Bursary To Help J-students In Financial Need

 

Phyllis Barnatt was a Journalism professor for more than 25 years at Niagara College until she retired in June 2016. A bursary has been established in her name to assist Journalism students in financial need.  (Supplied photo)

A new bursary established in memory of long-time Journalism professor Phyllis Barnatt will continue her legacy of helping students at Niagara College.
Barnatt, who was known for her dedication to her students for more than 25 years, died in August 2017 at the age of 60 after a battle with melanoma – a year after she retired from the College.
(An article celebrating Barnatt’s career at Niagara College and her impact on students was published in the Welland Tribune on August 15, 2017: Teacher remembered for her passion and empathy.)
“Phyllis Marie Barnatt was involved in the Journalism department both as a professor and a mentor for her students for 26 years,” said Barnatt’s spouse, Gerald Ruch. “This bursary is awarded in memory of Phyllis Marie Barnatt’s dedication to her students and her desire for their success in journalism both at college and in their future endeavours.”
The College established the bursary after receiving a $15,000 donation from the Business Success & Loan Centre and Gerald F. Ruch in December. The bursary was spearheaded by a $10,000 donation from the members of Business Success & Loan Centre, where Barnatt also served as a member. After learning about the initiative, Ruch, who is president of the Centre, donated an additional $5,000.
Beginning in September 2018, a $1,500 bursary will be awarded annually to a Journalism student who is in financial need as part of the new Business Success & Loan Centre / Gerald F. Ruch Bursary in Memory of Phyllis Barnatt. The current funds ensure the bursary will be awarded annually to a student for the next 10 years.
“A bursary is a wonderful way for family and friends to honour a loved one’s memory while, at the same time, helping a student in need,” said NC development officer Helen Armstrong.
For students who are in financial need, Armstrong noted that receiving a bursary can have a critical impact on their lives.
“Receiving a bursary can make all the difference; it can change a student’s path from leaving a program for financial reasons, to completing their program successfully and achieving their academic dreams,” she said.
Those who are interested in contributing to The Business Success & Loan Centre / Gerald F. Ruch Bursary in Memory of Phyllis Barnatt may contact Helen Armstrong at harmstrong@niagaracollege.ca
For more information about scholarships and bursaries visit donate.niagaracollege.ca/achieving-dreams-campaign/student-access-success-and-leadership/scholarships-and-bursaries/

 

(Source: InsideNC)

City Officials Talk Up Welland At Conference

TORONTO – Welland Mayor Frank Campion and CAO Gary Long met with Marie-France Lalonde, Ontario’s Minister of Francophone Affairs at this week’s Ontario Good Roads Association Conference (OGRA) in Toronto.

Mayor Campion profiled Welland’s francophone community and discussed potential partnership and funding opportunities with the province to promote the city’s French heritage and francophone tourism. He also made the minister aware of enhancements to bilingual signage, new French-language content to the city’s website that will be launched in March, and partnerships with organizations such as CERF Niagara, Foyer Richelieu, Club Richelieu, and Musée de Welland. The mayor and staff are working with local organizations and other bilingual cities to promote francophone tourism and the growing interest in genealogical tourism through the city’s participation in the Francophone and Francophile Cities Network.

Minister Lalonde was very familiar with the city’s French community having attended a couple cultural events in Welland. The minister thanked the mayor for the work that the city and other local agencies are doing to promote the francophone population by providing programs, services, and cultural activities.

Key facts:
Welland is one of 26 communities in Ontario designated as bilingual
51% of the city’s population speaks English and French
23% of the population identify themselves as French
15% consider themselves bilingual – represents about 7,850 residents
Minister Lalonde is also Minister of Correctional Services and Public Safety. The mayor discussed the importance of having infrastructure funding programs that support new fire halls, as-well-as having programs and grants to assist municipalities with the increased costs of emergency management. Welland’s delegation also met with the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation to discuss industrial developments along Highway 140, and joined elected officials and staff from Niagara Region in a meeting with the Minister of Transportation to discuss provincial support for a consolidated transit system in Niagara. Meetings were also held with Ernie Hardeman MPP as-well-as senior officials with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

The 2018 OGRA Annual Conference took place from Sunday, February 25, to Wednesday, February 28, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Approximately 2,200 municipal leaders from across Canada attended.

