WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY
(EVENTS, NEWS, & AWARENESS)
Maker Meetup
This Maker Meetup is an opportunity to break the ice at MakerLabs, meet other beginners, tour the facilities, and receive support from MakerLabs staff.
This event is open to members and non-members of MakerLabs, and we encourage both new and old members to attend and meet others in the community.
If you’re just getting started in hobby making or starting your small business, meeting other creatives in a co-working setting can be intimidating. Who can you ask for help? Where are certain tools or amenities stored at MakerLabs? How do you begin to network and collaborate with others? What’s the best way to kickstart your maker career? We’re here to help smooth your transition into the culture!
If you’ve been working on something cool and want to share it, you can do a 5 minute show and tell. Maybe you’re looking for collaborators on a project, or if you’ve recently learned a new skill, come share it with others.
The Woodworking residency will also be presenting their finished projects, so come and get inspired by other beginners.
This will be a loosely structured event with no formal curriculum or teaching. Ask for advice on your concepts or project, introduce yourself, or simply hangout and chat.
Interdisciplinary participation is strongly encouraged, but absolutely no experience required.
Topics: woodworking, ceramics, woodturning, textiles, electronics, CNC machining, 3D printing, welding, metal fabrication.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 22nd | 7:00PM – 8:30PM
WHERE: MakerLabs (780 East Cordova Street Vancouver, BC)
COST: FREE!
Real Talk – Men’s Pizza Party
Men with cognitive disabilities get together to talk with a Certified Sexual Health Educator about dating, love, relationships & sex.
This event will be in-person at 336 Columbia St. New Westminster
This event is for men. Anyone who identifies as a man is welcome.
Everybody has questions about dating, love, relationships, and sex. Things like:
- How do I meet a girlfriend / boyfriend / partner?
- How do I let my family know that I want to date?
- How can I make sex safer?
- What is consent?
It’s totally normal. But sometimes it can be hard to know where to get good information. At this event, we’ll watch some Real Talk videos, and have a conversation hosted by a Certified Sexual Health Educator. We’ll talk about where to get good information, who can support us with this stuff, and how to figure out confusing situations. People are welcome to talk about things, or to just listen if they don’t want to talk.
WHEN: Thursday, October 24th | 5:00PM – 7:00PM
WHERE: 336 Columbia St, New Westminster, BC
COST: FREE!
Rio Theatre – The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Halloween Party
More tricks! More treats! More All-You-Can-Eat Cereal!
The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party is returning to the Rio Theatre on Saturday, October 26 with a specially curated all-new lineup of retro TV goodness covered in sugary cereal. It’s Volume V – Halloween Style!
Kids today may not realize the significance of the Saturday morning ritual, but once upon a time, we had to wait a whole week to get our cartoon fix, and when we got it, we tended to binge. Well – welcome to The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party – that special time when kids and kids-at-heart get to relive the exciting Saturday morning ritual of non-stop retro cartoons, and binge on the multi-colored sugary cereals that used to be a part of every “balanced” breakfast!
The cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but Volume V will be covered in an extra spooktacular Halloween coating – so expect to see even more monsters, sci-fi, sleuths, superheroes and all kinds of 2D silliness. Expect the unexpected, from faves and obscurities spanning the ’30s through the ’90s, all punctuated with vintage commercials, PSAs and station IDs for a 3-hour trip down memory lane! Get ready for a sugar rush and an explosion of nostalgia in one hair-raising morning.
Even better…? COSTUME CONTEST! Show us what you’ve got, or maybe just give your costume a test-drive before the big day. Costumes (and, as always, comfy pajamas) are welcome and encouraged.
Curated by David Bertrand
Please note: Dairy-free options are available. Compostable bowls and spoons will be provided, but we do encourage guests to bring their own NON-BREAKABLE (ie, not ceramic) bowls and spoons.
