Last Minute - The Lethbridge Journal

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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. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca
COVER FEATURE Specializing in: Plastic Models, Model Trains, Die Cast, Rockets, Radio Control Planes, Cars and Helicopters Model Baron Hobbies 403-320-5775 #116 - 104 13th St. N., Lethbridge www.modelbaron.com 41058860 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 orphanage 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 local residents. Every year, fundraisers are held for a variety of other projects, whether it’s landscaping or upgrades to the Karim orphanage, 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.” • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF MAY 11, 2012 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 3
Page 1: FEATURE STORY Linda’s heart is in
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Page 7 and 8: We’re Family Owned & Operated Ran
Page 9 and 10: send your pictures to editor@lethbr
Page 11 and 12: Last Minute MOTHER ’S DAY Guide B
Page 13 and 14: DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS DAILY DRINK SP
Page 15 and 16: ARIES (March 21-April 19) Greet eac
Page 17 and 18: Your ultimate events calendar for e
Page 19 and 20: What about Jack? By Greg Stonehocke
Page 21 and 22: Stay a while, and listen! We need a
Page 23 and 24: Recruitment & Search Temporary Staf
Page 25 and 26: Virtuous woman exposed Submitted to
Page 27 and 28: By Jeff Wiebe For the Lethbridge Jo
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Page 31 and 32: New gym experience is platinum By J

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