Last Minute - The Lethbridge Journal

FEATURE STORY
Linda’s heart is in Africa
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pg. 27
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Last Minute
MOTHER ’S DAY
Guide

Hey Lethbridge!
Hatrix Theatre stages
‘Jitters’
Come to
Nikka Yuko!
By Erwin Blatter
For the Lethbridge Journal
Each year, people from all over the world
flock to the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
in Lethbridge. The only people missing
are Lethbridgeites themselves. That has
to change, says Lindy Rollingson, executive
director of the garden.
Armed with a bigger marketing budget
she aims at 3,000 more visitors for the
upcoming season, which starts May 11.
It’s a little bit like the Parisians and the
Eiffel Tower. For them, it’s always been
there, so why go and rush to ascend it?
In general, locals
just don’t visit
tourist attractions
in their
home town. And
Lethbridge residents
don’t visit
the Nikka Yuko
Japanese Garden.
“The garden is a
hidden gem in the
city,” says Rollingson.
“The people
from Lethbridge should
come and see how it has developed over
the years.”
Despite a lack of visitors from Lethbridge,
Nikka Yuko draws thousands of
people each season. In 2011, approximately
23,000 people from as far as India
and China came to see and walk through
the lush oriental yard near Henderson
Lake. This year, Rollingson is aiming for
26,000 visitors, a number that should be
feasible, she is convinced.
“We will have the most exciting display
of Hiroshi Shimazaki paintings in July.
He went to Japan to paint the landscapes
Rudyard Kipling saw during his visits
to Japan in 1889 and 1892. We will also
continue the tea ceremony as it is one of
our most popular activities.”
To get the word out, Nikka Yuko - which
reflects the Japanese landscape and culture
-will employ an increased marketing
campaign this year. City council paid
for part of it, including the garden’s website
and the rest was paid for by Nikka
Yuko.
The Japanese garden also has another
reason to advertise a bit more: having
first opened in 1967 it celebrates its 45th
anniversary on the July 11.
“We will serve cake and the whole
works,” says Rollingson without revealing
too much about the upcoming festivities.
In 1987, the year Nikka Yuko celebrated
its 25th anniversary, the garden had as
many as 60,000 visitors. However, Rollingson
is happy with the way things are
g o i n g today.
“We have been
voted number 20
out of 130 North
American Japanese
gardens by
Sukiya Living
Magazine (journal
of Japanese
gardening). Nikka
Yuko is one
of the very few
Japanese gardens
which is still
completely authentic.”
It’s yet another reason for Lethbridgites
to come and pay the garden a visit this
season, Rollingson advocates.
“They should come back to the garden,
see it in the spring, summer and fall.
They should be proud of it, like us, because
the beauty and the tranquility of
Nikka Yuko is stunning.”
The garden will kick off the 2012 season
with Mums for Mom, a special event
which will provide a chrysanthemum
for every mother who visits. Mothers
will be encouraged to care for the plant
over the summer and return in October
for a contest to see who has raised the
healthiest plant.
Other opening weekend activities will
include paper lantern decorating, cardmaking,
a Bonsai demonstration, a
traditional Japanese tea ceremony and
Taiko drumming.
The garden is open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
daily.
By Bill Axtell
For the Lethbridge Journal
Photo submitted by Brian Quinn
Even the name of the play, “Jitters,” creates expectations of a very, very funny play.
This play - the spring production from Lethbridge’s newest community theatre company,
Hatrix - opens May 23 and is widely considered to be one of the best written and most
laughable Canadian plays of all time.
”Jitters,” billed as a farcical comedy, portrays the common difficulties of mounting a new
play in a small theatre. The plot opens on the night of a preview of a new play, entitled
“The Care and Treatment of Roses.” Within minutes, the audience is plunged into the
often side-splitting world of the theatre - larger-than-life personalities, easily bruised
egos, contradictory interpretations of role and script - complicated by faulty props, close
quarters, lost lines and bad reviews, and all magnified by the opening night “jitters” of the
story’s cast, crew, writer, and director.
Hatrix presents this play with a cast of five men and four women, including: Nancy
Bridal as Jessica Logan, the self-effacing mature diva-ish Broadway actress; Kelly Frewin
as Patrick Flanagan, the mature journeyman actor/prankster; Jeff Graham as Phil Mastorakis,
the neurotic scene stealer; Ross Bruinsma as George Ellsworth, anxiety-ridden director;
Preston Scholz as Robert, the insecure playwright; Marty Blank as Tom, fresh out
of National Theater school; Marcie Stork as Nickie, the fascist stage manager; Cassandra
Pollock as Peggy, the cast flirt; and, Erin Mitchell as Susi, the only backstage stabilizing
force.
Karolyn Harker directed the staging, produced by Brian Quinn with associate producer
Pat Piekema. The actual stage manager is Juanita Devos with set construction by Brent
Devos.
Hatrix Theatre Company, now in its third season, debuted in Lethbridge in the spring of
2010 with its staging of “The Nerd” as a fundraiser for the MS Society. The company is
already working on its upcoming fall production of the Canadian rock musical, “The Evil
Dead,” just in time for Halloween. The musical, based on the cult film of the same title,
premiered in Toronto, then became a hit at New York’s Off-Broadway New World Stages
in 2006-2007.
Hatrix was co-founded by Quinn, who acted professionally throughout western Canada
for several years, and long-time drama teacher and director Harker, both of whom
worked together in live theatre in Medicine Hat before moving to Lethbridge.
“Jitters” opens at the Moose Lodge, 1401 5 Ave. N., across from Giant Tiger. It runs from
May 23 - 26, curtain at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 and may be reserved by contacting the
show’s producer, Quinn, at 403-315-9816, Monday to Friday, 8a.m. - 4 p.m. Or, those who
wish to reserve tickets through Facebook can add Quinn as a “friend” and request tickets
by posting a comment requesting tickets on his Facebook wall.
OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, May 24
@ 7:00 p.m.
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

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Linda’s heart is in Africa
By Jeff Wiebe
For the Lethbridge Journal
Linda Kinnell’s passion for Africa grows with each passing
month.
Kinnell spends most of her time living and working in
Lethbridge, but increasingly, she has found herself travelling
to Africa to assist with the Karim orphanage, a
project that has become very close to her heart. Volunteering
on the continent had long been a part of Kinnell’s
bucket list, and four years ago, that dream became a reality
when she and her daughter travelled to Tanzania for
five weeks. There, they lived with a host family and made
daily visits to an orphanage, where they fell in love with
the children.
“When we left we were absolutely devastated, and knew
that we had to do more to help these kids.”
At the time, the 12 children lived in an 8x8 room with
no electricity, water, or furniture, and shared a courtyard
with several other young people. Soon after Kinnell returned
to Canada, the children and their caretaker were
evicted from their property – the caretaker quickly contacted
Kinnell, asking for help finding another place to
stay. Kinnell and her husband, Greg, decided to find the
orphans a larger place and begin paying their rent, but
soon thereafter, another idea struck.
“Then we thought, ‘why are we paying rent? Let’s build
them a house.’”
So the two purchased an acre of land and held a fundraiser
in Lethbridge in an attempt to generate money for
building construction. After raising more than $15,000,
they hired a contractor, drew up plans, and began construction.
Six months later, the new building was complete,
and when Kinnell returned for her third trip, a
variety of beds and furnishings were in place. The kids
were soon brought to their new home, and they were understandably
ecstatic.
Over the years, the Karim or-
phanage project has grown
and evolved – Kinnell
joined
forces with Dan-
iel Zopoula of Bridges
of Hope in Lethbridge,
which has allowed
her to issue tax receipts
for donations
the project receives.
The orphanage
now hosts 16 children,
all of whom
are sponsored by lo-
cal residents. Every year,
fundraisers are held for
a variety of other projects,
whether
it’s landscaping or
upgrades
to the Karim orphan-
age, or one of several other initiatives
in Africa. Local Rotary members have
also been heavily involved
in the project,
recently raising funds
to help build a volun-
teer house that provides lodging for volunteers
while they’re lending a hand
at the orphanage.
And in 2010, Kinnell’s work was featured on Op-
rah – shortly thereafter, she began
receiving inquiries
from people around the world interested in helping.
As the project has grown, so
too has Kinnell’s in-
volvement with it. She now travels to Africa every six
months or so, staying longer and longer each time she
goes – her last trip lasted two months.
“It’s more rewarding than a paycheque – it’s hard sometimes
to go to my full-time job, because I’m always thinking
about Africa, and what I can do next.”
For more information on Kinnell’s work, visit mamalizzie.blogspot.com
“That was one day I’ll never forget.
When we
brought
the kids over, they
didn’t know they
were moving in
– when they
came in, their
eyes and
mouths were
just wide
open, looking
around.
They didn’t
realize
this
was going to be
their new home.
A
four-year-old
turned on a light bulb
and started screaming,
she was so excited to have
light.”
What’s more, each child now got to
sleep in their very own bed, rather than
sharing it with four or five others, though
Kinnell says during the first night, many of
the kids ended up sharing because they were still
afraid of being alone.
“Now they have a big home on an acre of land where
they have room to play and laugh where they didn’t
before. They can be kids now.”
Kinnell made a point of adorning the building with a variety
of colours, owing to the impact of her first experiences
with the children.
“I remember the first time I went, the only English song
the kids knew was a song about rainbows, and it always
stuck in my head,” she explains.
“I see the Karim orphanage as my pot of gold at the end
of the rainbow, and the kids are these rainbows.”
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 3

A Note from
the Editor
I was recently
“Amplified” at
St. Francis Junior
High School
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
I think my Mother’s Day expectations may be a little high.
Since becoming a mother, I have realized exactly how much of herself a woman has to
give to successfully bring up children and maintain a happy home. Certainly, in my eyes,
that work and sacrifice should be met with nothing short of fall-down adoration, lavish
gifts and intense spoiling in May of each year. And maybe a shopping spree.
Hello, again!
This week I’m climbing down from my soapbox. I could probably spout off about any
number of issues but I’m taking a break from complaining. I’ll bet you’re only too happy
about that. Instead, I would like to share a much more pleasant experience with you.
Just recently, I attended a social event where a portion of the entertainment was provided
by a group of young people from St. Francis Junior High School. They have formed
a band called “Amplified,” consisting of three guitarists, a keyboard player and six singers.
And they are amazing! I was impressed enough that I decided to dig a little deeper
into their background.
Their group was formed under the watchful eye and tireless efforts of their music
teacher, Mr. Hartman, in order to promote the arts as part of Alberta Arts Days (September
28 – 30, 2011). At that time, with only a few rehearsals under their collective
belt, they performed at schools in Taber and Coaldale. Since then, things have snowballed
and they have shared their talents on several different occasions, much to the
delight of their audiences.
Sadly, it doesn’t happen quite that way in our house! Don’t get me wrong - my kids love
me and they are sure to tell me so each Mother’s Day - in fact, every day. I am greatly
blessed with three very affectionate and loving little people. But they are young yet, and
can’t really understand exactly how intense this mothering thing is.
It got me thinking how funny it is that in the thick of teaching, correcting and disciplining,
when you most desperately need affirmation and accolades that you’re doing ok, you
don’t get it. Kids can’t really give the affirmation because they don’t really get it.
I know they will get it, and years from now when the arguments, sassiness and disobedience
are long past, they’ll thank me - really thank me - and tell me all the things I did
well. It’s a comfort as I wade through another day of mess-cleaning, meal-making and
refereeing sibling arguments.
These students present themselves as a unified group. There is no one single star – they
all share the spotlight equally. For the most part, they choose their own music, decide
who is going to sing what parts and, well, go on from there. Aside from playing at their
school, their most recent gig (that’s music-speak for appearance) was at the fundraiser
for Woods Homes, held at the Lodge Hotel where they did a 40-minute set. I’m told
that when they were introduced as being 13, 14 and 15 year olds, the audience was
more than duly impressed. What is even more impressive is that their teacher and mentor,
Mr. Hartman, donates hours of his own time to help them rehearse and prepare for
each performance.
This group of eight girls and two boys is a fine example of what young people can accomplish
with some help and encouragement from dedicated teachers and loving parents
who can see their potential. We should all be a little bit humbled by this awesome
group of young musicians. Let’s hope they continue in their endeavours.
Until next time.
Pat. G
In the meantime, I’ll be sure to tell my mom how much I appreciate her. Because now I
know!
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 5
41069841

