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Stand up and Speak out during this year’s 16 days of Activism to End Gender Based violence. This is an annual acknowledgement that begins on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and runs until December 10th, Human Rights Day. Violence continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality and human rights. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 9-1-1. The Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association: ANFCA http://anfca.com/friendship-centre-supports-programs-initiatives/ (780) 423-3138 Canadian Mental Health Association-Edmonton http://edmonton.cmha.ca 24 hour distress line: (780) 482-4357 or 211 Child Abuse Hotline 310-0000 1-800-387-KIDS http://www.humanservices.alberta.ca/abuse-bullying/15393.html Kid's Help Phone https://kidshelpphone.ca/what-is-kids-help-phone 1-800-668-6868 Text CONNECT 686868 The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) http://sace.ca 780-423-4102 Translifeline http://www.translifeline.org The Hotline: US: 1-877-565-8860 Canada: 1-877-330-6366 Jody Tucker (she/her/hers) Coordinator | President Spruce Grove GSA Society sprucegrovegsasociety.org Find us on facebook & instagram The Spruce Grove GSA Society respectfully acknowledges that we are situated in Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people. 
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Health Update: COVID-19
November 24th, 2020 Today the Government of Alberta announced additional measures to help curb the spread of Covid-19. These measures will directly impact our Spruce Grove GSA meetings. https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx?utm_source=Email_marketing&utm_campaign=Covid19&utm_content=notificationservice&cmp=1&utm_medium=HTMLEmail#toc-1 Effective today, November 24th, 2020 our GSA will be postponing our meetings at 1A Fieldstone Drive, St. Andrew’s United Church. This temporary postponement will last for three weeks, or until the measures of in person gathering has eased. This will overlap our meeting dates of November 27th and our meeting date of December 11th. The next possible meeting for our Spruce Grove GSA will be January 8th 2021. This date also happens to fall on our third anniversary for our GSA! I am sincerely hopeful with these additional measures in place that we will be able to meet again in the New Year. I do not want to postpone the GSA any more than absolutely necessary. I will be continuing to offer in person meetings with any teen or adult who would like to meet, as I did through March and April when Covid-19 initially postponed our indoor meetings. We will be restricted to meeting outdoors, so please dress warmly and prepare for the weather conditions. If you would like to meet, please remember physical distancing and masks are mandatory. Please be safe and reach out whenever you need to. This has been a challenging year, but I know that we will all see each other soon. I cannot wait to hear your boots stomping down the stairs of our GSA, hear your laughter, and excited talking to one another. But I really, really can’t wait until we are all able to hug each other again. All our love, Jody, Ash, and the board of the Spruce Grove GSA. Sincerely Jody Tucker (she/her/hers) sprucegrovegsasociety.org facebook.com/sprucegrovegsa instagram.com/sprucegrovegsa The Spruce Grove GSA Society respectfully acknowledges that we are situated in Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people.  ~Transgender Day of Remembrance~
Today we remember the victims of transphobic hate. We honour the lives lost to violence. We listen to trans people and amplify their voices. We come together to fight transphobia worldwide. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), is an annual observance on November 20 that honours the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. Transgender Day of Remembrance was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Honour, remember, and fight to always do better. #TransgenderDayOfRemembrance #transrightsarehumanrights  Human Rights are for Everyone.
