April 6, 2007

1The Source Issue 70 - April 6, 2007

Issue 70 - April 6, 2007 2 The Source

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of recent letters from the world of Roots

I N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI S S U E 70I S S U E 70I S S U E 70I S S U E 70I S S U E 70

The Source wants to hear from you.Please send your letters to RobertSarner at [email protected]. Lettersmay be edited for length and clarity.

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantPAULOMI PATEL

InternsNICK KANEVSKY, HILARY HALL

The Source is published every two weeksby Roots Canada Ltd. We welcome lettersfrom readers for publication. Pleaseaddress all correspondence to TheSource, Letters to the Editor, RootsCanada, 1400 Castlefield Ave., Toronto,Ontario, M6B 4C4 or by email [email protected] Letters may be editedfor length and clarity.

Each issue of The Source is alsoavailable, in an abridged version, on theRoots website at www.roots.com

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In keeping with our fortnightlypublishing schedule, the nextissue of The Source will appearon Friday, April 20.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

THE RIGHT WAYI recently had an experience withone of your stores that left me soimpressed and satisfied. It beganwhen I went to your store at PenCentre in St. Catharines, Ontario.I was looking for a blue sweaterbut there were none available inmy size. The person who at-tended to me was named MalloryWheeler. I asked her if therewere any more left in stock. Shechecked and told me they weresold out. I asked her if she couldcontact other stores to see if theyhad one in my size that theycould ship to the St. Catharinesstore.

Mallory said she would andasked for my phone number soshe could call me when thesweater arrived. I told her I am adeaf and that it would be a diffi-cult for her to call me. She sug-gested emailing me instead. Itold her it was a wonderful idea.A few days later, she emailed mesaying she had ordered one fromanother store and would keep meposted. When the sweater ar-rived, she emailed me to say Icould come in to pick it up. I didand met Mallory again and toldher how much I appreciated herefforts.

That’s why I am writing thisletter. Mallory provided excellentcustomer service and showedsensitivity to the fact I am deaf

DEPT. OF CLARIFICATION

DepartmentsFRESH INK

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

MOMENTS THAT MATTER

GREEN TIPS

HEALTH TIPS

STAYING POWER

by communicating with me byemail. She should be recognizedfor her fine work.Christa SenitzaSt. Catharines, ON

MAKING IT POSITIVEI would like to take this opportu-nity to bring to your attention theoutstanding service providedrecently by Mindy Walton at theRoots Home Design store in To-ronto. I had purchased a set ofRoots bamboo sheets at NewYear’s while visiting Toronto andcontacted the store to see aboutordering a second set, after find-ing none in Ottawa where I live.Mindy was most polite, friendlyand helpful, and arranged fordelivery of the sheets to myhome once they were available.

I only wish there were morecourteous and efficientsalespeople like her who makeshopping a pleasure instead of anordeal.Shelagh Jane WoodsOttawa

MAKE GREEN COOLI wanted to write about my expe-rience entering a Roots Storerecently in Regina, SK. I have tosay I was greatly impressed withsome of the products in yourstore. As a person concernedwith the environment, I foundyour clothing items with “green”

sayings on them a step in theright direction.

Since Roots apparel is con-sidered by many as being “cool”or part of the “in” group, I’mhappy to see products that drawattention to global warming andenvironmental issues. I thinkthat in this manner, your cloth-ing line will make being envi-ronmentally friendly “cool” aswell.

I hope with this feedbackyou will see this importance, andcontinue to make clothing thatreflects the need to protect theenvironment - and in effect mak-ing the environment part of“pop” culture.Tara RichterRegina, SK

In Issue 69 of The Source, in thearticle “Endorsing The Green Cause”,the reference to the Manager of theRoots Masonville store in London,ON, should have read: “RobinWilkins and his team...”- Please address any corrections,relevant updates and revisions [email protected]

SPRING FORWARD…WITH A BANGRetail stores begin new seasonwith best week in years

CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAYWITH CHATELAINEReaders get free Roots items aspart of new promo with magazine

BREATHE, STRETCH, RELAXAND SUPPORTYoga-thon to raise awareness ofpsychotic disorders

AND THE WINNER IS...Roots collaborates with Canadianad industry on 2007 competition

ROOTS TEAM OUT EAST GETSPRISS AND PROPERHalifax store goes to bat for theMake-A-Wish Foundation

LIMITED EDITION TO A TRoots contributes to evening inhonour of acclaimed Inuit artist

SHAPE AND STYLE IN ASPENMagazine showcases Roots in itsannual fashion show

MAKING A DIFFERENCEIN THE LIFE OF A CHILDRoots Launches the Send a Kid toCamp campaign

GOOD FOR THE HEARTStore pitches in to make cardiachealth event a success

SPOTLIGHTING THE KIDSNew ad campaign for ‘Roots 73’soon to hit stores


ALBERTA BOUNDRoots shows its resilience as it tackles the challenges of doing business in a province

with an acute labour shortage amid a booming economy

Continued on next page

Trivia question: What is the onething that links all Roots stores inEdmonton, Calgary, Lethbridgeand Banff? No, it’s not that theyare all located in the western

province of Alberta. No, it’s not that theyare all under the supervision of RegionalDirector Samara Snyder. No, it’s not thatthey are all successful members of theRoots retail family.

