Weekly News Recap: November 18, 2022

Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton is the latest celebrity to receive a $100 million gift from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to be used for charitable purposes. Parton is seen here at the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles.

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain. -- Dolly Parton

SOME GOOD NEWS

• Mohinda Singh Pujji DFC (South Asian Heritage) An amazing story. #SikhHero "After the fall of Dunkirk, it is said Britain stood alone. However, while Britain was alone in not being occupied, the men and women defending Britain came from across the Commonwealth and the wider world."

• Oscar the cat keeps coming back to comfort patients at a Halifax hospice (CBC) HALIFAX STORY #AnimalsAreAmazing "Tom Gerrior had an unexpected visitor during the last week of his life. A friendly grey cat named Oscar started showing up at Gerrior's door at Hospice Halifax this summer. The residence in the south end of the city provides end-of-life care for people living with terminal illness. 'The cat would come to the patio door looking in Tom's room during the last week of his life so it gave him a lot. It gave him a big lift,' his sister Evelyn Oakley told CBC Radio's Information Morning Nova Scotia."

• The Boss, one of the biggest, baddest grizzly bears in Banff, captured in new series of photos (CBC) BANFF STORY What an amazing creature (and great pics btw). "'There was a bear digging underneath a log, with dirt flying behind it. He just popped his head up and I got a couple of shots.' Jason Leo Bantle captured this photo of The Boss, who he suspects was digging for ground squirrels under stumps and logs. Bantle recognized bear No. 122, otherwise known as The Boss, due to his size and his distinctive ears. The Boss is regarded as being the most dominant grizzly bear found around Banff National Park."

• Albertans treated to the display of ‘pillars of light’ appearing on cold, calm nights Pipa News (Pipa News) ALBERTA STORY #Cool "Albertans treated to the display of ‘pillars of light’ appearing on cold, calm nights. When Ryota Suyama woke up around 4 a.m. [...] it appeared that an alien invasion had taken over the town of Canmore. Columns of light streaked into the night sky above residents’ rooftops, illuminating a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. 'It was a bit surreal,' Suyama said. 'We’ve seen northern lights a few times, but we’d never seen pillars of light… It almost felt like it was happening right in front of us, so it was absolutely amazing.'"

• Dance program presented for children with cerebral palsy IG News (IG News) EDMONTON STORY Dance will set you free. "A special dance class in Edmonton is giving children with cerebral palsy a chance to express themselves. The Dance Without Limits program is put on by Cerebral Palsy Alberta and Ballet Edmonton. Six-year-old Lily Lawrence is one of the students. 'She’s dreamed of dancing for years,' said her mom, Linda Lawrence. 'She watches ballerina movies and everything, and as soon as I found a dance class that would support her needs, we put her on right away.'"

• Meet the Gander chef whose cafeteria menu has high school students lined up and salivating (CBC) GANDER STORY Kids appreciate food. And they know good from bad. "When the recess bell rings at Gander Collegiate, chef Josh Boyde knows the rush is about to begin. Dozens of teenagers line up for their snacks in anticipation of what the chef is cooking, the aroma of warm cinnamon and cooked dinner having wafted throughout the school all morning. 'I've been eating here every day, it's so good,' said Gavin Burry, a senior at the high school. 'The sweet potato fries? I went feral. It was insane.' The Chef Josh brand is well known around Gander, as Boyde does private catering, has a meal-kit pickup service and runs the restaurant at the local golf course."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

1. Allan Markin is on a mission to help people lead healthier lives (UCalgary) CALGARY STORY And so...he is. "One of the most popular television shows of the 1950s was a fictional anthology series called The Millionaire, about a mysterious benefactor who each week would anonymously bestow upon one lucky stranger a cheque for $1 million. The drama explored how the money affected the beneficiaries, often changing their lives for the better. It was an idea that struck Allan Markin — just a boy at the time, growing up in the soon-to-be Calgary community of Bowness — so much so that the youngster declared to his mother, 'I’m going to be a millionaire and give away money, just like that man.'"

