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K-W Musical Productions (KWMP) invites you to audition for our upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. Our intent is to present a new vision of this beloved classic for a new generation of performers and audiences alike.

KWMP’s production reimagines this timeless tale for a new generation — drawing from the heart of the original while infusing it with a bold, theatrical new vision. Expect the characters you love, the music you remember, and a few surprises that will ignite your imagination.

This is Oz like you’ve never seen it before — joyful, moving, and full of wonder. Join us as we rediscover a world where courage, heart, and friendship light the way… and there’s truly no place like home.

KWMP welcomes adults and some children aged 9 and up years to be part of this production.

KWMP is committed to increasing equal opportunity, diversity and a future of inclusivity.  We welcome and encourage persons of any identity, orientation, and ability to audition.

Audition Dates: June 13, 14 & 15, 2025

Callback Dates: June 17, 19 & 20, 2025

Location: KWMP ARTS CENTRE, 14 Shaftsbury Drive, Kitchener

KWMP is holding in-person auditions for performers of all ages.

• Children ages 9–13: Auditions on Saturday, June 14, 9 AM–12 PM. Sign up for a 1-hour time slot.

• Youth & Adults (14+): Auditions include a vocal audition and 20-minute group movement session. Each audition block is 60 minutes; stay for the full hour.

Prepare 32 bars of a Broadway song (not from The Wizard of Oz) and bring sheet music with cuts marked. No monologues required. Come dressed to move.

Can’t attend in person? Email the stage manager: auditions@kwmp.ca

What you need for your audition submission:

• Your completed Audition Google form. 
• Book your audition slot Here.
• Attach a recent photo or headshot (with your name as the file name) to the Audition form.
• Attach a theatre resume (with your name as the file name) to the Audition form.

For the full audition details, including a cast of characters, performance dates, rehearsal dates, audition panel and more, please see our full Audition Call Sheet.

Don’t worry we have answers! Please contact the stage manager Stephen Bailey at auditions@kwmp.ca The Wizard of Oz

by L. Frank Baum
With music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Background music by Herbert Stothart
Dance and vocal arrangements by Peter Howard
Orchestration by Larry Wilcox
Adapted by John Kane for The Royal Shakespeare Company

Based upon the classic motion picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros.

The post Audition Call for The Wizard of Oz appeared first on K-W Musical Productions.

Through thick and thin I've stood by the Waterloo Region Record as well as by the Woolwich Observer. Treated like crap by both of them. I also stood by the Elmira Independent until their final day in 2015. Treated well by them. 

To date no further communications with either reporter Terry Pender, despite promises otherwise, or with the Waterloo Region Record (i.e. K-W Record). I will be sending off a couple of e-mails this morning to the Record asking them some pretty blunt questions such as "Are you going to correct your apparently false assertion that there was fighting over compensation between workers, companies and the province of Ontario in regards to workers' exposure to Agent Orange in the Elmira factory.?"  Also "Why haven't you to date contacted me for clarification whether it be your clarification or mine or both?" Finally "Do you have any intent whatsoever to actually correct your apparent serious error and if not why not?"

 I've often railed here about a lack of transparency and accountability by all our politicians. Now it seems that our media are suffering from the very same disease. To the Media : if long term survival is your goal stop alienating your supporters. 

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KITCHENER - The speedy AJ Karosas is coming back to Kitchener.

The Mississauga native just finished his senior season at the University of Charleston (NCAA D2), where he hit .333 in 41 games. 

That includes four home runs and 31 RBI, as well as 12 stolen bases, which was sixth among Canadians competing in Division 2.

Karosas was recently with the Trois-Rivieres Aigles in the Frontier League, but will ply his trade in the IBL.

It's his second full season with the Panthers, but has been around the organization for a few years as he was previously called up on occasion from the Jr. Panthers.

"We're excited to add AJ back into the fold with us this season," said general manager Shanif Hirani. "He's coming off a strong senior season at University of Charleston, and I'm excited to see it translate into the IBL this summer."

If you want to see AJ, and the rest of your Kitchener Panthers this summer, GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! Season tickets and single-game tickets are available NOW online. FLEX PACKS are coming soon!

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I am in another world, other reality, a different place in my mind, life, body. But where? I’ve disconnected from the version of writer I believe I was — before — before

— before I’d released my idea of what I’d need from writing, what I’d expect, what I’d value, what I’d receive from writing.

In truth, I need little from my writing; or — nothing? None of the things I thought I’d wanted.

This is my third spring working my job-job. I’ve approached it as a practice, as training, and as an antidote to my writing career’s boundary-less culture of under-compensated demands, spoken and unspoken, external and internalized. Before — I strived to meet those demands, spoken and unspoken; before — I tried to make a home for myself in a writing-adjacent career; bitterness ensued. And the bitter taste was justified, painful though that is to acknowledge; a person should not be required to work without security or for free just because she loves what she does. That’s not service, that’s exploitation.

I’ll still publish, and I still participate; but on terms that feel sustainable for me, and that grow rather than shrink my heart and capacity.

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The job-job grows my heart, and my capacity.

The job-job offers me a clear role, agreed-upon terms and responsibilities, expected hours, and fair compensation. Also: security (as long as our school board doesn’t eliminate library staff … but that’s another story and in any case, it’s not the specifics that matters; the job-job is a practice, not an identity).

The job-job has trained me, continues to train me, for this mid-life, squashed and squeezed time that I’m occupying — this time of devotion. Devotion to tasks, to responsibilities, to community well-being, to small gestures of kindness. Devotion to the practice of gentleness. To the practice of seeing others, recognizing, easing the way for others to move more freely and joyfully and openly, appreciated and known. Devotion to the practice of invisible labour. It is this training that teaches me: I have enough, I am enough.

I tape and glue and clean and relabel. This is my training. I stand at the counter and listen, I respond with kind regard. All life deserves respect and dignity. This is my training.

I am the least interesting part of my writing life. The writing itself, whatever gift there is in it, flows through me. I am a channel.

I am content to be — A mirror — A kind ear — Invisible, or partially seen, or seen only in reflection.

I am content to write what I want to write and share stories and ask questions and to sit in silence. I am more than content, I am fulfilled beyond words to accept this mission of kind regard. What do I train for, if not this? This sense of being present. Able. Having the capacity to serve. Not to be in servitude to, but to serve.

Practicing. To be kind, secure; flowing, humming, through.

xo, Carrie

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Each week, Karen Catlin shares five simple actions to create a more inclusive merit-based workplace and be a better ally.

I love learning new terms related to inclusion.

The latest one? “Plasticity of merit.” It’s a phrase that sheds light on a concerning aspect of meritocracy.

It describes how the criteria of excellence can bend to preference while appearing objective. That it is malleable. That there can be bias in so-called merit-based evaluations of talent.

In Trump says diversity initiatives undermine merit. Decades of research show this is flawed, Paula McDonald, a Professor of Work and Organisation at Queensland University of Technology, explored plasticity of merit and gave this example:

“Decision-makers may unknowingly redefine merit to fit whoever already belongs to a favoured group. A study of elite law firms, for example, found male applicants were rated as more qualified than identical resumes from women.”

McDonald’s call to action is clear: organizations must redefine merit in a way that aligns with inclusion, not against it. One approach is to revisit hiring and promotion criteria to focus on measurable and relevant competencies.

Let’s also make sure the criteria is firm, not malleable.

Share this action on Bluesky, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, or YouTube.

Here’s one more idea to combat the plasticity of merit: Recognize someone’s potential.

A few years ago, I read in a Harvard Business Review article by business school professor and author Laura Morgan Roberts, along with colleagues Megan Grayson and Brook Dennard Rosser:

“Twenty years of research from the Center for Positive Organizations, Gallup Institute, and others shows that highlighting employees’ strengths and contributions helps them to grow stronger, perform better, and become more engaged, and be happier, healthier, and more connected.”

Yet, positive reinforcement is not equitably distributed. The authors explained, “While leaders are willing to affirm the potential of early-career workers who belong to a majority group (racial or otherwise), workers from historically underrepresented groups are often subject to more scrutiny and less recognition of demonstrated success.”

