Fall 2007

Red Deer College Alumni Community Magazine

Balancing
Page 4

Wellness
and a Hectic
Schedule

8 Building Trust,
Building Relationships
18 Going Green,
Growing Strong
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

2
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Contents
Fall 2007 www.rdc.ab.ca

4 Cover Story
Balancing Wellness and a
Hectic Schedule
6 In Conversation 4
With Ron Woodward, Red Deer College President
7 Message from the Alumni Chairperson
Darcy Notland
8 Inquiry
Building Trust, Building Relationships
10 Shelf Life
12
Chinook Christmas
11 Minds Eye
Chris Ellertson
Alumni Executive
12 Insights
20
Chairperson

The Fit Generation Darcy Notland

UNTR – BPhysEd ‘93
- Are Today’s Youth Fit Enough? Past Chairperson
Duane Smethurst NOTEbook
14 Profile Pre-Chiro ’78 & ‘80
1st Vice - Chairperson
Publisher
Red Deer College, Joyce Fox
Denise Fredeen is a Go Girl! Jeremy Jablonski
BusAdmin Dipl ‘03 Managing Editor
2nd Vice - Chairperson ITS Design & Printing Inc.,
15 Perspective Mitzi Gentile Lorne Veleti

Mona Leavitt Nursing Dipl ‘88 Executive Editor

Lee Ann Waines
Directors UNTR – Educ ‘98
16 Rewarding Reflections Patti Husted
Rehab Serv Dipl ‘83
Editor
For the Ultimate in Balance, Focus on Others Lisa Klein
Richard Deschenes
Contributor
Hosp & Tour Dipl ‘06
18 Developments Bus Admin Dipl ‘04
Cheri Konsmo
Kenton E. Biffert
SWOK’99, TPER ‘02
Going Green, Growing Strong! (Students’ Association Rep.)
Kenton E. Biffert
UNTR – Educ ‘04
Research & Writing
20 RDC Around the World Alumni and Development
Coordinator
(except as noted)
Lorne Daniel
Opening Doors in Honduras SOWK ‘99, TPER ‘02,
BEd ‘04
and Shannon Kernaghan
Graphic Design
22 Noteworthy Michael Donlevy,
Associate Vice-President, Kathy Matejka

Red Deer College News and Accomplishments Red Deer College

24 Class Notes
News from RDC Alumni
26 RDC Calendar
Editorial comments or ideas?
Seeking permission to reprint?
Contact the Executive Editor
at (403) 343-4023 or e-mail
notebook@rdc.ab.ca
Ex-Officio: Ron Woodward,
President,
Red Deer College
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• NOTEbook, Red Deer
College Alumni Community
Magazine
© Red Deer College 2007
• Return Undeliverable
Canadian Addresses to:
Red Deer College
Cover: Alumna and former Box 5005
Red Deer College staff Red Deer, AB CANADA
member Suzanne Blackwell; T4N 5H5
now an instructor with the
Yoga Alliance of Red Deer. PM40010033
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(except as noted)
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 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Balancing Wellness
and a Hectic Schedule

A
nxiety, sleeplessness, depression and knee- by asking what would be important if they had only five
jerk anger. Lorna Milkovich, RN, BN, years, or five months, to live. Suddenly, the material
MBA, says that when you don’t obtain things fall away and the focus shifts to family and
balance, the warning signs will manifest in friends.
your relationships as well as your physical Why so busy?
and mental health. While prioritizing your schedule, try to reduce or delegate
Milkovich knows plenty about the need for balance. She’s some of that busyness; otherwise, parts of your life will
Executive Director of be neglected. Make time
the Rocky Mountain for your spiritual growth
House Primary Care through meditation,
Network, a nurse, a reading, journal writing,
published author and prayer and yoga.
a screenwriter. She A friend of hers was
also offers seminars asked to join a prestigious
and workshops, two of committee, which to
which were held last most would have been
May at the College’s an honour. But, for this
Finding Balance: A friend, time for family and
Women’s Event. fitness is a highly rated
In her book Vitality value, while prestige isn’t,
and Vitals: My Health so the woman declined the
and Lifestyle Journal, offer. This resonates with
co-authored by Bev people when Milkovich
Whitmore, Milkovich warns about answering
says that many choices “yes” too quickly.
we make relate to how Intuitive leaps
we balance our body, Suzanne Blackwell UNTR
mind and spirit. - Educ ‘85 was another
Uncover values and presenter at the Finding
priorities Balance event. She offered
The first step is to a jujitsu session, and in last
ask yourself some summer’s Yoga Summer
pertinent questions: Intensive she led a session
Do you nourish your Bestselling authors Lorna Milkovich and Bev Whitmore that demonstrated how

body with food, activity and sleep? Are your life choices
guided by your values and priorities? Does your life
have a sense of purpose? Do you feel connected to
yourself and to others?
In considering lifestyle choices, Milkovich uses the iceberg
model: “Our health is like that navigational nightmare
where only the top 10 percent is visible. But what’s
going on underneath makes all the difference.”
She discovers more about a person’s values and priorities
yoga and martial arts have similar elements.
Blackwell suggests that you find an activity with many
levels to it, as is the case for yoga and martial arts.
Both have a physical workout as well as emotional and
spiritual aspects. If you’re going to spend three hours a
week training, choose an activity that has it all.
As importantly, choose activities you truly enjoy to help
you maintain them over the long term. Activities don’t
have to be complex – even dog walking, for instance,

4
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

“I’ve learned that you can’t have everything

and do everything at the same time.”
Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine, April 2003

