The CommuniTEA Infusion project is a not for profit initiative aimed at offering Edmontonians a welcoming gathering place right outside their door, where neighbors can meet, engage conversation and strengthen a sense of being a well connected community.

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• The CommuniTEA Infusion project is a not for
  profit initiative aimed at offering Edmontonians
  a welcoming gathering place right outside their
  door, where neighbors can meet, engage
  conversation and strengthen a sense of being a
  well connected community.

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• CommuniTea Infusion has no religious or political
  affiliations and is run by neighbors who are
  inspired by the possibility that conversations
  could sow the seeds of building stronger,
  creative, safer, more connected communities.

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Building Social Capital

• If community exists, both freedom and security
  exist as well. The community then takes on a life
  of its own, as people become free enough to share
  and secure enough to get along.
• The sense of connectedness and formation of
  social networks comprise what has become known as
  social capital.
• (Putnam, D. 2000. Bowling Alone The Collapse and
  Revival of the American Community, p. 19)

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• In a nutshell the CommuniTea Infusion Van is like
  a mobile town square that creates the gathering
  place for neighbors to connect and build social
  capital.

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CommuniTEA Infusion Van!
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Where did this idea come from?

• The initiative itself, was born out of the work
  of the Edmonton Learning Community, a non-profit
  collective committed to enhancing the capacity of
  Edmonton to include people with disabilities in
  community life.
• The idea was, in part, inspired by Jim Diers when
  he told us about the T-Horse project in Portland,
  OR., an initiative connected with CityRepair.org.
  
• It is our strong belief that people working in
  the disability sector need to understand more
  deeply the work of community developers. We think
  that our project is the perfect way for us to
  ally ourselves with some experts in the area, to
  learn by participating, and to offer our help in
  neighborhood development work.

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Neighbors like you make it work

• The nature of this initiative is such that it
  requires the contributions of community members
  to make it work.
• The essence of a CommuniTEA Infusion event is to
  give, connect and contribute.
• Organizers and neighbors help set up the event
  upon arrival, like a barn raising, which
  engenders the feeling that everyone has
  cooperated to put the event on. The CommuniTea
  Infusion event is not just entertainment but a
  community collaboration.
• In this way the event is an inspiration and model
  opportunity for all of us to take responsibility
  for making the places we live socially,
  economically and environmentally sustainable.
• Artists and musicians will be invited to bring
  their talents to the gatherings.

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Community Building
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Where will the project take place?

• We have partnered with the City of Edmonton
  Neighborhood Revitalization initiative.
• We will be working with the McCauley, McDougal
  and Queen Mary Park Revitalization initiatives
  and coordinate our events with theirs for the
  majority of the first year.
• CommuniTea Infusion will also be available for
  all neighborhoods in the Edmonton area.

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Who has helped to get the project to the point it
is at now.

• -The Edmonton Learning Community Society
• -The City Of Edmonton
• -City of Edmonton Neighborhood Revitalization
  Project
• -Steeps Tea house (124St)
• -The Volkswagen club of Edmonton
• -The Autosource (offered a discount for
  conversion)
• -And Many volunteers and artists

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The Transformation of a VW van into CommuniTEA
Infusion
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We almost went With the short bus, but
insurance Was too much
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We found her in a Farmers Field
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Ben was Skeptical But forced a smile for His
enthusiastic co-pilot Debbie
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Will it work?
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SOLD!
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And Then We had to tow her Into town
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The VW overhaul Shop
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Total overhaul!
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40 horses of RAWVW power
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Zaufer, our VW genius Working inside the Armpit
of Hell
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Getting there
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Then we found Greg!
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VW Aficionado
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Keith the autobody philosopher
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A perfect paint job But then we had to wrap it
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The many versions Of the wrap design
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Gettin wrapped
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CommuniTEA Infusion
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Jane from the City Testin it out
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Right now shes Getting her kitchen installed