Executive Director Nicole Fuhsel

Email: linxexec@linxconnect.ca, Emergency cell 587~989~5691

Residential Manager Ronni DeLeavey

Email: linxres@linxconnect.ca Emergency cell 780~935~2772

Day Program Manager Colleen Hawkins

Email: linxday@linxconnect.ca

Office Manager Laurie Savill

Email: linxadmin@linxconnect.ca

Dates to remember: Jan 1-4 – Office Closed Jan 22 – Invoices/Timesheets due Feb 14 – Hearts and Heroes!

Board Members Ed Boender –Chairperson Cortnee Brunet – Vice-Chair Kim Dozois – Treasurer Susan Boyle– Secretary Jennie Tomlinson – Director Maria Semrau – Director Eliza Kurdziel – Director Eileen Radawetz – Director Matt Tanner – Client Rep

Recycling Donation Challenge (as of the end of December)

$ 2622.65

The LINK

January 2015

April 2014

#101, 4906 – 49

th Avenue Leduc, Alberta T9E 6W6 780~980~9423

www.leduclinxconnect.ca www.facebook.com/LeducLINXConnectCentre Twitter - @LINXconnect

You can now safely

donate to LINX online at

www.leduclinxconnect.ca

Hearts and Heroes! It is just over a month

away! Do you have your tickets yet?

Office closures! Just a reminder that the

office will be closed January 1st to January 4th.

As the year is fading away, I am so grateful for everything we have had this year. While life will always throw us curveballs and put roadblocks in our way, there will always be a light that will bring us together and keep us strong. LINX is that light. Being part of the LINX team and family is such an honour, and I consider it a privilege to be allowed to work with our clients, families, staff, and the community. So I am looking towards 2015 as an opportunity to work with you all to continue to make LINX as extraordinary as it can be.

Finally, and as always, I would like to thank everyone for all of their support, and wish you a happy, healthy and New Year!

~ Nicole

As I look back on this past year, I am reminded of good and happy times for LINX…Birthdays celebrated, milestones achieved, jobs completed and awards received…I am also reminded of some dear friends who have passed – indeed many tears were shed this past year. As we close the calendar on 2014 and open the calendar to 2015, I hope you have more hopes and dreams than regrets, more joys than sorrows and more than ever to look forward to! It is my hope that 2015 will be a year of promises kept, of hopeful potential, of renewed commitment, and most of all, of joy and peace for you, your family and friends. ~ Ed Boender, Board Chairperson

Welcome 2015. The new year is here and it makes me think of......

wait for it.... Goals and goal setting. I am sure my goal orientated personality can drive others nuts. However they are important to me and my job. This year I will be finishing up with my “Only One” Project. Residentially I have worked on this project with such passion this year. We want to make sure that all clients who receive services such as Respite have more than one option where they can say “In this place and with these people, I feel safe.” This not only keeps clients safe but provides the ability for our agency to stay viable.

I am also going to stay current and up to date with all staff training. I want to be supportive with staff taking the training they need. I am going to work towards being mindful of people having opportunities of taking courses before they run out and are not eligible to take a recert. I am working on advocating for staff to have different options when it comes to recertification. I am looking forward to having a test to write out of some of the courses that many of us have taken many times in our careers. I plan to schedule ahead several trainings and provide a calendar so people can plan ahead. I wish everyone a happy and safe New Year. ~ Ronni

Christmas season has come and gone. I hope the Holidays brought lots joy to all. It’s a brand New Year 2015!!! I am looking forward to help supporting the individuals to have goals met and new goals to work towards being accomplished.

LINX office will be closed January 1, 2, 2015. Thank you to those who brought in hats, mitts and gloves for the needy, and for the Food Bank box.

Welcome Renee MacPhail a new staff member to the Day Program !!!

Lunch Snack for December: Jan. 9/ Turkey and black Bean Soup Jan. 16/ Turkey Stroganoff Jan. 23/ Turkey Shepherd’s Pie Jan. 30/ Perogy Sausage Bake

~ Colleen

Assertive and Authentic Communication

Passive Communication

Style

Aggressive

Communication Style

Feelings

Authentic

from your

heart

Facts Assertive from your

head

Balanced

Communication

Style

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You know what comes after the merry making, jolly taking, sleep deprived, stressed induced holidays?

The upset digestive system and run down you! Here are some tips to re-boot your immune system and keep you armed against the upcoming flu season!

