UPDATE: Mr. David MILLAR, 80 years old, has been located
The Toronto Police Service would like to advise that as of 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, February 24, 2011, Mr. David MILLAR, 80 years old, has been located.
Mr. MILLAR was located on Fenn Avenue by an observant citizen in 33 Division. Mr. MILLAR was transported to hospital for a check-up and is reported to be doing fine.
Toronto Police would like to thank the media, public, and members of the Toronto Police Service, for their diligence and assistance, as this was a coordinated effort that proved to be successful.
This message was brought to you by 33 Division, Crime Prevention Officer
The Toronto Police Service is requesting the publics assistance in locating a missing man.
David Miller, 80 years old, was last seen on February 23, 2011 at 8:30 am in the Lawrence Avenue, East and Leslie Street area. Police are concerned for his safety.
When getting ready to travel, be sure to book your trip through a reputable agency. You can find out if an agency is registered by calling the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) at 1-888-451-8426 or by going on their website at www.tico.on.ca.
Have someone you trust check your home while you are away on vacation. Ask them to pick up your mail and papers, or better still, ask for your mail to be held until you come back from your vacation.
Be sure that someone is shoveling your driveway in the winter and cutting your grass in the summer. A lived in look will give an outsider the impression that someone is at home.
Have your lights on timers that would normally reflect your schedule. This way, it appears from the outside that your routine has not changed.
Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. If you come home early or stay longer, be sure to notify them.
Have a neighbour park their car in your driveway while you are away. You can also suggest that they put some of their extra garbage at the end of your driveway on garbage day.
…”wanted to let everyone know that there have been 2 break-ins in 2 weeks on 8th street. In both instances, the thieves kicked in the doors and coincidentally, they both occurred on Tuesday mornings. The police are still investigating and have gone door-to-door notifying residents.”
Be wary of opportunities to give that appear in the wake of a big disaster that receives a lot of media attention.
Ask for the name, address and phone number of the charity. Ask whether the charity is registered and if yes, ask for the registration number.
Verify with the office of the charity that there is an active campaign and that the charity has authorized the drive to which you are being invited to contribute.
Do not donate cash if you can help it. Write a check to the charity, but never to the person in front of you. This documents the donation for your records and for tax returns. Do not give bank information.
Ask what percentage of your donation goes directly to the cause. Legitimate charities will answer because they get this question all the time.
Get a receipt with the name of the charity.
Be cautious about e-mail charity requests. Most legitimate charities do not use e-mail for solicitations. Note that some charities will e-mail people who have previously donated.
Be wary about charities that claim to be raising funds for the local police or firefighters. Check them first
Do not give in to pressure about “suggested donations” or “requested minimum contributions”. Give what you can once you have determined that the charity is legitimate and you’ve decided to contribute.
Decide in advance which charities you will support and contact them. Then you can gracefully decline other charities.
Volunteers are passionate about their charitable causes and deserve support.
When people come to your door requesting support, never give money at the door unless it is an appeal by a trusted neighbour. It is suggested that before you donate you:
write down the name of the charity, and
do your due diligence and investigate the charity on the Canada Revenue Agency’s website
Councillor Grimes encourages families to practice their home fire escape plan as one of their Family Day activities on Monday, February 21, 2011.
According to current figures from the Office of the Fire Marshal, 69 people died in residential fires across Ontario in 2010 - a grim reminder that families must know what to do when a smoke alarm sounds in order to escape a fire. Sixteen of those fire deaths occurred in Toronto.
Most fatal fires occur at night when people are sleeping - that’s why it is important for everyone to know exactly what to do when a smoke alarm sounds. In addition to escape plans, all homes must have at least one working smoke alarm on every storey.
Simple steps for home fire escape planning include:
Install smoke alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas.
Make a home fire escape plan. Discuss it and practice it with the entire family.
Show everyone two ways out of each room, if possible.
Check that all exits are unobstructed and easy to use.
Determine who will be responsible for helping young children, older adults or anyone who may need assistance.
Choose a meeting place outside, such as a tree or a lamppost, where everyone can be accounted for quickly.
If caught in smoke, get low and crawl under the smoke to the nearest safe exit.
Call 911 from outside the home, from a cell phone or from neighbours’ phone.
