Author: Kayla Isomura

25 years of ‘Tetris:’ Nelly Yep celebrates a milestone at CNH

Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.

This year, we recognize and celebrate Nelly Yep for 25 years of service. Here’s what Jenny Eng-Chan, Reception Manager, had to say about Nelly:

“Nelly is our internal booking clerk who keeps CNH’s Main House and Annex running smoothly by scheduling programs and events in their correct timeslot. It is similar to playing Tetris on the computer. What a fun job you would think but this wasn’t always the case as the internal booking process has come a long way over the last 25 years. Back in the ‘old’ days, booking was comprised of a stack of photocopied pages bound together by metal prongs and protected by a plastic blue cover page. Hence, we named it the blue book or our CNH bible. It felt like Nelly was book-binding every six months. Nelly would enter the bookings manually into each day; on each page and sometimes this required a lot of cutting and pasting. Fast forward to today and thank goodness for technology, the blue book has retired.

“Over the years, Reception has gone through changes. Our furniture has been replaced and the blue book is gone but there is always one constant: Nelly’s attitude toward her work and her co-workers. She has continued to be a helpful and kind person who will always greet you by name. As I haven’t seen her grumpy or negative, I often wondered what the underlying secret to her being so happy and pleasant is. So, I decided to do some detective work and look for clues in her daily rituals. The first thing that I noticed was that she doesn’t eat breakfast and that she loves her veggies but I didn’t think this was ‘the secret.’ There must be something that she does that other people don’t! Then the ‘aha’ moment struck. It must be the two shots of concentrated lemon juice that she always requests at the tea shop when she orders her drink (and she requests this with no sugar). The saying ‘you are what you eat’ doesn’t apply here because Nelly definitely does not exhibit sourness. Rather, she has a sweet and bright disposition.

“So that’s her secret I suppose? If that is the case, the morning coffee may have to switch out for Nelly’s lemon elixir. Congratulations, Nelly, on your 25th anniversary of playing room-booking Tetris at CNH!”

For information about careers at CNH, visit www.cnh.bc.ca/about/careers.

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Top image: Nelly Yep at CNH’s AGM on Sept. 28, 2022.

November 8, 2022
CNH: A place of family and home for long-time staff member Sabrina Bantog

Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.

This year, we recognize and celebrate Sabrina Bantog for 25 years of service. Here’s what Alison Merton, Director of the Early Years, had to say about Sabrina:

“I have been fortunate to work with Sabrina since 1996.

“Sabrina grew up in Vancouver. She attended Langara College to study Early Childhood Education. In 1996, Sabrina began working in Family Place at CNH and did casual work in child care before securing a position in the infant and toddler program. She then quickly moved into management roles within the child care department first in Kindercare, Collingwood Early Learning and Care Centre, and then she became the manager that opened the Terry Tayler Early Learning and Care Centre in the fall of 2012.

“Sabrina’s current role is as a Child Care Manager which requires her to deal with all human resources (HR)-related tasks for the child care staff team, which is quite the task given the amount of staff we have.

“We are so extremely fortunate to have Sabrina’s expertise in HR at CNH. She is kind, compassionate, and always goes above and beyond. She is very well respected by everyone. Sabrina puts the ‘human’ in human resources! She has represented CNH at CUPE and also at many Early Childhood Educator events. She continuously seeks out professional development opportunities and is currently doing courses in HR at BCIT.

“Sabrina says CNH is her home. She felt like she grew up at Collingwood, making many relationships. She has always felt supported and has had many opportunities to learn, grow and advance. She says CNH feels like family. This is likely because her husband Jaime also once worked at CNH and both her children, Alissa and Kyle, attended our child care programs! It’s not unusual to see Kyle here in Friday’s youth program or to see Sabrina’s mom hanging out in the seniors’ programs.

“Sabrina says there are many memories that make her smile, reflecting back. What stands out the most is the trip to Italy to visit the Reggio Emilia programs at their source with her peers and the management team. She will be forever grateful for that opportunity, definitely not something she would have been able to do on her own and it was most meaningful to be able to do this with colleagues.

“She would like to acknowledge all of the wonderful people she has had the pleasure of getting to know over the years. Her continued commitment to CNH, the Early Years department and the Early Childhood Education profession is outstanding. Thank you, Sabrina, for your many years of service and congratulations.”

For information about careers at CNH, visit www.cnh.bc.ca/about/careers. Learn more about family and child care programs at www.cnh.bc.ca/family.

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Top image: Sabrina Bantog at this year’s AGM at the CNH Annex.

