Teresa Brown is a freelance writer who grew up in Baden, and is the author of several published short stories and plays (including Theatre Wellesley’s recent Shootout at the Sacred Heart Saloon). She has published nonfiction articles in the annual volume of the Waterloo Historical Society, Canadian Firefighter and EMS Quarterly, Firefighting in Canada, and was a member of The Record’s Community Editorial Board in 2006 and 2007. Teresa’s short stories have also won several awards, including first place winner for Senior Prose in the 2006 Dorothy Shoemaker Literary Awards. In 2009 she launched her latest collection of short stories in a book titled “Stories from the Porch”. An active community participant, Teresa is president of the Wilmot Heritage Fire Brigades, a member of the Waterloo Historical Society and Theatre Wellesley, and is a volunteer with Box 690, the fire canteen service for Waterloo Region’s firefighters. She has been a writer with the Baden Outlook since 2006. Visit Teresa's web page at www.teresamariebrown.com.  
     
  Chris Baechler began working with the Region of Waterloo Library system in 1999. She worked at the New Hamburg Branch and Library Headquarters until 2005 when she took over as Assistant Supervisor at the Baden Branch. Chris completed her Excel Certificate in managing a small public library in 2006. She graduated from Conestoga College with a diploma in Early Childhood Education in 1985, and was the supervisor/ teacher of Kingsdale Participating Preschool for 7 years. Since 1998, she has also been the Healthy Start Program Coordinator at the Wilmot Family Resource Centre. This relationship skills program has been taught to young children and their families in the 4 rural townships. Chris is actively involved in her church’s Sunday School.  
     
  Verda Cook is an Accredited Landscape Designer who holds a diploma in Landscape Design through studies at the University of Guelph and Lifetime Career Schools in Pennsylvania with a specific interest in Heritage Designs. She has been invited to speak to various groups across the country as well as conducting workshops. Her design work took her beyond Waterloo Region. She was a regular guest on the Daytime Live T V Show as the Gardening Guru. Verda is Past President of the Wilmot Horticultural Society. She served four years on the Board of Directors for Doon Pioneer Village; eight years on the Board for the Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation; was a member of the Heritage Advisory Committee of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo for three years and was a founding member of the Wilmot Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) now called Heritage Wilmot, serving seven years. Verda began writing for the Baden Outlook in May 2002.  
     
  Dr. John A. Papa is the Clinic Director and Founder of the New Hamburg Wellness Centre (www.nhwc.ca), where he practices full-time offering a comprehensive and evidence-based approach in the diagnosis, treatment and management of work, sport, recreational and motor vehicle injuries. He attended the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and graduated with clinical honors. He is also a graduate of the McMaster Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program. His post-graduate training has included specialty courses in rehabilitative exercise prescription, orthotic prescription and active release therapy. He is an approved provider of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Programs of Care for Acute Low Back Injuries, Upper and Lower Extremity Injuries, and Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries. He also serves as an Independent Consultant for several Disability Management Companies. He has been an active contributor of health and wellness articles to the Baden Outlook for over five years. Visit Dr. John A. Papa's website at www.nhwc.ca  
     
 

Heart of the Matter are professional organizers.
Donna Schmidt from New Hamburg and Rhonda Erb from Baden launched their business in April of 2005 and have never looked backed. Today their clean idea has turned into full-time jobs for both of them and they have hired two employees to boot. Donna and Rhonda are members of the Professional Organizers of Canada, who meet once a month, but pride themselves in he fact that they are one of the only twosome available. This is an advantage as they can concentrate on customer service, exchange ideas and utilize each other’s talents. Their main focus in their company is residential but they also help out businesses as well. They are geared to encourage people to help themselves. The Heart of the Matter team has been featured on various media venues including Province Wide, Good Morning Canada, CKCO TV, Grand Magazine, 100 Huntley Street, New Hamburg Independent and Today’s Parent Magazine. They also have a weekly talk show on CKNX AM 920 every Wednesday morning and Faith FM every Saturday morning. They have been guest speakers at many functions including the Home Educators show at Copp’s Coliseum, Women Alive in Toronto and the International Plowing Match. They have submitted monthly organizing tips in the Baden Outlook since March 2009. Visit Donna and Rhonda's website at www.heartofthematter.ca

  
     
  Encompassing a whole foods, integrated approach towards health, Registered Nutritionist Michael Fisher has been practicing privately in Southern Ontario since 2007. Visiting clients at their homes, Michael helps them cook, heal their cupboards, and empower them through a whole foods diet into health and happiness. As mindfulness and spiritual guidance are important aspects to Michael’s approach towards healing and well being, he has practiced meditation for several years and has had the opportunity to study it intensively through the Vipassana Meditation Centre outside of Toronto. He has studiedEastern martial arts, both hard and soft through very reputable Sifus including Zack George, current Canadian champion of San Shou, and various other Tai ji teachers from New York city and Chicago. Studying with Paul Pitchford in 2008 (author of Healing with Whole Foods), Michael furthered his understanding of Chinese Medicine as it pertains to food and spirit, and began incorporating shiatsu diagnosis in his practice. Michael values and senses the energy in all things, and includes energy work in his practice as he is a level 2 Reiki practitioner, and currently studying Therapeutic Touch. He is an adept writer, writing monthly in the Baden Outlook newsletter, bi-annuanlly for Durham Region Metroland’s special wellness publications as primary contributor, writes frequently for Canadian nationally distributed Open! magazine, and has his own newsletter through his co-owned business Whole Foodies with Sharla Cooper entitled The Healthy Carrot. Michael conducts healthy living seminars locally, and has an informative website at www.michaelfisher.ca. As cofounder of Whole Foodies, Michael is able to manifest his passion of teaching whole food cooking and preparation techniques through video, blog, newsletters, retreats, and work shops. Whole Foodies were pleased to teach alongside Paul Pitchford at his 2009 three-week Healing with Whole Foods intensive in New York, preparing breakfasts, special foods (ferments, milks, etc), leading workshops, and supporting the teacher’s role. They’ll continue working in the future.