update newsletter | winter 2010 review

Supporting People who have an Intellectual Disability • CALL TOLL-FREE 1-877-737-3475 • www.CommunityLivingYorkSouth.ca

insiDeTHIS ISSUE

United Wayof York Region

2009 Campaign . . . . . . 3

Speaker Spotlights . . . . . . . 5

Special Olympics Ontario .News . . . . . 7

MSH Volunteer Service Awards . . . 8

Facebook Finds Favourite Teacher . . . . . . . . . 10

2009W I N T E R

1-877-737-3475COMMUNITY LIVING YORK SOUTHCommunity Information Line

Providing information and resources for individualswho have an intellectual disability and their families

Dean Turns 70by Vicki Szatko, Residential Supervisor

Dean rang in his 70th birthday with a bash. Surrounded by his friends, Dean was espe-cially touched when a special guest from Aurora High, “Dorothy” from The Wizard of Oz (one of his all time favourite movies) sang

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to him. And if that didn’t do it, the accordionist Robert joined in to perform the happy birthday song with Dorothy, and then stayed to play several favourites that got everyone dancing. Seeing Dean’s eyes fill with tears upon hearing the accordion, and hearing Dean sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for the next week… was priceless.

Kim Turns 50by Barb Eldridge, Women’s Auxiliary Volunteer

For my daughter Kim’s 50th birthday her friend Jim hosted a surprise party. She also had an enjoyable dinner with family members.

Cruising Along with Councillor David Cohenby Anna Baldussi-Lato, Community Options Coordinator

There were no cold winds on Sunday, Nov-ember 1, 2009. That’s because over 200

people “cruised along” with Richmond Hill Ward 3 Councillor David Cohen as he presented the

“Cruise Along With Us” fundraising dinner at the Diamond Banquet Hall. The event was a cruise ship-themed event organized to raise money to encourage and support affordable respite servi-ces in Richmond Hill. Posters of tropical places, Hawaiian leis and people dressed up in cruise wear created the warm feeling, visuals and atmosphere of being in a tropical place.

L to R: Sau Mei, Wai Chung, Richmond Hill Councillor David Cohen, Lai Chung, Kitty, Chi Ping Lau (dance instructor)

See CRUISING on Page �

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Recognizing the Founding Members of the Self Advocates Council of Community Living York South

Councillor Cohen understands the need to raise money for affordable respite services in York Region. “‘Quality of life’ is very important to all of us,” shared Coun-cillor Cohen prior to the event. “Families who take care of those with [an intellectual disability]… live demanding days ensuring that their loved one is safe and well cared for at home. One option for relief is respite care. A qualified agency provides programs or overnight care, so the person gets an interesting change and the family gets some relief.”

With this in mind, he formed a Com-munity Outreach Committee comprised of a diverse group of people with the purpose

of raising respite funds for Community Living York South and Reena.

As the need for respite increases, families look towards placing their son/daughter in a secure and comfortable environment. Some-times, affordability can affect their decision in placing their loved ones in a respite pro-gram. With the money raised, some assist-ance can go towards helping those families.

The highlights of the evening were performances from Community Living York South’s Chinese Fan Dancers and the choir from Reena. Their talents resonated throughout the banquet hall as viewers watched, in awe of their gifts and talents.

Thank you to all staff members for ar-ranging and assisting in the preparation.

Your efforts in highlighting their perform-ance for the evening are sincerely appreci-ated.

Community Living York South is very grateful to have community partners such as Councillor David Cohen. Uncovering and discovering citizens in the commun-ity who have the passion and desire to give back to the community are essential to any organization. Councillor Cohen is one of those citizens and is a commun-ity partner that Community Living York South values and respects. With sincere thanks to David and his Community Outreach Committee, we look forward to working on future initiatives that benefit the community.

CRUISING Continued from Page �

by Leslie Geddes, Team Supervisor

Congratulations to the founding members of the Self Advocates Council who have paved the way for self advocates connected

with Community Living York South: Lloyd (Chair), Kevin (Co-chair), Brian (Treasurer), Barb, Darrel, Hannele, Neale, Patrick, Robert, Shahid.

Throughout their term, members of the Committee have par-ticipated in a variety of learning and networking experiences, and in raising awareness for people with an intellectual disability. Mem-bers have attended the annual Advocates for Community Educa-tion (ACE) conference in Trenton, meeting other self advocates and sharing ideas about issues important to the Self Advocate move-ment, such as Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) income rates, affordable housing, transit rates, rights and responsibilities, and fair treatment and inclusion for all community members.

