Lisa's Corner

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Leader-Post: Drummer Mitch Dorge interacts with Regina students

Crash Test Dummies drummer Mitch Dorge with grade eight
student Kaitlyn Tonita as he talks to students at Douglas Park
school in Regina on Dec 06, 2011.

Photograph by: Don Healy, Regina Leader-Post

Mitch Dorge was filled with energy as he captivated students Tuesday morning.

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Additional Comments and Related Links

Mitch Dorge: "You have to build a level of trust and if you’re going to build trust with kids, you more or less got to show them that you’re a little crazier than they are and kids like crazy. They like something that’s off the wall and I want to build that trust with them.

Crash Test Dummies drummer Mitch Dorge gave an
interactive presentation to students at Douglas Park
school in Regina on Dec 06, 2011.

Photograph by: Don Healy, Regina Leader-Post

"I want to let them know, ‘Hey, you know what, we’re on the same plane here. I’m just as crazy as you guys are. I’m not the adult. I just happen to be someone who’s been on the planet longer, that’s all.’ And I want them to feel that. I want them to feel that I’m not standing up here as the adult, as the lecturer.

"I want them to be comfortable with the idea that I’m one of you. I just happen to be living longer, that’s all. I’m not the wise and all knowing. Challenge me on anything. I’m just letting you know that I’m silly. But I’m happy, that’s the other point.

"Now when I’ve gained that trust, then I’m hoping that I’ll say, ‘Now I’ve shown you that I’m trustworthy now let me get to the subject matter and at least they’re going to lend me their ears.

"So it’s building trust and then it’s trying to give them a message in a way that they haven’t heard it before and it’s more serious, but it’s okay to be serious because we’ve laughed. We’ve got some energy out. It’s dispersed," said Dorge.

Crash Test Dummies drummer Mitch Dorge gave an
interactive presentation to students at Douglas Park
school in Regina on Dec 06, 2011.

Photograph by: Don Healy, Regina Leader-Post

Cory Shaeffer, sales associate with the Co-operators: "The reason that we have brought Mitch into town and are taking him around to the schools is this is the Co-operators’ way of giving back to the community.

"We feel that it’s very important to educate our youth on these types of issues — on drugs, alcohol, and decision-making, goal setting— because they are our future and by bringing this positive message in, this is encouraging our future to grow."

Schaeffer added that he has been working with Dorge since 2007.

"I wish we could’ve brought him into town sooner and hopefully we can bring him into more schools in the city in the next little while because his message has been very well received and again, we at the Co-Operators think it’s a very important message to deliver to today’s youth," said Schaeffer.

Crash Test Dummies drummer Mitch Dorge gave an
interactive presentation to students at Douglas Park
school in Regina on Dec 06, 2011.

Photograph by: Don Healy, Regina Leader-Post

Lynell Streifel, vice-principal of Douglas Park Elementary School: "I think there was an important message here today. I think the kids really enjoyed it. The presentation was amazing.

"Things like this need to happen in schools. We need to get out. Community members need to support our kids and it was a really wonderful experience for kids and staff and the school and the community."

She said she believes presentations like Dorge's are important for the kids.

"I think the kids hear it from us all the time and we do a really good message of trying to get them to think about the world they live in, the role they play in it and what they can do to make it a better place, but it’s nice to be able to hear it from somebody else," said Streifel.

Related Links

Mitch Dorge's website

Teens Against Drinking and Driving

Drug Abuse Resistance Education

Help Jacqui

Jacqui Saburido was a victim of a car crash caused by a drunk driver. She is alive, but she is disfigured for life. Check out the website to learn her story and to drive the point home.

Video: Mitch Dorge drumming in one of his presentations

Leader-Post: Flooding preparations underway in southeast Sask.

The Saskatchewan South East Enterprise Region hosted a forum
for municipalities to discuss how to prepare for spring flooding.
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Regina Leader-Post files

Winter is just beginning across the prairies, but preparations are underway to reduce spring flooding in southeast Saskatchewan.

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Related Links

Saskatchewan South East Enterprise Region

2011 Saskatchewan Flood Report

Saskatchewan Watershed Authority

Lower Souris Watershed Committee Inc.

Additional comments from the Saskathcewan South East Enterprise Region Business Co-ordinator Trevor Redden

"Everybody was affected (by spring flooding). The coal mine down here in Estevan - It was a major issue. Lots of people were displaced from their homes. It was an economic shutdown of sorts and things like that you can’t just prepare for the night before.

"You can sandbag as much as you want, but Mother Nature’s going to have her way. So we just hope that everybody’s going to take a more pro-active approach and kind of look at the things that can be done in their development, in their planning to lessen the risk of flooding because it’s something that’s going to happen.

"We’re in a flat area. There are a number of rivers running through here that are prone to flooding. Hopefully we can be better prepared for it in the future."

Redden said the forum was held to get municipalities together to discuss flood preparations.

"We hope from there that they get a little bit educated on it and then pursue what they feel they have to pursue on their own. So I guess from an organization’s standpoint, we were just hoping to faciliatate that and get people thinking about it and make people aware of the issues we have," said Redden.

"This is something that’s a very broad issue,” he said, mentioning communities such as Roche Percee, Weyburn and Lampman.

"Some places were hit harder due to their region, but the water’s flowing across the region so the more we can get everybody together and talking about it as a collective, then I think we’ll have a better way to attack it, I guess.

"If we can get everybody on the same page, then hopefully some strategies can be put in place collectively to deal with it."

Leader-Post: Regina resident wins $1-million Lotto Max

Mary Favel of Regina was elated to have won $1 Million
dollars with a LOTTO MAX ticket for November 18th.
Photo taken in Regina on Dec 02, 2011.

Photograph by: Don Healy, Regina Leader-Post

Mary Favel already knew it was going to be a good Christmas, but she was on her way to work to earn some extra money on a double shift when the zeros kept adding up.

Leader-Post: Regina warn public of computer scam

The Regina Police Service is warning the public of a telephone scam selling anti-virus computer software.

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Friday, December 2, 2011

Leader-Post: RIchard Kovach, Regina dentist, dies at 66

Stefan Piche credited co-worker Richard Kovach for teaching him everything Piche knows as a dentist.

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More information and a photo of Dr. Kovach on the Pasqua South Oral Health Centre website

Leader-Post: Sask gov't seeks to increase HIV awareness and testing

A new social media campaign was launched by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health on Thursday to encourage more people to get tested and receive treatment for HIV.

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The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health's social media campaign videos (can also be found here)

Leader-Post: No shortages of moustaches in Movember

Brent Poole has his facial hair shaved off by Richelle Eberts
at a Movember moustache fundraiser at Bounce Hair Company
in Regina on Nov 30, 2011.

Photograph by: Don Healy, Regina Leader-Post

When Gary Hill had his Movember moustache removed, he said he felt normal again.