Row, row, row your dragon boat

The University of Waterloo Dragon Boat club is seeking new members from the university's faculty and staff for a team that will race competitively next summer.

Founded in 2008, the dragon boat club is a student-run club operating under the auspices of Campus Recreation. "Dragon Boat racing is an exhilarating sport where a crew of 20 people paddle a boat in unison against 4-5 other crews," writes club president Ricky Tjandra. "It is one of the fastest growing competitive water sports in the world!"

The club, which has more than 200 members, has done well this summer, winning four medals at the Club Crew World Championships in Hong Kong in the Under-24 category, and are National University club champions. All three of the club's student crews have won at least two medals.

"We are looking for staff and faculty members that like to be physically active and have a competitive drive!" writes Tjandra. No experience or equipment is necessary to join. We will provide the necessary coaching and training."

Practices will start in the Winter term, once or twice a week, and will run until the end of the summer, with at least two competitions in June and July. Interested parties should register online and will receive an email from the club with more information.

The club intends to branch out from dragon boat racing into other paddling sports like spring kayak, warcanoe and sprint canoeing.

"We are currently trying to push and expand our paddling program to encompass more of the UW community and also the KW community," writes Tjandra. "We are doing this by applying for an Aviva community fund and starting a staff/faculty team."

The Aviva grant, valued at $60,000, would allow the club to expand its practice site and obtain more equipment, including boats, safety equipment, paddles and so on. So the club is in a race for votes as well.

The club can be reached via email for more information.

 

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Emergency alert to be tested tomorrow

an announcement from the Emergency Planning Steering Committee.

There will be a campus test of the university’s Emergency Warning System tomorrow (Wednesday, November 7) at 8:00 a.m. This is a test of the system that will be conducted each term.

No action is required. The test will involve notifying campus that this is “a test of the Emergency Communication System — Go to the Home Page for information.” It will be seen on many computer screens across campus as a pop-up message activated by the university’s emergency planning steering committee. A link on the pop-up page will lead to a special emergency web page that in a real emergency will also be activated taking the place of Waterloo’s regular home page.

The same warning notification will also appear as a text message on cell phones listed with the university. Students can do this through the Quest info system, while faculty and staff can list their phones using the HR info system.

As well, the university has an Infoline number (1-866-470-0910) that will be engaged during genuine emergencies. In coming months a number of reminders to campus will advertise the number’s existence. This special number will help manage the flow of incoming calls to UW’s main campus in time of emergency.

 

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Earth sciences professors dig up awards

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is celebrating some recent accomplishments.

Dave Rudolph has been named as the 2013 Darcy Lecturer of the National Groundwater Association. The title of his lecture is: “Managing Groundwater Beneath the Agricultural Landscape”. Established in 1986, the Darcy Lecture series aims to foster interest and excellence in groundwater science and technology. The series, which has reached more than 70,000 groundwater students, faculty members, and professionals at universities around the world, honours French engineer Henry Darcy for his 1856 investigations that established the physical basis upon which groundwater hydrogeology has been studied ever since.

"If I count correctly, I believe this is the 5th time the Darcy Lecturer has been selected from our department," writes department chair Barry Warner.

Paul Karrow has been named as this year’s recipient of the J. Norman Emerson Silver Medal from the Ontario Archaeological Society, its highest honour. It is awarded to an outstanding Ontario non-professional archaeologist whose life’s work has been consistently of the highest standard, who has made an exceptional contribution to the development of Ontario archaeology and who has earned acclaim for excellence and achievement. It is the highest honour the Society can bestow. "I believe Paul is the first geologist to be honoured with the medal," continues Warner.

"The last issue of Splash Pad, the newsletter of the Water Institute, reports Bob Gillham was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to groundwater science," concludes Warner. "Bob was honoured with a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002."

 

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Students collect canned goods, not candy

by Jacqueline Martinz, Federation of Students.

Nearly 4,000 pounds of food was collected by students this Halloween for the Feds Food Bank and the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. The efforts were for Trick or Eat, an initiative held by the Federation of Students in partnership with Meal Exchange.

The students were enthusiastic as they ventured out into the streets on Halloween in special Trick or Eat t-shirts, to knock on doors and collect non-perishable food items.

“We brought back dozens of bags filled with soup, peanut butter, and vegetables,” says Zoe Naugler, the services manager for the Federation of Students. “Everyone that participated had a great time. It was an opportunity for students to relive their childhood trick or treating days, but help a worthwhile cause this time around.”

Photograph by the Federation of Students.

 

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Tuesday's notes

"Looks like we “lost” our patient, she is looking very pale!" writes Shirley Lokker of the Engineering Undergraduate Office, which was transformed into "St. Louck's Hospital" on October 31.

Other notes as our neighbours to the south go to the polls, as they tend to do quadrennially on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November:

The "We've Got You Covered" coat and jacket sale in support of the United Way takes place today from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre's Multipurpose Room. Cash only.

Renison University College's "Study In China" summer program is now accepting applications.

Co-op students take note, Employer Continuous Interviews (main group and accounting) continue today. Job postings for the main group and accounting open today, and close Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. Ranking open at 8:00 p.m.

The Drop, Penalty 1 Period ends November 16.

 

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