Lloyd served as a representative on both the Board of Direc-tors and the Quality Assurance Committee. Kevin participated in a number of speaking engagements to raise awareness in our schools and with other organizations. Kevin also inducted the incoming Board of Directors of Community Living York South at the Annual General Meeting in June of 2009. Brian served as Regional Repre-sentative on the provincial Council of Self Advocates.

Every year, members of the Council, along with other advocates, travel to Queens Park for “Community Living Day at the Legisla-ture.” In addition to representing all of us connected with Commun-ity Living York South to our Members of Parliament, this annual delegation performs an important role in raising public awareness and in promoting true inclusion for all the people of Ontario.

During this past year members have travelled to a variety of seminars from Toronto to Peterborough.

In December of 2008, Patrick led a delegation representing the Markham Unionville Support Team (MUST) and the people receiving services from Community Living York South, to address the York Region Transit Committee at Council Chambers in New-market. Patrick’s speech outlined the difficulty for people on low incomes to afford the transit costs. He emphasized that this placed a further barrier on people accessing all the advantages offered in their community.

The present members have served an extended term of over two years on the Self Advocates Council. Congratulations to each founding member of the council as they prepare to pass their torch to new members in the New Year.

î Neal, Kevin, Hannele, Patrick, Patrick, Lloyd, Barb, Brian

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United Way of York Region’s 2009 Campaignby Anna Baldussi-Lato, Community Options Coordinator

Community Living York South’s 2009 United Way of York Region (UWYR; unitedwayyorkregion.com) donation campaign,

which ran from September to November 2009, was once again a huge success. Myself and the other UWYR campaign co-chairs, Dianna Thompson (Human Resources Coordinator) and Cathy Johnston (Team Supervisor), successfully ran a smooth and easy campaign.

Our first event, a wonderful fundraising brunch, launched the beginning of the campaign… and certainly made everyone’s tum-mies happy and content. The campaign committee would like to acknowledge and thank all those who prepared and contributed to the array of food that included muffins, cookies, soups, breads, quiches, bacon, ham… and the list goes on and on. Thank you for your support and for sharing your wonderful culinary skills!

The second event was held in conjunction with the Richmond Hill Women’s Networking Association (richmondhillwomen.com), not-for-profit organization that works together to “make Richmond Hill a better place to work, live and play.” The event showcased products created by entrepreneurs. Jewellery, art, baked goods,

blankets, and hand-knitted tea towels were all displayed for people to purchase.

The Network was amazed by the wonderful products on display and had the opportunity to talk to the entrepreneurs about their products and how they were made. The event included an inspir-ing speech by Daniele Zanotti, Chief Executive Officer of United Way of York Region. Daniele spoke about understanding the socio-economic realities of York Region as well the importance of the UWYR’s member agencies, like Community Living York South, that play a role in assisting people in realizing their potential and gaining independence, thus enriching community life.

Thank you to all the people supported by Community Living York South, our staff members, friends and donors who, through collective efforts, helped us to raise $7,141,28… which exceeded our campaign goal!

The spirit of all those who participated despite current eco-nomic realities was commendable. Each person involved has proven their strength, determination and willingness to help those in need.

î Anna, Roger, Katie, Cecilia î Linda, Bill

î Stephanie, Lisa î Anna, Gajen, Dianna, Kula


Making Potato Salad: Quality Assurance Updateby Pamela Singleton, Quality Assurance Coordinator

Well, we started with potatoes (where we were 6 months ago). We’ve been tossing, adding spice and a few veggies here and

there and viola! Potato salad (almost!).Yes, the Accreditation Journey is very much like the process of

making a salad. We are “tossing” ideas around, trying new “fla-vours”, and experimenting quite a bit to see how we can get the best product. Here are some “ingredients” that we’ve added so far:

1. The Complaints Resolution Process has been distributed and shared; the Complaints Committee is actively responding to complaints;

2. Goals to assist all staff with their role in the journey have been developed;

3. Community Living York South’s website is under construc-tion and will be more user friendly in the months to come;

4. People are being supported to understand and exercise their personal rights and freedoms;

5. More people are identifying their aspirations through the person directed planning process;

6. The Por Lay Shek Resource Centre has been established at the 101 Edward Avenue building;

7. Over 90% of Full Time Staff are trained to use the AIMS database, which will help us identify, for example; areas in service that need to be improved;

8. Staff Training continues in the areas of Respect and Values, Diversity, Freedom from Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation, Social Capital and Personal Outcome Measures;

9. People are coming together to ensure that great things are happening…

The recipe will continue to be added to over the coming months so that, come picnic time, we will be ready to celebrate!

