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Holiday Gift Giving Tips:
They’ve gotten used to me responding to this annual question with simple requests. Last year I asked for a travel mug from each of their respective universities (I can’t show favouritism). These were not only things I would use, but were meaningful to me - my girls’ alma maters. Of course, these simple requests also fit well into their student budgets. And everyone benefits. They don’t need to spend a lot of money, they give their ‘old man’ something he really appreciates, and we avoid the trap of commercialism – the giving of unnecessary stuff which ends up in boxes in the basement and then on a yard sale table.
It is in this spirit that we offer the following Holiday Tips: rather than piling up "stuff" under the tree, think about what friends and family really need. Give gift certificates, or make a donation in his or her name to a favourite charity (like the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation!)
Consider gifts that don’t have to be wrapped: tickets to concerts, museums, or sporting events, gift certificates, house plants, or even gifts of your own time or gifts you made.
We’re learning in our family to ‘keep it simple.’ And if I get my Salt Water Taffy, it will be the best Christmas ever!!!
Looking Back - Moving Forward:
The Coastal Centre has been around since 1998, but how well do you know us, and what we do? Well, here's the quick lowdown.
We are an independent, non-governmental organization dedicated to the conservation and wise stewardship of Lake Huron. The Centre is the only one of its kind in Ontario. We're coastal specialists working to protect the quality of our coast — clean water, great beaches, diverse healthy habitats - the things we gain from our lake.
But we also want to inspire people to help Lake Huron remain a lake of exceptional quality. Lake Huron does shows signs of stress at times with algae blooms, degraded beaches, invasive species, nearshore pollution –things we could do without. These are all things that, working together, we can help to correct.
The Centre works at the local level, with many partnerships and collaborations. Our Board of Directors are a group of talented volunteers committed to our mission – "To provide leadership and expertise, in cooperation with partners, to achieve a healthy Lake Huron coastal ecosystem." Our staff are dedicated professionals employing a combined 60 years of coastal science and management experience. And to build on that experience, we have a Board of Technical Advisors with some of the best coastal experts in Ontario (and beyond). This may not only sound good, but it earned us the Ontario Minister's Award for Environmental Excellence in 2012.
We're moving forward with some exciting projects in 2015. And while we are always looking for financial support (as every good charity does) we are also looking for volunteers to help out in various ways. If this appeals to you, call the Coastal Centre office (226-421-3029).
If you want more information about the Centre, visit our website at www.lakehuron.ca or give us a call or email.
Holiday Greetings from the Coastal Centre Board & Staff:
L. to R.: Murray Blackie, Jasmine Bhurji, Karen Alexander, Stephanie Donaldson, Jo-Anne Harbinson, Pamela Scharfe, Joan Eaglesham, Geoff Peach, Matt Pearson.
Absent: Alison Lobb, Doug Miller, Dianne Sutter, Donna Stewart
