Oh hello there folks,
Thank you for taking the time to look at the 30-Day Challenge Us blog that has yet to fully complete a Challenge.
The Leacock Centre is, yup - you guessed it, still in an outbreak and thus still under a lockdown. Just so everyone is aware.. this is the first time ever that all 5 homes (aka entire Leacock Centre) had to be in lock down. Are Ian and I bad luck, or what? We were informed this past Tuesday that we will have to go at least one more week without seeing our elderly friends. By then, it will be February.. and we are NOT extending this into February as that will be cheating. So, although we will continue volunteering at the Leacock Centre until we leave our small town of Orillia, it is unlikely that I will talk about it on this blog; however, you may see one or two short interruptions from our future 30 Day Challenges so that you too can experience what we have experienced with the residents of Orillia's Leacock Centre (aka nursing home).
It's 1:49am and I'm off to bed..
Goodnight readers!
Love Becca
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Another Obstacle!
So! This past Friday was suppose to be our very first day visiting with residents; however, all did not go as planned.
Thursday evening we received an email from Lois stating that Home 3 was in lockdown due to chronic flu symptoms. If you don't remember, the Leacock Centre is made up of 5 individual homes. Due to Home 3 being in lockdown, Public Health is temporarily not allowing any but staff to come in and out of the entire building. Over the past 2 days we have received notices of people passing away.. I feel awful for all of these people. I hate to think that someone so elderly, just like someone as young as Annabelle was, is terribly vulnerable to every and any bacteria. I cannot imagine what their families are going through. I would hate to lost my Mom or Dad.
Hopefully the lock down doesn't last for too too too long and we can begin visiting with residents! I hope we're able to get in prior to the end of this 30-Day Continuation of Volunteering Challenge.
We will keep you updated!
Thursday evening we received an email from Lois stating that Home 3 was in lockdown due to chronic flu symptoms. If you don't remember, the Leacock Centre is made up of 5 individual homes. Due to Home 3 being in lockdown, Public Health is temporarily not allowing any but staff to come in and out of the entire building. Over the past 2 days we have received notices of people passing away.. I feel awful for all of these people. I hate to think that someone so elderly, just like someone as young as Annabelle was, is terribly vulnerable to every and any bacteria. I cannot imagine what their families are going through. I would hate to lost my Mom or Dad.
Hopefully the lock down doesn't last for too too too long and we can begin visiting with residents! I hope we're able to get in prior to the end of this 30-Day Continuation of Volunteering Challenge.
We will keep you updated!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Orientation Complete!
Yesterday, Ian and I officially COMPLETED our orientation! My goodness me it was terrific. Ian was his grumpy breakfast-less self, of course, but he came around once he met the fantastic gentleman that he would be visiting with. I won't share his name, but even I was thrilled when meeting him. I think he is Ian 60 years from now! He had a map on his wall, a piano in his room, along with a set of national geographics, and a deep passion for history. During our conversing, we also found out that this sweet and gentle elder loves DRAWING! Now is that Ian, or what? I hope that Ian and this new friend can share and learn many things from each other.
I met many little ladies who I would love to become friends and visit with. One lady is very crafty and makes quilts, dolls, the whole shabang. As a graphic designer, I'm jealous of her ability to design these magnificent pieces of art and put her ideas into something tangible! I hope that she may teach me how to quilt sometime in the near future. I've always been interested in quilting but never pursued it. There was one lady there named Annabelle. Annabelle, like our sweet Angel in Heaven guiding us through each day. What are the chances? We walked into a room with two ladies in wheelchairs and Lois (that kind hearted Volunteer Co ordinator that the Leacock Centre was lucky enough to bring onto their team) called both of the ladies by name, one being Annabelle. Ian and I froze mid second in our steps and reached for each other's hands. It was a very short yet magical moment. The other lady in the room was saying that she hated what was on the television. Reminder to self: KEEP ALL AWESOME MOVIES FOREVER SO THAT I HAVE SOMETHING TO WATCH IN MY OLD AGE THAT I'LL ACTUALLY ENJOY!
Overall, we had fun, and we are SO overwhelmingly excited to begin visits with our assigned residents! The nice thing about volunteering is that we can come and go as we please, with the restriction that it would be nice if the residents knew when we were coming instead of just showing up.. I think that would startle them sometimes. Plus, if they're napping, there isn't much we can do with them except maybe sing a lullaby and listen to them snore, lol. We will keep you posted!
Love, hugs, and peace from my family to yours.
Becca
I met many little ladies who I would love to become friends and visit with. One lady is very crafty and makes quilts, dolls, the whole shabang. As a graphic designer, I'm jealous of her ability to design these magnificent pieces of art and put her ideas into something tangible! I hope that she may teach me how to quilt sometime in the near future. I've always been interested in quilting but never pursued it. There was one lady there named Annabelle. Annabelle, like our sweet Angel in Heaven guiding us through each day. What are the chances? We walked into a room with two ladies in wheelchairs and Lois (that kind hearted Volunteer Co ordinator that the Leacock Centre was lucky enough to bring onto their team) called both of the ladies by name, one being Annabelle. Ian and I froze mid second in our steps and reached for each other's hands. It was a very short yet magical moment. The other lady in the room was saying that she hated what was on the television. Reminder to self: KEEP ALL AWESOME MOVIES FOREVER SO THAT I HAVE SOMETHING TO WATCH IN MY OLD AGE THAT I'LL ACTUALLY ENJOY!
Overall, we had fun, and we are SO overwhelmingly excited to begin visits with our assigned residents! The nice thing about volunteering is that we can come and go as we please, with the restriction that it would be nice if the residents knew when we were coming instead of just showing up.. I think that would startle them sometimes. Plus, if they're napping, there isn't much we can do with them except maybe sing a lullaby and listen to them snore, lol. We will keep you posted!
Love, hugs, and peace from my family to yours.
Becca
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Endings, New Beginnings
2010 has officially ended. We are sad that the year of Annabelle has passed, but years are just numbers and this is still Annabelle's year!
Our background check has been handed in successfully. We were able to bring everything in on December 29th. I am so glad we are one step closer to volunteering at the Leacock Centre! We were suppose to finish our orientation this week but due to a family emergency we were unable to attend, so hopefully everything goes as planned for next week. We are extending our Volunteer 30 Day Challenge, to a 60 Day Challenge (aka, a 2 month challenge). This is mainly because we have yet to actually volunteer. Ian and I want to be able to blog about interactive volunteer stories, not just our attempt at volunteering. So.. I know we are breaking our own rules, but January's 30 Day Challenge is a continuation from December -- VOLUNTEERING!
Wishing everyone many laughs during this year of 2011.
Becca
Our background check has been handed in successfully. We were able to bring everything in on December 29th. I am so glad we are one step closer to volunteering at the Leacock Centre! We were suppose to finish our orientation this week but due to a family emergency we were unable to attend, so hopefully everything goes as planned for next week. We are extending our Volunteer 30 Day Challenge, to a 60 Day Challenge (aka, a 2 month challenge). This is mainly because we have yet to actually volunteer. Ian and I want to be able to blog about interactive volunteer stories, not just our attempt at volunteering. So.. I know we are breaking our own rules, but January's 30 Day Challenge is a continuation from December -- VOLUNTEERING!
Wishing everyone many laughs during this year of 2011.
Becca
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