November 2 I attended several of 3-dozen events at the Jewish Community learning festival. Thankfully I arrived in time for FCA’s Lorne Cutler‘s clear and useful presentation on Social Finance replete with his up-to-the-minute examples. It’s a new field. Get new resources for your community good work. Contact Lorne for more info, or network with him at an FCA meeting. We’re hearing sponsorships funds may be coming for year 2017; opportunities for leveraging.
At adjoining Jewish Community learning sessions I met two scholars with insights into revision history and theology of faith-based stories; a gay hi-tech early retiree releasing his new political expose-book, “Conservative Confidential”; a prominent media CBC personality offering himself to the conference’s Human Library; a medically-trained Sex Clinician/psychologist; a military chaplain/Rabbi, and a community-collections archivist. Oh, and I had a bag lunch while listening to a chorus — all for $20! Energetic festivals are in place and growing their cultural, sport, family themes including the derby race at Manotick Mayfair at Kanata, the major days at Glebe, Hintonburg/Mechanicsville Westfest, and many others in Ottawa’s East, South and thriving in many outer suburbs. Most days-long events started small, built on success, grew volunteers, brought out the general public, families, and fun show-offs and heritage buffs.
Sharing the theme: — is your community planning or growing its own public fun learning festival — promoting community character and engagement? — check out or add to this how-to link: http://limmud.org/conference/conference_makers/
