Villa Charities Holds Vaccination
Clinics for its Seniors
Last week, Villa Charities, in partnership with Villa Colombo Toronto and Humber River Hospital, held vaccination clinics for the residents in Casa Abruzzo, Casa Del Zotto and Caboto Terrace, our independent seniors' apartments. We were excited to provide access to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for any of the residents who wanted to be vaccinated and who provided their consent. Staff from Humber River Hospital were onsite with their mobile clinics from March 8 to 11. In total, 532 seniors were vaccinated including Casa Abruzzo's oldest resident,100-year-old Margaret McDonnell!
 
Aline, a Casa Del Zotto resident, shared her feelings about the program:
 
"I must say congratulations for such a well-done job! The COVID vaccinations at Casa Del Zotto were organized so perfectly – every step has taken place smoothly, nicely, calmly. All was made easy for the elders. A HUGE THANK YOU."
 
Laurie, a Caboto Terrace resident also shared a similar sentiment:
 
“Thank you to all for an excellent job. The vaccine was delivered in a very organized, quick and respectful way. Thank you for taking such good care of us. All of you are modern-day angels. Thank you!”
 
We would like to thank Villa Colombo Toronto and Humber River Hospital for their assistance in arranging and running the vaccination clinics at the buildings, as well as Villa Charities’ Property Management team for coordinating daily and supporting the residents throughout this process.
 
The health and safety of the seniors on our campus and in our community has been a priority for Villa Charities since the pandemic began last year. We are grateful to the residents for doing their part as we join together in the fight against COVID-19.
 
Villa Charities’ 50th Anniversary featured in Panoram Magazine
The Spring 2021 issue of Panoram Italia Magazine commemorates the landmark 50th anniversary of Villa Charities with a cover story that highlights the history, achievements and bright future ahead for our organization. Check out the article at the link below.
 
Join us for “Dante: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”
Commemorating the 700th anniversary of Dante's death, this online presentation examines the enduring relevance of Dante and his masterpiece, "The Divine Comedy." Inspired by the title of Vittorio De Sica's 1964 Oscar-winning Italian film "Ieri, Oggi e Domani" (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow), Dr. Franco Gallippi examines the timelessness of "The Divine Comedy," its significance yesteryear, its continued popularity today and its rediscovery by tomorrow's generation.
Don't Miss Cultural Tuesdays Online Presentations: “Seven Decades of Fellini”
We are halfway through this seven-part virtual lecture series commemorating Federico Fellini's one-hundredth birthday by taking a journey through the Maestro's filmography. Each lecture is dedicated to a specific period of Fellini's career by concentrating on dominant themes that characterize his films of the period in question. Whatever the decade, Fellini never ceases to explore the mystery of life with a sense of wonder. The next lecture is Tuesday, March 23, at 7:00pm. Registration is only $5.00 per lecture.
 
Our “Racconti In Italiano” Workshops are the Perfect Short Story Book Club
With a focus on learning new Italian vocabulary, this online book club offers adult students at any level the opportunity to discuss contemporary short stories in both Italian and English. A variety of literary themes and styles are covered including stories by established literary figures, as well as a new generation of writers, with stories that explore aspects of Italian life. The next workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, March 24, at 12:00pm.
 
Catch up on March's Book Club Selection "La Lunga vita di Marianna Ucrìa"
Our online book club is an opportunity to explore and discuss contemporary
Italian literature while learning Italian. Join us for our March session, where
we will embark on literary adventures with extraordinary works by acclaimed prize-
winning authors. The next workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, March 24 at 7:00pm
as we read "La lunga vita di Marianna Ucrìa / The Silent Duchess" by Dacia Maraini.
 
The Latest Art News and Events Discussed with “Art & Aperitivo”
Join us virtually, enjoy a drink, and master the Italian language with the "Art & Aperitivo" classes! Art & Aperitivo is an opportunity to talk about art in a relaxed environment while enjoying your favourite drink together virtually. In this online interactive workshop, we will discuss the most significant art news and events from around the world, using Italian magazines and newspapers. We invite you to practice your Italian while expressing your views. We hope to see you for the start of our spring term workshops beginning Thursday, April 8 at 7:00pm!
 
Escape to Italy with our “Travel Through Italy” Online Series
Take a virtual journey through the beautiful regions and cities of Italy! From North to South, get inspired by landscapes, recipes, small towns, poems, art, literature masterpieces and local tales. Whether you are sharing your Italian origins with your classmates or simply your love for this country, you will get to know lots of new Italian words, customs and friends! Don't miss the spring term workshops starting Monday, April 12 at 6:30pm for the English-speaking class and 7:45pm for the Italian-speaking class.
 
