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K

ids Kotta

ge Mission is to support families in crisis and prevent child abuse and neglect Christmas 2010

www.kidskottage.org

www.kidskottage.org

Kids

Kotta

ge Earth A

ngels

Kids Kottage is going green! If you would like to receive the newsletter electronically

please email pmiller@kidskottage.org

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Kids Kottage Wish List

see www. kidskottage.org

Message from the Board ChairMy sister sent me an email today. She tagged the following quote: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Robert Ashe Jr.

I rejoiced to have this new motto to share. The simplicity and directness of this resonates with me. And saves me hundreds of words.

At the recent Premier’s Breakfast, both Premier Stelmach and our Honorary Chair Marie Stelmach spoke with their customary warmth and honesty about the value of giving to your community and the value of supporting families in need. They spoke from the heart as parents, as community members and as government leaders. Good leaders have the ability to show us how we have the capacity to do so much if we look around, find what needs to get done and just begin. I added, with thanks to them and the many supporters present, that our government, corporations and individuals represented there were all stepping up to the challenge and finding their path to support us at the Kottage and other agencies. We spoke of each of us fitting our unique skills, resources and personalities to our own roles in providing that support in the best way we can. I note that our staff, volunteers and board of directors all go above and beyond by delivering their best to the Kottage all year.

At Kids Kottage, we play to our strengths – we use our community-based model to be open and accessible to families, to care for their children while we support parents in identifying their problems and to see them through the steps in that plan. We know that doing what we do best generates good outcomes for the families we help.

Myself and our board will work hard to maintain that model and to provide the Kottage the resources needed to continue to play that vital role.

As Christmas approaches, I appreciate those who step away from the rush and the shopping mall to lend their hands to help others in need. Many make time to give to agencies who need drivers, collect donations, provide meals and deliver baskets of dinners and gifts. We appreciate everyone who volunteers, matches donations or calls in to our Radiothon in December every year. We appreciate those individuals who do what they can by attending our events, volunteering with us or supporting us financially. We celebrate those companies that adopt a corporate motto of helping through their donations and their efforts on behalf of others. Many use the gift-giving of the holidays to find new ways to give to those truly in need.

Whichever works for you, I hope you will do over the upcoming holiday season and beyond.

Arthur Ashe said all that though, didn’t he?

Patricia HebertKids Kottage Board Chair

Soon, we will celebrate Christmas 2010 at Kids

Kottage. Cheryl will begin baking cookies for the

children to decorate at the Christmas party. Staff

have their heads together planning the activities

and the music and how and when Santa will arrive

and what he will bring. Glo and her volunteers will

be filling Santa’s Christmas list for the children

participating in the FASD respite program.

Participants in the Basic Shelf Food security

program will share their favourite Christmas goodie

recipes and maybe even try some.

Kids Kottage reminds me in so many ways of the

wonderful Christmas Story I love so well. People

at the time of the first Christmas just like people

today were worried, frightened, troubled and often

unable to make ends meet. And those who were

poor, just like today, were the most vulnerable.

Poor people were overwhelmed and isolated.

Mary and Joseph were not well-to-do people. They

set out to arrive in Bethlehem to be counted. That

was the requirement no matter what their personal

circumstances at the time. They did not make prior

arrangements for a place to stay in Bethlehem

for they had no family there nor could they have

afforded to send a messenger ahead if they had.

They travelled by foot and donkey; one could

ride, while the other walked. Mary was pregnant

and soon to deliver her first child. Never having

delivered a baby before, one can assume she was

nervous and afraid. Mary and Joseph arrived in

Bethlehem and not surprisingly were unable to find

a place to stay. The town was full; they had a dire

need and had nowhere to turn.

Finally, to their relief one inn keeper was moved by

their plight and offered his stable. Not what they

expected or might have desired but that stable at

that time was everything to Mary and Joseph in

their moment of distress.

And so, Jesus Christ was born. Two years later, the

Bible tells us, Joseph’s little family was living in a

house in Bethlehem; they had moved forward from

their time of crisis.

I often think upon that innkeeper in Bethlehem so

long ago and breath my own thanks for his help

to a poor couple in a crisis. And when I think

of the innkeeper, I am reminded of the role of

Kids Kottage in our community today. Emergency

childcare and respite for those who cannot carry

on.

