Friday, March 22, 2024 3 Brooklin Town Crier Brooklin's Community Newspaper Proud to be a Brooklinite Since 2000. Published 24 times per year. Editor, Richard Bercuson 613-769-8629 • editorofbtc@gmail.com • Circulation 8000 • Delivery via Canada Post Locally owned and operated. A publication of Appletree Graphic Design Inc. We accept advertising in good faith but do not endorse advertisers nor advertisements. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. For advertising information, contact: Email: mulcahy42@rogers.com Next Issue: Friday, April 5, 2024 Deadline: Friday, March 29, 2024 Brooklin TOWN CRIER.com Willam Shatner and I share humble beginnings. We are both alumni of Montreal Children's Theatre. He became Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise and T.J. Hooker. I became, well, me. There are foggy memories of those days when the Children's Theatre used the upstairs hall at the Town of Mount Royal Arena. Before an audience of perhaps a few dozen, my debut as the Beast in "Beauty and the Beast" was hailed by my mom as a theatrical milestone. Or was it millstone? No matter. I was six years old and didn't need to sing or dance since it was ages before Disney transformed it into a charming musical. So when I attended The Song Spot's production of the Disney show on the weekend, I already harboured a weakness for the story. My date was my eight year old granddaughter who loved every minute and demanded a photo afterwards with Aubrey Ledger who played Belle. True to form for a show's star, Aubrey happily posed with her and made her day - and night. Let's be clear about these productions. They're not Mirvish nor Broadway. They're not even Off Off Broadway (which, you should know, has some fantastic shows). Live theatre has a verve, a pulse, an innocent energy you can't get from professional shows nor from films. When the performers are kids, even better. Everyone's standards are tempered. We expect some singers won't hit every note and some dancers will be out of unison; lines may be mumbled; cues missed; mikes may pop; scene transitions will be awkward. So what?. As the cast shouted in unison after taking their bows, "We did it! We did it! We did it!" Their pride in the accomplishment was palpable. The audience, naturally, responded with a standing "O," not because the cast nailed every bit of it but rather because they tried to nail it, and mostly did. Anyone not related to the energetic cast had to bear a bit of glint in the eye for the effort alone. Shaan Singla's Beast was beast-like when he needed to be and a perfect gentlemen in the end. Somehow Ryan Tonoo as Lumière was able to keep both hands aloft, gripping candles, for over an hour while Fiona Guindon (Mrs. Potts) spent most of the show with one arm crooked to her hip to replicate a teapot. Gaston's "henchman" Lefou (Mia Wells) exited one scene with an unscripted flourish that drew a good laugh. And the costuming was inspired. Whose idea was it to plunk little Chip into a wagon made to look like a table top? Local theatre is an unheralded gem that tends to be overshadowed by a t h l e t e s ' and teams' successes in sport. However, what theatre teaches is more organic, personal and inclusive. It's teamwork of an entirely different sort - and just as important. Less than half the picture: The Beauty of "Beauty and the Beast" By Richard Bercuson One important financial goal you might have is saving for your child ren 's post-secondary education. But, this is likely not your only financial goal and it is often difficult to prioritize and consider your complete financial picture. Discussing with your financial advisor all of your financial goals will help you work together to develop a strategy that factors in all of your priorities and sets you on a course that will best help you achieve them. Here are strategies to consider as you plan: Setup a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) - An RESP is a tax-deferred savings account designed to help you save for post-secondary education. The government will match 20% on every dollar of the first $2,500 you save in your child's RESP each year to a maximum of $500 per year for each child up to a $7,200 lifetime maximum. In addition, low- and middle-income families may qualify for the Canada Learning Bond up to $2,000. Consider setting up an automatic payment plan - You can set up an automatic payment plan which systematically withdraws funds from an account to make contributions to your RESP. Create a budget and stick to it - Work with your financial advisor to determine a monthly contribution amount you can afford and increase it when you can. Involve your family - For special occasions like birthdays and holidays, you could encourage grandparents or other family members to open an RESP in your child's name or contribute to one that is already set up. Explore financial assistance options - A good place to start is the Government of Canada's Resource page at canada.ca (search education funding) where you can explore student loans, grants and scholarship options that might be available to you. By following some of these saving strategies when your children are young, the investments will have more time to grow and you will be in a better position to support your children's post-secondary education when the time comes. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Strategies to save for your children's education by Brian Evans, Financial Advisor THIS ARTICLE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT 20 Broadleaf Avenue, Unit B108, Whitby Office: 905-620-1439 Cell: 905-431-1898 brian.r.evans@edwardjones.com www.edwardjones.ca