I had heard about this program a while ago but a recent contest by RONA – National Partner to Vancouver 2010 reminded me (more about the contest below).

Vancouver 2010 Sustainability Star - RONA Tools for Life Program

Sustainability covers many areas for Vancouver 2010, including: 1 – accountability, 2 – environmental stewardship and impact reduction, 3 – social inclusion and responsibility, 4 – Aboriginal participation and collaboration, 5 – economic benefits, and 6 – sport for sustainable living.  Vancouver 2010 requires a very large amount of temporary structures to be built, and as such required a fabrication (Fab) shop and carpenters.  What we got was RONA working with Vancouver 2010 to create the Tools for Life program.

Tools for Life will have provided 64 training and work experience positions by the beginning of the Games to people that have difficulty attaching to the work force.  RONA took a lead role and provided labour to retrofit a storage area into a shop, they hired supervising carpenters, covered lease costs, as well as equipment and materials.  Four groups of 16 people will have gone through the 30-week program, taught by Red-seal certified carpentry instructor along with three supervising carpenters.  Hours spent working at the Fab shop count towards first year carpentry qualification requirements.

The Fab shop’s team will be building wheelchair ramps, podiums, stages, and all sorts of other things.  Each of the four groups have focused on a target group of people to train together.  The first group was recruited by the Tradeworks Training Society from the Downtown Eastside.  Another group included unemployed young women referred by the YWCA.  This is a program that Vancouver, and all of Canada, should be proud of!  We are getting people trained and educated and on their way towards their own Red-seal in carpentry!  I’m really thrilled that this idea was adopted and is making such a big difference not only in the participants’ lives, but in the stature of the Games as well.

OK – the contest, because it is Vancouver 2010 related!  RONA is turning 70 and they’re giving away prizes! The prizes include 30 prizes of 70,000 reward miles, 5 prizes of $10,000, 30 trips for two to the Vancouver 2010 Games, and 5 VIP trips for two to the Vancouver 2010 Games!  Wow!!  I want to win (and yes, I have entered ).  There are many ways to get entries into this contest, first, you have to register (this gets you one entry).  You can also subscribe to their newsletter (+1 entry), tell a friend (+1 entry), have that friend register in the contest (+2 entries), uncover a ‘deal of the day’ (+1 entry), get a purchase PIN by buying items at RONA (+7 entries!!).  So if you need any home renovation supplies or any of the other merchandise that RONA carries, this would be the time to make sure you get it from them. The VIP package to Vancouver 2010 consists of economy airfare from an international airport near you (Canada only, sorry), airport transfers, 3 nights accommodation at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, 3 meals per day, 3 pairs of tickets to Olympic events as well as Vancouver 2010 souvenirs!!  Nice.  So register now!

I had to write a bit early tonight as I’m volunteering at the 2009 Vancouver International Fringe Festival and won’t be home until very late.  If you’re in Vancouver come check out some of the shows.  We’ve been told some will be great, and some won’t, but you won’t know which is which right away.  But the price of your ticket all goes to the performers.  You do need a $5 Fringe membership but that is how the Fringe manages to put on a show every year.  OK, gotta have time to eat before volunteering.  Eeek!  Running out of time.

Oh, one last thing.  Thanks Simon for commenting on the Deutsches Haus.  Apparently there is going to be a Haus in SFU’s Downtown Vancouver campus, and another up at Whistler.  Check the post and comment for more! Thank you and merci!!