SEPTEMBER 15, 2010
I AM THE Premiere.
Why should I retire? lt's worked twice:
BAFFLE 'em BLUFF 'em
BuliShit until h · comes out yer Ears!
"If the people vote against the HST (in September 2011 !) my government will go along." 1•.. and they even believe that!?!] ~ ·<-( . ., J
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hair cuts <> food
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health info
Even Gordon Campbell can get a good coffee and be treated with any respect he's earned ... Wanderer's Gypsy Mode There's much more to life than what you see Nothmg IS .g1ven naught is ever really free Become fnend of wind friend of rain Maybe even uneasy ally of chronic pain. Seasons come seasons go Sleet turns to drought to snow Be true to your one true elf thru Love - within each a truly genius self Ambitious to rule kingdoms of You Built of roses diamonds clouds dew. So live each day to learn one solid thing ,:. ,/-,.-And graduate from person a mere person ,..-, Into an iridescent opulent eagle's wing! ·John alan Douglas
RENOVATIONS TO CARNEGIE CENTRE Over the next few months there will be some significant renovations taking place at Carnegie Centre. With the support of Canada's Economic Action Plan, Municipal Buildings Improvements Program and the City of Vancouver a number of improvements will be made to preserve heritage features, increase safety and energy efficiency and enhance the appearance of this fine old heritage building that we all love.
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While the complete scope of the project is not yet worked out, some of the main areas which will be worked on include: • •
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Windows: All the heritage wood windows in the original heritage building will be restored. Windows in the newer addition will be replaced with energy efficient units. Spiral stairs: The main staircase will be restored and made safer by resetting some stairs, replacing a few damaged treads, renewing anti-slip strips and cleaning the marble and tiles. A new handrail will be added some 20 inches in from the heritage banister; it will be the proper height, easier to grip and will reduce load and wear on the inner part of the stairs. The heritage banister will not be changed. Main entrance stairs: The exterior entrance stairs will be raised and levelled where they have sunk, and they will be treated to be less slippery. The handrails will be replaced with one of acceptable height. Gutters and exterior metalwork: The eaves and drains will be replaced and the original metal flashing below the roof will be repaired and preserved. Most flooring throughout the building will be replaced.
Carnegie Centre will remain open throughout the renovations. There may be temporary interruptions to some programs, but we will try to give as much notice as possible if that is necessary. Work will begin in mid October. Watch for a display board on the main floor illustrating some of the upcoming changes.
Food Prices to Rise l want to thank all the customers who look to Carnegie's food service for nutritious, low cost meals and snacks. Many patrons have expressed to me how important the food services are to them and how much they appreciate the variety and value of the meals and other food items we offer. Our kitchen staff and volunteers are proud of the service we provide. Unfortunately the time has come when we can no longer avoid raising the prices for food sold at the concession. The price increases will be moderate and will take effect September I. As many of you will know, it has been a very long time, over 10 years, since we last raised prices at the concession. Over that period the cost of food and the other expenses of rurming the kitchen have continued to go up. We can no longer make ends meet while maintaining the high quality food service we are committed to. A menu with a listing of new prices will be posted at
Dan Tetrault, Assistant Director
the concessiorue,anges we will be making include raising the price of breakfast to $2.00, lunch to $2.25 and most dinners to $3.25. Baked goods such as date squares and cake will increase to $1.00, soups will be . $.85. A good cup of fair trade organic cofTee will still cost just $.50. I want all the Carnegie Volunteers to know that we will be increasing the value of the Volunteer tickets to $.50, and will make adjustments at the till as necessary, so that you will sti ll be able to buy items for the same number of t ickets that you do now. These price increases should help keep our kitchen healthy for some time to come. The kitchen volunteers and staff look forward to continuing to serve you the best food we can. Catriona Moore Food Services Coordimitor
telling your stories
TRANSFORMATIONAL METAMORPHOSIS Storytelling workshop with w riter-storyteller
wong wing-siu from the kitchen table to the storytelling stage
dates: T uesdays Sept 14, 21, 28, Oct 5, 12 (2 hours per week for 5 weeks) tim e: 7- 9 pm locati on: C lassroom 11, 3rd Floor workshop is free of charge Limited to 10 participants please s ign up at 3rd Floor Program o ffi ce