(Source: City of Welland news release)

Are You Kidding Me?

Statements
POSTED:  7:02 AM EST Wednesday 28 February 2018
Special weather statement in effect for:
Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region
Potential for heavy snowfall late Thursday into Friday morning.

Rain is expected to develop Thursday as a strong low pressure system approaches the area. The rain will likely change to snow late in the day as colder air moves into the region.

There is still considerable uncertainty regarding the exact evolution of this weather system, but there is a potential for snowfall amounts in excess of 15 cm late Thursday into Friday morning for portions of Southwestern Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe. In addition, strong and gusty northeast winds to 60 km/h may result in areas of blowing snow and very poor visibility.

Conditions should improve Friday morning as the weather system responsible moves away from the area.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.cpio-tempetes-ospc-storms.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

Field Set For Men’s College Basketball Championship

 

Niagara College hosts ‘elite eight’ men’s hoops tourney this week (Supplied graphic)

WELLAND – After a weekend of OCAA playoff crossover action, the eight team field is set for the belairdirect 2018 OCAA Men’s Basketball Championship being hosted by Niagara College from March 1-3.
The loaded field consists of the Redeemer Royals (19-1, 1st West), Seneca Sting (19-1, 1st East), Sheridan Bruins (16-4, 2ndWest), George Brown Huskies (18-2, 2nd East), Humber Hawks (15-5, 3rd West), Lambton Lions (13-7, 5th West), Fanshawe Falcons (11-9, 6th West), and host Niagara Knights (13-7, 4th West).
The event will take place from March 1-3 at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre, and sees all three medal winners from 2017 in Sheridan, George Brown, and Humber return to the final eight championship.
After cruising through the OCAA regular season to a record of 19-1, Redeemer extended the most successful season in Royals men’s basketball history by disposing of the Loyalist Lancers 88-75 in playoff crossover action. Their opening round opponent will be the 2016 OCAA men’s basketball bronze medal winning Lambton Lions. The Lions dispatched the Centennial Colts 83-74 to advance to the final eight.
The George Brown Huskies enter the Championship as the defending silver medalists. The Huskies, who are the No. 3 ranked team in the OCAA, defeated Mohawk 86-76 during crossover weekend. They will face the No. 4 ranked Humber Hawks in game two of the championship. Humber, the defending OCAA bronze medal winner, easily defeated the St. Lawrence Vikings at home by a score of 97-68 to advance to the event.
The host Niagara Knights enter the tournament after a one week bye. The Knights won their last two regular season games of the season in convincing fashion. They will face the Seneca Sting in the opening round of the tournament at 6:00pm on Thursday, March 1st. Seneca enters the event as the No. 1 ranked team in the OCAA. The Sting easily took care of business in their crossover game defeating the St. Clair Saints at home 83-63.
The final game of the opening day will see the defending Champion Sheridan Bruins face the Fanshawe Falcons. Sheridan defeated Georgian 106-78 to advance, while Fanshawe defeated Durham 63-59 on the road in a tightly contested affair.
The Championship format will see a total of 11 matches in three days. The winners of the four day-one matches will advance to the medal round, while the losers will be relegated to the consolation side of the bracket. Winners of the medal semi-final matches on Friday, March 2nd will advance to the gold medal game, while the semi-final losers will compete for bronze.
Quarterfinal final games will take place on Thursday, March 1 at 1:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 8:00pm. The championship semi-final matches will be played at 6:00 and 8:00pm on Friday March 2nd. The bronze medal game will be played on March 3rd at 5:00pm, while tip-off for the gold medal game is set for 7:00pm.
Tickets for the event are $5.00 on March 1-2, and $10.00 on Championship Saturday. Tournament passes can be purchased for $15.00. Admission is free for all Niagara College students and anyone under the age of 15.
Championship Website: http://www.ocaa.com/mbb
Championship Schedule:
Thursday, March 1st
Game 1 (1:00pm): Redeemer Royals vs. Lambton Lions
Game 2 (3:00pm): George Brown Huskies vs. Humber Hawks
Game 3 (6:00pm): Niagara Knights vs. Seneca Sting
Game 4 (8:00pm): Sheridan bruins vs. Fanshawe Falcons
Friday, March 2nd
Game 5 (1:00pm): Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 6 (3:00pm): Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 7 – Semi-Final (6:00pm): Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 8 – Semi-Final (8:00pm): Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Saturday, March 3rd
Game 9 – Consolation Final (2:00pm): Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
Game 10 – Bronze Medal (5:00pm): Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8
Game 11 – Gold Medal (7:00pm): Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8

