Don’t be a Scrooge Save money with our Top 10 tips. Page 9
SPOKE A L E A R N I N G N E W S R O O M FOR J O U R N A L I S M S T U D E N T S
Remembrance Day Country’s newcomers need educating too. Page 4
Continue to pay it forward BY SARA HANAFI
Paying for someone’s coffee, giving out flowers or holding the door were just a few things Conestoga students did to celebrate Random Act of Kindness Day. Nov. 9 marked the fifth anni versary of the community ini tiative, which was started by the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF). Conestoga’s Respect Campaign partnered with the city-wide organization to pro mote kindness and courtesy around campus. Ryan Connell, a Student Life programmer and the event planner, said the col lege has been very active in the initiative. Students were treated to free popcorn and cotton candy, as well as free hot chocolate. There were also several booths set up where students could make brace lets, colour in colouring pages and make origami and paper fortune tellers. Additionally, students were encouraged to sign a banner saying what random act of kindness they had done for someone. There were even volunteers canvassing the school giving
PHOTO BY SARA HANAFB
Hugo Agunmadu (left) and Yoml Oshilaja, two Respect reps helping with the activities for Random Act of Kindness Day on Nov. 9, wait to greet passersby.
meaning in its intention. I the KWCF introduced it. out lollipops and official kind random act of kindness. ness cards, which students RAK Day was brought “We’ve been involved since thought it was a great idea.” could then pass along to to Connell’s attention by a day one,” Connell said. “The SEE GETTING BIGGER, PAGE 10 someone when performing a mature student the same year idea is so pure and so well
CSI donations are making wishes come true communications co-ordinator. “We have so many people who No matter what it’s called - want to help but we haven’t Christmas Wish Tree, Angel had enough time to get kids Wish Tree, Holiday Wish signed up yet.” Tree or CSI Wish Tree - it’s a program that helps students. Started more than 15 years Ialways feel like (we) " age, Conestoga Students Inc.’s can always be giving back, (CSI) Wish Tree is a staple of the college’s holiday season no matter what." - it helped over 50 families - Becky Saba last year alone. Students can anonymously register any of their children who are 12 and under, and a gift will be given There is no set price range to them prior to Christmas. for gifts, but Saba said spon On the other end, students sors are always generous. can sponsor children, who are New this year, CSI has only identifiable by their age introduced hampers as well. and gift choice, purchasing Similar to sponsoring chil gifts for them, and delivering dren for gifts, a $30 donation the presents to the CSI office will buy a hamper contain ing dinner rolls, salad, ham in Room 2A104. “We’ve had an unbelievable or turkey, a gravy mix, tur amount of students asking to key stuffing, instant mashed sponsor children,” said Becky potatoes and dessert. Saba, CSI’s program and “We thought ($30) was a BY BRAD COUGHLIN
price-point a lot of people would be able to afford,” said Saba. “You can’t really get too much under $30 ... food’s expensive.” For both the hampers and gifts, CSI will purchase items for any family that doesn’t get sponsored. Although both benefit those in need, early Christmas displays were criticized by students who thought it was disrespectful before Remembrance Day. “We like to respect every one’s opinion,” said Saba. “(Decorations were) simply for promotion - an hour after we put them up we had stu dents coming in to ask about the Wish Tree.” And, while some may refer to the program as Christmas Wish Tree, CSI has tried to use other politically correct designations to assure stu dents that it’s for anyone in
PHOTO BY BRAD COUGHLIN
Becky Saba shows off one of the promotional displays for the Wish Tree campaign, in the CSI office on Nov. 12.
need. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what reli gion you are,” said Saba. “I always feel like (we) can
always be giving back, no matter what.” CSI will accept donations and unwrapped gifts until Dec. 3.
NEWS
Page 2 ♦SPOKE
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College Random
questions
answered b e stu m o d n yra
If you were a super villain, what would you do and why? “I would power surge places to destroy technology. ‘Yeah, use your cellphones now!’” Emma Gizzarellia, second-year business administration - management
“I would build a giant robot and go through a city just for rampage purposes.” Dave Whelan, third-year marketing
“I would butt in line at Tim Hortons.” Brandon Vail, first-year business administration -financial planning
Monday, November 19,2012
Survivor Conestoga aids international students BY MIKE V E L M A
Survivor Conestoga is an annual event that offers use ful tips on living in Canada to ESL students at the school. “The main goal is about being safe, healthy and happy in a new place,” said Natasha Magon, an English as a sec ond language (ESL) teacher at the college. Magon helped the International Department plan the event, which was held on Nov. 5 on the first floor of the E-wing. Students in the program come from various countries, such as Saudi Arabia and China, and some are new to the Canadian lifestyle while others have been here for years. Some things are done completely different in their cultures. Magon said, “Most of the stu dents are not aware of their cultural rights and responsi bilities as Canadians.” Keith Martin, a member of Counselling Services, who along with Magon present ed the safe relationship por tion during Survivor, said, “International students are sometimes taken advantage
of because they don’t know how to act in difficult situa tions.” The three-hour event was designed to answer any uncertainties students had regarding various aspects of life in Canada outside of school. There were seven different stations displaying helpful advice. They included: drugs and alcohol awareness, safe relationship tips, healthy nutrition, healthy sexuality, safety and security, student life and healthy ways to de stress. Each station had a guest speaker who shared pointers on all the topics and present ed basic tips and skills to work through problems typi cally dealt with in Canada. There were even demonstra tions for some of the presen tations. Mashael Hamed, a level-two ESL student, said, “I liked that we got to try different flavours of smoothies in the healthy nutrition presenta tion.” Magon said hopefully a lot of the students’ McDonald’s diet will change after seeing some healthy and cheap options for
meals. All the ESL students were divided into seven groups and they rotated every 12 minutes from station to station to see all of the presentations. Other presentations includ ed tips to protect yourself dur ing sex, different ways to pro tect yourself from a predator or stalker and various tech niques used to relax the mind and body. The peaceful mediation on aerobic mats in the hallway was one of the favourite sta tions for most students. Mohammed Tammar, a lev el-two ESL student, said, “I liked that we got to relax. We had to close our eyes and think happy thoughts.” More than 50 door prizes were given out at the end of the event. “I won a toaster. Now I can have a good breakfast before school,” Tammar said. Other prizes included rice makers, coffee makers, uten sils, school supplies and gift cards. “Judging from the amount of energy and the reaction from the students, I would say it (Survivor) was very well received,” Martin said.