Strategic Transitionsby Pamela Singleton, Quality Assurance Coordinator

As a part of the journey towards excellence, we are always seeking tools that will assist people to com-

municate their choices, preferences and desires. This exploration has, in part, culminated with the identification of a unique organization, Strategic Transitions (ST). ST is a software company specializing in using visual and audi-tory computer technology to facilitate communication and learning. Together, Community Living York South and ST have proposed a partnership that promises to be helpful and innovative in facilitating our journey.

Visit www.strategictransitions.com for further informa-tion!

If you would like to try the software that will help with communication and planning, you can download a 30 day free trial at www.inspiration.com.

Faith and LightStriving to “build a bond among people based on common hopes,

difficulties, the sharing of prayers and joyous times. It especially welcomes and supports those who have an intellectual disability so that their gifts may be realized and shared with others.”

Monthly meetings for people who have an intellectual disability and their families

• Sharing news • Reflecting on a theme

• Personal expression through singing, dancing, theatrical performances

In York Region: St. Patrick’s Church in Markham

Usually the second Thursday evening of the month 7:00–9:30pm

Contact: Rosaleen Veres, 905-294-6711

Please call for a calendar.

* Faith and Light is a sister movement to L’Arche.

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Speaker’s Spotlight:

Gajen ParamalinghamIwas very proud to have been asked to speak at

this year’s United Way of York Region dona-tion campaign events about all the great things I have been doing with Community Living York South. I participate in Foundations, I had a blast at this year’s summer camp and now I am organ-izing a social group in Markham with some help from Cheri.

What I liked most about speaking at the brunch and at the Richmond Hill Women’s Net-working Association event was that I had a lot of fun meeting new people.

I appreciate the support of Kula and Ritu, who helped me to fi gure out what I was going to say in my speeches. Th ank you!

Speaker’s Spotlight:

Kevin Greenfi eld, Receptionist

“On Wednesday, October 7, 2009] I was on [Rogers] TV and it went very well. It was the fi rst time I have been on TV in 12 years. Everyone at work and at home

is proud of me because I will be on the Walk of Fame (heehee!). Th e staff at Rogers [TV] were great. I like being on TV because it makes me feel very important when I talk about my life. I want people to know that if I can do it, they can too. It makes me feel on top of the world. I am trying to spread this feel-ing to everyone. My life and work and home is great.”

Kevin and Rickesh Lakhani (United Way of York Region’s Campaign Director) appeared on Rogers TV’s daytime, York Region’s only daily live lifestyle program that showcases all the unique happenings of our commun-ity with hosts Jacqueline Betterton and Jeff Moore.

L to R: Kula Kulasegaram (Community Support Coordinator), Gajen ParamalinghamBottom L to R: Jeff Moore, Jacqueline Betterton, Kevin Greenfi eld, Rikesh Lakhani


Right: Antoinetta Hard at work

Working Hard at Bright Ideasby Wayne Kitto, Bright Ideas Business Manager

The Bright Ideas Team wanted to let you know that we are active and keeping busy.

Since 2001 we have grown from five to fifty strong, doing projects for various companies in Richmond Hill, Markham, and Vaughan.

The team has proven they can compete with the best. With the present market slow down, our team has been hard-working and focused with the help of our customers that include Modern Caster, Zennex, TVC, Nothern Biscuit, Neupac Resources, Triton Sales, MCCI, First World Trade, and many others. The team has shown their abil-ity to meet customer needs, and we are proud of our accomplishments.

As parents and support staff we should all ap-preciate what this group of people have accom-plished over the past years. They have proven to be dependable, focused and proud of what they have done… and they have done it themselves!

Our goal is to focus on abilities, not dis-abilities. Please look at our team at work—the pictures tell the story. Thanks for your support.

Kim Foreground: Sandy

Our First Gathering for Korean Familiesby Jenny Chae, Placement Student from George Brown College

On the evening of Tuesday, December 1, 2009, Community Liv-ing York South held a gathering for Korean-speaking families

for the very first time! The event, which took place at our Rich-mond Hill office, was hosted by Anita Leung and myself. I provided Korean translation for the families that attended.

The Korean family dessert party was an opportunity for people and families to connect with one another for transition planning, to share resources, and to learn more about services currently offered by Community Living York South.

Mr. Kim, one of the attendees, remarked, “This is great! I’m glad that I decided to come today because previously there was no Korean-speaking [representative] at Community Living York South who could support us in our language… and I had a lot of questions in my mind but wasn’t able to ask. I learned things I did not know before. I also look forward to the next meeting and I am hoping to meet more Korean families.”

