#ournextgeneration

Pool Party tay Bacha Party!!! 🏊🏽 #ournextgeneration #Lahore #Pakistan #vacation (at Sozo Water Park)

I’ve posted a few thanks to the crew of volunteers and supporters creating holiday gifts for a number of youth in our community. It is our hope for each gift to feel special with something homemade, something yummy, and something practical. One of our supporters is a gifted (and efficient) knitter and this year Anne, with help from Kara, created a beautiful selection of head-ware to be include in our gifts. Another key component of a holiday gift (in my opinion) is edible treats so, in addition to homemade bits and bites, Suzanne organized a troop of cookie elves. Huge thanks go out to Barb G for providing the tins and candy canes, gift bags and tissue, to Martha, Leanne and Julie for packing the tins and to all our friends who poured some love into the delicious cookies and treats. #homemade #communitysupport #investinyourneighbours #ournextgeneration #futureleaders #futureparents #manyhandsmakelightwork (at St. Thomas, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CX36aH4LFwN/?utm_medium=tumblr

Thank you to Janice and Emily, family of our late friend and supporter Angus McLorn, who generously contributed Tim Horton’s gift cards in Angus’s memory for each youth receiving a gift bag.  In addition to a fresh pastry, a Timmie’s card can also provide a warm place to enjoy a hot beverage while accessing free wifi. #communitysupport #investinyourneighbours #ournextgeneration #futureleaders #futureparents #friendswithbighearts (at St. Thomas, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CX31q-lLj1H/?utm_medium=tumblr

And speaking of our village helping us to bring holiday cheer to some local youth .... With the kind and thoughtful support of Murray at Geerlinks Home Hardware, our gifts included a couple of very practical items; a good-sized pot with lid and a sturdy can opener. We even included a few of our favourite, well-tested soup recipes. And our generous friends at the St. Thomas Railway City Rotary Club rallied once again to provide enough Giant Tiger gift cards to add to each gift as well as some further donations. This hardworking team of dedicated folks gives to the community through volunteering, and then gives a second time when there are proceeds to be shared. And for those young folks with families of their own, we thank Amanda and Chris, Lisa, Marilyn, Britni and Mike, and Jane, Lisa and their crew of Dericka, Amanda, Hanna, Kim and Karen, for ensuring Santa was extra generous. Thanks everyone for your amazing support and hands-on help in bringing cheer! #communitysupport #investinyourneighbours #ournextgeneration #futureleaders #futureparents #manyhandsmakelightwork (at St. Thomas, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CX30tVBriCN/?utm_medium=tumblr

It takes a village to raise a child, and our village really stepped up this year!   Our team of volunteers and supporters created 50 beautiful gifts for youth in our community.   Special thanks go out to Amanda, Suzanne, Robin, Barb G, Anne and Kara, our bakers and cookies elves including assembly crew Martha, Leanne and Julie, St Hilda’s St. Luke’s Anglican Church and artist Katelyn Tippin for their beautiful ornaments, St Thomas Railway City Rotary Club,  Geerlinks Home Hardware and the Angus McLorn family.   Kind and generous financial support from Barb and Gary, Keri and Darren, Deb and Carl, Julie and Jonathan, Marietta and Andrew, Anne and Willie, Bruce and Rosemary, Suzanne and Jim.   And everyone else who played a part in this amazing, important holiday project. #homemade #communitysupport #investinyourneighbours #ournextgeneration #futureleaders #futureparents #manyhandsmakelightwork (at St. Thomas, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CX3l2mmrzeL/?utm_medium=tumblr

Every year I work with a crew of volunteers and supporters to create holiday gifts for a number of youth in our community These young people may be in crisis, living precariously, at risk or vulnerable. They may be at a cross-roads in their life, or even just feeling isolated and alone. They may be quite young, or have children of their own. They are our future; our future leaders, parents, neighbours, service professionals ... friends. Every gift should feel special, and as homemade Bits and Bites are a crowd pleaser, each year we make over 525 cups to share across the gifts. And by ‘we’ I mean Amanda, with me on hand to stir and wash-up. Thanks everyone for your amazing support and hands-on help in making this initiative a success. More photos of the gifts will follow! #homemade #communitysupport #investinyourneighbours #ournextgeneration #futureleaders #futureparents (at St. Thomas, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXrIvJwF22E/?utm_medium=tumblr

Awesome tribute the Class of 2020! #ournextgeneration #graduatetogether #classof2020 #covid_19 https://www.instagram.com/p/CAROcbKlMGe/?igshid=hxjqrp9h6bhy

In a word, this is what the STERA Holiday Dance was all about. And I am full of PRIDE to be involved in a small way. Huge thanks and high snaps to D and S of the St. Thomas Elgin Rainbow Alliance for making sure it was amazing. Can’t wait for the next time! @sterapride #stthomasproud #ournextgeneration #feelthelove (at St. Thomas, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6VfCdNHr6e/?igshid=f4oc9qschncw