Cork and Canvas

About once a month, Easter Seals NL hosts a Cork and Canvas night as a fundraiser for their programs and services for persons with disabilities. I had never been to anything like this before but am always up for trying something new, so this weekend my Mom and I decided to give it a go!

Mom has a bit more experience painting than I do, so she was cool, but I was completely out of my comfort zone. I arrived thinking that I really wouldn't be able to keep up with the group, but under the step-by-step instruction of Parinita Verma, I think I did quite well!

Parinita has been involved with Easter Seals for several years now. She started by doing a painting auction fundraiser, and since then she has been hosting paint nights that are very popular and sell out every time! Parinita also does henna body art and has done several henna fundraisers for Easter Seals as well (I might have to try that next!!)

Cork and Canvas is a wonderful excuse for a night out with friends or family members. It is fun, relaxing, and all for a very worthy cause. There is no experience necessary, and they provide all of the necessary materials so you don't need to worry about a thing!

My painting started out pretty rough. I couldn't get the petal shape the way I wanted it at all, but I stuck with it. I stuck with it because I wasn't about to let the fear of looking stupid keep me from trying. (In fact, you should never let the fear of looking stupid keep you from trying!) It was tricky not to look at what others were doing, and to compare your work to theirs. Each painting was a little bit different, but they were all really great! By the time we got to the shading, my petals had developed nicely and I was quite happy with my work!

Here's how it went:

Who knew I could paint?!! I was so impressed with everyone's results! So many beautiful masterpieces were created in this one night!
Thank you to Parinita for your wonderful instruction, and for being such an incredible supporter of Easter Seals. I will definitely do this again!

Mad Rocks

With three children keeping us extremely busy, Andrew and I have very little down time. There is always an appointment to keep or a deadline to meet or a pile of laundry to tackle, and every now and then we just need a break. Fresh air always does the trick for us, but the weather hasn't been great here lately. We are still waiting for it to warm up but we get very excited when we see the sunshine! We took advantage of a nice day last week and drove out to Bay Roberts to do the Shoreline Heritage Walk (we call it the Mad Rock Trail). This 6km trail starts at the tip of the Bay Roberts Peninsula and has incredible views of Conception Bay. It turned out to be pretty cloudy and grey, but we love breathing in the salt sea air, and will take it any way we can get it!

Here are some photos of our hike on the Mad Rock Trail!

We stopped at a pebble beach that looks out to the Three Sisters rock formation, taking some time to enjoy the view and the sweet sounds of the ocean crashing up against the rocks. This is our happy place! Well, ok, we are happiest when we are all together as a family, loving our littles with everything we've got. Our children are our obvious priority, but when we're busy and stressed and there's not a whole lot of sleep happening, we make an effort to trim off excess responsibilities and lighten our load. It is amazing how recharged we feel after just a few hours away from it all.. no cell phones, no laundry, just the two of us talking about life and how good we've got it.

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West

The Paul Reynolds Community Centre

Having grown up in the East End of St. John's, I can remember many Summer afternoons spent hanging out at the Wedgewood Park Recreation Centre. I remember attending birthday parties in the gym, taking swimming lessons in the pool, and playing tennis with friends on the outdoor courts. The centre served its purpose in providing a place for the community to come together, but it was dated and posed challenges even when I was a child.

We have moved into a new era, and with that begins a new legacy in Wedgewood Park. The old centre closed and was torn down in September, 2016. Construction began on the new facility in June, 2014 and was completed just recently. The Paul Reynolds Community Centre held its grand opening on Thursday, June 8th, 2017 and is now open to the public!

The Paul Reynolds Community Centre is a modern facility that will serve the residents of St. John's for many years to come. The centre was the subject of numerous well-attended public consultations, and I was happy to know that creating a safe and inclusive environment was at the forefront of the planning process.

I recently had a tour of the facility, and am thrilled to share with you the inclusion and accessibility features of the new Paul Reynolds Community Centre!

There is accessible parking near the main entrance of the building, with an automated sliding door main entrance. The building features an open-concept lobby, elevator access to the second level, and accessible counter heights at the front desk. There are gender neutral, male and female change rooms and washrooms, and a private accessible change room.

We really enjoyed swimming together as a family when Brennen was younger, but as he got older and bigger, the change rooms in the city's public facilities were not able to accommodate our needs. At twelve years old, he is much too big for an infant change table, and there was nothing else available to us. At times, we would lay him on a bench out by the lockers and try to quickly dress him before he got too uncomfortable. It would take two of us, both Andrew and I, to keep him on the bench without falling, and it was entirely unsafe for everyone involved. Changing him became far too challenging for us, so we haven't taken Brennen swimming now in quite some time. We believed that even though he enjoyed the water so much, Brennen would not be able to swim because the facilities here were not accessible to him.

