P1131 Kolreena-Fall 09
P1131 Kolreena-Fall 09
P1131 Kolreena-Fall 09
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<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Towards a Better Future — integrating people with<br />
developmental disabilities into the community<br />
Volume 32 Number 4 Winter 2012<br />
Contents<br />
REENA<br />
Cover Reena officially opens the<br />
Reena Community Residence<br />
Lieutenant Governor attends<br />
Reena Residence Grand Opening<br />
2 Report of the Chair<br />
3 Report of the President<br />
4 PHOTOS Reena Residence Grand Opening<br />
5-7 Maxwell & Ruth Leroy Holocaust<br />
Remembrance Garden: Trillium Grant,<br />
Education Fund and Grand Opening<br />
8 Presentation at TanenbaumCHAT<br />
UJA Federation Support for R-E-B-E-C-C-A<br />
9 Boomer Volunteers-Building Capacity<br />
My Time at 44 Silkwood<br />
10 Channels at the Reena Community Residence<br />
SIL Day Program says Thank You<br />
11 2012 Graduating DDC Counsellors!<br />
Reena’s Respite Program<br />
REENA FOUNDATION<br />
12 Report of the Chair<br />
13 Report of the President<br />
14-16 Community Donors Make New Residence<br />
a Reality. Thank you to our Donors.<br />
17 Alex Eisen Society<br />
18 December 2012 Endowment List<br />
19 Race Night for Reena<br />
20 2nd Annual Striking for Reena<br />
21 JSMHT Prepare for Third Successful Year<br />
Reena Foundation’s Million Penny Drive<br />
22 Stuart Farb Memorial Hockey Game<br />
23 What Reena has done for our family:<br />
Jon’s story<br />
24 Quality and Quantity of Programs makes<br />
Reena’s Respite & Enrichment second to none<br />
25 Advertising Works<br />
26 Marketing Committee gets the message across<br />
27 A great year of community support for<br />
Reena Foundation<br />
28 Take out your calendar<br />
Like us on facebook<br />
Reena officially opens the Reena Community<br />
Residence on the Lebovic Campus<br />
by: Minnie Ross, Manager, Reena Communication/Marketing Committee<br />
W<br />
ith great excitement and a<br />
strong sense of achievement,<br />
the Reena Community<br />
Residence on the Joseph and Wolf<br />
Lebovic Jewish Community Campus,<br />
was officially opened on September<br />
14th, 2012. Reena welcomed<br />
representatives from all four levels of<br />
government, and mayors of local<br />
constituencies, to tour the building<br />
and receive specially-designed plaques<br />
acknowledging their support of this<br />
milestone achievement.<br />
The high tone of the event began as<br />
Rabbi Chezi Zionce, Spiritual Leader<br />
of Beth Rayim Synagogue, affixed a<br />
continued on page 4<br />
(l to r) Reza Moridi, MPP for Richmond<br />
Hill, Bill Fisch, Chair, Regional<br />
Municipality of York, His Honour Maurizio<br />
Bevilacqua, Mayor of Vaughan, the<br />
Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Labour.<br />
Lieutenant Governor Attends Reena Community<br />
Residence Grand Opening Ceremonies<br />
Left to right: Irving Feldman, Reena Foundation Chair and Co-Chair, Capital Campaign<br />
Committee, Tobie Bekhor, Co-Chair, Capital Campaign Committee, The Honourable David C.<br />
Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Her Honour Ruth Ann Onley, Gary E. Sim, President,<br />
Reena Foundation at the grand opening ceremonies of the new Reena Community<br />
Residence. Story and photos on pages 14 & 15.
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Report of the Chair<br />
by Joan Glick Gold<br />
In the last few weeks, much has<br />
been written or spoken about<br />
Reena’s achievements in the<br />
community on behalf of individuals<br />
with a developmental disability. In<br />
the almost 40 years since Reena was<br />
established, we have grown from a<br />
very necessary but small group of<br />
people, being supported by an<br />
equally small group of family<br />
members and dedicated volunteers<br />
in the community.<br />
Before joining the Reena Board of<br />
Directors, I viewed Reena’s steady<br />
growth in the number of individuals<br />
receiving support in an increasing<br />
number of Reena homes as<br />
inexplicable, almost magical. Now<br />
that I have become deeply involved<br />
in how the organization sets out<br />
and achieves its goals I have<br />
discovered the twin secrets of its<br />
many successes: ‘people’ and<br />
‘dedication’. Reena has been<br />
blessed in attracting and<br />
maintaining the involvement of<br />
volunteers who have devoted many,<br />
many hours of their valuable time,<br />
their varied skills, business acumen<br />
and, above all, loving kindness to<br />
enhance the lives of people with a<br />
developmental disability and<br />
welcome them into the heart of the<br />
community.<br />
2 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
The Reena Board of Directors set<br />
policy and the future direction of the<br />
agency. As well, each board member<br />
has an additional role as a member of<br />
the Board Executive or to sit on a<br />
Reena committee best suited to their<br />
interest and expertise. Other Board<br />
roles include: Vice-Chairs, Elaine<br />
Norris, Paula Sonshine, Board<br />
Secretary Jean Byers, Treasurer Jeff<br />
Bernstein. This makes for a very<br />
knowledgeable and effective board.<br />
It is with deep gratitude, as Chair of<br />
the Board , that I acknowledge<br />
Immediate Past Chair Laurine<br />
Schmelzle for her unstinting<br />
commitment to Reena for many years.<br />
I am delighted that she continues to<br />
serve as Chair of the Reena<br />
Communications Committee and the<br />
Government Relations Committee and<br />
to seeing that Reena will always be<br />
portrayed in the media and community<br />
with clarity, honesty and dignity.<br />
The Continuous Quality<br />
Improvement (CQI) Committee<br />
performs crucial support to the Board<br />
in ensuring that the quality of care and<br />
services provided by Reena are<br />
reviewed on a proactive and<br />
progressive basis to best serve the<br />
needs of the individuals we support.<br />
Carolynn Morrison is Chair, and I<br />
thank her and the members of the<br />
committee for their diligence in dealing<br />
with issues and concerns arising<br />
through Reena’s CQI activities.<br />
New Committees and Programs<br />
We are excited with the newly formed<br />
Governance Committee chaired by<br />
David Cohen. This committee will<br />
examine Reena’s Governance model as<br />
compared to other like agencies, with<br />
recommendations to the Board of<br />
Directors in May of 2013.<br />
I am especially proud of an<br />
innovative Summer Job Initiative<br />
program called Community @ Work<br />
which I spearheaded this past summer<br />
and now serve as Chair. Partners in the<br />
program are the Geneva Centre, JVS<br />
and York Region District School Board<br />
who have been extremely giving of<br />
time, resources and expertise to ensure<br />
the success of the program; that<br />
everyone should be given the<br />
opportunity to find meaningful<br />
employment within the community. I<br />
thank all the members of the committee<br />
for their efforts and look forward to<br />
expanding the number of potential jobs<br />
in the workplace for school graduates<br />
who need support.<br />
The most recently created Social<br />
Inclusion Council is an advisory group<br />
chaired by Helen Vale, a former Board<br />
Chair. The inclusion in the community<br />
of people Reena supports is not a new<br />
topic by any means, but this is the first<br />
group which will address how best to<br />
broaden their social activities by<br />
