Dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons living with Epilepsy
“Volunteers are the heart and soul of our agency... “It is because of the 2016 / 2017 dedicated commitment to volunteerism and ANNUAL REPORT fundraising initiatives that we all succeed and grow September 16th, 2017 within our local communities”
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 1 About Epilepsy South Central Ontario 1 A Letter from Our CEO 2 A Letter from Our Board President 3 2016 / 2017 Board of Directors 3 2016 / 2017 Staff 4 Purple Gala 2018 5 Statement of Operations Year End April 30th, 2017 6 The Many Faces of...Epilepsy South Central Ontario 7-8 The H. O.P.E. Award 2016-2017 9 Volunteers 2016-2017 10 2016 / 2017 Year-at-a-Glance 11 2017 / 2018 Proposed Year-at-a-Glance 12 Corporate, Grant and Foundations 13 Sponsors, Partners and Supporters 14 Location & Contact Information Back Cover
About Epilepsy South Central Ontario
Our Mission Epilepsy South Central Ontario is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people living with seizure disorders through counseling and support services.
Our Vision Increasing public awareness via outreach, individual/family counseling and working with select forums, Epilepsy South Central Ontario strives to educate and encourage understanding within our community.
Our Values Equality and mutual respect of all individuals, Fostering successful, fulfilling lives for families and persons living with epilepsy, To encourage everyone to attain positive solutions when challenged, To conduct ourselves in a supportive, non-judgmental manner with all members and participants.
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Our most significant change in the 2017 fiscal year is the new name Epilepsy South Central Ontario as a result of our expanded coverage area to A Letter from our CEO Kitchener-Waterloo Guelph, Dufferin & Wellington Counties. It was appropriate to change our name to reflect this expansion and we now cover a population of nearly 4 million, making us one of the largest Epilepsy agencies in Canada with population and geography combined.
My role is largely to bring in the funding for our expanding programs and services provided at the agency with a dedicated, committed and qualified Cynthia Milburn staff. I also hold other positions that expand our horizons, resources and hopes to a larger scale provincially, federally and internationally. CEO
Together with Epilepsy Ontario we are seeking larger scale funding to support the Clinic To Community program model we are currently piloting in our area, gathering data to support the critical need for families to receive community support immediately following diagnosis.
The Canadian Epilepsy Alliance (CEA) is the national organization of grass roots epilepsy agencies supporting epilepsy patients in the community. As Treasurer of the CEA, I have the opportunity to meet monthly by telephone and annually in person to share ideas, concerns and resources with my colleagues across the country ultimately benefiting the work we do at the community level.
Neurological Health Charities Canada (NHCC) is a coalition of organizations that represent people with brain diseases, disorders and injuries in Canada. As the “Epilepsy” representative for the CEA I participate in advocacy days at Parliament Hill with MP’s and policy makers; The NHCC recommends the Government of Canada to commit to developing a National Action Plan for brain health.
A partnership we continue to build is with Matthew’s Friends Canada, dedicated to the ketogenic diet therapies for epilepsy treatment in Children and Adults.
Our growth continues to be steady and stable and we endeavor to continue to improve quality of life for those living with epilepsy and their families.
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A Letter from our Board President
2016-2017 was a year of great growth for the organization. With the addition of the Waterloo-Wellington service area to our responsibilities we’ve changed our name to Epilepsy South Central Ontario (ESCO). We now serve a population of 3.7 million, over 1 out of 4 Ontarians. Every day 5 people in our service area are given the diagnosis of epilepsy. Estimates Jim Cheesman vary but there are 35,000 to 40,000 people living with epilepsy to whom Board President ESCO is tasked with giving support.
Epilepsy support organizations across Canada continue to be seriously underfunded given the benefits they are capable of delivering. Volunteers play a large role in enabling these organizations to do so much with so little. ESCO is no exception and on behalf of the Board I want to thank the small army of volunteers for their efforts, be they involved in fundraising, epilepsy awareness events or peer/mentoring support.
In Ontario, epilepsy support organizations such as ours are being written into the epilepsy treatment guidelines. It is my hope that this will be accompanied by an appropriate level of funding.
On behalf of the Board, I want to recognize and thank the staff for their exceptional efforts and commitment to the cause. Those living with epilepsy in south central Ontario are very fortunate to have a team of their calibre to support them.
