crecomm
It's been a four year project of mine. The last two years spent right here at RRC.
This photo was taken my during the first few days of CreComm. I was excited, nervous, and uncertain of what the heck was going to happen next.
It was two years of joy and insanity- sleeplessness and learning- assignments and accomplishments.
Tomorrow it's finished.
Tomorrow I'm done.
Tomorrow a new phase beings. The funny thing is, I feel the same way I felt when I began this one. Excited. Nervous. Uncertain.
But up for the adventure.
It's official- Family to Farm is hitting the BIG screen... or at least a screen bigger than my TV.
Tuesday April 16th there will be two screenings of Family to Farm at Cinematheque in Winnipeg.
Show times are at 6:30pm and 8pm.
If you live farming, or love the idea of farming, or just want to watch the beauty that is the Manitoba prairies, then come on out and bring a friend.
Tickets: $5 with a portion of the proceeds going to Canadian Foodgrains Bank. You can email for tickets, or at The Merc (campus convenience store) in the Red River College Exchange District Campus.
Some say you're born into it.
Some say it's in your blood.
But when you grow up here, this is your home.
And even if you leave, this is where you belong.
_____________________________
I grew up on a farm not far from the perimeter of Winnipeg. It is, and always will be, my home.
Not many people understand what farming, let alone family farming, is really all about. I remember going to high school with people who thought cow-tipping was real, and that my house couldn't possibly have electricity. I remember that I wanted to show them what farming really was. I wanted to prove to them that it was more than a bunch of hick people who wore a lot of plaid.
In 2012 I had the opportunity to do just that. My family farm was in the beginning stages of transition: my dad slowly starting to get out of farming and my brothers deciding if they were wanting to take it on. And I had a major assignment that needed to be considered enough work to earn a years credit - so why not take the two and create something for everyone to enjoy?
It was a long year of standing in fields and interviewing family, but the result is something I'm truly proud of. To me Family to Farm captures not only the transition of the family farm (a challenging decision that many farms are facing right now in Canada), but the heart of what makes a family farm. It shows the beauty of the prairies, the struggles of doing what you love even when it comes a great cost, and the joy of a hard days work. It is my love-letter to my farming home, and to the family that makes it the place where I belong.
_____________________________
Family to Farm is a 35 minute documentary on the transition of the family farm, from one generation to the next.
It will be premiering mid April 2013.
The time is almost here.
It was a year in the making, but it was welllll worth it. I got a chance to do something I LOVE with the people I LOVE, and now it's time to show it off.
On Thursday I'm standing in front of a rather large crowd and share with them the highs & lows of my IPP Family to Farm. And right now I'm hoping I don't cry tooooo much.
Till then-
[k]
It wasn't too long ago when a lovely CreComm friend of mine Emily, asked me to do some photos for what she called a 'small event'. She was hosting an afternoon tea fundraiser to raise awareness for adult eating disorders.
"Oh- for sure!"was my response. Who wouldn't want to help out a friend, take some photos, and have a lovely cup of tea (maybe even a cucumber sandwich?).
This little event turned out to be a bit bigger than I expected- with 300 guests in attendance and the venue a grand ballroom in the Fort Garry Hotel. There was a buz in the air as people chatted over a cup of specially made tea, and heard stories of how the Health Sciences Centre helps those wanting to overcome eating disorders.
Not only was it an amazing event to attend, but there was such beautiful attention to the detail woven throughout the afternoon.
In the end Emily raised over $33,000 for the Health Sciences Centre Adult Eating Disorder program.
All I can say to that is "OHHH SHOOT! Well done girl!"
And that I can't wait for next years event.
My girl Charmaine thew a fannnnntastic party a few weeks ago. It was a Red Dress Gala, in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation... and let me tell you a Gala it was indeed!
She asked me to take a few snapshots of the event --- which included a fashion show featuring hand crafted dresses by some amazing local talent.
With sooo much going on throughout the evening I also had the opportunity to co-shoot with this guy- which was not only a fun thing but a good thing because there were a lot of amazing moments to capture.