Dodic’s experience benefits city
By Bill Axtell
For the Lethbridge Journal
It’s obvious that everything in his
more than five decades of life has
perfectly prepared him for the highprofile
position he has engaged since
2010.
Rajko Dodic, whose roots reach
across the ocean to Eastern Europe,
and who served two terms as alderman
before his election as Mayor
two years ago, has emerged from
his Lethbridge upbringing and from
his private law practice to impart
his own style of contemporary and
unique leadership to meet the city’s
constantly-changing needs of today.
Yet, Mayor Dodic is quick to pass
along the credit to others. “Unless
we have an administration extremely
competent and effective, we won’t
have the ability to get where we need
to go,” he says, giving due credit to
the city’s team of qualified professionals.
Dodic’s leadership style is fundamentally
collaborative. He excels in
bringing diverse groups together to
pursue common goals, which arises
from his background in law practice,
a common successful technique in
that field.
While Mayor Dodic may have been
born with gifts that are naturally
suited for leadership, much of his
ability has come from his experience,
training and development. For example,
he says “it’s difficult to attract
people with business backgrounds
to run for civic office, because of the
time commitments involved, as well
as the rates of pay being quite low.
Therefore, we rarely have people on
Council with corporate or major
business experience.”
In contrast, Dodic, himself, gained a
substantial measure of business experience
due to the size of his former
law firm, Dodic, Toone, Maclean,
which he started along with two other
lawyers in 1993.
“we saved a photograph of me, wearing
a baby bonnet, sitting on a large rock
in a field”
In Lethbridge, Dodic’s father found
work at the farm operated by the Boras
family; his mom worked in a canning
factory, which processed locally
grown produce. As a child, Dodic
remembers earning spending money
by picking up scrap metal and selling
it to Varzari Salvage for 25 cents.
His first close-up exposure to an
elected civic politician occurred
when Dodic enrolled at St. Basil’s
Elementary School, where his principal,
Steve Vaselenak, served for a
number of years in public office in
Lethbridge.
Moving to Catholic Central High
School for grades 9 to 12, Dodic
graduated in 1970 and enrolled at the
University of Lethbridge.
Dodic explains that he interrupted
his studies at U of L at various points
to travel and to “find myself,” he says,
describing how he first traveled to
the Yukon, then later tried to hitchhike
across Canada, but, after 10 days
of travel, only made it to Kenora,
Ont., “because of the difficulty of getting
rides.” Another time, he moved
to Vancouver for a short while.
“Yet,” he says, “these periods gave me
a life-long love of travel.”
Returning to Lethbridge in 1977, he
made a concerted effort to attend
university full time. He graduated
in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts and
Science degree. Because he excelled
in the field, he was offered a National
Research Council scholarship for a
graduate degree program at the University
of Western Ontario in London,
Ont.
Dodic surprised everyone by turning
down the scholarship and announcing
his plans to instead go to the
University of Alberta in Edmonton
to enroll in law school.
“Besides the fact that the law interested
me,” he says, “I thought that
a law degree was fairly portable
throughout Canada.”
“The number of employees, the on-going need for recruitment and hiring as we grew,
as well as the accounting and tax monitoring procedures for a firm all contributed to an
education in business operations, beyond the basic law practice. Such experience in business
has been helpful in understanding the key issues of the operations of the numerous
enterprises of the city,” he says.
“Moreover,” he continues, “legal training has proved beneficial because lots of our issues
have a legal component. Besides lots of reading, I have found it never has become an
onerous task to go through the large volume of material we deal with every week because
of having a legal background.”
Dodic was born in the former Yugoslavia. Dodic’s father, who had been captured by the
German army and imprisoned in a POW camp, had - after the war - moved his wife and
toddler son, Rajko, to Italy. There, they lived in a relocation camp for 18 months, while
arranging for immigration to Canada. Dodic’s father believed the family could start a
better life there.
“Although I have no memory of Yugoslavia,” he muses, “we saved a photograph of me,
wearing a baby bonnet, sitting on a large rock in a field with the barracks in Italy in the
background.”
Sailing to Canada in 1957, Dodic’s family landed at the historical Pier 21 in Halifax, made
famous for its thousands of immigrations between 1928 and 1972. Immediately, the family
relocated to Lethbridge, where he grew up and received all his schooling.
Upon graduation from the U of A with a law degree in 1981, Dodic fulfilled his plan to
return to Lethbridge where he articled with the former firm, Maxwell, Larson & Co.
“I always knew I wanted to return to Lethbridge to establish my career here,” he comments.
“Even though I had not maintained close connections with high school friends, as
others did, I remained close to my parents and my sister here.”
Dodic joined Toone and Maclean in opening their new law firm in 1993. A short time
later, Brad Stephenson joined them in the practice.
“We began with only one desk and one support staff,” he says, recalling that the young
lawyers “took turns using the one desk when a client came in.”
Dodic met his wife, Amy, a local artist, in Lethbridge, marrying her almost 25 years ago.
They raised two children, now grown.
Sometime before the civic election of 2004, Dodic’s friend, Ed Rice, a senior lawyer who
had served on city council during the 1960s, discussed the idea of running for Alderman
with him. While he was considering a run for council, Rice picked up a nomination package
for Dodic.
After winning a seat in 2004, Dodic began to wind down his law practice.
“I still spend one to two hours a week on my six or so remaining cases, but I probably
won’t need to renew my license again after this year,” he says.
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 7
41068072

Survivor thrilled to be part of community making cancer history at Relay For Life
By Keri Griffith
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Fighting through the fatigue between dusk and dawn, Tracey Thompson realized Relay For
Life could be used as an accurate cancer journey analogy.
“You do go through some very exhaustive states in the middle of the night at Relay, but you
just persevere and push yourself through,” says the 43-year-old Lethbridge resident. “Because
that’s what somebody with cancer does.”
She would know.
Thompson was 17 when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent
surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
The experience gave Thompson a lasting desire to fight back against cancer. So she eagerly
registered a team for the very first Lethbridge Relay For Life 10 years ago.
The 12-hour, overnight event raises funds in support of Canadian Cancer Society research,
support services, and prevention and awareness education.
“It’s neat to see all these people get together for a common interest – to beat this, to make
cancer history,” she says.
Thompson left the inaugural Lethbridge Relay tired but exhilarated, vowing to return.
She has every year since, either as a participant or volunteer.
Walking and sharing stories with others throughout the event, especially during the Survivors’
Victory Lap, Thompson knows she’s not alone in the fight against cancer – a disease
she hopes never affects her two teenage children as it did her 26 years ago, her husband five
years ago, and her best friend two years ago.
Thompson’s husband, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer, joined her in his first Survivors’
Victory Lap three years ago.
“It was very emotional, holding hands and going through it together,” Thompson says. “I
wish we didn’t have to.”
Her best friend, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, is a steadfast member of the relay
team that Thompson started four years ago with their Lethbridge Family Services co-workers.
The team has raised over $18,000 to date.
The spirited group wears humorous costumes every year, bringing good cheer to the inspiring
event that is revered just as much for laughter as for the luminaries that line the track in
honour of those lost to cancer.
“Every day, more people are surviving something that years ago seemed to be such a death
sentence,” Thompson says. “But the loved ones we’ve lost to cancer will always be remembered.
That’s what Relay is about – to remember those that have lost and to honour those
who have won.”
More than 55 teams are registered for this year’s event, but Relay For Life Co-ordinator Keri
Griffith hopes upwards of 70 teams register to celebrate, remember and fight back at the
10th annual Lethbridge Relay For Life.
Nearly $2.2 million has been raised for the Canadian Cancer Society since Relay came to
Lethbridge in 2003. The goal is to raise $290,500 this year.
Lethbridge Relay For Life will take place June 8 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at Exhibition Park.
To register, make a pledge or volunteer, please visit relayforlife.ca, or contact Keri Griffith
at (403) 317-4656.
General Admission Seating
41056548
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

send your pictures to
editor@lethbridgejournal.com
3 Course Local Menu Every Week!
317 4 th Street South
403.329.6243
www.mochacabana.ca
Patio • Wine bar
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Restaurant
LIVE MUSIC!
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Did Elton John come through?
By Mark Campbell
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Last column I told you about my open letter to Elton John as I tried to get an interview with
him prior to his sold-out show at the Enmax Centre. I would like to say that his people saw
the letter then contacted his press agent who then contacted his tour manager who contacted
Elton who then said, “Ahh, this would be a fun thing to do in good old Lethbridge.”
But what really happened was I got an e-mail from Elton’s P.R. company who said, “Sorry,
he’s not available.” I actually appreciate that they sent a response that said no rather than to
get no response at all.
So with the pressure of doing an interview with my musical idol a non-factor, I was simply
able to just go to the show.
Just to backtrack a little: As shocked and thrilled as I was to hear that Elton was coming to
Lethbridge, I wasn’t going to be disappointed if I didn’t get a ticket. I was fortunate to have
seen him in Central Park in New York in 1980 plus I had seen him five years later at the
Saddledome in Calgary. They were both great shows with his full band so I was satisfied that
I had seen a legend at the peak of his career. The Lethbridge show was just him and a piano
and I wondered if that would be a let-down, plus I questioned how strong would his voice
be after decades of constant touring?
I wasn’t going to be near a computer or phone the morning that Elton tickets went on sale
and I wasn’t willing to camp out in front of the Ticket Centre. (By the way I thought it would
have been funny to go up to one of those campers and say, “It’s nice to see that some people
are as excited as I am to see that great Haitian poet Eldon Jean. He has some great haikus.”
I digress.) Fortunately, a friend was willing to take on the challenge of scoring a couple of
ducats and while she couldn’t manage to get two, she got one. (Thank you Shannon Jaque,
you’re the best.) Being the bigger fan, my wife let me have the ticket.
Trivia note: Elton John sold out faster than anyone at the Enmax/Sportsplex, beating out
previous record holder Nickleback. The champ before them was Wayne Newton.
And so it’s April 24th, the night of the show. I’m pleased that I have a ticket but I have reservations
about how good this is going to be. I’ve seen aging performers in the past who
simply just didn’t have the voice they once had and it’s been disappointing. And I couldn’t
stop wondering, “Elton, really, why are you in Lethbridge? And why are you going to Red
Deer and Grande Prairie? Did you lose a bet?”
The Enmax was filled to capacity which was great to see. I have a decent seat on the lower
tier but I’m worried about getting a kink in my neck from always having to look to my right
where the stage is. The lights go down, the crowd screams, the curtain opens from the back
of the stage and out comes a pudgy man in a brilliant red-sequined suit. It’s him. It’s Elton
John and he’s in Lethbridge.
I don’t know what the heck happened to me. I don’t know if there is a deep-rooted psychological
explanation to it but I swear I choked up and tears welled up in my eyes. He hadn’t
even started singing and he had me. After waving to everyone he made his way to his grand
piano and launched into “The One.” It became instantly clear to me that his voice was as
pure as it ever was. This was already a magic night.
His first song was done and after the applause died down he said, “Good evening Lethbridge.
I never thought I’d ever say that.” The crowd chuckled with delight. We never thought that
either.
FREE
One free buffet per regularly priced Adult buffet.
*Cannot be combined with any other offer. Up to 5 free meals, children under 11. Expires May 31, 2012.
The banter between songs was kept to a minimum. There was a lot of music to be played:
“I wouldn’t be here without this song,” was the intro to Your Song. He lashed out at the
American government for doing little to curb the aids epidemic before singing The Ballad
of the Boy In The Red Shoes. I got the sense he wasn’t a Ronald Reagan fan. I can’t really
print here what he said.
Levon, Tiny Dancer, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Philadelphia Freedom, Bennie & The
Jets. He played them all. I think there were about eight times I teared up. (Again, must be
psychological.) So many songs. So many instant memories. And as far as not having a band?
Who needed them? The guy can play!! It never entered my mind that there should be a
guitar and a set of drums. He performed flawlessly for two and a half hours, finishing with
Crocodile Rock and of course we screamed for more. And as if I wasn’t impressed with him
enough, when he came back for his encore, he took time to walk to the edge of the stage and
sign numerous autographs.
No I didn’t get an interview. I’ll let it go this time Sir Elton. Thanks for the memory.
KIDS!
Tues, Wed., & Thurs. evening
A-110 W.T. Hill Blvd. S.
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4T4
403-394-9333
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 9
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Kiitsiikaakomiim Naa’ah
By Katty Jo Rabbit
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
When Aboriginal women still lived in tipis they were the staple in the system that made
traditional ways of living so simple yet ingenious. From pitching the tipis to mending the
moccasins, to burying the food stores, all the while carrying their babies in a moss bag, they
were the driving factors of the clan. They were also celebrated every day and held in high
regard when they were gifted with special talents.
As part of traditional culture it is very common to give gifts to display your respect to the
individual receiving gifts, so you have to be sure to make your Naa’ah - mother - feel special.
Here is a great DIY idea that is great for the Aboriginal mother or just great moms in
general.
A twig wall mount that can be used as a jewelry hanger, this gift is a great way to look crafty
when in reality you aren’t. It will also score you brownie points as you get to say it is handmade,
which moms love. You will need some peculiar shaped twigs, which will be attached
to a straight branch that will be the base. The more twigs the better, as it will make for a great
hanging, but be sure to remember to get twigs that will hold heavy rings.
Next you will need copper wire, varnish, shears, a clamp, sand paper and wood glue. The
first step is to clean the twigs and whittle them to give a polished look. If you would like to
keep it natural then leaving the twigs is okay too. But it will look more artsy if you clean
the branches, and sand it down so that when varnished the stain will be uniform. After the
pieces are varnished, glue the twigs to the branch to create” t” intersections, glue and clamp
these intersections, let it dry.
Once dried, reinforce the intersections with copper wire so that it will support various pieces
of jewelry. Using the copper wire, twist a piece to form an “o” near the top. This will act as
the wall hook and you have a wall mount. Pair this up with a nice jar of fresh mint, or sage,
a card and you have a sentimental tear jerker. Blackfoot women are known for their beauty
and their fierce loyalty but give this present and you will have a dedicated fry bread maker
for the rest of your days, not to mention gas money without asking.
Every woman, especially Aboriginal women, are strong, beautiful and exceptional, so for
mother’s day be sure to burn an extra large smudge on behalf of your mother to remind you
that every day should be mother’s day, as it was back in the olden times when nothing was
taken for granted.
Canadians are living longer and costs for the Old Age Security (OAS) are rising.
On April 1, 2023 the Government of Canada plans to start raising the age of
eligibility for OAS and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) from 65 to 67.*
What does this mean for you?
54 or older as of March 31, 2012 You may still obtain OAS/GIS at age 65
53 or younger as of March 31, 2012
The age of eligibility for OAS/GIS will change gradually between 2023 and 2029
Starting in July 2013, Canadians who are eligible for, but not yet receiving OAS will have the flexibility to delay receiving
it in exchange for a higher monthly amount at a later date.
6
5
4
3
The number of working-age Canadians
for every senior is decreasing**
The number of working-age Canadians per
senior is decreasing, placing additional
pressure on the OAS program.
2
1
0
1990 2012 2030
**Source: 9th Actuarial Report on the
Old Age Security Program
For a free brochure or more information visit www.ServiceCanada.gc.ca/retirement
or call 1 800 O-Canada (TTY 1-800-926-9105)
*Subject to parliamentary approval
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0 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

