Avante adapting
We have been dutifully following all regulations directed at the general public, as well as conforming to protocol for non-profit organizations for the past six months, so you haven’t heard much from us, but we have found ways to keep in touch and help you out as much as we can! Be reassured that if you drop in to our centre, your safety and security is a top priority. We have modified our décor, and masks are required at all times. A screening quiz, hand sanitization and sign in sheet are also part of the process. Of course, a 2 metre distance is respected as well.
We have had to cancel our annual Open House in September, which was always an opportunity to renew memberships and get the details on our upcoming fall events. All our active members have been sent a quick newsletter along with a membership renewal in the mail, so if you haven’t heard from us, please call our centre at (450)248-0530 to verify your contact information. Of course we welcome new members throughout the year if you’d like to join for the first time. Membership fees are $5 for a year. And showing your membership card at the Bedford Pizzeria gets you 15% off your bill!
We are now planning our activities month by month, and have mailed a 4-week calendar, starting after Thanksgiving. Watch for our brief, but jam packed, yellow sheet coming to you soon. You will notice that we have to restrict the number of participants, and registration is required, so don’t hesitate to call in to sign up! (450)2480530. We will also be sharing upcoming events on our Facebook page and advertise in the Brome County News.
There will be a few things coming up before Thanksgiving that may interest you however –
QWCD – Quebec Women’s Centre Day is celebrated on the first Tuesday of October (hence before our calendar dates) and commemorates the purpose and position of women’s centres throughout Quebec. It has been a definite challenge to come up with a collective way to raise awareness while maintaining all the COVID protocols, so we invite you to explore our Facebook page on Tuesday, October 6 and discover a delightful surprise…..
Meet Me There – Recognizing that many of us would like to explore some outdoor activities safely, but it just not that appealing to do it alone, we have modified our Cultural Outing program. We are offering a few “get-togethers” at public places that are secured for groups, and instead of providing transportation but admission is covered by the participants, you provide your own transportation to “meet me there” and we cover the admission fees. All venues are quite local and within the district of Brome Missisquoi. Please join us for our next event on Wednesday, September 30 and meet us at the Missisquoi Museum in Stanbridge East at 10 a.m. This year’s theme is “Faces of Brome Missisquoi” – who knows who you might get reacquainted with? Call (450)248-0530 for more info.
What is “Zoom”? - Zoom is an easy access online program that allows groups of people to see and chat with each other. It has become a very popular way to reach out to people and share information while respecting all the COVID regulations. As a viable option to offering information sessions and workshops, we will be using Zoom as part of our regular programming. Recognizing that this will be quite possibly our new normal, we will be offering “Zoom 101” workshops with 4 people at a time to help you get on board with this new format. We also have tablets available to lend so that you can become familiar with its use, and be able to join us online for many of our activities. Members will notice that we have included an option to show your interest at the bottom of the membership renewal form.
Support Group for Widows – The social isolation enforced by the complete lockdown that started in March was particularly tough on people grieving. It magnified the reality of the loss and denied the use of coping tools used through the grieving process. A recently formed group used Zoom on a weekly basis to help and provided an opportunity to share insights with each other that all the participants could relate to. The group will continue to meet on Mondays at 10 a.m., twice a month – once in person at the Lac Brome Community Centre, and once through zoom, with no expectation to attend all the meetings. All widows are warmly welcomed, I assure you. If you would like more information about joining this group, please contact Barb – avantebarbb@gmail.com or (450)2480530.
Avante Women’s Centre has the mandate to offer services in English to women in Brome Missisquoi. We host information sessions, workshops, courses and invited guests to help women find the information and tools they need to strengthen and empower their own lives. We network with other community organizations to support their services and act as a liaison between the English population and public services within our communities. We operate as a drop-in centre, so please visit us at our Bedford location at 15 rue du Pont, or call at (450)248-0530. We can also be seen on our website, www. avantewomenscentre.org, and our Facebook page.