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la petite fleur

LFA A LUMN A E ASSOCIATION www. l fa b c .o rg S P R IFall NG2012 2 01 5

LFA CONNECTS

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNAE

THE LAST WORD

THE TIES THAT BIND Reconnecting with Sr. Mary Hilda

LFA Alumnae Associationâ€™s inaugural inductee is an alumna with incredibly strong bonds to Little Flower and a shining role model of boundless love, enduring vivacity, and unwavering commitment to God

Afer 34 years we say goodbye to Mrs. McGillivray

EVENTFUL REUNIONS Fun reunion ideas and great ways to reconnect with your classmates ARTY PARTY Release your inner Picasso while sipping wine and enjoying appies

istinguished alumnae award

Since 1927, Little Flower Academy has shaped the hearts, minds and lives of thousands of women who have studied here. Among those amazing women, Little Flower is especially proud of those who went on to touch and improve the lives of those around them in significant ways. Little Flower Academy and the LFA Alumnae Association Executive are pleased to announce Sr. Josephine Carney â€˜38 as our inaugural Distinguished Alumnae. Please join us for our Alumnae May Mass and Distinguished Alumnae Award Reception Thursday May 7, 2017 Mass at 1:30 pm | Reception to follow LFA Auditorium | LFA Dining Hall

LFA ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION

Welcome back!

4195 Alexandra Street Vancouver, BC V6J 4C6

Dear Alumnae,

Phone: 604.738.9016 Fax: 604.738.5749 Email: alumnae@lfabc.org www.lfabc.org/alumnae CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Karen Teufel ‘02 Judy (O’Hagan) Oddy ‘57 Emma (Towson) Hatfield ‘95 Bettina Sy ‘97 Samantha Chang ‘05 Kate (Addison) MacDonald ‘05 Mackenzie Biggar ‘97 Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ‘96 Marizza Mislang Ben Fitch

DESIGN, LAYOUT & PHOTOGRAPHY: Connie Sabo EDITOR: Emma (Towson) Hatfield ‘95 COVER: Sr. Josephine Carney, SSA ‘38 is our inaugural recipient of LFA’s Distinguished Alumnae Award

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are starting off the New Year right! This spring edition of La Petite Fleur has the wonderful theme of “Connections”. This could not be more perfect as this is truly what the Little Flower Academy Alumnae Association is all about. We look to connect alumnae with alumnae through events like our fall Grape Escape. This evening of wine tasting, delicious food, and laughter all around was once again a hit! We try to connect alumnae with the LFA students through school events like Career’s Day, where this year we included 11 new speakers and a well-received “Women in Technology” panel. We enjoy connecting alumnae with the school through Home for the Holidays, encouraging recent graduates to return and celebrate a special school mass and reception afterwards with teachers and current Grade 12 students. In this issue and online, you can read more about these various events and more ways we connect. Personally speaking, having “LFA” in common has allowed me to connect with many people in both my private and professional life. There is nothing like meeting someone and realizing that they too wore a maroon uniform and had many of the same memories; that creates an instant bond. I have been fortunate that some of my nearest and dearest friends are girls I graduated with from LFA. However beyond that, at work, I’ve befriended a number of women who are LFA alums, albeit from different years. And through my planning of Career’s Day, I’ve realized there are LFA alumnae everywhere, including where I work out and at the workplaces of people I know! We hope you enjoy this edition of La Petite Fleur and all the ways we connect through LFA. If you’re interested in connecting, please email us at alumnae@ lfabc.org. I hope to see you at our Spring Arty Party (more on page 10).

Bettina Sy ‘97

UPDATES AND COMMENTS Let us know what you think. Send updates and comments to alumnae@lfabc.org. For complete articles, photos, up-to-date LFA news and much more, visit us online at www.lfabc.org/alumnae

save . . . . . . . . .the . . . . . .date ................. Arty Party Friday May 1 6:30-9:30 pm LFA Art Studio

Alumnae Mass and Distinguished Alumnae Award Reception Thursday May 7 Mass at 1:30 pm Reception to follow

Rejoice and Sing Thursday May 14 7:30 pm Chan Centre for the Perfoming Arts

th e f u t u r e o f g i r ls cat ho l i c educ at i o n i n v a n c o uv er w w w.lf a bc .o rg /l fa fo un dat i o n

contents ......................... features

regulars REUNIONS

6 The Ties That Bind

Parting ways has not meant saying goodbye for the Class of 1960 and Sr. Mary Hilda

7 Sr. Helen Worth, SSA

Sr. Helen will be dearly missed - a true inspiration to all that were fortunate enough to have known her

8 True to the Standards of LFA The value of alumnae in the workplace

ANGELS AROUND TOWN 11

10 Arty Party

Release your inner Picasso while sipping wine and enjoying delightful appies

13 Distinguished Alumnae

More on LFA’s inaugural Disiguished Alumna inductee, Sr. Jo

16 Why I Volunteer

19 Channels of Connection

23 Catching up with Dominica Bay ‘98

EVENTS 9 10 11 22 25

Connecting Through Careers Day Arty Party Was it Chic or Was it Cheap? Home for the Holidays Chopped Canada Champion

SCHOOL NEWS

24 School News 26 A Tale as Old as Time 27 Rejoice and Sing

A few of our longtime volunteers share their stories

18 Reconnecting with a Rising Star An interview with Josette Jorge ‘01

With over 4500 graduates and alumnae near and far, we have seen some pretty fantastic reunions over the years 20 How to (and how not to) Plan a Reunion 20 Upcoming Reunions 21 Eventful Reunions

ADVANCEMENT 20

There are many way to connect with your LFA community

28 Brenda Troughton Memorial Scholarship 29 LFA Foundation 29 Thank You!

THE LAST WORD

30 Farewell Mrs. McGillvray

NOTES FROM THE GROTTO 30

32 News | Congratulations | In our Prayers

the ties that bind Karen Teufel ‘02

For every student, there are certain teachers who connect with them in a special way. For the class of 1960, one teacher who stood out was Sr. Mary Hilda, now known as Loyola Edwards. A teacher in 1959 and 1960, Sr. Mary Hilda returned to LFA to serve as principal in 1966 and 1967. Judith Watt ’67 recalls Sr. Mary Hilda as principal and also notes that her graduation diploma bears the signature of Sr. Loyola Edwards. It speaks to the shift in times for the Sisters of St. Ann, who had begun using their given names around that time.

On April 1, 1960, Kathleen was hit by a car, which led to a 3-week stay in St. Paul’s Hospital to recover from a cracked kneecap and torn ligaments. Kathleen was worried about her provincial exam in math, as this was not her strongest subject, so every day after school, Sr. Mary Hilda would take the bus to St. Paul’s to tutor Kathleen in math. The nurses all loved Sister, and many of them were actually LFA graduates. Kathleen recalls the hospital stay actually being rather fun once she was no longer in pain, as she and Sister ate through the chocolates sent by well-wishers. At the conclusion of the school year, Kathleen successfully passed the dreaded math provincial exam, and at the graduation ceremony, the class of 1960 gave their graduation roses to Sr. Mary Hilda as a gesture of thanks for everything she had done for them. The gesture was very much appreciated by Sr. Mary Hilda, who wrote to Kathleen with a note of thanks for the bouquet.

As everyone went their separate ways after LFA, it was Kathleen who first reconnected with Sr. Mary Hilda. While visiting Kelowna in the mid-90s, Kathleen met a Sister of St Ann, coincidentally named Sister Ann, working at the local church. When Kathleen inquired whether or not Sr. Ann knew Sr. Mary Hilda, Sr. Ann told her that Sr. Mary Hilda now went by Loyola Edwards. She was also able to provide Kathleen with Loyola’s new address in Tacoma. Kathleen and Loyola connected by mail

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As Sr. Mary Hilda, she was a wonderful teacher and mentor to the class of 1960. The class of 1960 was a tight-knit class who did everything together, sometimes even getting into their fair share of harmless mischief. Sr. Mary Hilda resonated with the girls. Colleen (Walsh) Kelly ’60 remembers Sr. Mary Hilda giving their thengrade 11 class an impromptu tap dancing lesson one day, revealing a talent most students didn’t know that she had. Kathleen (Stehr) Kennedy ‘60 the class president in 1960, recalls having many wonderful interactions with Sr. Mary Hilda, who was very influential in Kathleen’s own career path to becoming a teacher. In fact, it was partially through an act of kindness for Kathleen that the class realized how special Sr. Mary Hilda truly was.

For the class of 1960 and their dear teacher, Sr. Mary Hilda, parting ways has not meant saying goodbye forever.

