Santa Under The Bridge 2016

Santa Under The Bridge 2016 was a success. 

On December 1, 2016 Nancy, Steve and myself delivered to Among Friends Social Club and Feeding Others of Dartmouth. 

 

On Friday, December 2 we had the busiest day of all. Nancy and I dropped off items at BMO for the Mi'kmaw Friendship Center. 

Nancy and I met Betsy up in Dartmouth North to do deliveries for Freedom Foundation, Stewart Place, and Amethyst Apartments. 

Then, in the afternoon, we hooked up with Micheline Menard (one of our knitters) and did deliveries to Margeurite Centre and Herring Cove Apartments.

On Saturday, December 3, Nancy Irvine drove us over to Alcare Place. We had intended to do more places that day but most of them were closed.

On Monday, December 5, Cyndi helped us make deliveries to Direction 180, Laing House, and Aerobics First.

On Tuesday, December 6 we took the day off.

On Wednesday December 7, Donna, her husband, Nancy, and myself spread some holiday cheer to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, Brunswick Street Mission, and Stepping Stone. 

We also brought Stepping Stone a check for $93 from the sale of jellyfish.

Later that day, Nancy and I brought a set of donations to n organization in downtown Dartmouth. I had intended to touch base with them first and I did not, so it created some confusion and they just decided to decline the donations. We gave them to Feeding Others of Dartmouth to whom we had also made a delivery on the previous Thursday. While we were there, we got talking with a lady from the FOOD program and she recommended a place called SHYM (Supportive Housing For Young Mothers).

On Sunday, December 11, we made a delivery to SHYM of 9 gift bags, some of the Disney books and we brought them a jellyfish for their tree.

The only place remaining was CLUB 24 on Dundas Street, which we usually do close to Xmas Eve. On December 22 we gave them 12 gift packs and some children's books. 

  

I was informed by email that one of our knitters is now living in Lunenburg. She did not think she would be here in time for the deliveries so she gave the scarves she had knitted to Souls Harbour in Bridgewater, explaining that they were part of Last House on the Block Society. They agreed to use some of them and pass the remainder along to Souls Harbour in Halifax. That was about 30 scarves so together with the 270 we had, it brought our total this year to 300 scarves.

 

4 Year Anniversary

Today was our 4 year anniversary as a non profit society. I wrote a short history of the society and had a little surprise for some of our volunteers.

19 years ago today, I was a homeless person. It was because of my struggles with alcoholism. I slept in doorways, on benches, and under the bridge. I was at that time sober, but my drinking had burned so many other bridges that I was jobless and homeless. I lived like that for two months. Eventually, I moved into a transition home in North Dartmouth for men in recovery. It's called Freedom Foundation of NS. I lived there for two months until I was able to successfully reintegrate back into society.

Two years later, I went back to Freedom Foundation as a staff member and I worked there on and off for the next 12 years. Alcohol was my primary addiction and although I had done drugs also, I wasn't very knowledgeable about some of them. At Freedom, I learned about the different kinds. I saw crack addiction at its worst. I learned about the methadone program. I learned about co-occurring disorders. That's when you have an addiction and a mental illness also. I saw depression, suicide and many other things. I learned a lot while I was there.

I left in the spring of 2012. In a conversation with a friend of mine, it was suggested that I open my own house. Five of us got together and formed Last House on the Block Society. Our intention was to open a transition home for men in recovery from addictions. Originally, it would be called Safe House. Unfortunately, an organization with a similar name was already registered so we had to pick a new name. Since recovery houses are often the last house on the block for most alcoholics or addicts, we thought that might be a good name for us. I asked the registrar if that name was taken – Last House on the Block Society. She said that it was available and that's how we got our name. Ironically, our office is the last house on our street.

Opening a house proved to be too big a project for us and we decided to scrap the idea. Instead of dissolving the Society, we altered our mission statement so that we could act as a community outreach for persons in recovery. That was in 2013. Nancy suggested that she could knit some scarves for the girls in Margeurite Center and give them as Christmas gifts. So, we did that. By Christmas we had 45 scarves. We donated some to Margeurite, some to Direction 180, and the rest we presented to Club 24 and In From The Cold, two recovery events that take place over Christmas.

By Christmas of 2014, we had 190 scarves. The scarves are placed in gift packs with other knitted or purchased items (thermal socks, personal care items, candy, a Christmas card). We dress up as santa when we deliver them. In order to protect the anonymity of those who receive our gifts and to preserve their dignity, we never meet any of them. We give the gifts to the staff that operate the facilities and the staff give them to their clients.