Last Minute
MOTHER ’S DAY
Guide
By Journal staff
We all have one, and we all adore her. But, sometimes
life gets in the way of remembering to appreciate mom
for all she does. That’s why we have a day on the calendar
every May to remind us to do so! If Mother’s Day
snuck up on you this year, worry not! Even with only a
few short hours left until the big day, Lethbridge is full of
great options for a last-minute Mother’s Day gift that will
let mom know exactly how much you love her.
Give the gift of growth: Certainly flowers are a big seller
on Mother’s Day, but how about something a little longer
lasting? Stopping by a local green house and picking up
a few brightly coloured annuals or a pre-planted planter
is sure to make mom smile. Better yet, choosing a nice
perennial is a gift that mom can enjoy year after year.
Give the gift of “aaahhhhhh”: How about a massage?
Manicure? Cut and color? Lethbridge is full of fabulous
salons, massage parlors and all-out spa retreats. Picking
up a gift card for a few services is a quick way to make
mom feel special and pampered.
Give the gift of fun: How about a pre-paid round of golf?
A certificate for a night out at the movies? A night of
bowling? Moms like to have fun too, so celebrate yours
this year with an evening out to enjoy some of Lethbridge’s
more entertaining venues!
Give the gift of not having to cook: What mom doesn’t
want to get out of the kitchen for an evening? Lethbridge
has scores of fabulous eateries to suit every style and palate
preference. Grab a certificate or, better yet, take mom
out for dinner!
Give the gift of a hobby: Does mom love to read? Is crafting
her passion? Does she have a penchant for photography?
There’s a specialty store for almost everything in
Lethbridge, so spend a few minutes thinking about what
your mom’s favourite activities are, then get her something
that ties in with them!
Give the gift of shopping: Sure, she’s your mom. But she’s
also a woman, and women love to shop! A gift card to
the mall or her favourite store is a double-whammy - she
can indulge in a little me-time while spoiling herself with
something new!
Iliona Teglas
Ilona Teglas is an active Community Connections Volunteer for Lethbridge Family Services - Immigrant Services
where she is a “Shining Star”!
Ilona emigrated from Hungary over 45 years ago, which has provided her with personal experience acclimating to
Canadian culture. Upon arrival, Ilona was quick to volunteer at our local correctional centre. Ilona used this opportunity
to share her knowledge about her culture of origin and the experience of coming to Canada at various
schools within the city and surrounding area. After some time, she began volunteering at the Lethbridge Immigration
Settlement Association (LISA), and eventually became a member of the Board of Directors for LISA. Ilona has
also been an active member of the Lethbridge Youth Justice Committee.
Ilona sees volunteering as an invaluable tool in facilitating personal learning. Ilona feels her willingness to help and
empathy for other human beings greatly aid her in her volunteer work. We hope that her valuable sense of humor
and kindness will continue to enhance the community.
Hanging
Baskets
Gift
Certificates
#5 South Sunnyside Road
403-327-6172
Mon.-Fri. 9-8:30 • Sat. 9-5:30 • Sun. 10-5
Pamper the Wonderful
Mother’s in your life
Pedicures • Manicures • Massage
Reflexology & Much More
Gift Certificates Also Available!
#
2, 257 13 Street North • Lethbridge
403.380.3779
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 11
Home
Decor
Roses
41068439
41068440

Honkers is your north side pub and eatery with a big, huge heart
Honkers, which recently celebrated 15
years in Lethbridge, is like Cheers
according to co-owner Vicky Vannatta
Miller. Her business partner is Red
Seal Chef Bob Lawrence who can
create some amazing home cooked
meals. His wife Maria has worked
alongside him since the day they
opened.
The kitchen team also consists of Red
Seal Chef Scott Angyal and helper
Vanco.
Honkers food is one of Lethbridges
best kept secrets that needs to be let
out.
All our soups, gravy and sauces are
made from Scratch. When we say
hand tossed Burgers, we don’t buy the
frozen patty it’s made from scratch.
Also we are famous for our Indonesian
Ribs (now over 12 flavors), Dill Pickle
Soup, Beef dips and so on. Even our
hash browns are real pan fried
potatoes.
Honkers provides a cozy atmosphere
with comfortable booths, an informal
diner atmosphere, pool tables, VLTs
and Big Screen TVs to watch the game
of the day.
Miller said it is like one big happy
family, where the customers look out
for each other and the staff as well as
their community.
“It’s where everybody knows your
name, and if they don’t they’ll find it
out,” said Miller, who recently won
YWCA Women of Distinction –
Community Commitment award this
year. Helping their community is
important to the Honkers family.
They always have a fundraiser on the
go. Since the beginning of the year,
they have been holding 50-50 draws
to raise money to renovate the
residential floor of the YWCA. Their
goal is to raise $5,000 and are over
half way there to meeting it. Miller
says “Once we raise the funds, we will
buy product from LOCAL businesses,
(most of which are customers) ask for
donations of labor and then to
organize a work bee. The work bee
will include the staff and management
who will work along side the trades to
make it a community project. Any
trades that want to help, please
contact us.
They are also involved with the Heart
and Stroke Foundation big Bike Ride,
May 12.
Their venue will also be the starting
point for George’s Ride,Aug. 11, with
all money being donated to the Jack
Ady Cancer Centre here in Lethbridge.
Motorcyclists will begin at Honkers for
breakfast and ride down to past
Waterton and back to Lethbridge for
a dinner and dance.
“All of the money we help raise stays
in Lethbridge,” she said.
“We help charities and customers in
need through our establishment so
that we are hands on with the events
because we like to get both staff and
customers involved. No matter
whether you have $5 or $500 it all
comes from the heart.
We certainly cant help all charites as
we are a small business but if you are
a customer or a potential one we
make every effort to help out,” she
continued.
“I’m a farm girl, so there is no such
thing as a time clock. We do what
needs to be done,” she said.
“I don’t sit in the back and give orders.
I’m not that type of manager. You will
see me working on the floor beside
the staff clearing tables just like Bob
who has worked hands on in the
kitchen right from day one,” she
continued.
They also realize the importance of
their customers.
“Every year at our Customer
Appreciation we give away free food,
very reasonable drink prices, hire
bands without a cover charge, why
because Customers are our Business
and we do show our appreciation to
them.”
Honker’s Food is different from typical
pub fare. In addition to serving
breakfast from 10-11:30 a.m. every
day, Honker’s offers an extensive
menu.
“Everything is made from scratch. It’s
good food at an affordable price,“
Miller continued.
They also offer a variety of activities
including karaoke every Saturday, pool
and cribbage tournaments and don’t
forget their mystery dinner.
“Customers can take part in a Honkers
Mystery Dinner which is a great night
out to celebrate birthdays,
anniversaries any special occasions or
Photo courtesy of Monica Chapman - monicachapmanphotography.com
just doing something different,” she
said. You will have to order one to
discover the details, but basically
customers order different anonymous
dishes and you never know what you
will be supplied to eat them with.
“It’s unique. Spend two or three hours
with us and enjoy our great food,
service and conversation.”
Miller raved about her staff, “We have
some great dedicated team mates
who really care about the customers
and soon become friends with them.”
Most we remain in contact with, even
after they’ve left the city.
“We have girls who move away and
they’ll contact us asking if they can
work some shifts to stay in contact
with our customers.”
We invite you to cross the tracks,
come to the North side to a friendly
Pub that not only has excellent
homemade food and service but a Pub
that cares about customers and the
community.
Honkers Pub is open Monday 10-10
Tues – Sat till at least midnight and
encourages you to stop in for lunch,
supper, an after work drink or take
advantage of our take out service to
enjoy our excellent food in your home.
Like us on Facebook or our website
www.honkerspub.com to keep you
current on our events.
41068442
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2 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 13

Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Bugs in my Teeth
Roaring up to our house on his unregistered,
single-seat dirt bike, the boy handed
me a battered, sweat-stained and smelly
helmet so large it swam about wildly on
my head. Avoiding authorities, we raced
through alleyways back to his family’s
home and motorcycle business near Hardieville,
then further north to what seemed
to me an impossibly steep coulee where
the emerging sport of ‘motorcycle hillclimbing’
events were held. The wild ride
through alleys, watching young riders on
the hill; it was thrilling. . . right up until I
seared the day into both my memory and
my calf by leaning against the hot motorcycle
muffler. I was a foolish young girl
dressed to “be seen,” not safe and had worn
shorts and sandals; never a stellar decision
for any motorcycle rider. The scar remained
for years along with a seed of passion that
had been planted in my mind.
My adolescent endorphins raged when
at age 13 I threw my leg over a motorcycle
seat that first time; a 14-year-old boy
I knew from school asked me to go for a
ride. Imagine, a boy wanted to spend time
with me; I was bursting with anticipation!
Thirty years later, it all became campfire
teasing when Brian and I were camping
with friends in the Kananaskis. My childhood
friend, that 14-year-old boy’s wife of
20-odd years, introduced me to her teenage
children as their dad’s “first ummm. .
. ahhh. . . girlfriend.” In someone’s stories
that single sunny afternoon we spent on
the hill had attained ‘girlfriend’ status but
without knowing, the boy had left a life-long passion for
two wheels, speed and independence in my young mind.
Soon after, Sunday afternoons would find Dad, my
brother and I at the hill watching what I considered
‘Kamikaze’ riders with deep-rooted death wishes. From
standing still they’d rev up their bikes to ear-splitting
levels, then release brake and clutch, spitting roost (dirt
and rocks) nine meters back, five meters high. Digging
deep and fighting gravity to remain straight, they’d battle
up the 60-degree slope hoping to launch over the top, 25
meters distant. Spectators perched like crows on hoods
of vehicles crowded together at the brink. Watching the
big bikes hurtling over the top, I feared riders would lose
control and smash right into us. My brother and I constantly
ignored Dad’s warnings not to fight for coveted
viewing position. Balanced on the center of the truck
hood the winner would tightly grip the hood ornament
between their thighs to avoid sliding off the sharp-sloped
hood as the losers constantly did. Finally attaining my
goal one day, my triumph was short-lived; grabbing me
by both ankles, my brother yanked me right off the hood.
My scream was audible even over the deafening bikes.
Blood streamed from the gash the hood ornament left;
pain was so distracting I couldn’t even enjoy the scathing
tongue lashing Dad rained down on my brother. . .
and hill climbing was off our Sunday calendar. Stupid
brother!
The bike was black, low to the ground, producing bodynumbing
vibration for the entire 40,000 kms we rode on
my ex’s ‘71 Harley Davidson. I rode behind; forced to
crane my neck sideways to see or speak (read YELL) but
also to avoid breaking my nose and teeth on his helmet
as he shifted gears. At the time, windshields on Harleys
were passé; the only economically viable face protectors
were plastic shields that snapped onto helmets, caught
wind gusts and tore at neck muscles. Foul insects, bees
and grasshoppers spread bitter yellow innards as they felt
like rocks exploding on our faces, teeth or helmets. Only
on occasion would they fly into a mouth or even the back
of a throat creating equally distasteful choices. Choice
1 - Cough to dislodge and expel critter, possibly triggering
involuntary chewing (eeeeuuuuwwww). Choice
2 - Attempt to swallow as wind-parched throat chokes
back rising bile, simultaneously attempting to disregard
scrambling feet or wings. Note to self: keep mouth shut.
Getting on the bike was challenging. The narrow, lightly
padded seat ended with two 16-cm tall chrome sissybars
(backrests) that often cut my legs when slinging
them over the sharp bars. Lacking saddlebags, for years
I carried a backpack crammed full of heavy tools and
personal gear. The extra 12 kilo’s together with constant
motor vibration dictated very frequent roadside ‘numbbum’
stops but I tried to look at the bright side. Balancing
weight of the pack against wind resistance
was an all-day sit-down abdominal workout
and you could bounce a basketball off
my belly.
Don’t misunderstand. B-C (before-children)
I loved adventuring through Alberta,
B.C., Washington and Montana whenever
possible. To me few things beat exploring
new pathways till you run out of day, setting
up a tent almost anywhere, then looking for
a restaurant with motorcycles parked out
front where we’d meet other bikers (ages
18 to 80) from across North America and
beyond. Bikers are their own international
nationality. Barring snobbish manufacturer
loyalties spawning verbal jabs, bikers are
extraordinarily non-judgmental. When
need arises, 99 per cent of bikers are quick
to provide mechanical assistance, food or
shelter, offering friendship and camaraderie
without question. Self proclaimed “one
percenters” are easily identifiable jacket
and patch-wearing gang members. Note
to self: be careful who you ask for tent site
advice. Sun-baked hills, much like our coulees,
escort the highway as you enter the
“bustling village” of Cache Creek B.C. Our
bartender hooted with laughter when we
told him where on those hills we’d set up,
on advice from the young man working at
the local gas stop. Choking back giggles he
described the multiple sacks of squirming
rattlesnakes he’d helped remove from that
very same area a day prior. Rather enjoying
our alarm, he calmly handed us keys to
his pick-up truck, calling over a few nearby
bikers who quickly helped us move to a more hospitable
site “before your tent fills up with rattlers,” he snickered.
Eventually purchasing my own BMW, I confirmed
firsthand the intense concentration required to stay alive
on two wheels. Strangely, some ‘cage’ (car) drivers don’t
see motorcycles. Perhaps accustomed to watching for
other four-wheel vehicles, some can have a blind spot
for bikes. I was once totally dumbfounded when a car
driver made direct eye contact with me, then immediately
pulled out to turn left, 12 meters in front of my approaching
motorcycle. Unfortunately bikers must ‘drive’
not only for themselves but for all others on the roads. In
a contest between me, then a 54-kilo rider and a 1,500-
kilo vehicle plus all that unforgiving pavement, I will
lose. . . badly. Even so, when circumstance allows I hope
to replace the motorcycle I enjoyed for years. That seed
of motorcycle passion planted so long ago still simmers
with my desire to explore. From where we live, within
just a few hours you can experience prairie, desert, foothill
and mountain landscapes. Investing a few hours
more, you can reach the west coast to ride incredible
twisting coastal highways with their stunning backdrops.
Today’s comfortable helmets and riding gear provide full
face and body protection and with motorcycle
windshields now both effective and stylish, experiencing
bugs in my teeth is just a fond (!!??!!) memory.
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4 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Greet each new day is if it were
your last: Make a cheeseburger
out of two smaller cheeseburgers
and chain-smoke while pumping
your gas. What are you living for
anyways, the FUTURE? Everybody
knows in the future we’ll all
be murdered by robots.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
All of your endeavours this
week will be more successful if
you include a guitar solo. If you
can’t find one you like, just grab
a guitar and go all Van Halen on
it. People will find you more attractive,
things will cost less, and
people you don’t know will stop
by to beg for an autograph. That’s
the power of music, my friend.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
You’ll have a run-in with a
mysterious stranger at the 13
Street Tim Hortons and accidentally
swap cell phones. Now
here’s the thing: there’s, like, a 75
per cent chance it’ll be a secret
agent and you’ll get embroiled in
an international conspiracy. The
other 25 per cent? The phone belongs
to a sex pervert. Those are
better-than-average odds.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
You will be awarded the Nobel
Prize in Flavour for your doctoral
thesis on the origin of the Buffalo
Wing, which is not derived from
buffalo meat as scientists initially
believed but is rather named after
its inventor, M. Bison.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22)
You are not alone in your
fight: one in 15 Canadians were
extremely confused by John Travolta
in the movie Hairspray, and
if everybody donates just $12 to
the Edna Turnblad Foundation
we can find a cure
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22)
Normally I would absolutely
advise you to put your career
first, but “Guy Holding The Little
Caesars Sign” isn’t really a career.
Although I guess it’s probably
more of a career than “Freelance
Writer,” so take this one with a
grain of salt.
LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct 22)
Make sure you keep your
brand new Xbox 360 with Kinect
in a room with a high ceiling,
because those little square tiles
made of compressed dust you
have in your family room don’t
put up much of a fight when you
really get into the game.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21)
I feel like I shouldn’t have to
point this out in this day and
age, but it’s a really bad idea to
be teaching your kids ‘Duck and
Cover’ techniques in case of nuclear
attack. First off, everybody
figured out that if you’re in the
blast zone you’re history, under
a desk or not. Second, the Cold
War is over. We won! Russia has
Coca Cola and a thriving porn
industry, they’re like Americans
with funny accents and a drinking
problem now.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec
21)
Fear is the only thing keeping
you from achieving your goals.
Werewolves aren’t real, and while
the Illuminati ARE, they have
much more important business
to attend to right now than your
future position as President of
Canada. Which is actually something
else we need to discuss…
C A P R I -
CORN (Dec 22-
Jan 19)
School has
Walk right in.
Sit right down.
sutton group -
lethbridge
403-320-6411
been a major source of stress
in your life lately, but that’s no
reason to break down crying
every time you hear the words
‘exam’ and ‘study’ unless they’re
referring to an uncomfortable
medical procedure. Blow off the
pressure by learning something
worth knowing, like how to hack
school databases and ruin the
grading curve.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18)
The average Aquarius has an
affinity for water where the other
signs do not, except I guess Pisces
and maybe Cancer. Anyways, my
point is that you don’t share that
affinity for some reason so bring
along some water wings next
time you hit the pool. That way,
you won’t drown and ruin the already-shaky
reputation of public
swimming pools.
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20)
Part of the reason you’re having
trouble finding work may
have something to do with the
results that come up when prospective
employers Google your
name. Things like “Beer Bong
Champion, Eight Years Running”
don’t scream ‘Senior VP in Sales’
for some reason, although depending
on the company I guess
that could be an asset too.
Birthday
Baby...
Birthday cake as we know it
is actually relatively recent,
and was originally available
almost exclusively to the
very wealthy. So, despite
your crippling debt and
questionable future full of
resource wars, just remember
that to a kid in the 19th
century you are living like a
KING.
Ron Lagemaat
REALTOR ®
rlagemaat@sutton.com
www.sutton.com/realtor/rlagemaat
66 HARVARD CRES. W.
$
289,900
MLS 20122139
836 STAFFORD DR. N.
$
189,900
MLS 20120022
Highlands Blvd West
TD
Angus Road West
Save-On Foods
ATB
Argyll Road West
Shoppers
Drug Mart
University Drive
Enjoy a nice park view in rear. Elegant 2 storey features vaulted ceiling in
master bedroom and living room. Large kitchen, 4 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms,
main floor laundry, 2 fireplaces. Simply a must see!
1144 43 AVENUE N.
$
178,000
Excellent starter home or revenue property. Large yard, loads of parking,
recently upgraded, new kitchen, bathrooms, some windows. Developed
basement with bedroom, den, bathroom, family room. 2 bedrooms up.
New shingles 2012!
4.79 ACRES SOUTH OF
NOBLEFORD
$
449,000
Highlands Road West
Home HDW
MLS 20121665
MLS 20121511
Safeway
GREAT CLIPS – WEST LETHBRIDGE
#2, 405 Highlands Blvd W.
Lethbridge, AB T1J 5E8
403-327-2255
Hours: M-F 9-9; Sat. 9-6; Sun. 11-5
This cozy Northside bungalow has a backyard that never ends (160 ft)! Two
bedrooms up, finished downstairs with bedroom, bathroom and large family
room. Super single garage (16x24). Quiet neighborhood, playground just down
the block.
614 COULEESPRINGS CRES. S.
$
379,900
MLS 20121851
True country-style living, with all the space you could possibly need.
Huge 40x100 shop for any usage. Great views of mountains &
farmlands. Just a short drive to Lethbridge.
The acreage you’ve always wanted.
47 UPLANDS BLVD. N.
$
299,900
MLS 20121176
$
6 .99
plus tax
haircut
offer expires: June 8, 2012
Not valid with any other offers. Limit one coupon
per customer. Good only at West Lethbridge.
Spectacular 4 bedroom bi-level in Southgate. Two bedrooms + 4pce bath above attached
double garage. Total of 3 full baths. This Galko built home has fabulous vaulted ceilings
in the open kitchen/dining/living room area. Gas fireplace feature in huge family room
downstairs. Fenced yard, landscaping is complete. Over 1400 sq. ft. of awesomeness!
420 52 AVENUE COALHURST
$
189,900
2+2 bedroom bungalow moved onto new basement in 1992.
Roof done in 2009, windows in 2008. Hardwood floors, large
lot. Close to schools. Great value!
Real Estate Done Right!
This 1128 sq. ft. bi-level is ready for your family to enjoy. 3
beds up, 1 down, great kitchen, quality hardwood flooring, large
family room. Attached double garage, A/C, built-in vac, U/G
sprinklers in front yard, very convenient Uplands location.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
41068453
403-393-5582
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 15
MLS 20125763
$
85,000
OR BEST
OFFER!
Turn key liquor
store. High
traffic location.
CALL RON TODAY!

Friday, May 11th
Jump the Line 2012
12am-12am(12th)
U of L Campus
Free Friday Tasting - Arrivals Week 1
Andrew Hilton
4:30-Close
Happy Moms at Happy Hour
SAAG
5-7pm
James Oldenburg
Mocha Cabana
6-9pm
Rex
SoundGarden
9pm $3
Saturday, May 12th
24th Annual YMCA Family Fun Run
Elks Picinic Ground at Indian Battle Park
Information at www.lethbridgeymca.org
Farmer’s Market Begins
Exhibition Pavilion
8am-12:30pm
Ya-Ya Sisterhood Garage and Bake Sale
38 St. James Cresent North
8am-4pm
The Legendary Platters & The Ink Spots
The Empress Theatre
7:30-9:30pm
Seesaw Clothing Presents: The Hold Your Own Weight Tour
Transit, Natural Ensemble, Le Stack, DJ CrossWaLk, Stars From
Streetlights
& MaseOne Pryde
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm, $7
’80s keg party Uncle Jesse and the Rippers with DJ Bob Saget
NAAG Cultural Space (255 12C St N)
$5/$15keg
Nikko Yukko Opening
Nikko Yukko Japanese Gardens
9am-5pm Mother’s Day Activies
Gift of Life Run & Walk
Henderson Lake
9am – 12pm
World Fair Trade Day
Ten Thousand Villages & around the world
10am-5:30pm Entertainment, activies, draws & more
Historic Plaque Unveiling
Cleary House at 422 7 Street South
10am-12pm
Culture Vulture Saturday: Psychedelic Paper Lava Lamps
U of L Atrium
10am - 5 pm
Home Made
Ice Cream Galt Museum
1-2pm (Familes w/ children 3-12 yrs)
Lethbridge Rotary Club Lobsterfest
Exhibiton North Pavilion
5:30pm $80 (Steak & Lobster dinner)
James Oldenburg
Mocha Cabana
6-9pm
Half way to Halloween Party
Studio 54
9pm
DJ COOKiES Last Night/ Bubble Party
Essies
Sandwich
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm
Black Tomato presents DNR Live!
Black Tomato Lounge
9pm-1am
Bruce Allen
Front Row Pub
9:30pm
Tim Williams
Lethbridge Folk Club
Sunday, May 13th
Happy Mother’s Day
The Annual Splash, Pedal & Gasp Triathlon
U of L pool
Mother’s Day
Spaghetti
Spectacular
Rotary Picnic
Shelter (north
Lethbridge)
3-9pm
Into the West Irish Dance show
Yates Theatre
4-6pm
Monday, May 14th
Jazz jam with HBO3
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm, Free
Tuesday, May 15th
Feel the Beat Concert Series presents Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Southminster United Church
10am &12pm
Wednesday, May 16th
Feel the Beat Concert Series presents Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Southminster United Church
12pm
Losing their Marbles?: The British Museum, the Parthenon
Sculptures, and Cultural Imperialism Charleen Davidson,
Galt Museum
2-3pm
The Geomatic Attic Presents - The Be Good Tanya’s
U of L Theatre
8-11pm
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6 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

