Newmarket local musician Glenn Marais and The Glenn Marais Band released their own retake on the popular song “What The World Needs Now” on Youtube on May 28, 2020.
The video release was part of a fundraising campaign to raise money for the Newmarket Food Pantry and Blue Door Shelter.
Donations can still be made at the Go Fund Me Page below:
Follow The Glenn Marais Band on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/TheGlennMaraisBand
Ashleigh Morrison and Samantha Morrison are models in the upcoming virtual Toronto Diversity Fashion Show, in conjunction with Moksha Canada and Suzy Q Jewels & Fashion.
You can find their profiles under theModels tab on the website below! The link is below and you would see their names under the Model tabs.
This had been a planned fashion show in Toronto however it has been cancelled due to the pandemic so they decided to have it go online and have people vote instead as a competition.
There is a virtual walk that the models did under their profile.
Samantha is a new model this year and Ashleigh has done two fashion shows now. Ashleigh is representing IRELAND while Samantha is representing ENGLAND!
If you wouldn’t want voting, that would be amazing! You can only vote for one so either is awesome!
Thank you very much in advance!
Before the Covid-19 Pandemic began, Sonja Lindegger was assisting clients with their food needs at the Newmarket Food Pantry. She is a Shopping Volunteer. She takes the client’s through the Food Pantry with a cart and re-useable bags so that they can choose the food that they would like to have. Sonja has been volunteering at the Newmarket Food Pantry since June of 2019. Her role has always been face-to-face with those people she served; however now, she is unable to see the clients in person.
“It was always face to face and I really enjoyed interacting with and getting to know so many clients”, says Sonja. “I often receive hugs. Some clients get choked up when they thank me at the end of their visit. So many of our clients are truly struggling and it really puts things into perspective for me. Some have physical and/or mental health issues, some have suffered trauma, others have lost work and/or loved ones, many are unemployed and struggle week to week just to survive. What we can offer them is a smile and a cart full of groceries and although it isn’t much, if it can help them get through another week or two, then we have done our job.”
Her role has changed. Due to the pandemic, Sonja now works packing boxes of food to have ready for the volunteers to deliver food to homes. Depending on the size of the family she is packing for will determine the amount of food and dry goods that she packs. Once the boxes are ready to be loaded, another volunteer will add produce, dairy and meat, just before the driver arrives for pick-up.
“My work now is obviously much different and although I do not have the personal interaction with the clients, I feel my job is just as important especially given the current situation.”
“I volunteer because I want to be able to give something back to my community. There are so many individuals and families in this community that are really struggling, and I feel fortunate to be able to do my small part.”
Sonja would normally volunteer one or two mornings a week for a few hours at a time however due to increased demand and shortage of available volunteers, she has been working five days a week.
Since the pandemic, Sonja appreciates spending time with her family and feels so blessed that her and her family are all healthy. Many of the older volunteers are unable to volunteer currently and she is fortunate enough to be able to help. Her and her family have lived in Newmarket for sixteen years.
Demand has gone up considerably for those needing help with food, especially now that many have lost their jobs and uncertainly lies as to how long the pandemic will last.
The Newmarket Food Pantry is always accepting donations if you are able to help. Due to Covid-19, monetary donations are preferred. Donations can be made through Canada Helps at https://newmarketfoodpantry.ca/donate/
Sonja Lindegger is a Newmarket resident making a difference year-round and one of the many selfless volunteers working to assist in the pandemic.
Happy to report that the Aurora Terry Fox Run raised $17,532.00 for the Terry Fox Foundation and cancer research! Thanks to everyone involved, we are so grateful to have you on our TEAM!! Congrats to all of the Terry Fox Runs throughout Canada and so very blessed to be able to help co-ordinate one of these amazing runs! Kudos to all! #thanks#makingadifference #community #Aurora #thereisnoiinteam#workingtogether #peopleareamazing
My girls have been creating kindness rocks and these are Samantha’s! They have been painted and on the back, she has written kind words on them! Inspired by the grade 8’s at Samantha’s school, she wanted to take it a step further and have them out in the neighbourhood.
