PHOTOS: Tree-lighting ceremony commemorates Halifax, Boston connection
Boston and Nova Scotia launched a campaign to mark the centennial of the Halifax Explosion Thursday at the annual Christmas tree ceremony held each year in Boston.
“From the time Halifax sent Boston the first Christmas tree as a gift of appreciation for our help many years ago, we have shared this tradition that commemorates the holidays and the season of giving,” said Boston Mayor Martin Walsh in a news release Thursday.
The campaign to mark the explosion’s centennial titled “100 years, 100 stories’’ was launched by Premier Stephen McNeil and Mayor Mike Savage, who are visiting Massachusetts.
“There are hundreds of stories to tell — stories of survival, resilience, courage and friendship. This campaign captures those stories, and the ways Nova Scotians can commemorate this anniversary in the coming year,” said McNeil in a release Thursday.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1420962-photos-tree-lighting-ceremony-commemorates-halifax-boston-connection
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Give to someone in need this holiday season
Here are some ways to help:
Shelter Nova Scotia
Shelter Nova Scotia oversees the operation of six different shelters in Nova Scotia. This season they are looking for razors, deodorant, toothbrushes, new underwear for women and men, bus tickets, ground coffee, tea bags, sugar, and gift cards for grocery stores.
Adsum House
Adsum House is looking for new items for women, children and youth, including seasonally appropriate clothing, winter footwear, pyjamas, underwear and socks. Personal items that can be donated are hair straighteners, toiletries and towels of all sizes.
Gift cards are appreciated, especially for movies, Tim Horton’s, sporting events and concerts. Items for setting up apartments are also needed, including dishes, pots and pans, cutlery, can openers, toasters, bedding, blankets, coffee makers, microwaves and small televisions.
Hope Cottage
Hope Cottage has a short list of desired items. They are looking for warm gloves, hats, and dry goods for the kitchen such as coffee and tea. For the holidays they are assembling gift packs of toiletries and are looking for shampoo, soap, razors, shaving cream and deodorant.
Laing House
Laing House is looking for toiletries to assemble gift packages for Christmas and are asking for shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash, razors, shaving cream, feminine hygiene products, condoms and deodorant.
They are also hoping to receive bus tickets, movie passes and Subway Restaurant gift cards.
Margaret’s House
Margaret’s House in Dartmouth needs warm gloves more than anything, and says gently used, high-quality gloves are better than cheap but new ones.
They are also looking for any other type of warm clothing, bedding and blankets.
The kitchen always needs coffee, apple juice and margarine.
Phoenix House
They are also looking for warm winter clothing, backpacks, socks and underwear, items to assist in setting up an apartment, including kitchen and bathroom supplies.
They are also looking for baby items for young parents such as wipes, diapers, unwrapped toys and books.
Cape Breton Transition House
The Cape Breton Transition House is interested in receiving gift cards for a variety of shops, and for movies and Subway Restaurants.
They are also looking for gifts for young children including Shopkins and Paw Patrol toys. Toiletry gift sets are also appreciated for women and youth, such as Dove, Adidas and other common brands.
Hope for Wildlife
Hope for Wildlife is looking for food for the animals and accepts eggs and frozen fruit.
Gas cards for volunteers transporting animals are always welcome.
Bide a While
The Bide a While shelter has a number of items they use on a daily basis, including bleach, laundry detergent, rubber gloves, paper towel, glass cleaner, liquid soap, facial tissue, hand sanitizer, garbage bags and cotton swabs.
They also accept non-clumping cat litter, cat and dog beds, scratching posts, cat and dog toys, blankets, food and water dishes, collars, harnesses and leashes.
They can always use office supplies as well.
SPCA
The provincial SPCA accepts a number of items, as do the local branches. For items specific to the branch, check their website.
Most often, they are looking for office supplies, cat litter, wet and dry pet food, peanut butter, cat and dog toys, heating pads, stainless steel food bowls, and cleaning supplies.
http://m.thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1419760-give-to-someone-in-need-this-holiday-season
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A Little Good News Anne Murray 1983 - President Bush senior's favourite song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqUUQElQ8kM
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50 yrs of fighting kids poverty and want to weep-Child and family poverty rates are undiminished in Nova Scotia
Child and family poverty rates are undiminished in Nova Scotia
On
Nov. 24 filmmaker Nance Ackerman, right, expressed pride in Jennifer
Justason and her son Isaiah, who were the subjects of her documentary on
poverty Four Feet High.
©Wendy Elliott
KENTVILLE NS – As a society
we are not doing any better by the poor. It’s been another year with no
improvement in this province.
