"Super Mike" Photo Shoot

This is a real treat. HGTV finally posted this to YouTube a couple of days ago (it's been on the HGTV Canada website for a while, but it's inaccessible to anyone outside of Canada).

This is the behind-the-scenes footage for the "Super Mike" promo that's been bounced around the internet for the last couple of weeks to advertise Mike's new show, which premiered in Canada on October 16. In it, they describe the concept behind the shoot, and why Mike's familiar face was of secondary focus.

(By the way, this would make a great 3x4 poster. I think the Holmes Group should really consider this as a merchandising idea.)

 

Holmes Makes It Right - Episode 2 Preview

If you're Canadian, don't miss the next new episode of Holmes Makes It Right! The preview is already up, and will cover the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground rebuild, which took place in July of this year. If I'm lucky, a friend of mine who was actually there with her family during the community build day will give us some behind the scenes insight into what it was like to be there building with Mike and his crew!

See also:

Jamie Bell Adventure Park Rebuild Comes To A Close With Community Build Day
Mike Holmes Helps to Rebuild Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in Toronto
Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park Grand Re-Opening
Mike on The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"
Now THAT'S A Castle!
Picture Time! Yesterday's Build at the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park
Jamie Bell Adventure Playground Community Build - YouTube Videos

Is That A Load-Bearing Cat?

This made me LOL out loud (or "LOLOL" for short)...

Damn you, mold and dry rot! Happy Sunday, everyone.

Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park Grand Re-Opening

It's been several months since Mike and his crew got involved in the rebuilding of the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in Toronto. All of the hard work they've invested over the last couple of days and weeks paid off with plenty of "hugs and love" yesterday, July 13, 2012, as it reopened to an endless stream of grateful children, parents, and community members. This article and video from the Toronto Sun goes into details:

High Park playground replaces one destroyed by arson

visit the Toronto Sun website to view the video

By Kevin Connor, Toronto Sun

First posted: Friday, July 13, 2012 06:28 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, July 13, 2012 06:42 PM EDT

TORONTO - High Park’s Jamie Bell Adventure Playground reopened Friday with a brand new castle after the old one was destroyed by arson.

After the park was torched in March plans to rebuild began immediately spearheaded by HGTV celebrity Mike Holmes with the help of Toronto fire and police and members of the community.

At the opening Holmes was being repaid with hugs from the dozens of kids in attendance.

“I’m just listening to the kids scream as they come down the slide. This is all about the kids. This was a little bit of work and a lot of sweat, but it was well worth it,” Holmes said.

Michael Ogle was one of the 40 Toronto firefighters who volunteered to rebuild the park.

“Our involvement was a perfect fit for us. We responded to this fire so we wanted to be involved in rebuilding the park,” Ogle said.

The Youth Policing Students program for at risk children put some of their kids to work rebuilding the park.

“It was good. It taught me more about what work is and how hard it can be to keep going,” said 15-year-old Remington Latanville.

Kiera Walsh-Lopez, 12, has been coming to the park all her life.

“It was devastating when it burnt down. I am so glad they built it again,” Walsh-Lopez said.

The inspiration for the playground came from the community who designed and built it, said Coun. Sarah Doucette.

“This rebuild is an amazing example of how the public and private sectors can collaborate with the community to create something of value and wonder for everyone in this city,” Doucette said.

The park was able to be rebuilt after $80,000 was raised by the community and corporations.

“That this playground has been rebuilt in less than four months, entirely from the work and donations of sponsors and the community, shows how important this space is,” said Coun. Norm Kelly, chairman of the city’s Parks and Environment Committee.

“Now, due to their efforts, this playground is bigger and better than ever and will continue to inspire people in the future.”

Here's another article from InsideToronto.com:

Children run screaming with delight into new Jaime Bell playground

Children run screaming with delight into new Jaime Bell playground. The childrens Adventure Playground in High Park finally officially opened on Friday after Mike Holmes and volunteers came together to build the new castle. Children await the opening. Staff photo/IAN KELSO

LISA RAINFORD
July 13, 2012
Held back behind yellow police tape, a crowd of children waited impatiently for a chance to climb the new castle and to go down the new slides.
They watched as HGTV contractor Mike Holmes and his crew put the finishing touches on the rejuvenated Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park and listened as Parkdale-High Park Councillor Sarah Doucette thanked the long list of people who made its reconstruction possible. Even though Doucette promised to keep her speech much shorter at the second grand re-opening on Friday, July 13 than that of her speech on the community build day, July 7, the children's patience waned.
"When are we allowed in?" several kids were overheard asking.
And then, for the moment they had been waiting for - for the past four months, Holmes asked, "Are you ready?"
To which the crowd cheered and applauded: "Yeah!"
"We're going to have a countdown," he told them.
From five to one they counted - followed by absolute chaos. Children ran screaming in delight as they descended upon the new structure, climbing into the castle and onto the swings and down the two slides.
"I think it's fun when the light shines on the slide making it glow red on the inside," said seven-year-old Sofia moments after she came out of the new winding slide.
Tilden, 5, called the new castle "good".
Even Holmes and his team, wearing their trademark black T-shirts, got a chance to try out the playground they had worked tirelessly on for almost two weeks. Since Tuesday, July 3, they endured sweltering temperatures and 12-hour days to get the playground rebuilt as soon as possible.
Jamie Bell's son, Adam and his niece Margot were given the honours of trying out the slides first. Landscape architect Janet Rosenberg was gifted with her own City of Toronto park plaque in appreciation for her support and talents.
In four months, the City of Toronto, financial donors and the community rallied to get the playground rebuilt.
"I think that's a record," said Doucette.
Doucette thanked Toronto Fire Services for all its support from the firefighters who came to the rescue of several members of Holmes' crew, who collapsed because of the heat a week ago to those who kept the construction site lit so they could work after dark. Firefighters were also instrumental in cutting 500 shields, which were decorated by the community - they will be installed on the playground at a later date.
'Our spirit is fire proof,' reads one of them.
On March 17, around 3 a.m. a vandal set fire to the castle turret. The community rallied, raising money and joining efforts to help rebuild within four short months.
People arrived from across the city to see the new playground.

