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Ten Years ofBuilding Community

Community Health BoardsCelebrate the Work of Community

Published by Community Health, Capital Health, January 2009. For more information contact 424-3390.

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in community halls, at kitchen tables, in libraries surrounded by books, outside in gardens, in living rooms and on back porches, people are excited to tell about the work they’ve done with their communities. they show stacks of photos, clippings from newspapers, hand over produce from the garden, and they regale the listener with story after story of people getting together to build something, to support one another, to move forward. from the ground up, these are the people who have built their communities and sustain them. to them, it’s as natural as breathing, this passion for their community.

for ten years, capital health has been supporting the work of the many communities of the region through the community health boards and the community development fund. over this time approximately $2,149,553 was distributed to 1,057 projects. while titles may have shifted and boundaries may have changed, the conviction that the health of communities relies on the citizens of that community and that those citizens need to be supported in grassroots efforts to build their communities in ways that are healthy, sustainable, and transformational, has been firm.

travelling the region to hear the stories of the leaders of some of these many projects, one is struck by many things: the passion that these individuals bring to their projects; the vision that they and their colleagues have of what their community can be and their energy in working to bring that vision to fruition; and their amazing skills and creativity. over and over again, one meets people who have built great enterprises on the foundation of hard work, vision, and support from partners such as capital health. it is humbling and inspiring to see what has been achieved with relatively few resources. the amounts of the grants from the community development fund range from $500.00 to $5000.00. those resources, in the hands of committed, energetic, skilled, and creative people do a world of good.

the region is broad and the work of the community health boards is impressive. the needs of the many communities are never-

ending and are as diverse as the communities themselves. the strengths of those same communities are many and are, also, never-ending. with the support of capital health and other partners, people have done amazing things and the communities and their citizens are healthier for it.

communities are the repositories of stories and to hear a story of a community is to see into the life of that community. the community leaders who tell these stories are, to a person, proud of the work that has been done. they know that, in hearing the story of another community, we are connected in some small way to it. and, for these leaders, this connection builds an even stronger community across the region. this is what they all do so well: forge communities in which the links between people are vital, respectful, and fruitful. and therein lies the glory of it all.

in community halls, at kitchen tables, in libraries surrounded by books, outside in gardens, in living rooms and on back porches,

travelling the region to hear the stories of the travelling the region to hear the stories of the tleaders of some of these many projects, one is struck by many things: the passion that these

Introduction

“I have learned that when a lot of peopleget together, you can do anything.”

(Mackenzie, Power Play Kids)

TogeTher: Ten Years of Building CommuniTY

TogeTher: Ten Years of Building CommuniTY

The North End Community Garden

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of the youth from the area who have been involved in the garden project, a core group of ten has been devoted, spending the summer learning about gardening, the value of hard work, and about the strength that can grow from the work of a group of committed people. and they learned that they are entrepreneurs. working with the black business initiative, they developed a business plan to make and sell salsa, using fresh produce from their own garden. Salsamaniahas been a hit, with product sold out and orders waiting to be filled. and, in the true spirit of community entrepreneurship, they have decided to reinvest some of the proceeds of their sales into further garden projects and community groups. jessie smiles broadly at this: the true spirit of entrepreneurship is dear to her and, she is convinced, it is critical to the sustainable development of a community.

next year, just after the snow melts and the garden needs to be tended again, and made larger, the plan is that these kids will be the mentors to a new group of youth eager to learn how to grow wonders from the soil of their community. mr. loppie’s and jessie’s confidence is contagious: it makes a person want to join them. after all, the point of the whole thing, they say, is to grow community and everyone is welcome to do that. it is an abundant harvest indeed.

With thanks to Jessie Jollymore and Mr. Loppie.

on the way to see the north end community Garden on a golden fall morning, mr. loppie says, “when you do something from your heart, you don’t need any glory. it’s reward enough.” jessie jollymore agrees. coming upon the garden, it is easy to see that there is plenty of glory here. tomatoes are ripening on the vines, beans shine green and gold in the sun, and marigolds glow deep orange and yellow. the last harvest (the fourth) is planned for early october. jessie and mr. loppie are two of the community leaders who have the soil of this garden embedded under their fingernails.

it started from the ground up. back in the cold grey winter, jessie, a dietician with the north end community clinic, walked by warrington park, just off brunswick st., and wondered if, just maybe, a community garden could be planted there, if, just maybe, the city of halifax would donate the land and, if, just maybe, the surrounding community would get on board with resources and support, especially if there was a focus on the youth. back at her office, she began making calls and, within moments, she knew the garden could work. the snow hadn’t even melted and the plans were starting to come together.

mr. loppie, who works at the ymca on Gottingen, had worked a small garden plot in that space for the past couple of years. he, too,

had wondered if the garden could be expanded, and the soil brought back to good condition. he, too, wanted the kids in the community to learn what he had learned over the years: that hard work can pay off in great ways for oneself and for one’s community.

