around the block issue 24

16
Page 1 By Jodi Kliffer Over the past year, Saint Johnners have come to know and love the Queen Square Farmers Market. Established in the fall of 2011, the Mar- ket has quickly become a favourite event for people from around the greater Saint John area. The Market is located in the heart of the city’s South End, surrounded by the unique beauty and charm of one of the most historic neighbourhoods in the country. It is an open-air market that celebrates locally grown vegetables, homemade foods and amazing local artisan goods. The next market will be August 19, from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. See you there! Issue 24 . August 2012 [email protected]Rebirth Of Marsh Creek Pictured above:Tim Vickers and Graeme Stewart-Robertson of ACAP Saint John conduct live trapping of fish in the lower reaches of Marsh Creek. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Colpitts) By Tim Vickers The construction activity along Crown Street, and the minor inconve- nience that comes with it, is a small price to pay for the benefits that will be enjoyed by those who live, work or travel near the lower end of Marsh Creek. This construction represents one of the final stages of the long-awaited Harbour Cleanup Project, which will end the dumping of raw sewage into our local waterways. This historic project represents the single greatest improvement in our regional environment in a generation. While the benefits of Harbour Cleanup will not be felt until next year, we can take immediate comfort in knowing that our children will grow up in a safer and cleaner Saint John. The YMCA-YWCA Of Greater Saint John - Building Healthy Communities By Cindy Floyd Students from the Y Settlement Services are planting seeds and tend- ing the earth at various community gardens in and around Saint John. Over 20 families are benefitting from the opportunity to plant small gardens at Rockwood Park, Rainbow Park, and an international com- munity garden in French Village. The students have plots in French Village and are bussed there twice a week to tend the garden. This garden is the brainchild of Rhonda and David Peterson, and they enjoy sharing the gardening experience with the international students. These community gardens provide wonderful opportunities. Many of the families are growing carrots, peas, and beans for the first time. They also have an opportunity to grow vegetables similar to their native land and are enjoying the tastes of home as well as experi- menting with new Canadian dishes. The gardeners are proud to have a piece of land in the community and reaping much more than the benefit of healthy produce. Queens Square Farmers Market Pictured above:Allison Gayton Remembering The Youth We Lost By Nancy Robichaud The youth of the Saint John Boys and Girls club wanted something to remember the youth we lost. They came up with an idea, so with lots of help from volunteers and staff they decided to do a garden in the shape of a heart. It’s located on Brunswick Drive. They tilled and planted all the flow- ers and took care of the garden. The memorial rock was donated by former MLA Dr. Ed Doherty and the former Liberal government. The poem engraved on the rock was written by Jack Robichaud, the flower garden is a beautiful rememberance of our lost youth. Juanita Black, Coordinator, Around The Block, Phone: 647-4850. Email: sjcommunitynewspa- [email protected] The theme for issue 24 of Around The Block is the “Environment and Community Beautification.” You will read about how there are efforts to brighten up our communities with new planter boxes, new patio gardens and the continuing growth of our community gardens. The environnment means different things to many different folks. It might mean the rebirth of Marsh Creek, or how we can save on our power bills by using our clothes lines more this time of year. Walking, using the bus and comex or riding your bike with helmet to and from work allcontribute to our enviroment. I live in Crescent Valley where they introduced the Blue Run on Sat- urday mornings. I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted to do. I sepa- rated everything by categories; plastic, tin, cardboard, milk jugs... But I will tell you, it works. You would not believe how much these efforts have reduced my curbside garbage. I encourage everyone to use the conveniently placed Fundy Solid Waste Blue Bins around our city. The stories in this issue reflect the ideas and plans of many community residents and our community partners. Happy reading. Coordinators Comments

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Page 1: Around the Block Issue 24

Page 1

By Jodi KlifferOver the past year, Saint Johnners have come to know and love the Queen Square Farmers Market. Established in the fall of 2011, the Mar-ket has quickly become a favourite event for people from around the greater Saint John area. The Market is located in the heart of the city’s South End, surrounded by the unique beauty and charm of one of the most historic neighbourhoods in the country. It is an open-air market that celebrates locally grown vegetables, homemade foods and amazing local artisan goods. The next market will be August 19, from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. See you there!

Issue 24 . August 2012 • [email protected] •Rebirth Of Marsh Creek

Pictured above:Tim Vickers and Graeme Stewart-Robertson of ACAP Saint John conduct live trapping of fish in the lower reaches of

Marsh Creek. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Colpitts)

By Tim VickersThe construction activity along Crown Street, and the minor inconve-nience that comes with it, is a small price to pay for the benefits that will be enjoyed by those who live, work or travel near the lower end of Marsh Creek. This construction represents one of the final stages of the long-awaited Harbour Cleanup Project, which will end the dumping of raw sewage into our local waterways.

This historic project represents the single greatest improvement in our regional environment in a generation. While the benefits of Harbour Cleanup will not be felt until next year, we can take immediate comfort in knowing that our children will grow up in a safer and cleaner Saint John.

The YMCA-YWCA Of Greater Saint John - Building Healthy Communities

By Cindy FloydStudents from the Y Settlement Services are planting seeds and tend-ing the earth at various community gardens in and around Saint John. Over 20 families are benefitting from the opportunity to plant small gardens at Rockwood Park, Rainbow Park, and an international com-munity garden in French Village. The students have plots in French Village and are bussed there twice a week to tend the garden. This garden is the brainchild of Rhonda and David Peterson, and they enjoy sharing the gardening experience with the international students.These community gardens provide wonderful opportunities. Many of the families are growing carrots, peas, and beans for the first time. They also have an opportunity to grow vegetables similar to their native land and are enjoying the tastes of home as well as experi-menting with new Canadian dishes. The gardeners are proud to have a piece of land in the community and reaping much more than the benefit of healthy produce.

Queens Square Farmers Market

Pictured above:Allison Gayton

Remembering The Youth We LostBy Nancy RobichaudThe youth of the Saint John Boys and Girls club wanted something to remember the youth we lost.

They came up with an idea, so with lots of help from volunteers and staff they decided to do a garden in the shape of a heart. It’s located on Brunswick Drive. They tilled and planted all the flow-ers and took care of the garden. The memorial rock was donated by former MLA Dr. Ed Doherty and the former Liberal government. The poem engraved on the rock was written by Jack Robichaud, the flower garden is a beautiful rememberance of our lost youth.

Juanita Black, Coordinator, Around The Block, Phone: 647-4850. Email: [email protected]

The theme for issue 24 of Around The Block is the “Environment and Community Beautification.” You will read about how there are efforts to brighten up our communities with new planter boxes, new patio gardens and the continuing growth of our community gardens.

The environnment means different things to many different folks. It might mean the rebirth of Marsh Creek, or how we can save on our power bills by using our clothes lines more this time of year. Walking, using the bus and comex or riding your bike with helmet to and from work allcontribute to our enviroment.

