Ignite Sault

Ignite Sault reaches 5! The recap

gerrykirk — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:24:32 +0000

Last week Ignite Sault reached a special milestone, the 5th event since it started a couple of years ago. The Grand Theatre was packed once again for an exciting evening of talks, friendly competition and local food delights.

Talks – A Little of Everything

Two single roommate family. A campaign for fairy godmother status. See the world through couch surfing. This Ignite Sault had the most variety of talks yet, and the time invested in helping speakers prepare showed in the quality of the result.

We had a couple of firsts – the first time two people co-presented a talk and a first to have someone with a learning disability take the stage. Reflecting the diverse community of Sault Ste. Marie is an important part of the event.

Looking for videos of the talks? Read on…

Paper Podiums

Every Ignite begins with a maker team competition of some sort that is both fun and challenging. It was awesome to watch 20 tables battling each other to build the tallest structure out of newspaper and tape. Every structure had to support one person from their table for 5 seconds.

Food Feast

Cupcakes from Sweet Designs

Quiche from Eleven Bistro

Cupcakes, chili, quiche oh my. Thanks to Jennifer Swenson from Sweet Designs and Mark from Eleven Bistro for the sweet and scrumptious treats.

Sponsor Salute

Once again, we owe a lot to our sponsors, especially to our biggest sponsor, you the passionate supporters of Ignite. We raised more $$ through $20 micro sponsorships than any other way. Wow, what an awesome feeling, to know that Ignite

Sault College and Community Quality Institute
Our many micro sponsors
Prizes: Sault Symphony, Sweet Designs, Eleven Bistro, Tom Noland, Sault College, Queen’s Cupboard,
Quattro
Local2 for the live feed promotion and technical wrangling
Redmnky and Zynali for all your marketing savvy
Molly Media Studios for the soon-to-be-released talk videos

Also thanks to Stephen Alexander for hosting the after party @ Loplops.

Volunteer Cheer

We appreciate the time these people took out of their lives, and all the big and small things they did to make Ignite Sault 4 a success:

AJ Armstrong and Allan Brunke – photography
Tom Vair – Ignite karaoke demonstration
David Thompson – music and sound system

Want to help with Ignite Sault 6?

We’ll begin gearing up for the next event, some time in the new year. Contact us if you have an idea, or interest in helping.

The Ignite Sault Crew

A mix of veterans and new faces made it all happen:

From left to right:

Tom Noland
Cindy Ellen Crawford
Nathan Smith @CoffeeNate
John Clement
Gerry Kirk @gerrykirk
Trevor Swenson @quid_nunc

Missing from the pic: Jason Sproule @jasonsproule

Videos and Photos

Everyone wants to know when the videos will be up. We are hoping to have at least one up by the end of this week, and then publishing a something new every other week. We’ll let you know each time there is something new to check out. For now, check out these awesome photos from the event:

See you at Ignite Sault 6!

Tasty Eats and Scrumptious Treats at Ignite #Sault 5

coffeenate — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:23:56 +0000

While you will certainly be extraordinarily entertained by the fascinating presentations, there is something else to lure you to Ignite Sault 5. In addition to all of the engaging conversations, networking opportunities, community spirit, and just plain fun, there will be delicious edibles from two of the Sault’s newest food sensations, eleven bistro and Sweet Designs. Eleven bistro will be selling the following succulent offerings;

Quiche Slumeria Tart
-savory egg custard containing pepperoni, ham, salami, and provolone in a buttery tart shell
Quiche Florentine Tart
-savory egg custard containing spinach, mushrooms, leeks, and Swiss in a buttery tart shell
Vegan Chili
-a rainbow of fresh vegetables and pulses slowly stewed in a well seasoned molee sauce
Creamy Carrot & Dill Soup
-pureed cream soup of carrots and fresh dill
Fresh Focaccia Bread Triangle
-our own vegan artisan bread, baked daily for our sandwiches, perfectly wedged for soup dipping
Sweet Heat Cornbread Muffin
-contains fresh peaches and cream corn, red chilies, jalapenos, and old cheddar

Now that your savory side has been taken care of, it’s on to dessert! Jennifer Swenson and Sweet Designs are whipping up a delightful selection of cupcakes!

Pumpkin Spice
Vanilla
Chocolate
Rainbow
Choco-Caramel Twist

These will be available for purchase in singles, 6 packs, and by the dozen

There are still tickets available for Ignite Sault 5, but they are going quickly! There will be a very limited number of tickets available for purchase prior to the event, but just like Ignite Sault 4, these will sell out. Doors will open at 6:00 pm. To ensure that you have a seat for this special community driven event, just visit http://www.IgniteSault.ca/tickets and register NOW!

