Future grim for bears

Grizzlies and black bears in southern Alberta face a grim future if public perception of them doesn’t change soon, according to local bear expert Charlie Russell.

“These are wonderful, beautiful animals that are trying their best to get along with us,” says Russell, a Pincher Creek area author and photographer who has been studying bears in Canada and Russia for more than 50 years. 

“It’s almost like bears have been deliberately given the reputation of being highly ferocious animals because then it’s easier to justify hunting and killing them.”

Russell will be presenting his insights into bear behaviour on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the University of Lethbridge after spending the past 52 years closely observing the nature of these animals in their natural habitat. 

U of L Fosters Research

Since its establishment in 1967, the University of Lethbridge has been building a reputation for research excellence around the world while maintaining its focus on giving its students the tools they need to achieve success.

“It’s all for our students,” says Dr. Dan Weeks, U of L Vice-President (Research). “The reason we, as faculty members, do research is to teach our students how to do research.” 

Spanning numerous disciplines across five faculties that include Health Sciences, Arts and Science, Management, Fine Arts and Education, the U of L provides more than 75 undergraduate programs and graduate degrees at both the Master and Doctoral levels for a student body of about 8,600.

“The U of L is excellent in a wide range of fields from the humanities to the sciences,” says Weeks. ”Having faculty members that are highly regarded in their field really benefits the student because they have access to so much more information than what is available just from lectures and textbooks.”

All Decked Out for Christmas

Downtown merchants are pulling out all the stops to make their shopping area the place to be this holiday season.

Hay rides, old-fashioned carolers, bright lights and seasonal promotions combine with historical charm to create a hard-to-resist festive mood in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

“We encourage everyone to bring the family downtown to enjoy a more relaxing, nostalgic way of holiday shopping,” says Ted Stilson, executive director of the Downtown Lethbridge BRZ.

“You can park the car and spend the day exploring the many merchants downtown — we have such a great variety of retailers,” he says. “Then you can cap it off with a visit to one our fantastic restaurants, coffee shops or pubs.” 

The downtown core has an abundance of restaurants with a variety of cuisines from around the globe, as well as several fast food restaurants and coffee shops.

Many of the cultural attractions, including the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Galt Museum, Casa, Bowman Arts Centre, Lethbridge Public Library, and Trianon Gallery, are also offering unique seasonal promotions.

The fun doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down. Stilson says the number of venues offering live music in the downtown core has also increased in the recent years, giving rise to a more vibrant and eclectic music scene.

Grandmother to Grandmother Campaign

An international exhibit of 40 art works currently touring 15 cities in western Canada is coming to Lethbridge on Saturday as part of a local fundraising event in support of African grandmothers.

The event is being organized by the Harambee Grandmas, which is the Lethbridge chapter of the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign. This campaign was launched in 2006 in response to the emerging crisis faced by African grandmothers as they struggled to care for millions of children orphaned by AIDS.

Across Canada, there are about 250 grandmother groups that have raised $19 million since 2006. In Alberta, $1.7 million has been raised, with the Lethbridge group contributing more than $100,000.

“Our group name — Harambee — means ‘working together to ease the burden’ in Swahili,” says Judy Scott of the Harambee Grandmas. 

Making Wishes Come True

Lethbridge Sun Times, October 2, 2013

Lethbridge residents will have the opportunity to make dreams come true for children undergoing treatment for illness through the first ever local Wishmaker Walk for Wishes. 

The walk, being held Oct. 20 at Henderson Lake Park, is for all ages and abilities and will raise funds for the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada.

“Nationally, it is the single most important fundraising event of the year for us,” says event organizer Elisha Jackson. While the walk has been held for many years in communities across Canada, this marks the first time it is being held in Lethbridge.