December 2009.

Issue 93 - December 2009 The Source • 1

A window into the world of RootsRootsRootsRootsRoots Issue 93 • December 2009

GREAT PRESENTSWITH GREAT PRESENCE

A guide to the best Roots gifts for the holiday season

2 • The Source Issue 93 - December 2009

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantCAROLINE IWANOWSKI

InternsALLISON COLALILLO

NADIA MALIK

The Source is published by Roots CanadaLtd. We welcome letters from readers forpublication. Please address allcorrespondence to The Source, Lettersto the Editor, Roots Canada, 1400Castlefield Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6B4C4 or by email to [email protected] may be edited for length andclarity. Each issue of The Source is alsoavailable, both in blog and PDF formats,on the Roots website at www.roots.com

DepartmentsFINE PRINT

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED IN

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

STAYING POWER

GREEN TIPS

HEALTH TIPS

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of recent letters from the world of Roots

I N S I D EI S S U E 9 3

EXPRESS YOURSELFWe invite you to send us your let-ters and or most creative photosor illustrations for publication inThe Source.

Please send your submis-sions to [email protected]

A JEWEL IN JACKIEDuring a recent visit to Vancou-ver, I shopped at your Robson-Thurlow store. It was a highlypositive experience and I want tolet you know that you have anabsolute jewel in Jackie Tho-mas, the store manager. Herattitude, her knowledge of theinventory and the comments Ireceived from her sales staffwere outstanding.

Jackie was such a delight thatI went back the next day to buysome more items for my grand-children.Bruce F. FeinKeswick, Virginia

CHEERS TO CHERYLI felt it was important for me tolet you know about the wonder-ful experience I had with CherylSomek, the manager at yourSudbury store.

I’d gone there to see if Icould do anything about a travelpurse I had previously purchasedat the airport in Toronto.

With her professionalkindness, Cheryl went out of herway to be helpful. She took careof me as if I were a VIP cus-tomer. Her friendly manner wassupreme and you are mostfortunate to have Cheryl as oneof your valued employees. Thereare not many like Cheryl around.

The store did not have mybag but Cheryl took the time tocall other stores to be able toreplace it. Her efforts were very

much appreciated. She wentbeyond the duty of an employee.

It’s a pleasure shopping atthe Roots store in Sudbury.Gail FirbySudbury, ON

GOING THE DISTANCEThese days, it seems all we hearabout customer service is thelack of it. At the Roots store inthe Halifax Shopping Centre, Ihad a different experience. NadaJaber went out of her way to befriendly and helpful and she wasable to do it without being pushy.

She even recommended abook series to my 10-year-olddaughter, which we later pur-chased. My daughter startedreading it that night and isalready looking forward tocontinuing the series. A bigthank you to Nada for encourag-ing a good habit with herrecommendation. She is a gemof an employee.

Keep up the good work. Itwill be a pleasure to return tothis outlet.Sheila MacDonaldMiddle Sackville, NS

A VALUABLE ASSETAs a regular customer at the

Roots store in Kelowna, BC, Ithought you should be aware ofthe repeated great customerservice I receive there. The storemanager, Cindy Manchur isexceptional.

She is always very pleasant

and goes out of her way to helpcustomers.

Being in sales for 30 yearsmyself, I know how oftennegative comments can be made.When I see someone like Cindydoing such a terrific job, it needsto be noted. I just wanted to letyou know I always have a greatexperience at your Kelownalocation.

You have a valuable asset inCindy.Karl WollKelowna, BC

HATS OFF TO WENDYI want to comment on the greatcustomer service I received fromyour Manager WendyMcMahon at the White OaksMall in London, Ontario. I hadan issue with a purse I hadpurchased and she was fantasticin taking care of me. She wasquick and very understanding.

