Reflections Art Gallery – Barrie Common Roof

Reflections Art Gallery, located at the Barrie Common Roof – 165 Ferris Lane in Barrie will be exhibiting Jill Price – Contemporary Mixed Media Artist.  This show begins on Friday September 23rd, 2011 and closes on Friday October 21st, 2011.

Posted in Events, News | Leave a comment

Partnerships Nurtured with Georgian College

This past June, while attending the Coffee Time Network meeting I heard that Georgian College was initiating a new work placement opportunity for their 2nd year Social Service Worker Program students. Traditional work placements usually involve a one on one approach where a student works in an agency or setting that mimics an after graduation job experience. However, with potentially 140 students vying for these placements it became clear that another option was needed.

The Community Project Initiative was developed as a result with the goal to provide social service agencies with support in meeting their project needs, at the same time providing SSW students with additional field education options using project–based placements.

As Angela Foster a Field Placement Officer for Georgian says, “We knew that there were barriers for agencies due to limited staff resources and space restrictions in their offices, however we also knew there were other opportunities in the community where our students could learn through working on an agency specific project.”

Due to the community efforts of the Polar Bear Dippers at the Orillia Winter Carnival last February New Path Foundation received funds to support a Resource Centre in the Orillia Common Roof facility.

The tenant partners thought it important to provide places within the lobby area of the Common Roof for clients or members of the public to access information about a subject prior to treatment visits or during wait times. Creating a library of resources including contact information, available programs and events of community, county and government organizations is required as well as developing creative ways to present both hard copy stations and display areas for marketing and promotion as well as electronic sources for interactive stations and viewing centres. I suppose that Resource Centre is a misnomer because there will be 5-resource areas within the lobby and waiting rooms on the main floor of the Common Roof.

It seemed to me that the Community Project Initiative and the team of 4 Georgian College Social Service Worker students to be involved would be an ideal partnership to develop, plan, source and implement an amazing Resource Centre for the Common Roof.

Through an application process 5 community projects were chosen and posted on-line for the students to choose their work placement experience. The twenty students involved will be working for 14 weeks 2 days per week on the initiative at the Orillia Campus.

Georgian College staff Laura Morgan (centre) Community Project Liaison with Heather Winters (left) and Angela Foster (rigth) Placement Officers discuss the new field placement opportunity for Social Service Worker students in the development of the Orillia Common Roof Resource Centre.

Laura Morgan, Community Projects Liaison has been meeting and working with community partners to indentify agency needs and how these can align with the SSW student program requirements and is excited to see the program roll out for its first year starting this September.

“The program has been designed to give the students a basic grounding with a 3-segment educational component starting week one covering first, Project Management, second, Fundraising, Networking and Marketing and thirdly will be Community Needs Assessment. They are coming to the table with skills for the project and of course they will be meeting with their community partners to determine timelines and deadlines and will attend progress meetings. It should prove to be a beneficial opportunity for everyone.”

Field Placement Officer, Heather Winters agrees, “Our students will benefit greatly from the networking opportunities that will arise with the community partners plus they will really be able to apply the theory they have learned in class to a practical setting.”

Laurie Herd - Project Coordinator Orillia Common Roof, Georgian College Dean - Mary O'Farrell-Bowers, Community Project Liaison - Laura Morgan and Placement Officer - Heather Winters are pleased to have formed a partnership whereby Second Year Social Service Worker students will take part in Georgian College's Community Project Initiative for field placement experience with the planning and development of the Resource Centre for the Orillia Common Roof.

As for the Common Roof Resource Centre, I am positive it will turn out to be a wonderful and inspiring component of this soon to be open active community centre. New Path Foundation is thrilled with this new opportunity to partner with Georgian College as I am pleased to be able to work with these Georgian students; to rub elbows with their tremendous energy, creative ideas and wonderful talents for fourteen weeks. When the project is complete it will certainly be a community driven resource to be proud. 

We are in the final stretch as the Common Roof construction continues with various groups taking residency at the 169 Front St. S property later this month. There is space still available for your agency to have a home within the Orillia Common Roof. Contact Laurie at the Orillia New Path Foundation office at 705-259-7663 or visit www.thecommonroof.ca for information about the Orillia Common Roof Project.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Program Versus Fundraising

It is a fact that to survive today non profit organizations are required to raise funds. Some groups receive ongoing support dollars through government programs and alliances based on mandates and social responsibilities. Many more organizations do not. That being said even transfer payments can change or do not keep up to the ever rising demand for services.

