SPOKEA L E A R N I N G N E W S R O O M F O R J O U R N A L I S M S T U D E N T S

M o n d a y , M a r c h 1 1 , 2 0 1 3 ____________________ C o n e s t o g a C o l l e g e , K i t c h e n e r , O N T . ______ w w w . s p o k e o n l i n e . c o m _________________________4 4 t h y e a r - N O . 9

CJIQ going ‘28 Straight’Humane society to benefit from 28-hour broadcast. Page 13

Candy from golden yearsLocal store can give you a sugar high. Page 11

Polar Plunge a splashing successBY BRAD COUGHLIN

An enthusiastic crowd con­ceals the performer’s pre­sumed lackluster. Bare feet crunch the snow, an Eskimo’s taboo, rhythmic like the booming music rocking the tiny glacial pool. With every soaring body turning wad­ing pool water into waves, the Breast Cancer Society of Canada plunges one step clos­er to the cure.

“Cold water doesn’t bother me that much so it’s not a big deal,” said Drew Campbell, a broadcast radio student. “We’re raising money and awareness for breast cancer research which is always a good thing.”

Conestoga Students Inc. hosted the annual Polar Plunge on Feb. 28, raising approximately $6,000 for breast cancer research. But students jumped, flung and forced themselves off the same wobbling ladder for dif­ferent reasons.

“A lot of people in my fam­ily have been diagnosed with beast cancer,” said Haela Vonhatten-daer, a student in the social service worker pro­gram who took the leap in a wedding dress. “I haven’t

experienced breast cancer myself, but I can do what I can to support them.”

While some students partic­ipated for friends and family, others raised money for the mere experience.

“It’s my last semester and I wanted to do some­thing memorable before I graduated,” said Stephanie Blaskecikth, an early child­hood education student who raised $40.

But the bone-chilling dive wasn’t unprepared for.

“I’ve been swimming up in Georgia Bay,” said Campbell. “The cold water should be OK for me.”

Other polar plungers’ prepa­rations were a little less con­ventional.

“I’ve jumped into the river in November so this should be nothing,” said Vonhatten- Daer.

The most memorable per­formers donned wacky, super­hero-like costumes to brave the dip.

“(My costume’s) circa Michael Phelps with about 40 pounds of extra padding in the stomach area,” Campbell said.

Joe Berry, a social services student, said, “I figured I had

chest hair so I might as well shave a ribbon into it.”

Would they do it again?

“It was fun, I would do it three more times in a row,” said Blaskecikth.

For another story on the Polar Plunge and additional photos, see Pages 8 and 9.

PHOTO BY BRAD COUGHLINDrew Campbell braved the chilly weather and water to help raise $6,000 for the Breast Cancer Society of Canada on Feb. 28. The event was held by Conestoga Students Inc.

Every penny spent on bettering student experience: CSIAssociation defends spending $3,000 on staff Christmas party

BY RYAN BOWMAN

Trusting a multimillion- dollar budget to a group of 20-somethings with varying levels of business experience may seem like a leap of faith, but it’s a leap Conestoga College students make every September.

In addition to paying tuition, every Conestoga stu­dent pays a mandatory annu­al fee to Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI), the college’s inde­pendent student association. Other than collecting the fees, the college is completely sepa­rate from CSI and has no authority over how the pri­vate company is run.

Fees, which vary from year to year, ranged in 2012 from $18 for students at the Guelph and Stratford cam­puses to $155 for students

at Cambridge and Doon. Students at Waterloo paid $50.

And while the fee may not seem like a lot, it brought in more than $1.3 million for CSI - more than a quarter of its pro­jected revenue of $4.3 million.

The largest source of the student association’s income (nearly $2.4 million) comes from the student health plan, an initiative on which it plans to make a profit of about $38,000.

Unlike other companies, however, which save or rein­vest their profits, CSI’s man­date is to give it all back to its customers.

Ciara Byrne, president of CSI, said the association is committed to spending every penny it makes on bettering the educational experiences of Conestoga’s students.

“None of the revenue that we make is ever banked or kept for profit, it all goes back into services for the students,” said Byrne, adding surpluses are rare.

“The purpose of CSI is to ensure students are getting enhanced satisfaction,” she said. “How they get that is through representation, skills development and leadership opportunities, activities and events, and supports like the health plan and the food bank.”

According to Byrne, CSI’s board of directors meet every year to discuss exactly how the money will be spent.

“The board creates a stra­tegic plan every year and decides on the big vision items they want to see. From there, the staff takes that and refines it,” she said. “We always go off the board’s guid­

ance because they’re respon­sible for ensuring they con­nect with students and talk with students.”

Byrne said CSI gets feed­back from students through surveys and focus groups, as well as keeping open lines of communication.

Based on demand, the majority of CSI’s expenses often go toward activities and entertainment.

This year’s budget account­ed for just over $2.3 million going toward events such as bar days, comedy noon- ers, Frosh Week and pancake breakfasts. New services for 2012-2013 included the CSI shuttle, sponsorship of the Koi Music Festival in Kitchener and the upcoming leadership conference.

Other than activities and entertainment, the CSI’s big­

gest expense is administration.“Administration costs are

always iffy, and students may say we spend too much on staff,” Byrne said. “But if we don’t have enough staff we can’t serve the students to the ability we need to.

“We’re bursting at the seams right now and our staff are doing triple duty. We defi­nitely reserve ourselves when it comes to growing staff and paying them and all of that, but we do have to pay them fairly or they’ll leave.” sCSI employs 10 full-time staff and another 40 or so part-time, most of whom are students at the college. This year’s administration expens­es, which also include costs for running the offices, were projected at $819,500.

SEE ACTIVITIES, PAGE 2

NEWSPage 2 ♦SPOKE Monday, March 11,2013

Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College

Random questions answered by random studentsWith the end of the school year fast approaching, what are you

looking forward to most?

“I’m hoping to get a full­time job for this summer to help me pay off this school year.”

Rachelle Kaskie,first-year,

recreation and leisure

“Taking a break. I’m actually allowed to do PSW work for the summer so I can gain lots of experience.”

Christina Haynes,first-year,

practical nursing

“I’m happy to be done the school aspect of it and I’m happy to start my clinical. Taking a step forward.”

Angie Kiers,second-year,

respiratory therapy

“Freedom to do other things other than studying. Time to relax.”

