MEL KNOWS …KINDA – Pride In Full Colour: Windsor-Essex Pride Fest 2026

I know the colours of the rainbow are how to celebrate diversity . . . and by the end of this read, you will too! Welcome to Windsor-Essex Pride Fest 2026, where joy, connection, and knowledge meet.

WEPF is a dynamic not-for-profit organization empowering the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through year-round advocacy, peer- facilitated groups, and social programs.

Although it is best known for its annual summer festival — it offers so much more.

Picture this — Windsor, 1992 when a small group met in a parking lot in Walkerville to march along the streets — to today’s weeklong celebration taking over Lanspeary Park with vendors, food, and entertainment, boasting over 8,000 in attendance.

This year’s festival takes place July 31 to August 9, with the main events held August 7 to 9 at Lanspeary Park on Ottawa Street. Friday night is live entertainment and dancing; Saturday features a world-class drag show; and finally, the parade on Sunday travels down Ottawa Street, finishing with a wonderful afternoon of live entertainment. Best of all, a majority of the events are free to attend.

Between enjoying the entertainment and dancing, make sure to walk around the park and check out the almost 100 vendors and activities. You may even see me take the stage for a little hosting!

Although WEPF started as a protest and eventually grew into an annual festival, its impact reaches well beyond a single event.

Windsor-Essex Pride Fest 2026 has become an organization that supports individuals to reach out to each other, fostering belonging through year-round initiatives, social programs, peer-facilitated groups, and special events, creating a social environment that is more accommodating, resilient, and connected to the broader 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the region.

Programs include the QConnect Youth Drop-in (a safe place designed for ages 12 to 18), and the Young Adult Mixer (YAM) for those aged 19 to 29 every Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. Every other Tuesday, the QConnect Plus Social hosts members aged 50 plus for discussions, recreation, and light refreshments. And the 2-Spirit Circle hosts their group every other Monday.

Refer to the website listed below for the latest information on everything happening at their office, 2109 Ottawa Street, Unit 216. In addition, WEPF offers its space for other non-profits and organizations in the community to use including Trans Wellness Ontario and PFLAG.

Windsor-Essex Pride Fest 2026 is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, and its festival and social programming are funded through sponsorship, advertising, and event admission.

There are plenty of ways to get involved — become a sponsor, vendor, volunteer, advertiser or even sign up as an entertainer. Visit: WEpridefest.com to learn more and I look forward to seeing you at Pride Fest 2026!

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HAVE A CUP OF JOE WITH JOE – Wendy Beth Moore’s Human Factor Sales & Marketing Summit

Born in Windsor and raised in Essex, Ontario, Wendy Beth Moore has lived from coast to coast in Canada over the years, before settling in London, Ontario in 1996.

A “Red Raider” alumnus of Essex District High School, Moore enrolled after graduation in the advertising program at St. Clair College, though personal circumstances prevented her from completing it. She then entered the workforce and credits her cross-Canada experience with giving her “access to a wide array of different businesses to hone my developing marketing skills I gained during my time at St. Clair College.”

According to Moore: “I have spent more than four decades working inside marketing and sales systems across healthcare, finance, retail, manufacturing, education, and agriculture both in business-to-business
and business-to-consumer environments, as well as working with various marketing agencies.”

What does Moore have in common with Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook and META), Bill Gates (Microsoft), and Mike Dell (Dell Technologies)?

Well, she is not part of their billionaire club! However, like those three entrepreneurs — each of whom dropped out of university in the early years of study — Moore also stepped away from college to build a
successful career as a prominent marketing and sales strategist. Through her work, she has earned 40 international awards for marketing innovation, effectiveness, and creativity.

The belief that a university degree is the only path to business success is a common misconception. Higher education can provide structure and networks, but it cannot create grit, curiosity, or the ability to read a room.

Many resilient, innovative business owners rely instead on practical intelligence (“street smarts”), innate ability, hard work, and perseverance. These qualities have been central to Moore’s success. In 2010, Moore founded Customer Click, a consultancy and structured framework that combines decision psychology with strategic discipline to help businesses align their marketing and sales functions. Put simply, it enables intricately connected marketers and salespeople to understand what they need to successfully “click” with customers.

