I'm only one...

I’m not going to lie… it all looked a little dubious. A designated meeting point on the side of the highway, calls back and forth as the meeting point changed, the furtive exchange of mysterious blue box, and a quick getaway. If the RCMP were monitoring us, things could have went a wee bit pear-shaped, if you know what I mean.

This was how the latest ACE Communities Ignite tour kicked off in Alberta a few weeks ago. Representing the official launch of our newest group of ACE Communities, Carstairs, Grande Cache, Jasper, and Rocky Mountain House are now on their collective way to becoming more diversity friendly.

The dubious ‘goods exchange’ mentioned above was put into motion by the request of one of our ACE leaders in Jasper. He was looking to get some homemade perogies from a contact in Edmonton to Jasper for an event happening as part of their Ignite activities and we happened to be the area at the opportune time.

When I emailed Ian Hill, our ACE Ambassador and official Igniter (who was soon to be on the road with me for the launch of the new ACE Communities), about his thoughts on our potential perogy sting operation, he replied: “that which I can do, I ought to do”.

Ian’s reply was, for those not familiar with the quote, an excerpt from a famous Helen Keller poem:

I am only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything but I can do something. 

That which I can do, I ought to do. 

That which I ought to do, I will.

~Helen Keller

I first learned of this poem while traveling with Ian on various ACE Ignite Tours. Ian often discusses it as part of the ‘ignite’ speeches that he delivers during the community rallies which accompany the presentations of each community’s ACE award. And you know, the more times I hear it and really think about its meaning, the more apropos I feel it is to building community in rural Alberta.

Let’s take this last Ignite tour as an example. In the course of four days, I saw amazing examples of how individuals took it upon themselves to make an impact in the quality of life in their community.

I am only one, but I am one. 


I saw a courageous conversation where a citizen voiced her distress and upset to a local town councilor at the town’s lack of empathy when dealing with a group of volunteers. I admired her bravery at speaking up and was then moved by the councilor’s immediate promise to personally speak to those negatively affected by the town’s actions and start mending fences. Imagine how much good will that one councilor will garner for that community if he does as he promises and continues with those courageous conversations.

I cannot do everything but I can do something. 


I saw one shy, introverted ACE leader throw down the gauntlet and personally contact numerous members of her community in a deep and personal way – inviting them out to help build their community together. Man… did she shine and you know what happened, they all came. The Mayor, town councilors, school trustees, moms with their kids, social services, non-profits, youth, and newcomers to the community… they all showed up to see how they could contribute to making their town better together.

That which I can do, I ought to do. 


I saw how one small group of ACE leaders decide that their youth needed to hear about how important they were to the community so they brought Ian and the messages of ACE to their local junior high school. There almost 100 youth were called to action, reminded of their worth and of their potential. One adult in attendance told us after that is was “a life altering experience” and that she wished that someone told her how valuable she was to the community when she was a child.

That which I ought to do, I will.

I saw in one community that one person can bring together over 500 others, from all different backgrounds and places, to come together and break bread under one roof. This was where the perogies came in, of course (in case you were wondering). This gathering reminded me that people are just waiting for a reason to come out and celebrate their community, all is takes is even just one person to ask.

So what is it that you ought to do in your community to make it better? Sure, as Keller said, you can’t do everything but you can do something. I’d be interested to hear just what that something is.

Click here to see images of the latest ACE Communities Ignite tour.

Volunteer... the opportunity is out there!

I seem to be doing a lot of volunteering lately. And it’s not for the same organization or even for the same cause for that matter. Instead, my volunteer commitments seem to be all over the place. Heck, I even have my basset hound Cleo volunteering! And just as I was starting to think that I had some rare form of volunteer schizophrenia, I bumped into someone who told me that what I had, in fact, was a clear case of modern day 3-tiered volunteerism.

Apparently, volunteering is not just volunteering anymore. Many people now have a multi-layered approach, much like many work strategies, to determine just who and what is lucky enough to benefit from their gift of talent and time.

To use myself as a case in point… I actually am personally committed to three different types of volunteer activities.

Type one: professionally driven. This first type of volunteerism is quite common in many fields but seems to be especially prevalent in my professional field of expertise – the arts. While many of those who do volunteer in the arts do it to follow a passion, many of us also volunteer to gain experience, make contacts, and make some sort of lasting professional impact in their local art scene.

