We've changed our name!

On July 23, 2007, the Cowichan Valley Association for Community Living officially changed it's name to Clements Centre Society.

Wheelchair Elevator Donations Needed!

View the press release and the special edition Connector here!

2007 Annual General Meeting

View the 2007 AGM notice.

07 CARF Survey Report

The 2007 CARF Survey Report is now available.

Connector

View the special edition Connector here! Or pick up a copy at the administraion office at Clements Centre!

Clements Centre Phase Two Renovations are under way!

Details coming soon.

Clements Centre Renovations

Those of you who frequent the building will know that after a brief period of upheaval, staff finally settled into their new "homes" last spring. If you have not yet had a chance to tour the new admin area, please let us know and we'll make sure you are offered the opportunity. For now, please enjoy this virtual tour, compliments of our webmaster:

Lunch on Clements Has Help on Menu
Not Clowning Around: Duncan Rotary Club steps up to renovate restaurant

The Duncan Rotary Club members who congregated at Lunch on Clements for a Halloween afternoon meal were lucky; the monster mash was stricken from the menu.

Nearly fifty club members gathered to hold their monthly meeting in the newly renovated restaurant, used to train adults with developmental disabilities in the food industry.

The occasion was to celebrate the Rotary-driven project of renovating the kitchen.

After twenty years of use, the tables, floors and work counters were in need of replacement.

"We like to get involved in capital projects where we can be hands-on," club president Keith Fuller said. "A lot of our members want to help out and this kind of project lets us do something that's physical."

"And the program here is one of the best."

The Rotary club undertook the project and poured $15,000 worth of materials and labour into the effort.

Because the club stepped forward, other groups and businesses got involved completing the renovations with new appliances.

"The floor was worn out, the counters were worn out and the place needed work," Cowichan Valley Association for Community Living executive director Doug Orr said.

"Thanks to Rotary and all the others, we'll be able to bring a lot more people through this program."

Aaron Bichard
News Leader
Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Rotary Behind New Look for Lunch on Clements

Lunch on Clements, the unique restaurant run by the Cowichan Valley Association for Community Living on Clements Street in Duncan, is presenting a proud new face to the world, thanks to the generosity of several service groups, most notably the Duncan Rotary Club.

Members of the club, gathered Monday for their monthly meeting at the café, were greeted by the sight of a totally renovated dining room, with stylish bentwood chairs and refurbished tables, but the warmest welcome came from the happy faces of the staff who work at the facility.

Renovations started last February, and have only just been completed, according to CVACL administrator Doug Orr.

"The kitchen was the key," he said. "It was so run down we were having concerns about our ability to keep it clean."

CVACL approached Rotary about providing a new floor for the kitchen and the project took off from there.

"They accepted the project last February and in March," Orr said. "A work party came from the club and ripped the old floor out. We had to take everything out and then the flooring company came and put the new floor down."

The Rotarians then asked if there was more they could do and took on the job of replacing worn-out countertops with stainless steel.

The Victoria Foundation got wind of the project and stepped in with two new restaurant-style freezers.

"It's taken a long time to complete the renovations on purpose," Orr said.

"We've been quite conservative with our use of the money, to make sure we were getting the best value for the money on everything we did. We had a plan and we followed it, piece by piece by piece. It has taken us longer to complete the job than perhaps a commercial restaurant might be willing to take to renovate but, by doing it this way, we've probably save $40,000 over doing it all at once. The money we got went a lot further by doing as much as we could in-house."

The project cost $70,000, of which Duncan Rotary contributed about $16,000.

Workers and instructors are excited about the new kitchen and restaurant.

There are three instructors at Lunch on Clements and anywhere from fifteen to twenty trainees.

The restaurant is open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM every day. Everyone's welcome to come for lunch and enjoy the special service offered by CVACL's clients, who truly enjoy their work.

"The workers like the new look," Orr said. "There is a pride of ownership in this place now. You can see it in their new shirts, and the presentation of the food."

Keith Fuller, Duncan Rotary president, said he's delighted to see the job completed so successfully.

"Rotary prefers 'capital' projects like Lunch on Clements because they involve community building," he said. "Every penny that the Rotary Club raises is returned to the community in projects. There is no money kept by the club for themselves or for (the organization's) international. A lot of our projects are the parks, the long-term capital projects. That's what, more or less, we work on.

"Just in the last year or so we did the walk around Sherman Road Park. We've done a lot at the Chesterfield track and the sports complex, a lot on trails – there are the kinds of projects the Rotary does. We like the hands-on work and the social aspect of the work parties. We do fundraisers, we have a specific project in mind. This is very satisfying.

Lexi Bainas
Cowichan Valley Citizen
Wednesday, November 2, 2005

News from the Board

Finally, after ten years, I can report that I am no longer president of the Cowichan Valley Association for Community Living, Congratulations to our new president, long time Board member, Barry Rundquist. Barry has a deep dedication to the Association and to the people it serves, and as a recent retiree, he has taken on the role of leading the Board. At the Annual General Meeting on June 16, we said "Good-bye" to John Porter, our diligent treasurer for the past three years, and Bill Winter, who has served for the last six years. We welcomed three well-known community members: Tom McEwan, Dick Mazur and Leanne Steele. Thank you to all our Board members, both past and present. Without your commitment and dedication, the role of president would have been extremely difficult.

One of the most exciting happenings is the new name for our building and the services we offer. The contest that we held for a catchy name or slogan for CVACL was won by the parent of one of the Day Program participants, Joan O'Connell, who suggested the name Clements Centre. This name will now be used on the building and in referring to the services we provide. It identifies a central location, is short and sweet, and is easy to remember. We will use the name Clements Centre in all our brochures, letterhead, and publicity, but the legal name of the society will not change.

The Clements Centre not only has a new name, but is gradually sporting a new look. The kitchen of Lunch on Clements has been totally renovated, with a new commercial fridge and freezer, and new floors and counter tops, much of it thanks to the generosity and support of the Rotary Club of Duncan. The dining area now features a moveable wall to provide a separate room for meetings or group dinners, a new paint job, new counters, new window coverings, and a brand new floor. The next project will be the renovation of the washrooms off the lobby of the Clements Centre. Drop into Lunch on Clements for a coffee break, or for lunch, and see the changes that are happening.

Marina Stanko, Past President