# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you interested in performing community service? Do you want examples of service projects you can do? Community service is a great way to help others and improve your community, and it can also help you gain skills and experience to include on your resume and college applications.

Read on for dozens of community service ideas to help you get started volunteering.

What Is Community Service?

Community service is work done by a person or group of people that benefits others. It is often done near the area where you live, so your own community reaps the benefits of your work. You do not get paid to perform community service, but volunteer your time.

Community service can help many different groups of people: children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, even animals and the environment. Community service is often organized through a local group, such as a place of worship, school, or non-profit organization, but you can also start your own community service projects.

Many people participate in community service because they enjoy helping others and improving their community. Some students are required to do community service in order to graduate high school or to receive certain honors. Some adults are also ordered by a judge to complete a certain number of community service hours.

Why Should You Participate in Community Service?

There are numerous benefits to participating in community service, both for yourself and others. Below are some of the most important benefits of volunteering:

Gives you a way to help others

Helps improve your community

Can help strengthen your resume and college applications

Can be a way to meet new friends

Often results in personal growth

Gives you a way to gain work experience and learn more about certain jobs

How Should You Use This List?

This list of over one hundred community service examples is organized by category, so if you're particularly interested in working with, say, children or animals, you can easily find community service activities more related to your interests.

In order to use this list most effectively, read through it and make note of any community service ideas that match your interests and that you may want to participate in. Some considerations to keep in mind are:

Who would you like to help?

Is there a specific group of people or cause you are passionate about? Look for projects that relate to your passion and interests. You may also just want to perform particular community service activities that allow you to do hobbies you enjoy, like baking or acting, and that's fine too.

Do you want a community service activity that is reoccurring or a one-time event?

Perhaps you don't have enough time to regularly devote to community service. In that case, it may be better to look for opportunities that only occur once or sporadically, such as planning special events or helping build a house.

What kind of impact do you want to have?

Some people prefer to participate in community service activities that have a quantifiable impact, for example, activities where you know the specific number of kids you tutored, dollars you raised, or cans of food you collected. This is in contrast to activities that don't have such clear numbers, such as creating a garden or serving as a volunteer lifeguard. Some people prefer quantifiable activities because they feel they look stronger on college applications, or because they simply enjoy knowing their exact impact on the community.

What skills would you like to gain?

Many community service activities can help you gain skills. These skills can range from teaching to medicine to construction and more. If there is a particular skill you'd like to learn for future classes, jobs, or just out of personal interest, you may want to see if there is a community service activity that helps you learn that skill.

Want to build the best possible college application, including extracurriculars?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

List of Community Service Examples

Below I've listed over 100 community service ideas to get you started with brainstorming.

General Ideas

Helping Children and Schools

Helping Senior Citizens

Want to build the best possible college application, including extracurriculars?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Helping Animals and the Environment

Helping the Hungry and/or Homeless

Reducing Crime and Promoting Safety

Promoting Community Enhancement

Next Steps

Now that you know what your options are for community service, you can take the following steps to start getting involved:

#1: Look over your interests: Which activities seem most appealing to you? Were they mostly in one particular category, like children or the environment? If so, that's a good starting place for choosing specific organizations to contact.

#2: Figure out how much time you can devote to community service: Are you available for two hours every week? Are you not free on a regular basis but can volunteer for an entire weekend now and then?

Think about transportation as well and how you'll be able to get to different locations. Knowing this information will help you choose which community service projects to pursue, and it's helpful information for volunteer coordinators to know.

#3: Do some research to see what projects you can do in your community: Check at your school, place of worship, or town hall for more information on volunteering. You can also contact the place where you'd like to perform your community service, such as a particular animal shelter or nursing home, and ask if they take volunteers.

#4: Start volunteering! This list ranges from small projects that you can complete on your own in a few hours, to much larger projects that will take more time and people. If you find a project you can start on your own, do it!

If you want to do a project where you'll need more resources or people, check around your community to see if a similar program already exists that you can join. If not, don't be afraid to start your own! Many organizations welcome new volunteers and community service projects.

Additional Information

Considering doing volunteer work in another country? Read our guide on volunteer abroad programs and learn whether or not you should participate in one.

Are you in college or will be starting soon? Extracurriculars are one of the best parts of college! Check out our guide to learn which extracurricular activities you should consider in college.

Did you know that you can use your community service work to help pay for college? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to win community service scholarships.

Thinking ahead to college applications?
If you're a freshman, sophomore, or junior worried about college admissions, our world-class admissions counselors can help. We know exactly what kinds of students colleges want to admit and can make sure your profile shines.

PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We've helped thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

Join our mentoring program today:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
129 Great Examples of Community Service Projects

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you interested in performing community service? Do you want examples of service projects you can do? Community service is a great way to help others and improve your community, and it can also help you gain skills and experience to include on your resume and college applications.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you interested in performing community service? Do you want examples of service projects you can do? Community service is a great way to help others and improve your community, and it can also help you gain skills and experience to include on your resume and college applications.

