Darlene Morrison Website

Category: Life & Community

  • Every Plate Full Campaign – Newmarket Food Pantry

    The Newmarket Food Pantry is participating this year in the campaign called Every Plate Full and Boston Pizza Nemarket has been so gracious to host an evening for us on May 3rd from 5-8 pm.
    Come out and enjoy a meal with your family and friends. 10 % of all order proceeds between those times will be donated back to the Food Pantry. The evening will also host a 50/50 draw and a silent auction.
    Please come out to support the Food Pantry and help with an inspiring goal: to fill the plates of every hungry Canadian this summer.

    Join us at the event and support a great organization!

    https://www.facebook.com/events/104517876546183/

  • The Voluntary Sector

    The Voluntary Sector

    Voluntary Sector Is Important To The Economy and Society

    The voluntary sector makes a total amount of $90 Billion dollars a year.   This sector has approximately 1.1 million employees and is a very important of the well being in our country.  Voluntary organizations deliver services and serve many groups of people.

    The voluntary sector connects people to each other in society.  People learn and practice the skills of citizenship.  The voluntary sector is like any other company that needs resources, and support from society.  They also have members, people donating money to them, and people raising money for them.

    The voluntary sector is flexible so it can meet many needs in the community and world.  Organizations are run by volunteers or paid staff and can be small or large.

    Charity versus Non-Profit Organization

    Charitable organizations and non-profit organizations are different.

    There are over 75,000 charity organizations, from small to large, institutions that provide services to specific populations and are to be considered part of the government.  Almost 10,000 organizations are supervised and largely funded by the government.  Charities are usually registered with the Income Tax Act and meet a set of rules which will allow them not to pay taxes and allows them to give receipts for donations they can use for tax credits.

    The non-profit sector includes almost every type of voluntary association, charity, church, trade and professional association.  This sector, in Canada, is estimated to include over 175,000 organizations.

    Voluntary Sector Organizations

    Have you ever been to a museum?  A museum is a charitable organization.  By visiting the museum and people continuing to visit and enjoy it, you are helping the museum receive money from the government to keep it open.

    Have you ever been to the hospital to visit someone or been seen by a doctor there yourself?  The hospital is another charitable organization.  Without the government and people donating money to the hospital, they would not be able to keep doctors working or provide care for people in need.

    Do you go to school every day?  Schools are a charitable organization also and need help from the government and community to keep schools open.  Your parents help by paying taxes and you help by going to school and learning.

    You are a very important person to the voluntary sector.  Without you, and others, there would be no services available to you.  You would not be able to go to school, visit museums or libraries.  So not only do you contribute to the voluntary sector, non-profit organizations also help the community and society to keep people employed and services available to people who require them.

    The voluntary sector provides an excellent contribution to our society and Canada.

     

     

  • Earth Day 2015

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    Well today is Earth Day in Canada. Not only should we celebrate earth today, it should be celebrated every day.

    More than six million Canadians—including nearly every school-aged child—participate in an Earth Day activity in their communities.

    Keeping the earth clean for ourselves and our future generations is incredibly important.  Something as small as walking the kids to school or carpooling will help the environment by less carbon gases being emitted in the air.

    Planting a tree or flower also makes your space look nice but also contributes to green space for the future.

    For Earth day ideas, please visit http://earthday2015.ca/

    If we work together, we make a difference in our community so pitch in today!

    Chase  nature

  • Terry Fox

    When I was a young girl, I remember standing on the overpass on West Street in Orillia with a crowd of many people waiting for the Terry Fox to run by.  It was such an amazing experience to see Terry run by me. I was so impressed, proud of him and remember thinking that he was an amazing human being.  In June 28, 1981, when Terry died, I was 9 years old and I remember watching his funeral on television and bawling my eyes out.

    I was on the cross-country running team in high school although I don’t think I ever was a great runner.  I took up running a few years ago and ran a half marathon and also a half marathon walk.  Terry was such an inspiration to so many people.

    I have had personal loss through cancer, not the same cancer as Terry but as far as I am concerned, any cancer is unwanted.  My Uncle Don died twelve years ago and he was like my second dad,  many memories of holidays and summer outings.  This still upsets me and I think of him often.  He developed lung cancer followed by three brain tumours and unfortunately on May 28, 2003, he passed away.  He didn’t get to be a part of my wedding or the birth of my three daughters and all because of the nasty “C” word.

    My father’s friend Paul died of cancer a few years ago as well and he was one of the greatest people you would have ever met.  A family member was diagnosed with cancer last year but fought it and won.

    When I saw a post that the Terry Fox Foundation was looking for a volunteer organizer for the Terry Fox Run in Aurora, I immediately said yes.  This was an event I could not say no to; Terry was such an inspiring and amazing person that I had to help continue his fight, his journey. Terry always said that if each Canadian could give a dollar it would make a huge difference in cancer research.

