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Strong and Free Emblem for patriotic Canadians. 506-849-9292 denisedow@hotmail.com __________________ STRONG & FREE Videos Overview youtube Interview youtube Update loonietube.com __________________ "Now Canada has an Emblem" by Erin Dwyer
 photo: Noel Chenier
Denise Dow of New Brunswick remembers spying them first on road trips through the United States to visit her aunt and uncle.
They were everywhere: over doors, on mailboxes and on garages. The eagle emblem was prominent from her view in the back of the family station wagon.
"I just found it curious that Canadians didn't really have something like that. We have our flag, but we don't have an emblem per se," she said. "That left an impression on me."
That was back when she was a teenager. Today, Dow is 49, a mother, an IT employee and, more recently, an entrepreneur, driven by a parent-instilled patriotism and a certain level of impatience.
Last fall, concerned that Canadians still didn't have an emblem, she set out on a mission: She designed one, sought out a plastics manufacturer in New Brunswick, developed a prototype and successfully pitched her product "Strong & Free" to retail giants Canadian Tire and Home Hardware.
"I kept waiting for it to happen and the next thing you know I'm turning 50 next year and I'm like, I've got to do this because no one else is."
Dow simply picked three beautiful maple leaves from a tree in her backyard last September. Using tracing paper, she carefully outlined and developed a banner on her computer that said "Strong & Free."
With a scroll saw and a hand-held rotary tool, she carved her emblem into a piece of wood and took it to Plastech, a Notre-Dame manufacturer. Just days before she was to meet with Canadian Tire in January, she received her first plastic prototype by courier. "I opened the box and I cried. They were just beautiful."
Now Canadian Tire has them on trial in six stores across Canada and Home Hardware is about to do the same. Dow is simply waiting for the orders to come flooding in. In the meantime, she sent a box of the emblems as well as lapel pins, bumper magnets, windshield stickers and jacket crests to the Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
"My dream is to see these in every neighbourhood from the east coast to the west coast," she said. "We're hoping by the 2010 Olympics, it will make it to Vancouver."' ___________________ Sept 2008 STRONG & FREE sponsors Climate Change Team & daughter Nicole Sanscartier www.CapeFarewellCanada.ca ___________________ July 1st 2008 STRONG & FREE officially SEA to SEA ! Presentation in Sussex, NB CBC Radio Interview June 30 _____________________
Rogers TV Daytime Oct. 24, 2007 ___________________________
October 19, 2007 Lieutenant Governor David Onley receives “STRONG & FREE” Emblem for Patriotic Canadians in Thorold Ontario, “Canada’s Most Patriotic City” Mayor D'Angela Challenges ! ____________________________
August 2007 Niagara News Mayor of Thorold to receive STRONG & FREE Emblem ! ___________________________
August 2007 Dragon Boat Charity STRONG & FREE Team wins race!
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July 17, 2007 CTV Newscast by Dina Bartolacchi goes coast to coast .... orders coming in from Atlantic to Pacific - Thank you ! ____________________________
June 2007 PRESS RELEASE; Frank McKenna Starts Wave of Canadian Patriotism ... ____________________________
Rogers TV Daytime June 13, 2007 ____________________________
May 2007 NB Women in Bus; Success Stories see web link www.wbnb-fanb.ca _________________________ March 2007 KV STYLE; N.B. Woman Creates Emblem for Patriotic Canadians.... full article on Contact page

About "Strong & Free"...
"Strong & Free" is the realization of my life long dream to provide Canada with an Emblem that can be proudly displayed on homes, cottages and business to show our patriotism the way the Americans display their Eagle.
Canadians are proud of our heritage, our veterans and our troops and are known everywhere we go as the people who are truly proud to be ..."Strong & Free" .
Catch the Strong & Free WAVE from Sea to Sea in time for the 2010 Olympics !
Our Contact Us page has the full proud to be Strong & Free story... and an email address for you to send your feedback.
THANK YOU !
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my family, friends, supporters & customers that have embraced my goal to see the Strong & Free Emblem in every neighborhood in Canada. I have been so fortunate to have received such kindness and willingness to help from so many... it makes my heart full to hear other Canadians feel they way I do about showing how proud we are of this great country..... Strong & Free - Sea to Sea !!! Yours truly,
Denise Dow proud to be... "Strong & Free" |