"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed people can change the world:
indeed it's the only thing that has!"

JESSE FUDGE
JUNE REPORT 2002
STEPHENVILLE

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MONTH

WHAT I HAVE DONE

All monthly reports from the facilitators were downloaded and perused for highlights and those highlights were included in the monthly Georgian Column. Again, I remind those who wish to have their highlights included in the column to post the monthly report on the web or e-mail it to me the second week of each month.

Each week I attempt to air some of the taping I have done throughout the week. It has become a little tricky lately since the camera etc at the Lion's Club is not set up the usual time and I have not been able to play some of the videos. However, hopefully I will get around that problem and watch for the set up times and advertise the playing time as rather flexible.

When summer hits here it is rather difficult to get people to commit themselves to the studio and therefore we had to cancel our live show several times this month because all the participants have backed out. Our next show is scheduled for June 27 and at present it looks as if that one is in jeopardy as well. It seems as if the summer taping session has to be on location where the activities are taking place. My summer project is to follow the activities and capture as much of these on tape as possible.

The monthly Georgian column was submitted and published in the June 25 issue. Highlights from the June reports were included in this issue.

The June edition of the brochure gave the names of all the facilitators and their e-mail addresses, a list of some of the events taking place in Stephenville for the summer, a little information on Father's Day, an invitation to the public to become involved in the Sharing Our Future process and a few snapshot of Ramea and the former tower in Stephenville.

A number of videos were aired during the month and we attempted to do a live broadcast.

All weekly activity sheets were completed and sent to Beverly as attachments.

The web page was updated on a regular basis. The Georgian column and the monthly report are posted on the bulletin board and the web page.

Contacts are made on a regular basis of the activities of the events that are happening in the area and where there is an interest shown in taping those events, I tape them and air them later on the community channel. There were tapings done of the sites around the area, The Strategic Economic Planning Forum, Story Time, a reading of Dr. Seuss by Sarah Anderson, and an interview with Sarah about her upcoming Stargazer Youth Theatre taking place August 9-25.

As usual a number of e-mails were sent out along with postings to the bulletin board.

WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY

There is nothing I would have done differently this month.

WHAT WORKS BEST

This month the things that worked best are the contacts with the people who are organizing certain events and to do a taping of those events to be aired later on the community channel.

THREE ISSUES

In recent months there doesn't seem to be any pressing issues. Either the people in this area are very happy with their lot or they are very docile.

WHAT WILL ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF SOF ACTIVITIES IN YOUR AREA

The SOF activities may continue in the Stephenville area if the committee that is in place becomes more active and can find the time to support the group of volunteers that have been with us since the project started. When this project ends, the last of August, a meeting needs to be called with all the volunteers present and discuss the goals and objectives for the coming year and to implement those goals. A closer association with the instructors and students, at CONA, who are engaged in courses that lend themselves to such activities, would indeed be an asset. Unfortunately I will be moving away from the area and will be unable to provide any assistance, but if there is someone on the committee or one of the volunteers who wanted to continue with producing the brochure, taping or other activities that is now ongoing there shouldn't be a problem. A hard copy of all my activities as will as diskettes and videotapes will be left at Beverly's office.

The Georgian
Sharing Our Future Column
June 17, 2002
Submitted by: Jesse Fudge

Last month's column stated that summer was just around the corner. However, it must have been some corner. We must be patient. It will come or we will go looking for it. We begin this month with the two very creative and talented youth facilitators in the Burnt Islands area. Vicki and Steffan are very much involved with a number of interesting projects. Their fourth edition of Burnt Islands Beats has been produced and gone to air. Footages of local events and video clippings of interesting sites in the area have been aired on the community channel. A town newsletter is a regular publication. Their latest venture, the writing of a skit entitled 'Yarns from Stage Head' will be completed and ready for the airwaves in July. (Steffancroucher@hotmail.com)

