Digital Edition - January 25, 2016

Page 1

Condors conquered

Conestoga’s winning streak comes to an end. Page 11

MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016

SPOKE

Bruce Cockburn on the road Canadian legend coming to Guelph Feb. 26. Pages 8 & 9

A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS

CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.

WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM

47TH YEAR — NO. 3

U-Pass vote Feb. 1-3

R2-D2 KEEPS A FRIEND COMPANY

BY PAUL BOREHAM

Charcoal Group and Stewart Schmidt, executive chef at Bingemans. For one competitor, 2016 will be his third year competing in Conestoga’s Iron Chef competition and he insists there’s no nerves. “I don’t take it as a competition,” said Borealis’ head chef John-David Jacobsen. “I take it as having fun and if we win, we win. I’m not a competitive person when it comes to that stuff because when you get to that point, it’s pure stress. I’m here for fun and enjoyment and for education of the students. It’s not about me, it’s about them and the development of their careers.” Jacobsen has been with Borealis for three and a half years, graduating from George Brown’s culinary management program in 1990 and apprenticing with greats like Michael Bonacini and Martin Cooper.

U-Pass … or no U-Pass – that is the question. Voting begins Feb. 1. Talk of a universal bus pass has been bandied about for three years now, and judgment day has arrived. “The only way for this to go forward is to let the voices of students be heard,” said Sheena Witzel, assistant general manager of CSI Inc. at Conestoga College’s Doon campus. Student bus riders now pay $227 each semester for a Grand River Transit pass – comparable to a parking permit. That will be cut in half with the new U-Pass, which is quoted by CSI as being $245 for a whole year. The only problem is, that fee will become part of everyone’s tuition – including those who drive, ride and walk to school. “That’s not fair,” said Stacey Romphf, a bookkeeping student at the Doon campus who drives from Guelph. “We have to pay all our vehicle expenses as well as the parking fee.” She shares the sentiment with those who live outside the region. She’ll be paying $245 for something she will never use. Some students live in the region, but drive rather than use transit. “I’m saving time by driving myself, rather than take the bus,” said Murray Maltais, a third-year accounting student. “Time is everything.” Another student who drives said she needs to get to work quickly after classes and the bus will never provide that. Natalie Springall, a firstyear general arts student, is a transit user and on hearing about the price cut, was delighted. She said she’s going to be voting “yes.” “I think it’s good, but it’s also good that there is a vote. That makes it fair,” she said. Hoa Phan, a second-year accounting student, said, “There should be a waiver on our tuition fee for those who already have a parking pass.”

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUSSEY

Kitchener-Waterloo’s annual anime, comics and gaming convention, in support of THEMUSEUM, took place on Jan. 16 and 17. The event, called Tri-Con, featured special guests, panels and workshops, a masquerade, a Dart of War Nerf gun battle and a dealer and artists’ floor. Above, Diana Pullet watches the Nerf gun battle with R2-D2. For additional photo, see Page 7.

Iron Chef contest heating up BY SARAH VEENSTRA

The door opened. Rosemary, garlic and basil aromas warmed the senses after the frigid cold winter outdoors. The mouth-watering scents coming from Borealis Grille & Bar are a mere taste of what is to come at Conestoga College’s fifth annual Iron Chef Competition. Conestoga students from the School of Business and Hospitality will be helping the chefs with meal preparation, as well as event organization and entertainment. “It’s a hands-on experience for students in the event planning and cooking programs,” said Keith Müller, chair of Conestoga’s School of Business and Hospitality. This year’s Mardi Grasthemed event will be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 4 at Bingemans Marshall Hall, a venue that can hold up to 450 people. “Many of the students have never served that many peo-

ple before,” said Müller. “They might have seen it or attended it but not actually done the prep. This is hands-on, it’s action. They’re not in the back of the kitchen, they’re actually in the hall itself.” Each chef is paired with up to four students, depending on how many they need for preparation before and during the actual event. Unlike the television version of The Iron Chef, this competition gives not only advance notice about the selected ingredients, but far more than one hour for preparation. “The significance for the students is getting to work with local industry chefs at some of the best restaurants in the region,” said Müller. “It’s exposure for the students to the chefs but also the chefs to the students. It’s job hunting in a way. It’s an audition. If they’re working with the chefs ahead of time, the chef gets to know them, gets to see their skills, gets to know their

attitude and the next time they’re looking for a job, that chef may recognize them.” With the help of the students, the chefs are expected to make a single dish consisting of the pre-selected ingredients. “In previous years, they only had to use one selected ingredient, such as ham or duck,” said Müller. “This year there’s a variety of ingredients and they have to choose one meat and one seafood. There’s salmon and mussels sponsored by Caudle’s Catch and ham and chorizo sponsored by Piller’s meats. So, there’s a greater potential to create something more lavish and robust. I’m really looking forward to seeing how creative the chefs can be with some strange ingredients.” Taking part are eight of the region’s top chefs from leading restaurants including Chris Corrigan from Lancaster Smokehouse, Michael Hodgson from The


Page 2 s SPOKE

Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College

NEWS

Monday, January 25, 2016

FILBERT CARTOONS

Random questions answered by random students

“If you could commit any crime without being arrested, but your friends and family would know what you did, what would you do?” “Probably theft. Keep it simple.” Jonathan Cioanca, second-year computer programmer/analyst

“Money laundering.”

William Pring, second-year software engineering PHOTO BY SARAH VEENSTRA

“I would not commit any crime.”

Celestin Dongmo, advanced process quality engineering

“I’d rob a bank so I could be rich.” Victoria Philpott, second-year police foundations

“I’m one of those weirdos, I couldn’t do it. I can’t even lie.” Michelle Belonzo, third-year business admin - management

“I would steal a lot of money.” Blair Sharpe, first-year electronic engineering

Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!

Borealis Grille and Bar’s lead chef John-David Jacobsen is shown in their Kitchener location’s bar on Jan. 13. Jacobsen is one of eight chefs competing in an Iron Chef Competition to raise money for Conestoga College student scholarships.

