Author: nlened

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Eastern Health Invites Applications for Community Development Fund

 May 4, 2015 – St. John’s, NL: Eastern Health encourages non-profit and community-based groups to apply for funding under its Community Development Fund for 2015. The fund, valued at $50,000, was established in 2007 by Eastern Health’s Board of Trustees to support the organization’s vision of Healthy People, Healthier Communities.

 

“The Community Development Fund provides a financial means for community-based groups to either jump-start or accomplish their goals,” said Michael O’Keefe, Chair, Board of Trustees, Eastern Health. “In addition, supporting these initiatives provides Eastern Health with opportunities to build partnerships that promote health and wellness in our communities, and bring to life our vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities.

 

Up to $10,000 is available for non-profit community-based groups and organizations for a single project. Priority will be given to groups that contribute to a healthier community by:

  • building a sense of community,
  • strengthening social support networks,
  • developing community connections,
  • addressing a priority need,
  • creating supportive environments, and
  • strengthening community action.

Since the first grants were awarded in 2008, over $340,000 has been invested in 45 community groups and organizations.

“Grass root, community-based groups are at the heart of our communities,” said Alice Kennedy, Vice President responsible for Population Health with Eastern Health. “The Community Development Fund has given Eastern Health the opportunity to connect with some of the most innovative and committed groups and organizations in our province, when it comes to health-related initiatives.”

In previous years, the Community Development Fund supported projects that represent a wide range of health-related needs in our communities from creating spaces and opportunities for recreation and community gatherings, to programs that engage youth in sexual and mental health issues, to inter-generational initiatives that develop skills and connect community members young and old.

The Community Development Fund aligns closely with Eastern Health’s Strategic Plan for 2014-17, which emphasizes a population health approach to support better health outcomes for the communities it serves.

The deadline for applications is Friday, June 5, 2015. The Community Development Fund application and guidelines are available on Eastern Health’s website at www.easternhealth.ca/YourHealth.  Interested groups can also call (709) 466-6302 for more information.

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NLEN Coastal Hike and AGM – May 15

On May 15th, 2015 NLEN will be having a outdoor hiking workshop incorporating our projects in changing coastlines and experiential education with our AGM this year.  The first half of the day we invite member groups to come learn about our project for 2015 and hopefully share some of the programs and projects they intend to invest their time into.

9 AM – Meet at Middle Cove.  Hike North and learn about strata layers, glaciation, and storm impact on Newfoundland coastlines.  Contact for carpool

10:00 AM – Break with snack and reflection period – let us know what you learned by writing, or art

10:30 AM – Hike back to Middle Cove

11:30 PM – Marine debris identification and count.  We will have a discussion on what types of marine debris can be found on different parts of Newfoundlands coast

12:30 PM – Drive to MUN Botanical Gardens

1 PM – Soup and bread for lunch ( a vegetarian choice will be provided)

2 PM – NLEN 2015 AGM

The hike and lunch is free to one member of each NLEN Member Group.  For additional participants and non-member participants registration fee is $20.

2 PM AGM is open to all who are interested.

Registration Deadline, May 8th.  For more information, please contact: sheridanthompson@hotmail.com or 709.746.6828

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Volunteer Positions, The Osprey, Nature Newfoundland and Labrador

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador (http://naturenl.ca) is hoping to find dynamic and committed individuals, awed by the rugged natural beauty of our province, to help with various aspects of The Osprey, the Nature journal of Newfoundland and Labrador. These volunteer positions allow both literary expression and interaction with leading naturalists from our province.

The Osprey is a published four times per year. It is distributed both electronically and in hard copy to a readership that spans Canada, the US, and Europe. The journal publishes articles ranging from seasonal bird reports and discussions of important undertakings in the province with the potential to impact the environment, to nature photography and poetry.

Editorial Team: Editorial team members are responsible for review and layout articles for publication. Compile articles for publication. Editing, word processing, and excellent communication skills are required. Experience in basic graphic design and desktop publishing would be an asset!

Contributors: Contributors are sought to submit articles on a range of environmental and nature topics.

Photographers: Photographers will contribute stock and feature photos to accompany articles in the Osprey. All photos will be attributed to the photographer.

Artists / Graphic artists: Artists will assist with producing graphics and infographics to support Osprey articles. Graphic artists will also help design and develop Nature NL advertisements for various programming (indoor and outdoor programs, Nature Nook, etc).

Social Media Coordinator(s):  The social media coordinators will moderate the social media outlets for Nature NL and be responsible in developing a social media strategy that coincides with the organization’s communications plan.

If you’d like to see the latest volume of The Osprey, or if you have further questions, please contact Justin So or Sarah Penney-Belbin at osprey@naturenl.ca.

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Summer Nature Camps at The Suncor Energy Fluvarium!

 

Camp Highlights

Hike to the Botanical Garden, Fishing on Long Pond, Swimming at the Aquarena, Lots of time Outdoors!

