Victoria’s Read

MY INDOOR/ OUTDOOR DOG PARK DREAM:

I love the outdoors and nature, as well as most wildlife. I am a hiker all year round.

Through my articles I am trying to reach out to the city council, the media and the community of North Bay. I am hoping to receive local support and backing in this business venture. It is not simply a business but an expanding and beneficial addition to the city’s culture and diversity.

After all dog is man’s best friend, 2 out of 3 people in North Bay own at least one dog, usually more. Our city has nothing for dog owners to enjoy. Dogs need a playground too. We have no off-leash areas and no outdoor dog parks. It is dangerous to take our dogs out to the woods in both the summer and winter, with the wild animals roaming in the city limits, along with the hunters and the snowmobiles.

I am in the planning stages of making my dream a reality. However I am facing a few road blocks as far as funding  and resources. I have a dream and the experience with dogs in the K-9 industry but am limited in financial resources and a location. I am looking for publicity to help put the word out about my plan, to open an Indoor/outdoor dog park here in North Bay. I hope to find a sponsor or partner in this amazing opportunity for our community.

I am a 34 year old single mother of 3 amazing young children and 2 big dogs. I followed my ex-husband around the U.S.A in the Army for 11 years and have now returned to Ontario with my children and dogs. We live in a row house with no yard and very little space. My dream has always been to settle down and open this family business that my children can be totally involved in and that will bring our community together and give joy,  not only us but all dog owners. I have never wanted to do anything other than work with dogs and there owners. I aim to spend each and every day surrounded by them. 

There are both indoor and outdoor dog parks in every small or large city in the U.S. and I find it so strange that the only indoor dog parks in Ontario are in Toronto. There are several hundred outdoor dog parks  in southern Ontario,  but not one in the North. I have come to understand that the North Bay city council is not allowing an outdoor dog park to open in North Bay through volunteer efforts and non-profit organizations. I do understand the city’s hesitance due to the potential liability risks. That is why I propose a privately owned and operated Indoor/outdoor dog park as the answer for everyone.

A few other major benefits to the community and welfare of our pet will be that all dogs will need to be licensed and fix with up to date shot by 6 months of age. Day passes will be available for out of town guests. There will be a temperament test required before admittance of any dogs without exception Effective correction techniques will be practiced by all dog owners to insure order and reduce risks.

Although this is not an industrial business it is incredibly important to me and my family. This business would not only help support my family and our dream, but better the community in many ways. We do not want to make a fortune running this facility, we just want to be self- sufficient and make a difference in the lives of those around us. We want to see people happy and enjoying life with their kids and their dog(s) in all weather, all year round. People should not be stuck in the house complaining about the cold and the rain or the bugs and the heat. This would bring so many people out to visit and play with other dog owners and their dogs. In order to keep the cost of the membership low and affordable to everyone I need sponsorship and support from the city and local Entrepreneurs.

If there is any way you can help me get this off the ground please contact me at your convenience.

SPONSORS NEEDED!!!  EVERY SPONSOR WILL RECEIVE AS MUCH PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING AS POSSIBLE ON SITE OF THE INDOOR FACILITY AND IN THE OUTDOOR DOG PARK AREA. IF YOUR BUSINESS DONATES A FENCE, OR EVEN PART OF ONE, YOUR LOGO AND ADVERTISEMENT WILL BE ON THAT PART OF THE FENCE. IF YOUR BUSINESS DONATES TREES OR BENCHES THEN THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN.  THIS BENEFIT WILL APPLY FOR ALL DONATIONS FROM BUSINESSES WHO SPONSOR PUPPY POWER INDOOR/OUTDOOR DOG PARK IN ANY WAY. PLUS YOUR FAMILY WILL RECEIVE A FULL YEAR MEMBERSHIP FREE!

Join me in bringing my dream to North Bay for all our families with K-9 companions!

Will it not be amazing to have a place to take your dog(s) that is not riddled with glass?

How about a place that is not staked out by hunters with bows and guns?

It will be so nice to know for sure that you and your dog will not be met by a bear, porcupine, skunk or snare trap?

