Dress to impress Fan Expo has great Halloween costume ideas. Page 5 MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2017
SPOKE
A real team player Student enjoys being part of varsity rugby. Page 8
A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
CSI may join CASA
WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM
48TH YEAR — NO. 14
PUMPKINS, AND KIDS, COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
BY LUCAS HUTTERI
The future may get brighter for students at Conestoga College. Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) has been flirting with the idea of joining the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), an advocacy organization that has 22 members and represents 255,000 post-secondary students. The implications of this could impact a lot of areas. At CSI’s Sept. 20 Board of Directors meeting, Brittany Grieg and Scot Wyles gave a presentation on a CASA conference they attended in the summer. Wyles suggested holding a referendum to ask students if they wanted to join CASA. “Getting involved with some of these organizations (that represent students) would help Conestoga by providing infrastructure and funding for the school,” said Justin McLaughlin, CSI’s vicepresident, internal.. CASA would assist in these areas by lobbying the federal government for more money for post-secondary institutions. It could also help students with OSAP. Organizations such as CASA advocate for a postsecondary education system that is accessible, affordable, innovative and of high quality. They also advocate for various services and policies such as tuition freezing. However, CASA does charge a membership fee. According to their website, their fee structure is based on the number of fulltime students a school has. Because Conestoga has approximately 12,500 students, CSI would fall into the $2.84 per student category, resulting in a yearly membership fee of about $35,500. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
PHOTO BY JOSH PEDERSON
Strom’s Farm and Bakery in Guelph is now holding its annual Harvest Fun Area on weekends and Thanksgiving Monday. Activities include mazes, wagon rides, puppet shows, pumpkin chucking contests and, of course, lots of gourds for sale. Above, Grayson Sanvido, 1, plays with a leaf amid a pile of pumpkins. For story and more photos, see Page 4.
Seeing a counsellor beneficial BY ASHLEY SPRAGUE
Being a student is stressful. Balancing work and social and school life, along with having time to sleep, eat and work out, is a lot to have on one’s plate. Homework and assignments are stressful. Deadlines and keeping your grades up are stressful. Being a student is stressful; some students are so stressed that they become anxious or depressed. In fact, according to Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), one in every five Canadians suffers from some form of mental illness, with a large majority of them being students. Thankfully, Conestoga College has the resources to help students who are struggling. Conestoga’s Counselling Services is among the best in the region. “I think we work very hard to provide good service to students,” said Shawna Bernard, counsellor and co-ordinator of Counselling Services. “I think we have a very good reputation and
we try to make minimal wait lists and emphasize the need for timely service.” Sara Sasila, a former human resources management student, said, “I have seen my friends’ quality of life improve so much after they started using Counselling Services. Their mood and overall wellbeing increased tenfold. There are other schools that I’ve heard have a six-month wait time, and I think Conestoga blows them out of the water. It really shows that the school cares about their students.” The department has nine counsellors who divide their time between four campuses: Guelph, Doon, Cambridge and Waterloo. Each counsellor is trained at a masters level in social work, psychology or education. Though this time of year is particularly busy for them, the wait time for an appointment is still less than a week. “Accessing counselling support is considered a normal strategy for creating success,” said Bernard. “We see over
1,300 students a year and have over 4,000 appointments. We would like to reduce the stigma around seeking support and let students know that there are good services available to them.” According to the CAMH’s website, “in any given year, one in five Canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem.” One of the main triggers of anxiety is stress, so, having a stressful schedule – which many students do – can contribute greatly to the level of anxiety in someone’s life. Anxiety is the most common form of mental illness. Counselling Services uses the method of “talk therapy” or psychodynamic therapy, which helps students alleviate the stressors in their minds by bringing forward thoughts that may be hidden in the unconscious mind. Counsellors also specialize in cognitive behaviour therapy, which is a goal-oriented type of therapy that involves changing patterns of thinking or behaviours,
which, in turn, will change the way someone feels. “Last year I had one-hour sessions every two weeks for two months at the college. Instead of the psychologist giving me tests and games to help me with my problems, she let me direct my own care and set me up on a plan to improve my mental health and get me back on track to a more stable mental state,” said Keenan O’Donoghue, a journalism student. “For the first two sessions she listened to my life and the issues I have faced. In the next four sessions she worked sideby-side with me to create a plan or strategy to help me cope with the mental health issues I had been having. I feel like I now know what to do when issues come up again. I’m not as lost as I was before.” Counselling Services is available to any student registered in a program at Conestoga College and is located in Room 1A101 at the Doon campus.
