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BUSINESS While many take this country for granted, Brando, in the short time he‘s been here, has learned to love Canada and has learned what this country is all about â€" freedom and free enterprise. Everyday that Michael Brando is allowed to stay in Canada is a moral victory for him. { The 21â€"yearâ€"old selfâ€" employed Brando, who fled his home country of Nicaragua at the age of 15, is planting roots in the Waterloo community by establishing Brando Enterâ€" prises. His oneâ€"man busiâ€" ness sees him delivering mdirsulhrzgwucordi- Michael Brando, owner o/ tioner salt during the day, himself busy with numerot plowing driveways in the early hours of a dark winter morning, and landscaping in the summer. With plenty of enthusiasm and the willingness to work, Brando proudly displays his ability to keep himself busy at jobs, which span throughout the region. He‘s been in Canada for the past two years waiting to hear a ruling from Citizenship Immigration Canada to see if he qualifies to become a citizen of Canada. With the small mountain of paper work that the government has to go through, the final decision could take up to another year. However, while waiting, he established his own business and even hired students for summer employment. "T‘m not here for a free ride," said Brando. "I‘m not afraid of hard work. There are plenty of opportunities around if Nicaraguan refugee makes his own opportunities Peter Cudhea Chronicle Staff Unable to get a loan, :%' Brando has saved and | d scraped every penny he earned to buy a truck for plowing and another for delivering salt. "I spend the Michael Brando, owner of Brando Enterprises, keeps money that comes in. himself busy with numerous jobs throughout the region _ When 1 earn more money by getting more customers, ingeanapmmsitmnceme om seiih mc en ce you‘re not afraid of hard work." He recently expanded his business to include delivering water conditioning salt to homes and businesses in Kitchâ€" enerâ€"Waterloo and even as far as Guelph. Although he operates out of the back of Glenbriar Bottled Water Co. Ltd., 185 Frobisher Dr., he‘s his own boss. He admits that it takes a strong back to deliver the salt and carry the bags up and down stairs and knows how difficult it would be for seniors, or even someâ€" one with a bad back, to lug 50 to 75 kilogram bags around. then I‘ll buy more trucks and hire people to help." He‘s not one who enjoys sitting around watching televiâ€" sion, but with three to four part time jobs, which also includes house painting and a part time job at a local home brewing company, there‘s not much time for that, anyway. "I look at work in a fun way and I enjoy it. Although 1 don‘t get much sleep, I‘ve never been a person who needed much sleep." Brando, who also speaks Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, taught himself to speak English. A former Bluevale colleâ€" giate student, his future goal is to get into the business proâ€" gram at Wilfrid Laurier University to study the global business market. Brando can be reached at 743â€"4815, or 888â€"7879 THE $E LUNG ASSOCIATION has the perfect Christmas Gift U 26 AREA MAPS WITH TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS McPhails Cycle & Sport Cyclepath TRAIL GUIDE $6.95 | When You Can‘t Breathe, Nothing Else Matters and The Lung Association â€" Waterloo Region the Torontoâ€"Dominion Bank in Waterloo Town Square for their coâ€"operation and support in receiving and opening Christmas Seal Envelopes. Adventure Guide The Christmas Seal objective is $320,000 for Waterloo Region. Guide to Year Round Fun! acknowledges the support of THE:fLUNGAssoaATDN ‘The Christmas Seal People â€" _ 886â€"8100 The Christmas Seal People Â¥! Cross Country Skiing 17 waiking 19 Hiking â€"_€9 Mountain Biking ( LUNG ASSOCIATION Available now at: WATERLOO REGION WATERLOO REGION Support The Lung Association‘s Christmas Seal Campaign Ontario Sports Cyclepath 13