Susan Hulan, the new facilitator in McKays is actively pursuing the idea of obtaining a permanent radio station in the area and possibility of having it operated by volunteers. Expatriates continue to contact her concerning the events that are taking place in the area this summer. The Seniors Newsletter is still being published and gratefully received by the seniors. Susan was contacted by a resident who saw an urgent need for a playground in the area. She is now in the process of organizing a committee to oversee the plans and the possible construction. We wish her well. (sharingourfuture@nf.aibn.com)

The big project on the port au Port Peninsula for this month was the Health Care Forum held at Lourdes on June 14. The participants included Gerald Smith, Minister of Health, Susan Gillam, CEO for Health and Community Services Western and Tom O'Brien, chair Bay St. George/Port au Port Community Health Advisory Council. The forum was a huge success. As a part time worker with Understanding the Early Years, Mary is actively involved in many interesting and valuable projects. (marybarter@yahoo.ca)

Maxine is very busy on the Island of Ramea completing one project and initiating another. Her involvement with school activities are coming to a halt with the approaching end of the school year, but other projects are on the way. She is coordinating an environmental project with the various groups in the community, and was instrumental in assisting the CBC "Getting The Message Out" to tell the story of the Ramea craft producers. Anyone interested in the crafts produced in Ramea may contact Maxine and she will be happy to assist you. (cmaxine@canoemail.com)

The Sharing Our Future Conference planned for Stephenville June 12-15 was postpone until August since student volunteers were unable to participate due to the exam schedule. It is now planned for August 14-16. The organizers hope to bring participants together from Port Saunders to Ramea and points in between. The emphasis is on youth participation and the great work they are doing in their areas. Weekly video playing continues on Thursdays and taping sessions and live broadcasts occur at the College of the North Atlantic. Watch for our productions on Thursdays at 3:10, channel 9 and live on channel 14 once a month. The dates sometimes vary but where possible it occurs on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00. Enjoy your summer, participate in all activities and do your part in making this town a welcoming, safe and clean one. (jfudge200@yahoo.com)

The regular live show was planned for May 8, but many of our volunteers were unavailable at that time and the show was postponed until May 12. However, we couldn't broadcast live as planned because of the poor quality of the audio portion so we did the next best thing. It was taped and aired the following day. This was a very lively show with four bands consisting of a number of young people as well as a presentation given by Sharon Whalen, coordinator for Victim Services in Stephenville and an interview and demonstration of the DARE program conducted by Monica White and Constable Shawn Reynolds. The June show was scheduled for June 12, but it too had to be postponed because most of our volunteer workers are high school students and are in the process of writing exams. The show is now scheduled for June 20.

The regular video showing has been taking place each Thursday as planned. Some of those are reruns while others are taped during the week and played on channel 9 at the regular time, 3:10.

The monthly Georgian Column was submitted and published in the May 24 issue. It covered highlights of the monthly reports submitted by facilitators. Again, I urge all facilitators to post their monthly reports so that the highlights will be included in the column.

The May brochure promoting Sharing Our Future was published and distributed to various centres and individuals. It contained the names of all the facilitators and their e-mail addresses, Sharing Our Future Partners, an invitation to the population to participate in the process, information about Sharing Our future, snap shots of the area (This issue contained photos of Burnt Islands, Burgeo Sand Banks and Cape Anguille Light House) and a little information on Father's Day. Anyone wishing to have a copy contact me and I will e-mail it to you.

All video playing and live broadcasts are advertised by the local radio station and also through contacts with volunteers and people in the area.

Frequently I get requests from participants who participate in the taping sessions for a copy of the tape and in all cases I provided them with a copy. One of our volunteers did a CD for one of the band members from our last show.

My web page is updated on a monthly basis. The Georgian Column and the Monthly reports are posted there and minor changes are made on a regular basis.

E-mail and the bulletin board are checked each day when I am at work and notes are posted to the board regularly. The report for each month and the Georgian column are also posted to the board.