WHEN: Saturday, October 26th | Doors 10:00AM | Event 10:30AM *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
WHERE: Rio Theatre (1660 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC)
COST: Adults HERE | Kids Pricing (13 and under) HERE
The Lumiere Festival 2024
The Lumiere Festival provides meaningful space and opportunities for emerging and professional artists of all disciplines and backgrounds to create and share their work within the community.
This free, four-day festival from Nov. 7th – 10th, 2024 will feature small to large-scale illuminated artworks, light based projections, and dynamic performances following the theme of Elements.
Click here to see the locations!
What is happening in Vancouver in October?
Click on the link below to see what’s happening:
https://www.destinationvancouver.com/events/calendar-of-events/vancouver-events-in-october/
Collingwood Neighbourhood House – Community Lunch Menu for October
Join us every Tuesday and Thursday for an affordable three-course meal at our Multipurpose Room (5288 Joyce Street) for only $7-8 from 12:15-1:30pm.
Buy your tickets at Collingwood Neighbourhood House reception!
For questions, email Susanna Chu at schu@cnh.bc.ca or call 604-435-0375.
| Tuesday | October 22, 2024 | Green(s) soup, mini-meatball or veggie subs, salad, and brownie |
| Thursday | October 24, 2024 | Ground pork or tofu in black bean sauce with noodles, salad, and lemon poppyseed cake |
| Tuesday | October 29, 2024 | Tomato soup, ham and cheese sandwich, salad, and dessert |
| Thursday | October 31, 2024 | Chili with garlic bread, salad, and pumpkin cake |
![[ID: Collingwood Neighbourhood House logo.]](https://www.spectrumsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cnh.png)
Community Lunch Program at Renfrew Park Community Centre
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Meals include a hot entrée, salad or side dish, dessert, coffee or tea. We try our best to use locally grown seasonal vegetables and fruit from community gardens! Lunches will be served on a first come first served basis. Lunch can be bought in person with cash/credit card or online with a credit card, limit of 4 per person. Limited number of lunches available.
Adults/Seniors $7.62+tax | Children/Youth $6.19+tax
Fees for this program are non-refundable.
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Zucchini Sausage Soup
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Pasta with Pumpkin and Parmesan Marinara
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Pear Tarts with Whipped Cream
WHERE: Renfrew Park Community Centre, Kitchen (Room 110) – (2929 E 22nd Ave, Vancouver, BC)
WHEN: Friday, October 25th | 12:00PM – 1:00PM
![[ID: logo of Vancouver Farmers Markets.]](https://eatlocal.org/assets/themes/VFM-2018/img/header_vfm_logo.png){kind=logo}
Click Here to Find Your Market!
Vancouver Community Fridge Project
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The Vancouver Community Fridge Project is a decentralized food distribution network and mutual aid initiative created to provide healthy, free food and essential supplies to our communities across lower mainland.
Our mission is to combat food insecurity by encouraging our communities to take part in laterally-directed mutual aid, starting with providing free, safe, non-policed, accessible and nutritious foods through community fridges and pantries.
All fridges and pantries that are apart of the VCFP network will be operating on a strict no policing, no-shame policy. This means, the VCFP does not condone patrolling how fridge users engage with the fridge, gatekeeping, or any exclusionary or harmful behaviours. The fridges should be accessible, welcoming places based on trust and communication of needs, established by and for the community.
FINANCIAL UPDATES
BC Hydro – Free Portable Air Conditioners
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Available for income qualified households and individuals referred by regional health authority programs.
If you live in an income-qualified household and/or have received a recommendation letter from your regional health authority’s Home Care Program you may be eligible for a free portable air conditioner (AC).
This program is available year-round. If you apply during the winter and fall, you’ll have your evaluation completed and receive your unit sooner than during warmer months. Homeowners can also choose to self-install their units, which may help in receiving a unit quicker, during the summer.
This offer includes:
- One portable AC unit: Portable units are on wheels and are installed by connecting a flexible duct hose through an open window. They’re plugged into a standard wall electrical outlet.
