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Interview with George Rodaro, Director of IT Meet George Rodaro. He is the Director of Information Technology and is someone with whom very few HFC volunteers may have had an opportunity to work. He is a bit difficult to locate. Although he has an office, the label on the door reads “Storage”. Don’t be fooled—a very busy and pleasant person works inside!

George has worked for HFC since 1985 and has been a full-time employee for 25 of those years. He was originally brought in as a software programmer for consultants to develop the purchase order system that was used for the Finance Department during those years.

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 6 December 2013

The Information Technology (IT) Department oversees the entire computer infrastructure at HFC. Mr. Rodaro and his team look after anything that has to do with computer technology or networks, such as key corporate systems and network security.

To date, the volunteers working in the IT Department have been interested in continuing or updating their technical skills. They tend to be newcomers seeking to build Canadian work experience or people between projects looking to develop very specific technical skills. Some volunteers are found through recommendations by contacts who match people to project needs.

Over the years, George has seen lots of changes. Initially, IT was a small group of three or four employees. Now, he has a much larger staff that develops software to meet in-house requirements, such as applications to support the Artifax and Tessitura systems. George loves the diversity and creativity of the HFC environment. He likes the challenges he is given from a technical perspective, and he enjoys using the creativity in co-operation with the other departments.

Next time you see Mr. Rodaro on site, say hello and ask him about his coffee cup collection or his ball hockey career. He is a director with many talents!

Thank you, George, for giving up some time from your busy day to allow the volunteers to learn a little about the Information Technology Department.

Interviewed by Lynn Allen

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Genevieve’s Update

As we wind down after a busy year, it is time for us to reflect on the accomplishments for the year. We have certainly accomplished a great deal with your help! Each and every one of you has contributed to the success of the programmes and events at Harbourfront Centre. The 34th International Festival of Authors (IFOA) had a total of 672 volunteer shifts, and volunteers contributed over 2,910 hours. There was no time for rest, as the Day of the Dead festival fell on the weekend immediately after IFOA. Many of you rallied to our call, picked up the 103 shifts and contributed 401 hours. You are all amazing: thank you for all your contributions! I would like to extend a huge thank you to the volunteer sub-committees: The Recruitment and Training Sub-committee headed by Kelly Gorman and her team — Larry Lewis, Karen Sinotte, Enoch Wong, Janice Romaldi and Chelly Persad — put in a lot of effort and hard work recruiting and training volunteers for the busy summer season and IFOA. Lynn Allen, Coordinator of the Volunteer E-newsletter, and her team — Lidia Jarmasz, Nida Haroon and Kathleen Mooney-Childs — worked hard, publishing a total of six issues of the E-newsletter. Lynn is an amazing interviewer and has chatted with the directors and staff of Harbourfront Centre as well as volunteers. She has that flair for drawing out interesting anecdotes and personal details that spice up the interviews. The photos of volunteers at work illustrate the diversity of opportunities and fun experiences at each of the festivals. However, it is certainly not all work and no play. The Social Activities Sub-committee, under Zuzana Badovinac and her team — Kitty Jones, Elinna Quan, Ksenia Vendrova and Alejandra Vivero — made sure volunteers had a great time at the year-end volunteer bash, and they also provided delicious refreshments at our volunteer meetings and training sessions. The days are getting colder and the festive season is just around the corner. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a wonderful and safe holiday season. Enjoy spending quality time with family and friends. Happy holidays and see you in 2014! Genevieve Peng Volunteer Coordinator

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34th International Festival of Authors (IFOA) Thank you letter from the Director

November, 2013 Hello, On behalf of all of us at the International Festival of Authors (IFOA), I would like to thank you for your contribution to the 34th annual festival. It was truly a pleasure to have you as part of the IFOA team. As you can well imagine, an event of this scope would not be possible without the ongoing support of dedicated volunteers such as yourself. We cannot thank you enough for taking the time out of your busy schedule to assist us during the Festival. Each year we depend on your time, energy, professionalism and enthusiasm. I hope that you continue to find your experience volunteering at IFOA both interesting and rewarding. I welcome any comments as your suggestions help us to make improvements to future events. Plans are already underway for the 35th annual International Festival of Authors, which will take place from October 23 to November 2, 2014. I hope to see you there. Thank you again for your continued dedication to the IFOA team! Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey E. Taylor Director, International Festival of Authors

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Featured IFOA Volunteers

Thanks to these amazing volunteers who dedicated much of their time to IFOA!