Moore’s content-rich website includes a regularly updated blog offering helpful two-to-three-minute reads for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Around the same time, she authored a book titled muddled, meager & messy: Marketing masterclass for entrepreneurs & small business. Available through Amazon, the book’s unusual title reflects Moore’s view “that marketing does not fail because business owners are bad at it. It fails because it is muddled by confusion and noise; meager because small businesses often have limited budgets and attempt limited efforts; and messy because of owners’ frequent knee-jerk responses to everyone trying to sell them something.”

In May 2026, a special 15th-anniversary edition of the book was released. Moore updated the original 2010 version to reflect societal changes, developments in the digital world and, more recently, advances in Artificial Intelligence, along with their impact on marketing and sales strategies. (Note: Kindle and paperback versions are available online. An audio book is offered on Apple Books).

She also hosts The Human Factor Sales & Marketing Summit, an intensive workshop that helps business leaders cut through daily tactical clutter and focus on how customers evaluate options and make buying decisions.

Summits have taken place across Canada and are especially valuable for entrepreneurs, small business owners, sales and marketing leaders, and anyone responsible for revenue-driving decisions. Participants gain tools to improve effectiveness, reduce wasted spending, clarify strategy, and better understand customer decision-making.

The Summit is now making its way to the Windsor area on September 23 and 24, 2026. Moore will host the event at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Windsor East — Lakeshore, 14 Amy Croft Drive.

This two-day workshop combines both teaching as well as interactive participation and includes a provided lunch for participants on both days. So, what can you expect to walk away with?

• Discover how customers truly see your business.
• Identify how your own style may be holding your marketing back.
• Understand the biases customers bring to every decision.
• Learn what makes marketing work.
• Recognize customer decision styles through language and behaviour patterns.
• Stop guessing and gain confidence in your marketing decisions.
• Build a plan you can put into action immediately.

“The Human Factor Sales & Marketing Summit changes how you do business,” Moore explains. “It’s two days of intense work distilling your business to what customers care about and how they make decisions. It gets you focused on what matters in everything you do to gain new customers and keep the ones you already have.”

Tickets are limited to maintain a productive working environment. To reserve a seat, please visit online. You can then link to the Eventbrite page. Biz X magazine is proud to sponsor this important event and wishes all attendees two terrific days of learning, networking, and new connections!

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MEL KNOWS . . . KINDA. The Joy Of Thrifting

I know a few things about stretching your dollars, supporting the community, and having fun shopping — and I’m kicking off my debut advice column with a visit to the Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex Re-Store.

Located at 51 Edinborough Street — tucked behind Tepperman’s — a sense of joy awaits you, where every aisle is a little eclectic, unexpected and full of possibility.

It has been my first go-to for second-hand furniture and appliances, and random home renovation supplies.

Combined with wonderful community service, it’s easy to forget all the important work Habitat does, where saving money meets saving the Earth.

Established in 1994, the Windsor location (an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity Canada) has built or restored 165 homes for people who would otherwise be unable to enter home ownership. Providing stable housing is a strong priority in any city; let’s not forget all the wonderful things Habitat does for both people and our planet.

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex has thousands of volunteers who log annually over 24,000 hours of manpower to build and support home builds, a year after year record of community impact.

Operating as a non-profit organization, Habitat not only builds homes, but also provides geared-to-income mortgage opportunities that help local families achieve affordable home ownership and build equity with every payment.

Did you know they also provide affordable essential repairs for existing homes owned by seniors, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities to ensure ongoing, safe accessible housing?

But that’s not all! The Windsor location also offers appliance pick-up, working or not. And if you are doing a complete kitchen reno at the same time, they will come and remove your old kitchen free of charge
and resell it at the Re-Store.

Metal from appliances which cannot be repaired is salvaged to support their metal salvage program. This diverted an amazing 558,541 pounds of metal from our garbage dumps in 2025!

Have any old electronics lying around? Then drop them off, divert them from landfills, and raise funds for local projects!

According to CEO Fiona Coughlin: “More Canadians are embracing thrifting not only as a smart financial choice, but as a sustainable one.

Every donation, purchase, and volunteer hour at the ReStore helps reduce waste while supporting affordable home ownership opportunities right here in Windsor Essex. It’s sustainability with purpose and
community impact you can see firsthand.”

The real value hits you the minute you walk through the doors — smiling, friendly faces and a store you want to explore.