eventually a committee of supporters came together and the north end community Garden project started to grow. with the generous support of community businesses, the group learned about gardening principles, soil management, and restoration. moneys were raised and materials were purchased. the soil was turned (not once but three back-breaking times) in april, the ground was planted in may and early june. a local minister blessed the garden and the labour of all those who built it and tended it. the blessing and the hard work has worked.

there is much besides the produce to be proud of here. in the face of a persistent hum of doubt that the garden would thrive in this neighbourhood, the garden has flourished. there hasn’t been a single act of vandalism or theft. the garden, consisting of two large plots, is fenced with chicken wire and garden tools are kept onsite. all has been peaceful. the community has kept an eye out for the garden all summer long.

on the way to see the north end community Garden on a golden fall morning, mr. loppie

Growth

TogeTher: Ten Years of Building CommuniTY 3

Seniors Kit Bag Project: Gerald Hardy Memorial SocietySeniors Kit Bag Project: Gerald Hardy Memorial SocietyHivekit bag project. “after all,” as deanna says, “no one could do a project like this by themselves.” as a small part of the bigger story, it’s a great reflection of this amazing society that states its focus as “enhancing the lives of adults who are intellectually challenged.” such words barely touch the richness of the society and the skills of the clients.

betty ann lays a canvas tote bag on the table. the canvas is white and a border of nova scotia tartan runs across the bottom. it’s lovely in its simplicity. in the summer of 2006, the women made close to two hundred of these bags for a national convention of seniors and pensioners, hosted by the federation of senior citizens and pensioners of nova scotia.

simple, right? sure, but not easy. the group had done some basic sewing before this project, but nothing as complicated as this. for this project,

the pyjamas are a deep red cotton flannel covered with cavorting cartoon figures. maybe it’s because the air is crisp with autumn, but they sure are tempting. curled up in a cozy pair, winter wouldn’t be such a big deal, more of an excuse to sip a hot drink and watch the snow come and go. but not for the members of the Gerald hardy memorial society. it’s obvious that they are a group that doesn’t do much lounging about. one can’t imagine that winter succeeds in slowing them down.

linda fleet, one of the women at the society in sheet harbour, shows the pyjamas – they’re one of the many projects that clients of the society have done to learn sewing skills. indeed, the society’s blue house is chock-a-block with the ongoing projects undertaken by the group. adisplay board lists all they do: sewing, cooking, life skills development, volunteering in the community, running the rainbow food bank, organizing a supply of medical equipment for the red cross, learning computer skills, and recreation. if there’s any doubt about how much they enjoy themselves while they’re doing these things, there are scrapbooks of photos and mementos to show anyone who’s interested. this hive is a happy place.

on a golden friday afternoon, linda and betty ann hartling have joined deanna currie, the manager of the society, to talk about the seniors

they collaborated on the design and developed the pattern. an assembly line of ten people worked to sew the bags, and in just two weeks the job was complete. bags, bags, bags: it was a big job and they are justifiably proud of what they accomplished together.

“it was fun,” linda says. betty ann agrees and adds that it was good to learn something new together. for deanna it was a welcome chance for the society to contribute to the community. in her thank-you letter to the society, the president of the federation of senior citizens and pensioners of nova scotia is effusive in her praise. she calls the bags “elegant.” indeed they are, as are the women who came together to make them. very elegant indeed.

With thanks to Deanna Currie, Linda Fleet, and Betty Ann Hartling.

This hive is a happy place.

TogeTher: Ten Years of Building CommuniTY4

The North Dartmouth Echo

How it began: in 2003, a survey of the community of north dartmouth showed that the citizens wanted a newsletter. that galvanized sylvia anthony, a long time community member and community organizer: it fit perfectly with one of the dreams she’d always had for north dartmouth. within a year she had assembled a group of community members and supporters who share the conviction that north dartmouth has a wealth of assets and who have the desire to balance the too-negative press the community often receives. tired of the negative connotations of the “dark side” label, the group began to envision how a newspaper could shed positive light on the community.

the group received community funding for the project and began to grow the seed of what would become The North Dartmouth Echo. in those early days, the group dreamed that the Echo would have office space, equipment, and steady supplies. twenty-three issues later and they are still a home-office operation. they don’t seem to mind: many of the original volunteers still work with the paper. without them it couldn’t have gone so far.

What they created: The North Dartmouth Echois a community newspaper with a focus on the many positive things that happen in north dartmouth. it has grown to be over

sixteen pages and it is jammed with news and information as diverse as the community it serves. it’s a going concern, with a circulation of over 5000. most issues contain profiles of local people and local businesses, a seniors section and a youth and student section, community news, items from the public library and the local schools, columns by the provincial, municipal and federal politicians for the district, a page with police news about programs and activities and, usually, some item about local history. The Echo is a project of the community: wherever possible, community members write the items in the paper and are involved in its production.

Why it is “North Dartmouth” and not “Dartmouth North”, as it is usually called? the name of the paper came after consultation with the community. “echo” was suggested for its “long and lingering” quality. “dartmouth north,” sylvia explains “is often stated in a negative way. so that’s why we changed it.” simple. it’s the

community reclaiming a name for itself, it’s an impressive move.

