Issue #92 May 6th, 2013

During the month of April many organizations across Canada celebrated National Volunteer Week. Various award ceremonies and gatherings have been held by organizations, municipalities and the provincial government to recognize the benefits and impact of volunteers in our communities.

Last week one of our committed volunteers Selena Forsyth was recognized in Toronto with the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism. This award was presented to 12 individuals and 7 organizations across Ontario.

The award recognized Selena’s advocacy for people with disabilities; helping her municipality become more responsive to their needs and working for wheelchair-accessible sidewalks, traffic lights with visual and audible signals for pedestrians, and accessible buses and playgrounds. Selena is also very active in our Hospice Palliative Care program as Chair of the Advisory Committee and a one on one hospice visiting volunteer. These two areas only scratch the surface of Selena’s volunteer resume.

Hats off Selena to you and the other volunteers awarded the June Callwood Award.

(Selena with Barb Winfield)

Message to FOCUS readers, if you hear of a Community Care Northumberland volunteer who has received special recognition please email us at feedback@commcare.ca As an agency that values volunteerism we want to spread the word as much as possible and ‘toot our own horn’. Read further to see other special awards to CCN volunteers. Trish Baird

Feeding Our Curiosity, Uncovering Strengths

F O C U S

174 Oliver Road, PO Box 1087, Campbellford, ON

1-866-514-5774 or www.commcare.ca

Volunteers play a very important role in the quality of Ontario life. The strength of Ontario depends on the strength of our communities. Volunteers help in building diverse, vibrant communities that are safe, caring and are socially, culturally and economically strong places in which to live. The Ontario Volunteer Services Awards are presented to volunteers who contribute consecutive years of service to a single agency within Ontario. This Ceremony gives our Agency the opportunity to THANK our Volunteers for their hard work and dedication.

(L-R)Sharlene Bernard, CCN Cobourg 15 years; Nelson Gardiner, CCN Port Hope 15 years; Albertha Greene, CCN Cobourg 10 years; Sharron McDonald, CCN Colborne 5 years and Don Perry, CCN Colborne 5 years.

CCN Volunteers also receiving their Volunteer Service Awards this year:

Clyde and Charlene Arbour, CCN Trent Hills 5 years Bryan and Louise Baxter, CCN Cobourg 10 years

Rosemary Campbell, CCN Cobourg 10 years Nicole Corbeil, CCN Port Hope 15 years

Kirstine Elbek, CCN Trent Hills 10 years Angela Hook, CCN Trent Hills 5 years

Alberta Johnston, CCN Cobourg 10 years David Jones, CCN Colborne 10 years

Gayle Jones, CCN Colborne 10 years Bill Mallory, CCN Trent Hills 10 years

Myrle McRae, CCN Trent Hills 5 years Bill and Sheila Moore, CCN Trent Hills 5 years

Jackie Oliver, CCN Colborne 5 years Pat Westrope, CCN Colborne 5 years

Community Care Northumberland Volunteers Receive Service Awards

We are quite excited about our men’s group in Colborne. This group started March 22/11. Howie Knapman a

volunteer from Brighton men’s group, suggested starting a group up in Colborne. We started with about 6

members. Now the number is up to 20 members and 3 volunteers. This group meets over coffee and snacks every

Tuesday morning from 10:00-11:15 in the Community Care meeting room. The camaraderie of these men is

wonderful. Some of these men are lonely, or are a struggling caregiver as well as, many of them having health

issues to deal with. They are a great support to one another. The laughter amongst them is so good to hear. A

couple of times a month, we have a guest speaker attend to add some interest.

Out of this group a men’s choir has started up. About 7 members of this group meet at one of the member’s

homes to practice weekly. So far they have performed at the Grafton Community Diners and will be entertaining

at the Colborne Community Diners in May. They have also been invited to entertain at the Habitat build over

lunch during the ladies build week. This men’s group is a need in the community that is being met for the ones

that choose to attend.

Submitted by Brenda Chapman—Program Assistant in Colborne

Colborne Program Office Update—Men’s Group

When a client has an out of town trip that they know ahead of time will involve the

volunteer driver waiting for them for more than 5 hours, should the driver be

compensated for the wait. (ie another flat fee charge of 1.5 times the fee). Here are a

couple of examples: client needs to have a medical procedure done in a Toronto

hospital; client does dialysis treatment out of the area (Peterborough); client going to a

social occasion or family event. Respecting our volunteer drivers for their time is good

but when does it become too much to ask of them?

What do you think? Send your feedback to feedback@commcare.ca

What Do You Think?

Cheryl McFarlane—Regional Hospice Coordinator stopped by

a recent Shout Sister rehearsal to say thank you to the

members of this group. This Shout Sister chapter recently

donated $1,200.00 to CCN in support of our Hospice Palliative

Care Program. We are so appreciative of their support.

Shout Sister Supports Community Care Northumberland

Staff Birthdays Staff Anniversaries

Charlotte Clay – Ireland – Port Hope Office Sharlyn Densdedt – Colborne Office

Heather Marriott – Cobourg Office Laurie Matiyek – Cobourg Office

Mary Wilkes – Brighton Office

Staff Birthdays and Anniversaries in May

See next week’s edition of the Focus—Photos from the 4th Annual Hike for Hospice

Community Notice