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25 · Friday, May 7, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Spring Home and Garden Here they go again! What their customers enjoy, Pioneer Family Pools happily fulfills Friday marks the start of the second week of what has become a venerable Oakville institution with Pioneer Family Pools' Pre-Season Sale. From humble beginnings as a one-day event over 25 years ago, this much-anticipated annual sale has now expanded to over two weeks. "This was a necessary move to accommodate the demand from so many customers," says partner, Grant Wallace. EVERYTHING in the store is ON SALE, just in time to kick off the 2010 swimming and patio season. Save on pool chemicals, liners, safety covers, salt systems, equipment, toys, and patio furniture. "People still can't believe that we discount absolutely everything in the store," says Wallace. "But we think it's a great way to kick off the season every year and a great way to get reacquainted with all our customers over a cup of Tim Horton's and a donut -- which is also a huge hit during the sale. While this winter saw many companies downsize, Wallace and his staff were busy renovating their 35,000 sq. ft. showroom, while also expanding exciting new product lines. "We introduced an incredible new line up of hot tubs that have just taken off," he says. In keeping with Wallace's families and fun mantra, comes the return of the inflatable playland for the kids this year. "It quickly ballooned into a great place for the kids to go have fun while their parents shop," he adds. An inflatable castle, school bus, and igloo all provide a great time for the kids and better yet, they are products Pioneer sells, so parents can see first-hand both the entertainment AND quality of them. Wallace added a new high-definition flat screen TV to showcase product videos that also doubles as a mini entertainment center for the kids to watch Blu-ray discs while their parents are in for pool installation consultations. And yes, the sacred `popsicle freezer' will be back in full force next month! Like the sale itself, the Popsicle freezer started as a one-off weekend treat during a heat wave and became a full-time extension of the water lab. For parents Wallace has brought in lounge chairs to relax in while they wait for their water tests. More than 13,500 tests are performed in-house yearly. Another aspect to the annual sale that Wallace insists must be part of the whole affair is the inclusion of the Oakville-Trafalgar Hospital Volunteers' Association and the raffle of the luxurious set of patio furniture, with proceeds going towards the Emergency and Ambulatory Care Division. "We feel its a great way to give back to the community, in terms of donating the set, but also make the community aware of what's going on at the hospital by having the volunteers interacting and chatting with our customers in an arena they wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to do so," says Wallace. Pioneer Family Pools continues its priority of community involvement. The company is the proud sponsor of the wildly successful (and always SOLD OUT!) "Classic Albums Live" series of concerts at the Oakville Center for the Performing Arts. These shows have gone so well that they have just added an extra show on May the 14th, which will be the Rolling Stones Let it Bleed album. "We just love the fact that the concerts are always sold out, and that you see families showing up together, bonding, having a great time, which is what we are all about," says Wallace. All of this has made Pioneer Family Pools Oakville the #1 backyard pool and patio retailer for more than 40 years! Stop by and say hello! Wallace and staff look forward to welcoming everyone into their Pioneer `family.' Spring cleaning for fire safety (NC)-- Spring cleaning can seem like a daunting assignment, but a few tasks on the list can help make sure potential fire hazards are attended to. Beyond the usual tasks to cover both inside and outside of your home, such as recycling or eliminating unused items, cleaning gardens and patios, and tossing out unsafe or combustible materials, don't ignore these areas to help make your home more fire safe: · Check and clean filters above stove. · Pull refrigerator out and vacuum or dust coils. · Always keep stairs and landings clear for safe evacuation in event of an emergency. · Test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries. · Test smoke alarm to ensure it works properly. · Trim trees or bushes before they grow enough to interfere with nearby power lines. DON'T MISS THE BIGGEST EVENT HE B OF THE SEASON. 17 DAY S PATIO FURNITURE ABOVE GROUND & HOT TUBS NOW AN INCREDIBLE 17 DAYS OF SAVINGS! POOLS ON EVERYTHING IN THE STORE SAVE SAVE! SAVE! SALT SYSTEMS, LINERS, SUPPLIES, POOL EQUIPMENT, CHEMICALS & TOYS Lowest prices of the year on: 1020 South Service Rd. E., Oakville 905-844-7490 Mon.-Wed. 10-7 Thurs. & Fri. 10-8 Sat. & Sun. 10-5