Two month until our “Hearts and Heroes” event takes place!

Just a reminder – if you or anyone you know would like to donate an auction item, please call or email Susan at (780) 719-0437 or s.boyle@shaw.ca, or Laurie at (780) 980-9423 (ext 223) or linxadmin@linxconnect.ca

Tickets are now on sale for $50 each. Please call Laurie to order your tickets and or to reserve a table for a group of your friends.

tinues

Acai berries, Elderberries fruit or juice, blueberries also high in antioxidants, Garlic, Sweet potato, Green or black tea, Almonds (just a handful daily), oysters and yogurt (with active live cultures) Watermelon, mushrooms grapefruit / oranges and everyone knows Broccoli and its family members, Spinach, cabbage, Brussel sprouts and kale, collard.

These foods are easy to incorporate daily into smoothies, soups, salads and casseroles, and give your immune system the power punch it needs to keep you Healthy and energetic. Check out www.webmd.ca for more ideas on boosting your immune system and even menu plans you can make yourself to help you with your ideas, shopping list and why you are putting kale in your lasagna.

PREVENTION IS WORTH AN OUNCE OF CURE, LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE: HAVE A HEALTHY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Giving Back In Leduc As the New Year begins and people think of changes they might make to improve themselves, volunteering might be something to think about. Volunteering in your community can give you more than you may think. a) Self-esteem: it feels good to

help others who are shut-ins or less fortunate than you.

b) Meet new people: when you are volunteering you can meet new people who also volunteer or get to know the people you help.

c) Giving back to your community. d) Valuable work experience:

(some of our individuals are working as volunteers in different locations learning janitorial skills and laundry care skills.

We have compiled a list of ideas for volunteering including contact information. There are many places in the City of Leduc that need help and you may think you don’t have anything to offer but there are opportunities for everyone no matter what obstacles you may have. a) Help out at the food bank. Phone 780-

986-5333 or email leducfb@shaw.ca. b) If you can read, read to a friend who

cannot read. c) Help a senior citizen in your

neighbourhood with snow shoveling. d) Pick up garbage around your

neighbourhood or around LINX neighbourhood.

e) Become a mentor to younger or new participants at LINX.

f) Tell someone that you appreciate him or her.

There are many more ways to help in our community. Our Newsletter class came up with a long list and would be glad to share it. It is posted outside Mary’s room.

4

Vincent Van Gogh, Bipolar This artist, famous for his

paintings and cutting off his own ear, is now often speculated to have had Asperger's Syndrome. ~ www.disabled-world.com

There are so many people who make our world a better place. So, we have decided they needed individual recognition. Please help us celebrate our Citizen of the Month, our Residential Provider of the month, our Staff of the Month, and our Employer of the month. If you see someone in any of these categories that you would like to see recognized, please let us know!

Sandy Schram! Michael shows kindness to

everyone. Michael has been a great Role Model for others. Michael has been doing a great job Volunteering at a local Church. He lends a hand when needed. Keep up the great work Michael !!!

Leduc Co-Op! Co-op has two of our clients

Volunteer twice a week to help bag groceries. They show lots of kindness and support having them there. Thanks for all your great support Co-op !!!

Jacki Burgess! Jacki been flexible at filling in

where ever needed. Jacki has found some Volunteer placements at some of the local Churches for the clients to help give back to the community. Thank you for all your hard work Jacki !!!

Diana Manion! Has worked toward ensuring

her client has the opportunity to be as independent as possible. She has temporarily taken on another client to move to independence as well. We will miss her greatly as she is choosing to take a break from the Support Home Provider Position for a while. JUST TEMPORARY!!!

A&W Agapeland Basintek Canadian Tire City of Leduc Co-op Coffee News Crackmaster Days Inn Daystar Church

Executive Alexandra Hotel

Executive Royal Inn

Extendicare Gateway Family

Church Holiday Inn

Express

Kosmos Leduc Public

Library Leduc Rep McDonalds Leduc McDonalds Nisku Nisku Inn Nisku Rec Centre No Frills

Pet Value Petro Canada

Nisku Planeview Place Salem Manor Salvation Army Second Glance Silver Shears Smitty's

Sobeys Beaumont Sport Chek St. Paul’s Anglican

Church Staples Subway Leduc

Common Wal-Mart Waldorf Zulu

LINX Employers