Pickering FC
All Abilities
August 2022
Hi there everyone,

This summer has breezed by us - we have two more weeks left of our All Abilities Outdoor Summer program. We are now planning our Fall program in Pickering and at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab. We will be opening registration a little later this year - and hope to be able to confirm our program dates by the end of August, with registration opening mid September.

I can confirm that we will be facilitating the following indoor programming (dates, time, location and cost TBC)

  1. PFC All Abilities Jr Soccer, Age 5- 12
  2. PFC All Abilities Sr Soccer, Age 13 - 18
  3. PFC All Abilities Adult Soccer, Age 19+
  4. PFC All Abilities Learn to Train, Age 13+
  5. Holland Bloorview All Abilities Jr Soccer, Age 5-12
  6. Holland Bloorview Sr Soccer, Age 13-18

Tammy Lyle-Gravlev
All Abilities Program Coordinator
All Abilities Lucas MacIsaac Volunteer Scholarship
Today we remember Lucas MacIsaac, our All Abilities friend and dedicated volunteer. We celebrate Lucas’ life and the impact he made on our All Abilities Program and our Pickering Football Club. To honour Lucas, we have established the All Abilities Lucas MacIsaac Volunteer Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to 1 - All Abilities volunteer each year, who embodies the spirit of Lucas. We are so happy to announce that our long-time volunteer Tony Hanna has been selected as our 2022 scholarship recipient.

Tony will be attending Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) this September and is interested in studying biomedical or mechanical engineering to help create and innovate devices which are easier for people with disabilities to use.

"Being part of All Abilities organization has taught me countless lessons and has overall been an incredible experience in my life" says Tony. “ I had the privilege to volunteer and play with Lucas MacIsaac in my first years of volunteering. Despite his own struggles, he inspired me to continue to help others through his compassion and enthusiasm he had for helping the children. His dedication and service helped to motivate me to push through the hard times and to remember that there are always people less privileged, and it is my job to always lend a helping hand".

We would like to thank the MacIsaac family for their ongoing support of this scholarship.

Congratulations Tony!!
Volunteers needed for our Fall All Abilities Program
Are you interested in volunteering with our All Abilities programs? We are starting to recruit for our fall season. Our tentative dates are: Saturdays, September - December 2022 8:45am - 11:15 am.

Why Volunteer?
The Pickering Football Club’s All Abilities Program is a unique program which offers children and youth with special needs a chance to have fun, make friends and get fit through the great game of soccer. We have grown to become one of the largest programs in Canada and are always looking for volunteers to join our program. You will receive specialised training and the opportunity to truly make a difference in our community. Join our team to help us continue to bring much needed sports programs to the many children  in our community who may never get a chance to play and have fun in a sports environment.

As a Volunteer, you will:
  • Work one-to-one with athletes, guiding them through the sessions
  • Work closely with other volunteers and instructors to learn how to be a great mentor and friend
  • Help set up and take down equipment
  • Demonstrate and help athletes learn soccer skills, physical literacy skills, and teamwork skills
  • Help athletes to make friends and have a great time!
  • SOCCER EXPERIENCE IS NOT REQUIRED!
  • Volunteers must be 14 years of age or older
  • Volunteers must commit to 80% attendance

Please register: HERE
Elliot's Walk for All Abilities - Your help is needed!!
We are excited at announce the date of our second annual Elliot's Walk for All Abilities. Save the date: Sunday October 2, 2022.

In conjunction with this event, we will also be holding and online silent auction. Do you, or some you know have items that you would like to donate to our silent auction (sport tickets, gift baskets, memorabilia) please email Tammy HERE.
Community Grants
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It’s budget time at the Pickering Football Club!! I am currently investigating additional funding sources to offset our programs fees. Last year, our registration fees were $340.00 per athlete/per season, but we were able to significantly reduce that cost thanks to our funding partners. 
 
Do you work for, or know of anyone who works for a company that provides community grants or donates funds to community organizations?? We are a non-profit organization and our program has a Charity number through the National Sport Trust Fund. Please contact Tammy HERE.
Logan Learns to Play
Author and illustrator Anusha Broekhuyse joined our PFC All Abilities program as a volunteer at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, assisting with our virtual soccer programming. She then brought her love of our program to the field and joined as an All Abilities Coach. 

We uncovered Anusha's amazing artistic talent which led her to write "Logan Learns to Play". She used her visual art skills to illustrate the enjoyment, fears, and challenges that youth living with disabilities face daily and hopes that this book will help inspire more children living with intellectual and/or physical disabilities to participate in sports.

“Logan longs to play soccer when he sees his classmates playing out on the field. Kicking the ball with his walker seems like a daunting task as he has grown up with Cerebral Palsy. When he is introduced to an inclusive and accessible All Abilities program, he finds himself surrounded by a community of friends, family and fun”!

HOW TO PURCHASE
You can purchase the book from the Pickering Soccer Centre or via Amazon Canada for $15.00. Shipping is extra.
To purchase from the Pickering Soccer Centre, please contact Tammy at 905-831-9803 x 207, or email her at  allabilities@pickeringfc.ca.
All Abilities Development Fund
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The Pickering Football Club’s All Abilities program has been offering accessible recreational opportunities to children and youth in the Durham area for the past 13 years. Today, we offer numerous programs year round at the Pickering Football Club and through our community partners in the Greater Toronto Area.

In an effort to provide future accessible programming, we have established the All Abilities Development Fund. In partnership with Sport4Ontario and the National Sport Trust Fund, we are able to issue tax receipts for all donations over $20.00.

