Here and Now column by Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 10, 2003
Chalk it up to the good deeds department.
Burnaby resident Aman Pal Singh Sara was more than relieved when he recovered his wallet, complete with $500 cash, after he inadvertently left it behind in a Bonny's taxi last month.
Sara, who may be best known as the cousin of former B.C. premier Ujjal Dosanjh, dropped the wallet as he was exiting the cab near the busy 5000-Kingsway Plaza.
Although he leads an active life, Sara suffers from multiple sclerosis and often has difficulty moving around. It wasn't until several minutes later, when he was inside London Drugs, that he noticed the wallet was missing and realized it was either lying on the ground in the parking lot, or still inside the cab.
Naturally, Sara assumed that getting his wallet back would be a long shot. If it was on the ground, somebody was likely to have picked it up and absconded with the cash. And if it was in the cab, tracking down the driver would be a challenge because he was a flagged fare and did not write down the cab's number.
"Having been a cab driver myself during my early years of immigration to Canada ... I'm well aware that in this kind of situation, the outcome entirely rests upon the integrity of the person who first happens to see or find such an article," Sara told the Burnaby NOW. "I have to admit that given the circumstance, my chances of seeing my wallet again were relatively slim."
Sara backtracked his steps and was unable to find the wallet on the ground. Then he called Bonny's dispatch and reported the loss.
As he struggled through a description of what had happened - lo and behold - the very same cab turned back into the parking lot, with the driver waving the recovered wallet through the open window.
"I can't describe in words the relief I felt from my anxiety," Sara said. "This may seem like a minor issue, but it meant a lot to me."
The cab driver, Parminder Parmar, refused to accept a small reward, but Sara made sure that a formal commendation was documented in his professional driver's portfolio. Deservedly so!
SANTA PARADE A SUCCESS
Many thanks are due to the businesses and volunteers who helped make the first annual Lions Club Burnaby Santa Claus parade a smashing success two weeks ago.
The folks at Second Street community school, who won the 'most enthusiastic' trophy for their large contingent of energetic children, offered their thanks to a long list of Santa's helpers.
At the top of thank you list was the Burnaby Lions Club, especially parade 'King' Phil Henderson, who created the spark to get the event up and rolling. Kudos also go to Gord-Ron Auto, Budget Rent-a-Car, and RONA (Revy).
Individuals who went above and beyond the call of duty included Ken and Margaret Widmer, Janet Kyle, Diana Croswell, Donna Savoie, John Klassen, Don Gerow, Georgie Cole, Pat Nichols, Laurie Ward, Balbir Bains, Gary Rostron, Dave Fletcher, Tamy Ozero, Denise Mahaichuk, Sue Eastwood, Amanda Cababe, all the students who joined the walk, plus the choir.
NEW WHEELS FOR SBNH
The South Burnaby Neighbourhood House is getting a new van, just in time for Christmas.
The local nonprofit association will be presented with Sunshine Coach #459, the 33rd such van sponsored by long-time Variety Club members and Cathie and Jack Wood in memory of their daughter Colleen.
Purchase of the handicap-accessible van was made possible thanks an $18,000 fundraising effort from the Neighbourhood House, the Woods' annual fundraiser held at the Mountain Shadow Pub each february, and the efforts of a long list of other contributors.
Also onside for this purchase were the Alexandra Foundation, Burnaby Metrotown Rotary Club, Hydrecs Fund, Comcare Health Services, the City of Burnaby, Burnaby Firefighters, and all those who participated in the first annual South Burnaby Neighbourhood House car rally.
The van will help neighbourhood house meet the transportation needs of many Burnaby families involved in a long list of supportive programs. These include school-age childcare, homework clubs, summer day camps, family place drop-in, youth leadership programs, community events and community kitchens.
The van will be presented to SBNH at 9 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, at the head offices of the Variety Club, 4300 Still Creek Dr.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Union waits for LRB vote ruling
By Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 10, 2003
The Hospital Employees' Union is anxiously waiting to learn the results of a union certification vote taken last May that could see newly privatized employees at the Normanna care home join their union. The Labour Relations Board has yet to release its decision on the vote.
Stephen Howard, communications director for the HEU, said if the vote is successful, the east Burnaby care home would be the second long-term care centre in British Columbia to recertify after the original union members were fired under the terms of Bill 29.
The support staff are employees of the British-based Compass Group, one of the largest food service companies in the world, with annual revenues in excess of $22 billion.
"In April, they fired 38 HEU members and hired Compass, who brought in a new staff of 24 people," Howard said this week. "They have fewer workers making significantly reduced wages, and so we immediately began to organize."
Last month, recently privatized workers at the Beacon Hill Villa in Victoria unanimously voted for HEU as their union of choice after they were hired by the Compass Group to take over support services at that facility.
The Victoria case was also the first instance where another union - IWA, local 3-567 - had signed a 'partnership agreement' with Compass in an attempt to represent the new workers.
Published Dec. 10, 2003
The Hospital Employees' Union is anxiously waiting to learn the results of a union certification vote taken last May that could see newly privatized employees at the Normanna care home join their union. The Labour Relations Board has yet to release its decision on the vote.
Stephen Howard, communications director for the HEU, said if the vote is successful, the east Burnaby care home would be the second long-term care centre in British Columbia to recertify after the original union members were fired under the terms of Bill 29.
The support staff are employees of the British-based Compass Group, one of the largest food service companies in the world, with annual revenues in excess of $22 billion.
"In April, they fired 38 HEU members and hired Compass, who brought in a new staff of 24 people," Howard said this week. "They have fewer workers making significantly reduced wages, and so we immediately began to organize."
Last month, recently privatized workers at the Beacon Hill Villa in Victoria unanimously voted for HEU as their union of choice after they were hired by the Compass Group to take over support services at that facility.
The Victoria case was also the first instance where another union - IWA, local 3-567 - had signed a 'partnership agreement' with Compass in an attempt to represent the new workers.
AIDS defies stereotypes
By Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 3, 2003
The number of HIV/AIDS cases in the Fraser Health Authority continues to rise - and it is now affecting people who do not believe they are engaging in any risky behavior.
People who identify themselves as heterosexuals with 'no risk factors' were the second largest group of persons to contract the disease in 2002, said statistics released by the FHA last week.
Since statistics were first compiled in 1995, a total of 790 people in the region have contracted the virus that leads to AIDS.
But of the 103 new cases diagnosed last year, 32 people, the second largest subcategory, claim they have no risk factors whatsoever.
Lydia Drasic, the FHA's director of planning and system health, population health, said the health region is applying for federal funds to help raise awareness of the disease and begin slowing its pace.
"We've seen a small increase (in the number of new HIV cases), but we don't know if this is a blip or if it will continue upwards," Drasic said. "But the big concern is that not only are we seeing an increasing number, but it's spreading to the general, more diverse population.
"Twenty years ago, if you were a gay man or a man who has sex with other men, you would have been considered the top risk and everyone else was fairly safe. Now, what we're seeing is this is moving into other populations.
"We were taken aback," Drasic said. "We didn't think that heterosexual contact without any other risk identified would be our second highest number."
According to the newly released statistics, the largest group to contract the disease in 2002 were intravenous drug users, which had a total of 34 new cases. Heterosexuals who believe they had no other risk factors had 32 new HIV/AIDS cases, while men who have sex with men had 21 new cases. People who admit to frequenting sex trade workers had four new cases, and the 'other' category had 10 new cases.
Drasic said she is currently looking for ways to spread the word about the risk of the disease.
"What we're saying is that this disease is 100 per cent preventable, but it's not curable and the cost for treatment is very high," she said.
Rather than conducting more studies, Drasic is applying for federal funds to start a new information awareness program. "I'm a believer that we've done a lot of studies and we've got a lot of information, but what we need to do is put some action in place," she said.
Last month, the health authority brought together 35 community groups from throughout the region to learn about the new statistics and begin drafting an action plan.
"Fraser Health is second only to Vancouver in its number of new infections and the number of residents living with HIV/AIDS," FHA CEO Bob Smith told the forum. "We are also the only health authority in B.C. that does not have community based federal funding for HIV/ AIDS services."
In fact, a 57-page report on HIV/AIDS in the region, notes that of the 790 FHA residents who have the disease, only 556 were participating in the HIV drug therapy program co-ordinated through the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
The report also finds that the rate of HIV infection is "much higher" among the FHA's aboriginal population than in other ethnic groups, and that up to one-third of HIV-positive people are unaware that they have the disease. Health officials also believe it is likely that another 35 residents became infected with HIV/AIDS last year, but are still unaware they have it and are a high risk of passing the virus to others.
Bill Engleson, director of prevention services for the Purpose Society, said his group tries to get the word out about the dangers of the disease, but it's not easy.
While Engleson is pleased to hear the region will be applying for federal funds to fight AIDS, he said the public has to get on board and recognize that everyone is at risk, not just drug users or people with particular sex habits.
"There is a lot of resistance out there. There are a lot of people with the blinders on," he said. "The health region has a lot of skills in this department, but it is still an administrative body of a huge corporation that only responds to significant pressure.
"But HIV/AIDS is something that a lot of people would prefer to think doesn't affect them. The disease doesn't discriminate. While there are still high risk behaviours, the simple act of intercourse without protection now places anybody in that high risk category. People are only as safe as their last partner."
Published Dec. 3, 2003
The number of HIV/AIDS cases in the Fraser Health Authority continues to rise - and it is now affecting people who do not believe they are engaging in any risky behavior.
People who identify themselves as heterosexuals with 'no risk factors' were the second largest group of persons to contract the disease in 2002, said statistics released by the FHA last week.
Since statistics were first compiled in 1995, a total of 790 people in the region have contracted the virus that leads to AIDS.
But of the 103 new cases diagnosed last year, 32 people, the second largest subcategory, claim they have no risk factors whatsoever.
Lydia Drasic, the FHA's director of planning and system health, population health, said the health region is applying for federal funds to help raise awareness of the disease and begin slowing its pace.
"We've seen a small increase (in the number of new HIV cases), but we don't know if this is a blip or if it will continue upwards," Drasic said. "But the big concern is that not only are we seeing an increasing number, but it's spreading to the general, more diverse population.
"Twenty years ago, if you were a gay man or a man who has sex with other men, you would have been considered the top risk and everyone else was fairly safe. Now, what we're seeing is this is moving into other populations.
"We were taken aback," Drasic said. "We didn't think that heterosexual contact without any other risk identified would be our second highest number."
According to the newly released statistics, the largest group to contract the disease in 2002 were intravenous drug users, which had a total of 34 new cases. Heterosexuals who believe they had no other risk factors had 32 new HIV/AIDS cases, while men who have sex with men had 21 new cases. People who admit to frequenting sex trade workers had four new cases, and the 'other' category had 10 new cases.
Drasic said she is currently looking for ways to spread the word about the risk of the disease.
"What we're saying is that this disease is 100 per cent preventable, but it's not curable and the cost for treatment is very high," she said.
Rather than conducting more studies, Drasic is applying for federal funds to start a new information awareness program. "I'm a believer that we've done a lot of studies and we've got a lot of information, but what we need to do is put some action in place," she said.
Last month, the health authority brought together 35 community groups from throughout the region to learn about the new statistics and begin drafting an action plan.
"Fraser Health is second only to Vancouver in its number of new infections and the number of residents living with HIV/AIDS," FHA CEO Bob Smith told the forum. "We are also the only health authority in B.C. that does not have community based federal funding for HIV/ AIDS services."
In fact, a 57-page report on HIV/AIDS in the region, notes that of the 790 FHA residents who have the disease, only 556 were participating in the HIV drug therapy program co-ordinated through the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
The report also finds that the rate of HIV infection is "much higher" among the FHA's aboriginal population than in other ethnic groups, and that up to one-third of HIV-positive people are unaware that they have the disease. Health officials also believe it is likely that another 35 residents became infected with HIV/AIDS last year, but are still unaware they have it and are a high risk of passing the virus to others.
Bill Engleson, director of prevention services for the Purpose Society, said his group tries to get the word out about the dangers of the disease, but it's not easy.
While Engleson is pleased to hear the region will be applying for federal funds to fight AIDS, he said the public has to get on board and recognize that everyone is at risk, not just drug users or people with particular sex habits.
"There is a lot of resistance out there. There are a lot of people with the blinders on," he said. "The health region has a lot of skills in this department, but it is still an administrative body of a huge corporation that only responds to significant pressure.
"But HIV/AIDS is something that a lot of people would prefer to think doesn't affect them. The disease doesn't discriminate. While there are still high risk behaviours, the simple act of intercourse without protection now places anybody in that high risk category. People are only as safe as their last partner."
Burnaby producer meditates on work
Here and Now column by Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 3, 2003
Gabriela Schonbach has to be the busiest documentary producer in Burnaby.
Her most recent work, Quiet Mind: Meditation for Real Life, is currently playing on Vision TV, while she prepares for several other projects that are expected to hit the airwaves in the coming months.
Each episode of Quiet Mind looks at one of six different forms of mediation - Hatha yoga, Metta mediation, healing Qijong, Zen Buddhism, Miksang photography and Christian meditation - through the eyes of an acknowledged master of the craft.
The series was filmed in Vancouver, Halifax, San Francisco, Manila and Singapore, and is billed as the first series co- production between Canada and Singapore.
While most of the series has already aired, the final instalment on Christian mediation runs Saturday, Dec. 6 also at 7:30 p.m.
Soon after this series is complete, Schonbach will wrap up her next project - The Daniel Igali Story, a profile of the world champion and former SFU wrestler. That documentary is expected to be broadcast on the CBC's Life and Times in March 2004.
Schonbach is also working on a much-anticipated documentary based on the book Weird Sex and Snowshoes, written by Vancouver Sun film critic and CBC commentator Katherine Monk.
"I know it sounds strange, but I've assembled a really strong team for doing Weird Sex," she says in one of the more interesting press releases to cross this desk all year.
THE SHORELINE CLEANUP
Kudos to 80 volunteers from Toronto Dominion-Canada Trust who donned hip waders and carried shovels to help clean up Burnaby's shoreline earlier this fall.
The group, under the able guidance of project co-ordinator Jinette Elsen, picked up a grand total of 25 kilograms of garbage along a 425-metre section of shoreline in Burnaby as part of the Vancouver Aquarium's Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup campaign.
The program started in 1994 as a local initiative based in Vancouver and has now grown to include cleanup campaigns in all ten Canadian provinces and three territories. The project is also part of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup program and data collected by Canadians is included in a global analysis of shoreline garbage.
According to a press release issued by the Vancouver Aquarium marine science centre, the volunteers also learn about the deleterious affects of aquatic garbage while they work to find solutions for keeping our oceans and waterways clean.
To register for next' year's project, which takes place Sept. 11 to 19, 2004, visit the aquarium's website at www.vanaqua.org/ cleanup.
DANCING FOR FOOD
Students from the Dance 'n Stars Studio will be collecting food for the food bank when they hold their Christmas recital "We share our gifts" at the James Cowan Theatre later this month.
The show, which features ballet, tap, Bolleywood, hip hop, jazz and breakdancing, plus a special guest appearance from the Burnaby International Folk Dancers, will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20.
Tickets are just $10 plus a donation of one item for the food bank. for more information, contact Sonica at 604-721-3513.
RUN GROWS TO NEW HEIGHTS
The second Annual Heights on the Run, which was held in early September, has surpassed all expectations.
The run, which is sponsored by Scotiabank, enjoyed 36 per cent growth in both the number of participants and the amount of money it was able to donate to the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society.
A cheque worth $3,000 was presented by to the firefighters to help fund their CPR program, which teaches basic lifesaving skills to ever Grade 10 student in Burnaby.
On hand for the cheque presentation ceremony were Heights merchants kevin Perry of Scotiabank, Mymee Chow, president of the Heights Merchants Association, and Michael Hurley and Jim Peever, president and treasurer of the firefighters society.
Scott Fraser, executive director of the Heights Merchants Association said the event is rapidly gaining momentum thanks to the long list of participating sponsors. For more information on how to get involved in the fast growing community event in north Burnaby, visit the website www.burnabyheights.com.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
Kudos to the board of directors at South Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which recently celebrated another year of growth in the city.
According to SBNH board chair Shelley Mills, the group was able to expand its level of service and add several new programs to the many worthwhile offerings they make available to families.
This year, Neighbourhood House opened a new kindergarten and before and after school care program in the Stride neighbourhood, offered summer day camp programs at four local schools, helped 454 low income earners with their income tax returns, and opened a new multi-lingual volunteer support program with assistance from the United Way, in addition to many, many other programs.
The number of people who benefited from SBNH programs included 3,100 children, 302 youth and 2,830 adults. There were a total of 293 volunteers who helped out and a total of 63,936 contacts were made with either those volunteers or staff.
The entire board of directors was reelected, including Mills, vice-chair Blair Fryer, treasurer Gladys Brundett, secretary Harman Pandher, and at-large members Lila Caldera, Dan Chapman, Harminder Sanghera, Surrinder Singh and Ava Turner. The lone new board member is Dina Tabuzzo.
"My first year as chair has been a rewarding and fulfilling one," Mills wrote in her annual report. "I am proud of what has been accomplished and the challenges that lie ahead."
Published Dec. 3, 2003
Gabriela Schonbach has to be the busiest documentary producer in Burnaby.
Her most recent work, Quiet Mind: Meditation for Real Life, is currently playing on Vision TV, while she prepares for several other projects that are expected to hit the airwaves in the coming months.
Each episode of Quiet Mind looks at one of six different forms of mediation - Hatha yoga, Metta mediation, healing Qijong, Zen Buddhism, Miksang photography and Christian meditation - through the eyes of an acknowledged master of the craft.
The series was filmed in Vancouver, Halifax, San Francisco, Manila and Singapore, and is billed as the first series co- production between Canada and Singapore.
While most of the series has already aired, the final instalment on Christian mediation runs Saturday, Dec. 6 also at 7:30 p.m.
Soon after this series is complete, Schonbach will wrap up her next project - The Daniel Igali Story, a profile of the world champion and former SFU wrestler. That documentary is expected to be broadcast on the CBC's Life and Times in March 2004.
Schonbach is also working on a much-anticipated documentary based on the book Weird Sex and Snowshoes, written by Vancouver Sun film critic and CBC commentator Katherine Monk.
"I know it sounds strange, but I've assembled a really strong team for doing Weird Sex," she says in one of the more interesting press releases to cross this desk all year.
THE SHORELINE CLEANUP
Kudos to 80 volunteers from Toronto Dominion-Canada Trust who donned hip waders and carried shovels to help clean up Burnaby's shoreline earlier this fall.
The group, under the able guidance of project co-ordinator Jinette Elsen, picked up a grand total of 25 kilograms of garbage along a 425-metre section of shoreline in Burnaby as part of the Vancouver Aquarium's Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup campaign.
The program started in 1994 as a local initiative based in Vancouver and has now grown to include cleanup campaigns in all ten Canadian provinces and three territories. The project is also part of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup program and data collected by Canadians is included in a global analysis of shoreline garbage.
According to a press release issued by the Vancouver Aquarium marine science centre, the volunteers also learn about the deleterious affects of aquatic garbage while they work to find solutions for keeping our oceans and waterways clean.
To register for next' year's project, which takes place Sept. 11 to 19, 2004, visit the aquarium's website at www.vanaqua.org/ cleanup.
DANCING FOR FOOD
Students from the Dance 'n Stars Studio will be collecting food for the food bank when they hold their Christmas recital "We share our gifts" at the James Cowan Theatre later this month.
The show, which features ballet, tap, Bolleywood, hip hop, jazz and breakdancing, plus a special guest appearance from the Burnaby International Folk Dancers, will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20.
Tickets are just $10 plus a donation of one item for the food bank. for more information, contact Sonica at 604-721-3513.
RUN GROWS TO NEW HEIGHTS
The second Annual Heights on the Run, which was held in early September, has surpassed all expectations.
The run, which is sponsored by Scotiabank, enjoyed 36 per cent growth in both the number of participants and the amount of money it was able to donate to the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society.
A cheque worth $3,000 was presented by to the firefighters to help fund their CPR program, which teaches basic lifesaving skills to ever Grade 10 student in Burnaby.
On hand for the cheque presentation ceremony were Heights merchants kevin Perry of Scotiabank, Mymee Chow, president of the Heights Merchants Association, and Michael Hurley and Jim Peever, president and treasurer of the firefighters society.
Scott Fraser, executive director of the Heights Merchants Association said the event is rapidly gaining momentum thanks to the long list of participating sponsors. For more information on how to get involved in the fast growing community event in north Burnaby, visit the website www.burnabyheights.com.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
Kudos to the board of directors at South Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which recently celebrated another year of growth in the city.
According to SBNH board chair Shelley Mills, the group was able to expand its level of service and add several new programs to the many worthwhile offerings they make available to families.
This year, Neighbourhood House opened a new kindergarten and before and after school care program in the Stride neighbourhood, offered summer day camp programs at four local schools, helped 454 low income earners with their income tax returns, and opened a new multi-lingual volunteer support program with assistance from the United Way, in addition to many, many other programs.
The number of people who benefited from SBNH programs included 3,100 children, 302 youth and 2,830 adults. There were a total of 293 volunteers who helped out and a total of 63,936 contacts were made with either those volunteers or staff.
The entire board of directors was reelected, including Mills, vice-chair Blair Fryer, treasurer Gladys Brundett, secretary Harman Pandher, and at-large members Lila Caldera, Dan Chapman, Harminder Sanghera, Surrinder Singh and Ava Turner. The lone new board member is Dina Tabuzzo.
"My first year as chair has been a rewarding and fulfilling one," Mills wrote in her annual report. "I am proud of what has been accomplished and the challenges that lie ahead."
Monday, May 12, 2008
Festival of Lights set for Monday
Here and Now column by Dan Hilborn
Published Nov. 29, 2003
Come out to the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Hotel on Monday to see the start of the second annual Festival of Lights, a fundraising event for the folks at the Rotary Club of Burnaby - Deer Lake.
So far, nine different Burnaby companies have signed on to raise and decorate their own trees, which will be on display for shoppers to cast votes on, while making a donation to a worthwhile cause.
"It's the season of giving and this is a great way to get involved," said Evelyn Gut, director of sales at the hotel and one of the organizers of the festival.
Last year, the inaugural Festival of Lights at the Hilton raised almost $8,000 for the Rotary Club, which helped fund the group's project in literacy, the arts, health and the environment.
For a small donation, the public can vote on their favourite tree, and enter a draw for the chance to win an all-expenses paid weekend stay at the hotel. There will also be a collection box set up to gather toys for the Burnaby Christmas Bureau.
There is still space available for other companies to sponsor their own tree, for information on how to get involved, call Gut directly at 604-639-3722.
HOP ABOARD HISTORY
Looking for that perfect Christmas gift for a local history buff? Then why not check out the T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags produced by the Friends of Interurban 1223 - the society that is rebuilding the 92-year-old tram car that once rode through Burnaby.
The society just issued its latest newsletter which highlights the incredible work that has gone into restoring this piece of local heritage. Since moving into a city-owned warehouse on Royal Oak Ave. two years ago, volunteers have logged an impressive 8,000 hours of time on the project.
The work is "difficult, often dirty and always labour intensive," says Pixie McGeachie, president of the society. "Today, the 1223 is well on its way back to its handsome 1925 appearance."
For those who would like to make a more significant contribution, the society is always looking for sponsors to help complete the rattan seats, wooden benches and windows.
For more information on buying T-shirts and totes, call Barry Sansom at 604-435-9802.
For sponsorships, call Ed Eckley at 604-526-7125.
RUN GROWS TO NEW HEIGHTS
The second Annual Heights on the Run has surpassed all expectations.
The run, which is sponsored by Scotiabank, enjoyed 36 per cent growth in both the number of participants and the amount of money it was able to donate to the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society.
A cheque worth $3,000 was presented by to the firefighters to help fund their CPR program, which teaches basic life-saving skills to ever Grade 10 student in Burnaby.
On hand for the cheque presentation ceremony were Heights merchants kevin Perry of Scotiabank, Mymee Chow, president of the Heights Merchants Association, and Michael Hurley and Jim Peever, president and treasurer of the firefighters society.
Scott Fraser, executive director of the Heights Merchants Association said the event is rapidly gaining momentum thanks to the long list of participating sponsors. for more information on how to get involved in the fast growing community event in north Burnaby, visit the website www.burnabyheights.com.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
Kudos to the board of directors at South Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which recently celebrated another year of growth in the city.
According to SBNH board chair Shelley Mills, the group was able to expand its level of service and add several new programs to the many worthwhile offerings they make available to families.
This year, Neighbourhood House opened a new kindergarten and before and after school care program in the Stride neighbourhood, offered summer day camp programs at four local schools, helped 454 low income earners with their income tax returns, and opened a new multi-lingual volunteer support program with assistance from the United Way, in addition to many, many other programs.
The number of people who benefited from SBNH programs included 3,100 children, 302 youth and 2,830 adults. There were a total of 293 volunteers who helped out and a total of 63,936 contacts were made with either those volunteers or staff.
The entire board of directors were reelected, including Mills, vice-chair Blair Fryer, treasurer Gladys Brundett, secretary Harman Pandher, and at-large members Lila Caldera, Dan Chapman, Harminder Sanghera, Surrinder Singh and Ava Turner. The lone new board member is Dina Tabuzzo.
"My first year as chair has been a rewarding and fulfilling one," Mills wrote in her annual report. "I am proud of what has been accomplished and the challenges that lie ahead."
BUSY WITH FILM
Gabriela Schonbach has to be the busiest documentary producer in Burnaby.
Her most recent work, Quiet Mind, Meditation for Real Life, is currently playing on Vision TV, while she prepares for several other projects that are expected to hit the airwaves in the coming months.
Each episode of Quiet Mind looks at one of six different forms of mediation - Hatha yoga, Metta mediation, healing Qijong, Zen Buddhism, Miksang photography and Christian mediation - through the eyes of an acknowledge master of the craft.
The series was filmed in Vancouver, Halifax, San Francisco, Manila and Singapore, and is billed as the first series co- production between Canada and Singapore.
While most of the series has already aired, the episodes on Miksang photography run tonight, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m., and the final installment on Christian mediation runs next Saturday, Dec. 6 also at 7:30 p.m.
Soon after this series is complete, Schonbach will wrap up her next project - The Daniel Igali Story, a profile of the world champion and former SFU wrestler. That documentary is expected to be broadcast on the CBC's Life and Times in March 2004.
Schonbach is also working on a much-anticipated documentary based on the book Weird Sex and Snowshoes, written by Vancouver Sun film critic and CBC commentator Katherine Monk.
"I know it sounds strange, but I've assembled a really strong team for doing Weird Sex," she says in one of the more interesting press releases to cross this desk all year.
Published Nov. 29, 2003
Come out to the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Hotel on Monday to see the start of the second annual Festival of Lights, a fundraising event for the folks at the Rotary Club of Burnaby - Deer Lake.
So far, nine different Burnaby companies have signed on to raise and decorate their own trees, which will be on display for shoppers to cast votes on, while making a donation to a worthwhile cause.
"It's the season of giving and this is a great way to get involved," said Evelyn Gut, director of sales at the hotel and one of the organizers of the festival.
Last year, the inaugural Festival of Lights at the Hilton raised almost $8,000 for the Rotary Club, which helped fund the group's project in literacy, the arts, health and the environment.
For a small donation, the public can vote on their favourite tree, and enter a draw for the chance to win an all-expenses paid weekend stay at the hotel. There will also be a collection box set up to gather toys for the Burnaby Christmas Bureau.
There is still space available for other companies to sponsor their own tree, for information on how to get involved, call Gut directly at 604-639-3722.
HOP ABOARD HISTORY
Looking for that perfect Christmas gift for a local history buff? Then why not check out the T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags produced by the Friends of Interurban 1223 - the society that is rebuilding the 92-year-old tram car that once rode through Burnaby.
The society just issued its latest newsletter which highlights the incredible work that has gone into restoring this piece of local heritage. Since moving into a city-owned warehouse on Royal Oak Ave. two years ago, volunteers have logged an impressive 8,000 hours of time on the project.
The work is "difficult, often dirty and always labour intensive," says Pixie McGeachie, president of the society. "Today, the 1223 is well on its way back to its handsome 1925 appearance."
For those who would like to make a more significant contribution, the society is always looking for sponsors to help complete the rattan seats, wooden benches and windows.
For more information on buying T-shirts and totes, call Barry Sansom at 604-435-9802.
For sponsorships, call Ed Eckley at 604-526-7125.
RUN GROWS TO NEW HEIGHTS
The second Annual Heights on the Run has surpassed all expectations.
The run, which is sponsored by Scotiabank, enjoyed 36 per cent growth in both the number of participants and the amount of money it was able to donate to the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society.
A cheque worth $3,000 was presented by to the firefighters to help fund their CPR program, which teaches basic life-saving skills to ever Grade 10 student in Burnaby.
On hand for the cheque presentation ceremony were Heights merchants kevin Perry of Scotiabank, Mymee Chow, president of the Heights Merchants Association, and Michael Hurley and Jim Peever, president and treasurer of the firefighters society.
Scott Fraser, executive director of the Heights Merchants Association said the event is rapidly gaining momentum thanks to the long list of participating sponsors. for more information on how to get involved in the fast growing community event in north Burnaby, visit the website www.burnabyheights.com.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
Kudos to the board of directors at South Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which recently celebrated another year of growth in the city.
According to SBNH board chair Shelley Mills, the group was able to expand its level of service and add several new programs to the many worthwhile offerings they make available to families.
This year, Neighbourhood House opened a new kindergarten and before and after school care program in the Stride neighbourhood, offered summer day camp programs at four local schools, helped 454 low income earners with their income tax returns, and opened a new multi-lingual volunteer support program with assistance from the United Way, in addition to many, many other programs.
The number of people who benefited from SBNH programs included 3,100 children, 302 youth and 2,830 adults. There were a total of 293 volunteers who helped out and a total of 63,936 contacts were made with either those volunteers or staff.
The entire board of directors were reelected, including Mills, vice-chair Blair Fryer, treasurer Gladys Brundett, secretary Harman Pandher, and at-large members Lila Caldera, Dan Chapman, Harminder Sanghera, Surrinder Singh and Ava Turner. The lone new board member is Dina Tabuzzo.
"My first year as chair has been a rewarding and fulfilling one," Mills wrote in her annual report. "I am proud of what has been accomplished and the challenges that lie ahead."
BUSY WITH FILM
Gabriela Schonbach has to be the busiest documentary producer in Burnaby.
Her most recent work, Quiet Mind, Meditation for Real Life, is currently playing on Vision TV, while she prepares for several other projects that are expected to hit the airwaves in the coming months.
Each episode of Quiet Mind looks at one of six different forms of mediation - Hatha yoga, Metta mediation, healing Qijong, Zen Buddhism, Miksang photography and Christian mediation - through the eyes of an acknowledge master of the craft.
The series was filmed in Vancouver, Halifax, San Francisco, Manila and Singapore, and is billed as the first series co- production between Canada and Singapore.
While most of the series has already aired, the episodes on Miksang photography run tonight, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m., and the final installment on Christian mediation runs next Saturday, Dec. 6 also at 7:30 p.m.
Soon after this series is complete, Schonbach will wrap up her next project - The Daniel Igali Story, a profile of the world champion and former SFU wrestler. That documentary is expected to be broadcast on the CBC's Life and Times in March 2004.
Schonbach is also working on a much-anticipated documentary based on the book Weird Sex and Snowshoes, written by Vancouver Sun film critic and CBC commentator Katherine Monk.
"I know it sounds strange, but I've assembled a really strong team for doing Weird Sex," she says in one of the more interesting press releases to cross this desk all year.
Seeking North America's best video animation
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Nov. 29, 2003
To describe Aaron Keogh as an ambitious young man would be an understatement.
The 24-year-old Burnaby resident is the guiding force behind a show he is billing as North America's Best Independent Animated Shorts, coming this weekend to the Pacific Cinematheque repertoire theatre.
The show - a one-and-a-half hour screening of 16 short animated films - was put together over the past year as part of Keogh's plan to cast light on some of the talented new players in the growing field of animated film.
"The project actually started two years ago when we were looking for ideas to promote our own recording company, Raider Productions," said Keogh. "We thought of a TV series and a feature film, but that wasn't doable, and a short film probably wouldn't get us the attention we wanted.
"That's when we came up with the idea of a short film festival that would allow us to put together a frame story to show off the voice-over, sound effects and talents of our own studio."
Keogh and business partner Bill McGowan of Magic Lantern studios sent out more than 9,000 e-mails to every animation studio and school they could find, hoping to generate some interest in their idea of an independent animation festival.
They received 1,200 responses, and of those, 117 animators sent in submissions that had to be screened and judged before whittling the nominees down to the final 22 selected films.
The final product runs the gamut from polished professional films to those with obvious amateur roots wrapped around a 'frame show' produced by Keogh and featuring the vocal talents of his younger brother and sister, Ryan and Alyssa, who are both well known actors in the local theatre scene.
"The point of all this is to try and get good stories out there," said Keogh. "You could say this is a venue for all those young people who are getting into animation with all the new Flash and 3- D programs."
And while the title of the show might sound a little grandiose for one of the first commercial ventures produce by his studio, Keogh said he had no hesitation describing the selected films as "North America's best" independent animated shorts.
"Most of these are pieces of note to begin with," he said. "For instance, Reaper, Sheeper, Treasure Seeker has already won seven different awards and the guy who produced Dark Day Afternoon previously won an award from MTV."
He was also reluctant to select a favourite.
"It's really hard to choose," Keogh said. "To answer that fairly, I think they're all works of significant achievement for the artists, most of which are not from large national corporations. The majority of these people are making their films from the heart and, beyond money, that's what counts."
While the mini-film festival is currently only scheduled for the two screenings in Vancouver this weekend, Keogh is hoping to generate enough interest to take the show on the road.
And he has visions of creating "the world's best" independent animated shot's festival, possibly as early as next year.
"I'd just like to see how well things go," he said. "We have a large e-mail data base now, so we're betting a lot of attention that way, and we're getting schools sending us material from all over. We're getting some material from overseas, too."
All of the films have been deemed suitable for family viewing by the the screening's organizers, however they have not been rated by the provincial film classification office.
North America's best independent Animated Shorts will be screened at Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe St., Vancouver, at 1 and 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29. Admission is only $5.
For more information, visit the project website at www.nabias.com.
Published Nov. 29, 2003
To describe Aaron Keogh as an ambitious young man would be an understatement.
The 24-year-old Burnaby resident is the guiding force behind a show he is billing as North America's Best Independent Animated Shorts, coming this weekend to the Pacific Cinematheque repertoire theatre.
The show - a one-and-a-half hour screening of 16 short animated films - was put together over the past year as part of Keogh's plan to cast light on some of the talented new players in the growing field of animated film.
"The project actually started two years ago when we were looking for ideas to promote our own recording company, Raider Productions," said Keogh. "We thought of a TV series and a feature film, but that wasn't doable, and a short film probably wouldn't get us the attention we wanted.
"That's when we came up with the idea of a short film festival that would allow us to put together a frame story to show off the voice-over, sound effects and talents of our own studio."
Keogh and business partner Bill McGowan of Magic Lantern studios sent out more than 9,000 e-mails to every animation studio and school they could find, hoping to generate some interest in their idea of an independent animation festival.
They received 1,200 responses, and of those, 117 animators sent in submissions that had to be screened and judged before whittling the nominees down to the final 22 selected films.
The final product runs the gamut from polished professional films to those with obvious amateur roots wrapped around a 'frame show' produced by Keogh and featuring the vocal talents of his younger brother and sister, Ryan and Alyssa, who are both well known actors in the local theatre scene.
"The point of all this is to try and get good stories out there," said Keogh. "You could say this is a venue for all those young people who are getting into animation with all the new Flash and 3- D programs."
And while the title of the show might sound a little grandiose for one of the first commercial ventures produce by his studio, Keogh said he had no hesitation describing the selected films as "North America's best" independent animated shorts.
"Most of these are pieces of note to begin with," he said. "For instance, Reaper, Sheeper, Treasure Seeker has already won seven different awards and the guy who produced Dark Day Afternoon previously won an award from MTV."
He was also reluctant to select a favourite.
"It's really hard to choose," Keogh said. "To answer that fairly, I think they're all works of significant achievement for the artists, most of which are not from large national corporations. The majority of these people are making their films from the heart and, beyond money, that's what counts."
While the mini-film festival is currently only scheduled for the two screenings in Vancouver this weekend, Keogh is hoping to generate enough interest to take the show on the road.
And he has visions of creating "the world's best" independent animated shot's festival, possibly as early as next year.
"I'd just like to see how well things go," he said. "We have a large e-mail data base now, so we're betting a lot of attention that way, and we're getting schools sending us material from all over. We're getting some material from overseas, too."
All of the films have been deemed suitable for family viewing by the the screening's organizers, however they have not been rated by the provincial film classification office.
North America's best independent Animated Shorts will be screened at Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe St., Vancouver, at 1 and 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29. Admission is only $5.
For more information, visit the project website at www.nabias.com.
Truck drivers discover man sleeping in bin
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Nov. 29, 2003
The operators of a Canadian Waste Management garbage truck were startled Friday morning when they inadvertently dumped a sleeping man into their truck.
Police, fire and ambulance crews were called out to the area of Lougheed and Holdom at around 5 a.m. Friday, when the truck operators reported someone banging and shouting from the container on the back of their large green disposal truck.
"They had to use the boom from Engine 4 to gently lift the patient from the top of the truck to the ground," said Capt. Fred Scarfe of the Burnaby fire department.
While the victim is reported to have had only minor injuries, he was placed onto a backboard before being transported to hospital.
While Scarfe said this is the first he's heard of a homeless person being injured in a garbage disposal bin, he believes it may be happening more often.
"Nowadays, you do hear more stories about the homeless," Scarfe said. "You know, it's kind of sad. They're all over the place."
Grant Hankins, general manager of Canadian Waste Management, said incidents such as this are "not frequent," however, he did not have any details on this particular incident.
"These things don't happen every day," Hankins said. "But until we finish our investigation, I can't talk about it."
"What you should be looking at is a social problem and the number of people sleeping out in our communities," he said.
Published Nov. 29, 2003
The operators of a Canadian Waste Management garbage truck were startled Friday morning when they inadvertently dumped a sleeping man into their truck.
Police, fire and ambulance crews were called out to the area of Lougheed and Holdom at around 5 a.m. Friday, when the truck operators reported someone banging and shouting from the container on the back of their large green disposal truck.
"They had to use the boom from Engine 4 to gently lift the patient from the top of the truck to the ground," said Capt. Fred Scarfe of the Burnaby fire department.
While the victim is reported to have had only minor injuries, he was placed onto a backboard before being transported to hospital.
While Scarfe said this is the first he's heard of a homeless person being injured in a garbage disposal bin, he believes it may be happening more often.
"Nowadays, you do hear more stories about the homeless," Scarfe said. "You know, it's kind of sad. They're all over the place."
Grant Hankins, general manager of Canadian Waste Management, said incidents such as this are "not frequent," however, he did not have any details on this particular incident.
"These things don't happen every day," Hankins said. "But until we finish our investigation, I can't talk about it."
"What you should be looking at is a social problem and the number of people sleeping out in our communities," he said.
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