I live in Crescent Valley where they introduced the Blue Run on Sat-urday mornings. I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted to do. I sepa-rated everything by categories; plastic, tin, cardboard, milk jugs... But I will tell you, it works. You would not believe how much these efforts have reduced my curbside garbage.

I encourage everyone to use the conveniently placed Fundy Solid Waste Blue Bins around our city.

The stories in this issue reflect the ideas and plans of many community residents and our community partners. Happy reading.

Coordinators Comments

Page 2: Around the Block Issue 24

Page 2

Hon. Trevor A. HolderMLA Saint John-Portland

Constituency Office 229 Churchill Boulevard

Telephone: (506) 657-2335Email: [email protected]

NorthNeighbourhood Contact

Wendy Barron-Belmore Phone: 635-2035

E-mail: [email protected]

Having Fun While Making A DifferenceBy Gina ReidEvery summer for the past nine years, a group of dedi-cated young people have-committed their summer to improving their community and this year has been no exception! So far this sum-mer, the ONE Change YIP (Youth Inclusion Program) has had over 55 youth ages 11-17 take part in the ONE Teen Summer Take Over program.

While some of their peers are taking the summer off, these kids are working hard to make a positive impact in their neighbourhood through activities such as; clean ups, painting of Lorne Middle School bunkers, working at Shamrock Com-munity Garden, initiating senior/youth mentoring, fundraising and taking part in many learning sessions.

The community thanks you for your continued efforts. Keep up the good work!

Recycling ManagementBy Anthony TasconRecycling management has been making a positive impact in the world we live in, and it has been making its way through the city of Saint John over the past couple of years. Although not everyone may be familiar with recycling procedures, there are many ways to help the en-vironment that are simple, time efficient and best of yet, free. Recycling helps to limit the amount of glass, paper and plastic being made. This will result with less garbage in landfills because the glass, paper and plastic are being reused.

Recycling helps make our earth a less polluted place and reduces amount of trash that does not decompose in our landfills. For example, glass can keep being recycled since it never wears down. If a glass bottle is not recycled, it can take 40 centuries (4000 years!) to be bro-ken down.

Another fact about recycling glass is a 100 watt light bulb can be lit for four hours from the energy saved by recycling a glass bottle. Think of all the money you could save by recycling over an extended period of time!

The Beauty Of Our NeighbourhoodBy Victoria FlemingOne of my favou-rite things to do is to take a few extra turns on my way home to admire the beautiful neighbour-hood of the Old North End (ONE). A smile crosses my face as I smell a freshly-mowed hill that was, 15 years ago, the perfect place for sliding in the winter time. Now, I can see how the community has come together in re-cent years to make the ONE a place that we are proud to call our home by painting over graffiti, picking up garbage, turning vacant lots into stunning gardens and giving an inner-city park a dramatic makeover. Our neighbourhood is beautiful because of all of the residents who care so much about it. Let’s continue to do our part and work together to keep the ONE an attractive community!

ONE Walking ClubBy Brenda HopeThe ONE Change walking club has been walking for three weeks now. We currently have six members that meet Mon., Wed. and Fri. at 10 am. Our walks range between two and three kilometres and we have seen quite a bit of Saint John’s North End. We have walked The Old North End, Harbour Passage, Douglas Ave., Crescent Valley, Millidge Ave. and Spar Cove Road. I am impressed with the amount of green space in the form of walking trails, community gardens and parks there is in our community. Come and join us.

Did You Know?When you purchase one cup of coffee in a disposable container

every day, you create about 23 pounds of waste each year.

One Change UpdatesEvery Monday for the month of Aug, ONE Change has the wonderful staff of the Saint John Library over to read and do crafts with the kids.

Aug 13; Family Movie in Victoria Park, popcorn and drinks will be pro-vided. Come early to get a front row seat. Movie starts at 9 pm.

Aug 15; Family Street Dance, lots of prizes. Practice your best chick-en dance moves.

Aug 18; WOW our annual ONE Change Family Fun days. Dunk tanks, bouncy castles and much more. FREE BBQ.

Come celebrate the OLD NORTH END with us.

Page 3: Around the Block Issue 24

Page 3

South Neighbourhood Contact

Mary LeSage Phone: 632-6807

E-mail: [email protected]

MP/député - Saint JohnMP/député - Saint JohnMP/député - Saint JohnRodney WestonRodney Weston

T 506 657-2500 email: [email protected] King Street, Saint John, NB

Rodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonRodney WestonMP/député - Saint John

The Beauty Of Our Neighbourhood

LITTERBy David BlaneyCigarette butts and packages, cups, candy wrappers, napkins, gum, flyers, bottles, cans and worse!

You have to wonder: are litterers un-conscious during the act of littering, or are they completely aware and just do not care about their community? We do know that un-repaired broken windows cause more broken windows and litter attracts more litter. So, some “crazy” folks pick up that litter as best they can, not without some risk, to ensure the lit-terers do not win out.

Maybe the growing number of those who think beyond their own prop-erty line - the community - will eventually convince litterers that we are in this environment together and that everyone must do their part to protect it.

In Memory Of KyleeBy Kylee’s Mom - Raylene WallaceA huge THANK YOU to the many people who helped to make “For The Love Of Kylee ~ Safe Drive Home 2012" so successful. Over the span of four nights during Prom and Gradua-tion we drove 140 teens safely to their destination.

We could not have done it without you! Thanks to all the volunteers (drivers and buddies), P.U.L.S.E., Saint John Police Force, Kwik Kopy, Starbucks, Superstore, Vito’s, Subway, Relish, Telegraph Journal, Saint John City Transit and MADD.

Thank you to each parent that called for information and from the bot-tom of my heart, I want to thank each teen that called for a drive. You were all so sweet and just wonderful young people. Thanks for letting us ensure you arrived home safely!

P.U.L.S.E. 50/50 Winner

Ralph Willett, the winner of our first 50/50 draw accepting $100 from P.U.L.S.E Inc. Pictured left to right: 50/50 Winner, Ralph Willett, P.U.L.S.E President Carl Trickey. Photo Courtesy of Mary LeSage.

Rainbow Park Splash Pad Opening

By Mary LeSageThanks to the firefighters from Carmarthern Street Fire Station for bringing down the rig and entertaining the kids. A special thanks goes out to Lt. Tony Gautreau, who surprised us with his playing of the cello (big violin)! Maybe next year we will have a talent show.

By Christine Roy and Katie HeffernanLast school year, our partners at Irving Oil started a tutor-ing program at our school to help support our students with literacy. The initial program started with two tutors per child for our grade two students. We were thrilled at the start of this school year when Carolyn Van der Veen approached us about expanding the tutoring pro-gram to include students from grades one to five. We are astounded by the commitment and dedication of the Irving Oil employees, along with the-president of Irving Oil Mr. Mike Asher, who come faithfully each week to work with their assigned student. As a result, our students not only benefit from extra literacy support but positive interactions with adults from our community. We would like to recognize and thank Irving Oil, in particular Carolyn Van der Veen and Lisa Savidant, for supporting our students in achiev-ing academic success!

