Second Story Women's Centre
Upcoming Programs for Summer 2008

Gardening for the Soul evaluation and program development. Thursday afternoons from 12 to 4 by appointment.

Each Monday evening 7:00-8:00 Support Group for Women Whose Gambling is causing problems in their lives.

Saturday, July 12, 10 am to 2 pm. Garden Tour Fundraising Event

Thursday, July 17, 5 - 8pm. Workshop:  Raised Bed Planting with Rosmarie Bradley

Thursday, July 24, 5 - 8pm. Workshop: Introduction to the Gardening for the Soul Program with Rosmarie Bradley

Thursday, July 31, 5 - 8pm. Workshop: Concrete Leaf Impressions with Rosmarie Bradley

August Fundraising Week-End at the Kilted Frenchman Restaurant

One-on-one evaluations with Rosmarie Bradley. Rosmarie is taking appointments Thursdays noon – 4 pm for one-on-one Gardening for the Soul evaluation and program development. E-mail Rosmarie directly to set up an appointment  at rosmarie@helpingnatureheal.com  

Reading Between the Lines with Helen Lanthier.

 Do you know a woman who has difficulty reading?

Does she have a hard time filling out forms or accessing services?

Does she get confused or miss out on important events because the information from newspapers or flyers is too hard to read?

Does she need help corresponding with her child’s school?

If you know someone like this, please let her know there is help available at Second Story Women’s Centre. 

Each Wednesday afternoon (from 2:00 p.m. until approximately 3:00 p.m.), a retired teacher will be available to read materials to her or to help her with answering notes, filling out forms etc.  The sessions will be entirely confidential and will take place in a quiet, private and safe atmosphere. No appointment is necessary and there is no commitment to return.

Be a friend and help!   There is nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain! Speak to someone you know who may require this support and give them this number (or encourage them just to come in on a Wednesday afternoon).

Mediation Services, Second Story Women’s Centre is pleased to offer Mediation Services.  This service is available to those who would like to have a third party work with them to resolve their personal and work-related disputes.  Both parties to the dispute must be willing to attend and participate in the mediation. Jan McKenzie QC, a trained mediator, is available for mediation at the Centre on Monday afternoons. If you are interested in this service, please call the Centre to book an appointment.  Note that a brief confidential description of the parties and the nature of the dispute will be required when an appointment is made.

Support for Women Who Gamble A facilitated support group for women whose gambling is causing problems in their lives has begun meeting at the Centre. In order to protect the anonymity of those attending the group, call 543-1315 or 640-3044 for date and location of our meetings. This confidential, nonjudgmental support is available to any woman who has stopped gambling or is still gambling and wanting to stop.

For further information about the group call Sally Hutchinson 543-1315 or 640-3044 ext. 17.

Auricular Acupuncture sessions. with Theresa Peck MacLennan. Please note: Tuesday, May 27, 6:30 – 8:30 was the last session offered until the fall. Mental Health continues to offer regular sessions at the old Mental Health Unit in the South Shore Regional Hospital, Tuesdays at 3 pm, Wednesdays from 4:30 to 7 pm, and Thursdays at 7 pm. Also they offer sessions at the Dawson Centre at 197 Dufferin Street Mondays and Fridays at 1 pm as well as Clinics in Chester and Liverpool. Please contact them for additional information. Mental Health’s number is 527-5228.

Saturday, July 12, 10 am to 2 pm. Garden Tour Fundraising Event Rosmarie Bradley has been organizing a wonderful summer fundraiser which allows you to tour a number of gardens and properties around the area. She has convinced more than a dozen property owners to open up their gardens for us to tour. Either the owners or volunteers will be on-site to answer questions and describe the unique characteristics of each garden. Booklets are being printed describing the gardens, including pictures and directions to the properties. On the Saturday of the tour, you choose which gardens are of interest and go to those sites between the hours mentioned. Booklets will be on sale at the Centre after July 2 for $10 or at the Helping Nature Heal gardens, where Rosmarie will be hosting a tour, on the day of the event. Helping Nature Heal is at 671 LaHave Street, Bridgewater; phone 543-7416 or cell 521-2538. Come for gardening ideas and just a chance to have a pleasant tour.

In the meantime, we still need a few volunteers to help at some sites. If you are interested, please call Sally at the Centre.

Thursday, July 17, 5 - 8pm. Workshop:  Raised Bed Planting at the Lunenburg Academy with Rosmarie Bradley in our new garden. We have lots of herbs to get in the ground!

We'll meet at the centre for dinner, then carpool to the Academy for a few hours of gardening.

Thursday, July 24, 5 - 8pm. Workshop: Introduction to the Gardening for the Soul Program with Rosmarie Bradley. Learn what Horticulture as Therapy is all about.

Thursday, July 31, 5 - 8pm. Workshop: Concrete Leaf Impressions at Helping Nature Heal with Rosmrie Bradley. Meet in Bridgewater at 671 LaHave St at 5pm.

August Fundraising Week-End at the Kilted Frenchman Restaurant, in Bayport. Plans are being finalized for an entertaining couple of days at the Kilted Frenchman with our ever- generous host Debbie Scott. Saturday will see us playing croquet, in teams of four or five. We are approaching groups and businesses to put teams together but feel free to gather family and friends and join the festivities. If you want to wear costumes, big hats, or polka dot dresses, feel free, or just come in casual dress. The afternoon event will take place between 1 and 4, with finger food being served and a cash bar available. You may choose to end this fun afternoon with a meal at the restaurant.

