The St. Francis Advocate

Transcription

1 The St. Francis Advocate St. Francis Advocates Arkona Rd. PO Box 218 Tel: Arkona, ON N0M 1B0 Fax: October, 2010 Volume 1, Issue 1 Extra, Extra Read All About It... Time for the official kick off of the first issue of the St. Francis Advocate. It has been a very busy summer for everyone, filled with trips, special outings, parties and much more. This issue will share some of the many activities people have participated in during the past few months. Fun Fact: We have 5 David s, 3 Paul s, and 2 each of Adam s, Michael s and Robert s living in our residential homes. David must have been a popular name. - Renee Wonderful Summer Weather Hi All! It is hard to believe that summer is over and Fall is upon us. Everyone here has enjoyed the wonderful summer weather, and activities outside our home. We have been out to both Lake St. Clair and Erie for picnics, daytrips and nice leisurely drives. We have spent many a day, also just sitting on our cozy front porch watching the travelers go bye and give the occasional wave. Bob was generous enough to purchase some charming outdoor furniture for us to sit and enjoy our afternoon coffee break. Melissa, Denise and Ron did a spectacular job of landscaping the front of our home. Who needs professionals when we have such talented staff and volunteers in our midst. We had a Sunny Summer Days By: Ruth Ann Scatalon Thedford House What a wonderful sunny, hot summer we have enjoyed in Lambton Shores. Many days were filled with sun tanning on the beach, picnics and leisurely strolls in the evenings. Ian went to summer camp for the first time and had a great camp experience. Melissa and John took a trip to Niagara Falls and I ve been busy planning for my upcoming cruise! John has been going to the coffee shop and hanging out with the locals. Melissa has had a nice cottage vacation with her folks. Around the town of Thedford I have fun time at Alhambra Day, and our 3 days at camp were thoroughly enjoyed also. We were so lucky to partake in such fun and well thought out activities. In August, Bob had a Family reunion here with all his siblings and there spouses. It was to mark what would have been his Dad s 100th birthday. They had a lovely day, and many pictures were taken to cherish those memories. Marie also had her 2 sisters Doris and Jean come out this summer, and bring us treats and Marie her beloved catalogues. It is always a delight to have family visit. Bev and Carole are happy to stroll at the park in Tilbury or stop for a treat at Tim Hortons. An ice-cream on a hot day is also always a been taking care of flowers with the Garden Club. All the planters have enhanced the beauty of our town and were showcased during Funion Days at the end of July. It was great to see old and new friends while at the camping trip in Erie Beach and the best day ever was the St. Francis Olympics. It s sad to say goodbye to summer but we look forward to all the exciting events coming soon. Ruth Ann Scatalon for the rest of the gang in Thedford. crowd pleaser! We are looking forward to the start up of our favorite Friendship Club again. We are sad to see summer go, but look forward to the fall leaves turning and crisp weather. We are sure there will be many activities planned for the fall, and anxiously await to partake in them in a moments notice. As we close off our News and Reviews, we hope all our friends remain healthy and happy, and have enjoyed there summer as much as we did. We look forward to seeing you all again soon. - Carole, Marie, Bev, Bob and the Support Staff at the Tilbury home Working Group Updates The Budget group has established Fundraising Champions in each county; Don Ellis in Chatham- Kent, Cheryl Vandenberg, David Lindeman and Anna Sioson in Sarnia / Lambton and Jill Semaan in Windsor / Essex. If anyone has any fundraising ideas please contact them. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Social Capital Survey. We are working diligently to compile the info and start networking. Thanks to all personnel who supported people to complete the Supports & Services survey. We ve gathered great information and will share it soon. Our Roles & Responsibilities Working Group will be presenting Values & Principles for everyone to review. Revisions to our Job Descriptions are on hold while we await the Ministry s initiative around Core Competencies for our sector. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 1