If you are unable to attend Ignite Sault, but you would like to follow along at home…no worries! You can simply watch Ignite Sault 5 online.

Who’s Presenting At Ignite Sault 5

coffeenate — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:05:44 +0000

The Ignite Sault 5 Speaker Lineup

The Ignite Sault team had the difficult task of choosing from several compelling talk submissions. Ignite Saut 5 is only 12 days away! (Nov 9) Don’t miss this inspiring community event, get your tickets now.

Here is a list of the presentations that made the cut…

Miracle-Gro For The Brain
Presenter	Tyler Belanger
Biography	Tyler Belanger is Director of Education for the Catalyst Fitness Ignite! division. He’s a researcher for brain function, a physical coach and personal trainer. He’s also a very charismatic speaker and motivator.
Description	A division of Catalyst Fitness, we’ve been developing a program to enhance cognitive function/ memory / cognition using specific exercises before learning. This field is just coming alive, but most researchers haven’t yet gone far enough, focusing on neurochemistry and not actual plasticity (yet.) We’d like to show you what’s possible for folks with ADHD, autism, and brain injury, as well as kids with gaps in their motor learning.

A Tale of Gratitude
Presenter	Neil Mclean
Biography	Soo resident for over 20 years, raised in Toronto, born in France. Grandparent, active volunteer, active outdoors, well travelled, tri-lingual IT professional, registered professional forester On a great journey!
Description	A Recent trip across the country and back brought to the fore so much for which I am grateful. This will be a description of that trip within the context of gratitude. The talk will also be somewhat of a tribute to my son who traveled with me – but that won’t be evident until the last slide, which is phenomenal.

How I Learned to Love My Body
Presenter	Katie Campbell
Biography	I moved to the Sault for love, 8 years ago. Now I stay for the love of my community and the stunning landscapes we are surrounded by. During the day I work for a natural resources economist, by night I teach Middle Eastern dance, and on the weekends I perform in a burlesque troupe.
Description	I would like to talk about body image and self-esteem through a personal narrative.

Family Histories and Lifestyle Choices
Presenter	Denise Rodda
Biography	Author of Legacy for Donna A Palliative Death Full of Blessings A Plea for Preventive Health Geneologies. This book is a tool to teach my message, the value of Proactive Preventive Health Geneologies. It also is intended to give comfort in the palliative death process. $2.00/book is donated to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation Cancer Care Fund.( for the life of the book!) I am an R.P.N with the GHC(25 years experience) I am positive for the genetic BRCA2, which increases my risk of Breast and Ovarian Cancer. 2 of my sister’s have had breast cancer. My sister Donna lost her battle with cancer sept 17,2008. Thus my grief has evolved to this book, and this need to “give back”. I am cancer free, and wish others to benefit from our family tragedy, so it “won’t happen to them!”
Description	i wish to talk about the proactive choices we could all make should we be aware of our Health Genealogies! As we assume our children will have traits/resemblances to their parents/families… we should also realize that medical histories can also be much similar. The Baby-Boomer generation is the first generation to have names for past illness’s… We can do this! I wish to play that part of a social activist to encourage society to make medical family genealogies and to share with family members in young adulthood. This knowledge would be a tool with which to make proactive health lifestyle choices AND to see individualized medical recommendations/care/treatment. The end result would be a healthier society!!

The World at Your Door: Adventures in Couch Surfing
Presenter	Gerry Kirk
Biography	I am the architect that designs spaces for people to create astonishing results. Co-founded Ignite Sault, ChangeCamp Sault and other local events. Guiding organizations to accelerate performance delivered by a highly motivated, empowered workforce. Pushing the limits is where I like to be.
Description	Ever wanted to see the world? Start by bringing the world to your doorstep. Our family has hosted people the past 2 years from all over, all by simply offering a bed for travellers. From a film writer documenting sustainable farming to a Texan once chased out of Russia, our lives have been enriched. We’ve even tasted life on the couch surfing road as a family. And, hey it’s free accommodation! Fun, free, connecting the world one couch at a time. Discover how this simple act of hospitality will strengthen your faith in humanity.