Elyse Quinlan,first-year,

paramedic

“Some time to relax and get some well deserved sleep.”

Vlado Dukadzinac,first-year,

business admin accounting

“My co-op and getting some real work experience. It’s going to be a wonderful summer.” f

Ahmed Yusuf,second-year,

health informatics management

Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!

Activities and entertainment are CSI’s biggest expenses

♦ FROM PAGE 1

“Other notable expenses included $30,000 spent on agenda books, $40,000 on pho­tocopier expenses, $45,000 on SWAG, $15,000 subsidizing Toonie Tuesdays, $54,000 in membership fees to the College Student Alliance and $87,500 in board expenses.

Board expenses, which are separate from administrative expenses, include everything from sending staff to profes­sional conferences to staff uni­forms (T-shirts) and feeding board members at meetings.

Byrne said every cent CSI spends on the board is for the betterment of the stu­dents, including the $3,000 the company spent on its staff Christmas party last December.

“We need to keep our staff happy or they’ll leave,” she said. “We are a student asso­ciation, and we absolutely want to put the students first, but at the same time 90 per cent of our staff are students as well.”

Byrne said between full­time and part-time staff and their guests, a total of about 85 people attended the party. She said CSI tried to cut costs by holding the celebration in The Sanctuary.

She said the costs included dinner, comedians, apprecia­tion gifts for staff (umbrellas) and prizes, which included gift cards taped to the bottom of random chairs and four Apple iPads as door prizes.

“We did that because it’s a Christmas party,” Byrne said of the prizes. “They deserve it and you need to show them they’re appreciated and that we know how hard they work.”

Von Lo, a first-year health office administration student at Conestoga, said she doesn’t have a problem with CSI spending part of its budget on staff parties.

“I don’t have any complaints about it,” she said. “If you break it down, it’s really not a lot per student to pay for something like that. It’s nice to acknowledge staff, so I don’t have an issue with it.”

She did, however, say stu­dents should have a choice whether or not they put money in CSI’s pockets.

“Maybe the fees should be optional. Some of us don’t use their services or get our money’s worth,” she said. “It might also be nice to know in more detail what they’re doing with our money.”

Emma Budziarek, a second- year business administra­tion - management student, said while she appreciated all

that CSI does for students, she does not support the use of fees on social events like Christmas parties.

“The purpose of CSI is for us,” she said. “I know they’re a company, but it’s not like they’re in it for profit. That money should go back to us. Any extra money should ben­efit us, not them.”

Jami Pyne, also in her sec­ond year of business admin­istration - management,, agreed.

“Why should we pay for something for them?” she said. “They have some good services and good events, but all the money should be spent on the students.”

Pyne said CSI fees benefit “most” students and thinks they should be mandatory, but said there is a fine line on how CSI dollars should be spent.

“They should raise money for stuff like that on their own, maybe like a donation jar or fundraisers,” she said. “Sure they deserve to have parties, but not with our money.”

Byrne said while the money spent on the party may not have directly benefited the entire student population, it built company morale.

“We always have a justified reason for whatever we do and whatever we spend,” she said. “Even if it’s just show­ing appreciation for our staff, that’s part of business.”

Spending by student asso­ciations has been under the microscope in recent months, with the McMaster Association of Part-time Students (MAPS) receiving intense scrutiny for its spend­ing practices.

The association allegedly used funds to decorate their office and reception area with custom drapery, paintings and an espresso machine. It, was also accused of splurging on bridal showers, birthday parties and an $8,000 trip for two of its members to Rome, Italy.

Higher than average sala­ries also came into question and led to the resignation of executive director, Samuel Minniti, who reportedly earned $126,152 in 2011.

But McMaster is not alone.The University of Windsor

Students’Alliance lost $40,000 on a concert last September and the Memorial University of Newfoundland Students’ Union spent $100,000 bring­ing in Snoop Dogg.

A white paper released by the provincial Progressive Conservative party in January called for increased transparency, responsibility and accountability from stu­

dent unions and associations when it comes to expendi­tures.

“Student unions have a great deal of power and abil­ity to increase the expense of a post-secondary education,” said the paper, entitled Paths to Prosperity: Higher Learning for Better Jobs. "They must be held to a stricter standard. Student union fees should not be used for any activity or expense which may be con­strued as not being in the interest of all students.”

Byrne said other than the Christmas party and a year-end dinner which costs “maybe $100,” CSI doesn’t spend any money on parties.

She said the association did spend $68,000 on renovating its offices last year, but the expenses were necessary and the funds spent modestly.

“The reason we renovated is that we had two separate offices and students were get­ting confused,” she said. “Also, it was bad for company com­munications. We’ve spent some money trying to make our offic­es more welcoming, but there’s not much going on that’s super fancy or expensive.”

She said the association doesn’t permit spending on birthdays, showers or social events. As far as trips, “the only time our staff go any­where is if it’s approved by myself or the general man­ager,” Byrne said. “It has to be a professional conference that we’re a member of, and normally they’re within driv­ing distance.”

Some staff members have low;limit credit cards and laptops, and all are supplied with cellphones. Byrne said receipts and statements are reviewed monthly and audits are conducted annually. In her four years with CSI, two as president, there have been no red flags.

According to Byrne, CSI also has an assets protection poli­cy in place. It states the pres­ident cannot spend money, cheques for over $10,000 must be approved by the board, and money not approved in the budget cannot be spent.

She said the association also tries to maintain a culture of transparency and honesty.

“Our audits and budgets go on the website and students can come in and talk to us anytime,” she said.

“Absolutely everything we do and everything in our strategic plan 100 per cent benefits the students, and if they’re having doubts or questions, I encourage them to come and ask.

“We’ve never turned a stu­dent away.”

NEWS SPOKE ♦ Page 3Monday, March 11,2013

Old chairs given new lifeBY ROB MENDONSA

Spring is all about renewal and rebirth, which makes Conestoga’s Chairity Gala that much more appro­priate, given it’s being held two days before the official start of spring.The concept behind

the event, which is being held at the Tannery in downtown Kitchener on

March 18, is for interior design students in their

second-year to find an old chair which they must then

repurpose using an element of design such as texture,

shape or colour, assigned to them on a per-group basis. The chairs, which must be completely functional, are then auctioned off at the gala and the funds raised are given to a charity of their choosing. This year’s charity is Anselma House, which helps women in

crisis in Kitchener.Students, working in groups

of three, were given their assignments at the beginning of the school year and spent all of the first semester working on their chairs outside of class.

