A12 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 28, 1998 The millennium melidown - No business is immune, every firm is affacted — either directly in its awn ‘operations, or Indirectly, by the actions -. oF inaction of others-too few Canadian ~ businesses have taken concrete action, putting the entire Canacian supply chain ‘at risk and undermining our competitiveness.” ‘So reports the federal government- sponsored Task Force 2000 which is issuing a wake-up call to Canadian businesses to deal with the approach- ing “millennium dug.” The millennium bug is the talk of the business world and for good reason. At the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1999, the bug could wreak havoc on computer information systems everywhere. The problem is deceptively simple. Because computers are programmed to store dates using only the last two dig- its.of the year, many computer systems will not interpret January 1, 2000. *. “The bug is not limited to large com- panies that use mainframe computers,” says Jacques Lemoine, the Business Development Bank of Canada's (BDC) Senior Vice-President of Credit. “It affects organizations of any size that use any kind of computer or any kind of data-activated device, or have key sup- pliers or customers who do.” A Statistics Canada survey of 2,000 businesses with more than five employ- ees, covering all sectors, conducted in the fall of 1997, illustrates the scope of the problem, but the majority of busi- ness people in Canada seem to be underestimating its potential impact. Although 90 per cent said they were aware of the dilemma, only one in 10 had a formal action plan. millennium bug, BOC has created the . Year 2000 Ready Program, the first such solution offered by a bank. Small business owners can apply for the loans which offer flexible repayment = terms, including the possibility of a moratorium on principal payments until the Year 2000. The $50 million loan program is available to ali viable small businesses whether they are current customers of BDC or not. Loans range from $5,000 to $50,000. Kelly Ohayon, a manager for Pricewaterhouse Coopers, has devised a self-assessment questionnaire to help BDC understand the impact the Year 2000 might have on their operations. Another guide assists companies in selecting capable, independent transi- tion specialists. "Some companies are still operating under the assumption that because they are using hardware or software developed by an internationally-recag- _ nized firm they are automatically pro- tected, even though they haven't received any assurances or quaran- tees,” Ohayon says. “The ultimate responsibility does not lie with your supplier; as managers of your busi- ness, it rests with you.” It is equally important to ‘ensure your suppliers, customers and service pro-:- viders (lawyers, accountants and com- puter specialists) are Year 2000 ready... “lf they're not, their problem quickly becomes your problem, hampering your ability to meet the needs of your . customers,” states Ohayan. For more information on BDC's Year 2000 program, call 1-888 INFO-BDC or visit the BDC's web site (www.bdc.ca). “ness in 1960. An Eye For Detail An eye for detail and future trends is what keeps Terrace Interiors a highly respected name in the interior home decoration business. ‘Owner/operator Marilyn Dahl took over the operation from her father, who started the busi- He branched out on his own after managing a building supply store here, Now, 37 years later, the market has grown dramatically, tha number of suppliers has increased significantly, but Terrace Interiors remains well known far quality supplies, advice and service, Marilyn operates the store along with son Ron and daughter-in-law Jacque, -_ They carry paint, wallpaper, cabinet hardware, drapes and blinds, and virtually any other supplies “for interior decorating. Marilyn says she invests a lot of effort in keeping on top of what's new and what her customers are going to want before they want it. ; “The customer and service is first.” sha says. They’ve also take on another tine of paint not avail- - able in the area right now. TERRACE INTERIORS ‘4610 Lazelle Ave. Terrace 635-6600 Myth And Magic . KEITH JACOBS began helping people with [EET computer problems as a hobby in the mid- 1980s, But when it began to eat into his time, and when businesses started to come to him to ask for help with their problems, Jacobs founded Pendragon Computers in 1986. “At first the business was located in his house. When computers became more affordable and user friendly for the home and more and more people started coming by, Jacobs knew it was time for the next step. So in 1994 he moved Pendragon to the Lazelle Ave, Mini Mall where it has been ever since. The company specializes in sales of all aspects of the computer business and takes on the service side as well, And if you were curious about the name Pendragon, it’s the last name of Arthur, King of England. “Everyone says there's myth and magic in camputers," explains Jacobs. Age) Pendragon Computers Inc. — “=< 103 - 4716 Lazelle Ave, Terrace « 635-2172 or 635-3362 To help businesses prepare for the Everything For Your Child AS |S the case with many small busi- nesses, Blessings Children’s Wear is estab- lishing itself as a particular kind of supplier when it comes to baby and children’s clothes. . "We carry suits and formal wear for wed- dings and we have customers for this from Prince George to Prince Rupert who say they can't find these items anywhere else,” says store owner Lorna Brown. She opened the business in March and says more than half of her businass comes from out-of-town customers. “People are pretty happy with what we've been bringing in,” adds Brown. The clothing line of Tommy Hilfiger is proving especially popular and new this fall are clothes from three to six months fram that company. Blessings speciatizes in children’s clothes up to size 16 and also carries the Oshkosh tine exclu- sively