Weekly News Recap: May 17, 2024

A highway camera photo shows traffic in Fort McMurray jammed in the southbound lane of Highway 63 on the north side of the Athabasca River. The image was captured at 3:11 p.m. MT Tuesday, about an hour after an evacuation order was issued for four neighbourhoods. (511 Alberta)

Love removes the world for you, and just as surely when it's going well as when it's going badly. ― Alice Munro, The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose

SOME GOOD NEWS

The OREO Brand collaborates with Lucasfilm to Launch New Special Edition Star Wars™ Cookie Packs Français (NewsWire) *CANADIAN STORY Two of my favourite things in one pack! "[The] OREO brand, in collaboration with Lucasfilm, announced the release of Special Edition Star Wars™ OREO Cookies. The two iterations of the Star Wars™ OREO Cookie Packs are wrapped in identical exterior packaging, but each pack contains a single colour creme that symbolizes either the dark side or light side of the Force. Even better? A playful twist: fans won't know what side they're on until they open it!"
VIDEO: Miniature poodle Sage wins best in show at Westminster Kennel Club dog show (CBC) What a beautiful dog! "A miniature poodle named Sage won the top prize Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, in what veteran handler Kaz Hosaka said would be his final time at the United States' most prestigious canine event. After 45 years of competing and two best in show dogs, he plans to retire."
VIDEO: Truck driver spreads positivity of dance with Bhangra Crew Regina (CBC) REGINA STORY This looks so fun! "When he's not on the road trucking, Karandeep Singh is dancing and bringing his passion for bhangra to people in his new home in Regina. 'I seriously don't know how I balance it all,' he admits, noting he's on the road five to six days of the week for long hours, while coming back to run dance classes in Regina. But in the midst of long days on the road, he'll get texts from people talking about the lessons or asking for help in teaching their children a new step."
VIDEO: #TheMoment a couple recreated their wedding at the hospital where they met (CBC) TORONTO STORY #BeautifulStory "A Toronto couple that met and fell in love at the hospital where they worked recreated their nuptials where it all began."
VIDEO: B.C. artist arranges maternity photoshoot for her pregnant horses (CBC) WILLIAMS LAKE STORY Ok, the video is cool right up to the actual photos...then...it's magical. "Tiffany Jorgensen loves her horses. So much so that when her mares Rosie and Tessa were pregnant, the Williams Lake, B.C., artist wanted to make sure their journeys to motherhood were celebrated in the same ways as many expectant mothers mark them — complete with a maternity photoshoot and a gender reveal on social media."
Connecticut rescue workers rappel into rock quarry to rescue missing dog (The Guardian) #LuckyMutt "It was the barking that saved Rippy, a mutt that fell deep into a working rock quarry. After passersby and even a drone failed to locate the lost dog, rescue workers drawn to his barks rappelled down the pit’s walls and lifted him out three days after he went missing, according to a social media post about the saga."
Teens come up with trigonometry proof for Pythagorean Theorem, a problem that stumped math world for centuries (CBS) #Boom "As the school year ends, many students will be only too happy to see math classes in their rearview mirrors. It may seem to some of us non-mathematicians that geometry and trigonometry were created by the Greeks as a form of torture, so imagine our amazement when we heard two high school seniors had proved a mathematical puzzle that was thought to be impossible for 2,000 years. We met Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson at their all-girls Catholic high school in New Orleans. We expected to find two mathematical prodigies. Instead, we found at St. Mary's Academy, all students are told their possibilities are boundless."
On a D.C. sidewalk, a race to save a Marine general’s life (Washington Post) #Heroes "Gen. Eric M. Smith stepped out on a warm, late-afternoon run last fall, pounding the pavement of Southeast Washington on a routine three-mile loop. As the top U.S. Marine, he had spent the morning cheering on participants in the annual Marine Corps Marathon, and wanted to squeeze in his own workout before taking his wife out to dinner. It was Oct. 29. A few blocks away, Timothy and Joyce LaLonde concluded a celebratory post-race lunch and began the walk back to Joyce’s nearby home. The siblings, accompanied by several family members, were shaken by what they encountered: A man facedown on the sidewalk — alone, unresponsive and bleeding from his mouth."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

