Community Profiles

Buddha is said to have been one of the first to break down barriers for those with disabilities. “He is able, who thinks he is able” says Randy Dickinson, referring to the ancient deity, as he inspires the roughly two hundred employers, employees, board members and supporters of some twenty two community agencies which dedicate their efforts to improving the status of disabled persons. The personable and dedicated head of the Premier’s Council on the Status of Disabled Persons was in town Wednesday for a luncheon, to celebrate the nineteenth Disability Awareness Week. The event is sponsored by the Saint John Ability Advisory Committee (SJAAC). This year’s theme is education to employment.

Luncheon Chair Cathy Patterson, who works for Options Outreach, is pleased with the excellent turnout. Accomplishments are profiled at the event to illustrate the signposts along the road to helping disabled persons reach their full potential and be fully included in their communities. She is singled out by the group for her contributions.

This year the guest speaker is Fiona Curtis, Recruiting Manager for ClientLogic. She is there to accept an Employer of the Year award for their outstanding achievements. Jeff Sparks, the well-known advocate for the disabled and Chairperson of theSJAAC, says ClientLogic is a “true role model” of accommodation to employees needs.

The huge customer service, technical support, sales, retention, travel and tourism centre employs over seven hundred, out of their Saint John East quarters in Loch Lomond Mall. It is one of the top five global Business Process Outsourcing providers. Ms. Curtis matter-of-factly describes how her company has made simple, relatively economical accommodations which bring out the best in their employees who have disabilities. Eighty percent of the changes can cost less than five hundred dollars. She is quick to compliment them as a group for their loyalty, dedication and strong track records for low absenteeism and sick days. “Hiring is consistent, regardless of disabilities” she says.

The adjustments could be in wheelchair accessible work spaces and washrooms, zoom equipment to help visually impaired staff or better computer monitors and ergonomic keyboards. The role of coaches and supervisors is critical to bringing out the best for all concerned.

Gerry Harris, an “upbeat, positive”, ClientLogic associate, describes why he loves his technical support job and how his employer maximizes his talents. He is visually impaired, doing his job with high degrees of skill and effectiveness, with the help of special magnifying devices. They are called JAWS (job access with speech) and Zoom Text. Simple changes like accommodating work schedules and work station adjustments can mean the difference between a productive, happy employee and one who is passed over for a promotion. Visually impaired persons find daylight hours the best for travel to and from work.

The SJAAC also recognizes individuals and institutions who give above and beyond the norm. Freeman Lewis was honoured as an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and dedication to the disabled . He went the extra mile to provide a New Brunswick Community College student with help to find appropriate accommodation, begin post-secondary education and accompanies her to many activities and classes. The Academy of Learning was also presented an award for their efforts in the field of post-secondary education.

An award for lifetime achievement went to The Greater Saint John Community Foundation in recognition of their support to more than a dozen community charitable groups, which benefit the disabled. They include Key Industries, The Association for Community Living, United Catena, Learning Disabilities Association of New Brunswick-Saint John, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Deafblind and Rubella Assocition, CNIB, Saint John Deaf and Hard of Hearing , the City of Saint John for disabled accessible playgrounds, Autism…….and the SJAAC. Michael Doyle, Chairman, encouraged the group to forge ahead with their mandate to improve the quality of life in our community.

Earlier this week, the SJAAC got rave reviews from members of Saint John’s Common Council for the Town Hall Meeting they organized to profile their work. Headed by Jeff Sparks, its board members include: Wanda Berrette, Gerald Frazee, Barry Freeze, Karen Guenette, Lynn Leblanc, Theresa Lyon, Albert Morgan, John Olsen, Cathy Patterson, Hazel Pickering, Ann Quigley, Sara Stashick, Linda Trites and Stuart Urdang. Councillor Peter McGuire, the council’s point man for the session was present for the awards luncheon. He highlighted “dignity, respect and change” as hallmarks of the effective group.

The SJAAC provides direction, awareness and leadership in making our community more inclusive. Its Mission is:”Using our diverse expertise, we partner with people with disabilities, government, business and the public to remove barriers by providing information and advocacy regarding disability issues”.Their goal is to create an inclusive Saint John through fair and equal access for all members of society to participate in work, community events, leisure services and entertainment venues. .

Being officially recognized as an advisory committee for Common Council of the City of Saint John

Assisting in the placement of sound-based crossing lights for the Visually Impaired

Assisting with the design and development of Saint John’s Fully Integrated Play Parks (Rockwood Park, Forest Hills and soon-to be-constructed, Saint John West)

Assisting individuals in accessing services from the City of Saint John and other Government Departments

Their strategic plan calls for expanding committees to heighten their profile, focus on marketing, communications and advocacy and further develop their recognition program. They plan to forge stronger relationships with Council, develop a Communications Plan, establish an e-mail disability network and build more relationships with other disability groups.

It’s an interesting and surprising exercise to see how many words one can identify, having the same meaning in both French and English. An example would be “Dialogue”. We think of it as interaction between two or more people or groups in a “give and take”, friendly atmosphere of mutual understanding. Dialogue New Brunswick (DNB) lives up to such a definition. It was created by government in 1989 in response to a need for sustained communication and dialogue between the two official language communities of New Brunswick. This provincial, not-for-profit body is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, dedicated to promoting better understanding, greater respect and mutual appreciation between English-speaking and French-speaking New Brunswickers.

Since its incorporation in 1990, Dialogue New Brunswick has created opportunities for interaction and cooperation between the two linguistic groups, which have been predominant in our province for centuries. Whether on an economic, social, political or other level, DNB believes that all New Brunswickers can work together on matters of common interest without compromising their respective culture, heritage or fundamental needs.

Rolf Spangenberg of Saint John and Odette Snow of Moncton are the Co-Chairs of Dialogue New Brunswick. Volunteer board members come from all corners of the province: Liette Clément (Bathurst); Joni Dobson (Fredericton); Chantal Duguay (Campbellton); Serge Haché (Shippagan); Greg Keith (Sussex); Alban LeBlanc (Moncton); Beatrice Long (Grand Falls); Kimberley McKay (Fredericton); Father Stanislas Paulin (Miramichi); Lauréat Thériault (Edmundston) and Camille Thériault (Caraquet). Mr. Spangenberg has been involved for two years and notes “we’re about understanding culture, not languages.” He believes bringing together different cultural groups promotes understanding and harmony and is “incredibly powerful, opening up all kinds of doors”. They dedicate many volunteer hours to promote harmony and understanding through programs for youth and adults.

DNB sponsors the annual pen pal program for students in Grades 3 to 9 (70,000 twinnings have taken place since inception). Students of both cultural/language groups, from similar grade levels and all parts of the province, are matched. They communicate by letter in their first language and practice their second language when they read the correspondence received from their pen pals. This year, 6,205 students in 244 classes have “got mail”. At the end of the school year, they exchange a video or scrapbook prepared by each class. Some participating classes (2,372 anglophone and francophone students) will meet their pen pals for a day of social and cultural activities during May and June.

Dialogue New Brunswick and its partners have developed a new project, Dialogue Ambassadors. In line with its mission, DNB believes that if people could visit each others’ homes, it would result in greater understanding, increased respect and a new appreciation between English-speaking and French-speaking New Brunswickers. They have identified local “champions” called Dialogue Ambassadors, who will take part in an exchange trip to the Acadian Peninsula in June. It will be introduced in Saint John on May 11 with champions as special guests. The DNB board will also be holding their Annual General Meeting in the Port City May 12.

The three-day tourism and cultural trip will include visits to key attractions, gourmet country fare and entertainment. Champions from the Acadian Peninsula will then reciprocate with a visit to Greater Saint John, promoting interaction, cooperation and tourism.

This new initiative is funded thanks to the Canada⁄New Brunswick Agreement on the Provision of French Language Services, Aquila Tours and the New Brunswick Department of Parks and Tourism. Dialogue New Brunswick and its sponsors will also assume some costs. Partners New Brunswick Aquarium and Marine Centre, Association Régionale de la Communauté francophone de Saint-Jean, Avantage Saint John Advantage, Aquila Tours, City of Saint John, Complexe Les Deux Rivières, and the Town of Caraquet participated in its development.

Carole Fournier is DNB’s Executive Director, responsible for the day to day operation of the group and loves her job. She explains that measuring social changes and attitudes are challenging but that there is “definitely more understanding”as a result of their efforts.

The Lieutenant-Governor’s Dialogue Award, established in 2003, is presented to role models who champion the principles of harmony and respect between the province’s Anglophone and Francophone communities. Unique in Canada, the Award is sponsored by DNB, reviewed by a five-member jury and presented in three categories: community organizations, individuals and businesses. The Award, bearing the names of each recipient, is a sculpture entitled ‘Resolution’ and is on permanent display at Old Government House. Applications just closed and the recipients will be announced at a June ceremony.

The next time you have your car in for a tune-up, the mechanic working on your car, may clean his hands on a cloth that came from a unique enterprise in Saint John. It produces thousands of “cleaning cloths” from used clothing, accomplishing several worthwhile goals. The enterprise is staffed by individuals with intellectual disabilities, so they are offered the opportunity for the dignity of work. Secondly they are recycling otherwise unuseable materials and lastly, they are providing useful products and services to our community.

The United Catena Training Centre Inc. is a non-profit organization which provides support and services to adults with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. Its mission is to promote a climate that inspires adults with developmental challenges to seek to maximize their own unique learning abilities. Since 1983, it has offered vocational, life skills training, as well as valued daily activities for up to thirty adults on a full time basis. The UCT Catena is governed by a twelve-member volunteer Board of Directors from our community. Tom Davidson, the Board Chair, is committed to serving individuals with disabilities. “They are so appreciative” he adds.

For many years the Catena conducted their five day per week operation from a building on Baxter Road. But in recent years, it became evident that more suitable quarters would be advantageous to its operation and clientele. A recently developed, used clothing venture meant more space was needed for sorting, preparation and display. After a morning of labelling and stuffing envelopes, sorting flyers, photocopying, Bingo Card Packaging, assembly work, garbage bag packaging and other tasks, clients had to clear the work tables to make way for the noon meal. It also was a two storey structure, making access a challenge. When the Province declared the former Grandview Avenue School surplus, things fell into place. With help from the United Commercial Travelers Jack Kidd Council #755, to the tune of a $300,000 commitment for renovations and $110,000 from the Province’s Regional Development Corporation, a deal was struck. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation contributed funds for a completely equipped, spacious, modern and furnished kitchen/ lunchroon area. Clients and staff moved in January, 2007 and are very exited about the accessible, modern space, which has tripled and is all on one floor. Over $400,000 has been spent on upgrades, like doors, windows and walls.

Some clients have been with them since the early days. Cheryl Harrison has the longest association. Having cerebral palsy, she is confined to a wheelchair. In the former UCT Centre, she was only able to use two downstairs rooms. Now, she is able to access the entire building. Years ago when she started school, she was unable to attend Grandview Avenue due to accessibility limitations but that is history now. Today, she finally is able to connect with a facility her siblings all attended.

Providing meaningful social interaction, relief for family and caregivers and the dignity of work has motivated the United Commercial Travellers Jack Kidd Council #755 to help support the Centre over the years. They are an amazing group, named after the late Jack Kidd, an indefatigable volunteer with a big heart, like so many of their members. They also donate to dozens of other charitable causes annually. Other funding is provided by fundraising Tag Days, an annual auction, the Province’s Health and Community Services Department and charitable groups like the Community Foundation.

Debbi Green the Manager, heads a team of six staff. She is very positive about the new possibilities. Amonda LeMieux, a student at NBCC-Saint John, alomost across the street, is getting work experience for her Human Service Counsellor program and finds the Centre “awesome”. Their latest venture a gently used clothing depot, is becoming very popular with the public. For mere pennies or dollars, an entire family can be outfitted, with proceeds helping to fund operations at the Centre. A special of $5 per large garbage bag full is being offered at the moment. Ms. Green welcomes donations of clothing and recyclable beverage containers, which provides new client training opportunities from inspecting the clothing, washing, drying, folding, pressing and hanging it up, customer relations to sorting work They also operate a rag business, where clients cut old cotton clothing up into squares to use as cleaning cloths, packaged in 1.5 or 25 pound bags. Some of their customers include: Saint John Board Of Trade, Irving Paper, J.D. Irving Ltd., Uptown Saint John, T.S.Simms, Saint John Spring Works, Coast Tire, local paint stores and garages.

The Grand Opening of the UCT Catena will be celebrated on June 1, 2007 at 1123 Grandview Avenue from 11:00 am-2:00pm. All are welcome.

Community Profile is a weekly column highlighting community causes and work done by non-profit organizations in the Greater Saint John area. It is contributed by Jane Barry, executive director of The Greater Saint John Community Foundation. Contact the foundation at 506-672-8880. To view other Community Profiles go to www.saint-john-foundation.nb.ca

Out of the blue this week, I received an e-mail message from a volunteer offering to be of service. It was such an unexpected and welcome offer, coming just at the start of Volunteer Week and a busy time in our foundation office. Like scores of charitable and non-profits groups in greater Saint John, we couldn’t function without the help of volunteers and salute them this week.

The Saint John Volunteer Centre has been a clearinghouse for volunteer resources in greater Saint John since 1973. It connects volunteers with volunteer opportunities within a large network of forty-seven member organizations. It builds leadership and organizational capabilities by offering support, training and consultation on Board Development & Volunteer Management to charitable, non-profit and volunteer-based organizations. By promoting volunteerism as a highly regarded community value, it helps strengthen the fabric of our community.

Its mission statement captures the essence of a wide range of services they provide on a shoestring budget: “The Saint John Volunteer Centre promotes and encourages volunteerism by developing, managing, and supporting volunteer resources.” Fred Garrett, the Board President, cites the often-overlooked benefits for volunteers “like building self-confidence, learning about working on a team, serving on a board, developing a passion for doing good work and having a sense of community”.

The Saint John Volunteer Centre is in sync with Saint John’s “True Growth Strategy”, recognizing the importance of the volunteer sector in our community. Tens of thousands of Saint Johners currently volunteer on a regular basis. They coach, tutor, chair meetings, visit, plan, oversee finances, drive and organize. They will average 190 hours/year of volunteer service each, based on the most recent Statistics Canada Surveys.

Volunteers referred by Saint John Volunteer Centre in 2006 provided $638,400 value in services to local agencies, using a formula developed by The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. Established to match individuals with local agencies and groups, the Volunteer Centre connected 210 new volunteers and made a total of 11,050 volunteer referrals last year. It significantly increases the human resource capacity of its 47 member organizations.

The Saint John Volunteer Centre coordinates a training program which builds leadership and organizational capabilities within the non profit sector by offering support, information and consultation on topics in Board Development and Volunteer Management. In 2006, it provided 286 people with training and consultation through various workshops, consultations and assessments.

The Volunteer Centre is the provincial centre for the ABC’s of Fraud: Scotiabank’s Fraud Prevention Program. In 2006, 1476 New Brunswick residents, mostly seniors, benefited. Prevention is a much more efficient manner of fighting fraud than prosecution. When fraud can be averted or identified before it occurs, people (mainly seniors) keep their nest egg safe. Banks and financial institutions save on losses and goodwill, police services save money on investigative resources, and the legal system saves on court cases.

The Saint John Volunteer Centre created an international coffeehouse to provide an opportunity for newcomers to practice English in a relaxed social setting. This helps build their capacity to serve the community as volunteers once their English is sufficiently fluent. Two grants were approved in 2006 by the Greater Saint John Community Foundation in support of this project. Maritime Coffee generously provides the coffee and supplies. The St. Vincent de Paul Society, 146 Waterloo Street, provides free space on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. International students, Refugees, and New Immigrants, ages 20 to 60, with hometowns in Korea, Iraq, Iran, Holland, Japan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Malaysia, Morocco, Bosnia, and China, gather and socialize.

According to the Immigration Strategy of Enterprise Saint John, one of the goals is to “Build Saint John’s capacity to attract, recruit, settle and integrate immigrants”. Learning English, meeting others, connecting to the community are all essentials to the success of this goal and are the benefits of the Coffeehouse project. Says Eileen McLaughlin, the Centre’s dedicated Executive Director, “it improves intercultural relations in the community, helping newcomers feel welcome, reducing their isolation and providing information on services available”.

With a lease ending October 31, 2007, The Saint John Volunteer Centre is seeking new premises. They require approximately 1000 square feet, with two offices and a meeting room. Wheelchair accessibility would be a plus. The group is hopeful they can identify a community-minded landlord with the right space at an economical price.

Blair R. MacDonald C.A., the community-minded Board President of the newly re-named New Brunswick Children’s Foundation (the legal name remains The New Brunswick Protestant Orphans' Home), has an eye for social history as well as numbers. He notes that decades before Canada became a country, Vancouver, Calgary and other points West were part of undeveloped and uninhabited lands, while a group of socially-minded citizens on the other coast were responding to a social need.

After an 1847 typhus outbreak which left some 120 orphans in Saint John, a bill to incorporate the Saint John Protestant Orphans' Home Asylum was presented to the New Brunswick Legislature by Sir Leonard Tilley in 1855. Throughout the NBPOH’s 120- year history, the welfare of children has guided the group through social changes and crises at home and abroad.

Prior to the 1850's, children would be placed in poorhouses, farms or homes where the primary interest was obtaining cheap labour. Catholic and Protestant communities of that era, who put the interest of the children first by establishing orphan's homes, were leaders in child welfare.

Major socio-economic upheavals like a Cholera epidemic in the 1850's, Saint John’s Great Fire of 1877, the 1880's Depression, World War I, the Great Depression and the Second World War, took their toll on children and families. From a house on Pond Street housing twelve children, to Peters, Carmarthen and Britain Streets, Boston (after the Great Fire), a military hospital and a farm on Manawagonish Road, housing over two hundred, from infants to teens, it is a reflection of history.

In 1880, John Flood & Sons constructed a new building for thirty children on Britain Street for $8,300. Their operating budget was $2,324.15 and revenue $2,460. By 1920, for the first time, illegitimate children were admitted to the home, now housing 84 youngsters in two locations. Expansion to forty-five acres acres on Manawagonish Road, combined the Flewelling Farm and the James Manchester property, costing $21,000. On this site, the orphanage, with boys and girls wings, a school, superintendents house and infants building, operated as a farm providing milk and vegetables, to the children from 1924 until 1964. During the war years 1939-45, 94 of the former residents served in the military. The ever-dedicated Board ensured they got letters, cards, gifts of money, and even produce. Thousands of annual donations from across New Brunswick enabled the orphanage to operate self-sufficiently.

Ken Taylor has happy memories of his eleven years as an “orphanage kid”. The matron he remembers “was just like a mother”. At a reunion, years later, the Head Teacher hadn’t forgotten a single child’s name. “We never missed school” he adds, describing how each building was interconnected by tunnels. Nor did they miss Sunday services, walking as a group to three neighbouring churches and putting a penny in the collection.

By the 1960’s, social changes were afoot and Equal Opportunity and a new Child Welfare Act with professional social workers, came into play. A review found that only 10 of 167 children had no mother and only two children had lost both parents. It was concluded the physical, emotional, social, educational and spiritual needs of the children could be better met with programs of family counseling, daycare, and support at home along with adoption, foster care or group homes.

After over a century of service, the Board, comprised of individuals from all over the Province, debated how to recognize benefactors and continue helping children. The decision to close and establish a charitable children’s foundation was the answer. In May 1978, the incorporating act was changed to allow the orphanage to make financial grants to organizations which benefit New Brunswick children.

Mrs. Lola Stevenson served on the Board and as President during these transition years. She remembers former orphanage members returning for memorabilia at an auction which augmented the proceeds from the sale of the orphanage property and contents (some $1,030,000). Cecil Dexter, of Dexter Construction, left a total bequest of over $1 Million. Along with other gifts and bequests, and careful stewardship, the assets have now grown to approximately $18 Million.

In 1979-80, some $273,000 in grants were distributed from earnings on the permanent endowments. For the year ending in March, 2007, the amount was $482,436. Over $11,000,000 in cumulative grants has been donated to registered charitable organizations benefiting children, throughout New Brunswick, since 1979.

“The continuing legacy of the organization has been the great lengths that the Boards have undertaken to do the right thing for less fortunate children in New Brunswick. We keep challenging ourselves and hope that we may be as wise and insightful as those who came in the 150 years before us” concluded Blair R. MacDonald.

The NB Children’s Foundation welcomes and reviews applications quarterly, for grants to registered New Brunswick children’s charities, regardless of race, religion or language.

Like so many conditions in life over which we may have no control, the curse of addictions can strike across all social strata of our community, bringing with it, pain and suffering to the addicted, their family and those touched by their negative behavior and the drive to satisfy their cravings. It can start innocently enough: a prescription to dull pain or the effects of abuse, a need to get sleep or relieve anxiety. But it can quickly spiral into an all-consuming affliction robbing those affected of much that they value.

Prevention and treatment and organizations working hard to undo the harm abound in many forms. Portage is one of them. For over 35 years, this internationally recognized, non-profit charitable organization has been dedicated to addressing substance abuse and its devastating consequences in several Canadian communities. Its mission is to return serious substance abusers to mainstream society as drug-free, crime-free, and productive citizens through comprehensive, responsive, and cost-effective interventions based on the therapeutic community approach.

Portage Atlantic’s youth treatment facility, one of the largest in the country, is directed by Atlantic Canadians. Its peaceful setting near Sussex at Cassidy Lake belies the turmoil being experienced by those between fourteen and twenty-one, who go there seeking help. Since 1996 it has treated over 1100 young people from Atlantic Canada, the majority from New Brunswick. The therapeutic environment at Cassidy Lake is a major contributor to the success of treatment.

Their bilingual adolescent treatment program lasts 6 months on average. Programming is gender specific and designed to meet the needs of the individual through on-going treatment planning and peer interaction. Groups and meetings are held on a daily basis, facilitated by the caseworkers but the critical interactions are between residents; as the youth mirror behavioural change to each other. Being an invited observer to a group meeting is a moving experience, which can be emotionally charged. It clearly demonstrates the value of group dynamics and the expertise and experience of the counsellors in finding the roots of the addiction and helping the victim address it. In the therapeutic community process, participants learn to develop friendships and supportive relationships through positive values. The daily routines, tasks, meetings and individual responsibilities assigned to each young person bring order to their worlds.

Many youth who arrive at the facility are at risk of or have already dropped out of school. Amazingly, they have likely abused drugs or alcohol for over 2 years, sometimes as early as age ten or eleven. They are often involved in delinquent/destructive behaviors which can alienate them from family and community. The positive transformation that takes place during their time in treatment is nothing short of miraculous. Says Carol Tracey, Campaign Coordinator of Portage, “To hear them respectfully sharing their experiences with you, to hear and appreciate their ambition to continue on their journey substance free, is amazing.” An annual recognition ceremony acknowledges these triumphs, for those successfully completing the residential phase of the program and one year of positive changed lifestyle. Applicants to the Portage Program must make a commitment to rehabilitation. Although treatment is voluntary, some clients choose to come to Portage while under a legal obligation.

The 165-acre Cassidy Lake facility currently has a two storey wood frame building with main floor kitchen and general meeting/living areas and male dorms in the basement. Several cramped trailers supplement dormitory, office and classroom space. Permanent and enduring structures are needed.

In the early days of Portage in New Brunswick, it wasn’t easy to convince some authorities of the need. Today, it’s evident that the number of young people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol is increasing and closely related to criminal activities. The Cassidy Lake facility is inadequate. In Greater Saint John, Judith Arbow and Charles Harling have raised $35,000 toward a goal of $100,000 to change this, as part of the Making Miracles Happen capital campaign. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has contributed $5,000 this spring. Because Portage is the only residential facility serving all of Atlantic Canada, they are seeking $1.25 million regionally. Annual operating costs receive major support from the Province of NB. Dr. Russell King, Portage Board Chairman, believes that goodwill and recognition of the youths’ potential, make this a cause for which there is a great deal of support.

Recently, the provincial government announced a contribution of up to $3.25 million to help with the improvements and expansion of the facility. This support is directly dependent on the success of the private sector Portage Atlantic “Making Miracles Happen” Capital Campaign. It is crucial that the full $1.25 million is raised so that the Cassidy Lake site can take full advantage of the government contribution.

It’s easy to make a connection between the Coverdale Centre for Women and International Women’s Day. Only a few organizations can claim to be having such a profound impact on the lives of local women as this group. It’s usually a beehive of activity in the home-like, heritage building on Waterloo Street. The atmosphere is welcoming, friendly, respectful and professional. Women can participate in self-help programs, have lunch or take up residence, depending on their needs and meeting Coverdale’s criteria. The women one encounters are of varying ages and circumstances but could be most anyone with one exception: they have been involved, or at risk of becoming involved, with some aspect of the justice system.

With encouragement and a supportive ear, they share their experiences and why Coverdale has helped them. It’s often emotional and truly difficult to acknowledge shortcomings but that is part of the process whereby they will grow, become self-sufficient and stronger, productive members of society. Each resident has an individual case plan. They receive guidance, counselling, supervision, monitoring and therapeutic interventions, to assist in overcoming barriers to successful reintegration.

“Debbie” (not her real-life name) has had a binge drinking problem and been incarcerated. She is also dealing with the loss of a loved one and needs coping tools. The staff of Coverdale “made me feel so comfortable... and helped me tremendously” she states. “I’m so glad I’m here” she adds. Theresa (not her real-life name) says she fit in, in twenty four hours and that Coverdale “was like going home”. She and other women feel safe there, often escaping abusive family situations, which may date back to their childhoods. There are not a lot of people “who have had a major impact on my life....they do amazing work” she says. The implication is that Betty MacDonald, the Executive Director of Coverdale, has made an impact. She is working with her to help regain custody of her child and it’s an emotional moment for everyone.

“Suzie” (not her real-life name), who is on probation, readily admits her life has been a series of ups and downs and willingly takes responsibility for some poor choices. But this is part of the personal growth process, and without any family backup, she says “they have been the only concrete support in my life. They have never closed the doors on me”. This time at Coverdale, not her first, she is learning she is “not different after all and accepting things in her life. I have a good chance this time” she concludes.

In 1923 there was a growing concern that women offenders sent out of the Maritimes were losing family contact. An ecumenical project, the Inter-Provincial Home for Women in Coverdale, NB., resulted as the United, Presbyterian, Baptist and Anglican Churches collaborated. When the Home, a working farm, ceased operation, the assets were sold, becoming The Coverdale Foundation. With their support, in 1976, a Centre for women in conflict with the law was opened in Saint John.

Marilyn Magee, the Chair of the Board of Coverdale, has been volunteering for about ten years. A driving force behind the group, she is committed “to take action to eliminate violence against women and families and question the stereotyped gender roles portrayed at home, school, work and in the media”. As chair of last week’s Market Square event marking International Women’s Day, she helped make it an inclusive celebration. Coverdale has taken the lead in celebrating the Day, connecting women everywhere, inspiring them to achieve their full potential, honouring their advancement and urging women’s equality be gained and maintained.

Ms. Magee values Mrs. MacDonald’s dedicated service since 1987, along with four other staff who had contact with over five hundred women last year. Their twenty six programs such as Anger Expression, Healthy Relationships, Cognitive Skills training, educational upgrading, individual counseling and Life skills are offered at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre and at their Centre. They operate two residences, providing up to 11 beds for women who want to make significant life changes in a safe, supportive environment. Funding is always stretched, with new windows topping their wish list. She is hopeful their weekly drop-in lunch program, inaugurated with funding from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, can continue.

Their mission is: “To provide services to women involved, or at risk of becoming involved, with any aspect of the justice system, through emphasis on personal responsibility, encouragement and positive reinforcement to participate in opportunities for enhancing self reliance”. Coverdale programs promote effective community integration for those affected by the criminal justice process and marginalized women. Betty MacDonald states “ Our job is done when women say that we believed in them until they had the ability to believe in themselves”.

The three letters KBM conjure up happy summertime memories for many. It may have been the dances in the 40’s 50’s and 60’s, the baseball games, tennis or lawn bowling, if you’re getting up in years. For the younger set, it may be the experiences of cubs, scouts brownies or Guides or summer recreation programs. Ever since the first clubhouse was built in 1921, it has hosted celebrations, weddings, anniversaries, showers, birthdays and family and community gatherings. There aren’t many other spots where get-togethers like these can take place in the Ketepec, Belmont and Morna area, Up and down the River Road, long before it became part of Saint John, it has been a magnet for those who value the quiet, semi-rural country feel of this stretch along the beautiful Saint John River. A glimpse across the river, from the nearby beach, reveals the silhouettes of UNBSJ and the Regional Hospital. The pace of development is a bit slower here and the folks like it that way.

The Ketepec Belmont Morna Community Center celebrated its 80th Anniversary in September 2006. Families and friends came from all over the greater Saint John and Grand Bay-Westfield area for traditional fun in a day-long celebration. The first clubhouse was destroyed by fire in 1933 but was immediately re-built with all the neighbours pitching in to create a “cottagey”structure on posts with a wide veranda. Wagon wheel and coach lantern chandeliers still hang in the beautifully paneled knotty pine reception room. It is overlooked by a huge stuffed moosehead with a history to match. The story goes that it was shot a mile away by a club member of Dutch origin. He donated the hind quarters for a barbecue for the club members at a grand outdoor event. The famous Belmont Rock and Roll summer Dances were held in the 60’s attracting teens from Rothesay to Moss Glen. The KBM sponsored champion-level Ball Teams throughout the years like the Ketepec Aces.

One of the eldest members is Ben Rousselle, now 91. He coached little league baseball and softball teams for more than a decade. “We kept the boys out of mischief” he recollects. He has clear memories of swimming competitions in the river, church services on the beach, tennis on the clay court, card parties, bingo and dances at the clubhouse. His band, the Get Together’s, were a popular group. Francis Goguen, Earl Titus, Carol and Gordie Rankin and Greg and Ben Rousselle played together for many years. He tells a hilarious story about a New Year’s Eve dance when the un-insulated building was heated by a wood-stove. When it came time for the lunch of hot dogs and baked beans, the canned beans were put in the oven to warm. The heat was so intense an explosion occurred. It “ blew the door off the stove and the beans flew everywhere! We should have punched holes in the cans to let off some steam” he noted.

Today, the KBM is incorporated as a non-profit registered charity and is run by a volunteer Board headed by Betty Melanson. They devote substantial time to keeping the facilities updated yet retaining its original rustic charm. Brenda Graham and Paul Crilley, who serve as Treasurer and building maintenance volunteers respectively, point out the comfortable chairs recently donated by the Coastal Inn. In the adjoining social room, new tables and chairs financed by the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, dress up the room. She adds “We are available to support the people of our community in times of needs”. An example is the recent benefit dance for the family of the late Jody Marr.

Reasonable rental fees ($260 for a full day) permit lots of prep time for decorating as well as making entertainment, food and beverage arrangements. The community center is used by youth such as Girl Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers, Scouts, Fun Nights and youth Dances. They hold popular “kitchen parties” for adults. Many community groups come to the KBM for their meetings. The Fundy Benefits Council, established when the Crane Mountain landfill was constructed, has provided financial support for several projects. With a building of its venerable age, grants from government and non-government sources are constantly being sought for maintenance and upkeep. The Community pitches in with fundraising to augment rental income. Unlike some of the newer, more elaborate tax-payer funded centres, it is one of the small number of Saint John’s community centres, which has been constructed and maintained, mainly through local volunteer efforts.

If you are looking for a comfortable, homey atmosphere with a nostalgic ambience that won’t break the bank, the KBM may be the place for your function. All are welcome at the next big event, a St. Patrick’s Day Dance, March 17.

Christina Fowler, the engaging Executive Director of the Saint John Learning Exchange has a lot of enthusiasm and energy for her job. She knows Saint John’s human potential from having worked as a case worker. Now, if only the right tools can be offered to this large pool of adults who need help with the basics of reading, writing and numeracy. Surprisingly, she states that it’s rare to have someone be referred or drop in who can’t read. What they lack is one on one help to develop skills to the levels that will land them a job, a spot in a post-secondary course or the certificate which says they are the proud holders of a high school diploma or its equivalent. Many Canadians cannot read and write as well as they need to or want to. A shocking fifty nine percent of New Brunswickers may not be able to read and comprehend this story adequately.

What began as an Adult Literacy Pilot project of the Saint John Human Development Council, soon became the non-profit Saint John Learning Exchange in 1984. Through their programs, hundreds of youth, adults and families have gained confidence to meet their personal goals. Marian Wells, its founding Executive Director, is a well-known and dedicated advocate for literacy.

Programs and workshops, such as Community Adult Learning Program (CALP), Basic Education Skills Training, Homework School, Family Literacy Initiatives and Pathways to Success, help meet our community's needs.

Pathways to Success takes the learner on a route to a job, trade, GED, college or university. By concentrating on Prior Learning Assessment Recognition, Essential Skills Certification, literacy and on the job training, the destination might be in retail, hospitality/tourism, construction or metal trades. The Basic Education and Skills Training Program is an employment preparation program that assists youth and adults with self-development skills, pre-employment skills, GED preparation and general upgrading.

The CALP program provides basic literacy and numeracy skills to learners of various levels. Erika O’Brien finds the staff “very friendly” and helpful, as one involved in preparation for writing her GED and possibly entering a Community College program. Learning, Laughter and Life, a family literacy program for parents and children, includes adult literacy and upgrading, parent support, parent-child activities and developmental play for children.

Home Work School, sponsored by Aliant, provides a free service for mainly elementary students. “Coaches” instill good study habits and self-confidence. Most often it’s Math and Reading/Comprehension that are stressed. Learnex offer workshops and training to government, the private sector and in the workplace.

Literacy Education strengthens communities and empowers adults, youth and families. Through education, community events and partnerships with other organizations, the Saint John Learning Exchange promotes life long learning and the importance of literacy. The hallmarks of the Exchange are respect for the individual and self-paced learning. The Exchange takes the life experiences of each learner as a way of growing skills.

The philosophy behind the SJLE boils down to their belief that access to literacy should be a right and available at no cost, regardless of a person’s age. Kate Barnett, the Board President, wants to put the Learning Exchange “on the map”. She wagers many people don’t realize the programs are free and it’s as easy as walking in off the street. Her reward will be “moving Saint John forward through literacy”. She is anxious to collaborate with other like-minded groups to ensure efforts are coordinated and streamlined.

The group has raised funds with a “Skate” themed event in the days of the Saint John Flames. That was followed by a major campaign and now a September Event is planned. It may headline a well-known champion of literacy, to mark National Literacy Day, September 8. With a staff of eight full and part-time, and a budget of over $200,000, Ms. Fowler is pleased they have the support of the New Brunswick Departments of Family and Community Services and Post-Secondary Education Training and Labour. Their lion’s share of the budget is augmented by donations and fundraisers from groups like United Way, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, businesses and individual donors. She is active in groups like the Saint John Board of Trade and FUSION as a means to effectively spread their message and raise their profile.

Speaking for the group she concludes, “We believe that anyone can learn to read and write, and that people learn language by using it, both in written and spoken form. We believe that literacy enables a person to tell the world who they are, and to discover what the world has to offer them.”

Newcomers to the Saint John area are urgently needed to bolster our sagging population statistics. One group enters our community with little fanfare and even less resources as a rule. Yet it is in our best interest to make them feel at home and needed. They are the refugees who arrive from strife-torn corners of the world, needing a wide range of supports to make a new start in life.

Refugees and former refugees are understandably reluctant to have a high profile. But anyone who has had their pet groomed at "Victor's Place" in Rothesay, or enjoyed a meal at "Taco Pica" in Uptown Saint John, can testify to the contributions these new Canadians have made to the economic and cultural life of south western New Brunswick.

The Saint John Immigrant and Refugee Support Centre began to assist people who arrive in New Brunswick as immigrants or refugees in 1989. Unlike agencies funded by the federal government to offer support for well-established immigrants, arriving to start businesses or meet shortages in highly skilled professions, they operate by relying on community support. The Centre uniquely meets the needs of people who, like most of Saint John's forbears, arrive with little resources other than their own integrity and initiative.

Refugee claimants have often left everything behind, fleeing persecution in their home countries. With little or no English or French, thin financial resources and an understandable fear of government agencies in general, refugee claimants need a warm and understanding welcome to our city. They deserve a great deal of help in their eagerness to adapt to our languages and culture. The almost insurmountable challenges to navigating the complex requirements of making a claim to be recognized as refugees, obtaining meaningful employment, housing, education, and medical care, require the help of the Centre.

There is no legal aid for refugee claimants in New Brunswick, even though they must apply for recognition through a complicated legal process. A mis-step could result in their being returned to certain danger, because of innocent mistakes or misapprehensions made in a system with no appeal procedure. The Centre provides assistance at all stages of the refugee protection process including representation at the hearings.

Churches and other organizations have sponsored refugees designated by the United Nations. Often, only after heart-breaking administrative delays, are they accepted into Canada by the federal government. Several groups like the Anglican Parish in Kingston, Hampton United Church and the Two Rivers Pastoral Charge have taken up the challenge of sponsorship. It is a huge financial comittment, which can take years.

