Here is an email I received from Backyard Bees.ca

 a potluck and pay what you can event for anyone interested in Urban Bee Keeping.  I have a friend that is doing this in Calgary and I am very interested. My husband has made a bee house.  
Here is the info I received:

Saturday March 17th, 2012
5:00pm - 9:00pm
Calgary Canoe Club, 6446 Crowchild Trail SW
Pay what you want
Please bring a potluck item and your own coffee/tea mug

The goal of the event is the same as before:

Kirk Andersons presentation begins with a rich storytelling of the birth and life of Backwards Beekeepers in Los Angeles, and more recently NYC, and all the projects it has inspired over the years. Kirks great sense of humor mixes in anecdotes, principles of practice as a community group, and examples of success in practice through-out the presentation. Backwards Beekeepers offering of educational opportunities, mentorship and collaboration with families and community groups has progressed in to becoming one of the largest urban beekeeping communities in North America. Kirk will share stories of these projects by sharing photos and videos highlighting projects taken on by different members of the LA beekeeping community. Eliese Watson of Apiaries and Bees for Communities will share her template, 6 Steps to Building the Hive Mentality. These steps will aid in guiding the goals of the conversation.  By now everyone’s imaginations are stimulated and projects for their own communities start forming. People are free to ask questions, and tangents are very likely realized by the end of the seminar. 

Like a magic switch is turned on, people’s inner ‘villagers’ come alive and the best thing to do here is to put them into small groups and stick crayons in their hands!

There are a number of simple exercises we can offer but at this point people generally know what they want to do and self-govern. We finish things off with some action planning and next steps.

The goal of this event is to have the community of beekeepers formulate a plan for swarm catching throughout the summer coordinated with the advice of Kirks experience. The more people who attend the better! 


From Info@backyardbees.ca

Acadia Jane's Walk - calling for Acadia volunteer community participants!

All current and former Acadia Residents/Employers/Employees/Organizations/Participants/etc

I am the walk leader for the ACADIA Community "Jane's Walk" on May 5th at 10:00 am (tentative time). If you or anyone you know would like to participate in the creating an amazing walk - showcasing Acadia's history, culture, heritage during the 2 hour walk, please let me know. I would like us to wow Calgary with our wonderful over 10,000 strong community members. 


Did you know that Acadia residents were instrumental in the formation of Fish Creek Park? Do you know other Acadia Trivia? 


I would love to hear about it and make a wonderful interesting, spicy, walk! 


For example - Do you love drama - would you like to put on a little 2 minute play about something Acadian? 


Do you know an Acadia resident past or present that has made an important contribution to society? 


How about a heritage tree or house or building? 


Are you an Singer/musician that could serenade us for 2 minutes at a rest stop along our walk? Looking for ideas!


Are you a visual artist that could set up a little show on your lawn?


Are you a dancer and want to do a 2 minute performance in the park?


Acadia is diversity - so many cultures and heritages to showcase - if you have costumes, crafts, stories, that you would like to share, we would love to stop by on our walk.


Do you have a favourite shortcut, nature walk through Acadia? Do you know where the hidden playgrounds are, or know about a special quiet corner?  If you have great ideas for mapping out an interesting route, please let me know.


Are you a performance artist that would like to perform?


Do you have a business in Acadia and would like to have the walk stop by or set up a display or?


I am looking for your ideas!  Please let me know the Acadia community connection.  Email your ideas to cgsandhurst@gmail.com

My View from Acadia

A little bit about why I am blogging....

I attended the Calgary Arts Development Art Congress in Sept 2011. At the Congress I learned about community builder, Mark Hopkins, and his "We Should Know Each Other" events.   My husband, Geoff and I, went to WSKEO #83 I think.  

I was an Acadia Community Association Board member at large for just over one year, learning from this dedicated group of volunteers and helping out at events.   The Acadia Strong Neighbourhood Initiative by the City of Calgary was a catalyst for me to start blogging about the community of Acadia.

After the Art Congress, I was supposed to write a letter about what I my next steps were going to be as an Arts Champion.   I don't think I ever did.  I know that I feel encouraged to get involved in my community, both residential and artistic. I previously hesitated to get involved, as this entails a learning curve, where I make mistakes and get some things right.  Sometimes the learning and growing can be uncomfortable.

I am meeting great people and learning about exciting things that are above and beyond my continuing involvement as a volunteer with the Acadia Strong Neighbourhood Initiative, such as the South Calgary Artist Network, The Calgary Arts Development Artist Network, and The Acadia Community Garden Committee.  So I decided to change the name of the blog to be more inclusive - so I could include other events and happenings of interest to me and maybe to others. ;)

Welcome to My View from Acadia.  I look forward to hearing about yours!  If I make a mistake, or forget to give credit where credits due - I am sorry - please let me know and I will rectify it as soon as possible. 

The old blog posts can still be read at  http://acadiastrongneighbourhoodinitiative.blogspot.com/