SYDNEY RIVER, N.S. — The ‘Boring Day’ movie marathon is just one of a wide array of activities enjoyed by residents and staff of the Breton Ability Centre over an extended holiday season.
Just like any great movie experience, the streaming movies are complete with treats for residents to enjoy as they relax and take in the entertainment.
The annual Boxing Day get together comes after a delicious turkey dinner and in the midst of quite extensive activities designed to bring excitement and happiness over the holiday season to the residents of the centre.
“Battling feelings of loneliness and isolation is the goal of extensive holiday activities. Living with stigma and stereotypes can be isolating,” Harman Singh, CEO of the centre, told the Cape Breton Post.
“For our residents, the holidays can be a lonely time. So our staff make sure that they can spread the holiday magic throughout Breton Ability Centre.”
About
Breton Ability Centre
- Committed to providing quality services and supports to people of varying disabilities.
- Serves individuals who are coping with complex challenges due to severe developmental disabilities, mental health challenges and/or complicating physical disabilities.
- Helps individuals to learn and develop personal, social, vocational, and educational skills to enable their transition to other community living options and participate actively in their communities.
Singh feels it is important for families to know that when their loved ones call the centre their home, they are all an extended ‘family’ – so, Christmas becomes a family affair. And, like most other homes, the excitement of Christmas starts at Breton Ability Centre just after Remembrance Day.
It’s the Breton Ability Centre Connectors, a volunteer group that helps with fundraising for the centre’s charitable foundation, and donors, who actively help to make Christmas magical, said Singh.
“They plan the Christmas tree lighting (Dec. 3) and The Giving Tree (Dec. 20).’ Chatter of Santa coming, and the residents making their lists, puts us all in the Christmas spirit,” according to Singh.
“Staff and residents begin to decorate the neighbourhood with bells and trees. And then it starts with the Christmas tree lighting."
Once the lights come on, everyone at the centre knows the countdown has begun.
The very popular ’12 Days of Christmas’ begins on Dec. 5 and includes Santa announcing a message to ‘be kind and nice, not just for the season, but to practice everyday, to everyone. Santa also picks out names of one resident and a staff member who get a surprise.
The ‘Giving Tree’ at the centre is some festive fun that’s decorated with ‘wish bells’ in the early part of December and ensures every resident has a Christmas present to open.
The associated wish bells are limited to a $15 value and within a few days most are picked up by staff who work at Breton Ability Centre, while remaining bells are picked up by the BAC Connectors who make sure no one is left without a gift.
“On the last Friday before Christmas, we all gather in our dining room. To ensure a sensory experience, residents come down, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, and enjoy opening gifts, and sipping on hot chocolate and cookies,” said Singh. “The joy, the smiles, and the gratitude on their faces when they open their gifts is what makes Christmas.”
The Christmas spirit is shared with friends and family during the centre’s annual open house in December, which has become a true ‘Cape Breton Christmas Party,’ according to Singh.
“There is live music. There is carolling, which the residents enjoy participating in. There is dancing. And of course there is lots of food. Our kitchen staff go above and beyond to make this a huge success. Santa makes an appearance much to the excitement of everyone.”
To ensure residents participate fully and inclusively in community holiday cheer, the ‘Pensioner’s Christmas Party’ is also part of holiday activities and sees many members of the centre’s staff volunteer their time to make sure residents who want to participate will attend the party. The Charitable Foundation funds a bus that can take the residents to this party.
“Our staff work tirelessly throughout the year and they become an integral part of our resident’s lives,” Singh stated. “They form relationships that will mist your eyes. We thank our staff by dedicating two days to celebrate Christmas and the holidays with them.”
Residents will go to their other homes to spend time with friends and family over the holidays. On Christmas Day, the centre treats residents and staff that work to a hot turkey meal, prepared fresh by the kitchen staff. It’s the second of two Christmas dinners for residents enjoy and follows one that happens in the middle of December that sees management serve the residents.
Donations make a positive impact on these and many other activities and so Breton Ability Centre is working to increasing its donor list.
The Charitable Foundation donations help create special memories, according to Singh, not just for Christmas, but throughout the year.
“The donations help us deliver vital innovative programs and services to residents and individuals attending our programs. Every time you support our social enterprises — shop at our store front The Best of Cape Breton, place an order at The Print Shop, drop off your bottles for our recycling program, or your used clothing, and make a donation – you are making a significant contribution to end isolation and help make a difference in the lives of people with varying intellectual abilities.”
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