goodbye to our beloved joyce

APRIL 2012
February 2014
We are people with and without intellectual disabilities, sharing life in community
Upcoming Events
Prayer Night: Beginning of
Lent: Shape A More
Human Society
When: March 3
Time: 4:30 PM
Where: L’Arche Centre 10310
56 Street
For more information, please
contact Maria Mastrih at
780.465.0618 ext. 206
mmastrih@larcheedmonton.org
Lunch with L’Arche
When: Every Friday
Cost:
$5 Drop-In or $20/mo
Time:
Noon
Where: L’Arche Centre
For more information, please
contact Day Program at
780.465.0618 ext. 210
alicen@larcheedmonton.org
GOODBYE TO OUR BELOVED JOYCE
The L’Arche Edmonton
community joins together in
mourning the passing of our
dearly loved Joyce
Armstrong.
A Celebration of Joyce’s life
will take place Friday at 11
a.m. at St. Luke’s Anglican
Church, 8424-95 Ave.
Joyce had been in hospital
for the past several weeks,
and sadly, she died on Feb.
6 at the age of 81.
Joyce will be interred at
Pleasington Cemetery near
Forestburg on Feb.18 at 1 p.m.
Joyce was a cherished
member of L’Arche
Edmonton since 1977, living
first in Little Flower and, for
the past 16 years, at Noah
Home.
CONNECT. ENGAGE. BELONG
YES, I want to be involved with L’Arche
Edmonton!
OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:
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Visitation will be held at
Serenity Funeral Service, 5311
91 St. on Thursday, Feb. 13
from 7 to 9 p.m.
Volunteering
Attending upcoming community events
Working as an assistant
Having a presenter speak to a group about L’Arche
Making a financial donation to L’Arche
Enclosed is my gift of:
$250 $100 $50 $____
Please make cheque payable to L’Arche Association of Edmonton
Charitable Registration #: 10759-7635-RR0001
L’Arche Association of Edmonton
Fulton Place 10310-56 Street Edmonton, AB., T6A 2J2
PH: 780.465.0618 FAX: 780.465-8091
Email: edmoffice@larcheedmonton.org Web: www.larcheedmonton.org
For those who wish, memorial
donations may be made to L’Arche
Edmonton, 10310-56 St,
Edmonton AB T6A 2J2
Bowl-A-Thon Results!
Our annual Bowl-A-Thon was held
Feb. 1 at Bonnie Doon Bowling
Lanes, raising more than $1,400 for
Solidarity in South America and
Caribbean countries.
Trophy winners included: Betty
Cassidy for Most Creative Core
Member; Cecile Piche for Most
Enthusiastic Woman Core Member;
Anya Le for Top Score Junior; Rick
Bowen for Best Sport; George Wharry for Top Score Men;
Juliane Hildebrand for Top Score Women; Sally Wharry for
Top Score Woman Core Member; John Sparks and Bob Sutter
tied for Top Score Male Core Members; Pete Thomas for Most
Sportsman-like Player; Jeff Fidelak for Most Enthusiastic Male
Core member.
OUR
COMMUNITY:
Debbie Mellor
Debbie Mellor first arrived at L’Arche as
a 24-year-old young woman who even
back then boasted the most enviable
purse collection and some of the most
fashionable outfits in the community.
school library, a seniors residence and
even peeling avocadoes; “she came
home every night covered in green,”
laughs Edna.
Very sociable, Debbie is a fixture in
In otherwise good health, Debbie has
always battled poor eyesight – she had
lenses implanted 20 years ago which
worked only temporarily, so she wears
glasses – and she requires hearing
aids. Those impediments can make
walking difficult and may account for her
reluctance to use an escalator, says
Edna.
Despite being the only daughter in a
house with four brothers, Debbie has
She’s now 58 and has lived in four
L’Arche homes, settling in Heiwa Home
where she is a huge help around the
house, setting the table for dinner every
evening, washing dishes, tidying up the
living room and looking after her beloved ‘babies’ in her room, says team
leader Irina Bezrukova.
Before she moved to L’Arche in 1979,
her family had lived all across Canada
with Debbie’s dad, Robert, being in the
military. “Debbie always adapted well to
new places,” says Edna Mellor, her
mom. The family lived on an acreage
outside of Edmonton raising beef cattle.
“We had horses and she loved to help
L’Arche’s day program, most enthusiascare for them, but she wouldn’t ride
tically participating in dancing and bowlthem.
ing activities, shredding paper and sorting out her playing cards. She’s not a
huge TV or movie watcher, but she ab“It was quite a life for Debbie.”
solutely loves The Sound of Music and
would happily watch the show repeatedHer daughter loves to fly in airplanes,
says Edna, and over the years, Debbie ly, her mom and Irina agree. Barb Keet,
in the day program,
has been fortunate
ensures that Debenough to embark
bie’s fingernails are
on several trips with
always properly
L’Arche Edmonton,
buffed and polished,
including such destiand Debbie is always
nations as Toronto,
proud of her maniWinnipeg, Comox,
cures.