identifying the meaning of inclusion;<br />
what models of inclusion already exist<br />
in synagogues, schools, parks and<br />
recreational venues; what are the<br />
barriers etc. Helen and the council<br />
members have already begun studying<br />
the issues. I thank them all for their<br />
enthusiastic acceptance of the tasks<br />
ahead. Their efforts will enhance the<br />
work started in the past and will bring<br />
joy and fulfillment to the individuals we<br />
support.<br />
Reena Foundation-Reena’s<br />
Fundraising Board<br />
While the vast majority of Reena’s<br />
activities are financed by government,<br />
there are a number of programs and<br />
social activities that receive little or no<br />
government funding and depend on<br />
generous donors in the community for<br />
support. Reena is blessed to have a<br />
strong and creative fundraising board.<br />
Chaired by Irving Feldman the Reena<br />
Foundation has been most successful in<br />
raising funds through a variety of events<br />
in the community to maintain and<br />
increase the scope of Reena’s Respite<br />
and Enrichment programs, which are so<br />
essential to the well-being of the<br />
individuals we support and their<br />
continued on page 3
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Report of the<br />
President & CEO<br />
by Sandy Keshen<br />
Recently I had the opportunity<br />
to thank Mordechai Ben Dat,<br />
Executive Editor for<br />
publishing an interview I had given<br />
to Carolyn Blackman, a reporter for<br />
the Canadian Jewish News. I<br />
wanted to thank him because in<br />
todays rushed world, too often facts<br />
are misunderstood and misprinted<br />
by members of the press, and here<br />
we had a very well written (and<br />
accurate) account of the interview.<br />
It was his response which struck a<br />
chord within me. He said, and I quote:<br />
“The CJN is a mirror, reflecting<br />
back the light of the community to<br />
the community.”<br />
What a charming and menschlech<br />
way to acknowledge Reena’s growth<br />
and achievements over the years<br />
Report of the Chair continued from page 2<br />
families. In addition, the Foundation<br />
enthusiastically undertook to raise<br />
capital funds for the Reena<br />
Community Residence and has<br />
already been most successful in raising<br />
most of its commitment to the Capital<br />
Campaign. I am delighted to have this<br />
opportunity on behalf of the Reena<br />
Board and the many hundreds of<br />
individuals with developmental<br />
disabilities we support, to say a<br />
heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Irving<br />
and the very positive manner in which<br />
we are viewed in the community.<br />
As President and CEO of this vibrant<br />
and successful agency, I, too, consider it<br />
to be a light in the community and I<br />
want to take this opportunity to thank<br />
the diligent, loyal, and caring Reena<br />
staff who have contributed so much to<br />
the ‘glow’. Reena currently has 460 full<br />
and part-time staff, some of whom<br />
have been with us for over 30 years –<br />
how’s that for job satisfaction? Each<br />
one is a very valuable member of our<br />
organization and contributes his/her<br />
skills and energy with enthusiasm,<br />
professionalism and commitment.<br />
I am so proud of the high calibre<br />
work ethic we have established<br />
throughout our agency. In spite of the<br />
many new programs which have been<br />
introduced and the growing number of<br />
individuals receiving support, Reena<br />
staff members embrace added<br />
responsibilities and tasks willingly and<br />
with enthusiasm - in some cases taking<br />
additional training courses if necessary,<br />
to ensure the success of the project<br />
and the well-being of the individuals<br />
that Reena supports.<br />
We work together as a large family<br />
team with a common goal. I value their<br />
contribution to the success of Reena<br />
and look forward to continue working<br />
together to support and integrate<br />
individuals with developmental<br />
disabilities into the community with<br />
dignity and respect.<br />
Feldman, to Tobie Bekhor co-chair on<br />
the Capital Campaign Cabinet and to<br />
every member of the Foundation Board<br />
and Committees for years of tireless<br />
but very much appreciated efforts.<br />
As well as the many people I have<br />
acknowledged, there are countless<br />
others we are proud to call valued<br />
friends of Reena. Their commitment,<br />
loving care and generosity of spirit are<br />
the backbone of our organization.<br />
YMCA Award to Bill Fisch<br />
Bill Fisch, CEO and Chairman of York Region<br />
(l), and Police Chief Eric Jolliffe (r).<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 3
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Reena officially opens the Reena Community Residence continued from page 1<br />
Rabbi Chezi Zionce with Paula Sonshine,<br />
Event Co-Chair affixing mezuzah.<br />
(l to r) Ted Sokolsky, President, UJA<br />
Federation, Norman Beck, Reena resident,<br />
and Elizabeth Wolfe, Chair, UJA Federation.<br />
Robert lesser (left) presents plaque to<br />
Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua<br />
(l to r) Irving Feldman, Co-Chair Capital<br />
Campaign Cabinet, Rabbi Chezi Zionce, Tobi<br />
Bekhor, Co-Chair Capital Campaign Cabinet,<br />
Michael Di Biase, Regional Councillor,<br />
Vaughan, Monte Kwinter MPP, York Centre<br />
and David Zimmer, MPP, Willowdale.<br />
4 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
mezuzah to the entry of the building<br />
and recited a prayer before the<br />
program. Joan Glick Gold, Chair of<br />
the Reena Board of Directors<br />
welcomed and thanked the large<br />
audience for attending, introduced the<br />
program participants and the Co-<br />
Chairs of the event, Paula and Barry<br />
Sonshine.<br />
We wish to acknowledge, with deep<br />
appreciation, the greetings brought by<br />
The Honourable Lisa Raitt, MP,<br />
Minister of Labour, Reza Moridi, MPP<br />
for Richmond Hill, Bill Fisch,<br />
Chairman and CEO, the Regional<br />
Municipality of York, The Honourable<br />
Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor, City of<br />
Vaughan, Ted Sokolsky, President and<br />
CEO., UJA Federation of Greater<br />
Toronto, and Elizabeth Wolfe, Chair of<br />
the UJA Federation Board.<br />
An excited group of individuals<br />
supported by Reena played major<br />
roles throughout the event: Daninah<br />
Cummins, led the singing of O<br />
Canada, Norman Beck, Zachary<br />
Cohen, David Estrada, Robert Lesser,<br />
Velvel Tepperman, presented plaques<br />
to the speakers and VIP guests, and<br />
Danny Duscinsky led the audience in<br />
singing Hatikva at the end of the<br />
formal program.<br />
A plaque was presented to Reena’s<br />
CFO Sol Fleising:<br />
Reena Community Residence<br />
Grand Opening Ceremony<br />
September 14, 2012<br />
Presented to<br />
Sol Fleising<br />
For his expertise, guidance and<br />
judicious monitoring of all financial<br />
matters pertaining to the planning,<br />
building and completion of the<br />
Reena Community Residence.<br />
Daninah Cummins singing O Canada,<br />
assisted by Ron Nichols.<br />
Bill Fisch, Chair, Regional Municipality of<br />
York receives plaque from Reena resident<br />
Zachary Cohen.<br />
David Estrada, presents a plaque to the<br />
Hon. Lisa Raitt, MP. Minister of Labour.<br />
(l to r) Reza Moridi, MPP, Richmond Hill<br />
and Reena resident Velvel Tepperman.
