STE. ANNE'S TESTIMONIAL WINNERS 2008

 We had a great response to our annual testimonial contest this year. It is always a special time for us at Ste. Anne's - to have the privilege of hearing how people's lives have been touched by what we do. Listed below are the winners. We spent a lovely day with this group, in Toronto, recording their stories and getting to know each other. Thank you so much to all who participated. Listen to CHFI to hear the final campaign.
Note: Audio is copyrighted by CHFI and cannot be copied or used for any purpose.

CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Sheryl Danilowitz - Rebellious daughter, Relationship Restoration My daughter was a real rebel when she was an adolescent. As a result, we clashed furiously and our relationship was a strained one. A couple of years ago she got married, and I decided to take her to St. Anne's as a special treat and in an effort to ease the tension between us. We stayed overnight in the wonderful little apartment in the cottage of the grounds of St. Anne's. Over a delicious meal in the restaurant, we started to speak woman to woman -Because we were so relaxed, she showed a willingness to actually listen to me. We exercised together, dined together, swam and laughed together and sat talking in the hot tub. In those two days and one night we were able to finally reach out to one another and mend all those broken fences. Today we are extremely close: and I have St. Anne's to thank for it. Thank you for making it possible.
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Niki Laxamana - Reconnection with high school friends I have been best friends with Cindy and Marian since high school. We have been there for each other in good times and in bad; laughing, sometimes crying, but always bonding along the way. One might say we are more like sisters than girlfriends., , Since our birthdays are quite close together, we have traditionally celebrated "growing younger" together. We have always walked away from these nights filled with love, enlightenment, and a list of ways to "better" ourselves in the upcoming year…, , In 2007, we decided to skip the traditional dinner/drinks/dancing routine and opt for a more relaxing birthday celebration - we decided to head to Ste. Anne's for the day!, , Our drive from Toronto to Ste. Anne's was fun and memorable. We filled the time reflecting on life, relationships (past, present, and for the single girl in the car - future), kids, work, hobbies, passions, and the other fun stuff girls like to talk about! , , We arrived at St.Anne's in perfect time and all lamented on the beautiful grounds (outside and in). After checking in and getting our lockers, the three of us signed up for a yoga class and a reading class in the yoga studio., , The three of us were the first ones to sign up for the reading class, and I remember commenting how amazing it would be if we were the only ones in the class. Sure enough, when we got there after lunch in our comfy robes - there were only three pillows beautifully arranged, head-to-head, on the floor. Each pillow was a different colour. We were so excited!!, , After the beautiful and moving reading session, our instructor sweetly gave us a basket filled with "reflections" and asked us to individually pick a piece of paper and discuss what was written on it. Since she knew that we were all best friends, she gave us this special time alone and left the room., , We each picked a piece of paper from the basket. As Cindy began reading hers out loud, I realised that I had the exact same reflection written on my paper. To our amazement, Marian had chosen the same reflection as well! We couldn't believe the odds of this happening and even read through the remaining slips of paper to see if this reflection was typed out more than three times. Incredibly, there were only three slips of paper bearing our chosen reflection…which was, "You are whole. Just the way you are.", , What does Ste.Anne's mean to me? , , Ste. Anne's means a lot to me, because during my visit to the spa, myself and my two best friends, received a unique birthday present which helped us with our onerous quest for self-improvement; the realisation that WE ARE WHOLE. JUST THE WAY WE ARE. It was truly an experience we will never forget.
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Jenny Monovasios - Bride-to-be surprise Ste. Anne's is a reminder of the most wonderful time of my life. , I was preparing for my wedding in the summer of 2006 and like all brides-to-be I was experiencing a healthy amount of stress. My 3 best girlfriends (and bridesmaids) told me that they had planned a special bride's day and that I was to be ready to go at 7:00am with bathing suit in hand. I had no idea what a wonderful day they had planned. , Our day started with morning meditation and a soak in the whirlpool. I was then booked for a 1 hr massage that melted all my worries away. While enjoying all the amenities at the spa, we got much needed girls time to laugh and reminisce about the years of friendship we have shared. , I felt so special on that day knowing that I had friends who loved me so much that they thought I deserved a day to remember at Ste. Anne's.
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Brenda Morgan - 3 generation connection Last summer, on a gorgeous sunny weekend, St. Anne's gave me an experience that I know will remain as a special and unique memory for the rest of my life. I spent the weekend with my 86 year old mother and my 16 year old daughter. A three-generation celebration... 80 years separate my sweet mom and my darling daughter yet they are as close as sisters. Over 154 years of experience and memories between the three of us. This time of conversation, sharing memories, relaxation, and just communion with the girls, in such a beautiful environment was inspiring and eye-opening. Amongst the flower gardens, lounging by the pool, watching the wild bunnies in the evening, over high tea and sumptuous meals, in our jammies at night together, we talked and laughed. Even though we can finish each other's sentences, there were so many stories of times that we did not know about, and we reached an even deeper love for the other with each rich reminiscence. It would not have ever happened without the serenity, comfort, beauty and harmony of St. Anne's. Thank you for that.