Guess again. Here’s a hint: It’ssomething that’s quite topical but hasnothing to do with clothes.

Give up? The answer: Each of the 12Roots stores in Alberta has a prominentsign that reads: “We’re hiring”. It’s one ofthe first things customers see when theyenter the stores.

It’s a sign of the times in Alberta,literally, and anything but unique to Roots.Alberta’s economy is on fire, growing atsuch a pace that businesses are hardpressed to find enough employees to meettheir staffing requirements. Alberta differsfrom virtually every other region inCanada due to its booming oil-driveneconomy and its job vacancy rates that areby far the highest in the country.

“Alberta is filled with oil and gasbut running empty on workers,” the RetailCouncil of Canada recently wrote. “Withrecruitment and retention a growing prob-lem for talent-starved Alberta businesses,retailers have had to develop new ap-proaches to finding and keeping skilledemployees.”

Roots is not immune to this chal-lenge. Indeed, staffing the stores has be-come a major issue. Store managers inAlberta have had to make recruiting animportant aspect of their day. They alsoreceive valuable assistance from the HeadOffice in Toronto in the form of LauraClark, Director of Human Resources, andLisa Gao, Payroll and Benefit Administra-tor, who every day update job postingsand solicit resumes for prospective newemployees in Alberta.

Due to the labour shortage, Rootsstores in Alberta have shown their resil-ience and sense of camaraderie and coop-eration in tackling the staffing situation,which is unique to their province.

“When it comes to Roots out west,what impresses me most, especially inAlberta, is the spirit and flexibility ofmanagers to assist one another,” saysRosemary Eisenhut, Director of Retail atRoots. “With the incredible growth in Al-berta and the extremely competitive jobmarket there, all the managers have helpedeach other over the past year to keep themotivation high and the stores staffed.They have incredible dedication to workas a team and wear many hats.”

In addition, to help ease the staffingsituation, Roots employees from otherprovinces have come to Alberta to work instores in need of employees.

Based on all projections, Alberta’sacute labour drought is here to stay for theimmediate future. “The provincial govern-ment forecasts the economy will create400,000 new jobs between now and 2014,

but only 300,000 new workers are ex-pected to enter the job market by then,”Doug Beazley recently wrote in AlbertaVenture magazine. “Services and retailshould see the sharpest shortfalls in staff-ing by 2015. As a result, to lure prospec-tive employees, businesses are offering[aggressive recruitment packages].”

For its part, Roots offers a generousrelocation package for store managers andassistant managers who are willing tomove to Alberta for a minimum one-yearcommitment to work there.

Last month, Mauricio Santos, a Rootsstore manager in New Brunswick, headed

Beacon Hill, Calgary

Chinook Centre, Calgary

West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton

Kingsway, Edmonton


west to Calgary to help withthe company’s efforts in Al-berta. Since then, he’s beenworking closely with Samaraon hiring initiatives and re-merchandising the stores.

“I first visited the Rootsstores in Alberta to better un-derstand the market which isdifferent from out east,” saysMauricio, based for now inCalgary. “Every store here ishiring. I have been interview-ing many people in the pasttwo weeks and though I’vehired a few staff members forthe Beacon Hill store, it’s diffi-cult to fill all employee vacan-cies due to the competition andlimited work force.”

It was a far different realityin 1986 when Roots firstopened in Alberta. The initialstore was at West EdmontonMall managed by Lyn Frankel(who today is the Vancouver-based Roots Corporate Spon-sorship and Sales Manager forWest Canada). Since then,Roots has struck a chordamong Albertans as its pres-ence in the province has grownextensively and has becomeone of the most popular life-style brands for both residentsand tourists. Today, there arefive stores in Calgary, fourstores in Edmonton, one inLethbridge, one in Banff andone in Grande Prairie. Three ofthe 12 are ‘Roots 73’ locations.

Since 2005, Samara Snyderhas been responsible for thestores in Alberta (in addition toBritish Columbia, Saskatch-ewan and Manitoba) in hercapacity as Regional Directorfor Western Canada. Alberta

has added significance for heras she was born in Edmonton,raised nearbyand todaylives in thecity. Her par-ents, grandpar-ents and great-grandparentsall have spentmost of theirlives living inEdmonton.Talk aboutAlbertan roots!

“I have been fortunate to

call Alberta home for my en-tire life,” says Samara, whostarted with Roots in 2003 asan Area Manager overseeingthe Edmonton stores and man-aging West Edmonton Mall.“The hospitality and drive ofAlbertans never cease toamaze me. We live in an ever-growing economic environ-ment where adaptability andhard work are key to success.”