B.C., Seattle, and
even Japan.
And then there’s
those purses. “She
“She had such a
likes to choose a new
great time in Japan
purse every morning
that when she came
and she has a big
home she was wearcollection of them!”
ing a kimono and
Debbie in Japan
says Irina.
little slippers and
she wanted mom to move to Japan with
Her doll (baby) collection is also notoriher,” chuckles Edna. “It was priceless.
Actually, I think the highlight of flying for ous. “She always wanted to be a
nurse,” recalls Edna. “She used to
her was always the nuts and cookies
they gave her so she might not like fly- bandage her ‘babies’ up and always
took good care of them.” (And as many
ing as much these days!”
of us know, she’s pretty partial to bandages herself!) Before she goes to bed
Over the years, Debbie worked at sev- at night, Debbie shares the highlights of
eral jobs – at a recycling plant, in a
her day with her ‘babies,’ says Irina.
Debbie in Seattle
always been “all girl,” notes her mom.
“She loves to go to malls, she loves to
shop, and she helps me pick out her
clothes.” And, of course, she particularly
enjoys purse shopping, adds Irina.
She calls her parents twice a week, visiting them one weekend a month and
eagerly anticipates the opportunity to
play cards with her mom. “I have been
able to teach her to play solitaire, to put
the cards in order, and she also loves to
play fish with me,” says Edna, who insists Debbie must win on her own merits. “She’s happy when she wins but
she’s also happy when I win.”
Back at Heiwa, Debbie “likes going out
for coffee . . if it’s good weather, she
likes to go out for walks and likes to
walk with a ‘baby,’ ” says Irina. She
loves to play ABBA songs in her room
and her favourite dinner meals include
chicken, hot dogs, cheese, bread and
pop.
And perhaps most important, sums up
Irina: “Debbie is a very caring person –
she is forgiving and welcoming.”
Winter Games
(Our Winter Games were to have been held this weekend but have been cancelled this year to allow L’Arche
Edmonton to mourn the death of our beloved Joyce Armstrong, whose funeral will be held Friday, Feb. 14. We also join
with L’Arche Calgary in grieving the tragic accident that seriously injured Eric Hancock, director of operations for
L’Arche Calgary and claimed the life of his wife Priscilla, key assistant and co-ordinator of their semi-independent
living program. Two granddaughters are also recovering from injuries sustained in the accident).
Vinh Le, human relations co-ordinator and competitive veteran of the Winter Games, offers his perspective on the
annual event, including a special memory of Joyce.
Coming home from my second Winter Games was particularly memorable. I was sitting beside Joyce Armstrong on
the yellow school bus and she christened me Sammy on the way home. I had been living with Joyce at Noah for a
year and a half and she had never once called me by name until then. Sammy it was decided then and Sammy it
continued to be for Joyce. I pray for the repose of her soul and look forward to the day when we can talk about old
times and ask her ‘why Sammy?’
By Vinh Le
I have been to about eight Winter Games. Memories from
one run into another. For me, Winter Games is all about There were different activities offered at each Winter
meeting people from othGames. I enjoyed tug-of-war
er communities in our reand broomball the most. John
gion, playing broomball
Sparks, Bob Sutter and I are
and tug-of-war.
regular broomballers from our
community and there was
At my very first Winter
Doug. Every year, I marvelled
Games, I met Basil. Basil
at how much heart and
is a big guy, three or four
soul Doug Wiebe put into the
times my size, and very
game. Regardless of surface
competitive by nature. I
conditions (it could be slicker
don't remember how it all
than ice!) and obstacles in the
began, but I found myself
field (cars, trees and somein the middle of a snow
times fallen players), Doug
wrestling match with him,
would be running full speed
witnessed by a small
ahead with a broom in hand
crowd, including Carmel.
sweeping frantically, leaping
If David could do it, why
over people, cars and trees,
couldn't I? I should have
determined to score the next
remembered that he nevgoal. It was safer to be on the
er engaged in close combat with Goliath. Somehow, I es- same team as Doug, but it was more fun to be on the opcaped the battle with my life, and as I was looking around posite team.
for a little sympathy from the onlookers, Carmel commented: you should have gone easy on Basil! I met Basil
Every year I come home exhausted from Winter Games
again at every subsequent Winter Games and never came but always having thoroughly enjoyed the games I played
closer to him than a broom's length.
and the people I met and got to know better.
Farewell to Lisa Duteau: L’Arche Edmonton wishes
Lisa the very best as she moves into her new home!
We hope you will continue to join us at L’Arche events
and look forward to getting caught up when we see you
again!