Natalie Godden, Manager of Family & Leisure Services with the City of St. John's was excited to show me the private accessible change room in the new Paul Reynolds Community Centre, and for good reason! The room features an adult size hydraulic change table that lowers to the floor, and has a weight capacity of 440 lbs. A ceiling lift, grab bars for the toilet (LR and RH access), and a large wheel-in shower. I got a little emotional at this part of the tour, just thinking about how something like this can have a profound effect on the lives of persons with disabilities and their families. This change room means that families like mine will now be able to swim together, to have fun together, and to be fully included in recreational activities just like everybody else. It means that my son, and other individuals with disabilities can participate in activities with a sense of belonging in a community that welcomes and supports all of its members. (This is perhaps our greatest concern as parents of children with special needs - that while we work hard to overcome challenges and make appropriate accommodations, we know that there is no guarantee they will feel included.) 

The 74,00 sq ft. facility houses two pools: a 25 metre lane pool, two water slides, and a warmer-water leisure pool with a zero depth "beach entry", lazy river and splash pad.

To enter the lane pool, individuals with disabilities or mobility restrictions can avail of the Poolpod, which is located on the side of the pool just as you enter the Aquatic Centre.

The Poolpod is a multi-award winning swimming pool platform lift that was developed for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. It is the first of its kind in North America, and is transforming pool access, offering a more independent and dignified way of entering the water than the traditional sling and hoist. The Poolpod can be used either standing, or with a submersible wheelchair that allows users to transfer from their own wheelchair in the privacy of the accessible changing room.

There is a 1,500 square foot dedicated children's area that will host a childcare and after-school program as well as summer day camps and playgroups. I was more than happy to see a collection of dolls with various adapted equipment such as a wheelchair, walker, helmet, and a guide dog. (We have come a long way since I was a kid!)

There is also a 1,500 square foot senior's area, a dedicated youth room, a music room, several large multi-purpose spaces, and a full-sized 6,700 square foot gymnasium just waiting to be explored by kids of all ages who are eager to play!

The Paul Reynolds Community Centre is a first class facility providing state-of-the-art recreation, leisure and sports opportunities that are inclusive of all community members.

We are very excited to be able to take our son swimming again! Not only is it one of his favourite activities, but it also has therapeutic value for him. For Brennen, as for many individuals with disabilities, swimming is an opportunity to feel freedom through weightlessness. The warm water facilitates muscle relaxation, stimulates body awareness, and improves circulation. We know that swimming is good for Brennen, but getting him into the water is not only beneficial, it is fun for him and for our whole family. Swimming is a right of childhood that no one should be excluded from. The new accessibility features of the Paul Reynolds Community Centre will open up access to pools for people with a range of requirements, and will be a great asset for increasing participation in our community, encouraging more people to be more active, more often.

The City of St. John's is committed to providing inclusive and accessible recreation and leisure services for all participants. For more information on inclusion and accessibility, visit www.stjohns.ca or email inclusion@stjohns.ca

To see the full recreation swim schedule for the Paul Reynolds Community Centre, click HERE.

2017 COD-NL Inclusion Awards

Each year, the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities – Newfoundland and Labrador presents four Inclusion Awards at their Annual General Meeting, to highlight the important work being done by community champions across the province.

The Inclusion Awards acknowledge the outstanding achievements of business, organizations, individuals and media, who have clearly demonstrated their commitment to encourage, welcome, and support persons with disabilities in their workplace, businesses and community.
This year’s recipients included:

• City Tire & Auto – Inclusion Award (Business). Sponsored by: Hebron
• Workplace NL – Inclusion Award (Organization). Sponsored by: Metrobus
• Edward Sawdon – Inclusion Award (Individual). Sponsored by: Newfoundland Power
• Julie Brocklehurst – Inclusion Award (Media). Sponsored by: Ellsworth Estates

I am so thrilled and honoured to receive this prestigious award!

The following is taken from http://codnl.ca/introducing-the-2017-inclusion-award-winners/

The Inclusion Award for Organization / Agency recognizes an organization or agency for outstanding efforts to advance and support inclusion in our province. This organization or agency champions inclusion and accessibility, going above and beyond for consumers with disabilities and having far-reaching, lasting impact. An organization who strives for fully inclusive service delivery to meet the needs of persons with disabilities are saluted by this honour each year.

