Celebrating St. Patrick's
St. Patrick's Day is this Friday, but Ali, Jason and Ryan got into the spirit early by making themselves into leprechauns! Check out the fun and creative craft they made!
Board of Directors Profile - Diane Bourbeau
Introducing Diane Bourbeau

Board member since June 1999
Current position: Director
Past positions: President, Past President, 1st and 2nd Vice President.
 
Diane has always been an advocate for non-segregation of children experiencing learning difficulties because they learn differently or have different learning needs. Early in her teaching career she was given the opportunity to work with those children as identified in the existing school systems. They were grouped in segregated classrooms and labeled according to their assessed intellectual abilities. At that time students with severe disabilities were not enrolled in regular schools and definitely not in regular classrooms. As everyone now knows things have changed significantly in the past thirty years and inclusive education is seen as the much more appropriate way to develop programs for all children. Education needs to fit the child and not the other way around. 

In Diane’s years with Community Living Essex County she was able to continue being a part of this most important direction the broader community was taking. She has been proud to serve many roles in her many years on the Board. She know there is still much work to be done in improving life for the people we support and helping the broader community to include them in all aspects of community life. Her husband Brian, her daughter Andrea and Diane have experienced the benefits of working and living in an inclusive community for many years now and can only be grateful that they have.

  • Favourite restaurant food: Chinese
  • Favourite activity: Spending time with friends and family.
  • Bucket list item: Continually being updated!
Family Caregiver Event
At each of the three caregiver events that have been offered by Ensemble, families shared many of the same concerns:

What will happen to my adult child when I am too frail to care for them or I am dead?
This is an ever pressing issue for all of us. Whether we like it or not, our time on earth has a beginning and an end!
Please assist my family and all of yours as we put together a WORKABLE PLAN for the future.

Realistically, exploring all possibilities - caregivers, living arrangements, etc., will probably require four Saturday sessions. In the end we will be able to celebrate the creation of support documents/booklets, that we can share with our children’s future caregivers.

Shouldn’t we give our ID family member the best possible chance to live a life that we know they deserve, and put an end to some of our anxiety?

Join us for the first session, taking place on Saturday, April 1 at the Oxley Family Retreat Centre.
SAVE THE DATE
Oxley Family Retreat Centre
Saturday, April 1st
12:00 - 4:00 pm
RSVP NOW
Email Marilyn at:
First 25 registrants will be notified.
This is an ADULT only CAREGIVER event.
All things are possible together ENSEMBLE.

Marilyn, Ensemble Family Consultant and the Volunteer Committee
mgodard@ensembleunderstands.com or 519-776-6483, ext. 225
Notice of Virtual AGM and Call for Nominations
We will be holding our Annual General Meeting virtually again this year. This year the AGM is taking place on Wednesday, June 21 beginning at 6:30 pm. The agenda will feature the year in review, presentation of several awards, election of our Board of Directors, and presentation of the audited financial statements.

Please save this date and watch for registration information in the coming months.

The attached flyer contains the AGM invitation and the Call for Nominations for the Board of Directors. 
RUBY: Personal Safety and Assault Prevention Workshop
All women deserve the opportunity to increase their knowledge around personal safety and assault prevention. The workshops will provide teens and young women with intellectual disabilities with effective education to increase their understanding of personal boundaries, respecting yourself and your body, building healthy relationships and being able to identify various forms of assault and violence. If people have a healthy understanding of boundaries and positive relationships, the incidence of abuse and violence will decrease while a person’s self esteem and self worth will increase.

The next session of RUBY takes place weekly via Zoom from April 5 to April 26.
My Home My Choice 2023 - Windsor-Essex Affordable Housing Info Event
Register for the My Home My Choice 2023 - Windsor-Essex Affordable Housing Info Event, taking place virtually on March 21st at 7pm. Topics covered include the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit, the role of the Central Housing Registry and information about second units and renovations.

Visit the link below to sign up and see the flyer for more information.
Looking for a New Volunteer Opportunity?
Join Us as an E-bingo Volunteer!  
The funds Community Living Essex County raises through e-bingo at Breakaway Gaming Centre in Windsor goes a long way in terms of helping the children, youth, and adults with intellectual disabilities who we support. Did you know that we receive minimal government funding to cover the cost of transportation for people we support to stay active and get around town to work, volunteer, or participate in leisure activities? It’s possible for us raise up to $30,000 per year from e-bingo alone. This helps purchase fuel and maintain vehicles. But we can’t do it without volunteers.
 
How does it work?
It’s an easy way to raise money. Breakaway Gaming awards community charities funds when two volunteers work an assigned shift.
 
What does an e-bingo volunteer do?
It’s a two hour shift at the Breakaway Gaming Center in Windsor where the volunteers welcome e-bingo participants, then walk around the gaming area, checking if players need anything, and keeping the gaming area neat and tidy. It may not be the most exciting volunteer opportunity, but it certainly makes a difference in the lives of people we support.
 
