Student arrested, charged with five counts of fraud

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Niagara News
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Volume 33, Issue 10
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Student arrested,
charged with five
counts of fraud
By THOMAS CONNELL
Staff Writer
“If it sounds too good to be true, it
usually is,” says Detective Constable
Marjorie Smith, of the Niagara
Regional Police Service (NRP).
While that may be something of
a cliché, it is nevertheless a fact, as
five Niagara College students
recently discovered.
The five were victims of an
investment scam perpetrated by a
fellow business student, who was
arrested by NRP officers last
week.
Brenda Seca, 27, was arrested
Jan. 30 at her Port Colborne home
by Smith and charged with three
counts of fraud over $5,000 and
two counts of fraud under $5,000.
She is a student in the Business
Administration – Operations
Management (Co-op) program at
Niagara College’s Glendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Seca was held in jail overnight
in Welland, then released on a
$25,000 surety after appearing in
bail court, at 59 Church St., in St.
Catharines on Jan. 31.
At the time of her arrest, Seca was
serving a conditional 20-month sentence for a previous fraud conviction. The earlier charges stem from
another investment scam she orchestrated while working as an employee
of the Canadian Imperial Bank of
Commerce in Port Colborne.
Police would not give specifics
concerning this earlier case, other
than to say it was a charge of fraud
over $5,000 and involved “substantial amounts of money.”
According to Smith, it was Seca’s
banking and investment background
that enabled her to gain the confidence of her fellow students.
“She was very persuasive and
backed up her pitch with sophisticated-looking documents and paperwork,” said Smith.
She said Seca promised to double investors’ money in a matter of
weeks. However, the money
involved was never invested.
Any disciplinary action which
could have been taken against Seca
by the college “is now a moot point,”
according to Darrell Neufeld, manager of corporate communications at
Niagara College.
According to Neufeld, Seca has
“not shown up for classes since
sometime
in
November.
Therefore, it is not a matter that
has anything to do with the college
or programs or staff.”
“Obviously, we’re distressed
any time students are victimized,
and, fortunately, she has been
dealt with by the justice system,”
says Neufeld.
Seca refused to comment on the
case when contacted at her Port
Colborne home, where she is
under house arrest.
Feb. 7, 2003
They came, they sawed, they conquered
At left, Mark Hardwick, Welland Student Administrative Council (SAC) director of communications
and media, and Grant Barron, a second-year Computer Engineering Technology (Co-op) program
student, hold the wood for a contestant in a log sawing contest on Monday, Feb. 3. The contest was
part of Winterfest, a weeklong series of outside events held by Welland SAC from Feb. 3 to Feb. 7.
Photo by Kathryn Hanley
Presidents make plea for funding
By DONNA DURIC
Staff Writer
Niagara College President Dan Patterson, along
with four other college presidents, has made a plea to
the provincial government for an extra $127 million
for Ontario colleges.
“The colleges are sending a strong signal to the
government that chronic under-funding has led to a
decrease in per-student funding, which is seriously
threatening quality at our 24 colleges,” says
Patterson.
Patterson, who is chair of the Association of
Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario’s
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(ACAATO) Committee of Presidents (COP), presented a case to the Ministry of Colleges, Training and
Universities outlining the need for additional funding
at a press conference in Queen’s Park Jan. 21.
Since 1995, government funding for Ontario colleges has dropped from a $809-million yearly operating grant to $762 million. Per-student funding has
dropped from $7,552 in 1991, to $4,379 today, and
enrolment has increased by 34 per cent in the same
period. Ontario colleges receive one of the lowest levels of government funding of any province in Canada.
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Page 2, Niagara News, Feb. 7, 2003
Glendale promoting ‘greenhouse sales’
By AMANDA KLASSEN
Staff Writer
Valentine’s Day is a special
time of the year when you get an
extra chance to show someone
how much you care. Greenhouse
students at the Glendale campus
in Niagara-on-the-Lake are making it a little cheaper and easier
this year by offering festive flower
gift bags for less than $10.
The little red gift bags will have
a heart-shaped sucker, a teddy
bear key chain and a variety of
flowers including red miniature
carnations, miniature white double daisies and pussy willows.
The gift bags of flowers will be
on sale for $9.95 in front of the
bookstore at the Glendale campus
and at the Welland campus.
There are only 125 of the gift
bags made but there are also
other plants that will be available at the greenhouse for your
special someone.
“The idea was to promote
some greenhouse sales and
activity at this time of the year,”
says Peter Thompstone, a horticultural professor.
“Buying flowers on Valentine’s
Day can be a very expensive
proposition. We are trying to provide a nice alternative that works
with a student’s budget.”
Thompstone says that, from a
student’s standpoint, flowers typify pleasure and romance.
“It is a chance for the students
to show that they are learning
floral design and give them a little bit of exposure.”
Students get a chance to learn
the entire process of marketing an
arrangement, from the planning
through to the sale of the flowers,
says Thompstone.
“It reflects the business world.”
The gift bag is a modest present at a reasonable price. A student could give it to a special
someone or a friend.
“I think it is a chance for the
students to showcase what they
are doing, and it indicates that floral design is still part of the curriculum here.”
Students are preparing for the
35th
annual
School
of
Horticulture and Agribusiness
Open House and Plant Sale on
Saturday, March 22, and Sunday,
March 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Students from the Glendale campus greenhouse are preparing Valentine’s Day flower arrangements,which will sell for $9.95. Displays
will be in front of the bookstores at the Glendale campus and the Welland campus.
Christine Martin, 36, left, a Horticulture Technician program student, Tara Barbour, 21, a Landscape Technician program student,
and Betsie Menchetti, a part-time Horticulture Technician program
student, prepare the Valentine’s Day flower arrangements in the
Glendale campus greenhouse.
Included with the flower
arrangements are red heartshaped suckers. The flowers
and little teddy bear key chains
are removable from the gift
bag. These are modestly
priced gifts that make a good
present for friends or that special someone.
Betsie Menchetti, a part-time Horticulture Technician program student, prepares one of the flower arrangements that will be available for the Valentine’s Day sale at the Glendale campus greenhouse in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Photos by Amanda Klassen
Year 2 Journalism-Print program students will be producing the
official program for the 35th annual School of Horticulture and
Agribusiness Open House and Plant Sale. Pick up a copy on Saturday,
March 22, and Sunday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Niagara News, Feb. 7, 2003, Page 3
Students stressed over job opportunities
By MEAGHAN HUTTON
Staff Writer
This is the last academic semester for many students, and some
are becoming stressed about what
the future holds.
With the semester in full swing,
many students are pondering what
to do, whether to start their budding careers or return to the books
at university or at college.
Nicole Carnegie, 20, of
Brampton, in her second year of
the Recreation and Leisure
Services program, says she
knows what she will be doing in
the fall. “I will be returning to
make up courses.”
She says, once she is finished at
Niagara College, she wants to pursue a career in her hometown.
“I want to get a job in the city
hall recreation department in
Brampton, programming for children’s events.”
Julie Sullivan, 22, in the
Fitness and Health Promotion
program, says she hopes that on
graduation she will get a job in
her chosen field.
“I want to get a job as a fitness
trainer and work in a health club as
a personal trainer for a bit. Then I
would like to move to the YMCA,
where I can work with people of
various ages.”
Many students don’t know the
college offers services to help stu-
dents, whether it is applying to further their education or finding a
post graduation job.
In addition to jobs online,
Niagara College’s Job Centres
offer services and support for job
Many
students don’t
know the
college offers
services to
help students.
searches, from helping with
resumés, cover letters, and interview skills to job search strategies.
Carnegie says she already
knows where to look because her
instructors have given her and her
classmates lots of resources.
Jason Garcia, 21, of Hamilton, a
second-year student in the Law and
Security Administration program,
says he has already begun job
searching. “There are many Web
sites for employment services.”
For students who aren’t sure
where they want to go after April
or
next
September,
the
Counselling office is always
open. It offers confidential services to all students attending
Niagara College.
The office has professionally
trained counsellors who can help
with such things as admissions
procedures, resolving academic
difficulties, developing better
study skills and improving decision-making abilities, all in a confidential and supportive setting.
Carnegie says she is “not
stressing out” about getting a job
because she knows it’s a field in
which she is qualified for
employment.
“My name is well known in
recreation in Brampton, so it will
not be hard.”
Garcia says he has been looking
for a job with the HamiltonWentworth Regional Police. He
hopes to get a job at the Canadian
Forensic Science Centre in
Toronto. In September, he wants to
go to university to study for four
years in a science field, then go
into his career of choice. He hasn’t
made a final decision, however.
The on-campus Job Centres can
assist students looking for jobs.
The offices are in Welland, in
SE101 and at Glendale, in W115,
Kristina Nadeay, 22, a second-year Early Childhood Education
program student, walks into the Job Centre at Niagara College’s
Welland campus. The Job Centres, at all campuses, offer services and support for job searches including help with resumés,
cover letters, interview skills and search strategies.
Photo by Meaghan Hutton
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. visit Counselling Services at the
weekdays. Appointments can be Welland campus in SE102, or
made by calling 905-735-2211, the Glendale campus, in W102.
ext. 7777 at Welland, or 905-641- Information and appointments
2252, ext. 4165 at Glendale.
can be obtained by calling 905Students who are continuing 735-2211, ext. 7778 in Welland
their education or are just not or 905-641-2252, ext. 4409 at
sure what they want to do can Glendale.
Double cohort lives up to hype at Brock
By JASON GROSSE
Staff Writer
The double cohort is coming to
Brock University in a major way.
Brock University, in St.
Catharines, has reported the second highest increase in applications from secondary school students in Ontario, a total of 27,557
versus last year’s 11,540.
Brock University President
David Atkinson says there are several reasons for the increase
besides the double cohort.
“Brock has become higher on
people’s radar,” he says. “We’ve
added a whole pile of new programs.”
“We’re the beneficiary of geography. The biggest cohort of students is in the 416 (telephone) area
(code), (and) right now we’re getting almost 20 per cent of our students from the Greater Toronto
Area (GTA).”
Atkinson explains that Brock
has had an “86 per cent increase in
first-choice applications” and of
that, “60 to 65 per cent actually
end up coming here (Brock).”
“The important numbers are
always first and second choice,”
he says.
He says Brock usually expects
“about 40 per cent of secondchoice applications” to actually
accept offers.
Atkinson’s point is that of the
5,310 students Brock plans to
accept, the 65 per cent of firstchoice applicants and the 40 per
cent second-choice applicants who
will accept Brock’s offer do not
add up.
“If you take 60 per cent of 5,310
and understand that we are only
taking 3,725 (students), you can
appreciate we have a problem.”
However, because of the cohort
and sheer volume of students
applying to university in Ontario,
Atkinson says, “the choices don’t
mean as much anymore.”
“Students are applying to whatever school they think they even
remotely might be interested in
attending. They are going to come
to the open house in March and
then they are going to make up
their mind.”
Atkinson says Brock has also
seen a 30 per cent increase in the
fourth-, fifth- and sixth-choice
applications. He says this is “kind
of a wildcard” in terms of how
many of these students will actually choose to attend Brock.
“It’s a good problem in the sense
that we are going to get some very
good students. It’s not a very good
problem for the students who don’t
get in here.”
The reality, Atkinson says, is
“even as it is, obviously we have
many more applications, even in
first and second choice, than we
can possibly accommodate.”
The solution? “They’ll have to go
to other universities as they always
have,” he adds.
More alarming, Atkinson says,
is the fact “there are about 9,000
students who have applied to university in Ontario for which there
are no places at all.”
‘They’ll have
to go to other
universities . . .’
-David
Atkinson
“You have to keep in mind what
exactly it is the provincial government guaranteed. What the provincial government said was ‘there will
be a place for every qualified and
motivated student in the province –
at a university.’ They did not say at a
particular university or they did not
say in a particular program.”
Colleges need more financial help from government
Continued from page 1
“The numbers speak for themselves,” says Patterson. “We can
no longer pretend we can do more
with less. We can’t.”
Patterson made a request to
Diane Cunningham, minister of
colleges, training and universities,
that per-student funding be
increased to the national average.
“The minister has indicated
that she will examine our request
and we’ll see if additional dollars can be made available,” says
Patterson. “Without additional
assistance from the government,
the college could find itself in a
deficit situation.”
The government does not allow
colleges to operate under deficits,
for if they did, colleges would
have to look to outside sources
for money, such as fundraising,
or they would have to trim existing expenditures, such as investments in technology and maintenance costs.
“The colleges are in a real
crunch. We’ve got to invest in the
classroom,” says Patterson.