Inclusion in Our Community
Presenter	Quinn Pleau-MacWilliam
Biography	I am 19 years old
Description	What inclusion in school and the community means for people with disabilities

Disconnected Interconnections in Education
Presenter	John Clement
Biography	Innovative and passionate Natural Environment and Outdoor Studies professor / forester with an eclectic philosophic spirituality rooted in nature whose last Ignite presentation (Ignite the Sault 3) examined “Where fire goes when it goes out?” A life long learner with 24 years post secondary teaching experience at 4 intitutions across Canada, who keeps current by taking teacher training course on a regular basis, and attending various community events such as Agenda Camp, Pod Camp and Change Camp. Numerous awards for excellence in education and for empathetic connections with students. Sault Ste Marie Innovation Center “Innovative Educator of the Year” for 2011.
Description	This talk came about one day while I was sitting under a giant white pine on St Joe Island… When you attempt to compare the interconnectedness of the native medicine wheel philosophy to the hierarchical approach of mainstream educational theory, (specifically Blooms Taxonomy), a funny thing happens… A new interconnected educational paradigm emerges. This talk will take the audience on a journey of discovery as we examine the inner and outer connections of this new way of looking at education.

How I Started Running
Presenter	Jennifer Woods
Biography	Self employed bootcamp owner in Sault Ste Marie. Graduate from Sault College Fitness and Health Promotion Proram and Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Certified Personal Trainer Certification.I like to make a difference in people’s lives by encouraging them to believe in themselves and that their goals are achievable and realistic. I enjoy empowering people to make changes in their lives to live a healthier and more active lifestyle. I take pride in watching participants achieve their goals and overcome their obstacles.
Description	I used to hate running, but now I run. This talk will detail how life has changed the way that I feel about running, and how we can challenge & stretch ourselves to turn tragedy into triumph.

The Island Fairy Godmother: My argument for the official recognition of Florence Whaley Orrell as a 20th century Fairy Godmother
Presenter	Cindy Ellen Crawford
Biography	Cindy Ellen Crawford is a local writer whose work has appeared in many publications worldwide. She also likes to talk. Ignite 5 presents her with the challenge of being able to talk about a subject she’s passionate about but in a really tiny time frame.
Description	Florence Whaley Orrell was an American who first arrived in the North Shore area as a cottager back in early 1900s. As the daughter of one of Flint, Michigan’s founding families, she grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth but also with a benevolent heart. Florence used her power and money for good, not evil, on St. Joseph Island and this talk is about why she should be ‘officially’ recognized as a modern-day Fairy Godmother.

Roommate: Ad infinitum
Presenter	Tiffy Thompson
Biography	You know, just trying to achieve full personhood.
Description	I am going to talk about what its like to live with Jill Pateman. And how I’ve always had and probably always will have roommates throughout my protracted adolescence (life).

Using The “A” Word in Mixed Company
Presenter	Dave Chartrand
Biography	I was born and raised in the Sault and with the exception of a few years for schooling and living away, have lived here all of my life. I have 3 beautiful children, 2 boys and a girl who are the centre of my world. Between the demands of family committments and working as an ICU nurse at Sault Area Hospital, I lead a busy and fulfilling life. Some of my hobbies include a variety of outdoor activities (fishing, camping, hiking), Tae Kwon Do, cooking, playing guitar and an avid interest in classic movies.
Description	A talk about my personal journey from believer to atheist and how it lead me to consider the taboos we feel, as a society, about discussing matters of a religious nature. I have always felt that any subject will always benefit from more discussion but we are often reluctant to discuss matters of religious belief, in a way that we are with no other subject. Why? I hope to convey through my own experiences, warmth and (hopefully) a bit of humour that this should not be the case – that we should feel comfortable in a civilized society to discuss belief as we would any other subject. I also hope, along the way, to impart my own respect for the importance of critical thought in our lives and share how secularism has enriched my sense of wonder with and appreciation for life.

UPDATE: Thomas Brandstetter has reluctantly withdrawn from the event.

Tickets Now Available For Ignite #Sault 5!

coffeenate — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:48:13 +0000

Get Your Ticket for Ignite Sault 5

Tickets for Ignite Sault 5 (November 9th) are on sale now! If you haven’t attended a previous Ignite Sault, you are in for a real treat. Presenters are given just 5 minutes to share their talk, and are accompanied by 20 powerpoint slides that automatically advance every 15 seconds. Topics run the gambit, covering passionate causes/interests, lighthearted entertaining stories, and everything in between. In addition to the exceptionally entertaining talks, you will also be treated to; networking opportunities with others from the Sault community, scrumptious food, a full bar, and FUN!

