Getting Naked Museum exhibit shows off art never seen before. Page 15 Monday, march 16, 2015
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The Edge of Extinction Dinosaur exhibit includes hulking Tyrannosaurus Rex. Page 7 46TH Year — No. 9
Participants survive Polar Plunge BY CARMEN PONCIANO
Fifteen brave souls braced themselves for the cold during this year’s Polar Plunge on March 5, making it a splashing success once again. Participants were good sports, dressing up in costumes, including as a caveman and Iron Man, all for a good cause. The Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) event raised a total of $652 in cash donations for this year’s charity pick, Ray of Hope. The online donations tally is still being determined. “We try to choose a different charity each year,” said Samantha Schwier, CSI programming co-ordinator. “(Ray of Hope) helps out a lot of youth our age, so it must have hit home for them (the CSI board of directors).” Ray of Hope was established in 1967 and has since helped troubled men, women and youth by helping them get off the streets and providing them with food, a place to sleep, employment and much more. The money raised will go toward helping Ray of Hope provide over 250 meals, 6,000 food hampers, 12,800 showers and laundry hampers to these men and women in the community. This year’s Polar Plunge had fewer participants than the previous year. “Our numbers were a little bit lower this year,” Schwier said. “Overall it doesn’t matter how much money was raised or the attendance as long as everybody had a good time and really enjoyed themselves. That’s what we count on.” Everyone appeared to have a good time, especially the spectators. It was a chilly -22 C out-
PHOTO BY Carmen Ponciano
Lee Anne Gilmore braces herself for her jump during the Polar Plunge on March 5. For additional story and photos, see Pages 8 and 9. side as students and CSI staff gathered around to film and watch the Polar Plunge heroes take the dive into the 1.7 C water. Conestoga Learning Commons staff
member Kimm Khagram took the plunge but didn’t want to be the only one facing a challenge. So, he challenged Peer Services to do more tutoring than ever before – 1,200 hours
with 400 students, which they surpassed by doing 1,500 hours with 500 students. Friends of the participants waited on the other side of the pool with a CSI-donated
hat and towel which read, “I survived Polar Plunge.” They were escorted inside where warm soup and hot chocolate were available to help them thaw out.
CSI president and VP sticking around for another year BY MATT HOWELL
Conestoga Students Inc.’s board of directors held their presidential elections on March 2, and they decided to keep the lineup they already have. Jeff Scherer and Cameron Jones will be returning as CSI president and vice-president in September. Scherer ran unopposed, but the board could have conducted a vote
of non-confidence, which would have seen the student body vote on a new president. Students did vote last Jeff Scherer year, approving a bylaw that states the president and vice-president positions must be filled by current board members.
Scherer, a graduate of the business administration and marketing program at Conestoga, took over from Jason Wright as president last September, and couldn’t be happier to retain the job for another year. The full-time paid role of CSI president involves a lot of commitment and time, but does offer some perks besides helping to shape the college experience for students. According
to Scherer, the position provides “a normal starting salary,” a phone plan like all fulltime staff get, and a Cameron Jones paid parking spot, which is being phased out and Scherer doesn’t use as he lives across the street from the school. He also gets
a Microsoft Surface tablet that doubles as a laptop that all members get to use while serving on the board to help keep them in the loop while also cutting down on paper waste. During the Q&A session that took place after his speech, Scherer touched on what his biggest accomplishments and struggles were over the past eight months as CSI president. continued on Page 5
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Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, March 16, 2015
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
“Frank Sinatra.” Vlad Panait, third-year international business management
“My Grandpa.” Ryan Rego, second-year police foundations
“Mike O’Hearn.”
Joseph Booth, first-year electrical construction
“Winston Churchill.” Jeff Pickel, second-year journalism broadcast
“My grandmother – biggest influence on my life.” Jacob Boeck, second-year advertising marketing communications
Waterloo Region bites into substainable foods By IAN MCBRIDE
The general population has an appetite for unhealthy foods, mainly because most people don’t have walkable access to healthy food options. However, initiatives by groups in Waterloo Region hope to reverse that trend. THEMUSEUM presented its Sustainable Food Systems Dialogues, which took place for eight weeks, beginning Jan. 18 and running until the final instalment on March 8. The finale featured presentations by Adam Kramer and Krista Long. Kramer helps run the Working Centre’s Urban Agriculture Projects, and Long is involved with the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable. Kramer profiled the Urban Agriculture Projects, and focused mainly on the Hacienda Sarria Market Garden, which is a volunteer-driven initiative that strives to demonstrate, promote and share knowledge about sustainable urban food production. The main markets for their garden produce are nearby restaurants and stores looking for fresh local food, as well as a small community-supported agriculture share program and a market stand at the Hacienda Sarria located at 1254 Union St., in Kitchener. Long’s presentation was regarding the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable and their Food
CORRECTION
“Nikola Telsa.” Alex Gagne, second-year radio broadcast
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
In the March 9 edition of Spoke, information accompanying a photograph incorrectly identified a group performing a dance during Cultural Diversity Week. The group was actually the Condors Bhangra Crew, not the Bollywood Dance Club. Spoke apologizes for the error.
