Around the Block Issue 7

Issue 7 • October 2009 • sjcommunitynewspaper@gmail.com • PLEASE TAKE ME I’M FREE WELCOME TO OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY ISSUE > SPECIAL EDITION 16 PAGES

Where are the five priority neighbourhoods?

Maps courtesy of Google Maps

Below you will find maps of the five priority neighbourhoods which show the approximate boundaries for each.

Lower South End Crescent Valley The Old North End Lower West Side

The Village

Coordinator’s Report

by Juanita Black

In November 2008 I received a call that changed my life. It has led me down a path to both the most exhilarating, and a somewhat scary year, combined with lots of new learning experiences. I was the new coordinator of a community newspaper with no name.

I remember the first weekend when I was reviewing the email account and somehow hit the delete button; I mean everything was gone. I called my boss and told her “I think I deleted all the files”. “No, no”, she said, “I will find them.” They were never found! Thank heavens issue 1 had gone to the printer.

Through the guidance of colleagues and volunteers all working together our community paper took a new name. “Around The Block” was selected from 61 names suggested and it has continued to grow and improve. For this issue #7, our first Anniversary, we will print 16 full colour pages, 9,000 copies, with many congratulatory ad’s with a theme of “What We are Thankful for and What We Have to Celebrate.” We are very thankful to Kelly Cunningham for designing our new headers on the front and inside pages.

Just as Around The Block’s focus is on the 5 priority neighbourhoods, sometimes when you are down and out you just need a little good news.

Around the Block is that voice. It enables mothers and fathers, grandparents and brothers and sisters to celebrate in stories and pictures, the news of family and friends from all our communities.

I am so very thankful for the trust you, our readers and volunteers, have placed in me. It provides me wisdom to guide each and every issue. Each one of our 5 priority neighbourhoods has a strong team of volunteers who bring forward the news from their communities to share with you each and every issue. We proudly celebrate what each community has accomplished, from the first issue to a year of hard work and the sharing of information from our non-profit community organizations. Watch out for the year two.

Page 1

Victoria Square

North End Garden

by Helen Williams

by Tammy Calvin

A garbage-filled lot was transformed into a garden on the corner of Victoria and Elgin Streets.

Many people were involved in the garden transformation; however, we would like to recognize that Randy Howell and Ann Cormier deserve thanks for taking extra care of the garden. Randy is always mowing the grass and trimming the trees and Ann pays Photo Courtesy of ONE Change special attention to the weeds and Randy Howell mowing the grass in garbage.

In 2008 meetings were held with Bernie Morrison, Commissioner of Leisure Services over concerns of Victoria Square.

This was followed by Public Meetings in May, June and July at the North End Community Photo Courtesy of ONE Change Centre. The group then voted Victoria Square under construction on the designs for the furniture, lighting and the general concept of the Square presented by the Glenn Group Inc. Since August much progress has been made - new sidewalks, curbs, concrete pads for the Gazebo, and in the centre of the Square the inserts for the Flag Pole/Christmas tree have been applied as well as preparation work for the additional lighting system to be installed around the Square. The stairs have new railings at the top with a concrete pad. When completed there will be an entrance erected on the left side of the Square.

the ONE Garden

This garden has been very well maintained by the neighbourhood children. Abby Stevens is one of the kids who planted seeds, watered them and watched them grow into beautiful flowers.

One of the highlights of this project will be the display of 1000 hand painted tiles by the students of Lorne and Centennial schools under the direction of the Teachers and Community Youth Program workers. The tiles have been fired and will be placed on the retaining wall in front of the Alexandra Apartments. The wall has been repaired and is ready for the placement of the tiles in the next three weeks.

Introduction to Melissa Moore

by Melissa Moore, OldNorthEndNA@gmail.com, 635-2035

My name is Melissa Moore; I am your new Neighborhood Assistant for the Old North End. I have been married for 7 years, and have 2 sons: Jackson-6, and Andrew-2.

My husband's family had a business on Main Street for a number of years. Because of this I have become very familiar with the North End. I am looking forward to serving Photo Courtesy of Around the Block Staff our community to the best of Melissa Moore, Neighbourhood Assistant my ability. I am very interested in helping families get involved with each other and their neighbours. I would also like to get more involved in the community now that I have children. I think this will be a very fun and challenging job, and I will be seeking help and guidance from one and all. Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. I hope to be able to serve the community well.

Next year we would like to challenge the other priority neighbourhoods to plant more community gardens.

A community vegetable garden is being planned for Spring 2010; if you are interested in being involved, please contact ONE Change at 635-2035.

Diaper and Formula Drive ONE Change provides diapers and formula for mothers in need. The percentage of households headed by a single mother in the Old North End is 41.6 % (2004 stats).

This summer we could not provide this service due to a lack of supplies.

The ONE Change is looking for donations for our Diaper and Formula Program. If you could help us with this valuable service, please call our office: ONE Change, 223 Victoria Street, Saint John, NB, 635-2035.

The ONE Change Pajama / Book Drive To celebrate the holidays, the ONE Change Celebration Team will host a community Christmas party. We will provide a buffet, entertainment, and a surprise visit from Santa. Every child, up to 16 years old, will receive a book and a pair of pyjamas. This year’s party will be Saturday, Dec. 12th at the North End Community Centre.

ONE Change Schedule of Events Saturday, November 7: Freecycle at 12:00 - 2:00 at the North End Community Center Friday, December 4: People Parade/Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony starting at the North End Community Center at 6:00 pm. Bring a noise maker and an ornament for the tree.

Saturday, December 10: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Community Christmas Party @ 2:00 - 5:00 pm at the North End Community Center.

Please contact Tammy Calvin at 608-5844 or ONE Change at 635-2035.