Read on for dozens of community service ideas to help you get started volunteering.

What Is Community Service?

Community service is work done by a person or group of people that benefits others. It is often done near the area where you live, so your own community reaps the benefits of your work. You do not get paid to perform community service, but volunteer your time.

Community service can help many different groups of people: children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, even animals and the environment. Community service is often organized through a local group, such as a place of worship, school, or non-profit organization, but you can also start your own community service projects.

Many people participate in community service because they enjoy helping others and improving their community. Some students are required to do community service in order to graduate high school or to receive certain honors. Some adults are also ordered by a judge to complete a certain number of community service hours.

Why Should You Participate in Community Service?

There are numerous benefits to participating in community service, both for yourself and others. Below are some of the most important benefits of volunteering:

Gives you a way to help others

Helps improve your community

Can help strengthen your resume and college applications

Can be a way to meet new friends

Often results in personal growth

Gives you a way to gain work experience and learn more about certain jobs

How Should You Use This List?

This list of over one hundred community service examples is organized by category, so if you're particularly interested in working with, say, children or animals, you can easily find community service activities more related to your interests.

In order to use this list most effectively, read through it and make note of any community service ideas that match your interests and that you may want to participate in. Some considerations to keep in mind are:

Who would you like to help?

Is there a specific group of people or cause you are passionate about? Look for projects that relate to your passion and interests. You may also just want to perform particular community service activities that allow you to do hobbies you enjoy, like baking or acting, and that's fine too.

Do you want a community service activity that is reoccurring or a one-time event?

Perhaps you don't have enough time to regularly devote to community service. In that case, it may be better to look for opportunities that only occur once or sporadically, such as planning special events or helping build a house.

What kind of impact do you want to have?

Some people prefer to participate in community service activities that have a quantifiable impact, for example, activities where you know the specific number of kids you tutored, dollars you raised, or cans of food you collected. This is in contrast to activities that don't have such clear numbers, such as creating a garden or serving as a volunteer lifeguard. Some people prefer quantifiable activities because they feel they look stronger on college applications, or because they simply enjoy knowing their exact impact on the community.

What skills would you like to gain?

Many community service activities can help you gain skills. These skills can range from teaching to medicine to construction and more. If there is a particular skill you'd like to learn for future classes, jobs, or just out of personal interest, you may want to see if there is a community service activity that helps you learn that skill.

Want to build the best possible college application, including extracurriculars?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

List of Community Service Examples

Below I've listed over 100 community service ideas to get you started with brainstorming.

General Ideas

Helping Children and Schools

Helping Senior Citizens

Want to build the best possible college application, including extracurriculars?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Helping Animals and the Environment

Helping the Hungry and/or Homeless

Reducing Crime and Promoting Safety

Promoting Community Enhancement

Next Steps

Now that you know what your options are for community service, you can take the following steps to start getting involved:

#1: Look over your interests: Which activities seem most appealing to you? Were they mostly in one particular category, like children or the environment? If so, that's a good starting place for choosing specific organizations to contact.

#2: Figure out how much time you can devote to community service: Are you available for two hours every week? Are you not free on a regular basis but can volunteer for an entire weekend now and then?

Think about transportation as well and how you'll be able to get to different locations. Knowing this information will help you choose which community service projects to pursue, and it's helpful information for volunteer coordinators to know.

#3: Do some research to see what projects you can do in your community: Check at your school, place of worship, or town hall for more information on volunteering. You can also contact the place where you'd like to perform your community service, such as a particular animal shelter or nursing home, and ask if they take volunteers.

#4: Start volunteering! This list ranges from small projects that you can complete on your own in a few hours, to much larger projects that will take more time and people. If you find a project you can start on your own, do it!

If you want to do a project where you'll need more resources or people, check around your community to see if a similar program already exists that you can join. If not, don't be afraid to start your own! Many organizations welcome new volunteers and community service projects.

Additional Information

Considering doing volunteer work in another country? Read our guide on volunteer abroad programs and learn whether or not you should participate in one.

Are you in college or will be starting soon? Extracurriculars are one of the best parts of college! Check out our guide to learn which extracurricular activities you should consider in college.

Did you know that you can use your community service work to help pay for college? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to win community service scholarships.

Thinking ahead to college applications?
If you're a freshman, sophomore, or junior worried about college admissions, our world-class admissions counselors can help. We know exactly what kinds of students colleges want to admit and can make sure your profile shines.

PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We've helped thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

Join our mentoring program today:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
129 Great Examples of Community Service Projects

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you interested in performing community service? Do you want examples of service projects you can do? Community service is a great way to help others and improve your community, and it can also help you gain skills and experience to include on your resume and college applications.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
EDMONTON -- Mentioning climate change can kill a conversation. But a new Alberta project is using the topic to start one -- and is showing people from geologists to farmers to environmentalists that they have more in common than they thought.

"Climate change has become quite a polarized issue and it often falls down the line of identity," said Amber Bennett of Climate Outreach, one of the organizers of the Alberta Narratives Project, which released its final report this month.

