Community Report - Atlantic

Milena is a self-described adventurer. She’s a volunteer with Frontier college where she tutors kids and she also spends lots of time advocating for the blind and partially sighted community in her area. Milena is a big fan of the arts, she loves to cook and enjoys running the roads with her guide dog, Louis.

Recent Reports: 

August 24, 2022 - Community reporter Milena Khazanavicius gives details about this year’s Grand Oasis Festival Series in downtown Halifax! She also shares a list of fall activities for residents to enjoy in the province. And she shares information about CNIB's contact information. 

Details:

• The Grand Oasis Festival Series in Halifax runs now to Oct. 1, 2022. 

  • The series is fifteen weeks of free music, art, and culture

  • On August 26 at 7:30 p.m. AT Matt Anderson will be performing 

  • You can also call: 902-490-6776 

• For a list of fall activities in Nova Scotia, visit this link

  • You will get info for festivals, packages for dining, walking, hiking, and so much more 

  • This includes information on Yarmouth’s UFO festival in September, Digby Scallop festival, Sunflower mazes, pumpkin picking, Tidal Bay rides etc. 

  • Remember to ask at paid events if your accompanying person gets in free or at least for a discount. 

  • For more information on Nova Scotia tourism is available here 

• From Milena's experience, she noticed that the CNIB local office and all across the country has changed their phone calls to go into national

  • She explained that you can still call the local number: 902–453–1480, but now your call heads to national

  • As per her recommendation, be sure you know your extensions and the names you are calling for

  • Locally Jeff Deviller will be sending out a list of local extensions so you can avoid national and speak to someone in your area in next month’s CNIB update and news. Watch for that and save the list.

From her many hospital beds, to board rooms and onto the public stage, Louise Levesque Burley uses her life experience to engage individuals, organizations and all those she meets in a journey through disability etiquette. Louise is interested in everyone’s story.

With over 10 years experience as a senior manager in the non-profit world, Louise has in-depth personal knowledge of working in and with community. After major changes in her life, Louise evolved into a speaker, coach, facilitator and author. In 2010, she published her first book Through my Eyes – INsights into Disability Etiquette, and in 2015 she produced her Cookin’ without Lookin’ video series.

Since 2005, Louise has operated Shared Vision Partagée. In 2009, she was the first ever bilingual, non-sighted Canadian to graduate with the Diploma of Adult Education from Saint Francis Xavier University.

As she journeys through life, and despite her physical challenges, Louise enjoys travelling, wine-tasting, dancing, singing, walking on the beach, experiencing the sounds of nature, and changing the lives of all those she encounters.

Louise and her guide dog, Mr. Fig, follow his mantra: keep it fun!

Together they look forward to joining the AMI Community Reporter team. 

Recent report: 

July 12, 2022 - Community reporter Louise Levesque Burley shares details about dance lessons offered by the CNIB in Fredericton.

• In person dance activity, no dance experience required.  
• Emilie will be teaching different dance steps and a short routine.  
• Date: July 27 at 3pm. 
• Location: Dance Fredericton, 20 York Street.