Storytelling is becoming a lost art.... The art of taking a real life story: a real life experience - whether it be your experience or something from your family lore or a story you heard from a friend -and transfonning that into a really great tale, a yarn for sharing. Wong Wing-Siu's workshop: "FROM THE KJTCHEN TABLE TO THE STORYTELLING STAGE" will focus on how to take a story, look at it in detail, learn how to structure it, frame it, script it and tell or perform it as an oral story. (We will not be focus ing on writing it down in a literary format but rather focusing on scri pting a story for performing it as in an oral tradition.) We will examine the importance of the storyuniversal -why it's important to find the "gem" in tl1e tale before you tell it. We will also look at s torytelling techniques and performance techniques. T~is is a hands on course, please bring writing matenals, paper or notebook, pens or pencils, and any story ideas that you may already have. Also be pre~ared to do a lit1le writing and oral storytelling practice as homework every week. And please come and be prepared to share ideas and take risks. This p rogram is made possible by fundin g fr om the Face th e World Fo undat ion
FLU BLITZ VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
* Early start date Oct. 18th* Every year Vancouver Coastal Health sends out a team of nurses and volunteers on a street level campaign in the Downtown Eastside to provide flu shots free of charge to those who wish to have them This year, the three week FLU BLITZ campaign 11 runs from October 18'" to No vember 5 '; Monday to Friday from 8:30- 4:30. There are two volunteer shifts available for each day of the Blitz:: 8:45am -!2:00pm Morning shi ft 路 1:OOpm- 4:15pm Afternoon Shift There are three teams of two volunteers and two nurses that go out for each shift of the Blitz. Volunteers work directly with nurses helping them navigate the neighbourhoods. helping to register and recruit people to get flu shots and acting as an overall assistant to the nurse. For every volunteer shift worked, you will receive a $10 g ift card at the end of each shift. In Addition: Volunteers who work morning shifts will receive coffee/ tea and pastries. Volunteers who work the afternoon shifts will receive a meal ticket for the Pot Luck Cafe (located on l lastings Street, across from the Anny & Navy store). At the end of the blitz, each participating volunteer will be invited to the wrap-up party where food is provided! If you are interested in volunteering for the Flu Blitz, please contact Volunteer Resources at 604-7096400 Local 2040 Depending on response, we will try to give everyone at least one shi ft.* All volunteers will need to be registered and on file- if you need an appl ication please indicate so when you call.
To whom it may concern 1 have been working with my health care providers at Three Bridges regarding the issues I am having with my health due to my housing situation. They have helped me articulate the challenges I am experiencing within Sunset Towers; the place I have been living for 17 years. 1 don't feel that the environment is safe. This has been my home for 17 years. I belong here. I should not have to move and I do not plan to move. 1 feel that there should be services on-site within my building. These services should work together for the different needs of all the residents and be accessible 24 hours a day. The demographics within my building include seniors, the disabled (blind, amputees, the mentally ill, and other problem~), and the people that fall into the class 4 categ?ry W1th B~ Housing called 'hard to house'. Practically speak mg. these are people with severe addiction issues and that are street involved. Services within the building are needed for all these demographics. The seniors and the disabled who have been living within the building have been affected by the change in mandate and are left vulnerable. There is currently not enough help. Considering our vulnerability, the seniors and the disabled need help to deal with the changes in the building and the challenges being presented to us by our new neighbors. 1 am not sure if there are records kept about the amount of times the police have had to visit Sunset Towers since the mandate change. There have been several incidents of vio lence and a recent suspicious death. The danger of such things as bottles being thrown out the window has me feeling threatened by my environment. The person who perpetrated t_his act, for example, was arrested and taken away m handcuffs, but back the next day. This is likely because there was nowhere for them to go for help. I am empathetic to the plight of the "hard to house". However there doesn't seem to be effective support. T he enforcement of rules, protection, and support that is necessary does not seem to be in place. T hank-you for your consideration to this issue Sheila Baxter, resident. Rich Coleman Fax: 250 356-7292
I observe:
c%pet'ien.a on Serm.tll PIJfl Septunber- at NePoaald~