It was an unforgettable evening and my FIRST runway shoot, which meant there was a lot to learn...
Things to think about when shooting Runway:
- Bring a flash... runways are dark and it's good to have some light to throw around.
- Be there early- and check out what the the lighting is going to be like throughout the evening. Lighting will change and it's good to know what surprises are coming your way.
- Know the catwalk routine. Walk, walk, walk- PAUSE & POSE- walk, walk walk... make a fierce face, hold & TURN- walk, walk, walk.
- Have your trigger finger like it's a a high noon showdown- models have some of the best (and worst) poses and faces... you'll probably catch both- but try to be ready so you get more of the good vs. the bad.
- Thank your partner in crime- and thank the person who thought to have two of you shooting the event! Having two people running around with cameras while people are walking down the runway is always a great thing. You get more photos to pick from and you also get to game plan what you want to shoot. Which brings me to...
- The game plan- the best part of having a two shooters is that you can watch and be more selective with taking photos. One of you takes details and people shots, the other takes environmental/big picture photos.
- Enjoy the event- there are only so many Red Dress Galas a girl gets to go to.... so take a moment or two and enjoy the event.
- Before the show starts and people arrive... take a walk down the runway - why? Because - you can. And don't forget the fierce face.
[k]
shhhhhhhh*
it's quiet around here- and it's gonna be for a bit.
IPP*s are due soon... and I've officially locked myself in an editing room for the foreseeable future.
In the meantime enjoy following my adventures on instagram. (it's the only thing i have time to update).
Until we meet again.
[k]
*if you get board and want to listen to some good music while you wait...
If you have ever read my blog before, one thing is certain- my life is governed by a little program i'm in called Creative Communications. It's a lovely two year program that pushes you to the brink of sheer insanity and back *(you think I'm being dramatic? Think again). Many of us in CreComm suffer from minimal sleep, a strickt diet of caffeine, and a fondness for overflowing schedules- my roommates can vouch for this. But as much as we consider our lives to be crazy, we do pride ourselves in that very fact. We live for the moments pushing ourselves to the max, and then telling everyone who we come into contact with that the last time I had to eat something other than something from the Tim Hortons in the school cafeteria was two weeks ago.
If you don't have a Google Account- GO NOW. Get one. Use it for your emailing, your blogging, your documents *(don't even get me started on Google docs! They are group project's answer to prayer) but also your calendar.
Having said that- we need all the help we can get when it comes to making sure we get through the two years as unharmed as possible. Cue the CreComm*Toolkit= things that have helped me get through CreComm, tools, tips tricks, things that every communicator could use.
So what's todays recommendation of things I can't seem to live without?!
Google Calendar:
I don't know how many times this thing has saved my butt. I have about 5 different calendars on it, telling me everything from assignments that need to get done, classes to show up to, coffees to attend, and meetings I need to show up for. Without it, I honestly would be lost.
I make sure I set up not only the who, what, where or when, something needs to happen, but I set up allerts telling me when things are going down. This might not sound interesting to you, but when you have a HEAP of things on the go- to get an email *(and txt message) saying that in an hour you better be somewhere- that you may or may not have remembered you said you would be at... you will thank your Google friends that you made it in time.
I kid you not- at the beginning of the school year because I had to get used to new schedules and stuff I forgot things frequently and it was thanks to a txt reminder from my calendar that I was supposed to meet up with someone to hand something off to them. Without it I would have been hooped.
Google Calendar also syncs well with your phone, or iCal, or whatever other things you use.
*HINT: Regardless of what calendar you chose to use, my biggest piece of advise is be consisten. Pick a system and stick to it. Don't deviate, and build it into your lifestyle. When you have something going on- or 10 different things going on- write them down, and be sure to check back *(or in Google's case- have them txt you when things need to get done! You'll be thankful you did.)
So- while most students take a break during the summer months, I get the honour of working on a year long project. There is no need for sadness though, because a) I was the one that pitched the idea, and 2) I get the chance to film something I LOVE!
