Caring community groups

Applauding those who assist

Operation Sharing, Cycles Of Life, Community Free Table and many others work hard to assist individuals and families in need in Woodstock.

The list continues with Oxford County Community Health Centre (OCCHC), Indwell, The Refuge, and of course both the County Of Oxford and The City of Woodstock. Community volunteers also include others who collect food, clothing and daily living needs so they can be donated, and in this space I will thank Cheri McKnight. The OCCHC operates the transitional 14-bedroom Huron House, Indwell supports both 18 Van Ave and Blossom Park, while Operation Sharing is the coordinator of many services from Bullwinkles to The Inn to Food For Friends.

This past Saturday I was volunteering again -- with both the Community Free Table run by Chris Eby (pictured) and the Rotary Club, plus joining the efforts of Cycles Of Life with a fill-the-bus day No Frills.

Cycles Of Life

No Frills on Norwich Ave had a Stuff-the-Bus event this past Saturday. See the list of needed items. Cycles has a mission to assist in Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg.

Cycles of Life is a project coordinated by Tim Smith and Mary Jane Phillips and (pictured with me) many more volunteers such as my old friend Kim Mott. They operate 3 locations for people in need including College Ave Church parking lot in Woodstock at Wilson and Peel on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 3.

Cycles Of Life thanks Scott Robinson of No Frills and the City of Woodstock transit department for this past Saturday's collection day. If you can, please donate during the times above.

Check out the websites below for more information on similar local charitable causes like the Salvation Army.  

www.operationsharing.com

www.oxchc.ca

Facebook: Cycles Of Life

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=425779258451164

www.woodstocksalvationarmy.ca

Facebook: The Refuge Woodstock

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

EDIT / ADDITIONS

On Sept. 21, the Woodstock Oxford Rotary Club invited me to join their tour of the Operation Sharing program, so I add . . . 

Operation Sharing hosted an open house Wednesday night and tour by its executive director Shawn Shapton. The information session was set up by the Woodstock Oxford Rotary Club and even though I have toured these facilities in the past, it was a terrific opportunity to learn more.

The Inn at Old St. Paul's Church now has 24 beds and Shapton pointed out that the average occupancy currently is about 18 each night (providing dinner, safe sleep, breakfast, shower), but he expects the over-flow room will be in use in the colder months. To stay at The Inn, visitors must adhere to rules. Also, good news can be reported as Shapton expects the entire facility to be 24/7 by the middle of next month.

The info session last night also included a visit to Bullwinkles for a light dinner and question-and-answer period. Bullwinkles, which began at the Moose Family Centre and then re-located to Indwell at 18 Vansittart, is now at College Ave Church at the corner of Wilson and Peel. Operation Sharing's Bullwinkles serves lunch to those who attend every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The meals are similar to dinners (See poster).

This location also is the offices for Operation Sharing, includes a food pantry, another room with taxable items such as shampoo, and a room with clothes available (Coats For Kids is yet another program seeking donations, especially with colder months approaching).

Shapton had an emotional talk about the services offered including telling the sad true story of one particular client who had died of an overdose.

Operation Sharing offers food cards in a program called Food For Friends. The Meeting Place there includes a lounge and TV.

If you think Operation Sharing is a busy destination, while this also doesn't include outreach visits by the med bus from Oxford County Community Health Centre (OCCHC is the old post office at Peel and Metcalf), plus addiction counsellors and CMHA visits.

The Operation Sharing mandate has expanded to assisting The Inn residents to transitional living at the OCCHC's Huron House and some coordination of assisting those with addictions to rehab centres.

The list continues as Shapton, OCCHC counsellors and Woodstock Police Services members do visit the so-called camps. Shapton noted the Cedar Creek golf course encampment is just 1 of 6 in the area.

When you take an overall look, the Woodstock Oxford Rotary needs to be applauded for its desire to lend even more helping hands to the needy as this service club is already integral in the Saturday Community Free Table downtown at Wellington and Peel (Epiphany Church)

There are also many more programs offered by the Human Services department of Oxford County.