President and Two Students will Present Musical Programs in Palm Springs Area

Here's a good reason to take that trip to Palm Springs you've been wanting to take since the first snow fell:  Dr. Haynal and two CUC students, Antoniel Roca, pianist, and Joel Brousson, cellist, will be presenting three musical programs in the Coachella Valley January 24 and 25. 

Dr. Haynal and a couple of CUC students have presented programs in the Palm Springs for three years primarily because there are so many CUC friends, alumni and Canadians who winter down south.  "These concerts give us the opportunity to meet many current and potential CUC supporters," explained Haynal.  "Because the students I've taken are so talented, the programs have also become a source of pride for our alumni and friends."

This year's program will feature arrangements of familiar hymns that have a Canadian connection.  "Many people have no idea that songs we love like What A Friend We Have in Jesus, His Eye Is On the Sparrow, and So Send I You, were written by Canadians," said Haynal.

George Beverly Shea

The song, Little Is Much When God Is In It, was written by an American Kittie Suffield, who married a Canadian, Fred Suffield.  Kittie first met Fred when she was one of several passengers from a train stalled in a snowstorm who sought refuge in his home.  After the storm she wrote to thank Fred for his kindness, he answered her letter, more letters were exchanged, and a romance blossomed.

Fred Suffield was brought to a relationship with Jesus Christ by a Pastor Adam Shea.  After this he and his wife spent many years holding evangelistic series in Ontario.  In 1926, at a Methodist camp meeting in Westport, Ontario, Frank and his wife talked Pastor Shea's 17-year-old son, George Beverly, into singing his first solo in public.

At this year's program Dr. Haynal and Joel Brousson will sing a duet version of, So Send I You, while photographs of CUC graduates who have served as missionaries are shown in the background.

Program Schedule

• Friday Evening, January 24 at 7 pm at the Desert Hot Springs Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Sabbath, January 25 at 9:30 am at the Palm Springs Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Sabbath, January 25 at 11 am at the Palm Desert Oasis Seventh-day Adventist Church

October is Record-Breaking Month for the President's Page Blog

One way Dr. Haynal "waves the CUC flag" is by
publishing the President's Page Blog.

Although the number of "hits" this blog receives each month has increased steadily since it was first published in November, 2011, a record-breaking 5,644 people visited the blog in October, 2013.  (The number of "hits" the blog received in November was a more normal 3,771.)  What caused this surge was the post about the explosion and fire in the Chan Shun Science Centre.  More than 1,500 people have viewed that particular story!  

In a distant second place for number of hits since the blog's inception is the February 19, 2013, post titled, "Maclean's Report Identifies Canadian University College's Strengths."  The remaining stories in the Top 5 of All Time are:

• Report From the Road: Portland and Calgary Media Share Story of Theft
• Pastor Adam Deibert is CUC's New Chaplain
• Shantel Smith Selected as CUC's New Associate Chaplain

"I am very gratified by the number of people across Canada who tell me they regularly check the President's Page," said Mark Haynal, CUC's President.  "It is because so many church members are interested in and supportive of CUC that we are able to offer students so many good services and experiences here at CUC."

In addition to the President's Page there are two other online sources for news about CUC: Our website and our Facebook page.

Students, Faculty and Staff Raise $3050 for Philippines Relief

Because it took place very soon after Typhoon Haiyan devastated many areas of the Philippines, CUC and PAA students decided to use Amateur Hour to raise money for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Canada.  Thus far $3050 has been raised!  "I appreciate the compassion of your faculty and students for those affected by the typhoon in the Philippines," said ADRA Canada Director James Astleford.

Just prior to the event, Student Association leaders sent the following e-mail to faculty, staff and students:

We are distressed by the devastating typhoon that hit the Philippines last Friday, despite the distance in miles. The Canadian University College Student Association and the Parkview Adventist Academy Student Association would like to help those who were affected by the storm. We will be raising funds to be sent to the affected areas, providing financial assistance for any necessities.

The CUCSA will be charging a $5 reservation fee for all Amateur Hour tickets. Students, faculty, and members of the community will have the option to be refunded when they show up on Saturday night or to donate the money towards the relief fund. The PAASA will be selling baked goods outside the auditorium with all proceeds going towards the relief fund.