. . . and very best wishes to Doug Wiebe, community
leader in Lethbridge who retires this summer after 12
years of serving the L’Arche community. Your
dedication to L’Arche will always be appreciated, Doug.
In The Boat is a regular newsletter produced by the
L’Arche Association of Edmonton. We welcome
submissions on any topic. For more information, contact
Kana Kikuya at 465-0618, ext. 201,
kkikuya@larcheedmonton.org or Debbie Weismiller at
780-465-0618, ext. 213
dweismiller@larcheedmonton.org
If you are from outside the L’Arche community, and you
would like to receive mailed correspondence from us,
please phone Kana at the above number.
UNITED IN SORROW
The L’Arche Edmonton community offers prayers and
support to L’Arche Calgary and the family of Eric
Hancock, director of operations. Eric sustained serious
injuries in a car accident last weekend, and his wife,
Priscilla, who also worked at L’Arche, died in the
accident. Two granddaughters were also injured.
Priscilla’s funeral will be held in Ontario but there will
be two viewings in Calgary at the McInnis and Holloway
Funeral Home on Sunday, Feb. 16. The first will be
from 2 – 4 p.m. and the second from 6:30 – 8:30 with
prayers at 7 p.m. led by the L’Arche community.
Please keep Alice Ngendakumana, Godenine
Ndayisenga, and Liliane Narame and their families in
your prayers as they anxiously await updates on the
recent flooding in Burundi which has caused the
deaths of at least 60 residents and injured 81. More
than 400 homes have been destroyed so far.
Our prayers are also with Andy Illing, former assistant
and good friend of L’Arche Edmonton, whose mother
died in Germany recently.
Prayers are also requested for board member Janet
Campbell, who recently suffered the loss of her
mother.
Last month, many of us attended a memorial service
for Kate Bagnall, cherished daughter of board member
and past chair Wendy Bagnall. Those of us who didn’t
know Kate felt that we did following the very poignant
and personal celebration of her life and the beautiful
tributes offered by her family and friends.
Thank you to Wendy and her family for sharing
memories of their lovely daughter, sister and partner.
Wendy and her family remain in our prayers.
We also continue to pray for vice-regional leader Pat
Favaro’s nephew, Vincent, who died in Nova Scotia last
month. “Vincent was a wonderful young man,” wrote
Pat. “We all knew him to be gentle and very kind to
others. His death is an overwhelming shock and loss
for our family. Please pray especially for my sister
Debbie Keating (Vincent's mother), his sisters
Meaghan and Emily and our whole family. We rely on
this support from friends, family and community so
that we can have confidence that Vincent is now fully
in the arms of God.”
IN GRATITUDE
A FULFILLED CHRISTMAS WISH
Many of you are by now familiar with the heartwarming story
of the magnificent Christmas gift so generously given to
L’Arche Edmonton. A week before Christmas, our 12-yearold van, which had been without heat for the previous week,
died completely and we were told it wasn’t worth fixing.
Since the van was essential for transporting core members to
activities and volunteer commitments, we were worried. We
didn’t have money in our budget to buy a replacement
vehicle.
In desperation, we began contacting car dealers in Edmonton
– was there a chance someone would donate a Christmas
miracle to help us at least get through the festive season?
Doug Airey, general manager of Western GMC Buick,
sympathized. He couldn’t replace the van but he would
provide temporary repairs at no cost to us. “Perhaps there is
still some life left in it to help – at least in the short term – to
get you and your clients back on the road.” We were very
appreciative and managed to haul our cold, ailing vehicle to
his shop for temporary repairs.
That same day, Jamie Hodgson, president of Southgate Buick
GMC, listened to our plight and assured us that he would
help. His company would donate a 2009 Chevrolet Uplander
to L’Arche as soon as they could polish it up for us. On Dec.
23, we joyfully picked up our sparkling van and haven’t
stopped giving thanks since.
In a follow-up phone message to Sister Pat, Jamie Hodgson
revealed his passionate sense of responsibility and spirituality.
“We’re very proud to be associated with (L’Arche) and glad
to help out . . . I think it’s how God works – putting
somebody in your life at the same time you’re thinking of
giving and helping.”
***
OTHER THANK -YOUS :
We would also like to recognize several other retailers
and organizations which have generously helped
L’Arche in the past few months; among them: the St.
Paul’s Foundation; Sobeys Gold Bar; Sobeys Mill
Woods; Sobeys Mill Woods Common; Sobeys Spirits;
Arnim Joop, editor of Mill Woods Mosaic; Superstore
Calgary Trail; Boston Pizza Capilano; Fargos; Wal-Mart
Capilano; Safeway Southgate; Sawmill Capilano; the
Italian Centre southside; Tim Hortons Capilano; Bonnie
Doon Shopping Centre and Superstore Sherwood Park.