The Community Education Network Time Sheet is completed at the end of the twenty-hour period and e-mailed to Beverly each week.

During the summer I will be following the groups and the activities they are involved in to get interviews or to tape portions of their activities to air at a later date.

WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY

There isn't anything I would have done differently. Most things went as planned except for the live broadcast which had to be postponed for a week, but that was beyond our control.

WHAT WORKS BEST

The taping sessions and the live broadcasts work well. The playing of videos plus the publishing of the columns and the brochures help to promote Sharing Our Future.

THREE ISSUES IN THE AREA

There never seems to be any really pressing issues in the Stephenville area. They come and go. For a time there is the airport then the health care. Those two seem to get more airtime than the rest, but neither seems to get the citizens too alarmed.

The Georgian
Sharing Our Future Column
May 13, 2002
Submitted by Jesse Fudge

Spring is well in the advance stages and summer is just around the bend. However, things keep moving along and the coordinators of Sharing Our Future are very excited about the upcoming workshop planned for June 5-7 in Stephenville at the College of the North Atlantic. Participants from Port Saunders to Ramea, and places in between will be involved in the three-day workshop. Beverly Kirby of The Community Education Network, Fred Campbell of Ryakuga and the Sharing Our Future committee are making all the necessary arrangements. We can rest assure it will be a very entertaining and informative conference. The public is invited to tune in to our televised sessions, which will be announced at a later date. The networking for such events which has taken place over the past year and continues to do so is made possible through the funding of the Office of Learning Technologies (HRDC) and its partners.

The facilitators,Vicki and Steffan at Burnt Islands are working very diligently producing the show, Burnt Island Beat, publishing a monthly newsletter and arranging an exchange trip with the young people in Burgeo. They also aim to produce an educational video as well as film future conferences in the area. (steffancroucher@hotmail.com)

There has been a change of personnel in the McKay's area. Sim Priddle has left to pursue other interests. We thank him for the fine work he did as facilitator and wish him well in his new ventures. A welcome is extended to the new facilitator, Susan Hulan. We wish her every success in all her undertakings. Susan has assumed this role for a brief period, but has quickly become involved in the ongoing events and developing new initiatives. (sharingourfuture@nf.aibn.com)

In Stephenville, the regular monthly live broadcasts are televised on Channel 14 the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00. Local events are taped on a regular basis and aired on Channel 9 each Thursday at 3:10. A brochure is published on a monthly basis informing the public of the latest events and other items of interest. Anyone wishing to produce live programs or to tape events, to be aired at a later date, may do so by contacting the facilitator. Young people have been involved in the live broadcasts, working the cameras and the controls. The big event planned for June is the workshop scheduled for June 5-7 at the College of the North Atlantic. (jfudge2001@yahoo.com) 0r 643-5523.

On the island of Ramea, Maxine is constantly coming up with new projects and ideas. Her senior's project has been completed and was well received by the public. The school newspaper is a big hit among students and parents. Kozy Corner taped a Mother's Day program which was aired on Mother's Day. Maxine and the students she works with are keenly aware of a clean environment and have applied for a grant to assist them in doing a clean up of the community. While visiting Ramea this summer, join Maxine and her group of volunteers for tea or a lunch at D.J's, the only restaurant in town. (cmaxine@canoemail.com)

On the Port au Port Peninsula, Mary Barter is a very busy woman wearing two hats serving half time with Sharing our Future and half time with Understanding the Early Years. In partnership with the Port au Port Development Association, Sharing Our Future participated in an Economic Development Forum on April 20. From April 10-14 Mary was in New Brunswick partaking in a Community Development Forum for Women. The Lourdes Elementary Media Club continues to produce a very successful show each month. (marybarter@yahoo.ca)

If you plan to visit those areas of our province this summer, contact any of the above facilitators and they would be happy to assist you with any of your questions and hopefully make your visit as enjoyable and fulfilling as possible.