Weekly News Recap: March 29, 2024

Weekly News Recap: March 29, 2024

From left, Kate Fischer, Joanne Cuthbertson and Lindsay Fischer sit together on a bench at Glenbow at The Edison. (CNW Group/Glenbow)

I want little girls to grow up knowing they can do anything, even play football. – Jen Welter, first female coach in the NFL

AFP ICON 2024

Happy Easter to all those celebrating. Next week, many of you will be making your way to AFP ICON 2024 in Toronto. As part of that adventure, some of you will be seeing this newsletter for the very first time. I have been curating this weekly recap of sector news, uninterrupted, since 2015. 437 recaps and counting. For longtime readers, thank you. For new subscribers (including those of you we added as part of ICON), we hope you will enjoy and stay subscribed. I hope to meet many of you in Toronto -- there are over 600 Canadians attending! Sincerely, Vincent.

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • VIDEO: Ready, Set, Garçon! Paris Waiters Race as Storied Contest Returns (New York Times) When I worked in the restaurant business back in the 1980s, we had tray races in Edmonton. #GoodTimes "For the first time in over a decade, Paris revived a tradition: an annual race of cafe and restaurant waiters. About 200 men and women swerved, jostled and jogged 1.2 miles through the city streets, which were lined with cheering crowds. The rules were simple: No running, and reach the finish line with laden trays intact with a croissant, a glass of tap water and a small coffee cup."

  • VIDEO: Hot Wheelz is a 'drag creature' in a wheelchair here to make magic out of their disability (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Lovely. Note: NSFW (language). "Hot Wheelz is just one of the many extraordinary subjects featured in the fourth season of Canada's a Drag, a docu-series from CBC Arts that shines a light on some of this country's drag heroes."

  • VIDEO: 83-year-old Calgary accountant pursues dream of being a jazz singer, releases first CD (Global News) CALGARY STORY Never let your dream die. Thanks to ViTreo's Research Lead, Ken Kempcke for sharing this article. "Hutchinson recalled a time when he was closing an oil deal at a home in Calgary. He heard music coming from the basement. It was from the coach of the Calgary Opera Singers. 'I heard this music and I went downstairs. I said I’m going to take lessons from you, so I trained with her,' he laughed."

  • These students convinced Kevin Bacon to revisit his Footloose stomping grounds — a Utah high school (CBC) Sounds like it was much less than six degrees of Kevin Bacon "Bacon made the announcement on The Today Show, following a campaign by students at the school, known as Bomont High in the film. 'I'm gonna come. I gotta come ... Let's dance,' Bacon told an assembly of students, via video call [...]. Krout, who had gotten up at 3 a.m. to go to the assembly, couldn't believe it. 'When he said it, me and a couple of other girls just started crying."

  • AFP Supports a New Career-Track Training for Indigenous Fundraisers (AFP Global) CANADIAN STORY I am so proud of AFP for supporting this. "AFP in Canada is supporting a career-track fundraising initiative for Indigenous students across the country—a program developed by The New School of Fundraising and Indspire. Indspire—formerly known as the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation—is a national organization that invests in the education of Indigenous people. The New School of Fundraising is an Indigenous-led school that offers small group and individual training for professional fundraisers, board members, volunteers and community leaders. Like most things in fundraising, the ground-breaking project came as a result of relationships."

  • 93 Years of Shatner (Quillette) CANADIAN CONTENT Happy birthday Shat! "William Shatner, who [just turned] 93 [...], will always be best remembered for playing Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series. Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry deserves a lot of credit for the enduring popularity and influence of the program, but it was Shatner who made the main character indelible."

  • Can a picture make you happy? We asked photographers and here's what they sent us (NPR) #BeHappy "March 20 is a day dedicated to joy! Since 2013, the United Nations' International Day of Happiness has recognized the value of happiness as 'a fundamental goal' in people's lives around the world. The happiness campaigns are coordinated by the nonprofit Action for Happiness, which has thousands of members from 193 countries and whose patron is the Dalai Lama."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. VIDEO: All 6 workers missing after Baltimore bridge collapse presumed dead (CBC) This is horrific. Our thoughts are with the families of the workers. "All six workers missing after a Baltimore bridge collapsed [on March 26] are presumed dead and the search for them has been suspended until Wednesday morning. Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., superintendent for Maryland State Police, said Tuesday evening that the search and rescue mission was transitioning to one of search and recovery. He said divers would return to the site at 6 a.m. ET. The six people unaccounted for were part of a construction crew repairing potholes on the bridge. Police had stopped traffic on the bridge just before the crash and said there is no evidence that anyone went into the water other than the workers."

  2. SAIT extends footprint in downtown’s Barclay Centre (SAIT) CALGARY STORY #Congrats "A new SAIT facility is coming to Calgary’s downtown core. Located at 444 7 Ave SW — in the same building as The Tastemarket by SAIT — this new showpiece space in Barclay Centre will be key to SAIT programming, including the School for Advanced Digital Technology (SADT) as the pillar school, with a focus on leaning in closer to connect with our partners through collaboration and work-integrated learning activities."

  3. VIDEO: Kate, Princess of Wales: I am having cancer treatment (BBC) Cancer sucks. We are thinking of you Princess. "The Princess of Wales says she is in the early stages of treatment after a cancer diagnosis. In a video statement, Catherine says it was a "huge shock" after an 'incredibly tough couple of months'. But she sent a positive message, saying: "I am well and getting stronger every day." Details of the cancer have not been disclosed, but Kensington Palace says it is confident the princess will make a full recovery."