“I would force politicians to go on trial and livestream it. But do it evilly, with guns.” Brandon Brown, first-year business administration - financial planning
“I would hit Betty White. Good people wouldn’t hit Betty White” J.J Bowerman, first-year advertising
“I would take away all the puppies and kittens in the world. A lot of people in our class have cats” April McCall, first-year advertising PHOTO BY MIKE VIELMA
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Conestoga ESL students try to focus intently during the relaxation session offered as part of Survivor Conestoga in the E-wing hallway on Nov. 5.
HEWS
Monday, November 19,2012
SPOKE* Page 3
PACKing a punch Conestoga students place fourth at 2012 expo BY JOANNA DITTMER
Conestoga students placed fourth in this year’s PACK Expo 2012 that was held in Chicago, Ill., on Oct. 30. Isabelle O’Connor-Wong and Erik Westerveld, both thirdyear students in Conestoga’s mechanical engineering tech nology - robotics and automa tion program, spent from midSeptember until the competi tion designing a potato chip packaging line to be entered into the contest. The students’ objective was to design a potato chip bag ging line for four flavours and three different-sized bags. The entry included obtaining and selecting quotations from machinery suppliers as well as making a schedule for the company that would utilize the line. The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) ran the contest, with the top three groups receiving scholarships. Westerveld said first prize was a $4,000 schol arship, second was a $2,000 scholarship and third place received a $1,000 scholarship. O’Connor-Wong said she and Westerveld were approached by staff at Conestoga’s Institute of Food Packaging Technology (IFPT) about rep resenting the school at the expo. “They weren’t sure that the students in their cur rent program would actual ly have the ability to make that line (because they are in their first semester). So John Tielemans, the co-ordinator of robotics and automation, thought that we might be able to do this,” O’Connor-Wong said. The pair placed fourth out of the seven schools in the competition; all of the other schools were U.S. universi ties. O’Connor-Wong said, “We were pretty pleased with how it came out in the end because we started the entire project not knowing anything about packaging lines; we were watching How It’s Made vid eos on potato chips and things like that, and at the end of it we were so proud that we managed to beat three uni versities whose students go to school just for this. To sit there and put all our hard work into this and come out with fourth was impressive, especially being a small col lege.” The pair’s design began
with chips being fed in from the fryer and carried through selected machinery to a fin ished product of packaged bags at the end. The quotes were supplied by TriMach, Schneider Packaging Equipment, PFM and Marq. “We opted to run a flavour a day, with one repeat day per week,” O’Connor-Wong said. According to www.pmmi. org, the PMMI is a trade association with nearly 600 member companies that manufacture packaging pro cessing and packaging-relat ed converting machinery. The pair said they created the design after viewing a lot of online chip packaging lines and by touring the IFPT facilities at the Cambridge campus. “It was all done on paper basically, so we had to come up with what equipment we would be using for the pro duction line, and then we had to contact these companies to get information on it, and also get quotes for it,” Westerveld said. Barry Bremner, an IFPT pilot plant technologist at the Cambridge campus and a chaperone, recollects how exciting it was to be at the expo this year. “It was my second PACK Expo and having the stu dents with us added energy and a new perspective to the show. The show is vast, (there were) literally thousands of equipment suppliers to the industry, and the first-hand opportunity to experience just how big the food processing industry is through their eyes was exciting,” Bremner said. He said placing fourth was an obvious letdown. “The proposal was sound, detailed and perfectly pre sented. They (the students) showed an obvious bias for their passion (robotics), which may have cost them a few points,” Bremner said. Mihaela Simion, the program
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Students Erik Westerveld and Isabelle O’Connor-Wong pose with their potato chip bagging iine display at PACK Expo 2012. They placed fourth at the event, which was held in Chicago, Ill., on Oct. 30.
manager for the IFPT and the other staff member who went to this year's PACK Expo, said a great time was had by all “It was the first time we par ticipated at Pack Expo which is the largest trade show for packaging equipment manufac turers in North America, and one of the largest in the world. We were part of the Education Pavilion sponsored by PMMI and we shared the space with universities from the United States that have a packaging engineering program as part of their academic offering. We had an opportunity to pro mote Conestoga College and the School of Engineering to packaging industry represen tatives (equipment manufac turers, packaging manufactur ers as well as food industry companies)," Simion said. “The students had an opportu nity to interact with industry members in a real-life environ ment, make contacts that could support them in their future careers and observe first-hand the most advanced technolo gies on display."
