by Sally Hansen

Amateur photographers discover very quickly that lighting conditions are the determining factor in our ability to capture worthwhile images. Michael Bowie has spent a lifetime learning how to control and/or work with those conditions to achieve superb results. Today he applies his thirty years of experience as a film photographer and printer to his ongoing mastery of the continuously and rapidly evolving field of digital photography.

Michael and his partner, Janice Bowie, are the owners and staff of LUX Photographic Services Inc. at 11 Lake Ave. W. in Carleton Place. theHumm decided to feature Michael’s photographic expertise after viewing his photography at several exhibits, and after several other featured artists told us that they rely on Michael to reproduce their artwork to their demanding archival standards. Bowie has been providing high quality photographic services since incorporating as LUX in 1983. His trademark is excellence. His slogan is “It’s All About the Light”, and LUX is the Latin word for light.

"Michael Bowie — It’s All About the Light" »

Posted on February 13, 2008 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Sally Hansen

How can a group or organization committed to a worthy cause attract and retain volunteers? This chronic challenge is becoming a burning issue for many of the organizations that make our communities kinder and gentler and more sustainable. According to agencies that track trends in volunteering, things are probably going to get worse as more worthy causes compete for a shrinking population of volunteers.Seventy-five percent of the Boomers, the “Me Generation”, are telling pollsters they’re not particularly interested in volunteering, and the demographic landscape is changing. According to national surveys in 2004, 55% of people aged 15-24 volunteered time to various causes, while only 32% of seniors did. Admittedly, seniors volunteered for longer periods of time, but by 2031, 25% of us will be over 65, as opposed to 13% in 2001. We’ve tapped into a number of resources to compile a short list of Do’s and Don’ts designed to help you find and keep the kind of volunteers you need to achieve your goals. Our Google search on “attract volunteers” yielded about 1,100,000 results. At the end of our list, we’ve provided two very worthwhile Internet resources you can pursue for a much more detailed discussion of the care and feeding of volunteers.

"In Pursuit of Volunteer Recruits" »

Posted on February 13, 2008 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Interview by Chandler Swain

In response to discovering that prospecting for uranium is being carried out across thousands of acres of land in a giant swath that extends from the Sharbot Lake area up through West Quebec, groups like the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium are forming to try and stop it. Recently the Ottawa Citizen’s Coalition Against Mining Uranium brought Dr. Jim Harding to the area as part of his book tour. He has studied the nuclear issue for 30 years and is a renowned expert on the dangers of all aspects of uranium, from mining to its use as fuel. His book Canada’s Deadly Secret: Saskatchewan Uranium and the Global Nuclear System is shocking and important. To find out more about Jim’s work and what’s at stake go to the excellent Straight Goods website.

As the mainstream media has clearly decided not to follow this story, public awareness and advocacy has to be done by committed “regular people”. Dr. Harding says that there is proactive dismissal of the real facts about the dangers of mining uranium and the use of nuclear power by the industry, so it is vital that we find out the other side of the story. If the government is going to get the message that we are serious about a moratorium on the mining and prospecting of uranium, many of us are going to have to get busy. Please think of joining CCAMU and supporting the work that has been started. Check out the kNOw Uranium website for details.

I had the chance to interview Donna Dillman about her recent hunger strike. Her work is inspiring and has really kickstarted a strong citizen’s movement. Here is her story so far.

Chandler Swain: Why did you stop eating on Thanksgiving last year? What did you hope to accomplish?

Donna Dillman: The local Algonquin populations, with the help of many hundreds of non-Natives, had been successful in holding off the exploratory drills for 101 days at the point when I started my campaign against drilling for uranium. During the summer, I’d overheard one of the Chiefs comment that, “One can live a long time without food, but clean water is essential to all life,” and I realized the truth in that. Food and eating are symbolic of wellbeing and I hoped to help increase awareness around the risks inherent in uranium exploration. Supporting the call for a moratorium was also a goal.

"Worth Fighting For — A Conversation With Donna Dillman" »

Posted on February 13, 2008 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)