Staff at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent have entered a video featuring dancers from our adapted dance program in a contest sponsored by Holland Bloorview, the children’s rehabilitation hospital in Toronto.  The contest, aimed at “Bringing Visibility to Disability”, is at www.filmpossible.ca and features a number of video entries from across Ontario.

Once you register at www.filmpossible.ca, you can vote for our video titled “We Dance” until September 15, 2010.  One vote per email address per day.  The three entries with the highest vote tallies will automatically advance to the finals, plus a panel of judges will pick another three entries.  The winning entry will receive the grand prize of $5,000 donated back to their children’s treatment centre.

Please register and vote daily for “We Dance”.  It is a touching tribute to the therapeutic power of dance.

We welcome Blenheim’s Thompsons Limited as our MASTERPIECE Sponsor.

Please plan to join us for a celebration of art and abilities on September 30 at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent (355 Lark Street, Chatham) when we host the 2nd Annual Mosaic Art Gala.  Bid in live and silent auctions for artwork created by children at the Centre and by local professional artists.  Enjoy the music of Sarah Hiltz and some scrumptious treats by Harvest Moon Catering.  Tickets are $100 each and include a $75 charitable tax receipt.  Reserve your tickets by calling the Foundation office at 519-354-0520, ext. 266.

Click here to see promotional poster:

10MosaicFlyer

People who frequent the Children’s Treatment Centre will know that the toy train set in our lobby has brought hours of fun to children waiting for therapy sessions.  Young Spencer Sarson wanted gifts of money from his recent 7th birthday spent on some new trains for the set.  Spencer recently presented the toys to Foundation executive director Art Stirling.  Thanks Spencer for your thoughtfulness.

Each year the employees of local seed company Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited raise funds for a different charity during their annual golf tournament.   This year proceeds from their recent event were earmarked for the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent’s “Fitness Fun for ALL Kids!” campaign in support of our adapted sports programs for developmentally challenged children.

Along with a corporate match, the employee golf tournament committee presented representatives of the Foundation with a cheque totalling $3,343.65. 

Thank you Pioneer!

Pioneer employee golf committee members Betty Ann Philips, Linda Driessen and Tamara Burton present cheque to Foundation representatives Cindy Bondy, Tracy Bultje and Art Stirling.

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Thanks to a generous donation from the community, 15 teen clients of the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, several in wheelchairs, are going to travel by bus and see the Black Eyed Peas in concert at Sarnia’s Rogers Bayfest on July 18.  They will be accompanied by support staff.

The donors who wish to remain anonymous hope that, by supporting the trip, additional awareness of the Centre’s good work serving local children and youth with developmental challenges will be created.  “To us, this demonstrates the role our community needs to play in supporting the Centre and its clients,” says the anonymous donor, “These kids are part of our future and, regrettably, they are often marginalized.”

“This event is a wonderful  opportunity for our teens to experience what their siblings and other teens are able to do naturally, independent of their families,” says Darlene Dowd, the Centre’s Teen Transition Project Facilitator.  One of the goals of the Life Links Program at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent is to increase independence of our youth while gaining new social and community skills. 

The Teen Transition Project is funded by a two-year $110,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation which comes to an end in August.  The grant allowed the hiring of a project facilitator who has been eagerly developing programs and making community connections for local youth to develop necessary skills for successful transition to adulthood.

Through one such new program, run at the Centre for the past three weeks, these teens are giving back to the community by raising money for Outreach for Hunger. Upon the program’s completion, they will volunteer at the food bank and present the funds raised.

The BMO Employees Charitable Foundation has provided a $2,500 Kids ‘n Motion Grant to the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent.  The grant is earmarked to the Foundation’s Fitness Fun for ALL Kids! campaign focused on raising funds to support the Centre’s adapted sports programs for the next three plus years.  We thank BMO Bank of Montreal and its employees for this donation.

“We are excited that the Scotiabank Group, with their three branches in Chatham, have chosen to partner with us on this campaign,” said Art Stirling, Foundation Executive Director.  “They recognize the health and social benefits of physical fitness and organized sports for all children regardless of ability.” 

“Scotiabank is pleased to be able to support the Foundation’s adapted sports campaign and provide funding that will not only improve the health and well-being of children across Chatham-Kent with special needs but help them reach their full developmental potential,” says Brenda Richardson, Chatham Community Manager.

Adapted sports programs offered by the Centre include adapted swimming, sailing, baseball, soccer, sledge hockey, bocce, golf, dance and gymnastics.  The campaign will cover the cost of modified sports equipment, staff expertise and facility rental, where necessary.

Courtesy of Blackburn Radio, the link below takes you to video of adapted dance and signing choir performances that occurred during our recent annual general meeting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G2lhcktLkg

Click here for: Golf Tournament Sign-up Sheet

On Friday, August 20 at The Links of Kent Golf Course, area branches of RBC Royal Bank will host their 3rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament in support of the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent.  Proceeds from this year’s event will be directed toward the “Fitness Fun for ALL Kids” campaign in support of adapted sports programs offered by the Centre.

 Please plan to join us, and please forward this information on throughout your respective networks.  This event will be attended by business owners, executives, decision makers and community leaders throughout Chatham-Kent and your participation as a golfer and/or a sponsor will be appreciated and worthwhile.

Entry fee is $90 per golfer.  Sign-up sheet is attached.  Hole sponsorship is available at $100 per hole, and donations are being accepted for the prize table.  Contact Mary Weldon at mary.weldon@rbc.com or Judy Serruys at judy.serruys@rbc.com to register or sponsor.