Geoff Stevens on Ellen Degeneres?

CANCER….sometimes presents itself like a fork in the road. It can be feared and devastating. For one member of our community, he has chosen to become his own miracle.

Geoff Stevens, at 45 years of age, has spent most of his life sharing his love of music. His passion started at a young age, travelling across the country in his father’s band. Geoff now performs every weekend locally. In addition, he takes great pride in creating beautiful hand crafted cabinets. Geoff has earned the respect of this community by always being a man of his word. He would give the shirt off his own back to someone else in need. He strives to be a role model for his children, teaching them by example. He is the epitome of integrity.

Geoff Stevens was involved in a local event, offering his musical talents to help fund raise for 4 local charities, one being the Cancer Society. During his efforts to help others, he himself was ironically diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. While enduring chemo treatments, Geoff wrote and performed a song, “Find A Cure”, dedicated to the Cancer Society. The lyrics of this song are truly representative of how Geoff feels and chooses to live his life. He is selfless and inspiring, hopeful and undefeated. Geoff’s spirit and love for life is contagious. His honest performance moved our community beyond words.

“Find A Cure” will be available on weareallonenation.com with all proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society. Geoff’s song is a gift of inspiration to all of us, especially those living with cancer.

We in this community support Geoff's efforts and believe his song will make a difference. A campaign has been started to get Geoff on the Ellen Degeneres Show.

Please help by nominating Geoff Stevens. Take the time to complete the following simple steps and pass this on to all of your contacts...

1. Google the Ellen Degeneres Show.
2. Click "Be On The Show".
3. Scroll down to nominate an Amazing Person.
4. Fill in your contact info. Be sure to save and attach the above picture of Geoff. The nomination will not process if you do not include the picture. Also include the website weareallonenation.com.
5. Using 1500 characters (not words), write a blurb as to why Geoff should be on the show.

Celebration On Ice Returns

Big news out of the Owen Sound Attack camp this week. And we’re not talking trades for once. The Attack is presenting Celebration On Ice at the Bayshore Community Centre on December 19th.

The Provincial tour is coming to Owen Sound for a not-to-miss performance featuring Canada’s top figure skating talent. Choreographed by the legendary Brian Orser, on the roster will be 4-time World Champion Kurt Browning, Olympic Gold Medalists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, 2010 Olympic Bronze Medalist Joannie Rochette and Jeffrey Buttle, Cynthia Phaneuf, among other performers. Local talent will be on hand to participate as well.

Tickets start at $49.75 and are on sale effective Thursday, October 7th from the Attack Box Office, by calling 519-371-7452, or online at the Attack website. VIP seating including a ‘meet and greet’ with the stars will also be available for $113 (includes taxes and surcharges).

Thank-you Owen Sound Attack for the early Christmas gift!!

It’s No Fun Being A Legal Canalien

The joys of being a Canalien citizen! I moved to Canada from the land ‘down under’ with my family when I was 4. In all my years growing up in this country, I thought it was a neat thing and rite of my heritage keeping my Australian citizenship in tact. Maybe it was to compensate for not being able to hang on to the Aussie accent. To think of all the dates I must have lost out on during my teens!

But ‘cool’ things can have their downside. It is only recently that rules and regulations became more relaxed for Aussie Canucks like yours truly seeking dual citizenship. That is the rumour, anyway. If you ask me, the Citizenship & Immigration Canada website is still convoluted and burdened in fees that I wrongly assumed were a thing of the past.

Bottom line is, I can’t vote in the October 25th Municipal Election unless I stop being a Canalien. Growing up here, paying my taxes in Owen Sound for several years, and even promoting the area through a small business venture means nothing without the papers. The same applies to the many other emigrated business owners and contributors to our economy with permanent resident status. And from what I hear, this is the stance in most countries. What I find to be the most unfortunate thing about this scenario is the often disappointing low voter turn-out in election campaigns. Our leaders will go so far as to spend money advertising so that they can encourage the importance of voting. Yet at the same time, they are excluding longtime permanent residents. They should put up signs at the polls that read, “Canaliens Not Welcome”.

So here I am scrambling through paperwork that I should have filled out long ago in the hopes of winning the right to a local vote come E-Day. But on the flip side, at least I’ll get to be a dual citizen so that I can maintain my roots in both countries.

Daffodils BULBS are here!

Every fall, Canadian Cancer Society volunteers get ready to sell yellow daffodil bulbs to help raise money in support of the fight against cancer.

The daffodil is the Canadian Cancer Society's symbol of hope. The bulbs are sold every year in Ontario and across the country.

Bulbs are available NOW at the Canadian Cancer Society office at 163 8th Street East. Your workplace can also order the bulbs and have them delivered by simply calling the Canadian Cancer Society office at 519-376-6011.

Bulbs are priced at $7.50 for a bag of 10 bulbs, a 5lb box of 32 bulbs is $24 and a 10lb box of 65 bulbs costs $45.

Saskatchewan Poet Laureate in Owen Sound

Saskatchewan’s first poet laureate, Glen Sorestad, with over twenty volumes of poetry to his credit, is on the road this autumn holidaying and touring his latest collection of poetry throughout Southwestern Ontario. He has made Owen Sound and environs one of his destinations. On Tuesday, September 14th, he will read from What We Miss at The Downtown Bookstore at 7:30pm. Past Owen Sound poet laureate Liz Zetlin will moderate and Glen will be accompanied onstage by Whitby author Karen Cole reading from her memoir Lifting the Veil.

What We Miss is a collection coloured with both curiosity and nostalgia and framed as a personal montage. Sorestad’s free verse captures the flora and fauna, the natural rhythms and colour of Saskatchewan. Occasionally they are descriptions of urban and rural landscapes, other times they are memories of people and places who have left imprints upon him. Celebrating the ordinary and seeing the mystery in all moments of life remains his poetic priority.

There is no admission charge to attend.