Brian Tamblyn, president of
Georgian College, of Barrie, Ont.,
is chair of COP’s funding committee. He says one of the main concerns he addressed to the minister
is that while colleges receive the
‘It would be
foolish not to
reinvest in
colleges at
this point.’
-Dan
Patterson
same amount of funding they did
12 years ago, operating costs have
gone up. He says he’s also concerned that expected staff retirements could result in a gap in the
labour market.
“From hereon, in the next 10
years, there will be unprecedented numbers of retirements and
that’s going to be a major crisis.
Skills shortages is a big issue,”
Tamblyn concluded.
Tamblyn says the ministry has
already committed an extra $82
million for the 2003/2004 budget, but colleges need $127 million more to avoid a risk of running “large” operating deficits
and “doing things that will
detract quality from programs.”
Tamblyn says the ministry will
announce its budget plans in March
and that “no promises have been
made,” but he’s “hopeful the situation will have a positive outcome.”
“The minister’s response was
encouraging and she realized we
had a point.”
Patterson says that colleges
will “pay tremendous dividends”
to the economy if additional
funding is made available.
“Colleges have been a true
success story in Ontario. It
would be foolish not to reinvest
in colleges at this point.”
Driver to fight careless driving charge
By SHANNON BURROWS
Staff Writer
Police officers aren’t perfect.
Twenty-one-year-old
*Sam
Buxton says he experienced this
first-hand on Jan. 8 during his
daily drive to Niagara College.
Buxton says he was driving
within a speed range of 120 to 125
km/h in the centre lane on the
Queen Elizabeth Way, “going with
the flow of traffic,” when a police
cruiser moved in front of him
without signalling, cutting him off.
“I was about four feet behind the
cruiser. This happened fast, with
no warning from him that he was
changing lanes, so he kind of put
me in this situation. I couldn’t just
hit the brakes when he did (cut me
off),” says Buxton, adding there
were cars behind him at the time.
He says traffic began passing
him on the left again, so “I basically tried to get out of the situation as best I could. My choice
was, logically, to pass since traffic
on the left started to speed up and
pass. So I signalled and went
around the cruiser ... and moved
back into the centre lane. Moments
later, the police cruiser was behind
me, lights flashing, signalling for
me to pull over.”
Buxton says the police officer said
he pulled Buxton over for “careless
driving,” which the officer explained
was “being unaware of your surroundings and endangering and disrespecting other drivers.”
“He gave me the harshest fine possible because I followed too closely,
even if he put me in the position. I
was speeding, even if the other cars
were doing it as well. He can pick
whomever he wants to call for it. I
guess that day he just had my number,” says Buxton.
He says he felt the officer’s attitude was “intimidating” and
“threatening.” He says the officer
made it seem as though “I was driving around ... drunk and ... en
route to killing somebody. He said
to me, ‘You’re going to kill somebody, and I don’t want it to be a
cop,’ ... as though killing anyone
else would be all right in his
books. I feel he could have
approached the situation better.”
Buxton says he doesn’t consider
himself guilty of careless driving
and he feels that it is “an incredibly harsh charge.” A charge of
speeding would have been more
appropriate, he adds.
Buxton says he intends to fight
the charge of careless driving and
go to court. Since he’s “not the
best public speaker,” he enlisted
the assistance of POINTTS.
“This is a group of people who
specialize in traffic tickets and know
the laws of the highway, up and
down. I feel they’ll do the best they
can with what happened.” He says
he’s taking this action because “careless driving is a big thing, and I don’t
feel that I was. I don’t want to have
this on my record.”
Buxton says he’d done some
“reading up” on POINTTS and
found they are “expensive,” but
says it’s worth it if they win his
case, because his auto insurance
costs will stay down and he won’t
lose points on his license.
“I thought they were very open
and honest,” he says of the individuals working at POINTTS.
“They seem to love what they do
and are very helpful with how they
do it. It makes me feel a little less
stressed knowing I have someone
like that in my corner helping me
through this.”
He says his case cost a flat rate
of $500, which is more than what
the ticket’s fine was, but simply
paying the ticket will affect his driving record and insurance.
“The reason people go to
POINTTS is to try to fight tickets
they feel they shouldn’t have
received.” He says he would be hit
with six demerit points and much
higher insurance costs if he loses
in court.
Buxton says he’s hoping the
charge will at least be reduced to
speeding.
“That would be a big load off
my shoulders. The one hard thing
to look past is the fact that I’m
going up against someone who is
an officer of the law.”
“While he may have been having a bad day and took it out on
me, he’s the one wearing the
badge. I just hope the truth works
in this case, and while I’m not
looking to get off entirely, I am
hoping for a lesser charge.”
Buxton says he will be notified
of his court date during the next
four to six weeks and then he will
go over the police report with the
individuals at POINTTS.
“I don’t think I’ve hit 120 km/h
on the highway since, so I guess
they’ve (the police) already won
that battle. There are a lot of people out there who drive recklessly,
with no concern for anyone.”
“There’s a lot at stake when
you’re flying through traffic to get
somewhere faster. I wasn’t even
doing that, and I received a harsh
fine. Those who are doing that
(reckless driving) may end up
receiving an even harsher fine,
which could be death, or the death
of others.”
*Name was changed
Girl Guides will unveil new version of cookies
By MEAGHAN HUTTON
Staff Writer
With their ever-so-wide smiles,
the girls in brown and blue will
have something to smile about this
spring.
The Girl Guides of Canada
(GGC) will unveil a new version
of the familiar chocolate and
vanilla sandwich cookies. Baked
by Dare Foods Ltd., their new
cookies will have a new look
and new packaging. They will
continue to have the great taste
and quality that Canadians love,
though.
For
over
70
years,
Canadians have been buying
Girl Guide cookies in various
forms and shapes.
In the 1930s the cookies were
rich in fruits, nuts and spices.
However, these luxuries were
‘The look of
the cookie is
different.’
– K e l l y B oh ar
sandwich cookie.
“For 40 years, we’ve enjoyed
a very successful relationship
with Nabisco Ltd. (formerly
Christie Brown), who has been
our exclusive baker. However,
as of spring 2003, Dare Foods
will take over and will work
with GGC to build our cookie
program,” says Kelly Bohar, at
the Niagara area Girl Guide
from the $2.75 to $3.50 of the
past. This price will be locked
for three years and will ensure a
stable contribution of support for
Guiding programs for the future,
says Bohar.
The cookies will also have a
new box bearing the new colours
the Guides chose with their
revamp for the 21st century.
Harbridge says they have updated their cookies to match their
updated look.
Diane Belcourt, Girl Guide
leader, says that with the
revamp of the Girl Guides, she
has seen a change in the membership and the participation
with the guides.
Belcourt says although she
has seen a change in the membership, she hasn’t seen that
great a transition for the new
cookies.
“Right now it is just a split.
Some people are willing to take
the change, but others are disappointed in the change.”
Bohar says, overall, she doesn’t
know what the feedback is
towards the cookies. “It is too
early to tell if the cookies will be a
success.”
In the fall, the GGC will be
unveiling a new mint cookie, to go
along with the new crème-filled
cookies.
For more information, GGC
can be contacted at 1-800-5658111 or the local Girl Guide
branch can be reached at 905735-4688.
Your BACHELOR’S DEGREE is right
across the border!
ADULT LEARNERS
Are you trying to earn your bachelor’s degree, but because of your full-time
work, it seems like it’s going to take forever?
Find out how you can earn your bachelor’s in as little as 18 months, while
taking one class at a time, one night a week, at D’Youville College’s
Information Session
Wednesday, February 19th
College Center - Blue Lounge • 6 - 8 p.m.
not available during the Second
World War and the recipe was
lost. A few years later, the vanilla crème cookie was introduced,
as well as such flavours as
maple cream and shortbread.
Numerous types and flavours
were sold until 1960 when
GGC, Ontario Council, entered
into a contract with Christie
Brown & Co. for the manufacture and delivery of a sugartopped cookie. Within a short
time, Girl Guides selected the
famous chocolate and vanilla
office.
“The look of the cookie is different,” says Ann Harbridge, Girl
Guides president.
Trish Derby, GGC delivery
manager, said the details of the
cookies were kept a secret until the
official launch on Jan. 15.
Cookie Campaigns, which net
the Guides about $14 million a
year, feature chocolate and vanilla from January to May and
chocolate mint from October to
December. The new selling price
of the cookies will be $4, up
You’ll be able to meet with counselors and get answers to questions regarding:
Admissions & Financial Aid • Canadian Student Discounts • Student Visas •
Program & Degree Requirements • Our Liberal Transfer Credit Policy
Call us at 1-800-777-3921
or visit our Web site at www.dyc.edu for details.
Educating for Life
320 PORTER AVENUE
BUFFALO, NY 14201
Career Fair for Niagara, Brock students
Glendale campus
will be home
to full-time,
co-op career
opportunities
By LESLIE BRANCONNIER
Staff Writer
The Niagara College and
Brock University annual Career
Fair will have over 55 employers
present.
On Feb. 13, at the Glendale
campus’s lower level, there will
be a career fair for Niagara
College and Brock University,
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We’re especially pleased with
the variety and range of jobs
available,” said Janet Forfar, Job
Centre consultant in charge of
graduate services at the college’s
Welland campus.
There will be full-time and coop opportunities available.
This will give the students a
chance to speak with employers, to research what specific
jobs interest them and to get to
know more about the specifics
of the jobs.
“Even if you are not job
searching, it’s a good chance to
find out what’s out there,” said
Forfar.
Students should dress accordingly and bring resumés with
them. This is a chance for stu-
dents to impress employers.
There will not be mini-interv i e w s
available,
but students
will be able
to fill out
applications and
talk with
prospective
employers
face to face.
J a y
Meilstrup,
general
manager of
C a s i n o
Niagara,
will be the
special
guest
at
the event, speaking in the
Yurich auditorium at 10:30 a.m.
Meilstrup will be sharing his
expertise and telling students
about the available positions and
job requirements
at
C a s i n o
Niagara,
explaining
the
skills
they
are
looking for,
and giving
advice
on
how to get a
job with the
casino.
Organizers
note
that
employers,
who at one
time
were
hiring only
university
students, now have begun to
hire college students and viceversa, because of these joint
‘Even if you are
not job searching,
it’s a good
chance to find
out what’s out
there.’
- Janet Forfar
Fashion Show to
be held at Glendale
Hot Prospects, the joint
Career Fair 2003 of Niagara
College and Brock University,
on Feb. 13, will include a Dress
for Success fashion show.
The show, an added feature
this year, will be held at 12:30
p.m. and at 2:30 p.m. on the
lower ground level of the col-
career fairs.
Bus rides will be available for
students at the
college’s
Welland and Maid of the Mist
campuses.
On Feb. 20, there will be a
career fair at the college’s Maid
of the Mist Centre. This fair,
which will have 32 employers
present, is specifically targeted
at the hospitality and tourism
industries.
Thursday, February 13, 2003 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Editorials
The Niagara News is a practical lab for the Journalism-Print program, covering the college community and other areas of interest.
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the management of the Niagara News or the administration of
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Bush battles war, American support
It seems as though the United States government is in a hurry to start another war.
Although United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors haven’t found the “smoking
gun,” U.S. President George W. Bush is insistent on moving the war machine back
to the Persian Gulf.
Some think the tension between George W. and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is
based on an 11-year grudge, developed when George Bush Sr. invaded Iraq during
the Gulf War. Many now think George W. wants to finish the fight started by his
father.
Others believe his motivation lies in the land, or is, rather, the oil in the land.
Bush, being an oilman from Texas, would probably like to have control of the vast
amounts of oil in Iraq.
Few people seem convinced Iraq is a real threat to the U.S. or that Hussein will
use weapons of mass destruction in a first strike. Most nations seem to want to wait
for a green light from the UN before making a move.
Since the military campaign in Afghanistan, Bush has lost much of the world’s
support for his war on terrorism. Tony Blair, the British prime minister, once said
Britain would “stand shoulder to shoulder” with the U.S., but that support is
wavering.
Blair recently visited Bush at Camp David to discuss the possible Iraqi war, but
Blair is not as quick to help out as he was a year ago. Other nations are also slow
to jump on the war bandwagon for a second time. There seems to be a lack of enthu-
siasm to chase down terrorists in a country that has not been linked to terrorist
activities against the U.S., yet.
Polls show that Bush is losing support at home as well. In the past year, he has
lost about 30 percentage points in popular opinion polls, dragging his support level
below 60 per cent.
Retired U.S. Army General Norman Schwarzkopf, who led the U.S. troops in the
Gulf War, has suggested that Bush wait for the UN Security Council to give the
green light before making a move, because there is just not enough evidence to warrant an attack. Other members of Bush’s government are voicing concern about the
expected attack.