Students get in on action

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“I actually don’t do any of the cooking,” Jacobsen said. “I let the students come up with their own idea. I sit back and they brainstorm what they want to do and how they want to prep it. I don’t direct them. I show them techniques and how they can present it in the end but it’s all about them. I’m fully educated and know what I’m doing so, if I can help them develop their skills as culinary artists and how to deal with these large venues of 400 people, then it will be easier for them in the long run.”

The proceeds of Conestoga’s Iron Chef competition are put right back into the college through scholarships to students in the School of Business and Hospitality. This type of community fundraising perfectly aligns with Borealis’ sense of involvement. “I always have to keep in mind that this is a Canadian company,” said Jacobsen. “So, I only purchase from Canadian companies and I only hire Canadians in the tri-city area, so that nothing goes out of our community. It’s not just about sustainability, it’s about giving back.” This year’s Mardi Gras com-

petition will be judged by celebrity chef Rob Rainford, with plenty of food and music arranged by Conestoga’s event management team. “I’ve eaten a lot of Mardi Gras (food) and creole cooking is my favourite,” said Jacobsen. “They’ll have a hard time competing against the Lancaster Steakhouse with Chris but it should be good. I just hope I get a good bunch of people who have some good ideas.” Individual tickets for $75 ($50 for students) or tables of 10 for $650 can be purchased online at www.conestogacomunity.ca.

dents.com). Online voting is encouraged, but in case there are problems, ballot boxes will be set up in each campus CSI office. Nearly 4,200 students currently possess a bus pass out of 12,000 full-time students at the college – about a third. In November, CSI met with Grand River Transit officials to discuss the proposed U-Pass. In order to address the concerns of drivers who would undoubtedly be opposed to paying the extra fee, better routes and more buses are planned – in short, better service. “With unlimited access to transit, and improved service,

students who normally purchase a parking pass could have a more affordable option to commute while saving the $400+ on a parking pass each year,” said Jeff Scherer, president of CSI. That improved service will come at a hefty price to the Region, too. Despite this, on Jan. 13 Regional Council approved its 2016 budget, which included funds toward Conestoga’s long-talked-about U-Pass. Now it’s up to students to decide. It could be a reality in September. If students vote “no” there’s a two-year waiting period before another referendum can be held.

Vote online or at CSI office

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But getting the fee waived is almost certainly not going to happen, said Witzel. Students will be getting the U-Pass whether they like it or not, so she encourages everyone to get out and vote. It’s important, she said. The vote starts Monday morning, Feb. 1, and runs for three days. Students at the concerned campuses – Doon, Cambridge and Waterloo – will receive an email from CSI and a link will take them to the online voting site, or they can go directly to the CSI website (www.conestogastu-


NEWS

Monday, January 25, 2016

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Feelings mixed about refugees BY SARA SASILA

According to a Government of Canada website, more than 10,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada. That being said, some Canadians aren’t too happy about it. The word “refugee” has become a hot topic. Many believe that Syrian refugees are getting special treatment because the government is giving them a settlement of $10,000 to help them start their new life. What people don’t know is that once refugees set foot in Canada, they have to start paying back the loan after 30 days. Sabrina Young, a 31-year-old Waterloo resident, said Canadians need to be more sympathetic toward refugees. “What baffles me is that these people have been through so much and peo-

ple don’t seem to care,” she said. “I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to lose family and friends because of a war. Canadians need to come together and help them instead of kicking them to the curb.” The acceptance of refugees has been divided into five phases. The first phase is identifying Syrian refugees to come to Canada. The United Nations Refugee Agency is working to identify people in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The second phase is processing the refugees overseas. Refugees are able to make appointments at visa offices in Beirut, Lebanon and Amman, Jordan. In this phase, security screenings and medical examinations are conducted. Phase three involves transportation to Canada. The

refugees are being settled in communities across Canada. Phase four is welcoming them to Canada. All refugees will be screened a second time for signs of illness when they arrive and treatment will be available if anyone is ill upon arrival. Phase five is settlement and community integration. Newcomers are receiving free health and dental care, permanent housing, counselling, language services, food, basic household goods, furniture and a settlement of $10,000. Brendan Romero, a 20-yearold Cambridge resident, said homeless people should be helped over refugees. “The Prime Minister should be giving money to the homeless and to those who are less fortunate here,” he said. “How does he think that helping refugees is more important

than helping his own people?” Others on social media say that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is giving away taxpayers’ money to refugees when it should be going toward veterans, health, housing and to those who can’t afford life in Canada. “It’s funny, no one cared about homeless people until refugees came to Canada and now all of a sudden it’s ‘Help the homeless first’ and ‘Help underprivileged Canadians,’” said Young. “Don’t get me wrong, we should be helping them too, but they aren’t the ones who had to flee their home because of a war.” Georgian College in Toronto has offered to give free schooling to Syrian refugees. Each of the seven Georgian campuses will grant an award for one refugee or displaced person to

able to go through therapy to regain his balance. But it was only three years later when another tumour was discovered, and this time, it was cancerous. He went through a year of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, finishing just five days before his 13th birthday.

annual hockey tournament is designed to raise money for a chosen beneficiary, and Thorne was a guest speaker at the gala that took place the day before. Thorne thanked Sittler in his speech, saying that was a significant experience for him. “After I was done I had them in tears,” said Thorne. It hasn’t always been easy for him. Along with his balance, his short-term memory was also affected. He said he had a lot of problems in high school with teachers getting mad at him because of this. “I guess my worst fault is not standing up for myself,” said Thorne. Despite the challenges he’s faced, he continually looks for ways to inspire others and give back to his community. He and his family are actively part of a cancer day in a park near where they live, but he has also been involved in Relay for Life, fashion shows and other fundraising events. Melanson said Thorne is defined by a lot more than just the health difficulties he has faced. In class, he is the one always participating and contributing to discussions, and she said one of his greatest traits is he normalizes the experiences in the program for other students. “Jordan’s always stood out because of his positivity, his encouragement to other students and for us, honestly,” she said. “It really makes it a pleasant experience when you have a student like Jordan.” It is clear that Thorne is a lot more than just a survivor.