On Spoke Online (www.spokeonline.com) this week:
■ Warm up to winter with the St. Jacob’s Sparkles event. ■ Santa Claus comes to town, taking part in Cambridge’s annual parade. ■ See how the Kitchener Bluesfest is giving back to local schools. ■ Experience Cultural Diversity Week at Conestoga.
We need toAndremember to educate others
Page 4 ♦SPOKE
COMMENTARY
Monday, November 19,2012
BY WENDY CZAKO-MAH
“Lest we forget.” This phrase was heard and read over and over last week. It was in newspapers and magazines, on the radio and TV, and even social media. Most of us know what it means, and what it’s in ref erence to. But we have to remember that not everyone was born here, nor does everyone grow up here. If we know what it means, we should be able to pass on this knowledge to those who don’t. Throughout our lives we are taught about war, more specifically, the First World War and the Second World War. We are reminded that we need to be grateful for the freedom we have today. We are shown numerous movies in class to demonstrate the horrors of war, and urged to thank the many veterans who are still with us today and able to tell us their stories. How do we help newcomers to this land understand the sacrifices these men and women made for our free dom - freedom which enticed many of them to come to this country? As the veterans of war slowly die, how do we ensure our children and their children remember? It was reported recently that we lose approximately 700 U.S. veterans a day, and 300 Canadian veterans per year. Today s children can’t possible understand what these men and women went through, not to mention what they saw. Many of us have or had grandparents who fought, but how many of us ask about their past? We shouldn’t be afraid. By talking to them, their memories will become our memories, ones that can be passed on. That way our children, or our friends, can talk to their friends about these stories. These stories can then be told to people who are not familiar with war and all its atrocities. It’s the least we can do. The views herein represent the position of the newspa per, 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. Email letters to: www.spokeonline.com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor," or bring them to Room 1C30 at the Doon campus.
Th e Toronto Blue Jays preyed on the Miami Marlins, snapping up some of their best players along with more than $160 million in guaranteed salary.
It’s all about choices Good or bad, they dictate your life A wise person once taught me that life was all about choices. That man was my seventh grade homeroom teacher, Chris Brown (not to be mistaken with rap/r&b artist Chris Brown). It was his mantra, his answer to everything and he would not let you forget it. I never really understood the significance of this state ment until I got a little older, but I think I get it now. Life is all about choices. Everyone makes choices every day. Regular or skim milk in your latte? Go to bed early or stay up late? Do your homework or go out partying? Some people make mostly bad choices, and others make mostly good choices, but no one is perfect and no one can make perfect choices all the time. This is where it gets a little more complicated. When you come to a moment in your life where you need to make a choice there are a few tools
Ashley Currie O p in io n
you are going to use to help you make the decision. The first one is logic. What is going to happen if you make choice A? What is going to happen if you make choice B? Which of those is the desired outcome? Logically you make the choice that leads to what you want. The next factor in choice making, and the thing which dictates most choices made by most people, is feelings. If you are angry or happy or sad it is going to influence what choices you make. If you are happy you might chose to do a good deed and make someone’s’ day, if you are angry you might chose
to seek revenge and end up hurting someone. Either way, your feelings are going to influence your choices. It is because of these annoying feelings that people often regret the choices they make. However, these people are wrong. If you made a choice based on the way you were feeling then it was exactly the right choice for you at that time. You should never have to regret or apologize for the way you were feeling. A choice you made might not have been the best one but it was based on your logic and your feelings at the time and it made sense to you. Life is all about choices. Next time you’re faced with a tough choice like whether to get regular or skim milk in your latte, or you look back on a past choice with regret, remember that at the time it was exactly what you wanted.