Above Sr. Mary Hilda with Kathleen Kennedy on graduation day, 1960

later that year, and for the class of 1960’s 50th reunion in 2010, the class invited Loyola to join them. Unfortunately, logistics prevented her from attending the reunion, hosted by Colleen, so instead Loyola wrote the class a heartfelt letter, and a copy went to each reunion attendee. In her letter, she recalled the class of 1960’s “remarkable class spirit” and stated that their class had always been a very happy memory for her. She encouraged them to share their own memories amongst themselves and wished for them all to be happy. The class had, in fact, gathered for many reunions prior to this one, proving that their close ties lasted beyond their time at LFA. Notably, for their 30th reunion, the class produced a yearbook of sorts, providing a snapshot into every class member’s life since LFA graduation.

sister helen worth, ssa Judy (O’Hagan) Oddy ‘57

As each generation of LFA graduates leaves the cozy confines of LFA, it is inevitable that people will lose touch. For the class of 1960 and one of their dear teachers, parting ways has not meant saying goodbye forever. Perhaps because the class was particularly tight-knit, Sr. Mary Hilda and her generous spirit fell seamlessly into their ranks as they enjoyed their final year at LFA. Whatever the reason, through the memories that they all share, both together and apart, and through their ongoing correspondence, they set an example of the enduring ties that bind well beyond the constraints of time.

Sister Mary Gertrudis April 27, 1916-February 27, 2015 To those alumnae who had the good fortune of knowing Sister Helen (also known by her religious name as Sister Mary Gertrudis) her recent passing will have touched their hearts. During her twelve years at Little Flower (1970 through 1982), Sister Helen was the principal of the elementary school and, concurrently, teacher of the grade six students. Despite her busy daily schedule, she always had time for her students, from the youngest to the oldest. She was readily available to listen to them, to praise their individual gifts and to help solve their problems. She made the time; that was her priority. With that, the students felt her love and devotion to them. Anyone from that era could not help but be touched by the kindness, gentleness, and unwavering determination Sister Helen employed as she fulfilled her duties as “lady in charge”. Who could forget her sweet, smiling disposition or that mischievous twinkle in her eye, which quickly revealed her human, endearing side? Sister was at the helm through the emotionally-charged time of the closure of the elementary school in 1982. Throughout the transition period, students, parents and staff, not to mention Sister Helen herself, were affected by the closure. Sister had the arduous task of guiding the LFA community through this difficult phase. Her deep spiritual faith and strong conviction in the decision made by the Sisters of St. Ann kept her focused and committed. Her wisdom, patience and positive attitude were the instruments she called upon to reassure the community that the change was a positive step forward for LFA. Time has proven Sister absolutely correct in her assessment. In the 1982 yearbook, Sister Helen gave her final message to her young students — her “little children” as she fondly called them: “Walk blamelessly before God. Walk towards the light (Ad Lucem). Walk in the company of Mary, Blessed Mother of God, and sing as you go — ‘The Song of Theresa’, our sainted ‘Little Flower.’” She expressed eloquently a creed by which she lived each and every day —a true inspiration to all that were fortunate enough to have known this remarkable woman. We will miss you dearly, Sister Helen. You have earned your eternal rest a true angel embraced by your Lord and Master for all eternity. May you rest in peace.

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Since the 2010 reunion, both Colleen and Kathleen, as well as some of their classmates, have kept in touch with Loyola, mainly through the exchange of Christmas cards. Colleen recalls one year when she was delinquent in sending her Christmas cards out on time. Rather than sending a late Christmas card, she sent Loyola a card for Easter instead. Loyola was delighted to receive the Easter card, which was wonderfully unexpected.

Rigth Sr. Helen at the SSA 150th Anniversary Celebration and Mass at LFA, September 2008

true to the standards of lfa Emma (Towson) Hatfiled ‘95

I’ve been lucky to come across quite a few LFA alumnae in my professional life. Although I haven’t always known they were fellow Angels when I met them, I certainly knew they stood out in the workplace crowds. As I found out they were LFA grads, it all made sense. There’s something about LFA alumnae. They have a dedication and attention to quality and collaboration that can only come from years spent begrudgingly ironing kilt pleats and developing a keen understanding of the value of respect. For example, at LFA, we all learned that appearances are important – and not for wearing the right label or seasonappropriate boots. We learned that our appearances and behaviour on public transit could come back to us, and we were quickly reminded that our presentation reflected upon the entire school and not just ourselves. Both gentle and more consequential reminders that kilts were too short or that coats were the wrong colour kept most of us in check. In the workplace, there are no threats of detention, but my fellow alumnae are always impeccably put together. The need to keep the uniform presentable translated into a strong sense of being professionally presentable. In those hallowed halls, we also learned to juggle a heavy academic workload. As teens, we had growing friendships to build, teams and clubs to support, and hobbies and interests to pursue. There were family obligations, and a few of us also worked part-time jobs (not necessarily by choice). There was a lot to life, so long homework lists and ambitious projects couldn’t be taken lightly. That juggle prepared

us to deal with the incredible juggle of life, and for most of us, the juggle of personal and professional lives. Likewise, the co-workers, clients and supervisors I’ve had who were Little Flower grads all possessed an amazing ability to succeed in positions with heavy and often stressful workloads. Two who stand out are heads of hugely successful companies, carrying the business success and therefore the employment stability of many under them. I can’t help but believe that their time at LFA has contributed to how effectively they lead and succeed. I know that LFA trained each and every one of us to play the game and play it well. We learned to show respect when it was due, while still understanding that our teachers were human. At least in the 1990s, we were keenly aware of the varied and sometimes entertaining “real lives” and the often funny histories of the staff. We certainly knew that we could experiment with who we wanted to be in the safety of our hallways and classrooms and leave the worry about impressing the boys until after school and at dances. We learned to take risks but be smart about them. After all, if you were going to sprawl across the hallways with your brightlycoloured boxers on grand display (clearly risking your after-school freedom), you certainly weren’t going to do it in hallways near the office or teacher’s room. Life, and most certainly the workplace, involves a little game playing too. It’s not about being fake to achieve success. It’s about knowing what is appropriate for a situation. It’s about knowing when you really need you’re “A game” and when you can just coast for a rest. LFA challenged each of us to learn that game on a personal, social, academic and sometimes physical level. And those challenges have paid off. I am quite proud to say that every alumnae I know in my professional world is successful and well-respected. They are and allow their colleagues to

be humans, impacted by their lives and surroundings while still accomplishing a lot. I certainly enjoy working with them because I know I have kindredspirits who appreciate a job completed far beyond the minimum acceptable requirements. At LFA, the minimum just isn’t an option, and although that made for some long nights, it has made all the years that followed much easier. My parents didn’t want the minimum acceptable education for me, and I thank them for the sacrifices they made for me to attend LFA. My standards for myself certainly far exceed “acceptable,” and I thank LFA for helping me build that ethic.

connecting through career’s day Bettina Sy ‘97

Every year, Career’s Day is an event that connects alumnae to the school and with the students. For the students, they get to connect with amazing women speakers who stem from LFA’s community. Having planned this event for 10 years, it is always exciting for me to welcome speakers who want to share their experiences with the students. Over the years we’ve had over 100 speakers and every year I meet new women who are eager to connect our grade 10-12 students and inspire them as these girls begin to explore their future paths. While we have many alumnae who speak, we also reach beyond and connect with family and friends of the LFA community – referrals from other speakers, colleagues, and more. This year’s Career’s Day event featured a stellar line up of women who imparted their wisdom on the students of LFA. This included a wedding photographer

Career’s Day Speakers

who inspired with her stories and photos, some young grads who were studying and running their own businesses at the same time, and a fantastic Women in Technology panel which knocked down some of the myths when it comes to women pursuing careers in the tech sector. If you are interested in speaking at a future Career’s Day event please email Bettina.sy@gmail.com

Kristi Rintoul Manager of Programs KidSafe Project Society Johanna Wickie ‘87 Therapist, Registered Clinical Counsellor Jericho Counselling Jennifer Sanguinetti Engineering, Sustainable Development UBC Amanda Lam ‘09 Marketing Associate car2go Angela Shen ‘86 Family Doctor Acqua Medical Centre Cheralyn Chok ‘13 Designer and Owner Fly At Risk Rachel Cheng ‘04 Marketing Director, Co-owner Onana Knitted Accessories Co. Roshena (Huang) Minnes ‘03 Creative Director/Entrepreneur Walnutte Janine Armstrong ‘98 Wedding Photographer Janine & Angus Photography Stephanie Redivo Project Manager SAP Sandra Wear ‘87 Entrepreneur - Driver – Connector Be Like Ada Jennifer Waldern Software Developer and Global Business Intelligence Platform Lead SAP Ghislaine Chan Systems Development Manager Broadridge Flory Huang Creative designer, independent visual artist Anneliese Herbosa ‘09 User Support and Community Manager Quietly

arty party

J oi n us f or an ev ening of w i ne +nibbles and get in t ouc h w it h y our ar t is t ic s elf ! E njoy an art class in our bea utif ul new ar t st udio w it h LFA ’s fabulous ar t t eac her , S ar ah M at ossian ‘97. No art s k ills ar e required f or t his lesson in cr eating a one-ofa- k ind mi x ed m edia ar t wor k. Let your c reativ ity f low alongs ide t he w ine and Chef P aul’s renowned c anape s .