And so the fact remains that there are numerous groups, all doing good work for our community, out there competing for support dollars so that their programs or services can survive.

A lot of energy, time and people power is expended to research possible funding sources, build a proposal, and apply to the funder with follow-up. Usually even more resources are required to run an event. The rate of success can be directly related to the ‘talent’ that your office employs for writing, publicity and engagement and the time that can be devoted to it.

Most of the human service organizations that I have been involved with would far rather focus on the work that they do rather than ‘fundraise’ to see that it happens. The Common Roof model is a vehicle to help these organizations sustain their program while assisting with their operating budget.

To become a Common Roof partner an organization provides capital funds to accomplish building retrofits. This partner designation provides opportunities that ensure high visibility and affordable space and more importantly future sustainability and potential growth for the agency. What this means is that they are able to participate in a 10-year fixed rate plan and once the mortgage is paid they receive an unrestricted grant equalling 60-65% of their rent.

Nadine Ritchie, Coordinator of the Orillia Housing Resource Centre believes this is a great opportunity. “The benefit for us and for our clients is that we can focus our energy on the work we do, front-line services assisting people to find appropriate housing and less time on fund raising.”

However, fundraising does do more than just raise funds; it provides an opportunity to advertise your group’s vision and mission for those who need the services. Fundraising helps to engage the public about your program; helping to build a volunteer base. Fundraising efforts publicize the need filled by the organization’s mandate and can strengthen the bonds of the people doing the good work.

New Path Foundation has been fortunate to be the recipient of several funding opportunities for the Orillia Common Roof facility since the project started last year. One of the most fun and effective fundraiser for getting the word out about this project was the Orillia Winter Carnival’s Polar Bear Dip that took place in February.

Records of numbers of people came out to brace the cold waters of Lake Couchiching in support of our Common Roof Community Resource Centre and Couchiching Jubilee House’s new ‘house’.

Common Roof ‘chilly dippers’ included 9 Orillia Parks & Recreation aquatics team, New Path staffers Michelle Vennard and Doug Moore with family member Nick and friend Ely who all did a chillingly fine plunge. Media both before and during the event helped to create even more excitement and special thanks goes to Rob Reid of Swisssh Radio.

Jim Storey presenting his pledge of $2500 to Neville Twine of New Path Foundation

However, New Path had a sponsor in the Common Roof corner that got the funds rolling in for this ‘fundraising’ event. Jim Storey, Bradanick Construction’s general manager and contractor for the Common Roof retrofit pledged $2500 to the dippers and challenged others to offer support as well. This challenge started an internal fundraising frenzy and along with pledges from the community dippers resulted in an overall total raised of $9695 for the Common Roof.

Thanks to all who participated, donated or produced to the dip’s efforts the Common Roof is now a house hold name in Orillia.

Other fundraiser events this month by New Path Foundation include: Expand the Reach initiative with speak by Theo Fleury ‘Don’t Quit before the Miracle’, Tuesday, June 7 at 8p.m., Georgian Theatre in Barrie.

Not Just Jazz, Music, Mirth & Magic, Friday, June 17 at 7p.m. South Shore Centre, Barrie. Both events are to support children/youth mental health. For tickets see www.newpath.ca

Common Roof construction is ongoing and should be completed in July with various groups taking residency at the 169 Front St. S property in August. There is space still available for your agency to have a home within the Orillia Common Roof. Contact Laurie at the Orillia New Path Foundation office at 705-259-7663 for information about the Orillia Common Roof Project.

Posted in Events, News | Comments Off

Common Roof Experiences Recently Shared South of the Border

The Common Roof model has attracted much attention here in Ontario and in Newfoundland these past couple of years.  We are very pleased that our friends to the south of us also have great interest in the development of multi-tenant non-profit facilities using aspects of our model, and hearing about our lessons learned.

Glen Newby, President and CEO, and Ken Edwards, Director of Finance and Administration, along with Laurie Herd, Orillia Common Roof Coordinator, presented at the recent NonProfit Centres Network (NCN) conference in Los Angeles, California on May 9 – 11, 2011.  The NCN is a bi-national network of non-profit organizations which have realized, understood, and taken the first steps at ensuring agency sustainability through the use of shared space and shared services.  New Path, through the Common Roof projects, has been active on this network for a number of years, attending conferences regularly throughout the United States.  This past presentation focused on New Path business tools and assessment considerations that help determine the viability of going to scale and building the Orillia Common Roof.  The New Path team joined up with the United Way of Greater Houston, which has also successfully accomplished some similar initiatives throughout Texas.  The team was very pleased that over sixty Canadians attended this conference, more than ever in the past.  There is no question that the movement towards multi-tenant facilities is well underway now in Canada.