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Alan Reisler - Relationship maintenance an opportunity to keep the magic in my relationship. my wife and I have 5 children, i am a self employed businessman. just to have the chance to get away to your spa for a couple of days put an amazing spark in our world. being relaxed and pampered gave us both what we needed to let the stress go. as a result the conversations were perfect, and our connection as a couple, partners, and best friends. our ability to communicate was never better. we both had treatments throughout the day, then meet up in the waiting area (robes and all), chat a while, have a tea then off to another type of treatment (my first time and not the last)- back for lunch etc. i highly recommend your spa for any couple looking to let it all go, rejuvenate, and most importantly....reconnect....thank you for that!
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Amanda Sirois - Sharing of important news with close friends Ste Anne's Spa holds a very special place in my heart as it was at this serene and indulgent retreat that I decided to share some of the most important news of my life with two of my closest girlfriends. , , To borrow an expression I'd stumbled across several years ago, my girlfriends and I have coined ourselves the 'spah-yahs'. Living busy professional lives at opposite ends a bustling city, it's often hard for us to find time to get together throughout the year. But one activity we can always count on to bring us together is our annual spa retreat, and for the last several years we've not wanted to enjoy this tradition anywhere but at Ste. Anne's spa. , , It was at one our spah-yah escapes just over two years ago that I decided to divulge my special little secret. While sitting down to a decadent spa lunch, I announced to my girlfriends that my husband and I were finally pregnant with our first child, an event my dear friends knew we'd been trying to achieve for some time. With my celebratory news officially out in the open, the three of us sat there with tear-glistened eyes and bright smiles and gleefully toasted the occasion with glasses of sparkling spa water. , , It truly was the perfect way to play out the scene and I have since guarded a special mental picture of it that I remember fondly every time I think of or visit Ste. Anne's.
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Georgia Colquhoun - Recovery from cancer When I first came to St. Anne's Spa my husband gave it to me for Christmas. I had just finished chemo and it was an amazing gift to receive. I had no idea what St. Anne's spa was and I was very pleasantly surprised. It was a wonderful experience. I stayed overnight and was treated to so much luxury I really was in awe....I came home feeling like a new women who could face just about anything. The spa at St. Anne's showed me a whole new way to relax. I have told several people about my experience. I had in the past tried other spas but St. Anne's really outshines them all. Thank you St. Anne's for making me feel like I have truly come out the other side.....I couldn't have received a better gift.
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Gillian Cambridge - Baby-moon, prep for baby coming Pure relaxation. , Last Summer, My Husband and I were expecting our first child and we celebrated our 'baby moon' at Ste. Anne's in August of 2007. It was our first trip to Ste. Anne's and we came on the recommendation of close friends who frequent often. ( Lucky them). , It is a retreat which feels as though it may be in a different country - but glory of all glories..... it is only an hour and a half away! , We came to Ste Anne's before embarking on a big journey in our lives, where we knew we would be getting little sleep, and not much time for relaxation in the months to come. Our experience surpassed our expectations and gave us clarity before heading into this new chapter of our lives., After returning from 2 glorious days, we realised the importance of 'making time for yourself' every day, not just while on vacation. My husband and I are busier than ever these days but we make a conscious decision to take a deep breath, shut our eyes and think peaceful thoughts - this is what we learned at Ste Anne's! It is all about lifestyle, and taking the time for what is important - ourselves, our family, our friends. , Looking back on our decision to visit you, it was one of the best ideas! 2 days at Ste Anne's was more relaxing than a week's vacation in the Caribbean, we are so happy we came, and truly,.... cannot wait until the next visit. , , Thanks again for teaching us how to enjoy the finer things. I think we will make it a yearly ritual from now on, baby-on-the-way, or not!!!
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Rhonda MacDonald - Staff reward Ste. Anne's is getting my staff excited! Everyone at work was so cranky in January, I booked a group getaway for our whole staff to come next week. Each of them will have $200 in spa treatments, a chef come and cook us dinner, and most importantly this will bring us together as a team. I have never had so many people thank me, and tell me how excited they are with anything else I have ever done for my staff. We already have matching flip-flops to flop around while we wear our Ste. Anne's robes. Thank you for giving my staff, and therefore my business a boost. We can't wait to come!
CLICK FOR AUDIO	* Pierre Lussier - Comes with wife to experience the Ste. Anne's difference My wife and I have been going to Ste. Anne's for several years now. Ste Anne's is a place that is close enough to our home but gives us a sense that we are escaping to another part of the world. When we drove up to the spa, for the first time, we felt like we had just arrived in a little inn in Tuscany. It was late in the summer and the spa set amongst that backdrop of green rolling hills was spectacular! The service is excellent, the food is always tantalising and you always have little extra to complete the experience (e.g. meditation or yoga classes).We have recommended the spa to all our friends and will continue to do so. We would love our next visit to be in the winter to experience the spa at that time of the year. We have been to other spa's in Ontario and Ste. Anne's beats them all hands down! Thank you!