8 10 13078 https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2699/2001_reACT-Believe_vol14no1.pdf 3b21dafbd961e8d2f9809dffa6f203b9 PDF Text Text I t ’ s t h a t t i m e a g a i n ! G e t y o u r s h o e s l a c e d u p a n d i f y o u ‘ d l i k e , g e t a t e a m t o g e t h e r f o r t h i s y e a r ’ s A I D S W a l k ! S u n d a y , S e p t e m b e r 2 4 , 2 0 0 0 . re-ACT Believe Volume 14, Issue 1 Spring 2001 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: A Letter from the Executive Director Fundraising News 2 AIDS Walk 2001 Do the Route—the Red Ribbon Route 3 Education Update 4 Health Promotion insert The Extra Mile—An Update from the Volunteer Dept. 5 News from the Support Services Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting Glance 8 300 bingos—that’s incredible!!! Thank you very much for all your years of volunteering, Michael. Thank you also to all our other bingo volunteers. We couldn’t do it without you! I have been back in my seat as Executive Director at ACT-B since the beginning of April. My re-entry to this heavy responsibility has been relatively smooth. I credit this to the fine and professional work of our board, to the staff of ACT-B, and in particular to the mature and hard-working leadership of Lawrence Korhonen, who sat in this seat and shouldered the burdens and challenges and rewards of being an Executive Director. I am grateful to you all. But what I really want to talk about is something I have been doing for close to 15 years. It is something I do as a volunteer. It immerses me in an unhealthy atmosphere. I don’t do it alone; indeed the activity depends on group involvement. What is this activity? Sometime in June or July, I will celebrate having worked my 300th bingo for ACT-B! It has taken more than a decade to reach this milestone because, in the early years of our bingo involvement, ACT-B only hosted one per month. And, though they accumulated over time, I wasn’t able to attend every one. So, I can’t pin down my exact anniversary, but it probably will occur in either June or July 2001. Over the passage of 300 bingos, there are many, many stories to tell. I celebrate some of them here, in honour of the Year of the Volunteer, as well as my fellow bingo volunteers who have toiled in those smoke-filled denizens of gambling for the betterment of our cause. Bingo is both a community and an individual activity simultaneously. The atmosphere inside a bingo hall has its own colours, its own culture. Veteran players are greeted with smiles and recognition. Newcomers want to know if we have “random” or “perfect” game cards. I always thought the cards were all imperfect. On the floor, at times the atmosphere resembles last call in a busy bar. Hands are up all over the room, signaling they want to buy something. Workers are selling and moving fast (well, some workers move fast!) to get to the next needy set of hands. All of the room is immersed in noise: friendly conversation, sales requests, and laughter. The hall is also immersed in smoke. My guess is that bingo halls are one of the few remaining unrestricted refuges for nicotine bingeing. A couple of hours after the start of the games, you don’t need to light up—just inhale the room! At a recent bingo, this was augmented by one of our workers who was emptying ashtrays directly into waste barrels. The waste barrels are, of course, filled with the pages of completed and discarded games—a perfect kindling bin waiting for ignition. As our worker moved down an aisle, smoke started to rise from one of the barrels! To be fair, our hall—the Diamond—has a separate enclosed smoke-free room, where players can breath regular oxygen. This room is never full—though it frequently has many winners. Winning is not what it’s all about. Most players will go home losers (as is the case participating in any form of gambling). The prospect of winning is the attraction, plus the familiarity of the hall and the camaraderie of your companions. Why have I chosen to be part of this culture? Generally, the people who spend these hours together are having a good time. It is genuinely nice to be around happy people. The revenues that ACT-B earns from hosting bingos is critical to our annual fundraising efforts— raising more than our annual walk or any other special event. I also want to do this so that I don’t feel above it. I can comment and criticize the adventure because I’ve earned the right to do so; I’m in it. I salute our hardy band of regular bingo volunteers—they mean a great deal to ACT-B. And finally, in my life experience, this is the only place I ever see $100 bills! �Fundraising News From Crystal Porteous, Fundraising Coordinator This is a warm hello to everyone I have met and to those I will meet along the fundraising path. I joined the ranks of the friendly staff and volunteers at ACT-B in April as the new Fundraising Coordinator. It has been just over two months and already things are starting to roll. As many of you may be aware, our local AIDS Walk, DO THE ROUTE: THE RED RIBBON WALK is quickly approaching on Sunday, September 23. Planning for this event has kept me very busy! I am very excited to announce that the Walk location is returning to The Outpost at Lakehead University, but a new, more visible route will be chosen! Many people are more familiar with me as Magnus Theatre’s Publicist. I was with the company for three and a half years up until last year when I was the Volunteer Coordinator/ Gift Shop Manager of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Now, I am changing hats and ready to plunge into the world of fundraising. There will be many fun and exciting events over the next year. I hope to meet you at one or all of them. If you have any questions about the up-coming Walk, please feel free to call me. If you happen to be in the agency, pop in my office and say hello! WANTED Your clean, reusable, re-sellable ale S d Yar m s Ite ATTENTION VOLUNTEERS ACT-B is having a Fundraising Yard Sale. Your donated household or other items can help us raise funds for our programs and services. Donations will be accepted until July 10th. Please call Crystal at 345-1516 to arrange for drop off or pick up of items. We appreciate the items that you are able to donate but reserve the right to not accept items we feel will not sell. The yard sale will take place on July 14 at St. John’s Anglican Church, 228 Pearl St. beside the casino. -2- We will be looking for people to help with the Yard Sale. If you are available and would like to work at the Yard Sale, please call Selly at 345-1516. We will also be asking people to donate baking so that we can have a bake sale at the same time. Any type of cookies, muffins, cakes, or other baked goods would be appreciated. You can drop them off at the ACT-B office on July 13, the day before the yard sale. Call Selly and let her know if you can bake for us. �Gather friends & form a team for the... Do the Route The Red Ribbon Walk Sunday, September 23, 2001 at The Outpost (Lakehead University Campus) Lace up those shoes!! Every year the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay (ACT-B) takes part in the AIDS WALK CANADA by hosting a local walk. Last year our walk raised $22,000 all of which stayed in Thunder Bay to provide for the programs and services of ACT-B. Hot from the press, a pledge form can be mailed to you!! To register or inquire about the walk call Crystal at 345-1516 ! Back! s ’ e h S Cindi challenged all canines last year & she is doing it again! Put that leash in your owners hand and join the walk!! BE TWO STEPS AHEAD & YOU COULD WIN!!! Start collecting pledges early. There are many prizes and incentives for those who collect the most pledges . Don’t forget about our CANINE CHALLENGE. Prizes are also awarded to the dog that raises the most pledges, is the best dressed, the biggest and the smallest. A project of the Canadian AIDS Society in partnership with community AIDS organizations across Canada. Local Sponsors to Date: Janzen’s Pharmacy, The Royal Bank, Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, The Investors Group �EDUCATION UPDATE By David Belrose, Education Coordinator Community Based Research and the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay The Image Project Program Evaluation & Revitalized Social Marketing Campaign The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay is currently in the midst of a major community-based research project. The Image Project is designed to assess our position in the community, and use the results to enhance our community profile, develop more effective social marketing campaigns, renew our prevention programming, and encourage support for people living with, or affected by, HIV or AIDS. The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay was first established in January 1986. The face of HIV/ AIDS has changed dramatically since then, and with it the programs of the organization. It was decided by the agency that a review was needed that would include: an evaluation of the agency’s programs and services, strengthening of community partnerships and an understanding and reshaping of community perceptions of the agency’s programs and services. It was expected that an end product would be a social marketing campaign to deliver revitalized messages into the community that are clear and accurate. The main components of the project are surveys, one outreach survey targeting potentially atrisk populations, one random telephone survey of Thunder Bay residents, and a client feedback survey. At this point in time, the outreach survey has been completed and data entered, the telephone survey is underway, and the client survey remains to be done. This project has been an important step for the agency in community-based research. Involved in the project are the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay, Community Linked Evaluation AIDS Resources (CLEAR) - MacMaster University, MacEachern Marketing, Lakehead University Social Work department, and PUSH Northwest. Look for developments as the project proceeds. NEWSLETTER MAILING LIST In order to take advantage of technology, and also in order to reduce our costs, we are looking at providing our newsletter in electronic format for those who wish to receive it that way. If you are interested, send us an e-mail at: actb@tbaytel.net With Subject line: Newsletter Mailing List We will notify you by e-mail when the next newsletter is produced. This e-mail list will be used only to send you information about the newsletter, or other information about ACT-B. The information is confidential and will not be provided to outside parties. -4- �Health Promotion By Charlene Burford, Health Promoter There are constant updates and new findings in the area of HIV and health. Studies, proposals, suggestions and general information can be found in the library at ACT-B or on the Internet. I will include more HIV specific information in the upcoming articles. Please note that what is presented here does not necessarily reflect ACT-B's opinion or philosophy, rather, I am passing on information so people may become more informed about the happenings in medical, alternative health, research and ethical areas of HIV. In the past month, I have read a multitude of articles. Perhaps people will find the following write-up interesting. It was taken from "Treatment Update #114" produced by the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (catie), their internet address is: http://www.catie.ca Treatment Update 114 - Some women may be at high risk for anal cancer Hosein SR, 2001 Winter, Volume 12 Issue 10 Although cases of anal cancer are increasing in both men and women in the U.S., anal cancer is twice as common in women than in men, according to researchers in that country. Researchers in San Francisco conducted a study among women with HIV and women who were at high risk for HIV infection to find out about their risk of anal cancer. Study Details The profile of women in this study was as follows: • average age - 40 years • 251 women were HIV positive • 68 were HIV negative In addition to all the usual tests, women in this study also had cells from their anus removed for analysis. Testing to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) - the cause of cervical and some anal cancers - was done with PCR . To measure the amount of HPV, technicians used another test called a "hybrid capture" assay. Results Technicians analysing cell samples found the following: • 75% of HIV positive women had HPV infection • 42% of HIV negative women had HPV infection Although there are many types of HPV, some types such as HPV 16 are highly associated with the development of cervical and anal cancers. Among HIV positive women, the most commonly detected type was HPV 16, found in 15% of the women. As many as 35% of the women had HPV of an "unknown" type. Anal HPV infection The researchers found that the following factors were involved with the detection of HPV in samples of anal cells: • fewer than 200 CD4+ cells • HPV infection of the cervix �Health Promotion (continued) Anal vs. cervical samples Among HIV positive women who had samples taken from both their cervix and anus, technicians found the following: • 75% of the women had anal HPV • 53% of the women had cervical HPV Among HIV negative women the results were as follows: • 43% of the women had anal HPV • 24% of the women had cervical HPV In general, technicians found different types of HPV in the cervix compared to samples from the anus. The findings from this relatively large study confirm those from two relatively smaller studies - that anal HPV infection is common in women at high risk for or who have HIV infection. High levels of HPV were found in women who were HIV positive and who also had low CD4+ cell counts. Women with anal HPV were also likely to have abnormal and precancerous cells in the anus. Researchers could not measure the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on their ability to detect HPV. Further work on anal HPV in women needs to be conducted. Since the women in this study largely denied having anal sex, the researchers are not sure how HPV entered their anus. The results from this study suggest that HIV positive women may benefit from regular anal Pap smears, but this needs to be confirmed in studies. REFERENCES: 1. Olofinlade O, Adeonigbagbe O, Gualtieri N, et al. Anal carcinoma: a 15-year retrospective analysis. Scandanavian Journal of Gastroenterology 2000 35(11):1194-1199. 2. Human papillomavirus-associated cancers in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2000;92(18):1500-1510. 3. Palefsky JM, Holly EA, Ralston ML, et al. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Anal Human Papillomavirus Infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Positive and High-Risk HIV-Negative Women. Journal of Infectious Diseases 2001;183(3):383-39. This information was provided by the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE). For more information, contact CATIE at 1-800-263-1638, or visit the web site at www.catie.ca. Tid Bits: The government chose to spell "marihuana" with an "H" rather than with a "J" in their "Marihuana Medical Access Regulations" Impact Analysis Statement. The Criminal Code of Canada spells it as "marijuana". Hmmm, interesting. Do you keep your doctor informed about supplements and/or vitamins you are taking? What about keeping a log or journal to track the changes in your day to day feeling of health (emotional, mental, physical) re: new medication or supplements? �The Extra Mile Goodbye Carri, Welcome Back Selly Here’s what happening in the coming months: ♦ Yard Sale/Bake Sale/Hot Dog Sale Saturday, July 14, 2001 ♦ Summer Tag Day Saturday, Aug 25 Carri Whidden completed her contract position as Volunteer Coordinator here at ACT-B on March 31. We thank her for a job well done-she will be missed. But, she has told us she will still be volunteering with us and that was great news to receive. I, Selly Pajamaki, returned to my position as Volunteer Coordinator on April 1. It’s good to be back. The 22 months as Administration Coordinator were busy, busy, busy and I learned a lot. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to use my accounting training and experience. Thank you Michael and Lawrence for having the faith in my abilities and giving me the chance to live up to it. Also, many thanks to Lawrence for all his help while I was in his former position. I could never have done it without his help. ♦ AIDS Walk 2001 ♦ Sunday, Sept 23 It has been a busy time since I returned to Winter Tag Days being Volunteer Coordinator. The annual Volunteer Appreciation Event was held on May 24. Many of our volunteers came out and Sunday, Nov 17 & enjoyed a light meal and some entertainment. The 2001 Volunteer of the Year is Helen Rose. See page 7 for more information on the 18, 2001 event. This newsletter is also my responsibility and I apologize for it being a little later than usual. I am planning orientation and training sessions and will be calling you soon about these activities. Regular Volunteer Receptionist meetings will be taking place on a quarterly basis. Saturday & Now, here’s what’s coming up! On Saturday, July 14, we are having a Yard Sale combined with a bake sale and hot dog sale. We will need from 6-10 volunteers to work at tables. If you’d like to help, call me (Selly) at 345-1516. This event will be held at St. John’s Anglican Church, in the basement, so we won’t have to worry about canceling due to bad weather. If you have any items you would like to donate to the yard sale, or if you can donate some baking, we would really appreciate it. Again, just call Selly. On Saturday, August 25 we will be having our first summer Tag Day. We hope to have 9 locations (7 are already booked) and will have three two hour shifts at each location that day. We will need about 54 volunteers, so I’m hoping many of you will be able to give us a couple of hours on the 25. If you’d like to work one or even two shifts at Tag Day, please call me at 345-1516. I will be calling volunteers soon about this, but it would help me out if you could call me first. Thanks! AIDS Walk 2001: DO THE ROUTE! The Red Ribbon Route. (Do the route, do the route, do the route…) We are going to need approximately 80 volunteers this year so I’ll be calling all of you! The Walk takes place on Sunday, September 23. We are returning to the Outpost at Lakehead University, but will be walking on the streets rather than the bike paths. Again, please call and let me know if you’d like to volunteer at the Walk. You can register now if you would like to take part as a walker—you can walk and also volunteer. There are some volunteer positions that take place before and after the actual Walk, so it is possible to get out there and walk your feet off to raise money for this important cause as well as volunteering. Call me for information on Volunteer positions for the Walk. If you have family members or friends who would be interested in volunteering too, let me know. We have all kinds of jobs that need doing. We will be having our regular winter Tag Day on Saturday and Sunday, November 17 and 18. Because we are having shifts on both days, we will need even more volunteers than for the summer Tag Day. I will be calling people in September about this, so please think about it. Watch future issues of this newsletter for more volunteering opportunities. �News from Support Services EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! NEW SUPPORT WORKER/HEALTH PROMOTER AT ACT-B MOTHER’S CUPBOARD Mother’s Cupboard is looking for new ways to generate donations. We will try setting up a food donation box at ACT-B special events and see how this works. Anyone wishing to donate items, they can be dropped off at the office (217 S. Algoma St.-at the corner of Algoma and Cornwall streets). We are in need of canned meats, peanut butter, jam, stews, juice crystals (e. g. Tang) and canned or powdered milk. Call if you have any suggestions or questions and ask for Charlene. The following is a message from the new worker. Hi! Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Charlene Burford and I am the new Health Promoter and Support Worker at the AIDS Committee. I have been in the position since April 11. A bit about myself: I am a graduate of Lakehead University with a Social Work degree. I’ve volunteered at ACT-B and sat on the Board of Directors. I also volunteered with Superior Points Needle Exchange and I have a history of eight years of working with young offenders. On a personal level, I believe in maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle (this coming from a smoker and coffee drinker!). Seriously, I’ve had an interest in and accessed various forms of alternative health in conjunction with western medical assistance. I am straight-forward (which can lead to problems at times) and I am open to suggestions and learning. I am currently working on a pet project at home— suffice to say if you see me drive by, you won’t miss “The Lamborgini”… INFORMATION SESSION On May 10, ACT-B hosted an introduction to Advanced Health Care Directive — Living Wills for clients and staff. Lawyer Jocelyn Huculak presented information during the 1.5 hour session. ACT-B plans to have a follow-up workshop for clients to thoroughly go over the forms and complete the paperwork. IN RECOGNITION We would like to thank Lisa Kachkowski for volunteering her time and expertise Tuesday mornings. She provides interested clients with Healing Touch using the Cranial Sacral technique. COMMUNITY GARDEN County Fair Community Garden has given ACT-B a plot of land to grow fresh vegetables to help stock Mother’s Cupboard. We’re looking for volunteers to work the land, plant and maintain the garden throughout the summer. If you have a green thumb or just want to get into gardening, please call Charlene at 3451516. Editor’s note: Be sure and say hello to Charlene if you happen to be in the agency office and welcome her to our ‘family’. We’re glad to have you aboard, Charlene. -6- �Here and There . . . For Information - Thank You Volunteers!!! About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 Or The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Information Line 345-SAFE (7233) About The Needle Exchange: Call 625-9767 345-7233 or 345-1516 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 About Regular HIV Testing Call the STD Clinics 625-5944 or 622-7585 About Counselling or Referrals Call the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay 345-7233 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 ACT-B recently held our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event. In this, the United Nations International Year of Volunteers, we were very happy to invite our volunteers to a special evening with a meal and entertainment. ACT-B had 174 registered volunteers in the year 2000. Certificates and gifts were given to everyone who worked anywhere from 2 to over 200 hours. In total, our volunteers gave us 6,190 hours of their time. We truly appreciate this generous gift. Special mentions went to our volunteer receptionists, drivers and bakers. Two of our volunteers will be honoured at the upcoming “Salute to Volunteers”. They are Darlene Miller and Ruth Racic. They will receive special certificates at a ceremony at Old Fort William in June. The crowning event of the evening was the naming of the ACT-B 2001 Volunteer of the Year. This special person has put in many hours for the AIDS Committee. She is a regular receptionist; helps out in fundraising by working Tag Day, selling raffle tickets, and organizing teams for the AIDS Walk; does telephone surveys,; sits at information tables; and also bakes for our bingo volunteers regularly. She has a great sense of humour and is a lot of fun to be around. She is also committed to the fight against HIV/ AIDS. The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay is proud to name as the 2001 Volunteer of the Year—Helen Rose. Helen’s name has been entered onto our “Volunteers Extraordinaire” plaque that hangs in the reception area. Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) The Network 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca catie internet: www.catie.ca Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange UPCOMING EVENTS Saturday, July 14—Yard Sale, St. John’s Anglican Church, 228 Pearl St. Sunday, September 23—AIDS Walk 2001—Do the Route, the Red Ribbon Route, The Outpost, Lakehead University October 24-25—Opening Doors Counselling Conference, Victoria Inn, 555 Arthur St. West For more information on any of these events, call the AIDS Committee at 345-1516 -7- �Parting Glance 2001 Opening More Doors Counseling Conference The 10th Annual NW Ontario Regional HIV/AIDS Counseling Conference will take place on October 24 and 25 at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay. To order your registration package, contact the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. The registration deadline is September 20. This annual conference focuses on counseling issues relating to HIV/AIDS. The AIDS Committee welcomes health care workers, counselors, clergy, people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs), and their family and friends to attend. This event is funded by the Ministry of Health—AIDS Bureau. For more information, please contact: Joanne Books, Conference Coordinator at 807-346-9388 or 807-345-1516. The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: Ontario Ministry of Health - AIDS Bureau Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) All of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals. The opinions and medical information offered by “êÉ^`q J _ÉäáÉîÉ” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: êÉ^`q J_ÉäáÉîÉ P.O. Box 24025 RPO Downtown North Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net Visit us on the internet at: www.tbaytel.net/actb vÉë>==f=ï~åí=íç=ÄÉÅçãÉ=~=ãÉãÄÉê=çÑ=^`qJ_>==f=âåçï=íÜ~í=ãó= ÅçåíêáÄìíáçå=ïáää=êÉ~ääó=Åçìåí>==eÉêÉ=áë=ãó=Ççå~íáçå= ANMKMM|||I=AOMKMM|||I=ARMKMM|||I=çíÜÉê=|||= === Name: ____________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________ City, Province & P.C: _______________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________ Bring in or mail to: ACT-B Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A6 ACT-B Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Fred Ball Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory Patti Cole ACT-B Board of Directors Nicole Hotson TB Indian Friendship Centre Gail Linklater Crossroads Centre Dr. Gordon Milne Family Physician Karen O’Gorman HIV Program Consultant ARF Pat Piaskowski Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Diana Smith Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Richard Thompson Superior Points Harm Reduction Nicky Tittley Safety Coordinator, Thunder Bay Regional Hospital Carl Triskle ACT-B Board of Directors Rev. Don Uhryniw Current River United Church, Council of Clergy ACT-B Board of Directors Sherry Britton Patti Cole Michael Croft Pam Delgaty Heather Graham Paul Kerber Jennifer LaVoie Linda MacKay Rob MacKay Carl Triskle Kate E. White Pius White, President ACT-B Staff Christa Alsch Secretary David Belrose Education Coordinator Sheila Berry Support Services Coordinator Stuart Boland IDU Outreach Worker Joanne Books Counselling Conference Coordinator Charlene Burford Support Worker/Health Promoter Heather Cameron Targeted Prevention Worker Lawrence Korhonen Administration Coordinator Selly Pajamaki Volunteer Coordinator Crystal Porteous Fundraising Coordinator Michael Sobota Executive Director reACT-Believe Contributors Selly Pajamaki Editor ACT-B staff & volunteers -8- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource reACT-Believe Vol 14 Issue 1 - Spring 2001 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2001 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2700/2001_reACT-Believe_vol14no2.pdf dea791c01b4b7ac38e9a3d02d55e7198 PDF Text Text T h e Ne w sle tte r o f T he A I DS C o m mi t t ee o f T hun d er B a y re-ACT Believe Volume 14, Issue 2 Summer 2001 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Fundraising News 2 AIDS Walk 2001 Do the Route—the Red Ribbon Walk 3 Education Update 4 The Extra Mile— News from the Volunteer Dept. 5 News from the Support Services Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting Glance 8 2001 Opening More Doors NWO Regional HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference And Hepatitis C Community Forum The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay (ACT -B) is celebrating it's 10th Annual Opening More Doors, NWO Regional HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference on October 25 th and 26 th , 2001, at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay. This year, ACT-B is partnering with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit who will present a Hepatitis C Community Forum on Thursday, October 25 th from 9:30 to 12:30. Dr. Kaita, a hepatologist from Winnipeg, will be featured as the key note speaker. At 1:00 p.m., that same day, the HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference begins . This two-day event will offer 8 workshops focussing on counselling issues related to HIV/AIDS. The AIDS Committee welcomes health care workers, counsellors, clergy, people living with HIV/AIDS, and their family and friends to attend. Topics for this year's conference include: ACT-B w ould li ke to extend si ncere thanks to Joanne Books, Counselli ng Conference Coordi nator, for her excellent w ork once agai n i n planni ng and coordi nati ng thi s annual conference. • • • • • • • • Case Studie s: Stories From the Front Line HIV/AIDS in Aboriginal Communities Women, Pregnancy and HIV HIV/AIDS and ST D's: the Basics PHA Panel: Stories from Within Service Providers: Perspectives from the Substance Using Population Harm Reduction Strategies Treatment Information Night Conference Registration Fees: $20.00 for the Hepatitis C Forum $40.00 for HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference $60.00 for both the Hepatitis C Forum and the HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference This conference is a vital professional development experience for those who work in the field of HIV/AIDS. Over the last 10 years it has developed an excellent reputation in our region. Early registration is recommended! For more information, contact Joanne Books, Conference Coordinator, at 807-345-1516. �Fundraising News From Crystal Porteous, Fundraising Coordinator While you are out enjoying a hot cup of coffee at Seattle Coffee House, you will be supporting ACT-B. On World AIDS Day, a portion of the coffee sales will be donated to our agency. This is a wonderful community partnership that we have developed with Seattle Coffee House. Visit at any one of their four locations—Red River Road, Cumberland St, Memorial Ave. at Dunlop St., and Arthur St. A very special thank you goes out to all the volunteers who laboured in setting up the yard sale and to those who gave up the morning or day to make this event a success. We raised over $1000! The community response to our donation request was incredible. We had tons of books and more than enough clothing, but the yard salers got excellent bargains. Special thanks to St. John’s Anglican Church for all their support and assistance. The church loaned us storage space and allowed us the use of the hall for the day of the event. From coffee day to an evening of dinner, ACT-B is cooking up a meal that will melt your taste buds. On December 1, WORLD AIDS DAY we will be holding a spaghetti dinner fundraiser. The dinner will be held at St. John’s Anglican Church, 226 Pearl Street in the parish hall. The evening is split into two time periods, one for take out and the other for a sit down dinner. Bring your appetites and enjoy an evening with ACT-B ! Marge Cross is not only a dedicated volunteer operating our bingos and organizing the Secret Santa project, she is also a talented artist who works with stained glass. AIDS Ribbon She has created an original Design by Marge Cross stain glass design of a red Copyright 2001 ribbon. ACT-B will be selling these exquisite designs as a fundraiser for the agency. The ribbons sell for $45.00, with $20.00 of every sale going to ACT-B. These make excellent gifts for birthdays, holidays or special occasions! If you would like to purchase one please call Crystal at 345-1516, extension 15. - 2- �Sunday, September 23 At The Outpost, Lakehead University Registration: 12:00 noon Walk Starts: 2:00 p.m. Note: Due to construction, please use the Balmoral and Beverly Streets Entrance to L.U. DO THE ROUTE!! This year the route has changed with our return to the Outpost. Focusing on highly visible streets, the Walk starts at the Outpost, leading down Oliver Road to High Street, connecting onto Memorial Avenue and up Beverly Street back to the Outpost for a total of 5.6 km. REMEMBER, YOUR DOG CAN WALK TOO! A project of National Founding Sponsor In partnership with community AIDS organizations across Canada Special thanks to our generous local sponsors Downtown Volkswagen, Westjet Airlines Janzen’s Pharmacy, Bowater, The Royal Bank, Grand Portage Lodge & Casino Media Sponsors: The Chronicle Journal, CJSD Incorp. (KIXX, ROCK 94, CKPR) Thunder Bay Post -3- �EDUCATION UPDATE David Belrose, Education Coordinator ACT-B Online www.tbaytel.net/actb Check out our “new look” at our redesigned and revitalized web site at www.tbaytel.net/actb. Thanks to the Youth Services Canada "Youth Providing for Our Community" project, and the efforts of Ryan Halstead, we now have a new design and new features on our web site. Check us out and see the changes. Find our publications and an order form on the site. Get information about HIV testing in Thunder Bay. Link to a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) at the Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse. Link to the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) which is an excellent source for treatment information. See the stained glass red ribbon advertised elsewhere in this newsletter. We will work to keep the site up to date in the future, so come back often. reACT-Believe Newsletter In order to cut production and mailing costs, as well as adding content to the web site, we are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format, so it can be read on line or printed out in hard copy. You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free, to view and print the files. For anyone who does not have the program, we have included a link to the free download site. You will be able to receive the newsletter by e-mail, by accessing it on our web site (notification of new issues will be by e-mail), or by mail if you do not have Internet or e-mail access. Please complete the enclosed survey to let us know whether you want to continue to get the newsletter, and how you would like to get it delivered. Did You Know? Lubricants and HIV Research has shown that some lubricants may kill HIV. Researchers at the University of Texas have show n that three lubricants - Astroglide, Silken Secret, and Vagisil Intimate M oisture have been able to kill HIV in the laboratory. This is a laboratory result only, and research still needs to be done to see the effects in real life use. Lubricant by itself is not an effective safer sex measure, and condoms must be used with a water-based lubricant for protection against HIV. Human tests will show the real value of the lubricants as an anti-HIV agent, and may well not bear out the laboratory results. This study was reported in the July 2001 issue of “AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses.” Oral Transmission of HIV A new study reported in the Globe and M ail August 15, 2001, suggests that the risk of contracting HIV through oral sex is very, very low. The Center for AIDS Prevention studies in San Francisco looked at a group of 198 gay men who practise oral sex exclusively. Some 20% had performed oral sex on a partner who was HIV positive. No one contracted HIV during the study period. According to Prof. Kimberley Page-Shafer “...the probability of acquiring HIV through that specific sexual activity [exclusive receptive oral intercourse with a male partner] is very, very low.” However she emphasized that oral sex is safer sex, not safe sex. - 4- �The Extra Mile News from the Volunteer Department Selly Pajamaki, Volunteer Coordinator Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *AIDS Walk 2001 Sunday, Sept. 23 *Coffee Day on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1 *Opening Doors Counselling Conference October 25 & 26 *Winter Tag Days Sat & Sun, Nov 17 & 18 *AIDS Awareness Week Nov 25-Dec 1 *Spaghetti Dinner Sat, Dec 1st, World AIDS Day Our first Yard Sale in several years was held on Satur day, July 14th, along with a bake sale and hot dog sale at the same location. It was a roaring success!!! Many volunteers were called into service and everyone did a fantastic job—thank you all very much. Thanks also to those volunteers who helped with the organizing of the zillions of items donated. We woul d have been buried under mounds of donations without you. Due to the success of this yard sale, we are looking