Their suggestion? Embrace microvalidations. For example,

• Voice appreciation for everyone’s contributions, especially for members of traditionally underestimated groups.
• Hold people to high standards, and don’t compliment someone for meeting low expectations. (E.g., don’t praise an Asian American employee for speaking English well.)
• Affirm the potential you see in others.
• Use people’s hard-earned titles (Dr., Professor, Reverend).

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the U.S. during May, here’s an action to help address stereotypes that prevent members of this community from being seen as leaders.

A few years ago, Lori Nishiura Mackenzie of Stanford University wrote about personality attributes that reflect these stereotypes in Picture a CEO. Her list includes not being strategic, having no executive presence, being too quiet, and not being influential.

She explained,

“If you notice that a member of the AAPI community is being downgraded for personality-based reasons that reflect stereotypes, stop. Ask about the foundations of these critiques. If they are ‘gut’ reactions, then move beyond, and seek evidence, not impressions. The evidence may show strong performance and an error in assessing potential.”

Nishiura Mackenzie’s goal is a fairer workplace for everyone.

“Together, by seeing and then blocking biases, we can create more equitable pathways to leadership for members of the AAPI community, and for all.”

In the final chapter of my book Better Allies, I wrote:

“Change starts with each of us as individuals. So, we should ask ourselves: How do we want to operate? How should we treat people? Would we turn down business or investments because of creepy behavior? Would we dismiss our top sales executive after disciplining him for harassment? What are the deals we won’t do because they conflict with our values? When will we walk away from cash?”

I thought of this paragraph when I read a viral thread from equity strategist and author Tara Jaye Frank:

“A loved one is a C-suite leader. They got an email from a supplier that called them a DEI hire. As a joke, I guess?
My loved one forwarded that email to their team with a note that said, ‘One more strike, he’s done,’ and copied the CEO, to whom they report.
The CEO wrote back:
‘Nope. He’s done now.’
And I smiled.
Because you shouldn’t lose business for being equitable and inclusive.
But you SHOULD lose it for being a racist, classless jerk.”

This week’s spotlight on an ally action from the Better Allies community is from a newsletter subscriber who wrote,

“I had a supervisor and a team of executives that used the phrase ‘circle the wagons.’ One day, I guess I had heard it one too many times, and I sent the supervisor a very nice email explaining the phrase was disparaging to Native Americans and me as a member of one of the Indigenous Tribes in South Dakota. Thankfully, the email was taken the way it was supposed to have been, an explanation of why the phrase was offensive to Native Americans, and a suggestion a different phrase be used. I have not heard the phrase since.”

They added, “I believe some people do not intend to offend, but do not realize some of the words they use regularly are offensive.”

Unfortunately, many sayings diminish or disparage the culture of Indigenous peoples. Examples include “going off the reservation,” “lowest person on the totem pole,” “too many chiefs, not enough Indians,” and “Indian giver.” Read more in Use These Culturally Offensive Phrases & Questions at Your Own Risk from Indigenous Corporate Training, Inc.

If you’ve taken a step towards being a better ally, please reply to this email and tell me about it. And mention if I can quote you by name or credit you anonymously in an upcoming newsletter.

That’s all for this week. I wish you strength and safety as we all move forward.

Karen Catlin (she/her), Author of the Better Allies® book series
pronounced KAIR-en KAT-lin, click to hear my name

Copyright © 2025 Karen Catlin. All rights reserved.

Being an ally is a journey. Want to join us?

• Follow @BetterAllies on Bluesky, Instagram, Medium, Threads, or YouTube. Or follow Karen Catlin on LinkedIn
• This content originally appeared in our newsletter. Subscribe to “5 Ally Actions” to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday
• Read the Better Allies books
• Form a Better Allies book club
• Get your Better Allies gear
• Tell someone about these resources

Together, we can — and will — make a difference with the Better Allies® approach.

Anticipate and Prevent Plasticity of Merit, and Other Actions for Allies was originally published in Code Like A Girl on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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As interest in vegetarian and vegan diets has grown significantly over the past decade or so, it’s interesting to note that a popular staple of the diet is tempeh — and that tempeh may be as old a food product as a thousand years.

Fermented and cooked whole soybeans that have been pressed into a shape similar to a bar of soap, tempeh is dense, chewy, nutty and yeasty. It’s high in protein, free of cholesterol and low in fat.

Tempeh is good for cooking with because it generally keeps its shape and absorbs the flavours that are being cooked with it.

As for it’s origin, it’s possible that tempeh was a by-product — a mistake, in some senses — of the tofu-making process and dates to being made in Indonesia in the 17th century.

One popular producer is Henry’s Tempeh in Waterloo Region.

Check out my latest post Tempeh is popular (and ancient) from AndrewCoppolino.com.

We've all heard the saying "Justice delayed is justice denied" and it is true. Despite this our idiot authorities continue at every opportunity to delay, delay and delay. It appears to be standard operating procedure (SOP)  for far too many government bureaucracies, ministries and governments themselves. Same thing with so called Complaints Procedures.  Fill out a form, provide a ton of irrelevant but mandatory data and then wait. Often forever. Not so much as a whisper from those at the other end paid to do a job. Oh and then a month or two later (if you're lucky) you'll get a note stating that you failed to provide an answer for section 24 (b) which could be as serious as "What is your wife's middle name?"

I've had two e-mails from Record reporter Terry Pender since April 23rd suggesting that he will contact me for further information about Agent Orange. That is an understandable request as I have spent a considerable amount of time over the last 36 years studying the Uniroyal Chemical site in Elmira and learning as much as I can about their various toxic chemicals and mishandling of same.  Now of course no such request by phone or even further by e-mail has shown up and Mr. Pender published what appears to be a whopper of a falsehood /error about Agent Orange in his May 1/2025 Record story titled "50 YEARS after the Vietnam War". 

Mr. Pender promised me in an e-mail that he would "correct" his story.  Hasn't happened. Yesterday I phoned the National Newsmedia Council to lodge a complaint. What a truly pathetic joke so far. I had to leave a message yesterday as no one answered the phone in person. It is now more than 24 hours later and not even an acknowledgement that my complaint has been received. Nothing! And our asinine authorities at all levels moan about citizen disengagement and citizen apathy. You a**holes have caused that and you've done it on purpose.  

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2025 Business Excellence Awards Gala, presented by Cowan Insurance Group. The Waterloo Region business community, local dignitaries, and community ambassadors came together to honour the extraordinary contributions of more than 130 nominees across 14 categories.

Congratulations to AET Group Inc., for winning the Health & Wellness in the Workplace Award. This award is dedicated to the business that truly recognizes the importance of physical + mental health in the workplace, and offers their employees multiple ways to help their health & wellness.

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AET Group Inc, a trusted leader in environmental consulting, auditing, and scientific services… has built a reputation for delivering innovative solutions for both local and global clients. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the well-being of their employees.

AET Group takes a hands-on approach to health and wellness, recognizing how both physical and mental health shape the overall employee experience. They offer a health and wellness subsidy program, empowering employees to prioritize their well-being through gym memberships and encourages participation in wellness activities.

They offer flexible work options, including remote work and adaptable hours, to help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. They make sure to foster an environment where all employees, regardless of background, feel valued and supported while encouraging personal and professional growth.

When it comes to mental health, AET Group provides robust support through their Employee Assistance Program, available 24/7, and promotes strong team dynamics through regular team-building activities designed to reduce stress and build meaningful connections. In 2024, their wellness programs received remarkable employee participation rates, with 90% of employees utilizing remote work options and over 50% taking advantage of the health and wellness subsidy program. Their commitment to both physical and mental health, along with their emphasis on DEI and work-life balance, has earned them recognition as a leader in workplace health and well-being.

The post Health & Wellness in the Workplace Award Winner: AET Group Inc. appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

Familiy Outreach Worker Nermin meets with Dilara* to provide one-on-one support in her time of need.

Dilara* came to Canada in search of a better life.

She left her homeland of Turkey, after struggling with a difficult, abusive marriage. While Dilara had to leave her adult children behind, her 17-year-old daughter, Melek, joined her for the journey.

