I’m looking forward to sharing this series of blogs with you. It actually gives me the most reward, more than money, creativity or any other aspect I do. When I was young, I would often observe things that my parents did. My mother would be that person who donated 2 pound a month to who knows what charity (pounds are the currency in the UK). It wasn’t the donation but the willingness to help which I absorbed like a sponge. As Edmund Burke said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. It’s with this that I believe if you are in a position to help, you should.
Each month, I hope to bring you a blog where for one day, I’ll be giving back through the assistance of my company. Be that tree planting, clean ups, food bank assistance, volunteer rewards or more. I’d like to hear from charities, non profits, and friends of friends who just need help.
The first edition is with the South Asian Women’s Centre which is located next to Landsdowne station. They had posted on a forum that they were looking for a vehicle to take their volunteers and employees to the Niagara region for the day. I gave them a call, and learned more about them. They are a non profit that helps women who are facing abuse and mistreatment. They help them with services to better their lives in Toronto.
In their own words - “The South Asian Women's Centre is a voluntary non-profit women's organization run by, and for South Asian Women. Our purpose is to increase self awareness of South Asian Women and to empower women to develop their social and cultural potential. The Centre is a place where South Asian Women of all backgrounds and ages can access a variety of programs and services. We strive to provide an environment where women can work together to promote their well-being.”
As far as I’m concerned, if they volunteer their time to help others, then I would volunteer my time to take them to the Niagara Region. For some, it was their first time visiting Niagara on The Lake or Niagara Falls. The day out involved a stop at a partner winery of mine - The Konzelmann Estate. Here the group sampled wines and in some cases fruit juice. We took the below photo.
Something I like about the Konzelmann is its views. From the winery, you can see Toronto across the lake. The distance from Niagara on the Lake to Toronto is only 51 km. If it weren’t for the Lake, we could make the journey in less than 30 minutes.
After the lake, we journeyed over to Niagara on the Lake for some food. The group popped into the Old Angel Inn, which is said to be the oldest pub in Ontario. I told them the story of Captain Swayze, the ghost who inhabits the pub. They then asked me to untell the story of the ghost of Captain Swayze. It’s said that the ghost is placid so long as the British flag flys outside the pub.
After Niagara on the lake, the group made a stop at the butterfly conservatory. I was always fascinated by this place. True story, while I’ve taken people here - I’ve never been inside! Anyone who has joined me on an Algonquin Park trip knows that I like butterflies. If you’ve heard me bleat on about Monarch butterflies being the pound for pound kings of migration, then you know what I’m talking about. It’s said that there are over 2000 butterflies inside the conservatory.
Most people don’t know this, but to visit Niagara Falls. Buses usually have to pay a $100 permit fee to the Niagara Parks Commission. You might not know that there is also a tax on your food bills when you’re in Niagara Falls and a tax on your hotel stays too. It was once explained to me that this money is used to pay for fireworks among many other things. If you find yourself in Niagara Falls enjoying the “free” firework show, just remember, it’s not free, you’ve already chipped in. That cost has been added to your tour price, or meal at a restaurant, or a tourism improvement fee at the hotel. This also takes place in Blue Mountain.
The good thing that the Parks commission do, is a free permit for non profits and charities. I like that. Our final stop of the day was at the Niagara Outlet collection. This is regarded as Canada's largest open-air outlet shopping centre with a square footage of 553,000ft.
I managed to grab myself some work shirts from Marshalls. It was a sweltering hot day, so as always, I was grateful for the air conditioning in the vehicle on the return journey.
I’d like to thank the SAWC (South Asian Woman’s Centre) and the Niagara Parks Commission for helping to make this day happen. I appreciate all the hard work that the SAWC do and I wish them continued success for their endeavour. If you happen to know a charity or good cause that needs help, get in touch.