NEWS
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Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, October 2, 2017
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? “The United States because my boyfriend is from there.”
Brashi Patel, first-year food processing
“Serbia, at least once. It’s where my family is from. Belgrade to be specific.” Christian Apostolovski, second-year broadcast journalism
“Australia. For the landscape, scenery and koala bears.” Melanie Champagne, second-year social service
CSI considers referendum CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CASA describes itself, on its website, www.casa-acae. com, as “a national voice for Canada’s post-secondary students. Established in 1995, CASA is a non-partisan, not-for-profit student organization composed of student associations from across Canada. We represent undergraduate, graduate and polytechnic associations. At its core, CASA advocates on behalf of post-secondary students to the federal government. When Canada’s leaders make decisions affecting our post-secondary education system, they turn to CASA for solutions.” It goes on to say that through its member-driven structure and grassroots approach, CASA’s mission is to advocate
COUNSELLING
for students using policy development and research, awareness campaigns, government relations and partnerships with other stakeholders. The association wants Canada to have “an accessible, affordable and high-quality post-secondary education system whose students enjoy an excellent quality of life.” CASA’s “Wins for Students” page on the website lists some of its successes. These include advocating for an increase to needs-based grants in 1998, after which the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation (CMSF) was changed to 95 per cent needsbased and five per cent meritbased, from a former 50/50 split. Also, between 2000 and 2008, CMSF gave out $320
million in non-repayable grants. Of that amount, $144 million was the result of CASA’s efforts. In 2009, the Canada Student Grant Program was introduced by the federal government. It was designed to provide relief for middleand low-income students. In the 2016 budget it was announced that the student grant dispersal for part-time, middle-income and lowincome students would be increased 50 per cent. As a result, 338,000 students will be receiving additional needsbased support. If CSI’s board of directors decides joining CASA is a good idea, they will then discuss if a referendum should be held to ask students for their opinion.
ETSY FEATURES ‘MADE IN CANADA’ ITEMS
POPULAR AMONG
“New Zealand. For the beautiful views and mountains!”
STUDENTS
Sonja Malton, first-year recreation and leisure
“Mexico because my mom went to a resort there and said it was really nice.” Tibor Eros, second-year social service
“Europe. Because there’s so many countries and opportunities connected to it.” Yuvrazj (Raj) Bhanot, second-year marketing advertising
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
PHOTO BY MELISSA HORTON
Marcella Giansante is a front desk clerk at Conestoga’s Counselling Services. To book an appointment or make an inquiry about upcoming events, drop by Room 1A101 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For video story, go to www. spokeonline.com.
