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O -Th. Canadian Champion, Tueaday, Decembor 30, 2003 Visat us at- 487 Laurier Am., 878-2881 baut$ow Plenty of bargain at Hoin Vau Centre Main Street' outez' a win-win situation f or special needs aduits and town By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Jn the mniddle of a rather 'blah' business plaza on Main Street are two starch-white French doors and a jaunty awning that r'eads 'Horizon Value Centre'. The cheery exterior of Usis new store gives every indication of what's inside - an equaily sunny intenior with friendly staff as well as free coffee and something to nibisie. Although Use store's set-up resembles a dollar store or lqiaoncentre, Horizon Value Cnrlocated at 725 Main St. E., is mucis more. It's run partially by special needs adults - clients of Community Living North Halton - in order to support Use organization and bring in mucb-needed money. "Tie concept came out of Use fact Usat we needed to raise funds," sald Lois Forde, store manager. Horizon Value Centre officiaily opened i November - Use result of monUss of bard work. Once Use organization's board decided to pro- ceed wiUs Use idea, Use value centre's organizers got busy asking for donated products and scop- ing out deals at suppliers to stock Use store's shelves. There's now a wide variety of products includissg inexpensive items like giftware and kitchenware and bigger-ticket products like TVs. Commnunity Living NorUs Halton currentiy services about 150 clients in Milton, Georgetown and Acton. Is services range from drop-in centres and oUser recreational activities te adult residential services and its supportive employmient program. Community Living's clients belp out wiUs Use store by packaging products, stocking Use shelves and bappily greeting customers. "Tbey've really taken on ownership (of Use store). It's so mucis funs te watch," said Ms Forde, wbose 33-year-old daugister is a client of Community Living and a greeter a1 Use store. Besides raising funda, Use store also serves te offer public education. "Tie more (Use clients) are in Use store, Use more people get to know Usem," Ms Forde aid. "Tbey're no longer strangers, Usey're familiar faces." She added Usat Use clients are anxious to be accepted by Use community. "Our goal is to have a comsnunity Usat accepts Usem in everything (Usey do)." Ms Forde said ber daughter is always excited about workissg at Use value centre, and takes ber greeting job very seriously. So far, people visiting Use store bave been very receptive to Use belp and greetings offered to Usem by Community Living clients. "Tbere's a nice, friendly feeling around Use store. Our goal is to make it sbopper-friendly and cient-friendly., So far, so good," Ms Ford said. But, she said, she wishes more people knew about Use store, lis business complex location - at Use back of its Community Living North Halton office - makes it difficult to grab peo- ple's attention, she sald, despite Use attempt at creating a welcoming and noticeable entrace. 1t'm boping word spreads and Usat (Use store) becomes well known. It's been a littie slow. People don't expect a retail store in an industrial unit," Ms Forde said. Since Use store 15 tthUe satie location as Use office and Horizon Packaging - wbere many of Use store's volunteers alto work packaging prod- ucts - Ms Forde said Use atmospbere is one wbere Use clients feel comfortable. ",It's a secure place for Usemn to work, but they're stili lin the public eye," she said. Besides giving Commuunity Living clients their own jobs and creating a sense of accom- plishment, worlcing at thse store also provides them with an opportunity to improve their social skills, Ms Forde said. Before working at the store, Ms Forde was involved with Community Living as a board member. From the beginning, the ides of the store bas been created and developed by experi- enced board members including Ms Forde's busband, who bas 40) years experience supply- mng tse retail mndustry. New products arrive aithUe store weekly. "We want to change Use look of the store ail Use Urne," Ms Forde sald. Horizon Value Centre is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stephanie Thiessen can be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadianchampion.com. K«M " " tjJ Programming SchIedUle - Tuesday, Dec. 3Oth - Sunday, January 4th, 2004 & 730p6 pflf & 753OP Revi,,,2 & 7:Spm Re,,wl., 3 ~ 1e~~ .& M, &73pm R,,,, nIY i NORTH HALTON STUDIO 6:0p Bc B'00Md & 50mRve i :0nF l3p. Flv« 5:10r Se,&M Sho&,, Lauder Plaza 500 Lauder Avenue Milton, ON L9T 4R3A v - 905-878-9306 a e tI -F