District 43 Scholarships

PROVINCIAL PROJECT - SERVICE TO OTHERS

Project - Service to Others is a Provincial RTO/ERO program which provides grants to Districts for initiatives which support the concept of "Service to Others". The intent is to raise the profile of retired teachers by visibly demonstrating to active teachers and to the public-at-large that retired teachers care about their communities and about public education, and are willing to do something to help those who need assistance. These assistance projects could be in any form that supports the goals of Project - Service to Others as outlined below.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF PROJECT - SERVICE TO OTHERS?

• To provide financial assistance to education-related and other community projects.
• To facilitate member participation in education and community assistance projects.
• To help serve the educational and other needs of the disadvantaged in the community.
• To promote District/Unit participation in local, provincial and overseas educational/community projects.
• To raise the profile of retired teachers and of RTO/ERO.
• To demonstrate to the general public that retired teachers continue to serve after retirement.
• To demonstrate to potential RTO/ERO members (active teachers) that RTO/ERO is a dynamic organization to which they should consider belonging when they retire from active teaching.

2010 - Patrick4Life Receives Funding

PROJECT SERVICE TO OTHERS - TANZANIA

Children in Mpunguzi, Dodoma Area, Tanzania, have hopes and dreams not unlike those of our own children in Canada. In a country where 60% of the girls have little or no education, Retired Teachers of Ontario District 43 is making a difference by sponsoring the construction of an HIV/Aids Lifeskills Resource Centre. Youth, teachers and community members will be able to access educational material, counselling, training programmes, and have a learning place to gather and to participate in sports activities. The Resource Centre, which will serve a community of 86,000 people, will be officially opened in August, 2007, by Brenda Robertson, District 43, and Pat Kalpaca, District 10.

Nipissing District 43 originally received a Project STO grant of $3000 in May, 2006 which was pooled with other funds from Districts 10, 17 and 34 to meet the $21,000 total cost. This year, District 43 is donating an additional $500 to the project and $100 toward the cost of a plaque to recognize RTO’s contribution to this endeavour. Donations to supply resources, furniture, and other equipment are still greatly appreciated. Contact BrendaRobertson (472-2758) for further details.

OPENING OF THE HIV/AIDS Youth Resource Centre
Mpunguzi Dodoma Area, Tanzania East Africa
August, 2007

The youth with their song and dance greet us at the road and welcome us to the HIV/AIDS Youth Resource Centre. A Centre that is a unified symbol for the youth of Mpunguzi.

The construction of the building stands out against the skyline. Many fundraising activities and welcomed donations including the $3000 grant from PSTO and $560 from District 43 have made this centre possible. A centre for youth to meet, be informed about HIV/AIDS, disseminate the HIV message to the community, receive vocational training, encourage other youth to join through music and sports programs. The possibilities continue to grow.

On August 14, 2007, the Mpunguzi Youth HIV/AIDS Resource Centre is officially opened by Brenda Robertson District 43 and Pat Kalapaca District 10, two of the original team of four who accepted RTO's invitation to travel to Tanzania in partnership with World Vision Canada and World Vision Tanzania to look at Education in this country and the impact of HIV/AIDS.

The construction crew and project engineer are sincerely thanked for their excellent workmanship. The development project has expanded to include a youth hostel and will soon have piped in water. This centre of learning has taken many hands to bring this vision into a reality.

The community has gathered to make presentations and entertain with drummers, acrobats and musical groups. There is an air of celebration. The Mpunguzi youth are eager to show us around. Pat and I share our message, to thank them for their welcome and to congratulate them on their endeavors to build the centre and to nurture growth and positive change in the community.

Along with time spent at the centre, we also went to schools such as Matambulu where 700 students attend with nine teachers. The students and teachers enjoyed their introduction to the frisbee and appreciated the many school supplies. The women's health clinic opened our eyes to the needs of expectant mothers and their children. Only one birthing pad, old and well worn was available. Income building has been improving in the community through food processing opportunities for women and more acreage under cultivation for families through sharing of oxen and plough.

	Sincere gratitude from the Mpunguzi community and from Pat and I is extended to Retired Teachers of Ontario, District 43 and the many individuals and groups who saw the worthiness of this project and donated monetary gifts and other items. Thank you for valuing the youth and the community of Mpunguzi. Our efforts will continue to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and assist the community.
shown here is the plaque which was placed to acknowledge the assistance of RTO/ERO in the building of the HIV/AIDS Youth Resource Centre

Submitted by Brenda Robertson, RTO-ERO Nipissing District 43

COMMUNITY PROJECTS INVOLVING DISTRICT 43 MEMBERS
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HOAP ABOUNDS !

HOAP is an acronym for Home Ownership Affordability Partnership. It’s a North Bay organization dedicated to providing the expertise and the resources to help low-income families with young children move from rental accommodation into their own safe, secure, affordable home. Repairs are done to houses... and then help is provided with the mortgage as well, so that a family with limited financial resources can still live in their own home.  The renovations on this home at the corner of Algonquin and Front Streets was nearing completion when District 43 members Clifford Riopelle (left) and Frank Petruzella lent their time and expertise in constructing the back porch on which they are standing in this picture.

In May, 2007, Provincial RTO/ERO approved the full amount of our Project Service To Others request.  The 4000-dollar grant was directed to North Bay's Home Ownership Affordability Project... a group which seeks to help low-income people in our community purchase homes with reasonable mortgages.

Second HOAP House Now Under Renovation  

On October 1, 2007, many folks gathered at 582 Galt Street in North Bay to celebrate the first steps in renovating this home.  This is the second home that the Home Ownership Affordability Partnership  ( HOAP) has taken under its wings in order for a family to have a residence. A place to call its own. 

Volunteers do most of the work. For instance Cliff Riopelle (pictured below), of RTO/ERO has already replaced numerous windows.  Thank you Cliff!  There are many other jobs waiting to be done such as electrical work, plumbing and painting The new family plans to move in on December 1, 2007

 

 

 

 

If you’d like to help with HOAP, contact Greg Brewer at 474-2548.

 

	photo courtesy of Friends of Forest Lawn

A group of concerned, caring people, including a number of RTO members, came together in 2005 to begin the task of restoring the Terrace Lawn Cemetery located on O'Brien Street in the City of North Bay. The Friends of Terrace Lawn have developed the following mission statement:

To raise funds from concerned private and corporate citizens of North Bay and descendants of Family Members buried in Terrace Lawn for the restoration of Terrace Lawn Cemetery to a park-like environment.

For further information, please contact: Murray Neil at 472-1547 or Murray Pletsch at 495-2938 or Helen Vaillancourt at 497-9399 or Sharon Brown at 476-6570

You may also visit their website at : http://home.cogeco.ca/~terrace/