Our Tutoring Journey With Irving Oil

Pictured above: Mike Asher, Presi-dent of Irving Oil with grade 3

student Ha Vu

Comings And Goings At P.U.L.S.EBy Mary LeSageWe have been busy with our Wellness Clinics. New patients are com-ing every month! Our next one is Aug. 21 from 1 - 4 pm.

Look for us at the Queen Square Farmers Market! We will be serving breakfast and lunch again. Pancakes, sausages, fruit kebabs and tea will be available and for lunch look for the portobello mushroom burgers done up on the BBQ.

All proceeds go to the South End Community Garden.

Page 4: Around the Block Issue 24

Page 4

Crescent ValleyNeighbourhood Contact

Anne Driscoll: [email protected]

PROUD TO BE A SUPPORTER OF Around The Block

Where Communities and Compassion Unite Please Support UCT TV Tuesdays at 6:30

Rogers Cable Channel 10 Cards Available at most Convenience Stores

CV Caring For The EnviromentBy Ann BarrettThe CV Caring project started two years ago with the Cres-cent Valley Resource Centre (CVRC) receiving funds from the Environmental Trust Fund for our recycling / compost project. Again, this year we received $15,000 to extend the project and to hire four resi-dents.

The Reps have been going door to door in CV in their bright blue shirts and getting lots of questions. They give out info on how to recycle and use compost bins to lessen the amount of gar-bage. They deliver storage bags for the recyclables, compost containers and secure garbage cans.

Other sponsors of the project are Department of Social Development, Fundy Solid Waste Corporation and the Blue Run.

Pictured above: CV Caring Team dressed in their bright blue shirts.

Back Row- Tara Parlee, Mary Doiron & Elaine Orser,

Front Row - Ann Barrett, Karen Rodgerson & Eva Feddery,

(Picture courtesy of Debbie McLeod)

Learning Continues Throughout The SummerBy Krista TurnbullWhile the summer months bring fun activities with a break from school for students, a special program has been active at Hazen-White/St. Francis School this summer.Transitioning back to the school environment can be difficult for Pre-K students after Summer Break. With this in mind, the Promise Partner-ship at UNB Saint John embarked on a new program filled with fun activities for the Pre-K students in Crescent Valley.Wed. and Thur. mornings, Pre-K children have been attending the new summer program, allowing them the opportunity to continue to play with their friends, while working on some of the early learning concepts that are covered in the regular Pre-K program.

For more information on the program please contact Kathryn Asher with the Promise Partnership at 648-5611.

Did You Know?

Upgrading CV Flower BedsBy Anne DriscollKeeping Crescent Valley in tip-top shape requires help from many community partners and volunteers.

Recently, volunteers from Mc-Innes Cooper law firm stopped by the Crescent Valley Re-source Centre to lend a hand. They were there because the garden beds in front of the Cen-tre were overgrown with weeds and looked worn out.

A day of mowing, pruning, dig-ging, pulling, transplanting and lots of fun resulted in beautiful new garden beds at the Cen-tre.

Pictured above: Volunteers, Donna McLaggan, Colette Sirois Andrea

Smith, Melanie Manuel (from McInnes Cooper), Anne Driscoll (CVRC), Front: l-r, Tynisha (resi-

dent) and Caden Manuel.

Crescent Valley Resource Centre Recieves FundsCVRC received funds from NB Children's Foundation to support their Summer Squad Program for children from five to 12.

Pictured left to right: Anne Driscoll, Ex-ecutive Director; Nancy Savoie, Past President; Tara Parlee, Program Facilitator; Marilyn Lester, President of NB Children’s Founda-tion; Ann Barrett, President of CVRC.

Caring For Our EnviromentBy Elaine OrserIn past years, the trend of disposable things has caused dumps to fill up and toxic waste to pollute our land, water and air. Millions of dol-lars are spent each year on clean up that could be used on education, etc.

How do we prevent this from getting worse? Buy reusable products, recycle paper and boxboard (cereal type boxes), plastic, metal and corrugated cardboard.

Composting prevents animals from being attracted to your garbage cans and remember to use compost bags. You will have less garbage to take to the curb and a cleaner environment for you and your grand-children.

We cannot move to another planter, so let’s take care of the one we have.

If each household in Canada replaced one roll of virgin toilet paper with just one roll of recycled toilet paper, we could:

• save 47,962 trees• save 3,204 cubic metres of landfill space, equal to 181 full garbage trucks• save 65.5 million litres of water, a year’s supply for 135 fami lies of four• avoid 4, 567 kilograms of air and water pollution from manufacturing

Page 5: Around the Block Issue 24

Page 5

West Neighbourhood Contacts

Patti Kelly: [email protected]

Mary Lou Price: [email protected]

Upcoming Events With P.A.C.TBy Megan JamesVolunteers and employ-ees of West Side P.A.C.T. have several exciting events and activities in the works for the remain-ing month of summer. We will be hosting outdoor movie nights, back-to-school “loonie haircuts,” as well as recycling awareness and hopefully much more! The aim of P.A.C.T. is to provide a safe and healthy environ-ment for you and your families to enjoy time together and with other members of the commu-nity. Join our Facebook page (Westside P.A.C.T.) for notifications of upcoming events! See you there!

Pictured above: Rachel and Zack Fraser and Ayden Fraser. Pictured Below left

to right: Haleigh Worden, Ayden Leslie, Marissa Langille and Savannah Worden

Summer HeatBy Krista TurnbullOnce again this year, Westside P.A.C.T. was fortunate enough to re-ceive funding to assist them in hiring 2 summer students.

Thanks to this support, the popular “Summer Heat” program was of-fered to children aged 4 -12 years for two weeks in July. The program, which is free of charge, was held at St. Patrick’s School and had a fan-tastic turnout. Children enjoyed a variety of activities in the gym includ-ing zumba, yoga, boxing, karate, and arts and crafts. A healthy snack was provided each day and the beautiful weather both weeks allowed for lots of outdoor playtime as well.

Special thanks to Westside P.A.C.T. and the wonderful camp counsel-ors, Megan and Chantel, for providing the kids with a fantastic two-week summer experience.

West Side Community KitchenSign up Now & Hold your Spot! We start again in September 2012.

A Community Kitchen for West Side residents will take place on Friday mornings this fall at the Carleton Community Centre.

What is a Community Kitchen? This is a group of people who meet to cook food and then take it home to feed their families.

We are currently looking for people to participate. There is a refundable deposit of $10. In exchange you will receive five meals per session for your family, twice per month. If you are interested or would like more information, please sign up at Market Place Wellness Centre, 120 Market Place (Carleton Community Centre, bottom level), 674-4335. Or you may call Mary 639-7157.

Westside P.A.C.T Annual Community CleanupBy Mary Lou PriceThe Westside P.A.C.T. Community Group held our Annual Community Cleanup and BBQ with St. Patrick’s elementary school in June. Grades K - 5 were assigned certain areas surrounding the school where they picked up garbage and learned the importance of keeping their community clean.

