CTV Regina 2008 Citizen of the Year

Beth Ell and Aaron Cross, our Emergency Services Manager and Cook, taking a brief break serving at a special holiday dinner.

Volunteer Myrna Harvey-Opper secretly nominated Beth Ell for CTV's Regina 2008 Citizen of the Year. Each night after work, Beth rushes home to change then runs over the Soup Kitchen and serves meals to the women and children in the family section. Beth and her husband, Bob, are fully involved in the Mission, both at a church level, attending and participating at the Good News Chapel, to the Soup Kitchen, and much much more. I'll let the article tell the rest of the story!

CTV Regina 2008 Citizen of the Year
An active community volunteer is named CTV Regina's Citizen of the Year

An SGI underwriter who has dedicated her life to helping others is the 2008 CTV Regina Citizen of the Year.

Beth Ell was selected by a panel of judges from among almost a dozen nominees.

Ell is a former president of the Pasqua Hospital Auxiliary. She has organized and directed fund raising events. She helped raise over one million dollars for the Hospitals of Regina Foundation. She is also known for her efforts in support of school pizza days and chili days.

Beth Ell has volunteered for ten years at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission...doing everything from organizing parties to leading bible studies. She also sits on the board of directors and is on the executive of the Women's Auxiliary Rescue Mission.

Beth Ell grew up Kelvington, the eldest of 13 brothers and sisters.

In making the announcement, CTV Saskatchewan Vice President Dennis Dunlop pointed to " Ells exceptional dedication to the community of Regina."

Beth Ell will be formally recognized at an award event in early 2009.

Congratulations, Beth! We love you!!

Media Advisory: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23!

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

5:00 pm

CONTACT: Derrick Moore
PHONE: 543-0011


SOULS HARBOUR RESCUE MISSION TO HOST HOLIDAY DINNER FOR THE POOR

300+ Traditional Christmas Meals to be Served!!

****
WHAT: Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, mixed vegetables, muffins

WHO: Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission cooks a traditional Christmas meal for the needy men, women, and children in our community.

WHEN: Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Gerri Carroll Hope Centre – Soup Kitchen – 1836 Halifax Street

WHY: Derrick Moore, Public Relations Officer, and LifeChange Program grad says, “Christmas is a special time of celebrating the Lord’s birth, family and friends. It’s a great time to share our many blessings.”

PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

« Hundreds and hundreds of Christmas socks filled with goodies, prepared by individuals throughout Saskatchewan. For some, this may be the only Christmas gift they receive!
« Toys for the children.
« Farm Credit Canada is sponsoring and hosting this Christmas dinner for hundreds of needy men, women and children.



BACKGROUND:

« Souls Harbour founded by Geri Carroll in 1990.
« Regina Rescue Mission founded by Rev Ken & Michelle Porter in 2000.
« Merger of two charities now called, Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission in January 2007!

They have six facilities: a men’s and women’s emergency shelter, a LifeChange Program campus for men and women with or without children, an inner city chapel and a brand new affordable housing unit. They offer a variety of programs including life and social skills classes, addictions programming, food and clothing distribution, emergency shelter, and spiritual counseling. Harbour House is under construction and will be affordable housing and an emergency family shelter in early spring.

#########

Cold Snap Filling Emergency Shelters

Souls Harbour Says There's Room for Everyone, Somewhere

News Talk 650
Reported By Geoff Smith

The cold weather hits especially hard for people who are without a warm bed.

Derrick Moore with Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission says its own emergency shelter has been full. It has beds for men and women.

But he explains there are other places the agency can send people, like Mobile Crisis Services and the Salvation Army. In fact, last year Moore says during a cold snap a church approached them offering mattresses in their gym.

"If someone's approaching us, if we're aware that someone needs it, they're not going to sleep outside," says Moore.

"We'll find a spot somewhere."

Moore was speaking as employees from SGI donated more than seven thousand individual toiletries, like toothpaste and shampoo, for use in the shelters.

7200 Toiletries!

Derrick Moore of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission and Judy Wallace of SGI's community action team sort through boxes of donations on Wednesday. SGI employees donated more than 7,000 travel-sized items to Souls Harbour to assist families in need.

Derrick Moore of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission and Judy Wallace of SGI's community action team sort through boxes of donations on Wednesday. SGI employees donated more than 7,000 travel-sized items to Souls Harbour to assist families in need.

Derrick Moore of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission and Judy Wallace of SGI's community action team sort through boxes of donations on Wednesday. SGI employees donated more than 7,000 travel-sized items to Souls Harbour to assist families in need.

