By late afternoon, we are soggy, sweaty and pleasantly tired. We’ve just served up the last donkey dinners, the buckets are brimming with clean water, and the sweet smell of fresh hay permeates the barn. I’m dying for a hot bath and a glass of Merlot, but before I go, I steal a few moments with Patsy.
Having suffered loss of vision due to a previous eye infection, Patsy still gets around with a little help from her seeing-eye donkey, Jonathon Cupcake. As Jonathon stands guard, I speak to Patsy gently and stroke the inside of her incredibly soft ears. She presses her head into my chest and nuzzles my jacket, my chin, my nose and I feel her warm breath seep deep into my heart. Forget slogging poop and getting grubby and all of the sore, aching muscles: In this moment, I learn what it means to be snuggled by a donkey, and it makes all the hard work so worthwhile!
—by Janette Slack, Cobourg, Ontario
Lessons Learned in Ethiopia
Teaching English was the main objective, but learning was a two-way street
In the summer of 2015, Debra Boos, Diane and Madeline Martel, my eldest daughter Kaila Keutzer and I were members of a Canadian teaching team that made the long journey to Ethiopia to teach English for a three-week period in the Karayu community of Dhebiti. There were 75 students in the “English Language Boot Camp” created by ANSO Collectives and Educational Support Society based in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and the Gudina Tumsa Foundation in Ethiopia.
From the moment we arrived in Ethiopia, we felt welcomed and cherished. We resided at the school site for the full three weeks, except for a few trips to Metehara, the local market, Awash Park and the sugar cane fields. The accommodations were very basic, with intermittent running water and sporadic electricity. The weather was extremely hot, with many days over 40°C. We only had cellphone service if we walked up the mountain behind the school. Internet access was nonexistent.
Our school day ran from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., then a break; classes resumed from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Our primary focus was teaching English, because at the high school level the students have to write national exams in English in all subject areas. If they are not successful, their academic career is over; for female students, this means the onset of marriage and child-rearing. Where we were, girls are married as young as 14 unless they go to school. Education is literally their way out of the poverty cycle in which they’ve grown up. If the students are successful, they will continue on to university. The government initially pays for their education, but the students have to reimburse the government once they have finished their degree.
The students have a very clear understanding of the value of education and the importance of learning English. They are amazingly dedicated and focused on their education. Not only were they committed to their education but they were also committed to pleasing us. They were kind and thoughtful. Not once did I carry my supplies to the classrooms; I could take only a couple of steps before one of the students would whisk in and take things out of my hands, saying, “I will help you, Brenda!” If we teachers and staff members went for a walk, in no time the students would fall into stride with us, asking, “Where you going? We come too!” Whenever we met up with the local people, the students seemed proud to introduce us and communicate for us. We would be invited into their humble homes. Their loving demeanour made us all feel like we were part of the community.
During break time at school, the students would gather around us, asking questions, wanting to learn more about Canada and our way of life. In the classroom, they were eager to learn. They would copy down everything, whether they were asked to or not. They yearned to share their answers with you. “All correct?” they would ask. They were eager to learn the language and were not afraid to laugh at themselves when they made a mistake. “That is a mosquito,” one student said, pointing to a church during one of our walks. “Do you mean a mosque?” I asked. “Oh yes, a mosque, a mosque, not a mosquito—buzzzzz!” Laughter ensued. We had so many charming moments like that—memories we will hold on to for the rest of our lives.
Although I have been teaching for 26 years, my experience in Ethiopia provided me with many teaching “firsts.” I have never had my students evacuate the classroom to dispense with a poisonous snake before! Nor have I ever had a goat wander in during the middle of a lesson before. I have never been so limited in resources—a cement classroom, desks and a dusty old chalkboard were all I had—yet so empowered by my ability to teach creatively and to have such a positive impact on my students’ learning. I have never developed such a strong bond with my students in such a short period of time. This bond, at times, could seem overwhelming. The last day was very difficult—students and staff alike were shedding tears and sharing many hugs.
The students prepared a performance for us on the final evening. The girls dressed in traditional clothing and sang a beautiful song, which roughly translated said: “If it was near to us, we would come and visit you again and again and again, but Canada is so far away. What shall I do? The pain is in saying goodbye.” We were all feeling that pain. These students have so little, and yet they gave so much. It was truly a humbling and life-enriching experience.
—by Brenda Keay, Coldstream, British Columbia
Racing for a Cure
Experience life in the fast lane and contribute to a great cause!
In 2012, we held the first Racing for a Cure event in Edmonton. The event brings together exotic car owners and enthusiasts who want to help give back to the community and the general public who want to help raise money for children’s charities. Since its humble beginnings—the first year with nine cars on the racetrack—Racing for a Cure has evolved into a world-class event attracting more than 60 exotic and super exotic cars and thousands of attendees each year.
To date, Racing for a Cure has raised more than $1 million for children’s causes. This amazing charity provides support and programs to children with cancer and their families in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Their mission is to identify and meet the needs of children with cancer and their families, from the time of diagnosis throughout treatment and beyond, right through to support, clinical programs and research.
