On April 9th 2011, I had the chance of a lifetime. I got to travel to a little town in the Dominican Republic called Monte Cristi, with 25 other students from my school, and 5 chaperones, for one week. From hearing that, most people would think that we went there for a vacation, but we didn't. We went on a mission trip called STAMP (St. Thomas Aquinas Mission Program) to go to Monte Cristi and work in the community.

We went through an organization named Orphanage Outreach, which was an amazing privilege. At the orphanage, there were 39 kids, ranging in age from 3 to 22. Every single child there has the most uplifting smile, and they are so happy.

While we were in Monte Cristi, we were split into two different teaching groups, and we went to two different schools in the daytime. My school was called Doña Nena, and it was about a ten-minute walk from the orphanage property. We had classes in the morning and in the afternoon, and from 12 noon -2 pm was siesta time, where we went back to the orphanage to eat lunch, and then we had a chance to play with the kids at the orphanage for about 2 hours. On the last day of school, a student in one of my classes gave me a letter, telling me that she hoped I would never forget her, and that I was her best friend. It brought me to tears. Leaving the orphanage was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do in my life. Going into the trip, I never thought that I would get as attached to the kids and to the community as I did. On our departure day, we didn't leave the orphanage until later in the day, so all day was spent playing with the kids and just having fun. When it was time to board the bus to the airport, the other volunteers and I were all in tears.

These children taught me so much - they taught me the true meaning of happiness, and I realized that we really don't need materialistic things to be happy. They have so little, but they make the most out of everything that they have. They are so happy with just the little things. They taught me more than I could ever have taught them, and I miss them every single day. I cannot wait to go back one day soon and see all the kids again!

Thank You for all your Help & Support

It is with sincere gratitude that I say "Thank You" to my many friends at Western as well as CUPE 2692, for your unwavering support during my ongoing health crisis. We can't begin to express our gratitude for what you've done. We're constantly overwhelmed by the amount of support, love and care that has been sent my way. It hasn't been easy dealing with things lately, but knowing I have friends like you, has definitely helped. Thank you for all the books, spring flowers, floral arrangements, fruit-basket, donations to Breast Cancer, Guardian Angels pins, funny "Chemo Sucks" pins, silk head-scarves, balloons, fuzzy blankets, motivational pictures, cozy pajamas, Get Well cards & emails, prayers & the prayer circle, the signed teddy bear from the staff, the visits and concerned phone calls, the offers of a drive to appointments and the many visits to just sit, listen and even cry together. The advice from those of you who have been here has been very helpful - thanks for sharing your very personal stories. We would also like to thank everyone who donated a homemade meal to our freezer. You filled it up, so we didn't have to cook!

Every time I think of all the time and effort you put into this for me and my family, I'm just floored. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You've helped in ways we can't even express. I will never forget this! In a crisis such as this, one really does find out who one's friends are, and the great lengths they will go to for you. We are so much more than mere co-workers, we are friends - and you've really gone way above and beyond the typical meaning of "friend".

In closing, we're wishing each and every one of you love in your heart, laughter in your home & joy in your life.

Much love & gratitude,
Paula & Frank (Ware)

In the national "Top Store" rankings for Booster Juice stores across Canada, Western is in 5th place - and the top "university" operation. Congratulations and thank you to Andrea, Sandy, Lorena, Matt, Ana, Sanita, Jannet, Alex, Nem, Tori, and the rest of the team who've worked so hard to make us the best!

Hell's Kitchen has nothing on the Berkshire Dining Commons at The University of Massachusetts, as 7,000 ravenous students descend on the Marche-style eatery each day. The "all you care to eat" restaurant boasts a wood burning pizza bar, authentic Asian noodle bar, vegetarian station, massive salad bar, self-serve soft ice cream and much more. I had the authentic Asian soup station two days in a row during my recent visit to U-Mass, and could have stayed an extra day to enjoy the soup one last time.

Executive Chef Willie Sng and Berkshire Dining Commons Chef John run a very busy kitchen, driven by the creative vision of Executive Director of Auxiliary Enterprises, Ken Toong. Ken has been a long-time supporter of culinary development and founder of the annual "Tastes of the World" Chefs' Conference that draws top chefs from universities and colleges all over North America each year. With the recent multi-million dollar renovation to the Berkshire Dining Commons, Executive Director Ken Toong wastes no opportunity to show off his impressive state-of-the-art eatery.

