templetonnewsletternov2011

“Dedicated to Excellence” Vol. 11, Issue 140 November 2011

VictorToy Photo

Karel Ley Photos

Volunteer of the Year Brenda Montgomery

North Shore

Volunteer of the Year Bruce Hackett

Victoria

Outstanding Achievement Jack Plain White Rock

Volunteer of the Year Joyce Matthews

Oceanside

Caregiver Penny Swales

Vanderhoof

Stroke Recovery Association of BC awarded five people the Phyllis Delaney’s “Life-After-Stroke” 2011 award at the SRABC AGM, November 26, 2011 held at Creekside Community Recreation Center, Vancouver Olympic Village

SRABC President, Dan Kennedy, presented the awards.

Ingredients:

6 pieces ........ Chicken breast halves,

skinless and boneless

1 tsp ............. Garlic salt

2 tbsp ........... Olive oil

1 ................... Onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup......... Balsamic vinegar

1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes

1 tsp ............. Basil, dried

1 tsp ............. Oregano, dried

1 tsp ............. Rosemary, dried

1/2 tsp ......... Thyme, dried

Black pepper (ground) to taste

Directions:

1. Season chicken breasts with

ground black pepper and garlic

salt. Heat olive oil in a medium

skillet, and brown the onion and

seasoned chicken breasts.

2. Pour tomatoes and balsamic

vinegar over chicken, and season

with basil, oregano, rosemary and

thyme. Simmer until chicken is no

longer pink and the juices run

clear, about 15 minutes.

www.templetonstrokerecovery.com

Templeton Newsletter Mailing Address:

204– 2929 Nootka Street, Vancouver, BC V5M 4K4 Canada

Published every month, if possible. Contributions are always welcome. The articles should be in, not later than day 25th of every month.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in Stroke Recoverer’s Review newsletter: articles, submissions and spotlights are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Templeton Stroke Recovery or the editor of Stroke Recoverer’s Review. Editor reserves the right at any time to make changes as it deems necessary. It is the purpose of this periodical to share a variety of viewpoints mostly from stroke survivors.

November 2011 Contributors: Loy Lai

Ollie Stogrin Victor Toy Karel Ley Jim Walmsley

Werner Stephan Jose Suganob

Production of SRR:

Jose Suganob

Email: [email protected]

Printing Pick-up Person: Ollie Stogrin

Inside this issue:

Recipe Encouragements

2

Healthy Substitutions 2

Last Month’s Happening 3

Jose’s Notes Passing of COMMON SENSE

4

Holidays by Werner

5

November 2011 Volume 11, Issue 140

Page 2

“There’s life after stroke”

RECIPE: Braised Balsamic Chicken

For a tree there is hope if it be cut

down, that it will sprout again and

that its tender shoots will not cease.

Better to bunt in fields, for health

unbought. Than fee the doctor for a

nauseous draught. The wise, for cure,

on exercise depend; God never made

his work for man to mend.

I knew by the smoke, that so grace-

fully cured; Above the green elms,

that I said, “If there’s peace to be

found in the world, A heart that was

humble might hope it here!

There is no season such delight can

bring. As summer, autumn, winter

and the spring.

—submitted by Loy Lai Templeton Stroke Recovery

HEALTHY SUBSTITUTIONS AT HOME

When you’re preparing meals at

home there are several easy ways you

can boost nutrients and make a

healthier meals:

Rolled oats can replace bread

crumbs.

Whole wheat and grain breads can

replace white bread.

Choose skim or low fat dairy products

over full fat options.

Ground chicken or turkey can

replace ground beef. Choose leans

cuts of any meats.

Salt can be replaced with herbs,

spices or lemon juice.

Sugar can be replaced with vanilla,

cinnamon or nutmeg.

—submitted by Loy Lai

Templeton Stroke Recovery

ENCOURAGEMENTS

Another month has

vanished! Is it me or is

that way with every-

one? Again, Jose is

waiting for my small

piece of gossip to put

into his newsletter.

November, we had the SRABC AGM at

Creekside Community Recreation

Center. It was well-attended, five (5)

of us; Jose, Key, Helen, Nancy and I

attended. There were a number of

new faces and many members that

have been around for a number of

years. This time of year, there’s so

much going on, its difficult to have an

AGMeeting so close to Xmas. Even so,

it was well attended.

Our members went out to our “once

a month dinner” in November, we

went to Chinese Restaurant in Hasting

St. near corner Renfrew St. for, what

do you know, Chinese food. It was a

very good dinner. There were 19 of

us, as usual, everyone had a great

time. Seems these dinners are getting

to know ‘family time,’ as this is where

members bring their partners and

friendship formed for the spouses.

