Weekly News Recap: December 27, 2019

Weekly News Recap: December 27, 2019

A baby boy was born to Jen McCallum aboard a bus a few weeks ago in Lethbridge. (Red Arrow)

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.― Isaac Asimov

This is our last recap of this decade. On behalf of all of us here at ViTreo, we wish all of our loyal recap subscribers and readers an amazing New Year and a prosperous, healthy, and happy 2020! We will talk with you next week. Happy New Year!

This week's highlights

News

  • Why Albertans give so much money to charity (but shouldn't be too smug about it) (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "Per person, Albertans donate more money to charity than people in any other province. That's a title we've held for 14 consecutive years and counting, according to Statistics Canada." 12/25/19

  • 3D printing helps Royal Tyrrell take dinosaur research to next level (CBC) DRUMHELLER STORY This is cool! "'You just have to take multiple photographs from multiple angles and then from that, you can triangulate them using computer programs, and then that gives you your 3D model,' [Amy Kowalchuk] said. This technology is helping the museum show off some of its more impressive finds, such as a tyrannosaur specimen known as the exploded skull." 12/25/19

  • Prince George's United Way Tree of Lights raises more than $20K for mental health (Prince George Matters) PRINCE GEORGE STORY Nice work United Way of Northern B.C. "Prince George's Tree of Lights is lighting the way for mental health supports in the community as it's raised a little over $20,000. After a two-year absence, the Tree of Lights returned to Prince George thanks to the United Way of Northern B.C. who stepped up to bring the event back to the northern capital, which was last held in 2016 and organized by the Salvation Army." 12/22/19

  • Red Arrow driver helps deliver baby in bus bathroom in Lethbridge (CBC) LETHBRIDGE STORY As someone who takes a lot of Red Arrows, this story warmed my heart on a number of levels. 12/20/19

  • Calgary professor part of out-of-this-world Mars simulation in Hawaii (CBC) CALGARY STORY I know Kent, this would have been right up his alley (and mine, only a bit enviously). "A spherical white tent stands out against a desolate red-rock landscape. Five people clad in space suits occupy the foreground. The scene looks more fantastical than real life, and this unearthly quality is no coincidence. The photo was taken at a NASA-funded research centre in Hawaii that is designed to simulate Mars. Kent Hecker is a University of Calgary associate professor and researcher who was part of a Canadian research team participating in a study at the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation habitat, or HI-SEAS. 'The fun part is, I was the test subject. So I was the pretend astronaut for a week,' Hecker told The Homestretch." 12/20/19

  • Philanthropist's $1M scholarship donation asks Wayne State University end animal testing (Fox News) "A multi-millionaire in Michigan is offering to donate money to Wayne State University - but the money comes with a big ask. The donor is asking the university to end all testing on animals [...]. As far as [this] offer, the university says 'Wayne State does not accept gifts that stipulate changes to or that contradict, institutional policies or its mission.'" 12/20/19

  • Arbor Day Foundation and YouTube Surpass Donation Goal to Plant 20 Million Trees Through Viral #TeamTrees Movement (PR Newswire) We previously mentioned this story in our November 1, 2019 Recap. This is awesome. The power of many. Love it! "The Arbor Day Foundation has announced that as of December 19 2019, at 3:28 p.m. CT, #TeamTrees — a viral social media campaign driven by YouTube creators Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast) and Mark Rober — reached its goal of raising $20 million to plant 20 million trees around the globe, beating the initial goal of January 1, 2020." 12/19/19

  • A Gigantic Floating Moon Is Coming To Calgary Next Month & It’s So Magical (Narcity) CALGARY STORY Coolio! "Next month you'll be able to enjoy a view of the sky that is out of this world. You won't want to miss the chance to visit the Museum of the Moon in Calgary that opens in January. At this surreal pop-up, you'll get to see the moon as you've never had before [...]. The Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram will open on Thursday, January 23 and run until Sunday, March 15, 2020." 12/18/19

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Seven life and career hacks -- one for each day of the week

