I am still off work and I will be until at least the end of August. I am listening to my Doctor for a change and not attempting any of the other options that a lot of well meaning folks have suggested to me. I appreciate all of your input, but for now I shall take my drugs, keep my doctor appointments and on August 16th I am going for a MRI which will then hopefully pinpoint the cause of all this nerve pinching that is going on!
The reason for the picture and the title? Well, last year at this time we were getting ready for and training hard for the 1/2 Marathon in Edmonton. It was initially proposed by Bernie at a ChooseWell meeting in the spring of last year and he laid it on the table as a Challenge. Well, as you can see by the picture the Challenge was taken on by 14 people, from Coronation and surrounding areas. I smile when I see this since this is one of the reasons I go on when all around me people throw ignorant and harassing comments about me, my family, my yard, my involvement with council......yes, the list goes on.
I know there are so many more folks in Coronation and area who do not mind being associated with us so that makes me feel better! I am done with trying to convince the naysayers and the negative nellies out there that we are not the scourge of the earth and the downfall of the community mainly because we happen to have ideas that have to do with success - not failure -, progress - not status quo-, positive results and ideas - not saying no to everything that comes along because it may upset how it already is -,. Yes I am done with that and I am so done with all those people as well.
Just this morning Bernie was accosted in one of the local coffee shops where he was dropping off his weekly edition of Crown News.ca; which by the way the owner fully supports, pays for the advertising and pays to have a weekly paper copy. Anyway, the father and brother of a councillor and various assorted others, happened to be in the coffee shop and the father immediately started in on him and asked him, "So you think you're working for the Town now?" Well, one thing led to another and before you know it the brother gets in on it and starts in about something I was supposed to have done to his sister. Then dad gets in on it and starts in on Bernie about how he can't just show up at a council meeting and ask for his daughter's resignation! LOL Yes I am laughing out loud now. He was actually on the agenda, just for the record. The father also commented to Bernie about our yard which is none of his business and said, "This town has standards you know." I wish people would get off of that one since one part of our yard is under construction. Just look at the other parts, they look nice. Anyway, I had an epiphany after he repeated some of this to me and I won't get into that because it is council business.
Well the long and the short of it is that I am sick of it, sick of everything. We have done nothing but positive things for this community and I am sick of some people and their narrow minded ways.
I will continue on but not without a very small chip on my shoulder for how Bernie has been treated.
A little over a year ago the ChooseWell Committee took shape in Coronation. The purpose of this committee is to celebrate and promote Coronation as a Healthy, Vibrant community. Bernie joined up immediately with enthusiasm and lots of ideas. The goals of the committee are to provide various accessible and affordable wellness opportunities, to improve the well being of individuals through role modeling and engaging activities, encourage awareness and support of Healthy Eating Active Living for all, to build partnerships to increase community cohesiveness to achieve wellness. He took part in all of this and tried to help this committee reach its goals.
Some of the achievements of the Coronation ChooseWell Committee to date have been:
Penny Jars Fundraiser - his idea
Walking Group, in partnership with Coronation Hospital and Primary Care Network - a continuation of a walking group we had started prior to this and considered to be a good idea by all involved.
Mother's Day Walk, in partnership with the Coronation Golf Course - his idea and it was well attended.
Edmonton Half Marathon Challenge - his idea. He provided training tips, time, encouragement, moral support and guidance and 14 people signed up and completed the Challenge! It brings tears to my eyes. Kudos to all the Royal Runners. We hope you were inspired and move on to challenge yourself in the future!
First Annual Turkey Trot - his idea. It included many community partnerships. At first people laughed but then they applauded when 115 signed up for the run. It was such a roaring success that the ChooseWell Committee donated one thousand dollars of funds raised to the Fitness Centre.
Fruit Fridays in partnership with Coronation School - his idea, but not a new idea in that it has been implemented in many schools. It was a successful venture but it lacked the volunteer efforts needed to keep it going. Every child in school was given a bag of cut up fruit on several Fridays during the school year. Just last week one of the graduates of Coronation School was commenting on how much the grade twelves liked all the fruit!
Fresh Florida Fruit Sales Fundraiser in partnership with Veteran Lions Club - his idea. Thanks to those from the committee and to Diane Schmidt who carried through with this venture. It was a bit of work and it was done very well.
Winter Walk Day, in partnership with Coronation School and CDSS - encouraged one hundred percent by Bernie and the committee.
Skate-A-Thon Fundraiser - appreciated by all those who took part and done in partnership with Coronation Minor Sports.
Heart Fair - in partnership with Coronation School. The first Heart to Heart Market was in February 2012 and I can remember Bernie, first from a Dr.'s appointment before his heart surgery talking to people in Coronation on his cell phone, making arrangements for a partnership with Assisted Living Then again there he was from his hospital room a few days after surgery, sending e-mails about the Market, hoping all went well. I was fit to be tied since I thought he should be more concerned about his recovery from triple by-pass surgery and letting things happen. But oh no, he needed to be part of it, come hell or high water.
Kids Activities and ChooseWell presence at Coronation Spring Market - he was there, signing people up for the Mini Golf Tournament that didn't happen.
Silent Auction in partnership with various places of businesses, the Coronation Spring Market and Ducks Unlimited - he moved the lovely donated framed print around town from one location to another and let people know where it would be via the ChooseWell Facebook page which we created.
Tour de l'Alberta bike Challenge - unfortunately he did not attend, due to a lot of things but mainly he just got busy with the house, the yard, me, and a lack of training on his part.
Memorial Park, in partnership with the Town of Coronation - a special project he wanted to be a part of. Approval was granted by the Town of Coronation and the tree planting began at the Coronation Dam Campground for the Memorial Park. The Choosewell Committee also proposed building a mini golf course and council also approved this in principal. Bernie went to at least three Council meetings on behalf of ChooseWell to put forward this proposal. None of the other committee members went with him, they left it in his capable hands to represent the committee and put forward the proposals. For all his trouble he had his name dragged through the mud on several occasions and he was even taken to task about our yard which is nobody's business. The gist of it was that neither he nor I should take part in any beautification projects in this town because some people do not like our yard. He was also accused of moving ahead on projects without the Coronation ChooseWell committee's approval. Not true.
I ask you - how was he supposed to respond? He resigned from the Committee and from all his obligations. The committee did not want him to resign and at first he did not but when it just went on and on he decided to step back. They accepted his resignation with regret and said to take the summer off and decide if this was what he wanted to do.
After each council meeting where this was discussed something happened to our personal property. We were also subjected to Facebook bullying, public humiliation at the hands of a councillor and now today Bernie can't even go in the coffee shop without being accosted. And we thought it was over??
We can rise above it and think of the good times and of all the positive growth this town has seen. Now I ask you if you are a resident of Coronation: Do you want to move forward or do you prefer to just stay stuck in the same old same old and miss the boat entirely? It is up to you.
The ChooseWell Committee epitomizes the vision of the Town of Coronation. In April Council sat down for a weekend and came up with a Strategic Plan. The vision? "Our vision for Coronation is that we are a thriving proud and diverse Community that promotes positive sustainable growth, provides a safe and healthy environment and enhances the quality of life for our residents. "
This vision was reached by all councillors and all were present for the Strategic Planning. Perhaps it should be reviewed.
And so I end this lengthy blog. I hope I have enlightened some and for others you won't even read it anyway so it doesn't matter! If you do read it just pass it along to others. I post it all to Facebook so you can share it by hitting the "share" button. easy peasy
Onwards and upwards I say!
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