��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community comes together in record support of ULSU Food Bank

trevor.kenney — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 18:52:33 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community and its extended partners have come together to help make the Christmas season a little brighter for U of L students by stocking the shelves and raising more than $12,000 for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU) Food Bank.

The food and fundraising drive has helped to ensure that U of L students will not be turned away in their time of need and can continue to pursue their academic goals.

"Considering the current economic climate, it should come as no surprise our food bank is being utilized by students (both undergraduate and graduate) at record breaking numbers,” says ULSU President Cameron Howey. “Our students need support more than ever and it is amazing how the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community has come together in support.”

The various initiatives that contributed to the food bank included virtually every corner of campus. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Board of Governors, Senate and General Faculties Council participated in a pass-the-hat fundraiser; Faculties facilitated piggy bank donations and a chili cook-off event; the IT and Finance departments engaged in their annual challenge; the Registrar’s Office held its annual peanut butter/jam fundraiser and a host of other initiatives all contributed to the cause.

“It is inspiring to witness our community come together and raise money to make sure no student goes hungry,” adds Howey. “Through the support of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community, we are happy to say we have not turned a single student away from the food bank this year. We were also thrilled to see the effort of many partners of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.”

The fundraising efforts extended to community business partners such as the U of L Bookstore, Starbucks Coffee, The Coffee Co. and others.

PCL Construction Management Ltd., the lead construction contractor for the U of L’s Destination Project, also got in on the act through a campaign that collected donations for both the ULSU Food Bank and three local families.

“We adopted three local families who needed a little extra help this Christmas along with making a cash and food donation to the ULSU,” says Anna Slater, PCL field office manager. “We were so overwhelmed with the response that not only U of L Destination Project staff and PCL staff made, but our trade contractors, too.”

Brian Sullivan, the U of L’s project director for the Destination Project, says the sense of community on campus is real.

“I feel so fortunate to have a great job and sadly there are many who aren’t in the same position right now,” says Sullivan. “That’s a sentiment that is clearly shared on this project as our trades, contractors and staff gave so generously. It’s a wonderful way to come together as a group and give back to the community and U of L students.”

Howey says students are fully aware of the support they receive on campus and are sincerely thankful for the generosity of the community.

“This is the largest amount we have ever raised during the lead-up to the holiday season,” he says. “In addition to all the efforts of our U of L community, this donation from the people involved with the Destination Project shows they are not only invested in the building, but also invested in bettering the student experience. On behalf of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students, thank you. You’ve made this holiday season much brighter.”

Little Yeller joins the Destination Project

m.williams — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 19:20:22 +0000

After a few months of doing all of the heavy lifting, Big Yeller, the tower crane onsite at the Destination Project, has received a helping hand, or jib, to be more accurate.

Little Yeller, the second tower crane, is now assembled and working away to ensure that every inch of the new science and academic building site is able to be reached. Standing slightly shorter than his larger compatriot, Little Yeller stands at around 165 feet and has almost the same lifting capacity.

Together, these two enormous pieces of machinery are pushing forward the progress on the Destination Project but they don’t do it alone. Someone has to push the buttons and pull the levers, a position Kerry Swift has been sitting high above ground in for more than 25 years.

“It takes around 10 to 15 minutes to climb up to the cabin. Going up around 200 feet gets your heart going in the morning that’s for sure,” says Swift. “The trick in the winter is not get too much of a sweat worked up because as soon as you get inside the cabin, the whole thing fogs up and then you’ve got to wait before you can get working.”

For people that work on the ground, the idea of having your office way up in the sky can seem kind of thrilling or terrifying depending on your comfort level with heights. But for Swift, it’s just the everyday humdrum of his career.

“Getting to be up so high and see out over the landscape was a real adrenaline rush when I first started, but now it’s just where my desk is,” Swift laughed.

You can see Swift and Big Yeller working on the construction site by viewing the live view cameras on the Destination Project’s website, destinationproject.ca.

UNews - PCL Construction

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community comes together in record support of ULSU Food Bank

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community comes together in record support of ULSU Food Bank