Winter Newsletter 2014

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season!
 world aids day
events..................... 1
 sharp elects new
president ............... 2
De c emb e r 2 0 14
 sharpcare.ca launches
............................... 2
CARING FOR OUR COMMU NITY’S MOST VULNERABLE
focus
Visit SHARP’s new website at theSHARPfoundation.com
SHARP Holds World AIDS Day Events
As part of World AIDS day on Monday, December 1, the SHARP Foundation held events around
the city including a drag show hosted by MAC
cosmetics at the downtown Hudson’s Bay Company location, lighting of several city locations
and a gala dinner at Escoba Bistro and Wine Bar.
SHARP partnered with the City of Calgary to
have the Langevin Bridge and surrounding pathways lit red as well as the tree sculptures along
Stephen Avenue. SHARP also partnered with
Aspen Properties to have the Calgary Tower lit up
red also. SHARP Executive Director Floyd Visser
says despite advances in the fight against the disease, the lighting initiatives are helpful in raising
critical awareness for world AIDS day.
“ We’re getting increasing numbers of people
living with HIV, we’re still seeing relatively high
transmission rates and we don’t have a cure.”
says Visser “We still have a lot of work to do, so
that’s why we want to maintain that awareness.”
SHARP partnered with MAC cosmetics for world AIDS day, and hosted a drag show on the main floor of the Hudson’s Bay
Company downtown location at 11:00am on Monday. The show featured performances by Argintina Hailey, Mystare Divine and Malibu
Stacey. MAC volunteers were fundraising for the SHARP Foundation, by holding draws and offering special deals as part of the event.
MAC volunteers also visited Beswick House and Project Kathleen over the weekend, where they hosted a Grey Cup and pizza night
for Beswick residents and a makeup and pampering night for Project Kathleen.
Escoba Bistro and Wine Bar hosted “A Night of Hope” gala dinner on Monday evening which was the first of what SHARP hopes
will become an annual event.
The dinner served as an opportunity for those in attendance to learn about SHARP and its projects as well as an introduction to a new
board at SHARP and SHARP’s vision, values and mission statement.
Stories of clients were shared at the event showing how SHARP helped them and also how those clients helped SHARP to grow and
improve. A final story from a previous client showed the work SHARP does and who it is helping.
The gala was also the launching ground for a second Beswick House, which is being planned in response to the growing number of
referrals SHARP is seeing for clients impacted by ageing and complex needs.
Friend and Co-Founder of the SHARP Foundation Passes Away
On December 1st SHARP also lost one of its family members and co-founders, Garry Krausher. As
Garry's good friend, David Bennett, mentioned at his memorial, "Garry was involved in mankind. Garry's innate humanity - his belief in and commitment to people whether they were intimate
friends or complete strangers. It was this basic understanding of the need to be involved that led Garry
along with Walter Beswick to co-found the SHARP Foundation. Together they begged, borrowed,
cajoled and otherwise worked miracles to get Beswick House up and running at a time when governments were silent as an entire generation was being ravaged by HIV and AIDS."
Throughout the almost 25 years that SHARP has been in existence Garry was always there to support the work he started. He would bring his friends to the various fund raisers held in support of
SHARP; quietly giving entertainers tips that would be donated to SHARP or buying 50/50 tickets and
when he won would donate it all back to SHARP.
We will all miss Garry but we will never forget him! His legacy continues as friends and family
have so graciously donated to SHARP in memory of Garry! These and any additional gifts will be
earmarked for a new home providing the same care and compassion as Beswick House! Thank you,
Garry!
SHARP Elects New President Philippe Boilard
Philippe Boilard is the SHARP Foundation's new President, taking on the
role from Gerry Hart, who served as
president for 11 years. Gerry will
continue his work with the SHARP
foundation as he chairs the Taste for
Life committee, volunteers with client support and serves on the finance
committee. We would like to thank
Gerry for his long-time commitment
as president, and his ongoing engagement.
Philippe will take on the role of
president after joining the SHARP
board of directors three years ago,
and hopes to continue and expand the high standard of client care
maintained by SHARP.
Garry Krausher
"We offer excellent care and have a model of approach that is
up and coming." says Boilard "The hope is that we can not necessarily change other people's views but have the ability to show
that our view works and expand on that."
Philippe previously served on the board and as treasurer and
says his interest in helping the SHARP Foundation is spurred by
having a family member with HIV.
"I remember growing up with this idea that there was a stigma attached to it and ever since then I've always wanted to be a
part of something that could potentially help with those that have
HIV and are affected by it."
Philippe says he hopes to continue Gerry's close relationship
with clients and staff members at individual SHARP Foundation
homes. When he's not serving SHARP, Philippe is a clinical
pharmacist with Alberta Health Services at the South Health
Campus.
SHARPCare.ca Launches online training modules
The SHARP Foundation has been working on developing a training tool which consists of 6 video-based modules on working with
complex needs clients.
The online training is based on a case study of a former
SHARP client and focuses on getting into a position of caring and
understanding harm reduction when working with a complex
needs client.
SHARP executive director Floyd Visser is hopeful the training will result in improved health outcomes for those clients it is
used to help and result in cost savings as the training aims to reduce the repetitive cycle through various systems experienced by
some complex needs clients.
The training is targeted at frontline care providers, medical or
health systems based workers and has a broad appeal for anyone
who works with complex needs clients.
The training will aim to get care providers connected to the help
that is needed to ensure clients can arrive at a safe place and a
place of healing as soon as possible.
To view a sneak peak before the training goes live, visit
www.thesharpfoundation.com/complex-needs/
Giving Made Easy! Still need a tax deduction?
We would like to thank everyone for all your support throughout 2014! There are many other ways to give to SHARP as well! To make a
monetary contribution, visit www.canadahelps.org or contact us directly at 403.272.2912. To purchase an item for one of our houses and/
or programs, check out our wish lists on our website or www.amazon.ca. Please note that the SHARP Foundation will tax receipt all
donations made before or on December 31st so that you can use it for a deduction on your 2014 taxes.
Volunteer
Of course your time is one of your most valuable assets, especially to SHARP! There are many volunteer opportunities in every part of
this organization and therefore something of interest to almost everyone! Do you have any skills, abilities or talents that you'd like to
share? We would love to hear from you! Contact us to discuss ways you could share some of what makes you special with SHARP!
Do you have other ideas of how you would like to give? We welcome your feedback! You can call 403.272.2912 or email
info@theSHARPfoundation.com.
The SHARP Foundation office will be closed December 25th, 26th and January 1st!
Enjoy this holiday season!