The fifth annual Monopoly Affair in Victoria takes place on Saturday at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa.
Come for a night of fast-moving property deals and friendly competition, in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.
A non-traditional stand-up dining experience is included with admission.
Tickets are $100 each, tables of six for $600 or VIP tables for $2,500.
The games start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Get your tickets at ticketrocket.co or contact Diana at 250-592-2244.
For more information, go to themonopolyaffair.com.
Grant helps paint St. Luke’s Church
St. Luke’s Cedar Hill Anglican Church has received a grant from the Heritage Legacy Fund to help defray some of the cost of painting the interior and exterior of the historic church.
The church received $14,500 toward the $33,700 cost for its painting project.
The exterior of the wooden church was last painted in 2005, and the interior last saw paint in 1988. Both required painting in order to preserve the condition of the heritage-designated building.
“The passion, dedication and long-term commitment to preserving heritage throughout B.C. is impressive,” said Gord Macdonald, chair of Heritage B.C. “A challenge is turning that passion into action and, with the funding support of the Heritage Legacy Fund, we are proud to make that possible for deserving projects.”
The exterior was painted in the fall and the interior is currently being painted.
St. Luke’s has served as a centre of worship and fellowship in the Cedar Hill-Shelbourne area of Saanich since 1860. It is a gathering place, not only for parishioners but also for members of the community.
For more information, go to heritagebc.ca or stlukesvictoria.ca.
Music teacher receives award
Last week, local music teacher Peggy Nancarrow was presented with a Community Living B.C. Widening Our World inclusion award in recognition of her work teaching music, skills and confidence to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Nancarrow leads music sessions where people can meet each other, learn to play instruments and sing songs, and develop leadership, confidence and friendships.
She was presented her award by Shane Simpson, minister for social development and poverty reduction, at a ceremony at the Ozanam Centre.
After receiving her award, Nancarrow led the group in a singalong.
To nominate a person for consideration for the award, go to communitylivingbc.ca.
Soccer star headlines Alzheimer fundraiser
Soccer star Bob Lenarduzzi will share his experience of caring for two close relatives living with dementia at Breakfast to Remember, a fundraising event for the Alzheimer Society of B.C., Thursday at the Fairmont Empress.
Lenarduzzi speak about the experience and why his family has made it their mission to support other families travelling the same road.
“Nobody likes to talk about dementia, but we have to,” said Lenarduzzi. “A lot of families are going through what we went through and while we can’t change the diagnosis, we hope we can change how B.C. families experience the dementia journey.”
The breakfast, presented by Trillium Boutique Senior Living, is an opportunity to network. It will be hosted by CTV personality Joe Perkins and will feature Times Colonist columnist Jack Knox, who will also speak.
Tickets are $125. The event runs 7 to 9 a.m. Thursday at the Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St. For more information, go to breakfasttoremember.ca.
Feel good and do good
Buy pre-worn designer clothing, accessories, shoes, high-end jewelry and new mineral cosmetics for less at Women in Need Community Co-operative’s annual Haute Couture event, Feb. 18 to 24, at its resale stores in Victoria and Langford.
When you shop at this special event, you can “look good, feel good and do good.”
You will find items at great prices, which is a win-win because proceeds from the sales will help fund five empowerment programs for women. Last year, WIN’s programs touched the lives of more than 1,200 women in Greater Victoria.
The luxury fashion items will be available at the co-op’s Cook Street, Westside Village and Langford stores.
For more information about this event, contact Jasmine Philip at jasmine@womeninneed.ca or go to womeninneed.ca.
Hearty soup called ‘hug in a bowl’
Soup Sisters and Camosun College have formed a partnership to produce fresh and healthy soups for the Victoria Women’s Transition House.
The first of the new series of monthly Soup Sisters events, which took place Jan. 24, was a huge success, with members of Harbourside Rotary Club providing money to cover the cost of ingredients. They produced 77 litres of healthy and hearty soup, delivered fresh to the Victoria Woman’s Transition House and immediately frozen to provide a month’s worth of nourishing soup for clients.
The Soup Sisters refer to this approach as a “hug in a bowl.”
“Food connects us all,” said Steve Walker-Duncan, culinary arts chairman at the college. “When people come together and sit around a table and break bread and enjoy food together, they break down all sorts of barriers.”
Promoting healthy and violence-free relationships is a core value of the Victoria Women’s Transition House, and food plays a vital role in that.