Racing for a Cure offers the thrill-seeker a chance to ride shotgun in an exotic car on a closed race course with a trained driver at the wheel. These high-octane machines reach breathtaking speeds as they manoeuvre a 2.7-kilometre technical road course featuring high-speed chicanes, banked corners and full-out straights.
The inspiration for our event came from the desire for auto enthusiasts to give back to the community. A group of exotic car owners and friends came together to develop Racing for a Cure into an epic interaction between some of the most exclusive exotic automobiles on the planet and the heartwarming stories of the mighty kids living with life-threatening cancers.
This incredible event features some of the rarest Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Ford GT40s, Aston Martins, Porsches and McLarens from around the province of Alberta and elsewhere. In past seasons, we have featured one of the world’s fastest Ferraris—a custom pearl yellow Ferrari ZXX Evo, boasting 900 horsepower and a top speed of 400 kilometres an hour. This one-of-a-kind supercar, valued at $3.4 million, is in great company beside an equally stunning street-legal orange Maserati MC12 Corsa, worth $3 million. Several other very rare exotic cars have made dreams come true at Racing for a Cure, including a $1.6 million Rosso Corsa Ferrari F40 LM, a $2 million custom-ordered electric-blue McLaren P1 and a variety of modified and unique Lamborghini Aventadors. No wonder Racing for a Cure is now one of the premier gatherings of exotic cars in the world.
Exotic car owners/drivers are required to complete a full-day race certification at the track before taking willing passengers out for an adrenaline-pumping, heart-pounding thrill ride that they will remember for a lifetime.
Racing for a Cure starts the day by giving rides to the VIP children who have been affected by cancer and their families. For many of our drivers, this is the most rewarding and best part of their weekend experienc
e.
After the VIPs have had their thrills on the track, the event then opens to the public for the day. For a donation of $50, the public can experience a ride in an exotic car valued at $250,000 to $500,000. For a donation of $350, they can ride in a super exotic valued at $650,000 to $3.4 million.
Designed to be a family fun day, there’s excitement on and off the track. For the little ones, there is a kids’ zone with bouncy castles, balloon animals, face painters and magicians. Trackside has a Show and Shine, showcasing everything from custom vintage hot rods to modern exotics. Families are encouraged to come and spend the day enjoying the sights and sounds as the exotic cars tear up the track.
The day wraps up with an incredible gala event, featuring dinner, live and silent auctions, and great entertainment. Some of our live auction items in previous years have included a trip for two on a private jet to the famous Barrett Jackson car auction, and also a trip for four to the 100th running of the Indy 500 in Indianapolis as VIPs with team Schmidt Peterson, which fetched an astonishing $70,000.
Fortunate to have found a measure of success as the owner and designer of Venus Eye Design, I have been privileged to spearhead the event in recent years and have been involved with Racing for a Cure since day one. It takes many corporate sponsors and dedicated volunteers to put this event together. Each year everyone works hard to ensure that a great time will be had by all and, more importantly, many courageous kids with cancer will receive tremendous support.
—by Mike Christiansen, Edmonton, Alberta
Turning Dining Out Into Helping Out
Two young Canadians create an easy way to give back
Growing up, my cousin Andrew Hall and I never liked to eat our vegetables—especially Brussels sprouts! It was Thanksgiving 1996 and we were eight years old. We had, of course, eaten our turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. All that was left were the Brussels sprouts, and we each had a pile of them.
“Eat your food! Starving kids in Africa would love to have it,” Nan would say as we pushed our food around our plates. Being eight years old, we thought of a plan that would help the kids and get us out of eating our veggies: We would put the extra food in an envelope and mail it over to Africa to help kids there. To our dismay, Nan wasn’t impressed and, as you can imagine, the night ended with us finishing our vegetables.
A lot older and marginally wiser, Andrew and I now see why our plan of mailing extra food from Canada to Africa won’t work, but that hasn’t stopped us from trying to solve the issue of hunger!
In 2013, we started Mealshare, a nonprofit that partners with restaurants to provide meals to people in need, both locally and abroad. Here’s how it works. At our partner restaurants, our logo is placed next to some of their menu items. When one of the “Mealshare items” is ordered, the customer gets their meal as usual, but a meal is also provided to someone in need—it’s a “buy one, give one” model!
Restaurants pay a portion of their proceeds from each Mealshare item sold to our nonprofit, which allows us to donate funds to a partner charity that will provide a meal. Mealshare works with local and international charities, ensuring support raised through Mealshare helps Canadians, as well as people in developing countries where hunger is often a major issue.
We began Mealshare with four restaurants and have been excited to see it grow. We now have 65 partner restaurants across Western Canada and customers have shared more than 60,000 meals through Mealshare. In the near future, we hope to have 100 partner restaurants across all of Canada.
Restaurants appreciate Mealshare because it’s so easy for them to participate. One restaurant owner from British Columbia said, “From our perspective, it’s kind of a no-brainer. It’s a feel-good thing and, for the people dining, it means they are giving back as well. What the heck; everyone wants to feel good and to help people out.”