Since 1991, Leticia Adair has been the Coordinator of the Immigrant and Support Centre, located in the office of the Diocese of Saint John, on Bayard Drive. She is well-known in New Brunswick circles and throughout Canada for her expertise and tireless service in support of refugees and immigrants. Immigration department officials, social workers, lawyers, and other professionals frequently seek her advice and help. She sees their central role is to “promote awareness of the issues and a welcome for refugees”. Ms. Adair has received a Citation from Citizenship and Immigration Canada and other awards for her work. She assists people with obtaining language training, job interviews, medical assistance, and other integration needs. She accompanies refugee claimants to their legal hearings, to provide para-legal representation, procedural guidance, and general moral support. She is assisted by many volunteers, including an eight member Board of Directors, headed by Lana Davis.

The Saint John Immigrant and Refugee Support Centre receives funding from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, other churches, charitable groups, and interested individuals. Most heartening are the donations the Centre receives from former refugees.

As well as assisting refugees and immigrants, the Centre seeks to provide public information and advocacy for Canada's most vulnerable new residents. Excellent information on the experience of being a refugee is included in a recent book by Dr. Peter Showler of the University of Ottawa He served as Chairperson of the Immigration and Refuigee Board of Canada. The book is called “Refugee Sandwich: Stories of Exile and Asylum”. It details the personal experiences of thirteen refugee claimants, and makes recommendations for the reform of Canada's refugee determination and support programs.

Rev. Chris McMullen, of the Church of the Good Shepherd, and a board member is a key organizer of a fund-raising Spaghetti Dinner ("meat-lover's" or vegetarian ) on Monday, February 26, 7:00 PM, at the Parish Hall, 668 Manawagonish Road. Professor Showler will be the keynote speaker that evening, addressing the plight of refugee claimants in Canada and raising awareness of Canadians' opportunities to assist them. Supper tickets are $15 and available at 633-0398, or at the door. Proceeds will go to support the Saint John Immigrant and Refugee Support Centre.

.....So say the long-time residents and over forty second generation families who make “The Park” their home. Art Flood looks back over the years and reflects on the early days of the neighbourhood where he and his wife, Ann, raised their family. The Floods are practically synonymous with Kennebecasis Park, being the first to construct a home there. Lorrie Zed fondly remembers the bells that rang to call in the Britts, Gormleys and Floods for meals. For many families who built their first homes on this peninsula, which juts out in to the Kennebecasis River, it’s become a tradition, now handed on to the next generation. A small “close-knit group” at first, it now counts over three hundred homes. The Kennebecasis Park Ratepayers Association was formed early on and is still advocating and organizing to keep that spirit of community alive and strong.

The 3.5 km. circumference once contained the Barbour farm, a military garrison and horse-racing track. Art Flood says “this was out in the boondocks” in those early days. Real estate agents now tell prospective buyers it’s one of the area’s most popular neighbourhoods. Hastings Cove, the more recently developed part of the peninsula, is almost full to capacity. The key ingredient seems to be the geography. It has helped create a family-friendly place where people look out for one another. They watch their children and grandchildren walk to school, swim at the beach, ply the waves on the river and skate at the outdoor rink around the corner. Young couples, having moved in from near and far, have been known to say they will never leave.

Unlike many schools, enrollment is holding its own at the k to grade five school. The active Home and School Association, headed by Tina Haines, is eagerly awaiting word on finally replacing those aging portables and upgrading the recreational facilities. It has become a local cause. The Home and School and Kennebecasis Park-Hastings Cove Ratepayers Association have teamed up to take on a $150,000 upgrade to the outdoor facilities. The final phase, tennis courts and levelling an open area, can’t proceed until the green light is given to the renovations. After almost two years of successful fundraising, they are anxious to complete the work. With a limited number of community families, it takes a lot of bake and yard sales to reach their lofty goal, not uncommon for today’s costly playgrounds. So the Sir James Dunn Foundation, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, the Province of New Brunswick and the Town of Rothesay are joining forces to help reach the target.

On amalgamation, the Ratepayers Association turned over the management of some recreational services to the Town of Rothesay. Since 1961, the community oriented association has organized inclusive summer and winter social events. The Corn Boil at the Beach is a family affair. The dedicated organizers aim is to break even and provide a wholesome opportunity to meet neighbours, new and old. The 2006 Cornboil surplus was turned over to the Home and School. Life guard service and swimming lessons are now provided by the town, and just steps away. In winter, volunteers like Greg Sanford, Neil Shillington and Peter O’Neill help flood and maintain the rink, in the same spot it has been since 1966.

Boaters love the proximity of the marina, really a modest string of sturdy floats, bought second-hand at a bargain price from the Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club, to keep costs down. David Flood helped moor them in the sheltered cove, a volunteer who keeps an eye on the boat launch as well.

News is shared through a community newsletter, edited by retired teacher and school administrator, Jeanne MacMillan, and paid for by local sponsors. A community directory helps contribute to getting to know one another. Card groups have been on the go for decades. The men’s poker still has an opening bid of ten cents. The second generation has formed a third bridge group.

Gardening volunteers keep the Park entrance looking bright with flowers and plantings, as well tend a berm along the water treatment facility. The Brennan, Allen, Garnett and Nagle families all have lent a helping hand.

On February 17, the Kennebecasis Park Hastings Cove Ratepayers Association is inviting residents of one of the friendliest neighbourhoods around, to turn out for dinner and a dance at the Blue Olive. They are keeping costs modest so all can participate. Co-ordinators Neil Stanton and George Georgoudis expect it will be a sell-out with any surplus going to the Home and School.

After twenty two years of volunteering, Marilyn Craft is more enthusiastic than ever about her chosen charitable cause, helping those who are nearing the end of their lives. She finds Hospice’s new day program extremely rewarding. Loved ones bring the terminally ill to the comfortable home, “Bobby’s House”, on Douglas Avenue, for a day of pampering she says. They have come to terms with their health issues and need a bright, cheerful, stimulating atmosphere with lots of one on one time, a listening ear and to be the centre of attention, for whatever time they have to spend there. Hospice supports forty-four percent of the dying people in Greater Saint John, with dignity, compassion and companionship. As one client stated “At Day Hospice, people look at me for who I am, not the illness I have.”

Day Hospice is so popular, that patients even come from the Saint John Regional to take in the activities, returning to the hospital at the end of the day. It offers a welcome respite from the daily routine and gives those who are providing the care a needed break. Critical funding for it was provided by the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, the Harold Crabtree Foundation, the Fisher Foundation and New Horizons. This weekly support program for people living with advancing illness and families coping with caregiving is offered every Wednesday. Lunch is included and drives are available.

Mrs. Craft, who is the Board Chair, says the move to “Bobby’s Hope House” rivals the opening of the Day Hospice as a highlight of her long association with the group. Thanks to a generous bequest from Mrs. Bobby Lawson, her family and financial support from many donors, large and small, Hospice owns Atlantic Canada’s first stand-alone Hospice and has paid off their mortgage in record time.

Not satisfied to stand on their laurels, which are numerous, they are working with different levels of government to establish New Brunswick’s first Residential Hospice. There are over 200 people living and dying in acute care hospital beds (excluding the Palliative Care Unit) annually at the Saint John Regional Hospital. A Residential Hospice could be a viable alternative to dying in hospital and a solution to reducing the Province’s long wait times and rising healthcare costs.

A Six-Week Caregiver Support Program met with success last fall and will be offered again this spring. Experts explain pain and symptom control, hospital and home care, making difficult choices, advance care planning, maximizing holidays, power of attorney, estate planning, self-care, and grief to caregivers.

Hospice’s staff of five is headed by Sandy Johnson. She is credited with the phenomenal growth and day to day attention to community needs, for giving the organization its recent awards, successes and high visibility. They can’t perform miracles alone and need the support of their one hundred and fifty trained volunteers. More are urgently needed.

Three years ago, at the request of the medical community, Hospice Saint John expanded its service area to include Sussex and surrounding areas. After nurturing the group, it has taken wings as Hospice Sussex in November 2006 with a new Board of Directors, headed by Walter Cosman.

As with any charitable group, finances are always a challenge but there is no end to the imaginative ways this group fundraises. Over 3,000 angels were placed on six Hospice Christmas trees in memory of loved ones during the 6th Annual Angels Remembered Campaign in December, raising $17,604.

For twenty-two years, Marilyn Craft has been a key figure of a Valentine-themed event, long popular for the lively music of Donnie and The Monarchs, as well as an auction, packed with intriguing goods and services. Sue O’Brien and Glenna Dubee are the co-chairs of the Gala Dinner and Dance. Sandy Johnson says Mrs. O’Brien has elevated it to the “must do” event of the local social scene. She and her husband, Dr. Chris O’Brien, are valued long-time supporters of Hospice. This year, a feature of the auction will be a number of prized pieces donated by Father Thomas O’Brien, a much-loved Redemptorist priest, long associated with St. Peters Parish. Given his one hundred and three years, the vintage furniture comes with a unique provenance. A Champagne Brunch for twelve, a resort holiday, weekend in Grand Manan, spa treatments, antique bracelet and crystal cross pendant are but a few of the auction items. Patrons have many options at Hospice’s Valentine’s Gala and can attend the dinner, auction and/or the dance, Friday, February 9, Delta Brunswick Hotel.

There is no lack of social functions at which one can also contribute to Hospice’s coffers. Play Cards for Hospice offers a way for those playing card games to donate and be eligible for prizes. Betty Bowes, a long-time, dedicated volunteer is responsible. The Annual Recognition Night for volunteers, supporters and community takes place April 27, at Thistle St. Andrews Curling Club.

As if there were no end to the variety of programming and opportunities for a sympathetic ear, a free monthly drop in Grief Support Group gathers alternate Wednesday evenings. A free Bereavement Support Group meets in March and April. Coming from those who have lost a loved one who need help coping, the appreciative testimonials are numerous.

Some jobs take people away from home more than others. But ever since men have gone down to the sea, it has been seafarers who have long, and often dangerous, separations from families, which can last months and even years. Without shipping and those who work in that sector, our access to goods would be greatly limited, affecting our quality of life. Even in the twenty-first century, piracy and tempests occur, making it a challenging occupation.

Around the globe, port communities have recognized the loneliness and needs of seafarers. There is a network of centres around the globe, which help seafarers connect with their loved ones in faraway places and feel welcome in a comfortable atmosphere. Language and cultural barriers often exist in foreign ports for visiting seamen and women. These centres offer a land-based haven for them.

Our port city has been offering those pursuing the seagoing life, a home away from home for many years. The present facility is tucked in at the edge of the port in the Lower West Side. Records indicate an even earlier service may have existed prior to their 1980 incorporation. The Saint John Seafarers Mission Inc. even looks like a home. It’s a tidy white bungalow set on a dead-end street near the Carleton Community Centre.

Lorne DeGaust heads the Board which is responsible for its operation. He is proud of the services they provide at no cost. It could be access to a telephone, local information, the internet, spiritual services, fellowship, recreation, refreshments, books, clothing or transportation between a ship and their facility. Local volunteers frequently bring in home-baked goodies. A seven passenger van has been in operation to pickup and return visitors to their ships, a great convenience when they dock on the far side of town. Whether it be temporal or spiritual needs, communication, recreation or tangible goods, they strive to provide it all. They are committed to hospitality, friendship, service and love in action as a multi-faith, maritime mission.

The most recent improvement is a beautiful new chapel, added at a cost of over $15,000. The newly appointed chaplain is Rev. Theodore Efthimiadis, from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Uptown Saint John. He says he is delighted to be able to add seafaring visitors to his flock. Neil McKelvey, the well-known lawyer and veteran, has always loved the sea. He volunteered to head the finance committee and find the necessary donors for the chapel addition to the building. Significant contributors were the Irving Foundation, the Christofor Foundation and The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, along with many others. All are welcome to the official dedication of the chapel, which will take place Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2pm.

From year to year, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John and the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton, along with the City and Port of Saint John and the International Sailors Society provide funding. It’s an international, non-denominational gathering place where many nations of the world are represented. Regardless of the language spoken, they feel it’s a home away from home.

An officer from the bulk cargo vessel, Wejherowo Natachac, is Polish. Bound for Central America, he won’t see his family until Christmas but is sending them e-mails. “It’s the most beautiful Mission, I ever saw” he says, and he has been at sea for twenty-six years. Pat Riley, who is a volunteer board member for the Community Foundation but very familiar with the Port through his work as the ILA agent, is amazed that the Mission sees roughly two hundred visitors monthly. When cruise ships are in it’s a popular place.

Bev Sullivan is often the person on duty. As manager, she notes that the mission often operates seven days a week, both day and evenings, depending on volunteer availability. She values volunteers like Muriel and Sharon Chase, Westsiders who understand the tradition of local hospitality. Volunteers are welcome and needed to help out at the Mission, drive the van, or to give books, videos, financial and spiritual support, clothing and contribute to their Shoebox Program.

Regular hours Mon.-Fri. 11am-5pm; weekends and evenings, as volunteers are available.

The Anglican Parish of Kingston, the greater Faith Community of the Kingston Peninsula, and much of the Kingston Peninsula community have embarked on an exciting project. They are sponsoring a refugee family, fleeing from persecution in Afghanistan. The idea originated from the Parish’s Mission and Outreach Committee. Rev. Bonnie LeBlanc, priest for the Anglican Parish, backs the initiative one hundred percent, as does their Diocese. It grew to include support from other churches, individuals, the local Farmer’s Market, Peninsula Heritage and the Macdonald Consolidated School. They envisage celebrating their shared humanity through service to others. They are keen to link with the strategy of Greater Saint John to attract newcomers to our region. Their goal is to re-unite a family.

The Karimi siblings, - sisters Rahheyleh (21) and Mohskah (18) and their brothers Mohammad Zamir (17) and Aneil (11) – hope to join their sister and their cousins who already live and work in Saint John. As is sometimes the case in their culture, upon the death of their mother, Rahheyleh and Mohskah were sold into bridehood by their father. Not wanting to be forced into marriage, the sisters rejected their father’s command and were beaten so severely, they were hospitalized. Threatened with death if they did not obey their father’s wishes, the siblings fled to Pakistan where they reside as refugees. The family has been recognized as legitimate refugees by the Canadian government and the Anglican Parish of Kingston, with support from their community, has taken on the responsibility of supporting them for a year in Canada.

“We embarked on this project over a year ago and have raised over $9,000 of the $20,000 we estimate is needed,” says Rob Moir, the nominal chair of the project. “Donations have come from many of the churches and individuals in the community, but our single largest donation, $2,500, came from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation. We are strengthening two communities – the Kurdish Community in Saint John and our own community on the peninsula – and building bridges between many different groups of people,” Moir reports.

June Adair, a member of the Parish’s Committee, credits her sister-in-law, Letitia Adair, with inspiring her to become involved. She saw the passion with which she devoted time to newcomers and refugees to Canada and it was infectious. Although it was a novel idea, once she met some recent arrivals to our country and heard their stories, Mrs. Adair felt “there was no reason why I couldn’t help”.

One of the earliest events was a community, international, potluck dinner, featuring ethnic foods of all types, in the parish hall. The warmth and country hospitality of the Peninsula was evident to the newcomers, as all mingled and socialized with long-time residents of the area. Those attending ranged from pre-schoolers to seniors, giving the evening a homey, family flavor. Relatives of the refugees spoke and helped introduce the Family. “We’re all human and deserve to be treated with dignity” adds Rob Moir, “this is about building community”.

The group continues to raise funds in a variety of different ways including organ recitals, concerts, dedicated offerings, cash jars in tourist spots, and so on. A week ago, Stephanie Mainville (Covenant Award winner and fresh from the Canadian Country Music Awards in Saint John) and her mother, the Peninsula’s own Carolyn Murray, performed at a fundraising concert. Mrs. Murray is renowned for giving her music, a blend of gospel, country and folk, a connection to the local Kingston Peninsula area. The historic Trinity Church, at Kingston Corner, and the oldest in New Brunswick, was the setting for the event, which raised over $600. in support of the Karimi family.

For a small rural New Brunswick Parish, twenty thousand dollars is a huge sum. But in a year, they have reached the half-way mark in their fundraising efforts and are determined to achieve their goal. The group is seeking corporate sponsors who want to be part of this good news story. “Anything to help defray costs – heating, power, phones, transportation, groceries, furnishings – would be appreciated,” suggests Moir.

The group is also looking for corporate sponsors who want to be part of this good news story. “Anything to help defray costs – heating, power, phones, transportation, groceries, and furniture – would be appreciated,” suggests Moir.

In the meantime, they wait and pray. The paperwork has been approved by the Canadian government and sits in Pakistan. “We look forward to the day when we can meet these new friends of ours and help them become part of our community,” concludes Moir.

For information contact: Rob Moir, Chair, Anglican Parish of Kingston Refugee Project, 763-3253 or rmoir@unbsj.ca.

It’s a common expression when we forget something or someone’s name. “It must be Alzheimer’s” we often say. But it is a dreaded reference because of the heartbreaking consequences of this disease, for which medical science has yet to find a cure, but which affects thousands of us and our families. According to Dr. Jack Diamond, the Scientific Director of the Alzheimer Society of Canada.: “Alzheimer Disease is the most widespread of a large category of disorders known clinically as “dementias”. The main features of dementia are a progressive deterioration of thinking (cognitive impairment) and of memory. In Alzheimer Disease there can also be behavioural changes such as agitation, aggression, and an inability to find the way even in familiar surroundings.” Currently, an estimated 420,000 Canadians over 65 have Alzheimer Disease. It is estimated this will more than double by 2031.

Symptoms may affect a person's ability to function at work, in social relationships or in day-to-day activities. Sometimes they can be caused by conditions that may be treatable, such as depression, thyroid disease, infections or drug interactions. Medication is available to treat some of the symptoms.

Alzheimer disease, the most common form of dementia, accounts for 64 per cent of all dementias in Canada and is progressive and degenerative. The characteristics of Alzheimer disease include a gradual onset and continuing decline of memory, as well as changes in judgment or reasoning, changes in mood and behaviour and the inability to perform familiar tasks. They may develop gradually and go unnoticed for some time. We may think these symptoms are part of normal aging but that may not be the case.

Medical research has not determined the cause or causes of Alzheimer disease but doctors and scientists worldwide are seeking them. Certain factors, such as increasing age and family history, increase the risk that a person will develop Alzheimer disease. Living a healthy lifestyle of exercise, good nutrition and no smoking are avenues by which we can all reduce risks.

Since 1977, when the Alzheimer Society was founded, the goal of providing Support services, programs and learning more about the disease which can help enhance the quality of life of both the person with the disease and the family, have been priorities. Their vision is: A World Without Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. Their Mission is: The Alzheimer Society of Canada identifies, develops and facilitates national priorities that enable its members to effectively alleviate the personal and social consequences of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, promotes research and leads the search for a cure.

National Board members Diane Ganong, of St. Stephen, and Tom Horrocks, of Fredericton, represent the province at the national level. In 2006, The Alzheimer Society is recognizing the 100th anniversary of the identification of Alzheimer disease in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German neurologist.

Safely Home™ and a research program are two significant national initiatives,. Safely Home™, the Alzheimer Wandering Registry, is a nationwide program developed by the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the RCMP. It helps people with Alzheimer disease return home safely after an episode of wandering, a common behaviour. Families who register their loved ones pay a $25 one time fee. The patient information, which complies with privacy legislation, is matched by police, in the event of a person who becomes disoriented , lost and is found wearing the Safely Home™ identification bracelet. It is available at local Alzheimer offices. The Alzheimer Society Research Program provides hope for the future by funding research into improved caregiving methods and into the cause and cure of Alzheimer's disease.

Last year, the national Alzheimer organization underwent a reorganization in an effort to better meet the needs of the ever increasing numbers of people with Alzheimer and related diseases. It extends its reach across the country with 140 local chapters. “The priority in New Brunswick over the next few years will be to enhance current programming and provide easier access to services in the rural regions of the province. Establishing partnerships with community organizations and increasing our volunteers will be an integral and vital part of this process” says Gloria McIlveen, Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick.

Carolyn Danells, a well known local volunteer, heads the Saint John Chapter. More than six years ago, she first started her familiarization with the group by listening to the stories of caregivers at support sessions. She finds the emotional support and help they offer very rewarding. “They come in with their heads down and leave feeling uplifted, knowing they’re not alone” she says. “Some nights they don’t want to leave “. She adds, “we are here for everybody”.

The Saint John Alzheimer Society is fortunate to have volunteers like Bette O’Toole. Ms. Danells gives rave reviews to the play, “Lily’s Song” which Ms. O’Toole wrote and produced, based on her own mother’s experience with Alzheimer disease. She donated the proceeds from the recent performances at the Imperial Theatre to the Society in her memory.

Gary Prosser got involved because his mother suffered from the disease. He was an organizer of the popular “Dance Around The Clock” fundraising events, as his way of giving back to the group which offered him so much support. He praises the Support Groups for helping to learn “How we can deal with aging relatives and give them the respect they deserve”. He has three colorful suggestions of his own which usually bring chuckles and nods of agreement “don’t argue, change the subject and lie like hell”. In other words, patients who are already confused and sometimes showing aggressive behavior are best dealt with by defusing the situation with kindly assent, instead of correcting or challenging their statements.

Susan Whittaker, Executive Director of the Saint John Alzheimer Society, says, for her, “the most important and rewarding aspect of our work is helping the families, usually in crisis and needing somebody to listen”

On April 22, 2006 , the Alzheimer Society of Saint John is offering an Education Session, scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Shelly Shillington, Loch Lomond Villa’s Outreach Coordinator and Dwight Allaby, a Saint John lawyer and volunteer for the group are the speakers. Mr. Allaby was recognized for his dedication last spring by Provincial Alzheimer Society Patron, Lieutenant Governor Hermenegilde Chaisson, with the inaugural Dr. Constance Baird Award, for his outstanding service. Families often have complex legal issues to sort out when considering the care of an Alzheimer patient. Local offices have an extensive array of educational materials. Public Legal Education and Information of New Brunswick also publish valuable brochures on Powers of Attorney and Powers of Attorney for Personal Care. Their web-site is www.legal-info-legale.nb.ca

On Sunday, May 14, 2006, Mother’s Day, a "Walk for Memories" fundraiser will be held at several locations around the province. People can register for a Walk in their area by calling 1-800-664-8411. In Saint John, it will be held on Harbour Passage, leaving from York Point at 1pm with a barbeque following. Last year, the Society’s first walk raised over $4,000. The group also created a “Memory Garden” near HMCS Brunswicker. This year, organizers hope the walk’s proceeds will more than double. Says Karen Holyoke, treasurer, “"What a Difference a Few Steps Can Make".

An Early Stage Support Group is held the third Friday of each month at 11:00 a.m. A Caregiver Support Group is held the fourth Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Both meet at the Saint John Alzheimer office, 152 Westmorland Road.

In the fall a “Coffee Break” fundraiser and a door to door campaign round out the organization’s activities. Clare Walsh of Torryburn has hosted Coffee Break parties for several years, which have now grown to large community get-togethers. The Saint John group values more than 75 volunteers who make these possible. They would welcome new recruits anytime.

For the huge majority of communities in Canada, having a dedicated building for a wide range of arts, cultural and educational programs is an impossible dream. It is the good fortune of Greater Saint John to possess such a venue, and an architectural gem at that. The Saint John Arts Centre, like the phoenix, has risen, first, from the Aitken Bicentenial Exhibition Centre, as it in turn, had, from the Saint John Free Public Library. This historic landmark dates from 1904, built with funds provided by the American philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. The Saint John classical style brick and sandstone edifice is believed to be one of only six left in Canada. Visitors from places like Montreal marvel at this cultural resource, to which cities their size aspire.

Since 2001, a dedicated and determined group of volunteers have recognized our community’s good fortune to have such a Centre in our midst. They toiled tirelessly to make a convincing case for the importance of the arts to City officials, business leaders, Council and community. This has been confirmed by two community “Arts Summits”. In July of 2004, the City of Saint John, which owns and maintains the building, and shares funding the salaries through the Regional Facilities Commission, extended the period of operation to four years. The Saint John Arts Centre now has 3.5 full-time staff persons.

Betty Tompkins, a long-time arts supporter, is part of the founding group. She has recently turned over the reins to Tzigane Caddell, but not before making an incredible contribution of time and energy in to the Saint John Arts Centre as Board Chair and arts volunteer par excellence. She led the group as they nurtured their vision to make the Saint John Arts Centre a cultural Mecca of New Brunswick, serving as a beacon for artists and the community in Atlantic Canada by providing a generously supported, interactive and innovative showcase for all forms of creative expression and multidisciplinary thought. Five arts sectors, performing, theatre, visual, literary and fibre comprise their core activities.

Mrs. Caddell brings a keen interest and a lot of family connections to the arts. Her work as a landscape designer utilizes her own artistic talents. Being a mother, she also recognizes the merits of exposing young people to the arts. Other board members, past and present, and the new Executive Director, Kathryn McCarroll, agree. Mrs. Caddell believes there is a big segment of Greater Saint John’s population who would find the Centre a wonderful and broadening experience. She wants to reach out to include them. “If there was only one area where I could give my time,” she says, “this is one I’m passionate about”.

Morgan Lanigan, an architectural technologist and Board Vice-Chair, concurs. Opening young eyes to the architectural gems in our community is on his priority list. The Carnegie building itself has “spectacular space” and potential for further enhancement. He suggests visitors, old and young, often overlook the striking stained glass entrance rotunda ceiling, one of its best features. Frosted glass windows hide the amazing signature dome upstairs and above it. He wants to expose the cupola secret. His hopes are high that these interior windows may be opened for a bird’s eye view of the famous dome’s structure “from the inside out”. Re-naming the adjacent space “the Cupola Gallery” would be a logical next step.

Careful renovations have preserved many of its features like oak woodwork, tiles and stained glass, designed by Saint John architect G. Ernest Fairweather. Robert Maxwell, a Saint John alderman and later MLA, carried out the masonry work. The intricately patterned mosaic tile floor was imported from the Minton Hollins china works in England. Contemporary features in the permanent collection include a Fred Ross mural of Delancey's Brigade; a Bicentennial Quilt by local craftspeople Myrna London and Donna Holland illustrating women's fashions; and two 1985 commemorative stained glass windows designed by Douglas McKiel and crafted by Frans Cuppens. These date from the City’s and New Brunswick’s Bicentennial period when the Aitken family became patrons of the Centre.

With four galleries and other public spaces on two floors, the Centre is a hub of cultural activities ranging from art, photography and craft exhibits to the newest attractions: music, theatre and film. Musicians praise the acoustics for concerts and recitals. Summer sounds range from Acadian or Celtic fiddle and Tudor Musicke to dance, ballet and theatre.

New partners like the Shakespeare Society and Continental Drift, a film venture, are taking the Centre in exciting new artistic directions. Other partners, like the Saint John YM-YWCA are teaming up to take advantage of programs that complement their summer day camps. This week, a group of young pirates descended on the Centre, sporting goatees, eye patches and bandanas. It’s all part of the fun and imaginative activities available for children this summer. For the artistically inclined, who aspire to legends like Picasso, instructive art appreciation sessions or drawing, molding and sculpting, mosaic-making, playwriting are offered. A huge array is open to a wide variety of ages, interests and talents at modest costs. Sam Ward is a student volunteer/ trainee who finds the exposure to artistically talented people “the best part” of his summer experience.

It is this type of development of creativity, teaching skills and giving youth a quality experience which drives the new Executive Director, Kathryn McCarroll. As a teacher, she understands young people and has a special way with them. She has a dream of helping high school age emerging artists develop portfolios of their works, as they consider post-secondary education in that field. A student gallery, more art history and interpretation and partnering with School Districts are also on her to-do list.

Admission is free. The programming budget must be raised through fundraisers, rental of space and modest fees for workshops. Betty Tompkins is quick to credit “crucial” support from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation and Sheila Hugh Mackay in the challenging early times. The Community Foundation has provided such things as the bold new signage identifying the building, work tables for budding artists, help to launch cafe-style evening entertainment like the Night Train Cafe and audio-visual equipment. The James Venner Russell Foundation, a legacy of the late philanthropist Mary McKean, Aim Trimark, the Children’s Foundation of the NB Protestant Orphan’s Home and the Province of NB have also been generous.

Artists wishing to submit proposals for exhibition at the Centre appreciate the exposure, opening receptions, program production and publicity, which is part of being featured in a seven week show. They must pass muster, having been scrutinized by a highly recognized Arts Advisory Committee. It is comprised of Alexandra Flood, Suzanne Hill and Freeman Patterson, known for their expertise and dedication to artistic excellence. The City of Saint John, which has its own gallery in the Centre, reviews submissions separately.

Adult art classes continue to be a popular offering at the Centre. This summer John Dolan and David Reeves are leading workshops. Fibre arts, life drawing pottery and traditional crafts like rug-hooking are in the fall line-up.

Port City Picassos (children): Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1:30-3:30, June 27-Aug. 24, $7/session

Every day personal care activities and the supplies that they require are usually taken for granted. But for hundreds of Saint John area folks just getting by, it can often mean they have to forego these necessities of life. Four years ago, a group of business women wanted to give something back to their community and came up with a simple but imaginative project they dubbed “The Bare Necessities”. It is a totally volunteer-run seasonal project of The Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum. It involves collecting the bare necessities or essentials for personal care like shampoo, soap, lotion and toothpaste for needy families or individuals and matching them with the groups or sponsors that help them. This includes the generous efforts of hundreds of donors who drop off the articles, often in “sample” or hotel room sizes, to collection points throughout Greater Saint John.

Lucille (Lou) Pitre Ouellette, Chairperson of the Women in Business Forum and Regional Property Manager for Fortis Properties Corp. is enthusiastic about the project. “When it first came to our group as an idea, it was immediately embraced. We’re so thrilled with the success and growth of this project over the last four years. There are many business men and women who frequently travel. We asked them to pack the complimentary toiletries and drop them off at a ‘Bare Necessities’ location.” She thanked all the Royal Bank and CIBC branches, as well as the Brunswick Square and Board of Trade Administration offices for being drop-off locations for this fourth year of the program. CIBC’s King St. branch has been providing their boardroom to do the packing and the Board of Trade for storage. The collection campaign ran from October 19 to November 25. More than twenty volunteers got into the holiday spirit at a wrapping party to give the supplies, some seventy cartons full, a festive look before delivery to the groups.

Seventeen Local community agencies compile information on who needs help with the necessities of life and would appreciate some support during the holiday season. “We needed input to identify community charitable organizations who directly serve clients who could make good use of theses day-to-day personal essentials” said Imelda Gilman of The Saint John Board of Trade. “We received a list of seventeen groups from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, which is familiar with many of the social service-type agencies and their needs” she added. It included Romero House, The Elizabeth Fry Society, Salvation Army, Settlement Services, Refugee Support Centre, First Steps, Coverdale Centre and New Directions. The Delta Brunswick Hotel was changing their supplier of toiletry articles last summer and the Forum jumped at the opportunity to store them away for this year’s program. “We were able to give some of them as Mother’s Day gifts for young people from O.N.E. (Old North End) Change, a grass roots community improvement organization, who needed gifts for their Moms on Mother’s Day” said Mrs. Gilman.

Gayle Capson of New Direction Inc. which provides housing and in-home support services to 43 adults coping with a chronic mental illness was very grateful for the added support for her clients. “Needless to say, many of our people have only the bare minimum when they come to us (and sometimes only the clothes on their backs).Staff are active in fundraising for medical and dental services not provided by the health card as well as for clothing and transportation” she stated.

“They’re a godsend for many people” said Glenna Forrest of AIDS Saint John. “We packaged them up individually so each (of about 75 clients) could have a selection. They are really popular. Some of our clients are of very limited financial means. They are just scraping by and trying to eke out the pennies to buy gifts. It eases the stress at a crucial time” she added.

Organizations serving victims of violence welcome the help. “Hestia House is extremely appreciative of the support of the Saint John Board of Trade Women in Business Forum. Theses toiletries are going directly to women at the shelter. They ease the financial burden when they leave Hestia House to start a life free from abuse” commented Elaine Northrup, Executive Director.

Nancy Thorne, Board of Trade President commented, “Your impressive group makes me proud to be a woman associated with The Saint John Board of Trade. The success of your Bare Necessities Campaign is impressive. .....The Saint John Board of Trade is fortunate to have such a hard working group of individuals.” The Saint John Board of Trade is dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in our community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

The Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum brings together women in business and other interested members to exchange ideas and information and share their experience. It identifies and deals with issues and challenges impacting women in business. It develops policy or activity recommendations for consideration by the Board of Directors. It also works to develop activities and initiatives of benefit and interest to women in business and the community of Greater Saint John.

Although there is a tendency to think of the Kennebecasis Valley as a vibrant, young and active area which is on the move, others are aware that there is a segment of the population which may fall into that group but be more isolated and unable to fully participate due to disabilities. In the 1980’s, sidewalks, if in fact they were present at all, mostly lacked sloping curbs or cutdowns at intersections and crosswalks to make the transition to street level smoother. In some cases, this created real barriers to mobility, particularly for those in wheelchairs. Others gaps in services were noted such as a lack of handicapped parking spaces, barrier-free buildings and awareness about people with disabilities. It didn’t take long for the Town of Quispamsis to realize new policies and an Advisory Committee were in order.

The K.V. Committee for Disabled Persons originated from this group in 1988 and has been making strides ever since. The committee asked KV area town councils to improve access to public buildings. Disabled Parking spaces popped up as the Kennebecasis Valley became more aware of the needs of its mobility impaired citizens. The Committee organized Disability Days, where local school children were allowed to use goggles, earplugs, canes and wheelchairs to experience being disabled for a day and gain another view of life. Committee members went to the schools to share their stories and answered questions.

At the Meehan’s Cove beach the chairman, Albert Comeau, one of the group’s first members, saw the need for a chair to transport disabled people over the sand and into the water and drew up plans for the first Canadian version of the surf chair. Getting funding, supplies and engaging the local community college made it a major project for the Committee. The successful use of this chair prompted the creation of a second, child-sized chair, which helps disabled children participate in school and family beach outings. The chairs and an accessible picnic table are owned by the town and available for summer beach use in Quispamsis. .

There are other welcome additions to Kennebecasis Valley community life which benefit the disabled: large print and talking library books, an elevator at a local arena to allow access to a special viewing area for wheelchair users, a raised rink level area at another arena for wheelchairs viewers, wheelchair bowling and electric doors in many locations. Often the committee fills an advocacy role, seeing a need, large or small, and asking for change by writing letters, getting advice and backup from the Premier’s Council on the Status of Disabled Persons.

A recent success story involved the Rothesay Post Office’s new disabled ramp. After several letters, phone calls and the involvement of the Town Council, the front door now has an electric door opener to complete the improved access. TDDs (telephone device for the hard of hearing) have been installed in the Rothesay Regional Police Station and some banks. Area playgrounds are now being made more accessible.

The Committee is incorporated as a registered charitable organization and fundraises to support its activities. Elaine Hooper, the Treasurer, explains that this is a challenge because of its small size. Through grants from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, they purchased computers, set up a web page and communicate frequently within the community using the internet. The K.V. Committee for Disabled Persons Inc. is also raising funds to give an award to a local high school graduate with a disability or who is furthering their education in a health related field. They believe a show of support early in their career may make them aware of the disability needs of the community later.

Andrea Gordon, Chairperson, leads the totally volunteer-run committee in promoting positive aspects of Kennebecasis Valley accessibility awareness and recent accomplishments. Special efforts, in this their twentieth anniversary year, are underway for Disability Awareness Week, later this spring says Beth Rioux, the Secretary of the group. Advocating for access awareness can seem unending, so the dedication of committee members who work for change makes this committee, and others like it across New Brunswick, worthy of recognition. The Committee is very proud to have received the Premiers Award in 1996 during Disability Awareness Week.

Recent efforts are focusing on transportation. Without accessible bus transportation in the KV, this is the next challenge this small but mighty group is taking on. Thanks to a grant from the Province of New Brunswick, they will be undertaking a needs survey and hope to get municipal councils more involved. New members are welcome to attend monthly meetings which take place in the barrier-free Boardroom of the Rothesay Regional Police Station. For information: Andrea Gordon, President, 847-4746, kvcommittee@yahoo.ca

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Tucked away on the third floor of the old City Market Building is the headquarters of a group which is unique in our province, the Saint John Human Development Council (HDC). It grew from a coordinated effort by the former Social Services Council, United Way of Greater Saint John, City of Saint John, Province of New Brunswick, and the federal government, called the Human Development Project. Its purpose was to produce a framework for the planning and delivery of human services. Community participation was essential as was a spirit of partnership and collective responsibility.

Today, the HDC is a local social planning council working with citizens to improve our community's overall quality of life. It has two key functions: an information role of linking citizens to human services, and a proactive role of developing solutions to meet our community's challenges.

The HDC’s mission is to identify and address social issues in greater Saint John through research, information, coordination and networking. Its goals are :
1.Study and identify social needs within the community, and the services that exist to meet those needs.
2.Advise and assist in planning and developing new services and improving existing ones.
3.Initiate opportunities for joint action in the development, coordination, and delivery of services appropriate to community needs.
4.Facilitate local citizens' access to information about community programs and services.
5.Maintain the strength and vibrancy of the HDC to ensure that the above goals are achieved.