St. Patrick’s School PALS at Saint John Energy provided the barbeque and did all the cooking. Westside P.A.C.T. received donations to feed our hungry troops from Saputo Foods, Tim Horton’s King St West, No Frills and Sobeys. The Saint John Police Force and Saint John Fire Department were also on hand to help out, as well as numerous com-munity volunteers. A BIG THANK YOU to the students and community partners for the great day!

Take A Book, Leave A BookBy Patti KellyWhat better way to learn than through the love of reading? Did you know that the Market Place Wellness Centre (Carleton Community Centre) has a fully stocked book shelf? Community members are invited to drop off a book that they have read and to take a new one home with them. There are several bestsellers, children’s books and books for teens to choose from. Just stop by the centre Mon to Fri 8 am – 3 pm and ask to make an ex-change. This is a free program.

Westside Wellness Centre Updates

• Specimen Collection: Tues and Wed: 7:30 am - 2:30 pm by ap-pointment only, please call 648-6681 press # 3.• Food Bank: Tues 1 - 3 pm (Summer Hours).•Art for Seniors: Thurs 1 - 3 pm 674-4335 at St. George’s Church Hall.• Monthly Foot Care Clinic: every 3RD Wednesday by appointment 657-2273.• Are you over 50 and want to be more ACTIVE? Join our classes- Tues 10 - 11 am at Hope Centre and Tues & Fri 10 -11 am at Carleton Community Centre. Please call 674-4335. Free.

• Food Purchase Club: for more information call, West - 674-4335, St. Joseph’s Community Health Center - 632-5537.• West Side Community Kitchen Program: Free - 674-4335.• Social Development worker on site to answer questions, Tues afternoons 1- 3 pm.

Page 6: Around the Block Issue 24

Page 6

By Brenda McCullumDid you know the food and yard waste you put into your compost cart is turned into valuable soil which helps nourish plants?

The Fundy Region Solid Waste Commis-sion built the Stephen Park Community Garden using finished compost. Lots of fresh vegetables have been enjoyed by residents.

Composting is the natural recycling pro-gram. All the food and yard waste you place in your compost cart is turned into nutrient rich finished compost and is sold for use in local gardens and lawns throughout the region, producing beautiful crops like the one in this photo. Visit www.FundyRecycles.com or call 738-1212 for details on how you can compost.

Summer Compost Tips:• Wrap meat, bones & shellfish in newspaper before placing in your bin.

• Using newspaper to line your small compost bin will help keep odours down.

• Rinse out your cart after it has been emptied.

• Remember all leaves and yard waste must be collected as compost. Leaves and yard waste will not be picked up if they are in the garbage.

By Mary Saulnier - TaylorCoverdale Centre for Women Inc. takes pride in being part of the Waterloo Village Neighbourhood. Recently we had two ladies assisting the Cen-tre in starting a garden in the backyard. Although it is a small area a wonder-ful thoughtful plan was created to form a colorful addition to our out-door living area. One lady worked hard at cleaning and designing the garden while the other lady added a personal touch by hand painting rocks with inspiring words. The garden is enjoyed by all who visit and is a welcoming place to sit and relax. The goal of the Centre is to continue encouraging ladies to participate and incorporate their ideas for the rest of the yard. The garden’s im-portance was quoted best in one lady’s words, “It’s hard not to smile even on a bad day when you see beautiful flowers”.

By Valerie Collins with Penni Eisenhauer Valerie Collin’s work experience has been at a greenhouse and she wanted to find a way to give back to Sophia Recovery Centre for all the help she was receiving in building a foundation to start the healing process in her recov-ery. In the beginning the gated garden outside of the Centre was full of weeds, was overgrown, and had no flowers. Starting in May - June 2012 Valerie started bringing flow-ers donated from Primrose Gardens in Barnsville, NB, including cement blocks for the pathway and patio, as well as a Bistro/Patio set donated by Home Hardware.“As I weeded I was able to open up to the other women in recovery,” said Valerie, “and the women took interest in the project and this year I had lots of help.” A special ‘thank you’ to Brenda S. for continuing with the upkeep as Valerie lives outside of the city. Valerie would like to thank all the staff and her friends at the Centre for all their continued support, and the Centre for providing a safe home away from home.

VillageNeighbourhood Contact

Penni Eisenhauer 343-5382 [email protected]

Beautifying Sophia Recovery Centre

Coverdale Centre Beautification Project

News From The Waterloo VillageThe Waterloo Village Association has worked on projects this summer that have impacted the environment and beautified the neighbourhood. In June the association held its annual Neighborhood Clean Up and had 25 residents engaged and picked up close to 30 bags of garbage. Also, every year the association fills their planters with flowers donated from the SJ Horticultural Association and thanks to residents and com-munity partners the planters are weeded and watered. The Association also worked on getting several new garbage cans throughout the neighborhood which helps keep the neighbourhood clean and new crosswalks on Waterloo Street to keep everyone safe. If you are interested in getting involved in your neighbourhood the next meeting is Wed., Sept. 12, at 12 noon, 148 Waterloo Street. For more information feel free to contact Penni at 343-5382.

Beautifying Waterloo VillageBy Penni Eisenhauer and Bev BarwellThis year the Waterloo Village Associa-tion (WVA) beautified the neighbour-hood with flowers donated from the Saint John Horticultural Association. Bev Barwell, a resident of the neigh-bourhood, and I worked together filling the planters adopted by community partners: the Teen Resource Cen-tre, Coverdale Centre for Women, SJ Learning Exchange, and the Loan Fund. The community partners take care of weeding and watering the plants. The WVA takes pride in making the neighbourhood a beautiful place to live and continues to strive towards engaging new resident involve-ment. If anyone would like to know more information about the asso-ciation please contact Penni at 343-5382 or [email protected].

Compost Helps Your Garden Grow

Page 7: Around the Block Issue 24

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For more inFormation about:

PaLS (PartnerS aSSiSting LocaL SchooLS) and how you and your buSineSS/grouP can become invoLved, PLeaSe contact:

deborah FiSher 650-5116 or SuSan tiPPer 651-8941

Grand Opening Of Glen Falls Community PlaygroundBy Kate HeffernanOn the last day of school the students of Glen Falls School celebrated the grand opening of the Glen Falls Community Playground. The playground was brand new to the school this year. The Glen Falls Gar-den Club helped beautify the area around the playground and planted flowers around the school yard. The play-ground is a great addition to the Glen Falls Com-munity!

