STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS | STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS.COM | SUMMER 2017 SPECIAL EDITION ISSUE
CANADA 150 ISSUE # C A N A D I A N S W H O S TA N D O U T N O M I N AT I O N S | S T O R I E S & S H O U T O U T S
WE FEA
ARE
TUR
LOO
E T O
KIN
G F OR
NEW CAN ADI E O ANS T H ERS EAS TO . Y T P O SIT O R IVE E A D & EVE NEW RY STR S O CAN ONG UT ADI THE IMA AN OR RE. GES AN HAS . EXP A G ERIE R E AND NCE AT . STO OUR RY GOA EVE L IS RY T O G MON IVE TH. GOO SEB UMP S WE
THE
Y
SUCC
NOT DO
ES
HAV
ENTR SFUL
E TO
EPRE
AM BE F
NEUR
OUS
OR
.
CAN VERY
ADIA
A
N’S
E E HAR NOW TO S WE K RS. E D A E W ARE R RE WE O OU WITH D T N Y A ION STOR ERE CAT H I L T B T U E OU OF P S. Y AR TYPE NEW THE EW N IVE T I A S PO R RING AND THEI OFFE AVE SING I H T Y R E THE ADV HED? LESS BLIS U P BE T TO WAN ! NOW NCE CHA OM NS.C ATIO C I L TPUB DOU STAN @ O F S: IN IL U EMA T WAN
NEE
INS
D M ORE
PIR
PHOTO, (BACK) Jeff McDonald, (INSET) Zev Abosh LOCATION, Barrier Lakes, Alberta
/ CEO SA, TES
DES
IGNE
R
CONNECT
YOUTUBE
@STANDOUTPUBLISH
STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS.COM
@STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS
FB.COM/STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS
STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS
04 standoutpublications.com
HAPPY
Birthday
CANADA!
This special edition issue is to celebrate Canada’s big 1-5-0 birthday.
D
ear Readers,
We live in a country where we have true freedom. A country where we are free to be our authentic selves. A country that promotes equality and diversity. We, as Canadians, aren’t perfect - and we still have work to do - but we always try to do the right thing. It is in that spirit of equality and diversity that we celebrate 150 years of being Canadian. We are celebrating, not just our country’s birthday, but also what it means to be Canadian. Our giving spirit and our ability to find the light, even in the darkness. It is in that spirit, that we created this special issue of StandOUT Publications. Canada is full of people doing extraordinary things and they are reaching for the stars. It is these StandOUT Canadians that epitomize what Canada is all about. Canadians that are successful, on their terms, and using their success as a springboard for giving back to the community. We wanted to give these Canadians the recognition they deserve. A shout-out for their hard work and their selfless endeavours. Hopefully, their stories will inspire you as much as they inspired our team. From the entire team at StandOUT Publications, Happy Birthday Canada! Autumn Riley Editor in Chief
Tessa Lerbekmo-Joyes
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF, Autumn Riley
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT, KD Lamarche
CREATIVE MANAGER, Mitch Wiebe
MANAGING EDITOR, Melissa Hazen
COPY EDITOR, Toran Lanthier
BEAUTY DIRECTOR, Douglas Cressman
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR, Zev Abosh
VIDEO EDITOR, Sergey Abramov
PHOTOGRAPHER, Jeff McDonald
COMPANY THE CREATORS OF THIS MAGAZINE
CEO/FOUNDER/DESIGNER
COLUMNIST/STYLIST Catherine Tkach COLUMNIST Lisa Kauffmann FACT CHECKER Karen Sinclair EVENT PLANNER Galit Abosh GRAPHIC DESIGNER Naomi Majek STYLIST * WARDROBE Joyce Jebose HAIR STYLIST Karnell Goebel HAIR STYLIST Michelle Scabar HAIR STYLIST Jacqueline Kinch
DIGITAL BY STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS PRINT ON DEMAND BY MAGCLOUD
|
CANADIAN MAGAZINE BASED OUT OF CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA
|
WEBSITE DESIGN BY DANIEL FEXA
standoutpublications.com
05
TABLE OF CONTENTS
UE - July 30TH/17 SUMMER NO. 5 2017 ISS
WHAT’S INSIDE THIS special edition issue the Team 5 Behind TH E C R E ATO R S Dug Up 7 We FU N FA C T S A B O UT C A N A D A People Say 8 What TRU E L O V E A B O UT C A N A D A #canadianswhostandout 10 150 FEAT UR E WI N N E R & R UN N E R UP S Stories that Inspire 14 F83ROCanadian M O UR B L O G
06
standoutpublications.com
FUN INFO FOR CANADIANS
PHOTO, Jeff McDonald
We Dug Up
SOME FUN CANADIAN FACTS
[1] At 3,855,103 square miles, Canada is the second largest country in the world, behind Russia. [1] Alert, in Nunavut territory, is the northernmost permanent settlement in the world. [1] The Mounted Police were formed in 1873, with nine officers. In 1920, the Mounted Police merged with the Dominion Police to become the famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police, an organization that now has more than 28,000 members.
