Dundas Youth Chaplaincy operating
10 Market St South,
Dundas Ontario
L9H 5G4
905-929-0572
www.routesyouthcentre.ca
Newsletter
Spring 2015
Update from the Centre
“It takes a Village”-a BIG thanks!
The past few months have been jam
packed at Routes! The winter can be a lonely
time for many as the cold weather may make
some people feel isolated.
We hosted a Dance workshop in
January where youth were encouraged to
express themselves through movement and
had the chance to learn some new moves
from staff and each other! In February at our
crafting workshop, we focused on the
concepts of love and appreciation and their
many expressions. Youth got to make multiple
crafts with the option of gifting them to
someone special who they appreciated! Some
of the crafts included a bird feeder,
homemade bath scrubs and scratch tickets! In
March we are hosting a workshop called
“What’s your superpower?”. Through exploring
traditional superheroes and some selfawareness exercises youth will get to discover
what their own superpower is, and further; how
they can better their community.
We enjoyed some fun March break
activities as well such as crafts, science
experiments and movie marathons! Routes is
continually in awe of the Dundas community’s
generosity!
We would like to extend our thanks for
all of our past donations and reach out for
some things we are in need of currently:
-One love seat
-Any new video gaming equipment
-Basketballs
If you would like to make a donation of
equipment please feel free to call
905-929-0582 or email:
[email protected]
-Charlotte Shipley
On February 27th we hosted our Annual
Fundraising Dinner and Silent Auction. It was
another resounding success which can be
attributed to the remarkable members of our
community. We had a wide variety of stellar
donations, thanks to the generosity of
community merchants and individuals, which
made for a lively silent auction.
Danielle Mably, Director of Routes spoke
about the demographic change we are
seeing in the youth we serve.
A definite highlight of the evening was a
video, produced by our staff person Charlotte
Shipley and starring several of our Routes
youth. The youth took the opportunity to
convey their thanks to our supporters and
personally acknowledge the value of Routes
and the positive changes they have
experienced as part of their participation in
the Centre. It did indeed re-affirm our theme
“It Takes A Valley….to raise a child” and we
are grateful to the folks from our community
who made it a fun and successful evening,
raising over $10,000 for our continued
operation. Also, to our volunteers for their
ongoing support and countless hours of
commitment.
-Marjorie Walker
2
The Board’s Corner
We have had a busy couple of months
since the last newsletter.
It has been fun seeing glimpses of the
young folk preparing their presentation for our
annual Dinner and Auction ... fun to see them
enjoying themselves in the preparations and
en-joyable (hyphen intended) to see how
some of them have developed and matured
since September. I have no doubt that our
staff is helping to equip them for a more joyful
and productive future, whatever that may be
for each of our youth.
The Dinner event is reported on
elsewhere in the Newsletter, but from our
Board’s perspective, I need to say what a
delight it is to experience our community’s
support for the work which we are doing. We
walk the streets asking for donations for our
Auction. The response we get is absolutely
heart-warming. And the spirit we sense at the
presentations, workshops and networking for
those involved in work with youth. That brings
them together with other social workers,
police, youth clergy, probation officers, sector
teachers, and youth agency personnel.
Danielle and Charlotte attended in late
February and came back enthused for the
directions they are taking with our youth and
challenged by the opportunities whose
methodology needs yet to be defined. We
are proud that our staff is on the forefront in our
field.
-Gary Caldwell
Mark Your Calendar:
Scrap Metal Drive
Saturday, April 18th 2015 9am-1pm
For information call 905-929-0572
Collins Brewhouse Golf Day
Saturday in May- TBA
Grants and Funding
event is so encouraging. One of my calls to a
downtown business, when I identified myself to
the young lady at the counter, was met with
an enthusiastic response: “Hey, I went to
Routes. Thanks for what you do. I will get my
boss and tell him he has to give you
something.” What a warm feeling for me! The
business is listed in the event program. In some
of our funding applications we are asked if we
have community support, and the more astute
ask ‘how do you know?’ The Dinner program
alone is all we need to offer.
We are indeed pleased that our senior
staff request, each year, to attend a
Conference Of Youth Officers which is a threeday event consisting of professional
Again we have been favoured with a
grant from the Hamilton Community
Foundation drawing on the Dougher
Community Fund. The grant is in the amount of
$8,000, an increase over their grant in 2014,
and represents a great start to our fiscal year
which begins April 1st. The “Dougher
Community Fund” is a bequest to the
Foundation from the estate of the late Isabel
Dougher, a lifelong resident of Dundas, who,
through this medium, expressed her wish to
help Dundas residents enjoy the many features
and services of her community. We are
grateful for her care and concern for others
and will ensure that her wishes are addressed
as we strive to help to develop the life skills and
spirits of the young people in whose hands our
community’s future is held.
*Views and opinions expressed in this publication do not
necessarily reflect those of Hamilton Community Foundation”