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Trillium Grant for the Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust<br />
Remembrance Garden<br />
by: Ellen Rajzman, Reena Community Residence Manager<br />
At the Official Opening of the Maxwell and Ruth<br />
Leroy Holocaust Remembrance Garden at the<br />
Reena Community Residence, Savi Singh, Chair of<br />
the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Simcoe-York Grant<br />
Review Team announced a Community Capital grant of<br />
$31,800 through the Ontario Ministry of Culture and<br />
Tourism and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.<br />
Along with the<br />
announcement, Ms. Singh<br />
presented a plaque to<br />
Vaughan MPP Steven Del<br />
Duca and Thornhill MPP<br />
Peter Shurman. This grant<br />
was doubled with<br />
matching funds by the<br />
Reena Foundation. The<br />
Garden is located on Ilan<br />
Ramon Blvd., on the west<br />
side of the Reena<br />
Community Residence,<br />
and is open to all.<br />
The combined grant was<br />
used towards panels in the<br />
Garden and to furnish an<br />
Education Centre with tables and chairs, a laptop computer<br />
and digital projector, and a touch screen for self-guided<br />
learning. Visitors to the Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust<br />
(l to r) Edward Lewis, Candace Lewis, Sandy Keshen, Savi Singh, Steven<br />
Del Duca, MPP, Vaughan, and Peter Shurman, MPP, Thornhill.<br />
Bryan and Belinda Keshen and Rena and Mark<br />
Wolanski have endowed an Education Fund in<br />
honour of their beloved Great Aunt Miriam<br />
Peckman, one of the more than 200,000 persons with a<br />
developmental disability who were targeted and killed<br />
by the Nazi regime.<br />
Educational programs will be offered through the<br />
Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust Remembrance<br />
Garden at the Reena Community Residence. This Fund<br />
Remembrance Garden can view the striking panels<br />
highlighting the plight of over 200,000 people with<br />
disabilities who were targeted and murdered by the Nazi<br />
regime. The grant also provided benches in the Garden for<br />
people to sit and reflect.<br />
A curriculum has been developed by the Holocaust<br />
Education Committee, chaired by Fran Kieselstein. The<br />
course is being offered to<br />
Reena staff, and will be<br />
extended to other agencies<br />
and schools to expand the<br />
field of Holocaust studies.<br />
Volunteer docents with<br />
developmental disabilities<br />
will provide a tour of the<br />
Garden.<br />
The Maxwell and Ruth<br />
Leroy Holocaust<br />
Remembrance Garden<br />
promotes community by<br />
emphasizing the capacity<br />
of individuals to live<br />
together and is<br />
strengthened whenever an<br />
individual comes to the Garden, takes a class in the<br />
Education Centre, or interacts with someone who is<br />
different.<br />
Education Fund at the Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust<br />
Remembrance Garden<br />
will ensure that others can learn about the dangers of<br />
devaluing and marginalizing people, while promoting<br />
diversity and acceptance for all.<br />
Reena is committed to educating the general<br />
community that people with developmental disablities<br />
have the rights of full and inclusive citizenship.<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 5
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
The Max & Ruth Leroy Holocaust Remembrance Garden and<br />
Education Committee – Opening Event<br />
by: Stacey Donaghy, Manager of Reena’s Learning & Development Department<br />
On October 26, 2012 Reena and the Community<br />
celebrated the opening of the Maxwell and Ruth<br />
Leroy Holocaust Remembrance Garden and the<br />
Holocaust Education Centre. This was a day of<br />
remembering over 200,000 persons with disabilities who<br />
were senselessly murdered during the Holocaust.<br />
We were thrilled to have the Deputy Mayor City of<br />
Vaughan Gino<br />
Rosati (Greetings),<br />
MPP Steven Del<br />
Duca (Presentation<br />
Trillium Foundation<br />
Grant, and<br />
Greetings from the<br />
Province of<br />
Ontario), and MPP<br />
Peter Shurman<br />
(Presentation<br />
Trillium Foundation<br />
Grant) in<br />
attendance, all of<br />
whom brought<br />
Two of the panels which will be<br />
instrumental in educating the public<br />
about the history of the Holocaust.<br />
6 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
greetings and spoke<br />
about the meaning<br />
of the curriculum<br />
and garden for the<br />
community and for individuals who have developmental<br />
disability. We thank Savi Singh (Ontario Trillium<br />
Foundation Representative) Mira Goldfarb Executive<br />
Director (Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust<br />
Education Centre) who spoke on behalf of the Holocaust<br />
Community welcoming Reena into the Holocaust<br />
community. Our<br />
Keynote speaker<br />
and active<br />
committee member<br />
Paul Burston<br />
(Director, Relations<br />
and Social Policy<br />
Christian Horizons)<br />
spoke directly to the<br />
meaning behind the<br />
Garden and<br />
curriculum, as well<br />
as the closing of<br />
Daninah Cummins presents a plaque to<br />
Paul Burston.<br />
Ontario institutions<br />
and the on-going<br />
positive changes<br />
Front row (l to r) Joan Gold, Sandy Keshen, Candace Lewis, Deputy<br />
Mayor Gino Rosati, Fran Kieselstein, Edward Lewis and Daniel<br />
Duscinsky.<br />
Back row (l to r) Jacob Israelson, Paul Burston, Irving Feldman<br />
and Steven Del Duca.<br />
toward an inclusive society. Fran Kieselstein (Chair<br />
Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust Education Committee)<br />
spoke about her<br />
time as Chair, the<br />
committee’s<br />
accomplishments<br />
and shared<br />
personal history as<br />
a child of<br />
survivors, and<br />
read a letter<br />
written by a<br />
family member of<br />
a young boy with<br />
a disability who<br />
perished during<br />
the Holocaust. We<br />
thank Irving<br />
Sheree Raphael, presents a plaque to Fran<br />
Kieselstein.<br />
Feldman (Chair-Reena Foundation) who spoke on behalf of<br />
Foundation. Candace and Edward Lewis (Donors of the<br />
Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust Remembrance Garden)<br />
and Joan Glick Gold (Chair-Reena Board of Directors) who<br />
was the Master of Ceremonies for this event.<br />
A very special thank you to those persons that we<br />
support who assisted us throughout the event; Daninah<br />
Cummins for singing O Canada, Daniel Duschinsky for<br />
singing Ha Tikvah. Thank you so much Avi Slutsky,<br />
Sabrina Pennacchio, Sheree Raphael, and Jeff Weiman for<br />
helping present plaques and assisting with the ribbon<br />
cutting.
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
We thank Fran Kieselstein and all the members of the<br />
Maxwell and Ruth Leroy Holocaust Education Committee<br />
for their commitment and hard work in developing this<br />
curriculum, and the text for the Panels that now grace the<br />
Holocaust Garden,<br />
and for all of the<br />
decisions that<br />
made this day a<br />
success: Chair Fran<br />
Kieselstein<br />
Members: Paula<br />
Sonshine, Esther<br />
Yermus, Paul<br />
Burston, Ellen<br />
Rajzman, Candace<br />
Lewis, Sandy<br />
Keshen, Sandy<br />
Peter Shurman, MPP, Thornhill, receives a<br />
plaque from Avi Slutsky.<br />
Toben, Clifford<br />
Walsh, Stacey<br />
Donaghy, Sally<br />
Wasserman, Arlene Margolese, Michelle Goldstein, Ellen<br />
Little, Barry Gang, and our wonderful University of<br />
Toronto Student Membership Bianca Galloro, and Cathy<br />
Carullo.<br />
Our work as a committee will continue as we plan for<br />
upcoming training dates, and tours. I would also like to take<br />
this opportunity to welcome new member Tali Nizic to the<br />
committee. Tali has always been an active participant in<br />
anything Reena and we are delighted to hear that she will<br />
be joining us as we forge ahead.<br />
Our sincere thanks to Sol Fleising (CFO Reena) for<br />
leading the<br />
Blessing at the<br />
Opening<br />
Ceremony, and to<br />
Minnie Ross for<br />
her assistance<br />
around the<br />
preparatory pieces<br />
that make any<br />
event run<br />
smoothly. We<br />
would also like to<br />
acknowledge<br />
Sabrina Ponnacchio presents plaque to<br />
Irving Feldman, Chair, Reena Foundation.<br />
Guela Solow and<br />
her team at A R K<br />
Architects + Research + Knowledge Inc. for the panel<br />
design and legend descriptor. I would be remiss if I did not<br />
thank my phenomenal team in Learning & Development,<br />
the hard work and dedication of this team is equal to none.<br />
To Sandy Toben and Shigemi Yoshimori, how you<br />
managed to populate the touch screens without hiring<br />
someone to develop the storyboard is amazing! To Ron<br />
Nichols of the Client and Family Department whose radio<br />
smooth announcer voice will forever be captured as part of<br />
the Holocaust Education Centre- thank you so much for<br />
narrating the touch screens.<br />
Last but never least our thanks to Sandy Keshen our<br />
leader and our visionary, who sees well beyond the<br />
horizon and understands that there must be action to<br />
create change. We thank her for her leadership. The<br />
Holocaust curriculum is that vision - a curriculum that<br />
illustrates the atrocities of the past while remaining focused<br />
on the future. The overall message “How can we make<br />
things better?”<br />
Marginalization is a key focus throughout, with the<br />
message being that we need to practice and teach tolerance<br />
as a society in order to stop the mistreatment of others just<br />
Jeff Weiman (r) presents plaque to Edward and Candace Lewis.<br />
because they are deemed to be different from ourselves.<br />
Inclusion happens when we no longer marginalize people.<br />
Atrocities such as the Holocaust occur when we are<br />
bystanders and allow the mistreatment of others:<br />
Quote by Pastor Martin Niemöller<br />
First they came for the Socialists,<br />
and I did not speak out<br />