PHOTO BY Ian Mcbride
Krista Long, who is involved with the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable, stands beside a large poster at THEMUSEUM on March 8. The Roundtable is a networking and policy-making group working on building a strong voice for a healthy food system in the region. Spaces, Vibrant Places campaign. The campaign was launched in June to support community gardens and temporary farmers’ markets in our cities. Their goal was to get food spaces on the municipal election agenda to ensure that Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo include supportive policies for community gardens and temporary farmers’ markets in their updated zoning bylaws, which are in progress. They asked community members to sign a petition in support of more Food Spaces, Vibrant Places, and over 570 people did. Their team of volunteers met with 26 candidates and provided outreach at 18 community events and local markets. Over half of
the candidates elected publicly declared support for their campaign. According to Long, there are several roadblocks preventing people from accessing healthy foods. “We’re specifically looking at policy, but on the other end there’s income, geographic access and the zoning bylaws.” In terms of the Urban Agriculture Projects, they are hoping for long-term sustainability. “We’re not there financially yet, but there’s a lot of ways in which we’re going to keep growing,” Kramer said. “We’re definitely headed towards financial sustainability. We’re attempting to be stewards of the land.”
Monday, March 16, 2015
Missing the Target By Cody Mudge
Each partition of glass along the entrance and exit are brilliantly adorned with large red and white signs saying something along the lines of: total liquidation – everything must go! An employee even patrolled the sidewalk along Ottawa Street with signs stapled to a piece of wood, informing passersby that their last chance to get a great deal at Target will soon be missed. Target isn’t the only significant retail outlet to close its doors in Canada recently. Japan tech company Sony has also pulled out of the Canadian market, closing all of their stores. Clothing retailers Mexx, Sears and Jacob are also going through various restructuring efforts, which have left thousands out of work. “It’s unfair. I don’t know how else to put it. If you’re a part-timer how much more could you have done to keep a business alive? The impact of those at the top is exponentially bigger so what could have changed and kept me working?” asked a Target employee who wished to remain anonymous. Every Target store in Canada will soon be closed and that means that thousands of part-time workers will be out of work. Between the store
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in Kitchener and Cambridge dozens of Target employees are entering the job market to seek new employment, but finding it may not be as difficult as initially suspected. “We’re about to enter a pretty significant hiring push,” said Eric Jackson, a senior supervisor at Best Buy in Kitchener. “At this point it looks like as many as 10 part-time positions will open up across the store, so not just on the sales floor but in product processing and operations as well.”
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We’re about to enter a pretty significant hiring push. — Eric Jackson, senior supervisor, Best Buy
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Spring is traditionally a strong hiring season and all across the tri-cities businesses will be looking for workers for entry-level positions. Sources at Advocate Insurance Group, Corningware-Corelle and The Shoe Company confirmed that they are keeping former Target employees in mind when doing their spring hiring. While it certainly isn’t the ideal outcome at least opportunities for employment seem to be plentiful for those falling victim to Target’s closing.
a reason to dress for the season
PHOTO BY justin ford
Second-year visual merchandising student, Holly Reinhardt, displays her design, titled The Four Seasons, which will be in the March 26 aWEARness show. For the video story, go to www. spokeonline.com.