From Mike's Facebook yesterday:

Thanks to everyone who made the Jamie Bell Playground rebuild happen. My incredible crew, all of the volunteers, Janet Rosenburg, the sponsors, the city and many many more. A special thanks goes out to the community. This was such an inspiring community project. What a great place to live. I hope everyone enjoys a new chapter in Jamie Bell's Adventure Playground.

There's a wall of kids ready to rush the castle!

It's the kids castle now! What a reveal.

The countdown is on! Just a few minutes until the kids get to play!!

And finally, here's some photos and videos from around the web about today's re-opening:

2012 Holmes Foundation ATV Ride Report and Video

It's been a little while since the Sixth Annual ATV Ride in Support of the Holmes Foundation, but I found this recent article/blog post on ATV.com. The ride took place on June 2, 2012 in the Township of Springwater, just north of Toronto. Love the video they posted as well. Glad the ride was such a success and that they raised a lot of money... and we're all glad that Mike FINALLY got stuck! Ha!

 

____________________________________________________

2012 Holmes Foundation ATV Ride Report - Video

Raising money while riding ATVs…what could be better?

Story by Lucas Cooney, Photography by Chris Blanchette, Video by Chris Blanchette, Jun. 20, 2012

“I haven’t been stuck yet and so far there’s a lot of bets that I’m going to get stuck today.”

That’s what a confident and excited Mike Holmes said to us shortly before he and about 150 other ATV and UTV enthusiasts hit the trails for some fun at the Sixth Annual ATV Ride in Support of the Holmes Foundation. We don’t think he’ll be quite so confident at next year’s ATV ride, but we’ll get to that in a little while.

It’s not every day that we get to gear up and hit the trails with a genuine celebrity, so when the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs (OFATV) invited us to ride with Mike Holmes and his crew in the Township of Springwater we were all in. Located just an hour’s drive north of Toronto, Ontario, the Township of Springwater is just minutes away from the city of Barrie and all the amenities you could hope to find.

Mike Holmes and his crew pose for photos before having some fun.

Mike Holmes, for those who don’t know, has starred in a number of shows in Canada and the United States that focus on fixing bad renovation jobs and dealing with poorly done home inspections and shady contractors. He even had a show called Holmes in New Orleans that followed along as he built a new home in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans to replace one destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Brad Pitt appeared in an episode as two worked in partnership on this and two other projects.

Holmes is an avid powersports enthusiast, so joining forces with BRP and the OFATV for a charity ride was a natural fit.

Holmes’ television career has been devoted to helping people by giving them a better place to live. He created the Holmes Foundation to continue that trend by helping bring more skilled people into the trades with scholarships and bursaries. More skilled trades’ workers should hopefully mean things get built properly the first time, which might actually put Holmes out of a job. The annual ATV Ride is one of the ways money is raised for the Holmes Foundation.

“It’s all about the next generation of skilled trades. It’s no longer about me. We need to get more into the trades. We need to make it easier to get into the trades,” says Holmes. “I talked to the Prime Minister and I said ‘We’re all thinking green, we’re all talking green, but who’s going to build it?’ We need to train. We need to teach the new technology.”

Don't be fooled by this bright yellow Can-Am Commander. This was the last time we'd see a clean one all day!

Before everybody took off for the trails, the mayor of the Township of Springwater presented some awards and gave us all the green light to have a blast. It seemed like everybody took her up on her offer. The folks at BRP were kind enough to hook us up with a Can-Am Commander for the day, which we used to try and keep up with Holmes and his crew. BRP has been a major part of the Holmes Foundation ATV ride since its inception.

The beauty of ATV riding in Ontario is how quickly and easily you can go from the middle of a town to the middle of the bush. The Central Ontario ATV Club has carved a beautiful trail system out of the local forest. It’s hard to believe that millions of people live just an hour away, as you feel very much like you’re in the wilderness.

The first part of the day was pretty easy going and everybody arrived at the lunch spot without issue. Though we had to navigate through a little mud, most of the machines were still pretty clean and spirits were high.

The Central Ontario ATV Club trails gave everybody a chance to have fun and get a little (or a lot) dirty.

“So far it’s a lot of fun,” Mark Hamerton, OFATV marketing director, told us at lunch. “Mike’s having a great time, I’m having a great time. We were very lucky to get some rain yesterday, which has been a big part of keeping the dust down. We’ve got a little bit of mud, it’s just perfect.”

