Warm weather turns our focus to outdoor life.
WARM WEATHER entices us into backyards, parks and fields. We golf, swim, cycle, camp. We fly kites. It’s time once again to embrace life outdoors.
We look forward to children laughing as they run. We listen to songbirds. And we check out the newest warm-weather fashions.
The annual Outdoors issue brings you interesting stories about people who like to venture beyond their front doors.
Our Couples feature looks at two people who don’t need anyone to tell them to go fly a kite. Many of us were children when we first experienced the joys of kite-flying. Lucy Jonkman and Kerry St. Dennis take the simple pleasure to new heights with their intriguing designs.
Grand writer Barbara Aggerholm talks to them about their relationship, creating kites, and their special project to honour veterans and others who put their lives on the line. (page 38).
Cycling is another outdoor activity gearing up at this time of year. Writer Sam Toman looks at the sport’s growing popularity. He finds that our blend of rural and urban landscapes is drawing attention as a prime spot to compete, or to just enjoy a day on the bike (page 54).
Ian Evans was looking for a new adventure, after cycling across continents. He found it in a place few will ever experience. His Antarctic expedition tested him mentally and physically. You can read his first-person account starting on page 81.
A sense of adventure also spurs families to vacation outdoors in tents or trailers. We wanted to know more about camping in the 21st century. Writer Carol Jankowski asked Jack Griffin from the Grand River Conservation Authority to update us on this traditional activity (page 138).
If you’re not yet swinging into spring, check out our fashion pages. They are filled with pastels, bold colours and warmweather options.
And what better way to mark Mother’s Day than with the guest appearance of our youngest model ever — lovely Vivian Wu, daughter of our cover model Anita Tam.
This is the last issue of Grand for editor Kathy Storring. We will miss Kathy’s editorial excellence, her enthusiasm and her knowledge of Waterloo Region. It has been a joy to work with her on Grand for six years.
We celebrated Kathy’s long career with a newsroom farewell that included a Grand cake, flowers and speeches. Knowing that her early retirement includes gardening, we purchased one gift straight from the pages of this issue — it’s the lovely gazing ball on page 87.
Kathy will miss working at Grand and interacting with so many fabulous people.
“Every day I was immersed in the best Waterloo Region has to offer — the philanthropy, the entrepreneurship, the beautiful homes and fashions, and the lives of people who enrich the community with their ideas and energy. It has been a privilege to interact with so many inspiring people,” she says. “I am proud of Grand and the part I have played in its decade of achievements. Now, I will watch with great interest as a new editor steps into the future.”
My favourite part of Kathy’s farewell party was the special Grand cover we produced (above). We wish her the grandest of all futures.