Skip to main content

Christmas Past


It’s around 9am Christmas morning I turned on the coffee pot, made a few phone calls and decided to turn on my Christmas window lights and tree display in celebration of the day.  I’ll be hitting the gym early this morning @ 11 am for a good workout because I have two turkey functions to attend later in the day.  One at the local community centre and another with a Scottish clan I’ve known for many years who reside on the mountain. Thanks to my fellow tenants for the wonderful Christmas cards. 
Urban Native Homes Inc. decided to ignore me this Christmas time with no gift card or presents while other tenants received something.  UNH’s management claims they’re a unique organization which is far from the truth.  This year there was no Christmas tree in the KMHC community room and no Christmas light display in the front entrance of the building.  
Christmas Past used to be filled with conversation and laughter while enjoying a turkey dinner in the community room, tenants and UNH’s staff would celebrate together, food baskets were available to all tenants, gift cards would be handed out from Santa and smiles from the KMHC staff.
Despite the disappointment the Native Elders kept the Christmas spirit going, we exchanged greeting cards and pleasantries.  A special thank you to tenant Miss Judy and here’s why she asked me did I receive anything from UNH’s I replied no.  Immediately she insisted I accept the gift basket UNH’s gave her, she was also upset that UNH’s doesn’t know the true meaning of Christmas.
A Christmas message to UNH’s current Director and her mommy.  Your attempt to ostracize me from the Native community is futile and I feel sorry for both of you.  Happy Holidays.  
Now on to some good news!   So far this holiday season I ran into many familiar faces in the downtown area.  One was former UNH’s staff member Lorraine Brown she saw me, gave a big hug and introduced me to her son. (My Gawd!  He’s a big young man with a firm handshake.)
This year I received a Sony Walkman 4GB MP3 player (which is great while working out), a substantial cash gift (who doesn’t love cash!), a pair of jeans and toiletries and of course the gift basket from tenant Miss Judy.  :)

On this day of December 25 2015 regardless of your beliefs I wish everybody a Merry Christmas from Hamilton’s own Native Blogger Tony King. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Poor Working Environment

My unit is located near the KMHC office, along with a friendly wave or hello I see the junior staff going about their business in a cheerful manner with the exception of one employee.   You would think KMHC has a pleasant working environment but that is not the case.   March 2016 is when Urban Native Homes head office was forced to move from their former spacious location to the cramp basement level of KMHC.   There were approx. 8-10 staff members at the time.   Then the Urban Native Homes financial scandal broke out and soon after the current UNH acting director’s illicit past became public knowledge, everyone was worried will they have a job.  Fearful meetings going on in the community room, the rumor mill was in full rotation while I just stood back and observed the panic.   Check your search engine it states this building location is Urban Native Homes head office yet that is not correct.  There is no real head office, the organization has s...
110 comments
Read more

The Passing of Dean King

There's not many original KMHC tenants left that I know, last week I got word tenant Dean King passed away, we were not related and I remember when he moved in the building we got along well, we hung out often and he shared stories about his life and family. Eventually I notice he wasn't the sharpest pencil in the drawer and I started drifting away thus ended our friendship. Dean didn't have the usual addictions most male aboriginals endure he didn't drink or do drugs the problem was his mental state which I believe began after an auto accident years before.  After I moved out of KMHC I'd often see him standing in line at the food bank in Gore Park in downtown Hamilton or hanging out with street friend Galina in Jackson Square food court. He didn't have many friends and other KMHC tenants just tolerated and accepted his strange behavior. He'd walk the streets looking disheveled and lost.  When I received the news Dean died I didn't feel sad I felt surpri...
1 comment
Read more

Sandy Holland

On February 27th 2025 I heard the passing of tenant Elder Sandy Holland. I knew she was in bad health and said to her friend she's ready to go.  I met her years ago when she moved to KMHC she seem a bit daffy yet in a nice way, never spoke mean about others but had strong opinions about UNH staff. We would meet at UNH dinner functions and meetings and always offered me hug. She never got personal sharing her life stories with me which I can respect. RIP 
1 comment
Read more