Fall 2015 Newsletter. Port Alberni Friendship Center

Transcription

1 Fall 2015 Newsletter Port Alberni Friendship Center Aboriginal Day We held our Community Aboriginal Day celebration on June 22 nd this year. We had well over 400 people from all over attend and enjoy all the activities which included a candy floss machine, fresh popcorn, snow cone maker, bouncy house, live band, face painting and longhouse display, Joyce Little Fashion show, vender booths, and musical talents by Brittany Johnson and Jason Titian! Cha maa pii Elders and Youth Cultural Camp - July 27-31, 2015 This year s Chaa ma pii Cultural Camp was held at the Qualicum First Nation s campground where we were welcomed with open arms. Over 60 people registered and about 45 staying for the entire week. It was a huge success! Some of the families came for day trips to enjoy socializing with everyone, to teach crafts, share in the language and storytelling, enjoy a meal together and participate in the talking circles. A special Thank You goes out to all the volunteers that helped make the camp so enjoyable. Tkleco, tkleco! Ninayaqsha Baby Welcoming On May 26, 2015, in partnership with the NTC Community Nursing Program, we hosted our Ninayaqsha - Baby Welcoming. Ten precious little ones were introduced by their parents and welcomed into the community. It was so wonderful to have over 100 guests to witness this very important celebration.

2 Honoring our Volunteers! On April 17 th, we held a Volunteer Appreciation Lunch to honor and thank our volunteer for their overwhelming support. Over the years, these volunteers have put in a lot of their spare time and effort to help make our work a success and we wanted them to know that their work hasn't gone unnoticed. Each volunteer was given a certificate of appreciation and a PAFC t-shirt with VOLUNTEER written across the back. We are so lucky to have them as volunteers and so happy they have shared their talents with us.?aps čik ya uk - Youth Honouring Celebration In February 2015, our Connecting the Dots program celebrated their final wrap up by honoring 12 youth. Over 90 people came out to witness the Youth being honored and to celebrate the 4 years that Connecting the Dots had been running which included Families, local server providers and Community members. Gathering Our Voices 2015 Funds for our February Loonie Toonie went towards Gathering Our Voices in Prince George Gathering our Voices Youth Conference is hosted by the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centre s (BCAAFC) and their Provincial Aboriginal Youth Council (BCAAFC-PAYC). The Conference was held from March 17-20, 2015 in Prince George BC on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T enneh at the Prince George Centre and other venues in the city. Our Youth were able to participate with up to 1,000 other youth ages as well as chaperones, presenters and guests. They were able to network and learn new techniques and skills in workshops, share knowledge through cultural activities, witness performances by talented individuals, explore career and education possibilities and participate in sports and recreational activities.

3 Upcoming Events PAFC Halloween Party October 30, 2015 at 6pm The PAFC will be hosting our Annual Halloween party on Friday, October 30 th. We will have snacks, free hotdogs for everyone to enjoy and goody bags for kids. Come and join in on the costume contest for all ages and win one of the prizes! Community Christmas Dinner December 10 th Everyone is welcome to join us for our Free Christmas Dinner. We will have turkey, ham and all the trimmings. There will also be a surprise visit from Santa! Come and get your picture with him.. Community Dinners & Elder s Lunches We have a Community Dinner that is usually scheduled for the second Tuesday of the month and an Elder s Lunch on the third Tuesday. Check our monthly calendar to confirm the dates. Brittany Johnson has been a main feature over the summer meals singing and playing her guitar for the community.

4 LEGAL ADVOCACY Outreach Legal Advocacy Program Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:30 12:00pm & 1:00 4:30 pm You should seek assistance as soon as you think you have a legal problem. It is important to get help with any legal problem you may be having as early as possible. All Nations Cultural Night every Tuesday Come practice traditional dancing, singing, drumming every Tuesday night from 7pm to 10pm. All Dance Groups welcome! See Tim George for more info. AYETP Are you a Youth looking for Work? If you are a Youth between the ages of 16 and 24, this program may be for you. You are obtaining certificates in Serving it Right, First Aid, CPR, First Host, WHMIS, Retail Sales and more. Please see Darlene, Jeff or Celestine to register. Program starts September 9 th. Men s Support Group Port Alberni Friendship Center AGM Sept 29 th at 5pm Dinner at 5pm ~ Meeting and Election of Board of Directors to follow. Purchase your membership $2.00 to Vote. Prizes will be drawn at the end of the meeting. Everyone Welcome! Brendon runs a Men s Therapy Group weekly every Wednesday from 1:30 to 3:30pm. He also provides individual and couple counseling by appointment as well as the occasional drop-in. Eating in Balance Come prepare and share a meal together and participate in a group discussion. Every week has a new topic and some upcoming topics include Back to School Routines, Safe Sleep for Babies, Community Elders, and an Open Parenting Discussion Brighter Futures Parenting Program Every Tuesday beginning September 22 nd The concept of the Brighter Futures parenting program is to address the needs and issues facing parents today. The main philosophy is to provide parents with the tools to successfully deal with their own issues in a constructive manner. Everyone welcome! Early Years Program Uu-uu-athluk / Nayi?ii / Enhanced Eating in Balance Monday, Thursday and every 2 nd Friday This program provides a link between families and service providers ensuring children have the opportunity for maximized child development support. Through this program, we also offer group support which includes: Families are having fun, learning enjoying making meals together and creating their items. Teresa will also be introducing Circle of Courage to the groups. See the Community Calendar for days and time. Youth and Family Night Every Friday 7pm to 11pm Come join in on the family fun every Friday night! Everyone is Welcome! We have activities for Youth, Kids and Families! Check the Community Calendar for up to date days and times.

5 Complete the crossword using Nuu-chah-nulth words Across Down 2. Herring 1. Wolf 4. Pig 2. Raccoon 5. Frog 3. Deer 6. Mosquito 9. Loon 7. Black Bear 8. Crow 10. Orca Words kakawin kʷa uu qʷayaciik ƛapisim ims waaʕit tanakmis ʔaama kiiʔin ƛusmit mu a Rental Space Available: See Jeff Jeffries or Shan Ross for more information. All proceeds go towards Port Alberni Friendship Center programming. Address & Phone: th Ave, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4H3, Phone: (250) Fax: (250) Fall 2015 Newsletter