 Dan Hill at home making music photo by Barry Shainbaum |
“Memories Die Hard, Love Dies Harder Still” — a lyric from the song “I Am My Father’s Child.” I had the pleasure of discussing with Dan Hill his memoirs I Am My Father’s Child. Dan played his music and shared the insights he had gained spanning from his early life to the “Sometimes When We Touch” years, and then to his reinvention as a songwriter and author. |
| GNT: | Your book tells of your complicated relationship with your father, the first director of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Are you politically active in the realm of human rights and social justice? |
| DH: |
Living in my parents’ house, it was impossible to avoid the subject of social justice. However, as young men often do, I tended to move away from my father’s direction to find my own — my music. Only later through all my various projects have I come to be a de facto scholar in Black History. For example, I wrote two songs for Joe Sealy’s “Africville Suite,” reflecting on the life and times in Canada’s first black community.
I also co-wrote “The Railway Porter Song,” which celebrates the plight of black railway porters working on the railway in the mid-20th century. This was a highly esteemed job for a black man back then and relatively well paying. Oscar Peterson and Joe Sealy’s fathers were both railway porters. So in a sense, the song is a celebration of this. One of the few job opportunities open to black men in mid-20th-century Canada. |
| GNT: | I think the thesis for your book can be found in this excerpt:“[We were] outsiders: wary of the world hovering just beyond our doorstep. … To survive in such a world … you had to embrace cunning and gamesmanship … while always remaining on the highest alert. [If you failed] the world [would] reach in and rip you apart from the inside.”This sense of constant threat led your father to “hyper-succeed.” Have you arrived at a more measured definition of success? |
| DH: | Human connection. The most important success in life is to achieve human connection such as the connections I have with family, friends, fellow songwriters, and performers. I find I can keep on an even keel if I have three things daily. First, exercise on daily basis. Next, creative output — be it writing or song writing or performing. Finally, some measure of human connection. If you can have these three things on a daily basis, then that is to have success. |
| GNT: | Now a father yourself, have you taken any special steps to ensure that your son is not pushed to hyper-succeed? |
| DH: | Bev [,my wife,] and I have been very careful not to pressure David to succeed. David has chosen to be a writer, but we’ve made clear that he doesn’t have to be a Hemingway to earn our love. Our love is unconditional and not contingent upon his success. Having said all that, he lives in a driven household with my wife being a lawyer and I frequently eating dinner with stacks of music or manuscripts in my hands. It’s difficult not to inhale the driven lifestyle in our house, so we’ve had to be extra clear in our message that he needn’t earn our love in any way. |
| GNT: | Your songs and lyrics have always been very honest, but I think over the years, especially with the song “I Am My Father’s Son,” you have more truth to share. |
| DH: | I find it interesting that song writing can occur at any age, but you typically need to break into the scene when you are young. I had my first hit by age 23; Dylan, Lennon, and so many others all started out young. But as I’ve grown as a person and accumulated life experience I find that being a songwriter is more like being a therapist. You have to learn to channel other people’s thoughts and emotions through you. I have never personally experienced the terrible pain of cancer, yet I'm just about to perform a song Paul Quarrington and I wrote together before he passed away from lung cancer. I think the key to writing meaningful songs is empathy. |
| GNT: | The acknowledgments section notes that the manuscript for this book was some 800 pages long. Editing can be a painful process, especially with this being the story of your life. Where their any treasured stories that needed to be cut? |
| DH: | I think there is an entire book to be written about the Don Mills community that I grew up in. I was exposed to some very talented and remarkable people. Take for example Matthew McCauley. Now here was a kid in the ’60s with a recording studio in his basement. He even had a synthesizer long before anyone knew what a synthesizer was. Not only that, his grandfather Leslie McFarlane wrote some of the Hardy Boys books. I mean, these are some pretty remarkable people. Then there was Paul Quarrington, who went on to be a notable musician and a highly acclaimed writer.