!.)Young woman local voice like an AK47 Sez - What's your problem, girl ? When I g lanced over my shoulder 2.)She's Angry? Excited? Loud anyhoo A woodpecker pecking the wall of her companion's indifference Or boredom, Same, Same I fer leaning in to show interest Eye contact! 3.)Talkin' family troubles Talkin' 'remember back then in the sunshi ne palms swaying in the tropical breeze -' FarAway Canada Dolce Vita Milk 'n I Ioney- would you like fri es? French- le belle potate 4.)Are you from Alberta grasshopper Dreaming of persimmon, papaya Dragon fru it, bitter Melon Medicine 5.)Fairy tales of elves and pixies and such three bears, Chris Robin and friends Bath ing rituals- would you like me to wash your dick, sir? The Prayers to come God bless mummie and company 6.)Ack, Ack, Ack exploding thru the store Spit and coffee revved up Double. Double Mama's li llie baby likes shortnin' breads. Wilhelmina Miles, 9/ 11
Harper opens his mouth, inserts foot By Rolf Auer I'm taking a break from my '·class warfare·' series to bring you this breaking story. Of course, when I refer to "foot" in the caption, I'm writing of Harper's own foot, not some foot that washed up on one of BC's coasts (although maybe that would be more appropriate ... ). This caption is motivated by an article, " Harper says voters face 'stark choice'", Mark Kennedy, Vancouver Sun, September I, 20 I 0, wherein it's stated that Tory PM Stephen l larper gives Canadians an ultimatum: give the federal Tories a majority government, or else a coalition government (of the Li berals, N DP, Bloc Quebecois) w ill take power. I have a note to myself scribbled in the margin of this article: "Harper reacts hysterically to the good reception lggy receives from Canad ians on his Summer cross-country tour." The usual gang of sock puppets were there to give support. Tom Flanagan, a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute, was praisi ng Our G lorious Leader (OGL): "You've got to persuade people that you can't take the Liberals at face value. There· s a big payo ff there. Of course, if you're going to do that, it's smart to start early." The president of poll ing firm lpsos Reid (known for leaning toward the Tories), Darrell Bricker, said that the Tories would be happy if Liberal opposition leader Michael lgnatieff is merely forced to talk about the issue. 'They want him denying. They want him to engage in that debate, because it's better than talking about the gun registry or whatever [the] story of the day is. It's smart strategy. These guys, if anything, are smart and ruthless about how they campaign." Try dumb and stupid, is more like it. But we'll get to that later. Non-partisan participant Nelson Wiseman, associa!e professor of political science at U ofT, said he
thought Harper stood a chance. "You don't have to convince the whole electorate. What you have to do is swing over maybe one out of 20 voters:' What brought on OGL's September madness? As I remarked earlier, Ignatieff had a remarkably good reception from Canadians this summer. An article by irritating far-right curmudgeon Rex Murphy bears this out, " Rex Murphy: The new Michael lgnatieff, fresh off the bus;' National Post, September 4, 20 I0. First paragraph: "Michael lgnatieff is certainly getting someth ing of a kinder press for going on the road this s ummer. If we go by some of the reviews, it's the most successful tour since Jack Kerouac's." OGL, on the other hand, blundered severely by nixing the long form census and causing the resignation of the head ofStatsCan in protest. Score: 1 fo r lggy, 0 for OGL! Then, agai n, there may the spectre of a successful coalition government now in Britain haunting OGL in his s leep, like the ghost of Scrooge's partner did to Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Getting back to what Bricker said. Here's what lgnatiefrs response was: '·Dr. lggy prescribes stronger dose of health care," subcaption: "Liberal Leader: Canad ians more interested in medicare, child care, higher education than 'prisons and planes'", Meagan Fitzpatrick, The Province, September 5, 201 0; wherein lgnatie ff stated that prisons and planes are not priorities for Canadians, child care, post-secondary education for their children, retirement security, and their health care are. Score: 2 fo r lggy, 0 fo r OGL! So much for that '·smart" campaig n strategy. This latter art icle came fro m The Province, part of the National Post newspaper group. Notice how it tries to undermine Ignatiefrs successful Summer. Here's a caption of a near-identical article from the not-so-right-leaning Vancouver Sun (also part of that group): "Canadians don't want ' prisons and planes': lgnatieff", subcaption: "Tory spending misguided, says federal Liberal leader." And if you think OGL doesn't care about negative press, consider all the Oak he and his followers gave the CBC earlier this year for its wrongly perceived '·left-wing bias·'. A lso consider the following quote: " I fear three hostile newspapers more than a hundred thousand enemy bayonets."-Napoleon
lgnatieff, on the other hand. doesn't seem to care at all what the press do or say these days, now that he's '·got his mojo'' back. 1?.\ Score: 3 for lggy, 0 for OGL! f~~~ p I.; I
~· ! [Chair of Mental Health with the DTES Hllf/AIDS Consumer's Board, Isadore Lahache, has requested that the following announcement be placed in the Carnegie Newsletter.]
