Dr. Misner, father of modern networking, launches Referrals for Life

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April 28, 2008

The Referral Institute helps people create referrals for life and boost the bottom line

April 28, 2008, TORONTO - The Referral Institute, founded in California in 2001 by Dr. Ivan Misner, also the founder of Business Network International (BNI), is quickly expanding into the Canadian market.

"The Referral Institute is one of the world's leading referral training organizations with over a hundred trainers and coaches worldwide," says Paula Hope, President of the Referral Institute- Peel-Halton. "We're thrilled to have Dr. Misner here to launch what's going to be the Referral Institute's signature program - Referrals for Life."

Dr. Ivan Misner has been named the 'father of modern networking' by CNN for his work with BNI. The BNI organization now has over 4,200 chapters throughout every populated continent of the world and, last year alone, generated over 4.4 million referrals resulting in $1.7 billion dollars worth of business for its members.

"With the Referral Institute, Dr. Misner takes his entire referral-building expertise one step further," says Paula Hope. "The Referral Institute trains business professionals and entrepreneurs how to proactively increase their business through implementing structured referral strategies - moving relationships into profit."

The Referral Institute and Referrals for Life program were developed by Dr. Misner to ease the daunting task of cold calling. Dr. Ivan Misner and Paula Hope will unveil the full Referrals for Life program this week in Toronto.

WHERE: Holiday Inn - 370 King Street West, Toronto

WHEN: Thursday, May 1, 2008

TIME: 6:30PM to 8:30PM

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ABOUT DR. MISNER

Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He has written eight books, including his New York Times bestseller; Masters of Networking and his #1 bestseller; Masters of Success. He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is Chairman of the Board for the Referral Institute. He has taught business and social capital courses at several universities and sits on the Board of Directors for the Colorado School of Professional Psychology.

Dr. Misner is one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC in London.

ABOUT PAULA HOPE

Paula Hope, M.A., B.A. Hons., a successful business development executive, has mentored sales professionals in product areas ranging from medical devices to hard copy supplies. It is Paula's mission to dramatically improve the business-building efficiency of entrepreneurs and business professionals by utilizing proven referral marketing approaches.


For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF THE REFERRAL INSTITUTE / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

dEcode® for kids inspires and teaches reading and numeracy for preschoolers

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April 2, 2008

The premise behind dEcode® is simple – All children can learn, some just learn differently!

April 2, 2008, TORONTO - Everyone needs to learn to read and just about every level of society, inclusive of governments, municipalities, school boards, teachers and parents are recognizing the importance of starting this process in the preschool years of a child’s life. Neuroscientific research also supports this position (see The Early Years study by Margaret McCain and Fraser Mustard).

Teaching a child to read is key to building self-confidence and instilling the necessary skills to succeed in school and life, according to the Ontario Ministry of Education.

However, there are an alarming number of children who enter our educational system without these skills.

“We know that 25 per cent of children enter kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed,” says Shirley Bond, British Columbia’s Education Minister.

Why is it so important to teach pre-kindergarten children how to read?

“Textbooks make too many assumptions and move too quickly, as they assume learning has already taken place by the time the child enters grade one and that students have learned all the previous facts needed to move forward,” says Dr. Debby Chesnie Cooper, Developmental and Educational Psychologist and Director of The Chesnie Cooper Educational Centre*, leaders in child and educational psychology. “I discovered this fact twenty-five years ago when I met a child who didn’t respond to traditional methodologies, and when I couldn’t find curriculum that supported this position, it led me to developing ABC dEcode®, 123 dEcode®, and ultimately dEcode® for Kids.”

Seventy-four per cent of children who are unsuccessful readers in the third grade are still unsuccessful readers in the ninth grade (Journal of Child Neurology, January, 1995).

And at least 50 per cent of adults have weak numeracy skills, according to ABC Canada.

With over thirty years of clinical practice, working with hundreds of young children between the ages of three and six, Dr. Debby Chesnie Cooper recognized a need for the very young to have an enticing way to learn about sounds and numbers. The dEcode® for Kids curriculum delivers a solid learning foundation in reading for pre-school children and gives them an accelerated head-start in learning to read.

