Prosper PlaceIssue 68,Pioneer September 2020 Issue 80, September 2021 10455 – 172 St. NW, Edmonton, AB, T5S 1K9 Phone: 780.426.7861 Fax: 780.426.7874 [email protected] | www.prosperplace.org

Inside this issue:

Come Meet with Us Pg. 2 Peer Member of the Month Pg. 3 Transformation – Life Journey Pg. 3 Message from the Executive Director Pg. 4 Annual General Meeting Notice Pg. 5 Member Voices Pg. 6 Member Voices Pg. 7 Member Reflection Pg. 8 Member Contribution Pg. 9 Event Review Pg. 10 Park Review Pg. 10 Movie Review Pg. 11 Member Reflection Pg. 11 Human Foosball Festival 2021 Pg. 12 Events Calendar Pg. 13 Menu Calendar Pg. 15

Created and published by members and staff of Prosper Place. Prosper Place is a peer-run organization for people living with the effects of mental illness.

Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021 Come Meet With Us

Meetings are a very important part of Prosper Place. Meetings are open to members and staff. Come join us for the opportunity to contribute to the team!

WEEKLY MEETINGS TEAM MEETINGS

Check in • Fundraising Team Every Monday* morning at 10:30 am. • Employment Team / Workshop Team

* If Monday is a Statutory Holiday, Check in • Social Rec. / Special Events Team will be held on Tuesday at 10:30 am. • Newsletter Team • Menu Planning Team

Check in (previously known as ‘Announcements’) is a more informal way to See the events calendar for dates and times let everyone know what is happening at of all our Team meetings. Prosper Place.

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS Stay connected with what Prosper Place is Amanda P Anthony K Arlo M doing and stay connected with fellow peers Asif S Ben D Betty S by checking in with them. Brandon L Carol B Cheriann H Christina C Cindy L Claude L Daniel B Danya D Darcy R SOCIAL RECREATION Derek G Dwayne B Ed M Elizabeth D Haseeb M Jaime Lee K Wednesdays 1:30 pm Jasmine P Jason F Jean D Come join your friends and enjoy games, Jeanette B Joanna O Kahtan Y cards, movies, crafts and so much more! Kara H Laraba T Laura H Linda M Lynne P Mark F NEW MEMBERS Michael M Michele M Morris L Jennifer K Heidi M Muhammad R Nenad J Nerlin S Lakein R Max G Perry C Quinten H Randy F Rhonda C Rhonda M Richard L Anthony K Karen C Scott W Shinda S Sidney V Sarah B Sonya G Steve H Susan W

Cover Page The ‘Transformation’ collage on this month’s cover page was created by Heather D. Heather used magazines for this medium working with scissors and glue. It took her 2 - 3 hours to complete. She used the inspiration of September’s theme Transformation. What a beautiful collage. Thank you for sharing Heather!

Disclaimer The opinions expressed in the Prosper Place Pioneer are those of the authors, not necessarily those of 2 Prosper Place. Please feel free to contact Prosper Place at 780.426.7861 with any questions or concerns.

Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Peer Member of the Month

September 2021 – Bill T

Bill is very helpful with the staff and the members.

He enjoys being at Prosper Place and spending time with his fellow members.

Bill likes to stay late at the end of the day and help clean up. He is friendly and will help any members if they need help.

Congratulations Bill!

Transformation – Life Journey

Transformation as a life journey, When you start life, your journey begins. You transform many times into a toddler, a young child, a teenie bobber, teenager. An adult to senior and then an elder. Each stage in life is a transformation of physical, emotional, and mental states. It’s all a journey; hope you enjoy yours here and now. Because every journey begins step by step every day.

Submitted by:

Glen D Peer Director

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Message from the Executive Director

Personal Transformation

For me, September is a month of renewal, new learnings, and fresh beginnings. I am not sure why I feel this in September of all months…? Possibly it is the upcoming change in the season and how the beautiful summer leaves magically change their colours to bright yellow, red, and orange. Another possibility could be that when I was younger, September was the beginning of a new year of school, which meant new education opportunities, new friends, and fresh notebooks. Either way, renewal and transformation are good feelings. It is like a few little butterflies in your stomach.

Personal transformation takes bravery – be willing to change. First, set your goal, visualize the goal, and create a plan with many small steps that lead you to achieving the goal. Along the way you may feel uncomfortable – that’s OKAY. You will also need to stay focused and be your own cheerleader – keep going!

I wish you every success and remember, Prosper Place is here to help you.