because I was not a Socialist.<br />
Then they came for the Trade Unionists,<br />
and I did not speak out<br />
because I was not a Trade Unionist.<br />
Then they came for the Jews<br />
and I did not speak out<br />
because I was not a Jew.<br />
Then they came for meand<br />
there was no one left<br />
to speak out for me.<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 7
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
The Presentation at Tanenbaum CHAT - Kimel Family Education<br />
Centre Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus<br />
by: Sandy Toben – Learning and Development Supervisor<br />
On November 5th, 2012, Sandy Keshen received<br />
an email from Dr. Jonathan Levy, the Principle<br />
of Tanenbaum CHAT: Kimel Family Education<br />
Centre at the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Jewish<br />
Community Campus. Dr. Levy had attended the Grand<br />
Opening Ceremony of the Maxwell and Ruth Leroy<br />
Holocaust Remembrance Garden on October 26th, 2012.<br />
Dr. Levy wrote that he was impressed by what he saw<br />
and requested some additional information about the<br />
Holocaust Garden and what it represents. He asked if<br />
someone could speak at their staff meeting on November<br />
12th, 2012.<br />
Sandy contacted the Learning and Development<br />
Department and a Power Point Presentation was created<br />
that represented an ‘overview’ of the Holocaust<br />
Education Curriculum. This curriculum has been<br />
developed over the last two years through the hard<br />
work and dedication of the Holocaust Education<br />
Committee. The Power Point Presentation also included<br />
the history behind the Holocaust Remembrance Garden.<br />
On November 12th, I gave the presentation to over 60<br />
faculty members during their staff meeting at<br />
Tanenbaum CHAT. Although much research has been<br />
UJA Federation Support for R-E-B-E-C-C-A<br />
Reena was the recent recipient of a generous cheque<br />
sent by the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto in<br />
support of the R-E-B-E-C-C-A, Production<br />
Workshop from Blue Balloon Productions.<br />
R-E-B-E-C-C-A, was seen by an invited audience in the<br />
Spring of 2012 as a play in progress, and features two<br />
Rebeccas: the extraordinary one that exists in reality, born<br />
prematurely in May and developmentally delayed, and<br />
the one that might have been, existing in an alternate<br />
universe, born in July as she was projected to be. Written<br />
and performed by Sara Farb, the play is based on her reallife<br />
sister Rebecca, who participates in Reena’s outreach<br />
8 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
done around the travesties of the Holocaust, very little<br />
information specific to the mistreatment and murder of<br />
those with disabilities has been discussed. The focus of<br />
the presentation was to raise awareness about the<br />
200,000 people with disabilities who were among the<br />
earliest victims targeted by the Nazi regime.<br />
After the presentation, a number of staff members<br />
approached me with questions and wanted more<br />
information about Reena and the Holocaust Education<br />
Curriculum. I explained that the curriculum will be<br />
offered as a training course through Reena in the next<br />
few months. I encouraged everyone to visit the Garden<br />
at the Reena Community Residence on the Lebovic<br />
Jewish Community Campus.<br />
I want to thank Tanenbaum CHAT and Dr. Jonathan<br />
Levy for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Reena<br />
and the Holocaust Education Committee. This<br />
awareness is very important to ensure that everyone<br />
learns about the dangers of devaluing and<br />
marginalizing people. Reena continues to be committed<br />
to educating the public that people with developmental<br />
disabilities have the right to individual choice, respect,<br />
dignity and full social inclusion in our community.<br />
programs. Through its honest and unapologetic tone, the<br />
play deals with the fragility of fate and our perceptions of<br />
ourselves and those with a developmental disability,<br />
whether in society at large or in our own families.<br />
Reena thanks UJA Federation for its support of our<br />
programs in the community and for directing this<br />
generous donation to help the production workshop to<br />
further develop the play. When it comes to the main stage<br />
you can be sure that Reena will be there to give accolades<br />
to a very talented young playwrite/actor who captured the<br />
heart and spirit of her sister with love and insight.
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Boomer Volunteers - Building Capacity<br />
by: Raksha Bhayana – Committee Chair<br />
R<br />
eena was pleased to be selected, along with ten<br />
other organizations, to participate in UJA<br />
Federation’s new initiative “Engaging the New<br />
Senior as Volunteers”. Having worked with a number of<br />
volunteers in this age group, we are acutely aware that<br />
Boomers can be an invaluable resource. They bring years of<br />
experience, a wide range of expertise and maturity to an<br />
organization. We also know that Boomers want to use their<br />
acumen honed through a lifetime of learning, to make an<br />
impact, to leave a social legacy.<br />
Spear-headed by the UJA Federation, the project is<br />
designed to provide agencies with a broad understanding<br />
of Boomer volunteers. Simultaneously this innovative<br />
project will enable knowledge and skill building on Boomer<br />
cultivation and engagement in leadership roles. Recently<br />
UJA hosted a two-day workshop focused on knowledge<br />
transfer. The tools, templates, coaching provided will assist<br />
in creating a new culture within our volunteer infrastructure<br />
that embraces the passion and expectations of<br />
Boomers.<br />
Reena’s challenge is to develop leadership roles for<br />
volunteers that are meaningful, impactful and build<br />
capacity within Reena. We are planning to create a unique<br />
program- synergizing Boomers known passion for fitness<br />
with the need for improved physical wellbeing of the<br />
people that we support. Reena will accomplish this by<br />
My Time at 44 Silkwood<br />
by: Anna Marie on behalf of Miles C.<br />
In the time that I spend with Anna at 44 Silkwood, she has<br />
used a number of different approaches in order to teach me<br />
many life skills and develop further potential for social<br />
integration. Her goal is to maintain focus, using memory, and<br />
build self-confidence – encouraging me to be spontaneous and<br />
work well with others. Anna has an exciting, interactive etiquette<br />
program for me, which I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to.<br />
Our outings to the mall and to the park, where good behaviour<br />
and socialization is emphasized, combine friendly manners and<br />
social skills which will hopefully open many doors for me.<br />
Anna tries to encourage my creativity and love of music<br />
through her art programs, which allow for me to hone my<br />
creative potential and explore full creativity without fear. On this<br />
page are some of the examples of the work I have done at 44<br />
Silkwood. I am very pleased and amazed with what Reena has to<br />
offer, and feel proud of our accomplishments. It is an honour for<br />
me to be part of this organization and I recognize the sacrifices<br />
and triumphs that those involved have gone through for us, the<br />
residents at 44 Silkwood.<br />
facilitating partnerships between Boomers and individuals<br />
with developmental disabilities. They will potentially act as<br />
mentors and coaches in the JCCs and other fitness<br />
programs. Through these activities we will facilitate the<br />
health and fitness of individuals supported by Reena and<br />
provide our volunteers with a greater understanding and<br />
commitment to their fitness and a healthy lifestyle.<br />
On a macro level, we will also design leadership roles for<br />
the Boomer volunteers as advocates- to increase community<br />
openness and create change on a system level. We believe<br />
they can assist in fulfilling our vision of a fully inclusive<br />
community.<br />
This initiative will unfold over the next nine months,<br />
beginning with the cultivation of Boomers currently<br />
engaged in the fitness centre at the Prosserman JCC and<br />
then expanding to the Schwartz/Reisman Centre and other<br />
fitness programs. These volunteers will be matched with<br />
individuals receiving support from Reena, encouraging,<br />
motivating and supporting them in their fitness activities,<br />
all overseen by a qualified JCC Fitness Instructor. Boomer<br />
volunteers will be offered appropriate training and<br />
immersion in our vision of full inclusion for everyone.<br />
They will be in an ideal position to set an example for the<br />
rest of the community, becoming ambassadors and<br />
spokespersons for inclusion.<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 9
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Channels at the Reena Community Residence<br />
by: Daniel Dickson, Channels Staff<br />
M<br />
ore exciting news for the<br />
Channels program, as we are<br />
settling into our new location<br />
in the Reena Community Residence<br />
(RCR) on the Lebovic Campus. The<br />
majority of Channels participants live<br />
in the building, and we are focused on<br />
establishing strong roots in our new<br />
community. We are encouraging our<br />
participants to become active and<br />
productive in their new surroundings<br />
by exploring the benefits of<br />
community involvement, with the aim<br />
of spreading the Lebovic Campus'<br />
model of inclusion. The community<br />
has welcomed us with open arms, and<br />
we have discovered plenty of exciting<br />
vocational and recreational<br />
opportunities for our participants.<br />
We at the RCR share the Lebovic<br />
Campus with a modern community<br />
centre (the Schwartz Reisman Centre)<br />
and a large education complex (Kimel<br />
10 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