I'm doing a video documentary on the transition of the family farm from one generation to the next. I picked it because... well- my family farm is currently being passed down from my dad to my brothers *(and secretly I just long to capture beauty our farm).
Filming is currently underway- and I'm loving every minute of it *(but I do wish I could get out there more often!)
enjoy!
[k]
I'm doing a video documentary on the transition of the family farm from one generation to the next. I picked it because... well- my family farm is currently being passed down from my dad to my brothers *(and secretly I just long to capture beauty our farm).
Filming is currently underway- and I'm loving every minute of it *(but I do wish I could get out there more often!)
enjoy!
[k]
The feeling of starting with thousands of runners was almost overwhelming as Chariots of Fire blasted over the sound system. It was just under a six mile run... but it made my lungs crave for more... I'm seriousy thinking a half is in order for fall.
So here is to training my butt off... literally!
During the course of this year I will be tackling a project of EPIC proportions! As a second year Creative Communications program we are required to do a HUGE project of our choosing. As long as the project we made was of an adequate length, challenge, time commitment... oh ya- and fits in the realm of communications... it's good to go! We had to pitch the idea to a panel and meet with an adviser... and well- work our butts off.
My IPP is a video documentary on the family farm. I grew up on a family farm and loved every minute of it. Going to school in the BIG CITY for both high school and university I couldn't believe people hadn't experienced the same things I did, nor did they understand the world I came from. With this project I wanted to share the things I've loved all my life with the world around me. For them to feel the heart of the family farm. My dream isn't to share the "how to's" of farming- *(you won't come out of this documentary knowing what crops should yield)- it's to share the life of a farm, and more importantly the heart of the people who fight to keep it alive.
Here are some of the "progress" that has come out of the insanity so far...
Looking back it has been a crazy year- It feels like only yesterday when I started the CreComm lifestyle with all of it's busyness. The amount of assignments, late nights, group projects were UNREAL! I thought it was a joke how people said CreComm would consume your life, but I shouldn't have laughed. lol
After countless hours of homework, InDesign projects, video making, outings to things I would never normally go to, I stand here today in shock and awe that it is all over for this year. And a head of me stares a blank slate called summer. Who knows what I'm going to fill all of my "free" time with. Who knows what will now consume my every waking moment.
Clearly I have a couple of things I've been looking into, but I wonder if it will live up to my current standard of busy. At the same time, it might be nice to have a different pace.
Either way- I know this much. Summer is exciting because there is a whole new list of things to do: like paint the house, work on some pinterest projects, get some great footage of my farm, do some photography for some lovely people about to be wedded, go for a run come fathers day, fine some good music to make into my summer soundtrack, maybe travel somewhere, or camp somewhere, maybe get in a bit of gardening, sewing, and sitting and relaxing by some source of water. Who knows... maybe I'll do none of that stuff on my list, or maybe all of it. I'm just in such shock, because I haven't had a summer like this since gr. 10. Every summer I have ever experienced consisted of me either living at camp, volunteering as a speaker, or filming in another country. Now I'm just left with a blank canvas and I'm not sure what I want the finished product to look like. Maybe I'll spend some time next week sittin in a Starbucks, pondering the meaning of summer- or maybe I'll just apply to work there and enjoy the sounds and smells of roasted coffee!!!
In the meantime I hope to keep on-top of this blogging thing- maybe post some of the cool things, projects, or whatever I do over the summer. And hopefully by the time fall kicks into gear I'll have great things to share, or at least a great tan to remember the four months "off" of CreComm... only to be right back into the swing of things- and even more exciting is that next year is CreComm: The PR edition!!! *(brace yourselves.... I know I certainly will be)
CreComm is a marathon. You don't run it like you're running a sprint- you run knowing that it is a journey with hills, valleys, and of course moments when you might hit the wall.
However, being in CreComm is not like a marathon in the fact that activity levels turn you more into a couch potato, not less. Since being in the program (and juggling work) I have had little time to do things like exercise (my own fault I know- but saddening non the less). That is why when there was an opportunity to get back into the a running routine I JUMPED at the chance. I, along with four others are entered into the Manitoba Marathon Relay. I'm excited because it gets me back in the running routine, and because I find I am a challenge driven kind of girl.
