Holidays in Winnipeg

C M Y K WorthTheDrive! December6,2013-January7,2014 6:00-10:00pmnightly www.TourismPortageLaPrairie.com 204-239-8334 FREE ADMISSION CraftShow&Sale NOVEMBER 21 - 24 RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg THURS&FRI11-9 SAT10-6 SUN10-5 signatureswinnipeg.ca Presented By FM SHOPfrom130 CanadianArtisans! Voilàpar Andréanne SolDesigns JeeleeJoolery GlassAct AnneSiciliano JuliePedersen Y.SternJewellery EMK MichaudToys Soul Creations GREAT SAYYESTO gifts We're back for 4 days only! SolDesigns Ronda'sRascals SUNDAY,DECEMBER15,2013 3 P.M.&7P.M. WESTMINSTERUNITEDCHURCH Adults$30 Seniors$25 Under30$15 TicketsavailableatMcNallyRobinson orbycalling204-896-PHIL(7445) www.thephil.ca YURIKLAZARTISTICDIRECTOR& CONDUCTOR CHRISTMAS WITHTHEPHIL: TRUMPETSSOUND,ANGELSSING GUESTARTISTS: WinnipegBrassQuintet, LindenChristianSchoolSeniorChorus Holidays in Winnipeg Join us for the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade! S at u r d ay, N o v e m b e r 1 6 , 2 0 1 3 at 5 p. m . Go to www.winnipegsantaparade.com to see the parade route! Parade day aCtivitieS: Santa's block parties begin at 4 p.m. Santa Claus parade begins at 5 p.m. entertainment at the ForkS Spinning LIve with energy 106 Crew at 7 p.m. Hosted by Jd Francis & dJ breeze! Fireworks at the Forks at 7:30 p.m. Sponsors: Supporters: Aikins Law • Tourism Winnipeg • West End Biz • Festival of Trees & Lights • Sport Manitoba • Springs Church • Lions Place • Tina Lussier Social Media • GNR Camping World RV Centre • The Forks • NASCO • Winnipeg ARES Partners: Media Sponsors: SponSorS and SupporterS play huge role in parade'S SucceSS By Aileen DeWyngaert For the Free Press I t takes a small army to put on a spectacle the size of the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade – from the more than 700 volunteers, 14 volunteer board members to the dozens of partners, sponsors and supporters who lend their time, expertise and financial resources to make it all possible. "We're very fortunate to have such tremendous support from our sponsors," said Ron Mark, executive director of the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. "Starting with Manitoba Hydro, which is presenting the parade. We've really been able to draw on our relationship and learn from them to make the parade better from an environmental perspective." For the sponsors who've made a commitment to be part of this Manitoba tradition year after year, it's about more than just adding their logo to a brochure or a float to the parade. Mark says the Santa Claus Parade team relies on a number of very active partner sponsors like the City of Winnipeg, Great West Life and the Downtown BIZ. There are also the media sponsors who bring the parade to people who can't be there in person to enjoy the festivities, like Shaw TV, which broadcasts live from the big event and then re-broadcasts the parade several times over the holiday season. And Global TV has also jumped on the sleigh, so to speak, this year to stream the parade live on their website, which, as Mark is excited to point out, opens up world-wide viewership opportunities. In addition to gifts in kind and financial support, the 14-member board are also sponsors who represent a host of local organizations, including the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, JCI Winnipeg, Travel Manitoba and the Christmas Cheer Board to name but a few. "The parade is organized by a very hard-working and dedicated volunteer board of directors," said Mark. "Each and every one of them dedicates countless time and energy in assuring that parade day every year is a smashing success. We are so grateful to have them all!" The sponsors may come from very different ends of the business spectrum, but they all have one thing in common – they want to give back to the community and be part of something that's captured the hearts of Manitobans for more than a century. By Nancy Boomer For the Free Press T here will be something truly special on parade on Nov. 16 – Winnipeg's boundless community spirit. Jackie Britton, volunteer co-ordinator of this year's Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade, has a lofty assignment she says is made much easier by the charitable nature of Winnipeggers. "It is just amazing how people seem to come out in droves every year to volunteer to help at the Santa Claus Parade," said Britton, a Manitoba Hydro marketing employee who has also been the event's volunteer chief for the past five years. "Our volunteer contingent has grown over the years from a few hundred to the more than 800 registered volunteers, including 100 from Manitoba Hydro, who have signed up to help at this year's parade." Volunteers are the driving force behind this year's event, lending their time and talents to a variety of event-related work including organization, management, security, crowd control such as the MPI-sponsored "No Feet on the Street" patrols, clean-up and even participating as parade characters. Volunteers receive job training at special orientation sessions, conducted by Britton and members of the Winnipeg Police Service and the Downtown BIZ. A post-parade volunteer appreciation night and parade participation awards presentation will be held in the festive atmosphere of the Festival of Trees and Lights at the Manitoba Hydro building at a later date. Britton says she's seen some people really blossom in their volunteer roles and, if possible, their commitment has earned them a greater leadership role the following year. That's how Andriana Demchuk became the parade's Host-a-Block program co-ordinator. "I had some spare time a few years ago and heard that the Santa Claus Parade still needed volunteers," said Demchuk. "After spending the day volunteering at parade headquarters, I fell in love with the event and expressed an interest in getting more involved, and Jackie said 'That's great, I have the perfect job for you.'" city'S volunteer Spirit on parade S u p p l e m e n t t o t h e W i n n i p e g F r e e p r e S S • n o v e m b e r 9 , 2 0 1 3 G 10 Shaw TV Winnipeg will broadcast the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade live on Channel 9. The parade will also be streamed live online on by Global Winnipeg at globalnews.ca/winnipeg

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