Volunteer Service Award Citation Athabasca University Dr. James ChiM ing Pau, BA (General Studies) 1982 has spent the past 35 years helping marginalized peoples especially seniors and those with drug addictions, living on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. He blends Western and Asian principles to heal the body and s pirit, as President of the North American Buddhist Order, is a positive, compassionate ad vocate fo r world peace & social justice. "I do it because I am human and we should Jive as a family and help each other" I say simply "It is very inspiring to receive this award , even though I have retired it helps me move forward. James was a health care professional for the past 40 years. His main interest of practice include; geriatric, palliative care and pain management. l ie incorporates acupuncture and T raditional Chinese Medicine in his practice. lie understands Senior's health issues and concerns. • The Sen ior's Population, I lealth Commit1ee of the former Vancouver/Richmond Heahh Board. • The Acute Care of the Elderly of Vancouver General Hospital. • The Neighborhood Advisory Committee of St. Paul's Hospital. • The Carnegie Senior's Support Group • The Downtown Eastside HIV/AIDS, Intravenous Drugs Users Consumer Board He has a broad prospective and desirable combination of professional skills, knowledge and experience to advocate for the Seniors about their health needs and concerns.
Dear Readers.
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I have decided to write another note pertaining to my case, so the media will have the fu ll report. The day was October 26, 2007 when I was brutall y attacked. Constable Steverding (#2387) pulled me off my wheelchair and savagely twisted my left ann. With his black boot on my back he handcuffed me but they fell off- I have prosthesis on right hand. Both constables (the other was Brown (#I 76)) laughed very hard. They put me in jail. I was never in jail in my life. I want both of them to lose their jobs: Van's fin est -what a laugh! My case finall y begins the first week in September. I will keep you informed. Marlene Wununee His background as a flu ent speaker of Cantonese and Mandarin and his activities w ith other Ethnic groups, especially the Spanish speaking groups, enab le h im to build bridges between civic agency and these groups in issues of health, housing, transportation, safety, etc. He helps deliver, to provide information to educate and to act as a resource person for different groups or parties. As leader of Senior's Groups, James inspires volunteers and members through his examples of generosity, love, kindness and compassion. He keeps telling people around him, ' It is the most blessing to be able to g ive comfort to our seniors and the disadviintaged; we teach kindness and compassion to our fellow human beings, especially our young people,
Dr. Frits Pannekoek, President, invites you to attend a reception to recognize Mr. James Chi Ming Pau, reci pient of the 2009 Athabasca University Volunteer Service Alumni Award Tuesday, September 28, 2010 5:00 to 7:00 pm Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden 578 Carrall Street Vancouver, British Columbia Please respond by Wednesday, September 22 to 1-800-788-9041 , ext 5053 or aualumni@athabascau.ca
The DTES Heart of the City Fest ival, Vancouver Moving Theatre & Jumblies Theatre in co-operation w1th the Carnegie Community Cent re/Oppenheimer Park present znd
Downtown Eastside ARTS FOR ALL INSTITUTE: Oppen-Art
Leadership Training and Downtown Eastside Community Art Project at Oppenheimer Park
Nov. 8-10 and 12-14, 2010 Oppenheimer Park Activity House, 488 Powell Street, Monday Nov. 8, 7 - 9 pm Tuesday- Wednesday Nov. 9- 10 Friday - Sunday Nov. 12 -14
ArtTalk by Ruth Howard
WHAT IS IT? This five day intensive course combines community art leadership training with a community art project. It' s all inspired by plans for Oppenheimer Park as a place for growing, learning, art and healing. The course is intended for people who are interested and experienced in art and other processes that engage communities and for DTES-involved community artists ready for leadership roles. Facilitators include Canadian community artists Savannah Wa lling (Vancouver Moving Theatre), and Rosemary Georgeson (Coast Salish, urban ink productions) and Ruth Howard (Jumblies Theatre, Toronto). WHAT HAPPENS? During this all day course six to eight leadership participants will focus on principals and practices of community-engaged art, and t hings you need to know to launch your own community art project. Morning activities include presentations, discussions, art-making, creative explorations and resources to take home. In the afternoon the leadership participants will join a larger community w orkshop to generate designs, ideas, stories and music that celebrate Oppenheimer Park, gardens, healthy food, right to food initiatives and indigenous plants. TO APPlY FOR lEADERSHIP TRAINING Applications for the leadership training course are available at Carnegie 3rd f loor office. The deadline for applications is Spm Friday October 8, 2010. App lications can be either: • Dropped off at the Carnegie Comm unity Cent re f ront desk in an envelope marked Vancouver Moving Theatre; • E-mailed to dtesartsforall@gmail.com • Mailed (post marked Oct 8) to Vancouve r Moving Theatre, Chinatown Postal Outlet Box 88270, Vancouver B.C .V6A 4AS. For more information please contact coordinator Sharon Bayly at dtesartsfora ll @gmail.com or 604-628-5672.
