Photo C/O flowersformeplease, Reddit

Better drink up before you go study

McMaster University students took to the r/McMaster sub-Reddit to share that their drinks were being confiscated by Mills Library Learning Commons.

On Jan. 14, McMaster announced a list of places where students were able to eat and study during the limited reopening of campus.

While the Silhouette reported that food and drink would be prohibited, it's safe to assume that everyone thought this meant you couldn't eat or drink in there, but if you brought in a water bottle that would be fine.

Well, Reddit user flowersformeplease, surely proved us wrong


The user posted the photo to r/McMaster on Wednesday, Jan. 26 which caused an uproar in the student-Reddit community.

"This won’t spread Covid at all. The mouths of the bottles almost touching is waaaaay more safe than putting it in your bag. Smh," said user LowFatTastesBad.

Another user shared their experience before the current set of restrictions.

"They were very lenient last semester, I saw people with drinks in there all the time. It seems a little bit much to take water bottles away tho," said user mspag5000.

Some students on the Reddit thread have put into question the different restrictions that Ontarians are facing across the province. While McMaster has its own sets of restrictions, the elementary school sector has a completley different set of rules.

"[E]lementary students are eating and drinking together for 20 min[,] 2 times a day. There is no logic to this pandemic anymore," said Maplesugar2112.

With campus currently slated to open in a larger capacity on Jan. 31 to welcome level one students, we will have to see if this rule sticks around.

In a statement to the Silhouette, McMaster University officials say this rule is due to the current COVID-19 restrictions.

"Users are not permitted to bring food or beverages into McMaster libraries. This prohibition – a requirement under pandemic-related public health rules – is posted clearly. Library users are required to consume their food or beverages prior to entering or to leave any food and drinks at the entrance for retrieval upon leaving. This policy will continue to be enforced as long as public health protocols are in place," stated McMaster officials in an email to the Silhouette.

In the meantime, drink as much as you can before you head into Mills because you'll have to leave your bottle on the middle desk.

Photo C/O Simranjeet Singh
11.4% voter turnout brings an all-time low to recent MSU Elections history.

After a rigorous campaigning period, Simranjeet Singh has been named the McMaster Students Union the unofficial President-Elect for the 2022-2023 academic term.

"The results of the election were ratified by the MSU Elections Committee, in a meeting following the closing of polls on January 27, 2022. The Elections Committee, charged with overseeing all elections of and within the MSU, completed the campaign evaluation process by assessing fines and addressing complaints levied against candidates. In addition, the Committee witnessed and ratified the results of the tabulation of votes via Simply Voting, the MSU’s online voting portal," stated a post on the MSU website announcing results of the election on Thursday night.

C/O McMaster Students Union


The results of the election are strikingly low with a total of 3,107 out of 27,149 students casting their vote. That equates to 11.44% of the student population.

Singh obtained 1,657 votes while Denver Della-Vedova, the current MSU President running for re-election, obtained 864 votes.

586 students chose to abstain their votes.

This is the lowest voter turnout in recent MSU history. In 2020, the Silhouette reported that voter turnout reached a low of 19.6%. Although students did not vote in last year's acclaimed presidential race, current data suggests this downward trend will continue.

Andrew Mrozowski/Editor-in-Chief

At time of publication, MSU Elections has not stated why they believe the voter turnout to be so low.

While Singh has been named the unofficial President-Elect, him and Della-Vedova have five days to contest the results and appeal to MSU Elections.

Keep it locked to thesil.ca for our interview with the President-Elect

C/O Luis Melendez

Medical students from rural backgrounds can help resolve the inequities of the Canadian healthcare system 

While the Canada Health Act has always maintained that all Canadians should have equal access to healthcare, the unfortunate reality is that this ideal is far from the truth. Although many Canadian cities have sufficient doctors for their population, the same cannot be said for rural communities.  

Comparatively studying the doctor-per-capita ratios between urban and rural communities exposes a harsh inequity. In fact, the country’s overall value for doctor-per-capita is one in 450 while rural areas average one doctor for every 3000 residents.  

Clearly, there is a severe problem in our current healthcare system that needs to be resolved. Unfortunately, this statistic cannot be taken at face value and the snowball effect that is a result of this inequity must be studied as well. 