takes you outside, and lets you spend time with your For those who strive to find balance in their lives, he
pets. explains the “Dynamics of Energy.” Picture a square
Physical activity is a great way to clear your head and with four quadrants. On the top right is an area called
make you more efficient and focused. Take a class High Positive where we feel invigorated and joyful,
during your lunch break. You’ll accomplish more work where we do our most meaningful work and play our
when you return to the office because your brain and best sports.
your body will function better. The box below is Low Positive. That’s where we’re
If Blackwell is stymied by a mental challenge, she can relaxed and feel tranquil. “Research indicates that the
focus more clearly and come up with a solution after most productive people toggle between high positive
some physical activity. “When you’re pouring over a and low positive,” says Eisenbarth, who has a Masters in
problem, your mind gets bogged down,” she explains. Adult Education. “What people don’t realize is that we
“Everything works better after a break and you get those have to go back and forth every hour and a half to two
intuitive leaps.” hours. You can’t sustain a high positive forever or you
Blackwell worked at the College from 1989 until this get burned out.”
year when she said goodbye as Program Administrator The High Negative on the left upper is where we’re
Coordinator for Science, Health, Sport, & Education. angry or upset. Low Negative, conversely, is where
Fitness and wellness are still key words in her company, we feel low energy – depressed and discouraged.
New Leaf Training and Life Balance. In addition to Eisenbarth teaches that we end up in Low Negative
setting up training programs for competitive athletes, when we try to spend eight hours in High Positive. The
she teaches yoga, cycling, cross country skiing and mistake people make is failing to disconnect and relax
martial arts. for a few minutes.
Managing your energy level People don’t take this concept seriously enough. “‘If I
keep pushing, I’ll get it done,’ they figure. Instead, they
can’t sustain any kind of efficiency.”
The Dynamics of Energy
Stress: a self-fulfilling prophecy
High
High Negative High Positive
In his course Managing Stress and Avoiding
• Angry • Invigorated Burnout he delves into attitudes and belief systems.
• Fearful • Confident Stress usually comes from our own internal stressors,
• Anxious • Challenged
• Defensive • Joyful not external ones such as family or work load. What
• resentful • connected makes stress internal is how we perceive those pressures.
Negative Positive
Low Negitive Low Positive Simply put, if we perceive that we can cope with
• Depressed • Relaxed high pressure or a lot of work, we’re better able to
• Exhausted • Mellow accomplish it. Voila. A self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Burn out • Peaceful
• Hopeless • Tranquil “Most people are scared to think about what change
• defeated • Serene could look like so they don’t think about it,” says
Low Eisenbarth, who has taught business management
courses at the College for six years. Education can
provide the motivational tools required to make a
Instructor Dennis Eisenbarth offers several Continuing lifelong change. “We have to think about it long before
Education courses designed to encourage change and we ever do anything. Doing something might be
improve performance. In his Working Smarter, to attend one of my courses.” A small step to a big
Not Harder course, the focus is time and energy difference.
management for busy people.

5

In Conversation
With Ron Woodward,
Red Deer College President
What does Red Deer College do to promote a
work/life balance?
We at the college have come to the realization that a
balance between our people’s work and their lives is not
only important so that they can do their jobs well; it is
also an important operating strategy. Healthy people are
happy people and happy people are productive people.
An atmosphere condusive to this will help us to attract
new talent and will promote the retention of our existing
employees.
How will College leadership encourage this
commitment?
By encouraging our leaders to practice this personally or
‘walk the talk’, we are hoping that our employees will
follow their examples. We want to create a sense within
the College community that looking after yourself can
be an important part of doing your job well. As part of
their performance objectives, the senior leadership are
all required to develop their personal work/life balance
6
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
in some way. This will help to send a message that this is
important. And if our staff can provide a positive example
to our students it will affect both their learning experience
and hopefully their lives. Ideally, this will also spill over
into the broader community.
How will the Building Communities Through
Learning enhance the work/life balance?
Our longer term plans for facilities are critical in helping
to inspire our employees to seek a balance between their
personal and professional lives. Two facilities are being
proposed, and we are working with the government to
develop a strategy for their construction. One is the Sport
and Wellness Centre which will siginificantly increase the
amount and kind of activities available to our internal
and external communities. A gym, field house, ice surface
and yoga and dance studios are all being considered in
the plans. The other is a Health Education Centre. This
will dramatically expand the variety of programs available
to a larger number of students. And while we often see
health as a treatment of illness, our focus will be on
preventitive wellness strategies. A formal partnership with
the David Thompson Health Region has been established
to support this.
Wellness in life is not a course or a program or a campaign
– it is about what you do everyday. This is the core of our
focus and intention.
Interviewed and Written by Lee Ann Waines
Did You Know?
Red Deer College Alumni receive a
discount at the Train Station. Call 342-3139
or e-mail: leah.beeton@rdc.ab.ca for more
information
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
Message from the Alumni Chairperson
Greetings! I hope the
summer has seen each of
you fair well. Hopefully
you took some time
from your busy schedule
to relax, reflect and
rejuvenate. That’s what
this edition of Notebook
is all about. One of the
aspects of living a healthy
lifestyle is to have a strong
social support system.
Taking time to build
and foster friendships, to
connect and network, and
to construct new bridges
not only rejuvenates
our inner self, but it
Alumni Chairperson, Darcy Notland, sharpens our senses and
owner of Elite Sportswear imagination.
Your Red Deer College Alumni Association is working hard
on ways to keep you connected with your fellow alumni.
Fostering Connections
Welcome Kenton E. Biffert, Alumni Development Coordinator
I pick up my new name
tag from the office.
Kenton E. Biffert:
Alumni Development
Coordinator. Gold.
Looks the same as my
old ones. Flashbacks of
Students’ Association (SA)
election attention grabs;
speaking at Convocation;
giving tours of the
college...yes, it feels like
coming back home after a
little time away. Red Deer
College has seen a lot of
me over the years. I’ve graduated from Theatre Studies
(Acting), and earned a degree in the Bachelor of Eduation
and a diploma in the Social Work programs. During
this educational journey I was able to serve students
Wouldn’t it be great to know what talents and interests
your former classmates have developed, or what business
or service he/she is involved in..
We’re implementing NETCommunity. As a member of
our community, you will receive exclusive benefits such
as searchable online directories, online registration for
member-only events, manageable email subscriptions,
online profile, and address update capabilities, as well as
personalized content and communication from us.
Our launch date for NETCommunity will be March 2008.
Watch our web site (www.rdc.ab.ca/alumni) for updates
and exciting announcements in the coming months.
In the meantime, I’d like to remind you of Welcome Back
Alumni Weekend taking place November 2 & 3, 2007.
This weekend is guaranteed to offer you several chances
to catch up with your old College friends! Be sure to mark
this date on your calendar and I look forward to seeing
you then.
Kind Regards,
Darcy Notland
Chair, RDC Alumni Association
UNTR – BPhysEd ‘93
and the college as the SA Internal VP, SA President,
Recruitment Clerk, Education Undergraduate Society
President, Assistant in the Arts Centre, trouble maker
on a skateboard; and now I’m the Alumni Coordinator.
I’ve developed many relationships, friendships and
partnerships here that have made a significant impact on
my life. Now, as I am heading down a new fork in my
life journey, I hope to inspire you also to remember your
connection to RDC. My vision is to facilitate and develop
an affinity between you and the College. To reach that
vision, I have many goals: setting up opportunities for
new alumni, implementing NetCommunity ( an on-line
forum to connect and reconnect with past alumni and
professors), and working with the different faculties to
connect with their alumni. My RDC student experience
was packed with memories and friendships. It is a
privilege to be a part of this family again.
Kenton E. Biffert
SOWK ’99, TPER ‘02, BEd ‘04
7

