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| Rotary
Cheshire Homes (RCH) is the only barrier free independent
living residence for persons who have acquired the
disability of Deaf-Blindness in North America. |
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| JuneFest
2008: Thanks to everyone who participated |
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 The
6th Annual JuneFest event was held on Wednesday June 18th,
2008 at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto.
Hosted by Rotary Cheshire Homes and the
Canadian Helen Keller Centre, this year’s event proved to
be a tremendous success with an estimated 2,000 people in
attendance. Attendees included members of the local community,
deaf-blind consumers, service providers, etc.
The day turned out to be nice, cool for mid
June, but luckily the rain held off. Events and activities
continued throughout the afternoon, including an art competition
won by a grade 5 deaf-blind student from the Davisville
School for the Deaf; an M&M Meat Shops sponsored BBQ, performances
by the Wonderful World of Circus, Silent Auction, live music,
magic, and many more fun and exciting activities.
Our 3rd annual ebay auction which ran alongside
of JuneFest during the week of June 16th - 23rd, was also
a great success and a lot of fun.
JuneFest is the largest single public
awareness event focussed on deaf-blindness in Canada. This
event is, in part, made possible by donations received from
approximately 150 private companies, a grant from the City
of Toronto and the help of volunteers from Xerox.
Special
thanks to the JuneFest organizing committee, volunteers,
donors and participants who all contributed to another successful
JuneFest event.
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All programs and services are funded by the Ministy
of Community and Social Services
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| 2nd
Intervenors Training Symposium a Great Success |
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The
Deafblind Coalition of Ontario hosted the 2nd Intervenor
Training Symposium from February 20th to 23rd, 2008 at Deerhurst
Resort in Huntsville.
With a sold-out crowd of over 250 people,
the symposium provided a wealth of information about the
field of acquired and congenital deaf-blindness and Intervenor
Services, offered plenty of networking opportunities and
even the chance to have a good time.
Highlights of the symposium included
opening remarks from Minister of Community and Social Services
Madeleine Meilleur, improving your people skills with Bill
and Barb Johnston, workshops on ethics, Usher Syndrome,
CHARGE Syndrome, privacy legislation, social role valorization,
deaf-blind seniors and understanding deaf and hearing cultures
to name just a few.
Presentations
by consumers also proved to be a big hit. For fun, delegates
also attended Deerhurst’s own Canada Rocks concert and participated
in the “Rock the Stars” banquet. The symposium ended with
Paul Huschilt’s Seven Humour Habits for Workplace Wellness.
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For Conference Materials.
click on symposium brochure
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| Proud
to Join the LCI Global Alliance |
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 Rotary
Cheshire Homes is pleased to become a member of the Leonard
Cheshire International (LCI) Global Alliance. The goal
of this alliance is to bring together all of the Cheshire
affiliates from around the world, providing them with
an opportunity to participate in something much larger.
Since Canada is such a big country,
and most of Canada’s Cheshire agencies are in Ontario,
an Ontario group has been formed and will be represented
in the Global Alliance by the Ontario Council. Judi Fisher,
a long time Cheshire advocate, is the Chair of the Ontario
Council and will represent Ontario affiliates at all LCI
world meetings.
RCH looks forward to a global partnership
with LCI as an Ontario member of the newly formed Global
Alliance.
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Leonard
Cheshire Disability
Through international partnerships, Leonard
Cheshire Disability works with affiliates in
52 countries, forming a Global Alliance.
Together Cheshire organizations run over 250 programs,
providing support for everyday living and programs in
education, livelihoods, health and rehabilitation.
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| The
HOT Wire: Volume 6 |
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RCH is pleased to present the sixth
edition of our in-house publication, The HOT Wire. This
newsletter connects deaf-blind consumers living in the
community, tenants at RCA, intervenors, volunteers and
board members.
The
HOT Wire is available in print, Braille, by email and
on our website to ensure access for all members of the
community.
To download the The HOT Wire, please go
to our Resources section where editions of the publication
are archived.
Please take a few moments to read this excerpt
from our most recent issue profiling RCA tenant Tom Entz.
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Consumer Profile - Tom Entz
My name is Tom Entz. I was born
in Magrath, Alberta on March 14, 1954. I lived on
the New Elm Colony farm. The farm had lots of sheep
in fields and down the hill there was a pig barn.
Up from the school there was a big old
cow barn with milk cows. At the farm I worked in the
large vegetable garden. The garden was dry so we put
in a pump that would spin water into the garden.
When I was a very young boy I went
to an old kindergarten school from 8am to 2:30pm.
I remember the tables were very small and long and
a young lady would bring the children food from a
big kitchen. When I was 6 years old I went to German
school and when I was 7 years old I went to an English
school. From 1967 to 1971 I went to an oral school
for deaf children in Portland Oregon.
In October 1974 my family moved
to Ontario to a Community farm where I lived in a
house with my mother, father and 6 brothers. We moved
again to a different Community farm in 1980. On the
farm I made fences every day for 11 years. Every winter
I would work in the bush picking up posts and big
post anchors for the fences. I worked very hard! In
the winter the bush was very cold with lots of snow
and wind. I quit fencing in 1986.
Soon after two ladies from the CNIB
came to the farm and taught me and my brother Isaac
every day.
I moved to Rotary Cheshire Apartments
in 1992. I moved because my vision got worse and I
couldn't see. I now work in the garden at CHKC that
has many different vegetables.
To download the most recent and
archived issues of The Hot Wire, click
here.
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"Spirit of Intervenors"
Symposium Photos
Dr. William Kimberling
Plenary Session
RCH Executive-Director
Cindy Accardi
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Canadian Helen Keller Centre
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Donate to RCH online
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Registered
Charity Number
121266423RR0001
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Rotary
Cheshire Homes Inc.
101-422 Willowdale Avenue
North York, Ontario
M2N 5B1
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