Member Update: Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004

CALGARY — Temperatures were cool and at times a light drizzle fell, but that didn’t keep more than 1,100 AUPE members and guests from enjoying Local 052’s second annual member appreciation barbecue at the University of Calgary Tuesday.

“The local volunteers who did all the work organizing this event did a simply fabulous job,” said AUPE President Dan MacLennan, who was on the U of C campus for the event. “The success of this huge barbecue, which was enjoyed by so many people, is a great example for all of us.

“They improved on last year’s barbecue, and that was a great event too,” added MacLennan, who traveled south to Claresholm today to attend a barbecue sponsored by the AUPE Claresholm Area Council. “People at the barbecue were really happy.”

“It was a great success,” said Local 052 Chair Albi Sole. “It was a good opportunity for people who work in such a spread-out worksite to get together in one place and create a community atmosphere amongst all the support staff.”

Sole noted that many Local 052 members who work at the Health Sciences Centre worksite adjacent to the Foothills Hospital also attended the picnic, as did many U of C Trust workers employed by individual researchers but who are in effect U of C support staff.

A shuttle bus was chartered by the local to make sure U of C employees who work at off-campus locations could attend the barbecue.

AUPE members and guests ate burgers made from Alberta beef, listened to the West 40 Fanatics — a band that includes two AUPE members — and met AUPE executive members, Union Representatives and

Membership Services Officers from the Calgary Regional Office, elected local representatives and officers of other AUPE locals, many of whom flipped burgers.

Among the guests who attended the event were Dr. Harvey Weingarten, President of the university, Local 038 Chair Rod Feland from NAIT, Local 039 Provincial Executive Representative Steve Eastes from SAIT, and Local 095 Secretary Marilyn Dorozio from the Foothills Medical Centre and AUPE Executive Committee members.

Participants collected six boxes of non-perishable food for the U of C’s Campus Food Bank, plus cash donations and matching funds adding up to $473, during the two-hour lunchtime event.

Several participants received door prizes donated by the University of Calgary Press, the Nickle Arts Museum, Alberta Beef Producers, Joeys Only Restaurants and AUPE.

“The members were really pleased to see an event like this put on for them, they were really impressed,” said Local 052 member Nancy Ritchie, who with member Patricia Johnson did much of the work of organizing the barbecue. “People really enjoyed themselves and we’ve received nothing but positive feedback.”

Local 052 represents more than 2,800 U of C non-academic employees.