"This year, the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities and our sponsor, Metrobus Transit, would like to recognize the admirable work of WorkplaceNL.

WorkplaceNL was nominated for this award because of the agency’s strong commitment to ensuring access and inclusion for visitors, clients and staff at WorkplaceNL locations in the province. 

WorkplaceNL participated in an accessibility audit of their locations on the island (St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook) and worked with COD-NL to authentically identify the current level of accessibility. The WorkplaceNL team provided access to the physical buildings used by the agency as well as to documents and website materials to ensure COD-NL staff were able to gain an accurate portrait of the agency.

The intention of the agency to be fully accessible and inclusive was clearly demonstrated as audit personnel were permitted access to all areas of the building and staff with specific concerns were encouraged to speak in confidence to the audit team.

Previous to the audit, WorkplaceNL demonstrated intention and willingness to go beyond minimum standards of access. One example of this commitment is evident in the installation of an emergency exit chair to be used to enable safe emergency exit from the upper level of the building of a current employee who uses a wheelchair. Staff and management have had training in its use and WorkplaceNL has further committed to respecting the principles of Universal Design in future procurement.

This procurement extends from the purchase of adjustable desks and interior way-finding systems to the consideration and inclusion of Universal Design features in building lease opportunities.  By implementing changes that are guided by the principles of Universal Design best practices of inclusion is being assured.

For these reasons and many more, the adjudication committee whole-heartedly selected WorkplaceNL as the successful recipient of the 2017 Inclusion Award for an Organization."


The Inclusion Award for Business recognizes the efforts of a local business to advance the principles of inclusion for persons with disabilities in the workplace through support and best practices (such as inclusive hiring practices and inclusive training, to name but a few). Businesses play an active role in creating meaningful and more inclusive communities for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians when they advocate for and include persons with disabilities.

"This year the Coalition, along with our award sponsor, Hebron, would like to present City Tire & Auto (Topsail Road location) with this recognition.

City Tire & Auto Centre Ltd – located on Topsail Road, Mount Pearl – was nominated for the 2017 Inclusion Award for a Business. City Tire & Auto has gone above and beyond to show strong support for Visions Employment Plus Inc. and ongoing efforts to be an inclusive business employer. Jordan Blackwood, Director of Marketing with City Tire & Auto Centre Ltd. reached out to Visions Employment in 2014 to express an interest in hiring a client for an Auto Detailing position they had available.

He contacted Visions Employment to find out information about the Visions Employment program and how they could work together to help a client be more successful at City Tire. They went through the interview process with a few of Visions’ clients and then offered the opportunity to a client who has an intellectual disability. This particular client is an older individual who is unable to read or write and has a speech impediment but City Tire was more than willing and more than happy to work with him and provide any accommodations that might be needed.

It was later determined that the Auto Detailing may not be the most suitable position for this client as despite the support of a job coach through Visions Employment he had difficulty completing the required duties. Rather than terminating the client from City Tire, they instead found another position for him within City Tire that turned out to be a perfect fit! City Tire and their employees have been nothing but welcoming and supportive toward this individual and many can attest to how much City Tire love having him be a part of their team – and in turn, how much he enjoys and values his work in such an inclusive environment.

City Tire was thrilled with the result and encourages other employers to participate in such inclusive practices, which not only benefit an individual but businesses and the community as well. It was clear to the adjudication committee that City Tire truly understands what it means to be an inclusive employer and to work collaboratively with other businesses to foster a spirit of inclusiveness and openness. For this, City Tire & Auto was the obvious choice for the 2017 Inclusion Award for a Business."


The Inclusion Award for Individual recognizes the outstanding efforts of an individual who actively strives for the advancement of disability rights in our communities. This person is a champion for persons with disabilities and has a strong passion for accessibility and inclusion, which is highlighted by their community involvement and personal efforts.

The recipient for this year's award was Edward Sawdon.

"Since moving to Newfoundland & Labrador, Edward Sawdon has been involved as a member and volunteer with the Independent Living Resource Centre (now Empower), the St. John’s Ostomy Chapter, CHANNAL (the Consumers Health Awareness Network – Newfoundland & Labrador), CMHA-NL(the Canadian Mental Health Association – Newfoundland & Labrador), the Pottle Centre and the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities (COD). Since 2003, Ed has been advocating for a national pharmacare program and improved mental healthcare and disability-related services. While Ed was CHANNAL Regional Coordinator for St. John’s Region for four years between 2004-2010, he was also the CHANNAL representative on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities, the Provincial Legislative Stakeholder Committee on the New Mental Health and Treatment Act and Patient’s Rights Adviser Committee and the CSC’s Vibrant Communities/Citizen’s Voice.