This was my fifth leatherpurse purchase in three years atRoots and my sixth will be fromyou as well. Roots has greatquality items and you truly standbehind your products. I love mynew Olivia Bag.Krista BurumaLondon, Ontario

AN AUSPICIOUS DEBUTLeather bags almost sellout in last month’s Shop-ping Channel segment

ROOTS HOLIDAY GIFTGUIDE 2009Showcasing a series ofgifts for men, women andbabies

ROOTS CARES UPDATECustomer donation cam-paign raises impressiveamount for Jane GoodallInstitute’s Roots andShoots campaign

CAMPAIGNING FOR ASUSTAINABLE FUTURERoots employee joins eco-action on Parliament Hill

THE POWER OF GIVINGRoots leather bag bringsjoy to recipient after heartsurgery

AND THE WINNER IS...Poetic words capture topprize in ‘What MakesCanada Priceless’ contest


What is the theme for this year’sholiday collection?SHYROSE: The theme for thisyear is “Home for the Holidays.”In reflecting Roots style, wewanted our holiday products totransmit a feeling of warmth andcomfort, things associated withbeing with familyand friends at thistime of year.Roots is associ-ated with ‘Canada’and ‘celebration,’so to be home forthe holidays withRoots is a perfectfit. Canada isalways a largepart of theinspiration behindRoots holidayproducts. I’d liketo think ourclothes andaccessories notonly reflect ourCanadian heritage, but alsorepresent our lifestyle and howwe aspire to live. Comfort,looking good, and feeling athleticare all key to the inspiration atRoots. The colour chosen to matchour theme is red. It’s illustratedon our shopping bags, gift boxesand gift cards. The Visual team

has translated this theme in allour stores by using a Canadianalodge look.

How do you choose products tofeature in the Roots holiday giftguide?I concentrated on items that

reflected currentfashion trendslike plaid shirtsand accessories.I also focused onheavy knitsweaters, whichare staple piecesfor winter andeasy-to-give giftslike mitts, hatsand scarves.Also, this year weintroduced edibleCanadian treatslike Roots maplesyrup andcookies, as wellas an assortmentof books.

Are there any special items thisholiday season?The Canada Collection By Rootsis very important to Roots thisseason, especially as it helps theRight To Play charity. Thepartnership between Roots andRight To Play reflects ourcompany’s core values. Thefleece and leather products in

the collection demonstrate justhow much inspiration comesfrom the Canadian heritage ofRoots. The plaid theme is veryprominent in apparel, accesso-ries and leather bags thisseason. Knitwear with cablingand native Canadian-inspiredmotifs are also worth highlight-ing.

How involved are you with theholiday merchandise?I oversee the design and buyingprocess to ensure that all areascome together to convey ourholiday theme. The entireprocess begins about a year inadvance. The most critical factoris the product, of course, so thedesign and buying processbegin far in advance.

The design and inspirationfor the products themselvescome from the designers atRoots. Under my direction, theVisual team translates thecollection’s theme in our storesand marketing campaigns.

How important is the holidayperiod to Roots?The fourth quarter, which makesup the holiday season, is anextremely important, if not themost important, part of the yearfor Roots as it is for most retailbusinesses. It contributes to asignificant portion of the annualsales, both in our stores andonline.

Does Roots have any product

traditions for the holidays?Sweats and leather have alwaysbeen a big part of our tradition atholiday time. Roots offers thebest selection of fleece in themarketplace with a variety ofcolours, styles and price points.Our leather bags, all made inCanada from the finest Italianleather, are a timeless gift thatmost people look forward toreceiving.

Over the years, how have itemsfor the holidays changed?People have become moreselective in their purchases andare now shopping for quality,timeless pieces to add to theirwardrobe. The culture of buy-now-wear-now has transcendedinto an investment outlook,where customers ask them-selves: “Will this piece see methrough more than just thisseason?”

Roots fleece and leatherproducts have seen tremendousgrowth due to this consumertrend as they meet this standard.For Roots, quality and integrityhave always been key principles.

So far, all signs point to ahighly successful holiday season,thanks to a great team effort atRoots. There is a diverse range ofproducts available for the wholefamily to enjoy, especially as gifts.

The following six pages offer apreview of a much larger holidaycollection. View the Roots HolidayGift Guide at www.roots.com.

PRESENCE AND PRESENTSRoots brings feelings of warmth, comfort and style this gift-giving season

In the world of business, some periods are more critical than others. Formuch of the retail sector, the holiday shopping season, running fromearly November to late December, is of utmost importance due to itsdisproportionate impact on total sales for the year.

Centered around the Christmas/New Year celebration, the holiday periodis driven, in large part, by the tradition of gift giving. As a popular destina-tion for shoppers seeking great holiday gifts, Roots starts its preparation wellin advance of this important season.

