BY: JULIA RENAUD
On the evening of July 25th I had the pleasure of attending a BIST Community Meeting unlike any I’ve been to before, the BIST Summer Picnic! This meeting was very special for many reasons: it only comes around once a year, it’s held in a park (this year, Dufferin Grove Park), and it brings together many BIST staff, volunteers, members, and sponsors for a celebration of our strength as a community.
The evening began with a fun team quiz with facts about Dufferin Grove Park. It seemed like many BIST members knew a lot about the park and its history, and it’s safe to say that I learned a lot! After the quiz, dinner was served: pizza, veggies, fruit, pop, and cake – you can’t go wrong with that!
After dinner, awards were handed out and sponsors recognized. Everyone deserves recognition for their hard work and kindness so below I will list the award recipients and sponsors who contribute so much to BIST and its programs.
I definitely cannot forget to mention that Spiderman was in attendance too! He spent a lot of the night swooping people off their feet; I suspect he was training for the BIST 5km Run, Walk and Roll! Don’t forget, it’s coming up on Sunday, September 30th and you can register by clicking, HERE.
PHOTOS: ABBY SCHNURR MONGKONROB
Volunteer of the Year Winners:
Survivor/Thriver Category: Abby Schnurr Mongkonrob
Caregiver Category: Kevin Redmond O’Keefe
Ambassador Category: Tonya Flaming
Sponsors:
Platinum: PIA Law
Silver: Singer Kwinter & Shekter Dychtenberg
I also want to acknowledge all of the wonderful staff at BIST who bring all of these fantastic programs to fruition!
Once all of the awards had been handed out, we split into groups to do various activities: bocce, ping pong, basketball, and a reflexology walk. There was also a nice blanketed rest area under a tree for those who wanted to have some quiet time in the beautiful park.
I opted for the reflexology walk which was very relaxing and quite honestly a fantastic foot massage! Before taking part in this activity, I didn’t really know what a reflexology walk was, which is why I wanted to try it. The basis of reflexology is that there are areas on the bottoms of the feet that correspond to different parts of the body. Applying gentle pressure or manipulating these various points can help to relieve stress and pain. I must say, I did feel more relaxed after walking the footpath a few times.
My favourite part of the evening was getting to meet all of the inspiring BIST members as well as the wonderful staff who keep the BIST programs running. I was so happy to see that there were even some people who had never attended a BIST event before, but they came out to see what it was all about.
I love community meetings for this very reason, they provide an excellent opportunity to connect with others within the brain injury community, and everyone is always welcome. Not only does BIST have programs for those who have sustained an injury, but they also have programs to support caregivers. If you would like to learn more about the many programs offered, check out BIST at www.bist.ca or, if you don’t live in the Toronto area, visit the Ontario Brain Injury Association (OBIA): http://obia.ca.
This year’s Summer Picnic was a huge success and a wonderful celebration of the strength of the BIST community. I’m excited to see the programs to come and to meet the members who are part of our community as well as those who will be joining in the future!
Julia Renaud is a very talkative ABI survivor with a passion for learning new things, trying new activities, and meeting new people – all of which have led her to writing this column. When not chatting someone’s ear off, Julia can be found outside walking her dog while occasionally talking to him, of course!
Next Community Meeting: Wednesday, September 29th, 6-8p.m.
Deer Park Library, RM 204, 40 St. Clair Ave East
TOPIC: BIST’s Annual General Meeting – Everyone is welcome!