2 A Summer of Fun Hello everyone, Wow what an amazing summer we have had, the beautiful weather has given us lots of chances to be outside. I would like to tell you a few things we have done. Have you ever been on a really big boat? Well I have! Paul, Ed and I drove to Kingsville and we got on this really big ferry boat that takes people to Pelee Island. Did you know that cars and trucks ride on this boat too? They even have a kitchen on this boat where we had lunch. Hat! This picture shows me with my hat that is now in Lake Erie because I threw it over the rail. Bye By: Michael Boughner Woodslee Another place we went was Greenview Aviaries. When I say Aviaries you probably think of birds and you would be right, there were lots of birds; buggies, peacocks, ducks and even a really big chicken. But really there are a lot of animals at Greenview. They have Lions, and Tigers and Bears OH MY! Don t worry though they are all in cages so you can just look at them. We went on a really hot day so after we had a picnic we cooled off in the sprinklers. Finally I must not forget to tell you about the cottage we stayed at in Mitchell s Bay. We had so much fun. We were right across the street from the marina so we always got to see boats coming and going. One night when we were having a campfire JP and Ken came out and sang for us. But best of all almost every day we got to cool off in the water at the beach. This is when we rode on the petal boats. They don t go very fast but they sure are fun! These are just a few things that we did. Now let us see what the Fall will bring, I am sure it will be fun! We recently joined a cooking class and I will tell you all about it next time. - Michael Boughner A Big Birthday Wish goes out to all who have celebrated over the summer. Upcoming Event: St. Francis Advocates Annual 2010 Christmas Party will be held at the Dresden Memorial Arena on Thursday December 2nd, beginning at 3 p.m. All personnel, people supported and their families are welcome to attend. For more information and to register, please see the sign up sheet that will be located at each location. Look forward to celebrating the season with everyone!! St. Francis Advocates 4th Annual Golf Tournament a Great Success! We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who contributed towards our 4 th Annual Golf Tournament! This year we are proud to announce that we raised just over $5300! These proceeds will assist in funding extracurricular activities for people supported such as our annual camping trip and the St. Francis Olympics. A big thank you again from all of us at St. Francis Advocates! Petrolia House by: David Lindemann Summer 2010 We had an enjoyable summer. We fished, had a bonfire and went to the dance when camping at Erie Beach. We also got to stay in a camper over night and rented a cottage at Mitchell s Bay. We love the tractor pulls too and had a good time watching, as well as the demolition derby at the Petrolia Fair and Alvinston. We really like the Art in the Park event. The St. Francis Games were enjoyable for us, as well as the supper and dance afterwards. We ve both been to dances in Alvinston. I always like it when the Marriott asks me to help with their fundraising days and we got to see an NHL game in London. We also went to the Red parade in Petrolia to support the troops. We like to keep busy and are always out and about going bowling and going out to movies. David, Petrolia House Stepping Stones By: Julie & Anna We are very excited to present Circles relationship training, an educational resource developed to assist participants in greater social competence. Anna, Julie and Patty will be facilitating this pilot project. We are now working with 30 participants transitioning their supports from school to their community. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 2

3 Fun in Niagara Arkona Hi everyone. The Arkona house had a very exciting and busy summer. In June we all went to Niagara Falls and stayed for three days. We stayed at the Skyline Hotel. It had a large indoor water park attached to it and the rooms were nice. We toured Clifton Hill, hitting the was museum and enjoying a 4D ride. It was a lot of fun. We ate out at the Hard Rock Café on the first night and the Rain Forest Café the second night. On the second day we rode on the Maid of the Mist in the morning and hung out at the water park in the afternoon. We played in the wave pool and went down the water slides. We had a great trip, and the rest of the summer has been great. Frank flew out on Saturday, the 18th of September to spend a week at Disney World in Orlando Florida. We will hear all about his trip next time. - Frank, Arkona House Spider Web Pumpkin Cheesecake Scott s Halloween Dessert 1 1/4 cups Oreo Baking Crumbs 1/4 cup Butter or Margarine 3pkg (250g) Softened cream cheese 3/4 cup Sugar 1 can Pumpkin 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 Tbsp Cornstarch 3 Eggs 1 cup Sour Cream 2 squares Baker s Semi-sweet chocolate 2 tsp Oil PREHEAT over to 350F. Mix baking crumbs and butter, press firmly onto bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and cornstarch, mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. B a k e 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set, cool slightly, spread with sour cream. Loosen cake from rim of pan, cool before removing rim of pan. Place Chocolate and oil in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir until chocolate is completely melted. Drizzle over cheese cake in a spiral pattern, starting at the center of the cheese cake and pulling a toothpick through the lines to the outside edge of the cheesecake to resemble a spider s web. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheese cake in refrigerator. Then call Arkona house over!!! Happy Birthday By: David Lapointe Dresden The Dresden House is thrilled to submit an entry for this Newsletter and would like to update you on what has been going on here. The past few months have been busy and exciting. In the spring we planted a garden and sold some veggies at the market in Petrolia. We all really enjoy these kinds of events. Russell celebrated his 56 th birthday on June 5 th and we had a great party. He also had a visit from his sister and friends in mid July and had a mini vacation in London. In August we had a busy month going to camp at Erie Beach. My house mates and I took a summer vacation in Mitchells Bay. We also went to the rodeo, music in the park and lots more summer events.we helped celebrate the 40 th birthday of an old friend David. It was really nice to share in his special day. Dennis celebrated his 60 th birthday August 26 th. I turned 53 on September 30 th and Bob is 62 years young. We always have a good time celebrating birthdays!! We now welcome Joel McPhail to the team here in Dresden David Lapointe, Dresden The Forest in the Trees By: Michael Harold Forest In the past few months the Forest House has gone on some awesome trips. I went to Disney World and had a great time meeting the different characters and going on some rides. This was the first time I d ever been on a plane and I enjoyed it. I can t wait to go on another trip like that. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Adam was able to go to Canada s Wonderland again this year. Adam always has a great time while he is away. Adam enjoyed going on his favorite rides and staying in a hotel. Amy had the chance to go to camping at Jelly Stone Park. Amy loves trailers and Yogi Bear and got to meet him. She said that this was the best part of the trip. my looks forward to going back next year. The Forest House had the chance to cheer on staff Mitch F as his band Hello Bella opened for the Black Eyed Peas at Bay Fest this year. Everyone had a great time dancing and singing to all the music. Overall the Forest House had an awesome summer and fall. Everyone in the house is looking forward to the next couple of months for the holidays. - Michael Harold, Forest House Page 3

4 Keri s Kolumn By: Keri Ion s Charing Cross Wow can you believe it? It s 2010 and so far it is looking to be a great year. My name is Keri and I am the reporter for Charing Cross House. I hope to entertain you with my informative news. I am having my staff assist me in preparing this; our first of hopefully many news reports in the months to come. May started off to be an excellent month for us here. All of us welcomed Derek into the home and he is adjusting well. Our vegetable garden, which we started from seedlings, provided us with many delicious veggies for the summer. As many of you know, we have an in-ground pool here which made those warm summer days bearable. Over the summer we also were able to enjoy many fireworks displays, such as the May 24 events held by the King Family. Canada Day we went to Erieau and went back again to the King Family farm for some more fireworks. Alhambra day was a fun filled day as well. We went on a day trip to Port Stanley and area for a picnic. Chatham held their annual fair and Dave Foley and Mel invited us to a day of mini golf as well. I don t want to brag but I got a hole in one. Hehehe. In our back yard we enjoyed a few evening fires and really loved the marshmallows and smores. We would like to thank the Shriners for inviting us to their circus this year as well. Retrofest in Chatham was an excellent event as we all thoroughly enjoyed watching and viewing the old cars from the past. Other events, such as; Blenheim Cherry Fest, St. Francis Olympics, Camp in Erie Beach and the Golf Tournament were very exciting to attend. It has certainly been a very busy summer. Everyone here in Charing Cross have had many enjoyable visits from family and friends. We go home often, and they come here to visit us regularly. This is Keri signing off; can t wait to do more exciting things so I ll have lots to put in my next report. - Keri Ions, Charing Cross House. News from the Port By: Stephen Wurgler Port Franks In June Debbie and Eddie went on vacation to Niagara Falls and had a fantastic time. They went to Marineland, the Bird Kingdom and also did some shopping. I got to go camping with Christian Horizions. It was nice to get away on my own and meet new people. I had an excellent time and I look forward to going again next year. July was filled with many trips to the beach. Eddie, Arthur, Debbie and I all enjoyed the great weather. Eddie and Debbie enjoyed going to Bayfest. It was a bit rainy but they both loved the music and were real troopers. Camping in Erie Beach was enjoyed by all in August. In September Eddie, Debbie, Arthur and I went camping at the Lambton United Church Camp on Lakeshore Road for a week. We all look forward to this relaxing vacation each year. We went for walks and enjoyed the wonderful weather. Eddie, Arthur and Debbie attended the Annual St. Francis Olympics in Florence and really enjoyed themselves. The drumming circle was the highlight of the morning events but