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OPINION
Monday, November 19,2012
SPOKE ♦Page 5
Reading makes you smarter and reduces stress
Growing up we’re told by parents, grandparents and teachers that reading is important; that it improves our minds. I think in this day and age reading is more important than ever. However, I can’t help but notice kids and teenagers these days are always on their cellphones and social media websites. Reading is the last thing on their minds. I think it’s very important that parents teach their kids how neces
During her research she found that reading in gen eral makes you smarter and keeps your mind sharp as Kelsey you age. It also improves Heeley your analytical skills, includ Opinion ing being able to spot pat terns faster. These aren’t the only ben sary reading is and the ben efits though. Cunningham efits that come from it. also found reading can also Anne E. Cunningham, an reduce stress. When people associate professor at the read, whether it be fiction University of California, or non-fiction, their mind wrote a paper called What shifts into a different gear Reading Does for the Mind. so they aren’t focused on
We’ve lost the meaning of Christmas As I walked through the mall, newly purchased cellphone comfortably in my pocket, I noticed just how few people were actu ally shopping that night. My task was easy - I went in, I bought what I wanted and I got the hell out. A mall this deserted is a sight that will grow increasingly rare as the money-driven spectacle that is Christmas approaches. The decorations, tree and even wrapping paper are all becoming a competition, prompting families to have the most nicely decorated house, the biggest Christmas tree and the most gorgeously wrapped presents. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Christmas - not what Christmas is sup posed to be, anyway. But more and more each year, the essence of Christmas is lost, replaced and driven by the force of money. The season that used to be about goodwill and holiday spirit is becoming nothing more than a frenzy of consumerism. The malls flood with hungry customers looking for the best deals; customers who are lured into the stores with promises of sales and corny jingles, all so they can show their loved ones how much they care. People are put under immense pressure to find the perfect gifts, and usu ally those don’t come cheap. Gift prices usually don’t even factor in the purchasing deci sions —parents will scramble to get their kids the hottest toys and boyfriends will buy their girlfriends expensive jewelry just to make sure they don’t disappoint their expectant receivers. Stores take full advantage of the Christmas mayhem. Holiday-themed music and attractive window displays are used to entice customers in and into spending far too much of their hard-earned money on presents that have become almost obligatory.
what’s stressing them, but rather what is going on in the book. One of the most obvious ways reading helps us is by increasing our vocabulary. Reading forces us to focus on words we might not have ever heard of before. If some one wants to be a writer, increasing your vocabulary is crucial. Reading can also be fun. If you’re immersed in a fic tion book you can use your imagination to picture what
STANDING IN SILENCE t o
the characters and scenes look like. For each book you read, you live in a world much different than our own. American screenwriter and author, George R.R. Martin, once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” That quote is from one of Martin’s books, A Dance With Dragons from his series A Song of Ice and Fire, and couldn’t be more true.
pay r espect
Dylan DaCosta Opinion
But is that really what Christmas is about? Is Christmas best encapsulated by the notion of giving gifts? Sadly, that is what it has become. It is now a commercial holi day, with companies capital izing on needy consumers to make massive profits in a season that isn’t supposed to be about material worth. We have forgotten what Christmas is actually about. It is about, or at least used to be about, Christianity cel ebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and while not always followed and celebrated for its sheer religious value, it has always been a time for the gathering of families. Christmas is an opportunity to visit with those close to us and to unwind from our busy jobs and lives. It should be a chance to re-connect with loved ones and celebrate how privileged we are. I’ve had no exemption from fading into the clutches of Christmas temptations. As a child I would wake up Christmas morning thinking of nothing other than barbarically tearing the wrapping paper off my presents so I could see the treasures that lay hidden beneath their shiny surface. And there’s nothing wrong with children being excited by the sheer idea of Christmas. But we, as a soci ety, must take a step back and try to instil the true val ues of Christmas into future generations; family and togetherness must go handin-hand with the presents. The spirit of Christmas has for a long time been diminish ing. It’s up to us to make sure that we don’t lose it entirely.
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LEFEBVRE
Cadet Mendonsa of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada stands vigilant at the cenotaph at the corner of Frederick and Duke streets in Kitchener. Mendonsa stayed his post throughout the entire Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11.
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Monday, November 19,2012
NEWS
Monday, November 19,2012
SPOKE ♦Page 7
The veggie lifestyle has many benefits BY KELSEY HEELEY
In today’s world, the major ity of people eat a meat-based diet, which provides a decent source of protein and other nutrients that humans need to survive. Yet, the minority has turned to vegetarian or vegan diets and feel great about it. Reasons for going vegan or vegetarian vary. It could be to improve one’s health, to save money, to be more environ mentally friendly or because they feel causing innocent animals pain is cruel. According to www.veg etariantime.com, going on a vegetarian or vegan diet is healthier and helps ward off disease. It can help treat, and reverse heart disease and reduce the risk of cancer. It is also an effective way to stop the progression of coronary artery disease and it can also help control and keep weight down. Often, a standard diet is high in saturated fats, processed food and carbohy drates, but by switching to a vegetable-based diet, you can live longer. Here’s the proof: in Okinawa, Japan, residents have the longest life expec tancy in the world because they have a lower calorie diet of fruits and vegetables rich with fiber, soy and raw, com plex carbohydrates along with regular exercise and a lowstress lifestyle.
The site also said by going vegan or vegetarian one can help reduce pollution. The meat industry has a huge devastating impact on the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), animal waste and chemical waste from fac tory farms are responsible for more than 173,000 miles of polluted rivers and streams and is one of the worst threats to water quality. Not eating meat also saves animals from painful deaths. About 10 billion animals are put to slaughter each year for human consumption. Nowadays, most animals are crammed into cages where there is limited space and are fed food tainted with pesti cides and antibiotics. Holly Charter, a baris ta at Starbucks in Uptown Waterloo, said she originally went vegan for the sake of trying it. But, after eating a vegan diet, her reasons for being vegan changed. “It’s better for the animals, the environment and my body.” She said while being vegan can be inconvenient, it’s a life style worth living and after eight years, she can’t see her self not being a vegan. The vegan diet may seem like it would be restrictive, but it’s not according to Charter. She said getting protein isn’t difficult to do, but getting B12 is. B12 is an important nutri ent that can easily be missed.
