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International Women's Day gala features Landsberg Two local women's advocacy groups are celebrating the 12th annual International Women's Day with a fundraiser dinner next month. Hosted by the Women of Halton Action Movement (WHAM) and Zonta Club of Oakville, the dinner is meant to celebrate the achievements of women over the years and acknowledge the work still to be done. Organizers are expecting nearly 700 women to attend the event to take place at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre (2515 Wyecroft Rd.) on Thursday, March 8. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards assisting Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton (SAVIS) and Canadians in Support of Afghan Women (CSAW). Doors open at 5 p.m. with a cash bar, followed by a three-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. with keynote speaker and social justice activist Michele Landsberg and entertainment by singer/songwriter Honey Novick. The evening will also include a book sale and signing by Landsberg, 50/50 draw, silent auction and an Afghan Market with handmade items -- proceeds from the sales from the market will go towards helping the Afghan women who made the items. Tickets are $50 and available through SAVIS Halton by calling 905-825-3622. For more information on the speaker, visit http://nsb.com/speakers/view/michelelandsberg. Census shows population now more than 180,000 Statistics Canada has released its 2011 Census of Population data and Oakville has grown by 10.2 per cent over the past five years. According to the May 2011 census, Oakville has reached a population of 182,520, a jump from 165,613 when the census was last taken in 2006. The Oakville population growth was not as sharp as that of Halton Region -- its population grew by 14.2 per cent to just over 500,000, driven by the growth north of Oakville in Milton. Milton was the fastest growing municipality in Canada, growing an astounding 56.5 per cent to nearly 85,000. Nationally, population grew by 5.9 per cent to 33.5 million. However, the largest growth occurred in western Canada. By territory or province, Yukon grew the most, at 11.6 per cent, followed by Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Ontario's growth was below the national average, at a rate of 5.7 per cent. According to the Census data, Oakville now has nearly 54,000 private dwellings, with a population density of 1,314 people per square kilometre. Oakville is growing 9 · Thursday, February 9, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com UPSTAIRS We have just returned from a one week, 7-person, multi-generational vacation at Azul Beach Resort in the Mayan Riviera and we highly recommend it! Azul Beach, a Karisma Gourmet Inclusive resort is perfect for families with young children, and they have a fabulous wedding program too. Azul Beach is a boutique-style hotel with only 147 suites, yet it has all of the amenities of the massive Mayan Riviera complexes. We stayed in family suites in a new section of the resort that just opened in December and we highly recommend the upgrade! Karisma's Gourmet Inclusive (GI) resorts are defined as - 2 steps above all-inclusive . . . designed to elevate inclusive vacations to quality levels comparable to traditional luxury hotels ­ and I couldn't agree more! We were pampered from the minute we arrived when we were handed a cold towel and a glass of champagne. Their GI program includes services such as beach butlers, concierge, 24-hour room service, premium beverages and gourmet cuisine. The food was truly amazing ­ there are à la carte options for every meal, or you could opt for the buffet at breakfast or stay on the beach and enjoy the beach barbeque at lunch. The most difficult decision of the day was what restaurant to choose for dinner ­ every meal in every restaurant was a treat! Our family has food allergies that have proven to be a challenge for even the most expensive restaurants in our travels and we were most impressed with how well the resort managed it. At the Azulitos Kids Club, staff and activities for children were always well-organized and professional. The children's program for the week was posted so that kids and parents could choose their activities in advance. I can't say enough about this amazing resort - the nightly entertainment, the tequila bar, the new gym and spa opening in May! If you are interested ­ give us a call ­ Ross and I would be delighted to personally speak with you about our vacation! Not interested in a family resort? Karisma has adult-only GI resorts too! www.karismahotels.com Cheers! Trish McTavish Ont Reg No 1437985 WE'VE MOVED www. HURRY! GOVERNMENT REBATES END SOON ACT NOW! 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