Welcome

Pegasus Annual Picnic at the Beach – August 17, 2010

 

What a fabulous day for a picnic -  sunny skies, warm temperatures and a light breeze.  We had a great turn out; lots of family members, volunteers, and friends of Pegasus came to enjoy a bountiful picnic of delectable sandwiches, salads and a great selection of yummy treats and fruit platters.  Many thanks to all of you who brought your delicious donations to add to the potluck.

 

The much-coveted Bocce Ball Trophy went to the group from Matty Eckler Community Centre!  It was a tight contest between all four programs, the cheering sections worked over time! Everyone bowled an excellent game and it was very close, but the trophy has a new home this year at Matty Eckler.

 

Special thanks to Gene Domagala who helps us every year by providing tables and chairs for the picnic, as well as always lending his help and enthusiasm to all things ‘Pegasus’. 

To see some great pictures from the picnic, follow this link to SNAP

http://snapd.at/ee6xbr

 

 

Dragon Boat Spirit Challenge - Saturday, August 14

 

The Pegasus Dragon boat team of participants, staff, volunteers and family members, gathered at Marilyn Bell Park to take part in the Dragon Boat Spirit Challenge with 4 other fine teams.  It was a spectacular day and everyone had a terrific time.

 

The Pegasus cheering squad made a fantastic noise as the team paddled out to race and continued to cheer as each member returned from the valiant effort!

 

Watch for us again next year!  We took lots of great pictures and we will post them just as soon as we can.

 

Trends Cares Foundation First Annual Canadian Charit-BOWL

 

On July 17th Pegasus fielded two crack bowling teams at Trend Cares First Annual Chariti-BOWL.  Everyone had a terrific time bowling.  We had some really good bowlers wearing the Pegasus Blue, but even those of us who have never hefted a 10 pin ball before had lots of fun.

 

Trends hosted a delicious pre-bowling buffet and we all had the opportunity to bid on the silent auction items while we ate.  There were lots of prizes for bowling skill, free T-shirts and a 50/50 draw too.  We did get some good pictures, but unfortunately we are not able to upload them to our website at the moment…stay tuned!

 

We are looking forward to next year's 2nd Annual Chariti-BOWL!

 

 

 

C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures presents...

Family Day Skating Party!!

 

On Family Day, February 15, C.O.R.E. hosted a Skating Party for their staff and friends and family of Pegasus.  This year the party was held at the Mastercard Centre for Hockey Excellence - the rink where the Toronto Maple Leafs practice! 

 What a great location - completely accessible,  great light, nice acoustics and made for the comfort of both skaters and fans!  The disc jockey kept everyone entertained and pumped to skate! 

 

 

 

Toronto Beach Rotary Bowlathon 2009

 

The Toronto Beach Rotary Bowlathon 2009 was a huge success!  Everyone who came out to bowl to raise money for local charities had a wonderful time.  Just take a look at some of these great pictures:

 

 

Pegasus Flight Concert

 

Pegasus Flight Concert, held at Kingston Road United Church on March 14th, was a resounding success.  Thanks to the herculean effort of Mark Battenberg, who organized the fundraiser, we received over $1,000 in funds!  Mark Battenberg, Debbie Danbrook and Steve Raimon are very gifted musicians and we are very honoured they put their talents to use to help us at Pegasus.  If you would like to hear some samples of their lovely music, please visit their websites at www.Battenbergmusic.com and www.healingmusic.com   We will be playing their CDs at the Store, so come on in and listen and shop!

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Core Family Day - Monday February 16

We had a pretty good turn out for Core Family Day at the Ricoh Centre rink at the CNE.  Everyone had fun on the ice, even our guys in wheelchairs.  Lots of volunteers to push the chairs (it does give some added balance to those who are not experienced skaters!).  So exciting to be skating on the very same ice the Marlies use.  Many thanks to everyone at Core Digital Pictures, especially Ron Estey, for providing us with such a special day.

Trends Ski Day 2009

On Thursday, February 26th, Marie Perrotta, Cheryl Galbraith and Todd Nagle embarked on a ski adventure at Craigleith Ski Club, courtesy of Trends International.  Trends sponsors a day of skiing every year, with the proceeds from the day going to charity - Pegasus is one of the lucky beneficiaries, plus we get to ski too!  It was a perfect day and everyone had a great time.