Photograph by: Bryan Schlosser, The Leader-Post

Sojourners Article: The New Digital Divide

This article exposes the division in the church today, that lead Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission to open the Good News Chapel, where all are welcome, no matter their race, income level, or social standing. It's the way Christianity was meant to be; "where the rubber meets the road." Make sure you click on the "web extra" article at the bottom, to find practical ways you can use social networking to help the poor.
=============================================================

This article was sent to you from Sojourners:

The New Digital Divide

Overcoming online segregation.
by Andrew Sears
Sojourners Magazine, January 2009

Click this link to read the article:
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj0901&article=the-new-digital-divide

________________________________________________________

*Get weekly commentary and inspiration in our free email
magazine, SojoMail. Subscribe at http://www.sojo.net/sojomail

Support Encouraging

Support encouraging
Regina Leader Post
Pamela Cowan

Neighbourhood children have some fun making bead necklaces Sunday at the annual Christmas is for Kids Party at the Good News Chapel hall. Festivities attracted twice as many children as last year's event. Photograph by : Joshua Sawka, Leader-Post

At a time when the world is experiencing an economic downturn, Michelle Porter is very upbeat about the support Souls Harbour Rescue Mission is receiving.

"Over the past year, donations went up six per cent," said the mission's executive director. "Our fiscal year ended June 30, but the giving has continued through the first quarter as well. I just can't believe that the people of Saskatchewan, while they're scared and feeling the pinch, are remembering the poor. It's our best year ever!"

She's thrilled that more than $50,000 has been donated in this year's Christmas campaign so far.

"People are giving on average $50, which is really amazing," Porter said. "And we have a new online campaign going where you can give a Christmas present to a homeless family and people are buying gifts for that ...

"We're getting above and beyond what we thought was possible in this economy. People are a little bit nervous about their finances. They're telling their families that 'We're not going to buy as much' and yet they are remembering the people who have nothing. To me, that speaks volumes about the real meaning of Christmas. We make the money raised in this season of giving last as long as we can. If we experience an economic downturn in the summer, the poor will be looked after."

She's also pleased that about 400 toys were donated for the "Christmas is for Kids" party that was held on Saturday afternoon at the Good News Chapel hall, Elphinstone Street and 8th Avenue. But it's not just the steady stream of donations that has Porter smiling. This month, on a daily basis, 20 new volunteers offer to help at the mission's soup kitchen.

"We're telling our regulars to take a break this month," Porter said. "But we could use people at the campus to come in and organize pantries and freezers and such. They can come to our main office and we will keep them busy for a day or for an hour."

Workshop helps ease loneliness

Regina Leader Post
Pamela Cowen

Christmas can be the loneliest time of the year.

"People can be lonely because of any kind of loss -- it might be death, it might be divorce, it might be loss of a job," said Pastor Ernie Metz of the Regina Apostolic Church. "Families can be fractured. Parents may be upset because their adult children don't come home or there's control (issues) and they have a big fight and they don't get together."

Feelings of isolation often intensify during the holiday season.

"Some people are dreading that Christmas is coming because they won't be with family and having the good time that they hear their colleagues will be having," Metz said.

To help Reginans find hope and healing during the Christmas season, he's holding a Loneliness and Loss of Relationship workshop on Dec. 22 beginning at 7 p.m. There is no charge to attend the workshop, which will be held at the Regina Apostolic Church, 808 Assiniboine Ave. E. To register or to get more information, call Metz at 789-1234 or 536-0497.

During the two-hour interactive workshop, he'll focus on grieving in a healthy way, restoring broken relationships and letting go of unrealistic expectations.

"We live in a society where we feel we must be strong," he said in an interview on Saturday. "Even at funerals, I've heard a minister say to family members 'You're being so strong.' Quite often I say to people mourning at a funeral, 'This is not a day to be strong. This is a day to let yourself grieve your loss.' "

Metz observed that men are often reluctant to show their grief yet they feel loneliness as deeply as women.

"A guy seems to think that he's got to be tough, that he's got to be macho and he doesn't let himself grieve," Metz said. "People don't let themselves feel the pain of loss, but talking about our loss is really therapeutic. If people have suffered a loss, I always set the stage for them to talk. If they don't want to talk, they have the freedom not to talk."

He said others believe they're worthless because that's what they've been told.

"A mom might say to a little girl, 'You're so stupid.' And that girl grows up believing she's stupid. She's not stupid! She's a wonderful gift to others. So I talk a little bit about the lies we believe in and of course it's reinforced at Christmas if certain family members aren't getting together with you."

To conquer loneliness, he suggests volunteering at seasonal events hosted by organizations such as the Salvation Army or the Souls Harbour Rescue Mission.

In the Spirit of Giving

In the spirit of giving, this year StoneCreek has donated on behalf of our clients and staff to Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission.

Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission Mission does not only provide food and shelter but they also extend a helping hand to get men and women out of their life-controlling problems.

We thank each of you for the continued success of our business. May your holiday be full of peace and joy with the coming year full of blessings.

StoneCreek

TODAY: Christmas is for Kids Party!

What: 'Christmas is for Kids' Party

Who: Kids ages 4 - 12

When: TODAY

Time: 2:00 - 4:00
(parents may accompany child)

Place: Good News Chapel Hall -
Elphinstone & 8th Ave
(attached to Sacred Heart School)

Gifts and a Happy Meal for all children!


Helpers arrive at 1:00 please