What they have accomplished: asked what the success of the Echo means to her, sylvia says, “when the first copy comes off the press and we see it, i feel so proud and contented that our team has brought out the positive side of our community.” in 2009, there will be a grand celebration of their fifth anniversary. there is much to celebrate: the Echo has contributed to the continued building of the positive community that the citizens of north dartmouth so passionately support. it has instilled a real sense of pride in the many who have written for the paper or who have been written about. the paper, a joy to read, has most definitely reflected the positive: a core value for those who work on the paper. at heart, the ink and newsprint of The North Dartmouth Echo have stitched people together.

With thanks to Sylvia Anthony and Pamela Lutz.

The North Dartmouth Echo

How it began: in 2003, a survey of the community of north dartmouth showed

sixteen pages and it is jammed with news and information as diverse as the community it

Light

“When the first copy comes off the press and we see it, I feel so proud and contented that our team has brought

out the positive side of our community.”


Fall River/Windsor Junction Seniors Academy Fall River/Windsor Junction Seniors Academy JoyGathering to talk about the fall river/windsor junction seniors academy, julie vials, sharon smith and elly porter are enthused and very very funny. and they are optimists. naysayers are not welcome here in the old fire hall on the fall river road. this is the place where, in the autumn of 2007, a group of senior citizens from the area met weekly to share a meal and to learn about a host of topics of particular interest to them. some topics from the impressive list include: legal issues, falls prevention, travel advice, nutrition, foot care and massage, back care, and fire prevention. while the topics were serious, the women emphasize that the meetings were great fun.

picture this: a roomful of men and women (ages ranging from 52 through to 93) learned together, shared a meal (by all accounts the food was fantastic), enjoyed each others’ company: single people, married, widowed. the group grew quickly – starting with 20 participants, ending with 50. soon, the townspeople began to notice how the academy participants greeted one another warmly in the grocery stores, at church, all around town. clearly the group had grown to like one another.

for this group of seniors, the chance to learn with their peers was invaluable. as elly says, there is a comfort in it, an affirmation of the wisdom that comes with age. sharon points

out that seniors often have a difficult time accepting advice or even information from their children but they will be open to help from professionals. it’s a good fit – information, social interaction, good food and plenty of laughter.

picture this: at one meeting the group learned cpr. telling it, the women pause and smile, realizing what the image of a roomful of seniors practicing cpr might look like to someone who wasn’t there. the group paired off to practice on actars – plastic manikins designed to mimic the human body. it wasn’t easy for everyone to get down on the floor, or to get up again and within moments, the room was filled with laughter. this many months later, the three women laugh so heartily they wipe tears from their eyes. that’s the way to learn: in the company of friends, in a flood of laughter.

the academy invited presenters from around the region. no one was paid for their time, and

the rcmp gave them each a gift in appreciation. each of the presenters was happy and honoured to teach these men and women who represent true life-long learning. some of them returned to pitch in and help with the cooking and serving of the meal. that’s the way of this group: the mood is contagious. people are happy and proud to be part of it.

picture this: at the end of the ten weeks, the academy held its first graduation ceremony. they borrowed choir gowns from a local church, and the local rcmp presented everyone with a diploma. for some of the participants, this was the first graduation of any kind in their lives. Grandparents couldn’t wait to show their photos to their grandchildren.

picture that.

With thanks to Elly Porter, Sharon Smith andJulie Vials.

That’s the way to learn:in the company of friends, in a flood of laughter.


GED Preparation Program: Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre

mid-term exams are over so frances has some time to spend telling her story. her second year at university has been good so far, she says. she loves the courses that she’s taking. she’s majoring in women’s studies, with a minor in canadian studies. she is working to make sure her dreams come true.

frances left high school early in grade ten, soon after her best friend died. up to that point she had been a good student, but when she returned to school after taking two weeks to grieve her friend’s passing, she was reprimanded for taking the time off school. she chose to leave on the spot. she returned a year later to give grade ten another try but she didn’t last long. it didn’t fit anymore: the year had put too much space between her and her classmates, she was unmotivated, disinterested. she left again.

it was about that time that frances, who is inuit, started connecting with the aboriginal urban community in halifax, particularly through the mi’kmaq native friendship centre. up to that point, she says, she was just grasping at straws, just trying to hang on. at the centre she found a place that accepted her, where she knew she belonged. soon, she was part of a program that helped youth upgrade their education. with their help she worked to earn her level three – the equivalent of grade 11.

during this time frances and her fiancé welcomed their first daughter. within two years she was pregnant again. by this time, frances was working as a gas station attendant: a minimum wage job that was ill-suited to a young pregnant woman. she laughs, remembering how her fiancé altered a pair of uniform pants to accommodate her growing belly. it’s a fond memory. unforgettable.

for two years frances worked as a holistic family worker at the mi’kmaq child development centre. she had always wanted to work with community members and families: it was a job she loved. in time she needed to get her Ged, as a requirement for continuing in her position. motivated now, in a way that she hadn’t been when she first left school, frances started her Ged preparation through a program for adult learners at the mi’kmaq native friendship centre. she thrived: groups were small, her tutor was attentive, flexible and very supportive. he worked closely with her to determine what her strengths and passions

are, and to identify where she was the weakest. the program started in september; frances was ready to write her Ged by may.

