Rebecca Jantzi throws a ball at the dunk tank during Community Living Month celebrations in Nanaimo. (Photo by Neil Gaudet)

Community Living Month events

Across the province, community organizations hosted events to celebrate Community Living Month, which honours the achievements of people with developmental disabilities in inclusive, supportive communities.

In Nanaimo, a number of agencies came together to host a day of fun and activity to kick off Community Living Month on October 1. One of the activities was a kickball tournament, an idea that was originally suggested by participants in Nanaimo Supportive Lifestyles. The game was perfect because, with some slight rule changes, people in wheelchairs or with mobility aids are able to participate.

Several agencies put forth teams made up of people with disabilities, staff members and anyone else in the community who wanted to play. The winning team was Skanna Community Resources Ltd.

The event also featured a BBQ hosted by the Nanaimo Association for Community Living and a dunk tank hosted by the Explorer Day Program. Staff from various agencies and local CLBC offices offered themselves up to be dunked in exchange for charitable donations.

Ladysmith Community Link also arranged the painting of several community art murals. Each year the art is sold and the money, together with the funds raised from the BBQ and dunk tank, is donated to a local charity. The charity is different each year and is not connected to people with developmental disabilities. Rather, it reflects how people with disabilities are valued and contributing members of the community who like to give back and lend a helping hand.

This year, the event raised $662 which was donated to the 7-10 Club, a local charity that provides breakfast and bagged lunches to anyone in need in Nanaimo.

In Prince George, AiMHi presented their fourth annual Fall Fashion Show on October 23 with the help of many of their community partners. Models who volunteered for the show were made up of self-advocates, service providers and CLBC staff.

The event presented many beautiful moments of discovery and growth. As the audience watched, people were transformed from shy and unsure of their ability to confident and self-assured players. Many returning models knew from past experience how to get thecrowd going and did so with graceful skill. Models who were experiencing the event for the first time found it to be a daunting experience, yet they too found their inner strength and seized the moment walking proudly down the decorated runway. 

Attendance increased over last year with 125 tickets sold. The event was also featured in a full-page photo spread in The Prince George Citizen and in a slide show on their website. The slide show can be viewed at www.youtube.com by searching for “AiMHi Fashion Show.”

Elsewhere around the province, there were art shows, open houses, community clean ups, essay contests, family picnics, dances, Halloween parties and a whole range of events. Congratulations to everyone who participated in Community Living Month and helped to make community inclusion a reality.