Arts North Anecdote

I didn’t make it out to the boat today, which makes me cranky, but I was happy to read the following tweet this morning: 

"Everyday we will try to feature a local business today check out Art’s North http://ow.ly/5posx" via northcapebreton 

I wasn’t clever enough to come up with a 140 character reply to express why I am happy; instead, I'm going to tell a little story. 

Last year (2010), my childhood friend David Goldberg battled leukemia and won. I have known David for virtually all my life. A native of Philadelphia, David and his family have been coming to Nova Scotia, in particular my home village of Bay Saint Lawrence in Cape Breton, since David was a child. Each summer David and I explored the lakes of the Aspy, the hidden hiking trails of the highlands, faraway swimming holes at Neil's Harbour, the pristine shores of Cabot's Landing, the twists and turns of the Cabot Trail, and the many cliff-bound beaches throughout Northern Cape Breton. Needless to say, David and his family were devastated over David's battle with cancer and heartbroken when they couldn't make it to Cape Breton because of  his illness. 

Enter Naomi.

David's girlfriend wanted to get something authentically Cape Breton for David. She called me (I had never spoke with her before) and asked for my help. I immediately told her that if she wanted something truly Cape Breton, Arts North was the place to go. The owner-operator, Dennis Doyon, quickly found an item that fit Naomi's budget, was easy to ship and was something David would love. It was easy for Dennis to help pick something out for David because our community is so small; Dennis has also known David for over twenty years.  David loved the gift. Dennis loved helping out. And now, the wonderful piece of  pottery, crafted by Linda Doyon, is a centerpiece in David and Naomi's apartment.