Hey everyone, the City of Kelowna’s activity guide WINTER EDITION is now live! Check out the activities happening locally this winter to help get out and get active.
Active living this winter…
Grant opportunity – Apply by January 10!
Hi everyone, CLBC has announced they are accepting applications for one-time Community Inclusion Innovation Fund grants (amounts between $5,000 and $100,000 available).
According to CLBC’s website, this is an opportunity for people to apply for grant funding that supports their creative initiatives:
- that challenge all of us to do things more effectively
- to build on lessons learned during COVID-19
- to innovate service delivery
- to support the rollout of CLBC’s new L.I.F.E.-based service
- to advance work from the Re-Imagining Community Inclusion Committee.
Applications are due by January 10, 2022. Check out the details here.
Calendar for Connection!
Hey everyone, make sure you check out the Family Support Institute’s Calendar for Connection — there are tons of events happening this month! Here are a few:
- Book Club (Harry Potter series) on Dec. 11!
- Holiday concert and Trivia on Dec. 17!
- Game Chat hosted by Kamloops Speaking Up Self-Advocacy Awareness Society (SUSA) on Dec. 16!
Check out the full calendar of events here.
CLBC Update for Individuals and Families
Hey everyone, CLBC has issued an update for individuals and families, you can find it here.
Candy Cane Lane!
Hey everyone, there’s a local lights display starting up for the holidays today in Kelowna! Candy Cane Lane has a wonderful neighborhood display from December 1-January 1, and it’s a fun and festive (and socially-distanced!) activity for all this winter. Check out the article on Castanet or watch here:
Celebrate Caregivers! THANK YOU!
We posted this poem, “Ode to a Caregiver,” written by the mother of a person receiving home share services, back in March. We are sharing these inspirational words again at the end of our month focusing on posts and resources for caregivers, and we are inviting everyone to join in with us and say: THANK YOU, CAREGIVERS, FOR ALL YOU DO!
SPOTLIGHT: Caregiver communities
Hey everyone, we’re focusing our posts on CAREGIVERS and resources for caregivers this month. We know that one of the challenges faced by many caregivers is…finding sustainable ways to integrate connecting with other caregivers into a busy schedule.
While we’ve posted about the importance of self-care to caregivers, we wanted today’s discussion to be more focused on how connecting with others who have caregiving experience can help fight feelings of isolation and loneliness. With the COVID-19 pandemic changing how we all connect safely with one another, feeling isolated and lonely is more common than in the past. So, since we’ve posted about many ways for caregivers to connect, what’s are we bringing to the table today to try out?
Podcasts! If you haven’t listened to a podcast before, they are like individual radio shows and are usually released in episodes. Podcasts typically target a topic per episode. These podcasts in particular are designed to be relevant to the caregiving experience by those who put them out into the podcast-universe:
- Caregivers Out Loud: A Podcast by Family Caregivers of BC A space to connect, listen and learn with other caregivers.
- The Giving Tree Podcast by Amanda Rocheleau (BSW, MSW, RSW) This podcast is for helping professionals and personal caregivers. … talking openly and honestly about the true hardships of providing care to others while we also talk about sustainable solutions to self-care and personal wellness.
Besides the more obvious benefits of podcasts (running for a set amount of time per episode; covering a breadth of information about a given topic; facilitating discussion with and between people who have relevant experience) they can be a great tool to help caregivers feel that their struggles, challenges, and successes are genuinely seen, acknowledged, and respected. And – we hope! – support caregivers to feel a little less lonely and a little less isolated!
Let us know in the comments if you have a favorite podcast.
Cool story! History comes to life.
Hey everyone, we are taking a minute today to share a neat story about a two friends with an interest in the history of the Kootenays. Their original Facebook page inspired a book! Check out the story on Castanet or watch below.
CLBC Update for Individuals and Families
Hey everyone, check out CLBC’s current Update for Individuals and Families.
FSI Weekly News
Hey everyone, the Family Support Institute’s Weekly News is now available, check it out here.
