SPOKEMONDAY, MARCH 7, 2016 CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT. WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM 47TH YEAR — NO. 8

St. Pete Beach offers fun in the sun. Page 5

Living thebeach life

A 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

Gender equalitystill a struggle within workforce.Page 3

International Women’s Day

PREPARING FOR A DEEP FREEZE

PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLEThe temperature was a nippy -16 C with the wind chill factor, but that didn’t stop participants from taking part in Conestoga Students Inc.’s 2016 Polar Plunge March 2 at the Doon campus. Above, James Davis, a broadcast TV student, prepares for an icy dip. For story and additional photos, see Pages 6 and 7.

Free tuition

offer irks current

studentsBY EMMIE SIROKY

Financial freedom has come at last – for some students. The Ontario government announced in its 2016 budget that students whose families make less than $50,000 a year will have free tuition for col-lege or university.

The new Ontario Student Grant (OSG), announced in the Feb. 25 budget, is a revamp of the student aid system and will begin in the 2017-18 school year.

However, the framework for the new funding assumes that the average university stu-dent’s yearly tuition is $6,160, but the average undergradu-ate program costs around $7,900. That also does not include books and other man-datory fees, such as parking or the fact that there is a set increase of four per cent for tuition in 2017. For Ontario colleges the math doesn’t add up either. The government is estimating that college tuition costs $2,800 a year. The aver-age college tuition for diploma programs is $2,400, $3,600 for graduate certificate pro-grams, $5,000 for collabora-tive programs and $6,100 for bachelor’s programs.

“Engineering students have to pay a little more. Arts and science students, it will be completely free for them,” said Reza Moridi, minister of training, colleges and univer-sities, in an interview with Maclean’s magazine. “They have to use a figure, so that’s the figure they have been using in the ministry.”

Students who have already accumulated debt to pay for their schooling are miffed.

“Well, that’s kind of unfair to families that make more money because everyone should have access to free tuition.” said Jessica Heaysman, a first-year general arts and science health option student.

CSI increases fee for satellite campus students

BY CHRIS HUSSEY

Students at some of Conestoga College’s satel-lite campuses are going to be asked to pay a little more next year.

At a board of directors meet-ing on Feb. 25, Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) unani-mously approved increas-ing the CSI Association Fee for students at the Guelph, Waterloo, Stratford, Brantford and Ingersoll cam-puses. Students attending the Guelph and Waterloo cam-puses will see an increase of $20, whereas students tak-ing courses at the Stratford, Brantford and Ingersoll cam-puses will have an increase of $30.

Jeff Scherer, CSI president, said the amount of services

and benefits that students at these campuses receive is worth a lot more than how much they pay.

“We provide services for these students exponentially more than they contribute,” he said.

The fees for students at the Doon and Cambridge campus-es will not be increasing.

Along with the fee increas-es, the board also approved spending just over $7,000 to fund the digitization of Spoke, Conestoga College’s newspa-per produced by second-year journalism students. In this context, digitization refers to

the process of creating digital versions of materials to ease accessibility and protect the original materials. The news-paper has been in circulation for over 40 years and has doc-umented significant moments throughout the college’s his-tory. Thus, it has a lot of his-torical and sentimental value.

Daisy Collins, a staff mem-ber from the Library Resource Centre (LRC), presented the proposal to the board and said digitizing the newspaper would be something that would be of great value to the Conestoga community, especially with the college’s 50th anniversary tak-ing place next year.

“It would really open up access to this important stu-dent publication,” she said.

The funding for this project would go toward hiring a stu-

dent to complete the digitiza-tion process later this year. This student would be under the supervision of Christina Jonas, faculty adviser of Spoke.

Although the board approved funding this proj-ect, Brian Clark, a CSI direc-tor, suggested seeking fund-ing from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The agency is Canada’s largest granting foundation, and awards $110 million annually to charitable organizations across Canada, according to their website.

Colin Gaudet, another director with CSI, said it was worth applying for funding through OTF as a way to fund this proposal.

“That’s an extra thing we should definitely be looking into for the students,” he said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Page 2 s SPOKE Monday,March 7, 2016NEWS

Now deep thoughts... with Conestoga College

Random questions answered by random studentsIf money wasn’t an object,

what’s the first thing you’d buy?

“A house, so I don’t have to pay rent.”

Megan Martin,first-year

protection and security investigation

“I’d buy the world.”

Anthony Gioia,first-year

part-time photography

“A big house on the water.”

Emily Steen,post-grad degree

financial planning

“Go to the space station.”

Lindsay Baker,post-grad degree

financial planning

“I’d go travelling.”

Shaley Osment,first-year

protection and security investigation

“Probably a really cool car, like an Aston Martin.”

Eric McEwen,first-year

police foundations

Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!

FILBERT CARTOONS

New lab state of the artBY JOE WEPPLER

Conestoga College’s Doon campus is home to a new lab, designed to help students in emergency response pro-grams learn through simu-lated training scenarios.

The Motz Pre-Hospital Care Laboratory recently opened after receiving find-ing through a donation of $275,000 by the Motz family. Tom Motz, who serves as vice chair of the board of trust-ees for St. Mary’s Hospital, spoke to the audience at the unveiling of the lab about the importance of first-respond-ers. The new lab is a haven for Conestoga’s paramedic, firefighter and policing stu-dents to learn their craft.

“Students are in there all the time studying,” said Melissa Sklepetas, a second-year para-medic student. “(It’s) more of a first-responders’ lab.”

The state-of-the-art training space is host to an imitation ambulance, a large projector screen to bring life to the sim-ulated emergency situations and real emergency equipment that first-responders use in the field. The walls of the lab are lined with racks of medical dummies to play the role of vic-tim in the simulated scenarios.

“I hope we get to do a lot of practical work there,” said Radhika Chhibber, a first-year protection, security and inves-tigation student. “I’m excited to see what they have to offer.”

The hands-on simulation training provided by the lab will help students to not only develop their skills, but also directly experience situations that they might otherwise only learn about in a class-room setting. The focal points of the lab are the mock ambu-lance and the projector.

“The screen comes all the way to the floor, and we can project different scenarios,” said Nathan Loehle, a first-

year paramedic student.For example, being outside in

a snowstorm. The scenarios also make use of sound to immerse the students and help them practise their decision-making in high-intensity situations.

“We’ve already done a lot of work in here,” he said.

Conestoga president John Tibbits attended the opening of the lab and thanked the Motz family for their support. The Motz family has also invested in the Emergency Services Training Bay at Doon campus and the trades programs out of the Waterloo campus.

The generous donations by the family are just some of many that help to keep Conestoga’s emergency care programs on the cutting edge. Darch Fire, a supplier of fire and emergency vehicles and equipment based in Ayr, Ont., recently donated a fire truck to the pre-service firefighter program that is already being used in five separate courses.

Emergency care and protec-tive services programs such as police foundations, paramedic and pre-service firefighter operate under Conestoga’s School of Health and Life Sciences and Community Services.

PHOTO BY JOE WEPPLERDummies play the role of victims in simulated emergency situations at Conestoga’s new pre-hospital lab.

Current student debt will remain“I have already spent money

on this year’s tuition and it was very hard for me. I under-stand how hard it would be for families who can’t afford to send their kids to school, so it’s a good thing and it’s a bad thing.”

Tiana Davies, a first-year Conestoga College media foundations student, said, “I feel like it’s confusing because you have low-income students who have already received OSAP and are already owing close to $20,000 for how many years they have been in school plus the tax you owe on top of that. I just want to know if they are going to rebate that or are leaving (current students) to suffer with their debt. You can’t say you’re

going to make school free for low-income families and leave current students in debt after you make that decision.”

Austin Denstedt, a second-year fitness and health stu-dent, said, “I don’t think it really affects me personally. I think it’s a good idea for people who can’t afford their tuition and have a low source of income.”

Students who received loans under the current OSAP process will still have the debt said Jeff Scherer, president of Conestoga Students Inc. “If they are continuing studies or are going back to school in the 2017-2018 year then their OSAP would follow the new OSG program and they may qualify for more grants than loans.”

In the past some students

were not sure about going on to post-secondary educa-tion because of the high costs. Scherer believes the new funding formula will help them make up their minds.

“I believe that students will become more motivated towards their post-secondary education as the public has a vested interest in their suc-cess,” said Scherer.

He added the OSG is not available to students wanting to study aboard.

“You have to be an Ontario resident studying either within the province or within Canada. Students can still apply for the Canada finan-cial assistance for studying abroad.”

For a video story on the OSG, go to www.spokeonline.com.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Monday, March 7, 2016 SPOKE s Page 3NEWS

BY SARAH VEENSTRA

According to the World Economic Forum, gender equality within the workforce isn’t actually to be considered “equal” until 2133. Another 117 years.

This estimate was based on a survey in which 400 male and female leaders from companies worldwide stated what they feel women’s big-gest obstacles and supports are in the business world.

It’s for this reason, that this year’s International Women’s Day’s theme is Pledge for Parity – asking men and women alike to pledge how they can help take one step toward gender equality in the workforce.

This global cause will also be touching Conestoga College’s Doon campus, just as it has for the past three years.

“At Conestoga, we strive to promote International Women’s Day (IWD) as an inclusive event focused on global citizenship that is open to all community members,” said Chelsea Winn, Student Life programmer and co-ordinator of IWD. “This year, the committee has cho-sen the theme Building Our Value Together, which we will combine with the official IWD campaign Pledge for Parity. We have been able to schedule a fantastic guest speaker, Lucie Edwards,

who will be able to speak to the chosen themes from the lens of global citizenship.”

Edwards served 33 years in the Canadian Foreign Service as Canada’s high commission-er to Kenya, South Africa and India. Edwards also received the Public Service Award of Excellence for her humanitar-ian work during the genocide in Rwanda and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence by the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2009.

In honour of this year’s theme, some women shared their own pledges of what they can do to further gen-der equality in the work-place. First-year pre-health science student Morgan Karley’s pledge was a frame of mind, and coincided with Conestoga’s chosen theme of Building Value Together.

“Coming from a Mennonite community, I see first-hand how some cultures tend to speak more to males than females,” Karley said. “Personally, I think equality in all cultures is what I would like to see, rather than in just one culture. Gender equal-ity isn’t just important for one group of people. I want to be viewed equally to my male counterpart. I guess my pledge would be to be inde-pendent. I don’t need a male to tell me what I can or can’t do.”

“I pledge to support men

who wish to play a role in our field,” said Jami Litster, a first-year student in early childhood education (ECE) of her pledge to support gender equality in her own field. “A lot of men are looked upon like they shouldn’t be here. Oftentimes, it’s part of our job to change a diaper. Men wouldn’t be allowed to do that because they’re men.”

“There’s nearly 80 people in this program and four men,” said a fellow first-year ECE student Amanda Brown. “I

realize it’s a female-dominat-ed industry but it’s time to break stereotypes. Breaking those stereotypes of male to female roles pushes us closer to gender equality.”

This year’s IWD event will be held on March 8, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Student Life Centre in the lower atrium of Conestoga’s Doon campus. It will feature interactive activities and a free break-fast provided in partnership with Conestoga Students Inc.

“I would encourage all stu-dents to come out and sup-port the event,” said Winn. “It’s an exciting opportunity to hear an accomplished and empowering speaker, partici-pate in engaging activities, share a meal with others in the community and be a part of a global movement for parity. This is a great way to both celebrate and strengthen the inclusive and diverse community that we have here at Conestoga.”

BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZER

Working out can be a chal-lenge. It can be repetitive and cause you to become bored and lose track of stick-ing to a daily workout sched-ule.

Outdoor exercising in Waterloo Region, however, is anything but boring and can motivate you to make sure exercise comes first every day.

On a recent Saturday morn-ing, Eric Chagnon, an out-door fitness and adventure specialist from Waterloo, hosted a session for people of all ages to come out and explore the beauty of what nature gives us to exercise with.

“I find that when you’re exercising in a gym, you can lose motivation quickly because you are not trying new things. Nature has so much to offer for us that can make workouts exciting,” Chagnon said.

The sessions are every Monday and Friday at 9:30

a.m. and every Saturday at 11 a.m. at Laurelwood Park, Waterloo. Prices vary from the first session being free to one person private train-ing being $399 for eight ses-sions. Two people private training is $199 per person for eight sessions. Three peo-ple private training is $159 per person for eight sessions.

From using fallen down trees to stretch and exer-cise with to jogging through trails, the experience is fun and exciting.

“Eric will push you, but only to the extent of what you can handle,” said Ian Inglis, a real estate agent with Remax. “I injured my back a few weeks ago and Eric will make sure to tell me, ‘If you cannot do this stretch or activity, wait to participate once we’re fin-ished.’”

The number of partici-pants varies at each ses-sion but Chagnon hopes to see familiar faces back each week because it is rewarding when he is thanked by par-

ticipants. “Helping people is impor-

tant to me,” Chagnon said. “It may sound like a simple task when all I do is get peo-ple to run through trails and use upper and lower body strength by hanging from trees, but getting people to stay motivated is hard some-times.”

For some, time and weather can be difficult when having to stay committed to exercis-ing and goal setting.

“Time can be so challeng-ing because we all have dif-ferent things going on in our lives at different times,” said Tim Osland, president of the Laurelwood Neighbourhood Association who is also trained by Chagnon. “But to keep working on staying dedicated to exercise, it can become easier.”

For more information about Outdoor Exercising with Chagnon in Waterloo Region, visit Chagnon’s Twitter handle, @GetOutsideFit, or email him at getoutsidefit-nesscanada@gmail.com.

Conestoga students make gender equality pledges

PHOTO BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZEREric Chagnon (centre) is an outdoor fitness and local adventure specialist who trains people using the great outdoors. Above, he, Ian Inglis and Tim Osland do some warm-up exercises before run-ning on some trails.

PHOTO BY SARAH VEENSTRAFirst-year early childhood education students Amanda Brown (left) and Jami Litster share their pledge in honour of 2016’s International Women’s Day that will be celebrated on March 8 at Conestoga’s Doon campus.

Get outdoors to step exercise up a notch

Page 4 s SPOKE Monday, March 7, 2016COMMENTARY

Living on your own means you must break out of your comfort zone and stick up for yourself, especially when it comes to renting.

For new renters there are some things to keep in mind when asking your landlord things like painting a wall a different colour.

Before even asking your landlord for anything be sure you are familiar with your rental agreement because there could be something in the fine lines that says wheth-er you can do something or not.

When you approach your landlord make sure you are clear about what you want and be straight to the point because as an adult, if you want or need something done you have to say it with confidence and be specific. If you want to change the paint colour of your bedroom ask him or her for permission and have a couple of paint samples ready. If he doesn’t a like your choice of colour try to negotiate and find one you both agree on.

It is always important to have an open dialogue with your landlord. If something ever goes wrong with the apartment such as a flood, it is always good to make sure you both communicate with each

other. There is almost always a hitch in plans when it comes to renovations so it is important to get progress reports so you know what is happening and so you can plan around delays.

My living room got flooded about two weeks ago and I have been living with my parents ever since. It has been frustrating because I am living out of a suitcase and feel very disorganized. Not to mention that I have to be driven into school. I live in the country so it is harder to get around if you don’t have a car.

It is good to be on good terms with your landlord, so be sure to always pay your rent on time and be polite. You want to be the tenant that every landlord wants to keep on renting to.

While I don’t mind my land-lord, he has been getting on my nerves. He is trying to keep the cost of heating down by asking me to turn my base board heat to low when I am not there but if I did that it would take nearly a whole

day to get warm and it isn’t even that warm. I keep won-dering why the pipes didn’t burst from the cold sooner.

There is always the chance that you won’t always agree or the communication is all one-sided. If this happens and there is a serious issue with heating, for example, be per-sistent that the landlord must make changes to the heat-ing units. If heating is not included in the rent then they do not need to be involved unless there is an issue with the heating unit itself.

If there is ever any unpleas-ant opposition make sure you know your rights as a tenant. If your landlord is trying to save on heating bills and your apartment is too cold talk to the landlord first. If you don’t get any satisfaction call the Landlord and Tenant Board at 1-888-332-3234. By law your unit must be at least 20 C between September and June. If the landlord doesn’t keep the unit heated properly you can contact the Investigation and Enforcement Unit (IEU), of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

You should not feel that you can’t speak out if there are problems with your apartment and/or landlord.

How to speak with your landlord

Ban the bottleBY PAUL BOREHAM

Every day household use of bottled water is a waste on the pock-etbook and it’s a kick in the teeth to the planet. Water is free from the tap, yet bottling companies have managed to persuade three out of 10 households to use their products. Sales rise each year.

Why? Municipal tap water has a bad reputation – there’s no doubt about it. Just look at the current situation in Flint, Mich. where residents are getting sick from their leaking lead pipes. In this country, boil water advisories happen all the time. And who can forget the tragedy in Walkerton in May 2000, when 2,300 residents fell ill and seven died from E. coli poisoning they got drinking from the tap? A reputation is spoiled easily and quickly.

Bottled water is free from that chemical taste often found in tap water, it’s a healthy alternative to high-sugar drinks and the pure convenience of the bottle makes it a sure seller. If it’s sold in stores, why not take advantage of it?

But there is quite a price to pay for all those benefits.Companies either tap into the local municipal system (as in the

case of Pepsi and its Aquafina bottled water), or pump untold gallons from underground aquifers, as is the case in Elora, where Nestle Canada wants to buy a property and pump 1.6 million gallons of water per day for their bottling operation in Aberfoyle. No wonder residents nearby are concerned.

The flimsy bottles are particularly wasteful. Each one takes an esti-mated three similar-sized bottles of water to make and one third of its contents of oil to produce and ship, according to some sources. The greenhouse gases burned in order to make it to stores is helping speed up global warming. Add to that the pile up of plastic in dumps and in the oceans and it spells a big unneeded mess. It doesn’t have to be.

If people don’t like the taste of tap water, or question its safety, a simple water filter and a reusable water bottle costs less than $50 and keeps on giving. A pitcher filter is as easy as they come, with tap water poured directly into it and stored in the fridge.

It’s hard witnessing a grocery cart loaded with bottled water get pushed to a checkout, knowing it is free at home. Where will all those bottles end up? Heaped against some fence?

There is a place for bottled water – emergencies. That section of the grocery store where they now reside should be vacated and replaced with … how about a selection of water filters and reusable bottles? Bottled water can be stored in the back.

Waterloo Region is just one of many municipalities and organizations to ban the sale of water in all of their facilities. “Municipal tap water is safe and clean to drink, a great value for your money, and a convenient and environmentally friendly choice,” it states on the Region’s website.

While there are a couple of water-filling stations at Conestoga’s Doon campus, bottled water is sold in vending machines and in the cafeterias. It’s time Conestoga joined the chorus and did the right thing: Ban the Bottle.

The views herein represent the position of the newspa-per, not necessarily the author.

Jessica Hammer Opinion

Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contact-ed 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.Address correspondence to: The Editor, Spoke, 299

Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4

Letters are welcome

Doug is not his landlord’s favourite tenant.

SPOKEI 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 J 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 E

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.

Editor: Chris HusseyAssignment Editors: Matt Linseman, Jenna BraunAdvertising Managers: Christel AllisonSpoke Online Editors: Emmie Siroky, Sean Malinowski, Marissa CuddyProduction Managers: Sarah Veenstra, Garrett

Burchett, Taylor SchweitzerPhoto Editors (print): Jason Mota, Paul Boreham, Ashley Nequest, Ethan KompfPhoto Editors (online): Josh van Ostrand, Mike Stromme, Michelle Maisonville, Kandace GallantSocial Media Editor: Joe Weppler, Jessica Pett,

Sara SasilaCirculation Manager: Leah Morrow, Jessica Hammer

Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas

Spoke’s address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4. Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3691, 3692, 3693, 3694Fax: 519-748-3534Email: spoke@conestogac.on.caWebsite: www.spokeonline.com

Monday, March 7, 2016 SPOKE s Page 5FEATURE

Experience St. Pete Beach

BY MARISSA CUDDY

While many people stayed in Canada over Reading Week I headed to Florida for a weeklong vacation with my parents.

This was the fourth time out of 17 years that I have flown to the sunny south. Every year other than those four we have driven.

We had a driver bring us to our hotel in St. Pete Beach from Tampa Airport. The population of St. Pete Beach is about 9,471, however, this doesn’t include the seasonal people.

We stayed at Blind Pass Resort, a small hotel with only about 30 rooms. It’s nice because you get to interact with others who are staying there and you get to know the regular staff.

This hotel is perfect for small families or older cou-ples. However, that doesn’t mean no younger adults stay there. It’s a quiet hotel but in front is a busy road, which can be loud.

The beach is about a 20-minute walk from Blind Pass Resort, but the company Free Beach Rides operates all over town and will take you anywhere from Pass-A-Grille all the way to John’s Pass in Madeira Beach. All you have to do is call. The ride is free, however, the drivers should receive a tip.

There are also trolleys and buses that run through the area to all these cities and for a day pass, it’s only $5.

Not far from St. Pete Beach is Clearwater which was just named USA Today’s Best Beach Town. The trolley goes from Pass-A-Grille all the way to Clearwater.

Even though it is small town there is quite a bit to do. We flew in on Feb. 12 and spent the first two days relaxing by the pool.

On Sunday we went to the market on Corey Avenue. The market is every Sunday October through May from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are many vendors offering a wide

variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, kettle corn, crafts and vegan Jamaican food. We picked up some fresh straw-berries that were delicious.

Throughout the week we spent lots of time at the pool

at our hotel. It was heated and has a waterfall but it was never on.

We went to the beach one night to go watch the sunset. The sky was clear and the sunset was gorgeous.

The beach can get over-crowded during the day so we stayed by our pool instead.

John’s Pass is a well-known boardwalk in the area which we visit every time we are there. Even though the shops are small it has a nice atmo-sphere. The day we went it was overcast, the only day out of the eight days we didn’t have sunshine the entire day.

I wish I could say I ate at some cool restaurant there but we ate at Hooters, which was still delicious.

We didn’t go somewhere every day, but in Pass-A-Grille and St. Pete Beach

there are many places where you can rent paddleboards and get lessons. This is a big attraction in the area because the waves aren’t big enough to surf on this side of Florida. There are also many other attractions such as dolphin watching, riding Sea-Doos and pirate ship rides.

We ate out at PJ’s Seafood one night where we shared alli-gator bites as an appetizer. Alligator tastes like chicken and you can get it at almost every restaurant in Florida. For dinner I had a buffalo chicken sandwich and fries, my mom had a grouper sandwich and fries and my dad had fried clam strips. We all enjoyed our food and my sandwich was big enough that I brought it back to our hotel and had the rest the next day for lunch.

There are many small, local-ly owned restaurants in the area that all have their own specialties, which is usually some sort of fish.

Overall the week was great. We had fabulous weather and we got to see some of the new places that have opened.

We walked lots because we didn’t have a vehicle which was nice because we got a true St. Pete Beach experi-ence. It also kept us active on our vacation.

At John’s Pass they have many attractions, such as dolphin watching, a pirate ship and along the boardwalk you can hold these colourful parrots.

PHOTOS BY MARISSA CUDDYThe St. Pete Beach Sunday market on Corey Avenue brings many locals out to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables and check out many of the other vendors there.

“We walked lots because we didn’t have a vehicle which was nice

because we got a true St. Pete Beach

experience.”

Page 6 s SPOKE Monday, March 7, 2016NEWS

Condors chill for a good cause

The Conestoga community chilled out on March 2, during Conestoga Students Inc.’s annual winter classic – the Polar Plunge. The fundraiser featured high-flying acts and costumed crusaders all taking a dip in an ice cold pool set up by the pond, just outside the main cafeteria. This year all donations went to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.Participants picked up a pledge package from the CSI office ahead of time, and were asked to collect pledges and prepare an epic costume for the big day. Prizes were awarded to students who made the biggest cash donation and also for the best costume.

PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE

PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE

PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE

PHOTO BY SEAN MALINOWSKI PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE

BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

With freshly fallen snow, blue skies and a brisk -16 C outside with the wind chill, the day was perfect for Condors to jump into a pool full of icy water for charity.

The annual Polar Plunge, organized by Conestoga Students Inc., took place March 2, just outside the caf-eteria doors. Over a dozen participants braved the condi-tions and went for a dip, while a chilly but energetic crowd cheered them on.

After taking their plunge, participants were reward-ed with an “I Survived the Polar Plunge” towel, and were escorted inside for warm bev-erages and dryer clothes.

This year had a few memo-rable costumed characters, including a skeleton in a poncho, a banana, a Jimmy Neutron look-a-like, an Iron Man and a very convincing Batman, who took home the prize for best costume.

Zach Marsh, a community integration student, won the award for raising the most money.

Proceeds from this year’s Polar Plunge are being donated to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. Many of the participants dedicated their jumps to family and friends who have battled the disease.

PHOTO BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

Monday, March 7, 2016 SPOKE s Page 7NEWS

PHOTOS BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLECSI board of director Justin McLaughlin dressed as a banana for the event.

PHOTO BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

PHOTOS ABOVE AND BELOW BY SEAN MALINOWSKI

Jessie Ferland and Cody Piper, both second-year radio broadcast students, were the MCs at this year’s Polar Plunge.

PHOTO BY EMMIE SIROKY

NEWSPage 8 s SPOKE Monday, March 7, 2016

BY CHRISTEL ALLISON

Things got real cheesy at THEMUSEUM’s first ever Mac ’N Cheese-ival on Feb. 27.

THEMUSEUM and B@THEMUSEUM (a café) came together for an unforgettable experience – one that fused macaroni and cheese with new Ontario craft beer from Four Fathers Brewery and music from Toronto band Running Red Lights.

With butter chicken, jerk chicken, Italian and vegetar-ian flavoured mac and cheese, the line that stretched past the entrance door was no sur-prise.

“It’s been a real progression for us and a strategic one in an attempt to bring young profes-sionals and students into the museum,” said David Marskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM.

This strategy to increase traffic through their doors started with $5 Wednesdays where people could visit the museum for $5.

For the Mac ’N Cheese-ival, 600 tickets were sold for the event that featured all-you-can-eat macaroni and cheese and one beer ticket.

“I see people trying the veg-etarian mac ’n cheese and lov-ing it,” said Karlee Slattery, digital media co-ordinator. “I see a lot of smiles.”

THEMUSEUM redefines mac ’n cheese

PHOTO BY CHRISTEL ALLISONMac ’N Cheese-ival attendees get served during the music, food and beer-infused night. THEMUSEUM partnered with the B@THEMUSEUM cafe to hold the event in an attempt to increase traffic.

CAMPAIGN AIMS TO UNIONIZE PART-TIME WORKERS

PHOTO BY JOSH VAN OSTRAND The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is running a campaign to try and unionize part-time workers at colleges across Ontario, including Conestoga College. Deb Parent, a spokesperson for the campaign, talked to Spoke about the union’s efforts. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.

FRESH LOCAL FOOD CELEBRATED

PHOTO BY JESSICA HAMMERA Farm to Table event was held on Feb. 27 at the Kitchener Market. Local chefs gave cooking demonstrations which high-lighted fresh and local produce and ingredients. Above, Chef Darryl Fletcher (Chef D) was one of the chefs who cooked at the event. He made pico de gallo frittata (below) during his cooking demon-stration.

“I see people trying the vegetarian mac ’n cheese and loving it ... I see a lot

of smiles.” — Karlee Slattery

Monday, March 7, 2016 SPOKE Page 9NEWS

BY LEAH MORROW

The world is going green and where better to launch an eco-friendly business than at a flower-powered music festival?

For three young entrepre-neurial graduates, that’s exactly what they did.

Ezzy Lynn is a lifestyle brand of trend-setting appar-el and accessories, founded by Samantha Laliberte, Bianca Lopes and Sonja Fernandes.

“Our first music festival was where we launched Ezzy Lynn. It was at Electric Elements in May 2014 in Wasaga Beach. We sold all of our scrunchies and flower crowns and had time to party,” said Laliberte. “By the time we were driving back at the end of the week-end, we had friends wanting to support us after seeing pic-tures on Instagram. We came back from that festival feeling like we had a real business.”

All of their products are hand-crafted from vegan and upcycled materials. Each item represents a different endangered animal adopted through the World Wildlife Fund of Canada. The funds (10 per cent of the gross profit) go toward helping spe-cies at risk. So far, Ezzy Lynn has symbolically adopted 146 endangered animals, including grey wolves, tigers and gorillas.

The scrunchies that got

them noticed cost $20 each.With the world headed in an

eco-friendly direction, Diana Jaramilol, a first-year paralegal studies student at Conestoga College, said she would be will-ing to pay more for a product she really believed in.

“I think it is a really good cause,” said Jaramilol.

“Having this big picture view of how to ultimately conserve our beloved species at risk was the major driver for our sustain-able processes,” said Laliberte.

Ezzy Lynn also partners with vintage boutiques in the Queen’s West area of Toronto.

Laliberte said they use pre-mium scrap fabrics that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Ezzy Lynn saves them.

“If you look in your own clos-et, sometimes you don’t want stuff and you just throw it out,” said Jaramilol. “It is definitely better to be doing something like upcycling with them.”

Goodwill has also given Ezzy Lynn access to their excess textile materials.

By repurposing fabric, the company reduces demand for new textiles, which helps to decrease gas emissions that come from the industrial pro-cess of manufacturing them.

“We strive to be socially and environmentally responsible from inception to delivery of our products,” said Laliberte.

“We want to prove you can be a profitable company without making sacrifices towards our environment.”

Ezzy Lynn’s commitment to the environment and an eco-friendly future doesn’t stop there, all of their print materi-als, including business cards and shipping mailers, are com-posed of 100 per cent recycled materials, approved by the Forest Stewardship Council.

“As part of our due diligence process with the WWF, they coached us on our produc-tion model,” said Laliberte. “It would have been ironic if the way we made our products had a negative effect on our envi-ronment that was greater than the positive impact we were making with our donations.”

As the company grows, the creators of Ezzy Lynn real-ize that staying green may be harder than it sounds, but they are up for the challenge.

“It’s an ongoing conversation with our team as we scale up,” said Laliberte. “We’re commit-ted to finding a solution. Our partnership with the WWF gives us a lot of great coaching.”

Ezzy Lynn’s trend-setting style and eye for design prove that you do not have to choose between the environment and fashion. For more information on their company, visit ezzy-lynn.com.

Eco-friendly fashion

BY GARRETT BURCHETT

Norman Lawson and his fami-ly lived through terrifying times during the Second World War. Living in Glasgow, Scotland, he recalls the September of 1939, when Britain declared war on Germany.

He remembers the immedi-ate effect it had on people. He recalls the government issuing gas masks to men, women and children, because it feared that Nazi Germany would release poison gas bombs over cities. He remembers the evacuation drills where children would flee to the countryside.

Lawson shared his story as part of a new program started by the Cambridge Idea Exchange called My Story, which focuses on educational, inspiring and interesting stories by people in the community.

Speaking to about 30 peo-ple at the Cambridge Public Library on Feb. 23, Lawson talked about why he believed it was important for him to share his story.

Lawson was eight years old when the war began. While he spent some time at a country estate in Yorkshire with his sis-ter in order to get out of the city,

he was never truly comfortable there. Within a couple of years, Lawson moved back home to Glasgow.

There things were very dif-ferent than living out in the country. Lawson spent a lot of time with the other kids in what was known as the “close,” a narrow enclosed alleyway that ran between houses, reinforced with steel beams and lined with benches and sandbags, where the chil-

dren would go in the event of an air raid.

“We called it a ‘dunney,’ short for dungeon,” he recalled.

Lawson spent some of his free time filling sandbags for some extra money, which he and his friends would use to buy large bottles of pop called Ironbrew, one of his favourite things as a child.

Many homes, including Lawson’s, had what were called Anderson Shelters, given out by the government, that were placed in the back-yard, half above ground and half below, where people could hide during an air raid.

Lawson recalls his family’s Anderson shelter being fairly well constructed, even having a heater inside. Still, needing to use it was hardly enjoyable.

“We really only had to go out there two or three times, but to wake up in the night and get something on and go outside, it was not exactly the most pleasant experience,” he said.

On March 13, 1941, the war got very real for Lawson. Air sirens sounded as German bombers soared over the skies of Glasgow, heading for the town of Clydebank and the

munitions factories that were located there, just seven miles to the west.

The German planes dropped two explosive bombs and one landmine on Glasgow while on their way to Clydesbank.

Lawson’s father was the cap-tain of a team of fire watchers during the raid. He was also a skilled writer, who often con-tributed freelance stories to the local paper. This is some of what he wrote about the night the German bombers came to Clydesbank:

“Moonlight illuminated the room. The moonlight seemed to be a safeguard against night raids. But not tonight … We already heard the guns. But then came something dif-ferent. The noise seemed to spread in waves. We heard the drone of planes in the dis-tance, and the reverberations of heavy explosions. As we huddled in the dark, just the occasional flashlight being turned on to check what was happening, we became aware of the smell of heaving smoke seeping in the door. It was choking, acrid, filthy.”

Lawson’s memories of that night are jumbled, appearing in his mind as flashes of imag-

es. He remembers being in the kitchen with the girl he had a crush on, making tea for his grandmother, thinking the girl was very pretty when a blast blew out the kitchen window.

“Thousands of pieces of glass cut her hair and face. She was wrapped in a blanket to keep warm,” Lawson said.

He recalls Stanley, a 14-year-old who was found in the rub-ble two days later. He was still alive, but his legs had been pinned by a cupboard that had fallen. He managed to reach his fingers in the cupboard to some sugar, which kept him alive until rescuers found him.

The attack on Clydesbank became known as Scotland’s most terrifying night, as 1,200 men, women and children were killed. It amazes Lawson now the things young children and teenagers were able to go through during the war.

Lawson currently lives in Cambridge, is an active mem-ber of the PROBUS Club of Cambridge and holds a very important position for them.

“He has a very, very impor-tant job with the PROBUS club,” said Miles Lauzon, a for-mer PROBUS club president. “He’s the resident jokester.”

Cambridge resident reflects on life

PHOTO BY GARRETT BURCHETTCambridge resident Norman Lawson talks about his experi-ence during the Second World War at the Cambridge Idea Exchange as part of a new pro-gram called “My Story.”

Page 10 s SPOKE Monday, March 7, 2016FUN & GAMES

AriesMarch 21 -

April 19

AquariusJanuary 20 - February 18

TaurusApril 20 - May 20

LibraSeptember 23 -

October 22

GeminiMay 21 - June 21

ScorpioOctober 23 - November 21

CapricornDecember 22 -

January 19

SagittariusNovember 22 - December 21

CancerJune 22 - July 22

LeoJuly 23 -

August 22

VirgoAugust 23 -

September 22

PiscesFebruary 19 -

March 20

Your love life is going great and will continue to blossom, however, your friends feel slightly ignored. Let them know you don’t know what you’d do without them.

Are you looking for a mood boost? Stop feeling so glum and down like the weather. Hang out with your friends and don’t be afraid to ask them for help or advice.

Your carefree attitude is starting to bring you down. People feel like they can’t rely on you for things, so make sure to remind them you appreciate them.

After the month of love comes to an end, don’t for-get that there are still lots of ways to show your affec-tion. Continue thanking those around you.

The sun has been shining down on you lately from all the hard work you’ve accom-plished. Your love life is sure to perk up too, so stay on the look out.

Your energy is slowly starting to perk up. Increase it even more by attending exercise classes or going out for a fun night with your friends.

If you’ve been having prob-lems at home with your family or partner, don’t let it stress you out at school or work. Separate your home life with your school or work life.

Ephram Strange dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension on a regular basis. He also enjoys young

adult novels and taxidermy.

Horoscope Week of March 7, 2016

Continue doing what you’re doing. Your positive attitude is the reason you’re excelling in your school work or work-place. A big thank you is com-ing your way.

Have you been easily agitated and annoyed? Let the people around you know that you’d like to be left alone. Tell them you need time alone to work on a big project.

Your bold attitude has been stopping you from getting what you want. You need to relax ... Take up some yoga classes or start meditating.

Your confidence is over-whelming the people around you. They need help with projects they’ve taken on, so don’t be afraid to approach and coach them.

Have you been hoping to advance at work? Stop worry-ing about it. Your hard work and dedication is going to pay off soon. Remember to thank your partner for helping.

Useless FactsOh Cliff!

Sudoku Puzzle

Word Search

Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommo-dates the digits 1-9, with-out repeating any.

Each month, there is at least one report of UFOs from each province of Canada.

Daniel Boone hated coonskin caps.

Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.

Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

The average secretary’s left hand does 56 per cent of the typing.

There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

Monday, March 7, 2016 SPOKE s Page 11FEATURE

Ripley’s Aquarium fun for allBY SARA SASILA

It’s the only place in Ontario where the only thing coming between you and a giant octo-pus is a thick glass wall.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, located in Toronto, is home to more than 13,000 aquatic animals and 450 dif-ferent species.

Now, you’re probably won-dering why a 20-year-old would want to spend her Saturday at an aquarium when she could be doing something more “cool” but the answer is simple, what could be better than watch-ing a shark swim right above you?

The aquarium, billed as Canada’s largest, is filled with a variety of mysteri-ous and extraordinary sea animals, some of which are located right in our own backyard.

The first exhibit you see once you enter the aquarium is called Canadian Waters. The title says it all; it features 17 habitats that focus on a vari-ety of Canadian sea animals that lurk underneath the sur-face of the Great Lakes.

Once you walk past the lumpfish, you see an array of colourful lobsters. The best part about that? The lobsters are asteroid-sized lobsters with tails as thick as a brick.

After walking past the life-sized crabs, you come across one of the oceans’ greatest sea creatures … a Giant Pacific octopus. It was terrifying yet mesmerizing to see.

Kareem Abdullah, a nine-year-old who visited the aquarium for the first time, said the octopus was the best part.

“I could stare at it forever,” he said. “My favourite part about it is its legs (tentacles).”

The Dangerous Lagoon, an underwater tunnel filled with sharks, sea turtles, weird-looking fish and a variety of sea plants and algae, was the best part about the entire experience.

Everywhere you walked, you had sharks and other exotic sea life swimming next and above you.

Six-year-old Sarah Jovic said finding Dory was the best part.

“Dory is everywhere! She’s swimming with the sharks,” she said. “The sharks are so scary! Their teeth are so sharp.”

If you don’t know who Dory is, she is the blue and yellow fish in Finding Nemo. The number of kids I heard yelling ‘I found Dory’ made me wish I was a kid again.