Your ultimate events calendar for
entertainment, food, and family fun!
JP Hoe
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm, Free
Thursday, May 17th
Seniors Café Chat
“Ammonite to Ammolite” Presented by Mike Stefancsik
Public Library West
10-11am
Saving Grace Sarah Plumer memorial with Crossings, Stressed Out,
FLoods , Reborn Extinction
The Loyal order Of The Moose $10 donation, All Ages Show: 10$
Donation (All Proceeds to
6pm
Alberta Quilt Project
Galt Museum
7pm
Sarah Plumer Memorial after party
The Owl Acoustic Lounge
9pm
Poor Young Things
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm
Friday, May 18th
Free Friday Tasting - Arrivals Week 2
Andrew Hilton
4:30-Close
Dale Ketcheson
Mocha Cabana
6-9pm
James Struthers Hits the Road for National Tour
The Owl acoustic Lounge
9pm
Amy Bronson
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm
Saturday, May 19th
Fill a Truck Event
Centre Village Mall
Corner of 13th St & 2A Ave North or Nicholas Sheran Leisure
Centre West
10am – 3pm net proceeds to Canadian
Diabetes Association
Valley Walk
Galt Museum
1-2pm (Familes w/ children 3-12 yrs)
Dale Ketcheson
Mocha Cabana
6-9pm
Spring Dance with the Blue Steel Band
German Canadian Club
$20/ $30 403-328-1212
Jake Ian & The Haymakers
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm
Moonlight Viewing
Nikko Yuka Japanese Gardens
8:30-10:30pm $5
Fish and Bird
Wolf ’s Den
Sunday, May 20th
Nikkei Cultural Society presents Asian Days
Galt Museum & Archives
10am - 4pm 403-328-4201
The Criminal Kid & Cosmic Charley
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm
Monday, May 21st
Victoria Day- Offices Closed
Tuesday, May 22nd
Project Muse Begins
Empress Theatre
www.empresstheatre.ab.ca
Wednesday, May 23rd
Zachary Lucky
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm, Free
Thursday, May 24th
The Swiftys & Treeline
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm, $10
Friday, May 25th
Free Friday Tasting
Andrew Hilton
4:30-Close
Live Music
Mocha Cabana
6-9pm
Dave McCann
The Slice Bar & Grill
9pm, $10
Ongoing Events:
Farmer’s Market Begins
Exhibition Pavilion
May 12th- Saturday’s
8am-12:30pm
Abreast of ‘Bridge
Dragon Boat Team accepting new members
Ongoing
403-381-8233
Archives Exposed… New People, New Opportunities
Galt- Main Level Meeting Rooms
Now – May 20
The 1960s
U of L Helen Christou Gallery
Now – June 1st
U of L Main Gallery
Now – June 1st
Spring Chipping
Contact Waste & Recycling 403-329-7367 or wrs@lethbridge
Now- May 19
Project Muse
Empress Theatre
May 22-June 1st (select date only see website for more information)
www.empresstheatre.ab.ca
Send us your public events and you may see them here!
E-mail Date, Title, Location, Time & any costs to events@
lethbridgejournal.com at-least two weeks ahead & we will do our
best to include them in an upcoming calendar.
Deadline for next calendar submission will be Wednesday, May
16, 2012 by 4pm.
Events are subject to change and not all prices are included, please
contact vendor or event organizer for more information.
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 17

May 8th, 2012
Did anyone check out
that new Avengers
movie this weekend?
I know I didn’t.
Even though I think it’s going to
be a good movie, I just can’t pay
money to sit in a full theater with
a bunch of stinky, yapping kids.
I’m not really a hard-core movie
fan like that. I prefer a sofa and a
beer as opposed to pitching a tent
out in the parking lot of a mall for
hours, then sitting in the theater
for an hour, and then having a
person sit next to you spilling
popcorn on you while sneezing in
your face simultaneously. I know,
I have high standards, and that’s
why I do home movie reviews.
Submitted to the Lethbridge
Journal
Underworld Awakening - After being held in a coma-like state for fifteen
years, vampire Selene learns that she has a fourteen-year-old vampire/Lycan hybrid
daughter, Nissa, and when she finds her, they must stop BioCom from creating super
Lycans that will kill them all. Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy,
Theo James.
Review- Now I know that description sounds like a piece of garbage movie, but it’s actually
not that bad. If you’re a fan of the other movies in the series, and even though it’s
not a very long movie, you will still enjoy it. I complained about the 3D moments in a
previous article, and yeah that’s terrible, but all in all it’s worth a rental. If you don’t like
vampires and werewolves though, you may want to go watch The Vow again instead.
May 15th, 2012
The Grey - In Alaska, an oil drilling team struggle to survive after a plane crash
strands them in the wild. Hunting the humans is a pack of wolves that see them as
intruders. Starring: Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney.
Review – Sounds like a basic struggle in the wilderness movie right? Well that’s what I
thought until I saw it. I think this it’s one of the best movies of its kind, it has the right
plot, the right cast and then instead of being bored watching some regular people
walking around in the snow, you get a huge pack of wolves trying to kill them at the
same time. Definitely worth watching.
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8 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

What about Jack?
By Greg Stonehocker
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
For those of you that don’t know Jack. . . let
me introduce you. Jack Welch is the former
CEO of General Electric, known for his
track record of success, enormous love of
people, fierce passion for winning, author
of two best-selling books, and his unique
management practices. One of his more
famous management practices was that he
used to get rid of the bottom 20 per cent
of his employees each year. While some
see this as a harsh way to handle business,
Welch had both strategic and practical reasons
for following this mandate.
First, he realized this type of ‘pruning’ was
necessary for GE’s success. So he made it
part of the overall company plan. He knew
that in order for GE to be the best, he had
to have the best people working on the
job for him – and enough room to replace
those who didn’t work out.
Second, Jack believed in a company culture
that rewarded performance. As others
have pointed out, a lot of Jack’s ‘firings’
were mutual. Some employees simply
didn’t like his aggressive style, his penchant
for numbers and details, his vision for the
company, or his standard of accountability
for every department.
Sometimes, company culture clashes with
an employee’s value system. Sometimes the
employee is constantly at odds with the
overall culture and ultimate mission of the
company. Despite the wishes of some government
and union types, owners need to
replace unproductive workers with people
who can actually do the job so the company
can survive.
So let’s say you’ve decided to raise company
standards. You’ve developed a clear
mission, you’ve established the rules of a
positive company culture and you’ve got
a new attitude toward your customers and
suppliers. But some of your team aren’t
with the program. Some never will be.
What do you do? The best thing to do is
stay the course.
If you’ve ever segmented your customers
into As, Bs, Cs and Ds, you could also apply
the same rationale to your employees.
Some may not be up to your standards, but
others will be attracted to a company that
knows what it wants and where it is going.
So how do you set the standard in your
business? Well for those of you who haven’t
set standards, you need to start today. Take
a cue from Jack. Not only will you benefit
long-term, you will also allow others to
achieve success in their own right.
1. Establish your own Vision, Mission and
Culture for your company – Jack was a big
believer in a culture based on innovation,
efficiency and continuous improvement.
He also believed in rewarding results, from
awarding employee bonuses based on innovation
to allowing staff to participate in
stock option compensation. What are you
a big believer of for your business? Does
your company have incentives or reward
employee performance? The key is to make
it true and meaningful for you!
2. Develop strong leadership – Without
strong direction, your business will be
like a ship without a rudder. This doesn’t
mean you need to be an autocrat or a dictator.
Just the opposite. I’m talking more
in terms of ‘quality’ here. Passion and the
ability to take total responsibility are important
keys.
3. Have a common goal – Both you and
your team need to know what the goal of
the business is. When Jack ran GE, he had
12 businesses under the GE umbrella. All
had their own goals and objectives – but
each operated under the overall GE Vision
and Mission. That helped all team members
to see the ‘big picture,’ one they could
be part of and adapt to their specific situations.
4. Set the rules of the game – Team members
need to know what they can and can’t
do. Everyone must know what game your
company is playing, as well as the rules of
the game. It’s up to you to create the rules
and the playing field. If you don’t, your
team will be without direction, and will set
their own guidelines for you.
5. Have an action plan – All your team
members need a position description that
spells out their duties in clear and unambiguous
terms. This helps define responsibilities
and also helps limit jurisdictional
disputes about what a person should or
shouldn’t be doing. Ideally, all of this is
done in a systemized way, one that can be
written down, replicated and repeated. Do
this by department and you’ll have an operations
manual for your entire business.
6. Support risk taking – You must be willing
to take risks. If not, your team will lag and
not want to push boundaries. If you don’t
push your team to take business risks, your
company will push conservatively towards
its goals. Know that risks and rewards are
two sides of the same coin – and make sure
your team knows that, too.
7. 100 per cent involvement and inclusion
– Practice the art of inclusion. Ask your
team for their opinions and listen. The key
is to make sure everyone is involved and
everyone gives their all to their respective
jobs. In Jack’s view, “every person counts.”
Every person does. And you really want
them to count in moving the whole team
toward the company’s objectives.
And let’s not forget that Jack Welch increased
GE turnover six-fold from the time
he started to the time he left. He couldn’t
have done it with people who didn’t buy
into his vision for the company – and he
had a pretty big vision for GE. Nor could
he have done it with employees who underperformed
and resisted change. Can
you?
Fullfilling a childhood dream with N-Hance
By Erwin Blatter
For the Lethbridge Journal
Sick of working in construction in the rough circumstances
of boom-town Fort McMurray, former history teacher
Nikolay Rudenko contemplated a while about what to
do. He decided to start his own business. In February he
bought an N-Hance franchise, now he’s a specialist in refinishing
floors and renewing cabinets.
For now, Rudenko, 36, works from his Lethbridge home.
But the new entrepreneur hopes to open his own N-Hance
store within a year, preferably in downtown Lethbridge.
Moreover, he wants to hire people in Medicine Hat who
can concentrate on the eastern part of his franchise territory,
which encompasses the cities of Taber, Brooks and
Medicine Hat as well as Lethbridge.
Rudenko has reason to think he will be able to reach his
goals. He believes in his service because it’s simply “too
good to not be successful.”
“The N-Hance way of renewing wooden floor and cabinets
takes only one day on average instead of one week with
more traditional ways of wood services,” Rudenko claims.
“The process doesn’t produce dust so you don’t have to
move your furniture. It’s also almost odourless. And within
two hours you don’t smell anything anymore.”
But probably the most important asset of N-Hance’s way of
working is that it’s not labour-intensive and therefore the
costs stay relatively low.
“Also, nobody is doing this in Lethbridge. The product
we’re using for our service is not for sale in stores. It’s only
available to franchise holders.”
Rudenko’s franchise is the only one in southern Alberta.
Having been in business since February, he has already
done quite a few jobs.
The Russian immigrant is happy he decided to start his
own business. Before, he had been working in the Fort Mc-
Murray oil fields for five years. As a former teacher with a
degree in history, the grim circumstances up north weren’t
quite his cup of tea.
“Working in construction was not very exciting. But when
I came to Canada in 2004 with my wife and my son, my
English was not good enough to be able to teach history to
Canadian kids.”
Now, he has found something he likes, Rudenko says.
“Working with wood has always been a hobby of mine.
When I was a kid I wanted to become a carpenter.”
It triggered his search for a business in wood work.
“I read about N-Hance on the internet. After that I called a
few franchise owners. They were all happy with their business.
They said things ran smoothly.”
In the end, the decision to buy a franchise was relatively
easy.
“Especially because N-Hance also provided the funding of
the business. To me, this is all very exciting, as I have never
run a business before. But obviously, I believe in the concept
of N-Hance.”
Rudenko might even be opening an N-Hance franchise in
Fort McMurray. Some day.
“But for now I’ll solely be focusing on Lethbridge. There’s
still a lot of ground to be covered here.”
For more information on N-Hance, call Rudenko at (403)
894-8095 or visit www.nhance.com.
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 19

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0 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

Stay a while, and listen!
We need a nuclear badger
Toronto-based think-tank ‘Professor Xavier’s Institute for the Mentally Interesting’
has published a new report calling for the replacement of Tasers with a “more lethal
non-lethal weapon, or weaponized animal.” The lead author of the report, Admiral
Heinz Ketchup, explained the Institute’s findings: “From 2001-2012, Tasers were only
responsible for a few hundred deaths in the United States and most of them just hit their
head on the way down. In the same period, guns successfully killed tens of thousand
of otherwise completely healthy people! We feel the military-industrial complex could
be doing a much more effective job of non-lethally killing naked people at the airport.”
The report suggests, among other weapons, a “crossbow tipped with poison from
Amazonian Dart Frogs” and “some sort of microwave gun that would make the target
soil themselves.”
Birds of a feather. . . are poor together?
Financial consultants have issued warnings to their clients that the Canadian Bird
Housing bubble is at risk of collapse. “As Canadian birds accrue more and more
personal debt, we find it hard to recommend taking out a mortgage or loan on your
birdhouse,” says the warning from accounting firm Sylvester and Tweety. “Birds are
migratory animals with almost no equity. Unlike squirrels or chipmunks, they very
rarely have anything saved for the harsh winter months, which makes long-term
planning difficult. . . and they often make chickenfeed compared to other animals in
similar jobs.” Experts believe that while the economy is currently taking a birdbath, a
recovery is inevitable as long as everyone keeps saying it.
bin Laden loved his television
The United States government has released a series of
letters recovered from Osama bin Laden’s stronghold,
many of which express dismay at the state of the world.
“Can you believe who got voted off the X Factor last
night?” reads one, “A jihad upon Simon Cowell!” Another
letter expresses dismay and self-doubt. “I just feel like I
blew my big chance, you know? We really had something
going, but I just wasn’t a strong enough leader to keep the
momentum. It’s so frustrating! Plus, Akbar also brought
me the last episode of LOST yesterday, and I was so
disappointed I cried.”
James
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 21
41069046