Pictured above: Kathy Young, Principal of Glen Falls, Steve Belyea andToby Bourque

of Base Engineering, and Lesley Dickson of Irving Oil at the opening of the Glen Falls

Community Playground.(Photo Courtesy of Kate Heffernan)

Centennial School Participates In Marigolds On Main StreetBy Caitlin CorkumWe were very honoured and excited to participate in Mari-golds on Main Street’s fifteenth year of planting! We were espe-cially excited because one of our kindergarten teachers, Cynthia Fleming, was recognized for her dedication to the Marigolds Project for so many years! The students worked so hard in the classroom making sure the mari-golds would grow, giving them lots of love and water (maybe sometimes too much) and then worked tirelessly planting all the beautiful flowers. This year the theme of Mari-golds was wellness, so the students got to try their hands (and feet) at Zumba, and before heading back to the school they worked their way through an obstacle course. The treat of the day, SNOW CONES, were just what everyone needed after a morning of planting.

HWSF School Plants Marigolds At The Regional HospitalHazen-White/St. Francis School partnered with their PALS at Horizon Health and planted marigolds together on Tucker Park Road, at the entrance to the Saint John Regional Hospital and UNB Saint John.Students had worked dili-gently in their classrooms for several months, tending to the seedlings they had started. The outing started with a bus ride for Mr. Trem-blay’s grade 4 class and Mme. Marr’s grade 5 class to the site, trays in hand.Our PALS had prepared the soil for us ahead of time and were also on hand to help with the planting and traffic control. The students had an enjoyable time planting their marigolds and the weather was perfect for gardening with friends.A walk to the hospital resulted in a surprise snack of fresh fruit and drinks and fun treat bags filled with summer goodies. We even had some time on the awesome playground while we waited for our bus. Thanks so much to our PALS at Horizon Health for all their hard work in preparing for our exciting adventure and doing the planting with us. It’s always fun to spend time with PALS!

Pictured above: Alicia Petersen and Marissa Carr

(Photo Courtesy of Krista Turnbull)

Prince Charles Students Get DirtyThe students of Prince Charles got their hands dirty and made things look beautiful at the school this spring! With the help of some fantastic volun-teers from one of our PALS partners, Wyndham Worldwide, the students and staff spent a sunny afternoon working in our learning garden, out at the playground, and down on our field making sure our grounds were in tip top shape. It was great seeing all our students with their gloves and tongs working alongside our volunteers, weeding our flower beds, picking up garbage, and making our grounds look pretty great! We didn’t think our grounds could look any better but just a couple weeks later we were proven wrong! Our students and staff paired up with our PALS at J. D. Irving Limited and many more of our volunteers and spent another sunny day planting marigolds as part of the Marigolds on Main Street campaign. Not only did our students plant over 50 flats of flowers but they grew them too! The students planted their seeds in March, cared for them every day, and watched them turn into big beautiful flowers! We had students who were planting marigolds for the first time and some who were planting for the ninth time! It was another fantastic day that ended with our deli-cious annual PALS BBQ!!! Thank you to all the volunteers, staff, and students who made Prince Charles a little bit brighter and added colour to Union Street!

Pictured above: Prince Charles students enjoy planting marigolds with their PALS

Marigolds At The PortBy Katie Heffernan, Community School/PALS Coordinator Glen Falls/St. John the Baptist - King Edward SchoolThis year the students of St. John the Baptist – King Edward School were invited to participate in the Marigold Project.

With help from the Saint John Port Authority, classes were given the materials to grow the marigolds in their classrooms.

Students were invited to plant their flowers at the cruise ship terminal on Water Street, just a short walk from our school.

The students were excited to take part in beautifying their community!

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The United Way serving Saint John, Kings and Charlottein partnership with Saint John Dis-trict Labour Councilinvites you to; Labour Day Family BBQ

Date: Mon, Sep 3, 2012. Location: Rockwood Park

For more information contact Ron at (506) 658-121Free food and drinks. Fun chil-dren’s activities sponsored by TD Insurance

The United Way serving Saint John, Kings and Charlotte. Invites you to our Campaign Kick-Off & Fundraiser

Date: Mon, Sept 10, 2012Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.Location: Delta Brunswick, BallroomTickets: $40 ($25 for non-profits)

Fall will soon be in the air. It's time to think about planning and planting your fall bulbs/flowers for your spring garden. To help you get started, Sea Belles' Chorus is holding a Vesey's Flower Bulb and Seed fundraiser. Contact any Sea Belles' member before September 10 to place your order. More information is available on Sea Belles' website ( www.seabelles.ca) or Facebook page. Go to Vesey's website (http://www.ve-seys.com/ca/en/about/veseys/fundraising) for a copy of the brochure and order form, then contact a member of Sea Belles to place your order. Not a gardener? Consider purchasing bulbs as a gift for friends or family for any special occasion! Fifty percent of all profits from sales will assist the Chorus to attend Harmony, Inc. International Convention & Contests being held in Orlando, Florida in November. Sea Belles will be competing as Area 1's (Atlantic Canada) number one ranked a cap-pella chorus. Your support by purchasing flower bulbs will be greatly appreciated.

The Canadian Red Cross has a number of free services available for seniors including Friendly Visit-ing, and Telephone Reassurance which provide social networking opportunities and help seniors stay engaged in their local communi-ties. We also offer free Transporta-tion for seniors who need to go to an appointment or run some quick errands. For more information on how to receive these services or for volunteer opportunities pertaining to Senior Services contact Alicia Quann at 674-6188 or by email [email protected] .

Free Services From the Red Cross

CMHA Fall ProgramsCanadian Mental Health As-sociation Saint John Branch is pleased to announce that we are accepting registrations for our fall education programs. Beginning on Wed, Sept 19, we will be hosting Mindfulness (Women’s) Program. This six-week education program focuses on the art of living deeply in the present moment. This is the first time we have offered this program, and we can’t wait to see the response.On Thur, Oct 4, our fall offering of Understanding Anxiety & Panic Disorder Program begins. This is an eight-week program designed for individuals who have been diagnosed with anxiety and/or panic disor-ders.

For more information or to register, please contact us at 633-1705.

Upcoming United Way Events

Earth Hour 2012

SJ Transit Wants Your Business:Immediate ChangesChanges for families: Up to three children aged 5 and under can travel free with an adult; $2:00 for every other child. Previous-ly it was only one child 5 and under.Changes for everyone: Transfers will be valid for 1 hour or the next connecting bus. Passengers can use their transfer at any bus stop going in the same direction along the route within the time limit posted on the transfer. Transfers will not be valid for return trips or any Comex bus routes.

Call For ParticipantsThe First Ever Y of Greater Saint John all Community Park Sale!

On August 25, 2012 the Saint John Y International Committee will be having The First Ever Y of Greater Saint John all Community Park Sale. Why a park sale? We didn’t have a yard big enough for a Yard Sale but we do have King’s Square.It’s the end of summer. You have left-overs from your own yard sales. You don’t have a yard. Why don’t you join us for The First Ever Y of Greater Saint John all Community Park Sale to finish the summer off right.

