This was posted on RFF and I thought I'd share this in case anyone's got some old gear kicking around no longer needed.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/neighbours/story.html?id=760aa7e9-2cad-4f9d-9b70-c9af1cf8024f

The University of Calgary's Art Department contact info:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/art/contact/

Derrick...
I'm trying to get some cameras for some of the youth I work with at the shelter here in Edmonton. If I get some extra ones I'll send them your way. Let me know what you're looking for.
...Jordan.

"Accessibility is critical for new students who need to use a film camera but cannot afford one," department head Arthur Nishimura says, "and the department currently only has three cameras to lend to (20) students. They take turns borrowing them, which, needless to say, is not the ideal situation for our students."

Hehe, if those students were even slightly more enterprising they could find all manner of interesting film cameras on ebay and local classified ads for like $5. Still I hope they get some donations - I didn't know U of C was still teaching silver photography.

Hehe, if those students were even slightly more enterprising

Really, if ones spends more than $50 on a Spotmatic, or a Minolta SRT, one has paid too much. I wonder how many of these poor students are buying Starbucks? ;)

Tell them to use their Ralphbucks to get one!

Geez, isn't this the richest province in Canada? Seems universities there shouldn't have to go cap in hand asking for donations for something so small.

Really, if ones spends more than $50 on a Spotmatic, or a Minolta SRT, one has paid too much. I wonder how many of these poor students are buying Starbucks? ;)

Hey, I know what it's like to be a poor student, and even then $20-$50 for a manual 35mm camera is nothing... now if you had to buy it near the end of the semester when the loan money was running dry and you'd been living off $500 a month salary and paying $700 in rent, that'd be a different story.. but when the student loan funds are fresh in the bank account - well, let's just say there's a reason all the vendors set up booths in the student center in September and October.

Tell them to use their Ralphbucks to get one!

Geez, isn't this the richest province in Canada? Seems universities there shouldn't have to go cap in hand asking for donations for something so small.

Something's kinda screwy with finances in this province though. Infrastructure and health care has been kind of falling apart, universities (allegedly) poorly funded - I mean tuition has doubled in the last half decade.

I think it may eventually emerge that there has been some massive (multi)billion dollar fraud going on in the government, or between government and big industry or certain individuals, but that's just a hunch, and it will be up to other people to uncover it eventually.

Good point, Walter -- notice I said "universities" not "students". Most prosperous and thriving societies realize they have to have a healthy arts sector in order to really progress, but that's another discussion for another thread.

The good news is that the University of Calgary is still interested in teaching film photography.

Martin

I think it may eventually emerge that there has been some massive (multi)billion dollar fraud going on in the government, or between government and big industry or certain individuals, but that's just a hunch, and it will be up to other people to uncover it eventually.

The big problem is that most of our money is being sucked down into the US and doesn't do our economy one bit of good. Maybe we should be like Venezuela and provincialize the oil industry. Cut the feds out too.

I agree with Martin that at least they are exposing their students to film and recognize it's a different medium than digital.

Yup, it's great, and donations to a university program are nothing but good. I just thought it was funny that the kids would rather fight over 3 cameras than figure out how to pick up something dirt cheap themselves. :)

If I had a spare camera I'd donate it. I have two actually, but they are in such poor condition (a broken shutter on one, gummed up shutter curtains on the other) that I wouldn't give them to my worst enemy.

Derrick...
I'm trying to get some cameras for some of the youth I work with at the shelter here in Edmonton. If I get some extra ones I'll send them your way. Let me know what you're looking for.
...Jordan.

Sure thing Jordan! After reading the article this morning, I emailed the art department to see what they were looking for. She said they were primarily looking for 35mm equipment, but would be willing to take anything. Anything they wouldn't be able to use would be passed along to other schools.

On an unrelated note, I'll be up in Edmonton in the summer sometime. We should meet up!

Something's kinda screwy with finances in this province though. Infrastructure and health care has been kind of falling apart, universities (allegedly) poorly funded - I mean tuition has doubled in the last half decade.

I think it may eventually emerge that there has been some massive (multi)billion dollar fraud going on in the government, or between government and big industry or certain individuals, but that's just a hunch, and it will be up to other people to uncover it eventually.

Not just that, but even if the university was getting funding from the government, a majority of it would be divided up and spread towards areas that make for nice front page material, ie: medical research, technology, engineering, etc... "Undergrad still uses film!" doesn't make for exciting news, unfortunately.

ho ho, look our boys from Canada. Good. Just stay together.
Daniel OB
www.Leica-R.com