[2] Canada has more lake area than any other country in the world and so it should come as no surprise that roughly 20 % of the world’s freshwater is to be found in Canada. [3] Canada has more doughnut shops per captia than anywhere else [4] The Canadian Royal Mint created a coin with the face value of $1 million. The coin itself is made of 99.99% gold and weighs over 220 lbs
[1] Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world at 151,600 miles. [1] Canada is known as the home of large animals like the moose and grizzly bear, but it is also home to about 55,000 species of insects and about 11,000 species of mites and spiders.
[4] Canada’s flag became official on February 15, 1965, almost 100 years after it became a country in 1867. Canada has used approximately 13 different flag designs since 1497 before finally settling on the Maple Leaf.
[1] Canada contains 9% of the world’s renewable water supply.
[4] The Canada/USA border is the longest international border in the world. It lacks military defense.
[1] Many famous authors have come from Canada, including Lucy Maud Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Alice Munro (Lives of Girls and Women).
[4] Canada is the first country to build a UFO landing pad in St. Paul, Alberta.
[1] Canada is a major producer and consumer of cheese. In 1997, Canadians produced 350,000 tons of at least 32 varieties of cheese and ate an average of 23.4 pounds per person, with cheddar being the most popular. [1] Canadians have made many important inventions, including Kerosene, the electron microscope, the electronic organ, insulin, the IMAX film system, the snowmobile, and the electric cooking range.
[4] Canada has its own version of the Loch Ness monster, the Ogopogo, located in the depths of Okanagan Lake. The sea creature has been spotted since the 19th century. [4] On July 20, 2005, Canada legalized same-sex marriage. [4] Author A.A. Milne based the loveable bear, Winnie the Pooh, on a real bear from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
1) Lehnart, Karin (December 5, 2016) 43 interesting facts about Canada, https://www.factretriever.com/canada-facts 2) Arractions Canada, government Site (2013-2017, all rights reserved) Canada History & Facts, http://attractionscanada.com/ 3) Wolfe Wylie, William (August 6, 2015) 50 insane facts about Canada we bet you don’t know, http://o.canada.com/entertainment/50-insane-facts-about-canada-we-bet-you-didnt-know 4) Lifebuzz staff, Sheyla (April 17, 2015) 41 Weird Facts That Prove Canada is A LOT More interesting than you previously thought, http://www.lifebuzz.com/canada/
standoutpublications.com
07
TRUE LOVE FROM CANADIANS
y a S o t e v a H What People !
A D A N A C T U ABO
We Adore Hearing About Your Love of Canada Here Are Some of Our Favorites
Canada is my home! We are such a diverse group of people learning to dance in an ever changing world. We are known to be warm, compassionate, caring and neighbourly. It is with honour and gratitude that I can say “I am Canadian”.
E
Nicole Provencher Pultz, Illinois
H
Cheryl Karen , California
EH ?E H?
EH ?
EH
?
