Livin' it Up and Letting it Go with the L'Arche Day Program

'Ello Everybody- Lily here! 

Today Claire and Avery made some very delicious scrambled eggs for this morning's breakfast! Delish! After eating such a delicious breakfast, we got ready to join our friend David, a fellow movie connoisseur and nickname master, at his day program. 

And off we went through the cold yet exciting Canadian air! When we made it to the L'Arche office, we got to hang out with all of the awesome and amazing friends that we met through each of our adventures in each of the different L'Arche Houses. It was just so thrilling to see all of them and get to join them in their day activities! We also got to meet many of the wonderful assistants that help out and hear their stories. We finally got to meet Karen, the director for L'Arche Hamilton, and learned about the many wonderful things that go into a L'Arche community. 

Throughout the day, we got to help decorate mason jars for Mardi Gras. There were sparkles and beads and fun. There was just so much creativity bustling in that room. Ashley, the music therapist, also came by today, and we got to sing and dance with our L'Arche friends. Some of our L'Arche friends were just killing it on the dance floor. They were just livin' it up and letting it go! WHOOOO! What a time to be alive! David even gave us a riveting solo of "Ring of Fire." 

Also, we can't forget an excited exclamation of "BINGO" from Marcia, a enthusiastic L'Arche BINGO volunteer, in the middle of the dance session. Beautiful. 

Every wall was also filled with so many paintings and pictures from each L'Arche member. It was so awesome to see such a celebration of all the hard work and creativity of L'Arche. It's just so wonderful that we got to be included and welcomed in such an amazing place. 

Today, we laughed. We created. We danced. We talked. We built friendships. And most of all, we made memories to last a lifetime today. 

 

And if I learned anything today, everybody should get a chance to live it up and let it go like how the L'Arche members showed us today. Don't be afraid to open up and go past your comfort zone because you never know what kinds of new experiences and friendships you'll encounter. And when you open yourself up, you're opening yourself up to friendship. And friendship can change your life in positive, wholesome ways.  

Remember to stay gold!

~Lily 

L'Arche Day 2

Hi there- Avery here! 

Today at L'Arche we split into four groups of two and visited different homes for lunch and dinner. We also got to visit the original Tim Horton's with a group of the core members.

For me, today warmed my heart and I will always remember it. I met an amazing group of people who I automatically felt at home with. Whether we were coloring, jamming to karaoke songs, or just sitting at the dinner table, we were constantly having great conversations and laughing. I am so excited to continue to form relationships throughout the week and make some meaningful memories.

We finished off the night by finishing a big cat puzzle (pictured above!!) and having deep reflections. I am beyond happy to be here and get to know some awesome people. 

First day in Ontario!

Hello all, 

Since arriving safely in Ontario, we have settled into the Sherman House! After jamming out to great music on the drive here, we are happy to be spending time getting to know the core members in the Sherman House. Since traveling went so well, we were left with plenty of downtime today to play games, eat pizza, and watch movies with the members before having a great group discussion. 

With the success of today, we prepare for the rest of the week ahead. 

With warmest regards from the chilly living in Canada,

- Claire 

Pre-Departure Day

Mid-term week has come to a close and now ABST season in finally upon us. So many of us spent our time these past couple weeks cramming in copious amounts of information just to regurgitate onto a 55 min or less exam. Seems kind of pointless when you think about it that way.

Nonetheless, exams are over, classes are out, and we depart for our ABST tomorrow. Once the monster of mid-term week is over, there is this huge sense of relief taken off of us and a new found excitement that fills our body. Everyone is about to embark on this new journey tomorrow and I think there is a lot of excited energy around but also some fear.

Maybe it is fear of the unknown, maybe it is a fear of traveling away from home, or maybe it is a fear of pushing your comfort zone. I don't think this "fear" that some of us feel is bad. It pumps that adrenaline through our body and prepares us for something to happen. Something great.

Personally, I have never been to L'Arche so I have some fears, some nervous energy, but this isn't scaring me, it is making me feel more alive and pumped up to embark on this journey tomorrow with this amazing group of students.

