Last night was another great edition of our monthly Community 101 gathering at Green Wood's downtown location. If you haven't visited Community 101, it's an interactive series that explores ways of becoming a more healthy and vibrant community through caring for each other and seeking long-term change. Community 101 is an interactive series that explores ways of becoming a more healthy and vibrant community through caring for each other and seeking long-term change. 

A highlight of last night was a presentation by Christian Harvey, of Peterborough's Warming Room, about what he calls "transformative volunteering". He also talked about "relational practice" and the struggle to hold onto a human approach, in spite of pressures toward more efficient systems. "Efficiency demands results," Christian said, "and results are harder to show when we're working with people with more complex needs." We really need to have this guy back for another visit!

November's Community 101 is set for Monday, November 28 at 7 PM.

No matter how you slice it, our fourth Pie-Off with Catherine MacLellan was a delicious success that basked in an afternoon of autumn sunlight. This year's Pie-Off was presented in partnership with Cultivate: A Festival of Food & Drink, in downtown Port Hope. As with previous pie celebrations this was a sweet community fundraiser for Green Wood's work with those who are hungry, homeless and hurting.

​The lingering taste of fresh pie helped to balance hard work and tough decision-making as home-made pies were judged by a panel of qualified adjudicators. 

P.E.I. (that's pie misspelled) singer/songwriter Catherine MacLellan (a pie-baker of some reputation, herself) was quick to congratulate Katie Flindall, winner of the competition's top prize 'World's Best Pie' with her apple pie. Katie noted that she learned to bake such fine pie while growing up on the American prairie. 

Along with Katie Flindall (top left), Allison Casteels (top right) took the prize for 'Best 100 Mile Pie', while Alex Lang (lower left) won 'Best Gluten-Free Pie' and the trophy for 'Best Sweet Pie' was taken home by Andrea Kalil and Adam Gibson (lower right). Congratulations all!

The brilliant cast of Lions includes Neil Torrie and Derek Cunningham (pictured here in a scene from the play), Sarah Foord, Jeff Caine, Nick Storm and Jan Crane.

We recently had the opportunity to have a conversation with the play's writer and director, Dave Clark:

To Shut the Mouths of Lions is a broad swath of real life with all of its hilarity and painful moments. Did you feel personally vulnerable in the writing of the play?

"I am more open on the page than I am anywhere else in life. I find it easy to open up and tell truth on the page. My ego disappears when I write and all I want to do is tell truths. This play is not about me or my family or even really about anything I know. I just followed the characters around and they provided the story."

It must have been difficult to cast some of the roles, especially the central character of William McBride.

"I was very happy to get Neil Torrie because he has such a natural delivery on stage and he’s also likeable so that when he takes on an unlikeable character like McBride, audiences somehow don’t mind when he says cruel things and espouses despicable attitudes and beliefs."

What’s the impact you’re hoping for with this play?

"I am thrilled that my writing can be seen as something that might work to heal people who have been scarred by past events they had little or no control over. When we share communally in art that mirrors life, people feel closer to one another and that to me is the reason for writing, or acting."

You're mounting this as a fundraiser for Green Wood Coalition—what’s the connection there?

"I think in many cases the play’s action made people feel exposed about past events in their own lives – which makes it such a good fit for Green Wood. The Green Wood community deserves to be supported because the work they all do and the difference you make in our town is often under-appreciated."