Friday May 1, 2 01 5 6:30 - 9: 30 pm $20/ticket ( or 2 f or $30) Location | LF A A r t S t udi o w w w .f labc .or g/ ar t ypar t y

Ticket pr ice includes all your art supplies, can ap es and d rink s .

the grape escape Samantha Chang ‘05

Was it chic? Or was it cheap? On November 14, 2014, the LFA Alumnae Association Executive hosted its annual Grape Escape. With white table clothes, dimmed lights, candles on every surface, and tunes being spun by DJ Alan (husband of Bettina Sy, ‘97), LFA’s dining hall was transformed into a sophisticated restaurant. All of the wine glasses were placed on a central table decorated with wine bottle candle holders painted by a group from the Class of 2005. Ryan Lewis, our sommelier, selected two unnamed white wines and two unnamed red wines, and guests were asked to guess which wine was a

splurge and which wine was a steal. To finish, guests were served port in a little chocolate shot glasses - a huge hit in a tiny package! As always, Chef Paul prepared delicious food pairings, but this year the service was changed from past years. Our team of alumnae volunteers brought out family-style platters, from which guests took what they wanted. A testament to Chef Paul’s fabulous skills, nearly every plate went back to the kitchen completely clean!

the Class of 2009 all the way through to the Class of 1957. All in all, the Grape Escape is a fun (and delicious) way to get back in touch with the LFA community - whether by volunteering or by organizing a table of your fellow alumnae to indulge in a night of great food and wine.

Over the years, the Grape Escape has grown into one of our most popular events, and it brings back alumnae from all different graduating classes. This year, our attendees included alumnae from

istinguished alumnae Emma (Towson) Hatfield ‘95

One of the wonderful things about reconnecting with LFA grads is discovering how absolutely amazing our alumnae are. Each, in her own way, has battled life’s challenges, grown in wisdom, and continually aimed for success in life. It’s inspiring to hear of the everyday successes that we all share and also the awe-inspiring ones of those who find a way to make truly powerful differences in the lives of others.

This inspiration is the foundation of the LFA Alumnae Association’s Distinguished Alumnae Program. We want to share the sparks of pride, empowerment and discernment that accompany genuine inspiration. We want to celebrate the distinguished alumnae we call sisters (along with a few brothers), ensuring our current and former students have strong role models who share a common bond: Little Flower Academy.

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The program’s mandate is to recognize and honour the outstanding members of our community who demonstrate the values and ideals upon which Little Flower Academy was founded by providing significant inspiration and having a significant positive impact upon the school community and lives of others. Selection of inductees carefully considers LFA’s core values and ideas: spirituality, integrity, respect, compassionate service, personal excellence and simplicity. These are a powerful combination of guiding principles, ones that can help shape a faithful, balanced and selfless person who is capable of improving the lives of many. Above Sr. Josephine Carney at LFA May Alumnae Mass, 2011 Insert Josephine Carney, Little Flower Academy Grade 9, 1934-35

2015 (Inaugural) Inductee: Sr. Josephine Carney ‘38

Our inaugural Distinguished Alumna was certainly an easy selection. Nominated several times this year, Sister Josephine Carney ‘38 is an alumna with an incredibly strong bond to Little Flower and a shining role model of boundless love, enduring vivacity, and unwavering commitment to God. Sr. Jo has shared her life with Little Flower, starting back in the mid-1930s. To sit down with Sr. Jo and hear about her early days at LFA is a wonderful experience for anyone who has had the priviledge. She creates a vivid picture of her daily travel by foot

and public transport from rural East Vancouver to campus. She fondly recalls how the Sisters of St. Ann made it possible for her to attend by providing (what we would call today) bursary or financial aid. Her time as a student at LFA gave way to a firmlyrooted connection that spans a remarkable eight decades. Sr. Jo has earned a mark of distinction as the sole person in our community to have been a student, a Sister of St Ann, an alumna, a teacher, and an administrator (she served as vice principal). To everyone and through the decades, foremost she has been a champion of Little Flower. However, it’s not simply her dedicated years of bringing young women toward the light that sets Sr. Jo apart. She has a spunk and vigor that is extraordinary. Nearly blind and in her mid-90s, this nonagenarian has had the conviction to ride the bus and ferry from Victoria to Little Flower to attend alumnae events and school masses on a regular basis. She knows the bus drivers and the regular commuters. Rather than lamenting her failing sight, she is quick to explain that her blindness has been, in fact, a gift from God in so much as it opened doors for her to start new conversations with people she might not otherwise have spoken to. It was, in essence, a new opportunity to evangelize given to her when her influence to do so might have otherwise waned. Sr. Jo has always had an unwavering love for God and honesty to share it with everyone she meets. Her confidence in God’s love has always given her the strength to be a light for others, pushing people to be their very best, for themselves and in faith. She in essence, embodies the mission and vision of the school.

In that same article, Sr. Jo talked about her decision to become a Sister of St. Ann; some of her favourite memories through the years; and, many of the changes to uniform, campus and school life through the years. It’s worth

reading if you haven’t already! You can do so by visiting the alumnae news on our website at www.lfabc.org/alumnae. After 80 years entwined with LFA’s history and mission, it’s only fitting that Sr. Jo breathes life into our Distinguished Alumnae Program. Her story and example will shine for all who enter Little Flower to see what our ladies can and do become. Our hope is that the Distinguished Alumnae Program will bear witness to accomplishments that inspire both alumnae and current students. Surely a lifetime of service to our community is inspiration worth acknowledging. Sr. Jo’s legacy is, after all, our shared legacy.

Celebrate with us

Come join us and celebrate Sr. Jo’s lifetime of accomplishment and the impact she has had

on both our community and the wider community in British Columbia at our Alumnae May Mass and Distinguished Alumnae Award Reception on Thursday May 7, 2015. Mass is at 1:30pm in the school Auditorium. Reception to follow in the LFA Dining Hall. While Sr. Jo’s age and frailty mean she is unable to attend in person, we will make every effort to have Sr. Jo join us by Skype or give a video message.

Let us know

Let us know who we should be celebrating as distinguished alumnae! Do you know an exemplary story worth telling? Please nominate a classmate or someone associated with the school that you believe has done great things in her life. The annual deadline for nominations is November 1, and nomination forms can be found at www.lfabc.org/distinguishedalumnae

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In more recent years, Sr. Jo has often spoken about “seeds of hope.” Memories, be they of LFA or otherwise, are seeds sewn in our hearts which give way to our approach in the years that follow. Following her metaphor, the experiences we’ve shared at the school give us deep roots: a combination of faith and selfconfidence that help to give us strength and define who we are and how we interact with the world. In the Spring 2014 issue of La Petite Fleur, Sr. Jo explained that, “Memories are the seeds of hope: During the good times we might forget God but during those really difficult times we survive with God’s help.”

Far Left Sr. Mary James, 1941 (Sr. Jo) Left Josephine Carney, Little Flower Academy Grade 10, 1935-36 Insert Opening of the 1992 Wing. Archbishop Adam Exner OMI, Sr. Jo, Matt Coady, Brenda Troughton and Joyce Nisperos ‘93,Fall, 1992

Right LFA Staff 1984-85 and a collection of photos of Sr. Jo at LFA events including school Masses, Home for the Holidays and the Alumnae Fall Sports Festival. Upper Left Archbishop MIchael Miller CSB and Sr. Jo after the SSA 150th Anniversary Celebration and Mass at LFA September 2008 Far Right Sr. Jo at the 2012 Alumnae Field Hockey game. Inserts: Sr. Jo at various school masses with Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ‘96, Clea Arrieta ‘12, Miriam (Winkler) Mowat ‘88, Marcelle DeFreitas, Maria (Liaskas) Maragos ‘82, Véronique Horry ‘85 and Sophie (Tsun) Hui ‘84.