Photo from http://media.tri-cityherald.com/static/images/kaiblog/rimmermain.jpg
Another Drafty Day
By Marty Baceda
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
A little something for now and the Lethbridge
Hurricanes are hoping for a whole
lot more down the road.
This month the Western Hockey League
Bantam Draft took place and for the third
straight year, the ‘Canes had another high
pick. Another season missing the playoffs
meant the locals were lottery bound once
again, coming away with the fourth overall
pick.
However, as significant as that selection is,
the Hurricanes made even bigger news, acquiring
one of the Dub’s best netminders
- Ty Rimmer from Tri-City. In exchange
for a pair of future draft picks (second
rounder in 2013, third rounder in ’14) the
squad picks up an established, highly productive
puck-stopper. The Edmonton native
earned an all-star selection and was a
runner-up for the goalie of the year award
this season (losing out to Medicine Hat’s
Tyler Bunz).
This is a big deal, as the Hurricanes were
facing a somewhat unsettled netminding
situation this fall. Damien Ketlo has
graduated, leaving the club with Liam Liston,
who was inconsistent in his time since
coming over from Brandon, and perhaps
Tanner Kovacs, who started the year with
the ‘Canes only to be sent to the AJHL for
seasoning. Needless to say, there was a
pretty big question mark between the pipes
for the squad, which should now be a position
of strength thanks to the addition of
Rimmer.
With Rimmer coming on board, the Hurricanes
will have some difficult decisions
to make concerning their overage situation.
Others in competition for the other
two 20-year-old spots are Daniel Johnston,
Landon Oslanski and Tyler Kiziuk on defence
and Graham Hood and Nick Buonassisi
up front. Each one of these young
men bring something different to the table.
Johnston is the team’s best bet in its own
end. Despite the ‘Canes finishing well under
.500 and giving up 68 more goals than
they scored, the Calgary native managed
to finish at an even plus/minus rating, the
only rearguard on the team to accomplish
the feat. Oslanski had a couple of more
points than Johnston last season, but his
-31 rating shows he needs some work defensively.
As for Kiziuk, he vastly improved
over the previous campaign, but he has the
lesser pedigree of this trio. To imagine the
Hurricanes keeping more than one of these
three next fall would be a major surprise.
Up front, Buonassisi gave the club a big
spark and if he sticks around, will be expected
to be one of the club’s offensive leaders.
Hood has tremendous size, and when
he’s physically involved, the Martensville,
Saskatchewan native is a lot to handle for
the opposition. However, there are too
many nights when Hood fails to play up
to his bulk. Still, with some young, small
forwards on the squad, I can see the ‘Canes
perhaps holding on to him. Again, like the
case for defence, I believe the percentage
is pretty small that there’s a scenario where
the ‘Canes keep both Buonassisi and Hood.
It gives General Manager Rich Preston
some interesting homework for the summer,
and then at training camp, to determine
which three players will man the
overage slots on the roster. Expect a couple
of more trades at some point, as everyone
above mentioned has value as a WHL player
next season.
As for the draft, the ‘Canes tabbed Giorgio
Estephan with that fourth overall selection.
The Edmonton native terrorized the
Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League in
the 2011-12 campaign, racking up 43 goals
and 57 assists for an even 100 points in just
32 games. It was good enough to give the
forward the league’s scoring title and most
valuable player awards. Plus at 5’11” and
168 pounds, Estephan has good size already
at just 15 years old.
While it was hard to execute at the time,
the ‘Canes trade of captain Cam Braes at
the WHL trade deadline gave them the
18th overall pick as well. With it, the club
zeroed in on the blue-line, tabbing Thomas
Lenchyshyn. The Steinbach, Manitoba
product has good size (6’, 178 lbs) and actually
played on a midget AAA team this
past winter. Looking like a gritty, hardnosed
defender, Lenchyshyn picked up 123
penalty minutes in 42 games while adding
14 points.
From there, the organization made nine
more selections, adding depth to its protected
list. Notably, the club traded back
into the third round to get Colt Conrad.
Another Manitoban, from St. Alphonse,
the forward put up video game-like numbers
at Bantam AAA, amassing 79 goals
and 71 assists in 53 contests. This kind of
production is hard to fathom and hard to
ignore.
All in all it was a momentous day for the
Hurricanes. While the team got some more
youth to help out in two or three years, it
also got a great player for the here and
now. This will not be the only move the
side makes leading up to training camp
later this year. After another season out of
the playoffs, it looks like Preston is going to
go about ensuring it doesn’t happen again
next spring.
The Hurricanes shored up the present
while stocking up for the future. All in all,
that’s a draft to remember.
Help us help kids
By Darlene Mountney
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Please join us for our 15th Annual Charlton & Hill / National
Salvage Golf for Kids Sake for Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Lethbridge & District. The Picture Butte Golf &
Winter Club is exclusively ours for the day. The golfers who
have participated throughout the years can tell you how
fun this event is.
Mark the Date! This year’s event will be on Monday, June
4 with limited space, so dust off your clubs and sign up today!
Breakfast, lunch and steak dinner are provided, with
snacks and refreshments throughout the day. Golfers are
assigned a golf cart for the day. Your objective is to have
fun, golf as many holes as you want, have the opportunity
to work on your game and help kids.
There is no entry fee for your participation, but as a fundraiser,
each golfer is to collect pledges. Our online donation
software is amazing and easy to use. Collecting pledges
will be a breeze! Send emails to your Outlook contacts and
watch your pledges start rolling in. Instructions for setting
up on our online donation site, GiftTool, will be provided
upon receiving your registration form.
Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children who face life adversity.
We believe that enhancing these young lives can in
turn change our community’s future. Mentoring helps kids
learn the importance of helping others, growing up to be
more civic-minded adults. Your financial support allows
us to provide careful screening and matching of volunteers
with these children, as well as the ongoing professional
management needed to keep the mentoring relationships
going strong, we hope until the child graduates high school.
By supporting our mentoring programs, you help us provide
more volunteer mentors and the associated financial
resources required to manage and support our programs.
Please mark the date, Monday, June 4 on your calendar for
this great day of golf and fun! Invite your golf buddies to
join in the fun as well!
Help us Start Something.
If you have any questions or require further information,
please contact Darlene Mountney at (403) 328-9355 or visit
www.bebig.ca
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2 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

Recruitment & Search
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 23

Family Sport Day - Try Out Something Different!
By Julie Freund, Program and Communication
Co-ordinator, Lethbridge Sport Council
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Victoria Day, which honours Queen Victoria’s birthday
and also informally signifies we’re moving into summer, is
fast approaching. The Lethbridge Sport Council has a line
up of family-friendly activities for our Family Sport Day
on Victoria Day that will introduce you to something you
may never have tried but can be done in your backyard or
neighbourhood park!
No experience necessary; you and your family will have the
chance to get out of the house, be active, laugh and play
together! The introduction to two easy-to-learn lifetime
sports is all happening on May 21.
Lethbridge Ultimate is offering a family lesson and fun session
on Ultimate Frisbee. While we aren’t excluding any
age groups, this activity is best suited to those 12 years of
age and older. Ultimate Frisbee is the fastest growing high
school sport in Canada.
Ultimate is a non-contact disc sport played with a hightech
plastic disc on a field with two end zones; there are
seven players on a team. The objective of the game is to
score by catching a pass in the opponent’s end zone. A player
must stop running while in possession of the disc but
can pivot and pass. Ultimate is a transition game in which
players move quickly from offence to defence on turnovers
that occur with a dropped pass, an interception, a pass out
of bounds, or when a player is caught holding the disc for
more than 10 seconds.
Although Ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its
basic athletic requirements, the rules are simpler which allow
the game to be self-officiated. If you haven’t tried Ultimate
before make sure you plan on attending May 21!
Bridge City Gunners Disc Golf Association is a newlyformed
organization in Lethbridge and will offer a clinic
with short rounds (yes, there will be ‘professional’ disc golfers
mixed in with rookies!) of disc golf. You’ll finally have
the opportunity to learn about those hanging chain baskets
at Nicholas Sheran Park (no, they aren’t a new prototype of
garbage can).
Disc golf is played much like golf, but instead of a club and
ball, players throw plastic flying discs at specially designed
targets.
Find out more about the Bridge City Gunners’ goals of
opening another two 18 basket courses in Lethbridge plus
a possible bid for the Canadian National Disc Golf Championships.
Wait, it gets even better, because each participant will get
a coupon for a special toonie rate at Fort Whoop-Up (valid
until June 17). Fort Whoop-Up is so rich with history,
whether it’s the name to which we’ve become accustomed
(but visitors always get a kick out of) to its background
of notorious activity (selling whiskey while it’s outlawed,
charging unusually high prices for goods, etc.). Sometimes
I wonder if Lethbridge residents don’t partake in our own
historical venues often enough, so there’s no better opportunity
than this!
Pre-registration is required and can be done through contacting
the Lethbridge Sport Council at 403-320-9371 or
julie.freund@lethbridgesportcouncil.ca.
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4 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

Virtuous woman exposed
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
I grew up the daughter of an
Offshore Driller, so as we all
know the term Army Brat, the
same applies for the child of
someone who I became accustomed to change decision, even if it’s what we’re pathize as much as possible.
.
works in the and adapting and before long I doing and they don’t have a . “I know you’re scared or angry,
offshore oil was off again as a young adult choice. I thought of some better
it’s going to be okay and it’s
and gas industry.
exploring the world and discovering
cultures other than ways to approach our kids
and help them adjust to change.
going to be really good for our
family.”
I was actually our own.
born in Athens,
Greece, really hard moments of change
I remember there being some Ease them into it:
Make an effort to connect:
then moved that I had to encounter as a kid, • Begin by creating light hearted
discussions about your area • Make a plan with your chil-
back to Canada,
then to new foods and even learning a of change to create excitedren
what you can do to re-
learning a new language, trying
Singapore, different history in Social Studies.
I went from learning about Spain they have 8,000 kms of friends. Maybe take a family
ment. “Hey, did you know in member the old house, or
then back to
Canada, then Kings and Queens to learning beaches! Wouldn’t that be a picture in front of the house,
off to Majorca, about settlers and railroads, (I cool place to live?” Talk about or get an address book of all
Spain, then preferred the king and queen it over a few days or weeks before
you sit them down and tell in touch.
your children’s friends to keep
back to Canada,
then off to I’m now settled with my family them this is what you’re doing.
stuff!)
Scotland, then of seven here and have no plans
back to Canada.
All this be-
So the changes we face day to
to move anywhere for a while.
Routine:
Details, Details:
fore the age of day are not quite as drastic as
• Once the change takes place
• Be willing to give as many
nine years old. my upbringing. (Though, on
try and establish as close to a
details as possible to reassure
I nestled permanently
back February, I beg my husband
a yearly basis, usually around
routine as possible.
them you’ve thought it all
through. Where they’ll make
into Canada
with the co!) Needless to say, we’re not
to move us to Spain, or Mexi-
I’m so thankful for all the experiences
I had as a child. Though
new friends, where the tropical
beaches are, how they’ll learn
worlds biggest without facing the challenge
it was hard at times to adjust
the language, who will teach
rolling rrr accent
and an lives.
of change in other areas of our
and adapt, I did! I can now easily
go from iceberg climate to
them to salsa, etc.”
open mind Telling our kids,”this is what
tropical breeze in as long as the
to the fact that there is always we’re doing and you have to Let them feel:
flight takes to get me there and
more to life than what is in come along, you don’t have a
I don’t complain at all!!!
front of us. Change is Good!!! choice” is not always the wisest
• Allow your child time to deal
with their emotions and em-
Preserving the past with Memories: Refreshed
By Erwin Blatter
For the Lethbridge Journal
You keep telling yourself you have to organize your photos
but you never really get to it, simply because the chore
seems too daunting. Sound familiar? Maybe you should
hire someone to do it for you - someone like Barb Doan.
Last year, she launched her business Memories: Refreshed
to help people organize their photos and more.
Film cameras are long gone, hail to the digital camera: taking
pictures has never been so easy. If a photo is not satisfactory,
we just take another one, and, if necessary, another
one. And another one. If we don’t have a digital camera
with us, we conjure up a smart phone and take a quick snap
shot, just because we can. Or maybe we grab our iPad to
take yet another picture.
And then what? Well, pretty much nothing. Dozens of photos
are just sitting there, on several devices, waiting for you
to start sorting them and afix them into a posh-looking album.
But in most cases, that moment never comes. Doan
knows all about it.
Since September of last year she has been helping people
organize their photos as the owner of her Lethbridge-based
business Memories: Refreshed. She reckons there’s a great
demand for her service.
“Hardly anyone takes the time to do something with their
pictures,” Doan says. “Nobody knows where to look too.
Besides, the amount of images can become overwhelming
and cumbersome. ”
Her services include, among others, organizing prints and/
or digital images, creating digital photo books for various
occasions - think of weddings, anniversaries and graduations
- and scanning and enhancing photos.
“In most cases, these things are very time-consuming to
do. A lot of people are too busy, organizing their photos
doesn’t have priority.”
Her main drive for setting up her business was helping
people, Doan says.
“Everybody has a story to tell. But in most cases it’s not being
told. People’s photos just sit in a shoebox. So many of
the younger generation don’t know much about their family.
I think that’s very sad. For me, it’s a kind of a desire to do
something that people appreciate, to bring joy to someone’s
life.”
To do just that, Doan, a member of the Association of
Personal Photo Organizers (APPO), also takes care of the
technical side of storing and protecting digital images. Not
only do most people never get to sorting their images, they
don’t back up their hard drives and when their computer
crashes, images are gone.
“It’s happening more and more because people have so
many devices these days. And it can happen so quickly too.”
No matter what Memories: Refreshed does for the customer,
in the end it comes down to one thing for Doan: helping
people so they are able to share their stories through
photos.
“For me that’s the ultimate goal.”
For more information on Doan and her business, visit
www.memoriesrefreshed.com.
We have limited spaces available for Fall
Am & Pm Kindergarten classes.
Our kindergarten is fully covered by Alberta Education
with certified teacher and teacher/student ratio of 1:10.
Before and after kindergarten care available from
8-5pm. Students must turn 5 before December 31, 2012.
Please visit or call for a tour.
Campus 1: 915 - 6th Street South. Ph: 403-327-5271
Campus 2: 3611 Forestry Ave. South. Ph: 403-327-5222
NowOpen
in
Lethbridge
• Hospital / Dental /
Medical wear
• Chefwear & aprons
• Cook &
Kitchen wear
• Medical supplies for
nurses
Uniforms Today
1507 3rd Ave. South
Next to theWine Cavern
403-330-3266
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 25
41069432
41069611
Photos submitted. Barb Doan works on organizing a client's photos.