 

 

 

 

Phoenix Newsletter

Winter 2008/9

 

FUN WITH THE DRUM

 

            Our good friend Margaret met us every Wednesday morning for the last ten weeks to join us for our drumming workshop.  We met at CC 55 early and took the Gerrard streetcar to Matty Eckler Centre.  There we joined the Pape group. Our drumming teacher, Terri started us off with the greeting song.

“HELLO EVERYBODY, IT’S NICE TO SEE YOU TODAY.  HEY!!!” 

She would ask us to follow different rhythms, volumes and speeds on our drums and shakers.  We sang songs and danced.  The time went fast and at end we sang the Goodbye song. Off we went back to CC 55 on the streetcar.  We had a great time!!     

By: Shannon

 

Drumming Workshop at BRC

 

We have been heading down to BRC for the past ten weeks to join the Beaches group for our drumming workshop.  Alex drives me and Sarah in the Pegasus car.  Pat takes the bus with Xander, Athena and Megan.  The Beaches group is all ready for us, setting up the chairs in a big circle.  Our drumming instructor, Terri and Megan (her assistant), start the class with the greeting song.  We greet each person with the song.  We sing songs and practice using shakers and drums.  We move around and dance too.  My favorite part is the dancing.  I like drumming.  When we finish drumming we have lunch.  It is nice to have lunch with Elizabeth, Kim, Brian, Andrew, Randi, Jillian, Morgan and Paul.  After lunch we head back to CC55 in time for Drama class with Veronica.

By Jen

 

East Toronto Christmas Parade

 

On Sunday November 9th, Pegasus participated in the Kingston Rd. parade.  We had a large group of Pegasus participants, families, volunteers and pets including: Fran, Jen and Cully; Xander, Maureen and Pepper; Sarah B., Lindsay and Bella, Margaret and Cooper; Cheryl, Bob and Maggie; Sarah S. and Marg; Doug, Dana and Emily; Rebecca and me. Athena and Sheila walked the whole way holding the banner!  We started in the back field of the Neil McNeil School and ended at Community Centre 55.  The weather was cold but the rain held off until the very end.  We all dressed warmly, some wore antlers, some Christmas hats and some came with their own costumes.  Only Shannon, Rebecca and I remained after the parade to enjoy a hotdog and hot chocolate and watch all the activities inside CC55…..where it was warm and dry. 

By: Jess

 

 

Pegasus Annual Spaghetti Lunch


On December 16th, Pegasus held its annual Spaghetti Lunch at the Beaches Recreation Centre.  The food was excellent and it was great to see all of our friends from the other programs. It was nice that so many family members and volunteers could come. There were 104 people there. That’s a lot of spaghetti! The entertainment was provided by the Polka Dots, Alvaro, as well as Shannon and Dana who each sang a song.

 

          Our group was in charge of the studio-work table, which was very successful.  The “Gifts that Give Back” campaign was a big hit.  Many of the bookmarks and old fashion sugar cookie jars were sold at the sale. 

 

Tea

      On the morning of December 24th, we had a lovely tea with the Beaches group.  We enjoyed tea and hot chocolate, as well as delicious cookies, brownies, and squares which everybody brought in.  It was a great way to start the Christmas holidays.

 

Special Pizza Lunches

 

There were many special pizza lunches recently.  One pizza lunch was for Nick’s birthday celebration and one was for Xander’s birthday celebration in November. On Friday, January 23rd, Jen invited us to help her celebrate her birthday by treating us to pizza and cupcakes.  The pizza lunches were excellent because it was a special occasion for everyone to share. We love cupcakes for dessert! We had lots of fun and enjoyed singing happy birthday.  

 

 

An Afternoon at the Ballet

 

            In November Athena, Xander, Jen, Margaret, Alex and Elizabeth went to see the ballet. The ballet was called “The Seagull” which is the only afternoon performance for the season.  It was very good and it was held at the Four Seasons Centre. We traveled by streetcar to get downtown. We also walked along the sidewalk the rest of the way to the theatre. Our seats were close to the stage and we had a good view of the dancers. The costumes were beautiful. There were dancers dressed as swans, and revue dancers. The colours were amazing; lots of pinks, blues, greens, whites, purples, oranges, yellows, and gold. Jen said “I loved the ballet because it was great. The dancers performed very well”. Xander was excited to be so close to the orchestra pit.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the show.