While
there was a slight decrease in child poverty nationally between 2013
and 2014, the child poverty rate in Nova Scotia remains stubbornly high,
according to the 2016 Nova Scotia Child and Family Poverty Report Card.
One in every four children in Kings County is still being marked by poverty.
The
report card was written by long time author Dr. Lesley Frank, a
sociology professor at Acadia University, and released today by the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS), in
partnership with Campaign 2000.
There
are stark differences in child poverty rates by community and poverty
rates vary by family configuration, Frank discovered.
Child Poverty rates are higher for indigenous children, racialized children, and children with disabilities. The child poverty rate in Eskasoni, for example, points to the extremely high poverty rates among indigenous children in Canada.
Poverty
is not just a measure of income however; she noted, it is social
condition that is manifested in a multitude of ways in daily family life
and is experienced by parents and children.
Child
poverty rates mirror Canada’s weakening commitment to social welfare
more broadly, Frank pointed out by looking at recent history, which was
typified by a reduction in social expenditures in the 1970s, a steady
erosion of social programs in the 1980s, and a persistent dismantling
of Canada’s social welfare system from the 1990s onward.
Stark
disparities of child poverty between communities are hidden when
poverty rates are calculated for larger regions as a whole, so this year
Frank set out some community rates.
Child Poverty Rate by Community:
Hammonds Plains - 5
Coldbrook - 11.3
Kentville - 25.8
Wolfville - 25.7
New Waterford - over 30
Yarmouth - 41.8
Eskasoni - 75.6
According
to the report card, Nova Scotia’s child poverty rate of 22.5 per cent
represents 37,450 children - or more than 1 in 5 children - living in
poverty in 2014. Nova Scotia has the third-highest provincial child
poverty rate, and the highest rate in Atlantic Canada.
“The
child poverty rate in Nova Scotia is now 24.3 per cent higher than it
was in 1989 - the year the promise to eradicate child poverty was made,”
said Christine Saulnier, who directs CCPA-Nova Scotia. “If this report
card had an actual grade it would be a failing one for our governments.
While it will be a few more years before the data captures the impact of
the new investment in the Canada Child Benefit, this year’s report card
makes clear that unless our governments address the broader structures
of inequality, we are not likely to see progress for our most vulnerable
children in the province.”
The
2016 Report Card’s data revealed: child poverty rates were still lowest
in the metropolitan Halifax (18.8 per cent) and highest in the Cape
Breton.
Poverty
rates varied depending on the family make-up and were higher for
children under six in Nova Scotia, where the rate was 27 per cent,
compared to 22.5 per cent of all children.
“The
data raises critical questions, the answers to which contribute to a
roadmap to eradicating poverty. Child poverty is family poverty,
therefore, what impact does a lack of affordable childcare have on
family income when childcare costs per month can equal the majority of
earnings of minimum wage full time employment?” says Frank.
“The
depth of poverty facing these families highlights the need to support a
comprehensive strategy to go much further than just reducing the burden
of living in poverty, but to actually lift people out of it,” says
Stella Lord, volunteer coordinator of the Community Society to End
Poverty-NS.
The
2016 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Nova Scotia: Another
Year, No Improvement is available for download at
www.policyalternatives.ca The Report Card uses the most recent data
available, which is for 2014. The national report cards and other
provincial cards are available at Campaign 2000’s website:
www.campaign2000.ca
Poverty is a problem we all share
NEW MINAS NS - The
2009 NFB film ‘Four Feet Up’ follows Jennifer Justason, her 10-year-old
son Isaiah and their family through a year in a New Minas.
On
Nov. 24, seven years later, as it screened in the village’s Millett
Centre, heads were shaking. Isaiah is over six feet tall now and a solid
student. His mother is proud of her minimum wage job, but nothing has
changed about child and family poverty.
As
Debra Reimer, who runs the Kids Action Program locally, told the
audience assembled to watch the film “it’s as relevant today. Why?
Because I’ve always felt poverty is a problem we all share.”
She added, “poverty is everywhere. It’s easy to ignore, you can not see it if you don’t want to.”
Filmmaker
Nance Ackerman explained how she was asked by the NFB to make a
documentary about poverty and how Reimer suggested Justason’s family.
“I’ve
never seen a more loving family,” Ackerman said. “Jen always pushed
education, marks, values. That was really important, but everything was
stacked up against them.”
Belinda
Manning, a board member with the Kids Action Program, invited a wide
variety of local politicians to attend the two screenings and stated
that the Kids Action Program has not had an increase in funding since
1997.