2. Earth's population reaches 8-billion milestone, but this upward trend may not continue for long (CBC) We are close to the plateau. "On Tuesday, the United Nations officially marked the day the global population reached eight billion people. It's not an exact science. It may have happened weeks or months ago or may not even have happened yet. But the fact is that humans are abundant on this planet and our population is on an upward trend. At least until the end of the century. In the UN's World Population Prospects 2022 report, the international agency said that it expects the population to reach somewhere near 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, 10.4 billion in the 2080s and remain at that level until 2100."

3. Prince George's new fully accessible pool welcomed by people with disabilities, advocates (CBC) PRINCE GEORGE STORY I swam two to three times per week in the original pool. What a great move forward! "A new community pool in downtown Prince George, B.C., with a host of accessibility features is being welcomed by people with disabilities and their advocates after it opened to the public on Monday. The $39-million Canfor Leisure Pool replaces the 50-year-old Four Seasons Leisure Pool, which had several accessibility and safety shortcomings, according to a 2016 Aquatic Needs Assessment Report."

4. Girl Guides of Canada to rename its Brownies program to be more inclusive (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The Girl Guides of Canada announced Tuesday they will be renaming their Brownies branch to be more inclusive. 'We made that decision because we heard from girls and from former members and current members that the name caused them harm,' Jill Zelmanovits, the CEO of Girl Guides of Canada, told CBC News. Zelmanovits said talks about changing the name began in 2020 during the pandemic. She said she heard some girls wanted to be members, but the name didn't make them feel like they belong. 'Sometimes that meant that they would join when they were younger and then skip over that particular branch, sometimes it meant they would delay joining the organization all together until after that branch or sometimes they just wouldn't come at all,' Zelmanovits said."

5. Calgary non-profit groups urge province to use budget surplus to help most vulnerable (CTV) CALGARY STORY "A collective of Calgary emergency shelters and non-profits is calling on the province to spend a portion of its projected $13.2-billion surplus helping Alberta's most vulnerable residents and addressing what it calls a 'chronic underfunding' for social services. The initiative is led by CUPS Calgary, the Calgary Drop-In Centre, Fear is not Love (the Calgary Emergency Women's Shelter), Inn From the Cold, the Alex and YWCA Calgary. In a release sent to CTV News, the group says government contracts that cover essential services such as emergency and shelter beds, transitional housing, medical services and other crisis interventions are becoming more expensive due to inflation."

6. Homebuilder seeks to bolster trades education and boost home affordability (Techlifetoday) ALBERTA STORY Go Jay! "There’s a strong link between the housing shortage and affordability in Canada and the accessibility of trades education, in that there’s not enough skilled labour to serve the construction industry. According to a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report, the workforce would have to double across much of the country to meet demand and bring prices within reach of potential homeowners. Jay Westman, chairman and CEO of Jayman BUILT. Over the years, Calgary-based homebuilder Jay [...] has addressed this challenge by investing in those who support the development of that workforce – namely, post-secondary institutes focused on hands-on education, such as NAIT and SAIT."

7. President & CEO, Ken Mayhew Named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Brampton (Osler Foundation) TORONTO STORY I am proud to know you Ken. "Osler Foundation is thrilled to congratulate President & CEO Ken Mayhew on being named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Brampton. The Paul Harris Fellow, the highest award in Rotary, is given to a member of the public who has made an outstanding contribution to the community. In addition to his decade-long tenure as President & CEO of Osler Foundation where he helps drive Osler Foundation’s significant fundraising commitments, Ken has long contributed his time, treasure and talents to a variety of fundraising and community organizations including: several years served as a member of Sick Kids Foundation Community Advisory Committee, volunteering for a number of small non-profit boards; and frequently providing mentorship and support for small organizations and their leaders who are seeking fundraising advice. He is Past President of the GTA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is the current Chair of AFP Canada. Among a number of honours, Ken has been recognized with a CEO in Action award from the Diversity Journal for his work in inclusive fundraising and was deeply humbled to be selected as the 2019 Fundraiser of the Year by the Greater Toronto Chapter of AFP."

8. Jeff Bezos gives Dolly Parton big sum to donate to charity: 'Did you say $100 million dollars?' (USA Today) How cool is this? "Dolly Parton's next donation will be as big as her heart. The beloved country music icon (and newly minted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee) is the new recipient of billionaire Jeff Bezos' Courage and Civility Award, which carries a $100 million donation for Parton to bestow upon the charities of her choice."

9. She mostly hid her age at U of T. Now this 18-year-old has a master's degree (CBC) TORONTO STORY #IAmClearlyAnUnderachiever "When most girls approach their 18th birthdays, they may have an upcoming high school graduation on their minds, but Isabel Jewell was anticipating a very different ceremony — her master's convocation. Jewell and her older sister Sophia both graduated this week with master's degrees in Slavic languages and literatures from the University of Toronto. It was the culmination of a journey that started with undergraduate degrees at the University of Alberta when they were just 12 and 14 years old. The sisters hid their age from most classmates and professors, but spoke to CBC Toronto this week."

10. Field of Crosses ceremony to mark 80th anniversary of Dieppe, 105 years since Vimy Ridge (Global) CALGARY STORY My grandfather fought and was captured at Dieppe. We will remember them. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid and the 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. More than 3,600 crosses representing southern Albertans who served their country in war make up the Field of Crosses along Memorial Drive between 3 Street N.W. and Centre Street. Each cross has the name, rank, regiment, age and date of death of the soldier it represents."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

1. Understanding the solar cycle and its impact on our climate and climate change (CBC) Our sun is amazing.

2. The Unnatural Future of Physics (Wired) We know nothing.

3. When a Houseplant Obsession Becomes a Nightmare (Wired) Plants have become such an obsession. What are your favourites?

4. Who Owns the Story? (Agitator) Is it the benefactor? The organization? The donor?

5. 8 Tips Every Major Gifts Officer Needs to End 2022 Strong (Wired) Great and important reminders.

6. Why You Should Exercise in the Morning To Improve Your Mental Health (Better Humans) I agree but...why so early? :-(

7. How I Achieved the Best Shape of My Life at 40, with Minimal Effort (Better Humans) I need this.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

1. Local philanthropic foundation donates $10M for new NICU in Calgary hospital (Global News) CALGARY STORY Lovely gift Don and Ruth. Thank you! "For more than 26 years, Foothills Medical Centre’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has provided care to newborns who critically need health care. To recognize its efforts, the Taylor Family Foundation donated $10 million to fund a new state-of-the-art, two-story NICU at Foothills Medical Centre. The Taylor Family Foundation is a registered public philanthropic foundation that provides monetary gifts in areas such as health, education, history and the arts."

2. Forging a healthier future through research: McGill University launches new Institute of Genomic Medicine Français (Newswire) MONTREAL STORY "A landmark donation to support McGill University's renowned genomics research and education programs from UK-based alumnus and long-time donor Dr. Victor Dahdaleh is a catalyst for advancements in genomics research. Thanks to gifts from Dr. Dahdaleh totalling more than $30 million, McGill will launch the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine."

3. RBC commits $3.5 million for programming at Waterloo Region universities, college (The Record) ONTARIO STORY Thanks RBC! "The RBC Foundation has committed $3.5 million over the next five years to support students and future programming at the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College. The collaboration is part of RBC Future Launch’s 10-year, $500 million commitment to helping Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. Graduates from these programs will have the capabilities to contribute to Canada’s skills revolution and be among the next generation of leaders in sustainability and the skilled trades industries."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

• The Unthinkable Kept Her From Racing the NYC Marathon in 1993. Now She’s Back. (Sports Illustrated)

• 'It is very empowering': Donated all-terrain wheelchairs provide access to Georgia parks (CBC)

• Bumblebees play with balls just for fun, study finds (CBC)

• Calgary domestic violence program that focuses on men hailed as a model example (Globe and Mail)

• Extended downtown casino closures cost province, Edmonton charities millions (CBC)

• Toronto’s University Health Network receiving a $52-million donation to build an ER for seniors (Globe and Mail)

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