Above: Krista (left) and Erica (right) taking in the outdoors during the annual McKim House vacation in Cape Breton.
“No two days are the same!” is a classic, longstanding line Patrick quotes about what life at L’Arche is like. After a rich summer and heading into a busy fall season, this line has never felt more true.
A highlight each year for McKim House is the annual summer vacation. It’s usually sometime early spring when I start getting text messages from Patrick, listing out his dreams for the vacation still months away. In August, the van was loaded up to the brim and headed to beautiful Cape Breton for a week of relaxation, shopping, movies and more!
In the summer, our accessible garden comes to life, thanks to our gardeners at Creative Connections. Each week, the space took on new forms, little by little – and it’s always a highlight when neighbours and passersby shout encouragement as they pass, noticing the effort and changing of the landscape. Recently, we celebrated Krista’s 40th birthday with a bonfire! An accessible outdoor and garden space truly brings people together.
Now, we are getting ready for an exciting fall.
On September 16, our annual gala Building Community returns at the Delta Hotel. We are so excited to meet this year’s special guest, Madison Tevlin, a Canadian actress and advocate for inclusion. The evening includes a reception, dinner, and a silent auction. We hope to see you there.
Shortly after our big event, on Sept. 20, we are grateful to be the beneficiaries of Onam Maholsavam hosted by the Saint John Malayali Association, followed by our AGM on Sept. 22, and later on October 24, we are the beneficiaries of the legendary Germain Street Open (registration is open!).
Notably, this fall marks 10 years of Creative Connections – and you best believe we will celebrate! Stay tuned for more info in the weeks to come.
It’s never a dull moment – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We hope to see you on Sept. 16 for Building Community!
With gratitude,
Rachel Vander Vennen
Community Leader & Executive Director