Our theme ‘patchworking together for 30 years’ reflects the diversity of the Ban Righ Centre community and our process--everyone brings something, usually homemade, to our projects and to the daily life of the Centre--with amazing results! Bit by bit, patch by patch, the Ban Righ Centre has grown into an integral part of Queen's, a home on campus for many, a launching pad for dreams.
We are celebrating with three exciting events.
The Awards Committee has planned a gala Awards Ceremony to be held Thursday, April 29, 2004 from 7-9 in Grant Hall. Elaine Teofilovici (CEO-YWCA Canada) will be the guest speaker. ‘Two Roads Home’ will provide music and a specially written musical dedication to mature women students. We invite everyone to attend this special event which acknowledges both the achievements of mature students and the generosity of our many donors.
The Birthday Party, and, we hope, reunion of the Ban Righ Community, is set for Sunday, October 3, 2004 from 2-6 at the Frontenac Club Inn (225 King Street East). Board member Joanna Malan, known for her memorable book launches and her inventive programming for ‘Upstairs at Loblaws’, will cater the event with the pice de rsistance being a patchwork cake. In the Ban Righ tradition, both events are free of cost.
A musical fundraiser is being planned for some time this year – details to follow. We hope you will celebrate with us, will continue to add to our patchwork with your presence and good wishes.
Please also help us celebrate by renewing your financial commitment this year, as you have so generously in the past. In the next few years, the Centre will be faced with a shortfall if we do not add substantially to the capital base of the Foundation. Every donation received, regardless of its size, will help to ensure that the next 30 years will be as successful as the first.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS ~ JANUARY TO APRIL 2004
/ Wednesday, January 14th @ noonWENDY LUELLA AND SOULFUL SINGING
Share the joy of singing and experience its power as a spiritual practice. In song and silence, participants are invited to breathe and listen deeply, awaken to the present moment and celebrate life. All are welcome to attend this experiential, meditative and renewing session--no previous singing experience required.
/ Monday, January 19th @ noon
Professor Joan Stevenson -The Basics of Backs - Maintaining good back health is a struggle since about 75% of people have a back problem during their lifetime. Joan Stevenson – (School of Physical and Health Education/School of Rehab Therapy) will focus on proven causes of back problems, and suggest ways to prevent problems through ergonomic tips and evidence-based exercise practices.
/ Tuesday, January 27th @ Noon
Ruth Roach Pierson: finding a new lease on life through poetry Ruth Roach Pierson will talk about the role that learning to write poetry played in her recovery from chronic fatigue; about the meditative power of poetry writing that comes through discipline and the necessity of paying close attention to what one sees and experiences, as well as to every word one chooses. She also will discuss the risks one runs when revealing secret feelings, thoughts, and stories others would prefer kept hidden.
/ Thursday, January 29th @ Noon
Artist.Verna Vowles - graduated in Fine Arts, with distinction, from Concordia University, majoring in Painting. She taught in the Elementary School system in Ont., Que. and B.C. Vowles paints in many mediums in both contemporary and traditional manner her inspiration coming from nature. Her newest works are in Liquid Acrylic, and are abstract expressions painted in a bold style with warmth and passion.
/ Tuesday, February 10th @ Noon
SAME SEX MARRIAGES: Martha Bailey, Associate Professor LLB (Queen’s Law School), will discuss the law as it stands, what is the practical significance of same-sex marriage for Canadian couples, and problems relating to recognition of same-sex marriages in other countries.
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Wednesday, February 11th @ noon
SISTER PAULINE LALLY - “Justice or Charity?” What about the poor in today’s society? Why is there an increase in Soup Kitchens? Where are the homeless coming from? Is the answer to open more kitchens, to increase the number of shelters? Do we need to be more charitable, or is this a band-aid solution to a justice issue? What’s the difference? (Sister Pauline Lally is Director of the Justice and Peace Office of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul)/ Thursday, February 26th @ Noon
In honour of Black History Month, The Ban Righ Centre will be showing the National Film Board film
'Black Mother Black Daughter' a moving testament to black women who have struggled for over 200 years to create and maintain a home and community in Nova Scotia. Please join us for the showing, discussion and some great soup.
/ Tuesday, March 2nd @ Noon
Artists Valerie LaJeunesse and Heather Savage, Printmaking 2003.
Current students in the Fine Art Program at Queen’s, Valrie and Heather have been exploring some of the many techniques of printmaking. They will display the results of their experiments in the traditional method of drypoint and contemporary methods of photopolymer etching and monotypes.
Thursday, March 4th @ Noon
LAURIE GASHINSKI - Rite of Passage 2:At the pivotal age of thirty, Laurie Gashinski embarked on a journey to Prague, Czech Republic. Overcoming the fear of traveling on her own, she learned a valuable lesson-that living life for oneself does not have to conflict with living for others. Please join us for a photographic journey through Eastern Europe and celebrate stories of “life’s lessons learned”!
/ Monday, March 8th @ Noon
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY - INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
“DEMYSTIFYING STEREOTYPES; SOME STORIES OF WOMEN’S ACTIVISM FROM RURAL INDIA” Mainstream media portrays women from India and elsewhere as submissive beings whose lives are regimented by norms of patriarchy and who have few choices. While focusing on negative images, it fails to tell stories about the women in rural India who are attempting themselves to take control of their lives and destinies, to participate in local governance and to obtain rights and entitlements from the state and the society in general. Reena Kukreja (independent documentary filmmaker) will tell the stories of some of these rural women whom she met while documenting their struggles and successes on film.This will be jointly hosted by the Ban Righ Centre and the International Centre and will be held at the International Centre
Monday, April 5th @ Noon
Group Reading by the Ban Righ Writer's Group The Ban Righ Writer's Group will read from their published and unpublished works. This group originated in and has followed in the tradition of a group that met at Bronwen Wallace's home in the 1980s.
MEET THE STUDENTS ~
GET TOGETHER WITH FELLOW GRAD STUDENTS:
Ban Righ Centre Continues SGPS Series
January 29th, 3-5 pm – Communicating effectively with supervisors and professors.
February 26th, 3-5 pm – Submitting your thesis….all about deadlines and committees.
March 25th, 3-5 pm – Resumes, cover letters, and job searching