THE
September/October 2021 Experiencing unity within diverse communities.
September/October Theme:
unity
The Rundle Review team has chosen unity as our theme for the September/October issue. In Calgary, diversity thrives. People with various backgrounds, hobbies, opinions, and lifestyles come together to call this beautiful city home; however, we often forget that within diversity, there is unity, too. In this issue, we highlight the ways that our peers and local community feel unified with the unique people around them while also exploring unity among our world’s diverse cultures, perspectives, and global events. We would like to remind people that unity and togetherness can be found everywhere, even in the strangest of places. There is a word that is hidden within the articles of the Rundle
Review. The first person who deciphers the word will receive a prize. Please go see Mr. Cooper (outside of class time) once you have found it!
prizes! 1. the First person to complete the crossword: 1 $20 gift card of choice.
2. the First person to guess all countries! 1 big merchandise item of choice baseball caps, toques, water bottles, coffee mugs etc.
3. the First person to guess each teacher! there will be one winner for each teacher. 2 chewgurt yummy free drink coupons 1 small merchandise item of choice Lanyards, gym bags, pencils, etc.
4. The first person to find the mystery word! 2 chewgurt yummy free drink coupons 1 small merchandise item of choice Lanyards, gym bags, pencils, etc.
Please go see Mr. Cooper to redeem your prize!
NUS
What does unity mean to rundle?
Unity means constantly staying connected and strengthening the bond between you and other people.
Unity means someone has always got your back, and you form a good bond with a group of people.
Unity is spending time together, connecting, learning from each other. All of this makes better people. Unity has evolved and changed over time, while also staying the same. And unity is really the lifeblood of the social, modern humans we are.
1
Unity to me means being united in the sense that if we're struggling with something, we're gonna go through it together.
Togetherness & socializing and supporting the community I live in.
NUS
have you felt unity within rundle? how? I say a simple "hi" or "hello" to old friends in the halls. I have been able to feel more united with other people this year, through extracurriculars, school clubs, and school sports as well as reaching out to family members that may not live so close to us, especially around Thanksgiving.
1
With my family I can be whoever I want to be, I can laugh at things that are actually funny and have a blast doing something. It’s the same with the Rundle community! Sure there are new teachers here and there that you don’t know but everyone at Rundle is like your second family. I’ve felt happy, caring, and kindness. I have because you know that everyone is here to help you through tough times.
Pumpkin spice latte malia c
Prep time: 5
Cooking time: 10
Servings: 2
Ingredients 2 cups milk 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree 1-3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup strong hot coffee Whipped cream
Directions 1. Add milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar to a saucepan 2. Heat until it is hot, but be careful not to boil it. 3. remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and coffee. 4. divide the mixture between 2 mugs, top with whipped cream 5. sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice on top and enjoy!
Guess the teacher! The first person who guesses each teacher correctly will receive a prize. If you think you have the right answer, please go see Mr. Cooper!
Your (unconventional) Highschool Horoscope savannah s
LEO July 23 - August 22
Have you lost something recently? Well if you haven't yet you are going to. I would name label while you still can.
TAURUS April 20 - May 20
It's in the stars for you to have an awesome month in terms of academics. You rock!
CANCER June 21 - July 22
You are going to have a-rockin’ Halloween costume this year… I just know it.
ARIES
GEMINI May 21 - June 20
Perhaps it's time for you to forge a new friendship or step into a more independent or leadership role within an existing group. #R+attitude
PISCES
March 21 - April 19
February 19 - March 20
Watch your back in the Rundle Parking lot this week. Some drivers really don't like Aries.
Your athletic abilities will shine through—to some extent. Go Cobras Go!
AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
SAGITTARIUS
January 21 -February 18
December 21 - January 20
November 22 - December 20
Tragedy will strike! You may forget your lunch or you dog may eat your homework but you will probably be equipped to deal with it.
Looks like you are going to have some extra time on your hands this month. Maybe take up a new hobby like pumpkin carving!
You will have a surprising amount of luck this month.