Submitted by:

Lori Pratt Executive Director

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Annual General Meeting

The Clubhouse Society of Edmonton & Area

invites you to our Annual General Meeting.

Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 5:00 pm

Prosper Place, 10455 – 172 Street NW, Edmonton, AB

5:00 pm: Light snack and Beverages 5:30 pm: Business Meeting

RSVP by Thursday, September 9, 2021 Call: 780-426-7861 or Email: [email protected]

Zoom option is also offered starting at 5:30 pm https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87872217018?pwd=MDhZTXRGVGdjczVTOGxacVlySDlHdz09 Meeting ID: 878 7221 7018 Passcode: 841388

Please use the North entrance door.

Please help in keeping COVID-19 out of Prosper Place and keeping everyone safe. Please do not attend if you are ill or show symptoms of being ill; had close contact to someone with a confirmed or probable cause of COVID-19 and/or travelled outside Canada 14 days prior to our meeting.

Society Membership fees:

$3.00 (Clubhouse members) $15.00 (non-clubhouse members)

As a member of the Society, you will receive: a membership card, the annual newsletter and voting5

privileges at the Annual General Meeting. Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Member Voices

What does TRANSFORMATION mean to you?

• Transformation: a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. – Geri R.

• Deep change within a person is a process that can take years. We need to be careful to avoid quick, easy solutions as they are often not the solution which are the best for us. One needs to dig deep to solve the question of who we are. I wish I knew at 22 what I know now at 57. The goals you pursue matter. So, take the time to choose worthy ones. You won’t regret it! – Arthur L.

• I think of positive change, like becoming a better person by honestly realizing my weak and strong points and using them to make me a better person both for myself and others. Transformation for me means changing from a caterpillar that eats everything in sight with no thought of the negative results its doing and transforming itself to a beautiful butterfly or moth which fills our world with beauty and adds to the important flora and fauna that Mother Nature used to keep our Earth healthy and viable. – Katherine P.

• Transformation is going from one of way of doing things to another way of doing things. – Jo C.

• I am reminded of butterflies the start of a different phase something new and exciting but can cause anxiety and yet inevitable. – Glen D.

• I think the word Transformation means a beneficial change! - Mary J.

• When I hear the word transformation in this season I could just relate it to the wonderful change of the season from summer to fall. After enjoying some warmth of summer, we are going to enjoy the transformation from warmth to cold. I think some positive transformation help us to have something to look forward to. – Merrita T.

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Member Voices

What is your favourite part of Fall/Autumn?

• It’s a great sight to see leaves change on trees. – Dani O.

• My favourite part of autumn is the harvest, and array of fall colours of the leaves. – Jo C.

• There was a time years ago when I could smell the change in nature from Summer to Fall. I also liked going to school, so would look forward to that, and also getting new clothes and meeting new people. The seasons enrich us with different feelings, activities we can do and add to the Spark of Life and Adventure that all people need. – Katherine P.

• Fall is good. It is not too hot, not too cold. Remembrance Day, Halloween, and a new school year. – Arthur L.

• Candles, pumpkins, Thanksgiving coming up, turkey, leaves changing colour, and my birthday September 18. Friends and family are important. I’m happy to be a uncle. – Asif S.

• My favourite part of autumn/fall is that it's nice and cold. – Jason N.

• My favourite part of Fall is the harvest and cooler temperatures for some hayrides and the closer it is to celebrating Halloween! – Mary J.

• My favourite part of Fall is the cool weather, not too hot, not too cool. So nice to sit outside with a cup of coffee and enjoy the fresh air and the breeze. – Merrita T.

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Member Reflection

What is your favourite back to school memory?

After the long summer break, many parents consider back to school as ‘the most wonderful time of the year.’ However, the upcoming 2021-2022 school year is unlike any other. Parents and kids are unsure of how the school year will play out. Are kids heading back into the classroom? Will there be digital learning – or a combination of both?

We asked the members of Prosper Place “what is your favourite back to school memory?”

• My favourite back to school memory was the thick fog on the first week of class. That was a common occurrence in the ‘70s in Burnaby BC. The fog changed how sounds travelled, the way the air felt on my skin, how it narrowed my vision of my surroundings to just the immediate twenty feet or so around me on my way to school (I walked to school). It felt mainly like a surreal experience that lasted only about a week each year, except when it rained. Once I got closer to school grounds, it was like it was the school buildings were fading in like on a movie screen. It was just beautiful and extraordinary. – Jo C.

• I like seeing all my old friends from the last year and talking about their summer fun. – Glen D.