Their dangerous trek to Canada took them through several countries, including Mexico and the United States.

“It wasn’t safe for us in Mexico. The cartels made it dangerous,” said Dilara. “I didn’t even feel safe in the United States.”

They made their way to Waterloo Region, arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs. To make matters worse, neither spoke much English, making it incredibly difficult to get help when they arrived at the Region of Waterloo’s Community Services building.

Fortunately for them, Nermin, a Family Outreach worker with House of Friendship, was there and stepped in to help.

“I heard a person struggling to communicate with the resource staff. I heard they were requesting Turkish-speaking staff,” said Nermin. “I went and introduced myself.”

Nermin, originally from Turkey, quickly provided support.

“I helped them apply for Ontario Works and connected them to the Families in Transition program, run by Starling Community Services,” said Nermin. “I was able to arrange an emergency shelter space for this family.”

Family Outreach Workers like Nermin are there to help families struggling to make ends meet and living with very limited income. Workers like Nermin serve as a one-stop resource, connecting these families to services and resources to help them during their time of need.

With Nermin’s help, Dilara and Melek moved into permanent housing just before Christmas. And while it wasn’t yet furnished, Dilara was incredibly grateful.

“Even though I don’t have furniture, it’s very good. Just having my own place is wonderful. I was thankful for the shelter – but having my own space, it’s just better. It is peaceful.”

This is what we do. We help every way we can. – Nermin, Family Outreach Worker

Nermin plans to help Dilara and Melek get a few pieces of furniture – a sofa to rest on, and a bar stool or chair to sit at the kitchen counter.

She’ll also help them find the nearest community centre to their new home, so they can get food and other help through House of Friendship as they settle into their new community. The next step is to help Melek sign up for school.

For Dilara and Melek, this care and compassion made a huge difference, as they began again.

“For people who donate – maybe for them, it’s a small amount of money, but I want them to know it is making a huge difference in someone’s life.”

Your support of Neighbourhoods programs ensures that families like Dilara and Melek get the help they need during a challenging time. You are helping to provide a warm welcome to families in need in Waterloo Region – thank you!

*names changed to protect the identity of the storytellers.

The post “We Help Every Way we Can” appeared first on House Of Friendship.

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CHATHAM - A five-run sixth inning made the difference, as the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers took down the Kitchener Panthers 9-5 in exhibition play Thursday afternoon.

It was a School Day Game at Fergie Jenkins Field, as over 1,400 fans filled the stands.

Jamie Cabral led the way offensively with a two-hit, one RBI game for Kitchener, while Yosvani Penalver, Cam Bauer and Brady Campbell each drove in a run.

The other run came on a wild pitch while Nick Kyrose was at the plate.

Kade Kozak, Nick Kyrose, Gavin McLean, Caleb Cain-Plante and Evan Elliott split time on the mound for the Panthers, who fall to 0-2 in the exhibition season.

The games get real this Sunday, as Kitchener visits Toronto for a 2 p.m. start to begin the 2025 IBL regular season.

The Panthers also host Chatham for a School Day Game next Thursday, May 15.

Kitchener's home opener goes Sunday, May 18 at 2 p.m. against the Barnstormers.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW to see the Kitchener Panthers LIVE at Jack Couch Park!

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If you’re driving through the countryside near Vankleek Hill, you might be surprised to see rows of grape vines that seem to pop up out of nowhere.

When they happened upon the plot of land and the vines six years ago, Scott Lambert and Teresa Bressan saw potential – so much so that they bought the 55-acre property that is today the new Vankleek Hill Vineyard (VKH).

Although the original objective was to dig in and start a commercial vegetable garden, Lambert’s and Bressan’s plans evolved into a much larger undertaking: becoming vintners, despite the fact they originally had no intention of purchasing a vineyard.

Though the vines were neglected and in disrepair, the partners invested money and a lot of their own labour to refurbish the winemaking facilities and re-vamp and rebuild the vineyard.

“The original owner of Vankleek Hill Vineyard planted vines in 2007 and opened the winery around 2010. We purchased it in 2019 and spent two years cleaning up the vines and got them producing again,” says Lambert.

A fresh start
Having arrived from Saint-Lazare, southwest of Montreal, Lambert and Bressan were “shopping around,” and the possibilities posed by the Vankleek Hill terrain intrigued them: they liked the property, and more and more they then found themselves liking the idea of growing grapes and making wine.

Retaining the vineyard’s original name only – they developed new wine recipes and have made a full and clean break from the previous ownership, they stress – the pair work the vines on Dandy Road, which is about 10 minutes’ drive from the town centre.

They currently crop about four tons of grapes from five acres of vines which are hearty North American varietals – a trio of Frontenac grapes developed at the University of Minnesota – that can survive cold and frosty temperatures and thrive in the area’s clay-based, sandy-loam soils.

Since they purchased the vineyard, they have been, like farmers must be, unwavering in the face of climatic setbacks which have required resilience and persistence to overcome: shortly after taking over, they lost much of their crop to the vagaries of weather but salvaged about two tons the next harvest.

Wine as ‘‘project’’
Uniquely, while Lambert and Bressan have been making wine for a few years now, they have studiously pursued a “work-in-progress” approach to what they do.

That means that each year they make new and different wines – using 100% Ontario fruit – and tweak production techniques which are captured on the unpretentious yet elegant wine labels that began six years ago at “Project 01” with “Project 50” coming up …

For more, visit Tribune-Express.

Check out my latest post Vankleek Hill Vineyard from AndrewCoppolino.com.

The HydroGeoSphere Revision 2829 (May 2025) is now available for download.

This month’s release is a minor update focused on maintaining stability and performance. While several advanced new features have been introduced, they are not publicly available just yet.

As always, we’ve addressed all client-reported bugs to ensure continued reliability for your HGS simulations.

You can find details about these new features in the HydroGeoSphere Reference Manual. And as always, we are committed to the continued improvement to the user experience. Do you have suggestions for new commands or improvements to the user experience? Send your ideas to support@aquanty.com!

The latest installers are available on the HGS download page and a full list of changes/updates can be found in the release notes.

Download the May 2025 release of HydroGeoSphere here: www.aquanty.com/hgs-download

Review the release notes here: www.aquanty.com/updates

Model Context Protocol for WinDBG

Python 498 Updated May 5

Well here we go again, sort of. I have not to my recollection ever sent a formal complaint  against the K-W Record (i.e. Waterloo Region Record) to anyone. In fact as best as I can recollect I've never sent a complaint about any newspaper anywhere until now. I might add that does not mean that some local newspapers haven't deserved complaints because they have and they do. 

The Record reporter, Terry Pender, has contacted me twice by e-mail promising to talk to me by phone regarding Agent Orange which was the herbicide with dioxin impurities in it, likely from Hooker Chemical in New York State. Now to be a little more specific it is my understanding that Uniroyal Chemical in Elmira, Ontario purchased trichlorophenol (2,4,5-T) from Hooker Chemical back in the 1960s for use in some of their herbicides such as Agent Orange which they sold to the U.S. military to defoliate both trees and crops in Vietnam.  

In Mr. Pender's May 1/25 article titled "50 Years after the Vietnam War" he references "...workers, companies and the provincial government fighting about compensation for workers who developed cancer after being exposed to Agent Orange in the chemical plants in Elmira...".  After I advised Mr. Pender of my skepticism he has since advised in an e-mail that he will get back to me and correct that in the Record.  To date he has not done so.

This is not an insignificant matter. Currently Lanxess and fellow travellors have delayed cleaning up the downstream Canagagigue Creek soils and sediments for over half a century. They have manipulated and massaged various "investigations" always to minimize the extent of toxic contamination in the Creek for decades. Even so they are well in excess of health criteria for numerous compounds including DDT, dioxins/furans , PCBs and mercury. Their explanations, excuses and just plain bullcrap are legion. If it should turn out that indeed Uniroyal Chemical workers have a proven history of excess cancers due to occupational exposure to dioxins then most of Uniroyal/Lanxess and the MECP's (Min. of Environment) hot air, obfuscations and falsehoods are gone.

As has been proven a hundred times over dioxins are extremely toxic through numerous pathways to human beings and many other life forms.