My book mentions that we fought with our gifts and not with our fists. It was a unique community where losing an argument was much more devastating than losing a fight. Don Mills was, on the surface, the suburbs of suburbs, and very conservative at that. But, if you scratched beneath the surface, all manner of dynamic and talented people emerged. |
| GNT: | Were there any things you were prevented from saying? |
| DH: | Regrettably, we live in a very litigious society. So my book, like most others, is passed in front of a string of lawyers who remove anything that could pose a legal problem. I remember that they told me that I couldn’t name the teacher nor the school where I was told as a student to clean my nails to get the n---er out of them. The lawyers said I could get sued. I could get sued? I asked them. Shouldn’t I be suing the school? Just the same, the story wasn’t hurt by leaving out the names. |
| GNT: | Your father’s “conversion” to atheism occurred during his army years. For so many African Americans the pain of slavery served only to draw them closer to God and religion. In this case, the racist regimen of the US army drove your father away from religion. Can you offer any insight here? |
| DH: | Human connection is one of the key components of life. In the US army my father was socially isolated being surrounded by the racist (self hating) blacks or the sharecroppers of the South who were familiar to such treatment. My father was in the rare one-tenth of educated black men and couldn’t find a community to support him through his experiences. Had there been a social group in which he found comfort and that group was church attending, it’s quite possible that there may have been a different outcome. |
| GNT: | Your father’s father was a minister? |
| DH: | Yes, a Methodist minister. |
| GNT: | One might think that this would give him a solid foundation in religion which he would use to carry himself through these times. |
| DH: | This is yet another example of a son rebelling against the model set by his father. If rebellion doesn’t apply to all young males, it certainly applies to Hill sons. Although, I’ll say this: my rebellion was “within the rules.” I didn’t have the daring of my father who was in a group called the Red Wine Boys because they drank so heavily. My father’s rebellious ways caused him to lose his job, which then led him to be drafted. My rebellion was channelled into my music. |
| GNT: | That you and your father both had rebellious early years, and only settled down when you both found the right woman — are you aware of the similarities? |
| DH: | Our lives are eerily similar and it was only through the writing of this book that I became deeply aware of them. During the writing of this book, I felt my father was still alive. It was only at the gentle prodding of my brother and editor that I was eventually able to let go. |
| GNT: | Speaking of finding the “right woman”: I would like to read you lyrics from Johnny Mercer’s “When a Woman Loves a Man” (not “When A Man Loves a Woman”) and ask you if this best describes your mother and/or wife:
“Maybe he’s not much / Just another man / Doing what he can / But what does she care /When a woman loves a man? … |
| DH: | Those lyrics speak of both my mother and my wife. |
| GNT: | Specifically the section “just another man / doing what he can” — I believe you met your wife during an IRS investigation and a lawsuit? |
| DH: | That’s right, and her love and dedication brought me through those terrible times. What’s more, my father was having trouble finishing his PhD thesis and there was my mother, on the phone to professors, proofing and typing his research, and encouraging him all the way. My father and I are both very fortunate to have found the women that we did. It wasn’t until we both found them that our lives had found structure and direction. |
| GNT: | Your father had an opportunity to return that love when your mother suffered from what was colloquially called “an episode” in your family — a nervous breakdown. Your book tells of valuable lessons you ended up learning from your mother’s hospitalization. |
| DH: | Many, many lessons. First is the role of a husband, a loving partner, to be there unconditionally and without fail. Despite my father’s busy schedule, he would always go to the hospital with flowers, candies, and warm letters. I learned from his example never to abandon those that I care for. Many people might have left my mother for a “more stable” woman. Not my dad. |
| GNT: | Your book mentions that your mother’s breakdown helped mould you as an artist and your brother as an author; how so? |
| DH: | Life is all about what you do with situations. You have very little control over many situations, but you can channel and redirect your response to them. My brother and I were both horrified when my mother was hospitalized. We were scared, but we channelled that fear into artistic expression. I developed my music and my brother developed his writing. |
| GNT: | Speaking of how you react to situations, you mentioned that your song writing was hampered by your indulging young women who had suddenly become attracted to your fame. When Cole Porter moved to Hollywood, his romantic endeavours (admittedly not with women) increased dramatically, yet his career flourished. Can you explain the discrepancy? |
| DH: | Being 23 with my first hit, I started touring. And with touring comes the relentless schedule of criss-crossing the country and life on the road. I literally had four hours a week to myself to devote to song writing. I didn’t put in those hours, and — competing with the likes of Stevie Wonder — I needed to. Song writing is a very demanding art and a 23-year old being exposed to fawning fans for the first time, I chose them over my craft. [Note: Cole Porter was a composer who didn’t need to tour.] |
| GNT: | While reading your book a passage of poetry kept coming back to me:
I see this theme of traveling only to discover the same place for the first time occur in your relationships, your music, and your professional associations. I was wondering if you had any reactions to this passage?“We shall not cease from exploration * T.S. Eliot, from “Little Gidding” (No. 4 of “Four Quartets”), first published in 1943 |
 photo Tory Zimmerman |
| DH: | Yes, unconditional love. Through all my travels, in all the things I’ve done, I’ve come to realize that unconditional love is at the core of human happiness. In my 20s I was largely selfish, and also pretty unhappy. Through all that I’ve done, through all that I’ve seen, giving and receiving unconditional love is the only thing that has reliably made me happy. |
Martin C. Winer is a freelance writer in Toronto. He enjoys writing articles about social action. More details can be found on his blog: www.martincwiner.com |
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 Sister Susan Moran,of the Order of Our Lady’s Missionaries |
“Out of the Cold is one of the most remarkable and successful institutions helping people in Toronto. It’s really an outpouring of one person’s inspiration. All of this has grown from a seed planted on very fertile fields.”