This page compliments of: Trevor A. Holder M.L.A. Saint John-Portland Constituency Office 229 Churchill Boulevard Telephone: (506) 657-2335 Email: trevor.holder@gnb.ca Page 2

Welcome to the South End

Food for Thought

by Penni Eisenhauer, SouthEndAssistant@gmail.com, 652-9799

by Mark Leger

Hello my name is Penni Eisenhauer and I would like to introduce myself to the community as the new South End neighbourhood assistant. I live in the South End and am looking forward to working on community projects and getting to know people in my neighbourhood. I had the opportunity to spend the past several months at the ONE Photo Courtesy of Around the Block Staff Change in the Old North Penni Eisenhauer End as the neighbourhood assistant. I worked together on projects with a great group of individuals all wanting to help their community. Thank you to all. I would also like to give thanks to Jennifer Edison for helping me with my transition to the South End. Your past experience as the neighbourhood assistant and your involvement in the neighbourhood is something to be celebrated. I also give thanks to Carl Trickey. for spending a couple of hours walking around the neighbourhood and discussing ideas for beautification projects, community newspaper delivery, and a neighbourhood gardening club. I have lived in the South End for the past four years and recently became interested in becoming involved in my neighbourhood. I took a course last winter and was introduced to the concept of community engagement and wanted to learn more about this topic. I have always enjoyed being involved in my community and after some research and completing the course I was taking, decided that I would look for employment opportunities in the neighbourhood. I look forward to working together with Vibrant Communities, PULSE members, and all organizations involved in projects to better the South End neighbourhood. Volunteers are always invited to help out. If you are interested in volunteering please feel free to contact me at SouthEndAssistant@gmail.com.

I joined the SEACAT grocery store committee around the same time the newspaper was launched a year ago. The paper is up and running, a great success after a year in print. The grocery store is still a work in progress, but we’ve made great strides in recent months. In the spring, we organized a public forum and more than a 100 people came out on a rainy Wednesday night. Co-op Atlantic made a presentation on how to start a store, and people in the audience asked questions and made comments. Since then, we circulated a survey in the community and formed a steering committee. We’re doing a study to see if the community can support a new store. We’re also taking a closer look at the needs in the community, based on the results of the survey. Like the newspaper, a community grocery store needs lots of community support and helping hands. If you want to join one of our committees, send me an e-mail: fmleger@hotmail.com. You can also follow our progress on Facebook. Search for “I want a grocery store in the South End.”

Enjoying the Community Garden

by Jason Melvin

This summer was the first experience my partner and I had growing a garden in the South End Community Garden with the help of her co-worker. We planted mixed lettuce, zucchini, squash, beans and tomato plants. In the beginning it rained a lot and none of us thought anything was going to grow. As time passed and the sun eventually came out we started to see signs of life. It took a while, especially for the tomato plants to grow. Week after week we would go and weed the garden and were really excited when something was ready for picking.

This summer we were able to enjoy fresh lettuce, beans (especially on a day when another gardener was there to share his, that he had just picked), and lots of zucchini (we had to give some away). A friend of ours even made chocolate chip zucchini bread for us to enjoy. The overall experience was a lot of fun. I would like to see less vandalism as some weeks we would see signs of damage to plants. This will hopefully change with the development of Rainbow Park and community involvement in making change to our neighbourhood. I look forward to next summer and planting another garden in the community. I am thankful for the community garden and celebrate all the individuals who continue to work hard on providing these types of projects.

South End Day Care Helps Romero House

by Mona Clark

We have had the children get involved with their community in the past.

So when we heard that Romero House had fallen on hard times we decided once again to get the children involved. We told the children what was happening and they decided on a penny drive again. The children and their families did not let us down.

This time the children’s pennies became nickels, dimes, quarters, loonies, toonies, and bills. In one month they had almost filled their jar.

We then took some of the children and the jar to Romero House. We met Carolyn McNulty. She took the time to thank the children for what they did, asked each one their names and discussed her family with them. The children also got to see firsthand what their donation was used for. They realized that helping people less fortunate than themselves gives you a nice feeling inside.

Photo Courtesy of Mona Clark Carolyn McNulty with children from the South End Day Care

South Safety Tips

by Constable Jeremy Edwards, Saint John Police Force

From June to August this year the Saint John Police Force had just under 200 police reports filed for thefts in the South End alone…

Many, if not all of these incidents, could have been prevented by the property owner if they had taken responsibility for their property and taken proper precautions to prevent a thief from being able to access this property. The majority of these thefts was from vehicles. The south end has a large number of vehicles parked on the street at any given time and it is essential that owners remove all valuables from the vehicle and keep the doors locked.

Preventing these incidents will allow the Police Force to focus their resources on offences that you may not be able to prevent.

If you have information about criminal activity in your area please send it to our confidential email address at policetips@saintjohn.ca.

Thank you for your co-operation.

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CV Residents on the Move

Howard Court Goes Green

by Lisa Morris

by Debbie McLeod

When living in poverty, being asked to speak up can be tough. The idea of standing up for oneself can be a difficult task. Crescent Valley has pulled together, stood up as a community and is being heard.

Crescent Valley residents are showing the city how a strong community is built. When asked to speak up at a meeting held in February, over 50 residents and partners came forward with their concerns for safety, housing, recreation and what they want in their area. Not only did they let partners know what was wrong but also what was needed to solve the problem. Today residents are still working to help create a community that is a clean, safe, peaceful neighbourhood - a place where respect, responsibility, care and cooperation are their community values.

On September 23rd Howard Court was a bee hive of activity as the residents turned out to take part in a recycling pilot project. Each family received a Rubbermaid garbage container, compost bins, recycling containers and lots of instruction from Brenda who represented , The Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission. Two educational sesPhoto Courtesy of Lisa Morris sions were held that day with the Presentation to Howard Court last session concluding with a Residents cake to celebrate the first of many courts in Crescent Valley to take the Go Greener Initiative. Regular garbage and compost is still being picked up on Thursdays but the big change is the recycling of garbage into three separate containers and having a company called the Blue Run pick up the recycling every Saturday and delivering it to the Blue Bins. Sorting the composting and recycling should reduce the amount of true garbage now being stored in the Rubbermaid containers. Congratulations Howard Court Residents and keep up the great work!!

Residents have been coming together and making big waves in Crescent Valley. When Hazen White/ST. Francis School was in danger of closure, residents stood up and fought for their school. This September when the bells rang, Hazen White had their doors open wide. Teen Vibe had a dream for a safe place for children to play in Flemming Court and have now with the help of other residents and partners raised over $500,000 towards that dream. Next summer the children in Crescent Valley will be making waves of their own in Flemming Court Park. Thanks to you, residents, Crescent Valley has new roads and sidewalks, making it an even safer place for our children.

