The City of New Westminster is going to the dogs – or is it?
The city is holding an open house about the creation of an off-leash dog area in Moody Park. Local residents – dog owners and non-dog owners alike – are invited to attend the open house that’s being held on Thursday, June 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Century House, 680 Eighth St.
City staff hope to get input about where the off-leash area should be located in the park, whether it should be fenced or non-fenced, the hours of operation and ground material.
Society sends kids to camp
The Elizabeth Fry Society is seeking to make summer fun for children with a parent in prison.
Three years ago, the society launched its Blue Sky summer camps for children with a parent involved in the justice system. Operated under the Just Kids initiative, which supports kids who have experienced parental incarceration, five camps are held between July 1 and Aug. 1 and are open to kids aged six to 15.
Karen McCluskey of the society noted that the camps are provided at a modest fee of $30 per week.
“If parents/guardians can’t afford that, they can volunteer in lieu,” she said.
According to McCluskey, the camps cost the society $400 per child, but they’re offered at a lower rate so cost isn’t a barrier to attend. The cost includes everything, including transportation, accommodations, food and activities.
During the three- or four-day camps, children have a chance to enjoy a normal camp experience where they’re just like everyone else. Counsellors who are trained to support children with the unique challenges often faced by kids with a parent in prison attend as well.
To register, contact [email protected].
Students gain work experience
A group of students at Purpose Secondary School got some hands-on experience in community building.
Eleven students in Tom Harder’s Work Experience 12 – Volunteerism course took part in a variety of volunteer projects in the community from February to April. These including picking up litter, feeding the needy at the Union Gospel Mission, cleaning a youth group home and assisting at a child-care centre for the Lower Mainland Purpose Society, caring for homeless cats with the Royal City Humane Society, organizing and cleaning construction materials for the Habitat for Humanity Restore and removing invasive plant species in Surrey.
“The students showed a great deal of energy and enthusiasm with their assignments,” Harder wrote in an email to The Record. “The goal of the course was to give our students the opportunity to give back to their community, while providing rewarding experiences and skills that may benefit them in their future.”
The course began with an orientation that explained the benefits of volunteering and the expectations and rights as volunteers, and ended with a 10-day bus trip to Phoenix, Arizona that included further volunteer opportunities.
“They volunteered at an elementary school situated on a native reserve,” Harder said. “The students were involved with painting, cleaning, landscaping and socializing with the children. They were also given the opportunity to help feed the needy with the St. Vincent DePaul Society.”
While on the trip, the students also toured Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon and took part in Phoenix desert hikes.
