ONE THOUSAND TREES

NOVEMBER 2019 ONE THOUSAND TREES FACILITATING WELLNESS THROUGH CONNECTION , CREATIVITY , AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Publisher lisa browning

regular Contributors andrea lines-botell, Christine nightingale, arlene spencer, Cheron Van beek

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one thousand trees 3-304 stone road West, suite 338 guelph on n1g 4W4

email: [email protected] Phone: 519-362-5494 ONE THOUSAND TREES NOVEMBER 2019 REAL MEN DON ’T CRY

Feature artICLe :

thoughts on the theMe by Fran black 1

Departments : (bolded articles are monthly features )

ConneCtions -- the month in review, by Lisa Browning 12 -- My Sister, by Marilyn elphick 7 -- spirit Babies: Real Men Don’t Cry, by Christine nightingale 2 -- Words I Couldn’t say: Daddy’s Hand, by arlene spencer 1 giVing baCk -- , by lisa browning 8 health & W ellbeing -- self-Love is Just a Heartbeat away: At the Right Time, It All Comes Together , by Cheron Van Beek 6 -- spice, splatters and soul: Are You Sitting Comfortably? by andrea Lines-Botell 3 the library -- the story Behind the story: Café Conversations, by Marion reidel 7

Cover Photograph by Sandra Wilson www.quiteacharacter.ca Forget Me Not a branch of One Thousand Trees

Your life ... in audio-visual format!

memories to cherish, and share with generations to come Don’t forget -- no one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell. Charles de Lint

tell your story ... leave your legacy

For more information email [email protected] or visit www.onethousandtrees.com THIS MONTH ’S CONTRIBUTORS

Marilyn Elphick Colleen Heighington My Sister Thoughts on the Theme

Marilyn’s first career was as a Colleen is happily married to a Registered Nurse in various fields of wonderful husband named Ken. They medicine. Her last position was as a have been blessed with three dialysis nurse. She completed an MDiv beautiful children, and four terrific degree in 2002 and a TH.M in 2013. grandsons. She enjoys reading, writing From 2002-2015 she worked as the stories and poetry, and she keeps fit by walking 3 to 4 Director of Campus Ministry, and at present she works kilometres every day. Her summers are spent at their as a chaplain at a long-term care facility. She recently trailer in Orillia, and she really enjoys the time she spends moved to Orton, , and she loves to write! with family and friends. She has been a volunteer with Hospice Wellington since 2015.

Andrea Lines-Botell Christine Nightingale Spice, Splatters and Soul Spirit Babies

Andrea is a public speaker, writer and After studying Hypnosis for Fertility, wellness practitioner who first started Christine found that while working creating steps for solutions in conflict with clients, she would get very clear and crisis areas over 20 years ago in messages from their miscarried or not England. Andrea offers gentle and creative support to yet conceived babies. Her speciality others through her coaching company, Mandalia House has become getting messages from these babies of Healing. With a passion for supporting people facing explaining their difficulties in coming in, and suggestions grief, addiction and loss, Andrea offers a safe space and for making it easier. She has worked with over 400 holistic approach to each individual, incorporating art and couples, facilitating communication and pregnancy. For music therapy, coaching, energy healing, workshops and more information please visit her website at support groups. Visit her at www.mandaliahouse.com. www.nightingalehealing.com.

Marion Reidel Arlene Spencer Story Behind the Story Words I Couldn’t Say Marion is a writer of humorous short Arlene is a wife, mother of three fiction, with inspiration from personal grown boys, and a special education experience and observation. Her educator who has a passion for life, readers will laugh out loud and shake an abundance of energy and a need their heads, but beneath the to be heard because at the end of amusement they’ll find insights about self-esteem, the day everyone has “Words They Couldn’t Say.” You shame and overcoming familiar obstacles. Marion feels can reach Arlene by email, at [email protected]. strongly that the short fiction format is well suited to the busy lives of contemporary readers. Her first collection of linked stories is now available on Amazon. You can find her website at https://marionreidel.wordpress.com. Cheron Van Beek Self-Love Is Just a Heartbeat Away Cheron was born and raised in Zimbabwe, Africa. She is the oldest of 7 children. She is married with three beautiful daughters aged 21, 5 and 4. Cheron came to in 2001 with her oldest daughter. Her purpose in this life is to humbly serve others through love and encouragement, by sharing her story, so others can learn to love themselves for who they really are, and so that they can pass their blessings onto others. PUBLISHER ’S PONDERINGS