The NonProfit Centres Network has also just released the first-ever assessment of organizations sharing facilities across the US and Canada, and have documented evidence of what we have known for sometime about the Common Roof:

 “Significant improvements in overall effectiveness and efficiency, ultimately yielding greater impacts for the communities we serve”.

New Path’s Common Roof projects were active participants in this research.  The Executive Summary will be available soon at http://www.nonprofitcenters.org.

Glen Newby has been invited to sit on the NCN Steering Committee for the next three years to help further support and help guide future directions.  Perhaps one day the NCN conference will be held here in Southern Ontario.

Posted in Events, News | Leave a comment

The Common Roof: Lighting up Human Services

Months ago designer Douglas Hamilton spoke of some of the features that were to be incorporated into the retrofit of the Common Roof building at 169 Front Street South in Orillia. The addition of natural light through massive walls of floor to ceiling glass as well as well as a skylight in the centre atrium open to 3-floors have been incorporated into the design of this building as one of these features.  Harnessing lots of natural light into the Common Roof centre was identified by those who will be working in it as a vital commodity.

According to the Industrial Accident Prevention Association 2008, some human factors of adequate lighting in the work place include creating a pleasant atmosphere which gives workers a sense of well-being; improving productivity and efficiency. On the other hand poor lighting can lead to visual fatigue as well as neck and back pain due to poor posture.  Incorporating natural light into the work place has positive environmental spin offs, as well due to less reliance on artificial light sources.

Since the project incorporates an existing building retrofit the construction techniques must work with the overall design of the building from a structural or engineered stand point together with the visual aesthetic while creating a functional and efficient environment for human service program tenants.

Orillia Common Roof project management and engineering rep. from Steenhof Building Services, James Worrall examines one of four corner frames soon to be filled with glass that will provide natural light within the 3-storey building.

“The placement of full 3-storey windows in the exterior corners and end walls helps to incorporate lots of natural light into the building without taking away the structural integrity,” said Steenhof Building Services Group project management and engineering representative James Worrall. “Clean modern lines in the building design create a modern feel while harnessing a look that acknowledges the industrial roots of the area.”

The Common Roof Orillia, a highly visible multi-tenant facility will enhance the mission of partner non-profit organizations, as it allocates efficient use of resources through shared space, services and infrastructure.

The shared component in this case is the natural light. An interior floor plan must work so that all tenants can access this light equally; a challenge when you consider that tenant space requirements on the 2nd floor range from 100 to 2500 square feet of dedicated floor space within a square structure.

Tenants, as a result, must collaborate and work closely with the designer to see that this situation is addressed fairly, in a timely matter. Finalized interior plans are required before mechanical and cabling systems can be finalized or interior walls are erected.  It all comes down to working together to make the most with what we’ve got; a concept which is driving this project forward.

The Common Roof facility at the corner of Front Street South and Queen Street East will make a statement when it is done in June of this year.

As Designer Douglas Hamilton said, “It will be a handsome building, not pretty or extravagant, but a good strong building with the real beauty being in the way it functions. Sharing space and resources and reducing waste while fostering an atmosphere of collaboration will ultimately enhance the delivery of services.”

A positive outcome that Common Roof tenants, their clients, partners and neighbors and the whole community will benefit as the building becomes alive with human service programs and is fully functioning later this year.

There is space still available for your agency to have a home within the Orillia Common Roof. Contact Laurie at the Orillia New Path Foundation office at 705-259-7663 or visit www.thecommonroof.ca for information about the Orillia Common Roof Project.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Expand the Reach – We All Win

New Path Youth & Family Services, with the assistance of Morton Youth Services has hired Vireo Research to develop a research program to understand the challenges coaches face, and to gain a coaches’ perspective on possible solutions. Coaches which we have defined as anyone who leads a group of young people, have been completing an on line assignment. 

Young people, who participate in sports, music or the arts, have unique relationships with their coach for these activities. Our goal is to create a “tool-kit” that would provide coaches with resources to better assist the youth they work with, and therefore capitalize on the close relationship. We hope this means that young people exhibiting mental health problems will receive the support they need earlier. 