  1. ‘Pinch of trouble, dash of thought’: When a London charity whipped up the perfect Christmas recipe (Scroll.in) Some great copywriting here. "In 1925 the Shaftesbury Society and Ragged School Union published a touching booklet titled A Christmas Recipe. It was an appeal for funds to support their work with needy London children." 12/21/19

  2. 77 words UX/UI designers use (UX Collective) Nope, they won't make you a designer but they will help you communicate with one. 6/11/19

  3. Self-Knowledge is a Prerequisite For a Happy Life (Personal Growth) Start with "self-logging". I like to think I know myself pretty well, however, I am regularly disabused of this notion by those who love me. 6/10/19

  4. The Incredible Creative Power of the Index Card (Forge) As OG as this is, I use it all the time. Wait...Does that make me OG? 6/10/19

  5. VIDEO: Start making visual notes (UX Collective) Not for everybody but, even if you can't draw (like me), this is an excellent exercise. 6/9/19

  6. Between Chaos and Peace Lies Growth (Personal Growth) Welcome to the transition. Slow down. Enjoy the ride. 6/2/19

  7. There Is A Superpower Within Us All (Mind Cafe) This has been and will continue to be my guiding star. I hope it will be yours. 4/4/19

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Uncommon knowledge

  • The gift-card conundrum: Convenience with an environmental cost (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "In our callout for greener gifting ideas, some readers suggested gift certificates for things like a show, a restaurant or, more traditionally, a store. Gift cards can be a great last-minute option, and they're very popular — in fact, they were the most popular holiday gift in a recent online survey of Canadians, more than half of whom planned to buy gift cards for their loved ones. But they, too, have an environmental impact. Many gift cards are made of PVC plastic, which is hard to recycle and isn't accepted by most recycling systems." 12/19/19

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Philanthropic personalities

  • Celebrity Philanthropy Continues to Change, Modernize and Expand (Observer) "The strategic collaboration between a celebrity and charity can produce a whole lot of good for both sides. For non-profits, the upside that comes with partnering with a celebrity are apparent. Starry names attract more attention to your cause, provide an assist in fundraising and generate greater interest from volunteers. Showcasing an A-lister at a high-profile event is bound to help you cut through the clutter. For the talent, philanthropic work offers meaningful opportunities to use one’s star power to support causes they care about. And, let’s be honest, it doesn’t hurt to add a dose of good PR to your brand." 12/24/19

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Philanthropic controversy

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Trends and shifts

  • One in four gift charity donation over Christmas present (Accountancy Daily) "Over half of those planning to donate are driven by a desire to support specific causes, with 28% wanting to give back to society, generally highest amongst 45-54 year olds (34%), according to a sample of 2,000 people. People are more aware of the environmental impacts their gifts can have as 10% said they would rather donate to reduce waste caused by gifts - the highest number of these respondents were London-based (18%)." 12/24/19

  • Salvation Army Sees Success In Cashless Option For Red Kettle Donationss (WBBM) "All this season, for the first time ever, not having cash does not have to be an obstacle for making a donation at a Salvation Army Red Kettle. Now, you can use Apple Pay or Google Wallet from your smartphone. Salvation Army spokeswoman Jackie Rachev said so far, there have been 251 donations made that way totaling $1,600." 12/23/19

  • A giftless Christmas? How some families are cutting waste one present at a time (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "Christmas celebrations generate a lot of trash. In their quest to reduce waste, some Canadian families are cutting back on more than just wrapping paper and disposable dishware — they're also cutting back on presents [...]. According to the nonprofit group Zero Waste Canada, the average Canadian family throws out 25 to 45 per cent more garbage than usual over the holidays." 12/21/19