Perhaps Hamerton was being coy when he said “a little bit of mud,” because after lunch it was a whole other story. One of Hamerton’s goals for the day was to get Holmes stuck in the mud and after plenty of trying he found a way.

It took six years, but Mike Holmes finally got stuck.

Hamerton led Holmes and his crew to a particularly nasty spot he was pretty sure would be too much for the handyman to handle. Though he certainly sensed the trap, with a crowd of people watching Holmes put caution to the wind and rode his Can-Am Commander into the slop until he could go no further. The onlookers let out a roar of approval as the man who can fix anything reached his limit.

Despite being covered in mud (including untold gallons of it sloshing around inside his hip waders), we never saw a smile leave Holmes’ face. Hamerton, being a good sport, jumped into the mud and helped hook up the winch to pull out the filthiest celebrity we’ve ever seen.

While most of us thought better of taking on this mud pit, some folks just couldn't resist.

To call this event merely a success would do it a great disservice. Not only did everybody involved have a fantastic time, but the Holmes Foundation received checks totalling $17,500 from Ontario Can-Am Dealers and the OFATV at the after-ride reception at the Horseshoe Resort, in addition to nearly $2,500 from a silent auction.

At least his face is clean.

Jamie Bell Adventure Playground Community Build - YouTube Videos

You've seen the pictures. Here's some video to go along with all the wonderful photos of last weekend's (July 7) Community Build Day in High Park, where hundreds of volunteers pitched in to rebuild the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in Toronto under the direction of Mike Holmes.

Ribbon cutting ceremony with Sarah Doucette:


The crew posing on the castle:


Build day, Saturday, July 7:


Painting shields to put around the playground:



Awesome videos! Thanks to the person who filmed them and took the time to upload them on YouTube!

Mike on The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"

A GREAT video clip released today about Mike and crew rebuilding the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground.

From Mike's Facebook page:

The Morning Show visited the Jamie Bell Playground rebuild in High Park. Watch the video at the link below!

My favorite part of the video -- this letter was left on Mike's car. How sweet :) Shows the gratitude of the community to Mike and all the other guys who are working hard to rebuild a small but important part of their community. "Thank you guys for rebuilding our favorite park. Words cannot express how greatful we are. Isaiah (4 years old) + his mama"

Friday July 6th: 11am

VIDEO: Global TV/The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"

07/06/12 - Global TV/The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"

Daru Dhillon from Global TV's "The Morning Show" visited our High Park site yesterday for an interview with Mike. The segment aired on July 6th.

Star Portraits - Mike Holmes

This is old, old, OLD news for sure, but worthy of discussion nevertheless. In 2010, Mike Holmes was a guest "sitter" on the Canadian TV show Star Portraits, in which celebrities sit for artists to have their portraits painted by three very different, but equally talented artists. Standard protocol for the show, Mike got to keep his favorite portrait, and the other two portraits were auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the charity of his choice. Mike, of course, chose the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada, as Mike's oldest daughter Amanda was diagnosed with Crohn's disease as a teenager. The portrait Mike decided to keep was painted by artist Celeste Keller. The auction took place in December 2010, and between Mike and the 12 other celebrities featured in season 2 of the show, $13,000 was raised for various causes.

According to the Star Portraits Flickr account, Mike posed for the artists poolside in his own backyard:

Mike Holmes' castle is his backyard and this is where he chooses to share a part of his private life as he poses poolside for three portrait artists. Will artists Wayne Terry, Albert Slark and Celeste Keller capture what's behind the tough guy exterior of Canada's favourite contractor?

Here are the three portraits painted by the talented artists:

Portrait by Albert Slark

Portrait by Celeste Keller

Portrait by Wayne Terry

The first portrait by Albert Slark is super realistic, right down to Mike's obscenely blond eyebrows.

This was the portrait rated the highest by viewers on the Star Portrait website. When asked if he was

surprised to see Mike Holmes as the celebrity sitter, he answered "Oh yeah! A pleasant surprise and

a challenge to paint. It was an enjoyable process!"

 

The second portrait by Celeste Keller is slightly more abstract than the first portrait. The portrait

features Mike and his long time girlfriend Anna Zappia, as well as his chocolate lab, Charlie. When

asked about how she felt about Mike being the celebrity sitter, she responded a lot like I would have:

"I think 'surprised' is a bit of an understatement. I was floored! I LOVE Mike Holmes! I spent so

much time before hand trying to figure out who it was going to be. I had no idea it would be Mike

Holmes. Even when Louise said his name and he made his way over to us, it didn’t register. I was

in a state of shock. Did I mention how much I LOVE him?" This portrait turned out to be Mike's

favorite.

 

The third portrait by Wayne Terry happens to be my personal favorite. It's a close up portrait of Mike's

face, and if you look past the foreground, you see the sky and clouds and eagles. To me it's a really

beautiful and creative representation. Plus I think he did a great job at capturing Mike's pretty albeit

hooded eyes. When asked if he was surprised to have Mike as the celebrity sitter, he responded, "  I

was pleasantly surprised having Mike Holmes as a sitter. Renovating, building, cars, boats, cottages is

something I’ve done forever. Having watched many of Mike’s shows, painting his portrait was more

like painting someone you know, a friend, not some celebrity who is far removed from my life style."

