Dependent Children Eligibility

If you have unmarried, natural, adopted or step children, under the age of 22 and not working more than 30 hours a week, unless they are full-time students, they are eligible for coverage through your group benefits plan with Great-West Life. If your child is age 22 or over, they must be a full-time student to maintain coverage until age 25.

A child is considered a full-time student if they have registered in an educational institution for 15 hours a week or more; sometime in the last 6 months. If your child is being paid to attend an educational institution, they are no longer deemed a dependent.

Dependent Children, age 22 to 25 – Don’t forget to reconfirm Student Status

It is important for employees with dependent children over the age of 22 to remember to update their student status with Great-West Life to ensure their dependents continue to receive uninterrupted Health and Dental coverage for the duration of their formal education, or until age 25.

Watch for the student re-certification from Great-West Life each year!

Is your child covered while away at school?

The Out-Of-Country Emergency Care (OOC) provided through your Great-West Life plan only covers emergency medical situations while outside of Canada. An emergency is described as a sudden, unexpected injury or an acute episode of disease. Dependents attending school out-of-country will remain on your Health and Dental plan for the duration of their education, or until they reach age 25.

There are no pre-existing conditions on the OOC coverage; however, if the insured individual does have a medical issue, the condition must be stable and controlled for 3 months prior to their departure from Canada. If you are unsure, you should check with your doctor and Great-West Life.

So what does this mean for your child going out-of-country for school?

If your child is considered an eligible dependent, they will be covered for unexpected emergency medical while out-of-country. For a dependent who is not a student, no benefits will be paid for expenses incurred more than 90 days after the date of departure from Canada in the event of a medical emergency.

For a dependent who is attending school out-of-country, benefits will be extended if approval is given by the student’s provincial health plan. For more information on your provincial health plan, visit http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mhsip/index.html.

Be aware that any routine or non-emergency services or expenses such as chiropractic care or prescription drugs incurred out-of-country will be reimbursed at the reasonable and customary amount charged in your home province of residence.

If you review your dependent’s coverage needs and require purchasing individual coverage, plans purchased in Canada for students abroad can be significantly less expensive compared to plans available through the school. Red River College employees have access to HUB International STRATA Benefits Consulting Individual Health Dental and Travel service which provides information and assistance in obtaining individual coverage. Contact HUB STRATA at 1-866-787-2826 for more information.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

Positive, meaningful ties with friends, children, partners, spouses and work colleagues enrich our lives in many important ways. We have advice on giving it your best with others. Check out these recommended resources on giving it your best with others:

• Podcast – Going the Extra Mile
• New Seminar – Building Trust at Work and in Your Personal Life

STRATA Select Car/Truck Rental

Through our affiliation with HUB International STRATA Benefits Consulting, we are able to offer our employees products and services at discounted or preferred rates through the Voluntary STRATA Select Program.

You may be eligible for a preferred discount for your car and rental needs in Canada, the USA, as well as overseas through Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car and Truck Rental (subject to availability).   For more information on these discounts or the Voluntary STRATA Select Program, please visit your STRATA Select website.

Login: rrc              Password: voluntary

Thursday April 23

South Gym will be closed from 8am to 4pm due to exams

Friday April 24

South Gym will be closed from 8am to 4pm due to exams

North Gym will be closed all day and evening due to exams

Loft will be open from 6:30am to 8am and 4pm to 6:45pm

Monday April 27 to Friday May 1

South Gym will be closed from 8am to 4pm due to exams

North Gym will be closed all day and evening due to exams

Loft will be open from 6:30am to 8am and 4pm to 6:45pm

Red River College Athletics and Recreation Services offers Group Fitness Programs suited to all interests and fitness levels. Our highly trained and enthusiastic instructors will lead you through a fun and challenging workout suited to you.

Registered Programs For 2015 Spring Term

Boot Camps with Cameron on Mondays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm

Yoga with Amanda on Mondays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm and Thursdays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm

20/20 Stack Training with Lesley on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:05pm to 11:50pm

Dynamic Core with Lesley on Tuesdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm and Thursdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm.

Cardio Fusion with Ming on Tuesdays from 11:05am to 11:50am

Regular classes will start May 4th and run until June 25th.

Drop in cards for 5 or 10 classes per term can also be purchased.