I don’t know what we are going to do

about the December dinner?? As,

I think, everyone will be ‘turkeyed

out’! My dictionary says there’s no

such word, as turkeyed out!! Well,

there is now!

We have been having a lot variety of

food this last month. I don’t think, our

members are missing our soup and

sandwich menu, as Debbie’s dad

donated chicken pies for lunch, then 2

weeks later, Angela and Constantino



Page 3

LAST MONTH’S HAPPENING by Ollie Stogrin

one of raffle door prizes.

Also, every year, our girls; Jeanie, Loy

and Inge came as the ‘potato peelers’

for our Xmas dinner. They do such a

great job and have fun doing it!

Thanks again, ladies! We appreciate

all your help!

Again, Olga (now in Holy Family

Rehab) and Valerie both just felt so

bad that they had to miss our ‘Xmas

Dinner 2011’ fundraiser night. As Olga

has volunteered since 2000. Valerie,

our coordinator for 7 years. They

were both missed very much. Only

both are now getting over their

health problems, Thank heavens!

I hope the New Year will be a turning

point for the better for both of them.

Again this year, Joe Funaro, invites all

our members to Kiwanis dinner at the

Astorino Hall and it’s a great nite for

everyone. As Joe and his family have

been great supporters of Kiwanis

fundraising for charity for many years,

so, he invites us every year.

If anyone has a photo(s) of our Xmas

Dinner 2011, please send to Jose

email address, so he can add them to

his newsletter. We would love to see

them, Thank you!

I hope, all the SRABC Branches have a

great Christmas and a Healthy New

Year and we will be here in 2012, that

for sure!!!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

See you all next month!

—Ollie Stogrin

Templeton Stroke Recovery

donated the great ‘Pasta meat ball

lunch’ with al l the tr immings,

including homemade wine!!! Then,

Trevor’s partner, Lorraine made a

huge pot of yummy ‘minestrone’ soup

the following week, and it wasn’t

even close to Xmas yet! Templeton

members never starve, and still

speaking of food…

We went into our yearly ‘fundraiser,

raffle Xmas dinner.’ This is the year 14

(I think?) for having a Xmas dinner.

We started with maybe 30 people at

Templeton pool Activity Room but

soon we needed a functional kitchen

for more guests and we have been at

the ‘Lion’s Den’ ever since.

Each year, we are happy that a

number of other Stroke Recovery

Branches attend our dinner. This year,

we had the Coquitlam Branch, also

Delta and North Shore (I hope, I didn’t

miss any branches out?) Also, this

year, I saw a lot more of our members

and families than in previous years as

I wasn’t because I was in the kitchen

cooking the turkey. Key’s brother, Tak

offered to do the Xmas dinner and I

gladly accepted as with our coordina-

tor, Valerie has been in the hospital

since August and I had a surgery in

August, too. And, Tak did a great job!

He volunteered his services which he

does every year, in one or the other.

His help is always appreciated. Every-

one had a great time, I think? After

our member, Heather brought all that

wine! Whoopee!!! Ahhh…

Our Dianne Shaylor donated a bag of

groceries for the ‘Strides’ couldn’t fit

into the basket at that time; got to be




Page 4

SRABC AGM 2011—

was held at Creekside Com-

munity Recreation Center,

1 Athletes Way, Vancouver

on November 26, 2011.

The event was represented by almost

37 SRABC branches. Some branches

came from afar, like Victoria, Vancou-

ver Island and the Interior, from Van-

derhoof, Prince George, Salmon Arm,

Vernon, just to name a few.

Templeton Stroke Recovery was

represented by Ollie Stogrin, Key

Akeroyd, Helen Singh, Jose Suganob

and Nancy Morishita. The weather

was raining the whole day, but the

event was held inside, on second floor

of Creekside Community Recreation

Center (Room-Multipurpose 4).

SRABC Phyllis Delaney’s ‘Life-After-

Stroke’ Awards, was given at 12:30

pm. Dan Kennedy, SRABC President,

presented the awards.

Outstanding Achievement Awardee

Jack Plain (White Rock)

Volunteer of the Year Awardees

1. Bruce Hackett (Victoria)

2. Joyce Matthews (Oceanside)

3. Brenda Montgomery (North Shore)

Care Giver Awardee

Penny Swales (Vanderhoof)

—Jose Suganob

JOSE’s NOTES:


‘Templo’

Passing of COMMON SENSE

Today, we mourn the passing of a

beloved old friend, Common Sense,

who has been with us for many years.