We don’t yet know what the “tool-kit” will be, or what will be in it.   It could include a book of resources/phone numbers, mental health information/facts on early identification and intervention, how to approach coaching from a youth engagement model etc. We won’t know until we hear directly from the coaches, and that’s why we’re asking them about their experiences on the front lines. 

New Path Foundation and New Path Youth and Family Services will be celebrating the launch of this initiative with an event on Tuesday, June 7th 2011, Theo Fleury – Don’t Quit Before the Miracle.  Theo Fleury is a former NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup winner and Olympic Gold Medalist. Recently, Theo fascinated readers with his #1 bestseller, “Playing With Fire”. Now he is one of the country’s most in-demand keynote speakers. He shares funny stories behind the scenes with the game’s biggest stars. Theo tells jaw-dropping anecdotes of living hard at the top of the NHL, the crash that followed, and finally his comeback and redemption. Theo knows what it takes to become a champion, build a strong team and overcome incredible odds. His presentations entertain, motivate and inspire.

Details for this exciting event are as follows:

                                  Tuesday, June 7, 2011
                      Georgian Theatre, Georgian College
                                               Barrie, ON
                       8:00 pm – doors open at 7:30 pm

                              General Admission Tickets
                 Adults $20    Youth (24 yrs and under) $5

Tickets are available at the following locations:
Common Roof Barrie 705-725-4970
Common Roof Orillia 705-259-7663
New Path Barrie Office 705-733-2654
New Path Orillia Office 705-325-6161

For further information about this project or event and tickets please contact: Lisa Cluett, 705-458-4338 ext. 248

Posted in Events, News | Leave a comment

The Common Roof… Together for the Common Good

The Common Roof is a multi-tenant, community-based social enterprise centre that provides quality, affordable, sustainable, and professional work and program space for human service non-profit agencies.

Multi-tenant here means a centre of collocation; where any number of organizations has the benefit of sharing space, resources, and infrastructure under a common roof.

It is known that office /program space is usually the second largest budget item for human service organizations after salaries.  Add to that the concern for irregular and fluctuating market rents presents difficulties as these agencies attempt to deliver their mandated programs.

Many agencies that serve our community do not receive transfer payments from government departments and so must raise dollars primarily through individual fundraising endeavors. A lot of staff and volunteer energy and time is directed to fundraising efforts just to maintain operating budgets and cherished service programs.

The Orillia Housing Resource Centre has been searching for a home to deliver their service based on the desperate need to ensure privacy for their clients with space that fit their budget. Program Coordinator Nadine Ritchie says, “Coming into the Common Roof presents many benefits including, reasonable rent and privacy for our clients as well as partnerships with other agencies located within the building that can assist our clients. We will be able to focus our energy on the work we do, front-line services assisting people to find appropriate housing and less time on fund raising.”

The services arm to New Path Foundation the lead agency of the Common Roof project, New Path Youth and Family Counseling Services is situated in seven communities within Simcoe County. Six of these offices are collocated with other non-profit agencies and while the model for some of these sites is not identical to the Common Roof model there are synergies and benefits equally important; opportunities for collaboration, improved service integration, and of course ‘one-stop’ shopping for clients.

“Multi-tenant facilities for non-profit organizations are successfully proven as an approach to ensure human service agency sustainability, especially during difficult financial times.” Says Glen Newby CEO and President of New Path Foundation. 

The Common Roof collocation centre provides sustainable costs, long term financial planning, and increased visibility leading to enhanced and expanded program services available to our community residents all within a social enterprise program model.

What is Social Enterprise? The Buzz in non-profit board rooms today is the quest for sustainability…..how to protect and generate funds to support the mission.

Social Enterprise is the vehicle for income generation and social impact with a substantial emphasis on the group’s mission. It can be described as any nonprofit business, venture, activity or strategy conducted for the purpose of generating earned income in support of a nonprofit’s charitable mission. It has a triple bottom line including; do good for people and community, generate a profit and be environmentally friendly.

“Social Enterprise partnerships are now a recognized approach to doing business that enhances the resources available for non-profits to accomplish their mission. The concept has been recognized and endorsed for some time and just recently in the Ontario budget released on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.’’ commented Newby. “New Path Foundation’s leadership has been able to bring together these two “new ways” of doing business by developing the Common Roof projects. The Common Roof model has great benefits for not only the local human service organizations and their client group, but also serves as a stimulus for economic community development wherever we are located.  We are thrilled to have the opportunity to assist the Orillia community.”

