Wired Wednesdays: Unlocking Substack’s Potential
Join Ashley this week on Wired Wednesdays as she walks you through building and growing your own Substack newsletter. From creating engaging content to building a loyal readership, she’ll show you how to leverage this powerful platform for direct connection and audience growth!
Ashley will be available in the L.E. Shore Boardroom from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM for 15-minute drop-in sessions to assist with minor tech issues. For more complex problems that may require additional time, 1-hour tech help appointments are available four days a week.
Storytelling for Adults: Canadian Artists & Their Signature Landscapes
A Storytelling Event
The Canadian landscape is key to the psyche of Canadian painters like Tom Thomson, William Kurelek and Emily Carr. Join Alistair Martin as he shares selected landscapes of these iconic painters to reveal what it meant to be Canadian in the 20th Century. During this illustrated journey across Canada’s Algonquin region, its prairies and the forests of British Columbia, participants will be encouraged to share what Canada means to us today. Please RSVP below.
Alistair Martin has been a storyteller for the past ten years in the Life Stories program, which he created for seniors in Toronto. He holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology, and a Doctorate in Arts Education. Both an actor and director, he is a member of the Live History company, which specializes in site-specific historical improvisation.
Knit and Knatters Club
Our informal knitting club is open to enthusiasts of all skill levels, and we invite you to join us in our cozy and friendly space. All you need to bring are your needles and wool, and you'll have the perfect setting to knit, chat, and forge new friendships.
Sustainability Summit: Journey of Water Film Premiere
The 2nd Annual Blue Mountains and Area 2025 Sustainability Summit — taking place at the Beaver Valley Community Centre, is an essential event for leaders and innovators driving the future of sustainability.
Our 11th REEL History Feature Film, The Journey of Water, will premiere at the event at 7pm. Will also include a panel discussion with director Tracey Strnad of Mountain Goat Film Company and Indigenous storyteller & narrator Heather McIntyre.
This is a free event, however, registration is required.
What’s New This Year?
The 2025 Sustainability Summit will feature both afternoon and evening sessions, offering an exciting lineup of topics designed to inspire and challenge. Here’s what you can look forward to:
Afternoon Session (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm):The afternoon will delve into the theme of Social Sustainability, featuring an engaging panel discussion on energy poverty and equity, diversity, and inclusion in Climate Solutions. This session will be a perfect opportunity to connect over light refreshments and share ideas with fellow changemakers.
Evening Session (5:30 pm – 8:30 pm):The evening will bring the spotlight on the Green Economy Hub pilot, with presentations from forward-thinking experts sharing sustainable business practices that can shape the future. Additionally, a feature film premiere will be showcased, followed by a chance to network with industry leaders and peers over hors d'oeuvres and beverages.
Writer’s Course with Katie Zdybel - PROGRAM FULL
This program is full.
Course Overview for The Story Workshop: Generate and Develop Your Creative WritingJoin Katie Zdybel for a six-month writing studio course focusing on literary fiction. The course follows a “Writing Studio” format, where each class will include a lesson, a reading assignment, and a workshop of student work. Writers of all levels, working on or beginning a fiction manuscript (short or long form), will benefit from this immersive, hands-on experience.
Course Topics:
January 23, 2025: How to Workshop and Respect Your Reader February 27, 2025: Creating Arcs March 27, 2025: Conversations with Characters April 24, 2025: Developing Meaning and Theme May 22, 2025: The Art of RevisionJune 12, 2025: Showcase Reading & Celebration
Additional Details:
Location: L.E. Shore Library, Blue Mountains Public LibraryDates: January 23, 2025 – June 12, 2025 (Fourth Thursday of the Month, except for June Showcase)Time: 4:00pm-6:00pmCost: $500 per student, plus HST (payment goes directly to the instructor)Registration: Limited to 12 students. Register below. You will then be asked to submit a brief writing bio and summary of your intended project.
Each month focuses on an important aspect of writing literary fiction. Every student’s work will be workshopped in a supportive and safe environment. Reading materials and resources will be provided. A final showcase in June gives students the chance to read their work and invite family and friends to celebrate their progress.
Trivia Game Night - Canadian Cuisine
Feast on fun while you test your knowledge of poutine, butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, and all things deliciously Canadian!
