Food shortage at local food bank

“Chris was a volunteer right from his earliest years,” said his mother, Karen Marshall. “After he came back from his 2005-6 tour in Afghanistan with the Canadian Armed Forces, and joined the Edmonton Police Department, he remained determined to find ways to help others, to make the world a better place.”

Chris and his partner Shayna Campbell, a pharmacist, agreed to take a year away from their respective jobs in Canada and pay their way to Africa: ultimately, they decided to volunteer at St. Francis Health Care Services, established in 1998, in a congested Ugandan slum area near Mbiko.

Shayna and Chris have seen children playing happily with a soccer ball made out of plastic bags. They have become friends with kids like Hakim, a proud member of the Shadow Idols Club, run by St. Francis, one way for boys to avoid roving, violent youth gangs. They have fallen “in love with the omoanas, Lugandan for children, who are everywhere since Uganda’s population pyramid looks like an upside down T.” They have jogged with boys who have no shoes, but dream of “running for Uganda in the Olympics.” 

On Christmas Day they joined the St. Francis staff for African food and dancing: Chris reported his lack of rhythm and Shayna won Ms Saint Francis! 

“There are a million reasons to stay in Uganda,” Shayna Campbell said. “The people are polite, welcoming, warm-hearted and sincere. ”

A deep desire to help their adopted African community over the long term has led Chris and Shayna to try and turn the ‘empty shell’ of a maternity ward at St. Francis Health Care Services into a finished hospital able to save mothers and children. 

St. Francis Health Care Services is (Chris and Shayna emphasize this) a grass roots organization, built and run “by Ugandans for Ugandans,” with little government funding, in the heart of Njeru. 

It also lies at the heart of the highest HIV prevalence rates in all of Uganda. 

Right now, under the leadership of Faustine Ngarambe, the centre serves 20,000 Ugandans, some treated with HIV medications, some orphaned by the AIDs pandemic, some hoping for education, some simply needing care in their last days. 

“At St. Francis, they have realized that fighting HIV means more than medically treating the disease. The staff has initiated income generating groups, youth groups and other projects to reach out to the community.”  

Keeping St. Francis a vital force in this poor community is a daunting task for its Ugandan founders. The needed maternity hospital was only partially completed before money ran out in 2010. Yet this hospital is the one project the director and his dedicated St. Francis staff most want to see completed: it will take at least $33,500 to do it. 

Finishing the St. Francis maternity hospital has become Chris and Shayna’s goal.

“Women’s health, especially their reproductive health, is a major concern,” Shayna Campbell explained. “(Chris and I) are passionate about the subject since it is not just maternal health we are talking about. It is the livelihood of a people.”

To their great delight the young couple has recently received the news that, following their direct, personal appeal, the Stephen Lewis Foundation has agreed to be the physical sponsor of their efforts to finish the St. Francis maternity hospital. The Stephen Lewis Foundation is world renowned for its dedicated work in Africa, especially in the fight against AIDS. 

With the Foundation’s support,  every dollar raised  in Canada will go directly to the maternity ward project.  The Lewis Foundation will also issue charitable receipts in Canada. 

Karen Marshall (543-4360), who is equally passionate about seeing the Ugandan hospital become a reality, is holding a special fund raiser/silent auction luncheon on Saturday, February 18, at noon, at St. James Anglican Church Hall in Morrisburg.  Using a power point program and notes created by Chris and Shayna, she will talk about the project and discuss how people can help. 

Shayna and Chris report that as of February 13, 2012, they have reached 47 percent of their $33,500 goal. 

They invite people to log on to http://stephenlewisfoundation.akaraisin.com/fundraisingpages/maternityward to pledge and to see how the campaign is going.

“Uganda’s hopes and dreams are similar to the hopes and dreams of Canadians,” Shayna and Chris said. “It is important to invest in the mothers’ health to improve the lives of their children.”

[…]

 

Although it has experienced a solid test run since July of 2011, Upper Canada Playhouse’s new addition, containing an attractive and versatile box office and new administrative offices for Playhouse staff, was officially opened on Friday, February 17, 2012.

“We decided to wait until now to officially open it,” said artistic director, Donnie Bowes, “to coincide with the opening of our first show of the 2012 season, the hilarious comedy, The Foursome.”

Upper Canada Playhouse is one of Ontario’s most successful theatres. To accommodate its growing audience and the increasing number of shows the Playhouse is presenting in a season, the theatre had to expand its facilities.

“The box office is a separate part of the theatre at the west end, conveniently connected to the main lobby where audiences enter the theatre at show time,” Bowes explained. “The box office is a spacious, customer-friendly area with plenty of seating and three efficient areas to book tickets. It also provides new offices for our administrative staff. They appreciate the increased space.”

This new facility has drawn rave reviews from the public and the staff.

The original box office, located at the east side of the Playhouse, was directly attached to back stage and production zones. As Bowes joked with his guests, “people waiting to buy tickets might have to dodge stage crew carrying planks and sets through the area.”

The Playhouse addition was built by Swank Construction.

Following this new addition, the Playhouse is preparing to enter phase II of its expansion project: development of the production department’s storage space which the theatre’s increased programming demands. 

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds, on hand with other dignitaries to help cut the official ribbon, said that the new addition was a real asset to the theatre.

“It’s great that we were here to celebrate the opening of this box office,” he said. “Upper Canada Playhouse has experienced phenomenal growth and is a vital part of the South Dundas community. We look forward to continuing to work with the Playhouse.”

Following a brief reception, Bowes invited members of the South Dundas recreation and economic development committees, as well as Playhouse board members and councillors back stage for a quick look at the outstanding sets  under construction for the March 16 opening of the riotous Norm Foster golf “classic,” The Foursome. 

“March is a new time slot for us, and we can’t think of a better show to start the season and  officially open our new box office than this  comedy production,” said Bowes. 

[…]

 

South Dundas is celebrating Parks and Recreation Month with themed events at four parks. Last Wednesday, the celebrations kicked off in Haldane Park in Iroquois with a Pet Park Day. There, more than 60 kids were entertained by Zoo Crew, a new business in Iroquois. Organizing the park celebrations are South Dundas Recreation Director, Ben Macpherson and Fionna Carr, Family Resource Co-ordinator for the Ontario Early Years Centre. This past Monday, youngsters enjoyed a Teddy Bear Picnic at the Earl Baker Park in Morrisburg and today, Wednesday, June 13, the adventures continue at Riverside Heights with a Ball Park Day. Coming up on Monday, June 18, is a Bubble Day at the J.C. Whitteker Park in Williamsburg. Children of all ages are welcome. Carr and Macpherson were pleased with last Wednesday’s turnout and impressed with the interest and curiosity of the children…including the interest of 14 month old, Olivia Sypes, who is obviously delighted with Chili, a bearded dragon.

[…]