I can't wait to see what is in store for this upcoming week and we will be sure to keep all of you updated!

Much Love, Michael Rizzo

Meet the Team!

Hello everyone! Welcome to the L'Arche Ontario blogpost. We are eager to share our experience with you all as we go through this journey together. We will be posting more updates in the future as well as when we are in L'Arche Ontario. Here is just a small introduction of each of the members in this group: 

Michael Rizzo (Co-leader) 

Major: Physician Assistant 

Academic Year: Junior 

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? Working with a community like L’Arche is something I would like to do once I graduate as a PA so I am excited to go to L’Arche to work and live in a community with these amazing and beautiful people. Being a leader, I can’t wait to see the growth and development of all the students and see the kind of impact that L’Arche can make on them!

Angelika Chiang (Co-leader)

Major: Biology, Pre-Medicine 

Academic Year: Sophomore 

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I'm excited to have a chance to live in a community that is different from my own. A community that is full of love and joy that focuses on what really matters in life. I believe I will learn a lot from the core members there but also I will learn from my co-leader and group members as well. I can't wait to make lasting relationships on this amazing trip and see how my group members and co-leader grow.  

Sydney Swoger 
Major: Masters of Occupation Therapy

Academic Year: Freshman 

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I love to travel and going on this ABST helps me see the world while also being able to help those in need. 

Lily Zheng
Major: Pre-Optometry 

Academic Year: Freshman 

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I am looking forward to becoming a part of the L'Arche community with my wonderful ABST group. I feel that it is very important to be part of a family setting that focuses on building growth and security with individuals with disabilities. I definitely have a lot to learn and experience and hopefully I will be able to do the same in return. 

Avery Hill 
Major: Freshman 

Academic Year: Physician Assistant  

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I'm looking forward to getting to know some really interesting people and see what it's like to live in their inclusive community. 

Lauren Greenlee 

Major: Occupational Therapy 

Academic Year: Freshman  

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I’m excited to experience a new place with a great group of people who have a common interest in service and community. I’m looking forward to spending the week learning and connecting with old friends and new friends on a deeper level. I can’t wait!

Matt Schlessman 
Major: Pre-Dental 

Academic Year: Freshman  

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I am excited to go to L’Arche Ontario because I’ve been wanting to go on an ABST Trip since I applied at Gannon University! I love Canada for its wildlife and nature beauty but I am looking forward to giving back to others and becoming a Global Citizen.

Claire Plunkett 
Major: Occupational Therapy 

Academic Year: Freshman  

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? I am beyond excited to create lasting connections with the L’Arche residents, as well as make memories that will last a lifetime! I can’t wait to see what this trip has in store for us!

Celene Kalivado 
Occupation: Instructor in the Gannon University's Dalhkemper School of Business    

Why you're excited for this trip/What you're looking forward to? 
I am excited to experience l'Arche in a new community. Last break I went to l'Arche Mexico and enjoyed seeing the cultural differences and similarities of a l'Arche community. I also enjoy watching the students grow and learn about something new.

BRRR...Warm Up With A Coffee Hot Chocolate Latte Donuts! ... ?

Well, we had a good thing going with our daily cute coffee sign quotes up until today. However, it is important to mention that we tried the donuts discussed in this sign and certainly weren't disappointed.

Here we are. Our last night in Hamilton. How quickly we went from having our L'Arche journey ahead of us to look forward to, to now having it transition into a beautiful memory. Today was a day of reflection, gratefulness, and rest.

We began the day with a closing reflection at the main office with our gracious host coordinator. We got to share and learn from her many experiences throughout the years and were sent off with a beautiful blessing from two special Core Members.

Afterwards, we took off for Cafe 541 to grab some lunch together. The unique part about Cafe 541 is that you have the opportunity to purchase 'buttons' that have a $1 value. The buttons are placed in a jar and can be used to purchase food by anyone who needs them. After lunch we got to have some free time to explore the city of Hamilton. We had a nice time visiting various shops and markets and enjoyed spending time together as a group!