(Source: Niagara College news release)

Sign Language

 

 Sign board outside Wesley United, First Avenue, Welland. (Sign Language is a recurring feature on the blog./ Photo by Joe Barkovich)

 

Early Risers

 

First stirrings of new life, as spotted this afternoon, Sunday, February 25, in the front garden.  (Photo by Joe Barkovich)

 

THE WEEK AHEAD: Meetings In Welland

Meeting Calendar
Meetings are open to the public unless otherwise noted. Information is obtained from the applicable agency, board, committee, or commission and downloaded to this calendar as it becomes available. Information is subject to change. Please check back often for the most up-to-date information, including cancellations.

February
26
Welland Public Library Board Meeting ≫
7:00 PM Monday Feb. 26  –
– Welland Public Library, Program Room, 50 The Boardwalk

March
1
Welland Community Wellness Complex Advisory Committee Meeting ≫
3:00 PM Thursday Mar. 1  –
Welland Community Wellness Complex, 145 Lincoln Street

City Delegation Hitting The Road For Toronto

WELLAND – The Mayor and senior staff from the City of Welland will be in Toronto next week to attend the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) municipal conference and meet with provincial officials to discuss city projects and priorities.
Welland’s delegation is comprised of: Mayor Frank Campion; Chief Administrative Officer Gary Long; City Engineer and General Manager of Infrastructure and Development Erik Nickel; and senior public works managers.
The following meetings are confirmed:
Marie-France Lalonde – Minister of Francophone Affairs, and Minister of Correctional Services and Public Safety;
Kathryn McGarry – Minister of Transportation;
Arthur Potts, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Transportation;
Ernie Hardeman MPP ­- PC municipal affairs critic;
Policy Advisors – office of the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Campion

“Our government relations strategy is getting results by raising the City’s profile, telling our story about growth and development, and building relationships with provincial decision-makers,” said Welland Mayor Frank Campion. “Having a presence at these municipal conferences is important to ensure we’re capitalizing on opportunities to advocate our position on important policy debates and that we’re staying abreast of the key issues and emerging trends we face in a competitive global economy.”

Long

“The focus of this year’s conference, the “Challenge of Change,” is very timely and relevant as Welland is changing and evolving as a result of increased growth and economic activity,” said CAO Gary Long. “It’s important that as an organization we are managing and leading change through innovation, collaborative approaches with residents and key stakeholders, and strategic partnerships with other levels of government.
“Good roads and infrastructure are the backbone of a strong and prosperous community, and essential for continued economic growth in Welland,” said City Engineer Erik Nickel. “The OGRA Conference provides a great opportunity to build relationships with Provincial partners that will ensure the needs of our roads and infrastructure can continue to be addressed in a sustainable and affordable way”.
The 2018 OGRA Annual Conference will take place from Sunday, February 25 to Wednesday, February 28 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Approximately 2,200 municipal leaders from across Canada and leading thinkers from around the world will come together to discuss topics of local, provincial, national, and international importance.

 

(Source: City of Welland news release)

City Shorts, Try ’em On For Size

 

CITY SHORTS ART:  Earlier this week – ‘Hey, where is everybody?’  (Photo / Joe Barkovich)

Compilation by Joe Barkovich, Scribbler-at-large
City Shorts is a compilation, from various sources (government websites, news announcements, press releases, church bulletins, advertisements, community service information and events, bulletin boards, requests, telephone requests, web postings, email requests etc.) of short items (in most cases) about matters of local interest in Welland. Want to submit an item for consideration? Please send to: joe0606barko@gmail.com

 

FINAL VIEWING OF CANADA 150 AND OUR VOICES EXHIBITS
WELLAND – Welland Museum is hosting a final viewing of Canada 150 and Our Voices exhibits Saturday, February 24, 1pm to 4pm.
Please join this day of music, demonstrations and guest speakers at the closing of “Our Voices”. After a very successful year long exhibit celebrating Canadian culture, the museum is saying goodbye to this unique and well received exhibit.
Musical performances begin at 1 pm. with Metis fiddler and Leslie McCue a traditional dancer from Curve Lake First Nations. Guest speaker Allan Jamieson, Cayuga Nation senior elder will be present to speak on and demonstrate wampum belts and speak on treaties.