  • All for a good cause: Purpose-led brands aim to put philanthropy first (Vancouver Sun) CANADIAN STORY A very interesting trend. I wonder how impactful they are in the overall scheme. Would welcome some firsthand feedback. "It’s fashionable these days to tack a charitable element onto your brand in an effort to set your reputation as one of the ‘good guys’. And that’s all good: Even if a business is giving a tiny amount, it’s better than nothing. But there’s another level — purpose-driven brands — where instead of being buttoned on, doing good is woven into the very fabric of the company. In purpose-driven organizations, the philanthropic work is just as important as the business. And, sometimes, even more so." 12/19/19

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Stats and facts

  • Financial information of community colleges and vocational schools, 2017/2018 (Statistics Canada) Some very useful info related to colleges in Canada. "Student fees accounted for almost 30% of the $9.1 billion in revenue that colleges raised in 2017/2018 to prepare students for today's skills-based labour market, up from just under one quarter five years earlier. Much of the gain was attributable to the increased enrolment of international students, who pay considerably higher tuition fees than Canadians." 12/17/19

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Large gifts

  • Boca Regional Hospital Foundation receives $25 million donation (Boca Newspaper) "Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation is another step closer to its $250 million fundraising effort 'Keeping the Promise…The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital' thanks to a $25 million donation from philanthropists Toby and Leon Cooperman." 12/25/19

  • 9.2 million euros for the needy – We are donation emperors (EN24) Telethons still work! Especially when you use soldier and celebrities. Go Austria! ! "The 47th fundraiser 'Licht ins Dunkel' raised a total of 9,214,542 euros, which is 156,910 euros more than in the previous year. The ORF announced [recently]. With the support of numerous celebrities and soldiers of the Federal Army, contributions for people in need were received on Christmas Eve on ORF on the donation phones." 12/25/19

  • CP Holiday Train raises almost $1.5 million for food banks (Kitchener Today) CANADIAN STORY I heart holiday trains! "The 21st annual Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train wrapped up another successful year touring North America, sharing toe-tapping music and supporting more than 170 communities along CP routes. While final numbers are still being calculated, more than C$1.49 million was raised and 238,393 pounds of food have been collected for local food banks and food shelves so far this year. " 12/24/19

  • Rotary Club of GP announces $1.8M donation toward D'Coy upgrades (ReachFM) GRANDE PRAIRIE STORY Nice gift Rotary! "The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie has pledged $1.8 million from their Dream Home Lottery to the restoration of the D Company, or D Coy Armouries building." 12/20/19

  • Piano teacher’s $7.5M donation to go to Ralston development (AP News) "The donation from LaDonna Johnson, who died in 2016, will go to the Hinge [project]. The project’s master plan [...] includes filling empty retail spaces and adding green spaces and urban housing options." 12/20/19

  • Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital announces $1 million donation from Dr. Peter Chung (Vancouver Sun) VANCOUVER STORY "[Laura] and Grace along with Surrey Hospital Foundation president and CEO Jane Adams and other notables were on hand at the Children’s Health Centre to recognize a $1 million donation made by Dr. Peter Chung, founder of Primacorp Ventures Inc. – a sum that brings the fundraising to the $5 million mark." 12/19/19

  • ‘Conexus Riverview Chalet’ project kicks off with $1M donation to Optimist Hill (CKOM) SASKATOON STORY "Saskatoon’s Optimist Hill received some help from Conexus [...] for its next phase of fundraising. A donation of $1 million was given to kickstart a goal of 'close to' $5 million for a new two-storey, 15,000-square-foot facility, which will be dubbed the 'Conexus Riverview Chalet.'" 12/19/19

  • Colorado State receives $5 million donation from Chancellor Emeritus Joe Blake (Coloradoan) "Blake's $5 million gift to the college was announced [...] in a CSU press release. Blake, who served as CSU chancellor from 2009 until his retirement in 2011, was appointed to CSU's Board of Governors in 2006." 12/19/19

  • Mastercard Foundation investing $15M in partnership with U of L and Blackfoot Confederacy (Global News) LETHBRIDGE STORY Boom! Go Mastercard! "In partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy and the University of Lethbridge, the Mastercard Foundation has announced an investment of $15 million over the next five years, aimed at supporting and enabling Indigenous youth." 12/18/19

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