I had forgotten to send the signature I collected to the CEO Cara Vaccarino and the Client & Family Relations Team Manager, when I was trying to get the coffee shop at the front of The Royal reopened.

The coffee shop allows patients to get their coffee and snacks on the weekend and the evening, when either the vending machines are malfunctioning (which they seem to be consistently on weekends) or the cafeteria is not opened.

The patients here are very sedated on the pharmakeia and appreciate a nice cup of coffee to wake them up, but have to go without on weekends.

I went around collecting signatures of my e-Paper tablet months ago. I even talked to Cara Vaccarino herself in person and via email about this.

This was her response on March 20th, 2025

Hi Steven;

thanks so much for reaching out. I will look into re-opening the cafe
. (name) is the one in charge and she has already let me know she is looking at this possibility.

Thanks for your advice and hopefully I will see you soon.

Warm regards,
Cara

Cara Vaccarino MSW, RSW, MHA (she/elle)
President and CEO /
President et chef de la direction

(Work phone number)

(phone number)

(e-mail)

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I have since spoken with (name), the staff member in charge of volunteering at The Royal. I submitted my application to volunteer, and was instructed to wait until it was re-opened. I even already have a recent vulnerable sector Police Record Check in my cubby and have submitted a reference from where I recently volunteered. I have also spoken repeatedly with (name) about it, the Client & Family Relations Team Manager. He even wrote me back today!

Here are the signatures I collected months ago:

I hope they will 'let me push the book cart'.

In prison, if you behave yourself, they sometimes give you positions where you can do something with your time, or give back.

Lets see if The Royal does the same for me! Wouldn't it be a great public relations opportunity for The Royal? Helping those confined to Forensic Rehabilitation get an opportunity to volunteer before they are released back into the general population?

I would love to serve my neighbours (even if they are also my enemies, because I am a Christian) coffee to their liking with a smile! I love making people laugh and putting a smile on their face. It brings me great joy!

I imagine they would let me wear my cross. I wonder what they would and would not let me say. I would have to follow the rules as a volunteer, while still remaining faithful to my Abba, and conduct myself in a God honouring way.

I will cross that bridge when I get there, but I have already expressed those concerns to the staff here.

To God be ALL the glory!