The City of Saint John, the New Brunswick Department of Social Development and the United Way of Greater Saint John are valued regular funding supporters. The Council annually presents a Community Service Certificate which recognizes an individual or group for their outstanding contribution to the welfare and development of the greater Saint John area.

The Council works collaboratively with community agencies, individuals, government departments, businesses, churches, and labour to initiate, develop and implement creative strategies to address community needs like poverty, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, homelessness, social inclusion or children’s health.

After identifying the need, The Human Development Council has helped establish many vital community organizations including: Community Health Centre, Housing Alternatives, the New Brunswick Coalition for Literacy, PolicyLink NB, Saint John Community Loan Fund, Saint John Learning Exchange, Second Stage Housing and the Urban Core Support Network.

Jan Lockett is President of the Board of Directors and sees the HDC as being uniquely placed as an objective spokesperson on community needs by offering focus, information and awareness. She credits Randy Hatfield, the Executive Director, with providing excellent leadership over the past few years, and enhancing the profile and credibility of the organization.

The HDC’s Community Information Centre is the “go-to” location for connecting people to services from social, health and government sectors, not-for-profit groups and community agencies. Coordinated by Anne Driscoll, it maintains an online database, produces print directories and offers a telephone/walk in service offering current, up to date information on a wide range of services. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation provided HDC funding to launch Atlantic Canada’s only online searchable database of community services, containing hundreds of regularly updated entries.

It joined social planning councils in Vancouver, Edmonton, Burlington and Toronto in a project, Inclusive Cities Canada. The project’s goal was to strengthen civic capacity to create and sustain inclusive communities. The Saint John report, Community Voices, Perspectives and Priorities, contains a civic audit which assesses the strength of local assets.

The HDC is committed to research and is a community partner in UNBSJ’s Community University Research Alliance (CURA) project, The Industrial City in Transition. In 2006, 2007 and this year, the HDC has been commissioned by the Greater Saint John Community Foundation to help produce Greater Saint John’s Vital Signs. Vital Signs® is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that measures the vitality of our cities, identifies significant trends, and assigns grades in at least ten areas critical to quality of life, using data compiled from many national, provincial and local sources.

The HDC has an impressive list of research papers and reports. It recently researched and wrote the report of the Children’s Health Task Force. For the last two years the HDC has produced New Brunswick’s Child and Family Poverty Report Card. This month, A Portrait of Homelessness in Greater Saint John was launched. It examines existing community services and gaps to support homeless people. Belinda Allen, a recent addition to the HDC’s research team, took the lead in this project. Surviving the Streets - Where to go when you need help is a guide for at-risk youth, aged 13-25 in St. John and Kings Counties. The Seniors Information Guide: Programs and Services in Charlotte, Kings, and St. John Counties is a valuable resource for seniors, their families, caregivers, and professionals.

The HDC is a member of national networks and a partner in Campaign 2000, a non-partisan, cross Canada coalition committed to working together to end child and family poverty in Canada. It co-chairs the Community Health Promotion Network – Atlantic and coordinates social development in greater Saint John. It chairs the local Homelessness Committee and co chairs the Urban Core Support Network. It sits in the coordinating committee and Leadership Roundtable of Vibrant Communities and represents community interests on the Benefits Blueprint working group.

To learn more about our community contact the HDC INFO-line: 506-633-4636, 1- 877-322-4636, third floor, City Market, 47 Charlotte Street Saint John, NB Fax 506 636-8543 Email infoline@nb.aibn.com www.humandevelopmentcouncil.nb.ca

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In a classroom of thirty children, three will have a learning disability, according to data from a network of organizations across Canada who are devoted to creating awareness of this challenge which can have tremendous negative impacts on a child throughout their lifetime. With three chapters of the Learning Disabilities Association of New Brunswick and a network of others in more than 140 communities in the country, it is making a difference.

The need becomes more apparent after report cards go out. But the demand for information and services never ceases and the members of the Learning Disabilities Association of New Brunswick – Saint John Chapter respond to this vital need.

With an estimated ten percent of our population having this invisible and still much misunderstood information processing disability, the potential for improvement is enormous. The areas of difficulty include: auditory processing, visual processing, attention and memory organization. According to Statistics Canada’s Participation and Activity Limitation Survey 2006, learning disabilities and chronic conditions were the most common form of disability.

LDASJ’s mission is to promote the understanding and acceptance of persons with learning disabilities to lead meaningful and successful lives. Their goals are to serve as a focal point in directing and strengthening the efforts of Saint Johners towards the needs of persons with learning disabilities, to create a greater public awareness and understanding of learning disabilities; to promote and develop early recognition, diagnosis, treatment and appropriate educational, social, recreational and career- oriented programs for people with learning disabilities; to promote legislation, research and training of personnel in the field of learning disabilities; to provide a liaison between the membership and the provincial association and to determine the needs of people with learning disabilities and promote services to meet these needs.

With the largest group of person with Learning Disabilities experiencing difficulty in the area of reading, often referred to as dyslexia, it is vitally important to have early identification and intervention to permit children to acquire the basic skills. They have the capability but often need specific teaching techniques. Delays can mean the child may develop negative behaviors and compound the challenges.

Parents, adults with Learning Disabilities, those with undiagnosed Learning Disabilities and, professionals working with clients with Learning Disabilities seek information on assessments, assistive technology and, services in their school district. They may be moving to the area and need to know what resources they can expect for their child.

Saint John area volunteers of the LDA Saint John Chapter have been working in various capacities over 28 years. At first they worked from their homes but now the chapter office is located in Saint John the Baptist/ King Edward School. Over the years, they have offered support groups, workshops, training sessions for the literacy community, summer camps in conjunction with School District 8 since 1995, social skills sessions for junior high students, along with their ongoing support of families and professionals. They have served many adults who, upon discovering that they had a Learning Disability, found they could get their GED with appropriate accommodations and could continue their studies either at college or university. After eight years of programming, the federal funding recently ceased.” Realizing they could find success and acquire a skill when they had thought all this was impossible, was a life altering experience for them” says Fabienne McKay, LDASJ’s volunteer office administrator, who has dedicated herself to this post for the last thirteen years.

LDASJ volunteers have developed materials for parents and now have a new website. (www.ldasj.ca). Their work in the community was acknowledged in 2005 when they were chosen to be the beneficiary of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation gift in honour of Community Service Award recipient, Thomas L. McGloan, Q.C. “We are working to ensure that our community has reliable, current information”, says David Leadlay, Chair of the LDASJ Board. “That has always been our priority. And we could not be doing these projects without the support of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation and its donors.

“The main roadblock for our clients”, says Fabienne McKay, “is still the accessing of services, the primary one being a diagnostic assessment. Not covered by Medicare as are other diagnoses of disabilities, the all vital diagnosis remains out of range for many parents and adults. And without it, all the other services are not accessible.”

New assistive technology has been a determining factor in many children and adults with Learning Disabilities finding success. Software and hardware are revolutionizing the input and output involved in learning. Children and adults are using voice to text software where they can speak to their computer and it writes; there is excellent software which permits them to organize their essays, increase their vocabulary, and ensure they get the credit for their knowledge and what they have learned.

For support and information: 642-4956, www.ldasj.ca

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For decades, The Salvation Army has been synonymous with the true spirit of charity in Greater Saint John and other New Brunswick centres. Major Carson Durdle, Executive Director of their Booth Residential Services sums up that kind of spirit as they prepare to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of their Booth Centre on St. James Street “Please join us, and keep us in your words and prayers. Spread the word so we may celebrate with the community we serve.” he states.

Whether it’s Community Church Ministries, Christmas Assistance, Community and Family Services, Addiction and Rehabilitation Services, Family Tracing Services, Services For The Homeless, Correctional & Justice Services, Emergency and Disaster Relief or Recycling & Thrift Stores, Child Care Services, Chaplaincy Services, Services to Seniors or War Services Remembered, The Salvation Army has been serving communities since 1865 and are active in over one hundred countries, all provinces of Canada and twenty seven communities in the Maritimes.

In Saint John, The Salvation Army operates two Thrift Stores, as part of a national recycling program. Community and Family Services is located on Waterloo Street. The Friendship Room, 27 Prince Edward St. offers daily companionship and refreshments. Next door, The Salvation Army Community Church is a place of worship for 80-100 each Sunday.

Booth Residential Services (BRS) on St. James St. has been providing accommodation and support to seventy-nine individuals at that location for a quarter century, many on a long-term basis. The late Nancy Clark Teed, NB Minister of Health, was very supportive, knowing that alternative shelter, particularly in times of urgent need, is not easy to find. The late Premier Richard Hatfield was on hand for the inaugural events in 1972, deep in Saint John’s South End. David McKiel, 55, has lived at BRS for 28 years. He was brought up on St. James Street by his grandparents and has special health needs. He credits the BRS with “doing an excellent job” in helping meet those and other needs.

From the beginning, the BRS Community Housing Program has been providing the basics of life, food and shelter while promoting physical, psychological, material, social, spiritual well being and reintegration into society. The services address a wide range of assistance to the homeless in all aspects of daily living from shelter to meals, health care, social interaction, counseling, guidance in developing social relationships and life skills. It includes: emergency shelter for transients, accommodation for residents remaining at BRS for longer periods where there is no other housing alternative and a need for support and for residents who have the potential to be integrated into the community.

Greater Saint John needs a place for those who may be down on their luck, without financial resources, vulnerable, marginalized and would otherwise be homeless or simply have nowhere else to go. By operating a community housing program, The Salvation Army takes a huge responsibility off our community’s shoulders. Such individuals require continual and regular support of other community agencies as well. It’s hard to imagine how we would feel or what our city would be like if dozens of homeless persons were left to fend for themselves. Very likely, there would be a tremendous outcry and committees would spring up to discuss and debate how to deal with these social challenges. But thanks to The Salvation Army and other community groups, this has not been a high profile community issue. They have generously and quietly gone about their valuable work with society’s least fortunate, asking for very little.

For less than the cost of a low-end bachelor room in Saint John, BRS provides a room and meals as well as having access to an impressive roster of services: daily snacks, clothing, television, recreational activities, laundry, transportation, medical assistance, counseling, pastoral care& devotional services, personal hygiene items, housekeeping, work placement assistance, alcoholic anonymous program, help with personal finances, dietary and medication management, storage space for personal items and liaison to community resources. The services they provide are the same regardless of resident’s ability to pay.

After a century of service to those living in extreme poverty, who have no other place of refuge and rest, and twenty five years at their St. James Street location, new beds, mattresses and box springs are needed. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation will present their special Anniversary Grant, inaugurated last year, of $15,000, to The Salvation Army’s Booth Residential Services (BRS) today, to meet the basic need for a good night’s sleep. The BRS is issuing a call for expressions of interest to supply the large order, estimated at approximately forty complete beds and bedding. Major Carson Durdle, BRS Executive Director, states “quality beds will significantly improve health, motivation and self-worth, making residents better persons in our community”.

On Monday June 11, an Anniversary Open House takes place from 1-3pm at 36 St. James Street. Booth Residential Services will celebrate their century of service to those most in need. Light refreshments will be served. Displays of their history and mini tours of the building are available. All are welcome.

The Saint John Free Public Library has been serving readers for over one hundred years and now has another hundredth to note. The “Bookwagon”, actually a real-life hand-pulled cart, has been making books available since 2003 in Crescent Valley, and will be making its one hundredth tripthis weekend. This is equivalent to a trip between Saint John and Edmundston. That was the comparison Mayor Norman McFarlane made in paying tribute to the importance of Family Literacy at the Market Square Library’s celebration earlier this week. He noted that reading is a powerful tool for self-development and critical in a child’s successful educational path to adulthood. Supporters gathered to celebrate National Family Literacy Day, which is January 27.

The Bookwagon grew out of another literacy program initiated by The Saint John Free Public Library, in cooperation with The Crescent Valley Community Tenants Association called “Storytent”. The Storytent is an outdoor summer reading program offered twice weekly for two hours in each of five locations in Crescent Valley. A real tent provides the shelter on grassy spots throughout the Valley. This program helps children improve their reading skills, develop positive self-attitudes around reading, and build positive social relationships in a healthy, learning environment.

When the summer turned to fall, the children begged for it to continue. So even on chilly autumn days the stories continued outdoors. Building and maintaining relationships with families was an important way to promote reading so the concept of a mobile service seemed to be the solution as winter approached. Literacy workers Cheryl Brown and Wendell Dryden came up with The Bookwagon! Snow and ice are no barrier for this motivated pair. They have been seen pushing and pulling in all kinds of adverse conditions. The books must get through!

Joann Hamilton-Barry, City Librarian, and Ian Wilson Regional Librarian for The Saint John Library Region, had high praise for Cheryl and Wendell and their dedication to the youth of the city’s north end. For some of them, approaching an institution like a library or school is intimidating. But as Dr. Ed Doherty, MLA, pointed out, there are nothing but good things that come from a little green wagon, piled to the brim with books, with wheels so worn that tape is holding them together.

Cheryl Brown’s commitment as Community Literacy Coordinator is evident as she states, “On Bookwagon days, the chief activity is borrowing books, though workers also read or listen to reading on occasion. Borrowing might happen on a family's doorstep, or on the roadside somewhere along the route. We have a scheduled route and a list of addresses we are to visit. At some addresses, we dally outside for a moment, giving children time to spot us and come out. At other addresses, at a parent's request, we knock on the door. However, children do not need to be at home to borrow. Anywhere children are encountered, they are invited to borrow books.”

In good weather, thanks to funding from the Province of New Brunswick, their Environmental Trust Fund and with support from Hon. Trevor Holder, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, Service Clubs and private donations, neighbourhood read aloud sessions and book borrowing take place outdoors. The “Storytent” operates several times a week in Crescent Valley along with the Bookwagon deliveries. Books for readers of all ages are loaned on the honour system, which works very effectively. In time, the duo has learned the reading tastes of families and carry books they think will be well received.

The Eighty eight families who are developing a “book-borrowing culture” have benefited from the program and realize literacy makes a lifelong difference. It strengthens a love of reading which will make for more quality time at home, help with grades and promote family literacy. The Saint John area struggles with poverty and its companion, illiteracy. According to Statistics Canada, 56% of the population of New Brunswick, aged 16+, scored at the lowest levels of literacy, negatively affecting people who cannot perform the fundamental reading and numeracy tasks of every day life. Nick Barfoot, the new Chairman of the Saint John Free Public Library’s Board, is keen to find new ways to attract readers, in and out of library buildings. “We’re bringing the library to the people” he added. A modest survey indicates strong support. One borrower stated “You guys (are) nice people. ......I don’t think (my child) would pick up a book if you weren’t bringing them around.”

The Bookwagon provides year-round weekly access to children's literature and also offers a selection of adult books, fiction and non-fiction, in French and English, for all levels of literacy. It has served over 80 families since inception averaging

To encourage readers of all ages, contests have been announced for Family Literacy Week at the Saint John Free Public Library. The Grand Prize is an at-home cooking session with Cookbook author Karen Powell, along with cook books and a cooking lesson for a young winner. Toques, T-Shirts, Tea Cups and Tea and books will be given to other lucky winners. The library is grateful to Karen Powell, Bruce Douglas and Donna Thompson, Atlantic Tea Merchants in the Saint John City Market ; Kim Cookson and Kelly Pickard, Trinity Enterprises ; Robin Adair, Eastern Office Shop and Brian Mosher of Mosher Chedore for their support. If readers are interested in helping support this or other library programs contact Ian Wilson or Joann Hamilton-Barry at 643-7220.

Most of us can remember the emotions associated with needing to find a job, tracking down prospects and landing an interview. Then, the emotional rollercoaster of waiting for the word back and the excitement of success or the devastation of rejection quickly follow. Imagine the added stress if you have an intellectual disability, have been out of work for an extended period or have other barriers to employment. You may have a family member or friend who is in that position and your heart goes out to them. Approached from another perspective, you may be competing for employees for your business in an increasingly tight labour market, which is predicted to become even more so. Or, on another level, you may be eager to see each individual reaching their full potential, whatever it may be, and through gainful employment, leading a fulfilling life.

Enter the Saint John Association for Community Living. This year, through their Employment Program, they have worked in partnership with employers and created 77 jobs for people with intellectual disabilities or with significant barriers to employment. In the last two years, the tally is over 150 jobs! By approaching each prospective employer and workplace individually, bearing in mind their specific needs and matching them with individuals they feel will fill the bill, they have achieved this remarkable record.

A presentation to the local Rotary Club by Rick Seely, Employment Program Coordinator, of the Saint John Association for Community Living, resulted in a contact with Rotary member, Mike Schulze. Mr. Schulze and his daughter, Amanda Masters, operate eight McDonalds restaurants in Greater Saint John. From that positive first impression, they went on to create two positions, providing meaningful employment opportunities and the satisfaction and fulfillment of being gainfully employed.

The North End McDonalds is abuzz with the lunchtime crowd and Jane Keddy takes it all in stride. When asked what she likes best about being part of the McDonalds crew she says it’s the people. Jane has chalked up several years of experience in the hospitality business and ensures she leaves home in lots of time to make all the necessary bus connections. Some days, she is ready for work an hour early! Her mother, Cynthia, says this job “gives her a life”. Jane works different shifts and stays focussed on her specific tasks.

Mary Lou Doucette, an Employment Specialist with the ACL Employment Program, has been with them since 1997. She stresses that meeting employers’ needs is a priority. She is enthusiastic about Tim Horton’s outlets in East and West Saint John, the McDonalds restaurants owned by Mike Schulze, Canadian Tire, Cendant and Harbour Station and the commitment they have shown to the program.

Ms. Doucette says it’s important for the program to maintain contact with their people and provide any support they or their employers may need. They have annual get-togethers as a way of keeping in touch. Sometimes it may mean breaking a job into several components or “carving tasks” which are doable, rather than overwhelming or complex.

Damian Bone is high in his praise of the ACL program. During a busy morning at his Main Street West Tim Horton’s he stated, “We recommend this program to anybody”. Two women have been participating for more than four and six years respectively. “It’s not charity, they pull their own weight...they are wonderful workers” he adds. As part of a team, they are treated like everyone else and fit in well, complementing their work partners.

The Saint John Association for Community Living Inc. (ACL) operates the Employment Program with primary goals: to reduce barriers to work by encouraging a more Inclusive work place and increasing the long-term employability of their clients; to recognize and build on people’s strengths, and encourage individual initiative and responsibility; to assist intellectually disabled people or those with multi-barriers to employment to have the opportunity to be recognized for the skills they have and can acquire, which will allow them to seek employment, establish a balance in their lives and contribute to an inclusive community.

The ACL Employment Program serves people from Grand Bay-Westfield to Hampton and presently has 191 people, 19 or older, actively involved. Four Employment Specialists form the team which is overseen by an Employment Action & Management Committee consisting of volunteers from The Saint John Association for Community Living Inc. Board, assisted by community input and guidance. Each staff member has 5-10 years experience in assisting clients with disabilities to find employment, as well as post secondary education and specific training. Internet access, computer services, telephone and fax services, home visits and accompaniment to interviews are offered to clientele. Service is offered primarily in English but is also available in French.

Certain key assessments of experience, ability, skills, and attitude make up an individual’s profile as they prepare to enter the workplace. They include: capability or meeting minimum employer needs; availability for work when the employer requires them; reliability or arriving on time ready to work and dependability or staying on task. All clients participate in an initial meeting, preparation of an employment plan, development of job search strategies and job follow-up and reinforcement skills.

Funding from the Government of New Brunswick’s Department of Training and Employment Development (TED) for the past three years for training has been a key contributor to the ACL’s bottom line. The United Way of Greater Saint John, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, and the United Commercial Travelers of America, Jack Kidd Council #755 have all contributed funding for specific capital assets such as computers and an LCD projector.

Through many presentations to prospective employers, community groups and individuals, ACL’s message of inclusion is resonating in our community. Jean Vanier of the Vanier Institute and founder of L’Arche, once stated “Each of us has an instrument to bring to the vast orchestra of humanity”. At the Annual General Meeting of The Saint John Volunteer Centre yesterday, their Executive Director, Eileen McLaughlin, re-iterated that sentiment on behalf of their organization. She stated, “I pray we have the patience, encouragement and acceptance to allow each of us to play his or her own instrument, as novice or accomplished musician, as we become more inclusive in our agencies, workplaces and personal lives.”

It’s a bitterly cold day in Saint John’s South End but the spirit of community is glowing on a construction site on Broadview Ave.. Thirteen carpenters are toiling outdoors in sub-zero weather under the watchful eyes of two instructors. The apartment building they’re framing in will be another in a string of projects, of benefit to our community, where the labour is being donated They are part of a group known as The Carpenters Training Centre of New Brunswick. It is a unique non-profit partnership between the unionized contractors in New Brunswick, (Saint John Construction Association, Moncton Northeast Construction Association and Independent Contractors), and the New Brunswick Regional Council of Carpenters, Millwrights and Allied Workers representing Carpenters Local 1386 and Millwrights Local 2262.

Union members and unionized contractors know the value and importance of keeping up with new developments in their industry and ensuring that workers’ skills are constantly being upgraded. Members receiving skills training enhance their employability. It also aids employers when bidding contracts to know that they can hire local workers with the proper skills required to complete them. They recognize, that with a shortage of skilled workers, new carpenters, millwrights, as well as many other trades must be introduced through a constant intake process. With the spirit of optimism in Saint John lately, it’s vital to attract, train and re-train skilled tradesmen and women. Approximately 2000 trainees pass through their programs every year.

The mission of the Carpenters Training Centre of New Brunswick Inc. is to make available training opportunities to members, increase quality and craftsmanship, support organizing efforts and ensure retention in the union. This commitment is supported by a highly qualified staff, and a training environment and curriculum, designed to meet the needs of current and future job markets. As industry educational leaders, they support the communities in which they train by donating back to local projects using their trade expertise.

The Saint John Construction Association counts over one hundred members. Companies like John Flood and Sons, Lancor, Sunny Corner Enterprises and Opron demonstrate leadership and community spirit by identifying construction projects of value to our community, where skills can be acquired, while lowering the overall building costs by donating labour, a major construction cost.

Some examples of the thousands of dollars in donated labour and savings are: Saint John Non-Profit Housing ($109,000, $250,950), Lily Lake Pavilion ($47,200), St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation ($6,200, $6,690), Barrier Free Affordable Housing, Charlotte St. ($75,210) and wheelchair ramps ($2,380). They appreciate working on projects with the Province of New Brunswick, and collaborating with Norman McFarlane, when he was associated with the Department of Advanced Education, Training and Labour. Multi-unit apartment buildings and fire escapes are under way or being planned.

Narinder Singh, General Manager of Saint John Non-Profit Housing calls it “a win-win situation”. Capital costs are reduced making units even more affordable.

The Board of Directors of the Carpenters Training Centre of New Brunswick, are: Hector Losier, Darrell Richard and Claude Leger, representing the Union and Patrick D. Darrah, J. Timothy Flood and Paul Young representing Management. Pat Darrah of The Saint John Construction Association says this labour and management team works together as “industry and union playing a role in social housing”. Tim Flood notes the current trade shortage and how beneficial it is to give young people “the practical experience in the field. The Centre is invaluable to our industry”. The Training Centre was honored with the 2002 New Brunswick Construction Safety Association Award for most members trained in safety and a Workplace Training for Excellence Award for Human Resource Planning from the NB Labour Force Development Board

Melissa Young, the Executive Director explains that aspiring carpenters can enter their forty week program without any previous experience. Tuition is $8,000. Union members are assisted because their union’s collective agreement provides for contributions to a training fund. Others may pay their own way, be on Employment Insurance or other government sponsored programs which help cover costs. Those who complete the forty weeks can look forward to a ninety-five percent chance of getting work and moving into apprenticeship programs. Martina Riordon, a guidance Counsellor at Simonds High is enthusiastic about the value of such on the job training. The Centre’s partnership with School District 8 gives students such exposure to work. She knows not everyone should be university-bound and that skilled workers who participate in coop education and other on the job training can quickly determine if this is the career for them.

“Coats for Kids” is a seasonal charitable project in Greater Saint John which has been operating for about fifteen years. As with many such successful ventures, it is a partnership of local groups and businesses who want to give something back to their community. It is directed to the children of Greater Saint John who need warm winter clothing, whose families may not have the means to purchase the garments new or even second-hand. The partners represent the retail sector, news media, the personal service business, a children’s charity, our community foundation and at one time included service clubs.

Starting in October, CHSJ/The Wave begin broadcasting news of the program for five weeks and shortly thereafter the coats, jackets, snowpants and other outer wear start arriving at McAllister Place. “People are very generous and appreciate knowing their gently used garments are going to benefit children”, said Tanya McCluskey-Kelly, Director of Marketing for MacAllister Place, which has been a partner in Coats for Kids locally since it began. “We place receptacles at guest services as well as advertise at our mall and in no time they start to fill up” she added.

The next step is to ensure the warm clothing is clean and presentable. That is the role of New System Laundry and Dry Cleaners, a Saint John institution for over ninety years. “We also collect and then thoroughly clean each garment with care and they come out looking like new” said Russell Holt of New System. “In fact, it is not unheard of for us to receive brand new garments from generous folks who are impressed with the program. They want these young people to feel they’re special” he stated. New System, a good corporate citizen, often receives donations, which it cleans and distributes even after the program ends.

Debbie Cooper of The Saint John Boys and Girls Club noted that it doesn’t take long for the word to get out and the calls for clothing begin. Before the end of November, they had already distributed hundreds of articles. The club’s knowledge and experience with children and youth for decades make them an ideal distribution organization. “This year we have heard more about the numbers of low-income families in our community” she stated. The recently released “Poverty and Plenty” report from the Vibrant Communities initiative puts one in four children living below the poverty line locally, many of them in single parent families. Groups and individuals are rallying to address these issues which affect the entire community so fundamentally.

Geoff McAdam of CHSJ and The Wave, who coordinates the entire effort, expressed his appreciation to the final partner in Coats for Kids, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation. “We wanted to include a charity which helps other charities” he said. The foundation has been a partner for three years, contributing funds annually to The Boys and Girls Club in recognition of their efforts to find just the right coat, jacket or ski pants for each child. We also want to thank everyone who played a role, small or large, in getting the coats to the kids” he concluded. More than one thousand garments are collected, cleaned and given away over a five week period. This represents goods and services of about $66,000, contributed with good will and cooperation at a time of year when giving makes everyone feel they’ve made a difference.

With a long history of excellence in the Arts, many new arts and cultural initiatives originate in Greater Saint John. It’s no surprise that the latest has sprung from the Saint John Arts Centre. Not just a venue for visual art, it hosts and encourages many musical events and helps spawn innovative ways to present music to the greater Saint John community. Tim Blackmore has devoted an amazing amount of time, energy and personal resources to keeping the Arts Centre vibrant. He has even loaned his own grand piano to the facility.

A native of Moncton, Mr. Blackmore has an impressive record of musical performances, study, recordings, and achievement in such Canada, the US, Brittain and the continent. An educator, he is also known locally for performing in the String Quartet, Symphony New Brunswick and Opera New Brunswick. He is the founder and artistic director the Early Music Studio of Saint John. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational and performance programs which stimulate interest in, and increase appreciation of period or early music from another era. The time frames spanned cover Renaissance, Baroque and Classical music dating from the first voyage of Jacques Cartier (1534) to the arrival of the Loyalists (1783).

The Early Music Studio of Saint John is directed by a volunteer committee whose members include Tim Blackmore, Betty Tompkins, Michael Wennberg and Christine White. They believe in enriching the cultural landscape of Greater Saint John by developing and displaying musical talent from our community.

The Studio gives workshops for local musicians, offers a Mentorship Program for young

performers, awards prizes to young musicians through the NB Competitive Festival of Music and presents a series of four public concerts a year. It also runs the Early Music Schools Initiative, an educational outreach program which goes into the elementary schools of District 6 & 8 to introduce children to the music and instruments of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries and link it to the early history of the Saint John area.

Between January and May of this year, the Early Music Schools Initiative spent seventeen afternoons at schools in the Greater Saint John area, giving musical presentations to over 2,400 students. Groups of fifty to sixty students had the opportunity to hear live performances of period music by the Galliard Consort (a trio of soprano, alto and tenor recorders) or by the Studio’s director, Tim Blackmore, who demonstrated the complete recorder family of five different sizes (sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor and bass).

Presentations in both English and in French took place in classrooms, music rooms, libraries, gyms - anywhere that two or three classes could find space to sit cross-legged on the floor within several feet of the performers. The half-hour sessions consisted of a variety of pieces from the time of Samuel de Champlain, Fort La Tour and the Acadian period. With such a front row perspective, questions invariably followed. The Studio uses recorders because most elementary children in Districts 6 & 8 are familiar with the instruments, being part of their school music programs.

The children were fascinated by the various sizes of recorders, the sound of each instrument and the music which they heard. Many expressed their interest and appreciation in letters and drawings which they sent to the Studio. The Grade 4 class at Hampton Elementary School did a beautiful large coloured drawing of a bass recorder with long lists of the things they learned and liked about the presentation. In this way, teachers integrated the music presentations into their Language Arts, Social Studies and Art curriculums.

The Early Music Schools Initiative was made possible through the generous support of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, the District 8 Musical Opportunities Organization and Local 815 of the NB Musicians’ Association. The District 6 and 8 elementary schools who participated in the Early Music Schools Initiative were Belleisle, Hampton, Quispamsis, Rothesay, Bayview, Centennial, Island View, Loch Lomond, M. Gerald Teed, Millidgeville North, Prince Charles and Saint John the Baptist-King Edward.

Young performers living and attending school in the Greater Saint John wishing to develop their skills, took part in a mentorship program. Upon the recommendation of their music teacher, they attended Early Music Studio workshops where they worked with professional participants to prepare a repertoire leading to performance in one of the Studio’s concerts. The mentorship program also includes a partnership with the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music.

When the season culminated with a June concert featuring young musicans: Lauren Andrew, soprano; Jillian Bonner, soprano; Ryan Bustin, violin; Edward Cho, piano; Emily Kennedy, violoncello; Benjamin Marmen, violin; Samuel Yoon, violoncello; accompanied by Tim Blackmore, harpsichord, it was evident this new Early Music Studio is a resounding success. A Summer Series of lunchtime performances in July and August at various Uptown locations is also planned.

The Saint John Community Christmas Exchange is a totally volunteer-run seasonal master registry or clearing house and coordinator for needy families or individuals and the groups or sponsors that help them. Local churches, community and government agencies compile information on who needs help with the necessities of life and would appreciate some support during the holiday season. This involves the generous efforts of more than 100 charitable groups and agencies within Greater Saint John (Lepreau to Hampton, including Welsford, Brown’s Flat and Kingston Peninsula). These groups receive information on those in need, which is kept confidential and which is carefully coordinated by the Christmas Exchange to avoid duplication or overlap and ensure as many as possible are helped. The Christmas Exchange, a twenty-five year old network of cooperation, oversees and ensures the more than 7,000 individuals in need, including over 4,000 families, are provided a Christmas basket and sometimes other gifts and day-to-day essentials.

Thanks to computer technology and about 20 experienced and dedicated volunteers, a data base of information has been established and maintained from year to year. “We work full-time for about one month” said Wes Cosman, President of the Christmas Exchange, and a well-known community volunteer. “For example, churches like mine in Grand Bay-Westfield begin receiving food donations earlier in the fall and then assemble baskets for about 60 families we will sponsor. If we learn of more people than we can provide for, the Christmas Exchange takes their information along with that of the sixty we are helping, and ensures all are helped either by matching them with another sponsor or through food vouchers we purchase with cash donations we receive.”

“We definitely welcome and need cash donations like the $2,000 we received last week from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation “said Marjorie Hamilton, long-time coordinator and board member at The Christmas Exchange. The Exchange stresses it does not, however, receive food or gift items for distribution. “That is the role of our one hundred partner groups” Mrs. Hamilton added.

“It is amazing to see the magnitude of this community’s generosity” said Kathleen Morris, whose role is overall coordination. In 2004, 159 sponsors came forward. The budget covers 5 telephones, computer accessories, postage and the remainder goes straight to needy people (for food vouchers) right here in Greater Saint John. “After twenty-five years, we have developed an efficient system, which is trusted by local groups. We would also welcome new volunteers.” she concluded.

The Empty Stocking Fund, another local seasonal community charity, is joining forces with the Christmas Exchange this year as an added means of ensuring that each and every child is not disappointed and that the thousands of gifts and necessities of life are shared as equitably as possible.

The Christmas Exchange has a tried and true track record but has not attained the profile of some local registered charities. Volunteers see a need to extend the news of their valuable coordinating role. Without The Christmas Exchange, each community agency would be at a loss as to whether a person or family may have registered at more than one location, or worse still, have been overlooked. “The needs are great so we can’t afford inefficiencies” concluded Mr. Cosman.

Names of those needing help will be received until Dec. 12. The office closes Dec. 20, 2005. If your community organization provides help to needy people and families this holiday season, valuable coordination can be provided by contacting The Saint John Community Christmas Exchange at 634-7868, sjchristmasexchange@nb.aibn.com , North End Centre, 84 Ropewalk Rd., Saint John. The Saint John Community Christmas Exchange, a registered charity, needs and welcomes cash donations of any amount which can be mailed to: Treasurer, 45 Hawthorne Ave., Saint John, NB E2K 3S7.

Dress for Success is more than just a new-kid-on-the-block charity for women who want to look their best for a job interview. It will offer Saint John area women self-esteem, mentoring, personal skills and development and a program of support for up to a year as they move into or upward in the workplace. Hundreds of hours of volunteer labour earned the Saint John group the right to call itself Dress for Success and to be an affiliate of an international success story. It is only the fourth such group in Canada. Dress for Success has helped more than 200,000 women overcome obstacles to find employment and advance their careers in more than 75 cities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and New Zealand. In 2004, Dress for Success helped over 45,000 women in Canada! Founded in 1996, they have adopted the slogan “Suits to Self-Sufficiency”.

Best known for providing gently-used suits to women for job interviews, Dress for Success is a non-profit which works year-round to offer job-related coaching, skills and support to low-income women.

“We will be helping women in our own community become employed and teach them the necessary skills to achieve personal success. We look forward to helping women gain fulfilling and long-term employment. We are now past the critical stage of our existence” states Elaine Stafford, the high energy, congenial President of the Board of Directors. She credits the dedication of the board, “volunteer” Executive Director, Diane McGovern and the community for the tremendous achievements the group has made. “The community has really stepped up to the plate. Donations and funding are coming in. I look on this personally as an opportunity to give back and help women” adds the career woman and mother.

A number of milestones, each involving hundreds of volunteers’ hours have been reached. The group was spawned and nurtured by The Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum some two years ago. With the help of The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, several meetings took place in 2004-5 to confirm the level of need and interest among more than a dozen community charitable groups for the establishment of a Saint John Dress for Success franchise. Professional input from Kim Houlahan, of Card Communications, helped the group use information technology to present a polished first impression. Betty MacDonald, of Coverdale Centre, helped with initial fundraising and made the first official DFS contact.

Those steps accomplished, they became a fledgling entity with no resources, no staff, board or location. There was already lots of enthusiasm for the concept, bolstered by the knowledge than Greater Saint John has a large number of women with potential, living below the poverty line, often the single head of a household and in need of work or improved employment. Dress For Success Worldwide required a number of submissions sequenced over several months. First an Executive Summary was prepared and submitted; then a detailed Business Plan; next approval of the Plan; establishment of a board of Directors, incorporation, the identification of staff, corporate sponsors, a location and a launch.

Monetary contributions from the Sisters of Charity, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, John Howard Society, AIDS Saint John, Eastern Collection Services, Cendant Canada Inc and several individuals have gotten the group on their feet. The collective fundraising support of the Women’s Alliance of Xerox, with the leadership of Nancy McCarthy, has boosted morale substantially. Now sustainable funding is their next goal.

“We received contributions of services and materials, equipment and supplies to get our group up and running. Joel Youden of Zed and Company, helped us incorporate. Xerox, Cendant, Kelly Services, Simonds Co-op , the office of Elizabeth Weir, Kent Home Improvement Warehouse and Irving Oil have been very generous” says Diane McGovern. “Mike Whitford, of Jacques Whitford, our Vice-President, provided the bulk of our startup office supplies” she added.

Patricia Gallagher of Kelly Services is confident they are ready for the challenge of recruiting even more volunteers to their four committees: volunteer, fundraising, PR/media and the professional women’s group. Volunteers will have three main roles. “Suiting” involves helping the client select an outfit for that all-important interview and one week’s worth of attire. The professional women’s group will lead monthly sessions for clients on economic and social development, workplace matters, financial management or health/nutrition. Mentors will help with career coaching, resume writing and goal setting with a view to promotions, career development and employment retention.

From a client’s perspective, accessing Dress for Success will not mean dropping in to a store-front. Clients will be referred by community groups and agencies which identify women who are ready for the workplace. They may have had support coping with low self-esteem, family violence, poverty or have completed anger management programs. There is already a list developing. Non-profit community groups are excited about a new way to build the potential of these women.