The Common RoofTM was developed by, and is currently governed and operated by, a registered non-profit organization, New Path Foundation, for the sole purpose of maximizing benefits to other non­profit agencies and ultimately the community.  All net revenues generated are directed towards The Common Roof™ mission.

Contact Laurie at the Orillia Common Roof office at 705-259-7663 or visit www.thecommonroof.ca for information about the Orillia Common Roof Project.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Common Roof: Connecting the Dots for Children’s Programs

The Common Roof is a sustainable, affordable and highly visible facility that enhances the mission of partner organizations, allows efficient use of precious resources through shared space, services and infrastructure, and provides opportunity for cross organizational and cross sector collaboration. These are married with the concepts of client needs are always identified and addressed first within a Child and Family centered approach for this community facility.

The development of the Orillia Common Roof program by New Path Foundation has moved ahead with work and ideas and collaboration with the New Path Foundation staff team, the foundation board of directors, non-profit agency representatives as well as designers, politicians and business leaders. Foundation Board Directors have knowledge, expertise and skill sets that facilitate ‘building’ a Common Roof.

Board Chair, Wendy Fairley has a background in education as an elementary school principal. Many months ago when viewing preliminary design drawings she suggested that  child care or preschool programs should be added to the mix of amenities available at the Orillia Common Roof centre. Her thinking is that daycare is an essential component to support not only our client base but also our service agencies who reside within the centre. The addition of this component extends the network of support within the Orillia community and is unique to the Orillia Common Roof.  “Having quality daycare programs accessible to clients as well the people who work in the building will benefit greatly and fill a need as it is such a huge support to the family and the community as a whole,” commented Fairley.  “I only wish that this kind of service was available in the Barrie facility.”

Back to the leadership team where at meetings members from County of Simcoe Social Services division connected New Path staff to Orillia Central Preschool.

Orillia Central Preschool has been serving the community for 25 years from its primary location in the heritage building in the city’s core on Coldwater Road where it offers quality child care to children from 4 weeks to 6 years of age in five specialized classrooms.

Orillia Central Pre-School Program Supervisor, Shannon Daggett, reviewing plans with Designer, Doug Hamilton

A connection was made with Program Supervisor Shannon Daggett and further meetings and plans ensued. Since Orillia Central Preschool was looking to expand their facilities in order to reach deeper into the community, they were enthusiastic when asked to join the Common Roof project.

Shannon says, “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to bring our program to another area of the city.  We had been looking for space to open a satellite centre, and when this opportunity came up we couldn’t refuse.”

Children of Orillia Central Pre-School

The program philosophy of Orillia Central Preschool integrates well into the Common Roof model.

“The Common Roof project is right in line with Dr. Charles Pascal’s report, “With Our Best Future in Mind”, which outlines this type of community service hub approach to providing children and parents with a one stop shopping to various necessary agencies.  Bringing agencies such as the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, Catalpa Community Support Services and New Path Youth and Family Counseling Services together with Orillia Central Preschool all under one roof will make it easier for families to get the help they need. “Said Shannon. “With so many children requiring extra help around specialized developmental concerns, locating offices within the same building will make it easier for families to go to appointments, have an observation done on site in the classroom, or find advice when and where they need it most.”

In fact, from 1985 to 1994, Orillia Central Preschool was part of Catulpa Tamarac Child and Family Services and officially became a separate, non-profit, charitable corporation governed by a Community Board of Directors on October 1, 1994. In September of 1997 Orillia Central Preschool began providing full day services within the preschool and toddler programs. 

“For us personally, being able to bring our quality program to another area of Orillia is very exciting. We are proud of what we do and to be able to offer our services to more Orillia families and give back to the community is very gratifying.  This satellite centre will offer care for children aged 18 months to 3 1/2 years of age.  This vicinity of Orillia is currently under-serviced in the area of child care, so we anticipate a great response to this new program.”

New Path Foundation is delighted to have Orillia Central Preschool coming into the new Common Roof facility at 169 Front Street South. After months of meetings, brain storming and ‘collaboration’ the addition of the Preschool will positively enhance the overall program of the centre within this client first and child and family centered approach.

