1st Year Blogging Anniversary

This is my 42nd post and marks a year since I began blogging. I hope that everyone reading the blogs have found some useful information that they could take away and think about. My aim has always been to try and let the greater community know about some of the initiatives going on in Greater Saint John. Some of these initiatives do not get the publicity they deserve. My goal is to bring more awareness to this issues through this online forum. Please let me know if you have any comments or would like me to highlight something in the community.

The past two weeks have been pretty typical. I have had my usual round of work and volunteer meetings. In fact, out of curiosity, I tallied up the amount of meetings I attended this week. There were 22 meetings in all. They range from work related ones to ones about poverty, the sex trade, domestic violence, youth retention, recreation and affordable housing. I sometimes sit back and wonder if all these meetings accomplish anything but then I look at the data and successes to date and I realize they definitely do. If they were not accomplishing anything I would bring this up to the committee so that it could be addressed.

Today is MindCare's annual Skate to Care fundraiser at Harbour Station. I was part of the Centracare team this year. Annually, the overall campaign raises around $200,000 for mental health programs and services in the region. It is a very worthwhile fundraiser. I had hoped to make it out today for the actual event but have been left without a car today. One of MindCare's current initiatives is a public awareness campaign around depression and I am sure you have seen the signs somewhere.

Last week I attended an adoption information session for the Saint John area. It is the second time I have attended an information session and I have yet to adopt. There is a huge need in the province for adoptive families. It is a major commitment though and you have to be ready and prepared and I feel I am not quite there yet. People tell me I am still young. I will wait another year to see how I feel about it at that point. I encourage anyone else who is thinking about it to seriously consider it as these children need and deserve a loving home.

Last Thursday night I had the opportunity to attend an apartment warming service at the apartment buildings that Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation has renovated to house the medical residents and students that come through the Saint John Regional Hospital. I attended on behalf of FUSION Saint John Inc. and got meet some of the current residents/students. Now we just have to convince them to stay in the region.

A couple of events coming up next week include FUSION Saint John Inc.'s Community Engagement Committee meeting. It will be held on Tuesday, February 13th at 6 P.M. at 157 Duke Street.

Also, the Many Faces of Violence 2007 committee will launch there first awareness poster on Valentine's Day. It will be distributed to over 100 work places in the Greater Saint John region and has valuable information on upcoming events, statistics on violence, resource numbers and more. Look out for it in your workplace.

Hope you all have a great week and Happy Valentine's Day!