What is required of a volunteer?
A short online training course must be completed prior to volunteering. A Community Living Essex County golf shirt will be provided and dark pants and closed-toe shoes must be worn. You must provide your own transportation to the gaming centre but Community Living Essex County will provide a $25 gas card as a token of our thanks and appreciation.
 
Consider giving your time to help us maximize this very generous opportunity provided by Breakaway Gaming and to raise some much-needed money to help cover the cost of transportation for the people we support.
 
To find out more, please contact Tony DeSantis, Manager, Community Relations and Resource Development at 519-776-6483 ext 246 or tony@communitylivingessex.org
We Are Hiring and We Need Your Help!
Lots of Socks
World Down Syndrome Day
Free P4P Webcast - Strategies for Employment: Preparing, Finding and Retaining Work
The world of work can be an important and meaningful way to build a good life. If you have a loved one with a disability who has employment-focused goals, then this webcast is for you! 
 
Join Partners for Planning to hear from job developers who will discuss strategies that can support people who are preparing for employment or currently searching for job opportunities. The webcast will also look at ways people can continue to expand on their employment goals even if they already have a job.
 
Topics covered include:
  • Is employment a good fit for your loved one?
  • Key considerations for managing expectations and setting realistic goals;
  • Tips for preparing and navigating the job-seeking process;
  • The role of a job developer and employment agency;
  • Strategies for selecting the right professionals to join your team;
  • The role of families in supporting employment goals for loved ones with a disability.
 
This webcast will also include a live Q&A with the panelists.

The P4P webcast takes place Wednesday, March 22nd at 7pm.
Individualized Funding Coalition for Ontario:
 An Invitation for Conversation and Collective Action
NOW IS THE TIME! The Individualized Funding Coalition is inviting people to meet virtually to begin first steps for conversations and collective action. Take a look at the flyer above for more information about the Now is the Time event on March 23, 2023.

If you have not read the Now is the Time paper it can be downloaded at the link below. If you need help with reading the paper, please ask someone to read it over and share the information with you.

To learn about this event and to download the Now is the Time paper visit: https://individualizedfunding.ca/

Sign up for the virtual event at: https://forms.gle/mLWkTedaj4cgFYWx6

The Individualized Funding Coalition for Ontario supports the self-determination of persons with disabilities. They believe in all people having control over decisions concerning where they live, with whom they live, with whom they associate and how they spend their lives.
Dark Skies Night at Point Pelee National Park
On the nights listed below, the park will be open until midnight for the best stargazing experience. Bring your binoculars or a telescope! As a Dark Sky Preserve (DSP), Point Pelee National Park is committed to protecting the night time environment from the effects of artificial lighting. Educating visitors about the ecological and cultural importance of dark skies are key elements of the DSP program. Protecting the dark sky of Point Pelee will not only benefit stargazers, but wildlife as well. Many plants, animals and insects rely on the darkness of the night to forage, breed and navigate. These activities are adversely affected by light pollution.

Explore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night. Visitors can pick up a seasonal star chart at the front gate upon arrival. The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.

  • March 18, 2023
  • April 22, 2023*
  • May 20, 2023
  • June 17, 2023*
  • July 15, 2023
  • August 11, 2023* [The park will stay open all night August 11 to August 12 (Open at 6 am August 11, close at 10 pm August 12)]
  • September 16, 2023
  • October 14, 2023*
  • November 18, 2023
  • December 16, 2023*

*Hosted by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – please check at the entrance kiosk for the location of programming in the park.

Dark Sky Viewing Tips:
  • Check the weather before heading out.
  • Take along a star chart or download a star gazing app, and bring a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
  • Use red cellophane over your flashlight. Red light is less obtrusive than traditional white light, and helps to retain your night vision.
  • West Beach and the Visitor Centre parking lots are the best car-accessible stargazing locations.
Spring Fling Vendors Market
Spring is just around the corner! Visit the Spring Fling Vendors Market and browse the many vendors participating.

The market takes place from 9:30am-3pm on Saturday, March 18 at the Hellenic Cultural Centre in Windsor. Lunch will be available from 11am to 3pm.
Positive Thoughts
Binge Worthy TV
Instant Dream Home
A team of rapid-fire renovators takes big risks to transform families' homes from top to bottom in just 12 hours! The show follows a huge crew that secretly goes into a home and renovates it as a surprise for the very deserving owners. One season is currently streaming on Netflix.
Recipe of the Week
Toasted Coconut Cream Pudding
A delicious cross between coconut cream pie & banana pudding, with layers of creamy coconut pudding, vanilla wafers & toasted coconut. This yummy dessert will transport you to a tropical island without leaving your house!
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Weekly Poll Question
It's March Break this week! Did you go away?
I'm relaxing on the beach right now!
I hit the slopes with my skis or snowboard.
Nope, just another week for me!
Poll Results
St. Patrick was originally associated with what colour?
Green ~ 65.7%
Yellow ~ 17.1%
Blue ~ 17.1%

The correct answer is blue.