Since our last Annual General Meeting, 3 Board members have resigned: Carolynne Shipp, Jan Rodman and Ernie Cavallin. My thanks to each of them for their service. We have also added 2 new Board members: Sarah Mitchell from the Hamilton area and Tejal Patel from Kitchener-Waterloo. Welcome to you both.
2016 / 2017 Board of Directors
Ernie Cavallin Jan Rodman Eduard Bercovici Betty Franklin Secretary Treasurer Director Director
Michael McHugh Sarah Mitchell Tejal Patel Kim Seidl Director Director Director Director
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2016 / 2017 Epilepsy South Central Ontario Staff
David Charchalis, SSW Chief Operating Officer—Halton Peel Hamilton
Jennifer Lyon Chief Operating Officer - K.W. Guelph
Errol Chapman Finance
Nicole Palmieri, B.A., SSW Community Engagement and Program Manager
Jasmine Morante, BSW Social Worker, Client Services Manager
Andrea Dent Youth Services Manager
Trevor Gordon Media Relations Manager
Epilepsy South Central Ontario maintains an emphasis on the needs of the epilepsy community while gaining ground creating awareness and building our profile. Each year we have consistently made a larger impact and for that we are to accredit our dedicated staff, board and volunteers who together were steadfast in unity to fulfill the Mission, Vision and Goals of EpilepsySCO.
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The 6th Annual Purple Gala 2018 Saturday March 31st, 2018
We will be celebrating our 10th Anniversary!
For more information regarding The 6th Annual Purple Gala, please send an email to: [email protected]
A few faces from the Purple Carpet at the 2017 Purple Gala “Hollywood Glamour”
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2016-2017 Statement of Operations Bruce G. Drysdale , C.P.A., C.A.
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The many faces of...
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The 2016-2017 H.O.P.E Award
The Caroline Cunningham Foundation CARE-ALIVE
The H.O.P.E. Award is presented to an individual or group who has made an outstanding commitment to improving the quality of life for people with Epilepsy.
Care-Alive™ (The Caroline Cunningham Foundation for Epilepsy) was started by Caroline’s family and friends in 2009, after her death from SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy) in 2007, at the age of 32.
The goals of the foundation are to care for those living with epilepsy by providing support for individuals and their families and to raise awareness of both Epilepsy and SUDEP.
Care-Alive has been supporting Sunny Days Camp since 2010. It is because of this support, and the support from the Purple Gala that we are able to continue Sunny Days Camp, giving the kids an amazing summer of learning, bonding, building, laughing. Most recently, through the very generous donation to our Youth Empowerment Program, we are pleased to announce The Caroline Cunningham Epilepsy Centre for Youth and Young Adults.
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Volunteering Epilepsy South Central Ontario 2016-2017
We once again had over 225 volunteers working our Annual Charity Gift Wrap at Shoppers World Brampton and Conestoga Mall. We returned to Oakville Ribfest, Brantford Ribfest, Mosaic Festival, Port Credit Buskerfest. We were present at Volunteer Fairs across our region spreading awareness and education. We had volunteers working at The 2016 Purple Gala, Zehr’s Awarness Month (provincial initiative), Sobey’s for Epilepsy, Wings Up 4 Epilepsy, . We participated for our 7th year at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. New awareness events for volunteers are being created in the K-W Guelph region.
Special thanks to the Board of Directors who donate their time and energy everyday, without question, without hesitation. Your dedication and support is what helps us move forward to care for those who need our support.