That is why I plan to open the first and only Indoor dog park in the north, right here in North Bay.

Yes that’s right, dog owners will be able to take dog(s) to play off leash with other dogs in a nice big dog friendly building in the rain, snow and extreme cold.

We will finally have a place to go where there won’t be the hidden dangers lurking in the trees, not to mention the Bi-Law officer.

No more top secret dog walking groups!!!

All you have to do is License your dog with the city, pay a reasonable yearly membership and you will have full access to the indoor play area, during open hours, every day of the week.

Imagine being able to go to special dog events like Halloween and Christmas parties, small and large dog playgroups and much more for your family and your

K-9 companion(s)?

We will not be offering kennels or boarding of any kind, you will have to go elsewhere for that service.

We will have daycare so you can leave your dog(s) to play in the big open area, with all the other dogs, all day with no worries!!!

We will offer behaviour modification and training consultation on site for a small fee.

There will be several treat dispensers and equipment for your kids and dogs to play on together for hours of fun.

A totally fun, safe and clean experience for the whole family.

This is my dream!

I want to bring this dream to North Bay so all dogs and dog owners can have a warm, dry place to get the exercise and socialization we all need.

Can you help me make this dream a reality?

Will you invest in this great opportunity for North Bay’s dog owners and all our awesome dogs?

Please contact me if you have land, a building or house big enough to support this business. I am looking for sponsors and/or a partner.

Thank-you for any and all support that will aid in making this dream a reality.

Tiffany Womack

K9girl3@yahoo.com

Below is another one of the stories that will be shared during Nipissing Performs for Poverty which is part of Nipissing University’s Poverty Awareness Week.  Join us for the readings of stories like Rachel’s, along with music and dance performances on February 4th at 6:30pm at The Wall, all in an effort to raise awareness about local poverty. 

Rachel’s Story: Follow Up

I did everything the way I was supposed to. I graduated from high school with honors. I went to college, working the entire time so I wouldn’t have student loans. I continued to work, met a great guy and 7 years later I married him. We had two beautiful little girls.

Things should have been perfect. Somewhere along the way, things went horribly wrong. When my first was born, I lost my job because we had no daycare. We really struggled with that.  We were living on barely $1300 a month. For the first time in my life, I found myself in debt.  Thankfully, 6 months later, I found a new job. We got our debt back under control.

Now 3 years later, we’ve had daughter #2.  A blessing to be sure but she is sick. A rare congenital defect that is causing her many problems. The costs are adding up. We often travel to CHEO to ensure that she gets the proper care that she needs. We could have never seen this coming or planned for the added expenses. I am now once again without work because of daycare issues. I need a subsidized infant daycare spot and they are nearly impossible to find. 

I feel everything getting out of control again. We don’t have OW or ODSP, we have market rent, no low-income housing for us or any other assistance. We live on a tight budget of about $1300 a month.  Who can live on that? We have no desire to live by taking from others. It’s no one’s place to pay our way but us but sometimes, it’s so overwhelming that I cry myself to sleep. I want only to give my girls the best I can. Sometimes I wish I could do more.

When I can get my youngest daughter into daycare, I plan to return to the work force. Until then, I live with uncertainty and doubt.  I wake up at night and feel like a bad parent, a bad person. Sometimes I just want to scream.

It hurts me when I hear people say comments about families like mine. Like we shouldn’t have kids or that we’re wasteful or any other number of comments that are not always thought through. 

For more information on this event, please call 474-4000, Ext 351 or Email:rideshare@northbayspc.com

The 6th of December commemorates the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, as well as the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. 

On this day the Nipissing University Women’s Centre will be hosting their annual Candle Light Vigil to pay tribute to women who have experienced violence. 

The Montreal Massacre has strong importance within the educational system and for people apart of this system. 

On the 6th of December 1989, 14 women were killed at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. These women were singled out simply because they were women striving for an education.  As a university with a high female population this day of commemoration is especially important for Nipissing, not only in honoring the lives of women lost to violence, but also in raising awareness about violence against women within our community.