Right Upper Sr. Jo at the 2013 SSA Celebration/Home for the Holidays Right LFA 2010 Champions! Milena Vaz ‘11, Sr. Jo, Ali McGillvray, Kelly McQuade ‘11 Far Right Lower Sr. Jo and 1966 LFA Student Council members, Joanne (Lloyd) Loughran ‘66, Margaret (Lloyd) Murray ‘67, Laureen McCleery ‘66, Sr. Mary James and Ingrid (Tepesh) Parent ‘66

why i volunteer Bettina Sy ‘97

I choose to volunteer my time and talent to LFA because I truly believe in the mission of this school. I know, without a doubt, my five years at LFA helped shape me to be the strong, confident woman I am. It was there where I learned to work hard, to value and respect my teachers, to safely make mistakes, to give generously, and it is where I made some of my best friends for life. A great passion of mine is empowering and educating young women, especially in the area of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Knowing LFA is a place that encourages girls to challenge themselves and reach further, and that it is shaping our future leaders - all this makes me want to be a part of that. Recognizing that the school has a long history of amazing women who have passed through the halls is what makes the LFA Alumnae Association so valuable - as we continue to build that community and to help each other grow (even after we leave the school!).

Emma (Towson) Hatfield ‘95

I believe we all innately feel a drive to contribute to society, but adding another obligation to the busyness of life often seems impossible. After cautiously joining the LFA Alumnae Association Executive, I soon rediscovered how easily we can make time for things that just feel right. Being back at LFA and helping to build the alumnae community definitely feels right. As an adult, I can now appreciate how much my time at LFA was the foundation of my success in life. I love seeing grads rediscover the nuggets of gold in their Little Flower experiences and watching current students thriving in the ever-evolving opportunities LFA offers.

Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ‘96

I have been so fortunate in my life to have had so many great opportunities, experiences, and so much help. While I’ll never be able to repay everyone that has helped me along the way, the LFA Alumnae Association gives me a chance to contribute to the school that helped make me who I am. The past few years have been a productive and rewarding time, and the people I’ve reconnected with have been so much fun. It’s pretty simple why I volunteer: because I believe in this community and all the amazing things we can do!

get involved ......................... The LFA Alumnae Association strengthens the bonds between the school and the vibrant community of alumnae by actively expanding and engaging our alumnae network through regular communication and community events.

Interested in joining the LFA Alumnae Association Executive? There are several ways you can help! We are always looking for Class Representatives, event volunteers, and contributors for our semi-annual magazines. We will also be holding our yearly elections for the Alumnae Association Executive Committee in May, so it’s a perfect time to become a member at large and really get involved! Want to know more? Please contact our Volunteer Chair, Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ’96 at fi.rintould@gmail.com.

We are:

• • • • •

A group of LFA alumnae Current staff Former teachers Supported by alumnae class reps Supported by alumnae on-call volunteers

We aim annually to • • • • •

Offer three to four social events Publish two alumnae magazine issues (online and print) Represent alumnae at key school events (masses, grad) Run minor outreach programs for alumnae Manage the Distinguished Alumnae Program

Participation Opportunities We welcome volunteers from the LFA community in the following roles:

On-call volunteer

Class Representative

•willingness to assist with association actvities, such as: •planning / working at events •attending annual volunteer meeting •writing articles for alumnae magazine (optional)

•send minor announcements to classmates (approx. 8 per year) •collect updates on classmates for the school •attend annual volunteer meeting •write articles for alumnae magazine (optional)

Executive Member •attend monthly meetings •brainstorm, plan and execute social events •write one article for each alumnae magazine issue •assist with at least two social events

Calendar of Meetings and Events (subject to change) August • Kick off Meeting

February • Meeting followed by Valentine Stuffing

September • Meeting • Fall Sport Festival

March • Meeting

October • Meeting • Fall Magazine Published

April • Meeting • Spring Magazine Published • Spring Event

November

December

• Meeting • Grape Escape • Careers Day

• No Meeting • Home for the Holidays

May • Meeting

June • Final Meeting • Graduation Mass

January • Meeting

July • No Meeting

reconnecting with a rising star An interview with Josette Jorge ‘01

Life is good for alumna, Josette Jorge ‘01. In the past year, she got married, moved to Toronto and started her dream job. Josette Jorge ’01, student council president 2000 - 2001, will be starring as a series regular in a brand new show on YTV called The Stanley Dynamic. The show premieres Thursday, March 19th, and can be seen every Thursday at 7pm on YTV or on www.ytv.com. She is very excited about the new show and hopes that you will all watch it with your families. Tell us a little bit about your new show - The Stanley Dynamic. The Stanley Dynamic is a family sitcom about a typical North American family, much like your own...but with a twist. One of their children is a cartoon! There are a lot of TV shows out there that are targeted towards kids, but I think the whole family (parents and all!) would enjoy watching this show together. The show involves both kids and parent story lines. The kids work through issues at school while the parents deal with work issues, like having an annoying boss. What character do you play on the show? I play the annoying boss! My character’s name is Pam Fontaine, the manager of the town’s community centre. The kids hang out at the community centre, and their mom and dad both work there as well. My character can be bossy at times. She is the one that you’d love to see get a pie in the face! Let’s just say that she isn’t the nicest character on the show... but those characters are the best to play, of course. Do you feel like you are at all like your character? I’d like to think that I’m a bit friendlier than Pam Fonatine; however I feel like there is a little bit of myself in every character that I’ve ever played. I try not to judge the characters I portray, even when they’re the antagonists of the story. I do my best to discover what makes Pam human and likeable, and I think that’s where I find the humour and fun in playing Pam. What is it like working on a YTV show? I’m having a blast working on a YTV show! I grew up watching YTV’s The Hit List, The Zone, and Are You Afraid of The Dark. My inner child was so excited when I got the part! The cast and crew on the show are amazing. After shooting over 20 episodes together, we’ve become a family. Every time I walk into the studio in Toronto, I feel so thankful that I am working at my dream job. On one of the sets, we have a giant yellow slide! It’s impossible not to feel happy when I come to work. How are you liking Toronto? And what do you do when you are not filming The Stanley Dynamic? My husband and I moved to Toronto last year because of the show, and we are loving it here! Actually, a few weeks before I got the gig on The Stanley Dynamic, my husband proposed to me at the Vancouver Christmas Market. Less than a month later, I got the call that I got the part, so we packed our bags and started our new life together in Toronto! My husband is also an actor, and when we are not filming, we are teaching speech and drama to children. Follow J osette on Tw itte r ! @ jo s e tte jo rge an d like h e r page o n Face bo o k “Jo s e tte Jo rge ”

channels of connection Bettina Sy ‘97

How to Connect with your LFA Community With a history that dates back to 1927, our Little Flower Academy community is extensive and grows every year with each graduating class. As changing times have given more options for how people do their shopping or make travel bookings, we at LFA have many channels for staying connected with our alumnae community. Pick one, two, or all the options to make sure you are always up to date on all the LFA alumnae activities – whether it’s an upcoming reunion, a school mass, our annual wine tasting event, or updates on fellow alumnae, teachers and school accomplishments! La Petite Fleur This magazine, full of great stories and photos, is published online and mailed twice a year. With contributions from alumnae, parents, and sometimes students and staff, it is a fantastic read! If you are interested in contributing

Join Team LFA and Run for the Cure Whether it’s a student, teacher, parent or friend, we seem to be talking about cancer a lot these days. Everyone knows someone who has been seriously affected by this disease. As a community of women, breast cancer is a very real concern for all of us, and I would like to invite you to join me in the 2015 CIBC Run for the Cure. Maybe you’ve set a goal to run 5km in 2015, and this is the perfect opportunity! On Sunday, October 4, our first LFA Alumnae Team will help bring us all closer to a future without breast cancer. Will you be there? For more information, or to join our team, contact Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ’96 at frintoul@flipflopshops.com.

as a writer or with an idea for a story, please contact Emma Hatfield, (ehmmie@hotmail.com). Be sure you’re receiving your copy by emailing alumnae@lfabc.org with your current email and postal address. Email Updates These monthly email updates provide information on upcoming events including school masses, reunions, and alumnae events. If you’re not already receiving these, email alumnae@lfabc. org to ensure our records are updated.

LFA Website – Alumnae Portal Logging on the Little Flower Academy alumnae portal gives you all the information you need to know about upcoming events, PDF copies of previous editions of La Petit Fleur, and more. Go to www.lfabc.org and click on Community Log In. If this is your first time logging on, please contact us at alumnae@lfabc.org or 604.738.9016 ext 106 and we’ll be happy to set you up with your username and password.

