Brentwood Cares Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary
by Lee Hunt
“We wanted to convert kindness into action.” With these words, Brentwood resident Liza Lorenzetti explained how Brentwood Cares came into being.
Five years ago, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, U of C Social Work Professor Liza Lorenzetti had a Zoom call with social workers from across the city. They were concerned about the isolation that Calgarians were experiencing, so decided to each set up a care group in their respective neighbourhoods. Thus, Liza brought Brentwood Cares into existence. Soon she was joined in this important endeavour by fellow Brentwoodian Cam Howey. The two approached Brentwood Community Association (BCA) President Bonita McCurry who was immediately on board. Liza and Cam are so grateful for Bonita’s (and thus the BCA’s) ongoing support. As Liza puts it, “Bonita always says ‘yes’ and does so much for us.” In fact, it has been a family affair as Bonita’s husband Paul Duguay has delivered hundreds of flyers for Brentwood Cares, and her grandsons Zach and Xander have helped out as well.
Likely when you think of Brentwood Cares, the first endeavour which comes to mind is the Little Free Food Library located in front of 3624 Boulton Road NW. For five years, Brentwoodians have kept the LFFL going with their donations – be those food items or cash. (Again, the BCA has helped out by having a food drop box at most of its events.)
But Brentwood Cares has since branched out to so many other endeavours. Do you recall during COVID when we were all encouraged to stand on our balconies or doorsteps to beat a wooden spoon on a pot or pan? Brentwood Cares was behind that activity in our community.
From that beginning, Brentwood Cares continued to reach out: in 2021, they enlisted Brentwood artists to create a number of colourful small murals on fences along community pathways, and in 2022 organized the Art Walk which drew 600 people to visit those murals. In 2023, Brentwood Cares helped out with our BCA’s 60th anniversary celebration.
But there is still so much more to Brentwood Cares. Over the years, the group has supported the seniors at Carroll Place by drawing chalk art out in front for occasions such as Easter, Canada Day, and Halloween, and by collecting games and books for the activity room. Thanks to Hope Lutheran Church for helping out with those collections.
In addition, Brentwood Cares started the tradition of giving homemade cookies and cards to the Carroll Place residents at Christmas. This tradition has been taken over by the students at Brebeuf School for the past few years.
Brentwood Cares has also sponsored a series of free art classes, as well as provided articles to The Bugle. And have I mentioned that they have held bottle drives which raised $2,000 to sponsor three Pakistani girls to attend school? To say nothing of the many winter coats which the group has collected for migrant workers in Calgary. The group gathered hygiene products for clients of the Mustard Seed, and volunteer drivers delivered hampers for the Food Bank.
But Brentwood Cares doesn’t stop there either. Each summer they arrange help for Brentwood residents who need assistance with yard work. Summer also brings sponsorship of Calgary House Concerts, held outside the Skate Shack near the Community Garden. Of course, attendees are asked to donate to the Little Free Food Library.
In the winter, with the help of Brentwood donors, Brentwood Cares prepares two holiday food hampers for Horizon Church to donate to families in need.
As you can tell, Brentwood Cares has been a very active and generous entity over the past five years. Liza and Cam wish to thank the numerous individuals and groups which have supported them. Those include the Brentwood Community Association and President Bonita McCurry, Rosemary Brown, Susan Templeton, Rayan Alfuhaid, Di Wu, Isabel Chan, Melanie Swailes, Horizon Church, plus many other unnamed individuals who have helped by donating food, money, and time. They have all helped to make Brentwood Cares such a success. And a success it is! As one recipient of the Food Library told Liza, “This food has saved me.”
The thread running through all of the Brentwood Cares endeavours is “kindness and its impact on happiness” and its “ability to foster a sense of wellbeing,” as Liza put it.
We at The Bugle offer Brentwood Cares a huge thank you plus all the best in your future endeavours helping others. Happy fifth anniversary!
P.S. – Brentwood Cares could always use more volunteers. If you would like to help out, please contact Cam Howey at [email protected].
Liza, Cam, and Lee
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