Due to limited access to healthcare, individuals living in rural areas are more likely to have a significant disease burden. What this means is by the time someone in a rural community can see a doctor, their disease has progressed even further leading to higher rates of chronic disease and poorer mental health.  

If you take a step back and really look at the problem, you notice that by allowing this population to go underserved, the Canadian healthcare system is essentially shooting itself in the foot. They are manifesting a sicker and more expensive population, in concordance with their healthcare needs.  

By now, I’ve hopefully illustrated the dire need for a solution. My proposition? Increase medical school admissions for students with a rural background.  

Studies have shown that when students who come from rural communities are admitted into medical schools and ultimately become physicians, they are more likely to practice in rural areas. Unsurprisingly, medical schools that have noticed and applied this phenomenon in their admissions strategies have seen benefits. 

The Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine visits undergraduate students in rural areas who have an interest in healthcare and guides them through the admissions and financial aid processes. By providing guidance to students from a rural background and linking them to residencies in rural areas, OHSU has proven successful in filling the gap. 

This is especially impactful when you consider that over 50% of medical residents in the United States end up practicing in the state they trained in.  

It’s undeniable that one possesses an innate connection to the community that they grow up in. This connection to serving rural communities is one that is best understood by students who have lived there and have the drive to give back to those exact areas.  

The medical community should look to advance the practice of culturally competent care — care that meets the cultural and social needs of diverse communities. Where better to start than the medical schools themselves?  

Other plans, such as incentivizing doctors to practice in rural areas with higher salaries have proven expensive. Rather, medical schools should commit to leveraging the passion that already exists in so many students that have a better understanding and connection with Canada’s rural areas.  

Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator

In just a couple of days, restrictions will be loosened, and university sports will resume

On Jan. 20, it was announced that Ontario would be reverting its lockdown policy that was meant to last until Jan. 27. This means that as of Jan. 31, gyms, restaurants and other amenities will be allowed to reopen. In addition to this, the Ontario University Athletics got the green lights to continue its competitions from that date onwards.  

The OUA expressed their disappointment many times with the decision from the Ontario government, deeming the OUA to be non-elite. This decision forced the organization to halt all activities due to their classification as amateur and not elite sport. Immediately, many of the athletes competing in university sports cited their anger with the decision, with the McMaster Olympic alum, Jesse Lumsden, calling the verdict a “joke.” 

Now that a date is set for the return of athletes to campus and their sporting activities, what does it exactly mean to them? 

Francesco Fortino, a member of the men’s wrestling team at McMaster, expressed his happiness with the OUA finally bound to resume.  

“It’s pretty exciting to have some positive news relating to [the OUA]. We had a very solid first semester of training and the team has built a very solid foundation. Personally, I am very excited not only to wrestle, but to witness my teammates perform to the best of their abilities. The whole team is looking forward to coming back,” said Fortino. 

“It’s pretty exciting to have some positive news relating to [the OUA]. We had a very solid first semester of training and the team has built a very solid foundation. Personally, I am very excited not only to wrestle, but to witness my teammates perform to the best of their abilities. The whole team is looking forward to coming back."

Francesco Fortino, Wrestling Team

The lockdown has also had an impact on Fortino’s preparations for the rest of the season.  

“I’d be lying if I said the lockdowns have been easy. However, the lockdowns are just another obstacle that we must deal with. This sport is full of adversity and unpredictability. Preparing has been adjusted slightly, but the grind has continued like always,” said Fortino. 

Although there was no activity from any team during the past month, it is important to note that the McMaster wrestling team has been outstanding this season and has been ranked in the top five teams in Canada. Like others on the team, Fortino is excited to start competing again. 

“Words cannot describe how excited I am to be given another opportunity to compete. There are so many people involved in getting a successful season together. One step at a time, we are ready to move forward and perform at our best in the coming competitions,” said Fortino. 

For now, the expected commencement date for the OUA championships is Feb 9. Although it is unknown whether fans will be allowed back in the stands, it is no secret that the lockdown lift has relieved many student athletes. Not only will students be returning to campus, but they will also be making a satisfying and exciting return to sports. 