Richard Alway, This one person is Sister Susan Moran, of the Order of Our Lady’s Missionaries, who received the Order of Canada for her incredible work in founding the Out of the Cold Program. That started 22 years ago when Sister Susan was serving as a chaplain at St. Michael’s College High School in Toronto. Providing a truly interfaith movement, Out of the Cold helps homeless and marginalized individuals survive subzero temperatures in Toronto by offering hot food, clothing, and other services in churches, synagogues, mosques, hospitals, and community centres every day of the week. While Sister Susan is primarily motivated by her Catholic faith, she is quick to point out that a desire to serve the poor is deeply embedded in the Muslim and Jewish faiths. This is “Caritas” — true compassion, the gifts of selfless love and sharing what we have with those we love — especially the less fortunate in our society, our communities, our neighbourhoods. |
Sister Susan is no stranger to these gifts. In 1963, at the age of 24, she joined Our Lady’s Missionaries, drawn by the order’s love for the poor. Her missionary work involves ministering to people sleeping on grates, on park benches, on the streets, and in telephone booths right here in Toronto. She later became Chaplain of St. Michael’s College School.
Out of the Cold started because a homeless man called George slept at the Spadina subway station, near St. Michael’s College School. The students would visit him, bringing food and clothing. He died homeless, in hospital, in 1986.
On January 15th, 1987, Sister Susan, along with two co-founders, a Basilian priest from St. Michael’s and an Anglican priest, opened the first Out of the Cold Mission on St. Clair Avenue West. Students from St. Michael’s helped set it up. Soon their “little mission” was feeding 50 to 100 people a week!
Out of the Cold has grown tremendously since then — so much so that 19 years later, on October 6th, 2006, Governor General Michaelle Jean invested Sister Susan with the Order of Canada for Social Service for her work with the homeless, in a ceremony at Rideau Hall.
“The programs have taken on a life of their own,” says Sister Susan, who, now at the age 71, still has the energy of a 24-year old. She still visits Out of the Cold programs all over the city to inspire today’s volunteers, who are honoured to have their founder visit them.
Sister Susan credits her Order for her spiritual support and being an example for her work.
Sister Susan now runs Lazarus House, a completely confidential, supportive home “somewhere in Toronto” for women, founded in 2001 and governed by the Seeds of Hope Foundation. There, she assists women who are recovering from poverty, isolation, addictions, and health setbacks, as well as providing assistance to women in need of a temporary place to stay, often with their children. Many women drop in for a meal or an overnight stay.
Through simple acts of hospitality, occasions for shared meaning, and innovative approaches to community building, she has created a true “place of caring.”
Lazarus House is also Sister Susan's home base for continuing her Outreach, helping people living on the streets in downtown Toronto.
Sister Susan Moran is a truly incredible woman. We are proud to know her.
Kevin Meade has been involved in drug and alcohol recovery support work and not-for-profit social marketing for 17 years |
After reading an article in Toronto’s NOW Magazine regarding clothing drop-boxes around the city, Angel Freedman realized that donated items and clothing were actually being sold, rather than given, to local shelters. Further, the public were for the most part unaware that the shelters were paying for their generous donations. Angel thought that instead of allowing clothing to continue to be directed to the many drop-boxes around her area, Richmond Hill, she could somehow collect the donations and take them directly to the shelters. The shelters then would not be forced to pay for the clothing that the general public was giving away. People began to drop off clothing and household goods to Angel, leaving them in her garage, and so “Angel’s Garage” was born. Angel was already aware of various shelters in need, including Home Base Youth Drop-In Centre and the Blue Door Shelters in Newmarket. When Sandgate Women’s Shelter opened Richmond Hill, there was yet another place in need of clothing and household items. In fact, there was a need throughout York Region — a need bigger than Angel had anticipated. So what did she do? She told everyone she knew and asked them to tell their friends and family. With that, Angel’s Garage soon began to flourish. |
 Angel Freedman |
On Sunday mornings, Angel goes to the various shelters delivering items to those who need it most. It is a direct link from the citizens in the York Region who generously donate their gently used clothing and household items to Angel’s Garage. Often, friends and family accompany her to visit the shelters.