Once the group is fully operational, a client who has been referred by an agency will be assigned a “personal shopper” to select a donated outfit and given interview tips. If they get the job, in 30 days they receive a week’s worth of business attire and begin attending the monthly sessions with the professional women’s group for up to a year.

There is also a list developing for those ready to donate workplace appropriate clothing. Irving Oil has led the way with a gift of 32 new, four piece business suits, in every conceivable size. They are storing them until an, as yet unidentified, white knight in shining armour appears with free office space, suited to the needs of the group. The international office, which offers support and advice on just about any matter, is suggesting about 1,500 sq, ft. on a bus line, to allow for an office, a sorting and preparation room, storage and a display area. Many of the 75 affiliates have succeeded in finding such a generous donor. Temporary quarters at 68 Carleton St. are generously being donated by the United Church. They are bursting at the seams and not able to accommodate business wear donations yet.

For the last six months, DFS has been fortunate to have the fulltime, unpaid help of Diane McGovern. She worked as a United Church social outreach minister for eight years in Saint John and knows the “territory” well. Her commitment to these women is contagious. “I am thoroughly excited about working with the business community in addition to the non-profit world. They are so motivated and excited that it gives me energy. Any non-profit would be jumping up and down to have so many new recruits” she says.

The Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum are actively engaged in supporting Dress for Success. On April 12, they invite members to join them for lunch, fundraising and volunteer recruitment. New volunteers are welcome at an information/orientation session, April 18th from 5:30 to 7:00pm at Silver Falls United Church, Loch Lomond Road. Training sessions will follow at a later date.

A “Spring Fling” May 10th, 7pm at Market Square with Spring fashions, gifts and prizes, refreshments, a makeover, entertainment and displays is planned as Dress for Success’ first major fundraiser. The Hardman Group and the Women’s Alliance of Xerox are sponsoring the event. Tickets are available at Ambience Day Spa, Samuel &Co., Simply Cottage, Walsh Luggage and Market Square’s Administration Office, 658-3600.

For information on volunteering, office space or to contribute, contact Diane McGovern, Executive Director, 634-8844, saintjohn@dressforsuccess.org or Elaine Stafford , President & Chair: 333-3203 www.dressforsuccess.org

The allure of fresh produce, delicious baked goods, exotic ethnic foods, hand crafted goods, home-made treasures and the camaraderie of a community get-together is hard to resist. Combine it with the natural beauty of Grand Bay-Westfield and it’s sure to be a hit. Organizers have set Saturday, May 27, 8am-1pm, for the first of seven market days this summer season. They will be held on the grounds of the River Valley Community Centre, 749 River Valley Drive.

John Webber, Treasurer of the River Valley Community Centre Foundation, which operates the facility for Grand Bay-Westfield residents says “We’re more than just a rink... we want to extend the use of our community facility”. He praises the volunteers and small but mighty staff, who man the centre, for their creative efforts in devising new events and services. With a budget of more than half a million dollars annually, it’s a big responsibility, but a welcome outlet for all ages.

In 2005, the Farmers’ Market’s inaugural year, sixty-eight local vendors offered goods and services. On the first day, an incredible eight hundred patrons gave organizers encouragement. However, inclement weather caused the planned six events to be reduced to four. Regulations of the Fire Marshall’s Office require an expensive sprinkler system for such functions to be held indoors in the arena. With no fire-suppression system or on-site water storage present, it was a disappointment for the volunteers to learn this was not an option. This year, the show will go on, regardless of weather, and it is hoped that Mother Nature will shine on the River Valley. Portable canopies or tents will be brought along or maybe donated.

Grace Losier, Mayor of Grand Bay-Westfield, and a River Valley Community Centre Foundation board member, affirms the merits of bringing together neighbours to socialize, patronize local businesses and help nurture new ventures. It creates bonds which strengthen the community spirit of a municipality and is inclusive for all. “It creates a gathering place and is a perfect community venue” she stated. “Neighbours can mingle and those from outside our community can come and meet us. I am very supportive of this effort” she concluded.

Jim Balcomb, a business consultant in the River Valley town, has worked hard to create a thriving new attraction and a fun place to go each month. As the former manager of the Fundy Region Development Commission, he is familiar with budding entrepreneurial ventures. He knows that small businesses drive our local economy. Glen Cosman, who operates Glen’s Bake Shop in the Village Square, sold goodies from his antique vehicle last year, adding color to the day. The Pumpkin Patch found that produce tasted better to customers when it came from the Market.

The Mayor initially recruited two international students to help develop a business plan along with Jim Balcomb. Their revenue predictions proved accurate and funds were turned over to the Community Centre. The Farmers’ Market complements other community events, planned for the Unity Park bandstand and gardens this summer. A billboard opposite the Centrum and a regular community newsletter make local communications accessible and easy.

Danny Harrigan, another Market volunteer, reminisced about the beginnings and a suggestion of Eleanor Austin about the possibilities of a market at an Anglican Church, soon to be deconsecrated and sold. They held a community meeting and the idea was born. Even though the church did not become the venue, the new Church of The Resurrection loans tables for the event. Danny Harrigan volunteers each market day to truck the loaned tables and chairs from several sites to keep overhead at a minimum. Their dream is to acquire their own. With its central location, “it has created a new sense of community” he says. “Everyone is minutes away”.

Danny Wilson from Lorneville, a vendor who makes willow lawn furniture, and artistic birdhouses from Anita Leonard are among the top-sellers. Kelly Goddard & Centre staff help cook breakfast along with barbequed treats. Musical entertainment rounds out the enjoyment for all.

May 27, June 24, Heritage Day on June10, July 22, August 19, September 16 and October 14. Prospective new vendors are invited and last year’s warmly welcome to return.

If you’ve ever had a great idea for a business venture but don’t know where to turn or have the resources to bring it to reality, there is a Saint John charitable group which can help. There also may be local investors who believe in their community and understand the need for capital to be available to entrepreneurs who could connect with them. Creating opportunities for work or business through unconventional sources is what the Saint John Community Loan Fund does best. This micro-lending concept is one which resulted in the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Mohammed Yunnus of Bangladesh recently.

Loan funds in Canada began primarily with business loans but have diversified to include employment loans, damage deposit loans, financial literacy training, and bridge loans to non-profits, savings programs, mentorship and affordable housing development. In Canada, there are over 40 micro-loan funds or community lenders with assets of over ten million dollars. They fill gaps in the lending environment and help communities tap human potential and the potential of ethical capital.

The Saint John Community Loan Fund has been soliciting investments to build its capital since 1999 to help individuals create income, build assets and attain greater self-reliance. It provides: business loans, employment loans and shelter loans (for damage deposits or arrears), business plan training, (in cooperation with the YM-YWCA) and financial literacy training (the Money Matters program). Loans help individuals in their effort to create economic independence and self-reliance. It enables them to regain pride and a feeling of self-worth.

The Loan Fund promotes community investing to build its loan pool and donations to safe-guard the loan pool against losses. It has never lost an investors money. It has an impressive track record of more than 148 loans for a total value greater than $180,000. By helping people end reliance on Provincial Income Assistance, families become self-sufficient, saving the provincial government approximately $450,000 in social assistance payments and circulating over $3,000,000 in new income.

Shelley McLaughlin has new optimism, thanks to a loan which helped her move from Charlotte County to be nearer medical treatment for her husband and a new job. “The Loan Fund allowed us to start a new and better life” she says. Jason Pineau and Robyn Calvin own Precision Painting and needed help to manage and expand their venture. “It has been a great educational experience working with (the Loan Fund)” Jason adds.

Bob Boyce just retired as Board Chairman after three years of community service. “We believe strongly in investing locally. We also believe everyone has a right to earn an adequate income for themselves and their families” he states. Louise Beland, the new Chair, is equally committed. Seth Asimakos, the Loan Fund’s Manager, has been an instrumental figure at the Loan Fund since its inception. His key message is “investing in your community makes sense”. The Board is high in its praise of his exceptional dedication to their mission.

In 2003, the Loan Fund, with support from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, developed a business plan for a multi-use complex with affordable housing, a daycare, Loan Fund office, training room and an incubator. Single parents, mostly women, continue to be the most vulnerable population in Greater Saint John with the highest incidence of poverty and the greatest need for housing and support services. This week, at the Loan Fund’s Annual General Meeting, it was announced that this project is one step closer to becoming reality.

The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has been a consistent contributor, recently donating $8,000, to join a generous anonymous donor and other funders to help purchase a building on Prince Edward Street, which will become their new office plus meeting rooms and residential units on the upper floors. This has been a project close to Bob Boyce’s heart and will help with the re-vitalization of this vulnerable neighbourhood. The Teen Resource Centre and the YM-YWCA are new neighbours and other investments are happening close by which are cause for encouragement.

A $210,000 loan capital campaign led by Louise Beland and Margaret-Ann Blaney, MLA, Gerry Pond and Lesley Oland is entering year three and has been successful in raising capital from the Towns of Quispamsis and Grand Bay-Westfield, Saint John Energy and other generous donors. The Co-operators, Family and Community Services NB, Canadian Women’s Foundation, the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation, the Saint John Human Development Council and the NB Women’s Issues Branch are valued supporters.

Also announced at the AGM were the local artists and photographers who have been constant supporters of the Loan Fund’s four year old greeting card project, an innovative fundraiser. Marjorie Hamilton and Brian Duplessis have been recognized for their singular volunteer efforts. This year, Ed Coleman, Beth Powning, Herzel Kashetsky and Patricia Tingley will donate their creations to be auctioned off and featured on the cards at an October 15 event. The amount of $12,000 was raised last year, thanks to volunteers and featured contributors Ray Butler, Irene Guerette, Holly McKay, Freeman Patterson.

As the only community loan fund in Atlantic Canada, the Saint John Community Loan Fund continues to be recognized as a leader in community investment and economic development. For two years, the Loan Fund coordinated the Atlantic office for the Canadian Community Economic Development Network and was a key player nationally in creating the Canadian Community Investment Network.

When the door of the stately heritage residence swings open, strains of Rock a Bye Baby can be heard. It’s not uncommon to see a little one being rocked in the comfortable front room formerly, the parlour and now a cozy, family area cum daycare. Across the hall a young mom is feeding her infant. Another runs upstairs from the classroom to spend a few precious moments with her toddler in between biology and math. Welcome to First Steps. It is a haven for pregnant and parenting young women who may not have a safe place to live.

Young, single women and their children represent the single largest group of people living in poverty in Saint John. And they are likely to have become pregnant as teens, experienced broken homes or abusive situations and have ongoing coping or life skill challenges. These women are unlikely to finish high school, citing personal problems as their primary reason for dropping out, including pregnancy. Completing an education with a little one can be a formidable challenge. Add to that the being a single parent with perhaps few supports or resources and it’s no wonder so few young single moms step out of the impoverished lifestyle in which they may find themselves and graduate from high school or post-secondary institutions.

First Steps provides a home for young mothers and their children where life skills can be taught and where self-esteem and confidence can be nurtured. Since opening in May of 2002, First Steps has provided resources needed to escape homelessness, poverty and abuse and offered access to healthy living, positive parenting, self fulfillment, health, life skills and education to over 100 young women and their children.

An offshoot of the Greater Saint John Teen Pregnancy Committee, which was established in the mid-nineties to address the high rates of teen pregnancy in our community, it has garnered widespread public support as the building, formerly St. Joseph’s Convent, was re-furbished, furnished and received ongoing private, community and government funding.

Dr. Christine Davies, a local family physician, First Steps Board Chair and the driving force behind the initiative since day one, is emphatic about the need to maximize every single young person’s potential. She saw the results of a lack of support, parenting skills and the bleak outlook of a life in poverty, in some of her patients. This was backed up by the research of the Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative (BCAPI) and more recently, the Vibrant Communities group. Both have recognized the effects of the high rate of poverty in Greater Saint John, particularly the inner city and the large proportion of single parent families, headed by women.

It has become the focus of their efforts, through a collaborative coalition of business leaders and community volunteers. Corporate funding from JD Irving Ltd. and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, a leading Canadian private foundation, has been instrumental in advancing and focusing solutions to a generations-old, perplexing social issue.

Noting the number of young women coming to First Steps without a high school education, but with a desire to learn, First Steps opened a high school this year. It complemented this with a day care to assist the young women in the school with child care. In June of 2006, they celebrated the first graduation. The young woman is attending community college this fall, studying Human Services. Ten young women are now attending school, with the likelihood that six of them will have graduated by June. There is even a waiting list. The First Steps classroom offers a premium learning atmosphere for a small group of women. One young woman states “I always wanted to learn and do something with my life, I really wanted high school and wanted people to look at me in a positive way, but no one pushed me and no one helped me, it is hard to be young and a mom and have no education”.

This year, as part of the language curriculum, the students are inviting community members to come into the class room to share a bit about who they are, what they do and to read a poem to the class. The students will have time to engage in conversation with them. It is an effortless way to get young women excited about poetry.

Funding to support the new educational program for young pregnant and parenting women is currently being raised. School District 8 is providing a teacher and First Steps has hired a math tutor. The atmosphere is relaxed but the students are working diligently at their individual levels and tackling assignments with enthusiasm. They are even taking on community activism by volunteering for the Community Food Basket, the Family Resource Centre and organizing a community playground upgrade. The investment of funding in an education today can translate into a productive lifetime for these young moms.

First Steps has incorporated an apartment living program to lend support after the moms leave First Steps. The first young lady will soon be completing the program.

On Thursday, November 23, 2006, First Steps will be hosting its’ fourth annual Step Out for First Steps Gala Fundraiser. A dinner and auction will feature food from different countries and auction items including paintings, jewellery, gift certificates and Christmas gift ideas. It will be held at the Delta Brunswick Hotel. Help First Steps offer long-term solutions to reducing poverty in our community by supporting this event with a ticket or donation to the silent auction..

First Steps’ Sponsor Wall reads like the Who’s Who of charitable supporters. The list is so lengthy and impressive, how could a Profile be complete without acknowledging the massive number of community supporters?:

Aliant , Bishop J. Faber MacDonald, Brennan’s Select Community Funeral Home, Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative, CIBC, King Street Branch, CIBC-World Markets Children’s Miracle Foundation , City of Saint John , Connors Bros Ltd., Dr. David Stephen Foundation, Delta Brunswick, Enbridge Gas New Brunswick, Falstaff Society- UNBSJ, Fish & Brews Pub, David Foster, Ganongs, Hilton Saint John, Government of Canada, Greater Saint John Community Foundation, Housing Alternatives, Howard Johnson Hotel, Human Resource Development Canada, Staff IBM Atlantic, IBM Canada Ltd. Employees’ Charitable Fund, Irving Tissue, JD Irving Limited, Kelly Services, Kiwanis Charities of Saint John, Knights of Columbus Council 6595, Leon’s Home Furnishings, Margot Beckwith-Byrne, Moosehead, Patterson Palmer Hunt Murphy, Province of New Brunswick, Redemptorist Fathers of New Brunswick, Rooms to Go, Royal Bank of Canada , Saint John District Labour Council, Sears Goldsmith Studio, Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception, St. Mark’s Church Parish, St. Peter’s Church Parish, St. Rose De Lima Parish, Evolving Solutions, Tabufile, United Commercial Travellers of America, United Way of Greater Saint John,

The Faces of FUSION are many but there is one simple message: get involved and feel at home here in Greater Saint John. Whether one’s occupation is at a customer contact centre, law office, health care organization, school district, financial institution, local business, construction site, artist studio or working from home, FUSION helps Greater Saint John’s younger demographic meet one another, establish roots and be part of our changing and vibrant community.

Back in 2004, Stephanie Bell, Shane Goguen, Mara Mallory and Shannon Merrifield noticed young people were not as involved socially, politically or economically as they might be. They wisely realized the benefits both to the person and our community by nurturing the arts scene, hosting social events and information sessions, engaging international students, making newcomers feel welcome and generally becoming better informed on issues and opportunities. The age-old practice of networking is alive and well, thanks to the creative efforts of FUSION, as they dubbed the group. It counts well over five hundred active and engaged members. Among them are today’s and tomorrow’s community leaders. Deanna Graves, the current Chair, stresses that participants of all ages and walks of life, from all parts of Greater Saint John are welcome.

The group has impressive and wide ranging successes to its credit. A networking dinner began with one hundred attendees and doubled last year. This April’s event at the Trade and Convention Centre is expected to re-double in size. An estimated nine thousand flocked to the Market Square Boardwalk for a musical Canada Day Countdown last July. Harvesting the Arts (2005) was an innovative showcasing of local talent. Networking on the golf greens at the FUSION Golf Classic is another example of the kind of activities in which members can participate. Recognizing a need to update the faces of streetscapes, neighbourhoods and update municipal plans, the Urban Design Guidelines group is inviting participation. A Karaoke evening in January and an Energy Forum are now being planned.

Local businesses and supporters can hardly ignore the benefits they reap. Sponsors like Gilbert McGloan Gillis, Moosehead, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, Aliant, Enterprise Saint John and more are backers. With no budget or office staff, Fusion has achieved credibility, visibility and a tremendous record. Recognition has also come their way, with the 2006 New Brunswick Day Leadership Award.

Becoming a member is free on their web-site. There are several recently transformed committees that welcome involvement: the Ambassadors Committee eases the transition for newcomers by serving as a friendly and informative contact group. The Arts & Culture Committee highlights the talents of our many local artists, musicians and arts promoters. As well, they keep members informed about the myriad of local arts and culture opportunities. The Community Engagement Committee liaises with local non-profit and charitable organizations to find opportunities for Fusion members to be involved. Partnering with the Events Committee, it plans FUSION events that provide great networking opportunities to members and raise awareness of community issues. The Events Planning Committee keeps FUSION members interacting and up to date by planning and marketing networking events. The Economic Development and Urban Planning Committee ensures that FUSION members are aware of economic development, urban renewal, green space development and urban planning initiatives. The International Committee works to ensure that international-born FUSION members have a place to display, promote and share their culture. The future of our community depends on retaining, attracting and repatriating people, growing our population and becoming a more rich and diverse international community.

A new working board has taken over the reins this month. It coordinates with cross membership on committees to ensure the leadership is connected and involved in all aspects of FUSION. With energy and enthusiasm, they are eager to match and exceed Fusion’s already substantial successes. Chair Deanna Graves, a Nova Scotian, knew some of her School District co-workers after arriving a few years ago, but it has been FUSION that made her “a huge believer” in the merits of networking to expand her horizons. Danny Jardine, the second Vice-Chair, got involved after a respectable run at municipal office and has never looked back. A “P.E.Islander”, he is more connected to local groups than most who have lived here a lifetime. He believes that many local Boards can benefit from an infusion of new blood, and that the person involved gains a sense of belonging to our community. It makes it much less attractive to be enticed out-of-province when you have that sense of community, familiarity and pride. “They’ll be more likely to stay” he adds. Kate Barnett, First Vice-Chair, Janice Carr, Treasurer; Jennifer Waldschutz, Secretary and board members, Belinda Allen, Simone Fernandes, Julia Higgins, Morgan Lanigan, Scott Masters, Shawn Peterson and Corry Toole are all enthusiastic, involved and deserve our appreciation for keeping Greater Saint John growing and vibrant.

All over Canada, communities of all sizes found ways to celebrate The Year of The Veteran. Early last year, folks in Grand Bay-Westfield began thinking about how they mightthe best way to recognize the contributions of their veterans and combine it with enhancements ofa much needed facelift for their community park and Cenotaph. Mayor Grace Losier, members of Council and town officials came up with a plan which was heartily supported by the Royal Canadian Legion, Bayview Branch 22 .

According to George Wells, a Second World War veteran who served overseas with The Canadian Scottish and one of the oldest members of Branch 22 at age 85, the original Cenotaph stood by the Bayview Branch building on Woolastook Drive. A more prominent position was identified in the heart of the town at the junction of River Valley Drive and Woolastook Drive in the 1980’s. The Cenotaph has commemorated veterans of both World Wars, The Korean War and our Peacekeepers for over two decades. A Peace Grove of twelve cedars was planted there representing “our twelve provinces and territories and symbolizes the life, creativity and hope for the future that thrives in peace” as inscribed in the dedication of October 8, 1992 to World Peace.

The Park It is owned and maintained by the Town with help from the Bayview Royal Canadian Legion Branch RCL.22. Like so many legion branches these days finances are tight, and many of the sixty plus members are becoming older, so resources to help were limited. financially troubled New aluminum flagpoles, a supply of flags and park benches for visitors to sit and relax in the pleasantly landscaped surroundings would be required. The Town budget did not provide for an expenditure of some $4,987.94 plus tax for the project so they approached The Greater Saint John Community Foundation. With a grant of $3,200 in hand and the added support of theand other donors & Town and staff, the work was completed in time for an official opening ceremony late in 2005. Officials and members of the Legion as well as the Town were present to celebrate. Katie MacCrae, President of the local RCL Branch 22 expressed her appreciation for the improvements. “Without the help of groups like the foundation, work like this would not be possible” she added..

Mayor Grace Losier hopes the Year of the Veteran and the project will be a lesson for young citizens of the River Valley as the community “acknowledges all they gave up on our behalf”. She is enthusiastic about the Woolastook Corridor on which this and other green spaces are situated. She is proud of this first and only heritage trail in New Brunswick.

It was initiated when Westfield was a separate community and then extended to a length of 13.5km to Grand Bay, after the communities amalgamated. “We encourage driving, walking or cycling on the trail”, Mayor Losier added. Kiosks mark eleven place-names familiar to locals, both year-round and summer, over the years. Travelling south from Nerepis, the first stop, they include Sagwa, Lingley, Westfield Beach, Hillandale, Ononette, Inglewood Drive, Ingleside, Epworth Park, Pamdenec and finally Grand Bay. Community events can be posted on the kiosks. They also can be viewed for a glimpse of vintage photos and historical notes of each distinctive neighbourhood, many long-time summer favorites. A trail brochure is available from the Town as a guide to this popular and scenic natural route.

Recent announcements of financial support and plans to enhance the Westfield Ferry Landing at Brundage Point are being met with anticipation. At the other end of this beautiful riverside town, work has been progressing on the Henderson Brook Wetlands project.

Leading by example, The Mayor also heads up the Town’s volunteer Beautification Committee, which is a great asset to the community. Volunteers Grace Alderman, Glen Cosman, Debbie Fowler, Jody Kelly, Joanne Hare, Carmella Melanson, Bruce McCanse, Roy Morris, Jennifer Peterson, Lloyd Scott, Sue West, and Doreen Williams each adopt different green spaces to plant, weed and generally manage during the growing season. Being a large area geographically, with more than a dozen green areas, this takes considerable time and effort, which pays off in a beautiful show of trees, perennials, hanging baskets, wreaths and annuals for all to enjoy. Unity Park, one of their most recent projects, has become a centre for community events and sits at the juncture of the two former communities. The Beautification Committee donated perennials from their own gardens to enhance the park’s natural brook-side beauty. The Town’s Parks and Recreation Department and summer students provide important backup, giving everyone a sense of ownership and civic pride. Grand Bay-Westfield had the distinction of winning at both the provincial and national level in Communities in Bloom for communities under 5,000 the first year they participated. It’s evident that a new and renewed sense of community pride abounds in Grand Bay-Westfield.

Since its inception in 1998, Imperial Theatre's Performing Arts Summer Schools have provided a unique opportunity for children and youth ages six to eighteen to work with industry professionals in drama, dance, musical theatre, rock music and lighting. Summer School students are provided with the highest quality training under the tutelage of professional instructors, dedicated to nurturing creativity, passion and talent. Young people receive practical performance training that culminate with live public performances on stage at Saint John’s beautiful Imperial Theatre. More than one thousand students have gone through the program and experienced the thrill of a live performance. Some have gone on to pursue professional careers in the performing arts industry.

Research shows that children and youth who are exposed to the arts at an early age are more likely to stay involved in the arts throughout their life. Participation in the arts helps young people develop self-confidence and achieve higher academic performance. The arts challenge youth to think critically and creatively" outside the box". Arts programs for youth at risk are especially important since they provide opportunities for positive self-expression and offer pathways to fulfilling careers. They are also introduced to a new circle of friends and acquaintances and broaden their life experiences.

Imperial Theatre is dedicated to instilling an appreciation and acceptance of the performing arts, irrespective of financial status. There is a growing need for scholarship funding to open the doors of the arts to young people of all socio-economic backgrounds. With eight years of support from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, Imperial Theatre is providing scholarships, which enable low-income families to receive financial aid, in the form of partial or full grants, to enrol their children. Close working relationships with organizations such as Pro-Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club as well as local churches, ensure this opportunity is extended widely, yet confidentially.

Imperial Theatre's Performing ARTS Summer Schools are among the most in demand summer performing arts programs in New Brunswick, attracting students from Miramichi, Fredericton and even New York. Enthusiasm abounds at the School. One student was heard to say “I’m in heaven when I’m here”. While the performing arts of dancing and acting have been part of Imperial Theatre's Performing Arts Summer Schools for ten years, two new schools have since been added: Rock IT and Light IT.

Act IT features two weeks of instruction for students in drama, improvisation and musical theatre, culminating with a show on Imperial Theatre’s stage complete with a live audience. Instructors are: Shane MacMillan, Andria Wilson, Christopher Fowler, Darik Hatfield, Sarah Butler, Christopher Lane.

The imaginations of “Junior Theatre” elementary school children are stimulated using theatre games, music, arts and crafts, and an array of other theatrical activities. Middle School Theatre includes improvisation, theatre games, creating props, costumes or posters and creative drama exercises with professional instructors who introduce them to the joy of acting.

Musical Theatre for ages ten and up, opens the world of musical theatre, and an opportunity to create Broadway magic with voice, drama and dance. Senior School Theatre is an intensive program for high school students involving warm-ups, voice, character development, movement and a variety of other unique and challenging exercises as well as creating and performing their own material.

Dance IT combines the talents of respected local and internationally recognized professionals: Sylvia Logan, of the Rothesay Ballet School; Frank Augustyn , Meghan MacNeil, Deanne Walsh and Rachelle Lanigan. The Dance IT, live public performance at Imperial Theatre, 7:00pm, Saturday, July 28th , for which tickets are now on sale, offers students the opportunity to showcase their talents on a professional stage after two weeks of intensive rehearsal and training. Senior level Ballet, Junior and Intermediate Ballet, instructed in the Royal Academy of Dance style; modern; West African and jazz are taught.

Sylvia Logan is delighted that Frank Augustyn is here as Senior Ballet Instructor. He has danced all over the world and with some of the most prestigious ballet companies. A renowned, award winning Canadian dancer, he has partnered with some of the worlds most famous ballerinas, including Karen Kain. He exemplifies the high calibre of instructors who teach at Imperial theatre's Performing Arts Summer Schools.

Rock IT, is designed for high school aged rock musicians, who can already play an instrument. They receive instruction in guitar, bass, drums and vocals, plus a band experience, to make them more well rounded, polished musicians. Qualified, talented instructors, with a solid reputation in the music scene include: Dean Roberts, Franco Cucinelli, Malcolm Boyce Shelley Brown and Jim Wilson.

Light IT, gives aspiring theatre technicians a crash course in lighting design, with instruction in basic lighting, design, special effects and safe and effective use of lighting equipment in a professional theatre environment. The final project will be to design and execute the light show for the Rock It final recital. Peter D. Smith is Director assisted by Darik Hatfield, Lighting Instructor. Rock IT and Light IT begin August 13th and openings are still available. The final performance is August 18th, 7:00pm at the Imperial Theatre.

If you live in the heart of Saint John, you can celebrate both Earth Day and a new neighbourhood identity. The “Clean and Green Team” of the newly formed “Village Neighbourhood Association” is joining forces with many community groups to spruce up their inner-city territories.

The roughly triangular area bounded by Union Street, Crown Street, City Road and Station Street has been dubbed “The Village” by a group of forty registered resident volunteers and thirty additional public-spirited volunteers interested in enhancing the quality of life there. It includes the former Saint John General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital environs, the Millennium Dome, Harbour Station along with Harbourside, Prince Edward Square and York Point apartments. It was spawned by a civic committee concerned about the sex and drug trade in the areas around Cliff and Waterloo Streets. But, it soon became clear that the challenges were bigger and more diverse.

Now three more committees or “Teams” have joined them. The Clean and Green Team focuses on the environment. Team 2 is working on traffic, parking and garbage issues. The Neighbourhood Assets Team is looking at the positives, while using new legislation and bylaw enforcement to tackle unsightly and dangerous buildings. A fifth Team is forming, which will examine the effects of the daily influx of people to businesses, agencies and government services located in the Village.

“More than a dozen volunteers have provided great leadership and more and more people are stepping up” says Cony Brienza, one of the organizers of this fledgling, grassroots group. She and her husband have become involved in community improvements in their ten years in Saint John, living in the heart of the Village. Bob Ewing, a newcomer to the Port City, believes in getting involved in one’s neighbourhood and being part of solving local issues. Mrs. Brienza and Mr. Ewing give The Saint John Police Force and City of Saint John staff high marks for their cooperation and support.

In recognition of Earth Day, the Clean and Green Team is hosting a cleanup in the Village, from 11am-3pm culminating with a 1pm barbeque for volunteers. Refreshments will be served on the green space at the corner of Cliff Street and Waterloo Street. The event has gotten the attention of groups and people like Dr. Ed Doherty, MLA, Tim Horton’s uptown restaurants, City Bakery and The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, who are contributing to the event. All are welcome to pitch in, absorb some community spirit and join the fun. They will reap the rewards of a cleaner environment and renewed community pride.

Other groups are spreading wider circles of green activities on Saturday, April 22, for Earth Day. The ONE (Old North End) Change in the North End and a group of residents that spans the length of King Street East in the uptown will be out in force. The Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) will also be doing an extensive garbage pick-up along the shores of some of Saint John’s waterways. The South Central Citizen’s Council, the Urban Parent group, which promotes family living in the urban setting, Communities in Bloom and the Scouts are wholeheartedly supportive. Communities in Bloom activities will centre in Rockwood Park.

The Village Neighbourhood Association is also promoting the beautification of vacant lots and aspires to nurture wildflower gardens along Brunswick Drive and Waterloo Street as the weather warms. They will be enlisting students of Prince Charles School, who already have an enviable record for improvements of many kinds. Students will be participating in a contest to decorate and paint garbage containers to encourage litter cleanup in the Prince Edward Square Mall area. The Mall is also a partner in the group. A sister group is working in the South End. It is reviving former and faded gardens back to their original glory. They will continue efforts during the summer months and welcome volunteers. Their attitude is that even a small plot can encourage others to clean and spruce up.

The Village Neighbourhood Association has no formal executive or funding, but meets every three weeks at the Boys and Girls Club and welcomes new recruits. Their next meeting is at the club, Wednesday, April 26, 7pm.

Kate Kerr, Urban Parent Saint John, President/ Founder, upsj@nbnet.nb.ca, 652-5377

Sandy MacKay is eloquent when he expounds on the pristine beauty of the Hammond River and its watershed. The Hammond River Angling Association’s (HRAA) Executive Director wants as many inner city children as possible to “experience paradise” just thirty minutes from Saint John. As an educator, he knows that instilling an understanding of conservation of our natural environment can last a lifetime. He learned the lesson from his father who had him planting trees in riparian zones (areas next to waterways) as a child. He reckons he has planted more trees than he is days old!

The Hammond River Angling Association was conceived in 1977 when anglers began noticing changes in salmon populations. From the outset, founding members realized that watershed management could only work with grassroots community education providing vision for the future. HRAA education programs began in 1978. Jim Gillespie headed the group in the early years and says “it’s amazing how education has changed attitudes” from the days when older generations thought our natural environment could withstand any kind of abuse and survive. “We thought it would last forever”. Today he says it’s rewarding “to see so many children benefiting from our work. Their attitude is different.” He is encouraged to have the financial backing of a new fund in his honour to carry on their conservation mandate. It’s called “The Jim Gillespie Hammond River Conservation Fund”.

Today, HRAA maintains that direct link between educational and habitat management programs. All educational programs are designed to increase participants’ knowledge and awareness. The goal of HRAA’s educational programs is to “Create the Next Generation of Committed Conservationists”. HRAA has developed a unique educational program for young people of all ages. With four fulltime staff, and sixteen seasonal staff, they will reach 2,500 elementary and middle schoolchildren, 450 high school students and 15 postsecondary youth by year’s end.

The Fish Friends program involves placing salmon eggs in aquariums in local classrooms, in association with Atlantic Salmon Federation. Ducks Unlimited Wetland Tours host elementary and middle school classes for wetlands education, in association with Ducks Unlimited. The Kids R Cool 4 Conservation summer day camp helps children learn proficiency in water sports and develop environmental awareness. Many children from the inner-city will learn the wonders of nature firsthand even if their families are experiencing financial need, thanks to sponsored programs.

Andrew Atkinson will be entering Grade ten at Rothesay High in the fall and he plans to include biology in his courses. His appetite has been whetted by his work this summer in the environmental leadership program. It lasts three weeks and the youths participating do field work within the watershed and receive a modest honorarium. It is hoped that they will return as salaried staff in the future. They learn to use equipment to monitor, stream temperatures, oxygen levels and conductivity, all measures of the health and ability of a waterway to sustain fish life. Andrew loves “seeing fish and wildlife, like trout, suckers, gophers and muskrats.” Their tests indicate a healthy level of positive indicators. One encouraging development took place this year. It was the appointment to the HRAA’s Board of a former student and staff member. It marked the completion of the conservation continuum.

In addition to educational programs and summer camps, the HRAA works with many partners to carry on their conservation mandate. They rove far beyond their picturesque thirty five acres on the Hammond River. With the permission of private landowners, farmers, government and the town of Quispamsis, streams are tested, cleaned, fencing may be erected and trees are planted along the margins to create the right conditions for waterway health.

The Hammond River is an impressive 73.5km. long with an additional 125km. in tributaries. Its watershed, the area from which it draws its water, covers a surprising 433 square km. before it meets the Kennebecasis River and then the Bay of Fundy. Scientists estimate it could be the last New Brunswick river flowing into the Bay of Fundy which remains self-sustaining from a salmon perspective. When asked about what he has seen lately to back up this statement, Sandy MacKay relates his observations from a junket last fall to catch salmon for eggs and stocking. In one pool alone he saw fifty adult salmon, the largest being an incredible one meter in size! “Every single fish is a precious resource” he states. We needn’t worry, the salmon are returned to the river once the eggs are retrieved.

Barry Carr chairs the Board and cites three major thrusts where his group is directing energies. The first is educating youth and the community about the importance of maintaining a healthy watershed. Secondly carrying out stewardship programs to manage and advocate for improvements to the river system, thereby enhancing salmon populations. Finally, Carr sees ensuring sustainable funding for the long term as a key activity. Friends of HRAA are becoming known through the province of New Brunswick as leaders in the conservation community.

Since 2002, when Sandy MacKay joined HRAA, their level of external funding has grown from $12,000 to $120,000 this year. He credits their many partnerships. HRAA enjoys the support of: the NBEnvironmental Trust Fund, the Wildlife Trust Fund, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan; the Atlantic Salmon Federation and NB Salmon Council; Investors Group; government leaders and hundreds of businesses and individuals who donate time and materials.

The beautiful rustic HRAA lodge sits at the river’s edge. Its expansive verandah overlooks the placid river as it meanders under the Hammond River Bridge. It is available to some three hundred members and the public. Community groups and individuals can rent space. Six hours may cost about $225. Annual membership in the Association is a mere $20. Children’s summer camps still have space and cost about $25 per day.

Nine years ago staff at CBC’s Information Morning brainstormed about a way to involve their listeners and to do something charitable for the holiday season. They realized that food banks in Southern New Brunswick were chronically struggling for cash, even though at certain times of the year, generous donations poured in. Their first idea was a symbolic Christmas tree to give the project identity. Next, they “floated” the notion of a barge in Saint John Harbour bearing a lighted tree. Margot Wright of CBC’s Information Morning recalls the meeting with Paul Castle and Capt. Al Soppitt along with Ed Vye of The Saint John Port Authority and their look that seemed to say “Are you nuts”? With the know-how of folks at the Port Authority, the concept was quickly nixed because of strong tides and currents, not to mention logistics. They did, however, agree to be a partner and came up with an alternative for Long Wharf on dry land. Harbour Lights was born!

CBC would broadcast the news of the project, the needs of area food banks and invite individuals, groups and businesses to contribute, even to compete with their charitable giving. Paul Castle, the amiable and well-liked host of Information Morning became identified with the cause. Every two dollar gift would light one bulb on the tree until it was fully lit. Each morning for about a month contributions arrive, often in person and to be commented upon and encouraged. After a year or two, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation offered an added incentive: to light the star on the tree they would match with a generous cash gift in the thousands of dollars. The competition was on to reach the goal before Christmas! The campaign reached its goal officially by lighting the star atop the tree. The foundation has contributed a total of $60,000 over the years.

