Hair today, gone tomorrow: "As of this afternoon we have unofficially raised $25,027.69 for @CBCF_Ontario. Donate today!" said the Waterloo Warriors on Twitter, as they posted an image of participants brandishing their shorn locks, which will be donated to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, Locks of Love, and the Little Princess Trust, all organizations that make wigs for cancer patients out of donated hair. The Think Pink campaign runs until Friday, November 28.

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16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence

Each year from November 25 to December 10, organizations and governments worldwide participate in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence to remind all citizens that they can act to stop gender violence.

The campaign begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and concludes on International Human Rights Day.

In Canada, the 16 Days campaign also encompasses the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which was established to mark the anniversary of the murder of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal on December 6, 1989.

"This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre,” says Professor Shannon Dea of the Department of Philosophy and Director of Women’s Studies in the Faculty of Arts. “The recent CBC-Jian Ghomeshi case, the death threats against gaming expert Anita Sarkeesian, the abduction of 300 schoolgirls by Boko Haram, and the all-too-common murders of aboriginal women and trans* people make clear that gender violence is as serious a problem today as it was in 1989. The 16 Days campaign charges us to notice gender violence and to stand together against it as scholars and as citizens."

“By participating in the 16 Days Campaign, the University of Waterloo is standing with our community to say everyone deserves the right to be safe — all day and all night,” says Professor Parry, who is Waterloo’s Special Advisor to the President on Women’s and Gender Issues, a role for advocating policies to ensure gender equity on campus. “Through our joint efforts, we demonstrate our shared responsibility to each other and pledge to create a more equitable climate for all.”

There is an official Facebook page for the campaign, and you can follow along on social media with the hashtag #16Days.

For the next 12 working days, the Daily Bulletin will feature content related to activism against gender violence in the top right sidebar. Today's entry is: 16 facts about gender violence from the World Health Organization.

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It was a fest in Waterloo's west

by Madison Woodhouse. This is the latest in a series of #UWCommunity stories that highlight Waterloo in the community.

From how to calm crying toddlers to delivering more than 26 programs in 9 locations, over 120 University of Waterloo students had the opportunity to get hands on experience delivering programing designed for the community. On Saturday November 22, second year Recreation and Leisure students hosted Waterloo West Neighbourhood Fest in partnerships with the Stork Family YMCA, and John M Harper Branch of the Waterloo Public Library.  Activities ran from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and saw around 200 participants from the local community.

As part of the curriculum, we had the whole fall term to get into groups and quickly start brainstorming ideas for how the day was going to go. We were asked to prepare activities for children ages 2-12 year old and for a group of second year student, trust me when I say it was a hard task to complete. We had to think back to when we were that age and what games and crafts we did, and build appropriate activities within the resources that we had to work with.

The staff and volunteers at the Stork Family YMCA, and the John M Harper Branch, were more than welcoming to our class. It’s important that we get involved with the community because as students we often take for granted the people that help us grow. When I was young I never really thanked all my instructors or teachers for the opportunities they were giving me. Our involvement in the Waterloo West Neighbourhood Fest really makes a difference, it not only bring joy to us the students but I think it also lets the community know that we all were young once. I think I speak for not just myself but the rest of my classmates that being able to participate in Waterloo West Neighbourhood Fest was much more then getting a grade in a class, it was about providing a range of drop in activities for the whole family and providing a day to just have a fun indoors.

The Waterloo West Neighbourhood Fest is free event open to the public hosted at the Stork Family YMCA, and John M Harper Branch of the Waterloo Public Library. This event brings students who may only live in Waterloo for 4 years into an established to build and creating special memories, making connections, and showing the community what recreation and leisure students have to offer. It was a very rewarding experience and if I could, I would participate the Waterloo West Neighbourhood Fest every year.

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Public lecture on radicalization and security

Three international experts will participate in a free public lecture and panel discussion tonight to address the social and political forces behind religious radicalization as well as Canada’s security response.

"Radicalization and Security: What do we know? What do we need to know?" will feature presenters Professor Lorne Dawson of the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies, Professor Veronica Kitchen of the Department of Political Science, and Professor Amarnath Amarasingam of Dalhousie University's Resilience Research Centre. The discussion will explore the social, cultural, and political forces behind violent extremism and security in Canada and abroad. The researchers' talks will be followed by discussion and audience questions moderated by Douglas Peers, Dean of Arts.

The University of Waterloo will host the event at the main branch of the Kitchener Public Library at 7:00 p.m. The event is free but registration is required.

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Tuesday's notes

Feds Used Books has updated its operating hours for the holidays. Beginning Monday, December 1, the bookstore will be open Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with additional 9 to 5 hours on Saturday, December 6, Saturday, December 13 and Saturday, December 20. These extended hours are in effect until December 23.

An update to yesterday's item about the Dana Porter Library being without heat on Saturday, November 29 - it turns out that Needles Hall will be in the same boat, with no heating, ventilation, A/C or steam service from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as a tie-in for the building addition is worked on.

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