INSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 Homework made fun? NOBODY LIKES doing homework. And everyone can name her least favourite homework subject. For Santana Morgan, a student at Cassie Hall Ele- mentary School, it's math. For her cousin, Augusta Morrison, ‘it’s French Im- mersion homework. ’ Both girls are now enter- ing Grade 6, And despite their: mutual aversion to homework, they're regulars ata club where the main ac- tivity is, of all things, doing homework. It’s called the Homework Club. Last year the club met three times a week after school, in one of the class- rooms. “I kept coming here be- cause my mom made me,’ Augusta confides. “Me toa!” adds Saman- tha. It turns out orders from mom only part of the story. They girls say all sorts of extra things made it fun - well, as fun as homework can be, mind you. The club members are offered incentives for show- ing up and getting to work, like after school snacks and pizza parties. Augusta says her French teacher helped her last year at the club, ending her frus- tration, and enabling to get her assignments done on lime. “T like getting my home- work done,” she says. The club is open to any- one who wants to join, says home ‘school coordinator Elizabeth Dowse, the woman in charge of -the club, Last year, about 20 kids came to the Homework Club on a regular basis. That's not including drop ins. “One thing I can’t stress enough is that these kids came on their own,” she says. In fact, although Dowse fully expected it, students don’t really even grumble or complain that much when they show up to the club. “They always come-in with smiles on their faces,” Dowse says. “I’m just so. proud of thern.” Here's another surprise: “They always, always: told me, truthfully, what — they had for homework.” Dowse says the club will be open four days: a week this school year. - When Cassie Hall re- ceived its accreditation, starting a homework club became a priority. Parents, particularly Gail Morgan, helped get it off the ground. Dowse stresses that the Around Town Breastfeeding support group nears goal A GOAL of replacing a 15-year-old piece essential hospital equipment is now handily within the sights of a community support group for nursing moms. The Terrace Breastfeeding Support Group just has a bit more money to raise to pay for the $3,000, hospital-grade breast pump, says spokes- woman Nancy Jay. To that end, the support group is holding a fami- ly dance Oct. 7, to help raise the rest of the money needed. The dance takes place at the Terrace Arena Banquet room. The facility was donated at no cost to the group. As well, the roster of local performers who will provide entertainment at the dance are also volunteering their time: The line-up includes Mare Battle, who will per- form songs and stories, and two local bands: Sam Sara Fish, and Dizzy Strings, with special guest Andrew Goulet, a fiddier from Hazelton. Billed as a family event, you’re welcome to bring the kids. Admission by donation. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Send your boss to jail DISGRUNTLED OFFICE workers of Terrace, this is your chance to get even with your boss — and support a good cause, On Oct, 11 and 12 at the Skeena Mall, the B.C. branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada is holding its annual Round-up For Research. A roving posse of sheriffs and deputies will arrest bosses in Terrace, based on crimes reported by their office staff or colleagues, and a judge will! send them to jail. Bail money is donated to the Kidney Foundation in support of medical research, services for kidney patients and organ donation awareness programs. This is a province-wide event. To make an “arrest” please call even! coordina- tor Mary Anne Skill at 638-0200. : Film fest returns INTERNATIONAL and Canadian cinema fans should mark Oct. 2 on their film-going calendar, That evening marks the return of the Pacific Cine- maleque’s Travelling Picture Show to Terrace. Past touring film festival offerings in Terrace have featured a range of films that don’t usually make it onto small town movie screens, including the award-winning Red Violin, and Last Night, a dark comedy about pre-apocalyptic angst that starred Vancouver actress Sandra Oh and Twitch City’s Don McKeltar. The films are shown on alternate Mondays at the Tillicum Twin Theatres. The movies will all start at 9:15 p.m. The tour begins with Wiadkorse, a USA/Tibet co-production, and will continue from October to December. The tour is sponsored by the Northwest Develop- ment Education Associalion and the Terrace and District Multicultural Association, COMMU} The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 27, 2000 - BI SECTION B . JENNIFER LANG 638-7283 - A QUIET STUDY SESSION: Augusta | Morrison and Santana Morgan t talk with Elizabeth Dowse at the Homework Club, real strength of the club is the-vuluntcers — parents, fa- culty, and. other students ‘= who assist with homework... A teenaged "volunteer, Thornhill: Junior Secondary School Student. Erik. Bide; helped students at.the.club all last year. When asked why ihe club has worked, Dowse spce- ulates aloud, and -points. lo that sense of belonging a club gives a child, and: the - sense of: accomplishment of having: homework done in time for the next day's s clis- ses. Then ‘she = continues: “Perhaps a quiet place: at home is missing. Some- times parents can’t always help. with. kids- with -the homework they bring home.” Dowse, a mother of five- boys and one of four home school coordinators: for