Currently, I am sitting on a volunteer advisory committee formed around the creation of a new collaborative arts building in Calgary. Why? Because I think that Calgary, its artists, and its arts scene will benefit from such a building and so I feel compelled to be involved. It’s kinda fun but more like… well, work but I know that the overall benefits for my community of practice will be HUGE so I stay committed.

Type two: do I have to? The second kind of volunteering that has been taking up my time lately (the most common and often most dreaded form of volunteerism) is in the infamous ‘volun-told’ category. This is when your volunteer activity is mandated as part-and-parcel of your involvement with an organization. Often this can be in lieu of paying fees or meant to help do something practical like raising funds for travel or sports equipment. Parents… think working bingos, selling Girl Guide cookies or endless bottle drives….

Right now I happen to be helping out my women’s tackle football team raise money for new equipment and fees by ushering at the occasional Stampeders games. Is it fun? Well, kinda. Again, it’s a bit more like work but I will really appreciate the new gear when my team hits the field next year and so I stay committed. Plus, these ‘volun-told’ events are great for team bonding and character building in the face adversity. If you have ever experienced the late night shift on a Friday as part of a casino volunteer gig or a drunken football fan of a team on a losing streak, you know what I mean!

Type three: follow your passion! And then there is the third kind of volunteerism, the best kind of them all, in fact. This is the kind where you are given the opportunity to follow your passion and make a real difference in some sphere of the world (no matter how large or small that sphere might be!).

I was reminded recently of this inspiring form of volunteerism by a co-worker named Rose. Rose recently told me a story of how she really connected with a fellow volunteer while out with the Communities in Bloom initiative. “We’re like twins,” she said. “It’s like we’ve known each other forever!”

I find that it is this kind of volunteerism that draws you naturally to your cluster – to a place where people share your passions, your values, and even your sense of humour. My volunteerism happy cluster is as part of a volunteer-run basset hound rescue. I can honestly say that I really like the people that I work with. They are people that I would happily meet for coffee or hang out with outside of our volunteer gig. We are out in the world together saving one basset hound at a time! We are connected.

Now don’t get me wrong, each type of the abovementioned volunteerism is as important and as valid. I think, like with work and life balance, it is important to have it in your volunteering life as well. The most important point, however, is to get out there and see what appeals to you. Follow your passion, improve your work skills, or make those extra bucks for your team. Every little bit makes a huge impact for those who need your time and your talent.

How do you approach volunteerism?

What are you doing for Alberta Arts Days?

On October 1, I am heading south to Longview to help out with their “Night of Foolishness”. This event, being held in conjunction with the Alberta Arts Days, will be a celebration of local talent including a cowboy poet, a revised rendition of an old Joplin tune as well as a showcase of the musicians from the surrounding area. Now… how cool does this sound? I mean, seriously!

Longview is just one of over 70 communities (if not more!) participating in this year’s Alberta Arts Days. The Alberta Arts Days, taking place from September 30 – October 2, is an annual celebration of our culture, heritage, artistic diversity and provincial pride.

And why not celebrate our culture, heritage, and artistic diversity? Studies show, in fact, that arts, culture, and heritage-related activities are:

•Essential to personal health – active living is a key determinant of health status
•Key to balanced human development and helping us reach our potential
•Essential to quality of life and place
•Reduces self-destructive and anti-social behaviour
•Builds strong families and healthy communities
•Reduces health care, social services, and police costs
•Significant economic generators in our communities

*Click on the National Benefits HUB for evidence of the above.

And the Government of Alberta seems to be taking this seriously. This year, in an effort to stimulate community involvement, the Government of Alberta increased the number of grants that designated Alberta Arts Days Celebration Sites.

These sites work with local community groups, artists and arts organizations to present family-friendly activities, workshops and performances during the Alberta Arts Days weekend. This year, five organizations have received Feature Celebration Site status and 64 organizations (a majority of them in rural communities) have received Host Celebration Site status. Click here to see a list of these sites.

