Good Neighbours: Artist helps create peaceful spot to reflect on little spirits

A Victoria artist hopes some of her work will bring a little comfort to families struggling with pregnancy or infant loss.

Five of artist Esther Parker’s watercolours hang on the walls of the special ante-partum room in Victoria General Hospital for families who are delivering a baby not expected to survive.

One in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage or stillbirth. In Victoria, more than 500 families suffer this tragedy annually.

“They are peaceful and calming pictures,” said Ann-Marie Millington, a mother who lost her son at birth. “To me, they inspire hope and honour the little spirits that have departed.”

She was 19 weeks pregnant when she found out she had a medical condition that precluded her from carrying her son to term. Her son Gabriel lived for five hours and five minutes after he was born on April 27, 2012.

“We cherished every minute of his life,” she said.

Wanting to make the room as comfortable as possible, Millington approached the artist, who generously donated her work to the hospital.

The donation coincides with Tuesday’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Royal Oak Burial Park will host a Vigil of Remembrance starting at 7 p.m. at the Sequoia Gardens Memorial, 4665 Falaise Dr., next to the burial park.

People may want to spend time at the burial park’s Little Spirits Garden, which opened in June.

For more information, go to robp.ca or call 250-658-5621.

Youth housing to get upgrade

Threshold Housing Society is getting a $25,000 grant from the Home Depot Canada Foundation for upgrades at Holly House, one of its affordable housing projects. The society is a non-profit charity that offers transitional housing for at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 24.

“This project wouldn’t have been possible without the funding generously provided by the Home Depot Canada Foundation,” said Mark Muldoon, executive director of the society.

“We are very grateful to Home Depot for their generous donation. It will make a big difference for the youth coming into our program.”

The money comes from the Home Depot Foundation’s Affordable Housing Grant Program, which provides support to charities requiring repair, modification or renovation to dwellings that benefit youth in need. Since the program was launched in 2009, the foundation has distributed almost $2 million in grants to 79 community organizations across Canada.

The Threshold Society, established in 1992, is partially funded by the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development, with assistance from B.C. Housing for buildings and property management support. The balance comes from individuals, church groups, community groups and businesses.

It has provided stable housing for about 300 youth.

For more information, go to thresholdhousing.ca.

Base supports United Way

Employees working at the Department of National Defence have planned a number of events to help raise $700,000 for this year’s United Way campaign.

Fundraisers include a competition for the most creative thing people can make out of duct tape, a pet photo contest, a non-athletic sports day with games such as Frisbee golf, and a hockey challenge featuring the Victoria Royals and local media players.

The 2013 United Way campaign kicked off last month with a $6-million goal.

Through donations, the agency funds a network of 100 programs and services in Greater Victoria and the southern Gulf Islands.

It is the largest non-government funder in the region.

For more information, go to gcwcc-ccmtgc.org or uwgv.ca.

Wipe out weeds at Uplands Park

People are invited to become stewards of the Garry oak ecosystem in Uplands Park by helping wipe out weeds during the annual Broom Bash next Saturday and Sunday.

The event is organized by the Friends of Uplands Park.

Volunteers support Oak Bay Parks by helping preserve the endangered ecosystem, home to 31 rare plant species.

People of all ages are encouraged bring gardening tools (loppers and pruners) and gloves to join weeding out Scotch broom, ivy and daphne. Some tools and gloves will also be available.

Refreshments will be provided.

The pull runs from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Meet at the entrance to Cattle Point on Beach Drive.

For more information, call Margaret Lidkea at 250-595-8084 or go to friendsofuplandspark.wordpress.com.

Homelessness fair seeks items

Project Connect, a service and information fair for people who are homeless or live in extreme poverty, is looking for donations.

An initiative of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, the one-day event provides those in need with lunch and a range of services — including medical attention, identification replacement, haircuts and pet care — free of charge.

Last year, 39 service organizations, businesses and charities, as well as musicians and hairdressers, participated in the event.

The fair takes place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Our Place, 919 Pandora Ave.

Close to 700 care packs filled with essential items to help cope with winter will be distributed.

This year parishioners of St. Philip Anglican Church in Oak Bay will provide 100 tuques and scarves for the care packs.

The items collected so far will be incorporated into the church decorations today.

The public can donate items for Project Connect at Anawim House, 973 Caledonia Ave., from Wednesday to Saturday.

For more information and a list of needed items, go to victoriahomelessness.ca/get-involved/project-connect.