As well as designing the chairs, students spend much of the second semester plan­ning and organizing the gala itself. Tasks include every­thing from booking and deco­rating the Tannery, to under­standing the demographics that go into promoting an event of this size and selling tickets.

This gives students an opportunity to mix with the community and designers from the area.

The Chairity Gala gives the interior design program, which is only five years old, an opportunity to showcase what its students are capable of said Leah Scully, faculty member.

“Last year we had Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr

and (Conestoga) President John Tibbits attend as well as several well-known area decorators and designers who donated their own repurposed chairs for the auction. Some of those chairs went for as high as $600 last year,” Scully said.

As well as designers and decorators from the area, this year Home Hardware has come on-board and donated $1,000 and a chair and has promised to be a partner for future galas, which gives the event even more credibility within the community.

“Last year’s event raised close to $6,000 and we donat­ed $3,500 to the Hospice of Waterloo Region. It blew away all expectations we had for the event, so we have some big shoes to fill for this year’s gala,” Scully said.

Tickets for the gala are $20 and are available from Leah Scully in her office in Room 2A606 at the Doon campus as well as from any interior

PHOTO BY KEWEDA PINNOCK

This old chair, titled Wild Side, was given a new look by second-year inte­rior design students Kate Ford, Hanh Phan and Scott Darroch. Creating new chairs was part of an assignment where students had to find old chairs and use an element of design assigned to them to

repurpose them. The chairs are being auctioned off at their Chairity Gala, with proceeds going to Anselma House.

Melanie Turrett and Melissa McMorris gave this chair new life, calling it Colourful Twist After repur­posing the old red chair, the team spiced it up with different colours to make it more appealing.

COMMENTARYPage 4 ♦SPOKE Monday. March 11,2013

Daylight time has plenty of negatives

BY WESLEY BUTLER

You’ve probably heard your friends and family com­plain about daylight time. Having to go to bed earlier, get up for school and work earlier and adjust to a new schedule isn’t fun. But chances are they don’t know what the point of it is.

Daylight time (or “summer time” in Europe) is cred­ited to William Willett, who, in 1905, came up with the idea of moving clocks forward during the summer to take advantage of daylight in the early evenings.

It wasn’t put into use until April 1916, when it was adopted to replace artificial lighting so fuel could be saved for the war effort in Germany. Since then, coun­tries around Europe and North and South America have adopted daylight time as a way to conserve energy.

We believe daylight time is not only useless, but it actually makes people use more energy rather than conserve it.

In 2006, Matthew Kotchen, professor of economics at the University of California in Santa Barbara, studied over seven million electricity meter readings in south­ern Indiana every summer for three years.

After comparing energy consumption before and after daylight time, he discovered that electricity use actually increased, with a total cost of $8.6 million in household electricity bills.

Although lighting costs were reduced in the after­noons during daylight time, there were greater heating costs in the mornings and an increased use of air condi­tioners during afternoons.

In a study conducted by the National Bureau of Standards in 2007, daylight time had no effect on household electricity.

Not only does it not save energy, but it’s also very unhealthy. In fact, after the clocks move one hour ahead, the number of recorded suicides and heart attacks increase significantly. This happens because when your body’s circadian rhythm is forced to change, it reduces its ability to handle shocks and everyday stress. By having to change your daily rou­tine so rapidly, you’re basically hurting your body.

A century ago we didn’t have a way to determine whether daylight time had a real impact. Now, since we know it carries a lot of negative consequences, it’s time for it to go.

The views herein represent the position of the newspa­per, not necessarily the author.

Letters are welcome

Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer.

mWriters will be contact­ed for verification.No unsigned letters will be published.Letters should be no longer

than 500 words.Spoke reserves the right to edit

any letter for publication.Email letters to: www.spokeonline.com with the subject line

“Letter to the Editor,” or bring them to Room 1C30 at the Doon campus.

Canadians rolling in the red

Ryan Bowman Opinion

There are needs and there are wants. And then there’s that new 80-inch LED TV.

According to recent reports, consumer debt in Canada has reached an all- time high.

On average, each of us is $27,485 in the hole - and that doesn’t include our por­tion of the $6 billion federal debt ($17,367 each, and ris­ing by the second). That is a six per cent increase over last year and marks the first time the figure has cracked $27,000.

More concerning than the numbers, however, is the public reaction.

First, there’s the people who are flat-out apathetic.

They see debt as a nec­essary and unavoidable evil and credit cards as a licence to spend money they don’t have. They buy what they want, when they want it, and are content making minimum pay­ments while the interest piles up.

But that type of thinking is short-sighted and irrespon­sible. It is exactly the type of thinking that got us in this credit crisis to begin with.

So while prices may be going up while wages remain seemingly frozen, it’s not like we’re burying ourselves in debt trying to make ends meet.

We’re buying things we really don’t need with money we don’t really have.

And it’s not just the big things. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard fel­low students complain about debt between sips of a $5 coffee from Starbucks or after another night out, their fourth of the week.

The truth is, whether we earn $20,000 a year or $200,000 a year, we want a lifestyle which requires just that little bit more. We equate success, and hap­piness, with material pos­sessions and we compare our lives to others based on belongings.

We want what our par­ents have - and we want it now.

There was a time not too long ago when the golden rule of personal finances was to not spend more than you make.

Especially on one TV.

SPOKEJ O U R N A L I S M S T U D E N T S O F C O N E S T O G A C O L L E G EI S P U B L I S H E D A N D P R O D U C E D W E E K L Y B Y T H E

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Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4.Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3 6 9 1 ,3 6 9 2 ,3 6 9 3 , 3694Fax: 5 19 -748-3534Email: spoke@conestogac.on.caWebsite: www.spokeonline.com

Then there are the people who point fingers.

They blame the govern­ment, the greedy corpora­tions who produce and dis­tribute their goods, adver­tisers and lenders.

Granted, the cost of living is going up. Yes, market­ing is more prevalent and pushy than ever before.And yes, banks and credit card companies are more than happy to hand out high-interest loans to peo­ple who can’t afford to pay them back.

But at the end of the day, we are each responsible for our own finances.

