We Celebrate Mothers of the World
Bring your mother or the important women in your life, or come with friends and family as a tribute to Mom!
May 12 | Whole Wheat & Honey | 6-8pm
Join the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program in celebrating mothers around the world. Featuring music, dancing, stories, tributes, a short film, and more!
Giveaways, door prizes, and treats from near and far.
For more information: Contact Kim McPhedran | 250 785 5323 ext 23 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.meetfortstjohn.com
Take Time to Learn Together on Family Literacy Day
Finding time to learn, even for just 15 minutes a day together with your child can be hard to do. But, the benefits of this time together, whether reading and writing, playing and exercising, or simply talking about your day, are far-reaching and beneficial for everyone.
If you haven’t started putting aside 15 minutes a day for family learning, Family Literacy Day offers the perfect opportunity to start. Established in 1999 by ABC Life Literacy Canada, the initiative encourages families to participate in fun learning activities to improve literacy skills for both the adult and child. It takes place annually on January 27.
ABC Life Literacy Canada encourages all Canadians to spend 15 minutes a day engaged in a learning activity with a child. Spend time as a family reading a story after dinner or at bedtime, playing a game, or doing a puzzle together. On the weekend, visit the local library for a new book. You can also make an event of grocery shopping by writing out a list, adding up costs and counting how many of each item you need. There are so many learning opportunities in our daily lives – we just have to embrace them!
In Fort St. John, we’re using the whole week to celebrate.
On Tuesday, January 24th, Christy Jordan-Fenton will facilitate a poetry workshop at Rising Spirit Aboriginal Youth Centre. Originally from rural Alberta, Christy is an accomplished writer of children’s books who now lives in the North Peace. Her books, Fatty Legs and A Stranger at Home are both autobiographical in nature. With creative help from Christy’s mother-in-law, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, they tell the story of Margaret’s experiences in residential school. Rising Spirit Aboriginal Youth Centre will host the workshop from 6:00pm to 8:00pm as part of their Visions Youth Group. The workshop is free and open to the public.
In collaboration with CMIS (Community Multicultural and Immigrant Services), there will be a Family Literacy Community Kitchen on Wednesday, January 25th. Lindsay MacIssac, a clinical dietician, will teach families how to regularly incorporate delicious and healthy meals into their diet. The workshop will be 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the North Peace Secondary School Foods Room.
On Saturday, January 28th, the Fort St. John Public Library will host a sleepover and film festival for children and their families. The film festival, which includes favourites from the National Film Board, will start at 6:00pm. Parents and their children will spend the night in the library, surrounded by thousands of books!
All events for the week-long Family Literacy Day celebration are free and open to the public. For some events, space is limited, so you must register to participate! To register, phone Clarice Eckford at 250-262-2088 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For more information on Family Literacy Day, including some Family Literacy tips and activities, visit www.familyliteracyday.ca.
Gathering Space: Family Literacy Concert
Gathering Space: Family Literacy Concert
Experience stories and music from around the world! This event features BC musician, Jacob Verberg. This event is made possible through a collaboration with the Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program.
Date: Friday, January 27th
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: Whole Wheat & Honey Cafe (10003 100 Street)
Registration: Not required - everyone is welcome, but please arrive early because space is limited.
Joy, Laughter and Piñatas Bursting with Fruit
Walking into Olivia Kabat’s house, you’ll be delighted to see an impeccably decorated Christmas tree to your right and an impressive looking Nativity to your left. This is not an uncommon scene during the holidays; however, in mid-November, it’s a notably early reminder of the season to come.
Olivia, originally from Mexico, married her Canadian husband and started a family almost two decades ago. As we look upon her beautiful Christmas decorations she laughs and points to the Nativity: “That’s my culture.” She then points to the Christmas tree, “That’s my husband’s.”
She goes on to explain the Latino-style Christmas celebration, which lasts much longer than the
Canadian version, which partly explains the early arrival of Christmas in the Kabat home. Las Posadas, for example, starts on December 16th and lasts until December 24th. On the 16th, one house in the neighbourhood invites over the local children for a celebration of the Nativity. Starting with a song that imitates Mary and Joseph’s search for the inn, Olivia explains that the night also involves “prayer, food, games, dancing and a piñata”.
The traditional Latino festivities continue on until the beginning of February with neighbourhood parties, dances and gatherings. Olivia jokes, “In Canada, Christmas is all about food and presents. Once the presents are opened, my family says, ‘Well, Christmas is over.’ And I think, what do you mean it’s over?” For Olivia, her fondest childhood memories come from family and friends gathering together – whole neighbourhoods celebrating through music, food, dance, decoration and traditional celebrations.
Olivia laughs and tells a story about getting hit with flying fruit from a broken piñata. Her stories about Christmas in Mexico often involve not only lots of laughter, but a liveliness and joy that can only come from experiences that involve gatherings with those you love.
The Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program includes a number of “Gathering Spaces”. These involve opportunities for local communities to create joyful memories of their own. As Christmas approaches and I start to skim through recipes to plan festivities of my own, I think about the significance of gathering spaces. How do people gather in Fort St. John? Why do they gather?