Mary Anne Melanson, shown with cancer survivor Jordan Thorne, said Thorne always stands out because of his positivity and encouragement to other students.

study. Josh McKean, a 19-yearold Waterloo resident, said Georgian College should be giving free education to less fortunate Canadians. “I’m stuck working at a full-time restaurant job because my parents can’t afford to put me in college,” he said. “I’m Canadian, where is my free education?” While there are a handful of Canadians who want nothing more than to get rid of refugees, there are thousands who support and care for them. Sierra Vang, a 19-year-old Kitchener resident, said she is happy and proud to be Canadian. “So many people have donated thousands of clothes, household items and necessities for refugees,” she said. “It warms my heart to see Canadians help refugees get back up on their feet.”

More than just a survivor

BY CHRIS HUSSEY

It was a normal group dynamics class for Jordan Thorne and his classmates earlier this semester. The course is taken by many students throughout the college, and a large part of it involves activities led by the students in their various groups. Thorne and his group were leading one of these activities outside the building between the C- and F-wings. It involved people running underneath a large parachute as the rest of the class held it up for them. Throne was monitoring the activity, running around encouraging everyone and keeping everything running smoothly. Mary Anne Melanson, lead learning strategist in the Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) program at Conestoga College, said the activity went over so well because of Jordan’s leadership and encouragement. “Jordan and his teammates really made people feel comfortable and safe,” she said. Thorne is a source of inspiration for many of his classmates and faculty members. The 19-year-old is in his first year of the CICE program at Conestoga College. He is a son, grandson, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and friend. He is also a cancer survivor. Thorne was just nine years of age when doctors discovered a tumour in his brain. It took an eight-hour operation, but the tumour was successfully removed and Thorne was

Jordan’s always stood out because of his positivity, (and) his encouragement ... — Mary Anne Melanson

Thorne said his parents were an enormous help to him as he went through his treatments. One of the biggest things affected was his balance, which even poses challenges to this day. But while it’s more of an inconvenience now, it affected him in more significant ways back then. “I wasn’t able to stand up in the shower, so she (his mom) would have to bathe me,” he said. Thorne was able to keep pace with his classmates as he was home-schooled through Grade 8, and since then, he’s used his experiences to try to inspire. In fact, one of his dreams and passions is to become a motivational speaker, and he has already started doing that. One of his more memorable moments was when he met former NHL player Darryl Sittler at a charity event called Docs on Ice last year. The

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUSSEY


COMMENTARY

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Monday, January 25, 2016

Seek help if struggling BY JASON MOTA

There is a gap in the Canadian mental health system. This “gap” refers to the unnervingly large percentage of people with mental illnesses who do not receive treatment for – or even an acknowledgement of – their symptoms. A bad week is an easy thing to shrug off as being nothing more than just a bad week, but knowing when it’s worse than that can mean the difference between feeling better about yourself and developing a permanent case of depression or anxiety. All it takes is a little too much stress and the human mind, which is already swamped with remembering complex social norms and the due dates of school assignments, will reach a breaking point. It will no longer be able to stop worrying, stressing, second-guessing, doubting, hurting or fearing. According to a study conducted in 2009 by the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, a whopping 90 per cent of people who suffer from depression never seek help. So if you’ve thought recently, even for a moment, that you might be dealing with a minor case of depression, then more than likely, that is the case. Acknowledgement is the hard part, since it’s easy to deny the possibility if it’s not too severe. This denial is largely thanks to social stigma. For some reason, there’s a subtle, underlying belief that mental illness is a weakness. A stain. No one wants to admit that they’re depressed or traumatized or that they can no longer trust people. But nobody is super strong. Everyone has a weakness or two, from the strongest fighter to the boniest bookworm. Many people are either compensating for something they don’t want seen or openly struggling with it. There is absolutely no shame in stepping down from the top step, taking a deep breath, and admitting that you need help. The first step to solving a problem is realizing there is one. The only way to feel better is to stop denying your mental illness and seek help. Whether you turn to a friend, sibling, parent or stranger, it matters not, as long as you are able to speak about it. Conestoga College offers free, confidential counselling services to any student who needs it, for any reason at all – it doesn’t need to be school-related. Every student who is struggling should take full advantage of it. For more information about counselling at Conestoga, visit www.conestogac.on.ca/counselling-services.

The views herein represent the position of the newspaper, not necessarily the author.

Letters are welcome Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contacted for verification. No unsigned letters will be published. Letters should be no longer

than 500 words. Spoke reserves the right to edit any letter for publication. Address correspondence to: The Editor, Spoke, 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4

This isn’t your average dinner.

How bad can eating your pet be? Eating your pets after their death seems like something only a savage in a horror film would do. I have two dogs and the thought of eating them sounds emotionally scarring and horrendous, but I have to agree with Helena Stahl, the 24-year-old Swedish horseback rider who ate her racehorse after it had to be put down due to injury, when she defended her actions in a Facebook post, saying, “It’s about how we take care of the animals when they’re alive, not what we do with them later.” Too often, animals that are born solely for human consumption live uncomfortable and painful lives. Let’s take a look at beef cattle. According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ dehorning fact sheet, in cattle raised for beef, “all methods of physical dehorning cause pain and side effects.” Dehorning of cattle is done for many reasons: the cattle require less space in transit and feed bunks, price advantages

Jenna Braun Opinion

can be gained when auctioning, the cattle are less likely to be aggressive and they’re easier to handle. The dehorning process is done by burning the innervated tissue on the cattle’s head with an iron. According to Canadians for Ethical Treatment of Farmed Animals, all beef cattle at Canadian auctions bought by American buyers must be branded – a painful process for the cows that leaves third degree burns. No, they don’t receive anesthetics. I’m not saying that all beef cattle, or pigs and chickens, are treated poorly before they make it to our plates. I do realize that some of the uncomfortable and painful processes animals are forced to go through may have their benefits, as dehorning does. I know there are many won-

derful local farms that treat their livestock as kindly as possible – but that’s just not the case for all of them. Many unethical practices still go on every day, even in Ontario. So can we really say that Stahl’s decision to eat her deceased pet was inhumane? It was a little creepy, and probably turned the stomachs of many, but it wasn’t inhumane. Nothing was done during the horse’s living days that anyone needs to get huffy about. Sure, despite my stance on what she did, I still find it atrocious, but Stahl did nothing wrong. Her horse was dead. She treated it well while it was here and that’s more than I can say about the cow that provided the steaks my Dad barbecued last Saturday. Maybe that cow on my parents’ plates was raised on a farm where the workers treated it like pure gold or maybe it was treated horribly. At least Stahl sat down to dinner that night knowing exactly what kind of life that horse lived.

