Town & Country

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY APRIL 22, 2017 3 C L A R I T Y V I S I O N DESIGN. PRINT. PROMOTE. www.webberprinting.com Arlene Klassen WESTMAN.COM Sales Associate •Lakeshore • Residential • Acreages • Farms Phone & Text 204-523-6092 arlene.klassen@century21.ca www.arleneklassen.com MINNEDOSA CREDIT UNION'S MORTGAGE PLUS+ PROGRAM MCU believes that we are the best alternative for YOUR Mortgage! Competitive interest rates that will not be undersold! eat fresh! Visit us at these locations! • SOURIS • MELITA • THOMPSON • FLIN FLON • THE PAS Pierson's 39 th Annual Carnival of Crafts Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017 11:00 am to 4:00 pm DST Edwards Sports Centre, Pierson, MB Looking for quality crafters to join our sale. Contact: Betty Mayes 204-634-2482 bmayes@mymts.net www.carnivalofcrafts.ca ninettehotel@mts.net ninettehotel.com Ninette Motor Hotel 320 Lake Str West, Ninette, MB Ph. 204-528-3572 Licensed restaraunt with patio Beverage room with large deck, vendor, steak pit, VLT's Single and double rooms with Satellite TV and Free Wi-Fi Close to campground, beach, Yacht Club and store www.treherne.ca Campground Reservations: trehernecamping.ca VISIT TREHERNE! Home of the Run for the Hills Marathon held annually in September. Situated in the scenic Tiger Hills, Treherne offers a wide variety of shops, activities and tourist attractions including: * Aquatic Centre with Aqua Climb Wall * Full Service Campground * Nine Hole Golf Course * Walking Trails * Museum * Glass Bottle Buildings Carberry Motor Inn 9 Main St., Carberry, MB For Room Reservations Call 204.834.2197 • 20 Motel Units • Coloured Cable TV • Full Licensed Restaurant • Beverage Room • VLT's • Cold Beer Vendor BY MICHELLE BAILEY G rowing up on a small mixed- use family farm just north of Neepawa in Eden, Dr. Andrew Aiken thought he had a pretty good idea what profession he would pursue when he grew up. "I really had an interest in becoming a veterinarian," says the now 34-year-old, who as a child, found great enjoyment living and working on their rural farm surrounded by a variety of animals. However, life for Aiken would change in 1992, when his father Lawrence passed away due to a rare heart condition. His mother decided the family should pull stakes and move to Kamloops, B.C., to be close to her relatives. "My mother is from B.C., so that's where we lived for a few years before eventually coming back to the Neepawa area," he says. Thoughts of becoming a vet faded as he graduated from Neepawa Area Collegiate in 2001. Aiken considered other areas of medicine, including cardiothoracic surgery and even orthodontics. "I thought about heart medicine because of my dad, but then I was also fixated on the idea of going into orthodontics," he laughs. As he weighed his options, it didn't take long for him to focus on another medical field. Optometry. "I came to appreciate the combination of the medical side of the profession with the business side of it, so that was the beginning of my career." The determined future doctor studied science at the University of Manitoba before graduating from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. "Bit by the entrepreneurial bug," Aiken started a small contracting business, taking on jobs such as roofing and renovations to cover his post-secondary education expenses. "I did some of the work and also hired my local friends to be a part of it," he says. Learning the ropes by running his own business helped the modestly spoken optometry student understand the in's and out's and ups and downs of what would be involved. Aiken then set his sights on what he wanted to do after university and never looked back. He returned to the Keystone Province with a clear vision that would become known as Clarity Vision. "I decided to start a string of rural optometry clinics at a time when many medical professionals are not interested in offering services in small towns," he says. He launched Clarity Vision in 2014 in Winkler, and swiftly opened clinics in Portage la Prairie and Selkirk within 12 months. "All of our doctors were born and raised in rural Manitoba," he says. "And we now employ an amazing staff of 15 people and have seen our patient base grow tremendously in just a few short years." Aiken recognizes there are a lot of choices available to consumers with eye- care needs, from national chains to big brand stores. He's not knocking those options, but he believes that by being independently owned and operated and setting up in smaller locales, he and his staff can provide "the same value proposition, with a little more of a personal touch." Aiken recently opened a location in Winnipeg's St. Boniface area, and while he is very proud to be able to expand his business, having a presence outside of the big city was always what motivated him. It still does. "I'm really proud of my rural roots and it's amazing to be part of these communities, helping so many patients that increasingly need care and management of diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts," he says. "Particularly as our population ages." The young doctor and his team are also very involved in the areas they serve. "We participate in local events like parades and festivals and give back by supporting non-profit organizations, including doing charitable work," he says. "It's another benefit of being part of a smaller community." Moving forward, Aiken is excited about the process of developing a line of eyewear, collaborating with an Italian manufacturer to produce "a very high- quality product" that will be affordable, functional and fashionable. This endeavour is near and dear to him personally. Renowned Canadian artist J. Blomfield, who worked extensively in the medium of stained glass, was an uncle to Aiken. The frames are inspired by his work. "I think people will be very impressed by the uniqueness and quality of what we will be offering our customers with this particular line," he says. "It again speaks to our commitment to make sure everyone we serve continues to feel looked after and cared for." DR. ANDREW AIKEN PLANS TO DEVELOP HIS OWN LINE OF EYEWEAR. PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY Clearly Visionary OPTOMETRIST HAS FARSIGHTED PLANS FOR BUSINESS

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