“In dEcode® For Kids, the way the sounds and symbols are emphasized and contrasted makes it very easy for very young children to grasp and master the concepts and have success with reading,” says Leslie Grant (M.Ed.), Director of The Lawrence Park School in North Toronto, which uses the dEcode® For Kids program. “The dEcode® For Kids Math program, the children really understand what the numbers represent. Both programs are designed for maximum efficiency, which is so important for children at this age whose primary job is to play!”

“It brings out the natural tendency of children to find pleasure in imitation and repetition, and is simpler to implement than any other program,” says Dr. Debby Cooper. “It turns repetition into learning and is unlike other programs which begin where dEcode® for Kids ends.”

“Ten minutes a day is more than enough, and the children really enjoy both the books and the CD program,” says Leslie Grant.

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF DR. DEBBY CHESNIE COOPER / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

To succeed in business, going ‘green’ is a competitive advantage

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January 30, 2008

LaserNetworks provides steps for businesses to reduce costs and be better environmental stewards

January 30, 2008, OAKVILLE - Good business practices embrace environmental responsibility. In fact, a recent article published by the National Post, suggested that for businesses to succeed in this era, environmental stewardship is not an option, it's a must.

For many companies, the motivation to get started exists but questions about feasibility and profitability loom large bringing caution and hesitation about implementing changes. At first glance, it seems difficult for a business to become environmentally responsible and maintain financial viability.

"The task of becoming a good environmental steward is large, but manageable if broken down into small steps that are easy to navigate," says Chris Stoate, President of LaserNetworks®, Canada's leading print solutions company. "Making the environment a priority with a clear and comprehensive environmental strategy is a good place to start."

From their beginning in 1987, LaserNetworks® has modeled environmental responsibility and has had the objective to give customers the flexibility to make environmentally-friendly choices that reduce environmental impact and carbon footprint.

As Canada's leading print solutions company, providing environmentally friendly print solution services and products to virtually every sized company across Canada and continental USA including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, major chartered banks, and large law firms, LaserNetworks® is proof that companies can be both environmentally responsible and profitable.

"One easy step for organizations is to look at their large volume consumables, such as paper and toner, and consider the reduction possibilities," says Chris Stoate. "For example, LaserNetworks® has recently decided to exclusively offer the REFLEXION brand of remanufactured toner cartridges because they're known to reduce the carbon footprint by 74 per cent - a small change that brings substantial environmental impact and at less cost than regular toner."

Approximately 97 per cent of the combined components (plastic, metal, rubber, paper, foam, and toner) in the toner cartridge can be recycled. If it isn't, the plastic, made of engineering-grade polymers, takes at least 1,000 years to decompose.

A study by PE International showed that REFLEXION toner cartridges reduce CO2 emissions by 74 per cent, global warming by 76 per cent, ozone depletion by 72 per cent, and provide energy savings of 70 per cent.

"We're excited about being able to offer clients desiring to be better corporate stewards, a product such as REFLEXION that does so much to preserve our environment," says Chris Stoate. "Environmental reductions such as these are an example of the small, simple steps companies can take, to become better environmental stewards - a small step perhaps, but multiplied by the number of businesses in North America, the significance is huge."

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF LASERNETWORKS / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

Treat the problem, not the symptoms

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January 24, 2008

Underachieving students and high drop-out rates are a literacy problem, not a racial one

January 24, 2008, TORONTO - There has been much research done linking low literacy with high drop-out rates.

Recently, a concerned TD Canada Trust published a report which stated that low literacy rates are hampering life skills and affecting business. It also stated that if left unaddressed, other issues may arise which lead to increased high school drop out rates, crime and unemployment.

That high drop-out rates due to low literacy exist should not be a surprise. According to The Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL), low literacy is also closely linked to poverty, poor health and unemployment.

There was a time when there were lots of good jobs for people who couldn't read, but those days are gone. Today a person who can't read has trouble just finding work of any kind. As a result, people who cannot read, fall outside the norms of society with alarming frequency.

Seventy per cent of the people in jail in North America read at the two lowest literacy levels, which means they read nothing, or only well enough to understand the directions on a pill bottle.

