Taylor’s Birthday (Carrie Sinkowski & Taylor the Turtle)
Dear Brantford,
I am so EXCITED!!
I will be a whole ONE YEARS old in 21 sleeps. September 21 is my birthday, which is an extra special day because it is also International Peace Day!!!!
I LOVED my first year in Brantford. I made so many friends!!
One of my first friends was The Advocate!! They wanted to make sure lots of people knew about me and they included me in their second issue. It was pretty exciting to see my picture in the paper AND on the website!!
I got to meet lots of cool kids at lots of Brownies and Guide units, and different schools, including Central School and King George School. The kids were always so happy to see me. We talked about lots of things like how to be healthy and have strong, good hearts and minds. Sometimes on very special days, one of my best friends, Peter Isaacs from Brantford Native Housing, would come with me and he would share teachings with the kids and me!!
My new, real, LIVE tortoise friends, China and Baby, came with me sometimes to the schools because they heard about all my fun times and wanted to meet the kids. One special day a month I got to hang out with the Eagle place Afterschool Programme. We read stories and talked about having a strong voice. We played games and created crafts. I was very sad to say bye to my friends when the school year ended. I hope they are having a fun summer.
I have missed my friends I made in the schools and at the afterschool programme but I have spent this whole summer making new friends. My friend Alex and I have been visiting all the summer camps by Parks and Rec. and also making stops at other fun events like Spring into Summer at Slovak Village, Street Festival at the Safety Village, Try Hugs Not Drugs Day in Ohsweken, and the Kids’ Summer Celebration Day at Mohawk Park.
Some of my new friends are BIG people.
A lot of my big people friends try to help me by making sure I have enough money in my piggy bank to buy crafts, books, and stickers for all my friends I meet in the schools.
I am really lucky to be friends with The Brantford Professional Firefighters Association Local 460, Brant County Power, and The City of Brantford, as well as some other nice people who live in the community and want to make sure I am able to do a good job.
Some of my most favourite big people friends work at The Safety Village. Me, and Const. Elana Emmons and Const. Liz Pottruff work together to teach students in Junior and Senior Kindergartens how to listen to their tummies, and to talk to adults about their feelings.
Sometimes I see my big people friends at events in the community, like the day in Harmony Square when all the guys were wearing red shoes to raise money for Nova Vita. I saw my politician friends like Larry Kings and Jan Vandersteldt, and my firefighter friends and my police officer friends. It was an extra special day because I saw Diana Boal who is the lady that makes sure that we all work together to help keep people safe from domestic violence. AND I saw some of my friends from Community Living. It was a very exciting day.
Many, many people have been very kind to me. There are two people that are always telling me that I am a good turtle and that I am doing good job.
One is Rick Prygiel who writes lovely songs for me and turns my pictures into magnets and stickers!
And the second is MPP Dave Levac who likes to give me high fives and always reminds me that we need to all work together to make sure kids are healthy, safe and happy in the community.
One of my best birthday presents, which I already know about so it is not really a present because now it is not a surprise and presents are supposed to be a surprise, is in October a big banner with MY picture is going to be up almost in the sky over Wayne Gretzky Parkway for a WHOLE month!! I hope lots of people see it and put my message in their heart.
I am happy I have all my old friends like the women at the Sexual Assault Centre and Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services, my web guy Adam Wills, and my creators, the Sinkowskis – Carrie, Jean, John, and Katie. I love them a lot because they knew me before I was here. It is fun to make new friends and keep growing my heart.
My first year in the world would not have been as fun without the help from lots of friends, old and new. And I am so happy to have all these friends as you can see in all my pictures!! In one year I have met over 9,900 friends!! That is more than I can count! We have met in classrooms, workplaces, and fun events. I want to travel more this year so I can meet and work with even MORE friends.
If you want to be friends email me, taylor@sacbrant.ca, or find me on facebook!!
Love and Peace,
Taylor the Turtle
www.taylorsrights.ca