Last year, thousands of Albertans discovered, experienced and celebrated our unique culture, heritage, artistic diversity and provincial pride through 682 events in 91 communities throughout the province. The Alberta Arts Days this year will continue to showcase the province's artists, arts organizations and cultural industries, while encouraging Albertans to discover the important role the arts plays in developing a prosperous, vibrant society.

So if you’d like to see what is happening in your community see this link!

And it just so happens that Longview is one of the Alberta Arts Days new Host Celebration sites and I can’t wait to see how it all works out. So, if you happen to be down Longview’s way, come join me for a celebration of the arts in rural Alberta!

Sports Day in Canada

"Sport has the power to reduce crime, foster character and citizenship, introduce newcomers to their communities, stimulate the local economy, provide adult mentorship for young people, teach kids important life lessons and strengthen community connectedness.”

This statement is from the ‘Sports Day in Canada’ website. Did you know that Saturday, September 17th is our nation’s national sports day?

As a child and as a youth, I was quite heavily involved in organized sports. I hated peewee baseball, played volleyball and basketball in high school, and eventually banned golf from my life (much to the horror – and constant disappointment - of my golf-addicted father). Heck - I even tried curling! It was only recently, however, as an adult that I returned to an organized sport.

This year, I took a huge leap and joined the Calgary Rage – Calgary’s all women, full contact, tackle football team. Who knew I would even have the gumption! For five months, I braved the injuries, the fear of learning something new and looking silly, and the sheer ferociousness of the sport because, in the end, I was looking for something.



And it was on the football field that I found it. There I found a new community. I found a group of people with infectious passion for a game that I slowly beginning to love myself. I found the courage to push myself to new limits and the ability to wrap my brain around a whole new physical vocabulary.

But what I found, ultimately, was the most important thing of all – I found a renewed love of playing sports.

Sports Day in Canada celebrates this true power of sport. From grassroots to high-performance levels, in communities across Canada, September 17th caps off a week of thousands of local sporting events and activities, open houses and try-it days showcasing sport at all levels, and includes a special television broadcast on CBC Sports.

This day is presented by CBC Sports, ParticipACTION and True Sport and is guided by a committee of national sporting organizations and their networks of coaches, athletes and enthusiasts across the country. It's an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the power of sport to build community, fortify our national spirit and facilitate healthy, active living.

In the week leading up to, and including, September 17, thousands of organizations across Canada will throw open their doors to celebrate sport at the local level, and help build momentum for Sports Day. On the ground in communities across the country, sport organizations and providers will hold a blitz of Sports Day in Canada events, with festivals, open houses, games, competitions, meet-and-greets, try-it days, tournaments, fun runs, spectator events and pep rallies that celebrate sport at all levels.

Organizations can create something new, or throw open their doors to something they're already doing--and invite Canadians to lace up and join them. Wherever possible, elite athletes, celebrities, politicians, Paralympians and Olympians will be making special appearances at Sports Day in Canada events in communities across the country.

So I ask you, how will you get out there and celebrate your potential? If I can learn how to tackle a running back, get into a 3-point defensive stance (albeit very badly!), and take down an opponent on a kick return, what can you do?

To find out what’s happening community, click here! And let me know how it all turns out….

To build a barn...

Just recently, I found myself on a Saskatchewan highway, heading back to the tiny, rural village where both my parents grew up. It was my baba Naclia’s 90^th birthday and I was making the 9-hour trip just to be there to celebrate with her and my extended family.

This little prairie village called Norquay was where I spent most of my childhood summers. I would run amuck in the large community garden behind my grandparent’s home in the town, listening as they spoke Ukrainian to their neighbours and marveling at how easy this exotic language rolled off their tongues.

Both sides of my family immigrated to Canada from the Ukraine. My dad’s theory is that a little impoverished village in the ‘old country’ simply picked itself up, got on a boat, and relocated to the prairies in Canada. This was my parent’s hometown.

I remember, as a young child, pestering my baba (which means grandmother in Ukrainian) until she would tell me stories about the trials and hardships her family experienced when they first came to Canada. She had tried to explain her experiences to me but I never really understood. My world was too soft and too easy and I was too young to make the leap.

Often when I speak now to people about ACE Communities initiatives, I refer to them as ‘barn raisers’. When I use this term, I back it up by using an example from my family’s life. It was my baba (on my mother’s side) who told me about the importance of community when she was young. There are many romantic stories of the homesteaders on the prairies that gloss over the challenges that they truly faced.

