Oasis Convention Center

1036 Lakeshore Road East

Mississauga

Saturday April First we attended a very interesting and successful event at the Oasis Convention Center in Mississauga.

The "Academia do Bacalhau de Toronto" in Partnership with the "Working Women Community Center" held the third annual Traditional Portuguese Gala Dinner in favor of the program On Your Mark, for tutoring and mentoring Portuguese speaking children. A glitzy affair, it was attended by well over 400 people, many personalities (see list below) raising more than twenty two thousand dollars. The two elegant "Masters of Ceremonies" were Ana Bailão and João Vicente very well known personalities of OMNI One TV and CHIN Radio.

The "On Your Mark" program, in existence for seven years now, pairs high school and university volunteer students with other, younger, members of Portuguese speaking families that have difficulties in the Canadian School System due to the language difference. Be it the English language, math, sciences or environmental adaptation difficulties, this help is very precious, and might make a tremendous difference in the academic future of those youngsters.

The WWCC runs this project, that was started with three years of monetary help from the Trillium Foundation. Since then it has been totally supported by the Portuguese Community. Besides the money necessary to administer such complex program, the Director Marci Ponte and the present coordinator Sonia Neves, are actively looking for more volunteer tutors. We have a waiting list of students requesting help from our program - Says Sónia - but not enough volunteers. - Last year we accommodated 303 students, but we are falling short on help today and have only 185.

So, if you are an advanced student, can speak a little Portuguese and can spare a couple hours on Saturday mornings, please call Sónia at 416-532-2824 extension 34, and volunteer. Mayor David Miller, the main orator at these Annual Portuguese Dinners, said during the first one, in 2004, that he admired the Portuguese Community for many reasons one of them being that "- They identified a problem, and got hard at work, to solve it!"

This time, last Saturday, the Mayor complimented that Portuguese Community again, for the great working qualities, dedication to progress and advancement. David Miller also manifested concern about the recent repatriations and related some of the efforts made to resolve such regrettable situations.

The Consul General the Portugal, Doctor Maria Amélia Paiva thanked the Mayor for his presence and complimented the organizers and collaborators for this marvelous event, and the continued efforts in prole of education in the community.

Doctor Alzira Maria Serpa Silva Director Regional of the Communities, Azores, recognized everyone's dedication and efforts. Graciously, made the offer of a trip to Azores and one week stay in one of the best hotels there, to be raffled in a the future event.

Peter Fonseca, the only Portuguese Member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario made an interesting and rousing speech relating the history of a recently emigrated family and the help that they needed. Terminated by presenting Marci Ponte and Ivo Azevedo, the organizers, with Diplomas of volunteer appreciation from the Ontario Government. Both Dra. Silva and the Honorable Fonseca were made Compadres of the Academia do Bacalhau, and the two Vice-presidents, Marina Candeias and Rui Gomes were the Godparents.

The Sponsors were presented with mementos, by some 20 children of the program, that one by one, told at the microphone their plans for the future. The audience was also delighted by a lively performance by the Children's Dance Group of the Casa do Alentejo. A Very pleasant event terminated with a very animated dance.

List of Some of the Notables seen in the audience:

Mayor David Miller
Olivia Chow, MP Trinity Spadina
Peter Fonseca MPP Mississauga
Rosario Marchese, MPP Trinity Spadina
Deputy Mayor And City Councilor Joe Pantalone
Adam Giambrone, City Councilor
Catherine LeBlanc Miller , School Trustee Toronto Catholic District School Board
Sheila Ward, Chair of Toronto District School Board
Verna Lister, Superintendent , Toronto District School Board
Chris Bolton, Trustee , Toronto District School Board
Maria Rodrigues , Trustee Toronto District School Board
Elizabeth Hill , Trustee, Toronto District School Board
Peter Ferreira, Chair of Peel District School Board and President of the Portuguese Canadian Congress
John Cartwright, President, Labour Council of Toronto and York Region
Terry Downey , Vice President of the Ontario Federation of Labour

Sponsors were:
Academia do Bacalhau de Toronto.
Luso Golf, Joe Borges
Bank Santander Totta
Azevedo & Nelson Lawyers
Tel e Technologies
United Food And Commercial Workers Union Local 175
Universal Workers Union 183
OMNI Television
CHIN Radio International
Scotia Bank
bcpbank
Vianna Roofing
Trican Masonary
Ermidio Alves
Ferma Foods
I & I Construction