The City Market broadcast and breakfast brings out the Mayor and members of Council to cook and serve, hundreds of community members, CBC fans and donors to socialize in the historic setting and help attain the year’s goal. Thirteen food banks from Kings, Saint John and Charlotte counties are grateful for the help because needs keep growing and resources are stretched, particularly at certain “quiet” times of the year when cupboards become quite bare. In Greater Saint John The Community Food Basket, Saint John North Food Bank, East Saint John Food Bank, West Saint John Food Bank, Lakewood Headstart Food Bank, KV Food Basket, Hampton Food Basket and River Valley Food Bank benefit. The Sussex Food Bank, St. George Food Bank, Grand Manan Food Bank and Deer Island - Church of Christ Food Bank complete the list.

Betty Kennett of the Hampton Food Basket says the Harbour Lights funds provide two months of operational costs for their food bank.

Captain Al Soppitt, CEO of the Saint John Port Authority stated his support for the annual effort, which costs the Authority about $15,000 in labour and lighting costs each year to erect the thirty meter tree. When fully lit, it shines with thousands of bulbs, a cherished stop along Harbour Passage, the community’s popular waterfront trail.

The tree itself has become an icon for the holiday season in Greater Saint John, often visible from aircraft overhead, reflected beautifully in the harbour. Saint John natives returning home for the Christmas holidays find it a welcoming sight. In 2000, the campaign’s Paul Castle won national acclaim for its efforts, receiving CBC’s President’s Award.

The tree has brought out the generous spirit of Southern New Brunswickers, a result which delights CBC’s Margot Wright, Producer of Information Morning. “It has become a Saint John tradition and spun off other events like Margret and Axel Begner’s annual tea at Dufferin Inn and now Opera Bistro” she said. “It is heart-warming to see the effort the Port has put into this campaign. The whole crew works so hard, usually in the freezing cold”. Harbour Lights doesn’t want to detract from other great charitable causes and wants to keep donations affordable, hence the $2 cost for a bulb. The morning show broadcast a two dollar gift from a schoolgirl earlier this week to emphasize the point.

This year’s goal is $40,000 but it won’t surprise anyone that local generosity will exceed expectations. In 2004, $95,760 was raised. Since inception nine years ago, over $617,000 has been contributed! No doubt plans are underway for a tenth anniversary celebration.

A child’s experiences and care in the first five years have the greatest impact on their lifelong success. Positive parenting is one of the main factors in a child’s healthy development. A four year old organization in the Kennebecasis Valley bases their existence on these principles of early childhood development. They live by the expression “It takes a village to raise a child”. It’s called KV3C. It stands for Kennebecasis Valley, Community, Capacity, Children .

Since 2000, KV3C has worked with parents in partnership with government and businesses to develop and enhance existing resources in the community. They connect parents to much needed information and services in the community through their database of resources, community fairs, and partnerships, all promoting the importance of the parent’s role and learning in a child’s first five years.

As the population of young KV families grew and the news of KV3C spread, it became apparent that organizing programs was a logical next step. In March 2004, KV3C and partners, including the Town of Rothesay, began the first extremely popular family playgroup. The instant success of the introduction of programs proved their need. On the opening day of the first playgroup, over 100 participants turned out.

“Our programs celebrate the role of parents and give practical ideas on how to enhance their learning skills, social skills and overall health” says Tara Craig Crossman, Coordinator. These resources have now grown to include newsletters, a ‘Baby-time’ post-natal group (for parents and babies under 1 year), a ‘Step-up’ Parent Workshop Series and two KV Kids Family Playgroups (for children under 5 and their caregivers). Weekly numbers now range from 30 to over 90 parents and children. Visibility has grown as engaged professionals in the Valley share their expertise with families.

Board Chairperson, Shandy Tilley says “Parents need a lot less criticism and more support and encouragement”. Their committed Board of Directors engages actively in activities. Ms Tilley points out that the KV area can’t be painted with one brush. It has families from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and needs, a fact often overlooked, until she saw the lineup at the local food bank. The board noticed under-serviced neighbourhoods in the KV area like Wells, and began planning began for an additional group in Quispamsis. With financial support from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation and the New Brunswick Protestant Orphan’s Children’s Foundation, the second KV3C Kids Playgroup was launched in November, 2005 at the Quispamsis/Island View Lion’s Club, which is also a sponsor. Weekly attendance has risen to 67 parents and children. Some families even travel all the way from Grand

The Playgroup offers children, from birth to age 5, educational and developmentally appropriate activities like circle time, crafts, playtime and parachute games. Did you say parachute games? Yes, this is a regular and popular feature of the sessions, permitting children to gather round a huge circular, lightweight and rainbow-colored “parachute” as they share experiences and activities. Parents don’t sit on the sidelines, they are expected to play along with their children. Songs, books, crafts and games are based on weekly themes.

The Baby Time Group offers an opportunity for new parents to get together with their babies and meet one another. Informal and relaxed, it has guest speakers, activities and discussion on various topics related to early parenting,

It’s common today for both parents to be in the workforce and many families are headed by a parent on their own. Lots

For those on parental leave, it can be a special, but lonely time. Says Gen Roberge “I looked forward to Baby Time every week. It allowed me to get out of the house and to meet with other mothers and fathers that were also home alone with their baby during their maternity/parental leave”.

The friends one makes through their children often last a lifetime. They also provide an “entree” to meeting new friends with similar interests and things in common. “As a new resident of the KV community, KV3C has been invaluable in introducing me to programs as well as parents with young children. There were days when Baby Time was the only human contact I had, other than with my baby - a real sanity saver! I believe KV3C fosters community by providing these programs” states Danielle Burkett.

The Baby Time Group is a drop in type group running in 6 week sessions: Monday mornings at 10:30am at St. Marks Church. KV3C suggests calling ahead to find out when the next session is active.

KV3C Kids Playgroup : Parents can sign up for the Tuesday morning sessions from 9:45-11:30am at the Bill McGuire Centre in Rothesay (Renforth) or Fridays mornings 9:45-11:30am at the Quispamsis Lions Club (off Millennium Dr). There is no formal charge for the sessions but if families wish, a $1 fee can be donated.

All groups follow the school calendar, closing on school breaks, holidays, storm days and summer vacations. For information, contact Tara Craig Crossman, coordinator, 849-7266 Email: kv3c@nb.aibn.com

The tables were set for 90 on a cool March day with a few snowflakes drifting down. It didn’t take long for the hungry children to start streaming in, the littlest ones following Donnie Snook, Pied Piper-like. Two kinds of hot, chicken noodle soup were waiting for them, along with a filling lunch.

Back in 1989, Chris VanBuskirk, a youth minister, along with a few friends from a local Anglican parish did a simple thing. They opened a can of chicken noodle soup and invited children and youth of Saint John’s south end to have a free hot lunch. The result? New Life! The result evolved into new community programming and partnerships to creatively and collectively find solutions to meet the needs of their neighbourhood.

Now, sixteen years later, the work continues and has become known as the Chicken Noodle Club, one of the programs operating as part of the Saint John Inner City Youth Ministry (ICYM). The Inner City Youth Ministry is an outreach program for children and youth based in South End Saint John, with the support of the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton, local parishes and various community and corporate organizations.

 The Chicken Noodle Club which provides a hot lunch five days a week for the students of St. John the Baptist/King Edward School. It’s recently moved to St. John the Baptist Church Hall, next door to its former home, St. James Church.

 The After School Care program, which offers activities for over 30 Kindergarten to Grade 2 students, attending every weekday afternoon at St. John the Baptist/King Edward School.

 Evening recreational opportunities like monthly swim night, outings to hockey games, the Imperial Theatre and small group planned activities are available.

 Hockey for Everyone is providing 100 children a chance to play ice hockey throughout the winter each Saturday at Peter Murray (formerly Lancaster) Arena.

 Home visitation continues to be an integral part of ICYM evening outreach. Many families look to ICYM for help, assistance and support in times of need or crisis.

 Community initiatives that have a direct impact on ICYM families and address issues related to poverty reduction, developing children’s life skills and assets, as well as youth crime prevention involve ICYM participation.

 The ICYM is connecting dozens of children to summer camps like Camp Medley and Choir School.

Volunteers include parents, Irving employees and retirees. Ron McLaughlin took over from his late wife, Doreen, as a volunteer. Helen D’Entremont, a grandmother and long time volunteer, recalls the day a girl asked for a second scoop of potatoes. The child couldn’t remember when she last had eaten them. Another boy asked if they were real potatoes. He had never seen them or gravy before. “It’s a program that’s needed” she says, “a lot wouldn’t otherwise be eating”. Volunteer and parent, Tammy Garnett, says it also gives children a chance to meet friends along with having a variety of hot meals. She adds, “it’s a big help”.

Although ICYM and its programs may not be household words, the director and sole staff person with the highest community profile, particularly with young people, is Donnie Snook. Snook, a native of Newfoundland, has been working with children and youth in our community for the last seven years. He recalls the day a young boy asked for help: “His words still ring in my ears. This boy lived in poverty’s prison and he was reaching out to me for help.” And help he has, since 1999. He is making a real difference in their lives and has the recognition to prove it. A foster parent, who volunteers for groups like the John Howard Society, the Saint John Boys and Girls Club and Family Plus/Life Solutions, the South End Little League, PRO Kids and Vibrant Communities, he was awarded the YMCA Canada’s Peace Medal in 2003.

Since the closure of St. James Anglican Church on Broad St., the ICYM is now headquartered at Trinity Church on Charlotte St. It operates in several locations in the South End. It has no connection with a similar sounding group, the Inner City Youth House. Archdeacon Stuart Allan, rector of Trinity Church and an ICYM board member, is high in his praise for the program and its director of Inner City Youth programming. He sees ICYM as “one of our most significant ministries.” Ecumenical in its operation, the former St. James Church, Stone Church, Trinity Church, and St. John the Baptist Church are active in funding, along with the Anglican Diocese and many community groups, businesses and individuals. Their “significant” support is testimony to the “value they place in the inner city”. Archdeacon Allan calls Snook “very talented and gifted ...and so committed” to young people.

ICYM Board Chairman, Mark Slader, is amazed at the Diocese’s generosity in times when most churches are carefully watching budgets. When the Chicken Noodle Club expanded from 2 days per week to five, it seems divine providence intervened and in-kind gifts of food and other necessities materialized from community donors. He says ICYM has “total community involvement” from parents, neighbours, schools, the business community and churches of several denominations. Like all community groups with tight budgets, they realize duplication of programs is not a wise use of resources.

He credits Donnie Snook’s “level of commitment to youth as second to none” in meeting their social, health and spiritual needs. He speaks enthusiastically about the positive feedback he receives when seeing one hundred fully equipped kids learning hockey basics on the ice at Peter Murray (formerly Lancaster) Arena. He is thankful for the volunteers who help out and the many community partnerships they have. “Main Street Primetime”, a charitable initiative, led by Thor Broderson and Merritt Keith, founded and totally fund the hockey program.

Separate from, but receiving moral support from the board of ICYM, is a motivational and educational program where young people can just gather. Snook conceived of and named it Kids’ Zone. “Kids’ Zone” meets at Full Gospel Assembly in East Saint John and averages about 400 youth per week with 1,400 total participants, 100 of which come from the South End. Thousands of weekly get-togethers have been chalked up since its inception in 1998.

In the early 1970’s two Kiwanis Clubs, Saint John and Lancaster, were inspired by the call of Phil Emmerson to address the needs of adults with physical and mental disabilities. They dreamed of a centre which could bring them together, to encourage independence, gain dignity, offer support, meaningful work and activities and provide a new, stimulating and rewarding focal point for their daily lives. Today tributes are still generous to the former Kiwanis Club President and Lieutenant-Governor for his leadership.

In 1972, the two Clubs set up an independent, affiliated body, the Saint John Center for Services to the Handicapped, Inc. They modeled the facility on similar ones across Canada. Its core business would be promotional products. A short street, subsequently named Kiwanis Ct., in Saint John’s North End, was deemed a suitable location. The building, which sits on a prominent bluff, was officially opened 1974.

Key Industries has evolved to a non-profit commercial operation that provides life skills, daily valued activities, work skills training and education to adults with intellectual disabilities. Their goal is to build independence, academics, job skills and community involvement, helping them become productive members of our community. “Independence is increased daily with things we take for granted like riding the bus, writing our name, reading the newspaper, learning to interact with others on a social level, getting out into our community and contributing, in turn to making Saint John a better place” says Christine Evans, the facility’s outgoing and dedicated President and CEO.

The atmosphere is welcoming, friendly and always a beehive of activity. The candour and warmth of the clients is obvious and appealing. They are proud of the equipment they have mastered, whether it produces emblazoned golf balls, tee shirts, key tags, signs or caps. It is costly to purchase complex embroidering or printing machines and they must be upgraded and replaced on a regular basis. Jim Humby Chairman of the Board, notes an entire family benefits. It can provide respite and be a godsend for parents of severely disabled adult children, some who can’t speak out on the benefits because they are non-verbal.

Referrals come from Family and Community Services, Mental Health and community Agencies. Relatives may seek support to respect a dying parent’s wish for their disabled child to lead a more independent life. Others may contact the Centre with a history of temporary jobs, gaps in employment, or looking to sustain long term employment and sharpen their skills through training programs. Some individuals benefit from the simple routine of Daily Activity programs including community volunteering, education, art and music classes. Parents, guardians and social workers participate in customizing a program to meet each person’s needs. Key Industries has over 30 life skills programs.

With a substantial budget that is always squeezed, ninety six clients and support staff of twenty-seven, it is a significant operation. Christine Evans readily addresses the matter of competition with the private sector and inclusion. Less than half their clients are ready to work on promotional products but are preparing for that time through education and training. “We have come a long way from the sheltered workshop model” she adds. “It’s a transition from school to work ....and for some, work may not ever be a goal”. They promote inclusion and clients volunteer at local charities like Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels and the Animal Rescue League as well as local businesses to help build future employment skills. She believes that every person is entitled to develop to the full extent of their potential, with Key Industries providing a stepping stone in that direction.

Jean Anne Bettle “loves being with my friends” at 26 Kiwanis Ct. She travels on Saint John Transit on three busses to get there for 7:30am each day. “It gets me out of the house and out of trouble” she adds, explaining that her specialty is packaging. Richard Poitras gets on the job experience at an uptown business, helping with filing and shredding tasks.

Services are primarily funded by Family and Community Services. Additional programs are funded by the Kiwanis Club of Saint John and Lancaster. Organizations such as the Greater Saint John Community Foundation fund much needed educational training equipment, furniture and, accessible doors for the front of the building. Dreams of expansion are now in the works. With a structurally sound building bursting at the seams, it is the only solution to meeting the demand for services to their clients and those in wait for support. Recently, Key Industries has received a forgivable loan from the Provincial Government as a contribution towards the upgrade and expansion project. An application to ACOA has been made. A computer room, full kitchen, library, relocated printing and training space are just part of the expansion plans for which tenders are now closing. This will allow Key Industries to continue to be an equal opportunity employer, providing quality training which could lead to a community job placement.

When New Brunswick business person, former Senator and philanthropist James Ross, founded Partners For Youth Inc. ( PFY) in 1994, little could he have imagined the hundreds of young people whose lives would be changed by the experiences it provides. Partners For Youth is a not-for-profit organization built on a community partnership model that assists youth to learn, grow, develop positive self-esteem and gain the skills to make positive life choices. Through adventure-based programming, offered in a safe, supportive, and fun environment, PFY helps youth who are not able to join other organized groups, having trouble finding a social group, having difficulty with relationships, participation or commitment, subject to peer pressure, unable to assume responsibility for their actions or who may have varied risk factors in their lives.

Community partnerships are key to success where youth with risk factors in their lives need a network of supports. Many Partners For Youth Inc. participants experience the joy of success for the first time. This success leads to developing skills enabling the youth to make positive choices and decisions, and in turn, richer lives. The improvement in student behavior among participants has a direct impact on classmates, teachers and families.

This year, PFY has received enthusiastic support from school districts, twenty-nine schools and over 250 youth in Kings, Queens, Saint John, Carleton, York, Sunbury, and Charlotte counties. PFY’s vision is to provide service to every county in the province. Westmorland, Kent and Northumberland Counties are anticipated to be next in line for inclusion.

Schools are responsible for selecting students to be involved in the year-round program. Students and teachers participate in eight hour modules, at no cost to the student. This year, forty students from five Saint John, Quispamsis and Rothesay schools have been participating, with more to come.

A major component is the “Summer Environmental Adventure Project”. It is the culmination of the program these youth have been working on since November 2006. It is a wilderness based experiential project which takes place on the world renowned St. Croix International Waterway, one of the most spectacular natural areas in New Brunswick, whose headwaters are on North Lake.

Students of elementary, middle and high schools take part in two, four and seven day programs. Most of these students are economically challenged and without support, would be unable to participate in this type of intervention. Ric Cuthbertson, President of the Board of Directors of Partners for Youth Inc. says, “for some it is the highlight of their summer …or even their year. For others it is simply an escape from a challenging living environment …but for all who experience the week long camp, it is an opportunity to learn, grow, develop positive self-esteem and gain the skills to make positive life choices.” Bob Manning has recently been appointed “Ambassador” for the Saint John region.

Participating youth explore the connection between the “Leave No Trace” ethic and living a life of minimum impact. They learn about habitats, develop conservationist attitudes, and symbiotic relationships, and develop a more thorough understanding of the intricacies of environmental balance. This exploration requires critical thinking, decision making, and communication, leading participants to valuable life long, sustainable practices. They spend time at the camp on North Lake, as well as canoeing and tenting overnight under the stars, along the St. Croix. The newest addition to the North Lake site will be large, four-season, permanent tents called Mongolian yurts. The largest, the lodge, will measure 7,000 sq. ft.

An adventurer from Saint John, who attended camp this summer, commented during a visit from Senator Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, " it was an amazing camp, we learned to not be afraid to do things that we had never done before. And we all accomplished new things that we have never done in our life before."

Funding support from foundations such The Wiggins Home Foundation, the Fredericton Community Foundation, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, along with businesses Ernst and Young, Cadillac Fairview, Chandler Sales, and CANlink Global, plus individuals and anonymous donations, have sustained the program.

“Partners for Youth Inc. summer camps are unique. The chance to experience some of New Brunswick’s most beautiful wilderness and waterways, combined with adventure and environmental education is priceless. Our participants are the centre of everything we do and the reason we exist” states John Sharpe, General Manager.

The Summer Environmental Adventure Project reaps rewards such as, youth who: are connected to their community, have improved relationships and increased self esteem, valued and contributing community members, environmentally aware and connected to their natural environment, share their experiences with others, successful and educated about themselves, better able to set and meet goals, make choices and decisions, relate well to others and create a responsible lifestyle.

For twenty-two years the members of the Saint John Kiwanis Club have organized a break from the more frantic and materialistic pre-Christmas activities for a reflective moment to savor the music, food, Christian fellowship and a spiritual message of this time of year. Len Lawson, a Kiwanian in his nineties, has been the driving force behind the Christmas Breakfast all this time, even from his sick-bed this year, the first one he missed. Tom Gallant has become his assistant and is hopeful all will go well without Len’s presence. He needn’t have worried. Some 260 tickets were sold, with practically no advertising and the ballroom of the Coastal Inn was full to overflowing last week. It’s not a money-maker for the club, but just one more way they give back to their community, as a service club which has been active in Saint John for seventy-nine years.

Mayors, civic, business, community and government leaders, Police and Fire Departments, CFB Gagetown Combat Centre and Key Industries were among the guests. Leigh Prescott, Lieutenant Governor Eastern Canada and Caribbean travelled from Moncton to join celebrities for the early morning affair. Kiwanis International is active in ninety-six countries and proud of their impressive stats: 150,000 plus projects, 6.2 million hours of volunteer time and $100 Million raised. The Lancaster, Sussex and St. Stephen clubs are part of this amazing effort, complemented by the local youth Key Club at St. Malachy’s High School.

Monsignor Brian Sheehan brought a message along with President Joanne Thompson’s words about Christmas and “the miracle of the birth of the Christ Child”. “In a society unused to waiting” he stated that “love involves waiting” and patience. Sarah Robertson, Elaine Boulanger and Barry Snodgrass provided wonderful Christmas music, including a group rendition of Silent Night, dedicated to Len Lawson.

The Saint John club proudly displays the names of those who have led them since 1927, an impressive group of community leaders. It is almost hard to conceive that their thirty-two members today, can manage to raise over fifty thousand dollars annually for their community projects. Joanne Thompson, the current President, states that children are their “favorite individuals”. Through fundraising, they support Juvenile Diabetes and the Saint John Regional Hospital’s Pediatric Department with approximately $5,000 annually each.

The Kiwanis Dental Program, with help from member Rick Northrup, covers treatment for about four Saint John area children a year, with severe or unusual dental conditions, often costing additional thousands of dollars per child.

They are one hundred percent behind the expansion of Key Industries, which is currently on the drawing boards and moving to the construction stage. It is one of their primary charitable causes, having been conceived of and built to help adults with physical and mental disabilities reach their full potential, thanks to their substantial efforts some thirty-three years ago. The leadership and vision of Kiwanian Phil Emmerson, on the project, has not been forgotten.

They also partner with Honda Canada to place thousands of children’s books in seven local schools. Another liason with Staples provided about $4,000 worth of school supplies in Districts 6 and 8 earlier this fall. As far away as Sri Lanka, the club works to benefit children, in this case, for a shelter and daily care. Some of the resources for all these projects comes from selling calendars at this time of year. They are chock full of cash prizes from $25-$1,000, discounts and deals and sell for $20. The Kiwanians sell them and also relieve shoppers from the stress of gift-wrapping at McAllister Mall, as a revenue-producer. This week will be one of their busiest as they carry on community service work right up until Christmas.

Take a guess... What organization has the most people affected by its operation in the entire East Saint John area? With a staff 260 strong added to some 475 being served it’s often overlooked by virtue of its “tucked away” layout and incorporation into the residential area in which it operates. It’s likely you didn’t think Loch Lomond Villa but yet it’s one of the most significant employers in the metropolitan Saint John area and providing critically important services to a growing segment of our population, the elderly and those needing varying measures of support with day-to-day living.

Thirty three years ago its doors opened, realizing a vision of the Simonds Lions Club for flexible living and a care facility for seniors. It took a community wide effort to become a reality and funding from governments, community and charitable groups to become New Brunswick’s largest seniors’ residence today. Overseen by a board of community leaders with support from a charitable foundation and board, along with continued Lions’ and Lioness’ backing, it’s little wonder that the Villa has evolved into a complex organization providing five distinct levels of care and services and an annual budget of more than $10 Million. King Lion Don Perrin outlined the goals of the clubs: to serve the community, support Loch Lomond Villa, where they are headquartered and to recruit new members, particularly youth. The alternative school, Woodlawn Centre, has been very supportive.

As a health services organization, Loch Lomond Villa participates every three years, in an accreditation process. This rigorous review includes a self-assessment followed by a survey visit. The survey itself includes a review of documentation, team interviews, facility tours and focus group meetings with various stakeholders. This accreditation process allows The Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA) and the Villa to evaluate the quality of its services by comparing them to nationally accepted standards.

Loch Lomond Villa completed the Accreditation Survey November 6th – 9th, 2005. The Board of Directors of the CCHSA advises that Loch Lomond Villa Incorporated has been granted a three-year accreditation status, its highest level and a distinct achievement. A celebration took place this week at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre when an award was presented. CEO Cindy Donovan says accreditation is a team effort engaging all of the two hundred and sixty staff. She is pleased that the New Brunswick Union of Public and Private Employees have just ratified a new collective agreement for four years.

Like any facility, large or small, the never-ending process of maintenance, upgrading and expansion has been a part of the last three decades. Three distinct types of residential settings are part of the sprawling complex, covering several acres. Independent, affordable apartment living is available in three buildings complete with complementary optional services like activities, entertainment, laundry, a chapel, country store and cafeteria services. An in-house Wellness Centre is a boon to those seeking the advice and care of a nurse or even physician as well as referrals to other health care specialists.

Specialized assisted living still offers independence but with help for meals and housekeeping. Almost half of Loch Lomond Villa’s residents require nursing care of some kind. Six wings provide a variety of nursing care. An Alzheimer’s unit and psycho-geriatric unit are highly specialized.

Not content to serve residents only, the Villa has spread its wings to the community with an array of Seniors Outreach Services for therapeutic, recreational and socialization activities. For families with elderly, isolated or disabled members it’s a chance to bring them out, meet new friends and try cooking, crafts, exercises, games, musical fun, companionship and just enjoying the warm, caring and stimulating atmosphere. Shelley Shillington, Manager of Community Relations, 643-7140, explains that individual needs and possible assistance with costs can be explored. The program is offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9-3pm, lunch and snacks included for $31 per day.

Dogwood Lane is one of the Villa’s largest nursing home units and was originally intended as a hostel. It has shared rooms, narrower doors and halls and now generally needing a major renovation. Under the combined volunteer leadership of Gerry Pond, Campaign Chair and with backing from Richard Burpee, Loch Lomond Villa Foundation Chair, and Eric Johnson, Chair of the Villa’s Board, a capital campaign has been underway to raise the $2 Million necessary to bring this wing to modern day nursing home standards. They are grateful for the generous gifts which are bringing them closer to their goal and working hard to achieve it. Mr. Johnson stresses the importance they attach to the Villa’s motto: “Quality to Life through Quality Service”.

CEO Cindy Donovan is excited about improvements she hopes will soon be announced for the High Rise Apartment Buildings One and Two. Supportive living is tops on the list of needs for seniors who are able to live independently but need a helping hand with meals and daily household chores. With dozens of bachelor-type apartments in the building, renovations and retrofitting could be the answer to this and a need for one bedroom semi-independent quarters.

Mrs. Donovan explains “Nursing homes are a place to come and live” (to the fullest) and stresses the quality of life that programs like the recently introduced Dream Program can make in the life of a senior. Conceived by a group of staff a year ago, it has helped fulfill long-held dreams for twelve seniors to date. As resident Betty Garnett says, “ Just because we live in a nursing home, doesn’t mean we don’t have dreams too”. From the kinds of community support the Villa has received over the last thirty three years, it’s evident our community shares the dream of building on our commitment to our seniors.

The challenge of cooking low-salt, low sugar or restricted fat meals can be bewildering as you stand in the health food aisle of your favorite supermarket peering at labels. You may have a broken arm or leg or be recovering from surgery or illness and food preparation is presenting problems. You may have a relative, neighbour or friend living alone who no longer has nutritious meals. You may just have a busy lifestyle or be unable to cope with meal preparation for other reasons. Where to turn for help? Community Meals on Wheels is the answer.

Since 1973, this organization has been serving the needs of such people with a daily hot meal at noon on weekdays or prepared frozen meals for evenings or weekends. As our senior population increases, this is a service which is bound to grow. And grow it has, with hot meals delivered in 2005 totaling 28,729! Debbie McFee, Executive Director, says the agency has also experienced an explosion in the demand for frozen meals. They may be specialized repasts for diabetics, those with high blood pressure (hypertension), or following a gluten free, low fat and other hard to prepare diets.

High quality, appropriate quantities, nutritionally balanced and delicious meals are the reasons people are coming back for “seconds” so to speak. In 2005, the trend for convenient, frozen meals rose to 13,372 servings, more than double the 2004 figure of 6,460.

Because the case is easy to make for Meals-On-Wheels, and cooking hundreds of meals at one time takes specialized facilities, ten health care facilities across Greater Saint John generously assist with meal preparation: Rocmaura, Turnbull Home, the Workers Rehabilitation Centre in Grand Bay-Westfield, St. Vincent’s Convent, Saint John Regional Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. John and St. Stephen Nursing Home, Centracare, Loch Lomond Villa and Ridgewood Veterans Wing. Each service day, volunteers pick up hot meals and prepared frozen meals for delivery to a specific route, handy to the meal-supplying agency.

One of the intangible benefits of the delivery is the socialization that takes place between volunteer driver and the meal recipient. It often is their only “people” contact of the day. Volunteers are perceptive to any changes that may indicate problems and provide a friendly and familiar face to the organization. There is always a need to recruit new volunteer drivers and flexibility is the order of the day. If a person can only volunteer for a limited time, certain months, routes or days of the week, every effort is made to be accommodating. Allison Hannah, coordinates this aspect of the service. It takes organizational skills and professionalism to juggle orders, deliveries, over 300 volunteers, storm days and unexpected changes. Between 10 and noon each day, phones can be ringing off the hook, so to speak, as last minute fine-tuning for meals and schedules frequently happens.

For several years, Community Meals on Wheels has been fortunate to have the support of Nissan Canada and Maple Leaf Nissan, which have generously subsidized a leased vehicle for the agency’s use. “We are extremely grateful for the corporate support” says Ms. McFee. “When charitable groups are constantly struggling to make ends meet, this is a great boost to our bottom line”, she added. With an annual budget of over $215,000 this year, it is an operation of considerable size.

In 2004, Meals on Wheels extended a helping hand to those on limited incomes, who are unable to pay for their meals, and may not meet the requirements for governmental assistance. This amounted to a generous $17,224 in subsidies. The group is proud to be a United Way agency, although they do not receive any direct financial assistance from them. Foundations like the Sir James Dunn Foundation and The Greater Saint John Community Foundation have helped along the way with special grants. All meals cost $6.

The Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Community Meals on Wheels, Boyd Trites, speaks for Board Chair, Karen Stephen, who is a dietician, and all the board, when describing a dream they share. It is to some day prepare and furnish meals from one central location. The group feels this would reduce costs, create efficiencies and make meals even more tasty and of uniform quality. They dream of a benefactor who might support a centre for food preparation through a gift, bequest or endowed fund. Mr. Trites is also a volunteer driver and estimates the average weekly client base at one hundred ten persons.

For information on meals, volunteering or contributing to Community Meals-on-Wheels contact: Debbie McFee or Allison Hannah at 658-1888, Linden Place, 199 Chesley Drive, Saint John

Saint John has a long and distinguished association with the arts, in spite of some perceptions to the contrary. It is home to at least six provincial arts/cultural organizations, and numerous local ones. The Saint John Art Club will soon be celebrating a century of fostering public knowledge, promotion and love of art. It began in1896, when a branch of Toronto’s Women’s Art Association was formed in Saint John.

The Saint John WAA held large annual exhibitions of paintings, ceramics, embroidery and artist manufacturers, including work from more than 100 artists from the local area and as far away as “Upper Canada”. Sketching trips, lectures on art, often accompanied by lantern slides, were regular activities. Lady Tilley, wife of Confederation Father, Sir Leonard Tilley, was a prominent member and President in 1903. As a major port, Saint John had developed close cultural ties with Europe, and other areas of the globe. Ships carrying lumber returned with immigrants, provisions and luxury items, such as paintings and books. Ship building merchants were successful, wealthy and involved in arts and cultural pursuits.

With this affluence came independence that led to The Saint John Art Club’s (SJAC) establishment in 1908. The first meeting, held at the Jarvis Building on Canterbury Street, attracted one hundred nine male and female art afficionados. By 1910 the Club’s numbers had risen to 200. The Club flourished, incorporating in 1912, and met monthly, as it still does today, explains Past President, Emma May Innis-Weisseneder.

One of their first initiatives was “incredibly significant” says the Director of the New Brunswick Museum, Jane Fullerton. They began to acquire a collection of paintings by well known Canadian, American and British artists. Many were donated by wealthy patrons, others were purchased by the Club. Their goal was to eventually find a permanent home for the collection.

In 1948 the New Brunswick Museum began what was to become a long and fruitful relationship. They invited the Art Club to mount exhibits and provided space for their meetings in the King George VI Hall. They also housed the works of art until 1978, with the exception of a brief period in the early seventies when the Art Club retained space in the DeForest Store on Prince William St., for use as an exhibition and studio space called “The Paint box”.

When the works were distributed to various locations around the city, members became concerned about storage and conservation, resulting in the restoration of some paintings and evaluation of the entire collection of some one hundred works. The valuable collection was donated to the New Brunswick Museum in 1994, enhancing their holdings and giving it a permanent home, accessible to the public.

The SJAC are very supportive of the teaching of art in the local schools. Some of its members are teachers who encourage students to study painting under local artists’ instruction. J. Mildred Anderson, of Princess Elizabeth School, sent a selection of paintings to Arthur Lismer, of the Group of Seven, at the instigation of Professor Lauren Harris, then at Mount Allison University. Under the patronage of the Mayor of Saint John and the Lieutenant-Governor, many children’s exhibitions were held.

Art outreach to the youth of the city continues to be a priority says John Noddin, the club’s President for the last five years. The SJAC has been sponsoring a student mentoring program during the summer months for six years. Eleven budding artists studying at post-secondary institutions like the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design or Mount Allison have acquired first hand knowledge from local artists and worked in the club’s galleries. This permits them to continue working on their art projects as well as sell their paintings. The club also awards a one thousand dollar scholarship annually to a young person entering a Fine Arts Program.

The SJAC maintain a library, present lectures, host art exhibitions, workshops, competitions, and a monthly newsletter. The Club manages the art and photo exhibits at the Atlantic National Exhibition each year and donates a Christmas Basket as Community Service Projects. They operate two galleries, thanks to donated space from Brunswick Square and Lancaster Mall. They are manned by member volunteers and artists weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The galleries contain an inviting display of framed original paintings in various mediums, oil, watercolour, and pastel. There is something for every taste from landscapes, still-life, smaller matted -only works and cityscapes to contemporary themes.

The Saint John Art Club is looking forward to special centennial events next year. The New Brunswick Museum will be mounting an exhibit of the club’s generous gift to our community, the SJAC permanent collection. Other exhibits and the bi-annual mini raffle are being planned. Their October meeting will feature a lecture on the Beaverbrook Gallery’s collection.

For info.: www.saintjohnartclub.com 634-1377

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The name says it all: Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Yet until the devastating effects of being a victim of an impaired person strike home, the impacts are not fully understood. Public education, lobbying for effective laws and counseling/victim services are the priorities for the Saint John Chapter of MADD, as the group is more colloquially known. Fredericton, Grand Manan, Sussex, Madawaska and Southeast NB have Chapters as well. MADD Canada’s mission is to stop impaired driving and to support victims of this violent crime.

The Saint John Chapter is totally volunteer-run. They received their official status in February 2003. This came as a result of the hard work of Karen Dunham and Denise Green, mothers of Jonathan and Michael (respectively), who survived a crash in September of 1999. It is proud to have their Past President, Karen Dunham, now occupying the national presidency. Chuck Crawford, President for more than a year, is pleased that their ranks are growing. He knows the full impacts of being the victim of a collision. While waiting in line at a police checkpoint on the Reversing Falls Bridge some fifteen years ago, his car was hit and totaled. The driver had seven previous convictions for impaired driving.

Crawford had just started a new business. Health insurance and other benefits were low on his priority list. That made the effects of being hospitalized and off work for physiotherapy very significant. He now admits that many men, and women, are not getting the counseling they need to cope with the anger and feelings of loss they experience. “MADD is more than willing to provide trained counselors” he says. We’re here to give the help they need. It’s been a big help to me personally.”

This week, Mrs. Dunham is in Western Canada, making the case for legislation which would allow temporary license suspensions and get drunk drivers off the road quickly without necessarily being convicted of an offense. Part of the difficulty in taking away driving privileges is that it removes some people from their livelihoods and often results in illegal driving with no insurance or license. Provincially, MADD is advocating for mandatory, not voluntary, ignition interlock systems on vehicles. Repeat convicted drunk drivers. would be tested each time they get behind the wheel for blood alcohol and, if present, the car would not operate. This system would permit them to work and earn a living when driving is a necessity for their jobs.

Targeting young people and nipping a problem in the bud is part of MADD’s philosophy. Nationally, they offer the seventy MADD chapters across Canada multi-media big-screen presentations. Last year Saint John High , Harbourview, Rothesay and Kennebecasis Valley high schools watched wide-eyed as peers presented real-life horror stories of the effects of drinking or being under the influence of drugs. Speaking teen to teen about an Ontario tragedy involving the loss of five young lives makes a powerful statement. The effects on the community, friends and family are gripping. President Chuck Crawford says the message is “take care of your friends and don’t let them do something stupid”.

This year, Hampton, St. Malachy’s and Fundy High Schools will see another presentation. It takes dollars to produce, deliver and man professional productions like this and each chapter must raise funds to bring them to their communities. On Saturday, June 3, starting at 9am, volunteers are soliciting pledges for “Strides for Change”. Alice Butler-Gallant, Chairperson for the event, will be thinking of her sister-in-law, who was killed at eighteen, as she crossed a street from a friend’s house. The five km. uptown walk begins and ends at Market Square, following part of the Lower Cove Loop. The Running Room is joining forces with forty runners. Refreshments will be offered at its conclusion. The goal is $5,000 and all are welcome to participate. The next MADD meeting takes place at their Linden Place office, 199 Chesley Dr. on Tuesday, June 13 at 7pm. For information call 672-6188, 1-800-665-6233 or www.MADD.ca

MADD offers programs for victims’ services, public awareness, legal research, chapter services and youth services.

An average of almost 4 Canadians are killed each day and close to 190 injured each day, due to crashes involving alcohol or drugs.