November 1, 2022
Child care staff member Maliha Hassan celebrates 25 years at CNH

Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.

This year, we recognize and celebrate Maliha Hassan for 25 years of service. Here’s what Diana Taykandy, Operations Child Care Program Coordinator, had to say about Maliha:

“Maliha Hassan is celebrating her 25 years as a child care staff for CNH. She began her journey on March 19, 1997, when I hired her for a maternity leave position at Sarah House Early Learning and Care Centre. Not too long after she started working, a permanent position became available at Duke Street Early Learning and Care Centre, where she was hired. Maliha worked for four years at Duke Street and when a posting came out for a position at Sarah House, she decided to apply for the position and was hired back at Sarah House. Maliha has been there ever since!

“Maliha truly loves working for Collingwood. She enjoys her Sarah House co-workers, families, and especially the children. She truly loves the children! She has always been a huge support to the program and has also worked there as a manager temporarily. Thank you for always thinking of the program’s needs and always being willing to help in whatever way you can.

“Collingwood means the world to Maliha. She always refers to her workplace as a second home. She couldn’t imagine working anywhere else. She has such a strong, unexplained connection to Collingwood, always letting us know that CNH is her heart.

“Maliha’s favorite work-related memory is actually how she came to name her second child. When Maliha had to go on maternity leave, she promised the manager and staff that she would return, and as a sincere gesture and of course, love for the program, she named her daughter Sarah.

“Maliha fills her days with her passion for shopping, hiking, biking, and traveling. She loves to entertain her co-workers in her home, including celebrations with food and music, and just making connections.

“Staff that know her well and who have worked with her for many years will all tell you that Maliha is kind, generous, patient, and always willing to support you. She is so wonderful with the children and their families and is always making them feel welcome. Maliha has a special way of making anyone who comes into contact with her feel special.

“I know that I have always felt her warmth whenever I have visited her in the program. Thank you for always making me feel welcome.

“Collingwood is very fortunate to have someone like her who cares so deeply about the organization. Thank you Maliha, and many congratulations on this milestone!”

For information about careers at CNH, visit www.cnh.bc.ca/about/careers. Learn more about family and child care programs at www.cnh.bc.ca/family.

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Top image: Maliha Hassan (centre) with fellow child care staff members Sabrina Bantog (left) and Diana Taykandy at CNH’s AGM on Sept. 28, 2022.

October 25, 2022
Finding purpose through peer education

Ben Torry was in Grade 7 when he first participated in Peer 2 Peer, a peer preventative education program organized by staff at Collingwood Neighbourhood House.

Six years later, he continues to volunteer with the program—even after recently graduating high school.

“Back then, I was doing it because I was like, ‘Oh fun, I get to do stuff,’ said Ben. “Now I think as I’m maturing, I’m starting to understand the meaning of the work.”

The meaning, he said, is helping others understand a range of social issues.

“For lots of the kids, it’s like a culture shock,” explained Ben. “Their eyes are just being opened to this flaw in the system or this problem that we have in the world.”

For Ben, he said he felt similarly when he was a participant in the program and eventually, a facilitator.

Despite learning curves, he stuck with it and considers Peer 2 Peer to play an important role in his life. Ben even credits the program for helping him recognize one of his life goals: social work.

“It’s just made me realize how important this kind of work is in people’s lives,” he said.

To learn more about Peer 2 Peer, visit cnhpeered.wordpress.com.

September 21, 2021
Personalized care pivotal for RISE Community Health Centre client

Living alone, 60-year-old Evelyn has learned to take care of herself. Recently divorced and without family, she leans on a range of social services for support.

For over a year, this has largely included RISE Community Health Centre. Operated by Collingwood Neighbourhood House, RISE provides primary care and health promotion services to residents of the Renfrew-Collingwood area.

“Most of what I need is there so I don’t have to go from one place to another so it’s really awesome,” said Evelyn. “It’s excellent service for what they offer to the community.”

For Evelyn, health is a top priority. The services she has accessed at RISE are essential but it’s the dedicated staff that keep her returning on a weekly basis.

“If you ask help from RISE, they will not turn down on you,” she said, adding that staff are accommodating and always available to answer questions.

“I won’t compare them to other places but I won’t stop going there,” said Evelyn. “They know me and I know them.”

“It’s good for the people in the community, in the neighbourhood.”

To learn more about RISE, visit cnh.bc.ca/rise.

September 21, 2021
Forging friendships through food

For long-time volunteers Susan and Tim Diewold, each week at Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) is an opportunity to build relationships.

