Debly Has Moved In

Here is a photo of the Norton Elementary School this afternoon.

So it looks like some work might be getting under way at the playground. We spotted this on the site this afternoon. Soon there will be a new parking lot and a green space for the children to play.

Meet Ian Hill

Don't forget this Friday (Aug. 10) there will be a community corn boil & potluck. And we will be visited by a very important guest: Ian Hill from Let Them Be Kids!

The activities begin around 6:00pm at the Norton Outdoor Hockey Rink but you might also see Mr. Hill walking around the village during the day as he visits our friendly little home.

You will not want to miss this wonderful opportunity to hear the inspiring thoughts, stories, and ideas that Mr. Hill has to share.

You can read more about him at the following webpages:
Day Of Hope And Leadership
The Changing Point

 

Community Corn Boil & Potluck

We will be hosting a community corn boil and potluck next Friday, August 10 beginning at 6:00pm at the Norton Outdoor Hockey Rink.

Everyone (and we do mean everyone) is invited!

Here's what you can expect:

• fresh local corn
• potluck: bring your favourite dish
• revealing of the new playground design
• you can help name the new playground
• talk to members who volunteered at the Hampton Let Them Be Kids playground build day and hear about their experiences
• activities for the children
• and the biggest news of all: meet Ian Hill, founder and volunteer CEO of Let Them Be Kids!!!

 
Good Food --- Good Friends --- Good Times

National Action Campaign

Let Them Be Kids have developed a National Action Campaign, which hopes to accomplish the following:

• Inspire, mobilize, and equip local community members for the successful completion of 250 community improvement projects across Canada by September 2013.
• Ignite local community pride.
• Teach civic and social responsibility through action and participation in local community projects.

Norton will be one of the first communities to participate in this campaign when we build our new playground on September 22, 2012. 

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The Let Them Be Kids National Action Campaign is based on belief that regular people can change their world for the better and that the people closest to the challenges are the best resource to improve those challenges.
 

So if our belief is true, why is it that so often things don’t change for the better? Simply put… a lack of hope. It is a lack of the belief that tomorrow can be better than yesterday and a lack of that hope turning into tangible action. 

We have set out to do something about that "lack of hope"! We believe that with the proper amount of hope, knowledge, tools and support, regular people can change their world, and the world around them for the better.

We know that hope is created when we hear or see someone else do something that we thought was implausible, improbable or seemingly impossible. However, hearing or seeing someone else do something awesome only creates a “spark” of hope which is often extinguished in the first few moments or days of seeing or hearing. The grind of life can and often does snuff out the embers of hope. Those embers must be kindled in some way. We believe that kindling can come through information and education. When we learn how those people did that seemingly improbable thing, then we have a chance to do it as well. Regrettably, this is still not enough to take that spark of hope and create tangible action. The final step to taking that spark of hope and translating it into meaningful improvement is support. When we are supported with guidance, advice or just a listening ear, the spark of hope that was kindled with knowledge turns into a raging fire! It is that raging fire of equipped and supported hope that changes things for the better. 

The most beautiful thing about this cycle is that it self-perpetuates and impacts exponentially. As this cycle of hope is completed someone else hears of the implausible or improbable thing that has been done and if those hearers are equipped with knowledge and supported in their endeavor they too will do the seemingly impossible! Our plan is to take our Hope Strategy and deploy it across Canada to help make the world a better place.

For more information, please visit: HERE.

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And to get involved and help out in Norton, please sign up today to volunteer!

Bottle Drive Success

We raised a grand total of $631.39 from last Friday night's bottle & coin drive! And all of it will be going towards new playground equipment. So once again, thank you everyone who helped out and contributed.

As well, there was $122.25 waiting for us at Norrad's from everyone who has been dropping refundables off and leaving the money for the Norton Community Playground account. So, thank you goes out to all those anonymous bottle donors too.

We encourage everyone to donate their refundables at Norrad's for us. Just mention that you would like the money to go towards the playground in Norton.