LFS presents Immigrant Achievement Awards
From its very first days, our city’s growth and prosperity have been created by immigrants — newcomers from Britain, China, Italy... so many nations. In more recent years, residents have had an opportunity to recognize and salute some of our newest arrivals, along with the organizations and businesses who’ve gone the extra mile to make them feel welcome. Lethbridge Family Services hosted its annual Immigrant Achievement Awards dinner this week — a successful event despite the power failure!
Participants applauded Douhouk Dabbas as winner of this year's “youth achievement” award, for a recent immigrants (14 to 25) who have already made a difference in the community, and “show great potential as long-term nation builders.”
And Adbullah (Abed) Mouslli was celebrated as a “newcomer of promise,” recognizing a recent immigrant’s “growth and success as a newcomer to Canada.”
This year’s leadership award was presented to Peter Imhof for his work with newly arrived families as executive director of the Family Centre, while the Lethbridge College
Students’ Association was recognized in the “art, culture and recreation” sphere for its support of the Bhutanese seniors’ garden project on the college campus.
And Lethbridge Toyota was saluted for its “organizational diversity.” A special Canada 150 Award was presented to
Bozana Sljuka, a longtime staff member with Lethbridge Family Services’ immigrant services program.
Congratulations, all!
••• While we’re recognizing exceptional people in our community, here’s a salute to Shelly Wismath, recently named the first dean of the new School of Liberal Education at the University of Lethbridge. An instructor in the university’s mathematics and computer science department since 1983, she moved over to the U of L’s emerging Liberal Education program in 2009. Earlier this year, Wismath was one of 10 professors across Canada to receive a 3M National Teaching Fellowship, awarded to the top post-secondary teachers in the nation.
••• Two more U of L accolades: Longtime nursing educator Joyce D’Andrea will be presented the “Friend of Health Sciences Award” for her dedication to preparing student nurses for their professional roles after the graduate. Over a career than began in the 1960s, she has taught nursing at St. Michael’s Hospital, Lethbridge College and the U of L, as well as online courses through Athabasca University.
And Dawn McBride, a psychologist and education faculty member, has been presented a “Tulip Award” by the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter for her efforts to reduce family violence and abuse. A “community partner” of the shelter, McBride earned her master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Calgary, and taught at Canadian and overseas universities before joining the U of L faculty in 2005.
••• A university teacher as well as a composer, Srul
Irving Glick earned a Master of Music degree at the University of Toronto and went on to serve as a music producer at the CBC for more than two decades. He also served as choir director at a Toronto synagogue for nearly 40 years, until his death in 2002.
The son of a Jewish cantor, Glick often drew on his Semitic roots for inspiration and his “Suite No. 1” reflects some of those influences.
It’s the featured work next Friday, 7:30 p.m. when pianist Graeme Roset joins the Musaeus string quartet for “Extra A,” a chamber concert at La Cite des Prairies at Mayor Magrath and 6 Avenue South. But the event, helping celebrate Canada’s 150th, will also include a “Canada 150” salute by Musaeus member Mark Rodgers and the world premiere of a string quartet by former Lethbridge Symphony musician Shaun Bellamy. Rounding out the evening will be a Sir Ernest
MacMillan piece, “A Saint Malo,” a piano quintet by Robert Schumann — and a postconcert “meet and greet” with finger food and refreshments.
Seating is limited, but tickets are available from the Lethbridge Symphony desk inside Southminster Hall off 11 Street South.
••• Even sooner, music fans can hear Calgary Philharmonic bassoonist Michael Hope, in concert with U of L pianist Deanna Oye, during a free “Music at Noon” concert on Tuesday, 12:15 p.m. in Recital Hall. A week later, Philharmonic bassist Matthew Heller will be featured. Then on Nov. 11, longtime U of L pianist and instructor Glen Montgomery will return to the city to accompany
music professor Blaine Hendsbee, tenor on some of their favourite selections. •••
Music of another kind: Shane Koyczan will perform Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in Chinook High School, presented by the folks at Geomatic Attic. He’ll be followed Nov. 1 by
Barney Bentall’s “Grand Cariboo Express” at Southminster United Church. Tickets are available online at geomaticattic.ca.
••• And tickets will be available at the Lethbridge Multicultural Centre for two upcoming feasts: a Taste of Nigeria on Friday, and then a Taste of Argentina on Nov. 10. Ecuador will be next, on Nov. 24.
••• Hatrix Theatre, in collaboration with Danceworks Dance Academy, will be staging “Little Shop of Horrors,” debuting Oct. 25 to 28 at the Moose Hall on 5 Avenue North. Then, just in time for Halloween, it will return Oct. 31 to Nov. 4. Tickets are available from Java the Hut, just outside the hall.
•• • For the younger set, the Galt Museum will be hosting a “Halloween Spooktacular,” starting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 28. Admission will be free, costumes are invited, and there will be caramel apples as well as popcorn for munchies. Children can make crafts, play games and hear ghost stories from the museum building’s past.
••• And just one last-minute event to consider: The Rangeland Collectors Club is holding its 12th annual antique sale today and Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. both days inside the grandstand at Exhibition Park. Vendors are coming from across B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, organizers say, and proceeds will go to various charities.