Family Education Centre). Some of the<br />
building's residents have already<br />
joined the fitness centre at Schwartz<br />
Reisman, and are enjoying use of the<br />
state of the art fitness equipment and<br />
three salt-water pools. We have also<br />
been able to secure vocational<br />
placements for Channels participants<br />
on campus, and they are working hard<br />
to ensure that Reena develops and<br />
maintains a sterling reputation in the<br />
area. Along with the RCR Residential<br />
team, we are in frequent contact with<br />
others on campus to find new and<br />
exciting ways to promote inclusion.<br />
With the completion of the<br />
Holocaust Remembrance Garden,<br />
there has been great interest in the<br />
beautiful new additions to our<br />
building's facade. The Channels and<br />
Pathways programs have been asked<br />
to assist with interactive tours of the<br />
garden, including information sessions<br />
SIL Day Program Says Thank You<br />
to Rabbi Sean Gorman and Larry Spring<br />
by: Rebecca Freedlander<br />
R<br />
eena’s Supported .Independent Living (SIL) Day<br />
Program expresses sincere appreciation to Rabbi<br />
Sean Gorman and Ritual Director Larry Spring of<br />
the Pride of Israel Synagogue. Over the past year we<br />
have been enjoying a lunch and learn session on the last<br />
Thursday of every month.<br />
The group members have enjoyed learning more about<br />
our Jewish identity and the special meaning behind each<br />
of the holidays we celebrate. They take pride in all the<br />
knowledge which has been acquired over time. Lessons<br />
are always taught in a fun and friendly manner which<br />
puts a smile on the faces of all involved in this wonderful<br />
undertaking. Our S.I.L. group always feels very welcome<br />
when we come through the doors of the Pride.<br />
Each one of our participants wanted to express how<br />
much they enjoy and benefit from this meaningful<br />
program at the Shul.<br />
using the touchscreen computers in<br />
the Channels program room.<br />
What's more, Channels has spread<br />
its net beyond the campus and into the<br />
surrounding area to find 'good fits' for<br />
the individuals we support. At the<br />
nearby Rutherford Plaza shopping<br />
complex, you can find our participants<br />
working in paid and volunteer<br />
positions, just a short walk from their<br />
apartments. In warmer months we<br />
volunteered at the nearby Kavannah<br />
Community Garden, helping to<br />
harvest fresh fruits and vegetables to<br />
be donated to charity.<br />
With more exciting opportunities on<br />
the horizon - including some Channels<br />
entrepreneurial ventures - we have<br />
only just begun to explore the exciting<br />
opportunities that the Lebovic Campus<br />
and surrounding neighbourhood have<br />
to offer. Stay tuned!<br />
MARTIN GOODMAN:<br />
My favourite thing is finding out about the Truth.<br />
CHERYL KELMAN:<br />
I like all the songs - especially those we learn for the<br />
holidays.<br />
RACHEL BENCHETRIT:<br />
I like to ask a lot of questions. I learn something new every<br />
time we come.<br />
HIRSH SILVERSTEIN:<br />
I love to learn more about being Jewish and to share what I<br />
know with others.<br />
Hirsh is moving to a new location. We will miss his<br />
enthusiastic participation in the S.I.L. group. We want to<br />
thank the Rabbi and Larry for arranging a very special<br />
farewell party for Hirsch. They have always gone out of<br />
their way to make our time together fun and meaningful.<br />
May all the good feelings continue for years to come.
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
2012 Graduating Developmental Disabilities Counsellor Class!<br />
by: The Learning & Development Team<br />
The Learning and Development department would<br />
like to congratulate all the graduates of March 2012<br />
Developmental Disabilities Counsellor (DDC)<br />
program. The graduation ceremony was held at Reena, on<br />
November 15th, 2012.<br />
Our partnering agencies (Kerry’s Place Autism Services<br />
Toronto, Montage Support Services.) have shown a high<br />
level of commitment to the DDC Program through<br />
practicum and block placement supervision, and in the<br />
interview process. We look forward to a continuous<br />
successful partnership with them.<br />
We would like to thank Reena’s Instructor Teams,<br />
Supervisors and Preceptors for their on-going support and<br />
for their contribution to the high-quality trainings. With<br />
their support, students are able to graduate from the DDC<br />
Program with excellent knowledge and firm confidence.<br />
The next program starts in July 2013, and the application<br />
deadline has been extended.<br />
Reena’s Respite Program<br />
by: Robyn Switzer, Resource Supervisor – Outreach & Respite Services<br />
R<br />
eena offers residential respite to individuals with a<br />
developmental disability living with their family in<br />
the community. Respite is available for children and<br />
young adults starting at age 7. Our children’s location is<br />
wheel chair accessible and is available for children between<br />
the ages of 7 – 17. Our young adult location provides<br />
respite for individuals ages 18+ with moderate to<br />
independent needs.<br />
Reena is proud to announce that individuals, who<br />
accessed respite at 65 Crestwood Road, will be moving to<br />
the brand new Reena Community Residence. This<br />
location is a three bedroom, fully furnished and fully<br />
accessible apartment.<br />
Reena Community Residence<br />
Successful graduates of the 2012 Developmental Disabilities<br />
Counsellor Class.<br />
Reena also provides respite for individuals who are male,<br />
18+ with higher behavioural needs. As the respite program<br />
continues to grow, we hope to be able to provide respite<br />
for many more new families.<br />
If you require any additional information regarding the<br />
residential respite program, please do not hesitate to<br />
contact Robyn Switzer, Respite Supervisor, at the Toby and<br />
Henry Battle Developmental Centre, 905-889-6484<br />
extension 2116.<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROB SCOTT<br />
We express our deep appreciation to Paula and<br />
Barry Sonshine, Co-Chairs of the Opening<br />
Ceremonies, for their ongoing support of Reena in<br />
the community, and for their generosity in<br />
sponsoring all three of the opening ceremonies.<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 11
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Report of the Chair<br />
of the Reena<br />
Foundation Board<br />
by Irving Feldman<br />
Online Giving Just Got Easier!<br />
12 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
These are very challenging times<br />
for Reena and for our entire<br />
sector. Organizations like<br />
Reena are being squeezed financially<br />
like never before, and in an<br />
environment where fiscal belt<br />
tightening is the prevailing direction<br />
from Reena’s funding Ministry, we at<br />
Reena Foundation are concerned<br />
about the people Reena serves, and<br />
how they and their families will cope<br />
in the face of continuing cutbacks.<br />
We have seen story after story in<br />
the local press, about families who<br />
are desperate to find support services<br />
in order that they may remain intact<br />
and healthy. We at Reena Foundation<br />
remain totally committed to funding<br />
services that will add quality to the<br />
lives of Reena clients – services that<br />
would not be available if Reena<br />
depended only on government<br />
funding.<br />
As our Board and I look ahead to<br />
the final six months of my tenure as<br />
Chair of the Reena Foundation Board,<br />
we are committed to three key thrusts<br />
which we know will make a<br />
difference in the lives of Reena<br />
clients.<br />
First, we are recommitting<br />
ourselves to completing the $9<br />
million campaign to fund the new<br />
Reena Community Residence. We<br />
were proud to be a part of the<br />
opening of the building this past<br />
September, but we still have a way to<br />
go to ensure that the financing<br />
burden on the organization is<br />
minimal. We will complete the final<br />
leg of the campaign, the final $1.3<br />
million, before the Annual General<br />
Meeting in June.<br />
We remain absolutely committed to<br />
funding Reena’s Respite &<br />
Enrichment Programs. The<br />
individuals and their families in the<br />
community, who thrive and prosper<br />
as a direct result of participating in<br />
these programs, are proof enough<br />
that they are vital, and must remain<br />
priorities in our fundraising efforts.<br />
While Reena continues to search for<br />
ways to deliver these services more<br />
efficiently, and in a more inclusive<br />
manner, Reena Foundation will work<br />
closely with Reena to ensure the<br />
funding is in place. While we will run<br />
events to raise the funds annually, we<br />
will also work directly with families to<br />
build the endowment funds that are<br />
necessary to permanently secure<br />
these programs.<br />
We will continue to work together<br />
with the Reena Board of Directors, to<br />
determine additional ways and means<br />
that Reena Foundation can support<br />
Reena’s efforts to reach more people<br />
with more meaningful programs.<br />
Reena Foundation remains committed<br />
to being a part of the solution. With<br />
the help of our generous donors and<br />
tireless fundraisers, we will continue<br />
to make a meaningful difference in<br />
the lives of the vulnerable population<br />
Reena serves.<br />
I look forward to a very productive<br />
winter. On behalf of the Reena<br />
Foundation Board of Directors, I<br />
would like to wish you and yours the<br />
very best for the upcoming season.<br />
You can make a one time donation, place a tribute card order or set up a recurring<br />
donation all with the simple click of a mouse. You’ll receive an electronic tax<br />
receipt right away and most importantly you’ll be supporting Reena.<br />
Visit www.reenafoundation.org, click on donate now and make an online<br />
donation today.