Thank you to all the residents who took the time to share their ideas and their input into what is needed to help us move forward. You are helping to create a stronger community. Your hard work needs to be acknowledged whether it’s going to a meeting, filling out a survey, joining a committee or even just volunteering an hour of your time. In every community there is work to be done and who better to do the work than the community itself. You have all become great leaders in the area and have kept the momentum going in Crescent Valley.

Congratulations Crescent Valley Residents and Thank-You! You stood up and worked together. Nothing can stop us now! I am so proud to say I am a resident of Crescent Valley and look forward to the next year of change and working with all of you. This community has taught me what courage really is. Thank-You.

CVRC Wake-A-Thons!!

by Mariel K. Hunter

The Crescent Valley Resource Centre held two very well attended Wake-A-Thon's before the neighbourhood kids headed back to school this fall. Each wakea-thon (one for boys and the other for girls) included great activities and lots of laughs.

Introduction to Laura Basque

by Laura Basque, CrescentValleyAssistant@gmail.com, 631-1983

My name is Laura Basque and I’m the new Neighbourhood Assistant for Crescent Valley as many of you already know. I am 33 years old and a single mom of four. I was very excited when I got this job and am excited to help my community become an even better place to live. My parents moved into Crescent ValPhoto Courtesy of Around the Block Staff ley when I was 9 years Laura Basque, New Neighbourhood Assistant old, and they have lived down here for the past 24 years. I attended Hazen White/St. Francis School, as did many of my family members. I moved away but came back here to raise my family in the place I call home. I have been raising my family down here for the last 7 years. My kids love the area and are active with Teen Vibe.

They have many friends and family here.

I hope everyone will work with me to make a change in our neighbourhood. I look forward to working with all of you and I promise to try my best.

For the boys, we held an obstacle course Photo Courtesy of Lisa Morris race, nerf dart games, Participant in Wake-A-Thon water balloon fight, snacks and watched movies. For the girls, it was a spa-like retreat night, with make-overs, manicures, facials, a fashion show, snacks, movies and more. The children were asked to raise money to attend the wake-a-thons and some also brought in recyclables to raise money for the Centre as well. It was not only a great fundraiser but a great way for the kids in the community to come together, raising money and helping out. Everyone had a great time! We'd like to thank members of the XWA for stopping by. These local pro-wrestlers joined the fun and helped chase down the boys in various hide and seek games. As far as the girl’s wake-a-thon, these wrestlers were man enough to be made over by the barrage of girls who attacked with makeup, facials, nail polish and more. We hope more events like this can take place in the near future at the CVRC and would like to thank everyone who made a contribution to the events!

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Thanks RBC Westwind Place

Dodging Diabetes

by Mary Lou Price

by Lisa Wetmore

The Westside P.A.C.T. students made a thank you card for the Royal Bank, Westwind Place. The Royal Bank not only donated $750.00 to the Westside P.A.C.T. for community events, but the staff and customers donated over $1,500.00 in school supplies! Because of their generosity, we were able to meet our target of 47 backpacks, and each one was stuffed full!

Urban Core Support Network is announcing the next Dodging Diabetes in Saint John project to take place in the Lower West Side and the Old North End. Do you want to participate in a good, fun project and become a Peer Leader? Then Dodging Diabetes Leadership Training is for you.

Learn about diabetes, learn and practice new skills, learn ‘tools’ for better health, help others learn too, and help us test out a new training manual.

Change can start today. Once finished, you will be a Dodging Diabetes Peer Leader who can help promote health awareness and action in your community. Come on …you know you want to!

Call Lisa Wetmore today at 632-5623 or email at wetli@reg2.health. nb.ca. (Healthy snack provided, childcare & transportation covered.)

Photo Courtesy of Mary Lou Price Thank you Card

St. George’s Anglican Church

Celebrating John

100 Watson Street, West Side, 635-8620

by Geraldine Sherwood

George’s Cafe – is an outreach ministry to the community, serving a good hot meal every Sunday night from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Musical Extravaganza IV – will be held on Thursday, October 29 at 7 p.m. Special guests are Carleton Choristers, Seabelles, Alto Mare, The Sopranos, and Music Chairs: Christopher Lane, Claire Driscoll, and Terri-Lynn Russell. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling Arlene Trask (738-2856), the church office (635-8620), or at the door.

Used Book Sale, Mini Yard and Bake Sale – on October 17 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Come and browse through a collection of books, small household items, and the bake sale.

Turkey Dinner – November 14 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling Arlene Trask (738-2856), the church office (6358620), or at the door.

Silent Auction, Bake Sale, and Luncheon – sponsored by the Marthas & Marys on December 5 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. For more information contact Arlene Trask (738-2856) or the church office (635-8620).

In each life there comes someone who touches our hearts in a special way. It may be a smile or some small gesture of kindness. So it was with great shock and sadness that we heard that one of our friends and neighbours had passed away, JOHN HENDERSON. We are sad, but we would like to celebrate Photo Courtesy of Geraldine Sherwood John. John loved to John Henderson laugh and when he smiled, his smile lit up the room. He loved music and sometimes he would entertain us with his omnichord. He liked the outdoors and one year helped plant flowers. He was trying to raise money to buy a gazebo so we could sit out on summer evenings without getting bug bites. He liked Hallowe'en and would dress up to greet the wee ones who would come calling for treats. But most of all, he loved Christmas. He would start decorating a month before and even dressed up as Santa and what a good one he was!

Thankful for Celebrating One Year

by Mary Lou Price

As a result of community feedback, the Westside P.A.C.T. community group recognized the need for services on the Westside. It applied for, and received funding to have a Wellness Centre and Food Bank located in the area. Because the Carleton Club has always been the centre of the community, it was chosen as the location for the Wellness Centre.

Renovations downstairs have started and will be completed by late Fall 2009.

WE are going to miss you John. You have left a great empty place in our lives.

West Clinic Opening Grand Opening Coming in November for Wellness Centre complete with Opening Gala. Activities for the Gala will include entertainment, door prizes, nutritious food, tours of the facility and much more to be announced later!