I have had many “Dark Night of the Soul” experiences. Sometimes, they last just a night, sometimes longer. This year, most of October was enveloped in a cloud of darkness and self-imposed introspection. It was also a time of technological frustration, as I experienced continual issues with my computer, cell phone, etc. Knowing that Mercury went retrograde earlier this week helps to explain things a bit (although I can’t say I’m looking forward to the next 19 days!).

But I was encouraged when I read this: "It’s time to reassess, and heal the past within ourselves. We’ll emerge like a phoenix rising from the ashes." I have been doing a lot of reassessing, as I think about the future of One Thousand Trees. I am currently working on several projects that mean a lot to me, and I am also taking time to reflect on and plan for upcoming projects.

The book I am currently formatting contains the following as a sub-heading: Who is the REAL You? It is a great, and very timely, question for me as I go through this discernment process. Stay tuned, as I discover the answer, and incorporate that into One Thousand Trees as I begin my 10th year of business.

Lisa

THougHTS oN THE THEME sees them no matter where they are, snowplowed our long driveway. I long by Colleen Heighington and he is there. God is there to to see him relaxing in his rocking chair comfort and help them through in our old country kitchen with his At first reading this statement, Real anything that they are faced with, and morning coffee. I guess I just miss Men Don’t Cry, I agree with it as to will never leave them. What a comfort everything about him. what I have seen for myself. The men it is to them and to all of us. in my life like my dad, my husband, my My mother talks about when they son and my brother only to name a God created us, and he created tears. were starting out as a young couple. few haven’t to my knowledge shed Real Men Don’t Cry? Yes, they do, and He took care of a borrowed dairy cow. any tears. If they have, I haven’t seen that is a beautiful thing!!! When that cow had its first calf, it it. I have seen them teary eyed - but became the beginning of his own honestly, I can’t remember a tear * * * herd. I loved going to the barn after rolling down their cheeks. I cry the cows had come in from the field to whenever I need to and sometimes scrap the walkways. Not sure how I handled that big shovel on my own more often, so why Don’t Real Men Words but looking back I truly appreciate the Cry? Personally speaking, I can think of I Couldn’t Say a few reasons. For one, real men want time I had with him at the barn. With to be strong in front of their family and Arlene Spencer eight children there wasn’t much one friends. I have seen this first-hand, on one time. especially at funerals or when they are going through a devastating situation. I was the seventh of eight children, Secondly, the thought of shedding DADDy ’S HAND and he had created nicknames for us tears is only for sissies and real men all. Sometimes I think the neighbours don’t want to be called that - right!! His death left a heartache no one actually thought my name was Girl Whatever the other reasons are, I could heal, but his love leaves a Baby. We were Manny, Bitsy, Doll, think that I am safe to say that I have memory no one can steal. Lennie, Watzey, Big Girl, and Spike. named the two most important ones. My father passed away thirty-four Before my husband proposed to me, However, when I think of this topic a years ago. He was sixty-one years old he visited the barn where my father second time, I disagree with it. All and I was only twenty-one. I had just was milking the cows. When he asked mankind whether men, women, gotten married and was starting a life for my hand in marriage, my father’s children and babies do cry, and, yes, of my own. response was, “You look after her, even real men cry as well. Just the always be good to her and never raise other day at a family gathering, my son As each year quickly passes, I think your hand to her.” This is what he was talking to me about the funeral for about all the things he missed. Never stood for, and I never forgot those my mom, and told me that he saw my did he get to see our first home or words. dad crying as he knelt down to say have the opportunity to watch our goodbye to her. My dad was in the three boys grow into fine young men For as long as I can remember, tucked room thinking he was all alone and or share their wedding day. He missed in the crevices of his old dusty wallet unseen by everyone, so he just broke enjoying his twenty-six grandchildren were many medals and a cloth down and cried and cried. He had and twenty-nine great grandchildren, scapula. Some bent, others worn, he wanted to do this in privacy, and and seeing them grow and flourish. He carried them for many years, wanted to be strong especially for his missed trips and holidays but most of representing his faith in God. Even five children. A long time ago, my all he missed the opportunity to grow now when I look at them, I feel mom told me that the only time she old with a wonderful woman, our nostalgic, because I know it was his ever saw my dad cry was when we had mother. faith that carried him through many a house fire while they were hard times. vacationing, and his children were I thought about the things I miss most spared. about him. I wish I could see him Our father was diagnosed with walking to the barn with our old collie multiple myeloma. Myeloma begins You might have your own experiences, dog by his side one more time. I miss with abnormal plasma cells in your but the truth of the matter is that real the daily weather report we got each bone marrow, causing cancer cells to men do cry, even though they think winter morning when he would come accumulate and crowd out the healthy that they are hiding their tears. God in covered in snow after he blood cells. He suffered from fatigue,