Some basics:• Date: Sat Aug 25. Rain Date: Sun, Aug 26.• $10 for a spot in King’s Square• $5 to rent a table from the Y of Greater Saint John. (We will have designated spots for anyone renting a table from the Y of Greater Saint John.)• The First Ever Y of Greater Saint John all Community Park Sale (Park not included) will be advertised to run from 9 am to 4 pm. Set up is at 8 am and FINAL teardown is at 5 pm. After 5 pm we would no longer have permission to be there. So… no dawdling.• Anyone who is part of the Greater Saint John Community is welcome• The funds raised will go to the Saint John Y International Committee for its International Projects.

Who to contact:Elaine MacDonald at 634-4937 or [email protected]. You are considered booked upon payment. Please book a table by August 17.

Sea Belles Fund Raiser

Earth Hour is a global grass-roots movement encouraging individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take positive actions for the environment by turning off their lights for one designated hour. On March 31, New Brunswickers participated in Earth Hour 2012 and saved enough energy to power approximately 15,000 homes which is also the equivalent to turning off more than 2.1 million 13 watt compact fluorescent light bulbs. Many communities around the province are al-ready holding annual Earth Hour events to celebrate their commitment to the planet. Take the lead and organize an event in your community – contact Effciency NB for ideas!

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Volunteers Needed For Bobby`s House

Volunteers are an important part of our care team and provide valu-able non-medical support services at Bobby’s Hospice, our commu-nity’s 10-bed palliative care home. If you are interested in working with our professional nurses and support staff to provide compassion-ate end of life support, then contact Hospice at 632-5593 or visit our website at www.hospicesj.ca for an application form. Our fall training program takes place Thur evenings from 5 - 8:30 pm on Oct 4, 11, 18 & 25. Applications are due by Sept 12 and all candidates must pass an intensive screening process and meet all of the qualifications and requirements of the position to be accepted into the training program. Those accepted into the program must pay a $50 training fee which is refundable when the volunteer completes their required 50 hours within the first year of volunteering.For more information, please call, 632-5723.

The Saint John Community Loan Fund is a small non-profit doing BIG things in the Village! Its third A$$ETS program is scheduled to start Sep 17. The goal of A$$ETS is to support individuals as they build the skills and savings they need to achieve greater self-reliance. We are looking for 12 participants who are interested in learning about many topics such as budgeting, cutting back and saving up, resumes, port-folios, goal setting, time management , values, and much more. THE A$$ETS PROGRAM is a full year program that will help you build some of the skills and the saving $ you need to get to a new place in your life is about. They will also be encouraged to save money; what-ever they save each month up to $20 is matched 3:1! At the end of the program, the participants will be able to use their savings towards goals like going back to school, starting a business or getting work!

To Participate in THE A$$ETS PROGRAM:You should have either:• Completed GED or high school• Or are Working towards GED completion You will:• Commit to 1 class/twice a month and once a month during the sum mer months. • Be able to save at least $5 per monthYou are receiving support from Social Development:• Financial Support• Health Card• Child Care• Other Support To apply for THE A$$ETS PROGRAM, contact your Social Develop-ment Case Manager for referral or contact the Saint John Community Loan Fund direct at 652-5601 or [email protected] !

Applications must be received prior to Thur, Aug 23, 2012.

Learn and Go - Working For Change

Are there any improvements or changes you would like to see in your neighbourhood? If your answer is “yes” then Learn and Go might be just what you are looking for!

Learn and Go – Working for Change is designed to help residents strengthen leadership skills, develop ideas for community initiatives and as a team, work towards achieving their goals.

Learn & Go workshops are scheduled to begin in September 24th. To learn more about this exciting program please join us for an infor-mation session on August 30th at the John Howard Society, 44 Peter Street. Everyone is welcome so bring along a friend!Morning: 10 – 11:30 amEvening: 6 – 7:30 pm

If you need help with transportation to attend a session please call Pat at 654-0942. For more information about past Learn and Go`s, please turn to page 15.

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By Clare NorthcottSafe Harbour Transitional Youth Services is being estab-lished in response to the identi-fied need of addressing Youth Homelessness in the southern New Brunswick region. There are currently an estimated 100 homeless and at-risk youth in need of transitional hous-ing in the Saint John area. The transition house operat-ing plan has been designed based on best practices from across Canada, and adapted to fit the community needs of the region. Safe Harbour will be a 10-bedroom house that provides an exit from the streets, parks, and other vulnerable situations. Safe Harbour will provide an emergency housing program as part of a youth-serving continuum in collaboration with The Resource Center for Youth (TRC), and The ONE LIFE program.Without the basic necessities of shelter, food, clothing and support that Safe Harbour can provide, it can be very difficult for youth to transition to an independent and rewarding life. Youth who enter the house are expected to stay for up to 90 days with the potential for an additional 90-day stay while they work towards establishing a place in society for themselves. The desired outcome is to provide youth with comprehensive, wrap-around services that give them every opportunity to be healthy, happy and contributing members of our community.

By Shaundell CurranFor the past three sum-mers, Teen Vibe has dedicated time and energy into beautification projects in Crescent Valley. This summer Teen Vibe has organized and participated in a number of fun environ-mental activities: neigh-bourhood walks, Claim Your Court Clean Ups, Environmental Scaven-ger Hunts, and Gardening. The youth of Teen Vibe take great pride in helping their community through their volunteer efforts. It’s the hope of all Teen Vibers that all residents of Crescent Valley will take a leading role in making Crescent Valley a cleaner place to live.

Beautification In Crescent Valley Promise Partnership Offers Lesson On Solar Power

By Kathryn AsherOnce a week this summer, UNB Saint John’s Promise Partnership holds Campus Discovery Nights, a science-based, hands-on discov-ery program. The program is open to Hazen-White/St. Francis middle school students and promotes excitement in science.

In July, Campus Discovery Nights students made pizza box solar ovens in order to learn about the science behind sustainable energy sources like the sun. Each student made their own solar oven, which they used to cook s’ mores on campus. Participants were surprised that such basic materials: black construction paper, newspaper, pizza boxes, plastic, and tin foil - could harness enough energy to produce a heat of up to 250 °F. After the session, students were able to bring their solar ovens home to share the science experiment with others.

For more information on the Promise Partnership, contact Kathryn Asher (648-5611, [email protected]).

Pictured above: Campus Discovery Student Alex Firlotte making a solar oven (Photo Courtesy of Stephen Stone)Safe Harbour Transitional Youth

Services Recieves $15,000 In Funding

Pictured above left to right: Danny Jardine presents cheque to Colin Mac-

donald and Rev.Paul Ranson

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Companionships Flourish Along With MarigoldsBy Megan JamesWest Side P.A.C.T. teamed up with the Carleton Community Centre and St. Pat-rick’s School in order to plant hundreds of marigolds for residents of the West Side to enjoy. P.A.C.T. met with and helped chil-dren from all different grade levels plant the yellow marigolds at the Carleton Community Centre. After the initial chaos, due to excite-ment, subsided, P.A.C.T members were able to sit individually with many of the children and speak with them about their thoughts on the environment. Keeping our environment healthy and beautiful were among the top priorities on their list – and P.A.C.T. couldn’t agree more!

