Winter/Spring 2012 - YWCA Peterborough, Victoria & Haliburton

TURNING POINTS
WINTER/SPRING 2012
At the YWCA,
help is never more than a phone call away.
1-800-461-7656
www.ywcapeterborough.org

A Message from the
Executive Director
It’s been almost a year since staff
and residents moved into the
new Crossroads Shelter. From
the first day, everyone was
delighted with the sunlight filtering
through the rooms, the gathering
spaces, the privacy and the great
cooking smells in the kitchen.
Women have told us they feel very
safe at Crossroads and that staff
are always available when they
need someone to talk to. And yes, unfortunately occupancy
has gone up.
So the YWCA is engaged in planning for what comes next.
Many of our readers have already been consulted about our
draft Vision and Mission statements (we’re still agonizing
over every word!). We’re thinking about prevention programs
that help the next generation build healthy relationships, and
we’re looking for ways to help women thrive after they leave
an abusive partner. We’re also looking at the barriers women
and girls still face in Peterborough and Haliburton Counties
and identifying where the YWCA can make a difference.
In 2011, we proudly celebrated the YWCA’s 120th year in
Peterborough, the 20th Anniversary of YWCA Centennial
Crescent Housing, and our 25th year offering services in
Haliburton County.
As we plan for the next five years, we ask ourselves and our
supporters, “What is the condition of women and girls in our
communities, and in Canada and the world? What do we
want it to be? What should we do next to change the world?”
Lynn Zimmer, Executive Director
YWCA Peterborough, Victoria & Haliburton
thinking green?
To receive future editions of Turning Points by e-mail,
please contact Yvonne at 705-743-3526 or
yporter@ywcapeterborough.org.
You may unsubcribe at any time.
Give us a call.
We’re here to help.
Reaching out isn’t an easy thing to do - for any of us.
It’s hard to pick up the phone and let a stranger into
our lives without knowing how they’ll react to what
we’re about to say.
Sometimes we feel like it’s easier to talk to a friend or
family member because they’re familiar with the situation
and they understand us. But often, asking for help from the
people we’re closest to means having to decide whether
their advice is right for us.
At the YWCA, we believe that
reaching out doesn’t have to mean
giving up control. In fact, we believe
it means quite the opposite.
The YWCA is here to offer support and help women explore
options.
Outreach Workers
are available to
listen and provide
information related
to local resources,
legal supports and
safe places to turn
in an emergency.
They can help
women identify
ways to increase
their physical and
emotional safety
in addition to what
they are already doing, and offer valuable support when
women are facing tough life decisions.
“It’s not about having all the answers,” explains Doreen,
an Outreach Support Worker with YWCA Peterborough,
Victoria & Haliburton, “It’s about supporting women in
breaking the silence and letting them know they’re not
alone - whatever they may choose to do.
Cover: Peterborough Outreach Team - Beth, Steph, Doreen & Debbie
Below: Haliburton County Outreach Team - Marlene, Joelle, Diana & Paula
“We trust women to make the right choices for themselves.
They’re the only ones who know what that decision truly is.”
“A common misunderstanding that people have about the
YWCA is that emergency shelter is all we have to offer,”
says Outreach Worker, Paula Pepping, “But the truth is, the
YWCA can be a great support to women who simply have
questions about their relationship, are wondering about how
to keep themselves safer while staying in a relationship, or
are looking for affordable housing in Peterborough and
Haliburton Counties. You don’t have to stay at one of our
shelters to get connected with great information and
resources.“
Women who contact the YWCA are given the opportunity
to share their experiences and make choices based upon
what’s right for them in their situation.
If you have questions or concerns about your
relationship and feel you may benefit from this type of
support, please contact us using one of the numbers
listed below. Help is just a phone call away.
Outreach Counselling in Peterborough:
705-743-3526
Outreach Counselling in Haliburton County:
705-286-6442
24 Hour Crisis Line:
1-800-461-7656
Congrats
to our
2011
Guardian
Angels
A
Guardian Angel is an inspiration to others, a leader
and a role-model who has made a positive difference
in the lives of women living in Haliburton County. Her
spirit is what makes our community a special place to call
home.
On December 6th, 2011, YWCA Peterborough, Victoria &
Haliburton honoured Marilynne Lesperance, Jane van Nood
and Carla Watson for their outstanding commitment to their
community and ability to inspire positivity in those around
them.
Many thanks to the Highlands Male Chorus, OutLoud
Womyn’s Voices, Canadian Federation of University Women,
Sir Sandford Fleming College - Haliburton Campus, Royal
Canadian Legion Branch 636 - Minden, Foodland Haliburton,
Dollo’s Foodland, Teddy Time, CFUW - Haliburton Highlands
and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their continued
support of this annual community event.
www.ywcapeterborough.org
A Turning Point For Women
YWCA NEWSLETTER - 2 - WINTER/SPRING 2012 YWCA NEWSLETTER - 3 - WINTER/SPRING 2012