The week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th, people and organizations advocate for Transgender Awareness. The week finishes with Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). This is an annual observance on November 20 that honours the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. Folks participating in Trans Awareness Week use this as an opportunity to educate and speak out against violence to our transgender and gender non-conforming family, chosen family, friends, and community. We use our voices to speak out against prejudice, discrimination, and violence that our transgender community faces on a daily basis. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Resources: https://www.skippingstone.ca 🌈 https://www.glaad.org/transweek 🌈 https://www.glaad.org/tdor 🌈  Health Update: COVID-19
November 12th, 2020 The Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services requests limiting social gatherings in your home at this time. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16997.aspx We realize that our Spruce Grove GSA is a community group but feel that our GSA should also pause our meetings until the Covid-19 numbers begin declining in our surrounding communities. In light of the growing number of known cases of Covid-19, we are regretfully taking a precautionary measure and temporarily postponing our GSA for Friday November 13th, 2020. Over the next two weeks until the next scheduled GSA of November 27th, we will continue to monitor and assess the safety to your health and our surrounding communities. We will advise by email, on our website, Instagram and Facebook when we will reopen. We sincerely apologize for temporarily closing our doors at this time, but safety for you remains our top priority. Please connect with us if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely Jody Tucker (she/her) sprucegrovegsasociety.org facebook.com/sprucegrovegsa instagram.com/sprucegrovegsa The Spruce Grove GSA Society respectfully acknowledges that we are situated in Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people. GSA is, Friday November 13th from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm! We have to limit the amount of people we can have in our GSA as required by AHS. Please email sprucegrovegsa@gmail.com or text with your attendance! All youth attending will be required to check in BEFORE 10:00 am on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month. (You can also text or email the night before GSA!) Health checks, mask use, physical distancing, hand washing, and sanitizing are required to take part in our Spruce Grove GSA meetings. Please help keep our kids and community safe. · Self-screening should be done prior to attending any programs or events with Spruce Grove GSA. · Please follow all health and safety protocols listed by AHS. ·https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16944.aspx  There are events and classes and FREE event’s happening online. Please check them out by reading further! Remember you have to check in by texting or emailing BEFORE the Friday of GSA. That is the 2nd and the 4th Friday of each month. We have a 15 person limit on capacity now. PLEASE always follow the health assessment before coming to GSA! Registration is still open for the Alberta GSA Conference! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdN2YaHu42iw8Uo60vNxjEvsU8UehB_sRFWln7kdVMZxWkT3A/viewform  November 2020
Spruce Grove GSA, What’s Happening! The Spruce Grove GSA Society respectfully acknowledges that we are situated in Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people. Our GSA is officially back inside St. Andrews United Church at 1A Fieldstone Drive! There is now a 15 person cap on all social gatherings. Mandatory health measure (Oct. 26th, 2020) by AHS Alberta Health Services. We have to limit the amount of people we can have in our GSA, so we do have a NEW RULE. Pre booking for GSA... This is more difficult as we are usually a drop in GSA, and it’s hard. But for right now we will have to run things a little differently for checking in!!
Health checks, mask use, physical distancing, hand washing, and sanitizing are required to take part in our Spruce Grove GSA meetings. Please help keep our kids and community safe.
TIME CHANGE!!! We are back to our regular Times, now that we are indoors. GSA this month is, Friday November 13th & Friday November 27th from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm at St. Andrew’s United Church. Topic’s Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) This is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. To read more on Transgender Day of Remembrance, please follow this link https://www.glaad.org/tdor What is Transgender Day of Remembrance? Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Transgender Resources Glaad Transgender Resources: https://glaad.org/transgener/resources Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health: https://cpath.ca/en/resources/links/ Skipping Stone: https://www.skippingstone.ca Events & Activities! Alberta GSA Conference The annual Alberta GSA Conference is DIGITAL!!! The resource fair will be running online on zoom and discord from November 11th -15th Registration for the Alberta GSA Conference is READY! I know you’ve received a ton of emails, and the conference is all over social media! But this is the last reminder right here!!! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdN2YaHu42iw8Uo60vNxjEvsU8UehB_sRFWln7kdVMZxWkT3A/viewform Just Write Online! This time camp is just for those 18+ kids!! YouthWrite®, a camp for kids who love to write… just about anything!