The Free Thinking Film Society Needs Your Help!
[Source: Free Thinking Film Festival]
Dear Free Thinking Film Society Supporter:
I want to thank everybody for making our 2nd Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2011 a tremendous success.
We had very big audiences for Angryphone and for our documentary on the CBC. After our film on the velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, I met a woman who was in Prague in 1968 and she brought her snap-shots to show people. She was very moved by the film and she moved me! The film, The 10 Conditions of Love, about the Uyghur people brought tears to the eyes of my friend Rukiye who was representing the Uyghurs of Canada. And, who can forget Rev. Majed El Shafie and his inspirational talk after his film “Freedom Fighter?”
And, Irwin Cotler’s speech after the film “Unmasked: Judeophobia and the Threat to Civilization” was just amazing.
South Keys winter fest needs volunteers
The South Keys Greenboro Community Association is calling for volunteers to help at the association’s first winter festival on Family Day in February.
“The community has always stepped up to help us, and we need them to step up and help us again this year, because this is for them,” said incoming association president Karen Larche-Sheikh.
The free Feb. 21 event at Pushman Park near Albion and Johnston Roads in South Keys will include horse-drawn sleigh rides, a chili cook-off, taffy making, an ice sculpture competition, toboggan races and music, she said. Former Ottawa 67’s hockey player Jerret Dafazio will also lead a hockey skills tournament on the community rink. Larche-Sheikh said families are also welcome to skate on the rink, which is funded by the City of Ottawa and maintained by the organization.
“Everyone is welcome. I want to get all cultures out, all ages out, people who have never skated. I want them all out,” she said, adding that all of the food will be halal, so that every cultural group in the area can take part.
Larche-Sheikh said the association is also looking for corporate sponsors to help with the event. To sponsor or volunteer for this event, community members can contact Marnie McKinstry at 613-565-2585.
Seminar: Police Background Checks
What:
In August 2010 some new rules around Police Background Checks came into play. Come and get all of the information you will need to help keep your volunteers engaged and ready to serve. We will have a presentation and then an open discussion on how these new rules will affect the way you meet the needs of your volunteers and the clients they help.
Facilitators:
Robert Lefebvre, Background Clearance Supervisor – Ottawa Police Services
William Coukell, Executive Director – Volunteer Ottawa
When:
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
9:00 am – 11:00 am
For more information and to register, click here
Ottawa Festivals Focus Group Invitiation
Ottawa Festivals is developing a new volunteer tool that will enhance volunteering in Ottawa’s festival, special event and fair industry. Our research team needs your input to make this a useful and successful tool.
We are looking for volunteers that have previous volunteer experience in the festival, special event and fair sector in Ottawa.
The volunteer tool will contribute to advancing the skills, knowledge and experience of volunteers in our industry. This includes matching volunteers with the right volunteering position, as well as creating a virtual space for volunteers to communicate and to share their experiences.
Your opinions and views are crucial for the volunteer tool to be successful and sustainable.
We will be holding two focus group sessions, please register for one of them.
Date: Sunday, September 26, 2010.
Time: 12p.m.-1:30p.m.
Location: 47 rue William Street. Ottawa, ON, K1N 6Z9
Date: Monday, September 27, 2010.
Time: 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Location: City Hall, Richmond Room.110 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa, ON, ON K1P 1J1
Please R.S.V.P by emailing volunteers@ottawafestivals.ca or by calling 613-233-1085 ext 113.
Refreshments will be provided.
Brown Bag Lunch Series: How to Engage our Youth?
When: Thursday, September 23rd, 2010, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Where: Volunteer Ottawa, C3 Centre at 1155 Lola St, Suite 201
What: If we are going to engage youth as volunteers then we need to do it right. This is no different than engaging other sectors in volunteering except that for many young people this is their first exposure to volunteering or community service.
This statement reinforces that this “community involvement” requirement of high school students, was in fact a “gift” to the voluntary sector. How we use this gift is our challenge.
Cost: $10
Register: Please click here to complete the registration form Payment can be made by cheque or credit card – you will be contacted upon receipt of registration information.
Facilitator: Lonelle Butler
Lonelle is the Volunteer Coordinator at The Glebe Centre. She has had great success in her work with youth volunteers and loves to share her tactics in engaging them as well as her experiences in working with them.
