Miramichi Blog

Network for Young Professionals in Miramichi

The CBDC and Enterprise Miramichi have joined forces in order to revive a network destined for young professionals and entrepreneurs. The Miramichi Young Business Professionals & Involved Entrepreneurs (MYPIE) is being created to reach young professionals and entrepreneurs aged 18-35 years old who are living and working in Miramichi.

This initiative follows a series of recommendations made by the Miramichi Community Action Committee, who after speaking to external experts and consulting with key stakeholders in the area, mentioned the need for Miramichi to have its own network of young professionals. This kind of network is not necessarily new to the region as some people had tried to initiate the project on a volunteer basis on a few occasions over the years. By taking the project under the CBDC and Enterprise Miramichi’s umbrella and having employees working on the project, both economic development agencies believe we should see a revitalized network of young professionals gathering in the upcoming year.

“This network will be great for our young people as they need to have the opportunity to voice their concerns, share their ideas, and help improve the overall economy of the region. It really is a win-win for everyone in the community to have our young people involved,” states Brian Donovan, Executive Director for Enterprise Miramichi.

Greg McNulty, General Manager for the CBDC adds, “We have seen an emergence of young entrepreneurs in the area and we need that young entrepreneurial spirit to retain our young professionals.”

With monthly activities planned from September to June, MYPIE’s initiators, Terry Stewart (Youth Development Officer for the CBDC) and Nadine Dunn (Job Liaison Officer for Enterprise Miramichi) hope that it will make things easier for young professionals and entrepreneurs to participate. There will be at least 10 events held on a Wednesday each month ranging from networking sessions to luncheons or breakfast meetings and tours of local businesses. Beginning on September 24th 2008 with a Wine & Cheese reception in the Sevogle Room at the Rodd Miramichi River Hotel from 5-7pm. Young professionals will speak about the benefits of living and working in Miramichi.

The focus of MYPIE is primarily to give young professionals and entrepreneurs an opportunity to gather on a regular basis to enable them to either network with other people, exchange information, and celebrate their efforts. To that effect, a lot of work is being put on success stories, which is why the kick-off activity on September 24th will showcase young people speaking up about the benefits of living and working in Miramichi.

If you want a slice of the pie and to be involved in community affairs, participate in MYPIE!

For more information contact Nadine Dunn at Enterprise Miramichi 506.625.1589, email nadine.dunn@ent-miramichi.ca, or Terry Stewart at CBDC 506.778.2121, email terry.stewart@cbdc.ca.

Labels: business, event, Success Story

New Mango Champion an inspiration to others

Mango’s new Champion of the Community is seen as inspiration to her peers.

Veronica Connolly is a TOPS (take off pounds sensibly) leader and she was recently awarded the honour of First Place Winner in this area. The Nelson resident was nominated by her peers because of her continued commitment to her own health.

“We heard Veronica’s story and wanted to recognize her. She has had some tragic events in her life, but has used them to help her succeed in her weight loss. We are happy to share her story,” says Jacqueline Noseworthy, Mango coordinator and dietician.

Mango’s initiative, Mango Champion of the Community sees Mango recognizing and profiling members of the region who are living as Mango encourages the community to live: eating well and being active.

Veronica’s story

Veronica is a TOPS leader in Newcastle. For many years, she taught clogging to the public and was always physically active. She ate well and followed the Canada’s Food Guide. After two deaths in her family, she found that she was eating more and gaining weight. She stopped teaching clogging and began quilting and her physical activity level decreased dramatically.

“After my son died, I weighed 233 pounds in 1996.” Then, after hearing from her family doctor that she had a problem with her heart, she thought to herself, “I count too.”

She made a decision to improve her health. She joined a local gym and returned to the TOPS plan which follows the Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. She incorporated foods from all food groups and increased her consumption of fruits and vegetables.

“I have more energy now and I’m feeling better. I’ve lost 65 pounds since February 2006.”

She has given motivation to her family and has inspired her TOPS group members thus being awarded TOPS club’s first place winner for her weight loss. When accepting her award on April 21, she delivered this poem:

Self Love Moves Pounds

One day I got a thinking
About the shape I’m in
And realized I needed help
If I were to be thin

It was then I remembered
My TOPs pals of ore
And my mind was made up
To eat junk food no more

Mango’s Champion of the Community is brought to you by McDonald’s restaurants: working with Mango to recognize healthy champions in our community.

Mango is a population-health based community program that promotes healthy eating and active living throughout the region. Its’ goal is to decrease overweight and obesity by 10% by the year 2008 through initiatives such as this one.