My favourite thing about Canada, its diversity - whether it be people, landscape, culture religion, opinion... we are an amazing country of beauty and diversity. #proudtobeCanadian #proudCanadian — Bree MacDonald, Alberta
Being a Canadian is one of the privileges in my life. We are free to love whomever we choose, ? H we are free to be who ever we? E H Ethe choose to be. Also, I love ? H E beauty of our country. PROUD ? H E ? H E TO BE CANADIAN — Jo-anne Lykouris, H? Alberta
H? E
08
E ? H
standoutpublications.com
?E
EH
What I love about Canada is the unspoken safety I feel when I’m there.E H? E People care for each other H? then more in Canada E ? world. — other parts of the H E
H?
“Having lived in the States for over a year, I feel like I have a better perspective on this now. I’m most proud of our can do spirit. Canadians are always positive and willing to try, no matter the circumstances.”— Chelsea
H
— Brenda Erlandson, Alberta
H? E ?
H E ? H E
H E ?
I think my favourite aspects of living in Canada are the liberties we enjoy. Canada has a relatively free population, able to express a wide range of views and travel freely. — Jesse Smith, Nova Scotia
H E ? EH ? H E ? H H? E
E ? Our reputationEH in the world is very positive and it always feels great to say I’m Canadian. ?
H? EH ?E
H? EH ?
EH
Having taught in a developing country, I see how fortunate we are it in terms of having confidence that whichever public school you attend you will come out with a quality education. I see where our tax dollars go and the incredible infrastructure we take for granted. The role of women is also a strength of our country. I’m living in a country where the acceptance of women in leadership is tolerated but not celebrated or fully accepted. I’m looking forward to coming home to enjoy the 150 celebrations! — Tracy Ion-Sutherland, Belize
I love that Canada is such a vast country! From coast to coast there is so much to experience. From the beautiful ocean views, fishing clean lakes and rivers, mountain hiking ranges, the graceful prairies, the camping locations are endless, and most importantly the rich diversity of people that spice up life! — Kc Hutchins, Alberta
My favourite thing about Canada is the vastness of landscapes. It is amazing to see the open prairies and canola fields, then the coulees and desertscape of Drumheller and the rolling mountains and hills in the Rockies and British Columbia. — Yvette Putter, Alberta
My favourite part is being able to raise my daughter in a peaceful country and a place that she can see the open land, the mountains, and the ocean! — Alex Riley, Alberta
After living out of Canada for 6 years and travelling many places, I’m proud to be a part of such a vast landscape, a beautiful country with something for everyone! Canadians are very polite and trust in the good of people! We are truly a country like no other!— Victoria Kreutz , Alberta
, o x standoutpublications.com
09
#WINNER OF CANADIANS WHO STANDOUT
Martin Parnell
A STANDOUT CANADIAN An Inspiring Story
R
ecently Canada celebrated its 150th birthday. Canada is a young nation full of beauty, brains and acceptance, and so in order to ring in 150 years StandOUT asked Canadians from east to west, north to south, all across our great nation, to submit stories on what makes them uniquely Canadian. We received some incredible stories from across the country detailing the heart and soul of what it means to be from the “True, North, Strong and Free”, and while we wish we could highlight all of the incredible stories we’ve read over the past couple of months, we could only choose one winner; Martin Parnell. In keeping with the theme of all things Canadian, along with hockey, maple syrup and poutine, one would surely bring to mind, multiculturalism, kindness and acceptance (to name a few). Our winner encompasses the true values of being a StandOUT Canadian in all aspects of his life. Parnell’s story starts back in 2002, at the age of 47. He received a call from his brother challenging him to participate together in a marathon. While he had no prior experience running, Parnell took up the challenge, along with his other brother who flew from England to also complete the race. What started as a good old fashioned sibling rivalry manifested into something much bigger and life altering for Parnell. Not only did he get into shape, he also found his true passion, running. Along with this passion came a calling to help others in need (a true Canadian value, wouldn’t you say!).
