March 3 – MovingMinds Walk/Run
The first annual MovingMinds event took place this spring, presented by the School of Human Kinetics – The BodyWorks Fitness Centre and the Human Kinetics Undergraduate Society. This event, helped show university employees how people with a busy lifestyle can find work/life balance by incorporating incremental physical activity into their work schedules such as during their break-time. Of course, it not only encouraged our community to increase health and physical activity, but it also benefited the UBC Community United Way Campaign.
This event was a great success with almost 200 participants from the UBC community. Stay tuned for information about next year’s MovingMinds Walk/Run!
January 14 – UBC’s Got Talent
The first annual UBC’s Got Talent featured 15 amazing performances from a variety of talented UBC staff, faculty, students, alumni and neighbours – plus, a special performance of “Sweet Dreams” by UBC President Professor Stephen Toope and AMS President Bijan Ahmadian. This performance can be viewed here. All performances were amazing, but the three top audience choice winners are: Sittinon’s Rubik’s Cube, Pentatonics, and Ultimate Dance Crew. Congratulations!
UBC’s Got Talent raised $1407.40 for United Way.
November 25 – Robson Square Rodeo (5:00-7:00pm)
If you ever dreamed of being a cowboy, UBC Robson Square’s Rodeo was your chance to live out your dreams!
UBC Community members from Robson Square and Point Grey Campuses pulled on their cowboy boots, ironed your best plaid shirts and made their way to The Bourbon Country Bar to find the best bull rider in town while raising awareness and money for United Way.
November 17 – United With Arts (3:30-5:15pm)
The Faculty of Arts and Dean Gage Averill hosted an afternoon of conversation, music, good food, and cool prizes. The UBC Symphonic Wind Ensemble invited the Faculty of Arts to enjoy their dress rehearsal performance of Kathryn Salfelder’s “Cathedrals” and guests were treated to some astounding music. This was a great opportunity to mingle with the Dean, colleagues, and students and all raffle proceeds went to United Way!
November 10 – Spelling Bee Tournament
The first annual Spelling Bee was held in Irving K. Barber Learning Center with almost 20 teams in attendance! Spellers were challenged with words from waterzooi to poltroon and in the end, the English Department Faculty and Staff team won the UBC Library/United Way Cup of Victory. Donations to the UBC United Way Campaign from the spellers totaled almost $750.
To view the poster for this event, click here.
November 9 – Burger and Pint Night
Over 100 guests joined the VP Students staff at Point Grill Restaurant for burger, fries, beer and a televised Canucks vs. Montreal game. The Canucks may have lost, but the real win of the night was raising almost $900 for United Way!
November 5 – Garage Sale in OAB
The Old Administration Building held a garage sale in the Board and Senate Room with items on sale such as food and gently-used household and kitchen items, sports, toys, jewelry, clothing, collectibles/memorabilia, CDs, appliances, and electronic gadgets.
Congratulations to all staff, who raised $500 for United Way, and to the winners of the TV silent auction and the various door prizes!
November 1 – UBC Thrive Kick-Off (12:00-1:30pm)
In partnership with United Way, UBC Thrive 2010 kicked off its week of enhancing a community that is committed to the health and wellbeing of all students, staff, and faculty members. At this lunch hour kick-off in the Old Auditorium, UBC President Professor Toope surprised the crowd with a rendition of “Here Comes the Sun” and audience members shared their own creativity participating in an interactive drum café. The kickoff also included a fundraising raffle for UBC’s United Way Campaign.
October 21 – Life Sciences Pancake Breakfast
The Life Sciences Institute held its 15th annual Pancake Breakfast this year, with pancakes served up by UBC’s best celebrity chefs – Vice Presidents, Deans, Heads and Directors. The breakfast raised $2062 for United Way!
