Sept 24,2021

Are you glad the weather has changed for cooler temps or do you miss the hot weather already?

Although rainy days and cooler weather are here, we still have lots of activities and events planned for the fall.

You can check out the latest events on the Member Portal and manage your RSVP's online. If you haven't had a chance to explore the portal, you can still do so. Just go to the Account Setup link here, enter your information, and click submit. You'll see a Welcome page and can then access the portal.

The portal is continuing to grow as we add more content and we are looking for your input too! If you have some vacation pics you'd like to share or have any tips that helped you in difficult times, please send to us at info@widowedfriends.ca. Sometimes even a sentence or kind thought can help us manage our days.

Covid & Vaccine Updates
Ontario's vaccine passport - What You Need to Know from the CBC

Here's the link to download your electronic proof of vaccination Reminder - you will need your proof of vaccine and another form of identification to enter restaurants, stores etc.

If you need to get a Covid test, check out the new testing sites here
In other news.....
If you are a Microsoft user, you may no longer need to use your password. Check out what Microsoft has planned.

Check out Ocean Photographs of the year here!

How much water should you drink in a day? Here's advice from the Mayo Clinic.
September 15th, Salmon Trout Lake, Sunset
Photographed by JoAnn W
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Recipe of the Week!
The fall is the perfect time for settling in and enjoying a cup of tea and a butter tart (or two).

Huge thanks to Heather for sharing her grandmother's delicious butter tart recipe. Heather recommends either making your own pastry or using frozen tart shells, like Maple Leaf's frozen tart pastry.

Grace's Butter Tarts

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:
  1. Wash and scald the raisins with boiling water. Drain.
  2. While hot, add sugar, butter and egg. Beat well and add vanilla and nutmeg
  3. Pour into tart shells and bake according to package directions. Yum!
Upcoming Special Events!!
Wellness & Self Care
Ana Nunes Freitas, Wellness Care Manager & Educator, Acclaim Health, is providing a 5 part series from 1-3 on Thursday afternoons. We've already had two sessions but you still can register for the last 3 by RSVPing on the member portal.

September 30th- Wellness Coping Strategies
October 7th-        Building Resiliency
October 14th-      Self-Compassion

Note: We realize this conflicts with our usual 2pm Loss group. We hope members of this group will be able to adjust their schedules to join us at 11am on Thursdays instead, just for the duration of the Wellness series.
Carpenter Hospice - Join the Widowed Friends Team!
It's not too late to join the team or donate to Carpenter!!

The Widowed Friends team is hoping to raise $1000 for Carpenter and we're three quarters of the way there! If you'd like to join the team, we'd love to have you or alternatively, you can donate to the team site and help us reach the goal to help Carpenter!

We know many of our members have experienced the wonderful staff and caring support provided by Carpenter House for our loved ones. Please help support this great community resource! For more information check out the team site here! Note: the hike starts at 10:00am!

If you'd like more details, please contact us at info@widowedfriends.ca
Fall Fashions Are Coming!
Marlene Marco from Cabi returns on Tuesday Sept 28th at 6:30pm for a fall fashion presentation from Cabi on Zoom!

If you'd like to attend this fun and interactive look at what's new in fashion for fall, please let Penny know at events@widowedfriends.ca.


Dating & Rebuilding Your Life
Thinking about dating again, rebuilding your life and finding ways to discuss it all with your family?

Join us Monday Oct 4th from 6:00pm-8:00pm for an informal discussion about these issues and more with Carole LaTour from Acclaim Health.

Carole is a grief counsellor and has extensive experience discussing these issues as well as the pitfalls of dating, security and precautions to keep in mind with new relationships and how to deal
with family and friends as people go in new directions following loss etc

If you'd like to attend this special session, please let Penny know by RSVPing on the member portal and Penny will send you a zoom invitation.
Pizza, Pasta & Conversation!
Dinner on the Patio! 
Tuesday, October 5th @ 5:00pm

1860 Appleby Line, Burlington (Just south of Upper Middle Rd)

Please RSVP at events@widowedfriends.ca if you'd like to attend. Limited seating and social distancing apply.
Fables, Fairytales & Rhymes!!
Childhood fairytales are not just the stuff of fantasy!

