Author Archive: hawkeye

The Teal Pumpkin Project

What is the Teal Pumpkin Project®?

Visions is promoting the Teal Pumpkin Project this year.

Launched in 2014 by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the Teal Pumpkin Project® promotes safety, inclusion and respect of individuals managing food allergies. This movement offers an alternative for kids with food allergies, as well as other children for whom candy is not an option, and keeps Halloween a fun, positive experience for all!

We are proud to support the Teal Pumpkin Project®. Through this international initiative, families are encouraged to place a teal-coloured pumpkin in front of their home to show they have non-food treats available for children with food allergies and other kids for whom candy is not an option. Its aim is to create a safer and happier Halloween for all!

How can you participate?

Here are some fun ways you can participate:

  • Paint your pumpkin teal and display it outside your home
  • Provide non-food treats for trick-or-treaters (stickers, glow sticks, playing cards etc.)
  • Download and display a free printable poster/sign in your window (See downloads)
  • Tell your families and friends and ask them to join the campaign
  • Host an allergy-friendly Halloween party and paint pumpkins with friends

Vision Pride

Visions was out this summer celebrating Moncton's River Of Pride this year.

Head Start Backpack Program

Being August you would think the VisionAiders would be taking the summer off to recharge. Instead they were out in full force ensuring that the Moncton Head Start School supplies program had lots of back packs full of school supplies for those in need.

Tulips are here!

As we promised in the fall when we planted the "Canada 150" tulips, we now have a number of them blooming.  Thanks again to PAM who began this initiative last fall!

Taste of Syria

Taste of Syria

Syrian Dinner

A dinner, catered by 5 Syrian ladies from a "Taste of Syria", was enjoyed by 58 people on May 26, 2017, at Visions United. It was not a fund raiser, but rather all proceeds went to the caterers.  One of the ladies did a brief presentation on their experiences since coming to Canada 1 1/2 years ago.  Everyone attending agreed that it was a unique and most enjoyable evening.

Tulips

Tulips

The people of Visions United Church are getting ready early for the big "150 Canada"celebration by planting 1500 tulips throughout our communities. The plan is a tulip planting week this September as we prepare for a beautiful spring. The bulbs will be distributed at church as soon as they are available.

These are very special tulips developed in The Netherlands (Holland) over the past two years. The tulip is white on the outside and red on the inside thus looking like a maple leaf flag. It is a gift of gratitude and friendship from the people of Holland for Canada's part in liberating their country in World War 2.

Whenever our Visions Ambassador Pam Harrison meets someone from Holland this year, she is making an effort to thank them for the special CANADA 150 tulips.  "As well, I listen to their 'thank you ' to us." (Pam)

Coats For Care Year 2

Year 2 of Coats for Care

In the fall of 2015 we launched a test project to address the issue of poverty. We had heard the stories of those living on the streets and unable to obtain winter shelter due to mental illness. Our generous congregation supported our cause, along with many others and it was determined we would place 5 coats (sleeping bags) in each of the seven Maritime  cities. We followed up in the spring and winter of 2016.

It would appear that we had a mild winter and the coats were not all given out. We were also testing our distribution contacts and have made a few changes in 2017. The following list is an update by Provence .

New Brunswick - St John (Ramero House) gave out all the coats and requested more / Fredericton (Wilmet United Church ) gave out all the coats and requested more / Moncton ( Reconnect) gave out three and still have two, will contact Visions when more are needed.

Nova Scotia - Sydney ( United Protestant Church) gave out all the coats and requested many more, the need is tragic, / Halifax ( Brunswick Street Mission) gave out three and still have two,  so they suggested MOSH which is street nursing and the nurses really want to use them so we sent 6 as a trail.

Prince Edward Island - Summerside ( Summerside United Church) they received three and still have one left/ Charlottetown (Salvation Army) they did not use them so we collected 4 of the 5 and have them in Moncton.

We recently ordered another 10 coats to start the second year (2017 winter). Again we will monitor this and report in the spring. We still have money in the Coats of Care account.

Our supplier is The Empowerment Plan in Detroit, they are great to work with and we continue to enjoy this partnership. You many be interested to know they have provided 23 jobs for homeless women and their families, all now are able to provide housing and food for their children.

Thank you for your continued support, this is an important project for those in need.

Advent Season

Here are some pictures from our Advent services and our Christmas Pot Luck.

All are welcome. Please join us.