An Enchanting Tempest: Amaluna

A stage is subtly illuminated with dreamy, oceanic colours; posing in its midst is a sparkling glass bowl of water. Above, an intricate web of ropes and harnesses sway lightly in mid-air, and off to the side, an acrobat stretches her muscles in quiet preparation.

This is the unusually still, silent stage of Amaluna, Cirque du Soleil’s latest sensation. In a matter of days, the theatre will be brought to life with marvels beyond onlookers’ wildest imaginations. For now it waits; a fantasy world undiscovered.

The term Amaluna means “mother moon” — a title that certainly fits the out-of-this-world show, which sports mind-bending acrobatic feats and tantalizing visuals. Director Diane Paulus brings the performance back down to earth with acts deeply inspired by Shakespeare’s The Read more

A Heart Ahead of its Years

Putting in 1,000 hours of volunteer work may be 25 times the required amount for most high school students, but for 14-year-old Harnoor Gill, offering a helping hand is a pleasure. With a lengthy charity record ranging from environmental causes to welcoming young immigrants to Canada, this young activist from Georgetown, Ont. has gathered a collection of experience and wisdom that exceeds his years. “Sometimes it can be hard,” he explains, “but I have my parents to support me. I believe volunteering is just a good thing to do, just reaching out to others.”

Though he has a heart for all different forms of charity, Gill is particularly passionate about the environment. He is actively involved in P.O.W.E.R. (Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources), a not-for-profit environmental protection organization. During the 2011 Diwali Festival, he shared his earth-loving ideas through a collection of articles, inspiring others to think innovatively for the sake of our planet’s health.

All this extracurricular commitment means an overload of work for this teen. When asked what energizes his philanthropic spirit, Gill says he hopes to motivate other young people to get involved, too. “My overall message to youth is that age is not a barrier,” he says. As a volunteer who began his journey at the age of three, selling cookies door-to-door in his native Hong Kong town, Gill has certainly become an inspiration not only for youth, but for all ages.

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Have a Little Faith

When asked where you were on 9-11, your answer will be ready on the tip of your tongue. The memory, no doubt, still swims in your mind, pulsing and stubbornly vivid. But what if you’re asked where God was on the day the Twin Towers fell? Where was goodness? Where was peace? Where was he on the battlegrounds of the world wars, or in the concentration camps of 70 years ago? Is he there in the ghettos that line the dirt roads of Third World countries, or in the home of an abused child? Few know the answers to these questions. The concept of God, of a Higher Power – a symbol of eternal peace, happiness, and fulfillment – contrasts so strikingly with the broken world in which we live in that it’s becoming a terrible challenge to keep faith in our grasp. For many, the idea of having faith seems pointless if you’re serving a faceless God, a God who never seems to appear when he’s needed most. Confronted by the differing faces of religion, many become overwhelmed and surrender to the seemingly Read more

Giro 2012

The crowds are wild. The sky brims blue, and Milan’s rigid, snow-capped mountains are reduced to mere blurs as bicyclist Ryder Hesjedal zooms over the finish line of Giro d’Italia, becoming the first Canadian to ever win the prestigious race.

Across the pond, a pursuit is pulling Vaughan’s citizens to the streets. The air buzzes with excitement as jersey-clad riders make their way to Villa Charities’ fourth annual Giro cycling event. While the crowds aren’t in the millions, and the prize isn’t a swirling golden trophy, community members beam with generous hearts.

Like Hesjedal, it was Nick Sanci’s first time reaching the finish line, and like his fellow Canadian champion, Sanci’s race began long before May 27. Sanci, who belongs to Team Rosehaven, began collecting donations weeks prior to hitting the track, striving to meet Read more

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