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Cheque it out! 35 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, June 2, 2011 Masonic Lodge Brother Tom Allen, Senior Warden (right) presents a cheque for $1,000 to the GeorgeMasonic Lodge Senior Warden Brother Tom Allen (far right) presents a Masonic Lodge Senior Warden Brother Tom Allen town Hospital Foundation represented by K.C. Carcheque for $1,000 to St. John Ambulance members, from left, Carme (right) presents a $1,000 cheque to Robert Plaschka, ruthers, Executive Director, Georgetown Hospital President, Autism Ontario Halton Chapter. McCormack, Chuck McCormack, Tim Bauer and Agnes Daniell. Foundation and Ken McDermot (centre). Photo by Ron Stiel Photo by Ron Stiel Photo by Ron Stiel Acton Seniors' Centre membership is growing; will celebrate Seniors Month By JULIE CONROY Acton Seniors Centre We will be celebrating Seniors Month during the month of June. Our dinner this month on Thursday, June 30 will feature Maple Lodge chicken (they will be cooking the chicken in the parking lot), roasted potatoes, cauliflower and carrots, followed by a tropical dessert. Our entertainment will be the South Pacific Dancers, which should set us in the mood for summer. Tickets are available at the front desk. This is the final social dinner for the summer and the dinners will restart in September. Ten new members joined us at a New Members' Luncheon. Hopefully they all enjoyed themselves and learned a little about what the Centre has to offer them. Thirty-six members from Acton and Georgetown Seniors Centres and friends enjoyed a friendly game of golf at Blue Springs on the Academy course. After a delicious lunch some of us decided to play a second nine holes. We were very lucky with the weather, and manged to pick the only dry day it seems in May. It just started to sprinkle as people were finishing the second nine holes. We have the next game booked for Wednesay, Sept. 7, and a signup sheet will be up in July. Still on the summer theme, the Acton and Georgetown Seniors Centres' travel group has a trip planned to see the comedy play, Sexy Laundry on Tuesday, June 14 at the Orillia Opera House, followed by a barbecue dinner cruise on Lake Couchiching. What a lovely way to spend a summer afternoon. There is still room for a few more names on the list. Pat Frizzell is very excited as the brand new laptops are now at the Centre. We will be having instructions starting in September for anyone wishing to experience navigating the electronic highway. Michelle tells me that starting on June 14 the movies will be shown on the new large screen, which will make the movie experience more enjoyable. Mind you it was very cozy huddled on the chesterfields watching the movies on the TV. Thanks to the New Horizon grant we received recently. The last Wednesday in the month is always the trip to Rama. This month Renata Dzieciol won the 50/50, Claire Landry received the birthday prizes and sitting in the lucky seats were Stephanie Westaway, Bill Brewer, Tony Collacci and Beryl Clegg. The bingo winners were Denis Sullivan, Betty Brewer and June Chard. Have you signed up for the Safe Driving for seniors on June 7? I understand there will be a simulator used to help make the experience more interesting. The signup sheet reads "it helps keep you safe, mobile and independent." Greening Sacred Spaces All faiths are welcome to find out about Greening Your Sacred Space on Thursday, June 9, 7-9 p.m. at Maple Grove United Church, 346 Maple Grove Dr., Oakville. This is the launch of the Halton chapter of Greening Sacred Spaces. Church groups can find out about starting a green team and why your energy, food, and waste choices matter. Contact 905-299-2327 or visit http://haltonenvironment.com/gss. Demand for accessible housing is growing Change is a constant in life. Change is seen as we grow from toddler through to adulthood and is forged by the events and circumstances that are part and parcel of being human. Changes like graduation, accepting a new job, getting married, having a new baby, are pleasant and uplifting. Other changes will test us to the limit like job loss, death of a loved one or friend, a disabling injury, a divorce or family breakup. For most, change in housing is not a tremendous obstacle. But for people living with physical or mental impairments, the challenge of finding a place to live is fraught with many hardships. Combine this with other traumatic life changing events such as a death of a care giver or marriage breakup, the burden is often overwhelming. There is a general lack of accessible housing options for Ontarians compared with the ever growing demand and Halton Hills is no exception. With limited options within the community, a person may have to face the added trauma of having to relocate to another community with its unfamiliarity and different and varying degrees of support services. Now add distance from family and friends. Andrew Tutty Combined with a shortage of accessible housing is the fact that the disabled community as a whole is under employed. This means they are also looking for safe and wholesome accommodations that are geared to income, also in short supply with long waiting lists. Both the public and private sector need to establish commitments to ensure there is accessible and affordable housing included with all new developments. The demand for housing with wide doorways and halls, lower countertops, accessible appliances, reachable light switches, and levered door handles and safe bathrooms should be included in any proposed housing within our community ensuring diversity and inclusivity. Georgetown Hospital Foundation Chair, Laurent Thibault (second from left) accepts a Andrew Tutty is a member of the Hal- cheque for $10,000 from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 120 members Marion Carney, ton Hills Accessibility Advisory Com- Nellie Scheeringa and Ray Clarke. The money was raised from the Poppy Fund. mittee. Photo by Ron Stiel Georgetown Legion presents cheque to hospital