C/O Jorge Franganillo, Unsplash

Anti-vaccine misinformation on social media has costed many the ultimate price

Cw: death, COVID-19 

In the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, our society has become divided. In a time when some trusted the words of the medical community, others also displayed signs of skepticism.  

From wearing masks to following restrictions, it seemed as if not everyone agrees with the mandates. Slowly, our communities started to branch out and go against one another.  

“Anti-vaxxers” and “COVID-deniers” went head to head with those who support immunization and the use of masks. However, this was far from a friendly debate as misinformation put forth generated irreversible consequences for our society.   

Many individuals who denied COVID-19 as a whole and deemed the virus as government propaganda used social media to voice their opinion. In the beginning, I observed that most of these posts seemed rather harmless in the format of humorous memes. 

“Anti-vaxxers” and “COVID-deniers” went head to head with those who support immunization and the use of masks. However, this was far from a friendly debate as misinformation put forth generated irreversible consequences for our society.

KIMIA TAHAEI, OPINIONS STAFF WRITER

Alas, these seemingly harmless posts rapidly escalated into widespread misinformation. 

Some started suggesting that the prediction models are fake, the test kits are contaminated and the media is exaggerating the virus as there is no pandemic. Others started suggesting how the vaccine will alter their DNA and stated how this is not a risk they will take.  

There were even “factual checklists suggesting the vaccine has not been tested on animals but is tainted with aborted human and monkey cells. Unfortunately, as the title of this article suggests, such mass amounts of misinformation came with a fatal price.  

The prominent subreddit, r/HermanCainAward has been exclusively following the stories of individuals who did not trust the science and passed away as a direct result of COVID-19. This online discussion forum was inspired after the passing of Hermain Cain, a former presidential candidate for the Republican Party.  

The prominent subreddit, r/HermanCainAward has been exclusively following the stories of individuals who did not trust the science and passed away as a direct result of COVID-19. This online discussion forum was inspired after the passing of Hermain Cain, a former presidential candidate for the Republican Party.  

KIMIA TAHAEI, OPINIONS STAFF WRITER

He was against masking mandates from the beginning of the pandemic and was seen maskless in large Trump rallies. Unsurprisingly, he soon contracted COVID-19, was admitted to the hospital and died after two days.  

Influenced by Herman Cain’s story, the member of the forum decided to share stories similar to Cain’s in order to exhibit the dangers of misinformation.  

One of the most recent awardees of the “Herman Cain Award” was Czech folk singer, Hana Horka. An unfortunate victim of misinformation, Horka passed away after deliberately getting infected with COVID-19.  

Horka was told she couldn't perform unless she showed proof of vaccination or recent recovery from COVID-19. Sadly, because of misinformation and downplaying the repercussions of COVID-19, she chose the latter and passed away shortly.  

“I know exactly who influenced her. It makes me sad that she believed strangers more than her proper family,” Horka’s son, who shared pro-vaccine views, stated

Members of the Herman Cain Award subreddit are begging users to get vaccinated in order to prevent stories like Horka’s. And while many have taken offence to this community, labelling them as unempathetic and callous, I believe they have done more good than bad.  

Although many posts harshly judge unvaccinated individuals, the community has motivated a lot of people to receive the vaccine. The community sincerely wishes and hopes this subreddit is deleted as soon as possible with no more unfortunate stories to share.  

For the most accurate information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines, students and community members should refer to the federal government website on COVID-19 here.  

C/O @thebardandbear

The newly opened Bard and Bear Games Cafe is building community through board games 

Apples to Apples, Candyland, Snakes and Ladders and Guess Who: the games that used to fill my days and nights back in childhood, but have somehow gotten lost over the years. Now open on James Street North, Bard and Bear Games Cafe has created a space for game nights, bringing people together over dice, decks and deals. 

Steven and Megan Edmonds are the couple, co-owners and self-proclaimed nerds behind Bard and Bear. Before opening the cafe, Steven went to school for journalism and he also used to work in the board game industry at a local toy store while managing another local board game cafe, Mancala Monk. Megan spent six years at McMaster University, having just recently finished her PhD in the department of English and cultural studies. 