According to the reports, the majority of our debt comes from auto loans and instalment loan borrower debt - a technical term for big-ticket items like furni­ture and renovations bought on credit.

Goodyear, Mark Fitzgerald, W esley Butler, KeilaMacPherson, Kelsey HeeleyProduction Managers: Sara Hanafi, KristinMilani, Kris Manuel, Rob MendonsaPhoto Editors:, Ashley Currie, Joanna Dittmer,Jessica Rediker, W endy Czako-Mah, Brad Coughlin,

Ryan Bowman, Michael Vielm a, Stephanie Lefebvre Circulation Manager: Jessica Lanthier

Faculty Supervisor and Adviser:Christina JonasSpoke's address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30,

The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of Conestoga College. Spoke shall not be liable for any damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space. Letters to the editor are subject to acceptance or rejection and should be clearly written or typed; a MS Word file would be helpful. Letters must not contain any libellous statements.

FEATUREPage 6 ♦SPOKE Monday, March 11,2013

Ready, set, plunge!

BY KRISTIN MILAN!

When the temperature drops every winter, many people cringe at the thought of even stepping foot out­side the house. But when it comes to a great cause, some of them are more than happy to jump in ice cold water. And they did just that.

Conestoga Students Inc. hosted its annual Polar Plunge on Feb. 28. Many participants formed teams and raised money to jump in the pool despite the freezing temperature. Radio person­alities from Conestoga’s sta­tion CJIQ were there to MC the event and provide music for everyone in attendance.

The plungers normally jump into the pond behind the college but it was a safe­ty hazard this year due to thin ice. Instead, an above ground pool was brought in for the event. Lake or not, it’s safe to say the water was nice and cold.

CSI program/communi- cations co-ordinator Becky Saba said this year’s location was great because it allowed

students to watch the plunge from inside the cafeteria and library. However, she is hop­ing the weather will permit people to jump into the pond next year.

Saba has been running the plunge for two years and loves it. She said it is a lot of fun to plan the annual event.

Each year, the CSI board of directors decides on a char­ity to donate the proceeds to. Since they run a Movember campaign for prostate can­cer in November, they voted to fundraise for the Breast Cancer Society for the second time in a row. The reason is that they feel it’s important to support both male and female causes and many stu­dents who took the plunge last year were affected by breast cancer.

Over $6,000 was raised in pledges and online donations this year.

“It is a great cause. The Breast Cancer Society has been so appreciative of our campaign,” Saba said.

The Polar Plunge is a tra ­dition in Canada that dates

back to 1920 in Vancouver, B.C. It is now embraced worldwide. In Canada, it’s normally held on New Year’s Day. It is held at Conestoga College later in the new year because students are still on Christmas break on Jan. 1. The plunge has been a tradi­tion at the college for over 20 years.

CSI operations manager Sheena Sonser has been involved with the plunge for over seven years; In her first year of the marketing pro­gram at the college, she was one of the plungers. Sonser is hoping to see more people participate next year but is still thrilled with the sup­port received.

“It was nice to see so many people wearing pink to sup­port the cause instead of just doing something wild and crazy in the winter months,” she said.

Over 30 students took the plunge in front of people who came to witness their brav­ery and what some may say is insanity. Some plungers went all out, designing elab­orate costumes.

_________g | jj m ,̂ .,,,,,, ̂ , ,_, ° I, v %, ~PHOTO BY BRAD COUGHLIN

Megan Dobbie was one of over 30 brave students who jumped into the ice cold water at the Polar Plunge held by Conestoga Students Inc. at Doon campus on Feb. 28.

PHOTO BY KRISTIN MILANIDobbie emerges from the pool after her icy plunge. Dressed in all pink, she was showing her support for breast cancer awareness.

FEATUREMonday, March 11,2013 SPOKE ♦Page 7

PHO TO BY KRISTIN MILAN

Conestoga College security guard Mitch Martyn got into the spirit of the plunge with his creative costume.

PHOTO BY KRISTIN MILANIMany students chose to unleash their alter-egos at the event. Murray Hudon, a respiratory therapy student, came ready for action and performed a full-out bellyflop dressed as Robin.

PHOTO BY KRISTIN VAN ECK

Drew Campbell surfaced after braving the icy water of the above-ground pool. The plunge typically takes place in the pond, but the ice was deemed unsafe this year.

PHOTO BY BRAD COUGHLINHaela Vonhatten-daer repurposed a wedding dress into swimwear for the plunge. The event raised over $6,000.

FEATUREPage 8 ♦ SPOKE Monday, March 11, 2013

FUN FACTS A B O U T R EPTILES

With more than 8,000 species of reptiles liv­ing on every continent except Antarctica, there’s bound to be some interesting things we can learn.

Here are some great facts brought to us by the good folks at reptile- knowledge.com.

■ Most of the world’s snakes (nearly two- thirds) are non-ven- omous. Only about 500 snake species are venomous and of those only 30-40 are considered harmful to humans.

■ Ball pythons, a popular type of pet snake, can live up to 40 years. Consider that before getting one as a pet.

■ More Americans die each year from bee stings than from snake bites.

■ Alligators can live nearly 70 years.

■ Snakes and lizards flick their tongues in the air to capture scent particles. They don’t smell through their noses. The particles pass over something called a Jacobson’s organto decipher the air around them. This is partly how reptiles hunt for food.

■ Contrary to popular belief, chameleons do not change their colour to blend in with different back­grounds. They only change colour in cer­tain ways related to temperature regula­tion and emotional changes.

■ Certain types of snakes can go months without eating.

Reptile show educates as well as fascinates

PHOTOS AND STORY BY WHITNEY SOUTH

Surrounded by a dozen curious children, Lady lays quietly on the car­peted floor enjoying every minute of the rubs and tickles of tiny fingers. She exudes

an air of calm similar to a content house cat causing those around her to forget the awesome power that hides behind her toothy grin.

Lady, a 45-kilogram American alligator, was just one of the many scaly creatures on hand for Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo exhibit held at Bingemans in Kitchener on March 2. The interactive live anim al show fe a tu red every th ing from exotic snakes and arach ­nids to lizards and even a E u rasian Lynx.

Based out of Ottawa, the zoo tours a select number of cities around Ontario and Eastern Canada each spring.

Hundreds of guests braved the event and were treated to dozens of exhibits meant to educate as well as fascinate.

