East Parry Sound Community Support Services

10/16/2025

Next up we have another wonderful Falls Prevention Instructor!

Meet Mary!

If there's one good thing about the pandemic, it's all the amazing people who relocated to our area... with Mary being one of them!

It can be difficult to find qualified instructors in the more rural areas like Restoule, Commanda, and Port Loring. But since 2020 I've met a few people (like Mary) who have made this area their permanent home, making it possible for us to have classes!

Fitness has always been a very big part of Mary's life, and she believes very strongly in working on strength to improve balance, and also incorporating things to improve cognitive function. All of this is important when working on falls prevention.

Mary is always trying to come up with new ways to make her classes both fun and challenging, coordinating exercise to music.

She encourages people to believe in themselves and their ability. Her mantra is “You can do more than you think you can!” 💪

If you like to encourage people to believe in themselves, contact us to find out more about our falls prevention programs at 705-724-6028 or email lprice@eastholme.ca

10/15/2025

I swear these volunteer shout-outs are the BEST part of this job!

Meet Tom!

Tom started as a volunteer first delivering meals on wheels in 2012, and then driving clients in 2013. And drive he does.... A LOT!!!

Tom is a VERY dedicated family man. As he always says, "family comes first" so when Tom isn't busy driving for us he is busy taking his family members where they need to go.

In addition to volunteer driving and driving family members, from 2020 to 2022 he also drove our wheelchair van and was responsible for taking the van for regular maintenance and training new drivers. We are eternally grateful to him for stepping up to do this when we really needed him, and for sticking it out for so long.

Tom was also instrumental in delivering isolation kits during the pandemic. We loaded up his vehicle with the kits and he was more than happy to help distribute them to those in the community who were at risk of isolation.

This jolliest of fellows always does everything with a smile on his face and has always agreed to let us use his smiling face for brochures, newspaper articles, and any other promotional things we need a smiling face for! 😄

If you like to help others as much as Tom does, contact us at 705-724-6028 or lprice@eastholme.ca

10/14/2025

We start off week number 3 of shout-outs with yet another incredibly kind person!

Meet Michele!

Michele has been a volunteer driver with our program taking clients to and from appointments since 2017, but she was involved in CSS way back in 2001 as a volunteer coordinator for South River/Sundridge Meals On Wheels. Plus she found time to volunteer for a crisis hotline.

In addition to her volunteer work, this gal has quite the resume of other work she has done including as a busy publicist in the music industry when she moved to the area in 1998, helping to launch live music 🎸🎹 🎻 at various well-known venues throughout the region (Renee's Cafe/Michael's On Main/South River Brewery/Country Kitchen Cafe). She also founded and was Artistic Director for The Heritage River Music Festival in Burk's Falls with her friend Glen Reid.

Michele also owned and operated a dog grooming business which she has since retired from in order to dedicate more time to volunteer driving - something she is truly passionate about.

If helping others is your passion, reach out to us at 705-724-6028 or lprice@eastholme.ca to become a volunteer driver.

10/13/2025

10/13/2025

Please Note:
CSS Office is closed Mon. Oct 13th
Happy Thanksgiving!🍂

10/13/2025

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We'd like to give thanks to another wonderful person who's part of our program...

Meet Bob!

Bob is another one of our exercise instructors, who originally started teaching our Stay On Your Feet class in Restoule, but then merged over to teach our Port Loring class, and has also made guest appearances at our Nipissing, Commanda, Powassan, and Callander locations.
Wow... this guy is everywhere!

We consider ourselves VERY lucky to have him, as he is willing to fill in where we need him so that we don't have to cancel classes. Consistency is key 🔑 - so we like to keep the classes going!

Bob's teaching background began in 2008 when he completed his first 200 hour yoga teacher training program. He has also completed trainings in yin and restorative yoga, and even acted as an assistant in other trainings.

Bob moved to the area in 2021 after taking an early retirement, and although a health issue had paused his teaching for a couple years, he fully recovered and was inspired by other area teachers to get back into it and we are so glad he did!