She is hiding them in the neighbourhood for people to find in hopes it makes them happy! I have been that some have been found so that is awesome!
#kindess #everythinglittethingcounts
Next batch of Samantha’s kindness rocks ready to go!
My father passed away suddenly on Saturday, February 20th, 2016! My father was an awesome man. He had a great sense of humour, a heart full of gold and who you could only aspire to be as a person. He is my dad and I will always love him. I miss our daily texts and talking about family, his grand kids, and cottaging. He was a very loving man and a great constant in my life and our family unit.
Here is what I said at his Celebration Of Life service:
I want to thank everyone for coming today, I know my dad would be flabbergasted to see the number of people here. As you know, my father Ralph was a pretty amazing man. My dad had many wonderful qualities that have been passed to me and my sisters.
Dad, I love you! Your grandchildren love you! You gave me a big heart. I like to help anyone when I can. You gave me the gift of the gab. I can talk to anyone and everyone. You taught me that family was important and to welcome people into our lives and hearts. I have fond memories of family dinners, (or as you would have corrected me, supper), roller-skating and ice skating every Sunday as kids.
My dad would always tell us that we were his favourite to all of us girls and of course as we got older, we realized he said the same thing to each of us. Of course, I really was his favorite! I will miss our daily texts and conversations about family, food, his grandkids and whatever came up. Every wine related post he ever saw on social media, whether it was a sweatshirt or a large wine glass he thought I would like, he shared it with me. He definitely knew his daughter. He would joke to me about how he always had so many more twitter followers than I did and that I needed to catch up. I never did.
I always knew that my dad was a talker and carried great conversation. After the news of his passing, I saw the magnitude of friends whom he kept in touch daily and I shouldn’t have been surprised but I was amazed. I want to thank his friends from the virtual world who gave him laughs, talked to him about sports, his kids and grandkids. Thank you for being his friend.
Since my father’s passing, through organ donation, he has given someone the gift of sight. Even in his death, he is still giving! He would be happy to know that he was able to help someone in this way.
Thank you to friends and family for being such an important part of his life.
Dad, I love you and you will be dearly missed!
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The pouring of support has been amazing and I want to thank everyone for their kind words and love over the past couple of weeks.
My dad is now a special angel looking down on all of us!
I have had a website issue for the past few days but it is all fixed now.
I have a great number of posts that I will be adding in the next few days so stay tuned!
Thank you!
Nonprofit Tech for Good is a great resource for go-to information for nonprofits, especially in the areas of social media and different platforms.
Here is a great list below for upcoming webinars if you would like to register!
Tuesday, April 28
11 YouTube Best Practices for NGOs
10-11:15am EDT (New York), 3-4:15pm BST (London)
http://globalngo.org/resources/webinars/11-youtube-best-practices-ngos/
Tuesday, May 5
16 Pinterest Best Practices for NGOs
10-11:15am EDT (New York), 3-4:15pm BST (London)
http://globalngo.org/resources/webinars/16-pinterest-best-practices-ngos/
Thursday, April 30
How to Launch a Social Media Strategy for Your NGO
9-10:15 SGT (Singapore), 11am -12:15am AEST (Melbourne)
http://globalngo.org/resources/webinars/launch-social-media-strategy-ngo-5/
Tuesday, June 16
Mobile for Good: A How-T0 Fundraising Webinar for Nonprofits
10am-11:15pm PST (Vancouver), 1-2:15pm EST (New York)
http://www.nptechforgood.com/2015/03/21/mobile-for-good-a-free-how-to-fundraising-webinar-for-nonprofits/
To check out their website, please visit http://www.nptechforgood.com/
On May 3, an amazing local business named Maplelea Dolls and Boston Pizza Newmarket have teamed up for the Maplelea Meet Up Spring Friendzy! Meet some like minded parents and amazing kids. Bring your dolls. This is an all doll event!
Purchase your tickets here; http://www.eventbrite.ca/
The Newmarket Jazz Festival planning has started and I am coordinating the volunteers this year.
If you are 17 years of age and older, and would love to volunteer, please contact me for more details. Community hours will be given to students. Thanks so much!