I had wanted t o discover the big secret how Vancouver Moving Theatre got together a communi ty and produced plays entirely with a wealth of talent within that community. .. Did /learn how they create a community ploy, accomplish what at first glance seems a daunting task? You bet I did! In spades ... It is truly a great learning experience. Colleen Carroll, participant, 2009 Arts4 AIIInstitute, c~ rnegie Newsletter
Vancouver Moving Theatre w1th the Carnegie Community Centre & the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians presents, w1th a host of community partners, the 7th Annual
I Wednesday October 27 - Sunday November 7, 2010 More than 80 events at over 25 locations throughout the Downtown Eastside With a focus on the rich and diverse communities of the Downtown Eastside, the 7'h Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival celebrates the creative and committed artists and activists who thrive in the heart of Vancouver. This year's festival features twelve days of music, drumming, cultural celebrations, outdoor festivities, films, theatre, dance, processions, spoken word, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, mixed media, art talks, history talks and history walks. The mandate of the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival is to profile and foster the development of community arts in the Downtown Eastside- from community build ing and bridge building, to celebrating artists and cultures, to giving voice to local concerns. The festiva l involves a wide range of professional, comm unity, emerging and student artists and lovers of th e arts. Over 1,000 artists and 500 vo lunteers participated in last year's festival. The 2010 Festiva l program is taking shape- stay tuned for details in late September. Get involved. Te ll your friends about t he festival. Support the artists, participate in history walks, workshops and forums an d have a great time. For more information visit www.hea rtofthecityfestival.com or contact Terry Hunter at 604-628-5672.
Change and Continuity The Downtown Eastside's Gift to Vancouver Ever since I began working and volunteering in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside II years ago I have been trying to understand the full implications of what I experience and learn each day I am in the community. What follows are my current renections g leaned from conversations with many friends and colleagues who live and work in the DTES. In speaking of the Downtown Eastside during Carnegie Centre's I001h birthday in 2003, Rick Lam, then chair of the Chinatown Revitalization Committee, quoted local poet Anthony Dunne: Look past the
look and see what you see. Seven years later the DTES " looks" to have even more stark contrasts of affiuence and of poverty poverty of the spirit, of the body and of life's material essentials. The tragedy would be if encroaching gentrification smothers what so many who are not of the community cannot see, the spirit of resilience amongst so many of those who do live here. For herein are lessons for the rest of Vancouver. The future of the DTES is also a challenge and unique opportunity for Vancouver. This Olympic city has pioneered residential, work space and public space renewal in its downtown business districts and industrial areas. Now it can demonstrate that the renewal of its oldest inner city area is possible in ways that respect those who currently live here, their values--an(! the integrity of their community and neighbourhoods. To do so we need to look past the look. Herein is the gift of the Downtown Eastside to Vancouver. There is a part of all of us in the DTES - our fail-
ures and tragedies. our successes, our in-humanity to one another, our love and support for one another, our giving up and our sheer determ ination to survive life's journey. In the DTES they are writ large. Circumstance and choice have concentrated the intensity of life into this small area of Vancouver. But this is our humanity regardless of where we live. It is from the intensity of life in the DTES that we all can learn. Vancouverites should take pride that our city is better today because residents of the neighbourhoods making up the DTES over the past 40 years took the leadership to halt the east-west freeway, to save and rehabilitate Strathcona housing, to improve safety in private hotels, to secure essential non-market housing, to create Strathcona Community Gardens and CRAB Park, to open the Carneg ie Community Centre, to launch Canada's first supervised injection site, to undertake a myriad of community business enterprises including United We Can, the only binner-created recycl ing enterprise in the country. /\s contentious as it remains for some in the DTES, the new \Voodwards development would not have happened at all if there had not been community leadership to secure some affordable non-market housing and amenities that are of local benefit. This same area is home to the largest resident-artist population in the city. More arts festivals and cultural events are held here than anywhere else. These arts activities are predominately indigenous; they emanate from within the community (and are one of the best hedges against gentrification). The annual