On my last visit, Customer Service Representative Emma Caldwell-Dumouchelle guided me to some fantastic finds and explained about their one-time delivery fee for items going to the same address.
Before you go, check the ReStore hours online . . . and don’t forget to bring your measurements, imagination, and enthusiasm!

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THE HAPPY FREE LITTLE BEE SAID: “IT’S ABOUT WE… NOT ME”!

Jacob is a 17-year-old high school student who studies frequently after school. He is preparing for his midterm exams.

After school, he eats and goes straight to his room to study. He is an Honour of Distinction student and has the habits of a successful person. He has self-discipline and is very driven to succeed in life. Through his hard work, he inevitably earns one of the highest marks on his exams. Jacob feels happy but stays humble about his astounding marks.

Peter is in the same classes as Jacob. Peter does not study much and spends most of his time hanging out with friends. He is frequently on his cell phone and sleeps in class. He has no drive or motivation to study.
Peter brings a cheat sheet to his exams and passes with a perfect score.

Peter is very happy and brags to everyone that he got a perfect score. He feels he deserves the Honour of Distinction award, even though Jacob has had the best marks in the class for the last six months.

What is the difference in this situation? It is obvious that Jacob has more justified entitlement to his marks compared to Peter.

This is a classic case of correct and justified entitlement shown by Jacob, compared to Peter, who displays unhealthy entitlement.

What exactly is entitlement?

A sense of entitlement is when someone believes they are more deserving or better than others and therefore should receive special treatment.

Entitlement can be a good thing when it comes to being respected, looking after your own needs, and wanting to feel special and unique. But if someone wants more special treatment than others, then it is no
longer considered a healthy sense of entitlement.

WE ALL HAVE OUR OPINIONS
Your voice is important, but so are the voices of others. We must be willing to listen to and understand people’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions just as much as we want to be heard ourselves. Never think that you are always right and others are always wrong. That is unhealthy entitlement.

NEVER HURT OTHERS
Never hurt people if things do not go your way or if they do not do something you ask for.

In life, things do not always go our way, but we should never take our frustrations out on others. Understand that it is okay if things do not happen the way we want them to.

Everyone has a right to say no. Once you accept that, you can focus on doing it yourself. Asking someone nicely and tactfully will get a much better response than yelling at them.

SENSE OF SUPERIORITY
Never feel that you are etter than anyone else or that you deserve more than people you believe are beneath you.

The truth is that we are not better or worse than anyone. We all have our own gifts and talents. Everyone should be accepted as an individual. We are all unique, and the best thing we can do is just be you without comparing yourself to others.

Having a sense of entitlement often shows little care for others and focuses only on oneself. As I stated earlier, taking care of ourselves, practicing self-love, and accepting ourselves are all good things.

Showing no care or concern for anyone else but yourself is not good. Everyone in this world matters. People deserve to be loved and cared for. Showing empathy, kindness, appreciation, and making someone feel special are some of the most beautiful things you can do for another person. God will bless you in so many ways.

You are important, and so are your needs. But so is every other person in this world.

Just because someone is successful…

Being successful is wonderful. But never feel that you deserve more admiration or should always be the centre of attention because of your accomplishments. Even if another person may not be as ccomplished,
they still deserve the same kindness and respect. Never push them aside. Never make them feel worthless or like a waste of space.

Help others succeed. Encourage them. Inspire them. But never compare yourself to them. You are a champion, so please help others because they are champions too.

A sense of entitlement and coasting through life.

I am a firm believer that in life, if you want something, you must get it the old-fashioned way. You must earn it!

Nothing should simply be handed to us. We must work hard for what we want. We must put in the effort despite the challenges we face in order to achieve victory. This is justified entitlement that is truly deserved. Being kind and humble along the way adds the cherry on top of the entitled ice cream you deserve to enjoy.

Giving your children necessities such as clothes, school books, birthday gifts, and Christmas presents is perfectly acceptable, and I fully support that. But if you constantly give children everything they want, they may begin to expect it all the time.

Whether they realize it or not, they begin to believe they can do nothing and still receive everything they want. And if they do not get what they want, they may throw tantrums, yell, and scream.

By doing this repeatedly, they may grow up believing that everything should simply be handed to them without effort. Then, when life does not go their way, they become angry and frustrated.

Teaching children to complete simple tasks at a young age, such as studying for good grades, keeping their room clean, and helping with small chores, teaches them that in order to get something, they must earn it.

