Red River College’s Hospitality and Culinary students served up a very special surprise to diners at their downtown restaurant this month — treating guests to an impromptu performance by former Winnipeg rockers The Watchmen.

The alt-rock quartet was in town for a reunion show at the Burton Cummings Theatre on Sat., March 21, but made a detour through our restaurant Jane’s a night early, much to the delight of diners and invited guests.

On the night in question, around 50 guests were gathered at Jane’s — enjoying meals of pan-seared duck breast, stuffed pork tenderloin and cedar-grilled salmon — when Christine Crowe, RRC’s acting vice-president Academic and Research, rose to welcome the Watchmen and invited them to play a short set.

The bandmates happily obliged, delivering acoustic versions of new track Trampoline and fan favourites All Uncovered and Any Day Now. Following the performance, they stuck around to mingle and sign autographs for fans — many of whom had received special invitations to Jane’s, but weren’t told their dinner would include a surprise show.

The event was made possible through a partnership between RRC and Tourism Winnipeg, whose reps were in attendance to help showcase the sort of one-of-a-kind cultural opportunities that occur “only in The Peg.”

(Not surprisingly, the corresponding hashtag #onlyinthepeg was trending sixth in all of Canada the night of the show, as guests shared photos and video clips through social media.)

“We’re all about doing unique things in this city, and that’s what #onlyinthepeg is all about,” says Cody Chomimak, director of marketing for Tourism Winnipeg. “Working with Red River College, Jane’s and The Watchmen made for some seriously fun times. You could tell everyone had a blast — and how could you not, when the food, service and entertainment was so brilliant?”

Jane’s will soon re-open for lunch and dinner service. Click here to explore the menu, or to make a reservation.

You know what they say about March: In like a lamb, out like a linebacker. (Out like a line dancer? Lion tamer? Something like that.)

Anyway, March is well underway, the snow is starting to melt, and as always, the Red River College Students’ Association has a full slate of activities on tap to help students and staff celebrate spring.

From pub nights and karaoke jams to cultural showcases from around the world, there’s no shortage of seasonal events in store. See below for details, or visit rrcsa.ca for more.

St. Patrick’s Day Pub Night

Tuesday, March 17
Kings Head Pub
Cover: $5

Sample from the Kings Head’s extensive selection of draft beer, while enjoying sets by local Celt-rockers Dust Rhinos and Celtic Way. Read More →

It could be a while before it’s warm enough for tents and trailers, but here at Red River College, camp season is already in full swing.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll host a number of specialized camps and workshops designed specifically for younger students interested in exploring the following areas:

Electronic/Electrical Engineering Technology

First up are the Saturday Kids Kamps offered by RRC’s Electronic and Electrical Engineering Technology programs. From now until April 4, students in Grades 7 and 8 can take part in day-long sessions that introduce them to basic concepts and theory, while also giving them the chance to put their new knowledge into practice through fun activities and assignments.

In the Electronic Technology camps (9 a.m.-noon at the Roblin Centre), kids learn about basic electrical concepts such as voltage, current and resistance; work with lab instruments like digital multimeters and oscilloscopes; and study pitch, volume and timbre by observing sounds created by guitars and amplifiers.

In the Electrical Engineering Technology camps (1-4 p.m. at Notre Dame Campus), kids are introduced to robotics and robotic programming via the Lego NXT-G system. After learning about sensors and actuator functions, they’ll work in groups to program solutions to increasingly difficult problems, before building their own robots using a selection of available materials.

Both camps are free of charge; click here for more information or to register. Read More →

An advertising student from Red River College’s Creative Communications program will showcase extraordinary stories about ordinary lives, when he launches a new book about Manitobans with Down syndrome this weekend.

Second-year student Jordan Power has spent the least year compiling stories of work, love and accomplishment into a series of eight profiles called Extra-Ordinary: Stories of Manitobans with Down Syndrome.

“They’re [stories] about getting fired and making friends. They’re about winning and losing and swimming and skiing. They’re about laughing and loving and looking forward to sex,” says Power, who’ll complete CreComm and receive a BA in Communications from the University of Winnipeg this spring.

“Everyone has a story to tell. You just have to ask.”

Among those profiled is Ruth Elizabeth Joseph, a student in RRC’s Academic and Career Essential Skills program, which launched last year with funding from the College’s Transforming Futures campaign.

Power will read passages from the book this Saturday at a launch and discussion from 7-8 p.m. at McNally Robinson. Proceeds from the new book, which Power wrote as part of his year-long Independent Professional Project (IPP), will be donated to the Manitoba Down Syndrome Society.

Click here to learn more about Extra-ordinary, and here for more on RRC’s Creative Communications program.

The considerable talents of the College’s Graphic Design students will be on full display this weekend, during the program’s annual Art at the Forks fundraiser, in which students have just two days to create an original piece… in public.

On Fri. and Sat., Feb. 27 and 28, second-year design students will gather at The Forks Market to create (and complete!) new pieces using a variety of materials and media. The event concludes Saturday evening with a public viewing at 6 p.m., followed by a wine-and-cheese reception and an auction of the students’ works.

Tickets for the Saturday reception, which benefits both Winnipeg Harvest and the Graphic Design grad show fund, are available for $10 at The Forks on Feb. 27 and 28.

Click here for more info on the event, and here for more on RRC’s Graphic Design program.

A Red River College student is encouraging Winnipeggers to go for a walk next weekend —to help fund a rainwater-harvesting project at a school in Tanzania.

Bronwyn Fenn, a second-year Creative Communications student at RRC, is the leading force behind the Winnipeg for Water 6K, a walk and fun-run taking place Sun., Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. at the North Kildonan Community Centre.

“I chose six kilometres because that’s the average distance women and children who live in areas with low access to water [have to] walk every day,” says Fenn, a Kildonan East Collegiate alum who first began raising funds for drought-stricken communities while in high school.

“All money raised is being combined with funds from Kildonan-East Collegiate, and will help build a rainwater harvesting project at Kiwasi Primary School in the Bunda district of Tanzania. The school is about four kilometres from a water source, which is shared with animals — so it’s not safe to drink.”

It’s Fenn’s hope that at least 100 participants will sign up for the walk, and that the event will raise enough money to build the same sort of rainwater harvesting system as the one provided to schools she visited in 2010, while fundraising on behalf of Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR). Read More →

Current students and soon-to-be-grads can get a head start on their job searches this week, at the Red River College Students’ Association’s annual Career Fair.

Taking place Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 28-29) at the Notre Dame Campus, the event gives RRC students a valuable opportunity to meet and network with leading employers from across Canada — and to learn more about the positions that await them after they graduate and enter the workforce.

More than 100 employers representing a wide range of industries will have a presence in the North Gym and nearby Library hallway during the event.

Shuttle service is available from RRC’s Roblin Centre and Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, and free job-seeking strategies are available from the College’s Student Employment Services office.

Click here for more information on Career Fair 2015.

Don LaFrenais’ meals will soon be warming up Winnipeggers in the coolest of locations.

The 2007 Culinary Arts grad is one of 31 chefs taking part in this year’s RAW: almond, a pop-up restaurant situated on the frozen junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers.

Now in its third year, RAW: almond has earned praise from architects and food critics alike for its nature-inspired design — complete with tree-stump seating — and gourmet dishes. The recognition has begun to spread internationally, even recently catching the attention of the New York Times.

“It’s all just been incredible reception,” says LaFrenais, the 30-year-old sous chef at the Exchange District’s Deer + Almond. “I definitely have met a lot of chefs from some crazy places — chefs that have been really interested in what we’re doing. It’s been an incredible journey.”

The journey has indeed been a long one from LaFrenais’ first kitchen job — washing dishes and flipping pancakes at Perkins. After working in several restaurants around Winnipeg, he decided to turn a lifelong passion into a career and apply to the Culinary Arts program at Red River College. Read More →

Looking for a way to stay active, relieve stress and make new friends?

Sign up for one of the following intramural events hosted by Rebels Athletics and Recreation Services, in conjunction with the Red River College Students’ Association.

Each event costs just $10, and is open to all RRC staff and students.

To participate, print and fill out the 2015 Winter Intramurals Registration Form, then take it to either The Ox (Notre Dame Campus) or The Mercantile (Exchange Campus). Deadline for registration is the Wednesday prior to each event.

Rebels Badminton Classic
When: Sat., Jan. 24, 8am-4pm
Where: North Gym, Notre Dame Campus
Categories: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles; Mixed Doubles
Cost: $10 per person, enter as many categories as you wish

Rebels Floor Hockey
When: Sat., Feb. 7, 8am-4pm
Where: North and South Gyms
, Notre Dame Campus
Categories: Register as a team or a free agent. Five players to a team, including goalie.
Cost: $10 per person

March Madness 3-vs-3 Basketball
When: Sat., March 21, 8am-4pm
Where: North
 Gym, Notre Dame Campus
Categories: Register as a team or a free agent. Men’s and Women’s divisions. Maximum of five players per team, three on the court at one time.
Cost: $10 per person

For additional info, contact Cole Skinner, Athletics and Recreation Coordinator, at 204.632.2397 or coskinner@rrc.ca.

A Red River College student has organized Winnipeg’s first-ever city-wide bake sale — bringing together 15 local schools to support educational efforts for young women in Kenya.

Proceeds from this Friday’s sale will go The Wasichana Fund, a local non-profit that provides sanitary napkins and health education to more than 500 young women in Nairobi, where on average, female students miss 20 per cent of their studies because they lack a safe and dignified means of managing menstruation.

In December, ambassadors from each of the local schools met at The Wasichana Workshop, a discussion organized by second-year Creative Communications student Alexandra Martin (shown above).

The workshop focused on barriers facing young women in developing countries and the economical, social and political importance of female education. After taking part, the local ambassadors returned to their own schools to spread the message, with this week’s bake sale serving as the final campaign push.

“It’s been rewarding to see these like-minded young women come together and practice skills they will use to be future leaders in our community,” Martin says. “The goal is for them to realize the significant impact they can have when working together.”

Since its inception, The Wasichana Fund has provided more than 50,000 sanitary pads and restored more than 256,000 hours of class time to young women in Kenya. A donation of just one dollar will provide a month’s supply of sanitary napkins for one student.

Click here to donate or for more information on The Wasichana Fund.

(Photo credit: Eva Wasney, Creative Communications)