Special Events and News

I would just like to take a few moments to say "thank you" to all of the wonderful people we had the pleasure of meeting and serving in Paris. I really appreciate the warm welcome that we received from the community and from our loyal and faithful friends who supported us through good and bad times when we struggled through the bridge construction. For anyone who did not have the opportunity to visit us before we closed our Paris location, I would like to take this opportunity to explain why we closed. After careful consideration, I have decided that quality of life is more important than having two successful stores. It took a long time to realize that bigger isn't always better. I have been working 60-70 hours a week for the past three years and I realized that by downsizing to just the Brantford location, I could enjoy life a little bit more. I have a wonderful husband and five teenagers at home that I would love to spend more time with. Becci, Michele and I are excited to work together in Brantford and make this store the best it can be.
We hope that you'll visit us and look forward to offering you the same wonderful products and service that you have come to know and appreciate.
Thanks so much Paris!

Lynda

Happy New Year!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. We are excited about the upcoming year ahead.
As always, we are working on new and exciting things for Serenity. We are currently working on our online store which we hope will be up and running soon. We decided to add this to our website as we have so many visitors from out of town who enjoy the candles and soaps but don't have the opportunity to visit the store as often as they'd like.

Jan and I would like to say a big "thank you" to all of you who have spread the word about our shop. Word of mouth is always the best advertising and it's so nice to see new faces coming into the store. In the past couple of weeks, we've also had lots of people come in who didn't know about us but who were delighted with something they'd received for Christmas.

Wireless Internet!!
Yes, we now have wireless internet available at Serenity...so for those of you who may still need to get some work done but would prefer a quieter, more relaxed environment, enjoy.

Sundays
We are now closed again on Sundays until the fall. We apologize for any inconvenience but we find that family time is important, not only for us, but for the great girls that work for us too.

We would also like to thank everyone who donated to the family sponsored by St. Leonard's this Christmas. We collected over $1700 along with clothing and other items that these girls needed. It was truly amazing to witness the generosity of the community in this time of need.

Thank you so much for all of your help during the past week. The support behind the Peace Petition is growing by the hour. Please continue to ask people for their encouragement in the form of new signatures only. Join the movement at Rendezvous Fine Dining and Catering 93 Dalhousie St. in Harmony Square. The sculpture will arrive at 2:30 July 2, 2008. Please respect all of the views expressed and look for common wisdom and a common goal.

"Peace takes courage"

Lynda and Jan are pleased to announce the following:

The public process leading to Brantford City Council's decision has begun. We ask for your support at the Ward Meeting to be held at T.B. Costain Community Centre, (16 Morell St.), between 7 and 9 P.M. on Wednesday July 9th.

We hope and trust you will be able to attend and show your support for small business in Ontario. We also encourage you to express your views and opinion by way of a letter, e-mail, phone call, or visit to any department or agency you see fit. The City Hall in Brantford is located at 100 Wellington St. and can serve you Mon.- Fri. 8:30-4:30,
www.city.brantford.on.ca/.

Lynda and I are both encouraged and overwhelmed by your support and advice during the last 3 months and hope to serve you better at the conclusion of this lengthy and expensive process.
We are happy to have served you for the 15 months prior to this process and endeavor to continue offering the variety of things you have come to know us for. The following is a comprehensive list of the "additional uses" we have applied for.

It is important to realize that these included uses will allow us to function as we have for the past 18 months :

Art gallery
Art studios
Places of entertainment
Restaurants - full service
Retail stores
Second hand shops
Specialty retail stores

Thank you for your patience as we hope and work to keep the serene in Serenity

Hopefully yours:

Jan and Lynda

Be on the lookout for a sculpture to be presented on Colbourne St.
The piece is sanctioned and supported by members of the Six Nations
as well as citizens of Brantford. Although Lynda and I are not politically inclined,
we feel the need to bring a sense peace and belonging to every person involved.

We demand that the sanctity of life be upheld for all races and religions.
We demand that no one gets hurt in this conflict.
We demand a timely and mutually agreeable resolution.

hopefully yours

jan and lynda

We hope to repeat our five week series on coping mechanisms designed to treat emotions in healthy ways. You can find an outline posted on January 14th just down the page from where you are now. Hope to see you there.

Dear Customers:

We need your support.

We have submitted two applications to the City of Brantford in order for us to continue to serve you. The first application has been made to slightly alter the zoning and the second application alters the Official Plan of the city.

If you enjoy the products and services we offer and would like to continue to enjoy your coffee in the atmosphere we are providing, we would greatly appreciate your support. There are four ways in which you can help:

1- by expressing your positive thoughts and feelings in the form of a letter to a City Hall
department of your choosing.

2- by signing the in-store or on-line petition to support us in our efforts to provide services at this location.

3- by calling your local city counselor and voicing your opinion and support

4- we would very much appreciate your support in person. We will be asking for you to attend a meeting at city hall in the near future.


We have cooperated with the city to do whatever is needed to meet the necessary requirements. Lynda and I have absorbed a great deal of the total costs associated with this project which does not guarantee a positive outcome.

Thanks so much,

Jan and Lynda

Friends, Canadians, and Countrymen:

Lynda and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your heartfelt support has given us the strength and courage to press forward during a difficult time. Your constant encouragement provides patience for the present, and hope for the future.

We have decided to close the store on Sundays after giving careful consideration to our neighbors
and our own needs for more time together with each other and with family. We hope to serve you better on Sundays between September and December.

Our first application will be making its way through the decision making process while we all wait for a favorable outcome. We'll keep you posted.

Dear Friends:

We thank you for your kindness, patience, and support. We hope to find a solution to the problems that face us today. We trust that you will see us through the process that is needed to bring a sense of justice to all involved in this venture.

Thank you to all the people that have contributed to a creative conflict resolution.

We are asking for a change of perspective on small business as we know it. Please support businesses that are owned exclusively by Canadians. Do all you can to support your locally run businesses. Continue to encourage your friends and neighbours in their efforts to add diversity
and strength to the variety of services and products offered by Canadians.

Only together can we make a realistic difference in how we structure our economy.

Lynda and Jan