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The Edmonds first tried to open their own board game cafe three years ago, just after Steven had left Mancala Monk and when Megan was in the middle of finishing her PhD. After hearing through the grapevine there was a board game cafe for lease in Guelph, the spark was ignited for the two of them.  

Though they weren’t successful in opening a cafe at the time due to other petitions for the space, the couple has spent the last three years slowly working towards opening their own cafe and finally managed to find the right space at 237 James St. N. for their grand opening on Dec. 10, 2021. 

They chose the name Bard & Bear to represent their family. Though it’s still up for debate whether the Bard is Steven or Megan, the couple said Bear was chosen after the wonderfully ironic name of their dog. 

Normally, people can come to the cafe and pay $5 each as a “game cover”: the cost of sitting and using the cafe’s selection of over 800 games. Staff can recommend and teach games to visitors for those new to board games or simply looking to try something new.  

Some of Megan’s favorites are Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective and Castles of Burgundy, while Steven recommended Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride and Power Grid as great all-around games for groups of two to five. 

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A post shared by The Bard and Bear (@thebardandbear)

The cafe also offers a full menu of food, coffee and alcoholic beverage selections for those looking for a bite to eat, especially during long gaming sessions. 

“[Bard and Bear] is a gathering space that focuses on community and coming together over games,” said Steven. 

For a business whose principle is built on bringing people together in the same physical space, recent COVID restrictions have taken a toll on the cafe as they were forced to close for indoor seating a mere few days after opening.  

As long as current restrictions last, the Bard and Bear is currently closed for in-store dining and play. Out of the closures sprung the idea for their “Game Night to Go!” promotional combos, where people can take out food as well as a game to keep. Further, every combo comes with stamps, which can be redeemed as a free game cover at the cafe once restrictions are lifted. 

“We focused on lots of two player games because we know lots of people are home with a roommate or a significant other and don't have a big group to play with right now. But we've also got ones for families if you're home with your kids or larger groups,” explained Megan.

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Living in often cramped and squished student houses, a trip to James Street is an option for those who don’t always have the space at home to play and store games. For students, the cafe is a great spot for a night off from studying or even as a stop before taking your night elsewhere in the downtown area. 

Once re-opening their in-house seating space, Bard and Bear hopes to offer specials for students on some nights of the week to make the space more accessible on a student budget. 

“Every student needs a chance to stop studying, put down the books for a bit. We are a very student friendly space . . . and if you're stuck on any of your English courses, I just finished an English PhD and I admit I miss talking about books so if you need to run an essay idea by me, you know where to find me,” said Megan. 

"Every student needs a chance to stop studying, put down the books for a bit. We are a very student friendly space . . . and if you're stuck on any of your English courses, I just finished an English PhD and I admit I miss talking about books so if you need to run an essay idea by me, you know where to find me."

Megan Edmonds, Co-Owner of BArd and Bear Games Cafe

They also hope to establish a community for tabletop role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons or Magic the Gathering. Though it can sometimes be difficult as a student to feel connected to the broader community beyond campus, Megan and Steven hope they can help create some connections between students through bonding over a love of games. 

Whether you’re a board game aficionado or just trying them out for the first time, Bard and Bear has a game of every time for players of any skill level. Next time you’re in downtown, put away your phones and bond over some good old-fashioned (and many modern) tabletop games. 

Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator

By: Ardena Bašić, Contributor 

Taking on too many commitments causes undue stress and declining quality of work

In a day and age filled with endless opportunity, we can be quite eager to try out different pursuits. Especially as students focus on education and career-building, the prospect of new extracurriculars appears promising.  

A kind addition to one’s resume or LinkedIn page, an answer for an interview or even a conversation starter with a professor or classmate are among the various benefits of such activities.  

However, although it is often overwhelming when we take on too much, it is difficult to say “no” when we ponder all the paybacks. For students especially, we need to allow ourselves to say “no” more often and be honest with ourselves about how much energy we can really afford to put out.  

The process of getting into schools and obtaining jobs is becoming increasingly competitive. Admission rates to many universities are reaching record lows and the job market for new graduates is especially complex, with employers setting standards far higher than in the past.  

