John was through my mother.  Her love of his music – and his kindness to her, right to the very end of her life – touched our family deeply.”

Back in 2018, when Anne-Marie asked John if he would consider a private concert as a fundraiser, “he immediately said yes” and a wonderful ‘Concert Under the Stars’ event, at Anne-Marie’s home in Burlington, raised an amazing $28,000.

(From left to right) Kevin Tice, Anne-Marie Tice and John McDermott

Anne-Marie donated the proceeds of the concert to the Lighthouse for Grieving Children, “a charity that is very near and dear to my heart and for which I am proud to volunteer.”  She explains her connection, telling us “having lost my father when I was 5 years old, my mother 15 years ago and my eldest brother in 2017, I have experienced how grief can affect children and adults throughout one’s life in different ways.”

Lighthouse runs peer support groups to children 3-18 who have lost a parent or sibling, offering them the chance to come together with others that have also lost a loved one.  Echoing the sentiment of many, Anne-Marie says “when I was growing up, I knew of nobody else that shared my experience, which was isolating to say the least.”

This April 30th, Anne-Marie is organizing a virtual John McDermott concert, specially recorded for Lighthouse, which will conclude with an interactive conversation between John and his guests.  A 3-course dinner from the renowned Spencer’s at the Waterfront, paired with a bottle of wine from Sandbanks Estate Winery will be hand delivered to each participant.

For your opportunity to join what promises to be an unforgettable evening, please register at www.supportlh.com (tickets priced at $200 for 2 people).  For further information please send an email to: acollingridge@grievingchildrenlighthouse.org

We’ve officially been living in pandemic pandemonium for a year now. And how things have changed. Washing hands, wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance at the grocery store – these have all become second nature to us. While we’ve all been learning how to live in and adapt to a pandemic – some of us have taken this opportunity to dive into a new experience of our own. While we have, unfortunately, seen some local brick and mortar retailers and restaurants close their doors as a direct result of the pandemic, we have also seen others open their doors for the very first time.

Here, we celebrate these local community members, entrepreneurs, and visionaries, and rejoice in the opening of their new establishments.  

Bubbles and Blow Beauty Bar

399 Elizabeth St #5, Burlington

Bubblesandblow.ca

Bubbles and Blow, founded by 27-year-old New Jersey native, Nikki Gray, had its grand opening in November 2020 – eight months into the pandemic. 

Nikki had always loved hair and has worked in salons since the early age of 14. She trained in New Jersey, and in Manhattan, Soho and Tribeca in New York City. Bringing her career with her to Canada was a dream. “I used the pandemic to bring my dreams to life…when else in life would we have this moment where time kind of…stops?”, explains Nikki. 

Though Toronto may have been an obvious choice for city-loving Nikki, there was something special about the smaller city of Burlington – the people. Not long after moving to the area with her husband, Dale, Nikki was introduced to a warm, inviting, loving community – and she knew it was destiny. 

Bubbles and Blow offer extension services, blowouts, bridal, blonding and balayage, and more! Visit them on Instagram @bubblesandblow.burlington

Waves in the Village

415 Elizabeth St Unit 37, Burlington
Shopwaves.ca 

Waves in the Village, which opened in November 2020, was founded by Caitlin McGillivray and her husband Mike Ledgerwood after they fell in love with the atmosphere and community of Downtown Burlington, specifically The Village. “Opening a boutique has always been a goal, it was just the question of where and when,” says Caitlin. So, when she found the perfect retail spot – despite the pandemic – she knew it was time. While owning a retail boutique had been a lifelong dream, Caitlin explains, “It was scary deciding to move forward with a new business in the middle of a pandemic.” 

Through the use of social media, Caitlin created excitement about Waves in the Village before its doors even opened, and in the first few months of business, the boutique has thrived. 