Together, we can make a difference!
‘Kawartha Karting Challenge’ hosted by Kawartha Durham Kart Club in support of Crossroads Shelter
2011 YWCA Holiday Gift Program
2011 Week Without Violence Peace Expo
Biker’s Cruize Night in support of the YWCA
Women’s Business Network of Peterborough’s
2011 Christmas Gala and Auction - an annual event
that has supported Crossroads Shelter since 1994!
Royal LePage Frank Real Estate donates proceeds
of Run and Walk for Shelter to Crossroads!
YWCA Celebrates 25 Years in Haliburton County with
an evening of Peace, Love and Acoustic Guitar at McKeck’s!
2011 YWCA Volunteer Appreciation Event
NEW!
comfortdreamsupport
Crossroads Shelter is MORE THAN A ROOF. It’s a
place where someone will listen to your story without
passing judgment or demanding action; where
someone will play with your child when you’re too worried
to smile; where someone believes you have the strength to
begin again.
Show your support for everything
YWCA Crossroads Shelter offers our community
by visiting our MORE THAN A ROOF display
at Lansdowne Place this February 10 th to 14 th .
There are so many ways you can help!
• Make a donation in support of life-changing shelter and
counselling services
• Purchase a raffle ticket for a deluxe garden shed
donated by RONA and the Construction Skills Program
at Fleming College to have your name displayed on our
MORE THAN A ROOF wall
• Learn more about how our YWCA helps local women
rebuild their lives after experiencing abuse
• Celebrate Crossroads Shelter’s anniversary by sharing a
rose with someone you care about this Valentine’s Day
(roses will be available February 13 th and 14 th only)
YWCA Peterborough, Victoria & Haliburton has grown and
transformed to meet the needs of our community for more
than 120 years. With your help, we can continue to offer
women and their children so much MORE THAN A ROOF,
night and day, all year long. Thank you for your support.
www.ywcapeterborough.org
A Turning Point For Women
YWCA NEWSLETTER - 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2012 YWCA NEWSLETTER - 5 - WINTER/SPRING 2012

Welcome Billi, Karine and Deb!
Introducing the new
YWCA
Court
Support
Project
Applying for legal aid, finding a lawyer, preparing
court documents, and attending court proceedings
can be complicated and overwhelming at
the best of times. Add to this the stress of ending a
relationship, seeking physical safety, and protecting
your children from someone they may care deeply for,
and the task can seem next to impossible.
Thanks to funding from the Ministry of the Attorney
General and Status of Women Canada, YWCA
Peterborough, Victoria & Haliburton is helping to make
this process a little easier.
The YWCA Court Support Project is a 2 year initiative
designed to help find better ways of supporting
individuals facing situations of domestic violence who
are going through Family and/or Criminal Court.
YWCA Court Support Workers, Deb Radford and Billi
Balment, are now available to offer information on the
court process, help with safety planning, support in
preparing for court, and accompaniment to court itself.
Invite your
family, friends, coworkers
- even your dog! -
to Nicholl’s Oval Pavilion at the
corner of Parkhill and Armour Road
on Saturday, May 5th for a great day of fun in
support of YWCA Crossroads Shelter and Food
Action programs.
YWCA Freedom Walk • Saturday, May 5 th , 2012 • changing lives one step at a time •
2012
Registration opens at 9:45 am
Warm-up exercises begin at 10:15 am
Walk, jog or run along the beautiful
Rotary Trail at 10:30 am
Visit ywcafreedomwalk.com to
register online or download a
pledge form.
Gail’s
Legacy
Garden
Generously sponsored by
Soroptimist International
of Peterborough
Those who have had the
pleasure of knowing Gail
Cowling, a long time member
of Soroptimist International of
Peterborough, know how much she
truly loved to garden.
“Gail could always be counted on to
provide flowers and herbs at local
events and never hesitated to share
clippings from the plants that thrived
under her care,” says Marney
Horton, Soroptimist International of
Peterborough.
So when the opportunity arose for
the Soroptimists to create something
special in Gail’s memory, a
garden in the YWCA Crossroads
Shelter courtyard seemed like the
perfect tribute.
“Our hope was to create something
that many families would get to enjoy
and benefit from,” says Marney.
For Soroptimists, improving the
lives of women and girls in our
community and throughout the
world is just another day’s work.
YWCA would like to thank Gail’s
husband Barry and all the members
who lent a hand in creating this
beautiful herb and vegetable garden
for women and their children to
enjoy for years to come!
Soroptimist International of
Peterborough has also generously
supported YWCA Community
Gardens, Tag Days, Crossroads
Shelter, Y’s Buys, and is proud to
sponsor the YWCA Freedom Walk.
Crossroads Shelter
Wish List
Our Ongoing Needs
(New Items Only Please)
Clothing
Slippers
Pajamas
Socks
Underwear
Bras
Personal Care
Diapers
Deodorant
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Feminine Hygiene
Products
Household
Umbrellas
Towels
Crib Sheets
Toys and Games
for Children and
Babies
Gift Cards
Grocery
Pharmacy
Restaurant
Telephone
Department Store
Donations are gratefully accepted
at the YWCA Administrative Office
(216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough)
Monday - Thursday, 9am - 4:30 pm.
For more information, or to inquire about a
particular item, please contact us at
705-743-3526.
Another key part of this project is research. Court
Support Project Manager Karine Rogers has been
speaking with local women who have been through
the legal system here in Peterborough, as well as
service providers and legal system professionals, to
gain insight into their experiences. Information
provided through interviews will help lead to
recommendations that will improve the court
experience for women abuse survivors and support
their future safety.
If you have had direct experience with the legal
system for reasons related to domestic violence
and would like to provide input on the project,
please contact Karine at 705-743-3526 or
krogers@ywcapeterborough.org.
Looking for support or more information about
this project? Please give us a call at 705-743-3526.
Friday, May 25 th , 2012 at noon
Stand tall against violence.
Visit walkamilepeterborough.com today
to register online and learn more.
Every dollar raised provides shelter and
support to local women and their children.
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www.ywcapeterborough.org
A Turning Point For Women
YWCA NEWSLETTER - 6 - WINTER/SPRING 2012 YWCA NEWSLETTER - 7 - WINTER/SPRING 2012