A revitalized Studio Theatre and relaunched summer camps are part of a strategy for growth.

May 5, 2025

Eric Lariviere is the executive director at Kitchener’s Centre In The Square.

Brent Davis/Waterloo Region Record

By Brent Davis Reporter

It’s been more than a year and a half since Kitchener’s Centre In The Square lost its biggest tenant.

The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony’s surprise announcement that it had filed for bankruptcy in September 2023, just as its season was set to begin, shocked the arts community and the venue the orchestra had called home since 1980.

More than 30 performance dates on the centre’s 2023-2024 calendar were suddenly empty. Pre-pandemic, the symphony had accounted for about 50 dates a year.

“That was a third of the activity and probably half of your set rentals, so it was very significant, the loss, very significant,” said Eric Lariviere, the centre’s executive director.

But in the months since, Centre In The Square has bounced back, with diverse programming, a revitalized Studio Theatre (a smaller performance space) and a strategy to grow both audiences and fundraising revenue.

Lariviere is a relatively new addition as well, having assumed his role in April 2024.

The city-owned venue hosted 92 performances in 2023 and 112 last year, and Lariviere is hoping for between 130 and 150 events and performances this year — a return to pre-pandemic levels, when the symphony was a marquee tenant.

The symphony is rebuilding, too, having seen its bankruptcy annulled in November.

Its musicians have returned to the centre’s stage, in support of the Grand Philharmonic Choir, and presented a few concerts at a Kitchener church. They’ll also perform at the opening night gala at the Elora Festival in July.

And if and when the time is right, Centre In The Square officials say they’d welcome the symphony back on a more frequent basis.

“Hopefully the symphony can have a couple of dates at the centre next year, some of their bigger shows,” said board chair Dan Carli.

“I’d love to see them back. It is a venue that is built for their music. It’s one of the best-sounding music halls in the country.”

Lariviere said Centre In The Square ended 2024 with a $416,000 surplus.

As a not-for-profit corporation and registered charity, that surplus is reinvested for capital purposes such as stage equipment.

The centre receives an annual operating grant from the city, set at about $2.138 million for 2025. Budget documents presented to city council last fall forecast a break-even year as the organization invests in marketing and fundraising infrastructure.

“This is a clear signal we’re investing and developing a business model that will grow and be sustainable for the type of events that we’d like to have,” Lariviere said.

“There’s a lot of work to do,” he said. “Our whole direction right now, it’s all about growth and investment, and it means that we not only need to be successful in having good audiences, but also to engage the whole community to be able to actually raise money.”

Carli said the board supports the strategy. “I think it’s important to build for the long term.”

When Lariviere arrived, he said he wanted to ensure the community’s diversity was reflected in the Centre’s programming.

The 2024-2025 lineup has seen tried and true favourites like Blue Rodeo, the Canadian Brass and Jeans ‘N Classics concerts.

But audiences have also flocked to see Portuguese singer Mariza, or Indian comedian Samay Raina, who sold out the main theatre for two Hindi-language shows.

Both of those acts drew fans from across Waterloo Region and beyond, from the Greater Toronto Area and even border states, Lariviere noted.

“You touch that diversity here, but at the same time you become a destination.”

That serves to bring more visitors, and a broader economic spinoff, to the region as well, Carli pointed out.

Community engagement, which Lariviere feels has been lacking, is also a key priority.

A focus on youth has more than doubled the number of school performances (weekday shows geared to young audiences).

A summer performing arts camp program is being revived this year, with one and two-week sessions designed for ages 4 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12.

“These camps are amazing for the building of skills, working in groups, teamwork, self-confidence,” said Lariviere.

The Studio Theatre, a more intimate space behind the main theatre, has also been reopened.

Formerly a rehearsal space for the symphony until the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts on King Street West took on that role a few years ago, the studio has been relaunched as a flexible performance space.

The new Kitchener Creates initiative offers rehearsal and performance space in the studio at affordable rental rates.

“We developed a platform to make it accessible, inclusive and diverse,” Lariviere said. “I think there’s a lot of potential.”

Pat the Dog Theatre Creation is one local group taking advantage of the space, and other partnerships are expected to be announced in the coming months.

“I really am excited about the fact that we’re returning the Centre In The Square to what I could call the crown jewel of the performing arts in the region,” Carli said.

“We’re back on that path.”

Brent Davis covers business and breaking news for Waterloo Region Record.

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2025 Business Excellence Awards Gala, presented by Cowan Insurance Group. The Waterloo Region business community, local dignitaries, and community ambassadors came together to honour the extraordinary contributions of more than 130 nominees across 14 categories.

Congratulations to Libro Credit Union on winning the Employee Engagement Award. This honour is dedicated to the company that puts their employees first and ensures strong growth of their valued staff.

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Libro Credit Union continually demonstrates a strong commitment to employee growth and development. Key initiatives like the DiSC Training, a widely recognized personality assessment tool completed, helped enhance communication, teamwork, and self-awareness, for nearly 700 team members. Programs such as Beyond Libro and the Mentorship Program support career growth and internal community building. Libro Credit Union also demonstrates a strong commitment to employee wellness. They expanded their mental health benefits by over 300% since 2019, ensuring staff have access to counseling and therapy services for themselves and their families.

Libro Credit Union prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, with ongoing training on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices to ensure a welcoming environment for all employees. These initiatives have helped increase staff engagement, with 91% of employees expressing comfort in speaking up against discriminatory behaviors. Libro Credit Union has set a benchmark for organizational excellence, creating a culture of inclusivity, employee empowerment, and innovation.

The post Employee Engagement Award Winner: Libro Credit Union appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

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Spring and summer bring more customers, more calls — and more pressure to keep up.

Whether you’re managing outdoor service areas, hiring seasonal staff, or bracing for increased demand, your Internet, phone systems, and team setup need to be ready. Even small issues like weak Wi-Fi, poor call routing, or unprepared new staff can lead to missed sales, slower service, or customer frustration — right when expectations are at their highest.

To help businesses stay ahead, Execulink Telecom created the Spring & Summer Business Toolkit — a free, downloadable PDF filled with practical checklists, tools, and tips to help you stay connected, productive, and prepared throughout the busiest months of the year. It’s built with real business needs in mind and designed to save your team time and stress.

What’s Inside the Free Toolkit

• Wi-Fi Testing Guide – Learn how to check and improve outdoor Wi-Fi coverage for patios, events, or temporary setups.
• Peak Demand Checklist – Make sure your Internet and phones can handle the seasonal surge in customers and staff.
• Staff Onboarding Checklist – Help new and seasonal hires get set up quickly with the right tools and access.
• Call Flow Template – Improve how your business handles calls, reduces wait times, and avoids missed opportunities.
• Backup Internet Setup Tips – Explore your options if your main connection fails, including LTE failover.
• Plus more! Including links to individual guides and helpful seasonal planning advice in one easy PDF.

Who It’s For

If you’re in retail, hospitality, food service, healthcare, events, or any business that gets busier during the warmer months, this Toolkit was created for you. It’s designed to be quick, clear, and actionable — so your team can focus on what matters most.

Download the Spring & Summer Business Toolkit Now

No forms. No sign-up. Just instant access to everything in one PDF.

The post Execulink – Spring and Summer bring more customers, more calls – and more pressure to keep up appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

The Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce (GKWCC) provides strong, continued service to over 1700 members in one of Canada’s marquee pioneering and entrepreneurial business communities. For the past 131 years, dating back to the Chamber’s founding as the Berlin Board of Trade, we have expanded into one of the largest and most innovative Chambers in Canada by focusing on the needs of all our members, big and small. For more information, please visit greaterkwchamber.com.

The GKWCC is seeking an Events Lead who is responsible for organizing their own portfolio of events within the Chamber’s annual event calendar, supporting volunteer committees, executing day-to-day administrative tasks of the Events Department, and working alongside a team to deliver successful, high caliber events and positive guest experiences.

The Events Lead will work collaboratively with an Events Coordinator. Both positions receive direct oversight and guidance from the Director, Community Engagement & Strategic Programs (hereby known as ‘Director’).

