Want to learn more about water safety? Join the Town of Essex for April Pool’s Day on Saturday, April 7. The event will highlight drowning prevention in an educational and fun setting.

Residents of all ages are invited to the Essex Recreation Complex (242 Talbot Street North, Essex Centre) for the 11th annual event, which is being held in cooperation with Essex Fire and Rescue Services and the Lifesaving Society. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Lifesaving Society.

“This is a great chance for parents and their kids to learn life-long water safety skills and to be prepared for summer months, when drowning occurs the most,” says Cynthia Cakebread, Manager of Recreation and Culture.

From 9am-1pm participants can visit Water Smart® safety stations and collect stamps for a chance to win great prizes. A free barbecue lunch will be served from 11:30am-12:30pm with all proceeds going to the Lifesaving Society drowning prevention campaign. Essex Fire and Rescue Services will also be on hand to share important fire safety tips and offer tours of a fire truck.

In addition, CPR Level ‘C’ training will be offered for only $5. This is an excellent opportunity for members of the community to receive the training needed to recognize the signs of heart disease and to learn to help someone in an emergency. Participants must register for the training in advance by calling 519-776-8992. Certification cards will be provided on the day of the event.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared drowning a leading cause of preventable death globally. The Lifesaving Society works to prevent drowning and water-related injury through its training programs, Water Smart® public education, aquatic safety management, drowning research and lifesaving sport.

In order to increase understanding and awareness of homelessness within Windsor and Essex County, the Homeless Coalition of Windsor Essex County, supported by the City of Windsor, is announcing a Point in Time Count event to be held April 17 & 18, 2018.

The Homeless Coalition of Windsor Essex is looking for volunteers to help with an upcoming survey and count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The program, which involves more than 60 communities across the country is called the “Point-in-Time Count of Homelessness.” In the past, individual cities and towns conducted their own surveys and counts using different methods, which made it difficult to get a clear snapshot, but this coordinated count will allow each community, using standardized methods, to gather both national and community-specific information about each unique individual and/or family who is experiencing homelessness. 

The plan will also assist participating communities, such as Windsor Essex County, in identifying how many local residents are experiencing homelessness, while also giving greater understanding to the challenges being faced by those experiencing homelessness. This information is invaluable to creating a community-wide and collaborative response to ending homelessness within our community.   

“A Point in Time Count is an exciting step forward for us; using the knowledge gained from the surveys, it will allow us, as a responsive community, to create a plan of action tailored to our community. Every survey and every volunteer who assists is helping us get one step closer to eradicating homelessness in Windsor Essex County.” -  Angela Yakonich, Community Developer, Homeless Coalition Windsor Essex

Windsor’s survey will take place Tuesday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Participants will follow a common methodology to identify and enumerate local residents who are sleeping in shelters, on the streets and/or in other public locations. There are three survey time slots to pick from, and volunteers are encouraged to choose more than one:

• Tuesday, April 17: 3PM –7PM
• Tuesday, April 17: 8PM –11PM
• Wednesday, April 18: 6AM –9AM

All volunteers will receive mandatory training, and they will work in teams and alongside staff of many different Homeless Coalition Membership agencies.

For more information or to register and show your interest in supporting those in our community experiencing homelessness, please visit Point in Time Count 2018, or go to www.eventbrite.com and search Point in Time Count 2018, or contact 211 and ask about Point in Time Count volunteering.

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy.

Science City is holding its Earth Day Dinner this year on Friday evening, April 20, 2018, at Fogolar Furlan Windsor, 1800 North Service Road, Windsor. This is the 12th annual “FUNdraiser” for Canada South Science City.

Tickets for the dinner are, $50 for adults and $35 for children up to age 12, may be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com. Tickets for tables of 8 sell for $350. Tax receipts can be issued for the eligible portion of the adult price. Silent auction items and a cash bar will be available, and awards for a poster & poetry contest will be made. Doors open at 6:30 PM and a buffet meal is served at 7pm. For further information, please call 519-973-3667, email info@cssciencecity.com , or visit www.cssciencecity.com