The process of getting into schools and obtaining jobs is becoming increasingly competitive. Admission rates to many universities are reaching record lows and the job market for new graduates is especially complex, with employers setting standards far higher than in the past.  

Ardena Bašić, Contributor

In this sense, it seems logical for students to want to take on more clubs, volunteering positions, internships and part-time work. After all, anything could be the advantage that sticks out to a recruitment officer at a firm or school.  

Reflecting on this idea makes it challenging to quit any opportunity, even if it may make one’s life far too overwhelming.  

School is already challenging given deadlines, expenses and long hours required by most programs. Adding a reasonable number of other commitments can be managed to an extent, but there comes a point of diminishing returns.  

For example, choosing to write blogs for three websites as opposed to one might reduce the time and energy one can put into them and by extension their quality. Moreover, choosing to do many sports over focusing on one or two makes it difficult for one to put their full energy in.  

Yet, it looks good on a resume, doesn’t it? A future employer might find it impressive that one juggled so many pursuits, no matter the overall quality of them individually. It is this circular thinking that can cause undue strain and pressure on a student’s already busy life.  

Although it may be difficult, students need to be honest with themselves about how much they can reasonably take on. How many hours — outside of school — do you have to spend on putting quality energy into a pursuit?  

Although it may be difficult, students need to be honest with themselves about how much they can reasonably take on. How many hours — outside of school — do you have to spend on putting quality energy into a pursuit?  

Ardena Bašić, Contributor

Then, look for where your passions lie. This might mean balancing some things you don’t love, but look good on your resume, with other things that light up your spirit. Our life is filled with compromises and our time as a student is no exception.  

Furthermore, analyze what you’re doing in your free time. It is easy to pick up our phones and scroll through social media and then fret about not having enough time for other things.  

Being more cognizant of these factors through critical reflection will help us better manage our time and be able to pick and choose our endeavours more accordingly.  

Overall, students can easily get caught up in the chase of doing as much as we can to gain the most reward. This will catch up to us eventually in not being able to put as much effort as we want into what we’re doing.  

Stepping back and asking ourselves tough questions: what we really want, like and hope for can help us make more prudent decisions in how we fill our time. It is this process than can help us overcome yet another hurdle of being a student and improve this season of life for the better.  

C/O @mmoma_hamont

Take art, leave art, love art at Hamilton’s newest art gallery, the MMOMA

Matt Coleman is an artist, musician, art teacher, photographer and innovation coach for the Halton District School Board. The latest addition to his list of titles is founder and curator of Mapleside Museum of Miniature Art. The small art gallery is filled with tiny art and located on the front lawn of his home on Mapleside Drive.  

Coleman was inspired to open MMOMA after learning about Stacy Milran’s miniature art gallery on the front lawn of her Seattle home. It is based on the concept of the Little Free Library in which people can take or leave an art piece or simply view and appreciate the art and talent being shared.  

With some help from his neighbours and friends, Coleman built a small popup box on a stand for the gallery and exhibited his first set of art works around New Years of this year. Despite it having been open for only about a month, MMOMA has already garnered great love, interest and support from the local community.  

“[MMOMA] is generating a little socially distant community hub for artists and makers. There are makers who specialize in miniature art and others who just want to participate,” explained Coleman. 

"[MMOMA] is generating a little socially distant community hub for artists and makers. There are makers who specialize in miniature art and others who just want to participate."

Matt Coleman, Founder and Curator of MMOMA

The gallery is a center for all art lovers and anyone, including young children, are welcome to contribute. Inside the gallery, there is also a maker's kit in the shelf underneath the gallery floor. 

The art itself can be two dimensional and three dimensional as long as it is miniature enough to fit inside the gallery. MMOMA has showcased sculptures on pedestals and hung some from the ceiling. Any 2D artwork is usually lined up against the railings inside the gallery.  

With contributions from community members frequently pouring in, Coleman rotates the art around with new submissions. There is always a series of fresh new art to admire at the gallery.  

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Previews of what the gallery looks like can be found on MMOMA’s Instagram page where current and previous displays are posted. The social media page has also served as a place of connection and appreciating art for community members and artists who have left their pieces at the gallery.  