Along with their drive for culinary excellence, U-Mass Dining Services has a strong commitment to sustainability. It is apparent as you walk through the dining hall viewing promotional materials that say "Be a Local Hero, Buy Local Produce". Their sustainability initiatives include: buying 25% of their produce locally; serving sustainable seafood; composting; purchasing brown eggs locally; serving fair trade and organically grown coffee;; biodegradable packaging; and the list goes on. The U-Mass dining team is an active member of a much larger campus-wide sustainability committee that works together with all departments to meet the University's aggressive environmental goals.

They have managed to make significant savings in electricity and energy use, and have diverted much of their food waste through composting, recycling and student awareness programs.

My most recent visit to U-Mass was to accompany two of our Western chefs to Ken's latest themed creation, "The Visiting Chefs' Conference… Flavours of Canada". Ken and his wife, Judy, both have a special kin to Canada; Judy is a native of Nova Scotia and Ken has spent much time in Canada during his travels. Their daughter is currently attending university in Canada.

Western chefs, along with chefs from Guelph, McGill and UBC, were invited to attend the conference. Each team was asked to create a Canadian-themed menu that they would prepare and serve to their dinner guests of about 3,000 students. Here's a sample of what each team of chefs had to offer: UBC - Mesquite-grilled wild BC salmon with blueberry grapefruit salsa and west coast bannock; Guelph - Maple-roasted pork skewers with creamy pear sauce and lemon garlic braised potatoes; McGill - Spicy Quebec lamb burger on onion poppy seed bread and fresh-cut curry sweet potato fries; Western - Braised short ribs with Canadian Ale & roasted tomato jus paired with fingerling potato poutine.

Ken and his efficient team spared no detail or expense in creating the Canadian experience at the Berkshire Dining Commons. Details included the professional DJ who played only Canadian music all night and emceed the event, a screen projector that featured Canadian scenes and places, large marketing banners with pictures of each visiting chef displayed at their prospective stations, three students who dressed up in Mounted Police uniforms, and a Canadian Consulate table where students handed out Canadian flags and pins. To top the evening off, Judy, Ken's wife, plugged in her portable organ and sang the Canadian national anthem. Students enjoyed the food and the Canadian experience immensely and a great time was had by all the participants.

Here's what our chefs from Western had to say about their experiences:

Matt Yeo, Chef
Residence Dining, Sydenham Hall

"It was really an amazing experience to work in an unknown kitchen and produce great food for the students of U-Mass. To see other chefs use Canadian ingredients and transform them into great food, was definitely eye-opening. U-Mass is so far ahead of the game, it was great to see new ideas and perhaps bring back some of these ideas and adapt them to Western. As a chef, you can always expect the unexpected. This is what makes our job so interesting and challenging. I look forward to more challenges in the near future." - Matt

Dee Jefferson, Executive Chef
Spencer Leadership Center

"It was a great experience at U-Mass. I was thankful to be one of the chefs participating in a very special event. What captured my thoughts the most was showcasing our "Canadian Cuisine". When I look deeper into what is "Canadian Cuisine", how much do we really know about it? Most of our Canadian chefs at this event were immigrants to Canada. Of course, we used all local and well known Canadian ingredients, then incorporated them with our own personal touch, taste and cooking techniques, to create a "New Canadian Cuisine"; that cuisine has become well recognized all over the country, from coast to coast. We always cook from our hearts and souls; it is so endless when we get creative with food. I would say that in the near future our "New Canadian Cuisine" will be one of the most unique and well recognized cuisines all over the globe. I am proud to be part of this endless creation and very proud to be Canadian." - Dee

Surely you would think that this kind of detailed event does not happen all of the time at the Berkshire Dining Commons, but you would be mistaken. Executive Director Ken Toong and his team plan weekly events to supplement their already astounding variety of food stations and options. Many of their themed events are tied in with their health and wellness or sustainability initiatives. "Farmer's Night" showcases local produce and products. "Fresh Asparagus Welcomes Spring and Cranberry Week" highlight the health/wellness benefits of eating these fruits and vegetables. Plenty of their themed events are just for fun too, like "Cupcake Mania". To sum up my experience, U-Mass Dining truly is "A Culture of Nutrition, World Food, Social Responsibility and Taste".

For information, updates and answers to questions you may have regarding the potential labour disruptions by UWOFA and UWOSA, please check Western's contract negotiations website at http://communications.uwo.ca/contract_negotiations/index.htm on a regular basis.

