Twinning
TWINNING COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2009-2010
I thank all who have as one of their works, twinning. This is a help to the poor, in Canada, and in the countries with whom we are twinned.
I have committed to goals for twinning in 2007, and continue to try to address them.
Below is a report on progress with these goals, and other task items that are done to maintain and promote twinning.
- Promotion of projects as a way to further assist out twins
- Articles in the Vincenpaul magazine, which goes to all Councils in Canada.
The titles of articles published in 2010 are: Tips on Writing to Your Twin, A Planned Jamaican Project, Twinning Ad, and What Happens to our Twinning Funds.
- Encouragement of conferences who express the wish to help their twin more, to consider the project process.
During a recent visit to the Dominican Republic, two projects were presented, one to complete a cement block home, and a proposal to buy land for a home for the elderly, each of which have been collecting funds from their own members and conferences and councils.
- Assistance where possible of the young adults in their twinning endeavors. The young adults contributed much effort and organization to the AGA in Waterloo in 2009.
I continue to the proposed project in Guatemala, of building of a third level of a school/community center for the young adult conference twin, be acted upon, either with a response to the project, or a passing on of this project.
- Approaching twins who haven’t transferred funds in the past 3 years, to ask about their needs and wishes in regards to twinning.
Letter sent in February ’10 to twins who haven’t transferred funds in the past 3 years. - Not as many twins as last year were responsive to this letter. Perhaps we have addressed which twins were able to respond.
- The National Board took some actions in regards to twinning in November. The Board passed a motion to change the designated countries with which we twin - policy TW001. If the National Council accepts this at the AGA, we will be able to twin with the two countries of French Cameroon and Brazil. We await the National Council decision.
- A Canadian Twinning Resource Manual has been drafted and is being reviewed by the National Twinning Committee and the National Board.
- I am in the process of ensuring that the Canadian Twinning Agreement is signed by another of the designated National Councils - Haiti. I will need to address this action again if the two countries are added to our list of designated countries with which we can make new twinnings.
- Reporting from the Regions, a Quebec twin supports a social and educational center, and raised over $64,000 for relief in Haiti.
BC and Yukon reports show prayers offered, “at each and every meeting”, communication mostly by email, slight increase in donations, aid – to children, to train paramedics, to supply sewing machines for small businesses, help to the elderly, repair of homes, assistance to an orphanage. They experience troubles with twin receiving funds, and with translators, both in Canada and in the twinned conferences. One conference concluded, “From all messages and photos, our twin conference appears to be vibrant, energetic and group of dedicated young Vincentians”. Atlantic reports no big changes. Ontario reports that a brother of their twinned Conference in Guatemala visited them. He attended one of their meetings at which he described the works of the Conference in Guatemala and brought pictures of the Conference members, etc. The Conference here in Hamilton recently again hooked up via 'skype' and both Conferences then said the Rosary together.
Task Items
- A twinning newsletter and spiritual message was sent with the annual request for twinning reports. Thank you to Nicole Schryburt for her assistance with the newsletter and publication.
- Twinnings X 10 since June ’09. We currently have 111 active twinning: 91 external, 12 internal, and 1 PAT conferences and councils actively twinning. We have sent $51,650 (twinning funds only) to our twinned countries and the poor that they serve.
- I went with Penny Craig to visit the Dominican Republic, and then Haiti by van. I was able to improve our twinning with both of these countries, by meeting our responsibilities to CRA, by acquiring more twins from both countries, and by acquiring projects from the Dominican Republic that will be considered by the National Board and Twinning Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Weswick, National Twinning Committee Chairperson
twinning-chair@ssvp.ca
Twinning annual report 2008-2009 (72.7 kb)
Twinning annual report 2007-2008 (48 kb) Twinning Annual Report 2006-2007 (63.9 kb)
Twinning - Application form (79 kb) Internal transmittal form (between Canadian conferences) (67.2 kb) Twinning - External Transmittal Form (87.8 kb) Twinning - Annual Report.pdf (75.9 kb)
