| Some of our favourite stories from years past |
Meals on Wheels On a recent Saturday, my wife and I took our children to the St. ChristopherHouse to volunteer for the “Meals on Wheels” program. We were given a tour of the facility and were struck by the tremendous effort that’s involved in this community shelter. The program is a particularly important service for those who are not capable of leaving their homes or preparing their own food. My children were moved by the people that we met and their very obvious difficult circumstances. My wife and I believe that this has made a lasting impression on our children and we have signed on to become regular participants in the program. We are extremely pleased to offer this donation for such a worthy cause. - Gerald Throop
Pets for the Elderly The Baker Medical Research Institute of Brooklyn College and many other clinical studies have concluded that pet owners had significantly reduced levels of cardiovascular disease. Female and male pet owners had lower systolic blood pressure, According to the numerous clinical studies, the relationship of care and mutual love improves real healing and health, not to mention great happiness of senior citizens. The Pets for The Elderly is more than a lovely idea. It is genuine health care for senior citizens. Many animals, dogs and cats in particular, are simply exterminated by animal shelters or pounds simply for lack of funds or space. Pets for The Elderly connects senior citizens in need with animals that need love. The foundation works with animal shelters and local pounds that have dogs, cats and other pets who need a home. They then contact senior citizens or other organizations to determine which elderly people need pets but can’t pay the costs. When a senior says “yes” to a pet, the foundation pays the fees charged by the shelter for registration, spaying or neutering, shots, ID tag, collar, start-up food and supplies. This foundation is joining two friends together for life, often saving two lives, a lonely senior citizen and a helpless animal. - Allan Diamond Mitropolit Stratimirovic 1926, Yugoslavia This Christmas I have forwarded my donation to Mitropolit Stratimirovic 1926, located in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. Their goal is to broaden the overall cultural level in Yugoslavia through support to its emerging artists. Yugoslavia is a very poor country and supporting its pool of talent, especially during formal studies, is low on the list of priorities. There is no state financial assistance, and the university schedule makes it very difficult to hold a part-time job. During my student years at the University of Novi Sad, Academy of Art, several times I witnessed crucial help being provided by Dr. Bozidar Kovacek, allowing them to continue their studies. Today, some of these students are well-known both nationally and internationally as writers, musicians, actors and directors. When I noticed Prof. Kovacek’s name associated with this humanitarian society, I knew that this contribution would be handled with care. This sum is a lot of money by Yugoslav standards, and I hope that it will help someone’s dream become a reality. - Ljubomir Radovanovic
Mitropolit Stratimirovic 1926, Yugoslavia In Calgary, where we reside, the past year saw a great deal of public attention focussed upon teen prostitution – both male and female. Drugs, alcohol, physical and mental abuse, broken homes, poverty, ignorance, aboriginal issues and peer exclusion at school are some of the basic issues feeding this increasingly worrying cancer in a rapidly evolving complex but economically booming environment. Funding is required to support a safe house within the tenderloin district of the city together with appropriate staffing. Funds to support street teams of young people working with their contemporaries, the victims, to attempt to bring them an understanding of and to offer an alternative course of action to the downward spiral of their existence, are also required. The BWI cheque together with ours went to support this program. - N. Gary Van Nest Fargo’s General Store We are so sorry not to be able to be with you tonight. A visual picture of the party’s festive hall springs to mind. The fascinating setting, the food, especially the oyster bar, the fabulous music and above all the Warm Wood Welcome. We are so honoured to be handed the opportunity of adding to someone’s enjoyment this wonderful Christmas season. Fargo’s General Store, is a grocery store on Wolfe Island, a small community opposite Kingston, ON. The money will be placed on account in this store for the use of a health care worker, who is a single parent with a son in grade 8 and a daughter in grade 10. They have been experiencing considerable difficulty in making ends meet. - John and Diana Weatherall Activate Summer Camp Our donation went to Activate, a summer camp started four years ago for physically challenged children who cannot attend a regular camp. Children get one-on-one counselling and can participate in traditional camp activities such as swimming and horseback riding. We decided to contribute to this charity because Nicolle’s aunt is one of the founders and her cousin Cody (who has cerebral palsy) is a camper there. - Rod and Nicolle Wisco
Covenant House I first heard about Covenant House when my children were in high school. At Christmas their high school launched a fundraiser to support Covenant House. Since many of these kids were from affluent homes, helping young people in the community who were less fortunate was a natural choice for the project. Covenant House provides food, shelter, clothing as well as countless forms of support for those in need, The Covenant House mission statement reads: … to serve suffering children of the street, and to protect and safeguard all children … with absolute respect and unconditional love. - Larry Himmelfarb
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