Press Releases

NEUSTADT, West Grey, Ontario —

NEUSTADT, West Grey, Ontario —

Saugeen Connects gives youth a chance to receive grants to try self-employment over the summer months

48 students are embarking on their entrepreneurial journey this summer starting 40 student businesses

Saugeen Connects launches 3rd Annual Summer Student Start-up Program

Saugeen Connects, an economic development partnership consisting of the Saugeen Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) with six municipalities; Arran-Elderslie, Brockton, Hanover, Minto, Wellington North, and West Grey, are providing the opportunity for 59 youth to launch 50 businesses throughout the Saugeen region. These students, from grades 6 to 12, have started various businesses which include; lawn care, dog walking, babysitting, selling hand-made merchandise, working a concession stand, and other innovative business ideas. Saugeen Connects would like to briefly introduce the incredible student entrepreneurs and their businesses: Arran-Elderslie is delighted to see two new businesses owned and operated by local youth. Fianna McKnight sells a variety of custom memorabilia like acrylic pins, magnets, stickers, and keychains; Erika Bryson is running her own apparel store. Out of Brockton , SSUP enabled the start-up of nine new businesses run by 10 excited youth. Avery Filsinger is running her own sausage stand; Cooper Turner is offering babysitting services; Dakota Hall makes personalized cards; Domenic Valeriote is pursuing lawn care; Kody Kanters creates custom woodworking; Lauren Rowe sells hand-made polymer clay dragons and rock paintings; Lukas Grove is selling firewood; Peyton Young owns a business selling pork; Brooklyn Metcalfe and Ryleigh Zettler are working together to sell spa and bath kits. From West Grey , seven creative youth have each started their own businesses. Colin Myatt is creating and selling metal and wood creations; Jacob Schade is selling firewood; Megan Dick has a business manufacturing and selling hand-made garden metal art; Sebastian Watt has pursued a passion selling environmentally- and allergy-friendly baked goods; Theresa Manion is excitingly pursuing pet care; Zasha Ortman is raising and selling poultry; Alexandria Boyko is breaking into the babysitting industry. SSUP has helped six wonderful youth to start up their own businesses in Wellington North . Addison Schmidt is working to sell baked goods; Avery Heffernan’s business offers art decor; Conner Schmidt has returned to the SSUP program with his lawn care services; Noah Seddon’s business, Balloon, Ninja offers balloon twisting and treats; Reuben Seddon is managing British candy sales at his business, Reuben’s British Sweets; Sparrow Dekorte is commissioning artwork through their business, Sparrow Sage Arts. Minto welcomes eight businesses run by nine hardworking students. Brayden Moore and Bernie Hale operate Ground Control Lawn Maintenance; Calista Glazema offers both babysitting and lawn care services; Carter Shannon opened her own sweet corn and vegetable stand; Claire Jacques and Nicole Lyte each own and operate their own babysitting services; Mobile Meals is run by Graham Blahunt offering grocery and food delivery to local households; Jake Hymers is selling farm fresh eggs; Lyra Miller-Natale has created a business that offers babysitting and dog walking. A total of 14 businesses have started up in Hanover thanks to 21 exciting youth. Ashlynn Lantz and Izzy Young each own and operate their own babysitting services; Elizabeth Seifried’s business, Lovely Rainbow Looms, sells handmade bracelets; Ireland Mathers creates and sells bracelets; Kassidy Charlton is offering scrunchies; Kaylee Lantz is manufacturing novelty word socks; Kyler Edwards is pursuing dog walking while making and selling homemade dog treats; Truffles4You by Lila Dow is selling chocolate truffles; Linda Cotter’s business Blind Squirrel is selling BBQ rub; Lyndon Cabral offers lawn maintenance; Talen Brown is at work manufacturing ramps and rails for skateboarders and BMX bikers; Cody and Marissa Carter are working together to offer Amazon returns resale services; Aislinn O’quinn and Oliver Battye are operating their own music production company; Neptune Scoops, a local ice cream truck operating in the LaunchPad parking lot, is run by Sam Beals, Abbie Ghent, Grace Weber, Karina Hahn, Zanné Stassen, as well as Sara Ottwell from Brockton. Throughout the Saugeen region , the SSUP also enabled four additional businesses to operate through the work of four dedicated youth. Easton’s Outdoor Supplies, run by Easton Croft from Chatsworth, sells bait, bagged ice, and gardening supplies; Mal Equestrian, through the hard work of Mallory Luxton from Southgate, provides animal photography services; Golden Bites, run by Charli Marshall from Southgate, sells homemade dog treats; Lettering by Lesley, owned by Lesley Walter from South Bruce, provides buyers with custom mugs and shirts. SSUP is a funding program aimed at school-aged youth in the Saugeen Connects catchment area. Saugeen SSUP presented local youth entrepreneurs with a virtual welcome presentation by keynote speaker Daniel Lewis as well as online workshop training, start-up funding, a meet-and-greet with sponsors, and an opportunity to earn bonus cash through active participation in SSUP initiatives. Saugeen SSUP is made possible thanks to member municipalities acquiring private-sector funding. Find out more at saugeenconnects.com/youth. A huge note of thanks goes to the following supporters: Supported By: Bruce County Grey County Wellington County Five Star Sponsors: 88.7 The River, Wellington North Hanover Raceway, Hanover Rotary Club of Paisley, Arran-Elderslie The Royal Bank of Canada, Minto Saugeen Economic Development Corporation Three Star Sponsors: Blessings to You, Minto Hanover’s Innovative People Program Meridian Credit Union, Hanover Rotary Club of Walkerton, Brockton Wellington North Mayors Charity Curling Bonspiel Wellington North Youth Action Council West Grey Chamber of Commerce One Star Sponsors: Libro Credit Union, Minto Minto Chamber of Commerce Hanover Chamber of Commerce Hanover Lions Club Rotary Club of Clifford, Minto Rotary Club of Hanover Rotary Club of Tara, Arran-Elderslie Stephen & Sue Townsend, West Grey The Mortgage Centre Durham, West Grey West Grey Durham Lions Club