The planning involves the coordinated efforts of several key players invarious departments, under the direction of Shyrose Kassam, Vice-President of Merchandising.

Her mandate is broad and strategic. Shyrose coordinates the design andbuying process for almost all Roots products, (except Roots Home andlicensed goods) and, as such, is intrinsically involved in the holidaycollection. She’s also responsible for product assortment, positioning andsourcing, and inventory management, and plays an influential role in thecompany’s visual, marketing and advertising initiatives.

It helps that Shyrose knows Roots inside out having joined the company13 years ago. She began at Roots as Director of Planning before moving tothe merchandising department in 2005. Earlier this month, Shyrose sharedher insights with The Source on the 2009 holiday collection and otherrelated matters.

Shyrose Kassam


1. Diane’s Motorcycle JacketBruschetta, $488.2. Women’s Massett Sock; Vintagewhite, Black, Grey mix, $12.3. Capri Hoody; Black pepper,Imperial purple mix, Harmony mix,$74.4. Russian Vamp Tall Boot RagingBull; Black, $288.5. Icy Cable Earflap; Aran, Black,$30.6. Icy Cable Legwarmer; Aran,Oxygen, $30.7. Beaconsfield Zip Up Cardigan;Soapstone mix, Black/bone, $128.8. Fluid Down Vest; Black, Am-ethyst, $120.9. Women’s 2-Pack Paris StripeKnee Sock; Black, Charcoal, $15.

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2009 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE


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7. 1. Roots Original Crop; Medievalblue mix, Charcoal mix, Imperialpurple mix, Salt and pepper, merlot,black, $54.2. Award Plaid Backpack; Black,Heritage red, $64.3. Vintage Heather Tee II; Vintagewhite, Wood violet, Firebrick,Imperial purple, $30.4. Matthew Earflap Cap; Red, $40.5. Vest; See item 8, page 4.6. Women’s Snowy Fox ChunkyMitt; Dove stone, Vintage white,$32.7. Julie Gathered Top; Black, Woodviolet, Grey mix, $42.8. Karen Lamb Glove; Black, Afterdark, $78.


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7.8. 1. Women’s Trapper Nightshirt,

Heritage red; Peacock $54.2. Award Tote; Black, Heritage red,$58.3. Women Trapper Lounge Pant;Heritage red, Peacock, $54.4. Skugog Knit Earflap; Black/ Aran,Chocolate/ Black, $46.5. Village Bag; Classic Princeleather, $128.6. Icy Cable Earmuff; Aran, Black,Oxygen, $34.7. Douglas Duffel Tribe Leather,$4188. Blanket Buffalo Plaid, $158.Coming Soon.



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1. Men’s Tuffer Boot; Raging Bull, $248. ComingSoon.2. Classic Plaid Scarf; Black, $38. Royal ThermalScarf; Aran, Charcoal, Dark cayenne, $58.Buffalo Check Scarf; Black, $38.3. Elgort Cardigan; Barbor green, $198.4. Oberlin V Nock Sweater Argyle; Nautical navy,$88.5. Men’s Texting Glove; Black, Salt and pepper,$20. Men’s Chalet Glove; Black, Salt and pepper,Charcoal, $28.6. Organic SS Holiday T-Shirt; Black, Mediumgrey, $30.7. Men’s Summer Cabin Sock 2-Pack; Heritagered, Black, $15.8. Jason Leather Glove; Black, After dark, $78.9. Men’s Snowy Fox Toque; Vintage white, Black,$26.10. Cooper Zip Polo; Atlantic, Black pepper, Bluehaze, Earth, Heritage red, Thistle, $58.



1. Closed Bottom Sweat Pant;Black pepper, Earth, Navy pepper,Thistle, $60.2. Men’s Snowy Fox Scarf;Stripped multi, Chunky black,Chunky vintage white, $48.3. Tatlow Full Zip Hoody; Black,Burnt ochre, Medium greymix,Nautical navy, $80.4. Men’s Cavill Down HoodedBomber; Thistle, $225.5. Roots Maple Syrup; $14.95.6. Roots Cookie Tin; $19.95.7. Roots All-Natural BeeswaxCandle; Maple, $14.

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1. Babies Fuzzy Friends Hat; Ice kitty,After dark bear, Merlot beaver, $16.95.2. Babies Precious Bundle Wrap;White, $34.95.3. Babies Softee Moccasins; Ice,Desert palm, $18.954. Babies Sherpa Beanie; White,$12.95.5. Babies Beaver Sleeper; Icelandic,$27.95.6. Babies Festive Bodysuit; Icelandic,Ruby red, $16.95.7. Mocassins; See item 3.8. Babies Fuzzy Friends Mitts; Ice kitty,After dark bear, Merlot beaver, $16.95.9. Mitts; See item 8.10. Roots Canada Moose; Heritage red,$16.11. Hat; See item 1.



FINE PRINT

Here are somerecent sightings ofRoots in the pagesof newspapersand magazines:

A selection of coverageof Roots in the media

· Where Magazine, Dec. issue.Roots women’s Tall Boot in brownand the Village Bag in redfeatured in Holiday Gift Guide.·Globe and Mail, Nov. 20. Rootshighlighted in article “Haveyourself a merry-digi Christmas,”about digital strategies of topCanadian brands.· Globe and Mail, Nov. 17.Canada Toque featured in StyleCounsel section.· Marketing Magazine, Nov. 9.Article entitled “MasterCard andRoots help kids play,” aboutpartnership with Right To Play.· Globe and Mail, Nov. 9. Articleabout marketing of CanadaCollection By Roots.· National Post, Nov. 7. Spotlighton items from the CanadaCollection By Roots.· Canadian Press, Nov. 6. Articleentitled “Crazy for Canada”featured Canada Collection ByRoots.· Toronto Star, Nov. 5. Articleentitled “Roots showcases itsroots” features the CanadaCollection By Roots.· Chatelaine, Nov. Olivia Bag inred and black buffalo checkincluded in holiday issue.· Fashion, Nov. Spotlight onRoots Duffle in red and blackbuffalo check.· 2 Magazine for Couples, Nov.Little Olivia Bag featured inHoliday Shopping Guide.· Flare, Nov. Spotlight on RootsMotorcycle Jacket in pebbleleather.· Glow, Nov. Little Olivia Bagfeatured in latest issue.· Metro News, Oct. 23. Article onplaid trend entitled “Hip to beSquare” featured small Olivia Bagin red and black buffalo check.· Now, Oct. 21. Spotlight on theMichelle Bag in article entitled“Purse Perfect.”· Canadian Press, Oct. 15.Article entitled “Roots makingboots again” focuses on Rootsmaking shoes in Canada.· Los Angeles Times, Oct. 12.Article entitled “HalloweenHangover style” featured VillageBag in tribe leather.· Anokhi Magazine, Oct. CarlaBag in merlot featured in HolidayGift Guide.· Elle Canada, Oct. Spotlight onRoots Motorcycle Jacket in blackleather.· Men’s Fashion, Oct. High-lighted Men’s Desert Boot andUnisex Tote in tribe leather.· Metro News, Sept. 24. Spotlighton Roots Motorcycle Jacket inblack leather.

Saluting those who gothe distance

STAYING POWER

Laurinda Silva, Leather Stitcher,20 yearsFranco Abate, Leather Cutter,15 yearsLing Chow, Product Manager,15 yearsCelina Vaca, Leather Stitcher,15 yearsWalter Brunet, FinancialAnalyst, 10 yearsMaxine Correia, WarehouseManager, 10 yearsKim Court-Hampton, ExecutiveAssistant, 10 yearsJocelyn Lemaire, StockSupervisor, 10 yearsKam Ryatt, Product Coordinator,10 yearsTamara Thompson, Manager,Merchandise Planning, 10 yearsDaniela Castriota, Keyholder, 5yearsDaisionelle Childs, OntarioSales Associate, 5 yearsKaty Harris, Part-time SalesAssociate, 5 yearsLindsay Harris, Store Manager,5 yearsRachel Roos, Store Manager, 5years

Roots licensee Gentec Interna-tional recently celebrated anoteworthy achievement. The

company sold more than 100,000Roots Tuff Skin mobile phone andgadget cases during the first year ofsales in Canada.

Roots Tuff Skin cases are madeof soft, flexible, rubber-like materialthat wraps around the back of a

Roots ‘Tuff Skin’ completes first year on market with impressive milestoneTUFF LOVE

mobile phone or gadget, providingpractical protection against varioustypes of damage. The protectiverubber cases are designed especiallyfor the iPhone and various iPodsand Blackberrys.

Roots Tuff Skins are available atretail stores that sell electronics inCanada. Prices range from $29.99 to$34.99.

‘ROOTS CARES’ UPDATE

AN AUSPICIOUS DEBUTLeather bags almost sell out in last month’s Shopping Channel segment

In early November, for thefirst time ever, The Shopping Channel (TSC) devoted

a major segment to Roots.Initiated by Patricia

MacInnis, Manager of ProductDevelopment and Key Ac-counts in the Business-To-Business Department, the showserved as an impressiveshowcase of Roots leather bagsfor hundreds of thousands ofTSC viewers.

Leading the way, DianeBald, Creative Director, andAndy McCurbin, leatherspecialist, enlightened the publicabout the quality, design andfunctionality of each leather bag.Viewers also got a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how Rootshand makes products in its own

Toronto-based leather factorythough a video clip that airedduring the segment.

Approximately 90% of theleather bags were sold of thestock within three hours. Theshow featured many items such

as the Village Bag, the BanffBag, the Lauren Tote, and theSide Saddle. The most popularbags proved to be the classicRoots styles such as the RootsOriginal Flat Bag collection.

As a result of the of theTV debut, Roots.com experi-enced a major jump in trafficand sales of leather bags in theseveral days following thebroadcast.

“I had tons of fun being onThe Shopping Channel,” saysAndy. “I sell Roots bags

everyday, but it was cool to do itin front of a camera for thou-sands of people on live televi-sion! It’s natural and easy for meto sell Roots bags, especiallybecause I believe in the prod-uct.”

Customer donation campaign raises impressiveamount for Jane Goodall Institute

In late November, Roots Co-Founder Don Green presented acheque for $80,300 to Jane

Lawton, Executive Director of theJane Goodall Instituteof Canada (JGI). It wasthe culmination of ahighly successful three-month, in-storecampaign in whichRoots employeesinvited customers todonate to JGI whenmaking a purchase.Retail staff membersrose to the occasion,working hard to helpraise funds for a goodcause, as part of the latest RootsCares initiative.

The money will go toward Roots& Shoots, JGI’s environmental/humanitarian education programand global network of youth frommore than 100 countries.

At the outset of the campaign,

the Retail Operations departmentorganized a contest to reward thestores that raised the most moneyfor JGI. Six stores across Canada

won prizes in theirstore-size category fortheir exemplary effortsduring the campaign.The winning stores, inno particular order, are:Robson Street(Vancouver), Banff(Alberta), Whistler(BC), Sudbury(Ontario), CrossIronMills Outlet (Alberta),and Signal Hill CentreOutlet (Calgary).

Staff members of each winningstore received a JGI certificate anda goody bag with Roots and othertreats for their efforts. Winningstores also received twoautographed copies of JaneGoodall’s upcoming book Hope forAnimals and their World.

JGI’s Jane Lawtonand Don Green


GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED INTaking attendance of special guests at Roots stores

Spotlighting the top performing stores in October and NovemberGREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

Celebrities have long madea point of shopping atRoots. Here are the latest

sightings of prominent figuresfrom the world of entertainmentand sports who visited Rootsstores recently:· Robson St., Vancouver - MingNa, best known for her role in theTV series ER, stopped by to pickup a pair of men’s Texting Gloves.

Dan Aykroyd and Henry Kowalewski at Roots factory

Jamie Salé and David Pelletier Nick Jonas Justin ChambersMing Na

Luc Robitaille and his family Marlee Matlin

· Bloor St. Toronto - World figureskating champions and Right ToPlay Canadian athlete ambassa-dors Jamie Salé and DavidPelletier dropped by and pur-chased a variety of Roots items.· On the streets - Nick Jonas,from the Jonas Brothers, wasspotted wearing his Roots Satchelon Spadina Ave. in Toronto.· Beverly Hills, Los Angeles -

Justin Chambers, actor on theCTV series Grey’s Anatomy,recently came in and purchasedtwo Cape Breton Track Jackets forhis daughters.· Bloor St., Toronto - LucRobitaille, newly inducted HockeyHall of Fame member and formerNHL star left-winger, stopped in tocheck out new Roots merchandise.· Robson St. - Actress Marlee

Matlin, a competitor in the sixthseason of ABC’s Dancing withthe Stars, purchased a VillageBag in Prince black leather and aVenetian Village Bag in ChinaRed on a recent visit.· Roots Leather Factory,Toronto - Actor and comedianDan Aykroyd visited the facilitywhere he met with HenryKowalewski.

