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April 2019 Newsletter

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Highlights from March

  • Jeanne made Pancakes for Pancake Tuesday to kick off Lent.
     

  • Juan from the City of Toronto came to teach us the basics of gardening. We liked it so much, he is coming back in April to teach us about planting inside.
     

  • Three people won a pot of gold during the St. Patrick's Day Dance: Mark for "Best Festive Leprechaun", Raymond for the "Luckiest Leprechaun", and Kirk for "Best at Shakin' Their Shamrock."
     

  • In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Jeanne made an Irish Stew and Alanna and Kristel made green Shamrock Shakes for everyone.
     

  • Alanna awarded 3 dedicated Yogis with $10 Tim Hortons gift cards in March. The Yoga program will continue in April on Tuesdays at 2:30. Attend 3 classes in April and get a gift card. All levels of ability are welcome!
     

  • SPRING SPRUNG!! We began bringing in fresh, local vegetables for everyone so that we can start the new season off promoting good health.

Our Place Good Deeds and Random Acts of Kindness

  • Shirley is raising money for the Cardiac Heart Health Walk on May 25th
     

  • Lisa is selling chocolates to raise money for the Special Olympics.
     

  • Nancy was spotted being a kind and caring friend and a good advocate.
     

  • Marcelo cleaned the Our Place kitchen and refused to take any money for his hard work.
     

  • Bobby raised over $2,000 for the Coldest Night fundraiser.
     

  • Kristel has witnessed people paying for other people's meals when they can't afford it.
     

  • Leah said she saw an Our Place participant help to comfort someone when they were upset and feeling anxious.
     

  • When someone lost their keys at the end of the night, everyone pitched in to help him find them.
     


Mesage from Staff

  • April 22nd is EARTH DAY. This month, let's make a commitment to the earth, ourselves and each other to do our best to protect our environment. Please put all recyclables in the bin, compostables in the GREEN bin and garbage only in the garbage can!
     

  • This is our last month with students Lauren, Leah, Manisha and Savannah. We thank them for their hard work and wish them all the best in the future.
     

  • With National Volunteer Week upon us (April 7-13th), we would like to take the opportunity to thank our many wonderful, kind, patient and talented volunteers. They generously give of their time and hearts and bring a sense of community, friendship and joy to our home-away-from-home. This month, please take some extra time to thank them all so that they can feel our appreciation.Thank you all for such a great month — we had a BLAST!

    Alanna, Christie, Cleopatra, Dane, Jeanne, Jona, Kristel & Natasha

Mike's Monthly Interview
by Mike Gerol

Hello Our Place members. This interview is with a staff member you may have been missing recently. Well here he is; the staff member, the legend, and all around good guy... DANE!

M) Why don't you work here so often?

D) I have school. I'm studying broadcast television.

M) When did you begin working at Our Place?

D) 2012

M) What do you like the best about working at Our Place?

D) The people. Both clients and staff genuinely want to get along and co-exist. Those that don't, we get rid of quickly.

M) What do you like the least?

D) Hard question Verbal altercation between clients. 

M) How do you feel being the only male staff member?

D) Fine. Everyone's like family like sisters.

M) Is there a different vibe, working with women as opposed to working with men?

D) Women are more nurturing.

AND NOW DANE, THE MAN BEHIND THE LEGEND

M) What's your cultural background?

D) Caribbean. Guyanese and Trinidadian; born here.

M) If you weren't working at Our Place, where would you be working?

D) Any sector of the government, or in broadcasting.

M) What kind of music do you like?

D) A lot. Mostly dance, disco, electronic, and Japanese style.

M) What's the last movie you saw?

D) Spiderman into the Universe.

From the Kitchen of Teresa:
Apple Spice High-Rise Muffins
As tested by the Our Place: "A Community of Hope Test Kitchen"
 
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
BAKING TIME: 20 minutes
MAKES: 12 muffins


INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
(OR 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, % tsp allspice)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk OR plain yogurt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 apples, peeled and finely chopped 
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
 

  1. Preheat over to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)

  2. Grease 12 muffin tins or line with paper cups

  3. Using a fork, stir flour with baking powder, baking soca, spices, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

  4. Whisk eggs in a medium-size bowl with buttermilk (or yogurt) and oil

  5. Pour into flour mixture and stir until combined.

  6. Stir in apples and nuts.

  7. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Cups will be very full with batter heaped in the middle.

  8. Bake in centre of preheated oven until golden (15-17 minutes) and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

  9. Cool muffins in cups for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
5g protein; 7.5 g fat; 56.7 carbohydrates; 2mg iron; 80mg calcium; 311 calories (per muffin)

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