Latest news with #Kits
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Epicurious: Fresh food finds a home in remote Gold Bridge General Store
About 85 kilometres up the Pemberton Meadows Road and over the Hurley lies the small community of Gold Bridge. It sits at the confluence of the Gun Lakes, Marshall Lake and Bralorne. Together, they have a population of 250 permanent residents. And while some of those 250 residents might procure their own food, there's only really one reliable option within driving range: the Valley General Store. All that goes to say, it's a departure for Lindsay Coleman. She moved to Gold Bridge from Vancouver's Kitsilano neighbourhood during COVID. But after taking over the store in 2022, she's brought some of that Kits spirit to the area by prioritizing fresh produce. 'We have an older generation up here who maybe didn't eat particularly healthy, and now they have a lot of options, and people are definitely shifting into a lot more healthy food over processed food based on just what was available without having to drive two hours.' When she and her fiancé, Mark, met in 2019, she was a corporate event planner. He was finishing up school with plans of moving up to Gun Lake. When COVID-19 hit, her industry shuttered, and they moved up to Gold Bridge. She'd spent a few summers at Gun Lake with friends in the past, but thought it was 'fairly insane to think about living [there.]' 'I think, had it not been for the pandemic, I don't know that I ever would have done it … it's such a big jump. But, me and Mark bought a couple hundred dollars' worth of vegetable seeds and just moved out to the bushes to get away from everything. 'At the time, it was easy and wonderful.' Then, the store went up for sale. Coleman said Valley General had been managed by the same woman for some 40 years. The owner, now in her seventies, had been looking for a permanent replacement for some time. After some false starts with previous potential successors, the owner passed the store to Coleman. 'It was a big move for us to buy the store because I don't know if anyone else could have,' she remembered. 'But there's nothing else in the area, so, yeah, the community really needed it.' Coleman saw it as an opportunity to bring some fresh produce into the Bridge River Valley. 'For many reasons, like the logistics and the costs and everything, [the previous owner] had just kind of given up on fresh food. It wasn't a thing here, and it's really important to me. I'm from Kitsilano, and it's just part of everyone's values there,' she told Pique. 'When I took over the store, [the owner] was maybe bringing in a quarter case of veggies—about 10 pounds—a week, and I remember ordering my first case of vegetables and being terrified that nobody would buy it. But now we're doing like 15 to 30 cases of veggies a week. So just a huge shift.' Food sales have grown to a third of the store's sales, rivalling beer sales. The last third consists of hardware, houseware, pet food, and 'a lot of sled gear and dirt bike gear.' She emphasized that fresh produce isn't just part of her Kits identity, but part of her upbringing in a small town in Ontario. 'I'm from a very ingredient-focused household,' she said. 'We make everything from scratch. So for me, getting away from processed foods and just giving better food to the community is still so important.' She's expanded the fresh offerings to ready-to-go meals; after earning a permit in January, the store started operating a deli with fresh sandwiches and salads ready to grab and go. When he isn't busy with his own company or working as a small engine mechanic, Coleman's fiancé takes up the delivery driver role. He drives out to Lillooet, Pemberton or beyond once a week during most of the year—though the busier summer season, which sees tourists flock to the Valley, can see those trips jump up to two to three times a week. 'It's been a learning curve to say the least,' said Coleman. 'We've taken over getting our groceries just because it was so cost-prohibitive to use our previous courier. We go pick up our dog food in Surrey, for example, because it's like a thousand dollars to have it delivered. And at that point, we can't afford to sell dog food anymore.' Coleman said that, despite to their remote nature, the cost of sourcing local isn't as daunting as it might seem. She said she pays more for supplies from her wholesale grocer than she pays for the same product at Independent Whistler. 'There seems to be an idea that going out and getting the local and the farmer stuff is more expensive, but in my situation, it absolutely is not. It's a little bit more work, for sure, but definitely worth our while to support local BC farmers and bring in as much product from around our area as we can.'