Two Great New Ways To Help
YWCA staff have been thrilled to
hear from women about how
amazingly helpful reading “Why
Does He Do That? Inside the Minds
of Angry and Controlling Men”
written by Lundy Bancroft has been for
them.
We’d love to loan this book to everyone
who might find it helpful, but in
order to do that, we need more copies.
Please consider purchasing this book and reading it
before passing it along for circulation through the
YWCA.
By donating a copy, you’ll be providing a new way of looking
at behaviours and relationship patterns that, for many
women, control every aspect of daily life. With insight into the
minds of angry and controlling men, women can take steps
toward keeping themselves and their children safer while
finding practical ways of recovering control of their lives.
YWCA Peterborough, Victoria
& Haliburton is also looking
for financial support to ensure
that copies of “FRESH START”, a
resource for women dealing with
violence or abuse, are always
available when needed.
If you would like to learn more about
offering this type of support, please
contact us at 705-743-3526.
Upcoming events
February 10-14 - More Than A Roof
Contact Penny at pkemp@ywcapeterborough.org or
705-743-3526 to learn how you can get involved.
March 1 - Board Recruitment Starts
Request your information package by contacting Kerri at
kboyd@ywcapeterborough.org or 705-743-3526.
March 15 - Hazel Applications Due
Application forms and additional information can be found
online at www.ywcapeterborough.org/hazel-fund.html.
May 5 - YWCA Freedom Walk
Visit www.ywcafreedomwalk.com to register and show your
support for Crossroads Shelter and Food Action programs.
May 25 - Walk A Mile In Her Shoes
Ask a friend to join you at this year’s walk for a chance to win
great prizes! Visit www.walkamilepeterborough.com for details.
June 7-10 - Tag Days
You can make a difference! Contact Helen at 705-743-3526 or
hmead@ywcapeterborough.org to join our Tag Day team.
June 15 - Empty Bowls
Join us for lunch in support of the JustFood program. Contact
Penny at pkemp@ywcapeterborough.org or 705-743-3526.
June 21 - Annual General Meeting
Everyone is welcome! Please contact Kerri at 705-743-3526 or
kboyd@ywcapeterborough.org for more details.
Please select one of the following options before returning this slip to 216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough, ON K9H 2H7:
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Please send future editions of Turning Points to:
Name ____________________________________________________________ Phone _____________________________
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q E-mail Address ______________________________________________________________________________________
Turning Points is published for the information
of YWCA friends, supporters and volunteers.
We welcome your comments.
216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough, ON K9H 2H7
T: 705-743-3526
TTY: 705-743-4015
E-mail: info@ywcapeterborough.org
Winter/Spring 2012
Charitable Registration No. 12981 9819 RR0001