Pictured above left to right: Hope Durant, Bailey Langille and Kayla McQuinn (Photo Courtesy of Krista Turnbull)

Cleanup Helpers Deserve A Cool TreatBy Anne DriscollCrescent Valley’s com-munity cleanup was a great success this year with the weather cooperating and many community helpers out and about.The students from Ha-zen White - St. Francis School kicked off the cleanup with a hotdog lunch provided by the CV Community Tenants Association. The students and staff then headed into Crescent Valley armed with garbage bags and gloves to help residents clean up the neighbourhood.

Thanks to ACAP, Department of Social Development, City of Saint John Leisure Services, AIDS SJ Needle Sweepers, HWSF staff, and Crescent Valley Resource Centre for their combined efforts to make the CV Cleanup another super community event.

Minister Announces Storytent FundingBy Cheryl BrownFor us, this year's Crescent Valley Family Funs Days experience was the best yet. With wagon pulls - and a wagon ride! - storytent, an imagination table for draw-ing and colouring, a mock jail with scrambled-word bail, and all the usual Fun Days events, all we needed was great weather. And guess what? We had that, too. We had about fifteen children join us at this year's Storytent, some regulars and some visitors, but all interested in spending qual-ity time in a shady place, relaxing with a good book.For Quality Learning New Brunswick (QLNB,) it was also a time to thank the SJ Portland MLA, Hon. Trevour Holder, for his announcement of $12,000 in provincial funding for our 10th year of the Storytent program.

Pictured above: On hand for storytent reading and the announcement were

QLNB Board members, Alison Gayton (President) and Heather McKend (VP),

pictured above with Minister Holder, Storytent Coordinator Cheryl Brown and

two young, avid readers.

By Mel BarrettThe Resource Centre for Youth is proud to share the new planters provided by the Waterloo Village Association! Taking pride in our community is important and so TRC and the Waterloo Village Asso-ciation are working together to beautify our neighborhood. It is the responsibility of the TRC teens to water and weed the flowers as well as pick up trash along the property. With the teens invested in com-munity projects and summer is in full swing here in the Village! The Resource Centre for youth has partnered with the Waterloo Village Association to beautify the neighborhood. Planters originally built by the youth, village volunteers and members of the Saint John Commu-nity Policing Program adorn Richmond street. Plants were provided by the city and TRC youth have volunteered to take care of the flow-ers for the summer. Youth at the centre love being involved with community and the hands on activity. And of course the greatest benefit is we get to enjoy bright beautiful flowers in our community all summer long! The flowers are in full bloom and bursting with colour so be sure to stop by and check it out!

TRC Beautification

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Valued SponSorS of around The Block

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Introducing Miss NB InternationalProud parents Rick & Sue Thomas are pleased to an-nounce that their beautiful daughter Amy Thomas of Saint John was crowned Miss NB International on May 19. Amy spent a fun filled week in Moncton, from May 12-19. During the pageant week the delegates had the opportunity to get to know each other while enjoying very busy days pre-paring for the event. Amy has been embracing her title. She has participated in Marigolds on Main Street, The Diamond Ju-bilee Luncheon at the Lily Lake Pavilion, St. Martin's parade (a BIG thank you to Liam at Brett's Chevrolet Cadillac), she has volunteered at Port City Days for the Saint John Boys & Girls Club, and has had the pleasure of attending a luncheon at Fort Howe Hotel & Convention Center with the Razzle Dazzle Dames Red Hatters Chapter.

Amy would highly recommend this experience to others For more information visit the website -missnbinternational.com. If you would like Amy to attend any events please contact Kim Rideout at [email protected] or Amy, Sue or Rick at 642-6706.

Acadie en fête à Saint-Jean le 15 août

For Beautiful CanadaCanada has a wonderful natural environment. There are lots of trees, lakes and clean air. When I came to Canada, I was amazed with those things and felt that Canada is a very blessed country. The more I live here; I think that there are some things that need to improve for the future environment.

Recognize the importance of the environment and try to maintain it. In many ways we control this such as; collecting garbage separately, using public transportation and so on. I think that charging expensive fines for people who don’t follow the rules is also a good way. The more electricity we use, the more we pay. That makes us save energy and can help preserve our environment.

Canada has a great environment right now but it needs to pay more attention to the future environment.

Par Rahma KouraichVous êtes invités à vous joindre à nous le 15 août pour participer à la Fête nationale de l’Acadie et au cortège du Tintamarre. C’est aussi l’occasion de célébrer avec vos amis notre histoire acadienne, notre culture et nos coutumes.

Au cours de la journée, nous vous ferons découvrir nos danses et cos-tumes traditionnels, écouter notre musique folklorique, et déguster nos plats typiques.

Des activités pour tous les âges : films, cuisine, chants, musique, dan-ses, jeux, bricolages, maquillages, et déguisements, prix à gagner pour les meilleurs déguisements. Venez faire la fête en famille comme nous aimons la faire en Acadie. Appelez pour information: 506-642-4242

Joyful shouts of ‘’Vive l’Acadie’’ will echo through the streets on August 15th!

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Saint John Energy is proud to participate in environmental ini-tiatives that help reduce green-house gas emissions, lower energy consumption, and reduce waste. Saint John Energy recer-tifies annually for the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard, which assures our stakeholders that the Commission manages its environmental issues by implementing and following environmental best practices.During the past several years, Saint John Energy has promoted the environment through our ongoing actions such as implementing cus-tomer energy efficiency programs, benchmarking our environmental performance against the top quartile of our industry, and implementing a formal communication system to address all environmental concerns from stakeholders

Queen Diamond Jubilee Celebration

By Bev WilkensRecently, the Loch Lomond Villa celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with an afternoon of entertainment provided by the Health Art’s Society of Atlantic Canada. This “Concerts in Care” featured East Coast Music Award Winner Samantha Robichaud, violinist. The after-noon was enjoyed by residents, family and staff.

$6,000 For Energy Effienciency UpgradesSave ENERGY and MONEY – up to $6,000 available for energy ef-ficiency upgrades.

Worried about costly winter heating bills? Complete energy efficiency upgrades to your home, with the help of Efficiency NB and you and your family can be warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer AND save on your energy bill!Summer is the perfect time to start your upgrades. Join more than 21,000 New Brunswick homeowners who have made their homes more efficient. Call Efficiency NB at 1-866-643-8833 or visit www.ef-ficiencynb.ca/homes to learn how to schedule a Pre-Upgrade Assess-ment, the first step in making your home more energy efficient.

Through the Residential Energy Efficiency Program, Efficiency NB offers up to a $6,000 for energy efficiency upgrades. Average partici-pants are saving $1,000 annually on their energy bills. What could you do with an extra $1,000?

Environment Initiatives At Saint John Energy

Simonds Lioness Club Donation

By Bev WilkinsThe Simonds Lioness Club recently made a presentation to the Loch Lomond Villa in the amount of $5,000. toward the purchase of a baby grand piano for the new Nursing Home (Loch Lomond Village).

