Once a month, I send an update to friends, family, and other connections, a mix of what I’m working on and what I’m enjoying lately. If you’d like to be part of it, just add your email below (it’s free).
Birds, beer, and building #local
Published about 1 year ago • 6 min read
Hello Reader,
Why you’re getting this: often, someone asks me what I’ve been up to, and I usually give a vague answer like “keeping busy” or “same old, same old.” There’s always something happening, so here’s my brain dump!
This email is my attempt to share more openly, with friends, family, and people I’ve crossed paths with over the years. That includes some of you already building with us through #local. If you are already a #local Community Partner, thank you! And a quick reminder, please RSVP to the Local Table event asap.
Think of this as a casual check-in, a look at what I’ve been building, thinking about, and finding interesting lately. And to note, this email is about half the length of the last one, so you’re welcome.
Zero pressure to stick around. If this isn’t your thing, feel free to unsubscribe. I won’t be offended.
What I’ve been working on lately…
Over the past month, most of my focus has been on building the #local Marketing Co-op with the team. In short, it’s a way for local businesses to join forces on marketing, sharing the load, getting daily visibility through the #local platform, and plugging into collaborative campaigns that help everyone grow. It’s been exciting to see momentum build.
For full details about the Co-op, click here: If this resonates with you, I’d love it if you could share the link with a business owner or organization you think might be a good fit. Every share helps us build stronger local connections.
Why this matters to me.
One of the most rewarding parts of my work over the years has been creating fundraising events like Race to Erase, the Local Shopping Spree and the Smash Hits Kids book. These experiences shaped how I think about community and collaboration. I’m excited to be building alongside some amazing Community Builders, people and businesses stepping up to make #local possible for local not-for-profit organizations.
I’d like to take a moment to shout out a couple of amazing partners who’ve joined as Community Builders: Adrian at All Systems Mechanical andCatherine Wilde at Fleck Law. We’re grateful for their support in helping #local empower local charities.
We’re also really excited to be hosting the first Local Table event in early October. At that event, we’ll be unveiling some of our upcoming fall collabs, including this year’s Secret Santa, along with several other collaborations that bring together different members of the co-op. It’s a chance to see how these partnerships come to life and create real impact in the community.
Partner Spotlight: Upcoming Event
I’ll also take this opportunity to highlight an upcoming event hosted by one of our partners, the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership. They are hosting the Legacy Leadership Summit. It’s a chance to connect with leaders shaping the future of Sarnia-Lambton. Their guest speaker is one of my former colleagues, Emily Branton. Check out the full details here.
What else have I been up to
Last month, I shared about our summer road trip, and in this email, I wanted to share that we finished off our summer vacation with a trip to one of our favourite places, Cedar Point. We all love coasters and have spent 12 days at the park over the last couple of years. We got the most out of our season pass that we purchased last summer. Laura loves to tell everyone about the spreadsheet that I used to figure out the best option. :) Before we left on our trip, the big excitement around our house wasn’t packing; it was the birds. Every spring, a pair will nest on top of our gas fireplace vent, and this year we were lucky enough to watch the whole process unfold. For the first time, we saw not just one, but two rounds of babies. We’d catch their little heads poking up when mom came to feed them, and this time they seemed to stay longer, needing to grow bigger before taking off. One evening, Grady ran inside to say he’d just seen the first one fly away, which meant three more were waiting. After dinner, we set up our chairs in the driveway to watch. One by one, they hopped up to the edge of the nest, gathered their courage, and took flight. Laura even caught a couple on video. It turned into one of those unexpectedly special family moments.
What I’ve Been Watching on YouTube
I’ve also been spending a bit of time on YouTube lately and wanted to share a few favourites:
MD Motivator: Zachary is a Canadian creator who’s built a massive following by blending kindness, surprise generosity, and social experiments that inspire people around the world. His videos are short reminders of how far compassion can go.
Dave Matthews Band: This one’s a personal pick. Laura and I, along with some close friends, recently went to see Rhyme and Reason, a local Dave Matthews Band cover band at Refined Fool. We stayed out too late, sang along to the songs, and for me, it was a throwback to summers spent traveling to see the real band. Definitely easier on the wallet this time, but every bit as fun.
In late August, Grady had the chance to be part of the Youth Makers Expo, and it was such a great experience. One of the highlights was seeing him showcase his vertical garden. 🌱 It’s a clever way to grow when you don’t have much space and even indoors through the winter. A huge thank-you to Rebound for hosting this opportunity for local youth. Laura and I went, spent a little bit of money at a lot of tables, and honestly, it was hard to choose. These kids were amazing. Thank you to everyone who made it possible!
Pictured here is Grady with his Vertical Garden.
Bragging about my friends...
One of the best parts of building something like #local is seeing friends, old and new, step up and become part of it. Whether they’re business owners, creative minds, or community leaders, they’re not just showing up for themselves; they’re showing up for Sarnia-Lambton. So I’m using this space to brag about them. Cuz what are friends for! I try to live a local life; it’s something I try to practice every week. For me, it’s about the little choices: where I grab my breakfast sandwich, where I sit down for a meeting, or even where I stop at the end of the day. Here are a few that I want to highlight this time.
Toy Corner just updated their windows. The artwork looks amazing. Stop by 1030 Confederation and check it out.
Speaking of that plaza, while you are there, hit up Davy Jones. We buy burgers, fries, and ham for the kids' lunches.
That breakfast sandwich comes from Beanzz. When I work downtown, I always stop by. They know what I order, and I usually end up chatting for a few minutes before heading out.
For meals and meetings, Brownstones has become one of my go-to spots this summer. There’s just something about sitting down in a local restaurant that makes conversations feel more personal and connected. The new menu item I had was insane. Check out the menu to see what I had!
And when it’s time to unwind, Imperial City Brew House is often where I end up. Local beer, familiar faces, and a business that’s poured itself into the community, literally.
I don’t always get it perfect, but I do my best to keep my routines rooted in our local businesses. Because when we live a local life, even in small ways, it adds up to something bigger for the whole community.
A quick ask before I wrap up…
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I’m grateful to have people in my life who care about the work we’re doing and the community we’re trying to build.
If something in this update caught your eye, here are two small but meaningful ways you could help:
Know a local business that should be part of #local? Introduce us. We’re always looking to partner with more great people who care about the community. And please feel free to share this page with them.
Tried the Community Hub yet? Take a scroll through hashtaglocal.com/sarnia. If you find something interesting, or if you see something missing, I’d love your feedback.
We’re building this for the long haul, and every bit of input makes it better.
Until next time…
That’s it for this email. Thanks again for reading and for being part of this extended circle of friends, supporters and collaborators.
If something here made you smile, made you think, or reminded you of someone I should talk to, hit reply. I always love hearing from people who are quietly rooting for good things to grow.
Once a month, I send an update to friends, family, and other connections, a mix of what I’m working on and what I’m enjoying lately. If you’d like to be part of it, just add your email below (it’s free).
