COMMUNITY CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 2021

FEBRUARY 22 ETOBICOKE CAMERA Club presents
Landscape & AV Salon. Join the ECC for a night of
award winning Landscape photography and
member audio-visual shows, right in your own
home. Free to non-members, simply register
through our webpage for a zoom link.
http://etobicokecameraclub.org.
FEBRUARY 23 THE RAY TEAM will be running a “Your
time to shine” event all through February, offering
free fitness sessions Wednesdays (9-13 youth) ,
Thursdays (girls 14-24-years), and Fridays (boys
14-24-years). There will be a Zoom event of a
motivational speaker on Feb. 23. Youth Space,
Contact Arlene McLean, Supervisor, Youth
Programs, Rathburn Area Youth Space. at
Arlenem@lampchc.org or call 416 806-5586.
VIRTUAL ART PROGRAMS begin in February as The
Assembly Hall offers virtual arts classes and
workshops for adults, youth and families. Pen, ink
and Indigenous art and more. For information on
programs or to register visit assemblyhall.ca.to
secure a spot.
FREE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING FOR INFANTS,
children, youth and families by phone or video, no
fees or appointments. Qualified counsellors
available Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Contact 1-866-585-6486.
HUMBER COLLEGE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CLINIC
is offering free online help to support community
members in conflict coaching, conflict deescalation techniques and facilitated mediations.
Trained alternate dispute resolution student
adivisors and mediators are available for support
by emailing northdrc@ignitestudentlife.com
EMPLOYMENT ONTARIO JOBS provides one-onone employment training, resume, cover letter,
interview preparation and provides links to
employers. More than 200 clients have been
hired in two years. Book an appointment by
calling 416-239-7309. Office near Kipling
subway.
WARM CLOTHING DRIVE IN SUPPORT of Haven on
The Queensway in need of gently used warm
clothing for men, women and children. New socks
and underwear for men and women, personal
hygiene items and clean, gently used winter
footwear. Items can be dropped off at Haven every
Monday to Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at
1533 The Queensway.
ETOBICOKE SERVICES FOR SENIORS (ESS) grocery
delivery program. Step 1 register and place order.
Step 2 ESS will pick up grocery and deliver to your
door. It will cost the price of your groceries and a
$3.50 delivery fee. Call 416-243-0127 ext. 555.
KIWANIS KINGSWAY HUMBER COVID RELIEF FUND to help charities in Etobicoke and residents who are
in urgent need of funding. Our COVID Relief Fund
is set up to help those organizations. Visit
www.kingswaykiwanishumber.com.
FREE SOUP ON SUNDAY between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church, at 156 Sixth
Street. Free piping hot soup packed in individual
Styrofoam containers ready for take-out and go
when you show up.
MONTGOMERY’s INN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUPS; please
continue to support our local farmers and food
producers by ordering from the market online from
Thursday to Monday and pick up on Wednesdays
from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at a table outside the main
entrance. The Inn is located at 4709 Dundas
St.W., and orders can be placed at
www.montgomerysinnovators.ca.
BUILD YOUR PORTFOLIO as StreetVoicesTO is
looking for people with experience in photography,
videography and writing to work and help develop
projects. Apply using the Application Form.
https://tinyurl.com/y65da62q
FREE ADULT LEARNING PROGRAMS – Learn basic
computer skills using drawing tools. Free art
supplies for the first 10 participants. Must meet
registration criteria including 19 years and over.
Wednesdays 6-8 p.m. Small group instruction MS
word, Internet, Keyboarding , Email. For more
information 416-252-9701 ext. 242 or 243
IMPROVE YOUR READING and writing skills. Have fun
learning in small groups. Must have a computer
and an email address. Criteria includes must be 19
and up, an Ontario resident. Must speak English
and have a SIN number. For more information
416-252-9701 ext. 242 or 243..
FROM THE SALVATION ARMY – due to the current
lockdown situation we are not allowing any more
that five people in the building and with our four
member staff that doesn’t leave much room.
Please keep safe by physically distancing and
wearing a face mask. Donations to the food bank
and cash donations are what is needed. Contact
Jennifer Hibbs at 416-251-8372 ext. 101.
FEBRUARY 9 ZOOM workshop at 7 p.m. at Stongeate
Community Health Centre on how to improve your
phone communication skills. Speaker Sandra
Witterick, of Canadian Hearing Services. Contact
Jasmin Dooh at LAMP at 416-252-6471 ext. 308.
FEBRUARY 27 HOW TO grow your own sprouts &
Microgreens..Live online workshop. Run by plant,
green thumb guru Monika Meulman of The
Healing Muse Apothecary. Details and register
online at healingmuse.com Your #1 source of
organic sprouts & seeds in Etobicoke. Learn how
to grow your own organic, nutrition packed food
anywhere.
SOME FEBRUARY VIRTUAL PROGRAMS at Jean
Augustine Centre for Young Women’s
Empowerment. FEB. 12 Watch-A-Thon from
4:30 p.m-6:30 p.m. FEB. 13 Bake-A-Thon 12
p.m.-1 p.m., Age 7-11; FEB. 19 Groove, 4:30
p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Age 7-9; FEB. 12-17 Sew It,
Tuesdays FEB. 2 -FEB. 23, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30
p.m., Age 12-17: FEB. 4 – 25, Stitch It, 5:30
p.m.- 6:30 p.m., Age 7-11: Girls Who Code, FEB
4 – MARCH 11, 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Age 12-17.
Register by visiting jeanaugustinecentre.ca for
all the latest news.

