A good question some of the staff of Habitat for Humanity of Toronto should answer

A fellow Habitat volunteer asked a question yesterday, it was rhetorical; just repeating a question someone else had put to her, or she had put to herself, as if to challenge her reasons for being at Habitat: why was she (still) there? She doesn’t get paid, she doesn’t even get appreciated as much as she would like … I understand that. Most volunteers come up against that feeling at least once when they are volunteering; staff of many NGOs tend to take their volunteers for granted, and even I have found that Habitat for Humanity Toronto is no exception. They are paid, and do not seem to realize that we are not. Habitat owes me personally at least $8000 by now for all the work I have done for them.

Since March, I have whole-heartedly upheld their promise to make sure the volunteers (as if I am not one … haha, fork over the cash then!) have a good time! I will continue to do it until the staff prove to me that they don’t appreciate me, but until then … why do I continue to work there?

Hmmmm, I work at Habitat because I feel alive there. I am thrilled to be a part of a project so much bigger than I am, and so much bigger than I ever dreamed I could be. I am there because I have earned the respect at least, if not a bit of a warm spot in the hearts / hearths? of the permanent people / fixtures onsite. I feel like I belong there. I have taken ownership of my work there. I have made some good friends there. I continue to meet interesting, quality people there; people who enrich my life. It is a chance for me to be good at doing something. It is there that I reaffirm my leadership skills; I am a good leader, and my crews reward me every week by reaffirming that fact, no matter what type of people I get. I have led them all. But they at least all share the fact that they want to learn, they want to volunteer, and want to be a part of something bigger than they are. They want to put up vapor barrier, or SIPs, or do drywall mudding, or even just do clean-up. They understand that no job is too menial or tedious when, by doing that job, you are helping to build a new life for someone who currently doesn’t have much in the way of this high standard of living that Canada is known for. In return, I understand that no job is below me, and that I can participate and lead crews to do any job assigned to me, and that we can all have fun doing it.

I have fulfilled my promise to Habitat. Will Habitat fulfill its promise to their people in orange? Will they recognize everything we do for them? We do not ask for money, I definitely do NOT want any books, or anything with the Habitat logo on it (except for my shirt, which I already own). All I ask for is training, investment of their time and organization, an opportunity to be listened to by the staff, and for the people who DO get paid to realize that I am as valuable to Habitat as they are, and to take my advice.

Please Habitat, this is my letter to you. Take seriously the input from the people in orange. Take your own dang notes on the advice they suggest you follow, and prove that you appreciate us by following our advice. THAT would be orange appreciation. Prove that you are committed to us. Meet us half-way. Or else we will leave.
If you want to know what our suggestions are, ask us. You have people volunteering for you who are more quality than you will ever know. You have something magic in your court – don’t lose it because you fail to appreciate it.

“The best prize life can offer, is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing.”
~ Teddy Roosevelt

A City of Two Tales, or, Grand Design

Here's an indicator that everything goes exactly the way it was supposed to go. Ms. Gordon mentioned she was staying at the Sandman. Well, not Sunday night, but Monday night I ventured out on my own. My circuit took me through Stanley Park, where I met an grey-haired man who seemed to know more than his eyes saw. He asked me if he could help me find anything, while I was there at the information booth (which was closed) and getting myself a map. I decided to go for it. Yes, I am looking for food! He recommended the Fish House to me, but more than that. He took the time to recommend the restaurants to me, and let me choose the Fish House. He took the time to repeat the directions to me, painting a very clear picture to me of where to go. He discussed Davie Street with me, and advertised it as another good option for food. He then talked to me about the fireworks competition. It was almost as though he was painting a picture for me of everything I could do while I was there, but at the same time, he didn't try to sell me on anything; he just held the door open. It was also as though he could sense I was kind of afraid - I was nervous venturing out, esp. since I was alone on the trip, but getting very quickly lost by the time I reached that booth.