By Mary Peterson, Operations Assistant
Campus Operations

Recently, we said farewell to a long-time friend. Without any fanfare, Sally Gilbrook retired from Hospitality Services, after 20 years of service.

Sally began her employment in the Natural Sciences Building, on Oct 5th, 1989 and retired from the School of Engineering on June 1, 2009. Known for her dedication and hard work, Sally was a well-respected team player, as evidenced when she and her colleagues were presented with the Engineering Award of Recognition by a Non-Engineering Employee. This annual award recognizes exceptional contributions to the Faculty of Engineering by individuals or teams from outside the Faculty within a particular calendar year - a fitting honour, for a career dedicated to service!

At Sally's request, she enjoyed a private celebratory lunch with a few close colleagues and friends, on Saturday, October 17th, where she was presented with a gift from all of us in Hospitality Services.

Sally will be missed by The University of Western Ontario, Hospitality Services, colleagues, friends and customers, alike. We wish Sally every success, great health and much happiness in the next step of her journey.

Thank you Sally - and we all miss you!

Submitted by Lesley Cook, Unit Manager
Residence Dining, The University of Western Ontario

Our own Chef Kurt, on the road again...
It all started with his attendance and participation in, what Chef Kurt Leumann refers to as, a first rate chefs' competition and conference at the University of Massachusetts. The medals he has won were GOLD, yes GOLD, and then, a year later, BRONZE. We are extremely proud of Chef Kurt, Unit Chef at Essex Hall, at Western.

Recently, Chef Kurt was the only Canadian Chef invited back to The University of Massachusetts to participate in a 2-day Visiting Chef initiative. He was asked to develop and submit a signature menu and then he spent the day working with the cooks and chefs at one of the largest dining halls at U Mass to prepare the menu items. Ultimately, Kurt's menu was featured and served to over 2,000 students. Kurt's energy, love of food, learning and people, certainly make him the perfect person to represent us year after year!

Kurt has loved all of his experiences at UMASS. As he puts it, the chefs' conference and competitions that he has attended were phenomenal. In June 2007, Kurt attended for the first time along with one of his colleagues, Carrie Schnurr, Chef of Elgin Hall. The two of them were thrilled and honoured to be placed on an all Canadian team along with chefs from UBC and McMaster University in Hamilton. The Canadian team won Gold that year, and I'd say they put us on the map, being the only Canadians to participate! In June 2008, Kurt again had the opportunity to attend the conference and competition. This time, he was partnered with three chefs from across the US; and together they took home the Bronze. Both years, there were a total of 14 teams of 4 chefs from all over North America competing, and over 200 food directors, managers and chefs in attendance at the conference.

Kurt loved every minute of these competitions. "It is a first rate conference and competition," Kurt said. "The University itself is spectacular; the food and beverage facilities are trendy, stylish and very functional." Chef Kurt's favorite parts of these conferences are the networking, the top notch keynote speakers, and the sharing of best practices. He says, "I take advantage of every minute of it. It is a huge opportunity to spend four days with chefs and food and beverage experts from across North America discussing trends, successes, challenges, as well as each others unique experiences." During the competitions, Kurt has had the opportunity to work with talented chefs from all over North America. At the end of the competition, he then had the opportunity to spend time with the very credible judges as they reviewed and provided feedback regarding the teams' choices and dishes. Our Kurt, who has been a chef for over 40 years, grows from these experiences each time. "The last conference that I attended, I spent time with the former Executive Chef of the Whitehouse, Chef Walter Scheib, and Jean Peppin, famous French chef and author. I mean, how great is that!"

On February 9th and 10th, 2009, Chef Kurt returned to the University of Massachusetts to participate in their Visiting Chef initiative. Twelve chefs from all over North America were invited to U Mass, at different times, for two days each. They each were the stars of their own show! Kurt and Hospitality Services were truly honored by this invitation. The idea behind the concept is to introduce students to different types of cuisine from across the continent.

Kurt left London on Monday morning, arrived in Amherst that afternoon; and upon his arrival, he met with the Executive Sous Chef of Berkshire Dining Commons, to review the menu, recipes and ingredients. The menu itself included such items as Red Pepper Seared Pork Chop with Pommes Gratinee and Wok-Fried Vegetables, and good old traditional Middlesex County Apple Crisp.