Discovery Camp for kids in grades 1 – 3 (5 weeks available)

Adventure Camp for kids in grades 3 – 5 (3 weeks available)

Experience, Explore, Discover Nature!

Only 10 campers per week, REGISTER TODAY!

Full details at: www.fluvarium.ca

For more information contact:

754-3474 – kids@fluvarium.ca

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ACAP “Environmental Explorers” summer camp

For Immediate Release ACAP HUMBER ARM BRINGING ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES Children throughout the Bay of Islands are certainly familiar with ACAP Humber Arm’s “Environmental Explorers” program.  For the last number of years, every summer hundreds of children have taken part in fun and educational Environmental Explorer days hosted by ACAP Humber Arm in their community.  In the summer of 2015 children will have a new opportunity to discover and dive even further into what it means to be an “Environmental Explorer”. ACAP Humber Arm has announced that it is taking its successful Environmental Explorer days and turning them into week long camps.  Camps will be offered in the City of Corner Brook, the Town of Irishtown-Summerside, and the Town of Lark Harbour. Sheldon Peddle, Executive Director of ACAP Humber Arm, explains “our Environmental Explorer days were wildly successful but we always felt with the limited time frame of a one day event there were a lot of activities we were not able to offer to the children.  However, with a week-long camp, where we have the same children for five days, we can begin to explore things in much more detail; we can layer the activities and build upon the lessons so the children have a really fun and rich learning experience.” ACAP Humber Arm approached Grenfell Campus last fall about partnering to host camps, not just in Corner Brook but reach out other communities throughout the region.  “Grenfell’s Office of Engagement was extremely receptive to the idea of working with us to host camps in communities throughout the Bay of Islands.  We are very pleased Grenfell is willing to try this approach.”  Peddle is also pleased with the support they have received from local communities in support of these community based camps.  “The Town Councils and Clerks of Lark Harbour and Irishtown-Summerside have been very cooperative.  They have gone above and beyond to accommodate us holding these camps in their communities.  The neighboring communities have also been supportive as they camps will be available to all children in the region.” This year is considered a pilot project, with camps being held on both the North and South shores of the Bay of Islands.  ACAP Humber Arm suggests that if this year’s Environmental Explorer camps are successful they would like at expanding to offer the camps at other locations in future years. The Corner Brook based camp is for children ages 5 to 8 years old.  Both the Lark Harbour and Irishtown-Summerside camps are open to children aged 7 to 12.  You do not need to be a resident of the host community to register for the camp being held in that Town. Registration for the camps opens 8:30am, Thursday, April 16th.  Registration is on a first come, first serve basis.  More details can be found at www.activitycamps.grenfell.mun.ca or 637-6208. -30-   2 Attachments

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MUN Botanical Garden Receives National Recognition

While it might be weeks before we see signs of spring, Memorial’s Botanical Garden is already buzzing with the excitement of two national garden awards.

The garden was named Botanical Garden of the Year and its Pink Days in Bloom event was named Flower Event of the Year by the Canadian Garden Council at the 2015 North American Garden Tourism Conference in Toronto, Ont., March 16-18.

“The Botanical Garden is the province’s premier botanical garden and a pillar for Memorial’s public engagement activities and a resource centre for botanical research and education,” said Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor, Memorial University. “These awards are a testament to the commitment and hard work of the staff and volunteers at the garden and our community partners who have helped create a world class garden and nature tourist destination.” 

According to the Canadian Garden Council, the Garden Tourism Awards are presented to organizations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in the development and promotion of the garden experience as a tourism attraction. 

With 100 acres of natural forest dedicated to nature trails, beautiful cultivated and themed gardens and programming including diverse educational seminars, curriculum-based school programs and community outreach, Memorial’s Botanical Garden is a natural hub for visitor activity.

The awards support the garden’s public engagement mandate and recognize the unique partnership and collaborations fostered there. The Pink Days in Bloom event is an example of one of those collaborations, as it was spearheaded by the charitable organization, Friends of MUN Botanical Garden (FOG). Pink Days in Bloom was part of the garden’s participation in the Canadian Garden Council’s nationwide Garden Days celebrations and Linda Ryan’s Pink Days in Bloom, which is a partnership with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (Atlantic). The collaboration will take place during Garden Days again this year, when FOG donates $1 for each plant sold to breast cancer research during a week-long celebration June 12-21.

“The Botanical Garden is a beautiful and inspirational destination for local residents and visitors,” said Liz Klose, director, Botanical Garden. “It fosters an appreciation of natural history in the development and future of the university and the province. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with our national colleagues and be recognized in such a wonderful way for horticultural excellence, and the dedication and hard work of our team, volunteers and partners. We hope these awards will be another compelling reason to visit the Garden.”

The Botanical Garden opens for the season May 1 and will be open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and from Sept. 1-Nov. 30, open daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m. To view events and activities, please visit www.mun.ca/botgarden.