Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Curling club accessible washroom - United Way givers deserve some mention
Recently Debbi Harvie wrote a nice piece in the Pictou Advocate about wheelchairs being welcome at the New Caledonia Curling Club. I was pleased like most people who see their name in a good news story but I also felt a very important aspect of this particular story was not covered. I’d like to fill in that gap. (...continued)
This is a story of how communities can come together to do the right thing. Communities actually do that on a regular basis through United Way but only a few of those involved get noticed. Let me explain.
I got the mention but my part was really very small. This was a United Way project. At the Let Abilities Work Partnership Society we saw a need for an accessible curling rink where folks with disabilities and in wheelchairs could stick curl. The New Caledonian Club in Pictou fit the bill except it didn’t have a downstairs washroom. So, with the concurrence of the Pictou Club members, we applied to the United Way for money to buy materials to build an accessible washroom. Those Pictou club members also donated or provided all the labour to build the washroom.
But to my way of thinking, the unsung heroes here in stories like these also deserve mention - all those people (which I’m sure includes many of the Advocate's readers) who love and invest in their own communities each year through the United Way. Without their donations projects like this just couldn’t and wouldn’t happen.
So if you are one of those, next time you drive or walk by the New Caledonian Curling Club, think about its new accessible washroom inside and give yourself a pat on the back. You helped do a good thing.
Or, if you are in a wheelchair or have difficulty climbing stairs but would like to try the curling game – the opportunity is now open for you.
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This is a story of how communities can come together to do the right thing. Communities actually do that on a regular basis through United Way but only a few of those involved get noticed. Let me explain.
I got the mention but my part was really very small. This was a United Way project. At the Let Abilities Work Partnership Society we saw a need for an accessible curling rink where folks with disabilities and in wheelchairs could stick curl. The New Caledonian Club in Pictou fit the bill except it didn’t have a downstairs washroom. So, with the concurrence of the Pictou Club members, we applied to the United Way for money to buy materials to build an accessible washroom. Those Pictou club members also donated or provided all the labour to build the washroom.
But to my way of thinking, the unsung heroes here in stories like these also deserve mention - all those people (which I’m sure includes many of the Advocate's readers) who love and invest in their own communities each year through the United Way. Without their donations projects like this just couldn’t and wouldn’t happen.
So if you are one of those, next time you drive or walk by the New Caledonian Curling Club, think about its new accessible washroom inside and give yourself a pat on the back. You helped do a good thing.
Or, if you are in a wheelchair or have difficulty climbing stairs but would like to try the curling game – the opportunity is now open for you.
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Board Meeting Summary - November 16, 2010
The Let Abilities Work Partnership Society (LAWPS) Board of Directors met November 16, 2010 in the basement of the Christian Fellowship Church in Abercrombie. (...continued) Present were Board members Crystal Mann, Gerald Lees, Kevin White, Judy Hughes, Darrell Feit, Jane Burris, Interpreter Angela Anderson, and Ralph Ferguson. Regrets: Philip Fisher, Ron Levy, Fred Popowich Absent: Jason MacDonald
The agenda was accepted with additions from Burris, Lees and Feit.
Minutes of October 19th, 2010 were reviewed and a motion moved and seconded by White and Lees was voted and carried to accept both these minutes as well as the minutes from our September 8th, 2010 meeting.
Business arising from Minutes
Judy is composing letters to members of the past Deaf & Hard of Hearing roundtable and to East Novability following up our meeting with Chris Cook. At her request, Ralph volunteered to proof her letters when completed
New Business
There was no in camera business.
Date of next Board Meeting & Motion to Adjourn
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The agenda was accepted with additions from Burris, Lees and Feit.
Minutes of October 19th, 2010 were reviewed and a motion moved and seconded by White and Lees was voted and carried to accept both these minutes as well as the minutes from our September 8th, 2010 meeting.
Business arising from Minutes
- Christmas Meeting – The Chicken Chalet has reserved room for us for 4pm on Dec. 14th to seat about 30 with the first hour for a meeting followed by supper. Menu choices are available. Advise Gerald of your chaoice soon or be prepared to order on arrival from the menu.
- Lilac bush – It’s too late to plant now and the family may be selling the property. Judy put the issue on hold until spring. Jane advises that $100 will get about 6 lilac bushes – the start of a hedge.
- Basketball – Ralph & Jason met with NSCC principal Dave Freckelton. Decision to try to involve NSCC student to work with us in the activity and to perhaps seek a grant to support that initiative. Jason is trying to set up meeting with the Student Association through their President Jillian Greene.
- Church Accessibility – Jane & Ralph met with Pastor Morrison who committed to begin ASAP to fix the back door accessibility problem by installing an 8 foot concrete platform outside and a new, more wheelchair friendly back door. We will also seek grant funding to build an accessible washroom near the back door but that grant funding is not likely available again until the spring.
- Open house – Following discussion, a committee formed (Jane, Crystal & Kevin) to meet January 18th at 9am before our board meeting to plan the open house meet & greet and membership drive so we do not have it before we are really ready. Ralph to write a draft letter to various organizations to tell them about LAWPS and our membership drive and urge them to inform their members.
- Recreation meeting – Judy still has that on her “to do” list.
