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Check out what’s been going on in our world!
I am a person with strong ideas, interests, and passions. In 2009, when I graduated from Michael A. Riffle High School, I won the Quest for Excellence Award. I am a Student Researcher at the Astonished! Teaching and Learning Center, and a member of the Astonished! Leadership Team. I live and breathe Astonished!
My friends tell me they love having me as a friend. If you and I were in a crowded room and you said something funny or did something outrageous, I would be the first to notice. I would respond to you with my spontaneous laughter. It’s like a big round of applause’s. My friends like that about me. I like to be in the midst of fun and humor. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not always light spirited, I love what I love, and if I don’t love something I’ll let you know that too.
One of my loves is skeet shooting. I bet no one would’ve guessed this would be the outcome of a trip I took, with my mom and her partner Brad, to Brad’s farm. I learned about skeet shooting from Brad’s next-door neighbour Marty Scheller. I also became friends with Marty’s daughter Bailey. I consider Bailey to be my craziest friend and what would life be without crazy friends?
There are a number of Bailey’s in my life; Bailey Scheller, and Courtney Bailey (plus all her Bailey family). Courtney and I became friends when we were at Riffle High School. We have a lot of great things in common; we also have one big grief. Six years ago our good friend Spencer Borlaise died in a vehicle accident. It means so much to me that Spencer took the time to get on my school bus to say goodbye to me before he went off on his trip to Saskatoon, the trip from which he never came home.
I am a loyal friend and really enjoy being with people, but not with everyone. I think I could get a job as a “bullshit detector”. I seem to have a sense of who is real and who is just messing with me. I don’t give “the messers” the time of day.
I like to surprise people. If you checked out my current favorite TV shows [Chicago Fire and Chicago PD] you might think I was in it for the hunks in uniforms. But my other favorite TV show is Teen Mom. Teen Mom is more drama and scandalous rumors and less about uniforms or hunks.
If I have to choose between TV and live theater it’s live theater every time. I particularly like live theater at the University Theater in the Riddell Center at the University of Regina because that theater is so accessible. If I can’t get in the room it doesn’t matter how great a show is. When I was a mentor in the Issues in DisAbility Studies class at the University of Regina I took my team of social work students to a dinner theater in Regina. I was mentoring them on issues of accessibility. They were horrified at the 45° angle makeshift ramp I had to use to get into the theater space. It was a lesson they won’t soon forget. My dream is to one day see CATS in New York City.
Quirky humour and fun runs through both sides of my big international family. My dad loved to tease me and my friends. I miss him. This year for Christmas, my maternal grandma, Elaine Eyndhoven is having a Ukrainian cook-off at my house. Grandma and her two sisters (one is 96) are in the competition. The prize is a weekend at the Sask Hotel.
Perhaps the winner would like to take me with her because I am a natural at event planning. I think about who I want in the room and I go from there. I’m recently organized a baby shower/sprinkle for Bonnie Cummings-Vickaryous and her baby Anna (Bonnie is the Executive Director of Astonished!). I think about the details, come up with activities, and enjoy the party. Fortunately my mom, Wendy, and my sister, Kyla, are good at food, as I sometimes forget that in my planning.
My big excitement these days is having a companion who will be my driver, come to the A!TLC, and do other things with me. After much negotiation I finally have an Individualized Funding agreement. I am thrilled at this new opportunity in my life.
Photo: Ella McIntyre & Kaitlyn Hoar
You can always count on some new thing to be taking place at Astonished! In harmony with the UN International Day of Persons with DisAbilities eight University of Regina kinesiology students are teaming with Astonished! to host our first Annual Walk and Roll.
Walk and Roll is a family-friendly pledge event that aims to raise $15.000 to support the work of Astonished!
Getting involved is easy! Check out our online event page. You can register as a team of four or as an individual. We are challenging individuals to raise $200 and teams to raise $800. Participants will walk/roll for a total of 1.5 hours. The Walk and Roll will take place from 12:00- 3:00 Sunday, November 29, 2015, at the Glencairn Centre, 2626 Dewdney Ave E, Regina. Come join us for a wonderful, fun-filled afternoon.
For more details on signing-up for this event please check out our Walk and Roll page. If you have questions about this event please e-mail Rhea Boysen, Astonished! Interim Manager.
Serendipity means a “fortunate happenstance” or “pleasant surprise”. At Astonished! we had been looking for ways to develop our skills at telling our stories in video, but not finding what we were looking for. Then, unexpectedly, while on retreat in East End, Saskatchewan, Brenda MacLauchlan found exactly what we wanted. While reading the community newsletter in Jack’s Cafe she came across an article about The Grasslands Project. This is a National Film Board documentary project about the grasslands and as part of their work they are holding media clinics to help people turn story into video. Scott Parker, director of the project, readily accepted the invitation to host a media clinic with Astonished!
We are delighted with the results. Check out the terrific video about our media clinic. Big shout out to Scott Parker and Robin Schlaht for your work with us.
Our September e-newsletter is a great way for you to keep current with work and play of Astonished! You can check it out here. If you are not a regular subscriber to this free e-newsletter and you would like to become one please subscribe here.
For the Astonished Summer Fun BBQ, the second time was most definitely a charm. Originally, we planned to have our BBQ a few weeks ago but due to Ervraz Park being closed to the public on our chosen evening, we had to make a very (very!) last minute cancellation. Though disappointed, everyone was so kind and understanding about the change, and for that we are grateful. We are also grateful that we had much better luck at our second try at Candy Cane Park on September 8th, which served as a super kick off to the fall season. This event also marked at the official start of our new Leadership Team member Erin Hilts who had just returned to Regina after a summer spent in her hometown of Swift Current. She is going to be great to work with and the team is happy to have her on board. Welcome to the team, Erin!
We say, an Astonished! Fall Fun BBQ, does not have a terrible ring to it. Bunny hugs (or, hooded sweatshirts for all of you non-Saskatchewan folk) were a popular wardrobe choice for the evening due to the crisp and refreshing air. Thanks to past A! Board Chair Ruth Blaser on the grill, we had hamburgers and hot dogs that were cooked to perfection. We had lots of our favorite people in attendance (though not all of them!) and lots of big laughs. All in all, our BBQ was worth a second try, as it is truly something to look forward to. What could be better than gathering with your friends and community in the great outdoors? Life is good.
Check out Core Member Pagan Racette’s blog post to get her take on the BBQ!
Photo: Erin Hilts, Ella McIntyre, Shawn Davis
Have you been thinking about checking out a local sports bar? Well we have the perfect opportunity for you. On Thursday September 24th from 6:00 – 9:00 you can join the awesome Astonished! community and friends at Press Box Sports Bar (909 Albert Street). Core Member, Kaitlyn Hoar, is hosting her second annual Steak Night Fundraiser for Astonished! Tickets are $25 for the meal: steak, salad, fries (drink is not included). $15 from each ticket will be donated to Astonished! Tickets must be bought by September 15, 2015. As well there will be 50/50 raffle and prize raffle table throughout the evening.
For tickets please contact Kaitlyn and Wendy at 306.949.8258
We work in inclusive community to address barriers facing young adults with complex physical disAbilities (core members) by creating opportunities for teaching and learning, social, recreational and cultural engagement, and for employment and housing.
The Big Sky Centre for Learning and Being Astonished Inc.
University of Regina
3737 Wascana Parkway
Regina, SK S4S 0A2
Phone:
Bonnie Cummings-Vickaryous, Executive Director, 306-737-9560
E-mail:
BCV@beingastonished.com