This position will also be responsible for some day-to-day oversight of the department operations and will assist the ‘Director’ with some additional department responsibilities.

• Department Operations – The Events Lead will be responsible for some day-to-day oversight of department operations and will assist the ‘Director’ with some additional responsibilities. Some of these areas to support, include:
  • Provide Event & Committee Updates for the Board Reports.
  • Manage & maintain a project/task list in Asana for every event, to keep the Events Team & ‘Director’ informed and organized.
  • Ensure event budgets are accurately updated with final expenses in a timely manner after each event.
  • Provide monthly reporting, with recommendations and action items on how to meet and/or exceed goals.
  • Address budget shortfalls, event mishaps, concerns, etc. with ‘Director’ immediately, if/as they occur, and be prepared to come with solutions/resolutions accordingly.
  • Keep the Events E-Blast Content Calendar updated and provide revisions and approvals before E-Blast is sent out, bi-weekly.
  • Prepare and send publication content, as required (i.e. – Mark Your Calendars, Event Photos, etc.)
  • Host weekly Marketing/Events Check-In calls to keep communication open between the 2 departments.
  • With committee support, build a CYP (Chamber Young Professionals) social media content calendar and execute on all deliverables (including posting blogs).
  • Write & send press releases, as directed.

• Event Planning – Under the guidance of the Director, and in collaboration with the Events Coordinator, coordinate and execute an annual program of events.

• • Execute virtual, hybrid, and/or live events.
  • Book and coordinate all venue logistics (physical venue spaces and/or virtual event platform).
  • Work with Event Speakers providing them with full event details, and content direction. Execute pre-event calls and determine content, write questions, and accommodate requests as needed.
  • Determine event agendas and write event scripts.
  • Provide direction for event promotional materials (in line with GKWCC brand guidelines) and update website with all event details and registration.
  • Liaise with all vendors and suppliers needed to successfully execute event (i.e. – production, décor, food & beverage, entertainment, etc.), which may include confirming event needs, contract review, and/or negotiation.
  • Greet and assist all event attendees including dignitaries, VIP’s, and/or high-profile guests.
  • Compile and send out all pre, during, and post event communication to attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and any other key stakeholders.
  • Provide staff and volunteers with instructions and guidance for their day-of roles and responsibilities.
  • Actively seek feedback from all event attendees, suppliers, and sponsors while achieving a minimum of an 85% Attendee Satisfaction Rate and 78% Net Promoter Score (NPS).
  • Prioritize the health and safety of all guests, staff/volunteers, and vendors.
  • Create event wrap-up reports, debriefs, and thank you emails.
  • Submit invoices to portal for processing and ‘Director’s’ approval.

• Sales & Sponsorship – Work with the Sponsorship and Sales Teams to successfully generate revenue, while exceeding their expectations.
  • Execute on sponsorship agreements and sales’ deliverables.
  • Build and manage relationships with partners and event attendees to help generate leads for Sales and Sponsorship, working with the ‘Director’ and ‘Project Coordinator’ for outreach.
  • Work with the ‘Director’ and ‘Project Coordinator’ to incorporate more non-engaged members into events.
  • Actively engage new members in events, with the support of committees.
  • Establish new revenue streams through existing events & programs (i.e. – tiered ticket pricing, new sponsorship levels, etc.).
  • Make monthly membership retention calls.

• Volunteer Committees – Lead and support volunteer committees. Volunteer Committees are made of dedicated Chamber Members who help plan events.
  • Schedule and attend all committee meetings.
  • Prepare agendas and minutes pre/post meetings and respond to any communication from volunteers outside of scheduled meetings.
  • Manage attendance criteria, then recruit and retain volunteers to maintain 12-15 active volunteers on each committee.
  • Update Committee mandates annually (in line with Board Bylaws and Processes), and ensure all members receive, understand, and agree to the policies.
  • Execute volunteer appreciation/recognition initiatives.
  • Actively seek feedback from all volunteers while achieving a minimum of an 85% Attendee Satisfaction Rate and 78% Net Promoter Score (NPS).

• Administrative Tasks – To ensure the department runs smoothly, day-to-day administrative tasks will need to be performed.
  • Reply to event-related email & phone inquiries in a timely manner.
  • Update internal event calendar.
  • Update internal tracking documents and budgets.
  • Provide general support to ‘Director’, as required.

• Other Duties as Assigned – As you would expect, the Events Industry is unpredictable and requires you to adapt to many different situations at a moment’s notice. As such, there are always “other duties” that come up unexpectedly that you should be prepared for.

• Top-notch organization: You love lists, colour coding, and calendar invites. You can meet deadlines and achieve outcomes even when there are numerous other priorities and distractions. You’re extremely attentive, thorough, adaptable, and focus on the little details.
• Experience in a fast-paced environment: You are willing to tackle projects independently and push through until the job is done. You’re an exceptional multi-tasker, and a self-starter with the ability to take initiative and ownership of your responsibilities.
• Excellent communicator: You keep everyone informed and can do so efficiently, effectively, and professionally – in written and verbal. You’re also empathetic and enthusiastic and feel comfortable socializing with people you may not know. You’re excited at the opportunity to expand your network and build relationships within the community.
• Thrive under pressure: You stay calm, approachable, and in control during stressful situations, by focusing on the solution, not the problem. As this is a customer-facing role you may face some negative feedback and criticisms.
• Leader, not a follower: You’re innovative and think outside the box. You enjoy pushing the limit (creatively), and set trends, not just follow them.
• Tech Savvy: You are comfortable adapting to new forms of technology and using various platforms (social media, video communications, virtual events, etc.). You are also proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Support Local: You make regular trips to the corner bakery, participate in #KWAwesome community groups on social media, and generally enjoy supporting Waterloo Region business owners.
• Helpful, but not required: Experience in photography, videography, video editing, live productions, graphic design, project management, and/or public speaking.

If this sounds like you, or what you’re striving to obtain, then please apply. We look forward to learning more about you and what you could bring to this role.

To Apply: Please send your application to Carolyn Marsh, Director, Community Engagement & Strategic Programs at cmarsh@greaterkwchamber.com. When applying, please provide a resume, and either a cover letter or 60-second self-introduction video.

Next Steps: We thank all those who apply, however, only those candidates who are selected to move forward in the application process will be contacted. The posting will remain open until the position is filled. The start date for the successful candidate is flexible, but preferably they will start in early June 2025.

Hours of Work: Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm, with a 30-minute unpaid lunch for a total of 37.5 hours each week. Evenings/early mornings and occasional weekends will be required based on events schedule.

Travel: Hybrid work environment, with minimum 2 days per week in-office (80 Queen St. N., Kitchener), with additional travel required around Waterloo Region to event venues and/or scheduled pick-ups and deliveries of supplies and donations from partners. Mileage will be reimbursed for work-related activities, but this role requires a valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle.

Compensation: $46,000 – $50,000 annually, plus benefits. Compensation will be based on experience & qualifications.

Benefits:

• Healthcare including dental and vision plan, as well as an EAP program, which all starts 3 months into employment.
• RRSP matching, which starts 3 months into employment.
• 2 weeks’ vacation + stat holidays + lieu time for hours earned for events.
• Monthly mental wellness half-day Friday (subject to change)
• Hybrid work model.
• Professional Development opportunities.
• Parking included.

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The Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce believes that everyone is free to be their true self and receive the same respect and opportunity, regardless of ethnicity, gender, culture, identity, sexual orientation, age, beliefs, language, or disability. We have an inclusive work environment that is a safe and welcoming space for all, and we encourage applications from all qualified candidates. If you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please email events@greaterkwchamber.com.

The post KW Chamber is Hiring: Events Lead appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

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Dear Prospective Board Member,

Thank you for your interest in joining the Board of Directors for the Elmira District Community Living (EDCL). We are a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in Elmira and the surrounding area.  Your skills, passion, and perspective could make a big difference in supporting and growing our mission.

What We’re Looking For
To strengthen our board, we’re seeking individuals with diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and expertise in areas like fundraising, governance, healthcare, and advocacy. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or simply passionate about our mission, we’d love to hear from you.