Social Media The LFA community is present on various social media channels. Connect with us for updates and to connect with other alumnae. Facebook: Search for the Little Flower Academy Alumnae group Twitter: Follow us @lfabc Linked In: Search for the Little Flower Academy Alumnae group

Montreal Alumnae Pub NIght It’s Montreal in January. The temperature is hovering around -25. The worn paths through the snow are slick from pedestrian traffic. There’s a hip Irish pub just off the McGill campus. Not necessarily where you’d expect to find a Little Flower gathering. However, with a couple of LFA and VC staff in town for other reasons, a joint pub night idea was hatched. Unsurprisingly, super cool Montreal has attracted super cool LFA alumnae. With more than two thirds of our recent alumnae studying at McGill right now, our plans for a 7pm to 9pm reception gave way to a 7pm to near midnight reception! Special mention must go out to Jane Kreuger ‘13 who joined us from Queen’s University (on a Wednesday night!) and Stephanie Wan ‘04, who, with her fiancé, fit right in with the university crowd.

how to (and how not to) plan a reunion Kate (Addison) Macdonald ‘04

It was hard to believe that it had already been almost a decade since we donned the white graduation robes and caps and attempted “not to fall” as we crossed the stage in our matching white, high-heeled shoes. Nevertheless, the time had come to plan a reunion. Four of us decided to undertake planning the reunion, and we learned a few lessons along the way. Here, I will set out the top three lessons we learned about how NOT to plan a reunion.

Plan everything by consensus. When we set out to plan the reunion, four of us wanted to plan it. Rather than putting one person in charge, we attempted to plan everything by agreement. Unfortunately, trying to accommodate everyone’s ideas ended up stalling the planning process because no one wanted to go ahead with their ideas and take initiative to move the process forward for fear of stepping on someone else’s toes. Instead, we recommend choosing one person who will take the lead on planning and decision making, and having two or three others help along the way. If this is clear from the beginning, it will help everyone.

Try to please everyone. This raises the same issues with consensus planning, but with the broader class. As soon as classmates heard we were reunion planning, we got a lot of requests. Unfortunately, sometimes the requests were for completely opposite things. Some people would only go if it was on a Friday; others suggested Thursday since Friday is often busy. Some people wanted a laid-back, evening event at an outside venue; others only wanted to go if the reunion was at the school. Instead of trying to incorporate everyone’s conflicting “must-haves”, it is important for the people planning to lead the way. The planners should think about what others might want, but remember that ultimately, they volunteered to organize

the event and that people will be happy as long as they get to catch up with their classmates.

Have busy people with incompatible schedules attend every meeting. Having four busy young professionals plan a reunion was probably not the best choice. For our second meeting, we ended up having no dates in a three-month period where everyone was available. Instead, having one person lead the way helps to avoid group attempts to schedule. If one person cannot make a specific date, try to use Skype or phone that person in. Better to get underway than postpone making decisions for three months until everyone can be in the same room! Now that you know what not to do and how to avoid those problems, here are some things that worked well for us.

Choose a date early and tell people. There is never going to be a date that works for everyone, but the best way to avoid disappointment is to choose a date about six to eight months in advance and send out either a Facebook event invitation or an email asking people to save the date. Try to consider Thursday or Friday nights since May and June (typical reunion time) also tends to be wedding time and weddings tend to be on Saturdays. At least for a 10 year reunion, you can expect lots of weddings to be going on!

Keep it simple. The focus of the reunion is just that—reuniting with your LFA classmates. While in an ideal world the reunion would be the event of the year, what your classmates really want is to get together with old friends and catch up. The best way to do this is to focus on creating a comfortable, laidback atmosphere, rather than focus on planning twenty activities down to the minute that prevent people from mingling. A few activities, perhaps a slideshow of photos or an ice-breaker event, are a good thing, but they are not the most important thing.

Plan ahead. After putting in the effort to plan your reunion, make sure you get to participate in it. The best way to do this is to ensure that the logistics are being taken care of by someone else or that all the details take care of themselves. For us, this meant having the event at a venue which would provide the food, drinks and serving staff. This way, the planners could organize everything ahead of time, show up early to set up, and then actually catch up with classmates. People feel more welcome if they can chat with others when they arrive, rather than waiting for their classmates to finish serving food to see them.

UP COMING REUNIONS • CLASS OF 2005 10 years already?! It’s definitely time for a reunion. See you at the St. Regis Bar & Grill on June 5, 2015. For more information please contact: Kate (Addison) Macdonald ‘05 at kefamacdonald@gmail.com • CLASS OF 1995 Where has the time gone? We would love some help planning for this year’s 20th reunion. For more information please contact: Emma (Towson) Hatfield ‘95 at ehmmie@hotmail.com • CLASS OF 1985 Calling Class of ‘85 graduates! Come and celebrate our 30th anniversary reunion on June 26-28, 2015. Friday tour of LFA and pubnight; Saturday dinner at the Coal Harbour Cactus Club; Sunday brunch. For more information please contact: Rena (Newton) Pratt ‘85 at dpratt@telus.net

Plan your Reunion Maybe you’re planning a reunion and would like to coordinate a school tour or school-based event? Please contact Connie Sabo at saboc@lfabc.org to help make arrangements.

reunions ......................... Over the past 88 years since LFA was founded, over 4500 students have graduated from our alma mater. Even with Angels near and far, we have seen some fantastic reunions.

eventful reunions Mackenzie Biggar ‘97

Whether it has been 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years since graduating, there are so many ways to reconnect with your classmates with a reunion to celebrate! Check out some of the ways that classes can get together, laugh, reminisce and celebrate their growth from budding Angels on Alexandra and Nanton to strong women who share their light and leadership worldwide.

the park, or a family fun fair, complete with a bouncy castle, a face painter and a scavenger hunt.

:: Alumnae Annual Spring Event – The Annual LFA AA Spring Event has also been a popular way to reconnect. Grad classes have made group bookings for our hugely successful Celebrity Chef Dinner and Curling Bonspiel, to name a few. Check out this year’s Spring event, Arty Party, an evening of artistic exploration accompanied by well-vinted liquid inspiration. :: Chef’s Dinner – The Class of 1978 celebrated with a gourmet dinner prepared by LFA’s in-house Chef, Paul Godidek, and hosted at one the alumnae’s homes. Some of the alumnae even arrived in uniform for giggles and good fun!

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:: Brunch at LFA & School Tour – Several graduating classes have celebrated their reunions with a weekend brunch in LFA’s Dining Hall. A wonderfully relaxed way to relive old memories and tour the ever-evolving school, brunch can be prepared by LFA’s renowned in-house chef, Paul Godidek. Recent brunch reunions include the Class of 1962, who welcomed 17 alumnae from around the world for their 50th reunion , and the Class of 1992, who made it a family affair by organizing a clown with balloon animals to entertain the younger family members.

Above Class of 1991 20 year reunion at LFA, June 2011

:: The Grape Escape – The annual Little Flower Alumnae Association Grape Escape wine pairing event has been host to several reunion groups. While the wine and food are always fantastic, the reconnections are even better! Keep an eye on our website and in the alumnae magazine, La Petite Fleur, for updates on the next Grape Escape, scheduled for November 2015. :: Family-friendly Events – For a lot of alumnae, there are younger family members to consider. Familyfriendly reunions may include a movie night in the gym with alumnae catching up at the back, picnics in

:: Off-Site Ideas – Many reunions have also taken place at off-site locations, including the upcoming Class of 2005 reunion at the St. Regis Hotel and the Class of 1997’s 10-year reunion at the Flamingo Restaurant. :: School-inspired Events – Literally reliving the memories of yesteryear can be a great way to celebrate the decades that have passed. Alumnae groups can trek the walk-a-thon route (20km or 10km versions) with strollers, runner, and bikes, or enjoy a trivia night with questions from Grade 10 math, chemistry, English, and social studies exams. :: Travel Adventures – It’s not in everyone’s budget, but some grad classes have decided to plan destination events, such as meeting up in Europe for a week. Certainly, overseas alumnae have offered to host events for people willing to travel to their countries. What better excuse to travel?! The possibilities are endless, and events can be as formal or informal as you’d like. Still, the first step is reconnecting with as many people as possible. If you would like help contacting your fellow alumnae or want to enquire about hosting an event at the school, please contact your class representative at alumnae@lfabc.org or Connie Sabo, at saboc@lfabc.org.

home for the holidays Good cheer. Good food. Good times. Great turn out! Integrating the school’s Christmas Liturgy with our Home for the Holidays reception is clearly a tradition that works. Thankfully, we had extra chairs set out to accomodate the number of alumnae who joined us this year. It was one of our biggest Home for the Holidays in recent memory, with

more than 120 alumnae from nearly every decade joining us. That said, and by design, it’s our most recent alumnae that come back in the biggest numbers. Both faculty and our Grade 12s enjoyed the incredible turn out from the Class of 2014. It felt like June graduation all over again! It’s a great joy to hear how everyone is progressing through their university experience. From all over North America and beyond, our grads do

amazing things. Alumnae enjoyed loads of time to catch up, had some lovely food, celebrated Mass together and many stayed to watch our basketball Angels get past rival York House too.

