Excellence in tourism and hospitality was celebrated by the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association at their annual general meeting, held June 21 at the Albion Hills Conservation Area.

An awards presentation followed dinner and wine provided by Chef Talk Bistro and Chesslawn Vineyard and Winery and remarks by guest speaker Patrick Carson, former VP of Loblaws and strategist behind theintroduction of the highly successful No Name, Too Good to be True and President's Choice product lines.

The winners were selected based on customer service, quality of the tourism product/experience, contribution to the local community, level of commitment to tourism, and on contribution to the well-being of the local natural environment.

For more information about the events, attractions, restaurants and accommodation in the Hills of Headwaters visit thehillsofheadwaters. com or call 1800-332-9744 to obtain a copy of the Visitor's Guide and map.

Since its first public run in 2004 the Credit Valley Explorer has been experienced by thousands of Ontarians. It is a popular activity for local residents, for people throughout the province, and for visitors from the United States and Europe.

Each weekend, their train trips carry hundreds of passengers to view our region's scenic landscape, and it allows them restful inspiration while they sit and enjoy a fine meal.

Passenger feedback has unanimously been that 'any season is a great time to ride the rails'.

Travelers can book their voyage right on their website or they can call the Hills of Headwaters office to confirm their reservation 'in person'. The train's following is so popular that some days the Orangeville office answers dozens of inquires and has been known to sell out a train excursion in just one day.

The other winners:

Best Festival/Event: Shelburne Fiddle Contest Every August since 1950, the town of Shelburne has been the 'hub' of activity when this Championship comes to town. It attracts Canada's top fiddlers and thousands of enthusiasts to this toe-tapping event, which is truly an authentic & entertaining event. In recent years, the festivities have included a Farmers' Market, a Church service, a huge parade, a midway, a barbecue, dances, workshops, concerts and, of course, the competitions and final play-downs. With the tradition of great music and the support of the community, the Rotary Club organizers, and many sponsors, this event has continued to involve thousands of volunteers, participants, organizers and visitors from counties far away.

Best Restaurant: Hiding Inn Hockley - Have you ever wanted to find that perfect, dining spot. tucked away in the country, comfortable like being in your own home, where you can really taste the homemade ingredients in your meal? We know a place where you can dine over that special glass of wine while you stare into the flames of a cozy fireplace or laugh away the afternoon in an airy screen porch overlooking delightful floral gardens. This truly 'gem of a dining spot' is exactly the place you will always want to return to again and again. It is just the place you can dream of escaping to for those peaceful moments discussing what is most important in your life. The owners will always welcome you personally & their chef's fine cuisine will delight your taste buds every time.

Retailer of the Year: Harmony Whole Foods Market This store has been a pioneer in Orangeville in the natural health and organic food industry for more than 25 years. They have served our local community and been a shopping destination for visitors from other towns throughout Ontario and beyond as their produce choices and philosophies also celebrate our surrounding natural environment which is our biggest regional attractant.

Their beginnings were on Broadway, secondly around the corner on First St., and then finally to their current location on First Street across from the Orangeville Mall. This store continues to grow and expand not only its staff, but its departments and its presence in the community. The growth that they have enjoyed over the years is an affirmation that they offer what many citizens of Orangeville look for in a retail environment; personalized customer service, a reliable source of the most up-to-date information in health matters, a warm inviting atmosphere in which to shop that leaves customers feeling a part of this 'Harmonious' family.

Best Accommodation (over 10 rooms): The Millcroft Inn & Spa Wolfgang Stichnothe, the innkeeper, has played an integral role in the development and success of the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association for over ten years now. He became involved with Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association in 1995 when he first took over the Millcroft. He has been an active board member over the years, including holding the chair, vice chair and treasurer positions. He generously offers the use of his facilities for many meetings and events that sincerely encourage growth in tourism for the whole region.

Wolfgang practices business philosophies that are reflected by offering clients the best possible experience to encourage repeat business. The service staff (both front desk and in the dining room) are continuously acting ambassadors for tourism. They regularly offer suggestions to their guests about local attractions from theatre to shopping, antiquing, golfing and beyond. The amenities of the inn are absolute top quality from the Four Diamond award dining, a stateof the-art European-style spa, several unique accommodations, beautiful grounds and gardens plus on site hiking and cross country skiing trails, this truly is an outstanding property and aptly named the Definitive Country Retreat.