Angel’s Garage is slowly becoming known in the region. She has received calls from local caterers, the Richmond Hill Food Bank, and other social service agencies who all want to donate to the different shelters and agencies. Through Angel’s Garage, Loblaws at Yonge and Bernard donated a full bin of food to Pathways Home Base. She approached the Richmond Hill Firefighters Local 1957 this summer; they came on board with a clothing drive, and so far they have donated over 12 boxes and 20 bags of clothing for men, women, and children. There have been many other very generous acts of kindness from local residents, businesses, and community partners.
Angel requests that people label bags of donations to indicate whether they are men’s, children’s, or women’s clothing, and she does not accept clothing that is dirty, ripped, or over-worn. She asks for well-labelled boxes if the contents are household items.
When it comes to community, Angel’s Garage has become the centre of what generosity and caring for others personifies. As Angel says, “We are all community. We need to ensure that everyone in Richmond Hill and York Region has the basics of life. We must also remember that our homeless men, women, and children are our responsibilities. That is a solution that can be repeated in other communities all over Toronto.”
If you would like to learn more about Angel’s Garage please contact Angel Freedman at angelfreedman@rogers.com
Valerie Kent has been painting, teaching, and exhibiting art for over 40 years. She may be viewed at |
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 Romeo P. Marquez enjoying the view of the Toronto skyline |
Everyday heroes abound in Toronto. Silent, toiling, uncomplaining, jovial heroes. For me, it wasn’t difficult to point them out. The moment I stepped out of a Delta Airlines plane from the United States one cold January night and walked to the booth of an Immigration officer at Pearson Airport, I felt I was up to a wonderful experience. The positive vibes were just energizing. Smiling broadly like he knew me from way back, he respectfully asked for my papers, carefully checked each one of them, then waved me to the lounge chairs to wait while he rummaged through the documents. Not even once did he lose his welcoming demeanour. |
He’s one of my heroes; my instant personal hero for making me feel good about being in Canada. What he did essentially amounted to helping me turn a new leaf in this search for a good life. It was the first giant step.
The lady workers at Service Ontario at College Park and Service Canada at Lawrence Square were equally generous with their time. They were friendly, helpful to a fault, and knowledgeable. They are also my heroes. For a first-timer like myself wading through labyrinthine Canadian bureaucracy, their eagerness to lend a hand was something so affecting. I am impressed, to put it mildly.
It was like being taught the ABCs of a new life, only the teachers are total strangers oozing with so much goodwill and faith in the human capacity.
Settling in Toronto seems easier with their assistance. Wherever one comes from in the colour spectrum — black, brown, yellow, white — whatever the language and politics, these individuals at Service Ontario and Service Canada go about their work without fanfare.
I do not know them. It wasn’t that I was too shy to ask their names; I was afraid my effrontery could be mistaken for something else. Unidentified, yes, but heroes as well.
If only they knew how much they made my life smoother, if only for some time until I got my new documents they could rightfully claim they accelerated my transition.
They are my personal heroes for making one nondescript person like me important. I felt that. In fact, I’m still feeling it, with the way they paid attention to the little details of what would be my new life in Toronto.
A bunch of heroes also works diligently at the Toronto Public Library - Barbara Frum, and they are quite notable for their friendliness and readiness to help.
I do not know how I would do without a library, for to me, it is one resource that provides a wealth of information about my community, about Toronto in general, and about Canada as a whole. The world is a better place with a library in one’s neighbourhood.
The gentleman who helped me get a library card also walked me through the library system. He was kind and accommodating.
Perhaps he hadn’t realized that his simple act of signing me up actually opened new horizons and led me to new avenues of research and education. He’s also my personal hero.
As I have been here in Toronto for only less than month, I have yet to meet other heroes who make the city one gorgeous place to live in.