Sporting leis and tee shirts promoting an upbeat “can do” outlook on life, community members from all walks of life gathered yesterday to hear unique and personal stories on staying mentally healthy. Ron Turcotte, the legendary toast of the equestrian world, Triple Crown winner and recipient of the Order of Canada; Dr. Ed Doherty, MLA, athlete extraordinaire and successful survivor of a spinal cord injury, joined Judith Mackin, one of the ten most influential people in Saint John’s art and culture world, as they kicked off the “Mindpower” event.

The standing room only crowd was hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation’s Community Health Centre. They both advocate for overcoming life’s challenges with happy, healthy and happening minds. Rachel Cave Bauer, Sue and Kathy Hooper, Brent Mason, Kim McCarville, Dr. Ed Smith, Susan Holmes, Dr. Shawn Jennings and Lieutenant Governor Hermenegilde Chaisson all shared inspirational messages. A Stages of Life exhibit drew lots of attention for the hundreds who attended.

Dr. Joseph Aicher, a newly arrived and welcome addition to the Department of Psychiatry, was credited by Sue Haley LaJoie, Director of Mental Health Services, AHSC, to be the idea person behind the one day “Rally” and interactive displays at Market Square. “We have great examples of those who tackled and mastered life challenges and identified what was helpful for them” he said.

Judith Mackin got a standing ovation and recommended associating with caring, healthy people and positive influences. “It doesn’t require wealth or education, just the desire to change” she says. Her Dad’s advice that “finding true happiness came from helping others” guides her life. Dr. Ed Doherty believes “a strong body contributes to a strong mind”. He advocates exercise to relieve anxiety. He says a sense of being normal and accepted by friends and peers, regardless of disabilities, is essential. Sports like skiing, swimming, scuba diving, fishing and biking are great activities to consider. Ron Turcotte credits his wife and family’s support after a tragic accident ended his stellar career as a jockey. He told them “it’s my back that I broke, not my head”. His determination and grounding, growing up in rural New Brunswick, led to his conviction that “you have to feel good in your own skin.” Those present were visibly touched by the “hometown” hero who traveled two hundred kilometres to deliver his mental health message.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), founded in 1918, is one of the oldest voluntary organizations in Canada. Each year, it provides direct service to more than 100,000 Canadians through the combined efforts of more than 10,000 volunteers and staff across Canada in over 135 communities.

As a nation-wide, voluntary organization, the Canadian Mental Health Association and its Saint John organization, promote the mental health of all and support the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. The National CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research and service. They have adopted a Vision: Mentally Healthy People In a Healthy Society.

Nationally, the Canadian Mental Health Association focuses on combating mental health problems and emotional disorders. The tools include research and information services, sponsored research projects, workshops, seminars, pamphlets, newsletters and resource centres.

The CMHA’s programs assist with employment, housing, early intervention for youth, peer support, recreation services for people with mental illness, stress reduction workshops and public education campaigns for the community.

In addition, the CMHA acts as a social advocate to encourage public action and commitment to strengthening community mental health services and legislation and policies affecting services. All their mental health projects are based on principles of empowerment, peer and family support, participation in decision-making, citizenship, and inclusion in community life.

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Saint John Branch, has existed since 1960 and currently makes its home in the City Hall building. They are a voluntary, non-profit organization. Information on mental health issues and a referral service are provided to individuals who are trying to access resources in Greater Saint John.

Offering, free of charge, eight - ten week psycho-education/support programs like: “Depression: Help Can Make a Difference”, “Understanding Anxiety and Panic Disorder” and “Hope and Healing: Coping with the Suicide of a Loved One” can give hope and help to those affected by mental illness. These were made available to over 115 participants in 2004-05 thanks to a generous grant from MindCare NB.

The Saint John CMHA coordinated educational conferences and seminars last year for 707 participants. Topics such as Mental Wellness in the Workplace, Challenging Behaviors in Children and Youth, Motivational Interviewing and Seniors and Mental Health were explored.

Community awareness sessions held in Grand Bay-Westfield, Saint John, KV and Hampton looked at signs, symptoms and available community services relating to Depression and Anxiety. Other community education sessions on topics such as: Dispelling the Myths of Mental Illness, Stress/Time Management, Work-Life Balance, Wellness Series – ‘In Tune’ demonstrate their conviction that public education is critical.

For young people over sixteen years of age, in our local schools, where negative perceptions are common, the CMHA offers factual information regarding mental illness and opportunities to hear personal stories from persons living with mental illness or a family member. More than four hundred students benefited from this program last year.

The Saint John Branch is also committed to systems advocacy. Improving the quality of life for people living with mental health issues or illnesses by championing changes to Income Assistance Policies, meeting with a Community Advisory Committee or the Provincial CMHA Advocacy Committee can all have positive impacts.

The senseless tragedy of suicide has touched the lives of many Saint John area high school students this year. The CMHA can help. The Executive Director, Sherry LaPointe Booy, a certified trainer, chairs the local suicide prevention committee and facilitates two-day suicide intervention workshops. The local Branch also offers suicide awareness sessions.

The YM-YWCA-Pass Program, coordinated by CMHA for people with mental illness who are living on a limited income, is offered free to mental Health Consumers due to a generous grant from MindCare NB. One hundred twenty participants took advantage of the offer last year.

With so many educational programs, the three staff persons are busy. They rely heavily on the volunteer efforts of a fifteen person Board of Directors, headed by Terry MacNeill. Collectively they contribute some thirteen hundred hours of service per year. A partnership with UNB-Saint John’s Department of Nursing offers student placements. Funding comes from United Way of Greater Saint John, grants from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, Skate to Care, Curl for The Mental Health of It, government employment programs, In Memoriam donations and the Sisters of Charity.

Mental Health Week is being celebrated May 1-7, 2006. Almost everyone knows a person, loved one, friend or neighbour who suffers from this very real illness that is gradually coming out of the closet. Sherry LaPoint Booy states “reducing the stigma and accessing the services with no barriers” is the most important role they can play. This week, take control of your health and take control of your mind.

For information and to learn about a new tool kit for mental health promotion contact: The Canadian Mental Health Association., Suite 1501, City Hall Building, Saint John, NB E2L 1E8, Telephone: (506) 633-1705, E-mail: cmha@nb.aibn.com www.cmhasj.ca

Weekdays after school, in the evening, on Saturdays, and sometimes even on Sundays, the doors of the Gothic Arches, formerly Centenary Queen Square United Church, in Uptown Saint John, are open for those with a love of dance. Students of all ages come from a wide geographical area and social backgrounds, interested in studying dance, although not necessarily pursuing a dance career. They realize that dance is a discipline, and enjoy the challenge. They definitely like to have fun, but they come to classes for more than a good time, and many students are very dedicated to their chosen art.

In 1995, a production, Port City Summer Dance, directed by Lucie Ward and Andrea Webster Scott, provided the impetus for a new initiative in the performing arts community. Mrs. Scott, the heart and soul of the fledgling group, remained in Saint John, becoming the founder and director of Port City Dance Academy (PCDA).

As a professional, educational and artistic institution, staff, students, and Board of Directors are committed to high quality dance education. The full development of technique, artistry and creativity, within each student, from all sectors of our community is their goal. Classical ballet, modern dance, and other dance styles produce dancers and choreographers for local performances, other dance programs, professional schools, and companies and add to the artistic fabric of our community. They provide a positive, creative, and non-competitive physical outlet and form of expression for some 75 young people and about 200 adults in Greater Saint John, yearly. They are exposed to other performing and visual arts, fostering awareness of and appreciation for all art forms.

PCDA also has an affiliated youth dance company and performing ensemble, Felicita. It incorporated as a charitable organization in 1996, the only such group in the city. The name was chosen by the founding dancers - it is Italian for Joy! Striving for artistic as well as technical excellence, Felicità has performed locally and regionally on many stages, for many important causes.

Made up of PCDA's most dedicated young dancers, auditions for Felicità are open to any student taking at least two ballet classes per week. Performances and rehearsals require considerable commitment from the dancers, and their parents/chauffeurs.

Keeping student tuition and extra fees down, the highest financial integrity and classes accessible to many people, are goals for which PCDA strives. Students taking more than one class weekly receive a discount. They are welcome to apply for bursaries/scholarships, or to make special financial arrangements when necessary.

Building and maintaining a PCDA Fund for talented, but financially challenged students, is their dream. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has contributed to this fund and brought a love of dance to fruition for about a dozen local youth. “We thank the foundation,” says Mrs. Scott, “what the students take away is more than dancing...it’s a chance to have positive experiences with students from all over our community.” She adds, “a group of students from Prince Charles School participated in ballet lessons... their self-esteem was strengthened....It will be a life-long memory for them”.

The volunteer Board of Directors, with the leadership of Paula Holder, willingly donate their time, enabling PCDA build future audiences and community support for dance and other art forms, and contributing to Saint John's arts community.

What makes PCDA unique and different from other dance schools in the Saint John area? They emphasize technical aspects of dance training and the craft of dance with small classes and a low turnover of students. They believe competitions and exams are not necessarily an integral part of dance training, preferring a positive, non-competitive atmosphere. Ballet classes are based on the syllabus of the Cecchetti Classical Ballet Faculty of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. The primary focus is on ballet, although modern dance, creative movement, and workshops in jazz and ethnic dancing are offered.

At school recitals, students perform choreography or classwork, suitable for their level of technique and maturity, rather than elaborate productions. Music and dancing are the most important elements. Sets, costumes, and lighting are secondary, simple and effective. The quality is high but the cost to the student, comparatively low. Costumes rented from PCDA’s growing wardrobe, for a small fee, can be mended or altered by their volunteer sewing committee and re-used many times.

Junior students, aged 5-10, are mainly recreational. They learn basic ballet positions and movements, encouraging creativity, developing musicality and having fun. Middle students, aged 10-13, develop strength, flexibility, and skilled movement. Senior students, over14, both recreational and enrichment, are fewer in number. Some train every day and join Felicità. In exchange, they are expected to have good attendance, complete occasional assignments, and help out around the studio.

Andrea Scott, founder and Artistic Director of Port City Dance Academy and Felicità, is a graduate of The National Ballet School's prestigious Teacher Training Program and the University of Waterloo. She is an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Cecchetti Society Classical Ballet and National Dance Faculties. Mrs. Scott has taught at and choreographed for schools and festivals in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and worked with such local musical and theatrical groups as Opera New Brunswick, The New City Theatre Company, Fourth Avenue, The Friends of Music, the KV Players and Dansing. She is assisted by Georgia Rondos, Resident Choreographer and Senior Teacher.

The Resource Centre for Youth or TRC as the teens who named it affectionately call it, has definitely got our community on board. About eight years ago a group of caring professionals at The Community Health Centre, located beside St. Joseph’s Hospital identified a need to work more closely with the young teens of our community as part of their new mission. They were attuned to youth from the inner city, others needing more family-like support or just simply a safe, caring, and nurturing place to hang out with their peers. Monica Chaperlin, who directed the Centre, knew kids who had no one to welcome them at their empty home, lacked self-esteem, needed oversight with homework, could be negatively influenced by drugs or alcohol, lacked knowledge and practical health information, were hungry, cold, abused, sick or just yearned for a place where they felt they belonged. They clearly needed help to reach their full potential. And it wasn’t long before the community recognized how important it was to bring these young people along that road to success.

Before long, a needs assessment was completed, a community steering committee sprung up, studies were commissioned, the need was clearly confirmed and programs were introduced. And there was no shortage of young people! They streamed in after school quickly adapting to any available spaces at the former hospital, including the basement, eagerly signing up for every imaginable kind of course or program and just glad to be together. Appropriate supervision and instruction was needed, programs had to be designed, based on research and best practices, and funds had to be identified. “Much of the strong response by young people has been due to their active participation in the needs studies and in the design of the TRC model, thus giving reality to the TRC slogan of For Youth -- By Youth” said Paschal Chisholm, former Principal of St. John The Baptist King Edward School.

He was very familiar with the inner city’s youth and their needs and soon signed on to help. He is still involved as the Chair of the Business Community Anti-Poverty’s Youth Poverty Working Group. With his leadership, and now help from the TRC Board headed by Moosehead’s Joel Levesque, the concept of a Teen Resource Centre is their choice for providing the best long-term impact for young people in Greater Saint John. The dream is to provide programs for youth and bring under one roof, many of the diversified services offered by such New Brunswick Departments as Health, Education and Employment and Training. A “one stop shopping” concept is becoming reality thanks to people like Bob Buck, Scott Crawford, Patrick Grannan, Sharon Jacques, Randy Hatfield, Greg Hierlihy, Lucie Mathurin-Ring, Pat McGill David Merrithew, Debbie Murphy-Eden, Jackie Oland, Mike Robichaud and Mike Wowchuk.

To make a case for such a centre would be a challenge. It proved to take patience, collaboration and determination on the part of community volunteers, professionals working with youth, various levels of government, charitable groups, service clubs and youth. Funding from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation on several occasions in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005 helped build the case and sustain the cause. In 2002 the Saint John Rotary Club, soon to celebrate its centennial and looking for a special project on which to devote their time and resources for the good of the community, called for proposals. The Resource Centre for Youth was the finalist.

Rotary President Mike Schulze, past presidents and members have made an extraordinary commitment to raise $.5Millon to help purchase a property, hold the mortgage and develop the site to suit a $1.7 Million Centre designed to meet the needs of the city’s young people. Lino Celeste, a well-known business leader and community volunteer has agreed to be Honourary Chair of the fund-raising drive. “The vision for the TRC is simple” said Mr. Celeste, “it will provide greater opportunities for youth, integrate and strengthen existing youth programs and give all Saint John youth a chance to succeed”. When Mr. Celeste completed ten years as Chair of The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, he was presented with a retirement gift, a cheque for the TRC project in appreciation of his efforts on behalf of the community and the foundation.

After many dead end searches for just the right building, location and property, the group began to think construction of a new facility would be required, an even more costly venture. But along came the former St. Joseph’s School, on Richmond St., which combined space, easy access, green areas and a central location. The Rotary Club became the purchaser, matched by major partners, the governments of Canada and New Brunswick. At 30,000 sq. ft. on three floors there will be room to spare for rental of 10,000 sq. ft. The teens are excitedly discussing room layouts, paint colors and renovations. Pat McGill, Atlantic Health Sciences Administrative Director of Women and Children’s Program is enthusiastic. “It’s going to be a centre of excellence” she says.

Scott Crawford, Youth Development Manager at the Community Health Centre-based TRC reports at least ten program offerings designed to meet the needs of today’s youth are being offered at the Centre. It amounts to over 14,000 youth contacts to date. “We are bursting at the seams” he says of the some five hundred registered at the TRC. “The population we have need a supportive environment, a second family. Every time they’ve done something to make me proud, they go out and do something more amazing” he adds, in reference to a teen cancer victim and TRC regular who has received special support. With help from Stephanie Hoellwarth, Marina Burchill, Leslie Oland and Payce Yeoman, the centre is a beehive of activity.

Enrolling in a program or receiving a service is absolutely free. Self development programs help improve self worth, build healthy relationships, independence, leadership qualities and confidence, understand sexuality, achieve successful school grades, be creative through drawing, art, writing or cooking, manage stress or anger and establish goals. A computer Access Centre offers information technology, tutorials, resume writing and internet access. The TRC Zone Teen Drop-in program advertises : “Where no adult goes unsupervised” Monday to Friday from 3:15-7pm. Several grants from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation help provide hungry teenagers with nutritious snacks. The RBC Foundation has been generous in awarding grants to help with operating expenses, $34,000 in 2004 and $28,000 in 2005. IBM, Delta Brunswick, JD Irving, Atlantic Health Sciences Corp., Kiwanis, Mindcare and many others have been very supportive.

The teens have devised a fundraiser based on the popular real estate board game with a local twist and named it “Saint John on Board”. It’s a great gift with a Saint John connection for guest speakers and can bring a touch of hometown to expatriates. The goal is $70,000 to be earmarked for programming. The “opoly”-type games are selling at Sobey’s stores for $35 with all proceeds to the TRC says June Breau Nason, project coordinator for the TRC. There no doubt Saint John is “On Board” for the Resource Centre for Youth project!

Our community has a long tradition of support for The Arts. Music and the visual arts have been nurtured since the earliest times in Saint John, in spite of the city’s often mistaken identity as a “blue collar town”. Symphonic music has been enjoyed for decades. A strong base of talent, both locally developed and imported, has provided an added dimension to our community since The Saint John Symphony was founded over fifty years ago. It became Symphony New Brunswick, almost twenty years ago, its 37 members performing regularly in major cities like Moncton, Fredericton and sometimes smaller centres across the province, while based here in Saint John.

An impressive forty two performances comprise the 2005-6 season for the province’s only symphony orchestra. With the economic impact of an annual budget of over $600,000, it takes a great deal of resources and dedication on the part of professionals, non-professionals (those who do not derive their main income from playing music), support staff and the community to bring symphonic music of excellence to our province. Amazingly, ticket sales account for only about 40% of the revenue of this and most Canadian symphony orchestras.

A “Meet The Conductor” program last fall, partially sponsored by The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, introduced Stephane Laforest, the personable and talented new Maestro, to his audiences, sponsors, patrons, subscribers, volunteers and key community leaders. He has been described as “delightful, considerate, enthusiastic, respectful, bilingual, and an asset in moving the symphony forward”. The presence of a vibrant arts community and professional artists means adding an attractive element to Saint John’s quality of life, which often can tip the scales in our favor for prospective new residents and businesses considering a move.

The Saint John String Quartet is associated with Symphony New Brunswick, its professional musicians playing in both groups. Yet it is a separate and active entity in its own right, providing high level classical music through 21 live performances in 2005-6, recordings and education to thousands of admirers each year. They won the East Coast Music Award for “Best Classical Recording”, have participated in major national and international tours, and presented the first chamber music concert on the World Wide Web through the internet. They are Quartet in Residence at UNB-Saint John and prominent as soloists, educators and adjudicators.

The members of the String Quartet are husband and wife, David and Sonja Adams, Christopher Buckley and Ericka Low. David is the Symphony’s Concertmaster and a Violinist, Sonja Principal Cello, Ericka Principal Violin and Chris Principal Viola. The Adams, being parents of a young family, and actively involved in summer music camps and youth orchestras, have opened the doors of many young minds to the marvels of classical music. Exposure to music at a young age is stimulating and challenging for a young person’s development and provides for a lifetime of appreciation and enjoyment. David sums up their work as characterized by “respect, determination in providing excellence and a love for the music”.

Almost a year ago the Quartet conceived of a Project to produce a Compact Disc. Their third, it would feature Pucinni’s “Crisantemi”, Respighi’s “Tramonto” with Mezzo Soprano and Respighi’s “String Quartet in D major”. Both are 19th century composers. Sally Dibblee is the featured Mezzo Soprano. With support from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, The Fredericton Community Foundation, Moncton Symphony Foundation, J.M.& C.W. Hope Grant Insurance and TD Canada Trust, it has become a reality. Ericka and Chris agree that “creating a CD pushes you beyond your limits musically, physically and emotionally” and “an intense experience”, which will be helpful in their overall career development for years to come.

The Quartet has received financial support ($2,500) from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation to provide 100 CD’s, which will be distributed to schools in District 6 and 8 as a learning tool for 50 live in-school concerts and musical demonstrations to some 10,000 local children (per year). The CD’s will be kept at the school libraries and re-played long after the Quartet’s actual in-person appearance at each school. Irving Oil and Aliant are valued sponsors of the in-school programs. David likens the experience of hearing classical music for the first time to the excitement and apprehension of attending ones first Sea Dogs game. “We help young people develop a comfort level and break down barriers to try a new form of entertainment”, he added.

Dr. Thomas Condon, President and Board Chair of Symphony New Brunswick is “enthusiastic” about them and calls the Quartet “an intrinsic and vital part of the symphony as principal strings.... they have made a considerable contribution to our region and continue to develop in our young people around the province an appreciation for classical music through activities such as the “For The Record Project”. Michael Molloy, Fine Arts Consultant for School District 8 “very much appreciates” their contribution to the work of his music specialists. David Ripley, Fine Arts Supervisor for School District 6 notes that the 24 schools spanning Rothesay, Quispamsis, Kingston, Belleisle, Hampton, Norton, Apohaqui, Sussex and Sussex Corner have formed “a special bond” with the Quartet through their numerous school demonstrations during the academic year.

This Monday, January 16, the Quartet will launch their new CD at 10am in the Red Room of City Hall. All are welcome. It will be an occasion to acknowledge the dedication and contributions of all those associated with symphonic music and its significance for our community.

The soft beige sand at the end of Market Slip did not wash in on Bay of Fundy waves. It is the result of the dedicated efforts of a group who defy the cool Fundy summer air five days a week and offer eighty-five teams, and the community at large, a wonderful recreational opportunity. Now in its fourteenth year, John Mihichuk and Rolf Spangenberg, the Co-Chairs of the group, continue to spearhead “Volleyball On The Boardwalk” in Uptown Saint John. Most summer evenings, teams can be seen between the Coast Guard property and Market Square, as they play in one hour segments on the three “courts”.

It began when the beached tugboat, which served for a time as a bar, was removed. The resulting space, then a rocky wasteland, appealed to Mihichuk and Spangenberg for its recreational potential. They enlisted the Saint John YM-YWCA and Kent Staal to provide the administrative support. Since its inception, the YMCA-YWCA of Saint John has been a key part of “Volleyball on the Boardwalk”. The concept works well with its philosophy and supports the community development mission of the Y. Monica Hitchcock, the former Canadian Olympic Women’s Volleyball team captain, Dana Purton-Dickson (now Director of Quispamsis Recreation), Cathy Taylor and Chris Long were part of the original organizing group.

With the help of Jane Hanley and Roly McIntyre, a federal program supplied the labour, the sand was trucked in and the court area was laid out. It started with space for one court and eventually expanded to the present three. The sand is a special mix concocted by LaFarge, and supplied by the City, to exacting specifications. Grannan’s have provided a refreshment stand, Sand & Slip, and have been a sponsor since Day One. Over the years, sponsors include: the City of Saint John, Market Square, Labatt, Pepsi, Coke, Tim Horton’s and The Wave. Beach Volleyball is gaining popularity and has now expanded independently to the West Side and Quispamsis.

With the aid of sponsors and the growing popularity of beach volleyball, it is an anchor for the Market Slip area, supporting our community’s Waterfront Development and “Vision of the Inner Harbour”. The Organizing committee provides both recreational and competitive volleyball to as many citizens as possible through: fun tournaments, leagues, special events and general use. John Mihichuk says the goals include providing physical activity, positive recreation and entertainment in Uptown Saint John. Peter Asimakos of Uptown Saint John supports such initiatives as key to attracting people to the Uptown and keeping it vital and alive. Businesses recognize the value of bringing in potential patrons.

The City realizes that offering young adults recreational opportunities helps attract and retain a key segment of our population. It also discourages vandalism and negative activities. Rolf Spangenberg adds “Everybody’s welcome. The school kids are having a ball”. Kent Staal, General Manger of the YMCA-YWCA says, “children, youth and teens from Summer Day Camps, high schools and the Y Daycare, to corporate and community fundraising teams, use the courts and love it. There is nothing like going to the beach in the middle of the city”. With seating along the boardwalk, it’s also an entertaining spectator sport.

The eighty-five competitive teams are divided into five leagues: recreational co-ed, intermediate co-ed, competitive co-ed, ladies twos and ladies fours. A team can have many members, rotating play, four at one time (the ladies twos are an exception). At any given time, there are eight players on a “court”. Teams play the best of three games in a one hour period, once a week. League teams have interesting names and individual sponsors. Tournaments often take place on weekends. To play during daytime or non-league time slots, interested parties can contact the Y. There is no charge.

Mr. Mihichuk says the co-ed teams are the most popular and the rules “somewhat relaxed”. However he attributes the longevity of the league to hiring qualified referees. What he doesn’t add is that the unflagging enthusiasm and dedication of the organizing committee and coordination of the “Y”, which handles registration, fees, scheduling, referees and finances, has been critical to their success. Team registration is $200. Any excess funds are contributed to the “Y”. Individual players are encouraged to associate with a team. Registration begins on April 2 on a first-come first served basis. Play extends from May 26-August 26.

For decades, The Salvation Army has been synonymous with the true Christmas spirit in Saint John and other New Brunswick centres. Louisa Burton of The Family and Community Services Saint John office sums up the kind of spirit she has encountered while in our community “I have never known a place like Saint John for looking after their own. The people here are second to none. Whenever there is a need, they are there” she said.

Whether it’s Community Church Ministries, Christmas Assistance, Community and Family Services, Addiction and Rehabilitation Services, Family Tracing Services, Services For The Homeless, Correctional & Justice Services,
Emergency and Disaster Relief or Recycling & Thrift Stores, Child Care Services, Chaplaincy Services, Services to Seniors or War Services Remembered, The Salvation Army has been serving communities since 1865 and are active in over one hundred countries, all provinces of Canada and twenty seven communities in the Maritimes.

In Saint John, The Salvation Army operates two Thrift Stores at Lansdowne Plaza and Parkway Mall, as part of a national recycling program. Efforts and income are shared with Salvation Army operations across the country. The Booth Centre on St. James St. provides accommodation and support to forty individuals, many on a long-term basis. The late Nancy Clark Teed, NB Minister of Health, was very supportive of it, knowing that alternative shelter, particularly in times of urgent need, is not easy to find.

Community and Family Services, headed by Louisa Burton, Social Services Ministry Coordinator, is available on Waterloo St. every day. The Friendship Room at 27 Prince Edward St. offers companionship and refreshments, 9am-2pm weekdays, for all in need of a break. Next door, The Salvation Army Community Church, headed by Captains Chris and Tina Rideout, is a place of worship for 80-100 each Sunday. “What really draws people is worshipping Christ through song and music” says Connie Erb. Mrs. Erb grew up in a “Salvation Army brought-up home”. Her grandfather wore their uniform with pride as a non-commissioned officer and played for services. The Worship Band and Brass Band are active today at community and church gatherings.

Connie Erb has been a quiet force for doing good through her church since childhood. She remembers the church on Brinley St., near Haymarket Square, in the forties and later, consolidation with other Saint John community churches, to one place of worship. In those days, families did not cook on Sundays and attended church two or three times a day. “We were brought up to look after one another, there was a feeling of family at The Salvation Army and it’s still there; it’s amazing” she says. Mrs. Erb has chaired or participated in many S.A. boards locally, including the Advisory Board, the “eyes and ears” of the community, a role now filled by Cst. Cathy Hayward of the Saint John Police Force. She led the drive to form an Auxiliary, a helpful supporter of local S.A. causes; headed the Red Shield Appeal and sits on the Booth Centre Community Council. Diana Alexander is the current Chair of the Auxiliary.

“It boggles your mind, people are so supportive. I could hardly get in the door of the Prince Edward St. office this week, it was so filled with donations for the victims of the Sydney St. fire” Connie stated. One benefactor and long-time supporter is Mrs. Jean Irving. Not one to seek the limelight, she has quietly and humbly been “an inspiration” to many says Mrs. Erb. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation recognized Mrs. Irving’s many community-spirited efforts by awarding her with their “Community Service Award” in 2003. The foundation’s award included a gift to The Salvation Army’s Turkey Drive and has been given in the last two subsequent years as well. The appeal of The Salvation Army to donors and supporters is the way they relate to everyone from all walks of life without discrimination in their time of need. “We are all equal and part of doing good things” Mrs. Erb concluded.

Donations from the Turkey Drive are directed to distributing 500 turkeys and the accompanying meal costs for more than 500 families already registered in the Greater Saint John area. This Christmas season a goal of $67,000 has been set for the Annual Christmas Kettle Drive. If the usual local generosity prevails, donations will support local services during the year for approximately 6,600 clients currently registered with The Salvation Army in Saint John and any shortfall from the Turkey Drive fundraising. Vouchers for food, Thrift Store goods and clothing are included in services provided through the Red Kettle Campaign. Many volunteers give their time to collect at the kettle locations around town, including Saint John Firefighters local 771 and volunteers from the Rothesay Regional Fire Department. Louisa Burton paid tribute to other generous contributors like Air Canada, Irving Oil and Maritime Broadcasting.

The Saint John Family Services office (634-7166) will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s until January 3, giving volunteers and officers a much needed rest after many 12-15 hour days. It is possible to donate any time online (www.SalvationArmy.ca or www.maritime.salvationarmy.ca) or by calling toll-free 1-800-Sal-Army (1-800-725-2769) and still direct your gift to the Saint John area. Diane van der Horden of the Halifax Headquarters explains that a national call centre helps with coordination, efficiency and saves The Salvation Army precious dollars for other causes.

This week mountains of gifts and freezers full of turkeys, some even stored in boxes in a secure inner courtyard, await those who are counting on the Salvation Army’s help again this Christmas.

A large pan of squares and box full of five dozen sweets lie temptingly on the spotlessly clean counter. They are the products of a unique social enterprise. The Business Venture Group, Options Employment Outreach and Simply Good Catering have teamed up to offer opportunities for individuals coping with mental illnesses, to be gainfully employed in the food service sector.

Simply Good Catering started as a Community Economic Development Initiative of the Saint John Human Development Council. It has been operating since 2000. The current business manager is Wendy Fox. She is responsible for advertising, promotion, shopping and deliveries. Working for Simply Good “gives staff a sense of respect for themselves... they are achieving something” says Ms. Fox. Carol Ferris is the kitchen manager. It takes unique skills, patience, lots of understanding and business sense to keep such an operation going. The working team gain “a sense of independence” she adds. Both women offer Simply Good excellent backgrounds in the food and finance sectors.

They are proud to have passed the Department of Health’s recent inspection with flying colors. About twelve current members/workers work regularly serving meals, snacks and catering for a variety of food service contracts. Each of the team has taken a health and safety course. The food is delicious, portions are generous and the costs reasonable. For example, a three course roast beef dinner for a local group was $17 per person. Coffee breaks of muffins, buns, fruit and drinks are about $3.50 per person. Their Christmas project is selling delectable boxes of five dozen assorted sweets for $25. Colorful snowballs, fruit bon bons, almond logs, cherry balls, frogs and squares add eye and taste appeal. Proceeds are going to their operation and to give back to Mindcare/Skate to Care as a thank you for their support.

A great deal of work and support from various funding agencies was involved in the development of the Simply Good concept and business plan since 1999. Patricia Allan-Clark, who was working for the Saint John Human Development Council at the time, was a key initiator of the concept. She currently is Manager of The Open Door Club, on Duke St., a related organization which offers a work-focused program for adults coping with mental illness. The Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation offers support through their Mental Health Program to such groups. MindCare augments this funding.

The mission of the Business Venture Group is to develop businesses that people coping with mental health issues may own and use to employ other people with mental health issues, developing a feeling of self-esteem and independence, while providing a service to the community. Simply Good's premise, as the name suggests, is to provide good, basic food at a decent price, with friendly service and community spirit.

Successes for Simply Good Catering in the past year include: over 25 food service contracts for lunches, coffee breaks and snacks with several contracts pending. Forty -two individuals have participated in the business, 18 of which have gone on to find employment. These 42 persons, many of whom live in poverty, have experienced a reduction in hospitalization, visits to the doctor and crisis situations. Their self–esteem has increased, they have learned new skills and they are taking ownership and pride in this venture. They have a reason to get up in the morning.

Options Employment Outreach has been a valuable partner in the operation of Simply Good Catering since 2003. A non-profit organization, mainly funded by the Province of New Brunswick’s Department of Post Secondary Education ,Training and Labour, it supports individuals with disabilities in finding employment. Some of their clients are the members/workers of Simply Good Catering.

Employees gain experience, life skills and community connections through training, coaching and support at Simply Good Catering. By operating out of the former Centenary Queen Square Church (Gothic Arches), it keeps costs down. It has acquired excellent equipment, impressive uniforms, good kitchen facilities and has developed a demand for their catering services. They provide lunch regularly for School District functions and have catered for three course dinners of up to 130 persons. They are averaging two to three contracts per week.

The Board of Directors of the Business Venture Group, which includes representation from Options Outreach, Atlantic Health Sciences and the community is looking to gather more business representation. They believe this will further strengthen their alternative business model, reduce the need for subsidies from MindCare and AHSC and spawn other ventures.

It’s graduation day this week in the “deep south” for eleven tots who got a wonderful start in life thanks to The South End Day Care. Excited little voices were heard as proud family members gathered Friday for a ceremony and barbeque marking the end of a chapter in their little lives. For more than a quarter century, parents in Saint John’s South End have had a child care facility they can call their own.

The needs of pre-schoolers and their parents don’t change greatly over the years. A safe, nurturing, child appropriate and stimulating environment, with caring, responsible people in charge, has always been the order of the day. What has changed is the proportion (approximately ¾) of one or two parent families who must entrust their children’s care to formal or informal child care.

The South End Day Care was established in 1968. It was first located in a small apartment on St. James Street. Their next home was the former Nurses’ residence of St. Joseph’s Hospital. As their first official task, the Board of Directors resolved that the parents from the South End of the City would be given priority in placing their children at the centre and that the name of the centre would remain the South End Day Care Centre, regardless of location. It was 1983 when the historic Sullivan home, at 310 Prince William Street, became its address. Ken Sullivan, who once resided there, has earned the title of Honourary Lifetime Chairman for his commitment of several decades to the Daycare. As he gazes over the beehive of activity on the playground, he knows his parents would approve.

The original intention was to provide adequate day care facilities outside the home for children of parents, many raising children alone, who seeking jobs or upgrading their education. This would give them a hand up and enable them to raise their standard of living. In some instances, they no longer would be totally dependent on government support. The Centre was also to provide an alternate environment for children coming from disadvantaged home situations. Today, families using the centre come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and many still hail from the South End.

As a non-profit, United Way agency since 1977, welcome help arrives annually from that organization. However, costs exceed the United Way allocation and expenditures are not covered by the fees parents pay. Government requirements are stringent, as they should be, but it means balancing costs against income, which is challenging. Board Chair, Dawn LeBlanc and Treasurer, Jill Cleveland welcome financial support from The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, RBC, The New Brunswick Protestant Orphanage Children’s Fund, Sobey’s and private sponsors. It enables them to undertake renovations, upgrade equipment and provide extras. It’s a struggle to keep fees at a minimum ($20 per day), so services are affordable to lower income and single parent families. The Daycare provides two snacks and a full course noon meal. Proper nutrition is a must for a child’s healthy growth and development.

Hundreds of preschoolers have received a fine start in life thanks to the centre’s half dozen or more staff. The Centre requires one in every 5th staff to have level 1 in Early Childhood Education. Dedicated and caring, they serve 31 children, from 7:30am to 6pm each day. Vice President Bernice LeBlanc calls it “the best daycare in Saint John” and feels it’s more than just a job for those who work with the children every day. It’s obvious the Board supports staff training and education. Board President Dawn LeBlanc echoes the sentiment and adds that “daycare workers are professionals, not babysitters”. They keep the aims of the Centre foremost as they complete their daily tasks. They are:

* to establish an environment for the care of pre-school children outside the home during the day where their safety and health – both physical and emotional – is ensured.

* to provide quality developmental care to pre-school children enabling parents to participate in the work force.

* to stimulate, satisfy and facilitate intellectual, perceptual, emotional, and language development.

During a typical day at the day care, children are given many learning experiences. It could be art, science, math, circles, language, sand and water play activities. Specialists like early interventionists and speech pathologists may come in to assist with the development of some children.

They have adopted the family grouping approach at the centre. This means that youngsters of various ages stay together. The belief is that younger children learn from older children who love to help them.

Going above and beyond the call of duty is almost routine for the South End Day Care. They may purchase coats, hats, snowsuits, and clothing for children whose families are in financial need. Sick children in the hospital are visited by staff. One single-parent was unable to afford orthodontist’s fees for her child and The South End Day Care covered the cost. From time to time, personal hygiene is provided when needed.

So as summer begins, the board and staff can rest assured their charges will enter school this fall, enriched by many positive early childhood experiences that will last a lifetime.

Now that spring is here the lure of being more active outdoors can result in more than a feeling of exhilaration. After a busy day the sudden realization that we can hardly move may come over us, as a sore, stiff sensation takes over our joints. Imagine if you had that feeling constantly with little hope of relief for the long term. That is the outlook for thousands of New Brunswickers suffering from various forms of arthritis. It can strike all ages and be debilitating.

Since its inception in 1948, The Arthritis Society has been a key player in the search for the underlying causes and subsequent cures for arthritis, and to promote the best possible care and treatment for people with arthritis. Their mandate is to be the recognized community source of expertise, research and career development and services on arthritis. They have provided more than $120 million to arthritis research and career development.

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, affecting and estimated 129,000 persons over age twelve in NB. Aboriginal Canadians are harder-hit by arthritis, especially older women. Because Arthritis pain severely reduces quality of life, short and long-term disability costs in Canada are over $3.5 billion.

There is no cure for arthritis, but there are effective ways to learn how to manage it using tools such as support groups, speakers, public forums and a web-site. The Arthritis Society provides all its services free-of-charge. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has provided financial support recently for the Arthritis Society to offer local residents helpful programs. Fundraisers like “Joints in Motion” help add to the group’s resources. Forty-four participants from around the province will individually raise thousands of dollars to cover the costs of running in two international marathons this year. The provincial board of directors is headed by Bruce Driscoll and has a diverse and broad membership.

