Katya Nosko owns The Great Escape bookstore on Kingston Road and had been telling us about a variety of interesting charities her business has crossed paths with over the past year or so. She patiently waited while we found a spot to tell this story about these interesting and innovative people who have contributed a great deal of time to make the lives of others much richer and more satisfying. These three stories are not just feel good, they’re very real and inspiring and happening here in our midst. Given that many involve recycling of one sort and another, we thought we’d include them in our Green issue. Please watch for the bags which will be available soon at The Great Escape featuring the lovely art that opens the story.
Here is the copy for those of you on mobile devices. For others, the pdf file for this story is linked to the right on this page.
Think Local, Act Global
STORY: Wendy Hooker PHOTOS: Wendy Hooker and charities
Thanks to Katya Nosko, owner of The Great Escape Bookstore, we learned of three collaborative projects that support the needs of local and overseas communities: The Pegasus Community Project, We Care With Underwear and a Ugandan Secondary School. The Great Escape donates books to two of these and will soon be selling a locally-made bag to raise funds for Pegasus. The bags will boast the artwork at left created by Caleb Mitchell.
Creating a More Inclusive Community with Pegasus
What would you do, if at 21 your child and his classmates with developmental challenges lost all supportive programming? Rallying optimistically in the fall of 1994, Marie Perrotta and other community supporters created Pegasus, a community project for adults with special needs. The intent was promoting services for its members, increasing their well-being, improving their quality of life and supporting their continuing contribution to the community.
Over the years, service development evolved at the Matty Eckler Recreation Centre, Beaches Recreation Centre, Community Centre 55 and the SH Armstrong Recreation Centre. Members and staff participate in a rich diversity of activities in education, fitness, recreation, self-care skills, therapies and work. Rather than be isolated in institutions as in the past, members are empowered to identify and participate within their community.
In 2002 the Pegasus Thrift and Gift store appeared. Located at 931 Kingston Road, donated goods are sold to generate funding for program activities and vocational experiences for its members in the community. Together members, volunteers and staff operate the enterprise.
Pennies for Pegasus is the current Pegasus fundraiser helping to assist persons with special needs to work and play as valued members of our community. Pegasus uses pennies (and loonies, toonies and bills!) to offer personal support and programs to people who have a range of disabilities, including autism and developmental or physical challenges Tax receipts are gladly given for donations of $20 or more. If you would like to be a volunteer or support Pegasus visit their website: www.pegasustoronto.ca or call 416-691-5651.
I Can Do Something. We Can Do Something!
Following the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, Maggie Hayes, a spirited Toronto Beach resident, resolved to address the needs of Haitian women and girls in crisis. She was concerned about their femininity, dignity and hygiene. Networking with friends, women’s groups, schools and supportive merchants, over 8000 sets of underwear and hotel- sized feminine products were collected for this initial cause, We Care With Underwear and Femininity Survival Packs. Maggie and a colleague then personally delivered two sets of underwear and femininity packs to Haitian women living in tent cities.
Via creative fundraisers, Maggie returned to Haiti to initiate La Poche Co-Op. Having no previous sewing skills, Maggie researched how to design, sew and produce simple underwear in a kit format. Taking donated sewing machines and materials and using her basic French, Maggie spent a week training five Haitian women. They learned how to make the garments and were empowered to sustain their families with this enterprise. These women (pictured below) will teach other women and expand the venture independently.
Approached by a woman who is an advocate of Prison Friends Network in Zimbabwe, Maggie was subsequently challenged to design a menstrual pad kit. Sadly women prisoners there are restricted to one pad a day. Once again Maggie designed the requested kit, Padways, with instructions and supplies for a reusable sanitary napkin. Maggie is delighted to speak to folks who wish to use her kits to assist women in crisis. You can contact her through Facebook: Maggie Thomson Hayes, We Care With Underwear or by phone: 416-458-1242
Henry Lukenge and Kevin Kalye’s Story
Interested in being a social activist or philanthropist with a green twist? Check out this tale. Ten years ago, Kevin Kalye retired from nursing in England and returned to her homeland in Uganda. Using her own finances, her land and the support of her six children, Kevin built a residential school for youth who had been denied an education due to the civil war. Here, youth are provided with training for a future career. You can visit the school website: www.cacoskyengera.org
The school needed electricity rather than expensive wood fires; consequently, Henry Lukenge, Kevin’s son, established two school partnerships. One was with J.B. Holdings to donate a vegetable oil-driven generator and the other with Heifer International to help finance a $5000 loan for a bio-gas digester. In order to sustain the school, Henry’s family also established a fair-trade social NFP enterprise. It exports and markets authentic handmade Ugandan products into Canada and England including an e-commerce website at: www.nidogiftshop.com. Phone orders can be placed at 647-342-8450.
Thanks to Katya Noske, owner of the Great Escape Bookstore on Kingston Road, Henry collects culled books for the school library and classrooms. Soon the store will be selling eco bags to further support the school. Henry uses his networks to ship all donations to Uganda. Textbooks, additional books and old computers are always appreciated for these secondary students to complete their graduation requirements. To help repay the bio-gas digester loan, student concerts are scheduled in Toronto, Kitchener and Georgian Bay via Neruda Productions. You can contact Henry by phone: 416-708-1274 or at [email protected]