10
standoutpublications.com
Running has taken Parnell around the world, including Boston - home of the world renowned Boston Marathon. In 2005 he signed up for a cycling tour, from Cairo to South Africa. It was during this trip that he began to formulate a plan that incorporated his passion for running and his need to give back to those in vulnerable circumstances. “In 2005 I cycled in Africa, from Cairo to Cape Town. Along the way I played sports with the children and realised the power of sport to change lives”, remembers Parnell. It doesn’t matter age, gender, culture or religion, the power of sport brings people together. His experience in South Africa stayed with him long after he left the country, however he wasn’t sure what to do with the knowledge he’d gained. That was until a friend introduced him to the organization Right to Play in February 2009. Right to Play uses sport and play based programs to teach kids life skills such as leadership, team building and conflict resolution. It was during the introduction to this organization that he realized he now knew how he could help others. From there Parnell, created a couple of initiatives, first being Marathon 250. He vowed to run 250 marathons in a year, and second, an initiative called Quest for Kids, which used the same principles as Right to Play. In 2010 to 2014 Martin undertook his Quests for Kids initiative, to complete 10 Quests in 5 years, to raise $1 million for Right to Play, and to help 20,000 individual people. During his journey Parnell realised that people rally around and support an idea if it sparks something inside of them - at the end of 2014 he had raised $1.3 million and helped over 27,000 people. When asked what stands out most about himself he says, “probably my enthusiasm. I love to help people achieve their potential. In 2010 when I ran 250 marathons my favourite days were Thursdays when I’d run a marathon at one of the local schools. I’d go in for morning assembly and talk to the kids about Right to Play. Then I’d go outside and run 100 times around a school building or the soccer field. Round and around.
“Canadians want to make a difference. They believe in helping others who are less fortunate.
”
“The kids would come out and join me for the first couple of loops. Then they’d wave goodbye and head to classes. I’d keep going and they’d wave to me from inside. At lunch time they would come out for two more loops. As we ran they’d feed me lunch. They’d give me apples, carrots and snickers bars. I was like a running Guinea pig, sort of a pet for a day. Then they’d go in for afternoon classes. I’d keep going and at end of the day, after six hours of running, the kids would join me for the last two loops and we’d finish the marathon together and have high fives. “But what really blew me away, was when they came up to me and gave me their pocket money for the ‘other’ kids. They understood how lucky they were with their school, homes and toys and then I shared with them that some children don’t get the chance to play. These children might have to spend six hours a day fetching water from a tap in a village or live in refugee camps where it’s too dangerous to go off and play. I could have had the worst week of running marathons but my spirits soared every Thursday after running at a school. In total I ran at 60 schools with over 12,000 students from kindergarten to Grade 12.” standoutpublications.com
11
With all of the success Parnell has gained from his experiences, he’s learned the key in life is that people can absolutely achieve more than they think they can, they just need to step outside of their comfort zones. As a professional speaker and author, Parnell wants to share his message that individuals can develop a “finish the race attitude”, set goals, and overcome obstacles to achieve their full potential. This, in turn, allows individuals to take control of their lives and to make a difference in the lives of others. Parnell wants people to be able to relate to his journey. Taking on challenges late in life, dealing with personal tragedy, overcoming a life threatening stroke, and making a difference. “In life what counts is not whether you are successful, it’s whether you are significant”, says Parnell.
Having asked what one of Parnell’s favourite achievements was, he responded with a story about working with the Morley First Nations. I have spoken at a number of conferences and conventions over the years but I think one of the highlights has been facilitating my workshop for groups of Indigenous men and women living in Morley, Alberta. The objective is to have these individuals enter the workforce with the Banff Accommodation Association. Working with them to establish their goals, identify obstacles to overcome, and developing a plan for the future has been extremely fulfilling”. When not speaking at conferences, giving work shops or high fiving children at Alberta’s local schools, Parnell spends his time with his wife, Sue and their three grandchildren, aiming to be “the coolest granddad ever”!
He successfully ran 250 marathons in 1 year and raised $320,000 for the humanitarian organization Right to Play. He was then asked to talk about his experience and the concept of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. He now travels the world giving keynotes on Ordinary to Extraordinary – One Step at a Time and recently gave a TED talk on Life is a Relay. Additionally, he has given workshops on Unlocking Your Potential.