Believe it or not, the last time I ran with any amount of purpose was back in 2009 when I decided I was going to run the MB Marathon... all 26.2 miles of it! It was the first race I had ever entered and I was excited beyond belief to take on the mother of all challenges. I had been watching The Biggest Looser one day and figured if they can run a marathon- then I can run one. So I signed up. And clearly there was no backing out for me.
Weekends took on a whole new meaning- running 20 plus miles closer to the end of training. I remember people asking what I was up to on the weekend and I would tell them I was running to the perimeter and back. They looked at me with a shocked expression, probably because I live downtown and for some people driving that distance seems to be a task. I remember on my off days having "short runs" of 6-10 miles= ha! By the time the marathon came I was logging countless miles and drinking gallons of water.
Running the thing was a whole other matter- probably one of the craziest experience I have ever had in my life! When the gun went off - with Chariots of Fire playing- I ran for the first 10 miles without blinking. I was in a sea of people and just moving! I hit the "great divide" (the point where full marathoners and half marathoners split) I was still running off the initial adrenaline. But as I saw the "serious" being weeded out from the "sissies" it hit me that I had just been running the same pace that people running half the distance were running.... eeek. By mile 13 I my legs were in pain and all I could think was "If I had signed up for the half I would be done by now!" At mile 16, they said it was getting to hot and they were shutting down the course for anyone who hadn't made it past mile 14 (this was a nice kick in the pants to keep me movin!). At mile 20 with no bathroom in sight - I ended up running into a complete strangers house to use theirs= I'm forever indebted to them!!!! At mile 24 I don't even know if I was running anymore or just walking at a quickish pace. And when they called my name when I entered the stadium I nearly lost it when I realized I still had to run the track to get to my destination (the free popsicles, chocolate milk, and bagels! lol).
The next day I went to work (NEVER do I recommend going to work the next day) - and found my name in the list of finishers for the marathon. Goal completed!
But still sooo many more goals to accomplish- and if I can finish the marathon, I can certainly finish CreComm... and I an finish the 5.6 miles I'll be running this fathers day. *(secretly I'm hoping it will get me into the groove so I can run the marathon again... because like all good things= It's addictive! And one day checking off the Boston Marathon, or New York Marathon, or one in Hawaii would be a very COOL THING!)
However, being in CreComm is not like a marathon in the fact that activity levels turn you more into a couch potato, not less. Since being in the program (and juggling work) I have had little time to do things like exercise (my own fault I know- but saddening non the less). That is why when there was an opportunity to get back into the a running routine I JUMPED at the chance. I, along with four others are entered into the Manitoba Marathon Relay. I'm excited because it gets me back in the running routine, and because I find I am a challenge driven kind of girl.
Believe it or not, the last time I ran with any amount of purpose was back in 2009 when I decided I was going to run the MB Marathon... all 26.2 miles of it! It was the first race I had ever entered and I was excited beyond belief to take on the mother of all challenges. I had been watching The Biggest Looser one day and figured if they can run a marathon- then I can run one. So I signed up. And clearly there was no backing out for me.
Weekends took on a whole new meaning- running 20 plus miles closer to the end of training. I remember people asking what I was up to on the weekend and I would tell them I was running to the perimeter and back. They looked at me with a shocked expression, probably because I live downtown and for some people driving that distance seems to be a task. I remember on my off days having "short runs" of 6-10 miles= ha! By the time the marathon came I was logging countless miles and drinking gallons of water.