Bob understands the health benefits yoga-influenced movement for falls prevention can have. And although our Stay On Your Feet Classes aren't yoga classes, a lot of aspects from the ancient practice can be used to support all the key requirements for falls prevention such as balance/strength/coordination.

If you are inspired by Bob's story and want to be part of this amazing program we have going on all over the district, give us a call at 705-724-6028 or email lprice@eastholme.ca

10/10/2025

It's Friday before the Thanksgiving Weekend - and we'd like to show our gratitude and give thanks for this special volunteer of the day...

Meet Pat!

Originally from the area, having ties to Powassan/Trout Creek/Port Loring, Pat returned home when she became the Director of Public Relations for the North Bay Regional Health Centre during the build of the new facility.

Since 2022 she has served on the Ontario Library Service Board📖 and Powassan District Library Board📚

And luckily for us she started delivering meals in Powassan and surrounding area in June 2023 - even willing to deliver on Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve days!

If you are like Pat and like to be involved in your community in a meaningful way, please reach out to us to find out how to become a volunteer - 705-724-6028 or lprice@eastholme.ca

10/09/2025

We've had a lot of volunteers come and go over the years, and many of them have had multiple years of service under their belt. But I believe this guy might be the longest serving volunteer who continues to drive for us to this day!

Meet Glenn!

Glenn has been driving for CSS since January 2000 - which is only a few years after the program became part of Eastholme in November 1997.

So I guess you could say he is one of the "OG's" of the program (original gangster - do the kids still use that phrase these days?) 🤔

For those of you who went to the original AHSS, you can imagine how hard it was for us to call him Glenn instead of Mr. White since he was one of our teachers after all!

Mr. White (I mean Glenn) has helped COUNTLESS people get to and from their medical appointments over the many years he has driven for us. He is truly a very kind-hearted man who wants to help people - never judging and always patient.

In school he may have taught us geography, but in the many years we've known him as a volunteer driver he has also taught us by example about what it is to be a good human. And that is probably the best education we could ever hope for!

If you'd like to continue your education as a volunteer driver contact us at 705-724-6028 or email lprice@eastholme.ca to find out how.

10/08/2025

Hey... did you know that in addition to transportation, meal delivery, and senior luncheons we also run several locations of senior exercise classes?

These classes are geared towards falls prevention working on balance/strength/coordination to help people stay on their feet.

Best part is the classes are FREE! And here is just one of the AMAZING instructors who teaches them....

Meet Debbie!

Since 2021 she has been instructing at both our South River & Sundridge Stay On Your Feet Class locations, and if you've ever met Debbie you will know that her energy and bubbly personality is a breath of fresh air. I can see why we get so much good feedback about her classes!

Debbie is always coming up with new things for her participants so that they are never bored. Classes are always done to upbeat music 🎼, modified for those who have had various injuries, and she includes a lot of brainwork as well!

Most importantly, she knows everyone by name, encourages socialization amongst the group (they even have mini Christmas parties following class!) and is open to feedback and requests.

We are very lucky to have such a great roster of instructors. If you are interested in being part of this program, give us a call at 705-724-6028 or email lprice@eastholme.ca

10/07/2025

Volunteer shout-out of the day!

Meet Rick & Lynda!

Pastor... Sunday School Teacher... Funeral Home Director Assistant... School Bus Driver... these are just a few of the roles these two amazing individuals have filled - working with well-known local places such as Higher Heights Christian Fellowship (former Gravel Pit Gospel Mission), Opatovsky Funeral Home, and Christian Horizons (now Karis).

They also look after our Sundridge Seniors Lunch we hold at the RCL Branch #467 every month.
Greeting everyone with a smile, collecting the client fees, providing us with the paperwork we need, and offering a blessing🙏 .

We feel very blessed to have such amazing people out in the community being the face of our program so that we can be here behind the scenes keeping it all going.

If you'd like to be out in the community helping your fellow neighbours and friends, reach out to find out how. Call 705-724-6028 or email lprice@eastholme.ca