NEW*** for this Term: Spring Fling Workout!!!

Join Lesley for a quick 3 week session that bridges the Winter to Spring Term. This 3 class session combines exercises from her Dynamic Core and Stack Training classes along with some Spin Cycling. At the discount price of $15.00, it’s a great and affordable way to stay fit.

Register

Registration Starts on Monday March 23rd. To register for a class download the attached form, fill it out and take it to the Student Service Centre to make a payment. 2015 Spring Fitness Classes Registration Form

By Mario De Negri

Fitness Coordinator, Rebels Athletics and Recreation Services

It’s come to that time of year where most of us have not only given up on our New Years resolutions but more importantly just recalled we had some. What’s so fascinating about this is that now that we have brought it back to the forefront of our thoughts, most, and I’m saying close to all of us will still not do anything about it.

So I ask what is it that would stop me from implementing an action towards that resolution I had. I would like to think its distraction. When I am focused and I know what I want I usually do what is necessary to get it.

For example the fact I haven’t eaten anything for breakfast today, and not really a lunch that when I get home I all I can do is focus on a way to eat or better yet the urgency to have to go to the bathroom keeps me pretty focused.

I think distraction is the cause of non focus. Next time you have to go to the bathroom really bad try to get angry at something in your life that at other times makes you really angry and try to hold off on going to the bathroom. What will happen is that you might start to get the rise of anger but shortly following is the call of nature. So you can persist and keep focusing on getting angry but just around the corner is the sound of the tap being turned on. Eventually you will give in and accept and in that moment your focus won’t be of anger but of relief.

So does this work when not being forced? Try this; Start to pay attention to yourself. Watch to see how you react to things. You see something and it’s making you angry. That anger has taken over your whole body. Stop! Look at the anger. Say to yourself “I choose not to be angry” over and over and over again until one, you’ll say to yourself how stupid this is and that it doesn’t work which will keep enforcing the anger or two, you treat this mantra like the urgency of having to use the loo and you will experience change.

Anger cannot exist if the focus is on not being anger. Just as darkness cannot exist when light is focused on it. If we agree that focus will only exists if there is no distraction then we must continue to keep watching to see if we stay on track to what we want. When distractions arise like I have no time, it’s too late, I don’t know how to do it or whatever the distraction is you accept to yourself we must stop, see it for what it is, and go back to focus.

Follow Us, Like Us and Watch Us on Social Media

Rebels Athletics and Recreation Services along with the Student Association are hosting three Intramural Special Events this year in a variety of sports. This is great way to meet new people, relieve stress and be active! All events cost $10.00 each, so this is an affordable way to get exercise and participate in some fun sports! Each event is open to all RRC staff and students. Door prizes and a player’s lounge are a part of every event.

To participate, print the 2015 Winter Intramurals Registration Form and take it to either The OX on Notre Dame Campus or The Mercantile in the Exchange Campus to register. Deadline to register for each event is the Wednesday prior to.

Saturday January 24- Rebels Badminton Classic
Location: North Gym
Time: 8am-4pm
Cost: $10 per person. Can enter as many categories as you wish
Categories: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles and Mixed Doubles

Saturday February 7th-Rebels Floor Hockey
Location: North and South Gyms
Time: 8am-4pm
Cost: $10 per person
Categories: Register as a team or a Free Agent. 5 players to a team including goalie.

Saturday March 21st- March Madness 3vs3 Basketball
Location: North
Time: 8am-4pm
Cost: $10 per person
Categories: Register as a team or a Free Agent. Men’s and Women’s Divisions. Max 5 players per team, 3 on the court at one time.

For further information please contact Athletics and Recreation Coordinator Cole Skinner at 632-2397 or coskinner@rrc.ca

Follow Us, Like Us, and Watch US on Social Media

Canada’s team of dedicated consular officials assist thousands of Canadian travellers abroad each year. We provide consular assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through more than 260 points of service in 150 countries. However, there are some situations that not even a Christmas miracle can resolve. That is why Canadians need to prepare before they travel to ensure that their vacation goes off without a hitch. Here are some tips from me to you this holiday season:

