May is officially Community Living Month in the Town of Fort Frances, and there is plenty being planned to make the most of it.
In an official declaration and flag raising held last week on Thursday, May 2, 2024, Fort Frances mayor Andrew Hallikas acknowledged the month and all of the work that Community Living Fort Frances and District (CLFFD) does for those who rely on them.
“The town of Fort Frances is pleased to acknowledge the Community Living organization of Fort Frances and District for their outstanding service, and to raise their flag for the month of May as a reminder to all of us of this service,” Hallikas said.
“Community Living Fort Frances and District is a non-profitable charitable organization that provides a wide variety of supports and services, such as supported independent living, group living, supported employment, respite, clinical supports, a resource centre, workshops and much more to ensure that the people that they support experience more community involvement, inclusion, equity and meaningful and satisfying lives. The Community Living organization does an amazing job of supporting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities throughout their lives to ensure that they live in a state of dignity and participate in all aspects of living in this community.”
According to Community Living Ontario, Community Living Month is intended to raise awareness, and recognize the achievements of, the Community Living movement, which it says is a movement intended to promote authentic community inclusion for people who live with a developmental or intellectual disability, as well as their families.
Hallikas proceeded to extend his thanks, as well as the thanks of the rest of council and town administration and staff, to the employees and dedicated supports of the organization for their work in helping to make the entire community a better place to live, work and play, “not only for their clients, but for all of us.”
CLFFD CEO Ted Scholten noted that the month of May being Community Living Month is all about inclusion by helping everyone be involved in the community, as well as by highlighting the work that CLFFD employees do for clients and their families.
“We support over 80 people across the district, from Lac La Croix all the way to Rainy River,” he said.
“Many people get home supports, supports to help them live independently, supportive independent living, we have group living as the mayor mentioned, we provide employment supports through Good Impressions and other avenues. It’s a pretty wide variety of supports that we provide; respite supports to a lesser degree, but we do provide that as well. We support folks that have family home arrangements where they have funding through the ministry and we assist them with providing supports and being independent in community activities.”
Scholten noted that the month will feature plenty of different activities and events intended to help spread awareness of that work.
“We’re super excited, this month we have a lot of activities,” he said.
“The biggest one is our resource centre’s grand opening festivities.”
The resource centre is a new opening at 279 Scott Street that will be open every day from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., according to CLFFD’s Robyn Melville, where those the organization supports and their friends can partake in numerous different activities, including creative expression and employment opportunities.
The grand opening for the new Resource Centre will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., allowing members of the public to stop in and check out the space and learn more about what CLFFD has on the go.
For more information about Community Living Fort Frances and District, visit their Facebook page or their website at communitylivingfortfrances.com.