While the Toronto District School Board's consideration to start an Afro-centric school could benefit the community by instilling an increased appreciation for culture, instilling pride of heritage, among other things, it will do little to reduce drop-out rates because drop-out rates are not a racial issue, but one of literacy. Low literacy rates affect all cultures and socio-economic classes as evidenced by The Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) which estimates that 9 million out of 36 million Canadians lack the literacy skills needed for daily living.

"The problem is low literacy, but to correct it we must deal with the root cause - ineffective teaching methodologies," says Dr. Deborah Chesnie Cooper, Developmental and Educational Psychologist and Director of The Chesnie Cooper Educational Centre*. "For years the teaching methodology used by the educational system was Whole Language, but they admit now, that it was faulty at best."

Seventy-four per cent of children who are unsuccessful readers in the third grade are still unsuccessful readers in the ninth grade (Journal of Child Neurology, January, 1995).

"It would be easy to blame the students for their lack of progress, and many mistakenly do, except for the fact that over 85 per cent of Canadians are either average or above average in intelligence, so the students are smart enough to understand - they just can't read well enough to understand what they read," says Dr. Debby Cooper. "However, with early detection and successful remediation, teaching of basic reading skills is possible and can lead to effective change - I know this to be true because throughout my 30 years of practice working with those with low literacy, dyslexia and Learning Disorders (LD's), I've seen success first hand."

Every child has the ability to learn, but some just learn differently.

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF DR. DEBBY CHESNIE COOPER / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

CEO of Major Ukrainian Brewery visits Canada

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January 21, 2008

Petr Chernyshov plans international expansion of Ukraine’s leading premium beer, Slavutich

January 21, 2008, OAKVILLE - Petr Chernyshov, CEO of Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH), Ukraine, one of the country's largest brewers, recently met with John Vellinga, President of Multiculture Bevco, the Canadian distributor of the company's two premium beer brands, Slavutich and Lvivske.

Chernyshov is the first BBH Ukraine official to visit Canada.

"Canada is going to be one of our most important export markets and we plan to dedicate far more resources than we have up to now", said Petr Chernyshov. "There is a large population of Ukrainians in Canada who understand that beer is also about culture, heritage and community. Ukrainians appreciate and know how to enjoy their beer-that's why Slavutich and Lvivske have done well here in Canada. That is why this market has so much promise."

Chernyshov also unveiled the new logo and can design which will be on display and available in Canadian stores early 2008. The new look has been received well in the Ukraine. Slavutich sales have tripled and BBH brands now make up over half of the Ukrainian premium beer segment.

In 2001, Multiculture Bevco began importing Slavutich to Canada. In its first year Slavutich sold three times more than that of its Ukrainian predecessor, mostly due to its superior quality. Lvivske launched in 2004, has enjoyed similar success. Both beers are crafted according to the Bavarian Purity Act and use only natural ingredients and no preservatives.

BBH Ukraine has a varied and interesting brewing heritage with its Slavutich and Lvivske brands. Slavutich is produced at the most modern brewery in Europe. Its gleaming, state-of-the-art Kyiv brewery is the newest on the continent. On the other end of the scale, Lvivske is crafted in the oldest and most historic brewery in Ukraine.

In fact, the Lvivske brewery hosts Ukraine's only museum of brewing and its tasting cellar is home to Lviv's most popular restaurant. The brewery even has a chapel in which services are conducted for employees and water is blessed for each batch of beer.

Oliver Dawson, a noted Canadian beer expert and President of the Beer Lover's Tour Company, conducted a private tasting for Cheryshov, giving him the opportunity to sample a variety of Canadian mainstream beers and micro-brews. Mr. Chernyshov also visited the Brick brewing company in Waterloo, Ontario's first micro-brewery. He toured Brick's facilities and met with senior managers and company founder Jim Brickman.

"In terms of production, BBH is the size of the largest breweries in Canada, however, I think that our beer has more in common with micro-brews like Brick," said Chernyshov. "Like us, they make beer from all natural ingredients and promote the culture and enjoyment of good quality, authentic beer. We also brew craft beer - just on a very big scale."

"If you were only allowed to have one beer in your fridge, Slavutich or Lvivske should be it", says Vellinga. "These beers are crowd pleasers. Drinkers of imported and premium beers appreciate their high quality, while mainstream domestic beer drinkers appreciate the taste - which is not that different from what they are used to - just better."