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a n ge ls a ro und tow n ......... Above Lisa Dombovary “96, Dominica Bay ‘98, Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ‘96

Dominica established the AJ Bay Foundation in 2008, in memory of her brother AJ, and has held the golf tournament for the past two years. Since its inception, the AJ Bay Foundation has raised over $35,000 for Mindcheck and BC Mental Health, which provide support to those living with mental illness. The ultimate goal of the AJ Bay Foundation is to work with the community to build awareness and help improve the lives of those living with mental illness. The facts are staggering: in any given year, one in five Canadians experiences a mental health problem or illness, and only one in three people who experience a mental health problem or illness report that they have sought services and treatment. “Every single person has family or friends affected by mental health (issues), and it’s important that we continue to do something about it,” Dominica says. She is an impressive force of nature, dividing her time between the foundation and her thriving business, Pure Vibe Fitness Studio, in Kitsilano. With a naturally energetic and inspirational personality, Dominica has seen great success in her field and has even taken her work to the Dragon’s Den on CBC. Although she did not leave with a deal, she had several dragons sweating after sampling her workouts. At Pure Vibe, she shares her passion for health and fitness with her clients through Whole Body Vibration Training, providing the benefits of an hour’s workout in just 20 minutes. She dedicates her time to helping people reach goals and, according to her mantra, “feel better, look better, and live better.” The connection between her professional and charitable work is what keeps driving her to succeed. “The core of my belief is that health equals wealth, and the fitter you are, the healthier you are and the more you can help others. When you experience firsthand what it’s like to lose someone you love more than yourself, it will forever change you. I decided to channel my energy into inspiring others to go beyond themselves and help build a stronger, healthier, and happier community.” To find out more about the AJ Bay Foundation Golf Classic, which will take place on August 11, 2015, please visit www.ajbayfoundation.com. To learn more about Pure Vibe Fitness Studio, please visit www.purevibe.ca.

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This past August, I participated in the 2nd Annual AJ Bay Foundation Golf Classic at UBC’s University Golf Club. The foundation is dear to my heart and a labour of love started by fellow LFA alumna Dominica Bay ‘98. As a member of the only allfemale foursome in the tournament, I thought to myself... clearly the LFA community needs to know about this. Fiona (Austin) Rintoul ‘96

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school news ......................... LFA has evolved beautifully since 1927, fulfilling the Sisters of St Ann’s mission of enabling young women to reach their full potential. In a school renowned for its academic excellence, it’s wonderful to see a wealth of opportunities and successes in so many other aspects of an LFA education.

Carnegie Choir

No one can doubt LFA’s Chamber Choir’s talent. They have received another invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall, in New York, based on their exceptional performances at Heritage Festivals across North America. This April, with a larger choir than we took last time, the students will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform at one of the world’s premier venues.

Model UN to China

The Model United Nations club continues to offer extraordinary opportunities for the girls. The Model UN format gives students a chance to compete in simulated UN debates on real world issues. In March, the club flew to Beijing, China to participate in the Harvard Model United Nations. Future diplomats got their feet and appetites wet for international politics and global problem solving.

Ancient World Tour

Also in March, 30 students travelled to Greece and Italy for a two week humanities tour. With a busy schedule of museums and historic sites, it was an amazing way to make social studies, English literature and even the sciences come alive.

Social Justice in South America

The Social Justice club, dedicated to humanitarian work, sent nine girls to Ecuador to work in a small mountain village, helping the local community. The trip was designed to also provide an immersion experience for students in our Spanish program. The opportunity to blend a language learning opportunity with our largest school club that reflects the values of the school was the perfect fit.

-the first time in many years that LFA has made it. Though the final was close, a silver medal at this level of Basketball will be a cherished accomplishment. The Bantam (Grade 8) team went through their season undefeated. They cruised to victory in their league and won all their Provincial Championship games until they met Walnut Grove, who also had an undefeated season, in the final. The girls will have a flood of memories and a silver medal to take with them.

BC’s Sporting Elite

It’s been a remarkable year for the Athletics program at LFA this year. In every sport that LFA has fielded teams, we’ve sent at least one of those teams to the provincial championships! In the process, teams have won their leagues, won tournaments and represented the school with both competitiveness and sportsmanship. The athletic program and dedicated girls really are champions!

Basketball Silvers

In basketball, the Senior team was blessed with a group of senior players who played their hearts out. Just qualifying for the AA Provincial Tournament was an accomplishment-

Volleyball Bronze

In volleyball, the Bantams won their league championship, and the Junior team placed second in their league and 16th in the province. Our Senior Angels captured gold in their league and at the Lower Mainland Championships before winning a bronze medal at the AAA Provincials.

Cinderella Field Hockey

The Senior A team overcame the loss of five starting senior players, meaning they had to call up a number of Grade 9 players. They overcame the elements to secure the final wild card berth and, despite being ranked 10th, finished sixth at the AA Provincials Championships. Meanwhile, the Senior B field hockey team won their league championship.

Cross Country Champs

Heating up the cross country tracks, the Junior team pulled off an amazing weekend to finish as BC Provincial Champions. The Senior team finished tenth in the province: an amazing feat as schools of all size compete in the Cross Country Championships.

Swimming Success

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Not to be left out, the swim team saw great successes at the provincial level. They won the Swimming Provincial Bronze medal, by winning the mixed 200m medley relay and the mixed 200m free relay. Far Left The Acropolis, Athens, Greece Centre Left Field in Ecuador that was weeded, tilled and planted by Angels Upper Left Danielle Rabang ‘15 fights for the ball in final vs Immaculata Lower Left Bantam basketball team line up for their silver medals Above Kiera Dumas-Wong ‘16 drives left against GW Graham at Provincials in Oliver BC Right Chef Daryl Nagata on the set of Food Network’s Chopped Canada

Big Congratulations to Chef Daryle Ryo Nagata! Last Spring, LFA alumnae were treated to an extra special event: a cooking lesson from celebrity chef, Daryle Nagata. He took our alumnae on an inspiring cooking adventure in the Home Ec kitchens, culminating in an unforgettable auditorium sitting of fine wine and five-star dining. The menu included cheese and grape truffles, cherry braised beef short rib ravioli, filo wrapped halibut with Dungeness crab and tuxedo chocolatedipped strawberries! Chef Nagata’s wonderful skills and personality gave the alumnae a special evening, indeed, but his recent success now gives them some additional bragging rights. Chef Nagata is one of Chopped Canada’s champions! In the Food Network’s Chopped Canada Episode 10, “A Brisket, a Basket”, Chef Nagata used secret ingredients such as chicken wieners, dried fruit, brisket, cactus and crescent rolls to make a delicious dish. Now that’s quite the challenge! This win might just make the LFA Alumnae Association’s next Celebrity Chef event all the more creative. To see what Chef Nagata was able to do with wieners, dried fruit, brisket, cactus and crescent rolls, check out Episode 10 on the Food Network’s Chopped Canada. http://bit.ly/1IzkmFo

Insert Five star dining inspired by Chef Nagata at last year’s Celebrity Chef Cooking class at LFA

a tale as old as time Marizza Mislang

The history of the LFA/VC musicals is a tale as old as time.

PAST LFA/VC PRODUCTIONS* 1989 Mary Poppins 1981 Fiddler of the Roof 1980 Jack and the Beanstalk 1978 Oliver 1977 Music Man 1976 South Pacific 1971 Oliver 1957 Mikado *if we’ve missed a production, please let us know!

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Many LFA alumnae may remember the long standing relationship between Vancouver College and Little Flower Academy and their collaboration on a number of unforgettable musical productions. After years of hiatus, the performing arts teams from both VC and LFA have come together again to put on the musical Beauty and the Beast. Directed by Simone Bazille (LFA) and Nicole McDonald (VC) and musical direction by Marizza Mislang (LFA), the show included hundreds of students, staff and parents from both our LFA and VC communities who came together to bring this beautiful story to life. The production ran through eight sold out audiences at the Kucher Centre of the Performing Arts at Vancouver College, with each night ending in a standing ovation. On closing night, as parents, students and staff from both communities stood in gratitude of a job well done, it was clear that “Beauty and the Beast” will continue our longstanding tradition of the LFA/VC shows from the past.