On Tuesday, Kurt spent the day in the kitchen with all the cooks and chefs, preparing for the masses of over 2,000 students expected for dinner that evening. Kurt also set up an information table to help educate the students about London, Ontario and Western. The entire evening was a huge success and Kurt felt well promoted as the Visiting Canadian Chef from Western. Photographers followed him throughout the night as he socialized with the students partaking in his Canadian fare. Actually, the students were first introduced to Chef Kurt upon entering the dining hall - via trays liners which included Kurt's picture, bio and the evening's dinner menu. He was also interviewed by the UMASS student newspaper, who were very interested to learn more about Canadian universities such as Western.

At the end of the night, Kurt had the pleasure of dining with the Director, Executive Sous Chef and Executive Chef and together, they celebrated the success of the evening. They were in awe of the amount of good old-fashioned Canadian Apple Crumble and ice cream that was consumed! Kurt was all smiles - he claims his face hurt from smiling for 48 hours straight; he also mentioned that the Apple Crumble smelled amazing.

The next day, our traveling chef headed back home to London - to Essex Hall, at The University of Western, to be exact. Kurt certainly has a unique collection of memories. I might also add that all of his experiences have made him a tremendous chef - and a little bit of a celebrity back here at home. He is a proud speaker and is a joy to listen to. but I guess when you have such phenomenal experiences and stories to tell, people will listen!

Congratulations Kurt, you are truly awesome and an incredible representative of the Hospitality Services team.

At the end of June, a culinary team from Hospitality Services packed up their van and headed to Queen's University in Kingston, host of the 2008 National CCUFSA (Canadian College & University Food Service Association) Conference. The focus for this year's conference was SUSTAINABILITY.

Western's team of Carrie Schnurr (Unit Chef - Elgin Hall), Chris Cox (Unit Chef - Perth Hall), Phil Denomme (Chef - Great Hall Catering) and team leader, Leslie Cook (Unit Manager - Essex and Perth Halls) participated in "The Sustainable Chef" Chefs' Competition. The participating culinary teams challenge was to create the best meal of the evening - with a twist. In keeping with the conference theme, teams were judged not only on their creativity, presentation and technique, but also on their use of local product, energy consumption and ability to minimize waste. Western's team brought home the Bronze!

Team Western started their planning and development weeks in advance and here's a peek at their award-winning menu:

100 MILE MENU

APPETIZER
Summer Squash
Baby patty pan squash, filled with both Ontario blue cheese and local goat cheese,
served with a blackberry puree

ENTREES
Zucchini Manicotti
Zucchini manicotti bursting with herbed local organic Ricotta cheese, tofu and summer fresh vegetables, all nestled on a bed of charred tomato & roasted red pepper sauce

Cider Glazed Maple Walnut Pork Tenderloin
Local cider and maple-glazed, walnut-filled Ontario pork tenderloin offered with a duo of potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables & apple scented jus

DESSERT
The Honey Bee
Light sponge cake base, filled with a fresh strawberry mousse, topped with Italian meringue and stung by a marzipan honey bee, served on a rhubarb coulis

We are proud to say our menu utilized fresh, local, organic products,
all purchased within a 100 mile radius of Western!

A week prior to the CCUFSA Conference, another Western Chef was recognized with a Bronze award at the Annual Chef Culinary Conference at The University of Massachusetts. Kurt Leumann (Unit Chef - Essex Hall) had the opportunity to participate in an exciting and challenging culinary competition which was the grand finale to a busy, action-packed, 5-day chef culinary conference. Fourteen teams of four competed in the hot food competition. Each team received a mystery basket of products with which they had three hours to prepare 10 servings, which were then evaluated by a panel of national judges.

Kudos to all our Western Chefs!!!

By: Scotty Hitchon, Hospitality Services
   (Food Service Assistant & High School Student)

The Dominican Republic - those words now mean something special to me and probably will forever. Last April, I had the chance to go on an amazing school trip; one that is now burned in my mind. The grade 11 and 12 students from my school board (Catholic French as a First Language of Southwestern Ontario), were presented with the opportunity to participate in a week-long humanitarian trip to the Dominican Republic - or so we thought! We were told that we would either be helping build a school or assisting in an orphanage. The acceptance process to the program involved a letter to the Board explaining why I felt I should have the opportunity to participate, and an interview. I was lucky enough to be chosen along with other friends from my class, Melissa Rondot, Paige Galette and Daniel Hammond, whose parents also work here on campus.