The recent State of the Union Address was important for Bush. It is now the middle of his term, so he needs to have a unified country to go to war and also to win
another election. There have been many anti-war demonstrations, protesting an
attack against Iraq, in not only the U.S. but also many other nations. These demonstrations do not indicate support for the Iraqi government, but simply a word of caution to the U.S. government before the storm begins.
Maybe Bush should be focusing on the other battle: winning another election. If
Bush forgets about the American people too much, he will find that he has started
a war he is unable to finish. The American voters will have forgotten him and chosen a new leader.
LORI LANGLEY
College’s parking lots need to change
Winter mornings can be frustrating.
Waking up, you wonder how long you’ll have to stand out in the cold to
clean the snow off your car. Then you drive to school, battling through slush
and bad drivers only to find yourself in a full parking lot once here.
Niagara College has more than five different parking lots but, in the winter
time, one-third of the area is full of piled snow while the remaining area is
filled with cars, parked by people who have forgotten what the lot looked like
before the snow fell.
If you think the parking here is bad now, it isn’t going to improve.
When the YMCA is completed in 2004 at the Welland campus, there will
be even less parking space there. The YMCA is building on the college’s
property and on to a parking lot. The YMCA has decided to build its own
parking lot, but the question is where?
The Regional Municipality of Niagara has plans to improve Woodlawn
Road to provide access to the YMCA and college parking lots.
The college has no intention of making another parking lot either. The space
is available to build one, but, and you’ve heard this before, the money isn’t.
However, the parking problem might be solved before the YMCA opens its
doors. The double cohort is coming.
Accommodating what may be a surprising increase in student enrolment
will come in two forms: parking space and living space. These can place huge
financial burdens on the college and that is something even I understand,
especially if the financial burdens are downloaded onto the students.
Perhaps the college and the YMCA can work together financially to build a
parking lot, before it becomes a noticeable and frustrating problem.
SARA CAMPBELL
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Opinions
Student’s curiosity nurtured by college environment
By DONNA DURIC
Staff Writer
Column
As I sit at my computer, listening to the hum of my classmates
working on the Niagara News, I
fall into deep thought. Their laughter and melodious voices ring with
the exuberance of happy young
people and I am sorrowfully
reminded that soon, I may never
hear those voices again.
In two short months, I will be
plunged into the foray of screaming
bosses and looming deadlines,
yearning for the time when life consisted of having as much fun as possible without neglecting your
responsibilities. If you had somehow
neglected them, it wouldn’t result in
being fired or starving to death.
I know it sounds melodramatic,
but I don’t think change is easy for
anyone to accept. For the past year
and a half, my life as a college student has been like sailing on a temperamental ocean, stormy at times,
yet, for the most part, tranquil and
serene. Now, as I approach the
shore of a foreign land, graduation
and the work world, I must take
with me what I have learned on my
journey and use it to help me deal
with the challenges that lie ahead.
Though I started college rather
late in life compared with my
classmates, I knew it was the right
time for me and that no matter
what, my education would come
first, and socializing, second. I
went through the whole party circuit for three years before coming
to college, so I was somewhat
blasé upon hearing promises of
having the time of my life here. I
tell you that all changed the
moment I walked into the school
on my first day of classes.
After exhausting myself going
to every single pub and Comedy
Night first semester, you’d have
thought I would have had no energy left to learn a thing or get to
know my classmates.
Nevertheless, the energy that the
college atmosphere generated was
more than enough to keep me constantly inquisitive and full of
curiosity about everything I
learned and everyone I met.
Now that my time here is coming to a close, I am beginning to
realize how rare, fleeting and precious it is to possess that driving
inquisitiveness. It is something
inherent and unique to being
young, something that I fear losing
if I become stuck in the routine
familiarity of work, home, work,
home, should these be in my future
after I graduate. The fact that I will
soon be leaving a place where this
curiosity is overflowing seems to
strike one more nail in my coffin
of fears and doubts about the
future.
However, I am comforted by the
many happy memories I’ll take
with me when I leave and I am
proud of the tremendous personal
growth I’ve experienced in what
has turned out to be some of the
happiest times of my life.
I’ve still got two more months
in which to cram as much socializing as I can, so I better get off
this computer. I see a friend of
mine in the hallway, and I could
use a lighthearted chat right
now. After all, it’s those little
moments that we don’t pay
attention to that make up most of
our memories. I intend to walk
away from here with the happiest ones I can.
Journalists, including those in the Journalism-Print program at Niagara College, are taught that their reporting must be
balanced, fair and as objective as possible. That rule must also exist for columns written by reporters. In columns, the
feelings and opinions of reporters are welcome, but balance, fairness and objectivity must never be disregarded or treated
lightly. Our columns, which are clearly identified as such, do not reflect the opinions or feelings of the Niagara College
administration or the management of the Niagara News. Columns reflect the opinion of only one person: the writer.
Street Talk
By ROBYNE SIMPSON and ELYSE DEBRUYN
Staff Writers
“When do you feel the most stressed out and why?”
Ashley Van Delft, 18,
Social Service
Worker
program,
first-year,
Beamsville, Ont.
“When you get all your projects
all at once, it’s overwhelming.”
Jonathen Cipryk, 26,
Computer Technology
Engineering program,
second-year,
St. Catharines
“We’re in a good program for
that. During a test period, when
teachers don’t correspond with
each other and assignments pile
up.”
Roland Moses, 22,
General Arts and
Science
program,
second-year,
Toronto
“When something’s wrong with
my family. (It was) less stressful
second-year. First-year, first
semester, is the most stressful.
Second-year is less because you
have a feel for what’s going on.”
Tom Huibers, 18,
Computer Engineering
Technician program,
first-year,
St. Catharines
“At school, in long three-hour
classes. It’s pretty stressful at
work. With my girlfriend the
most.”
Lauren Fouyere, 18,
Social Service
Worker program,
first-year,
Grimsby, Ont.
“A couple of days before a test.”
Wampum treaty belt a sign of peace
By E. J. GOODER
Staff Writer
An authentic Friendship Treaty Wampum belt hangs in
the boardroom of Niagara College. The belt was presented
to the board of governors in 1993 and represents an official
treaty and partnership between the college and the surrounding native community.
The aboriginal population didn’t use wampum as currency but the Europeans who settled in North America did.
Wampum was used by the aboriginal population for over
800 years and is a sign of peace. It is also used to cement
agreements because no agreement is considered official
unless Wampum is exchanged.
Different kinds of Wampum belts were used throughout
the history of the aboriginal people and the newcomers.
Wampum was fashioned from purple and white tubular
shells made into small beads from the Quahog, or conch
shells, and entwined with string made from buckskin, tree
bark fibres and sinew.
The shells to make the Wampum belts were found
along the eastern coastline as well as the large riverbanks of North America.
Each belt has symbolic meaning.
The Ever Lasting Tree Wampum belt, also known as
Wing or Dust Fan of the Confederacy, represents strength
and peace. If any man or nation wants to follow the path of
peace, he or it could follow the roots to the tree. If any man
or nation, clean of mind and spirit, promised to obey the
laws of the Iroquois Confederacy, he or it could find shelter
under the long-needled leaves of the great peace tree. On the
top of the tree an eagle stands guard and is ready to warn the
confederacy of any danger or threat.
The Hiawatha belt, also known as the Peace belt, is the
symbol of the five nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. This
belt is sacred and demonstrates the prevailing peace
between the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga and the
Seneca Nations. The great Chief Hiawatha forged peace
between the five nations, when the nations were warring.
The peace lasts to this day.
The Hiawatha belt is dark with white lines of beading
shaped into four squares. White lines connect each
square and between the four squares is a shape, like a
heart or a tree. The dark area in each square represents
each nations territory.
The design represents the spiritual or ethereal Longhouse.
In the middle of the Longhouse is the Onondaga, Keepers of
the Fire. Keepers of the Eastern Door, the Mohawk Nation,
protects the eastern corridor while the Seneca Nation,
Keepers of the Western Door, protects the western corridor.
The purpose was to be on guard and watch for any trouble,
or evil, that might attack the Confederacy.
The two lines extending from the squares of the Mohawk
and Seneca represent the path of peace. Any nation wishing
to follow the way of peace may find shelter under the tree
of peace, or join the confederacy of the Five Nations.
The George Washington Wampum belt is a white-beaded
belt with dark figures holding hands. In 1789 it was the first
recorded treaty between the natives and Washington, the
first U.S. president.
The belt was to authenticate that a sacred agreement
between the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy and
the 13 original colonies was made.
Dave Labbe, president of the Fort Erie Native Friendship
Centre, says the centre has replicas of sacred Wampum
belts, such as the Two Row belt, in its possession.
In a phone interview, Labbe says this belt is important
because it represents the peace, love and respect that exist
between the two cultures.
“‘The white background represents the river of life. The
two parallel purple, blue rows, separated by three beads of
peace, love and respect, represent the culture of the native
and newcomer.’ The two lines symbolize the two cultures in
canoes navigating the river of life side by side.”
The canoe, he adds, “carries the culture of the native and
of the newcomer such as food, clothing and language.”
Cheerfully, he says, the “canoes were to navigate the
river of life side by side and not interfere with one
another’s life.”
Debra Lee Williams, 30, administrative assistant in the
Aboriginal Education Access Office at Niagara
College’s Welland campus, stands in front of the
Friendship Treaty Wampum belt, in the boardroom at
the Welland campus. The Friendship Treaty belt, presented to the college’s board of governors, finalizes
the treaty and partnership between the college and
the native community. The belt is photographed below.
Photos by E. J. Gooder
Native community driving force for change
By E. J. GOODER
Staff Writer
Having aboriginal research conducted by
aboriginal researchers is the hope of Gail
Lafleur, manager of the Aboriginal
Education Access Office for Niagara
College’s three campuses.
Lafleur, an Anishnabe from the Nipissing
First Nations Reserve of North Bay, Ont.,
attended the Aboriginal Policy Conference
in Ottawa last November. Niagara College
sponsored her participation.
Educators, researchers and native Elders
attended the conference. Among them were
Elder Be’sha Blondin, Alain Jolicoeur,
deputy minister of Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada, and Nils Peterson, vicepresident of research at the University of
Western Ontario in London, Ont.
Lafleur says she didn’t have to write a
report for the college, but that she did buy
resource material for the library in the
Aboriginal Educational Access Office.
Lafleur, of St. Catharines, says this conference was the first of its kind in Canada
regarding the aboriginal population.
Aboriginal professionals, she says,
attended. “Researchers were mainly nonnative and this conference was to promote
more research by aboriginals.”
Lafleur says this conference was important because “research influences the policy
makers and policy affects the lives of the
Gail Lafleur is manager of the
Aboriginal Education Access Office for
Niagara College’s three campuses.
Lafleur is standing beside native art
work in her office at the college’s
Welland campus.
Photo by E.J. Gooder
aboriginal population.”
There were a number of workshops, she
says, such as healing among aboriginal
offenders, demographic trends in the urban
aboriginal population and the growth of the
urban aboriginal population.
Lafleur says she was “emotionally affected” by the workshop on research of the abo-
riginal child and the child welfare system.
“It leaves the child with instability and
what they do is become more deviant.” The
aboriginal child doesn’t have a full sense of
identity, which they would receive in their
own families and communities.
“The majority of incarcerated aboriginal
people went through the child welfare system.” She says research shows that system
is an “entry system into the incarceration
system” for the aboriginal population.
“This just blew my mind. I was just so
disturbed by that.”
The aboriginal child, Lafleur says, has
“overwhelming odds to having a life without so many trials and tribulations.”
“We live,” she says, “in a world of systems” and either enter the educational
system or the judicial system. Many aboriginal people, Lafleur says, end up in the
judicial system because they drop out of
the educational one because of a lack of
understanding.
The research, she says, found that instability in childhood is a large factor in how
the native and non-native child turns out.
“We have such a high incarceration (rate) of
aboriginal people.”
Lafleur says educators are trying to
understand the variables to try to prevent the
pattern from continuing. The conference
focus dealt with the aboriginal population.
“It was very sad.”
Aboriginal women, she says, were
involved and participated in this research.
As a result, she said, she believes there
will be a noticeable influence of native
leadership “in regards” to the child welfare system.
Lafleur says there is growing resistance
to having aboriginal children enter the
child welfare system.
“It was nice to hear the voices of leadership.”
Policy, Lafleur says, makes legislation
and if policy is going to “affect us, then
we have to be part of the driving force”
for change.
This conference demonstrated that there
are “aboriginal people who are educated and
are professional.” There are aboriginal people, she says, wanting and working for
change “collaboratively amongst themselves and with non-natives.”