to hol d anot her one next year. Please keep it in mind and come back and help us again. Our first Summer Tag Day will have taken place by the time you read this newsletter. I would like to extend sincer e thanks to all those people who gave up a summer Saturday to work at this event. Your generous gift of time is really appreciated. We will be having our annual Winter Tag Days on November 17 & 18, so I will we calling you about those as soon as the AIDS Walk is over. AIDS Walk 2001 will be taking place very soon. It is on Sunday, Sept ember 23 at the OutPost at Lakehead University. We need several volunteers for the day—if you haven’t already hear d from me, I will be calling you soon. Take part in the Walk as a volunteer or as a walker, or as both. Coffee Day will take place on December 1, World AIDS Day. Support the AIDS Committee by enjoying a cup of coffee at any of the Seattle Coffee House locations—Red River Road, Cumberland St., Memorial Ave. at Dunlop St., and Arthur St. A portion of their coffee sales that day will be donated to ACT-B.. No volunteers are needed for these days, but we would appreciate you going out and buying a coffee or two. On World AIDS Day, Saturday, December 1, we will be having a spaghetti supper at St. John’s Anglican Church. Volunteers will be required to cook and serve for bot h take-out and a sit-down dinner. Please consider giving us some of your time that day. - 5- �News from Support Services HIV: Women and Pregnancy As we prepare for the transition of late summer into slightly cooler temperatures that lead to the colourful tapestry of fall, the AIDS Committee and community partners have been meeting since M ay to organize the upcoming 11th annual Regional HIV Counselling Conference. Where has the summer gone? How could it have been here and gone so quickly? And so with the theme of transition, we are aware that HIV and AIDS have presented many challenges to people living with HIV and/or AIDS, their families and health care supporters. As helpers, we have seen the changing face of HIV and AIDS over the past almost 20 years. In 1994 we noticed a rapidly growing number of heterosexual men seroconverting ( becoming HIV positive). Slowly since that time, the number of women testing positive for the HIV virus has risen substantially. Quoting from an article in the National Post, “women account for almost one out of four new infections”, at 23.9%. These statistics are born out in both the Ontario M inistry of Health and Health Canada reports. Our local picture in Northwestern Ontario in the past two years reveals the seroconversion rate for women to be approximately 40% of new infections. M any women who are becoming infected, are of childbearing age, therefore we are seeing more pregnancies. Some women may only discover their HIV status through more stringent screening by their physicians. As a health issue, doctors are obligated to do risk assessment and offer HIV testing to pregnant women. The primary reasons for this are twofold; one, to be able to offer optimum treatment to the woman during her pregnancy, and to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to fetus (vertical transmission). Research indicates that without treatment for HIV, the risk of HIV transmission to the fetus is about 2530%. That is, a 70 to 75% chance of the baby remaining negative. With anti-viral treatment, starting in the second trimester (after the first three months of pregnancy), the risk of HIV transmission to the fetus can be reduced to 5-8% or a 92 – 95% chance of remaining HIV negative. Transmission from mother to child, according to current information, occurs this way: slightly less than one third while the baby is in the womb (in utero), two thirds during the delivery or birthing process, and a small percentage may be transmitted through breast milk. At this point in time, there is limited knowledge of the long term affects of antiretrovirals on the newborn. We do know that if the baby is HIV positive, early treatment can prolong life and prevent some of the opportunistic infections such as recurring thrush and yeast infections in the rectum, anus and vagina that are very common, as well as lung infections. As health-care practitioners, there is always so much more that we are required to know and learn about new treatment options, information sharing, legal rights of our clients, and legal rights of the children. As fellow human beings we can be compassionate, caring and non-judgmental in our support for our clients. The most that we can do sometimes is make sure that we remain up-to date on our information or at least where to access the information. We need to be careful about assuming decisions for our clients, as we do not have to face the consequences of those decisions – they do! Web sites, 1-800 phone lines, and networking give us lots of avenues to gather information and support for our clients and ourselves. To explore this topic and many other leading edge subjects related to health and HIV and/or AIDS, check out the upcoming conference. Visit our web site, or simply call us. Walk softly in the forest, see the colours, hear the sounds of fall and the crunch of the leaves under your feet. Sheila Berry/Coordinator of Support Services for people living with HIV and/or AIDS. - 6- �Here and There... Natural and Holistic Approaches to the Treatment of HIV/AIDS November 17-18, 2001 Toronto, Ontario The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine ( CCNM) and Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange ( CATIE) are proud to present Natural and Holistic Approaches to the Treatment of HIV/ AIDS, a tw o-day national conference providing the most practical, cutting edge information about HIV/AIDS and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). People living w ith HIV/AIDS from diverse communities, CAM practitioners, health-care practitioners, and service providers within community-based AIDS organizations and other community health organizations w ill benefit from more than 30 w orkshop sessions and hands-on demonstrations. The conference w ill be preceded by CATIE’s Annual General Meeting on Friday, November 16, 2001. Visit www .catie.ca/events.htm l or call 1 800-263-1638, ext. 291 (english) or ext. 390 (french) for program, registration and scholarship information. Are you or is someone you know interested in sitting on a very dynamic committee? If you are, please consider joining ACTB’s Fundraising Committee. We are currently looking for energetic, enthusiastic people to join our team. Meetings are held once a month. The Committee works with the Fund raising Coordinator and the Executive Director in developing the annual fundraising plan and goals. For more information, please call Crystal at 345- 1516. For Information - About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 About Regular HIV Testing Call the STD Clinics 625-5944 or 622-7585 About Counselling or Referrals Call the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay 345-7233 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eas tern Time) Tuesday to T hursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) The Network 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca catie internet: www.cati e.ca Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange Once there was darkness all around I couldn’t feel my feet on the ground Never wanted to drink or eat Just wishing that I could sleep No matter what I tried I was afraid to go outside Wouldn’t even answer the phone All I wanted was to be left alone When I remembered why I felt like I wanted to die HIV/AIDS were words that I couldn’t say I just wanted it to go away My friends that seen me when I had to go out They would say you’re getting so skinny what’s this all about I wanted to commit suicide as I saw it as my only solution So, I went to the L.P.H. without any resolution Terror and anger was all I knew So how do you tell anyone what’s wrong with you Through all this I gave my word Didn’t quit counseling because there I could be heard Now I stand before you cheery and bright Out of the darkness into the light By Sandy, a mother who has a s on w ho has HIV/AID S -7- �Parting Glance ACT-B Advisory Council IMPORTANT LIST FOR 2001 This personal. Present. Random: not in priority. What I am thinking about this fall, that emerges as important to pay attention to. • Contribute to the AIDS Walk. Collect pledges. Or walk. At least make a real, direct contribution. Why? Every dollar collected stays here. The event is critical—the most important fundraising event in our calendar. Help make it a success. • Fall is so busy! ACT-B has four major events within 3 months: the Walk, our Counseling Conference, our Annual General Meeting, AIDS Awareness Week. What is important about this short list? To thank anyone who helps make them happen. To give thanks and appreciation. • Pay attention to what’s happening in front of you. Slow down...and pay better attention. • Find some room for the larger view. Both at work [we are connected to so many vital partnerships and supports in the HIV/AIDS field] and within my own life. Don’t be a yo-yo about this, bouncing internally/externally, banging what’s in front of me with what’s outside of me. Do this with balance, and practice better balance. • HIV and AIDS are still expanding. No let down, no respite, no plateau. What does this mean about needs? What does this mean about me? • Remember why I am here. Pause occasionally and remember. Michael Sobota The opinions and medical information offered by “ reA CT-B e lieve ” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. P lease consult your doctor. P lease address any comments or concerns to: reA CT-B e lieve P .O. Box 24025 RP O Downtown North Thunder Bay, ON P 7A 8A9 Richard Atkinson Fred Ball Patti Cole Gail Linklater Dr. Gordon Milne Karen O’Gorman Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Carl Triskle Rev. Don Uhryniw ACT-B Board of Directors Sherry Britton Michael Croft Heather Graham Jennifer LaVoi e Rob MacKay, President Patti Cole Pam Delgaty Paul Kerber Linda MacKay Carl Triskle ACT-B Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Sheila Berry Stuart Boland Joanne Books Charlene Burford Heather Cameron Lawrence Korhonen Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory ACT-B Board of Directors Crossroads Centre Family Physician HIV Program Consultant ARF Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Safety Coordinator, Thunder Bay Regional Hospital ACT-B Board of Directors Current River United Church, Council of Clergy Secretary Education Coordinator Support Services Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Counselling Conference Coordinator Support Worker/Health Promoter Targeted Prevention Worker Administration Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Re-ACT-Believe Contributors Y es! I want to become a member ofA CT-B ! I k now that my c ontribution will really c ount! He re is my donation Selly Pajamaki Editor ACT-B staff & volunteers $10.00___, $20.00___, $50.00___, other ___= === Name_________________________________________ The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ! Ontario Ministry of Health - AIDS Bureau ! Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) ! All of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals. Address________________________________________ City, Province & P.C._____________________________ Telephone______________________________________ Bring in or mail to: ACT-B Box 24025 RPO Downtown North, Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 - 8- �A word or two from the Health Promoter (Charlene Burford) I hav e been in this position for a few months now. The medical and natural healing communities continue to prov ide information related to medicines, alternativ e therapies, lifesty le and future directions of health care. Most of us k now that a balanced diet and regular exercise is considered "healthy ". Many people hav e eliminated the use of drugs -- be it caffeine, nicotine, heroine or speed -- and there are some that av oid pesticides and food additiv es as much as possible in our conv enient-focused world. Health conscious indiv iduals hav e turned to supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies to help improv e the quality of their health. Caution must be exercised. Become an informed consumer -- research the product, educate yourself to recognize natural v s adv ertising hy pe, consult your phy sician and ask questions. How will it interact with existing medication or supplements? When is the best time to tak e the remedy , on a full or empty stomach? What are the side effects? What is the ideal dosage? Is it stored in the body that can lead to toxic lev els? What foods, drink s or supplements interfere with it's purpose? The following two articles may be of interest. 12 June 2001 A warning about milk thistle and drug interactions The seeds of the milk thistle plant are commonly used to protect the liver from damage caused by hepatitis viruses as well as alcohol and other substances. Compounds found in milk thistle - sylibin, sylimarin - act as antioxidants and also stimulate the repair of the liver. But now it appears that these and possibly other compounds in milk thistle can have other effects. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have suspected that milk thistle can slow down or reduce the activity of enzymes in the liver. What does this have to do with HIV? you might ask. Well, enzymes in the liver break down many of the substances that we eat and drink, including medications. If the activity of these enzymes are reduced, then drugs remain in the blood longer than they otherwise might. This could lead to having higher-than-expected levels of drugs in the body, causing side effects or intensifying already-existing side effects. Indeed, in recent experiments using milk thistle and human liver cells, the researchers found that relatively small concentrations of milk thistle did significantly slow down the activity of the liver enzyme CYP3A4 by 50% to 100%. Many medications taken by people with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) - such as protease inhibitors and non-nukes - are processed by this liver enzyme. If milk thistle is taken by someone using protease inhibitors or non-nukes, it has the potential to raise levels of these drugs, causing unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. Below is a short list of some other medications that are processed through the CYP3A4 enzyme. Levels of these medications may increase if taken by people who are also using milk thistle. This list is not exhaustive: - methadone - heart drugs - Tambocor (flecainide), Rythmol (propafenone) - antibiotics - erythromycin, rifampin - anti-seizure drugs - carbamazepine (Tegretol) - antidepressants - St. John’s wort, Zyban/Wellbutrin (bupropion), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Luvox (fluvoxetine) Serzone (nefazodone), Zoloft (sertraline), Effexor (venlafaxine) - antihistamines - Hismanal (astemizole), Seldane (terfenadine) - antifungals - itraconazole (Sporanox), Ketoconazole (Nizoral) - gastrointestinal motility agents - Prepulsid (Cisapride) - ergot drugs - Ergonovine, Ergomar (ergotamine) - anti_psychotics - Clozaril (clozapine), Orap (pimozide) �- sedatives/sleeping pills - Ambien (zolpidem), Halcion (triazolam), Versed (midazolam) - lipid-lowering drugs (statins) - Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin), Baycol (cerivastatin) - transplant drugs - cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), ProGraf (tacrolimus) Milk thistle also has the potential to lower levels of the following drugs: - anti-parasite drugs - Mepron (atovaquone) - sedatives/sleeping pills - Ativan (lorazepam) - hormones - estrogen The research by the scientists in Pittsburgh should emphasize to readers that simply because a product is “natural” it does not mean it is safe when taken with other substances. This research also shows the need to conduct further research on herb-drug interactions on liver cells as well as in people. Such studies may find combinations of herbs and drugs that can be safely used together. The Pittsburgh researchers noted that “patients and health care professionals must be encouraged to discuss the use of herbs and be educated about the potential interactions between herbs and drugs.” This cannot be stressed enough. REFERENCE Venkataramanan R, Ramachandran V, Komoroski BJ, et al. Milk thistle, a herbal supplement, decreases the activity of CYP3A4 and uridine diphosphoglucuronosyl transferase in human hepatocyte cultures. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 2000;28(11):1270-1273. This information was provided by the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE). For more information, contact CATIE at 1-800-263-1638. 23 July 2001 Pesticides found in many ginseng supplements in the U.S. The organization ConsumerLab in the U.S. conducts independent testing of supplements sold in that country. The purpose of the testing is to find out if the ingredients listed on the label match those found in the capsules, tablets or liquids that accompany the label. The company produces reports which are available on its website at www. consumerlab.com. In a recent study, ConsumerLab tested 22 brands of ginseng supplements sold in the U.S. and found that only nine passed its review. Unfortunately, the company only lists the brands that pass its testing. They found that eight of 12 products that were labelled to contain “Korean ginseng” were contaminated with pesticides (hexachlorobenzene and/or quintozene). These compounds may damage the liver and kidneys and have the potential to cause cancer in people. In some cases the level of contamination by pesticides was 20 times higher than allowed under U.S. and European guidelines. For further details about the review of ginseng supplements readers can visit www.consumerlab.com/results/ginseng.asp. General safety information about ginseng is also available from the site. These results on contamination point to the need for similar research on products available in Canada. REFERENCE Anonymous. Pesticide contamination found in many ginseng supplements tested by consumerlab.com: only 9 of 22 products pass product review published online today. Press release 11 July, 2001. From Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE). For more information visit CATIE's Information Network at http://www.catie.ca �AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay (ACT-B) - Newsletter Survey Thank you for your help! If you do not respond to this survey, we will take that to mean that you do not wish to receive our newsletter in the future. The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay produces the reACT-Believe Newsletter three times a year. Current HIV/AIDS issues, and activities of ACT-B are highlighted. We have limited funds for printing and distribution, and are looking for alternative means of making the newsletter available to a broader audience, such as sending it by e-mail, and posting it on our web site. . We appreciate you taking the time to complete this short survey and return it either by fa x to (807) 345-2505, or by mail to: AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay, PO Box 24025, Thunder Bay, ON P7 A 8A9 If you prefer to reply b y e-mail, please e-mail actb@tbaytel.net and include "NEWSLETTER SURVEY" in the subject line. The survey can be sent to you by e-mail for completion and return. Your name _____________________________________________________________ Organization (if any) ______________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________ City, Pro vince, Postal code _________________________________________________ E-mail (if any) ___________________________________________________________ Phone number __________________________________________________________ Fax number (if any) _______________________________________________________ 1. Do you want to continue receiving the reACT-Believe Newsletter? Yes No If no, why not? ____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. For those who have Internet access, we intend to place the newsletters on our web site in Adobe PDF format, and notify people of new issues by e-mail. We can also send the newsletter by email in Adobe PDF format. The Adobe Acrobat Reader needed to view and/or print the newsletter is available free, and can be accessed through a link on our web site. If you have Internet and e-mail access, please provide your e-mail address (and web site address if you have one). [Please note that this will be used only to send you information from ACT-B, and will not be provided to any other agency or individual.] E-mail address: _______________________________________________________ Web site: ____________________________________________________________ Please place check beside your choice for getting the newsletter: Send me the newsletter by e-mail in PDF format ! Send me notification by e-mail and I’ll access it on the web site ! 3. For individuals or agencies without Internet or e-mail access, we can produce a limited number of print copies of the newsletter. Do you need to receive the newsletter in this format? If yes be sure to include your mailing address in the section provided earlier in the survey. Yes No � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource reACT-Believe Vol 14 Issue 2 - Summer 2001 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2001 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2701/2001_reACT-Believe_vol14no3.pdf 8786870ac8993bf449b19e8f449748c6 PDF Text Text REACT-BELIEVE Volume 1 4 , Issue 3 The Newsletter of The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Fall/Winte r 2001-2002 National and World AIDS Awareness Campaign AIDS Awareness Week Nov. 26 to Dec. 1, 2001 World AIDS Day, December 1 "I care ... Do you?" is the slogan for the second year of a two-year international AIDS Awareness campaign intended to create a sustained focus on the role of men in the AIDS epidemic. This slogan was chosen since it is capable of including discussions about the role of leaders and the needs of young men while being broad enough to discuss other issues relevant to prevention and care, to both genders, and to different age groups. The new campaign aims to involve men, particularly young men, more fully in the effort against AIDS; to bring about a much-needed focus on men in national responses to the epidemic and to involve leaders both as politicians and in their personal lives in the response to the HIV epidemic. Resource s The Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse in cooperation with the Canadian AIDS Society is distributing resource materials for AIDS Awareness Week 2001. A number of new resources have been developed and can be viewed, downloaded as a PDF document or ordered in quantity by completing an online order form at http://www.clearinghouse.cpha.ca/ english/news/AAW_e.htm. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Quantities may be limited. The AIDS Awareness Campaign is being coordinated by the Canadian AIDS Society. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call 1-800-499-1986. Some of the e vents in Thunde r Bay this year will include: T ag Day on November 17 at various city locations. Distribution of litter bags, containing a prevention message, by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and ACT -B. Annual General Meeting of ACT -B on Nov. 28. Candlelight Vigil T hursday, November 29 at 7:30 p.m. Coffee Day at Seattle Coffeehouses on December 1 Spaghetti Supper on December 1 at St. John’s Anglican Church at 226 Pearl St. Inside this issue: Fundraising News News from the Route Education Update The Extra Mile-Vol. Dept. News Support Services News Advocacy Parting Glance 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay will be held on Wednesday, November 28, 2001. Our guest speaker this year will be Dr. Fred Ball, Manager, Thunder Bay Public Health Laboratory. His topic will be “ Viruses, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. We will also hold our popular Silent Auction, so you can do some early Christmas shopping. The AGM will be held at the Port Arthur Ukrainian Prosvita Society at 540 South High St.. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting starting at 7:00 p.m. On behalf of the staff and volunteers of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay, I would like to wish you all the happiest of Holiday Seasons! The Editor �Fundraising News From Crystal Porteous, Fundraising Coordinator WORLD AIDS DAY FUNDRAISING EVENTS! ACT-B is holding a fundraising spaghetti dinner on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2001. The dinner will be held at St. John’s Anglican Church, 226 Pearl Street with three dining choices to choose from: Take out Sit down dinner 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. & Cost $7.00 adult $6.00 student/senior 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Children under 4 free We are promoting recycling so if you are taking out food please bring a container. Our incredible recipe for spaghetti sauce is available free! We need volunteers to cook spaghetti sauce. ACT-B pro vides the recipe and you cook the sauce in your home and deliver it to us before the event. In return for your donation you receive a free dinner ticket to enjoy the fruits of your labour. We also need numerous volunteers to cook meatballs, make salad and work the day of the event. To prepare for the dinner we will be holding a meatball & salad making party in the kitchen of the church. If you would like to join our crew of cooks, please call Crystal or Selly at 345-1516. If you are unable to attend but would like to support the event, you can purchase a ticket for someone who could not otherwise afford to come. Please see Crystal for further information about this aspect of the fundraiser. Seattle Coffee House Day On December 1st enjoy a warm cup of coffee at any one of Seattle Coffee House’s five locations and help support the AIDS Committee! Seattle Coffee House is joining ACT-B in promoting WORLD AIDS Day by partnering with our agency in this new fundraising event. A portion of all coffee sales will be donated to the agency to support our programs and services. You can also take part in this event by treating yourself or enjoying a special coffee hour with friends or family. For further information, please call Crystal at 345-1516. SEATTLE COFFEE HOUSE LOCATIONS 820 Red River Rd 588 Arthur St. The new kiosk at George’s M arket 190 Cumberland St. (corner of River & Cumberland) M emorial Ave. at Dunlop reACT-Be lieve Page 2 �News from the Route—The Red Ribbon Walk ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WALK! The AIDS Walk Fundraiser, the biggest of all of the events planned for the agency, this year was a huge success, raising over $21,000.00. The day was a bit chilly, but everyone was energetic and ready for the brisk 5.6 km. walk. The Walk was held at Lakehead University’s Outpost with 150 people taking part in the day’s activities. We would like to thank everyone who helped make this day the success it was. It took a lot of work and time to make this event possible. Special thanks to all of our walkers and dogs for collecting pledges and sharing in this exciting event, our wonderful volunteers who helped in the preparation and day of events, our sponsors for investing in this annual event, Downtown Volkswagen, WestJet Airlines, Janzen’s Pharmacy, Bowater, The Royal Bank and Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, the many local businesses that donated prizes, and the staff and Fundraising Committee for the many evening meetings preparing and guiding the Walk’s development. Thank You! Top Five Walkers Selly Pajamaki Carl Triskle Helen Rose Dennis Eeles Scott Gale $4922.21 $1585.00 $945.00 $716.51 $647.00 Top Church Team: First Church United $4535.51 Top School Team: Westgate High School $260.00 reACT-Be lieve A project of the Canadian AIDS Society in partnership with community AIDS organizations across Canada. Page 3 �EDUCATION UPDATE David Belrose, Education Coordinator låí~êáç=jÉåD ë=pìêî Éó= An important new research project will be taking place across the province over the next few months. A survey will be conducted of men who have sex with men. The Ontario Men's Survey is a venue-based study including a self-report survey questionnaire and an optional HIV antibody testing of saliva. T his 24-month study will be carried out across Ontario. The study will be conducted in eight languages and will seek a sample of 5,000 men who have sex with men. Recent Ontario data suggest a significant increase in HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (Calzavara et al, 2000; Remis et al, 2000). This pattern is reflected elsewhere in the world, including San Francisco and New York (Coates et al, 2000). The current study was developed through an extensive consultation with service providers and AIDS Service Organizations in twelve Ontario cities, including T hunder Bay. The major goal of the study is to conduct a cross-sectional, comprehensive socio-behavioural and HIV prevalence study among self-identified gay and bisexual men in Ontario. Specific objectives include: • to provide an understanding of current issues related to behaviour and HIV infection for Ontario gay/bisexual men and particularly to further the understanding of factors that are contributing to the increase in HIV incidence among this population; • to develop an understanding of variations between regions of the province in behaviours, HIV prevalence and factors that contribute to these variations; • to compare study data with other data bases and previously conducted study data; • to provide community-level data to help shape future prevention programming and other services. Specific issues to be examined include: issues related to testing behaviours (including testing outside of community), sexual risk in the context of monogamous and non-monogamous relationships, sexual risk in the context of either casual or regular relationships, episode and context-specific aspects of risk, issues specific to ethno-cultural, and younger gay and bisexual men, understanding how gay/bisexual men access information about HIV, and theoretical explanations for HIV risk-taking -treatment and vaccine "optimism", and safer sex burnout. The survey data collection will be taking place largely from January-March, 2002, and we will be looking for a large sample from Thunder Bay and region. You may have questions about the survey, particularly about the antibody testing of saliva, or about how you can become involved. For more regional information contact: David Belrose , Provincial Advisory Committee , at 345-1516, 1-800-488-5840 (807 area code ) or actb@tbaytel.ne t. For provincial information contact: Dan Allman at (416) 978-1830 or dan.allman@utoronto.ca World AIDS Campaign: Men key to reducing HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS media release) 7 October 2001 - This year's World AIDS Campaign will chip away at masculine behaviours and attitudes that contribute to the spread of HIV, according to Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director. "Part of the effort to curb the AIDS epidemic must include challenging negative beliefs and behaviours, including the way men view risk and how boys are socialized to become men," said Dr Piot. "Men are expected to be strong, robust and virile - but these very expectations may translate into behaviours that can endanger both men and their partners." The World AIDS Campaign 2001 aims to involve men, particularly young men, more fully in the effort against AIDS. It also aims to bring about a much-needed focus on men in national responses to the epidemic and to involve leaders both as politicians and as individuals in taking action against AIDS. For more information check out the UNAIDS site: http://www.unaids.org/wac/2001/index.html reACT-Be lieve Page 4 �The Extra Mile News from the Volunteer Department Selly Pajamaki, Volunteer Coordinator Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: Fall Tag Day—Sat. Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • AIDS Awareness Week— Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 • Annual General Meeting— Wed. Nov. 28, 7 p.m. Port Arthur Ukrainian Prosvita Society small hall, High St. • Candlelight Vigil—Thurs. Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. • Seattle Coffee House Coffee Day—Sat. Dec. 1 all day at all locations • Spaghetti Dinner—Sat. Dec. 1 St. John’s Anglican Church on Pearl St., takeout 3:30-4:30; sit down meal 5-6 & 6:30-7:30 Please support the AIDS Committee by attending these events. For more information, call ACT-B at 345-1516. • Thank you to all our many dedicated volunteers. The time and talent you give to us is truly appreciated. We couldn’t do what we do without your help and support. reACT-Be lieve Our first Summer Tag Day went well, bringing in just over $800. Thank you to all those volunteers who gave up part of their summer Satur day to help with this event. The next Tag Day takes place on Saturday, November 17. Please come out and support ACT-B and our volunteers who are willingly standing out in the cold that day to promote the Red Ribbon Campaign. AIDS Walk 2001 was a great success and a large part of the success was due to the work of many volunteers. Thank you all for showing up on time and doing your jobs so well. It is through the coor dinated efforts of the group (staff and volunteers) that we are able to have such a smoothly-run event each year. Thanks also to the staff at the L.U. Outpost, they were very helpful. And, many thanks to the counters who came in the next day and spent hours checking and verifying pledge sheets and dollar amounts. We raised over $21,000! The Walk Committee also deserves a big thank you for their many hours of planning. Please remember our first Coffee Day will take place on Saturday, December 1—World AIDS Day. A portion of the price of every cup of coffee sol d that day will be donated to ACT-B. We don’t need you to volunteer, but would appreciate you going out and buying a cup or two of coffee. And, tell your family and friends about this event, too. Saturday, December 1 is also when our first Spaghetti Dinner will be happening. It will be at St. John’s Anglican Church on Pearl St. Take-out is available from 3:30 to 4:30 and a sit-down meal will be available from 5-6 and 6:30-7:30. Bring your family and friends for a spaghetti and salad dinner. We are in the process of calling volunteers to make spaghetti sauce and/or to help at the dinner. Please call Selly at 345-1516 if you would like to volunteer for this delicious event. Page 5 �News from Support Services Santa’s Elves Need Your Help! Dear Friends of ACT-B Providing something special for Christmas for our clients has become an ongoing tradition which we invite you to participate in. We are seeking individuals and families who would like to be Secret Santa's. Each year, the AIDS Committee purchases turkeys, oranges and candies and puts together Holiday Baskets. But, we need your help to complete the baskets. You or your family, or a group of friends or workmates can adopt a family or individual for this pro ject. Your task is to provide something special for Christmas to fill the basket. We are asking you to take on the role of a “Secret Santa” by filling either a large stocking for an individual or a basket for a family. We will pro vide specific information, e.g. gender, age and interests, to make each basket/stocking meaningful. Should your schedule not permit the actual shopping, we will gladly accept a cash donation and complete your “Santa” commitment for you. To register or find out more about this project, please contact M arge Cross at 622-0462. Thank you in advance for your caring and gracious support. For Information About AIDS or HIV Infe ction: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Supe rior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunde r Bay Call 625-5981 About Regular HIV Te sting Call the ST D Clinics 625-5944 or 622-7585 About Counselling or Refe rrals Call the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay 3451516 Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eas tern Time) Tuesday to T hursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) The Network 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca catie internet: www.cati e.ca Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange The opinions and medical information offered by “ êÉ^ `qJ_ ÉäáÉîÉ” are those of the About HIV/AIDS Tre atment Information individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of Call Catie (Community AIDS T reatment the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. P lease consult your doctor. Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. We are a ‘scentfree’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. reACT-Be lieve P lease address any comments or concerns to: êÉ^ `qJ_ ÉäáÉîÉ P .O. Box 24025 RP O Downtown North Thunder Bay, ON P 7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net Page 6 �Advocacy ACT-B Advocacy - a small victory Last month Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced changes to the Northern Health Travel Grant [NHTG] program and for related areas of health care. The principle announcement - and the piece perhaps most important to our clients, ourselves and the people of Northern Ontario - is a basic increase in the NHTG compensation. The announcement states that "medical referrals from Thunder Bay to Toronto would be compensated up to $941.88." This is an increase from the old maximum of $419.38. It is a significant increase and a major improvement by the Provincial government. It is not enough and will not allow for full recovery of travel costs associated with medical travel, particularly when someone needs another person to travel with them. I am writing about this because it is an example of advocacy-over-time. ACT-B has to be engaged in this principle. The improvement to the NHTG caps approximately a three-year effort. The effort had many, many partners. Our local MPP's lead a petition campaign that garnered something around 40,000 signatures to have the plan improved. The Ontario Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS [OACHA] has had the NHTG program as a priority on our list of items that we pressure the Minister about. Our board - like many other ASO boards - endorsed OACHA's advocacy position on the NHTG program. I have sat in direct personal meetings with Clement's predecessor - Elizabeth Witmer - with Mark Bulbrook at my side [then Executive Director of the OAN - now Co-Chair of OACHA] and argued about the inadequacy of the NHTG for our clients. Pius White, while he was still President of our Board, and myself, again pressured the Minister directly in a meeting of the full OACHA committee. We pressured Minister Witmer to release an internal report about the NHTG, which she had commissioned. She told us she would [but, more than a year later, it has yet to be released]. Many families and private individuals wrote, complained and communicated with the government about the NHTG program. And finally, last month, change occurred. It is important for you to know that ACT-B has to be part of this - has to play an energetic, active role on advocacy issues we believe impact our work. The increase [now 2 years ago] to our core operating funds from the AIDS Bureau was the result of another three year effort of direct advocacy and pressure. These are examples of how ACT-B must keep the big picture in focus while simu ltaneously doing our day-to-day and month-to-month work. This is seldom easy. It is often time consuming and thankless. As I write this, I pause to note this small victory and the progress achieved. And I am full of gratitude toward Pius Whit e, Mark Bulbrook, our board of directors, OACHA and our MPPs. This is not Minister Clement's generosity. He simply arrived to head his Ministry [he has been Minister of Health for less than a year] at a time when all this effort to affect change rolled onto his desk and made him take notice. We have done something good for our clients. Michael Sobota, Executive Director reACT-Be lieve Page 7 �Parting Glance The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. ACT-B applied for and received funding for this unique program through the United Way’s Community Response Grants. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Hav e y ou renew ed y our membership for 2002? It’s not too late! Fill out the membership form below and mail it to the ACT-B office. As a member you hav e a voice in the future direction of the agency by supporting the aims, goals and objectiv es of ACT-B. If y ou w ould lik e to take an activ e role in the agency ’s grow th, y ou are eligible to stand for nomination to the Board of Directors, as w ell as hav ing the option of nominating and elec ting others. As a special bonus, all members receiv e our ReACT Believe newsletter prov iding up-to-date information on HIV/AIDS, treatment and notices about fundraising and special ev ents. Yes, I want to be a member of ACT-B Basic M embership Supporting M embership I would also like to donate: $10.00 $25.00 ______ Name: __________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: __________________________ PC:_____________ Phone: _________________________________________ Email address: ___________________________________ When calling, do you prefer we use discretion? Would you like to receive information by email? Please make your cheque payable to: AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay P.O. Box 24025, Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Phone: 807-345-1516 Fax: 807-345-2505 reACT-Be lieve Y N Y N ACT-B Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Fred Ball Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory Crossroads Centre Family Physician HIV Program Consultant ARF Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ACT-B Board of Directors Current River United Church, Council of Clergy Gail Linklater Dr. Gordon Milne Karen O’Gorman Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Carl Triskle Rev. Don Uhryniw ACT-B Board of Directors Sherry Britton Pam Delgaty Paul Kerber Rob MacKay, President Michael Croft Heather Graham Linda MacKay Carl Triskle ACT-B Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Sheila Berry Stuart Boland Joanne Books Charlene Burford Heather Cameron Lawrence Korhonen Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator Support Services Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Counselling Conference Coordinator Support Worker/Health Promoter Targeted Prevention Worker Administration Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Re-ACT-Believe Contributors Selly Pajamaki Editor ACT-B staff & volunteers The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ¾ Ontario Ministry of Health - AIDS Bureau ¾ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) ¾ All of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals. Page 8 �From the Health Promoter… Charlene Burford I have included a general interest article about water intake and a brief report about our Community Garden. We are looking for dirt diggers and fresh air worshippers (volunteers) for out next garden season, give me a call (345-1516). Also, Mothe r’s Cupboard is in need of PEANUT BUTT ER for those of you who want to donate but can’t figure out what to drop off at our office. Feel free to call and I will give you more food suggestions. Community Garden 2001 Report Background: Fresh produce grown in a garden by and for clients has been a project idea for a number of years. I was given a brief history of ideas for the project. In June, a me mber of the Mother's Cupboard Committee announced that County Fair Community Garden would a llow us to join them regardless that we were not located in the neighbourhood. The Process: An "Interest Survey" was created and ma iled out to all PHAs involved with ACT-B; three (3) surveys were completed and returned to me. Fourteen (14) people expressed an interest in being involved in the garden; four (4) were PHAs the re maining ten (10) were volunteers with the agency. I met with the County Fair Community Garden ma nager and identified a plot of land approximately 20' x 30' as manageable for our first year. We had to weed and turn the overgrown area prior to planting. It took two separate work parties to prepare the earth, the seeds and bedding-out plants were in the ground June 25th with the help of seven (7) people. Bedding-out plants included tomato (48), cauliflower, squash and lettuce. The following seeds were planted: carrot, pea, green onion, red pepper, zucchini, and radish. We received donations from Creekside Nursery (seeds and bedding-out plants), Canadian Tire (support cages for tomato plants), garden me mbership fee of $5.00 and $10.00 toward purchasing seeds. A daily watering schedule was created for the first month; subsequent months re lied on the weather and people tending the garden informa lly. Garden fresh produce was distributed to clients on a few occasions, people thoroughly enjoyed receiving the food knowing it had come from "The Garden". Recommendations: The Garden is a great project and we will need at least another year to imple ment some of the learning from this year. I plan to be a part of the Community Garden Guidelines Committee that will provide the opportunity to link with other garden me mbers and increase my general gardening knowledge that I can then apply to the plot next year. I have been invited to a workshop directed at "organiz ing your voluntee rs" to be presented by Eco Superior in the upcoming months; my involvement will teach me skills to more efficiently recruit and schedule garden helpers. Initially, we thought this would be a client driven project, however, it is not feasible to be lieve the clients will be responsible for tending the garden as their health and energy levels fluctuate drastically. The following suggestions can be applied to next year's garden project: • Start ground preparation in May; plant at the start of June (rather than July). • We will need a larger volunteer base of dedicated people for next year. Organizing each work party was time consuming, often those who committed to helping were not at home when it was time to pick up the helpers. • More weeding and plant thinning needed. Much of the garden was over-grown strangling out the planted vegetables. • Cauliflower not needed. reACT-Be lieve Insert 1 �Drink Yourself Fit! Foods geared tow ards athletes, low-fat cuisine, v egetarian dis hes and diets…. Wherev er you go, you’ll find sports fans making conscious decisions about what they ear. How ev er, many fail to realize the importance of finding the right drink to provide all the necessary nutrients to im prov e their performance. An athlete sw eats a lot. This process depletes enormous amounts of water, minerals and electroly tes from the body. This liquid loss rapidly reduces stamina and can quickly turn hazardous, since w ater is an indispensable coolant for the body and also transports v ital elements throughout the system. Therefore it is of greatest importance that athletes learn to control and monitor their fluid-intake. Once y our body registers the lack of water, and sends y ou a signal—thirst—y our athletic capabilities hav e already been reduced. Athletes should therefore consume sufficient liquid before and during physic al activ ity . Each athletic or sports activ ity exerts different demands on the body, hence the difficulty in formulating an ideal ingredient for the ultimate sports drink. Athletes debate the benefits of plain water, is otopic drinks, so-called energy drinks and protein shakes. First of all, how ever, w e need to differentiate betw een drinks that are meant to replace body fluids in endurance sports, and those that promise to enhance the muscle building process in strength-oriented sports. For endurance sports, water or even tea is sufficient to replenish lost boy fluid in activ ities not exceeding 60 minutes. In longer competitions, howev er, these cannot deliv er the necessary energy replenis hment. In these cases y ou should drink a fruit juice/mineral w ater mix , which contains the needed carbohy drates, in the form of fruit sugars, for energy. Non-carbonated mineral water is recommended for y our w ater/juic e mix , since carbonated drinks increase carbon diox ide levels in the digestiv e tract, thereby reducing the body ’s urge to take in additional fluids. The mineral water should contain sufficient magnesium (approx 100 mg/l) and potassium traces to immediately replenis h any loss. Sw eat als o depletes natrium reserv es in the system, but a regular daily diet sufficiently replaces any losses. Carbonated soft drinks are not recommended because of their high sugar and/or caffeine content and concentrated fruit juices are discouraged as w ell. These juices have high carbohy drate levels that tend to inhibit the body ’s metabolism. Energy drinks don’t necessarily giv e you wings, as advertised, but they cause your kidneys to work ov ertime due to their high caffeine content. Also their lack of mineral content makes them unsuitable for athletes. Hy po– or isotonic drinks, on the other hand, are similar to the body ’s own fluid consistency and tend to be absorbed easier than, for ex ample, concentrated fruit juices. These are essentially carefully formulated carbohy drate cocktails, consisting of fructose, maltodex trine, and soluble starches, as w ell as numerous vitamins, co-enzymes and minerals. These drinks quench thirst while replenishing lost body fluids and maintaining energy levels. Isotonic pow ders should therefore be diluted carefully to enable the body to absorb their ingredients quic kly . Many athletes who participate in sporting activ ities demanding a lot of muscle pow er swear by their protein shakes. These formulas are adv ertised in practically every fitness facility — but is the additional protein intake really necessary? Of course, muscle strength sports require additional proteins; howev er, the recommended daily intake of approx im ately 1.6g/kg body weight can easily be achiev ed through a balanced diet. In addition to protein, these shakes contain a lot of sugar, w hic h may actually be detrimental in w eight training. It is much better to meet the protein needs by eating anim al or plant proteins, such as fresh dairy products, on a daily basis. Like other sports, weight training requires sufficient carbohy drate intake for energy . Again, a fruit juice/mineral w ater-mix offers the ideal combination of energy-producing carbohy drates, water, and minerals . Just make sure the fructose content does not exceed 60g/ l, to ensure optimal absorption, and alw ays drink highly diluted fruit juices. Tip Drink 300-500 ml at least two hours prior to physical activit y, to equaliz e the body’s liquid and energy levels , and an additional 130-300 ml shortly before beginning your sports activit y for extra fluids and energy. During the activ ity, you should replenish your body wit h an additional 130-300 ml every 15-20 minutes, to maintain your levels. As soon as you are finished, you should replenish your fluid and carbohydrate levels with an additional 300-500 ml. You can produce your own refreshing sports drink! Mix approximately 100 ml of fresh lemon juic e with one litre of black tea, and sw eeten the mix with some honey or unrefined sugar for carbohy drates. This article was taken from the web site ‘fitness.com (the global fitness community)’ and was written by Benjamin Goddel reACT-Be lieve Insert 2 �LAST CHANCE TO RECEIVE NEWSLETTER AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay (ACT-B) - Newsletter Survey ***Thank you for your help! If you do not respond to this survey, we will take that to mean that you do not wish to receive our newsletter in the future.*** The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay produces the reACT-Believe Newsletter three times a year. Current HIV/AIDS issues, and activities of ACT-B are highlighted. We have limited funds for printing and distribution, and are looking for alternative means of making the newsletter available to a broader audience, such as sending it by e-mail, and posting it on our web site. We appreciate you taking the time to complete this short survey. Please return it either by fa x to (807) 345-2505, or by mail to: AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay, PO Box 24025, Thunder Bay, ON P7 A 8A9 If you prefer to reply b y e-mail, please e-mail actb@tbaytel.net and include "NEWSLETTER SURVEY" in the subject line. The survey can be sent to you by e-mail for completion and return. Your name _____________________________________________________________ Organization (if any) ______________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________ City, Pro vince, Postal code _________________________________________________ E-mail (if any) ___________________________________________________________ Phone number __________________________________________________________ Fax number (if any) _______________________________________________________ 1. Do you want to continue receiving the reACT-Believe Newsletter? Yes No If no, why not? ____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. For those who have Internet access, we intend to place the newsletters on our web site in Adobe PDF format, and notify people of new issues by e-mail. We can also send the newsletter by e-mail in Adobe PDF format. The Adobe Acrobat Reader needed to view and/or print the newsletter is available free, and can be accessed through a link on our web site. If you have Internet and e-mail access, please provide your e-mail address (and web site address if you ha ve one). [Please note that this will be used only to send you information from ACT-B, and will not be provided to any other agency or individual.] E-mail address: _______________________________________________________ Web site: ____________________________________________________________ Please place check beside your choice for getting the newsletter: Send me the newsletter by e-mail in PDF format Send me notification by e-mail and I’ll access it on the web site 3. For individuals or agencies without Internet or e-mail access, we can produce a limited number of print copies of the newsletter. Do you need to receive the newsletter in this format? If yes, be sure to include your mailing address in the section provided earlier in the survey. Yes No � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource reACT-Believe Vol 14 Issue 3 - Fall/Winter 2001/2002 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2001 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2702/2002_reACT-Believe_vol15no1.pdf 561357af624527f4428c7d7c20adfa3c PDF Text Text The New sletter of The A IDS Committee o f Thunder Bay re-ACT Believe Volume 15, Issue 1 Spring 2002 Fighting for More Funds: CCORA INSIDE THIS ISSUE: On January 30, 2002 the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay [ACT-B] took part in the launch of a new national network - the Canadian Coalition of Organizations Responding to AIDS [CCORA]. ACT-B is a founding member of CCORA. Fundraising News 2 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 Education continued 5 The Extra Mile—News from the Volunteer Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting glance Have You Signed the Petition? Please come into the ACT-B office and sign the petition asking the federal government to increase funding for the Canadian AIDS Strategy to fight HIV/ AIDS. We need your signature. Petition forms are at the reception desk. 8 CCORA has one goal: to pressure the Federal Government to increase funding for HIV/AIDS. Federal financial support flows through the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS. The Canadian Strategy funds everything the Federal government does in response to AIDS: research, national partnerships - like the Canadian AIDS Society - the Federal bureaucracy responding to AIDS and community based work through its AIDS Community Action Program [ACAP]. The amount is $42.2 million dollars. The Federal funding has not changed since 1994 - when Brian Mulroney was still Prime Minister. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Canada [and the world] is, however, unstable and constantly changing. In 1990 there were approximately 30,000 Canadians living with HIV/AIDS. Today there are 50,000. There are approximately 11 new cases of HIV transmission each day in Canada. HIV has moved rapidly into some of the most vulnerable groups in our communities - many struggling to meet the basic needs of daily living, let alone the added challenges and costs of living with HIV. CCORA has attracted broad-based membership from across the country. It includes community-based groups like ACT-B, as well as researchers, professional organizations and people living with HIV/AIDS. CCORA has developed an advocacy strategy. Locally, this includes making our case to our two Federal MP's Stan Dromisky and Joe Comuzzi, as well as collecting signatures on a public petition. To date, we have collected more than 1,500 names and we want more. If you have not signed one of our petitions, please call our office or drop in and add your name to a petition at our front desk. While there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, it remains 100% treatable and 100% preventable. The Federal government must increase its support, so that all of us can do the work that needs to be done. �May to September 2002 Spring Cleaning means...... Time to get rid of odds & ends Your donated household and other items can help us raise funds for our programs and services. All types of donations accepted such as dishes, knickknacks, crafts supplies, vintage coats, games, movies, books, etc. We appreciate the items that you are able to donate but reserve the right to not accept items we feel will not sell. Donations will be accepted until May 27th. To arrange for a pickup or drop-off of items please call Crystal at 345-1516 Yard Sale Dates: June 1st & August 17th St. John's Anglican Church, 226 Pearl St. Cash Register Receipts AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay is collecting A&P cash register receipts as a new fundraising initiative. ACT-B will receive $1.00 for every $450.00 in cash register tapes collected. Start collecting receipts & help raise funds for ACT-B! Tapes can be dropped off at the office, 217 S. Algoma St. Taking steps across Thunder Bay... AIDS Walk Canada Sunday, September 22, 2002 Join us in making our local Walk another success! Pledge forms and team packages are available at the office. The behind the scenes crew needs YOU! If you have a few hours of spare time & would like to help organize this annual event... Join the Walk Committee. Call Crystal at 345-1516 for further information. �VOLUME 15, ISSUE 1 Page 3 Membership - Supporting our programs and services Our membership symbolises the support and strength ACT-B has in the community. As a member, you have shared in our growth and many accomplishments. We want to continue to growth and share our success by encouraging others to join the team. Your membership fee contributes to the Emergency Financial Assistance Program. Every dollar that is contributed to this fund goes directly to helping people with HIV/AIDS and their families. As a member you have a voice in the future direction of the agency by supporting the aims, goals and objectives of ACT-B. If you would like to take an active role in the agency's growth, you are eligible to stand for nomination to the Board of Directors, as well as the option of nominating and electing others. As a special bonus, all members receive our reACT-Believe newsletter providing up-to-date information on HIV/AIDS, treatment and notices about fundraising and special events. With your assistance, we can help our membership grow. Share with others what it means to be a member of ACT-B and how your membership directly helps people in our community with HIV/AIDS. For further information, please call Crystal at 345-1516. Yes, I want to be a member of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Name: Address: Please make your cheque payable to: AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Mailing Address: P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay ON P7A 8A9 Phone: 345-1516 Fax: 345-2505 Charitable Registration # 106689847 RR001 City: Postal Code: Phone: (Work) (Home) E-mail address: Basic Membership: Supporting Membership: I would also like to donate: $ When calling, do you prefer we use discretion? Would you like to receive information by e-mail? Would like to become a volunteer of ACT-B? Yes Yes Yes No No No �EDUCATION UPDATE David Belrose. Education Coordinator FINDINGS FROM THE IMAGE PROJECT In our newsletter of June 2001, I reported on the Image Project that was underway. Since then, the surveys were completed, data has been analyzed, and steps have been taken to follow through on the project. Some of the developments that have resulted from the project are as follows: • We used survey results in the creating of a prevention project funding proposal. • A new agency name and logo are undergoing focus testing at this time. • We have developed a communication plan for the agency. • A marketing strategy will feature messages influenced by the results of the surveys; for example, correct information on disease and modes of transmission, social attitudes, and agency services. • Education and training sessions will emphasize some of the areas highlighted by the survey results, as above. • This project was a good example of collaborative community-based research in action, with the involvement of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay, CLEAR (Community-Linked Evaluation AIDS Research) at McMaster University, Lakehead University Social Work Department, and McEachern Marketing. • The project was selected for a poster presentation at the Canadian Association for HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR) Conference in Winnipeg, April 24-28, 2002. Here are some of the highlights and results from the surveys. Purpose of the study To use an outreach/needs assessment approach to determine community perceptions and needs, and to determine community knowledge about the agency and its services. Specific study questions were: 1. What are the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about HIV/AIDS in the general community and high-risk groups (youth, bar frequenters, aboriginal youth)? 2. What is the knowledge about ACTB and the services it provides and its importance to the community? Methods This was a survey that was conducted in two parts: over a five week period by outreach (going into bars, bus stations, malls, campuses), and by telephone. Results Characteristics of the Sample: • a total of 467 participants completed the survey (397 by outreach, 70 by telephone) • no statistically significant differences in responses to the knowledge and attitude questionnaires, the groups were collapsed and analyzed together • participants in the outreach survey had fewer males, were younger; fewer working full-time, and lower educational levels -to be expected as aimed at a younger population Page 4 R E - AC T B E L I E V E �VOLUME 15, ISSUE 1 • the majority of the sample were young (49% age 14-24, 21% age 25-34); and more females (273) participated compared to males (192) Knowledge of HIV/AIDS • • • • • • • • • basic transmission was well understood (99% for unprotected sexual intercourse and 98% for sharing needles) 68% did not know that AIDS can damage the brain 36.8% did not know that AIDS is a collection of diseases that happen after a person has been infected with HIV 19.1% did not know that there are medications available that can lengthen the life of a person infected with HIV 24.2% thought that there is currently a vaccine available to the public to protect against infection with HIV 22.9% thought HIV could be passed by sharing plates, forks, and glasses with some one with HIV 49.7% thought HIV could be transmitted by mosquitoes and other insects 36.4% thought HIV could be passed by kissing someone with HIV on the mouth 28.3% felt that they could get HIV by being cared for by a nurse, doctor, dentist and other healthcare worker with HIV. Attitudes and beliefs • • • • • most respondents indicated positive attitudes and beliefs 44.5% indicated everyone should be forced to be tested for HIV 29.8% indicated persons with HIV should be reported to the authorities 26.2% felt that needle/syringe exchanges should not be promoted to reduce the risk of HIV transmission. When asked whether they thought they were at risk of becoming infected with HIV, the greatest number of those indicating yes or not sure is in the younger age groups, with the exception of the 55-64 year olds with 20% indicating being unsure. Knowledge about AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay • • • • • • 67.5% of the total interviewed indicated knew of the agency youth (ages 14-24) have less knowledge about the agency 82% indicated it was very important, 17% some what important and only 1% indicating it is not at all important to have an ASO in the community Knowledge of services with counselling and the HIV/AIDS hot line being the best known and the financial and food bank services being the least well known. posters, flyers, newspaper and TV were the most frequently reported methods of hearing about the agency (of the 67.5% who knew of the agency) TV, magazines, newspapers and displays in bus shelters were the most frequently reported way of receiving messages about HIV/AIDS Page 5 �The Extra Mile News from the Volunteer Department Selly Pajamaki, Volunteer Coordinator Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *NOSFA Film Night— May 16 *Yard Sale—June 1 *Tag Day—June 29 *Yard Sale—Aug 17 *AIDS Walk—Sept 22 *Opening Doors Conference—Oct *Visions & Lights Film Festival—Oct 11-13 *Tag Day—Nov 16 *AIDS Awareness Week—Nov 24-30 *World AIDS Day/ Seattle Coffee Day— Dec 1 If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please call Selly at 345-1516. Thank you to all our volunteers! Page 6 ACT-B Names 2002 Volunteer of the Year On Wednesday, April 24, ACT-B held their annual Volunteer Appreciation Event at the Port Arthur Ukrainian Prosvita Hall. Entertainment included “Getting to Know You” bingo, improv comedy by the Wayward Clams, and music and song by Sheila Berry. Certificates and pins were presented to many long-time volunteers who have volunteered with ACT-B on a continuous basis since first signing up. These included: 10 years—Marge Cross, Marla Hollingsworth, Rob Shepherd; 11 years—Brad Hetsler; 12 years—Sheila Berry, Joanne Books, Anne Ciemny, Denyse Culligan, Mary Lang-Atkinson, Gail Linklater, Sonya Matijek; 13 years—Rick Atkinson, Ida Korhonen; 15 years—Lawrence Korhonen; 16 years— Fred Ball; and 17 years—David Belrose, Michael Sobota. 171 volunteers gave 6,896 hours to ACT-B in 2001. We are proud and happy to have so many wonderful, dedicated people sharing their time and talents with us! Our sincerest thanks to all of you! Special gifts were presented to groups of volunteers, including receptionists, drivers, bingo workers and bingo bakers. The highlight of the evening was the naming of the 2002 Volunteer of the Year. That honour was given to Sherry Britton. Sherry has given many hours to the AIDS Committee. She is a board member and serves on committees. She also helps out in Fundraising by working Tag Day, the Yard Sale, the Spaghetti Supper, the AIDS Walk, and at bingo. She also works at display and information tables for us. She is willing to try out just about any task we ask of her. She has a great sense of humour and is a lot of fun to be around. She is also dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay is very proud to name Sherry Britton as the 2002 Volunteer of the Year! R E - AC T B E L I E V E �VOLUME 15, ISSUE 1 Page 7 Here and There... Our world at a glance If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following: There would be: 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south 8 Africans 52 would be female 48 would be male 70 would be non-white 30 would be white 70 would be non-Christian 30 would be Christian 89 would be heterosexual 11 would be homosexual 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth and all 6 would be from the United States 80 would be living in substandard housing 70 would be unable to read 50 would suffer from malnutrition 1 would be near death 1 would be near birth 1 would have a college education 1 would own a computer The above is taken from the January/February 2002 Transition magazine of the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities The opinions and medical information offered by “reACT-Believe” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: reACT-Believe P.O. Box 24025 RPO Downtown North Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net Visit us on the internet at: www.tbaytel.net/actb reACT-Believe Newsletter In order to cut production and mailing costs, we are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read online or printed out in hard copy. If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE send us your email address so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing the newsletter. Send it to actb@tbaytel.net For Information About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 About Regular HIV Testing Call the STD Clinics 625-5944 or 622-7585 About Counselling or Referrals Call the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) The Network 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca catie internet: www.catie.ca Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay. We are a ‘scent-free’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. �Parting Glance The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. ACT-B applied for and received funding for this unique program through the United Way’s Community Response Grants. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Question #1 The difference between HIV and AIDS AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS is the advanced stage of the disease caused by HIV. HIV attacks the body’s immune system. Over time the immune system is weakened and an HIV-infected person can become sick with different illnesses. The HIV-positive person is then diagnosed with AIDS. How many AIDS cases? Up to December 1998, 16,236 people in Canada have been diagnosed with AIDS. This number doesn’t include people who are infected with HIV but have not yet become sick. There have been 11,525 reported deaths attributed to AIDS in Canada. According to the statistics for AIDS in Canada, fewer people are being diagnosed with AIDS each year. This is probably due to better treatment for HIV-positive people which delays the onset of AIDS. The number of people dying each year from AIDS-related illnesses is also declining. There has been a 90% drop in the number of reported AIDS-related deaths from 1995 to 1998. Again, this decline is probably due to better treatments. New HIV infections It is difficult to know the exact number of Canadians infected with HIV because many people have not been tested for HIV or have been tested anonymously. The latest research suggests that, up to the end of 1996, there were approximately 40,100 people living with HIV in Canada. Of this number, an estimated 15,000 did not know that they were HIV positive. Each year in Canada, there are an estimated 4,200 new infections. The nature of the epidemic is changing dramatically. Prior to 1986, 90% of all infections occurred among men who have sex with men. In 1996, new transmissions among men who have sex with men declined to 30% of all new infections. Transmission via injection drug use has increased from 24% in 1986 to 47% in 1996. Prior to 1986, women accounted for only 10% of new transmissions. In 1996, women accounted for 23% of all new infections. In addition more heterosexual males and young people are becoming infected with HIV than ever before. Page 8 ACT-B Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Fred Ball Gail Linklater Dr. Gordon Milne Karen O’Gorman Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Carl Triskle Rev. Don Uhryniw Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory Crossroads Centre Family Physician HIV Program Consultant ARF Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ACT-B Board of Directors Current River United Church, Council of Clergy ACT-B Board of Directors Sherry Britton Pam Delgaty Heather Graham Sarah Perreault Carl Triskle Carri-Anne Whidden Michael Croft Dennis Eeles Rob MacKay, President Ruth Racic Don Uhryniw Don Young ACT-B Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Sheila Berry Stuart Boland Joanne Books Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator Support Services Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Counselling Conference Coordinator Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Re-ACT-Believe Contributors Selly Pajamaki Editor ACT-B staff & volunteers The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ! Ontario Ministry of Health - AIDS Bureau ! Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) ! All of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals. R E - AC T B E L I E V E �A Word or Two from the Health Promoter (Charlene Burford) Spring is in the air, then it isn't, then it is again -- ahh, the beauty of the North. The warmer weather brings about plans for the Community Garden. Last year Mother's Cupboard -- the Emergency Food Bank for HIV positive service users -- Committee decided to venture into the earth and grow fresh produce for clients; we used a 15x20 foot plot at the County Park "Our Kids Count" Community Garden. Plenty was learned about gardening and organizing; the people who received the vegetables were ecstatic (no exaggeration -- they were seriously delighted). We have decided to repeat the Garden project this year! So there's the pitch. And here's the plea. I could use all the help I can get! Anything from seeds to bedding plants, fertilizer to watering cans, gardening wisdom and physical bodies. You got it! I'm looking for volunteers. There will be two "soil prepping" work parties -- Sat., May 11 from 11:00-2:00 and Wed., May 15 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. (if needed); planting will follow the full moon, Mon., May 27 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and Wed., May 29 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. (if needed). Once the seeds and plants are in the ground, there will be one day a week (later once every second week) that a volunteer is responsible for watering and weeding (1 hr. commitment each day). Children are welcome to accompany and help out. Daytime tending visits to the Garden are totally acceptable. In fact, the County Park "Our Kids Count" Community Garden creates a summer schedule to notify other members of weekly tending days (i.e. last year, Tuesdays 9:00-12:00). This gives members an opportunity to meet each other and share garden wisdom and experience; people will help each other out in the plots and kids play together. The scheduled meeting days are identified as a courtesy, there is no requirement to attend. I am very excited to begin the Garden. I hope others will become excited and join this totally satisfying project. Not only do you get to play in the dirt, watch the wee seeds grow into plants, you also get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing how much the fresh vegetables are appreciated. It is difficult to articulate the moment when tomatoes, lettuce or carrots are handed over -- genuine giving. If you are interested in gardening to help people who are HIV positive (and their family), give Selly (volunteer coordinator) or myself a call at the office (345-1516). reACT-Believe Insert 1 �A Word or Two from the Health Promoter Con’t. (Charlene Burford) Qualifier: The information presented is not necessarily the opinions of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay, rather, the article is meant to inform and provoke thought of it's readers. As I was preparing to write this article, I visited many websites related to alternate health and medical practises. I have come to the conclusion that there are a bazillion sites! Y'all are welcome to forward me the names of reputable “health” related Internet sites that I can use and pass on to the readers. The flu, the common cold, allergies – these ailments have smacked people of our region. I’m guessing many were given antibiotic or other prescriptions to help them get through or overcome the illness. This got me thinking about western medicine and how quick some doctors are to prescribe a pill or liquid to "get rid of" sniffles, congestion, abdominal discomfort and lethargy. This is not an attack on medical doctors, just my inquisitive nature at work. A health article entitled: "Doctors: Strep bacteria suddenly resisting common antibiotic" caught my attention (website: canada.com/health/fromthewires - Apr 18, '02 by Linda A. Johnson). Rather than quoting the majority of the article, you can cruise to the site using your own, a friend's or a library computer. In a nutshell, the article referred to an outbreak in the U.S. of antibiotic-resistant strep throat. It concerned doctors because "Until now, antibiotics have easily killed group A streptococcus, the bacteria that cause strep throat and life-threatening septic infections, so doctors at the hospital were startled by its sudden, widespread resistance to widely used erythromycin. The drug is commonly given to people allergic to penicillin." In her article, Johnson went on to state how there has been an increase of resistance to other forms of antibiotics due to heartier strep bacteria. "Doctors have long warned that overuse of antibiotics is making some germs immune." For years, the medical field has known about "drug resistant "superbugs", bacteria that defy all known antibiotics… Bacteria are very smart--they learn to develop resistance" (website: all-natural.com/news). I wonder how many of us common folk may have missed this antibiotic vs. superbug concern. Yes, it has appeared in the media, but it is easy to brush off the information presented claiming rare cases or geographically too far away to be a threat. As stated in the articles I read, there is no safety in distance since we have a very mobile society (i.e. Africa one day, Canada the next -- basically sharing the recycled breathing space of many countries). The medical profession has taken steps to reduce antibiotic resistance by imposing regulations limiting the use of extra strong antibiotics (i.e. macrolide, Finland 1990) to ensure it is effective when absolutely needed. In 1998, U.S. researchers were looking for a more effective antibiotic -- one that doesn't kill off your helpful bacteria before attacking the harmful bacteria --I am uncertain of the progress. Alternative or complementary health approaches have also been incorporated into some medical doctor's practise. So you see, I am not suggesting people suddenly quit taking the antibiotics prescribed by their doctors, just be informed and seek out what you don't know. Ask your doctor, talk to your friends, search the Internet, stop in at health food or nutritional supplement stores, visit the library and believe you are worth protecting. reACT-Believe Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource reACT-Believe Vol 15 Issue 1 - Spring 2002 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2002 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2703/2002_reACT-Believe_vol15no2.pdf 10d0c2c01a9e2ac044ec7dc4be58dc0b PDF Text Text Re-ACT Believe Volume 15 Issue 2 AIDS THUNDER BAY is Part Of The Answer Summer 2002 In late May, 1999, at a Board and Staff retreat, the idea came forward that ACTB needed a fresh look. It was suggested that we consider changing our logo. This simple suggestion launched what became The Image Project. It would last for the next three years and involve us in much more than a simple logo change, though that is one of the outcomes. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Fundraising News 2 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 Education continued 5 The Extra Mile—News from the Volunteer Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting glance 8 Have You Sent In Your Email Address? Our newsletter is now available on-line. Please send us your email address so we can let you know when the next issue comes out. Unless you notify us that you do not have an email address, the next issue will be your last hard copy of our newsletter. Please call or email us your address, send it to: actb@tbaytel.net The Image Project engaged partners in community research to find out what people in Thunder Bay knew about HIV/AIDS and about us. Those partners were Lakehead University, a research investigator from The CLEAR Unit at McMaster University in Hamilton, and McEachern Marketing. Together with a small army of volunteers, broad surveying was done of people living in Thunder Bay. The results showed us that, in general, people had correct information about the “basics” of HIV/AIDS, how it was transmitted and ways to prevent getting it. However, they were less aware of our agency and what we do. This information was provided in a report to our members at our Annual General Meeting in November, 2001. We then set out to improve on our image. We know we are an important source for HIV/AIDS information and services—and we wanted others to recognize that. We struck a small committee to develop possible names and suggestions for images that would make us easier to identify and remember. Options for names and possible logos were developed by McEachern Marketing and another round of consultations began. This process involved meetings of staff, our board, focus-group sessions with partners and other local health care professionals as well as two meetings “AIDS continues to pose with clients. These results were reported to our complex questions to our board of directors who made the final approval. community. AIDS The results you see on this newsletter. Thunder Bay is part of the answer.” Michael Sobota We wanted a name that was simple, clean easy to Executive Director understand and to find in the phone book. Though HIV is causal to AIDS, we knew that people identify AIDS as the term for what has become a global epidemic. We wanted the red ribbon to be part of our logo. The red ribbon has become the most immediately recognizable symbol in the struggle against AIDS. We chose AIDS Thunder Bay with an active red ribbon as our visual identity to lead us into the future in this work. We thank all of you who helped us during the past three years. We promise you more and better communications in the coming months to further assist you in knowing who we are and what we offer. AIDS continues to present complex questions to our community. AIDS Thunder Bay is part of the answer. �FUN-raising Events Cash Register Receipts We’ve had an incredible response to this new project. With your help we have collected close to $28,000 worth of receipts. Some of our members have placed envelopes at their workstations and are getting their co-workers to collect. This project runs with the calendar year so there is still time to collect more receipts. Just a reminder, the collection box is in our office lobby. Annual Silent Auction August to December Come & Get Lei-d! Just because summer is over doesn’t mean it’s time to stop having fun! Friday the 13th is our night at the Voo-Doo Lounge and the first 50 people in the door get leis! It’s a beach party! Get Wild & Funky… Dress in your summer duds one last time! Now’s your chance to show off that hard-earned tan as part of the Best Tan Contest. The winner will receive a rainbow beach towel! Runner-ups will get rainbow leis. There will also be other fun draws throughout the night. Friday, September 13th, 8:00 p.m.—2:00 p.m. Voodoo Lounge, 24 South Cumberland Street Cover Charge $3.00 At the Annual General Meeting in November it has become a tradition to hold a silent auction raising funds for the Emergency Financial Assistance Program. It has proven to be a great success each year with our attendees purchasing items for holiday gifts. Each year we receive a number of unique and wonderful donations that have included leather stockings, new books, pictures, prints, and movies! If you would like to donate something for the auction, please call Crystal at 345-1516 or drop it off at the office. Bowling Anyone? One strike! Two strikes! Three strikes in a row!! WOW! ...and you get a TURKEY?? That’s right! Now’s the time to begin thinking about our up-coming bowling tournament! We are thinking of planning a tournament in the new year and would love to hear from all of you. So, start practicing your stances and get those bowling balls all shined up, because there’s a turkey waiting for you! If you are interested in taking part in this fun-filled event or receiving information please call Crystal at 345-1516 or drop us a line at actb@tbaytel.net. Remember, the more people that sign up the betterRthe event! E - AC T B E L I E V E Page 2 R E - AC T B E L I E V E �Page 3 VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2 The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay has partnered with the Centre for Addictions & Mental Health and the Canadian Mental Health Association to create the first ever Visions & Light Film Festival. Held over October 4-6, 2002 the festival aims to Educate, Enlighten and Entertain about Mental Health, Addiction and HIV/AIDS, through the shared experience of provocative and celebratory films. For further Information about the Festival please call Margaret Frenette at 345-8110. IRIS (drama, Great Britain). An English philosopher and novelist struggles to cope with a hunger for experience. Embarking on numerous affairs with men and women, young Iris must cope with her elder’s Alzheimer’s Disease. (Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent) REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (drama, USA). The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island individuals are shattered when their addictions become stronger. At the centre is “an operatic performance by Ellen Burstyn” (Liam Lacey, The Globe and Mail). PERFECT SON (drama, Canada) Two estranged brothers reach a reconciliation. Theo is a recovering drug addict and unpublished writer; his brother Ryan is a successful lawyer who is dying from AIDS. Colm Feore as Ryan is “the real strength of the movie” (Liam Lacey, The Globe and Mail). BEST IN SHOW (comedy, USA). The “tonic” for festivalgoers who may be wanting something light after emerging from troubling themes, this film recounts the story of a few eccentric dog-owners preparing their precious pure-bred pooches for a big show. (Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy) Ticket Prices: Gen. Admission - $7 NOSFA Members - $5 Four Pack - $15 Gold Passes - $30 Gala Reception - $10 (includes admission to IRIS) * Films among the ten to be screened are subject to availability Watch the Chronicle Journal for the festival guide and up-dates about the web site! AIDS Walk Sunday, September 22, 2002 Lakehead University, The Outpost (A reminder to use the Balmoral Street Entrance) Check-In: 12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m Walk Starts: 2:00 p.m. Open Community Rhythm Circle by Sean Jesseau 12:30 pm - 1:30 p.m. 1st Prize: Trip for two on WestJet Airlines 2nd Prize: Hot tub rental - Hot Tub Express 3rd Prize: Gift package - Wabakimi Wild Waters Top Team: 2 hour Cruise for 12 with Sailing Thunder Bay Register Today! www.aidswalkcanada.org Call 345-1516 Special thanks to local sponsors: Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, Janzen’s Pharmacy, The Royal Bank , & WestJet Airlines. Media sponsors: The Chronicle Journal & Thunder Bay Post �EDUCATION UPDATE David Belrose - Education Coordinator Smart Choices Outreach Project and Evaluation (SCOPE) A new prevention project is underway at AIDS Thunder Bay. SCOPE is a three-year prevention project that will build on our previous outreach projects (Targeted Prevention Initiative and Substance Use Outreach Project). The project will target substance using men and women, primarily heterosexual, with a focus on marginalized populations (persons at risk). Based on our evaluation of the previous work, the project will incorporate peer outreach, a performance art outreach element, and a social marketing campaign. This project is funded by the AIDS Community Action Program, Health Canada for the three year period. We welcome Denise Olson as the SCOPE Outreach Worker who will coordinate the project. Denise has experience with a variety of community projects in Northwestern Ontario, and we look forward to her involvement with this project. What are the activities this project will undertake? A major component of this project will be the use of peers to conduct outreach in the community. By including a strong training element with the help of community partners, and recruiting new peers on an annual basis, we will develop a network of knowledgeable peers in the community. The performance art component is subject to modification annually, and may include production and presentation of a short video, development and presentation of a short theatre piece, or other elements based on consultations with the affected populations. The social marketing component will be developed in concert with our Injection Drug Use Outreach campaigns and may include transit ads, posters, bus shelter ads, radio ads, and other elements as appropriate. SCOPE NEWS From Denise Olson Thank you staff and volunteers for your patience and support during my first weeks as SCOPE coordinator. Indeed I feel very fortunate to work alongside such inspired and inspiring individuals. IRIS the Virus Our peer outreach group will soon be visiting local bars and is presently Condom developing two characters, Iris the HIV Virus & Condom Man, our very Man own super hero. I am thrilled to announce that I will be working with the second year film students at Confederation College on a video for the SCOPE program. Professor Dennis Austin states that this group of students is especially bright and innovative. This will be a wonderful journey with much fun and excitement. The SCOPE project will evolve and take shape and I am sure transform along the way, we may ruffle a few feathers, but then we will know we have caught someone’s attention. 11th Northwestern Ontario Regional HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference October 17th & 18th, 2002, Victoria Inn, Thunder Bay. Registration: $40.00 Fees waived for people living with HIV/AIDS. Registration Deadline: September 20th, 2002. For more information, please contact Daina Maslach, Counselling Conference Co-ordinator, at 345-1516. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, AIDS Bureau. Page 4 R E - AC T B E L I E V E �Page 5 VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2 CCORA Re-energized, Ready for Fall Advocacy Steering Committee Plans Upcoming Activities The Canadian Coalition of Organizations Responding to AIDS (CCORA) has re-launched its advocacy campaign to urge the government to substantially increase funding for the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS (CSHA). This will remain the singular goal of CCORA’s efforts, until the federal government responds in an appropriate way to Canadians living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. CCORA’s new Steering Committee met in Toronto on Friday, August 9th to plan advocacy activities for the upcoming months. The outcome of the meeting was a five-month time line of activities that marks major events such as AIDS Walk Canada and AIDS Awareness Week, but also incorporates possible scenarios, such as a Fall mini-budget from the federal government. Advocacy around the Romanow Commission Final Report, the results of two upcoming studies and a meeting between the Health Minister and representatives from the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS), is also planned. Drawing from the strong mandate provided by its members at the Annual General Meeting held in Ottawa in late June, CAS has moved forward as the Secretariat for CCORA by initiating and hosting the first meeting of the volunteer Steering Committee. This committee was developed after a call for volunteers was extended to all CCORA members. It will be responsible for planning advocacy activities and holding monthly teleconferences to evaluate the progress made. CAS will work closely with the Steering Committee and all other interested CCORA members to ensure that the government is hearing the message that current funding for HIV/AIDS is both inadequate and inappropriate. CCORA’s plan of action combines activities lead by CAS staff with ones that must be undertaken by the entire membership to have maximum impact. For example, the CSHA will be the primary focus of CAS’ message to Minister of Health, Anne McLellan when Board and staff representatives meet with her in September. However, the efforts of all CCORA members are needed to collect signatures on the Petition to Double the Strategy and meet with Members of Parliament. CCORA continues to be a collaborative effort on the part of a diverse number of HIV/AIDS stakeholders across the country. While different organizations can participate in a variety of ways, relative to their own time and resources, it is important the CCORA is as broad a coalition as possible, so that the government can see what a powerful constituency is represented. Please consider adding your organization’s name to the more than fifty groups demanding a better response from the government in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Contact Liz Scanlon, at lizs@cdnaids.ca for more information. A few parting words: Well, I just can’t leave the AIDS Committee, now AIDS Thunder Bay, without saying a few things. Foremost, I thank all of you who have been in my sphere for the last 12 plus years, for each of you has been important and meaningful. You have taught me so much that I’m ready to take on a bigger chunk of life. I take each of you in my heart with an enriched wisdom about life and relationships. The pictures and mementos that I have collected over the years will be carefully preserved in my photo album and shoe box so I can browse through them in those dreamy moments when I need a heart fix. When I began with ACT-B, I had no idea of the depth of learning and richness that was to come. Personally and professionally there have been many changes working within the HIV/AIDS community, locally and in a broader context. I am hoping for more positive changes in care and treatment of people who are living with this disease. As a society, there is still a long way to go to get rid of the stigmas and prejudice still prevalent two decades after AIDS emerged in North America. Life is precious, relationships are precious. Make each moment, each day count. I believe we are measured by our own actions. So, live life to the fullest with integrity and respect for yourselves and others. Thank you for the “opportunity”. I come from the city with a giant heart—I take that with me everywhere I journey. Be well —– Sheila �The Extra Mile News from the Volunteer Department Selly Pajamaki, Volunteer Coordinator Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *AIDS Walk—Sept 22 *Opening Doors Conference—Oct 1718 *Visions & Lights Film Festival—Oct 4-6 *Tag Day—Nov 16 *AIDS Awareness Week—Nov 24-30 *World AIDS Day/ Seattle Coffee Day— Dec 1 If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please call Selly at 345-1516. Thank you to all our volunteers! Page 6 Volunteer Activities It’s been a very busy summer with 2 Yard Sales, a Tag Day, a display at Summer in the Parks, a Car Wash, preparation for the upcoming AIDS Walk, the Bingo Volunteers Appreciation Event, Volunteer Orientation & AIDS 101, a drivers’ meeting, and all the regular volunteer happenings at AIDS Thunder Bay. This busyness will continue on into the fall with the AIDS Walk, the Visions & Lights Film Festival, the Opening Doors Counselling Conference, another Tag Day, the Annual General Meeting, AIDS Awareness Week and World AIDS Day. There will be volunteering opportunities as part of all of these events. If you’re interested in any, or all, of them, call Selly at 345-1516. Our second Yard Sale of the summer was another great success in spite of (or perhaps partly because of) the rain and windy conditions that day. Thank you to all our volunteers for helping to make this event fun and successful, we really appreciate your participation. We have openings for volunteers to staff our reception desk. This position is very important! Our receptionists are the first person seen when a visitor comes through our doors. We want you to be that smiling face. If you can’t take a permanent shift, don’t worry. How about training for this position and filling in where you can? Build your skills while spending time with us. No experience is necessary, we will train you. Regular shifts are 4 hours, morning or afternoon. If you would like to join the reception team, give Selly a call at 345-1516. We also have openings for volunteers at bingo, some shifts are only 2 1/2 hours. Bingos are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month beginning at 5 p.m. You can sign up for a regular shift or only work an occasional bingo. If you’d like to join a fun-loving group of people, give Selly a call . R E - AC T B E L I E V E �VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2 Page 7 Here and There... It’s Membership Time Again reACT-Believe Newsletter Is your membership up-to-date? This year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place in November. In order for you to vote at the meeting, your membership must be in good standing. Your application for membership has to be approved by the Board of Directors 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Therefore, you must become a member by the end of September to be eligible to vote. If you would like to become a member or renew your membership, please fill out the attached form and mail or fax it back to: AIDS Thunder Bay P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Phone #: 345-1516 Fax #: 345-2505 In order to cut production and mailing costs, we are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read online or printed out in hard copy. If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE send us your email address so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing the newsletter. Send it to actb@tbaytel.net Or, bring your completed form into the office at 217 S. Algoma St., Thunder Bay, Ontario About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 or 624-2000 Name: ____________________________________ About Regular HIV Testing Call the Sexual Health Clinics 625-5976 or 624-2000 Address: __________________________________ __________________________________ Postal Code: _______________________________ Phone #: (Work)____________(Home)___________ When calling, would you prefer us to use discretion? Yes _____ No _____ Would you like to receive information by email? Yes _____ No _____ Basic membership $10.00 Supporting membership $25.00 I would also like to donate $_____ The opinions and medical information offered by “reACT-Believe” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of AIDS Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: reACT-Believe P.O. Box 24025 RPO Downtown North Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net For Information About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Counselling or Referrals Call AIDS Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) The Network 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca catie internet: www.catie.ca Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Thunder Bay office. We are a ‘scentfree’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. �Parting Glance AIDS Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. ATB applied for and received funding for this unique program through the United Way’s Community Response Grants. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Question #2 Who can get HIV or AIDS? Anyone who has unprotected sex or shares needles could become infected with HIV. If you think that HIV/AIDS only affects gay men or injection drug users, you’re wrong. You are not protected from HIV because you are straight, or young, or a woman, or living in a rural area. You don’t get HIV or AIDS because of who you are, or where you live. It is what you do. The three main ways you can contract HIV and AIDS are: 1. Having unprotected sex (especially having vaginal or anal intercourse without a condom). 2. Sharing needles or other drug equipment. 3. Receiving the virus as a baby. If a pregnant woman has HIV, her baby can get the virus during pregnancy, delivery, or breast feeding. In 1997, heterosexual sexual activity accounted for more than 20% of reported HIV-positive tests in Canada. Globally, heterosexual activity accounts for 75% of HIV infections. In Canada, 23% of all new HIV infections in 1996 were among women. Worldwide, 41% of all new HIV infections were among women. Young people in Canada are also increasingly being infected by HIV/AIDS. And HIV and AIDS are not just big-city problems. Many Canadians move back and forth between the city and the country to get jobs or go to school. Today, AIDS and HIV infection are found in every part of Canada. Anyone, anywhere who has unprotected sex or shares needles can become infected with HIV and develop AIDS. ——————————————————————————This is one of a series of fact sheets developed to answer frequently asked questions from clients of the Canadian HIV/ AIDS Clearinghouse in 1999. This material was originally produced for the Canadian Health Network AIDS Thunder Bay Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Fred Ball Gail Linklater Dr. Gordon Milne Karen O’Gorman Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Carl Triskle Rev. Don Uhryniw Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory Family Physician HIV Program Consultant ARF Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ATB Board of Directors ATB Board of Directors AIDS Thunder Bay Board of Directors Sherry Britton Pam Delgaty Heather Graham Sarah Perreault Carl Triskle Carri-Anne Whidden Michael Croft Dennis Eeles Rob MacKay, President Ruth Racic Don Uhryniw Don Young AIDS Thunder Bay Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Sheila Berry Stuart Boland Joanne Books Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Daina Maslach Denise Olson Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator Support Services Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Counselling Conference Coordinator Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Counselling Conference Coordinator SCOPE Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director re-ACT-Believe Contributors Selly Pajamaki ATB staff & volunteers Editor AIDS Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ¾ Ontario Ministry of Health - AIDS Bureau ¾ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) ¾ Ontario Trillium Foundation And all of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals Page 8 R E - AC T B E L I E V E �A Word or Two … from the Health Promoter The Community Garden produce will continue to be distributed to clients. Unfortunately we planted just before the great rains of June and have now come to the conclusion that perhaps many of our seeds were washed away with the downpour. Lettuce and a few beets have been distributed to clients as of this writing. I would love to take credit for the garden's success; however, I've been very busy with office work and found very little time to play in the dirt. Dedicated volunteers, Heather Graham and her daughter, are the only reason we were able to provide fresh vegetables to people. Thank you beyond words. Mother's Cupboard Committee did not meet during the summer months. We will resume our one-hour bi-monthly meeting in September (10th at 12:00). Our shelves are rather bare currently. We need to find more effective ways of generating non-perishable food donations. Mother's Cupboard relies heavily on the generosity of the Thunder Bay community. At this point, there are three local churches that donate on a regular basis; without them, we would not have food to offer our clients and their families. I would like to acknowledge and send a huge thank you to Current River United, St. John's Anglican and First Presbyterian churches. Lakeview Presbyterian, Wesley United and First Church United have also given food from the heart. Various groups, organizations and individuals have supported Mother's Cupboard throughout the year; all is appreciated. If you would like to donate a can or box of something but not sure what we may need, give me a call or stop in at the office where you can pick-up a list of suggestions at the reception desk. If you have a spare lunch-hour and are interested in helping oversee the emergency food bank (Mother's Cupboard), contact Charlene. • • Things that make me go hmmmm… • Does your favourite colour really say something about your personality and outlook on life? • Why do we humans have such a hard time applying the advice / wisdom we give others to ourselves (re: healthy mind, body, spirit)? • (Borrowed from a co-worker) Is it the mind or body that dictates complacency? Same question applied to fatigue. Is it possible to be enchanted many times throughout an ordinary day? When's the last time you looked at a moment from the perspective? Why don't more people call others on their negativity and prejudices? Charlene Burford reACT-Believe Insert 1 �Two Strong Women — Transitions Sheila Berry came to our agency in the summer of 1990. She left a successful career in the business world to become our third Volunteer Coordinator. When Sheila came to us, she brought a vast network of connections into the community — and she used those connections over the next few years to expand and strengthen our volunteer base. After preparing herself through advanced education and on-the-job experience, in 1994 Sheila became our Support Services Coordinator. It was a position that had high turnover. Sheila brought stability and maturity to the department. She built internal procedures, assisted in hiring qualified and diverse Support staff and expanded services. Over her 8-year leadership, she built the department into one of the strongest of any AIDS service organization in the province. During Sheila’s 12-year history with us, she also helped develop and build the agency. She made significant and generous contributions to our annual fundraising efforts — purchasing art at our early Art Auctions, fielding a team (the Hungry Coyotes) for our annual AIDS Walk, performing in our Healthy Sex Cabarets. Throughout her time with us, she remained focused on service to our clients. She readily embraced the shifting demographics of the epidemic, as HIV shifted largely into being a heterosexual, drug-influenced disease in our region. She grew, expanded and blossomed as a person, entering new relationships and expanding and deepening her circle of friendships. For all of this and more, we salute Sheila and wish her the very best as she moves into new areas of adventure and excitement in her life. Gail Linklater becomes our new Support Services Coordinator on September 3, 2002. While new in the position, Gail is not new to our agency. Gail came to us as a volunteer when Sheila was our Volunteer Coordinator. Gail made significant contributions in committee work, including help in shaping our Emergency Financial Assistance program. She was elected to our Board of Directors where she served for six years — two of those as Board President. Her decision to return to school and new professional work took Gail away from our Board, but she shifted her skills to our Advisory Council where she has remained to the present time. In addition to her involvement with HIV/AIDS, Gail brings to our agency her accumulated skills as a teacher, leadership at Bereaved Families of Ontario, and her most recent experience as Program Coordinator/Program Manager at Crossroad’s Women’s Residence. Fare thee well — and welcome. HEPATITIS C — IT’S SERIOUS. YOU CAN HAVE IT AND NOT KNOW IT. Get the facts. For more information, visit www.healthcanada.ca/hepc reACT-Believe Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource reACT-Believe Vol 15 Issue 2 - Summer 2002 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2002 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2704/2002_reACT-Believe_vol15no3.pdf 7b8731555c3e7e0d62f73c5e9779be37 PDF Text Text Volume 15 Issue 3 Fall 2002 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Fundraising News 2 Canadian HIV/AIDS Awareness Week - November 24 to December 1, 2002 Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Day and World AIDS Day - December 1, 2002 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 News from Support Services 5 The Extra Mile— News from the Volunteer Dept. 6 Here and There 7 Parting glance 8 Have You Sent In Your Email Address? Our newsletter is now available on-line. Please send us your email address so we can let you know when the next issue comes out. Unless you notify us that you do not have an email address, this HIV/AIDS is still a crisis Stigma and discrimination are greatest barriers to preventing more infections If you think that recent medical advances have made HIV/AIDS a chronic disease – think again. HIV/AIDS remains a crisis in Canada and around the world, according to public health officials. Recent statistics from Health Canada tell the story: • More Canadians are living with the disease. At the close of 1999, an estimated 49,800 Canadians were living with HIV/AIDS, a 24% increase from 1996. • New infections are not declining. An estimated 4,200 Canadians became infected in 1999 – the same number as in 1996. • Most alarming, an estimated 15,000 Canadians don’t even know they have HIV. So what is fueling this continuing health crisis? AIDS activists and public health professionals explain that health and well-being are nearly impossible when other fundamental rights are violated. People’s attitudes – fear of disease, stigmatizing and blaming others for the epidemic, discriminating against those they know or suspect to have HIV – make fertile ground for new cases of HIV. Stigmatization leads to discrimination. In the early days of the epidemic, acts of discrimination were obvious: children living with HIV/AIDS were refused entry to schools, adults living with HIV/AIDS were denied service in restaurants. Today, discrimination is more subtle. Where at one time an individual was fired for an HIV-positive status, now he/she may be laid off or pressured to the point of quitting. or email us your address, send it to: Acts of discrimination are violations of human rights. The people and communities most affected by HIV/AIDS are those with limited access to fundamental social and economic rights. Denying the rights of people with HIV/AIDS limits their ability to care for themselves and their families. Denying the rights of healthy individuals makes them more vulnerable to infection. Stigma and discrimination can stop people from seeking information about HIV or requesting an HIV test. actb@tbaytel.net Continued on page 4... issue will be your last hard copy of our newsletter. Please call �FUN-raising Events November to May AIDS Thunder Bay is “striking” a bowling tournament, the first ever annual event of its kind for us. This thundering event is coming late February at Mario’s Bowl on Memorial Avenue. Details of the Event 5 & 10 pin bowling Date and Time T.B.A. Three easy ways of signing up: Phone the office: 345-1516 Email us: actb@tbaytel.net Visit the office: 217 South Algoma Form a team! Limited lanes available, reserve one now. Contact Lawrence at 345-1516 extension 17. CAUTION: It is possible that moments at this event may make you laugh uncontrollably, especially if members of your team bowl using the “granny shot!” Rocky Horror Show Benefit A Great Success! In February, AIDS Thunder Bay was very fortunate to work with Rob MacLeod, owner of Northern Knights Feast/Capitol Theatre. He was producing the play The Rocky Horror Show and was open to having a benefit performance for the agency. Attendance was high, and so was the mood. The show was remounted in October. Once again AIDS Thunder Bay was fortunate to partner with Rob for a second benefit performance. The Capitol Theatre has been operating for almost two years under Rob MacLeod. We encourage everyone to take the opportunity to see one of the productions, if you have not done so already. Among the next shows are Nunsense II and Shirley Valentine. In the midst of developing his business and productions, Rob has given generously to AIDS Thunder Bay. We are very grateful to have worked with Rob and his cast and would welcome the opportunity for future partnerships. Page 2 FRONT LINE �Page 3 VOLUME 15, ISSUE 3 Get linked to ATB What do the receipts actually mean? As mentioned in the previous newsletter, ATB is collecting A&P cash register receipts. We are enrolled in the A&P Receipt Program that runs with the calendar year. For every $450.00 in receipts collected, ATB will receive $1.00. To date well over $30,000.00 in receipts has been collected and will be submitted by December. In the new year, we will enroll in the program again and the process starts all over. Just a reminder, the collection box is in our office lobby. AIDS Walk Thank you to the many individuals, teams, and dogs that spent numerous hours collecting pledges. Your dedication is greatly appreciated. Special thanks to the many community partners that sponsored the Walk and to those who donated prizes: Julie Buckingham The Outpost Staff Get first hand information about special events through AIDS Thunder Bay’s email tree. The newsletter is produced only three times a year and often when special events “pop-up” we would like to share the information as quickly as possible. Emailing is one of the quickest and best ways of keeping in touch with our members and friends. How can you join? Simply send an email to the agency, actb@tbaytel.net listing your name and email address. We would like to keep in touch with as many people as possible, so pass the word along to family and friends. We raised over $16,000.00 Top Walkers Selly Pajamaki Carl Triskle Dennis Eeles Top Pledge Collecting Team First Church United Bill Malcolm Sean Jesseau Janzen's Pharmacy The Royal Bank Grand Portage Lodge & Casino The Chronicle Journal Thunder Bay Post Hot 105 Radio WestJet Airlines Sailing Thunder Bay Hot Tub Express and the numerous local business who donated gift certificates and other prizes The Walk...Caught in Action! �Education Update AIDS Awareness Week continued... So what can be done? Ensuring legal and policy protection for people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS is essential if AIDS is to be stopped. But often, before legal and policy reforms can be achieved, efforts must be made to increase public education, and support for the issues behind the law. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse is supplying resources to support community-based activities from coast to coast For more information, check out the campaign web site at www.clearinghouse.cpha.ca. Consider what you and your family, friends and co-workers can do to be part of the solution Contact AIDS Thunder Bay for further information, for workshops, or for support. Thunder Bay Events (as of November 4) Ongoing - Transit Shelter and Bathroom Ads - campaign from mid-November Saturday, November 23 - AIDS Thunder Bay Volunteer Orientation Wednesday, November 27 - AIDS Thunder Bay Annual General Meeting - Speaker Laurie Edmiston, Executive Director , Toronto PWA Foundation -plus silent auction Thursday, November 28 - SCOPE Safer Sex Play, The Outpost, Lakehead University Speeding up and slowing down at AIDS Thunder Bay Michael Sobota, Executive Director AIDS Thunder Bay has moved through substantial activity - and change - during past months. Fall always quickens the pace in our work, with our annual AIDS Walk, our annual Counselling Conference and this year, our new partnership in the film festival Visions & Light. As I write this, we are rapidly approaching our 17th Annual General Meeting, AIDS Awareness Week, World AIDS Day, new Board orientation and those holidays that coincide with the end of the calendar year. I am pleased that AIDS Thunder Bay moves through these events and activities with professionalism and high standards largest agency of its kind in the country. Bringing Laurie to our AGM is a rare opportunity to hear her stories from that agency, and look through a window into the challenges facing ASO's in the near future. Another attraction at our AGM is the growing popularity of our "silent auction". The breadth and diversity of items for sale are extraordinary. We have heard some members say our AGM is a great place to start your holiday shopping (or complete it if you are one of those overly organized types). Please come to the AGM. And as we approach the year end, let us be kind to one another. Pause in your usual pace and observe. Rest and restore energy. Be well. I want to urge you to attend this year's Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, November 27. Our guest speaker is Laurie Edmiston, the Executive Director of Toronto PWA Foundation. The Foundation, serving some 4,000 clients, is the Page 4 FRONT LINE �Page 5 VOLUM E 15, ISSUE 3 Support Services Gail Linklater, Support Services Coordinator Changing counsellors is a difficult thing. It can involve loss and grief because a good relationship has come to an end. It can involve anxiety and fear: Who is this new person? Will I like her? Will she like me? It can involve a sense of betrayal and fear of trusting again. It can involve risking and taking chances. Changing counsellors is also an opportunity. It gives the chance to review and rethink personal history, which can provide clarification and insight. There is the opportunity for fresh listening and a new response. When we give ourselves time to feel the feelings and think the thoughts we are honouring ourselves. Believe it or not, it makes the transition simpler; not easier, but simpler. My name is Gail and I’m the new Support Services Coordinator at AIDS Thunder Bay. The first two months have been full of learning and meeting people. I will be working with the individuals and families that had been working with Sheila (big shoes to fill.) Some people have been in to meet me. For those of you who used to work with Sheila and haven’t heard from me yet I will be trying to contact you over the next couple weeks. Feel free to call me. I’m glad to be here. I look forward to being with you. SECRET SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN Christmas is fast approaching and we are once again in search of “Secret Santa.” Providing something special for Christmas has become an ongoing tradition. We invite you to participate. So, here’s how it works. When you don the role of a Secret Santa you will provide either a large stocking for an individual, or a basket for a family. We will provide as much specific information about the recipient as possible, e.g., gender, age, and interests, to make each basket/stocking meaningful. Should your schedule not permit actual shopping, we will gladly accept a donation and complete your “Santa” commitment. As well, smaller donations may be made to buy the many extras, e.g., turkeys, hams, fruit. If you are making a monetary donation for this project, please specify that the donation is designated for “Secret Santa.” Baskets and stockings are needed by December 17th for Christmas delivery. For more information about becoming a “Secret Santa,” please contact Marge at 622–0462 or Gail at 345-1516. Thank you for your generous participation. Yours truly, Santa’s elves �The Extra Mile - News from the Volunteer Department Selly Pajamaki, Volunteer Coordinator Volunteer Activities for all the hours you have given us this past year-we truly appreciate your gift Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *Volunteer Orientation Nov. 23 *Annual General Meeting Nov. 27 *AIDS Awareness Week—Nov 24-30 *World AIDS Day Dec 1 *Bowling Tournament in late February Fall has been very busy with the annual AIDS Walk, the Visions and Light Film Festival, the Opening Doors Counselling Conference, and Tag Day. Volunteers contributed to the success of all of these events. Now we have a brief break in the ‘busy-ness’, a time to catch our breath and rebuild our energies for the winter and spring activities. We will wind up the fall with AIDS Awareness Week, our Annual General Meeting and World AIDS Day. Start your Christmas shopping at our AGM, the variety of items available is amazing! And, keep in mind the bowling tournament coming up in February. Form a team now and start practicing! The holiday season is nearly here and at this time we would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the volunteers who have been involved with AIDS Thunder Bay over the past year. You are a vital part of our agency, we could not do what we do without your help. Have a safe and joyful holiday season! WE WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY, RESTFUL HOLIDAY Page 6 FRONT LINE �Page 7 VOLUME 15, ISSUE 3 Here and There... Guest Speaker for AIDS Thunder Bay 2002 Annual General Meeting AIDS THUNDER BAY’S 17th Annual General Meeting Laurie Edmiston is the Executive Director of The Toronto People With AIDS Foundation. The TPWA Foundation has been helping men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS since 1987. As a community-based, non-profit, charitable organization in the central core of Toronto, it serves over 4,000 clients, making it Canada’s largest direct support service organization of its kind. Wednesday, November 27, 2002 Port Arthur Ukrainian Prosvita Cultural Centre A fully accessible public facility 540 South High Street (off Memorial Ave at Third Ave.) Ms. Edmiston will speak on the challenges of leading such a large organization dedicated to supporting people living with HIV/AIDS. During Ms. Edmiston’s tenure as Executive Director, she participated in the Foundation’s pioneering work on the issue of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, it’s launch of the Friends For Life Bike Rally—the only one of its kind in Canada—and the Foundation’s successful ability to increase its Financial Assistance Program by 120% over three years. Ms. Edmiston welcomes questions following her talk. HEPATITIS C — IT’S SERIOUS. YOU CAN HAVE IT AND NOT KNOW IT. Get the facts. For more information, visit www.healthcanada.ca/hepc The opinions and medical information offered by “Front Line” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of AIDS Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: Front Line P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net Visit us on the internet at: www.aidsthunderbay.org DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 P.M. MEETING STARTS AT 7:00 P.M. To conduct the annual business of the agency and to elect the 2002/2003 Board of Directors Silent Auction—Cash, cheques, credit cards accepted For Information About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 or 624-2000 About Regular HIV Testing Call the Sexual Health Clinics 625-5976 or 624-2000 About Counselling or Referrals Call AIDS Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) The Network 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca catie internet: www.catie.ca Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange �Parting Glance AIDS Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. ATB applied for and received funding for this unique program through the United Way’s Community Response Grants. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Question #3 How do you get HIV? (or not get HIV?) HIV infection is passed only through semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk and blood. The main risks are having unprotected sex and sharing needles or equipment for injecting drugs. You CAN get infected if you: • have vaginal or anal intercourse without a condom (this is very high risk) • have oral sex without protection during which semen or vaginal fluid or menstrual blood enters open cuts or sores in your mouth (lower risk). You CAN also get infected if you share: • needles or any equipment for injecting drugs such as cocaine, heroin or steroids (invisible amounts of blood are transmitted through sharing needles, syringes, water for diluting, cotton filters, and straws or pipes) • unsterilized needles for tattooing, skin piercing or acupuncture • sex toys, razors or toothbrushes. Other ways you can get infected are: • during pregnancy, at birth or through breast feeding—if the mother is HIV positive the virus may be passed to the baby • if you received a blood transfusion or blood product in Canada before 1986 (since then, blood screening has made the risk of infection very low). You CANNOT get infected by: • casual, everyday contact • shaking hands, hugging, kissing • coughs, sneezes • giving blood • swimming pools, toilet seats • sharing eating utensils, water fountains • mosquitoes, other insects, animals You also cannot get infected if you and your partner do not have HIV, and you only have unprotected sex with each other. You both have to get tested to know for sure that you do not have HIV. ———————————————————————————— This is one of a series of fact sheets developed to answer frequently asked questions from clients of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse in 1999. This material was originally produced for the Canadian Health Network Page 8 AIDS Thunder Bay Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Fred Ball Gail Linklater Dr. Gordon Milne Karen O’Gorman Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Carl Triskle Rev. Don Uhryniw Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory Family Physician HIV Program Consultant ARF Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ATB Board of Directors ATB Board of Directors AIDS Thunder Bay Board of Directors Sherry Britton Pam Delgaty Heather Graham Sarah Perreault Carl Triskle Carri-Anne Whidden Michael Croft Dennis Eeles Rob MacKay, President Ruth Racic Don Uhryniw Don Young AIDS Thunder Bay Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Stuart Boland Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Gail Linklater Daina Maslach Denise Olson Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Support Services Coordinator Counselling Conference Coordinator SCOPE Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director re-ACT-Believe Contributors Selly Pajamaki ATB staff & volunteers Editor AIDS Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ¾ Ontario Ministry of Health - AIDS Bureau ¾ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) ¾ Ontario Trillium Foundation And all of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals FRONT LINE �A Word or Two … from the Health Promoter Community Garden: Fall is here, snow has flown and only a weeny bit in our garden grown. I'm referring to this year's Community Garden Project. Second year running proved more difficult than the first; the location seems to be an obstacle to volunteers. We did manage to distribute a bit of romaine lettuce, some carrots and a few squash. Mother's Cupboard: We are always accepting donations of non-perishable items. Canned and dried goods are placed on the shelves and distributed to clients to help sustain them (and their families) until they are able to buy groceries. The Cupboard is an "emergency food bank" opposed to a stock of items to supplement regular grocery days (i.e. we do not continually supply people with their canned goods while they buy other items). I was hoping to clear up any misconceptions that I have occasionally heard over the past year-and-a-half. Bottom line, male and female, adult, youth and children benefit from being able to access the Mother's Cupboard. This emergency food bank is restricted to our HIV positive clients and their immediate family members living with them. Self-Esteem and Empowerment (SEE) Project: This is our newest health promotion project made possible through a grant from "GlaxoSmithKline--Shire BioChem HIV/AIDS Community Innovation Program". This project is for our female positive clients. Without getting too boring with all the details, basically, two days of workshops will take place in January teaching skills that will help women increase their ability to access treatment information. Computer training, provincial networking and self-care are some of the topics to be covered. We are in the planning stages and hope to have a great turnout with women walking away feeling taller and warmer. Things that make me go hmmm….. • Kids runners with little blinking lights: do they make them in adult sizes with the option of different coloured lights? • Why is it that a cat has the intelligence to recognize the sound of a can opener, but fails to refrain from hovering on top of the fridge only to surprise the humans on the way past? • Frozen puddles: how many adults would love to stomp around breaking the thin layer of ice, but refuse to "just in case someone is looking"? Live a little! It's really great if you put a little rhythm into your stomp and laugh out loud while doing it! Charlene Burford Insert 1 �This information is presented as a point of interest, it does not necessarily reflect the opinions of AIDS Thunder Bay. Thought you might find this interesting, especially if you don't have the Internet at home. I do plan on continuing this list in the upcoming "re-ACT Believe" issues. Nutritional and Herbal Remedies (reproduced from www.all-natural.com/herbnutr.html) Acidophilus Lactobacillus acidophilus is a 'friendly' organism which helps the body fight disease and restore health. Modern research has discovered that acidophilus kills the harmful bacteria strain of E. coli in the intestinal tract. Acidophilus breaks milk sugar down into lactic acid. Bacteria which produce putrefaction and gas in the intestines cannot live in lactic acid. Acidophilus also has the unique ability to help the body synthesize, or manufacture all of the 'B' vitamins in the system. This makes it especially valuable since there is literally a host of agents which destroy B vitamins. A few are antibiotics, birth control pills, eating sugar and refined foods and drinking coffee. A diet high in red meat will destroy the beneficial bacteria, due to the concentration of antibiotics and steroids given to the animals before they are slaughtered. Alfalfa Alfalfa is a well-known herb to health-conscious consumers. It is high in nutrients, which are drawn into the plant from deep in the soil. The richest land source of trace minerals, the roots of Alfalfa plants have been known to reach as much as thirty feet deep! The leaves of the alfalfa plant are rich in minerals and nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and carotene. They are also a source of protein, vitamin E and vitamin K. Alfalfa has been used by the Chinese since the sixth century to treat kidney stones, and to relieve fluid retention and swelling. Alfalfa nourishes the digestive, skeletal, glandular, and urinary systems. Alfalfa contains chlorophyll, which is renowned for its cleansing qualities. Aloe Vera Aloe vera has historically been known for assisting the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, and for its properties of soothing, cleansing and helping the body to maintain healthy tissues. This plant has a reputation of facilitating digestion, aiding blood and lymphatic circulation, as well as kidney, liver and gall bladder functions. Aloe contains at least three anti-inflammatory fatty acids that are helpful for the stomach, small intestine and colon. It naturally alkalizes digestive juices to prevent overacidity - a common cause of digestive complaints. A newly discovered compound in aloe, acemannan, is currently being studied for its ability to strengthen the immune system. Studies have shown acemannan to boost Tlymphocyte cells that aid natural resistance. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar helps the body get rid of toxins and nourishes the digestive processes. B Complex B-complex vitamins play many roles in the human body, but primarily they nourish the brain and nervous system. A diet high in refined foods or a life full of stress puts a greater demand on the body for these important nutrients. B1 - skin, eyes, hair; B2 - nourishes the tissues of the body; B6 - mild diuretic, PMS; B12 - anxiety and depression; Folic Acid - works synergistically with B12, cell division and replication; Biotin - metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates, cholesterol; B3 (Niacin) - energy production; Pantothenic acid - nourishes the adrenal glands which help the body to withstand stress; PABA - works synergistically with folic acid; Choline bitartrate - helps make acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain; Inositol - metabolism of fat and cholesterol; absorption and utilization of fat. Bee Pollen Bee pollen is a rich source of many nutrients, including amino acids. It bursts with easily assimilated protein and lecithin, which nourish the brain and nervous system. Bee Pollen nutritionally supports the body in many ways, including assisting with vitality and a feeling of well-being. It has been used by athletes, along with Ginseng, to maintain energy and stamina. Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource reACT-Believe Vol 15 Issue 3 (FrontLine) - Fall 2002 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2002 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2705/2003_FrontLine_vol16no1.pdf 1f20413588f723ff9d30b02584bf617e PDF Text Text Volume 16 Issue 1 “Front Line” Goes Electronic!!! Spring 2003 For the past several issues, we have been notifying our readers that the AIDS Thunder Bay newsletter “Front Line” is now available on our website. Each time the newsletter is published, we send an email to those people who have given us their email address to let them know the most recent issue is accessible. (Previous issues are also available on the website.) Posting the newsletter online is being done to reduce production and mailing costs. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read or printed out in hard copy. (There is even a link to a free Adobe download from our website.) If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE SEND US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing Have YOU sent in the newsletter. Send your email address to your email address? actb@tbaytel.net. Our newsletter is now available on-line. Please Because of increasing costs, we cannot send us your email continue to send so many newsletters by snail address so we can let you know when the next mail, therefore, if you want to continue issue comes out. Call receiving “Front Line”, you must send us an email 345-1516 or email us at address. Please do this as soon as possible (the actb@tbaytel.net. next issue will be out in August). Please consult with others in your office/agency/family and let us know by phone, fax, email or snail mail how you want to receive future newsletters (we realize not everyone has a computer and some will still need to receive their copy by mail—but please let us know which category you fit into). We have been sending email notification to many other people/agencies to let them know when the newsletter is available on our website. Please let us know if we can do the same for you. Our phone number is 807-345-1516, fax is 807-345-2505 and our mailing address is PO Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A3. Please take a minute now to phone, fax, email or write to us. Thank you for taking the time to help us reduce costs but still circulate our newsletter widely. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Fundraising News 2 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 Support Services Update 5 The Extra Mile—News from the Volunteer Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting glance 8 Fundraising Assistant Returns We would like to welcome back Jacquelyn Tkachyk as our fundraising assistant for the summer months. She is here as a Summer Career Placement Student through a grant from HRDC. Jackie was a great help last year and we are pleased to have her back again! If you’re in the office, be sure and say hello to her. �Fundraising News May to September Summer Time Events AIDS Thunder Bay is gearing up for its Annual Fundraising Yard Sale and is looking for donations from the community. Your donation of clean reusable, resellable items can help raise funds for direct client programs and services. All types of donations accepted. We appreciate the items that you are able to donate but reserve the right to not accept items we feel will not sell. Donations will be accepted until May 28th. For convenience, call Crystal at 345-1516 extension 15 to schedule a pickup of items. Examples of donations: Dishes Games Movies Books Tools Clothing Craft Supplies Toys Bikes Small Furniture Dishes Ornaments A reminder that the sale will be held on: Saturday, May 31st St. John’s Anglican Church, 226 Pearl St. (beside casino) Mini Putt Event This is a new event that is in the works! Further information will be released in the next few months. Our friends at Central Car Wash will be holding a car wash benefit day. Watch mid-summer for info. A Successful Fundraising Year! Thanks to everyone that helped make this fundraising year a huge success! It takes a lot of work to make events happen and the support we received was incredible. Without strong support, we would never have ventured into trying a new event like the Staying Alive Bowling Party. This was an extraordinary event that generated lots of enthusiasm and energy. We are eager to develop the bowling party as an annual event and look forward to many years of success! The return of our healthy sex cabaret was also met with excitement and hype! Revamped with a new name, Spring Sap, Healthy Sex Cabaret: The Next Generation greeted both followers from previous cabarets and new faces, all who enjoyed themselves immensely! Watch for David’s return at next year’s SPRING SAP! Special thanks to our community foundations that helped to provide the funds for our direct client support services. For the past number of years, we have worked with the United Way, John Andrews Foundation and the Thunder Bay Foundation. This year we welcomed the opportunity to work with the Senator N.M. Patterson Foundation and the Fort William Rotary Club. AIDS Walk As noted in our annual general report, we wanted to recognize the hundreds of people that donated to our AIDS Walk that took place in September 2002. This year the Walk will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2003. We hope all of you that participated last year will join again! If you have never participated in the Walk in previous years, we hope you will consider joining the fun this year! For information call Crystal at 345-1516 extension 15. Page 2 FRONT LINE �AIDS WALK 2002 - Special thanks to everyone that gave generously to our Walk Ron Adshead Joanna Aegard Bob Aelick G. Agnew Susan Ahola Sean Albanese Lana Allen Edna Allison Christa Alsch Sis Angus Arding & Company Robert & Kari Armstead Debbie Armstrong Nicole Armstrong Nancy Armstrong Joan Ashlee Kristin Atkinson Don Axent Arnold Aylward Tammy Bailey Gary Bakich Bob Balek Mary Bandiera Alice Baran Joan Baril Jeanne Barnett Fred Barrow Dave Barrow Richard Barrow Vic Baskin Mary Bava Wendy Baxter Bernie Baxter Lois Beck Martin Beck Bee-Clean Bldg. Maintenance Bobbi Beerthuizen Jean Begin Marika Bellerose David Belrose Karen Bengtsson Don Berberich Andrew Berringer Julieta Bettemcourt Roberta Beyer Jessie Bielski Melanie Biesenthal Pyteke Blaauw Ruby Black Blake Funeral Chapel Dawn Blessing Nancy Bold Larry Bortoldo Bobbie-Jo Bosse Lisa Bouchard Andre Bourget Gerard Bourret Bowater Allan Brink Neil Brockwell Lynn Brown Donna Brown Janet Buckley Larry & Connie Bureyko Brenda Burke Bob Burrows Ruth Caldwell Jack Cameron Jim Campbell Margaret Campbell W. Campbell Canadian Outdoor Tech Lila Cano Brooke Carfagnini Anthony Caria Cheryl Carpiere Pearl Carrigan Susan Carroll Stacia Carruthers Sharon Carter Diane Chase Nicole Chornoboy Anne Ciemny Cindy Cockell Rosemary Collins Margaret Collins Mark Colosimo Betty Cotton Marie Cowley John Craig Richard Cranston Alan Cranton Chris Crocker Talia Cronk Marge Cross Anne Cryderman Denyse Culligan Rae Davidson Kathy Davis Bill Davis Bill Davis Jr. Davlor Insurance Gayle Dawson Terri Dawyd Tom Deacon Shana Demetruk Veronica Devenyl Matthew Diegal Sarah Ditomaso Penny Dockendorff Connie Douglas Jim Drinkwalter William Dyer Marlene Dysieuick Lori Edwards Jeanne Eeles Dennis Eeles Wayne Eeles Rolf Eichmanis Zsu Zsa Elchuk B. Elgie Deborah Emery Ernest Epp Frances Etches Olivia & Michael Ewaniuk Mike Fedell Fred Fedyk Robert Fenton Joyce Fergus-Moore Phyllis Fewster Beth Fiddler Sheelah Field Randy Fisher Elmer Fiskar George Fleming Brenda Fogal David Fontaine Betty Forslund Allan Fraser Donna Frattaroli Maurice Frenette Gerald Friesen Sabine Fuchs Wally Fuchs Scott Gale Wilf Galvin Gap Foundation Beth-Elaine Gardner Gateway Contractors Ruth George Gregg Gheyssen Cheryle Gibb Kent & Sylvie Gibbons Karen Gilbert M.J. Girard Linda Gluck Scott Godfrey David Godin Minnie Goretzki Wendy Goulet Marg Graham Granite Electrical Ltd. Jackie Grant Michael Gravelle Crawford Greer Joyce Grennier Laureen Grieve Pamela Griffin Norma Griffiths-Lyle Roy Hagel Ella Hald Jim Hamilton Maureen Hamilton Amy Hand Sandra Hansen John & Nancy Harju Lorraine Harmer Dave Harris Janet & Glenn Harrison Joan Hatch Josten Haugland Lila Haukeness Lynn Haywood James Heald Terry Henry Bruce Higgins Lorraine Hillier Margaret Hiscock Simon Hoard Cecil & Lorraine Hobin Marie Hoffman Marla Hollingsworth Karen Holroyd Joey Hotte Toni & Dave Hudyma Linda Hughdie Linda & Dave Hutchinson Betty Irving Edna Irwin Jo-Ann Jacomb Angel Jantunen Linda Jantunen Amanda Jantunen Janzen's Pharmacy Donna Jarva Jenkens Funeral Home Jennifer's Antiques Loyd & Willa Jones Kim Jorgensen Thomas Joseph Marion Julien Marianne Kaartinen Alan Kameda Rose Kendall Pat Kennelly Shirley King Cheryl KinneyMatheson Paivi Knight Lawrence Korhonen Ida Korhonen Evelyn Kushnier Melissa Kusznier Susanne & Michael Labelle Rick Labelle Donna Ladelle Ari Lahdekorpi Ray Laird Miriam Laird Lakeside Husky Jodee Lamers Dino Larizza Vera Larizza Nancy Larizza Robert Latimer Don Latimer Beverley Leaman Richard LeBlanc Moira Lecky Louise Legros Derek Legros Jacqueine Legros David Lehto Keith Leonard Amanda Liddicoat Bruce Linder Sandra Livingston Catherine Lockyer Sylvie Lussier Donald Lysak Sandie Lysnes Valerie MacCullough Catherine MacDonald Gail MacIntyre Harlene MacKenzie Cathy MacKintosh Gail MacLaurin Susan MacMaster Sylvie Mahler Ron Maki Dorothy Malinoski W. Malloy Marie Marak Ghislaine Marcotte Leo Marsh Debbie Marsh Lesli Ann Marshall Alyson Martin Marvac Electric Sonja Matijek Gary Maxwell Kim Maxwell Darlene Mayo Paul McAlister Gerald McCallister Jenny McCallum Eleanor & Jack McClean Mary McComb Don & Carol McConKey Marika McDonald Judith McEwan Barbara McEwen Murray McGrath Sharon McKee Enid McKenzie Mark McLennan Bev & John McRae Owen McTavish Gwen Medicine Judy Medwick Bill Mercer Ray Mercier Gail Miller Teresa Miller Catherine Mochrie Gladys Monette Eleanor Montgomery LaRea Moody Munro Motel Rynaldo Napa Jennifer Nicholas Glen Nicholson Rae Niva Northern Homestyles Norway Timber Ltd. Allan & Jean Nykyfarchyn Tom Oldale Tony Olesky Selly Pajamaki Wally Palka Barbara Paquette Myrtle Park Michelle Parker Susan Pascoe Ed Pawlik Marja Pehkonen Ruth Perlin Cory & Diana Petrunak Janice Poletti Crystal Porteous Robert & Wanda Porteous Nancy Post Rhea Post Ed Prinselaar Vera Pudas Pat Pugh Larry Pugliese Geraldine Puiras Jaye Pyykkonen Lynalee Qualie Ruth Racic June Ransom Engles Raynak Joe Rendulic Pat Rentz Rachelle Rickards Ken Rickson Robert Roach Lynda Roberts Rae-Anne Robinson Reg Rose Gail Rosengren Lori Rosengren Janice Ross Richard Rowson Marlene Russell Murray Russell Sandra Russell Donna Russo Peter Rutherford Carl Rydholm Linda Rydholm Robert Rydholm Ida Santin Brenda Saunders Richard Schwindt Kerry Sedor Robert Seeley Maria Sgambelluri Doug Shanks Audrey Shedden Robert Shepherd Bettina Siebenmann Diane Simmons Katherine Sissons Morgan Skinner William Slater Ann Smith Lynn Snowball Anonymous Marion Southern Sylvia Speak Speedy Glass Barb Spencer Diane SpicesYozipovic Chris Spilchuk Abi Sprakes David Sprvieri Linda Stajkowski Andrea & Gary Stanley Peter Stetsko Carole Stevens Fred Stewardson Irby Stewart Les Swan Ed Swayze Tabatha Swerhun Helen Swing Malcom Swing W. Tabor Linda Tamblyn Denise Taylor Susana Te Kathie Terhljan Carol Lee Thompson M. Thompson Thunder Bay Auto Parts Thunder Country Travel Fio Timbres Robert Tindall Hanusia Tkaczyk R.L. Tomlinson Gord Towill Bill Towill Norman Trimble Carl Triskle Fred Triskle John Tronsen Luke Uczciwek Erma Uhryniw William Ulakovic Shirley Urquhart Don Uvanile Robert Van Natto Lorie Vander Ploeg Jim & Susan Vandermeer Karen Vescio Kevin Wakewich Margaret Walsh Judy Walsh Susan Ward Dennis Ward Marilyn Warf Chummy Warr Charlotte Watkins Patricia Watton Kate Watts Alessandra Weller Erle Wheatley Keith Whitelock Darryl Williams Sue & Dave Williams Colleen Wilson Hazel Wohni Peter Workman Mike Wrenshall Florence Yarzab Carol York Tony Yozipovic Zellers Associates Council Please note that this listing is only of those people who donated and required a receipt. There are MANY more people that deserve this recognition. However, tracking is only possible through the receipting program. Your donation does not go unnoticed. It made a significant difference to the many people we help through our direct client services and programs. �EDUCATION UPDATE David Belrose - Education Coordinator SPREADING THE WORD Although, HIV and AIDS have had a relatively low public profile recently, there is still no cure and people continue to become infected with HIV. Prevention continues to be a very important part of our work at AIDS Thunder Bay, carried out through our Injection Drug Use Outreach (IDUO) program and our Smart Choices Outreach Project and Evaluation (SCOPE). IDU outreach involves the use of peers to provide information and access to harm reduction techniques to the injection drug using community. Stuart Boland, who coordinates the program, works closely with Superior Points (needle exchange and harm reduction program) at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and the Concurrent Disorders Program at the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital. SCOPE outreach also involves the use of peers to provide information and harm reduction materials to the young adult substance-using population of Thunder Bay. Substance use, including alcohol and other drugs, is a major risk factor for HIV infection. Denise Olson, the project coordinator, also directs a bar/community outreach component, which currently involves the presentation of a short live-action play combined with peer interaction with the audience. Peers also periodically target local bars with safer sex information and materials. In order to complement the peer outreach, both programs use social marketing tools to generate more mindfulness in the larger community. Over the past number of months, transit shelters, bathroom advertising, and billboards have put forth messages designed to raise awareness of AIDS Thunder Bay as well as the need for continued attention to prevention. Samples of current messages are included in this issue of Front Line. For further information, feel free to give us a call at 807-345-1516 or check out our web site at www. aidsthunderbay.com. These are black and white copies of coloured ads and billboards. Please drop in to the office to see the originals (or check out bus shelters, public bathrooms or billboards around town). Billboard Ad (at Central and Tungsten Streets) Bathroom Ad Page 4 Bus Shelter Ad FRONT LINE �Page 5 VOLUM E 16, ISSUE 1 SUPPORT SERVICES UPDATE Gail Linklater—Support Services Coordinator Emergency Financial Assistance Program Over the year requests are made for donations to Direct Client Services. One aspect of direct services is the Emergency Financial Assistance Program (EFAP.) This program reports to the board of directors quarterly and to the membership annually at the AGM. Here is the narrative portion of the quarterly report for the