they also enjoyed the afternoon activities. They enjoyed seeing everyone and look forward to it each year. Busy, Busy Summer By: Alfred Haas Harrow It has been a very busy summer at the Harrow House with many events to attend such as; Camping in Erie Beach, Alhambra Fun Day, ST. Francis Olympics, and countless others. We welcomed Alan Meredith to our support team. He is fitting in great. We also welcomed a kitten into our home. We named her Chloe. She is very affectionate and playful. Nick, our new housemate, is also fitting in and adjusting well. He loves his horror movies just like Gerry and enjoys music as much as Alfred. Our house attended Crystal s wedding and we are looking forward to seeing our pictures taken with her by her photographer. It was a great party. I have also been working hard all summer studying for my HAM Radio License. I am thrilled to announce that I passed with a 70%. This has been a life long goal for me and I am very excited to be on the airwaves soon. We plan to have a cake and party when the certificate arrives in the next few weeks. The airwaves will never be the same - Alfred Haas, Harrow House VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 4

5 Down on the Farm by: Cory Kinnear Hello to everyone from the farm. We ve been busy visiting St. Jacob and the surrounding Waterloo area. Mitch sat in on a livestock auction while the others wandered though the market. We toured the African Lion Safari. Matty enjoyed the petting zoo the most while Arnold loved the elephant show. After the performance, everyone got to pet the elephants. In April, Judy spent a wonderful sunny eight days in Cuba soaking up the sun and drinking pineapple drinks. Everyone was so helpful and courteous, from the airport to the resort. At every meal, the head chef would personally come out with Judy s dish of food, that had been prepared just for her. Judy is saving her money to return next year with the two new friends she made. Mitch helped his entire family celebrate their parent s 65 th wedding anniversary. He also enjoyed watching horse races, attending several local fairs and going to the movies. The biggest adventure for Mitch was going with his friend, Arnold, to Santa s Village taking in all the rides and scenery. Matty and Arnold met Mickey Mouse and his friends at Disney World in Florida when they spent a week going on all the rides and visiting all the attractions. Nancy vacationed a week at a beautiful cottage in Grand Bend with her Mom and Aunt Ellie. Judy and Nancy have joined a quilting group that meet once a month to enjoy fellowship and snacks. The girls made numerous friends that greet them when they re in town. Everyone has been working hard to make our new weekly dance project a success. November s is the 12 th and the Christmas dance is the 3 rd of December. I have heard that Santa may take a few minutes away from this busy schedule to stop in and see who has been knotty or nice. So try to be your best until then. Over the summer we have diligently worked on our flower beds in Employment Supports & Opportunities the back and have added a cement walkway to our beautiful gazebo. Everyone enjoys the backyard. We continue to work on making our dream of a dog kennel in the barn a reality. If anyone has any ideas of budgeting, please contact the farm and let us know your thoughts. It has been a great year down on the farm. Everyday is a new adventure and we continue to be dedicated to making a difference. I had a great week at camp in Paisley with Christian Horizons. I ve enjoyed the local fairs and demolition derby. I m still working at Lambton Fleet Maintenance as their cleaning staff and delivering Sarnia Observer everyday in the town of Petrolia. Right now I m saving enough money to purchase a new leather Harley jacket. It s fall so I m cleaning up my garden to prepare it for next years crop. Hope to see everyone out to the St. Francis Farm dances. - Cory at the Farm We ve been busy with the start of the Fall Season. The community craft sales have started we have been venturing out to sell our blankets, glass blocks and our canning. We ve made Dill Pickles, Red Pepper Jelly, and Strawberry Jam. We continue to make Milk Bag Mats for Third World Countries and collecting Campbell s Soup Labels so our local school can purchase items they need. We welcome everyone s support with these as it helps get our name out there! We ve been working hard to keep the Rock Glen Road clean and our Adopt a Road sign is due to go up so everyone will know that it s St. Francis Advocates who keeps the road clean. As always, we are selling our Gift Cards. Let us know if you are interested in purchasing the perfect gift! Christmas is just around the corner and this is shopping made easy! Editors Note: I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to share all of their great stories. It has been fun reading them all and putting our first issue of the St. Francis Advocate Newsletter together. We can t wait to hear what everyone has to say next time. Keep the great storytelling coming!! Alfred Haas Editor VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 5