The City Centre Mirror

This year, however, the North Toronto-based agency is expanding its scope both literally and figuratively.

The Toronto Green Community has roughly 20 volunteers who show up every Wednesday night at the Eglinton Park Community Garden to plant a variety of organic vegetables and other native plants.

This year, for the first time, the agency is looking to appeal to new Canadians as well as to longtime local residents.

"We're piloting an ESL program in the garden because many of our volunteers are newcomers," said Paula Messina, Green Community volunteer co-ordinator. "Right now we're just giving it a try and seeing how the curriculum that we've set up works, and it seems to be working pretty well."

Once the curriculum is further set and the kinks are ironed out, the Toronto Green Community may bring the ESL gardening program to other sites, such as the San Lorenzo Community Centre near Dufferin Street and Lawrence Avenue West.

"We're fairly new out there and we're always looking for volunteers for that site," Messina said. "Once we see exactly how the ESL curriculum works, we'll talk about using it at different locations."

For details on the gardens and volunteer opportunities, e-mail volunteer@ntgc.ca or call 416-781-7663.

The display will feature a variety of artwork, posters, photographs and other ephemera from circuses throughout the ages, showcasing the way the crowd-pleasing events have changed over the years.

With artifacts and advertisements dating back to the 19th century, The Circus Comes to Town: An Exhibition of Circus Images will offer a historical view of one of the longest-running forms of entertainment.

Various circus props and models will also be on display throughout the exhibit.

The Circus Comes to Town will be on display at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, from Saturday, July 19 through Sunday, Oct. 5.

The church serves as a one-stop destination for many of the community's less fortunate, as they receive access to a variety of goods and services.

On the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, volunteers from the church also hand out donated clothing and hygiene supplies such as soap and shampoo just across the hall.

"People usually come in for the meal at the Red Cross and come across to get clothes while they're here, so we get about 80 to 85 people a week," said volunteer Dorothy Luff.

The clothes are donated by members of Our Lady of Lourdes' congregation.

In the church parking lot, the Sherbourne Health Centre's Rotary Club of Toronto Health Bus delivers health care services to those who might not otherwise make use of the health system.

The ninth annual celebration in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood is looking for volunteers who will welcome people to the festival and ask for a donation for Epilepsy Toronto.

Volunteer shifts are available from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the course of the festival, which runs from Aug. 21 to 24.

Buskerfest is expected to raise about $200,000 for Epilepsy Toronto.

For details, visit www.torontobuskerfest.com/content/volunteer.htm, e-mail volunteers@torontobuskerfest.com or call Adam Bailey at 416-964-9095.

Union president Kathleen Gardiner said the members voted 95 per cent in support of the agreement, which has "considerable improvements in benefits, long sought after."

Teachers and senior management have also agreed to improved consultation processes on local issues, she added.

"Provincial discussions between the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association, earlier this year, were of considerable assistance in this round of bargaining," Gardiner said in a release.

The agreement is subject to approval by the Ministry of Education's appointed supervisor of the Toronto Catholic District School Board.