So, I trusted his guidance, and off I went. First the Fish House, then I walked along the seawall, and then, as if he was some sort of seer, I found myself at Davie Street. I walked it's entire length, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery! ;-P By the time I got to the end though, I was once again thoroughly lost. I wandered along Pacific Road(?), and eventually made it to, by way of some strange luck, the neon green sign - The Sandman. How Neil Gaiman! So on my journey into believing that everything happens for a reason, I gratefully took the opportunity to stop by and get directions. When I saw that sign, I knew I was close to my hotel based on the tour guide's instructions from Sunday evening.

What a night, what a journey, and what a story that makes for!

Leonore Gordon

I am currently enjoying an adventurous week off of everything I usually do in a week (Habitat, Hockey, and CTR) and spending some time in Vancouver, taking a course in Print Production. The first day in Vancouver; Sunday, I went on a tour of Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. On that trip, I met two women from New Zealand who were kind enough to share the trip with me, by the names of Leslie and Christine.

I also met two womyn from Brooklyn; Amina, and Leonore Gordon. It is the latter of the two that I would like to spend a couple of minutes discussing here. Sometimes you meet someone by chance, and when you meet them you have no idea “who they are”, and though you are grateful to have met them, you just part ways at the end of the conversation and that is the end of knowing them.

Leonore seemed to have a personality that was too determined and focused to just pass by, however. After talking with her for a few moments, she had already given me a set of instructions and her business card; I was to find out about cell phone antennas and her current petition to stop these antennas from going up onto roofs in residential areas, as the radiation they emit has been linked to brain cancer. Fair enough. I believe that any cause that can help to change lives for the better in any way is a cause worth pursuing. (See the next posting)

As well as an anti-antennae activist, Leonore is a poet, an author, a teacher, a mother, and a psychotherapist. Many of the causes she advocates are very personal to her, not least of which is Parkinson’s - a condition she has. I do not know if I will ever meet her again, apart from the few minutes I spent with her on the tour, but if I can pick a cause of hers (or all of her causes!) and continue to send out ripples, then I have helped her make a difference.

Leonore has taught poetry and writing in schools for almost three decades, with a focus on integrating this poetry and creative writing with other aspects of the student’s culture, such as African drumming or Native American dance and drumming lessons. Some of the things she has taught, and the approach she seems to take in her poetry, and creative writing remind me of my own Mother’s approach; studying similes and personification, use of vocabulary and sensory details, and integrating all these things into a curriculum that looks to empower students with cultural awareness, through putting on plays and performances, both projects my Mother has embarked on as well.

She seems to be an incredible woman. A few minutes of internet research have revealed more than enough proof of her accomplishments, of which I am sure there are many more than I have found out so far. I hope she is able to continue to teach, provide psychotherapy services, and continue to be an activist until well after her son graduates from high school, and perhaps even university. The world continues to need more strong women like her. Hopefully she can serve to be a living example of strength for many young women.

Anti-Antennae Activism

Leonore continues to advocate against antenna sitings, especially microcells, which are not covered in legislation that regulates the installation of antenna sitings around the states, and I assume Canada as well. In order to install one of these antennas in a residential area, there is no legislation that requires the company, such as T-mobile or Cingular, to inform the residents of the building that the cell phone microcell is being installed on their building, yet there is a chance that these antennas will bring a lovely little present to residents of these buildings, such as cancer or leukemia.

This begs the question brought up in the title of this article; Does the Wi-fi revolution directly endanger our health? To further that, is the laptop I am using now going to increase my risk of ovarian cancer? What is involved in this radiation?

Cell phone use may contribute to brain cancer. Why then, are these carcinogens allowed to pervade our daily lives, everything from cell phone antennas on apartment buildings, to the phones themselves, to other devices that use Wi-fi such as laptops(?)

Alright, there is a long and complicated process to follow to try to get an antenna off your roof, or prevent one from being installed there, but if there are any petitions going around in your neighbourhood to ban the installation of these devices, then by all means, sign it! I do not know what the procedure would be for eliminating these antennae in Canada, but if you are interested in pursuing the project, check out this link.