“A sense of change is coming from the
people who want to improve the quality of
life” for the aboriginal people.
Lafleur says the conference was effective, and the resources available from
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada will
help her follow trends.
This knowledge and information will
help her assist the aboriginal students at
Niagara’s three campuses and the students at Six Nations Polytechnic in
Ohsweken.
Advisory committee acts as ‘two-way street’
By SHANNON BURROWS
Staff Writer
Niagara College’s Broadcasting
– Television, Radio and Film
(BRTF) students now have a better
idea of what’s happening in the
industry.
Seven members of the advisory
committee, six of whom are graduates of the BRTF program at
Niagara, visited the school on Jan.
21 to hold a question-and-answer
seminar for the students and to
share their work experiences.
Members of the committee
included Tom Otto, FAN 590 radio
announcer, Colin Chilvers, special
effects artist, Maggie Craig, script
supervisor, Cal Coons, co-creator
of television’s Blue Murder, Dale
Sheldrake, television and film editor, Jamie Saunders of the Niagara
Regional Police, and Peter
Murray, president of OMNI Media
in St. Catharines. Absent was
Harold Wesley, of CTV.
Ron Tufts, BRTF second- and
third-year presentation teacher,
was master of ceremonies for
the seminar and introduced the
committee.
Otto said the purpose of the
committee is to act as a “twoway street” between the college
and the people in the industry.
They help keep the BRTF professors up-to-date on changes in
the industry and discuss the college’s curriculum.
“You never know where this
industry will take you,” said Otto,
adding that grads may have a “little tougher time” finding their
place in the field because of a
shrinking workforce and rapidly
changing trends.
“Whatever technology you
invest in today will be obsolete
in 12 hours,” said Saunders.
“Development of technology
never slows down. It just keeps
going faster.”
“The digital revolution in special effects in the last five to 10
years has been a phenomenal
thing to see and understand,”
said Chilvers, who won an
Academy Award in 1979 for his
work in Superman. “It’s incredible what can be done. You guys
will have the benefit of that in
the years to come.”
“The education you get here will
do,” said Sheldrake. “Your education will continue long after this.”
“Training is so diverse,” said
Coons, “from watching DVDs to
attending classes.”
Regardless of changing technology, “you still have to worry
about” things like depth of field
and lighting, said Craig,
“Fundamentals ... will always
stay the same,” said Murray.
“You have to be comfortable
learning,” said Craig.
Aside from a willingness to
learn, a successful grad needs to
From left, advisory board committee members Peter Murray, Jamie Saunders, Dale Sheldrake, Cal
Coons, Maggie Craig, Colin Chilvers and Tom Otto addressed the Broadcasting — Radio, Television
and Film program students about issues in the broadcasting industry.
have “gumption” and interpersonal skills and be “passionate, clever,
resourceful, creative,” a “team
player” and “bring enthusiasm to
the job,” said Coons, adding that
networking and contacts are
important. “Don’t get discouraged.
It’s about finding out who you are
and what you want to do. It’s about
experiencing life.”
Sheldrake said interest and
reliability were important on
the job. “I jumped through
hoops to make sure I didn’t
screw up,” he said.
Creativity and good ideas will
always be needed in the industry,
said Murray. “If you are a true
artist, it will show through. If
you’re good, you’re going to ride
it to the top.”
“You are in a creative business,”
said Otto. “You have to have creative dreams. You have to pursue
Photo by Shannon Burrows
those dreams.”
“I think there are a lot of career
opportunities in film,” said Coons.
“You’ve already started. If you’re
not busting your ass now, you’ve
made a big error.”
“You have to keep plugging
along,” said Otto. “Use the skills
that you’ve got ... the talents that
you’ve got. If you’ve got the right
heart and the right spirit, you’ll
make it.”
Makeup ‘absolutely necessary’ for television
By SHANNON BURROWS
Staff Writer
In the television industry, makeup isn’t just for women.
Stoney Creek resident Kathy
Rupcic, professional makeup artist
and graduate of Niagara College’s
Broadcasting — Radio, Television
and Film (BRTF) program, visited
the school on Jan. 31 to talk about
her job and demonstrate how to
apply makeup for TV.
After several positions in the
broadcasting industry, Rupcic
went to the Toronto School of
Makeup Art. “I wanted to do
something creative,” she says.
Rupcic does makeup mostly for
three times a year, as a freelancer.
She says she works “full-time
plus, between everything that’s
happening.”
She says she enjoys working
for the opera because there are a
lot of “special effects” and
“character” to work with. “It’s a
nice diversion from TV,” so she
can broaden her abilities.
Rupcic says makeup is
“absolutely necessary” for television, yet many men who
appear on television are nervous
about wearing cosmetics.
“It’s a technical need; it’s not
an aesthetic need. It was men
who established this field. It’s
Second-year Broadcasting — Radio, Television and Film program
presentation student Blair Hough gets a makeover for TV by professional makeup artist, Kathy Rupcic.
TV personalities, but also for film,
stage and photography subjects.
She works at CH Morning Live in
Hamilton and at Opera Canada
not a girly-girl thing. There’s not
a television show happening
without makeup.”
She says without makeup,
people on screen would look
“blotchy, sick, sallow, have
shadows on their face and
greasy-looking skin.”
“There’s nothing more unattractive that watching someone on TV
with a greasy face,” says Rupcic.
“How you appear to yourself or
others is different than how you
appear through film.”
Rupcic says that regular
everyday makeup won’t work;
you have to use products
designed for TV. She uses products such as MAC or Cinema
Secrets. “TV makeup has
evolved a lot. TV has refined the
products a lot.”
“(You) need to know what
your skin type is,” says Rupcic,
so that you know which products
to “stay away from.” For example, she says, people with oily
skin should avoid greasy products, and people with drier skin
can use creamier products.
She says CH Morning Live
receives “many” e-mails from
viewers regarding the hairstyles,
clothes and makeup they see on
the show. “We’re very visually oriented. People notice that.”
She says some of the biggest
priorities in applying makeup to
TV faces are “contouring the face,
minimizing shine and smoothing
the skin tone.”
She says she tries to obtain an
oval shape when contouring
because it’s presumed to be the
ideal shape.
She says a subject’s normal
skin tone is distorted on camera,
so it is important to add warmth
and colour to the skin through
the use of cosmetics. “What you
see to the human eye is not what
you see on camera.”
“Keep it neat, keep it defined,”
she says. “Think of the credible
Kathy Rupcic demonstrates applying makeup for television on
second-year Broadcasting — Radio, Television and Film program presentation student Liz Jansen, who will be appearing on
BRTF’s upcoming TV show, Inside Niagara.
Rupcic says, when choosing image you want to give.”
colours of foundation, “Don’t
She recommends drying clay or
match the skin tone exactly. paste for men’s hairstyles as
Warm it up.”
opposed to gel, which gets too
She says when makeup artists shiny. As for keeping your subject
are working on men, they focus comfortable with the idea of wearon skin tone, but on colour for ing so much makeup, Rupcic says,
women. “I do a lot of mixing and “Don’t seem tentative or afraid” to
blending. The most essential apply makeup.
tools for a makeup artist are her
“This is strictly technical. It is
brushes. The types of brushes amazing how many terrific
you use can make a huge differ- make-up artists are out there
ence in your work.”
with absolutely no tact. They
Rupcic demonstrated applying just don’t know how to dialogue
makeup for TV on BRTF second- with people.”
year presentation students Liz
“Don’t be snobby about where
Jansen and Blair Hough, who will you’re going to work,” says
be appearing on BRTF’s upcoming Rupcic. “Be willing, available and
TV show, Inside Niagara.
a hard worker.”
INSIDE NIAGARA
Second-year Broadcasting — Radio, Television and Film program
students are busy constructing the set for Inside Niagara, Niagara
College’s annual student-produced TV show. Inside Niagara airs
live from TV Studio Two in the Voyageur Wing on Thursday, Feb.
13. See story on page 12.
Clockwise from left, second-year
BRTF program
students Geordie Rockey, Jeremy
Wilson, Ryan Blore, Mike Osburn
and Alicia Luckhardt.
Clockwise, overhead
view of the Inside
Niagara set in TV
Studio Two; Jay
Fiegehen; Geordie
Rockey and Ryan
Blore; Brian Currie
and Mike Osburn;
Ryan Tonellato,
Jeremy Wilson and
Jay Fiegehen.
Photos and pagination by Shannon Burrows
Inside Niagara hits Cogeco airwaves
Broadcast students
to go live to air
By SHANNON BURROWS
Staff Writer
Inside Niagara is back.
Hitting the airwaves from
Thursday, Feb. 13, until April 24,
the half-hour television show is
broadcast live on Cogeco Cable
10 every Thursday at noon and
repeated at 6:30 p.m. and
Saturdays at 4 p.m.
Produced by second-year
Broadcasting — Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) television
production students and hosted by
second-year BRTF presentation
students, the show includes local
sports and entertainment, tip of
the week and adopt-a-pet segments.
Under the instruction of BRTF
professors Ron Tufts and Tom
Pagonis, who are “here to guide
them,” says Pagonis, the students
rotate through various positions
such as directing, producing, camera work, audio and field production, expanding their skills.
Preparations have been going
on for three weeks, says Pagonis.
He says Inside Niagara has been
airing since the 1970s, but has not
always gone by that name.
“It’s evolved quite a bit. There’s
a lot more shooting, a lot more
editing. It’s a good project.
They’re dealing with not only the
college but also the community.
They’re out there shooting, getting into real-life situations.”
Please note the show will not be
airing the week of Feb. 27, when
the college is on a break week.
The BRTF Web site is
www.broadcasting.niagarac.on.ca.
Second-year Broadcasting — Radio, Television and Film program production students Ryan
Tonellato, Mike Osburn and Brian Currie construct the set for Inside Niagara, which airs live
Thursday, Feb. 13 out of TV Studio Two in the Voyageur Wing.
Zooz hosts endangered leopard in Species Survival Program
By LESLIE BRANCONNIER
Staff Writer
The Amur leopard has arrived at
the Zooz in Fort Erie.
The Zooz recently showed off
this rare and endangered leopard,
named Sergai, during the
Winterfest Sportsman Show, at
the Fort Erie Race Track on Jan.
18 and 19.
The Zooz was selected to host
the Amur leopard as part of the
Species Survival Program, a North
American
Population
Management plan, operated by the
American Zoo and Aquarium
Association.
Zooz is on Stevensville Road,
directly off the Queen Elizabeth
Highway, and No. 3 Highway.
“There are less than 50 of these
rare leopards left in the wild due to
habitat destruction, loss of prey
and poaching for fur,” a Zooz
press release says. “The Amur is
distinct from other leopards
because of long legs and long hair
that allows it to live in cold, snowy
climates. They inhabit a small area
in Russia, near China and Korea,
along the Amur River.”
“We take caring for these
extremely rare animals very seriously,” Tim Tykolis, general manager of the Zooz. “We welcome
the Amur leopard to our Zooz family, and the entire Zooz team will
ensure that he is safe, healthy and
ready to help with the survival of
the species.”
The Zooz has built a new natural enclosure for the leopard in the
Silent Forest.
“Our new leopard will be in a
very natural environment while
visitors to Zooz enjoy the wonder
of one of nature’s most beautiful
and rare cats.”
The Zooz opened to the public
on May 18, 2002. The Zooz has
interactive educational displays,
art exhibits, fishing ponds, kite
flying, an animal petting area, a
children’s playground, restaurant
facilities, a picnic area, a walking
path, trolley tours and themed gift
shops.
Facilities Management Services Web site to be unveiled soon
By AMANDA KLASSEN
Staff Writer
The Facilities Management
Services department at Niagara
College is getting ready to unveil its
Web site.
Bart Lanni, a technologist in the
department, has been working to get
the Web site ready.
“We are hoping it is going to make
us more visible and will give people
an idea of what services we do provide,” says Lanni.
The Web site will be linked off the
college’s
main
site,
www.niagarac.on.ca.
It will provide information such as
the department’s vision statement,
college history, funding, a how-to
page, contact information about the
department’s staff, custodial ser-
vices, preventative maintenance
schedule, a feedback section and,
what is most-requested, a service
request form.
“The big thrust will be that a lot of
people are always requesting plans
for their area of the building, and you
will be able to get them online now.”
This will eliminate the plans having to be sent out every time there is
a change made to the building. The
only plans not available will be the
Day-Care Centre at the Welland
campus and the police firing-range
building, also at the Welland campus, because of safety concerns.
The Web site still needs a final
clearance but should be online by the
end of February.