SCORPIO
LIBRA
VIRGO
October 23 - November 21
September 23 - October 22
August 23 - September 22
Someone’s got their eye on you at Rundle. I would definitely make sure you tuck your shirt in and wear your black shoes …
Do you have a big test coming up? Don’t worry, you got this. The stars say you may make a few “careless mistakes” but nevertheless, you got this.
Are you on the fence about something? Well, it's in the stars for you to go with your gut and commit.
HAPPY HOROSCOPE'ING RUNDLE!
BENEFITS OF SLEEP Heart Club
I think it is fair to say that for a lot of us when life becomes busy, sleep can be the first thing to go. Whenever a new opportunity arises that we don’t have time for, maybe there is an extra load of homework, or perhaps there is a new attentiongrabbing Netflix show just released, a lot of us opt-out of sleeping in favour of the waking activity. We might think at first, "Oh it is just one hour," and then before you know it, sleeping one hour less has become a habit. Everyone says that getting eight hours of sleep is important, but if you feel fine after four hours, why should you get eight? First of all, it is important to note that there are multiple benefits of sleep. However, if I were to go through all of them you might fall asleep reading the article and you want to save your sleepiness for the nighttime. In this article, I will quickly overview sleep's effects on Alzheimer's, cancer, mental health, and learning and I hope that by the end of this article you will reconsider the amount of time you sleep for.
Heads of State Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan both liked to boast that they did not need to sleep more than four hours. Interestingly, both heads of state began to show early signs of dementia during their last year in office. Coincidence? Perhaps not. Research studies have shown that proteins linked to Alzheimer's accumulate during the day and when you sleep, cerebral fluid enters the brain and washes away these toxic proteins. Therefore, when you don't get enough sleep these proteins build up over time and can lead to increased risk of Alzheimer's.
Sleep also has many benefits for your immune system which includes preventing cancer. Research has demonstrated that one bad night sleep can reduce the amount of natural killer cells in your body by 70%. Natural killer cells are a key part of the immune system that are very important for detecting early stages of cancer and then killing it off. So yes, not getting enough sleep can be a risk factor for cancer. Perhaps unsurprisingly, mental health is impacted by sleep. You have probably noticed that when you don't get a lot of sleep, you might be crankier and moodier. Very sadly, studies have shown that after daylight savings where everyone loses an hour of sleep, suicides rates increase. Guinness World Records has even banned trying to break a world record for staying awake the longest due to the correlation of sleep deprivation and suicide. You can skydive off a plane to create a Guiness World Record but you can't deprive yourself of sleep. That is saying something.
I think that a lot of us deprive ourselves of sleep so that we can cram all the bits of information into our brains for the test the next day that we may have forgotten to study for. But maybe, you might just do better if you spent that time sleeping. Without adequate sleep, it is very difficult for your brain to consolidate the information you learnt and move it to a longer term memory space. Basically, all that cramming is quite useless without sleep. Also, it is very difficult to function effectively without proper sleep even having comparison to the effects of alcohol. Alcohol is known for impairing reaction times, but so is sleep. I think that is fair to say that you would never want to write a test with your brain not working at its best. In the past 500 words or so, I have tried to convince you that sleep is vital and not something to be thrown aside. Sleep has implications for all different aspects of our health from our brain to the formation of cancer that cannot be ignored. If you still are not convinced, or you have become fascinated with sleep and want to learn more, you may want to consider looking into some stuff by Matthew Walker who is a renowned sleep scientist who has appeared as a guest on many podcasts (ie. Joe Rogan) and has written a book called "Why We Sleep".
Rundle-Themed Crossword! The first person who completes this crossword correctly will receive a prize. If you think you have the right answer, please go see Mr. Cooper!
Across:
6 - A spark of ..... 10 - Who is the hEAD OF communications at Rundle Society? 8 - how many years has Rundle been open? 11 - Dr. Rodney .... 13 - Who dressed up as the Queen of Hearts last year for halloween?
dOWN: 1 - Who teaches in Room 158? 2 - Dr. W.j ..... 3 -What is Rundle College's Mascot? 4. What is Rundle Academy's Mascot? 5. WHICH teacher runs pEER tUTORING? 7. whICH MATH TEACHER IS AN EDMONTON OILERS FAN? 9. how many students are in rundle's 2022 graduating class? 12. "Be ......, be curious, be well"
Guess the Country! Use the emojis to try and decipher the country! The first person to decipher all of the countries will get a prize, please see Mr. Cooper if you think you have all of the answers!
