The South Etobicoke News

Serving Humber * Mimico * Lakeshore Village * Long Branch * Alderwood

Girl Guides cookie sales on hold due to COVID-19

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What do you do with hundreds of Girl Guides cookies you cannot sell.

Alderwood student Maria Tobin has given away to neighbours some of her tasty Guild Guides of Canada cookies as girls in the 110-year-old organization have been stopped from selling them due to COVID-19

Maria left the boxes with a nice note in the mailboxes of appreciative  residents in the Brown’s Line and Horner Ave. area.

“I hope you are well and staying safe and healthy in this time,” she wrote. “Please accept this complimentary box of Girl Guides cookies in the spirit of neighbourly solidarity.”

Maria’s says “my family is fortunate to be healthy, safe and together and for this we are grateful.”

Her 10th Guides leader Liz Canrinus has more than 60 boxes of the popular cookies stored in her garage as she awaits for the situation to improve, in regards to staying at home, social distancing and hand washing.

“We don’t know what this means for our future funding as the cookie sales are the major source of fundraising for the group,” wonders Maria’s mom, Sonja.

Jill Zelmanovits, Girl Guides of Canada Chief Executive Officer, says the safety of the girls and adult members are a number one priority

“We do not expect to generate the same revenue from membership fees or cookies in the near term,” Zelmanovits wrote on their website. “This has very serious implications which have forced us to make critical decisions to reduce expenses to ensure our long-term sustainability.”

She says 3.7 million boxes of ‘classic’ cookies were shipped out just before the deadly COVID-19 and physical distancing measures largely brought the country to a halt.

Selling cookies is one of the largest yearly fundraisers for Girl Guides and once bakers are reimbursed for their product, profits are then kept by local units to plan events and help keep registration costs down.

The Girl Guides of Canada was formed in 1910, with the cookies being sold since 1927. The funds are used for activities like hiking and camping. Some of the cookies will be sold at Farm Boy, Shoppes of Alderwood plaza, with proceeds going to 92nd Sparks, 64B Brownies and 10th Guides. You can place an order by email to liz.canrinus@sympatico.ca

Volunteers help small restaurants deliver food for free

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This may be a sign of things to come to keep your small business alive.

Volunteers have sprung up to help deliver take-out food to show their support and appreciation for small mom-or-pop, or family run restaurants in Long Branch, Lakeshore Village and Mimico.

An online Volunteer Driver Take-out Delivery initiative began on April 10 and runs until April 25 in which volunteer drivers, for a non-perishable food item donation, will deliver your meal from a number of your favourite eateries to your home utilizing ‘100% contactless delivery.’

The food is placed in a sealed package in the driver’s trunk by a restaurant worker and retrieved by the person who placed the order on arrival. The person can leave a food donation in a bin in the trunk that will be dropped off at a local food bank.

“Our volunteers remotely open their trunk for restaurants to load deliveries and remotely open their trunk for customers to retrieve their deliveries,” according to their irover.com website.

They say payments are processed over the phone by restaurants and the volunteers are not in contact with anyone.

“This initiative is all about neighbours trying to help give our local restaurants a fighting chance during these unprecedented times,” according to the Volunteer Driver Take-out Delivery website. “Many restaurants are already closed, and some are doubtful they will ever be able to open again.”

The small restaurants say major food delivery services have apps that can charge up to 30% on orders which leaves them with a slim margin of profit.

The restauranteurs, and customers, say the service is great and would like to see longer hours.

The service operates from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. The restaurants are open for meal-pickups outside these hours.

The program will look at expanding delivery service to more restaurants following an assessment after a two week trial.
The volunteer take-out service now includes food ordered from restaurants including; Kitchen Off Sixth, Dakota’s Sports Bar and Grill, Pulcinella Ristorante & Wine Bar and Mooring Eats

Centre that helps young girls shut due to COVID

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A popular centre to educate and empower young girls has shut its doors after falling victim to COVID-19.

The Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, which was founded by former Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP Jean Augustine, has been a source of inspiration for many area teens.