Families were invited to not only receive information resour-ces, but to come together to build a strong foundation within the

greater Korean community. Parents and children enjoyed desserts while chatting and networking with one another.

Thank you to all those who attended.To continue working to provide the best possible supports to

the families there are plans for Korean families to meet again. If you would like to be part of that event, please contact:

Anita LeungCommunity Support CoordinatorTelephone: 905-884-9110 Voicemail 267Email: [email protected]


Special Olympics Ontario–York South News at November 2009by Margaret French, Special Olympics Ontario-York Region

Special Olympics Ontario’s fall programs in southern York Region (with the exception of skiing) are all up and running.

If you are interested in 10-pin bowling, 5-pin bowling, swimming, basketball, floor hockey, curling and skiing please contact me, Mar-garet French, by calling 905-898-1676 or emailing [email protected]. We have a coach who is interested in starting a power lifting program in the York Region area, particularly in Stoufville. If you know of a facility or are an interested athlete please contact me.

Competitions have started for the 10-pin bowling team. They have attended tournaments in Toronto and Oshawa within recent weeks. All the athletes with Special Olympics York South did very well, bringing home many medals.

Recently, Special Olympics Ontario-York South’s basketball players attended a Home Games tournament at the University of Guelph. The athletes had the opportunity to learn some skills and drills from the Head Coach of the University of Guelph Women’s Basketball Team. They also met members of this team who partici-pated in this part of the program. The day was very successful with the team playing three games. Many thanks go to the coaches who gave up their Sunday to attend this tournament.

More competitions for the majority of the sport programs will be available after Christmas.

Correction: please note that the enclosure that was included in the last Update had some incorrect information on it. The St. Patrick’s Dance, a fundraiser for Special Olympics, is $5.00 per person.

Special Olympics Ontario-York South programs info and ques-tions: Margaret French at 905-898-1676 or [email protected].

Congratulations to Margaret for being given the Special Olympics Ontario President’s Award! Through Margaret’s over 20 years of volun-teer contributions as a fundraiser, Community Council member, coach, and in creating partnerships, she has assisted in opening opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to participate in sport.

L to R: Glenn MacDonnell (President and CEO - Special Olympics Ontario), Monique Shah (Athlete), Margaret French, Jared Krybus (Athlete), Robert Wilkes (Board Member, Special Olympics Ontario)

Community Living York South 2010 dancesat 101 Edward Ave. in Richmond Hill on the following Saturdays from 7:00PM to 10:30PM

February 13—Valentine’s Dance • March 13—St. Patrick’s Day for Special Olympics • April 17—Spring Dance

September 25—Blue Jay’s Dance • October 30—Halloween Dance • December 11—Christmas Dance

$3.00 Admission includes Coffee and Cookies; Pop is $0.25

We hope to see you there!


A Special thanks from Bobby, Dean, Walter and Vernby Vicki Szatko, Residential Supervisor

We would like to express our gratitude to those who generously donated flowers for our home garden.

A special thank you goes to Arbor Memorial and Randy Copeland, the Property Manager for Glendale Memorial, who gave us a selection of lovely flowers this past summer that have since been planted in the front garden of our Aurora home.

Your generosity has helped bring our garden to life!

Our Trip to Nashville, Tennesseeby Katie Kelusky, Residential Supervisor

This past October after two years of fund-raising, Alison, Dale, Bill, Cecelia and Len

finally arrived in Nashville, Tennessee. They did many wonderful things while there, such as going to the Loveless Cafe (which has been featured on the Food Network) to enjoy a typ-ical southern meal of fried chicken, fried catfish, sweet potato, ’slaw, green beans, and family-style biscuits around a big wooden table with all the “soda” we could drink.

The group also saw an Elvis show at the Texas Troubadour theatre and took in a Tuesday night show at the Grand Ole Opry where we saw Little Jimmy Dickens, Darryl Worley, Bill Anderson, and James Otto. On Wednesday, we made the drive to Memphis to visit Graceland and pay homage to the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.

Throughout our stay in Nashville, we visited so many interesting places with historical and cultural significance: the Country Music Hall of Fame, Broadway Street, the Wild Horse Saloon, toured the Opry museum… and we sang kara-oke!

The coolest thing by far was “Cooter’s Place,” The Dukes of Hazzard museum, which had all kinds of memorabilia from the show as well as Daisy’s Jeep, Cooter’s tow-truck, Sheriff Roscoe’s police car, and, of course, the General Lee—which everyone had their picture taken in.

