Socks delivered to Willowdale Welcome Centre
Eric Bergman (centre) delivers two large bags of socks
to James O. and Liz M. at the Willowdale Welcome Centre.
Two large bags of socks were donated to the Willowdale Welcome Centre on Thursday, February 22, representing the culmination of our first successful sock drive.
The idea evolved out of one of Councillor Lily Cheng’s open houses that was attended by a couple of members of the board of directors. Councillor Cheng spoke eloquently about the need for socks, which is not something we normally think about but is critical to refugees and the unhoused.
The Willowdale Welcome Centre at 5800 Yonge Street provides short-term shelter and services to 420 refugee claimants. The centre’s housing managers and case workers work one-on-one with refugees to help navigate the system and obtain housing.
Clients can stay as long as they need but usually move out to housing as soon as they get a job.
The centre accepts donations of clothing, jackets, underwear, socks, shoes, gift cards and hygiene products for men and women.
Thanks, everyone, for helping to make our inaugural socks drive such a success! Your donations are making a small but important difference in someone’s life.
Short-mat bowling continues Feb 18
The mats will be rolled back into place after the special general meeting on Sunday, February 11.
As a result, there will be no short-mat bowling until the next jitney meet-up on Sunday, February 18 from 1:30 to 4:00 pm.
If you’re around, Don Rayko is promising something special at the clubhouse for Sunday, March 24 (the Sunday before Easter).
He says that it may involve some tasty treats, so stay tuned for more news to come.
Completed your proxy yet?
The meeting is being called to formalize our incorporation process. Being incorporated provides the club with a level of risk prevention. But the main reason for incorporating is to access larger capital grants that are only available to community organizations that are incorporated.
Notices for the special general meeting have gone out to members with a package of materials that will (ideally) be read by all members before the start of the meeting. If you haven’t received a package (or can’t find it), please consult the list below. You can click on each document to access it prior to the meeting.
- A cover letter from Suzan Tari, President of the club, giving a brief explanation of reasons for incorporating
- Notice of the special meeting, which includes the text of a Resolution that you will be asked to consider and vote on at the meeting
- Schedule A: Form 4001 - Articles of Incorporation,
- Schedule B: Form 4002 - Initial Registered Office Address and First Board of Directors, and
- Schedule C: By-law No. 1;
- A Proxy Form for members who won't be at the meeting; and
- A list of the club's assets (for information purposes only).
As a reminder, each member can only bring one proxy to the meeting, which is why you are asked to make up to three choices for your proxy on the form.
Our sox box runneth over!
Our Warm-Up Barbecue and Sock Drive on February 4 was an unmitigated success!
The event began with a regular short-mat jitney at which members were encouraged to bring friends as an introduction to lawn bowling. A number of members brought friends along, who could not only bowl indoors on a short mat, but because the weather was fantastic, could also bowl outdoors.
At about 3:00 p.m., the short mats were rolled up and the clubhouse configured to accommodate the people we were expecting for our barbecue and socks drive, which was co-sponsored by Councillor Lily Cheng.
Our neighbours from the Willowdale community got to see our facilities and meet many club members.
Councillor Cheng and our president, Suzan Tari, gave short welcoming speeches about the event and our club. Councillor Cheng stayed for the entire event and chatted with members and neighbours alike.
We also received significant donations of socks for the unhoused, refugees and others. We don’t often think about it, but socks are important to those who have less than the majority of us.
In exchange for donations, members and neighbours alike were treated to hamburgers and hot dogs. The cooking crew went nonstop from 3:00 to 5:30. The event was so successful that we ran out of food at the end.
Thanks to everyone for contributing to a successful event: the organizers; members who bowled, brought friends and coached; everyone who helped rearrange the clubhouse; our cooks and kitchen staff who fed everyone; and those who stayed around to clean up the kitchen, clubhouse and grounds after a successful event.
