My Grant has finished...

but the work goes on.  We met together on the 31st to review the proposal.  The committee was GREAT!!!  They loved what we had put together, and they had wonderful comments to add.  Now that we have discussed the proposal in length.  I can take our discussion and make the changes to strengthen the application.  We want to present our cause in the best possible light.  I have been working on these changes and hope to have them ready by the end of next week.

I am off this week to take my daughter to Montreal to obtain her French work visa.  She is going to France to work as a teachers aid in Clairmont-Ferrand for seven months.  She has to apply in person at the French Consulate in Montreal so we are making a family vacation out of it.  I am so excited.  With her being away at University for four years, a summer in Kazakhstan, then this summer teaching VBS all over the Maritimes, and now this trip to France, we have not seen much of her.  It will be great getting to know her all over again.

Watch for more progress on the Senior's Housing project, I plan to keep this site updated even though the grant has come to an end.  I plan to work with SIndHI on a volunteer basis along with the rest of the committee.  This is an important project for Shelburne.  Our seniors deserve this!

August 2011

The summer is almost at an end, and my JCP grant is at an end.  We have reached our 300 survey goal and we are submitting the application to the ABSCHI by the end of the month.  It has been a roller coaster ride, one which I am so glad I have taken.  I have learned many things, met many people and I hope that when the application is accepted, that I will be able to continue this ride as a volunteer to see the completion of the Seniors Independent Housing project.  I am going to update this site as well as make announcements in the paper and around the community to let everyone know where the project is and how it develops.  Keep an eye on the future.

July

Summertime, summertime, mmm mmm mmm  summertime..... I have been so lax in updating this blog site, but I haven't been lax in working on this project!  I have been running around all over Shelburne County doing presentations in Clarks Harbour, Barrington Passage, Shelburne, at churches and in firehalls.  I have met in lodge meetings and I have even sat in the mall for a day.  This is being well promoted.  On Saturday this week I plan on going to Sable River to attend their Farmer's Market and set up a booth there for the morning to see how many new people I can talk to.  Then in August we hope to have a booth at the Exhibition.  Our goal is still to reach 300 completed surveys everyone.  We are nearing it but we still need a few more.  So lets reach all those shut in friends and neighbours who can't get out and get one of these surveys on their own.  We need to promote this to the masses.

Spring has arrived in Shelburne

So the leaves are on the trees....it is amazing how a little green can brighten everything up.  The rain and sun has brought everything to life and a breath of fresh air has begun to blow through Shelburne.  I am so pleased with how well the project has been coming along.  I have been so busy I have forgotten about blogging.  I am so excited, my project has been extended another two months, so I am now able to work even longer to get this project underway.  I have 156 surveys collected and tabulated.  I have spoken at about ten places and presented the survey and the possibilities the Seniors apartments can give to everyone here in Shelburne County.  I am so excited with the positive responses I have been receiving and the great feedback from all of you.  So many GREAT suggestions and comments,  some I had not thought of, and many to reinforce what we had already thought possible.  We will still need many more surveys back.  I hope to complete the survey process by the end of June so please get yours in and let your friends and neighbors know.  Please get to those shut in's who cannot get out easily and let them know as well.  This is for them especially.  Don't forget about our on-line survey.  :)

Three weeks of survey distribution...

Public speaking...I never thought I would become accustomed to standing up in front of dozens of people and speaking.  In school my knees would knock and I would panic.  However, this is part and parcel with the whole getting the word out about this important project.  I have received great reception about the project, and that helps.  So many people realize how important it is to have a seniors facility in the area.  I have given out hundreds of these surveys...now all we need is to get them all back.  If you have taken one of these surveys, or someone has given one to you, please be sure to fill it out as soon as possible.  If you haven't received one as of yet, please fill it out here on line, or if you would rather have a paper form, you can pick one up at the Whirligig in Shelburne, the Library in Lockeport, Shelburne or Barrington Passage, or phone the Shelburne Baptist Church at 875-4147 and we will make sure you get one as soon as possible. 

Article in the Coastguard

Many thanks to Amy Woolvett for her article "Is there a need for senior housing" in the April 5th issue of the Shelburne County Coast Guard.  It goes a long way in promoting our cause and getting the word out about the surveys that have now been distributed about the county.  We really hope that many of you have received them or are able to get one and fill them out, if not, please take advantage of the on-line survey attached to this blog.  I have worked out a few of the kinks and you are now able to attach your name and address to the survey, my apologies to the first couple of applicants who were unable to use this feature.  We hope to have these surveys completed and returned by the middle of May. I am pleased with how things are coming along.

The surveys are ready

The surveys are ready and are now being distributed.  On the front of the blog you will find a link to the on-line version of the survey which has been placed there for your convenience.  If you wish to fill out a paper form of this survey, please contact us at the Shelburne Baptist Church (shelburnebaptist.ca) and we will make that happen as soon as possible, or you can pick one up at any one of the public libraries in Shelburne, Lockeport or Barrington Passage.  Drop off locations for the completed paper surveys are written on the back. 

Our goal is to get as many of these filled out as possible by all eligible seniors 50 years of age and over.  Please fill it out from the perspective of the person who may be residing in the facility.  One survey per person please so we do not have duplicate results, we would like to keep this as accurate as possible.


We appreciate any feedback in regards to this project as to how we can better reach our objective.

Thank you for your support, we will keep you up-dated.

March 22, 2011

Well, things are finally moving forward.  I have a survey and it is almost ready to be sent out.  I am so excited to be a part of this.  I am going to be setting up meetings to speak to various town groups and public forums explaining our project.  I will be posting the survey on line soon.  You should be able to get it from several places all over Shelburne County.  Hoping for many responses....pass them around please.  :)

Getting meeting ready

Wow February has been a busy month, I have been researching available apartment rentals in the area and have discovered, although there are a few not all are appropriate for seniors.  Most are aimed at low rentals and most are small and many are on upper floors.  Tight corners, small bathrooms, uneven walkways, not laid out for wheelchairs or set up with the mechanics needed for people who might need a hand getting in and out of the bath with hand rails or safety bars. 