PHOTO BY PETER SWART
Waterloo Region residents attended the Etsy: Made in Canada event at City Hall in Kitchener on Sept. 23. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
NEWS
Monday, October 2, 2017
SPOKE Page 3
Conestoga ONE Card offers many benefits BY AUSTIN WELLS
Every student at Conestoga College has access to the school’s student card, or ONE Card, as it is called, but not every student is aware of some of the card’s other benefits. In addition to acting as a student card, it is the college library card, and students can load money onto it and use it to make purchases at any vendor on campus, sometimes at a discount. However, not every student has taken advantage of this or is aware of the card’s benefits. “I’ve never used the ONE card to pay for anything before,” said Erica Poluck, a secondyear law office administration
student. “However, I do see the advantage of it, and the conveniences it offers would be really nice. The discounts are nice and I would use it in the future if the perks were increased.” According to Chartwells manager Jennifer Bruder, over 200 students use the card each a day. Paying for products with the card gives students a five per cent discount at many locations on campus. Off campus, the card can be used at the McDonald’s across the street from the Doon campus, the Johnny Fresco restaurant in Waterloo, and Gino’s Pizza and the Pizza Pizza near Pioneer/ Doon Village. Additionally,
Parking passes expensive: students BY REBECCA SOARES
Students at Conestoga College can get to class by bus, on foot or by using their own vehicles, but the third option requires students to purchase a parking permit for either one or two semesters. A permit for one semester at Conestoga’s Doon campus costs $262 and increases to $440 for two semesters. While school administrators may believe these to be reasonable prices, students at Conestoga College disagree. “I think it (parking) should be free to all students since keeping my vehicle in their lot isn’t costing them a cent,” said Lucas Miller, a secondyear broadcast radio student. Shaunna Petts, a first-year pre-health student, said, “School tuitions are already a financial struggle as it is. I don’t see why we have to pay even more than we already do. I understand that the school has a reason for the money but none of the students can see what’s being done. It’s almost as though the purpose of the money is invisible.” Janet Mannella, manager of occupational safety at Conestoga, was contacted for an interview, but she declined to comment because she said she has talked to Spoke about this issue in the past. In those articles, she said parking permit fees pay for parking lot maintenance which includes repairs, snowplowing and building new lots. However, as Petts pointed out, students don’t associate the fees they pay with this maintenance work, and even if they did, they would still think the permits are too
PHOTO BY REBECCA SOARES
Cost of parking passes at the college continues to be an issue. expensive. Other post-secondary institutions have cheaper prices for parking at their locations. For instance, Wilfrid Laurier University charges $339 for two semesters of parking and Niagara College charges $270 for both semesters. Fanshawe College’s parking permits are $338 for eight months. “When you look at the flat rate for parking permits in other schools you also need to consider how many students that school has,” said Aimee Calma, Conestoga Students Inc. president. “While they may have cheaper permits, it all depends on how large the school truly is. While making anything cheaper for Conestoga students would help them stress less (in regards to) financial stress, this is the rate that the school has set.” If the price of permits at Conestoga bothers you, you can talk to a CSI board of director. Although nothing will come of it this year, if enough students complain, perhaps a freeze on the price, or even a reduction, will be considered in the future.
the ONE Card office often runs giveaways for students loading cash onto their cards, such as silicone wallets that attach to the back of phones, lanyards, T-shirts and iPads. Chris Hussey, one of the ONE Card office’s customer service assistants, said the card has gone through a series of changes since it launched in September 2015. “When it was initially launched, it didn’t have a lot of the services it currently has, but since then it’s evolved into something that’s sort of all encompassing,” he said. The simple student card now acts as a library card, a key card to access places like the rec centre (and soon,
some classrooms and labs) and a credit card for use at the cafeterias on campus, at the previously mentioned discount. According to Hussey, Conestoga students loaded $250,000 onto their ONE Cards last year. There are no service fees for loading money onto the ONE Card, and depositing certain amounts makes you eligible for some of the associated giveaways (such as the aforementioned iPad giveaway, which is eligible to anyone who loaded $500 onto their card according to Hussey). “We described it during Orientation as, ‘if you’re buying books and spending money like that, why not try to get an iPad out of it as well,” he said. “We’re
always coming up with new specials and new partnerships with different departments, and making sure that the card is something students get a lot of benefit out of.” Staff at the ONE Card office continually work toward creating a product that best serves the interests of Conestoga’s students, while being convenient and saving them some money. To stay caught up on news regarding the ONE Card or any associated giveaways, follow the ONE Card office on Twitter at @ CC_ONECard, on Facebook at the Conestoga One Card page and on Instagram as ConestogaONECard.
