Tag Archives: Mike Williscraft

FROM THE PUBLISHER (PREVIOUS EDITIONS)

From the Publisher March/April 2016

ClubWest

(To view our March/April 2016 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
- Benjamin Franklin

To have about 8,000 bee hives sitting around would be a lot to process for people passing by, particularly neighbours but if bee populations continue declining, it would seem logical to want those little buzzers close to home.

This dawned on me while chatting with Mike Parker at Charlie Bee Honey this month when shooting photos for the profile of his long-standing business.

There are several components which need to be in place to make the whole food supply chain work. Bees are part of that mix. Without them pollinating plants the problems which would quickly materialize are clear.

The problem there has been diagnosed as a pesticide which had a far greater sweeping effect than ever anticipated and its use has been legislated to terminate next year. The need for the lowly worker bee cannot be underestimated and neither can the efforts of unique entrepreneurs like the Parkers.

And speaking of effort, Beamsville has another sparkplug in Riley Michaels. The Grade 9 student at Blessed Trinity has been on a bit of a mission to make his interest in music transcend into a full-time career.

More power to him!

He is going about it the right way: learning he all he can both about music itself and from those involved in the industry already. If you like rock, as he does, having The Beatles and Led Zeppelin as a couple of foundation faves is not a bad way to go.

As well, he understands that if you do well you treat others around you as he would hope to be treated: karma if you will.

Riley and some musical cohorts will be performing a benefit concert for Convos Youth Centre tomorrow (March 4) to help out the place has liked to hang out at in recent years. Convos, in Conversations Cafe, hosts area youth looking for a safe, comfy spot to chill, play games or listen to music. The concert will double as a CD release party, too. Best wishes there, folks.

Similarly, “Just Isaac” Mitchell is another one with big aspirations, but his are much more diverse. A hip hop performer, workout guru, actor...this fellow has a lot going on with much of it based right in Grimsby.

This edition of ClubWest is just another example of the many and varied great story subjects right here in Niagara West under our collective noses. When I launched this magazine some wondered, “what will they put in it?” Well, the problem is what to leave out as we always have many more ideas than space will allow.

Publisher, ClubWest Magazine
Mike Williscraft

CLUBWEST, FEATURED ARTICLES (PREVIOUS EDITIONS)

Smithville’s Stephanie putting substance behind her passion

ClubWest

(To view our January/February 2016 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

By Mike Williscraft

When Stephanie Deshane took to the stage at the Rise2 Fame finals this fall, she was her usual calm, focused and collected self.

In a return engagement from their 2008 debut, Stephanie was named Smithville Fair Grand Champion, while cousin Cara earned second place.
In a return engagement from their 2008 debut, Stephanie was named Smithville Fair Grand Champion, while cousin Cara earned second place.
She delivered a stellar version of Sarah Vaughn’s Lullaby Birdland – the smokey jazz standard, the title of which refers to Charlie “Bird” Parker and the Birdland jazz club named after him.

Her version proved strong enough to earn her second place in the competition, tops among singers, however.

“It wasn’t until I finish a performance that I get nervous. After, I start to think, “Would they think that was good? Did they like it?”

In her head, she thought the performance was not as strong as her semi-final rendition.

Performers of all types – from gymnasts to guitar players – participated in the competition.

Just to make it to the finals, all performers had to make it through a regional competition to qualify for a semi-final round. Then winners of 12 regional semi-finals from across the province all met at London’s Western Fair for the grand final.

The preparation to get to that point started many months ahead of the final show.

She spent two months just picking the right song. That process is a microcosm of the teen’s entire personality – purposeful, determined and unique.

“I don’t settle,” said the 16-year-old Smithville resident.

“I spent a long time looking for just the right song. I wanted it to be different because I didn’t want to use anything that anyone else would do. It had to be interesting, something that would show my range, as well.”

That it did.

“When she started to sing, people were mesmerized,” said her father, Steve.

Mom, Dorothy, when she first heard her daughter’s choice of song, didn’t like the tune.

“I thought it was boring. I didn’t like it at all,” said Dorothy.

But Stephanie stuck to her guns and polished it.

…

See the full article in our online edition.

FROM THE PUBLISHER (PREVIOUS EDITIONS)

From the publisher January/February 2016

ClubWest

(To view our January/February 2016 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
– Benjamin Franklin

There is never a shortage of great stories to unearth right here in Niagara West.

They are as plentiful as the harvests our area farmers reap each fall. This publication is a bit of an unusual one, though, as three young “performers” in completely different areas of interest all came together as feature subjects in a matter of weeks. The theme was undeniable, so it was easy to package.

A lot is said and written about the youth of today. Typically, the good is often overlooked for the more sensational and usually negative news slants, but not this time.

This time, we have three great examples of what teens can do when they apply natural talent and mix in effort, dedication and the helping hand of family support. Each is very different.

Cole Burniston showed ability from the start and realizes he is very fortunate to have parents who are willing to make major sacrifices in allowing him to chase his dreams.

In Melissa Temkov, we have a mom and grandparents working tirelessly, who also had the smarts to get her out of a situation which was not working for her. The results speak for themselves.

And last but not least, we have Stephanie Deshane, a plucky 16-year-old who has opted to take a somewhat less travelled road as she strives to ensure her unique interests are not muddied in an attempt to fit in. It is most often in ones late 20s when one realizes there are people out there with the same interests, but it can take you a while to find them. She is perfectly willing to keep on looking, all the while developing her craft of singing and song writing. More power to her!

I’ve been writing for a long time. This was the first time I put anything together where the combined ages of the subjects was younger than I. That was unnerving.

Yet each goes to show, we have a lot of great things – people, events, organizations, you name it – going on right here under our collective noses.

Your job is to root out those stories and tell them to you, good reader, via words and photos. So why not start while some of these subjects are honing their skills. Who knows?

Maybe one day Cole will be a power back for his beloved New England Patriots playing in the Super Bowl. Stephanie could be asked to be the halftime show and Melissa could be performing as part of that artistic spectacle?

One can dream, yes?

Publisher, ClubWest Magazine
Mike Williscraft