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Manners change lives: Vankevich

It wasn't that her children were rude, but when a Richmond mom heard about a program about manners, she signed them up.

It wasn't that her children were rude, but when a Richmond mom heard about a program about manners, she signed them up.

Richmond's Skye Fulton had read about Judi the Manners Lady (Judi Vankevich), in a local newspaper more than a decade ago and liked the idea of reinforcing manners.

"I think manners is something that kids need to be reminded about. Usually, parents are doing a great job of teaching their kids to be polite, but I think it's important to have manners reinforced by someone other than a parent," Fulton said.

"Because Judi's program is fun, children don't realize they are actually learning."

Today, Fulton's chil-dren, who both attended Richmond Christian School, are polite, well-mannered teenagers.

She is also training so that she can teach in Vankevich's Manners Club for Kids. "We work with a lot of different people who are new to Canada. Families enroll their children so they can learn Canadian manners in a fun way."

Vankevich is bringing her no-nonsense approach to manners to Richmond, during October's National Manners Month.

Vankevich is an awardwinning entertainer/speaker/ presenter/author and former Paris model, who somehow stumbled into her career.

"I thought I was going to run for prime minister," she said seriously.

She attended Virginia's Regent University for her Masters in law and government. But her aspirations of a life in politics changed when she met her husband.

Somehow, she ended up teaching models about manners. "Someone I knew suggested I teach young teen models about manners to help build their character," she said, adding she poured over books on manners to prepare. "I realized our manners are just an outward expression of what is in our hearts."

When she moved back to Vancouver in 2000, with her husband and children, she was soon putting on manners workshops in churches, schools and at conferences.

"The power of gratitude can change lives."

Vankevich uses music and role-playing, children learned about respect.

The Manners Club for Kids of Richmond will be starting their fall classes on Monday, Oct. 15, from 3: 30 to 4: 30 p.m. The venue has still to be arranged.

The course runs every Monday until Nov. 5 at $149 per child.

There will be bonuse material for new Canadians and ESL students, said Vankevich. Parents can stay during the session.

There will be two programs running, one for preschool to Grade 4 and another for Grades 5 to 7 students. For more information or to register, call 604-940-4902 or visit www.themannersclub.com.

mhopkins@richmond-news.com