In the evening, we went our separate ways to have dinner one last time with our house communities and to say some tough goodbyes to the Core Members and Assistants that have greatly impacted our life in the time span of just 1 week. These faces have forever changed us <3

Each one of "The Gannon Girls" agrees that this week has been nothing short of life-changing. We are all so grateful for the experience and will truly carry the memories from this week and the hearts of our new friends with us forever.

Some of the things we've learned on our L'Arche Ontario journey:

• "Push yourselves to be uncomfortable, because the end result will be beautiful." - Favour
• How to knit (thanks Brian!) 
• "The value of all types of communication; art, performance, sign language, body language, facial expressions." - Mary Margaret
• That ketchup chips are stellar. 
• How to be more comfortable with silence.
• "To find true community is rare, but when you find it, cherish it." - Meghan
• Various words in French from reading different food products and road signs
• Picking your split ends is bad. (ahem, in the words of a dear friend: "Knock it off, M&M")
• "The importance of understanding the dignity of each human being. Life is a delicate, beautiful thing that should be cherished." - Lydia
• How to communicate certain words/phrases in sign language: 'bathroom', 'thank you', 'beautiful', 'coffee', and 'popcorn'; to name a few.
• That Lydia is extremely prone to dropping/spilling things. 
• The difference in walking WITH someone and doing things FOR them.
• All the words to "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Mulan
• Simply put: "We learned how to encounter another human being with kindness, authenticity, and respect. We learned how to truly see God in them." - Alli

Thank you for reading along with our blog! We'll be sure to check in one last time when we return to Erie tomorrow afternoon!

- Alli & The Gannon Girls

“You Can Do This”- Coffee

Lastly, and the entry you’ve all been waiting for, welcome to the blog by Favour. This morning we started off our day by once again, getting Vintage coffee. Before this ABST trip, I never had a taste for coffee, and now due to the early mornings, busy schedule, and necessary afternoon boosts of energy, I NEED IT. I went with my typical Frappuccino but spiced up my order with an Apple Fritter. Considering we went to the coffee shop every morning this trip, it was no surprise that we were named the barista’s favorite “Pennsylvania girls”, probably because of all the business we brought to them this week and Alli’s persistence.

After coffee, we loaded the van and headed to L’Arche Daybreak, hoping to avoid the morning Toronto traffic. We made it in little time to L’Arche Daybreak thanks to the HOV lane. This was a very special place being that L’Arche Daybreak is the first L’Arche branch founded in America and the second community founded in the world. We were first introduced to Toni; the Day Break administrator. Next year L’Arche Daybreak will be celebrating their 50^th anniversary. Every annual event or celebration usually calls for other L’Arche communities reaching out and showing their support. She told us about the history of L’Arche, what it takes to create a new community, and about the first members of L’Arche, especially one of the original core members, who we had the fortune of meeting today at “The Club”. Father George and and this CM go way back, and it was beautiful to see them interact while knowing the history behind their relationship. We were then all split up into the 3 individual houses within Daybreak, I went to the house that holds the paper, wax, and clay rooms. Sister Carmen and I helped pack blue and white hombre candles ordered for a wedding, with the assistance of a core member. The core member went on to tell us about how she loves using the pottery wheel to make mugs and plates and wishes to someday make a vase or mug with a handle. Another core member shared with us his huge interest in cars, writing, and drawing. It was beautiful seeing how passionate he was and how he really liked expressing his interests. We concluded the day with a prayer led by Father George and Toni, discussing our best moments of the day, and pondering the past and future of L’Arche. Afterwards, we had dinner at Joe’s accompanied by father George. This specific Joe’s is run by people who serve the core members weekly and have a very close relationship with L’Arche. The Gang filed into the Mystery Machine (Scooby Doo reference) and headed back to L’Arche Hamilton.

After a few wrong turns, exits, and a snow storm coming in, we made it home. We were greeted by many core members and B+ Arnold Schwarzenegger and Batman Impressions. This week has been amazing. We have met amazing core members, amazing assistants, and amazing individuals who give their time to volunteer within this family. L’Arche is an experience I will never forget, and I can honestly say, changed me forever. Tomorrow is our last day here and all I can is closing is, thank you. 

-Emmanuella Favour Abara