On October 16th, Community Living Oakville welcomed Civitan Club of Oakville members, their spouses, clients and MPP Kevin Flynn to a special open house and dedication ceremony to thank the Club for its donation of workshop and lounge furniture.

Community Living Oakville was founded 55 years ago to support people with intellectual disability. The non-profit organization provides homes (10 for adults and one dedicated to children) as well as adult programs that teach pre-vocational and life skills.  Support is also given to individuals with developmental disabilities in their job searches to maintain employment in the Oakville area.

Speers Place Industries is a vocational area at Community Living’s principal Wyecroft Road location which helps their clients develop work skills that may lead to competitive employment in the community.  The workshop provides light
industrial work and assembly services to local companies including Ford Canada.

But its furniture had been inappropriate for the needs of its users; stacking chairs in use were ergonomically inadequate and lounge chairs in the break area were uncomfortable.  Acquiring proper furniture had been on Community Living’s unfilled ‘wish list’.  The Civitan Club of Oakville rose to the challenge and stepped up to fund 42 adjustable, resilient and ergonomically correct workshop chairs and  six comfortable lounge chairs for a total cost of about $35,000.

After a tour of the workshop (where clients enthusiastically demonstrated their use of the new chairs), Club President James McCannell graciously accepted Community Living’s thanks from acting director John Wilson and Speers Place Industries director Suzanne Aikman.  “Civitan and Community Living have a symbiotic relationship that will continue well into the future. Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to assist you,” James said. “The funds that made this chair donation possible were generated by four special projects that our Club sponsors and staffs here in Oakville.  So we ask the community to support us by patronizing our annual Civitan Charity Golf Tournament at Glen Abbey (July 11th next year); the Civitan Club of Oakville Farmers Market at Hopedale Mall each Saturday;  the Mayfair Bingo – every second Thursday at 7:00 p.m.; and our Club’s annual sale of Claxton Christmas Cakes.”

Since its founding a half century ago, the Civitan Club of Oakville has been a consistent and significant supporter of Community Living Oakville.  Past Club donations included a van to transport Community Living’s residents with developmental disabilities and helping to retire the mortgage of one of its homes providing residential placement as well as sponsoring an annual Fishing Derby and picnic.