Heart of the City Festival is an outstanding example of a truly inclusive community arts event - everyone who lives in the DTES is welcome to participate in art forms of personal interest. These community arts activities build on people's strengths, they give voice to people's life experience and to their dreams for themselves and their community. Most importantly, they build bridges among groups - across income and circumstance - within the community and without. The point is that the residents of the DTES had to light for these achievements on their own initiative. They were not handed to them. These accompl ishments and the spirit behind them are true gi fts to Vancouver. There is nothing romantic about poverty and lack of choice. No favour is done to those who are poor and marginalized by romanticizing their condition. The opportunity for change in the Downtown Eastside is an opportunity to make larger system ic changes and to create the material conditions in which the spirits of people can flou rish, where people are freed from survival to build on their hard won accomplishments. This is change with continu ity for the better. This means building sufficient affordable housing. It means creating paid and volunteer employment consistent with people's physical and mental health through community and traditional business enterprises. It means commensurate education and training and the provision of sufficient health and social supports. It means changes to public policies and laws to provide adequate incomes to those unable to work while removing disincentives to work for those who can. It means ending the war on drugs and pursu ing and prosecuting vigorously those who profit from criminal activities in drugs. Taking these actions benefits everyone, not just people living with low incomes in the Downtown Eastside. People with low incomes everywhere will be better off. And so will the rest of the population (a recent study from the Un ited Kingdom cites international comparative data to confirm that indicators of well-being for everyone are better when there is less systemic social and economic disadvantage). This is a prescription for change and continuity that will see the Downtown Eastside evolve as the healthy, sustainable historic heart of Vancouver. It' ll be a community composed predominately of people
living with low and moderate incomes engaged in community life with all who live and work in the area regardless of income or personal circumstances. It assures that those who live in the area now' II fe el "at home" in the future. The DTES will conti nue to be a community of neigh- bourhoods linked by geography and history. People's individual futures will be the stronger for working together to shape the identity of the DTES as a whole. And openness to new ideas and to Vancouverites who do not live in the DTES but who respect the area and its peoples can contribute to this future. The well-being of the city is influenced by the well-being of the DTES and the converse is also true. The Downtown Eastside will evolve in its demography and physical form. But what will be stronger than ever will be the continuity in values for how people can live together in commun ity regardless of income or circumstance or ability or gender or race or culture. By Michael Clague
To Our Editor Brother Paul I just got to thinking how blessed we are,. having you as our writer and putting our voices out there. The Eastside is happy to have you as our writer. You are our hero, our speaker. Eastside people know, if they have something to say, you' re the guy to get in touch with. You are our rock for putting our words, tears and complaints out there. I don' t know what could happen to us or to Carneg ie without our friend, our brother, Paul. You're a good man. You make us laugh when we' re blue and smile when we' re sad - with Eastside writing, some sad and some funny. You路re not just a friend, you' re a prescription for happy! God bless you brother Paul. From Ruth Matemotja
[Such praise is appreciated, though it !eaves me at a loss (and a bit stunned) for any words other than thank you!)
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. indeed it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade
182.1 1M THIS IIEWSLETTER IS A PUBUCATlOM OF THE CAIUIEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual conlribut0f5 and not of the Association.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE TUESDAY, September 28 We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on 'coast Salish Tenitory.
WANTED Artwon for the- Carnegie nt!WSietler
SIMI iltuslralioos to ~y artides and poetry. Cover art- Uax size: 17an{6 Y.")wide X 15cm(6"}hi!jl. &qed matter pertaining ID issues releva1l to lhe OcMnlDrm Eastside, but all wort cmsidered. Blatlt & White printing r:riy. Size restridlons apply ~.e. if your piece is loo liJYI!, ~ will be reduced and/or aopped lo fil). />.1 rists will receiYe credit 'tor lheir wOOl. <ll'9nals wi1 be returned ID lhe artist after being
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2010 OONAT10NS: Libby D.-$50. Rolf A.-$50.111argaret D.-$40. Jenny K.-$25, Sue K.-$30,IIichael C,-$50, Jaya B.-$100, Christopher R.-$180, 8a$n & llel L-$50, Lesle S .-$50, Sheia 8.-$25, Wihelmlna M.-$10, tEEDS -$60,l.aurie R.-$60 Vancouver Moving Theltn! -$100, Sarah E.-$46 Th~ Ectge -S200 Paddy T.-$1 00 .
Rerrule131ion: Carnegie V!Wlleef Tdels Please make submissions to Pwl Tn'or, Editor.
Carnegie Services for Members include: Basketball; Tai Chi; Yoga; Shiatsu; Dance; Run Club; Soccer; Nature Hikes; AOOf Hockey and more. See Monthly Program Guides Membership Is $1. Open to alii/
GET CLEAN! Shower up at the Lbrd's Rain 327 Canoll Street Uust .off Pigeon Park)
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Editor: PauiR Taylor, Cover art- T~ra c;;u;tioo & distribution ~rew: Bill. l.iu lin, Harold, Ada, Vldeha, Mary Ann, Miriam, Kely, ~Robyn, N'ldl
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Jenny WaiChingKwan MLA Working for You 1070 - 1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3 Phone: 604-773-0790 ·
··i have the audacity to believe that people everywrere can have three meals a day for their bodies, educalion and culture for their minds, dignity, equality am justice
for their spirits. I believe that what self-centred men have tom down, other-centred men can build ~.' . Dr. Martin Luther Ki!YJ Jr.