Services that are being offered in the new Wellness Centre are: physiotherapist for children, Nurse Practitioner, My Choices/My Health Program, Seniors Outreach, Domestic Violence Support, Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, Nutritional Counselling, Diabetes Education, Mental Health support, Flu Shot Clinics, Addictions Program, Blood Pressure Education, just to name a few! The Westside Food Bank and Wellness Centre will be located side by side. There will space for patient exams, wound care, and various clinics including IV Day Hospital, where we will continue to do specimen collection on a larger scale.

Specimen collection has been on the main floor of the CCC since November 5th, 2008, and has serviced over 700 patients. We have had to expand our services from one full day to two full days (every Tuesday and Wednesday). This will expand more, once we are downstairs.

It has been a long process, but totally worth the effort! I am very thankful to everyone who has supported the Westside P.A.C.T. Without their teamwork, it wouldn’t have been possible. I would also like to thank the folks who said that it could never be done. They provided us with the spark and motivation to prove them wrong!

Neighbourhood Assistant Bobbi Craft, 608-5990, LWSassistant@gmail.com Page 5

This page compliments of: Office Hours 9am-1pm Monday to Friday

The Village • Th e Village • The Village • Th e Village • The Village • Th e Village • The Village • Th e Village • The Village

Jimmy Eatmon....Our Friend by the Residents of Courtenay Bay

Someone we are very thankful for is our caretaker/friend of Courtenay Bay Courts, Jimmy Eatmon. He does more than his 9-5 job. He interacts very well with the children, he helps them out in many ways trying to fix toys, giving advice and always being there to listen. Jimmy is a hard worker and always goes above and bePhoto Courtesy of Lawrence Young yond his job duties. You Jimmy Eatmon assist with fixing a bicycle can see Jimmy picking up garbage, shoveling walkways, returning toys to the proper homes or fixing a bike tire for a child! Jimmy is a dedicated employee of the Department of Social Development and he is well loved by everyone.

The grounds are always kept clean and tidy which brings pride to the community. Some say Jimmy is like a Big Brother to the children and what a great role model he makes. Jimmy likes to be involved with the community and his goal is to make the area clean, safe and fun for the families. If there is a special event going on, Jimmy will be there to pitch in and help. It is not uncommon to see Jimmy drop by and check things over in the Courts on his day off. As fall approaches and Thanksgiving is approaching, we think of all the things we are thankful for and Jimmy, you come to mind. We want to thank you for all the greatness you provide to Our Community and we appreciate all that you do.

The Boys and Girls Club of Saint John

by Debbie Cooper

The “Club” has prospered for 109 years. It isn’t by luck. It is through an attitude of gratitude.

We are so very thankful for the hundreds of volunteers who have so unselfishly donated thousands of hours of their time in the service of others – our children and youth.

We are so very grateful for the community support. Without the financial, human, and other resources given so kindly by our community, we could not empower our children and youth to a higher quality of life.

Our Club provides so much, however, we receive so much more in return. We appreciate. We are grateful. Thank You.

Stiletto Stampede

by Julia Higgins

More then 45 people took part in the Stiletto Stampede fundraising event that was held on September 19 in support of the Clothes Closet, which provides free clothing to women in the Saint John community.

Since its launch in March, it has provided over 1,200 pieces of clothing and accessories to more than 80 women.

The Boys and Girls Club Honours New Brunswick Children’s Foundation

by Nikki Vautour

In 1855, Saint John, New Brunswick fell victim to a Typhus outbreak, which left many children homeless. As a result the New Brunswick Protestant Orphans' Home was established. In 1960, due to social change, the Orphanage had to close its doors.

Established in its place was a Charitable Foundation, which would enable the Orphanage to give grants to benefit the children of the province and is now known as the New Brunswick Children’s Foundation.

In the 1970's, The Boys & Girls Club, Saint John, started a lunch program and quickly found themselves in need of assistance. At their aid was the New Brunswick Children’s Foundation and has been for almost thirty years. The New Brunswick Protestant Orphans' Home has donated over one million dollars in funding.

On May 11, 2009, the Boys & Girls Club awarded the New Brunswick Children’s Foundation of the New Brunswick Protestant Orphans' Home with the Master Builders Award, honouring the Foundation for many years of support with the Hot Lunch Program.

A sincere "THANK YOU" also goes out to all the Volunteers who give their time for this worthy cause. Without you, children may have to go hungry.

What is Under the Giant Tiger?

by Linda Scott

Many people have fond memories of living in what was known as Saint John’s East End. Street names indicate a strong Irish population, but this area was a melting pot of cultures: French, Lebanese and others, but overall they were East Enders. Entire streets, such as the original St. Patrick’s, St. David’s, Erin, Albion and others are gone forever.

There were at least five schools in the East End - Centennial was on Prince Edward; St. Joseph’s School (now the TRC) was later built on this site. Aberdeen, was on Erin Street, just below the old Downey’s building. St. Thomas was a Catholic school, also on Erin Street. In 1953, the new school - Prince Charles was built on its present day site.

There were many well know people who came from the East End. In the movie industry, there was Donald Sutherland of M.A.S.H. fame.

In the credits Ron McCavour of Mark VII Productions, while on the old Perry Mason show, two more East Enders appeared - Jack Babb (lighting and equipment) and Carl Biddiscombe (a set director who won an Academy Award). In this small area there were several family businesses.

Here are some of my memories and memories from people with whom I talked: • "The houses were old and had cold water flats, some heated with wood and some with coal, but everyone helped each other."

• “We would walk the train tracks to Haymarket Square and go up over the hill to Lily Lake for skating. That hill was great for tobogganing as well.”

• “G.E. Barbour’s was on one side of Union Street and Oland’s Brewery on the other. Across the corner, in front of the Loyalist Burial Ground was a tiny little store with a little old lady who sold penny candy.”

The East End may be gone; People have come and gone, but the memories live forever!

Photo Courtesy of Julia Higgins Stiletto Stampede

Page 6

Main Street Baptist Health Centre The ONE Change is providing a screening clinic every second Friday at the Main Street Baptist Church. The clinic runs from 11:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. There will be a Nurse Practitioner on site as well as nurses to take blood pressures, glucose (sugars), health teaching, and cholesterol (the first screening clinic of the month). The first clinic was held in September so it will occur every second Friday thereafter. Please feel free to stop by!! The next clinic is October 16, 2009.