October 18-22 – Advisor Auctions for United Way
Last week, Totem Park and Place Vanier raised almost $5000 for the United Way through an Advisor and Council Auction. Residence Life Staff and executive Council members in both areas were asked to auction off a skill, talent, or their time for the United Way. It was heartwarming to see the response. Over 90 students volunteered to be auctioned off to first-year residence students. Over 100 students in Totem and over 150 students in Vanier attended to support their Residence Advisors and Council members to attend the two separate auctions. Services offered at the auction included door decorating, cleaning services, dinner preparation, serenades, juggling lessons, sailing lessons and many many more! Both auctions began with a speech from the UBC United Way Loaned Representative, Joel Kobylka. Success of the event can be attributed to the passionate effort of the those being auctioned. The event showcased the power of student-led initiatives to impact the greater community.
October 13 – SPPH Pancake Breakfast
Sixty faculty, staff and students came out to the School of Population and Public Health’s (SPPH) United Way pancake breakfast fundraiser. The event raised $474 for the UBC United Way campaign, with more pledge forms coming in afterwards. The breakfast was open to all the other UBC units in the building at 2206 East Mall: the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, the Centre for Population Health Promotion Research, the Global Health Research Program, Human Early Learning Partnership, Population Data BC, and the School of Environmental Health – all affiliates of SPPH. The SPPH Events Committee organized the event, and faculty and staff volunteers flipped and served the pancakes.
Click here to view photos from the event.
October 12 – Cake Contest and Raffle
VP Development and Alumni Engagement raised awareness of the UBC Community United Way Campaign at a Coffee Morning featuring a Cake Contest and raffle draw. 10 cakes, 10 raffle prizes and over $750 raised for United Way made this event a great success!
Click here for photos of the delicious cakes.
October 7 – Sage Bistro United Way Reception
Sage Bistro hosted its inaugural reception benefiting United Way and featuring a 50/50 draw, a DJ, and a silent auction with items ranging from a River Rock Casino Resort package to golf and salon prizes. Look for the second annual Sage Bistro United Way Reception in 2010 – this is not an event to be missed!
September 30 – The Madwoman of Chaillot
The Department of Theatre and Film generously donated all proceeds from opening night of the first play of the season to the UBC Community United Way Campaign. The Madwoman of Chaillot is a deliciously whimsical comedy about an eccentric circle of friends who defy corporate plans to transform Paris into a barren oilfield. You might have missed the opening night, but The Madwoman of Chaillot runs through October 9th.
To read more about the play, click here.
September 28 – The Great Pancake Race II
A huge thank-you to the 54 teams who ran and flipped in The Great Pancake Race II for United Way, refereed by Provost and VP Academic Dr. David Farrar.
The winning team was “Center of the Universe” – UBC Treasury. Team-mates were: Peter Smailes, Treasurer; Patricia Tewfik, Associate Treasurer; Michael Shakespeare, Managing Assistant Treasurer; Hamish Archibald, Manager, Contracts and Leases.
Second Place was “Bookstore: Brains, Beauty, Belligerence & Batman” – The UBC Bookstore.
Third Place was: “Aunt Jemima’s Orphans” – Facilities Management, Building Operations.
Best Team Costume went to “The Beer Battered Pancakes” – Agricultural Undergrad Society, and Best Individual Costume went to Jarrett Woodhouse.
Please check back soon for photos!
September 24 – Custodial BBQ
The annual Plant Ops Custodial BBQ was a hit yet again, raising $5420 for the UBC Community United Way Campaign. Wow! Make sure to keep an eye out for the 2011 BBQ, as this event is not to be missed.
September 21 – Staff BBQ
The 2010 Welcome Back Staff BBQ was a great success with 3,900 staff in attendance!
We would like to thank everybody who contributed to this year’s United Way Campaign by participating in the 50/50 draw at the BBQ. The 50/50 grand total was $867, which means $433.50 goes directly to the United Way. The other $433.50 goes to the 50/50 draw winner, Hugo Martinez, Systems Analyst with UBC IT.