1 nausea, bone pain, anemia and higher in the latter. The explanation? weakness. It was difficult to watch him The gathering (root vegetables, suffer. We took turns sitting with him mushrooms) component of the diet in at night, and it wasn’t until it was my calories and nutrients was more turn sitting in the darkness that I important than the much smaller realized what this frail sick man lying meat component. Grandmothers were in a hospital bed had sacrificed for his good at gathering (and because they family. Near the end of his life, our also provided childcare, it made the mother asked him if he was afraid to mothers more able to do food die. His eyes glistened with tears as gathering.) Fathers may have been she watched them spill onto his adequate hunters, but not enough to cheeks. His chin trembling like that of equal the role of a grandmother in a child, he answered, “I am not afraid child survival. to die; I just don’t want to leave you and the kids.” It is generally understood that men can father children into late in life. Every now and then I spot a man that Women cannot. They generally live resembles him, hear a weather report decades after being able to give birth. or see an old tractor inching its way Yet they, in general, are very much down an open field, and I detect a involved in the care of their grand- little nudge in my heart. It is then that It is generally understood that women children, especially their daughters’ I whisper, “Hello Dad.” Some of the live longer than men. One could children. smallest particulars of his life, the kind attribute this to all sorts of causes. we barely noticed when he was alive, Men are far likelier to die of heart Mother Nature, as she works in the grow into revelations. attacks (which are associated with law of natural selection, will tend to being in poor physical shape and being favour women living longer lives after He only needed three simple things in under stress, especially job–related their own children are grown, because his life: a warm home, good food on stress). they still have a lot to do with the the table, and to be surrounded by the survival chances of their grand- people he loved. He truly enjoyed the This may be part of the explanation. children. Thus, over aeons, it is likely simplicity of his life. Men are generally understood to be that Nature would favour women less in touch with their feelings, living to old age more than men living They say the best gift any father can therefore bottling up emotion instead to old age, over the many millennia in give his children is to love their of expressing it. For example, few men which an older man’s physical strength mother, and he did. Even though he are comfortable crying when they are for hunting was so reduced that he didn’t voice his opinion often, it was upset or even deeply grieved, whereas was less likely to help his grand- the things he didn’t say that were our women generally accept this natural children survive. best lessons in life. He was truly a release of emotion. Studies have wonderful teacher. shown that tears which are shed due In my own family, my father died at 49, to overwhelming emotion have a my mother at 89. This may seem an The “Words I Couldn’t Say” is, real different chemical makeup than tears extreme time between spousal men do cry. shed due to cutting up an onion. The deaths. former have the function of removing some of the stress hormones from the Yet I can say that my father was the body. stereotypical man who could not express any emotion except anger There is also a role played by heredity. easily, while my mother was the A study was made of one of the very typical woman who had a more few tribes which still live by hunting balanced emotional capacity. and gathering. In that tribe, a compari- son was made between children who To turn on its head the notion from had a mother and a father, and the musical My Fair Lady in which the children who had a mother and professor character Henry Higgins says * * * grandmother. Survival rates were ”Why can’t a woman be more like a