NEWS
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Monday, October 2, 2017
Kicking off fall at Strom’s Farm BY JOSH PEDERSON
Autumn got underway on Sept. 22, but you might not be aware of the new season. No one would blame you, all the usual signs that signify the arrival of fall are maintaining a low profile as many people enjoyed the extended summer heat over the usual chilly autumn breeze. However, that has not stopped one Guelph farm from bringing all the fun festivities of fall for friends and families to enjoy. Strom’s Farm and Bakery, located at 5089 Wellington Country Rd., kicked off the start of the season by hosting their annual Harvest Fun Area. The event runs all weekend long, including Thanksgiving Monday, until Oct. 29. It costs guests $14 for those ages four and older, while children three and under get in for free. While you’re there, take part in various activities that both children and adults can enjoy. These include a laughter-inducing puppet show, a competitive pumpkin chuckin’ game and a wacky wagon ride, or if your feeling brave, tackle the six-acre corn maze – just don’t get lost. Many more activities are available and all the fun and games are covered by your admission. Fresh produce such as butternut and spaghetti squash, red, white and yellow onions, gourds, sweet corn
and, of course, pumpkins are all freshly picked and available for purchase. Buttery sweet popcorn and jumbo salty pretzels are also available. Two people who attended the action-packed event were brother and sister, Caiden and Brooklyn Sanvido, ages three and five. While they played in the sandbox with replica dump trucks and excavators, they were asked what their favourite thing was about their day spent at Strom’s. “I liked the puppets!” said Brooklyn with a huge smile from ear to ear. “I liked throwing the pumpkins!” said Caiden as he scooped up another pile of sand with his excavator. Like the Sanvido children, many other kids were frolicking about, eyes wide with a look of pure excitement on their faces as they explored the vast number of activities Strom’s had provided for them – parents kept a close eye, of course, but the secluded play area allowed for the children to wander a bit and make new friends. Apart from the scorching temperatures, the kickoff of fall at Strom’s was nothing short of a success with everyone having a great time. The wide array of activities will be sure to keep you busy for an entire afternoon and the welcoming, friendly environment that the staff provides contributes to the enjoyment you and your family will be sure to have.
PHOTOS BY JOSH PEDERSON
Visitors to Strom’s Farm and Bakery partake in a pumpkin chuckin’ game by loading pumpkins into a slingshot and firing them at targets.
Visitors enjoy a wagon ride that is pulled by a tractor through a field
Strom’s Harvest Fun Area is open every weekend in October, and on Thanksgiving Monday.
A fun and interactive puppet show entertains young and old alike.
Monday, October 2, 2017
FEATURE
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COSTUME IDEAS TO BLOW AWAY THE COMPETITION THIS HALLOWEEN With Halloween coming up fast, it is best to get an early start on making or buying your perfect costume. Some great ideas include everything from comic book characters to live action television stars. This year’s Fan Expo, held in Toronto from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, featured the following: Groot and Leonardo (at left), and below, clockwise from left, Spider Qwen “Gwenom,” Lilith, Brick, Orko, The Green Lantern 1940, Raven, Princess ‘Kida’ Kidagaksh, Samus Aran and Scarecrow. PHOTOS BY TYLER MEDEIROS
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High driving
COMMENTARY
Monday, October 2, 2017
BY VERONICA REINER
We’ve known the date for a long time. Marijuana will become legal in Canada on July 1, 2018, bringing a whole new set of rules, regulations and questions. What should be the set minimum age to smoke pot? How much should it cost? But among these, one issue seems more difficult to solve than the others: How should driving while high be monitored and dealt with? Driving high is not nearly as dangerous as driving while drunk. In a study published June 23 in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers found that stoned drivers were more likely to weave within their own lane than those who were sober. However, they were not likely to weave out of their own lane or speed. Drunk drivers are likely to do all three. However, there is no doubt that marijuana affects your ability to drive. Weed impairs all of the cognitive abilities needed for safe driving, such as motor co-ordination, tracking and divided attention. In a recent study of Canadians by the State Farm Insurance Company, 44 per cent of respondents said they did not believe marijuana affected their ability to drive. Fortytwo per cent said it does, and 14 per cent weren’t sure. The first statistic is scary. There is no way to measure marijuana with a