“When my parents landed in Canada,” she once told me, “there were no prairies, only forest. People always talk about how the prairies in Saskatchewan go on forever but the only reason they do is because we pulled the trees out with our bare hands. Can you imagine?”

I couldn’t imagine it at all.

The homesteaders were under a lot of pressure in those days to keep their ‘free’ land. Government obligations had to be met. This meant that acres of trees had to be cleared and that each family had to have an actual house built before the first year on their homestead was up.

And so, it was then that community not only meant the companies of others, it meant survival of both individual families and of the town itself. One neighbour helped build his neighbour’s barn and house and so their land was helped cleared in return. Connectivity was how they survived the initial harshness of their new life together in Canada.

I’m reminded of this community spirit whenever I return to my parent’s hometown. I’m reminded of how too often we wait for tragedy to strike before we unite as a community. Instead, as a child in my grandparents’ village, community came together to cook together in the town hall for a young couple’s wedding. They came together to harvest the autumn crops. And, of course, they often came together to build the occasional barn.

So tell me, what ‘barn raiser’ can you plan for your community?

What football taught me about community

Earlier this year, I decided to take the plunge and join an organized sport. Up until this point, many of my recreational ‘sporting’ activities have had a wee bit of lone wolf edge – like running and boxing, for example.

Recently, however, I found myself yearning for more of a community. I don’t know if it’s an age thing. If, instead of being compelled to nest like most women my age, I had the urge instead to cluster. I found myself wanting to spend some of my free time with like-minded ladies looking to challenge themselves and – hey – kick some butt doing it!

So I joined a full tackle woman’s football team called the Calgary Rage. Bet you didn’t see that one coming? And to be honest, neither did I! A friend from my boxing class asked me one day if I wanted to try out and I said: “why not!” And the rest, as they say, is history in the making.

What I realized quite quickly was that there was nothing like playing tackle football to take you out of your comfort zone, scare the living pants off of you, and make you bond instantly with a complete group of strangers. It was hard, it was exhilarating, and it made me push my own personal limits every time I hit the field.

I won’t say that I was ever reduced to tears, because there’s NO CRYING in football, but I can say that I constantly moved and inspired by the sheer willpower of the women who played with me.

Hold on… sound a bit like community building? If you have ever experienced the highs and lows of coming together as a community, then you might know where I am coming from.

So I thought that it was quite apropos to touch on a few parallels and share the lessons I have learned about community by playing for the Calgary Rage.

GO TEAM!

If ever you want to experience a true sense of being a team, you have to try playing tackle football. As I stared down the facemask of a 200+ lb offensive lineman waiting to squish me, I always found courage and drive in the fact that I knew that the rest of my defensive unit was watching my back.

That was the key. If we all did our jobs to support each other while we played, the Rage was a well-oiled machine. Our corners covered the passes that the defensive line couldn’t. The linebackers contained the running plays and there was always the safety at the back as the final line of defense. But when we didn’t do our jobs, when we yelled words of blame instead of encouragement, the team fell apart.

Like with community building, the more supportive you are with those on the front lines with you, the more likely you will succeed as a team.

Become an excellent leader

You want to make an impact? Become an excellent leader… One of the captains on my football team was a National-team running back named Erin. She is one of those athletes who always plays with heart, give it her all during practice AND during games, and expected us to do the same – without a doubt.

Erin acted as the Sheppard of an eclectic team made up of stay-at-home moms, businesswomen, jocks, and babes of all sorts of ages and backgrounds, constantly leading by example and tirelessly encouraging us to explore our potential.

One of her favourite Calgary Rage cheers as we got ready for our games: “You mess with one of us, you mess with all.”

I think we often overlook the grassroots leaders in our communities as we are too quick to look to our elected officials for guidance. Instead, look to those you know who lead by example and who truly cares about the potential and wellbeing of his or her community. Or, more importantly, become one of those leaders yourself.

Always protect your quarterback

Once in awhile, this past season, I was able to squeak onto the offensive line. One of the biggest tragedies I discovered, for an offensive lineman, is to be in a play where your quarterback gets sacked (which mean being tackled for you football newbies….).