West Opportunities Just a reminder that we are still looking for volunteers for the Grand Opening of the Wellness Centre at the Carleton Community Centre in November. There are also some spots that need volunteers in various areas in the Lower West Side. We have a number of clinics and seminars that we need people to attend in the near future as well.

I am looking to have a Resume specialist come into the Community to help the neighbourhood get on track with their employment searching skills, beginning with writing a proper resume. Eight to ten people are needed to arrange this free of charge seminar. To register please call Bobbi Craft at 608-5990.

Portland United and Centenary Queen Square Church

Attention all Seniors: This is your chance to come to the Carleton Community Centre on Wednesday November 4th at 10:00 a.m. See what all the fuss is about with the opening of the new Wellness Centre.

Refreshments of tea and a light snack will be served.

Portland United and Centenary Queen Square United Churches are hosting a Roast Turkey Dinner on Saturday, October 24, 2009.

This is our neighbourhood and I am here to help make it the best that we can working together. For more information please call Bobbi Craft 608-5990 or e-mail LWSassistant@gmail.com.

The event will take place at Portland United Church, 50 Newport Crescent with two sittings - 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.

The cost for tickets if $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

Take-out orders may be picked up after 5:00 p.m.

There is ample parking and wheelchair accessibility.

Call 632-4030 or 634-8288 for tickets or more information.

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Teen Vibe Youth Excited about Flemming Court park

What I am Thankful For

by Bradley Snodgrass

My name is Bradley Snodgrass. There are many things in my short time that I’ve had so far that I am thankful for and I would like to share those with you. The first thing that I am thankful for, as corny as it seems, is my mother. I would not be the man that I am today without her. She has taught me everything that I needed to survive and to be happy. The next thing that I am thankful for is the Teen Resource Centre (TRC) for allowing me to break out of my bubble of insecurities and letting me take the time to learn to evolve as a human being. Without these two influences I would not be going to university or even be able to have the confidence to tell you about what I am thankful for. So to the TRC and my mother, Paula, thank you.

by Candace Doucette and Ann Barrett

Celebrate What’s Right with the World

by Joan Wilkins

Our theme for October is “Recognize Abundance”. School District 8 encourages everyone to recognize what strengths they have and look at situations from abundance rather than scarcity.

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Doucette MP Rodney Weston, Ann Barrett, Shailyn Doucette, and Nancy Savoie during $200,000 presentation from ACOA

Flemming Ct. Park is closer to really happening. The Federal Government has just announced funding of $200,000 towards this project.

This brings the total raised to $570,000. Phase 1, the Splash Pad, will be done for next summer. During the ACOA presentation, Shailyn Doucette, one of the original Teen Vibe youth who came up with the idea of the park said in response to the funding, “For all the children & youth in Crescent Valley I want to say a big thank you. We have been looking at the wonderful pictures of what the park might look like and it really has only been a dream to us.” Another original Teen Vibe youth, Candace Doucette wrote this about the project: “I am one of the original group members who started the plan for the Flemming Court Project. I am proud to say that I am part of an awesome group. To be able to plan and create what we as teens wanted to see in our park was great. It has been what seems to be a long time getting started but knowing that the ground breaking is going to happen next summer is wonderful. It is exciting that I was a part of the group that planned this, especially since it was our idea and our dreams that are about to come true.”

To give a donation or for more information please contact Lisa Morris, Community Development Coordinator of the Crescent Valley Resource Centre 693-8513 or Ann Barrett, Committee Chair at 642-7404.

Thought for the Month: “Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey Our theme for November is “Harness Your Energy”. School District 8 recognizes that by using our strengths and talents we can find possibilities and solutions. Focusing on our strengths will give us energy to fix what is wrong.

Thought for the Month: “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” ~ Danny Kaye For more information on the Celebrate what’s RIGHT with the world initiative, contact Joan Wilkins, Coordinator, School District 8 at 643-6884 http://www.district8celebrate.org

EYE SPY Nuggets - Celebrating Our Talents!

by Joan Wilkins

Last spring we received thousands of comments during our ‘EYE SPY A HIDDEN TALENT’ event. We would like to begin to share some of the wonderful responses. The entries came from students, school and district staff, and community members.

With over 7,000 entries from the Greater Saint John area, we have many talents to Celebrate! The following entries came from Hazen White St. Francis, Prince Charles and St. Patrick’s schools. Enjoy!

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Félicitations

by Geneniève Brideau

Mes plus sincères félicitations au journal communautaire Around the Block et à tous ceux qui le rendent possible! C’est vraiment fantastique d’avoir un journal comme celui-ci qui nous donne des bonnes nouvelles et de l’espoir et qui se concentre à nous montrer tout ce qu’il y a de plus positif chez nous à tous les deux mois. C’est aussi une superbe de belle place pour échanger nos idées et nos opinions, pour partager nos écrits et nos photos et s’épanouir tant comme individus qu’en tant que communauté. Vraiment, je suis hyper fière de tous ceux qui prennent part au journal et le rend ce qu’il est. Beau travail tout le monde et à une autre année de succès!

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(Samantha) she is really good at multiplication tables and works really hard. (Grade 4 Student, Hazen White St. Francis) Tyler is really good at basketball; he passes the ball and he is a team player. (Grade 4 Student, Hazen White St. Francis) My dad can do a cart wheel. And land it great :) I’m also very proud of him for graduating from university with 4 kids. (Grade 7 students, Prince Charles School) (Brenda) She has a great laugh and makes everyone laugh with her. (Grade 3 Student, Prince Charles School) (The women on staff who helped push my car out of the snow) They are generous beyond belief! One was even wearing high heels. That is true talent. (Staff Member. St. Patrick’s School) (My Mom) Makes yummy cupcakes. (Kindergarten Student, St. Patrick’s School)

This page compliments of:

Thanks to Youth

by Cheryl Brown

Photo Courtesy of Cheryl Brown Shanie Burke-Doucette

Our Community of Anglin Drive

Thanks to youth like Delaney Savoie and Shanice Burke-Doucette who get involved and participate in public speaking about their community.

by Kelly Kelly

Our community of Anglin Drive celebrated the summer with many warm weather events. We kickstarted our summer with a School's Out For Summer Street Dance and the children and adults were raring to go. The dance had an awesome turn out and a great time was had by all. It was such a success that we are considering making it an annual event here on Anglin Drive.