Osler Staff Philanthropy Award Winners 2024 (Osler Foundation) BRAMPTON STORY This is an amazing recognition program. We could all learn a thing or two about how to celebrate staff giving from Osler. #Bravo "Osler Foundation is proud to recognize and celebrate the outstanding efforts of Osler staff who demonstrate exceptional leadership in philanthropy. At Osler, we never take for granted the twelve hundred plus Osler staff, physicians and volunteers who, in addition to giving in so many ways, personally donate to support their hospitals. This atypical level of generosity sets Osler apart from other hospitals and is a true example of the deep sense of pride and ownership Osler staff have for the work they do and the place where they choose to work."
VIDEO: New King Charles portrait draws both praise and pique (CBC) I, for one, think its cool. "The unveiling of King Charles's first portrait since his coronation is — perhaps predictably — drawing mixed reaction on social media. The portrait, by British artist Jonathan Yeo, measures about 2.6 metres by two metres and features Charles against a background of red hues, wearing the red uniform of the Welsh Guards military unit. A butterfly is just above his right shoulder. The artwork had its unveiling on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace, with Charles and Queen Camilla present."
Alice Munro, Canadian author who mastered the short story, dead at 92 (CBC) CANADIAN STORY RIP Ms. Munro. We will not see your like again. "Alice Munro, a Canadian author who was revered worldwide as master of the short story and one of few women to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, has died at the age of 92. Her publisher said she died at her home in Port Hope, Ont. [...] 'Alice Munro is a national treasure — a writer of enormous depth, empathy, and humanity whose work is read, admired, and cherished by readers throughout Canada and around the world,' read a statement from Kristin Cochrane, CEO of McClelland & Stewart, which is owned by Penguin Random House Canada. 'Alice's writing inspired countless writers too, and her work leaves an indelible mark on our literary landscape.'
Fear, anxiety as thousands flee their homes in Fort McMurray due to threat of wildfire (CBC) FORT MCMURRAY STORY Eeek. Shades of 2016. We are all thinking about you! "Thousands of Fort McMurray residents headed south to safety as a large out-of-control wildfire drew closer to their community, but many are worried they won't have a home to return to. An evacuation order was issued [...] for the neighbourhoods of Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace, as the wildfire southwest of the community continues to grow. Other areas in Fort McMurray remain on evacuation alert and residents need to be ready to leave on short notice."
The navy is looking at deploying 'ghost fleets' — warships that don't need crews (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The Canadian military is weighing how many and what kind of 'optionally-crewed' warships it will need in the future as drone technology and artificial intelligence change the face of naval combat, says the commander of the navy. Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee told CBC News that while navies will always need large combat surface ships and submarines, Canada's allies have started to experiment with automated vessels."
Melinda French Gates steps down from charitable foundation that bears her name (CBC) "Melinda French Gates [...] is stepping down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Her last day of work at the foundation will be June 7, according to a post on X. Billionaire benefactors Bill and Melinda Gates, co-founders of one of the world's largest private charitable foundations, filed for divorce in 2021 after 27 years of marriage but pledged to continue their philanthropic work together."
Water in N.W.T.'s Great Slave Lake is now so low, some houseboats won't float (CBC) NORTHWEST TERRITORIES STORY "Martin Rehak isn't quite sure what to make of it yet, as he sees some of the houseboats around him on Yellowknife Bay sitting on ground that's normally underwater. His own home is still afloat. 'I don't know if it's supposed to be concerning or not,' he said. [...] 'There's at least two or three [houseboats] right now, I could think of off the top of my head, who normally would be floating but are sitting on the floor of the lake.' "
In Leveraging AI, Philanthropy Leaders Need To Make Sure They Don’t Overcorrect (Forbes) "The philanthropic world is facing pressing challenges. For one, there’s the issue of public trust. According to a report published by the Independent Sector in partnership with Edelman Data & Intelligence (DXI), most Americans trust nonprofits. However, 'after seeing years of small trust declines in line with other major institutions, nonprofit trust dropped by a statistically significant 4-points in 2023. This was the largest year-over-year change in trust of any institution tested.' As for philanthropy itself, the report explained that Americans are less familiar with it compared to nonprofits, which 'continues to result in lower overall trust in the sector.' When prospective donors have less trust in nonprofits and philanthropic organizations, they’re less likely to give to causes."
FAMU rescinded $15M Blueprint request for Bragg Stadium after now-paused $237M donation (Tallahassee Democrat) This is a huge board governance and leadership fail. "Two days after Florida A&M University announced it received an eye-popping $237 million donation, President Larry Robinson notified the Blueprint board that the university was no longer interested in pursuing $15 million in additional funding for Bragg Stadium improvements. The Blueprint board, made up of all 12 city and county commissioners, approved $10 million for major renovations to FAMU's football stadium in 2020."
Soviet-era attitudes to disability hinder Ukrainian fighters’ recovery (Politico) We need to do better. "According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy, the number of Ukrainians with disabilities has increased by 300,000 since the February 2022 full-scale invasion by Russia. More than 20,000 people have had amputations. The country’s Ministry of Veteran Affairs has said there may eventually be 5 million veterans and family members, many of whom will need help for physical and psychological trauma. The concern among many patients and their families is that Ukraine is historically ill-equipped to deal with disability, a hangover from Soviet days where disabled people were kept out of sight."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