A lack of B12 can cause nerve or brain damage. “B12 can be found in fortified cereals, mock meat products or other fortified products like soy milk,” said Charter. Not only is a vegan diet not restrictive, it doesn’t have to be expensive. In season vegetables, rice, grains and legumes are reasonably priced and cooking from scratch is frugal. Charter said Veganomicon is a great cookbook for begin ners that includes basic cook ing information and tons of recipes. Although Ashley Gradi has been vegetarian for six years, she still enjoys vegan recipes. “I don’t use a recipe book when I make vegan meals. I just go on the Post Punk Kitchen (PPK) website and find recipes I want to try to make. I print out the page for the recipes and put them in my binder so I don’t lose them,’’Gradi said. She said she is a sucker for cookies so she often ends up making those recipes more than any other ones. “I love the peanut butter chocolate pillows the most, but the oat meal peanut butter cookies are really good too.” “One reason I decided to become a vegetarian is because I think it’s unfair to animals to kill and eat them. They don’t get a say in wheth er or not we take their lives, we just do. Humans aren’t
PHOTO BY KELSEY HEELEY
Holly Charter, a Starbucks barista, eats a vegan oatmeal cookie on her last break of the day on Nov. 4.
superior, animals deserve their lives too,” Gradi said. Another reason she went vegetarian was because her body deserved better. She reminisced about reading an article on the National Geographic website in 2005 about how meat has affected us over the generations. Our jaws have gotten smaller she said and our teeth are too big for our downsized jaws, which is why so many people need dental work. “I felt great after I went vegetarian. I had more energy
and actually lost some weight after about six months,” Gradi said. Both Charter and Grady agree that Cafe Pyrus, locat ed at 16 Charles St. W. in Kitchener, is a great vegan restaurant to go to. Gradi also said Thrive Juice Bar, locat ed at 105-191 King St. in Waterloo, is a good vegan cafe. For more information go to http://brown.edu/Student_ Services/Health_Services/ H ealth_E ducation/nutrition_& _eating_concerns/ being_a_vegetarian.php
Winter is a time for some tantalizing tea
some teas can help strength en your immune system, and As winter begins to show its vitamin D, which can also be cold, dark face many people found in tea, helps to build start to search for some way strong bones. to warm up and stay alert. It One kind of antioxidant, seems grabbing a cup of tea called catechins, can be found may have more benefits than primarily in green tea, but is also found in low doses in just the steamy warmth. According to theteaspot. black teas as well. These anti com, tea leaves, which are oxidants help reduce body fat used to create tea, contain by hindering the body’s abil antioxidants, vitamins and ity to break down fats, and minerals which are all help activating enzymes that help the body metabolize stored ful to the human body. Different varieties of tea fats. contain different antioxi Rebecca Cutler, 23, of dants in different quantities. Waterloo, is a fan of tea. According to wondersoftea. ‘You’re supposed to drink so com, white tea contains the much water in a day, but as most antioxidants, green tea long as you don’t add any comes in second and jasmine thing to your tea, it counts as tea places third. The classic * your water intake so I drink it black tea ranks fourth on the all the time,” she said. list which also lists sugary Drinking tea without any iced teas at the very bot thing added is probably the best option. According tom. Canadianliving.com says to one German study, add the antioxidants and vitamins ing milk to black teas may in tea have many health ben- actually weaken the health efits. The vitamin H found in benefits, they provide.. This BY ASHLEY CURRIE
PHOTO BY ASHLEY CURRIE
Amanda Vander Griendt, 18, shows off some of the varieties of tea offered at the Sleeman Centre, an arena in Guelph, on Nov. 3.
happens because the proteins in the milk stop the cat echins from doing their job correctly. Amanda Vander Griendt, 18, a concessions employee at
the Sleeman Centre, an arena in Guelph, says tea is a huge seller. “It’s cold in the arena, and we have six different tea options, Lots of people choose
tea to stay warm. The events we have here are usually in the evening and most people want to avoid drinking cof fee at night, so they choose a decaf tea instead.”
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NEWS
Monday, November 12,2012
Keeping their eyes on the prize Juried Exhibition recognizes Cambridge talent BY WESLEY BUTLER
PHOTO BY WESLEY BUTLER
Jose Leandres, a woodworker at the David Durward Centre, won an award for one of his wooden vases at the Juried Exhibition, held from Oct. 19 to Nov. 17 at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts.