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Romeo P. Marquez is a journalist, having been foreign correspondent with the Deutsche Presse-Agentur and the Asahi Shimbun; reporter for several US publications; editor and publisher of his own community newspapers in San Diego, California; and contributor to various print and online publications. |
 Some of the sweet and savoury delights prepared for the George Brown College Bake Sale |
Staff and students in the School of English as a Second Language at George Brown College rally to help Haiti. When Ilirjana Sako and Malalai Malalai, students at George Brown College’s Intensive English Program, decided to write an article entitled “An Initiative to Help Relief Efforts in Haiti” for the International and Immigrant Education e-Bulletin, they began their article as follows: “Sometimes we think that we are just a voice shouting in a desert, powerless and unable to prevent or change unpleasant situations. As a result of this we decide to stay in the shadow waiting for a hero to come. But what happens when there is no hero? Do we still remain quiet and inactive, or do we take drastic decisions? The answer to this question was given by the ESL teachers of George Brown College when human lives were threatened by a disaster.” |
Well, it took no time for the English as a Second Language (ESL) staff and students to spring into action. On January 29, 2010, approximately 700 ESL students representing 65 different countries stood three to four deep along five tables covered in savoury and sweet “favourite recipes,” ranging from double-fudge chocolate cakes to lentil burgers, ready to “Help Relief Efforts in Haiti.” In less than an hour and a half, $1,800 was raised for this cause.
This bake sale had a twofold purpose: it not only provided humanitarian aid to the people of Haiti, but it also gave the ESL students an opportunity to contribute to others. As Eva Huang from China said, “The food is delicious and I spend my money for a purpose.” Robinson Ramires from Colombia added, “Maybe my money is not enough, but I believe that together we can raise a respectable amount to help the people in Haiti.” And that they did! The money raised that day is being matched dollar for dollar by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), so in total $3,600 has been injected into the Haiti Relief Effort. Lisa Hopkins, one of the ESL teachers, said, “We often feel helpless when disaster occurs so far away from home and we want to help those in need.” Well, now both staff and students can rest assured that they are no longer “in the shadow waiting for a hero,” but are instead themselves the true heroes who have made a difference in Haiti.
Miriam Baichman is a professor at the School of English as a Second Language at George Brown College |
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 Bev Brunton |
When Bev Brunton steps on stage at the Ryerson Theatre School, she might be in costume for an Italian comedy, or in jeans changing sets. Working with the ACT II STUDIO, a theatre program for older adults at Ryerson University, Bev Brunton, 64, has been production manager for several of the Studio’s presentations, coordinating the work of the team, which includes set and costume designers, stagehands, props people, and other technical crews.
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She has even designed a production manual so that other people can carry out the job. Known to be super-efficient, she has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues.
Bev is known as one of the hardest working members of the Studio. “She can see a need, figure out what to do, and then she does it,” a member says. Another member comments on her sensitivity in training new people, instilling confidence in them.
As an actor, she performs with flair and confidence, while being supportive to her fellow cast members.
All this may seem a far cry from her career as a nursing educator and administrator, but actually her experience as a project manager has honed her skills, which she can transfer to the theatre.
A native of Winnipeg, Bev entered nursing school at the age of 16. Later, she acquired a Master’s of Science degree with a specialty in Gerontology. She established the role of Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontology at Women’s College Hospital and taught at Ryerson University while working and raising a son. At Sunnybrook Hospital she worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontology with the veterans in K wing and started a personal support worker program at Yorkdale Adult Education Centre.
When Bev retired in 2005 she heard about the ACT II STUDIO and quickly became involved, taking courses in acting and theatre, which led to her interest in backstage theatre.
Her contributions to the program are numerous. In addition to her theatre activities, she has served on the Student Council, and was its vice chair until recently. She has also developed a front-of-house protocol and a manual.
“ACT II STUDIO has given me a focus in retirement, using my skills from past experience in this community of friendship,” Bev says. She credits a very supportive husband who encourages her and allows her to spend the great deal of time that her work with the Studio requires.
The Artistic Director of the Studio, Vrenia Ivonoffski, says, “Bev has been one of the people who has had a profound impact on the growth of ACT II STUDIO. She combines many talents and qualities not always found together — attention to minute detail, ability to put disparate elements together in a workable system, an endearing personality, energy to burn, the ability to mobilize people and give them support and confidence to try new things, courage, patience, and above all curiosity. She’s also become a fine actor. One of the things I treasure most about Bev is her laughter and general delight with people and experiences. It’s so uplifting just to have her in the room.”