Every child deserves the opportunity to participate in recreational opportunities that are fun, incorporates fitness and develops friendships. This holiday season, make giving back a holiday tradition. Consider supporting the Pickering Football Clubs All Abilities program.

Please click the button below to donate today. You will need the following information to process your donation:
Organization Name: Pickering Football Club
Project Name: All Abilities Development Fund
Project Number: 155
IMART Mixed Ability Rugby World Cup Tournament
By: Elliot Smith
Elliot is one of our dedicated Learn to Train athletes, who had an amazing adventure this summer that we are excited to share with you!!

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My name is Elliot Smith and I play for Oshawa Vikings Mixed Ability Rugby League. Mixed Ability is where you play on a team with athletes of all abilities so those that have disabilities and those who do not have a disability. Everyone is treated the same and it is a very inclusive way to play sport. I play as a prop, flanker, and hooker. I even learned how to tackle in a safe way. Recently, I attended and was one of the first teams from Team Canada to go to Ireland to play for the World Cup. IMART or the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament is a tournament where we faced off against 24 different countries from all around the world at Musgrove Park in Cork, Ireland. Our team stats were completely outstanding as we were 6-1 in the standings. We earned a 2nd place trophy as we came in 2nd place out of the 24 other countries who played rugby against us from all around the world as we also got silver medals in the IMART Tournament too.  I actually scored my first international try at the tournament which won us the game! I enjoyed scoring my first try as I got to “shoot the boo”t as my teammates started chanting “ooh-ahh shoot dat boot” as I got to drink Coke from another player’s dirty rugby boot – a long tradition in Rugby. It was an experienced of a lifetime that I will never forget. We are now starting to train for our next tournament which will be in Argentina and this time we hope to go and win the cup!
Jigsaw Casting
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Jigsaw Casting Ltd. Is seeking Kids, Teens and Adults, ages 4 to 75 for a YMCA Public Service Announcement in the GTA!

This is a campaign to promote the YMCA Greater Toronto charity. YMCA programs help people become healthier in spirit, mind, and body. https://www.ymca.ca

We are looking for Individuals to appear as YMCA members participating in various activities . We want to include EVERYONE in our community. All are welcome: every race, ethnicity, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. Ideally you are a YMCA member but it is fine if you are not. If you are interested in this campaign, please apply below!

Looking for the following roles:
1. Individual with a visible disability. Aged 6 to 65.
2. Kids diving/jumping in a pool. Age 6 to 7. must be a confident swimmer and can either dive or jump into a pool.
3. Youth shelter scene young adults - ages 18 to 24.
4. Youth shelter teen volunteers serving food - ages 15 to 17.
5. Teens in centre (basketball or TBD) Showing teens getting together/connecting through
sport/health. Ages 13 to 16. Have some experience with basketball.
6. Youths at day camp. Ages 7 to 10.
7. Virtual cooking class. Seniors ages 60 to 75. No cooking experience required.
8. Child care drop off. Mom aged 30 to 35 with her child aged four to six.
9. Immigrant service scene. Immigrant Individual or couple ages 35 to 45. Ideally you are Syrian, African, Middle-eastern/Persian, or Ukrainian.
10. Food bank scene. Youth volunteers ages 15 to 18.
11. Health and fitness scene in the gym, ages 40 to 55. Women fitness class.
12. Family Camp. Families with 3 to 4 members, looking for various families, including LGBTQIA+ parents with their children. Ages 6 to 50.

*Pays $500 per person, if selected for a one day shoot. $50 for wardrobe fitting. This is a non union PSA. Covid tests will be required. No previous acting experience is necessary.

Application deadline: ASAP or before August 15, 2022 at 9am EST.

You must be available for these key dates (in Toronto):
Covid Test and Wardrobe dates: TBD
Shoot Date: August 30 or 31, 2022.
*There will be no zoom interview. Will book talent based on their self tapes.

To apply, please fill out an application form online and upload your self tape to: HERE

Self tape instructions: HERE

*Production and talent will follow all COVID SAFETY ON SET PROTOCOL.
**Vaccination - All film crew and talent over the age of 12 must be fully vaccinated in order to be on set. Proof of vaccination required. Medical exemption is acceptable if proof is provided.
**We apologize in advance if you are receiving this email multiple times. If you have applied to many casting calls from us in the past, then you may be on multiple email lists. We send out casting notices based on past projects. Please email us at: info@jigsawcasting.com to let us know of this issue and we can resolve this for you as soon as possible. Thank you!
Flex for Access Gala Fundraiser
Flex for Access was founded in May 2015 as a Social Media Awareness Campaign, by Jess Silver, writer, fitness enthusiast and advocate. It is now a Non-Profit Organization for Cerebral Palsy awareness, and other disabilities and fitness and sport promotion. 

Flex for Access’ vision is to help societal perception of disability evolve, and to allow all individuals regardless of limitations, fitness level and interest, the ability to be engaged in exercise and sport.

Gala Fundraiser for Flex for Access
Date: Wednesday November 16th, 2022, 7-11:00 pm
Location: W Event Boutique, 177 Whitmore Road, Vaughan, ON L4L 6A7
Tickets: $75.00 each, click HERE

  • Light refreshments
  • Aerialists & musicians,
  • Canadian artist, Carmela Casuccio
  • Speakers from the sports and Paralympic world, as well as appearances by Radio/ Television personality, Elvira Caria and more!
  • Silent Auction
  • Children under 10 are free
  • Dress Code In Effect: Business-Casual. 

Follow @flexforaccess on Instagram and Twitter
Advocacy. Awareness. Empowerment. 
Thank you for our support!
Pickering Football Club
(905) 831-9803
PickeringFC.ca
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