Above Right Music Man cast, 1977 Right Oliver cast, 1971 Below Beauty and the Beast cast, 2015

a lfa spring choral concerts LFA Chamber Choir returns to Carnegie Hall, NYC Members from our award winning Chamber Choir are making their second appearance on the stage of Carnegie Hall for the National Youth Festival Concert. Our singers will be among some of the top high school choral programs, which will have the opportunity to work with conductor Lynn Gackle to rehearse and perform a special program, which will be presented at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, April 19th at 8:30pm. This is the Chamber Choir’s second performance at Carnegie Hall. To see all of our choirs perform, you are invited to attend our final spring choral concert entitled Rejoice and Sing held at the Chan Centre of the Performing Arts on Thursday, May 14th at 7:30pm. This year’s concert will feature over 200 of our choral students from Grades 8 to 12, performances by LFA alumnae Corymae Omega ‘11, LFA pianist Valerie Mok (Grade 9) and special guests, Trivo. As well, a number of our concert choir students will perform under the direction of Elaine Quilicini, Artistic Director of the Calgary Girls’ Choir, who will travel to Vancouver in May to work with our junior and senior concert choir students. Tickets are now available online at www.chancentre.com or 604.822.2697 (service charges may apply).

C h or a l L i t t l e

F l ow e r

Music A c a d e m y

advancement ......................... Mrs. Troughton’s commitment to her students had a lasting impact on so many young women over the years. While she’s widely remembered for “getting the best” out of her students in mathematics, it was clearly her belief in those same students that struck a chord.

brenda troughton memorial scholarship She inspired young women to be their best by believing in them and their abilities. When Brenda passed away in early November, 2014, there was an outpouring of fond memories from former students and colleagues alike. There was standing room only at her memorial mass. Immaculate Conception Parish was filled with people paying respect to a fine woman with an immensely generous spirit who had influenced their lives. Similarly, social media and our own school website measured the loss of someone who was greatly loved for her professionalism and kindness.

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Brenda was an educator at heart. Her husband Gary explained that as Brenda saw her own time drawing to a close, she left him “marching orders” to ensure a legacy in the Little Flower community. Gary has set up a scholarship in Brenda’s memory, through the LFA Foundation, which we are proud to call the Brenda Troughton Memorial Scholarship.

Mrs. Troughton, you were an inspiration. Spirited, classy, thoughtful, inspiring and funny... You were the teacher who made the biggest impression on me from my first year of high school to my last... heaven’s a little brighter today...

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Cindy Yu ‘92

Insert Brenda Troughton, 1984

Right Brenda Troughton at the Alumnae Fall Sport Festival, 2012

The scholarship will be awared annually to a student who shows “determination and hard work” in math, though she might not necessarily be a top math student. Reflecting the values of a teacher who volunteered countless hours tutoring students, often free of charge for those who couldn’t afford it, “financial need” will also be considered in awarding the scholarship. While Gary set the scholarship up, former colleagues, students and friends have also started adding their gifts. It is now feasible that we will reach a threshold to “endow” the scholarship in the LFA Foundation. If endowed, it will be a scholarship that can be given in perpetuity. Endowed or disbursed over many years, the memory of the lasting impact that Brenda had on generations of Little Flower students will be memorialized: benefiting future students most like those who most benefited from her in the classroom. You can be part of this legacy with a gift to the LFA Foundation.The scholarship fund will be managed by the Little Flower Academy Foundation, while the recipients will be selected by the Scholarship Committee at the school. www.lfabc.org/troughton

t h ank you ........... With your support, Little Flower Academy’s Annual Fund has grown every year. The many gifts we have received help to ensure that our students continue to have an accessible, well-resourced Catholic girls education.

lfa foundation update The Little Flower Academy Foundation, which we introduced in the last issue of La Petite Fleur, has been busy over the past few months. The school’s fledgling endowment fund has quickly moved toward $500,000, nearly all of which is designated for financial aid at the school. With all of the endowed resources disbursing only interest earned, the LFA Foundation has put its attention to an investment policy. In doing so, we turned to the Sisters of St. Ann policy as a guideline for our own growth and ethical, Catholic investment. We’ve been blessed to speak with a number of alumnae over the past months about the long term vision the LFA Foundation has for supporting the mission of the school. It’s also been very rewarding to have been approached by several alumnae who see the LFA Foundation as a vehicle to managing a personal legacy that will positively impact Catholic girls’ education in Vancouver. The LFA Foundation is also taking a lead role in acquiring the resources to enable the biggest capital investment in the school infrastructure since the building of the new wing in 2007. Over the next three years, classroom technology will be transformed at the school, ushering in a new teaching pedagogy that incorporates contemporary methods for sharing ideas and resources; creating and utilizing interactive presentations; undertaking realtime research; and the integration of sophisticated software applications. The LFA Foundation will be integral to realizing a technology vision that is relevant for all students, located in every classroom, and accessible on demand. Done through fundraising and not fee increases, we have a vision for this change occurring without compromising the core value of accessibility to our whole Catholic community.

Your generosity is invested in a long list of necessities beyond what’s possible from tuition alone. This includes financial aid, our campus ministry, classroom resources, athletic equipment, art supplies, library resources, technology, transportation, Religion retreats and counselling resources. We would like to gratefully acknowledge our alumnae donors for their commitment to the mission and vision of Little Flower Academy in our community in the past year.

1940s Fay Guns ‘46 Eva Redmond ‘46 Margaret Rushton ‘40 1950s Jeanne Comesotti ‘55 Janet Faulds ‘57 Janina Freyman ‘55 Anna Myszak ‘56 Judy Oddy ‘57 Roma Rowlands ‘51 Deborah Underhill ‘55 Ann Zubick ‘51 1960s Kathleen Adams ‘63 Rosemarie Alvaro ‘69 Anne Andrew ‘63 Catherine Doyle ‘63 Maureen Elliott ‘67 Janice Feld ‘62 Patricia Marsden-Dole ‘63 Julie Parker ‘66 Mauvorneen Suttie ‘67 1970s Wendy Christie ‘79 Corilee Cotter ‘70 Lynda Fellows ‘79 Annette Garm ‘79 Sheila O’Brien ‘77 Carolyn Railton ‘79 Mary Margaret Shaw ‘75 1980s Mary Christie-Gallop ‘85 Carolyn Hartnett ‘88 Irene Hensel ‘88 Chiara Hnatiuk ‘85 Sophie Hui ‘84 Caroline Kriekenbeek ‘87 Carole Leong ‘86

Deirdre Lewis ‘82 Diane Little ‘88 Sandra Metcalfe ‘84 Rena Pratt ‘85 Angela Shen ‘86 Isabelle Vonder Muhll ‘88 Kristina Walcott ‘86 1990s Mackenzie Biggar ‘97 Sue Bryde ‘92 Sheila Catambing ‘95 Michele Chiu ‘96 Louella Cruz ‘97 Emma Hatfield ‘95 Leanne Hurley ‘98 Krisztina Kassay ‘94 Terena Maguire ‘95 Melissa Ramos ‘94 Fiona Rintoul ‘96 Teresa Silvestre ‘91 Bettina Sy ‘97 Tammy Ting ‘99 Izabela Wasiela ‘99 2000s Karen Au Yeung ‘02 Meghan Canil ‘00 Caroline Cannon ‘04 Samantha Chang ‘05 Charmaine de Silva ‘00 Jennifer Ng-Haing ‘04 Karen Teufel ‘02 Tania Tod ‘02 Stephanie Wan ‘04 Belinda Wong ‘03 2010s Amelia Casey ‘12 Veronica Chiu ‘13 Jessica Mason Wallace ‘14 Catherine Chan ‘15

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. If, however, any errors or omissions have occurred, please accept our apologies, and advise the Advancement Office at 604.738.9016 x106 so that corrections can be made.

Thirty four years. It’s been thirty four years since Alison McGillivray was hired by Sister Roberta Madden to cover a six month maternity leave. When Ali took the job as a teacher librarian, she was certain her stay would be brief. That was 1981. What’s remarkable about Ali isn’t that, to look at, she’s hardly changed. What’s remarkable is that she is as vibrant, engaged and excited to teach her students today as she’s ever been. This June, she will be “retiring” every bit the blessing to her students today as she’s been for the past three decades.

