Local author Ron Blicq, a member of Red River College’s Heritage Group, has an early Christmas present for local audiences.

While the rest of the country will have to wait until 2013 to read his latest release, The Spirit of Giving: Seven Contemporary Christmas Tales, local fans can get their hands on the book in time for the holidays, thanks to an advance agreement with an Altona printer.

The book will launch on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at McNally Robinson Booksellers Grant Park. Targeting readers of all ages, The Spirit of Giving tells of those who have given of themselves to ensure that others have a meaningful Christmas.

A former RRC instructor, Blicq has written three novels, six books on writing, and a number of plays that have been presented at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and in the U.K. His 2008 play Closure took top honours in the Samuel French Canadian Playwrights Competition.

Blicq’s book launch gets underway at 7 p.m. Click here for more information.

RRC President Stephanie Forsyth (far right), with Grade 7 to 9 students from Lake St. Martin First Nation.

When overland flooding forced them to be evacuated from their homes, residents of Lake St. Martin First Nation figured it would be a few months at most before they were allowed to return.

But after spending a year and a half living in temporary housing in Winnipeg — and with much of their community still under water — those same residents are wondering if they’ll ever return to their community again.

The 18-month ordeal has been particularly tough on the teens and children who were displaced when Lake St. Martin flooded in May 2011. That’s why Red River College stepped forward to send 12 of those students and two teachers to We Day — a global “youth empowerment” event that has since inspired the teens to become agents of social change for their own community.

“Too frequently we hear of children and individuals losing hope, or who feel powerless, and we have seen this with some of the evacuees of Lake St. Martin,” says RRC President Stephanie Forsyth.

“I wanted to reach out to the youth of this community — to afford them the opportunity to hear We Day’s very powerful message of hope, and the role they might play in bringing about change.” Read More →

Congratulations to Red River College student and Navy reservist Diego Mendoza, the latest member of the RRC family to receive a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Mendoza (shown at left), a student in RRC’s Chemical and Biosciences Technology Co-op program, was recognized for his outstanding contributions to Canada while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy. He received his award at a ceremony at HMCS Chippawa on Oct. 9, 2012.

Earlier this year, QEII Diamond Jubilee Medals were also awarded to former RRC Dean Dave Williamson, and current program coordinator Dwayne Forsman.

“There is no doubt that Red River College continues to be a place where great people gather and contribute to the community,” says Mendoza.

Click here for more information on RRC’s Chemical and Biosciences Technology Co-op program.

Photo: Canstar Community News

It’s got a longstanding reputation as a haven for hippies. But there’s a lot more to Wolseley than Birkenstocks and love beads.

That’s what Red River College student Laina Hughes has learned while researching a book about the storied neighbourhood — which she’s writing as part of her Creative Communications course work. She hopes to paint a picture of the neighbourhood that goes beyond the usual stereotypes (granola, cyclists, mosquito buffer zones, etc.), while positioning it within the larger context of Winnipeg’s cultural mosaic.

A longtime Wolseley resident herself, Hughes has always wanted to write a book, so when the opportunity to research her favourite neighbourhood arose, she knew the subject matter would prove a perfect fit.

“I thought this would be a great way to learn more about Wolseley’s history while celebrating the beauty and unique culture of the neighbourhood,” says Hughes.

“I think Wolseley residents are passionate about their neighbourhood, and I’ve gotten a lot of interest and support from the community so far.”

If you’ve got a story about Wolseley to share, Hughes would love to hear from you. She can be reached via her Twitter account, @WolseleyStories, or by email, wolseleystories@gmail.com.

Staff, students and their family members are invited to attend Red River College’s annual Welcome Party for Immigrant and International Students.

This year’s celebration takes place Friday, Nov. 23, from 6 to 9 p.m., in the Voyageur Dining Room at the Notre Dame Campus. As always, the Welcome event is hosted by RRC’s Diversity and Immigrant Student Support Department, with support from International Education and the RRC Students’ Association.

The College-wide event will feature live music and entertainment, including performances by Punjab Dancers, Paradize Band, Evan Coffie and Yoslai. There will also be fun activities for kids, lots of dancing, and sample foods from around the world.

Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by Nov. 16, 2012. To register online, visit this link. To sign up in person, visit the Diversity and Immigrant Student Support offices: Room D206 on the Notre Dame Campus, or Room 103 at the Exchange District Campus.

For more information, contact Lauren Konrad, Student Integration Coordinator, at 204-631-3345 or lkonrad@rrc.ca.

As an instructor at Red River College’s Winkler Campus, she advocates for balanced health in heart, spirit, mind and body.

And as a counselor in the community of Roseau River First Nation, Violet Caibaiosai prescribes an increased awareness of culture and history as the treatment for deficiencies in both mental and physical health.

“One of the most important things would be recognizing what our history is, and then taking an honest look at that history,” says Caibaiosai, who’s taught Applied Counselling courses at Winkler Campus since 2009.