Here’s Shanice at the summer launch of Storytents 2009. Hello everyone my name is Shanice Burke-Doucette and I’m here to tell you about the experience I had with the Storytent.

The Storytent is a great activity for kids. For one, it helps them read; two, they meet new friends; and three, it keeps them busy. So the Storytent helps with school, it helps kids socialize, and it keeps them out of their parent’s hair.

Photo Courtesy of Debbie McLeod Fundraising Car Wash

My personal favourite things about the Storytent were singing along with the reader, meeting up with my friends, and trying to reach my goal of reading 100 books in 365 days. Of course I never reached it, but I always hope to.

What would summer be without a few fundraising car washes? The kids had a great time cleaning the cars and each other. What a great way to cool off for the summer and fundraise for your community, and of course we had to have a fun water fight! Washing cars works up a healthy appetite so following the event we all settled in for roasted weenies and marshmallows over a crackling bonfire. Many thanks go to those who supported and participated in our fundraising car washes this summer.

Since the School's Out For Summer Street Dance was such a success we decided a Back to School Street Dance was in order and we were not disappointed. The turnout was great and everyone had an awesome time hip hopping the night away. We wrapped up our summer events in September with a community yard sale. Members of the community got a chance to socialize and make some extra cash. All enjoyed it and it was a great success. The feedback was so encouraging that we have decided to add this to our roster of scheduled community summer events and to have a few community yard sales when yard sale season starts up next spring. Many thanks are extended to all who participated and to those who kindly donated supplies for these events.

These events were possible through your support and involvement.

Fall events are starting up and with the fall season comes Anglin Drive Movie Night! At Friday night at the movies a fun time will be had by all. Enjoy a new release movie with your friends and munch down on a soda and popcorn. It's a great stress reliever and a fun way to wind down after a busy week at school.

Neighbourhood Community Developer Alma Beck, 608-0419 alma.vibrantsj@nb.aibn.com

Around the Block Coordinator

Our committee is busily planning many more upcoming events for the fall too, so keep an eye out for more to come.

Again, thank you so much for your continued participation and support.

Yes!!...Anglin Drive is Truly Alive!

Juanita Black, 693-5485 or 651-3044 sjcommunitynewspaper@gmail.com

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October Trivia

by Linda Scott

1. When was the first Thanksgiving celebrated?

A) 1776 B) 1621 C) 1910 D) 1867 2. What is a female turkey called?

3. What is a male turkey called?

4. What sound does a female turkey make?

5. Approximately how many feathers does a mature turkey have?

A) 1,500 B) 5,500 C) 500 D) 3,500 6. What is the skin that hangs from the neck of a turkey called?

7. In Canada, we celebrated Thanksgiving on which Monday in October?

8. What was the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims came to North America?

9. What is the proper name of the “Horn of Plenty”?

10. According to superstition, what part of the turkey is saved, dried and snapped to bring good luck?

11. What was the first meal eaten on the moon by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Alderman?

12. True or False: Turkeys can drown if they look up in the rain.

13. What is October’s birthstone?

Answers can be found on page 12.

The Saint John Police Force needs your help!

If you have information about on-going criminal activity in your neighbourhood please send your information to our confidential email address at policetips@ saintjohn.ca. Your information is important!

Cst. Jeremy Edwards Community Services Unit Saint John Police Force Office (506) 648-3700 jeremy.edwards@saintjohn.ca

Blessed with Good Neighbours and Healthier Neighbourhoods

by Alma Beck

As we look back over the past year and celebrate our blessings, I find myself thinking of what makes a healthy neighbourhood: residents who know each other and who are active in the community. I am thankful for so many folks who fit that description. I won't name names, but you know who you are. You introduce yourself to neighbours and help new residents get to know those who have lived there forever. You participate in community events, or even help organize them. You pick up litter in the summer and shovel snow in the winter, making the street outside your home a little bit cheerier for those who pass by. You work together with others to find solutions for your neighbourhood challenges. You make our community a healthier, better place to live. For all of you, I give thanks!

The NB Anti-Poverty Legal Clinic is Thankful to be Able to Help Those in Need The NB Anti-Poverty Legal Clinic may be able to give you the information and help on several legal and extra-legal areas including: Criminal Law, Divorce and Family Law, Custody and Support, Landlord and Tennant issues, Wills and Estates, Small Claims, Debts and Bill Collectors and Personal Injuries.

This is a group dedicated to helping those in poverty maintain human dignity by eliminating discrimination on the basis of financial need.

The clinic has people who volunteer their time to make the clinic available to those in need. Any person living below the poverty line who is in need of information is welcome to utilize our services. There is a registration charge and court expenses may be required.

The clinic is located at 55 Canterbury Street, Suit 102, Saint John, NB. E2L 2C6. To make an appointment, please call 632-0096.

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North End Works is Working!

by Joyce Fowler

For the past few weeks, interviewers have been in the Old North End and Crescent Valley neighbourhoods, surveying each resident to find out what skills they have and what businesses are needed in their area.

The response has been overwhelming! Residents have Photo Courtesy of Alma Beck completed over 300 Darren MacLaren completes an asset inventory with surveys, with intera resident viewers still working.

We also asked those who were surveyed if they had an idea for a business they might like to start. Many residents were interested and requested more information. As a result, Enterprise Saint John and the Saint John Loan Fund are coming together to offer a workshop for anyone who wants to explore what it takes to start their own business.

Community Chaplaincy: Making a Difference

by Michelle Chevarie

The Saint John Chaplaincy located at 36 Sewell St. Uptown has been in operation for approximately 17 years and has seen many people come through its doors. Chaplains, Karen and Dave Hardy are in charge of operations and are assisted by unpaid volunteers.

