The Halfmoon Bay Information Referral Centre held its first trade show at the Halfmoon Bay Community School on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Information referral coordinator Wendy Pearson said the idea for the trade show started when she compiled a list of businesses in Halfmoon Bay.
“People didn’t seem to know a lot of the businesses here in Halfmoon Bay,” Pearson said. “So I thought, if we put together something where we brought home businesses together and invited the public in, maybe it would create more awareness of what we have in our community.”
Duane Perrett, owner of Sechelt Sign and Printing, was at the trade show to introduce community members to the business that he and a few other locals are launching on Nov. 1. The Sunshine Coast Gift Guide is a catalogue of products from businesses, artists and craftspeople, which Perrett said is “kind of like an online farmers’ market.”
“It’s going to be both online and it’s going to be a catalogue,” Perrett said. “People will be able to look through it and order products from representatives. [Your order] will get delivered to your house or your work.”
Perrett said he wanted to start the Sunshine Coast Gift Guide because he knows a lot of local artists who are too busy with family to sell and promote their work.
“They don’t really have the avenue to go hang out at the farmers’ market or to sell to anybody besides just their friends,” Perrett said. “I’ve done catalogues for my business before, so I thought why not incorporate other people into this too and make it benefit people on the Coast and give it a Coastal flare.”
Kathseva Fentiman is from the Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre (SRMHC) in Halfmoon Bay. They are a not-for-profit retreat centre that offers meditation, counselling, yoga and healing sessions with the centres located around the world.
Fentiman said that most of their clients come from off-Coast for retreats that last from a few days to a week or more, but she said they are trying to attract more local clients for their classes and counselling sessions that last an hour or two.
“We really want people in the community to know that we’re a resource for them,” Fentiman said. “So people can come and just be with us in our meditation – which is free – or we can teach meditation to people as well.”
SRMHC is offering a meditation seminar for kids five to 12 years old on Nov. 7 and 8. See www.selfrealizationhealingcentrecanada.com for details.
Dr. Denise Rochon is a naturopathic physician who has worked on the Coast for the last 24 years. Four years ago she moved her practice out of an office and into her home in Halfmoon Bay.
“I really love my work,” Rochon said. “I spend a lot of time with everyone. You know people are stressed a lot of the time, they don’t feel well and they don’t know why. So I help them to identify what is going on.”
Rochon said part of the reason she moved her practice into her home was because she felt that patients are often rushed through doctors’ appointments. Rochon said she wants her patients to feel relaxed when they see her. Rochon can be found online at www.drdeniserochon.com
There were 25 vendors at the trade show – 28 registered but three had to back out at the last minute. Pearson said at least 50 people had gone through by 11:30 a.m. with a large influx around 10 a.m.
“There’s been a lot of networking between the vendors here,” Pearson said. “The [Sechelt Public] library came down and connected with a bunch of different businesses to get some programming for the library.”
The library, the Halfmoon Bay Information Referral Centre and the Halfmoon Bay Community School have organized a partnership for Halfmoon Bay residents to order library books online and have them delivered to the Community School.
“It will be every two weeks from 4 to 5 p.m. People can come up to the school and pick up the books that they’ve ordered. And they’ll also have a return box,” Pearson said.
Orders can be placed online at sechelt.bc.libraries.coop
Pearson also said the Welcome Beach Association (WBA) has had a lot of new members sign up at the Trade Show. The WBA is working on rebuilding the hall at Coopers Green.
“They’re trying to get some new families involved in their organization,” Pearson said. “They’ve been able to talk to a lot of people today.”