Matt Korhonen, zoo curator, said he was pleased with the day’s turnout.

“I was a little surprised at how busy it was at one point in the day,” he said. “We typically see a very busy event but I can honestly say I looked around and was taken aback by how busy it was.”

More than just a chance to see exotic creatures, Korhonen said he hopes events like these help people to learn and appreciate all types of animals.

“A big part of what we do is try to encourage people to realize things like this are really cool but to get outside and see what’s in their own backyard,” he said. “Southern Ontario has the largest den­sity of endangered animals anywhere in Canada so if we can get people passion­ate about that by using the exotic animals, at the end of the day I feel as though we’ve achieved our goal.”

With a repertoire spanning

everything from birthday par­ties and grade school shows to fairs and museum exhibits, Korhonen said he hopes the zoo is able to reach all sorts of people, but especially the younger set.

“Kids are the most ener­getic people in the world and the most passionate about things,” he said. “If you can get that information into them they’ll grow up and that knowledge never goes away.”

Third grade teacher Natalie Helm- Weinstein attended the event with her husband Aaron and son Kyle.

“I wanted to go to the show because I knew that my son would love it,” she said. “He’s at that perfect stage of curiosity and won­der and I knew he would enjoy seeing some cool creatures.”

After reading about the event on Facebook and checking out the zoo’s website detailing their eco-education programs and ani­mal rescue, Helm-Weinstein said she knew her family was in for not only a fun outing, but one she could feel good about attending.

“We really enjoyed being able to walk around and read about each creature in the display. It was very educational and the staff was very friendly,” she said. “We especially liked that we got to see some of the creatures outside their enclo­sures so we could touch them and even hold some of them.”

Helm-Weinstein said she thinks people attend events like this mainly for their kids but end up coming away with more.

“We knew our son would love the experience but the fact that we could spend some fam­ily time doing something a little unusual was very refreshing.” Leaving the event with some great memories and cute photos, Helm- Weinstein said she would defi­nitely attend again.

“It was fun, informative and very interactive,” she said. “My son couldn’t stop talking about everything he saw and was able to touch. It was a fim experience and it was nice to see him so excited.”

For more information on Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, visit www. raysreptiles.com.

Zoo curator Matt Korhonen hopes Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo events encourage people to look at the wildlife that can be found in their own backyard.

FEATURE Page 9 ♦ SPOKEMonday, March 11,2013

Colin Newbigging shares his vast knowledge of the yellow anaconda An especially venomous snake, the eastern tree mamba is found in trees on the coasts of Africa.

gold knee tarantula for guests to pet.

Caimans are relatively small crocodilians. Most species reach a maximum length of only a few metres.

Curious kids are captivated during one of curator Matt Korhonen’s live shows during the exhibit at Bingemans on March 2. These shows are aimed at scientific education as well as animal awareness.A volunteer holds a chaco

Page 10 ♦SPOKE Monday, March 11,2013

FEATURE SPOKE ♦ Page 11Monday, March 11,2013

Retro retail at it's finestSTORY AND PHOTOS BY KRISTIN MILAN!

Candy Candy Candy! It’s not just an expression of excite­ment for a sugar fix, but also a unique candy shop in down­town Kitchener.

The store, the brainchild of Dave and Sharon Watson, sits snug on the corner of Charles and Queen streets. It’s impos­sible to miss its vibrant colours that can be seen from a mile away.

This blast from the past candy shop is fun for all ages. Its retro theme brings back memories for the baby boom­ers and introduces today’s kids to candy that has stood the test of time. The store has the classics including Gold Mine gum, Mini Maple Cones, Sugar Daddy chocolate, Necco Candy Buttons, Charleston Chew bars, Popeye candy sticks and more.

Not only is the candy retro, the entire store is packed full of decor and merchandise that takes you all the way back to the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. The second you walk in the door, the tropic blue and palace purple-coloured walls lift your mood faster than you can say candy. Shiny fuchsia vinyl records, artwork done by Sharon, retro CD cases, and candy logos decorate the bright panelled walls.

Stephen Ciokan from the Games Exchange store, across the street from Candy Candy Candy, is a regular customer. He said he likes that Dave and Sharon take risks that a lot of other people don’t. Ciokan often finds candy he didn’t know existed and enjoys tak­ing chances on something new when buying candy at the shop.

“I love the place. It’s defi­nitely unique,” he said.

Dave and Sharon opened the shop on Dec. 8, 2012 and have loved every second since then. To them, it isn’t just a tempo­rary project to grab some cash, it’s a long-term plan. Their life is now Candy Candy Candy. Even after they’ve punched out they are on Google, search­ing for which retro items to put on the shelves.

Each time new stock arrives, there is at least one product added to the inventory. For Dave and Sharon, it’s their own version of Christmas Day.

Retail work is something that they are both passionate about. They love working with people and find great happi­ness at the shop because of it. When customers come into the shop, they are excited to see candy that they grew up with.

‘You don’t get grumpy custom­ers at a candy store,” Dave said.

Coincidentally, Dave and Sharon met in a candy store

then worked at a studio in Toronto and realized it wasn’t the right career.

In his spare time, Dave writes fiction of all different genres. He has had one eBook published and is currently working on another one. He goes by his alter-ego name of Paul Mundane.

“I’m always writing some­thing,” he said.

The eBook is published on major book websites including Amazon and Smash Words and is also available on Kobo tablets.

Before officially opening the doors of Candy Candy Candy, the couple had to do a lot of research and preparation to make the first months go smoothly. Sharon spent time crunching numbers and find­ing out how much everything would cost. They also had to renovate and clean to get their future store in tip-top shape.

Now that they are settled and the shop is well underway, they can breathe a sigh of relief that they won’t be stuck in careers they don’t love and aren’t passionate about.Sharon and Dave Watson opened Candy Candy Candy on Dec. 8, 2012. The store features retro candy

including Gold Mine gum and Popeye candy sticks.

Dave worked at over a decade ago. Sharon was running some errands and had a craving for licorice. She walked into the store and saw Dave behind the counter with spiked fluores­cent green hair. Weeks later, he was at one of Sharon’s art shows. His aunt just so hap­pened to be her friend and co­worker at the studio. They got married in 2002 and later had two children.

Although this isn’t their first business, Dave and Sharon still view Candy Candy Candy as a whole new chapter in their lives. They previously owned a comic book store when they were living in Toronto. Dave ran the customer service side while Sharon took care of the bookkeeping.

Dave said he loved working with people and being in a comic book environment. He also knew the history behind comic books, as they were and still are a huge interest of his.

“I’m a bit of a nerd,” he said laughing.

However, he acknowledges the difficulty that came with owning the store. He was work­ing almost 12-hour days, seven days a week with a two-hour commute every day despite living in Toronto. Comic book stores were also on the decline. Dave said the only reason peo­ple walk into a bookstore these days is for the ambiance.

“We were starting to see a depletion but we got out before it became a problem. We got the good part of it. The concept of bookstores is sort of dying these days. Technology is mov­ing beyond it,” Dave said.

After having the store open for four years, Sharon and Dave decided it was in their best interest to close it and move forward in their lives.

About two years ago, they decided to pack up and leave Toronto. They said they loved living there but it wasn’t working with their lifestyle since they had two young children. They have been in Kitchener ever since and plan on staying put for a long time.

For the time being, Dave and Sharon aren’t looking to franchise as they want to keep the personal touch of the shop intact.

“It’s like a baby and you want it to grow up. You want to see it through all its years. You don’t want to just pass it on,” Sharon said.

Outside of Candy Candy Candy, Dave works part-time at Starbucks as a barista which requires very early mornings on top of his shifts at the candy shop. They also have two young children who are six and eight years old.

One of Sharon’s lifetime loves outside of the shop is artistic photography. She has been taking pictures since she was 12 years old when her grandma gave her money to buy a cartridge camera.

Photography was only a hobby until after graduating high school when she took it to the next level. She went to Ryerson University to trans­form her hobby into a career. Discovering that she wasn’t interested in commercial pho­tography, she left the univer­sity after three years. She

NEWSPage 12 ♦ SPOKE Monday, March 11,2013

Review your resumeBY JOANNA PmriVlER

Students leave post-second- ary institutions well informed on the material needed to pur­sue their career, but they tend not to leave with knowledge on how to get said occupation.

Many students find it diffi­cult to write a good, profession­al resume. Some of the most common problems, according to Violet Vadjina, Conestoga College’s student employment adviser (non-co-op) and lecturer of the school’s Feb. 24 cover let­ter and resume workshop, are not personalizing a cover letter and resume to the job being

applied for, overlooking spelling and grammatical errors and not putting the most relevant infor­mation on the first page.

“Not including a header on the second page (of a resume), with at least your name, phone number and page two (is a common mistake). Copying and pasting the header from the first page is an option, and gives the resume a nice consistent look,” Vadjina said.

Another tip is to use the same font on both the cover letter and resume.

According to www.saica- reers.com, a website written by career experts, lying is the

PHOTO BY JOANNA DITTMERA student attempts to rewrite his resume using the reverse chronological style in hopes of finding work in the near future.

worst thing you can do on a resume.

“Even if you pass the back­ground check (very unlikely considering how sophisticat­ed background checks have become), a savvy employer will discover the deception within days, if not sooner,” the web­site says.

According to Vadjina, a cover letter should include an introductory paragraph tell­ing how and where you heard about the job and why you want to work for the compa­ny, a body paragraph or two discussing your top qualifica­tions and how your education and experience will match the company, and a closing para­graph thanking the reader and expressing interest in meeting for an interview.

Information to be included in the resume varies depending on the style chosen. According to Vadjina, the reverse chron­ological style is recommended for most students.

“It is typically comprised of the following sections: header, objective, highlights of qualifi­cations, education, work expe­rience, volunteer experience and the optional activities and interest section,” Vadjina said.

Kayla Rogers, the assistant manager of a popular clothing store in Waterloo, said if the resume is boring, she usually doesn’t give it a second look.

“A resume needs to pop! If it looks identical to the one I received 10 minutes ago, what does that tell me about you? You need to stand out,” she said.

Vadjina said it is a myth that a resume has to be kept to one page.

“A resume should be two pages maximum.”

Vadjina encouragesConestoga students to visit Conestoga’s My Career (careers.conestogac.on.ca) for your job search needs.

NEWS SPOKE ♦Page 13Monday, March 11,2013

CJIQ fundraiser will test students’ stamina

PHOTO BY WESLEY BUTLERPhil McMahon (left to right), Allie Lehman, Tyler Smith and Kristina Di Pasquale will be hosting CJIQ’s “28 Straight” to benefit the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society on March 13 and 14.

BY WESLEY BUTLER

To help benefit the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society, 88.3 CJIQ is holding “28 Straight,” a live broad­cast lasting from 3 p.m. on March 13 until 7 p.m. on March 14.

The idea to hold this event was conceived by second- year broadcast radio students Tyler Smith, Allie Lehman, Kristina Di Pasquale and Phil McMahon.

“We wanted to do some­thing local, and since we all have a soft spot for animals, we figured we’d benefit the humane society,” said Smith. “It’s not going to be an easy task, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a success­ful run.”

Smith, Lehman, Pasquale and McMahon will be in the CJIQ studio for the entire broadcast. Two of them will be on air at a time, taking breaks every 30 minutes.

The broadcast will consist of standard CJIQ music and highlights of global news, with the humane society being mentioned three times

an hour. Listeners will be directed to its website and given instructions on how to make donations through PayPal or MasterCard.

“The humane society is already promoting our event on their website,” said McMahon. “When people go to donate, we want them to tell the society that the rea­son they donated is because of the 28-hour straight broad­cast.”

Midway through, a repre­sentative from the society will go to the CJIQ studio to inform listeners of what the humane society does and how donations will help it out.

“The event is basical­ly a 28-hour public ser­vice announcement,” said Lehman. “We’ll constantly remind listeners of why we’re doing this in the first place, and why the humane society is important.”

This is the first year CJIQ has ever done a broadcast lasting as long as the 28-hour event and it hopes to continue benefiting charitable organi­zations in future years.

“If this goes well and more people donate to the humane society, we’ll propose this to future students,” said Pasquale. “It doesn’t neces­sarily have to be a live broad­cast that takes place for two days, but it could be struc­tured differently and for a different cause.”

The Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society is one of the largest humane societ­ies in Ontario, holding over 62 dogs, 165 cats and an assortment of birds, small mammals and reptiles. It was founded in 1927, and provides humane educa­tion, law enforcement and

sheltering of animals in Waterloo Region. It strives to provide safe environments for animals in need, ensur­ing they’re all treated with respect and compassion.

