Support Youth Initiatives at the 5^th Kevin Weekes Celebrity Charity Golf Classic in Barbados

Join Hollywood celebrities, entertainers and professional athletes as they converge in Barbados from July 2^nd – 6^th, 2009 for the 5th Kevin Weekes Celebrity Charity Golf Classic. Presented by the Barbados Tourism Authority, the event will raise funds for two youth charities; The Phoenix Academy Barbados and Sky’s the Limit in Toronto.

The 5^th Kevin Weekes Celebrity Charity Golf Classic will bring together the business community from across North America and Barbados with celebrities such as: NFL great Michael Strahan, Young and The Restless star, Tonya Lee Williams, five-time World and Olympic Champion, Donovan Bailey, former WWE star, Trish Stratus, former Toronto Raptors head coach, Sam Mitchell, Toronto Argonauts President, Mike “Pinball” Clemons, Dainius Zubrus of the New Jersey Devils and many more.

Don’t miss the opportunity to stay at the picturesque Fairmont Royal Pavilion, and participate in the tournament hosted at the world class 18-hole championship Royal Westmoreland golf course, a 6,870 yard par 72 course of unrivalled beauty. Registration is now open to all participants at www.kevinweekes1.com.

Weekes moved the tournament to Barbados from Toronto a few years ago, honouring his Caribbean heritage, as both of his parents were born on the island.  Weekes looks forward to uniting people from around the globe to enrich the lives of youth.  “I continue to host this event in Barbados to be able to share the sights and sounds of this beautiful island with celebrity friends and business associates, but most importantly, to provide youth in Toronto and Barbados with the tools that they need to reach their goals and realize their potential,” comments Weekes.

In addition to the golf tournament, Weekes will also be hosting a celebrity party at Bert’s Bar an official event sponsor.  This night of fun, held on Saturday, July 4, 2009, will be an exciting event for the entire island, as tickets will be available to the public.

About Sky’s the Limit

Sky’s the Limit provides students with access to the tools and resources they need to pursue the infinite opportunities and possibilities available to them. This unique initiative was pursued to benefit students in under-resourced communities by providing them with refurbished computers in their homes. Sky’s the Limit ensures that a mentoring program is in place to get the students up and running and provides environmental benefits by ensuring that computer systems are reused and recycled. Core value - Sky’s the Limit provides services to all under-resourced youth regardless of race, gender, religious belief or sexual orientation. “Everybody’s kids or nobody’s kids.”

For more information, please visit: www.stlonline.org.

About Phoenix Academy Barbados

A community based institution with a focus on the total development of the youth, which includes an academic component, as well as a sports program.  The program caters to approximately 110 boys between the ages of 8 and 17 years on Saturdays and weekdays after school. The mission is to give children the opportunity to realize their true potential, build their self-esteem and pursue their dreams, while embracing basic human values – all for a better Barbados.

About The Barbados Tourism Authority

The island of Barbados offers the most authentic Caribbean experience with its exceptionally rich culture and history rooted in remarkable landscapes.  Barbados is the first and only Zagat-rated Caribbean island with numerous internationally renowned chefs who masterfully put signature spins on local delicacies and traditions. Barbados is also an ideal stage for world-class events and has hosted numerous athletic championships, including the ICC Cricket World Cup Final 2007 and the 2006 PGA World Golf Championship-The Barbados World Cup. For more information on travel to Barbados, visit www.visitbarbados.org.

For more information on this event and Kevin Weekes, visit www.kevinweekes1.com.

For media interviews please contact:

Renée Weekes

Strata Public Relations

416.894.7209

rweekes@stratapublicrelations.com

A few weeks ago we introduced you to SmartBride Boutique. A website that offers ways to buy and sell wedding artifacts and a great way to recoup some of the money  from your big day.  In this blog we will be discussing some sellers tips if you’re planning on selling any of your goods at the Smart Bride Boutique:  

Get your dress cleaned right away.  This prevents stains from setting in.

BUDGET TIP: Dont pay extra for the preservation, you’ll have to take it out of the box if you plan to sell it

anyways.

Keep the dry cleaning receipt in case a potential buyer wants to see it

Sell your dress within the first year to maximize what you recoup. After your style is no longer in shops,

the price you can get for it will decrease.

Take your measurements before or soon after your wedding day so you can include them in your

posting.  This really helps people searching know whether or not the dress will fit them.

Be sure to mention what alterations have been done and whether or not they are reversible.  After the

dress is altered, it’s no longer still the dress size it started as - people need to know how it’s been

changed.

Keep the contact information for your seamstress, as they often know the most about the dress.

Price it right:

o       Start at about 50% off the retail cost and adjust for any minor damages to the dress, and the age of the dress. Dresses more than 2-3 years old should be discounted.

o       Dresses that have not been cleaned should be discounted.

Stay tuned for more tips for Smart Bride Boutique for those looking to BUY items from the hot new wedding website! And don’t hesitate to check out: www.smartbrideboutique.ca

Until next time… Happy Planning!