PHOTO BY cody mudge
Target is closing 133 stores across Canada and liquidating all inventory. Stores are expected to close in early spring – just two years after the chain opened its doors.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, March 16, 2015
Punishment must fit the crime BY Maryssa mcfadden
Every day of our lives we place trust in those around us. We go to work, school, the doctor’s office and countless public bathrooms. While doing so there are hundreds of faces we meet and pass throughout our days. However, what happens when one of those faces breaches the most basic element of trust? Last November a 41-year-old New Hamburg chiropractor did just that. According to a Nov. 7 article in the Waterloo Region Record, a camera was discovered in a clinic’s bathroom ceiling by an employee which led to police finding over 200 images and 19 videos in the man’s possession. These showed he had been secretly recording the bodies of at least 20 women who visited the clinic where he worked. Despite the crime he committed, the Crown prosecutor argued for a short, 90-day jail sentence. The man is also still able to meet and work on patients, as his chiropractor’s licence was not stripped from him. Just a few weeks ago a Kitchener janitor was found guilty of a similar crime in which he hid a video camera in the women’s washroom where he worked. Seventyfour videos were seized from the man’s house, however, he only got 45 days in jail despite the tearful victim impact statements read at the hearing. According to the Cambridge Times, statements were read by two women who said they were now reluctant to use public washrooms and were gripped by fear and anger. How are they supposed to live a carefree life when they are worried about being secretly filmed again? The thought this could happen to us raises an important question: is there any place that is completely safe? Nowhere is off limits, but we believe if the punishment was more severe it could help reduce the crime. The lives of many women have been forever changed after they learned they had been secretly videotaped, yet the perpetrators received little more than a slap on the wrist. For all we know, they could do it again and we need them to know these acts will not be tolerated. We believe if these criminals continue to get off lightly they, and others like them, will never stop breaking the law. It is time to toughen the law and the penalty. Breaches of trust must be taken more seriously. The views herein represent the position of the newspaper, not necessarily the author.
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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
The Ontario government finally comes to the aid of Everest College students.
Men are victims too
When we think of sexual violence, our thoughts are of women. Unfortunately, not very often do we think of men as victims of abuse. On March 8, International Women’s Day was held to push for an end to sexual violence against women. Two days before, Ontario released a video titled #WhoWillYouHelp which shows various situations where women are the victims of sexual violence. The video is part of a $41 million-plan called “It’s Never Okay” by Premier Kathleen Wynne to address sexual violence. “When you do nothing, you’re helping him,” the video states. “But when you do something, you help her.” Although it is great that Ontario is spreading the message to its citizens to step in and stop sexual abuse, the video shouldn’t just focus on women. Instead, it should bring to light the fact that men are also victims. In a February 2013 Statistics Canada Report, police-reported data showed that “about 173,600 women aged 15 years and older were victims of violent crime in 2011.” This means
Heather Stanley
Opinion that there are about 1,207 female victims for every 100,000 women. This number was only five per cent higher than the rate for men which was 1,151 victims per 100,000 men. Despite this, men aren’t seen as victims but as aggressors. It is terrible how little support there is for men who are sexually abused. Organizations like The Men’s Project, a non-profit charitable men’s counselling agency, are few and far between. In contrast, programs for women are numerous and receive considerable funding, most likely due to the fact that we are perceived as damsels in distress in our society. The number of women assaulted is one for every four. It’s a high number, but so is one male in every 10. The number of attacks we know of today is just an esti-
mate since only 10 per cent of all sexual assaults are reported to police. Sexual violence is under reported for a variety of reasons. Victims blame themselves, feel embarrassed, fear that they will not be believed or that they will be accused of playing a role in the crime. They may also have a lack of trust in the authorities and the justice system.
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Unfortunately, not very often do we think of men as victims of abuse.
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The assumption that men always want sex is wrong. If that were true, then there would be no rapes against men. Society needs to understand that both men and women can be victims, or offenders, including in cases of elder abuse or child abuse. Sexual violence is no different, nor should it be perceived as such. Instead of discriminating against a gender, we need to focus on saying violence is wrong against people as a whole.
Spoke
i s p u b l i she d a n d p r o d u c e d w eek l y b y t he j o u r n a l i sm s t u d e n t s o f Co n es t o g a Co l l e g e Editor: Nataleigh McCallum Assignment Editors: Kali Caudle, Jordan Johnstone Advertising Managers: Beth Crouse, Justin Ford Spoke Online Editors: Matt Howell, Nicole
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Parkinson, Josh Kennedy Social Media Editor: Carson Deshevy-Renouf, Cody Mudge Circulation Manager: Heather Stanley Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas
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NEWS
Monday, March 16, 2015
Youth put their creativity to work
By Nicole Nemeth
