Runnin' back to Saskatoon.

Am away in Saskatoon all this week shooting more Aboriginal Role Model profiles for the Edwards School of Business http://www.thisisyourfuture.ca/ So I have found a moment to catch up.

On June 18th it was a news conference with the Winnipeg Police Service to announce the winners of the Youth Video Contest. In all we had 30 entries and some amazing Just Slow Down messages. You can view them all at http://www.justslowdown.ca/ . I think you'll be impressed. Snapped pics of the winners with Chief Keith McCaskill, Manda and I with the Chief and our core JSD "team" of Staff Sargeant Mark Hodgson, Steve West, Manager, Issues Management, Manda and me.


Later in the day, Shaun gave a big presentation at the Warehouse Theatre on as part of his Leadership Winnipeg program through the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. This extensive program takes young, future Winnipeg leaders and exposes them to all sorts of issues and opportunities facing the City. Shaun's group presented on Sustainability. Other groups spoke about Revitalizing Downtown, Arts & Culture, the effects of the new Human Rights Museum, and other topics.

For me it was off to Fargo for a soccer tournament with my daughter Shea and then a quick (or so I thought) jaunt to Saskatoon. Plane cancelled due to malfunction in Denver and a 7 hour wait at the Denver airport. But I'm here now and things are going swimmingly.

My other talented friend.

I want to tribute my good friend Olaf Pyttlik. Olaf has been responsible for the original music for many of my most important commercial productions. Including our award-winning Centennial spot for the Saskatchewan credit unions and the theme song for Shea's Rockin' World Tour.

Here's a little bio from his blog: "I had an exciting life over the last 12 months: daCapo bought a new building; I turned 40; I travelled to New York a few times as well as to France, Holland and Germany; MTYP produced my show 'Rich' in November (A definite highlight of my career); Angela and I vacationed on the Galapagos Islands and after that volunteered in the slums of Lima, Peru; I was able to attend a production of my musical 'The Wave' in The Netherlands and I finished the score to my first large-scale-52 episodes-animation project called 'Noonbory'."

Simply one of the most talented people on the planet. Olaf has been diagnosed with tongue cancer and starts chemo tomorrow.

Although it's been awhile since I've updated Picante news on my blog and that was my plan when I started this, I find I can't focus on that at all right now.

In an instant, just a few weeks ago, Olaf's life completely changed. (Those pics you see at the top of this post were taken at the Signature Awards on May 6th. Olaf found out he had cancer on May 17th. )

It could happen anytime to anyone. I know cancer touches everyone and in my own family I lost my mom, my sister had breast cancer and my brother fought cancer as well.

I just want Olaf to know that we are with him in his journey and are so hopeful that the wonderful people at CancerCare Manitoba will ensure he beats this thing.