Current Events and Local Spotlights
An interview with the Mayor: Jyoti Gondek By Haley Webb, Liu,W, Kate Howden By Dolly L,Dolly Haley Kate H
Jyoti Gondek makes history in the 2021 Calgary Mayoral Election. She is the first female to be ever elected as Mayor of Calgary, with the city having only male Mayors since 1884. A few students from the Rundle Review were fortunate enough to interview Jyoti live, asking about her future plans for our city. We would like to thank Jyoti Gondek for taking time out of her busy schedule to communicate with youth in Calgary, and we would like to give her a huge congratulations from the Rundle Community! as the first female mayor elected to lead the city, how would you encourage young women that hope to be engaged in the political world someday?
"We have a program that has already started in the city and it is a partnership between a few organizations. We have students that come in and they have a mock council adventure for a day. It was incredibly well attended and it was virtual last year because we could not meet in person. But it was a really great opportunity for girls to come forward and ask some questions they have about what governance would look like. There are a lot of really good organizations like "Equal Voice" and "She Governs" and "Ask Her" who are really interested in making sure that girls get exposure to what governance would look like if they have any sort of interest. I would make sure that we are supporting these programs and I would always make myself available. The other thing I love is when the grade six classes ask us to come in and talk to students. That is probably one of my highlights of my time on council is to be able to actually go in and talk to them while they are learning about local government. I will keep doing all of these things."
On your platform, you mention that you want to make Calgary a more vibrant city. How do you plan to do this? Are street markets like in other provinces and countries something we can have as a city?
"Vibrancy is an overused term sometimes, but I think you are using it in the perfect perspective. How do we make life more exciting in the city? How do we make people want to go out and about to places and really engage?” Because I want to ask you to think about the times that you really enjoyed your city. It has probably been when there were a lot of people in a place doing something fun whether it is a concert, festival, or whatever it may be. What do we do to make sure that people have those types of opportunities? I think one of the big steps that the city needs to take is to stop worrying about regulating everything so much and let people have some fun. As for street markets and festivals, we require permits for these things and those permits take time to apply for and it is kind of a cumbersome process. One of the ideas that I have brought forward is why don’t we designate some places in the city as opportunities for where you can perform, or do a little popup concert, or popup market, and we have tried that out in different parts of the city. I think we just need to keep encouraging people to do that because people like to have stuff to do and that's how you make for a vibrant city. On a bigger level, we need to keep making investments in places that draw people in such as the Arts Commons. That place provides theatre opportunities for all kinds of folks and you can see any type of performance there that not only draws in people from our city but also from around the world. "
Currently, what are your biggest concerns for Calgary and how do you plan on addressing and fixing that issue? "The concerns that face Calgary are probably not unlike most cities, but we have had some compounding effects of an economic downturn and obviously the pandemic. I think when we plan our recovery we have to be very intentional about what we want to do and whom we want to be and in order to do that we are going to have to take three steps towards resilience. We are going to need to be economically resilient, socially resilient, and environmentally resilient. We will need to do things like investing in our downtown to make sure that the investment community understands that Calgary is a place with a future and they want to come and participate in the action here. For example, there is a 45 million dollar fund that we created that is encouraging people who want to convert our vacant office spaces into housing or other uses to come and partner with us to do so. If you show the world you are willing to move forward they will come with you. From a social resilience perspective, we have to make sure we are helping people in positions of vulnerability. We also need to be talking about how we will transition into an economy that is more sustainable and greener. So, I would say the triple focus on resilience is the most important thing right now."
With the proposed plan to rejuvenate Calgary’s Chinatown, how do you plan to prevent gentrification and keep Chinatown affordable for first-generation immigrants and small businesses?
