The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Morden students use oms to make homes 11 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, May 21, 2009 Continued from page 1 aware of homelessness, experience yoga as a way to feel good and reflect on things, and make a difference. "If you get together and organize, you can make a difference," said Marsan. She hopes Morden adopts the fundraiser as an annual event and that other schools follow the school's lead. "I think it's the first year its been done anywhere. We invented it, I guess," she said. Throughout the day, the entire 404-student body of the JK-8 school practiced yoga exercises on brightly coloured yoga mats (donated from the teachers at Kula Yoga in Oakville) in the gymnasium surrounding yoga instructor Kinndli McCollum, Marsan's yoga instructor at Kula Yoga. McCollum had just returned from the Africa Yoga Project in Kenya where she taught yoga to the kids in the slums and the yoga instructors in Nairobi, Kenya. According to McCollum, it was more than an amazing experience. "It was a life changing experience. There were so many aspects about myself and the human condition that I discovered and am still processing. What was most inspiring was the feeling of connection, to see the similarities in us all and how all people are craving to grow and to find empowerment in our lives, commented McCollum. "We left an imprint in Kenya of 50 or so yoga teachers who are now teaching yoga and KAREN NEWMAN / OAKVILLE BEAVER YOGA STYLE: W. H. Morden Public School students tried to form the world's largest yoga class to raise funds for "Raise the Roof" charity. The school started a website, omsforhomes.com, and hope the event will become an annual event at the Rebecca Street school. From left, Kinndli McCollum from Kula Yoga leads the students, Grade 3 student Eirikr Copeland imitates a snake while in the Cobra pose and John Mackereth, Grade 5, does the Wheel pose. inspiring more children to spread the light." McCollum is also an ambassador for Lulu Lemon and is Canada's only certified Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Teacher. Proceeds from the event will go to Raising the Roof, an organization dedicated to "end the cycle", as Marsan says, of youth homelessness. "My students really wanted to help others that don't have the same comforts and security that they have..." commented Marsan, "...Yoga seemed like great way to combine healthy exercise and positive energy to support the cause." Congratulations to this year's winners of the 14th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Entrepreneur of the Year Large Company of the Year Small Company of the Year Professional & other Service Provider of the Year Restauranteur of the Year Environmental Leadership Company of Women Laser Networks, Runner Up Freeze Dry Foods N2 Ingredients Cameron's Brewery, Runner Up Home Instead Senior Care Growth Advisors Inc., Runner Up Oliver's Fifth Light Technology Last month at a gala dinner, 400 members of Oakville's business community gathered for the 14th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence. It was an elegant evening that acknowledged and celebrated the accomplishments and successes of local businesses and shone the spotlight on Oakville's best. This year saw a record number of entries to the Awards program ­ 52. This only reflects on how the Town of Oakville is a great location to establish and operate a business. Presented by The Rotary Club of Oakville West with support from The Oakville Chamber of Commerce, this annual event has always been a fundraiser. All the proceeds go towards many local Rotary programs that touch children and youth, fostering their potential to be the best they can be. This year, the Rotary Club of Oakville West proudly raised $43,000 which will be invested in the futures of many of Oakville's next generation of community and business leaders. These outstanding businesses were awarded top honours at a gala dinner on April 2, 2009 at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre. PLATINUM SPONSOR DIAMOND SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS Congratulations to this year's winners! SILVER SPONSORS BRONZE SPONSORS A big thank you to all our sponsors!