Published January 2022
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Welcome to our 13th year of Ferreira Fest! We started in January 2010, and we’re still here and going strong! Since then we have gathered on the 20th of every month to check in with Louis Ferreira, his chosen charities and his friends, and we will keep this tradition going in 2022. Please check out this year’s Birthday Project and send in your good wishes now! We have so much good stuff to share, so grab a hot beverage of your choice at our virtual bar and come on in – the fireplace is nice and warm!
THE 2022 BIRTHDAY PROJECT
Louis’ birthday is exactly one month away – February 20th! If you haven’t sent in your good wishes please do so as soon as possible. Remember, for every wish submitted our friend Cindy will give $.10 to Haven Toronto’s Shop and Share site, towards purchases of clothing and other needed items.
Please visit the Birthday Project page and participate today!
CHARITIES NEWS
Ability Online
Here’s the 2021 Year End Reflection from Ability Online executive director Michelle McClure:
“Dear friends and supporters of Ability Online/ MyAbility! Even in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, and all of the associated trials and tribulations, we have accomplished much this past year with your support!
In September of 2020, we launched our brand new, state of the art, fully accessible, and mobile friendly platform for our young adult members (MyAbility.ca) . One year in and the numbers have shown us this is truly a game changer! Activity on the new platform is exponentially higher than our old platform, and with just a fraction of the members! The plan is to expand our community outreach as the world opens up. We are so grateful to the team at Synergiq Solutions for having the vision of what a true community means, and how to build online engagement in a meaningful way.
In 2022, the goal is to fully launch the entire platform, including the modules for Kids and Teens, and Parents and Professionals (support for the caregivers).
We have added some amazing new corporate/foundation partners including TD Bank, Sephora Canada, SC Johnson, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. With your support, we have been able to build capacity and sustainability, and for that we are truly grateful.
We have over 50 year-round dedicated volunteers, including our Board of Directors. These volunteers truly are the heart of the charity, and their compassion and commitment has made a world of difference.
We have also seen the return of many members, who felt a renewed need for unconditional support during the pandemic. We provided a place where others truly understood their fears; a place where they felt safe, supported, and valued.
A huge thank you to all our Academic partners (Brock University, Niagara College, Seneca College, Guelph Humber University, Ottawa University, Ontario Tech University, St. Lawrence College and Mohawk College), and the incredible students who have completed outstanding placements and internships enabling them to meet their academic requirements for graduation at a time when in-person placements were few and far between. In 2021 we had 70 students log an impressive 10,884.5 hours! All students come from health-care related programs including Therapeutic Recreation, Psychology, Social Work, Community Mental Health and
Med Plus. Their involvement ranges from online mentoring to content development and fundraising! Their contributions are invaluable.
And finally, there is our equipment grant program known as Ability Gives which was started in 2012 with a major grant from Sheldon Pollack. Here we are heading into our 10th year and we have completed 219 grants valued at over $510,000! Not bad for a charity that has been staffed by just one full-time person since 2008!
2022 represents our 30th year as a registered charity, although the pilot program launched in 1990. I have a feeling this will be our best year ever!
Thank you to all, especially our members, who have let us know just how important this community is to them. There are a few members who have been with us for over 20 years, and that is the truest testament to our impact. The door is always open no matter your abilities, ethnicity, socioeconomic level, emotional needs or, health status.
Wishing everyone health and happiness for 2022!”
To help make sure Ability Online can keep helping special needs kids in 2022 please click on the logo below and contribute what you can.
Haven Toronto
Haven Toronto is Toronto’s only daytime shelter for elder men, but they offer so much more than just a roof over one’s head:
It’s déjà vu all over again. 2020 was a record year for us in terms of meals served. So was 2021. Learn more about the vital service Haven Toronto provides for the city’s elder homeless men – sign up here to receive the 2021 Statement Of Impact.
You can help feed the homeless from the comfort of your own home at Haven Toronto’s Shop & Share site! Anything you purchase here goes directly to an elder homeless man in need, and there’s something for every budget: from nutritious meals for $1 to entire winter outfits, every penny helps!
Of course you can also give to the general operating fund of the organization by clicking on the logo below.
Please note that you will be linked to our very own donations page which still bears the former name of the shelter – The Good Neighbours Club. Your donation will still arrive at Haven Toronto.
The Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada
Most of the supports of The Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada are offered through one of the 104 partner agencies and programs we fund across Canada serving young people ages 0-29. This can include things like transitional housing, cultural programming, and household supplies. We offer several supports directly to youth ages 18 up to their 30th birthday.
Programs run by Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada:
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS
Go to school! We offer a variety of educational supports to youth from care to help you make your educational dreams a reality.
EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS
We can help you develop tools to get you hired, connect you with career exploration or vocational assessments, and kickstart your career.
GET INVOLVED
People with lived experience of the child welfare system (former youth in care) play a vital role in guiding our work and mobilizing community support.
TELUS’ MOBILITY FOR GOOD™
TELUS is working with Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada to support young people in their transition out of care by providing free cell phone packages over a two-year period.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Mental and physical health challenges can be a significant barrier to a successful transition from care so Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is supporting the Connections Program.
FINANCIAL LITERACY ONLINE TRAINING
The Foundation, in collaboration with the Prosper Canada Centre for Financial Literacy, developed an online financial literacy training for youth transitioning out of the child welfare system so you’re better able to successfully manage money and debts, and to begin building assets.