frances passed the exam and successfully applied to mount saint vincent university; she started last year. she is working towards becoming a social worker and is determined that one day she will be the director of a family resource centre in halifax. either that, she says, or move to ottawa and work at a senior level – “there aren’t enough young aboriginal voices making decisions,” she says. “not enough voices from the community.”

frances is clear about what the Ged program at the mi’kmaq centre gave her. “knowledge.” she smiles. “choices that i didn’t have before.” and a love of reading. “i read whenever i can,” she says, “and my daughter copies me. when iread, she sits and reads her own book.” frances smiles at the thought of it. unforgettable.

With thanks to Frances Palliser.

mid-term exams are over so frances has some time to spend telling her story. her second year welcomed their first daughter.

Build

At the Centre she found a place that accepted her,where she knew she belonged.


Power Play KidsPower Play KidsConfidenceit’s no small thing to save someone else’s life. not many kids can say that they’ve done that. and it’s no small thing to raise money to help other people. no small thing, especially when you’re not even a teenager yet and you help to raise over $10,000.00 for people on the other side of the world. it’s no small thing to stand up and speak in front of a school assembly or a group of adults, especially for a shy girl in grade five or a boy in grade six who has never done anything like it. it takes confidence and it takes passion for what you are speaking about. and, it takes the support of others. it’s no small thing and the kids at dartmouth’s portland estates school who have been part of power play kids (ppk) know it.

a few short years ago, jennifer melanson, a mother of three, began to think a lot about the challenges that kids face in the complex world of today; she began to think about the impact of popular culture on the young people around her and about the way that the supports that once buoyed families have shifted and stretched. she recognized that the landscape of today is significantly different than it was when she was growing up. an active member of the school’s advisory council, jennifer knew well that, as she says “schools can’t do it all.” building on her background in social work, jennifer was interested in “asset development theory” and, in researching it, she became

convinced that strengthening an individual’s and community’s assets provides a buffer against the negative challenges so often faced in today’s world.

from that understanding, jennifer developed power play kids, a program that has run for three years and is soon to start its fourth. with the support and involvement of the school principal, the ppks meet once a week to explore concepts that are core to the growth of strong and confident kids: concepts such as friendship skills, self-esteem, leadership, and service to others. as jennifer says, “sessions have been planned to offer students an opportunity to engage socially in a co-operative environment that builds social competencies, is committed to service in the community, and strengthens personal identity.” through the series, which runs eight to ten weeks, the ppks develop their self-awareness and their leadership skills. as this happens, they become active members of their school community, spreading their enthusiasm for service and spirit. each group develops a community service project.

the projects have been impressive. some examples: the “coins for kids campaign” raised sufficient funds to sponsor a child in a developing country; the “power pack project” focussed on sending school supplies to canadian troops in afghanistan to distribute to the children and the “bednets campaign” raised over $10,000.00, which unicef used to purchase bednets to protect families from malaria and dengue fever.

it is not mostly about the money, it is about the opportunity to make a change, and learning that each person can contribute to building a community that is strong and vital.

over and over again, the children say how proud they feel to be able to change the world. says shelly w., “i feel so great that i can change a life, and make a difference... my goal is to make at least one kid happy.”

that’s no small thing.

With thanks to Jennifer Melanson.

It is not mostly about the money,it is about the opportunity to make a change.


Resource Opportunities Centre

to outsiders, the towns and villages that are sprinkled along the old route 333 that traces nova scotia’s south shore may appear small, traditional, isolated, and rugged. historically they are places that have been more oriented to the sea than to one another, or to the city just up the coast. times have changed though and, with them, so have the communities. one of the engines of this change has been the resource opportunities centre (roc). sitting in her sun-soaked backyard, barbara allen of terence bay tells the story of the roc and the role it has played in helping to nurture the many assets of the prospect communities.

the roc had its beginning ten years ago as the terence bay and area c@p site. with its focus on providing access to information and technology-related learning for the communities it served, it was a busy place indeed. in 2002, the roc was developed as a way to expand the services the c@p site offered the communities. for the roc, the tools that serve its commitment to building “a thriving, healthy community” are computers and computer technology. the roc aims to connect people, and thus strengthen the community, by making technology accessible to as many community members as possible.

it’s an interesting and successful fit, these rural and often isolated communities and the latest

in computer technology. in the six years since its inception, the roc has successfully linked people in ways that were not possible before computer technology was made so accessible. over the years, the roc has conducted hundreds of classes, programs, and projects focused on building the capacity of as many people as possible to use computers and available technology.

a major accomplishment has been the development of an interactive open source community portal. logging onto www.prospectcommunities.com, a person comes upon a wealth of information. with links to local histories, coverage of local events, advertisements for local businesses, job postings and educational opportunities, it serves as the hub for information for and about the region. complementing this hub, the roc also produces a regular newsletter and continues to sustain the extensive network that they have grown so effectively. together, these form one of the spines of the vibrant prospect communities which include:

terence bay, prospect, shad bay, mcGrath’s cove, east and west dover, brookside, blind bay, lower prospect, white’s lake, hatchet lake, and Goodwood.

relationships and connections are key to the work of the roc. the roc recognizes that it can best respond to the community only by being part of that community. to accomplish this, the roc is funded by many partners; the board and staff have become masterful at securing funds for their many projects. it has made of the roc a vibrant and creative resource for the wide community. as barbara says, collaboration and partnerships are critical to effective community development and community building and the roc is a fine example of this.

times have indeed changed and, with them, the communities have shifted. what hasn’t changed is the importance of connection. that will never change.