In 2019, Saugeen Connects launched the Saugeen Student Start-Up Program (SSUP) enabling local youth to become entrepreneurs and run their own summer businesses. This summer, 50 new businesses will launch thanks to the continuation of SSUP. Saugeen Connects is an economic development partnership that includes Arran-Elderslie, Brockton, the Town of Hanover, the Town of Minto, the Township of Wellington North, West Grey, and Saugeen Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). Students from across the Saugeen Region in grades 6 to 12 pitched their business ideas to the Saugeen Connects team and 59 local youth were accepted into the program. SSUP provides the youth with start-up funding and soft-skills business training enabling them to operate successful summer businesses. “We are pleased to see growth in the Saugeen Student Start-Up Program as we continue to offer this opportunity to young and passionate entrepreneurs,” said Rose Austin, General Manager, SEDC. “After having to take a year off from the program it is gratifying to see an increase in application quantity and quality. This program aims to ignite the spirit of community and entrepreneurialism in our local youth by providing seed funding and workshop training.” SSUP is a funding program aimed at school-aged youth in the Saugeen Connects catchment area. The Saugeen SSUP includes a virtual welcome presentation with keynote speaker Daniel Lewis, online workshop training, start-up funding, a meet-and-greet with sponsors, and an opportunity to earn bonus cash through active participation in SSUP initiatives. Saugeen SSUP is made possible thanks to member municipalities acquiring private-sector funding. The summer companies include various businesses within the agricultural, retail, service, manufacturing, and hospitality sectors, plus many more unique and innovative ideas. Watch for these businesses in action this summer and follow #SaugeenSSUP across social media platforms.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source. A huge note of thanks goes to the following supporters: Supported By: Bruce County Grey County Wellington County Five Star Sponsors: 88.7 The River, Wellington North Hanover Raceway, Hanover Rotary Club of Paisley, Arran-Elderslie The Royal Bank of Canada, Minto Saugeen Economic Development Corporation Three Star Sponsors: Blessings to You, Minto Hanover’s Innovative People Program Meridian Credit Union, Hanover Rotary Club of Walkerton, Brockton Wellington North Mayors Charity Curling Bonspiel Wellington North Youth Action Council West Grey Chamber of Commerce One Star Sponsors: Libro Credit Union, Minto Minto Chamber of Commerce Hanover Chamber of Commerce Hanover Lions Club Rotary Club of Clifford, Minto Rotary Club of Hanover Rotary Club of Tara, Arran-Elderslie Stephen & Sue Townsend, West Grey The Mortgage Centre Durham, West Grey West Grey Durham Lions Club

Saugeen Connects Announces Partnership with Arran-Elderslie