Thanks to everyone who entered the Word on the Street button-making contest. We chose four winners whose designs will be made into buttons to be g iven out at Word on the Street. Beth, your librarian.
WOTID on the STREET Word on the Street is a celebration of literacy and the written word. There are author readings, storytelling, lots of zines and magazines, and a chance to talk to booksellers and publ ishers from all over the Lower Mainland . It will be held on Sunday, September 26 from 11 am to Spm at Library Square and CBC Plaza. Check out www.thewordonthestreet.ca for detai ls!
To All Carnegie Reading Room Patrons
},
David Popoff
After thirteen years working part-time at the Carnegie Reading Room my partner, Sara, and I have decided to embark on a new adventure and chapter in our lives ... in Edmonton. Some o f you may know me as "the shorter guy w ith the beard", as Gan ish (okay, only one person calls me that), "the guy who worked here the other night," or another name or two I'd rather not mention in print, or just Lorne. The Carnegie Library and Com munity Centre will always hold a very special place in my heart, and I will always reflect on my time here with warm and positive feelings, except for the occasional time when I wanted to throttle a patron. As a Carnegie Library staff mem ber I' ve mostly been on the receiving end of enquiries (and other not so acclaimed di stractions) and, I'm sure, some o f the most interesting reference questions asked at a public library. However, it is with humility that I say that I have been on the receiv ing end of learning some of li fe's most important lessons, like drawing from inner strength to deal with persot~al challenges, and that coffee from the Seniors concession is marg inally superior to the cafeteria's coffee. I hope to drop by Carnegie whenever I' m back in the city and need a good meal from the kitchen here, and wish all the best to all the library patrons, Community Centre staff and members, vol unteers and co-workers I've come to know and interact with over the years.
John Longtin
Lorne MacDonald
L et Us Know! Here at the Carnegie Library, we are working on bu ilding an even better Aboriginal Collection. We currently have information and storybooks for people of all ages, as well as music and storyte ll ing CDs, movies and documentaries. We would love to hear your ideas o n what kinds of things you would like to see added to the collection. More Art books? More novels by your favourite writer? CDs by your friend 's band? Come into the library or give us a call and let us know your ideas!!
Jackie Humber
The Carnegie Newsletter is a nickle-Iight, a dollar-shy .. ~ A month ago. on August 1511', this Newsleller marked its 24th Anniversary. It's come out. with rare exceptions, twice a month, 23 times a year. since 1986. Everything except the actual printing - writing articles, poetry. announcements; first typing it al l on an electric typewriter and, after 7 years, moving to a computer; input, form atti ng, editing, local artwork, layout, collating, stapling, folding and distri bution - has been completed time and again by volunteers. The title of this piece is meant to get your attention. For the first time in over two decades, the Camegie Newsletter is in a financial bind. Initially the Carnegie Community Centre Association (CCCA) paid for the printing and office supplies and it was under $400 a month. The number o f copies made for each issue steadily increased. going from 60 of the first issue to a regular 1200 per issue for over 3 years now. Prices have risen over time, o f course, and the cost per issue ranges from $325 for a 16-page paper to about $475 for a 24-page paper. The expense averages between $650 and $950 a month. People who have had subscriptions pay for postage The existence of this media has benefited the Downtown Eastside and its resident communities: homeless, poor, addicted, mentally ill. sex-trade workers, binners. working poor, the unemployed and underemployed, immigrants, seniors. women, single parents, families making ends meet (or not), community organizers. advocates, tutors, volunteers, comm unity activists, high risk youth, those needing or in or through treatment for a myriad of reasons, police and those engaged in crime, the justice system and those involved with it, prisoners, ex-cons, students and schools, community artists and the many, many g roups and individuals intertwined with all of the above. Numbers never tell the story but can give an indication of the respect earned by and afford ed this Newsletler. It is an experienced guess only right now: over 500 issues with, on average, at least 3 new contributors per issue gives over 1500 individuals who have had their voices and ideas and creative energy published; readers (hopefully) could be sharing each copy with one or two others so maybe 2,300-3000 per issue; several teachers, starting at high school levels and right through to 4'h-year Journalism and Social studies-leaning curricula have expressed delight (at not being able to stop students from writing (poetry and journalistic pursuits)) and passionate interest by classes on finall y getting stuff from the other side of the tracks, getting the facts and opinions and editorial comment not found in the mainstream press. In Vancouver, research and writi ng on the Downtown Eastside permeates many disciplines and fields explored at UBC, SFU, Kwantlen, Capitano and high schools in towns from here to Terrace ... articles on concerns and actions involving housing. drugs & alcohol, the sex trade, murdered and missing women, suic ide, dysfunctional famil y matters, 路'free" trade, police, poor bashing and on and on inspire and instigate! People directly involved in all these things get their take on peer possibilities and everything becomes part of networks up to global in scope. All of the above is what comes into real ity with the ex istence of the Camegie Newsletter in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside .. and the money aspect is the concern now. With the fi nancial d isruptions of the past year or two, donations have had to play more of a crucial role in the continuation o f t.his. For over 20 years the CCCA made funding this publ ication a matter of course, with any money donated great but not a necessity. C utbacks caused by the provincial government's 路'redirection" of revenue from charitable gaming; licencees like the Carnegie Association have had their regular remittance, now coming from General Revenue instead of a separate administration, cut in half. Donations became a requirement to make up the total budget for the Newsletler but this past year less than $2000 of the required $5000 in donations has come in. Simply: the money left in the budget to produce the paper will run o ut in mid-October of this year. Each issue for the past few has been at the minimum of 16 pages, but the coming scenario may force it to be reduced to once a month or not done at all until January, 20 II . This would be a travesty for morale and the DTES conununity. For all of the above reasoning, this is a request for funds from any individual, group or organization who fee ls as we at the Camegie Newsletter do: we cannot just d ie or be reduced to a shadow of our brilliance. Please help. If you are able and inclined to send paper, make your tax-deductible donation payable to Tlte Camegie Newsletter. Respectfully s ubmitted, PaulR Taylor, volunteer editor for 24 years.
Old New News
This is to all friends of the Carnegie Newsletter and it 's about funds .. money. Seems that the financial pinch fostered by the provincial & federal governments is hitting home here, with prices going up and donations going down. The priorities dictated by vast corporations and the wealthiest minority have their boys in public office garage-selling legal rights to dam 30-40 rivers in BC, build pipelines for dirty oil coming from Alberta to Kitimat and sending it to Asia in over 250 supertankers a year, and putting billions in public money toward fighter jets and new prisons. Harper and his cronies are expecting there to be massive protests and discord over the coming Conservative treason. For 22 or 23 years the Carnegie Community Centre Association has paid for publishing the Camegie Newsletter, using predictable revenues from our Bingo license at 2-Star and now Plane/ Bingo. Each year donations have come in and helped the Association continue this publication. Very recently, the hoped-for donations were included in Revenue when preparing the following year's budget. And rather than being seen as "great if they come; if they don ' t, okay .. " it became necessary for the Newsletter to receive the projected donations or be in trouble with not enough money to continue. That is what appears to be the current situation. Five thousand do llars were budgeted to come in as donations, more than had ever been received in a year, and under two thousand dollars anived. The Finance Committee did the arithmetic and it seems that the Newsleller budget, money allotted for its 111 publication, will run out in mid-October. .. meaning no Carnegie Newsletter until January 15 and it being cramped in both size and content from then on. [ I've raised all the money for Help in the Downtown Eastside for 19 years independent from funding for the Newsletter, one year, 2008, nothing come in despite efforts, and the Association unexpectedly paid over $4,000 for two printings.] It is not just a matter of having the Associati on review its priorities - cuts have already been made
to every use of its dwindling resources due to the provincial government (see above) cutting our gaming money in half, a reduction of $25,000. . It is also not just a matter of readers with any disposable income to dig deep and contribute hundreds or thousands of dollars. The Newsletter cannot run on donated (or hoped-for donated) funds . This is, however, an appeal for help. The Finance Committee of the Association is meeting on September 17'11 to see where we are and what is possible with what money there is. Funny how the effect of a $460 million roof for BC Place, an $800 million new convention centre, $1.6 billion for a somewhat safer sea-to-sky highway, the lies told to implement the HST and on and so on can have such a direct and devastating effect on the prices of food and priqting our newsletter, not to mention the thousands of arts projects and cultural endeavo urs throughout BC sent scrambling. Damning Campbell and his motley crew won' t magically reverse all the vicious stupidity seen so far, but we cannot just fold up and die. If anyone or any group or any organisation out there can help us with ten or a hundred or a thousand dollars, please do. If you write a cheque, make it out to the Carnegie Newsletter (and get a tax-deductible receipt). Respectfully submitted, PaulR Taylor, vo lunteer ed itor for 24 year s.
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