Building Trust, Building Relationships
Teaching Patients How to Care for Themselves
W
endy Wheeler BSNR ’95 believes that
teaching patients how to care for
themselves is imperative, though timing is
a major challenge.
“We can give people all the information,
but if we don’t get them at the right moment, it’s not
meaningful. Take the issue of smoking – if you’re not
interested in quitting or even thinking about quitting,
the material that we give you will go straight into
the garbage. And if we talk birth control to a young
woman about to terminate a pregnancy, none of those
8 Valerie Trotter BSNR ’94 works with a resident at Bethany CollegeSide
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
facts are useful.”
Wheeler has been a Nursing instructor at the College
since 2001. She also works a casual position in the
maternity ward at Red Deer Regional Hospital and as a
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Calgary’s Women’s Health
Centre.
Cultural sensitivity
Another challenge involves new Canadians. Wheeler
says that some of the resources available for central
Albertans don’t necessarily work for people with a
different cultural or language background.
Being culturally sensitive and
competent is an important
goal.
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
Seniors who perceived low levels of stress in their lives were
approximately twice as likely to be in good health as those
who had high stress levels (62% versus 32%).
For this reason, the College helps students expand
their knowledge by offering international courses and
travel opportunities (read more on the Honduras study
tour in RDC Worldwide). As well, practicums in the
community help students learn about appropriate
teaching practises with new Canadian clients.
On the hospital’s maternity unit, Wheeler recognizes the
need for patient-specific information. For example,
there’s no point talking to a new mom about baby baths
when she’s more concerned with how she’ll manage a
newborn and a three-year-old at home.
Checklists are fine if you go beyond and ask the clients
what they really want to know. That’s how relationships
are strengthened and trust is built. Wheeler often refers
to the saying: “Nobody cares what you know until they
know that you care.”
Proactive health promotion
Wheeler says that health promotion doesn’t receive a
lot of money because it’s difficult to justify what hasn’t
happened. “Projects like cardiac health get money
because you can show some statistics, and we’re
beginning to see that if we have healthy pregnant
moms, we’re having healthier babies. But over the long
term, if we have healthier babies, will they be better
educated children? That’s tougher to track.”
Wheeler has a couple of positive suggestions: increase
the number of family nurses to help patients negotiate
the health care system, have more Nutritionists,
Physiotherapists and Geriatric Nurse Specialists. Their
services are invaluable.
Educate the care providers
According to Valerie Trotter BSNR ‘94, you make the
best decisions throughout your life based on first-hand
knowledge. As Administrator for Bethany CollegeSide,
Trotter encourages residents to be active in their
life management. “We try to help them identify the
important factors that lead to a satisfying life, and then
we help them organize those factors for a life that makes
sense.”
While that sounds logical enough, it’s a multi-layered
challenge – you must educate the residents and the
people providing the care.
“When you talk about education, you discover various
Health Canada, 2005 Annual Report
levels. We have so many people interacting on a regular
basis, people with diverse backgrounds, histories and
preferences. That means there are diverse expectations
from the residents, their family members and the care
providers.”
A work in progress
The subject of expectations is a significant one at
Bethany CollegeSide. Expectations are the focus of
all interactions, whether at staff meetings or with the
Resident Council.
Take the word “home”. While Trotter describes Bethany
as a resident’s home, the meaning can be different
to everyone. To a resident, home means they can
make all the decisions about how they live. But they
live in a communal environment so there are varying
expectations such as how they take their medications
and where they can smoke.
Because of the individual interpretations, there has to
be ongoing discussion about that meaning within the
context of a continuing care centre.
“It’s a work in progress,” says Trotter. “Understanding
where we’re headed and what we’re trying to achieve
has been a major objective. As an administrative team,
our role is to provide our staff with support through
coaching, guidance and resolution of problems. We
want to do this with them, not for them.”
Trotter sees promising results from each of the groups
– residents, families and staff – as they start to take
ownership. “A clearer understanding of how the system
works and how the funding works helps everyone add
new angles to their perspective,” she adds. “It’s not an
us versus them mentality. We’re all in it for the same
reason and working towards the same goals, but we all
have common barriers and strengths. Identifying those
common barriers and strengths is what brings it all
together.”
CollegeSide, an innovative living and learning
environment, opened on campus in 2004 and provides
increased learning opportunities for students. This
extended-care housing facility is the result of a unique
partnership between the David Thompson Health
Region, the Bethany Care Society and Red Deer
College.
9

Shelf Life
Red Deer College Visual Arts
Instructor and Alum, David More,
provided the illustrations for the book
Chinook Christmas, written by Rudy
Wiebe. Following, he shares his
account of the project’s creation…
Long an admirer of Rudy
Wiebe’s work, you can imagine
my enthusiastic response when
Dennis Johnson inquired if I
would be interested in illustrating
Chinook Christmas. Dennis
confided in me that I was not his first choice…that had
been the famous ceramic portrait artist, Joe Fafard. Our
RDC Permanent Art Collection has a piece by Joe Fafard,
the wonderful portrait of actor Donald Sutherland. Joe
had politely declined, and I was quite honoured to come
in as second string. Chinook Christmas is based on Rudy
10
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
Shelf Life showcases the published work of a Red Deer College
alumni, faculty, staff member or student in each issue.
Wiebe’s childhood and luckily for me, when meeting Rudy
and looking at photos of him as a child, I realized I had
the perfect model, my brother’s oldest son…just about the
spitting image. Working with Tim Wynne-Jones the editor
in Ontario, we drafted up the roughs and settled on the
sequence of images. With the drawings in hand we held a
photographic modeling session in which my young nephew
struck the required poses. To maintain the genetic visual
link I used youthful pictures of my nephew’s mother and she
became our protagonist’s older sister in the book.
Getting a chance to work in concert with someone as skillful
and gifted as Rudy Wiebe was one of the highlights of my
illustrating career. I have been very fortunate in being paired
up with fascinating authors, editors and publishers…the
other most notable connection being humourist Eric Nicol
and with whom I have collaborated on six books.
Nowadays, I concentrate mostly on painting and can look back
fondly on the harried life of an illustrator.”
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
Minds Eye
Chris Ellertson WELD ’01 a
Red Deer College Welding
Instructor, recently had his
work featured at a showing
at the Jubilee Auditorium in
Calgary.
“Catharsus” was a direct
product of the artist spending
long days working in the
oilfield. The hours, cold
weather, and a need to release
creativity were inspirational.
Between the actual carving,
Ellertson attempted to sketch
his ideas, but in his own words, he generally “flew by the seat
Minds Eye showcases the artistic work of a Red Deer College
alumni, faculty, staff member or student in each issue.
of his pants, oilfield style”.
Shown here is “Norse Man”, a hand carved soapstone piece -
the first of three, but the only one currently completed. This
piece was purely experimental. Tools were hand-made from
welding rods, heat formed and used intensely from roughing
out to sanding and finishing. During its creation, the nose
was broken off once which resulted in everything having
to be moved and started over. The experience has helped
Ellertson in his transition to working with steel – particularly
as it is difficult to find facilities suitable for carving soapstone.
After working in the trade for seven years, the artist is now
a Welding Instructor at the College. He hopes to someday
incorporate soapstone, steel and perhaps wood in a multi-
media format. He works to move forward creatively and
technologically in his role here at the College.
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 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Insights
The Fit Generation - Are Today’s Youth Fit Enough?

