Weekly News Recap: February 25, 2022

Julie Shaw, president of the Shaw Family Foundation and daughter of telecom entrepreneur JR Shaw, shares details of a $35-million donation to Calgary's Glenbow Museum from her late father's estate.

I remember the day Ukraine became independent. I was 20; now I am over 40. It was like one second - time goes so fast. If we wait, the next 20 years will go by. We have a choice to wait or to fight for the better future of our country. I know better than anyone: no fight, no win.
-- Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv and former professional boxer

SOME GOOD NEWS

• How America Saved Millions of Dogs—By Moving Them (Time) I love this story so much. "On the tarmac, representatives from each jostled around the animals like vacationers at baggage claim. Danielle Bowes, a staff member at Second Chance, checked her list. She was looking for two tiny puppies named Tiger and Presley; black and brown 4-month-olds Bandit, Josie, and Wells; an adult lab mix, Trent; and a dozen more, ranging from 8 lb. to 40 lb., from 8 weeks to 4 years old. When she found Bravo, a 1-year-old collie and American blue heeler mix, she cooed into his cage, 'Hi, Pretty, you’re going to go quick!' Back at Second Chance, the dogs will quarantine for 48 hours, per state law, before they go up for adoption. If past experience is any guide—and transports like this arrive nearly every week all over the country, by plane, truck, and van—they will be gone in a few days, becoming the newest of the estimated 90 million canines living with U.S. families."

• An 11-year-old girl with Down syndrome was being bullied. So her country’s President walked her to school (CNN) ❤️ "The President of North Macedonia walked an 11-year-old girl with Down syndrome to school after he heard she was being bullied. President Stevo Pendarovski held Embla Ademi’s hand as he walked her to her elementary school in the city of Gostivar on Monday. Embla has experienced bullying at school due as a result of having Down [syndrome.]"

• All That Breathes: The Indian brothers who heal birds dropping from the sky (BBC) Such great humans. "For 20 years, two brothers living in the squalid neighbourhood of Wazirabad in India's capital, Delhi, have been treating wounded black kites that fall from the city's leaden skies. Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad rescue birds of prey - mostly injured by paper kite strings coated with crushed glass - and carry them in cardboard boxes to a claustrophobic basement garage at home. Here, they begin nursing them to health: cleaning and bandaging wounds, fixing slashed wings and broken bones."

• American women players settle equal-pay lawsuit vs. U.S. Soccer for $24M (CBC) Well done! (And about time.) "U.S. women's national team players who spent years battling for pay equity lauded as historic an agreement by U.S. Soccer to pay $24 million US to settle a discrimination dispute with the team, as well as a commitment to equalize pay and bonuses to match the men's team. 'I think we're going to look back on this moment and just think, `Wow, what an incredible turning point in the history of U.S. Soccer that changed the game and changed the world, really, forever,'' star midfielder Megan Rapinoe said.'"

• Finnish and Norwegian companies hope to turn small Arctic town into international hub (Eye On The Arctic) #Brilliant "A major new project involving a Finnish and a Norwegian company is underway in Kirkenes, Norway, to transform the small Arctic town into an international hub for education and entrepreneurship Dubbed 'Nothingness', the project developed by High North Development Group AS [...], a Norwegian company dedicated to the development of the Arctic, aims to increase the area’s international exposure. Together with the Finnish company Finest Bay Area Development [...], their goal is to bring 'new educational programs, students, start-ups and businesses to the region'. To achieve this, the companies are following the so-called Triple-E model (Education, Entrepreneurship, Entertainment). The project has already begun with the transformation of the former Kirkenes City Hospital building into a hub focused on 'hospitality/tourism, logistics, energy and food', a press release says."

• All-girls tackle football league in Edmonton makes its return after COVID shutdown (CBC) EDMONTON STORY "An all-girls tackle football league is reforming after COVID-19 interfered with its budding popularity. Back in 2019, the Capital District Minor Football Association got the program off the ground, with about 50 girls. The 2020 season was set to double, with about 120 girls registered, but the pandemic shut down the [season.]"

• Indigenous photo exhibition seeks to reclaim one of Calgary's oldest spaces (CBC) CALGARY STORY I can't wait to go. "A new photo exhibition showcasing the works of Indigenous photographers is reclaiming the space of one of Calgary's oldest buildings — The Grand. The show, called Mino-Pamatisiwin, is a Cree word for the 'good life' — a concept that is used to describe when the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental aspects of life are in balance. It was curated by archeologist and artist Autumn Whiteway, who is Sauteaux-Métis and lives in Calgary."

• A stitch in time: University student maps Edmonton's changing climate — on a quilt (CBC) EDMONTON STORY #HowAwesome "Working toward a certificate in sustainability, University of Alberta student Emilia Housch spent 60 hours working on a visual demonstration of climate change in Edmonton. Her final product: a temperature quilt. 'I wanted to do something cool,' Housch told CBC's Edmonton AM on Tuesday. 'Originally, I was going to do an infographic, and then I was like, no that's boring. Temperature quilt time!'"