Emma Asiedu-Akrofi, the Executive Director of the Centre, thanked the community for their support over the years.

“As a result of the impact of COVID-19, we have unfortunately lost our primary source of funding,” Asiedu-Akrofi told residents in an email on April 17. “Programs are being suspended immediately as we make necessary adjustments.’

She apologized for the inconvenience the closure will have on families and thanked them for their understanding.

The centre, according to its website, is dedicated to empowering girls and young women between the ages of 7 to 17-years-old by offering programs on arts, life skills, academic success and leadership. The Centre also supports the community by offering programs, workshops and events for women and families.

The popular centre offered teens in demand programs as public speaking, resume building, tutor training, and courses in the sciences and technological advancements.

Augustine, a former teacher and high school principal, was the first African-Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons. She was elected in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore in 1993 and sat in Parliament until 2006. She served as the Fairness Commissioner for the Government of Ontario advocating for Canadians with foreign credentials from 2007 to 2015.

She made history by introducing a motion in Parliament that allowed for the placement of the Famous Five statue on Parliament Hill which recognized Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Louise McKinney who were at one time banned from being appointed to the Senate due to their sex.

Augustine is also well-known for another motion in Parliament that created Black History Month in Canada. She has received honorary Doctor of Law degrees from six universities and has been recognized by having the Jean Augustine Girls’ Leadership Academy, Jean Augustine Secondary School and the Jean Augustine Chair in Education at York University.

 

Residents make noise, fly flags for healthcare workers

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Wave your flag or make noise to show your support for our frontline healthcare workers.

Members of the community are being urged to proudly display their Canadian flags on their porches or windows of their homes to show their support for emergency workers; who include police, ambulance, fire, doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers battling COVID-19.

“By showing our Canadian flags we are staying inside and standing in solidarity with frontline workers,” says Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, Chair of the Lakeshore Village BIA. “We are encouraging children to stay inside and make their own Canadian flags.”

He says emergency personnel are working long and stressful hours as they battle COVID-19.

BIA member Mike Lotakow says he will be taking out his flag to support the workers.

“It is a sign of respect,” Lotakow says. “We have to let them know that we appreciate all their hard work.”

Community residents are also self-distancing to make noise.

Shawn Griffiths, organizer of a noise-making event called ‘Shake the Shores,’ says the noise takes place at 7:30 p.m. every Saturday during the quarantine on the balconies of Humber Bay Shores, to recognize the work of brave health workers.

There is also ‘Lets Make Some Noise,’ which also takes place at 7:30 p.m. nightly on the porches and balconies of Long Branch to recognize the workers.

“We encourage you to step out for a few minutes, bang a pot, cheer or sing a song to thank our front line COVID-19 workers,” says Bill Zufelt, of the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association.

Congratulations for our hard-working volunteers

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Let’s hear it for the hard-working volunteers.

National Volunteer Week runs from April 19 to 25 and the community applauds the efforts of Rita Ng, who took it upon herself and the challenges of COVID-19 to raise funds and food for the Daily Bread Food Bank, an agency near to her heart.

“My mom relied on food banks to feed my brother and me,” recalls Rita. “I am grateful to be in a position where I can give back to vulnerable families in my community.”

In short time, she set up an online fundraiser through the Daily Bread’s website and reached out to her family and friends for donations.

Rita worked hard and managed to raise $5,000 and 500-pounds of food during her first week of helping the food bank.

“It is incredible what you can achieve when you unite together to accomplish a goal,”’ she says. “I also learned that it is okay to be vulnerable.”

Rita says she once relied on food banks herself and was fortunate now to have a home and food on the table. She thought about those who would be hit hardest by COVID-19 and knew she had to do something.

National Volunteer Week recognizes the work of Rita and thousands of volunteers from coast to coast who contribute long hours to help others in these trying times.

“Volunteers from all over the city have stepped up to support our work and ensure that those in need can continue to access food during this critical time,” the Daily Bread says in a release.

