Officials and students at College Boreal are prepping for the trip of a lifetime.

Nine students and four staff members from Collège Boréal in Timmins, Kapuskasing, and Hearst are participating in a Humanitarian Project in Guatemala in May:

  • Michelle Boileau, Recruitment Officer, Timmins
  • Kathryne Cook, Business student, Timmins
  • Andréanne Côté, General Arts and Science student, Timmins
  • Jennifer Daoust, Job Developer, Timmins
  • Ashley Deschatelets, Office Administration – Executive student, Timmins
  • Mélanie Dufresne, Manager of Postsecondary Programs, Timmins
  • Lianne Jean, Office Administration – Executive student, Kapuskasing
  • Cynthia Larrivée, Practical Nursing student, Timmins
  • Michel Mainville, Professor, Timmins
  • Alexis Maltais, Business student, Timmins
  • Christine Paul, Pre-Health Sciences student, Hearst
  • Briann Rondeau, General Arts and Science student, Timmins
  • Jean-Guy Tremblay, Heavy Equipment Technician student, Timmins

The initiative, a first for the college, aims to help people living in poverty, both locally and abroad.

Launched last fall, the project consists of two phases: the first allowing participants to volunteer for local non-profit organizations; the second taking them to Guatemala from May 5-13, 2018 to help build cinderblock homes.

The project allows students to cross international borders, gain intercultural experiences, benefit from a language immersion experience, and increase their awareness of the world’s cultural and socio-economic differences.

“College life isn’t just classes, textbooks, and social gatherings,” says Boreal President Daniel Giroux, “By giving back to the community and helping others in need, participants will gain important lifelong lessons in leadership, teamwork, and selflessness.”

“On behalf of Collège Boréal, I would like to thank all those who collaborated toward and contributed to the success of this initiative,” added Boreal Timmins Director Jean-Pierre Nadon, “Thanks to you and the support of our communities, we can continue to offer students valuable learning experiences such as this one.”

The Humanitarian Project is made possible thanks to fundraising activities and the contributions of numerous project partners, such as Royal Lepage Northern Realty Leaders –Timmins Brokerage, ScotiaBank in Timmins, Project Love, and Zumba Timmins.

Community members wishing to support the college’s Humanitarian Project can donate online.

Residents are also encouraged to attend a “Salsa Night” fundraiser at the college on Theriault Boulevard.

The event runs Saturday, January 27th starting at 6:30pm for cocktails and 7:00pm for dinner. The dinner is a four-course meal prepared by Chef Justin Bonney and will be followed by a “salsa dancing demonstration” from Zumba Timmins at 9:00pm.

The cost is $70 a ticket and all proceeds will help officials with the Guatemala trip.

Reserve your spot by Monday, January 22nd by calling College Boreal at 705-267-5850.

Filed under: Local News