[Viva] pwn and moving forward

Wed Apr 12 12:58:23 PDT 2017

For me, the first ten years or so of being positive was when I accessed PWN
the most. I was still struggling in my addiction when I first went to a
retreat, and still can't believe I made it there.
Everyone was so non-judgemental and kind that it gave me the hope I needed
to get clean, and I'm grateful to PWN to this day for that. They really had
the ingredients for success: GENTLE, KIND & WELCOMING.
I went to many things there to help fill my time constructively: art
therapy, lunches, more retreats, etc. and met countless friends.
When I got lipo-dystrophy syndrome, including extreme facial atrophy, I was
desperate to talk to someone in the same boat.  Wouldn't you know it, PWN
had a new women's support group that was just starting, and there I met
that one woman with my dilemma. We are still friends today.
  So for me it has filled many needs, including the strength I needed to
get clean and sober. I'm sure I'm forgetting something which I can add
later.
I lived in Surrey and Delta throughout my journey with PWN.  I am sad for
everyone who works there and for all that rely (and would rely in the
future) on it like I did.
Sincerely,
Lisa Lagos 💚 💛 💜

On Apr 12, 2017 11:27 AM, "Margarite Sanchez" <margaritesanchez at gmail.com>
wrote:

> To me the most empowering and inclusive (including women who live in rural
> areas) program PWN ran was the retreats. You put 10 - 30 poz women together
> and the earth moves!!
>  In the early days there were tears and laughter and that sharing led to
> healing and empowerment in the face of a devastating diagnoses.
> Keep the thoughts coming in. What programs or services for women do you
> want? All ideas welcome! The wilder the better!!
> ox
> margarite
>
> On Wed, Apr 12, 2017 at 7:39 AM, CHARLENE ANDERSON <pickles4 at shaw.ca>
> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Shelly. Hat an adventure you are having!
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~ Char
>>
>>
>> On Apr 12, 2017, at 6:11 AM, shelly tognazzini <shetognazzini at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Am in complete agreement Peggy. Limited email access at moment but will
>> think further.
>>
>> Asante sana,
>> Xo🦁 Shelly
>>
>> On Apr 11, 2017 3:06 AM, "Peggy" <pegfrank at telus.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Not sure if our thoughts on women services should just be posted here or
>>> if there will be a more formal process.  Given the huge impact of stigma
>>> associated with living with HIV, family management, attitudes towards sex
>>> work and weird constructs like criminalization have on women, it seems
>>> urgent to find a way of supporting women - both in urgent need situations
>>> and over the duration of getting solid ground under our feet. The topic is
>>> huge. I have personally benefitted from training and retreats focused on
>>> women. Perhaps. It's time for each of us to evaluate her strengths and
>>> create a database that Poz women can access when in need. Thank goodness
>>> for local support where it exists and the openness of places like Oak Tree
>>> to look at broadening support. Love to all. Peg
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>> On Apr 10, 2017, at 11:30 AM, CHARLENE ANDERSON <pickles4 at shaw.ca>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Hello ladies of Viva as many of you know and some do not know PWN has
>>> closed it's doors for good as of April 4, 2017. Viva has the opportunity as
>>> a committee/working group within Positive Living to make some positive
>>> strides for the  women of British Columbia. What we would like to know is
>>> what services you used at PWN including Retreats and what services you
>>> would like to continue and what services started up. As things stand when
>>> Poz Living moves into the new building on Helmken and Seymour in the early
>>> summer Viva has already secured a womens space and we would like to do much
>>> much more.
>>>
>>> Thanks for taking the time to let your Viva know what you need/want.
>>> Charlene Anderson
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: PWN Board [mailto:pwnboard at pwn.bc.ca <pwnboard at pwn.bc.ca>]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2017 1:41 PM
>>> To: Donna Tennant
>>> Subject: Update from PWN
>>>
>>> Dear partners and stakeholders,
>>> Like many HIV and hepatitis C service agencies across the country,
>>> Positive Women's Network (PWN) has been affected by a changing landscape of
>>> service delivery models and funding. In December 2016, the PWN Board of
>>> Directors announced that it would be pausing services to reflect on the
>>> possibility of a way forward given these shifts.
>>> As the attached letter explains in greater detail, the Board of
>>> Directors has reached the difficult decision of closing PWN's doors
>>> effective April 4, 2017. This decision was made after a painstaking
>>> consideration of all possible options.
>>>
>>> The Board extends heartfelt gratitude to our members, partners, funders,
>>> staff, and leadership for their commitment to PWN over the past 25 years.
>>> We appreciate the partner organizations whose programs will accommodate our
>>> members, and our staff will be available to support our members in locating
>>> alternative programs across the province. We encourage members to reach out
>>> to Charisse Knowlan (charissek at pwn.bc.ca<mailto:charissek at pwn.bc.ca
>>> <charissek at pwn.bc.ca>>) or Judy Mitchell (judym at pwn.bc.ca<mailto:judym@
>>> pwn.bc.ca <judym at pwn.bc.ca>>) for more information about HIV- and
>>> hepatitis C-specific services in their region.
>>> In this challenging time, we ask that you support PWN staff and
>>> management in giving their full attention to assisting members with this
>>> transition and that you direct any questions regarding PWN's closure to the
>>> Board of Directors. You may reach the Board of Directors by replying to
>>> this email.
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Positive Women's Network Board of Directors
>>>
>>> Brittany Graham (chair), Carly Daoust, Heather Holroyd, Negar
>>> Hooshmand-Mozaffar & Patti Telford
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Positive Women's Network Board of Directors
>>> www.pwn.bc.ca<http://www.pwn.bc.ca>
>>> pwnboard at pwn.bc.ca<mailto:pwnboard at pwn.bc.ca <pwnboard at pwn.bc.ca>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>>
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