With thanks to Barbara Allen.

Resource Opportunities Centre

to outsiders, the towns and villages that are to outsiders, the towns and villages that are tsprinkled along the old route 333 that traces

in computer technology. its inception, the

Connection??

???

The ROC recognizes that it can best respond to thecommunity only by being part of that community.


Urban Farm Museum Society of SpryfieldUrban Farm Museum Society of SpryfieldRootsit’s a fall day with the rain just around the corner and the late-season garden is quiet as most of the plants are at the end of their season. a slight breeze rustles the seed pods and dry stalks.

for close to ten years a group of dedicated gardeners has been nurturing the development of the urban farm museum society of spryfield and its gardens. through its programs the farm serves the surrounding communities in a variety of ways: it provides an opportunity for people to get outside and to be active, it is a local source of good food, and it provides nutrition for a community that needs it. in the past three years, the gardeners have expanded their efforts into the Greystone community where the Greystone Garden has taken root.

on the crest of a hill overlooking the garden is the kidston farmhouse – the oldest house in spryfield. the garden is on kidston land; a lease arrangement has made it possible for the gardeners to once again farm some of this field which was once central to the agricultural traditions of old spryfield.

local lore has it that the kidston house is full of welcome ghosts. perhaps places really are marked by the people who live there and the things they do. perhaps the same can be said of the garden. throughout the growing season a

variety of programs draw families and children and community members to the gardens.

over in the kids’ garden one can picture the joy of discovery as seeds planted and carefully nurtured by young hands, grow, eventually, into food: carrots, potatoes, garlic. kids, hands dirty, jeans muddy, smile as wide as the sky.

there is a seated planter to make gardening more accessible to those with physical limitations. at the height of the season it was thick with food and flowers. looking at it on this autumn day, it is easy to picture an elderly woman (one of the self-proclaimed “seasoned ladies”) leaning over the flowers of summer. she spends hours there, weeding, nurturing, and visiting with other gardeners. after all, a garden is a great place to connect with other people, there’s a certain quiet pace to it all.

on this autumn day, some beans still cling to the vine in the market garden. there are lively shadows here, echoes of a young woman from

the nearby captain william spry public library youth program discovering the wonder of the taste of just-off- the-vine beans in the middle of summer and hollering in excitement to her friends, “hey! come taste this! this is cool!” the joy of finding something new.

putting the garden to sleep for the winter is a big job, some of the plants have to be dug up and stored for the winter, others cut down and composted for next year’s garden, still others tilled into the soil where they will enrich the bounty to come. this fall the gardeners will be planting winter rye as greencover for the whole garden. it enriches the soil and next spring it will be dug into the garden as it is readied for another season. on a grey-skied fall day there is comfort in knowing that nothing disappears in this garden, rather it simply changes: growing, dying, returning to the soil, and coming again in the next growing season. that is the promise of it all.

With thanks to Martha Leary and Joanna Brown.

A garden is a great place to connect with other people, there’s a certain quiet pace to it all.


The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Walking Tour

A group of kids visited the lighthouse at Pleasant Point on the Eastern Shore to celebrate the grand opening of the Lighthouse Walking Tour for the school year. In the thick fog the lighthouse shimmered against the grey. They say it’s haunted. Anne asked the group if they could see the ghost. A small boy spoke, his voice just a little nervous. “There,” he pointed to the upper level of the building. To his eye the ghost hovered there. “Look, Miss, the ghost is up there watching us.”

setting off to walk the distance between nova scotia’s fifty-four lighthouses is an ambitious task, especially for kids as young as six. since 2002, the kids have been doing just that at the middle musquodoboit school and by 2004, 1400 students from other schools across the halifax regional municipality had joined them.

you won’t see groups of kids walking along the highways and byways of nova scotia. they are taking part in a virtual walking tour: the nova scotia lighthouse walking tour. it’s a simple concept: by walking around the school, the students travel the distance between the lighthouses. when they have covered a particular distance, they get commemorative pins, bookmarks, models of lighthouses, and picture cards, all to celebrate their accomplishment. and all the while they are staying active, incorporating fitness into their lives in a way that is fun and interesting.

it all began when anne kay, of middle musquodoboit, learned of cutbacks to the physical education programs in the schools. it worried her: she understands the pleasure and importance of exercise, the joy of playing with classmates and friends, the feeling of confidence and accomplishment. she was personally invested as well: her granddaughters were students in the local elementary school and she wanted to be sure they experienced the joy of physical fitness and the health that comes from it.