At Just $5, Tickets Will Sell Out Fast

Ignite Sault 4 was a sellout, and Ignite Sault 5 is expected to be the biggest yet! Get your tickets now to take advantage of the early bird special, which includes a FREE DRINK TICKET, as well as an entry for the door prize draw. This effectively makes your ticket FREE. Nowhere else can you experience such an engaging and compelling evening for such a small price.

Become a Micro Sponsor!

You can be an Ignite Sault Micro Sponsor By becoming a community investor in Ignite Sault, you will receive:

(1) admission
(1) free drink
2 door prize entries
Special recognition during the event

Ignite Sault Talk Submission Deadline Looming

coffeenate — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:42:10 +0000

Ignite Sault 5 Presentation Proposal Deadline

We have quite a selection of talks already submitted, and many of the topics look very interesting! We are looking to broaden the field a bit, and are currently seeking more proposals with a lighthearted, entertaining theme. The proposal deadline is next week, October 7th. The time to submit your talk proposal is right now! The Ignite stage is where you can share your passions, dreams, and experiences with a supportive and receptive audience. Only a limited number of proposals will be invited to present at Ignite Saul. Ignite talks are 5 minutes in length, and include 20 power point slides. Submissions that are chosen to present at Ignite Sault 5 will be notified on October 11th.

Presenter Requirements

All speakers must attend a pre-talk workshop on either Thurs. Oct. 13 (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.) or Sat. Oct. 15 (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.). Your talk does NOT have to be completed prior to this date! These workshops are to help you create your slide presentation, get to know the Ignite Sault team, and familiarize you with the presentation format. We will share our resources and know-how with you to ensure that you have all you need to produce a dynamic, 5-minute, 20-slide presentation!

Here is a presentation from Ignite Boulder to inspire you

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us!

coffeenate — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:13:40 +0000

Ignite Sault 5 :: We Want You!

Although Ignite Sault 4 was held way back in February, the excitement sparked from that special evening lives on inside of everyone who attended. Ignite Sault is an event that breeds inspiration, passion, and a sense of community, which has only grown stronger with each rendition. Ignite Sault 5 is poised to be an instant sellout, with Ignite Sault 4 being just 2 seats shy of filling every seat in the Grand Theatre! (Complete Ignite Sault 4 Recap) The time to submit your talk proposal is right now! The Ignite stage is where you can share your passions, dreams, and experiences with a supportive and receptive audience. Only a limited number of proposals will be invited to present at Ignite Sault, so you are encouraged to get you submission in ASAP. Ignite talks are 5 minutes in length, and include 20 slides.

Liquid Courage Promotion!

>>>If you are one of the first 10 to completely fill out the speaker submission form, you will receive a FREE DRINK at Ignite Sault 5!<<<

Questions you may have…

I’m not sure how to plan my presentation. A: No worries, the Ignite Sault team will help you through the entire process.

What if I Have a question about submitting a talk? A: Simply reply to this email and fire away.

I have a friend who would be a PERFECT speaker for Ignite! A: We encourage you to speak to them, and forward this email!

When do tickets go on sale? A: Tickets for Ignite Sault 5 will be sold at a later date (approximately 30 days prior), and you will be notified by email.

The Ignite Sault stage is not a platform for pitching your business or selling your product, so all proposals of this nature will be respectfully rejected.

Save the Date

What: Ignite Sault 5
When: Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Where: The Grand Theatre

Ignite Sault 4 Recap

gerrykirk — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:48:51 +0000

- Sickness Manifesto talk by Candice Esposito

After almost a year, Ignite Sault came back in fine form on February 10, with a near sell-out crowd (only 2 seats left in the balcony) listening to 11 speakers talk about their passions, everything ranging from a sickness manifesto to religious tolerance to advertising tips.

Looking for videos of the talks? Read on…

Marshmallow Mayhem

- Build tallest freestanding structure out of 20 spaghetti sticks, tape, string, one marshmallow on top

Every Ignite begins with a maker team competition of some sort that is both fun and challenging. It was awesome to watch about 30 tables battling each other to build the tallest structure.

Food Feast

- Cupcakes and curry

Our first time including food was a big hit, and you can count on us doing it again for Ignite Sault 5. Thanks to Jeannette from Jeannettes Custom Cakes and Neeta from Rasoi for the sweet and spicy treats, and for taking a chance on something new. Your passion shows in the work that you do.

Feedback

Thanks to those who gave us feedback on the event (add your feedback here), which will make the next one even better. Most of the feedback affirmed what we’re already doing – great talks, interaction, food. The one area we heard to go after a perfect ’10′ score is you’d like to see talks dialed up to 11: more talks, more passion, entertaining value, with less promotional content. We’ve got some ideas to get there, but in the end it’s all about you out there willing to be a part of it. On that note, submit your talk now.

