Chronicle 17-18 Issue 06

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10 The Chronicle February 13 - 19, 2018 chronicle.durhamcollege.ca Community Lunch for kidney awareness Jenny's Warriors raise funds Kirsten Jerry The Chronicle “You’re asleep at night, you wake up, you’re not well… you can’t think straight, the bell is going off, it’s pitch black… and the first thing you experience is panic,” says Jenny Taylor, describing a late night with a dialysis machine, alarms blaring. She explains it’s important for the Kidney Foundation of Canada to create easy-to-follow guides for the use of the machines. She says dialysis machines come with thick, technical operation manuals. The dialysis is done at night, so the person can continue to have “a normal life” during the day. When something goes wrong with the machine, bells go off. But the Kidney Foundation’s booklets make it easier to address problems, she says. “It’s more than just a booklet you can understand, it’s a booklet you can understand when you’re panicking,” says Taylor. The Kidney Foundation of Canada, also creates educational materials and provides much needed support for those affected by kidney disease. That’s one reason Taylor is pleased to help the Kidney Foundation of Canada, through an organization called Jenny’s Warriors. The group raised funds for the foundation by hosting a luncheon on Feb. 10 at Holiday Gardens, at 3315 Balsam Rd. and Sideline 4 in Pickering. Taylor worked as a nurse before having her five children. “Even as a nurse it (kidney disease) wasn’t really most in your mind,” Taylor says. “If you watch the TV they’re always saying ‘heart, stroke, cancer.’ People just aren’t aware, alright, how much it's (kidney disease) around.” To help raise awareness, speakers and a panel discussion were held at the luncheon for those living with or supporting someone who has the disease. The hope is the stories of real people will help shed light on kidney disease and its effects. “The event is important because it brings together both the kidney disease community and those not suffering from kidney disease,” says Hannah Stojanovski, Taylor’s youngest daughter, in an email. “That way those not suffering can learn about all of the trials and tribulations someone battling kidney disease goes through, and how they can help out.” “Last year,” Stojanovski says, “a new family joined our event. They are suffering from kidney disease, and getting to share their story and chat with other patients brightened up their day.” “The first event took place January 2013,” Stojanovski adds. Jenny’s Warriors began when Taylor was diagnosed with kidney failure in May, 2012. Her family decided to help raise funds for the Kidney Foundation because they help beyond meeting people’s medical needs, for example providing emotional assistance, and they wanted to help others who had the disease. “The kids decided to call it Jenny’s Warriors because we (people with kidney disease) were all warriors and I was Jenny,” Taylor laughed. “Though it’s my name, it’s not me. It’s the whole group who get together for making life better for people with kidney disease.” Learn about Oshawa's history over tea, scones Exposing the hidden stories in Oshawa's archival photographs at an Oshawa Museum event Kirsten Jerry The Chronicle People just aren't always aware, alright, how much it's around. There was fair weather and a cool breeze off the Lake Ontario on the walk to Guy House at the Oshawa Museum, but inside the yellow frame house was warm. A small room was set up for the museum’s Tea & Talk event on Jan. 28. The event focused on archival images. They were presented in original format on a PowerPoint presentation. Then, a zoomed in part of the image was shown, revealing a hidden story. Carol Mutiger, 81, from south Oshawa attended the tea for the first time as a member. “It’s a nice thing to be able to do on a Sunday afternoon, learn about where you live,” she said. “When you retire you have time on your hands. So, it’s nice to be able to have that time to learn about the things you didn’t have time to when you were younger.” Mutiger once lived in Scarborough but enjoys living in Oshawa. “I’ve really taken to Oshawa. To me it’s like a small town, you know. You know everybody… But it’s got everything a big town has.” The Tea & Talk event is a time when history discussions are held over tea and scones. Jill Passmore, visitor experience coordinator at the Oshawa Museum, hosted the Tea & Talk event on Jan. 28. The event costs $10 for the public or $5 for members. The fee helps fund the event. It is held on the last Sunday of every month. There is room for about 20 visitors per sitting. At this event, there were 11 women in attendance. It was hosted by Jill Passmore, Oshawa Museum’s visitor experience coordinator. “It’s similar to other events but on a much smaller scale, so it really gives our guests a chance to interact with museum staff and different parts of our collection,” said Passmore. “We find that there is conversation going on [afterwards] and extended learning, I guess you could say.” Passmore said while she hosted the January event, the teas can also be hosted by Lisa Terech, who is in charge of community engagement, or a guest speaker. Some of the 27 photographs presented brought laughter from the small crowd. For example, the fourth picture presented was a school photo from the now-closed Cedardale Public School. The close up image revealed a grumpy boy in the front row. This photograph also sparked a short conversation about the length of time students would have to stay still for a photograph. The next Tea & Talk will be held on Feb. 25 from 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Photograph by Kirsten Jerry Photograph by Kirsten Jerry Carol Mutiger, 81, attended the Tea & Talk event at the Oshawa Museum on Jan. 28.