New And Old Techniques Target Donor Pipeline Expansion (Nonprofit Times) Have you thought about SMS and text-messaging?
How to Create Powerful Storylines in Business Like Top Consultants Do (Practice In Public) Numbers numb and stories are stored -- Jill Petrovic, Senior Associate at ViTreo. #NuffSaid
Building High-Performance Teams: 4 Essential Leadership Principles (Parsa Saljoughian) Are you encouraging psychological safety with your teams?
Sacred Hours: The Secret to Making Time for What Matters (The Startup) When are you most productive?
How Apple Notes is a silent game-changer for your productivity on Mac (Mac O'Clock) I have come to love Apple Notes.
SCIENTISTS AT APL ARE CREATING FOOD FROM THIN AIR (Johns Hopkins University) Now the machines are really in charge.
The 15 Best Gen X Movies of All Time (Mental Floss) So good!

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

L’Arche Greater Vancouver Receives Million Dollar Donation from a B.C. Family Foundation (Yahoo Finance) VANCOUVER STORY #Woot! "L’Arche Greater Vancouver gratefully announces that its We All Belong campaign has received a second major donation from the same family Foundation. In 2019, shortly after L’Arche launched its redevelopment campaign, the Morris and Helen Belkin Foundation donated $500,000 to start the campaign. This donation was the largest L’Arche had ever received. On May 1, 2024, they added a second gift of $500,000 for a total donation of one million dollars towards the campaign goal of six million dollars."
Museum of Science and Industry being renamed for billionaire Ken Griffin after historic donation (ABC) "The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry says it will be taking on new logo and name in honor of a 'historic' and monumental donation to the institutions already rich and long-standing history. The new name comes five years after the $125 million donation and is expected to come with new exhibits and a fresh new look for the museum."
$34M donation will be 'transformative' for senior care on Vancouver Island, foundation says (Yahoo Style) VICTORIA STORY #Wow "A non-profit in Victoria is making big plans after receiving the largest donation it's ever seen. Kathleen Sheret, who passed away in 2021, bequeathed $34 million to the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation — an organization dedicated to helping seniors age with dignity. I have to tell you I had to take a second and third look to make sure it wasn't a typo,' executive director Lori McLeod told All Points West host Jason D'Souza."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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Vincent DuckworthMay 17, 2024Comment