Nancy Dale is a freelance writer and broadcaster |
 Jeff Robertson is determined to put an end to PKD |
Twenty-eight-year-old Jeff Robertson is an accomplished drummer and musician, but his real passion is his role as the Executive Director of the Polycystic Kidney Foundation of Canada (PKDFOC), a not-for-profit registered Canadian charity. Jeff Robertson’s mother Jan has suffered from Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) for over 30 years now, and has required two liver transplants — thankfully, both successful. Despite being one of the most common, life-threatening genetic diseases in the world, affecting 1 in 500 people, very few people know about it. Currently there is no treatment or cure for PKD. Jeff became deeply involved with the charity almost five years ago as a volunteer, and in 2008 was asked to take on the role of Executive Director to really grow the organization and create more awareness of PKD in both the patient community and the general population in Canada. In less than two years Jeff has spearheaded the establishment of additional PKDFOC chapters and support groups across the country. His full-time involvement has helped to dramatically increase the number of volunteers, chapter meeting attendees, and funds raised. The PKDFOC signature fundraising eventis the Walk for PKD, which takes place each September in Toronto as well as in other regions of Canada. |
Jeff works with medical professionals in Toronto and across the country to ensure their patients get additional support related to PKD, and he is also working with a number of media outlets to further spread awareness. Through such things as End PKD fundraisers, educational materials, brochures, and more, Jeff continues to create new ways to promote PKD awareness. He has spoken at a number of events on topics ranging from Organ and Tissue Transplantation to Polycystic Kidney Disease to the importance of youth involvement in the not-for-profit sector.
March is National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day is March 11th. In support of these two important calendar dates, the PKDFOC is hosting a fundraising dance party on Thursday, March 11th, with 100% of proceeds from the door benefitting critical Canadian research into finding a treatment and cure for PKD!
Jeff continues to inspire us with his determination, perseverance, and hope.
Doug Robertson is the Chairman of the Board, PKD Foundation of Canada |
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Last July, I left Ireland for Canada. It was time for a solo adventure. Leaving my family, friends, and colleagues was difficult, but I was excited for the unknown. Many people said to me, “You’re going on your own?” Their eyes filled with sympathy, but I just laughed. I must have had 20 people offering to squeeze themselves into my suitcase, but I declined. This was my adventure, nobody else’s. Having worked as a television and radio journalist for RTE, Ireland’s public service broadcaster and NewsTalk radio for six years, I was used to a busy schedule and routine. This was the first time in my life that I didn’t know what tomorrow had in store for me. |
For the first two months I traveled around Canada. I met lots of lovely people and saw the beautiful sites the country has to offer. On one group trip, there were 11 of us girls in our 20s from all over the world traveling on our own. Now, that’s girl power for you! It was fun, fun, fun … and then my money ran out — not so much fun. It was time to get a job.
That’s when I was introduced by a friend to Helen Walsh, President of Diaspora Dialogues, a Toronto arts organization. Now I’m program and marketing coordinator of this fantastic charitable society.
The organization supports the creation and presentation of new fiction, poetry, and drama that reflect the complexity of the city through the eyes of its richly diverse writers.
So much goes on for such a small organization. There are four of us: Helen Walsh, President; Julia Chan, Program Manager; our artistic manager, Philip Adams; and me.
Publishing and mentoring activities, as well as a monthly multidisciplinary performance festival, help encourage the creation of a literature that is vibrant and inclusive, while bringing these works to a wide audience. We have been involved with Nuit Blanche, The Word on the Street, and Keep Toronto Reading. Youth creative writing workshops also take place in high schools around Toronto where students get a chance to work with professional writers.
In February, I got to be involved with our exciting event, A Midwinter Night’s Dream Carnival, as part of Toronto’s WinterCity Festival. Only five organizations were chosen to be part of the Warm Up series at the WinterCity Festival and we were one of them!
Months of hard work ensued, including booking storytellers, poets, musical performers, venue, catering, set design, and much more.
The event took place at the Roof Salon at the Park Hyatt. Toronto’s speculator skyline was a suitable backdrop to the magic that was created inside.
The talented Autorickshaw played beautiful music. Authors such as Anar Ali and Sheila Heti read excerpts from their books for the audience. Masked poets wrote poems for our guests, and the literary fortune tellers and psychic were booked up for each show.