CNBC
22-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
50-year-old's side hustle brings in $117,000 a month, he works 1 day a week on it: I can 'set my own schedule'
Four days per week, nurse anesthetist Mike O'Dell spends his 10-hour shifts sitting in a swivel chair shoved between pieces of towering, whirring operating equipment. He can't use the bathroom, grab lunch or sip water without asking someone to cover for him, he says. Running his side hustle, Oklahoma City-based quilting company Legit Kits, offers the opposite experience. One day per week, O'Dell enjoys a cup of coffee on his patio and drives his kids to school before starting work, he says. "I can eat breakfast, I can go to the gym. I set my own schedule," says O'Dell, 50. O'Dell launched his side hustle in 2020, after making his two sons Star Wars-themed blankets by drawing a pattern and sewing fabric to the 5-by-6.5-foot paper — like a craftier version of paint-by-numbers. The process, called "foundation paper piecing," made quilting easier than he'd expected, so O'Dell decided to start a business around making and selling quilting kits, he says. Knowing he didn't want to leave his full-time job — which currently pays him $240,000 per year — O'Dell built Legit Kits to run without him most of the time. He hired two graphic designers to create art and quilting patterns, then another employee to cut fabric and ship quilts, he Kits, which now has seven full-time employees and four freelance designers, brought in $1.25 million in online sales in 2024, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. The company made an extra $150,000 selling kits at the now-defunct Joann Fabrics and Crafts, O'Dell estimates. (On February 23, Joann announced closures of its roughly 800 stores, citing bankruptcy liquidation.) The business was profitable in 2023, and broke even last year after accounting for the expenses of moving into a new 4,500-square-foot-warehouse, says O'Dell. O'Dell learned to sew two decades ago to make his own Braveheart kilt for Halloween, he says. Now, he spends one day per week testing color swatches, approving designs and marketing the company to new customers and retailers. He plans to pay himself a $50,000 salary — for serving as the company's creative director and CEO — from Legit Kits this year, he says. "The burnout I feel at the hospital fuels my energy to do the other thing for myself," says O'Dell. "It turns the volume down when everybody's mad at work." Legit Kits has a relatively small amount of market share in a quilting industry that's worth nearly $5 billion, according to the Craft Industry Alliance, a trade association. To grow, O'Dell wants to expand his customer base beyond experienced quilters, he says. His current Facebook advertising campaign targets more casual crafters and Legit Kits has started selling more "mini" kits — $99 for each 15-by-20-inch creation — as easier products to complete. Another reason for selling lower-cost items, O'Dell says: As U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies threaten to raise prices on common consumer goods, Americans could be less likely to spend money on crafts. "I don't want to price people out of a hobby," says O'Dell. But tariffs could also make Legit Kits more expensive to run. The company's fabrics come from Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia and Vietnam, and goods imported from those two countries face 32% and 46% tariff rates, respectively, under policies unveiled by Trump on April 2. Those rates are currently paused until July 9, temporarily replaced by a baseline 10% tariff rate on all foreign imports. "The uncertainty is stressful," says O'Dell, adding that he can't confidently hire new employees until he knows how tariffs will affect Legit Kits' costs. "Optimism is essential these days. Hope mine isn't misplaced." His high-paying, full-time job is his company's safety net. Since O'Dell doesn't have to worry about Legit Kits turning enough profit to pay himself a living wage, he predicts that tariffs — or any other form of economic uncertainty — won't ever force his side hustle's closure. Even pre-tariffs, he didn't expect his side hustle income to surpass his nurse anesthetist salary for another five years, he adds. "I'd have to get Legit Kits up to eight figures in annual sales [to consider making it my full-time job] ... and I want my kids to go to college," says O'Dell. ,
Zawya
13-04-2025
- Health
- Zawya
World Health Day 2025: Putting Mothers and Newborns First in Kajiado, Kenya