Due to the current reality inAlberta, Samara is obsessedwith finding new employees.Understandably, she’s con-stantly on patrol for new staff.When being interviewed forthis article, she made a point toask that we cite the positionscurrently open at her stores in

the province.See box. Thechallenge ofcourse is not justfinding candi-dates but choos-ing only thosewho have thenecessary skills,attitude and re-late to the val-ues, style and

image of the brand.Fortunately, a boom

Here’s a list of jobs currently open at Roots in

Alberta. If you’re interestedin applying, please emailyour resume along with acover letter to [email protected]· Store Managers: Banff, Bea-con Hill, West Edmonton Mall· Assistant Managers: Banff,Mayfield Common, Kingsway· Keyholders: Banff, BeaconHill, Chinook, West Edmon-ton Mall, Mayfield Common,Kingsway· Sales Associates:Lethbridge, Banff, Chinook,Market Mall, Beacon Hill, TDSquare, West Edmonton,Kingsway, Mayfield Common

WE’RE HIRINGPositions available atRoots stores in Alberta

• Debbie Barnes, Robson Kids,Vancouver, BC• Julie Bray, Bayshore, Ottawa,ON•Taron Driedger, Regina, SK• Laura Hanna, Bayers Lake,Halifax, NS• Erick Hiller, Belleville, ON• Donna Issley, Windsor Cross-ing, Windsor, ON• Lindsay Kern, Kelowna, BC• Nicole Poppleton, Saskatoon,SK• Susan Ramsey, PrinceGeorge, BC• Janine Reed, Kanata, Ottawa,ON• Paul Rogers, Kenaston, Win-nipeg, ON• Barry Rooke, Richmond, BC• Mauricio Santos, WheelerPark, Moncton, NB• Janice Waldrum, WindsorCrossing, Windsor, ON• Colleen Webber, Heartland,Mississauga, ON• Mark Yoders, Blue Bonnet,Montreal, QC

HELPING OUTIN ALBERTA

Over the past year, vari-ous Roots employees

from across Canada havecome to Alberta to assiststores in need of extrastaff. Here is an alphabeti-cal list of everyone who hasmade the extra effort tohelp the situation.

Continued from previous page

economy does not only resultin a labour shortage. Given thehealthy financial situation -and robust shopping habits - ofmost Albertans, it’s provenfertile ground for Roots stores.With forecasts calling for Al-berta’s economy to remain hotfor the foreseeable future, itaugurs well for Roots. – R.S.

Mayfield Common, Edmonton

TD Square, Calgary

Market Mall, Calgary

South Park Outlet, Edmonton

Kingsway, Edmonton

Signal Hill Outlet, Calgary


BREATHE, STRETCH, RELAX AND SUPPORTYoga-thon to raise awareness of psychotic disorders

Later this month, Rootswill support an all-dayyoga-based fundraiser in

aid of people fighting schizo-phrenia. As part of this, Rootswill supply yoga T-shirts andfree passes to attend sessions at

the Roots Yoga Studio in To-ronto.

The event, to be held at theCIBC’s Atrium in Toronto onApril 22, will start with athree-hour instructional classfor all levels taught by instruc-tors from the Sivananda YogaVedanta Centre. The morningclass will be followed by alight lunch, entertainment anda variety of yoga and health-related workshops during theafternoon. The day will con-clude with a ceremony featur-ing a performance fromSwaha, a Sanskrit-chantingband from Toronto.

The funds collected willbe used to support the

Schizophrenia Society of On-tario’s Early Intervention Pro-gram. The organization pro-motes early diagnosis andtreatment to enhance thechances of recovery amongyoung people suffering fromschizophrenia.

Meanwhile, in a relatedevent, Roots will be participat-ing in the upcoming Yoga Con-ference and Show in Toronto atthe end of this month, (April26-29). The Conference willgive yoga followers at all lev-els an opportunity to be trainedby an international roster of 43world class instructors. Moredetails to follow in the nextissue of The Source.

MOMENTSTHAT MATTERBig developments inthe life of Roots staff

Daphny Zhou, Supervisor,International Logistics,Sourcing Department, at theRoots Head Office in Toronto,recently gave birth to a babygirl named Sophie Fei Yu.• Please send us details of similar goodnews and we’ll be happy to publish it inThe Source ([email protected])

SPRING FORWARD…WITH A BANGRetail stores begin new season with best week in years

Talk about kick-ing off thespring in style

and on the right foot!In an impressiveshow of force, theretail family at Rootsshowed their mettleby completing thefirst full week ofspring with the high-est sales figures for a7-day period (ex-cluding Boxing Dayweek) in many years.

The momentum was strongand kept up through the entireweekend. Adding to the satis-faction, the sales trend alsocontinued well into this week.As The Source went to press,the latest results from thestores show that they are ontrack for another banner week.

