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

Read More →

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.

Read More →

Let us help! Recreation Services offers a number of fitness classes tailored to meet your diverse fitness desires. All fitness classes start the week of January 14th. The deadline to register is January 11th.

Fitness Class Schedule:

• Monday Ki Aikido (12:05-12:50pm)
• Monday Iyvengar Yoga (4:15-5:45pm)
• Monday Cardio Complete (4:15-5:00pm)
• Tuesday Spin (11:05-11:50am)
• Tuesday Dynamic Core (12:05-12:50pm)
• Wednesday Total Body Workout (4:15-5:00pm)
• Thursday Spin (11:05-11:50pm)
• Thursday Dynamic Core (12:05-12:50pm)
• Thursday Iyvengar Yoga (4:15-5:45pm)
• Friday Zumba (12:05-12:50pm)

Fitness Class Costs:

• Iyvengar Yoga is $90 for 10 sessions.
• All other classes are $65 for 10 sessions.

Multiple Class Discount:

• 2 classes receives $20 off!
• 3 classes receives $30 off!
• 4 or more classes receives $40 off!

Click here to visit the Athletics and Recreation website for more detailed information, dates, times and the registration form. Registration forms are also available at the Student Service Centre. All fitness class information and forms can also be found at the North Gym front desk. The deadline to register is January 11th.

Since opening the doors in January 2012 the RRC Wellness blog has amassed just over 2,000 unique visits resulting in over 10,000 page views. Wow!

The blog has been built from the contributions of 20 staff members, 2 students, and of course many readers.  We especially appreciate those readers who have taken the time to comment and compliment the authors on their posts, as it helps inspire them to keep sharing their thoughts, words, and pictures with you.

Since it’s the end of the year and the time for lists, here is a countdown of the Top 10 Wellness Blogs of the year (with a few others that didn’t make the Top 10 sprinkled in for good measure).

#10 – My Feet are Killing Me! – Stephanie Ruth Fraser’s post on plantar fasciitis comes in at the number ten spot, detailing signs of this condition and some suggested steps you might take if you are having troubles with your feet. Congratulations to Stephanie for her recent appointment as Assistant to our new VP Academic Stan Chung.

#9 –  A French Wellness Lesson – Guy Dugas, the outgoing (not to mention retiring) Chair of Accounting and Computer Education was one of the Wellness blogs most prolific and popular writers.  As you’ll see below, Guy appears several times in the top 10.  This particular post was an amusing, enlightening, and taste-bud tantalizing account of his vacation in France.  Caution – reading this post will make you hungry and thirsty.

#8 – Best Race/Worst Race – the post compiles vintage races from James Slade, Derek Kochenash, Judy McMullen, Mike Krywy, Guy Dugas, and Nancy Ball.  The best and worst moments are equally inspiring, touching, painful, and occasionally hilarious (see comment section). This post was used to help promote the Red River Fun Run an event inspired by Colin Fast (College Relations) and organized by the Run Club, the Wellness Committee, and the RRC Students’ Association.

#7 – Appreciating Nature – Mike Krywy comes in at Lucky #7 for his photographic reminiscence of the passage of summer.  His similar posts like Summer Ghosts and the Colors that Paint a Butterfly’s Wing failed the crack the top 10, but clearly struck a chord with other nature lovers at RRC. Incidentally, number seven is the first number he ever wore in hockey (another favorite topic of his).

#6 – Q+A with President Stephanie Forsyth – Part 1 and Part 2. Back in the spring RRC’s President Stephanie Forsyth took some time to share her thoughts on what it takes to build a wellness culture on campus, her own strategy for “being well”, and how wellness activities also include working with and within the community. Stephanie is a strong supporter of the College’s Wellness Committee serving as a judge for the third annual Chili Cup – which this year was won by Nursing instructors Tom Harrigan and Jackie Santiago.

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As I was doing my daily scan of news, interesting tidbits etc…I came across this interesting question. I am sad to say I was not nearly as creative as the gentlemen who answered below. Keeping our minds actively engaged is just as important as honing our physical selves, so how would you answer this question. Don’t jump ahead or you will ruin it.

What would you do?

You are driving down the road in your car on a wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

2. An old friend who once saved your life.

3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car? Think before you continue reading. Read More →

No NHL hockey yet, but there’s still plenty of hockey being played on rinks throughout the province.  I passed by an outdoor rink in Oakbank on the weekend, and it was filled with kids and teens shooting the puck around. Nice to see.

This weeks’ hockey tip is on mastering the saucer pass. A saucer pass is a great technique for lifting the puck a few inches off the ice and dropping it onto your linemates’ stick.  It’s a lot like throwing a frisbee where you move the puck from the heel of the stick to the toe – creating a spinning saucer motion in the process.  I only began practicing this technique last year, as I got tired of having my passes around the net getting picked off because they were on the ice, or having my passes go into the rafters when trying to raise the puck a few inches. With a little bit of practice, I actually found the technique relatively easy to get the basics under my belt (which makes me wonder why I waited 3 decades to begin pacticing it ????). It takes a lot more practice and confidence to develop proficiency for using it is a game, but having an understanding and feel for the fundamentals is a good starting point.

Jeremy from HowToHockey.com has put up this tutorial – you can see his full range of videos here.  I like the way he mechanically breaks down the techniques – they’re usually among the best “how to” videos on Youtube.

The added benefit of learning the saucer pass technique is that it helps teach you to develop more “touch” when handling the puck. The technique relies on good simple mechanics, not strength and power.

Here’s one final video with Patrick Kane demonstating his skills (in case you’re missing the real NHL these days).

It is that time of year again when many of us start to think about our New Year’s Resolutions and what we can do to improve our relationships and well-being going forward.  Some are thinking about nutrition, others weight management, while others may be thinking about exercise, spirit, finances, work, retirement, addictions, and enhancing family relationships.  Our list is ever changing!  I think by now, those of us “seasoned” New Year Resolutioners have come to realize that relying on an annual New Year’s Resolution is folly and somewhat demoralizing at best.

I know firsthand that when making simple and sustainable reality based life style changes, self-education is the first step to long term changes.  Simply attending a workshop on “Emotional Intelligence” and “Personalities” created “life changing” realities for me. The truth is that no one is as responsible for our reality but us and decisions we make; no matter how difficult some of these decisions may be.  We also may decide to do nothing, but that is certainly still a decision which may or may not come back to haunt us in the coming months or years.

What is important for me is the awareness and understanding of the potential impacts such decisions have on my well-being going forward.  Too often, many decisions are made without enough support, information or education.  This is where our RRC Wellness Program supports can provide a light in the tunnel.  Your Wellness Committee is actively identifying and promoting wellness related activities, events, education and services, and also planning for many more to come.

The good news is that the decision is ours! Consider checking out what our Wellness Program has to offer:

• read the Wellness Blogs, or better yet, submit your own post
• utilize the Health Services (ie: site info, immunizations etc)  and fitness facilities
• check out our Wellness Portal (great links packed with info), RRC Library and guides (e.g. Retirement)
• attend events and Lunch and Learn presentations to keep you on your wellness path!

Remember, baby steps are most often the way to giant leaps.  Can’t get any easier than this – check out my previous YouTube video blog on “Better Health in 30 Minutes”.

 “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” (Maria Robinson)