Strictly Business
By Debbie Thomas
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Much has been written over the years about the power of
setting goals, both in your personal life and in your business
life. Unfortunately, most people ignore the volumes of
evidence that clearly provide that if you commit those goals
to paper you have a far greater chance of achieving them.
Recent studies have revealed that only four per cent of the
population write down their goals and constantly refer to
them to see if they are achieving their desired outcomes.
Studies have also revealed that when most people reach retirement,
only four per cent will have the assets to provide
them with enough income to maintain the quality of life
they had when they were working. As a business owner,
it is vital to have clearly articulated goals or plans for your
business.
Let’s discuss the importance of goal setting:
What Are Goals?
Goals are best described as dreams or desired outcomes
wrapped around a projected time frame. In other words,
goals are those things you would like to achieve or have
happen as a result of effort you are prepared to make. It’s
a fact that you cannot achieve a goal you set for yourself
without being prepared to work for it.
Why Set Goals?
Goals are important for many reasons. The most important
reason for business owners to set goals is because it can
help articulate and crystallize desired outcomes for your
business. It’s a well-known fact that success is not an accident!
It is consistent and disciplined effort that determines
a person’s level of success. Goals come in all shapes and
sizes and, for many people, exist only in their heads. It’s
committing your goals to paper that compels you to act.
What Happens When I Achieve A Goal?
The first thing that should happen is that you should congratulate
yourself. It’s important to develop reward mechanisms
and incentives for yourself and your team every time
a goal is achieved. You should also keep continually revising
and stretching your goals, as it’s only by constantly setting
new target and goals that you will see sustained and
continuous improvement.
Keep Your Goals In Reach
When setting goals for your business, it’s a very good idea
to remember some key focal points. It is very important to
make sure all your goals are sustainable. Too many people
set goals that simply cannot be maintained over the long
term. Measuring your progress is another key element. It’s
a simple fact that what gets measured gets done, so it’s important
you know your position today in relation to where
you want to be tomorrow.
Setting goals that are achievable will help you avoid disappointment.
Far too many people set goals that they are
simply incapable of achieving. Keeping your goals relevant
is also very important. Some people hang on to goals or
dreams that they should have let go of years ago. It is also
crucial to set a time-frame within which you would like to
achieve your goals. Open-ended goals are really just pipe
dreams.
One of the easiest ways to set your goals for this year is doing
it backwards. It’s easy!!
First, know your big picture, then from there start breaking
it down into sections. For example: if your big picture is a
15 per cent profit from last year, then you must determine
how you are going to achieve that profit.
There are many components in goal setting for that type
of goal, such as marketing, sales, budget, product, service,
etc. Each item in your business can then be broken down
even further.
Let’s take your budget to start with, that usually determines
what you can spend and where to spend it. If your final
goal is more profit, then you may need to expose your business
more than you currently do. From there, you know
that you may need a fair sized budget for marketing. So, if
marketing will help with your goal this year, that’s where
your budget needs to be adjusted from last year.
Hop on the internet, read the ads in your local paper and
start your search for marketing companies. You will be
amazed at the talent you can find in your own back yard.
They will work with you to achieve your ultimate goal by
providing you with options you feel comfortable with and
are within your budget. You may just need your website
adjusted to be a bit more user friendly. Do you have enough
information on it? Do you even have one? If you don’t, even
if you are a small local business, it is almost essential to
have one. The money you will spend on a professional company
working for you will hopefully expose your company
to more customers and clients that, in turn, will make your
company much more profitable this year.
So, now determine what is the next important part of your
business that will make you more money and give you
more time. Let’s say you spent four hours each month doing
your own bookkeeping just to find out that your tax accountant
had to re-do most because you don’t understand
how to allocate your expenses. Luckily, that’s one area that
is a no brainer: OUTSOURCE that to a professional bookkeeper.
Their goal is to take that burden off your shoulders
and provide you two very important things: First, it frees
up that time so you can put your efforts into other areas of
your business that you KNOW you’re good at. And second,
bookkeeping is tax deductible. It’s like the government giving
you this money to pay someone to ensure your records
are up to date, accurate and the best part of all, will keep the
cost of your tax account bill down.
I hope these few ideas will help motivate you into a goal
setting mode and get your creative juices flowing. So hit
the ground running!
Cooks (East Indian) required:
Full Time, Permanent, Punjabi speaking,
Minimum 2 years experience;
$13.00/Hr. to start ASAP
Fax Resume to 403-381-1356
41068451
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6 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

By Jeff Wiebe
For the Lethbridge Journal
For almost 40 years, Yoshitaka Kinjo has
been practicing the art of karate. This dedication
has allowed Kinjo to better both
himself and his community, and now he
has been officially recognized for his years
of devotion.
Kinjo was recently awarded a Governor
General’s Caring Canadian Award in recognition
of his many contributions to
Lethbridge and area. Through his karate
school, Kinjo has held demonstrations to
help raise funds for a variety of local organizations,
including The Lung Association,
the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada,
and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. He
has also created specially-tailored courses
to serve local residents living with various
illnesses like asthma or fibromyalgia. Kinjo
says this spirit of service was instilled in
him from a young age, growing up with his
family in a small village in Okinawa, Japan.
“People would help each other. We didn’t
Yoshitaka’s joy is in helping others
Photo credit: Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall © 2012 Office of the Secretary to the Governor General of Canada
have so much money, but we helped other
people,” he explains.
“We have good times and tough times.
When people have good times, we should
be happy with them, and when they have
tough times, we should help as much as we
can. That’s the kind of lifestyle I learned
from a very young age.”
Kinjo began learning karate at age 16, and
quickly took to it. Initially, his perceptions
of the practice were admittedly misguided.
“A lot of people believe karate is all about
the physical – kicking and punching – and
when I started karate, I thought the same,”
he explains.
“But as I practiced more and more, I realized
physical is one side of karate, but there
is also the mental and health side of it.”
In 1971, at age 18, Kinjo moved to Canada
and stayed for two years at a farm near Bow
Island before re-locating to Lethbridge. At
the time, he spoke very little English, but
after experiencing the kindness of the city’s
residents, he decided to stay long term.
“People opened their hands for me, they
opened doors for me. When I asked, they
helped me all the time. So when I started
being able to look after myself, I realized it
was time for me to do something for others,”
he explained.
All the while, Kinjo worked on honing his
karate skills.
“Then one day I said, ‘karate is not a sport,
it is an art,’” he explains.
“And then I knew what I should do.”
From then on, Kinjo would use his karate
expertise to help others in the community,
whether through fundraising demonstrations
or specialized programs designed to
help alleviate sickness and pain.
“It makes me so happy when people who
are suffering from pain start to be able to
get a normal life again after I work with
them,” he explains.
“I love to help people, to see them smiling.
It’s a very wonderful thing.”
Kinjo has tried to impart these same values
to the young members of his school who
perform demonstrations, and he hopes
they will go on to serve their communities
Eco-ify your next garage saling adventure!
in similar ways. He is very grateful for the
support of his family and friends over the
years, and humbled at being given an honour
as prestigious as the Caring Canadian
award.
“If everybody put one step toward other
people who need help, it could make our
community much better.”
The Caring Canadian Award recognizes
living Canadians and permanent residents
who have made a significant, sustained,
unpaid contribution to their community,
in Canada or abroad. Often working behind
the scenes, these individuals volunteer
their time and efforts to help their fellow
citizens.
Nominations for the award can be made
directly through the Office of the Secretary
to the Governor General. They will be
assessed by the Chancellery of Honours,
which will make recommendations to the
governor general.
If you know a friend, neighbour or member
of the community you believe deserves
to be nominated, visit www.gg.ca/caring.
The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the clutter is
piling, so let’s talk garage sales!
Whether your browsing others or the host, garage sales are
an excellent eco-friendly option. To take it a step further,
here are some tips for making your next garage sale experience
easier on you, your wallet and the environment.
For the garage sale shopper:
The key to successful garage saling is in seeing the potential
of repurposing, here are some suggestions:
Garden Art - Be imaginative. If you’re looking for something
to spice the garden up, consider old furniture such
as dressers, metal work or even an old kettle can be turned
into an indoor/outdoor planter. Use weather proof paint
when possible and avoid small pieces birds and animals
may eat.
Party Platters - Pretty dishes can be transformed to multitiered
platters with just E600 super glue and candlesticks.
Renewed furniture - Quality wood can be hard to find and
expensive if you do but a fresh coat of paint will bring new
life, save your pocket book and the planet!
Picture Perfect - A beautiful picture frame with a not-sonice
picture can be easily swapped for another picture or
even a mirror. You don’t even need to hang it, just use it as
a tray!
Think of the potential - Handles & pulls can easily be
changed; wallpaper
the back of a shelf to fit decor; chalkboard paint gives new
life and kids
love it!
These are just a few of the many possibilities, (Pinterest is a
great idea source too) but just make sure whatever you buy
is something you will use, or it will just end taking up space
until your own sale next spring!
For the garage sale host:
Multi-Family sales are always a big draw. Invite your neighbors
to run a sale the same day, or friends to join yours.
Group sales mean you can split the cost of newspaper advertising
and put up signs together reducing your work and
materials needed.
Make an eco-friendly sign by using materials you already
have or can get for free such as boxes with rocks used to
hold them down. If you don’t have a cardboard box, just ask
a grocery or liquor store. If you do use signs, don’t forget to
collect them once you are done and (with all the space you
now have) save them in your garage for next year!
Get your stash looking nice and shiny to get more for your
items. Clean the merchandise with an eco-friendly cleanser
or household vinegar. White distilled vinegar can be used
on many household items (porcelain, glassware, brass, copper,
wood and carpet) but some need dilution or a mixture
so it’s best to check first. Never use vinegar on marble.
Go to vinagartips.com/
cleaning for
a complete
list. Wash all
clothing in
cold water and,
if possible, opt
for detergent that is
vegetable not petroleum
based and phosphate free.
Stock up on plastic bags to give to customers. Ask co-workers
or friends if you need. It makes shopping easier and
saves a plastic bag from the landfill.
For any electronics missing the manuals, just check online.
Many companies, Sony and Apple for example, have an online
version free to view/print. Just pointing this out may
close your sale, especially for pricier items.
Remember, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
The lamp you think is outdated maybe someone’s dream
D.I.Y project but you must be realistic when your trash is,
well, trash! Make sure you know where to recycle or dispose
of items in their proper place. Visit lethbridge.ca/
living-here/my-home/Waste-Recycling for more info on
waste disposal around Lethbridge.
Some items are also illegal at garage sales. Find more information
at healthcanada.gc.ca/cps
In the end, re-using and re-purposing (when conscious of
toxic chemicals and processes) can prevent useful, beautiful
and unique items from reaching the landfill and make
wonderful, budget- and planet-friendly additions to your
home. So whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie, garage
sales are a perfect option for saving more than just
money and space!
Next month. . . Pallet Gardens!
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF APRIL 27, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 27