Since March 21, the firstofficial day of spring, the in-creases over sales budgets arein the double digits across thechain. Sweats and leather bagshave led the way, dominatingthe movement of products outthe door. Many store managersreport that the improvedweather has contributed to theboom but say other factors are

also at work.“Most of our success of late

is based on having a better se-lection of product in ourstore,” says Avis Baker, Man-ager of the Roots store inSeven Oaks, BC. “Customerslove our new styles, especiallythe new focus on sweats. Weare doing very well with thecut off varsity sweatpants. Thewider selection of bags in ourstore is also helping to generatehigher average sales.”

Of course, little of the com-pany’s success would be possi-ble without the hard work andattentive customer service ofthe teams in each store whoplay a critical role in determin-

ing the results ofeach location

“Our store’s suc-cess has a lot to dowith our great staffthat always work as ateam to keep spiritshigh,” says TequieraBedard, Manager ofthe Sunnyside, NewBrunswick store.“Our location issmall which meanswe have more time toform personal rela-

tionships with our returningcustomers.”

This importance of cus-tomer treatment was echoed bymost store leaders. “We make apoint to attend to every cus-tomer that comes in the doorand to give them 110% service,trying to turn their experienceinto a sale,” says BeckyDiligenti, Keyholder of thestore in Jackson Square inHamilton, Ontario. “Positiveenergy and attitudes alwayshelp us every week in makingour customers feel welcomeand free to come to us for anyquestions they may have. Wevalue our customers, whetherthey spend $5 or $500, and that

is why they come back andhelp us in our success.”

In addition to the humanfactor, many stores cited spe-cific new products as helpingdrive the current success.

It’s impossible to say onlyone factor is behind our suc-cess. Many are at play,” saysEmma Bury, Manager ofRoots in Brockville, Ontario.“The recent arrival of ourspring ladies line has bright-ened the look of the store andcreated more interest for cus-tomers. The product drivingthis is the arrival of crocs,cropped sweats, and the newlong T-shirts. The staff promowith the pants has also helpedas we have sold many morepairs of cropped pants sincecustomers have actually seenthem on. Last but not least, thespring bag collection is alsohelping us here. Our mall doesnot have any stores that offerany product like it.”

Whatever is the main loco-motive propelling Roots storesto new heights, the importantthing is to keep the train ontrack, to build on the momen-tum of the last 10 days and tomake April a stellar month.


This month, many Roots employ-ees marked major anni-

versaries of their time at the com-pany. By ‘major’, we meanbenchmark achievements as in 5,10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 yearsspent at Roots. We invite anyonecelebrating such an anniversaryat Roots to send the relevantinformation to The Source.

Congratulations to the follow-ing employees for their huge con-tribution and enduring loyalty toRoots: (listed alphabetically)• Michelle Cabral, Sales Associate,Roots Yorkdale, Toronto, 5 years.• Laura Clark, Director, HumanResources and Benefits, RootsHead Office, Toronto, 5 years.• Barbara Palmegiani, Vice Presi-dent, Financial Department, RootsHead Office, Toronto, 5 years.

STAYING POWERSaluting those who gothe distance

LIMITED EDITION TO A ‘T’Roots contributes to evening in honour of acclaimed Inuit artist

In keeping with its long-timesupport of creative pursuits,Roots recently took part in

Canada’s pre-eminent arts filmfestival in Toronto. At the open-ing night party of this year’sReel Artists Film Festival(RAFF), Roots donated 250 lim-ited edition AnniePootoogook T-shirts that wereincluded in thegift-bags handedout to guests.

The party fol-lowed the worldpremiere screen-

glimpse into her drawings,thoughts and daily life in CapeDorset, Baffin Island and fol-lows her as she prepares hercareer-defining exhibition at thePower Plant in Toronto last year.

Director of Roots Home De-sign Diane Bald and photogra-pher Jim Budman representedRoots at the RAFF gala, whichtook place at Toronto’s GardinerMuseum. The Reel Artists FilmFestival is a project of the Cana-dian Art Foundation. Launchedin 2004, it features documentaryfilms that focus on the visualsarts.

ing of a film aboutPootoogook, an Inuitartist who won the2006 Sobey ArtAward. The film pro-vides an intimate

SHAPE AND STYLE IN ASPENMagazine showcases Roots in its annual fashion show

Roots style reigned supreme on the slopes of

Aspen, Colorado re-cently when Shape magazineorganized a special fashionshow at the base of the Ajaxmountain. Held last month aspart of the 7th annual Shape Es-cape event, the “Spirit, Sport andStyle” fashion and beauty showspotlighted women’s style.

Five local models walkeddown the ramp near the GondolaPlaza ski lift area in Aspen on aglorious late March afternoonoutfitted in the latest Roots lineof daily wear and yogawear.Styled by Aspen Store ManagerPeggy McCafferty, the Roots

items were well received. Aseach model walked by, the showcommentator gave a detaileddescription of the featured outfitalong with a short history ofRoots.