1. A Canadian Passport Is Not a “Get-Out-of-Jail-Free-Card” Canadians should recognize that they are subject to the local laws of the country they are travelling, which are often different from those in Canada. Canada cannot intervene in foreign judicial processes, just as we would not accept a foreign government intervening in ours. Canadians abroad are expected to adhere to local laws, just as they would in Canada. We keep Canadians up-to-date on country-specific advice and information which can be found at: Country travel advice and advisories.
2. Say Yes to Travel Insurance Canadians are urged to always purchase travel and medical insurance before they leave Canada. In almost all circumstances, the Government of Canada—and the taxpayer—will not help pay for a ticket back to Canada or medical treatment. Don’t let unforeseen bills ruin your vacation and your wallet. For more information please visit: Travel insurance.
3. Register With Us Canadians can register their travel plans with our team of consular officials for free either online or through our mobile app. The purpose of registering is solely to ensure that if there is an emergency in the area you are travelling in, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, we can reach you quickly and provide you with guidance and assistance. This quick registration will take you two minutes but will provide us with invaluable information to help assist you when you need it most. For more information on our Registration for Canadians Abroad, please visit: Registration of Canadians Abroad.
4. Know How to Reach Us Canadian consular officials can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through our call collect number (613) 996-8885 or by email sos@international.gc.ca. We staff this line with live officials at all times. Call us immediately if you are in trouble.
5. We Love to Help—But We Cannot Supply You with Maple Syrup Yes—Canadians have asked us to supply them with an emergency supply of maple syrup and have even asked us to arrange for a chauffeur for their pet poodle through the airport during their holiday travel. As much as we love a good Canadian breakfast staple and are pet lovers ourselves, unfortunately Canadians have an unrealistic expectation of what we are here to help them with. For a list of what consular officials can and cannot do, please visit: Consular Services: general.

Finally, from my family to yours, I would like to personally wish you warm wishes this holiday season and safe travels wherever it may take you.

Lynne Yelich Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular)

Remember to check with a travel clinic to ensure all immunizations are up to date. Some countries may ask about your immunization status. Keep track of your immunizations by downloading this app. It includes any health alerts.

Courtesy of Health Services

By Mario De Negri, Fitness Coordinator for Athletics and Recreation Services

I’d like to take a few blogs and talk about ways to achieve gratitude. If you were at the “Say YES to Everything” talk we spoke briefly about how this applies to the work of acceptance. Gratitude is a very selfless state. Different actions can be ways to gratitude but we are ultimately looking to be living the state. When we exercise these actions they strengthen us to see things that we might not be seeing given we’ve choose to block them or not be aware of them. These actions when practiced on a regular basis start to become the new “normal” and within this state we see things the way they are and that becomes more frequent.  

Seeing things for the way they are makes it feel difficult to be grateful. How can I be grateful when my girlfriend dumps me, or when my friend doesn’t seem to have to work as hard as me to make more money? All of this can be true only if we resist seeing the real picture. I’m not saying these things don’t make happy feelings but what I’m saying is that with practice of gratitude when these things happen we are better equipped to manage these feelings.

Avoiding comparison is a tough one because we are programmed to want to keep up with the Jones’s. That if we don’t happen to have what others have then we are somehow less worthy of receiving. This is very dangerous as this thought process is the very reason we are not receiving abundance. Being able to not compare ourselves leaves us open to focus on the things we do have. This will lead us to more gratitude. I know I want the car with heated seats but if my suffering is coming from a place because someone else has what I want then I am the one who suffers not them. Instead being grateful I own a car at all, or even that I am lucky to know someone who can have a car with heated seats invites more happiness and lets the world unfold for me without my resisting or trying. So by comparing ourselves to others only limits us from our true greatness. When we can accept ourselves for who and where we are then the gates of gratitude will open.

Appreciation is also another action to achieve gratitude. When we appreciate the space we are in presently then we invite more joy into our lives. If we harbour resentment to our situation it will continue us on a path of suffering. It is easy to reject the cold winter, to spend a whole season living for the spring to come without any appreciation for the now. It takes discipline to find appreciation for where we are at. I appreciate the winter as it gives me more cuddle time with my friends and loved ones. I appreciate that the trees can be at such ease, almost unaffected by the cold. I appreciate I can walk freely in the sun without fear of my personal safety or how quiet and calm the winter can be. There are many opportunities to feel appreciation but we must discipline ourselves to the reality of life.

Another thing we can do for gratitude is care for my body. This again is an easy one to neglect as we take it for granted. We expect it to walk and move and breath and heal for us but we so seldom give anything back. We must look at our body as a relationship much like another person and treat it with the same love we want to receive from others. We cannot be in happy relationships if we never do our part to create a feeling of being grateful. We tend to be the worse towards ourselves over everything else. So taking some time to care for my body, with some gentle loving, stretching, and moving, feeding it well will lead to gratitude. When we care for our bodies it will care for us. This is the universal principal to happiness when it becomes a cycle state of constant giving and receiving. We must first be willing to give and be willing to receive.

Try out some of these and just keep them in mind, or write them down on post notes to leave on a mirror or stove. Do not judge yourself if you forget or move into a state of ungrateful. Just watch it and when you see it gently make the change. Play with it and leave it everywhere so you are consistently reminded of why you can be grateful.

Follow Us, Like Us, Watch US on Social Media

When did you last cycle 100 miles in one day? For most of us such a question would only raise an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

Well, five current and retired RRC employees and three spouses drove 478 km from Winnipeg to Park Rapids Minnesota the weekend of September 26 to do just that. The Headwaters 100 is an annual one-day, 100-mile (161 km) bike ride through Itasca State Park, source of the mighty Mississippi. The route is stunningly beautiful in the fall, and this year’s sunny 27 degree weather certainly added to the enjoyment.

Our Head Honcho, Wayne Ferguson, was the first of us to ride the Headwaters some fifteen years ago. Retired from RRC in 2012, Wayne was the inspiration for this team trek that included current employees Lisa Case, Guy Dugas, Dayna Graham, and Mike Poitras. 2014 marked Lisa’s and Dayna’s 1st Headwaters, Mike’s 3rd, Guy’s 5th, and Wayne’s 8th.

Did we all ride the full 100 miles?

Actually, only Dayna and Mike can boast completing the entire 161 km. And this was the first time in eight outings that our Head Honcho did not go the full distance.

But what made this year particularly significant was the fact that Wayne had undergone hip replacement surgery this past spring. So he hadn’t even started riding again until late July!
Oh, and did I mention that Wayne is 75? Sure, he had pronounced before his operation that he intended to cycle the Headwaters again this year. “Yeah, right.” I thought. But, true to his word, there we were again.

In the end, the spirit was strong but the flesh weak(er). Wayne did complete a “century”, but he quit after only one hundred kilometers, not one hundred miles.

Still, not too shabby I think.

Maybe next year…

As many RRC Wellness Blog readers will know, Mike Krywy, Senior Research and Planning Analyst, has been the Chair of the Wellness Committee for the past several years. Under his leadership, the College has seen a number of fabulous wellness-related initiatives take hold or grow in popularity! Mike will not take credit for any of these but we all know that he has had a hand in them! In no particular order:

• The Chili Cup
  

  Mike up to his usual wellness antics at work.

• The Take 5 Challenge
• The “One” Initiative
• The Wellness Breakfast
• The RRC Walkathon and Rebel Run
• Ongoing Staff Wellness Survey design, collection and analysis
• The Wellness Works pledge
• …and, the Wellness Blog, of course!

Mike has determined that it is time to hang up his hat and become the “Past President” of the Wellness Committee. We applaud his hard work, we look forward to his continued participation as a committee member, and we are all wondering what he will be doing with all of his spare time now.

Seven brave riders, eleven great rides, one worthy cause

One month from today, your intrepid Red River Rebel Riders will be back in Riding Mountain National Park with a goal of raising $5,000 for MS in this, their 11th year! The only change in the team for 2014 is the addition of Deron Warkentin from the Roblin Campus, replacing Wayne Ferguson who is recovering from hip surgery.

Yes, 2014 marks 11 years! How can you help to make it a perfect ride?

• Donate securely online by clicking on any team member’s name at this site. All monies raised go to supporting those suffering with MS or to MS research.
• Join the 2014 team. As already mentioned, we are currently 7 riders: Marnie Boulet, Guy Dugas, Dayna Graham, Miguel Guzman, Mar-Zeus Macasieb, Michael Poitras, and Deron Warkentin. Train with us through August to get in shape for the big ride Sept. 6-7. Email Captain Marnie for details or simply click here and then click on the Join team button.

Together we can end MS. Help make 2014 a perfect ride!