at about the same time, she happened upon a nova scotia tourism brochure about the lighthouse trail and the idea of the nova scotia lighthouse walking tour began to germinate. with the help of her husband, ross, she mapped it out, determining kilometres and translating them into walkable distances. the schools have embraced the program enthusiastically with each class committing to

walk a particular piece of the tour through the year. from grade primary through to grade six, the kids walk and learn as they go. there are a multitude of links to the curriculum that the tour makes possible: history of nova scotia, geography, geology, even math and language arts. it is a perfect example of integrating physical activity into the lives of the students (and of the teachers.)

anne is proud and a little surprised at the enthusiasm her work has generated. to her it is all so simple: when something needs to be done, someone simply needs to do it. the lighthouse walking tour is spreading beyond the schools: the nova scotia lighthouse preservation society now features it on their website. if anne has her way, nova scotians of all ages will, once again, learn the simple, and healthful, pleasure of walking.

With thanks to Anne Kay and Ross Kay.

A group of kids visited the lighthouse at Pleasant Point on the Eastern Shore to celebrate the grand

Spark

And all the while they are staying active,incorporating fitness into their livesin a way that is fun and interesting.


Youth Programs, Sackville Public Library

Food for thought: one afternoon some of the staff of Sackville Public Library returns from a meeting outside of the library. They’ve brought the leftover snacks from the meeting back with them to share with the youth. They spread them out on the table in the activity room and invite the kids to help themselves. Within minutes, the kids are on their cellphones, calling their friends to “Come and join the party”, and someone’s got music playing. Within minutes it’s a party. Leftover food and the kids are really celebrating it. The staff takes notice.

matthew mccarthy, a youth librarian with the sackville public library, tells the story of the youth programs with obvious pride in the branch staff and the youth, and with a sense of wonder at what they have accomplished, what they have built. at the heart of it all they have created in the library, a sanctuary. a place of safety. a place of trust. a place where youth from the communities the library serves are welcome. really welcome.

life does not get put on hold at the library door to be picked up again when the patron leaves; real life, with all its colours and smells and noises, with its hunger and its need gets carried into the library. the staff of sackville public library knows this well. over the years, they had taken particular notice of the youth: kids panhandling in front of the library, young women asking staff for personal care items, and

young people in the library in the middle of the school day or late into the evening.

some kids have acted badly, in some cases very seriously. keeping a close eye, the staff came to realize that some of the kids were hungry, many of them were bored, some of them had real problems at home, and all spent a lot of time at the library unaccompanied. so, over the last few years they decided to be proactive and they began to develop programs with a youth-focus, partnering with other community organisations and applying for grants to do so. as matthew says, they had to adapt to their audience.

now the library has a number of youth-focused programs, recognizing that the youth are a diverse group with a variety of interests and needs. to name a few: two afternoons a week, “the drop” invites kids in for two hours – one hour of activity and one hour of focused work; two saturdays a month “projections” is an afternoon of a movie followed by discussion of

the movie; laptop labs provide kids the chance to develop computer skills; and the homework help club helps them to stay on top of their schoolwork.

one of the main components of the youth events is food, usually a healthy snack. at first, this doesn’t sound like such a big deal until matthew tells of the central role of food in forging the community of youth at the sackville public library. one is struck by how critical food is to the experience of sanctuary. the rituals around it have provided a fertile ground upon which a community of safety and acceptance has been built. the kids have, certainly, learned about nutrition and manners and even the art of conversation. but, more than this, sharing food has been a way for these youth, so often alone, to feel valued, to connect with one another. food, it turns out, is one of the pillars of sanctuary.

With thanks to Matthew McCarthy.

Youth Programs, Sackville Public Library

Food for thought: one afternoon some of the staff of Sackville Public Library returns from a meeting

young people in the library in the middle of the school day or late into the evening.

Sanctuary

At the heart of it all they have created in the library,a sanctuary. A place of safety. A place of trust.


Kids of Steel Triathlon

here’s what you would have seen on race day, one august sunday morning: over 100 kids geared up to race in the kids of steel triathlon– swimming, cycling, and running; some as young as three years old, some into their teens; their families, friends, volunteers from the community. an air of excitement: everyone is keen to get the race underway. some of these kids have done this race before – this is the fourth year of the event for windsor – and others are neophytes. whole families have come to take part – there are nine members of one family here – brothers, sisters and cousins. people have come from all across the province. some of the racers are obviously in shape, active by habit; some of them are obviously less athletic but no less excited to take part.

there’s a good feeling here: the kids of steel triathlon is non-competitive, focused on providing a positive experience for the participants. everyone who does the race wins. every one of the kids gets to break the ribbon at the finish line. kevin walsh, one of the race organizers, says that every one of the racers feels like a gold medalist. every one of them.