“The Shape event is right in

the middle of the ski seasonwhen there are thousands oftourists in Aspen from all overthe world,” says Peggy who hasbeen with Roots since 1995.“It’s extremely prestigious to bepart of this fashion show whichcreates a lot of awareness forRoots. It brings crowds of inter-national customers into ourstore, many of them Roots loyal-ists who shop in our store everytime they’re in town.”

This is the sixth year in a rowthat the Roots store (whichopened in 1991) has been se-lected by Shape to be a part oftheir fashion show during theShape Escape fest.

In addition to the show, theone-day festival included activelifestyle workshops, raffles,product samplings, tastings,demos and other fun activities.The event has been held in As-pen every year since 2001.

Above: Store Manager PeggyMcCafferty, right, with AssistantManager Helena Svensson; Below:Staff members Pablo Fragapanewith Cynthia Jankowski


AND THE WINNER IS...Roots collaborates with Canadian ad industry in support of 2007 competition

For the first time, Roots isthe Principal Brand Spon-sor of next month’s Na-

tional Advertising Awards(NAA). Launched in 2004 andbased in Toronto, the NAApromotes Canadian advertisingtalent nationally and globally.It also generates entries for theprestigious Cannes LionsAwards in France.

Roots is sponsoring the‘Masters – Print and Outdoor’awards, the largest categorywith the broadest entry basethat attracts a wide variety ofstyles and concepts. Teamsparticipating in this categorywill develop creative strategiesand ideas for a theoreticalRoots ad campaign.

Hundreds of copywritersand art directors take part inthe awards every year includ-ing Canada’s top ad agencytalent. Their work will bejudged by many of their peersin the business includingAndrew Simon, Creative Di-rector, DDB Canada; MartinBeauvais, Creative Director,Zig; and Pete Breton, Copy-writer/Group Creative Director,Cossette CommunicationGroup. Winners will be an-

nounced on May 2 at the NAAfestival in Toronto.

The Roots involvement wascoordinated by JamesConnell, Director of E-Com-merce, Digital Marketing andNew Media. He will also at-tend the NAA’s two-day inter-active, media and creative con-ference.

“Roots is backing theawards to support activitiesthat help foster Canadian talentand culture both at home andinternationally,” says James.“Besides this, we will also seea wide variety of ideas that wecould possibly apply to ourown future advertising effortsand campaigns.”

Roots will have full owner-

ship of the work submitted inthe category it’s sponsoring.The ads developed for Rootswill be displayed at the festivaland as part of accompanyingshows and events acrossCanada. They will also be dis-played at the Cannes competi-tion should the submissions beselected for entry at the LionsAwards. In addition, the Rootslogo will appear in NAA printads in major national newspa-pers and magazines and otherfestival-related promotionalmaterial and exhibits.

Check The Source in Mayfor more on the creative cam-paigns developed for Roots bysome of Canada’s most innova-tive ad people.

SPOTLIGHTING THE KIDSNew ad campaign for ‘Roots 73’ soon to hit stores

The next ‘Roots 73’ ad campaign highlightsthe latest line of kids and baby clothingfor summer. Photographed by Senior Art

Director Ilich Mejia, the above pictures weretaken at Allen Gardens, an indoor conserva-tory in downtown Toronto. The photo-shootwas based on the theme: ‘The Secret Garden’and was styled by Senior Visual Merchant Pe-ter Paquette and Merchandise Flow AnalystCarmen Nunez.

It spotlights a range of pretty summer

dresses for little girls featuring floral and daintyprints. Other items for kids include polo T-shirts, woven shorts and capris. Also on offerare classic ‘Roots 73’ co-ordinates such ascotton jersey T-shirts, tanks, shorts and skirtsavailable for prices such as three for $30 forkids wear and three for $24 for toddler itemsmaking ‘Roots 73’ outlet stores ideal for familyvalue shopping.

The photographs will be used as postersand will hit store windows next week.

Guide to new ads appearingthis week and next

SPREADING THE WORD

• Month of April - Adshave been placed in com-munity newspapers to pro-mote ‘Roots 73’ outletstores.• Sat., Apr. 07 - NationalPost (Toronto section):Back cover ad featuringthe original Roots sweatpant. Colours shown: saltand pepper, black and yel-low.• Thurs., Apr. 12 – Nowmagazine (Toronto): Full-page ad featuring currentRoots products.• Sat., Apr. 14 – NationalPost (Toronto section):Full-page ad featuring cur-rent Roots product.


MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILDRoots launches the Send a Kid to Camp campaign

With summertime justaround the corner,Roots is doing its part

to ensure that the sun shines

bright on the life of childrenfacing difficult challenges.Through the soon-to-launchRoots Send A Kid to Campcampaign, proceeds from thesale of certain Roots watcheswill go toward sending threecabins of disadvantaged chil-dren to Camp Quality. It’s partof a volunteer, non-profit,charitable organization thatimproves the quality of life forchildren with cancer.

The program involves thepurchase of Roots Camp andCottage Life Watches, designedfor people with a genuine loveof nature and outdoor activities

such as canoeing, hiking andfishing. Manufactured by long-time partner Cosmoda, the col-lection features EL backlights,luminous hands and markers,nylon material, and removablecompasses, making them per-fect accessories for outdooradventure.

Camp Quality helps chil-dren with cancer with year-round family support programsand camps during the summer.The year-round programs andthe six camps across Canadaare volunteer-run, community-funded and offered to familiesat no cost. Camp Quality’s sig-

nature weeklong camping pro-gram provides a wonderfulopportunity for children aged 3to 18 to put their illness behindthem and concentrate on hav-ing fun.

Staff at the Roots (SpringGarden) store in Halifaxrecently had a good time

for a good cause. They joinedhundreds of students from vari-ous universities in Nova Scotiafor a night of live music andchoreographed dance thatshowcased the latest spring andsummer fashions from leadingfashion retailers.

Store Manager Terri Smithand Assistant Manager LisaMoorhouse spearheaded theRoots effort, lending 10 outfitsthat where featured at the char-ity event as part of a livelyfashion show. The Roots ap-parel was selected by the fash-

ion show coordinators with helpfrom Keyholder and in-housefashionistaKarenO’Hearon.

Billed asthe ‘Prissand Proper’Evening, ittook place atthe HalifaxCasino inlate March.It raisedmore than$8,000 for the Make-A-WishFoundation which helps seri-ously ill children.

“It was a real treat to get in-

volved with the community inHalifax,” says Terri. “Especially

since so manyof the studentswho attendedthe show areregular shop-pers in ourstore.”

Some 10other retailerssuch as Gap,American Ap-parel, West 49and

Fairweather participated in theevent. Based on the audiencereaction, Roots was one of themost popular brands. That’s

thanks in part to the fact thatmany people at the event areTorontonians who are studyingat the Dalhousie University inHalifax.

Also helping make the Rootspresence possible at the eveningwere Atlantic Field BusinessManager Monika Urbaniak andMarketing Coordinator Sonia-Michelle DeSouza.

Make-A-Wish Foundation isa charitable organization devotedto granting the wishes of chil-dren battling life-threateningillness. Since its inception in1980, the charity has grantedmore than 115,000 wishes tochildren around the world.

ROOTS TEAM OUT EAST GETS PRISS AND PROPERHalifax store goes to bat for the Make-A-Wish Foundation

From left to right: Karen O’Hearon, LisaMoorhouse and Terri Smith


GOOD FOR THE HEARTStore pitches in to make cardiac health event a great success

As part of its commitmentto health and wellnessin general, and local

communities in particular,

Roots Windsor, Devonshire Mall: Left to right - Edith Bautista, ChrisCrowe-Campeau, Lucy Palomba, Nathen Gelinas, Serein Makkawi,Gunika Ahluwalia, Ashley Kawczyk, Jaye Gillis

Roots often supports specificevents connected to non-profit organizations. TheRoots (Devonshire) store in

Windsor, Ontario lent a handto the Windsor-Essex CardiacWellness Centre when itstaged a recent fundraiser.Roots made a donation to theevent, which was called “AnEvening of Heart and En-chantment”.

The evening featured adinner, fashion show and si-lent auction aimed at raisingmoney for the Cardiac Centreat the Windsor Regional Hos-pital.

Roots outfitted eight ofthe show’s models, all ofwhom were cardiac patientsthemselves. In addition, StoreManager Chris Crowe-Campeau arranged for a giftcertificate to be donated tothe event.

FRESH INKA selection of coverageof Roots in the media

- Compiled by Carmela Ledo

HerearesomerecentsightingsofRoots

in the pages of newspapers andmagazines:• 2 Magazine, Spring issue:Spotlight on the Roots vegeta-ble-tanned leather PrincetonBag featured in the “GreenTeam” shopping section. Alsomentions the ‘Keep it Natural’• T-shirt included in this eco-spread.• Wish, May: Roots LaurenTote included in ‘Fashion Files’section, Roots Banff Bag and avintage Roots ad from 1973included in a ‘Bag Craze’timeline. Also, South BeachTote in blue featured in the‘Colour Play’ fashion spread.• Flare, April: Roots ReversibleTote in bronze and brown fea-tured in the ‘Hot Picks’ section.• Globe and Mail, April 1.Roots Venetian Village Bagfeatured in the “Bags” section.Michael Budman is quoted.• The National Post, March31. Letter by Robert Sarner inresponse to a previously pub-lished letter from a reader ques-tioning the environmental intentof Roots due to the use ofleather in Stop Global Warmingbracelets.• The Western Star (CornerBrook, NL), March 31, TheExaminer (Peterborough, ON),March 31, The Nugget (NorthBay, ON), March 30. In articleon Canadian designers with asocial conscience, Roots iscited for championing the anti-global warming trend since2005. Michael Budman isquoted.• Globe and Mail, March 25.Article in Style section entitledBare Accessories mentionsRoots as an innovator in theleather bags market and refersto the big boom coming in ath-letic-type bags. MichaelBudman is quoted.• EnRoute Feb. Roots Etoncrank radio featured in the ‘JetSet, Gadgets’ section.

CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY WITH CHATELAINEReaders get free Roots items as part of new promo with magazine

Beginning next week, se-lect Roots stores all overCanada will take part in

a special Mother’s Day promo-tion with Chatelaine magazine.As part of this initiative, Rootswill give away thousands ofleather purse charms and bagsin coordination with theChatelaine.

The first 10,000 readerswho register online atwww.chatelaine.com/charmand enter their subscribernumber or the UPC code oftheir May 2007 issue will get afree Roots leather purse charm.Made in the Roots leather fac-

tory in Toronto, thesecharms also double upas photo frames andcome in a special heartshape in the latestspring colours.

In addition, recipi-ents of the pursecharms can also takepart in an online con-test on roots.com towin one of 100 RootsVillage Bags beingoffered as prizes.

Meanwhile, thoseregistering after thefirst 10,000 readerswill receive a 10%discount coupon onRoots merchandiseredeemable at allRoots retail locations.

The May issue ofChatelaine features JanetGretzky on the cover alongwith her two daughters. Janetand her husband (hockey leg-end) Wayne, are both goodfriends of Roots. Since last win-ter, Wayne has also been work-ing with Roots appearing invarious promotional campaigns.

This is the first time Rootshas teamed up with the maga-zine for such an extensive pro-

motion. The campaign begins onApril 9 and runs until May 18during which participating Rootsstores will give away a specialcopy of Chatelaine (with theRoots logo on the cover) to cus-tomers purchasing items worth$20 or more. In addition, selectstores will also display cappersand banners highlighting theMother’s Day complimentaryissue of Chatelaine.

Cover of the May issue of Chatelainefeaturing the Roots logo


GREEN TIP #35Easy ways to help theenvironment

As part of our continuing series of team pictures of all the stores in the Roots retail family, this issueof The Source is shining the spotlight on Roots St. Clair, Toronto. Left to right: Back row: Stephen Pinnell,

Rich Osmond; Front row: Trisha Rinneard, Sara Teahen, Ellie Thiessen, Lizzie Braoudakis, John Dash

STARTING LINEUPIntroducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores

You’re never too young to look good in Roots. Manypeople obviously agree, based on the mail we re-

ceive at the Head Office. Both customers and staff of-ten send in photos of their children, cousins, nieces,nephews, grandchildren, friends or neighbours wearingRoots, asking if they could appear in a future ad cam-paign for Roots.

We can’t promise that but recently The Source beganpublishing a selection of such pictures on a regular basis.Everyone is welcome to submit their favourite shots.

Please send your photos to [email protected] Besure to include the name and age of each child in the photo,and a sentence stating that you agree for the photos to beused in The Source.

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

Ethan Yin, 3 years, Taiwan

Ethan Nelson, 8 months, Halifax, NS

Spencer Illibrun, 3 years, with Lindsey Kinsella,Punta Kana, Dominican Republic

HEALTH TIP #32Easy ways to help youstay healthy

Brown rice forlong life: Whiterice begins asbrown rice. Oncethe outer coatingof rice bran ishulled off, how-

ever, not a lot of nutrients remain. Along time ago, Chinese physiciansdiscovered that eating only refinedwhite rice, devoid of the B vitaminsin the bran, led to beriberi, a defi-ciency in thiamine (B1).

Modern research has identifieda wealth of nutrients in the brancoating of brown rice. It’s remark-ably effective in lowering high bloodsugar and therefore serves as anexcellent food for diabetics. Ricebran contains more than 70 antioxi-dants, including the well-knownaging fighters vitamin E.

It’s no wonder that rural farm-ers in Asia, who eat brown ricebecause white rice is too expen-sive, live longer and develop fewerhealth problems than their city-dwelling counterparts, who eatmostly white rice. Source: Secrets of Longevity, by Dr.Maoshing Ni

Cleaning can bedirty: There is adirty little secretto some of theproducts you use

to clean up around the house. Asthat skull and crossbones warningwould suggest, they are prettydangerous to human and animallife.

A typical bottle of all-purposecleaner contains Butyl Cellosolve,a chemical that enters the bodythrough skin contact or inhalationof vapours, and causes blood andbone-marrow damage with highexposure. Most glass cleaners aremade with methanol, which cancause blindness or death if acci-dentally ingested. Drain cleaner isthe mother of all toxic cleaners.Active ingredients such as lye andsulfuric acid are extremely corro-sive, and cause burns, scarringand blindness if you come intocontact with them.