Slavutich and Lvivske, through Multiculture Bevco, has supported hundreds of Ukrainian community organizations throughout Canada, including the Bloor West Ukrainian Festival, the Dauphin Canadian National Ukrainian Festival, the Shumka Ukrainian Dancers, several multicultural fairs, cultural clubs and student organizations. Both beers are available at the LCBO in Ontario, MLCC Liquor Marts in Manitoba, SLGA liquor stores in Saskatchewan and over 100 Alberta liquor stores. For more information go to www.ukiestore.com.

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF MULTICULTURE BEVCO / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

Remediation teaches a student to learn any subject—even math

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January 7, 2008

Dr. Debby Chesnie Cooper talks about 123 dEcode® Math

January 7, 2008, TORONTO - Learning disabilities affect up to 20 per cent of North America's population and greatly impact both literacy and numeracy skills.

A recent report by TD Canada Trust stated that low literacy rates are hampering life skills and affecting business. If not addressed, other issues may arise which lead to increased high school drop out rates, crime and unemployment.

A Durham District School Board teacher notes just how serious the issue of low literacy and numeracy skills is becoming.

"A grade nine student couldn't add six plus one without a calculator," said the teacher. "After teaching the same class for several weeks it became apparent that many students were so accustomed to working with calculators they couldn't do the simplest of math problems."

Dr. Debby Chesnie Cooper and The Chesnie Cooper Educational Centre's clinical and research practices over the past 30 years have focused almost exclusively on those referred to as "unresponsive learners," with great success. For those seeking help for their literacy and numeracy deficiencies, many of Dr. Chesnie Cooper's peers view her as a last resort.

"Every child has the ability to learn," says Dr. Debby Cooper. "Some just learn differently."

Dr. Cooper has taken time to listen and study children, choosing to follow the example of Jean Piaget, a Swiss philosopher, natural scientist and developmental psychologist, who is well known for his work studying children and his theory of cognitive development.

"Textbooks make too many assumptions and move too quickly," says Dr. Debby Cooper. "They assume learning has already taken place by the time the child enters grade one and that students have somehow learned all the previous facts needed to move forward."

With over 25 years of development and augmentation in a clinical environment, working with people of all ages and different socioeconomic groups, ABC dEcode® Reading and 123 dEcode® Math are unique in that they address the underlying processing problems which often occur in the development of reading and numeracy skills.

123 dEcode® is a learning program that systematically and thoroughly teaches the basic, simple computational skills - addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, using a series of math workbooks reflecting this unique learning approach.

"This is the most complete and thorough teaching I have ever come across," is a common remark of mothers after reviewing 123 dEcode®'s computational skills.

123 dEcode® progresses to teaching the application of mathematical skills through a rules-based learning approach - fractions, integers, rationals and beyond. Like an encyclopedia, each topic can be easily referenced to view a problem's computational steps.

"For students of all ages, 123 dEcode® is serious learning and provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn math," says Dr. Cooper. "Learning through the program is satisfying and effective."

One student who had just completed learning squares with 123 dEcode® in the summer, came home after the first week of school's fall session excited and proud of what he had accomplished.

"Guess what," he exclaimed to his mother. "We had a test on squares. And thanks to Dr. Cooper, I got 100% because she made me learn that book."

"123 dEcode® has a broad application and is not limited to those with learning disabilities," says Dr. Cooper. "It can greatly benefit those without disorders; it has even proven effective with preschoolers."

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF DR. DEBBY CHESNIE COOPER / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

Festive season just getting started

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January 6, 2008

Over one million Ukrainians in Canada celebrate Christmas January 7

January 6, 2008, OAKVILLE - Just when the majority of Canadians think the festive season is over and it's back to business as usual, close to 1.1 million Ukrainian Canadians are beginning their Christmas festivities - starting with Christmas Eve celebrations on January 6.

Canada has the world's third-largest Ukrainian population; only the Ukraine and Russia have more. They're a community that hasn't forgotten their roots as they still observe age-old customs and traditions passed down from generation to generation.

Festivities begin Christmas Eve and end 12 days later with the Feast of the Epiphany, bringing the family together to eat special foods and recall past traditions. For instance, two tablecloths are spread over the table, one for past ancestors and another for those still living. And as not to forget the real reason for the season, hay is placed under the tablecloths and under the table to remember Christ's birth in a manger.

"One of the traditions I like best is the twelve courses served for supper honouring each of Christ's Apostles," says John Vellinga, President of Multiculture Bevco. "It's great to celebrate with family and friends - dancing, singing and, enjoying Ukrainian products such as Slavutich and Livivske."

In a recent visit to Toronto, Petr Chernyshov, CEO of Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH), one of Ukraine's largest brewers announced that BBH is dedicated to growing sales of Slavutich and Lvivske in Canada. He also unveiled the new logo and can design for both beers, which will be available in Canadian stores early this year.

"Canada is going to be one of BBH's most important export markets," said Petr Chernyshov .

Slavutich and Lvivske, through Multiculture Bevco, support hundreds of Ukrainian community organizations, including the Bloor West Ukrainian Festival, the Dauphin Canadian National Ukrainian Festival, and the Shumka Ukrainian Dancers.

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF MULTICULTURE BEVCO / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

SupperWorks gives post secondary students have healthy meal choices

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MEDIA RELEASE

January 2, 2008

Return to school with more than just suitcases full – more time for studies

January 2, 2008, OAKVILLE - It's an accepted fact that nutritious meals have tremendous health benefits. However, common complaints such as time and affordability often prevent people from developing healthy eating habits. University and college students are no exception.

"In University it's always busy, so healthy meal choices aren't always an option," says Harmony, a third year student at Ottawa University. "Lack of time and a tight budget led to quick-food choices; macaroni, hotdogs, pizza, and fast-food restaurants."

For several years, SupperWorks, Canada's premiere meal prep business, has been helping students deal with these very issues - saving time and providing nutritious, cost-effective meals.

"For me, not eating properly resulted in weight gain, a sluggish feeling and tiredness," says Harmony.

These effects are consistent with a 2004 pediatric study about the Effects of Fast-Food Consumption on Energy Intake and Diet Quality Among Children. It showed that those who eat fast food regularly could gain up to 6 pounds per year over a 15-year period.

"For less than five dollars per entree, and two hours prep time, families can pack their students over a month's supply of healthy, nutritious meals to take back to school," says Joni Lien, Co-founder of SupperWorks. "It's simple and inexpensive - SupperWorks does all the prep, clean up and menu selection, allowing you to prepare 12 full-sized entrees each serving 4-6 people."

In a student's busy world, the less time it takes to prepare meals, the more time there is available for study. Nutritious meals play an important part in academic performance - resulting in a healthier body and mind.

"It's a great way to send students back to school after the winter break," says Joni Lien. "Just pack them a month's supply of our nutritious entrees, frozen to preserve their goodness and ready to stick in the oven at a moments notice."

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / Strategic Communications Solutions / ON BEHALF OF SUPPERWORKS / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

Canada's largest polar bear dip for charity raises over $62,000

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 1, 2008

23rd Annual Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip for World Vision raises record amount

January 1, 2008 - Todd and Trent Courage, founders of the Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip for World Vision, are pleased to announce that this year's event at Coronation Park, Oakville, raised upwards of $59,000 for World Vision's water projects in Sudan.

"The funds raised here today will help drill boreholes, install wells, lay pipes and repair existing wells in four villages in Sudan." says Trent Courage. "We had over 400 dippers today and close to 5,000 spectators from all over Canada. It's great to see everyone working together for such a great cause."

ABOUT THE COURAGE BROTHERS' POLAR BEAR DIP FOR WORLD VISION:

• The Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip for World Vision first took place in 1985 on a dare from Todd and Trent's mother.
• The Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip for World Vision is now Canada's largest polar bear dip for Charity.
• Visitors to the Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip for World Vision have traveled from as far away as Australia and Hong Kong.
• Platinum level sponsors for the 23rd Annual Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip include: Campbell's Soup at Hand; Megaloid; Thermos.
• Full details about the 23rd Annual Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip can be found at www.polarbeardip.ca

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For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Turkington / ON BEHALF OF THE 23RD ANNUAL COURAGE BROTHERS' POLAR BEAR DIP / Direct Phone: 905.901.9218 / Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca