Page 4 January 2009

CAMPUS

The worst has

yet to come: Phillips

Weather expert and analyst David Phillips says Prince Edward Island has yet to see the worst from Old Man Winter

Had enough of the snow? Canada’s national weather man has a message for you: “This is just the beginning.”

Weather guru David Phil- lips, in an interview with the Post, stated that the snow Islanders have encountered thus far is not the worst to come, and to expect more in coming weeks.

Phillips noted that “if you’re already tired of shovelling snow’ then too bad, because there’s a lot more to come. “My gosh, it was that big dump on New Year’s,” Phil- lips said on what started all the problems in the Mari-

By Patricia Nunez Post contributor

Simple things can be trans- formed into magical and beautiful objects, said new store owner, Maritza Vessey in Charlottetown recently. Vessey decided to open Craft Connections because she has a background on having to reinvent things from scratch.

times.

Indeed, New Year’s celebra- tions had a cloud over it for a second consecutive year, bringing numerous shindigs either to a screaming halt or, as in some cases, forcing in- dividuals to stay where ever they may have been.

Students travelling back to P.E.I. after the holidays were kept in airports. Party patrons were obliged to remain in- side to wait out the weather. And many individuals sim- ply chose to bear the weather from home and not venture out to any particular soiree. Charlottetown’s streets were

Crafts connect the

“I come from a poor coun- try where you have to be cre- ative to survive. “

Craft connections is a home-based printing system business, she said.

“We specialize in creating quality personalized gifts.”

Vessey is a Dominican mom and a 38- year-old en- trepreneur who emigrated to P.E.I. 12 years ago.

She said she wanted to com- bine crafts from the D.R. and

PANTHER POST

UPEI’s campus was turned completely white following the snowstorm after New Year’s. Post photo

closed off and everything from taxis to even snow- plows were removed from the streets, deeming the con- ditions too much to endure. UPEI’s campus did not avoid the storm. The grounds became a winter wonderland in the days following the storm. Doors were locked and buildings left vacant as the plows fought through the snow that, in some areas, was as tall as the individuals removing it. For numerous days following New Year’s, the only thing visible on campus was pure white, with the occasional yellow tractor

crafts from P.E.I.

“IT want to connect the Is- lands.”

Vessey said her business will touch people’s hearts and bring happy tears to their eyes.

“A personalized gift shows how much you care.”

Business Development of- fered by the provincial gov- ernment, offers assistance to people interested in having their own business.

moving discreetly around campus, pushing the white powder to the side to allow better access for the students preparing for their return the

next week.

“You've had a lot of snow... It’s hard to imagine winter getting more evil,” Phillips said of the chaos.

But Phillips says this is far from the worst Island- ers have ever seen, noting this time last year Old Man Winter came down on us even harder. He said that last December we had 146 cm of snow, and this year we’ve experienced about half that.

islands

It helps them prepare their business plan and guide you through the whole process, she said.

“They want to encourage people to stay in the Island.”

Vessey says she is happy she is a part of Canada .

“This country gives you

many opportunities to grow.” In 2001, she married

Wayne Vessey who she says has always believed in her

“The temperatures (this year) have not been colder than normal.”

In spite of the cold temper- atures, Phillips points of the hot issue of Global Warm- ing is not debunked by these storms.

He notes there has been talk about with these escalat- ing cold temperatures some are questioning the idea of a warming planet, but he states these observations are misguided.

“They look out and see that cold and think, ‘my gosh, what happened to Global

999

Warming.

and was one of her biggest supporters.

“It wasn’t easy and you need someone that believes in you.” be

Vessey says she wants to give her daughters Sophia, 7 and Zoey , 4 the same artis- | tic knowledge she received from her family.

Patricia Nunez is a journal- ism student at Holland College

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