Where your passion may take you...

The key is to follow your passion. That’s a lesson that I was reminded of recently after sitting down for coffee with two phenomenal ACE Community leaders named Tony and Michele Geistlinger from Longview, Alberta.

I first had the pleasure of working with Tony and Michele as part of the ACE ARTS Tour when I spent four days in their town doing a series of dance and music workshops as well as a series of concerts. It was during the ACE ARTS tour that I realized that Longview was a mini-Mecca of musical talent and home already to great cultural events like Longstock – an annual music festival organized by acclaimed musician Eva Levesque.

For a town of about 300 people, Longview had the heart of a city of a million but faced obstacles that many rural towns do – generational in-fighting, loss of amenities like a grocery story, and a disconnect between the needs of newcomers and those who have lived in the town for their entire lives.



As luck would have it for me, I soon became Longview’s ACE coach and had the opportunity to assist their local leaders as the community progressed through their time as an ACE community. I saw this little town of 300 people face their obstacles and accomplish amazing things… from the tangible extreme makeover of their town that raised nearly $400,000 (yes – you read that correctly - $400,000!) to the more subtle unification of a community that had slowly become fractured over the generations.

To read in more detail about Longview’s accomplishments, click here!

But back to Tony and Michele! For those who know the couple, they know two people driven by their passions to, as volunteers, truly improve the quality of life in their community. They don’t look for monetary rewards or acclaim – just for naysayers to get out of their way and for others to join them in their passion for community building.

When you ask Michele why she spends so much time volunteering in Longview, she will tell you that it is to create the quintessential small town life that she always dreamed of living. This is the life where you not only know your neighbours but, more importantly, you know that you can depend on them during good times and bad.

In my recent meeting with Tony and Michele, they were updating me about plans for the building of a possible museum/interpretive centre for the village. This construction slotted tentatively for the town’s 50th birthday in 2014. Expanding on the community’s pioneering spirit and artistic leanings, it would be yet another coup for the ranching community.

“It was all I could do to keep my hand down so I wouldn’t volunteer to help with the project,” Michele said with a twinkle in her eye, referring to a recent presentation that she attended that outlined the museum’s potential. “It was so cool! I still might have to check in now and then, though, and see how things are going.”

What was Michele’s main reason, this queen of volunteering, for the hesitation? Michele has decided to follow another passion, her love for music, and help fellow ACE leader Eva Levesque with Longstock. This event, run by Levesque (who recently won the 2011 Association of Country Music in Alberta (CCMA) Best Group award for her band The Travelling Mabels) has been a growing event in Longview for a few years now and would benefit from Michele’s dedicated touch.

So now, with the 2 years of heavy lifting that has represented her steady community building with ACE Communities under her belt, Michele has decided that it is prime time to combine her love of community with her love of music and the arts. Her guitar and her saxaphone have gone neglected for far too long!



Because like I said before, the key to true community building is to follow where your passions may lead you. Like with Tony and Michele, you never know where that adventure may take you.

Resolved for 2012

This past December I threw down the gauntlet and challenged our province’s grassroots community leaders to make a community building resolution. The idea was to supplant the traditional New Year’s resolution that mainly focused on inwards, personal goals… to go to the gym, eat better, and be a better person… with one that turned outwards.

Sure, I admit, these are all important personal resolutions but what would happen, I wondered, if Albertans got together and committed instead to making their communities better as a whole?

Well, first I decided, that I better get walking the talk and talking the walk, so as part of my own community building resolution, I hit the street and had real, invested conversations with my particular spheres of influence. The result? Engaging conversations with my neighbours, my teammates on my tackle football team, and the spectacular ladies who volunteer with me. I found that I paused more frequently to really listen about their passions, to learn from their wisdom, and to celebrate the unique qualities that they all brought into my life.

And what was reaffirmed for me by this process? To truly build community, you must put genuine effort into first building relationships.

With this enlightenment in mind, I decided to throw the concept of a ‘2012 Community Building Resolution’ out in to the world in the form of an ACE webinar and see what riches it might bring. The idea: to provide a welcoming venue that would enable community builders from across the province to connect with each other and share their stories. After all, once we plunge back into the new year, the last thing often on our minds is to stop and reflect on the road ahead.