breathalyzer, although it can be tested using blood, urine and hair tests. However, marijuana stays in the system too long for any of these tests to measure the exact intake time. Each method has a different time frame for testing: urine tests can detect use 2-5 days after exposure from infrequent users, and 1-15 days for heavy users. A 90-day detection period is needed for hair testing, and 12-24 hours for blood testing, with heavy use being detectable for up to a week. None of these, however, can detect if a driver is high at the time of the incident. There are further questions that this raises. How long after smoking can you get behind the wheel and drive safely? Marijuana can affect people in various and unpredictable ways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S. claims marijuana can hinder driving performance for up to three hours after use. But is that the same for everyone? Some people might feel confident driving after just two hours, some might not feel comfortable driving for the rest of the day. Some direction from the government on this is required. In addition, with marijuana legalization just nine months away, it is important for the government to find an effective method of detecting stoned drivers, and to educate the public that driving while high is dangerous and against the law. 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., Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4
Despite cannabis becoming legal next July, there’s no approved detection device.
The future of electronic learning Grade 9 students in eight Ontario high schools were given a Chromebook last month, which is theirs to keep for the rest of their high school years. The Google-powered laptops, which are to be used in the classroom and to do homework, are part of a twoyear pilot project. All tests, assignments and lessons will be online, and teachers are receiving training on how to properly use these devices in the classroom. With the addition of these Chromebooks, all students will be on an equal footing in school, at least that is the idea. However, there are some concerns. With this technology comes new responsibility that these students have never had before. Teachers will now have the added problem of trying to keep their students on task and not playing games online or checking social media. With a computer in front of them all day, the temptation to do anything other than schoolwork is much higher. Teachers will need to have some way of regulating the classroom, but with 20 or
Tyler Medeiros Opinion
more students with their own devices, this will be hard. I feel, although this is a great leap toward equality between the economic classes, it will most likely be nothing but trouble. These students, who are only 14 and 15, will be shown that they only need to sit behind a screen to learn. So, with all of their lessons posted online, why not slack off in class?
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Some people are saying that these new devices make the teacher redundant.
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With the ability to chat with their classmates online while they pretend to take notes will be nothing but
distracting for those who are trying to actually learn the day’s lesson. On the positive side, students who are shy can more freely express themselves and be involved in online activities because they feel safer talking though chats than in person. But, at the same time this will most likely hurt the social aspect of the classroom. Normally students would have discussions and debates in class. Now most of this will be transformed into written work that they submit and reply to. Some people are saying that these new devices make the teacher redundant; with access to the information online the students could be given any topic and selfeducate using platforms like YouTube to find videos on how to solve math equations or the history of Canada’s formation. This would leave teachers answering questions when they arise and to grade and assign work. I think the quest to create an equal educational field is a noble one. I just hope students embrace it, and a better learning environment is the end result.
SPOKE
IS PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE Editor: Taylor Pace Assignment Editor: Austin Wells Advertising Manager: Christina Jonas Spoke Online Editors: Mike Turcotte-McCusker, Josh Pederson Production Managers: Melissa Horton
Photo Editors (print): Lucas Hutteri, Tyler Medeiros Photo Editors (online): Veronica Reiner, Peter Swart Social Media Editors: Ashley Sprague Circulation Manager: Becky Soares
Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas Spoke’s address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1B23, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4.
Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3691, 3692, 3693, 3694 Email: spoke@conestogac.on.ca Website: www.spokeonline.com
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.