A week before we left, we had the chance to meet the rest of the group which included students from Woodstock, Windsor, Chatham, Owen Sound and London. In total, there were 17 kids and two teachers. After being in contact with the organization, Tiers Monde (translates into Entire World), our teacher informed us that we would be in pairs and would live with qualified host families for the week. He also told us that we might not have electricity or running water, depending on the families we would be residing with. At this point, we also found out that we weren't actually going to be helping out everyday as we originally thought; instead, we would experience a lot of local "culture" and see the "real side" of life on the island. He wasn't kidding!

On the April 7th, 2008, we boarded our plane and headed to the Dominican. During the flight, I think I felt every emotion possible - I was scared, nervous, happy, excited and more. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never been to a tropical country so I was very excited when I saw my first palm tree. When we arrived at San Pedro de Macoris, we met with our host families. For the most part, our accommodations were a lot better then expected. We had access to limited amounts of running water and electricity - when it was turned on. Our families told us about some of the things we were going to see and experience, and then they played us a song which became 'our' song - we sang it every night, at the end of our debriefing meetings. That's when the "fun" started; I was hit with a bad case of culture shock. I broke down, knowing that I was in a foreign country, with no contact with my family, and had no idea what to expect in the days ahead. After a few hours, I was fine and put my head and efforts into this trip with full force.

The next six days were the most intense and incredible days of my life. The things I had the chance to see are now imprinted in my mind, as are the lessons learned. We had the chance to visit an elementary school and high school. These visits conveyed one of the most significant lessons we learned on the trip, the importance of education! It's one of the most valuable gifts there. Education is something the locals take very seriously and try to offer to everyone but unfortunately, that's not always possible. Their education is free and they have a sponsor program for graduates to pass onto younger children, to help ensure their futures.

We also witnessed many areas of extreme poverty which was incredibly difficult especially with their limited supply of fresh water. We visited a sugar cane field where the employees were paid $3 (Canadian) per day to chop sugar cane plants. These workers had to feed their families often consisting of up to 7 kids. Yet there was just something about these families living in these horrible conditions... their hope was amazing and showed in everything they did. It gave me the inspiration to do the same thing, by always pushing forward and seeing the bright side of things.

One of the concepts that I picked up on while I was there was how simple things really are. I've always tried to live by that, realizing that simplicity is key; but at some point or another, I lost sight of this. I was just saying the words and not living them. Well, I'm living them again and it's given me my energy back. Because of the simplicity of the lives of the Dominican people, they aren't always mad, or in a hurry, or complaining about something. It seems to me that all too often we complain about everything; even if it's not important or doesn't make any sense, we still find some reason to make it a problem. In the Dominican, they don't worry about little things like what brand name their pants are or that something didn't go their way, like the store running out of something before they got there . We tend to think that we deserve everything and that it's our way or the highway - but it's not. On the island, if something doesn't go the way they want, they just brush it off and go on with their day. In their community, they know what real morals are. To them, family is the most important thing, and the respect shown within the family is amazing. The older you are, the more respect you get. Here at home, teenagers or young adults might go home and say a quick "hi" to their parents and then spend the rest of the night in their rooms on the computer or watching TV, or stay out and not interact with their families at all. The Dominicans have a sense of values that we seem to have lost touch with a long time ago. We may be concerned with the latest fashion trends or new movies releases, while they know that these things just don't matter or, in some cases, they don't even know that they exist. It really was refreshing to experience!

One of the biggest lessons they taught us was how important education is to all of us. We went there thinking that we were going to help them, give them a few gifts and make everything all better. Did we ever get a slap in the face! THEY taught US while we were there, and helped us to experience and appreciate their way of life. They told us that we can't just visit, give them tools and/or supplies, and then leave. They need us to teach them how to use the tools or equipment, or to do things a certain way, not just offer them a Band-Aid solution - and then leave. We had to show them how to make proper use of these offerings and educate them.

On the other hand, I think we needed them to educate us as well. They know about the values of family, education, simplicity, love and respect. These are values that we perhaps lose sight of from time to time and I think we could use a refresher lesson, at least I know I benefited from them.

We need to stop with the attitude that good old Canadians and Americans are going to go over to this country and "fix" things for them. Our best gift is to help them help themselves and to feel proud of themselves. In turn, I know we would also learn many valuable lessons.

This trip to the Dominican was definitely an experience that was life changing for me personally. There just are no words to completely describe it. All I know is that I've been given a gift that I'll never lose.

Interested in taking a closer look? Check out our song and video on Tiersmonde.net as well as some of my photos.