Agnese Zagata

Brenda Beam

New VVCs

Kathryn Hamilton

Airport Greeters

Morgan Gerrard

Janice Romaldi

Lynn Allen Andree Delisle

Jenny Willis

Most Versatile

Gladys Paz

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Featured IFOA Volunteers

Interview with Dale Willoughby

an author’s interview so much that it will lead him to choose a new book that he hadn’t considered.

Thank you for all those years of videotaping author events and supporting the IFOA Dale. See you next year.

Dale has been a HFC volunteer at the International Festival of Authors for 20 years. He hasn’t missed a year, even though he lives well outside the city, in Aurora. It often takes him an hour and a half to get to HFC! What motivates Dale to participate is the opportunity to meet and listen to so many authors. He finds IFOA a great event at which to discover new and different authors for his personal reading. Dale is a writer himself, and enjoys making the connections with authors and their books. He loves listening to an author read from his/her own work. Some of the readings are almost performances. Dale brings his wife or other author friends along with him sometimes. Everyone enjoys getting to know who the new authors are coming up the ranks. Dale found that in the past, IFOA events held more emphasis on readings only. These days the festival includes more round table discussions and interviews with authors. He finds this makes the events even more interesting. Sometimes Dale will enjoy listening to

Book Assistant

Hospitality Suite

Volunteers

Stephan Acelar

Jennifer Howlett

Emily Wu

Kelly Gorman

Emily Pless

Interviewed by Lynn Allen

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Day of the Dead

On November 9 and 10, Harbourfront Centre held its annual Day of the Dead festival in honour of the Mexican holiday. Dance, music, art, family activities, food and ofrendas (including a public ofrenda) made this a special festival for all who attended. It was a fun-filled two days with crowds up to capacity in both Lakeside Terrace for the dances and Brigantine Room for the concerts.

Mexican Folkloric Dance Company

Children’s activity

Sugar skulls Ofrendas

Ballet Folklorico Puro Mexico

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Volunteer Year End Party

The annual Volunteer End-of-Year Party took place on November 16 at Lakeside Terrace. The evening, organized by the Social Activities Sub-Committee (made up of Zuzana, Kitty, Ksenia, Alejandra and Roman), combined entertainment, dancing, prizes and good food. Upon their arrival, guests were delighted to receive books courtesy of the Literary Department. They later worked up an appetite thanks to Lynn’s challenging brain teasers. The delicious meal was rounded out not only with

Lynn hosting

freshly baked apple pie (a first in End-of-Year Party history!), but also with a performance by members of APUS Theatre, an artistic collective led by our own volunteer Tristan Castro Pozo. After dinner came the high point of every Harbourfront Centre party: dancing! This time, volunteers enthusiastically learned the steps to bachata, a dance popular in the Dominican Republic. The party was a wonderful opportunity for volunteers to mingle one last time before activities start to wind down at HFC for the winter.

Brenda, Helen and Jose

Volunteers learning the b achata

Prize winner

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Volunteer Year End Party

Zuzana hands Reynal do (left) and Dorothy (right) their prize s

Sean looks spiffy in a red shirt

Performance by members of APUS Kitty, Ksenia and Zuzana hosting

Dinner is served

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Kat’s Korner

The first snow of the season has fallen, and you can just feel the festive spirit in the air. Store windows are decorated with Christmas garlands, and the sales have started. People are beginning to wish each other a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a jolly holiday season. Here is a refresher course of what these festivities really mean and how they are celebrated globally:

Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) is one of the main Jewish holidays which commemorates the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C. It is celebrated over an eight-day period, starting on the 25th day of Kislev (in the Hebrew calendar), during which a menorah with eight candles is lit and small gifts are given each day.

In Northern Europe, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6. The saint (also known as the jolly old elf Santa Claus) was known for his great kindness and his protection of the weak and needy against the very wealthy. Children would place their boots on the windowsill. If they were good, St. Nicholas would leave candy in the boots, but if they were bad, they would only get a lump of coal so they could learn from their mistakes. The feast of St. Nicholas is usually marked with storytelling and the baking of gingerbread.