"Communication has a big role to play because it can help broaden that and talk to people about what they care about rather than asking them to be different than who they are."

Talk about global warming can raise temperatures anywhere. But in Alberta -- where oil drives the economic bus and climate skepticism is strong -- opinions may be held more firmly.

"Alberta is a different beast," said organizer Julia-Maria Becker of the energy think-tank Pembina Institute.

The project -- supported by 75 organizations including government, foundations, universities, churches and industry -- is attempting to find a way for different people to at least talk, if not agree. Too often, said Becker, people are afraid to even mention climate change.

"People don't feel comfortable the moment they start talking about this. They get shut down because they feel they are going to offend someone."

Or they get defensive. Oilpatch workers, Becker said, often take personally suggestions their industry is "dirty."

To get past that, the project used a method developed in the United Kingdom. It convened 55 meetings across the province with a total of 482 people. Each group had something in common. There were meetings for church-goers, engineers and geologists, school children, farmers, women, business leaders, oilfield workers, immigrants, parents, environmentalists and small-c conservatives.

Group leaders presented participants with five "stories" about Alberta -- five- or six-paragraph sketches that presented climate change within contexts from provincial pride to future generations to ethics. Participants discussed which parts they liked and which they didn't.

The common bond within the group made people more willing to speak.

"People feel like they are with others who they already know and trust," Bennett said.

Opinions varied widely, said Becker. The point was not to develop policy but to find language that everyone felt comfortable using.

"This is not convincing people about policies. It's about having conversations about options."

People loved it, she said. Sessions often ran late.

"It seems like we found something for which there is a hunger."

One thing the project found was that people are tired of bluster. "Alberta First" rhetoric rolled as many eyes as "Shut the Tarsands."

"The language comes across as too politic-y, not authentic or genuine," said Bennett. "People wanted language that isn't so carefully worded and sterilized, but language we use in our everyday conversation.

"People wanted a sense of acknowledgment that this is hard and it's going to be hard."

Recognition was universal that Alberta owes much to its energy industry, as was a love of the province's outdoors. People agreed weather is changing and the province needs to prepare. Everyone feared Alberta has too many eggs in one economic basket.

There's more to life in Alberta than money, people said. And we all need to talk.

The project has already spawned spinoffs to keep the conversation going, including corporate retreats and book clubs.

"We've had briefings with more than one political party," Becker said.

The narratives project isn't going to have everyone singing around the campfire anytime soon, said Bennett. Nor is that the point.

"There's no magic bullet. There's a lot more that needs to happen that is outside the realm of communication."

But it's a start.

"It clearly came out that many people feel alienated from the current conversations around climate change. Language can help, and starting from ... what matters to people is a good place to start."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How a new project is getting Albertans talking about climate change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EDMONTON -- Mentioning climate change can kill a conversation. But a new Alberta project is using the topic to start one -- and is showing people from geologists to farmers to environmentalists that they have more in common than they thought.

# data[].attributes.headline
Tec Voc students create a warming hut for the Forks.

# data[].attributes.subject
Tec Voc students create a warming hut for the Forks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Engaged Learners Program a Huge Success - News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Environmental Project Jobs in Winnipeg, MB (with Salaries) | Indeed.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Search 94 Environmental Project jobs now available in Winnipeg, MB on Indeed.com, the world's largest job site.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.edutopia.org/video/5-keys-rigorous-project-based-learning

# data[].attributes.body
Developing Urban Green
spaces

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Danika - Developing an Urban Green Space - Propel LRSD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We actively engage Canadians in creating and sustaining healthy and dynamic urban environments in our schools, public spaces, housing and transit systems, and communities at large.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Canada's surprising Icelandic colony - BBC Reel

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's a legacy the descendants of these first pioneers are still proud of.

# data[].attributes.headline
Gravitational Waves, what are they, how do we measure them, and what can they tell us about our universe?

# data[].attributes.subject
Gravitational Waves, what are they, how do we measure them, and what can they tell us about our universe?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Scientists are about to restart the two giant facilities in the United States that register gravitational waves, the ripples in the very fabric of the universe that were predicted by Albert Einstein over a century ago.

Einstein realized that when massive objects such as black holes collide, the impact sends shockwaves through space-time that are like the ripples in water created by tossing a pebble in a pond.

In 2015, researchers made history by detecting gravitational waves from colliding black holes for the first time - and this was such a milestone that three U.S. physicists almost immediately won the Nobel Prize for their work on the project.

Since then, physicists have detected gravitational waves from other exotic smash-ups. The grand total is10 pairs of black holes colliding, and a pair of neutron stars crashing together.

Now they're getting ready to discover more of these cosmic events. On April 1, the twin facilities in Louisiana and Washington state that make up the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory will start doing science again after being shut down for more than a year so that workers could install hardware upgrades.

The improvements should dramatically increase the detector's ability to sense some of the most mysterious and powerful events in the universe.

"So far, we've seen 11 things. Maybe we'll see twice that many this year," says Joseph Giaime, head of the LIGO Observatory in Livingston, La.