M
ichelle Roth UNTR - BA Rec Admin ’96, or an economic standpoint. We want healthy kids and
Program Coordinator for Kevin Sirois adults.”
Fitness Cheap, easy and unhealthy
Centre, says Over the past 20 years, levels of Unfortunately, it’s all too easy
that today’s to eat an unhealthy diet. It’s
youth aren’t anywhere obesity among Canadian children no surprise that people who
near fit. According to aged seven to 13 nearly tripled. lead busy lives often head to
2004 statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information the processed food aisle, or
Canadian Fitness and (Directions, Fall 2003) to the drive-through window
Lifestyle Research Institute, of a fast food restaurant.
only 21% of Canadian teenagers are active enough to To worsen the problem, Roth believes that lower socio-
meet international guidelines for optimal growth and economic groups can’t afford what constitutes healthy
development. food, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Restrictive
Childhood obesity has become a buzz word in the budgets aside, this pattern of “cheap and easy”
health industry. Health Canada and Alberta Health encompasses all demographics.
and Wellness are channeling considerable dollars “It’s easy to stop at McDonalds and grab something on the
into programs that battle childhood obesity, and are go. The media is so powerful with product endorsement,
encouraging young people to get active and learn how to and everything is super-sized and oversized.”
eat healthy foods. These agencies are also helping parents Wanted: one balanced lifestyle
and educators address this dilemma. Every level of society benefits from knowing how to lead a
“Hopefully that effort will solve some of the problems and balanced lifestyle, which includes good nutrition, portion
reduce the obesity rates, because if we don’t,” says Roth,
“the long-term impact of our health care system will be a Twenty-six percent of two- to 17-year-olds were
overweight or obese in 2004. Low consumption of
grim reality.”
vegetables and fruit was associated with excess weight,
Roth explains how the risk of people being obese or
and as screen time (watching TV, playing video games,
overweight in adulthood increases if they’re obese or using a computer) increased, so did the likelihood that
overweight in childhood. “That’s going to tax our already young people would be overweight or obese.
taxed system. This doesn’t bode well from a community
Health Reports – Statistics Canada, August 2006

Children and youth benefit from regular physical activity

and healthy nutritional choices

12
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

control and healthy activities. Through education, there’s

a role for everyone to play. The responsibility begins with
parents and peers, continues by way of the community, and
finally extends to the province and the nation.
But it’s not all bleak and Roth has every reason to feel
optimistic. How can the Kevin Sirois Fitness Centre (KSFC)
help? The options are extensive. Choose from appraisal
services (fitness testing), fitness programs, the Be Fit for Life
Centre and the annual Go Girl event for Grade 5 girls in
Red Deer.
Roth is determined to raise awareness. Besides the KSFC, she
says, there are numerous opportunities for our youth to be
active in their community, whether through yoga or circuit
training. Of course, there are also playgrounds and green
space and kilometres of trail systems.
“We’re in a good position because we’re in the preventative
department. While healthcare must react, we can be
proactive in addressing the current issues. That means
we’re able to change lives by overcoming any barriers – real
or imagined – that prevent people from getting active and
staying active.”

Kevin Sirois was on his way to becoming one of the

few Canadians to compete in both the Winter and Sum-
mer Olympics in the same year. He was a speedskater
and a cyclist who held several Canadian records in both
sports. He strived for excellence, competing in the 1972
Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. As a member of the
Canadian Olympic Cycling Team, he was training for the
1972 Summer Olympics, when he was killed in a cycling
accident near Ponoka. The Kevin Sirois Centre at Red
Deer College is named in his honour.

13
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Profile features an alum who has returned

Profile to RDC as a faculty or staff member.

Denise Fredeen is a Go Girl!

Denise Fredeen (nee Klein) BEd ’99, wants girls to become
active at a younger age, not to wait until they’re teenagers.
As the Be Fit For Life (BFFL) Coordinator at the Kevin
Sirois Fitness Resource Centre since 2002, her life has
revolved around fitness. One event she’s especially proud
of is the annual Go Girl event.
“Several years ago I met with elementary schools and we
identified that girls in Grade 5 either take up physical
activity or drop off at this point,” she says. “We wanted to
create an event where they can try a variety of activities.”
Last May, 597 girls spent the day at Red Deer’s Collicutt
Centre participating in everything from yoga and tennis
to soccer and basketball. One girl tried karate for the
first time at a Go Girl event and she has since completed
several of her belts and entered competitions across the
province.Fredeen is an enthusiastic role model. “Not only
do I teach this within my job but I incorporate healthy
living into my lifestyle.” Denise Fredeen, Red Deer College Be Fit For Life Coordinator
Through the Be Fit For Life Centre at Red Deer College,
“I try to get across that busy people can bring fitness into
she continues to fuel children’s enthusiasm for fitness by
their work place and their home lives. It doesn’t have to
visiting schools and offering fun programs that teach them
be difficult – play with your kids at the park instead of
how to stay active. The network’s mission (there are nine
watching them!”
BFFL Centres in Alberta) is to help Albertans lead healthy
You go, girl!
active lives.

The Be Fit for Life Network is made up of nine regional

centres focused on providing services, programs and
resources to promote the health benefits of active living
and physical activity. The BFFL Network is funded
by Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture
via the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife
Foundation and hosting post-secondary education
institutions. Schools, communities and workplaces are
welcome to access these services.

Did You Know?

Registered students and staff are eligible to
participate in the Green Campus Carpool-
ing program. As a registered participant of
the program, you will qualify for incentives
offered (including one free public parking
space per month and automatic entry into
prize draws). A minimum of two individuals
constitutes a carpool. For more informa-
tion, visit www.rdc.ab.ca/greencampus

