See our story in the BC Catholic
Government may act to save L'Arche
Jean Vanier visits Western Canada
Jean Vanier Press Release
Scotiabank's Gift will keep on Giving
Scotiabank Press Release
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
December 30, 2008 |
Jean Vanier, Founder of L'Arche,
Receives the 2008 Nation Builder Award
Vancouver,
British Columbia - Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, and son of the late
Governor General, Georges P. Vanier, has been named Nation Builder of
2008 by The Globe and Mail.
A lecturer and
prolific writer, Vanier is probably best known in Canada for his
bestselling collection of essays, Becoming Human. He does not consider
himself a philosopher, rather a man in search of meaning.
At
the age of 13, during World War II, Vanier left Quebec City and his
family to join Britain’s Royal Navy. Although he began his adult life
believing it was his duty to participate in war, Jean Vanier has
devoted most of his life to learning about and building peace—internal,
personal peace; peace between individuals; and peace in communities.
Forty-four
years ago, Vanier welcomed two developmentally disabled men from a
local institution to his home named L’Arche (The Ark) in France. He had
no idea that this very personal commitment would inspire a worldwide
movement or that it would one day be recognized as an act of
nation-building.
A social visionary, Vanier’s
concept of a great society is one based on the acceptance, even the
welcoming, of human weakness and vulnerability—our own, and that of
others. The origin of this vision lies in the friendships he has
cultivated in L'Arche, with men and women who live essentially by their
hearts. One of the great spiritual leaders of our time, Jean Vanier
lives in France, in the village of Trosly-Breuil, home to one of the
134 L'Arche communities around the world.
The
Nation Builder Award is given annually by The Globe and Mail’s
editorial team to an outstanding Canadian who unifies and inspires us
and, in so doing, makes us a better people and this a better country.
Locally,
L’Arche Greater Vancouver was recently recognized as the
“Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year” by the City of Burnaby and
the Burnaby Board of Trade for their outstanding contribution to the
Burnaby community and its citizens. The L’Arche Greater Vancouver
community was founded in 1974 and is comprised of six homes and two day
programs. Jean Vanier has visited L’Arche Greater Vancouver on
several occasions and where he is recognized as founder and friend.
L’Arche
Greater Vancouver belongs to an International Federation working in 34
countries across the globe. There are 29 L’Arche communities in Canada,
from Comox Valley to Cape Breton. L’Arche fosters a community
environment where the gifts of people with developmental disabilities
can be revealed through mutually transforming relationships.
-30-
For more information contact:
Denise Haskett, Executive Director and Community Leader, L’Arche Greater Vancouver
604-778-990 ext. 2246 E-mail: dhaskett@larchevancouver.org
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
November 14, 2008 |
MEDIA RELEASE
L’Arche Named Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year
Denise
Haskett, Trudi Shaw and Sue Allen of L’Arche Greater Vancouver receive
the Not-for-Profit Organization Award from Dirk Odenwald of ABC
Recycling, the sponsor of our award category.
L’Arche Greater Vancouver’s Denise Haskett addresses the crowd at the 9th Annual Burnaby Business Excellence Awards Gala.
Burnaby British Columbia.
L’Arche Greater Vancouver has been named the “Not-for-Profit
Organization of the Year” by the City of Burnaby and the Burnaby Board
of Trade. The award, presented at the 9th Annual Burnaby Business
Excellence Awards Gala on November 6, 2008, recognized the
not-for-profit organization that has made an outstanding contribution
to the Burnaby community and its citizens and in doing so has made
Burnaby a better place to live, work and play.
In her acceptance speech Executive Director Denise Haskett acknowledged
the importance of the award to everyone at L’Arche. “Through this
award you haven’t just recognized an organization; you are recognizing
those who often have great difficulty finding their place in society.
You are telling them that they are welcome…that they have friends in
this community. Society is richer when everyone, regardless of
race, religion, culture, ability or disability, can find a place and
reveal their gifts. L’Arche strives to be such a place, and the City of
Burnaby is a place where we can share those gifts and they are
welcomed. Together we are stronger.”
L’Arche is eager to see how this recognition will help them develop new
relationships in the City of Burnaby. Other award categories were
Community Spirit, Business Innovation, Entrepreneurial Spirit,
Environmental Sustainability, Business Person of the Year, Small
Business of the Year and Business of the Year. The Burnaby Board of
Trade also inducted Electronic Arts its Business Hall of Fame.
L’Arche Greater Vancouver provides homes and day programs for adults
who have developmental disabilities, the “core people” of their
community. At L’Arche people with and without developmental
disabilities share life in communities of faith and live together in
family-like settings. Founded in 1974, L’Arche Greater Vancouver has
grown to six homes and two day programs in Burnaby. They are part
of the International Federation of L’Arche, an ecumenical and
interreligious organization, with over 120 communities in 30 countries,
including 26 communities in Canada.
- 30-
For more information contact
Sig Stark, Director of Fund Development 604-435-9544 ex. 35
sstark@larchevancouver.org
www.larchevancouver.org
Blenz Cares
We’re
selling several different kinds of coffee (one is organic, fair trade
and bird friendly) as well as an assortment of organic loose leaf teas.
For every purchase made in support of L’Arche, Blenz Coffee gives
all of the profit of the sale directly to us. We invite you to
take this opportunity to enjoy quality coffee and tea while supporting
our community!
Blenz coffee and/or loose leaf tea can be purchased online at www.BlenzCares.com
(indicate L’Arche Greater Vancouver as your charity of choice) OR to
place an order contact Christiane McInnes at 604.435.9544 x.33 or development_assistant@larchevancouver.org Fax. 604.435.9560.
Click here for more information…
Newsletters