Waves in the Village has trendy clothing, fun accessories, shoes, and even items from local makers such as bath bombs and cards. You can shop Waves in the Village online at shopwaves.ca, and be sure to visit them on Instagram @waves_inthevillage

Stolen Hearts Bridal

37 Main St South, Waterdown

Stolenheartsbridal.com 

Up until last year, Amelia Chiarelli was working full-time in audio post-production in Toronto. “I was commuting 4-hours a day, was constantly stressed and was not living in my best state,” says Amelia. She adds, “One positive thing that came out of this pandemic for me was the opportunity to step back from the routine I was stuck in and really get in touch with what I wanted for myself.” And as a soon-to-be pandemic bride, Amelia decided she wanted to open her own bridal salon, Stolen Hearts Bridal.

As an appointment-only boutique, Amelia can focus on one bride at a time, making it easier to follow guidelines, distance, and keep people safe. 

The grand opening was a live virtual event on March 2nd, allowing people to tune-in to see the space for the first time, view gowns, and win prizes. Stolen Hearts Bridal will be setting up an online store for accessories and will be moving sample sales online as well.

You can shop Stolen Hearts Bridal online at stolenheartsbridal.com and be sure to check them out on Instagram and Facebook @stolenheartsbridal

Maison Apothecare

6 Lakeshore Rd West, Oakville

Maisonapothecare.ca

Born in France and raised on an organic farm in Ontario, Natacha Rey spent her childhood making potions and lotions for her loved ones using the ingredients she collected from nature. As an adult, she pursued this passion and studied homeopathic medicine at the Australian College of Natural Medicine where she earned a Bachelor of Health Science.

Natacha’s early career focused on formulating bespoke skincare products. With the birth of her first child in 2010, her creative energy materialized as Sleepy Owl Baby Care, one of Maison Apothecare’s popular product lines. 

Today, Natacha continues to formulate new products (including Lemon Aide Surface Cleaner) for the whole family as she leads Maison Apothecare along the sometimes-bumpy road of business.

Maison Apothecare took a major hit during the pandemic and Natacha was forced to permanently close two of her three locations — Niagara-on-the-Lake and Bloor West Village. But the company has moved into a new location in Oakville, offering a much larger, brighter space, and allowing Natacha to share her products in an environment that offers better distance, incredible natural light, and more.

Visit Maison Apothecare on Instagram and Facebook @maisonapothecare
or shop Natacha’s incredible line of products online at maisonapothecare.ca.

Seek Studio

131 Lakeshore Rd East, Oakville

Seekstudio.ca

On a sunny afternoon in late November 2020, Marie-Josee Boisvert was sitting on the Paradiso patio in Oakville with some friends, when they noticed a lease available next door. After viewing the space, and experiencing the crowds and energy of Downtown Oakville, Marie-Josee decided to take on a little passion project. She would open an art studio to showcase her friend Bill Boyko’s art and décor for the Christmas season – just to see how it would go. 

Within three days, Seek Studio was painted and ready, officially opening in December 2020. Six days later, the art gallery was closed due to the lockdown. With a creative storefront and eCommerce site, Josee ended up selling pieces both online and through the gallery window. 

While this is her first retail venture, Marie-Josee hasn’t let the pandemic scare her. “We have been welcomed by Downtown Oakville and the BIA with great enthusiasm. It lifts our spirits”. 

Visit Seek Studio for everything interesting; curated consignment art, decor, and cool finds. The New, The Vintage, The Up-Cycled, and the Re-Born. It’s all in the Hunt! You can also check them out on Instagram @seekstudiooakville.

Written By: Denise Davy

It’s a way to introduce the community to some incredible artists. It’s a way to bring strong, innovative women together. It’s a way to raise money for those in need. It’s the United Way of Halton and Hamilton’s Annual Art Auction, and it’s a win-win for all.

Running from March 1st to the 12th, the art auction is a chance to introduce the community to some of the best female artists in the area, while at the same time raising funds to support important programs.

Organized by a group within the United Way known as Women United, this national program has become an integral part of the United Way and is made up of female leaders and community members.