Please make Kids Kottage part of your Christmas

celebration this year. The need for our “inn” is

great and we need your help.

To all of you who support the work of Kids

Kottage in the many ways that you do, best wishes

for a Blessed Christmas and New Year!

Lori ReiterExecutive Director

The Kottage News

Brownlee LLP - Kids Kottage Promoters

Extraordinaire!

The Kids Kottage newsletter is published

three to four times annually. If you would

like to contribute or have any questions or

concerns, please contact us at:

10107 - 134 Avenue

Edmonton, AB T5E 1J2

Telephone: (780) 448-1752

Fax: (780) 441-9893

Graphic Design:

Rose Country Advertising

& Public Relations

Film:

Ion Print Solutions

Printing:

Ion Print Solutions

Board of Directors:

Marie Stelmach, Honourary Chair

Patricia Hebert, Board Chair

Michelle Belland

Gary Campbell QC

Troy Chalifoux

Karen Clipperton

Judith Dyck

Jeff Erlam

Christine Felix

Joseph Francese

Patricia Hebert

Rob Heron

Joan Hertz-Benkendorf

Ashif Mawji

Cecilia Munro

Rosanna Saccomani QC

Patty Whiting

Richard Wong

Publications Mail Agreement Number:

40012822

Once again the generous law office of

Brownlee LLP has extended their hand to

educate their clients about Kids Kottage and

the work we do with vulnerable families. They

have produced a 2011 calendar sporting our

very own artwork produced by some of our

precious little guests who have had a stay with

us! Then they donated 600 extra calendars for

us to give to the guests who participated in the

Premier’s Breakfast on October 19th! We are

so very thankful for the wonderful support of

everyone at Brownlee LLP!

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Ross Shepherd High School VolunteersGuardian Angels

-author unknown

When Angels sense you need them

And Angels always do

They come, unseen, from everywhere

To help and comfort you.

They hover close beside you

Till all your cares are gone

Till they can see you’re ready

Once again to carry on.

Then some of them may fly away

And take their gentle touch

To other hearts that need the love

Of Angels very much.

But one, at least, stays with you

As your constant friend and guide

For Guardian Angels never leave,

They’re always at your side

BECOME A Kids Kottage GUARDIAN ANGEL

Do you want to become a Guardian Angel and Make Monthly Donations?

Contact Pam Miller at 780-443-2545 or email to pmiller@kidskottage.org

Help keep children SAFE & STRENTHEN families.

A Christmas craft to do with your kids!

String of Paper Gingerbread Men and WomenMake a string of paper gingerbread men and women to decorate a

room. These simple-to-make strings make a great Christmas or Winter

decoration. You can drape the strings across rooms, over windows

and around the tree

Supplies needed: •Browngrocerybagorbrown/tanconstructionpaper

•Crayonsormarkers

•Scissors

•Glue,tape,orstaples

•Alongpieceofgreenorbrownyarnorstring

Draw a gingerbread man or woman on a piece of construction paper.

Make sure to draw a rectangle on the top of the head (your gingerbread

person will hang from this rectangle, which will be folded over).

Cut out the gingerbread people. Draw a face, clothes, etc. Fold the

rectangle at the top of the head over.

Attach the gingerbread person to a long string using tape, glue, or

staples. Make more gingerbread people and attach them to the string.

Generous donation of James & Lori Thomas from their kids Matthew, Joseph & Andrew!

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Barbara BiggarClaudette BinetteJasmine BishopStan BoonstraPatricia (Paddi) BoyesNorma BradleyRalph Brokop and Cheryl GibsonCharles and Charlene BrownChristina BrownRosa BullCharles BurnsTheresa CallajAlan, Dr CarrollKim ChaissonMary ChisholmTed ChomchukMalcolm and Kharis CollinsClemence CoutureRobert CrawfordShirley CrouquetMichael CrozierWayne CudmoreDomenique CurrieJessica & Kaylynne DallasRomeo DalmaijerJudy DarbysonJoanne DarbysonLarry DavidsonDorothy DeanWinni deHaanDelray DempseyLinda and Peter DeroseHarry DigginsEvelyn DobersteinBeverley Doman