Time Commitment
Board members typically contribute 15-30 hours per year by attending meetings, participating in committees, and supporting events or initiatives.  Board Meetings are held in the evenings the 4th Tuesday in September, November, January and March and the 1st Tuesday in June. Annual Meeting is the 2nd Tuesday in June.  Committees of Board meetings are held on various nights; 2-3 times per year.

Requirements

You must obtain a Criminal Reference Check.

 Next Steps
Please submit a letter of interest by May 15, 2025 via e-mail to: cpeterson@elmiraacl.com  

If you have questions or want to learn more, feel free to reach out to Cheryl Peterson, Executive Director at 519-669-3205 x226 or cpeterson@elmiraacl.com and/or please visit our website at www.elmiradcl.com.

Thank you for considering this opportunity. Together we can continue building a stronger, more inclusive community.

The post Elmira District Community Living (EDCL) appeared first on Capacity Canada.

Dear Friend,

We’re calling on your support this spring for young victims journeying through the justice system. This comes as we recognize Sexual Violence Prevention Month (throughout May), Mental Health Week (May 5 to 11), and National Child & Youth Mental Health Day (May 7). Together, we’re making a mighty difference on these issues – having supported 1,088 young survivors and 827 caregivers last year alone – dramatically improving their wellbeing.

Like us, we know you believe in helping kids who dearly need a helping hand in the difficult circumstances they’re facing. Life is tough enough for many young people these days without the unimaginable hurts these children and youth have endured, and the challenges now in front of them.

With over two decades of frontline experience in her Caseworker role, Laura Cook recently sat down to share some powerful insights about how our clients going through the court process are impacted by our services.

We are all stronger and more resilient when we show kindness and compassion for the most vulnerable in our community!

Your generosity makes it possible. It allows our frontline professionals to walk with more young survivors – and helps end the cycle of revictimization. You’ll be helping to replace despair and anxiety with confidence and resiliency. A gift of $50 covers the cost of a session with our team, which can truly change a life both immediately and long-term. By multiplying that amount, you’ll touch more lives – with a larger ripple effect in the community than you’ll ever know.

Together, we can help more children heal and thrive. Please give today.

Linda Mark | Development Manager

Give options include: on our website, by phone (519-744-0904) with your credit card, by e-transfer, or by mailing/delivering a cheque payable to Child Witness Centre to our office (111 Duke St E, Kitchener, ON N2H 1A4). Thank you!

The post Make an Impact for Local Kids This Spring first appeared on Child Witness Centre.

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A dish of the Indian subcontinent, kormas are traditionally braised meat or vegetables with yogurt as a base to form a gravy-like sauce along with multiple spices, which can vary depending on the region.

I think interestingly, the korma’s origin can be traced to the 1600s, and it was often a court dish, including having been served in the majestic Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the city of Agra.

But you certainly don’t have to travel that far: you can get a korma at many, many Indian restaurants, including dishes like “murg shahi korma” of braised chicken cooked in saffron-cashew nut gravy. I am also noting a recipe elsewhere on this website.

Check out my latest post Go for korma from AndrewCoppolino.com.

Both last Saturday's and last Friday's posts have been sent to our authorities by e-mail including TRAC, Region of Waterloo, Woolwich Council, MECP, Lanxess, GHD etc. O.K. some of those (TRAC, Lanxess, GHD) certainly aren't our "authorities" by any stretch although they sometimes behave as if they are. These posts are titled "Wednesday's Nature Walk Otherwise Known as "The Miracle On Erb St." and "Two Issues - Lanxess Chickensh*ts Regarding Stroh Property & K-W Record Are Responding Re: Uniroyal Worker Cancers From Agent Orange ". 

The purpose of my sending these and so many other posts to our authorities is to remove their attempts at "plausible deniability". In other words they have been hiding for decades behind bought and paid for consultants (CRA/GHD) bullcrap - oops I'm supposed to say "client driven" consultants, along with the polluters themselves (Uniroyal/Lanxess).  Deals were done way back in 1991 etc. with the three political bodies (Township, Region & Province) that were not in the public interest but which satisfied our incompetent, lazy and negligent politicians at all three levels who had sat back and watched the Elmira Crisis unfold for the previous twenty-five years while merely going through the monitoring motions. All three levels had both a moral and a legal duty to protect their citizens however they were much more concerned with protecting both the polluter and their own guilty butts. 

The results are now before us. The groundwater is not safe to drink and the Creek is a toxic mess of DDT, dioxins/furans, mercury and PCBs. Far too many local citizens have passed on prematurely from cancers and other diseases exacerbated by bad air and water. Good job politicians.

On the first Tuesday of every month, we’ll announce a new Female Founder, including a video interview of them sharing their business story. Want to be featured as a Female Founder?

Contact Memberships for more details. The Female Founders Program would not be possible without our Title Sponsor, Scotiabank.

To learn a little more about the Scotiabank Women Initiative, and why they’ve chosen to sponsor this program, see the video below.

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The next Female Founder we’re featuring is Chioma Janelle Efejedia, Founder & CEO at Inner Compass Well-Being

Chioma Janelle Efejedia is a registered social worker, psychotherapist, and the visionary founder of Inner Compass Well-being, a mental health agency and tech-powered platform focused on delivering culturally grounded care for BIPOC communities. With over a decade of experience in the social services field, Chioma bridges clinical expertise with innovation, creating accessible pathways to healing through one-on-one therapy, organizational workshops, and training focused on psychological safety.

Drawing from her lived experience and deep commitment to health equity, Chioma has designed programs for individuals, couples, organizations, and youth, weaving together emotional intelligence, trauma-informed practice, and culturally affirming care. She is a trusted voice on topics ranging from workplace burnout to emotional wellness, often leading dialogues on how we reimagine rest, resilience, and representation in mental health.

Chioma’s work is rooted in advocacy, powered by community, and driven by a bold vision: to build a world where well-being isn’t a privilege, but a shared right.

To learn more about Chioma’s journey as a Female Founder, watch the interview below (or read the written format).

Tell us about your business.

So Inner Compass is a mental health agency that offers individual couples counselling, youth counselling. We specify on cultural relevant mental health, so we do have a good portion of our services supporting BIPOC community members, but we do support the greater community. We also offer workshops and trainings for organizations around cultural relevancy, cultural competency, and psychological safety within the workplace. And lastly, one of the things that we’re really excited about is our wellness app that offers guided mindfulness exercises, relaxation sound, a therapist directory, and an AI-featured journal prompt.

Where did your business idea come from?

So, it came from my own personal experience. When I was in my first, second year of university, I was really struggling with my mental health, and I had to go look for a therapist. And when I finally went to go see a therapist, I recognized there was no one that looked like me. And the one that I did find couldn’t connect to my needs in the way that was meaningful and really to give me the support that I needed. So, it made me realize there’s a need for here.

And fast forward, through my working experience and my career in social services, I also had other people that I’d worked with that also identified the same things. And it made me realize that this is a gap that I can really fill. And hence Inner Compass came to be. Now in terms of our wellness app, it was something that initiated through the community.

We did a lot of surveying and market research. And what I kept hearing is that sometimes people just wanted to have mental health that was accessible, that they can access through their fingertips. And we’re like, what if I did a wellness app to be able to serve that need?

What were you doing before you started your business?

I worked in social services. I am a registered social worker, psychotherapist, so I worked in community mental health. I’ve worked at VAW shelters, so like domestic violence shelters. I’ve worked in developmental services. I’ve worked in community practices, and I’ve worked in community development, grant writing, all of the branches of social service.

What have been some of the highlights of your entrepreneurial journey?

So, what have been some of my highlights in the entrepreneurship journey is really being able to learn and be able to adapt my solution to fit the needs of my community. This has been something that has been truly amazing for my business and what it is that we’re offering for the community.

One of the things that I’m very proud of is being able to develop a wellness app that the community can access and have as a meaningful support. So, this is something that’s exciting to me and that has been something that has been fundamental in our business.

What have been some of the challenges that you faced along the way?

So, one of the things that I can say in terms of running a business is it is a lot of work and it does come with its ups and downs and its high and lows and I think one of the challenges that I had to face really early on in business is the “ebbs and flows” of like client coming through the door or like having contracts or even in terms of the development of the app.