Daily Bread officials have made changes to their food-sorting and packing processes due to social distancing guidelines and have reduced the number of volunteers who can be in the warehouse.

“One thing has remained the same: the love and care our volunteers bring every single time, and for that, we are so grateful,” they wrote.

Visit dailybread.ca to donate money or food.

Thanks to our unsung heroes

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Police are thanking our unsung heroes.
Dozens of smiling nurses, doctors and frontline medical staff at St. Joseph’s HealthCentre, on The Queensway, were applauded and thanked by officers of 11 and 22 Divisions on Easter Sunday for working long, stressful hours to battle COVID-19.
The healthcare workers, wearing their gowns and masks, were presented with a lovely card signed by most officers from the Divisions and serenaded by two officers with guitars.
The appreciative officers, with the lights of their police vehicles flashing, paid a visit to the hospital to show their appreciation to staff and the speedy recovery of patients during a break on Sunday.
Many frail patients looked out from the hospital windows at a cavalry of flashing lights from the police vehicles.
A video of the show of support has been posted on Twitter for members of the community.
“This was such a nice gesture, it made my friends and I cry,” wrote Elma Selimotic. “Thank you.”
“Very nice,” said Jen Maharaj Singh, who saw the video while on the bus.
“Thank you so much,” Setka K. wrote. “Happy Easter to all.”
The west-end officers work closely with St. Joseph’s Health Care officials, moreso during the COVID-19 pandemic.
St. Joseph’s has a long and proud tradition of serving the diverse and growing needs of the city’s west end for nearly a century. The hospital was founded in 1921 by the Sisters of St. Joseph to care for those in need.
Today, the Catholic hospital and community teaching health centre is affiliated with the University of Toronto and serves a community of nearly 500,000 people.

Police show support for our COVID-19 heroes

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They are our heroes in these times of COVID-19.
Dozens of appreciative Toronto police officers from 11 and 22 Divisions showed up during a break to show their support for the nurses, doctors and healthcare officials working long hours to battle COVID-19 at St. Joseph’s Health Centre Toronto.
Many frail patients looked out from the hospital at a cavalry of flashing emergency lights from the police vehicles. Many of the officers burst out into applause and cheered the hard-working health workers.
The gesture sparked a warm feeling for the medical workers that their work is appreciated by the community, whose residents are thankful for their sacrifice.
A video of the show of support has been posted on Facebook for members of the community.
The kind gesture had many residents talking online.
“This was such a nice gesture, it made my friends and I cry,” wrote Elma Selimotic. “Thank you.”
“Very nice,” said Jen Maharaj Singh, who saw the video while on the bus.
“Thank you so much,” Setka K. wrote. “Happy Easter to all.”
The west-end officers work closely with St. Joseph’s Health Care officials, moreso during the COVID-19 pandemic.
St. Joseph’s has a long and proud tradition of serving the diverse and growing needs of the city’s west end for nearly a century. The hospital was founded in 1921 by the Sisters of St. Joseph to care for those in need.
Today, the Catholic hospital and community teaching health centre is affiliated with the University of Toronto and serves a community of nearly 500,000 people. See more local stories in South Etobicoke News at torontonewswire.com

COVID-19 team working around the clock

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As most of us celebrate Easter, members of the City of Toronto Emergency Operations Centre are busy working around-the-clock to coordinate the COVID-19 response and recovery operations.
The emergency personnel, from a number of City departments, help to provide essential services so residents can stay at home to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Those working to protect us include officers of 22 Division’s Community Response Unit, who are working with the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation team to monitor the many parks and streets to enforce safe distancing and that people stay away from groups.