- A one-time installation: You’re responsible for ongoing maintenance, take-down and reinstallation. If you own your home, you can opt to self-install your unit.
A portable AC unit is ideal for small, closed-in areas, like a bedroom. It can help create a safe cooling space during extreme heat events during the day and at night. For more information on how to prepare for heat events, see guidance from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
How to apply:
- Review the eligibility criteria to make sure you qualify.
- If you rent your home, you’ll need to get your landlord’s consent. Complete the landlord consent form [PDF, 1.7 MB].
- Apply online for your free portable AC unit.
- After you apply, our team will reach out to you within a few weeks to let you know if your application is approved.*
- Approved applications will then be forwarded to our contractors. Our contractor will contact you within one to two weeks to schedule a visit to your home.
- Customers who own their homes can choose to self-install their units or have the AC installed for you.
There are no fees or shipping costs.
* Please note that air conditioning units are available on a first come, first served basis amongst qualified applicants subject to funding.
BC Hydro – Customer Crisis Fund
If you’re a residential customer experiencing a temporary financial crisis, such as a loss of employment or benefit income, unanticipated medical expenses, or a death in the family and you’ve fallen behind on your BC Hydro bill, you may be eligible for a grant payment to avoid disconnection of your service.
Eligibility for a grant
To receive a grant from the Customer Crisis Fund, you need to meet a few criteria:
- Be a residential account holder.
- Be applying for a grant for your primary residence account.
- Your account must have payments overdue by at least 21 days or be facing disconnection. You can apply as early as when you have a balance owing on your account, but your application will be on hold until your payment is 21 days overdue or your account is facing disconnection.
- You must have experienced a life event, within the last 12 months, that caused a temporary financial crisis.
- Have an outstanding balance of $1,000 or less, and have demonstrated some attempt to make payments towards your bill.
You may receive one grant per account holder annually (one per year). If a grant application is denied and your circumstances change, you can apply again in the same year.
Click here for more information and how to apply!
![[ID: logo of BC Hydro Power Smart]](https://ecofitt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bchydro.jpg)
Inclusion BC Provincial Budget Alert 2024-2025
Spectrum is a member of Inclusion BC and supports their provincial advocacy on behalf of individuals and families with developmental disabilities.
Click here for their report on the provincial budget announced for 2024-2025.
![[ID: logo of Inclusion BC]](https://files.constantcontact.com/5484ef30101/c09a3cee-3809-41f2-964f-ab73cfcb439f.png)
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Plan Institute Webinars
The Plan Institute has FREE upcoming regular webinars on the topics of the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and Wills, Trusts and Estates Planning.
RDSP
The Registered Disability Savings Plan is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan for those with disabilities to better financially plan for their futures. The Level 1 webinar is meant for those who want to learn about what the RDSP is, who qualifies, and how to apply. The Level 2 webinar is for those who already have a RDSP, or have already taken Level 1.
Next Level 1 Webinar: Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 | 7:00PM – 8:30PM
Next Level 2 Webinar: Tuesday, November 19th, 2024 | 7:00PM – 8:45PM
Click here to register and for more information
Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning (BC Only)
This webinar is meant for those who want to become better informed on the process of wills, trusts and estate planning to better secure the future of your relative or loved one with a disability. There is a limit of 60 participants so early registration is encouraged!
Next Webinar: Thursday, October 24th, 2024 | 10:00AM – 11:15AM
Click here to register and for more information
REFERRAL PROGRAM
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Is there anyone you know that is looking for meaningful work?
If you have a friend, family member or meet someone in the community that is interested in joining the team and you refer them to Spectrum, you could be eligible for a referral bonus!
If the person referred is hired and maintains at least 6 months of consistent employment with Spectrum, we will award a $250 Referral Bonus.
*for more information on the program, please email hr@spectrumsociety.org
We thank you for bringing us quality applicants/employees!