Timeline of Significant Milestones
Student Open Circles co-founded by Marybeth Leis and Jeff Druery and begins operating under umbrella of Welcome Inn Community Centre- Learning And Fun (LAF) afterschool program begins at Welcome Inn Community Centre and Community Volunteer Action (CVA) recruits enough volunteers to mentor each child
- CVA begins with 5 student facilitators and 5 weekly volunteer groups (at Inasmuch Women’s Shelter, LAF, STAR teen program, Welcome Inn Youth drop-in)
- CVA becomes a working group with Ontario Public Interest Research Group
- Open Circle receives McMaster Student Union club status
Simplicity Circle weekly group begins- Discussion Dinner events include “Global Village or Global Pillage?” and “The Spiritual Worldview of Lord of the Rings”
- CVA expands to 9 student leaders and 8 weekly volunteer groups
- CVA groups begin at CHOICES for adults with disability, Food Not Bombs, Friendship Centres, Peace Curriculum in schools, and Conversation Circles for ESL students
Student Open Circles receives charity status with Jacob Letkemann, an alumnus, as the first president of the board- New weekly groups begin: Spiritual Journey Circle, Reel to Real film discussions, Crafty Co-op, and Life and Spirituality group
- Events include “Spirituality and Movement” and “GLBTQ Story Telling Circle”
- CVA expands to train 24 student leaders
- CVA more than doubles into 17 weekly groups!
- Weekly volunteer groups begin at CNIB, KEEPS after school program, Wesley Centre Soup Kitchen, Bennetto public school
Open Circle & CVA hosts its first Hungry for Change dinner- Service learning trip to Sanctuary in Toronto, volunteering with people who are homeless
- Positive Action Circle weekly group begins
- First Labyrinth walk
- CVA has 35 student leaders and 21 weekly volunteer groups
- Volunteer groups begin at Ontario March of Dimes, Ontario Early Years, Adventures in Arts, Conway group homes, North Hamilton Community Centre Breakfast Club
Meditation Circle weekly group begins- CVA expands to 29 weekly volunteer groups
- Volunteer groups begin at Terryberry homework club, Wesley after school program, Transitional youth centre, Hamilton Prison to Bridge, Keep Hamilton Clean
- First Student Open Circles Coffeehouse at Hamilton Mennonite Church
New weekly groups begin: Listening to Life and Hands On Simple Living group- Service learning trip to Sanctuary in Toronto, volunteering with people who are homeless
- CVA Homework Help club volunteer groups begin at SISO
- St. Paul’s Church begins supporting Student Open Circles with office space
Creativity Circle weekly group begins- CVA Volunteer groups coordinate After School programs and Family Night at Eva Rothwell Resource Centre
- Volunteer groups begin at Lawson Lodge (Salvation Army) and Environment Action
- Red Door Coffeehouse begins in partnership with community members and St. Paul’s
- Exam Study space begins in partnership with St. Paul’s Anglican
- Coffeehouse and Art Show at First Unitarian Church
Events include Open Circle’s first planetarium event “Astronomical Reflections”, Peace Hike for International Peace Day, and “Follow Your Bliss: Choosing a life path that combines career and contribution”- CVA groups begin at Beasley Breakfast program
Open Circle receives MSU club of the Year award- Open Circle’s first “Try on a Spiritual Practice” day in Student Centre atrium
- Engaging the Media weekly group begins
- Organic farming experiential learning trip
- Volunteer group begins at Pathways to Education
Open Circle collaborates on events with Gandhi Peace Week, the United Way club, McMaster Poverty Initiative, Center for Student Development, Cootes Paradise club, SIHI, COPE, Diversity Services, Opirg McMaster, Frontier College @MAC, Tamil Students Association, Med and You, Life Sciences, and MMHS clubs.- Body Mind Spirit Circle weekly group begins
- Tech Free For Change and weekly Tech Free zone
- Creativity Circle’s “Image Meets Spirit” art show at First Unitarian
- Volunteer group begins at Reading Buddies Literacy program
“Community Service by a non member” Award from Hamilton-Wentworth Occasional Teachers Union- SISO closes and CVA groups volunteer at Central Library tutoring the youth from SISO
- Open Circle and CVA expands to train over 70 student facilitators