Those
in attendance threw around ideas to reduce poverty levels, everything
from a guaranteed livable wage to better social housing to more daycare
spaces for working mothers.
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Rita MacNeil' Shes Called Nova Scotia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUnRhsbObPE
Rita MacNeil' Shes Called Nova Scotia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUnRhsbObPE
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Valley residents pack almost 3,000 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes
Kings
North MLA John Lohr and logistics coordinator Paris Chute prepare to
help load a truck with 2,983 Operation Christmas Child boxes. The gifts
will be given to children in developing countries as part of the ongoing
Samaritan’s Purse effort.
©Submitted
NEW MINAS, NS - Thanks to
the generosity of church communities and individuals across the Valley,
there will be gift boxes to open for 2,983 children in developing
countries.
Advertisement
Logistics coordinator
Paris Chute said the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox effort
has been going for many years now. This year, there were 18 area churches and
many individuals involved in collecting donations to fill the boxes.
Information is
sent to churches in advance and boxes are delivered to the various
congregations. An information pamphlet accompanies the boxes explaining what
sort of items to put in. Boxes are packed with items for either a girl or boy
in a specific age group.
“Everyone thinks
it’s just for Christmas but they get them throughout the year,” Chute said. “The
point is to give them a gift and to help encourage the children and teach them
about faith by delivering these boxes.”
Chute said items
include small toys, notebooks, pens, pencils and toothbrushes - anything a
child in a developing country could benefit from. The boxes are returned to a
regional collection centre to be shipped, this year the New Minas Baptist
Church.
Once loaded on a
truck, the boxes are taken to a processing centre in Ontario before being
distributed to various international destinations.
Chute said it’s
important to her to volunteer for the cause because she’s done mission work
overseas and has witnessed the poverty first-hand. It “really makes their day”
for a child in one of these countries to receive a gift like an Operation
Christmas Child box.
“I’ve seen how
appreciative the kids are of the smallest, little things,” Chute said.
Her goal is to
one day go on a mission with the Samaritan’s Purse organization to help hand
the boxes out.
“I think it
would be an amazing experience to be a part of that,” she said.
Some people put in
a note to let the child know that there’s someone in another country that loves
and cares about them. Others include a picture their own child has drawn.
“It’s really
neat seeing families come together to build these boxes for these kids and to
take joy in doing it,” Chute said.
She points out
that anyone can help; you don’t have to be a member of a church congregation.
Anyone interested can pick up a box to fill at participating churches,
including New Minas Baptist.
“There’s no
negative to it,” Chute said. “It’s helping kids in other countries.”
Kings North MLA
John Lohr was among the volunteers who helped load the truck at New Minas
Baptist on Nov. 21. He attends the church and said he tries to help out with
the Operation Christmas Child effort in some form every year.
He said it’s
become part of Christmas for him to help ensure that girls and boys in
developing countries have something to open.
Evangelist Bob
Pierce founded Samaritan’s Purse in 1970. Franklin Graham, son of well-known
evangelist Billy Graham, took the helm of the organization about a year after
Pierce’s death in 1978.
kstarratt@kingscountynews.ca
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St. Joseph's Catholic Church - my church- #Homelessness Help-
Inn from the Cold needs volunteers for new season
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Kentville is
just one of eight local churches that shelter the homeless during the cold
months of the year.
Wendy Elliott
KENTVILLE – Anyone with no place to sleep in the Valley can find rest
thanks to volunteers and local congregations.
Eight churches
in the wider Kentville area are taking turns hosting guests as Inn from the
Cold goes into its ninth season.
Many have lost
jobs, suffered broken relationships or been marginalized somehow. Coordinator
Cyndi Southall recalled last Christmas when a 76-year-old man, whose wife had
died, was turned away by family members.
“He arrived
good as gold on the 23rd with shoes on and soaking wet, saying he
was passing through on his way to visit his wife,” Southall recalled. “He
visited her grave and showed up again on Dec. 25 after his neice said she had
no room for him.”
John Andrew,
director of the Open Arms Resource Centre, has said in large part, “these are
not strangers. They are our neighbours, people from our community.”
Two volunteers
take on duties each night. Guests are escorted to each church by local police
after a safety check. They could come from as far away as Middleton or Digby.
Andrew remains
thankful that area churches were willing to partner with Open Arms to offer the
emergency shelter program. Most nights there are two or three guests.
Anyone who
turns up between seven and nine nights in a row, Andrew says, is directed to
the provincial community services staff for an assessment.
Over 200
people, aged 19 – 77, were accommodated at Inn from the Cold last season.
Southall says only a handful were female.