Researchers will also be helped by the fact that a third detector in Italy, called Virgo, will be up and running. It was only online for the very end of LIGO's last observation period. Having more detectors working together makes it easier for researchers to locate the source of gravitational waves in the sky. What's more, a new detector in Japan called KAGRA is expected to join in at some point.

Being able to sense gravitational waves is brand new for astronomy, which has spent centuries studying light. But black holes don't emit light, and these detectors offer a new way to probe their secrets.

"Galileo invented the telescope or used the telescope for the first time to do astronomy 400 years ago. And today we're still building better telescopes," notes Gabriela González, professor of physics and astronomy at Louisiana State University. "I think this decade has been the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy. So this will keep making progress, with better detectors, with different detectors, with more detectors."

She worked on gravitational waves for years before they actually were detected, and says friends now confess that they worried about her career because the task was so hard that it seemed the waves might never be detected. Now, she says, they are jealous that she works in such a cutting-edge field.

Each LIGO detector in the U.S. is made of two long concrete pipes that come together in what looks a huge letter "L." Each arm stretches out for more than two miles. "I've spoken with pilots who fly over this who wonder why there is a pipeline that starts nowhere, travels a couple miles, turns right and then also goes nowhere," Giaime says.

Inside the pipeline is a powerful laser beam that bounces back and forth between mirrors. Scientists use this laser to precisely measure the length of each arm of the L. When a gravitational wave passes through and distorts space, the lengths change by a tiny, tiny bit - a fraction of the width of a sub-atomic particle.

Giaime says some of the recent upgrades to the detectors include types of hardware that boost laser power and reduce certain kinds of "noise" in their measurements. "We replaced some optics, which is a lot of work," he says.

This time around, if LIGO detects gravitational waves, the team will send out public alerts so that anyone can point their telescopes at the right spot in the sky in case, like the neutron star collision, the event sends out any observable fireworks.

"We've only seen this handful of black holes out of all the possible ones that are out there. There are many, many questions we still don't know how to answer," says Nergis Mavalvala, a gravitational wave researcher at MIT.

Plus, she says, there's always the possibility that something completely unexpected will go boom and leave perplexed researchers scratching their heads.

"That's how discovery happens," she says. "You turn on a new instrument, you point it out at the sky, and you see something that you had no idea existed."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Massive U.S. Machines That Hunt For Ripples In Space-Time Just Got An Upgrade

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Scientists are about to restart the two giant facilities in the United States that register gravitational waves, the ripples in the very fabric of the universe that were predicted by Albert Einstein over a century ago.

# data[].attributes.body
Opportunity for students to earn credits through project based learning

# data[].attributes.headline
Great environmental project for full school involvement

# data[].attributes.subject
Great environmental project for full school involvement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
All GREEN Schools projects | SEEDS CONNECTIONS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Seeds Connections - two Calgary community non-profit leaders have joined to provide leadership, diversity, environment and energy programs for K - 12 students across Canada.

# data[].attributes.headline
What is 'real world' Math (modelling in math class)

# data[].attributes.subject
What is 'real world' Math (modelling in math class)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Amare is looking at these 16 parabolas. Her partner Geoff has chosen one and she has to figure out which one by asking yes-or-no questions.

There are lots of details here. She's trying to focus on the ones that matter. The color of the parabola doesn't seem relevant. They're all blue. The window of the graph is the same for all the parabolas.

She focuses on the orientation of the graphs and she asks a question using the most precise words she can given her current understanding. "Is it like a hill?" she asks.

Geoff answers back "No" and Amare eliminates all the "hill" graphs from consideration. So far so good.

Amare is now at a loss. She knows that the graphs are different but she isn't sure how to articulate those differences. "Is it wide?" she asks.

After a long pause, Geoff answers back "Yes."

Amare eliminates several graphs, one of which happens to be Geoff's graph. Their definitions of "wide" were different.

Their teacher brings the class together for a discussion of the features the students found useful in their exchanges. The teacher offers them some language mathematicians often use to describe the same graphs. Then they all return to the activity to play another round.

Modeling

Here is a diagram the GAIMME report uses to describe mathematical modeling (p. 13):

I contend that Amare and Geoff participated in every one of those stages.

Here is GAIMME's definition of mathematical modeling (p. 8):

Mathematical modeling is a process that uses mathematics to represent, analyze, make predictions or otherwise provide insight into real-world phenomena.

I contend that Amare and Geoff satisfy that definition as well.

Many mathematical modelers would disagree, I suspect, given the reaction to my panel remarks last week.

Polygraph isn't "real world." They're convinced it isn't. When asked to describe how we know a student is working in the "real world" or not, though, they beg the question with adjectives like " legitimate," authentic," or " not mathematical" (essentially "not not 'real world'").

They can't offer a definition of "real world" that categorizes the shapes that are right in front of the student right now as "not real." They just know "real world" when they see it.
The distinction between the "real" and "not real" world doesn't exist and insisting on it makes everyone's job harder.
It makes the teacher's job harder. She has to maintain two models for how students learn - one for ideas that exist in the "real world" and one for ideas that exist in the "not real world." But they can unify those models! The tasks that mathematical modelers often enjoy and Polygraph should be taught the same way. That'd be great for teachers!