"When it comes to Chinatown, I think we have sometimes made decisions on behalf of the residents without actually engaging with them and so it was a pleasure to suggest a methodology to revitalize Chinatown that would actually involve people from the Calgary Chinese community in making those decisions. That was a methodology called ethnography and so we got a professor at the university to create a working group with other professors and students and they went out and did engagement work with businesses and people in Chinatown to uncover the best way forward. This gives us a different way of engagement and that's something we need to be looking at. In addition, we need to make sure that we are inviting the creative sector to the table for some of this as well. For example, there is a Chinese artist who was very vocal about the story that was being told of Chinatown and she said “you know what, that’s not exactly accurate and I think you need to make sure you are engaging with Chinese Calgarians to get this right”. As a result, she has now been commissioned to re-wrap the utility boxes with art in Chinatown from the perspective of a Chinese Calgarian. I think it is important we are engaging the right people and taking steps and actions to revitalize areas in a respectful manner. "
Calgary is such a diverse place; As mayor, how will you promote unity within the diversity of our city?
"Sometimes it feels like we are living in a very fractured world and it seems like there is a lot of polarization. I think Calgary is one of those places where we just got a little quiet for a while about the need to be inclusive and I think we just got caught in this trap of watching things unfold around us and sitting back. What I have started to see in the last year and I am so encouraged by this is Calgarians stepping up and saying “that’s not acceptable in our city” or “that sounds sexist or racist or ableist”. We are calling things out now. I think as a result of doing that we are sending some pretty clear messages that we won’t tolerate division in our city and I think we need to be really loud about that. we need to be taking collective action against injustices and we just need to be pushing for more. Frankly, a city like ours requires immigration to keep growing: our natural population growth is not gonna get us there. If we are looking for immigration, we must create the most inclusive and welcoming place that people would want to live and work in. "
For more information about Jyoti Gondek and her policies and future plans: https://www.jyoti gondek.ca/
Truth and Reconciliation Day
Dolly L
Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of the Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) received Royal Assent on June 3rd, 2021.
Truth and Reconciliation day was created to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and their communities. By educating the public and dedicating a day to recognize and reflect on the tragic history and lingering legacy of residential schools, the government has taken a big step in the right direction. Additionally, many buildings across Canada illuminated themselves orange in honour of Truth and Reconciliation Day, including federal buildings such as the Peace Tower and Parliament Hill and Calgary’s own Arts Commons, Glenbow Museum, Historic City Hall, Olympic Plaza, Reconciliation Bridge, Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary Tower, and TELUS Spark Science Centre.
What is the Significance of the Orange Shirt Day?
Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation. On her first day of residential school, her favourite Orange shirt was taken from her, never to be seen again. Today, the Orange Shirt has become a nationwide symbol of the hardships Indigenous children had to endure in Residential schools and also symbolizes the stripping of culture, freedom, individuality, and respect from the Indigenous peoples of Canada. By wearing an orange shirt, Canadians are coming together to aid in the healing process of the Indigenous community while spreading awareness and shedding light on Canada’s dark history with the rest of the world.
Ways to support Indigenous Communities: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-to-support-indigenous-communities-canada/ Survivor Stories: https://legacyofhope.ca/wherearethechildren/stories/ CBC's top 35 Indigenous books: https://www.cbc.ca/books/35-books-to-read-for-national-indigenous-history-month1.5585489
Thank you to everyone who wore an orange shirt to support Indigenous communities in commemorating the legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system.
