 HomeAbout Integra Programs & AdmissionsThe ClubhouseParents and TeachersResearch & ResourcesHow to HelpEvents & FundraisingOur SupportersWorkshopsNewsroomContact |
Portage to the Future (2006)April 2006 What a night! Rob Feenie, Mark McEwan and his staff put together an evening for us that was a gourmand's dream. We enjoyed six courses, becoming acquainted with such exotic delicacies as lamb cheeks and roasted ramps, all accompanied by a medley of fine wines very generously ordered up for us by Hillebrand and Trius. Ira Hopmeyer, auctioneer extraordinaire, led us on a merry auction romp through such enticing items as a week on an incredible estate near Napa Valley and the chance to be Winemaker for a Day. For that one, sommelier Jessie Kittilsen will lead the successful bidders through a typical day at Hillebrand Winery where they will learn about such processes as 'riddling' - an oenophile's dream. As well our entire evening has been preserved for our future enjoyment in the fall when General Purposes Pictures airs The Heat, Mark's show on The Food Network. 
This year's Portage netted over $108,000 to strengthen our programs in Toronto and to help send children to Camp Towhee, Integra's therapeutic summer camp for kids whose learning disabilities are disturbing their mental health. While learning disabilities are invisible, what happens to these children is very real, as expressed so movingly that night by Arthur Heinmaa: " . . . Finally and most importantly our son has social difficulties because he can't comprehend nonverbal communication. This means he constantly misinterprets subtle social cues like facial expressions, gestures and tones of voice. Most experts agree that 2/3 of communication is non-verbal. So my son misses almost all of the information conveyed in a simple conversation. A phrase like "way to go" can be interpreted by him as a criticism and he will respond that way. "Here is where Integra makes a difference. Last year he attended Camp Towhee for the first time. Now here is the kicker. One of the activities that he enjoyed the most was drama. That's right, standing up in front of an audience and performing. In my wildest dreams I never thought that he would enjoy drama, but the gentle and supportive staff allowed him to explore an activity that he would have avoided anywhere else. This small outcome speaks volumes of what Camp Towhee provides children like our son . . ." |
