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GREEN WOOD COALITION 

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MAY 2015

ACT IT OUT 5/27/2015


We're pleased to partner with To the Root facilitator and theatre activist, Alyssa England, in presenting the Disability & Performance Project over 8 weeks, beginning June 2. This series of Tuesday evening workshops, presented at our space, 17 John St., Port Hope and the Ontario Street Theatre, will consist of five three-hour long workshop evenings on topics related to performance and disability, three three-hour long evenings of rehearsal, and two performances. There is no cost for this great series, so if you'd like to be involved, contact Alyssa at totherootdiscussions@gmail.com.



"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." -Thomas Merton


Last night's Community 101 was colourful, amazing and full of surprises. Thanks to presenters, Darlene Denis, Nicole Whitmore, Amelia Sheffield, and art therapist, Ed Hagedorn. Next Community 101 session is set for June 29 at the Ruth Clarke Centre in Port Hope, ON.



With a visit from MPP Lou Rindaldi and James Simmons of Ontario Trillium Foundation, we were able to celebrate receiving a Trillium Grant, at tonight's dinner. This capacity building grant will help Green Wood to grow with expanding needs in our community.


The team that will be working with us on this project include Governance Consultant, Laura Gaughan, of Laridae Communications, Debbie Beattie, Project Manager, and Development Consultant, Nicole Beatty.



Green Wood Coalition will be holding its


Annual General Meeting

On Wednesday May 27th, 2015 at 7:30 pm.


The meeting will take place directly after our weekly community dinner,

at St. John’s Anglican Church Hall, 33 Pine St., Port Hope, Ontario.


This meeting is open to everyone to hear about our successes last year, and the plans moving forward. Members will be voting on board positions, and approving our financial statements.


We hope you are available to attend,


The Green Wood Coalition Board of Directors




At our most recent Community 101 gathering, Nicole Whitmore told some of her moving and personal story (and promised to tell more at another time). Nicole came to work with Green Wood, first as a college intern, in January 2013, and now shares outreach duties with David Sheffield. She's also the lead facilitator for the Redpath Addiction Recovery Program that Green Wood currently offers as a small group series, or on a one-to-one basis.


This ground-breaking model has also proven to be successful in the areas of substance misuse, violence, rehabilitation, and employability. With long waiting lists and other obstacles, access to services that address these effects of trauma can be difficult or impossible to obtain. By offering the Redpath program in the community, we are allowing easier access to an innovative approach that develops emotional and social competency skills.


Illustration by Redpath participant.

 
 
 

APRIL 2015

Those gathered for our second edition of Community 101 had the opportunity to challenge their perceptions about how we measure wellbeing, with the help of Kristina Nairn, As the Social Determinants of Health Nurse at our local health unit, Kristina does some great work (often behind the scenes), in collaboration with Green Wood and other community groups, that is bringing real change to reducing poverty, hunger and homelessness. We celebrate her passion and hard work.


This month's session also included a moving personal story, about the stigma of poverty, from Green Wood Outreach Worker, Nicole Whitmore, a presentation about the upcoming workshop, The Performance & Disability Project, and wrapped up with a singalong tribute to the social justice music of Pete Seeger by musican/author, Ted Staunton.


Next edition of Community 101 will be on Monday evening, May 25.


GROW WITH US 4/24/2015

As the growing season approaches, we are able to offer several, individual rental plots in our community garden on Peter Street in Port Hope. A small number of these 4' X 8' raised beds will be available to members of the public for a low annual fee, and agreement with our shared values.


Our garden is a place that encourages:

1. Enjoyment of the outdoors and Creation.

2. Making of friendships.

3. Building of community spirit.

4. Physical connection to the land.

5. Learning about natural, sustainable growing methods.

6. Planting, tending and harvesting of food crops.

7. Sharing of fresh, healthy vegetables.

8. Satisfying, rewarding labour.

9. Respect for one another and for nature.

10. Celebration whenever possible.

11. Enjoyment of the outdoors and Creation.


The Green Wood garden is one piece of a larger community initiative that provides shoulder-to-shoulder support for individuals and families who are living with issues related to poverty. Our site is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Tiffany Wolters of Ganaraska Animal Clinic, and Doug Wolters.