• Women Leaders Shine in a Crisis (Good Men Project) CANADIAN CONTENT #Yes #YES "Last year, the Harvard Business Review released a piece of research focusing on women’s leadership during the pandemic. Inspired by the success of leaders such as Jacinda Arden from New Zealand, Angela Merkel from Germany and Tsai Ing-wen from Taiwan, the article concluded quantitatively, through the analysis of 360 feedback and engagement surveys, that women were better leaders during a crisis. Female leaders are often criticized on many fronts. Namely, for being too masculine or for being too feminine. Canada has many examples of female leaders shining in a crisis. In particular, during the pandemic, we have seen female university presidents leading in the very best ways – visionary, strategic and decisive, while remaining warm, compassionate, and present. Isn’t that exactly the kind of leadership that the world needs during a seemingly never-ending global pandemic."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

1. Russia invades Ukraine on many fronts in 'brutal act of war' (CTV) #WeStandWithUkraine "Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending in troops and tanks from three sides in an attack that could rewrite the global post-Cold War security order. Ukraine's government pleaded for help as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee."

2. Edmonton hospital hoping to cash in on charity crypto (CTV) EDMONTON STORY #SteppingUp #SteppingOut Love it. "The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation (GRHF) is adding cryptocurrency to its donations roster. In a release on Tuesday, the foundation says it’s the first healthcare entity in Alberta to welcome cryptocurrency donations. To be able to accept a variety of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, GRHF has partnered with The Giving Block to make it come to fruition. 'By accepting cryptocurrency donations, we’re going to open new pathways to fund innovative health technologies that will make a real difference for patients recovering from injury or living with chronic conditions,' Mark Korthuis, president and CEO of GRHF, said."

3. Summer camp is back in Alberta but with some hesitation (Global News) ALBERTA STORY ViTreo is proud to be working with Camp Chief Hector on this important campaign. "Chloe became a camp counsellor at Camp Chief Hector for a year, but her plans to continue stopped in 2020 because of COVID-19. 'We always knew how important it was, but like most things, you don’t realize how important they are until they’re gone,' said Chloe’s dad Adam Pekarsky. The overnight camps will be back at the YMCA camp in Kananaskis, but Camp Chief Hector is need of upgrades. [...] 'Getting our kids back outside playing in nature and getting their noses out of their screens — I don’t think that’s an overly polarizing topic. I think from a political or government perspective, it would be a relatively easy one to get behind,' said Adam, who has been a board member of Camp Chief Hector for eight years and is also the chair of the current capital campaign."

4. City of Surrey to build an Indigenous Carving Centre this year (Daily Hive) SURREY STORY "Construction will begin next month on an Indigenous Carving Centre located at Elgin Heritage Park, also known as the Historic Stewart Farm, in South Surrey. [Surrey] City Council finalized the contract for the construction of the pavilion-like structure as a showcase carving venue, where the public can come learn and explore the art and history of Indigenous carving."

5. Canceled: Amazon Suspends BLM From Its Charitable-Donation Operation Amid Questions About Who Controls The $60M Raised (Tampa Free Press) "Amazon has frowned on Black Lives Matter, and now kicked the radical group off its fundraising platform AmazonSmile. According to The Washington Examiner, a spokesperson for the online retail giant said questions surrounded whether the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is in 'good standing' everywhere it operates. 'Charitable organizations must meet the requirements outlined in our participation agreement to be eligible for AmazonSmile,' a company rep told the Examiner."

6. Kamloops university named business school after ‘another old white guy’ says Indigenous councillor (Infotel) KAMLOOPS STORY "Not everybody was happy to hear Thompson Rivers University's business school has a new name. A councillor from Canim Lake Band, which is 200 kilometres north of Kamloops, doesn’t think Kamloops businessman Bob Gaglardi – 'another old white guy' – was the best choice to promote reconciliation. 'In fact, it’s more colonialism and serve to further erase visibility of the Secwepemc people on whose land’s the university operates,' reads an open letter from Carl Archie to the university’s president Dr. Brett Fairbairn."

7. Hamilton philanthropist Charles Juravinski, who donated millions to health care, dies at 92 (CBC) HAMILTON STORY RIP Mr. Juravinski. We will not see your like again. "Charles Juravinski, a businessman and philanthropist who left his mark with tens of millions in donations to support health care across Hamilton, has died. He was 92. Juravinski's death came just one day after he and his wife, Margaret, showcased their generosity yet again, this time with a $5.1-million donation toward health care in the city through the Juravinski Research Institute. 'He passed away, perhaps fittingly, at Margaret's Place — a hospice named in Margaret's honour at St. Joseph's Villa in Dundas', the institute said in a statement Wednesday."

8. As museums begin to embrace NFTs, they face new opportunities — and risks (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "[A] handful of galleries across Canada have embraced NFTs, showing off the digital artwork they contain. A dedicated NFT museum also opened in Seattle last month. Meanwhile, major institutions are also getting in on the trend. In September, the British Museum began selling more than 200 NFT postcards featuring works by Japanese artist Hokusai, partnering with a platform called LaCollection."

