The Town of Whitby Celebrates Earth Week 2016..

When will it grow? Curious little boy helping his father to plant the tree while working together in the garden Stock Photo - 45234716
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : gstockstudio

Pitch in Brooklin:

  • Date: Saturday April 23 2016:
  • Time: 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Location: Join your neighbours at every park in Brooklin to help clean up your parks for the 10th annual Pitch-In-Brooklin: 

Down Town Whitby Spring Clean-up: 

  • Date: April 23 2016:
  • Time: 10:00 am to Noon
  • Join in with everyone at the Old Fire Hall, 201 Brock Street South, Supplies are available.

Project Property Sweep: 

  • Date(s): April 22-25
  • Help Keep your town clean and green… help your neighbours clean up your local parks and property: Supplies available.. Find information on proper sorting and disposal here: durham.ca/waste

Whitby Scout Tree Planting:

  • Date: April 30
  • Time: 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
  • Location: Cullen Central Park, 300 Taunton Rd. W. Whitby
  • Come on out and help clean up the planting area so these guys can plant some cedar and pine trees. 

Whitby In Bloom School Program:

  • Date: April 18 to April 22: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm:

This program, initiated by Whitby In Bloom, invites students to clean up their school yard. Students are also encouraged to participate in other activities such as litter-less lunch, school material recycling or book/toy swaps. Participating Schools receive Earth Day Certificates as well as environmentally themed book for their libraries to recognize their efforts. 

Please contact: 905 430 4303 ext 7415 or email parks.rec@whitby.ca with your questions and suggestions.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness to help our communities stay clean… :) 

Earth Day April 22 2016 Events: 

April Showers bring May flowers: 

  • Location: Brooklin Community Centre and Library
  • Time: 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
  • What’s There: Craft for children 30 months to 5 years. Free Supplies
  • To Register: smartlink.ca-#189822

Free Lights Out Glow Stick Party: 

  • Location: Brooklin Youth Room
  • Time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm 
  • What’s it about: Whitby youth 12-18 years are invited to a lights out glow stick party

Free Yoga in the Park: 

  • Location: Whitby Civic Recreation Complex
  • Time: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
  • Registration: Not required
  • Age limit: None, this even is open to all ages
  • Note: This is an outdoor event and will proceed “rain or shine” :)

source: Whitby This Week: April 14 2016 Edition.

From our inbox to you, From Patti Wigginton on: Handfasting

SGC Admin: Yep it`s getting to that time of the year when it`s most popular for “tying the knot`… If you have ever wondered what goes into the Pagan celebration of hand-fasting (or getting married) check out Patti`s article below… :) 

Hands tied with ribbon at wedding hand fasting ceremony Stock Photo - 3337510

Handfasting Season is Here!
Looking for information on how to hold a Pagan handfasting ceremony? Here’s where we’ve got it all covered, from the origins of handfastings to jumping the broom to selecting your cake! Also, be sure to learn about magical handfasting favors to give your guests, how to make sure you’ll have a magical ceremony, and who can actually perform your handfasting!

Join Our Pagan Community:
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Patti Wigington
Paganism/Wicca Expert
Handfasting History: An Old Tradition Made New  
Handfasting was common centuries ago in the British Isles, and then vanished for a while. Now, however, it’s seeing a rising popularity among Pagan couples who are interested in tying the knot. Many Pagan couples choose to have a handfasting ritual instead of a traditional wedding ceremony. READ NOW
Handfasting Tips: How to Have a Magical Ceremony  
Spring is here, and love is in the air! For many people of Pagan faiths, this is the time of year for a handfasting ceremony. If you’re lucky enough to have someone you love this much, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind while planning your handfasting ceremony. READ NOW
Handfasting Favors: Magical Gifts for Your Guests  
t’s become traditional to give each of your guests a small wedding favor. Typically, these are small trinkets with either the date of the event or the couples’ names on them. However, if you’re having a Pagan or Wiccan handfasting, rather than a traditional wedding ceremony, why not come up with an idea that celebrates your spiritual path, as well as announcing your commitment to the community? READ NOW
Who Can Perform a Handfasting?  
Handfastings are becoming more and more popular, as Pagan and Wiccan couples are seeing that there is indeed an alternative for non-Christians who want more than just a courthouse wedding. A common question among Pagans is that of who can actually perform the handfasting ceremony itself? READ NOW
More About Handfasting  
Wondering about jumping the broom, handfasting bonfire safety, deities of marriage, and how to choose the perfect cake? We’ve got it all here, including a sample ceremony template that you can use!

How to Choose Your Handfasting Cake
Jumping the Broom: A Besom Wedding
Handfasting Bonfires: What You Need to Know
Deities of Marriage and Love

Sample Handfasting Ceremony Template
Handfasting Basket (Thirteen Blessings)

READ NOW

 

About Paganism/Wicca 

Free Spay/Neuter for feral cats:

A group of feral cats huddled together to keep warm, near the wall of an old abandoned home . Taken during -28C weather. Stock Photo - 26144060
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : Brenda Carson

 

  • Who can take advantage of this offer: Colony caretakers of Feral cats in Durham Region
  • Who are Colony Caretakers: These are the good-hearted and kind folk who take time out to humanely capture feral cats and have them spayed or neutered… After which they are released back into their colony. The cats get to live out their life naturally, without adding to the growing population. 
  • Where to go to find out more : http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/what-we-do/trap-neuter-return

source: Whitby This Week: April 14 2016 Edtion: Kristen’s Kritters: kcalis@durhamregion.com

Cat Town Rescue… Adoptathon and Fundraiser: April 15 to 17 2016

 

Give the cat lover in your family a funny gift. They will love it! Stock Vector - 45057700
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : greatnotions

 

  • Event: Adoptathon & Fundraiser

  • Who: Cat Town Rescue

  • Date(s): Friday April 15, Saturday April 16 and Sunday April 17 

  • Time(s): Friday 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Saturday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm:                      Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

  • Location: Brooklin Pet Value, 5949 Baldwin St. S.. 

  • Includes: Bake Sale, raffle and $12:00 nail trims

  • For More Information: Email cattowninfo@gmail.com

 

Source: Whitby This Week, April 14 2016 Edition: kristen’s Kritters: kcalis@durhamregion.com

 

From out inbox to you from DailyOm on: “Visiting Sacred Sites“

Visiting Sacred Sites
The Spirit of a Place

Stone Hedge - England Stock Photo - 182524
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : Keith Levit

by Madisyn Taylor

 

Visiting a sacred site can be a useful tool to open something within you that has remained inaccessible.

From time immemorial, the hands of men and women have built sites guided by both the earth’s life force and benevolent beings of light. It is because of this guidance that the sites we deem sacred have long served as repositories of wisdom, energy, and illumination that can be accessed by all. The needs that inspire seekers to converge upon sites known to be sacred vary by individual. Some crave spiritual fulfillment above all else, while others hope to draw upon a site’s energy for the purpose of enlightenment, healing, or deep meditation, awareness and knowledge of information long gone.

Sacred sites can appear insignificant to those who close themselves off from the notion of a living earth. But sites can provide us with a link to a unified consciousness that involves the living and the dead, infinite cultures, the physical plane, and the spiritual world. When we look beyond well-known sites like Stonehenge, we discover energetically active sites such as the Iron Age fogou caves of Cornwall, England, or the pyramids of Meroe in the Sudan. Similarly, it is easy to imagine that hallowed places exist only in remote or exotic locales. Yet many of the most richly vital sites are easily accessible, and visiting these lesser-known sites can be a profoundly moving experience. One such site, Serpent Mound in Ohio, was thought to be created by the ancient Adena peoples nearly 1,000 years ago to align with the summer and winter solstices. Its precise purpose remains unclear, but many who visit the site conclude that it was meant to be a conduit through which cosmic en! ergy could flow into the earth.

The sacred sites that call to you from afar—capturing your imagination and resonating deep within your soul—will nearly always be those that can help you forge a deeper connection with the divine energy that sustains all life. During your pilgrimage, reaffirm your intention to accept whatever gifts are conveyed to you through the sites you visit. Your receptiveness will help you establish lasting relationships with these sites so that you can draw upon their peace and their power from wherever you are.