SPOKE

IS PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE Editor: Chris Hussey Assignment Editors: Matt Linseman, Jenna Braun Advertising Managers: Christel Allison Spoke Online Editors: Emmie Siroky, Sean Malinowski, Marissa Cuddy Production Managers: Sarah Veenstra, Garrett

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The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of Conestoga College. Spoke shall not be liable for any damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space. Letters to the editor are subject to acceptance or rejection and should be clearly written or typed; a MS Word file would be helpful. Letters must not contain any libellous statements.


NEWS

Monday, January 25, 2016

SPOKE  Page 5

Local church a sanctuary for students

BY MIKE STROMME

The Doon Presbyterian Church is open to helping out Conestoga students in any way it can. This includes providing a space for musicians to practise and using their kitchen to make home-cooked meals. ”We want to be an option for students to come to if they have a need, whatever it is,” said Aaron Hooper, the church’s outreach/Christian education co-ordinator. “We want to help serve the community, serve the people that need the help.” Founded in 1853, the Doon Presbyterian Church has been a staple of the Doon community since its inception. Being located less than a kilometre from the Doon campus, the church, in the past, has let students use their facility for bagpipe practice, contributed to the food bank, assisted with helping international students get integrated into the community and even provided a Thanksgiving dinner for those in need. “We’re also here to help students if say, they need a ride to the bank or they need to go to a doctor’s office downtown Waterloo or something,” said

Hooper. “We’re here to help students in many different ways, especially when winter hits.” In a congregation of around 300 people, the church’s pastor, Darrell Clarke, estimates that 10-15 per cent consists of Conestoga students, the majority of whom are international students. These students come from Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, South Korea, China and India. ”Outside of maybe three students, the vast majority are international students,” said Clarke. ”It’s the international students who seem to search for that sense of community with us.” Helping international students is a major part of how the church impacts student life at the Doon campus. Providing students who come to Canada to study abroad with a sense of community helps international students ease into Canadian culture and helps with culture shock. “Sometimes they get disconnected from the rest of the community at Conestoga,” said Hooper. “Sometimes doing something cultural, such as Chinese New Year for example, can help them feel like

they’re able to embrace their own culture. Then, also inviting them to things that are traditionally Canadian, such as Thanksgiving dinner, helps.” With international students coming from all over the world, culture shock is common. Clarke saw it first-hand at a Christmas dinner the church hosted at the student residence building last year. “There was one student from Nigeria who came to the Christmas dinner at residence last year,” said Clarke. “He had just arrived from Nigeria that day. He actually came to the residence building to be picked up by the family that he was staying with. He was going through culture shock, arriving in Canada in frigid temperatures.” The Doon Presbyterian Church is a big advocate of community involvement at the student level. Clarke and Hooper can be seen at CSI-run events such as the Pond Party and Frost Week. They also have a few ideas of their own for student social gatherings, such as “Feast the Street” and a coffee shop near campus for students to gather and socialize. Feast the Street is an idea

PHOTO BY MIKE STROMME

Doon Presbyterian Church outreach/Christian education co-ordinator Aaron Hooper (left) and Pastor Darrell Clarke help Conestoga students any way they can. that Clarke came up with in concert with some of the local landlords where students all gather at a local student housing property for a big barbecue during frosh week. “What I’d like to see here is community life,” said Clarke.

“I will support any effort to bolster the life of the student.” For more information, or to contact the Doon Presbyterian Church, visit their website at www.doonpc.com. Or, look for Doon Presbyterian Church on Facebook.


NEWS

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Monday, January 25, 2016

Companion program breaking stigmas

BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

The Alzheimer Society of Waterloo Wellington offers a unique volunteer opportunity. Once a week for a two-hour period, a volunteer from the community will relieve a caregiver of his or her duties, and hang out with an individual living with dementia. Stephanie Vigil is the volunteer companion program co-ordinator. She meets with the clients and their families, and then meets volunteers. From there, she plays matchmaker. “Most families are open to it. It’s a great opportunity for socialization for their loved one,” Vigil said. “I really try to emphasize to our volunteers that you are not there as a doctor or a nurse, you are there as a friend.” Popular companion program activities include grabbing a cup of coffee, playing cards or going for a walk. Volunteers are asked to stay for a mini-

mum of six months. Many develop great relationships with their companions that lead to longer assignments. “We aren’t asking you to take them to the movies, or out for meals. It’s more for that meaningful connection,” Vigil said – connection that builds better understanding, and debunks the Alzheimer stigma that is still prevalent in our society. “We all have preconceptions of what dementia is and understanding it,” Vigil said. “Just with any stigma-related issue, it’s just working to educate the public.” At the moment, there are currently 45 companion program matches in the Waterloo and Wellington area. The program is geared toward individuals who live in the community, including those in a retirement home or their own home. If clients agree that they are interested in the program, they will be put on the waiting list. Today, 50 clients are on

the wait list for a volunteer companion. First-year general arts and science student Michelle Pratten knows how dementia can have a heavy effect on a family. “It’s frightening to see someone you love, someone who was so independent, become so reliant,” Pratten said. “It’s difficult to watch.” On Sunday, Jan. 31, a Walk for Alzheimer’s will be commencing at multiple locations in the area including Waterloo, Guelph, Mount Forest and Cambridge. “Fifty-five per cent of our funding comes from donations and events, 45 per cent comes from the government. So the walk is one of our biggest events, and always a lot of fun,” Vigil said. The nationwide initiative brings vital financial support to help enhance local service quality. If you are interested in the walk or volunteering visit www. alzheimer.ca/en/ww.

FREE SKATING AND GIVEAWAYS AND PRIZES

PHOTOS BY JASON MOTA

Families from all over the region hit the ice at the Kitchener Auditorium’s Kiwanis Arena on Jan. 17 for the Waterloo Region Record’s Free Family Skate. From children learning the basics to weathered, longtime enthusiasts, they all enjoyed the timeless winter activity.