It makes the mathematical modeler's job harder. The tasks mathematical modelers enjoy are not categorically different from Polygraph. The early ideas that teachers need to elicit, provoke, and develop in those tasks differ from Polygraph only in their degree of contextual complexity. Instead of telling teachers, "Here is how this task is similar to everything else you've done this year," and benefiting from pedagogical coherence, they tell teachers, "This task is categorically different from everything else you've done this year and why aren't you doing more of them?"

I'm trying to convince mathematical modelers that their process is the same one by which anyone learns anything, that they should spend much less time patrolling borders that don't exist, and instead apply their processes to every area of the world, every last bit of which is "real."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
"Real-World" Math Is Everywhere or It's Nowhere

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Amare is looking at these 16 parabolas. Her partner Geoff has chosen one and she has to figure out which one by asking yes-or-no questions. There are lots of details here. She's trying to focus on the ones that matter. The color of the parabola doesn't seem relevant. They're all...

# data[].attributes.headline
Driver's Ed, students could explore why potholes are so bad here and how other provinces and cities around Canada deal with this.

# data[].attributes.subject
Driver's Ed, students could explore why potholes are so bad here and how other provinces and cities around Canada deal with this.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Driving in Winnipeg in the spring is like playing Mario Kart and trying to avoid banana peels.

You're constantly weaving and dodging, trying to ensure your car doesn't disappear into a gaping pothole.
RELATED: What gets your vote for worst road in Manitoba?
There are notorious trouble spots around the city, perhaps the worst of which is Empress Street. It's in bad enough shape that the city plans to reconstruct the road from Portage Avenue to St. Matthew's Street next year.

The city has already filled close to 14,000 potholes this year, according to Winnipeg city councillor and resident pothologist Marty Morantz.

POTHOLE UPDATE: City of Winnipeg has repaired approximately 13,500 potholes to date in 2018.
4,940 potholes were filled since Friday, Mar 16, 2018

- Marty Morantz (@marty_morantz) March 23, 2018

But some of those holes were likely the same hole repeated because crews are only applying a temporary fix.

"We're using a cold mix, it's specially designed for cold, wet temperatures. Patching in the spring is a challenge because of that freeze-thaw cycle," explained Ken Allen with the city's Public Works Department.

"We do this patching with the understanding that we're going to be going back, potentially two or three times. The asphalt plants open up in mid-May, and that's when we go back with hot asphalt and we do a permanent patch."

RELATED: Majority of Winnipeg roads are in good condition: city report
The city's budget for pothole repair is roughly $1.8 million, according to Acting Manager of Street Maintenance Cheryl Anderson.

"It's just part of the nature of having infrastructure, especially during this season where we have the freeze-thaw cycle," Anderson said. "As more moisture goes into the pavement, when it freezes, it's like your ice cube tray. When the cubes freeze, the tray expands, and the same thing happens under the pavement. It breaks the pavement away."

READ MORE: Close to 100,000 potholes filled in Winnipeg this year alone, councillor says

Conditions this past winter were favourable for the city, with limited snowfall reducing the amount of moisture available to seep into the pavement.

"It's fairly dry, and I think in terms of service requests to 311, the numbers are down this year," Allen said. "So far, Mother Nature has been somewhat cooperative this year."

But is it possible to fill every single pothole?

"Eventually, we want them all filled. This time of year, it is pretty hard to keep up," Anderson admitted.

Potholes on major routes will be fixed first before the city gets to work on 311 requests from residents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Winnipeg crews continue endless pothole fight with temporary spring fix

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Driving in Winnipeg in the spring is like playing Mario Kart and trying to avoid banana peels. You're constantly weaving and dodging, trying to ensure your car doesn't disappear into a gaping pothole. RELATED: What gets your vote for worst road in Manitoba?

# data[].attributes.body
Look at your community and together we can improve the lives of people, animals and the environment!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There is a powerful force unleashed when young people resolve to make a change.

- Dr. Jane Goodall

Through Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots program, you become part of the next generation of community leaders. We support you as you explore your community, identify environmental problems and take action.

But don't take our word for it!

Check out what these youth have to say about their Roots & Shoots experience.

We have all the info you need to get you started on an awesome project that will make a difference where you live.

Download Youth Tool Kit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There is a powerful force unleashed when young people resolve to make a change. - Dr. Jane Goodall Through Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots program, you become part of the next generation of community leaders. We support you as you explore your community, identify environmental problems and take action.

# data[].attributes.body
Not a project yet, but I can see advocates for keeping the trees turning this issue into a project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Flying into Winnipeg, it's nice to see the canopy of trees above some parts of the city. The rich foliage in summertime makes Winnipeg look lush, like an oasis in the midst of sectioned farmland.

Perhaps we should take a picture from the jet window the next time we're over the city. The picture will help us remember what the canopy used to look like.

