Finding beauty in imperfection

The needles were flying in our last Tween Club meeting of 2009!

The girls were hard at work creating their own tiny "ugly" dolls. Okay, they weren't truly ugly, they were fantastic fleecy beasts that were made out of fabric, buttons and lots of imagination.

The goal of the workshop was for the girls to create something using their own hands. Something that they would find beautiful, despite the creatures' imperfections.

The "ugly" doll project borrows from the Japanese concept of wabi sabi -- finding beauty of things imperfect, modest and humble and unconventional.

Although most of the girls didn't finish their dolls by the end of the workshop, we packed them up with materials to finish them off at home. We hope to see their completed creatures at our first meetings in 2010.

Happy holidays to our Tween Club friends. See you in 2010!

The Art of Joy

November is always our art project month. This year we are focusing on decorating different objects (boxes, frames, and mirrors) with images, textures and words that bring the girls joy. The younger girls brought along plenty of decorating materials that displayed hobbies, interests, and words and pictures that bring them joy. By the end of the night, there were many dazzling picture frames, boxes, and mirrors, all plastered in bits and pieces of the girls personalities! A reminder to the older girls, be sure to bring an avalanche of pictures, words, memoirs, funky papers, maybe even fabric, to personalize your own art project!

Our Joy Workshop

This was our agenda for the evening. The girls talked about their essence, what brings them joy, the role of their bodies when they are joyful. They had a good time and Debra was so positive and a great influence on the girls.

Joy Workshop with Debra Isabel Huron - Oct 27th

Joy in your heart, joy every day

How often do you ask yourself: What’s my level of joy today?

When is the last time you spent an hour wondering how you could feel more joy, spread more joy, enjoy more joy? What makes you feel joyful, deep down in your soul?

Our first guest speaker for the fall session is Debra Huron. She is a JOY workshop leader and certified costume therapy fairy.

She has told us that the workshop goals and agenda will only be revealed to those who attend. She has promised to deliver two guarantees, but she won’t say what they are. She has promised to show up. And she has told us we should be grateful she is giving us something new and interesting to do on Tuesday, October 27 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

We All Know Each Other Now!

Our first two meetings are under our belts and the girls are already starting to feel like part of group. The first meeting was all about introducing Valerie, the idea of Tween Club and the girls to each other and us.

Our younger group is about 10 girls and our older is 6. We're definitely a smaller group this year but everyone seems to feel good about the small size for different reasons (new leader, new location, new girls, more time to talk, etc.).

On to the group meeting....

LOCATION CHANGE - Again

Looks like Dovercourt has had some problems securing a location at the Churchill Seniors Centre for us. We will be meeting in the Boardroom at Dovercourt on the upper level for the time being.

Sorry for the confusion!

Introducing our New Leader - Valerie Trenholm

I am extremely excited to be a part of Tween Club this year. I feel it is important for tweens to have a safe, non-judgemental space in which they can feel comfortable expressing themselves. I hope I can encourage positive self-talk, positive self-esteem and create opportunities for the girls to empower themselves.

A little about me:

~ my family and friends mean the world to me

~ I love the outdoors, animals, music, dancing and bowling

~ my greatest achievement was graduating college

~ my goal professionally is to work in a hospital

~ I am still scared of the dark and snakes

I strongly believe that everyone has a purpose and that everyone you meet will teach you something. That includes children and youth. I know that children and youth are our future but they should also be our present. They can be major contributors to our community if we give them the opportunity.

- Valerie Trenholm

Valerie graduated from the child and youth worker program at Algonquin in May 2007. She has also worked in community health organizations, facilitated after school programs for youth, drop in programs, homework clubs and taught babysitting courses.

Janis and I are looking forward to working with Valerie and Dovercourt Recreation Centre on this year's Tween Club.

NOTE:

The McKellar field house is being replaced over the next year. Our new home for the 2009-2010 year is the Churchill Senior Centre, 345 Richmond Road, parking is available just off of Churchill Ave, north of Richmond Road.

Getting Ready for October 2009

We are finishing up the schedule, looking for a new instructor and waiting to see where we will be meeting this year. Our old stompin grounds, the McKellar Park Field House, is being taken down and rebuilt over the fall and into the spring so we will have a new home this year.

A few things are up in the air but rest assured that Tween Club will be pulled together with a new leader, a new location, and a new schedule of activities starting in October.

Janis and I would like to thank Shauna Pollock for being our Tween Club leader for the past 3 years. Shauna has been an incredible roll model for the girls. She has inspired them with her strength of character and confidence and has been a wonderful friend and mentor to the girls. Although she will not be our regular leader this year, we are planning on having Shauna in as a guest speaker.

More soon, Patti

Another Fabulous Bizarre Bazaar!

The girls did a wonderful job! They took control of setting up, pricing and selling all our marvelous things. The bake table was filled with cookies and treats and everyone walked away with incredible deals.

In the end, the girls raised $500 for Help Lesotho!!!!! We're very proud of their efforts and had a great time with them this year.

Pictures will be posted shortly and a schedule for next year will be posted by July 15th.

Enjoy the summer!!

It's That Time Again!

Parenting Seminar

We have often talked about setting up some parenting sessions for the parents of our Tween girls but we just haven't gotten around to it, yet.

Someone in the neighborhood forwarded this on to me and I wanted to share it with you all.  I can't make it but I wish I could.

Patti

The Kitchissippi Times

The picture on the right will be the photo used in our upcoming Kitchissippi Times article. Lisa Wallace from the Times has been chasing Janis, Shauna, me, and a few of the girls for a few weeks now. It looks like Lisa has all the information she was looking for and we will be in print this week.

Aren't they beautiful!!

Asking Questions and Filling Buckets

The focus of April's meetings was all about questions, goals and doing your part to make others feel good. Shauna posed several questions to the girls and just let them run with things. In the younger meeting, the girls were in prime form to chat.

I want to be ________ because _______.

For the purposes of this blog I will just outline some of the things they want to be without the because;
an olympic diver, equestrian rider, World Wildlife Federation worker, help animas. professional soccer trainer, a teacher, marine specialist, published writer, a TV host, a dance teacher, a pinao player, a synchro teacher, to make a move, etc.

As we discussed our upcoming event, the Bizarre Bazaar, the girls talked about the charities they were interested in supporting. The ranged from water issues, animals, disease and finally girls in third world cultures. The last was the topic of most interest to our girls. They are hoping to sponsor a young girls education. We are presently doing some research to find the right charity.

Shauna also read the girls a pictures book called, "Have you filled Your Bucket Today?" It was a simple but wonderful story about how everyone has an invisible bucket filled with good feels and how important it is to fill others buckets. By doing so, we will out own. I have used the analogy at last 6 times with Erin since our meeting. I would recommend it even if you think they are too young for pictures books.

Patti

April Showers Brings Back Tween Club

We missed you all during March but we're ready to get back into the Tween Swing of things.  

Our youngers will be meeting Tuesday, April 7th and the olders will be together on the 14th.  The group meeting this month is on April 28th and will include a Tye Die Workshop.  More news on that shortly.

PJ Party and Movie Night - This Tuesday, Feb 24th

The movie has not been decided yet.  Remind your girls to come in their jammies, bring stuffies if they want and we will provide snacks, entertainment and girl bounding opportunities.

Patti

Drama Workshop With Paula from the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama

Change of Plans for January 27th

Instead of a PJ party we will be having our Skating night on January 27th.  Please make sure your girls are dressed warmly and bring their skates along.  

Let's hope the weather changes in the next two weeks.

Patti