Amalia & Tiffany

There’s so many products out there it’s hard to keep them all in check. Which is why we’ve decided to periodically do a blog about different ingredients that you might find in your daily life that might be good or bad for you. Today we wanted to focus on Palm Oil:

Palm oil is an edible plant oil that comes from the fruit and ernels of the oil palm. Real palm oil contains high amounts of beta-carotene giving it that naturally reddish look. Palm Oil is widely used as a cooking oil, or as an ingredient in margarine but can also be found in many soaps, washign powders, beauty products and more recently as a feedstock for bio oil.  

Why you might want to avoid Palm Oil

Since there has been such a demand for the oil, those in the industry must go to tropical environments to where its found. Thus, using palm oil can be seen as fuelling the unfortunate destruction of tropical rainforests around the world. This has lead to the increased number of endangered species like Sumatran and Borean Orangutans to be pushed even closer to extinction. If palm oil is destroyed at the rate its going it is estimated to wipe out these orangutans sometime in the next 20 years.

Some interesting facts about palm oil:

• Palm oil is now the second most widely produced edible oil.
• Palm oil is found in many everyday products including biscuits, crackers, batters, chips, shampoo, skin care and beauty products, in different varieties of pet food, to name a few.
• It is also found in a wide array of products sold in natural food stores.
• Palm Oil is also used as a biofuel and the demand for this fuel alternative is adding to the problem.

Try Sustainable Palm Oil

When looking for products with palm oil it is best to do a little research before hand. Making sure the palm oil is sustainable is a big factor in saving the environment. Some plantations have specific management practices and have implemented better practices (BMPs) in existing plantations to make sure all palm oil can sustain itself. Also, some have used these practices in the development of new plantations by improving the land-use planning processes. Palm oil production has also changed at a higher financial level with the Responsible investments in oil palm. Financial analysts have introduced improvements of risk analysis/decision-making tools for banks and investors on palm oil development.

For more information on Sustainble Palm Oil, check out the round table discussion happening at: www.rspo.org

Until Next Time….

Amalia & Tiffany

So few weeks ago Amalia embarked on a journey to kick-start herself physically, spirtually and emotionally. While attending the Smartbride Boutique Spring Charity (www.smartbrideboutique.com) event, She happened to meet Sammie Richards the creator and owner of Booty Campy Fitness, through Suzanne Colmer the owner of YourGiftShop Girl (www.yourshopgirl.com).

Sammie has created a program where women can work out with other women, without the pressure of scrutiny sometimes experienced at the gym. Working out 2 hours a week at camp and 1 additional hour at home will kickstart your fitness routine and show you results in as little as two weeks. Booty Camp Fitness uses the core princples of the following disciplines:

• Circuit Training
• Hand to Hand cardio combat (no contact)
• Core strengthening
• Body sculpting
• Yoga

Classes can take place indoors or outdoors and are broken into 4 week and 8 week sessions, you can go at your own pace, as well. Either way you’re going to SEE results.

“What is great about the classes is that if you’re getting married and you and your bridal party would like to get into shape for your big day, Booty Camp fitness is a great way to bond and have fun working out.”

Amalia was able to lose 6 inches. Beyond that she says it helped her became more focused more determined and gave her a whole new outlook on life. Her eating habits have improved and she feels much more confident.

For more information about BootyCamp Fitness check out the website at: http://www.bootycampfitness.com/ 

To a healthier you,

Amalia & Tiffany

Summer is coming and you have been working extra hard to get that beach body you’ve been wanting and you’ve done it! Congratulations! Now if only when you opened your closet there would be something to wear! Have no fear! We know you deserve something bold and different to reward yourself this year, and you don’t want to look like everyone else so we’d like to introduce you to a Fabulous new company in Toronto who can assist you with all your image consultant needs!

Introducing Suzanne Colmer, Toronto’s Style and Image Consulting Queen: With Suzanne’s years of study at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Fashion Insitute of Technology, Suzanne can help you with all your image consulting and fashion needs. With Suzanne’s help you’ll find your true self that’s been hiding! 

Don’t have a big budget? No Problem! YourshopGirl’s services can fit any budget and beyond that every consulting includes a FREE Colour analysis. From there you can move on to the package that suits your tastes and preferences! 

Each of the packages include the following:

• Complimentary Initial Consultation to discuss your needs and expectations
• Complimentary Initial Colour Analysis because colours can either work for or against you, I will teach you how to recognize the colours that complement and enhance your natural skin tone (a $95 value)
• 3 Hours* of One-on-One Image Consultation and Personal Shopping with certified image consultant Suzanne Colmer (a $350 value)
• Body Analysis to help you discover a sense of what silhouettes and proportions flatter your body and why (a $95 value)
• Personalized Style Profile helping you understand not only the “how” but also the “why” (a $45 value)
• Pre-shopping to save you time and money. I will shop before our time together to allow you to simply show up and try on (invaluable)

If you’ve ever opened your closet and turned into a big ball of confusion at the thought of pulling pieces together than Suzanne with help you. We can tell you from experience that her easy going, fun personality will give you the motivation and confidence needed to make some simple changes in your wardrobe that will give you big results in your personal and work life!

Check her out today!

http://www.yourshopgirl.com/

Happy Shopping.

Amalia & Tiffany