Join Lianne Harris Friday October 8th at 3:30pm as she turns the pages of classic fairytales and Mother Goose Rhymes and illustrates how our behaviour,
attitudes, and values have been shaped individually and as a society by innocent bedtime stories.
September Calendar
Note: Virtual Friends events (VF) are on Zoom. In-person events (IP) require a signed Covid Waiver, social distancing rules apply and masks are optional.

Reminder: Please ensure that you are registered on the Member Portal to view and RSVP to virtual events. The newsletter will no longer list events after the Oct 8th newsletter.

Friday Sept 24th - 6:00 - 8:00pm - Hilarious Hat (or no hat) Day at Donna's (this event is full). (IP)

Saturday Sept 25th - 10:00 am Carpenter Hospice Walk (IP) Join the team!

Sunday Sept 26th - 1:00pm -2:00pm Travel Day to Japan! Send in your pics if you've visited Japan, so we can share with the group! (VF)

Tuesday Sept 28th - 2:00pm -3:00pm Social Chat on Zoom! (VF)

Tuesday Sept 28th - 6:30pm-8:00pm - Cabi Fall Fashion presentation (see description above) (VF)

Wednesday Sept 29th -6:00 -7:00pm -Bring a glass of wine or cup of tea
for a social and game of Name That Tune and entertainment trivia! (VF)

Thursday Sept 30th - 11:00 am-12:00pm Chat about Loss & Grief -Join us for a discussion of the grief journey and steps we can take to support one another. (VF)

Thursday Sept 30th - 1pm-3pm Third in our Wellness Series (see details above) (VF)

Thursday Sept 30th - 4:30pm Bingo! Join us for an hour of virtual bingo. Let us know if you would like us to email or mail bingo sheets to you. (VF)

Please let Penny know at events@widowedfriends.ca if you'd like to be added to the attendee list for an in-person event or if you have any questions! Please ensure that you indicate which event you are RSVPing for. To RSVP for Zoom (VF) events, pls use the Member Portal.

Penny sends out the link the day of the zoom for virtual events. If you don't have the link before noon and you've RSVPd for an event, please contact her at events@widowedfriends.ca and she'll send the link to you.
October Calendar
Sunday Oct 3rd 1:00-2:00pm. - Travel Day(VF)

Monday Oct 4th 6:00-8:00pm - Discussion with Carole LaTour - life beyond loss - see details above(VF)

Tuesday Oct 5th 2:00 pm - Social Chat on Zoom (VF)

Tuesday Oct 5th. 5:00pm - Dinner at Industria in Burlington. Pizza, pasta and good conversation. Please RSVP at events@widowedfriends.ca. (IP)

Wednesday Oct 6th -Bring a glass of wine or cup of tea
for a social and game of Name That Tune and entertainment trivia! (VF)

Thursday Oct 7th 11:00 am-12:00pm Chat about Loss & Grief -Join us for a discussion of the grief journey and steps we can take to support one another. (VF)

Thursday Oct 7th - 1pm-3pm Third in our Wellness Series (see details above) (VF)

Thursday Oct 7th - 4:30pm Bingo! Join us for an hour of virtual bingo. Let us know if you would like us to email or mail bingo sheets to you. (VF)

Friday Oct 8th - Lianne returns with a new presentation on Fairytales and Fables - see details above. (VF)

Note: After October 8th, please refer to the member portal on the widowedfriends.ca website for detailed event listings and to RSVP for events. You can access the member portal to sign up for your account using this link.
BINGO!!

Join us September 30th at 4:30pm for our next game! Please email us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com if you'd like to join us. 

Winners from the Sept 23rd game include:
Game 1: Donna
Game 2: Kris
Game 3: Leslie F, Pauline
Game 4: Margaret
Game 5: Donna
Game 6: Kris
Game 7: Chet
Game 8: Leslie F
Game 9: Pauline
Game 10: Pauline
Surviving the Pandemic
"You have to be a shark and a goldfish. To survive, the shark keeps moving forward — and the goldfish has a very short memory." - Mohamad Fakih, CEO/President, Paramount Fine Foods.