And, like they said in the iconic feel good movie, Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”

Much to my delight, representatives from around fifteen different communities attended the ACE resolutions webinar. People signed on from Leduc, and Didsbury, Longview, and as north as High Level. We heard voices from Okotoks, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Bon Accord, and Fort MacLeod. There was even one lone participant from Ontario (who impishly kept bragging about her sunny weather and lack of snow).

Interestingly enough, there were some common themes that appeared as the conversations rolled out. If you ever wanted to check the pulse of rural Alberta, then here it is. Common goals for 2012 were:

• Awareness of affordable and/or free recreation opportunities
• Increased community engagement
• The creation of partnerships and true collaboration with community groups
• Promotion of the arts, culture & heritage
• Engagement with more with marginalized populations
• Engagement with youth but also with ALL age groups in a more productive way
• To help people with disabilities be active in their communities

And a HUGE overarching theme… Down with silos – it’s time to work together to improve our quality of life in a holistic way!

Or, as Brenda Herchmer (the Director of ACE Communities) likes to put it: “It’s the perfect time that Alberta embraces ACE Communities as a methodology for comprehensive community transformation.” Hurrah! Want to know more about the concept of 'comprehensive community transformation' then, click here!

I’ve always been a fan of the idea that the knowledge is in the group. All the great ideas that I have experienced have reflected the power of many minds. These ideas are always far richer and more complex than one we come up with by ourselves. So while, I’m not sure what all of these community builders will do to get to their goals, I truly look forward to the conversations that happen as they try.

Anything to add to this list of goals for rural Alberta? I’d love to hear from you.

What's Your 2012 Community Building Resolution?

For the New Year, many of us are inclined to make personal resolutions… to exercise more, to eat better, to spend more time with our loved ones. That is definitely my modus operandi! For 5 years now, the New Year rolls in and I, once again, vow to kick my pastry habit. The result? Another year of me pigging out shamelessly (and I really mean shamelessly) on pastries.

Sigh.

So, for 2012, I’m vowing to make a new kind of resolution – wipe the slate clean and start afresh. Only this time, my resolution will be one that affects my community. It’s my very own 2012 ‘Community Building Resolution’ challenge!

After all, in the bigger scheme of things, no one but me (and my thighs!) is really affected if I utterly fail on my bid to make 2012 pastry-free. However, if I fail on my resolution to make my community better, we all lose out. Imagine, though, if I hold true to my commitment to improve my community – no matter how small that change might be – do you think that my little piece of the world will be better for it? Absolutely!

And so – here I go… throwing it out into the universe…my community resolution for 2012 is: to have more meaningful, courageous conversations with the people who live around me. And I mean REAL conversations!

This resolution was inspired by a chat that I had recently with older gentleman named Herman as I was out walking my dogs. Herman happens to live exactly one block away from me on the same side of the street. I’ve often paused in front of Herman’s house (mainly to let my bassets have a good chance for a sniff) and wistfully speculated on who my doppelganger might be if I lived at number 1417 instead of number 1317.

During one of these recent pauses, Herman happened to be out in his yard and we got to chatting. Turns out that Herman is a widower, with just a small extended family left in Calgary, who was a pet owner too but lost both his dogs to what he phrased as a malady of old age… death! I liked Herman instantly. I figure I might pop by Herman’s with some Christmas cookies this year to pass on some holiday cheer and offer some company. I think that if I do, my little piece of the world will be better for it.

Imagine now if others in my little neighbourhood decided to also make a small but positive change in their community. If say… my neighbour does the same as does their neighbour, and their neighbour, and their neighbour, and their neighbour. Before we knew it, we would have a place where you’d want to set down roots, raise your children, and walk your dogs.

So I’m throwing this out to all of you…make a resolution this year that will help make your community better - consider this your 2012 ‘Community Building Resolution’ challenge!

You can even join me later as I host an online conversation on January 18th aimed at those interested in sharing ideas about how to positively affect the quality of life in their communities. I’d be interested to hear about what positive change you plan to make in the lives of those around you.

Aboriginal Arts, Culture, and Heritage Grants

Just recently, my colleague Brenda Herchmer, Director of ACE Communities, and myself facilitated a session on the “The Power and the Promise of Recreation in Aboriginal Communities" at the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association’s 2011 Conference in October. As I was typing up the notes recently for the session, I started making a list of arts, culture, and heritage-based resources that I could share with the group of participants.