 

Please send us your March 2021 events so we can list them for free in the March issue of The South Etobicoke News. Please send to thesouthetobicokenews@gmail.com

Members of the Fiji Association of Ontario are in good spirits for Christmas and were leaving food and other items at a number of area food pantries, including some items at a Women’s shelter.

 

 

The community is invited to Franklin Horner’s Christmas Market  for exciting, shopping fun.

Customers in a New Toronto salon couldn’t believe it as they ran for their lives.

They were awaiting treatment in an area salon when a weapon-waving woman bolted in and started to make threats against patrons.

Toronto Police 22 Division officers said it was around 4 p.m. on November 16 when a woman ran into a salon in the Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Twelfth Street area brandishing a weapon.

“The woman chased everyone out of a salon,” according to a police Twitter feed. “She is vandalizing the premise. Armed with a weapon. Making threats.”

Witnesses say a number of customers in the salon couldn’t believe their eyes as they bolted to the door.

Police were called to subdue the woman, who had threatened to harm others and caused some damage to the salon.

“She is believed to be in crisis,” officers said. “We will get this woman the support she needs.”

Officers managed to communicate with the woman until she calmed down.

“Officers have resolved this situation safely,” according to the Twitter feed. “No one is injured. Officers will clear the area shortly.”

The woman was taken to an area hospital to receive help. No charges have been laid.

Thank goodness these officers on Monday managed to use good, solid judgement in their actions or we as a community could be facing at a tragic outcome today.

Well-known New Toronto bar owners Darlene Simpson and Cindy Sabetti say they have been on a ‘rollercoaster ride’ running Dakota Sports Bar & Grill during these challenging times.

They, like many restaurants, dining rooms and bars in the area, barely survived the first 28-days without indoor dining, and still have about three weeks to go in a second 28-day prohibition of indoor service that was issued November 10 by the province to battle COVID-19.

“It has been a real tough rollercoaster ride,” Simpson says. “All our savings have been used up and this will make or break us.”

The business partners had purchased tents which were installed in their parking lot, but is now destroyed due to the storm. The tent had space for heaters, a number of socially distanced chairs, tables and area for her staff.

The now unused space was shared with neighbour Halibut House Fish and Chips, at 2814 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

“We have a 10-year lease and were operating for 18-months when the pandemic struck,” she recalls. “We have lost some customers but we do still have many people who support us.”

They also thrive on take-out orders and had to create more lunch and dinner specials for customers to choose from.

“We are down to our last resort now,” Sabetti agrees. “We have done all that we can and everything is riding on this.”

Down the street David Cole, owner of the Maple Leaf House Grill & Lounge, at 2749 Lake Shore Blvd. W., appears to be untouched by the storm. He has erected a large heated tarpaulin shed in his huge patio that is equipped with chairs and a large television.