BLAMING OTHERS
If you make mistakes in life, own up to them and hold yourself accountable. Never blame others for your shortcomings. Once you acknowledge your mistakes, you can learn, grow, and become a better person.

The way I see it, the world does not revolve around us. It is not always about “me, me, me.” Nobody owes us anything, and people do not have to behave a certain way to meet our standards and expectations. There are over 7.7 billion people in the world, and many are disadvantaged. So my beautiful friends, continue being your best selves. Keep doing great things. Look after your own needs but also be considerate and kind toward the needs of others.

If we all work collectively together and treat each other with respect and courtesy, then we can all live better, healthier, and happier lives.

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HAVE A CUP OF JOE WITH JOE – My Weight Loss And Surgery At Shouldice Hernia Hospital

If you noticed my Cup of Joe column was missing from the April 2026 issue and being posted on our Website, you get a gold star! For those who did not notice — shame on you . . . just kidding!

In the first week of March, I became a patient at the renowned Shouldice Hernia Hospital in the GTA where I underwent bilateral inguinal hernia surgery. Biz X magazine Publisher Deborah Jones knew
I would need post-operative home recovery and rest. She insisted I take the month off, and I thank her for her thoughtfulness.

Coincidentally timed with our Safety & Health edition — which looks at many different aspects of wellbeing — I’m sharing the 12 month journey that reshaped my health, from major weight loss to the outstanding surgical care I received at Shouldice Hernia Hospital.

I hope my story motivates readers tackling their own health goals!

Let’s start with a bit of background on my recent health transformation. Back in April 2025, I stood 6’2″ tall and weighed 302 lbs. For decades, I battled chronic high blood pressure (145/95, even with three different medications). I experienced lower leg edema and was frequently short of breath when climbing a flight of stairs.

Then . . . by April 1, 2026, I had lost 100 lbs, weighing in at 202 lbs — nope, this wasn’t an April Fool’s Day prank! My daily blood pressure improved to 115/75, I was down to only one blood pressure medication,
and the edema was negligible. I was no longer feeling short of breath when climbing stairs.

What methods contributed to my substantial weight reduction over the course of 12 months?

With support and encouragement from my friend and doctor, Frank S. DeMarco, I started Wegovy, a widely used GLP-1 medication. Wegovy is a weekly self-injection that suppresses appetite. Combined with daily use of my two home exercise bikes, thrice-weekly strength training at Performance Fitness & Wellness Centre (2451-D Dougall Avenue, Windsor), and better eating habits, I’ve reached my healthiest state in 30 years.

While Wegovy can cause side effects, I have not experienced any. Over the course of many years (decades) of my weight gain, an earlier diagnosed chronic right inguinal hernia remained asymptomatic.
Following my 100-lb weight loss, that all changed. The hernia reemerged, accompanied by increasing discomfort and swelling. I humorously referred to it as “My Mount Everest.”

Dr. DeMarco referred me for an ultrasound — which identified a significantly larger right-side inguinal hernia — as well as a smaller left- side hernia that had not been previously detected.

On November 28, 2025, Dr. DeMarco wrote a referral letter to the Shouldice Hernia Hospital (Shouldice) recommending me as a patient for bilateral inguinal hernia surgery. I am incredibly grateful that I was
accepted.

Shouldice is an internationally renowned specialty facility in Thornhill (GTA), Ontario. It is recognized as the global leader in non-mesh hernia repair, utilizing a proprietary “natural tissue” technique developed by Dr. Edward Earl Shouldice in 1945.

The hospital is located in a 17,000 square foot mansion on a 23-acre estate in Thornhill, which was originally constructed in 1937 and owned by George McCullagh, founder and publisher of The Globe and Mail newspaper, until his death in 1952.

In 1953, Dr. Shouldice, with his surgical practice in downtown Toronto, acquired the property and established a second facility within McCullagh’s mansion, intentionally selected to provide a “non-hospital” atmosphere reminiscent of a country club or private home. This unique setting is designed to encourage early patient mobility and foster social interaction, both of which are integral to Shouldice’s recovery methodology.

As Cindy Giroux, Manager, Public Relations & Communications at Shouldice, explains: “A three-level wing was added to the mansion in 1968, raising capacity from 36 to 89 beds.”