Pictured above: Velma Silkier-Martin (Lioness), Debbie Waters (President, Simonds Lioness Club), Cindy Donovan (CEO, Loch

Lomond Villa), Theresa Cormier (Lioness)

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Air EnvironmentBy Hansuk KimI want to talk about the air environment of Canada, as an immigrant. I come from Korea.My native country is polluted by rapid industrial development. There are many people in a small living space. Most Koreans reside in big apartment buildings. Before coming to Canada, I lived on the twenty-second floor of an apartment. Every day a lot of black dirt came into my home. I had to vacuum every day and then clean with a wet towel. If I didn’t do it, my feet would be black from the dirt on the floor.I’ve been living here almost seven months. I vacuum every day. How-ever, I don’t need to regularly clean with a wet towel. I think Canada has less pollution compared to my native country. It is important to keep the environment clean. I expect hybrid cars will spread gradually. This may help with air pollution in Saint John.

Do It ImmediatelyBy Suqing LiHuman beings utilize the resources and enjoy their lives. As they do, there are some consequences for the environment. As we know, we should protect the earth from now on. Let’s do the following:First, when we go shopping, recycle bags are more welcome than new plastic bags. Secound, when we go outdoors, we can take a bus or carpool. According to a survey, taking a bus to work can save as much gasoline as 40 cars! Third, in summer time, our clothes can dry in sunlight, not in the dryer. In winter, do not turn the heat on too high. Anytime when you are the last to leave a room or go to bed, turn off the lights.

We can create good things with constructive ideas. We can do small things with our lives that are good for the earth and good for the com-ing generations.

Past Learn And Go ChampionsImpact Of Learn And GoBy Penni EisenhauerIn the fall of 2009, two of us attended Learn & Go and developed a project to improve accessibility to the Carleton Community Centre. The nearest bus stop to the centre was at the corner of Ludlow and Duke Street, which made accessibility difficult due to safety reasons such as poor street lighting, snow removal, and walking distance for persons with disabilities.

A daily stop would provide accessibility to services and programs of-fered at the new Wellness Center, including the Food Bank and mother and tots program, and to volunteer opportunities at the Centre. Many people rely on the bus so services may not be utilized at the centre and resources could even be allocated to other areas. We had letters of support from residents, city officials, and community partners.

With our mentor’s assistance we worked with Frank McCarey, General Manager, Saint John Transit, and within three months the bus route included a stop at the centre.

Small Projects Can Grow!

By Particia Porter In 2009 our Learn & Go project was to have fencing installed around two hydro towers near our neighbourhood playground. Our small team of four worked on the project together and with the support of Learn & Go, our mentor Barry Freeze, and working with our potential partner, Saint John Energy, the two hydro towers were safely fenced in.

The success of our small project inspired a much bigger project: re-placing our old playground with a new state-of-the-art playground. With the joining of community and partners our small group grew larger and our dream of a new playground became a reality. In Oct 2011 we cel-ebrated the grand opening of a beautiful new Anglin Drive Playground with our community and partners!

(Photo Courtesy of Particia Porter)

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Around The Block Team (Issue 24)

Spotlight: Larry CollinsBy Claire AshtonLarry Collins has been happy, even when pulling overnight shifts and putting in overtime because he feels lucky to be working “lots of hours for good pay with good people”. While the workload at Delta’s Ban-quet Services is quite different from his background in carpentry, he gained a lot of the skills he is now using while working on the Fuel the Brain Program at the Saint John Learning Exchange, where he honed his food preparation and service skills, and his easy-going ability to work well with others in high pressure situations. Larry first met his future employer at a Catch the Wave to Employment event, where in between serving coffee and busing tables, he introduced himself to the HR Manager and handed her his resume.

Larry’s advice for someone starting on a new employment path: “When you’re in a new job, working with new products and tasks, don’t be shy to ask questions- just like with anything that is new to you.”

East Side Motivators Kick Off Summer Street Dance

By Diane ClarkeIt was a great day! On Sat, July 14, residents of Roxbury Drive and Reading Crescent celebrated summer in the neighbourhood. The chil-dren were thrilled by visits from Mill Rats basketball player Anthony An-derson, who started up a lively soccer game, and Miss New Brunswick, Amy Thomas, who painted fingernails and let the girls try on her tiara. Ernie Fillmore from Forest Glen YMCA piped out the tunes while Helen Bridgeo from Leisure Services led over 30 kids in some funky dance moves. There was a reading tent set up by Glen View United Church, with summer student Emily Thompson engaging youth in reading and games, and handing out information on the summer reading program at the church.

With close to 100 residents taking part in the barbeque and activities, it shows that this neighborhood knows how to have fun!

Pictured above: Helen Bridgeo from Leisure Services leading a dance with the kids.

(Photo Courtesy of Penni Eisenhauer)

Old North End: Wendy Barron-Belmore and Anthony TasconSouth End: Mary LeSage.Waterloo-Village: Penni Eisenhauer. Crescent Valley: Anne Driscoll and Ann Barrett. Lower West Side: Patti Kelly, and Jill Roberts.Proof readers: Linda Boyle, Anna O’Hara, Cindy Bishop, Mark Driscoll.Layout and Design: Chris Hopkins, and Juanita Black.Ad Design: Chris Hopkins. Community members: Carl Tricky, Lyn King, Amanda Maxwell,Kim Williams. Colin MacDonaldVibrant Communities: Cathy Wright, and Barry Galloway.

Crescent Valley Garden Celebrates 20 Years

Pictured above: Arial pictured of Crescent Valley Garden in 2011(Photo Courtesy of CV Garden Commitee))

By Karen Rodgerson with Juanita BlackIn 1992, in a deserted back yard, between MacLaren Blvd, Taylor Ave. and Patterson St, the Crescent Valley Community Garden was born. Residents partnered with the Department of Social Development, who cleared the land and delivered several truckloads of topsoil. After that, the residents went to work and the rest is history!

This year we have 19 families sharing 12 plots. For the next season we hope to expand our garden to allow more families the opportunity to grow their own fresh vegetables.

The CV Garden will be having it 20 Anniversary celebration on Tues-day Aug14th. Our judge from Halifax Seed will be on hand to choose a 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place and 1 honourable mention, in this friendly competition. Members will be hosting a barbecue at that time.

Candy MateoBy Staff of Saint John Learning Ex-changeCandy Mateo, a learner at the Saint John Learning Exchange, is an inspi-rational example of how showing up every day, working hard with a pur-pose and never giving up will result in success. She had passed four out of five GED exams, but the math exam seemed nearly unbeatable. Each time she returned to try again she’d say, “I’m going to work hard until I get this math.” And get it, she did! Our pride and the joy we feel with her are almost over-whelming because we know how hard she worked. We watched her shake off the disappointment, gather herself together and hit those math books again with a vengeance. Her determination and ability to stick to the task are an inspiration to us all.

*Around The Block is reprinting this story with the correct name. Our apologies to Candy.