What's happening in Afghanistan? Kate H
One of the most urgent and fiercely debated political matters that has happened recently is the disastrous outcome of the removal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which has led to the Taliban taking over the country. However, before one understands what caused this, one has to learn the domino effect that resulted in this disaster. Two of the biggest players in Afghanistan were Al-Qaeda (Arabic for “The Base”) and the Taliban (Pashto for “Students.”) During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979, the CIA and Saudi Arabian General Intelligence Agency funded and equipped Islamist Mujahideen fighters who were fighting against the Soviets to prevent them from occupying Pakistan as well. Although both organizations were primarily made up of young men, Al-Qaeda had an extremely charismatic leader by the name of Osama Bin Laden who started the organization in Egypt. It was Al-Qaeda who orchestrated the attacks on September 11, 2001, but George W. Bush signed a joint resolution that same year authorizing the use of force against anyone connected with the attacks or participating in terrorist activity in Afghanistan. This use of force caused the Taliban to retreat from Afghanistan, and the U.S. started to put money into foreign aid and created an interim government in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
Violence started to flare up again in Afghanistan in the late 2000s when Al-Qaeda and the Taliban started to gain more power again and the new U.S. president, Barack Obama, re-committed to the war in Afghanistan, sending 17,000 troops to the country. In 2011, Osama Bin Laden was killed by a U.S. team, marking the end of Al-Qaeda’s major role in terrorist activity. Barack Obama announced in 2014 his plan to withdraw most U.S. troops from Afghanistan by 2016 and security responsibility was handed over to the Afghan forces that the U.S. government had equipped and trained. Around the time Donald Trump came to be president in 2016, Kabul as well as other areas of Afghanistan saw an increase in terrorist activity orchestrated by the Taliban. It was for this reason that Donald Trump decided to prevent the increased removal of U.S. troops in the country, as well as orchestrating airstrikes in areas the Taliban were particularly active. During this time, peace talks were happening between the Taliban and the Kabul government as they tried to reach agreements on territorial disputes.
In late 2020, days before the inauguration of Joe Biden, the U.S. government announced its plans to halve the number of troops in Afghanistan by mid-January. Troops were already slowly beginning to pull out, despite the stalemate the Afghan peace talks were in at this time. Shortly after Joe Biden was inaugurated, he announced the complete withdrawal of all U.S. troops. The Taliban stated they would not participate in conferences about Afghanistan’s future until all foreign troops left. The withdrawal of the U.S. from Afghanistan concluded on August 30, 2021, but it did not happen without the Kabul government collapsing and the Taliban overtaking Afghanistan, which has led to the deaths of Afghani citizens as well as U.S. service members. The future of Afghanistan is currently uncertain as the Taliban has not been in power long enough for onlookers to determine which rights and freedoms will be protected for Afghan citizens.
pictured: Soldier stnading in Kabul, Afghanistan
For more information and updates, we recommend visiting these websites. https://www.aljazeera.com/ https://www.bbc.com/ https://www.newyorker.com/
https://www.cbc.ca/ https://globalnews.ca/ https://www.theguardian.com/international
Politics in Space Savannah s
On Saturday, China sent a team of three astronauts to their new space station, Tiangong or Heavenly Palace in English, for the longest manned mission at the station yet. This launch may not be significant in itself, but it is a part of a bigger space movement happening in China right now.
In 2011, U.S. Congress made a decision that barred China from participating in space exploration at the ISS (International Space Station). This was due to major U.S. political objections in the FBI. As a result, Nasa was banned from spending any money on projects with the CNSA (Chinese National Space Agency).
This decision did not slow down the rapid development of China’s young space program. In the same year, China sent the first part of the Tiangong Space Station into space. Since then, they have been assembling the station, adding cylinders, as well as sending multiple manned missions to the station. The station will be complete in 2022, with the last two modules being added in the coming months. The station will be smaller than the ISS, but it has cutting-edge technology that the ISS won’t have since the ISS was completed in 2009.
TIangong will be open to other international astronauts as part of China’s effort to increase its international diplomacy and prestige. The interface of the space station will be entirely in Mandarin, so many astronauts are already eager to learn the foreign language.
It is likely that Nasa will retire the ISS by 2030, meaning the sole reliance of Chinese technology for future space operations is a possibility. China is now considered the second leading power in space exploration, ahead of the European Space Agency.
If anything, the addition of a second space station in the sky will create more competition amongst scientists and fuel innovation.
Pictured: Tiangong
Pictured: shenzhou 13 crew Zhai Zhigang, Ye guangfu, wang yaping
Local Business Spotlight Calgary Farmers' Market Nicole j and Isabella L
ABOUT THE CALGARY FARMERS' MARKET The month of October is all about giving back and expressing our thankfulness toward good health, family and friends. It is also a time to celebrate through food and enjoy all the benefits of sourcing from local businesses. The Calgary Farmers’ Market is a proud community of likeminded small businesses who gain stability and success by supporting each other to grow their businesses and connect to the city of Calgary through their unique products and services.