It was a trip of a lifetime. Something none of us will forget! In the words of Alison, “It was the best!”

Rick chose not to come on the trip to Nash-ville and stayed back at the house to look after all the cats. On the weekends Rick got a City Pass and he and Laurie took in all the sights in To-ronto that we all know so well. They went up the CN Tower, saw the gardens at Casa Loma, spent a day at the Ontario Science Center, and took in some history at the Royal Ontario Museum… and they had a fantastic time too!

A big “thank you” to everyone who helped us realise our dream!

Walter & Elaineby Victoria Szatko

It’s a tale as old as time and as true

as it could be. Walter and Elaine celebrated their decades of love, laughter, and commit-ment to one another on September 25, 2009 in the company of Walter’s sister and brother-in-law (Mema and Bob), and Elaine’s sister and brother-in-law (Levina and Harry), and dear friends Tim and Marie. They enjoyed a lovely dinner on the Woodman cruising the beautiful Scugog Island and danced the night away to Motown classics. With romance in the air and their loved ones there, this was truly a memorable night.

Grand Ole Opry House.jpg: L to R: Alison, Cecilia, Len, Dale, Bill.


Top row (L to R): Vanessa, David, Camille; Bottom row (L to R): Michelle, Natasha, Laura

Challengers Take Home 1st, 3rd, and 5th Place Prizes at the Markham Fair

Members of the Challengers Support Services in Markham proudly display their art work, which they entered into the arts and crafts

exhibition for Special Needs individuals at this year’s Markham Fair. Three of the members placed 1st, 3rd, and 5th place!

At the Markham Fairby Tara Clarkson, Community Support Worker

Every year the annual Markham Fair invites thousands of people to its many attractions.

This year the fair was held from October 1–4, 2009.In the spirit of the fall season, Katherine Ann

and Vlado, who live in Stouffville, each entered a craft in the Markham Fair. Katherine Ann did a wonderful job decorating a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey inspired ball cap and Vlado had a fun time creating an abstract finger painting. On opening day, both Katherine Ann and Vlado attended the fair to see if their entries had been recognized with a winning ribbon.

After walking through the buildings full of many exhibits, they finally came across their crafts. To everyone’s excitement, there was a red 1st place ribbon on both of their entries! It was a great accomplishment for both Katherine Ann and Vlado, as it was their first time entering a craft in the Markham Fair.

Markham Stouffville Hospital’s 10 Year Volunteer Service Awardsby Nancy Ogunniya-Clyke, Markham Stouffville Hospital Support Coordinator

On September 23rd, 2009, Alison and Jim attended a cocktail party at Agnes Glen Golf Club. After the cocktail party there was a presentation ceremony and they

received a 10-year Volunteer Service Award from Markham Stouffville Hospital. They then had their picture taken with Neil Walker, Chief Operating Officer.

Cake and a group picture followed the awards ceremony.

ABOVE LEFT Front row (L to R): Sue Bautista (Coordinator Volunteer Resources), Swati D., Alison A., Ida P., Nevine M.; ABOVE LEFT Back row (L to R): Peter R., Jim J., Karin D., Nick B., Marie A., Carol H., Walter M., Magda Rigo (Director of Organizational Development & Community Resources); ABOVE RIGHT (L to R): Alison A., Neil Walker (Markham Stouffville Hospital Chief Operating Officer), Jim J.

10 CommunityLivingYorkSouthUPDATE•Winter2009

Facebook Finds Favourite Teacherby Leslie Geddes, Team Supervisor

We all have a favourite teacher. Each of us can

recall those exceptional educa-tors who made a difference in our lives and because of this hold a special place in our hearts.

For Doug, this teacher was Miss St. Onge. Douglas was in her junior class in 1977. He still remembers how great it was to be in Miss St. Onge’s class over thirty years later. She was the teacher who noticed him help-ing a skater who was visually impaired when the class went to skate at City Hall. Next, Miss St. Onge had all the students participate in a Unit to learn about the challenges of people with visual impairments.

Doug often related how amazing a teacher Miss St. Onge was and his wish to reconnect with her. One day a friend used the information Doug had relayed to search through Facebook and came up with a list of women with the surname of St. Onge. She composed a letter to go out asking each contact if they knew of a Miss St Onge who had taught at the school he attended and the de-sire of one of her students to get in contact with her. The very first response was indeed from the Miss St. Onge, who has been Doug’s teacher many years ago. She remembered him fondly and was given his phone number to call him.

