KARDEL Summer 2015 connectorCARF Accredited Homes, Home Shares and Programs: www.kardelcares.ca GROWING TOGETHER Vivian and Patsy have been part of one another’s lives since 1976…almost 40 years! Together they’ve seen many changes in Community Living; from institutional life at Glendale to the comfortable home they’ve created at Henry House. As you can see, they have a very close bond! Ideas & Futures Home Leader- Final INSIDE Issues 02 Club 04 Shares 06 ship 10 Word 12 HUMANITY IS THE BRIDGE: Safe Harbour Workshop Explores Belonging The Safe Harbour bridge that con- a contribution. workshop helps nects us with one Kardel staff are com- to remind us that another. Part of mitted to bridging even though we’ve having a good life relationships and all come from dif- is to be accepted gently breaking ferent backgrounds and involved in our down barriers that and experiences, community, and to might impact a sense our humanity is the feel that we’ve made of belonging. KARDEL StrateGIC PLAN IDEAS & ISSUES Mandt Minute by Ken Passmore Disability Travel Card This Disability Travel Card Greyhound bus lines and Toronto, ON M4S 3C3 is intended for people Coach Canada. Fax: (416) 932-9844 There is no question that we live with disabilities who To apply for a Disability For all Travel Card in stressful times. Every day there require the assistance of Travel Card through inquiries please contact: are ever-increasing demands that a support person when Easter Seals Canada 416-932-8382 x 241, we manage as we go about our travelling. The Card offers download the PDF appli- or toll free at lives. Recently in a Mandt training its holder discounts to cation and submit by fax, 1-877-376-6362 x 241. session we were discussing a the support person in scanned email or mail to You may also email De-escalation Preference Tool. attendance with them the following: [email protected] This tool is simply a list of when traveling with par- Attn: Disability Travel Card www.easterseals.ca things that a person likes and ticipating partners Via Rail, 40 Holly Street, Suite 401 enjoys doing. When a person becomes stressed or agitated, we can introduce one of these activi- I want to go home please ties and it will help de-stress or calm the person down. This works support families in other countries by great and it can help people get working many hours each week caring back on track. for other people’s family members. There is not always someone Waits to bring their family members around to suggest what you over to live in Canada are excruciatingly should do to calm yourself long and the process is complex. Often down. You should write your “I want to go home please”; words on when children finally make it to Canada, own list of things you enjoy (you a recent leave form that has become the parent child bond has been altered will need to write this when very common among Kardel employees. and a new relationship must be devel- you are relaxed and calm). Once How does it feel to have your loved ones oped and nurtured. you get your list – keep it handy. thousands of miles away knowing that These sacrifices do not go unnoticed When you get stressed/anxious you will have to save your money and by us and you are admired for your pick something off your list. You vacation time for at least a year to be strength and courage. We hope you have may refer to this as self- care able to see them again? many trips home to reunite with your or pampering but in reality it is Our agency employs many people for loved ones until you can all be together a way to calm yourself, refocus whom Canada is not home; people who in one community again. and manage everyday stress. 02 KARDEL CONNECTOR | SUMMER 2015 Volunteer Appreciation for Bill Woolam and Jason Smith Lakes recently had the pleasure of hosting a volunteer luncheon for Jason Smith and Bill Woolam who are two longterm and dedicated volunteers. Volunteer: Jason Smith by Jackie Mae Scott Jason Smith has been a volunteer at Lakes for many years. Every Friday he helps out with the day’s activities such as bowling, the IMAX, out for lunch and shopping. Jason is a big help assisting with Tanya’s lunch, pushing wheelchairs and oper- ating the van lift He is an awesome bowler when we go on Fridays and I always tell him “somebody is on fire!” when he gets strike after strike. Volunteer: Bill Woolam Jason is a big Canuck fan, and by Colleen Dally enjoys swimming and soccer. Bill Woolam has been volunteering at dispels