Haitian students to study at U of W

Five students from Haiti will be attending classes in the fall thanks to action from the Haitian Students Task Force, founded by University of Winnipeg president Dr. Lloyd Axworthy. The U of W will cover all costs for their education comprising tuition, residence fees and necessities. “We are committed to developing a long-term relationship with this group of students, their communities and their educational institutions,” the university’s president said in a press release following the devastating earthquake that consumed the country’s capital earlier this year. Axworthy urged other universities to follow suit, declaring, “These are the leaders who will help rebuild Haiti.”

University chef taking centre stage

Ben Kramer, chef of Diversity Foods Services, will be showcased at the first annual Winnipeg Green Lifestyle & Organic Living Show, which takes place at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Saturday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12. Kramer will be concocting gourmet meals using local and organic products on the cooking stage at the largest gathering of eco-friendly businesses and products in Manitoba.  He will be joined by U of W director of campus sustainability, Alana Lajoie-O’Malley, who will deliver a seminar to provide participants with sustainable and low-impact alternatives entitled Staycations & Green Vacations.

Shine up your shoes for a good cause

Thirty-five thousand students across Canada will be posted in university and downtown areas in a unique fundraising effort to collect donations for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In a Mad Men-esque initiative they will be shining shoes in exchange for contributions in an attempt to bring researchers closer to a cure for the debilitating disease. The organization hopes to raise one million dollars this year in Canada during Shine Day, which takes place on Sept. 16. Volunteer or donate by logging on to www.umanitoba.ca/shinerama.

Menno Simons finds a permanent home

The Menno Simons College will no longer be leasing space around campus; the nomadic facility has finally found a home in the first two floors of 520 Portage Ave. where it has rented space since 2005. The Anabaptist Mennonite facility offers education in Christian understandings of faith and justice, engages other religious perspectives, and is home to the Canadian School of Peacebuilding. Ruth Taronno, associate vice-president of MSC, is happy to have the college settle down in one place. “We are particularly excited about the opportunity to provide both MSC and Global College students with a quality space that will promote a true learning community and increase MSC’s profile and identity with UWinnipeg,” she said.

Wesmen leads Canada to volleyball victory

Wesmen volleyball player Matthew Schriemer led Team Canada to victory over Team Cuba at the 2010 NORCECA Jr. Men’s Volleyball Championships in Gatineau, Quebec. The imposing, six feet seven player scored 21 points against the defending champions and brought the team into a guaranteed spot for Canada at the 2011 World Junior Volleyball Championships in Brazil. Their victory was cut short as the team went on to face the USA where they were outplayed in the finals and awarded a silver medal. Schriemer will commence his second season with the Wesmen in the fall.

Published in Volume 65, Number 1 of The Uniter (September 2, 2010)