here’s what you might have seen: the race organizers are committed to making the event as accessible and welcoming as possible. there are very few rules – it’s about participation, accomplishment, putting fun into fitness. one

of the boys is in a wheelchair. he swims well and has a special bicycle for the cycling part of the race and, in his wheelchair, he keeps up well with the runners in his age group. like all the rest of the kids, he breaks the ribbon at the end of the course. like the rest of the kids, he feels like a gold medalist. he’s done the race four times now. next year, maybe you’ll see him there.

here’s what you might have seen: a girl, about nine years old who has never done anything like this race before. she’s working really hard, determined. she swam pretty well, steady if not fast. now she’s on her bike, struggling to keep up. she’s having a tough time peddling up the hill on the course. one of the race volunteers runs up behind her and gives her a little push up the hill. she makes it to the top of the hill. another gold medalist.

here’s what you might have seen: a three year old girl. she’s done the swimming, the cycling

and is now running, with great determination, fiercely focused on the finish line. she makes it to the ribbon, breaks it and smiles, she spies her mom at the finish line, “i won mommy! i won!” hands pumping the air, jumping up and down. “i won!” she’s so tiny her race t-shirt reaches her knees. another gold medalist.

kevin walsh has great stories to tell about the kids of steel races he’s helped to organize, along with heather brown, roseanna boyd and jim lambert. as a triathlete, he is personally committed to healthful living and he is very happy to know that the race has contributed to the further development of a healthy and active culture in his town. he has noticed that a good number of the kids have returned year after year. “if even just a few kids are motivated to get off the couch, we’ve done a good thing,” he says. “the benefit of this will carry on for years.”

With thanks to Kevin Walsh.

here’s what you would have seen on race day, one august sunday morning: over 100 kids

Success

Everyone who does the race wins.


The Sarah Jane Cooking Club

talking about the sarah jane cooking club of east preston, cindy Gill smiles widely. it is clear that she is passionate about the club, now in its third year. once a week, a group of fourteen senior citizens from the sarah jane clayton manor and the surrounding community meet to share a cost-efficient and nutritious meal. it is about so much more than the food, it is about creating a sense of home. it is about coming together in joy. “it’s all about them,” as cindy says. “it’s all about them.”

when cindy began working as an occupational therapist in the area, she took some time to get to know the community and its people. understanding that health is more than physical status, there was a need for ways to engage the community in healthful projects.

one day, while walking with cindy, miss daisy told her about how she had been the first miss black nova scotia back in 1942. cindy organized a celebration of the woman’s accomplishment, five decades late but no less enthusiastic. the media were invited, local politicians came to honour miss daisy, there was a feast. it was a party that miss daisy marked as one of her proudest days. she spoke of it often until the day she died. and it was that party that demonstrated the importance of celebration in the life of the elders of the

community. it was where the seed of the sarah jane cooking club was planted.

oh, it’s a simple concept, the sharing of a meal. in the club everyone has a role to play. miss shirley sets the table every week, a beautiful welcome to the meal; uncle jim, who is 102 years old, says the grace every week and reads a passage from the bible. miss joanne loves to wash the dishes and help clean up. three women from the group lead a hymn sing after the meal: they have each sung in a choir for years. miss mary leads the group in prayer, her special gift is encouraging the shy to give voice to their wishes, their joy, their praise. after the meal, people are welcome to share a favourite reading, a poem, a reflection. recently, miss shirley, who is over 8o years old, read a poem she had written about reading. she knows what she’s talking about, she only learned to read

and write when she was an adult. imagine that: one of the seniors of the community who never knew how to read or write as a child, standing in front of this group of friends, and peers, reading her own poem.

so, what does such a club mean to its members? so much more than food. it means an opportunity for socialization, a sharing of skills and joys. it means a venue for connection. it is a way that the members of the group can combine their talents and their strengths to reach out to others: food is always shared with those seniors who, for a multitude of reasons, cannot make it out to the weekly meetings. it is a valuing of each person for their unique gifts and talents, at the stage of life that they are now living. it is a building of home. imagine that.

With thanks to Cindy Gill.

The Sarah Jane Cooking Club

talking about the talking about the t sarah jane cooking club of east preston, cindy Gill smiles widely. it is clear j

Home

It is about so much more than the food,it is about creating a sense of home. It is about coming together in joy.


Leading Readers Program, Cole Harbour Library

Pink, a lot of pink, and fairies, and sparkles, and a smile as wide as the world that reading has opened up to her over the past ten weeks of the Leading Readers Program at Cole Harbour Public Library. It’s the last session and the room is buzzing with other kids and teenagers and parents, teachers and some of the librarians. A few short months ago, this little girl was too shy to stand in front of anyone, let alone a roomful of people, let alone to read. Out loud. Something that she has written herself. The extra special touch: she is wearing a crown that she has made for herself, and her teen partner is wearing one too – the little girl made that as a gift to the older girl who has been her partner on this journey from reluctant reader to joyous reader. It’s the performance of a lifetime. There is much to be celebrated and the crowns are fitting touches for reading royalty.

the leading readers program at cole harbour public library is a weekly event. teen volunteers are partnered with kids who are struggling with reading. through the ten weeks, the teens help them to read, play reading-themed games with them, listen to them, give them their undivided attention. and it works beautifully.

the teens meet for a short while before the kids come in for their hour of reading. it gives the group a chance to touch base with each other and to refuel on healthy snacks. it gives them

time to catch their breath before the room fills up with kids.

at 4:00, the door is opened and the kids are welcomed in. a group of 15 kids, some as young as seven, come quietly into the room, eyes bright. they search out their partner and the pairs find a space in the room to sit together. it’s an amazing sight: kids of all shapes and sizes, books in hand, heads bent to the task of reading. the room fills with the hum of their voices and the quiet encouragement of the teens.

when asked why they do this, the circle of teens falls quiet. they are pretty young themselves: some are 17, others just 15. they’re shy, avoiding eye contact.

