Monitoring and Compliance

**Boxing Day Edition** As the holiday glow settles in and the city slows down between Christmas and New Year’s, join us for a cozy, heartwarming Boxing Day gathering to unwind, reconnect, and recharge. Think winter zen meets festive cheer - the perfect moment to share good food, good vibes, and good company. This month’s theme invites you to embrace *winter calm with a touch of zest*: soft textures, warm colours, sparkles, scarves - or simply come as you are. Let’s close out the year together with laughter, conversation, and delicious plant-based food. And we have a special surprise… 🎁 **Lucky Draw Giveaway!** Our wonderful hosts at **Thien Tam** are offering **8 fantastic prizes**: ✨ 4 × **$50 gift vouchers** ✨ 4 × **bottles of white wine** Everyone attending will be entered automatically - just show up and enjoy! ### **About Toronto Vegan Drinks** Vegan Drinks is a social event for those interested in making new friends and meeting like-minded people. We meet up on the last Friday of the month. You don't have to be a vegan to come and enjoy the fun (in fact we encourage you to bring your veg and non-veg friends!), but only vegan food and drinks are available for purchase. This event is an inclusive space for all! ### **This Month’s Venue** We’ll be celebrating the winter season at the vibrant **Thien Tam** in the Junction! ❄️ Enjoy their flavourful Pan-Asian vegan dishes, cozy atmosphere, and a refreshing menu of cocktails and mocktails. From scrumptious grub to refreshing drinks, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Menu: [https://thientamca.com/](https://thientamca.com/) ### **Event Details** **📅 Thursday, December 26** (Boxing Day!) **⏰ 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm** **📍 Thien Tam – The Junction** There is no cover charge but we encourage everyone to support our host by buying some food and/or drinks! ### **How does it work?** Just show up, have fun, and meet new people! Name tags will be available so you won't have to remember a million names! Talk about your interests, your favourite recipes and restaurants, your dream job to save the animals, the environment, your ethics, or anything and everything! Let’s wrap up the year with warmth, friendship, and a little Boxing Day magic. ❤️❄️

Join us the 4th Friday of every month at 6 pm at Cherie Bistro for another Toronto Humanist & Atheist get-together! Catch up with friends and welcome new people.

\# ❄️🥾Mount Pleasant Cemetery Winter Walk ### **Toronto’s Most Peaceful Winter Walk** Join me for a gentle 90-minute winter stroll through one of Toronto’s most beautiful hidden gems — **Mount Pleasant Cemetery.** This isn’t just a cemetery — it’s like walking through a living museum and botanical garden, full of winding paths, tall evergreens, and peaceful charm. It’s also one of the best places in the city to meet friendly people, share good conversation, and soak in the quiet magic of winter. 💫 **Did you know?** When Mount Pleasant first opened in 1876, it was a *Victorian-day destination*! Torontonians would dress up, hop on a streetcar, and spend the day here picnicking and strolling before heading back downtown. \*\*\* \#\#\# 🕚 Meetup Details **Meetup Time:** 11:00am (I’ll wait 5 minutes) **Meetup Spot:** Inside the main gates of Mount Pleasant Cemetery at the **Yonge Street entrance** (the one with the big stone archway). Look for me — I’ll be wearing my *famous Moose Hat!* 🦌 **End Spot:** Right back where we started. \*\*\* \#\#\# 🍗 Lunch After After the walk, join us for a cozy lunch at **Swiss Chalet!** Great food, friendly prices, and warm vibes — the perfect way to wrap up a winter morning. \*\*\* \#\#\# 💲 Meetup Fee **$5 cash in person** or **E-transfer** to: 📧 \*\*[mathewmaclean@hotmail.com**](http://mathewmaclean@hotmail.com%2A%2A/) (This small fee helps support the group and future events!) \*\*\* \#\#\# 🧣 What to Bring * Warm boots and layers * Hat and gloves * A drink to keep you cozy ☕ * A small snack if you like ☃️ **Weather:** This walk happens in *any kind of weather* (we’ll only cancel if it’s -20°C or colder). Remember — *there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing!* 😉 \*\*\* \#\#\# 💬 Final Notes * You can **just show up** — no need to commit early! * Please keep an eye out for updates in case of cancellation. * 📱 **Don’t forget to join our WhatsApp group** – [CLICK HERE!](https://chat.whatsapp.com/H59mSCbsAi018gYANrKAnc?mode=ac_t) \*\*\* ✨ This is one of the best, calmest, and friendliest ways to spend a winter morning in Toronto — good company, good conversation, and a peaceful setting that feels miles away from the city. **Organizer:** Mathew 📩 [torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com](http://torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com/)

