President’s Message – May 2017

On March 25 we hosted a very successful French Wine themed Tasting at the Hall. The event featured white and red French wines along with a welcome champagne and regional meats and cheeses. An educational session provided insight into the wines. We thank Barb Milne, her volunteers and Northmount Liquor for making this event possible. September 30 has been tentatively set for an Italian Wine Event. Mark your calendars.

The remaining events for the first half of the year are a Health & Innovation Workshop on May 4, the Community Annual General Meeting May 18 and the annual Community Cleanup June 18. Please check our website for details of these events including times and agendas. All are welcome to these events. Only this year’s Health Workshop requires an entrance fee but will feature both a healthy workout discipline combined with home buying in the NW area from financial experts. The AGM will provide ample opportunity to meet with the directors and have your voice heard as to community direction and events as we host a post-meeting wine and cheese hour. The Community Cleanup is shared with Rosemont community and offers an excellent excuse for that back yard or garage cleanup.

Our annual Stampede Breakfast will once again be held at the Community Hall. This year’s event is scheduled for July 15 from 9 – 11 AM. All are welcome and volunteers are needed. If you are able to help please contact president@cambrianheightscommunity.com . Watch for detailed notices both on the website and in the Newsletter.

At our Annual General Meeting this year we will propose increasing the Membership fees to better reflect the value of membership and compare to surrounding communities. Single memberships will increase to $10/year, Family to $20/year,  Associate membership to $20/year and Senior rates will remain at $5/year. Corporate memberships will be set at $50 per year. The general membership will vote on these increases as well as for new directors and the executive positions.

Your community offers excellent facilities and the financial ability to promote more social or educational activities for our residents. We need to recruit new Directors as three of our Directors will be retiring this year after numerous years of service. We welcome volunteers who bring enthusiasm and new ideas and who need only commit time to help organize and help manage one activity or event during the year. We have dedicated and experienced Directors to help guide and advise but need more residents offering a little time once a year to help expand and improve our programs. Please contact me at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com or any member of the Board for further insights into participation with our volunteer team.

In terms of financial impact to the Community Association nothing exceeds our Casino nights held under the auspices of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. This year we will be providing volunteers for two days, August 31 and September 1. Providing volunteers is extremely important as the funding is the main source of community revenue and we must not loose our privileges. If you can spare some volunteer time during the day or evening please contact either Dan Vallee (danvalee@shaw.ca) or Sonya Hnatiw (hnatiw13@shaw.ca).

We continue to use a Facebook page to help communications and stimulate informational sharing and discussion amongst residents of the Community. It is under “Groups” with an address of “cambrianheightscommunity”. Please register for the Group and join this conversational page and share your thoughts and insights about where you live. One of our volunteers will also update any news of interest to the community.

As previously announced the Community Hall will witness an upgrade this summer to establish our facility as a full commercial kitchen. This will allow increased usage of the kitchen and thereby expand the types of events that may be hosted at the Hall. Grants will fund the majority of this expense. We will also be looking towards programs that assist financially in the conversion of our exterior and interior lighting to LED for energy savings this year and next.

If you are interested in exploring involvement with the Board or any specific volunteer activity please contact us at our email address. The next meeting of the Board will take place Monday, May 8 at the Georgina Thomson building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive NW at 6:30 PM. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have relevant to Cambrian Heights.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

On Behalf of the Board;
Daryl Connolly, President

The Growing Connection – Garden Speaker Series

Exciting garden-themed talks presented by Janet Melrose, “Calgary’s Cottage Gardener”.

Jointly sponsored by the Silver Springs Edible Garden Group and The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs.

Learn Skills to Create a More Balanced Family Environment

Nurturing relationships can change everything. This program is designed to help parents and children aged 7-13 years learn skills for a more nurturing way of life, with staff engaging with families in their homes and in community spaces identified by the family.

Parenting & Child Group

This 7-week group program will support parents and children ages 6-11 learn skills for a more nurturing way of life through interactive activities.

Mentoring: Friendly Support to Help Manage Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is one of the fastest growing chronic conditions facing Canadians and affects all age groups.  The 2013 Stats Canada numbers show 7% of people aged 19-39, 16% of people aged 40-59 and 47% of people aged 60-79 experience some form of hearing loss.  Hearing loss can be sudden or gradual and sometimes we may not know we are experiencing a hearing loss.  There are many causes ranging from excess noise, illness, aging, genetic factors and pharmaceuticals.

Some signs of hearing loss include:

  • Difficulty with conversations in noisy environments
  • Being able to hear people’s voices but not understand the words spoken
  • Needing the TV louder than the rest of your family
  • Trouble hearing from a distance or another room
  • Trouble understanding women’s and children’s voices
  • Experiencing dizziness, pain, ringing or buzzing in the ears – even if it goes away

If you are experiencing any or some of these symptoms, it is important to discuss this with your doctor to see if you need a hearing test.