CITY’S WELLNESS GUIDE MERITS A CLOSE LOOK
WELLAND – The city’s spring and summer-edition Wellness Guide is now available.
The popular guide, which presents a wealth of information about programs, activities, events and more, comes as an insert in Niagara This Week. It has an eye-popping, full colour Welland centrefold – don’t miss it!
If one was not delivered to your home, copies are available at the Welland Community Wellness Complex, 145 Lincoln Street. The Guide is free.

NIAGARA COLLEGE HOSTING OCAA MEN’S HOOPS CHAMPIONSHIP
WELLAND – Niagara College is playing host to the OCAA men’s basketball championship. The tourney is being played at Niagara College gym, March 1 to March 3. More information to be announced.

HOUSING BOARD SEEKS COMMUNITY MEMBER
WELLAND – Applications are being sought to fill an opening for a member of the community on the board of directors of Niagara Regional Housing.
Directors provide oversight in the ownership, provision and development of affordable housing and advocate for innovative affordable housing solutions to address local needs. The board includes representation from regional council and the community.
More info or applications are available at http://www.nrh.ca or by calling 905-980-6000 ext. 3965.

BRENT JONES IN A READING AT LIBRARY BRANCH
WELLAND – Join author Brent Jones when he visits the Seaway Mall Branch on February 24 at 1pm. Jones will read from his latest book, “Fender” and answer questions from the audience. Signed copies will be available for purchase. All are welcome.

CITY CHURCH HOSTS PRAYER SERVICE
WELLAND – St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is hosting the World Day of Prayer service on Friday, March 2 at 1:30pm. St. Matthew’s is located at the corner of Griffith and Kent streets, Welland.

NOMINEES SOUGHT FOR PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
WELLAND – T. Roy Adams was an eminent Niagaran, well known throughout the Region, Canada, and abroad for his service to God, his country and his fellow citizens.
In memory of the late councillor, Niagara Region initiated a memorial award in 2003 in his name to honour a resident of Niagara who best exemplifies his values and dedication to community service; a person who sees volunteerism as an integral part of their life. The 2017 recipient was Tom Rankin.
Application info and other details are available on-line: niagararegion.ca/government/awards-bursaries. Nominations close March 31.

LIBRARY CONTRIBUTES TO LOCAL HISTORY BOOK
WELLAND – “Triumph and Tragedy: the Welland Ship Canal” profiles the fallen workers whose lives were lost during the construction of Welland’s waterway. Several Welland Public Library staff members contributed articles to this collection.

100 CANDLES FOR HORT SOCIETY
WELLAND – Welland Horticultural Society is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. A special event is planned on Saturday, October 20, featuring Carson Arthur from Home to Win, the Marilyn Denis Show and City Line. He will be speaking on Eco Backyards. More information will be made available soon.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GIFT SHOP
WELLAND – Welland Hospital Gift Shop is seeking volunteers and auxiliary members. Interested? Call 905-732-6111 ext. 33141 or email whauxiliarygs653@gmail.com.

YOUR CHANCE TO BLOOM
WELLAND – Welland Horticultural Society invites new members. The society’s meetings offer guest speakers, demonstrations, lessons and projects. More info, call 905-329-4217.

JOIN THE MAYOR’S WALK ON MERRITT ISLAND
WELLAND – Meet Mayor Campion at the Merritt Island parking lot Monday mornings at 7:30 a.m. for a 40-minute walk on Merritt Island.

(City Shorts is a weekly feature on the blog appearing Thursdays or Fridays)

Tight Quarters

 

Notre Dame’s Braidon Moore draws a foul in this drive to the basket in the dying seconds of a thriller against A.N. Myer Marauders, Thursday in Dillon Hall. The Irish won 75-71 to capture the zone championship. (Photo by Joe Barkovich)