2 man?”, it would probably be better for prototypical masculine pursuit. They missing? Have a cup of tea. men to have a more balanced may also be unwilling to discuss their Relationship breaking down? Cup of emotional palate, and not attribute most difficult experiences. All this tea? quite so much importance to making leads to the increased risk of PTSD and money or having power. other combat-related issues. The tradition of cups of tea came to mind today and how I was brought up It is wonderful to see young fathers Balance in all areas of life is probably with it being a source of a solution to who are fully involved with the care of the key for men to live happier and almost any given situation. Not only young children; I predict that they are more fulfilled lives. We can only hope the offering of tea, but how the tea is likelier to have long, healthy lives. (My that as more boys grow up with then made or served was also to be older son is always the one in charge permission to access their “softer” taken seriously. In my own family, of putting their baby girl to bed, for side, they might also live longer, there is a frequent teasing conversa- example.)This is a new phenomenon; healthier lives. tion about putting milk in the cup first sometimes it is pushed by the mothers or not. One family member is adamant involved insisting that the fathers get * * * that even blindfolded, she would be more involved; sometimes it has to do able to tell if the milk was in first or with the mothers also being employed not. Another says that its taste would outside the home and needing to be ruined by making it this way. When share the childcare work equitably. I was ten, we had an entire class on the correct way to make a pot of tea. Another issue which directly relates to This was in England, and I might be men’s health is the greater risk-taking dating myself! The routine was behaviour of men, especially young warming the pot first and discarding men. They are likelier to die in ARE you SITTINg CoMfoRTABLy ? the water and then adding the tea and accidents or by suicide than young by Andrea Lines-Botell refilling the pot. Pour milk into the women. Women who have troubles cups and after the tea had steeped for are more likely to share them with a Over the years I have had lovely and 2-3 minutes pour. girlfriend or a counselor, which may loving family members offer tea in help them to find healthier solutions. response to every single situation. Flat Something as simple as tea making tire? Have a cup of tea. Started can cause a ripple and reaction. How A third factor worldwide is that men raining? Have a cup of tea. Been you choose to look at it shapes the are more likely to be soldiers, due to shopping? Have a cup of tea. Loved experience. Some might say how their understanding of warfare as a one died? Have a cup of tea. Dog gone cont’d on page 6

3

ridiculous it’s tea. Just make it and Each of us has varying levels of what is With my tea steeped, I am considering drink it. Others may say it is part of a uncomfortable. What your norm and whether to go milk first or not. If I ritual or ceremony. As far as it being a baseline are will be determined by don’t, I may message my relative to let form of a solution on some level, it your own path and history. them know just to tease a response. does work or at least eases things a Even then, the tea has become not little. For the person offering the tea it As I put the kettle on to make my own only something to drink and enjoy but buys them time to process while filling tea, I tuned into myself. I was able to also to open connection and com- the kettle and getting the cups out. It sense many areas that felt uncom- munication and a little fun with a also allows a feeling of doing or action fortable. I became more and more loved one. in response to circumstances. Sitting aware of the sensations of my clothing with each other over cups of tea and a slight headache behind my eyes. * * * allows conversation to flow more I then tuned it back out as quickly as I readily. Body language cues and a tuned it in. This kind of discomfort is commonality created between each nowhere near what I have felt when in Self-Love Is other in addition to other factors all grief, pain or other areas of my Just a Heartbeat Away play into this. It is a timeless and lifetime. This exercise showed that by Cheron Van Beek, culture-wide tradition. what we focus on truly shapes our Teacher of “Self-Love” experience.

