“there is a barber showing photographs
Of every head he’s had the pleasure to have known“
                                                                Lennon-McCartney

Turn on your audio before you click play to hear Allison Crowe’s cover of In My Life, and see if you are one of the many heads that have given me pleasure over the years.

I don’t listen to the Beatles that much anymore, but I stumbled upon Penny Lane in my iTunes library while going through photos of some of my RRC connections over the years. What could be more appropriate? And what could be more freaky than hearing Penny Lane again in SuperStore the very next day? 20 years without hearing a song and then it pops up twice in 24 hours? Clearly a sign. So I went back to my pictures and started counting. 100 faces I could put a name to, never mind all the mugs with no handles! I was amazed. Read More →

The LGBTT* Initiative at Red River College is now accepting nominations to fill the eight positions on its established LGBTT* Initiative Steering Committee for the period of July 2013 to June 2015.

The LGBTT* Initiative at Red River College fosters the development of a safe environment on our campuses so everyone has the chance to work, learn and access services in an inclusive and welcoming manner. The LGBTT* Initiative provides educational opportunities and resources to build communication, understanding and respect for diversity throughout the College. This is an initiative for all Red River College students, staff and faculty.

The purpose of the Steering Committee is to provide input and guidance on activities for the LGBTT* Initiative. Members will participate by sharing information regarding emerging needs and issues across the College campuses, and considering strategic enhancements that could further the LGBTT* Initiative educational impact at Red River College.

A diverse representation at the Steering Committee guarantees the access to a varied of views according to different campuses, professional areas, roles at the College, etc.

Responsibilities:

• Attend regularly scheduled in-person meetings (generally every 2 months).
• Give feedback on policy, direction, and strategic planning of the LGBTT* Initiative.
• Strategize effective ways to increase the LGBTT* Initiative visibility, organizational outreach and educational impact within Red River College.
• Liaise the LGBTT* Initiative with external organizations and community representatives.

Requirements:

• Steering Committee members must be Red River College faculty members, administrative staff, students and/or graduates.
• Steering Committee members must be LGBTT* Allies (screening of a DVD recording of an Ally Training is available).
• Willingness to support and advocate for LGBTT* individuals, and for the LGBTT* Initiative within Red River College and in the community at large.

If you are interested in nominating an individual or yourself for the committee, please provide:

• One page statement of interest from the nominee, including description of role and involvement at Red River College and in the community.
• Nominations must be submitted by Friday, April 5 at 3:00 pm to nsobel@rrc.ca.

For more information or any questions, please contact Nora Sobel, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator at nsobel@rrc.ca or 204.632.2404.

The next Ally Trainings at Red River College are confirmed for Friday, May 10 (The Roblin Centre) and Monday, May 13 (Notre Dame Campus).

If you are staff or faculty and you are interested and available to attend one of these sessions, please visit https://hub.rrc.ca/facultydevelopment/default.aspx and register for the session you will attend.

If you are a student and you would like to register for one of the sessions, please e-mail to nsobel@rrc.ca, indicating which day you are interested on attending.

Deadline for registration is April 30.

The trainings are organized by the College LGBTT* Initiative that provides educational opportunities and resources to build communication, understanding and respect for diversity throughout the College.

The LGBTT* Initiative appreciates the ongoing support of the Ally Project provided by Rainbow Resource Centre.

When the Wellness blog debuted over a year ago, one of the first posts was a video collaboration between Doctor Mike Evans and filmmaker Nick de Pencier entitled 23 and a ½ hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health? touting the benefits of spending 30 minutes a day taking a walk. Since posting this excellent piece (initially shared by Lucille McLeod) I had forgotten about this wellness dynamic duo until last week, when I came to work and found a Globe and Mail article on my desk.  The article was dropped off by Ashley Blackman – who is a Wellness Nut and Director of Research and Planning – as he is often sending me Wellness-related articles that he finds.

As it turns out, Dr. Evans has continued this film making collaboration, and now has several other videos featured on his YouTube channel, including the ABCs of Diabetes, Concussions 101: a primer for kids and parents, the best was to treat acne, the single best thing you can do to quit smoking and the video below dealing with stress.

Aside from the interesting advice being provided, I am drawn in by the art of storytelling, which I think these two have aced. I doubt there are many people who can make Acne interesting, but somehow they do. Like all things medical, these videos aren’t necessarily the definitive word on the subject(s), but they provide a foundation for looking further and considering other advice and information.

February is Heart and Stroke Awareness Month, and the Wellness Committee is is once again promoting our Heart-Smart Potluck Challenge.  The Wellness Committee challenges our college community to host a Heart-Smart Pot Luck between February 11^th and February 22nd.  Get together with your colleagues or challenge another department  to a “Potluck Throw Down” to see who can make the tastiest Heart-Smart dish.

If you’re not sure what to make, head over to the Heart and Stroke Foundation website and browse their extensive set of Heart-Smart recipes. While there, you can also check out their 10 simple suggestions for healthy eating.