Lanni says he will be meeting Rob
Kreamer, the college Web master, to
go through the technical aspects of
the site to make sure it is within the
guidelines of the college.
“Part of my role is to make sure
the information gets out there and it
is the proper information that is
available.”
Lanni says that it is his job to keep
the Web site up and running.
“I am happy with it. It is something that is alive and ready to rock.”
The Web site is a tool to make
everyone aware of the plans and to
see the progress the department is
making on projects. The information
that will be on the Web site will be
the most current information available, says Lanni.
“We want the Web page to be
totally interactive and we want people to use it.”
Bart Lanni, a technologist for the Facilities Management Services
department, stands beside a computer displaying the new Web
site that should be ready by the end of February.
Photo by Amanda Klassen
College’s Culinary Institute teaching couples to heat things up in the kitchen
By AMY CONTOIS
Staff Writer
Dust off your apron and hoist up your
sleeves for an afternoon of culinary delight.
Niagara College, in partnership with the
Niagara Culinary Institute, is hosting its
second annual Couples in the Kitchen
seminar.
Couples are invited to join husband-andwife chef team Tim and Cathy O’Donnell at
the Maid of the Mist campus, in Niagara
Falls, on Sunday, Feb. 9, from noon to 6
p.m. to get their hands dirty while learning
how to prepare a decadent meal.
Cindy Andrews, manager of the college’s
Tourism Industry Development Centre, says
the seminars are “very hands-on.”
“They will be whisking, chopping, slicing
and cooking. More
than anything, it’s
just a lot of fun in the
kitchen.”
Andrews says she
wants to assure anyone who is interested
in participating that
the seminar is not
exclusively for couples. She says mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers and friends are welcome.
She also encourages anyone who wishes to
come alone.
The couples will learn to make their own
appetizer, entrée and
dessert. This year, they
will be making oyster
soup, duck, a salad and
crème brûlée. They
will then enjoy a sitdown dinner in the
Kerrio Room, the oncampus dining room,
where they will eat the
fruits of their labour.
Tickets are $150 a couple and there is still
‘More than anything,
it’s just a lot of fun
in the kitchen.’
— Cindy Andrews
space available.
The institute offers hands-on cooking
seminars throughout the year. Some of the
upcoming events are Winter Soups and
Salads, Feb. 20, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
Bachelor Cooking, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m., Comfort Food, March 2, from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m., Mom/Dad and Me Cooking,
March 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., My Big
Fat Greek Dinner, March 23, from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. and Easter Desserts, April 13, from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information about any of the
seminars, or to order tickets, call 905-7352211, ext. 3602.
Government downloading costing region
By LORI LANGLEY
Staff Writer
The Ontario provincial government’s downloading of
costs over the years has taken its toll on the Niagara
Region.
“They walked away from the Niagara Region,” says
Brian Heit, deputy mayor of St. Catharines.
Mayor of Niagara Falls Wayne Thomson says downloading has had a “detrimental effect” on his city.
Cindy Forster, mayor of Welland, says, “There’s been a
lot of impact” on her city.
In order to keep a balanced budget, the Tories downloaded costs for such things as roads, infrastructure and
transit, to the regions. The regions then passed those
costs down to the municipalities.
Forster says public transportation was “adversely
affected” in Welland. There are three transit systems
among the 12 municipalities in the Niagara Region.
“There are people who want to work and are qualified to
work, but can’t because they don’t have transportation,”
says Forster.
Welland used to receive subsidies for up to 75 per cent
of its transit costs, but is now spending $500,000 to
$750,000 a year to keep the system running, and Forster
says there has been “a huge impact on repairs.”
‘They walked away from
the Niagara Region.’
—Cindy Forster
Other areas in Welland that have been affected by
downloading are social housing, ambulance service and
infrastructure that include roads, sewers, waterlines and
sidewalks.
Niagara Falls has been affected by downloading in
several areas, says Thomson, adding, he hopes for
“kinder policies” from the provincial government in the
future.
“It’s easy to reduce taxes and indicate a balanced
budget,” as the Ontario government has done, he
says, but “taxpayers have felt the pinch of downloading.”
In St. Catharines, people and their vehicles have felt
the pinch because of poor road conditions.
Heit says St. Catharines now has what people call a
“pothole inspector.” The inspector is to make sure the most
pressing repairs are done and to reduce lawsuits against the
city as a result of poor road and sidewalk conditions.
The roads in St. Catharines have a quality rating of 76 to
77 per cent, based on provincial criteria.
He says Tim Rigby, mayor of St. Catharines, was
in favour of amalgamation of the municipalities in
the Niagara Region. However, because of the failure
of the forced amalgamations of Ottawa and Toronto,
the provincial government dropped any other slated
amalgamations.
Heit says roads and the transit system were the areas
hardest hit by downloading costs in St. Catharines.
Cafeteria offers students healthful eating choices
By CARISSA PERTSCHY
“We have a deli that offers a Ontario restaurants for meeting
Staff Writer
variety of different breads, high standards in food safety,
Eat Smarter, feel better.
falling in line with Canada’s nutrition and non-smoking
Meet the challenge to choose Food Guide,” says Fox. “The seating.
meals that are fast, flexible and special meal every day will
The program’s goal is to conhealthful. Visit the cafeteria have nutritional information tribute to the reduction of
and make Eat
chronic diseases
Smart choices
including heart
today.
disease and canN i a g a r a
cer, as well as
College
and
food-borne illA r a m a r k ,
ness in Ontario.
N i a g a r a
There are difCollege’s food
ferent aspects to
providers, were
food’s benefits.
given an Eat
Healthful eating
Smart award of
for
students
excellence at a
helps with their
Wellness conferalertness
and
ence
in
concentration
November.
and overall wellAs an award
being, says Anna
winner, Niagara
Porretta, dietiCollege is reccian with the
ognized as meet- Anna Porretta, dietician with the Regional Niagara Public Health R e g i o n a l
ing
healthful Department, stands next to her nutrition display at Niagara Niagara Public
food and kitchen College’s Welland campus on Jan. 29 to provide students and staff Health departc r i t e r i a with nutritional information as part of the Eat Smart program kickoff. ment.
a p p r o v e d
“Eat more fruit
Photo by Carissa Pertschy
provincially by
and vegetables,
medical officers of health, says available. As well, nutritional choose lower fat dairy products,
Christine Philbrick, Niagara information for most types of and eat leaner meat,” says
College’s nurse.
food will be displayed for stu- Porretta.
The official launch of the Eat dents.”
“Try to develop healthful eatSmart program on Jan. 29 proThe Eat Smart designation ing behaviour now and continue
motes healthful eating at recognizes exceptional stan- on with it further in your life.”
Niagara College’s three cam- dards in healthful food choices,
“A restaurant or cafeteria
puses.
food safety and non-smoking with the Eat Smart designation
On Jan. 29, there were give- environments.
Niagara will offer a variety of healthy
aways of fruit and fruit juice, College’s cafeterias provide a food choices on the menu, high
while quantities lasted, at the wide range of nutritional standards in food safety and
three campuses.
choices.
handling and more non-smokAs well, a fruit basket, a pair
“This is an award of excel- ing seating than is required by
of Rollerblades and movie tick- lence, and we are proud to law,” says Philbrick.
ets were given away at every offer our students and staff Eat
You can contact the Regional
campus.
Smart
options,”
says Public Health department at
“Niagara College is proud to Philbrick.
905-688-3769 ext. 344 or 1-800launch this program,” says
Eat Smart, Ontario’s health- 7248,
or
go
online
at
Sandy Fox, director of ancillary ful restaurant program, is an www.regional.niagara.on.ca for
services.
exclusive program that awards more information.
At front left, Aliye Grant, 21, of Niagara Falls, a second-year Educational
Assistant — Special Needs Support (EASNS) program student at Niagara
College’s Welland campus, talks with Sandy Fox, director of ancillary services at Niagara College, about healthful eating on Jan. 29. Second-year
EASNS student Rebecca McEachern, 20, of Welland, listens. It was the college’s Eat Smart kickoff.
Jan. 29 was the kickoff for Niagara College’s Eat Smart program
at the three campuses. Above is a display of fresh fruit and fruit
juice giveaways. As well, at this table at the Welland campus,
there were draws for Rollerblades and movie tickets.
Mechanic lends advice for drivers on winter car maintenance
By KATE DESROCHES
Staff Writer
Mechanics don’t deserve the bad rap
they sometimes get.
“There are a lot of good, honest
mechanics out there,” says Earl
Gilson, of Gilson’s Auto Repair, in
Niagara Falls.
Gilson and his shop have been fixing
cars for 20 years. He offers this advice for
winter car maintenance.
“Oil changes always, anti-freeze and
windshield washer fluid.”
He also says to not let your vehicle’s
gasoline levels fall below a quarter tank;
half a tank is better. “Only in a perfect
world do people run around with a full
tank of gas.”
Gilson says that one of the most
important things a person can do is learn
a little something about cars through
magazines, books. “They will teach you
how to change spark plugs and things
like that.”
Eighty per cent of Gilson’s clientele are
women and, he says, the worst part of his
job is calling clients to tell them they
have a big repair.
“It’s almost like telling a person
someone in their family has died.
Saying they need a new engine and
it will cost $700 is very hard. I usually get Wayne, my other mechanic,
to do it.”
Gilson’s Auto Repair at 8407 Stanley
Ave., in Niagara Falls, behind
Marineland.
The college has not offered
Continuing Education courses since the
late 1980s, but the Motive Power
Operations — Automotive program at
the Welland campus provides hands-on
training for the automotive field. A
state-of-the-art Skill Centre for Motive
Power Training offers courses in welding, vehicle body and structure,
hydraulics, drivetrain technology,
power plant, computer applications,
suspension and steering systems, braking systems, automotive electrical and
electronic controls, customer relations
and career planning.
Panic disorder can affect one in 75 people
By DONNA DURIC
Staff Writer
Many of us have experienced
situations in which we feel panicky and anxious. Our adrenaline
starts pumping, our hearts start
pounding and we start to tremble
or feel shaky.
This is a normal, instinctive
response to danger, called the
flight-or-fight syndrome. It’s biologically programmed into human
beings to enable us to overcome
threatening situations.
However, some people feel
these symptoms when there is no
perceivable threat or danger looming, and they suffer through them
on a chronic basis. This is what
happens to people with panic
disorder.
About one in 75 people suffers
from panic disorder. The average
time of onset is during adolescence or early adulthood.
People with panic disorder will
experience a sudden, acute “panic
attack” any time and any place
with no warning. They are filled
with a paralyzing sense of terror,
along with a number of other
physical and emotional symptoms.
Common symptoms of panic
attacks are sweating, shaking, nausea, numbness, dizziness, tingling
in the limbs, hot flashes, breathing
problems, a fear of going crazy
and a sense of feeling separated
from one’s body.
Shari Brooks, 26, of Binbrook,
Ont., is a first-time mother of a
three-month-old girl. She started
experiencing panic attacks a few
weeks after giving birth to
her baby.
“I never had them before in my
life. Then all of sudden here I am
getting them when I have a baby to
take care of,” she says.
Brooks experienced her first
panic attack when she was at home
alone in her apartment. It was in
the early morning hours, around 1
a.m. or 2 a.m., and, she says, she
felt terror at the prospect of being
alone so late at night.
“I was outside having a cigarette
and I just looked around me and
realized how dark and deserted
everything was. The whole world
was asleep. This wave of terror
just swept over me.”
Following that incident, Brooks
started experiencing chronic anxiety during the daytime, fearing the
onset of another panic attack once
nighttime set in. She experienced a
few more panic attacks late at
night, she said, before she realized
she had to do something about
them. Her doctor decided to prescribe her an anti-anxiety medication called Ativan.
“I couldn’t be like that when I
had a baby to take care of.”
Brooks was prescribed the standard starting dose of 0.5 mg. She
was told to take one pill before
bedtime, but she didn’t find herself
needing to right away, because just
knowing she had them, she says,
made her feel safe.
Eventually, she said, she found
herself needing to take one at
night, which she did for about two
weeks, but now she no longer
needs them.
“I stayed at home by myself for
a few nights, and I forgot my pills
at my mother’s house. I said,
‘Forget it. I’m sick of this. I have
no choice but to try and get
through this.’”
Brooks says she felt a few
moments of panic starting to creep
in a few times, but she ignored
them and talked herself out
of them.
People with panic disorder are at
risk of developing a more serious
problem called agoraphobia. This
illness results when one experiences a panic attack in certain
places and then starts avoiding
those places for fear of getting
another panic attack. Some people
become housebound.