An Arthritis Self Management Program will be offered in May and June, 2008. This is a six-week educational course, with two-hour sessions once per week, for people living with arthritis, their caregivers, family members and friends. It offers strategies to deal with pain, develop action plans, problem solving techniques and the opportunity to connect with others living with arthritis.

Regular advertisements and articles are published to enhance awareness.

Two Chronic Pain Management Workshops are scheduled for this spring. This two-hour workshop teaches more than 10 practical ways to deal with pain. Topics to be covered in the workshop are: the anatomy of a joint, a description of the “pain cycle”, relaxation techniques, stress management, coping with depression, use of appropriate exercise, handling fatigue and medications. Although focused on arthritis, it is general enough for anyone experiencing chronic pain to gain new skills.

There is an active branch of the Arthritis Society in Saint John whose members volunteer in public education, fundraising and at the provincial level. Cookie MacDonald, Fay Owens, Debbie McIntyre and Agnes Addison collectively have over two decades of working for the cause. Wellness Fair displays with a range of arthritis-related material and practical tips are regular features at local pharmacies as well as exhibits at events such as the Saint John Regional Hospital’s Old Age in New Age Conference, the Women’s Wellness Conference and Loch Lomond Villa’s Seniors Wellness Fair. They also have a lending library of books and videos.

The “Learning About Arthritis” program was recently successfully presented to three grade 5 classes in Quispamsis. Kerrie Luck, a volunteer and board member with the Society for over a decade, reports that the youngsters were attentive and interested to learn more about the disease, particularly how it strikes children. The program provides information about arthritis and healthy choices to students and ties into the grade 5 curriculum, contributing to their general well-being, physically and socially, supporting a positive learning environment.

Active Living Presentations are planned soon in cooperation with the Seniors' Information and Resource Centre in Saint John as well as a presentation to the NB Seniors’ Federation, Loyalist Zone, and a senior’s tea at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Saint John, May 13.

Gardeners and golfers can take heart as the proactive Society collaborates on information for “Gardening with Arthritis” and “Golfing with Arthritis”.

The Lifestyle Makeover Challenge educates and encourages Canadians to become more active and to eat healthily, delaying the onset and reducing the disability of osteoarthritis. By signing up on line at www.arthritis.ca/lifestyle access to an Activity Tracker, exercises, useful resources, and inspiration are there with the click of a mouse.

For toll-free information and an arthritis registry call 1-800-321-1433 or go to www.arthritis.ca

Almost ten years ago, the idea for Gentle Path was born in the reception area of a local funeral parlour and nurtured along by friendly gatherings and discussions. The book, The Gentle Path to the Twelve Steps, by Patrick Carnes provided the inspiration for the name of this caring group to create a Saint John area charity, Gentle Path Counselling. It may not be a household name but the Agency has had lasting impacts on the personal lives of hundreds of local residents who have turned to them for help, many who could not afford to pay.

Judith Urquhart, Joyce Gregg and eighteen volunteers had a vision of creating a place where all people were welcome regardless of financial means. They adopted a mission “To provide people with hope and healing opportunities through professional counseling and educational group programs.” The group initially met at schools and in church basements until they had the financial means to rent space.

“Building a non-profit agency from the ground up with no core funding, no furniture, office supplies or money has been an incredible challenge with lots of lessons, too often learned the hard way. Gentle Path could not have survived without the support and encouragement of the John Howard Society” says Ms. Urquhart. Her dedication has earned her a nomination for the YM-YWCA’s Peace Prize this year. “We determined that this newly formed organization would use the Twelve Steps of Recovery as its spiritual foundation and its guiding principle” she adds.

With sustainability always a challenge, at one point, the demand for free services grew much faster than those that were funded. Thanks to grants from United Way, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, New Brunswick Children’s Foundation PLURA and MindCare, Gentle Path and its consumers have persevered.

Since 2004, Gentle Path has had counseling and group services under one roof at their Germain Street location in uptown Saint John. Bill Bastarache, the Board President credits the Agency’s success to the loyalty, commitment and caring of the staff, which now numbers sixteen , the support of many local businesses and volunteers.

Gentle Path offers a wide array of courses covering a multitude of commonplace personal situations which may pose life challenges.Counselling Services for couples, families or individuals include: grief / stress / anger, family violence, addictions, abuse, children & youth, divorce /separation, critical incident, stress debriefing, panic & anxiety, mediation, mandatory referrals, post traumatic stress, home studies for international adoption and family court. Educational Programs and Support Groups can help all ages cope with anger management , self esteem, assertiveness, step-parenting, co-dependency, relationship skills, workplace training and even yoga. Gentle Path partners with community agencies such as Mental Health, John Howard, Options Outreach, Credit Counselling Services, lawyers, court services and community churches.

Local companies and businesses use Employee Assistance Programs to provide their employees with quality professional counseling and group services. This revenue helps support other clients who cannot afford to pay for similar services. People with backgrounds such as: working poor, single-parents, the elderly, those on fixed incomes or receiving employment insurance, homeless individuals, those recovering from addictions or medical problems can benefit. All of this is possible because a group of people had a dream they could make a difference and create a place that welcomed everyone, no matter what their station in life.

Gentle Path has a strong commitment to providing services for children where they see a need in our community, particularly for those who are financially disadvantaged. Young children react negatively to issues affecting their daily lives like divorce, separation, relocating, poverty, family violence, unemployment, addiction or bullying at school Referrals for children’s programs like Being Mad ~ Feeling Bad, Self-Esteem: Who Am I? Discovering Me!, The Self-Esteem Garden, Fire in My Belly, and Taming the Monster come from a variety of sources: parents, guidance counselors from School Districts 6 and 8, Employee Assistance Programs and social workers. Group Programs are cost effective and enduring, as they provide children with an opportunity to learn from each other in a supportive and caring environment.

Next week, and the following weekend, one fundraising venture, a “tag days”, will take place in local shopping areas. Gentle Path book marks will be distributed spreading the word of the good work being done at Gentle Path. On October 27^th, Gentle Path’s Annual Fall Fundraiser-Auction and Curling will be held at the Carleton Curling Club at 7pm. The auction is free and all are welcome.

Gentle Path Counselling Services, Ltd

Countries, organizations and communities seem to flourish when they have a symbol or icon around which they can rally or with which they identify. It feels good to be able to say “I come from Canada, home of the Strong and Free; New Brunswick, home of the world’s highest tides or Saint John, where all ages and community groups gather on the cranberry waterfront trail, Harbour Passage”. When citizens put something of themselves into such an icon, they take pride of ownership, enhancing it, for the benefit of all. This has been Marigolds on Main Street’s success story and similarly, with the community group ONE (Old North End) Change.

Four years ago, there was recognition that Harbour Passage would benefit from citizen involvement to bolster the City’s responsibility for maintenance. Along came The Greater Saint John Community Foundation and an idea to provide that opportunity, the Harbour Passage Garden Party. Over four years, it has grown to a fun and productive event which draws widespread participants and sponsors. It doesn’t cost anything to go. There is no need to raise money. By donating a bit of personal time, participants grow community pride, make new friends and gain a feeling of satisfaction and ownership of their waterfront walk.

In 2002, the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation challenged community foundations across Canada to do more for our natural environment. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation was privileged to be their only Atlantic Canadian partner. They supported Greater Saint John to the tune of over $142,000, not only supporting environmental groups with direct grants but by engaging our community and developing our capacity to protect, promote and enjoy our natural environment. More than twenty different initiatives resulted, ranging from an event on Climate Change, a public session on Children’s Environmental Health, a UNBSJ-hosted conference on students’ environmental research, to The Harbour Passage Garden Party.

Since then, four annual Harbour Passage Garden Parties have elicited donations of plants, trees and shrubs, advertising, printing, musicians, entertainers, a sound stage, compost, mulch, prizes, refreshments, expertise and related services valued in the thousands of dollars, not to mention the tremendous volunteer labour of several hundred volunteers each year and new partnerships with local groups. The Community Foundation has been a careful steward of the McConnell Foundation funds, leveraging generous local donations of goods and services while nurturing active appreciation of our natural environment.

The coordination of over forty partner groups is formidable but rewarding. It would not be possible without the support of key partner groups but more importantly, volunteers like Brenda Lutz, Q.C. and Karen Speight , Co-Chairs for the last two years. They spend hours developing complex spread sheets of the landscape design’s garden beds, using a gardener’s careful eye, as to what is flourishing and what isn’t. Lead or experienced gardeners, must be recruited and assigned to oversee work on more than thirty large, elongated beds, stretching well over a kilometer. Sorting of donated plants and shrubs takes hours of preparatory work to determine placement, while safely secure on Port property until the wee hours of garden party day. Loaned tools, equipment, compost bins, tents, vehicles, portable washrooms and food must be coordinated and delivered. A set-up team arrive at dawn to prepare the JD Irving Soundstage and make electrical connections.

This year, under warm, clear skies, as the strains of music from the roving Maraon Fiddlers drifted along the trail and amid the camaraderie of people of all ages and abilities working together, it was evident that community spirit was growing. Contests for the largest weeds and longest roots sprouted up. Gardeners from grannies to toddlers, doctors, high school and Community College students, hospitality and home reno teams, Foundation Board members, lawyers and CUPE Local 18 workers could be seen. John Wallace, a key player in the development of Harbour Passage, and his wife Jill, worked up quite a head of steam alongside Mayor Norm McFarlane and his wife Cynthia.

Corporate and group teams like Hilton Hotel, Home Depot, Citizens for Fort LaTour, Camp Pascobac, Alzheimer Society, Community Gardens and Canty Lutz Delaquis Grant, as well as volunteers, were careful not to overlap or undo plantings already established. Hundreds of participants enjoyed refreshments donated by Tim Hortons and Irving Oil, a fundraiser barbeque for PRO Kids, garden-related prizes, and entertainment after cleanup, weeding, planting, compost & mulch spreading, and beautifying the cranberry waterfront trail with family and friends. They believe it’s a small way to give back for the enjoyment of being able to take a waterfront walk in the centre of the city.

Some of the forty plus Garden Party partners include: The Greater Saint John Community Foundation, The Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership, The City of Saint John, O.N.E. Change, Key Industries, Cedarcrest Gardens, Brunswick Nurseries, Halifax Seed, Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission, J.D.Irving Limited, Telegraph-Journal, CBC, the Saint John Harbour Bridge Authority, the Saint John Horticultural Association, Tim Hortons, area nurseries and of course, local gardeners.

Volunteer Program Makes Income Tax Filing A Good Thing

The end of April is a little less stressful for several thousand Saint John area residents who may have been dreading Income Tax filing time. It can be intimidating for many of us but even more so if you are unfamiliar with electronic filing, perhaps can’t afford a computer or professional advice or find the myriad details overwhelming as the years go by. For thirty six years, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has been facilitating a program that is a godsend for seniors, students, newcomers to Canada and fixed or low-income earners. It’s called the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. It begins with free training for volunteers who are willing to help such people prepare their income tax returns. The outreach team for CRA, supporting and working with the volunteers and organizations in Saint John, are Marlene Leaver and Ciara McKenna.

Thanks to community groups like the Saint John Volunteer Centre, which recruits and coordinates willing workers and other non-profits who provide the space, approximately 4,000 returns have been filed this spring. The Salvation Army on Prince Edward Street, UNB-Saint John and the Seniors Resource Centre in Brunswick Square have been the centres of activity this year. Those needing assistance can arrive without an appointment, are met by a “greeter”, take a number and wait for knowledgeable and capable support. Computers are provided for electronic filing. Confidentiality is paramount so all papers are shredded and electronic files deleted each day. Volunteers respect the privacy of the client and agree to decline any offers of monetary reward for services provided.

Brian Boudreau is in his second year as a volunteer and feels good at being able to lend a hand. He is amazed at the ability of many filers to make ends meet on such modest incomes and counts himself lucky compared with the challenging circumstances of some of his “clients”. He gladly gives his time two days a week during the approximately two month period the program is operating, as a way of giving back. Hilda Watson, Jennifer Ferguson, David Wright and Rosairio Richard and Kathy Markey are also community-minded volunteers who contribute many hours to the program. “I enjoy it very much, meeting all ages of clients and being able to help them” says Ms. Watson. Their busiest day this year saw seventy-eight clients pass through their doors. The local CVIT program has seventy-five volunteers, ranging from retired individuals, students from UNB Business to International students. Their reward is the satisfaction of knowing that they are providing a service to those who need it the most.

“A lot of people don’t realize they must file an income tax return to continue to receive their government benefits,” says Marlene Leaver, the CRA’s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program Coordinator. She adds “ The volunteers are excellent and the success of the program is because of them. Without them, many low income individuals would not have the means to file their income tax return, thus benefits or credits like their Child Tax Benefit, the Goods and Service Tax Credit (GST) and/or seniors Old Age Supplement would cease in July 2007.” Ray Lloyd, another volunteer, recalls helping one low-income client who had never before filed a return and was eligible for several years of GST credits. It was a bonanza for them that would have never happened without the program.

Peter Wilshaw, C.A. of Wilshaw and Associates, notes it is a help to CRA, as well. “The quality of the returns is bound to be better than if it were completed individually. That’s the advantage to the CRA. And these volunteers can prepare them to the advantage of the filers”, he adds. “They know all the rules and regulations. Every year brings new ones” he remarked.

The program welcomes individual volunteers but especially encourages community organizations and agencies to become involved. The nature of many grass roots community groups lends itself well to being a sponsoring organization. Individuals feel comfortable in settings they have visited before where the faces are familiar. “They have found our volunteer program to be an excellent way to reach out to those in need,” adds Ms. Leaver. “And because of their close links to the community, they’re able to help more people.”

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program provides free help to complete income tax returns for seniors, disabled people, students, and new Canadians living on low and fixed incomes. Volunteers work with community agencies to establish tax clinics in public libraries, community centres, schools, churches, seniors’ residences, nursing homes, and other central locations in many parts of Canada. It has now concluded for this tax year.

For more information please call the Saint John Tax Services Office 636-4689, 1-877-987-8600 or 1-800-959-8281 www.cra.gc.ca/volunteer

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There are thirteen senior citizen zones areas in New Brunswick, affiliated with the NBSCF, whose head office is in Moncton. They are Bay of Fundy, Capital, Chaleur, Dairy, Kent, Loyalist, Maple Leaf, Miramichi, Nepisiguit, Nord-Ouest, Péninsule, Saint John River and Sud-Est. 2008 will mark the 40^th anniversary of the NBSCF. A celebration is planned in June in Sussex , the location where the first group was established.

Ralph Smith heads the bilingual, New Brunswick organization of some 205 local clubs. He explains that they represent the wide-ranging interests of seniors. They recognize the fast-growing pace of this population, from about 107,000 seniors in the last census, to a projected 170,000 in 2011. Their input into the provincial long term care and health strategies has been a priority. He stands behind the group’s slogan” The stronger our membership - The stronger our voice.”

Members enjoy special discounts and privileges. In many zones, dedicated members approach businesses to offer discounts or rebates. Through Aviva Traders, the Federation offers a group Home and Auto Insurance Plan, as well as Health, Dental and Travel Insurance. Members of the NBSCF, receive the quarterly Horizons newspaper and the Bulletin, communications tools that serve as links between the Federation and its members. Membership costs vary from club to club, but a NB Federation membership costs $20 for an individual and $30 per couple. It entitles the holder to a quarterly newspaper and substantial discounts from many businesses. One Arc-en-Ciel member was delighted with her combined auto and home insurance savings and another received discounts for a new hearing aid.

The Loyalist Zone reaches out to Saint John area seniors’ clubs with monthly meetings regarding new benefits, news from the Federation. and activities. Bertha Boyles, President, explains that their spring and fall celebrations, hosted by the City of Saint John, are a highlight. The Annual Meeting is hosted by a different zone each year. “Last year, the Loyalist Zone received a government grant and we took 87 seniors, who do not get out much, on a Saint John River cruise, gave them a nice meal and took them back home, they really enjoyed it. We try to encourage our clubs to have fun; they have card games, dances, bingo, pot luck or barbecues, and banquet for special occasions” she added.

One of the fourteen Loyalist Zone Clubs is le Club Arc-en-Ciel. Elizabeth Godin, the President, and Eddie Gaudet are dedicated members and enthusiastic about the unique group of one hundred. It is the only Francophone club in South-western New Brunswick and even has its own band. Mrs. Godin was mentored by her husband, beginning in the eighties, even before she was a senior herself. “We cater to all seniors” she stresses, it doesn’t matter about religion, race or color. The Federation is the voice of seniors”. Its value as a representative of this demographic group to government is very important.

They gather for meetings, social activities and most importantly says Eddie Gaudet, sharing information about the myriad programs and services available to seniors. Spreading the word to his peers is his primary reason for involvement. “We have to tell people what’s available for seniors” he states. “They don’t know what’s there”.

With the help of executive members Bertha Boyles, Edmond Gaudet, Gerald Burke, Elizabeth Godin, Eleanor Beyea, Eric Teed and volunteers, the umbrella organization is celebrating Christmas at Lily Lake. This type of social event is important for seniors, who often are isolated from such gatherings and enjoy the interaction.

For information about the New Brunswick Senior Citizens' Federation Inc. or how to join a golden age club in New Brunswick, call 1-800-453-4333 or write the Federation at 36 Albert Street, Moncton NB E1C 1A9. http://www.nbscf.ca

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Saint John Waterfront Development’s Unique Partnership

Standing on the Bentley Street Pavillion with the mighty St. John River freshet of 2008 rushing by, it must seem like a dream fulfilled to Bill MacMackin and Charlie Swanton. They have been collectively involved as leaders in the promotion and positive development of Saint John’s waterfront for over eighteen years. They look across to the Bentley Crossing housing development and speculate that it very likely wouldn’t be a reality today if a group of community volunteers with a lot of foresight hadn’t consulted with the public, shared their vision and worked very hard to make waterfront development a new source of community pride. Last summer at a magical night along the harbour, thousands gathered on Harbour Passage to watch the fireworks, where only a few short years before it was a mass of overgrown rubble, old warehouses and decaying infrastructure. The unique multi-partner waterfront arrangement, of which they have been a part, has captured the support and imagination of our community. Their objective to launch a new era of community and economic revitalization for the City of Saint John through the development of environmental, aesthetic, cultural and economic improvements along the city's waterfront has struck a chord with local businesses and citizens alike. It has restored public access to an extensive area of the waterfront while still providing for traditional port business. It has breathed a new spirit of hope, sense of community and renewal into Greater Saint John.

Bill MacMackin, the President of Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership says “I like to see the trees planted, the asphalt and concrete flowing. I really enjoy it as something you can touch and feel and seeing people using it”. Charlie Swanton, Chairman of Saint John Waterfront Development, explains that it started back in 1999 with the Malone, Given, Parsons study. The Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership was formed in 2001, reporting through the Saint John Development Corporation.

The Inner Harbour Land Use Plan, a master plan for development of the Saint John Inner Harbour and Waterfront, was introduced in 2003. It was the culmination of over two years of work including feedback from over 500 stakeholders. John Wallace is a valued and familiar figure associated with the early phases of this work.

The funding partnership includes representation, support and funding commitments from the City of Saint John, the Saint John Port Authority, Enterprise Saint John, the Saint John Board of Trade, Uptown Saint John Inc. and the Province of New Brunswick. These days, they are keeping the name simple: Saint John Waterfront Development. Since inception,through donor campaigns, applications for funding programs and contributions from Federal, Provincial and municipal governments, over $8 Million has been raised. In the next 15 years, it is estimated that over $265 million in public and private expenditures will be invested in the Uptown and Waterfront. These can generate new household income, direct and indirect employment and increased commercial and property taxes.

The vision for the future is based on guiding principles including community involvement, and a sustainable balance between the environment and the economy. Benefits include dramatically improved, well-connected, public access, provision of new, high quality open spaces, strengthened city image, community pride, improved quality of life, accelerated development and investment in a vibrant Waterfront and Uptown. It has become a city with a changed image, making it a more attractive place to visit, work, live, play and invest.

Since 2001, the partnership has had an enthusiastic, involved, visionary group of grass roots volunteers. They are a critical element to achieving “True Growth” and Saint John becoming a premier waterfront in Canada. With a modest-sized, highly competent staff headed by Ross Jefferson, high-calibre, committed, volunteer business leaders and scores of volunteers, careful planning has led to concrete results.

Saint John Waterfront Development is currently working on the following projects: St. Andrews Park as part of the Bay of Fundy Cruise Welcome Centre, featuring Barbour’s General Store, as the city’s Visitor Information Centre, the Little Red Schoolhouse and John Hooper's famous sculpture People Waiting; a magnificent lookout project taking shape near the old bridge abutments at the Reversing Falls; adding to enhanced public green spaces and actively pursuing the development of the Coast Guard site. A contract has been awarded for Development Services: Reversing Falls – Lower River Passage to develop a “World-Class Tourism Product at Reversing Falls”, with plans for public input soon.

Five years ago, there was recognition that Harbour Passage would benefit from citizen involvement to bolster the City’s responsibility for maintenance. Along came The Greater Saint John Community Foundation and an idea to provide that opportunity, the Harbour Passage Garden Party. It has grown to a fun, productive event which draws widespread participants and sponsors. It doesn’t cost anything to go. There is no need to raise money. By donating a bit of personal time, participants grow community pride, make new friends and gain a feeling of satisfaction and ownership of their waterfront walk.

Harbour Passage Garden Parties have elicited donations of plants, trees, shrubs, advertising, printing, musicians, entertainers, a sound stage, compost, mulch, prizes, refreshments, expertise and volunteer labour valued in the thousands of dollars, from community partners. Hundreds of participants enjoy refreshments, prizes, and music after cleanup, weeding, planting, compost and mulch spreading to beautify the cranberry waterfront trail. It’s a small way to give back for the enjoyment of being able to take a waterfront walk in the centre of the city. On Saturday, May 24^th, the Greater Saint John Community Foundation will host its Fifth Annual Harbour Passage Garden Party. All are welcome to come celebrate a renewed sense of community pride, a re-vitalized downtown core and enhancement of our rich waterfront heritage.

information:

Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership

One Market Square, Suite 301 Saint John, NB E2L 4Z6

Tel: 506 674 4278 Email: info@sjwaterfront.com Website: www.sjwaterfront.com

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Rothesay Avenue could soon be dubbed “Recycling Road” by savvy shoppers and radical recyclers. On this one Saint John street, it’s possible to recycle your paper and cardboard at Saint John Recycling, recycle and redeem beverage containers at PUB’s, get money for scrap, batteries and other junked metals at CJ Metals or Levines, get a used car or outfit yourself at Frenchy’s. Now there’s a store for building products, plumbing electrical fixtures, roofing, furniture and appliances and more. The best part is that by getting a deal at the latest outlet to open on Rothesay Avenue, you are also helping families with the most basic of life’s needs, a safe, sound and comfortable home.

Habitat for Humanity Saint John Region Inc. is a Christian based non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing through partnering with families in need. The Saint John affiliate of Habitat helps them with a ‘handup not a handout’. Dozens of volunteers and sponsors who give labour, money and materials help them build their house and provide a long term interest free mortgage. Partnerships with local churches, businesses and even the military have put safe, modern and comfortable roofs over many needy heads. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has provided over thirty thousand dollars in funding for several “builds”. Prospective owners put in 500 hours of sweat equity as well as make regular monthly mortgage payments. The mortgage payments help to finance other Habitat building projects. Habitat home owners are carefully pre-screened and selected to determine who will benefit most. It is not always an easy application process for the selection committee, when so many Saint John area families are in dire need of suitable accommodation.

Through their efforts over the last nine years, this group has constructed ten houses for families who would in all likelihood never be able to have a home to call their own. They are located in Milford, East Saint John, the Lower West Side, the South and North Ends, City Centre and Lancaster neighbourhoods. At opening ceremonies for each of these homes, heart-rending first-hand stories have been related of the sub-standard conditions under which they had lived and which now are history.

Habitat Board Chairman Tim Ryan and dedicated volunteers like Ray Littlewood, Janet Reid, Reta Parent and Debbie Rice have dreamed of how they could bolster their revenue, raise their profile, build more homes and help our environment. “We were aware of an innovative business venture other Habitat affiliates have tried successfully called “Restore” Tim Ryan says. “In 2005, there were 41 ReStores across Canada. They have now grown to 58. We felt Saint John was ready for one” he added. There are also Restores in Moncton, Charlottetown, St. John’s and Halifax.

With an astounding 100,000 tons of solid waste material going annually to the Crane Mountain Landfill Site, every pound diverted saves expensive landfill costs and benefits Greater Saint John. This imaginative, new community initiative is doing its part to divert an estimated three hundred tons a year. Brenda McCallum of the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission, which just celebrated its tenth anniversary, states the potential diversion will “help extend the life of our landfill, Construction and Demolition site and benefit our community as a whole.”

Many Restores have started small and quickly had to expand, due to their success. Mr. Ryan explains that they have opted for a large 8,200 sq. ft. operation on startup and are thrilled with the overwhelming community response. Most operations have only 60% community donations with the balance from business but their 98% community response is impressive. Dave Delaney, Restore’s manager, points out that donations are a critical need, particularly items like doors, windows and cupboards. Mike McCluskey is already a satisfied regular shopper. He is renovating a camp he owns near Sussex and refitting it with windows from Restore.

Habitat’s Saint John ReStore supports the services its local Habitat For Humanity® affiliate provides. The diverted and donated items are sold to the public and/or used in construction of Habitat houses. ReStore recycles overstocked, discontinued, new, and used building materials donated by manufacturer’s, contractors, and individuals. Three jacuzzis which are in showroom condition, new area carpets and exterior doors, still in their crates, are but some of the large array of products for sale. Volunteer teams are ready to de-construct homes to salvage materials, with two projects already under their belts. All revenue realized from sales at the ReStore goes to the local Habitat For Humanity® chapter in support of its building program. Shari Seeley, a volunteer who helped get the local Restore on track, is proud the revenue stays right here in our community.

On Wednesday, September 19, Saint John’s Restore officially opens. All are welcome. The Board is hoping new volunteers will drop by 386 Rothesay Avenue and sign on for duties at the Restore. Regular hours are 8:30am-5:30pm Monday to Friday and 8:30am to 1pm on Saturdays or call 635-7867.

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Since November, 1997, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has been supporting a “Students’ Personal Needs Fund”. The intention of the foundation’s board is to provide modest, direct, easily accessible and confidential financial assistance to students for basic necessities which may come to teachers’ or school administrators’ attention. Initially, when one school district served all of Greater Saint John, $5,000 annually was contributed. More recently, that amount has been divided between Districts 6 & 8, based on geography and socioeconomic need. A similar “Emergency Fund” has been granted support at the St. Joseph’s Hospital Community Health Centre for adults’ urgent needs. Fortunate as we are to have excellent public education and health care systems that are the envy of many jurisdictions, staff often encounter one-on-one situations when they are stymied to find resources for basic products or services, not provided for in any other way.

For schoolchildren, such needs could include: personal hygiene products, breakfast/food programs, eye exams/glasses, school supplies/books, school trips, prescriptions, summer school, etc. The foundation’s goal is to provide directly to those individuals in our community who may have no where else to turn. By entrusting this to front-line school professionals with a minimum of “red tape”, the system has been working very well. Funds are only being accessed for true emergencies or genuine hardship. On a periodic basis, the School Districts provide an accounting without identifying information on individuals.

The funds are held centrally at the District offices and may be accessed by school principals through a Local Purchase Order or Petty Cash process, including a brief explanation of the student’s need. For purchases of $50 or less, no prior consultation with District authorities is necessary. For purchases over $50, authorization is required to discuss the particular circumstances of the request.

School District officials are pleased to have a “rainy day” fund available when no other avenue seems to be available and the student’s need is urgent. Zoe Watson, Superintendent of School District 6 writes “The funds received last year were fully utilized, indicating a great need for this type of assistance in our school community”. The School Districts regard this partnership as a having a “positive impact on the lives of students and teachers across the district”. Similarly, Susan Tipper, Superintendent of School District 8, states “there is a need for the type of funding that the Foundation provides”.

Confidentiality is scrupulously observed for obvious reasons. Although identities and identifying particulars are left out, reports to the foundation indicate the funds are used judiciously and wisely. Some examples of needs being met with the fund include, transportation to health-related appointments, shampoo for treating infestations of head lice, a student who literally had no bed on which to sleep, breakfasts or lunches for which there may be a cost and costs for a student outing when the family could not afford it and the young person would be feeling left out from his peers.

Over the years, over $14,000 has been directed to this quietly effective program. Since resources are limited, there is a fine line between promoting the program too widely and quickly exhausting the funds and ensuring that all School administrative leaders are aware of it. With ever-changing personnel, every effort is made to communicate the program. Schools within a fifty km. radius of Saint John benefit from other grants as well. Projects at playgrounds of schools like King Edward, St. John The Baptist, St. Patrick’s, Kennebecasis Park, Ecole Millidgeville North School, Lakewood Heights and the new playing field at Hampton High have received funding. Auditorium renovations at Harbourview High and Saint John High, Student Peer Helping and In-school mentoring programs also were granted monies. Community Foundation board members believe donors appreciate knowing their contributions are directly reaching those most in need on our own doorsteps

There is a saying to the effect that we don’t know a person until we have walked a mile in their shoes. Organizers for the Saint John branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association are taking this one “step” further and hosting a fundraiser which will focus on good mental health for women, while providing a positive evening of entertainment with a footwear theme. It’s called “A Day in Her Shoes".

While supporting CMHA, the fundraiser will raise awareness of the critical importance of incorporating balance and good mental health in our everyday lives. Local business and community leaders are teaming up in support of “A Day in Her Shoes”. The funds raised will be dedicated to the coordination and implementation of mental health promotion efforts in our community.

As a nation-wide, voluntary non-profit organization, the Canadian Mental Health Association and its Saint John Branch, promote the mental health of all and support the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. Through advocacy, education, research and service, they work to attain a Vision: Mentally Healthy People in a Healthy Society.

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Saint John Branch, founded in 1960, provides information on mental health issues, educational conferences, seminars and referral services in greater Saint John. Free psycho-education/support programs like: “Depression: Help Can Make a Difference”, “Understanding Anxiety and Panic Disorder” and “Hope and Healing: Coping with the Suicide of a Loved One” can give hope and help to those affected by mental illness.

All their mental health projects are based on principles of empowerment, peer and family support, participation in decision-making, citizenship, and inclusion in community life. They rely heavily on the volunteer efforts of a fifteen person Board of Directors, headed by Margo Bulter. Public and corporate donations, supplemented by fundraising events such as “Curl for the Mental Health of It” and “A Day in Her Shoes” help keep their operating costs low.

Fifty eight percent of Canadians report ‘overload’ as a result of the pressures associated with work, home, family, friends, physical health and community service. Hon. Mary Schryer, Minister of State for Seniors and Housing, observes “mental health issues are the leading cause of work place disability claims.” Studies and surveys are revealing teens are not exempt from the pressures of holding down a job and going to school fulltime. Employers and employees can relate to the fall out. According to the Conference Board of Canada, burnout costs Canadian businesses an estimated $12 billion every year in health claims, lost productivity and absenteeism.

“A Day in Her Shoes was designed to raise revenue for the CMHA, inspire women to reflect and identify ways that we can incorporate good mental health practices into our daily living” says Sherry LaPointe-Booy, CMHA Executive Director. “We’re grateful to Cathy Hutchinson, owner of Manchester Shoes, Brunswick Square, for sponsoring this evening” she concluded. Scotia Bank, Evolving Solutions, Anyware Group, Cooke Aquaculture, Se'ramik, Delta Brunswick, The Wave and La Bella E Vita Aesthetics & Day Spa have also lent their support.

The May 30th event, 6:30pm, at the Delta Brunswick Hotel, will include community leaders and dignitaries: Roxanne Reeves, wife of Premier Shawn Graham, who will deliver a keynote address, Honorable Mary Schryer, Minister of Housing, and businesswoman cum runway auctioneer, Judith Mackin. “I’m pleased to have the opportunity to lend my support to the CMHA,” stated Roxanne Reeves. “It is important that we are all receptive to issues concerning mental disorders as real illnesses, that, when left untreated, can be just as serious and disabling as physical diseases such as cancer and heart disease.”

Sixteen community leaders will “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” about ways they take care of their own mental health during a runway show featuring handbags for all occasions from Manchester Shoe Salon, Brunswick Square. They will offer personal tips on how they achieve balance in their busy lives. Deserts, a silent and live auction (tax-free), which will include shoes and handbags from Manchester Shoes, will round out the evening.

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Saint John has been a gateway to newcomers for centuries, long before we were known as Canada. This tradition continues today through a little-known, but valuable program, at The Saint John YMCA-YWCA called Settlement Services. Imagine coming from a strife-ridden country, perhaps a refugee camp and suffering from traumatic experiences like the loss of a family member, not to mention leaving behind all that has been familiar for one’s lifetime. Charitable groups like the Red Cross offered a service to immigrants and in its early years, settlement programs were in their infancy. Then in 1993, teaching English to Newcomers began at the Y on Hazen Avenue. Now, a much wider range of free programs have helped settle hundreds of landed immigrants who want to start a new life in Canada. With Saint John’s Growth Strategy identifying the importance of maintaining and increasing our population, new interest and value is being directed to such programs. The “Y” is an active member of the Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies as well as the New Brunswick Multicultural Council. Pat Davis, the Y’s CEO states "The Y exists in more than 80 countries across the world and often our newcomers seek it out as a familiar place, a place to belong, and a safe haven."

People from every part of the world, some seventy countries, have passed through its doors, taking part in voluntary, specialized settlement programs, primarily funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Afghanistan, Iraq, Colombia, Iran, Liberia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Sudan and Vietnam are just a few of the names which are familiar to us from news stories. From them and many others, government sponsored refugees arrive to make a new home in Canada, free from hardships and often, conditions we cannot imagine. They arrive as landed immigrants, legally entitled to stay in Canada and after usually about three years, apply to become citizens. They are required to pay their own airfares to get here.

Not knowing English or French is a major barrier to overcome first. Language training is essential. Without the ability to communicate, or even with it, how could a newcomer possibly find a home or apartment to rent, understand our health care system, register their children for school or find a church or store? That’s where Settlement Services steps in and for up to two years, in some cases, helps the transition to life in a new country. They offer year round, continuous intake English Language classes as well as programs that counsel Newcomers on settlement issues involving orientation, referrals and interpretation. Their client list averages about one hundred or 30-40 families, mostly parents with young children.

‘Y’ Settlement Services works with Landed Immigrants of several types. Family Class clients, which means newcomers who have relatives already in Canada, who may sponsor them; refugees, who can be government sponsored and landed immigrants or those who seek asylum, arriving without the necessary legal steps and must then apply to be a landed immigrant on arriving. Some immigrants apply as Independents, as well as those arriving through the Provincial Nominee Program, where they may state their intent to establish, buy or invest in a business in Canada. Many have special skills, education and trades, which are in short supply in our country, providing a boost to our economy. It makes sense, from a humanitarian perspective and a self-interested one, for us to be a welcoming community.

A Research Project Manager, Michelle Porter, has recently been hired . She will devote time to a much needed orientation manual for newcomers on all manner of things about life in Saint John. Thanks to the New Brunswick Enhanced Language Training initiative, an Employment Counselor will soon join them. This will greatly enhance the Y’s ability to help Newcomers find jobs. Many Saint John area employers realize their workforces could soon be depleted as the baby boom generation retires. They may be candidates for hiring Newcomers and should contact Settlement Services.

Caring professionals, all of whom are university educated, highly skilled and motivated comprise the Settlement Services team. Richard Campbell, M.Ed., is Director of Settlement Services. He has worked in the sector for almost 14 years, is a member of the N B Ministerial Advisory Committee for Multiculturalism and a trained adult educator. He sees a cross-country trend towards the professionalization of Newcomer services which is mirrored here in Saint John. “Our Language Teachers are university accredited with their TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certification. “Newcomers have a profound respect for education, many being university educated themselves. We all need to be on the same playing field” he says.

Cindy Li manages the HOST Program. She matches Newcomers with some twenty volunteers from greater Saint John. Volunteers, often retired or young adults, generously commit to spending at least two hours per week with newcomers and their families. Cindy also assists in preparing immigration and travel documents. A trained lawyer in China, she is putting her strong analytical skills to good use. “We prepare clients so that when they see an Immigration Officer at CIC, much of the initial paperwork is already done.” she comments. Being a new Canadian better enables Cindy to understand the challenges faced by clients. She reflects Canada’s new multicultural reality in the office place. In fact, Cindy went through the Settlement Services language program herself. A higher level English language program is planned later this year.

As School Liaison Coordinator, Aisha Kindred goes into schools like Princess Elizabeth, Lorne, St. Malachy’s or Prince Charles and advocates on behalf of Newcomers. “I enjoy working with parents, children, district offices, and the schools. My goal is to ensure that educational goals can be met for everyone involved” she relates. A member of the newly formed regional ESL Committee, Aisha is also a valuable resource person for teachers. Children adapt easily as a rule, quickly picking up language skills which often outstrip their parents’, posing new challenges.