Twice a month, the retired couple prepares food for participants in the Morning Star program. During the pandemic, they began delivering meals and groceries to local seniors, too.

“Volunteering is important and we’ve seen the positivity of it,” said Susan, 65.

Working with other volunteers through Morning Star, the retired couple have been able to make friendships over the years.

Meanwhile, supporting CNH’s Seniors team through regular food deliveries has allowed them to foster relationships with program participants as well.

“When we deliver food Thursday, we phone clients and ask what they want,” Susan explained. “They give a list and we incorporate that into our day.”

“That’s been fun because we generally go to the same clientele.”

For Susan and Tim, this means learning more about participants beyond their food needs. With one senior, this meant bonding over sports. With others, it’s listening to stories they choose to share.

“It’s something we really enjoy during the week,” said Susan. “Thursday is ‘Collingwood Day’ so we try to do what we can.”

For information about volunteering with CNH, please visit our volunteer information page.

September 21, 2021
Nootka rose honours lives lost during pandemic
Over the last year, many of us have lost loved ones and neighbours. Regardless of whether the cause of death was COVID-19, an overdose or any other cause, losses during this time have been especially hard because we haven’t been able to gather or travel to participate in funerals, or give each other hugs.

In honour of those who have lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, RISE Community Health Centre and Community Development—both departments of Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH)—organized a planting ceremony at the Norquay Food Forest (2732 Horley Street) on May 3, 2021.

The ceremony was led by Elder Eugene Harry (XiQuelem). Together, we planted a Nootka rose.

The memorial Nootka rose is accessible to all. It is a place to honour, find solace, and reconnect to the land. We encourage you to visit the site, with safety in mind, to pay your respects in whatever way is meaningful to you. Whether that means weeding around the rose bush, leaving behind a special stone or feather, or even to simply sit on a bench and enjoy the birds.

About the Nootka rose

The Nootka rose, also known as the wild rose, was chosen for the planting ceremony to symbolize the heart medicine that many of us need during this pandemic.

The Nootka rose is native to the Pacific Northwest coast. As a perennial, multi-stemmed shrub that spreads to form patches by underground shoots, the plant speaks to the interconnectedness that we have with each other. We
chose a plant to represent the medicines that we need today and what we are seeding to nurture as medicines for
future generations.

From all walks of life, we are connected by the pandemic. As the years come and as this rose plant gets established, we chose a plant we can share shoots with so that community members can keep sharing in the heart medicine.

The Nootka rose is low maintenance, and prefers full to part sun and moist soil, but is resilient in tolerating a variety of growing conditions. In the wild, the Nootka rose is common along forest edges, sunny fields, hedgerows and moist ditches. When grown in, the bush stands tall and full of heart-shaped petals. A reminder to open our hearts and that we always have a plant relation we can lean on.

The Nootka rose bush offers a diverse range of healing properties. The roots, leaves, flowers and fruits of the plant are edible. In the spring, you can harvest the leaves, roots, and stems. The flowers can be harvested throughout the summer and the fruit after the first frost.

The scent of the rose calms the senses as well as the skin. Both the petals and hips are often used in many therapeutic cosmetic preparations and contain volatile oils that are soothing and uplifting and aid to relieve states of depression and broken-heartedness. The fruits of the rose are fleshy red hips that are pear shaped. Rosehips are gathered in the autumn after the first frost and are generally dried for use as a tea, jam and jellies. The hips are high in vitamin C and a good medicine to help us to stay healthy in the winter, fight off colds and flus, keep regular and absorb our iron intake.

The Nootka rose is a reminder to take care of our wholistic wellness and those around us.

The original planting ceremony was livestreamed online. To view the event, visit CNH on Facebook. We also encourage our community to support the newly planted Nootka rose by watering the soil around the roots.
- Elder Eugene Harry (XiQuelem) stands next to the site of the Nootka rose during the planting ceremony.
- Flowers and stones decorate the site of the rose bush.
- The Nootka rose in full view.
- A handmade plaque shares the purpose of the bush.
- Elder Eugene Harry (XiQuelem)’s drum leans against a fence.
June 29, 2021
CNH Board calls for nominations

Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) is accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. This is an exciting time to join our Board as we come back from the pandemic and continue to develop as a vibrant organization.

Applicants should live and/or work in Renfrew-Collingwood, have a broad understanding of the neighbourhood and feel committed to becoming engaged in improving all aspects of our neighbourhood. We are interested in hearing from people from all backgrounds and ages but are especially interested in applicants who are between the ages of 16-29 or are 55-plus. We are also interested in hearing from those who live with a disability. This year we have a particular need for those who have experience in healthcare, knowledge of government, have skills in public relations and are experienced in working with underserved populations. We are also particularly interested in applicants from Filipino, Latinx and Indigenous communities.