The next stop was Planet Jellies. There were dozens of tanks filled with strange-looking jellyfish, some of which looked like they came straight out of a cartoon. The Moon Jelly, a clear jellyfish that looked like it was glow-ing underwater, was unusual yet amazing to see.

The last stop is the touch tanks, and it seems to be the most popular exhibit. The touch tanks feature small sharks and stingrays that anybody can “pet.”

Connor Dixon, 27, said he was too scared to touch the sea creatures.

“My kids are braver than I am,” he said. “They want me to touch the sharks but I’m terrified. I’ll enjoy it from afar.”

There are two live shows that the aquarium offers: the Ray Bay Dive, where professional divers feed the stingrays, and the Rainbow Reef Dive, where divers feed a swarm of creatures in the

coral reef. “Coming to the aquarium is

always so fun,” said Dixon. “Although I don’t like fish, it’s

still great to see all the dif-ferent types of sea creatures – and it’s great for the kids as well.”

PHOTOS BY SARA SASILARipley’s Aquarium in Toronto, known as Canada’s largest aquar-ium, has thousands of aquatic sea creatures from all over the world. Tickets range from $20 to $30.

Page 12 s SPOKE Monday, March 7, 2016NEWS

BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZER

He stood at the plate, wiped the sweat from his brow and moved his bat up to his shoul-der. In seconds, he saw his dreams come true.

Nick Zarzycki, 19, from Kitchener, has had a passion for baseball from a young age. He started playing T-ball at about the age of four. This led to a scholarship for baseball in 2014 at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind. Zarzycki is a 6-foot-3

right fielder and first base-man who had four home runs last summer playing for the Ontario Nationals and Kitchener Panthers.

“I got serious about playing when I got to my midget year,” said Zarzycki. “At 14 or 15, I joined the elite travel team and that’s when I thought I would have a chance of play-ing in college.”

As Zarzycki began to chase his dreams, he focused all of his attention on the sport. The countless hours and effort

that he puts into baseball takes up most of his social life.

“It definitely is tough. I mean, when you try and keep a social life on top of school work, that can be a challenge in itself,” he said. “When it comes down to sports, home-work and trying to maintain a social life, that’s just another story.”

Although friends and fam-ily cheer him on and support him, they can find it difficult too. One family member, in

particular, feels the separa-tion kick in at times.

“One of the toughest things I ever did was say goodbye to Nick,” said Karen Abbott-Zarzycki, Nick’s mother. “I cried for days. At times, I still do. I pray for his safety and success about twice a day because he has worked so hard for this. I am so very happy for him.”

With dreams, they can become reality. Zarzycki’s ultimate dream is to make a career of playing baseball in

the United States, hopefully in the major leagues. If that doesn’t pan out, he hopes to work in the baseball industry. Zarzycki is a firm believer that if you never give up on your dreams, they will come true.

“My advice to anyone pur-suing a dream is to never give up because there’s going to be failures,” Zarzycki said. “There will be setbacks because you will never be able to do something right the first time, but don’t let that get in the way of your dreams.”

A baseball dream come true

GETTING INVOLVED BY USING HER VOICE

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUSSEYJessica Hannah is shown wearing her Student Rep Program jacket in the Atrium at Conestoga College on Feb. 29. The leadership program is run by Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) and gives students a chance to represent their peers and be an ambassador for the student association. Hannah joined the program last semester and says she has enjoyed being a part of the team.

AN APPLE A DAY IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY

PHOTO BY KANDACE GALLANTHey! Did you know 40 per cent of all fruits and vegetables are imported in Canada? Supporting local farmers can help sustainability and have a positive economic impact.

Learn how to save your pet’s lifeBY MARISSA CUDDY

Accidents happen all the time and that is why people are certified in first aid, but did you ever think about what you would do if your dog or cat was hurt?

Walks ‘N’ Wags is the largest pet first aid certification course in Canada. They have been operating since 2007 and they continue to grow across Canada and into the United States.

The course was brought to Kitchener earlier this month when the Kitchener Humane Society decided to have some employees trained as certified instructors.

Pet First Aid is a 10-hour course that helps prepare all pet owners to respond effectively during pet emergencies and learn how to prevent them from happening.

Lisa Wagner, the operations director at Walks ‘N’ Wags, said their course is special

because it contains a strong emphasis on prevention and early detection.

“Knowing pet first aid can help ease an animal’s suffering and also improve the chances of a successful outcome,” she said. “Furthermore, it leaves a pet owner with a sense of empowerment versus desperation in an animal emergency.”

The course covers many topics such as prevention of illness and injury, shock, vital signs, bleeding and other wounds, poisoning, medical conditions, administration of medication and artificial respiration (AR) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

“(A) thing that I love about the Walks ‘N’ Wags program is that we have live dogs attend all of our classes,” Wagner said. “This allows students to have a more accurate and fun learning experience than only working with stuffed animals.”

Kathleen McCaughey, the recreation programs co-ordinator at the Kitchener Humane Society, said if a family has a pet at least one person in the household should have pet first aid certification.

“They should know what to do in an emergency situation,” she said. “It helps them know what they can do to prevent the injury and what they can do between the injury happening and bringing them to the vet.”

Their next course will be on April 3 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the humane society, located at 250 Riverbend Dr., Kitchener.

“If there is a lot of interest people can contact me,” McCaughey said.

To sign up and learn more about the course go to www.kwhumane.com/education/pet-first-aid-course or email McCaughey at kathleen. mccaughey@kwhumane.com.

PHOTO BY MARISSA CUDDYThe Kitchener Humane Society is offering pet first aid courses so people know what to do if their pet is injured or sick. Kathleen McCaughey, the recreation programs co-ordinator at the society, shows off one of the cats, Jack-Jack, which is up for adoption at the humane society.