PHOTO BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

Volunteer Companion Program co-ordinator Stephanie Vigil sits in one of the many living areas at the Alzheimer Society’s Kitchener location. The society offers a companion program, which pairs a volunteer with a client who is living with dementia.


NEWS

Monday, January 25, 2016

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New creative coping workshop BY JOE WEPPLER

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 350 million people across the world suffer from depression. It is also the leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the fact that anxiety disorders such as depression are highly treatable, only about one-third of those suffering receive treatment. To help combat this, Bell Media created the Let’s Talk initiative, with a focus on raising awareness and encouraging people to speak about mental health. The wildly successful Bell Let’s Talk Day generated over $6.1 million for mental health ini-

tiatives last year, and is posed to break that record this year on Jan. 27. In honour of Let’s Talk, the Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge and North Dumfries is offering a free workshop that is designed to increase awareness about mental health. This workshop, hosted at 1 North Square in Cambridge by Idea Exchange, seeks to share some of the best methods to prevent and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. “It’s important to talk about,” said Tina Runstedler, an employee of Idea Exchange, Cambridge’s city-wide library service. “It’s vital that people understand that they’re not alone,”

she said. The event, titled Creative Coping, will run on Jan. 30, just three days after Bell Let’s Talk Day 2016.

It’s vital that people understand that they’re not alone. — Tina Runstedler

“It’s absolutely something that anyone who even suspects they may suffer from an anxiety disorder or depression should get involved with,” said Rachael Bass, a student in the sustainable local food program through

Conestoga. “I suffered in silence for years before I finally went to a doctor,” she said. Now 32, Bass was diagnosed with major depressive disorder when she was 26 years old. At that time, she was unemployed, lived by herself and had suicidal thoughts. Now, only six years later, Bass is married, has a two-year-old daughter, and is both working a fulltime job and taking online schooling. “I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t get help,” she said. According to Bass, hearing people talk about mental health is what pushed her to seek help. “It’s something people need

to talk about. The more people talk, the more it’s accepted, the more people will be pushed to get help. Events like Let’s Talk and Creative Coping aren’t just helpful. They could save lives,” she said. To register for the Creative Coping workshop, call 519621-0460. For more information, go to www.ideaexchange. org/programs. The event is free, and will run from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Queen’s Square branch of Cambridge Idea Exchange. If you think you’re suffering from a mental health issue, don’t wait. Talk to those you love, and make an appointment with your doctor. You are not alone.

Help others keep their toes warm BY EMMIE SIROKY

The snow is here and more cold weather is ahead. In the winter a lot of people spend their time bundled up inside. Although trying to stay warm without jacking up your heating bill is difficult, it’s harder to keep the chill out when you have no home and no warm clothes. To help those less fortunate, the Waterloo Public Library holds a charity event called

The Toasty Toes Sock Drive. It began three years ago after Sandi Hall, a specialist in the marketing and communications department at the library, heard about a community sock drive in the U.S. on the radio. She then took it upon herself to create a similar event for the local community. “In the month of February, Waterloo Public Library customers are encouraged to bring in donations of new

STORMTROOPERS INVADE TRI-CON

PHOTOS BY CHRIS HUSSEY

Andrea Loar, shown in a stormtrooper costume, prepares to shoot a Nerf gun during Tri-Con at THEMUSEUM on Jan. 17. To kick off the second day of the exhibit, the museum held a series of activities with Nerf guns and swords, including a version of capture the flag. Loar was just one of many people who dressed up for the exhibit.

pairs of socks for adults to any WPL location,” said Hall. “At the end of the month the socks are given to the Working Centre, who distribute them to those in need in the community.” This year’s goal is to collect 1,000 pairs of socks. Last year they collected over 700 pairs, doubling their count from the year before. They had help from the University of Waterloo’s Davis Johnston Research and Technology

Park. This year they teamed up with Me to We students at Mary Johnston Public School. “The sock drive is another way to work with our awesome customers and help the less fortunate in our community,” said Hall. “And from a health perspective, dry, warm feet are important to good health. We all know how great it feels to put on clean, cozy, warm socks on a cold winter day. For the homeless in our

community, who are spending a lot of their time on their feet in inclement weather, there’s a need for fresh, clean, dry socks. It is a basic, simple need but very necessary.” They are looking for new adult-sized socks starting Feb. 1. The socks can be dropped off at all three of the WPL locations during the entire month of February. To find out more you can visit their website at www.wpl.ca.


ENTERTAINMENT

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Monday, January 25, 2016

Bruce Cockburn follows his own road Canadian musician, humanitarian, activist back touring after writing his memoir BY PAUL BOREHAM

Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn has lived his life on the road. That’s where “home” is, he says. It’s no wonder. The 70-yearold musician has spent nearly 50 of those years touring the world – at times in dangerous situations – performing songs from his 31 albums. “When I first read On the Road (a 1950s novel by Jack Kerouac), it struck a chord. It caught my imagination and I think that has something to do with it,” Cockburn says. His songs are filled with reflections gleaned from a lifetime going from place to place, always on the move. But he put the turn signal on and pulled off in 2011 to write his memoir, Rumours of Glory, which was published in 2014 along with a nine-disk box set of his music – a kind of end-of-career project. The memoir was written in San Francisco, where he lives with his wife, M.J., and fouryear-old daughter, Iona. It’s been a long road. Cockburn was born in Kingston and grew up in Ottawa, where his father was head of diagnostic X-ray at Ottawa Civic Hospital. He has two younger brothers. In his teens, music lessons started with the clarinet and trumpet. But one day, while exploring the attic in his aunt’s house, he found an old guitar with rusting strings. He couldn’t put it down. Elvis Presley and other rock-androllers were then grabbing the hearts and minds of teenagers. “I got a hold of the guitar when I was 14, and the idea that I might be able to do something like that was exciting,” says Cockburn. He adds, with a light chuckle, “Nobody I knew played rock and roll on a trumpet.” “As I got into it, it also became a refuge from the horrors of teenage life.” He developed his voice in Nepean High’s choir, and he was exposed to folk music at Camp Ahmek, in Algonquin Park, where he’d gone for several summers, and where he was developing a love for wilderness. In Ottawa he immersed himself in the folk scene that was centred around a small cafe called Le Hibou, or The Owl. All kinds of music was being played, but it was jazz that piqued his interest. He ate it all up and tried to emulate the sounds he loved most. After high school, his parents, a tad reluctant, agreed to send him to Boston’s