Other photos related to Mike's appearance on Star Portraits:

The Edmonton Journal wrote a nice little piece about Mike's appearance on the show:

Star Portraits

captures Holmes
Alex Strachan, Postmedia News Published: Saturday, November 06 2010 Mike Holmes, the world-renowned handyman, home-reno expert and defender of homeowners' rights, is a study in motion. Energetic, excitable and burning with passion, it's hard to imagine him sitting still for a minute, let alone an hour. Sit still he must, though, in tonight's engaging episode of Star Portraits.
Star Portraits has become appointment viewing for people looking for a biography program that's out of the ordinary. And there's nothing ordinary about Holmes. He's a human blur, used to living life large. Holmes is a fascinating subject for Star Portraits, because the program is all about how portrait artists capture their subject's inner essence. Holmes wears his emotions on his sleeve. What will the portrait artists find underneath? This week's illustrators are Chatham Ont.'s Wayne Terry, a successful and experienced artist whose oil portraits lean toward aboriginal myth and symbolism; Toronto-based Celeste Keller, a figurative illustrator who describes herself as "an artist in search of urban moments;" and Calgary's Albert Slark, an award-winning portrait artist who specializes in book covers and is one of several Canadians commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service to design and paint commemorative stamps. The results, as usual, are fascinating. As reality TV goes, Star Portraits is one of the most surprising, joyous and unpredictable programs on TV today. (Bravo -- 6 p.m.)

And yet another article by the Times Colonist:

Portrait of Mike Holmes better be up to code | Alex Strachan, Postmedia News
Published: Saturday, November 06, 2010
Mike Holmes, the world-renowned handyman, home-reno expert and defender of homeowners' rights, is a study in motion. Energetic, excitable and burning with passion, it's hard to imagine him sitting still for a minute, let alone an hour.
Sit still he must, though, in tonight's engaging episode of Star Portraits.
Star Portraits, Bravo's program in which three Canadian portrait artists paint a homegrown celebrity, has become appointment viewing for people looking for a biography program that's out of the ordinary. And there's nothing ordinary about Holmes. He's a human blur, used to living life large -- outspoken, vocal and not one to easily hide his feelings.
So, when Holmes agrees to sit in his own backyard for his portrait, it's easy to forgive Star Portraits host Louise Pitre's quip when she says the yard looks like something straight out of "Holmes and Garden magazine."
Holmes is a fascinating subject for Star Portraits, because the program is all about how portrait artists capture their subject's inner essence. Holmes wears his emotions on his sleeve. What will the portrait artists find underneath?
This week's illustrators are Chatham Ont.'s Wayne Terry, a successful and experienced artist whose oil portraits lean toward aboriginal myth and symbolism; Toronto-based Celeste Keller, a figurative illustrator who describes herself as "an artist in search of urban moments"; and Calgary's Albert Slark, an award-winning portrait artist who specializes in book covers and is one of several Canadians commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service to design and paint commemorative stamps, including Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis.
"I'm going to need half an hour just to calm down," Keller tells Holmes, when she learns who her subject will be.
Holmes, too.
"Let's play," he tells the painters enthusiastically, then explains how his garden is his own private escape, the secret place he goes to decompress and find time for himself. He doesn't sit, so much as lean against his portrait stool, chattering happily away as the portrait artists try to capture his inner self.
Holmes's [sic] work ethic was instilled in him as a young child by his father, he tells the artists. From an early age, he realized his calling was helping others through his building skills. He has since become a tireless advocate for homeowners and a thorn in the side of shady contractors everywhere, whether it's sloppy builders in his hometown or fly-by-night operators in New Orleans or Tornado Alley.
"It doesn't matter; that's what I think I'm supposed to do," Holmes says. "I'm supposed to be the one that helps when other people are in trouble."
The results, as usual, are fascinating. And telling. As reality TV goes, Star Portraits is one of the most surprising, joyous and unpredictable programs on TV today. Anyone interested in art and the process of capturing personality through charcoal and oils will find real value here.
"A painting takes on a life of its own," Slark explains, midway through tonight's program. "Sometimes, it's a happy accident."

Holmes Does It "Beyond Smart" With Cisco

If the words "smart" or "green" appear before just about any word in the English language, it would be a safe bet that Mike Holmes is already all over it, using it, or endorsing it. In this video from February of 2012, Mike discusses building communities (such as Wind Walk, see below) "smart" and energy efficient, complete with high tech energy controllers that help homeowners manage how much energy they use. Those controllers are currently under development by the company Cisco. For Mike, it's all about being aware and knowledgeable of one’s own energy consumption. "We get up in the morning, we flick the switch, the light goes on. Where'd the power come from? How much power are we using? We don't know."

Currently, Mike is working on a first-of-its-kind development in Alberta, Canada, Wind Walk, which when completed, will be a fully sustainable "green" urban community. In January of 2012, the project took a huge step forward when, according to a press release posted on makeitright.ca, "The Municipal Government Board (MGB) of Alberta have confirmed the Wind Walk project represents no detriment to the Town of Okotoks. Thus permitting the project to move forward." No doubt, Mike is looking to companies like Cisco to develop the energy conservation technology which will make this kind of community possible.

Mike Holmes to Speak at the 2012 World Indigenous Housing Conference

This morning, Mike Holmes gave the keynote presentation at the 2012 World Indigenous Housing Conference in Vancouver, Canada. From Mike's website:

LIVE APPEARANCE: Mike at World Indigenous Housing Conference June 12 @ 9:30AM

Mike will be making a keynote presentation at the 2012 World Indigenous Housing Conference in Vancouver, Canada June 12th from 9:30AM to 10:30AM. Mike will be discussing Building Homes and Building Skills – a partnership between the Holmes Group and the Canadian Assembly of First Nations. The partnership involves the renovation of housing in the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation in Ontario, Canada, and building a sustainable community, based on green practices.

Mike will also host the Rebuilding Devastated Communities workshop at the conference which discusses strategies for Indigenous communities ability to respond to natural disasters.

2012 World Indigenous Housing Conference - June 11-15
Keynote Address:
June 12, 2012
9:30AM – 10:30AM
Hyatt Regency
Vancouver, BC, Canada

From the World Indigenous 2012 Website:

MIKE HOLMES



Well-known TV host, housing expert and philanthropist Mike Holmes will give the opening keynote address at the 2012 World Indigenous Housing Conference. Mike Holmes stars in



Holmes on Homes®, the #1 show on HGTV Canada, which is syndicated in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany and South Africa. As a professional contractor, Mike Holmes uncovers and fixes sloppy, dangerous renovations in his award-winning television series (makeitright.ca).



In his WIHC keynote address, Mr. Holmes will profile



Building Homes and Building Skills—a partnership between the Canadian Assembly of First Nations and the Holmes Group to renovate housing in the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation in Ontario, Canada, and build a sustainable community, based on green practices. "I am proud to be part of one of the most significant community development projects ever undertaken by First Nations in Canada. Together, we will build homes that are more durable and energy efficient to improve overall health benefits for families in the community. This project will build better infrastructure and create opportunities for First Nations to work with industry leaders."



Mr. Holmes will also lead a workshop at the conference—



Rebuilding Devastated Communities—on strategies for Indigenous communities to build the social, financial and technical capacity to respond to natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires and flooding. The session will cover how to bring forces together to achieve effective local capability.

Niagara University Graduate Commencement Ceremony 2012 - FULL VIDEO and Critique

Holy crap, college graduation ceremonies are long and boring! I say this as a person who attended college (on a full scholarship, might I add), graduated in the top 3% of my class, and chose to throw a party on the big day instead of walking. I figured I worked my a-- off for almost 5 years, why punish myself any further? Niagara University's Graduate Commencement Ceremony, held on May 13, 2012, was no less snoozerific, in my opinion. It was long, full of pomp and funny, cult-like clothing, and was more sleep inducing than a hand full of Ambien with a vodka chaser. There were two exceptions, however. The first exception was honorary doctorate recipient Lloyd Robertson, who gave a most excellent commencement address. Amongst other things, he playfully described Canadian-American relations and the sibling-like rivalry between the two countries. Subtle differences abound, but when all is said and done, Americans love their Canadian cousins, and Canadians hopefully feel the same way about their lovable neighbo(u)rs to the South.

The other stand-out from this otherwise fairly typical graduate commencement ceremony was of course the presence of Mike Holmes. As with Lloyd Robertson, Mike also received an honorary doctorate, his in the field of Pedagogy. Shortly after the ceremony, the university released a short video clip of Mike graciously accepting the degree on Niagara's website. A few weeks after that, Niagara posted the full, hour-and-a-half long ceremony, which including the opening induction rituals, as well as the presentation of the degrees to the much-deserving students.

I think most people would agree, the most boring part of any graduation ceremony is sitting through the long, seemingly endless list of names that go on and on forever and ever -- no disrespect meant to the class of 2012. We here at the Holmes Spot have taken great pains to watch the ENTIRE video, beginning to end, and have highlighted some points of interest. Yup, we do the hard stuff so you don't have to. For all you diehards out there, feel free to watch the entire video, but for everyone else, here are some cool things we noticed.

The 2012 Niagara University Graduate Commencement Ceremony (FULL VIDEO)

HOLMES SPOT HIGHLIGHTS:

First things first: Mike. Mike got an honorary degree. I think we've all seen the clip. I think we've discussed it here on this blog ad infinitum.  For those who haven't seen it, here it is in all its black-robed glory.

Now, the fun stuff. Mike is no doubt a celebrity in his own right. And being a person who works on television, he's bound to have at least a couple of fans in a room full of people. As the degrees were being presented, a young man gave Mike a thumbs up and went to shake his hand. Not expecting the attention, it seemed to catch Mike off guard just enough to make him drop his honorary diploma. It made quite a bit of noise, but Mike played it off cool. This young man was only the first of many to show Mike some love.

The ceremony continued on like normal, until one guy decided it would be fun to fist-bump Mike, causing a chain reaction of a dozen or more students making a pit stop by Mike to shake his hand before receiving their diplomas. And then it happened again. As the students continued to show their affection, a student with the name "Michael James" was called, and Mike made a virtually inaudible comment about liking his name as the student approached him for the then-requisite handshake. (For those who don't know, Mike's middle name is also James.)

As the ceremony closed, Father Levesque thanked Lloyd Robertson and then thanked Mike Holmes (whom he was less familiar with than Robertson, but admired none the less). Levesque remarked that both men lived extraordinary lives, and made a round-about comment about the warm attention Mike received. He seemed mildly intrigued and perhaps a little surprised by the rapport Mike had with dozens of the students there.




The biggest thing I took away from watching this behemoth of a video was that Mike Holmes displayed a genuine admiration and respect for the students and their achievements. He was visible throughout the entire presentation, and he clapped and smiled for EVERY SINGLE person who walked across that stage. Out of the 5 or so people who sat with him, he was the ONLY person to do so. Character is what you do when you think nobody is watching... In Mike's case, it might be more apropos to say it's what you do when you think nobody is going to scrutinize what you're doing and then write a blog about it! No, I highly doubt Mike expected some obnoxious fan chick, vis-à-vis me, to comb through an hour plus of graduation hell so she could analyze his interaction with the students. It's clear that this is more-or-less a candid snapshot of Mike at his realest, and just another reason why so many people around the world love and admire him so much. Keep clapping, Mike.

Mike Holmes and Charlie Major Make It Right

In the 2007 episode of Holmes on Homes "Country Kitchen" (originally titled Nashville Kitchen), Mike and his crew tackled a kitchen disaster in the home of Woody and Nancy. Nancy was a sign language interpreter and taught Mike to sign a few phrases, including "Make It Right" and to fingerspell his name, M-I-K-E. Woody, on the other hand, was the manager of Canadian country music star Charlie Major. According to Charlie Major's MySpace blog entry, dated November 2007:

Charlie Major and his manager Woody Bowles had been looking for a cause for Charlie to support. Charlie was especially interested in something that had domestic impact for Canadians—and he found it close to home. To his manager's home, that is. Woody was the victim of a renovation nightmare—the kind The Holmes Foundation was founded to help put an end to. Charlie wrote a song called, "Make It Right" which happens to be Mike Holmes' trademark slogan. Charlie debuts the song on the show, and actually helps with some of the renovation work.

In honor of the Holmes Foundation, Mike and Charlie teamed up to make a music video for the song "Make it Right." The song more than adequately described the philosophy that drives Mike, and the concept behind the show that made him a legend.

Make it Right by Charlie Major

Lyrics:

Make it right (make it right)
Make it right (make it right)
If it takes all day, if it takes all night
Tell you what I’m gonna do for you
Gonna make it right

If you got a problem
Don’t know what to do
Don’t lose heart
Don’t despair
I’ll be there for you

I can take your troubles
Ease your worried mind
Take that mess that you’ve been left
And make it right

Should have been done right the first time

If you’ve been mistreated
Feel like you’ve been used
Don’t lose hope
Don’t despair
I’ll be there for you

I can take your worries
Help you sleep at night
I Come along
Take that wrong
And make it right

Should have been done right the first time

If you’re going to do it, do it right the first time

Mike Holmes' Partnership With The Canadian Lung Association

Recently, Mike has created a video with the Canadian Lung Association about the dangers of asbestos. If you renovate in an older home, he warns, make sure you do it safely and don't touch things that might contain asbestos. Asbestos can cause all kinds of lung problems, including cancer, and it's a danger homeowners should be aware of.

Mike Holmes New Line of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from 3M

Mike Holmes is all about doing it right, and part of doing it right is doing it safely. Mike and his Holmes Workwear brand has teamed up with the company 3M to recreate a line of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that lives up to Mike and his team's strict standards. The line includes safety eye wear for inside and outside, respirators, and hearing protection.

From Mike's Facebook this morning:

Teamed up with 3M™ TEKK Protection™ Brand to put together this video in support of National Safety Month. Gotta love punching through drywall!

You show that drywall who's boss, Mike!

Mike Holmes Takes New York

Busy, busy day for Mike, as he was making the TV show rounds today in New York. This morning he was on Fox & Friends, discussing home inspection basics, and his new book The Holmes Inspection.

From Facebook, posted approximately 8AM EST:

Just about to go on air at Fox & Friends. Talking mould & using an IR camera.

Weren't up that early? That's OK. Here's the clip if you missed it:



And as I type this very sentence, Mike is currently on the set of the ABC show, The Revolution, with host Ty Pennington. Mike has been posting updates, the last about ten minutes ago.

From Facebook, posted several minutes ago:

Backstage at The Revolution. Just hung up coat and the wall hook came down!! Do I have to bring my tools?


On set with Ty Pennington at The Revolution. Here we go! I'll keep you posted when the episode airs.

On set at The Revolution in NYC.

I guess the last thing that's safe and accurate for me to "report" is that Mike Holmes is definitely going to sleep well tonight. Take it easy, Mike :)

October 2011 Radio Interview with Mike Holmes, John Moore

In October 2011, John Moore from radio station CFRB 1010 in Toronto, Ontario interviewed Mike Holmes about DIY projects. As one would expect, Mike strongly discourages lay people from approaching most reno projects without consulting the professionals. "I'm against DIY as a standard," he says, adding the following questions for ambitious homeowners to consider, "How old's the house? Did you need to gut the kitchen? Do you need to check the electrical, the plumbing? Does it all need to be changed? How's the structure?" Big, big questions to consider, especially given that "[i]n most cases, homeowners don't know enough." True that. Check out the full interview.

HGTV Father's Day Mike Holmes Marathon

June 17 may be Father's Day, but all the handy moms of the world will be busy watching HGTV that evening. Tune in for a Mike Holmes prime-time marathon starting at 7PM EST. You can catch some episodes of Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection that you've probably already seen, but wouldn't mind watching again.  Oh, OK...I guess all the handy dads of the world can watch too. It is their day, after all.

Source: Huliq

Mike Holmes ATV Ride 2012 Supporting the Holmes Foundation Updates

Today is the big day for the Holmes Foundation... the  OFATV 2012 ATV Ride In Support Of The Holmes Foundation. I'm currently scouring Google for pics and articles, as they come out. The pickings are slim as of now, but hopefully this post will grow over the next couple of hours.

OFATV Holmes Ride Poster



Here's a video of a radio interview with OFATV marketing director Mark Hamerton chatting with 95.1 The Peak FM about the Holmes Ride. A little dry, but relavent. They talk about the 2012 Ride, the sponsors involved, and the Holmes Foundation.

Mike Holmes in Springwater this morning

Canada's Most Trusted Peeps Fight For Cleaner, Greener Energy

Forgive me for being terribly American (or Amercian -- LOL, inside American joke. Google it if you don't understand), but until Mike Holmes became a blip on my radar, I'd never heard of David Suzuki. Apparently, he and Mike Holmes are #1 and #2 respectively on a 2010 Reader's Digest poll of the top ten most trusted Canadians. So, what do you get when you take a couple of Canada's crown jewels and stick them on top of a roof with TV personality Rick Mercer? Why, you get a bowl full of awesome! In this article from David Suzuki's website, you get his and Mike's perspective on the controversial Green Energy Act, which has been heavily debated over in Ontario.

For more information, you can refer to previous Holmes Spot blog article "Mike Holmes' Push For Solar Energy."

 

 

Get the goods on growing green energy in Ontario

October 3, 2011

Watch Canada's "most trusted" people get up on a roof to install a solar panel.

By Mike Holmes and Dr. David Suzuki

Over the past few weeks, Ontario politicians have engaged in heated debate about the province's much lauded and much criticized Green Energy Act. Some say it is the backbone of the province's promising green technology sector; others want to put a stake through its heart. Regardless of your political stripes, everyone agrees; the stakes are high.

So what is really happening in Ontario? Simply put, a lot. If you want to learn more, please read below. If you would rather spend the next few minutes watching a couple of Canada's "most trusted" people get up on a roof to install a solar panel, check this serious bit of journalism from the Rick Mercer Report.

The Province of Ontario is two years along a brave new path that is expected to bring future prosperity and cleaner energy to Ontario communities. It has done this by encouraging the private sector to invest in local power projects and companies that make the thousands of components that are required to make windmills whir and solar panels purr. At the same time, the province has begun promoting energy conservation and making huge investments in our energy infrastructure — measures that will reduce energy consumption and save taxpayers money in the long run.

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While parties scramble to convince voters that their plans to power the province into the future is the best, we feel we should take a moment to first look at the past to gain some perspective and insight into how to move forward.

More than one hundred years ago, Ontario Premier James Whitney was in hot water over his proposal to tap the power of Niagara Falls by building a hydroelectric generating station. His opponents said it would likely bankrupt the province. Instead, this source of green renewable power has helped fuel Ontario's economic engine ever since. Ontario now gets over 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable hydroelectric generation, thanks in large part to the foresight of Whitney and our great grandparents.

Germany embarked on its green energy strategy more than ten years ago. Since then the country has become a clean technology powerhouse, creating more than 370,000 fulltime jobs and tripling their production of clean energy — now 17% of their total power supply. This is something we can do in Ontario. We can all benefit the same way—or even more so—if we continue down the path we've begun.

Ontario passed its own Green Energy Act in 2009. Modelled on the German laws, this legislation has kick-started Ontario's green energy sector by encouraging investment by hundreds of companies, farmers, community groups and residents throughout the province. In only two years it is has spurred the private sector to invest billions of dollars in dozens of new factories and power projects and has created thousands of direct and indirect jobs, with tens of thousands more expected in the coming years.

These newly created jobs include skilled trades workers manufacturing components for solar panels and turbines, contractors installing them, and the engineers and entrepreneurs that dream them up. Good-paying, full-time positions. We aren't talking temporary or part-time jobs in the service sector.

And for many youth, these are the jobs of the future. This is why more than three-dozen green technology programs have been created at Ontario colleges and universities. They will be retooling students and professionals to meet the demands of this emerging new sector of Ontario's economy—part of the global trillion-dollar clean technology sector that has blossomed worldwide.

While job creation numbers can often seem a bit suspect, especially around election time, the progress on the ground has been remarkable. Ontario is now home to some of the most exciting green energy projects on the planet, including the world's largest solar photovoltaic power plant in the world, in Sarnia. Countless farmers, community groups and entrepreneurial residents have also been getting some of the action with small installations that will provide them a second source of income for the next couple of decades. This will help support a sustainable economic and environmental future.