The Next Big Thing: Pinotage
By Kyle Baines
Submitted to the Lethbridge
Journal
To say Pinotage is controversial
is to say far too little.
Some people, myself
included, consider Pinotage
to be a South African
national treasure, just as
Chile has embraced Carmenere.
That said, South
Africa’s “wine establishment”
has always been
very Euro-centric, believing
that the only way to be
taken seriously as a wine
region was to focus exclusively
on “proper” grapes
like Cabernet, Chardonnay,
and Chenin Blanc. The
result of this was that Pinotage
was treated at best as
an embarrassment, and at
worst as a noxious weed, fit
for nothing more than uprooting.
South Africa has
a bit of an identity problem,
which is at the root of
all of this. For a very long
time, (up until about 1990)
being Old World was the
only way to be taken seriously
as a wine-producing
region. “We’ve been making
wine since 1659” was
the tagline that the South
Africans used to separate
themselves from the
Johnny-come-latelys like
the USA, Canada, Australia,
and South America.
That blew up in their faces
nicely when, in 10 short
years, the New World was
FAR more relevant to export
markets than the Old,
and South Africa found
themselves with a serious
branding problem.
Modern Pinotage is generally
made by small, independent,
and New-World
focused winemakers. They
also tend to be the more
successful winemakers,
as the New World style is
a great deal more commercially
viable. They also
have embraced Pinotage,
despite being a relative
newcomer (first bred in
1925, at Stellenbosch University),
and have given
it the careful treatment
it needs to ensure that it
produces consistently high
quality wine, as it is very
easy to make very dreadful
Pinotage. We are just at the
beginning of “the wave”
with South Africa, just as
we were with Argentina
about five years ago. And
just as the Argentine surge
in popularity was based
around the Malbec grape,
so too will the South African
frenzy-to-come be
based around Pinotage.
The nice thing about right
now is that we are ahead of
the curve, and we haven’t
yet seen either the attendant
price increases or the
influx of affordably priced,
utterly terrible “designer
wines” that tend to plague
a “hot” region.
At its best Pinotage smells
absolutely unique, with
massive mocha notes,
mulberry, blackberry, and
something smoky and
savoury, like wild game.
There is also, in the very
best examples, an aroma
that while distantly related
to coconut, can only be described
as “toasted marshmallow.”
Never more than
medium-bodied, Pinotage
can be anything from austere,
smoky, and decidedly
Pinot-like, to generous,
coffee-scented, and bursting
with vanillin fruit,
more like an Australian
Shiraz or Californian Petit
Sirah than anything else.
Pinotage is something truly
unique, neither Old World
nor New World, not a big,
bold red like Shiraz, but not
a delicate or pale wine like
Pinot Noir. It doesn’t have
the great provenance of a
classic grape like Cabernet
or Chardonnay, it simply is
what it is. Unique, charming,
and a very tasty glass
of wine, if you don’t try to
over-analyze it to death.
Three Great Pinotages to
try:
The Grinder Pinotage:
$15.95 (South Africa)
Barista Pinotage:
$15.25 (South Africa)
The Ruins Organic Pinotage:
$17.95 (South Africa)
212 - 3 rd Avenue South
403-320-9464
www.andrewhiltonwine.ca
Canada’s Oldest Wine Store!
MAY
11 TH & 12 TH
New Arrivals
Week 1
MAY
18 TH & 19 TH
New Arrivals
Week 2
FREE
Weekend Wine Tasting
every Friday and Saturday
after 2 pm
41068438
Southern Alberta’s largest selection of
Wine, Scotch and Micro Brewed Beers
www.andrewhiltonwine.com
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8 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 29

Photo credit: http://www.thirdage.com/files/originals/chicago-white-sox-starting-pitcher-philip-humber-at-yankee-stadium-new-york_72.jpg
OBSCURE OR NOT, ‘PERFECT’ IS FOREVER
By Bruce Penton
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Here’s the baseball question of the day: Who is the more
obscure pitcher to throw a perfect game: Dallas Braden or
Phil Humber?
Discuss among yourselves.
The perfect game is by far the least likely thing to happen in
a Major League Baseball game — except to see not a single
player on the two teams without a plug of chewing tobacco
jammed into their cheek. The perfect game has happened
only 20 times in the modern era of MLB regular-season
play, and once in the World Series (Don Larsen, 1956).
Twenty-seven batters up, 27 batters retired. No walks. No
player reaches base on an error. Not only does the pitcher
have to be perfect, but the fielders behind him must handle
every ball without a flub, too.
Lately, it seems, perfect games have become almost. . . well,
commonplace. Three in the 1980s, four in the ‘90s, four
more in the first decade of the 2000s. While they have been
pitched by immortals of the game (Cy Young and Sandy
Koufax), some greats (Catfish Hunter, Roy Halladay, David
Cone and Randy Johnson) and some ordinary players (Len
Barker, Tom Browning), they have also been pitched by nonames
(Braden of Oakland in 2010 and the most recent,
Humber of the Whites Sox in mid-April).
“I don’t know what Phil Humber is doing in this list,” the
perfect pitcher told reporters after the game. “No idea what
my name is doing there, but thankful it’s there.”
Braden had a career record of 14-21 going into the 2010
season, but he tossed his perfecto in early May against
Tampa Bay. Humber’s career record was 11-10 before he
was perfect against Seattle a couple of Saturdays ago.
So what has become of Dallas Braden since his perfect
game? He has improved his career record to 26-36 and is
currently on the Oakland injury list while recovering from
surgery.
He will never be a Hall of Famer, but he will always be a
footnote in the annals of baseball lore.
Humber’s future remains to be seen. As far as we know, he’s
no Koufax or Halladay, but he’s in that exclusive “Perfect”
club with them.
Forever.
• Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: “At 49, the Rockies’ Jamie
Moyer became the oldest pitcher ever to win a game. Moyer
is so old he remembers when ’roids meant hemorrhoids.”
• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Pudge Rodriguez has
called it quits on a 21-year big-league career. So just what
is a fitting fan send-off for an all-star catcher? A squatting
ovation?
• Perry again: “A brush fire forced a shutdown of the New
Jersey Turnpike near the Jets’ Met Life Stadium. Alas, it was
just Tim Tebow, standing next to a burning bush.”
• Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle: “Dwyane
Wade had the right idea, but the wrong words. Wade said
U.S. NBA Olympians should get paid. Jesse Owens was
spinning in his grave, and Bruce Jenner on his tanning
bed.”
• Norman Chad, Washington Post: “For every hour I watch
CNN, I watch at least 10 hours of NBA TV; to be honest,
this should disqualify me from voting.”
• Chad again: “When Tiger Woods withdrew from the
WGC-Cadillac Championship last month, I still can’t believe
the helicopter didn’t follow him all the way to Perkins
restaurant.”
• Headline at SportsPickle.com: “Canucks too disappointing
to even riot over.”
• Another one from Perry: “The Canucks got eliminated so
early from the playoffs, rioters complained that they didn’t
even get a chance to finish training camp.”
• Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly, on Marlins outfielder Mike
Stanton now going by his given first name, Giancarlo: “Being
as he stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 245 pounds, I’ll certainly
call him anything he wants to be called.”
• Perry again: “The NBA has hit the unfortunately renamed
Metta World Peace with a seven-game suspension. Two
games for the flagrant elbow, and the other five for false
advertising.”
• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “Los Angeles Laker, Metta
World Peace, has been suspended after knocking out an
Oklahoma player, James Harden, with a vicious elbow to
the head. Good thing he is named Metta World Peace, if
he was Metta World War this Harden guy would be dead.”
• Another one from Cote, on the qualifications needed to
become a Dolphins cheerleader: “Be good dancers, have
vivacious personalities and think field goals are awesome.”
• R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com: “A U.S. man says he accidentally
shot himself by dropping a dumbbell on a bullet.
He is not be confused with Plaxico Buress, who was a
dumbbell.”
• Cote again: “The only way LeBron James does not win the
MVP award is if Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is put in charge
of counting the votes.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
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0 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca

New gym experience is platinum
By Jeff Wiebe
For the Lethbridge Journal
For Mark Poitras and Feras Dleikan, giving customers
a bronze, silver, or gold-star experience simply isn’t
enough – only platinum will do.
At age 25, Poitras and Dleikan, owners of Platinum Fitness
in Lethbridge, are surely among the youngest fullblown
entrepreneurs in the city. But they both bring
years of industry experience and a strong passion for fitness
to their work. The two friends got involved in the
world of fitness while in high school, where they both
spent plenty of time in the gym. After graduating, Poitras
got into personal training and enrolled at the University
of Lethbridge, where he studied exercise science.
Dleikan went on to work in sales at a local gym, and later,
they were re-united when Poitras took a training job at
the same gym.
“It was really a personal passion for both of us, the whole
fitness industry in general,” explains Poitras.
“We had both known for a while that we eventually
wanted to open our own gym.”
The two began saving money, and, having built a loyal
client base, eventually decided the time was right to
strike out on their own.
“At first we were just looking into it, and then the ball
started rolling and it ended up happening.”
While neither of the two have much business experience,
they’ve had help from some knowledgeable friends
and co-workers. And they’ve poured plenty of their own
sweat into putting it all together, putting in the floor and
doing much of the renovation work themselves before
opening last fall.
“We’ve worked in a lot of gyms, between the four of us
who put this together.”
Since opening, the gym has utilized social networking
tools and word-of-mouth marketing to build awareness,
and after two months, it was already turning a profit.
Given their experience in the industry, the duo have
modelled their business to avoid some of the most common
complaints about gyms and fitness centres, including
contracts, sign-up fees and hidden costs, all of which
are non-existent at Platinum Fitness.
“Every gym you go to, they want to sign you up for three
years, and nobody likes that,” says Poitras, adding that
members of Platinum Fitness each receive their own key
and have access to the facilities 24 hours a day every day
of the year.
The personal touch is also a big selling point at Platinum,
and Poitras says the gym’s strong focus on personal
training sets it apart.
“That’s really our speciality – getting people in and showing
them how to do things properly,” he says, adding that
they strive to provide consistent information and assistance
across all trainers.
This emphasis on personal training helps gym members
develop a better understanding of how they should be
utilizing the facilities, and this in turn results in higher
usage – Poitras says about 90 per cent of Platinum’s customers
use the gym on a regular basis.
“That was the whole thing – in some places, people buy a
membership, they come in and don’t know what they’re
doing, they stumble around looking at pictures, they
don’t see any results, and then they stop coming. Meanwhile,
they’re on a three-year contract and they just keep
handing the money over for the next two-and-a-half
years without using it. We wanted to avoid that whole
scenario.”
For Poitras, fitness has become both a personal and
professional passion. His journey began in high school,
when he took a fitness class to earn a few credits, and it
has blossomed from there.
“When I was growing up, I always kind of thought I’d
be active and healthy,” he explains, adding that he wants
others to experience the same positive benefits he has received
from an active lifestyle.
“For me, I’m all about self-betterment and trying to do
what I can to improve myself as a person, and being
healthy and active is part of that. It’s had such a huge impact
on my self-confidence, how I feel about myself, and
even how I interact with other people because of that. It’s
had an awesome impact on my life.”
702-13th St. North
327-0340
Olympus
SZ-14
• 14 megapixels
• 24x optical zoom
• 3-inch LCD
• HDMI
Sale
Reg. $229.99
Bushnell Trophy
XLT 10x42
$
199 99
$
549 99
Sale
We take
trade-ins
Canon Vixia HFM 400
• 10x optical zoom
• Full HD
• Optical image stabilizer
• Touch decoration
Bushnell Legend
Ultra HD
10x26
Reg. $699.99
Nikon D90
w/18-55mm
• 12.3 megapixels
• DX format
• Expeed Image
Processing
• 3-inch LCD screen
Sale $
Reg. $949.99 799 99
41069842
Nikon Sportstar EX
8x25
Photos submitted. Platinum Fitness owner Mark Poitras works with a client.
• 100% water/fog proof
• PC-3 phase coating
• Fully multi coated optics
• Dura grip rubber
Sale
Reg. $419.99
Store Hours: Mon-Fri • 9am-8pm Sat • 9am-5:30pm Sun & Hol • Closed
Reg. $259.99 $ 199 99
• Rainguard
• Water and fog proof
• Bak-4 porro prisms
• Fully multicoated optics
$
269 99
• Waterproof
• Multicoated optics
• Pocket size, lightweight
• Wide field of view
Reg. $99.99 $ 79 99
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LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 31

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FURNITURE LIQUIDATION
SAVE ON EVERY LIVING ROOM,
DINING ROOM, BEDROOMS,
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LEATHER, COFFEE ENDS &
ENTERTAINMENT STANDS
AND MUCH MORE
SAVE UP TO
THERE ARE NO GIMMICKS
ALL REMAINING INVENTORY FROM
FURNITURE LIQUIDATION HAS BEEN MOVED
TO WHOLESALE FURNITURE FOR
LIQUIDATION
MANY ITEMS SOLD
AT OR BELOW
DEALERS COST
ALL NATIONAL
BRAND NAME
FURNITURE AT
SACRIFICED
PRICING
75 % OFF
DELIVERY AVAILABLE
A GOOD
SELECTION OF
ONE-OF-A-KIND
LEATHER SOFAS,
LOVES & CHAIRS
NO REASONABLE
OFFER REFUSED
FLOOR
MODELS
AND ONE OF
A KIND
THIS MARKET
CLEARANCE
REQUIRES
IMMEDIATE
ACTION
SHOP EARLY
FOR BEST
SELECTION THIS
SALE COULD END AT
A MOMENT’S
NOTICE
LIQUIDATION HELD NEXT TO DOLLARAMA STORE - BEHIND CANADIAN TIRE
WHY PAY RETAIL WHEN YOU CAN BUY WHOLESALE!
Wholesale furniture
1021 - 2nd “A” Avenue North, Lethbridge “WATCH FOR THE YELLOW AND BLACK SIGNS”
HOURS: MON-WED 10 AM - 6 PM • THURS & FRI 10 AM - 9 PM • SATURDAY 10 AM - 5 PM • SUNDAY NOON - 5 PM
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nterac
• MATTRESSES • FUTONS • DINING ROOMS • COFFEE TABLES • END TABLES • 100% LEATHER SOFAS, LOVESEATS, CHAIRS: LARGE SELECTION! SOFAS
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2 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca