Weekly News Recap: August 31, 2018

Moose Jaw barber Jason Gauthier is making some changes in people's lives, offering haircuts coupled with a positive philosophy. He posted this photo on his Facebook page on Aug. 20, writing, 'Give away love, light and grace like you're made from it.' (Straightedgebarber/Facebook)

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. -- Leonardo Da Vinci

VITREO IS EXPANDING We are expanding our practice and we invite you to celebrate with us. We have served clients in Edmonton and northern Alberta for many years and up until now, we have served these clients from Calgary. That’s about to change! We have hired a Regional Director, based in Edmonton, and we want you to meet her and hear about our expanded team and services to the region.

If you are interested in joining us in Edmonton on September 12, send me an email and I will get you an official invite. We look forward to seeing you there!

Stewardship

  • JJ Watt shows how Harvey donation money is being spent (ABC) This is tremendous stewardship. More please. Thanks to Scott Decksheimer for sharing this article. "The Justin J. Watt Foundation on Monday released the progress of the contributions made to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund started by J.J. Watt following the destruction left by Hurricane Harvey 12 months ago. The fundraiser reportedly raised $41.6 million, making it the largest crowdsourced fundraiser in world history. All funds have been distributed to eight nonprofits: All Hands and Hearts, Americares, Boys & Girls Clubs, Baker Ripley, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children and SBP." 8/27/18

Events and opportunities

  • AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Canada Scholarships Available (AFP Canada News) "The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy—Canada offers Canadian fundraising professionals working for charitable and nonprofit organizations the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in fundraising. Financial scholarships, up to a maximum of $1000, are being offered to cover registration and travel costs for educational programs at the local, national and/or international level. The Next Scholarship Deadline is September 14, 2018, 5 p.m. EST" August 2018

News

  • Find out about Calgary's gay history as Pride Week continues (CBC) CALGARY STORY I am a proud financial and moral supporter of this project. Kevin, we can't wait to read the stories. #happyprideweek "Six years ago, Kevin Allen started the Gay Calgary History Project, in order to tell the stories of Calgary's gay history through the eyes and ears of the people who lived it. Allen spoke with Radio-Canada's Charlotte Dumoulin on Monday when he took her on a walk through Calgary's gay history." 8/27/18
  • Growing pains: Quebec schools bursting at the seams, buildings in terrible shape (National Post) QUEBEC STORY "Over the summer with the kids away, construction crews have hastily been erecting temporary, metal-clad extensions to aging school buildings across Montreal, to help cope with ever-increasing enrolment. A mini baby boom in the 2000s, increased immigration and a recent influx of refugees are putting enormous pressure on the education system in the city amid recent budget cuts and rapidly deteriorating school infrastructure." 8/27/18
  • Calgary chief embraces 'difficult conversations' at international forum for women police (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "Calgary's police chief says he looks forward to difficult and important conversations this week as officers from 35 countries meet in Calgary for the International Association of Women Police (IAWP) conference. The conference's theme — 'Leading Change' — is one that feels apt for its host city this year, as Calgary has publicly struggled in recent years as female officers raised concerns of toxic workplace behaviour, from being told their careers would stall if they went on maternity leave to sexual harassment." 8/26/18
  • Calgary cidery wants to turn your leftover fruit into a drink — for charity (CBC) CALGARY STORY What's not to love? Cider. Charity. Feel good while you are doing good. "For Calgarians wondering what to do with excess fruit from trees and bushes in their yards this season, Uncommon Cider has an answer — help them turn it into a beverage. In partnership with the Calgary Food Bank, the second annual Uncommon YYC Cider Fruit Drive is happening over the next few weeks, seeking leftover apples, pears, crabapples and berries." 8/25/18
  • Rio Theatre launches campaign for provincial tax exemption (CBC) VANCOUVER STORY "While the campaign to save Vancouver's Rio Theatre was officially deemed a success after its operators reported their offer to buy [the] building was accepted, the venue is now asking for help with another financial burden. The Rio's operators have organized a letter-writing campaign to convince the provincial government to grant the theatre an exemption on its property transfer tax, which amounts to around $207,000. Corinne Lea, owner-operator of the Rio Theatre, says the tax would not affect the group's ability to buy the theatre but without the exemption the operators would have to pay a higher mortgage." 8/24/18
  • Alberta invests in Vivo facility expansion (Journal of Commerce) CALGARY STORY We posted about this announcement in the August 10th recap but this article adds some great additional context. "'Our communities are excited by the province’s decision to invest in healthy individuals, families and the community. This new funding recognizes that social connections and physical activities are equally important to our shared well-being,' said Cynthia Watson, chief evolution officer, Vivo for Healthier Generations [...]." 8/24/18
  • 1st of its kind: Regina pharmacy provides mental health services (Global News) REGINA STORY This is cool. It is also innovative and important. "Melanie McLeod started her career as a pharmacist 20 years ago and now she’s only one of two psychiatric pharmacists in Saskatchewan. While her business, Vital Care, looks like a typical pharmacy and provides all the same services, it also specializes in mental health." 8/24/18
  • Sun 20 Questions: Edmonton Economic Development Corporation's Derek Hudson (Edmonton Sun) EDMONTON STORY "Derek Hudson is the new president and CEO of Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. He joined EEDC in 2013 and since that time served the organization as COO and corporate secretary and Corporate Secretary, before being appointed interim CEO in April 2018. Prior to joining EEDC, Derek was a co-founder and former CFO of Micralyne, a microtechnology spin-off from the University of Alberta." 8/24/18
  • Alberta's slowly recovering economy a challenge for many, ATB report says (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "A report into Alberta's economic growth concludes it's still a tough market for people looking for full-time work. ATB Financial says the economy is gradually improving, with growth in agriculture, tourism and the tech sector, coupled with rising demand for oil that's keeping the price above $60 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate [...]. But ATB chief economist Todd Hirsch says the rate of improvement in employment has been slow and the quality of new jobs somewhat dubious." 8/24/18
  • Red Deer College celebrates grand opening of $88M sports, education facility (Global News) RED DEER STORY Congrats to RDC and to the City and citizens of Red Deer. ViTreo is proud to have helped RDC bring this project to life. "In a development many see as key to making the Alberta city a destination for major sports events, Red Deer College celebrated the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art recreation and education facility on Wednesday." 8/22/18
  • Sask. pastor helps adjustable glasses win $1M funding (CBC) SASKATCHEWAN STORY I heart this so much. "The glasses were nominated for a WeWorks Creator award [...] intended to help inventors produce their ideas. [Greg] Wiens said he provided photographs and the organizers asked him to speak about the Myanmar trip at Madison Square Gardens. The glasses won the $1-million grand prize." 8/22/18
  • Announcing AHP's Forty Under 40 Honorees! (AHP) CANADIAN CONTENT Congrats to all of AHP's 2018 40 Under 40 Winners and a special congratulations to the 12 Canadian winners: Susanne Chaffey (University Hospital Foundation, Edmonton), Robyn Jones-Murrell (BC Cancer Foundation, Vancouver), Nathania Fung (Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital Foundation, Vancouver), Meaghan Stovel McKnight (Trillium Health Partners Foundation, Mississauga), Megan Tregunno (Women's College Hospital Foundation, Toronto), Melody Craggs (Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation, Alliston), Jesse Dees (Collingwood General & Marine Hospital Foundation, Collingwood), Julie Cooke (Lakeridge Health Foundation, Oshawa), Colin Hennigar (SickKids Foundation, Toronto), Darina Landa (Office of Advancement, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto), Christy Holtby (University Hospital Foundation, Edmonton), and Aaron Sanderson (Plan International Canada, Toronto). August 2018

First Peoples of Canada

  • 'Surreal and a little bit bittersweet': Regina's 2nd female Indigenous officer set to retire (CBC) REGINA STORY "When Sgt. Sonya Roteliuk first joined the Regina Police Service 25 years ago, she was one of only two Indigenous females on the force. Now as she gets set to retire, she reflects that she has seen a lot of change, with younger recruits coming in with more education around topics like diversity and inclusion, and a greater emphasis laid on community policing." 8/25/18

Books to read

  • Why Philanthropy Is Bad for Democracy (New York Magazine) "[Look] at Andrew Carnegie’s essay 'Wealth'. We’re now living in a world created by the intellectual framework he laid out: extreme taking, followed by and justified by extreme giving." Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All, talks about liberals and how their philanthropy enabled and enables the erosion of democracy. 8/29/18

Life and career hacks

  • How email can actually enhance your productivity (The Startup) I have a hate/love thing going on with email. I hate it when it is misused (I am as guilty as anyone) but I love it when it does things only it can do well (i.e. become a to-do list with very little extra work or as a place to pause before responding). 8/27/18
  • Lessons From Da Vinci on Work and Life. (The Mission Podcasts) Like many, I am a big admirer of Da Vinci. Walter Issacson recently wrote a biography about him. This post (it is an article not a podcast) summarizes some of Issacson's findings. 8/29/18*
  • A Reflection on 100 Days of Mind Mapping (Medium) Yes, this post is over a year old. That said, it is an excellent overview of an underrated creativity hack. I personally love mind mapping. If you are curious or are a mind map nerd, enjoy. 6/11/17

Uncommon knowledge

Philanthropic controversy

  • Oregon group wants to return $25K parks donation from cannabis retailer (Oregon Live) "An Oregon group looks to return a $25,000 donation toward a youth park project because it's from a recreational marijuana retailer. The Argus Observer reports Megan Cook, head of Friends of the Aquatic Center, emailed a letter Friday to Ontario City Manager Adam Brown on behalf of the group seeking to return the donation to Hotbox Farms." 8/29/18
  • Remai Modern responds to Saskatoon artist's concerns about B.C.-made city design (CBC) SASKATOON STORY "The Remai Modern has responded to criticism from a Saskatoon artist about a B.C.-made city map design the museum has been selling in its gift shop. The Saskatoon art museum last week posted a photograph of a new tea towel design by B.C. company Forest and Waves on its Instagram account [...]. Candace Chickowski, who made similar design, says museum should do more to source local art." 8/25/18
  • U of L facing $1-million lawsuit (Lethbridge Herald) LETHBRIDGE STORY "Four former Pronghorns women hockey players have filed a million-dollar lawsuit against the University of Lethbridge’s board of governors, the university’s athletic director Ken McInnes, and its women’s team hockey coach Michelle Janus over alleged bullying and harassment." 8/24/18

Trends and shifts

  • How Scotiabank links sponsorship with philanthropy (WARC) "Scotiabank, the financial services provider, has successfully engaged consumers in Central and Latin America through more closely aligning its sponsorship and philanthropic efforts." 8/28/18
  • Rebuilding employee philanthropy from the bottom up (TechCrunch) "For the average working American, this world of concierge giving is out of reach, both in check size, and the army of consultants, lawyers and PR strategists that come with it. It seems that in order to do good, you must first do well. Very well. Bright Funds is looking to change that. Founded in 2012, this SF-based startup is looking to democratize concierge giving to every individual so they 'can give with the same effectiveness as Bill and Melinda Gates.'" 8/26/18
  • Why climate change means your Hurricane Lane donation might not go to Hawaii (Fast Company) This is a good move. Transparency and flexibility are key. Tell donors up front and they can make better decisions. "Donations restricted to one event can give you peace of mind that you’re helping where you want. But in an era of increasing natural disasters, aid organizations need flexibility to respond to the next unexpected disaster." 8/24/18
  • An Artist Warns of a Robot-Ruled Future. Or Is It Our Present? Let’s Discuss. (New York Times) "Ms. Cao, 40 (her full name is pronounced TSOW fay), [has a] new video work, 'Asia One,' a mournfully beautiful hybrid of economic forecast and tragic love story. [...]. 'Asia One' transports viewers to a high-tech warehouse near Shanghai, staffed by only two workers — a smiling porcelain robot nearby scans their every move — who oversee the automated distribution of hundreds of thousands of packages. The near-absence of human workers may feel like the stuff of fantasy, but it’s not." 8/23/18

Large gifts

  • SLU receives largest donation in school's 200-year history (NBC) This is a lovely gift and this must make SLU's chess team one of the best funded chess teams. Ever. "Local philanthropists Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield gifted $50 million to [Saint Louis University] (SLU). It’s the largest donation in the school’s 200-year history.The donation will fund a new Saint Louis University Research Institute, which will help the school grow and meet its research goals. The money also will establish a new Sinquefield Center for Applied Economic Research and support SLU’s chess team." 8/28/18
  • Resident's $1 million donation will fund nurse training and research programs (McKnight Senior Living) "Waldron 'Wally' Lindblad, a resident of the Regency Pullman independent and assisted living community in Pullman, WA, has committed $1 million in part to try to improve senior living caregivers' recognition and understanding of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia." Wally, you are awesome! 8/28/18
  • Peyton Manning establishes endowment with $1 million donation (Knoxville News Sentinel) Peyton Manning is widely considered (by me as well) as one of the all-time best quarterbacks in the NFL. #gocolts "Manning donated $1 million to the University of Tennessee in order to start the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment. Haas is a professor in the College of Communication and Information's School of Communications Studies and had a profound impact on Manning in the classroom at Tennessee. His mentorship inspired Manning to establish this endowment." 8/27/18
  • POLSON NONPROFIT RECEIVES $1M DONATION (Daily Inter Lake) "Construction will remain a constant for The Boys and Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County for the foreseeable future [...]. Executive Director Aric Cooksley announced that the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation awarded the nonprofit a grant for $1 million, which will help build a clubhouse [...]." 8/27/18
  • Anschutz Foundation pledges $120M gift to University of Colorado medical campus (Denver Post) "CU officials said the gift, which is the largest private commitment in the medical campus’s history, came from The Anschutz Foundation and its founder and chair, Philip Anschutz. With the pledge, the foundation has invested nearly $300 million in the medical campus since 2000, according to the university." 8/21/18

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo partner Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca

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