Lori EdeyWendy and Jalal El-IssaShelly FayantMichelle FournierKim FunnellClarice GarbuzRyan GibsonCatherine GibsonLinda GoldJodi GoodhopeDr. Darrell Gotaas and Barbara GotaasDarlene GrannaryRosemary GrimwoodArne and Maureen F. GronbergCathy GuentherMaureen HaczkewiczTeri HamagamiRuben HansenNicole HargreavesCheryl HaskellBlake HassanRobert HauptmanRon HayterJennifer HeilDorota HeimannsbergLaura HertzJoan and Barry Hertz-BenkendorfMark and Ann Marie HiltonTammy HolbaMuriel HoleShannon HomeniukJane HopkinsonAeron and Brenda HowattLouise Huard-Peake

Laird HunterMaria IanniGeorgina K. IngramBilli Jo IrwinElissa JenningsTrisha JohnsenF Dale JohnstonRayford JohnstonAnn KendallBen KennedyTom & Kathy KennyAnne KingDuane KlapsteinAnita KlassenLori KlevenzRose KnaakKaren KnelsonGloria KorobkoShari KorobkoAnita John KorthuisKen and Marie KurylowBernadette La BrieVictor LalondeAlyssa LalondeGwen and Gordon LamoureuxLinda LauderChris and Crystal LawrenceCheryl LelandEd LittleVania LloydJudith LotholzJennifer, Sundreah, Vaughn LowenBeryl LukaniukShirley LundeKaren Lutz

Shannon MacDonaldClover MacDonaldBruce MacGregorColleen MackLyndsay MacKenzieWilliam MairDawna MannValentine MaposaJean MardresRobert MarrelloColleen MathesonMs. Deanell MazzucaBonnee McCabeCheryl McEneryKathleen and Pat McGrottyDeirdre McKayDr. Ify McKerlieNorma McLeodSuzanne McOrmondDonna MelenkaKelly MicetichPhil MillardPamela and Herbert MillerTina MollerAllison Mones Janelle MoolykGeneva MooreElsie MorelliTam-Lynn MortonMary MurraySharon MyroniukJavaid and Henrietta NaqviPearl NeumannMaria NewberryShuquan NieKaran NikhanjAnita Norris

Dr J Chu & AssociatiesEdmonton Country ClubGWP Wealth Management IncClinical Consultant Team - WCBMerck Frosst Canada & CompanyTelus Community EngagementOur Lady of the Angels’ ParishEdmonton Women’s InstituteAstral Media Radio g.p.Sobeys Mainstreet CentreAlan and Yvonne AbenAndy and Karen AbramykAlice and FriendsElaine and Anders AndersonRandy AndisonAllen & Mary Loo AndraisBetty AndraisHarold & Pat and AndraisDavid & Jackie AndraisLorna AntonNeda AsadiAngela Babb-AllisonMarion BeauvaisGeorge BelterChad BergstreiserLynn BernickiMarlene BidgoodMyra Bielby

Donors from July 1 to September 30, 2010Sharla NuijensJulie NutmaGwen and Chad O’HaganKelly O’NeillJudy and John OrfinoSheila PatriquinLisa and Calvin PereiraLil PewarchukLynn PollockRocky and Brenda PonCarmel PowersJennifer PreeperRaymond C Purdy QCMarian PylypaElaine RajotteMetro & Sophie RatzovAva-Jo ReaVerna RegehrLori and Joe ReiterNeil and Rose RitokoskiSteve RitzShannon RodenRita RosekeKnea RossHerbert SacksWanda SalomonskiSharla SandersGrace SaretskyGary SaundersAngelee SchrieverValarie and Francisco SeguraClaudia Seiler-MuttonSharon and Donald SexauerLouise SmithPatricia SmithDennis Sparkes

Pauline SpieceJohn StearnsAndreas StrieflerAnn TenbrinkJames & Lori ThomasLinda TimmsJo-Sheena TurnerArnold and Shirley UrbonasSarah ValenteSuzanne ValentePita VandenboschGreg WakefieldShona WardsColleen WarrenMay WaymenFrank WebsterJames WhippleWilliam and Sharla WiesenerShirley WikstromJoan WilkCrystal WillieSuzette WilloughbyBarb WillowsRudolf WolfertShane YakoweshenAudrey and Len YarbroughRay ZacharkoTerry Zinchuk