In 2015, we altered the mission statement slightly so that we now act as a community outreach for persons in recovery not only from addictions but also abuse and homelessness. Many of the people we help are also living with mental illness and although that is not in the mission statement, it is a big part of what we do.

The project continues to grow and expand. At the writing of this, we have 265 scarves. We have that many because of our knitters. I have recently learned to knit, and therefore I know the amount of time and effort that goes into making a scarf, or a headband, or whatever.

I think it's important to recognize the contribution of our volunteers. So, I prepared a little something for all our knitters.

I presented the knitters in attendance with framed cerificates of appreciation. we also had certificates for some of the knitters who could not be there. Then, we had some cake and closed up the meeting.

Bernie Schultz
President & Co-Founder

Afghans, Jellyfish, and Scarves

October was a busy month for our volunteers. On October 4, we attended the Festival of Hope, a gathering of community groups and exhibits put on by the Schizophrenia Society of NS. It was held at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. Last House on the Block Society had a table at the event. It gave us an opportunity to meet with other organizations and with the general public.

The following week, two of our directors met with students at the C.P. Allen High School volunteer club. They thought they might do some fundraising for us in the future, so we explained our organization and the projects we do.

In mid-October, three of our director/volunteers hosted a table at a craft show. It was in the Beaverbank Community Hall in Sackville. we sold quite a few jellyfish at that event as well as lots of tickets on a raffle we were doing. First prize in that raffle was an afghan blanket. Bernie knitted the squares, Nancy did the crochet work.

Second prize in the raffle was an afghan that had been donated to us:

Third prize was a collection of gift certificates at some eateries in town. The draw was held on October 31. Winners were Marilyn S., Linda T. and Tom R., respectively.

Lots of items were donated to and bought for the upcoming Santa Under the Bridge Project. So, we're getting ready for the big day. We currently have 240 scarves knitted for the project.

Our other endeavour - The Jellyfish Project - is going very well. Nancy crochets them and we sell them at craft tables and through social media. They come in two sizes. The small ones sell for $4.00. The large ones sell for $8.00. Half of the proceeds are used to make more jellyfish. Of the remaining half, one dollar is set aside from the sale of each and donated to community organizations. The remainder of the money is used for the scarf project. Last month, we raised $40 for Feed Nova Scotia.

The first day of Autumn

Today is the first official day of autumn. What that means to us is that winter is not far away. In fact, our annual Santa Under the Bridge Project starts in 68 days. That's less than ten weeks away. We are almost ready.

Currently, we have 212 completed scarves. That's in excess of our annual benchmark of 200. There's still time to raise that number to, perhaps, 250.We also have in excess of 100 headbands. we have enough jewellry items to do 100 gift bags. We generally find that of the 200 estimated gift bags, more than half of those go to females, so that's another plus. On the children's side of things, we lucked into some storybooks, more than enough to fill the 30 or so bags we do for families who may have children.

I remember, many years ago, as a child of 12, we had just moved to Nova Scotia. My dad couldn't find work and we ended up in the welfare system. things were looking pretty grim for having a Christmas. And yet, we woke up on Christmas morning, to find one gift for each of us under the tree. My mom said she found them on the doorstep on Christmas Eve.. It wasn't much, but it put smiles on our faces to know someone out there cared. That is our intention, to remind those in need that there is someone out there who cares.

Mind you, we don't leave gifts on people's doorsteps. During the last week of November, we will make our gift bags. We stuff them with a hand knitted diversity scarf, a headband or hat or pair of mittens - whatever we have - a pair of thermal socks, some personal care items (shampoo, perfume, soap - again whatever our supplies enable us to do). The ladies will be sure to get some jewellry. We toss in a christmas card, some candy canes and pretty soon the bag is full.

We then divide the bags up into the amounts each organization receives. It depends on the type of clients involved. Some are all men. Some are all women. Some are a mixture. Some receive childrens gift packs.

During the first week or two of December, our volunteers (usually members of the board of directors) dress up in Santa shirts and hats (I've been told I really should get a beard) and we load up the sleigh and off we go.

We take lots of pictures and share our adventures on social media. Althouigh we use photos of ourselves and of the staff in the organizations we deliver to, we are careful to never photograph clients. We want to protect their anoymity and their dignity as individuals.