• Meeting new and old friends. – Dani O.

• My favourite back to school memory was with my grade 7/8 teacher. He taught me to be smart. – Jason N.

• My favourite back to school memory is meeting new friends! – Mary J.

• My favourite back to school memory was me waiting to meet my friends again. Waiting to see the face of the new class teacher. Above all, recalling all the summer holiday memories to share them with my friends. – Merrita T.

• My favourite school memory is making friends and working in the school cafeteria in high school. I got 81% in English. – Asif S.

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Member Contribution

We are never alone

A boy is about to begin the youth’s rite of passage.

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolded, and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump for the entire night and not take off the blindfold until the ray of sun shines through it. He is all by himself. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he then becomes a man.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience. Each boy must come into his own manhood. Each boy must transform into a man.

The boy was terrified and could hear all kinds of noise. It seemed like beasts were all around him. Maybe even some human would hurt him. The wind blew the grass and earth and it shook his stump. But he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man.

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he saw his father sitting on the stump next to him, keeping watch for the entire night.

We are never truly alone. Even when we do not know it, our family and friends are watching out for us, sitting on a stump beside us.

Author Unknown

*** In our darkest moments, it’s common to feel like we’re incredibly alone. Fighting battles on all sides and stumbling towards a direction we hope will get us out of it. But it’s important to remember, we’re not alone, whether we see it or not, there is help available. ***

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Event Review

Summer Fun - Midway

This year, instead of K-Days, we had the Summer Fun Midway. Most of the rides that were there in the past were there. They still had some fun carnival food. The food was expensive. Gate admission prices were reasonable. Even though I didn’t have enough money for the rides, they still looked cool. I tried a deep-fried twinkie, which tasted alright. The jumbo lemonade I had was mostly filled with ice, so it was kind of disappointing. The main difference was the exhibition halls were closed, so it just didn’t feel the same as in years past. Submitted by Jason M.

Park Review

Fort Edmonton Park

Last month, I went to check out Fort Edmonton Park. It was expensive, but it allowed you to experience the history of Edmonton, dating back to colonial days. This was before Edmonton was a city or even a town. There were many different eras of history represented throughout the park. It was like going into the Wild West frontier days. There is a saloon, an ice cream parlor, an old-time bank, a streetcar train, as well as a full steam engine train that goes throughout the park. They have a penny arcade, a few old-time restaurants, a mini-golf course and a turn of the century midway, circa 1900’s. The Park is divided into different streets, which reflect different time periods in history. These include 1846 Fort, 1885 Street, 1905 Street and 1920 Street. There is also an Indigenous Peoples Experience, which tells a lot about their history through different artifacts and displays and is displayed in both English and the different Indigenous languages, with a souvenir shop towards the end. Fort Edmonton Park also has a gift shop near the front entrance. It was a way to step back into the past of where Edmonton began. Come check it out for yourselves. Submitted by Jason M.

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Movie Review

Concussion

Concussion is a drama film that explores the true story about a doctor who finds a controversial link between NFL players and concussions and brain disorders. The movie Concussion stars Academy Award Winners Will Smith and Alec Baldwin, and Best Supporting Actor Winner Albert Brooks. Throughout the story, Will Smith’s character transforms for the better due to certain people he meets that encourage him to persevere. Will Smith was nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance by an actor in a motion picture for Concussion. Concussion is a great film that shows an inspiring transformation. Submitted by Asif S. Member Reflection

9/11 20th Anniversary

This month, it is the 20th Anniversary of 9 /11. Most of us probably remember that day in history. While the day in question was horrible, I would like to reflect on the power of resiliency of the American people and the rest of the world. There were many heroes that day at ground zero in New York City. You have the police, firefighters and paramedics. Where the World Trade Centre used to be, you now have the Freedom Towers. This skyscraper is 541.3 metres tall, including the antenna. The general public can only access the One World observatory. Since the day the event happened, there have been many volunteers that have stepped up to do what they can to honour those who saved lives and those who gave their lives in that dreadful day. This historic event has brought about a major increase in the unity and celebration of different groups being brought together for a common purpose. People have shown strength through perseverance with making the world a better place. There have been a couple of movies made about the day, including World Trade Center and United 93. Both movies were excellent to watch. Let us remember the positive things that have transpired from this major event. Submitted by Jason M.

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Human Foosball Festival 2021 Human Foosball Festival for Mental Health was a great success!!