Imagine Doug’s surprise when one day he answered the phone and his favourite teacher was talking to him! After picking himself up off the floor Doug had a joyful and long-awaited reunion with the teacher who had made such a huge difference in his life all those years ago. Doug and Miss St. Onge communicated several times over the summer by telephone and shared pictures and mes-sages through email.

The highlight of Doug’s year was when Miss St. Onge and her husband came to visit his home. The St Onges met Doug’s wife, Margaret, and their two cats, Smokey and Patches. Much laughter and many stories were shared as they visited and enjoyed the din-ner Doug had prepared. Actually, Doug prepared the dinner for an entire week, trying new recipes and purchasing just the perfect food to serve his special guests!

Miss St. Onge and Doug continue to keep in touch and enjoy their heartwarming relationship that developed all those years ago between a special student and an enlightened teacher who recog-nized and encouraged his unique gifts. A truly touching example of the magic of computer technology when it serves a people purpose and the magic of human connections!


“Minding Bodies Conference” at York Uby Ritu Singarayer, Community Support Coordinator

TOP RIGHT: L to R: Front

row: Lory, Angie

Back row: Steve, Caroline,

Adriano, Ritu, Shahid, Emilio,

Nisha

MIDDLE RIGHT: Angie

LOWER RIGHT: Shahid

LOWER LEFT: Ritu

On September 24, 2009, Community Living York South, in partnership with United South

Asian at York, presented to a number of students and leaders at the “Minding Bodies Conference” at York University. The conference sought to provide some insight and open dialogue regarding dis-abilities within a South Asian context. It com-menced with some of my thoughts on the South Asian perspective of disabilities gained through experience working with families as a Community Support Coordinator.

Members of The Creative Theatre Work-shop—Lory, Shahid, Adriano, Emilio, Caroline, and Angie—surprised the audience with a lively and energetic performance of the song ‘Jai Ho’, from the Bollywood film Slumdog Millionaire. Angie and Shahid had the opportunity to be panel speakers, providing those in attendance with a unique personal glimpse into Angie and Shahid’s experiences in studying, working, and living with an intellectual disability.

The “Minding Bodies Conference” was an excellent opportunity for our talented group to share their knowledge, experiences, and talent with the York University Community.

Congratulations on a successful presentation!

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The Knitter’s Atticby Rahe Richards, Community Support Worker: Supported Independent Living

Lucy just discovered a wonderful place for people interested in knitting, Knitters Attic (10119 Yonge Street / 905-508-5637).

Lucy is setting up times to start going there to increase her knitting skills.

Knitters Attic has a program where people interested in tweak-ing their knitting skills can join classes on Sundays for a couple of hours. Depending on their skill level, people can enroll in one or more classes.

Knitters Attic also has assortment of yarns, patterns, completed items and knitting items. For more info visit www.knittersattic.com or email [email protected]

Talkingaboutknitting…

Two ladies, Margaret and Judy, joined in the Richmond Hill Women’s Networking Association event for the United Way of York Region with their knitting items. They sold some items and now have been bitten by the bug of business. They connected with the Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre and are now will-ing to take orders to knit items for sale. Judy specializes in blankets for baby cribs and Margaret specializes in coasters and pot scrubs. Kim Dickinson knits scarves to sell too.

Anyone interested can contact them through Rahe Richards at 905-884-9110, extension 663.

Knit Items for Sale by Margaret and JudyHouse hold items • Baby clothes and accessories

• Blankets • Coasters • and more!

Custom orders available.

To place an order or for more info, contact:

Rahe Richards at 905-884-9110, extension 663

Introducing Pumpkin

by Victoria Szatko, Residential Supervisor

Bobby, Dean, Walter and Vern would proudly like to introduce a new member of their home: Pumpkin, weighing in at 8.6

lbs. This orange short-hair female cat, who is now a year-and-a-half, has brought so much love to the gentlemen’s lives she is getting her love returned tenfold. She was rescued from the Ontario SPCA York Region (yorkregion.ontariospca.ca; 16586 Woodbine Ave., RR3, Newmarket) on August 28, 2009.

Festival of Creative Craftsby Barb Eldridge, Women’s Auxiliary Volunteer

The Women’s Auxiliary held the Festival of Creative Crafts, our annual holiday gift sale, on November 21, 2009. We had a suc-

cessful sale that included fully-decorated trees, which we will offer again next year.

This year we raffled off three holiday gifts and winners were announced on December 10, 2009. Congratulations to Janet Tsao who won the Holiday Centerpiece; Pamela Singleton who won the Fireside Basket with blanket, wine glasses, tea and a book; and Cheryl Rennick who won the Rumoli Game Board.