So this is where the project is right now. There is still a lot to do and still a lot of items to buy before it gets off the ground. The gift bags alone run us anywhere from $200-250. The socks are close to $400.

Over the next few weeks as I watch the leaves begin to fall from the trees, I will not become depressed as I might have in years gone by at the ending of the warm season here in Halifax. Instead, my heart will fill with gratitude because I know there are new beginnings and new opportunities to spread joy to those who might not have known any.

September Update

With just under 90 days before Santa Under The Bridge begins, the Board of Directors are hard at work with fundraising ideas. Shown in the above photo from left to right: Bernie, Betsy, Donna, Cyndi, Nancy, and Syeve. Not shown in the photo are the many knitters without whose tireless efforts the project could never be accomplished.

Our latest side project - The Jellyfish Babies - started with a simple idea. Nancy found the pattern online and modified it slightly. Her intention was to develop a craft item we could use to sell at a craft table during the fall.We also thought we could donate part of the proceeds to Feed NS. After posting a picture on social media, we found that the jellyfish babies were quite popular and so far we have sold about 50 of them. Last month, we were able to present Feed Nova Scotia with a donation of $44. For every two dollars they receive, three people can be fed, so we were able to assist 66 people.

We are currently in the process of setting up a collaborative effort between Last House on the Block Society and Self Help Connection to set up a community wellness self help group where we could teach others to knit the jellyfish (and other items). Originally, the jellyfish were considered an item that could be used as a child's toy, but they are also used by adults as stress relievers. Simple modifications to their appearance (braided hair, ballcaps, pirate eyepatches, etc ) give the jellyfish individual personalities.

These six are currently on their way to Africa. Two others spent a few weeks in China. Not all of them become world travelers. But, wherever the jellyfish find their homes, they bring a sense of joy and wellness to their owners. We look forward to continuing the project over the next few months.

Jelly Fish Babies

One of our founding members, Nancy Schultz, came across a pattern online for crocheted jelly fish babies. She toyed a bit with the pattern and made a few samples that we planned to sell at a craft table along with the dish cloths that we also make. Anything over and above the cost of making these gets put into a fund for our Santa Under the Bridge project. The cost to make one is $3.00. We planned to sell them for $5.00 which would give us $2.00 on each one.

We put a few photos up on our social media sites and managed to sell a few in advance of the craft table.Nancy became a bit more creative and gave some of the jelly fish babies hair or ball caps.

We sold a few more. Then, we came up with a side project. We heard the the local food banks were in dire need of assistance. So we created The Jelly Fish Babies Project. During the months of July to October, one dollar gets put into Santa Under the Bridge and one dollar from the sale of each will be donated to Feed Nova Scotia. Once we announced that on social media, the orders started coming in. They are selling faster than we can make them.

The Jelly Fish Babies

In other news, Trish Eisenhauer has left our board of directors to pursue other adventures. We wish her the best in whatever she does and she will be missed. Existing director, Donna Horne, stepped up to the plate and took over the duties of Vice President. Also, two additional directors have joined our Board. Cyndi Murphy and Betsy Cochrane both seem eager to get started.

Arts crafts and comedy

The warmer months are here. Production of the scarves slows down and we concentrate on smaller items for any craft tables we have at various markets around town.

Nancy's latest project is a jellyfish mobile toy that she crochets from a pattern she found online.

I (Bernie) have been working on dish cloths and headbands. There is no fixed pattern for those. Some of the volunteers crochet them I knit them. We are hoping to have one for each gift pack.

We have also received more donations of jewelry.

And I have a funny story that is indirectly related to our project. As you are aware, our society has received some recognition for the volunteer work we do. We received an award from the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Center. Nancy and myself also received an award from the province for the work we do inside and outside of our society. That was all very exciting. Etc etc etc.

On Friday the 13th of May I received a call at home from a local politician. He said he was handing out certificates that evening to local community leaders and he had one for us and would we be available to come get it. I thought it was short notice but he's a busy guy so I said sure no problem. I'll even bring a cheesecake. He likes cherry cheesecake.

I contacted Nancy and told her. She thought she might need a new dress and to have her hair done. I also contacted the board members so that they could be there to support us.

I get all dressed up. Shirt, tie, Fedora. I got my cheesecake in one hand. I'm going over in my head a little speech I prepared and I'm trying to figure out where I'll hang the thing because I've received all those other awards and my ego wall is getting crowded.

I waltz in and I see a group of people huddled at the far end of the room. Is that my brother? What's he doing here? And isn't that my.......

