August 4, 2019

August 2019 Spruce Grove 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. 
 
What’s Happening!
 
Stone Soup – GSAStyle
As I was cleaning out my house with my kids for the Spruce Grove GSA garage sale, we were pulling toys out of closets, clothing out of drawers, and books off of shelves. Oh, the books! The memories of my parent’s reading to me, memories of me reading to my kids. One book really stuck with me as I put some books in piles to keep, and others to donate to raise money to help fund our GSA. Stone Soup.
 
The story of Stone Soup has many different ways it is told but it always starts off basically the same. A wanderer enters a village, a town, or a community. The wanderer discovers that the folk there are unhappy and alone. The villagers don’t know their neighbours. They tend not to socialize or venture out into the community to get to know each other.
 
The wanderer decides to try to change things. The wanderer starts a fire in the middle of the village and places a stone in a small pot with water. A curious child comes by. The child would like to know what is happening and the wanderer explains that they are making Stone Soup for the ENTIRE VILLAGE. The child decides the small pot is not enough to feed the entire village and so runs off to get their families largest pot! 
 
Of course, by now villagers were coming out of the houses, curious as to what was happening in the village where nothing ever happened. The villagers began offering to share whatever they might have around their homes. They were meeting their neighbours, they were having fun, they were sharing in their resources and they were building in a community. In the story the story I have the Mayor begs to buy the magic of the Stones that made the Village come alive. But the wanderer refuses. When the wanderer eventually moves on, children run up and the wanderer give’s the child the stones from the Stone Soup. 
The Wanderer says “It is not magic stones that brought your community together. It was the strength of everyone working together to help one another.”
 
The reason I am doubly impacted by this story right now, is we are about to have our Garage Sale/Bottle Drive/Food Drive/Clothing Drive. As we are setting out to hold our garage sale to raise funds for our own Society. I think about other Societies like ours. The Food Bank’s, folks that provide clothing for our in-need population’s. There are fundraisers for walks and rides for Cancer, walks and rides for MS, marches for survivors… I could list thousands upon thousands of organizations. 
In our own way we have all been making Stone Soup. Whether we are making actual soup with food, or if we are building a community… I am thankful for each and every one of you, and how you all build our communities and make them stronger.
 
 

• Outloud St Albert happens every other Tuesday evening from 7-9 pm. They are an AMAZING group and a great alternative to our group. They are absolutely a Safe Space to go to meet other LGBTQ youth and Allies! outloudstalbert.ca/

 

• Parkland QSA meets on the last Wednesday of the month in Stony Plain. This is at 6-8 pm in the Stony Plain Public Library! This is nice and close for everyone in the Stony Plain and Spruce Grove area!instagram.com/parklandqsa

 
Topics:
Stone Soup/Ice Cream – GSAStyle
Kids this is your task! STONE SOUP GSA STYLE!!! I will provide the ICE CREAM in a few different flavour’s (and a little something extra for a topping), if you could all bring something SMALL to contribute for a topping! Let’s see what type of Stone Soup/Ice Creamwe will come up with! Please don’t ruin the fun by discussing what you are bringing with other’s! 
Discuss the value of sharing, community building, working together towards a common goal, helping each other.
 
Kindness Stones

• Keeping with the “stone theme” we will be painting river rocks at GSA! 
• Think of a kind word to write on your river rock and decorate away!

 
School – Yep! I said it. It’s right around the corner. 

• Let’s talk about back to school up’s and downs. 
• Starting your school GSA/QSA.
• Allies at school!

 
We are ENVIROMENTALY FRIENDLY! 
DON’T forgetto bring a re-useablewater bottle. We still have pop and snacks, but no more cheap plastic throw away water bottles!
 
Events
Spruce Grove GSA Garage Sale, Bottle Drive, Food Drive, Clothing Drive

• August 10th at St Andrew’s United Church! 9 am – 4 pm 
• Please bring non-perishable food items for the Parkland Food Bank Society for a Food Drive, or 

Gift card’s, or any monetary donation can be used by the food bank to make purchases that will go towards fresh food items, or they can buy items in bulk!

• We are also taking in clothing donations for our in-need community for a Clothing Drive! Winter is coming, and our friends who do not have access to warm clothing, or new socks could use our help!
• Please help fund our Spruce Grove GSA Society for another year by purchasing our treasures and trinkets! Buy our thing-a-ma-bobs, and stuff at our Garage Sale!
• Lastly, please drop off your empties!!! 

We will gladly take your recycled bottles from you for our Bottle Drive!
 
T-Shirts/Hoodies/Rainbow Bands/Buttons

• If anyone would like new t-shirts or hoodies, please let me know ASAP. 
• Variety of colours available. Adult sizes only. 
• We also have new Rainbow Bands for sale for $1 each
• There is still stock of buttons $1 each
• We also have Dog tags and Key Chains $15 each

FRIENDS of the GSA – We NEED fabulous people like YOU!!!
We absolutely need help!
Some of the ways you can fabulous:

• Donate foodto our youth GSA meetings or grocery store gift cards, craft items, monetary donations, click on the donate buttonon our website, spend time with us at different events,parades, resource fairs, etc)

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. They will also support the GSA as a whole by helping us with operational expenses such as liability insurance and equipment. We are a 100% volunteer-run organization; all funds will go to ensuring we can continue to offer services to youth.
 
Important Phone Numbers
RCMP
911
780-962-2222 Spruce Grove 24 hours
780-968-7267 Stony Plain 24 hours
 
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868
Text CONNECT 686868
kidshelpphone.ca/what-is-kids-help-phone
24 hour per day, 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.
 
Website
On our website you can find all of our information at sprucegrovegsasociety.orgsuch as dates of our GSA, tips on Safe Spaces (teen health, and recognizing abuse), Resources, and a GSA Guide & Group Game’s guide. 

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