One of the things that we did for our app development on April 12th is we actually had a launch event and with that we got the community to name the app, which is now OmaLife, but it also caused some delay in our back end to be able to have it on the Apple Store sooner than we’d like to and that was a little bit challenging because I had to manage my own expectations and also be able to say okay how do I navigate some of these changes that are needed to make sure that it’s on the App Store.

Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would do differently?

There’s nothing that I would do differently. I can say from all the mishaps or the failures or the bumps along the road is I’ve been able to learn a lot and all of those learnings have been able to really help in the next year future planning of our business trajectory and what it is that we’re hoping to accomplish in year two and year three and year four and if it wasn’t for some of those like failures or those challenges I wouldn’t have been able to learn and adapt to the needs of my business and be able to make it what it is currently.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs for taking care of their mental health?

One of the things that I think in terms of taking care of your own mental health as a entrepreneurship, a business owner, I mean I’m a therapist, so I have lots of tools in my toolkit, but I’d say be kind to yourself. I think it’s so important to be kind to ourselves as entrepreneurs.

One of the things that I think is really common is we all experience a lot of self-doubt and we all always experience a lot of like “is this going to work out” and what I’ve realized as entrepreneurship is a journey is to be kind to yourself and give yourself some compassion especially when the times are hard and rough and in terms of self-doubt it’s always going to be there but finding meaningful reframes or looking back at the small wins that you’ve had over time can really help manage that.

What methods have you used to grow your business?

Some of the methods that I’ve used to grow my business is really market research, really ensuring that I have a good understanding of the needs of the market, building connections with my community, so collaborating with other non-profits within the ecosystem, going to networking events, building brand recognition. If you follow our Instagram, you can see that I always give quick tips in terms of how to manage your mental health and that has been something that has been meaningful in terms of like growing our business and getting clients through the door. I think as we go into this next journey of really trying to promote our wellness app and get it into the hands of the community it is really going to be about community partnership and engagement.

How do you define success?

Success for me is defined based on the impact that I can have. When I started Inner Compass I started with the mission to be able to serve the needs of my community through mental health by reducing the stigma of mental health, by providing culturally relevant tools, by making it accessible and that to me is the impact that I want to have when it comes to mental health within my region is I want to be able to have an impact. So, success to me is measured by the impact that I can have for the clients that I serve in the community that I serve.

What are some of the core values that you have integrated into your business?

Some of our core values is collaboration. I think collaboration is one of the most fundamental parts of our business because it really ensures that we’re meeting the needs of the people that we really want to serve. Another one of the things that is our core value is really being able to lead through culturally relevant tools and ensure that we’re making mental health one accessible and relatable to the needs of people who might have been marginalized or have stigma when it comes to mental health.

What are your strategies when it comes to building teams and recruiting talent?

One of the things that I’m fortunate to have is I have about four years of leadership experience. So, I’ve been in leadership or leadership positions in various organizations that I’ve worked with, and I’ve been able to pull some of those skills in terms of my team building and really emphasize like the need for collaboration and ensuring that people have a voice and can contribute their ideals to the overall mission and goal that we’re building.

One of the things that I always look for whenever we’re onboarding whether it be a new therapist or whether it be like students or whether it be like our developers is do they align to our mission and our goal and that is something that has been fundamental.

Our team currently right now is we have a back-end support. We have two, three admin support. We have two therapists and we’re looking to onboard another therapist, and we also have students working for us.

I can honestly say I started Inner Compass through a team of students, and you know a lot of entrepreneurs can say it is scary when they’re working with students because they’re still in a learning environment, but I’ve been able to utilize some of my leadership skills by really recognizing that I’m also learning too. So, giving students an opportunity to learn and grow within Inter Compass has been truly phenomenal and it has also helped us pull from those pool of students and be able to hire some of them to support and further working on our mission.

What are the things that you learned as a leader?

You know one of the things that I’ve learned as a leader it’s important to listen. You can get into like the bottom-up top-down approach and when you’re able to really listen to what the needs of frontline workers are and incorporate it into like the work plan that’s important.

Also, being able to be transparent in your communication. I can’t stress the importance of you know letting people know where they’re at and like knowing what’s happening with the organization is super fundamental especially in an ecosystem where change is constantly happening, and I think that’s pivotal to some of the change management techniques and skills that I use in Inner Compass and when I was a leader.

What have been some of the benefits of establishing your business in Waterloo Region?

I think Waterloo Region has an amazing ecosystem when it comes to other businesses, entrepreneurship, when it comes to the tech space, when it comes to the support for businesses. So, an example being able to access the chambers or being able to access LBIH or being able to access Liftoff Program as an accelerator for when you know I would like to new into my business.

So, there’s so many benefits in terms of the region and it is also growing. So, the need is also growing and there’s lots of opportunities here to get engaged and to establish a business like mine which I’m happy for. One of the things that I can say in terms of you know the ecosystem is very rich and you know people are always willing to like have conversations and build connections and I think that’s something that’s meaningful.

In terms of how long we’ve been here, so Inner Compass has only been around for about a year. We’re hitting our year mark which is very exciting because I do feel like we’ve done a lot within this year.

What inspires you?

One of the things that keeps me going is essentially my community. I can’t stress enough how much and how important it is to have community and again when I see that impact or I see that person getting that help who might not have had access to it before or that person that I might be sitting with in session and you know they’re having that aha moment or they’re feeling supported and valuable. Those are the things that I find is meaningful and keeps me going or when I’m in a workshop training in a development and you know an employee comes up to me and says, “man this was really impactful I really learned a lot.”

These are the things that I find so much value in because I can see the impact in real life and I know I’m aligning my mission to what some of my goals are.

What advice would you give to other aspiring business owners?

One of the things that I would say for any new business is really build your network. I feel like your network is your net worth and if you can really establish a strong network and a base your business is going to do well.

I think also for me I have a pool of other entrepreneurships that I’m connected with and one of the things I can say like on an entrepreneur journey sometimes it can be lonely but, having people that understand the ebbs and flows or the nuances or the different hats that you wear as an entrepreneur and just being able to connect on them and just like almost vent out some of the pain points has been something that has been really helpful for me.

So, anyone who’s getting into business newly I always encourage them is to build people who are the same place as you who are starting out in business and want to learn and are eager to learn but might also have the same challenges because there’s opportunity to learn and figure out how you can grow and work together.

What are some of your future goals?

So, one of our goals is we actually within the next year or two we want to make sure we have 10,000 people downloading and using our wellness app. We are also hoping to open up a physical brick and mortar space and expand some of our services to offer other paramedical supports so that is something that we’re looking to do in the next future and we also want to be the leaders within the region when it comes to mental health support, when it comes to cultural relevant and cultural competency trainings in mental health and in the wellness space and to work with like diverse communities and we want our app to really lead within the industry as well.

What can we expect in the meantime?

So, one of the things that you can expect is we have just landed a partnership with a non-profit where we’ll be able to offer 100 youth sessions for youth within this region who are part of the black indigenous and people of color community.

Where can we find out more about your business?

So, you can reach out to me on my website at www.embraceyourinnercompass.ca or you can follow me on Instagram or Tiktok and on LinkedIn.

The post Female Founder (May): Chioma Janelle Efejedia appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

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Job Title: Board Secretary
Organization: St. Mary’s General Hospital Volunteer Association – Board of Directors
Location: Kitchener, Waterloo Region

For more than 90 years, the St. Mary’s General Hospital Volunteer Association (VA) has played a vital role in supporting patients, families, and the broader hospital community. We operate key fundraising services including Madeleine’s Gift Shop, Tim Hortons, and our Vendor Program, all located at WRHN @ Queen’s Blvd (formerly St. Mary’s General Hospital) in Kitchener. Proceeds from these businesses have allowed us to make meaningful financial contributions to the St. Mary’s General Hospital Hospital Foundation, enhancing patient care and services.

Our mission is to positively impact the hospital community through collaborative, values-driven volunteerism and strategic initiatives that elevate the experience of patients, families, staff, and volunteers alike.

