Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba’s
ethnic chapters' summer picnic

by Ethel Clemente Fernandez

In an inspiring display of unity and camaraderie, Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba’s ethnic chapters representing Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Arab, Ethio-Eritrean, Nigerian, and Israeli members came together to organize a summer picnic.

Held on August 12th at the Assiniboine Park, over 200 members and their families gathered despite the looming threat of rain as forecasted for the day. Fortunately, nice weather prevailed throughout the event, allowing the organizers to continue with the activities as planned.

The event’s itinerary catered to all age groups, ensuring an engaging experience for everyone. A bouncy castle sponsored by the Chinese Members Chapter delighted the children, adding an extra layer of excitement to the day. Both adults and kids participated in various games, such as the classic tug of war, fostering healthy and friendly competition.

One of the highlights of the event was the captivating food spread, featuring mouth-watering delicacies from each participating culture. The Filipino Members Chapter proudly presented our iconic lechon that became an instant hit.

In between games and lunch, attendees had the opportunity to interact with peers and new acquaintances who may not have crossed paths in their daily routines. Discussions cantered around their unique journeys, challenges, and triumphs within the engineering and geoscience profession.

“The picnic was a well-organized, very successful, and excellent networking event. Attendees had a great time as they shared their traditional food and had fun with the games, especially the kids who also made new friends. The positive feedback we received as event organizers will encourage us to plan more events in the future,” remarked Mike Toma, current counsellor, and past chair of the Arab Members Chapter.

As the event ended, it was clear that the organizers had achieved their goal of bringing members together from diverse backgrounds to connect, share experiences, and forge meaningful professional relationships.

The organizers would like to thank the following event partners and sponsors for supporting this special event – Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba, National Bank, Venson Wang of Cora’s Restaurant, Lafarge Canada, Duque Immigration Services, Eyob Abebe, and Lakeside Emerson.

Kudos to the following organizing committee members for their efforts in ensuring the success of the summer picnic:

• Filipino Members Chapter – Rey Robillos, Danica Limpahan, Maria Karla Pascual
• Chinese Members Chapter – Jovian Yang
• Arab Engineers Chapter – Mike Toma, Kaseem Harb, Will Safkou, Samir Hammad
• India Members Chapter – Suman Suri
• Nigerian Members Chapter – Victor Adebayo, Johnson Aina
• Ethio-Eritrean Members Chapter – Getnet Muluye, Bekal, Wondimu
• Israeli Members Chapter – Leo Reznik, Alex Vladimirsky

Ethel Clemente-Fernandez is a professional engineer registered in the province of Manitoba. She is an active member of the Filipino Members Chapter - Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba (FMC-APEGM).