As we head into the heart of fall and see Thanksgiving in our rear view mirror, I am reminding everyone that there are many vaccination clinics offering the Covid-19 Bivalent Booster for 18+. Also, with cold and flu season approaching, we strongly recommend flu shots.
We hosted a focus group for employees to discuss the Strategic Plan and determine if, after the last two turbulent years, it is still relevant. I look forward to a second focus group with families on October 12.
The annual staff training day on the Friday before Thanksgiving was held and, aside from our regular reviews, we added an online course of Respect and Inclusion in the Workplace. This course is the start of a plan to ensure Pegasus has the best practices with regards to this important topic. More to come.
With the establishment of the Gavin Moore-Burns Memorial fund we have been able to register two staff to receive comprehensive training on supporting people aging with developmental disabilities. This is the start of our plan to be able to provide a specific program around this population.
Sadly we must say goodbye to Michelle Dervan, Supervisor of the Phoenix program. Michelle is moving to be closer to family and she will be greatly missed. She oversaw and facilitated the move into the Danforth space and has been on top of everything there since we opened in February. Congratulations to Naomi Fine who was the successful applicant for the position.
Our AGM will be on Wednesday November 23. Invitations will go out in early November.
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BIG NEWS! The Pegasus Shoppe is now open Sundays!! An extra day of Pegasus time! 11 am - 4 pm!
Fall Fest was a great success! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us and the rest of Kingston Rd Village!
It's spooky season, and before you know it, it will be the winter holiday season! We're looking for your gently used holiday-themed donations. We appreciate all our generous donors!
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Team Saturday visited Winthrow's Farmer's Market, and they also took a trip to see Graffti Alley on a Saturday in September.
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Beaches had such a busy month! They celebrated the 80s with dancing and karaoke, and towards the end of September, Beaches had a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, and they spent time reflecting and learning for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.
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Phoenix received donations! Thank you to Naomi for donating an old mini washing machine, and to Pat who donated art supplies and an easel.
You can learn more about what our programs are looking for, and to donate directly to them by going to our Program Sponsorship page.
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Check out our Instagram to see more!
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Congratulations to Nancy N for being our October Stellar Staff of the Month! Nancy is wonderful, talented, and hardworking. She is very person-oriented and is kind to everyone.
Nancy is Matty's go-to person for everything on Instagram. She makes the most amazing Reels and has taken Matty program to a different level. She has been with Pegasus for more than ten years and makes a wonderful addition to our staff.
For all these reasons and more, this is why Nancy is this month's Stellar Staff!
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Pegasus Incredible Film Festival (PIFF)
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Thank you to everyone who has continued to donate through our monthly giving program sponsorships. You can choose a one-time or monthly donation that goes directly to Beaches, Phoenix, SH Armstrong, and Matty.
November 29 is GivingTuesday, make sure that you are following us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to re-share our posts to your networks and to encourage your friends and colleagues to make a donation to our organization. Every little bit helps!
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The Board met on Wednesday, 28 September.
Of several candidates who initially expressed interest in joining our Board of Directors, only one candidate has followed through and been interviewed. We will welcome them at the October meeting so they can get an idea of what the Board is all about. We are currently seeking at least 2 more new members. Ideally, they would have experience/expertise in fundraising, legal or marketing/communications. Clearly, experience in non-profit and/or disability services would be a tremendous asset as well.
We applaud our current administrative staff for their excellent work as they face challenges with program staff issues and turnover. Several new Participants have joined our numbers and their welcome/transition is being facilitated by our stalwart program staff.
Serving our aging participants has been identified as a priority. Training will begin this month for two program staff in serving and managing Participants’ needs as they age.
Strategic Plan focus groups will be held over the next two weeks, with staff and family/caregivers of Participants. PLEASE join us!
We are all excited for PIFF! Hope to see you there.
Our next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, 26 October. To add items to the agenda for upcoming Board meetings, please call or email Paula Murphy at 416-691-5651 or pmurphy@pegasustoronto.ca.
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Community Events
Municipal Elections are being held on October 24. For more information on how to vote please see the City of Toronto's Election website.
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Important  Dates
October 22 - PIFF!
October 24 - Municipal Election
October 31 - Halloween
November 23 - AGM.
November 29 - GivingTuesday!
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