The city budget that council will vote on Wednesday proposes to slash the funding of workers who care for the trees - a 36 per cent decrease in reforestation and urban forest enhancement. It comes at a time when foresters are in a desperate fight to protect Winnipeg's urban forest from the death of hundreds of thousands of trees.

The effort to save this city's 230,000 American elms, the largest population of such trees in North America, depends on city staff culling the 7,000 or so trees a year that have Dutch elm disease. Those are the ones marked for removal by fluorescent orange splotches. Even with its previous budget, the city's forestry department couldn't remove the infected elms soon enough. When diseased trees are not removed quickly, the disease spreads.

Get the full story.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Join free for 30 days
After that, pay as little as $0.99 per month for the best local news coverage in Manitoba.

Already a subscriber?

Already a subscriber?

Subscribers Log in below to continue reading,
not a subscriber? Create an account to start a 30 day free trial.

Log in Create your account

Your free trial has come to an end.

We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article.

For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription:

Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs!

Your free trial has come to an end.

We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article.

For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription:

Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs!

Flying into Winnipeg, it's nice to see the canopy of trees above some parts of the city. The rich foliage in summertime makes Winnipeg look lush, like an oasis in the midst of sectioned farmland.

Perhaps we should take a picture from the jet window the next time we're over the city. The picture will help us remember what the canopy used to look like.

The city budget that council will vote on Wednesday proposes to slash the funding of workers who care for the trees - a 36 per cent decrease in reforestation and urban forest enhancement. It comes at a time when foresters are in a desperate fight to protect Winnipeg's urban forest from the death of hundreds of thousands of trees.

The effort to save this city's 230,000 American elms, the largest population of such trees in North America, depends on city staff culling the 7,000 or so trees a year that have Dutch elm disease. Those are the ones marked for removal by fluorescent orange splotches. Even with its previous budget, the city's forestry department couldn't remove the infected elms soon enough. When diseased trees are not removed quickly, the disease spreads.

Then, in 2017, the emerald ash borer beetle arrived in Winnipeg. Pressure on the city's forestry folks increased greatly. In other places, the dreaded borer has wiped out 100 per cent of ash trees. There's about 350,000 ash trees in Winnipeg, and losing all of them will eliminate 30 per cent of the trees in Winnipeg parks and boulevards.

Unlike the city budget committee, not all Winnipeggers shrug off the plight of the forest canopy. We would miss these trees in many ways.

We would miss how trees moderate the extremes of climate. In summer, their shade cools parks and walking paths and can help cool our homes and yards if strategically planted. In winter, branches and trunks act as windbreaks.

People who live near rivers or in flood zones would miss the way trees lessen erosion and hold soil in place.

We would miss how trees help muffle the sounds of the city. Would you rather listen to the rustle of breeze blowing through leaves, or traffic noises from several blocks away?

It's likely no one would miss the forest tent caterpillars that drop from trees onto human heads and clothing. But many homeowners would miss the increased property value that attractive trees add when it's time to sell their homes.

We would miss trees as an ally in the fight against climate change. Trees absorb CO2 and particles of pollution, then emit pure oxygen. Munia Khan puts it like this: "Trees exhale for us so that we can inhale them to stay alive."

Birds, squirrels and bees would miss the homes provided by trees. When there are fewer of these creatures because there are fewer trees, the changes in animal population will affect other creatures up and down the food chain.

It's like trees are ambassadors of nature. If we respect nature, if we want to stay in harmony with the living planet, we can't ignore the dangers faced by the giant specimens that hover over our neighbourhoods.

We can take action in a couple of ways. We can lobby our city councillors and suggest their draconian cuts to the forestry budget are short-sighted, and we need to preserve the tree canopy for the next generation of Winnipeggers. Also, we can plant on private property. Dig a hole, plant a tree, water it. We can strengthen Winnipeg's canopy one tree at a time.

Writing in Manitoba Gardener magazine, Kerienne La France recommends Winnipeg homeowners avoid adding to Winnipeg's monoculture supply of elm and ash. Instead, plant trees such as hackberry, alder, butternut, buckeyes or Amur cork.

Some of us take trees for granted and don't recognize how amazing it is to live beneath a canopy of giant plants. If we saw trees for the first time, we would be astounded.

This point was memorably made during a concert by the Jerry Cans at The Forks in the summer of 2017. Between songs, vocalist Andrew Morrison mentioned the band would sign autographs at a merchandise table set up under nearby trees, but he mentioned the band's throat singer, Nancy Mike, wouldn't be at the table. "She's scared of trees." He explained that she was raised on tundra near Iqaluit, Nunavut, and saw her first tree when she was a teenager.

We don't need to fear trees. But we should fear for them.

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse's role at the Free Press is a matter of opinion. A lot of opinions.
Read full biography

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Flying into Winnipeg, it's nice to see the canopy of trees above some parts of the city. The rich foliage in summertime makes Winnipeg look lush, like an oasis in the midst of sectioned farmland. Perhaps we should take a picture from the jet window the next time we're over the city.

