Duc D'Orleans Seniors' Cruise Is On for June 25.

From Tyler Kula, Sarnia Observer.

Running a free cruise for seniors isn’t much of a stretch for an agency already focused on helping the demographic, and people with disabilities.

So says Bill Yurchuk, CEO of Lambton Elderly Outreach (LEO).

The Plympton-Wyoming-based not-for-profit announced earlier this month it’s carrying on the annual Sarnia Seniors Cruise aboard the Duc d’Orleans II as long-time volunteer organizer Marni Thomas steps away for health reasons.

“I just thought it was something that needs to continue,” said Yurchuk, who said he spoke with Thomas last week and received her blessing to do just that.

It’ll be the 40th year for the cruise that typically carries about 1,000 people along the St. Clair River the last Monday in June.

This year’s is set for June 25, Yurchuk said.

Link to the rest here.

Images. Zach Neal.

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Benefuel to Build Biodiesel Refinery in Sarnia.

From Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer.

Benefuel, a company with offices in Ottawa and Texas, is working to build biodiesel refinery in Sarnia expected to begin operating in 2020 with more than 40 workers.

Sarnia-based Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, a government-funded agency working to help new sustainable technologies reach the market, said Tuesday it has invested in Benefuel to allow it to complete engineering needed as a final step before building a plant in Sarnia.

“We recognize the need for low carbon transportation fuels and Benefuel provides an important step forward to meet these goals,” Sandy Marshall, executive director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, said in a news release.

Rob Tripp, chief executive officer of Benefuel, said the company is planning to build a plant in Sarnia with an annual capacity of 75-million litres.

“We’re looking at leaving room to double the capacity down the road,” he added.

Tripp said the company is still working through estimates for the cost of the Sarnia plant. He added, “We typically don’t disclose financial information.”

Benefuel uses a unique refining technology to make biodiesel, Tripp said.

“It is capable of processing all of the hard-to-process waste oils that are high in free fatty acids,” he said.

The target feedstock for the Sarnia plant will be used cooking oil and distiller’s corn oil, which is a by-product of ethanol refining.

Link to the rest here.

Image. By Ulrichulrich

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Win This Space Challenges Entrepreneurs.

From Tyler Kula, Sarnia Observer.

In a bid to spur local entrepreneurship, the Sarnia Lambton Business Development Corporation is offering to cover the cost of two storefront leases for a year.

Monday marked the start of the not-for-profit’s Win this Space contest, which taps cash from a number of sponsors to fund the lease costs for start-ups, or existing but storefront-lacking businesses, in Sarnia-Lambton.

Good business ideas are never in short supply, said Tracy Ranick, community economic development officer with the business development corporation (SLBDC) that daily counsels people on getting their ideas off the ground. 

“It’s just the cost is sometimes prohibitive for people to get their business launched and make their idea happen,” she said. 

Getting a free space for a year could be a 'game changer,' she said. 

It’s the second stint for the contest, inspired by similar initiatives in other communities, she said. 

A counseling business for couples won last fall, she said, and is doing well in space off Christina Street. 

“It was a little different than what we maybe anticipated, but that’s part of the excitement of this type of a program is you don’t know what ideas you’ll get,” Ranick said.

“We certainly encourage people with all different types of ideas to apply.”

Link to the rest here.

Image. FreePik.

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