It made me wonder how many times, unintentionally or not, we let our own communities’ quarterbacks take a hit for us when they shouldn’t have. Are we as community members stepping up enough to protect our visionaries and our community playmakers? If the answer to that is “no’ or even “maybe’, then we all need to dig a little deeper and be willing to throw some blocks for those willing to put themselves out there.

When it comes to community (and to football), the ones protecting the quarterback are as important as the quarterback themselves.

Never leave anything on the field

One of the things that our Rage defensive coach always demanded was that we never left anything on the field. What he meant by that was that we always pushed ourselves to give it our all and more. You knew that you accomplished this when, tucked away into bed that night, you had no regrets.

Our coaches also said that if you were to fail, do it going 100%! This was always my favourite saying. Football is a sport that really shows a player’s heart on the field. But, like with everything, no matter what, mistakes happen. Those mistakes sting less, however, when they happen when you are really, really sincerely trying.

My biggest lessons have always happened in community development and in football when I have HUGELY fallen flat on my face. No true lessons, or results for that matter, happen when you kinda, sorta make an effort.

Its not always about winning and losing…

The biggest thing that I took away from my first season of football was that winning and losing wasn’t the be all and end all. The biggest thrill came from pushing myself beyond my comfort zone, testing my potential, and learning something new.

And what I found I loved most about playing football, in the end, was the true bond of a team, of a community that eventually became like a football family. Without a doubt, playing the game was tough but I always found strength in the fact that I knew that I was never alone on the field.

Mess with one, you mess with all. Now how is that as a slogan for community?

A changing culture

What defines a culture? I found myself contemplating this during a recent visit to Ireland. Stereotypically known for their pub life and fighting spirit, the Ireland of today is much different than what many of us might expect.

As a Canadian, I have spent considerable time in Ireland. In fact, I lived there for three years. So during my recent visit to the country, I was pleasantly surprised at the upswing in terms of the Irish embracing a more active and healthier lifestyle.

There was a time in Ireland, however, when socializing meant going to the pub. Unfortunately, this led to copious amounts of drinking and the fracturing of the family. There was even a movement founded in 1898 where individuals formed a group called the Pioneers. Members of this group took what they called the ‘pledge’ or were ‘pinned’ which meant they abstained from drinking alcohol. This practice continues even today.

There is no denying, though, that the Irish still love a pint and a good laugh in the pub.

So what did I notice about this new Ireland? The largest thing I noticed was the movement away from the pub as being central to everyone’s leisure time. Sure, families still went to the pub for Sunday dinner but it was no longer the ONLY gathering place.

Instead, I noticed that people stayed in more and socialized at home with family and friends. There is also a big movement to be physically active. When I lived in Ireland, I was the only person in my area who jogged… I was that crazy Canadian prodding away in the continual rain. As I watched the road in front of my in-law’s house a few weeks ago, I noticed numerous new groups of people walking and jogging together.

On a grander scale, walking groups have taken a hold in Ireland. These organized groups head to the local mountains for ‘cultural walks’ that wind through ruins and old monuments. This has actually become a considerable economic driver for many parts of the country as people of all fitness levels can partake in these scenic walking tours.

So why the change? Interestingly enough, one of the big drivers of this change was the downturn in the economy. This meant that people tended to not only stay in but they now also looked for cheaper ways to recreate. Welcome to the free and great outdoors! Smoking also became banned in the pubs which, while welcomed by many, did change the face of who frequented the local watering hole.

Improvements in the quality of houses also made the people more prone to stay home side as there was now more room to entertain. Contemporary practices geared towards more involved parenting are also keeping younger parents more involved in family-related activities.

Because, ultimately, you know what you know. But now, Ireland knows the benefits of an active lifestyle that is engaged with their families. While the old school pub culture may be fading away in Ireland, a whole new healthier culture is emerging.

And sure you still might have a pint in the pub but now it’s after a five-hour hike through the Cooley Mountains. And as the Irish will try and tell you, those are the times that the calories in those pints of Guinness really don’t count.

For more info on the walking culture of Ireland, check out these great links:

For more info on the walking culture of Ireland, check out these great links:

Go Visit Ireland Walking Adventures

Go Ireland Independent Walking Tours