School District 82, says her biggest goal-is ta work with? first nations kids and their homes. “My priorily is their suc- “eesse in: -education, and to bridge “the gap between homie and school, ta, ensure they: hive. that support here.” * Dawse's efforts have not gone unnoticed: Canadian Living ‘featured her and the. Cassie’ Hall Homework Club ina story-about five schools with great ideas in its October issue . AF you're interested in vo- junteering for Cassic Hall's “homework ‘club — whether it’s just a few days between now and Christmas, or more regularly — please contact Dowse at the school, Adulis‘and high school students are welcome to help out, WARMING UP: Northwest Singers turned the forest into a rehearsal space during ihe choir's recent trip to an international choral festival in Powell River. Pictured from left: Andrew Brodie, Grant Huffman, Tim Keenan, Gary Pryce, and Geoff Parr. Joining choirs of the world in Powell River By BRENDA SILSBE Northwest Singers LIKE AN Olympic singing team from Terrace, the Northwest Singers paraded into the Great Hall of the Pawell River Recreation Complex July 4, led by our country’s flag, surrounded by choirs from Australia, Africa, Europe, Asia and North America. It was the beginning of a hectic, interesting, infor- mative, challenging and fun. five days at Kathiu- mixw, and international choral festival in Powel River, B.C. Kathaumixw means “a gathering together af dif- ferent. peaples” —~ a good descriplion of the festival. Not only, were five. conti- nents. participating, but every age: group and many musical categories costumes were and . singing slyles were repre- sented. Music was shared, performance styles were studied: and the various admired and discussed. Marilyn Brodie, the dir- ‘ector of the Northwest Singers, participated in special discussions with the other directors. Every day, the choirs combined to rehearse cammon songs for the closing concert. There was a mass adult Continued on B5 New theatre manager. hired for R.E.M. Lee By JENNIFER LANG JEREMY WALKER knows he’s slepped into some pretiy big, shoes. But the new manager of the R.E.M. Lee Theatre has a definite edge as the replacement’ for the long- serving former manager, who -has decided to step” down. For one thing, the guy he’s replacing is his dad, Tom. Walker,. who »man- aged the 75Q0-seal- theatre on a full-time. basis. forthe school district for 17 yeurs. That's how he learned the job was Up for grabs in the first place. ; “My dad told me it: was _going to come up and he probably wasn’t going to continue with. it,” says Walker, who was hired. at the end of August. > He’s already got one - successful) performance under: his. belt-—-the ‘Ter- race ‘Concétt Sociely's Sept. Quarlango, a- four-piece tango ensemble, 16 presentation of. “I’ve been there enough times that there’s actually no stress in putting, some-— thing on,” the 24-year-old Says. He practically grew up ‘in the REM. Lee. He re- members running. up and down the isles and through the seats as a kid. As a teenager, he began helping out as. a- lighting and sound lechic, cand picked up:the finer points of managing a theatre from his: father: through: osmasis. “Although” owned ‘by. School - District’ 82, the 750*seat. “R.E.Mi Lee “Theatre: is now-operaled by the Terrace “Community Facilities Society, a city- ippointed non-profit socie- ty that also operates Heril- age Park, The socicly has hired Walker us’ the facility . manager for. the REM. Lee ‘Theatre for te sex : 19 months. Hs ii part-time position, -with: Walker. taking book- ings at home and working at the. -R.E.M. Lee when there’s a performance.” The. facility. is used by” the school district for in- struction; rchearsals cand conecrts during the .day- time:. Walker knows what he’s: getling into: the 25- year-old theatre is aging: AL some point, he ‘cai ions, expensive sound and stage equipment will have to be replaced or updated, - ~ Take the - faded “and stained serim, a slape cur- tain that’s “warth. about $7,000: because it’s made out of one piece of cloth so. (here’s no seams. “If you rip it” he warns, “you can’t fix it.” When the Community. Jas” Facilities: Society heoked “a performance, Walker ensures the techni- cal requirements are~ in place, and that things: run. smoothly. That. means - he's sponsible for everything ‘from. having’ the -right the “number of microphones on fe-- slage or tuning the concert grand Steinway piana lo turning aff the ringer in the ‘backstage lelephone he- fore.curtain call, Walker points out that since he has background in the technical aspects’ of theatre, he will save man- power costs, because he can. work the lighting or sound board during perfor- .mances. He “took a stage craft _class al’ Caledonia‘ Senior - Secondary School, and: he did” ‘lighting design and solind. during : junior and high school, After he graduated form high. school in 1994, he carned a diploma. in‘ Inlte- pratcd Resource Manage- ment. at. Northwest Com- munily. College. After working oul in, the woods away ftom.home for days ala time, he" 8 glad lo “have: ajob) that-will keep him in Terrace. ~ Heo admits his’ dad did offer “him, sgind ] utlvice : "when he-took the jobs * Jeremy Walker “He told me, you have to. remain neutral on what’s being performed,” * Walker says. “Youjte. not _ there” as” a "ein member of the ce.” With that in mind, it’s unlikely Walker will be overheard saying anything negative about the adult or school-aged performers. “It could be that kid’s “parent or grandparent sil- ting next lo you.”