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| Clemens Mill Organizations /Worship |
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 Welcome to the Neighbourhood Organizations section! Organizations and places of worship are encouraged to communicate with the entire community by posting information in this unique portion of the neighbourhood website. If you are a member of an organization in the neighbourhood, you may save costs by posting news and updates, your newsletter, or including your member directory in a password protected section. This section is especially useful to homeowner organizations, churches, clubs, and other associations.
This is a great forum to reach all of the members of the neighbourhood! Feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance. We encourage you to embrace this portion of the neighbourhood website! |
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Clemens Mill Organizations
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Fiddlesticks Neighbourhood Association
· Quote from 1994 AGM cover letter for the meeting: “FNA dates back to 1992, when a handful of neighbours held a brain-storming session in co-operation with the City of Cambridge staff in hopes of organizing some badly needed social and recreational programs for the neighbourhood residents.”
· The 1994 AGM was the first official FNA public meeting. (March 10,1994)
· First president was Hans Maas.
· Name for the association was chosen from the proposed name for the golf course that was going to be developed right in the neighbourhood. (The course was never named Fiddlesticks; however, the board chose to continue the name) We’ve worked VERY HARD to get that name recognized in the neighbourhood.
· First programs were aerobics, volleyball, summer playground and parents and tots.
· The mandate for the association through the years has remained consistent with a few additions. ( Mandate found within constitution focuses on children with involvement for everyone)
· Until fall of 1996, most of association business done in name only, as people involved with the association did all work from their homes. No central location.
· By fall of 1996, the board of directors was unwilling to continue as volunteer board members (as usually happens – natural turnover) and the program co-ordinators were really working on their own: maintaining their own funds, paying bills, recruiting, and advertising. Even though there was a newsletter and some co-operation, the enthusiasm was dying and the association was almost non-existent. These people had no support or direction from and governing board.
· This is when the City stepped in and persuaded the program co-ordinators to form the next board and recruit and pick up the pieces. SO WE DID, and Randy Parekh, Kim Trempe, Wendy Newman, Amanda Drewett, and Jamilla Ivits accepted that challenge as the new board members.
· It’s been an up and down progression since then.
· We established a temporary location to have meetings – the common room at Anglerock – the ‘hub’ to us. We had a mailing address at a location outside the neighbourhood which caused A LOT of problems.
· By the AGM in 1997, we had recruited more volunteers, and were approached to develop the Young Children’s programs. That really took off and got our name out to the neighbourhood.
· That’s when many of our current board members joined the association and started the upward momentum and brought stability to the association.
· It has snowballed since then: “From basements and boxes to our permanent office, new phone# and mailing address, email address, new programs, volunteer growth, a terrific newsletter that is anticipated by the residents, stability within the administration as a functioning association, and stability within the board.
· A major player who guided us was Helen Scutt-Wallis (from the City) and helped us tremendously.
· With this stability, came the change in our status to a staffed association, so in spring of 1999 we were approved by the City (funds from their budget) for a full-time COVSS and part-time Recreational Worker.
· Our growth has brought us again to the next level with incorporation in the fall 2000.
· Through to the end of 2001, we had some plateaus and some new development, but our biggest successes were the establishment of the Ferguson Homestead as Fiddlesticks’ permanent home and the Board’s Short/Long Term Goal List. This list has provided a direction and focus for the association.
· We’ve developed some partnerships/ working relationships with Scouts Canada, Cambridge Non-Profit Housing, the Optimists, schools within out neighbourhood, State Farm Insurance, businesses within Cambridge (M&T insta-print, Tim Horton’s, Counteraction, ) and last but not least The City of Cambridge, who have supported us in every way possible. These relationships are extremely important to the continued success of Fiddlesticks and play a major role in our development.
· We’re now focusing on the development of policy creation, committees for programs, and fundraising.
· By 2002, our programs list has grown from 4 to over 15 regular programs (both child and adult), annual events such as the Bike Rodeo, Yard Sale, and Summer BBQ Blast.
· Our volunteer office positions, now include an Accounting Clerk position which is very important in the day-to-day operation of the association from a financial view. We finally computerized our financials to ease payroll and accounting functions.
· We have been able to offer summer employment for students with funding from several organizations.
· To confirm our presence in the neighbourhood, we now have our very own permanent sign.
It’s not one or two people but many who bring their skills to the table to make these accomplishments a reality.
There’s always a spot for everyone to contribute, no matter how big or small, and the best is yet to come.
Website: http://www.fiddlesticks.ca
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