# ❄️🥾Mount Pleasant Cemetery Winter Walk ### **Toronto’s Most Peaceful Winter Walk** Join me for a gentle 90-minute winter stroll through one of Toronto’s most beautiful hidden gems — **Mount Pleasant Cemetery.** This isn’t just a cemetery — it’s like walking through a living museum and botanical garden, full of winding paths, tall evergreens, and peaceful charm. It’s also one of the best places in the city to meet friendly people, share good conversation, and soak in the quiet magic of winter. 💫 **Did you know?** When Mount Pleasant first opened in 1876, it was a *Victorian-day destination*! Torontonians would dress up, hop on a streetcar, and spend the day here picnicking and strolling before heading back downtown. *** ### 🕚 Meetup Details **Meetup Time:** 11:00am (I’ll wait 5 minutes) **Meetup Spot:** Inside the main gates of Mount Pleasant Cemetery at the **Yonge Street entrance** (the one with the big stone archway). Look for me — I’ll be wearing my *famous Moose Hat!* 🦌 **End Spot:** Right back where we started. *** ### 🍗 Lunch After After the walk, join us for a cozy lunch at **Swiss Chalet!** Great food, friendly prices, and warm vibes — the perfect way to wrap up a winter morning. *** ### 💲 Meetup Fee **$5 cash in person** or **E-transfer** to: 📧 **mathewmaclean@hotmail.com** (This small fee helps support the group and future events!) *** ### 🧣 What to Bring * Warm boots and layers * Hat and gloves * A drink to keep you cozy ☕ * A small snack if you like ☃️ **Weather:** This walk happens in *any kind of weather* (we’ll only cancel if it’s -20°C or colder). Remember — *there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing!* 😉 *** ### 💬 Final Notes * You can **just show up** — no need to commit early! * Please keep an eye out for updates in case of cancellation. * 📱 **Don’t forget to join our WhatsApp group** – [CLICK HERE!](https://chat.whatsapp.com/H59mSCbsAi018gYANrKAnc?mode=ac_t) *** ✨ This is one of the best, calmest, and friendliest ways to spend a winter morning in Toronto — good company, good conversation, and a peaceful setting that feels miles away from the city. **Organizer:** Mathew 📩 torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com

Avoid the Boxing Day shopping crowds and come hike with TBTC ‘s Hiking Director and club President instead. The Toronto Islands are very peaceful in the Winter Season. We will catch the 2:15 or 2:45 pm ferry to be back in the city by 3:00 pm. Bring a lunch, snacks, water, a hot beverage, and icers. Dress in warm layers appropriate to the weather. Heated washrooms available. Dropout anytime by walking back to the Ward's Island Ferry Dock. We will hike towards Hanlan's Point and return to Ward's Island (the only ferry destination served in the Winter) - approximately 5-6 km each way. RSVP Does not complete your registration. Please register on the hike schedule at the link below: [https://hikes.brucetrail.org/event/urban-walk-annual-tbtc-boxing-day-hike-4/2025-12-26/](https://hikes.brucetrail.org/event/urban-walk-annual-tbtc-boxing-day-hike-4/2025-12-26/)

You're invited to our free Indian lunch buffet event.

Let’s do some coding together at a cafe! No more working alone in the weekend. Here, we write code together. And I mean together together. Not occupying-the-same-space-but-separate together. Here’s how it works: Jennifer brings her mobile app project, tells everyone that it is like Pinterest for recipes and she’d like to work on the nav bar. Paul and Chloe think Jennifer's project is fascinating, and they join the group. They gather around Jennifer’s laptop and work on the nav bar for 2 hours. Jennifer is the one typing out the code while Paul and Chloe research, brainstorm, and offer suggestions. If you’re feeling stuck on your own project or need a motivation boost, bring it to mob programming! Want to learn by watching how others code and solve problems? Join someone else’s project at this event! Oh and we love your half-done projects that you are a bit embarrassed to share. Absolutely bring those to the event! **Discord**: We use Discord to share screen & code snippets during the event. Also feel free to share your projects here before the event! https://discord.gg/Da9fZFxPfs **Event policy**: * We have 0 tolerance for harassment. * We don’t allow the projects that are not meant to be shared in public such as school assignments, interview tasks, or trade secrets. * The goal is to write code. We discourage you from pitching business ideas here, doing code reviews, or spending the whole event on planning what to do. * Please buy a drink, and tip the barista well.