selfishness. He feels strongly He is the goalie on his soccer Lakes Road by bringing his guitar and that the habit of selfishness is too team. His other “favorites” are: shopping, bananas, poutine, and singing songs for at least 15 years. prevalent in our society. apples. His favorite wrestler is Bill said he started volunteering When Bill learned that some of Hulk Hogan. His favorite movie when he was about 29 and unem- the people he played music for at is “Terminator” and he loves ployed and feeling sorry for himself. Q.A. had moved to Duncan group country music. He started playing music at Queen homes, he was happy to reconnect Jason’s next goal is to get a job Alexandra Hospital and he found it with friends and has been a consis- pumping gas in Duncan. He is made him happy to bring joy into the tent visitor to Lakes Rd Home. planning to go to Las Vegas with lives of others. He said when you Bill always brings a peaceful his mom this summer; summer make a difference in someone’s life it demeanor, happy smile and inter- is Jason’s favorite season! gives your life perspective. esting conversation to Lakes Rd We really enjoy Jason’s sunny Throughout his life, Bill has spent Home. Jason, Tanya and Brent have smile and he is such a big help a lot of time at an Ashram in India. always appreciated his gifts to them. at Lakes. He learned that service work Thanks Bill! Thanks Jason! SUMMER 2015 | KARDEL CONNECTOR 03 FUN TIMES @ FUTURES CLUB! This winter and spring at Futures Club we were able to do a lot of fun activities. We were able to skate with the Victoria Cougars Hockey team, we had a fun filled Easter scavenger Hunt and pizza party, and we are currently pose for pictures. We all are This year Futures Club has doing some training for the looking forward to making this more participants than ever upcoming Special Olympics. an annual event. competing in the Special Olym- In March, Futures Club For Easter this year we pics. In order to help prepare entered into the Cougars Den. had a special treat: we drove them for such a big event, Joining us on the ice of their around town to collect clues Futures Club has been orga- home arena for a fun skate as part of a scavenger hunt nizing some special training was the Victoria Cougars Jr organized at Futures Club. sessions. During the months of B hockey team. This team of The clues took us to places April and May we focused on young men aged 16-20 was like the bottle depot, Save-on specific events and offered the loads of fun as they pushed Foods, the James Bay Com- time and support to work on wheelchairs on the ice and munity Project and a few the skills related to the events. spent time with some of their others. In the end the clues This Summer Futures is biggest fans. After the skate lead us back to Futures Club looking forward to a focus on the players joined Futures Club where everyone found a little traffic safety and transporta- up in the crow’s nest to sign Easter basket of goodies and a tion while we all enjoy some autographs, talk and of course pizza party. sunshine. 04 KARDEL CONNECTOR | SUMMER 2015 THE FUTURES PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB An elective group formed by various members of Futures Club, futuresphotography.wix.com/home Picture Perfect Gabe Wadham recently worked with CanAssist to refit his camera to make it more user- friendly. I think Gabe is very pleased with the results! SUMMER 2015 | KARDEL CONNECTOR 05 KARDEL StrateGIC PLAN SUMMER UPDATE Pizza Party Another great time was had by all at Kardel’s pizza party in April. Every three months, people who live in home share gather to meet each other, laugh, share stories and of course eat pizza! Sometimes we play games and win prizes and other times we just sit back and enjoy hanging out with friends. We’re planning a special outdoor event for our next gathering in July so stay tuned for details. It’s sure to be lots of fun and we would love to see you there! For more information, contact your Home Share Coordinator. 2015 Kardel Summer BBQ Kardel hosted its annual summer Katy did a supply run multiple times, BBQ on Tuesday, July 28 at The Well at and Sue and Kim L covered the deco- Centennial Park Baptist Church, 7577 rating & games. Peter B provided the Wallace Drive. The sun was out in musical entertainment both at lunch and full force; it was a beautiful day! Team dinner, and kept the crowd entertained Connections worked very hard to get with a sing-a-long in between meals.