to Terrace. It also has a selection of maternity wear. OWNING A bridal shop has aiways been the goal of Colleen Nyce who realized that objective two years ago with Nyce Lady Dress and Bridal Shop. Sha carries a full line of wedding fashions, including tuxedos rentals, shoes, lingerie and has lots of evening and regular wear for women. “There aren't many bridal shops in the north- wast and we do a lot of business from Smithers to Prince Rupert, down to Kitimat, the Nass Valley and the Hazeltons,”" said Nyce. She discovered the strength of out-of-town sales through organizing a regional bridal fair in Terrace. It drew more than 200 brides from around the area. in June of this year, Colleen welcomed TRENDY ACCESSORIES and Owner, Barbra Taylor to the new and larger store tocation in the Lazete Mini Malt. Barbra’s spirited and outgoing personality adds an element of fun and warmth to the Accessory line. She sells a complete range of wedding decorations, jewellery, watches, purses, slippers, scarves and much more. Tagether they rent floating candle glasses, crinolines, wedding capes, and cake stands, Nyce Lady Dress Shop & Trendy Accessories 4710 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace + 635-8118 One Stop Shopping For All Ladies’ Fashions Old Comics Worth A Fortune! DON'T THROW out those old boxes of magazines or comics, There just might be something valuable to collectors of rare and first editions, says Gerry Mattson, owner of Comic Encounters. He bagan the business seven years ago as a career change and because he didn't want to leave Terrace. At first, Mattson concentrated on comics but has now expanded into board and other games, “We moved to a larger location about 1 1/2 years ago because we neaded the extra space,” he says. Some of tha games involve using metal fig- ures and the store also does a good business wilh psaple who simply want to collect and paint the figures, Gomic Encounters has also developed a solid mail order business from people who have moved away but prefer its servica and from Internet users who have come across Web sites from suppliers to the business. _ Comic Encounters Denturists Are Denture Specialists Over more that half a century and three generations oy the Eckland family has developed an international ied reputation in the denture field. Using a system FE developed by his father, called ‘Eck-Tech Denture } Technique’. Gerald Eckland DD. FCAD and his daughter Tracey Turko DD. continue to provide dentures to people through the Pacific Northwest, _ Gerald has lectured an this successful technique in: f many places in Ganada, USA and Central America. Eckland’s Denture Clinics specialize in Dentures only. They provide a full denture service including new ~ — Dentures, relines and repairs with no referrals | Gerald Eckiand with Assistant Laurelle. necessary. Their success ratio is attributed to the Eck-Teck Denture Technique along with over 50 years of experience and training as denture specialists. Becoming a denturist requires approximately 8000 hours of formal training, a combination of College and hands on clinical experience during an internship. Bring is this ad and receive 10% off! Exp. December 31, 1999 Eckland Denture 206 - 4605 Lazelle Ave.. Clinic _ 635-1288 NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE Poa == Dr. Kathy Graham NLD. a e7) 1283 Main Street yo: 847-0144 | am a naturopathic physician and | believe that a healthy body and a healthy mind enhance the enjoyment of life. As the only naturopathic doctor practicing in the Northwest, it continues to be and has been a privilege to offer complementary and alternative medicine to those people spanning the distance from the Queen Charlctte Islands to Fraser Lake. Naturopathic Medicine views the individual as an integral whole and symptoms of disease are seen as indicators of improper functioning on many interrelated levels. These include, the bedy, the mind, and the unfavorable lifestyle habits, The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the underlying cause of disease and to avoid treatments that might cause new illness and complicate the existing disease process. Naturopathic Medicine uses natural substances and treatments that enhance the body's own healing abilities. Often both conventional medical treatment and naturopathic treatment can be used together to maintain or restore health. Each case is individual. The training of naturopathic doctors include pre-medical university studies fotlowed bya four years of full-time program at an accredited naturopathic college. Naturopathic Medicine is a licensed and regulated profession in the Province of British Columbia. The following are therapies that I use in my practice: | used specific individual diets and nutritional pragrams including vitamins, minerals, glandulars and other nutritional supplements to strengthen the body and mind. | used the ELISA blood test for measuring IgE and IgG4 antibodies and determing food allergies. At times | use plant substances for their healing effects and nutritional value. | specialize in this type of medicine, having taken 3 1/2 years of post-graduate studies in this field where | utilize minute amounts of plant, animal or mineral substance to stimulate the body's self-healing abilities. In the near future, | will be using a combination of intravenous chelation and ozone therapies. Chelation therapy is used to Improve blood circulation, and Is useful in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other conditions. Ozone therapy is used to efficiently liberate oxygen at the cellular level. In the new year | will be giving a lecture series on topics | have been asked to speak about, including women’s health, children’s health, immunizations, food allergies, acute homeopathic prescribing at home, to name a few. ; | look forward to continue serving the community of Terrace and surrounding areas. 4722 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace « 638-7293