I have also been researching properties that we are considering as a location for the site for the home we would like to build.  It is interesting seeing what is available in the area.  There are many great properties available.  I just wish it were spring so we could view them without snow, however this will happen soon enough.

We will be having our meeting with our ABSCHI representative on the 28th and we are looking forward to this with great anticipation.  Once we present him with our information we will be able to have a community meeting and let everyone know what is happening and get more feed back and be able to get a better idea what will suit the area according to community needs.

Keep your eyes and ears open for more information to come!!!

January 20, 2010

Wow, working on this blog site is a blast.  I am having so much fun figuring out all the ins and outs of the different styles and gadgets that can be used.  I need to get some relevant photos to put up now that we have some current information to post.  We have a meeting date set for our ABSCHI representative for the end of February.  We are so excited to get the next stage of our project underway.  We have several site locations in mind, and many ideas ready to implement.  We want to hear from the community what they want in a seniors  facility.  This is such an exciting project...

January 7, 2010 - Coffee Meetings

     Meetings are fun, don't you find?  You never know what you are getting into until you get there.  I must admit.  Although I love talking to people, and I am a BIG talker, I am always afraid of saying the wrong thing or making myself look like I don't know I am talking about.  Even if I am fairly sure I do.  Yesterday I had two meetings.  The first is one that I have had several times. it was with my mentors at Tim Hortons.  I LOVE coffee meetings, if for no other reason, coffee is involved.  LOL  Ask anyone, I am addicted to coffee.  Anyway, we went over many things pertaining to the project and discussed my progress thus far and I was encouraged to discover that they are VERY pleased with my accomplishments and my work-to-date.  As many of you must realize, getting anything accomplished over the Christmas holidays is a feat in itself.  However, this is now behind us, and we are moving forward.  Over this period I managed to meet with the Town Hall and we mapped out the town streets and found the town water and sewer lines, and found a few properties which are for sale and I now have a humongous map of the town which I can look at and plot out various properties and see what is for sale in the area and where they are exactly.  This is a huge help (I am in fact a visual person).  I may have mentioned some of this in my previous blog but after reading it, I sounded very boring so I decided to make this a bit more interesting.
     My second meeting was with the Senior Services coordinator.  I can't mention her name at this time for privacy reasons (I will ask her later).  We met to discuss my project and how the Seniors Complex would benefit her clients and affect her job.  We had a wonderful talk.  The seniors in this community require so many services, and the service community right now are doing their very best.  However they are stretched.  They can use much more help from the community and from this project.  If anyone would like to volunteer to visit a senior, I am sure they would love to hear from you.  Give Senior Services a call.
     There are so many aspects to which this complex would benefit Shelburne and the surrounding area.  Imagine for a moment, your parents living in a community outside the town limits taking care of a property.  Even if it is a small property, the upkeep of this property requires time and energy.  There is lawn care in the summer, snow removal in the winter, ice, windstorms, leaves and branches to take care of, worry about security, upkeep of the house itself, roof, gutters, windows, doors, plumbing, changing light bulbs, climbing stairs, falls, getting in and out of tubs or showers, what happens if they do fall and there is no one there?  And then there is the loneliness; you can only watch so much Canadian Idol...
     With a complex as we are proposing so much of this would be eliminated...they would live in a cozy one or two bedroom apartment with a senior friendly bath or shower unit with emergency bells included in case there was a problem, and these bells are also in the bedroom and living areas as well.  There is a maintenance person on site, so they can call to have light bulbs changed and high objects taken down off of shelves, boxes taken up from storage units and heavy parcels brought in from cars.  No more lawn care, worry about ice or snow removal, there is 24/7 security.  Close neighbours to have card parties with or tea so loneliness can be avoided and you no longer have to worry about them being alone for days on end.  This does not mean that they are in an "Old Folks Home" either.  These apartments are all separate.  Seniors apartments have double thick walls, and double wide hallways so that privacy is guaranteed.  No one has to know their business.  If they want to be alone, they have that option as well, however, with all the activities, workshops, exercise room, movie nights and parties, they would be hard-pressed to want to.
     We are also hoping to add another level to this facility, an Enhanced Living Unit, where you pay a little bit more and you have two meals a day included with your room.  Since you wouldn't be needing a full kitchen with this service, you would have a refrigerator, and microwave in your unit instead of a full kitchen, however the rest of the apartment would be the same as the regular units.   Large spacious rooms with cable TV, Internet connections, emergency bell systems, storage room/laundry room, large windows, bright and cheery, wheelchair accessible.   Just think, no messy oven to clean, someone else to cook for you, that is MY idea of a  good time.    This would be a great time to give me some feed back...let me know how you all feel.  :-)

January 2, 2010

I have started the Bible Reading Challenge through MomsToolBox to read the Bible through in 90 days it is called the B90 Challenge. I pray that this is one challenge I am able to complete.

As for the Seniors Home Project. It is moving along slowly. As we await communication from our sponsor over the Christmas holiday, I have been researching various locations which may be available in the area, looking at water and sewer lines, and talking to people who have worked at getting one of these homes up and going. My plan for 2011 is to continue to research locations, get the information gathered compiled into a report to pass on to our sponsor and approach the public with the possibility of getting this project up and running.

So what do you all have to say out there, do you have any opinions as to where a good location for a Seniors Apartment Complex should be built in Shelburne? What sort of services would you be willing to pay for in one of these facilities?