Administrative offices and admissions are in the former mansion area. The first level houses five operating rooms, a pre-op room, the medical device reprocessing department, and workstations for the surgeons to
update patients’ medical charts. At the opposite end of this level there is a commercial kitchen, a formal dining room for patients and staff, and rooms for maintenance and building supplies.

The second and third levels contain nurses’ stations, common areas for patients and semi-private patient rooms (and one private room). Shouldice operates as a private, for-profit hospital, a model unique in
Ontario’s healthcare system. The Private Hospitals Act of 1973 prohibited new private hospitals, but Shouldice, existing before the law, kept its license. Unlike most Ontario hospitals, which are non-profit
corporations overseen by community boards, Shouldice is a publicly funded, privately owned enterprise managed by the Shouldice family.

“The hospital specializes exclusively in the surgical repair of external abdominal wall hernias,” states Giroux. “Surgeons at Shouldice, trained in the unique hernia surgical technique, collectively perform over 7,000 procedures annually with notable expertise.”

Giroux continues: “While most current hernia surgeries use synthetic mesh, the Shouldice method employs a four-layer suture technique to overlap and reinforce the patient’s own tissue.”

The hospital reports a 98.5% success rate for primary inguinal hernia repairs. Complication and recurrence rates are well below the global average, often less than 0.5%.

Patients usually stay for three to four days. During this supervised recovery they participate in prescribed exercises and communal dining to encourage movement, following a “walk-it-off” philosophy that aids
healing and reduces the risk of blood clots.

Situated within 23 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, the Shouldice hospital stands out for its non-clinical atmosphere. Each patient room has private closets, dressers and a private washroom (toilet and sink) and is intentionally free of a television and telephone, promoting patient mobility during recovery.

There are pool tables, shuffleboard tables, exercise bicycles throughout, and the common areas feature large-screen televisions and tables for cards and board games.

Several prominent individuals have chosen Shouldice for their hernia repair including celebrities, athletes, and politicians such as the late NDP Leader Jack Layton, former Prime Minister Joe Clark, U.S. Senator
Rand Paul, and U.S. Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader. The hospital keeps patient identities confidential, but some former patients share their Shouldice experience publicly.

Shouldice manages its own intake process. Local patients (within 1.5 hours) attend their clinic directly, while those farther away, like me in Windsor, complete an online Medical Questionnaire.

After it was reviewed, I received admission confirmation for Monday, March 2, 2026, along with instructions for blood work, ECG, allergy and diet forms, and medication lists.

The staff at Shouldice were helpful throughout, from admissions to nutrition advice and payment assistance. All medical costs were covered by OHIP, and my room and board were $50 per night after my
hospitalization insurance coverage.

Meals in the formal dining room were fresh, nutritious, prepared onsite, and served by attentive staff — nothing like typical hospital food. The meals were more like five-star restaurant dishes. My favourite was Eggs Benedict one morning for breakfast.

Dr. Simmons and Dr. Yilbas performed my two surgeries over three days with support from surgical nurses and an anesthetist providing local anesthesia and IV conscious sedation. Four hours post-surgery, floor nurses assisted me with getting out of bed and walking as part of the recovery protocol.

After being discharged Saturday, March 7 in the morning, I took the VIA Rail train home to Windsor. Six weeks later, my recovery is complete. I’m back to gym sessions, daily cardio, and long walks with my dog, Bess.

I have consistently supported Canada’s national health care system. While not flawless, it offers better options than many other countries and lets me choose my preferred medical delivery model.

I chose Shouldice for my surgery due to long wait times of 10 to 12 months with Windsor’s general surgeons. While Windsor has excellent surgeons, feedback from many local Shouldice alumni, plus Shouldice’s mesh-free, natural tissue technique, convinced me it would offer a better outcome with less risk of recurrence.

The Shouldice Hernia Hospital employs 10 to 15 specially trained surgeons (and several assisting physicians) and provides free annual check-ups at the hospital or through Mobile Exam Clinics across
Canada.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a mobile clinic in Windsor scheduled for May 25 to 29 at the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton Windsor at 1840 Huron Church Road.

Alumni patients can book appointments for exams and rechecks online at the beginning of May through their booking portal.

The clinic also welcomes anyone wishing to consult with two Shouldice surgeons about hernia surgery.

Thank you to Cindy Giroux for generously helping me share my Shouldice experience with Biz X readers.

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