Shortly before this issueof The Source went topress, we received the

final sales figures for stores inrecent months. Topping thepack in terms of companystores for October andNovember was the StoneRoad Mall location in Guelph,Ontario that captured the‘Store of the Month’ honours,beating its sales target by awide margin.

As for the Roots 73/Outletcategory, for the third month

in a row theCross Iron Millslocation inRocky View, justnorth of Calgary(Alberta), tookfirst place forOctober and theLansdownePlace location inPeterborough,Ontario took firstplace in Novem-ber. Both storesfar surpassedEmployees of Guelph store

others in terms of monthlysales budgets.

Congratulations to JanineGordon, Manager of theGuelph store, Trevor Cham-bers, Manager of theRockyView outlet and ToddFournier, Manager of thePeterborough outlet, and totheir respective teams, fortheir winning performances.

Hats off to all of the otherstores that surpassed theirsales goals in October andNovember.


STARTING LINEUPIntroducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

Easy ways to help theenvironment

GREEN TIP #57

We often receive unsolicitedphotos from people eager toshow us pictures of their

children, cousins, grandchildren, oreven pets, wearing Roots. Some-times the senders ask if we coulduse the photos in a future advertisingcampaign for Roots. We can’tpromise that but we are happy topublish them in The Source.

Everyone is welcome to submittheir favourite shots to be consideredfor publication. Please send yourpictures to [email protected].

Be sure to include the name andage of each child or pet in the photo,where it was taken, place ofresidence and a sentence statingthat you agree for the photos to beused in The Source.

Emelia Santos, 5 months,Kingsville, ON

Nathan Hughes, 2 years,North Bay, ON

Jenin Halabi, 2 years, Saba Halabi,4 years, Kettering, Ohio

ON A WINTER’S DAY: Astempera-tures getcolder,manypeople

have a tendency to crankup the heat in their homes.You can save energy andmoney this winter byfollowing a few simplesteps:

Minimize the energyneeded to heat your homeby making sure windowsand doors are well sealed.One of the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can do iscaulk, seal and weather-strip all seams, cracks andopenings to the outside.This easy, inexpensive fixcan save as much as 10percent of winter heatingcosts.

Turning your thermostatdown just five degrees cancut energy bills and pollu-tion by 10 percent. Keep itat 68 degrees Fahrenheit inthe winter. Using a pro-grammable thermostat, youcan automatically turndown your heat at night orwhen you are not at home.

Keep the drapes andshades on your windowsopen during the day toallow sunlight to enter yourhome and closed at nightto reduce the chill you mayfeel from cold windows.Fireplaces can make yourhome more cozy in wintermonths. Look for artificiallogs made of wood only.Avoid those that containparaffin, a petroleum-based by-product thatgenerates high emissions.Some alternatives includefireplace logs made ofrecycled cardboard, recy-cled paper briquettes andlogs made out of usedcoffee grounds, which burnhotter and longer thanwood, while producingfewer emissions.• For more information onhow to conserve energy,visit: http://www.countmeinontario.ca

As part of our continuing series of team pictures of all the stores in the Roots retail family, thisissue of The Source is shining in the spotlight on the Cambridge Shopping Centre store inCambridge, Ontario. From left to right: Chelsea Willis, Brenda Westbrook (Manager), SophieNoreen and Emma Slater. Missing in photo: Nancy Hart, Elyse Wilkinson and Deanna Vickery.


Easy ways to stay healthyHEALTH TIP #54

A HEART-HEALTHYDIET:Simplechanges inyour dietcan extend

your life no matter where you live.Studies show that eating aMediterranean-style diet can helpimprove your cardiovascularsystem.

The Mediterranean dietincorporates the basics of healthyeating, plus olive oil and red winein moderation, among othercomponents characterizing thetraditional cooking style ofcountries bordering the Mediterra-nean Sea.

