Matthew House - A Place At The End Of The Refugee Highway
Come and enjoy stories, photos, and music that captures the heartbeat of Matthew House including former resident Josiane Aboungono 2008 and 2009 Canada Running Series Champion.
Silent Auction -Fundraiser Novotel Hotel - Gibson Ballroom 7:00 pm - November 26th 2009
Space is limited so please register today to attend
Phone 416.364.8287
Matthew House is a small shelter in central Toronto that welcomes and assists newly arrived refugee claimants who have come to the end of a long journey on the refugee highway. Matthew House believes that God's call to "welcome the stranger" includes refugee claimants from all nations, irrespective of ethnicity.
Since opening as a permanent home in August 1998, Matthew House has provided shelter and assistance for hundreds of newly arrived refugees who would otherwise have been homeless in Toronto. They have come from more than 75 different countries including: Albania, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Angola, Burundi, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Liberia, North Korea, Rwanda, Somalia, Turkey and Zimbabwe.
Without ever advertising its existence, Matthew House continually must turn away more than four times the number of refugees it welcomes due to lack of space. As a result, one of Matthew House's vision is that of encouraging, inspiring and assisting other groups in establishing their own shelters and ministries to refugees. To date, shelters in Fr. Erie, Windsor, Hamilton, Cambridge and Vancouver have been opened based on the Matthew House model. Currently other groups in places such as Ottawa and Montreal are also exploring the prospect of opening shelters for refugees.
As the vision is spreading, and the need for appropriate shelter continues, Matthew House Toronto has recently opened a second more long term, "transitional home" nearby and hopes to expand its current space even more to effectively carry out its programs.
Please Remember Space is limited so please register today to attend
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- My Prescription Provided Pain Relief
By now you should have paid your final tax bill for the year and it likely hurt because it was up substantially from last year.
The question is - did you pay more than your fair share or less?
I felt I was going to be paying more than my fair share. The big red flag for me was that my assessment jumped 34.33%, more than double the average increase, while the average home's assessed value went up just over 14% .
While it is unlikely anyone who felt their home was under assessed would appeal their assessments many who felt they were over assessed took the time to do a little research and fought for some fairness in their assessment and the resulting tax bill.
For me it was a matter of going to the assessment open house to see if my Assessment Was Fair and Equitable. I was not surprised to find that there was no information available and that it really was only an opportunity to talk with an assessor to explain why I thought my assessed value was incorrect.
Luckily I went prepared and the assessor was willing to listen. She took my information as presented and told me she would review my assessment back in the office to verify my points.
Including several phone calls over the next little while I spent about 3 hours of my time before I agreed to the new assessment that she offered by way of minutes of settlement, this avoided the necessity of filing and going through the time consuming process of an appeal.
THE BOTTOM LINE
My total assessment was reduced by $38,000
My Savings the first year $129.34
My savings over the four years $1,293.37
My time was worth over $400.00 an hour.
My savings in this example over the four years is based on the four year phase in of our new assessments assuming the mill rate does not go up.
Wait For It - It Gets Better
If we assume a mill rate increase of 3.5% annually that savings gets better.
My Savings the first year $129.34
My savings over the four years $1,386.31
My time was now worth over $462.00 an hour.
My savings in this example over the four years is based on the four year phase in of our new assessments assuming the mill rate goes up 3.5% a year.
The Real Bottom Line
I won't really know for another three years until all the mill rates are set.
Stay Tuned --- .
It will be interesting to watch what happens to
"Your" Property Tax Bill
With the phasing in of the province wide re-assessment affecting your 2010 property tax bill.
In an odd twist, day in and day out,far from home, He defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, He is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the Canadian Fighting Man That has kept this country free For over 100 years.
Received this email this morning, thought it was worth sharing. We are sure the American Soldiers are the same...
Subject: Our Young Soldiers
If you won't stand behind them feel free to stand in front of them.
The average age of the Canadian military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate; He was probably an average student, Pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy,
And has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, Or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.
He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howizzitor.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home Because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him,
But he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds And reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation,
But he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues:
He washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle.
He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you
In the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons
And weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay
And still find ironic humour in it all.
He has seen more suffering And death then he should have in his short lifetime.
He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, And helped to create them.
He has wept in public and in private,
For friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body
While at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, Remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out,far from home,
He defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather,
He is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the Canadian Fighting Man
That has kept this country free
For over 100 years.
He has asked nothing in return,
Except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot..
A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets
Prayer wheel for our military... please don't break it. Please send this on after a short prayer.
'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'
Prayer :
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships,
and airmen in the air, and for our neighbours in Iraq.
There is nothing attached....
This can be very powerful.......
Of all the gifts you could give a Canadian Soldier, Sailor, or Airman, prayer is the very best one.
I can't break this one, sorry This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting everywhere.
Pass it on to everyone and pray.
Al and Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX Realty Services Inc., 391 Main St., N. Brampton, ON L6X1N7 905-456-1000 getsold@rogers.com
The Eleventh Hour Of the Eleventh Day - Remembrance Day
In remembrance of all who put themselves in Harms way so that we could, and continue too, be able to enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae
"Two minutes on November 11th"
As you watch the video watch the man at the cash register. Our children learn much by example and it saddens me that the actions of the man at the counter is typical of the example some set.
Terrys anger towards this man for trying to get the clerk to wait on him and the bad example he was setting for his daughter was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time.
"Terry Kelly recorded the songA Pittance in Time" and included it on his full-length music CD, "The Power of the Dream"
."..... I feel her awakening to what was, I feel the private hell of our fallen heroes and their families, and of our soldiers who are living and dying overseas, today. I remember my own father, a veteran. I remember! " ... from an article by Matthew Clulow after viewing the video
With clinics across the country opening up for the H1N1 flu shot Durham Region Health Department has opened 5 locations across the region where you can go to receive the H1N1 Vaccine.