They offer a variety of services Photo Courtesy of Michelle Chevarie to those in need including Saint John Community Chaplaincy meals Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It is also open those same days for coffee, tea and fellowship from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Counseling is available in both group settings and in private, as well as in over-comer’s groups, which involves a Christian based approach on dealing with life’s problems. Other services are offered as well such as food, clothing and furniture. The Chaplaincy is not government funded and all its donations are donated by communities in the Saint John area. There is always a need for donations as well as volunteers. Come check us out!

The workshop will be offered twice, on October 14 in the Old North End and October 21 in Crescent Valley, from 11 am to 1 pm. Everyone is invited to attend, whether they filled out a survey or not. Come find out if starting a business is for you! For more information, call Janet at 642-7028.

Thanks

by Mary Lou Price

I am thankful for my family, friends and neighbours, and for the opportunity to work with everyone from the “5”, as we try to make our communities better places to be. I am also thankful for the community where I live. I can enjoy the beautiful St. John River at one end, or the tides of the Bay of Fundy at the other!

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Traditions

Cleaning

by Wayne D. Fry

by Jennifer Edison

Have you ever considered traditions, Why we still keep them today?

Just generation hand-me-downs Done in the same old way!

Go outside and enjoy the beautiful day; The bees are buzzing the hornets at play; Air crisp and inviting the richness of a nice autumn; Do not stay in watching TV and sit on your bottom; Roll around on the grass and look at the sky; I can do so much when you are outside playing; Nothing gets done if you are in here just staying;

Have you ever considered changing, be Your own person for once in a while?

Avoiding what is traditional, and Maybe change your style?

October Trivia - Answers

by Linda Scott

1. (B) 1621 -one year after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock.

2. A hen 3. A Tom 4. A tom turkey gobbles but a female turkey clucks.

5 (D) 3,500 6. A wattle 7. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada 8. The Mayflower 9. Cornucopia 10. The wishbone – the person with the longest side gets the good luck 11. The astronauts had turkey dinner with all the fixings.

12. True 13. Opal

I can be sweeping and mopping the floors; Listening to music while I am at work cleaning full force; Here you are still sitting making things worse; Leaning and littering all over the place; I want to be cleaning get out of my face.

The Meadow

by Emily Celest Knight

The meadow is alive As the playful songbirds dive To hunt amidst the grass And give a teasing sass Sunbeams ride the air Flowers touch them to say they care.

Warmth drifts upon the breeze A warmth the rainbow needs There's a smell of dampened ground And beauty all around The rolling brook is tickled By it's laughing little trickle.

The sky holds up clouds Stretching long and proud Like light and brilliant feathers Above the blooming heather And one lonesome songbird sings 'Neath it's pretty wings...

Vanilla Sugar Cookies 2 cups of white unbleached flour or all purpose flour 2/3 cup of butter 1/2 sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract Grease a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream together flour and butter by hand in a mixing bowl. Add in the sugar and vanilla and mix until you have a soft dough to work with. Roll the dough out to use a cookie cutter for shaped cookies or simply roll the dough into small balls, place the cookies on the sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Place on cooling rack.

Pickly Pita Pocket

by Laura Van Wart

1. Diced cooked ham (1 cup); finely chopped dill pickle (1/3 cup); salad dressing or mayonnaise (2tbsp); mustard (1 tsp).

2. Pita Bread (2).

3. Combine ham, pickle, salad dressing or mayo, and mustard in a bowl.

4. Fill each half of pita with 1/3 cup of filling. Makes 4 Pita halves.

Cool Tricks

by Martha MacLean

1. Frozen juice boxes act like freezer packs and you’ll love the icy juice when they thaw. Pack them between food that needs to stay cold.

2. Use an insulated lunch box. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators and other heat sources.

3. You can refrigerate or freeze lunchbox items such as juice the night before, to get your lunchbox off to a cool start. Add a frozen gel pack to keep food properly chilled.

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Senior Day Programs Provide Much Needed Respite Care

by Sherry Gionet, RNGNC

Senior day programs offer a win/win situation for everyone in the family—not only the senior who attends the program, but also for the family member who is working a full time job as well as being the primary caregiver. Senior day programs provide a much-needed respite for the caregiver, affording a break from the physical demands and stress of providing round-the-clock care while providing socialization for the older adult. Seniors and their families are able to maintain current living situations and delay placement in long term care facilities.

Saint John has two senior day programs available. On the east side of the city is Loch Lomond Villa Outreach- 643-7140. It operates three days per week.

On the West Side of the city (Dever Rd), DAYBREAK Senior Activity Centre operates four days per week. Contact at 214-3800 or www.daybreaksenioractivitycentres.com

My Thoughts on North End Works

by Richard Northorp, Crescent Valley Resident

Using Less Energy Around Your Home

by Efficiency New Brunswick

The energy it takes to run household appliances can represent up to 20% of your total power bill. Here are some ways you can save money at home by using energy wisely.

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If you replace appliances, buy ENERGY STAR® models. The ENERGY STAR® symbol identifies the most energy efficient products available.

Replace a refrigerator that is 15 years old or older with an ENERGY STAR® model and save about $85 a year in energy.

Wash and rinse clothes in cold water and hang them to dry if you can. You can reduce the energy you use by 93% for each cold wash you do instead of a hot wash.

Put TVs, stereos and computers on power bars so you can turn them off all at once.

Unplug cell phones or chargers when the device is charged or when not in use, or they will continue to use energy.

Shut off your computer screen. More than half the power used by a computer is used by the monitor!

As a resident of Crescent Valley, I am very excited about what North End Works is doing. Helping residents start their own small business outside or inside their own community is a big step forward and has raised the eyebrows of a lot of residents. I am excited about getting my own small business going: cleaning, repairing and rebuilding computers. It is so exciting to see those who care reach out to help the Old North End and Crescent Valley revitalize their communities. Each one of us can make a difference in our communities. Come on board, realize your potential and improve your standard of living.

Make your home more energy efficient is with Efficiency NB’s Existing Homes Program. Get a customized energy audit for as low as $50.

Contact Efficiency NB to get started at 1-866-643-8833 or www.efficiencynb.ca.