Running the thing was a whole other matter- probably one of the craziest experience I have ever had in my life! When the gun went off - with Chariots of Fire playing- I ran for the first 10 miles without blinking. I was in a sea of people and just moving! I hit the "great divide" (the point where full marathoners and half marathoners split) I was still running off the initial adrenaline. But as I saw the "serious" being weeded out from the "sissies" it hit me that I had just been running the same pace that people running half the distance were running.... eeek. By mile 13 I my legs were in pain and all I could think was "If I had signed up for the half I would be done by now!" At mile 16, they said it was getting to hot and they were shutting down the course for anyone who hadn't made it past mile 14 (this was a nice kick in the pants to keep me movin!). At mile 20 with no bathroom in sight - I ended up running into a complete strangers house to use theirs= I'm forever indebted to them!!!! At mile 24 I don't even know if I was running anymore or just walking at a quickish pace. And when they called my name when I entered the stadium I nearly lost it when I realized I still had to run the track to get to my destination (the free popsicles, chocolate milk, and bagels! lol).
The next day I went to work (NEVER do I recommend going to work the next day) - and found my name in the list of finishers for the marathon. Goal completed!
But still sooo many more goals to accomplish- and if I can finish the marathon, I can certainly finish CreComm... and I an finish the 5.6 miles I'll be running this fathers day. *(secretly I'm hoping it will get me into the groove so I can run the marathon again... because like all good things= It's addictive! And one day checking off the Boston Marathon, or New York Marathon, or one in Hawaii would be a very COOL THING!)
*SPOILER ALERT- this is an assignment for a play I went to! Continue reading if you so choose.
It was a good thing that I showed up early to the Crocus building last week Wednesday to see the play Dionysus in Stony Mountain. Instead of only walking to the second floor to find the Rachel Browne Theatre, I may have run up to the sixth floor instead. With the sixth floor on lock down- I walked down to the second floor where I found the stage ready and waiting for the two act play that was about to begin.
Dionysus in Stony Mountain is centered on three characters played by two actors (Sarah Constible and Ross McMillan). Themes of mental illness, slave morality, rehabilitation, religion, the death of religion, run throughout the two 55 minute acts. With the first act focusing on James (a Mennonite inmate at Stony Mountain) and his psychiatrist Heidi. James is nearing his parole date, but has decided to stop taking lithium for his mental illness. Increasingly James is becoming philosophical, discussing the philosophies of slave morality, but is also becoming more unstable and agitated. Heidi, conserned that he won't be able to be leave Stony if he stops taking his medicaiton, convinces him to continue with treatment in exchange for her quitting her job (a job she has never loved). The bond between James and Heidi is evident, but you soon realized Heidi has crossed the line making such a deal with James. And in act two you see the repercussions of it.
The second act followed Heidi's story, as James had committed suicide. Heidi is left picking up the pieces of her own life, feeling like she is unable to help anyone. Her uncle comes for a visit (played also by Ross), and they discuss why she has chosen to leave her job, what she is to do next, and how her own mental instability has affected the situation.
Throughout the entire play I found myself drifting in and out of the dialogue. It was filled with intense content that I feel I would have to pick a part piece at a time and not just ingest in two 55 minute seating. I was also distracted by the accents (Ross' interpretation of a Mennonite that sounded more Irish, and Sarah trying to sound Jewish Mennonite), as well as the stage direction of Heidi not knowing how to re-insulate her house. She spent much of the second act measuring out the same pieces of insulation for interior walls, which typically don't need insulation at all. I also spent a lot of time wondering who Dionysus was... and was left at the end of the play with the question - Why was He in Stony Mountain?
Overall, I would say it was a good play for an audience that wasn't me. I think the audience that was in attendance (and paid full price of $25 for the ticket) was very interested in the play and what it had to offer. I on the other hand had paid $10, and am still trying to figure out what I spent the money on.
It was a good thing that I showed up early to the Crocus building last week Wednesday to see the play Dionysus in Stony Mountain. Instead of only walking to the second floor to find the Rachel Browne Theatre, I may have run up to the sixth floor instead. With the sixth floor on lock down- I walked down to the second floor where I found the stage ready and waiting for the two act play that was about to begin.
Dionysus in Stony Mountain is centered on three characters played by two actors (Sarah Constible and Ross McMillan). Themes of mental illness, slave morality, rehabilitation, religion, the death of religion, run throughout the two 55 minute acts. With the first act focusing on James (a Mennonite inmate at Stony Mountain) and his psychiatrist Heidi. James is nearing his parole date, but has decided to stop taking lithium for his mental illness. Increasingly James is becoming philosophical, discussing the philosophies of slave morality, but is also becoming more unstable and agitated. Heidi, conserned that he won't be able to be leave Stony if he stops taking his medicaiton, convinces him to continue with treatment in exchange for her quitting her job (a job she has never loved). The bond between James and Heidi is evident, but you soon realized Heidi has crossed the line making such a deal with James. And in act two you see the repercussions of it.
The second act followed Heidi's story, as James had committed suicide. Heidi is left picking up the pieces of her own life, feeling like she is unable to help anyone. Her uncle comes for a visit (played also by Ross), and they discuss why she has chosen to leave her job, what she is to do next, and how her own mental instability has affected the situation.
Throughout the entire play I found myself drifting in and out of the dialogue. It was filled with intense content that I feel I would have to pick a part piece at a time and not just ingest in two 55 minute seating. I was also distracted by the accents (Ross' interpretation of a Mennonite that sounded more Irish, and Sarah trying to sound Jewish Mennonite), as well as the stage direction of Heidi not knowing how to re-insulate her house. She spent much of the second act measuring out the same pieces of insulation for interior walls, which typically don't need insulation at all. I also spent a lot of time wondering who Dionysus was... and was left at the end of the play with the question - Why was He in Stony Mountain?
Overall, I would say it was a good play for an audience that wasn't me. I think the audience that was in attendance (and paid full price of $25 for the ticket) was very interested in the play and what it had to offer. I on the other hand had paid $10, and am still trying to figure out what I spent the money on.
Things I get to do in CreComm... making videos over the long weekend!
Special thanks and congrats to Sarah and Stephen- the starts of this video who are gettin married in Aug.
And to Starbucks- for providing the caffeine to get me through this!
Special thanks and congrats to Sarah and Stephen- the starts of this video who are gettin married in Aug.
And to Starbucks- for providing the caffeine to get me through this!
To close to home. That's what I
felt when I heard that we were reading Journey For Justice: How ‘Project
Angel’ Cracked the Candace Derksen Case, by Mike McIntrye. The story begins
3 moths before I was born in November of 1984. Candace Derksen was walking home
from her high school, Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (same high school
I attended) when she went missing. People were questioned and accused (people I
know). And it took over a moth before she was found, frozen to death in a shed
a few block away from where she was abducted. There was no killer found, no
suspects left, and the case seemed to be at a stand still leaving communities
in limbo. Fast forward 26 years, and Mark Grant is convicted of second degree
murder of Candace.
Journey for Justice shares the journey of the Derksen family through the abduction, the process of uncovering a case that had gone cold, and the trial and conviction of her killer. It also describes a place and community of faith that I am well acquainted with- it describes connections of my life.
Mike McIntyre takes excerps from Wilma Derksens telling of the story, Have You Seen Candace?, as well as interviews, excerpts from official documents, and news releases. The first part of the book relies heavily on Wilma's excerpts, allowing the read to connect with tragedy at a more personal level. You get to see and experinece what Wilma and her family went through. When reading I could see myself talking on the phone at MBCI, walking to cornerstone that Candace bought stuff from, and walking Talbot Ave. when she went missing.
As the story progresses McIntyre changes tactics and uses more official documents, court records and interviews to tell the rest of the story. As a reader I found it hard to connect with the parts of the book that relied more on documentation rather then Wilma's story telling abilities. It was also hard to believe as a reader that the quotes we were reading could be direct quotes, when some of the quotations happened a quarter of a century earlier. I felt like I was read a document rather then being a part of the story.
As a piece of non-fiction, I found it interesting the balance of story telling weaved in with facts. I know writing articles for a paper is a lot different then the story we read, but there were evident portions of the book that seemed to be written more in that style verses a story. I wonder for this story if it might be better told either in a more consistent voice, like Myrl Coulter's book The House with the Broken Two.
When the time came for Wilma and Mike came to talk to us in class about the book I was excited to see them in person. As they told their stories and why they needed to write it, I sat there wishing I could sit just with Wilma, to ask her questions like what did it take for you to survive? How did you keep your sanity? How did you learn to forgive? I wanted to chat with her about what she told the reporters after the case, about how she said, "We grieve. This is just putting another life away, so that's hard. This doesn't bring Candace back,".
It was nice to hear about how the book was written, about the process and the content, but I longed to hear more about the story, and the life that was and now is Candace. I wanted more insight into their story, because I think with all the connections I had to it I was really looking for more insight into my story.
Journey for Justice shares the journey of the Derksen family through the abduction, the process of uncovering a case that had gone cold, and the trial and conviction of her killer. It also describes a place and community of faith that I am well acquainted with- it describes connections of my life.
Mike McIntyre takes excerps from Wilma Derksens telling of the story, Have You Seen Candace?, as well as interviews, excerpts from official documents, and news releases. The first part of the book relies heavily on Wilma's excerpts, allowing the read to connect with tragedy at a more personal level. You get to see and experinece what Wilma and her family went through. When reading I could see myself talking on the phone at MBCI, walking to cornerstone that Candace bought stuff from, and walking Talbot Ave. when she went missing.
As the story progresses McIntyre changes tactics and uses more official documents, court records and interviews to tell the rest of the story. As a reader I found it hard to connect with the parts of the book that relied more on documentation rather then Wilma's story telling abilities. It was also hard to believe as a reader that the quotes we were reading could be direct quotes, when some of the quotations happened a quarter of a century earlier. I felt like I was read a document rather then being a part of the story.
As a piece of non-fiction, I found it interesting the balance of story telling weaved in with facts. I know writing articles for a paper is a lot different then the story we read, but there were evident portions of the book that seemed to be written more in that style verses a story. I wonder for this story if it might be better told either in a more consistent voice, like Myrl Coulter's book The House with the Broken Two.
When the time came for Wilma and Mike came to talk to us in class about the book I was excited to see them in person. As they told their stories and why they needed to write it, I sat there wishing I could sit just with Wilma, to ask her questions like what did it take for you to survive? How did you keep your sanity? How did you learn to forgive? I wanted to chat with her about what she told the reporters after the case, about how she said, "We grieve. This is just putting another life away, so that's hard. This doesn't bring Candace back,".
It was nice to hear about how the book was written, about the process and the content, but I longed to hear more about the story, and the life that was and now is Candace. I wanted more insight into their story, because I think with all the connections I had to it I was really looking for more insight into my story.
It might not be spring break for me- I'm stuck in classes- but for high school students in Manitoba they are running through the streets instead of being trapped in desks. lol
And for a group of students they are experiencing something very unique. It's called SOAR Heartland, and its a 10 missions trip in the inner city of Winnipeg. For many of them Winnipeg is their home, so experiencing the downtown core gives them a whole new perspective on the city and the issues.
Over the 10 days I got the insane opportunity to head up a media team for SOAR. The team was designated the task of documenting the 10 days, producing same day edits montages of the days events, and posting them and more online. Like I said before, I was in school though- thankfully I had an amazing team that worked their butts off and did a fantastic job.
you can see some of their amazing work here:
Interestingly enough I got a chance to do a streeter in Journalism class... and I was lucky enough to write about whatever I wanted to... so knowing that all these kids were spending the day running around the streets, I knew what i was going to write:
355 students are hitting the street today for a learning tour on the inner city of Winnipeg. They’ve given up their spring break to find out about core issued in the city, volunteer with local organizations, and more importantly build relationships with the people that live in the area. SOAR Heartland, the program that runs the spring break trip, uses the first few days to orientate the students to the communities they will spend time volunteering in.
“We hope to see students learn about the issues in the city and experience and interact with the people,” says Amber Hamm, one of the special event coordinators for SOAR.
“I love to see students learn about something new and see them get excited about it,” Hamm said on the phone while running in between two of the 23 different sites that students will be visiting today.
Peggy Abbott,volunteer support staff at Siloam Mission, waits for a stream of students to arrive. Siloam Mission is one of the learning tour sites and hopes that students will get not only an understanding of what Siloam Mission does, but what some of the challenges their patrons face.
“I find it exciting to give students an opportunity to know what the issues are. They can’t turn things around if they don’t see the issues,” says Abbott.
From 11 a.m. till 6 p.m. students will be walking around the inner city stopping at specific locations to learn about a different topics faced by Winnipeg's less fortunate. From homelessness, to prostitution, and mental illness the students learn about a world different from their own.
“They come from a different frame of reference and bring their questions and insight into the issues,” says Abbott, about the students who typically come from suburban and rural areas.
“Its good to immerse yourself in the culture before you go into help it,” says Shale Tweed, who came all the way from British Columbia to participate in SOAR.
And for a group of students they are experiencing something very unique. It's called SOAR Heartland, and its a 10 missions trip in the inner city of Winnipeg. For many of them Winnipeg is their home, so experiencing the downtown core gives them a whole new perspective on the city and the issues.
Over the 10 days I got the insane opportunity to head up a media team for SOAR. The team was designated the task of documenting the 10 days, producing same day edits montages of the days events, and posting them and more online. Like I said before, I was in school though- thankfully I had an amazing team that worked their butts off and did a fantastic job.
you can see some of their amazing work here:
Interestingly enough I got a chance to do a streeter in Journalism class... and I was lucky enough to write about whatever I wanted to... so knowing that all these kids were spending the day running around the streets, I knew what i was going to write:
355 students are hitting the street today for a learning tour on the inner city of Winnipeg. They’ve given up their spring break to find out about core issued in the city, volunteer with local organizations, and more importantly build relationships with the people that live in the area. SOAR Heartland, the program that runs the spring break trip, uses the first few days to orientate the students to the communities they will spend time volunteering in.
“We hope to see students learn about the issues in the city and experience and interact with the people,” says Amber Hamm, one of the special event coordinators for SOAR.
“I love to see students learn about something new and see them get excited about it,” Hamm said on the phone while running in between two of the 23 different sites that students will be visiting today.
Peggy Abbott,volunteer support staff at Siloam Mission, waits for a stream of students to arrive. Siloam Mission is one of the learning tour sites and hopes that students will get not only an understanding of what Siloam Mission does, but what some of the challenges their patrons face.
“I find it exciting to give students an opportunity to know what the issues are. They can’t turn things around if they don’t see the issues,” says Abbott.
From 11 a.m. till 6 p.m. students will be walking around the inner city stopping at specific locations to learn about a different topics faced by Winnipeg's less fortunate. From homelessness, to prostitution, and mental illness the students learn about a world different from their own.
“They come from a different frame of reference and bring their questions and insight into the issues,” says Abbott, about the students who typically come from suburban and rural areas.
“Its good to immerse yourself in the culture before you go into help it,” says Shale Tweed, who came all the way from British Columbia to participate in SOAR.
I had ambitious dreams this year. I made myself a list of 26 things to do... and surprisingly a lot of it got done!
At the top of the list was-
- Get into CreComm= CHECK!
- Do a legit photo shoot (ie. get paid for taking photos)= Double CHECK! *I even tackled a wedding!
- Travel outside of North America!= I think Thailand would classify as a Check on that one. *see photo above... oh, only in Thailand.
- Read 8 books willingly (not for homework/assignments)= Check!
There were some things that were ongoing projects; like flossing my teeth on a daily basis (its on the list cuz it's a classy thing to do).
There were things that were half done- like my one of two sewing projects that I finished.
And sadly there were some things that didn't... like memorizing an entire book of the Bible, or running a half marathon, or design a canvas print for my dining room...
But alas- you can't do everything in one year!!! So here is to putting them on the list of 27 with all the things that will get done. To all the sewing, running, traveling, the creatively inspired, photographically amazing, and randomly awesome things that will happen= this year is for you.
But first, a name needs to be chosen for a year of this magnitude.
Any suggestions?!
 |
| photo by: k*sara |
*all the best for all the plans and decisions ya got to make!
[k]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