Here’s some Potluck tips + folklore

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The Red River Runners are (left to right) Margarita, Judy, Sara, Fatima and Hannah

Post submitted by James Slade, runnning enthusiast, ACCESS program instructor

The annual Great Grain Relay is on March 9 this year.  Red River College has been well represented over the past ten years or so and we have several medals to show for it!  This great March fundraiser is in support of Juvenile Diabetes Research, which is a great cause.  We’ll have great weather because it happens indoors at the Max Bell Track at the U of M!  Are you interested in forming a team of 5 runners, or joining in?

• Date: Saturday, March 9
• Time: 12:00 noon  – 2 pm
• Distance: 800m relay – after you do your 800, you hand off.  Once everyone on your team has gone, you are up again!
• Place: Max Bell track at the U of M  (free parking on Saturdays)
• Beer garden and lunch after: Beer garden?? Did someone say beer and lunch???
• Cost per team:  $150.00

If you’re interested, send an email to James Slade (jslade@rrc.ca) or Mike Krywy (mkrywy@rrc.ca).

I consider myself a child of the music video generation. I vividly remember staying up late every Friday to watch Friday Night Videos with Terry David Mulligan. I recall seeing the debut of Michael Jackson’s Thriller in a movie theatre in Lae, Papua New Guinea where my dad had taken the family on a year-long leave of absence from the Electrical Engineering Technology department to teach at the University of Technology in Lae. Aside from featuring some crazy dance movies and the Zombie storyline – that music video extended the limits of that genre into a whole other atmosphere.

In the roughly 30 years that has passed, music videos have dramatically evolved – losing the spotlight they once had on television (hello Youtube) and becoming ingrained into mainstream film and television where the boundaries are sometimes blurred.

This post looks at the art of musician M. Ward and animation director Joel Trussell. Neither is entirely a household name, though M. Ward gets a lot of love from CBC Music 2 (98.3 FM on the dial). In addition to his solo career, M. Ward is also in a band with Zooey Deschanel called She and Him (PS – if you’ve ever seen the movie Elf, Zooey plays the female lead) and another ensemble known as the Monsters of Folk.

The first song/video is Chinese Translation off his 2006 album Post War.  The song is a simple tale of a man seeking the answer to three eternal questions.  The second song – The First Time I Ran Away was done several year later off his new Wasteland Companion album.  I realize that everyone has different tastes when it comes to music and art, but I think these collaborations epitomize how music videos truly have become an art form unto itself.  Plus it makes me “well” enjoying a few minutes of it.

Chinese Translation

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DUE TO SCHEDULING ISSUES WITH THE TRAINER, THIS SESSION WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR THE SPRING

LGBTT* individuals often feel unwelcome and excluded, and they look for behaviours and signs that may indicate whether or not people will support and welcome them as LGBTT* individuals. The Ally Project seeks to create a safer, welcoming, and supportive environment for LGBTT* people by helping them to identify Allies who they can trust and with whom they can be open.

This 1-day session is for Red River College staff, faculty or students and will provide participants with knowledge and tools for potential Allies.

Date: Friday, February 22, 2013

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (coffee station and light lunch are provided)

Location: P107 The Roblin Centre (160 Princess Street)

Trainer: Bradley Christopher West, Healthy Sexuality Educator, Rainbow Resource Centre

If you would like to attend this Ally Training, please register online at https://hub.rrc.ca/facultydevelopment/default.aspx or by e-mail to nsobel@rrc.ca before February 12, 2013.

Red River College offers this Ally Training as part of the LGBTT* Initiative, coordinated by the Diversity and Immigrant Student Support department. This session is brought to you in partnership with RRC Faculty Development and thanks to the ongoing support of Rainbow Resource Centre.

For more information, please contact Nora Sobel, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator at 204.632.2404 or nsobel@rrc.ca.

While summer may seem a distant memory at the moment, Brenda Lesiuk (Accounts Payable, Lead Clerk) took some time to send along some photos that she took at her parents’ (aged 79 and 84) home in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba.   Brenda notes that her favorite pastime is sitting on a bench, talking to her parents and looking at the huge yard of flowers, shrubs and trees. Clearly it’s a beautiful place, with lots for the eyes to take in.

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Winkler Campus Manager, Keith Doerksen, recently took in a presentation by Louise Bradley, Nurse, Therapist, Researcher, Educator and Administrator President and CEO, Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) in her presentation of Mental Health in the Workplace, December 14, 2012. Below is an excerpted summary of some of the key ideas that were presented.

• 1 in 5 Canadians have a Mental Health Issue – this equates to 7 million people in Canada – which equates to a CRISIS as it impacts every sphere of society
• The cost per year for Canadians is $51 billion; if nothing is done to address Mental Health needs, the cost to Canadians will skyrocket to $198 billion in 30 years
• 10-25% of workplaces are “mentally injurious”
• Mental Health Issues are the leading cause for Short Term and Long Term Disability (including CPPD)
• On any given day, ½ million Canadians will be off work due to Mental Health Problems
• Stigma and Discrimination are the major reasons that parents do not seek help for their children who may be experiencing/displaying Mental Health issues
• Early detection + Early Treatment = Better Success with Treatment Outcomes
• Stigma and Discrimination are also why adults are reluctant to talk of their own issues with Mental Health or seek treatment. Many choose to go untreated rather than risk being labeled as unreliable, unproductive, and untrustworthy.

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