Getting through the tough times together

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By: Adrianne Szabo-Payne

It’s no question that pretty much every single person in the world is feeling the effects of COVID-19.
Whether you’re at home in self-isolation, or still required to go to work to provide essential products
and services for the rest of us, we have to take this time to pay extra attention to our health.
So beyond washing your hands every five-minutes and wiping every surface you touch with a disinfectant, how can you keep your immune system strong?
Firstly, we have to look at our immune system from all sides; physical, mental and spiritual. When we
look at ourselves as a whole, we’ll have a much better chance at keeping ourselves healthy.
Here’s a holistic approach to helping boost your immune system as we navigate through these times.
Feed your physical body with good food and exercise. It is easy to give up on the healthy regime during
times like this, but don’t fall prey to apathy and fast food.
Since getting to the grocery might not be as easy as you’re used to, when do you go, make good choices
by picking fresh leafy greens, colourful fruits and vegetables and lots of protein rich foods. If you’re
trying to eat less meat, remember to soak your beans and legumes and wash them through often to get
rid of most of the lectins which can cause digestive upset.
You can soak your beans and legumes for several days, so long as you wash them through every few hours. Use the internet to find recipes and how-to videos. Among my favourite is Tasty, showing step-by-step recipes.
Set an intention to exercise for at least 20-minutes daily. Go for a walk or bike ride through your
neighbourhood. These are all social distancing approved activities, and fresh air is vital for good health.
If walking or biking isn’t your thing, the internet is loaded with free exercise videos to choose from.
Try something new every week. It’s good for the body and the brain. And don’t forget to stretch!
Supplementing can help those who need a little extra help. Probiotics, Vitamin C, D and good fats will
help reduce inflammation and boost your immune system’s ability to fight off viruses and bacteria.
For your mental and spiritual health, set daily goals to keep you feeling productive. Include things like
calling a friend who might live alone and talk about COVID-free news; learn a new skill, the internet is a
wealthy resource; take 5-10 minutes to laugh out loud daily, funny animal videos are great. If you find
something great that helps you, remember to share it with a friend.
These might be unsettling times, but the silver lining is we are in control of how we react to it all. Be a
champion of positive energy. We will get through this together.

Adrianne Szabo-Payne is owner of Monkey Tree Fitness & Wellness, 800 Islington Ave. Phone 416-233-3400 or visit monkeytreewellness.com

New date for Parklawn Transportation meeting

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A long-awaited community meeting to give input into the massive Park Lawn Lake Shore Transportation Master Plan (TMP) was called off last month due to the COVID-19 virus.
The meeting, which was slated for March 24 at Trident Banquet Hall, on Evans Ave., was the second being held to examine the multi-year TMP process to evaluate options to improve the area’s transportation network.
A proposed Park Lawn GO station slated for the Parklawn Rd. and Lake Shore Blvd. W. area is in the early planning stage. An initial business case was completed in February 2018, showing the location has positive benefits.
City planners say service at Mimico station will continue to improve as the GO Expansion Program is delivered to provide all-day two-way service every 15 minutes, or better, along the Lakeshore West Corridor.
The plan includes dedicated transit priority lanes for Park Lawn Rd. and Lake Shore Blvd. W., which will have integrated TTC streetcar and bus service with the GO Station to create a new transit hub.
A widening of the bridge at Mimico Creek to handle more traffic is also proposed, including improved pedestrian and cycling facilities.
The plan will also add two new roads to help traffic flow in the area, include a new connection from Brookers Lane to the Lake Shore Blvd. eastbound off-ramp.
The Park Lawn Road and Lake Shore Boulevard West area has grown significantly over the past 20 years. During this time, the area’s transportation network has remained relatively unchanged. Limited options to connect to destinations has resulted in increased traffic congestion. With additional growth anticipated in the future, transportation improvements are needed to support better travel options for walking, cycling, taking transit and driving.
The TMP provides the first step in a multi-year process to evaluate options to improve the area’s transportation network, including: better access to street, transit and active transportation networks,
additional safe and convenient transportation connections across major physical barriers, planning for future investment in public transit, pedestrian and cycling networks and high-quality streetscape design.
The study area where potential improvements are being considered is bound by Ellis Ave. to the east, Legion Rd. to the west, The Queensway to the north and Lake Ontario to the south.
No date has been set for another meeting. For more information visit toronto.ca/parklawnlakeshore