Working here has really helped me adjust to a new country and life by showing me the ropes of this diverse city. Homesickness rears its head every so often, but thanks to my colleagues it’s under control! They’ve made me part of their family and in turn have become mine. I consider myself very lucky to not only have a job and new colleagues, but also to have made long-lasting friends.
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Aisling Riordan is Program and Marketing Coordinator for Diaspora Dialogues www.diasporadialogues.com |
 Ms. Razmov’s Grade 6 class hosted a bake sale for students and teachers at the school. |
Our Grade 6 Class Raises $655.00 for Haiti ReliefThe devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti just over one month ago inspired students at Brownridge Public School to “Bake for Haiti.” On Thursday, February 4th, Ms. Razmov’s Grade 6 class hosted a bake sale for students and teachers at the school. We decided that all of the money raised would be donated to Haiti. We baked goods such as cupcakes, brownies, and cookies. After, we sold them to students at the school. Each item ranged from $0.25 to $1.00.
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We learned a lot from this experience. Each person who was involved helped in some way and learned something new. Students learned how to create posters to advertise for the event, bake yummy goods, and how to decorate cupcakes. We also learned that controlling a crowd, being a cashier, and handing out goods to a massive crowd is more difficult than it seems! We were both cashiers. All we heard was people yelling, telling us how much change we needed. It was difficult to concentrate, but we made it through in the end.
We would really like to show appreciation to our thoughtful teacher, along with the other teachers and parent volunteers who helped with this successful bake sale. We also appreciate all of the grocery stores that donated gift cards for us to buy products for our fundraiser.
After the cashiers added up all of the money from the sale, our class raised a total of $655.00! And, with the government's doubling of that amount, the total donated to Red Cross for Haiti relief will be $1300.00.
We are so proud of what we did! You too can make a difference! It’s not too late.
For more information about the bake sale, visit www.melissassweettreats.com.
Lloydel R. and Sunwoo P. are Grade 6 students at Brownridge Public School, Thornhill |
 Stefanie Simrod, Sarah Kucharczuk, Corey Pacht, Nicole Keri, and Brittany Lipton at the Global Gala
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Good news from Toronto to the rest of the world. On January 14th, in the suburb of Thornhill, students at Westmount Collegiate Institute worked tirelessly to create Westmount’s first (now annual) Globe Gala. Groups of students from Neil Orlowsky’s World Issues classes created documentaries highlighting different global concerns and the non-governmental organizations that work to solve them. Topics ranged from poverty, genocide, and anti-Semitism, to hunger, HIV/AIDS, and available, uncontaminated drinking water. To those of you who are assured of teenage apathy — think again. |
Representatives from Free the Children, OXFAM, and the Stephen Lewis Foundation spoke to the efforts of these students, not only in creating the videos, but also in the individual fundraisers groups created to raise additional money besides that of the collaborative effort.
Most of these students never lived outside of Canada, never truly experienced the nature of life in a developing country, but know that it is almost another world, one where friends fight for food, and war and work are not optional sidebars, but part of daily life. It is because of this knowledge that all the students strove to demonstrate the sad realities of the world we live in and encouraged the audience to lend their considerations outside their own lives, if only to help those who cannot help themselves.
The last thing on any student’s mind was, “What grade will I receive for my efforts?” It was all about the causes, further proof that, even as grade-obsessed, graduating Grade 12 students, personal reward takes a backseat to global care. I know, because I am proud to say I was one of them. Though I was not a creator of any of the videos, my team and I worked assiduously to organize and advertise the event. It was our goal to garner as large of a turnout as possible, so the issues could stand in the forefront of attention for those in power to do something about it.
At the beginning of the year, Mr. Orlowsky asked us: “Are you an armchair activist? Will you advocate for things you care about and wrongs that need fixed only as long as you don’t have to extend yourself beyond your comfort zone?” That night, we proved that we are only comfortable so long as we are making a difference; one that extends beyond our academic and social lives and into the world outside ourselves.
Readers: please don’t be armchair activists. There is a world waiting for your helping hand. As long as you have the power, always be striving to make a difference.