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 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Per spective
Lifelong learning
– the key to self care
Pursuing her dreams has been Mona Leavitt’s NURS ’81, Fine
Art ’00 key to achieving wellness.
As a two-time alumnus of Red Deer College, I have
fond memories of my post-secondary experience. My
Nursing Diploma course (’81) was intense, stressful
and exciting. Coming from a long family of nurses,
I recall my mom quietly complaining of the aching Tobacco Reduction/Student Wellness Coordinator, Mona Leavitt
legs and back that I assumed was part of the job. I striving to help students achieve their goals. We
also remember her dedication to shift work and unpaid emphasize self care through our Alcohol Screening,
overtime; there were moments when I wondered if I was Depression Screening and Tobacco Reduction Program.
up for the task. The latter program received a 2007 Barb Tarbox Award
After working part-time as a nurse for several years and of Excellence in Tobacco Reduction, Non Profit Category,
seeing my girls off to school, I pondered what life still had which was presented by the Honourable Dave Hancock,
in store for me. I’d always loved art but considered it a Minister of Health and Wellness on World No Tobacco
somewhat decadent lifestyle - one that couldn’t provide Day.
an income-earning career. I was also aware of “starving I discovered that being a student and pursuing my passion
artists.” School counselors, my parents and many others for art was my form of self care. We should always follow
felt the same way about art as a vocation. Nevertheless, our dreams, no matter how crazy they may seem to
I longed to attend art school, so I and enrolled in the others.
Bachelor of Fine Art Program at the College. I continued
to work part-time as a nurse in the hospital to support
my art “habit”. That enabled me to enjoy life as an art
student on my days off, even if achieving my goal meant
short sleeps and perseverance.
“What are you going to do with a fine art degree?” people
asked along my journey. One person said, “So what
you’re saying is that you’re good at being a student.”
But education has opened my mind to life’s possibilities
and has changed me as a person. Now I see things
differently and attribute this perception to adult learning.
I encourage every student to enjoy their experience at the
College – I certainly did.
After ten years, I completed my Bachelor of Fine Art
degree with a minor in Psychology from the University of
Calgary (with Distinction) in June of 2006. Now I work
at Red Deer College in the Health, Safety and Wellness
Centre as a Tobacco Reduction and Student Wellness
Coordinator.
I believe I bring a creative enthusiasm to my job while

Over the past several years, the Tobacco Reduction

Program has successfully provided information and
ideas, motivation and guidance to Red Deer College
students. The program’s goal is to offer skills for student
wellness, and to assist in reduction, cessation, and
decrease the likelihood of people starting tobacco use.

15

Rewarding Reflections
For the ultimate in balance, focus on others
By Whitney Anderson Kinesiology ’07
During the 43rd Convocation Ceremony
last June, the Governor General’s Academic
Medal was awarded to Whitney Anderson, a
graduate of the Kinesiology and Sport Studies
Diploma Program. The Medal is presented to
the student with the highest academic standing
after completing the final year of a diploma-
level, post-secondary program. Throughout
her studies at the College, Whitney proved
that success involves not only a high academic
standing but a balance that nurtures health and
wellness.
With an interest in sports and the human body
all through high school, my path easily led me
into Kinesiology. Finding a healthy balance was always
important to me. To help me physically and mentally
– especially to relieve stress – I had a gym membership
at the Train Station and regularly worked out between
classes. Going with a workout partner was even more
16
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
Governor General Academic Medal winner, Whitney Anderson
motivating.
For me, part of that healthy balance while at the College
included making friends and getting myself out there. I
believe it’s always good to establish a social group. And of
course my family provided lots of emotional support.
Some of my courses were also valuable on a personal level.
One of the fitness and wellness courses in my first year
covered everything from physical to mental to emotional
health. That gave me a strong knowledge base.
The most satisfying experiences often involved the
relationships I built with teachers and students. We were
a close group. As well, a practicum I did at Children’s
Services guided me towards Pediatric Physiotherapy.
But it’s easy to get caught up and focus entirely on school.
I discovered that the most gratifying moments would
happen when I pursued other challenges, ones that took
me away from books and classes.
Last March, for example, I took part in an event with Big
105.5 FM/Tim Hortons Snow Camp for special needs
children. We went away for a three-day weekend in
Kananaskis Country. There, I was “buddied” with a little
girl who had a prosthetic limb and together we took part
in many fun activities.
My greatest fulfillment was seeing how these kids didn’t let
their disabilities bother them, or slow them down. I’m
sure I learned more from the little girl than she learned
from me.
It was a really cool weekend and taught me to be less
focused on myself.
Whitney is currently enrolled at the University of Alberta, pursuing
a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education, followed by a Masters in
Physiotherapy.
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

17
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Developments
News of the Red Deer
College expansion.

Growing strong!
The concept of health and wellness journeys beyond bodies, a ticket, I’ll always
beyond minds. It extends to the community. If people have something to
are able to study and work where they live, that state of fall back on.”
wellness keeps growing. Right here at home. The trades have a
Your College: Building Communities Through Learning is proven track record
expanding facilities, programs and scholarships through its in her family: both
largest growth initiative in College history. her grandfather
and father became
Meeting needs. Journeyman ASTs. Third year Automotive Services Technician
More people are needed to enter the trades and While the validation student, Christina finds fulfillment and finan-
manufacturing sectors now, to gain the skills and of a trade and cial stability in her career

experience for tomorrow. Your College is meeting this a strong labour

urgency and advancing education with the opening of
a new Welding Shop and a new Automotive Service
Technician (AST) building.
Christina Atkins exemplifies a learner in hot pursuit of
a career, one that brings both fulfillment and financial
stability. She is an AST Apprentice in her third year.
“This trade is helping me accomplish my goals and prove
to the world that I can achieve whatever I want. With
forecast are tangible rewards, Atkins says she also has a
great time in class, enjoying the support and friendship of
peers and instructors.
The College continues to foster wellness – by enabling
learners to reach their career goals and stay in their
community to train.
Healthy bodies and minds. Healthy buildings. Healthy
campus.

Proactive and green-friendly

From the beginning, health and
wellness have been vital aspects of
the “Green Campus initiative.” An
environmental focus is being integrated
with every phase of the expansion. Four new
Centres – Trades & Technology, Innovation in
Manufacturing, Business Enterprise and Visual
Art – will share infrastructure wherever possible.
This is not only cost-effective but encourages skill-
sharing, collaboration and creativity.
Building Communities Through Learning is
demonstrating environmental leadership by
meeting the criteria to achieve LEED (Leadership a number of options such as increased awareness of Red
in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Deer Transit, a car pooling program, shared parking and
Highlights of the project include energy efficiency and improved pedestrian/bicycle access.
conservation, minimized water consumption, and Soon, coming to class will be more environmentally
recycling strategies that emphasize waste reduction. friendly. Bus shuttles from outlying communities are
“Being good stewards of our land and development, we being proposed – students, faculty and staff who live in
feel it’s important to demonstrate leadership by including Lacombe, Ponoka, Innisfail and Sylvan Lake can benefit
a sustainability component,” says Director of Facilities from the regular service.
Doug Sharp. With smart transportation strategies, doubling the number
Sharp, also Chair of the Green Campus Task Group, of students won’t mean doubling the number of vehicles
explains that a challenge connected with growth is the arriving at the College, doubling the parking or building
additional demand for parking. Your College is exploring expensive parkades.
18
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
What Is YOUR Skin Eating?
W M
Women who use make-up on a daily basis,
according to recent research are absorbing
nearly 5 pounds of chemicals a year into their
bodies. Striving to look our best, many of
us use more than 20 personal care products
in a day. But the shocking reality of our
dependence on typical store-bought skin care
and cosmetics amounts to a cocktail of 4lbs.
6oz. of hazardous chemicals being absorbed
into our bodies through our skin.
What’s more, a recent survey of more than
2,300 women conducted by public health and
environmental organizations found that the
average adult female uses nine personal
care products daily, exposing herself to 126
chemicals every day.
Many of these synthetic compounds have
been linked to side effects ranging from skin
irritation, to premature ageing, birth defects,
and even cancer. Thus, an increasing number
of researchers are now cautioning us to
question the products we put on our skin.
We can no longer simply assume that
the chemicals they contain are safe. The
overwhelming majority of ingredients in
personal care products have never been
assessed for safety, so the magnitude of their
potential adverse effects is unknown. Of the
small minority that have been studied, some
are listed by government agencies as known
or probable carcinogens, or reproductive
toxins.
O
Of the 10,500 chemical ingredients used in
personal care products, only 11 percent have
been safety assessed. These assessments were
not conducted by government officials, but
rather by a panel funded by manufacturers, as
the cosmetics industry polices the safety of its
own products. In fact, there are no
government regulations in place that
require safety testing of ingredients or
products before they arrive on store shelves,
and ultimately into our bodies.
Many researchers warn that absorbing
chemicals through our skin is more dangerous
than swallowing them. This is attributed to the
fact that anything that we put into our mouths
is broken down by the enzymes in our saliva
and stomach. But through our skin, there is
no protection, and once these chemicals are
absorbed, they get directly into our
bloodstream.
Some researchers suggest that women use too
many products, and question if our cosmetics
are really necessary. Sounds like something
our male counterparts might imply, but
what they fail to realize is that women, the
beautiful beings that we are, enjoy taking
care of our skin while defying the laws of
aging, and ultimately we like the glitz and
glamour of our daily cosmetics!
We worry about
contaminating our earth . . .
but what are we absorbing
daily through our skin?
What are the potential health hazards of
these chemical toxins? Acrylamide, found in
some foundations, hand creams and shaving
creams has been linked to mammary tumors
in laboratory research. Formaldehyde, found
in some mascara, nail hardener, shampoo,
blush and anti-aging cream has been classified
as a probable human carcinogen by the
Environmental Protection Agency. And
phthalates, a group of industrial chemicals
found in many popular brands of hair spray,
deodorant, fragrance, hand and body lotions
have been shown to cause reproductive birth
defects in laboratory animals, particularly
males, and in lab studies are speculated to be
involved in the rise of testicular cancer
in humans. Researchers have also found
measurable concentrations of 6 different
parabens in 20 human breast tumors, and as
a result, parabens are being researched as a
potential link to breast cancer.
A
After years of research due to multiple
chemical sensitivities, my purpose is not
to alarm you, but rather empower you to
make healthier choices! Invest your money
where your health is. Start by reviewing the
ingredients of your current products, then
make the switch to safe skin care and truly
healthy cosmetics.
Armed with this new knowledge, don’t you think it’s time for you to discover a new you
that glows with renewed vitality? For more detailed information, or for a free 15-minute
consultation, please write to realnaturalgirl@yahoo.ca or telephone (403) 755-0797. I’d be
delighted to assist you in your journey of discovering a happier, healthier, more radiant you!
Advertorial
Written by Charlene Wieler,
Natural Health Consultant
T
Today, thanks to progressively more informed
consumers, even high profile vitamin
companies are jumping to consumer demand
for safe cosmetics. Yet, when carefully
researched, you might discover that they too
contain ingredients extracted with chemical
solvents, making them toxic and potentially
carcinogenic. Simply looking for the words
‘natural’ or ‘organic’ won’t guarantee the
cosmetics you buy are really safe. So buyer
beware.
Fortunately, there is one company of integrity
amongst the abundance of pseudo organic
products. And their policy of using only
100% natural and organic ingredients,
free from synthetics and impurities, assist
our bodies in restoring harmony and balance.
Every ingredient is beneficial to your skin’s
health, right down to the preservatives and
antioxidants. So natural and full of
goodness, not only do their ingredient lists
sound delicious and good enough to eat, but
once applied, you can actually feel their
energy and vitality feeding your skin!
Experience their products just once, and trust
me, there’s just no going back.
Discover beauty without guilt, preserving
not only our environment, but our precious
children and the health of future
generations. Yes, you can look and feel
beautiful without the hormone-disrupting,
toxic chemicals. Discover personal care
products that resonate harmoniously with your
body. Your skin will LOVE YOU for it!
A
About the Author: Charlene Wieler is a
natural health consultant, avid researcher
and prolific writer with strong ethics. She and
her husband of 13 years live in Red Deer, and
are on a mission to empower individuals to
take personal responsibility for their health.
Together with her husband, Charlene speaks
regularly in cities across Canada on the
topic of achieving vibrant health. Employed
full-time as a health consultant, Charlene is
a testimony to the power of the body to heal
itself having successfully eliminated so-called
incurable ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and
endometriosis from her body through natural
means, without the use of surgery or medical
intervention. Her husband, also a health
consultant, healed himself from asthma, IBS
and Crohn’s disease naturally.
19

