SGC Admin: Attention Whitby Residents… have your say on what’s in store for our seniors recreation and leisure in the town of Whitby for the next 5 years..
Event: Whitby Seniors Recreation and Leisure Services Strategy
Date: Wednesday, October 2 2013
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Council Chambers, Whitby Municipal Building: 575 Rossland Road East, Whitby.
What’s There: Meeting to solicit views regarding the recreational and leisure needs of seniors in the community. Responses will be used as part of the evaluation of the priorities and work plans regarding Whitby Seniors Services for the next 5 year period. Residents may also complete a Seniors Recreation and Leisure Services survey on-line at: www.whitby.ca/seniors
Contact: Community and marketing Services Department, Whitby Seniors Services:
Location: Rotary Centennial Park, Brock Street South (at Burns) Whitby
What’s There: Trade and or share cuttings and seeds with like-minded folk: Find out about the Whitby in Bloom program: Limited plant material available from Whitby Town garden beds, begins at 10:00 am (first come first serve basis, please mind your manners if there are lots of people) :): Town horticultural staff will be hand to answer your gardening questions.
Contact: The Town of Whitby Operations Department: 905-668-3437
source: Experience our Down Towns: Whitby & Brooklin Magazine.
National Tree Day will serve as a celebration for all Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us – clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature.
On March 2, 2011 a private members motion to declare the Wednesday of National Forest Week, National Tree Day, received consent from the House of Commons. The motion was presented by Royal Galipeau, M.P., at the urging of Tree Canada.
Recently, I came across a story in the Whitby This Week local paper that touched my heart and thought it was a nice way to honour this years National Tree Day. ..
Thanks to Parvaneh Pession for putting the story together. It focuses on the Tree planting Event at Whitby’s Ontario Shores this past Sept 14 2013.
The event, is one of 143 TD “Friends of the Environment” Tree days and brought together volunteers, staff and patients from Ontario Shores to create a healthy and comforting natural environment by planting trees. Ontario Shores physician in Chief, Dr. Ian Dawe stated the following…
The better a connection our patients can have with nature and the environment, the better and more natural we know their recovery to be.
Trees and the natural environment help mental health. They have a favourable influence on the human mind and body and according to certain studies, interacting with nature has a refreshing effect on our abilities of attention by increasing awareness stimuli for individuals with mental health issues.
Mental health issues do not stop or start with what we traditionally understand as such to be. Each and every day, everyone of us may struggle with our mental health. We get stressed, we worry, we feel anxious, doubtful, there are even days when we aren’t sure if we can make it through with out going “crazy” or “flying off of the handle”.
As we move through our day trying to react “normally” while we may have pressing and concerning issues stomping around in our heads, our physical bodies are also feeling the stress. Our heart rate goes up as we become anxious or feel we may be running out of time to get everything done, we may eat more bad food or forget to eat at all, and we may find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
At some point our physical, emotional and mental beings will revolt, they will fight back, trying to get our attention, by getting “us” sick, by “letting us” forget or miss important appointments, and some of us burst into tears or getting very angry.
How can we help ourselves take care of ourselves?
We are getting smarter, we know we need to watch what we eat, we know we need to walk more, and exercise.. and some of us are lucky enough to understand how meditation works and set aside time to get these healthy things into our day, week or month…
With the above information from Dr. Dawe… it makes sense to take time out to “hug a tree” and walk softly upon mother earth. It can only do us some good in this crazy, upside down world… and while we are at it… we can give thanks to the trees, they shade us and they give us fabulous energy and fill our air with oxygen… we truly cannot do with out them.. its time to work with our trees, not against them..
Serenity's Gift Cove (sgc) 