Everyone yells SURPRISE!!!!!! and then I clue in. My 60th birthday was May 20th and this was my party. So now I'm standing there with this look on my face that says what? no award? And I realize I brought a cake to my own birthday.

The party had been arranged by the MLA, the MP, and the city councillor for my district. They had conspired together with my wife over the past few months and I never even saw it coming. I did actually receive two certificates. One in recognition of our contribution to the community. And one that described a resolution passed in the NS House of Assembly to acknowledge my birthday.

It was very humbling. Just thought I'd share that moment with you.

Correction: the dish cloths are sold at craft tables. It's the headbands that go in the gift bags.

Accolades

 

March was a good month for Last House on the Block Society. We received financial support from 5 city councilors, in districts 4, 5, 6, 7, and 13 so that thickened up the pot. Still a long way to go until we reach our annual budgetary needs, but we still have a lot of the year left.

Also, something else quite unexpected happened. Our co-founders, Bernie and Nancy Schultz, were nominated for an award. Each year, the Province of Nova Scotia holds the Provincial Volunteer Awards Luncheon and at this year's ceremony,Bernie and Nancy were awarded Family Volunteers of the Year. Not all the volunteer work they do is with Last House on the Block Society but a great deal of it is.

The event was hosted by the Honorable Stephen MacNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia, the Honorable Joanne Bernard, Minister of the Voluntary Sector, and His Honor, Brigadier General JJ Grant, the Lieutenant-Governor.  Bernie had made a few jokes that he was having lunch with the Premier, but only because the Premier was the host. What Bernie didn't know was that he would be seated at the same table as the visiting dignitaries and did, in fact, have lunch with them. He was humbled by the experience. Mr. MacNeil thought they better take a picture for Bernie to show his friends.

Lots of City Councillors were there. Bernie and Nancy had a chance to speak to some of our supporters, such as Tony Mancini, Councillor for District 6.

We were almost able to have all our Directors at the event, but unfortunately Trish could not make it. Pictured below are Steve, Nancy, Bernie, and Donna. The award was presented to Nancy and Bernie but they both agree that it really belongs to everyone, to all the volunteers associated with our Santa Under The Bridge Project and our Society in general.

In the winter of 1997-1998, Bernie was a homeless man who spent many a night in a sleeping bag under the MacDonald Bridge. Last week, he had lunch with the Premier and the Lieutenant Governor. That should be proof enough to anyone who is struggling, that if you put a little effort into it, you can rise above anything.

There's quite a story here. If Bernie ever publishes his book, you should read it.

The Last House on the Street

One of the organizations we donate our scarves and other items to is the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Center in Halifax. In 2015, we were able to help them assist 39 families with Christmas presents and dinner. Earlier this month we received an invitation to attend their monthly senior & elder supper as a thank you for our support of their Christmas Cheer program. That supper was held on Tuesday February 23.

Both myself and Nancy Schultz attended the supper. We were treated to a warm, loving blend of traditional food and culture. Fresh salmon, potatoes, vegetables and dessert. During our conversations before the meal, we were given an explanation of the smudge ritual and one elder shared a story with us about what the Last House on The Block symbolizes in Native culture.

One day, a man wandered far from his home and was lost. He came upon a great village with many houses. Each house bore the emblem of its clan over the door. He knocked at each door, seeking food and shelter, but each house denied him. 

Until he arrived at the last house on the street. The clan of the Bear. There, a woman let him in. She fed him, allowed him to bathe, gave him fresh warm clothing and a warm place to sleep.

In the morning the man was ill and asked the woman to get him a certain plant to heal him. The following day, he was ill with a different malady and asked her to bring a different plant to heal him. This continued for many days. Each time he would instruct her on which plant to use. Sometimes it was a combination. 

On the last day, the man told the woman that he was in fact The Creator, that since all the other clans had refused to help and that she had not, that to her house, to her clan, the Bear Clan, he offered the gift of medicine so that her house, the last house on the street, would be a house of healing.

In a sense, that's what our organization is. The name was chosen because of its significance to people in recovery from addictions, that often the place that helps them is the last house they come to, the last house on the block. For myself, personally, AA was the last house on the block. For others, it might be something else. We thought the analogy was very fitting.

After the meal, we received an unexpected honor. We were awarded a certificate of appreciation for the work that Last House on the Block Society does (and for work we as individuals do) in support of the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Center. We also received the carving in the opening illustration of this entry. A dream catcher embedded in a turtle.

