Community Living flag raising promotes inclusion

May is all about inclusion.

In an event at Partners Hall on May 1, community members celebrated the kick-off to Community Living Month and symbolically raised the Community Living flag. The flag will fly at Town Hall for the month of May to raise awareness for inclusion for people living with the label of developmental disability.

“This is one of my favourite days of the entire year when we hoist the flag for Community Living,” said Mayor Scott Aitchison. “Huntsville is an inclusive community that thinks about welcoming and engaging and inclusivity not just for the month of May but every single day, and I’m really proud to be the leader of a community that is so inclusive.”

As part of Community Living Ontario’s Shine the Light on Inclusion campaign, buildings across Ontario will be lit up in Community Living’s colours of green and blue, including the Community Living Huntsville (CLH) office and Gifts 4 Friends in Huntsville.

The event was also an opportunity for Community Living Huntsville to thank its donors, including the Voices For Inclusion Society, who have pledged $1,000 per year for five years. Its current members are:
Abdo and Jelnar Hlal
Andrea & Stephen Johnston
Debi and John Davis
Gail and Gary Donald
George and Diane Hill
Gifts 4 Friends
Gundy Upans & Michael Forbes
Janet & Drew Markham
Jason R Cottell & Associates Inc.
Lovegrove Construction & Design
Nicole & John Pantaleo
Roz Barden

Community Living Huntsville Manager of Quality and Community Development Andrea Johnston (left) and Mayor Scott Aitchison (fourth from left) with Voices For Inclusion Society members (from second left) Drew Markham, Tish Firman representing Lovegrove Construction, Kevin Rose representing Gifts 4 Friends, Jelnar Hlal, John Davis, Gundy Upans, and Debi Davis

Two years ago Community Living Huntsville launched a fundraising campaign to raise $150,000 per year to provide supports for people with developmental disabilities who are not eligible for government-sponsored developmental programs. Heading into year three, it has received just over $179,000 in donations and $57,000 in pledges over the next five years.

It has two major fundraisers coming next month.

Community Living Huntsville is the beneficiary of funds raised at Band on the Run on June 9. To encourage donations, Suzanne Willett, CLH Manager of Supports and Services, has challenged staff and board members to dye their hair blue and green if the event raises $1,000 more than it did last year. So far, Willett, along with CLH Board president Debi Davis, CLH Board members Rosemary McGuire-Herman and Matt Huddlestone, and CLH client Linda McEachern have stepped up. Councillor Nancy Alcock has as well and has challenged the rest of Town Council to join her although she hasn’t had any takers yet.

Suzanne Willett (left) and Linda McEachern wear wigs to show their commitment to dye their hair blue and green if enough money is raised for Community Living Huntsville at Band on the Run

“I’m always up for something adventurous and wacky,” said Willett. “I’m putting the challenge out to whoever is interested for a good cause. We are trying to convince the mayor—he just made a great speech about Huntsville being an inclusive community, which it is, and I think he should be the one to lead that. That would be awesome.”

Team Inclusion in Motion meets at the Summit Centre track every Monday at 4:30 p.m. to prepare for Band on the Run. Community members are welcome to join them.

Community Living Huntsville is also hosting an Investing in Inclusion fundraiser at the Royal Canadian Legion on June 13.

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