9. Alberta's booming communities say growth is great but comes with challenges (CBC) AIRDRIE STORY "While Calgary recently got bumped from its position as one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, two nearby municipalities have picked up the slack. North of Calgary, Airdrie saw its population increase by 20 per cent over the past five years, and to the west, Cochrane grew by 25 per cent — bucking provincial and national trends for growth. While mayors in both communities would say growth is a good thing, it still comes with unique challenges. Welcoming new residents means accommodating more needs in infrastructure and services."

10. Province unveils $1.8B plan to expand Red Deer hospital (CBC) RED DEER STORY "The Alberta government is promising to spend $1.8 billion to expand the struggling Red Deer Regional Hospital. The hospital — which serves close to half a million people in central Alberta — has been plagued by bed shortages and backlogs for years, and regularly operates overcapacity. But the troubles have been heightened by increased demand and staffing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

1. 17 Lessons Learnt from 8 Months of Getting In The Best Shape Of My Life (Strength of Saad) I am not a big muscle guy but what this man did is impressive.

2. 6 Micro Activities You Should Do for Your Body Every Day (Mind Cafe) These are so easy to do. Or not do. I recommend do.

3. Top 3 Business Strategy Framework of All Time (Deeptis) As someone who facilitates strategic planning and as a business owner who is developing a strategic plan, this article is gold.

4. How to Manage Your Time and Learn New Things Every Day (The Startup) You don't need to listen to every podcast. You do need to stay curious. What I also love about this article is that they number things just like my friend Tony Myers. As in...1.) B.) C.).

5. 4 Transformative Books You Can Read in Under 4 Hours (Books Are Our Superpower) Not only are these great reads but they are short. I mean...4 hours. C'mon.

6. 7 Things You Need To Do To Have Consistently Effective Workdays (Katie E. Lawrence) All great but #4 and #6 are absolutes with me.

7. Four Brain and Energy Hacks for Better Learning (Age of Awareness) We don't actually get taught how to learn. This can help.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

1. Glenbow to offer free general admission permanently after Shaw family donates $35M (CBC) CALGARY STORY #Brilliant #Groundbreaking Congrats to all involved. A truly transformative gift. "Calgary's Glenbow Museum will offer free general admission permanently thanks to a donation worth tens of millions of dollars. Julie Shaw, the president of the Shaw Family Foundation, announced the $25-million JR Shaw Free Admissions Endowment at a Thursday news conference. It was also attended by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Calgary-Skyview Liberal MP George Chahal. The donation is intended to honour the legacy of her father, JR Shaw, who founded Shaw Communications and Corus Entertainment — and loved art, Julie said. 'We are very, very proud to make a donation that honours JR the best way we know how — by building upon his passion for Canadian art and artists, and passing it along for future generations to enjoy without any barriers,' she said."

2. Gaglardi family's $10-million donation single-largest in history of Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops This Week) KAMLOOPS STORY "The Thompson Rivers University School of Business and Economics now has a new name, thanks to the largest-ever individual donation made to the university. A $10-million donation has been made by the four children of Bob Gaglardi with the support of Northland Properties — a company the man founded in 1963. The donation will go toward helping to fund a new building and student programs within the renamed Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics."

3. Entrepreneuriat Un don de 40 millions à l’Université de Montréal de Québecor (La Presse) MONTREAL STORY C'est magnifique! "La somme sera versée à parts égales par Québecor et la Fondation Chopin-Péladeau, présidée par Pierre Karl Péladeau. Il en a fait l’annonce, mercredi matin, aux côtés du recteur de l’Université de Montréal (UdeM), Daniel Jutras. La moitié du don servira à la création du programme Millénium Québecor, axé sur la sensibilisation, la formation et le soutien à l’entrepreneuriat. Les premières activités – qui incluent des projets d’études, des programmes crédités et des stages en entreprise – seront offertes dès le printemps prochain."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

• Lions become 1st CFL team to hire full-time female coach, adding Walter to staff (CBC)

• It's wet mitt season. Here's who invented the thing that's saving our winter (CBC)

• Dazzling ice fishing shack made from stained glass — and childhood memories (CBC)

• Canada reclaims the women’s hockey gold, dethroning the U.S. (New York Times)

• Which Matters More: Hiring Superstars or Removing Toxic Employees? Harvard Research Reveals the Surprising AnswerWhat kind of worker most impacts your bottom line? (Inc.)

• Largest-ever crypto donation to BC SPCA comes from Kelowna firm (Kelowna Daily Courier)

• Trillium Health receives largest-ever charitable gift to a hospital (Toronto Star)

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo President & CEO Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by ViTreo Group Inc. of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. ViTreo Group does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. All links are provided with the intent of meeting the mission of the ViTreo Group Inc. Please let us know about existing external links which you believe are inappropriate.