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2016—2017 Year-at-a-Glance MAY 2016 JUNE JULY AUGUST
Disability Access Springfest Seniors Event Sunny Days Camp Sunny Days Camp & BBQ Toronto Convention Centre Brampton Mississauga Mississauga
Connections Resource Fair Healthy Living Expo Mississauga Ribfest Joseph Brand Davy Festival Mississauga Convention Cen- Square One Celebration Square Hamilton tre Oakville Ribfest Mississauga Multicultural Brantford Ribfest 55+ Info Fair Sheridan College Festival Brantford Shuttlecock Park Garden City Brampton Mississauga Epilepsy Ontario Retreat Port Credit Buskerfest Mississauga
Mosaic Festival Celebration Square
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER
Family & Youth Retreat 2016 EHPH AGM Gift Wrap Supervisor Gift Wrap Ancaster Head Office—Mississauga Training Shoppers World Brampton EHPH Office Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Gift Wrap Marathon Gift Wrap Training Conestoga Mall Toronto Shoppers World Brampton Camp 2016 Christmas Party Entrepreneurs of Port Credit STWM Awards Night Mississauga 10 Restaurant—Mississauga Toronto MAC Cranberry Gift Wrap
JANUARY 2017 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL
Winter General Business Government and Community Epilepsy Awareness Month Fletcher’s Meadow Student Meeting—MSA Charitable Services Fair 10 Restaurant Volunteer Fair Donation Award 2017 Cloverdale Mall Boston Pizza YEP Event Brampton Sheridan Hotel—Hamilton Etobicoke Laundromat Wrap for Epilepsy Mississauga Health , Wellness Epilepsy Action Day Purple Day Challenge and Safety Queens Park Mississauga Civic Centre Debate League Mississauga UTM Campus The 18th Annual Chicken
March Break Camp Wing Competition Mississauga Kitchener
Purple Gala Camp 2016 Reunion Credit Valley Golf & C.C. Mississauga
Sobey’s BBQ Dravet Day Kitchener-Waterloo-Wellington Sick Kids Hospital
Zehr’s 1st Awareness Month Provincial campaign
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Upcoming Projected 2017—2018 Year-at-a-Glance MAY 2017 JUNE JULY AUGUST
Disability Access Oakville Ribfest Sunny Days Camp Sunny Days Camp & BBQ Toronto Convention Centre Sheridan College Mississauga Mississauga
Caregivers Resource Fair Jays Care Foundation Game ESCO—HPH Office Move Brantford Ribfest Burlington Royal Botanical Day for Youth Empowerment Mississauga Brantford Shuttlecock Park Gardens Rogers Centre Port Credit Buskerfest ESCO—KW GUELPH Office ESCO/MFC Golf Tournament Mississauga Move Dundas Kitchener Mosaic Festival Epilepsy Ontario Boat Cruise Celebration Square Lake Ontario
RBC Golf Tournament Niagara Falls SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER
Family & Youth Retreat 2017 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Gift Wrap Supervisor Gift Wrap Brantford Marathon Training Shoppers World Brampton Toronto ESCO Office ESCO AGM Gift Wrap Brantford ESCO-HPH Gift Wrap Training Conestoga Mall Grand Opening Shoppers World Brampton ESCO—KW-Guelph Camp 2017 Christmas Party Grand Opening Boston Pizza Fundraiser STWM Awards Night Mississauga Mississauga Toronto Epilepsy Ontario Retreat MAC Cranberry Gift Wrap
JANUARY 2018 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL
Government and Community Epilepsy Awareness Month Fletcher’s Meadow Student Services Fair Client Event Volunteer Fair Cloverdale Mall Purple Day Awareness Brampton Etobicoke Challenge Mississauga Health , Wellness Epilepsy Action Day Purple Day Awareness and Safety Queens Park ESCO Mississauga Civic Centre
March Break Camp The 19th Annual Chicken Mississauga Wing Competition K-W Guelph Purple Gala Credit Valley Golf & C.C. Camp 2017 Reunion Mississauga Sobey’s BBQ K-W Guelph
Zehr’s 2nd Awareness Month Provincial campaign
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Corporations, Grants & Foundations
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Sponsors, Partners & Supporters
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HALTON PEEL HAMILTON 2155 Dunwin Drive, Unit 5 Mississauga, ON L5L 4M1 905-450-1900 Hamilton: 289-639-8393 Halton: 289-627-1855 Brantford: 226-227-2193
K-W GUELPH 351-B Louisa Street Kitchener, ON N2H 5N1 519-745-2112
Code of Ethics Epilepsy South Central Ontario recognizes that the region is vast and rich in diversity. EpilepsySCO strives to ensure all programs and services are accessible to all.
We help to eliminate barriers within the community we serve, and uphold a high standard of positive race relations and attitude within the association at all times.
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living with seizure disorders.
Charitable Registration Number: 80288 6218 RR0001
Special thanks to...
Ontario Trillium Foundation Region of Peel Care-Alive: The Caroline Cunningham Foundation UCB Eisai The May Court Club of Oakville Hamilton Health Sciences: Hamilton General Hospital
...for their continued support throughout 2016-2017.