While this progress is impressive, candidates and parties intent on killing the program are now threatening the entire enterprise. They raise the spectre of rising energy prices without acknowledging that investments in green energy represent less than one per cent of the total price householders pay for energy.

This province has a history of leadership in manufacturing and growth. This is the sort of foresight that has made Ontario great. Treading into new territory undoubtedly will lead to a few potholes on the path. However, we believe Ontario is on the right track towards a green energy future that will wean us from dirty, old fuel sources and bring us closer to a brighter, cleaner, healthier future — and fuel Ontario's economic engine into the 21st century.

David Suzuki and Mike Holmes are two of Canada's most trusted and recognized personalities and were recently seen on a roof installing solar panels. For more information, please visit davidsuzuki.org and makeitright.ca.

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Mike Holmes joins Investing in Care – Close to Home Honorary Campaign Cabinet

Mike Holmes is known for working hard to make his local community a better place. One of his latest causes is supporting the Investing in Care – Close to Home Honorary Campaign Cabinet, a group that invests in and fundraises for the hospital that serves Mike's community of Halton Hills, Georgetown Hospital in Ontario, Canada. Using the latest and greatest technology to get the job done doesn't just apply to building houses. For Mike, it's a personal cause, as a CT scan was used to detect a potentially deadly brain tumor in his daughter, Sherry, a number of years back.  “Without question the doctors did their jobs well, but as far as I’m concerned it was the CT scan that saved her life,” Mike is quoted in a Georgetown Hospital Foundation news release. Investing in technology, such as CT scanning, is a major focus of the group. (Related to Sherry's brain tumor, I do believe she has a tattoo on her wrist which reads "hope," to signifies her ordeal with a brain tumor. I think I read this on the Official Mike Holmes Fan Forum somewhere, but quote me with extreme caution.)

Here's the GHF news release:

January 18, 2012

Mike Holmes joins Investing in Care – Close to Home Honorary Campaign Cabinet

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
January 17, 2012
Mike Holmes joins Investing in Care – Close to Home Honorary Campaign Cabinet
________________________________________
HALTON HILLS, ON – The Georgetown Hospital Foundation (GHF) is honoured to announce that Mike Holmes, Canada’s Most Trusted Contractor, best known for his work as creator and host of television shows Holmes on

Mike Holmes and his daughter Sherry

Homes® and Holmes Inspection, has joined the Honorary Campaign Cabinet for Georgetown Hospital Foundation’s Investing in Care – Close to Home campaign.
The Honorary Campaign Cabinet is a small group of leaders who represent the Campaign for Georgetown Hospital to the community. They are ambassadors, donors and spokespeople for the importance of Investing in Care – Close to Home. Or, as Mike puts it, “I am here to help Georgetown Hospital. It’s my local hospital after all, I look forward to helping make this project a reality.” The other members of the Honorary Cabinet are Mayor Rick Bonnette, Josey Bonnette and Fred Helson.
Mike Holmes has been a Halton Hills resident for more than ten years, enjoying private time on his property when he is not busy filming one of his television series or working to promote skills training for youth through the Holmes Foundation.
Mike’s decision to get involved is inspired by his first-hand experience of the importance of CT scanning technology – a key piece of the Campaign. A number of years ago his daughter Sherry had a brain tumour which was discovered through a CT scan. Within a week she underwent life-saving surgery to remove the potentially deadly tumour. Recalls Mike, “without question the doctors did their jobs well, but as far as I’m concerned it was the CT scan that saved her life.”
Late in 2011 Mr. Holmes had a chance to tour the Hospital with Chief Operating Officer Cindy McDonell who gave him an up-close view of the challenges associated with the Hospital’s small size and 50-year-old structure. When asked about the significance of Mike Holmes’ support for the Campaign, McDonell put it this way: “As I toured Mike through the hospital he could immediately see the difficulties we have in our existing space and the need we have to construct a new Emergency Department. He already had very personal reasons to support our goal to acquire a CT scanner, and it is terrific to also have his appreciation of our vision of better healthcare for our community through our Emergency Department construction and Diagnostic Imaging renovation project.”
The Campaign for Georgetown Hospital is GHF’s biggest-ever fundraising drive. The Campaign will assist in funding the construction of a new 14,000 square foot Emergency Department – doubling the size of the existing cramped one. Featured in the expansion will be the acquisition of a CT Scanner that will be the first in Halton Hills, eliminating the need for patients to travel to other area hospitals. In addition, the Diagnostic Imaging Department will be transformed into a larger space – consolidating services that are currently located outside the Department and improving the quality of care that the Hospital provides to its patients.
To date, the Foundation has been fortunate enough to announce $2.2 million in pledged charitable donations to this project. The total cost is anticipated to be $12.2 million. Support from the Town of Halton Hills of $2.6 million has been announced along with up to $2.6 million from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. In addition, Halton Healthcare Services is contributing $2.5 million from various revenue generating sources.
Georgetown Hospital Foundation continues to provide funding for new medical equipment and other hospital improvements in order to achieve our vision of the best healthcare possible for the people of Halton Hills. For more information please visit www.georgetownhospitalfoundation.ca



To use a very American phrase, bully to Mike for investing in his local community. It's a good thing to do. And much love to Sherry Holmes, so happy that she's healthy, and may her good health continue long into the future!

For Sherry