The Vigil will be taking place on the 6th of December at 10:30 AM in the Conference Room of the Nipissing Public Library.  This event will include biographies and speeches, as well as refreshments afterwards.  We invite all people to attend this event, and to make announcements to your classes. 

A White Ribbon Campaign has also begun this week. If you wish to wear a white ribbon please stop by the table booth outside the Pals variety store and down the hall- on the Nipissing University Campus- starting this Wednesday, November 17, 2008.

If you have any questions please contact us.
nuwomenscentre@hotmail.com
Samantha Rice, Women’s Centre

The Christmas season has always been my favorite time of the year because it holds my most fondest of memories.

In my younger years, Christmas day would begin with my father anxiously waking my brother and me up to see what Santa had brought us and as time went on, only that would change. After opening our presents and eating up all of mom’s delicious home cooked breakfasts, we would head down the highway to Grandma’s house.

The drive was long and I didn’t much appreciate leaving our new toys behind but all that would just disappear the minute I saw Grandma. She would swing open the door and swoop us into her arms, plastering us with enough kisses to last a lifetime. She loved us so and we loved her.

Her home was filled with homemade pies, cakes, breads and everything in between. It was a child’s paradise and selecting just one for dessert was never a problem because Grandma always allowed us a little of each.

I can still smell her turkey cooking to this day. I would happily eat up all my meal for her from the special dinner plate that was only for me. Grandma would praise me for eating all my veggies. Mind you, having her smother them in brown sugar had NOTHING to do with it!

Grandma always kept us busy during our visits. She treasured all of our wonderful creations made of the cardboard tubes and egg cartons she had saved all year long as if they were gifts handed down from the heavens.

At the end of the day, she would settle us down in our P.J’s and new knitted slippers (lovingly made by Grandma). With our trays of goodies and milk beside us, my brother and I would play the new board games she bought us. Only then would she go into the kitchen to play cards with the adults.

The most glorious moment in my life took place on one of those splendid Christmas days at my Grandmas. On bended knee, my husband purposed to me. He could not have chosen a better time or place. Grandma looked on, wiping her teary eyes, thrilled to have another grandchild to love.

Grandma is in heaven now but my Christmas memories of her will live on forever.  Thank you, Grandma.

Written by: Victoria Evangeline Reed

Below is one of the stories that will be shared during Nipissing Performs for Poverty which is part of Nipissing University’s Poverty Awareness Week.  Join us for the readings of stories like Sasha’s, along with music and dance performances on February 4th at 6:30pm at The Wall  all in an effort to raise awareness about local poverty. 

A Day in the Life of Sasha

It’s not easy being a mother nowadays - you have to save every penny and live from pay cheque to pay cheque. My husband works two jobs and it’s still not enough to support the two of us, not to mention our one year old daughter and newborn son. 

I wake up in the morning knowing that I have to make sure everything like food, diapers and formula lasts until the end of the month.  On top of that, there is the constant worry of doing coin laundry. It is way too expensive for us to do laundry and it’s simply money that we do not have.

I never thought that things would ever get so tough but they did and now my family is suffering for it. It doesn’t make me feel proud to say, “I can’t do that, because I can’t afford it.”  My self-esteem is at the minimum and I feel like I am at the end of my rope. I try to do things with my kids everyday but I just can’t afford the transportation to get to most programs and some activities simply cost money that again, I do not have.  Me and my kids are forced to spend most of our days at home instead of getting out of the house like “normal” families do.

Food banks for me are the lowest point. When I have to visit a food bank, it makes me feel like I have failed as a mother, wife and “normal” human being.  I don’t think that anyone should be made to feel this way.
On top of all this anguish, I must live in an apartment building where if I step out on the back porch, I fear for my safety. The landlord refuses to fix it until someone falls through it. Is this somewhere you would want to live?

The truth is that I need a hand up, not a hand out. I need something to help our family through this tough time and keep us out of what seems like a constant down slope; one that is never-ending.

For more information, please email mentor@nipissingu.ca or call 474-3450 ext. 4241.

Hi, I’m Victoria’s Ride and I am spoiled.  I suppose I shouldn’t hide it since it’s written all over my face.

