Engineering a meaningful Thanksgiving dinner

By Ethel Clemente Fernandez

	(L-r): Edgar Duroni, Mar Mance, Nancy Santoyo, Willy De Castro, Edwin Sapnu
	(L-r): Norman & Grace Garcia with their daughter; Roman Nepomuceno, Ian Michael Nepomuceno & Ethel Fernandez
	(L-r): Angelito Velasco, Ramon Buenaventura, Armin Feliciano &, Alen Joson
	Elena Oberez with her children (l) and Jeraldine Velasco (r)
	(L-r): Arnel Oberez, Ramon Cairo, Marolo Alfaro, Renato Palma, James Mataag Jr., Abelardo Domingo, Gil Ocenar & Angelito Velasco

Engineering a meaningful Thanksgiving dinner is not something we can do with computers or calculators. Three weeks ago, this event was not even an idea. Remarkably, it took one meeting, several heads and countless correspondences to design and construct one meaningful event.

On October 13^th, when everyone else was enjoying turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, dedicated members of the Filipino Members Chapter of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba (FMC-APEGM) and guests flocked to Salisbury Restaurant on Leila Avenue to support the candidacy of Ramon Cairo in his bid for a seat in the APEGM Council and to witness the launching of the Chapter’s first bursary fund.

Ramon Cairo, P.Eng, was the first FMC-APEGM president and may become the first Filipino to serve on the APEGM council once elected. He is one of 11 candidates hoping to fill one of four positions available. All Filipino registered engineers were encouraged to further the campaign of his candidacy and vote for him in the first rank, as ballots are counted according to the rules of proportional representation. His platform and credentials can be viewed at www.apegm.mb.ca.

The FMC-APEGM Bursary Award will benefit FMC-APEGM student members to assist them in their goal of completing the academic requirements towards membership registration with the APEGM. Funds for this bursary will come from two fundraising events this year:

1. Salisbury House Community “Fun” Raiser Program – from October 13 to November 20 (Mondays and Thursdays only), 20 per cent of guest bills will be donated toward the bursary fund upon presentation of the authorization letter designated to the FMC-APEGM. The letter is available on the chapter’s Facebook page (Filipino Members Chapter – APEGM) or can be requested through fmc_apegm@yahoo.com. Selected members of FMC-APEGM also distribute copies of this letter.

2. Agahan, Balikatan at Kuwentuhan – a breakfast buffet fundraising event on November 15, 2014 at Canton Food Gallery. With a $10 ticket, one can enjoy a variety of Filipino breakfast favourites and a choice of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or a soda. For tickets, please contact:

• Angelito Velasco – velasco.angelito@ymail.com

• Edgar Duroni – edgar_duroni@hotmail.com

• Nancy Santoyo – cnisantoyo@shaw.ca

• Mario Mance – marmance@gmail.com

• Willy de Castro – wa_decastro@yahoo.ca

• Norman Garcia – norman@sulongtriathlon.org

• Edwin Yazon – edwinyazon@yahoo.com

• Ray Sator – sator11us@yahoo.com

The FMC-APEGM is now accepting applications for the Bursary Award until the close of December 13, 2014.

You are eligible to apply, if you are a registered Student Member of the chapter, to wit:

Constitution, 4.a.iii – A Student member shall be any Filipino or Filipino-Canadian who completed, as a minimum, a baccalaureate degree in engineering or geosciences in the Philippines or any other province, territory, or any other country and is in the process of completing the academic requirements to become a registered Professional Engineer (PEng), Professional Geoscientist (PGeo) or Engineer-In-Training (EIT) or Geoscientist-In-Training (GIT) in the Province of Manitoba.

For more detailed information on requirements and instructions, please contact Norman Garcia at norman@sulongtriathlon.org

Ethel Clemente Fernandez is a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba (APEGM). She currently works for a federal crown corporation and is serving on the Executive Committee of the Filipino Members Chapter (FMC) - APEGM. For inquiries, please e-mail fmc_apegm@yahoo.ca.