I am constantly amazed by what we can rise from in such massive diversity. What we chose to do within our feelings of discomfort or pain can AT THE RIgHT TIME either lead to prolonging those T LL oMES ogETHER feelings or not. Quick fixes of I A C T distraction and numbing such as This morning, I’m sitting here telling alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, anger, myself I need to get back on track, and creating chaos all push the pain because this week I haven’t done into hiding. It will, however, lead to much work, and my regular schedule prolonged pain and many times has been completely out of whack. become magnified significantly. We Then it hit me... In life, we all subconsciously and seem to have come to a place where consciously find ways to try and feel being uncomfortable is something we I needed this out of regular schedule more comfortable. If putting milk first need to fix or make disappear. Sitting to align, find balance, and awaken on in tea leads to a more comfortable with discomfort can often lead to the a deeper level. Yesterday, it occurred enjoyable experience, then that’s biggest growth in our journey. Sitting to me that I am a teacher of self-love! what happens. If leaving several cups with the pain and acknowledging it I am a Healer through sharing my of half-drunk tea over the house is and riding with the waves allows us to story. And... all this time, I’ve been what is comfortable, then that is what create a different baseline — busy focusing on my need to generate happens. Holding a hot cup of brewed acceptance and growth vs. fright and an income, when I really should focus tea while sitting with a loved one often flight. on my awakening and serving those introduces high comfort value. that need me. I am grateful the There are a million worlds within your Universe took control this week and I remembered how many times in my world. Actions and reactions rippling helped me see a part of who I really healing and trauma that I felt so far and wide from the beginning of am. uncomfortable in my skin and body time and to the end of time. Focussing that it felt unbearable. A counsellor on what is uncomfortable will magnify Today, I focus on the many blessings once told me that pain is the biggest that feeling. Acknowledging it and that have been bestowed upon my motivator. I have dwelled on that and focussing on possibilities and gratitude family and me, and being a humble have challenged that statement in my allows it to recede and become grey servant. I trust the Lord/Universe mind. I have come to the view that it shading within your art of life. All completely and know without a doubt is what we choose within that masterpieces have contour, texture, in my heart ALL is aligning and coming motivation that is key. shading and detail. together for the greater good!

6 I honestly love being awakened on lion’s cage. Cheryl swears that the again and sparked my interest in such a profoundly deep and spiritual lion gave her a big old lick through quilting. This trip we bought level. I am grateful for all that has the bars of his cage. She was so material for a matching quilting transpired in my life thus far, leading startled that she fell down and project. She was working on it right up to this and my more momentous scraped her knee very badly. It was until we left for the airport. moments to come. There are still a bad scrape that was bleeding some processes I am addressing, that I don’t find pleasing, but I am slowing profusely so Dad took out his white she is the best and i miss her so becoming grateful for them, and I am handkerchief and tied it around her much. as i get older, the distance seeing and feeling the powerful shifts knee to stop the bleeding. She says seems to get longer. I am very in my being. the adults didn’t believe her, but grateful for Facetime because we we kids did. can ‘visit’ several times a week and * * * sometimes several times a day. It is On this trip, she talked me into quite remarkable how our child- My SISTER going to see “It, Chapter 2.” She is hood memories can be awakened by Marilyn Elphick a huge fan of Stephen King, I’m not. from their deep slumber when we I had to watch the first “It” movie take the time to share our stories. What can I tell you about my sister? before we could go to the sequel. We forgot about the conflicts, She’s beautiful, with thick, wavy The movie was very scary. Anyway, fights, occasional silences because brown hair and brown eyes. She is off we went to the theater armed of petty arguments and the hair- slim, taller than me by a few with snacks and drinks to our pulling. Well, maybe not the inches. Flawless skin and a hearty private showing. It was not hair-pulling! I truly respect and am laugh that is infectious. She is my supposed to be private but we so proud of the woman she has best friend and confidante who were the only ones in the theater. I become. Cheryl, my sister and best knows almost all my secrets. She is kept looking behind me, just in friend. an accomplished seamstress, case. At one point in the movie, I creative and proficient quilter. For was so startled by a scene that I * * * her son’s wedding, she constructed threw up my hands and my a dress that had 48 pieces including popcorn flew up into the air. She a corseted waist with boning. Her couldn’t stop laughing. Well it name is Cheryl. She is married to served to break the tension. Bernie originally from Louisiana for more than 40 years. They have one When we were younger, my son, Alex, my godson who just mother was exasperated that we turned 32 in September. This past fought so much. There is three CAfé CoNVERSATIoNS May, Alex married Tiffany in North years difference between us, and I by Marion Reidel Carolina. suppose I was trying to assert my authority as the oldest over her. Have you ever overheard a curious After Bernie retired, they moved She did not like that at all. My snippet of conversation? Have you from Alaska where they had lived mother would say, “You are like happened to observe body language for over 30 years, to Idaho. I two cats fighting all the time.” We indicating empathy, frustration or returned on Saturday, October 19, would ignore her and continue hostility? Does human interaction after a ten day visit with them. It fighting until we were separated, interest and amuse you? Then you’ll understand the premise behind “Café was such a gift to catch up on old grounded or worse. Conversations” a collection of short memories and make new ones. She stories. reminded me of the time we went Like magic after decades, suddenly to Granby zoo with A. Alice, U. we became friends. Whenever I enjoy writing in coffee shops. It not Ralph, Marc, Christine, my parents, there was a crisis in my life, without only gets me away from household Cheryl and I. Cheryl tells the story hesitation, she would come from distractions, it’s an energized environ- of how all the kids were lined up Alaska to support me. She ment. Good cafés balance background for a posed picture in front of the encouraged me to start sewing music with the buzz of conversation.