Join Us for the Series Dante 700 as “Toronto Salutes Dante”
Villa Charities is proud to sponsor “Toronto Salutes Dante”, which commemorates the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, and features more than thirty Canada-based guests who will read Dante’s “Inferno” in various languages, several for the first time. In addition to ten different Italian dialects, eighteen other languages are represented. In 15-minute clips, well-known personalities of Canadian public and cultural life, professors and students at the University of Toronto,
and members of the Italo-Canadian community share their voices and fresh memories of the most important Italian author in world literature. Listen to Dante’s “Inferno” as you have never heard it before on the Department of Italian Studies’ YouTube channel from Thursday, March 25 to June 2021.
 
Last Chance to Attend [Re]Connected Seniors Virtual Workshops
[Re]Connected Seniors is a digital learning project by Villa Charities, funded in part by the Government of Canada and United Way of Greater Toronto. [Re]Connected Seniors has initialized an iPad lending library within Villa Charities' apartments for seniors (Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto, Casa Abruzzo) and has continued their series of virtual workshops to improve the digital literacy of seniors throughout the GTA! To join the last workshop on Thursday, March 25, contact Matteo Brera at reconnect@villacharities.com or by phone at 416-789-7011 ext. 333.
 
Book Your Virtual One-on-One Meeting for Friday Chats with the CEO
You can have a virtual meeting with Marco DeVuono, Acting President and CEO of Villa Charities Inc., for a one-on-one conversation to answer any questions or to share your thoughts on our programs and services. These informal chats with Marco will be held using GoToMeeting on the 2nd Friday of every month, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Appointments are 20 minutes each and must be scheduled in advance. The next Friday Chats is scheduled for Friday, April 9. Contact us today to schedule your virtual meeting – call 416-789-7011 ext. 240 or email csimpson@villacharities.com.
On-Site Operations for Villa Charities and Columbus Centre Remain Suspended
Please be advised that as per the current direction from the Ontario government and local public health authorities, under the Grey (Lockdown) tier guidelines effective as of Monday, March 8, on-site operations for Villa Charities and the Columbus Centre remain suspended. Online programs and services continue to be offered. Stay tuned for any updates and visit our COVID-19 Updates page for full details.
 
Deadline to Apply to Villa Charities Scholarship Program is March 31!
The Villa Charities Scholarship Program is available to students of any heritage who help further Villa Charities' mission of enriching lives through experiences and services that honour Italian culture and heritage. Four awards of $2,500 are available to Undergraduate students and four awards of $5,000 are available to Graduate level students. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2021.
 
Celebrate Easter with Dinner and a Show
This Easter, enjoy a deliciously curated six-course feast for two from Eataly Toronto, and a special virtual performance by Italian-American comedian Tara Cannistraci, brought to you by Villa Charities. Available on Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4. A portion of proceeds from this special event will support Cultural Programming at Villa Charities.

New Paint Night Virtual Workshop Just Announced!
Explore your artistic abilities in this fun and interactive workshop, well suited for beginners and those with previous experience. Learn to paint bright, colourful flowers with guided help from professional artist Sam Paonessa. A reference image will be provided upon registration and students will learn about chrome, value, colour temperature and maximizing effectiveness, while expressing their own creativity. Don’t miss this live virtual workshop, Thursday, April 15 at 6:30pm.
 
Break a Sweat at Home with Virtual Group Fitness Classes!
The Columbus Centre Athletic Club continues to offer Live Virtual Group Fitness classes. Our certified instructors are offering courses six days a week! Check out Thursday's class - HIIT. High-Intensity Interval Training is a training technique in which you give all-out 100% effort through quick intense bursts of exercise followed by short, sometimes active recovery periods. HIIT gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time. Monthly membership fees are only $24.99 + HST and include access to our full fitness class video library. For more information, visit our website and register today.
 
Discover Your Love for Music with our Online Music Programs
There has never been a better time to pick up a new musical skill! The Columbus Centre School of Music offers a wide variety of music lessons that are open to anyone of any skill level. Our seasonal one-on-one private lessons in vocals, guitar, piano, violin, flute, clarinet, or drums are taught by our professional instructors virtually via apps such as ZOOM, Facetime or Skype. For scheduling and availability, visit our website today!
 
TAC Sports to Hold April Break Camps at Columbus Centre
TAC Sports is proud to be offering their Sports and Technology April Break camps from April 12-16 at the Columbus Centre. For ages 7-12, there are many different activities to choose from including tennis, basketball, dance & gymnastics and coding. The ever-popular Adventure Camp for ages 4-6 is a multi-activity program that gives children an amazing base of skills in team, discipline and individual sports such as basketball, mixed-martial arts, dance, gymnastics and tennis. 
Experience a life-changing experience with TAC Sports, camps that truly care and focus on self-development, character and skill development.