Thank you Martin Parnell, not only are you one cool granddad, you’re one StandOUT Canadian, who truly encompasses the positive Canadian values that our nation’s citizens are so very proud of! — Toran Lanthier
“I have two books published by Rocky Mountain Books, Marathon Quest and Running to the Edge. My final book of the Marathon Trilogy, The Secret Marathon, about running a marathon in Afghanistan, will be published in September 2018”.
WEBSITE: MARTINPARNELL.COM FACEBOOK: /MARATHONQUEST250 TWITTER: @MARTINJPARNELL LINKEDIN: /MARTINPARNELL
12
standoutpublications.com
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MARTIN PARNELL AND HIS WORK, BE SURE TO VISIT HIS SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
RUNNER UP CANADIANS
THAT’S NOT ALL...
We included the 2nd and 3rd #canadiansthatstandout too
MAKENNA ROSE
Makenna is a little warrior. Right from birth, we suspected something was wrong. She was sick and we did not know how to express to the doctor the issues we were seeing and it didn’t make any sense. How did the symptoms fit together; they were completely separate issues – digestive and respiratory. We soon learned the symptoms DID go hand in hand and they were caused from a disease called Cystic Fibrosis. We had no idea what that meant. In our best efforts to research this disease, our baby was now fighting, we found out this meant our child would live a short life filled with illness and pain. CF is a hereditary disease which mainly affects the respiratory and digestive systems by producing thick mucous which cannot clear from the body without aggressive physiotherapy every day and medication to aid in infection control and digestion. There is so much more to CF then I can even begin to explain as well as so many issues that can arise because of the CF like liver disease, diabetes, lung failure, liver failure, pancreatic insufficiency, malabsorption and so much more. In order to grasp this idea, you need to understand a day in the life of this amazing strong little girl we call Makenna Rose.
JOHN WOOD
My name is John Wood. I am 28 years old. I was born and raised a half Persian, quarter Ukrainian and quarter Russian in Iran until I was 14 years of age. I have two siblings and I am currently living in Calgary.
Just seven years into her life and she has already experienced more then many will their whole life. She has had surgeries, experienced trial and error with many medications battles with asthma and sleep apnea, liver and pancreatic issues on top of her already challenging lung disease. She spends more time doing physiotherapy and breathing treatments then she gets to play and has mastered the task of sinus rinses since 3.5 years old. She takes upwards of 30 pills per day just to maintain her weight, health and survival. This remarkable little girl lives this uncomfortable life without complaining. She has had to learn responsibility and accountability at an early age and has to carry the burden of her disease even when she wants to be with friends and family, but she does it with grace and pride.
I was born in a family where my father was a Muslim and mother was a Christian in the Islamic republic of Iran, where any other religions, except Islam are persecuted. I accepted Christ when I was a young boy, which led to intense amounts of pressure from the government and my own father. My father could not tolerate my mother practicing Christianity after the revolution, but she never gave up and taught us how important it was to the Resistance. We had to escape Iran and headed to India, as things grew horrendous in 2003. My Dad tried to kill my Mom three times in front of us kids. The Iran government came to know about my Dad having a Christian wife and started putting pressure on him to either turn her and us into Muslims or to get rid of us. On December 23, 2003, we bribed multiple people in authority and we escaped Iran, to India and stayed there first. Our only option was to bribe the people (no other choice) in government. We were then supported by the United Nations as refugees for seven difficult years. I almost died in 2010. A vein tore off in my right ankle and it kept bleeding internally until my foot turned into a balloon. We did not have money for the operation (barely had money to eat foot) as we were hiding at Seventh Day Adventist Church at this time, until our documents would got approved and accepted by the hosting countries. At this time, doctors put me on a heavy antibiotic, which stopped me from inhaling properly. The lack of oxygen brought delusions and extreme fatigue. I tried my best to survive but in July 2010, I said goodbye to my mom and sister because I knew that was it, I was dying. I even felt a pulling when I closed my eyes. However, I believe God heard my Mom’s prayers, and I survived. I am currently a security guard, seven years after our escape for peace.
