AUGUST 2014

HOMELESS IN NORTHUMBERLAND 8/24/2014

This post by Green Wood Outreach Worker, David Sheffield, earlier this week reflects the frustration of meeting people who have fallen through the cracks in our community, and are most at risk. This conversation that has started, we hope, will lead to some people who have been forced outside, coming indoors.

This cat and it's owner are homeless in Northumberland at the moment. The cat is staying at a shelter that provides food, water, support and a comfortable bed. The human is 'sleeping rough'* in our community, having been disqualified from receiving any sort of emergency shelter.

While I was making calls and visiting police stations on behalf of this person today, I was approached by another individual, also disqualified from any form of emergency shelter, also 'sleeping rough' in our community.

Incidentally, there is no appeal process if one is disqualified shelter.

I know it's summer and these people are not likely to die overnight (unlike the individuals I wrote about in February), but where is the justice, the compassion for our neighbours. And I have to ask, "will this problem be solved before winter?"

Northumberland is proud of it's reputation as a friendly, safe, caring community. But I have to question the press release when I encounter individuals who ( in spite of their being disabled, poor, injured, bullied, abused and pushed aside) are being treated as if they were criminals.

A measure of a community's values is how it treats its most vulnerable citizens.

Northumberland County, your grades are low today!

I'm glad that the pets are finding shelter, but when will the same concern extend to humans in our community.

'Sleeping rough' is the most extreme form of homelessness. It means living on the street or in alleys, beside garbage bins, in public spaces, sheltered over heating ducts or in any other place not meant for human habitation. It is usually a last resort for homeless people.

IMAGINATE THE POSSIBILITIES 8/15/2014

We will announce details for IMAGINATE 2015 very soon, but as a primer, our friend Andy Frank has produced this clip of highlights from IMAGINATE 2014 , last February.. Thanks to Andy and to each of the presenters at last year's inaugural event!

GREENS & WOODS THANKS... 8/12/2014

Greens & Woods Golf Tournament 2014 was brilliant day, from plenty of sunshine to great friends and delicious food. Thanks to organizers, Jeff Bray and Amelia Sheffield for their hard work, and to each volunteer that contributed their effort toward making the day a huge success.Staff of Port Hope Golf & Country Club were outstanding hosts. A special thanks to our Signature Sponsor, Cameco for their great support. Thanks, also to our Hole Sponsors: The Social Luke Despatie & The Design Team Integracheck Norpack Handling Holton Flowers Mom 2 Mom Boutique & Consignment Trenholm Parker, RE/MAX Ganaraska Animal Clinic Millstone Bread Ganaraska Art & Framing Frank's Pasta & Grill Bray Construction The Ross Family

Thanks also to our prize donors: Pangaea Restaurant, Toronto and Marriott Bloor Street, Toronto. Queenie's Bakeshop, Black Beans Steakhouse & Lounge,Trattoria Gusto, Furby House Books, Olympus Burger, Faun Boutique & Salon, Mad Monkey, Kenneth Bell, Tim Horton's, My Bark Avenue,The Social.

READY TO ROLL 8/10/2014

The sun is up this Sunday morning and we are looking forward to a beautiful and fun time at today's 'Greens & Woods Golf Tournament' at Port Hope Golf and Country Club. We'd like to offer a huge thank you to each person who has committed time to making this event happen and support us through the day (there are some surprises yet to unfold). Thank you also to our hole sponsors and to our signature sponsor, Cameco.

We'll post some photos here and at our Facebook group (Green Wood Coalition) after the fun dies down.

JULY 2014

'GREENING' ART EXHIBITION IN COBOURG 7/9/2014 Fine coffee and chocolate for the palette, and art for the soul: the Green Wood Creative Arts Group is displaying work at Harden & Huyse Coffee throughout July. It’s a lovely place to linger over a cuppa and check out the bold, colourful work of the Green Wood artists. The Green Wood group meets weekly in Port Hope, to learn skills, techniques, and explore new art media with local artists. The focus of the show’s work is mixed media, a combination of drawing, collage and painting. A series of fanciful birds are light and humorous, while other pieces combine vintage images with layers of colour. Port Hope artist, Heather Roy, curated this exhibition. For the group, art making offers an opportunity to create works that are expressive and affirming. The friendships, acceptance and encouragement the artists offer to each other are an important part of the whole experience. The Green Wood Creative Art Group has been meeting for five years, and has had such local artists as Hilda Van Netten, Alice VanderVennan and Susan MacDonald devote their time and skills to lead the group. David Sheffield, Community Outreach Worker for Green Wood Coalition, facilitates the art group, and begins each session with a poem or reflection, to help the group focus. Some sessions are devoted entirely to the written word, and poets like Rick Webster, Cliff Bell-Smith and Carol Anne Bell-Smith share their skills in writing poetry. The exhibition continues through the month of July at Harden & Huyse, 201 Division St., Cobourg. An opening event will be held on Thursday, July 17 from 4-6 P.M. where many of the artists will be present.

GREG PAUL: REDEFINING COMMUNITY 7/5/2014

Recently, a message of hope was brought to Port Hope, at an evening hosted by Green Wood Coalition, at St. Mark’s Parish Hall. Greg Paul, a founder of the Sanctuary community in Toronto, spoke about building a place where street involved folks can find safety, dignity, joy, family, and an opportunity to give back to society.

From its beginnings as a few musicians chatting with street people, Sanctuary grew to its current community of around 600, with a staff of 18 who are dedicated to building a foundation in those whose lives have been decimated by misfortune. A drop-in for those who live in the street, in shelters or other temporary and precarious arrangements creates a place where folks can gather, share meals, make art, work, and feel at home.

The most powerful and hopeful theme that recurred throughout Greg’s presentation, was that people who have a lot, need people who don’t have a lot, just as much as those who don’t have, need those who do.

When one participant remarked to Greg, “You are a very special person, to do this work," Greg countered that we are all made for this relationship building, connecting with our neighbours, and caring for each other. He relayed how important it is for stakeholders to come and be served by the street involved people, to visit and get to know some of the individuals who are part of the community at the drop-in.

Remarkably, Sanctuary is largely funded by private donation. This allows the organization to operate without the usual slavish dependence on grant formulas that become narrowly driven number goals. When asked “What does success mean to your organization?”, Greg responded that the goals are measured by the stories of individuals who have found some healthy connection to others in their lives, relationships that allow them to receive and express care, and proficiency in areas such as art-making, cooking, organizing and assisting with day-to-day operations.

Green Wood Coalition is striving to build that kind of community here in Port Hope, and the efforts of a group of local people from very different walks of life is growing, as the hope spreads.

-Heather Roy, Port Hope

JUNE 2014

THANKS MEL AND JAMIE! 6/30/2014

It's the end of an era in downtown Port Hope as Mel Talbot and Jamie Talbot close up business at Randall's Office Supplies on Walton St. Their businesses in Cobourg and Trenton will continue to offer the same friendly, knowledgeable service that the Port Hope location was known for. As Mel and Jamie were dismantling the store today, one of the last things they took care of was a generous donation of art supplies to the Green Wood Creative Arts Group. Thank you so much, guys, and best wishes for what comes next.

SOLSTICE BLESSING 6/25/2014 A gathering of good hearted people in a beautiful location, under the longest sun of the year, made for a memorable Solstice Garden Blessing at the Green Wood Community Garden. Thanks to Sayed, Chris, Shari and Doug for their contributions. Special thanks to the Wolters family for their generous loan of the property where our garden is located.