We greatly appreciated our volunteer helpers—Debbie Lewis, her friend Lynn, and Jackie Palmer—and would like to thank them for their assistance at the event.

As usual, all proceeds are used to buy those little extras for people living in residential and Supported Independent Living sup-port services.

î Dean, Walter, Bobby with Pumpkin, Vern

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The Senior Social Tea in Markhamby Kula Kulasegaram, Community Support Coordinator

On Thursday October 15, 2009 we held our first Senior Social Tea at our Markham office. This gathering was intended to pro-

vide a social forum to present information and resources relating to future planning to senior-aged parents. All those who attended received a very useful future planning tool, the “life plan”.

A life plan assists parents in ensuring a safe and secure future for their son or their daughter who has an intellectual disability, while looking frontward to a time when they may no longer be able to provide the support their child needs to live a fulfilled life. Con-siderations in developing life plans tailored to one’s unique needs and interests can include addressing goals for the future, housing options, decision-making and guardianship, will and estate plan-ning, relationships and community engagement.

We are in the process of putting together a third Senior So-cial Tea for December 17 in Markham, during which we will be celebrating the holiday season, and a fourth that will take place sometime in February 2010 (details to follow by phone, mail and/or email).

Does creating a future planning guide for your son and daugh-ter sound interesting to you? We can provide you with the materials and resources to develop a plan at our next socials.

For further information or to volunteer at an upcoming Senior Social Tea gathering, please call Kula at 905-771-0011 extension 703, or send an email to [email protected]

î Anita, Rosaleen, Serge

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A ‘Celebration of Life’by Cathy Johnston, Team Supervisor

The ‘Celebration of Life’ was held on October 17, 2009. We cele-brated the lives of people who have died that were connected to

Community Living York South and for those who attended, anyone who was close to our hearts who have died. Pictured are Katie and Wendy. Wendy was lighting a candle on behalf of Katie in memory of her grandfather.

î Wendy, Katie

FUSIONFRIDAY’s

Fusion Fridays @ A Stroke of Art!Chill out with us from 6:30pm - 9:00pm every Friday Night!Begins Friday January 22, 2010 - March 12Members: $200 ($25 per wk)Non-Members: $220 ($27.50 per wk)

Enjoy time with Friends, play games and listen to music.

Refreshments, Art Activities, Movies, Games, Culinary Arts & Much More!

Call: Ritu 905.884.9110 x 523 Community Living York South

Mirella or David 905. 264.8992 A Stroke of Art Inc.

in Partnership with


Rahe Recognized by Ghanaian-Canadian CommunityThis past September, the Endless Possibilities and Hope De-

velopment Organization—a non-profit organization that pro-vides programs which assist, educate and motivate victims of abuse; (endlesspossibilitieshdo.com)—presented the Ghanaian Women’s Courage Awards. Their ceremonies acknowledge contributions made by women in the Ghanaian-Canadian communities in pro-moting culture, developing humanitarian efforts and empowering people.

During the event, the group recognized the volunteerism of Rahe Richards, a long-time staff member of Community Living York South.

Rahe is an active member of the Northern Ghana associa-tion and volunteers with seniors, the Horticultural Society and the Kidney Foundation. As an active and contributing member of the Northern Ghana association, she has been instrumen-

tal in raising funds to assist victims of a flood in 2007 that devastated communities in Northern Ghana affecting over 400,000 people.

Earlier this year, Rahe was honoured to have received a certificate of ap-preciation from the Gov-ernment of Canada for her humanitarianism.

Congratulations, Rahe!

Staff Corner

Our Weekend Respite Support Services

Community Living York South’s weekend respite service is in an apartment setting in Richmond Hill for people who have an

intellectual disability who are over 18 years of age.Each weekend, two guests and their families receive relief for

three days (from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon), during which the guests are engaged in community-based activities that build and reinforce skills for independent living skills. The week-end includes budgeting, grocery shopping, meal preparation and planning, as well as other activities that are chosen by the guests.

In previous weekends, respite guests have enjoyed going out to dinner and a movie, attending sporting events, hanging out at the pub, recreational activities of their choosing and more. People have also been given the opportunity to learn how to plan their activities using public transit with the support of the staff.

Steven participated in the program with his friend Patrick. Fol-lowing the weekend Steven’s mom remarked, “Chad (the staff) was wonderful. They went to a pub and watched a ball game, played mini-putt and attended a Jays game at the Rogers Centre. They had a very full and busy weekend. Mom had a great weekend also!”

