The main fundraising event for the Cochrane Immigrants Services Committee (CISC) will be held Wednesday, May 24 at Donair on the Run.
Penelope Archer, the new executive director of the CISC, said the evening will be about celebrating diversity.
The CISC works with a variety of organizations in welcoming newcomers to Cochrane. They meet as an advisory committee including reps from Rocky View Immigrant Services, Helping Hands Society of Cochrane & Area, the local faith community, and educational institutions.
“We work for newcomers to Canada and for newcomers to our lovely community,” Archer said. “We connect them with the resources to help them get settled.”
In addition to their events, the CISC holds an annual citizenship ceremony, newcomer welcoming events, and they participate in local food drives and community clean-ups in Cochrane and area.
The Jingle and Mingle Over Soup Christmas Day celebration brings newcomers (and others) who may not have family in Cochrane together to share soup and presents on Dec. 25. Last Christmas was the fifth year of the CISC's popular tradition.
Their also-popular CultureFest celebration is another event held annually. In conjunction with National Culture Days, it highlights cultural performances and interactive learning opportunities.
Archer said she’s looking forward to an interesting presentation from guest speaker Dr. Mary Grantham O’Brien from the University of Calgary on May 24. The title of her talk, which will be around 6 pm, will be “What an Accent Doesn’t Tell Us.”
Grantham O’Brien is a linguistics expert who co-authored a textbook on phonetics in 2016. Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds.
Tickets are $20, which includes a donair, baklava, and soft drink. Donair on the Run is donating a portion of the proceeds.
The evening runs from 5 to 9 pm, at 407 1st St. W. in downtown Cochrane. There will also be a silent auction.
Email requests for tickets to [email protected].