Staff members. are unanimous in identifying a library as tops on their wish list for newcomers. Says Richard Campbell, “what we need right now is a mixed library of educational material for our students. Our 2006 goal is to raise enough funds to set up a small multi-media library.”

The Y’s settlement programs provide a wealth of ideas and learning. Richard Campbell compares it to a multicultural smorgasbord. “Over the years we have worked with several hundred Newcomers, people from around the globe” he said. Speaking of smorgasbords, he adds “Our pot-luck dinners must be experienced to be believed.” The Y will be hosting a Multicultural Café later this winter where Saint Johners will have the world served to them.

We all can be thankful the Y’s Settlement Services is helping “grow” our community. Volunteers Rhonda and David Peterson understand the value of opening their home to newcomers. “We love becoming friends with international people and helping them feel welcome…..they have left their families behind and often suffer incredible loneliness” she says. Interested in volunteering? Looking for settlement assistance? Considering hiring a Newcomer? Please contact the Y Settlement Services, 646-2389.

In 1976 Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker still had a seat in the house of Commons, Premier Richard Hatfield was sitting opposite Bob Higgins and Shirley Dysart; Mayor Edis Flewwelling joined Deputy Mayor Tom Higgins and Councillors at a levee at The Admiral Beatty Hotel. They also oversaw a 32% rise in local tax rates that year!

Market Square was on the drawing board, while businesses like Venus Electric and McAvitys closed. Brunswick Square, the Coleson Cove Generating plant and the new Carmarthen St. Fire Dept. Headquarters had their opening ribbons cut. The Evening Times Globe wondered if the Bricklin plant would re-open. United Way surpassed their goal of $500,000 and the worst storm of the century, The Groundhog Gale, struck.

The minimum wage rose twice from $2.30 to $2.80 per hour and crude oil went to $9.75 per barrel as inflation rose 8% that year. Police Chief Eric Ferguson was heading up the Department and some Councillors speculated whether women police officers should be hired. Kathy Kreiner won Canada’s only Olympic gold at the Montreal summer Olympics. Toronto was successful in securing a major league baseball franchise.

Locally, Westgate Park was in the planning stages and the port was building a new forest products terminal, while some wondered about the future of the King St. West business area. Further west, there was talk of an LNG terminal in Lorneville.

Meanwhile at the Saint John YMCA, a small group of 15 community and business leaders met to consider establishing a community foundation. Adrian Gilbert, Q.C., Wallace D. Macaulay, Q.C., Wallace S. Turnbull, Q.C. (now Justice) and Henry Caldwell, Manager of the Bank of Nova Scotia, took the lead. The group liked the concept of a locally governed, independent, permanent trustee of endowment funds that could generate earnings that stayed in Greater Saint John, making grants to local charities. They also identified a number of estates and bequests whose funds were sitting idle, underutilized or awaiting distribution to Greater Saint John area charities.

A 1976 private members bill, modeled on other Canadian Community Foundations, made the Saint John Foundation the Province’s second community foundation. Its name was updated in 2000 to the Greater Saint John Community Foundation.

Mayor Edis Flewelling chaired the first meeting. Well known businessman, community supporter and philanthropist, Philip W. Oland, became Chair, a position he retained until he was named Honorary Chair in 1995. Other directors included representatives of the Saint John Law Society, Wallace D. Macaulay, Q.C., and Wallace S. Turnbull, Q.C.; the Saint John Medical Society, Dr. Henry J. Flood; the Saint John Board of Trade, James M. Crosby; Walter E. Harris, the Saint John District Labour Council and John F. McCrossin, C.A. treasurer. Lino J. Celeste succeeded Mr. Oland, serving as Chair from 1995-2005.

Trusted community leaders make up the board. They volunteer with dedication and generosity. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation prides itself on the relationships it has developed with its many community partners: businesses, charitable organizations, municipalities and individuals. Together they have taken the lead in events and projects which bring honour and improvements to Greater Saint John. They organize educational sessions on financial planning, the voluntary sector and regulations affecting charities, the Harbour Passage Garden Party and sponsor a lunchtime speakers’ series for young community leaders.

For thirty years, the Community Foundation and its growing ranks of supporters have had the vision of building resources to make our community a better place. Their Mission is to serve as a trustee of gifts, support charitable organizations and inspire community leadership. Their Vision is to ensure a sustainable future and improve the quality of life in Greater Saint John. Many want to give back to their community, establishing legacies that supporting worthy causes in Greater Saint John.

$4.1 Million in support, to over 250 different groups, has cumulatively been given to local charities since 1976. From one community fund at first, it has grown to twenty six, all permanently endowed, pooled and invested professionally, and generating annual earnings to support the community causes for which they have been established. The October 31 year end un-audited assets surpass $8.7 Million, thanks to the generosity of caring people.

The Greater Saint John Community Foundation is releasing a community “report card” document on Nov. 28th. It is an Anniversary project and precursor to a national effort. A Foundation grant to the Saint John Human Development Council (HDC) helped them prepare this status report on the quality of life in Greater Saint John. That day, a major award of $30,000 is going to First Steps Housing Inc. Their unique high school education program is for pregnant and parenting teen moms with no safe place to live. The Foundation will also award the Sisters of Charity of The Immaculate Conception their Community Service Award, 2006. Foundation Patron, Lieutenant Governor Hermenegilde Chaisson and Michael Doyle FCA, Foundation Board Chairman, will recognize the significant contributions of the religious community for one hundred and fifty-two years of community service and leadership.

The public is invited to the Foundation’s thirtieth Anniversary Celebration November 28, 10am, at the Imperial Theatre.

In these days of busy lives when Greater Saint John’s Vital Signs reports a slightly lower rate of volunteering than in the past, it’s welcome news when a new service club is established. It’s been nurtured by the Saint John Kiwanis Club as an eightieth anniversary project and is called the Kiwanis Aktion Club. Based at Key Industries, it already has twenty members and a substantial waiting list. The local Aktion Club is modeled on others which function much the same as does the Kiwanis Club itself. They received their charter at a special ceremony last April. This year’s slate of officers are President Mike Sherwood, Vice-President Richard Poitras, Secretary Elizebeth Sabean, and Treasurer Robert Linton.

Kiwanis International is active in ninety-six countries and proud of their impressive stats: 150,000 plus projects, 6.2 million hours of volunteer time and $100 Million raised. The Lancaster, Sussex, St. Andrews, Eastern Charlotte, Western Kings and St. Stephen clubs are part of this amazing effort, complemented by the local youth Key Club at St. Malachy’s High School, the K Kids Club at St. Rose School as well as three Acktion Clubs.

The mission of the Saint John Acktion Club is to provide adults with disabilities an opportunity to develop initiative and leadership skills, serve their community, be integrated into society and demonstrate the dignity and value of citizens living with disabilities.

After electing their executive, no time was wasted in organizing fundraisers. They held six very successful barbeques and two yard sales. Treasurer Robert Linton reports that they have a healthy bank balance of over two thousand dollars and have been able to contribute to two international causes already. Bed kits for homeless youth around the world have been one cause they support. As the Christmas season approaches, they are taking part in the annual shoebox program, which provides boxes full of delightful and useful gifts for children in countries where even the smallest token is needed and appreciated.

The Acktion Club has already performed a number of Civic Benefit projects , such as the beautiful flower planting across from Brenan’s Funeral Home on Paradise Row. Members are very enthusiastic, and participate wholeheartedly in the club’s many activities. Long time community personality Brucie Brown is among the membership, continuing to be a good will ambassador wherever the club performs their good works. The Club hopes to organize joint meetings with the other two Aktion Clubs in New Brunswick in Sussex and St George.

When the Club received its Kiwanis International Charter at a Gala dinner in September, they were very encouraged to have the support of more than one hundred dignitaries and families in attendance. Saint John Kiwanis Club President Joanne Thompson welcomed the newest member of the Saint John Kiwanis family by presenting the symbolic gavel to President Mike Sherwood, the gong to Christa Miller and the banner to Billy Rogers. Governor Ed Kelly assisted by Advisor Lois Poirer inducted each of the proud new members personally and presented them with their membership cards and framed certificates.

Norm Hicks, Jim Humby, Rick Northrup, Linda Jarvis, Tom Gallant, Roy Carson, Tom Heath and Lois Poirer act as advisors to the fledgling club. The commitment is to have at least four Kiwanis attend each bi-weekly Acktion Club meeting in an advisory capacity. Local businesses have been generous in donating refreshments for the gatherings, which add to the enjoyment of participation for the members. Pepsi, Fort Howe Hotel, Pizza Delight, Dairy Queen, Subway, Figaro’s Pizza and Chateau de Champlain are among the supporters.

Nargis Kheraj, has been recently installed as President of the Saint John Kiwanis and states “I look forward to serving the Kiwanis organization, the members of this Club and our communities to the best of my abilities. We have exciting times ahead of us. We want to be totally involved ... and do our best to help the communities in our own district. We are an active member of an international organization whose focus is young children and our goal is to change the world, one child and one community at a time”. The club meets weekly. “We look forward to having more committed members in our global organization” Ms. Kheraj adds, “with so many worthwhile projects on the books, recruits are welcome to get involved”.

Kiwanians support a myriad of other organizations devoted to providing services for young children at home and abroad. International endeavours such as the elimination of Iodine Deficiency in the world, the Caribbean Aids Program, Key Industries, the Kiwanis Play Park in Rockwood Park, providing major orthodontic services in partnership with local orthodontists in Saint John, The New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music, the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation and Juvenile Diabetes to name a few.

They are currently marketing the Kiwanis Cash Calendar and planning for their annual Christmas Breakfast, themed as “Keeping The Christ in Christmas”, on December 11.

There’s a carefree, enthusiastic and infectious spirit of fun abroad when the Divine Divas get together, that makes you want to join in. As their name implies, this unique group of community-minded women are individuals who don’t shy away from the limelight when it comes to raising money for worthwhile causes. When Leslie Oland and Penny Milligan first conceived of the Divas, they felt they had a winning concept of fun for charitable causes at a “ladies night out” that could be successful and appealing. “Divine Divas Presents” is a group of local Saint John women committed to raising funds to support women’s health and family issues in southern New Brunswick.

The group is small but mighty. Penny Milligan, Victoria Clarke and Rhonda Cusack take the lead along with Kim Legge, Debbie Del Bel, Shaena MacSween, Cathy Simpson, and Kelly O'Neill. They leverage their clout by involving generous corporate and individual donors, workplace organizations and clubs. “You know you’re making a difference in a woman’s life. It’s a feel-good thing” states Mrs. Milligan. She rates the Divas as tops on her list of enjoyable and amicable groups, to which she gives her volunteer time.

The Divas’ first event in 2005, raised $46,000 to benefit the Saint John Breast Health Fund. It provides wigs, prostheses, childcare and transportation to breast cancer patients in our area. Last year, they raised over $50,000 to benefit Hospice Saint John, an organization dedicated to compassionately assisting individuals at the end of their lives. This year, Dress for Success will benefit. Three hundred women are invited to party on Sunday, November 18, 2007, 7pm, at the Phoenix Dinner Theatre for “Divine Divas Presents”- Diva Dance Party.

Elaine Stafford, Dress for Success Board Chair, is ecstatic that they are being “adopted” this year and confident the group will meet a very ambitious target of $75,000. Dress for Success was established in 2004 and helps women with career and personal development. Best known for providing gently-used suits to women for job interviews, this new non-profit works year-round to offer job-related coaching, self-esteem, mentoring, personal skills and support for up to a year, as low-income Saint John area women move into or upward in the workplace. Hundreds of hours of volunteer labour earned the Saint John group the right to call itself Dress for Success, the fourth such group in Canada. Dress for Success has helped more than 275,000 women overcome obstacles to find employment and advance their careers in more than 78 cities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

Rhonda Cusack, Phoenix Director of Operations, and auctioneer/emcee for the evening, is clearly a sparkplug behind the group. “It’s a high energy, interactive night. Women who are quiet and shy break out”, she enthuses. Age is not a factor in having a great time she assures you. Without the generous contributions of the entire Phoenix cast of ten, and the donated theatre space, amounting to thousands of dollars of in-kind support, it would not be possible. The cast puts on three performances of popular dance music during the evening interspersed with live and silent auctions and just socializing.

It takes a host of contributors to put on a top-notch event. Tens of thousands of dollars in key support is provided by local businesses and from as far away as Toronto. Many community groups chip in with gifts in kind, cash and ticket sales. Co-chair Victoria Clarke, says, “Our goal this year is to raise $75,000 for Dress for Success. It’s a big jump from last year but people know the quality of our event. We’ve built our brand. Much of our success comes as a result of strong support from area businesses like Phoenix Dinner Theatre, Delta Brunswick Hotel, Revolution Strategy, K-100 and Sears Goldsmith Studio.” Her brother-in-law, awarding winning Toronto chef, Martin Buijsrogge, was so impressed with their efforts that he donated his expertise to prepare a six course gourmet dinner for ten, pairing with wine sommelier and connoisseur Craig Pinhey.

Excitement is expected to build when the live auction begins. With major items like a three night Stanley Cup package, a necklace of large pearls; a gold chain; a diamond pendant; Baby Phat accessories from Walsh Luggage; a Royal Doulton from Katherine Bacon; a TPC Sawgrass pro golf and villa package in Florida; a Sarasota, Florida country club villa package; and a Glamour Secrets makeover, bidding will be competitive. In Diva fashion, the sponsor list is categorized by jewel titles from tiara to diamond, emerald, sapphire, ruby and pearl. The committee is grateful for the generosity of Jani King, Don Koharski’s Officiating and Development Camps, B42 Consulting, T4G, Wellington West, Glamour Secrets, Owens McFadyen, Todd Stephen, Subway, Mariner Partners, Xerox, Martha Lister of Exit Realty, City Laundry and the nearly one hundred silent auction donors.

“Our event shines a light on the much-needed, under-publicized groups that work so hard for the people of our city. By lifting one, it lifts us all” concludes Victoria Clarke.

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The sun shone down on the home of Arthur Miller and his sister, Betty, last week, as almost a symbolic blessing on their good works in their community. An estimated five hundred seniors from several counties, and as far away as British Columbia, gathered for the thirty-fifth Miller Garden Party.

Arthur Miller, already much appreciated for his generosity to the communities in the Kennebecasis Valley, matter-of-factly explains that “that is what you’re supposed to do, share with others”. And share her does. Betty, who is the chief cook for the party, has been busy in the kitchen for days and has a large dining room table, laden with sweets of all kinds (an estimated thirty-seven loaves of sweet breads alone), as testament to her culinary talents. She gives credit to Arthur, “the man of the hour”, and the dozens of volunteers who pitch in to help. “We couldn’t do it without them” she states. Many are seniors in her twice weekly bowling league. Sandy Macdonald, 88, and Gilles Ouellette bowl with her and are high in their praise of the Millers hospitality and their fellow bowlers’ support.

The entire event, including food, entertainment, sound systems, transportation, the grounds, tents, decorations and myriad other details fall to the Millers. Betty is so modest she declines being photographed and instead wants to ensure volunteer entertainers Stan Fortune, Hal Miller and Hazel Marie are recognized. Shanklin Road and fiddlers are also in the musical lineup.

Residents from Rocmaura Nursing Home, Loch Lomond Villa and the Snow Nursing Home join in a sing-along. Betty Miller is grateful to have good health and believes the least they can do in appreciation for it is invite the senior residents of nursing homes to join them for a day of food, fun and fresh air entertainment. “I think to myself, why not give them some pleasure?” she adds.

Arthur is on the move, greeting one and all with a broad smile, along the flag lined drive and from table to table, in the shade of large tents, ensuring his guests are well looked after. “I like red” he says of his trousers, which look very patriotic along with his white shirt. The annual Party is always the Tuesday after New Brunswick Day. He has been very generous to his home community of Rothesay, where he grew up with his ten community-minded siblings. Audrey Pooley, Helen Withrow and Joan Byers, his sisters, are on hand, greeting guests as well.

Mayor Ron Maloney, who dropped by to say thank you in person, is very pleased at the community response to the new Quispamsis Arts and Culture Park, to which Arthur Miller donated $200,000. He estimates about five hundred are attending the Friday night summer movies and that fifteen hundred turned out for their family-oriented New Year’s Eve community celebration. It’s become a gathering spot at least four times a week for community events that appeal to all ages.

Deputy Mayor Bill Artiss thinks the Millers should be recognized even more widely for their hospitality and philanthropy. “It’s an incredible public service. They arrive by the busload in wheelchairs and walkers” he adds, noting that after the donated services, the entire tab is picked up by the Millers. The Miller gifts of a natural park/green space in the heart of Rothesay and an unprecedented one million dollars for recreational facilities are no doubt also on Mr. Artiss’ mind. Gordon Fairweather, a well-known public figure, adds “it’s amazing, he is so modest”.

Neighbours Linda and Peter Tobias and family have been helping for three years. “He loves people” explains Peter. Nephew John Warrington and his family are passing food from the kitchen, a beehive of activity. “I didn’t come until this year because I didn’t know if I was old enough” says Joan Van Wart, colorfully attired in true garden party fashion. In truth, all are welcome but the older generation especially so.

This is not a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or hot dog affair. No effort or expense is spared in providing delicious refreshments, served with the best of tableware. Daryl and Carol Ritchie arrive as the kilted bagpiper gives Arthur a musical salute. They have known him as a friend and customer at their store for forty years. June Brown fondly remembers the days when the Telephone Pioneers would help with the cooking and the Party took place at the Miller cottage by the river. She also recounts how Betty Miller was honoured by local sororities for her community service and that “it was wonderful to see such a retiring, sweet person get the accolades”.

The lights go down, the curtain rises, and the magic begins. Long considered a family Christmas tradition, The Nutcracker Ballet is a wonderful way to enjoy the best of the festive season. Performed by members of the Gala Ballet Company and students of the Rothesay Ballet School, the wonder and joy of this timeless story will come to life on December 15th at 8pm and December 16th at 2pm at the Imperial Theatre. Grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles and friends of the younger set can take this opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime for a special young person in their lives.

The Nutcracker Ballet is presented by Gala Ballet Productions Inc., a newly formed, not for profit company. The mandate of Gala Ballet Productions Inc. is to foster the development of dancers of all ages by providing them with an opportunity to perform on a professional stage. Dedication to excellence and a supportive learning environment has created an appreciation for the arts and has encouraged the dancers in their role as ambassadors. The founding Directors of this company, Anne Simon, June Craft and Rachelle Lanigan believe in contributing to the cultural fabric in Saint John and the surrounding area. In order to achieve this, it is important to engage the patronage and interest of the community and business leaders, which they have done. “We have received support and encouragement from the business community in Saint John and the Kennebecasis Valley” organizer and key volunteer, Anne Simon, says. “Countless volunteer hours are given to this production each year and Gala Ballet Productions would like to thank those who have been so generous with their time. We truly appreciate the support and encouragement we have received and look forward to working with the community to keep this tradition alive” she concluded.

Guest soloists Stacey Shiori Minagawa and Richard Landry, from the National Ballet of Canada, will dance the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. They have performed with their Company all over the world. Anne Simon, states “we are indeed fortunate that they are able to take part in our production again this year. They give generously of themselves, both onstage and off, encouraging and inspiring the entire cast”. She is also enthusiastic that well-known Artistic Director, Sylvia Logan, Director of the Rothesay Ballet School, is working her magic with the dancers. She instills in them, through countless hours of rehearsal, a sense of confidence and commitment to excellence.

This classic Christmas tale follows the wonder and excitement of Christmas Eve through the eyes of a child, Clara, to be performed this year by Maura Boyle and Jordyn Weddell. Each takes a turn at the lead role, providing both with the experience of their young lifetimes. As her favorite uncle appears, bearing gifts for the children at the party, Clara is surprised and delighted to receive a very special Nutcracker. Nutcrackers, whose original purpose was to crack open Christmas nuts, have made something of a comeback in recent years and are often seen in retail outlets as colorful costumed wooden figures, which range from Christmas ornament size to life size decorations.

After an evening of dance and exchange of pleasantries, the party ends and Clara finds herself alone with her Nutcracker. She drifts off to sleep and her imaginary world takes on a life of its own. Clara encounters a Snow Princess, a Mouse King and his followers, the Nutcracker and his soldiers and finally the Sugar Plum Fairy and her escort Cavalier, who lead Clara to their magical world. Audiences and performers alike are swept away by the wonder and excitement of a child's imagination.

Twenty-five junior ballerinas will be tripping across the stage along with twenty senior dancers. The active support of the fathers is impressive. They have been practicing for the adult roles for three months, each Sunday, in order to complement the young dancers in the performance.

Organizers have added a new bonus feature, The Nutcracker Fair, on Saturday, December 15th from 1-3pm, in the Imperial Theatre Lobby. This will be an opportunity to meet the guest soloists in costume, from The National Ballet of Canada, who will be reading the story of The Nutcracker on stage. Shopping “Boutiques” will be set up in the lobby, in a nutcracker village theme. The vendors will be offering last minute Christmas shopping. Ballet cast members, costumed as candy canes and mice, will be helping with a drawing for a nutcracker, autographed by ballet professionals Stacy & Richard, along with coloring activities. This event is open to the public and there is no admission fee.

Tickets for Opening Night December 15, 8pm and the Family Matinee December 16, 2pm are $25, adults; $22, seniors & students; $15, children and are now available at the Imperial Theatre Box Office or by phone order at 674-4100.

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NB Trails Council Key Link to Trans Canada Trail

The Trans Canada Trail (TCT) stretches for 21,000 kilometres as a recreational corridor winding its way through over 1,000 communities in every Province and territory. When completed, this will be the longest trail of its kind in the world, connecting Canada’s regions, our three oceans and our people in a new way for generations to come. This twelve year old dream has captured the imaginations of millions. In New Brunswick, the NB Trails Council is the provincial representative for the TCT, passing on recommendations and approvals for new local trail sponsors. The New Brunswick Trail network, which covers a wider expanse of the province, doubles as the TCT in several areas and makes their partnership mutually beneficial.

The heart of the TCT’s efforts is trail-building. Volunteers work side by side with professional tree-fellers, earth-movers, fence-installers and boulder-shifters. It is arduous but rewarding work. With an ever-increasing focus on healthy, physical activity, what could be more timely, linking with New Brunswick’s wellness initiative and improving the quality of life in our communities? The Province’s Departments of Natural Resources and Wellness, Culture and Sport are key funding partners explains Brian Clark, the volunteer President of the NB Trails Council. Mr. Clark, is General Manager of the Fundy Trail in his day job. He is enthusiastic about the potential of the TCT and what it means for locals and visitors to appreciate the natural beauty and magnitude of Canada. He dreams of a day when the TCT will wend its way from St. Martin’s through Fundy National Park, something which is being discussed these days. Barry Spencer, of St. Louis de Kent is the volunteer Vice-President of operations and John Copp, of Miramichi, the Vice-President of development. David Peterson of Fredericton has been associated with the New Brunswick Trails Council since inception. His contributions have been so significant he has been honoured with the title “President Emeritus”. Jane Murphy is responsible for marketing and development and works out of their Fredericton headquarters.

Coming from Quebec, the TCT winds down the St. John River Valley past Fredericton, Grand Bay-Westfield, Saint John on and on to Moncton before crossing into Nova Scotia and PEI. New Brunswick’s segment of the TCT is a work in progress, combining trail, road and water links, some still in the process of development. Local Trail sponsors do the legwork along the Trail’s many areas. Setting out on the Petit Témis in New Brunswick's north-western corner, visitors can observe First Nations history, Acadian culture, birding hot spots, heritage sites, dense forest and farmland, high tides and wetlands. With sections in Saint John, and along the spectacular Fundy Trail and the Bay of Fundy coastline, the Trans Canada Trail finishes its New Brunswick tour with a run from Sackville to Cape Tormentine on the Northumberland Strait.

Public service announcements, corporate partnerships, merchandise development, and a website are key TCT communication tools. The most popular question asked of Trail staffers is “Where exactly is the trail?”. A new website “Trail Locator”, will allow those planning a trip, seeking a stretch of TCT or a pavilion to click on a map, find them and directions anywhere in Canada. An innovative feature using a postal code lookup is also in the works. Out on the Trail, aluminium signs and stickers tell users that they’re on the TCT; directional arrows are posted by local trail groups, to keep folks on the right track. Under the Discovery Program, interpretive, full-colour panels are in place to show the plants, animals, or geographic features indigenous to a particular Trail section, courtesy of the Stephen R. Bronfman Foundation.

Six Official Trans Canada Trail guidebooks featuring Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick, Quebec and Manitoba have been produced along with three stand-alone maps. This was made possible thanks to the Canadian Tourism Commission, Canadian Geographic and Ulysses, travel book specialists. Books, maps, clothing, trail gear, posters, games and a virtual walk across our country are available online as well as interactive ways to connect with the trail.

For a project of this scope and magnitude to succeed, it must have the support of Canadians from all walks of life and every level of society. The TCT doesn’t own or operate any of the trail sections. Management and maintenance are the responsibility of local trail groups or municipal, provincial or federal governments. Seventy-eight red-roofed trail pavilions across the country contain inscriptions to local trail supporters or have been inscribed there by loved ones.

Valerie Pringle, the well-known volunteer Chair of the TCT Board and broadcast journalist, has generously taken on a special role as spokesperson and trail promoter. A familiar face on CBC, CTV and now, as an independent producer of TV specials, Ms. Pringle has earned numerous awards, including the Order of Canada. Valerie has dedicated herself to a goal of 21,000km by the time the Olympics open in Vancouver in 2010, joining proud Canadians and connecting communities from coast to coast.

She will be in Saint John and Grand Bay-Westfield on May 27th for a special round of ribbon-cutting and trail designation celebrations. She will officiate at the Brundage Point River Centre in Grand Bay-Westfield, Rockwood Park and Harbour Passage to mark the Canada Trail projects in those locations. The City of Saint John is a local trail builder and has taken on the responsibility for local projects. Bill Butler chairs the Harbour Passage Working Group, which has been a key player in initiating the festivities. A parade will leave from the York Point end of Harbour Passage, culminating in an event at Fort LaTour, to which all the community is invited at 4pm. A barbeque and entertainment will follow. It is well-timed, given that Harbour Passage will have just been spiffed up following the Greater Saint John Community Foundation’s Fifth Annual Harbour Passage Garden Party. All are invited May 24^th for the Garden Party, May 27^th for the Trans Canada Trail events and to celebrate International Trails Day on June 7.

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The YM-YWCA has served our community for over one hundred fifty years. Older than our country, the Y in Canada has played a role in both World Wars, the Great Depression, the Korean War and the National Swim Program. It has been instrumental in the invention of the sports of basketball and volleyball and the promotion of peace worldwide.

Many firsts are credited to this organization and those associated with it, but it’s real significance has been on the development and personal lives of countless young people who have had positive experiences that influenced them for a lifetime. In their impressionable early years, certain memories have been indelibly etched. The Saint John Y’s Men’s Club has been supportive of Y endeavours for many decades of their history, one of many associated clubs and groups over the years. We often hear of a “Women’s Auxiliary” as support to an organization, but not so frequently a “Men’s Auxiliary” but that could best describe the dedication and contributions this group has made to the “Y” over the years. Through fundraising events and activities they are a familiar sight at barbeques, dinners and community events like the Atlantic National Home Show. Their work goes back decades and their support in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. In a recent eight year span, they have contributed over one million dollars.

The Y’s Men are familiar figures at the Lily Lake Pavilion and the former Y dining room, where their meals have earned a well-deserved reputation for wholesome quality. They have had forty-four catering events in 2007, averaging one hundred twenty-five persons per function. Less known is their work maintaining the Glenn Carpenter Centre on Ashburn Lake or Camp Glenburn, providing funds for the Y’s Rainbows Program for children and families affected by personal challenges, purchasing fitness equipment, keeping the Y’s three vans on the road, helping PRO Kids and the weekly out-of-town runs to pick up food supplies for Romero House. Their efforts involve not just fundraising but often strenuous labour. The camaraderie they enjoy makes it all worthwhile. Peter Wilkins heads the group this year and notes “there is a fellowship component” which binds the fifty member group together.

Bob Capson has held most every imaginable post over his thirty-five year involvement with the Y’s men, both locally and outside our community. He describes his weekly volunteering as testament to living the Y motto. “We’re here to work in our community” he says. New recruits are welcome and needed. There is no doubt they are very committed to the Y and its programs. They are currently focusing on the latest project to benefit the Y, a limited edition series created by Saint John artist Ray Butler, “YMCA-YWCA in Transition” , depicting the Y over its storied past, present and future. The artist has painstakingly captured the details of the Y’s history in a series of vignettes.

Jerry Power is the driving force behind the art project. He eloquently sums up how many feel. “When I approached Ray Butler to do this project, he expressed many fond memories of the YMCA, and in particular his association with the Seafarer’s Mission, and the time he would spend meeting the people as they left the ships and accompanying them to the YMCA building. As the project progressed and I talked with different people, it became apparent, that everyone remembers the old building for different reasons, be it their athletic endeavors, the leadership training, or where they met the love of their life. I think we will all keep a special place in our heart for our old Y”.

The “YMCA-YWCA in Transition” depicts the journey the Y has made over the last 153 years, with glimpses of the past, that evoke many memories, as well as a look ahead. The original Hazen Avenue YMCA building, constructed in 1908, which was demolished and its successor, built in 1954 is featured. The former YWCA building on Wellington Row, which closed after the YMCA and YWCA amalgamated in 1986, is also prominent. Architect Greg Murdock’s preliminary view of the Y’s future home completes the picture.

Representations of the clubs and logos associated with the Y over the years are incorporated into the pleasing art work. They include memorable images from the old YMCA-YWCA logo, the Red Triangle, HI Y Club, Saint John Harrier Club, Y’s Men, the 150th Anniversary Logo, Camp Glenburn, Day Camps, YMCA Amateur Athletic Club, and the YMCA Running Club. The Y has been such an integral part of our community, it is challenging to include everything, but a sampling of various activities associated with the Y is also included.

If you’re looking for a Christmas present for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list, consider a limited edition signed, Ray Butler print of the Old Saint John YM-YWCA. The Limited Edition Prints are priced at $125, unframed; $160, laminated on Board or $205, professionally framed.

Contact :

Any member of the Saint John Y’s Men, Jerry Power 647-5003

Email YPrint@nbnet.nb.ca

In the best sense of the term “old boys”, the KV Old Boys personify a group of mainly fully retired gentlemen from the Kennebecasis Valley. What is more significant is that they are active, contributing community members, who take advantage of their expanded free time by performing good works.

Over five years, their highly efficient secretary treasurer, Don Shea, says the group have raised and given back $40,870.60 to their community. The beneficiaries vary from well known charitable groups like the Canadian Cancer Society, Romero House, Hospice and Cherry Brook Zoo to various Southwestern New Brunswick food banks and to numerous individuals, many with health or disability challenges and financial needs. For obvious confidentiality reasons, more specific personal details are not publicly made available but for the Old Boys themselves, knowing they have made a difference in someone’s life means a lot.

The Old Boys originally came together in 2002 to raise money for cancer research to commemorate their deceased friend, Vernon Graves. Responding to individuals and families in need is the most rewarding part for Peter Hastings. It could be as simple as finding a new home for his computer or more complex, like re-furbishing scooters and wheelchairs or building ramps to create better access for wheelchair-bound individuals. Bobby Orr enjoys the camaraderie of such construction projects. He also cites that having fun together is important to the group of less than twenty retirees. Their hot chocolate service to Santa Claus Parade watchers in the KV helped keep folks warm as they waited and to raise money for their community. The venture was a partnership with the Old Boys and Scholtens and this past year, McDonalds. Similarly, they have found willing customers at the Quispamsis Arts and Culture Park on summer evenings when family movies and popcorn are offered free. There, they have been able to widen the offerings with a fundraising barbeque.

There’s a misconception that the KV area is well looked after with few needs but the KV Old Boys know otherwise. Paul Richard explains how the financial support they gave to a UNB-Saint John student got her through a tight situation and on to graduate and post-graduate studies.

For any charitable group or service club, fundraising is an ongoing challenge. Raffles, pancake breakfasts, volunteering at the Dragon Boat Festival, bagging groceries at Sobeys, selling angels at the Superstore or receiving In Memoriam donations are some of the ways the funds come in. New ideas are constantly being considered. One of the hallmarks of the KV Old Boys is that they also provide their neighbours with a way to contribute to a clean environment and good causes. At five cents or so per redeemable beverage container, they have probably collected what amounts to a huge mountain of soft drink, juice and alcoholic bottles, cans and boxes, which have been removed from the waste stream over the years and generated income for the group.

They even have a portable pickup trailer to take the mountain to the recycling depot. The trailer came at no added cost to the group, being paid for by the NB Environmental Trust Fund and advertisers, leaving 100% of the refunds to add to the fundraising coffers. It’s as simple as making a phone call or sending an e-mail to have them picked up at your doorstep. Containers must be empty, clean and dry, with the labels left on the beverage containers.

The group, which meets monthly, except for July and August, in the community room at the Atlantic Superstore in Rothesay is always open to new recruits.

The KV Old Boys have been recognized for community service and awarded a New Brunswick Merit Award. If you enjoy the rewards of getting involved in your community, meeting a fun group of community-minded retirees or want to contribute in any way contact Don Shea at 847-5895, fax 847-1369, or email kvob@nbnet.nb.ca

For close to two years, a dedicated group of humanitarians has been focused on a goal that has their sights set on the other side of the globe. They are known as the Two Rivers Pastoral Charge Refugee Sponsorship Team. Through the leadership of David MacPherson and Ross Sherwood and with the blessing of Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Stevenson, their minister, the entire Pastoral Charge, consisting of the three congregations, Bayswater-Summerville, Long Reach and Westfield, has been united in action. For relatively small, rural and suburban church communities, raising thousands of dollars can be daunting, just to keep the heat and lights on, not to mention building a fund large enough to sponsor refugees for a year after their arrival in our country. Ross Sherwood calls it “the incredible journey God has called us to”.

Rev. Dr. Stevenson says there have been unanticipated benefits as the congregations worked in teams. They made “We Are Not Alone” their theme, along with the symbol of two hands circling the globe. “It has taken us beyond our own doors” she says. By learning about other cultures, bureaucracy and facing their own prejudices and limitations, it has been “very powerful” she adds.

They learned of three brothers, Ohmeed, Saeed and Ahmjad Mezbani, from Iran, who fled to a refugee camp in Quetta, Pakistan. Their aunt, Maheen and her family were brought to Canada four years ago. The team is working to bring the brothers safely to Canada to reunite them.

In September, Saeed left Ohmeed and Ahmjad to be with their sister who is experiencing difficulties in her life. While the details are uncertain, he is thought to be in Iran with his sister and is not considered a refugee, therefore, will not be coming with his brothers. Recently, Ohmeed and Ahmjad traveled to a refugee camp in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. There, they will be safer and closer to a Canadian Embassy as they and the team complete the massive paperwork process to bring them to Canada. They are studying Canadian culture and English. The Two Rivers Pastoral Charge congregation is providing monthly support of $300 to help with their living expenses and studies.

The active, dedicated congregation members have rallied around the Refugee Sponsorship Team’s goal of $18,000 with one fundraising idea after another. A Sing-A-Long Concert, a musical presentation by the Carleton Choristers, a piano & song concert by Bertis Sutton, a Coffee House musical event by the Aussie/Scott Duo, a donation by the Summerville Quilters, two Lasagna Suppers, two “Loonie” Campaigns, an Auction, Yard Sale and Book Sales, a Family Walk-A-Thon augmented by donations for Refugee Sponsorship in the Offering Plate at Sunday morning Worship Services, all brought them to their goal. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation contributed $2500.00 early in the campaign to get things rolling. They are required to provide support to the brothers for one full year after they arrive in Canada. To date, they have raised the $21,000 and even added funds to the neighbouring Kingston community’s Refugee Project.

Kathy Cameron, a team member says it’s unlike any other experience she has had. They are motivated by a spirit of caring and imagining themselves experiencing the daily life of a refugee, so far removed from the safety and comforts of New Brunswick. Questions that defy answering must be part of their day: Where will I live? Where do I get food? Where do I get a drink of water? Is it clean? Where will I go to the bathroom? How will I cope? What if I get sick? How can I protect my children? What about land mines? How long will I be here - there – anywhere? It is estimated by the international medical organization, Doctor’s Without Borders, that there are 33 million people uprooted by war, approximately the present population of Canada. The world has also a large number of Internally Displaced Persons, who are homeless within their own countries.

Recently, a celebration was held to mark the end of the first phase. Now, with the money in the bank, it remains to support the brothers from afar until the bureaucratic processes are complete and they are re-united here in Canada. Then the group will again swing into action, this time offering support of a different kind as they adjust to life in a new country, proud to be strong and free. “We feel very blessed by the marvelous support we have received and want to thank each and everyone of you who have supported our endeavor to enable these two young men to join their family in Canada” concludes Ross Sherwood.