Be prepared to wait
This is what the lineup was like at about 5:30 pm today (it was much longer around 2:30pm) in Uxbridge.
The Uxbridge Clinic is Located at 2 Douglas Rd., Uxbridge (formerly Williamson's)
With the vaccine shipments being delivered over time a priority list is being followed for those wishing to recieve the shots.
People with chronic medical conditions
Pregnant women with chronic medical conditions or who are over 20 weeks
Healthy children ages 6 months to 5 years
Persons living in remote or isolated communities
Health care workers, and houshold contacts or care providers of persons of high risk who cannot be immunized.
After the targeted groups have been immunized the clinics will be open to all Durham residents
Clinic hours are Oct 28th to November 28th Monday to Friday from 2 pm to 8 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm.
The following clinics are wheelchair accessible and are open for walk-ins as appointments are not necessary.
To learn more about what housing options Uxbridge has to offer; be it condominium or detached homes, in town or rural communities, country homes, estates or farms just give me a call
THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME
I will respond ASAP However I do not answer when driving or when with Clients
Your sitting at home relaxing on the couch or perhaps watching TV when the door bell rings. Your not expecting someone and your doorbell seldom rings. You get up and go to the door to see if it is one of the neighbourhood children participating in a fund raiser selling cookies, raffle tickets or some other item.
We all try to help our neighbours children if we can but not everyone at the door has a sweet deal for you
Don't Get Burned at The Door
No matter how good or how time restrictive the offer seems to be it's your door and your decision.
Ontarians have learned, often to late, that the deal contains long term commitments or hidden penalties for early termination. One recent example here in Durham was some unscrupulous operators who stung homeowners who agreed to have their driveways paved by firms they had never heard of who seemed to be offering a very good deal.
A recent email forwarded by a family member contained a warning about how some door to door salemen operate.
While the Message was informative and appeard to be one of genuine concern. I could not help but wonder who dreamed up this viral marketing scheme, and how effective it could be.
Here is a copy of the email
Dear friends and family,
I've never been one for sending work-related emails to my friends and family, but I've just finished working on something that you might be interested in.
As you probably know, I work for xxxxxxxxx Home Comfort, which is one of Canada's largest home comfort and rental water heating companies. Over the past few months we've been getting calls from customers about door-to-door sales people trying to get them to switch out their rental water heaters. The problem is the deceptive approach we're hearing these doorknockers are using:
posing as the utility, the government or their own current rental water heating provider
telling them that the replacement is mandatory
misleading them with the promise of huge energy savings
telling them that their current provider has gone out of business
Many of these customers don't understand that they're being switched. By the time the tank has been changed out, some of these customers are now locked in for up to 15 years, with huge penalties for early exit. And if the customers get upset about being misled and they switch back, they get charged hundreds of dollars. I even saw one bill for $1,300! The problem is that customers don't know what's going on in this industry, they're not asking many (or any) questions, they don't know their rights and they're not warning each other.
Enough is enough. We've just launched a new website called burnedatthedoor.com. We've created this online community so that people can get educated, learn about their rights and about their water heaters, post their own stories about doorknocking, register for email alerts, and warn family and friends (like I'm doing with you).
If you've had these doorknockers at your door, or have heard about people who have, can I ask you to do 2 things?
First, check out the website, and if you want to, go ahead and register for alerts and see if they've been spotted in your community. And second, can you forward this email to everyone you think should know about this issue? Our company has been doing a lot the past few months to warn people, and we're now finding that people are starting to ask the right questions of these companies! This website is just one more way people can get information, because some customers are finding that ignorance can be expensive.
Hope all is well with you...drop us a line and tell us what's new!
National Waste Reduction Week October 19th to the 25th
Visit www.wrwcanada.com for suggestions on wastes reduction for your home.
There is a frequently asked questions section "What Should I do with?" and links to a few other informative sites such as GreenerChoices.org The site has many links that will take you to information on waste reduction information, activities and more all across Canada.
Lets all Pitch in, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse ... no longer are these just catchy phrases Homeowners are getting the message as demonstrated by the graph below.
Durham Region home owners are to be commended on their efforts to Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
They have successfully reduced the percentage amount of garbage going into land fill by 17% since 2005 while increasing the amount of food waste that is being recycled by 11%.
In addition they have increased the percentage of waste no longer going to land fill with their blue box contributions by 3%
The Fire that Sparked a Tradition ... Chicago, 1871
Did you know that the Great Chicago Fire led to the establishment of fire Prevention Week.
Did you know the great Chicago fire lasted 2 days October 8th and 9th in 1871 and killed more than 250 people, left thousands homeless and burned more than 2,000 acres was the catalyst for fire prevention week.
This fire forever changed the way public officials viewed fire safety. To commemorate the event on its fortieth anniversary fire officials felt the most appropriate way was to inform and educate the public and since 1922 Fire Prevention week has been observed on the Sunday through to the Saturday that October 8th and 9th falls on.
Thank You for supporting Kathy Clulow and Team Matthew House in the Scotia Bank Charity Run in downtown Toronto
The race day was fantastic and they all had a great time. In fact, one of the team members, a former resident, Aynadis Bedado (originally from Ethiopia) actually finished in FIRST place among women in the 5K race! They are getting closer and closer to reaching their fundraising goal. While the race day may have ended the pledge lines are still open so it is not too late to make a pledge! By raising support for the team you are helping to bring hope at the end of the refugee highway by offering shelter and food, help with completing confusing refugee application papers, medical and counseling referrals, orientation to life in Canada, assistance in finding apartments, offering monthly drop-ins, and summer camp.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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