Sheryl interviewing Damian from The Kettle Society 

Last week, CBC’s North by Northwest Radio Host, Sheryl MacKay visited The Kettle Society, a mental health not for profit, to report on the new Kettle Choir, a historic collaboration between Vancouver Opera and The Kettle.

The choir features the voices and stories of Kettle members who have personally experienced homelessness and/or mental illness. Sheryl sat down with a member from the Vancouver Opera, The Kettle, and Geof, a member of the choir and resident at Kettle on Burrard. Each of them shared their thoughts on the choir’s impact and what the program means to them. So far, they have noticed amazing transformations since they began singing together every Monday. Kettle members who were once shy and quiet, are now singing at the top of their lungs, and are more confident than ever before.

The choir is currently working towards Requiem for a Lost Girl, a raw, heartfelt chamber production, which is set to be performed next year at the Vancouver Opera Festival. Requiem for a Lost Girl tells the story of a young girl who lost her life to streets, and explores themes of poverty, mental illness, and addiction, subjects that Kettle members can intimately relate too.

Link to full interview here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/programs/northbynorthwest/sunday-june-11-1.4155849

We are thrilled to be working with The Kettle on this project and will be attending The Kettle’s upcoming Making a Difference Evening on June 15, where the Kettle Choir will perform a special song. Show your support and buy a ticket to this inspiring event. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-kettle-making-a-difference-evening-tickets-33836205000

This week we’re delighted to welcome our new intern, Victoria Giddings. Victoria is a Marketing Communications student at BCIT and will be spending her 9-week practicum at Elettra.

In 2015, Victoria left Smithers, B.C., the small-town in which she grew up in to pursue a career in Public Relations. She has always loved the city of Vancouver, which is what brought her to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). She is in her final semester at BCIT and is looking forward to starting a career in PR at Elettra Communications. Her time at BCIT has prepared her for the real-world, and she is so excited to bring innovative and fresh ideas into the workplace.

Before focusing on her career, Victoria worked many years in the restaurant industry and traveled extensively after high school graduation. Her passion for traveling has taken her to Europe, South East Asia, USA, and Australia. She enjoys experiencing new cultures, particularly through food, music and art. Understanding the world and what makes it tick is something that will continuously inspire Victoria to explore and communicate with people.

During her free time, Victoria can be found snowboarding in Whistler, exploring the city, or trying out the latest ethnic restaurants in Vancouver. 

Elettra’s Leanne Kedrosky wrote the following post on why switching to a standing desk was right for her.

A month ago I switched to a standing desk for two reasons. One is that I have scoliosis, which is a back condition that makes it difficult to sit all day without pain. Second, sitting for a long period of time makes me feel lethargic and I wanted to evaluate if standing more would boost my energy. After purchasing the Oristand, a cardboard standing desk creating by Hootsuite founder Ryan Holmes, here is what I found:

1.    I really do have more energy! The 3 o’clock slump doesn’t crush my productivity like it used to. Instead, I can crush my work without feeling the need or a midday coffee and at the end of the day I feel ready to head to the gym or tackle the evening’s activities.  

2.    I feel better physically. I’ll admit, it takes some effort to keep good posture when standing all day, but it has made a big difference for my back. The soreness that used to show up in my back daily has pretty much disappeared.

After having such a positive experience to switching to a standing desk, I decided to do a little research to back up my claims. As it turns out, it has been argued on the TED stage that sitting is considered the new smoking because it can be so bad for your body in the long term. I’m extremely happy with the results from my little energy experiment this month and will continue to stand up for standing desks moving forward.

Volunteer Opportunity – Event Coordination

Event:         Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards

Date/Time:  Wednesday, April 13 10:30am – 6pm (required)                             

Elettra Communications is looking for student volunteers to assist with Vancouver’s premier restaurant industry event. This opportunity will appeal to students who have an interest in public relations, publishing, marketing, or event management.

Now in its 27th year, the Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards event is the biggest of its kind in North America. Nineteen of the city’s top food critics form the judging panel and vote on the best dining experience in more than 40 categories. The event includes a reception and awards show. The annual extravaganza welcomes more than 900 restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, suppliers, and food and wine critics.

Elettra Communications is the producer of Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards. Elettra is a public relations firm that specializes in event management, media relations, and marketing communications. www.elettra.ca

Duties:

Volunteers will assist with a range of activities including:

·       Event set up

·       Guest check-in

·       Awards presenting/backstage coordination

·       Coat check

·       Event wrap-up

Benefit to you:

·       Event coordination experience

·       Exposure to the behind-the-scenes workings of a large event

·       Opportunity to build contacts in the PR, marketing, and publishing industries

·       Lunch will be provided

How to apply:

If you would like to volunteer for this opportunity, please contact leanne@elettra.ca

In your email please provide a brief introduction of yourself, and include a description of your current course of study, why you are interested in this position, and your contact information.