7 They are hives of human relationships with their outrageous decisions. Each where a solitary writer can become story strives to amuse while also lost in their tale, or… can eavesdrop on stimulating thoughtful reflection. Even their neighbours. the editor reported that she laughed out loud. It was while working in such a setting that I overheard a millennial male ask I pursue the craft of short fiction his buddy, “Has he wifed-up yet?” because I think it’s the perfect literary Wifed-up: questionable terminology form for current culture. People are that I was unfamiliar with. On another busy and bite-sized stories can be BATTLE of THE BLADES : occasion an elderly woman entered accessed during commutes, in waiting gIVINg BACk holding the hand of a child who rooms, and during those precious by Lisa Browning commented, “Mommy said you’re moments before falling asleep. I write particular.” The mother/daughter-in- linked stories, where characters repeat I watch very little television, but one law relationship was instantly or overlap, because that ties the tales show I won’t miss is Battle of the revealed. A woman with a designer together. This creates a sense of Blades, a figure-skating competition doggie in her purse, a middle-aged travelling with these characters over a that pairs figure skaters with hockey couple sharing a piece of cheesecake, period of time, much like reading a players, to compete for the charity of the bearded guy in the “Women’s novel. their choice. Rugby” hoodie; these are all real-life patrons that morphed into story “Café Conversations,” which will be The winning team receives $100,000 characters. released this month, is my second for their charity, and the remaining short fiction collection. “We Drank teams receive about $25,000. Such an I captured these characters and Wine,” published in 2016, also awesome idea! nuggets of conversation, by develop- contains linked stories. It follows a ing them into an accumulation of group of four women from their Following are the teams from this scenes all staged over coffee. As the friendship as preschool moms, season, and the charities they skated scenarios evolved I discovered through parenting challenges and for. repeating characters. There was a marriage break-ups, to rediscovering group of elderly ladies who not only themselves as empty-nesters. One first Place: and discussed the challenges old age, but mother and daughter from that book Sheldon kennedy also made appearances as background resonated so strongly, that they figures reacting to others’ interactions. turned up in the Conversation Café A university student arrived for a blind dealing with a cranky mother/ date that went awry with such hilarity grandmother. Both “Café Conver- that I invited him to return multiple sations” and “We Drank Wine” are times for ever increasingly bizarre available on Amazon. interactions. The café’s server, usually a secondary figure in others’ scenes, stepped forward to share her own mental health obstacles.

Setting all the stories within the Their Charity – Canadian Tire confines of the Conversation Café Jumpstart Charities: a national charity doesn’t limit the options for varied that helps kids overcome barriers in themes. There are mistaken identities, their lives, whether it be financial or secretive plots, dissolving relation- accessibility barriers to sport and ships and wild business schemes. recreation in an effort to provide Some characters are braggadocios inclusive play for all. while others suffer from debilitating insecurity. A few characters may cont’d on page 10 appear unpleasant, but insights will trigger your sympathy. Others may seem reasonable, then surprise you

8 Have you been, or are you being, emotionally/verbally abused?

Would you like to be heard ... in total anonymity?