# data[].attributes.headline
Total Shameless self promoting plug for John G. Stewart School here...

# data[].attributes.subject
Total Shameless self promoting plug for John G. Stewart School here...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By working together, a greater good can be achieved. That's the message behind the age-old story of "stone soup." On March 13, students and staff from John G. Stewart School were able to contribute to Stone Soup, a charity fundraiser for the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, and give back to the organization that has helped fund their breakfast program for the past four years. Terence Hoorman, a math and social studies teacher at the school with a background in culinary arts, helps run John G. Stewart's breakfast program, which provides hungry students with a warm meal every morning. "We have a cart from classroom to classroom," Hoorman said. "Everybody is offered food. We try to make sure its nutritious. Eggs, things that are hot and have lots of protein. The kids look forward to it, and teachers like it. Student engagement is up. When they're fed, students are able to focus a lot more." To help fund the program, John G. Stewart School receives an annual operating grant from the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, a non-profit organization that funds over 260 healthy breakfast and snack programs across the province. John G. Stewart is one of 17 such programs in the River East Transcona School Division that CNCM funds, along with another four in Elmwood schools. Along with CNCM's grant, Hoorman said they receive funding from President's Choice Charity, and that they are always looking for other donations, in both cash and goods. "Baked goods, for example, that's one thing we don't have any longer that we could use," he said. When Hoorman was offered a chance to participant in the CNCM's annual Stone Soup fundraiser, he said he jumped at the opportunity. "We benefit here from CNCM, so in a way it felt like we could give back and be a part in a larger scale of what they do," he said. Hoorman recruited Paul Lemire and Jason Silk, chefs at the Knowles Centre, and students Veydtta Miller and Mason Kamal, who both help regularly with the breakfast program, to cook up a batch of tomato bacon bisque, a soup popular with students at John G. Stewart. "It's one the students were familiar with," Hoorman said. "They knew the process and the steps." John G. Stewart's entry went head-to-head with soups from the Red River School of Hospitality & Culinary Arts, Sous Sol, Clay Oven, Yujiro Japanese Restaurant, and 17 Wing Food Service. For a minimum $10 donation, visitors to the Manitoba Hydro Place Gallery (360 Portage Ave.) over lunch on March 13 got a chance to sample different soups, and vote for their favourite. A panel of "celebrity judges" included the Winnipeg Free Press's Doug Spiers, former MP and MLA Judy Wasylycia-Leis and the Winnipeg Goldeyes' Josh Romanski. "The response was great," Hoorman said. "Even though we didn't win, it was cool to hear that people were voting for us. It was great for the students." Both Miller and Kamal admitted they were nervous as they prepared to start serving up their soup. But Hoorman said both quickly got into the swing of things. "I think they feel they really accomplished something, and got some recognition," he said. For more information on the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, visit www.childnutritioncouncil.com

By working together, a greater good can be achieved. That's the message behind the age-old story of "stone soup."

On March 13, students and staff from John G. Stewart School were able to contribute to Stone Soup, a charity fundraiser for the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, and give back to the organization that has helped fund their breakfast program for the past four years.

Terence Hoorman, a math and social studies teacher at the school with a background in culinary arts, helps run John G. Stewart's breakfast program, which provides hungry students with a warm meal every morning.

Get the full story.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Join free for 30 days
After that, pay as little as $0.99 per month for the best local news coverage in Manitoba.

Already a subscriber?

Already a subscriber?

Subscribers Log in below to continue reading,
not a subscriber? Create an account to start a 30 day free trial.

Log in Create your account

Your free trial has come to an end.

We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article.

For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription:

Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs!

By working together, a greater good can be achieved. That's the message behind the age-old story of "stone soup."

On March 13, students and staff from John G. Stewart School were able to contribute to Stone Soup, a charity fundraiser for the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, and give back to the organization that has helped fund their breakfast program for the past four years.

Terence Hoorman, a math and social studies teacher at the school with a background in culinary arts, helps run John G. Stewart's breakfast program, which provides hungry students with a warm meal every morning.

"We have a cart from classroom to classroom," Hoorman said. "Everybody is offered food. We try to make sure its nutritious. Eggs, things that are hot and have lots of protein. The kids look forward to it, and teachers like it. Student engagement is up. When they're fed, students are able to focus a lot more."

To help fund the program, John G. Stewart School receives an annual operating grant from the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, a non-profit organization that funds over 260 healthy breakfast and snack programs across the province. John G. Stewart is one of 17 such programs in the River East Transcona School Division that CNCM funds, along with another four in Elmwood schools.

Along with CNCM's grant, Hoorman said they receive funding from President's Choice Charity, and that they are always looking for other donations, in both cash and goods.

"Baked goods, for example, that's one thing we don't have any longer that we could use," he said.

When Hoorman was offered a chance to participant in the CNCM's annual Stone Soup fundraiser, he said he jumped at the opportunity.

"We benefit here from CNCM, so in a way it felt like we could give back and be a part in a larger scale of what they do," he said.