One of the things that help Makenna cope are her Beads of Courage. Her beads provide a visual memory for everything she experiences throughout her journey. The beads are for everything including doctor’s visits, lab work, new or changing medications, therapies, emergency room visits and admissions. Every pin prick and visit is documented. These beads are Makenna’s pride and joy and they remind her daily that she can make it through anything.
During the years of living as a refugee, moving city to city to seek shelter and going through things no kid should go through, I never lost hope in a healthy life style for myself. I have never drank alcohol, smoked or did drugs. Most people end up committing suicide when there’s no food for days or even clean water, however, I had my mindset to avoid any useless substances at all times. > story to be continued on the blog post (BLOGSPHERE). standoutpublications.com
13
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
SINSPIRE tories THAT
Searching for amazing Canadians and their stories was a great way to celebrate Canada’s 150th.
W
E LOVE TO DISCOVER CANADIANS who standout. We scoured social media, events, news stories and our contact lists to find these amazing Canadians. Since we started our 150 #canadianswhostandout project, we have read so many inspirational stories and feel privileged to have so many people with extraordinary stories and feel privileged to have so many people opening their lives to us. We publish REAL Canadians - ordinary people with extraorindary stories - so head to our BLOGSPHERE tab on our website (standoutpublications.com) to read their whole story.
14
standoutpublications.com
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
15
standoutpublications.com
16
standoutpublications.com
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
17
standoutpublications.com
18
standoutpublications.com
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
19
standoutpublications.com
MENTIONS
LOURDES JUAN
MARIGOLD MIOC
Hi, I’m Lily Ahonen and I would like to nominate my daughter, Marigold Mioc. She is seven years old (eight on May 11th, 2017). She started a small business, making flower headbands at age 5, selling them mainly at markets. She had saved quite a lot of money and we planned a trip to Paris. After the terror attacks, her father wouldn’t allow her to travel and I had to explain about what was happening in the world and we began speaking about the war in Syria. She then asked if she could use her money to help someone from Syria instead. After some research, we decided to sponsor a family as a Group of 5. She is always willing to help and always puts others ahead of herself. She is grateful for what she has and shows compassion for others. I am very proud of her big heart. This summer she will be at a market selling headbands with all proceeds going towards helping a young girl raise money for a surgery.
TOM EDWARDS
TOM OWNS A DOG RESCUE CHARITY IN YYC
CANADIANS WHO STAND OUT - SPECIAL EDITION
Honourable
Lourdes Juan is an Urban Planner and Calgary based entrepreneur. She is an alumna of the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of General Studies and a Masters in Environmental Design. She shares her time as the Director of Hive Developments, Soma Hammam and Spa, and doing community work with non-profits she founded, the Leftovers Foundation and Moonlight Market Foundation. She is on the Board of Directors with the Downtown Association, Hong Kong Canada Business Association, and Calgary Homeless Foundation, a mentor for Futurepreneur Canada, an advisor for the United Way of Calgary, and an advisor with the Haskayne School of Business. Lourdes also sits on the Calgary Planning Commission, an approving authority for development in Calgary. Her work and career accomplishments have been awarded her as one of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 in 2013, a cover feature in Business in Calgary Magazine, and she continues to be involved with community work and give back to her professions.
NGELE EKWALANGA
ONE OF THE FIRST BLACK WESTERN CANADIANS TO SHOW OFF HER CURLY LOCKS IN A NATURAL FORM
Read their full stories on the BLOGSPHERE tab on our website!
CASSANDRA HILL
SPENDS HER DAYS TEACHING VULNERABLY CHALLENGED CHILDEN
STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS | STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS.COM | SUMMER 2017 SPECIAL EDITION ISSUE
HAPPY CANADA 150th BIRTHDAY CANADA! 150 ISSUE STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS | STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS.COM | SPRING NO. 2 2017 ISSUE
# C A N A D I A N S W H O S TA N D O U T N O M I N AT I O N S | S T O R I E S & S H O U T O U T S