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Nicole Keri is a Grade 12 student at Westmount Collegiate Institute in Thornhill |
Louise Russo and Youth Team Award Winners from "The Rise Project" fromDavid & Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute in Toronto |
Louise Russo, a hero featured in the May 2008 issue of Good News Toronto, continues to make waves by inspiring young people to make a difference in their lives — to reduce violence by building healthier and safer schools and communities. On April 21st, 2004, Louise became an innocent victim of a drive-by shooting when a single bullet shattered her spine and left her paralyzed. A courageous mother of three, she was determined that this senseless act of violence would have some positive outcome — and she has proven just that, turning tragedy into triumph by founding Louise Russo W.A.V.E. (Working Against Violence Everyday). |
Last year, the inaugural Louise Russo W.A.V.E. Empowering Youth Day was held to honour young people who took the initiative to enhance their school or community’s safety, striving towards a safer place to live, learn, and play, by organizing direct outreach and networking activities that focus on the three Rs: Respect, Responsibility, and the Role of Leadership.
Louise Russo W.A.V.E. is now accepting applications for the 2010 Youth Awards. To download the application criteria and form and to learn more about W.A.V.E. Empowering Youth Day on May 11th, 2010, visit: www.louiserussowave.ca
The application deadline is March 26th, 2010.
“You have the freedom to make choices. Believe in yourself, take the role of leadership, be respectful, be responsible, and you will make a difference,” says Louise. “One by one, we all can make a difference.”
Eva Karpati Publisher/Editor, Good News Toronto |
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Lynne Hay is a true believer in the power of children
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Watching greatness unfold in children is the greatest reward of an educator… Whether we are blessed enough to be the parents, teachers, family, or friends of a child, we are in a most auspicious position. This complex and ever-evolving relationship provides us with a tapestry of opportunities to find the goodness within us. Children inspire us to be fearless, courageous, tenacious, and resourceful. As a parent and teacher, I myself have been blessed with many years of observing the purity and goodness, the best of humanity. My own children have given me years of practice on how to serve as a catalyst for a world that needs healing, a world that needs change. My husband and I have worked mindfully to help our children develop an awareness of the less fortunate, and then to shift this passive awareness to an active role of accountability. |
As a parent and teacher, I myself have been blessed with many years of observing the purity and goodness, the best of humanity. My own children have given me years of practice on how to serve as a catalyst for a world that needs healing, a world that needs change. My husband and I have worked mindfully to help our children develop an awareness of the less fortunate, and then to shift this passive awareness to an active role of accountability.
As an educator, I apply this same philosophy of moving our leaders of tomorrow from awareness to accountability. Each year, I introduce the concept of social action to my Grade 5 students by working with a charity. I align the requirements of the curriculum to the requirements of the project. By appealing to the talents my students naturally possess, I am able to harness their strengths and assign them jobs which showcase their abilities.
This year I decided to work with Let the Sneakers Walk Again and their mission to send 100,000 shoes to Haiti. My students diligently planned together, problem-solved together, and developed a model of cooperation together. They were almost giddy at the thought of no more schoolwork — or so they thought! The curriculum objectives were cunningly embedded into their Sneaker campaign. I watched them joyfully give up sunny-day recesses and the much-loved lunch hour. Little did they realize that they were covering the curriculum, in a most germane way.
With each day, they seemed more engaged, more interested, more eager to get started. This project made their learning meaningful and personally relevant. As we worked together to plan, create, design, and study, their sense of mastery and confidence increased. And then one day I noticed something profound: a synchronicity as they listened to each other, complimented each other, and solved problems together. This was a humbling moment for me as a teacher, and a defining one for me as a human being.
The recent earthquake in Haiti, tragic and heartbreaking, provided a true test of whether my students were able to move from consciousness (being aware that people in Haiti needed help) to accountability (what they would do to help). It is no surprise that these outstanding children have found a way to help this wounded country heal. My own family stands in solidarity with my students as we work together to host a “Gifts of Gratitude” event at our school. My goal is to shift the focus from the consumer model of “what can I get for my money” to “what can I give.” Students and staff will make donations for Haiti and in return receive a “Gift of Gratitude.” These gifts include our “Hope”-inspired items such as BRAVE-LETS (glass bead bracelets), Peace on Earth Pencils (pencils adorning painted earth models), Friendship origami tulips, and more.
As a parent and teacher, my goal continues to be finding ways to help children find their own voice. By inviting them to join us in our efforts to create peace, we give them a sense of hope, a promise of stability, and a sense of power. Children are the tonic for the grumpy, the elixir for the hopeless, and a profound gift to humanity.
 | Lynne Hay is an educator who is currently writing a book on the upside of living with chronic pain. |