As I sat plunking away on my keyboard, it occurred to me that it might be useful to also post these resources in my blog as a way of getting the word out there about these aboriginal-related grants. Many of these programs aren’t utilized to their fullest so I figured… let’s charge into the New Year and tap into these great resources! Or, at least, spread the word to those who might be interested in applying.

Take note: most of these aren’t due right now with the exception of the ASRPWF '2012-2013 Healthy Living Fund' which is due December 23rd.

So spread the word and let’s start funneling these resources into our Aboriginal communities!

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The Alberta Foundation for the Arts

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) has a commitment to supporting the growth and development of Aboriginal arts in Alberta. There are two grant streams and one program that specifically benefit Alberta First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations.

Aboriginal Traditional Arts Individual Project Grant Stream

Aboriginal Arts Organizations Project Grant Stream

Click here for more info on these grants or contact the AFA at 780-427-9968.

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Alberta’s Future Leaders Program - Arts Camps

The Arts Camps program partners the Alberta Foundation for the Arts with the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks, and Wildlife Foundation (ASRPWF) in providing an arts component to the Alberta’s Future Leaders (AFL) Program.

This program is based on the development of partnerships between communities, private enterprise, non-profit organizations and government agencies. These partnerships share the belief that sport and recreation can be used as prevention and intervention initiatives to address the needs of Alberta's indigenous youth.

Arts mentors are hired to form an arts team to plan and develop a range of arts activities. Each arts team member is then placed in a designated community for the summer, working alongside other AFL summer youth workers. The program runs from May 1 to August 31 each year. The number of participating communities varies, but there are usually a dozen communities involved in the AFL program each year.

The arts component provides opportunities for young people to experience and develop their creative abilities. The arts youth workers act as mentors, helping the participants to express themselves through a variety of performing and visual arts activities. Young people are encouraged to get in touch with their individual creative energies and abilities, and thereby learn new skills, develop strength, build self-esteem and self-confidence that can be used throughout their lives.

Arts activities include performing arts such as mime, acting, storytelling, dance and music as well as mask and puppet making. Visual arts workshops include painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, collage, clay, photography and crafts.

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Elder/Youth Legacy Program: Support for Aboriginal Artistic Practices

Since the Canada Council created the Aboriginal Peoples Collaborative Exchange program, more people have been asking how to obtain funds for two underserved segments of the Aboriginal arts community: the Elders (senior artists) and the youth (ages 15-25).

The Canada Council has realized that Aboriginal Elders and youth—the two segments of the community involved in passing on art practices—have not been regularly applying for arts funding. Many of the Elders (senior artists) found the paperwork cumbersome, and the youth of the communities were ineligible because of their age.

The Elder/Youth Legacy program solves this by offering program funding to Aboriginal organizations that wish to work with these two groups on a project basis. This program is not limited to traditional art forms—it encompasses all forms of the arts.

First, the organization will choose the Elder who will work with their youth. That Elder will then help to decide the number of young people he or she will work with, and will help to select them.

Due: 15 May and 15 November

Further Information
Noël Habel,

Program Officer
Aboriginal Arts Office


Canada Council for the Arts

t: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4178 or 4222

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ASRPWF 2012-2013 Healthy Living Fund - Active Living

In 2012-13 the ASRPWF will support projects that address conditions/ factors that support physical activity, as well as contribute to achieving targets aimed at increasing the proportion of Albertans who are physically active. Currently there is an emphasis on projects that address physical activity targets for children and youth.



Priority areas for project funding consideration include:
-Integrated approaches and collaboration
-Awareness and education
-Innovative demonstration projects with a physical activity focus
-Research that informs practice
-Improved access and reduced barriers to physical activity opportunities
-Active transportation
-After school time period
-Children and Nature Activities

Eligible applicants (Provincial not-for-profit groups, First Nations, Metis Settlements, and Municipalities), are invited to submit ONE application for consideration, noting that funding is available for projects lasting approximately one year in duration, April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013.

Complete applications must be postmarked on or before December 23, 2011 and sent to the address on the application. Respondents will be notified by March 5, 2012 with final approval pending approval of the Foundation budget.

For more information contact:


Chris Szabo

Recreation Consultant

t:780-415-0276 (toll-free in Alberta at 310-0000)

e:chris.szabo@gov.ab.ca

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!