FUN & GAMES
Monday, October 2, 2017
SPOKE s Page 7
Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of October 2, 2017
Aries
March 21 April 19 If you think now is the time to do something new, then you are not alone.
Taurus April 20 May 20
Consult with someone you wouldn’t expect to give you bad advice.
Gemini May 21 June 21
Find time to take some time to meditate on the answers. If you do, you can find the peace you seek. Try not to worry too much about what people are saying about you.
Cancer June 22 July 22
Consider making time to help out a close friend in need. Once you do, the pieces will start to fall in place.
Leo
July 23 August 22 If you’re considering a big investment, then join the club. If there is a nagging doubt, maybe it’s for good reason.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 If you’re going to do one thing this year, then consider embarking on that journey without haste. Don’t do anything you’ll regret for the rest of your life.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.
Libra
Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
September 23 October 22
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
It’s a good time to shop for essentials or emergency supplies, and take care of anything that you’ve been putting off.
The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world. In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
Scorpio
October 23 November 21 The stars say that you will discover something you never knew you deserved, and it will become important to you. Make this day your own.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
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.
Today you can turn your life around. It starts by being open and honest with yourself, and never looking back.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
If you feel you have time to spare, then maybe do something just for yourself. This will let you settle down, and you’ll come to terms with a question from your past.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
There’s no reason not to take that first big step in the right direction right now. You know in your heart what’s right, so maybe don’t put it off any longer.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 Before you can find answers for yourself, maybe you should help a stranger. Once you do, you’ll earn the clarity you so richly deserve.
Diodonna Winona dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension. She also enjoys people watching and coffee.
Word Search
NEWS
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Living the varsity dream BY MIKE TURCOTTE
Andrei Lupoae, 26, is the blindside flanker for the Conestoga College varsity rugby team which just recently secured a 35-21 victory over Mohawk College. Lupoae has been playing sports most of his life, from rugby in high school to five years of representative lacrosse, and even volleyball. Nowadays, Lupoae is living the varsity dream by playing on the college team, with games once a week, usually on weekends, while enrolled in the technology foundations one-year program. Lupoae says one of his favourite things about playing on the team is, “The team play, you know? Just knowing that you helped your team to win; it’s all about the victory.”
As of Sept. 25, the team had a 2-1 record, but Lupoae was confident the team could secure some more wins, Lupoae despite not being perfect. “We need to amp up the aggression as a team when it comes to hits, and hustle to the ball faster.” When asked what he feels he needs to improve on, on an individual level, he says, “I need to get on plays faster, and work on my cardio. Like, cardio conditioning, stamina.” However, Lupoae has already had a minor injury, having pulled his hamstring during a game against Georgian College. He is back and ready to play again, thanks to what
Monday, October 2, 2017
CAMBRIDGE CELEBRATES DIVERSITY
he calls an amazing athletic therapy team provided by Conestoga College. Because Lupoae plays on the varsity team, he is provided with free physiotherapy including exercises on how to help his leg to recover swiftly, and it seems to have paid off. Lupoae says he is grateful that the school takes care of their team players as well as they do. Knowing that he will be at the college for at least a couple more years, Lupoae says he looks forward to playing more rugby, and intends to do all he can to be a good team member. Conestoga’s next home game is on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. at Riverside Park’s Bill Struck Field. They play an away game this Thursday against Seneca College.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PACE
The fourth annual Cambridge International Festival was held at Riverside Park on Sept. 23. The event featured many activities including this El Salvadorian dance group. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
VOLUNTEERS TAKE A COLOURFUL RIDE
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PACE
The first Grand Wooly River Ride was held on Sept. 23 in Cambridge to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. Volunteers paddled 150 canoes and 15 kayaks decorated with knitted blankets, scarves and socks down the Grand River. The knitting was turned into an art installation at Dickson Park in Cambridge, and will be donated to The Bridges, an emergency shelter, drop-in centre and transitional bachelor apartment complex, as well as hospices.