Once out, stay out. Never re-enter a burning building.
You may have only seconds to escape a home fire safely. React immediately to the sound of a smoke alarm to ensure that you and your family have time to get out of the burning home.
If you are a Facebook user, you will find numerous digital safety resources on this Facebook page. See the link below: www.facebook.com/fbsafety?sk=wall
“Cyber bullying involves the use of information and communication technologies such as email, cell phone and pager, text messages, instant messaging, defamatory person Web sites, and defamatory online personal polling Web sites, to supportdeliberate, repeated and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.”
- Bill Belsey
Fact: 25% of youth who use the Internet report having received an email with hateful messages about others.
Fact: It is against the law to repeatedly communicate with someone if it is perceived as harmful or makes them feel concern for their safety and/or others safety.
Signs that your child may be a victim:
Long hours on computer
Closes windows when you enter room
Crying for no apparent reason
Acting out / aggression at home
Behavioural Changes
Physiological Changes
How to help:
Educate yourself on all types of bullying
Have open, candid conversations with your kids
Solicit the assistance of support groups and community partners
Report it to the police
Deanand Professor, at the Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Faye Mishna, on Bullying and Cyber bullying:
NEVER give out any personal information such as your address, telephone number, parents' place of work or their phone number, the name and location of your school/work or any other information that may identify you.
CREATE a password that is hard to guess but easy to remember and change it often 6-10 characters with a mix of numbers/letters/symbols.
LEARN about what your child is doing on the Internet - know what Web Sites they are visiting, know what types of chat rooms, e-mail and messages your child is involved in online FIND OUT about Filtering Software Packages that are available to block out objectionable material.
KEEP computer usage a family activity by putting the computer in a family room rather than in the child's bedroom amount of time spent on the computer.
SET your browser to say no cookies.
HAVE your child use a 'code name' while Online.
BEWARE of any offers that involve your child going to a meeting or having someone visit your home - remember that someone who says they are a '12 year old girl' could actually be a '40 year old man'.
See poster below.
Contact: PC Michel LeBlanc, Crime Prevention, 22 Division,
The Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) has developed a presentation on the history of the Toronto Police Service. They are available to speak to:
·service clubs
·business groups
·school associations and
·church organizations.
From the history of the Service we expand the presentation to the various departments that make up the service, and our role in the community. It includes crime statistics for the area and the importance of community involvement.
If you would like us to attend your next meeting or function please...
The 22 Division, February 2011 Community Bulletin, will soon be available on the Toronto Police Service 22 Divisions' web page www.torontopolice.on.ca/d22 this week.
Persons wishing to receive this bulletin via email are invited to contact:
SEYA is a youth led, youth run group who work together to make a positive difference in the community through active participation. They organize events to showcase youth talents, creativity and ideas (ex. Annual Ruckus Fashion and Talent Showcase). SEYA youth also host workshops on leadership, skills development, teamwork, youth issues and create opportunities for experiential learning (ie learning by "doing"). SEYA's long term vision is to provide ongoing opportunities for advocacy, civic engagement, and volunteer hours. This is to support the health and capacity of the youth here in the Lakeshore.
SEYA's currently creating, implementing and evaluating workshops on goal setting, anti-bullying, time management, healthy living and achieving success. All workshops are created and delivered by youth. If you're interested in having SEYA leaders facilitate a workshop, feel free to contact us for more information.
Who
Youth ages 13-21 from inside and outside the LAMP C.H.C catchment area.
When
Meetings/workshops are held twice a month on Wednesday evenings around 5pm. Leads meetings are weekly. All are always welcome.
“The Neighbours’ Night Out Program is a fun and easy way to help create a safe community and get to know your neighbours. More than a quarter of million residents have participated throughout in the GTA since the program started in 1985. Neighbours are encouraged to hold small parties with people in their area, on their street or in their buildings. It’s a great way to get to know your neighbours and build community spirit.
Neighbours’ Night Out provides an opportunity for neighbours, families, friends and community groups to have a fun night, get to know each other better and build community spirit.” - former Mayor David Miller
For information on starting or helping with a Neighbour's Night Out block party, please contact our office. Click here to download the brochure.