On average, it can take up to 7 years for someone to acknowledge and act on hearing loss.  There are many factors which impact why a person may or may not acknowledge this be it lack of awareness, feelings of embarrassment, shame or denial.  The latest research suggests that the longer a hearing loss goes unmanaged the harder it is to learn to manage the change.

An important factor is the change that happens in our brains.  Brains are relatively ‘plastic’ and as our hearing decreases important brain functions don’t get exercised and we lose them.  Use or lose it.  The good news is we can retrain our brain.

Also, those with untreated hearing loss are more likely to report depression, anxiety and are less likely to participate in organized social activities.  However, hearing loss does not need to mean living less.  There are supports out there.

Mentoring programs are one type of support that can alleviate the social impact of hearing loss.  People with shared lived experiences are matched together and work on building skills and strategies to help manage day to day challenges.  This is commonly known as mentoring.  Programs like these have an impact as it has been shown that participants experience significant improvement of quality of life.  No one has to go it alone.

Peer-to-Hear at Deaf & Hear Alberta provides this support.  Our program matches adults dealing with hearing loss with someone who has walked a similar path and now wants to offer support.  Learning to manage hearing loss can be a challenging journey.  Sometimes all it takes is some friendly support from someone who understands and has had similar experiences.  Hearing loss does not need to be a barrier to fully participating in one’s community.

For more information about peer mentoring for those living with hearing loss, please contact Deaf & Hear Alberta 403-284-6200 or info@deafandhearalberta.ca

Written by: Kylie Bradbury, Peer Mentoring Coordinator at Deaf & Hear Alberta

President’s Message – April 2017

After a successful Winter program featuring cross-country ski and snowshoe lessons, our annual Winter Polar Party, a day of winter walking and continual use of our two outdoor ice rinks we closed our Family Games night at the Community Hall February 11th. On March 25 we plan to say goodbye to the worst of the Winter with a French themed Wine Tasting. None of these events would be possible without our Social Director Jodi Dixon and her band of volunteers plus Scott Jacobson and his band of ice rats.

Your community offers excellent facilities and the financial ability to promote more social or educational activities for our residents. We need to expand our Social Committee with volunteers who bring enthusiasm and new ideas and who need only commit time to help organize and help manage one such activity a year. We have dedicated and experienced Directors to help guide and advise but need more residents offering a little time once a year to help expand and improve our Programs and Events. Please contact our Social director Jodi at social@cambrianheightscommunity.com or myself at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com for further insights into participation with our volunteer team.

The remaining events for the first half of the year are a Health & Innovation Workshop on May 4, the Community Annual General Meeting May 18 and the annual Community Cleanup June 18. Please check our website for details of these events including times, agendas and entrance fees. As is our custom, members of the Community Association will pay a lower entrance fee for ticketed social events while such events as the AGM and Community Cleanup are free. This year’s Health Workshop will feature both a healthy workout discipline combined with home buying in the NW area from financial experts. The AGM will provide ample opportunity to meet with the directors and have your voice heard as to community direction and events as we host a post-meeting wine and cheese hour.

At our Annual General Meeting this year we will propose increasing the Membership fees to better reflect the value of membership and compare to surrounding communities. Single memberships will increase to $10/year, Family to $20/year,  Associate membership to $20/year and Senior rates remain at $5/year. The general membership will vote on these increases at the AGM scheduled for May 18.  Attendance at one or more events during the year recoups the cost of membership.

In terms of financial impact to the Community Association, nothing exceeds our Casino nights held under the auspices of the Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission. This year we will be providing volunteers for two days, August 31 and September 1. Providing volunteers is extremely important as the funding is the main source of community revenue and we must not loose our privileges. If you can spare some volunteer time during the day or evening please contact either Dan Vallee (danvalee@shaw.ca) or Sonya Hnatiw (hnatiw13@shaw.ca).

We continue to use a Facebook page to help communications and stimulate informational sharing and discussion amongst residents of the Community. It is under “Groups” with an address of “cambrianheightscommunity”. Please register for the Group and join this conversational page and share your thoughts and insights about where you live. One of our volunteers will also update any news of interest to the community.

At our last Board meeting, the City of Calgary Police reported through our community liaison officer on incidents and the status of criminal activity in our area. As in the past, our neighbourhood has a low incidence of crime including break-ins and vandalism. however, in the cold weather, everyone is to be reminded to not leave your car running and unattended.