Some artists have gone years without being discovered, or even having their work dis played at a show. The Juried Exhibition in Cambridge is changing that, by allowing local artists to submit their work for display and profes sional critique. The exhibition, in its 11th year, was started by a group of volunteers from the Cambridge Centre for the Arts, who hoped to assist art ists in becoming well-known and successful. The opening reception was held on Oct. 19, and the exhibition will be open to the public until Nov. 17. Usually over 110 to 120 pieces of art are submitted every year, from people who live in Waterloo Region. But for the last five or six years, only artists from Cambridge have submitted their work. “There are some people who submit work every year, but there are always new people who were not aware of this that want work displayed,” said Sophie McCann, arts co ordinator at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts. “It’s not always the exact same people, but there are those that we recognize.” The volunteers at the centre believe there is a lot of great talent in Cambridge, but only a certain amount of space to display it. This year, profes
sor Doug Kirton from the University of Waterloo acted as guest juror, awarding priz es for the best work. Jose Lesandres, a wood worker at the David Durward Centre, which is next to the arts centre on Dickson Street, was one of the prize win ners. Lesandres mostly cre ates vases and tables, but had never submitted his work to an exhibition before, or even let his family look at his work. His colleagues saw one of his wooden vases and encouraged him to submit it to this year’s exhibition. Lesandres was stunned to find out he won an award, and felt he accom plished something huge. “I’m really happy and proud that I submitted my work,” said Lesandres. “I don’t know if I’ll submit again, but I’m going to continue creating vases.” The arts centre plans on run ning the exhibition for many years to come as a platform to showcase talent, because its volunteers think that a lot of people aren’t aware of the depth of talent that actually exists in Cambridge. The exhibition has - no restrictions, allowing ama teurs, professional artists and children to enter. In 2009, a 16-year-old girl won an award for a painting she submitted. “There’s no age limit on tal ent,” said McCann. “This is what pushes artists to work even harder.”
KEEPING IT HOT i n
No
vem ber
PHOTO BY WENDY CZAKO-MAH
Videography student Ryan Clark dons a short sleeve T-shirt as tem peratures reached 15 C on Nov. 12.
FEATURE
Monday, November 19,2012
SPOKE ♦Page 9
S a v e y o u r pennies at Christmas BY HEATHER HENNERY
Every year around this time red and green lights flicker in store windows while shop pers busily march from store to store holding onto their frothy hot drinks that fog up the window displays. Being a student means that for most the piggy bank is not clanging as much as usual and think ing about Christmas may make your wallet feel more like a feather. This year my own purse is carrying more school books than money so buying Christmas presents is going to be quite difficult. I want to give something to my family, my boyfriend, his family, my friends and even my dog. I have been searching for ideas on how to spend my money wisely and maybe still have a little for a large glass of heav ily spiked eggnog, and these are what I have come up with. Top 10 tips to save you money this year: 1. Give as a group. If you can get your friends or family to all go in on one gift. You will be able fo give a large gift with a divided price tag. 2. Groupon. This website, like many other similar discount web sites, gives you getaways and daily deals that allow you
to purchase something at a large discounted price. You can add the free app to your smartphone which will send you notifications on upcoming deals that you can instantly purchase using a credit card. But read the fine print - most items have an expiry date. 3. Online beats the line. Most people don’t realize that many stores offer less expen sive pricing if you buy online rather than in-store. It also helps you skip the lines and browse in your pyjamas. With a minimum purchase most websites offer free shipping or you can pick your purchase up at a predetermined store loca tion. A great example of this is Chapters. Their website, www.chapters.indigo.ca, has a pricing difference of anywhere from 10-50 per cent off the in store price. 4. Get crafty. This can be anything from cal endars and photo-related crafts to hand-sewn pyjama pants. Think outside of the box and get your hands dirty in some glue and sparkles. 5. Change the date. Most people expect to see a mountain of parcels peeking out from under the tree on Dec. 25. Celebrating Boxing Day means you can get the same things at a much better price. Try to convince your
loved ones that shopping a day later could mean more for less. 6. Cross the border and cross off your list. Black Friday is a holiday that comes after the U.S. Thanksgiving and is very simi lar to Boxing Day. This year it’s Nov. 23. With Canada Customs increasing the amount of goods we can bring back home if stay ing in the U.S. for 24 hours from $50 to $200, you have the chance to take a mini vacation and get some crazy deals on everything from electronics to clothing. 7. Card it. If you have a points card, cash them in. Or, if you are
at the Transylvania Club, the finished product gave her a feeling of satisfaction like no other. Pretty soon, she was asked again to decorate anoth er wedding. From there, she decided to end her career as a visual merchandiser and dive head first into events and wed dings. After two years of care ful thought and planning, Lori and husband Mike Karpow created Hollywood Weddings Inc. in 1997. Karpow said she gets her inspiration for designs and decorations from everything around her. She remembers a powerful quote that states, “A good designer studies some things, and a great design er studies everything.” She strives to be like that. She finds it fascinating to look at things as how they are, and imagine what they can be. “I look around at everyday objects and see possibilities,” she said. Although weddings are noto rious for bringing out the worst sides of people, Karpow does not let the stress get to her. “There have never been any bad experiences,” Karpow said.
