Quick sell out bodes well for South Dundas trade show

These days the work of volunteers is what keeps many organizations and agencies going and events happening.

Last Tuesday, May 1, the J.W. MacIntosh Seniors’ Support Centre in Williamsburg took the time to say thank you and honour the many volunteers who play a huge role is what the centre is able to offer.

Janet Levere, Executive Director of the Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing Corporation, kicked off the celebration with a warm welcome and thank you, “for the many hours of hard work and commitment you have given to our community seniors, frail elderly and adults with disabilities so they can continue to live at home.”

Levere also thanked the volunteer members of the board of directors of the Corporation which leads the organization.

She pointed out, “it is not only us who recognize your value. The Ministry of Health and the Champlain LH1N are recognizing the importance of the work that community support services provide. They are directing more funding towards non-urgent transportation so seniors and others can get to their dialysis, to medical appointments and to adult day programs. This is one way to prevent health crisis.”

She also said that more wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be available in the five counties.

Levere congratulated the volunteers, who, for the second year, recorded over 7,000 hours of volunteer service.

“In fact our statistics tell us it was 7,661 hours. Your support is never ending, and new volunteers are always being recruited and trained so we don’t overload you.”

The volunteer hour breakdown shows that 73 persons received 2,607 meals during the year, and 337 seniors enjoyed 4,284 dinners.

A total of 120 clients were supported with 3,146 one-way trips and 93 people benefited from 457 foot care appointments. Another 17, enjoyed 505 units of the adult day programs.

Some 2,728 hours of volunteer work were provided for fund raising,  to the craft group, social recreation, and exercise programs. 

“In total 517 people were served during the past year by our volunteer support services and our paid employee services,” said Levere.

As for the paid employee services, Levere released figures that showed after discharge from Winchester District Memorial Hospital, 54 persons were supported by the Going Home program, while 93 more Going Home referrals were directed to other community support area service agencies located Metcalfe, Ingleside, Finch and Russell etc.

Nineteen clients were supported under the Assisted Living Service, just one short of the funded 20 spots, and 29 clients were served under Supportive Housing Services.

Fifteen seniors benefited from the Respite Apartment located at the Williamsburg centre, and 44 clients used the Respite Service program in their own homes.

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A “training video” released virally on YouTube this week shows how easy it is to train for the Winchester District Memorial Hospital Foundation’s September 8 fundraiser, the Heel ’n Wheel for Local Cancer Care.

The training grounds in the video are right in front of WDMH, in the roundabout, but your training grounds can be anywhere. Staff organizer, Christina Enright, said, “you can walk or bike a little or a lot; in your own backyard, or through the streets of your hometown.”

“However you choose to train, we’re encouraging you to get moving, because we want you to enjoy this event with no pain, and lots of gains!”

“We hope that this funny video shows people that they can still have fun while they’re training,” she continued.  

The video features several current and former Winchester Hospital Heelers (occasionally in costume), Janet Hutt, Tanya Keats, Heather Harper, and WDMH Dietician, Lisa Raoul Watt, along with some neighbours and friends.  Check it out on YouTube under the name: Training Laps for the Heel ’n Wheel.

To start your own walking club or cycling group for the event, you first have to register yourself or your team at heelnwheel.ca.  

Then, to get your team active, you can easily make a phone or email tree, and reach out to your teammates to arrange your weekly training walk or bike ride.  

Or, you could mobilize on Facebook or on the Heel ’n Wheel event website, where there are tools that will get you talking and moving in preparation for the event.

The event will be held on September 8, 2012. There are seven starting locations including Greely, Osgoode, Russell, Crysler, Finch, Morrisburg and South Mountain. This event is open to all ages. 

The Heel ’n Wheel will wrap up in the early evening with a celebration barbecue in front of WDMH, complete with musical entertainment, children’s activities, and a presentation of awards.

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 “It has simply been awesome,” said Carolyn Bourassa, community manager of the Canadian Cancer Society, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, Prescott – Russell, “We had 26 teams taking part in the relay, and we think that we will raise between $50 – $55,000 just today.”

Over 200 actual walkers and more than 100 volunteers were all at Crysler Beach on Saturday, June 20, for the annual Relay for Life. “This is our third fundraising relay event this spring,” Bourassa said. “We held ones at Maxville and Plantagenet earlier in the spring. Here at Crysler Beach, 18 cancer survivors led our opening walk.”

This was the first time that Crysler Beach has been the site of the walk. “The Parks of the St. Lawrenc invited us to ‘try out’ Crysler this year.” Bourassa explained. “We have found this beach a perfect venue, cozy, friendly and shady, with great facilities. And the weather today has been fantastic”

At the Crysler Beach event, the relay changed from an all night walk to a noon to midnight schedule to make the Walk a little more family friendly. “It seems to have been successful,” said Bourassa. “We also added some fun activities like manicure and bead laps, and Zoomba and token prizes for lap events. Lots of families are here together. And we could not have held this activity without the volunteers and sponsors who have been so generous.”

The need for cancer fundraisers remains ongoing. The money raised at events like Relay for Life goes to support research for a cure, to the Wheels of Hope, Peer Support groups and Prevention and Information.

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