Canadian University College's Filipino Cultural Club, led by President Joseph Ernesto, raised just over $400 selling a delicious supper in the Snack Shop November 20.  Mr. James Ng, CUC's Science Lab Coordinator, provided dozens of his award-winning spring rolls for the event.  

If you would like to join us in helping our brothers and sisters in the Philippines you have until December 23 to take advantage of the 1-to-1 donation match offered by the Canadian government.  For more information please go to ADRA Canada.

Jose Sanchez, left, and Joel Brousson sang a duet at this year's Amateur Hour, November 16.

  

Dr. Herr Honoured at Center for Near Eastern Archaeology

Dr. Doug Clark, left, and Dr. Larry Herr
have served as co-directors of the Tall al
'Umayri excavations in the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan for more than 20 years.

Canadian University College Professor of Religious Studies Dr. Larry Herr was recently honoured at La Sierra University's (LSU) Center for Near Eastern Archaeology for his many years of service as one of the directors of the Tall al ‘Umayri excavations in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  At a special ceremony during LSU's Archaeology Discovery Weekend, November 16-17, one of the Center's labs was named in honor of Dr. Larry Herr and Dr. Doug Clark.

Dr. Herr was also one of a handful of internationally-recognized presenters at the weekend event.  He presented a paper that dealt with the inscriptions discovered in Jerusalem from before the time the Israelites were in Canaan through Islamic inscriptions of the Middle Ages. In addition to the paper he presented, Dr. Herr also gave a demonstration of how pottery chronology works.  The full program for the weekend can be found here.

Modest Prizes Motivated Students 70 Years Ago

How enthusiastic would you be to compete for a piece of fruit cake or half a dozen oranges?

Canadian Junior College students who didn’t go home for Christmas in 1939 planned a lot of fun activities, one being a scavenger hunt. They were divided into six groups and given a list of thirty things to find. One difficult item to find was a black pair of stockings (not socks). One group was successful with the loan of a pair from Mrs. Dan Leiske. The group that brought in the best collection in the shortest time received a prize of  “a delicious Christmas cake.” The winners: Marie Widen [Buhler-Fisher], Verna Moser, Leonie Hermann [Miller], Harry Baerg, Nick Trynchuk, Robert McEachren, Irwin Horsley and Marvin Nickel. 

Lorena Mae Smith
1930

Margaret Ziprick
1931

The winners and prizes of a health poster contest were: 1^st prize to Lorena Smith, a car ride on May 24; 2^nd prize to Clarence Lindgren, a boat ride; and 3^rd prize to Margaret Ziprick [Neufeld], one-half dozen oranges. 
The first year an Aurora yearbook was published was in 1927. A prize of $3.00 was offered to the one submitting the most snapshots to be used in the College annual. No record was found for the winner.

Two gentlemen enjoy a "prize worthy" boat ride on
Lake Barnett.

Clarence Lindgren
1931

(Contrast these prizes with the top prize of $500 being offered to the winner of CUC/PAA's 2nd Annual Celebration of Scripture Songs!  How times have changed.)

The cover of 1927 Aurora, CUC's first yearbook.

by Edith Fitch, CUC Historian

Choral Union Presents Two From Galilee

Choral Union, under the direction of Dr. Wendolin Munroe, presented Two From Galilee, a dramatic musical of the Christmas story, Friday and Sabbath, December 6 and 7 at the College Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church.  This was Dr. Munroe's 37th Christmas program at CUC!

Based on Marjorie Holmes' beloved 1982 novel, the musical Two From Galilee was created by Robert Sterling and Karla Worley.  It tells the familiar story of Mary and Joseph as a deeply-moving love story.  One student, after Friday evening's presentation said, "For the first time I was truly struck by how much Mary and Joseph must have loved each other and loved God."

The printed program, including a complete list of the cast can be found here.  The program cover and a list of Choral Union's financial supporters can be found here.  

Acronaires Celebrate 40 Years of Ministry

Canadian University College's gymnastics team, the Acronaires, celebrated its 40th anniversary the weekend of November 29.  Established in 1973 and first coached by Landon Ritchey, the team was originally called Olympix.