Do you like to work outdoors, with people, with a fun, innovative organization? We're looking to hire a summer student to work with our community garden program.


COMMUNITY GARDEN ASSISTANT


Green Wood Coalition in Port Hope is accepting applications for the position of Community Garden Assistant. The Community Garden Assistant will provide support and encouragement to persons with disabilities while managing the care and harvest of its community garden in Port Hope, as well as ongoing community activities.


POSITION DETAILS: Part-time Summer Student Position

SALARY: $11.00 per hour

LOCATION: Port Hope, ON (John St. & Peter St.)

HOURS OF WORK: Flexibility in hours of work will be required. Weekly, evening work and some weekend work will be required


THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE MUST:

-Be enrolled as a full-time student for the fall of 2014

-Possess good communication skills, both written and verbal

-Be able to work flexible hours

-Be a self-starter and have the ability to work independently and in a team setting

-Have a valid driver’s license and access to transportation

-Possess some knowledge of gardening and food preparation and/or a willingness to learn


ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

- Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds

- Job task planning and organizing

- Critical thinking

- Decision making

- Problem solving

- Working with others

- Oral communication

-First Aid & CPR is an asset


This position is part of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada's Canada Summer Jobs program. Please ensure that you meet these requirements before applying.


APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 5, 2015 at NOON.


APPLY WITH RESUME TO: greenwoodcoalition@gmail.com


WE'RE LOOKING FOR HELP 4/1/2015 Thanks to a capacity-building grant from Ontario Trillium Foundation, we have posted two requests for proposals for consulting positions. To learn more, check out the Work With Us button on our website.


CELEBRATE 4/1/2015 "Celebrate birthdays, successes, or just the sun coming up." [Recipe for Community]

We take the opportunity to celebrate birthdays on the first Wednesday of every month, at our community dinner. This month, Tom and Ken joined windy forces to deal with candles. Our resident, creative cake baker is Owen Weeks of Port Hope.

 
 
 

MARCH 2015



Building community from the ground up.


Green Wood launched Community 101 last night. It's a 4-part series that will explore ways of becoming a more healthy and vibrant community through caring for each other and seeking long-term change.


The format for Community 101 is short presentations by Green Wood staff and members, like-minded guests, and discussions. Our goal is to share information and stories about the good things that are happening in Port Hope and surrounding area, and to inspire further thought and action.


Thanks to guests Jean Vanier (via film), Lesley Boileau, Northumberland Contemporary Dance Collective, and David Newland for joining us last night. Our next session will be Monday, April 27, 7-9 PM at Ruth Clarke Centre, 81 Mill St. S. Port Hope.



Presenters from Green Wood and other like-minded groups will share information and stories about the good things that are happening in Port Hope and surrounding area, and inspire further thought and action.


"One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing.”

- Jean Vanier


This will be of interest to Green Wood community members, as well we are opening this to those who are interested in being part of a movement of positive community change. There will be plenty of room for discussion.


Thanks to Jill Lawrence at Crawford's Lakeview Cafe for providing the venue. The series will run monthly, on the last Monday of March, April, May and June. 7-9 PM.




Green Wood's first ever Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk, on February 21, was a great success with 120 walkers donning toques and braving the elements (and steep hills) of Port Hope. With over $25,000 donated, this was our biggest fundraising event ever. We appreciate the support of everyone who walked, sponsored, and volunteered. Special thanks to Queenie's Bakeshop and Crawford's Lakeview Cafe for providing sustenance along the way. Plans are underway for next year's Coldest Night walk!


Our weekly Creative Arts Group meets weekly to make art and social connections, in an atmosphere intended to promote safety, healing, creative expression and personal growth. The group is facilitated by David Sheffield and Heather Roy. They usually start the sessions with the reading of a poem as a way of separating the time from day-to-day cares and prompting the imagination. From time to time group members will bring a poem that they've written to share with the group. That happened recently and we were able to catch Christie's poem performance in a video clip.



 
 
 
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