    For Terry, my Uncle Don, friend Paul, and all people who have ever had cancer or members of your family who died from cancer, I will dedicate this event to all of you.  For those still fighting, don’t give up.  Keep fighting.

    The Terry Fox Run will be held in Aurora, Ontario on September 20th, 2015.  If you would like to participate or like more information, please visit the Terry Fox Foundation at http://www.terryfox.org/

    The Terry Fox Foundation; Working together to outrun cancer!

  • Feeling Grateful

    I have been nominated as you may have seen in my previous post as a People’s Choice  contest for Portrait’s of Giving.  Although it has been awesome to be nominated as a giver in my community and I have asked you to vote for me, I will not be too upset if I do not win this contest.

    I volunteer because I enjoy it. I have been a volunteer for as long as I remember and being able to help others is what motivates and inspires me, not awards.  It is great to feel recognized but whether I am in dead last place or near the top, it doesn’t make a difference.  Being nominated makes me a winner and no matter the results, I will continue to help others and be proud of myself and who I am!

    I give because I can, because I want to use my skills to help others, to make the world a better place and because it is such a rewarding feeling knowing that you have made a difference in someone else’s life;  whether big or small it all matters.

    Thank you to my family and friends who have voted and continue to vote for me in the contest.  You have made me feel special and I appreciate the honor and nomination from my mother.

    We can make a difference by working together and congratulations to all of the other nominees as well!

     

  • Operation ABC Safety Blitz; Latest Initiative of Harvey Williams

    There have been many things lately being said about the traffic and safety of our children in Newmarket and at Clearmeadow Public School.  For those who do not know, I have four children who attend Clearmeadow Public School.  I have been a part of the school council for many years now and have an interest (as we all do) to ensure our children have a safe and happy school environment.

    Our Clearmeadow community is very lucky to have a fabulous crossing guard named Harvey Williams, who has been a part of the Clearmeadow family for many years.  Harvey over the years has been instrumental in advocating for the safety of our children on the roadways and making sure that people obey the rules of the road.   He has the heart of gold and is a grandfather figure to many of those children he has helped be safe from wee little things to finishing public school with him.

    I was very lucky to have the opportunity to research and write an article about Harvey last year, which subsequently was published in Snapd Newmarket in June of 2014.  Harvey was awarded also by the Town of Newmarket with a Volunteer Citizen Award for over 25 years of service in 2014.

    http://www.darlenemorrison.com/harvey-williams-great-crossing-guard/

    Just recently, Harvey organized a Safety campaign with the York Regional Police.  It was called Operation ABC and took place on September 4, 2014.  The focus of this year’s campaign was to ensure drivers respect crossing guards. Crossing guards help children cross the road safely by controlling traffic around schools. When a crossing guard holds up a stop sign, every driver must come to a complete stop before the cross walk and remain stopped until everyone, including the crossing guard have cleared the road. Failure to do so may result in serious injury or death to children or the crossing guard. It may also result in a fine of $180 and three demerit points.

    “We are here today, thanks to Harvey”, York Regional Police Sgt Jason Mcilveen said.

    I have seen this safety blitz being discounted on social media by few. This topic has become an issue for the upcoming election which is a great thing however , I just want to make sure that people can see beyond what you read and realize that Harvey has done a great deal of work in these areas, to improve safety in our communities.    Harvey is a “Safety Champion”.     I agree that we do need a review of traffic safety and want to applaud Harvey Williams for everything he has done over the years, to make this happen.

    I am very proud to have my children attend Clearmeadow Public School and would like to thank Harvey again for his many years of dedication to our neighbourhood and children.

    Harvey is amazing and so is my Clearmeadow Community.

  • Made in Mexico, Newmarket, ON- My Review

    So, finally after months and months of being open, my family and I had dinner last night at Made in Mexico in Newmarket, Ontario.

    The restaurant was full, always a great sign.  The look and ambiance were very nice and functional for big parties.

    The food was amazing.  My son and I ordered Nachos Rancheros– nachos melted cheese, refried beans with sour cream and jalapeno peppers.   It was delicious and s-o-o-o-o filling. Nacho Rancheros was $14.95  (very reasonably priced) but gave enough for one more meal.

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    My 6-year-old daughters’ ordered the kid’s meal of cheese nachos.  Again, they loved the food and even have enough for lunch today. The kid’s meal also comes with a drink and ice cream, all for $5.95.

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    My 10-year-old daughter ordered pork tacos with generous portion of consisting of  4 tacos with mexican rice and salad and as with all the other meals, enough for a second meal.

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    My husband had the Pork Chimichanga , with mexican rice and salad and definitely enjoyed it.

     

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    Looks were deceiving, the food portions were very generous.

    Our server Jorge, told me a few times that what I was ordering was a lot of food and let me know in advance.  Too much food is never a bad thing.

    The service was amazing and Jorge was friendly and very quick with serving drinks and meals.