On April 7, 2025, WHO Kenya joined hands with the Ministry of Health, Kajiado County leaders, health partners, and community members to mark World Health Day. The theme for this year is "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures", focusing on efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and prioritizing women's long term health and wellbeing. The event was led by Kajiado's Deputy Governor, Hon. Martin Moshisho Martine, who commended the strong partnership with WHO Kenya. In his remarks Deputy Governor, Martine highlighted the significant improvements the county has made in reproductive and maternal health. The county has increased service delivery points from 100 (in 2018) to 134 in 2025, resulting in the increase of immunization coverage for under one years from 78% to 95%. The skilled deliveries in a safe environment improved from 64% in 2018 to 83% in 2024. There was also an increase of enrolment for the Social Health Insurance, all of which have brought service closer to the mothers. 'We are proud of the progress made and ready to do even more,' he said. Ms. Patricia Wamala, speaking on behalf of WHO Representative Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo, reminded everyone that 'Investing in maternal and newborn health is not a cost—it's an investment in a healthier, more prosperous future.' She emphasized that the well-being of mothers and newborns is the foundation of healthy societies. 'Let's close the care gap and ensure every birth is safe and supported." Dr. Luigi D'Acquino, Chief of Health for UNICEF Kenya, also underscored his organization's commitment to the cause: 'UNICEF stands with WHO and the Ministry of Health to ensure every child's right to life is upheld. This year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health aligns with our core mission: protecting children's rights from the very beginning,' he said. As part of the event, WHO Kenya donated 50 Mama Kits and 50 Dignity Kits to enhance the facility's capacity to provide quality maternal and newborn services. Mama Kits contain essential items for mothers and newborns, while Dignity Kits support the hygiene needs of women and girls with items such as sanitary pads, soap, and personal care supplies. WHO Kenya staff also participated in cleaning the maternal and child health unit at the hospital, and interacted with mothers, health care workers and community members to listen and learn from their experiences. This World Health Day was not only a celebration - but also served as a moment to reflect on progress and reaffirm collective efforts toward building a healthier future for all. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization - Kenya.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
FLIR Introduces FLIR MIX™: A Breakthrough in Multispectral Infrared Imaging
WILSONVILLE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 8, 2025-- FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, today unveiled FLIR MIX Starter Kits, an advanced multispectral imaging solution designed to bring greater detail and accuracy to infrared imaging. By blending thermal and visible-light imagery, FLIR MIX gives researchers and engineers a powerful new way to analyze, interpret, and share complex thermal environments with greater accuracy. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: FLIR MIX gives researchers and engineers a powerful new way to analyze, interpret, and share complex thermal environments with greater accuracy The Challenge: Seeing the Full Picture Has Never Been Easy Until now, researchers have had to choose between thermal and visible imaging: one reveals heat signatures while the other provides structural detail. Recording both and trying to align them manually—or harder still, synchronizing them temporally—can be inconsistent and time consuming. The result is data that's close but never quite complete. FLIR MIX is a game changer, capturing and synchronizing high-speed thermal and visible imagery at up to 1,004 frames per second. The camera and software work together to deliver one dataset with spatial and temporal alignment—no more missed details or second guessing, just a complete picture of fast-moving events. Two Kits. One Software. Infinite Possibilities. FLIR MIX Starter Kits are purpose-built solutions designed to synchronize high-speed thermal and visible imagery with precision, delivering the insights researchers need to push the boundaries of discovery. FLIR MIX X-Series Starter Kit – Optimized for high-speed research applications, including airbag testing, materials analysis, and ballistics, this kit pairs FLIR X69xx thermal cameras with a high-speed visible camera, precision optics, custom mounting hardware, and seamless connectivity—all powered by FLIR Research Studio for intuitive data analysis. FLIR MIX A-Series Starter Kit – Built for applications such as electronics design, renewable energy, and battery testing, this kit is designed to integrate with FLIR A67xx thermal cameras, offering a versatile visible imaging setup, custom mounting, and robust networking solutions to ensure precision data capture. FLIR MIX Toolkit – For researchers who want to merge thermal and visible footage in post-processing, the FLIR MIX Toolkit is available as an add-on license to an existing Research Studio Professional Edition license. It removes the complexity of traditional post-processing by synchronizing every thermal and visible frame in real-time, delivering one complete dataset for faster, clearer insights. Whether tracking material stress, analyzing fluid dynamics, or capturing high-speed impacts, researchers can focus on discovery instead of fixing misaligned data. What you see is what you measure, exactly when it happens. 