Even if you keep these prod-ucts safely locked under the sink,they wind up in lakes, rivers andstreams after you dump your washbucket down the drain. Not all wa-ter-borne contaminants are re-moved in sewage-treatment plants,and even those chemicals that arefiltered may wind up in the airthrough incineration or in theground through sewage sludgefertilizer.

But you need not live withgrease and grime to save theearth. There are lots of squeaky-clean options. Source: Green Tips - How to SaveMoney and the Planet, published byGreen Living Enterprises


DOING THE RIGHT THINGNew Brunswick store mixes fun, fashion and style for a good cause

The Roots store in RegentMall, Fredericton recentlyparticipated in a local

fashion show to raise funds tosupport the fight against BreastCancer. The 12th Annual Fash-ion Show was organized by

students from the University ofNew Brunswick’s Lady DunnHall residence.

When approached by thestudents, Store ManagerKelly Smart thought it wasa great idea to show off thenew spring line of Roots andhelp an important cause. Atthe request of organizers,Kelly and Assistant ManagerSarah Lewis selected fourmen’s outfits from the win-dow directive provided bythe Roots Visual Depart-ment.

“The evening increased ourvisibility among the young cus-tomers, especially the univer-sity crowd here inFredericton,” says Sarah, whoattended the show along withKelly. “We later had many cus-tomers commenting on andpurchasing some of the cloth-ing showcased during the

event.”The show was divided into

various storied segments. TheRoots portion had a funky,retro, Motown-style themewith related music serving as

Back row (left to right) Kelly Smart (store manager), Sarah Lewis(assistant manager), Tina Trethewey; Front row (left to right) DevinDunham, Emma Lally, Adam Bowie

A guide to just-launched Roots productsNEWNEWNEWNEWNEW & & & & & NOTEWORTHYNOTEWORTHYNOTEWORTHYNOTEWORTHYNOTEWORTHY

THE HOT LISTA fast look at what’s flying offthe shelves at Roots storesBased on the latest sales figures fromall Roots stores in Canada and theUnited States, here are the 20 top-selling products:1 Men’s Summerside pique polo2 Men’s Thelon polo3 Men’s Hudson stripe polo4 Men’s Vanier pique polo5 Women’s Gwen pique polo6 Women’s Courtney side cinchedT-shirt7 Men’s Heritage athletic T-shirt8 Men’s Roots original sweatpants9 Women’s “Love Nature” T-shirt10 Women’s California slub T-shirt11 Women’s Basic Kanga hoody12 Women’s Basic Varsitysweatpants13 Women’s Varsity sweatpants -Roots14 Women’s (12 oz.) jerseyworkout shorts15 Women’sRoots originalcroppedsweat-pants16 RootsGlobalWarmingbracelet17 Roots Mints II18 Roots bottled water (355 ml)19 Crocs beach clogs20 Venetian Village bag (Princeleather)

the background score.Aimed primarily at students

and their parents, the eveningraised nearly $1,000 to supportinitiatives in breast cancer-related research.

ROOTS ORGANICSEnvironmentally friendly clothing for kids in stores now

The Roots line of organicclothing is part of its longtime commitment to the

environment. Organic apparelis natural, safe, non-toxic andearth-friendly — all thosethings that are especially im-portant for the health andsafety of your little ones.

The difference betweenorganic and conventional cot-ton isn’t just connected to theuse of pesticides and insecti-cides in the farming process.Conventional cotton is alsosubjected to numerouschemical baths and treat-ments when the fabric isloomed and prepared for cut-ting. Additionally, conventionalcotton uses dyes that some-

times contain heavy metals.Organic cotton is processedwithout the use of chemicalsand either left natural, dyedwith low-impact environmentaldyes or with naturalcolourants such as clay.

In line with this, Roots nowoffers a wide range of organicclothing for all ages. Here wespotlight some of the latestbaby’s and kid’s items:

T-shirts are in demandwith the arrival of spring. AtRoots, the ‘Demand’ short-sleeves, ‘Love Nature’, andthe ‘Nature’ short-sleeves capT-shirt styles have recently hit

stores. Made from 100% or-ganic cotton jersey, they’reavailable in a variety of col-ours in select Roots stores allover Canada. The ‘Love Na-ture’ T-shirts are also avail-able in the store in US.

· Demand short-sleeves T-shirt cur-rently available in stores in Seaport,White and Vintage Green colours.Retail price: $14.95· Love Nature T-shirt currently avail-able in stores in White, BananaCream and Zest colours. Retailprice: $14.95· Nature short-sleeve cap T-shirt willhit stores later this month in DhaliaPink, Pale Banana and Platoon col-ours. Retail price: $14.95


April 6, 2007

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