To make a donation to the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society, visit www.kwhu- mane.com.

Diversity celebratedBY DYLAN PACOSTA

Conestoga College took a further step toward spreading diversity and acceptance by holding another Celebrating Cultural Diversity Week at the Doon campus.

The event, which ran from Feb. 25 to March 1, was the 10th edition of the week that the college hosts once each term.

The week is intended to provide students with an education on how to better support and embrace students of other cultures, as well as offering the opportunity to simply celebrate the amount of diversity at Conestoga.

Ryan Connell, the Student Life programmer at Conestoga College, takes pride in Conestoga’s efforts to spread knowledge and acceptance of diversity, but knows that there is still work to be done.

“Conestoga certainly has made great strides in the past several years to provide education on diver­sity,” he said, attributing that to not only Celebrating Cultural Diversity Week, but also to the Respect campaign and the Professional Development department.

“I feel we still have more work to do in building more infrastructure for supporting the amount of diver­sity we are seeing on our campuses,” Connell said. “But I also know right now that I can feel proud about what Conestoga is already doing.”

Celebrating Cultural Diversity Week has been around since the Student Life department first orga­nized it in the fall of 2008, and the week has helped create a community

that is more respectful, welcoming and inclusive.

“It’s a chance to build a stronger sense of belonging for all members of our college community, but also it gives an opportunity to students who have not considered diversity in this lens,” said Connell. “When students graduate and find a career, they will undoubtedly be interacting with indi­viduals from different cultures and backgrounds, and it’s important that they are prepared to understand the uniqueness of all individuals.”

The week usually consists of booths and displays set up by students of programs who have an aspect of cultural diversity who can take what they are learning in their course and then apply it to try and help promote and celebrate diversity.

Conestoga student Kyle Schattner, while not involved in this semester’s diversity week, took part last year when he helped his classmate and friend Ahmed Saleh showcase Saudi Arabian culture.

“By taking part in the week, I learned a lot about Saudi Arabia through the work we did and also my classmate’s experiences because of his Saudi Arabian background,” said Schattner. ‘I t ’s an important week because it gives you the opportunity to view things from other perspectives.”

Celebrating Cultural Diversity Week was successful this semester, and Connell was quick to praise the efforts of everybody involved.

“I really commend the campus ser­vice areas who host displays and activities for being so involved in making the week such a success.”

FEATUREPage 14 ♦SPOKE Monday, March 11,2013

W H E R E D O E S I T A l l g o ?T H E

RECYCLIN G PROCESS A T CONESTOGA

COLLEGEBY WENDY CZAKO-MAH

How well do you know what goes in those blue bins? Do you find the signs a bit confusing?

At Conestoga College there are three very visible catego­ries of recycling; paper, glass and plastic, and organics.

Almost invisible to most college students is a woman doing a job that most of us are hoping to avoid: collect­ing recycling and garbage. But, she too has dreams. If you asked her about those dreams, Rhonda Higgins would tell you how she loves to sing country music.

An employee of the college for the past four years, Higgins works in Waste management and is responsible for emptying the recycling bins. Higgins, who still has a bit of the east coast in her voice, says one of her biggest issues is that the stu­dents don’t take the time to put the right items in the correct bins. For example, the organ­ics bin is strictly for food items. According to Higgins, students throw everything in there. If there is more than five per cent of what would be considered garbage, the whole bin goes into the garbage. Higgins estimates it’s usually 90 per cent. Of all the organic bins on campus, the main cafeteria is the worst. It usually ends up in the garbage as she is not allowed to sort it, even if the amount is small.

When asked what would make a difference to help improve the recycling process at the college Biggins was at a loss. “There are signs next to each one telling you what goes there,” she said. ‘Maybe some kind of presentation? If CSI could get involved? Student Life has the Respect Campaign and I guess that is respect too. Maybe they could mix that in with their campaigns.”

Most recycling is emptied twice a day with the exception of organics, which is done twice a week. According to Higgins, a least twice a week the recycling goes straight into the garbage. When it comes to paper bins, students throw coffee in with the paper and this contam­inates the entire bin and it becomes garbage.

“The students don’t actu­ally think about the person emptying the bins and coffee going everywhere,” she said.

What is even more difficult is the fact that Higgins has read the information board postings next to Housekeeping

and the Waste Management department. She points out how much of what we don’t do hurts more than just the environment. It kills animals that ingest the plastic.

“I don’t really think about it that much,” said Christina Wege, a first-year student in interior decorating.

John Anderson, a first-year student in fitness and health promotion, said, “I make sure that I recycle. A lot of people will go to the garbage instead, just because you can’t see a recycling bin around,”

Ryan Connell, a programmer for Student Life, said that for a number of reasons, they take on a more supportive role with the recycling program. They talk about Green Week initiatives within the campaign, and they participate in community clean­up initiatives with the neigh­bourhood association. There have also been various green initiatives that have been start­ed but nothing permanent.

One of the biggest issues, Connell said, is that not everyone comes from commu­nities where recycling is a top priority. So recyclers who get annoyed when others don’t recycle have to remember that not everyone comes from this area.

A good example for me is, I grew up in Thunder Bay,” said Connell. ‘Thunder Bay does not have the recycling programs that we have down here. It’s still a huge culture shock when I go back at Christmas to see and visit my family. There’s no regard or knowledge about recy­cling and how to do it. There’s no curbside recycling programs. So, we have to recognize at Conestoga that we have such a large number of students who are international, as well as not from our area.”

Heading the recycling pro­gram at the college is Jana Vodicka from Housekeeping Services. The college has bins for paper, mixed (plastic, glass), organics, and garbage in the hallways, classrooms, wash­rooms etc. However, organ­ics are only collected in the cafeteria, staff lunchroom, the Sanctuary and Tim Hortons. More bins are being added as the college grows. Eventually they want all four bins in each area to fulfill all needs.

Probably not common knowl­edge to most is the specialized bins the college has for hazard­ous waste, and through CSI, electronic and battery waste disposal. Health and Safety looks after the syringes and flo- rescent lights to see that they are properly recycled because of things like mercury.

Specialized programs in the trades also have recycling for all of their scraps or waste materials. The weight of all

scrap materials is monitored so that the program knows if there is a need to increase or decrease bins.