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Report of the<br />
President<br />
by Gary E. Sim<br />
As we approach the end of<br />
another successful year at<br />
Reena Foundation, we look<br />
back proudly at our achievements and<br />
we look forward to our challenges.<br />
The year 2012 was our most<br />
successful fundraising year on record.<br />
With the help of many, many<br />
fundraising volunteers and the<br />
amazing leadership of our Board, we<br />
were able to achieve great things,<br />
even while facing a harsh economic<br />
environment. Our community<br />
stepped up and boldly stated “people<br />
with developmental disabilities<br />
matter”.<br />
While we continued to march<br />
successfully towards the completion<br />
of our largest capital campaign in<br />
Reena’s history, we also managed to<br />
meet our obligations to funding those<br />
vital Respite & Enrichment Programs<br />
that Reena’s families need in order<br />
that their loved ones will achieve their<br />
maximum potential.<br />
But the year ahead is going to be<br />
even more challenging. To begin, we<br />
need to complete the last leg of the<br />
capital campaign. We need to<br />
complete the last $1.3 million to<br />
minimize the long term mortgage on<br />
the building. The building is complete<br />
and residents continue to move into<br />
their new home. It’s difficult to raise<br />
money after the building is complete,<br />
but we must do it! Reena began the<br />
building project knowing that the<br />
Foundation could generate the<br />
financial support needed from the<br />
community. Reena needs us to<br />
complete that obligation.<br />
Secondly, we need to continue to<br />
fund the Respite & Enrichment<br />
Programs. This continues to be more<br />
and more difficult as the individuals<br />
that Reena services become more and<br />
more complex. The cost per individual<br />
is therefore becoming more and more<br />
expensive. But the more complex the<br />
individual, the more they and their<br />
family truly need Reena. Reena<br />
Foundation will continue to be there<br />
for Reena and the families Reena<br />
serves.<br />
Finally, in the face of frozen budgets<br />
coming from the Ministry, and the<br />
increasing costs of providing services,<br />
Reena will look to its Foundation and<br />
our community to help continue to<br />
provide services that government<br />
funding alone cannot provide. Those<br />
are the services that add quality to the<br />
lives of the people Reena serves.<br />
In the face of these increasingly<br />
difficult times and increased demands<br />
on fundraising, we are continually<br />
looking for good people willing to<br />
help fundraise. You don’t have to be a<br />
great fundraiser, just have a<br />
willingness to be a part of making a<br />
difference. The rest you will enjoy<br />
learning along the way. Please, say<br />
you will help and call our offices<br />
today. Reena and the people that<br />
count on Reena could truly use your<br />
help!<br />
The Power of Leverage!<br />
Did you know that you could arrange to make a substantial gift to Reena<br />
through life insurance for an affordable monthly premium that is tax deductible?<br />
To learn more please call the Foundation offices at 905.764.1081 ext. 29<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 13
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
14 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
Community Donors Make New Residence A Reality<br />
T<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Reena<br />
Community Residence Opening<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 15
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Thank you to our Capital Campaign donors<br />
Here are just some of the people who made it happen!<br />
Founder - ($1,000,000 + )<br />
The Maxwell & Ruth Leroy Foundation<br />
Estate of Earl Mandell<br />
Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc.<br />
Champion - ($100,000.00 + )<br />
Keith and Sheila Alexander<br />
Jason Berns and Donna Alexander<br />
BMO Bank of Montreal<br />
Dynamic Tire Corp.<br />
Emery Investments<br />
In loving memory of Clara and<br />
David Nightingale<br />
Ganz Family Foundation<br />
Rosalie and Marshall Gottlieb<br />
and Family<br />
Daphne Wagner, David, Lita<br />
and Mikey Green<br />
Warren and Debbie Kimel<br />
Adina and Steven Libfeld<br />
Kimberley and Joseph Mimran<br />
Bert and Marilyn Raphael and Family<br />
Reena Staff Campaign<br />
Barry and Honey Sherman<br />
Steven Weisz<br />
1 Anonymous Donor<br />
Partner - ($50,000.00 + )<br />
Allan and Lisa Brown and Family<br />
CIBC<br />
Sydney and Florence Cooper<br />
Foundation<br />
Deloitte & Touche Foundation of<br />
Canada<br />
Fieldgate Developments<br />
Kenneth and Margaret Hammond<br />
Martin and Sandra Karp<br />
Sandy Keshen and Family<br />
Al and Sheila Libfeld<br />
The Minto Foundation &<br />
The Esam Group<br />
Royal Bank Financial Group<br />
Foundation<br />
Serruya Family Foundation<br />
TD Bank Group<br />
In Loving Memory of Helen Unger<br />
Richard and Nathalie Wachsberg<br />
Leonard and Gilda Whyne<br />
Builder - ($25,000.00 + )<br />
The Acorn Development Corporation<br />
Dasd Contracting Inc.<br />
Daniel and Karine Daviau<br />
Durigon Family<br />
Saul and Toby Feldberg and Family<br />
Fred and Sugie Feldman<br />
Irving and Phyllis Feldman<br />
Barry and Barbara Fenton<br />
Joan Flomen<br />
Joan Gold<br />
Herman and Marya Grad<br />
Honourable Jerry and Carole Grafstein<br />
16 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
Great Gulf Homes Charitable Foundation<br />
George and Kitty Grossman<br />
Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation<br />
Ron and Heather Hoffman<br />
Al and Arlene Israel<br />
Leon and Fran Kieselstein<br />
Krylov & Company, Barristers<br />
Anthony Lisanti<br />
Ernest and Helen Singer and Family<br />
Albert and Esther Michaels<br />
Faye Minuk<br />
The Naiberg/Goldberg/Yoken Family<br />
Rita and Jeff Rayman and Family<br />
SF Partnership, LLP Chartered Accountants<br />
Robert and Mona Sherkin<br />
Allan and Hinda Silber<br />
Philip Smith Foundation<br />
Jennifer and Howard Smuschkowitz<br />
Benn, Samuel and Zachary Spiegel"<br />
Trinity Development Foundation<br />
UJA Federation<br />
Joel and Helen Vale<br />
Richard Venn and<br />
Carol Mitchell<br />
Vogue Development Group Inc.<br />
Welded Tube Of Canada<br />
Stephen Farb and<br />
Esther Yermus<br />
Arnold and Wendy Yudell<br />
Patron<br />
- ($10,000.00 + )<br />
Keith and Jan Allin<br />
Ken and Madeleine<br />
Bodenstein<br />
Paul and Tanya Braun<br />
City of Vaughan<br />
The Liz and Tony Comper<br />
Foundation<br />
Olga and Alex Eisen<br />
Allan and Susan Fenwick<br />
Ira Gluskin & Maxine<br />
Granovsky Gluskin<br />
Charitable Foundation<br />
The Henry and Zelda<br />
Korenblum Family<br />
Foundation<br />
Tom and Irene Mihalik<br />
Norman and Honey Schipper<br />
Richard and Laurine Schmelzle<br />
Barry and Paula Sonshine<br />
Leslie and Margit Steiner<br />
Bernardo and Ana Sztabinski<br />
Lorne and Michelle Weiss<br />
Jerold and Gale Winter<br />
Wycliffe Homes<br />
1 Anonymous Donor<br />
Leader - ($5,000.00 + )<br />
Karen and Amnon Baruch<br />
and Family<br />
Donald Bennett<br />
Century Diagnostic &<br />
Assessment Centre Inc.<br />
David Cohen's Community<br />
Outreach<br />
The John C. and Sally Horsfall<br />
Eaton Foundation<br />
Les and Patti Fluxgold<br />
Lawrence and Lynn Glazer<br />
Henry and Burtha Liss<br />
Sheila Loftus<br />
Tali Nizic<br />
Larry and Julie Schwartz<br />
Robert and Doreen Scolnick<br />
Mitchell Shnier and Cordine Partnoy<br />
2 Anonymous Donors
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Alex Eisen Society - Planning for a solid future<br />
Alex Eisen<br />
Alex Eisen has always believed in solid financial planning for a strong Reena.<br />
Alex was the first to give a planned gift to Reena in the form of an insurance<br />
policy. Join the Alex Eisen Society today and help secure Reena’s future by<br />
gifting a life insurance policy, leaving Reena in your will or, making a<br />
multiyear pledge to support Reena’s programs.<br />
Edith Abramczyk<br />
Shelagh Barrington<br />
Larry Berdugo<br />
Ken and Madeleine Bodenstein<br />
Allan and Lisa Brown<br />
Alex and Olga Eisen<br />
Saul and Toby Feldberg<br />
Susan Feldman<br />
David and Sara Farajun<br />
Ganz Family Foundation<br />
Stan and Sarah Goldfarb<br />
Harry and Sara Gorman<br />
Rosalie and Marshall Gottlieb and Family<br />
Ron and Heather Hoffman<br />
Charles Hopkins<br />
Leon and Fran Kieselstein<br />
Agi and Jack Mandel<br />
Israel Mida and Laura Walsh<br />
Stephen O’Leary<br />
Malcolm Peake<br />
Mira Rinne<br />
Freda Rubinstein<br />
Eva and Les Saperia<br />
Michael and Julia Sax<br />
Honey Schipper<br />
Paula Schonberger (Ed, Terry,<br />
Reena Foundation’s Monthly Donor Club<br />
Allyson and Andrew)<br />
David and Luba Smuschkowitz<br />
Mitchell Shnier<br />
Ralph and Nancy Soberano<br />
Barry and Paula Sonshine<br />
Edward and Fran Sonshine<br />
Harry and Edith Sporer<br />
Steeles Memorial Chapel<br />
Marvin and Pamela Tarek<br />
Joe Weisman<br />
Shelley and Jerry Werger<br />
Barry and Nelly Zagdanski<br />
1 Anonymous Donor<br />
By committing to a monthly gift, which can automatically be charged to your credit card, you are helping Reena<br />
Foundation in our planning. For many donors, monthly giving is also a preferred way of budgetting their own<br />
donations. Why not commit to a gift of $10, $18 or even $36 a month? To become a member of Reena Foundation's<br />
Monthly Donor Club, call Michelle Primus at 905-764-1081 ext. 33.<br />
Act II Fine Jewellery - Sol Unger<br />
Reverend Eleanor Barrington<br />
Mike and Karen Barrington<br />
Mischa Levine and Marcia Beck<br />
Robert Eisen<br />
Bernard and Barbara Feinstein<br />
Sandra Frisch<br />
David and Ruth Halperin<br />
Leon and Fran Kieselstein<br />
Syrma Kochberg<br />
Norman F. Martin<br />
Tali Nizic<br />
Stephen O'Leary<br />
Ely and Rose Ravinsky<br />
Alen Schiller<br />
Evelyn Silverberg-Hoffman<br />
Help Reena Become Greener!<br />
Rena Spring<br />
Gary and Paula Vader<br />
Sally Wasserman<br />
Donna and Howard Winick<br />
Stephen Farb and Esther Yermus<br />
Arnold and Wendy Yudell<br />
3 Anonymous Donors<br />
The cost of sending a piece of mail today is rising dramatically. You can help us<br />
direct this money to clients by providing us with an email address where we<br />
can reach and update you. Help Reena save money by emailing your contact<br />
information to info@reenafoundation.org because every penny counts!<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 17
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
December 2012 Endowment Fund List<br />
Establishing a family endowment fund is a wonderful way of creating your own legacy at Reena and a wonderful way of<br />
encouraging future generations to follow in your philanthropic footsteps. The whole family can donate to your fund and<br />
watch it grow over the years and generations. We would like to acknowledge the ongoing commitment of our fund<br />
holders to growing their fund and thank them for helping secure the future of Reena. Congratulations to those funds that<br />
have moved up a category!<br />
Champion - $100,000+<br />
Morris & Beverly Baker Foundation<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
David Esplin Endowment Fund<br />
Jenny Hammond Endowment Fund<br />
Magna Dinner Endowment Fund<br />
New Leadership Endowment Fund<br />
Peake Family Endowment Fund<br />
Reena General Endowment Fund<br />
Joel Schwartz Endowment Fund<br />
– Birthright Israel Shadow Fund<br />
Joel Schwartz Endowment Fund<br />
– Schwartz/Reisman Inclusion Fund<br />
Partner - $50,000+<br />
Rebecca Farb Endowment Fund<br />
Stevie Gottlieb Endowment Fund<br />
Bernice Guziker Endowment Fund<br />
Jon Sherkin Endowment Fund<br />
Irving & Sylvia Ungerman Endowment Fund<br />
Builder - $25,000+<br />
Joe & Helen Berman Endowment Fund<br />
Catalano Family Endowment Fund<br />
E.B. Esplin Endowment Fund<br />
Phyllis & Irving Feldman Family<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
Rienne Fleischmann Endowment Fund<br />
Kenny Freeman Education Endowment Fund<br />
Martin Goodman Endowment Fund<br />
Susan Harris & David Kassie Endowment Fund<br />
Kieselstein Family Endowment Fund<br />
Helen Levin Endowment Fund<br />
Al & Sheila Libfeld Endowment Fund<br />
Rose & Manny Lipman Endowment Fund<br />
Liss Family Endowment Fund<br />
Morrison Family Endowment Fund<br />
Bert & Marilyn Raphael Endowment Fund<br />
Rayman Family Endowment Fund<br />
Trevor Rosenberg Endowment Fund<br />
Fred Samuels Endowment Fund<br />
Jordan & Sandi Soll & Family Endowment Fund<br />
Helen Unger Endowment Fund<br />
Frank & Judy Wilson Endowment Fund<br />
Wilson Family Endowment Fund<br />
18 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
Patron - $10,000+<br />
Abramowitz Family Endowment Fund<br />
Fern Aronoff Endowment Fund<br />
Bacal Family Endowment Fund<br />
Norman & Fay Bacher Endowment Fund<br />
Barrington Family Endowment Fund<br />
Mayda & Max Beck Endowment Fund<br />
Robert Berdugo Endowment Fund<br />
Binder-Peckman Education Endowment Fund<br />
Michael & Tillie Blidner Endowment Fund<br />
Paul Cantlie Endowment Fund<br />
Jolene & Morris Carrady Endowment Fund<br />
Roslyn & Norman Climans Endowment Fund<br />
Laura Cohen Endowment Fund<br />
Harry Edelstein Endowment Fund<br />
Ethel & Hirsch Erdle Endowment Fund<br />
Sybil Goldberg Endowment Fund<br />
Rose & Max Goldenberg Endowment Fund<br />
Hanigsberg/Sossin Endowment Fund<br />
Diane Harris Endowment Fund<br />
Leslie Hartman Endowment Fund<br />
Morris Henechowicz Endowment Fund<br />
Angela Iannuzziello Endowment Fund<br />
Anne & Joe Jaffe Endowment Fund<br />
Justein Family Endowment Fund<br />
Melvin Yale Katz Family Endowment Fund<br />
David & Molly Kelman Memorial<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
Aaron Murray Keshen Music Endowment Fund<br />
Syrma & Harold Kochberg Family<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
Donald Lipman Endowment Fund<br />
Jack & Pearl Mandel Endowment Fund<br />
Irving & Anita Marcus Endowment Fund<br />
Mayers Family Endowment Fund<br />
Michaels Family Endowment Fund<br />
David J. Nizic Endowment Fund<br />
Francis O’Leary Family Endowment Fund<br />
Ed Richmond Endowment Fund<br />
Ross Family Endowment Fund<br />
Schwartz Family Endowment Fund<br />
Husky Sherkin Endowment Fund<br />
Teper Family Endowment Fund<br />
Morris & Faye Vanek Endowment Fund<br />
Wachsberg Family Endowment Fund<br />
Weisman Family Endowment Fund<br />
Whyne/Karp Family Endowment Fund<br />
Morris & Mary Yuchtman Family<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
Leader - $5,000+<br />
Les Agasee Endowment Fund<br />
Aronovitch Family Endowment Fund<br />
Leanne Begley Endowment Fund<br />
Allen & Judy Berg Endowment Fund<br />
David & Deborah Breslove Endowment Fund<br />
Harold Breslove Endowment Fund<br />
Sandy & Jerry Brooks Endowment Fund<br />
Les & Gertie Bulkin Endowment Fund<br />
Ted B. Chester Family Endowment Fund<br />
Eiley Family Endowment Fund<br />
Alex, Olga & Marvin Eisen Endowment Fund<br />
Epelbaum Family Endowment Fund<br />
Fred & Sugie Feldman Family Endowment Fund<br />
Lipa Fleising Endowment Fund<br />
Alex Flomen Memorial Endowment Fund<br />
Pearl Goldstein Continuing Education<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
Goose Family Endowment Fund<br />
Jesion Family Endowment Fund<br />
Sam & Mona Juravsky Endowment Fund<br />
Kazman Family Endowment Fund<br />
Rabbi Joseph E. Kelman Endowment Fund<br />
Joshua, Zachary & Catherine Machado<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
Patricia McKellar Family Endowment Fund<br />
Nethercott Family Endowment Fund<br />
Rajzman/Wagschal Family Endowment Fund<br />
Stu & Fay Rotman Endowment Fund<br />
Frank & Elaine Simkevitz Family Fund<br />
Ernie Weiss Endowment Fund<br />
Weizenberg Family Endowment Fund<br />
Developing Funds<br />
Durigon Family Endowment Fund<br />
Joan Glick Gold & Family Endowment Fund<br />
Erin Hopkins Family Endowment Fund<br />
Orit & Ellis Orlan Endowment Fund<br />
John & Fanni Rev Endowment Fund
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Race Night for Reena<br />
S<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 19
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
2nd Annual Striking for Reena Bowling event launched<br />
R<br />
20 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
JSMHT prepares for a third successful year<br />
A<br />
★<br />
Reena Foundation’s Million Penny Drive<br />
I<br />
2012 JSMHT Tournament winners<br />
★<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 21
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Stuart Farb Memorial Hockey Game<br />
F<br />
“Host your own event<br />
in support of Reena”<br />
From lemonade stands to golf tournaments, show<br />
your commitment, creativity and compassion to help<br />
integrate individuals with developmental disabilities<br />
into the community now and in the future.<br />
Hosting your own event is easy. For information on<br />
how to host your own event, please contact Reena<br />
Foundation at 905-764-1081.<br />
22 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
GOLF<br />
Tournament<br />
SOCIAL<br />
SPORTS<br />
BAKE<br />
SALE<br />
GARAGE<br />
SALE
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
What Reena has done for our family: Jon’s story<br />
E<br />
Jon Sherkin and his mother Mona.<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 23
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Quality and Quantity of Programs makes Reena’s Respite & Enrichment<br />
second to none<br />
I<br />
24 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012<br />
Proceeds to Reena’s Respite & Enrichment Programs
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
W<br />
Advertising Works<br />
Advertisements for Reena as displayed in issues of Toronto Life and Toronto Fashion magazines.<br />
Calling all Fundraisers!<br />
If you are interested in organizing a<br />
third party event for Reena, please call<br />
the Foundation office at 905-764-1081<br />
ext. 31 for any questions or guidance.<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 25
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
Marketing Committee gets the message across<br />
M<br />
26 • <strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012
<strong>Kolreena</strong><br />
A great year of community support for Reena Foundation<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong> • December 2012 • 27
Take out your calendar<br />
• Stuart Farb Memorial Hockey Game<br />
January 12, 2013<br />
Thornhill Community Centre, Bayview and John<br />
• Classic Albums Live – music of Supertramp<br />
February 15, 2013<br />
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts<br />
• Joel Schwartz Memorial Hockey Tournament<br />
March 10, 2013<br />
Chesswood Arena<br />
• Berenstain Bears Children’s Concert<br />
March 16, 2013<br />
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts<br />
• Striking for Reena<br />
May 5, 2013<br />
Playtime Bowl<br />
• Race Night for Reena<br />
September 11, 2013<br />
Woodbine Race Track<br />
Reena<br />
927 Clark Avenue West<br />
Thornhill, ON L4J 8G6<br />
For information<br />
on any event contact:<br />
The Foundation Office<br />
905-764-1081 x31<br />
events@reenafoundation.org<br />
Reena, Reena Foundation and<br />
Batay Reena wish our Donors,<br />
Volunteers, Families and Friends,<br />
the very best as we celebrate<br />
the holiday season.<br />
Like us on Facebook and visit us often for updates on events<br />
and links to stories that may be of interest to you.<br />
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ReenaFoundationNPO<br />
<strong>Kolreena</strong>: A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER ABOUT<br />
REENA ACTIVITIES PUBLISHED FOR THE FAMILIES,<br />
FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF REENA<br />
Reena Chair Joan Glick Gold. Vice-Chairs Elaine Norris, Paula<br />
Sonshine. Secretary Jean Byers. Treasurer Jeff Bernstein.<br />
Founding Chair Rabbi Joseph Kelman* Immediate Past Chair<br />
Laurine Schmelzle. Past Chairs Sam Handler* Syrma Kochberg,<br />
Harvey Adelman, Eleanor London, Marilyn Raphael, Harley<br />
Mintz, Harold Wodinsky, Hy Eiley, Robert H. Berkovitz,<br />
Angela Iannuzziello, Stanley Kugelmass, Howard Ugerman,<br />
Fay Rotman, Carolynn Morrison, Helen Vale, Tali Nizic. Life<br />
Director Joe Berman* Hon. Legal Counsel Bert Raphael, Q.C.,<br />
L.S.M., Hon. Treasurer Donald Bennett, C. A., Directors Rafi<br />
Aaron, Denis Boiselle, David L. Cohen, Rep. of Batay Reena<br />
Board, Leon Kieselstein, Rep. Reena Foundation Board, Arthur<br />
Kruger, Harold Latchman, Sid Laufer, Phil Lepofsky, Carolynn<br />
Morrison, Rabbi Yossi Sapirman, Julie Schwartz, Lorne Sossin,<br />
Benn Spiegel, William Steed, Daniel Vitaver.<br />
* Deceased<br />
President and CEO Sandy Keshen<br />
Reena Foundation Chair Irving Feldman. Vice-Chair Mike<br />
Nethercott. Treasurer, Ellis Orlan. Secretary Steven Justein.<br />
Past Chairs Hy Eiley, Gerald Hartman, Ronald Hoffman,<br />
Leon Kieselstein, Murray Klein, Ira Sack, Frank Simkevitz,<br />
Frank A. Wilson Hon. Legal Counsel Bert Raphael, Q.C.,<br />
L.S.M. Directors Jesse Abrams, Tobie Bekhor, Marshall<br />
Gottlieb, Leon Kieselstein, Sue-Ann Levy, Julie Schwartz, Jeff<br />
Shankman, Mona Sherkin, Stuart Suckonic, Tom Ungar,<br />
Arnie Unger, Richard Wachsberg, Steven Weisz.<br />
President Gary E. Sim, CFRE<br />
Batay Reena Chair Howard Ungerman. Secretary/Treasurer<br />
Harold Seidel. Immediate Past Chair Murray Klein. Directors<br />
Danny Iannuzziello, Sheila Libfeld, Paul Minz, David L.<br />
Cohen, Joan Glick Gold, Carolynn Morrison.<br />
Design and Production: Pure Design Marketing Ltd.<br />
Print: Print Three, Downsview<br />
Hon. Editor: Laurine Schmelzle<br />
Photography: Barry Shainbaum Productions<br />
and Systems 4 Productions Inc.<br />
Reena is affiliated with George Brown College<br />
Printed on recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks<br />
Head Office: Toby and Henry Battle Developmental Centre<br />
927 Clark Avenue West, Thornhill, ON L4J 8G6<br />
Tel (905) 889-6484, (905) 889-2690 (Direct line)<br />
Fax (905) 889-3827 E-mail: info@reena.org<br />
Web site: www.reena.org<br />
Reena Foundation<br />
1 Promenade Circle, Suite 308, Thornhill, ON L4J 4P8<br />
Tel: (905) 764-1081 Fax (905) 764-0595<br />
E-mail: info@reenafoundation.org<br />
Web Site: www.reenafoundation.org<br />
Charitable No. 89795-3719-RR0001<br />
Reena is funded by:<br />
Ministry of Community and Social Services<br />
and generous supporters in the community<br />
Publications Mail Agreement<br />
#41498519