Social Committee Contact: Maxine Lowe
Another great opportunity to have a bellyful and connect with our team mates! The Fransen Socialites hosted our first lunch BBQ for everyone to come out and enjoy the summer warmth in the company of our colleagues.
Even though the week started out promising with lots of sunshine and no sign of a dark cloud, the day of the BBQ arrived with overcast skies, a dip in temperature, gusty winds, and intermittent showers. But the unexpected weather change was no deterrent for the prevailing Socialites who got decked out in their cowboy hats and Fransen aprons as planned, and all hands were on deck.

Protected by his safety goggles, George Mitchell was at the helm flipping burgers for the hungry crowd. The Social Committee appreciates all the help they received from George Mitchell, Farid Akhavan, Glenn Morgan, Mel Cantor, and Richard Hernandez in making the BBQ a smashing success. Glenn and Richard have now officially joined the Socialites.
Congratulations to Derek Keen, winner of the 50/50 draw. Proceeds went towards our wellness program!

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Social Committee Contact: Bindy Grewal
The Annual Fransen Summer BBQ was held on July 12th at the Delta Country Inn.
This year 180 Fransen personnel and their families were treated to a sunny, hot day. The outdoor pool was a fun way to cool off. Penny provided arts n’ crafts for the young children and the game “Deal or no Deal” for the teens and adults. A delicious buffet was enjoyed by all.

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Fransen friendly interdepartmental soccer games were held on Thursdays after work at a nearby field. The Fransen team was recently challenged by UTStarcom which resulted in a 1-0 victory for the impenetrable, colour-coordinated, seasoned veterans from UT.

The softball enthusiasts gathered every Tuesday afternoon for their favorite game. All comers were welcome – whether a newcomer to the game or just a bit rusty since you last played in high school. Fransen was challenged by “Reckless” – a team that plays in the City-wide softball league and of which Doug Morris is a member – and ended up being defeated 20-13.

Aspirant Formula 1 drivers meet every Wednesday at TBC racing for Lunch hour go-carting.
This has proved to be a lot of fun and is very popular.

Monthly Mingles are held once a month at Sports Central to give all Fransen team members an
opportunity to eat, drink, be merry and take advantage of this golden opportunity to meet our new employees and get to know each other in a social setting away from the office.

Ryan Schwabe and a group from his church, Johnston Heights, went to Vicente Guerrero, Mexico, which is located on the Baja Peninsula for the Mexico Missions project. They successfully built 3 houses while they were down there, brought a lot of hope, and helped by providing food, new clothing, and uniforms to the families’ children so they can go to school to achieve a basic education (The families they helped originally had 2 of 6 children attending, but with the help  of Ryan’s church group, they are now all able to attend school).
Employees of Fransen contributed $695 towards this mission.

Ryan playing with some local kids.                  Ryan in front of one of the houses they built.

Jean’s Day was held on April 24th this year to help raise money for BC Children’s Hospital. Thank you to everyone who purchased a lapel pin or button. We were able to raise a total of $865, ($615 from employees and an additional $250 from Fransen Engineering).

Congratulations to Harish Raisinghani on his recent appointment as Vice-President for the Vancouver Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB). EWB is Canada’s fastest growing international development organization with over 30,000 members across the country! Founded in 2000, EWB serves to bring about positive changes in the developing word by working in solidarity with local efforts, as well as helping to foster awareness and understanding of the issues here in Canada. (more…)

A series of lunch ‘n’ learn workshops on mental wellness was facilitated by Maxine Lowe, who has a wellness counseling background.  Living Large From the Inside Out ran for four sessions from June to July and focused on stimulating awareness of how our minds create our reality, whether it be hardship or happiness, and the various strategies we can use to take control of our lives (and lifestyles).
Comments from attendees:

“… mental wellness workshop helped me learn more about myself and how to actively improve my life.  It brings to the forefront, ideas and thinking strategies we know are positive but don’t necessary actively think about each and every day.  It’s really brought me more awareness about how I feel about myself and what I can do to improve myself in areas of work and play.”
“The sessions I had attended were well presented … they were organized, fully discussed, especially the information and experience we exchanged with each other.  Besides the delicious lunches that were provided, let me congratulate you on a job well done.”
“I found the workshops thought-provoking and they assisted me in dealing with daily challenges.  I will attend future events as well.”