Jassy Hundal, Director, Resource Development, United Way Halton and Hamilton, says the group’s role is to work on fundraising initiatives, help raise awareness of the needs in the community, and showcase what programs are available to help people. Jassy says it’s a win-win because the women who are members get a chance to use their talents and resources to empower girls and women in the community and, in doing so, they help create lasting change by improving their communities.

This year’s co-chairs of the Women United cabinet are Margaret Grice and Jennifer Cooke.

“It’s a way to get amazing female art pieces to people and a great way to raise funds for the community,” says Jassy. Part of their role is to connect with local female artists. This year’s goal is to have at least 20 pieces from a variety of female artists who will donate their art for free. Last year’s auction raised $45,000 through the works of Oakville painter Leslea Mehltretter, a self-taught award-winning portrait artist who donated 42 pieces for the event.

Was it a tough decision to go virtual this year? Jassy says “no”. “The United Way has been amazing at pivoting and becoming creative at raising funds. It’s another way we can do it that’s safe. We’re at the point with the pandemic where we’ve become innovative so it was a natural fit,” says Jassy.

The United Way of Halton and Hamilton supports Hamilton, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and Halton Hills and, under the pillar of Women United, it invests $1.1 million annually into 12 agencies that fund 26 programs to support women and girls.

Those programs focus on intervention, mental health, girls’ empowerment programs, crisis, and prevention, including sex trafficking, abuse counselling, violence against women counselling, and programs for young girls to build self-esteem.



Members of Women United work together to raise awareness of the needs and to support the programs. Jassy says this year’s auction is especially important because of the challenges the pandemic has created for some people. “We know that there are so many people on the edge of crisis who are facing significant barriers. For example, gender-based violence has increased by 20 to 30 percent and there are a lot of single moms living with food insecurity who need support.”

Since the pandemic hit, there have been many signs that people are feeling stress. Almost 40 percent of non-profit groups in Ontario have seen increased demand for their services and many people, including families, are accessing United Way programs for the first time.

The demand at food banks and the need for income support have increased in Halton and Hamilton by 13 percent in the past year and 45 percent of Ontarians have reported that their mental health has deteriorated since COVID-19 began. As a result, distress centres have seen a 300 percent increase in the number of calls.

“It’s a tough time for everyone, so with this year’s auction we definitely wanted to come together to support United Way initiatives,” says Jassy.

For more information on the Art Auction, please visit https://www.uwhh.ca or contact Jassy Hundal at jhundal@uwhh.ca

For Amelia Chiarelli, what started out as a dream — an idea of a modern bridal boutique for brides wanting a little more magic when choosing that perfect dress — has now become a reality.

A Hamiltonian (born and raised), Amelia fell in love with her city but also with the neighbouring communities — Oakville, Burlington and Waterdown.

Now, Amelia is engaged to her fiance while dealing with challenges of planning a wedding amidst this ongoing pandemic.

“As a bride amidst this ongoing pandemic, it has been uplifting to see the creative ways this past year has shaped the wedding industry and being reminded of the beauty between two people on their wedding day. Seeing that love is never cancelled,” said Amelia.

On March 2, Amelia will be opening the doors to her dream bridal boutique, located in Waterdown (37 Main Street South Unit 4). Thus realizing her lifelong dream, supporting other brides in the local community, and keeping love alive during these challenging times.

“The boutique encompasses the true beauty and emotions of finding your wedding gown in the modern age, creating an intimate experience as unique as each bride to be,” said Amelia. “We work with bespoke designers whose values align with ours and hand pick every gown for our collection. We also love sustainability. Over 50% of our gowns are sustainable and use eco-friendly materials.

With the name Stolen Hearts Bridal Boutique, your heart is sure to be stolen away by the beautiful wedding dresses and magical atmosphere. Just take a peak at this gorgeous photo and visit Stolen Hearts’ Instagram and website.

Ps. Don’t miss out on the VIRTUAL grand-opening event on March 2 at 7:30pm EST. Amelia and her team will be showcasing the boutique for the first time, modelling some dresses, and giving away AMAZING prizes from some of their favourite local vendors and businesses! Simply RSVP at this link: https://smart.bio/stolenheartsbridal/