Play against each other or play as a group in a weekly interactive online Trivia Game Night! Fill your house with laughter and glee as you answer questions and compete for the top-spot on our scoreboard. Not available on Friday Nights? Don't worry! You'll be able to play Trivia Game Night throughout the week.
Participate through our website and our Facebook every Friday night at 7:00pm when we share the link to the game.
Seniors Fitness Class 1
Improve your strength and balance and join us for a bi-weekly fitness class for seniors! Help keep your body moving with some easy stretches and gentle aerobics. Class is 45 minutes. Another class to follow from 11am-11:45am. Every Monday and Wednesdays.
Senior Fitness Class 2
Improve your strength and balance and join us for a bi-weekly fitness class for seniors! Help keep your body moving with some easy stretches and gentle aerobics.
Every Monday and Wednesday at 11am. Pay by donation. Drop-in.
Starting January 13, we will be offer 2 classes!Class 1: 10am-10:45am and Class 2 11am-11:45am (please note, Class 2 involves floor exercises)
Cool-Aid Home Safety
In April, BVO’s Seniors Centre Without Walls (SCWW) and The Blue Mountains Public Library are hosting an information session with Barbara Osei of VON explaining the Cool-Aid Home Safety Program that helps paramedics provide vital care in your home when there’s an emergency.
The Cool-Aid program helps first responders locate important medical information in the event of an emergency. If an emergency happens in your home, you or your family members may not be able to communicate important medical information — details like medical conditions, medication, allergies, physician and pharmacist contacts — to emergency personnel.
Call the SCWW at 519 599 2577, ext. 6 or email seniors@bvo.ca to register for this session or to get the full April calendar of SCWW events.
Seniors Fitness Class 1
Improve your strength and balance and join us for a bi-weekly fitness class for seniors! Help keep your body moving with some easy stretches and gentle aerobics. Class is 45 minutes. Another class to follow from 11am-11:45am. Every Monday and Wednesdays.
EXHIBIT CLOSING: It All Starts with a Scribble
This exhibit closes April 30 at 2pm. Please call 519 599 3681 prior to visiting to ensure the gallery space is open for walk throughs.
Beverley Smith presents a new exhibit that dives into the excitement of creating and experimenting. Featuring vibrant mixed media works that fuse woven beadwork, paints, markers, and a whole lot of energetic scribbling.
The show highlights artwork primarily created over the past two years at La Macina Di San Cresci, an artist residency in the Tuscan hills. After each residency, Beverley carefully transported her pieces back to her studio, nestled in the hills south of Thornbury, where the artmaking continued.
Senior Fitness Class 2
Improve your strength and balance and join us for a bi-weekly fitness class for seniors! Help keep your body moving with some easy stretches and gentle aerobics.
Every Monday and Wednesday at 11am. Pay by donation. Drop-in.
Starting January 13, we will be offer 2 classes!Class 1: 10am-10:45am and Class 2 11am-11:45am (please note, Class 2 involves floor exercises)
Wired Wednesdays: Bluesky and the Next Gen of Social Media
Join Ashley this week on Wired Wednesdays as she takes you through the ins and outs of Bluesky, the latest social media app making waves. From creating your profile to exploring its unique features, you'll get a hands-on guide to mastering Bluesky!
Ashley will be available in the L.E. Shore Boardroom from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM for 15-minute drop-in sessions to assist with minor tech issues. For more complex problems that may require additional time, 1-hour tech help appointments are available four days a week.
TBM Volunteer Fair
TBM Volunteer Recognition Awards Ceremony and Volunteer Fair
Visit the Volunteer Fair to learn about local volunteer opportunities, and celebrate our winners at the Awards Ceremony. Free Event. All are Welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.
Medicinal Mushrooms: Foraging, Benefits & Extraction with Barefoot Brian
Discover the incredible health benefits of mushrooms—whether as food, medicine, or supplements. More people are turning to these natural powerhouses for their support in immune health, brain function, digestion, energy levels, blood sugar regulation, and stress management.
Join Barefoot Brian for an engaging introduction to medicinal mushrooms, where he’ll explore their key active compounds and the best methods for extracting their health-boosting properties. You'll also learn about five local mushrooms that can be foraged, including how to identify them, where to find them, and how to harvest them sustainably.
This interactive presentation will include hands-on learning with samples and dried mushroom fruiting bodies to help with identification. Free Program. Registration is required.