 

 

Nursing Students

    

     Welcome!  We have two nursing student whom will be working with us on Tuesday and Wednesday for 14 weeks.  Patrice Patterson is in her third year at Ryerson and Camelia Jurchescu is a student at Centennial College.  We know they will get invaluable experience working with our group and we will appreciate having the extra support.

 

The Pegasus Thrift Store

 

         Finally after much hard work from volunteers and the office staff, the old Pegasus store closed for good in December.  Some people were sad to see it close.  But it is a new chapter for Pegasus Community Project and “The Pegasus Thrift Store”.  We are now at the new store full time.  The store has two floors, and we will be working together with the other Pegasus groups to staff both areas.  It will be a great opportunity to work with each other. 

 

Dates to Remember:

On February 16th, we will be closed for Family Day.   We hope everyone enjoys the first long weekend of the year.

 

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Pegasus Thrift and Gift Store - gifts that give back

 

gives back ê to the Pegasus members, who are adults with disabilities ê the gift of opportunity to create gifts that bring pleasure to other people ê the gift of learning to create, to work, and to see that others value in your work.

 

gives back ê funds to the Pegasus members ê 100% of profits are used to help fund our programs ê programs  that offer people a chance to learn new skills, and to participate in community life.

 

gives backêto the community ê the Studio engages many community members in the design, creation and sale of Studio items ê they make a contribution to Pegasus, and become an integral part of the Pegasus community.

 

gives backê to the planet ê  ê Most of the material used to create our Studio products has been donated to our Store or to our programs ê Pegasus members and support staff recycle and reuse goods to create Studio items.

 

gives backê to the community ê the Studio engages many community members in the creation and sale of Studio itemsêThey experience the satisfaction of helping, of having their work appreciated.

                   

 Gifts that give back Catalogue

 

Pegasus Studio Guild is a group of volunteers, members of the Pegasus programs and staff who create handmade items for sale at our Thrift and Gift Store. 

 

Every member of Pegasus has an opportunity to help with the creation of these items.  Whether it is through hand over hand help, or through the creation and execution of patterns and designs for our gift cards, bookmarks, Feng Shui Crystals, bird houses, and tote bags.

 

All the items made in the Studio make wonderful gifts that are both practical and beautiful and come with an attractive ~ gifts that give back ~ gift bag. 

 

Feng Shui Crystal Pendant                          $8.00                                                                           

Crystals represent the wealth of the earth and are considered to bring good

luck anywhere you place them.  Simply place this crystal in your home near

a light source and in a place where you will see it often.  The red thread

energizes all the potent energies of the crystal and will create wonderful

feelings of well-being in your home.  Each pendant has been designed by

our Studio members to bring out the very best of the crystal.

 

Soup Mixes & Cookie Mixes                         $7.50                                                                                                                   

 

A variety of Soups and Cookie Mixes in a jar.  The perfect gift for any occasion.

Everything you need is in the jar, including instructions.  A practical and

delicious gift that is pretty enough to give without wrapping.  Just add

one of our lovely gift cards!

 

Minestrone Soup

Bean Soup

S’mores Mix

Brownie – Best Selling!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

                                                                                                                   

Bird House                                                  $20.00                                                                                  

For the nature lover our individually crafted bird houses are the perfect offering.

Each bird house has its own unique personality, handcrafted by members

of the Pegasus Studio Guild.

 

Note Cards                                                   $2.00                           

 

Our feather cards are a unique and special way to keep in touch

or express thanks.  Each one carefully designed and packaged. 

Many of our customers love the peaceful and ethereal tone of

these cards.

 

Pin Prick Note Cards                                     $2.00

                                                                                   

Our pin-prick cards are lovely to give or to receive.  Many designs and

colours are available.  Designed, pricked and water-coloured by our

Studio members.  We have both Christmas and All Occasion Cards.

 

Tote Bag                                                        $5.00                                                                                           

One of our most popular studio items.  Individually designed and sewn

by our Studio members, our totes are fashionable and so practical. 

The perfect size to carry books or groceries.  Each is unique. 