Neighbours' Night Out (NNO) on the Lakeshore
Your neighbours have been meeting once a month for seven years. The NNO has grown larger and larger and it continuously welcomes new community members.
The Toronto Star wrote about this NNO in April 2010:
Dreamers and Doers: Neighbours Nite Out builds a stronger community
Published On Sat Apr 03 2010
It’s a cold, blustery Thursday night, but inside the Blue Goose Pub just behind the Mimico GO station, it’s warm and friendly.
People wander in to their usual tables, and put in their beer and wine orders with their server, Judy. Pizza, nachos and chicken wings soon follow.
It’s Neighbours Nite Out — where once a month, residents of the south Etobicoke area gather to tell bad jokes, share local gossip and talk about everything from one couple’s recent trip to Africa to the Toronto mayor’s race.
It started about six winters ago, when Jane DuBroy came up with idea to organize a night out during a time when poor weather keeps people at home, hibernating.
“It’s cheap and it’s cheerful. Anybody is welcome, and if nobody shows up at least Bil and I got a night out,” DuBroy said, referring to her partner, Bil Thuma.
But that never happens, because the neighbours always turn up. And by the end of this evening there are nearly two dozen people, some who have known each other for years, and others who are just meeting for the first or second time.
This simple event has created a special bond.
Need to borrow a tool? Done. Need someone to collect the mail and feed the cats? Done. Need a ride to a doctor’s appointment? Done.
“If somebody is sick, it’s easy to ask somebody to pick up groceries,” said Thuma, a mining engineer. “Everybody is generous, but until you establish a linkage, you can’t access it.”
And another bonus is that when neighbours know each other and their routines, it can help prevent crime.
“They are the eyes on the street,” said Thuma. “People know your habits. They know if something is amiss.
“If you don’t know your neighbours and their house has been broken into, you wouldn’t know about it.”
DuBroy, a communications specialist, is the magnet who brings the neighbours together, said April MacDonell, who remembers that the first evenings drew only a handful of people.
The group keeps expanding beyond the street in New Toronto where DuBroy and Thuma live.
“I remember the first email, when you used to be able to read all the names in one line. Now you have scroll down and down,” said MacDonell.
As one who grew up on a farm, MacDonell said it can be a challenge to build a small-town feel in the big city, but it can be done.
“I think it can be cultivated to a certain extent. People now wave and say hello. I think you get what you make out of a community,” she said.
And as someone who doesn’t drive, she said her neighbours have always been helpful. “I’ve never had to take a cab,” MacDonell said.
For Carole Freeman, it was a chance meeting with DuBroy outside the coroner’s office last year, as the two women stood next to each other while waiting to honour a soldier slain in Afghanistan.
When DuBroy learned Freeman lived in a co-op building only a short distance away, she invited her to Neighbours Nite Out. She’s been coming ever since.
“It’s one of my best nights,” said Freeman, adding the group has also bonded to fight certain types of development in the area — twice going to the Ontario Municipal Board and winning.
Others, like Jeff and Eileen Albert, were drawn by chance.
The Alberts, who were living in Palgrave, decided they wanted to live in that little pocket of south Etobicoke. Eileen — who describes herself as assertive, not aggressive — typed up a letter telling homeowners they were looking to buy and went knocking on doors.
When they got to DuBroy’s door, they chatted for a long time. And she, of course, invited them to join Neighbours Nite Out.
“It was almost two years ago,” said Eileen Albert. “How cool is it to meet a whole new group of friends?”
Her husband, Jeff, added that while they were originally drawn to the area because of its closeness to the water, it’s the friendships that draw them now.
“There’s something unique about that area. The people there are a close-knit group that we have come to enjoy. The total package is there,” he said.
While the Alberts haven’t managed to buy in the area yet, they are renting a place near the Humber College campus and waiting to become neighbours in every sense of the word.
Neighbours meet:
When: every last Thursday of the month
Where: Blue Goose Tavern, 1Blue Goose St., Etobicoke, ON, M8V 2R5 (416) 255-2442 www.thebluegoosetavern.com/
Time: around 6:00 pm (18:00 hrs.) start (people arrive when they can)
Neighbours come from as far away as Long Branch, Port Credit, North Toronto. All welcome.