Labels: Mango, Success Story, wellness

Miramichier Among Contributors Selected for Vagrant Review

In May 2007, Vagrant Press will release The Vagrant Revue of New Fiction, a collection of 15 short stories by gifted Atlantic Canadian writers on the cusp of their literary careers. The selected stories are as varied and beautifully weird as the East Coast itself.

Co-editors Sandra McIntyre and Mary Jo Anderson received more than 200 submissions for the project. They were looking for—and found—new and extraordinary literary voices. The writers range widely in age, location and experience but are knit together in this eclectic collection by the superior quality of their writing, their connection to Atlantic Canada, and their potential to become the next big thing. You will hear more from these writers in the future.

The Vagrant Revue is an inspiration to aspiring writers, a goldmine for serious readers, and a vital, edgy addition to the Atlantic Canadian literary canon.

The selected stories are:

The White Rose BBQ by Brent White of Fredericton, NB
Hens by Janet Parker Vaughan from Middleton, NS
Why Do Birds? by Lee Thompson of Moncton, NB
What It Would Make of Him by Darcy Rhyno from Little Harbour, NS
Seventeen Heresies by Elizabeth Peirce of Halifax, NS
A Good Place to Come From by Sarah Mian from Halifax, NS
I Like to Hold Your Hand by Nina Lassam of Halifax, NS
One Last Thing by Amy Jones from Halifax, NS
You, Jane by Joanne Jefferson of Pleasantville, NS
City of Trees by Joey Comeau from Halifax, NS
Standin’ Up by Rhian Colcott of Bridgewater, NS
Pardon-speaking blood by Michelle Butler Hallett from St. John’s, NL
Extinction by Erna Buffie of Halifax, NS
Home Fires Burning Bright by Judy Bowman from Miramichi, NB
Heroes Until by Russell Barton of Dartmouth, NS

Sandra McIntyre is the Managing Editor at Nimbus Publishing/Vagrant Press. She has earned a master’s degree in English literature from Dalhousie University and has since spent six years in book publishing. Her passion for books and especially new authors has transformed the Atlantic Canadian publishing world.

Mary Jo Anderson is a major force in both the regional and national book industry. A founding member of Word on the Street Halifax, she has written articles and book reviews for the Globe and Mail and the Chronicle Herald, and has been a regular book panellist on CBC Radio.

Judy Bowman writes a regular column for The Miramichi Leader and is a contributore to Bread 'n Molasses magazine. Her poetry and short fiction have been published in literary journals. Past president of the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, she has received two Emerging Artist awards from the NB Arts Board, was commissioned for an art and narrative project for Year of the Veteran, and has a mania for flying. Congratulations Judy! It's a tremendous honour to be selected for this anthology. We wish you every success!

Labels: Success Story

Lifestyle change gives Geikie more energy

Mango’s latest champion of the community is Gwen Geikie.

Geikie was nominated by her manager and described as a model for her co-workers. “Gwen’s nomination is exactly what we want to see when we choose our champions: making small lifestyle changes in order to see big results, ” says Mango coordinator and dietitian Jacqueline Noseworthy.

Mango’s initiative, Mango Champion of the Community sees Mango recognizing and profiling members of the region who are living as Mango encourages the community to live: eating well and being active.

Gwen’s Story

Geikie is an administrative support supervisor at the Extra-Mural Program of the Miramichi Regional Health Authority. In addition to losing 42 pounds since September 2006, she has become a role model to her co-workers and family.

“I was a big fan of eating junk food and would not eat a proper meal,” Geikie describes. “I wanted energy so that I didn’t go into a slump at two o’clock every day.”

Geikie started her journey to change her lifestyle habits by going to the gym each morning with her daughter. She put more fruits and vegetables into her diet and cut back on the amount of fat she consumes.

“I now have the motivation to go to the gym every morning with my three children.”

Want to nominate someone for Mango Champion of the Community?

Nominations for Mango’s Champion of the Community can be sent in several ways. Send us the nominees name and contact information by mail to Mango Champion of the Community, 500 Water St., Miramichi, NB E1V 3G5; by email to mango@rha7.ca or by fax to (506) 623-3502. Drop-boxes are also located in the Miramichi Regional Hospital lobby and both McDonald’s restaurants in Douglastown and Walmart. For more details, call 623-3503 or visit www.rha7.ca

Mango’s Champion of the Community is brought to you by McDonald’s restaurants: working with Mango to recognize healthy champions in our community.

Mango is a population-health based community program that promotes healthy eating and active living throughout the region. Its’ goal is to decrease overweight and obesity by 10% by the year 2008 through initiatives such as this one.

Labels: health, Mango, Success Story