About PAL Halifax
Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) Halifax is a not-for-profit society, created to provide quality affordable housing and support for seniors in the performing arts and allied professions. Modelled on the successful PAL Toronto experience, PAL Halifax will enrich the cultural life of our city by supporting the health, well-being and continued creativity of our performance pioneers.
Annual General Meeting
The Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) Halifax will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Monday, June 9th at 6:15 p.m. at FRED (2606 Agricola Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia). If you wish to renew your membership, become a member of PAL or are simply interested in learning more about the organization, please join us.
Objective
PAL’s objective is to provide assistance and fellowship to those who need it. Our goals are to raise enough money to build or buy a property in the downtown area that will provide housing for those who cannot afford their own, and to provide care-giving for those living alone or at PAL. The arts community is one of the least recognized, and most generous groups of people in the world. Leaving aside the cultural contributions these individuals make, we are also the first people to be asked to donate our time and talents to benefit so many other community causes. And we do so willingly and consistently. Rarely do we perform such benefits in our own aid.
So who takes care of our needs? Who do we ask to benefit us? As a group of independent, self-employed people, we are used to fending for ourselves. In times of trouble, however, we have few places to turn for help. Except to each other. The performing arts community, happily, is one that takes care of its own and PAL Halifax is a significant step in making sure that our local artists are not forgotten in their later years. It is a service organization; a national charitable organization committed to ensuring that, as they age, those who have dedicated their lives to any of the aspects of the performing arts, receive the respect, dignity and gratitude that is their due. Our mandate is to provide affordable housing and health services to this constituency.
The Past
The first one opened 10 years ago, in Toronto, after much lobbying by members of the arts community who feared there would be no place for them when they got old. ‘It is one of the most vibrant, exciting communities I’ve ever visited,’ John Colbourn wrote in his article on PAL Place in Toronto’s Sunday Sun. In fact, PAL Toronto is so successful that plans are now well underway to build a PAL TWO, a second facility to assist people requiring chronic care.
The Future
Here in Halifax we await the results of our needs study which will enable us to determine the requirements for our own PAL facility. PAL is not quite a retirement home, but neither is it a regular apartment building.
CLICK HERE or on the thumbnail below to view the design concept for PAL Halifax developed by stage and film designer Stephen Osler.
How You Can Help
In addition to the building itself, there is a dedicated group of volunteers, The Supporting Cast, who help residents and others with practical issues of daily living. Learn More…
News of Note:
March 2008
Addition of Palgenesis Newsletter Vol. 8 Issue 1
February 2008:
Subscribe to the PALHFX-News Mailing List to receive news and updates from the Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) Halifax Chapter.
CanadaHelps.org
We are now accepting secure donations through the CanadaHelps.org website!
March 2007: Scrabble® with the Stars Fundraiser (East Coast Style)
February 2006: PAL Fundraiser a Success!
November 2004: PAL Halifax launches assessment survey of Nova Scotia’s artists, technicians, administrators.
June 2004: Feasibility study fundraising efforts successful. Candidate poised to begin work.
May 2004: We welcomed Dave Reilly of IATSE Local 849 to the board. All major organizations are now represented.
March 2004: More than 50 people attended the first PAL AGM and PAL PARTY. The event increased our membership and profile as well as providing a good time for all.
Fall 2003: A computer donated by Kevin Deagle of NODEWORX INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS was given away to Vanessa Buhr. The prize was offered as an incentive for responding to our needs assessment survey.
April 2003: Additional performances of shows by John O’Keefe and Bill Forbes were presented at Neptune Theatre as PALm Sunday-a fundraising and awareness event in aid of PAL Halifax.
January 2003: A PAL board was officially appointed and began meeting on a monthly basis.
December 2002: PAL Halifax unofficially assists ACTRA Maritimes in aiding longtime Halifax-based actor Joseph Rutten after fire destroyed his home.