Within the former Independent Living Resource Centre, and now, Empower, Ed has been a long-time volunteer contributor to the Black Spruce Newsletter and member of both the Men’s & Women’s Group and has participated in the Empower Dinner Club. Ed is currently on the Board of Directors of CMHA-NL and the Pottle Centre. Finally, he has received nine awards in the disability community, including The James Fardy CHANNAL Outstanding Volunteer Award, the Cecilia Carroll Award for Independent Living, the CMHA National Consumer Involvement Award and the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award. Clearly, Ed Sawdon was a natural choice for the 2017 Inclusion Award for an Individual."


The Inclusion Award for Excellence in Disability Media Coverage acknowledges a member of the media or a creator of a media source who has clearly demonstrated their professional commitment to encourage, welcome and support persons with disabilities by ensuring a balanced, dignified and respectful portrayal of disability issues and persons with disabilities in the media.

"This award has been sponsored by Ellsworth Estates and we are very pleased to present this award to Julie Brocklehurst for her resource development and promotion of disability awareness through her chosen form of media: an outstanding blog called “Tiptoeing Through.”

Not only does the depth and scope of the blog explore inclusion and accessibility in our province, it continuously exposes readers to a level of normalcy and awareness that isn’t often expressed in mainstream media outlets. Tiptoeing Through goes from posts promoting films like Move for Inclusion—which was a nationwide fundraising effort to spread the message of inclusion and the importance of acceptance without bias–to sharing deeply personal stories about herself and her family’s life with a child with complex disabilities.

By exposing the public to such varied and intimate but also broad societal messages, through her blog, Julie creates a strong position to break down barriers, fears and stigmas associated with having a child with disabilities. Tiptoeing Through not only focuses on the personal stories that many blogs feature, it  ensures balanced messaging and exposure to bigger issues around inclusion including The Mayor’s Challenge—a call to action by Sarnia, Ontario’s Mayor Mike Bradley to the mayors in our province of Newfoundland and Labrador to hire persons with disabilities and promote an inclusive workforce.

Tiptoeing Through is not only a strong resource for parents with children who have disabilities, it’s also a great source of information around the latest technological advancements that work for children with lived experience with disabilities. Julie’s posts provide thoughtful and balanced information useful to many – for example, her post on AbleNet, a communication technology that provides assistive technology solutions to help individuals with disabilities lead productive and fulfilling lives, or her web article about Our City’s Most Accessible Hotel.

Tiptoeing Through acts as a resource to break down stigma and promote fully inclusive communities while highlighting relevant information for not only persons with disabilities, but for everyone by creating feature stories on how to celebrate and live your life — whether it’s having a family picnic, going for a hike or flying a kite.

The past fall Tiptoeing through featured The Teal Pumpkin Project which is a worldwide movement to create a safer, happier Halloween for all trick-or-treaters. Though the project was initially intended to benefit those with food allergies, Julie’s post expanded the meaning of the project to also apply to individuals and children dealing with other intolerances, sensitivities and disorders that limit what they can consume. The Teal Pumpkin Project is about promoting a trick or treating experience that doesn’t limit anyone.

From quality of life resources for persons with disabilities to sharing events like International Day of Persons with Disabilities, if there is a timely topic to raise awareness for or celebrate persons with disabilities, Julie’s blog is on it. Not only that, the information featured can be easily found online by others seeking such useful resources and links.

Through her site, Julie shows us that promoting, sharing and celebrating stories and moments in the lives of persons with disabilities needs to be constant and continuous for true and full inclusion. It is no wonder that we have awarded the Inclusion Award for Media to Tiptoeing Through this year!"

This is such an honour for me, and I am extremely grateful. I started my blog several years ago as a place to share my own personal experience raising a child with a disability, and I have since been fortunate to be able to share the stories of many other families in situations like mine. I am thrilled to know that people are reading, and that people have been touched by these stories. Receiving this award and being acknowledged in this way reaffirms for me that our stories do matter, and sharing them can have a positive impact on the way people perceive individuals with disabilities. I am happy to be able to do what I do, and I hope you will all keep reading!

Congratulations to all 2017 Inclusion Award winners!