Opening its doors nearly two decades ago, the market welcomes over one million annual visitors and is home to 78 vendors who provide shoppers with fresh local produce, meat, art and more. We were fortunate enough to be able to visit the Calgary Farmers’ Market and receive an insider view of the day-to-day operations of some of the vendors!
In a quick two-question interview, we were able to learn more about four unique businesses and the community as a whole. These vendors were more than happy to share and provide detailed answers reflecting on their business.
GULL VALLEY GREENHOUSES A FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATED GREENHOUSE IN GULL LAKE, ALBERTA. THEY OFFER CALGARIANS FRESH-FARM PRODUCE YEAR-ROUND THAT IS ETHICALLY AND LOCALLY SOURCED. FROM THE WORDS OF A PROUD EMPLOYEE:
1. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?
“WE ARE A VEGETABLE STAND HERE AT THE CALGARY FARMERS MARKET. ALL OUR VEGETABLES ARE LOCAL SO NOTHING IS GROWN FURTHER THAN ABOUT 200KM AND EVERTRHING IS GROWN WITH TRADITIONAL GROWING PRACTICES. THERE ARE NO GMO’S, PESTICIDES AND ALL THAT, JUST GOOD HEALTHY VEGETABLES.”
2. HOW HAS BEING UNIFIED TO A COMMUNITY LIKE THE CALGARY FARMERS' MARKET HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFESTYLE?
“IT IS JUST SO GREAT BECAUSE WE ALL WORK TOGETHER SO YOU GET TO KNOW OTHER STANDS AND YOU END UP WITH ENTIRELY LOCAL PRODUCTS. THE MARKET JUST WORKS SO WELL TOGETHER; EVERYBODY IS WILLING TO LEND A HELPING HAND TO OTHER PEOPLE AT THE MARKET AND THAT’S JUST REALLY GREAT.”
BEELAND MARKET BEELAND IS A ROCKY MOUNTAINS WILDFLOWER HONEY PRODUCER THAT ALSO OFFERS GOURMET FOOD PRODUCTS. AT THIS VENDOR, YOU CAN EXPECT TO FIND A WIDE RANGE OF HONEY PRODUCTS, BEESWAX CANDLES, 100% NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCTS AND SO MUCH MORE. HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT OUR QUESTIONS:
1. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?
“WE ARE ALL ABOUT SELLING LOCAL HONEY. SOME OF OUR HONEY COMES FROM THE MOUNTAINS AND THE REST IS FROM EITHER ONTARIO OR ALBERTA SO IT IS ALWAYS LOCAL. WE LIKE TO KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH JUST GOOD HONEY.”
1. HOW HAS BEING UNIFIED TO A COMMUNITY LIKE THE CALGARY FARMERS' MARKET HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFESTYLE?
“I THINK THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THE UNITY WITHIN THAT COMES FROM THE FARMERS MARKET IS AMAZING IN A SENSE THAT YOU SEE REGULAR CUSTOMERS ALL THE TIME AND YOU START TO FORM CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS. THE COMMUNITY HONESTLY JUST PUTS A SMILE ON YOUR FACE EVERY DAY THAT YOU GO TO WORK.”
TWISTED PRETZEL YYC THIS VENDOR PROVIDES DELICIOUS HAND-ROLLED PRETZELS THAT ARE FRESHLY BAKED ON THE SPOT EVERY DAY. TWISTED PRETZEL YYC IS A NEWLY ESTABLISHED VENDOR AT THE CALGARY FARMERS MARKET SO BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT. WE WERE SO THANKFUL THAT THE EMPLOYEE WAS ABLE TO TAKE TIME OUT OF HER DAY TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS:
1. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?
“IT'S BASICALLY WHAT OUR NAME SUGGESTS. EVERY DAY WE MAKE OUR DOUGH, ROLL OUT OUR PRETZELS, AND THEN BAKE THEM READY TO BE EATEN RIGHT OUT OF OUR OVEN. IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE BUSINESS THAT EVERYONE LOVES.”
1. HOW HAS BEING UNIFIED TO A COMMUNITY LIKE THE CALGARY FARMERS' MARKET HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFESTYLE?