R D C Worldwide
Opening doors in Honduras
W
hen Nursing instructors Alma Funk
and Maureen Matejka journeyed
to Honduras, they had no idea the
experience would be so moving. Part
of their thrill was working alongside
eight keen Red Deer College students.
For Funk NURS ’71, an instructor at the College for 16
years, this trip has been a dream for two decades. After
years of working through a myriad of “hoops and
loops,” the dream finally became a personal joy.
From April 28 to May 13, 2007, the group immersed
themselves in the culture of Cirriboya, an area
populated since the early 1600s. The course objective?
To provide opportunities for students to develop cross-
cultural communication and cultural competency skills
through primary health care principles.
Despite any communication barrier, students interacted
with the village children by way of laughter and games.
Through a partnership with CAUSE Canada (Christian
Aid for Under-Assisted Societies Everywhere), the doors
of Cirriboya swung open. CAUSE is an international
relief organization that strives to empower communities
Students performing a puppet show
(with giant puppets from the NGO
CAUSE CANADA) to teach about
HIV/AIDS awareness and stigma
Students working side by side
with the Garifuna women in the
Yucca fields
Students washing yucca
after peeling it
Students plucking and
cleaning a chicken
20
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
RDC students teaching hand washing to elementary school children.
and individuals in disadvantaged regions. The agency
was vital in helping plan the course logistics. They
also provided a translator fluent in English, Spanish
and Garifuna, a language spoken along the northern
Caribbean coast.
“We had planned projects to go into, and CAUSE was
there to follow up,” says Matejka, RNMN, an instructor
at the College for six years. “With donated money, we
bought materials to build a fence around the school,
to make a safer playground. Before we left, we hired a
contractor to build it and CAUSE will follow through to
make sure it’s completed.”
“This trip was a life-changing experience. From eating turtle to
drinking coconut milk on the beach to seeing dolphins, to challenging
myself beyond boundaries I didn’t know I had. And the children
were a highlight for me. Whether or not you speak Spanish or
Garifuna, the kids take a liking to you because you show initiative to
establish relationships.”
Leia Schaber
3rd year Nursing student, BScN Program
The group learned about coconut reforestation –
recent crops have been wiped out from lethal yellowing
disease. The aim is to reforest with a disease-resistant
coconut.
Non-stop is the best way to describe the pace. Students
worked alongside a women’s co-op that plants and
processes yucca to make cassava, a starchy root used in
making bread.
Next, they travelled to several health centres in the
area, two of them accessible only by boat. “We visited
schools and did health promotion activities such as
hand washing and teeth brushing,” says Matejka.
“HIV is a big problem so our students put on a process
theatre puppet show to teach about HIV and AIDS
awareness to grades K-4.”
In 2008, the instructors intend to return to Central
America with increased enrollment - they hope to bring
as many as 14 students on their next expedition to the
region.
Adventure. Activities. Rewarding results. For those
who desire a first-hand opportunity to live and work
with people from another culture, unforgettable
memories are guaranteed in Cirriboya.
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
REGULAR SEASON HOME GAME
Basketball
October
www.rdc.ab.ca/athletics
26 Friday vs SAIT 6:30 pm
November
2 Friday vs MRC 6:30 pm
16 Friday vs LCC 6:30 pm
17 Saturday vs LCC 12 Noon
January
11 Friday vs MHC 6:30 pm
12 Saturday vs MHC 12 Noon
19 Saturday vs SAIT 5:00 pm
26 Saturday vs MRC 5:00 pm
February
15 Friday vs BC 6:30 pm
16 Saturday vs BC 12 Noon
• Game times are for Queens, with Kings
to follow
• Games played in the RDC Lion’s Den
Presenting sponsor of Red Deer College Athletics Alumni Homecoming
and Social - November 3rd, at the Farside
For More Information Call 342-3497
Volleyball
October
19 Friday vs BC 6:30 pm
20 Saturday vs BC 12 Noon
November
3 Saturday vs King’s 5:00 pm
9 Friday vs MRC 6:30 pm
17 Saturday vs MacE 5:00 pm
23 Friday vs SAIT 6:30 pm
January
12 Saturday vs SAIT 5:00 pm
18 Friday vs GPRC 6:30 pm
19 Saturday vs GPRC 12 Noon
25 Friday vs King’s 6:30 pm
February
2 Saturday vs MRC 5:00 pm
8 Friday vs MacE 6:30 pm
• Game times are for Queens, with Kings
to follow
• Games played in the RDC Lion’s Den
RDC 2007-08 ACAC
SCHEDULE
Queens Hockey
October
11 Thursday vs NAIT 7:00 pm
18 Thursday vs UofC 7:00 pm
25 Thursday vs MRC 7:00 pm
November
1 Thursday vs MacE 7:00 pm
15 Thursday vs SAIT 7:00 pm
22 Thursday vs NAIT 7:00 pm
January
10 Thursday vs NAIT 7:00 pm
17 Thursday vs UofC 7:00 pm
24 Thursday vs SAIT 7:00 pm
31 Thursday vs MRC 7:00 pm
February
7 Thursday vs MacE 7:00 pm
• Games played in the Red Deer Arena
GET YOUR
TICKETS NOW!
rdc athletics ticket hotline
403.342.3497
or purchase tickets at the door
21

Note Worthy
Collicutt Energy Services signed a memorandum of
understanding with Red Deer College pledging that
each will dedicate resources to promote opportunities for
Collicutt staff and RDC students through new technical
programming. As a result, the College will develop and
support a Natural Gas Compression and Power Energy
Generation Technician program, as well as providing
technical and soft-skills training to Collicutt’s human
resources department.
In conjunction with RDC Financial Services, the Registrar’s
office set up a pre-payment system for student fees in
Apprenticeship programs this August. Because all fees are
now paid one month in advance, the students’ first day
can now be used for learning rather than administrative
paperwork.
The 2007 Golf Classic raised more than $70 000 for
student bursaries. This was a 14% increase from last
year’s event. Over 800 students received funding from this
22
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook
News and accomplishments of alumni, faculty, staff mem-
bers, students and Red Deer College departments.
program in the 2006/2007 year thanks to the generous
support of Alberta businesses and donors.
In May, Red Deer College was recognized at AADAC’s
Barb Tarbox Awards of Excellence Ceremony
in Edmonton for their tobacco reduction program. The
program, led by Mona Leavitt NURS ’81, Fine Art ‘00
increases awareness of the harmful effects of smoking and
encourages students to lead healthier lifestyles.
Red Deer College welcomes a Tim Hortons location to
the campus this fall. The kiosk, housed in the Forum, will
partner with Upper Crust (sandwiches and other).
The Government of Alberta is investing an additional
$18 million in Red Deer College’s Building
Communities Through Learning (BCTL) project.
The additional funding will go toward the new centres
for Trades and Technology and Innovation and
Manufacturing being completed, equipped and ready for
learners by September 2008. These centres are part of
the first component of the College’s BCTL project, which
also includes centres for Business Enterprise and Visual
Art.
A Green Campus Task Group has recently been
formed to help fulfill the College’s commitment to being a
leader in the area of sustainability. Initiatives will include
recycling programs, LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) certification for new buildings,
numerous energy and water conservation initiatives, and
the exploration of transportation alternatives in order to
reduce the number of vehicles being driven to campus
every day.
The College is experiencing enrollment increases
this year, particularly in Apprenticeship Trades and
Continuing Education. Overall, the number of students
in certificate, diploma and university degree programs is
expected to be similar or slightly higher than last year.
Fourth year Red Deer College Motion Picture Arts student
Julie Debeljak had her short film, Caffeine Infidelity
included in the eleventh annual LA Shorts Fest.The film
was also shown at the last Calgary International film
Festival where it was nominated for an Alberta Centennial
award.
Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

23
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Have an announcement? If you’ve attended Red Deer College, place your news in
Class Notes Class Notes for FREE. This is a great way to share the news of your marriage,
new family members, a new home, career or educational success! Photos are
welcomed, but will be used as space permits.
Send us your Class Note and receive a five dollar gift certificate redeemable at the Red Deer College
Bookstore. Submissions can be sent by e-mail to notebook@rdc.ab.ca or by mail to: Alumni Relations, Red
Deer College, 100 College Blvd., Box 5005, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

