Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Natural Elements Wellness Centre. They offer a variety of unique wellness services, in an incredibly beautiful spa like environment that welcomes you as soon as you step inside the front door. I would go there just to soak in the atmosphere, and shop. The treasures for sale are just another reason to go see for yourself. Candles, bath products, crystals and jewelry just to name a few! As a registered massage therapist for almost 20 years, I’ve seen and heard about all kinds of alternative therapy and couldn’t wait to try out the float tank experience at Natural Elements.  I really didn’t know what to expect, aside from my google search findings, however I did know it was going to be very salty.  How salty? 1000 pounds worth.  So floating in salty water, in a dark room, in complete isolation, void of light, sound, and smell.  Total sensory deprivation.  Sounds like fun doesn’t it.  (Of course it doesn’t, it sounds terrifying) Guess what.  I highly recommend it.  It’s anything but scary.  The atmosphere is enough to calm anyone’s frazzled nerves, and the float experience is unlike anything I’ve ever tried.  You enter a private room where there’s a place to undress and shower before entering the float chamber.  Kori Gordon, the lovely lady who’s the face behind the incredible new business, gives you a thorough run down on exactly how to prepare yourself before you float, what to do if you’d like to ask anything or need something during your float, and what to do when you’re done.  Ear plugs are provided so you don’t get the salt water in your ears, also to block sound, and a cloth and spray bottle with water can be taken into the float tank with you in case you get the salt water near your eyes.  On with the floating bit.  I’m fairly analytical, so even though I understand how salt increases the density of water which makes you float, I couldn’t quite imagine that I would float without ACTUALLY doing it myself, on purpose, because I took swimming lessons.  Guess what.  You’ll float. It’s so floaty. You can’t sink, even if you TRY.  And I tried because I’m like that. I had to see.  So if you’re scared of water, can’t swim, think you’ll fall asleep and sink, or any combination thereof, fear not. It’s not possible.  How does it feel during the experience? Well, since it was a new experience, a fascinating one at that, I spent the first 2 minutes trying to sink myself, the next 10 minutes, observing and pondering, then the next 10 trying to relax.  You know.  Stop thinking. Stop making grocery lists in my head. Stop wondering how cotton candy would taste on ice cream. Stop trying to remember the name of the cool song I heard 8 years ago on American Idol....or was it at my cousins wedding......just breathe.  After all, this is one of the main purposes of floating. It’s to shut down the senses. No seeing, no hearing, no feeling touch, (the water temperature is so perfect, ie:  not warm and not cool, that it seems to become part of you). I managed to spend the next 10 minutes simply floating. Weightless and relaxed. The session I was booked for was an hour, however I felt like it was long enough for me at the halfway point (which is remarkable for ME to lay there at all) and so I got up, showered, dressed, and went on my way.  My skin felt incredibly soft, I felt completely relaxed, and my back felt great. After 20 years as a registered massage therapist, I have a few of my own aches and pains that could use a little work.  I will definitely be going back to float again!  The therapeutic benefits are undeniable and I highly recommend it to anyone! Natural Elements Wellness is located at 2940 Victoria Avenue South. 

Ontario residents are going to get a bonus of their own when it comes to online gambling and online casinos. This is because big changes have been planned to allow private companies to enter the market, and thus, provide more options for players. Neighbours in Quebec may scoff at this statement because they too were supposed to benefit from private companies entering their online gambling market, which has yet to materialise. Whether these changes come to fruition may be up for debate across borders, but the evidence suggests Ontario residents will soon reap the benefits. What Has Changed? Ontario’s 11 million residents, at present, only have the option to use one site for their online gameplay. The site in question is operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gambling Corporation, meaning there is no competition from private companies. However, the Tory party have announced that they plan to change this and welcome private gambling companies into the market. For a company to join, they will have to apply for a gambling license through the state. Thus paving the way for the likes of RoyalVegas Casino and other popular brands to become active in the market. How Does This Benefit Gamblers? It’s a well-known economic equation that the more choice that a consumer has, the bigger it benefits them. This is because companies have to compete with each other to gain a bigger share of the market. As a result, prices are kept down and more bonuses or discounts are on offer. Although there is research to suggest too much choice can also cause us problems, this is unlikely to affect a regulated gambling market that is only just opening up to more businesses. The changes are not just going to give players better value for money and more bonuses. They may well gain more gaming experiences to choose from with better interfaces. Overall, these changes will benefit gamblers and businesses in many ways. Have They Proposed Other Changes? Away from the tables and slot machines, the Tory government is also proposing other gambling changes that will shake things up. They want to make it possible for local residents to place bets on single-game sporting events and overturn the current system which is limited in this department. Real-world casinos in the state will also be allowed to promote that they offer free alcohol to players, which they were previously disqualified from promoting. Alcohol features in some of the other propositions, including the right for convenience stores to sell bottles of wine and cans of beer; along with hooch being allowed to be served past its current curfew. The only current online gaming site in Ontario, PlayOLG.ca, will not be neglected from changes either. The government wants to see their interactive gaming machines updated to offer better experiences and they want players to be able to buy their lottery tickets with their smartphones. In A Nutshell The Ontario government is causing earthquakes in the online gaming and alcoholic beverage industry. Will things play out as planned or will there be a repeat of what happened in Quebec? We’ll find out in due course…