“We have a large banquet hall that we cannot use due to COVID,” Cole says. “Our business has gone down about 50% due to the pandemic.”

His restaurant uses disposable dishes, glasses and other items that they can throw out to fight the virus.

“I have been here for 13-years and we have to do what we can to survive,” Cole vows. “This not only affects us, but the entire restaurant industry.”

Public Health officials say the second 28-day phase of a lack of indoor dining will end in early December. The restrictions applies to most gyms, indoor group fitness and exercise classes.

About 100 socially-distancing residents showed up in New Toronto for sombre Remembrance Day ceremonies in front of the former Eight Street Cenotaph.

The Cenotaph was a fixture for annual Remembrance Day events for more than 30-years in front of the former Royal Canadian Legion Branch 101, at 150 Eighth Street.

It was recently moved to a highly visible location in Col. Samuel Smith Park, on Lake Shore Blvd. W., just east of Kipling Ave.

Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 643 performed the service to remember those who lost their lives in battle and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Residents attending the hour-long service were wearing masks and spread apart in the spacious park due to COVID-19, which led to the cancellation of many Remembrance Day services across the country.

People were encouraged to stay at home and watch the service virtually. This was one of the few services available to physically attend this year.

It was respectful and sombre as those gathered recited Flanders Fields; watched quietly as wreaths were laid at the foot of the Cenotaph and a benediction said for those who gave their lives and their families.

“It was a beautiful service,” admits Brian Tye, who was there to pay respect to his dad, a former military man. “It has been a while since I have seen something like this. It was fantastic.”

Donna Sampson, president of Branch 643, was pleased with the service.

“We didn’t advertise. People just came out to pay their respects,” Sampson says.

Many in the community welcome the new site for the iconic Cenotaph, which was a gift from the community when positioned outside the former Branch 101 almost 40-years ago.

Chris Korwin-Kuczynski was there to lay a wreath on behalf of the Lake Shore Village Business Improvement Area (BIA), which he chairs.

“Plans are already being made for a sunrise service next year right here,” he says.

Councillor Mark Grimes said landscaping will be done to beautify the site and a paved walkway is being added.

Others want lights added and a bench by the sidewalk turned to face the Cenotaph.

It was encouraging for many to see at least three classes of students from area schools being brought to the Cenotaph by their teachers to pay their respect and learn a history lesson.

 

 

Community and corporate citizens dug deep to help make a Toronto Police Cram A Cruiser food and toy drive a sizzling success.

More than 600 gift cards, 390 cash donations and in excess of $2,400 worth of food were collected by officers of 22 Division in a Cram A Cruiser campaign, which on November 8 were donated to  St. Margaret’s Anglican Church, on Sixth Street.

“We are very pleased with the response from the community,” says Const. Jas Mrahar, of the Community Response Unit. “Members of the community were there in numbers to help.”

The goods were collected on November 7 with the Cram A Cruiser vehicle parked in a Loblaws grocery parking lot, at 300 The East Mall.

Mrahar said Loblaws contributed hundreds of gift cards that are redeemable at it stores and almost 400 cash donations were received from shoppers.

Customers at the store handed over hundreds of bags filled with goodies that will go to help the needy and those at-risk in the community.

It took three officers about 15-minutes to unload the items from the police vehicle to the church.

Rev. Jacqueline Daley said some of the food items will be used for St. Margaret’s Sunday Soup program, in which residents can visit the church and obtain a free, hot take-out soup.

“We appreciate the help and donations from Toronto Police,” Daley said. “The shelves of our food bank will be filled again.”

Police say members of the public can still make donations of toys and food to the stationhouse, at 3699 Bloor St. W., when open.

Officers will continue their campaign at the same Loblaws on December 5 and on December 13 they will be collecting food and toys in the Markland Woods area.

The annual police Cram A Cruiser event has been taking place for more than 20 years by Toronto Police and other forces to help our needy at this time of the year.

St. Margaret’s Anglican Church has been serving the Mimico, New Toronto area for more than 110-years.