MMOMA is not the only tiny art gallery in the city. Inspired by MMOMA, another gallery popped up on Beulah Avenue called Studio Beulah. It occupied its current location as a Little Free Library since last year, however, it recently transformed into an art gallery in the beginning of this year.  

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MMOMA will remain as a permanent exhibition and it has many exciting announcements coming up. It will be hosting artists for Hamilton’s Winterfest in February and with more petite street art galleries being introduced around the city such as Studio Beulah, Coleman hopes to one day run a tiny art crawl.  

“I could see it being the start of a whole network of tiny art galleries and there being a truly tiny art crawl through the city of Hamilton which would be really cool,” said Coleman.  

A miniature group art show is another idea Coleman hopes to turn into reality in the future. It will showcase miniature art of all the same size. 

The opening of MMOMA was a delightful addition to city that fulfilled the local community’s craving for connections, the arts and positive change.  

“I think maybe in a time of dreary news, [MMOMA] generated a little bit of positive buzz,” said Coleman. 

“I think maybe in a time of dreary news, [MMOMA] generated a little bit of positive buzz."

Matt Coleman, Founder and Curator of MMOMA

As we all head back to campus for in-person classes in February, consider visiting MOMMA and sharing your art. The COVID-19 pandemic may have interfered with new experiences we were looking forward to and made community-building more difficult during the past two years; however, this tiny gallery is reminding all of us of the wonderful things that continue to surround us during pandemic.  

C/O Wikimedia

New to the Canadian soccer scene, Hamilton Forge has already made a name for itself

Forge FC is a soccer club based in Hamilton that was founded in early 2017. It is the first major soccer club based in Hamilton and currently participates in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). In its first two years of competitive football within the CPL, Forge has won two of the three championships, proving to be a new force within the Canadian football community that is only going to grow larger.  

Although the club isn’t even five years old, they have made some high-profile signings over the course of their existence. In 2019, David Edgar, a former English Premier League regular, signed with the club. Although nearing retirement, Edgar was at the time considered one of the most experienced Canadian center backs, having played 42 times for the country and scoring two goals.  

In 2021, Forge signed another high-profile Canadian veteran, Dejan Jakovic, who played on high profile teams such as Red Star Belgrade and LA Galaxy before coming to Hamilton. What made Jakovic such a big signing was also his immense experience for the Canadian national team, where he was capped just over 40 times throughout his career.  

Just recently, Forge reached its biggest success yet in qualifying for The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football Champions League by defeating Santos de Guapiles three to nothing at home, which guaranteed automatic qualification to the big tournament.  

With the team at a current season break, the squad will return to play in mid February to play the Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League.  

The manager of ticket sales and youth soccer initiatives at Forge FC, James Hutton — a McMaster graduate — expressed his excitement at being a part of the club so early on in its existence.  

“I have been a part of the club [since shortly] after it was founded and it has been remarkable to see how much it has grown over the past few years. We have aimed to spread the word about us in the community and it did a great job. We have more and more fans coming to our games and it’s great to see people getting involved in soccer here,” said Hutton.  

"I have been a part of the club [since shortly] after it was founded and it has been remarkable to see how much it has grown over the past few years. We have aimed to spread the word about us in the community and it did a great job. We have more and more fans coming to our games and it’s great to see people getting involved in soccer here"

James Hutton, Manager of Ticket Sales & Youth Soccer Initiatives

When asked about the fanbase and how much it means to the club, Hutton didn't hesitate to explain the importance of the support they’ve been getting.  

“People may think sometimes that we are taking fans away from other clubs but that is certainly not what we are doing. I think what Forge FC is doing in Hamilton is bringing fans to the sport — new fans that not only become our supporters but start supporting the national team as well. It was a very exciting journey so far and we are excited to see it progress,” explained Hutton.  

Regarding the recent success in the CONCACAF Champions League, Hutton quickly expressed his excitement at the games coming up.  

“Just qualifying for the big competition was amazing for everyone at the club. We all knew that we could win the CPL but we also knew that we could be dangerous in the continental competitions as well. We showcased who we were in that [three to nothing] win and I think we can do even more when we come back in February,” said Hutton.  

When asked about how he feels now that Forge will be playing Cruz Azul, Hutton once again mentioned how fascinating an experience it will be.  