The third annual Wheat City 5km fun run, put on by Anytime Fitness Brandon, is slated to take place on Saturday, September 7. The event hosted by Grand Valley Campground features hilled terrain, mud, a maze, inflatable obstacles, agility obstacles, a foam finish and much more. The event is open to all fitness levels and participants (12+) and is a rain or shine event. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed individual and best dressed team. There will be food and concessions available as well as a 18+ beer garden with proceeds going to Westman Dreams For Kids. This year campsites (18+ only) are available through Grand Valley Campground at a rate of $10/person. For more information, or to register,  please visit their Facebook event page.

Brandon, MB – Piloted in 2017, the Incredible Edible Route is coming back to Brandon! Our inaugural year consisted of twelve navy self-watering planters overflowing with fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and positioned at various locations in the downtown. In 2018, we grew from 12 to 17 locations and will be adding more workshops and a local food publication in 2019. The projects message is that gardens are more than having an isolated space to garden – it is the chance to connect and work together with the community around the unifying theme of food. “This is more than just growing vegetables in a public space,” says Hope Switzer, Community Development Coordinator of the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation (BNRC) and Incredible Edible Team Lead “It’s about connecting and community building - as well as deciding what our neighbourhoods look like.  We want to transform our community into a healthier, more enjoyable, and productive place for us to live." Incredible Edible Brandon was inspired by the success of Incredible Edible Todmorden, UK, a small town in the North of England, by a group of like-minded individuals intent on enriching communities with access to local food. The movement focuses on three “spinning plates”: • The Community Plate - growing produce and working together • The Learning Plate - providing training from field to classroom to kitchen • The Business Plate - supporting local commerce There are a number of ways to get involved including: sponsoring a garden bed, volunteering to maintain a planter, or picking the produce to take home and eat! Be sure to look for our Incredible Edible Brandon logo and the “Food to Share – it’s all free” signage for these special gardens. Remember not to disturb any of our wonderful community gardens. Unlike Incredible Edible Gardens, Community Gardens are assigned to individuals and are not open to the public to pick from. To date, sponsors include: The Cooperators, Healthy Brandon, Brandon University, City of Brandon, Assiniboine Adult Collegiate, BDO, The Dock on Princess, CMHA’s Global Market, Zeke’s Jewellers, Lindenberg Seeds, New System Store, Evolution Bookkeeping, Meghan Hamill Lashes, The Green Spot, Western Manitoba Regional Library,  Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba. The Kick-off to this year’s Incredible Edible Brandon project is set to take place May 25th, 2019 at “Eco Day in May” held at the Global Market. Planting of the planters will take place on May 23rd at 4pm (Global Market).

Mark Derlago is the guest on this edition of Community Connection. Mark spent three seasons playing hockey for his hometown Brandon Wheat Kings before heading out on a very successful professional career which has seen him play in many countries including Denmark, Germany, and Japan. Nickname: Billy First job: Paper boy in Brandon What’s the last adventure you went on: Malaga Spain in February If you were trying out for Canadian Idol what would be your go to song: Bobcaygeon-Tragically Hip Best sports movie of all time: Major League Your dream golfing foursome includes yourself and these three people: Bill Murray, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods Which former teammate would make a great coach: Dustin Friesen Your fast food guilty pleasure: Spicy Chicken at Wendy's What accomplishment in your career are you most proud of to date: Named in ECHL top 30 greatest players of all time. Backyard BBQ or Formal Dinner: BBQ What movie title best describes your life: Lost in Translation Of all the cities I have played hockey in, this is my favourite city to live: Nottingham England Who was your childhood celebrity crush: Kelly Kapowski-saved by the bell Apart from loved ones, what’s your most treasured possession: Roberto Alomar autographed baseball. Best piece of advice you have been given: First year in junior, our coach Mike Kelly told me not to be impressed by anyone. What’s your go-to meal when cooking: Tacos What’s something you don’t know, but want to learn: play guitar What's your go-to song to get pumped up for practice or a game: Just some good country is all I need. Who would make you totally star struck: Darryl Wolski They say that everyone has a book in them. What would your book be about: Coming back from a broken neck and travelling the world with my family.