6 Friday, January 14, 2022 brooklintowncrier.com As early as 1840, Brooklin had an undertaker and furniture business. Funerals were held in the homes of the deceased. But this had become a burden to residents and was gradually phased out. To meet the increasing need, Murray Armstrong Robinson built Brooklin's first memorial funeral chapel in 1950 on the main floor of a red brick building at 79 Baldwin St., N. He moved his family to live on the upper floors. Not only did residents trust Robinson to take care of their deceased, they also trusted him to save their lives. He had an ambulance business before it became regulated in Ontario, to provide service in Brooklin. No matter the time of day or night, when residents heard his siren, they knew he was on his way to an accident or the Oshawa hospital. Respected resident During his 70 years in Brooklin, Robinson became a valued and well-respected member of the community. Kind and empathetic, he had the attributes necessary to build trust so it was no surprise when he followed his father Alvin Armstrong Robinson, known as "AA", into the undertaking and furniture sales business. Murray Robinson was educated at the Brooklin Continuation School and the Whitby Collegiate Institute. He served a two year apprenticeship under his father to earn his embalming licence and took over the family business after "AA" passed away in April, 1939. Two years later he married Lucille who had moved to Brooklin from North Dakota to manage the Bell Telephone office. He closed the furniture business in 1942 when he became a part-time clerk at the Whitby Township office on Cassels Road. Shortly after, he took a leave of absence from the Township to sign up with the RCAF. His mother and sister, along with a Port Perry colleague, operated the funeral business until the war was over. War service Trained in Ontario and New Brunswick, Flying Officer Robinson flew coastal patrols off Nova Scotia until he was transferred to the RCAF's Ferry Command as a navigator, flying bombers from Montreal to Prestwick, Scotland, and returning by troopship. In the early 1960s, when roads were named by the Suburban Roads Commission, Winchester Road was Suburban Road No. 3. Robinson thought the name did not suit the town so he made the suggestion of changing it to Winchester Road, after the original name of Brooklin. In 1965, Robinson left his clerk's position to hold a part-time position of secretary treasurer to the Township School Area of Whitby. Three years later the Town of Whitby and Whitby Township amalgamated and a year after that the Ontario County Board of Education was formed. Robinson chose to work full-time with the Board and closed his funeral business. In 1974, when Durham Region was formed, Robinson became the administrative assistant to the business director until retiring in 1982. In March, 1987, while on vacation, Murray Robinson and Lucille died two days apart. They were buried in the family plot at Groveside. The First Undertaker By Jennifer Hudgins January is officially Veganuary, which is a month-long vegan challenge. You can start anytime by signing up at https://veganuary.com/en-us/ and you'll be sent daily emails with tips and information. The Veganuary team's mission is to inspire and support people to try vegan and drive change towards more compassionate food choices and improve human health. According to their website, over 850.000 people participated in this challenge last year. So whether you are making the change for health or animal welfare reasons, you can find support on this website. One of the Copper Branch restaurant team told me why he went vegan. He'd done a one-month challenge and, at the end of the month, had so much energy that he'd lost 25 lbs. My own experience was similar. In October, 2010, I also did a one-month vegan challenge and my energy levels soared, though I didn't lose weight. Try the challenge Challenges can be good. They give you time to reap some of the benefits; they help form healthy habits; and they can be a fun accomplishment. Sticking to a challenge, whether for weight loss, fitness, or plant-based, can be tricky. Life happens so it's easy to slip into your comfortable ways of living. Try your best and don't beat yourself up if you don't complete it. I recently had a fantastic meal at Il Fornello's in Ajax, an Italian restaurant with an extensive plant-based menu. Gone are the days of piecing together a meal by ordering side veggies and salads. If a 30-day challenge is something that appeals to you, here are a few tips to help support you: Be prepared by planning your recipes and buying ingredients in advance. Keep your meals simple on weeknights so you don't feel overwhelmed. Make sure you eat enough. You should still have about 2,000 calories a day, depending on your activity level. Check restaurant menus before you go or search online for vegan restaurant options since staff won't always know what being plant-based is. Hire a plant-based coach to help ensure you're getting the proper nutrients. I love the Facebook group Durham Vegans. Members are constantly posting tips on where to find great food. Have a few easy convenience foods, like plant-based burgers, for when you're tired and want something easy. Enjoy a wide variety of foods. Be compassionate with yourself if you later learn there was something not plant-based in your meal. It happens to all of us. You have not failed. Keep it simple with easy recipes and ingredients you like. Don't preach your change. Nobody likes a reformist attitude. Before heading out of town, research vegan restaurants and menus. You can download the Happy Cow app on your smartphone to make it easy. Eat the rainbow and enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure optimal gut health. Sheree's hack: Recruit a friend for support and the sharing of tips. Welcome to "Veganuary" Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson 413: No Tolls 412-418: Tolls Still there