The 40th anniversary celebration began Friday morning with campus tours, including a special tour of the AcroCentre, the team's new practice facility.  Special events continued through the weekend culminating with a unique "Acros on Ice" performance along with the traditional homecoming weekend hockey games at the Lacombe Arena Sunday morning.  The complete commemorative program booklet for the weekend can be viewed here.

The highlight of the weekend was an exciting two-hour program Saturday night in the gym that featured this year's team and a few former Acronaires.  Rounding out the evening's program were performances by several professional athletes, including world champion trampolinists Kyle and Keegan Soehn.  This program and other weekend events were broadcast live over the Internet.  Video recordings of complete programs can be viewed here.

During his welcome, Dr. Haynal presented Mr. Schafer with a special CUC clock as a token of appreciation for
the incredible amount of time he has invested in Acronaires and sports and fitness programs at CUC.  Mr. Schafer has supported Acronaires for 34 years, first as a member of the team, for 30 years as its coach, and the remaining years as a mentor and facilitator.

Guest performances by artists who have performed with Cirque de Soleil amazed the audience.  They included the Russian Bar Trio, shown above, and Acrobazia, shown below.

At the end of Saturday night's show everyone was treated to hot chocolate, cookies and a spectacular fireworks display.

Seeing Double with Twins at CUC

There were five sets of twins on the hilltop in 1955-1956—Roland and Ronald Bechthold; Caroline and Christina Campbell; Larry and Lottie Krivoshein; Evelyn and Eunice Suelzle and in the church school were Leo and Reo Ganson. Then four years later there were four more sets of twins who had one thing in common: music. The Reimche sisters sang together; the Ganson brothers played brass instruments; the Perrish sisters played the piano; and the Brown sisters, who varied the most in appearance and interests, sang together but played different instruments, one playing the piano and the other the violin.

Rose Reimche, 1961

Sue Reimche, 1961

Carol Brown, 1961

Sharon Brown, 1961

A problem more common to twins is mistaken identity. Once Walter Melashenko, high school principal, was about to discipline Reo for one of Leo’s misdemeanors—a situation which causes the fellows no concern. Both have the ability to laugh readily at a joke.

Reo Ganson, 1961

Leo Ganson, 1961

One Saturday evening Mary Perrish skated with one of the fellows for half an hour, telling him only at the end of that time that she was Mary and not Marta, as he had been believing. Not being sure which sister was which may have prompted Les Pearson and Gordon Standish to send an invitation for open house to these sisters beginning, “Les and Gordon would like to take you….”

Marta Perrish, 1963

Mary Perrish, 1963

The selection of names for twins is an interesting point. Mary and Marta Perrish have the same initials; Leo and Reo have names that rhyme, Carol and Sharon Brown’s second names rhyme—Fay and Gay. The registered names for Sue and Rose Reimche are: Sudabel and Rosabel.

Perhaps the most unique sets of twins CUC ever had were four siblings, two sets of identical twins: Randy and Ronald Teranski and their sisters Donalee and Loralee.

Shown above are the Teranski twins in 1978.  The photo below shows them in 1965.

by Edith Fitch, CUC Historian

Dausen Kluin Encourages Students to Persevere

Dausen Kluin, who was born with Cerebral Palsy and has limited mobility on the left side of his body, presented a motivating message at University Convocation, Tuesday, November 26.  Drawing from his own experience in overcoming adversity, Kluin told students they simply should not give up trying to achieve their goals.  A short video about Kluin can be viewed here.

While Kluin would love to play hockey, because of his physical condition, he has taken up competitive arm wrestling.  He has twice competed in the Worlds of Arm Wrestling.  In 2010, he placed 6th in the Disabled Division and 7th in the Youth Division.  Kluin is currently training for the 2015 Arm Wrestling World Championships which will be held in the United States.  (At the end of his presentation, Kluin arm wrestled Pastor Ron Sydenham . . . and won!)






University Convocation is a series of eight special presentations CUC sponsors as a service to the community and campus.  Leland Klassen, a Christian comedian, will be featured at our next University Convocation, Tuesday, February 4.  There is no admission charge; everyone is welcome.

Our next University Convocation
will feature Christian comedian
Leland Klassen, Tuesday, February 4,
in the College Heights Seventh-day
Adventist Church.