Email [email protected] for details on an upcoming project to raise awareness and offer hope and encouragement. Second Place: Natalie Spooner and REMAININg PAIRS and Brian Mcgrattan and Colton orr

Vanessa’s Charity – Alzheimer Society Natalie’s Charity – Fast and Female: a of Canada: a charity that works charity dedicated to keeping girls Amanda’s Charity – Boys and Girls towards making life easier for those healthy and providing them with Club of Canada: an organization suffering from Alzheimer's disease and positive athletic role models. dedicated to encouraging and other dementias while working empowering children, and helping towards advancing research, treat- Andrew’s Charity – Right To Play: an them carve out a successful path for ment and finding a cure. international humanitarian organiz- their futures. ation dedicated to using sport and play Brian’s Charity – Alberta Animal to help improve health and develop Colton’s Charity – Smile Zone: an Rescue Crew Society: a charity that life skills and promote peace for organization dedicated to improving works towards helping find shelter for marginalized children all over the the lives of young children receiving homeless animals in Alberta world. medical treatment at medical facilities communities. across Canada. Third Place: Ekaterina gordeeva and Violetta Afanasieva and P.J. Stock Bruno gervais Amanda kessel and

Violetta’s Charity – Humane Society of Amanda’s Charity – SickKids Kawartha Lakes: a charity that Ekaterina’s Charity – Heart and Stroke Foundation: a charity in support of provides protection and provision for Foundation: a charity dedicated to The Hospital for Sick Children the humane care and treatment of all fighting heart disease and stroke. (SickKids) in Toronto. animals.

Bruno’s Charity – Gervais-Talbot Eric’s Charity – Egale: an organization P.J.’s Charity – ALS Society of : Foundation: a charity which donates dedicated to improving the lives of all a charity that works to provide to multiple children's charities. LGBTQI2S people. support and referrals for people living

10 with ALS and their loved ones, fund research, and raise awareness of the disease.

CoLBy ARMSTRoNg

Originally paired with Violetta, Colby suffered an injury during training, and was not able to compete. He served as one of the judges, but his charity still If you're in a dark place, you can come out of that, and that's received $25,000. what I'm so grateful for. For a long time I never thought I could smile or do anything like this. We had to show people, and give Colby’s Charity – STARS (Shock Trauma them hope." Air Rescue Services), a charity dedicated to bringing emergency Sheldon Kennedy services to rural communities.

11 Top Left: Andrea Lines-Botell, our guest speaker for our Evening of Sharing on Walking Each Other Home Top Middle & Right: Hot Off the Press ~ 7 Suitcases, by Cynthia Spring and Café Conversations, by Marion Reidel

Middle: Guelph Book Bash Festival

Bottom: Momondays Guelph, October show ~ Steve Mendoza, Lisa Browning, Rob Osburn, David Rankine, Veronica Hislop, Lauren Stein, Abhilash Kantamneni, Jolly Bedi

12 12

oSur sHtoriesA, our RselveIs, Nour suGccess

Volume 5

an anthology

of women’s empowerment stories

Call for Submissions The next volume of SHARING, an anthology of empowerment stories, will be published in 2020.

This is the first time we will be combining both men’s and women’s stories in the same volume! 24 spots are available.

If you are interested in writing for this anthology, email [email protected].

www.sharinganthologies.com NEXT MONTH .... IN ONE THOUSAND TREES

December’s focus is A Matter of Faith

“The closer you get to the truth, the clearer becomes the beauty, and the more you will find worship welling up within you.” ― N.T. Wright

If you know of any community wellness or charitable events taking place in December, please complete and send us the Event Listing form found on the magazine page of our website.

Articles are always welcome for any of our “regular” departments ...

Connections Creativity and the Arts Food and Nutrition Giving Back Health and Wellbeing The Library

Deadline for submissions is November 25.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you with any feedback or article ideas!

[email protected] The Grand River flows 300 kilometres through southwestern Ontario from the highlands of Dufferin County to Port Maitland on Lake Erie.

The Grand River Conservation Authority manages water and other natural resources on behalf of 39 municipalities and close to one million residents.

One Thousand Trees’ target market is defined by the borders of the Grand River Watershed. Department Editors are responsible for promoting practitioners, events and volunteer opportunities in the cities of Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, and Waterloo.

Visit the Grand River Conservation Authority at www.grandriver.ca.