Berklee College of Music – a highly-regarded institution – where he was going to learn jazz composition. He left after two semesters, but the experience was a stepping stone. He writes that the decision to leave came with a guiding hand, as if it was meant to be. Something was at play in his life. Back in Ottawa in 1966, he joined his musical friends in a group called The Children, and while they became the top group in the city, there was a ceiling to playing in small clubs and schools. He was often eating peanut butter sandwiches for supper. Toronto’s Yorkville district was, at the time, a thriving hub for musicians and Cockburn had no trouble leaving Ottawa for more fertile ground. In 1967 he joined a group who called themselves the Flying Circus (later Olivus), playing psychedelic music. Opening for the Jimi Hendrix trio in Montreal was especially eye-opening for Cockburn. 3’s a Crowd followed, more of a folk group, in 1968, with a final stint taping 26 half-hour episodes of One More Time as the house band for CTV. That was it. He had been thinking of going it alone for some time. The songs he was writing were more suited to a solo performance, just him and the guitar. His big break came in the summer of 1969 at the Mariposa Folk Festival in Toronto, the largest in the country. Neil Young gave his slot away on main stage due to another engagement and Cockburn filled it with all the songs he’d been writing over the past few years. He was a hit. Later that year, Bernie Finklestein became his manager. Finklestein started True North Records and produced Cockburn’s first record in 1970. The business relationship remains to this day, with all 31 albums on the True North label. “The first album was very well received, in a small but important way, and that got things off to a good start. And a lot of that was because of hooking up with Bernie Finklestein, who had a sense of how to present that stuff to people.” In the 1960s, the prospects for Canadian recording artists were not very hopeful. Cockburn came along just as the landscape was changing. “A lot of people in Canada were looking around for what we could think of as Canadian music,” he says. Canadian artists, if they wanted

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Bruce Cockburn has spent nearly 50 years performing his songs across the world. He published his memoir, Rumours of Glory, in 2014. to be noticed, had to go to the United States. Gordon Lightfoot is one example. Neil Young is another. In the early ’70s Canadian content regulations were implemented, requiring radio stations to play a certain amount of Canadian music. “The radio stations were clamouring to the record companies: ‘Give us some Canadian music to play!’” he says. Cockburn’s music filled that niche. Picture a 20-something young man, wearing moccasins, jeans and vest, carrying a bulky guitar case. A shaggy beard surrounds a slightly buck-toothed grin topped by a hillbilly-type hat and eyes peering out of round eyeglasses. That was the look in the early ’70s. Beside him stands a young woman in a long, dark dress. Straight hair hangs down to her breasts, with her moccasins peeking out at the bottom hem. Cockburn married Kitty Macaulay in 1969, just as his career was taking off. The two set out in their camper, along with their dog, Aroo, across the country, touring. At that time you could pretty well stop anywhere for the night, and they did. Albums followed with mostly acoustic music, with songs depicting mountain scenes from Western Canada and the taste of freedom of being out

on the open road. His lyrics often speak of longing and searching. They read like poetry. “I went up on the mountainside / to see what I could see ... I watched the day go down in fire / and sink into the sea” (from Shining Mountain). He grew up in a home that was not particularly religious, but God showed up and started appearing in his music in a big way in 1974. Thereafter he became known as the Christian singer. He lost some fans and gained others. From the start, his image, and being a public celebrity, bothered him. “I worried more about the negative effect of stardom than I needed to back in the beginning. That was part of the notion of purity of art,” he says. “But also, based on a realization that when you’re a star you weren’t a human being anymore; that you were talked about as a kind of feature of the landscape. What I discovered was the minute you get up on stage in front of people, they invest you with a kind of fantasy anyway. “I tried to be a guy who had no image, except for who I was. But I got an image anyway. I got the image of a guy who was trying to have no image,” he says, laughing. Three albums of Christianinspired music followed. In 1976 his daughter, Jenny,

was born and life on the road became a little harder. In the latter 1970s Cockburn started bringing in bands to back him up, with drums, bass and some electric guitar. That would expand to include violin and some exotic instruments in the 1980s. At the close of the decade, his popularity soared with the release of his song, Wondering Where the Lions Are. “Sun’s up, uh-huh, looks okay / The world survives into another day / And I’m thinking about eternity / Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me / And I’m Wondering Where the Lions Are ...” He relates in his book a recurring nightmare of lions circling the house. They break in and make their way up to his bedroom. “I tried to barricade the door of my room,” he writes. “But the lead lioness shouldered through, jaws dripping. I woke up shaking and sweating.” One night the lions appeared again, but this time there were “calm, regal, and beautiful.” He started humming the words to his new song the next day while driving around. Things got a little crazy. A distributor in the United States had him come down to the Philadelphia Zoo and perform the song in front of caged lions – at eight in the morning in January. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE


ENTERTAINMENT

Monday, January 25, 2016

SPOKE s Page 9

Cockburn writes about love, war and the heart He was duped into it, not knowing he was going to be playing the song. As well, he and his band performed the song on Saturday Night Live, on May 10, 1980. It was a tension-filled experience but he was happy with the way it turned out. Cockburn was never one to mix politics with his music. But by the start of the 1980s that would change. Every decade, he says, has been the start of a new era in his career and his life. He was divorced in 1980. He moved to Toronto from the Ottawa area, got his ears pierced, and starting putting on makeup – quite an image-change from his earlier days. Now he was wearing leather jackets. He would soon take up target shooting. His image became grittier, angrier, urban. In 1983, he was invited by OXFAM Canada with another Canadian singer, Nancy White, to witness what was happening in Guatemala, in Central America. Refugees were fleeing north across the border to Mexico from government death squads – sanctioned by the United States, he says. He was appalled at what he saw and wrote probably his most famous song, If I Had a Rocket Launcher, after seeing the death and suffering caused by government helicopters firing upon the camps from above. “Here comes the helicopter – second time today / Everybody scatters and hopes it goes away / How many kids they’ve murdered only God can say / If I had a rocket launcher / I’d make somebody pay.” He ups that threat at the end of the song – “Some son of a bitch would die.” Most of his Christian fans had left by this time and those inflamed by injustices jumped on board. “A trip to Chili that year went together (with the Central America trip) to finish off any notion that I had been taught as a student that art and politics shouldn’t mix. In Latin America nobody told them that (he laughs). So there were a lot of great songs that were written about political issues and a lot of involvement on the part of artists, and nobody seemed to find that strange.” Politically-driven albums continued through the 1980s. One interesting tidbit regarding the release of his 1986 album, World of Wonders, was the use of the F-word on the opening song, Call it Democracy. (His mother said to him, “Did you have to use that word?”) The U.S. censors would not allow it. A kerfuffle ensued, and it ended up hav-

ing warning labels slapped on. It’s the only known song that features the International Monetary Fund and the phrase, “insupportable debt” in it. It’s one of Cockburn’s favourite songs, still pertinent, unfortunately, he writes. The decade ended with Big Circumstance in 1988, featuring If a Tree Falls, delving into the issue of forest clearcutting. He was surprised to see ads placed by the Alberta beef growers declaring him and another outspoken singer, k.d. lang, anti-beef. Maybe it’s because of the words: “Take out wildlife at a rate of species every single day / Take out people who’ve lived with this for a hundred thousand years / Inject a billion burgers worth of beef – grain eaters – methane dispensers.” Cockburn began the ’90s wondering whether he would continue. The creative well ran dry. It returned during a vacation in Arizona. “I love the pounding of hooves / I love engines that roar / I love the wild music of waves on the shore / And the spiral perfection of a hawk when it soars / I love my sweet woman down to the core” (Child of the Wind). Following the demise of his marriage, relationships followed throughout the 1980s, including one lasting seven years. In the early ’90s he fell for his riding instructor and they leased a small farm north of Milton, Ont. The couple started filling up a small barn with horses, some boarded. Cockburn was back in the country. The ’90s started with two albums being produced in the U.S. A secret love affair began with a married woman, the only real juicy item in the book, except for perhaps his involvement with guns throughout the ’90s. This woman, whom he calls “Madame X,” shows up in songs throughout the decade. The Charity of Night from 1996 was particularly well received. It seems to sum up many aspects of his life and career, for instance, the song Pacing the Cage: “Sometimes the best map will not guide you / You can’t see what’s round the bend / Sometimes the road leads through dark places / Sometimes the darkness is your friend.” It’s also the title of a 2013 documentary about his life. Mines of Mozambique details what he saw and felt while on a factfinding mission to the country with Cooperation Canada Mozambique. Landmines were scattered everywhere from the civil war. His life on the horse farm ended and he moved to Montreal in 2000. Albums continued through

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Bruce Cockburn works on his album, Small Source of Comfort, which was released in 2011.

Cockburn will be performing in Guelph at the River Run Centre on Feb. 26. the 2000s, the last being Small Source of Comfort in 2011. He was invited on a trip to Iraq in 2004 and to Afghanistan in 2009. While in Kandahar, a ramp ceremony began, honouring two soldiers who had been killed that day – “One of the saddest and most moving scenes I’ve been privileged to witness,” he writes. He met M.J. on the Mozambique trip and the relationship flourished sometime after returning from Iraq. The two travelled the world before settling in San Francisco to raise their daughter. For the moment, Cockburn

takes care of things at home while M.J. goes to work. He doesn’t normally listen to his albums, but with a curious young child in tow, that has changed. “My daughter insists on listening to me on our way to preschool in the morning, in the car, so I do get to hear a lot of myself these days,” he says. Touring has come in spurts lately because of Iona. Through the years, Cockburn has received a pile of awards. He appreciates them, but they don’t mean a lot – except one. “The one that means the

most to me is being an Officer in the Order of Canada. It feels like a cementing of a sense of connection with Canada. It’s a concept that I really value. The other stuff is nice.” As to a legacy: “I don’t think about my legacy at all. I have no control over that. Nobody does.” This year he is concentrating on putting together some songs for a new album. But he is coming to southern Ontario for some concerts in February, as well as being the main act at Owen Sound’s Summerfolk Festival in August. The concert schedule can be found at brucecockburn.com.


FUN & GAMES

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Monday, January 25, 2016

Useless Facts

Oh Cliff!

Horoscope

The only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible is the cat.

Week of January 25, 2016

Aries

March 21 April 19 Your impulsivity may place you directly in harm’s way. Play it safe this week. Maybe it’s best if you spend this week in the safety of your own home.

Taurus April 20 May 20

Make sure you split your time carefully between your friends and your significant other. Be careful one doesn’t turn into a diva!

Gemini May 21 June 21

This week is all about questions for you. Your inquisitive nature will push you to question everything and demand answers.

Cancer June 22 July 22

Letting go of things can be hard for you, but I promise you don’t need your fourth grade social studies notes anymore.

Leo

July 23 August 22 This week your faithful and loving nature will really show. Get coffee with your friends, they need your compassion and understanding.

Virgo

August 23 September 22 Virgo, you have a tendency to be slightly harsh or overcritical. This week take time to think before you speak.

Polar bears are left-handed.

Libra

September 23 October 22

Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn’t wear pants!

Libra, you’re letting your indecisiveness get the best of you Once you make a decision do your best to stick with it.

It’s possible to lead a cow upstairs .. but not downstairs. No one really knows when doughnuts were invented or who invented them.

Scorpio

October 23 November 21 Run free with your emotions this week. Feel free to cry in the middle of the party if you really feel that sad.

Apples, potatoes and onions all taste the same when eaten with your nose plugged.

Sudoku Puzzle

Sagittarius November 22 December 21

Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1-9, without repeating any.

Your loyalty may be tested this week. Make sure you stand behind your friends, they will support you in return.