“It’s not always a pretty one, but it’s a difficult one, and it’s important that it be looked at. There’s always an understanding that comes from knowledge and that’s what my goal is, whether it’s in larger society or our own communities. Because people have become so fearful — not only of society, but of themselves.”

A former Ontario native who grew up on the north shore of Lake Huron, Caibaiosai was raised by her parents and grandparents — the latter having imparted the importance of spiritual strength by teaching her about the holistic, healing qualities of traditional medicine.

She incorporates a similar respect for tradition among her students at RRC, noting many who go on to be counsellors may need to draw on that cultural knowledge while working with — and alongside — First Nation residents throughout Manitoba and Canada.

“It’s important for others to understand that history that we have together as a nation,” says Caibaiosai. “There’s a bridge that has to be built, and part of what I do in the classroom is to build those bridges of understanding.” Read More →

Red River College continues to expand the scope of its international reach, through recently-signed partnership agreements with a trio of post-secondary institutions in China.

In September 2012, RRC President Stephanie Forsyth took part in a Canada Trade Mission with the Province of Manitoba and other Premiers and delegates from across the country. During the trip, she took time to further relationships with existing partner schools, and to sign new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with three new institutions — Xi’an University, Bangde College, and Shanghai Medical Instrumentation College (shown above).

The MOUs outline the College’s intent to work towards the development of program partnerships and students and staff exchanges.

“As more interest in the College is generated through our international endeavors, the work of the International Project Team gains in importance,” says Forsyth. “This Team will ensure we have the necessary supports and infrastructure in place to receive students and faculty from other countries, as well as open the door for increased opportunities for RRC students and staff.”

Red River College’s winning streak continued at the North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Awards this month, where its safety and prevention efforts won Best Overall honours at both the national and provincial level.

The national award was handed out on Sept. 11, 2012, at the annual Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) Conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. The provincial award was received on Sept. 17, at the Workers Compensation Board in Winnipeg.

“NAOSH Week provides us with a valuable opportunity to celebrate our ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving a safe and healthy workplace,” said Daryl Nielsen (above, right), Manager, Environmental Health and Safety Services at RRC. “Our safety culture is promoted through senior management commitment, strong safety leadership and effective engagement with our employees, with a goal to instill the same commitment in our students to carry high standards and values into other workplaces.”

This marks the second year in a row RRC has won a double-dose of honours, having picked up a national award in 2011 for “Best Representation of a Theme,” and a provincial nod in the “Most Innovative” category.

Plans are already underway for next year’s NAOSH Week, which will be celebrated across Canada May 5-11, 2013. Next year’s theme is “Safety & Health: A Commitment for Life! Are You As Safe As You Think?”

RRC’s Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committee, NAOSH Planning Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Services department wish to thank everyone who participated in NAOSH Week events, and who continue to demonstrate their commitment to safety in the workplace and at home.

Click here for more information about this year’s awards, and here for more information about NAOSH Week.

Animal Health Technology grads Mary Robinson (left) and Tannis Rentz, with furry friends Aspen, Willow and Capone.

Red River College grad Tannis Rentz (Animal Health Technology, 2002) has been providing aid to people’s pets for more than 10 years now — ever since she began volunteering at the Transcona Veterinary Hospital as a teen.

But in April 2013, Rentz and fellow AHT grad Mary Robinson (2011) will travel a little further afield to help the tens of thousands of sick or malnourished dogs crowding the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal.

Rentz and Robinson are headed to Nepal’s KAT Centre, a not-for-profit treatment centre for sick and injured street dogs. As Rentz explains, there are currently more than 20,000 dogs living on the streets of Kathmandu — many of them infected with rabies and other communicable diseases that pose a threat to their human counterparts.

“And of course they’re constantly reproducing, because none of them are spayed or neutered,” says Rentz, who over the last 10 years has worked her way from a clinical position at the Winnipeg Animal Emergency Clinic to an administrative role with the Petsecure arm of the Western Financial Insurance Company.

“Initially, the government there thought it would be a good idea to terminate these dogs by throwing poisoned meat into the streets. But then they’d dispose of the poisoned bodies by throwing them into their water supply, which just made things even worse.” Read More →

Red River College Dean Graham Thomson will be among the 50-plus business leaders, celebs and community-minded decision makers taking part in this week’s CEO Sleepout, in support of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ’s Change for the Better campaign.

Thomson, Dean of the School of Business & Applied Arts at RRC, will spend this Thursday night camped out at the corner of Portage and Main, as a means of raising funds for homeless employment programs and raising awareness of issues related to homelessness and poverty in Winnipeg.

“Obviously this is just a gesture — since it’s entirely unlike what people face out in the streets every night,” says Thomson. “But any little thing we can do to help draw awareness to the issue is good.”

Last year’s inaugural CEO Sleepout raised over $100,000 for the Change for the Better initiative, which helps to support homeless people as they transition from the streets to positions of paid employment.

Proceeds from this year’s event will also support Siloam Mission’s Mission Off the Streets (MOST) team, which employs individuals in keeping the downtown clean while building the life skills, work experience and confidence to help them in finding a full-time job. Read More →