'FLIR MIX simplifies thermal analysis by combining quality thermal and visible imagery in real-time in one easy-to-use hardware and software package,' said Matthew Hasty, Senior Global Product Manager at FLIR. 'The solution empowers researchers to achieve precise spatial alignment with radiometric data for every pixel, providing detailed temperature insights across the entire image, making analysis more straightforward while shortening the time to discovery.' FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, is a world leader in intelligent sensing solutions for industrial applications with thousands of employees worldwide. Founded in 1978, the company creates advanced technologies to help professionals make better, faster decisions that save lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit or follow @flir. SOURCE: FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 04/08/2025 08:12 AM/DISC: 04/08/2025 08:12 AM
Chicago Tribune
07-04-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Highland Park tragedy inspires HS student to create trauma response kits
Sumner Silver was not at the July 4, 2022 parade in Highland Park, where a gunman killed seven people and wounded 48 others, but she shared the grief of those who were at the parade. 'I had a best friend who was there at the time of the shooting,' Silver said. 'She had me on the phone as she was running away from the shooting. I was helping her navigate.' That tragedy spurred the Highland Park resident to action. 'It made me really sad for all the people who were there,' said the now 16-year-old Highland Park High School junior. 'I really felt like this is bound to happen elsewhere if we don't do something about it. I thought, 'How can I help minimize the magnitude of such a tragedy?'' She began thinking of ways to help. Silver prepared herself for emergencies by becoming 'Stop the Bleed' certified at the Evanston Fire Department about a month after the shooting. 'I wanted to be able to help out in a situation like that,' she said. The teen felt the need to do more, though. 'I got a lot of feedback from the volunteers at the parade and they mentioned that they wish they could have been able to do something,' Silver said. 'They wish they had the skill set and also the tools to be able to take action in a tragedy like that.' That inspired Silver to create Hope Kits, portable trauma-response kits that can provide life-saving aid for gunshot wounds, stabbing wounds, or other trauma injuries. These kits answered Silver's question: 'How can people who are in such situations help minimize the effects of such tragedy?' Each Hope Kit includes a CAT (Combat Application Tourniquet)-certified tourniquet, emergency wound-packing gauze, and step-by-step instructions on providing first aid in trauma situations. So far, Silver, with the assistance of her mother, Dana Silver, has created over 180 Hope Kits. 'Our goal is to make as many as possible,' the teen said. Silver donated 170 of those kits to the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago. 'We were looking for an organization that directly helps fight gun violence,' Silver explained. 'Their mission greatly aligns with what we had hoped to do with the Hope Kits.' 'She saw the impact we were making and thought it would be a good fit,' said Shunda Collins, Vice President of Development and Communications for the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago. Collins said that some of the Hope Kits are staying with their staff. 'We have a team of victim advocates and outreach workers who regularly are in communities,' Collins explained. Other Kits were given to the group's Peacekeepers. 'They're not on staff, but they are on stipends. They help in terms of mediating conflict and building relationships, being like a connecting point for us to get resources out to communities,' Collins said. 'We believe that if there is an opportunity for us to help, we want to do that.' Silver indicated that they plan to donate more Hope Kits to the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago as well as to local fire departments and possibly the Chicago Police Department. To finance the venture, Silver sells her handmade greeting cards, Happy Notes, at area art fairs. She will be selling them next at the Deerfield Art Festival in downtown Deerfield, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., May 31-June 1. The cards sell for $18 for a set of six cards. 'I'm passionate about art,' Silver explained. 'I wanted to bring a little light in such dark times for my community, so I created a series of uplifting greeting cards directly after the shooting to be able to fundraise for the Highland Park Community Foundation, which supports the victims affected by the Highland Park shooting.' So far, Silver has raised over $10,000 through the sale of her greeting cards; $3,000 for the Highland Park Community Foundation and the rest for creating the Hope Kits. You can purchase Happy Notes or donate to the project at
