North Country Business January 2009 3
New business heals body, mind and spirit
Somaura Health
the basis of what Opavsky ion foot baths.
and Montgomery, who owns The services are offered in
& Wellness opened
Source for Sports in Brace- a beautiful, peaceful envi-
bridge, wish to achieve. ronment at 9 Ann St. Locat-
in early January
“The idea for Somaura ed above RJ’s Hair Salon,
Health & Wellness began they have captured the
By Maria Duncalf-Barber when a friend suggested I essence of calm. Upon enter-
Registered massage thera- look into laser therapy,” ing the welcoming reception
pist Amy Opavsky and busi- explains Opavsky. “After area, a warm fireplace with
nesswoman Linda Mont- much research, the more I all the comforts of home
gomery have collaborated to saw the positive potentials greets and embraces clients.
bring a place of physical for healing. Opavsky has been a regis-
healing and personal health As a registered massage tered massage therapist since
awareness to Bracebridge. therapist I know the benefits 2004. She brings with her an
“I want to provide more of massage therapy, but was extensive therapy base
options for people to help also beginning to see limita- which includes deep tissue
heal themselves and to work tions in some of my clients. therapy, laser therapy and
on their own personal Laser therapy has the capac- myofascial release.
growth, which brings health ity to regenerate healthy tis- Also part of the Somaura
and wellness for body and sue at a much faster rate, in team is Tanya Hedley, a
spirit,” explains Opavsky, a essence, expediting the heal- holistic health practitioner.
registered massage therapist. ing process.” She brings eight years of
The result is Somaura In addition to laser thera- experience, along with her
Health & Wellness, which py, services offered within personal philosophy that if
opened its doors on Jan. 2. four different treatment the body is out of balance, it
“Somaura” is a compound of rooms include massage ther- will manifest as physical ill-
soma, which means body in apy, reflexology, reiki, Indi- ness and mental stress.
the Greek language, and an head massage, hot stone “We want to help people
PICTURE OF HEALTH: Tanya Hedley, Amy Opavsky and Linda Mont-
aura, which means energy. massage, aromatherapy, heal body, mind and spirit,”
Together, the words explain chakra treatments, sauna and says Opavsky.
gomery sit inside the sauna at Somaura Health & Wellness.
True North wins
Santa’s helpers are trained in ELF
prestigious award
By Melissa Kosowan employee, the seasoned standing the level of service says bridging generation gaps
They might be able to do employee and the youth tran- customers expect and how to isn’t as easy as it may seem.
their homework, listen to sitioning into a supervisor. provide it. “What we’re trying to do is
True North Log Homes, a Log Homes in Bracebridge. music and text message their “I said, I see this need in “The group was very happy give the generation Ys the
leading local manufacturer “We strive to always deliver friends all at the same time, our staff and I’d like to run with what they had learned,” ability to communicate with
of custom log homes, was the best products to our cus- but many of today’s youth fall this as an off-season training North-Harris says. “They felt the gen Xs and the boomers in
awarded first place by the tomers, and to be recognized short in the marketplace when program,” explains North- it was very useable. They terms of what they expect. I
U.S.-based National Associ- with such a prestigious it comes to meeting the expec- Harris. “The more we talked actually got some hands-on think part of it is that nobody
ation of Home Builders at
award is really exciting for tations of their elders. about the more we realized experience with a cash regis- knows what the other expects
the annual Showcase awards
us.” To give themselves a com- that this need isn’t just us. ter and many of them had nev- in terms of service levels. If
ceremony in Memphis, Ten-
The True North plan book petitive edge, many Muskoka This is a much bigger need er touched a cash register we could make the people
nessee on Nov. 16.
was launched earlier this year youth are turning to Santa’s right across the board.” before.” giving the service understand
The company’s plan book
along with a new website Village for help. They aren’t The three-hour, hands-on They also learned basic what levels are required and
beat out 111 American
www.truenorthloghomes.com. going to sit on Santa’s knee workshops are designed to communication skills, like why.”
entries in the Excellence in
Both feature detailed infor- and wish for skills that make give participants a working making eye contact with cus- North-Harris notes that as
Marketing and Presentation
mation and photographs on them more employable, but knowledge of customer serv- tomers and knowing what to the program evolves over
of Home Plans categories.
the company’s building rather are enrolling in a new ice, cash handling, conflict say and when. time, the focus will likely shift
True North’s winning plan
process, floor plans and cus- education program the amuse- resolution and other skills “In sports we talk about the to respond to changes in the
book introduces the ultimate
tomer’s homes all over the ment park has launched. required to be effective in the number of touches of the ball. marketplace. After the initial
in inspirational home plan-
United States and Canada. Known as the Employment workplace. Funding provided You touch the ball more success of the first session,
ning ideas, capturing both
The company is known for Learning Foundation, which by Muskoka Community times, you get more goals, she is optimistic about what
current trends and classic
custom homes, cabins and fittingly is abbreviated to Futures ensures the program you get better at your skill,” the program can accomplish.
beauty while also providing
commercial building and E.L.F., the program features is affordable for youth. she says, using it as an analo- “I hope they walk away
the information resources
their advanced one-of-a-kind 13 courses offered between The inaugural session was gy to dealing with customers. with some hands-on skills that
that consumers demand.
patented systems. Headquar- January and May 2009. The held on Dec. 30 and was “The more times it comes off make them more employable,
“This is truly a great hon-
tered in Bracebridge, True brainchild of Sarah North- capped at 20 participants who your tongue, the more com- that they understand their cus-
our – it’s the housing indus- North’s dealer network spans Harris, staff trainer for Santa’s “were like sponges,” absorb- fortable you get and the better tomers more and they are con-
try’s version of the Academy Canada and the U.S., with Village and creator of the pro- ing information. The focus you’re going to be.” fident employees. That’s what
Awards,” says Rob Wright- international sales all over gram, the initiative is divided was skills needed to land a While this might seem like I’m hoping for,” she says.
man, CEO of True North the world. into three levels, for the new summer job, including under- common sense, North-Harris
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