Patrick’s mom commented that: “Patrick enjoyed the weekend at the apartment. It was good that he went with a friend and I think that for him it was the key. All-in-all, with the boys being as com-patible as they are, it was a success!”

For potential guests who have never attended a respite weekend, completing an application and attending an open house is neces-sary. The person and their family member(s) will get to meet with Supervisors Fatima and Leslie to tour the space and ask any sup-port questions.

The fee covers basic in-home meal costs. For members, the cost is $150 per weekend and $200 for non- members. You can become a member by filling out the form on the back cover of the Update newsletter, detaching it and returning it with your membership payment. Membership is renewed on a yearly basis.

Call our community information line at 1-877-737-3475 to:• Find out more about eligibility• Receive an application by fax or email• Book an open house appointment• Book a respite weekend


We receive 80% of our funding from the Ministry of Community and Social Services for our core services. Through grants, fundraising and our membership, we are able to provide community outreach. From the United Way of York Region we provide outreach through our Community Support program and community development and fundraising through the Trillium Foundation of Ontario. We are governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership.

Noi riceviamo l’ 80% dei fondi dal Ministro della communita’ e dal servizio sociali per i vostri servizi principali. Attraserso varie sovvenzione, i dovatori, varie fondi racolti e i nostri membri, possiamo attendate le provesioni alla conimunita’. Da Unita Way di York Regimi, siamo in grado di provvedere l’attentavtivo della programma supporto della communita’ e di svillupare and racolti fondi dat Trillium Foundation di Ontario. La nostra coumita’ e’ governata da un comitarto di direttori eletti dai membri.

☐ YES! I would like to support Community Living york South to help people who have an intellectual disability to live, learn, work and participate in our community by Becoming A Member!

Enclosed is my gift* of: ☐ $10 Senior ☐ $20 for 2 Seniors ☐ $20 Single Membership☐ $35 Family Membership ☐ $100 Corporate Membership

☐ I would like to use ☐ VISA ☐ Master Card • Cardholder Name:

Account # ☐☐☐☐·☐☐☐☐·☐☐☐☐·☐☐☐☐ Expiry date ☐☐/☐☐☐ Please find my cheque/money order enclosed payable to ‘Community Living york South’☐ Please remove my name from the mailing list

Full Name (Please Print):

Address: Postal Code:

Province: Telephone #:

Email Address:

Charitable # 10822 6556 RR0001 * Tax receipts will automatically be issued for donations of $20 or more.

PRIVACY POLICY: At Community Living York South we appreciate your support and we treat your personal information with respect. We do not trade your personal information. The information you provide to us will be used to keep you informed of events and fundraising opportunities in support of Community Living York South. If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, simply contact us by phone at 905-771-0011 or by checking the box above.

AdVERTISE WITH USBusiness card-sized ad (3.5" × 2")

$425.00 two years/6 issues $250.00 one year/3 issues $100.00 one issue only

FORMOREINFORMATIONCallSARITA@905-881-9110,ext.705

Let people know you support Community Living York South!

Update is published by Community Living York South101 Edward AvenueRichmond Hill, ON L4C 5E5Editorial TeamEditor-in-Chief: Don Wilkinson, Managing Editor: Sarita Wiggan, Writer’s Editor: Sandy Fielding, Volunteer Editor: Barb Evans, Staff Writers: Kula Kulasegaram,

Cathy Johnston, Leslie Geddes, Pamela Singleton, Rahe Richards

Distribution Support: Mona Craig, Barb Eldridge, Kevin Greenfield, Ron Gumbs

Layout & Design: Hero AbanOpinions expressed in Update are not necessarily the views of Community Living York South or the editors.Letters to the editor, comments, and unsolicited articles are welcomed and should be sent to the editors

It is easy to Contact Us:Mail the completed form to us at

101 Edward AvenueRichmond Hill, ONL4C 5E5

Call us at 905-771-0011, orFax the completed form to 905-737-3284Did You Know…Community Living York South can accept Bequests and/or other Gifts. Please indicate if you wish to receive material on:☐ Gifts by Wills ☐ Life Insurance☐ Gifts of Property☐ Securities

Claudio Battaglin (President)Louis Laskovski (Past President)Peter Sen

(1st Vice President)Brendon Pooran

(2nd Vice President)

Ed Law (Treasurer)Vera Power (Board Secretary)Lloyd ChafeMariana ChuMazahair DhiraniShirley Ho

Alex LeeCristian MandachescuTahir ShafiqJanet TsaoSharron Rowan Toy

Board of Directors

is generously sponsored by of York Region

of York Region

update newsletter | winter 2010 review

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