Ivo Azevedo

"Portuguese Post" Thursday April 6 2006 - English Section

JANTAR DE GALA - ACADEMIA DO BACALHAU

HOMENAGEM A LIBERAL DO COUTO

As organizações da Academia do Bacalhau começaram a ganhar uma dimensão digna de realce. Já são centenas de pessoas que facilmente se reúnem quando a Academia do Bacalhau rubrica este ou aquele evento, muito devido à magnífica actividade de Ivo e Mia Azevedo, de Marina Candeias e de Maria José Moniz.

Desta feita, para além da presença da Dra. Alzira Maria Serpa Silva, Directora Regional das Comunidade do Governo dos Açores; de registar as comparências da Cônsul Geral de Portugal em Toronto, Dra. Maria Amélia Paiva; do Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Toronto, David Miller; a MP Olívia Chow; dos MPP Peter Fonseca e Rosário Marchese; assim como a dos Vereadores Municipais Joe Pantalone e Adam Giambrone.

Em causa esteve não só o facto de se tratar do terceiro Jantar Anual de Gala da Academia de Bacalhau, como também a oportunidade de se apoiar o programa "On Your Mark", o qual foi traçado para dar assistência escolar a 300 crianças de Língua Portuguesa.

Num ambiente a condizer com o acontecimento, como é apanágio de tudo quanto é da responsabilidade do Oásis Convention Centre, o mesmo é dizer de Humberto Rebelo e de Joe Pimentel, eis que o "Bacalhau e tinto" bem tradicional, esteve impecável assim como foi muito agradável o ambiente musical que abrilhantou a festa com destaque para o Grupo Infantil da Casa do Alentejo.

O "Compadre" Ivo Azevedo pregou uma partidazinha ao pessoal presente (que já nem se lembrava do facto de se tratar do "dia das mentiras"), quando durante a sua alocução disse ter uma notícia a dar: "A Ponte 25 de Abril, passou a chamar-se Ponte Mário Soares!..." O que foi recebido com uma gargalhada, como é de calcular.

. Mais importante e mais a sério foi o momento em que foi recordado o nosso sempre amigo e colaborador, que apenas nos deixou fisicamente, Liberal do Couto., tendo sido anunciado com o Gavião de Penacho, para além de ter sido guardado um minuto de silêncio em sua memória o que muito nos calou fundo.

Ivo de Azevedo terá também anunciado que em nome de Liberal ao Couto iriam efectuar mais uma doação para o Fundo da Construção da Casa dos Deficientes Luso Canadianos.

Ivo de Azevedo terminou recordando que na Academia do Bacalhau não se discutem negócios nem política ou religião. A ideia é passar-se um bom .bocado, que foi exactamente, o que acotnteceu.

Programa On Your Mark Elogiado na Legislatura Rosario Marchese, o deputado provincial pelo circulo eleitoral Trinity-Spadina em Toronto, aproveitou o seu 'tempo de antena' na legislatura do Ontario para elogiar o programa On Your Mark.

Eis o texto integral:

"I'd like to recognize the ON YOUR MARK Tutoring Program for Children of Portuguese descent. It's a program that runs out of the Working Women's Community Centre in Toronto. This program is a partnership with the Portuguese Coalition for Better Education and the Portuguese' Interagency Network. The tutoring/mentoring program is set up to reach "at risk" Portuguese students in public and Catholic schools. By "at risk" we mean:

- Students who in the early grades (primary division) lag behind in literacy and numeracy standards for their grades

- Students who are attending special education support services, e.g. resource centres. Although they have not been identified as learning disabled, they need more in depth learning in small group or one-to-one settings

-Students at crucial points in high school: at the transition years and towards the end, to prevent drop out and encourage the pursuit of post-secondary education.

Parents note the greatest improvement in their children, the self-esteem in their academic abilities, since participating in the program. In most cases, children more regularly complete homework and their grades improve.

On Your Mark has successfully engaged 352 students from 27 schools across the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board. There is currently a list of 31 students waiting to be matched with tutors. If you, or someone you know, is interested in volunteering a minimum of one hour a week to help make a difference in a child's future, please contact Project Coordinator Sonia Neves, at the Working Women Community Centre at 416-532-2824."