Love-May2014
Deb LeBlanc
I am bursting with excitement about my upcoming retirement on May 30, 2014.
Even though I recently received my 25-year Long Service Award, I have been with the College a total of 35 years. I started here when I was about 20 years old as Mike Dash’s Secretary in the Food & Beverage Operations department (aka “the Cafeteria”). I resigned four years later so that I could concentrate on taking care of my new baby, Chris. I returned part-time, a few years later, working at both Heron Park and Rideau campuses, left again to stay at home with second baby, Jenna and in 1988 obtained a full-time job with the Academic Upgrading department at Colonel By Campus (aka the ABE department).
I loved working with the folks in “ABE” but after 10 years, it was time to try something new. Financial Aid has been home since 1998 and I have enjoyed working with the great people in this office. I have been passionate about helping students, over the years, and feel a sense of pride when they graduate and make their way into the work world. It is now time for me to start the next phase of my life, enjoying time with my husband, children and my new Grandson!
My plans include taking my 90 lb. dog Benny for daily walks at the Conroy Pit off-leash dog park and spending more time up on the Ottawa River in Fort Coulonge, QC, fishing, reading and relaxing. More visits with my Mom and sisters are also on the to-do list. I am considering taking up yoga, gardening and may even start some golf lessons. There is so much out there and I am ready for the adventure! 
The Photo Scavenger Hunt of Discovery
by Rumana Selim
Marilyn Monroe once said “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” Her quote is the motto of my life. Unless, it is related to health and safety, of course. I think people frown upon ridiculous health and safety officers.
I am new in Ottawa. The move to Ottawa was fairly uneventful and my family helped me settle in, in this stranger of a city. For some strange reason, even though I had just moved to Ottawa, it felt like home already and I felt as if I belonged here. But of course, I brushed that feeling away since falling in love with Ottawa was never part of the plan.
Prior to moving here, I made a mental note that I would take advantage of living here and experience as much of Ottawa as I can. The more I see, the more I want to see. Seeing as to how I am really enjoying this capital city of ours, I wanted to show it off to my closest friends. So I organized a housewarming party. And to live up to my motto of being totally ridiculous, I created from scratch, a photo scavenger hunt. What better way, than a scavenger hunt to showcase Ottawa. Right? I scoped out locations for the hunt and met with vendors at the Byward Market to make the hunt more exciting.
The hunt starts off at the Rideau Center, where teams were created and clues were handed out. The clues were each similar in nature, where they first had to figure out the location, complete a task, and take a picture. Their first clue was to find Byward Market and take a group picture at the Market. 
There is so much to experience at the Byward Market that my next few clues were all for tasks within the Market. They had to buy a beaver tail and take a team picture of them eating said beaver tail. Then they had to find something to do with a ‘Maple’ at the Market and take a picture with it. After that they had to find the booth with the “spiders”, and ask the vendor for a demo on these spiders. Once the demo was done, they were to take a picture of these spiders. Once that was done, they were to find the store ‘Masala’ and do a flash mob in front of the store and take a video of it. You read that right; a flash mob. What song did they choose? The Macarena. Were they good at doing the Macarena? No, they were terrible. And it was that much more entertaining to watch. I’m a bit mean, I know. But you would’ve laughed just as hard watching them do the Macarena in the middle of the Market. From that point, they had to find the Reconciliation and take a picture there. 
Next stop, picture with Maman. One friend tried to climb the legs of Maman. But in his defense, he did have a photo scavenger hunt to complete and one of the rules was to be creative. 
After Maman, they were to head to the Chateau Laurier and go behind it to take a picture of the Ottawa River. 
I gave them a break from having to do anything crazy at that point and just soak in the beauty of Ottawa. Next up, Parliament Hill. The first task was to find a RCMP officer and take a picture with the officer. Did they accomplish this task? Not only did they accomplish the task, they found an officer who was 6”8. I am 4”91/2 (I’m tall, everyone else is just taller) and my friends are much taller, but even so, no one is 6”8. So the picture looks like a version of the peace tower, with the officer in the middle and vertically challenged humans on either side of him. 
After the excitement of this task, the next two tasks were to take a picture of the Centennial Flame and the Peace Tower. 
Once that was done, they were to head to Major’s Hill Park and take a picture with the Twist Sculpture, head down the York Steps to go back to Byward Market and take a picture on the stairs. From there, they were to head to the meeting place, Oh So Good Café. Their last task was to get a recipe of one of three drinks on the daily specials board and take a picture of either the recipe or the drink itself. That marked the end of the scavenger hunt. They had a lot of fun completing this hunt and being as ridiculous, as the hunt was meant to make them be.
Toronto may be the city of dreams, but Ottawa is the place to discover oneself. I was glad I was able to showcase Ottawa in a way that made my friends fall in love with the city. Falling in love with Ottawa was never part of the plan, but then again the best things in life come unplanned. Cliché much? It definitely is, but then again the best love stories are. No reason for my love affair with Ottawa to be any different. Hope you enjoyed reading my story. Talk to you next time with more adventures and stories.
“Bobby Blondin, a 35+ year Algonquin College veteran poses for a picture with special friends at a Retirement Party hosted for him by folks from the Physical Resources Department on 29 April, 2014.”
Michel Savard Retires after 30 Years
After 30 plus years, Michel Savard, Dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at Algonquin College, one of the most progressive post-secondary institutions in Canada, has retired. He worked as Chair of Culinary Arts as well as a professor for many years prior to that. Michel also volunteered to be the Chair of the Student Success Committee over the past year, focusing on student retention strategies at the College, and he brought to this his passion for helping and connecting to students.
Michel has been recognized as an Honorary Member of the CCFCC (Canadian Culinary Federation) Ottawa in 2011. He was formally trained in Hotel and Restaurant Management at the Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec and holds a Culinary Management certificate. He has his Red Seal Certification as well as Foodservice and Nutrition Management certificate from the Canadian Health Care Association. Michel returned to school during a sabbatical and received his MBA from ESG -Université du Québec a Montréal.
Michel’s entire career has been spent in the Tourism and Hospitality industry as well as in post-secondary education as operator, corporate trainer, educator developer and as senior administrator. In his spare time, Michel and his wife built and developed a Bed and Breakfast Inn in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec called The Wildberry Inn, Aux Baies Sauvages, which he still owns and manages with his wife, Sharon.
Michel will be really missed by the College, by his school and by his colleagues. His colleagues say that he is a hard worker, is driven, caring and passionate, and is a great listener. He is known as a problem solver, a clear decision maker, and a team builder. He is also known as a devoted family man and a practical joker with a great sense of humour. We wish him all the best as he enters into the next stage of his life. Happy Travels Michel!