In Sweden, on December 13, St. Lucia’s Day honours the saint who lived during the third century and is regarded as the patron of light. The festivity is celebrated by children wearing wreaths with candles on their heads. They wake up their families with songs and enjoy a breakfast of twisted saffron buns and coffee.

In Mexico and Guatemala, the winter festivities begin around December 16 with Las Posadas (meaning ‘the inns’). This nine-day celebration represents both the length of a pregnancy and the Nativity story. During this time, people set up a Nativity scene in their homes and re-enact the story of Mary and Joseph searching for an inn.

On December 25, people across the globe gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas . It is said that Jesus was born on this day. To celebrate, people decorate their homes with bright lights, glittering ornaments and fresh-cut garlands. A large feast is prepared, and gifts are exchanged. In certain parts of Europe, “star singers” perform Christmas carols while walking behind a large star strung up on a pole. A similar tradition called “mummering” is carried out in Newfoundland and Labrador where people dress in costumes and visit their neighbours. If they are welcomed, they give a small performance involving a dance, song or joke-telling. Afterwards, the host must guess the performers’ identity before offering refreshments.

Following Christmas is everyone’s spending holiday, Boxing Day also known as St. Stephen’s Day . A common tradition on this day was to give a “Christmas box” to the poor and needy, as well a small gift to those working in the service industry.

The final celebration leading into the New Year is Kwanzaa (literally meaning ‘first fruit’), which is based on an ancient harvest festival in Africa. It celebrates ideals such as responsibility, hard work, creativity, purpose and unity. During the celebration, homes are adorned with fruits of the harvest, and a “kinara” (candleholder made for seven candles) is lit. Gifts are exchanged, and past and future generations are honoured.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope everyone has a safe and joyful holiday season.

St. Nicholas Day St. Lucia’s Day Las Posadas

Christmas

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Our Favourite Events in 2013

Volunteer E-Newsletter Sub-Committee: Lynn Allen, Coordinator/Writer; Lidia Jarmasz, Writer/Editor; Nida Haroon, Design/Layout; Christina Kong, Kathleen-Sonja Mooney-Childs, Committee Members, Genevieve Peng, Advisor/Editor Photos courtesy of Tom Bilenkey, Ricky Yu, Stefano Rodriguez, Holmes Pasiminio

“Throughout the year, there were so many activities and festivals that it is hard to select just one as my ‘favourite.’ I would have to say, the opportunity to socialize a bit more with the authors in the hospitality suite during IFOA due to a change in location was a rare treat. As well as seeing the dedicated public brave the summer storms and burning heat to catch their favourite films at the WestJet stage during Free Flicks.” - Kat

As the year draws to a close, the members of the Volunteer E-Newsletter Sub-Committee look back on their favorite experiences at Harbourfront Centre in 2013. Here is what stood out for them:

“I often forget to enjoy Harbourfront Centre as a visitor. I certainly am glad, however, that I came down for the fireworks on Canada Eve! As an Ottawa kid, the fireworks on Parliament Hill were a highlight of my summers. That said, the spectacular show on our waterfront was the most impressive display I have ever seen. I hope this becomes a tradition at HFC!” - Lidia

“My favourite event of 2013 was Canada Day. It was a combination of a birthday party and the grand opening of Canada Square. Volunteers cut and served a huge red-and-white birthday cake to the very eager public. I had dressed in red and white from head to toe. Handing out the cake was so high energy and fast paced that I didn’t notice until the end of the shift that my white jacket and pants were covered in red icing! Right after the cake cutting, I had a second shift supervising the Guinness World Records Dance Freeze attempt. I looked a little odd, but we had lots of fun…. And surprise, surprise- the stains came out when I washed my clothes!” - Lynn

“My favourite IFOA event was hearing George Elliott Clarke read from his most recent poetry collection, Illicit Sonnets, at the Lakeside Terrace. Clarke doesn’t simply read his work; he performs it thoroughly as he draws out rhythm and rhyme. No wonder he is Poet Laureate of Toronto!” - Morgan

Mark Your Calenders • LunarFest

January 25 – 26, 2014

• Kuumba

February 7 – 9, 2014