“We will be playing against one of the best teams in North America. Not only that, but we will be traveling to one of the most remarkable stadiums, the Azteca. I personally can't wait to come up against them,” said Hutton.  

Although Forge is currently on a break, it will return to the field for the Champions League thriller against Cruz Azul on Feb. 16 at the Tim Hortons Field. Just eight days later, they are set to rematch against the same club on at the Azteca.  

Lindsay Parry shares her love of art and fibres through her blooming small yarn business 

Small businesses were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. They were constantly adapting to new opening plan policies, lockdowns and safety protocols and many were left frustrated with the lack of government support. However, a few industries providing remote, online experiences, services and products flourished and even made record sales.  

One of the industries which thrived during the pandemic was the hobby and arts and craft supply industry. This included Hello Stella, a hand-dyed yarn business specializing in untreated wool, meaning the yarn comes straight from a sheep and without chemical processing.  

“My business actually, I would say, more so blossomed. I think a lot of people found themselves at home with a lot more time and they were interested in picking up a new hobby,” said Lindsay Parry, owner and founder of Hello Stella. 

“My business actually, I would say, more so blossomed. I think a lot of people found themselves at home with a lot more time and they were interested in picking up a new hobby,”

Lindsay Parry, Owner & Founder of Hello Stella
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A post shared by Lindsay || #hellostellafibres (@_hellostella_)

With increasing time spent at home, many people were seeking new pastime hobbies and there was a surge in people expressing interest in pursuing arts and crafts, including knitting, crocheting and fibre arts.  

Parry herself initially fell in love with fibre arts for its ability to help her relax and relieve stress. Prompted by wanting to make her husband a handmade knit gift for Christmas one year, she first learned to knit 12 years ago.  

“[Knitting] has become a daily thing for me and it helps greatly with stress. It’s just something I find I take a few minutes every day and, it could be something small like a sock, but it kind of grounds me a little bit more,” said Parry.  

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Named after her dog, Hello Stella started in 2017 when Parry became a new mom. She was faced with the choice of returning to her day job or staying home with her son. Ultimately, she decided to leave her job. During this time, she merged her two interests in the arts and fibres through Hello Stella.  

“[Hello Stella] had always been a dream of mine to start and I kind of decided, if not now, then when would I? So I took a chance,” said Parry. 

She always knew she wanted to lead a creative life and her career to reflect her passion. 

This year marks the business’ fifth. It has grown tremendously since it first launched. In the beginning, Parry only sold handmade knit items, such as hats and scarves. She now sells various types of fibres, patterns, tea, stickers and art and her business Instagram page has garnered more than 34 thousand followers.  

Despite all the achievements and successes during the pandemic, Hello Stella could not escape all the negative consequences of the pandemic lockdowns.  

“Peru is one of the major hubs in the world for wool distribution and they closed down for [months], which greatly impacted wool being produced and spun,” explained Parry. 

Peru is home to 87 per cent of the world’s alpaca population, making it a major hub for alpaca wool. In 2018, the country exported 30 tons of alpaca fibre. However, in March 2020, President Martín Vizcarra announced a nation-wide lockdown, affecting business operations and exports. The strict lockdown measures lasted until late June and July of 2020.  

The supply shortage is what forced Hello Stella to explore more domestic, local yarn and shift from chemically treated wool to pure, untreated wool. Last year, Parry introduced domestic wool into a wide range of products and began working with local farms as well.  

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A post shared by Lindsay || #hellostellafibres (@_hellostella_)

Her favourite part of the business is the process of dying the yarn — the most creative aspect of running the shop. She uses her background in colour theory to mix and merge beautiful, unique and captivating colours, such as lilac fields, a dusty mauve purple and Patina, a blend of warm orange and turquoise. 

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A post shared by Lindsay || #hellostellafibres (@_hellostella_)

Coming up, Hello Stella will participate as a vendor at Hamilton’s Fibre Forge market at The Cotton Factory on Mar. 22. Whether you are a crochet or knitting enthusiast or interested in exploring your fibre options for your next crafting project, the market is the perfect opportunity to touch and see Hello Stella’s fibre products in-person.  

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