Avante May Newsletter
TBarbara Bellingham Program Director Avante Women’s Centre
Fundraisers he Pot Pourri Choir has graciously named Avante as a beneficiary from its 2018 spring concert fundraiser, so we are eagerly selling tickets. For $10, you have a choice of attending either at the Knowlton United Church on May 5, or at the St. James Anglican Church in Bedford on May 6. Both events start at 3 p.m. The choir would also like to support local food banks, so it is requested that you bring a non-perishable item as a donation as well. Please call our centre for more information.
Independent consultant Jamie Bockus has offered to display the new spring line of Scentsy here at the centre for a fundraiser on Tuesday, May 8, from 1 to 7 p.m. and will donate 25 per cent of her sales to us. Please drop in at any point during this time to check out a great new product. She has promised to do a special presentation at 5 p.m. if you’d like to learn more about a safe, wickless alternative to scented candles.
Open Til 8
Our Tuesday evenings are back in full swing with a variety of activities to enjoy.
On May 1, Gayl continues to host the quilting and sewing classes and May 8 is our “Scentsy” fundraiser. On May 15 Barb will teach you how to adorn terra cotta pots with mosaics and travel to Australia with Karen and Nancy on May 22 through Karen’s photo slideshow. The final Tuesday of the month will be a class on Healthy Living for our under 40 women, followed by a short Jazzercise class with Jamie. All activities start at 6 p.m.
For Women Under 40
Our newest staff member, Christine La Roche, has carefully planned special events of particular interest to women under 40, both in Bedford and Knowlton. On May 2, “Who Do You Think You Are?” will be a fun exercise in discovering your true self with a personality test that pinpoints your strengths and needs. At our centre, from 6 to 8 p.m. Christine moves to Knowlton on Monday, May 7 to commemorate International No Diet Day at the Lac Brome Community Centre from 1 until 3 p.m., and then again in Knowlton for Vision Boards on Wednesday, May 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Health Matters Because hearing loss often happens gradually, many people are in denial about this disability, but it has major ramifications on lifestyle. Learn how it happens and what you can do to help yourself or someone close to you improve their ability to actively participate in life again. Health Matters is a monthly pre-recorded presentation held at the Cowansville CLSC and is open to the general public, followed by a complementary soup lunch. Join us on Friday, May 18, starting at 10 a.m.
On Monday May 28, we will be hosting “Health Matters: Revisited” at the Lac Brome Community Centre in Knowlton, which is a repeat of a presentation already done in Cowansville. By popular demand, Medical Emergencies will be the topic of discussion following the DVD. Please note that we are trying a new timeslot to accommodate people not available during the day, so the event will begin at 6 p.m., and everyone is welcome.
Other Stuff
Much of the population is concerned with eating gluten, and its possible consequences. For our Knowlton Coffee Break on Monday, May 14, meet our guest speaker, Nathalie Quilliams, who is intensely familiar with these conditions and will share her knowledge gained through her journey with celiac disease at the Lac Brome Community Centre, starting at 1:30.
Come and enjoy a bowl of soup with us at noon at our monthly Soup Café from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, followed by a guest speaker at 1 p.m. who will bring us up to date on some new health care services in our area.
Gayl welcomes women to help turn all the blocks made over the winter during her sewing/quilting classes into a beautiful quilt on Thursday, May 24 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Avante has joined a new program called the Collective Kitchen and welcomes women to participate in getting together with other women to plan and prepare great meals at minimal costs. The cooking class will take place at the ROC (52 du Pont) on Wednesday, May 23. Please call the centre and ask for Nancy or Christine for more information.
Avante Women’s Centre was established in 1997, and strives to provide services to English speaking women in Brome-missisquoi. We offer workshops, courses, and information sessions in English as well as information on resources and referrals to other social services in our area. Our centre is located at 15 rue du Pont in Bedford, and we can be reached at 450-248-0530 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. We can also be contacted through our website, www.avantewomenscentre.org and Facebook page.