“THE FACT THAT I HAVE A JOB AND A STEADY INCOME ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY CAN’T SAY THE SAME MAKES ME FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THIS. THE SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY OF THE CALGARY FARMERS’ MARKET IS GREAT.”
GROWING CO. KIDS A VIBRANT BABY AND CHILDREN’S CLOTHING STORE THAT SPECIALIZES IN ECO-FRIENDLY HANDMADE AND CUSTOM PIECES. THEIR PRODUCTS ARE ETHICALLY MADE IN CANADA WITH ORGANIC/SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE A SELECTION OF CLOTHING AND CARE PRODUCTS. ONE INVITING EMPLOYEE WAS EAGER TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.
1. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?
“GROWING CO. IS A CHILDREN'S CLOTHING STORE. EVERYTHING IN HERE IS ECO-FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC AND GREAT FOR THE CHILDREN. I THINK IT'S REALLY NICE FOR PARENTS TO KNOW AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN WHERE THEY’RE BUYING CLOTHING FOR THEIR CHILDREN.”
1. HOW HAS BEING UNIFIED TO A COMMUNITY LIKE THE CALGARY FARMERS’ MARKET HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFESTYLE?
“I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY HERE IS JUST SO SUPPORTIVE AND INSPIRING THROUGH THICK AND THIN. EVERYONE IS IN THE SAME BOAT WITH COVID-19 AND BEING IN A PLACE WHERE OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTAND YOUR STRUGGLES, BUT ALSO CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES WITH YOU IS A TRULY AMAZING COMMUNITY TO BE APART OF”
THE CALGARY FARMERS’ MARKET IS A GREAT PLACE TO EXPLORE MANY OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT OUR VIBRANT CITY HAS TO OFFER! WE ARE THANKFUL THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS A PLACE WHERE ALL CAN COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THESE VENDORS IN A TIME WHEN UNITY IS VITAL. OUR VISIT TO THE CALGARY FARMERS’ MARKET WAS NOT ONLY INFORMATIVE BUT ALSO ALLOWED US TO REFLECT AND GIVE THANKS TO THE SENSE OF UNITY THAT IS INVARIABLY PRESENT WITHIN THE RUNDLE COMMUNITY.
PICTURED: TWISTED PRETZEL YYC AND GROWING CO. KIDS
LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Chewgurt Yummy HALEY W
CHEWGURT YUMMY OFFERS THE FIRST PURPLE RICE YOGURT DRINK IN CALGARY. WITH 3 STORES IN VANCOUVER, CALGARY’S LOCATION STRIVES TO OFFER HEALTHY DRINKS PACKED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS, PROTEINS, VITAMINS, MINERALS, AND FIBRE. WITH A GREAT VARIETY OF FRESH FRUITS AND TOPPINGS TO CHOOSE FROM, THIS REFRESHING DRINK BRINGS A UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE SPIN ON BUBBLE TEA AND OTHER ASIAN DRINKS. THE RUNDLE REVIEW TEAM WAS ABLE TO CHAT WITH THE OWNERS OF CHEWGURT YUMMY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR NEW BUSINESS VENTURE AND HOW UNITY TIES INTO THEIR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. WINNERS OF SOME OF THE CONTESTS IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE COULD RECEIVE TWO FREE DRINK COUPONS FROM CHEWGURT YUMMY!
1. HOW HAVE YOU FELT SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY WHILE OPENING UP A BUSINESS DURING A PANDEMIC?
SINCE CHEWGURT YUMMY OPENED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, THE PANDEMIC WAS AN INTEGRAL FACTOR IN THEIR BUSINESS PLAN. EVEN BEFORE THEIR OPENING, THEY HAD TO CONSIDER ALL POSSIBLE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT: HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO BE IN THEIR STORE, VACCINE PASSPORTS, OR IF THEY COULD EVEN HAVE PEOPLE ENJOYING THEIR DRINKS INSIDE THE STORE AT ALL. HOWEVER, THE OWNERS OF CHEWGURT YUMMY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMMENSE SUPPORT THEY RECEIVED FROM CALGARIANS AND HOW REGARDLESS OF THE PANDEMIC, THEY WERE SO PLEASED TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO ENJOY A CHEWGURT. ADDITIONALLY, THEY EMPHASIZED THEIR APPRECIATION TOWARDS CALGARY’S FOOD BLOGGERS WHO ASSISTED CHEWGURT YUMMY IN MARKETING THEIR DRINKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND CREATING A ‘BUZZ’ ABOUT THEIR NEW PRODUCTS. OVERALL, CALGARY’S FOODIE COMMUNITY HAS GREETED CHEWGURT YUMMY WITH OPEN ARMS AND THEIR SUPPORT HAS NOT BEEN PHASED BY COVID-19.