I wish to thank the employees and families of the Hospitality Services team here at Western who donated all the dish towels and Canadian souvenirs for my donation bin, which each student was responsible for. I took a little part of each and every one of you with me. Again, thank you for your support.

Submitted by:
Gord Robinson, Rez Dining Unit Manager - Delaware Hall

"Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and all of a sudden, you can't walk."

Seeing that sign on the side of the road sure made me think how insignificant my sore legs and behind were at that moment, and why over 1400 cyclists, including 3 other riders from Hospitality Services, were there. Scotty Hitchon (UCC Centre Spot), Cody Johnson (UCC Centre Spot) and Laura McNeil (Sydenham) were some of the friendly faces that filled the road as far as I could see. We were taking part in the annual Rona Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour.

On the morning of Saturday, July 26th, we started off in Grand Bend and rode 86 km to London, stayed the night in rez here at Western and the next morning, we rode 74 km back to Grand Bend... a total of 160 km! What a ride and what an incredible experience. We rode through wind, rain, heat and the occasional lightning flash, and that was only the first day! The first 15 km of the second day were all uphill but it seemed to get easier as I went along, knowing that each turn of the wheel got me closer to the finish line.

One of the highlights of the whole weekend was being a guest of Hospitality Services and to see what an impact we have on each individual that we serve here at Western. It made me proud to hear people say how great their stay was, especially when they didn't know that I work for Hospitality Services.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year's tour - staff, cyclists and volunteers. I am proud to say, we raised $890,000 towards the cure for MS. This was a first annual for me but I know I will continue to participate for years to come - it really is contagious. The challenge of the ride is great but knowing that I was part of something that has such an impact on the lives of others, is even greater. I am already looking forward to next year's ride.

Hospitality Services... Puttin' on the Ritz to Ride the Big Bike
By: Janet Smith, Marketing Manager - Hospitality Services

On Tuesday, June 17th, the 2nd annual Hospitality Services Western Foodies Big Bike team "put on our Ritz", walked down the Heart & Stroke Foundation's red carpet, and rode a bicycle-built-for-30 around downtown London. Our team was dressed for a "black tie" occasion with top hats and tiaras, bow ties, boas, sashes and lots of "bling" which included sparklies as well as packages of Ritz crackers. When we say we're "puttin' on the Ritz", we mean it! Although it did rain a little on our parade, we still had a blast AND raised over $7,000 for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. WOW... that's $2,000 more than last year!

Kudos to our entire Big Bike team... James Bergeron (Campus Eateries), Lorraine Brewer (Lambton Admin), Nicole Burke (Campus Eateries), Dave Calderone (Campus Eateries), Jackie Edwardson (Campus Eateries), Rob Edwardson (Campus Eateries), Margaret Eldridge (team co-captain; Lambton Admin)), Ruth Harland (Conference Services), Melanie Harvey (Conference Services), Paula Hill (Great Hall Catering), Scott Hitchon (Campus Eateries), Carol Hodgins (Rez Dining), Gale Marks (Campus Eateries), Kevin McCabe (Campus Eateries), Marsha McCutcheon (Rez Dining), Lynda Milligan (Campus Eateries), Terry Morrison (Campus Eateries), Cindy Morton-Cesarone (Campus Eateries), Susan Mosley (Lambton Admin), Jan Murray (Lambton Admin), Colleen Peckham (Campus Eateries), Mary Peterson (Lambton Admin), Melanie Phillips (Rez Dining), Barry Russell (Rez Dining), Cheryl Senay (Campus Eateries), Janet Smith (team co-captain; Lambton Admin)), Gillian Smith (Campus Eateries), Ann Stone (Lambton Admin), Dale Viglianti (Campus Eateries), Felicia Walsh (Rez Dining) and Margie Wilkins (Campus Eateries).

A huge thank you to all of our families, friends and colleagues for their greatly-appreciated pledges as well as for supporting our many team FUN-draising initiatives.

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with the Big Bike, here are a few fun facts:

• It's a bicycle built for 30 riders.
• It is 8 feet wide x 30 feet long (the size of a school bus!).
• It weighs over 1,950 pounds.
• It has over 150 feet of bicycle chain.
• It travels all across Canada.
• www.bigbike.ca

The Western Foodies will ride again in 2009! If you are interested in participating, please contact Janet Smith. Information will also be posted on the staff website in early 2009.

To see more of our Big Bike fun, click here and visit our photo gallery.