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Prince Rupert celebrates Community Living Month

Over the weekend, the Prince Rupert Self-Advocacy Group hosted a “caring communities” themed barbecue.
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Music and a barbecue

Over the weekend, the Prince Rupert Self-Advocacy Group hosted a “caring communities” themed barbecue for the public in honour of Community Living Month, where people in attendance could indulge in some barbecued-goods while awareness was being made about people living with disabilities.

“The Prince Rupert Self-Advocacy Group would like to thank the community for being so supportive and [the employers that employ our individuals],” said Val Whomes from the Self-Advocacy Group, mentioning Overwaitea Foods, Community Living BC, The Dollar Store, the Bargain Shop, Cooks Jewelers, City Furniture, Moose Hall, Rona, Home Hardware, Northern Savings Credit Union and La Gondola among others.

At the gathering there was cake, balloons, popcorn and barbecued food cooked by members of the Prince Rupert Rotary Club, a musical performance done by Ray Leonard and Cynthia Pyde, as well as pins, stickers, and awareness brochures being handed out.

Mayor Jack Mussallem was one of the speakers at the barbecue, and stated how pleased he was there was a gathering of this nature for Community Living Month.

“A day like this with a variety of people is all about our community and the people living in it, those that give, those that provide and those that try and help out for the betterment of not only the community but everybody that lives in it,” he said.

Lindsay Vincent from the local BC SPCA branch was another speaker at the event, and spoke on behalf of the employers in the community that give people living with development disabilities jobs.

“Having self-advocates working at the SPCA has truly been beneficial. They are trained like any other BC SPCA employee in specific task which they are able complete with little to no guidance,” Vincent said, adding how helpful Fairview Management volunteers have been to the local SPCA.

The Prince Rupert Self-Advocacy Group is funded through the Ministry for Children and Families. The members of the group are individuals who have some form of developmental disability.