Coffee cups are lined with PLA (polylactic acid), consid­ered to be a biodegradable plas­tic. Not all recycling facilities have the means to separate that from the paper. Recyclable is a broad term that doesn’t always mean we can. What it can mean is that a plant in New York can recycle it, but here in Ontario, we can’t.

“For the coffee cups, we can actually put them into our organics bins, and we would love to do that because we generate such a large volume of them, said Vodicka.

In fact, coffee cups currently make up eight per cent of the garbage in the cafeteria and in classrooms at Doon, and 27 per cent of garbage in the hallway bins, according to a 2011 waste audit.

However, Vodicka believes t h e college community is going in the right direction and through education and time it can only get better.

One of the current lead­ers in the green race is the University of Ottawa. According to Vodicka, it is a great example of where the college could eventually be. The university’s goal is to be completely green; and become a “Zero Waste Campus” that diverts all waste.

The final step i n the Conestoga recycling process ends in Waterloo at the Waste Management site. According to Dave Johnstone, supervi- sor, the plant receives paper products and plastics in one building and garbage and composting in other areas on site. Paper products come in daily and are scooped up and shipped to a Niagara plant where they are sorted. Plastics are sorted, bailed and shipped to purchasing companies. Green bin waste is shipped to a Guelph site for processing and the garbage is emptied in a landfill in Waterloo.

If you happen to be someone that doesn’t believe it makes a difference, just ask any member of Waste Management. They are currently launching a pro­motional green bin campaign called Feed the Soil. It makes great soil for landscaping and is very useful for farmer’s fields.

“The interesting thing, and it gives us all hope in Waste Management, is when the blue box program started it was the very same way,” Johnstone said. “The initial articles in regards to recycling were very negative, but as time moved on they (residents) felt inclined socially, that they should do it too.”

He’s hoping the same thing happens with green bins.

PHOTOS BY WENDY CZAKO-MAHThis is an accumulation of four days of plastic collected from the region and delivered to the Waste Management plant in Waterloo. Normally plastic is shipped out every two days.

* . r ^ ..This photo shows one day of paper accumulation from the Region.

Rhonda Higgins from housekeeping, checks to see that Tim Hortons has properly filled their organic bin before sending it for pick-up.

After careful deliberation, Marilyn Metzger, a first-year office administration student, places her recyclable container in the bin on March 1.

A garbage truck leaves the Waterloo site after unloading. The cam­paign Feed the Sole is featured on the side of the truck.

FEATURE SPOKE ♦Page 15Monday, March 11,2013

Understanding vision loss an exercise in empathyThis is the third in a five-

part series on visual impair­ment and what it is like for the people who live with it.

BY JESSICA REPIKER

Over the last few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to view the world through a different perspective — metaphorically and literally speaking.

When I walked into the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) for the first time, as someone who’s never experienced even a slight departure from 20/20, I thought that I was simply going to arrive, hear first-hand stories of visual impairment and that would be it. What I left with, instead, was an experience that not many peo­ple get, but perhaps should.

After I was introduced to a lot of ideas that I had never previously considered, such as “how does the city expect visu­ally impaired people to navi­gate roundabouts,” (something that still perplexes me,) I got a chance to understand exactly why they need to be considered.

In a kit that is sent out with CNIB ambassadors to edu­

cate others on visual impair­ment were several pairs of goggles that each simulated a different type of vision dis­ease in one eye, while cover­ing the other.

To wear these goggles was a truly eye-opening experience.

A commonly held belief that I mentioned in the first part of this series - the belief that vision is simply a switch that your body turns on or off - was one I had fought hard not to personally subscribe to but through inexperience found myself believing.

The first pair of goggles I tried on simulated age related macular degeneration. I tried these first because I wanted to gain a better understand­ing of the way that Jessica Milicevie, a volunteer and cli­ent at CNIB, and Michael Mielniczek, a first-year stu­dent at the University of

Manitoba, see the world.In the middle of my field of

vision was a large grey splotch and I soon realized what a challenge it would be to adapt to this new way of looking at things. The goggles had full focus vision in the peripheral field but my central vision was completely obscured. I had to force my eyes to not focus on this obstruction because they naturally wanted to stare right at it, leaving me some­what cross-eyed.

As I tried on the rest of the goggles I thought it was neat, but I recognize that it isn’t “neat” for someone with a vision disease. In fact, it is an emotion­al journey and social barrier.

Another exercise I took part in was to be blindfolded and led to another area of the office.

I was able to see my toes through a slight crack in the blindfold’s coverage, but as soon as I had the blindfold on and was directed to put my hand on Milicevic’s arm for guidance, I felt defensive. This was an instant reaction due to trust. It caught me off guard.

I couldn’t help but wonder how you become comfortable

putting your trust in other people to ensure your safety, help you navigate or get you ready for the day.

As a female who went through middle and high school changing her look from one day to the next, I was fix­ated on what it must be like to have someone else in charge of your physical appearance.

“My sister helps me with plucking my eyebrows and my mom paints my nails. I can do my hair by feel and I can do my makeup by feel but then I have to get them to fix it,” said Milicevie, adding she does ben­efit from her visual impairment because she can’t see enough to compare herself to other girls.

Though she can do most of her hair and makeup on her own, there is one step in the cosmetic process that she sees room for innovation.

“I wish there was a thing that you could put the mas­cara brush in and it does it for you and doesn’t mess up.”

The ways in which those who have vision loss must depend on other people varies from having their family and friends tweak their makeup, to being given navigation instructions

from an orientation and mobil­ity specialist and even to hav­ing a visual aid consultant present through most of the schooling process.

Mielniczek had a consul­tant, and said that it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

He chocks up much of his success in school to having an au pair with him.

“Now that I’m in post-second- ary I’m caught up, or actually ahead of everyone else because I find time to do my studying,” said Mielniczek, who found that having a consultant with him made him less social and more focused on his school- work, but is now able to branch out as he is flying solo through his first year of university.

Having to rely on others for certain things is something that goes along with being visu- ally impaired that people don’t often think about. It is easy to assume that a person who is visually impaired is either incapable of doing most things, or is completely self-reliant, but wearing the simulation glasses reinforced that every situation is different and the only way to truly understand a person’s capabilities is to ask.

Page 16 ♦ SPOKE Monday, March 11,2013