© Explore Jedi writing / Yoga & writing / Poetry as an artifact to our lives / The Art of the Monologue Nov 6th - 8th Friday Tailgate, virtual just wine & cheese Saturday Musical Guest & Open Mic Sunday 3M celebrity panelists For more information about other programs please check out their website or follow them on social media! https://www.youthwrite.com Thank you to the Stony Plain Public Library for sharing this event and page! Find out more about the Stony Plain Public Library: LGBTQ2S+ STEM Day Virtual Panel - Role Models in STEM http://www.onlinebookings.edmontonscience.com/DateSelection.aspx?item=3391 The STEM community is a large and diverse one. On this PRIDE in STEM Day we want to recognize the historical and present-day contributions of LGTBQ2S people in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Join us for a free virtual panel of local people in the science community as they showcase their contributions to their field, discuss their education and career paths, and answer audience questions. This free event is open to students in grades 8-12, teachers, and GSA Leaders. We welcome members of the queer community and allies alike. You must register to join this free event. Teachers and GSA Leaders please register here, then when you receive the link to the session, you can feel free to share the link with your students as you see fit. You can present the event with a group of students at school or share the link to individual students if they would prefer. Participants will be anonymous and need not provide any personal information. If you are unable to join us on November 18, this panel will be recorded and available at a later date. Pride in STEM is a charitable trust run by an independent group of LGBT+ scientists & engineers from around the world. Proud of who we are and what we do. We aim to showcase and support all LGBT+ people in STEM fields. Find more information about PRIDE in STEM: Thank you to Andrew for sharing this event and the information on PRIDE in STEM! Taking Care of You FCSS Spruce Grove Virtual Programs for Youth This fall, Spruce Grove FCSS will offer free, virtual programs for youth to support social connection, resiliency and mental well-being. Due to the current situation with COVID-19 and based on guidelines from the Province of Alberta, FCSS Fall Programs will operate a bit differently this year. Virtual programs will be held through Zoom. A meeting link will be provided by email. register: sprucegrove.org/onlinereg call (780) 962-7618 email fcss@sprucegrove.org . We are ENVIROMENTALY FRIENDLY! DON’T forget to bring a re-useable water bottle. REMINDER of COVID-19 Protocols for Spruce Grove GSA Society Although we have taken care to adhere to the guidance of the Government of Alberta, by attending the Spruce Grove GSA you acknowledge that, even with the best precautions in place, it is impossible to guarantee no exposure to COVID-19 whether while traveling between your home and the GSA or within the confines of the Spruce Grove GSA. Screening for Symptoms:
Do you have any possible COVID-19 symptoms? • Possible symptoms: Fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, chills, painful swallowing, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste, loss of smell, muscle or joint aches, headache, conjunctivitis (eyes appear pink or reddish pink).
Counselling Information: Quite often we receive requests for counselling. Please get in touch with these organizations to check their availability. If you are looking for more information, please connect with us through email, text, or private message our accounts through social media.
(780) 217-4146 Michelle Enright michelle.enright@westviewpcn.ca
hello@pridecentreofedmonton.ca Our Community – Help our GSA grow together! Please help us to stay open and continue to grow by saving your bottles or by making a donation online. We will continue to be a Safe Space where our youth can feel included, respected, and protected. Please Help Monetary donations, click on the donate button on our website, spend time with us at different events, parades or resource fairs) Contributions of any size will be used to support youth through the purchase of materials that will be used at our meetings, as well as to fund excursions to special events within the community. This will also support the GSA as a whole by helping us with operational expenses. We are a 100% volunteer-run organization; all funds will go to ensuring we can continue to offer services to youth. Please Donate your bottles to the Spruce Grove GSA Society! We will gladly arrange to pick up bottles once a month. This will greatly help out with our fundraising goals! Thank you to the folks who are currently donating to our GSA! Important Phone Numbers 211 Alberta Canadian Mental Health Association-Edmonton https://www.ab.211.ca https://edmonton.cmha.ca 211 (phone) 211(text) 24-hour distress line Resources for Albertans daily needs. When you see someone in distress, you can help before police or emergency services are needed by calling 211 and pressing 3 to dispatch the 24/7 Crisis Diversion Team. Free Food in Alberta Directory – Healthy Eating Starts Here https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/nutrition/Page16163.aspx Free Food in Alberta directories list information about where to find free food including food banks, food hampers, and free meals.To find programs in your community, look for your zone and find your community’s name and click on it. Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 Text CONNECT 686868 kidshelpphone.ca/what-is-kids-help-phone 24-hour, anonymous phone counseling for children and youth, 100% confidential they do not trace calls, they do not have call display, you do not have to tell them your name. You can connect by phone or mobile app, or through the website. MyHealth.Alberta.ca https://myhealth.alberta.ca Health Information and Tools RCMP - Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Enoch First Nation (Parkland) Detachment Call 9-1-1 in emergency situations that require fire, police or ambulance response. https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/detach/en/d/534 Front desk hours (weekdays, excluding statutory holidays): 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Administrative line: 825-220-2000 Complaint line: 825-220-7267 Trans lifeline http://www.translifeline.org The Hotline: Canada: 1-877-330-6366 US: 1-877-565-8860 Need to talk? Call! Our peer support hotline is run by and for trans people. Spruce Grove GSA Website sprucegrovegsasociety.org On our website you can find all of our information such as dates of our GSA, tips on Safe Spaces, health, recognizing abuse and Resources. Find us on Facebook and Instagram |