After reading an article in CambridgeToday about the Cambridge Shelter Corp. business “In Our Backyard,” I was very impressed with the initiative.
The landscaping company trains graduates of the shelter system to work in the community doing yard work.
Neighbours helping neighbours is their motto and that is exactly what they do. Services include general gardening, edging, clean-ups, tree trimming, mowing and other duties, for one time or monthly.
These last few weeks have been very busy ones for me, and my garden has been neglected. With all the rain and heat it has become a small jungle, so I called on their services.
Brenda Walsh, the manager, came to view it with two employees and gave me a quote for the work that needed doing; mostly edging, cleanup and trimming a large dead branch from a tri-coloured beech.
Brenda was charming, knowledgeable and helpful, she had the respect and attention of her employees as she explained what the job entailed.
This week they came to do the work. Brenda came with the truck and five men ready to work. All were polite and smiling as she introduced them.
As she supervised, they were diligent and used their initiative to solve a problem. I had to leave before they had completed the job, but on my return I was delighted with the results and could hardly believe the efficient job they had done. It was far beyond my expectations.
They had trimmed bushes and edged the beds, weeded and cleaned, and removed all the debris from the property. Not even a cigarette butt remained.
My congratulations to the Cambridge Shelter and to Brenda Walsh, the heart of this successful operation.
I found out they are booked solid, so they are hoping to train a second crew. It gives the men involved a sense of pride. It helps the community get involved in giving people a second chance and as Wayne Paddick, executive director of the Shelter says, Walsh has the perfect attributes for this role.
I would most certainly recommend “In Our Backyard” you can find them online.
My reason for leaving was to attend another Cambridge Symphony Orchestra “pop up” event.
Some of you may have read about a surprise $20,000 donation from a supporter to them in February toward their upcoming 20th season.
At this time the audience was encouraged to increase their donations to add, and several did so.
A small team of us, Sara Alvarado, Jeff Hunter, Kyle Priestley and I, formed a committee CS0 20 to come up with ideas to increase the awareness of the orchestra. The general board of directors under the leadership of Mike Lawrie, gave their approval for an ad hoc committee.
Our first meeting was in April and the creativity, new ideas and laughter flowed.
We only wish we had the lead time and the budget to fulfill all our ideas, but we’ve had fun, put in hours of planning managed to increase CSO awareness in the community.
One successful idea was to hold “pop ups” where musicians from the orchestra played in unexpected places.
The Bernice Adams Awards night was the first “pop up” among many.
They are largely organized by Joy Schuster, our concert master and conductor of the Cambridge Youth Orchestra. She gets help from Sabatino Vacca, the CSO music director, as many of our musicians have full-time jobs, so are unable to participate during the day.
The varied audiences we played for have all been delighted. Our theme is 20 reasons for 20 seasons is shared on social media. We hope to have 20 pop ups before the first concert of the season at Hamilton Theatre on Friday, Sept. 13.
The CSO youth orchestra played at a “pop up” during the cocktail hour of the YWCA awards night at Whistle Bear Golf Club.
We had a very successful one in the lobby of the Gaslight District condos, where on Father’s Day over 100 people came to listen.
Outdoors at the Foundry Tavern was another, and last week, in the entrance to the Cambridge Memorial Hospital, where staff and patients passing through were pleasantly surprised to be entertained.
Seeing the smiles, spreading the word will continue with another on the Main Street stage on Saturday, June 29.
If you see a short video clip on social media or elsewhere, please share it, Cambridge is proud to have an orchestra that has grown into a very professional one over the 20 seasons. With your help and support it might make another 20, but I doubt I shall be here!
Talking of not being here, for the month of July, my husband David and I are enjoying a month-long road trip, returning to Newfoundland and staying in small fishing villages at Airbnbs.
My “Piece of Mind” column will return on Monday Aug. 12 with lots of stories of our adventures.
Wishing you a great summer, I shall return.