Info: Please contact Karen Buckshi, Education Coordinator at 613-736-5266 ext 114, education@volunteerottawa.ca
17th edition of Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest a massive success
Once again, the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest saw thousands of fans make their way down to LeBreton Flats Park for twelve days of outstanding music and comedy programming. As always the festival offered something for everyone. From indie punkers Alexisonfire to Tuvan throat singers YAT-KA—along with the likes of Iron Maiden, Further with Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, the B52s, Joan Jett, The Flaming Lips, Rush, Arcade Fire, Crowded House, Great Big Sea, Keith Urban, Weezer, and 250 other acts thrown in for good measure—the festival drew in excess of 350,000 fans.
Over the course of 17 years, the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest has grown to become the landmark event of the Ottawa summer and one of the top-ten outdoor music festivals in the world, according to Billboard Magazine.
The Massive outdoor event has deep roots in the community and is staged with the help of thousands of community volunteers. In 2010 4,000 volunteers worked 26,000 shifts and contributed over 100,000 hours. Within three days of the line-up announcement all volunteer shifts were filled and registration was maxed out.
The ongoing love affair between the ‘fest and its fans continued in 2010. Audiences were blown away by newcomers to the event such as the John Butler Trio, Caravan Palace, and Dana Fuchs and by rare appearances in Ottawa by the Flaming Lips and Santana, who drew the largest crowds ever seen at the event.
“I’d like to recognize the best music fans in the world—from Ottawa and beyond,” says Mark Monahan, the festival’s executive and artistic director. “Your support means everything to us and keeps us trying to improve your festival experience, year after year.” Monahan added that it was great to have another successful event in the books, and after a week or two off, Monahan and his team are ready to roll up their sleeves and start planning for 2011.
CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS FOR CANADA DAY
Preparations for Canada Day 2010 are well underway, and the National Capital Commission (NCC) is currently looking for enthusiastic individuals who would like to lend a hand during the July 1st celebrations.
Every year, more than 500 volunteers help the NCC welcome the 460,000 visitors who take part in the festivities organized on July 1st in Canada’s Capital Region.
Volunteers fulfill a variety of tasks, such as distributing Canadian flags, assisting performers and individuals with special needs, lending a hand at the various craft, face painting and games areas for kids, and acting as information officers.
Individuals interested in helping the NCC and experiencing Canada Day in Canada’s Capital in an exciting new way can contact the NCC Volunteer Centre by telephone at 613-239-5373 or by email at volunteer_benevoles@ncc-ccn.ca.
The volunteer registration form can also be downloaded from the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca/volunteer.
Volunteers keep festivals moving
TRACEY TONG , METRO OTTAWA
With festival season underway in Ottawa, thousands of volunteers will be logging hours to make sure these events run smoothly.
“Volunteers make festivals what they are,” said Catriona Leger with the Ottawa Fringe Festival, which runs June 17 to 27. “They are the backbone of the festivals. We couldn’t do festivals without volunteers.”
Whatever your talents or interests, there’s a festival and a position to suit you.
And while festivals need volunteers, there’s often something in it for the volunteers as well.
Read the full article on Metro Ottawa online: Volunteers keep festivals moving
Volunteers needed to administer survey
Ottawa Festivals is conducting a pioneer research project to study the social impacts of festivals in the National Capital Region.
Are you an outgoing and reliable person interested in participating in a research project about the social impact of festivals in the National Capital Region? Are you looking for work experience in a research environment?
Ottawa Festivals, a not-for-profit organization, is seeking the participation of a group of volunteers to help administer surveys during a number of festivals taking place in April 2010. Your task will consist of distributing and collecting surveys during the festival. If interested, please send a copy of your resume with your availability (daytime preferred) to research@ottawafestivals.ca.
Giving back: It’s all about free
An interesting story about volunteerism in the Globe and Mail. Dave McGinn dares to ask the question, “What’s in it for me?” Is he justified in doing so?
Dave McGinn, Globe and Mail
Know, however, that even people who oversee volunteer organizations say it’s perfectly acceptable if you look at it as a tit-for-tat proposition.”It doesn’t have to be something that’s purely altruistic,” says Ruth MacKenzie, president of Volunteer Canada. “It’s actually okay to benefit personally from volunteering.”
That can mean expanding your networking opportunities to get ahead at work or, say, scoring free access to golf tournaments rather than pay for the price of admission.
The allure of saving a few bucks is “a huge part of it,” says Ms. MacKenzie. “Here in Ottawa, we’ve got the Chamber Music Festival and Jazz Fest and the Blues Festival, and lots of people volunteer because they get free passes to the event. That’s okay.”
Full article on the Globe and Mail website: Giving back: It’s all about free
