Weekly News Recap: February 12, 2021

Weekly News Recap: February 12, 2021

Workers clean a giant Buddha statue at a temple ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Bogor, West Java province, Indonesia, on Sunday. (Arif Firmansyah/Antara Foto/Reuters)

恭贺新禧 Gōng hè xīn xǐ Good luck in the year ahead! -- Chinese New Year Greeting

BRAINTRUST PHILANTHROPY PODCAST

We posted our most recent podcast yesterday. Episode 46: "Success in Human Services Philanthropy = Fierce Collaboration" We spoke with Arlene Adamson, Shannon Doram, and Darcie Acton. The episode can be found on iTunes, Spotify and right here on our website. It's a really great episode. I hope you will give it a listen and subscribe.

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • 12-year-old girl helping Central Alberta Humane Society (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY I heart this little girl. "A 12-year-old Red Deer girl says she wants to help the Central Alberta Humane Society in a time of need. 'COVID has taken away a lot, but I don’t want the community to forget that it can’t take away kindness and … to share love with each other, and the animals too,' said Jayda Monilaws [...]. Since 2014, Monilaws has raised more than $25,000 for the humane society through an annual cupcake sale – last year’s sale raised more than $10,000."

  • Calgary man creates world's 1st Lego lawn bowling league (CBC) CALGARY STORY I mean, c'mon, it's Lego. And...lawn bowling. You knew I had to put it in the recap. "Many people are taking up new hobbies lately, including Calgarian Dwayne Hauck, who fused two familiar activities into a new league of sorts [...]. Hauck, who is the head umpire for Bowls Alberta, an organization that promotes the sport, began melding the worlds of Lego and lawn bowling to create the Lego Lawn Bowls League, the first of its kind in the world."

  • Regina Tim Hortons team makes tribute to top doctor with sweater vest donut (CBC) REGINA STORY Nice work Timmy's! "There may be nothing more Canadian than having a Tim Hortons donut made in your honour. Now Saskatchewan's top doctor knows just what that feels like. A Tim Hortons production team member from Regina's Capital Crossing location designed a single, special donut this week to honour Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab and the work he's done throughout the pandemic."

  • The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra can serenade your Valentine this year EDMONTON STORY I love this! I won't say whether I did or did not take them up on this offer..."The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is offering a special way to serenade your loved ones this Valentine's Day. ESO's Valentine’s Jukebox is offering a 'one-of-a-kind musical Valentine' for $80. 'We chose these pieces just because they’re pretty, uplifting and they so clearly express love and intimacy,' said Laura Veeze of the song choices she and her partner Robert Uchida made."

  • This online closet challenge will get you rocking a variety of outfits all month long (CBC) CALGARY STORY This is #Awesome "The pandemic hasn't just changed fashion but squashed it to the point that our favourite sweats have become couture. So in order to give us a smile and motivation to explore the backs of our closet, some are trying the Rainbow Days Challenge."

  • Good Samaritan given new car after driving stranded family to Alaska (CBC) FORT ST. JOHN STORY Nice work Planters "In November, Gary Bath was praised for driving Lynn Marchessault and her family from Pink Mountain, B.C., just north of his hometown, to the Alaskan border near Beaver Creek, Yukon. [...] Since then, Bath said he's received countless messages of thanks and congratulations from individuals who have heard his story. Now, he and Marchessault have each been offered a new car — and a lifetime supply of peanuts — from Planters, the American nut company."

  • How this 98-year-old woman has become the ‘Oprah’ of a Jewish community center in Florida (Washington Post) I love her! "At 10 a.m. sharp, the 98-year-old enters a Zoom meeting, where an audience of 50 women eagerly await her. She’s known to some as the 'Oprah' of senior citizens at the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton, Fla. She’s older than Oprah Winfrey, and Jewish, and some other differences, too — but you get the picture."

  • Right place at the right time: Man rescues elk from B.C. mountain avalanche (CBC) FIELD STORY #LuckyIndeed "A lucky elk will live to see another day thanks to a B.C. man who saw the animal become buried in an avalanche, and happened to be in the right place at the right time to dig it out.

PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Travel Photographer of the Year 2020 - in pictures (The Guardian) Beautiful! "From majestic landscapes, intimate animal portraits and intriguing night-time views beneath the ocean’s surface, to glimpses of cultures across the world, the winning images from Travel Photographer of the Year 2020 present a view of life on our planet at a time in which travel has been difficult or impossible."

  • Photographer's shot of Telus Sky building qualifies for World Photographic Cup (CBC) CALGARY STORY Great Pic! "There are a lot of images to represent how Calgarians felt this past year, but a Cochrane woman's photograph of the Telus Sky building really hit the nail on the head. And the photography world thinks so, too. So much so that she has qualified for the World Photographic Cup — an annual competition that names the best images of the year in six categories."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Year of the Ox: Preparations and decorations ahead of Asia's Lunar New Year (CBC) Happy Lunar New Year! "Millions of people around the world are getting ready to celebrate Asia's Lunar New Year amid the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions. Here's a look at the preparations and decorations for the event, which occurs [today] and kicks off the Year of the Ox." RELATED: Year of the Ox: Preparations and decorations ahead of Asia's Lunar New Year.

  2. COVID-19 restrictions could offer chance for deeper romance this Valentine's Day (CBC) SASKATOON STORY #DeeperConnections "Some who specialize in the ways of wooing are advising caution when it comes to finding romance in the time of COVID-19 restrictions, but they say there are some silver linings if you're trying to find a partner during the global pandemic."