The CNH Board of Directors is committed to an anti-oppression, anti-racist approach to its work and welcomes those who thrive in a vibrant, welcoming environment.

Applicants should be able to spend 8-10 hours per month on Board-related work and be able to commit to a three-year term, starting this October. The deadline for applications is July 9. If you are interested, please contact Jennifer Gray-Grant at 604-412-3835 or jgray-grant@cnh.bc.ca.

June 15, 2021
RISE Community Health Centre: One year at 5198 Joyce Street

June 15. 2021 marks one year since RISE Community Health Centre opened its doors at 5198 Joyce Street! During RISE’s first year, we have seen incredible growth from five staff members to 21 staff members, and from a few patients when we started in our tiny clinic room at Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) to over 400 patients.

Opening during the COVID-19 pandemic—and the pandemic lasting as long as it has—has created challenges RISE staff never anticipated. Nevertheless, staff have managed to have over 10,000 in-person and virtual client visits in our first year. We also had over 200 group sessions, including regular community visits to Kingsway Continental, Sarah Ross and Naomi Place—all non-market housing centres—in addition to CNH’s Morning Star and SAFE in Collingwood programs.

Some of the highlights of year one for RISE staff were:

“Building an amazing team, moving into a beautiful new space and supporting people that really need it.”

“Meeting different people and learning from them.”

“Seeing our team grow into this amazing RISE family.”

In Year 2 of operations, we hope to open the RISE non-profit pharmacy dispensary, continue expanding our staff and clients, and continue building relationships in the community. Staff are looking forward to the pandemic ending so we can further decrease the barriers to access for clients and have a grand opening for the public.

For more information about RISE, visit cnh.bc.ca/rise or call 604-558-8090.

RISE (Resilient, Integrative, Socially Just and Equitable) Community Health Centre connects Renfrew-Collingwood community members who have difficulty accessing health care to a health care team and social supports. RISE also provides health promotion programs and events to the broader Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood. RISE is part of CNH, a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors.

June 14, 2021
CNH Board statement on behalf of CNH, regarding the discovery of remains of 215 Indigenous children at the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School

Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) wishes to express its deep sorrow at the horrifying discovery of a mass grave of 215 Indigenous children on the territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation. This news is unthinkable, but it is not surprising. For decades, Indigenous communities have shared stories of the hideous abuse and neglect that was inflicted on Indigenous children at Canada’s residential schools. Years ago, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made six Calls to Action regarding the identification of unmarked graves in areas around former residential schools and repatriation of the remains of Indigenous children buried in these graves. These Calls to Action have been ignored. The time for non-Indigenous Canadians to acknowledge the genocide of Indigenous peoples is overdue, and it is indeed worse than we as settlers could have imagined.

CNH calls on the non-Indigenous members of our community to leverage the feelings of grief and shame that we have experienced upon learning this news into meaningful action to support Indigenous peoples across Canada. We encourage non-Indigenous members of our community to learn about the people on whose land they live, and to learn about the intergenerational trauma that colonization continuously inflicts upon Indigenous peoples. We encourage non-Indigenous members of our community to take concrete steps toward decolonization in their own lives, and to push their friends and family to do the same.

We encourage the non-Indigenous members of our community to donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS). The last residential school closed in 1996, long after CNH opened. Residential school survivors are all around us, fighting a lifelong and intergenerational battle with the scars they carry from their experiences. Every member of the CNH Board who is able has made or will make a financial donation to IRSSS.

Lastly, CNH calls upon all levels of government to fully implement the 94 Calls to Action made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. In particular, Calls to Action 71 through 76 address the woeful efforts that have been made to locate, repatriate and honour the remains of thousands of Indigenous children who died at residential schools. It would be naïve to believe that the mass grave of Indigenous children located on the territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation is the only mass grave of Indigenous children at the location of a former residential school in this country. Every child who lost his or her life at a residential school deserves to be returned home with respect and dignity. We encourage the non-Indigenous members of our community to write to their elected representatives and demand the immediate implementation of the 94 Calls to Action, including Calls to Action 71 through 76.

The IRSSS Emergency Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide counselling and support for residential school survivors. The KUU-US Crisis Line Society (1-800-588-8717) provides an Indigenous-specific crisis line that is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

June 2, 2021