The shelter
began operation on Nov. 1 and continues until April 31. According to Southall,
just five guests have arrived thus far. They’ve ranged in age from 21 – 69.
She added that
guests can always use new socks and underwear, especially boxer briefs.
Inn From The
Cold shelter volunteers are always needed. Southall says they get on the
job training and night-to-night needs are posted on Facebook. A criminal record
check is required.
“The skill set
(called for) changes each night. It changes depending on the guests.”
Southall says
volunteers commit to a shift from 9:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. If no guests arrive
before 11:30 p.m. then the shelter closes.
She noted that
the three transition homes operated by Open Arms, which total 16 spaces, are
all full and there is a waiting list.
Anyone
interested in volunteering can contact: c.southall@ns.sympatico.ca, check
out the Inn from the Cold Facebook page or call 902-670-2201.
Did you know?
The eight
contributing churches are: New Minas Baptist, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic,
Centreville Baptist, New Covenant Community Church and Coldbrook Baptist share
Thursdays, Kings Presbyterian, St. James Anglican and the Open Arms Resource
Centre.
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Happy ending for Kentville Library
A crowd applauds Kentville Library branch manager Julie Johnson and
other friends of the Kentville Libary for raising almost $100,000 for
the new library renovations. (Contributed)
A local crowd-funding campaign for a local library turned into a crowd-pleaser recently.The Friends of the Kentville Library got a huge boost in fundraising efforts recently by winning the $40,000 first prize in This Place Matters, a national crowd-funding contest sponsored by the National Trust for Canada.
Funded by the RBC Foundation, the goal of the competition is to boost local projects that bring together community partners and community members to improve the vitality of Canada’s main streets.
But their participation in the contest actually raised a total of $97,000 when the crowd-funded portion was added on.
“It’s pretty stellar!” said Rachel Bedingfield, the Town of Kentville’s director of parks and recreation.
“The Friends of [the] Kentville Library did an amazing amount of work to get all the votes in,” she said.
The new Kentville Library, which will be housed in the former United Church on Main Street, was one of eight projects competing nationally for six weeks. Money raised through the crowd-funding portion of the contest amounted to $57,000 and for every dollar raised equaled a vote. Votes could also be submitted online and the number of those from the community also figured in determining the winner.
“We actually received more individual votes than any other project across Canada, including the cities with much larger populations than Kentville,” said co-organizer Kate Collins.
Rather than relying on Internet mobilization, organizers for the online campaign had to really reach into the community for support, said Collins.
“There was so much community involved in raising awareness,” said Collins. “Local businesses also stepped up with donations.”
Sarah Leslie, acting chair of the group, is a teacher and had her students voting.
“She also did a lot of work to get other schools to participate in the voting drive,” said Collins. “We had our name on electric signs, we had posters in downtown shop windows, the local radio station was making announcements, a coffee shop made sandwiches named for us, the electronic signs all around town were displaying our message, the announcers at hockey games were giving us shout outs. The knitting group that meets at the library donated their products to sell for us, seniors took up a collection.”
“It was pretty fantastic!”
In addition to a fundraising barbecue and bake sales, Leslie and Collins had a booth set up at the Pumpkin Walk in Miner’s Marsh to hand out “get out the vote” flyers to some 4,500 people who came out, as well as selling T-shirts and flashlights.
They also made Unicef-style donation jars for trick or treaters on Halloween night.
Being friends of a library, the group also did some reading-themed events.
“We had an event at Wayfarer’s Pub similar to the CBC Grownups Read Things they Wrote as Kids that was a great night,” said Collins.
“And we had some local authors read at the bake sale.”
Collins said they also sold merchandise online throughout the competition with the society’s new logo that emphasizes the “Love My Library” slogan.
“We are so proud of this monumental achievement and thrilled beyond belief for how this will benefit our community,” said Mayor Sandra Snow.
One Thursday morning in mid-November, volunteers and community members gathered to get the news via the ringing of the church’s bells.
“We got the call Wednesday and wondered how we could tell people the good news,” said Collins. “So we asked them to gather at the church on Thursday and listen for the bells to indicate whether we won or not.”
A ‘lite’ version of the library is already in operation in the church basement until the full-scale one opens in the historic renovated church in February 2017.
With funding agreements in place between the town and the Municipality of Kings County, and the Town of Kentville contributing annually to its operation, Bedingfield confirmed they already had the funding to finish the renovations, purchase shelving, technology and the basics for the library.
Also in the works is a federal grant to help build an accessible washroom.
“The money from this win and what we raised is going to help make our library inspirational,” she said. “Emails are flying around with all kinds of ideas.”
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