No one knows for sure how old he

was, since his birth records were long

ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having

cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the

rain

Why the early bird gets the worm

Life isn’t always fair

And, maybe it was my fault

Common Sense lived by simple, sound

financial policies (don’t spend more

than you can earn) and reliable

strategies (adults, not children are in

charge)

His health began to deteriorate

rapidly when well-intentioned but

overbearing regulations were set in

place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy

charged with sexual harassment for

kissing a classmate; teens suspended

from school for using mouthwash

after lunch; and, a teacher fired for

reprimanding an unruly student, only

worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when

parents attacked teachers for doing

the job that they themselves had

failed to do in disciplining their unruly

children. It declined even further

when schools were required to get

parental consent to administer sun

lotion or an aspirin to a student; but

could not inform parents when a

student became pregnant and

wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as

the churches became businesses; and

criminals received better treatment

than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when

you couldn’t defend yourself from a

burglar in your own home and the

burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the

will to live, after a woman failed to

realize that a steaming cup of coffee

was hot. She spilled a little in her lap,

and was promptly awarded a huge

settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in

death, by his parents, Trust and

Trust; by his wife, Discretion; by his

daughter, Responsibility; and by his

son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers:

I Know My Rights, I Want It Now,

Someone Else Is To Blame, and I’m A

Victim.

Not many attended his funeral

because so few realized he was

gone...If you still remember him, pass

this on. If not, join the majority and

do nothing.

—Submitted by Jim Walmsley

Delta Stroke Recovery

HOLIDAYS (Werner Stephan, NSSRC - West Vancouver Group)

What? Christmas again

is almost here? I have

not budgeted for this!

Did you at least

have some desperate

thoughts like that?

I just found a solution

to this problem on the Internet for

‘emergency’ presents and cheap

trees. The presents can be bought

anytime during the year whenever

prices are lower and a ‘do-it-yourself’

tree, well, no further comments are

needed about the tree. Have a look at

the attached cartoons:

Do people celebrate differently in

other Western countries in addition

to our holidays in December?

In Ireland, for example, people cele-

brate on the 26th St. Stephen’s Day.

Who was he and why is he

celebrated? He is believed to be the

first Christian martyr. This National

holiday has been celebrated in Ireland

for over 100 years, where it has

replaced a Bank Holiday in 1871.

In Germany, Boxing Day is a national

holiday and is known as the Second

Christmas Day.

In South Africa, the 16th is a public

holiday, known as Day of Reconcilia-

tion and the 26th is celebrated as a

public holiday, known as the Day of

Goodwill.

In China, an Asian country, Christmas

is not celebrated at all, around the

22nda holiday, which changes every

year, celebrates the December

Solstice.

Enough of these serious holidays.

There must be some bizarre or wacky

holidays. There certainly are such

holidays, they are not officially recog-

nized anywhere in Canada or the USA,

but they are never-the-less celebrated

by enthusiasts:

World Naked Bike Day - The date

varies for this ‘clothing optional’

bike ride with a ‘Bare as you Dare’

motto.

Thomas Crapper Day (Jan. 27) - This

holiday is devoted to the man who

invented the flush toilet and toilet

games (like what?) are played in his

honor.

International Nose Picking Day

(April 23) - Is this a joke? How do

you celebrate it?

Bath Tub Party Day (Aug 5) - Parties

are encouraged with everybody

piling into a large tub or a

swimming pool. Its supposed to be

‘good clean’ fun. Yea, right!

Do other countries have weird holidays

as well? How about Japan or around

the world? Judge yourself:

1. Hadaka Matsuri (Sometime in Jan) -

It involves stripping down to the


Page 5



loin cloth, sitting on a block of ice

and drinking copious amounts of

ice cold beer or sake. It is supposed

to separate men from boys.

2. Get Over It Day (Mar 9) - Everyone

has something to be sorry about:

ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends,

embarrassing moments and so on.

3. Napping Day - There’s not much to

think about why people choose to

celebrate it.

4. Lost Sock Memorial Day - This is

the day when we should remem-

ber a favorite pair of socks.

5. Global Orgasm for Peace Day

(Dec 22) - It was established in the

USA in 2006, in order to ‘emit

positive energy’ to the earth.

No comments!!!

In some Asian countries and also, in

some, Muslim countries, Christmas is

celebrated as a purely commercial

holiday. Judging by all the advertising

and the emphasis on presents, some

say in Western countries it is not all

that different. Do you agree or not?

—by Werner Stephan,

North Shore Stroke Recovery Center West Vancouver Group

‘Do-it-yourself’ Christmas Trees

templetonnewsletternov2011

Documents

stroke recipe

stroke survivors

season chicken breasts

braised balsamic chicken

seasoned chicken breasts

chicken breast halves

dried black pepper ground

balsamic vinegar