School is back in session for learners young and old. Our instructors at East Hants Community Learning are ready to help with classes for all sorts of learners in our community:
Those looking to get their GED (high school equivalency)
Newcomers trying to improve their English
Parents wanting to brush up on their skills
Workers looking to upgrade their skills and find new opportunities
Anyone needing support with technology (computers, cell phones, tablets)
Folks from our community interested in learning a skill
Registration is ongoing from September to June. Give our office a call at 902-883-1608 and one of our instructors will make an appointment to sit down, discuss learning needs and create a plan to help you learn the skills you need.
Computers come with plenty of challenges. If you are looking to learn how to use one, EHCLA is offering free computer classes starting September 19th. Learners of all ages are welcome! Some of the topics we assist with include:
E-mail
Social Media
Online Banking
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Navigating websites
and more!
Give us a call at 902-883-1608 and one of our instructors will meet with you to discuss how we can help you get more comfortable with technology.
Save the Date
Harvest Dinner
Sunday, November 6th
1 – 5 p.m.
We’re excited to announce that our 4th annual Harvest Dinner will be happening on Sunday, November 6th from 1 – 5 p.m. We will continue to hold this as a drive-thru style event, with attendees picking up their meals at the front door of our building. As before, we’ll be partnering with Cup of Soul Café to bring you a delicious three-course meal made with local ingredients.
Registration will open in October – keep your eye on the newsletter and our Facebook page for details. We will have more tickets than ever before for this event, but we still expect they will go fast.
Thanks to everyone in our community for supporting this celebration of the garden and our community!
Corporate membership is $50/year. To find out more about corporate membership or become a corporate member, please contact us:
e-mail: communications@communityrider.com
phone: 902-883-1608
Pop Up Markets on the Bay
Pop up markets have been busy this summer and we have two more coming up next week. Both are happening in Noel, a beautiful community on the Bay of Fundy. Here are the details for the upcoming markets:
Tuesday, September 13th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Noel New Horizon Centre, 1644 Burntcoat Rd.
The price of transportation isn’t getting any cheaper and we’re getting more calls all the time from folks looking to save on getting from point A to B.
To assist low-income passengers, we have received funding to bring back the Fare Assistance Program. Passengers will be offered to apply for the subsidy if they identify as low income:
An individual making less than $24,000 per year
A family of 2 making a combined income of less than $30,877 per year
A family of 3 making a combined income of less than $37,816 per year
A family of 4 or more making a combined income of less than $43,666 per year
Passengers will be eligible for one (1) day of subsidized transportation weekly to a monthly maximum of $300
EXCEPTION: Medical transportation for dialysis or frequent medical appointments, ie. cancer treatments
Here is a breakdown of regions and costs:
Regions
Cost per person
Trips under 12 km
$5
Trips between 12 – 25 km
$10
Trips over 25 km
50% of
regular fare
For a full list of details, check out the information page on the Community Rider website.
If you know someone that struggles to afford the cost of transportation, get in touch with the Community Rider at:
The East Hants & Districts Chamber of Commerce is bringing back their Business Excellence Awards this year, We’ve been nominated for Non-profit of the Year! The awards will be happening on Tuesday, October 25th at Oakfield Golf & Country Club.
There’s lots going on with the Chamber this year, with Workplace Education Programs, networking over coffee and more. Check out their Facebook page for details on what is coming up.
For more info about the chamber, it’s programs and services:
One of the biggest challenges of cooking is to keep things fresh and interesting. We all have our favourites, but there’s a world of food out there. For each month, I will share an interesting recipe from somewhere around the world. I hope you will try it out.
This month’s recipe: Beef Empanadas
Country of Origin: Argentina
Sometimes, we need our food to travel with us in our busy lives. Empanadas are great for this. Delicious fillings inside a puff pastry exterior mean you can bring a few with you to keep you going all day..
Fillings vary from region to region. This recipe uses beef, but you could use any other meat, cheese or veggies to create a tasty meal to go!
Ingredients (makes 36):
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs of lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 small red bell peppers
3 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1 1/2 cups beef or chicken stock
3 packages of puff pastry
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over high. Cook 2 lb. ground beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned but not completely cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in pan as possible.
Reduce heat to medium and cook 2 medium onions, chopped, 2 small red bell peppers, seeded, chopped, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper.
Add 3 Tbsp. ground cumin, 2 Tbsp. sweet paprika, 1 Tbsp. dried oregano, and ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add 1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in 2 tsp. sugar, 4 tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in ½ cup raisins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 3 hours. Note: Beef filling can be made 3 days ahead.
Preheat oven to 375°. Let 3 packages of puff pastry sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Flatten with a rolling pin on wax or parchment paper and cut into rounds. Place 2 Tbsp. of filling in the center of each round. Top with 2 olive halves.
Brush water around half of outer edge of each round. Using wax paper to help you, fold round over filling and pinch edges to seal. Using a fork, crimp edges. Transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing 1″ apart. Repeat with remaining rounds (you’ll get about 12 empanadas on each tray).
Bake empanadas, rotating tray halfway through, until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.
Note: Unbaked empanadas can be made 3 months ahead; freeze on sheet tray, then transfer to freezer bags and keep frozen.
Share your pictures with us and we’ll have another recipe for you to try next month. Enjoy!