  3. Tech-savvy charity connects seniors with loved ones (Airdrie Today) EDMONTON STORY Brilliant! "Residents of care centres across the province have been connecting with loved ones like never before thanks to a technologically savvy charity. 'COVID-19 has put a lens on how truly in the dark this demographic is,' said Jay-Dee Netter, president and cofounder of Project Joy, which has been providing repurposed and new electronic communication devices to at least 34 seniors centres and hospices in Alberta [...]. Netter said the need is urgent to help people connect with isolated loved ones."

  4. This Calgary business turns sea cans into backyard offices (CBC) CALGARY STORY What a great idea. "For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant swapping work commutes for zoom meetings. For some, it has also meant working in a living room surrounded by piles of laundry, the sound of housemates grinding coffee or pets getting into trouble. But one Calgarian thinks he's found a creative solution for those needing more space — even just temporarily — while they work from home."

  5. We'll wear masks after the pandemic, researchers predict, and they're trying to make them better (CBC) HAMILTON STORY #OurFuture "Anesthesiologists recently came to Ravi Selvaganapathy and his colleagues at McMaster University with a problem. They needed a superior face shield that would protect them from the coronavirus but didn't require a mask to be worn underneath and wouldn't fog up. Selvaganapathy and the team at McMaster's Centre of Excellence in Protective Equipment and Materials (CEPEM) ended up creating a face shield with mask material around it."

  6. Edmonton Football Team holding online 50-50 raffle in support of World's Longest Hockey Game (Edmonton Sun) EDMONTON STORY "While a puck is getting chased around in the World’s Longest Hockey Game, there will be some pigskin support in the efforts to reach the goal of raising $1.5 million for the Cure Cancer Foundation. The Edmonton Football Team is holding an online raffle with proceeds going toward the University of Alberta’s cancer research clinical trial to benefit patients at the Cross Cancer Institute."

  7. Kielburger brothers say WE Charity controversy left them 'political roadkill' (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The co-founders of WE Charity say they now regret the organization's decision to invite prominent politicians — including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — to their events. Marc Kielburger said he is 'sad' and 'angry' about what's transpired since their charity was awarded a $43-million untendered contract to administer the Canada student service grant in June 2020." RELATED: Don't show a photo of David Suzuki: How WE Charity tried to keep its donors happy.

  8. UNBC lays off nine in face of budget challenge (Prince George Citizen) PRINCE GEORGE STORY UNBC is likely not the last. "The University of Northern British Columbia will be shutting down its university advancement office, shedding nine jobs in the process, in an effort to pass a balanced budget for 2021-22."

  9. CEO of Royal B.C. Museum stepping down as board of directors addresses 'internal issues' (CBC) VICTORIA STORY "The chief executive officer of the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria is leaving his job, according to a statement from the institution. A [...] news release said Jack Lohman, who has been with the museum since 2012, will not be [returning]."

  10. ‘Toxic philanthropy’ versus ‘egalitarian principles’: artists, art workers and activists call for Leon Black’s removal as MoMA board chairman (The Art Newspaper) "Ratcheting up the pressure for his resignation, an array of over 150 artists, art workers and collectives have called for the removal of Leon Black as board chairman of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) after months of controversy over the billionaire’s payments to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and other financial ties."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. The 17/20 nutrition principle is the simple approach a Hollywood trainer uses to get A-listers in shape (Insider) "Lygdbäck’s food philosophy says that 17 of every 20 meals should be 'on point' — the other three can be whatever you want to eat." I like the simplicity of his approach. #Smart

  2. 6 Free MacOS Apps I never Close (Mac O'Clock) Some very useful apps. I installed Fanny and Joplin.

  3. How to Read (Forge) Do you have trouble remembering what you have read. Or do you read whatever. Or, worst of all, are you reading bad books? Some great tips and tricks on how to read better.

  4. A Brain Coach Reveals the Secret Sauce for Learning Faster (Age of Awareness) I mean, really, the guy's name is Jim Kwik -- I am in!

  5. Everything You Need to Look Ridiculously Good on Zoom (Debugger) This is very high-end but it might be just what you are looking for. I know I am.

  6. How To Stop Clutter From Ruining Your Mental State (Better Humans) I suffer greatly from 'open loop' situations. Clutter is the worst.

  7. I’ve followed the Mediterranean diet for years. Here are 11 things I always have in my pantry and fridge. (Insider) Yum, I love all of these!

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. BC Cancer Foundation receives record-setting $15M donation (Daily Hive) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY "The BC Cancer Foundation received a donation for lung cancer [...] that’s the largest monetary gift for fighting the type of cancer in the province’s history. The $15.3 million donation came from the Judah Blackmore Foundation, named after the late Vancouver businessman Leon Judah Blackmore who came to Canada after escaping the Holocaust in Poland.

  2. $31M Donation To Marquette Nursing Program Aims To Graduate 5K Nurses By 2030 (WPR) Excellent news. We need more nurses. Thanks! "Gift From Alumni Darren and Terry Jackson will create 80 scholarships for underrepresented students. Marquette University President Michael Lovell has announced a $31 million donation to the campus' college of nursing. The gift is focused on growing diversity within the program with a goal of 'preparing 5,000 nurses over the next decade and beyond.'"

  3. Former Michigan State University basketball walk-on donates $32 million to school (Click on Detroit) "Michigan State University athletics received millions of dollars in a major donation from one of its winningest basketball players, on and off the court. Mat Ishbia -- the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, 1998 Spartan basketball walk-on and 2000 NCAA champion -- recently donated $32 million to his alma mater."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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