John Rathwell BUGN ’85 is the Branch Manager of four sharing and building on her
Dundee Securities offices in central Alberta. He and musical expertise with many
his wife Monna have three terrific kids. They live on an visiting and resident musicians.
acreage south of Red Deer and they enjoy numerous Returning to Edmonton in the
activities, including boating, sledding, horses, hockey, in- fall of 2005, Kristine has been
line skating and skiing. As a hobby, John enjoys collecting active in the areas of private
cars. studio teaching, as well as
accompanying for a number of
Since graduating in
ballet conservatories, church
December of 1996 with a
congregations and choirs. It is
Recreation Administration
her love of working with young
Diploma, Les Waite has
children that has rallied her to further her studies in the
worked at John Wilson
field of education. Kristine is presently starting her first
Elementary School as
year in the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Education
an Education Assistant.
After-Degree Program, Elementary Route.
In 1998, he started with
the Youth and Volunteer Andrea Simpson (nee Klooster) BSCN ’01 began
Centre as a Camp working at the Red Deer Hospital in orthopedic surgery
Counselor, worked as a immediatly folllowing graduation. She took time in 2001-
Program Coordinator, 2002 to do mission work in Africa on the Mercy Ships and
and is now the Community Programs Manager. This role to visit many other countries. In 2004, she married Harry
oversees the Boys and Girls Clubs and Big Brothers/Sister Simpson. The couple have made their home in Red
of Red Deer and surrounding communities. Deer where they enjoy fishing, camping and hiking. She
In 1998, he married Angela Waite (nee Anderson) is presently working on a medical unit that specializes in
SOWK ’99 who became a full-time employee with renal failure with a group of wonderful nurses.
Heritage Family Services. She began as a front-line
worker, and she is now the Program Coordinator of the Travis Hamm WELD ’02, after completing his
Youth Assessment Centre. They took in a foster child in journeyman
2001, who was then 14 years old, and he has become certification, Travis
a part of their family. Since then, they have had two got his B-Pressure
children. ticket. He then
Both Les and Angela work at additional part-time positions. bought a welding
Les works for Prairie Bus Lines as a relief Bus Driver and truck and started a
Angela has worked for Red Deer College for 10 years as welding business. In
the Head Scorekeeper for RDC Basketball. Their hobbies his own words, “It’s
include camping, hiking, skiing/snowboarding, quadding, a tough living. It’s
traveling, and spending time together as a family. boom and bust, but I
enjoy it.”
Since graduating in 2000 with a Diploma in Music, He is still living in
Kristine Nielsen has gone on to complete her Bachelor Red Deer. He has
of Music at the University of Alberta, majoring in piano a ten year old son,
performance. Following convocation, Kristine spent six named Dylan, who
months traveling throughout Europe, prior to accepting is a great kid. Travis enjoyed his time at RDC, and would
a position working at The Banff Centre’s Paul D. Fleck like to invite his friends to look him up on Facebook.
Library and Archives. Here, she thoroughly enjoyed

24
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

Stay Connected
E-mail your update to us at alumni@rdc.ab.ca or complete this
form and return it to our office.
When we receive your information, we will send you a five dollar
gift certificate redeemable at the Red Deer College Bookstore.

Are the supplements in your cupboard designed according Name: (First)___________________________________________

to the ‘Laws of Nature’? If not, your best intentions and hard (Middle)_______________________________________________
earned dollars are being flushed away, literally!
(Last) _ _______________________________________________
‘Supplementing With Success’ is much more than just popping
Maiden Name_ _________________________________________
pills, but rather, ensuring that your body can utilize and
absorb the supplements you consume. Student ID Number: _____________________________________
Program & Year: ________________________________________
Just one example is how your body cannot absorb vitamins
without minerals, minerals without proteins, and proteins Spouse’s Name:_ _______________________________________
without enzymes . . . Is your spouse a Red Deer College Alumnus? __ Yes __ No
there’s just no exception Their Student ID Number: _________________________________
to that rule!
Program and Year: ______________________________________
For more hidden
E-mail: _ ______________________________________________
truths, or for advice on
how to ‘Supplement Phone: _ ______________________________________________
Successfully’ call Home Address: _________________________________________
Charlene at (403) City:__________________________________________________
755-0797 for your 15- Prov: ________________________Postal Code:_ ______________
minute complimentary
consultation. Employer/Occupation: _ __________________________________
City: _ _______________________Prov/State: ________________

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The personal information that you provide will be used by Community Relations for
the purposes of publication in the Alumni magazine, ongoing contact, research and
fundraising. The information will be protected in compliance with the provisions of
the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of Alberta. If you have any
questions about the collection and use of this personal information, please don’t
hesitate to contact us.

Signature:_ ____________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________________

Red Deer College Alumni Relations

Box 5005, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5
Phone: (403) 342-3308 Fax: (403) 343-4080
Toll Free 1-866-ALUMNI-1 (1-866-258-6641)

25
 Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

RDC Calendar
Events Calendar Performing Arts Calendar
All dates subject to change. Dates and Performances are subject to change.
www.rdc.ab.ca/community_relations for more information. www.rdc.ab.ca/showtime for more information.

2007
2007
October 17 Perspectives: Canada in the World
October 20 Faculty Showcase 2007
October 20 11th Annual International
Wine Auction and Dinner November 1 Symphonic Winds
RDC Alumni Association November 7 Rotary Seniors Concert
Nov. 22 – Dec. 1 Little Shop of Horrors
November 2-4 Welcome Back Weekend
November 25-26 Jazz in the Studio
Friday, November 2 4th Annual Red Deer College December 7 Sounds of the Season
Wine Tasting Festival 2008
Saturday, November 3 Meet the President Brunch February 10 Dale Wheeler Piano Plus…
RDC Open House February 14 – 16, 20 – 23 Noel Coward’s Hay Fever
Alumni Kings/Queens Games
February 22 Arkatzi Chill Party
Alumni Athletic Social
Performing Arts Alumni Revue February 28 Symphonic Winds
Alumni Annual General Meeting March 1 Jazz on Mainstage
March 8 Divas Around Town
November 5 Student Awards Ceremony
March 26-29 Blood Wedding
November 20 Report to the Community Breakfast
March 29 That’s Entertainment
2008
April 3 A Touch of Class
January 19 11th Annual Affairs of the Arts April 9 – 12 A Winter’s Tale
March 14 Perspectives: Canada in the World
March 30 Donor Recognition Celebration
April 12 Distinguished Alumni
- Nominations close
Alumni Legacy
- Nominations Close

Did You Know?

Alumni automatically receive a disability
waiver of premium with their insurance policy
through Johnson Inc? This covers your insur-
ance payments for up to six months.

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Fall 2007 • RDC Alumni NOTEbook

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