On Saturday, August 28th, Prosper Place held its second annual Human Foosball Festival for Mental Health – and it was fabulous!! We had carnival games, delicious food, amazing inspiration guest speakers, Stacey Berger & Vahen King, our very own Samantha Y and of course our giant foosball inflatable!

Thank you to all our volunteers and guests – it was a wonderful day!!

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

September 2021 – Events Calendar

Prosper Place is now open to all in-person member visits. There is no requirement to pre-book before you visit. Mandatory wearing of face masks remain in place inside Prosper Place. Wednesday September 1 1:30 pm Social Rec In the Studio 2:00 pm WNLC Course “Creative Sandwiches” Registered participants only Thursday September 2 1:30 pm Yoga with Diane In the Studio 1:30 pm WNLC Course “Leadership Series” Registered participants only Friday September 3 10:00 am Conversations at Prosper Place Zoom Meeting ID: 872 1843 8656 Passcode: 171764 Monday September 6 CLOSED – Labour Day Tuesday September 7 10:30 am Check In Zoom Meeting ID: 970 9184 4702 Passcode: 246894 11:00 am Workshop/Employment Team Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 898 9668 7598 Passcode: 060729 Wednesday September 8 1:30 pm Social Rec In the Studio Thursday September 9 12:00 pm Peer Directors Board Meeting Peer Directors Board Only 1:30 pm Yoga with Diane In the Studio 1:30 pm WNLC Course “Leadership Series” Registered participants only Friday September 10 10:00 am Conversations at Prosper Place Zoom Meeting ID: 872 1843 8656 Passcode: 171764 Monday September 13 10:30 am Check In Zoom Meeting ID: 970 9184 4702 Passcode: 246894 1:30 pm Newsletter Team Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 844 7745 8891 Passcode: 469569 Tuesday September 14 11:00 am Social Rec/Special Events Team Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 812 0235 0632 Passcode: 228292 Wednesday September 15 1:30 pm Social Rec In the Studio Thursday September 16 1:30 pm Yoga with Diane In the Studio 1:30 pm WNLC Course “Leadership Series” Registered participants only Friday September 17 10:00 am Conversations at Prosper Place Zoom Meeting ID: 872 1843 8656 Passcode: 171764

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

Monday September 20 10:30 am Check In Zoom Meeting ID: 970 9184 4702 Passcode: 246894 1:30 pm Newsletter Team Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 844 7745 8891 Passcode: 469569 Tuesday September 21 11:00 am Fundraising Team Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 843 7266 0371 Passcode: 642779 Wednesday September 22 1:30 pm Social Rec In the Studio Thursday September 23 1:30 pm Yoga with Diane In the Studio 1:30 pm WNLC Course “Leadership Series” Registered participants only Friday September 24 10:00 am Conversations at Prosper Place Zoom Meeting ID: 872 1843 8656 Passcode: 171764 Monday September 27 10:30 am Check In Zoom Meeting ID: 970 9184 4702 Passcode: 246894 1:30 pm Newsletter Team Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 844 7745 8891 Passcode: 469569 Tuesday September 28 11:00 am The Storytelling Hour In the Studio 3:00 pm Book Club (Conference Call) Dial: 1 855-392-2520 1531109# Wednesday September 29 1:30 pm Social Rec In the Studio Thursday September 30 CLOSED – Truth and Reconciliation Day

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Prosper Place Pioneer Issue 80, September 2021

September 2021 – Monthly Menu Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 2 3

Lunch: Penne and meat sauce Lunch: Leftovers Lunch: Burger & Fries Supper: Meatloaf and mashed potatoes 6 7 8 9 10

CLOSED Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad Lunch: Beef bites Lunch: Leftovers Lunch: Burger & Salad Supper: Perogies and Kubasa Supper: Fish and wedges

13 14 15 16 17

Lunch: Soup and Sandwich Lunch: Chicken pasta Lunch: Beef Tacos Lunch: Leftovers Lunch: Burger & Fries Supper: Spaghetti and meat Supper (Meal Deal): Creamy sauce Chicken and Rice 20 21 22 23 24 Lunch: BLT wrap Lunch: Pre-order sandwiches Lunch: Soup and Sandwich Lunch: Burger & Salad Lunch: Leftovers Supper: Chicken stir-fry Annual General Meeting

27 28 29 30 Lunch: Chicken Quesadillas Lunch: Chef’s Salad Lunch: Soup and Sandwich Lunch: Burger & Fries Supper: Shepherd’s pie Supper: Beef Stroganoff

Soup $1.00. Regular Lunches are $4 or less. Regular Suppers are $5 or less. Holiday Suppers are $6 or less. 15