Avante Women’s Centre
To all members of Avante, if you have not received our Fall programming newsletter, please contact the centre because we have mailed them out. If you are not a member of Avante, you can drop by the centre to pick up a copy, and better yet, sign up for a membership at a mere $5 for the year! Please take note of a few changes that we have had to make in our programming however:
Gayl is introducing a new type of workshop called “Herstory”, which highlights women in our community facing, and achieving unusual challenges. On Tuesday, October 2nd, Gayl’s guest will be Amanda (a programming change) who has been a long time sufferer and advocate for Crohn’s Disease. She is now battling breast cancer. Starts at 6 p.m.
Our second evening activity will be on Tuesday, October 9th with Christine as we learn about a DIY Organizer to help us declutter and organize our lives! A $2 donation is requested. The following Tuesday evening, October 16th will be a potluck supper with Nancy at 6 p.m. Nancy requests that as well as a small supper, you bring along a useful life hack or tip to share. Tuesday, October 23rd will be the cooking night for the Collective Kitchen partnership after the planning night on Wednesday, October 17th (which registration is required), and on Tuesday, October 30th, it’s Quality Time” Learn how to do face make-up for kids with Christine, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Georges Perron Centre, (door 6). Our guest speaker will be Caro’ Maquille. Registration is required with a $2 for materials.
Gayl continues to offer sewing tips monthly in a workshop called BYOSP (bring your own sewing project) Thursday, October 11th, Gayl will be available to help you over your sewing hurtles from 9:30 to 11:30.
Barb will also be continuing her workshops twice a month in Knowlton at the Lac Brome Community Centre on Monday afternoons. Using fall themed coloured ribbons, make an impressive 3D hanging star on Monday, October 15th from 1:30 to 3:30. A $2 donation and advanced registration is requested by calling (450)248-0530.
On Monday, October 29th our Coffee Break will be “Clearing the F.O.G.” Doing things for others can be so rewarding when it’s for the right reasons, but often we get caught up in a “FOG”; making choices based on fear, obligation and/or guilt. Understand why this happens, and how we can move towards happier, healthier relationships, held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Our monthly Soup Café will be on Thursday, October 18th. Please join us for a friendly bowl of homemade soup and an opportunity to socialize with other women. This event will be followed by a DIY class at 1:30, led by member Sandra Laflamme, who will go through the steps to making a braided rag rug. Please call to register, and a $2 donation to cover the costs.
October 19th is our HEALTH MATTERS at the Cowansville CLSC with the topic “Better Bone Health” - A DVD presentation of a Telehealth Conference by Myra Siminovitch, a popular speaker with an interest in arthritis and osteoporosis. Our bones are designed to last our lifetime, but 1/3 of women and 1/5 of men will suffer a bone fracture because of poor bone density. This workshop covers how our bones work, how to keep them strong and healthy and how to prevent osteoporosis. 10:00 a.m. followed by soup lunch at noon.
In meeting the request to offer more workshops in Bedford on health issues, we will be switching “HEALTH MATTERS: revisited” from Knowlton to our centre in Bedford.- “Stress, Anxiety and Panic Attacks” will be the first presentation on Wednesday, October 24th from 6 to 8 p.m. Previously shown in Cowansville, this is a DVD recording of a Telehealth presentation by Dr. Camillo Zacchia, Senior Advisor at the Douglas Hospital and specialist on treating anxiety disorders. Dr. Zacchia explains the difference between stress and anxiety, and how a panic cycle works, then covers tips on how to manage it all.
“BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE” Doubt and self-judgement can happen at any age or stage in your life. It can manifest itself in a lack of enthusiasm or interest in doing things. It can feel like anger and bitterness. It can also feel like depression. Telling yourself that you can’t because you’re too tired, too old…you’re not good enough, smart enough and your decisions are ruled by “shoulds” …By discovering what controls you and what’s holding you back, you can change your dialogue so that you stop judging yourself and start liking yourself.
Nancy and Barb will be giving a 4week course this fall that will address these issues and more. We will explore how to reconnect with your creativity, ignite your passion, your innate wellbeing and discover how to live a flourishing, happier and more peaceful life. It’s about personal power, self-care, self-love, compassion, speaking your truth and treating yourself with kindness. This will be a closed group. Registration is required and we require 6 participants to start.
The other programming changes will be that Melissa, the first female Inuk captain for Air Inuit, will be telling her story on November 6th (instead of October 2nd) and our November Health Matters in Cownasville will be on November 30th, instead of November 16th. Please mark your calendars.
Avante Women’s Centre 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