Hoorman recruited Paul Lemire and Jason Silk, chefs at the Knowles Centre, and students Veydtta Miller and Mason Kamal, who both help regularly with the breakfast program, to cook up a batch of tomato bacon bisque, a soup popular with students at John G. Stewart.

"It's one the students were familiar with," Hoorman said. "They knew the process and the steps."

John G. Stewart's entry went head-to-head with soups from the Red River School of Hospitality & Culinary Arts, Sous Sol, Clay Oven, Yujiro Japanese Restaurant, and 17 Wing Food Service. For a minimum $10 donation, visitors to the Manitoba Hydro Place Gallery (360 Portage Ave.) over lunch on March 13 got a chance to sample different soups, and vote for their favourite. A panel of "celebrity judges" included the Winnipeg Free Press's Doug Spiers, former MP and MLA Judy Wasylycia-Leis and the Winnipeg Goldeyes' Josh Romanski.

"The response was great," Hoorman said. "Even though we didn't win, it was cool to hear that people were voting for us. It was great for the students."

Both Miller and Kamal admitted they were nervous as they prepared to start serving up their soup. But Hoorman said both quickly got into the swing of things.

"I think they feel they really accomplished something, and got some recognition," he said.

For more information on the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, visit www.childnutritioncouncil.com

By working together, a greater good can be achieved. That's the message behind the age-old story of "stone soup."

On March 13, students and staff from John G. Stewart School were able to contribute to Stone Soup, a charity fundraiser for the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, and give back to the organization that has helped fund their breakfast program for the past four years.

Terence Hoorman, a math and social studies teacher at the school with a background in culinary arts, helps run John G. Stewart's breakfast program, which provides hungry students with a warm meal every morning.

"We have a cart from classroom to classroom," Hoorman said. "Everybody is offered food. We try to make sure its nutritious. Eggs, things that are hot and have lots of protein. The kids look forward to it, and teachers like it. Student engagement is up. When they're fed, students are able to focus a lot more."

To help fund the program, John G. Stewart School receives an annual operating grant from the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, a non-profit organization that funds over 260 healthy breakfast and snack programs across the province. John G. Stewart is one of 17 such programs in the River East Transcona School Division that CNCM funds, along with another four in Elmwood schools.

Along with CNCM's grant, Hoorman said they receive funding from President's Choice Charity, and that they are always looking for other donations, in both cash and goods.

SHELDON BIRNIE

(From left) Veydtta Miller, Terence Hoorman, Mason Kamal, and Paul Lemire, along with Jason Silk (missing) cooked up John G. Stewart School's submission - a tomato and bacon bisque - in the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba's Stone Soup fundraiser on March 13. (SHELDON BIRNIE/CANSTAR/THE HERALD)

"Baked goods, for example, that's one thing we don't have any longer that we could use," he said.

When Hoorman was offered a chance to participant in the CNCM's annual Stone Soup fundraiser, he said he jumped at the opportunity.

"We benefit here from CNCM, so in a way it felt like we could give back and be a part in a larger scale of what they do," he said.

Hoorman recruited Paul Lemire and Jason Silk, chefs at the Knowles Centre, and students Veydtta Miller and Mason Kamal, who both help regularly with the breakfast program, to cook up a batch of tomato bacon bisque, a soup popular with students at John G. Stewart.

"It's one the students were familiar with," Hoorman said. "They knew the process and the steps."

John G. Stewart's entry went head-to-head with soups from the Red River School of Hospitality & Culinary Arts, Sous Sol, Clay Oven, Yujiro Japanese Restaurant, and 17 Wing Food Service. For a minimum $10 donation, visitors to the Manitoba Hydro Place Gallery (360 Portage Ave.) over lunch on March 13 got a chance to sample different soups, and vote for their favourite. A panel of "celebrity judges" included the Winnipeg Free Press 's Doug Spiers, former MP and MLA Judy Wasylycia-Leis and the Winnipeg Goldeyes' Josh Romanski.

"The response was great," Hoorman said. "Even though we didn't win, it was cool to hear that people were voting for us. It was great for the students."

Both Miller and Kamal admitted they were nervous as they prepared to start serving up their soup. But Hoorman said both quickly got into the swing of things.

"I think they feel they really accomplished something, and got some recognition," he said.

For more information on the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, visit www.childnutritioncouncil.com
Sheldon Birnie
Read full biography Community journalist - The Herald
Sheldon Birnie is the community journalist for The Herald Email him at sheldon.birnie@canstarnews.com Call him at 204-697-7112

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By working together, a greater good can be achieved. That's the message behind the age-old story of "stone soup." On March 13, students and staff from John G. Stewart School were able to contribute to Stone Soup, a charity fundraiser for the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, and give back to the organization that has helped fund their breakfast program for the past four years.

# data[].attributes.headline
Playground at a new school opening next year

# data[].attributes.subject
Playground at a new school opening next year

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Garden Valley School Division is a dynamic, innovative and visionary school division located in the heartland of industrialized south central Manitoba.