I admit that I like the bling bling and Victoria just loves to buy it for me! Yeah..I like to shine but don’t let my pink exterior fool you.  I can keep up with the boys and I just love the attention.

Frank at Ayer’s Automotive gave me a complete physical and I mean… complete. He can tend to my body… ANYTIME!

I really dig my new, shiny designer spinner heels. They keep me rolling in style!

It’s been said that I’m as hot as Sunfire and that I have a nice rear end.  Well, I’m still blushing all over.

My stylist Bob transformed me from the once dark caracter I used to be to the vibrant model I am today. I must say that he’s quite cartistic! Thanks Bobby. You always know how to make me  better.

The Electric Playground hooked me up with some cartunes to get my groove on and The Sign People did some sexy Body Art on me. It didn’t even hurt!

So, if you see me on the street, stop and say hi. I’m very approachable.

Written by Victoria Reed

This story is one of a series of stories that will be shared during a poverty awareness event that will be hosted by Nipissing University’s Mentorship Program and the North Bay Parent Advisory Committee.  The evening will be a blend of live music, performances by NUSU Students on Stage and a dance piece – all geared toward raising awareness about poverty.  It will take place on the evening of February 4th and is open to the public.

For more information, please email mentor@nipissingu.ca or call 474-3450 ext. 4241.

Rachel’s Story: 
Working to Survive

If someone had told me ten years ago that I would raise my children in poverty, I would have laughed at them. I mean, I graduated high school, attended college and was making something of my life. I’ve always worked. My husband and I have 2 beautiful daughters. We both work. We don’t have Ontario Works (OW), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or anything else. Everything we make is earned the old fashioned way, by hard work and integrity but we still struggle everyday to make ends meet.  Does this make us bad parents or bad people?  I think not. One day we will find our way out or at least, we hope we will. We’ve already made leaps and bounds from where we were 2 years ago. We’re doing it on our own. We’ve realized in that time, that everyone needs help sometimes.

We are not users or wasters. We do it on our own, when we can. Hand ups are accepted when needed and passed back in thanks to others who need it. We get only what we need, when we need it. Every penny is counted and saved when it can be. Sometimes I would like to give my children more but they are healthy, happy and loved. That’s what truly matters.

I can see that more and more minimum wage jobs are taken by average college and university grads – like me; People, who have worked their entire life towards a goal but find a lack of employment in their chosen field, people with the best laid plans, who somehow wind up living in poverty.

When many people think of poverty, they think of people on OW. Their first (unrealistic and over-generalized) thought is that these people are using the system and that tax payers are paying for it.  They paint all people who access OW with the same stereotype-tainted brush, meanwhile they don’t think of us, the working poor who are trying our best to provide for our families.
I

f you had asked me 10 years ago what poverty was, I would have had nothing to share. Now, sadly, I know far too well what it truly is.

During Poverty Awareness Week in February 2009, The North Bay Parent Advisory Committee will team up with the meal exchange program to put on a dramatic presentation which will aim to raise awareness about local poverty.  In this coffee-house style presentation, called Portraits of Hunger, some P.A.C. members will share their personal stories of their struggles as parents with low incomes. 

Mia’s Story
Throughout my life, I have always felt alone, but I think that the one time when it hit me the hardest was after I moved to a small one-bedroom apartment with my one-month old son. In what seemed to be just my luck, I landed a new job and found out that I was pregnant. It felt like I was on a high because things were going great, but all of that was slowly going to crash and burn around me. Before long, it was the end of October and my due date was in two days. I was looking for an affordable place to live for myself and my expected son. I finally thought that I had found a potential place, made arrangements to meet the landlord, and he didn’t show up. As a last resort, I began to call different shelters to see if one would let me stay there. A few hours and a twenty dollar taxi ride later, I ended up at the Ojibway Family Resource Centre where I stayed for the night. The following night, I went into labour and had my son – 5:10 a.m. on his due date!  Before I could leave the hospital, I had to talk with the Children’s Service Worker because I was staying in a shelter. This put pressure on me to find another place to live as soon as possible.
I then moved to a bug–infested, poorly ventilated apartment which gave my son rashes and respiratory ailments. In the wintertime, ice covered my living room window. There was rust in the bathroom water due to old pipes and countless other repairs to be done. It was a sad reality, but it was the only place I could afford. Now, I am happy to say, that things are looking a little better for me. I have been living in low-income housing for a year (that’s two years after I signed up!), and my son is now healthier and happier than ever. I have gained confidence and lasting friendships through my work with the P.A.C. – and best of all, I no longer feel alone.   

If you can relate to Mia, we want to hear from you. Offer your perspective and help raise awareness about local poverty. For more information about Portraits of Hunger, please call or email Pamela Moore at 845-6715 or mentor@nipissingu.ca

At 8:43 a.m. local time, the Coast Guard cutter Itasca, steaming off Howland Island, receives this faint transmission from Amelia Earhart: “KHAQQ calling Itasca. We must be on you but cannot see you — but gas is running low….”

She vanishes along with her navigator, Fred Noonan, into the Central Pacific and they’re never heard from again.

The disappearance of the celebrated flier remains perhaps the most tantalizing unsolved mystery in aviation history.

In the age of Charles Lindbergh and other daredevil fliers, Amelia Earhart became a household name in 1928, after becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.

True, it was as a passenger with a male pilot and copilot, but she soloed across the Atlantic in 1932.
Although fellow pilots rated her as no better than competent, Earhart parlayed her sex and her absolute devotion to flying into a celebrity that few of her contemporaries enjoyed. And it’s not like she wasn’t legit: Earhart was the first pilot of either sex to successfully fly solo from Honolulu to the U.S. mainland, reaching Oakland, California, on Jan. 11, 1935.

She wrote voluminously about her experiences and worked hard to promote aviation, both to women and to the public at large.

Various stations around the Pacific reported receiving unidentified signals, leading to the hope that Earhart and Noonan had somehow managed to find land somewhere. None of these reports amounted to anything.
Over the years the mystery only deepened, leading to some pretty fanciful theories concerning Earhart’s fate.

The likeliest explanation for what became of Earhart and Noonan is that they ran out of fuel, ditched at sea and drowned, but there are other theories out there still being pursued. In any case, they were officially declared dead Jan. 5, 1939.

As for Earhart herself, she knew she was taking a big risk for high stakes:
“Please know I am quite aware of the hazards…. I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail their failure must be but a challenge to others.”

Every father and stepfather makes a huge difference in his daughter’s life, whether we realize it or not.

Dad is the first man his daughter knows. With that potent position of “first man” comes the ability to set the norm of manliness for her-a norm that ultimately can be stronger than what anyone else tells her. When we truly listen to our daughters, we help reduce the odds that our girls will be caught in a cultural straight-jacket that limits her options and behavior “just because she’s a girl.” We can fight the effects of the gender straight-jacket by never requiring or expecting our daughters to wear it when they are with us - and thus helping her feel a freedom she may not have elsewhere.

By visiting Dads & Daughters and reading this, you’ve already begun to do more than pay lip service to becoming the best possible father you can be. Many wonderful doors open when we explore why a father-daughter relationship matters so much, as you’ll discover as you continue to visit our site.

My goal is simple: that  you see your relationship with your daughter more clearly, appreciate your own importance in her life, start to listen to her with a sharper sense of hearing, and share your experience, strength, and hope with her and with other dads.

No girl’s life will be free of problems. Whether those problems are large or small, a father’s involvement is key. That fact should underlie everything we do as fathers of daughters. Fathers influence how daughters and stepdaughters see themselves. With a father’s positive words and support, a daughter can be safe and healthy, and can thrive no matter where life takes her.

A girl whose father listens to and respects her will expect her life partner to listen to her and treat her well. That’s why it’s so important for us to show and tell our daughters that we believe they are capable of anything! Fathering a daughter with love and respect ensures she will choose people and situations that nourish her long after she’s left our house. There’s no greater legacy for us to leave our daughters.

www.dadsanddaughters.org