However, the Web site for the
American
Psychological
Association says, people with
panic disorder can lead normal
lives and almost 90 per cent of
cases are highly treatable. A combination of medication and behaviour therapy is the treatment for
this condition. Improvement is
noticed within 10 to 20 weeks
after starting therapy.
For more information on panic
disorder, visit www.apa.org.
Shari Brooks experienced her first panic attack within weeks of
giving birth to her baby girl, Emma.
Photo by Donna Duric
Pill Diane-35 not approved for birth control
By ROBYNE SIMPSON
Staff Writer
If you are taking the contraception and
acne treatment pill Diane-35, there are a
few things you should know about it.
In a Jan. 16 article in the Waterloo and
Kitchener newspaper, The Record, it was
reported that Diane-35, manufactured by
Schering AG in Germany, is being misused
as a contraceptive, with women using it for
birth control when it has not been approved
for that use.
The concern with Diane-35 is that it
increases your chance of developing blood
clots up to four times more than standard
birth control, according to The Record.
According to the Diane-35 Web site, the
contraceptive reliability is as high as any
other combined oral contraceptive.
CBC states that it discovered Diane-35 is
being prescribed as a birth control pill in
Canada.
Dr. Robert Peterson, on the CBC Web
page, in an interview, said that because of
concerns about this product, there is a specific notation in the information available to
physicians that this should not be used as an
oral contraceptive.
Peterson is a member of Health Canada
and director general of Health Canada’s
Therapeutic Product Directorate.
Elizabeth Wheeler, 24, of Cambridge,
Ont., a second-year student in the Dental
Hygiene program here, says she wasn’t
aware of the risk factor with blood clotting.
“The way my doctor presented it to me
was that it was a contraceptive and it also
helped treat acne.”
Physicians advise
against use
as contraceptive.
Wheeler says she didn’t know it wasn’t
approved for birth control either.
A phone operator for Emergency
Contraceptive Pills said that side effects
happen with every pill.
She said, “When you come in to go on
the pill, you watch videos and learn all
about the certain birth control you will be
going on. There are risks with every birth
control pill.”
Diane-35, the acne and contraceptive pill, is misused as a contraceptive. Although
women are using it for birth control, it has not been approved for that use.
Photo by Robyne Simpson
Fundraising dance will support Heart Niagara
By ELYSE DEBRUYN
Staff Writer
Heart Niagara is a non-profit organization. On Feb. 8, a fundraising dance is being
held in at the Willoughby Fire Hall on
Sodom Road in Niagara Falls. Tickets are
$10 each. The dance begins at 9 p.m.
Feb. 14 is the official day for love and the
time to help heal the hearts of those with
heart disease.
In a pamphlet about heart disease, women
are warned that their symptoms can differ
from men’s. They are more likely to experience atypical symptoms such as vague chest
discomfort.
Richard Sutherland, manager of scientific
communications for the Heart and Stoke
Foundation, said women’s hearts are
smaller than men’s.
“Women are reasonably protected by
estrogen until menopause. After menopause
they are just as susceptible as men are.”
Sutherland said women are more likely to
have heart disease because their hearts are
“smaller and are harder to repair when it
gets injured.”
“Women should go to cardiac rehab classes and they aren’t showing up.”
In cardiac rehab, Sutherland said, the
patients are taught what to eat and how to
make life easier and better after a heart
attack or stroke.
“People are unaware they have heart disease and check into the hospital with pneumonia (because they are) going to the doctor way too late.”
“First of all, people have to be aware of a
healthy diet. No saturated fats and exercise
are very important. Then blood pressure is
taken every year after the age of 25. Obesity
can cause Type 2 diabetes and ends in heart
disease.”
Carolyn Gould, college nurse, said the
Heart and Stroke Foundation helps a lot of
people. “It’s a good foundation.”
Joanne Gale, administrative assistant for
Heart Niagara, said the dance’s proceeds
would benefit a school program.
“The program teaches Grade 9 students
cardio-pulmonary rescuscitation and cholesterol testing. Every student in Niagara
Region will have this training at no cost,”
said Gale.
For more information about the
fundraising dance, call Heart Niagara
at 905-358-5552.
One’s faith in God helps accomplish goals
By MARIAN ORLEANS
Staff Writer
Column
Following one’s goal in life can be difficult at times, but
with the right help and
guidance from friends,
families and one’s faith in
God, it can be accomplished.
I’ve always admired
people who know what
they want to do in life and
try to make it happen. One
of those people, someone
I’m very proud of, is my
23-year-old
brother,
Jeffery Orleans.
He has been a born-again
Christian for about six
years, teaching and helping
Christians understand the
true meaning of being a
Christian and following the
word of God and the teachings of the Bible himself.
Orleans’s testimony on
why and how he became a Christian has always been this:
“I had an experience with Jesus. I wanted to know if Jesus
Christ was real, so I invited Him to my life.”
He’s travelled the United States, Guinea, West
Africa and some provinces in Canada, teaching about
the word of God.
go to Oral Roberts University. The money was only
Orleans always wanted to go to a Christian university to enough to pay for his plane ticket, registration fee and his
study theology after secondary school. After he graduated house rent. He didn’t have his tuition paid yet. Despite
from Bramalae Secondary School in Brampton, he took a that, he bought the ticket and went to the university.
year off school to
A few days after the semester startconcentrate on his
ed, Orleans went to the school’s
bible studies in the
financial aid office to talk to one of
church. He then
the workers there about his financial
decided to go to
state.
York University in
After the discussion, he was told to
Toronto, to take a
come in the next day to speak with the
course to get into
head person in charge of approving
the
university’s
school loans for students.
Social
Service
Orleans says his intention wasn’t
Worker program.
to apply for a student loan. He went
He took the prothere because he had faith that if he
gram
at
York
told someone at the office about his
University for a
financial problem, God would help
semester and made
him get the money for his tuition.
up his mind to go to
He went to the office the next day
the Christian uniand was given half of his tuition for
versity he wanted
the school year, which he didn’t
to attend, Oral
have to pay back.
Roberts University,
Orleans says he always had faith
in Oklahoma. He
that if he went to the university,
JEFFERY ORLEANS
didn’t attend the
God would bless him with his
first time he was accepted there because
tuition. Now that he has half of it
he didn’t have enough money to pay for his tuition and paid, he’s hoping to pay off the rest by the end of the
accommodation.
school year.
During the Christmas holidays last year, he received a
Orleans is a first-year student in the college’s foursum of money from his church members in Brampton, to year Social Service Worker and Theology program.
Submitted photo
‘I had an
experience with
Jesus. I wanted to
know if Jesus
Christ was real, so
I invited Him to
my life.’
— Jeffery Orleans
Female travel agent not intimidated in career
By ROBYNE SIMPSON
Staff Writer
If you are interested in travelling and helping people plan their
vacation, then take advice from a
travel agency owner.
Susan-Jane Moir, 44, from
Sunderland, Ont., is the owner of
Parkwood Travel Inc. in Oshawa,
Ont.
Moir has been owner of the
Moir was employed there 14
years before she took over.
As a woman owning a business, Moir says, there were no
disadvantages,
“probably
because most travel agencies are
owned or run by a woman. I
guess in some other type of business there may be some disadvantages, but then, I believe, if
you act professional you will be
‘The business world changes
every day and you have to
keep abreast of everything
around you.’
— Susan-Jane Moir
company for two years and used
to be an employee. She bought
the company from her former
boss, Yvette Adamkovics, who
started the business in 1982.
taken seriously.”
Moir, who grew up in
Scarborough, went to Centennial
College there, taking travel and
tourism.
“In school I enjoyed geography
and found different cultures
interesting. Travelling was a
great pleasure, and I also liked
working with people.”
In taking over the business,
Moir says her main worries were
to keep business steady, to attract
more clientele and to keep
abreast of all things in the business.
Her main personal goal was to
learn the accounting, keeping the
books, for the office.
“I have never taken any course
on accounting.”
Moir’s main goal for the office
is to make it work and to serve
the consumer to the best of the
business’s ability.
“A happy client is a returning
client.”
Moir says she doesn’t feel it
would be different for her starting the business 20 years ago.
“The prior owner of Parkwood
Travel was a woman, and she
opened the office 20 years ago. I
do not think she was ever intimidated by anyone just because she
was a woman. I feel the same
way today.”
The advice she would give
another woman is to be professional and keep an open mind.
“The business world changes
every day and you have to keep
abreast of everything around
you.”
Think outside the
FISHBOWL!!
There are only five chances left
to advertise in the Niagara News.
The distribution dates are
Feb. 14, March 14, March 21,
April 4, and Thursday, April 17.
To advertise, contact Linda Camus
at 905-735-2211, ext. 7748.
!
p
u
t
i
Turn
Sports
Volleyball teams continue winning ways
By JORDIE FRY
Staff Writer
With a combined record of 23
wins and one loss, the Niagara
College
volleyball
teams
improved their records at a doubleheader in Hamilton at
Mohawk College on Jan. 30.
The women improved their
record to 12-1 after dispelling a
tough Mohawk team in five sets.
With three games left on the
schedule, all on their home court,
the women will cruise into the
playoffs hoping to stay focused
during the last games.
The
Mountaineers
shell-
shocked Niagara by taking the
first two sets 25-21 and 25-23.
The women showed how they
lost only one game all year as
they stormed back taking the
final three sets 25-17, 25-12 and
18-16. Ginni Llord led the
Knights with 20 kills and two
stuffed blocks for a total of 22
points.
The men, next to play, put their
undefeated record up against one
of the league’s worst teams and
that is exactly how Niagara
played this game.
The Knights came out playing
like the better team, winning the
first two sets 25-21 and 25-23
before Niagara Coach Kerby
Bentley made subs for the third
game, thinking they would get
the job done.
Bentley says there is no reason
why his subs should not have
won that game.
“They had a job to do and they
should have gotten it done, no
excuses.”
Bentley resorted to his starters
in the fourth set despite a few
key injuries to Nick Touchette
(finger) and Mike King (ankle)
but, once again, they couldn’t
finish the job. With their unde-
feated season on the line, the
Knights showed the heart of
champions, rebounding to win
the fifth and final set convincingly, 15-8.
Graeme Gaunt led the Knights
with 27 offensive points (26 kills
and one stuffed block).
The men’s team also participated in the Mercyhurst Tournament
in Erie, Pa., as the Canadian representative. While losing all three
games, coach Bentley says they
had some tough competition but,
overall, it was “a good experience” for his team.
“In our first game we lost to
Mercyhurst in three sets, then we
played the University of Puerto
Rico, who had a few former
national players on their team.
We took one set from them,
which was pretty good, and in
our last game we also took one
set from the eventual tournament
champions, St. Francis.”
Both teams play tonight on
their home court against
Ancaster’s Redeemer College. It
will be a special occasion, as a
ceremony for Gaunt will be held
before the men’s game, for all he
has done in his four-year career
as a Knight.
Confusing playoff picture for basketball teams
By JORDIE FRY
Staff Writer
In Niagara College basketball
play, the men’s and women’s
teams each earned a win and a
loss, further confusing their
playoff picture.
In an away game doubleheader
Feb. 4 against Ancaster’s
Redeemer College, the women
took the floor first and squeaked
out a 55-54 win. Leading scorer
for the women was Shannon
Katch with 22. Tasha Dolinski
and Theresa Birnie had 10
points, while Carrie Stratford
chipped in with eight.
The men followed the
women’s example but took it to
the next level, winning 100-78.
Edson Jones led the Knights with
a 29-point performance, while
Jamaal Cornwall and Nimie
Yanay each netted 18 and 17
points respectively. Rounding
out the double-digit scorers for
the Knights were Eliran Kikos
with 13, while Kyle Young and
Richard Welcome each dropped
in 10.
Jones says a 12-2 run early in
the second half ensured the win
for the Knights.
“That run blew open the game
and there was no looking back
after that.”
In a doubleheader at Windsor’s
St. Clair College on Feb. 1, both
teams suffered defeats that left a
bad taste in their mouths. With
the women taking to the hardwood first, they came out with a
stellar first half, ignoring the
rowdy fans and playing some
good basketball.
Stratford says they had “a
Spotlight
on the
Knights
Edvart Uka, No. 4, is
the power player for
men’s
volleyball
team at the college.
Uka is a second-year
student
in
the EDVART UKA
General Arts and Science program. The
24-year-old, of Albania, said he has
always enjoyed playing volleyball,
especially here in Canada where he has
made many new friends. Uka said his
favourite professional volleyball player
is the Captain of Team Yugoslavia,
Nikola Grbic.
Text by Marian Orleans/Photo by Sara Campbell
good first half,” especially point
guard Tasha Dolinski who
stepped up.
“Tasha hit a three right at the
end of the first half that put us up
by one. She had a solid game,
fouled out in the second half but
still played solid.”
Then it all went downhill.
Stratford says, they “just unraveled in the second half.”
“We never came out serious in
the second. They went on a run
to start the second half, and we
didn’t regain our composure all
game.”
When it was all said and done,
the Knights had blown a onepoint halftime lead and turned it
into a 78-54 beating from the
Saints.
The men hit the court after seeing what unfolded in the
women’s game but didn’t seem
fazed by what happened.
Jones says he didn’t think the
“big rowdy crowd” affected his
team.
“We just played through it.
They weren’t that bad. I’ve seen
worse. I like crowds like that any
ways.”
The entire game was close
with neither team showing that it
really wanted the win. With the
Knights up by three late in the
game, they missed a couple key
freethrows that would have
sealed the win. That, in turn,
spelled disaster for the Knights
as the Saints’ point guard
Joaquin Littlejohn did the
inevitable, sending the game into
overtime.
“After the missed freethrows,
they raced down court and hit a
Spotlight
on the
Knights
three with 3.8 seconds left.”
Niagara still had time on the
clock for one more quick shot
but, Jones says, he doesn’t really
know what happened.
“I was set up in the press break
and went to turn around and got
hit in the head. I blanked out a
little and just remember going to
the bench and being told we were
going to overtime.”
The Knights failed to come
back in overtime and the Saints
prevailed 98-96, sending the men
home just as disappointed as the
women.
While the men sit atop the
West division at 7-2, they hold
onto the hope of winning their
first West title. The women
improved to 4-3 and sit in third
place in the West division, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Spotlight
on the
Knights
Tommy Harris, No.
8, power/right-side
player for the college’s
volleyball
team, is a first-year
student
in
the TOMMY HARRIS
Business Administration – Marketing
program. Harris, of Mississauga, said he
also played volleyball at John Fraser
Secondary School and for JCC Blues
Volleyball Club. Harris said he came to
Niagara because “the volleyball program is one of the best in the nation.” He
said his favourite professional players
are Cal Rydier Jr. and Rich Thompson.
Brian Deryck, No. 1,
setter for the college’s
volleyball
team, is a fourth-year
student
in
the
M e c h a n i c a l BRIAN DERYCK
Engineering Technology (Co-op) program. Deryck, of Chatham, said he also
played volleyball for Chatham-Kent
Secondary School. Deryck said he came
to Niagara College because of the program he enrolled in and the volleyball
team. He said his favourite professional
player is Shawn Barbisan, of Geneva
Volleyball team.
Coaches recruit high school students for teams
Photo by Adam Campbell
By SARA CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
As high school athletes consider where they will be next
year, college and university
coaches have begun recruiting,
an issue about which Ray Sarkis,
director
of
the
Athletic
Department at Niagara College,
said many students have misconceptions.
RAY SARKIS
Sarkis said recruiting is a yearlong job for the coaches, going
to high schools, events, tourna-
ments or championship games.
Once a new recruit is found, he
said, three to four months of the
coaches’ time is spent on constant contact and getting the
player to apply to the college.
“We tell students they can’t
apply after deadline and we cannot help them get into a program
after deadline just for the sake of
having them on a team. We don’t
have any leverage.”
He said that, in the past, some
programs with space available
allowed students to enrol but the
college no longer accepts that.
“If we have the program they
require they can come visit the
college and we will see how we
can help them financially,” he
said, adding students see a financial difference at Niagara College.
“We consider the cost of living
for them and compare it to other
colleges or universities in
Toronto or Hamilton,” he said.
“Welland seems to be less costly
and ideal.”
Sarkis said athletes are chosen
by what their skill level is, what
potential they have or what positions are available. He added
students may send videotapes of
themselves if coaches are unable
to see them in action, such as
was the case with Eduart Uka, of
into other scholarships or awards
available to them.”
The athletic department, Sarkis
said, assists a recruited athlete
‘There are many
misconceptions that a lot of
scholarships are available, but
there are not.’
— Ray Sarkis
Albania.
“The coaches work through
their high school coaches and
once we are in contact with them
(athletes) we need to see what
they are academically like.”
Scholarships are only awarded, Sarkis said, if the athlete is
doing well academically.
“I am usually checking their
marks myself, along with the
coaches,” he said. “Then if they
are on the honour roll we look
with tuition through the scholarship program. He said up to
$1,000 scholarships are offered,
with about $500 per term.
“We push the athlete academically to help them earn their
scholarship. These athletes need
scholarships (because) between
school and games they can’t earn
money by getting a job,” he said.
“They are working hard representing us, the college.”
Sarkis said the athletic depart-
ment raises money for the scholarships through admission fees
for tournaments or games,
advertising packages and billboards. Any money that is left
over from one year is transferred
to the next.
“There are many misconceptions that a lot of scholarships are
available, but there are not.”
He said high school students
should consider that when making their college selection. With
the double cohort next year, it
may be a surprise as to how
many students will enrol.
“We are expecting a player
from New York and locals from
Niagara
Falls
and
St.
Catharines,” he said. “The
men’s volleyball team is looking
good for next year, as it always
does. We are expecting new
players from Chatham since
Graeme Gaunt came along and
we’re glad he did. He’s an excellent player.”
He said the college has
recruited “many fine althletes
over the years.” He said the college has recruited “many fine
athletes over the years.”
Toning, stretching, conditioning, motivating instructor
By ASHLEIGH VINK
Staff Writer
Toning, stretching, conditioning and motivating are all part
of one job held by a student.
and Wednesday nights.
Johnstone graduated from the
University of Guelph with a
general Bachelor of Arts degree
before coming to Niagara
Junior B Lacrosse team in
Georgetown, Ont.
“I love doing it (teaching
classes),” she says. “It works
different muscles and conditions
our bodies.”
Shanlea Barnes, 20, a
Business Marketing Co-op program student, says she has done
the class since last semester and
says it makes her feel better
after the workout.
“I love it ... it helps me work
off the pounds I gain at the bar,”
says Barnes.
The classes are for men and
women and help motivate them
and tone various muscles.
“The cross training is good for
‘She's (Johnstone) awesome. It
gets me out of bed. I like it
because it is motivating.’
— Emily Foucault
Ember Johnstone, 23, of
Milton, Ont., teaches muscle
conditioning and cardio classes
in the gym of Niagara College’s
Glendale campus every Monday
‘I love it ...
it helps me
work off the
pounds I
gain at the
bar.’
— Shanlea
Barnes
Photo by Ashleigh Vink
College to pursue a career in the
Special Event Management
(Post-graduate) field.
Johnstone has a background in
jiu-jitsu and was a member of
the University of Guelph’s
cheerleading squad for her duration there. She teaches two
classes at the Glendale gym,
Mondays between 4:30 and 5:30
p.m. and Wednesdays between
5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Johnstone received her fitness
certification at the university
and has trained both a Junior A
Raiders hockey team and a
EMBER JOHNSTONE
sports teams. It helps your muscles adapt and is always something different,” says Johnstone.
Emily Foucault, 18, a Golf
Management Co-op program
student,
says,
“She’s
(Johnstone) awesome. It gets me
out of bed. I like it because it is
motivating.”
Johnstone says the circuit
training classes “work not only
our bodies but also our creativity.
“It is all about pushing us to
motivate others. I have seen the
differences in others. People are
coming back. It is nice to see
the development and change in
others.”
Students working out with Johnstone.
Spotlight
on the
Knights
Kerby Bentley, of
the
Athletics
department, is the
head coach for the KERBY BENTLEY
college’s men’s basketball team.
Bentley, of Caledon East, Ont., said he
enjoys the benefits of sports, travelling
and helping students become leaders.
Bentley played for the college’s basketball team for four years and was the
assistant coach for two years.
Text by Sara Campbell/ Photo by Marian Orleans
NADD hosting first annual fundraiser
By CARISSA PERTSCHY
Staff Writer
Avoid the mourning after.
On July 19, Niagara Against Drunk
Driving (NADD) is hosting its first annual In-line for Life fundraising event in St.
Catharines along the Welland Canal path.
Walkers, bikers and in-line skaters are all
welcome to participate.
“The more the merrier,” says NADD’s
chair, Brenda McKee, 28, of St. Catharines.
McKee is a graduate of Niagara College’s
Journalism-Print program and is a Public
Relations (Post-graduate) program student.
“Basically the purpose of the In-line for
Life fundraising event is threefold,” she
says. “It is to raise awareness of the issue
that is not going away. It is also to raise
money for the organization. NADD gets
no government funding whatsoever.”
Lastly, “It’s to generate volunteers. We
need bodies to help with the event.”
“We are hoping to raise $10,000 at the
fundraising event,” says McKee. “Every dollar we earn will go straight back into the orga-
‘Come out. Help plan
and, hopefully, help
save lives.’
— Kelly Foster
nization to help spread NADD’s message.
“We are in the planning stages right now,”
says McKee. “We are hoping participants will
get pledges. Hopefully, people will be able to
raise money in the community so we can give
services back to the community. Come out.
Help plan and, hopefully, help save lives.”
“Because impaired driving is a very serious issue in the Niagara Region, our hope is
to educate and eliminate these dangers so
our roads will be safe for everyone,” says
Kelly Foster, president of NADD.
In 1999, 72,925 people were charged with
an impaired driving offence in Canada,
according to Statistics Canada’s Centre for
Justice statistics. That is a charge rate of one
in every 287 licensed drivers in Canada.
Rather than driving drunk, McKee recommends people “plan ahead, take a cab, stay
overnight, or call a friend.”
McKee says, “NADD started in 1997
because of the high number of people being
injured and killed from drunk driving.”
Through educational means, NADD tries to
reduce the death and injury caused in the
Niagara region as a result of impaired driving.
NADD is a non-profit, grass-roots agency
that operates in the Niagara region to provide information and education to children,
teens and adults in an effort to reduce the
deaths and injury that all too often occur
when people drive under the influence.
NADD says they want to get people in
their communities to “think about impaired
driving, and their responsibilities, socially,
morally and criminally.”
For more information about NADD, or if
you want to become a NADD volunteer
contact McKee at 905-933-7320 or Foster at
905-937-6233,
or
go
online
at
http://www.nadd.ca.
RGCO brings gambling awareness to Brock
By ADAM CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
Gambling away your future? What are the
odds?
The Responsible Gambling
Council Ontario (RGCO) visited
Brock University, in St.
Catharines, for a three-day awareness campaign recently. RGCO
will be visiting 18 Ontario universities and colleges with the
Know the Score campaign, which
kicked off last September 2002
and ends in March.
The RGCO’s goal is to bring
awareness to the 18-to-24 age demographic, educating young adults on the signs of
gambling, risks involved with gambling
and locations for addiction treatment within their communities.
This non-profit organization, established in
1983, helps individuals
and communities address
gambling in a responsible
way.
They are also training
students at the university
and college level to help
their peers by providing
information and educational materials.
A council spokesperson said this program
doesn’t look down on gambling, but rather at
ways to keep gambling safer for the gamblingaddicted person and the people around them.
A contest for the Know the Score campaign
is underway as the RGCO goes on its
Ontario-wide tour. Students are invited to participate by answering five questions designed
to increase awareness of the issues surrounding gambling.
This contest is being run through the
RGCO Web site. Students who answer all
questions correctly are eligible for one of
two $1,500 scholarship awards, gift certificates for food, campus books and daily
giveaways.
Besides Brock University, the Know the
Score campaign will be visiting these other
academic institutions: Humber College in
Toronto, University of Waterloo in Waterloo,
Nipissing University in North Bay, Canadore
College in North Bay, York University in
Toronto, Ryerson University in Toronto,
University of Toronto (downtown campus) in
Toronto, Laurentian University in Sudbury,
Mohawk College in Hamilton, Wilfrid
Laurier University in Waterloo, Lakehead
University in Thunder Bay, Carleton
University in Ottawa, University of Windsor
in Windsor, Algonquin College in Ottawa,
University of Guelph in Guelph and the Frost
and Sutherland Campuses at Sir Sandford
Fleming College in Peterborough.
For more information, visit the RGCO’s
interactive Web site at www.responsiblegambling.org.
Students travel region in search of good time
By MEAGHAN HUTTON
Staff Writer
Weekends are the time to unwind
and relax, put all your frustrations
behind you and hope that Monday
doesn’t come too fast.
We know, though, from living in
Welland, there aren’t many places
to have fun. With the lack of bars
and clubs, many students venture
to Thorold, St. Catharines and
Niagara Falls for a night of fun and
excitement.
Jay Crowells, 21, of Oshawa, a
first-year student in the Recreation
and Leisure Services program, says
he would “rather travel and have a
good time” than stay in Welland.
“The bars in Welland suck
because there are a lot of locals
and there is too much underage
drinking,” says Crowells.
Joel Smith, 24, of Windsor, a
second-year student in the
Computer Programmer Analyst
(Co-op) program, says staying in
Welland is “boring and there is
just no place to hang out.” At the
one good bar in Welland, “just a
bunch of old people hang out
there,” so he would rather travel
and go to Rumours nightclub, at
4960 Clifton Hill in Niagara
Falls, Excess Café and Lounge,
at 55 St. Paul St. in St.
Catharines, or Front 54, in
Thorold.
The latter at 54 Front St. is a
popular place for students to go
on Wednesday nights, when it is
student pub night. Low beer
prices on Saturday draw in the
student crowds.
Rolande Moses, of Toronto, a
General Arts and Science student,
says he likes to go to clubs outside
of Welland because the ones here
are “too small and usually there
are always people trying to cause
trouble.”
Moses says the three clubs he
likes are Rumours, Daily Planet
Tap and Eatery, at 4573 Queen
St., in Niagara Falls, and L3
Nightclub, at 6 James St., in St.
Catharines.
“Rumours has a different atmosphere and at the Daily Planet you
always see crazy s*** happening,
and L3, they play good music and
you always see people you know,”
says Moses.
Crowells says he likes to go to
Big Bucks and Chili Pepper, both
in St. Catharines, because “everyone goes there. It’s always good to
go places that you know people
because then you can hang out.”
“Going out to places outside
Welland is better than staying in
because it’s good to go out and
enjoy a few drinks,” says Smith.
Marketing student aims high
By MARIAN ORLEANS
Staff Writer
A Niagara College international student says the college
has a lot to offer to students
pursuing their post-graduate
education.
Vyomesh Desai, 17, from
India,
in
the
Business
Administration – Marketing
(Co-op) program, is a firstyear student at the college’s
Glendale campus in Niagaraon-the-Lake.
“I came to Niagara because I
think it’s a good college and I
can do something important
with my life after I graduate. I
really enjoy being a student at
the college. The teachers are
very good, friendly and cooperative. They are always
willing to help students with
their school works and help
answer their questions.”
Desai says he “likes” the
method of teaching at the college.
“Students have access to
school facilities such as computers, library, and the in-class
presentations conducted by the
teachers and sometimes students are very educative and
make learning less difficult.”
Desai says he isn’t quite
sure yet of a place to do his
co-op, but wherever he can get
a better opportunity, he’ll
work there. “The co-op placement is a great experience for
students to be well trained and
educated in the field.”
Desai is part of the college’s
Student
Administrative
Council (SAC) at the Glendale
campus. He’s a student representative.
“One of my biggest chal-
lenges at Niagara was when I
went for the meeting the college held for the candidates
for the student representative.
I didn’t think I was going to
get the position because of the
many students who went for
the meeting.”
“However, I got the job and
it’s very challenging for me. I
get to make announcements in More than 14,000 booked already!
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Brock student aims high with hands, toes
Photo by Jessica Arcaro
By JESSICA ARCARO
Staff Writer
Coming out of Pizza Pizza, a lanky boy with shoulderlength brown hair munches on a greasy slice of
pizza while clutching a
creamy garlic dipping
sauce, his favourite meal.
Bonar Bell is a 20-yearold ballet and jazz dancer,
studying the movement of
the human body, and while
he often relies on public
transport, nothing seems to
slow him down.
“I think that every role
I have been given has
allowed me to experiment, whether that be
character-wise, or even if
it allowed me to fool
around backstage with the
BONAR BELL
props or costumes.”
Bell started his performing career at the Oshawa Little
Theatre, in Oshawa, Ont. He moved on to the O’Neill
Collegiate and
Vo c a t i o n a l
Institute,
a
performingarts school for
Grades
9
through 13.
For the next
five
years,
Bell participated in several roles and
activities with
his school. In
one significant musical,
written by his
Grade 9 class,
he played the
tuba in the pit
band for the
first time.
Another
important performance he
recalls was his
role in West Side Story, because, “although I had already
been dancing for three years before that, I didn’t take it
very seriously until that time.”
After graduating from the collegiate, Bell entered Brock
University in St. Catharines, to study health science,
intending to become a doctor. One term into his first year,
he changed directions and enrolled in the bachelor of kinesiology, honours program.
“I think by (studying) kinesiology, I can increase my
dance performance, by knowing which muscles to work
on, which to develop more fully.” In the program, he is
studying the science of human movement, which is a
major concern for professionals in performing arts.
He chose Brock University for its “school size and spirit,” which he discovered while on a residence tour.
Bell had begun studying dance at the beginning of
secondary school. Like most beginners, he started with ballet, though it took him several years to begin to enjoy it.
Looking back, he says, he would have preferred starting
with jazz or hip-hop.
He is studying
several
kinds of dance
at the Lori
Hannah Dance
Group, on St.
Paul Street, in
St. Catharines,
with hopes to
someday join
the Cirque du
Soleil, “but I
have a lot of
training before
that
day
arrives.” He
also
feels
dance is his
favourite form
of expression.
“You
can
portray a lot in
one plié.”
For the time being, he satisfies his thirsts for performing by learning parts of his
favourite musical, Cats. As a
cat, he is in his prime. His
green eyes sparkle and a
look of
p u r e
confidence,
c o m bined
with the
enjoyment of
t h e
music,
spreads
across
his boyish face.
Upon
completion of
his hono u r s
degree,
Bell says
he wants
to pursue
a career
in dance, studying it more intensely and achieving his teaching certificate. Once he has received his certification, he
would like to instruct at the university level, preferably
where he can instruct in kinesiology and dance.
There is one
major lifelong
factor
for
which,
Bell
says, he is “very
grateful.” As a
Christian, he
says that his
faith has been
“a huge part” of
his life. He says
he feels he has
become closer
to God in the
past three years
and thanks Him
every day for
being alive.
He believes
that God has a
lot to do with
his future as
well. He lives
by the saying,
“If we look too
far into the
future, we forget to live
today.”
At Brock, he
is constantly
contributing his
time and effort
to the student
body. He is a
general member of the
Residence
‘It is symbolic, yet we
still feel the sense of
giving our offerings to
the people in developing
countries.’
– Bonar Bell
Advisory Council. His duties include keeping students informed
of special events, holding quarters for laundry exchange and,
most important, he must participate in one committee.
As a member of the volunteer committee, he is in charge
of helping organize and run at least two large volunteer projects each term. From his volunteering experiences, he had
the opportunity to help organize and participate in the university’s 2002 World Vision 30-Hour Famine.
“That is my baby.” He can’t seem to help but smile as he
talks about the project. “The whole concept blows me away.
It is symbolic, yet we still feel the sense of giving our offerings to the people in developing countries.” He says he
plans to participate in organizing this year’s famine as well.
When he isn’t dancing, Bell can be found playing his guitar and writing songs. His inspirations come from his top
two artists, Lauryn Hill and Alanis Morisette.
“(Morisette) is great for lyrics. I think her writing is
genius. When I write, I try to pick up on some of her techniques and then twist them around in my own way.”
No matter where or how he ends up, Bell says, “it’ll be a
blessing.” Everything he is doing now is part of his faith
and, he says, he truly believes that God will always point the
way for him.
From top: Bell practices a walkover bridge; Bell executes a backbend at the barre; Bell and dance instructor, Lori Olszynko, of the Lori Hannah Dance Group,
demonstrate improvisation techniques during a ballet
class; Bell and Olszynko get ready for class in the
back lobby of the dance school.
Photos by Jessica Arcaro
Charity Ball raises $3,000 for food bank
By DONNA DURIC
Staff Writer
More than $3,000 to benefit
hungry students was raised by the
second annual Niagara College
Charity Ball, held in the Grande
Ballroom at the Americana Resort
in Niagara Falls on Feb. 1.
“The Charity Ball is a fun
evening for students and a great
way for them to give back to the
school,” says Melanie Kidon,
22, a student in the Public
Relations (Post-graduate) program (PR). “All proceeds go to
the Niagara College student
food bank, which is available for
any student who needs assistance when loans run short.”
Kidon, along with other students in the PR program and
Special Event Management
(Post-graduate) program, worked
with Dave Rapelje, manager of
the Student Centre, on a committee dedicated to organizing the
event. Members of the college’s
Student Administrative Council
(SAC) helped.
The theme of Charity Ball 2003
was Gangsters, Glitz and
Glamour, a tribute to the roaring
twenties. Last year’s ball had a
Mardi Gras theme.
Among college officials who
attended the ball were Dan
Patterson, president of Niagara
College, Steve Hudson, vicepresident of corporate services,
Martha Casson, acting vicepresident academic, and Al
Vaughan, registrar.
Over 200 staff and students,
dressed in formal attire, gathered
for cocktails, dinner and dancing
on Saturday night, while actors,
hired for the event and dressed as
gangsters and flappers, mingled
with the crowd. A swing band
played music throughout dinner,
and student pub deejay David
Michael kicked off the dancing
with more swing music, followed
by current club favourites and a
variety of old and new party hits.
Profits from the evening’s $40
ticket, as well as money raised
from the “racketeering raffle”
were presented in the form of a
cheque to all three SAC presidents
during the speech ceremony following the dinner.
The racketeering raffle consisted of purchasing a wingspan of
tickets for $10 and placing them
into a jar beside a prize, to be
drawn later in the evening. Prizes,
which were donated by local and
national sponsors, included jet
boat ride tickets for two, one- and
two-night accommodations at the
Americana Resort, a tandem skydive jump at the Niagara Skydive
Centre, helicopter tours of the falls
and a karaoke machine rental,
among other items.
Christopher Newman, 23, of
Sudbury, is a student in the PR
program who helped out with the
charity ball. He was selling tickets
for the racketeering raffle.
“Our students have been really
supportive,” he says. “I wish I
(had) bought a ticket instead of
volunteering, but my time was
better spent here. It’s great to see it
come to fruition.”
In order to get the event off the
ground, SAC donated $2,800 to
the committee.
“If it wasn’t for SAC, this event
wouldn’t have happened,” says
Newman. “It’s their brainchild
from last year. We’re just really
happy that SAC supports this (and
they) didn’t ignore the fact that the
food bank was empty.”
Rapelje, committee chairperson, says he enjoyed working on
the event.
“I was very fortunate to work
with my two co-chairs (Jennifer
Koch and Michelle Pagonis, both
of the Special Event Management
(Post-graduate) program). They
did a lot of the work, setting budgets and the day-to-day administrative aspects - picking the venue
(and) picking the meal plan.”
The committee worked as a
democracy, says Rapelje, meeting
every Wednesday since September
and voting on suggestions.
“Everyone on the committee
had a voice and say in what happened,” he says.
Rapelje says he thought the
event was a success.
“I think it was a great night for
everyone who attended. Great
food, great music and a lot of
laughs. The prize raffle that we
had was very well received (and)
people were dancing right up until
we closed.”
Last year’s ball raised $3,800,
and Rapelje says he wants to
change a few things for next
year’s ball, such as having a
late-night buffet instead of a sitdown dinner, in order to increase
profits.
“We’re just hoping it becomes
more and more of a steadfast tradition here. I hope at some point we
can get our attendance up to 1,000.”
From left, back row, Charity Ball committee members are Aaron Hahn and Michael MacNeil.
Middle row, Jessica St. Louis, Ricky Wong, Christina Sarkis, Ella Basic, Arianne Quenneville,
Melanie Kidon, Jay Rumley, Dave Rapelje, Jessica Ash, Jennifer Jones, Jennifer Longmuir,
Michelle Pagonis. Front row, Emily Hanes, Jennifer Koch and Hayley Bishop. Sarkis posed
for the photo, although she was not on the committee. She is the SAC president at the Maid
of the Mist Centre campus.
Students and staff sit down to a formal dinner followed
by dessert in the Grande Ballroom of the Americana
Resort in Niagara Falls.
Dan Patterson, college president,
and his wife Saundra got into the
spirit of Gangsters, Glitz and
Glamour by dressing in 1920s
style clothing.
All photos by Donna Duric
Andrew Hanes, president
of the Welland campus
Student Administrative
Council, says thanks to
all who attended and
worked on the Charity
Ball committee, during a
short speech ceremony
after
the
dinner.
Actors, from the Theatre Arts program at Brock University Proceeds from the event
in St. Catharines, dressed as flappers, were kicking off the benefit the student Food
dancing to swing music during the Charity Ball held Feb. 1. Bank at Niagara College.
Attendees at the ball dance to the music played by student pub deejay David Michael.

Student arrested, charged with five counts of fraud

Transcription

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