Most healthy diets includefruits, vegetables, fish and wholegrains, and limit unhealthy fats,but subtle variations or differ-ences in proportions of certainfoods may make a difference inyour risk of cardiovascularproblems.To reduce your risk of heartdisease, try the followingrecommendations from theMediterranean diet: Eat agenerous amount of fruits andvegetables. Use herbs and spicesinstead of salts on your food.Consume healthy fats such asolive and canola oil. For protein,eat fish or shellfish at least twicea week and consume very littlered meat.• For more information about howthe Mediterranean diet candecrease the risk of heartdisease, visitwww.mayoclinic.com

True to the company’s corevalues, Roots employeesoften take initiative to give

back to their communities bydevoting time to worthy causes.

Recently, Diego Garzon, apart-time sales associate at the‘Roots 73’ store in London, Ont.,participated in Climate Day: Fillthe Hill, as part of his commit-ment to fighting global warming.

“I strive to help othersbecome aware of the effects ouractions have on our planet andthe power we have to help makea difference,” says Diego, 18.

Roots employee travels to Ottawa to take part in eco-action on Parliament HillCAMPAIGNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

“That’s why I felt it was impor-tant to join the many others onParliament Hill on Climate Daywho share my ideas, and passionfor the environment.”

As part of the worldwideeffort to affect legislative actionon climate change, most notablyat the much anticipated UnitedNations Climate Conference inCopenhagen in December,Canadian environmental groupshosted Climate Day in lateOctober in Ottawa. To learnmore about Climate Day, go tohttp://cday.atypical.ca/.

Diego in Ottawa on Parliament Hillfor Climate Day

Sometimes giving a Rootsgift has greater impact thanexpected.

Recently, while in a Torontohospital for heart surgery, FredLeber was pleasantly surprisedto receive a special gift that hadbeen first sent to his office andthen brought to him by hisdaughter.

Wrapped in a black box witha black and white bow, Fredopened the gift to oohs and ahhsfrom his family members. Insidethe box, to Fred’s delight, was ablack leather Roots Destiny Bag.

Roots leather bag brings joy to recipient after heart surgeryTHE POWER OF GIVING

“After receiving my bag, myfamily used it every day to bringthings back and forth to thehospital for me,” says Fred. “It isone of my newly treasured

possessions.”The bag was a gift to Fred

from Bullock Associates, aninterior design firm in Toronto.Earlier this year, it orderedcustom-designed Roots AwardsJackets and Destiny Bags for itsstaff and clients to celebrate thecompany’s 30th anniversary.

Bullock Associates workedwith Roots five years ago whenRoots Co-Founder Don Greenenlisted the firm to help designthe company’s award-winningglobal headquarters onCastlefield Ave. in Toronto.

Over the summer, Rootsand MasterCard Canadaheld a month-long contest

that focused on the true north,strong and free. In tribute toCanada Day, the contest encour-aged people to answer thequestion: What makes Canada

priceless? Contestants wereinvited to submit a video or shortstory for a chance to win a grandprize of a $1,000 MasterCardshopping spree or one of four$100 Roots gift cards.

In total, more than 200people sent in submissions with

a wide range of styles. Afterreviewing all the entries, a panelof Roots staff selected the wordsof Rhonda Short of Newmarket,Ontario as the winner.

“The poem I submitted forthe contest is something I wroteover the summer while waitingup late for my teenage daughterto return home from a party,”says Rhonda, a full-time motherand interior decorator. “I used towrite a lot of poetry as a teenand this one was easy to writebecause I love Canada and Rootsis a great place to shop.”

Poetic words capture top prize in ‘What Makes Canada Priceless’ contestAND THE WINNER IS…

Why Canada Is Priceless To Me

Evergreen treesA warm summer breezeCrystal clear waterThe agile swimming otterMake Canada priceless to me.

A crackling lakeside fireMarshmallows on a wireMosquitoes humming aboutA freshly caught troutMake Canada priceless to me.

Touring along a winding roadWhile fall colours expertly explodeHeading off to RootsWhen in need of new hiking bootsMake Canada priceless to me.

Frosty days spent at the rinkWarming my hands with a TimHortons drinkSwooshing down my favouriteslopesFriends and neighbours and reallybad jokesMake Canada priceless to me.

Watching syrup trickle outOf that tiny little spoutWishing the snow would finallymeltMake Canada priceless to me.

Contest winner Rhonda Short, (2nd from left), with her family


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