- Accessibility – Deferred to a future meeting.
- Emergency measures – Darrell’s presentation deferred to a future meeting
- Reports – discussed if we should have written or oral reports. Agreed at present to go with short oral reports and capture them in minutes. If our numbers blossom, we will switch to written reports.
- Deaf & Hard of Hearing Committee – Darrell has had difficulty getting Frank O’Sullivan to set a date for the roundtable follow-up meeting in January. Following some discussion, we decided it should be held late in January. Monday January 24 or 25th was picked as a date and Crystal will check to see if we can book it at Summer Street Industries from 1-3pm with a lunch as last time. Judy and Crystal will invite all who attended the first time plus DAANS, Clarrie MacKinnon, Charlie Parker, Tammy? (Darrell to provide last name and email) and Dave Freckelton NSCC Principal who was interested but was unable to come to the first meeting. Judy to draft invitation letter including RSVP. Crystal will email these invitations and a follow up letter 3 weeks before event.
- Employment Services for PWD – Judy, Gerald, Ron, Ralph & Kevin met with Chris Cook who runs East Novability, the (CPN) Collaborative Partnership Network office in Port Hawkesbury. Theirs may be a more disability specialized service than what is currently offered here locally and indeed, some clients have been travelling to Port Hawkesbury to avail themselves of service in Chris’s office. Judy intends as well to speak about employability with Career Connections and to that end she has set up an appointment for she and Ralph to have general discussion with Amanda White on December 8th with regard to how PWD are receiving employment service.
Gerald advised the CPN is concerned where some offices have not been using their available allotments of the Disability Ops and the DCS funds for disabled clients. This may require a reallocation of these funds early in 2011 to ensure they will not go unused.
- Finances – Presented a financial update to end of October 2010. Attached as part of minutes.
- Children with Autism – Call from Rudy Knoester of Masonic Lodge. I agreed to receive money from Masonic Lodge to be spent as directed by Heidi Lindblad of Pictou County Children with Autism Association which plans to purchase tracking bracelets for autistic children who wander off.
- Curling Rink Washroom – accessible washroom at New Caledonia Curling Rink in Pictou very near complete. Will work with Kevin to get some publicity around this when complete.
- Grants – Grants for United Way and Wellness must be submitted by deadline in December. Ralph to chair a committee with Kevin, Judy, Darrell and Jane to decide on and write up grant applications.
- UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Ralph & Ron attended a roundtable in Halifax last week put on by Human Rights Commission, Disabled Persons Commission and NSLEO as part of NSLEO 30th anniversary celebration. The roundtable examined Section 29 of the Treaty which deals with political rights of PWD and the commitment of signatory governments (including Canada & Nova Scotia) to promote and support political involvement of their people with disabilities.
- Wii Stations – In order to receive the further funds from our Wellness grant, we committed to setting up a couple of Wii stations as part of a drop-in centre for local persons with disabilities. Crystal will price up what we need by way of this equipment and check into a possible recreation rebate.
Judy is composing letters to members of the past Deaf & Hard of Hearing roundtable and to East Novability following up our meeting with Chris Cook. At her request, Ralph volunteered to proof her letters when completed
New Business
- Storage – The furniture from our office was put into storage. We are paying $40 a month. Jane checked and we can move much of it into the church where it can be used by us and others. Agreed to proceed to find a way to transport it over from storage. Jane & Ralph to arrange to clear out the storage. Major items can be brought to the church for use here.
- Coffee – The church has been supplying coffee for our meetings which is very kind. However, Jane suggested that is an imposition and all agreed we should each bring in a cup and we can buy some coffee and filters for the Melitta coffee maker and a Brita water filter for our water drinkers.
- Bank Charges and Cell Phone – We are a non-profit and Jane suggested that the Credit Union and Rogers Telephone might be willing to write off our bank fees and cell phone bill. Jane will check.
- Books – As an information item, Gerald Lees brought in and we briefly discussed a couple of books (Tools for Life; & A book listing organizations.) he had picked up at the last CPN meeting.
- Glasses – Summer Street Industries is putting frosted designs on water and wine glasses which they sell for $7 each. Darrell brought in a couple of samples with our LAWPS logo and that of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Committee on them. He suggested we might want to give these our as gifts to participants at the round-table. That would be very expensive. Darrell was asked to see if a better price could be negotiated for a larger order.
- Canadian Centre for Disability Studies in Winnipeg has asked for our help on a national study they are doing. We will be paid $6000 for the work in Nova Scotia which initially means finding suitable participants and setting up two focus groups – one here in New Glasgow and one in Halifax and some follow up work later. Judy and Ralph have reviewed the request and agreed that LAWPS will take it on.
There was no in camera business.
Date of next Board Meeting & Motion to Adjourn
- Next meeting will be December 14th at 4pm at Chicken Chalet.
- Dates and times for meetings in 2011 are:
January 18, 2011 10:00 am
February 15, 2011 10:00 am
March 15, 1211 10:00 am
April 19, 1211 10:00 am
May 17, 1211 10:00 am
June 21, 1211 10:00 am
Mark these dates on your calendars! - A motion to adjourn was moved and seconded by Jane and Crystal - carried.
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