Contact Laurie at the Orillia Common Roof office at 705-259-7663 or visit www.thecommonroof.ca for information about the Orillia Common Roof Project.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Common Roof: Food for Thought, A Place to Call Home

A community-based project such as the Orillia Common Roof will offer stimulus to future development, a catalyst for expanded recreational activities and economic growth. It will furnish healing opportunities to troubled children and their families and will provide a clean new environment for this Community Service Centre.

Construction continues at 169 Front Street South as the building expands and also becomes more delineated within while tenant areas and shared space for work and programming are refined.

Some programs offered require unique space features like a kitchen modeled after one at home. And although future development of the Common Roof Project campus includes a teaching or skills kitchen within its plan on the adjacent property the tenants set to move into the building at 169 Front St. S. this spring require specialized program space now.

Addressing this need presents design challenges as a staff lunch room area now becomes a working program kitchen which breaks out into larger meeting space. With collaboration and focus by the partner tenants, the design team and the builder these changes have been made facilitating the efficient use of this shared component. 

Partner tenants will be better able to service their clients through programming delivered in an area that works the best. Of course there are other community groups that New Path Foundation has been working with who also require kitchen space.

The Orillia Community Kitchen Resource Group provides information and workshops through partnerships with local agencies, businesses and individuals about nutrition, food preparation classes, kitchen skill development and budgeting while developing a sense of family and community through food programs. OCKRG also works to provide assistance to community members who take advantage of cooperative food programs such as the Good Food Box.  “I really enjoy the food I receive in my Good Food Box but sometimes I need some help as to how to prepare it.  What do I do with a 5-pound bag of beets?” asks the writer of this article.

So while they are a ‘virtual’ kitchen they do have resources that need a home such as their mobile kitchen case. OCKRG can provide home economists that travel to various locations for workshops and they bring the tools they need. The Common Roof is really a community centre in that now some of these programs can be delivered in this new, modern, bright facility accessible to any number of community groups; who will benefit from both the use of the facilities as well as the resources existing by the Orillia Community Kitchen Resource Group.

Epicure Donation to Orillia Common Roof

New Path Foundation partnering with OCKRG has mutually benefitted the groups as they expand resources by way of successful funding proposals. One being $500 worth of quality cookware provided by the Epicure Foundation.

The Common Roof kitchen becomes better equipped providing more opportunities to expand kitchen programs both with Common Roof tenant partners as well as community organizations. Opportunities exist to further extend the reach to new partners possibly with students of Georgian College or new programs at Lakehead University such as Humanities 101. The Orillia Community Kitchen Resource Group through their resource home economists will offer new programming with the Orillia Parks and Recreation Department this spring.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when you consider that the kitchen and meeting space located in the Front St. S. building will be dwarfed by the kitchen and food area, as well as recreation and sport facilities planned for Phase 2 at the adjacent Queen St E property.

Design plans that include a working resource kitchen and a multi-purpose room will further increase recreational, sport, educational and therapeutic options within the city creating expanded services while nurturing community partnerships.

Green initiatives, such as raised garden beds and a green house are being investigated to further enhance current community projects surrounding food rights and poverty issues.

The Orillia Common Roof project offers numerous and varied opportunities providing all community members access to; services, diverse activities, work, and play within safe, accessible, professional, visible and affordable facilities.

… a Community Centre bringing services and resources home via the kitchen.

Contact Laurie at the Orillia Common Roof office at 705-259-7663 or visit www.thecommonroof.ca for information about the Orillia Common Roof Project.

Posted in News, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Chilly Dippers for Project Common Roof Practise their Dipping

New Path staffers Michelle Vennard and Doug Moore who are chilly dippers for Project Common Roof are practising their dipping form to get ready for the Polar Bear Dip.

Dippers and representatives from the Common Roof Project and Couchiching Jubilee House, the recipients of Polar Bear Dip pledges are looking for support for the icy wet event set to take place during the Orillia Winter Carnival this weekend Feb 11, 12 & 13th at Couchiching Beach Park.  The Frosty Dip will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb 13th.

Pic #1 New Path Supervisor and Chilly Dipper, Michelle Vennard, makes great ‘air’ while preparing for the Polar Bear Dip, pictured here with Chilly Dipper colleague Doug Moore.

Pic #2 Project Common Roof chilly dippers and New Path staffers Michelle Vennard and Doug Moore work on their ‘jumping in’ technique in preparation for their participation in the Polar Bear Dip.

To pledge support contact Laurie at 705-259-7663 
lherd@thecommonroof.ca
or pledge on-line at www.thecommonroof.ca

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment