26 — Sunday, December 1, 1996 — North Shore News

1,

Harvest Project houses hope and more

vintage
years

ALL the bare-faced
merchandising that pur-
sues us in these weeks
before Christmastime
sits ill with me.

In my view it does nothing
to encourage open-hearted-
ness, but rather makes cynics
of us all by emphasizing the
all-too-human avarice that led
to the distortion of the origi-
nal motif in the first place.

But I had a visit early last
week with people whose idea
of Christmas cheer and giving,
goes on year around, and see-
ing what they do and hearing
about the help they get to do
it has softened my often cyni-
cal view of what holiday cheer
really means.

It’s the story of the
Harvest Project and of the
astonishing, web of services
and connections and encour-
agements that emanates from
same, available to the new
immigrant, the recent cast-
away, the dispossessed, victinis
cither of foolish actions of
their own or from the hand
that Fate has dealt them. And
there is no charge.

You don’t expect that sort
of thing in these days of “cor-
rect” institutional organiza-
tion.

This place is called The
Harvest, and its home is
down on West Esplanade in
North Vancouver, on the up
side of the 100-block, 166 is
the number. It looks as
though it might have been a
dwelling at one time, it has a
real front porch, just a few
steps from the public side-
walk.

But for quite a while it has
housed hope and a lot of the

E2

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things that people needing
help require. There is lots of
that generous help to be
found in these rooms, and it
comes freely.

How freely? Well, if vou
have a skill, or skills, and
haven't found a place in
which to use same, there is a
room that contains fax
machines, a computer, tele-
phones and a typewnter —
and people who will do what-
ever they can to help you to a
good presentation.

And if vou haven’t eaten
for a while, there is food, for
the asking.

If you haven’r got any
decent clothes for job-hunt-
ing, there is clothing.

SISTERS of the Child Jesus recently gathered at St. Edmund’s
100th anniversary of the Sisters in the province. The luncheon

As well, there is in the
Wings an army of resources to
be tapped.

Ir sounds too good to be
truce, but there it is, and
more, ft came about because
10 vears ago, thereabouts, a
young man met himself on
the road to Damascus, and
saw himself a wastrel.

David Foster had grown
up in luxury, excess haxury —
he was totally committed to
his own indulgence, and ir fell
apart. He was not only with-
out means, he was mired. Ir
meant having to beg.

The classic story, ch? But
this one doesn’t end there,
because in true storybook
fashion the profligate did

truly turn his life around, and
The Harvest is the glowing
result.

Foster's basic philosophy
for its continuance is simply
“Not a hand out, but a hand
up.” He knows wherect he
speaks.

The Harvest is a haven for
young people who made his
sort of error, but also for the
immigrants and those who are
without connections. Here
they can find not just food
and clothing bur self-assur-
ance, as well, and cama-
raderie.

All manner of other agents
are contributors — the
churches; BC Rail, who daily
supply food; the Christmas

Century of Sisters

and the St. Thomas Jazz Band provided the musical accompaniment.

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Bureau, who use these
premises; the narcotics and
booze workers and advisers;
the Salvation Army; the Bread
Garden; Starbucks; and more.

It makes Christmas what it
was meant to be, all-yvear
around.

If you want to help, ina
more personal way than with
money there are certain food-
stuffs they never have enough
of -- stuff like juices, canned
of course, and spreadable stuff
like peanut butter and jam.
They also would be happy
with some canned pasta dish-
es, and tomato sauce in cans.

For more information
about the Harvest project call |
983-9488.

NEWS phoio Cindy Good mar

school in North Vancouver to celebrate the
featured lots of trips down momory lane,

aryl Wing
Pharmacist

CAPSULE
COMMENTS

As we age, our thyroid may fot pro
N

duce enough thyroid hormone.
Signs of too little include: fatigue,
constipation, feelings of always
being cold, forgetfulness, muscle
cramps, hair loss and depression.
Sometimes we mighi feel chat these
are symptoms of “just getting old”.
Not so. Having your thyroid
checked yearly after age sixty, is an
imporrant part of any physical
examination.

As your pharmacist, we are always
trying to keep up to date with whar’s
new in the onl of pharmacy and
medicine. Don't hesitate tu get your
questions answered when we fill
your next prescription,

Fiee Parking
Free Delivers for Pharmacy
Prescriptions

DAVIES
PHARMACY

1401 Su. Georges

985-8771
|

2 never want to
2 go into an old
s folks home!”

& A: Sometimes | hear

= this comment made

$ outright and some-

times, this feeling ts

€ very obvious from a

person's unspoken

€ communication. The

8 fear of the old style
“nursing home” is still

# present amongst

« seniors, so let's rethink

€ that outdated idea.

8 Today there is a wide

é range of housing

« available for seniors,

from full care nursing

2 facilities to very pleas-

£ ant private apartments,

£ complete with comfort-

@ able and friendly

@ services. Rideau Manor

2 is just such a

# residence. We are not

2 a “nursing home” with

€ care, but more like

£ a fine and friendly

§ hotel, where many of

309990069939050930004600090000506908

s well as pleasures are
§ conveniently taken

$ care of.

Our residents wish for
3 services which will

$ support and enhance
$ their independence,

£ not take away from it.
© For example: house-
© keeping and linen

e service, tasty and

2 nutritious meals, varied
8 entertainment and
$ recreation both on site
and around the lower
® mainland and with our
$ private bus.

$ The myth of the “old
$ folks home” soon

2 disappears in light of
£ all the wonderful

8 opportunities at

© Rideau Manor to enjoy
© the later phase of

# one's life. We have
# many interesting

@ events planned for
= December and the
$ holiday season, so
£ feel free to give

2 me a call.

§ You are most

2 welcome to

2 join us!

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