Capricorn December 22 January 19

Your humorous nature will be appreciated this week. If by some off chance people don’t laugh the first time keep telling the same joke until they do.

Aquarius January 20 February 18

Aquarius, your stubbornness may get the best of you this week. Rebelling and sticking to your guns can be a good thing, but always keep an open mind.

Pisces

February 19 March 20 Take notes from your Aquarius friends this week and stand your ground. Friends may try to lead you down the wrong path. Don’t be afraid to say no.

Ephram Strange dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension on a regular basis. He also enjoys young adult novels and taxidermy.

Word Search


NEWS

Monday, January 25, 2016

SPOKE  Page 11

Men’s volleyball winning streak comes to an end BY ETHAN KOMPF

Conestoga’s varsity men’s volleyball team suffered a disappointing loss to Redeemer University College on Jan. 12, putting an end to a threegame winning streak and leaving their record at three wins and eight losses this season. The Condors didn’t have a win until Nov. 21, but carried that to a three-game streak between Nov. 21 and Nov. 29. The team credited those wins to scheduling and stronger group cohesion. “To start the season we played very good volleyball teams, some of the best in Canada,” said Josh Huisman, a Conestoga player.” Our last three games were against the bottom three teams in our conference, so they were must wins and we got the job done. We know we aren’t going to beat the best, but our goal is to steal games and slowly build toward a great team.” “We finally started putting things together near the end of the semester,” said Kyle Chaffe, another Conestoga player.

A decent sized crowd showed up to watch the Condors take on the Royals (who were 7-3 at the time) and although the fans were vocal, the home-crowd advantage was not enough to tip the scale. Conestoga started its first set off with an even back and forth with Redeemer, but began to trail, and eventually lost the game 25-19. Despite this, the Condors’ morale seemed to stay high. The second game was worse for Conestoga, as they lost it 25-15. Between the second and third games, it was clear that Conestoga’s energy was lagging, while Redeemer’s stayed high. When the score was 18-24 for Redeemer, which was only one point away from winning, Conestoga rallied, scoring a consecutive four points. Unfortunately that streak came to an end and the Royals took the third game 25-22. The Royals had an advantage in the match, as they had previously played on Jan. 9, whereas Conestoga had not played since Nov. 29. “(The break) definitely (affect-

TOUGH LOSS FOR VOLLEYBALL WOMEN

PHOTO BY EMMIE SIROKY

The Conestoga College women’s volleyball team were hit hard in their match against the Redeemer College Royals on Jan. 12, losing all three games. They go head-to-head against Fanshawe College tomorrow at the college.

SKI SEASON OPEN TO ALL

PHOTO BY PAUL BOREHAM

Harley Kaufmann-Sacrey, a Conestoga College public service student, whizzes down to the bottom of a Chicopee ski hill in Kitchener on opening day, Jan. 9. Kaufmann-Sacrey was providing handicapped instruction to training staff.

PHOTO BY ETHAN KOMPF

A Conestoga player spikes the ball at Redeemer players. Conestoga eventually went on to lose the match 3 sets to 0 on Jan. 12. ed our play),” said Huisman. “During the break you don’t get as many touches and when you get back you need to shake off a little rust and get back into the swing of things.”

Chaffe agreed, but also said the break had the advantage of allowing players to get back into shape and heal any injuries that they had sustained. Both Huisman and Chaffe

said the team is working on improving pressure during their serves and that the team is developing well and the future looks bright for the Condors.


NEWS

Page 12  SPOKE

SCRUBS FOR EVERY SIZE

Monday, January 25, 2016

Stay healthy with yoga BY KANDACE GALLANT

PHOTO BY MATT LINSEMAN

Janet Zhou, the owner of Janet Fashions, helps a student pick out an outfit. The store has reserved a spot at the college’s Doon campus every semester for four years. They offer affordable quality scrubs as well as additional garments for students, including those in medical programs. They will be returning to the college in September.

For the last few years, yoga has been gaining momentum for being one of the best workouts for your body, mind and soul. According to yogajournal. com there are 38 ways for yoga to help improve your health. It can help improve your flexibility, help build muscle strength, greatly improve your posture, help you to have a good night’s sleep, and can even make you happier, just to name a few. “I’ve always found that it boosts my energy and my mood,” said Stephanie Baker, as she stepped out of her first yoga class at Moksha Yoga studio in Guelph. “This may be the first yoga class I’ve been to, but I always do it at home and follow along with yoga videos. I wasn’t really sure if I liked it at first, but I stuck with it and now I have a lot of fun with it.” Her daughter, Erika Baker, joined her for her first yoga class. She agreed it makes her feel happier and that it cures her aches and pains. “Sometimes I have back pain, but whenever I’m finished doing a yoga routine, I feel … relieved,” said Erika. “Going to a yoga class was a lot of fun too. The instructor is really helpful and shows you a lot of different moves that you may not have seen on a yoga video or DVD.” Erika has been suffering

from some digestive problems that her doctors have not yet been able to diagnose. “I’ve been having stomach pains that make me super uncomfortable and I’ve even went to emergency because of how bad they got,” Erika said. “One of the doctors I saw suggested that I should continue doing yoga because of how it can help digestive issues.” Yogajournal.com also had improving digestive problems on its list. It said that being stressed about something can cause you to suffer internally, but doing yoga can decrease stress levels. It can ease issues like constipation and reduce your risks of illnesses, such as colon cancer. Doing certain moves and twists help with getting food and waste through your bowels and emptying your system. “I can definitely see a difference in my stomach pains since I’ve started doing yoga more regularly,” said Erika. “So I’m going to keep doing it and attending different classes.” Mother and daughter both agreed they look forward to doing another class together and convincing their friends to go with them. “My friends always say how they don’t like yoga, but if older people can do it, so can they,” said Erika. “There were people in that class today that were 60. I hope I’m still able and willing to do yoga at that age. It’s impressive.”

COUNTRY NIGHT AT CONESTOGA

PHOTO BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZER

8 Second Ride, a country cover band from Kitchener, performed for Conestoga students in the Sanctuary before students took a bus to the Stampede Corral on Jan. 14. For video story, go to www. spokeonline.com.


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