  4. They panic-bought bidets during the pandemic. It changed their lives. (Washington Post) Never would I have never thought that my American friends would lean toward the bidet but...that's the pandemic for you. "While the toilet paper shortages that hit the United States during pandemic lockdowns in the spring of 2020 ultimately eased up, they’ve had a lasting impact on one industry: the bidet business. 'The industry here in the U.S. just blew up. You couldn’t get a bidet if you wanted to,' says James Lin, founder of BidetKing.com, an online marketplace for all varieties of the bathroom appliance. 'We all sold out. … There was a huge scramble to get more.' "

  5. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the postsecondary graduating class of 2020 (Statistics Canada) CANADIAN STORY The pandemic really messed with these young people. "The postsecondary graduating class of 2020 faced unique challenges as it entered the labour market during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the National Graduates Survey reveal that over half (55.6%) of those who graduated in 2020 saw their employment status or employment plans change at some point that year as a result of the pandemic."

  6. Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald’s (CNN) This is either a sign that the world really is ending or...this is awesome! Note the relative share price changes below. Lolz. "McDonald’s customers can soon pair Krispy Kreme doughnuts with their morning McCafe, in a new food partnership that seeks to expand both brands but that could wind up weakening them instead. Three types of Krispy Kreme doughnuts — original glazed, chocolate iced with sprinkles and chocolate iced “kreme” filled — will go on sale at McDonald’s restaurants starting later this year, the companies told CNN on Monday. Krispy Kreme shares jumped more than 39% on Tuesday. McDonald’s shares were flat."

  7. Why is curling such a big deal in Saskatchewan? (CBC) SASKATCHEWAN STORY Tell me about it. I am often a curling widower. "What came first? The province of Saskatchewan or the game of curling? The answer, of course, is curling, but the people of Saskatchewan are so invested in the game that it feels like a pillar of the province's culture. Curling Canada says Scottish miners brought the game to Canada, with the first Saskatchewan games taking place in 1879. Sandy Forbes of Maple Creek, Sask., has photos dating back to 1902."

  8. Olds College Receives $63M for Trades Building Renovation (Olds College) OLDS STORY Congrats to all our friends at Olds. ViTreo is proud to being working alongside Olds College. "The Government of Alberta announced on Thursday, February 29, the allocation of $63 million in capital funding to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology for the renovation and expansion of the W.J. Elliott Building. This investment is a significant step towards enhancing student spaces and supporting the growing demand for skilled trades education in Alberta."

  9. Anti-authority narratives could tear 'fabric of society,' intelligence report warns (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Threats against politicians have become 'increasingly normalized; due to extremist narratives prompted by personal grievances and fuelled by misinformation or deliberate lies, warns a newly released intelligence report."

  10. Lacombe’s ultra-modern Burman University library open to the community (Lacombe Express) LACOMBE STORY Congrats. ViTreo is proud to have helped Burman University raise the funds for this library. "Ever since the new Burman University Library opened its doors in 2021, staff members have continued to spread the word about the many services. And it’s not just for those on campus, said head librarian Sheila Clark. 'We welcome the community. And we are part of the Alberta library, which includes most academic libraries and I think all of the public libraries in the province,' she said."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. The Power Of Mindful Running (Mind Journal) A super interesting concept: running mindfully. I have tried it and it seems to bring back the flow I have been missing.

  2. Why You Should Stop Drinking Water Before Bedtime (Inside Hook) I knew it. #BathroomBreaksAt3AmSuck

  3. Event Lead Retrieval: What It Is and Why It’s Important (re: charity) We have been urging our clients to use this strategy for years. This article puts it out there in very digestible language."

  4. VIDEO: 4 things all great listeners know (YouTube) And the video is really fun to watch.

  5. 40,000 years of music explained in 8 minutes | Michael Spitzer (YouTube) Amazing. Enough said.

  6. The Paradox of an Infinite Universe (YouTube) I have always wondered what was at the edge of our universe. Turns out, this video does not do much to answer the question but it tries hard.

  7. Somatic Exercises: How It Works, Stretching, and Moves for Beginners (Prevention) Stretching is the new black.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Nutrien gifts $15M toward new Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatoon Campus (Saskatchewan Polytechnic) SASKATOON STORY Congrats! What a great gift. "Saskatchewan Polytechnic has received the largest gift from a corporate donor in its history from Nutrien – toward its Time to Rise campaign supporting the construction of the new Saskatoon campus. In recognition of this transformative gift of $15 million, the School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies has been renamed the Nutrien School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies."

  2. Off-Broadway's 59E59 Receives $10 Million Donation (Playbill) "Off-Broadway's 59E59 Theaters has received a $10 million donation from the The Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation to support the company and its artistic programs."

  3. Glenbow Reimagined Receives $1 Million Gift from the Fischer-Cuthbertson Family (Yahoo Finance) CALGARY STORY What a wonderful gift! "Glenbow is elated to announce a $1 million gift from the Fischer-Cuthbertson family that will be designated toward commissioning four art installations as part of Glenbow Reimagined. The Fischer-Cuthbertson family will be recognized in connection with the installations when Glenbow reopens at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture in 2026."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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.

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