2. GIVEN CALGARY’S WIDE ARRAY OF ASIAN DRINKS SUCH AS BUBBLE TEA, HOW HAVE YOU DIVERSIFIED YOUR PRODUCT TO BRING SOMETHING NEW TO THE CALGARY FOOD SCENE?
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY THE OWNERS WANTED TO BRING CHEWGURT YUMMY TO CALGARY WAS TO DIVERSIFY THE CURRENT BUBBLE TEA MARKET. BUBBLE TEA HAS TAKEN CALGARY BY STORM, AND COUNTLESS DIFFERENT COMPANIES HAVE SET UP MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN OUR CITY. CHEWGURT YUMMY SETS ITSELF APART AS IT IS YOGURT-BASED, RATHER THAN TEA OR MILK-BASED. SINCE THEY USE FRESH YOGURT RATHER THAN POWDERS, THE DRINK CONTAINS FEWER CARBOHYDRATES AND MORE NUTRIENTS IN COMPARISON TO BUBBLE TEA. NOT ONLY THAT, CHEWGURT YUMMY USES ALL FRESH FRUITS IN ITS DRINKS AND PRIDES ITSELF IN MAINTAINING ULTIMATE TRANSPARENCY WITH ITS INGREDIENTS AND WILL ONLY PUMP OUT DRINKS WITH HIGH-QUALITY FRUIT. THE CHEWGURT YUMMY TEAM IS EXCITED TO KEEP ON PRODUCING THEIR NEW AND INNOVATIVE DRINKS FOR THE CALGARY COMMUNITY AND WILL CONTINUE PRIORITIZING THE QUALITY OF THEIR INGREDIENTS.
3. HOW HAVE YOU PROMOTED UNITY WITHIN YOUR TEAM TO PROMOTE SUCCESS WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS?
AT CHEWGURT YUMMY, THEY OPERATE WITH A VERY TIGHT-KNIT TEAM. THE OWNERS STRIVE TO CREATE A GENUINE WORKING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS ENJOYABLE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE KEY TO FORMING A WELL-OILED TEAM THAT GETS THE JOB DONE. BEFORE THE OPENING, THE OWNERS WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO GET TO KNOW THEIR EMPLOYEES, SPEND TIME TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND TRAIN AS A GROUP IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEY WERE READY TO GO BEFORE THEY OPENED THEIR DOORS. THE OWNERS HIGHLIGHTED HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THE UNIFIED TEAM THEY HAVE CREATED IN THE PAST MONTH.
4. WHAT DRINKS DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE RUNDLE COMMUNITY TO TRY?
AT CHEWGURT YUMMY, THERE IS A WIDE VARIETY OF FLAVOURS FOR ANYONE’S TASTES! THE OWNERS RECOMMEND TRYING OUT THEIR TRADITIONAL PURPLE RICE CHEWGURT OR THEIR MOST POPULAR PEACH CHEWGURT BEFORE PEACHES GO OUT OF SEASON. OTHER POPULAR OPTIONS INCLUDE THE STRAW TO MY BERRY CHEWGURT AND THE MANGO CHEWGURT. IN ADDITION, CHEWGURT OFFERS SEVERAL TOPPINGS SUCH AS ALOE VERA, YAM BALLS, AND TARO BALLS WHICH CAN BE ADDED TO ANY CHEWGURT. THE OWNERS EMPHASIZE THAT NO MATTER WHAT CHEWGURT YOU PICK, YOU WILL BE SURE TO HAVE A RICE DAY!
September/October 2021