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Other Community News • Oth er Commu nity N ews • Other Community News • Oth er Commu nity N ews • Other Community News

Flemming Park Donation

South End Days - Celebrating the Celebration!

by Carl Trickey

The South End came to life in mid July with the second annual South End Days. This three day event brought the neighbourhood together to eat, socialize, play and be entertained. The excitement started when our big top tent was erected at Rainbow Park topped by the official South End Day’s flag. The kick-off on Friday evening (with a real kick thanks to Jay Chang’s Tae Kwon Do) launched a series of events that celebrated many things the neighbourhood proudly has to offer from fine musical entertainment (Stage Show, Teen Dance and Adult Beer Garden with the South End Philosophers), fine food (three community barbeques and a community breakfast), fun (Bingo, Children’s Games, Sporting Challenges and a Yard Sale).

Support from the neighbourhood was great with hundreds of persons contributing to the festival financially, through volunteerism and active participation. 2010 looks like an even better year so watch for details and mark July 16th to 18th on your calendars.

Photo Courtesy of Lisa Duplessis 2 Special “In Memory” donations made to Flemming Park by Juanita Black

A yard sale was recently held to raise funds for the Flemming Park project. Christmas crafts were donated by Debbie Reid, sister of the late Carolyn Tomic and household items were donated from Juanita Black’s family in memory of Muriel Black. Both Carolyn and Muriel were well known residents of Crescent Valley as women who loved children. Carolyn with her big brimmed hat always had a child following along with her and Muriel was know as Grammy Black to two generations of children in Crescent Valley. The $200 raised was donated in memory of Carolyn and Muriel. Thanks to all who helped by making a purchase.

Crescent Valley Garden

by Karen Rodgerson, Assistant Garden Captain

We are about to celebrate another year in the Crescent Valley Community Garden.

On May 22nd, the garden was tilled for the start of a great season.

The garden gets a grant of $350 from the Crescent Valley Community Tenants Association. Plus everyone has to pay $15 for their plot. But before Photo Courtesy of Around the Block Staff you get a plot you have to be Marlee Vautour pulls carrots from the CV a member of the CVCTA and Garden that costs $5. The best part of it all is that your seeds are included.

On May 23rd, some members put stakes in the ground for each plot.

On June 7th, everyone started to plant their garden. After we planted we had a barbecue to start the season.

The weeding is not so much fun, but it has to be done. We didn’t have to water that much this year as we had so much rain. It was a difficult start because the rain washed some seeds out, so people needed to replant but everything turned out fine.

I think everyone got a lot of vegetables from the garden. The best Photo Courtesy of Around the Block part of the garden is not only the Staff Potatoes drying in the sun vegetables, but talking with everyone and helping people. I like having my vegetables that I grew myself with my Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I think that is the best part and I have fresh vegetables all year long. That is so GREAT! On August 25th we had our judge Janet Cowell from Halifax Seed come for the third year and pick 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners and an honourable mention. The winners were: 1st place: Pam Crilley, 2nd place: Mona Godin, 3rd place: Karen & Frank Rodgerson and Juanita Black, (they shared a plot together). The honourable mention went to Louise Buick. Janet had a hard time deciding but she made great choices. Janet stays after her judging and gives great advice for the next season. Everyone still has some vegetables in the garden but it is starting to get bare as the garden season comes to an end. We will be done about October 31st or so and the garden will be tilled again for the fall.

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Celebration

by Wendy MacDermott, Vibrant Communities Saint John Coordinator

Saint John has a lot to be proud of and Around the Block is one example. Here are a few reasons Around the Block has to celebrate: • 19 non-profit groups purchased over $1,700 in advertising this issue.

• Since we began we have sold over $11,700 in ads and sponsorship.

• 80 different residents of the five priority neighbourhoods have written over 135 stories.

• The City of Saint John has provided funding for staff, without which we would not be able to produce this fabulous paper.

• Residents have told us they have discovered a love of writing by preparing stories for Around the Block.

Saint John has come together to make our community a better place by reducing poverty. But what is our hope for Saint John? The Leadership Roundtable of Vibrant Communities would like your advice. Which of the following best describes our vision for Saint John? Please call 693-0904 or email wendy.vibrantsj@nb.aibn.com, to vote for your favourite. Voters will be included in a draw for two $50 donations to the charitable organization of your choice. If you have a great idea for a tagline pass that along too!

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Poverty No More Saint John where everyone belongs Saint John, a caring and inclusive community Prosperity in Action The Tide rises for everyone Inclusive Neighbourhoods Saint John - the difference between ordinary and extra ordinary

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Prosperity for All Saint John, feel included

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Hope for our future

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Prosperity plan for everyone in Saint John A part, not apart Freedom to Succeed Community in Action prosperity for all

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Be on the lookout this fall for more celebration. Vibrant Communities and other partners are developing a short video to celebrate efforts to reduce poverty and we will be launching a Saint John Poverty Reduction website.

I want to thank all of you who have spent so much time making this paper such a success, congratulations and thank you!

VitalSigns® 2009 “Greater Saint John’s Vital Signs” displays economic, social and population data, in ten broad categories or Indicators. The aim is to ensure that the report has fairly, comprehensively and accurately described our community using the best data available. It is a quality of life measurement tool for community groups, leaders, businesses and researchers. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation has commissioned the Saint John Human Development Council, a social planning agency, with wide knowledge of our community, to produce the report. The document can be found at: www.saint-john-foundation.nb.ca or www.sjhdc.ca

Around the Block Team (Issue 7) Old North End: Melissa Moore, Tara Parlee, & Ashley Loggie, Lower South End: Penni Eisenhauer, Crescent Valley: Laura Basque, Lisa Morris, & Elaine Orser, Lower West Side: Bobbie Craft, and West P.A.C.T. Other Partners: Human Development Council, Belinda Allen & Randy Hatfield, Proof readers: Rona Howald, Mary Collier Fleet, Cindy Horton, Linda Boyle, Kathryn Asher, & Anna O’Hara, Vibrant Communities: Wendy MacDermott, Alma Beck, and Juanita Black, and Community Members: Kelly Kelly

Around the Block Team at Issue 6 Wrap Up Meeting

Photo of ONE Change office (pg. 2) by Kate Robinson, 3 Sisters (pg.

3) by Mike Erb, the Dome (pg. 6) by Jessica Delong, Carleton Centre and Martello Tower (pg. 5) Celeste Hay, and thank you also to Jane Barry for community partner photos.

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