An event celebrating the Grand Opening of Niagara Region Money Coaches was held at Optimal Wellness Niagara on Wednesday, with several dignitaries in attendance presenting plaques to Founder/Owner Trevor Van Nest, B.Comm. (Hons.), CFP(R).
Here are a few words spoken by our Mayors at the event…
Mayor of Niagara Falls, Mr. Jim Diodati:
“What is wonderful about the service that Niagara Region Money Coaches provides, is that no products are sold, allowing for an objective approach to financial planning. We are very fortunate to have such an innovative business that fulfills an essential service and indeed, that contributes to our local economy.”
Mayor of St. Catharines, Mr. Walter Sendzik:
“The City commends you for educating our citizens on the importance of financial literacy and helping to improve their economic future. In a sense this is a ‘Welcome Home’ for Trevor, since his maternal grandfather founded Densmore Tool & Die on the same Hiscott Street 58 years ago.”
Mr. Sendzik was referencing the fact that my grandfather (the late Clifford T. Densmore) spent almost his whole life in St. Catharines, and I have many great memories of visiting him and my grandmother for long periods as a child. In fact, he was a huge influence on me personally, helping form some of my early understandings about personal finance, as it was a passion for him too. And since he lived to be 103 (passing just a few months before I started my Money Coaching career), he continued to be a big part of my life through my early 40s.
Never underestimate the influence you can have on your children – AND your grandchildren, nephews and nieces too. Personal legacies are wonderful things to pass on – and what is cherished most is not typically financial in nature. It might be a hobby, an interest, a passion – photography, sports, family history, traditions, collections, or a sense of family or togetherness. Part of building a legacy is about knowing what you want to stand for, and then being that example to those around you.
If you are considering getting your will in place in 2015, consider some of the things you can pass on while you are living too. They may be actual items or financial in nature, but they don’t have to be. As the saying goes, ‘Sometimes the best things in life are free’ – and personal legacies are free and often cherished by those who love you, years after you are gone.
A big THANK YOU to all the staff and co-Founders at Optimal Wellness Niagara who have been so supportive and welcoming to me personally. We hosted a fun event here on Wednesday to officially launch Niagara Region Money Coaches, and I am thrilled to be a part of this ‘new family’ here at OWN on Hiscott Street, where traditions run deep.