Made from new and vintage fabrics – a specialty of the Beach

Recreation Centre group.

 

Hats ~ Knit or Crocheted                              $3.00 - $8.00

 

Made by Volunteers, these lovely fashionable hats are great for the

women on your list.  You can never have too many hats in our climate.

                                                                       

                                                                                                                       

Beaded Bookmarks                                          $5.00 - $12.00

These lovely bookmarks have been a best seller.  Each one is a unique blend of beads, stones and charms and comes in its own little tin ~ a perfect treat for book lovers!  These can also be purchased at

Arts on Queen in the Beach.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

 

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Pegasus Annual Potluck Picnic 2008

 

 

The Pegasus Picnic 2008 was our best ever!  The weather cooperated beautifully and our First Annual Bocce Ball Tournament was a huge success.  Everyone in all four programs participated in the games, either by playing or cheering.   The trophy for the Bocce Ball Championship now rests at the Beaches Program, who beat out S.H. Armstrong by just inches!   

 

As usual the food was wonderful, with lots of delicious salads and desserts from friends and family and coffee supplied by Starbucks.  Gene Domgala and Ernest Daigle organized a Bingo game, which was lots of fun and finally the awarding of doorprizes wrapped up the day.  Stay tuned for more about the picnic and watch for some great pictures!

 

St. George’s Society of Toronto Charitable Trust Fund

 

The St. George’s Society of Toronto Charitable Trust Fund has just granted Pegasus Community Project funding for an Expressive Drumming Project.  This funding will allow up to 15 participants the opportunity to learn to create music in cooperation with others, listen and take turns and learn the value of practice, as well as allow us to train one of our staff to teach the course. 

 

Drumming as an intervention is well matched to the needs of many members of our group.  It addresses the neurological needs, provides stress relief, calming, and focus.  It gives a greater sense of control and confidence and facilitates non verbal communication while building relationships.  We expect this project to have a very positive affect in the lives of those who participate.

 

Special thanks to John Zimnoch, who suggested we contact the St. George’s Society.  John has been a very supportive and long time friend to Pegasus.

 

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The Retired Teachers of Ontario,

District 24 Scarborough-East York

 

Many thanks to The Retired Teachers of Ontario, District 24 Scarborough-East York, who presented Marie Perrotta with a cheque for a grant they awarded to Pegasus Community Project at a luncheon held last week.  The grant was to support our photography project called Photography: Speaking Without Words. 

 

The funding will allow Pegasus participants to build on the pilot that was launched last summer and conducted by volunteer and recent photo journalist graduate, Ashley Hutcheson.    The grant will provide cameras, memory cards, printing, framing, matting and the publication of a book of the participants chosen work. 

 

The project will culminate at a gallery exhibit and sale at a local venue.  The photographers will be on site to present their photos.

 

All are invited!  Please check our website for the date (Autumn 2008) and location.

 

Special thanks to Kathleen Turkington, who championed our grant proposal, and again thank you to the members RTO/ETO STO for your ‘Service to Others’ program.

  ***

 

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Toronto Bead Society 2009 Calendar Project

 

The Toronto Bead Society has selected Pegasus Community Project as the recipient of  their 2009 Calendar Project!   Last year they sold more than 800 calendars within the bead community alone to benefit the Corsage Project and this year they have selected us!

Megan Summers, a longtime friend of Pegasus and one of the founders of Corsage, suggested Marie contact the Bead Society to let their members know about Pegasus. Corsage shares our delight in being chosen and Pegasus extends many thanks to Megan and other Corsage members.

 

The Toronto Bead Society (TBS) formed in 1994, is a volunteer group of people who share an abiding love of, and enthusiasm for, beads, beadwork, and related jewelry-making skills. TBS is an affiliated member of the Ontario Crafts Council.

 

The calendar features lovely pictures of work created by TBS members as well as a back feature page about Pegasus.  It will be assembled and sent to the printers in September and sales will start in October.  The Toronto Bead Society will sell sponsorship to cover the cost of printing and all the money raised through the sale of the calendars will go to our group.  We  know all the friends of Pegasus will be anxious to get multiple copies of the 2009 calendar. 

 

We will keep you updated on the progress of the calendar.  If you would like to know more about the Toronto Bead Society, you can visit them at www.torontobeadsociety.org.