“A lot of people when they arrive at our crisis shelter are not ready to start making full meals, and they are looking for comfort food and something that can be heated up and accessed easily,” said Carol Bilson, Victoria Transition House community education and volunteer co-ordinator. “The soups are the perfect comfort food. Having a bowl of soup and being safe is a great feeling. This is a really great collaboration for us.”
For more information, go to camosun.ca, soupsisters.org or transitionhouse.net.
Ceremony honours Soldiers of Suicide
Join a service and shed a light on mental health at the second annual candlelight ceremony in memory of Soldiers of Suicide, Wednesday at the Trafalgar/Pro Patria Legion, Branch 292.
The ceremony is to be held by Honour our Canadian Soldiers, an independent non-profit organization.
Victoria’s ceremony will coincide with ones being held on the same day in cities across Canada. Although this is the sixth year that this has been held in Eastern Canada, it is only the second time in Western Canada.
The ceremony is held in memory of those soldiers, sailors and air personnel who committed suicide due to mental-health distress related to their service to the country.
The primary purpose of this event is to provide moral support to affected families and raise awareness about the issue.
Organizers hope to change the taboo in acknowledging suicide in the military, when some lose their battles with post-traumatic stress disorder.
This is a children-friendly, non-alcoholic event.
The event will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the David Slater Auditorium of the Trafalgar/Pro Patria Legion, Branch 292, 411 Gorge Rd. East.
For more information, go to honourourcanadiansoldiers.com.
Free opera tickets go to newcomers
Pacific Opera Victoria and the Greater Victoria Public Library announced on Valentine’s Day their plan to spread the love of learning by giving away tickets to opera performances.
The two will work with organizations in Greater Victoria to distribute 32 pairs of tickets to people who would otherwise not be able to attend.
“It’s been said that ‘opera is music for the heart.’ It has such universal appeal,” said Maureen Sawa, CEO of the library. “Opera-goers will see the performance live on stage, and the journey continues with books and music in the library collection to support what they’ve experienced.”
The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society will receive tickets for La bohème and the season’s finale production of Rinaldo in April.
Along with tickets, the library is providing educational material — a list of suggested materials related to the operas to borrow — to enhance the experience.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce newcomers to opera in Victoria. For some of the newcomers, this will be completely new, and for others, it may provide a comforting memory of home,” said Jean McRae, CEO of the Inter-Cultural Association of Victoria. “Music, particularly the human voice, transcends language and culture and connects us. The recipients of this opportunity will be very grateful indeed.”
For more information, go to pov.bc.ca or gvpl.ca.
Two teachers honoured by Loran Scholars
Two teachers from Gulf Islands Secondary School received Teachers Building Leaders Awards on Wednesday.
Ray Colleran and Judy Smith received the award, administered by the Loran Scholars Foundation.
To receive the award, a teacher must be nominated by a former student who has become a Loran Scholar — a young person selected for Canada’s most comprehensive undergraduate award. The scholars are selected from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants based on character, service and leadership.
Colleran was presented with the award, as well as a letter from former governor general David Johnston, at a ceremony on at the Gulf Islands Secondary School. Smith received her award and letter at a public board meeting of School District 64 at Salt Spring Elementary School.
For more information, go to loranscholar.ca.
Winterlude ticket deadline is close
The ticket reservation deadline is looming for the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra’s Winterlude, its annual fundraising dinner and silent auction.
You have until Tuesday, Feb. 20 to reserve tickets for the event, which takes place Feb. 28 at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.
The evening features a gourmet dinner and a silent auction with a selection of treasures, including fine art jewelry, tickets to entertainment and attractions, dining and more. Throughout the evening, musicians from the orchestra will entertain dinner guests with chamber music.
Funds raised by the auction will provide bursary assistance for orchestra members, help cover costs for rehearsals and performance-hall rental, and fund student outreach and education concerts.
Tickets are $85 and include a $25 tax receipt. The event runs 6 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, 3475 Ripon Rd. For tickets call 250-360-1121. For more information, go to gvyo.org.
Forum will discuss biodiversity
Join in an e-conversation about biodiversity at Biodiversity Conversations: How important are the common loon and polar bears to Canadians? — a four-part conversation series exploring biodiversity conservation in Canada, starting on Thursday.
Changing the Conversation, in partnership with Nature Canada, is hosting the forum with expert panellists from Women for Nature.
The conversation will explore what Canadians can do in their day-to-day lives to help protect and preserve biodiversity, individually and collectively. Panellists will explore how Canadians can help break down barriers and include new Canadians in critical public-policy development solutions for biodiversity conservation.
Join the conversation from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday at changingtheconversation.ca.