The Community Hall will witness an upgrade this summer to establish our facility as a full commercial kitchen. This will allow increased usage of the kitchen and thereby expand the types of events that may be hosted at the Hall.

If you are interested in exploring involvement with the Board or any specific volunteer activity please contact us at our email address. We will have three vacancies on the Board after the AGM in May. The next meeting of the Board will take place Monday, April 3 at the Georgina Thomson  building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive NW at 6:30PM. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have relevant to Cambrian Heights.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

On Behalf of the Board;
Daryl Connolly, President

Make a difference in the life of a family…

Are you looking for a way to give back to your community? Consider the Home-Start program.

President’s Message – March 2017

On February 11 the Community hosted two events. The first was the last in our sequence of outdoor winter events, an Introduction to Snowshoeing. This was held at Confederation Park where our previous introductory Cross Country Skiing course in association with the Foothills Nordic Club was held. Again mother nature provided excellent snow conditions and ideal temperatures. All three of these Winter participation activities were a success and enjoyed by all who took advantage of the opportunity to learn about and enjoy these winter sports. Similarly, the Winter Polar Party held in late January for the third year was well attended with 80-100 participants including an increasing number of children of all ages. Thanks again to our Social Director Jodi Dixon and her band of volunteers.

The evening of February 11 the Community Hall witnessed an evening of games and fun for children and adults alike. This program continues our focus towards encouraging the use of Community facilities for social activities that may be enjoyed by the residents of Cambrian Heights. Your community offers excellent facilities and the financial ability to promote more social or educational activities for our residents. We need to expand our Social Committee with volunteers who bring enthusiasm and new ideas and who need only commit time to help organize and help manage one such activity a year. We have dedicated and experienced Directors to help guide and advise but need more residents offering a little time once a year to help expand and improve our Programs and Events. Please contact our Social Director Jodi at social@cambrianheightscommunity.com or myself at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com for further insights into participation with our volunteer team.

Upcoming events include a French themed Wine Tasting on March 25. This will provide the opportunity of learning about French grape growing regions while tasting six wines and enjoying a welcome glass of Prosecco. Regional cheeses and meats will also be provided for the evening. Purchase your tickets in advance at our website. The remaining events for the first half of the year are a Health & Wellness Night for ladies on May 4, the Community Annual General Meeting May 18 and the annual Community Cleanup June 18. Please check our website for details of these events including times and entrance fees. As is our custom, members of the Community Association will pay a lower entrance fee for ticketed social events.

Of course the ice rinks will be maintained throughout the winter for all to access thanks to our rink volunteers. With two sheets of ice and the sustained winter weather, the rinks have been well utilised this year. Should you wish to help out the current rink volunteers this year or next please contact Scott Jacobson at 403-771-9755.

We continue to use a Facebook page to help communications and stimulate informational sharing and discussion amongst residents of the Community. It is under “Groups” with an address of “cambrianheightscommunity”. Please register for the Group and join this conversational page and share your thoughts and insights about where you live. One of our volunteers will also update any news of interest to the community.

As a reminder your 2017 membership dues are now payable. We are maintaining our fee schedule costs for the year to encourage your renewal. The easiest way to renew or join is through our website or if you wish via mail as outlined in the monthly Cambrian Heights Newsletter. The Board encourages all residents to participate in the community activities and future events. By attending one or more social/sports events during the year your fees will be recovered.

If you are interested in exploring involvement with the Board or any specific volunteer activity please contact us at our email address. We will have three vacancies on the Board after the AGM in May. The next meeting of the Board will take place Monday, March 6 at the Georgina Thomson  building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive NW at 6:30PM. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have relevant to Cambrian Heights.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

On Behalf of the Board;

Daryl Connolly, President

Social Committee Volunteers Needed!

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer to enhance your community and join our Social Committee!

Pick your event and commitment and email social@cambrianheightscommunity.com

Blue Cart Recycling Tip of the Month

Bag your bags!

Always bundle your plastic bags before recycling

Loose plastic bags cause problems at the recycling facility. They fly around, become stuck in other recyclables, jam equipment and cause costly delays.

Bundle your plastic bags into a single bag before putting into your blue cart or community recycling depot.

Learn more tips for preparing your recyclables at calgary.ca/recycling.

YES! Bundle all stretchy plastic bags together in one bag and tie the handles closed. Acceptable plastic bags include:

  • Grocery bags
  • Shopping bags
  • Sandwich/lunch bags
  • Ziploc®/freezer bags
  • Bread bags
  • Dry cleaner bags
  • Plastic stretch wrap
  • Bubble wrap

NO. Do not recycle these types of bags:

  • No single or loose plastic bags.
  • No crinkly bags like cereal or cracker bags.
  • No food pouches