Although it was Nancy and myself who attended the supper and were there to receive the award, the gift was given to Last House On The Block Society. The board of directors, the volunteers, the knitters, anyone who donated to our cause during the past year, you are all a part of what we do. None of us do what we do for recognition, but sometimes it's nice to know that you are appreciated.

The Big Picture(s)

In the fall of 2012, a friend of mine suggested I open a transition house for men in recovery from addictions. On November 28 of that year, Last House On The Block Society was formed and incorporated under the Societies Act of NS as a non-profit organization. 

Over the next ten months, we attempted to turn our vision into reality. But, the task was too big for us. In October of 2013, we altered our mission statement and became a community outreach for persons in recovery from addictions. One of our board members and co-founders, Nancy Schultz, suggested that she could knit scarves for the women in Marguerite Center and we could offer them as Christmas gifts. 

So, we set out to accomplish that. A few other volunteer knitters agreed to help and by Christmas of 2013, we had 45 scarves. We were able to donate scarves to Marguerite Center, to Direction 180, and to two recovery events in HRM. We placed the scarves in gift bags, along with some thermal socks, personal care items, a christmas card, and a sheet of Words For Today. You place those words in a box. Each day you select one, it becomes your word for the day and you try to practice that word. 

In December of 2013, we dubbed this scarf project Santa Under The Bridge. In January of 2014, we decided to make Santa Under The Bridge our main project. We received a bit of media coverage, conducted some fundraising events and received some financial support from the Dartmouth Community Health Board's Community Development Fund and from the Abenaki Aquatic Club. As a result, by Christmas of 2014, we were able to deliver our gift packs to 15 community organizations. 190 scarves total.

The organizations we donated to are:

1. Freedom Foundation of Nova Scotia - a transition house for men in recovery from addictions, located in Dartmouth.
2. Alcare Place - a transition house for men in recovery from addictions. Located in Halifax.
3. Marguerite Center - a facility for women in recovery from addictions, located in Timberlea.
4. Direction 180 - a community outreach methadone clinic.
5. Stewart Place - a supervised apartment building for men in recovery from addictions, located in Dartmouth.
6. Amethyst Apartments - a supervised apartment building for women in recovery from addictions and abuse, located in Dartmouth.
7. Shelter NS - an organization that offers support and services to homeless persons.
8. Souls Harbor Rescue Mission - a soup kitchen and community outreach for homeless persons and others, located in Halifax.
9. Brunswick Street Mission, a soup kitchen and community outreach for homeless persons and others, located in Halifax.
10. Margaret's House - a soup kitchen and community outreach for homeless persons and others, located in Dartmouth.
11. Stepping Stone - a community outreach and resource center for sex trade workers, located in Halifax.
12. Laing House - a community outreach and resource center for young adults living with a mental illness, located in Halifax.
13. Among Friends Social Club - a safe environment for adults living with mental illness, located in Dartmouth.
14. Mik’maw Native Friendship Center - community outreach and resource center for aboriginals, located in Halifax.
15. Club 24 - a clubhouse for persons in recovery from alcoholism.
    
    
    
    
    
    

In 2015, we also donated to these organizations, with the exception that Shelter NS directed us to Herring Cove Apartments, a new supervised apartment building for men suffering from chronic alcoholism, chronic addiction, and chronic homelessness, located in Spryfield. This was their first Christmas in their new home.

Our directors dress up as Santa's elves when we make the deliveries. I've included some photos.

Also, in 2015, we received continued support from Abenaki Aquatic Club and Dartmouth Community Health Board, as well as Doctors NS. 

We also helped to form a knitting group at another organization. And I, Bernie, have also taken up knitting needles so that I may contribute to that part of the project as well. I'm not very fast, but as of this writing, I have four scarves and two head bands knitted. I find that it is a great stress reliever and at the same time, I am able to contribute to keeping someone warm during our harsh winter days and nights.

For 2016, our plan is 250 gift packs. We intend to donate to the same organizations as before, and with luck, we may be able to provide some organizations with more gift packs than we have in previous years.

Nancy has started a knitting group for seniors, but of course that is something she does as an individual and not part of what we do as a Society.

I am hoping to become more involved with youth in our community and that may be something I do on my own or we may be able to find a way to involve them in our project. As with most plans, it will be interesting to see how it develops.

If you wish to be involved in any of our projects or events feel free to contact us at:

lasthouseontheblock@outlook.com