“i really like children,” one of the young women answers and others agree.

“i really like the challenge of figuring out how to help my partner.” that gets nods from the group too.

“it’s fun.” definite agreement on that one.

then they’re asked, “what do you learn by doing this?” there is a significant pause. then one of the teens puts her finger right on it. “you learn not to make assumptions about other people,” she says. “like before this, if someone couldn’t read, maybe you thought they were slow, or even lazy. but now i know that’s wrong.” vigorous nods around the circle.

someone else pipes up, “yeah, these kids work really hard.” emphasis on ‘really.’ “they’re not lazy at all. they try really hard. sometimes they just need the extra help that we can give them. they’re really smart kids after all.”

there is, indeed, much to celebrate.

With thanks to Darcy Johns and Elizabeth McPhee.

Pink, a lot of pink, and fairies, and sparkles, and a smile as wide as the world that reading has opened up with kids.

Partners

...on this journey from reluctant reader to joyous reader.It’s the performance of a lifetime.


The Edible Schoolyard, Dr. Arthur Hines School

the first day back to school means a lot of things: school shoes, fresh notepaper and a newly sharpened pencil, a chance to see your friends, maybe a little bit of nervousness about meeting your new teacher. and for the really young kids, the ones who are just beginning school, it’s a chance to start to experience the big wide world away from home. this year, the first day of school was warm and sunny, and the produce in the garden at the dr. arthur hines school was starting to ripen for harvest. what a welcome: a garden filled with fresh lettuce, kale, beans, pumpkins and reddening tomatoes, cucumbers galore, green onions and carrots, even brussels sprouts, beds of fresh herbs, bright nasturtiums, dill as high as a child’s eye. and, naturally, zucchini -- always plenty of zucchini. and for lunch, a treat for every one of the students: a fresh ear of corn, just picked from the garden and cooked by the grade six kids for lunch. a very sweet welcome indeed.

the dr. arthur hines school in summerville, nova scotia, has had a vegetable garden growing in the schoolyard for five years. every student, from grade primary through to grade six, has a hand in the gardening and the produce is used by the school lunch program. each year, each grade takes responsibility for one of the main vegetables (the small children in grade primary, for instance, plant and nurture the potatoes: early on in the project it became clear that small

hands do best with big vegetables.) by grade six, the students are taking turns helping to cook a lunch of fresh produce for the students and teachers who take part in the lunch program.

it’s a project that the school has undertaken in a close partnership with the hants shore community health centre. as kathy aldous, the health promotion co-ordinator at the centre explains, this is a natural fit: this kind of activity and education is critical to the life-long healthy habits that are so important for individuals and for the wider community.

in many ways, this garden is a return to the agricultural traditions of the region, some of which have been lost as the changes to the surrounding communities have moved people away from the land. for the children it’s a hands-on chance to learn that with work, support, knowledge and opportunity a community can sustain itself in healthful and productive ways.

kathy cautions against being too romantic about the garden: it’s a big project and a massive amount of work. more and more often, she is happy to say, the wider community is getting involved in the garden. a growing number of parents are proud of the work that their children are undertaking and supportive of the learning they are doing. they add their own labour to be sure the garden thrives.

by the time the students reach grade six they will carry a tremendous amount of knowledge with them, knowledge that will serve them long after they have left this school and this garden. that’s the way of a garden and of knowledge: deep roots may take a long time to grow but, with the right amount of nurture, they will be strong and enduring.

With thanks to Kathy Aldous.

The Edible Schoolyard, Dr. Arthur Hines School

the first day back to school means a lot of things: school shoes, fresh notepaper and a

hands do best with big vegetables.)

Nurture

Every student, from grade primary through to grade six,has a hand in the gardening and the produce

is used by the school lunch program.


Acknowledgements

this booklet is the result of ten years of dedicated work in the communities that make up capital health district. the community health boards wish to extend our appreciation to:

the many community groups who have •received community development funds over the past ten years. your commitment to your community’s health is truly appreciated.the 14 groups who took the time to •share their stories for this booklet. thank you, you are true ambassadors of health. capital health and department of •health promotion and protection for financial support for the community development funds.

stories written by:linda e. clarke, a halifax-based writer and storyteller.

booklet design: pilot design incorporated

growth hive light joy build confidence connection together€¦ · growth hive lig ht joy build...

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