Andrew and I have been so excited to see how much support there is for Mealshare. We find that almost everyone wants to share with those less fortunate, but so often life can be too busy to find the time. Mealshare helps with that, because it doesn’t take any extra effort on the part of the customer. They just find a partner restaurant and enjoy a meal with their family or friends. At the end of the day, if Mealshare makes it a bit easier for Canadians to share with those in need, we think we’ve done our job—and no international shipping of Brussels sprouts required!
—by Jeremy Bryant, Edmonton, Alberta
Generosity in Motion
A community pitches in to keep its historic movie theatre alive
In 1917, the Rumford family of Forest, Ontario, bought a building in the centre of downtown Forest and began showing motion pictures. They operated the Kineto Theatre for 60 years, until they sold it to the Kiwanis Club of Forest.
My first time at the Forest Kineto Theatre—more than 50 years ago—was as a wide-eyed youngster watching Black Beauty with my big sister. My friends and I watched our fair share of movies there during our formative years. In case you’re wondering, “Kineto” is short for “Kinetoscope,” which was the early type of projection system used.
I recall when the Kiwanis Club of Forest bought the Kineto from the Rumford family; my wife and I went to see Coal Miner’s Daughter. It was packed, and we had to sit in different rows, but the Kiwanis did their best to keep us close. Since the Kiwanis Club took over the Kineto in 1977, new seats have been installed twice, and the heating and air-conditioning systems have been upgraded.
In 1985, I joined the Kiwanis and have been active in promoting the Kiwanis’ Kineto Theatre ever since. At that point, the Kineto still had 1940s-era carbon arc projectors. Movies arrived on 20-minute reels and were very flammable. Once a movie started, the licensed projectionist could not leave the projection booth. The club was struggling with a heavy mortgage back then, and individual members signed bank notes to keep the theatre going. We saw the potential of property ownership and held on until we were able to do away with the mortgage, thanks to financial assistance from the community via raffles and donations. What a relief that was to the club! From there, we’ve never looked back.
When a theatre in nearby Sarnia closed its doors, we jumped at the chance to purchase their xenon lamphouses. Instead of using both, we kept one for parts and installed a system so that when movies arrived, they were spliced onto one large reel that operated much like an eight-track. Next was the installation of a Dolby 5.1 surround sound system, courtesy of volunteers with electrical and technical skills.
In September 2011, our movie booking manager came to us with some sobering news: 35-mm prints were becoming hard to acquire because of the introduction of digital equipment. Well, obstacles like this had never stopped the club or the community before. So, we began a campaign that November and soon had local service, social, sports and fraternal groups donating four-figure dollar amounts. Many local residents donated large sums as well. Thanks to all the support from many people in the town and surrounding area, large and small anonymous donations, grants from the Forest Community Foundation and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Kiwanis Kineto Theatre was able to present its first digital movie in April 2012.
The Kiwanis Club of Forest threw a gala evening to honour significant contributors, and an open house was held where every member of the community was thanked for their help.
The theatre now has a new, up-to-date marquee, and we have also installed a chair lift, courtesy of a long-time member, to allow access to our basement meeting room—a room dug out and constructed by the club members. During all these upgrades, we have tried to maintain the historical aspects of the building along with its movie heritage, which is proudly displayed in our second-floor Kineto Museum.
In recent years, we have partnered with other local organizations to offer a number of community-oriented festivals, including the Lambton Film & Food Festival, held annually in downtown Forest on the last weekend in May, plus the Forest Film Festival, held during the fall and winter months, and the fall Forest Concert Series. Th
ese have met with great success.
In addition to the ongoing operation of the Kiwanis Kineto Theatre four nights a week, our 40-member club also sponsors an annual Santa Claus parade, a bike safety rodeo, a community kite festival, a babysitting course for teens, scholarship and citizenship awards in local schools, and a birthday greetings program for Forest’s seniors, in which local seniors receive either a birthday cake or theatre passes. Pancake breakfasts, bingos and other fundraisers help us provide these services to the community.
—by Ward Burr, Forest, Ontario
Give Me Shelter
One community member makes a noticeable difference
Community mailboxes are springing up all over Canada as door-to-door mail delivery goes the way of milk delivery. But it seems that once they are set up, nobody takes care of them. Some are vandalized, and others quickly become covered in dust and mud. While they are often a focal point for neighbourhoods, people seldom linger —especially when the weather is poor.
“I thought the mailboxes were neglected,” says John Mosiuk, a semi-retired resident of Cedar-by-the-Sea, a community just south of Nanaimo, British Columbia. “So I decided to do something about it.” John drew up plans for a shelter that would cover not only the mailboxes but also provide a cover for the community newspaper boxes, as well as provide a bulletin board for neighbourhood announcements. Canada Post was then contacted for permission to build the structure.
As every project needs funding, the neighbourhood’s Block Watch captain, George Creek, contacted the 39 households that use the boxes to show them the plan and ask for support. Thirty-seven households agreed to donate $20 to the project’s material costs. Wood was purchased from a nearby cedar mill. Other materials were donated by neighbours, and local building supply stores donated supplies or provided them at a discount.
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