This past week has included a remarkable celebration of our College Alumni topped by a maginificent Alumni Dinner on Saturday evening at our Stevenson Aviation Campus. This event was the College’s largest ever Alumni Dinner with close to 400 people enjoying a wonderful meal prepared by our Foods Services and Culinary program staff and students and a gala celebration of the 2007 Distinguished Alumni. Alumni so honoured this year included Loren Cisyk, Joan Jack and Cameron Tait. My thanks to the staff at Stevenson Aviation for their work in clearing the hangar in preparation for the dinner as well as our College Relations staff for their tireless organization and creative efforts.

We were privileged to have with us throughout the week a returning distinguished Alumnus Paul Charette and his wife Gerri. Paul is the Chairman and CEO of Bird Construction and tells a moving story of how a simple $200 bursary and an education at Red River College set him on a path to great success. Paul and Gerri are inspiring human beings and challenge us all to give back to our communities.

To that end, Paul concluded his visit with us at the Alumni Dinner by presenting the College with 300 thousand dollars to go toward the Paul Charette Scholarship endowment. With this most recent gift and his previous contributions along with the matching dollars from the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursaries Initiative, the Paul Charette Scholarship endowment now amounts to 1 million dollars -- our first ever seven figure endowment for scholarships for students.

Earlier in the week Paul was also kind enough to attend the technology awards luncheon, speak on our behalf at the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, attend our capital campaign cabinet meeting and participate in a special event honouring the Charette Scholars past and present. Pictured at that event are (from right to left) Paul Charette, Gerri Charette, Chelsea Grove, Jonathon Osachuk, Robert Pellerin and myself.

Our special thanks to Paul Charette for your ongoing commitment to Red River College and for your willingness to make a difference in the lives of those less privileged.

Jeff