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13_V1_WAT_Dec07 • No Cost or Fee to Apply • Approval within 48 Hours • Thousands Paid Monthly! • See Website for Application Deadline. Do You Have More than 20 lbs to Lose? - Apply Now! $2,000 WEIGHT LOSS GRANT Please visit www.weightlossgrants.org for full Guidelines, Terms & Conditions. www.weightlossgrants.org Th ursday, December 7, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 13Serving your community since 1856 CITY LIFE I crossed a few more folks off my "Meet Everyone in Waterloo" list last week thanks to Jason Kipfer, who had read about my quest and invited me to attend the monthly gathering of East- bridge Business Connections (EBC). "EBC allows merchants in and around Eastbridge to strengthen ties with existing and prospective customers who reside in their own back- yard," said Kipfer, director of economic development for Explorer Solutions, an airport planning and development consulting company. He created EBC last Janu- ary, as a community-building initiative aimed at bringing Eastbridge neighbours togeth- er to learn more about each other and help make their neighbourhood more welcom- ing, collaborative and inclu- sive. I'm not an Eastbridge resi- dent myself, but was assured that I was close enough to count. Around 270 members strong, EBC typically sees about 25 people attend gather- ings held on the last Monday of each month at restaurants and establishments in and around the Eastbridge area. Kipfer has also created a strong EBC Facebook presence to facilitate networking. "We already know that our community is full of amazing and talented people, but it is the companies they represent, the products they make or the services they sell that most of us don't know about when it comes to knowing our neigh- bours," Kipfer explained. "EBC is a platform that brings the residents and merchants from within and around Eastbridge together to focus on relationship-building � rst, in the hopes that business and/or referrals will follow." It's not imperative that EBC members have their own busi- ness. Anyone is welcome, and the group is also comprised of retirees, stay-at-home parents and employees. Monthly meetups last about two hours, allowing for plenty of informal conversa- tion. Attendees can enter a draw that a� ords three of them the chance to brie� y pitch their business. � ere are door prize draws as well. At the EBC gathering I attended, Doug Chivas, owner of Working Paws, first caught my eye. Actually, it was Misty, the impeccably-behaved yel- low lab he is currently training to become an autism or PTSD service dog. I chatted with Melissa Parker from Hospice Waterloo Region; Kerri Hallman, a per- sonal trainer and owner of Fit- ness 360 for Women; Tara Wil- son, a mobile solutions con- sultant with Mobistream; and Andrew Bryden, an integrated marketing and brand building professional. Continued on page 15 PENNY WALFORD MY TWO CENTS Finding another way to belong Meet � ve-year-olds Buttercup and Bubbles. These two cats were left behind when their family moved. They have been patiently waiting to be adopted since July. When they � rst arrived they were quite shy, and have made great progress trusting new people. If you are looking for a companion or two to add to your furry fami- ly, please come and see Buttercup and Bubbles today. To meet But- tercup or Bubbles, or other pets available for adoption, visit the K-W Humane Society at 250 Riverbend Dr. in Kitchener, or call 519- 745-5615. SUBMITTED PHOTO