You can always read the latest news in the online newsletter The Buzz.
Help kids in foster care by supporting all those vital services – make a donation by clicking on the logo below!
PHOTOS
Louis and Jackie wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Sawyer, Louis and the late Betty White
Billie and Giancarlo after the New Year’s party
Louis and Patrick Gilmore spent a day together!
SCREEN CAPS
This month we have screen caps from the hit series MISSING and the second episode of Season 2 Anything for the Baby, part 2. The episode also features our friend Alex Appel as agent Janey Cooper.
Louis played Assistant FBI Director John Pollock. In this two-parter episode a newborn baby is abducted, as the agents race to save his life.
Here is a direct link to the album: https://ferreirafestscreencaps.shutterfly.com/pictures/52641 or click on the screen cap below.
THE 4th READING SERIES: MR. MUGS – ROCKETS AWAY!
The fourth monthly reading series continues in Mr. Mugs – Rockets Away! by Martha Kambeitz and Denise Burns.
Unlike previous readers, this volume was published as a hardcover book within the Level 3 series of the Mr. Mugs readers. It was originally released in 1968. The Mr. Mugs books have been out of print for many years but occasionally you can find them on eBay, Amazon Marketplace or various other antique book dealers.
Louis credits the Mr. Mugs books series with helping him to learn English at a very young age.
You can listen to all the previous book readings under the Reading Series Tab.
Here is this month’s chapter.
Listen to the sound clip here:
Chapter 18: B.C.H. (continued)
“I have an idea,” said Tom
“Let’s put up a sign.
I think the girls will come back.
We don’t want girls around here.
This is our clubhouse.
Let’s put up a sign – NOT FOR GIRLS – or something like that.”
“I have a good idea,” said Bill.
“I can make a trap with cans.”
Tom laughed. “A trap? A trap!
When the cans come down,
they’ll think it’s a rocket
blasting off!”
… to be continued next month!
“We should call it something,”
said Bill.
“Let me see… it’s a clubhouse…
Let’s call it BOYS’ CLUB HOUSE,”
said Tom.
“I know! I know what to call it,”
shouted Bill. “Let’s call it the B.C.H.
Then the girls won’t know what it is!”
“Boy! Will they get a surprise!” said Tom.
“They won’t like the signs and
they won’t know what this one is.”
“Don’t forget the trap!” laughed Bill.
Can you act out this story?
FRIENDS NEWS
Justin Breault
Justin writes about this recent photo from Charmed Season 4 being filmed at Ironwood Studios:
“The great group of people that I work with.”
Mika McKinnon
Are you curious about the eruption of volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai in Tonga? Follow Mika on Twitter for the best collection of links to experts who have the real scoop on what’s going on!
Hire Mika!
“I’m a disaster researcher and scientist for fiction with irrepressible curiosity about our wonderfully weird universe. I’m a physicist and geophysicist specializing in disasters—tsunami, earthquakes, asteroid impacts—pretty much all the heart-pounding, doom-riddled science. As a science communicator, I’m creative and passionate about this glorious universe around us. Ask me to bring science to your fiction, write a story, run a workshop, give a talk, or more!”
Eric Banerd
Our perennial world traveler Eric has been exploring Colombia.
He writes:
“There is still so much I want to see in this country. Vibrant culture, crazy night life, great people. I will be back!”
Justin Nannassy
Justin has posted a new poem. Click on the thumbnail image to read the poem in full size in Justin’s Art and Poetry Collection.
As always – this is for mature readers only. Our young friends should click here instead!
Jennifer Spence
Jen and her husband Ben Ratner helped ring in the New Year in style!
“Happy New Year’s Eve ❤️ The band played on.”
Bradley Stryker
The always busy Bradley is back at work! His current project is one of his own films called Momma Bird.
He writes:
“Off on my next adventure, time to get back in the ol’ directors chair!”
HEALING BODY ART
Every month Vancouver artist Nicole Pilich shares one of her henna creations with Ferreira Fest. And if you find yourself in Vancouver visit her studio and treat yourself to some Healing Body Art made just for you.
This month Nicole shares a sculpture by her daughter:
“The feeling of being depressed”
– Gala made this piece this last year in her ceramics class.
And that, dear Friends, is about it for this month! Thanks for visiting often! Be sure to follow us on Twitter for all the Louis news you can handle and TV reminders!
If you have comments, questions or suggestions, there are many ways to make your voice heard:
Visit the Forum and start a discussion or participate in an existing one. Signing up is easy and hassle-free but not required for visits, and nobody there will send you spam or unwanted emails.
Leave a note in the Guestbook. Guestbook notes will get a response via email if available.
Contact or any other staff member. Everyone is listed on the Contact Page. If you have any questions that you need answered, email is the way to go!
We are always looking for volunteers who want to contribute, and there are perks associated with being a correspondent or staff member!
Please remember: all content of Ferreira Fest and indeed this entire website is copyright protected. That’s what the note on the bottom of each page says. It means that you should never re-post anything you find here elsewhere. If you absolutely must do so please contact first so we can work things out. We all work for free here, and we all work very hard, and it’s just not fair if you steal stuff and claim it as your own. Your mom/ dad/ parental unit/ teacher already told you as much. Please play by the rules.
We hope to see you all next month!