We are currently seeking a dedicated, community-minded individual to join our Board of Directors as Board Secretary. This is a volunteer leadership role ideal for someone who values service, collaboration, and governance.

As Board Secretary, you’ll play a critical role in supporting the effective functioning of our board and its Governance Committee. You will help ensure that meetings are well-organized, documentation is accurate, and communication flows smoothly across the team.

• Prepare for and actively participate in monthly Board and Governance Committee meetings
• Record and distribute accurate meeting minutes
• Coordinate and send meeting invites and materials in advance
• Follow through on tasks and assignments related to governance and board functions
• Collaborate with fellow board members, staff, volunteers, and hospital community partners as needed
• Support a culture that reflects our mission and core values

• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Strategic thinking and collaborative mindset
• Experience in governance or change management is an asset
• Comfort working in a hybrid or virtual environment
• Previous board or committee experience is helpful but not required
• The VA uses Google Docs and Google Drive for document sharing, meeting preparation, and collaboration. Familiarity with these tools (or willingness to learn) is important for success in this role.

• Compassion
• Respect
• Inclusion
• Integrity
• Collaboration
• Service

• Volunteer position, approximately 10 hours per month
• Board meetings: Last Monday of each month (September–May), virtual or hybrid
• Annual General Meeting (AGM): In-person, held on the last Monday in June
• Governance Committee meetings: Second Tuesday of each month, virtual
• Must reside in the Waterloo Region

If you’re passionate about giving back to your community and bringing your voice to a dynamic volunteer board, we’d love to hear from you.

Please send your resume and a brief expression of interest to megburnsdolson@gmail.com

The post St. Mary’s General Hospital Volunteer Association appeared first on Capacity Canada.

Thank you Premier Doug Ford for being so dumb. That at least is both Donald Trump's and Doug Ford's saving grace : they are dumb! Our esteemed premier has been saying nasty things about Ontario judges recently such as : his tirade about unelected judges who "overturn everything right down to the bike lanes." Judicial independence he went on is "a joke" because judges are appointed by governments. Plus criminals go free because "there's a lot of terrible, terrible bleeding heart judges out there." He also said : "We should do what the U.S. does. Let's start electing our judges, holding them accountable."

The problem with Mr. Ford's opinions are that he is such a hypocrite about the judiciary. The system used to be about stuffing the judiciary with party loyalists a system which has since been discredited. Ontario has a Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee to lean the selection process closer towards legal expertise, not partisan connections coming first in determining who becomes a judge. Mr. Ford however stated "We got elected to get like-minded people in appointments,?. Further Ford said "I'm not going to appoint some NDP or some Liberal." Wow how do Ontario electors elects such complete idiots who don't even know how much they don't know. 

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With all due respect to New York, I prefer Montreal bagels.

I like their slightly sweet, less fluffy and more chewy nature. Granted, the more bread-like, fuller New York bagels are better for sandwiches, but for the best bagel-and-cream-cheese experience, it has to be the Montreal.

The word bagel translates loosely from the Yiddish and German to mean something like “ring,” and this of course makes baking and etymological sense, given the bagel’s shape.

Bagels made their way from eastern Europe really only in the early 20th century with the people (and their wonderful culinary traditions and knowledge) who sailed into Ellis Island and helped with shaping the food culture of North America. That it likely appeared at the gateway of world immigration at New York (though Ellis Island is actually mostly in New Jersey) neatly explains how the name came into play.

Here’s an interesing story about New York bagel history, from Atlas Obscura.

However, there is evidence that the original Ellis Island-immigration bagel was the sweeter, chewy version we know and love as a Montreal bagel. At some point in its history, it seems to have evolved into a fluffier, more bread-like ring that is the New York bagel.

The Ur-Montreal bagel really got established in places like St-Viateur Bagel Shop, which was founded in 1957, and Fairmount Bagel. When I visit Montreal, I seek these places out — the shops, both decades old now, are credited with being the anchors of true Montreal bagel-ness.

A Montreal bagel is just slightly sweet. There is usually not much (or not any salt) in the hand-made dough, but there is the all-important honey; and there is also often honey in the water in which the bagels are gently poached.

After their short, sweet honey-water bath, the Montreal bagel must then be baked in a wood-fired oven: that is a critical difference.

The external crispness and just-slight charring from the lick of flames gives an added flavour depth – think subtle sweetness with nutty sesame-seed deliciousness – to the soft but slightly yielding chew of the bagel interior.

There’s not much better — especially with melty cream cheese.

Check out my latest post Montreal bagels or New York bagels? from AndrewCoppolino.com.

In 2019, we asked a powerful question: What if technology education wasn’t just about coding — but about creating real positive change in the world?

As Canadian EdTech creators, we felt a responsibility to help prepare students for a fast-changing world. That commitment led to the creation of the first Climate Action Kit — a hands-on, created-in-Canada resource that empowered students to build, code, and take action on issues that matter.

Pictured Above: The V1 Climate Action Kit in our Waterloo, Ontario warehouse

The original kit (we now lovingly call the V1!) gave students the tools to prototype solutions to challenges like deforestation and soil erosion. They built automated tree planters, smart indoor farms, and more — all while developing essential skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. The entire kit was designed, prototyped, packed, and shipped from our facility in Waterloo, Ontario.

We chose to build the Climate Action Kit around the micro:bit for two reasons: One, thousands of micro:bits were already deployed in Canadian classrooms through CanCode funding; Two, micro:bit is a versatile resource with a low floor that’s built for education to introduce students to coding. 

Choosing micro:bit meant we could focus the learning experience on going deeper — using the micro:bit as a foundation, then layering in physical computing, real-world problem solving, and challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that extended its use beyond introductory coding.

From classrooms across Canada, to events like micro:bit Live, and by working with organizations like Taking IT Global, Kids Code Jeunesse, and programs like CanCode we heard a clear message: students craved purpose, and educators needed accessible tools that brought that purpose into the classroom.

The V1 kit delivered just that — but we also heard from educators who wanted a tool that could go even further. They were looking for a way to integrate coding, computational thinking, and real-world problem solving into subjects beyond computer science. The connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) brought the outside world into the classroom, giving students meaningful context for their learning and the chance to solve real-world challenges. To do that effectively, they needed a kit that was easy to set up, adaptable to different subjects, and powerful enough to support creativity across disciplines.

So, we got to work — right here in Waterloo, Ontario. We redesigned every component, starting with the building blocks.

The new system was engineered to be modular and intuitive, with durable components that snap together easily and can be reused across multiple projects. Each smart module — from motors to sensors to LED displays — was designed with classroom use in mind, allowing students to build confidently while encouraging exploration and iteration.

We also replaced the original alligator clips with custom plug-and-play connectors. These new physical computing connections eliminated frustration and uncertainty, making it easier for students to assemble circuits independently. Reversible connectors ensured students could plug components in without worrying about polarity or direction — reducing tech anxiety and making room for creativity.

And because we know that great hardware is only part of the picture, we completely overhauled our lesson library and designed and developed our own learning platform software here in Canada to make sure it fit our vision and met our requirements. Every lesson was redesigned to create a student-centred learning experience while also providing more support and resources for educators. We incorporated inquiry-based prompts, scaffolding for multiple entry points, and educator-facing supports. Many lessons highlight Canadian innovations — like Banff’s Wildlife Crossing, the Fishway in Burlington’s Cootes Paradise Marsh, and ecobee’s smart thermostats — to root global topics in local examples students can connect with.

In June 2023, we launched the redesigned Climate Action Kit under our new brand, Forward Education — a name that reflects our commitment to future-ready, purpose-driven learning. InkSmith remains our primary Canadian brand as part of the Forward Education family, while Forward Education serves as our global platform for expanding purpose-driven learning worldwide. The launch took place at ISTE, one of North America’s largest EdTech conferences, and we’re just getting started.

We don’t just teach design thinking, collaboration, and purpose-driven innovation — we build our business on those same principles.

From day one, we’ve embraced an iterative, feedback-informed approach to product design. We collaborate closely with educators, students, and partners to understand their real needs, and we ground every decision in the belief that learning should have meaning beyond the classroom. These values shape everything we do — from the way we design our tools to the way we grow as a company.