Campus chronicle.durhamcollege.ca February 13 - 19, 2018 The Chronicle 11 Combining nature with technology Reuniting students with nature by using technology Cassidy McMullen The Chronicle Durham College is reconnecting students with nature using technology. At this year’s Aboriginal Awareness Day, Heather Bickle, the health promotions coordinator at Durham College, partnered with the event to set up a room for students to recharge with nature using projectors showing waterfalls, audio of water and birds and plants. “Nature is a great way for us to heal and feel wellness,” Bickle says. Nature deficit disorder is a disconnect or isolation from nature that results in a loss of creativity, behavioural and mental health issues. It’s not a clinical diagnosis but rather a term coined by author Richard Louv, who wrote Last Child in the Woods where he details the disorder. “We’re not spending time in nature,” Bickle says referring to Photograph by Cassidy McMullen Alyssa Gunn and Billy Jessome recharge in the nature room during Aboriginal Awareness Day. technology being a big factor in why that is. “Technology is not necessarily the enemy,” Bickle says, adding there are ways to incorporate the two in our environments. “This can be as simple as maybe on your desktop, on your phone, putting a screensaver image of nature, it can be playing a video or some nature sounds,” Bickle says. Participants in the room were encouraged to sit down on one of the couches in the dark room for at least five minutes and take deep breaths to relax. Lorrie Ann Parks, one of the drum circle presenters from the performance going on for Aboriginal Awareness Day, participated in the room. “My stress level lowered,” Parks said. “It doesn’t take very long for that full calming level to come. “We all live such busy, busy, busy, busy lives,” Parks said. “I think what that does is, that’s what it does it shows you that it doesn’t take much to change your inner, inner being to be less stressful, right? It doesn’t take much, all you had to do was go in there.” In the room, to go along with the theme of environmental wellness, they also talked about environmental sustainability. “I think sometimes we think it’s about recycle and reduce and reusing, that was kind of drilled into our head when we were little,” Bickle says. “But sustainability is so much more than that. It’s learning where our food is coming from, how are food is being handled, how we can make environmental sound choices day-to-day.” Bickle says it’s important to think about where your packaging or furniture comes from in order to start being more sustainable. On campus, Durham College has a Living Green initiative for students. “The Living Green initiative seeks to enhance the environmental sustainability of campus operations, planning, administration, curriculum, research, innovation and stakeholder engagement,” the Living Green blog says. “Environmental wellness is not just an Aboriginal, Indigenous issue. They are often our fighters and our voice for our communities,” Bickle says. “It is often our Indigenous communities that are on the forefront, fighting for our environment. So, this is hoping to bring some awareness today that it’s a full community and we all need to be more aware of how our environment is being impacted.” Bickle is hoping to make the room a service offered at Durham College when the Health and Wellness offices are switched to the C-Wing on the Oshawa campus this spring. She also wants to provide students with nature walks behind the residence buildings on the west side of the campus. Until then, Bickle encourages people to take a little extra time between buses or walks to take nature in. “A little as 10 minutes each day just sitting out in your backyard, even if you live in an apartment building,” Bickle says. “Looking outside your window, looking at the sky looking at the clouds, doing some breathing.” Adding perspective on Aboriginal Awareness Day Alex Clelland The Chronicle A hush came over the crowd of young students as Elder Shirley Williams of the Ojibway and Odawa First Nations began a prayer and smudge ceremony (to purify a room with smoke from herbs) to commemorate the sixth annual Aboriginal Awareness Day at Durham College. Students from local elementary schools, high schools and DC and UOIT students attended, where they were educated about the environment, Indigenous culture, and spiritual connection. To kick off the day, Kim Wheatley performed a song tribute to the importance of water and respecting nature’s resources. Wheatley is an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) of Shawanaga First Nation reserve. She frequently volunteers her time by speaking, singing, and performing drum rituals around Durham Region and the GTA. Elder Gerard Sagassige, an Ojibway and member of the Curve Lake First Nation and Serpent River First Nation, was the emcee, and says these events help bring education and understanding of the Indigenous community to young Canadians. “[The event] promotes the Indigenous way of being because it’s a shared experience with First peoples, non-status and Métis,” he says. “And I think when you’re able to promote awareness to Durham Region, it creates the understanding for further education in children.” While younger children were focused on the performances, some of the high school students showed disinterest. They snickered and whispered to their peers during the event. Aboriginal Awareness Day, put on by the Aboriginal Student Centre at Durham College welcomed students from across the region of all ages, including students from DC. Photograph by Alex Clelland Aboriginal Awareness Day hosts 'All My Relations' a drum circle group of Metis women. An idea of who we are as Indigenous people. The events included a women’s singing group, traditional Inuit throat singing, a Métis fiddler, a drum circle performance, and various vendors from across Ontario. Darryl Day is an Indigenous child support worker from the Northwest Territories. He says local events bring together the Indigenous community with concentrated, smaller crowds and this helps bring perspective to outsiders. “It’s always good to get all perspectives from each of the three major communities - First Nations, Inuit and Métis,” he says “It gives students an idea of who we are as Indigenous people. Having elders, art, and our music allows us to share our stories and our culture.” National Aboriginal Day in Canada takes place annually on June 21, to celebrate First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across the country. This past June, Prime Minister Trudeau renamed the day to National Indigenous Peoples Day to coincide with terminology used in the United Nation’s Declaration of Rights. Durham College hosts its own local day of celebration every year to bring together Indigenous communities and students for a day of education, entertainment and acceptance. Due to National Aboriginal Day falling outside of the regularly scheduled semester. The Aboriginal Student Centre strives to support students through activities and teachings with the assistance of Elders from all Indigenous backgrounds, according to its mission statement. Focusing on connecting students with their spirit and culture, the Aboriginal Student Centre puts on events across the school year to incorporate Indigenous presence on campus. Smudging ceremonies and prayer sessions take place multiple times a semester, and all students are welcome to join.
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Chronicle 17-18 Issue 06

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