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Around Town...

Thin Air
The Thin Air 2009 Winnipeg International Writers Festival runs from September 20 to 27 and brings more than 50 great writers to the city for readings and performances. Come see best-selling poet Christian Bök and Giller Prize winner Bonnie Burnard, to name just a few. For more information check out our website at www.thinairwinnipeg.ca or call (204) 927-7323.

Raising a TON of cothing
Peppertree Fashions’ initiative to collect donated clothing for Pregnancy and Family Support Services (PFSS) has been a huge success. The boutique managed to collect over 2,000 pounds of clothes thanks to generous donors. The clothes are sold at a low-cost at PFSS’s thrift shop on Spence Street in an effort to provide its clients access to affordable clothing for themselves and their families. PFSS is an outreach centre for pregnant women in the community who are seeking guidance, support and resources.

New faces
• Dr. Linda Schwartz has recently taken the position of Head of Balmoral Hall School for Girls. Previous to this appointment, Dr. Schwartz was dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley, B.C.

• Dr. Bruce McFarlane welcomes two new members to his practice. Dr. Sercan Akyalcin, a graduate of Ege University in Izmir, Turkey with a Degree in Dentistry, a Masters in Orthodontics, and a PhD in Orthodontics, is a Professor of Orthodontics at the University of Manitoba. Call 947-1825 for appointments. Newcomer Gillian Storsley has been providing physiotherapy services in the office since last fall. Although she provides all physiotherapy services, her areas of special interest are women’s health and temperomandibular disorders (TMD). 488-8881.

• United Way of Winnipeg welcomes Laura Kwiatkowski, general manager for Rogers Communications Midwest, as chair of the United Way's 2010 Golf Tournament Committee. United Way of Winnipeg looks forward to another successful tournament under Ms. Kwiatkowski’s proven leadership.

Enterprising season
Autumn is a busy time at the Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba with many seminars and workshops being offered, including new sessions on customer service, advertising for small business, public relations and more. Visit www.wecm.ca for details.

New in store
• Curtis Carpets now has a new product available that makes installing wood flooring on stairways a much easier process than when using traditional flooring. Readystep, manufactured in Winnipeg by Wood Products Unlimited, is available is up to 16 different finishes and various types of woods. It easily installs and will transform your staircase with beautifully crafted wood. There are many options for how to make Readystep work for your tired, carpeted staircase, so stop in at Curtis Carpets to find out more.

• Frownies are coming to Winnipeg. The non-surgical product which boasts wrinkle-reducing results has been around for about 100 years and is said to be a Hollywood beauty secret, used by celebrities such as Rene Russo. The product is finally being distributed in Canada. In Winnipeg it will be available from the Gallery Boutique and Salon at 3224 Roblin Boulevard. The product swears by its simple method of wearing facial patches at night (different shapes for different areas) to help retrain facial muscles and eliminate the appearance of wrinkles. Check out the Frownies video ad here.

Shop talk
• New to the Exchange at 246 McDermot, Lucy celebrates fashion at reasonable price points. For shoppers who like to stretch their dollar, Lucy offers great fashion for winter, including coats, at price points under $100. Tulle from Los Angeles, Only and the always popular Vero Moda are some of the popular lines at Lucy. Lucy is named after a 3.4 million year old female skeleton discovered in Africa, and represents the first bipedal female and a link to our past.

• Bella Moda Home Furnishings is a new store in Winnipeg offering mid-to-high end furniture and decor accents. The store, located at 645 Century Street, is owned by Maribeth Marana and Ken Burke. Burke and Marana were formerly employed by Penthouse Fine Home Furnishings, and Marana took advantage of expertise held by many former Penthouse staff. With those people by their side, Burke and Marana ventured to open Bella Moda, which focuses heavily on premium customer service. www.bellamodahome.com