Sunday will be a set menu dinner with a wonderful concert provided. More details as they become available.

August Yard Sale. We will soon be announcing the date of a yard sale in August. We will be accepting donations of good quality items up until August 1 . More details as they become available.

Wednesday mornings starting September 17 to October 22, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, workshop series: Lifewriting with Ellen Gordon.

Have you always wanted to write but never had the time or couldn’t get past the first paragraph?

Have you ever wished you could write some of your memories down – perhaps save them for your family and friends?

Do you tend to think your life is just ordinary – that you have nothing worth writing?

Would you like to write but worry that the grammar, spelling, etc. might be a problem?

If you answer “yes” to any of the above why not try Lifewriting? Lifewriting will give you the opportunity to relive, understand, share aspects of your life.

 
In group sessions Ellen Gordon, a retired teacher who is experienced in Lifewriting will introduce you to the joy of writing your stories, memories, your life, without the stresses so many of us fear or remember from our high school years.  She will show you methods of getting those ideas in rough form on paper, allow time for you to talk through the ideas and your rough writing.  After a few sessions of writing you will be happy to find you can produce a polished piece ready for presentation to family friends or just to keep in your private portfolio.

Group sessions will be three hours each week for 6 to 10 weeks.

Each session will consist of:

  - warm-up writing exercises

  - talk about writing with leader and with other group members

  - writing on a chosen piece

  - follow-up discussions.

The goal of Lifewriting is to do some writing every session, building up a cache of pieces in beginning stages over the first few weeks, then to take some of that cache of writing, improve it and produce it in polished form.

Please register for all workshops by calling Second Story Women's Centre at (543-1315 or 640-3044).

Programs are free and open to all women.  Coed programs are advertised as such or say, "Everyone Welcome".  Minimal childcare and transportation subsidies are available.  Second Story Women's Centre is a scent-free space.  Pets are not permitted in workshops. All programs offered at Second Story unless otherwise stated.

Transportation: If you are willing to carpool and can provide a drive to a woman from your area, please let us know when you register.  Transportation services are also available by VON on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 3pm for individuals whose phone number starts with 634, 624 or 640.  This is a free service.  Donations are gratefully accepted and charitable receipts are available.  Please call the VON at 624-1897.

 

Parking: The Centre does not have client parking so please allow enough time to secure a space before the event time.

Please note that many of our informational programs are also appropriate for service providers to attend to receive up-to-date information on various topics.

**Facilitators are routinely not employed by SSWC. As such, the Centre does not necessarily endorse the services, products, etc. mentioned in workshops**

 

If you have ideas for programs, please contact Wendy at SSWC extension 14 or Sally at extension 13, or email secstoryprograms@eastlink.ca.

Wants: Now that we've been here for awhile, we have discovered that there are some furniture or supplies that would make things easier for us and our volunteers and more comfortable for our clients.  We'll list them occasionally in our Program Updates, in case you may be trying to find a new home for some of these items or you simply would like to help but don't know what we need.  If you have them, please call and we'll try to look at the items first to make sure they are a good fit for here.  Thanks.
comfy chairs
bookcases for a library
filing cabinets
small cabinet for library
small end tables for program room and for library
free standing lamps
large cooking pots
water glasses
kettle
mixing bowls
wooden spoons
oven mitts
cutlery
snap lids and twist lids and labels for mason jars
small cd player
salt and pepper shakers
freezer containers
large cushions to sit on
magazine racks
tape measures
wall clocks
trolley for moving dishes

Bully Busters:  Ongoing Programming

In 1996, Second Story Women’s Centre (SSWC) received many calls from schools in Lunenburg County requesting information and presentations exploring issues of bullying as well as harassment in the school system. SSWC acknowledged the concern and need for their request and reached out to the community for support. With extensive research, and focus groups facilitated by Dian Denis and SSWC, a program was developed for students in grades four through six.

Seven years have passed and SSWC recognizes bullying is not exclusive to the upper levels of the elementary population. In 2003, SSWC received funding for curriculum development to further develop the Bully Busters project originally developed by Dian Denis in 1996. With research and months of trial and error with the pilot project, Beckie Guest, Curriculum Developer, created the new Bully Busters project.

Girl Talk:  Ongoing Programming

Girl Talk is a 3-day summer program for girls ages 9 - 12. The program is packed with crafts, games, activities, and chit-chats about issues relevant to girls. Girl Talk creates a safe environment for girls to have fun, ask questions and voice their opinions. Snacks and materials are provided.

Dress Well for Interviews or Business: Ongoing Programming

We have a supply of quality clothing available for women preparing for interviews or wanting to dress up for their work or a special occasion.  Please call before you drop in to check out our selection.  If you would like to make a clothing donation, please call us.

VOICES: Ongoing Programming

VOICES is a self-discovery and empowerment program for girls.  Group sessions are scheduled on a weekly basis.  Each session focuses on a different topic related to Girl Empowerment!  The VOICES program is fun, interactive, inspirational and educational.