Best Accommodation (under 10 rooms): Hockley Hills Bed and Breakfast - If you have ever considered staying in a Bed & Breakfast overnight, then you are in for a unique experience. Truly personal & dedicated customer service awaits you & you can be guaranteed a memorable stay.

Our first choice for the Best Accommodation under 10 rooms this year is awarded to an absolutely beautiful & tranquil country location who has received numerous testimonials commenting on the superior quality of their rooms, an oasis of a garden & for an overall outstanding experience.

Artisan of the Year: Hills of Erin Studio Tour- As anyone who wants to celebrate the arts will know. it is always very difficult to choose a 'Best Of' scenario as there will be as many 'Bests Of' as there are 'People to Choose'. The choice of artistic talent in our association is so vast that the consensus this year was to satisfy everyone.

In saying this we have chosen a Studio Tour as our award recipient.

Every September the charming Town of Erin showcases the works of over 25 local artists in 15 locations surrounding the Village of Erin. Their works represent a rich diversity of mediums from pottery to water colours, and from weaving to life size sculptures. The artists work collaboratively with one another to promote this event annually through their own mailing lists, email and their collaborative brochure.

Best Outdoor/Agricultural Experience: Orangeville Agricultural Society - This wonderful venue has earned an excellent reputation in the heart of this community & the award is a well-deserved accolade for them to receive.

This well-organized multi functional venue is adaptable for many types of events. The calm professional support offered with Sandy Sanderson at the helm of the organization continues to contribute to increased bookings & variety of events to the area.

Numerous agricultural, community, live music and entertainment events take place at the Orangeville Fairgrounds as well as many fabulous fairs, rodeos and more. These events are a healthy contribution to the local community; which attract newcomers to the area, and in addition, offer entertainment for local residents.

As anyone will know, who has managed an event at the Orangeville Fairgrounds - your huge list of daunting tasks is easily achieved with Sandy's expert guidance. He quietly manages arrivals, deliveries, safety issues, problems and turn around all with exceedingly tight deadlines, and always with a smile.

Ambassador of the Year: Don Smith - A founding member of the Tourism Association, and Treasurer for some 12 years, Bolton accountant Don Smith has contributed tirelessly to the well-being of the tourism industry. Since it's beginning in 1994, when the Tourism Association was little more than a traveling road show distributing brochures and extolling the virtues of tourism from a van, Don has guided the organization to its current level of operation resulting in 406,000,000 media impressions into the GTA marketplace (the number of times people either heard or saw the Hills of Headwaters Tourism message) over the past three years at an estimated value of close to $1 million. Always a visionary and a great advocate for a regional approach to economic development, Don steps down from the Tourism Association Board of Directors this month.

Best Service: A.D.E.P.T. Computer Services - Whenever any one asks for a recommendation for technical support or software inevitably this per's name comes up. He provides his skills in the confusing world of technology to almost everyone in the Hills of Headwaters & his diligent commitment to his clients that goes above and beyond the call duty. Many businesses could recount a time when he has come at odd hours of the day or night to fix a computer problem, often needing a solution NOW.

Polling clients for comments about this man, we found that he is not only very aware of all the demands of business of hospitality, needing for him to work hours that are not always suitable to most, but he is also a patron of the community, supporting their fund raising events & assisting in last minute technical hiccups, 'without a ripple', while the rest of the world plays on.

Best Website: Theatre Orangeville - This year, when determining the winner for the Best Web Site Award, we were looking for a member who had a solid web site of their own plus one which also took advantage of other on-line marketing tools, especially those available on the Hills of Headwaters regional website. This year's artistic winner has a refreshing new look to their web site. The web site promotes many of the local area businesses beyond their own giving visitors a reason to stay longer. The site has fresh messaging and indepth content without being overwhelming.

And for those who want a peak at a member who makes good use of the tools of the Hills of Headwaters website - look no further. Our winner takes advantage of extra visibility on thehillsofheadwaters.com by making sure events are uploaded and current and they are a regular user of the News in the Hills electronic newsletter.

Best Brochure: North of 89 Studios - Collaboration has always proved economically beneficial, however creatively, this collaboration & fellowship of 17 artists together has created, in itself a brochure which is a

work of art'.