Category Archives: Pam

Beautiful Portugal

A visit to the Palace of Estoi or the Pink Palace, built in the 18th century and restored over the past 5 yrs at a cost of approx €12 million. It is beautiful and the gardens are historic in nature.

My first adventure in Portugal was to join three friends to go cliff climbing. We managed to reach the top ( maybe 250 to 300 ft) of these beautiful cliffs. The climb was difficult but the view was worth it!

Pam Visits Iceland

Pam was on her way to Portugal, but her travel was altered, due to weather, with an unexpected visit to Iceland. 

She was able to have lovely Icelandic food, walk the streets of Reykjavik , and enjoy a few historic sites. She also attempted to see the northern lights.

Witness Blanket

Pam Harrison of Visions United recently visited the Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg where she was blessed to spend time learning about the WITNESS BLANKET. The blanket is made from cedar and contains items collected from the residential schools across Canada.

You will note the involvement of the United Church of Canada , bearing witness to our apology. We were asked to live our apology thus our crest bears the four colours of the First Nations. We also have established a special Sunday to pause and reflect on our past and current actions. What can we do to continue the healing?

We have provided a link to the WITNESS BLANKET story narrated by Sheila Rogers - please take the time to watch and listen and most of all learn.

Coats of Care

Coats Of Care

Five coats were presented to Reconnect, Moncton YMCA

Five coats were presented to Reconnect, Moncton YMCA.  The COATS of CARE is a special project to support homeless people during the long cold winter. We have placed 5 coats in the following cities with a reserve of 12 coats at Visions United Church (Moncton):

Location City
Sydney United Church Sydney, NS
Brunswick Street Mission Halifax, NS
Wilmet United Church Fredericton, NB
Reconnect YMCA Moncton, NB
Ramiro House Saint John, NB
Trinity United Church Summerside, PE
Bedford MacDonald House, Salvation Army Charlottetown, PE

The hooded coats are water-resistant, self-heating and transform into sleeping bags. The two large pockets act as storage, and can be worn as an over-the-shoulder bag when not in use. The coat is constructed of up- cycled automotive insulation, fabric from Carhartt, and other materials provided by generous donors.

The coats are made by homeless women in Detroit, USA as part of the EMPOWERMENTPLAN project. This project began in 2011 and to date they have produced over 9,000 coats. 28 women and their children (approximately 75) now have income security which is life changing.

The campaign resulted in 86 generous donations totalling over $11,000.00. Approximately 34% of the donations came from Visions United which represents roughly $3,700.00

This is a pilot project for the winter 2015-2016.  We will be requesting feedback from these organizations about these coats and reviewing the results in the spring to determine future action.  Stay tuned more for exciting news about this project.