Sponsor Salute

Once again, we owe a lot to our sponsors, especially the Economic Development Corporation of Sault Ste. Marie for funding us in a major way, so we could focus on creating the best experience possible instead of scrounging for dollars. A number of organizations also helped out by donating time or prizes. If you find yourself in need of products or services which our sponsors provide, please show them some love:

Sault Symphony for the door prize tickets
Community Living Algoma for distributing flyers
Soonews for the live feed promotion and technical wrangling
Redmnky and Zynali for all your marketing savvy
Molly Media Studios for the soon-to-be-released talk videos

Also thanks to Stephen Alexander for hosting the first ever after party @ Loplops.

Volunteer Cheer

We appreciate the time these people took out of their lives, and all the big and small things they did to make Ignite Sault 4 a success:

Lisa Vezeau-Allen – MC
AJ Armstrong and Mik Patton – photography
RJ Renner and Denise Soderberg – karaoke improv
Joanne Kovich – registration table
Jen Swenson – posters and other things creative

Want to help with Ignite Sault 5?

We’ll begin gearing up for the next event in early March. Contact us if you have an idea, or interest in helping.

The Ignite Sault Crew

Organizing team with MC Lisa

A mix of veterans and new faces made it all happen:

Gerry Kirk @gerrykirk
Tom Noland
Nathan Smith @CoffeeNate
Jason Sproule @jasonsproule
Trevor Swenson @quid_nunc

Videos and Photos

Everyone wants to know when the videos will be up. We are hoping to have a couple up by the end of this week, and then publishing a few more each week. We’ll let you know each time there is something new to check out.

In the meantime, watch the archived live feed video, put together by SooNews which contains all of the talks.

Lastly, please remember to put your pictures up on Flickr, tag them with “ignitesault” and “ignitesault4″ and add them to our photo group.

See you at Ignite Sault 5!

Talk lineup finalized

gerrykirk — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 02:12:12 +0000

Talks Round 1

Fair Trade ≠ Free Trade : Nathan Smith
Why Co-ops are AWESOME! : Emily Colombo
The Electric Carrot: How Change Happens : Chris Cooper
Random acts of serendipity : Luc Duchesne
Jesus: The Man and the Mission : Jeremy Edgar
Putting the “U” in Entrepreneurship : Terri Chiarello

Talks Round 2

Painful Ads, Pleasing Ads : Susan Hunter
Co-Exist : It can really happen : Nancy Ralph
Your City, Your Say : Mayor Debbie Amaroso
The Sickness Manifesto : Candice Esposito
Click Click Boom : Curt O’Neil

For more details about schedule and the talks, head to the Agenda page.

Bring your appetite!

Trevor Swenson — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:55:14 +0000

Bring your appetite with you to Ignite Sault 4 as we introduce menu items from two of the Sault’s most successful entrepreneur’s to your palate (and ours). There will be a selection of affordable and yummy items from Rasoi and Jeannette‘s Custom Cakes for you to choose from.

Rasoi’s menu includes:



Pakoras (fried veggies) : $3	Tandoori Chicken : $4	Rice and Chicken Curry Bowl : $6

Jeanette’s Custom Cakes menu includes:

Cupcake selection of 5 different flavours at only $2 each or 6 for $10

Sponsorship Spotlight: Zynali Marketing Solutions

coffeenate — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:29:03 +0000

Sponsorship Spotlight: Zynali Marketing Solutions

Ignite Sault team is proud to announce Zynali Marketing Solutions as one of our sponsors of Ignite Sault 4. Nathan Smith, Director of Zynali Inc., was asked why he chose to be involved with Ignite Sault…

1. Why did you sponsor Ignite Sault?

I have been a part of Ignite Sault since Ignite Sault 2. This event gives the community a platform in which to share what they are passionate about in a supportive and encouraging environment. It’s about listening, understanding, and getting to know what makes others in our city interesting. It’s also a chance to possibly see Curt O’neil in a ridiculous get-up.

2. What are you most looking forward to at Ignite Sault this year?

I’m looking forward to meeting new people and visiting with friends from past events. Volunteering my services in the realm of livestreaming and social media management, I also look forward to not having any technical difficulties

3. What speaker/talk are you most interested in hearing?

I am really interested to hear all of them, but I am especially happy to see that our new mayor has chosen to present at Ignite Sault.