**NOTE:** This is a paid event. Please purchase a ticket to attend. **Tickets here:** https://www.eventbrite.com/e/richmond-hillmarkham-speed-dating-and-comedy-show-age-40-50-tickets-1976539552007?aff=oddtdtcreator Join us for a night of speed dating and socializing, and who knows, you could meet that special someone! Need a date? How about 15 of them? Join us for a fun and social evening of speed dating! Other speed dating events may get you 6-7 dates, but at 15 First Dates you'll be meeting up to 20 people! Not only that, you can stay for the professional comedy show after speed dating ends, and hang out with all the new people you just met. Saturday night shows are always great, so don't miss out! How speed dating works is that you will meet members of the opposite sex for quick 4 minute dates, and then you will give them a yes or a no. They will then do the same thing for you. If there is a mutual match, contact information will be exchanged the next day. We will give you all needed materials, and explain the process to you once everyone has arrived. You don't need to bring anything, just come dressed for success! **This event is for people aged 40-50.** Get your tickets now while you can!

Join the Toronto Founders Hub every other Saturday at 4pm for our regular meetup at 5 Elements Espresso Bar. Sit down with other entrepreneurs to network and discuss business ideas or strategies. \- Broaden your network \- Get critical feedback \- Socialize in low pressure setting I look forward to seeing you!

**Community Dance – Every Friday at Unity of Columbus** Let go of the week’s stress and move into joy! Join us every Friday for an evening of community, connection, and dance at Unity of Columbus. It’s a chance to meet new friends, express yourself through movement, and experience the emotional healing that comes from music and rhythm. No dance experience needed — just bring your energy, an open heart, and your dancing shoes! Dance is freedom. Dance is healing. Dance is fun.

Some trained COUNT volunteers work together once a month at RMH (http://www.rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer.php) as Housewarmers (usually on the 1st Sunday from 1 – 5 PM). Some schedule other shifts at their convenience. You may try this out with less fuss by following a "Fast track" or go through the normal process. Fast track • Arrange a time to shadow a COUNT volunteer. Call Dave Nohle at 614-268-9558 (cell). • Show up and try it out. • Complete application, etc. later. Normal process • Complete an online application (http://rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer/). • Attend orientation in advance. • At orientation you will complete forms agreeing to keep family/patient info private and allowing a background check and tour the facility. • Complete one training shift. Daily shifts are: morning 9 AM - 1 PM, afternoon 1 - 5 PM and evening 5 - 9 PM. • Schedule shifts online using the on the RMH scheduling system (http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/?FROM=32895). The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) provides housing and meals for families with sick children. The Columbus RMH is the largest in the world with 137 rooms. COUNT has been volunteering there since May 2014. Housewarmers work with RMH guests to provide a home-like environment - greet, assist with family needs, answer phones, give tours, assist with checkin/checkout, prepare guest rooms after checkout, clean facility, laundry, restock supplies and staff the front desk. RMH Housewarmers volunteer at least one four-hour shift a month. All Housewarmers must complete an application and agree to a background check before they can be full fledged volunteers.

As we prepare to enter a new year, the Burning Bowl Ceremony offers a powerful and heartfelt opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us and make space for new beginnings. You are warmly invited to join us for this sacred and reflective ritual. The Burning Bowl Ceremony is a beloved Unity tradition—an empowering moment where we release old patterns, worries, or limiting beliefs by writing them down and symbolically releasing them into the flame. This act of letting go opens the door to clarity, peace, and transformation.

You are invited to participate in one of Unity’s most meaningful and empowering traditions—the **White Stone Ceremony**. As we enter a new year, this sacred ritual gives you the opportunity to listen within, connect with Spirit, and claim a new name or intention for your life. In ancient times, receiving a white stone symbolized freedom, new identity, and fresh possibility. Today, we continue that tradition by holding a smooth white stone, entering a quiet meditation, and allowing Spirit to reveal a word, name, or message that reflects who you are becoming.

Join Columbus Vegan Meetup for a NOON Year’s Eve at Vida's!! We will count down to noon on 12/31. This is a great opportunity for families or for people that do not want to stay up past midnight for New Year’s celebrations. We will be eating food from Vida’s Plant Based Butcher 🤤 Here is the link to their website: 🔗 https://www.vidasbutcher.com/ You can order ahead of time, just let them know that it is for the Meetup happening from 11:30am-1pm. Vida’s will also have a preorder available just after Christmas for that classic cheese ball so stay tuned for that! 🧀 👀 I will be bringing a bottle or two of sparkling juice for a celebration drink, bring your own bottle if you’d like! Also, you could bring your own champagne glass if you really wanna get fancy 🥂✨ So yeah! Come join us and celebrate with fellow vegans and animal lovers while supporting local family owned vegan businesses 🤩