STEP UP WORK CENTRE MEMBERS NEWS LETTER

Transcription

1 STEP UP WORK CENTRE MEMBERS NEWS LETTER Feb: Issue #1 Upcoming events Thursday March 1rst Consensus meeting 10:30am-11:30am Wednesday March 14 th Neil Squire Conflict management workshop 10:15am-11:45am THIS ISSUE Upcoming events Inspirational stories Community involvement Recipes for the soul Thursday March 15 th St Patrick s day Irish lunch 12:00pm Thursday March 29 th Pancake Breakfast 8:30 am-11:30 am registration required

2 Community Pride National Denim Day: Members and Friends of the SUWC are honored to join with Ottawa s chapter of the CURE Foundation for Breast Cancer. Throughout the months of March and April the SUWC will be collecting donations on behalf of CURE. Please show your support with a donation and join as we show our solidarity on Tuesday May 15 th by wearing denim! Mayor, John Manconi, Councillor Wilkinson, Bill Houldsworth, Councillor Holmes, Murray MacDonald & Al Leahy (Brain Injury Association). On Monday February 6th the SUWC was pleased to attend the City of Ottawa s Cleaning Up the Capital recognition event. Members were honored for their participation in the cities Spring and fall clean up campaigns for the last 2 years. After receiving a large prize pack of cleaning supplies members attended a meet and greet alongside Ottawa s city councilors and Mayor Jim Watson. The SUWC congratulates all participants in the spring and fall clean ups, Keep up the good work guys! Pancake Breakfast: On January 26 th the SUWC was pleased to be able to participate in our first pancake breakfast for the New Year. With the participation of over 30 members and friends we were able to raise 87 dollars! A big thanks goes out to all those who participated. We are very excited to be able to put on this event again. Join us on Thursday March 29 th for a delicious pancake meal. Please contact the Step Up work Centre to register your preferred meal time. Options include 8:30-9:15, 9:15-10:00 and 10:00-10:45.See you there! Step It Up Running Group: Friend of the work Centre. Scott Vernon has started a 10 week running group on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:00pm beginning Monday March 19th.This group will be training for the 5k race at Ottawa race week. There is no cost to participate in the training however there is a fee for those wishing to register for the race. For more information please contact the SUWC:

3 A word from our Members Faith by Rick Faith is a feeling that helps one get over problems of life. Faith is with you for life, it is there if you need it. I have needed faith many times in my life and it has been there to get me through many problems. Faith is there when you need some help. In July of 1989 I Richard Potvin had an accident and I was in the hospital in a coma for a month with brain injury; a power nap. In September I came out of the coma and that was no joke. What a shock for a 25 year old man to feel like a baby again. That was hard, and I needed some faith please. Every morning a nurse came in my room and asked me my full name and date of birth; Richard John Potvin born February When she asked me a few a days later I told her James Dean...funny Richard. The doctor told me my rehabilitation was going to be long and hard. Full of good news eh doc. The lady I lived with came in to see me and I was hoping she had some good News. This was not case she told me that she wanted me to move out and that my stuff was packed and going to my parents. I did not like this at all. I told her bye bye and not to let the door hit her on the way out. What a day! It s got to get better- faith please. A Peter Piper lawyer informed me that I had a very difficult case and that it would take some time. I told him well, I m not going anywhere soon. One day I was running out of smokes and I got my wallet and went to the mall get some more. When I got back the hospital they asked me where I went and I told them to get some smokes so don t tell me the rules and I will not break them. Rules are made to be broken. I went outside for some air and yes some faith too. It s A Very Hard Road By Al I was in my car accident on June 1, My car broke down and I pulled over so I could go and get someone to help me. Unfortunately, I misjudged how fast the cars were coming towards me. I was hit by a car that is how I ended up getting my brain injury. I ve been involved with the Brain Injury Association since then. I love coming out and helping other people. I especially love making them laugh. I am a very big Seinfeld fan. I also love candy and giving back to the community means the world to me.

4 In Celebration of Black History Month By Rick Lincoln Alexander was an observer to the United Nations in 1976 and In 1979 he was asked to be a cabinet minister. Lincoln became the first black cabinet minister. He was the Minister of Labor. In 1980 Lincoln lost the election. Premier Bill Davis of Ontario, asked Lincoln to take charge of the Workers Compensation Board. Lincoln was the first black person to have this job. In 1985 Lincoln Alexander was asked by her Majesty the Queen and the Prime Minister of Canada to be the next Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. He was Canada s first black Lieutenant Governor. Some of the people Lincoln met were Nelson Mandela, Ronald Regan and the Queen Mother. Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander gave the throne speech. The throne speech is given at the beginning of each session of parliament. Road to recovery by Kyle On June 27, 2011 I had a very bad car crash and I was air lifted to the trauma center at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and I was there for 10 days. Then I went to the Rehabilitation Center at the General Hospital for 6 weeks. Then I got introduced to the Brain injury Association for the Ottawa valley. I was worried about fitting in with all the members and staff. As the days went on, I met everyone that ran the Brain injury Association and things got a little easier. I think that this place is very understanding and has helped me move forward with my recovery. I really like how there are people with the same injury that attend the groups/workshops at the Brain injury Association. On Tuesday October 25, 2011, I will further my treatment at The Robin Easy Center. This will help me continue my recovery, so I can go back to school and attend second semester at my local high school in Pembroke, Ontario. My final goal is to graduate and move on to College. (Voices 3: Canadians who made a difference Copyright 1993 by laubach literacy of Canada)

5 A Happy Home Recipe 4 CUPS OF LOVE 5 SPOONS OF HOPE 2 CUPS OF LOYALTY 2 SPOONS OF TENDERNESS 3 CUPS OF FORGIVENESS 4 QUARTS OF FAITH 1 CUP OF FRIENDSHIP 1 BARREL OF LAUGHTER Take love and loyalty. Mix it thoroughly with faith. Blend it with tenderness, kindness and understanding. Add friendship and hope. Sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Serve daily with generous helpings. Contributing Members Richard Potvin Kyle Gorman Al Leahy For More information on the Step Up work Centre please feel free to contact Makeda at If you would like to take part in the newsletter please see Rick