MORTGAGE ARCHITECTS OPEN UP THEIR PATIO TO THE COMMUNITY

BUSINESS DONATING PATIO SPACE FOR SUMMERTIME BARBECUE FUNDRAISERS

For clubs or community groups in Port Colborne looking to host a little summertime fundraiser, things just got a whole lot easier.

"When we moved in here, we were looking at that beautiful patio space and thinking, other than having our morning coffee out there, what are we actually going to use that space for?" wondered Carey Benvenuti. Having recently moved into the old Bremfield's Bakery building, Benvenuti also inherited the sleek patio attached to the shop. Since Benvenuti and Natalie Torner wouldn't really be using the patio for their business, Mortgage Architects, the pair got to thinking outside the box.

"We started talking about how we could actually use this space, and that's when Carey came up with the idea to let the community use it," said Torner.

Clubs and community groups can use the patio to host barbecue fundraisers, taking advantage of the prime real estate located right in the heart of Main Street. Mortgage Architects are even doing most of the heavy lifting, by providing not just the patio, but everything else needed for the fundraiser.

"We'll provide the hot dogs and burgers, the barbecue, and the marketing, so we'll work with the community groups to get the word out," said Benvenuti, who noted they've already signed up a handful of groups, including two local girls soccer clubs, Community Support Services Niagara, and the Girl Guides.

"Being a part of the business community also means being part of the wider community, and giving back to the community, so this is how we plan to do that," said Benvenuti.

When they're not busy lending a hand to local community groups, the pair are hard at work and getting settled into their new digs.

"I've always wanted to have a physical presence in my hometown, and there's a real need in this city for a place where people can come in and discuss their finances," said Benvenuti, who jumped at the chance to move into the old Bremfield's building. "We saw the need, and we saw the opportunity, so we took it and here we are. This is a really great building, it has such a cool vibe."

Mortgage Architects still has some weekends open this summer where the patio space is up for grabs, so to reach out about using the space, call Benvenuti at 289-968-0043 or Tornet at 905-359-0352. Mortgage Architects is located at 91 Main St. W. in Port Colborne.