period of January 1 to March 31, 2003. This was a slow quarter for EFAP. There were 22 requests: clients withdrew 3 requests; one was denied; and another source of funding was found for one; leaving 17 approved requests. Two individuals were able to purchase winter jackets with the assistance of EFAP. One person accessed EFAP to pay towards an extremely high heating bill. Another person was able to return to his/her community for a family funeral. The remainder of requests was for grocery certificates and supplies from the drug store. The total amount disbursed for this quarter was $854.20. Your continued support of direct services is greatly appreciated. The money provides necessities when no other source is available. SUPPORT GROUP for PHA’S Every Second Tuesday Starting Tuesday May 20th/03 Time: 1:00-2:30 345-1516 • TOPIC’S Format : Introductions and Icebreakers Presentation • May 20– Nutrition • June 3-Treatment Options Break Discussion • June 17-Stress Management Beverages will be provided. • July 8-Self Esteem Let your Support Worker know if you need a ride. • July 15-Fear and Loneliness • July 29-Evaluation �The Extra Mile News from the Volunteer Department Selly Pajamaki, Volunteer Coordinator Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *Yard Sale—May 31 *Tag Day—June *Mini-Putt—July *AIDS Walk—Sept 21 *Opening Doors Conference—Oct *Visions & Lights Film Festival—Nov 7-9 *Tag Day—Nov 17 *AIDS Awareness Week—Nov 23-29 *World AIDS Day—Dec 1 If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please call Selly at 345-1516. Our 2003 ‘Salute to Volunteers’ honorees are Don Uhryniw and Shelly Kubas. Thank you both for your very generous gift of many hours to AIDS Thunder Bay. We salute you! Page 6 Volunteer Activities The winter and spring has been filled with training—a Boundaries Workshop, Universal Precautions Workshops, Van Orientation and Reception training. It will continue into the summer with Volunteer Orientation/AIDS 101 and First Aid training. We have also had volunteers involved with various fundraising events. Our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event was held on April 30 and certificates and thank you gifts were handed out. Several volunteers received 5 and 10 year certificates and pins. The 2003 Volunteer of the Year is Dennis Eeles. Dennis is a member of the ATB board and fundraising committee. He volunteers at most fundraising events, including bingo, tag day, yard sale, silent auction and the AIDS Walk. He is willing to try out just about any task we ask of him. We are truly thankful for all the time he gives to AIDS Thunder Bay. Thank you Dennis! We have openings for volunteers to staff our reception desk. Our receptionists are the first person seen when a visitor comes through our doors. We want you to be that smiling face. If you can’t take a permanent shift, how about training for this position and filling in where you can? Build your skills while spending time with us. No experience is necessary, we will train you. Regular shifts are 4 hours, morning or afternoon. If you would like to join the reception team, give Selly a call at 345-1516. We also have openings for bingo volunteers, some shifts are only 2 hours. Bingos are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month beginning at 5 p.m. You can sign up for a regular shift or work an occasional bingo. If you’d like to join a fun-loving group, give Selly a call. Several fundraising events will be taking place over the spring and summer months. If you would like to help with the yard sale, tag day, mini-putt tournament or bingo, call Selly at 345-1516. FRONT LINE �Page 7 VOLUM E 16, ISSUE 1 Here and There... Front Line Newsletter We are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read online or printed out. If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE send us your email address so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing the newsletter. Send it to actb@tbaytel.net Have You Purchased Your ATB Membership? Is your membership up-to-date? If you would like to renew or purchase a membership, please fill out the attached form and mail or fax it to: AIDS Thunder Bay P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Phone #: 345-1516 Fax #: 345-2505 Or, bring your completed form into the office at 217 S. Algoma St., Thunder Bay, Ontario Name: ____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ __________________________________ Postal Code: _______________________________ Phone #: (Work)____________(Home)___________ When calling, would you prefer us to use discretion? Yes _____ No _____ Would you like to receive information by email? Yes _____ No _____ This information may be used in future to contact you about fundraising/special events. Please note, AIDS Thunder Bay does not exchange mailing lists. All lists are confidential. Basic membership $10.00 Supporting membership $25.00 I would also like to donate $_____ The opinions and medical information offered by “Front Line” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of AIDS Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: Front Line P.O. Box 24025 RPO Downtown North Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: actb@tbaytel.net Visit us on the internet at: www.aidsthunderbay.org Suggestions? Compliments? Feedback? ATB has a “suggestion box”. We invite your comments or suggestions about any aspect of our agency or services. The box is located near our reception area. You may offer suggestions anonymously—however, if you are asking for a response back to you, we need your name and phone number. We hope the new suggestion box will be used with a sense of good will and a spirit of support and encouragement. That’s how we offer it to you. For Information About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 or 624-2000 About Regular HIV Testing Call the Sexual Health Clinics 625-5976 or 624-2000 About Counselling or Referrals Call AIDS Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Service bilingue disponible ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) CATIE Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca internet: www.catie.ca Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Thunder Bay office. We are a ‘scent-free’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. Some scented fabric softeners have also caused reactions. �Parting Glance AIDS Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Question #4 Should I get tested for HIV? How? The HIV test is a simple blood test that tells you whether or not you are HIV positive (infected with HIV). HIV testing is voluntary. You cannot be forced to take an HIV test. Consider getting tested of you, or your partner(s) have ever • Had sex without a condom—you can’t tell of someone has HIV unless they’ve been tested • Had sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you might not have used protection • Shared needles or syringes to inject drugs (or other drug equipment: water, cotton filters, cookers, pipes, straws) • Had tattooing, piercing, or acupuncture without sterilized equipment Why get tested? To find out your HIV status • If you are HIV positive you can: - get early treatment to stay healthy - get treatment to reduce the chances of your baby getting HIV if you are pregnant - take precautions not to give HIV to others • If you are HIV negative you can: - experience less stress and anxiety because you will know your status - learn more about how to reduce your risk of becoming infected Why not get tested? If you find out you are HIV positive you may: • Become upset or depressed • Experience discrimination or abuse • Be legally required to inform your sexual partners What happens when I am tested? A small amount of blood will be taken from your arm. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to find out the results. Where do I get tested? Get tested at a health centre, STD clinic or by your doctor. Depending on where you live you may have a choice as to how you are tested: Anonymous testing—is available through special clinics in many areas and allows you to be tested without telling your name. Non-nominal testing—your name is not included on the test forms. Only you and your doctor will know the results. Nominal testing—your name is written on the testing forms. Anyone seeing the forms will know your test results. With both nominal and non-nominal testing, your test result will be recorded in your medical chart and cannot be deleted. ————————————————————————————— This is one of a series of fact sheets developed to answer frequently asked questions from clients of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse in 1999. This material was originally produced for the Canadian Health Network AIDS Thunder Bay Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Dr. Gordon Milne Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Rev. Don Uhryniw Don Young Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Family Physician Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Program Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ATB Board of Directors Superior Points Harm Reduction Program AIDS Thunder Bay Board of Directors Sherry Britton, Vice-Pres Linda Geving Jody Porter Carl Triskle, President Don Uhryniw Don Young, Secretary Dennis Eeles, Treasurer Rob MacKay Ruth Racic Brent Trudell Carri-Anne Whidden AIDS Thunder Bay Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Stuart Boland Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Gail Linklater Denise Olson Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Support Services Coordinator SCOPE Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Front Line Contributors Selly Pajamaki ATB staff & volunteers Editor AIDS Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ♦ Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - AIDS Bureau ♦ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Ontario Region, Health Canada (ACAP) ♦ Thunder Bay Foundation ♦ John Andrews Foundation ♦ N.M. Paterson Foundation ♦ Fort William Rotary Club ♦ United Way And all of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals Page 8 FRONT LINE �A Word or Two … from the Health Promoter -- The season has changed, it's Spring! Yipee! Community Garden: After two years of trying the Community Garden, the project will not be repeated this year. In my opinion, it had great potential and was an excellent idea -- to grow, maintain and distribute fresh produce to HIV+ clients -- however, I could not manage to foster the interest and dedication needed to tend the garden. Perhaps next year we can try this project again. Perhaps a better idea is to begin regular visits to the local "pick-your-own" farms; the agency van could give interested clients (or a volunteer as a designate) a ride to and from the farm, the individual could pick the amount they want to take home. Mother's Cupboard: As an emergency food cupboard, we rely on community donations -- a few churches mainly -- to stock the shelves; the food is then passed on to people living with HIV/AIDS and their immediate family members living with them. AIDS Thunder Bay provides a very minimal budget. This allows us to purchase items not readily donated (i.e. ground beef) and/or those items that don't stay long on the shelves (ie. juice, canned fruit, cereal, pasta). Thank you to: Current River United, St. John's Anglican, First and Lakeview Presbyterian, and Wesley United Churches; Thunder Bay Coalition Against Poverty and Thunder Bay Food Bank; and to Bay Meats. I approached the local high schools to see if they (the students) would be interested in hosting a "Spring Food Drive". In my biased opinion, I thought this was a great way to: • generate non-perishable donations • strengthen links to the education community • and lessen any stigma or hesitancy young people may have regarding AIDS Thunder Bay. I quickly learned that great ideas (there's that bias again) don't necessarily equate to reality. One school collected food. It seems the schools are very busy at this time of year with fundraisers, competitions, and tons of other stuff. Next year I will approach the high schools in September (rather than February) to ensure adequate communication with the faculty advisors and interested student coordinators. I maintain my bias and believe the high schools' "Spring Food Drive" will take-off; perhaps it will become an annual event….. Thank you to: St. Ignatius High School. Self-Esteem and Empowerment (SEE) Project for Women: In January we held a two-day workshop for HIV+ female clients. Due to illness and other unforeseen circumstances, only two women were able to bask in the pampering atmosphere. The focus of the workshop was to increase the ability to access treatment information using various educational skills and self-care techniques. On April 23rd, I received word from the funder (GlaxoSmithKline--Shire BioChem) that we will be able to repeat this health promotion project using the remaining portion of the original grant. This time, the workshops will be open to any HIV+ woman -- there is no client requirement to attend -- and we will be holding the workshops somewhere other than at the agency. Hopefully, many will benefit from the gathering, information and contacts made during the next SEE Project. In the Works: I hope to reinstate the "Healing Touch" component at AIDS Thunder Bay. This project provides clients with free complementary therapy sessions; in the past, various professionals volunteered their time, energy and skill on a weekly basis. Charlene Burford Front Line Insert 1 �This information is presented as a point of interest, it does not necessarily reflect the opinions of AIDS Thunder Bay. You might find this interesting, especially if you don't have the Internet at home. I do plan on continuing this list in the upcoming "Frontline" issues. Nutritional and Herbal Remedies (reproduced from www.all-natural.com/herbnutr.html) Beta-glucans Beta-glucans stimulate the activation of NK cells and therefore are helpful against tumors. Has also been used to stop certain bacterial infections. Bilberry Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) contains nutrients that protect eyes from eyestrain or fatigue, and can improve circulation to the eyes. When British Royal Air Force pilots During World War II ate Bilberry preserves before night missions and discovered that their night vision improved afterwards, this herb was investigated and found to be beneficial for the eyes. Bilberry works by improving the microcirculation and regeneration of retinal purple, a substance required for good eyesight. It is believed that this property is related to the high amount of proanthocyanidins, a type of flavonoid that tends to prevent capillary fragility and strengthen the capillaries which nourish the eyes. Other properties appear to assist in thinning the blood and stimulating the release of vasodilators. Anthocyanin, a natural antioxidant, also lowers blood pressure, reduces clotting and improves blood supply to the nervous system. Anthocyanosides support and enhance the health of collagen structures in the blood vessels of the eyes, thus aiding in the development of strong healthy capillaries that can carry vital nutrients to eye muscles and nerves. Bilberry has long been a remedy for poor vision and "night blindness." Clinical tests have indicated that oral administration of bilberry tends to improve visual accuracy in healthy people and can help those with eye disorders such as pigmentosa, retinitis, glaucoma, and myopia. Bioflavonoids Bioflavonoids are nutrients which are related to the Vitamin C family. They cannot be synthesized by the body, and therefore must be obtained from food or supplements. Bioflavonoids are helpful in nourishing the integrity and strength of capillaries and cells. Biotin Biotin assists in the metabolism of fat and protein. It nourishes muscles. Black Cohosh Black Cohosh has traditionally been used to calm the nervous system by nourishing blood vessels, and balancing the hormones in menopausal women. Studies show it contains substances that bind to estrogen receptors. Black Currant Oil Black currant oil is rich in linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This substance supports the body's manufacture of hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins which help regulate functions of the circulatory system. GLA assists the body with its energy processes and is a structural component of the brain, bone marrow, muscles and cell membranes. HEPATITIS C — IT’S SERIOUS. YOU CAN HAVE IT AND NOT KNOW IT. Get the facts. For more information, visit www.healthcanada.ca/hepc Front Line Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource FrontLine Vol 16 Issue 1 - Spring 2003 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2706/2003_FrontLine_vol16no2.pdf e9c728e78ec8eb637c6006984c1afc5d PDF Text Text Volume 16 Issue 2 Walk the Walk! Summer 2003 Inside this issue: Fundraising News 2 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 CATIE 5 The Extra Mile— News from the Volunteer Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting glance 8 Many thanks go out to all the volunteers who helped at last year’s AIDS Walk. If you’d like to help again, please call Selly at 3451516. And, don’t forget all our other Fundraising events, please come out and support them all, either as a participant or as a volunteer. See YOU at the Walk! On Sunday, September 21st the National AIDS Walk joins AIDS Service Organizations across Canada as a unified voice in the fight against HIV and AIDS. However, did you know that prior to the National Walk we know today, ATB organized an annual fun run around Boulevard Lake that consisted of registered runners and timed lengths? As you can see, the event has come a long way! Over the years not only has it developed into a Walk but rather an event that encourages everyone (not just runners!) to take part. We have been very fortunate to form friendships with churches, high schools and businesses through their participation and contributions to this event. Remember that the Walk is a time to get excited – not just about the event but also about life! Our AIDS Walk is not just another fundraising event for the agency. The Walk is a day to celebrate our accomplishments with friends, family, volunteers and supporters of the agency. It is the largest single fundraising event for ATB but in equal value it is about education to the community about the agency, our work and the fight against HIV and AIDS. Every year our dedicated ‘Walk veterans’ sign up to collect pledges and support the event as their annual commitment to AIDS Thunder Bay. Yet, it is inspiring each year to see the many new faces that have signed up to participate for the very first time. Many of these individuals are the very faces you may see throughout the year (s) volunteering with the agency at other events and in some instances even as the office receptionist - talk about dedication! If you have never participated or have attended in previous years, please consider joining us! We would love to see you at the Walk, helping us raise our profile as well as funds that will assist people and families affected and infected with HIV/ AIDS. But wait! If you’re one that loves to get involved and would like to help even more, why not issue a fun challenge amongst one another or businesses? On the other hand, why not see who ‘has the stuff’ to raise the highest pledge amounts or compare achieved incentive levels! Really, your imagination is the only limit on how fun and exciting the challenges can be. Ultimately we would like to see you participate, whether you are able to raise $25 in pledges or simply make a donation on the day of the event. The more people we have at the event, the bigger the success it is (and more fun too!). It is never too late to register and participate! The St. Ignatius Cheerleaders can attest to that because after registering a mere week before the Walk, they managed to raise an earth shattering $1000 plus! As you can see, nothing is impossible if you set your mind (and heart!) to it. If you would like further information about the day’s events and the actual route, please call Crystal at 345-1516. �September AIDS Walk - Our largest single fundraising & education event of the year! You can make a difference: A pledge is the first step! Wednesday, September 10th Our friends at Central Car Wash, 811 Central Avenue will be holding a car wash benefit day. Wash your wheels and help support our programs and services! October Reminder: October is the last month to purchase or renew you membership in order to vote at the Annual General Meeting. QUEEN: A Night at the Opera Parade of Pops Series Sat., October 25th 8 p.m Thunder Bay Community Auditorium An evening of the music of “Queen”, perhaps the most sophisticated of the ‘70’s British rock bands, with the popular Jeans ‘n Classics group and a special appearance by the TBS Chorus. Peter Brennan and your favourite Jeans ‘n Classics stars return to perform Bohemian Rhapsody, We are the Champions - We will Rock You, Somebody to Love and many more! AIDS Thunder Bay is the Balcony Sponsor for this concert and is encouraging everyone who enjoys entertainment, excitement, variety, and some popular music to join us for this night out. Balcony tickets for this concert are only available through AIDS Thunder Bay. For only $10.00 you can experience the Symphony for the first time or a night on the town at a fantastic concert! Book Early! Only 213 tickets available. November The Silent Auction is one of the highlights at our Annual General Meeting. If you would like to donate something for this fundraiser, please call Crystal Mini Putt Event This is a new event that is in the works! On Wednesday, November 19th watch for our special theme night at the Thunder Bay Golf Dome, 141 Northern Avenue that includes mini-putt, special “mock tail” drinks designed for the night, and a virtual golf contest. Fun for the family or a night out with friends! CHAPTERS Bookstore Save your holiday book shopping for our benefit night on November 24th! Chapters Bookstore is hosting a fundraising event for AIDS Thunder Bay. We are in the process of developing a showcase of talent for the evening. Stay tuned to our website for further details. AIDS Thunder Bay will receive 10% of the purchases made by our guests as a cash donation for the agency. Page 2 �AIDS Walk Thunder Bay Sunday, September 21, 2003 The Outpost, Lakehead University Just by walking you can win great stuff! *Top prizes will be awarded based on highest pledge amounts collected 1st Prize “Trip for two courtesy of WestJet Airlines” • • • • $50 Gift Certificate to Bistro One Gift Certificate from Sooter’s Studio $50 Gift Certificate to the Community Auditorium Gift Certificate from Fresh Air Experience 2nd Prize “Hot Tub Rental from Hot Tub Express” • Gift Certificate to The Trip Outdoors • $25 Gift Certificate to Porto Divino 3rd Prize “Sunday Brunch for 2 at the Valhalla Inn” • $25 Gift Certificate for Caribou Restaurant • Movie Combo from Famous Players Special Thanks to Sponsors: Bowater Grand Portage Lodge & Casino Hot 105 FM Janzen’s Pharmacy Jenken’s Funeral Home RBC Royal Bank Sunset Memorial Gardens The Outpost WestJet Airlines RETURNING FOR THE SECOND YEAR, THUNDER BAY'S PROVOCATIVE... VISIONS & LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL November 7 - 9, 2003, Cumberland Cinema Top Team • • • • Sailing excursion from Sailing Thunder Bay Pizza from Domino’s Pizza Night of bowling from Mario’s Bowl Tickets to a Thunder Wolves game Top Dog • Goodies and treats courtesy of Super Pet • Gift Certificate from Applebee’s Restaurant • Special gift from Snip n’Clip Top School • • • • Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake & Pizza Hut Pizza Tickets to a Thunder Bay Border Cats game Gift package to Ron’s Virtual World Trophy (one year title) & Bragging rights! Register Online: www.aidswalkcanada.ca Film is a powerful medium for raising awareness of important social issues. Sit in the dark and be educated, enlightened and entertained. SCREENING LINE-UP & FESTIVAL EVENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2003 www.visionsandlight.com A Partnership of AIDS Thunder Bay, Canadian Mental Health Association & Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Page 3 �EDUCATION UPDATE AIDS Awareness Campaign AIDS Awareness Week this year runs from November 24 -30, followed by World AIDS Day on December 1. We will be hosting a benefit night at Chapters on Monday, November 24, and are planning a candlelight vigil for Dec. 1. We will be introducing a new social marketing campaign, as well as highlighting the week with bar outreach. Other plans for the week are in development. Additional details will be made available on our web site as they develop. If you or your agency would like to participate in the week with presentations, workshops, displays or other events, please contact us at 807-345-1516 or by e-mail at info@aidsthunderbay.org. Older Adults Most material on HIV/AIDS focuses on young people. However, over 10% of HIV and AIDS cases in Canada are found in the over-50 population. Although some don't like to think about the fact, many adults continue to be sexually active well into their older years. This can put them at risk of HIV infection, especially as they may not think of themselves as being at risk. Older adults are also parents and grand-parents who are in a position to teach young people about making healthy choices and avoiding HIV/AIDS. Over the coming months we will be running a campaign to target older adults. For more information , or to arrange presentations or workshops call David at 807-345-1516, Ext. 13. Web site If you haven't seen it already, check out the new look of our web site at www.aidsthunderbay.org. You will find information about the agency and upcoming events. A new section is designed especially for clients of the agency. The site also features answers to Frequently Asked Questions about HIV/AIDS, and information about HIV testing in Thunder Bay. You can now send e-mail to info@aidsthunderbay.org, and we will be implementing new individual email for all staff in the near future. Notes from the Executive Director: Sunday, September 21 is one of the most important days in ATB’s year. It is a day we plan for, 9-10 months in advance. It is a day we devote creative thinking, positive energy and thousands of hours in preparation for. It is a day for which we marshal a small army of supporters and volunteers – who themselves have contributed thousands of hours in collecting pledges. It is our annual AIDS Walk. Please join us on that day. It is a day very important to the whole community. Our annual AIDS Walk is one of several important events that we have been planning for through-out the summer months. On October 29-30 we host our 12th Opening Doors HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference. Planning has been underway since May. The event is expected, once again, to have capacity attendance. Call our office (345-1516) if you want to register. In November we will hold our 18th Annual General meeting. If you take out a membership by the end of September, you will be able to vote and select our next Board of Directors. Finally, I want to acknowledge numerous colleagues who have left positions of work with the HIV/AIDS field, and who have assisted our own work through their efforts: Joanne Lush, leaves the Peterborough AIDS Network to join the staff of the AIDS Bureau. Lauri Edmiston – who spoke so eloquently at our AGM last year, is leaving the Toronto PWA Foundation to head up the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange. Subha Sankaran has left the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, as has Brent Oliver from the AIDS Committee of Ottawa. And Duane Williams and Janis Tripp have left their positions at the AIDS Bureau. Janis leaves behind an extraordinary 9 year record of professional and personal service that we have greatly benefited from here in Thunder Bay. Page 4 �ORGANIZATION HELPS IMPROVE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS TORONTO, 2003-03-31— If you’re living with HIV/AIDS, good treatment information can make a big difference in the quality of your life. “We can help,” says Anne Swarbrick, former Executive Director, Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE), the only fully national bilingual AIDS treatment information service in the country. “Our information is accurate, easy to understand, confidential, up-todate, complete and unbiased. All our publications are free of charge in Canada.” Founded in 1991 and a national partner in Health Canada’s AIDS Strategy, CATIE has produced some 70 Fact Sheets in French and English. They provide information on symptoms, treatments, side effects, and drug interactions. It also publishes a series of practical guides to living with HIV/AIDS. CATIE recently revamped its newsletter, The Positive Side, to turn in into Canada’s only national holistic health information publication for and by people about living with HIV/AIDS. “Having reliable treatment information helps people living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers talk with each other and make better decisions. And you don’t have to live in a big city to use our service. You can call us toll-free at 1-800-263-1638. If you don’t reach our staff immediately, leave a message and we’ll get back to you within 48 hours. Or you can go to our website, www.catie.ca, and download most of our publications,” says Swarbrick. In keeping with its mission to improve the health and quality of life of all people living with HIV/ AIDS in Canada, CATIE tailors each of its publications to a specific group of readers, from researchers and health professionals to people with little formal education. Several of its publications are devoted entirely to abstracts of journal articles about the latest advances in medical research from around the world. “CATIE publications help AIDS support organizations and health professionals across Canada reach out more effectively to people in their own communities,” says Swarbrick. Our National Reference Library is home to 1,400 books and 10,000 documents on more than 500 subjects. We also subscribe to more than 75 medical journals and consumer-oriented treatment periodicals. To find out what we have, check our library catalogue on-line at www. catie.ca. You can request single copies of articles and book chapters for research or private study from our library. In addition, our librarian can help you find the HIV/AIDS treatment resources you need. Visit our newly revamped e-library at www.catie.ca or contact us at library@catie.ca. CATIE presents workshops across the country. Contact: Brian Huskins, Outreach & Partnership Coordinator: 1-800-263-1638 ext. 254 Page 5 �The Extra Mile News from the Volunteer Department Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *Car Wash—Sept 10 *AIDS Walk—Sept 21 *TBSO—Oct 25 *Opening Doors Conference—Oct 29-30 *Visions & Lights Film Festival—Nov 7-9 *Tag Day—Nov 15 Mini-Putt—Nov 19 *AIDS Awareness Week— Nov 23-29 *Chapters Book Store— Nov 24 *Annual General Meeting *Silent Auction *World AIDS Day—Dec 1 If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please call Selly at 345-1516. Page 6 Volunteer Activities Our annual Bingo Volunteers Appreciation Event was held on July 15 and certificates were handed out to several bingo workers and bingo bakers. These dedicated volunteers give us many hours of time on a continuous basis and we really appreciate them. We have openings for volunteers to staff our reception desk. Our receptionists are the first person seen when a visitor comes through our doors. We want you to be that smiling face. If you can’t take a permanent shift, how about training for this position and filling in where you can? Build your skills while spending time with us. No experience is necessary, we will train you. Regular shifts are 4 hours, morning or afternoon. If you would like to join the reception team, give Selly a call at 345-1516. We also have openings for bingo volunteers, some shifts are only 2 hours. Bingos are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month beginning at 5 p.m. You can sign up for a regular shift or work an occasional bingo. If you’d like to join a fun-loving group, give Selly a call. Several fundraising events will be taking place over the fall and winter months. If you would like to help with tag day, the mini-putt tournament, the AIDS Walk or bingo, call Selly at 345-1516. Don’t forget the upcoming AIDS Walk—we will need several volunteers. Or, if you prefer, sign up and collect pledges. You can walk as an individual or gather a group of family, friends or co-workers and form a team. Come on out and ‘walk your shoes off’! �Here and There... Front Line Newsletter Suggestions? Compliments? Feedback? We are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read online or printed out. If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE send us your email address so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing the newsletter. Send it to info@aidsthunderbay. org ATB has a “suggestion box”. We invite your comments or suggestions about any aspect of our agency or services. The box is located near our reception area. You may offer suggestions anonymously—however, if you are asking for a response back to you, we need your name and phone number. We hope the new suggestion box will be used with a sense of good will and a spirit of support and encouragement. That’s how we offer it to you. Have You Purchased Your ATB Membership? Is your membership up-to-date? If you would like to renew or purchase a membership, please fill out this form and mail or fax it to: AIDS Thunder Bay P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Phone #: 345-1516 Fax #: 345-2505 For Information - When calling, would you prefer us to use discretion? Yes _____ No _____ About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 or 624-2000 About Regular HIV Testing Call the Sexual Health Clinics 625-5976 or 624-2000 About Counselling or Referrals Call AIDS Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Would you like to receive information by email? Yes _____ No _____ Service bilingue disponible Or, bring your completed form into the office at 217 S. Algoma St., Thunder Bay, Ontario Name: ____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ __________________________________ Postal Code: _______________________________ Phone #: (Work)____________(Home)___________ ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Email address: ________________________________________ This information may be used in future to contact you about fundraising/special events. Please note, AIDS Thunder Bay does not exchange mailing lists. All lists are confidential. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Basic membership $10.00 Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange Supporting membership $25.00 I would also like to donate $_____ CATIE 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca The opinions and medical information offered by “Front Line” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of AIDS Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: Front Line P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: info@aidsthunderbay.org Visit us on the internet at: www.aidsthunderbay.org internet: www.catie.ca Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Thunder Bay office. We are a ‘scent-free’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. Some scented fabric softeners have also caused reactions. Page 7 �Parting Glance AIDS Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Question #5 How do I know if tattooing or piercing will be safe? In tattooing or piercing, HIV can be passed when tiny, invisible particles of blood stay on equipment that has not been well sterilized. These particles can also stay in the tattoo ink. The safest way to get a tattoo or piercing is to go to a professional. Professional piercers • Use jewellery made of surgical steel or niobium • Don’t use stud guns Professional tattooists • Pour ink into new, disposable containers • Use these containers only for your tattoo Professional piercers and tattooists • Use new sterile needles every time • Wear latex gloves • Have information about safety posted in the waiting area • Give instructions afterwards on how to prevent infection • Are experienced and knowledgeable • Sterilize reusable equipment in an autoclave (An autoclave is a machine that uses very hot water to sterilize equipment. Equipment should be sterilized at 121 degrees Celsius (250 F) for 30 minutes). Choosing a safe place to get a tattoo or piercing Shop around and get recommendations from friends. Ask to see: • Special containers for disposing of used needles • Disposable ink cups for tattoo colours • The autoclave (with a temperature gauge), and • Some sterilized packages (should have black lines on packages to indicate that they reached the right temperature) Check out several businesses; ask questions about their experience and safety measures. If you are not satisfied— LEAVE. If you have already had an amateur or professional tattoo and think you may have been infected with HIV, hepatitis B or C, or any other blood-borne illness, you should consider getting tested at a health clinic, anonymous testing site, or by a doctor. ————————————————————————————— This is one of a series of fact sheets developed to answer frequently asked questions from clients of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse in 1999. This material was originally produced for the Canadian Health Network CLGRO Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario Box 822 Station A, Toronto Ont. M5W 1G3 Canada phone 416-405-8253 www.web.ca/clgro clgro@web.ca Contact us. Work with us. Join us. Page 8 AIDS Thunder Bay Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Dr. Gordon Milne Pat Piaskowski Diana Smith Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Rev. Don Uhryniw Don Young Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Family Physician Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ATB Board of Directors Superior Points Harm Reduction AIDS Thunder Bay Board of Directors Sherry Britton, Vice-Pres Linda Geving Jody Porter Carl Triskle, President Don Uhryniw Don Young, Secretary Dennis Eeles, Treasurer Rob MacKay Ruth Racic Brent Trudell Carri-Anne Whidden AIDS Thunder Bay Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Stuart Boland Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Gail Linklater Daina Maslach Denise Olson Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Jackie Tkachyk Secretary Education Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Support Services Coordinator Counselling Conf. Coordinator SCOPE Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Fundraising Assistant Front Line Contributors Selly Pajamaki ATB staff & volunteers Editor AIDS Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ♦ Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - AIDS Bureau ♦ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Health Canada (ACAP) ♦ Thunder Bay Foundation ♦ John Andrews Foundation ♦ N.M. Paterson Foundation ♦ Elton John Foundation ♦ Fort William Rotary Club ♦ United Way And all of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals �A Word or Two … from the Health Promoter The following information does not necessarily reflect the opinions of AIDS Thunder Bay, rather it is offered to readers as a point of interest. Colour Therapy uses Colour therapy can be helpful for any problem whether, physical, mental, emotional or spiritual and as a relaxation therapy. And, indeed, Colour can be used for balancing our energies to avoid possible problems. Colour can be the catalyst for our healing process. However, if a problem presents, it should always be remembered that no complementary therapy should be considered as an alternative to professional medical advice. Colour Therapy can be used safely alongside any other therapy or orthodox medical treatment. Colour Therapy for all Colour Therapy is a totally holistic and non-invasive therapy and, really, colour should be a part of our everyday life, not just something we experience for an hour or two with a therapist. Colour is all around us everywhere. This wonderful planet does not contain all the beautiful colours of the rainbow for no reason. Nothing on this earth is here just by chance, everything in nature is here for a purpose. Colour is no exception. All we need to do is to heighten our awareness of the energy of colour and how it can transform our lives. A professional therapist will help you to do this. The capacity for health and well being is within us all. Colour Therapy - Used on a deeper level Colour therapy can be shown to help on a physical level, which is perhaps easier to quantify, however there are deeper issues around the colours on the psychological and spiritual levels. Our well being is not, of course, purely a physical issue. Fortunately, many more practitioners, both orthodox and complementary are now treating patients in an holistic manner. That is to say, we are body, mind and spirit and none of these areas function entirely alone; each has an effect upon the other. This is why Colour Therapy can be so helpful since colour addresses all levels of our being. As babies we first experience colour in the womb where we are enveloped in a nurturing and comforting pink. Then as a child we associate with colour as part of our first learning processes. These first associations contribute to our consciousness. As we get older we attach many different feelings, memories and meanings to certain colours and this can then become a feature in our subconscious. We can build up prejudices to colours which have happy, sad, or frightening connotations for us. All life experiences have an affect upon us. Some experiences will be positive and some negative. It is these negative experiences which can manifest themselves physically over time as dis-ease. As an example:- perhaps we have, over the years, been in a situation where we have felt unable, for one reason or another, to speak our mind, or to express our needs and feelings. This can manifest as a problem in the throat chakra. The throat chakra relates in the spiritual aspect to self expression. Thus, if our self expression has been blocked, the energy in this area will not be free flowing. Working with the appropriate colour/colours can help to dispel negative feelings, free blocks and re-balance the body. Breathing Breathing is very important - that sounds rather obvious, but it is surprising how few of us actually do breath 'properly'. Breathing is something we all take for granted and are inclined to forget about. However, shallow breathing can often be a symptom of stress. Similarly, shallow breathing can result in fatigue and stress due to the intake of insufficient oxygen. Continued on next page Front Line Insert 1 �Shallow breathing can also result in dizzy turns as insufficient oxygen is getting to the brain. Since approximately 90% of our energy is created by oxygen and nearly all the body's actions regulated by it - it is rather important that we get enough of it!! Go somewhere quiet and lie down or sit in a chair with good back support so that your body is straight, allowing you to breath deeply and comfortably. Make sure you are not wearing any tight clothing. Tell yourself to relax. Work on every part of your body from the top of your head to your toes, consciously relaxing each part. Concentrate on your breathing, taking deep in-breaths, through the nose, letting the breath fill your body, relaxing and calming. Then breath out through your mouth , exhaling all negativity and stress and ridding your body of the toxins which build up there. Repeat this a number of times - if you can only manage 10 minutes that would help a lot. Eventually you will be able to practice this anywhere, any time, when you are feeling stressed. Try not to hunch your shoulders as you breath in - try to consciously relax the shoulders and neck and breath from the abdomen - watch your tummy expand as you breath in. There are a number of breathing techniques which are taught by practitioners of different disciplines, either on a one to one basis or in a group, such as a workshop perhaps. If you have a particular medical problem, then a good place to start is with your doctor, who will be able to advise you. Colour Breathing A lovely and very helpful exercise is colour breathing - or breathing in the rainbow. The purpose of this is to firstly, heighten our awareness of colour and secondly, to encourage a balance of all the seven main chakra colours for our well being. Exercise: Stand with feet slightly apart and arms by your side, relaxed with palms turned to the front. Relax the shoulders, and concentrate on your breathing, consciously relaxing all of your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Breathing deeply in through the nose, holding for a few moments and then breathing out through the mouth. As you breath out, imagine expelling all the stress, negativity and toxins from your body. If you can do this exercise outside all the better, and, weather permitting, stand on grass with bare feet. Affirmations, either spoken out loud or as a concentrated thought, can be helpful too to help us focus and avoid our minds from wandering. For example, red is the colour of courage and strength - we could say to ourselves - the energy of red fills my body and I have the strength and courage to move forward along my life's path. It doesn't matter how we word our affirmations - they will be unique to each individual - but remember the positive aspects of the colours and make sure your statements are positive. Firstly breath in red from the earth, imagine it rising up through your whole body giving you strength and courage. Make an affirmation to suit your situation, as you breath in and experience the colour filling your body. Allow the colour to travel up through the body and out of the top of the head and then back down again to the earth. Repeat with orange and an appropriate affirmation, then yellow. These first three colours are absorbed from the earth. Then green. This colour is absorbed horizontally through the solar plexus, let it fill your body, thinking or speaking your affirmation, and let it leave through the back. Then blue which is absorbed from the sky, through the top of the head and out again going back up to the sky, similarly with the indigo and violet. If this exercise is done daily, you will really notice how your colour awareness develops and you will be able to visualize the colours much more strongly as you do this exercise regularly, balancing and enhancing your body's energies. Copyright: permission to reproduce providing "for educational purposes only". http://www.colourtherapyhealing.com HEPATITIS C — IT’S SERIOUS. YOU CAN HAVE IT AND NOT KNOW IT. Get the facts. For more information, visit www.healthcanada.ca/hepc Front Line Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource FrontLine Vol 16 Issue 2 - Summer 2003 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2707/2003_FrontLine_vol16no3.pdf 3c62f7a6a74430c04e2798b71738ac6c PDF Text Text Volume 16 Issue 3 OLDER ADULTS AND HIV HIV and AIDS are most often thought of in terms of young people, and education programs most often directed to youth and young adults. Many people over 50 think that they will not be affected by HIV/AIDS. Reconsider! Fall 2003 Inside this issue: • Fundraising News 2 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 Health Unit/CATIE 5 News from the Volunteer Department/A word from the Executive Director 6 Here and There 7 8 Parting glance • • • • • • New Staff Member at ATB Hi, my name is Carrie Miller and I am the new Coordinator for the "Enhancing Healthy Options Program" (EHOP). I have been a volunteer receptionist at AIDS Thunder Bay since last February and you may have met me at some of the events such as the AIDS Walk or yard sale. I am very excited to be joining AIDS Thunder Bay and look forward to co-ordinating a variety of interesting social activities and workshops for our clients. My background includes a Diploma in Early Childhood Education as well as two years of Social Work. I have worked with children and their families in a social work setting as well as a summer recreation program. I would love to give you a better idea of what EHOP is all about but it is my first day on the job and I'm still learning about it myself. I promise to give you a full description in the next newsletter. • As of June 30. 2002, 11.6% of reported cases of AIDS in Canada were over the age of 50. In 2001-2002, some 12% of positive HIV tests were among those over the age of 50. The actual number of cases may be higher due to lack of reporting and testing. People over 50 may be more susceptible to HIV infection as their immune systems naturally decline. As the vaginal walls of women begin to thin with age it becomes easier for HIV to enter the blood system. Progression from HIV to AIDS may occur more quickly in older people. HIV/AIDS can be misdiagnosed in the elderly. Symptoms of cancer, pneumonia, and Alzheimers can be similar. Anyone (man or woman, heterosexual, bisexual, or gay) can be at risk. Are You At Risk? • • • • • • Unless you are in a monogamous relationship and know that your partner is HIV negative (whether you are heterosexual, bisexual or gay) condoms offer the only protection from HIV in sexual encounters. If you are in the dating game (possibly after separation, divorce, or death of your spouse or partner), condoms will reduce the risk of HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Sexual liaisons during travel to high-risk areas may also increase your risk. If you share needles or syringes while injecting drugs, you put yourself at risk. The risk of HIV infection is increased if you have other medical conditions or infections. Blood transfusions are not usually a risk any more, as all blood donations are tested for HIV and Hepatitis C. Consider Your Family And Friends • • • Even if you think you are not at risk of HIV infection yourself, your son, daughter, grand-child, or friend may be at risk of, or living with HIV/ AIDS. This could put a severe physical, financial and/or emotional burden on you. By knowing how to talk about HIV and AIDS, you can help your children, grandchildren, and friends reduce risks. You can play an important role in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the community as an educator and/or volunteer. You can also help to fight stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS. We can offer workshops and presentations to your group or organization on this and other related issues. Call David Belrose at 345-1516, Ext. 13 for more information. �“ Words to Join us at Chapters on Mon., November 24th 7 pm - 9 pm for an evening of fun, culture, & shopping! With every purchase made by invited guests at Chapters on this special evening, 10% of all sales go to AIDS Thunder Bay. Choose from a wide selection of books, candles, chocolates, holiday decorating ideas & much more! It’s the perfect time to purchase your holiday gifts! When you arrive at the store be sure to sign in at the registration desk as well as fill out a ballot to win Chapters merchandise! Note: All discount programs including iRewards & gift card purchases will not be in effect during the event. Please R.S.V.P. by email to cporteous@aidsthunderbay.org Call the office at 345-1516 or drop by at 217 Algoma St T 'was Four Weeks Before Christmas, Almost To The Day, No Shopping Had Been Done, Life Got In The Way... The Boxes Were Empty, The Stockings Were Bare Mom Said "Things Are So Crazy, I Ain't Got A Prayer! Its Almost Monday November 24th, And All OF My Holiday Shopping Plans Are Off Course!" Dad Said "Hey Honey Just Look At This Fax... Lets Go Shop At Chapters Then We Can Relax... See The Entertainment, And Leisurely Browse Look At Magazines And Things For The House... DON'T YOU THINK ITS TIME YOU TOOK A VACATION? STRAP ON YOUR HIKING BOOTS... PACK YOUR VACATION GEAR... GRAB THOSE GOLF CLUBS... & HEAD ON OVER TO THE GOLF DOME FOR NOVEMBER 19TH 7PM TICKETS $8.00 EACH OR GROUP OF 4 $30.00 COMPETE IN CHALLENGES, SOCIALIZE & HAVE FUN! Page 2 �COMING SOON! Valentine’s Day Belgium Waffles & Crepes Saturday, February 14th Location: TBA Tired of the same old pancakes every Saturday morning? AIDS Thunder Bay is serving up a great Valentine’s dish that is guaranteed to win over the heart of that special someone! Mouth watering Belgium waffles and crepes served with fruit and whipped cream. A dreamy way to start your special day! If you have waffle and/or crepe makers that you would be willing to lend us for the day, please contact Crystal at 345-1516 extension 15. Spring Sap Healthy Sex Cabaret: The Next Generation Let AIDS Thunder Bay woo you with another sexy Cabaret It’s guaranteed to be more sexy, brash, and edgier than last year! Look for new sketches and more entertainers on stage! Watch for the return of David in his new attire! WATCH FOR THIS ”MUST ATTEND” EVENT LATE MARCH 2004 2nd Annual Bowling Party! After the striking success of it’s inaugural year, the bowling party will return in late February 2004! There’s no need for winter blues! You have a date with AIDS Thunder Bay in late February to raise the roof at the bowling lanes! Watch for fun details and possible new themes for this event. Gather your team mates now, ‘cause we intend to fill the lanes this year! Page 3 �EDUCATION UPDATE AIDS Awareness Campaign (Week October 24- December 1) This will be the second year of the global campaign targeting stigma and discrimination. A special insert is being sent out with November telephone bills. A transit shelter ad campaign will begin in late November. Monday, Nov. 24 will feature a Benefit Night at Chapters. Thursday, November 27, the SCOPE Peer Outreach team will conduct a blitz of local bars. Monday, December 1 is World AIDS Day, and will feature a Candlelight Vigil. World AIDS Day - Monday, December 1 Our Candlelight Vigil will take on a broader resonance this year as we hold it to coincide with World AIDS Day. The Vigil will be held in the Lakehead University Agora at 7:30 PM. This will be a time to reflect on the global and local impact of HIV/AIDS. We remember the 22 million people who have died worldwide from AIDS, the 36 million living with HIV and AIDS, the 15,000 people a day becoming infected with HIV. We also remember those who have died in our region, and those who live with HIV or AIDS. Come out for this time of sharing, light a candle in remembrance of someone who has died, and offer your hope for those living. Remember: Monday, December 1, Lakehead University Agora, 7:30 PM It’s Secret Santa time again Providing something special for Christmas has become an ongoing tradition at AIDS Thunder Bay. Last year people generously provided presents for close to 100 people. Again this year we are looking for people to provide either a large ‘stocking’ for an individual or a ‘basket’ for a family. We will give you as much specific information about the recipient as possible, e.g., gender, age, size and interests to make your job easier. If your schedule is too busy, we will gladly accept your donation and complete your Santa commitment. As well, smaller donations may be made to buy the many extras, such as, turkeys, hams and fruit. If you are making a monetary donation for this project please specify that the donation is designated for ‘Secret Santa.’ Baskets and stockings are needed by December 16th for Christmas delivery. For more information please call Gail at 345-1516 ext. 24 Page 4 �STD Urine Testing for Men—New and Improved The sexual health program at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit is wanting to let men know that there is a simple urine test to screen for two common sexually transmitted infections; Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. The Facts: Over 50% of men can be infected with an STD and have no symptoms. However, for those males who develop symptoms, they may experience discharge from the penis, itchy feeling inside the penis, burning sensation when urinating or pain and swelling of the testicles. Thunder Bay has one of the highest rates of Chlamydia in the province. There has also been a recent increase in the number of gonorrhea cases in the Thunder Bay area. Who is at Risk? Sexually active individuals are at high risk of having an STD if they have not used condoms consistently and correctly with their sexual partners, have had a new partner within the last six months, and are between the ages of 16-24 years of age. The only sure way to know if one has been infected with an STD is to get tested. Testing: It is easy, simple and effective. One urine sample can now be used to test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. This is a huge improvement over the old standard method of talking samples from the penis with a q-tip. It is important that males do not urinate for 1-2 hours before providing a sample. If one tests positive for Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, they are 100% curable and treatment is free. Where to go? For more information feel free to call: • • • Village Clinic Balmoral Clinic Toll-free 624-2000 625-5976 1-888-294-6630 __________________________________________________________________________________________ ATTENTION TO UNIQUE NEEDS URGED AS NUMBER OF HIV POSITIVE WOMEN RISES TORONTO, 2003-03-31 --- Improving the lives of women living with HIV/AIDS starts with recognizing that many of their most critical needs are unique. “HIV/AIDS most affects women’s lives differently than it does men physically,” says Ronnilyn Pustil, Managing Editor, Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE), the only national, bilingual AIDS treatment information service in the country. Addressing women’s needs is urgent because HIV infection is on the rise in this population, accounting for more than 24 percent of new infections last year. “In addition to her own personal health, many women with HIV/AIDS often must deal with other issues and tend to put others’ needs ahead of their own. What happens to her children or to an elderly parent whom she’s looking after? These kinds of care and social support issues need to be met head on,” Pustil says. “We, as a country, must move on many fronts to improve the lives of women living with HIV/AIDS,” says Maggie McGinn, HIV+ positive woman and Executive Director of Living Positive: Edmonton Persons Living with HIV Society. “There should be more women in clinical trials for anti-HIV drugs, and more research as a whole, especially about the side-effects of these drugs in women. But immediate steps can be taken. Having trusted, reliable information makes a huge difference—and that’s how CATIE is helping right now,” she says. Founded in 1991 and a national partner in Health Canada’s AIDS Strategy, CATIE has produced some 70 Fact Sheets in French and English. They provide information on symptoms, treatments, side effects, drug interactions and availability of treatment. The Fact Sheets for women include topics such as HIV and cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease and menstrual problems. A Practical Guide for Women Living with HIV/AIDS is in the works. The Fact Sheets can be downloaded from the CATIE website, www.catie.ca or ordered by calling toll-free 1-800-263-1638. Women and HIV/AIDS is one of CATIE’s top priorities. In 2000, the organization co-sponsored a three-day conference on the subject, the largest gathering ever in Canada of HIV positive women, health care workers, policy professionals and others working in the field. “The insights from that conference continue to shape the way we reach out to women,” says Anne Swarbrick, former Executive Director of CATIE. A second national conference is planned for 2003. In keeping with its mission to improve the health and quality of life of all people living with HIV/AIDS in Canada, CATIE tailors each of its publications to a specific group of readers, from health professionals to people with little formal education. All CATIE publications are free of charge in Canada. Our National Reference Library is home to 1,400 books and 10,000 documents on more than 500 subjects. We also subscribe to more than 75 medical journals and consumer-oriented treatment periodicals. To find out what we have, check our library catalogue on-line at www.catie.ca. You can request single copies of articles and book chapters for research or private study from our library. In addition, our librarian can help you find the HIV/AIDS treatment resources your need. Visit our newly revamped e-library at www.catie.ca or contact us at library@catie.ca. CATIE also presents workshops across the country. CONTACT: Brian Huskins, Outreach & Partnership Coordinator 1-800-263-1638 ext 254 Page 5 �News from the Volunteer Department Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *Mini-Putt Tournament—Nov 19 *AIDS Awareness Week—Nov 23-29 *Chapters Book Store—Nov 24 *World AIDS Day—Dec 1 *Valentine’s Waffle & Crepe Breakfast—Feb 14 *Bowling Tournament—late February If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please call Selly at 345-1516. Volunteer Activities It’s been a busy fall with the AIDS Walk in September, followed by a yard sale the first weekend in October, then the TBSO “Queen: A Night at the Opera” concert and the Opening Doors Counselling Conference. In November we’ve had the Visions and Light Film Festival, the Annual General Meeting and Tag Day. Many of our reception, driving and bingo volunteers attended a 2-day First Aid course in October. It was a good weekend with a great bunch of participants. We learned a lot and had fun at the same time. Other events coming up include the Mini Putt Tournament at the Golf Dome on November 19 and the Chapters Book Store night on November 24. We don’t require a lot of volunteers for these events, but we invite you to come out and be a participant. The holiday season will soon be upon us and at this time we would like to express our thanks and appreciation to all the volunteers involved with ATB over the past year. Your help is invaluable—we couldn’t do it without you! Happy Holidays What's the important stuff? Michael Sobota, Executive Director Our agency is moving through the busiest period of our year. From September through December, we have more events happening than in any other period. These are mentioned in other parts of this newsletter in greater detail, but they include our annual Walk, Regional Counselling Conference, Visions & Light Film Festival, our Annual General Meeting, AIDS Awareness Week. Each of these require months of planning, usually someone to lead the coordination, staff participation and a small army of volunteers. Simultaneously, in late summer and early fall, our agency experienced a cluster of significant losses with the passing of clients and some volunteers. And during this period we received word that our funding application to Health Canada through their AIDS Community Action Program was successful. This entailed all the work of job posting, screening and interviewing applicants and making a hiring decision. Through-out all of this busy, complicated Fall, it has been a challenge to work carefully, to give attention to the "important stuff" - while finding balance and room for personal care, personal time, personal life. In any given week, it all seemed important. What is "the important stuff"? At our recently completed 12th Opening Doors Regional HIV/AIDS Counselling Conference, I picked up the task of giving closing reflections to the conference participants. Over the two days of the event, I had sat in on all the workshops and plenary sessions, listening to presentations and to audience members, and overhearing conference conversations in the hallways and washrooms, between sessions. I want to share with you some remarks I overheard someone say, outside of a workshop, in one of those hallway conversations. The speaker is anonymous, and wise: "I think my stuff is the most important stuff. Then, in another workshop, I heard other, painful , important stuff. I still think my situation is most important to me. But now I know other stuff too." As we head into the darker colder months of the year, let's remember that surrounding us there are others with painful, important concerns. Hopefully we can balance that insight with what we know is important in our own lives. Page 6 �Here and There... Front Line Newsletter Suggestions? Compliments? Feedback? We are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read online or printed out. If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE send us your email address so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing the newsletter. Send it to info@aidsthunderbay. org ATB has a “suggestion box”. We invite your comments or suggestions about any aspect of our agency or services. The box is located near our reception area. You may offer suggestions anonymously—however, if you are asking for a response back to you, we need your name and phone number. We hope the new suggestion box will be used with a sense of good will and a spirit of support and encouragement. That’s how we offer it to you. Have You Purchased Your ATB Membership? Is your membership up-to-date? If you would like to renew or purchase a membership, please fill out this form and mail or fax it to: AIDS Thunder Bay P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Phone #: 345-1516 Fax #: 345-2505 For Information - When calling, would you prefer us to use discretion? Yes _____ No _____ About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 or 624-2000 About Regular HIV Testing Call the Sexual Health Clinics 625-5976 or 624-2000 About Counselling or Referrals Call AIDS Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Would you like to receive information by email? Yes _____ No _____ Service bilingue disponible Or, bring your completed form into the office at 217 S. Algoma St., Thunder Bay, Ontario Name: ____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ __________________________________ Postal Code: _______________________________ Phone #: (Work)____________(Home)___________ ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Email address: ________________________________________ This information may be used in future to contact you about fundraising/special events. Please note, AIDS Thunder Bay does not exchange mailing lists. All lists are confidential. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Basic membership $10.00 Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange Supporting membership $25.00 I would also like to donate $_____ CATIE 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca The opinions and medical information offered by “Front Line” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of AIDS Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: Front Line P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: info@aidsthunderbay.org Visit us on the internet at: www.aidsthunderbay.org internet: www.catie.ca Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Thunder Bay office. We are a ‘scent-free’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. Some scented fabric softeners have also caused reactions. Page 7 �Parting Glance AIDS Thunder Bay Advisory Council AIDS Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Richard Atkinson Dr. Gordon Milne Pat Piaskowski Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Tara Champagne Question #6 Does HIV get passed to the baby during pregnancy? If you are pregnant and have HIV, there is a 1 in 4 chance that the baby will get it too. This is true even if you don’t have symptoms. Even so you can reduce the chances of your baby getting HIV during the pregnancy or delivery. Find out if you have HIV If you have had some high risk activity during the last ten years, you may have been infected with HIV. Examples of high risk activities are unprotected sex or sharing needles or other drug equipment. The only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested. Ask your doctor, nurse or midwife. You can also call a local clinic or public health department. If you find out you have HIV and you are pregnant You can take better care of yourself and get early treatment. You can also choose to • take HIV medication during pregnancy to decrease the risk of the baby getting HIV, or • Continue your pregnancy without medicine for HIV, or • End your pregnancy You need to discuss your options with a doctor. There can be side effects from the HIV drugs for you and possibly for your baby. Remember: It is your choice whether to be treated for HIV or to take the drugs. After the baby is born: Don’t breast feed. The baby could get HIV from your breast milk. If you (or your partner) have HIV and you want to get pregnant: Talk to a doctor about how you can best protect yourself, your partner and your baby. ————————————————————————————— This is one of a series of fact sheets developed to answer frequently asked questions from clients of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse in 1999. This material was originally produced for the Canadian Health Network CLGRO Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario Box 822 Station A, Toronto Ont. M5W 1G3 Canada phone 416-405-8253 www.web.ca/clgro clgro@web.ca Contact us. Work with us. Join us. Page 8 Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Rev. Don Uhryniw Don Young Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Family Physician Infection Control, TB Regional Hospital Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ATB Board of Directors ATB Board of Directors AIDS Thunder Bay Board of Directors Sherry Britton, Vice-Pres Linda Geving Ken Perkins Ruth Racic Brent Trudell Carri-Anne Whidden Dennis Eeles, Treasurer Rob MacKay Jody Porter Carl Triskle, President Don Uhryniw Don Young, Secretary AIDS Thunder Bay Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Stuart Boland Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Gail Linklater Daina Maslach Carrie Miller Denise Olson Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Support Services Coordinator Counselling Conf. Coordinator EHOP Coordinator SCOPE Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Front Line Contributors Selly Pajamaki ATB staff & volunteers Editor AIDS Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ♦ Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - AIDS Bureau ♦ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Health Canada (ACAP) ♦ Thunder Bay Foundation ♦ John Andrews Foundation ♦ N.M. Paterson Foundation ♦ Elton John Foundation ♦ Fort William Rotary Club ♦ United Way And all of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals �A Word or Two…. from the Health Promoter (Charlene Burford) Mother's Cupboard: We are hoping the local high schools accept our request for them to host a "Food Drive". The MC Committee decided to allow each school to determine when and how the "Food Drive" would occur, we're hoping this approach will entice more schools to take part. Schools were approached in September, so far, one school (Hammarskjold) will hold a "Food Drive" in the spring. Enhancing Healthy Options Program (EHOP): AIDS Thunder Bay received approval and funding for a four year plan aimed at offering health enhancing information and workshops to clients and their caregivers. Welcome to Carrie Miller, she started as the EHOP Coordinator November 4. The following article is reproduced from the Canadian AIDS Treatment Exchange website (www.catie.ca) for educational purposes. Overview of Different Forms of Complementary Therapies "Complementary therapies" refers to a broad group of natural and spiritual healing methods and approaches that are different from conventional Western medicine (or pharmaceutical medicine). Many of these healing methods have been used for centuries in many different cultures. Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, a wide variety of complementary therapies has been used by people with HIV for various purposes, including general health promotion, relief of symptoms and cure of certain ailments. Some of the most commonly used complementary therapies are described below. Acupuncture Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles at specific points of the body to help stimulate and balance the flow of energy (called "Qi"). It has often been used to reduce general pain, headaches, neuropathy (burning, numbness and pain in the fingers and toes) and other symptoms related to HIV or side effects of HIV drugs. Aromatherapy Aromatherapy uses essential oils from plants to treat illness and promote well-being. Oils are often diluted in hot water or added to massage oils and lotion for use. Aromatherapy has often been used to reduce stress, fatigue and side effects of drugs. Ayurveda Ayurvedic medicine originated in India and is one of the oldest known medical systems. It works to cure illnesses and achieve good health by restoring the balance of the harmony between mind, body and spirit. Treatment methods may include combinations of herbal medicine, dietary changes, meditation, internal body cleansing (using diet or medicine to get rid of the body's "toxins"), yoga and prayer. Chiropractic Therapy Chiropractic therapy treats illnesses and relieves symptoms by manipulating the spine and muscles. It is most often used to reduce headaches, and back and muscle pain as well as reducing stress. Continued on next page... Front Line Insert 1 �Herbal therapy Herbal therapies are part of every medical system, including Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It uses substances that come from different parts of plants as medicine to treat a variety of illnesses. The herbal preparation may be eaten, drunk as tea, smoked, inhaled or applied to the skin. It may involve a single herb or several herbs used in a mixture. Homeopathy Homeopathy is based on the principle that "like cures like"; that is, substances that in large doses would cause symptoms of disease, in small doses, treat those same symptoms. Homeopathy medicines are natural substances in very small, diluted doses that can be used to treat a variety of symptoms. Massage Massage refers to the use of manipulation of muscle and body tissues using a variety of techniques such as rubbing, stroking, kneading or tapping. It is very effective in relieving stress, tension or muscle pains and stimulating circulation. Meditation Meditation uses deep breathing and other techniques to help a person focus his or her thoughts. It is often practiced in association with spiritual beliefs and is part of many healing systems, including Ayurveda. It is often used to reduce stress, anxiety and headaches. Naturopathy Naturopathy is based on the belief that the body has the natural ability to heal itself. It uses a variety of methods including herbs, diet, homeopathic remedies, massage and hydrotherapy to stimulate the healing ability of the person. It is most often used in HIV disease to enhance the health of the immune system. Reflexology Reflexology is based on the principle that certain points on the hands and feet are connected to other parts of the body. Applying pressure to those points can treat symptoms and help stimulate healing of the corresponding body parts. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) TCM originated in China and has been practiced for thousands of years. It believes that good health results from having harmony and balance between the body, the mind and the environment. It uses a variety of methods including acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet and exercises to regulate the flow of a person's life energies (referred to as "Qi") to treat illnesses and promote health. Complementary therapies and Western medicine do not necessarily replace each other; in fact, often they support or "complement" each other. It is important to tell both your Western medical care provider and complementary therapists about all the different kinds of treatments you are using. This will help them get a more complete picture of your treatment plan in order to maximize the benefits of the treatments and to prevent any harmful side effects or interactions between the treatments. HEPATITIS C — IT’S SERIOUS. YOU CAN HAVE IT AND NOT KNOW IT. Get the facts. For more information, visit www.healthcanada.ca/hepc Front Line Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource FrontLine Vol 16 Issue 3 - Fall 2003 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17/2708/2004_FrontLine_vol17no1.pdf 8bcbd5b0fec83aa321592127acf4e6aa PDF Text Text Volume 17 Issue 1 SUMMER PLANNING Spring 2004 The summer months have always been planning months for AIDS Thunder Bay. We get deeply immersed in preparing for events that take place later in the year: our annual Opening Doors Regional Counselling Conference, our annual AIDS Walk, our annual Visions and Light Film Festival, our Annual General Meeting. Various staff, board members and volunteers are all working on these events. Inside this issue: Fundraising News 2 Fundraising continued 3 Education Update 4 Support Services/ EHOP Update 5 News from the Volunteer Department 6 Here and There 7 Parting glance 8 Vesey Bulbs For those of you who ordered bulbs from the ATB spring sale, thank you for your order! The bulbs will be in soon. We will be delivering them to you. Don’t forget—we will also be having a fall bulb sale. Watch for an email or fax from us in late summer or early fall. You’ll enjoy seeing the flowers break through the last of the snow in the spring. This summer there is a significant addition to our planning agenda. The AIDS Bureau of the Ontario Ministry of Health is mandating "Local Planning Initiatives" as part of the implementation of Ontario's HIV/AIDS Strategy to 2008. The Local Planning Initiatives (LPI) will take place in at least 12 different geographic regions of the province. The LPI are intended to bring together representatives of agencies that address some part of service or activity relating to HIV/AIDS in that local area. The intention is to bring people together, discuss and analyze how HIV/AIDS is being handled in our area, identify any gaps that may exist and write up a planning report to guide our work into the future years. AIDS Thunder Bay has been chosen to take a lead role in this planning exercise. We will be assisted by support from the AIDS Bureau that will include financial support to hire a health planner/researcher/writer, HIV epidemiological information about our region prepared by Dr. Robert Remus, some initial facilitation from the Ontario Organizational Development Program, and funding to bring people from our broad geographic region to planning meetings. We anticipate that the Northwestern Ontario "Local Planning Initiative" will be launched in summer (June) and may take up to a year to complete. Closer to home, within our own agency, we are involved in immediate planning that will affect changes on our Board of Directors. Simultaneously, after many rich and valuable years of service to ATB, both our President, Carl Triskle and Vice-President, Don Uhryniw, are leaving Thunder Bay to accept employment elsewhere. The Board itself will meet to consider these changes of our Executive Officers. Our Nominating Committee will meet to address the board vacancies. We ask for your help and support during this period of transition, while assuring you that we will continue to deliver our programs and services to the high standards you have become accustomed to. Should you have any questions about these changes - or to offer your help - please don't hesitate to contact us at 3451516 or info@aidsthunderbay.org. Michael Sobota, Executive Director �E-Fundraising! AIDS Thunder Bay takes the plunge into e-commerce & charitable giving. Online donations can be made to AIDS Thunder Bay through CanadaHelps.org. CanadaHelps.org (CHO) is a notfor-profit charity portal that serves as an information resource about charities in Canada and seeks to promote and facilitate philanthropy through online giving at no cost to the charity or the donor. All our donor has to do is click the 'donate' button on our website (www.aidsthunderbay.org) and follow the simple instructions. You will be asked to enter your name and mailing information, email address, some directional details about the donation you are making and your credit card/online banking information. The information entered is strictly confidential, and donor information is only provided to AIDS Thunder Bay. All information is securely protected behind multiple security measures. CanadaHelps.org has worked extensively with a number of major technology companies and online security experts to ensure that the site not only meets security requirements, but far exceeds them. Further information about security features can be reviewed on the site. Donations made through the CanadaHelps.org website are treated by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) in the same way as regular donations. Within minutes of making a donation, you will receive an electronic tax receipt mailed to the email address you provided in the donation process. You can save and print this receipt at any time to use for income tax purposes. Because CanadaHelps.org is a charity , you will be receipted for your donation by CanadaHelps.org and not AIDS Thunder Bay. Partnerships at Work—Macs Milk Break Open Ticket Outlet Break Open Tickets (BOT), otherwise known as Nevada Tickets, are just one form of gaming that raises funds for AIDS Thunder Bay. As with all fundraising activity, it is extremely difficult to compete with the numerous charities in need of assistance, and even more difficult for businesses to choose which ones to support. AIDS Thunder Bay is very lucky to be working the Mac’s Milk located on the corner of River and Cumberland Street on the sale of Nevada’s. The funds raised from these sales contribute to the annual fundraising goal to support our programs and services. This year’s overall goal is upwards of $93,000.00 4th Annual June 5th 9am - 1pm St. John’s Anglican Church Shop for bargains galore, but don’t forget to explore the variety of scrumptious goodies at the bake table! All homemade treats that will provide you with lots of energy to continuing your yard selling throughout the morning! Page 2 If you have items that you no longer have use for, we will gladly recycle them for our sale. Your donation of clean reusable, re-sellable items can help raise funds for direct client programs and services. We appreciate the items that you are able to donate, but reserve the right to not accept items we feel will not sell. Among the items we are unable to accept are: clothing, large appliances, old sports equipment, and used baby furniture. Pick ups scheduled three times a week in the mornings of Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday. Donations will be accepted until June 1st. Call Crystal at 345-1516 ext. 15 �Join the Celebration & “Bring a Friend!” I walk because… Share your story & encourage others to take part! The Walk is AIDS Thunder Bay’s largest fund and awareness raising event. This year we are celebrating the many friendships AIDS Thunder Bay has made through our annual Walk. If everyone that took part in last year’s Walk brought one new friend with them this year, we could easily increase our attendance to over 300 people! The funds that are raised from this event support ATB’s Direct Client Services Program. DCS encompasses our Mother’s Cupboard Food Bank, Emergency Financial Assistance, transportation support, and child care services. You can double the funds raised and have even more fun by inviting a friend to walk and raise money with you! An increase in walkers that join us means more awareness and funds raised for HIV/AIDS in our community! Any amount raised is greatly appreciated. Set your goal for this year (and then over-achieve it)! Watch our website for information about new incentives and prizes! Why will you walk? Online registration will be available by June! If you would like to preregister and have your package mailed to you call Crystal at 345-1516 or send an email with your name and address to cporteous@aidsthunderbay.org www.aidswalkcanada.ca AIDS Thunder Bay has been holding tag day events for a number of years. These one-day events scheduled periodically through the year contribute significantly to our annual fundraising goal. The latest was held with the help of 24 volunteers on Easter Saturday at 4 LCBO locations raising over $2000.00 The success of these events is greatly due to the businesses that let us stand outside their establishments and our volunteers. Our volunteers each give two hours of their time greeting and smiling at many people entering stores. Tag days are usually scheduled around Easter and Mid-November, which means our volunteers endure drizzly, windy spring weather or chilly, possibly snowing weather of November. We can not thank you enough for your dedication (and unwavering smiles) for helping raise funds for our direct client services. Over the past 3 years, ATB has held 8 tag days all together raising just over $11,520.00 Page 3 �EDUCATION UPDATE DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL MARRIAGE A major factor in the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic has been stigma and discrimination. The recognition of equal marriage will be an important step in reducing discrimination based on sexual orientation. The upcoming federal election will be important as powerful opponents of equality will try to defeat candidates who support equal marriage. Focus On The Family launched a $1.5 million campaign to elect 42 additional anti-gay marriage MPs, and to defeat those supporting equality. Canadians for Equal Marriage responded with a campaign that will help citizens take action to support equality. Canadians can use the ACTION WEBSITE http://www.equal-marriage.ca to directly connect with equality-seeking candidates in their area, as well as identify key election battles, no matter where they live in Canada. Please, ask your friends, family and work-mates to visit www.equal-marriage.ca, and get involved today. It could be the difference between a Parliament that makes Canada a leader in human rights, or a Parliament that starts to take away hard-fought rights. To keep this election from becoming a major setback, the community must become engaged. Contact information: Canadians for Equal Marriage, 291 Church Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 2C2 Phone: 416-928-1238 E-mail: canadians@equal-marriage.ca Web site: www.equal-marriage.ca PREVENTION OUTREACH Our prevention outreach project, SCOPE, is now into its final year. Over the past year, SCOPE peers talked to over 1800 people and distributed some 12,000 condom and information packs. In addition a short play was presented at various locations, and a social marketing campaign “Get It On” used transit shelters and bathroom ads to present a prevention message. This year, peers will use a modified approach, targeting bars with Condom Man and the Condom Crusaders. The initial appearance took place recently at the Apollo Bar during Super Sexy Saturday, an event that featured several local bands and prizes for sexiest costumes. Independently produced, some of the proceeds were donated to AIDS Thunder Bay. After Condom Man introduced the Crusaders, party packs (condom, lube, and info) were distributed and surveys gathered to help us evaluate the project. Over the coming months, Condom Man and the Crusaders will be busy making appearances at local bars and venues that attract a young crowd. Additional social marketing will be done as well. ASSUMPTIONS CAMPAIGN In coming months, AIDS Thunder Bay will be participating in the Assumptions Campaign, a national and provincial initiative aimed at the re-invigoration of HIV prevention for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Over the past few years HIV infection rates among these groups has been rising in certain areas (Toronto and Ottawa, for example). Studies have shown that men may make assumptions about partner’s HIV status based on faulty reasoning. This social marketing campaign will bring the difficult and complex issues of sexual assumptions and silence into the open, and challenge men to look at the assumptions behind their choices about their health and that of their partners. In Thunder Bay, the public campaign will be something new, an approach made necessary by the fragmented and often invisible nature of the target population. Although targeting gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, we feel that the messages will apply to heterosexual men and women as well. Page 4 �SUPPORT SERVICES/EHOP UPDATE CLIENT DROP-IN A drop-in for HIV+ people is scheduled for the third Thursday of each month from 1:00-2:30. Refreshments are provided. Rides are available as well. Come by and chat in an informal setting. For information or to book a ride, call 345-1516 and talk to Carrie, Charlene, Gail or Stuart. Next drop in is May 20th. Let’s Talk Food What: a community forum on poverty and food When: September 17 & 18 Where: Lakehead Labour Centre Who: Thunder Bay Economic Justice Committee & Food Action Network How much: free Through workshops and discussions ‘Let’s talk Food’ will focus on increasing peoples’ awareness around food and how it gets to their table, celebrating local food producers and educating the public around food and hunger issues. For more information or to get involved phone Gail at 345-1516 or Kim McGibbon at 525-5991. Food security means that everyone has access to enough safe, healthy, and affordable food. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ EHOP Update…. from Carrie Miller (EHOP Coordinator) The Enhancing Healthy Options Program has been up and running for six months now. With the help of our community partners we have been offering free weekly complementary therapy sessions such as healing touch to our clients since January. There has been a variety of social activity events such as a Movie Day, ThunderWolves Hockey Game and Bowling Night. Currently we are offering an Anger Management Support Group for men. During the upcoming months there will be a computer training workshop and art therapy workshop. Planning will begin this month for the PHA Retreat that will take place this fall. For those of you who might be interested in joining the PHA Retreat Planning Committee feel free to contact me at 345-1516. The following article is reproduced from the Maryland Art Therapy Association website (www.marylandata.org) for educational purposes. This information is presented as a point of interest; it does not necessarily reflect the opinion of AIDS Thunder Bay. Art Therapy Art Therapy is the process of creating visual images for the purpose of communicating complex material on a non-verbal level. The completed art product offers a concrete, durable statement from the client. Art therapy’s usefulness stems from the inherent healing qualities of the creative process. It is during this process of creating a graphic or sculptural form that conflict is visually expressed, integrated and resolved into the client’s personality to assist in favorable changes in living. Diagnostically, art therapy can be used to assess development and emotional stages of growth. Art therapists look at color choices, spatial organization, specific symbols, and techniques as significant indicators of abuse, emotional state, neurological dysfunction, and psychological disorders for the purpose of planning treatment goals. As a therapeutic intervention, art therapy can contribute to: alternative coping skills, behavioral changes, emotional release, insight, interpersonal skills, maintaining self awareness, reality orientation, and strengthening defenses. It allows for the escape of uncensored, unconscious material more easily than verbal expressions, so that the therapeutic process is safely accelerated. Art therapy is used with couples, families, groups and individuals. Populations range from children to geriatrics with a variety of needs. How Art Therapy Is Practiced Art Therapists make accessible a variety of art materials in a safe environment that is conducive to the creative process. Their main function is to help the client find a comfortable means of expression. Their approach remains flexible, and varies according to the client’s needs, the goals of the facility, and the philosophical orientation of the therapists. Their approach can be directive by utilizing specific artistic activities that are aimed at reaching the therapeutic goals. They may also be non-directive, encouraging spontaneous art expression, free association, and obtaining the client’s own interpretation of the symbolic designs. The art therapist can be an adjunctive therapist, consultant, or the primary therapist within a variety of treatment settings. They work in: AIDS treatment centers, bereavement centers, counseling centers, hospices, industry, psychiatric and medical facilities, schools, senior centers, sexual assault centers, shelters, and substance abuse/addiction centers. Page 5 �News from the Volunteer Department Here’s what’s happening in the coming months: *Yard Sale/Bake Sale—June 5 *Tag Day—August 14 *AIDS Walk—Sept. 26 *Tag Day—Nov. 20 *World AIDS Day—Dec 1 If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please call Selly at 345-1516. Volunteer Activities The ATB Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event was held on Thursday, April 22nd. We began with a ‘Getting to Know You’ bingo and then were entertained with 3 skits about volunteering —the actors were staff members and volunteers. It was a thoroughly enjoyable performance. In 2003, there were 157 active volunteers at ATB; they gave 6,635 hours to the agency. Certificates and gifts were given to everyone. Five volunteers each gave over 201 hours, they received ATB sweatshirts. Several long-time volunteers were awarded special certificates and pins. The 2004 ATB Volunteer of the Year is Don Uhryniw. Don has given many hours over the past 10 years. He is a board member and sits on various committees. He is also a regular receptionist and has been involved with our Mother’s Cupboard Food Bank as well as volunteering for AIDS Awareness Week activities. Don has helped out in fundraising by working many tag days. He has been very generous with his time and we really appreciate all he has done. Thank you so much, Don! Thank you to the many volunteers who came out on Easter Weekend and gave us their time at a spring tag day. They raised $2,032! Many thanks to all our VOLUNTEERS Our annual Yard Sale will be on June 5 this year. We are looking for volunteers to help with set-up on the 4th and to work at the sale on the 5th. We are also looking for donations for a Bake Sale table. If you can help with the yard sale or contribute something to the bake sale table, please call Selly at 345-1516, ext. 12. We will be having a ‘mini’ Tag Day on Saturday, August 14th. There will be only 2 locations. If you can volunteer for a 2-hour shift, call Selly. The annual AIDS Walk will be on Sunday, September 26th. Sign up to walk and/or volunteer. You can do both as most volunteering takes place before the walk begins or at the end of the day. Page 6 Thank you to all our volunteers for all you have done for ATB. We really appreciate it! �Here and There... Front Line Newsletter We are now posting our newsletter online. It is in Adobe PDF format so it can be read online or printed out. If you are now receiving our newsletter by snail mail and you have an email address, PLEASE send us your email address so we can add you to the email newsletter list. This will help reduce costs and allow us to keep producing the newsletter. Send your email address to info@aidsthunderbay.org Have You Purchased Your ATB Membership? Is your membership up-to-date? If you would like to renew or purchase a membership, please fill out this form and mail or fax it to: AIDS Thunder Bay P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Phone #: 345-1516 Fax #: 345-2505 Suggestions? Compliments? Feedback? ATB has a “suggestion box”. We invite your comments or suggestions about any aspect of our agency or services. The box is located near our reception area. You may offer suggestions anonymously—however, if you are asking for a response back to you, we need your name and phone number. We hope the suggestion box will be used with a sense of good will and a spirit of support and encouragement. That’s how we offer it to you. For Information - When calling, would you prefer us to use discretion? Yes _____ No _____ About AIDS or HIV Infection: Call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-668-2437 About Superior Points: Call 624-2005, 625-8830 or 625-8831 About Anonymous HIV Testing in Thunder Bay Call 625-5981 or 624-2000 About Regular HIV Testing Call the Sexual Health Clinics 625-5976 or 624-2000 About Counselling or Referrals Call AIDS Thunder Bay 345-1516 About HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Call Catie (Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) 1-800-263-1638 Would you like to receive information by email? Yes _____ No _____ Service bilingue disponible Or, bring your completed form into the office at 217 S. Algoma St., Thunder Bay, Ontario Name: ____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ __________________________________ Postal Code: _______________________________ Phone #: (Work)____________(Home)___________ Email address: ________________________________________ This information may be used in future to contact you about fundraising/special events. Please note, AIDS Thunder Bay does not exchange mailing lists. All lists are confidential. Basic membership $10.00 Supporting membership $25.00 I would also like to donate $_____ ALL CALLS CONFIDENTIAL Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) CATIE Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange 1-800-263-1638 HIV/AIDS Treatment Information email: info@catie.ca The opinions and medical information offered by “Front Line” are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the staff and Board of Directors of AIDS Thunder Bay. Medical information offered should be used at your own discretion. Please consult your doctor. Please address any comments or concerns to: Front Line P.O. Box 24025 Thunder Bay, ON P7A 8A9 Or, e-mail us at: info@aidsthunderbay.org Visit us on the internet at: www.aidsthunderbay.org internet: www.catie.ca Attention all clients, volunteers and visitors to the AIDS Thunder Bay office. We are a ‘scent-free’ building. Please do not wear colognes, perfumes, aftershave, or scented makeup or hairspray when visiting our premises. They have been known to cause allergic reactions for staff, clients and volunteers. Some scented fabric softeners have also caused reactions. Page 7 �Parting Glance AIDS Thunder Bay would like to acknowledge the United Way of Thunder Bay for supporting our Emergency Financial Assistance Program. This is a wonderful community partnership that in turn will directly help people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS Question #7 What are the risks of getting HIV when you drink or use drugs? Alcohol or drugs won’t infect you with HIV. But taking risks while you’re drunk or high might. When you drink or use drugs, it’s easy to get reckless and not bother to use a condom during sex. Having unprotected sex is one of the most common ways to become infected with HIV. You might take the risk of sharing a needle. In 1996, about half of all new HIV infections occurred among people who inject street drugs. Whenever anyone shoots up, a tiny amount of their blood stays in the needle or syringe. If you use the same needle as someone who is infected with HIV, you shoot their infected blood into your bloodstream. Reduce your risk of HIV infection: • Limit drinking or drug taking before sex. This way you are more likely to take precautions. • If you are going to be drinking or taking drugs, get condoms or clean needles to bring with you before you go out (free condoms and needles can often be obtained through your public health department). • Don’t have unprotected sex. • Don’t share any equipment that could have blood in it (for example, water, cotton filters, cookers, pipes, straws, needles, syringes). • Consider cutting down on the drugs you use or getting treated for addiction. If you must re-use drug-injecting equipment, here’s how to kill HIV with bleach between users: 1. Draw clean water into the needle and syringe. Shake it. Squirt it out. Throw the water away. 2. Draw in full-strength bleach. Leave it for 30 seconds. Squirt it out. Throw the bleach away. Do this twice. 3. Draw more clean water into the needle and syringe. Shake it. Squirt it out. Throw the water away. Do this twice. ————————————————————————————— This is one of a series of fact sheets developed to answer frequently asked questions from clients of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse in 1999. This material was originally produced for the Canadian Health Network CLGRO Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario Box 822 Station A, Toronto Ont. M5W 1G3 Canada phone 416-405-8253 www.web.ca/clgro clgro@web.ca Contact us. Work with us. Join us. Page 8 AIDS Thunder Bay Advisory Council Richard Atkinson Dr. Gordon Milne Tara Champagne Richard Thompson Nicky Tittley Rev. Don Uhryniw Don Young Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic Family Physician Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit Superior Points Harm Reduction Coordinator Infection Control/ Safety, St. Joseph’s Care Group ATB Board of Directors ATB Board of Directors AIDS Thunder Bay Board of Directors Michael Copps Linda Geving Rob MacKay Eunice Ryan Brent Trudell Carri-Anne Whidden Karen Vescio, Recorder Dennis Eeles, Treasurer Denyse Johnston Ruth Racic Carl Triskle, President Don Uhryniw, Vice-President Don Young, Secretary AIDS Thunder Bay Staff Christa Alsch David Belrose Stuart Boland Charlene Burford Lawrence Korhonen Gail Linklater Carrie Miller Denise Olson Selly Pajamaki Crystal Porteous Michael Sobota Secretary Education Coordinator IDU Outreach Worker Support Worker/Health Promoter Administration Coordinator Support Services Coordinator EHOP Coordinator SCOPE Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising Coordinator Executive Director Front Line Contributors Selly Pajamaki ATB staff & volunteers Editor AIDS Thunder Bay acknowledges and thanks our various funders: ♦ Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - AIDS Bureau ♦ Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Health Canada (ACAP) ♦ John Andrews Foundation ♦ N.M. Paterson Foundation ♦ Elton John Foundation ♦ Fort William Rotary Club ♦ United Way And all of the people involved in general fundraising and the support of many local businesses and individuals �A Word or Two…. from the Health Promoter Charlene Burford You must get a prescription for the right antibiotic from your doctor. Don’t borrow medicine from your friends, and you cannot buy the medicine on the street. Treatment is important Your doctor or nurse may ask you for the name of your partner or ask you to tell your partner so that this STI will not be spread further. Make sure you take your medication until it is finished. Ask your doctor or nurse how soon after treatment you can have sexual intercourse. If you are a CHLAMYDIA female with chlamydia and you don’t get treated, this could Chlamydia (pronounced kla-mid-ee-ah) is a very common happen to you: you might develop a pain in your abdomen or bacterial sexually transmitted infection- and one of the belly that never seems to go away more serious. the infection could spread to all your reproductive I t can spread silently in females and cause a painful, longorgans and cause PID term condition called PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) you may have problems later in life getting and infertility (the inability to have children). Pregnant pregnant or during your pregnancy. women can pass this infection on to their babies at birth, The long-term effects of chlamydia on males are not well who can then get infections of their eyes or lungs. known. You can get chlamydia from oral, vaginal or anal sex. The following articles were reproduced with permission from "The Circle of Hope" Newsletter, Special Edition 2004; The First Nations and Inuit of Quebec HIV and AIDS Strategy The symptoms and signs A woman may never know she is infected with chlamydia until she has a test for it or decides to have a baby and has problems trying to become pregnant. For those who develop symptoms, they usually appear one to three weeks after sex with an infected person. Sometimes, the symptoms are so mild that a person may not notice them. Men often have no symptoms and can spread the infection without knowing they have it. It is very important that chlamydia be treated right away. What to look for Females: a new or different discharge from the vagina a burning feeling when urinating pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes with fever and chills pain during sex vaginal bleeding between periods vaginal bleeding after intercourse Males: a watery or milky drip from the penis an itchy feeling inside the penis a burning feeling when urinating pain or swelling in the testicles Source: Health Canada, What you need to know about STI – Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2002 Number of infections due to Chlamydia Genital chlamydiosis is the most common STI for which reporting is mandatory. In 2002, there were 11,131 reported cases in Quebec. Most of the reported cases involved women (72 %). Over 70% of these cases were reported among young people between 15 and 24 years old. After an important decline until the mid-nineties, the number of reported cases increased by 54 %, between 1998 and 2002. The increase was noted for men and women and for all age groups under 60 years old. All regions in Quebec are affected by genital chlamydiosis. In most regions the incidence rate is comparable to general rate in Quebec i.e., 144.3 cases out of 100,000 people in 2002 with the exception of Nunavik and the Cree Territories in the JamesBay Region, where the rate is five to twenty times higher than in the rest of Quebec. The improvement of detection methods for chlamydiosis isn’t the only explanation for the increase of reported cases. It can also be explained by high risk sexual practices; this hypothesis is all the more plausible because of the increase of other STI. Source: Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec. Portrait des infections transmissibles sexuellement et par le sang (ITSS), de l’hépatite C, de l’infection par le VIH et du sida au Québec– Décembre 2003 A quick and reliable urine test is available for chlamydia in most centres for both men and women. If you are having sex and have taken chances, see a health professional or go to a clinic and ask to be tested. How chlamydia is treated Chlamydia can often be treated with just one dose of antibiotics taken by mouth. But you can get it again right away from your partner if he/she isn’t treated as well. Front Line Insert 1 �Number of infections due to gonorrhoea GONORRHEA You may have heard of this STI by other names such as “the clap” or “a dose.” Gonorrhea is a common STI which, if not treated early, can cause serious health problems, especially for women. Gonorrhea in women left untreated could lead to a painful, long-term condition called PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) and infertility (the inability to have children). A pregnant woman can pass gonorrhea to her baby during birth, and cause a serious eye infection or blindness. You can get gonorrhea from oral, vaginal and anal sex. The symptoms and signs If you catch gonorrhea from having sex with an infected partner, you might not notice any symptoms. If you do, they will appear three to five days after sex. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you can have gonorrhea and you can pass it on to others. What to look for Females: new or different discharge from the vagina a burning feeling when urinating pain in the lower abdomen fever and chills pain during sex vaginal bleeding between periods vaginal bleeding after intercourse possible rectal pain rectal discharge Males: discharge from the penis, may be thick and yellow-green in colour burning feeling when urinating pain or swelling in the testicles possible rectal pain rectal discharge To test for gonorrhea, a swab of the area is usually taken or a new urine test may be used at some centres. How gonorrhea is treated The statistics for gonorrhoea are somewhat different than those for Chlamydia: there are fewer cases (880 cases in 2002); more men affected (76% of the cases 2002); 40% of the cases were reported among people aged between 15 and 24 years old and 42 % of the cases were reported among adults between 25 and 40 years old. The incidence rate (number of cases per 100,000 people) is higher among young men aged between 20 and 24 years old, a percentage rate that is five times higher than for the general population (58.9 compared to 11.4). In fact, the incidence rate for gonococcal disease is systematically higher for men than for women, except for the 15 to 19 year olds, where young girls represent a higher rate. Furthermore, the distribution of cases isn’t proportional in all the regions: 60 % of the cases are declared in the Montreal Region and 15 % in the adjoining regions of Laval and Montérégie. The incidence rate for men aged between 15 and 24 years old is thus twice as high as the one for the entire region. The incidence rate for gonococcal disease decreased every year as of the early eighties but this trend does not apply anymore. The number of reported cases went from 495 in 1998 to 880 in 2002 and during the same period, the incidence rate increased by 72 %, rising from 6.6 in 1998 to 11.4 in 2002. Information has shown that 60 % of the reported cases in 2001 and 2002 involved men having sex with other men (MHSWM). The overstatement for this population group is quite high, compared to what would be expected in terms of its proportion in the general population (probably between 5 and 10 %). The figures for Quebec are however comparable to the figures reported around the world for gonococcal disease among MHSWM. Source : Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec. Portrait des infections transmissibles sexuellement et par le sang (ITSS), de l’hépatite C, de l’infection par le VIH et du sida au Québec - Décembre 2003 Visit: First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission -- www.cssspnql.com for a look at their complete newsletter. Gonorrhea can often be treated with just one dose of antibiotics taken by mouth and can be cured. But you can get it again right away from your partner if he/she isn’t treated as well. See a doctor or go to a clinic and, if you have gonorrhea, tell your partner. Source: Health Canada, What you need to know about STI _ Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2002 HEPATITIS C — IT’S SERIOUS. YOU CAN HAVE IT AND NOT KNOW IT. Get the facts. For more information, visit Front Line www.healthcanada.ca/hepc Insert 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Belrose fonds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource FrontLine Vol 17 Issue 1 - Spring 2004 Subject The topic of the resource Organizations Health and Medicine Description An account of the resource Newsletter of the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English