My hope is that we can create stories as a community that bring the same kind of joy as Olivia’s memories of Las Posadas. My first step? I won’t be afraid to linger a little longer at gatherings that encourage laughter, dancing and especially piñatas bursting with fruit.
The Giftacular December Issue is Online!
Happy Holidays from Northern Groove!
We've got tons of great stuff for you this month like interviews with Fay ... and Faye! They talk about their passions and the creative things they do. There's thoughts while travelling from Tony Warriner, a backstage peek at the cast of Charlie Brown, tales of multi-cultural Christmases, cartoons from Tyson Mowatt and Rainbow Owl...
And of course the always spetacular Gift Guide! Full of local artists and artisans sharing their great and unique gift ideas - from pottery to seatbelt purses and handknitted touques to paintings. And speaking of paintings, our awesome cover girl is Sarah DeMaid, a local painter and contributer to the Gift Guide and she makes a great coffee at Patch Java!
We've got Music to Move You and getting cool with tattoos as well as eco-friendly gift options. There's tons more but you'll have to check it out for yourself...
Community Block Party
The Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program presents: Community Block Party on November 26 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm at Central School / École Central (10215 99 Ave). It's FREE – everyone welcome!
Join the Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program for another exciting multicultural event!
The event features local performers like one of Fort St. John’s favourite bands, The Ramblers.
There will also be interactive multicultural craft stations, a photo booth, dance lessons, mini-bazaar, giant Twister board, child play area, and one hundred cupcakes. Don’t miss out on a chance to enjoy a block party in November – minus the snow, of course.
For more information, contact Leslie Oliver at 250-785-5323, ext. 23 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Meet Fort St. John
Since 2009, the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program (WICWP) has used a variety of methods to ask the question: How can we, through efforts that involve all members of the community, make Fort St. John a more welcoming and inclusive place to live?
Every city has unique gathering spaces, attractions and best kept secrets. When you’re new to a community, it takes time and a great deal of effort to navigate through flyers and websites to access the hidden (and not so hidden) gems of your new home town.
When I first moved to Fort St. John in April 2010, I was fortunate to meet Fort St. John residents who have interests similar to mine. I was introduced to a unique and exciting side of Fort St. John that I couldn’t access by simply scouring newspapers and event listings.
WICWP wants to make this process easier for newcomers. In December, we will launch a website called, “Meet Fort St. John”.
The website will assist those who are not only new to Fort St. John, but also new to British Columbia and Canada. It will focus on the people of FSJ, since they’re the best avenue through which the city becomes a welcoming and inclusive community. It will be a place to share the hidden gems that make the city a great place to live. It will showcase the changing and evolving face of Fort St. John by speaking to all members of the community. Ultimately, will be a place to gather and feel welcome.
You can learn more about welcoming communities and “Meet Fort St. John” at WICWP’s first annual “Community Builder” in November. Enjoy interactive cultural activities at this family friendly, multicultural celebration. For more information, contact Leslie Oliver at 250.785.5323 ext. 23.
Word on the Street
Word on the Street is presented by the Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program
Location: Whole Wheat & Honey Café
Date: Sunday, October 16, 2011
Time: 3-5 PM
Free Event! Everyone is Welcome.
What's Happening at WICWP in 2011?
The Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program will facilitate a variety of exciting events and workshops in 2011. By supporting multiculturalism in Fort St. John, we can make our home an even more welcoming community!
"Winter Wonderlands"
Date: February 19th, 2011
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: North Peace Cultural Centre
Cost: FREE
Celebrate a variety of winter festivals and activities from around the world! Enjoy an abundance of multicultural displays, food, activities, crafts, and performances. Get your picture taken in the Winter Wonderlands photobooth and enter to win one of two great prizes! This event is produced in collaboration with Settlement Workers in Schools, Rising Spirit Aboriginal Youth Centre. Northern Lights College, and artSpace.
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NOTE: For all WICWP Workplace Workshops, space is limited! If you wish to attend, please contact Clarice Eckford at 250-785-5323, ext. 25 or via email at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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"Workplace Workshop #1: Economic Inclusion"
Date: January 27th, 2011
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: North Peace Cultural Centre (Carpet Room)
Cost: FREE
Hear from a panel of local employers and employees who hire immigrants or who are immigrants in the workforce. View a screening of Marina Shepeta's documentary "A Home Out Of Nothing", which explores the newcomer's experience in Canada.
"Workplace Workshop #2: Active Inclusion"
Date: February 15th, 2011
Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Location: North Peace Cultural Centre (Carpet Room)
Cost: FREE
Enjoy this very exciting and FREE workshop from Ricardo Carlos of the Centre for Race and Culture in Edmonton, Alberta. Carlos' "Cultural Crossroads Workshop" helps businesses make diversity work for them. Among other aspects of cultural competancy training, Carlos will show: 1) how to effectively lead and manage an intercultural workforce; and 2) how to attract, maintain and promote people from different cultures. Don't miss this amazing opportunity!
Community in Colour: Multicultural Arts Exhibition 2010
Nov. 6, 2010, SUCCESS and the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program (WICWP) put on a wonderful multicultral event at Whole Wheat 'n Honey in Fort St. John, BC, Canada. Featuring music, art, dancing, a locally produced documentary... this was a night to rememer!