In 1991 a group of artists formed a unique creative design company. Rick Murphy and John Littlejohn started d3 Artworks Inc., which is not only an art studio that completes community art projects, but have also helped dozens of young adults through their youth group projects. Charlene Westover, an artist and graphic designer at d3 Artworks Inc., has worked with youth groups for over seven years. She started out in a youth group herself when she was 21 years old and fell in love with the company and the people, which included Murphy and Debbie Humphries. “I remember thinking to myself when I was in the project that if I could have her job that would be the best thing in the world because I loved people and I was always really good with people and I loved art and I loved teaching. All of those things … and I ended up getting her job and that was really cool,” Westover said. The first youth group was for an art project called Explore the Edge. d3 Artworks Inc. flew in a group of youth from Newfoundland to Cambridge to create a series of paintings. Humphries was one of the participants of the youth group and stayed to work as a youth group leader. Since then d3 Artworks
Inc., with the help and guidance of both Westover and Humphries, have installed 16 United Youth Vision Cultural Artworks projects since 2002 in Newfoundland and the Waterloo Region. Different youth projects included ones at the Cambridge YMCA Youth Centre Z, the Galt Arena Gardens, St. Louis Adult Learning Centre in Kitchener, The Concordia Club of Kitchener, the Galt Legion, Lang’s Farm Village Association, the Cambridge Humane Society, Glenview Park Secondary School and Grand River Film Festival. The last art structure they installed as a youth project was for the University of Waterloo in 2013. “We’re trying to actually get funding through Toyota to fund the youth project,” Westover said. “That will be really cool. Service Canada funded projects for youth facing employment barriers. There was a checklist you had to meet, but none of that will exist, there won’t be the restraints from the government.” The Government of Canada provided d3 Artworks Inc. with $264,000 in federal Skills Link funding to support its Youth Vision Cultural Artwork project in 2011. It was to help 18 youth develop the skills and experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school. “Everybody gets something
respect builds a happy community
PHOTO BY nicole nemeth
Charlene Westover and Debbie Humphries have been youth group leaders for more than a dozen youth projects over the years. d3 Artworks Inc. have helped young adults overcome employment and education barriers. they need here, as long as they’re willing to help themselves,” Westover said. For Westover, she not only got a career she is passionate about, but also gets to help others who were in similar situations as herself. “The art, the environment, the people, you bought into
PHOTO BY JACK PARKINSON
the ideals of the place, the vision and what Rick was trying to build, what he was trying to create here. Those are the things that drew me in and have kept me here for all the years that I’ve been here,” Westover said. Since the last youth group Westover has been keeping
herself busy at work as the graphic design assistant and artist. Humphries is in charge of bookkeeping and running errands. Both of them are hoping to get the youth groups back up and running. “I’m really looking forward to having the youth back. The energy is different,” Westover said.
Scherer excited about green wall CONTINUED From Page 1
Two Conestoga students operate an event kiosk during Respect Week at Conestoga’s Doon campus. Respect Week ran the first week of March and showcased the importance of having a welcoming, healthy community at the college. See www.spokeonline.com for video.
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In addition, Scherer talked about what he plans to do during his second term. He said his biggest disappointment was, missing the mark on The Yellow Umbrella Project, a mental health awareness initiative that took place last fall. “We thought we were creating this Taj Mahal of a program and we just didn’t accomplish what we set out to accomplish,” he said. “I don’t think it was an all-around failure, don’t get me wrong, the students who were engaged with it absolutely loved it, but coming from that it made me realize how much planning and the thought process that goes into that kind of stuff.” On the flipside, Scherer’s biggest personal success was when he, along with Colin Gaudet, another board member, had a meeting to discuss getting a green wall (a wall that is partially or completely covered with vegetation) built at Conestoga. “I had such mixed emotions going into that meeting and thinking the board has
approved it, and we want to move forward with it, and thinking that they (facilities staff) were going to poke holes in it, but they were into the idea a lot more than I thought they would be, and afterwards told me that they thought it was a great idea,” Scherer said. No date has been set for when the construction of a green wall will be built, but it is in the works.
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... it’s an awesome opportunity to go forward bigger, stronger and better. — Cameron Jones
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Scherer is looking forward to keeping the positive feedback he has received this year going in September, which will be his last as president, as someone can only be president for two years. Board of directors, on the other hand, can stay on as long as they are a full-time student.
There was one board member running against Jones for the title of vice-president. Hope Krempa, a graphic design student, gave a great speech, but in the end lost out to the more experienced Jones. Jones, a current business student, is in his third year of being a board member, and is excited about being re-elected as vice-president. “It feels great. I think it’s an awesome opportunity to go forward bigger, stronger and better. I think it’s going to be a really good year. It’s good to have longevity in the organization, and we are looking to capitalize on that,” he said. In his speech, Jones also mentioned the Yellow Umbrella Project as being both a failure and a success. “It was a bit of a failing campaign, but at the same time we (Scherer and Jones) had the opportunity to set up the event, and know what we need to do next year,” he said. Up next is the CSI board of directors’ election. Voting will be done through ballots and online starting March 23, and will run until April 3.
NEWS
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Monday, March 16, 2015
Learning About Faith
PHOTO BY alex Riese
Lynda Scroggan, a senior tax professional at H&R Block, thinks students could stand to get a little more information about filing their tax returns.
Tax-filing students have help By ALEX RIESE
A healthy tax return could boost your savings account or fund your dream summer vacation. But without the proper knowledge, your tax return could be a dud. Fortunately, the Ontario government offers several credits that students can take advantage of to maximize their tax returns. According to Lynda Scroggan, a senior tax professional at H&R Block, the most useful one for most college and university students is the tuition tax credit. “Most of the time students don’t have jobs, so they’re not paying taxes and not getting any income, but these tuition credits are incredibly valuable as a non-refundable,” she said. “The tuition credits just keep adding up until they get a job, and once they’re earning income and paying income taxes those non-refundable
tax credits become available for them to reduce their tax.” According to Scroggan, students can also claim moving expenses on their tax returns. “If a student lives in B.C. and they attend school in Alberta, their airfare would be a claimable moving expense,” she said. Scroggan, who has worked at H&R Block for 16 years, has dealt with many students facing the daunting task of filing their own taxes for the first time. “I don’t think they get a whole lot of information about what they need to do or what they need to bring, so hopefully we can provide that information to them,” she said. Though they may not have the information, most college students have access to the support they need through other avenues. Andreas Rojas, a first-year finance student at Conestoga College, enlists
the help of Stegers Company Trustee in Bankruptcy. “They’ve just been doing it since I was a little kid, and my parents used them in previous years,” he said. Others, like first-year health office administration student Jodi Berry, have family members who do their taxes for them. “My sister does my taxes for me,” she said. “She’s an accounting student, and mine are pretty easy, so she just does them.” For more information, students can visit www. cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/p105/ README.html for the P105 pamphlet, which provides comprehensive information for all students filing their own taxes. Conestoga Students Inc. is also holding a tax clinic on March 27 from 3 to 6 p.m. in Room 2A111, where students can get their taxes done for free.
PHOTO BY heather stanley
A two-day conference called Strengthening Your Faith was held to answer questions about Christianity and the Bible at Elmira Emmanuel Missionary Church. The conference featured speakers and various pastors from churches across Canada and the U.S. as well as a coffee house featuring singer Amy Dagenais and a Dj party.
Entertainment
Monday, March 16, 2015
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Walk with dinosaurs at THEMUSEUM BY CARSON DESHEVY-RENOUF
THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener held a grand opening on March 7 for its newest exhibit, Dinosaurs: The Edge of Extinction. This exhibit is giving guests the chance to walk among the famous beasts of the Cretaceous era. The exhibit is made up of over 20 pieces, with some colossally notable ones. A hulking Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops occupy the third floor of the museum, giving perspective to how massive the creatures were in comparison to your everyday aspiring paleontologist. In addition, a giant Pterosaur hangs motionless, but equally lifelike in THEMUSEUM’s main atrium. Nicole Reindl, a gallery attendant, said in an email, “There are also a handful of interactive components (some will not be going up until the summer due to alterations in our floor plan so stay tuned) including the Twerkasaurus where visitors can control the movements of a robotic dinosaur and see its inner workings.” The exhibit in its entirety aims to give guests the ability to understand every aspect of the Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops’ lives, from birth and infancy to their untimely extinction. The interactive pieces include constructed skulls that allow visitors to see through the eyes of these titans, moulds of the dinosaurs’ brains, along with many other pieces that round out the exhibit. “The pieces were developed by a Canadian group in partnership with the Royal Botanical Gardens. It has been
PHOTOS BY CARSON DESHEVY-RENOUF
Hulking at the entrance to the third floor of downtown Kitchener’s THEMUSEUM, a massive Triceratops stands as a greeting to those visiting the Dinosaurs: The Edge of Extinction exhibit. This interactive exhibit will be running until Thanksgiving weekend. displayed at the RBG and recently in Niagara Falls at the Skylon Tower. (It was originally named Battle of the Titans but we have changed it for our exhibition),” Reindl said. As mentioned by Reindl, the exhibit will be evolving over time, as new additions will be made to both the content and the programming. Throughout the exhibit’s life, there will be “a daily programming component that includes animatronic dinosaur puppets.” Although, as
a sample video provided by Reindl suggested, it is obvious to adults that the dinosaurs are puppets, children believe that they are real and have, in the past, loved interacting with them. The exhibit will carry on through spring, summer and fall until it reaches its closing on Thanksgiving weekend. Until then, however, dinosaurs will not be the only big attraction within the museum’s walls. “At the same time as
An interactive display of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull gives guests the chance to see their prey (or family) through the eyes of this ferocious beast.
Dinosaurs: The Edge of Extinction, we are opening an exhibition of Canadian contemporary nude art from the Canada Council Art Bank called Getting Naked … Over the summer we will have the Summer of Discovery which will overlap with Dinosaurs. It will include a number of family, fun, interactive displays and smaller exhibits.” Reindl said. THEMUSEUM plans to bring in multiple activities and exhibits during the sum-
mer, from a balloon room to “a great science exhibit called Science + You,” and everything in between. “We haven’t gotten confirmed plans for fall 2015 but we will be putting something together that goes along with the International Year of Light that is going on this year,” Reindl said. For hours, rates and more information about Dinosaurs: The Edge of Extinction, or other upcoming exhibits, visit www.themuseum.ca.
Floating menacingly high above in THEMUSEUM’s atrium is the mighty Pterosaur, one of the staples of the Dinosaurs exhibit.
Student life
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Monday, March 16, 2015
Students chill for the thrill BY KALI CAUDLE
They stood there in the snow, their feet bare, shivering despite the towels wrapped around them. On March 5, 15 participants made a splash at the Polar Plunge at Conestoga College’s Doon campus. The event, held by Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI), has been taking place at the college for more than 30 years. The Polar Plunge gives Conestoga students, faculty and staff the opportunity to raise money and support local organizations while having a good time. CSI chose to donate the proceeds from the event this year to Ray of Hope, an organization that provides care and hope for those struggling with crime, addiction or homelessness in Waterloo Region. The 15 jumpers waited in anticipation while the opening speeches took place. The crowd then cheered as each participant jumped, flipped or splashed into a pool. The temperature was -13 C, but it felt like -22 C with the wind chill. The pool’s water temperature was 1.7 C with ice forming on the surface. With no personal connection to Ray of Hope, the participants’ hearts were in the right place. “I’m just jumping in gen-
Baraa Elbaf, a first-year business administration student (left), and Eric Wallace, a second-year engineering system technology student, survived the Polar Plunge on March 5. eral because I’m all about good causes,” said Victoria Amorim, a first-year office administration executive student. “I’ve always done things for good causes and raised money for them.” Some participants got
involved to set an example for other Conestoga students. “I’m jumping for the cause and I’m part of CSI so I’m trying to be involved as much as possible. Lead by example,” said Barra Elbaf, a business administration student.
While it’s a fun event for students it is also an important cause. Amorim thinks that more people should get involved for this annual event. “I think it’s good. I think more people need to support
stuff like this in general. It’s good that the college is supportive,” she said. The event received $652 in cash donations. CSI has yet to calculate the online contributions to determine the total amount raised.
Victoria Amorim, a first-year office administration executive student, was all smiles prior to taking the plunge.
Photos by Kali Caudle
Vanessa Varga, a first-year pre-health sciences student, found the water a touch cold.
Leeanne Gilmore, a first-year practical nursing student, bundled up after jumping in the pool at the Polar Plunge.
Noah Bester, a first-year recreation and leisure services student, dressed as a caveman for the event.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Student life
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Kimm Khagram, a Peer Services staff member, was interviewed before he jumped.
Photos by Carmen Ponciano Colleen Geerlinks, an architecture – project and facility management student, quickly hops out of the cold water after her plunge.
Victoria Amorim was the first to take the plunge during the 34th annual Polar Plunge. For video check out www.spokeonline.com.
Vanessa Varga, a first-year pre-health sciences student, reacts as she climbs out of the 1.7 C pool.
Matthew Lane flexes prior to jumping. The temperature outside was -22 C.
Baara Elbaf does a mid-air flip for his plunge before hitting the cold water.
entertainment
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Clay and glass gallery is awe-inspiring The Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery’s current exhibition, Exquisite Woods, focuses on our current environmental issues. Clockwise from top left, Paula Murray’s piece, Connection [X] Connection, represents collective identity and the gradual gain and loss of knowledge, expressing humankind’s constant search for knowledge. Hilde Lambrecht’s work, Petrified Forest, is inspired by the functions and beauty of trees and warns of the global decline of forests due to humans. Using large-scale porcelain tree sculptures, Grace Nickel’s artwork depicts the relationship between natural and fabricated. Marie-Andrée Côté’s pieces (two of which are shown below) are inspired by the symbolic expression of water and the ever-changing natural world, but more recently Côté has been observing the St. Lawrence River for her inspiration. For video, go to www.spokeonline.com. PHOTOs by nathan brown
Monday, March 16, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Partners program benefits students
SPOKE s Page 11 NEWS STUDENTS CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
PHOTO submitted PHOTO BY Nataleigh McCallum
Lydia Speck, a first-year social service student and volunteer with English Language Partners, talked about the benefits of joining the ECP program. For video story, see www.spokeonline.com.
The International Women’s Day Student Committee, co-ordinated through the Student Life Department, hosted its annual IWD Breakfast March 6. Guest speaker Melissa Durrell shared her story with the audience. Committee members are (in back, left to right) Amrinder Singh, Leticia Schuelter de Lima, Melissa Durrell, Francesca Pedler, Courtney Marshall and Elysa Ducut. In front row are Jenny Cordoba, Emma Bradshaw and Kristin Bennett.
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Crowd in stitches at Comedy Fest BY MATT HOWELL
Laughing is a great way to stay warm, so this was the perfect time for the K-W Comedy Fest to be in town. The event, which started in 2010, took place from March 5 to 7 at venues across K-W, including at Centre In The Square, and featured 20 stand-up comedians and performers showcasing their acts. This Hour Has 22 Minutes star and longtime comedian Shaun Majumder was this year’s festival headliner, and he absolutely slayed the opening night gala. The comedians who performed on opening night had a mix of dirty and clean comedy styles, but all had the crowd in stitches. Halifax native Nathan Macintosh was the MC for the evening, and has seen some pretty crazy things while being a comedian. “I was doing a show in South Africa, and some woman threw her bra on stage. I don’t even remember why she did it. She took it off and it fell into her nachos, so it came
on (the stage) with cheese,” Macintosh said. Two of the other performers that night were Tim Harmston and Mary Mack, who are married and live in Minnesota. When asked what he would be doing if he wasn’t a comedian, Harmston had a clear vision. “I’d be running a fishing charter somewhere,” he said. “Or a guide service that takes people into the woods.” Massachusetts native Alingon Mitra talked about how comedy can be done anywhere, and for anyone. “I did a show once in a country club. It was set as a variety show, and there was a belly dancing troupe, a comedian and this rock musician, but the people who turned out were the people who generally just eat there, so it was like 70and 80-year-olds just very confused about what was going on,” Mitra said. The Food Bank of Waterloo Region was the K-W Comedy Fest’s charity of choice, and received money and food donations for more than 6,000 meals.
PHOTO courtesy of K-W Comedy Festival
Comedian Alingon Mitra performed at the K-W Comedy Festival’s opening night gala at Centre In The Square on March 5.
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Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of March 16, 2015
Aries
A tiger has stripped skin, not just fur.
Libra
March 21 April 19
There are 336 dimples on a regular golf ball.
September 23 October 22
Don’t let your finances hold you back from enjoying life. Focus on what makes you happy. This week, be optimistic.
Every time you lick a stamp, you consume 1/10 of a calorie.
Libra, follow your heart. Others will have something to say about your choices, but do whatever it is that makes you happy.
Polar bears are left-handed. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
Scorpio
Taurus
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
October 23 November 21
April 20 May 20
Taurus, bite your tongue to avoid those unnecessary conflicts. Sometimes losing an argument is better than losing someone close to you.
You may feel that a close friend of yours is intruding in your personal life. They are just looking out for your best interests. Appreciate their support.
Reindeer like to eat bananas.
Sudoku Puzzle
Sagittarius
Gemini
November 22 December 21
May 21 June 21
Gemini, you expect too much of yourself. Adjust your responsibilities to a reasonable level in order to achieve great fortune.
Cancer
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.
You may bring bad fortune upon yourself by bestowing anger to those around you. This week, change your outlook.
Capricorn
June 22 July 22
December 22 January 19
Don’t waste your time and efforts on those who don’t value your friendship. Channel your strength for something that will benefit you in the long run.
Don’t take comments from others too personally. They don’t really mean what they say. Laugh it off and move forward.
Aquarius
Leo
January 20 February 18
July 23 August 22 You are a generous individual, make sure others don’t take advantage of you. This week, watch your back.
Virgo
You’ve recently shown lots of kindness to those around you. This week, an individual will repay you for your kind actions.
Pisces
August 23 September 22
February 19 March 20
Virgo, I know you’re stressed. Take a breather. Slacking off for a week may do you some good in the long run.
You have big plans for the future, but have you talked to those around you? They may offer the insight that you might have missed.
The Stars have spoken.
Word Search
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PHOTO BY rachel roy
Artist Natalka Husar and Victoria Henry, director of The Canadian Council Art Bank in Ottawa, look at Husar’s painting that she hasn’t seen in years at THEMUSEUM’s Getting Naked exhibit.
Why hide? Let’s get naked! By RACHEL ROY
People get excited about things “naughty” (just look at the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey), but nudity makes them feel nervous and embarrassed. Why is this? THEMUSEUM is hoping their new exhibit, Getting Naked, will change that. The Canadian Council Art Bank has 17,000 works of art some of which are nudes. These pieces have never been seen by the public due to their brashness. However, that all changed on March 7, when Getting Naked opened at THEMUSEUM. This exhibit also features The Naked Dialogues, which includes a life drawing workshop, speakers and documentaries all revolving around being naked. In a press release, David Markskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM, said, “We’re very excited to launch a new dialogue series in conjunction with the Getting Naked exhibition.” The Naked Dialogues will run until May. Topics include the history of nudity and nakedness, nudity and nakedness in the media, public versus private opinions and even nakedness in food. In addition, THEMUSEUM
will host a unique event called Naked in the Gallery where visitors will be able to observe and view the gallery while they themselves are naked. Markskell said, “This is a rare opportunity to not only see these incredible works of art but also have a conversation about why Canadian culture shies away from nudity.” Many of the pieces at THEMUSEUM were created by recognizable Canadian icons who are known for their other works, but their nude creations were hidden from the public. “For a number of reasons the small collection of nudes does not get rented out to boardrooms or office spaces,” said Victoria Henry, Canadian Art Bank director, in a press release. “My goal was to see the works displayed, but no one has had the courage to show the works until David Markskell of the THEMUSEUM enthusiastically agreed.” Henry said, “I hope that they will see how beautiful these works are and I’m sure that will happen. You really don’t look at these like ‘that’s a nude’ first, you look at them in terms of the skill and then you realize that there is nudity in it.”
PHOTO BY rachel roy
Getting Naked opened March 7 at THEMUSEUM in Kitchener. After the introductory speeches, David Markskell (from left), CEO of THEMUSEUM, Victoria Henry, director of The Canadian Council Art Bank, Frank Coutzis, president of THEMUSEUM, and Virginia Eichhorn, curator of Getting Naked, all attended the VIP opening of the exhibit.
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Local artist paints from the heart By Cassie Tulecki
Todd Manuel’s collection, currently on display at the Homer Watson House and Gallery, is called Objects of My Affections. It has exquisite colour and depth, and focuses on everyday items in an atmosphere that is warm and welcoming. As you look at each piece of art you think about the subjects in the paintings and really appreciate the simplicity of them. Manuel is able to take something so ordinary and simple, such as a breakfast scene with a bagel, and make it beautiful. His paintings speak to the viewers and make them look at life in a different perspective. Taking time to see the beauty right in front of you can be an eye-opening experience. It makes you appreciate your surroundings and be thankful for the simple pleasures in life. “From as far as I can remember I have been interested in art,” Manuel said. He grew up in a small town in Newfoundland and had limited access to resources that would help him improve his art skills. There were no art classes he could take at his school, but he did have pencils and crayons which he took full advantage of. He used these to work on his drawing skills; he would copy cartoons that were on TV or from comic books. “My exercise books for school were often colourfully decorated with a mishmash of cartoons, symbols, shapes, words and rock band logos,” Manuel said. He would win school and magazine art contests and would receive small prizes for his efforts. “Seeing my name in print was my biggest thrill for winning either first, second or third place in a contest.” Manuel never really had anyone to teach him how to expand his painting skills until he went to college, where, at the age of 20, he spent two years learning how to mix paints and worked on his drawing skills. However, his paintings and styles that would be seen later in life were not developed at
this point. “Paint, paint, paint, that’s how I learned.” Manuel said to this day he still learns something new with every painting he creates. “I consider myself to be mostly selftaught and a lifelong learner.” His inspiration comes from looking at art. He is a fan of the Group of Seven, Mary Pratt and Roy Lichtenstein.
“
From as far as I can remember I have been interested in art. — Todd Manuel
”
“Coincidentally, I had the opportunity to speak with Mary Pratt when I was in my mid-20s and she gave me some wonderful advice about the business of creating art.” That experience was a turning point in Manuel’s life; he no longer painted for others. He created art for himself and no one else. If others enjoyed his work it was a bonus but he didn’t mind when people didn’t like it. This is something all aspiring artists should live by. “It’s important for an artist to feel secure about the work they produce and simply resign yourself to the fact that you cannot please everyone. Not everyone is going to like your art.” Manuel has been active trying to get his artwork into art exhibitions over the last five years. He has been involved in group shows up until recently. Manuel won the Homer Watson Legacy Award and was approached by the Homer Watson Gallery to have his own show in 2015. This award is presented to an individual whose artwork celebrates the legacy of Homer Watson’s creative spirit by stimulating in others the appreciation, enjoyment and practice of the visual arts. “It’s been a lot of work but a lot of fun too. I love what I do and I can hardly wait to see what the future holds for my artwork.”
The Tea and the Sea is another of Manuel’s colourful works.
PHOTOs BY Cassie Tulecki
Todd Manuel, a local artist, shows off a collection of work titled, Objects of My Affections, at an exhibit at the Homer Watson House and Gallery.
This painting by Manuel is titled, Through the Looking Glass.