The L’Arche logo of three people in a boat is a powerful image. We know that when it comes to bringing the Mission of L’Arche to life, we are all in this boat together – not only the core members (persons with disabilities) and assistants who share daily life but also the third person, members of our wide circle of family, friends, volunteers, and donors who offer friendship, support, connections, and diverse gifts. At L’Arche, it doesn’t take long for committed ‘partners in the mission’ to find their place in the boat. We want to shine a light on these amazing people who enrich our lives beyond measure.
Karen Wingrove with Janet Munro and Mary Egan
Karen Wingrove was recently celebrated at our Silver+ Anniversary Tea, where members shared gratitude and appreciation for her faithfulness and generosity as a committed friend of our community for the past quarter century. Two of Karen’s friends, Janet Munro and Mary Egan, facilitated her welcome into the group.
The Silver+ Anniversary Tea
Karen is a Registered Massage Therapist who has been a professional, volunteer, supporter, and friend of L’Arche Toronto for 25 years. Jane Powell introduced Karen to L’Arche Toronto. “I have appreciated witnessing firsthand the sensitivity, gentleness and respect that Karen shares when treating core members of the community. Wonderful relationships have grown over the years.”
Karen is one of several professionals over the years who have developed faithful friendships with members of our community while maintaining healthy boundaries when they provide professional services. This balance of professionalism and personal relationships is at the core of the life-sharing model of L’Arche, ensuring that our assistants protect the well-being of the core members they support.
Karen is connected to L’Arche Toronto’s Gamble House where she and her young friend, Spiro Rapsomanikis, have cooked and shared a meal for the past couple of years. Spiro is an amazing young man who is now 14 and in grade 9 at Northern Secondary School. (Note: Because of his age, he is an adult-supervised volunteer.) Earlier this year, they reflected on their experience.
Opening our Eyes and Hearts
by Spiro Rapsomanikis and Karen Wingrove, June 2024
Spiro: It started out during COVID. I was 11. I’m 13 now. I had developed a real passion for cooking and baking. It’s like an art. I’ve known Karen since I was little. She told me about L’Arche. One, time Karen told me that maybe one day we should be baking sweets, and we could walk them over to L’Arche. So, the first time in, I think, mid-2021, we made a cinnamon loaf. It was pretty good.
Karen: It was early days in the pandemic. We were all craving connection, community, and something to do. We started by baking cinnamon loaves at Spiro’s home and dropping them off at Gamble one Saturday afternoon. Everyone was masked, and we were not permitted to go inside, so everyone gathered at the entrance. The loaves were received with gratitude and smiles behind the masks. That was Spiro’s first introduction to Dore Ann, Janet, Stephen, Patricia, Stacy and Robert.
Spiro: It was my first time ever there. It was something new for me for sure. One time on the walk there, Karen suggested we make dinner one day and eat it with them. I loved that idea, but it was still COVID. Once everything cleared up, we came over with food. Since then, we’ve been doing it every 2-3 months, but now it’s every month. I enjoy connecting to the people over there. They are all great people to be around. It’s a really welcoming, nice place there.
Karen: We take care in planning and making the meals. Every time, when we arrive, Spiro says “I love being here”. And he does. He feels at home and is aware of the needs of people, always there to serve and assist. He has genuinely connected with everyone, and gradually, they have come to know him and welcome him into the community. The last time we were there Janet wanted to show Spiro (She calls him Spiral.) her new room on the ground floor – it was very sweet. L’Arche has a special way of opening our eyes and our hearts.
Spiro: I’m so thankful to be contributing to this community. I don’t look back from the day I started out. I feel at this point, I’ve really been accepted at Gamble House.
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