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Alison started in the 1980’s as the teacher librarian. It was only in the early 1990’s that she moved over to teaching Social Studies. She laughs at it now, reminding me that even as she retires, she’s still the “junior” member of the Social Studies department to colleagues Maureen Lyons and Matt Coady.

Above In the classroom with Ali Insert The death of Wolf on the Plains of Abraham Top right Ali training with girls in Tunbridge Wells during the LFA UK Hockey Tour, 2014 Top left Enjoying the game! Ali with Sr. Jo and Amelia Casey ‘12 at the Bridgman Tournament in Victoria, 2013

For more than 25 years, students at LFA have known a special kind of Social Studies experience. Dressed as a Viking and re-enacting Freydis and the demonstration of the Bering Land Bridge from the top of her desk will, no doubt, be etched on the memories of many. Re-enacting took on a whole new level in recent years when Ali realized that the school’s courtyard could vaguely be construed to represent the geography around the Plains of Abraham: the concrete path was the St.

Lawrence River, the Grotto was Quebec City, the gate was the entrance from the Atlantic Ocean, and the wall on the side of the courtyard was where the washer-woman was deceived by the British soldiers. Armed with whiffle-balls, a sense of imagination, and a passionate teacher, the girls diligently walked through the whole scenario that led to the death of Montcalm. Where, of course, everyone poses for their picture as close to the original painting as can be achieved. When asked how long she’s been organizing the Medieval Feast for the Grade 8 students, Ali pauses. “Since the Middle Ages. Maybe the 13th century?” she replies dryly. She won’t commit to the authenticity of the mead in her cup. The passion for teaching young adults has never stopped at the classroom. Ali’s involvement in extra-curricular enrichment at LFA has been extraordinary. Twenty years as the teacher sponsor for our tennis team. Four weekend Encounter retreats. She sponsored Cross Country. By volunteering to support the public speaking program, language trips and Choir trips, she has chaperoned students to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York as well as Mexico, France, and Spain. She’s also been a key volunteer in mentoring the Grad Committee: a volunteer activity she loves dearly because it, “allows me to be closely involved with the Senior students as they plan their final year.” Of course, it’s the field hockey program that she’s best known for. Coaching, recruiting, umpiring, organizing tournaments, taking

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Above Yay! Ali scores at Alumnae Fall Sports Festival, 2013 Above right Wassail! Ali’s Medieval Feast has been enjoyed by Grade 8s since the MIddle Ages!

athletes away to play at Bridgman or Provincials: it’s been a labour of love that has resulted in one of the largest field hockey programs in the country. In addition to three Provincial Championship banners and qualifying for the Provincial tournament for eleven of the last twelve years, Ali also led the effort to take a team on tour to the UK for the largest and most ambitious international athletics opportunity the school has ever offered. When asked to reflect on her experience at LFA, Ali protests: “It’s been fun! That’s about as introspective as I get.” She then pauses and thinks. “It’s amazing to have former students as colleagues. Katelyn, Sue, Diane, Sarah, Tara and Meghan. Richard Cannon’s extra effort to make field hockey successful has been amazing. I really enjoy seeing alumnae on the hockey pitch in town. I saw Val the other day as I was umpiring and was teasing her about calling me ‘Ali’ and not ‘Mrs. Mcgillivray’. I really enjoy seeing my former students coming back as parents. The kids are so much like their moms in many cases. I’m so grateful to Sister Jo for always supporting the field hockey—not just the Sister Jo Cup, but for making it out to games at Bridgman for as long as I can remember.” Ali looks around the auditorium, where she’s taken her class this block. “I’m just so very grateful to the Sisters of St. Ann for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this.” In the background, her class is broken into groups. They’re making up their own “French Revolution protest songs”. Ever LFA, they’re choreographing dances to go with their songs. Ali grins at the girls. They’re marching. Singing. Learning. Sadly, this coming September, they won’t get an extra mark for learning to spell “McGillivray” correctly.

the last word ........

‘‘

I’m just so very grateful to the Sisters of St. Ann for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this.

note s from the g ro tto ................................ NEWS & CONGRATULATIONS • Hayley (Williams) Bouton ‘01, husband Nick Bouton and big brother Liam (2) welcomed girl and boy twins, Charlotte and Alexander Bouton, into their family on November 7, 2014. • Julia (Paskovic) Cameron ‘99, husband Brett and big sister Maelle are thrilled to announce the arrival of Thaxton Cameron on October 15, 2014. • Katy (Condon) Wallington ‘99 has a lovey new baby girl. Congrats! • Sharon (Haughey) Lombardi ‘99 and husband, Thomas Andrew Lombardi Jr welcome little Thomas Andrew Lombardi III, born October 16, 2014. • Suzanne (Cassinos) Liu ‘99 and Joseph Liu were married on May 3, 2014. • Victoria Chan ‘98 and Michael Sew are very happy to announce the birth of Connor Jordan Sew, born October 10, 2014. • Sarah (Magcalas) Toth ‘97 and Jason Toth along with big siser Charlotte welcome Frederic Maxwell, born October 12, 2014 to their happy family. • Alexis Mauricio ‘97 and Michael Holaday are overjoyed to welcome Aidan Carols Holaday, born October 13, 2014. • Stephanie Grant ‘97, husband Ben and big sister Molly are so happy to announce the arrival of Noah Campbell Tedeschi, born in Darwin, Austrailia. The family will be living in Thirroul, NSW for the next few years.

• Sonia Cheng ‘95 and Kevin Chan welcomed the arrival of Serena Chloe Chan on December 5, 2014. • Trizie (Sanz) Harper ‘98, Dave Harper VC ‘98 and big sister Aria are thrilled with the birth of Alyssa Sanz Harper, born 7:17 am November 16, 2014 weighing 6lbs 14oz. The family is currently living in London, England.

• Laura Kwan ‘01 and husband John announce the birth of their first little angel, Kristal Antoinette Kwan-Evans born June 27, 2014. • Emily Cordonier ‘01, husband Leo and big brother Lucas are thrilled to announce the birth of Rowan Elizabeth Carroll on March 20.

• Elizabeth (Lefor) Rose ‘97 and husband, Peter Rose announce the birth of their first child, John Georffrey Adam Rose, born January 20, 2014 at 4:32 pm weighing 7lbs. 12oz.

IN OUR PRAYERS

• Kathlyn (Opina) Cumiskey ‘97, husband Brad and big sisters Mattea and Zoe are excited by the arrival of Everett Warren Cumiskey born January 27, 2015.

• Brenda Anne Roscoe ‘84 died suddenly from a brain aneurysm on November 5, 2014. She will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by everyone who knew her.

• Kaitlyn (Biggar) O’Brien ‘04, husband Sean and big brother Ronan are thrilled with the arrival of their little angel, Olive Margaret O’Brien, born February 4, 2015 at 11:18 am weighing 8lbs 2oz! Grandma Sheila O’Brien ‘77 and auntie Mackenzie Biggar ‘97 are overjoyed!

• Elizabeth (Betty Mulvihill) Campbell ‘60 passed away March 3, 2015 after a 40 year battle with ALS. She will be remembered for her sense of humour, her ingenuity and most powerfully, her faith and ability to inspire.

• Shellee (Rogers) Mackay ‘98 and Ryan Mackay are so happy to announce the arrival of their first baby, Duncan Francis Russell Mackay, born Feb 25, 2015. • Cordelia Monteiro-Dailey ‘96 and Mark Dailey announce the arrival of their third child, Brodie Jacob Russell, born January 15, 2015. • Sherryl Papilla ‘96 and husband Ray Lynch are thrilled to announce the

LFA ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION www.lfabc .org

birth of their first child, Saoirse Elise Pailla Lynch born November 26, 2014. They are enjoying every minute with their little angel!

• Mary Lynne (Filgiano) Stevenson ‘59 Beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend, Lynne passed away after a lengthy illness. Lynne travelled the world extensively as a tour director before assuming control of Eleanor Mack Millinery, a business started by her mother. Lynne’s greatest joy was talking to people and learning their personal stories. She will be missed. • Kieran (Murray) Semko ‘60 passed away on February 3, 2015 in the Crossroads Hospice after a valiant 18 month long battle with cancer. She was a natural care-giver who became a great nurse and she was a wonderful mother to her three children and a cherished grandmother to four. She will be lovingly remembered by her classmates, many of whom attended her Celebration of Remembrance. • Mary Elizabeth Nixon ‘77 passed away on March 7, 2015. Mary was blessed with a life filled with family and friends. Her true passion was painting and drawing and she leaves behind a legacy of beautiful work.