Schooley Mitchell shares holiday spirit with food drive
Thank you, Stratford Times for highlighting our work for the community!
1,568 Pounds of Food Collected for the Food Bank!
This year, we’re thrilled to share that Schooley Mitchell donated 1,568 lbs of food to the Stratford House of Blessing Food Bank and The Food Bank of Waterloo Region! A HUGE thank you to our staff for their generous donations. This is going to help so many people this holiday season.
Featured in the Stratford Times for our Heart & Stroke Walk
Recently, one of our employees, who is also a talented freelance writer, published this incredible piece about our fundraising efforts for Heart & Stroke in honour of our late and dearly missed coworker, Meagan Ellis. Thank you Julia Paul for writing this piece for the Stratford Times.
You can read the whole article, here, on Page 9.
1,803 Pounds of Food Collected for the Food Bank!
Over the past six weeks, our team at Head Office has been collecting food donations for Stratford House of Blessing Food Bank and The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, and we’re proud to share that we were able to donate 1,803 pounds of food! A HUGE thank you to our staff for their generous donations. This is going to help so many people in need this holiday season.
Heart & Stroke – Ride for Heart 2023
Schooley Mitchell teams in both Stratford and Kitchener participated in our yearly walk for the Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart event. Together, we raised $2,678 for critical heart disease and stroke research.
We wanted to share a couple team photos from the day. Thank you to all who donated and walked.
Check Out Waypoint Church
Whether you’re going to church for the first time or need a new place to worship, check out Waypoint Church. Its an amazing community full of friendly people who welcomes everyone that wants to learn more about the faith.
SM Spotlight Mike’s Bowling Lanes
Years ago, there were three bowling alleys located in the 
beautiful town of Stratford, Ontario, but today only one remains – Mike’s Bowling Lanes.
Mike’s Bowling Lanes was originally opened in 1956 by Mike Gornyiczki. It was taken over by Len Barber in the mid ’80s and then by current owner and manager, Joe Shaw, more than a decade ago.
Shaw had just completed his Business Management degree and was having trouble finding work in that field.
Having already known Barber, Shaw was offered a part time gig working weekends at the bowling alley.
“I really enjoyed it. I made so many friends. I got to see the same people every single week and got to know everyone … it’s a great atmosphere,” Shaw said.
Twenty-one years later, Shaw can still be found working seven days a week at Mike’s Bowling, and loves every minute of it.
Today, Mike’s Bowling Lanes offers adult and youth leagues, as well as a special Olympics program.
It provides space for several types of events such as birthday parties and glow in the dark bowling.
Mike’s Bowling Lanes’ open season is from Sept to the end of April with reduced hours during May and June. It shuts down during July and August, during the warmer weather.
Mike’s Bowling Lanes is also fully licensed and has a snack bar complete with food like chicken fingers and fries.
Although Mike’s Bowling Lanes offers a great experience for people of all ages, getting people to join is one of the biggest challenges
“In this day and age, no one wants to do a weekly time commitment,” Shaw said.
Mike’s Bowling Lanes strives to alleviate the financial costs by offering weekly payments, rather than upfront in hopes of encouraging people to join.
“My biggest goal right now is to be around and go after the property,” Shaw said.
Since the property is still owned by Barber, they can’t renovate or make any large changes.
When asked about what he enjoys most about what he does, the answer was obvious – it’s the people.
“I’m one of the lucky ones. Most of the time, it doesn’t even feel like work. I know everyone here and they make it so much fun,” he said.
Being such a strong pillar of the community, Mike’s Bowling Lanes strives to support and give back any way it can.
In the past, they have hosted many fundraisers for organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, and has been home to many hockey events and other private events.
It also provides donations to local charities and organizations whenever possible.
For more information about this great business, visit it online at www.mikeslanes.ca.
Quiet Nature Featured Video
Check out this short video to learn more about Quiet Nature and how they create beautiful landscapes.
Recommendation Letter for Quiet Nature
To whom it may concern:
It is my pleasure to write this letter in recommendation of Quiet Nature Ltd. Since 1999, Quiet Nature has prided itself on providing beautiful landscaping solutions for clients all across Southern Ontario.
Quiet Nature is a start-to-finish premier landscape design, contracting and maintenance company based out of Ayr, Ontario. It works to protect and restore natural environments while? creating sustainable landscapes and outdoor living spaces for their clients. This includes natural swim ponds, waterfalls, streams, natural playgrounds and much more.
Not only is Quiet Nature dedicated to sustainability, it is also committed to giving back to the community. It donates time and money to several local organizations, including rare Charitable Research Reserve, Habitat for Humanity and The Grand River Adventure. It is also a trusted local partner of Sustainable Waterloo Region, Landscape Awards of Excellence and the Horticultural Trades Association of Ontario.
I highly recommend Quiet Nature to anyone looking to create an outdoor space that demands less time, resources and energy. With the expert team at Quiet Nature, you will have a space that is ready to live, play or grow in.
Yours truly,
Julie Beaney
Vendor Relations Manager
Schooley Mitchell
Recommendation Letter for The Chop Shop
To whom it may concern:
I am pleased to write this letter in recommendation of The Chop Shop. Located in Kingsville, Ontario, The Chop Shop is a small-town grocery store where you will find only the highest quality meats, cheeses, prepared meals, and groceries.
Although The Chop Shop is known for its huge selection of fresh cut meat like steak, chicken wings and ribs, it also has a variety of delicious prepared meals, cheeses and specialty grocery items. It even offers freezer packs in various sizes and types, depending on your budget and needs, for those looking to stock their freezer.
The friendly staff at The Chop Shop are committed to creating a pleasant shopping experience for each customer that comes through the doors. This means giving customers not only the best service, but also the best and freshest product selection.
I highly recommend The Chop Shop to anyone looking for a local grocery store with a great selection. At The Chop Shop, you will find only quality food products at very affordable prices!
Sincerely,
Julie Beaney
Vendor Relations Manager
Schooley Mitchell