“Just challenging individu als.” When Karpow was in her 20s, she lost her mother to cancer. She said the incident helps her put things into per spective and remember that life is too short to stress about small things. Karpow, who is also a stag ing and styling instructor for the visual merchandising pro gram at Conestoga College, said no matter what kind of issues are happening at an event, there are always cre ative solutions to the prob lems. She believes nothing is detrimental to design. Over the past 15 years, Karpow has learned that even though hours can be spent planning something, the best work is what just happens. “The best things are born from disaster,” she said. Although the commotion and pressure can sometimes be overwhelming, the best part of the job is standing back and seeing the last details fall into place. She finds it inspir ing and rewarding to help be part of forming memories for people. “The final product makes
INTERNET PHOTO
Being on a student’s budget and buying lavish presents for your loved ones do not go hand in hand. But there are plenty of ways to satisfy your gift-giving needs without emptying your wallet.
a student there is a discount card called Student Price Card or SPC. For a low price of $11 with tax you can get dis counts at over 100 stores by just flashing the card. 8.1.O.U. If an upcoming concert or event is happening some time next year and the tick ets aren’t on sale yet you can always leave a nice little note stating that you will be taking your loved one on a night out on you. It allows you to save up and pay for it later so all your money isn’t leaving all at once. 9. The match game. With many stores boasting how they price match other
stores’ offers, taking the time to dig through the flyers and clip out the better deals allows you to get the best price with out wasting gas by driving all over town. 10. Shhh, it’s a secret. Secret Santa is a perfect way to get a group of friends or a large family to decide to pur chase a single gift for only one member of the group rather than getting a gift for every single person. This way a price limit is set and you don’t feel guilty for having to choose who to buy for. It also can be a great new tradition for your family or friends to start this year.
Wedding business makes dreams come true BY JESSICA LANTHIER
From oversized chunky crystal bracelets to a black Helena-style fascinator which was going to be worn to a charity event, Lori Karpow is known as an extravagant per son and brings that sparkle to her business, Hollywood Weddings Inc. Within moments of meeting Karpow, a feeling of comfort envelops you. Her relaxed and breezy personality is likely a contributing factor in her suc cess in a career that involves stress and intense pressure. She is a one-of-a-kind woman filled with compassion, ambi tion and endless creativity. Karpow graduated from the University of Western Ontario and began a career in visual display and store mer chandising. Her first taste of event planning occurred out of the blue when a friend asked her to do the decorating for her wedding. “It was new to me,” she said. “There were people actually looking for someone to stage weddings.” She accepted the offer, and after 13 hours of hard work
PHOTO BY JESSICA LANTHIER
Creating an enchanting atmosphere for the most special day of someone’s life is key for Lori Karpow of Hollywood Weddings Inc.
everything worth it.” Karpow and her husband are always busy throughout the year with the business, but have learned to never take on more than they can handle. “Details have to be looked after so we never book more than our capacity,” she said. Couples generally come in six to eight months before the day of the event and together they brainstorm and share inspiration.
According to Karpow, Hollywood Weddings Inc., like many independent busi nesses, took a solid five to seven years to become suc cessful. “When you see some money in your bank account, that’s when you know you’re good,” she said. Karpow said her career did not turn out the way she had planned. “It’s more than I could have ever imagined.”
NEWS
Page 10 » SPOKE
Monday, November 19,2012
Better to be safe than sorry in the workplace BY KRIS MANUEL
Knowing your workplace safety rights can save you from losing a limb or even your life. In 2010, 1,014 people died working on the job in Canada, according to the Association Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC). S’he highest number of those fatalities occurred in Ontario, which accounted for about 38 per cent of those deaths. The three most dangerous work industries were con struction, manufacturing, and transportation and stor age industries, according to a CBC article in April that looked at the boards’ total deaths between 2008 and 2012 Again, Ontario had the highest fatalities in each of these industries during that time span. At Conestoga College, which offers courses in these types of industries, safety is some thing that is of high import ance. “We have high-risk areas like the machine shop and the woodworking. You could imagine the hazards that are present in woodworking alone with those machines, what kind of injuries can happen if the proper proced ures weren’t followed,” said Conestoga College’s Health and Safety officer, John Anderson. Which is why Greg White, chair of Conestoga’s trade and apprenticeship program and co-chair of Waterloo’s Health and Safety Committee, puts a high importance on building safety courses for trades and .
PHOTO BY KRIS MANUEL
Corey Foxton, a woodworking student, wears safety glasses while working in the woodworking shop at Conestoga College on Nov. 12.
apprenticeship students who work with a lot of tools and machinery. “We spend a lot of time instilling safety in these folks because it’s an industry where you can get killed very quick ly,” he said. “They’re going out of (the college) with more safety skills at the expense of some vocational skills, but if I had to balance the two, I’d rather have it higher on the safety side. “It’s such a dangerous work
ing environment if you’re not careful.” However, White said he is proud of the program’s safety record, which has very few cases where students lost school time. He said accidents do happen, “but we haven’t had anyone lose a limb or a finger in the machining areas.” “I’m a machinist by trade and I still have all my fingers, so I’m proud of that,” said White.
Anderson said it’s import ant that Conestoga College graduates heading into the workplace are trained in an effective safety program. “The first reason (for that) is to keep everybody safe. The second reason is our reputation in the commun ity,” he said. “It reflects on all of us.” White encourages stu dents and employees to fill out accidents reports, even if some of those accidents
involve minor scrapes, bruis es or bumps. “If it is something we could correct, it allows us to pre vent a minor accident one day becoming a major accident the next,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a great teachable moment.” These lessons become very useful in the workplace. According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour website, an average of about 50 young workers in Ontario under the age of 25 are injured or killed on the job every day. Workers have the right to be informed about the hazards and how they can stay safe, even if that means having to refuse unsafe work from their employer, which is part of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). For those who are worried about losing their job over standing up for their own pro tection, the Ontario Ministry of Labour website states that it is illegal for an employer to penalize a worker for doing so. “If you feel you have been punished (such as being fired, sent home without pay or having your work hours cut significantly), you can report this to the Ministry of Labour.” However, the right to refuse unsafe work has its excep tions. Some workers’ duties involve working in danger ous situations as part of their job description, such as police officers, firefighters and some health-care workers. For more information about safety and rights in the workplace, visit the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s website at www.labour.gov.on.ca
Getting bigger and better 50 volunteers help with Random Act event
♦ FROM PAGE 1
The first year Conestoga participated the event was very low-key, with only four or five volunteers handing out popcorn and kindness cards. Despite its small size, Connell said the response on campus from students was huge. “Students were so eager about doing this, so we knew we wanted to continue it,” he said. The next year, Conestoga joined forces with the Regional Random Act of Kindness Day Committee and RAK Day took off at the school. “We’ve just continued to make it bigger and better,” Connell said. This year, there were about 50 student volunteers, who
were all Respect represen tatives during the Respect Campaign. The event was celebrated on a smaller scale on other campuses as well, includ ing Waterloo, Guelph and Cambridge, where students signed a banner and volun teers handed out candy and cards. RAK Day was even a trending topic on Twitter - students were tweeting about it using #RAK day and saying what random act they did for someone, or something that had been done for them. A couple of campus ser vices at Doon even partici pated. Co-op and Career Services gave out free cof fee, CSI Self-Serve had free black and white photocopies,
and the library waived all late fees. Brittney Loney, one of the volunteers helping at Doon, said the positive feedback from students was great. “Not many people would think of doing these (random acts of kindness) on a regu lar basis, but I think with all these activities going on, people will consider doing it more,” she said. The Respect Rep team is the largest volunteer com mittee at the college, con sisting of over 130 student volunteers. They are recruiting new members to volunteer as ori entation leaders in January. To get involved, visit the Student Life office, located in A-wing across from Tim Hortons.
NEWS
Monday, November 19 ,2012
‘FALLING FOR TH E SEASON
PHOTO BY DYLAN DACOSTA
Right, Austin Neilson, 14, takes advantage of an increasingly rare warm day as he plays soc cer in Sir Adam Beck Park near his house in Baden.
PHOTO BY WENDY CZAKO-MAH
PHOTO BY KEILA MACPHERSON
Second-year pre-service firefighter student Brad Samson helps out at the Nov. 7 fundraiser barbecue his class organized to raise money for the Sunshine Foundation.
Spreading
some sunshine Pre-service firefighter students raise money for foundation BY KEiLA MACPHERSON
As a child, you probably wished for something ... any thing. It might have been a puppy, or that remote control car or to meet your favourite hockey player. For kids with terminal ill nesses these dreams can come true with help from organiza tions such as the Children’s Make a Wish Foundation or Sunshine Foundation of Canada, but the funding needs to come from some where. That’s where Conestoga’s second semester pre-service firefighter students come in. Each of the three semesters, the program holds a fundrais ing event to raise money for the Sunshine Foundation so they can fill an airplane that will take sick or disabled kids to Disney World. Colleen Holmes partnered with the foundation and start ed the Danny Plane in memo ry of her son, Daniel. “In the Danny Plane 80 kids with health conditions will be flown down to Disney for a day, as well as (fulfill) the terminal wishes of 10 kids and their families to go wher ever they want to go,” said Holmes, a fitness technologist at Conestoga College. “During the time my son was sick we had the opportu nity to go on a wish, put on by the Sunshine Foundation, so
that my son could see Tochna-hontas,’ and ‘Cindawella.’” Daniel died when he was only four years old from a rare illness called neuroblastoma. According to kidshealth.org, neuroblastoma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in chil dren and infants, caused by an excessive growth of nerve cells, usually around the adre nal glands. Holmes said it will cost about $258,000 for the flight to Disney. According to Victoria Osmond, a second-semester pre-service firefighter stu dent, at least 75 per cent of their profit from fundraising events goes toward the Danny Plane. “We have a banquet at the end of our program, and that’s a very minimal cost, so we use the money that we raise toward that and every thing over and above goes to the Sunshine Foundation,” Osmond said. She also said their program will be holding a boot drive at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market at the end of November and another one on Dec. 8 in the Sunrise Centre on Ottawa Street and Fischer-Hallman Road. “We’re planning to make it a big deal. We want to give Colleen and the Sunshine Foundation a beautiful, huge cheque when we graduate at the end of May,” said Osmond.
Below, a Conestoga College student celebrates a balmy fall day, with temperatures reaching 15 C on Nov. 12. Temperatures are expected to range from 1C to 8 C this week.
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Monday, Novermber 19,2012
CHUSTrtflS WISH TR.EE
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