Keeping our valued volunteers informed
GM’s Corner
Christmas is exploding around the shop
The spirit of the season will help us to create space to show all of the amazing donations which have been provided to the shop. They may be hiding around the corner, or we may have a full shelf which provides the team space to set out all the nativity scenes that are
available. Or you may see a snowperson or two dotting the areas around the shop. Christmas music may not be playing yet but it will come soon enough. Wishing you all a wonderful extended Christmas season—I hope in this time leading up to Christmas you may find a carol sing, a local Christmas tree lot to wander through and smell the scents of pine or cedar, gatherings with friends and family or whatever makes you happy. The joy of the season is what we get to feel just a little bit longer than others because our times of joy begin earlier here.
Debbie Siertsema General Manager MCC Thrift & Gift
On behalf of the staff team here at MCC Thrift & Gift, we wanted to say thank you to all our volunteers who contributed to an incredible potluck dinner. We had over 100 people in attendance, and it is our hope that this number will continue to grow at our next one! A big thank you also goes out to our GM Debbie Siertsema for taking us along with her on her journey to Uganda. It was an inspiring look at how the work we are doing here in Elmira impacts the lives of so many across the globe.
Catch Greg in his latest video on Facebook, where he talks about his journey at MCC and the incredible volunteers who make it all happen every day.
Click here to watch: Greg’s Video or scan the QR code below to watch instantly! Greg got featured!
Give the Gift of Change
December is around the corner, and all of you at MCC Thrift know a thing or two about gearing up for Christmas! While you are all diligently processing and selling Christmas trees, ornaments, and other items that might make it into a stocking, we’d like to talk about two projects that make meaningful gifts this season.
Bees-ness is buzzing
Beekeeping is a sweet way to enhance the livelihoods of small holder farmers in Northern Karamoja, Uganda by diversifying their income sources through integrated sustainable food systems. In response to the increasing impacts of climate change and conflict, this project, coordinated by MCC’s partner Dynamic Agro Pastoral Development Organization (DADO), provides training on income-generating activities, marketing, village savings groups, livestock and beekeeping. The project will be implemented in Opotipot, Kachapangole, Kangole and Geremech parishes, targeting 1,800 women and 1,600 youth.
As part of the beekeeping team, Robert Loketo (pictured above) can harvest honey to use for his family or to sell. He also benefits by establishing the beehives in strategic places to keep his crops safe from wild animals, especially elephants who are frightened away by bees. $11 assists beekeepers in
buying bees and beehives. Starting November 15, you can make a meaningful donation by purchasing “Bees” at MCC Thrift shops in Ontario.
Sew much more
MCC partner Jordanian Women Qualifying and Training Society (JWQTS) aims to strengthen families and foster peaceful coexistence by empowering women economically, socially and psychologically. The sewing project trains women in sewing, cosmetology, mobile maintenance and cooking, and it promotes cultural understanding through shared activities. A group of 40 marginalized women from Ma’an district in southern Jordan will benefit from this program. By gaining vocational skills and exposure to diverse perspectives, these women will become change agents in their families and communities, promoting gender equality and social inclusion.
Jumlah, a mother of six children, enrolled in the course, even though her husband did not want her to work. He grew to understand the importance of her building a career for herself and her passion for sewing and for intricate details. After her training at JWQTS, Jumlah continued perfecting her craft and now is known in her village near Petra as a skilled seamstress. She sews prayer sets, baby blankets, children’s dresses, curtains and aprons, and she makes alterations to clothes. Each piece is meticulously crafted. JWQTS has gifted her a Singer sewing machine for her to use at home. Jumlah is a role model for women in Jordan who face struggles in a culture dominated by men. Her drive and ambition have helped her to build and market her own business, which began with this sewing course.
$150, provides a sewing machine, empowering women like Jumlah to build livelihoods and uplift their communities.
Visit mcc.org/christmas/sewing-machine for more details.
Go to mcc.org/Christmas to find more gift ideas— from goats, to chickens, to fresh-water wells. And thank you for your continued work in MCC thrift shops across Ontario! Your skills, time and good cheer are a huge part of MCC’s work supporting people around the world live with peace and dignity.
Beekeeper Robert Loketo talks about the DADO apiary project in Kachapangole, Uganda. A beehive is in the tree in the background.
Safety Corner
Cooler Weather Safety Tips
Never leave burning candles unattended.
While glowing candles make any environment feel cozier, remember to keep burning candles away from anything that could burn, such as curtains, bedding or books. Also, always extinguish a candle before going to bed or leaving the house. Never leave children or pets alone with a burning candle.
Watch for new roadway hazards.
Going back to school brings traffic changes. School buses, students on bicycles and teen drivers are out on the roads.
Slow down and take extra care to look for children in school zones, near playgrounds and in residential areas. Also, never pass a bus with flashing red lights on, or another vehicle stopped for a pedestrian.
Be alert for wildlife on roadways.
Wildlife is on the move in the fall, so watch carefully for deer, turkeys and other critters crossing the road in front of your vehicle. They are most active from dusk through dawn. Remember that some animals—deer in particular—frequently travel in groups. If you see one crossing, more are bound to follow.
Share the road with harvesting equipment.
In rural areas, fall brings the harvest season with large farming equipment on the roads. Be
alert for slow-moving vehicles, and give them plenty of space. This provides better visibility to you and the other driver. Remember that they may turn unexpectedly into fields or driveways. Just because you can see the equipment does not mean the other driver can see you.
Get the yard ready for winter.
You’ve enjoyed your beautiful lawn and garden all summer, but now is the time to prep it for a cold winter. Leaf blowers can be loud and blow more than just leaves, so wear eye and hearing protection to keep you safe from flying debris and preserve your hearing from the dangerous effects of repeated exposure to loud noises.
Use ladders safely.
Falling is one of the most common reasons for emergency department trips. If you plan to clean out your gutters, work as a team when using the ladder. Ladders can buckle or slip, so have someone else hold the ladder as you climb up and down.
Keep your body weight centred over the ladder, and don’t reach too far. It is better to move the ladder a few more times than fall.
Source: mayoclinichealthsystem.org
Training Active Bystanders Workshop
If you are a bystander witnessing a harmful situation, you have a choice to make. Learn how to interrupt harmdoing, generate positive actions by others and be more than a spectator through this important workshop. It is not an expectation of MCC Ontario for volunteers to step into unsafe or risky situations while volunteering. Please always seek out staff should these types of situations arise. The TAB training is to give tools for and reflections about everyday life situations you may come across to feel more equipped to know what to do.
Workshop options:
ONLINE - Wednesday, November 6th – 10:00am - 12:30pm
To register either click HERE or contact Holly McClement – hollymcclement@mcco.ca for support.
IN- PERSON - Thursday, November 7th – 1:30pm - 4:00pm (Only for those in the KW area—there is an inperson TAB training happening at 50 Kent on the 2nd floor)
To register either click HERE or contact Holly McClement – hollymcclement@mcco.ca for support.
When you register, please use MCCVOLUNTEER in the payment section. This training is $25 for those who are not MCC staff or MCC volunteers. If you accidentally pay $25 for the training, please let me know and MCC will reimburse you.
Recipes
Needed!
As announced at the potluck, we are still looking for recipes for our cookbook! If you have a favourite, please bring one (or more) into the kitchen and leave them in the basket on the table! Greg, our Volunteer Manager, will compile them and prepare them. If you have any further questions, please let us know!