    Overall, my experience was amazing.  I enjoyed the food, the service, the ambiance and have nothing but great things to say.

    I will definitely go back again, and thanks to Made in Mexico for making this a great dining experience.

    If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit, please do.  You will not be disappointed.

    Made in Mexico is located at 185 Main Street South in Newmarket.

    For more information, please check out their website  http://bit.ly/XpI1GF

     

  • Harvey Williams, Great Crossing Guard

    This was an article I wrote that was published in Snap Newmarket in June of 2013 about Harvey Williams, a great crossing guard.  Hope you enjoy it again!

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    Found on the corners of Clearmeadow Boulevard and Rushbrook Drive, Harvey Williams has reported for duty every day for the past fifteen years, as a school crossing guard.

    Harvey has watched little tykes grow into adults.  He has taken responsibility for the safety of Clearmeadow Public School’s students as his first priority.  Harvey has been an advocate for this intersection and the Newmarket neighbourhood “Summerhill”.   Back in 2004, Harvey worked closely with Newmarket officials to ensure that his corner had a Safety-Stop-Sign” on the crosswalk to secure safety for the children in his community.   He also was instrumental in ensuring the safety walk and intersection stayed where it was against some of the odds of the neighbourhood. A survey of the area from Cole’s Engineering agreed that Harvey’s preferred placement was the best location.

    Harvey has been a loyal and dedicated volunteer in Newmarket for many years.  He has been a member of the North Lion’s Club for over 10 years.  He has entertained children over and over as “Harv-O the Clown”, as he is known by his admiring fans.  Harv-O was recently entertaining children in February at the Newmarket winter fest event, handing and creating balloon animals and putting smiles on many children’s faces.

    Harvey is a Shriner’s clown. He has been a part of the Shriners Club for over 25 years.  The money William’s earns through his performances goes to the International Shrine Clown Association’s Sneaker Fund, which supports the Shriners Hospital and related Shriners Burn Institutes.  Williams was presented a plaque of appreciation by the Downtown Newmarket Business Community Association in 1998 in recognition of the group’s support of Harv-O’s fundraising efforts for these Shriner organizations.

    For over 10 years, Harvey has also volunteered with M&M’s Crone’s and Colitis Foundation Bar-B-Q.  This organization continues to raise a considerable amount of money every year in support of this worthy cause.

    Williams says “My favorite audience is children. They talk to me and communicate well”. And as a crossing guard for so many years and a clown, Harvey certainly is where he belongs.

    William’s recently received a Volunteer Citizen Award in the town of Newmarket for over 10 years of dedicated service.

    I am Darlene Morrison and this is my community!

  • What Community Means To Me

    According to Wikipedia, community is defined as “A community is a social unit of any size that shares common values”   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community
    According to the dictionary, Community is defined as “a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.”  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/community

    Community to me is so much more than the above:

    1. Everyone working together to better our community and environment

    2. Giving back to people in the community (charitable)

    3.  Standing behind families when they need help and support

    4.  Being respectful and kind to others

    5.  Going above and beyond to be thoughtful with no reasons at all or personal gain

    6. Parents working with other parents to be the best examples for other children, and making decisions for what is best for them.

    7. New friends

    8. New experiences

    9. Establishing collaborative relationships with others to work together for a brighter future and teaching our children to give

    and

    10.  That feeling of pride you have when you have done something great for someone else

    All in all, it is about making a difference in the lives of others and having a support system in time if ever needed.   I live in a wonderful community in Newmarket and no matter what is happening on the roads or around the city, it is one of the most giving places I have ever lived.  The community you live in makes an impact on your life so be happy, go out today and enjoy your surroundings.

     

  • Planning A Community Event? Don’t Know Where To Start?

    Have you always wanted to plan a community event?  Fundraiser?

    Planning an Event:

    Planning an event is more detailed than most people realize and depending on the event and size of the event, you may need nine to twelve months in advance to start planning.

    Whether the event you are planning is for a personal nature or a third-party fundraising event, you need to sit down and scope out your plan.

    1. Plan your theme (brainstorm and come up with some ideas)
    2. Answer the following questions:
    • What is your objective for this event?
    • What is your dollar target or target of funds raised?
    • Where will you have this event? Are there costs associated for rentals, staffing requirements?
    • Who is your target audience? Children? Adults? Youth?
    • Are you fundraising or friend-raising?
    • Will you need sponsorship?

    What are you passionate about?  There are many non-profits available in your community and always will welcome the idea of a fundraising event on their behalf. (This is third-party fundraising)

    There is no better way to meet people and help out a great cause by organizing an event for a community group in your area!

    A few ideas include:

    • Organize a food drive for your local food pantry
    • Raise money for an organization close to your heart
    • Collect clothing for various groups
    • Plan a bottle drive and donate the proceeds to a community group

    Fundraising and getting your children involved at a young age teaches the importance of helping others and what it means to be a part of the community.

    If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at Darlene@darlenemorrison.com