visits

if you want to come and visit me, here's how you do it:

1.  check out the calendar  (e-mail mandyvisits@gmail.com for access) to see which weeks/days are available, then:

2.  set up a visit through the jail at (905) 876-8300 (instructions are below) and then e-mail mandyvisits@gmail.com to indicate the date and time of your visit, or:

3.  email mandyvisits@gmail.com (note the new address!) with your name, contact info and desired visiting day and time

* if you are in town briefly and the visits have all been taken, email to see if anyone will give up their spot.

please note:  my hope is that my visit coordinators will have as little work to do as possible - they really should only be keeping track of who's visiting when in case things need to be shuffled around.  please don't ask them to find you a ride or a friend to go with or stuff like that, thanks.

the John Howard Society's handbook, Visiting a loved one inside? has a lot of good information about prison visits and is well worth reading.  the specific procedures for Vanier are described on pages 34 and 35.  keep in mind that visits have to be booked 48 hours in advance and that only one person can do the booking, so if there are two people going the one booking the visit will need to have the legal name, birthdate and telephone number of the other visitor.

if you want to come and visit me, i want to see you.  really.  don't have weird thoughts like "oh, mandy would rather see other people, i shouldn't take a spot."  cool?  cool.  also, don't feel like there needs to be two people at every visit.  i like one-on-one visits too.  and please don't feel like visit spots have to be filled no matter what!  it's okay.  this shouldn't feel like a chore, it should be fun.

phone calls

there's no way for you to call me, but i can call you.  if you'd like me to get in touch, email mandyvisits@gmail.com.  (note: if you sent an email to the old address, mandyhangouts@gmail - please resend it to mandyvisits@gmail) make sure you leave a phone number, because i won't be able to take any in with me.  the number has to be for a land line unless you're using TRAPP.

calls from Vanier are collect and they can be expensive.  one way to minimize the cost is for someone to set up and manage a TRAPP phone number.  the TRAPP call system is not cheaper for local calls (i think calls to Toronto might be local) but it does have the added benefit of being able to be routed to a cell phone.  

if you do set up a phone number through TRAPP and are willing to share it, please let others know!

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if you need to be reimbursed for any costs related to visiting me or receiving phone calls, please contact Joanna at jolitical@riseup.net.    there is enough money to help with this, please don't be shy!

if you have questions about phone calls or visits, the phone number for Vanier is (905) 876-8300.