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Our Community: A weekend of voices and song

Take in a weekend of music and workshops at the Hymn Festival and Choir Workshop, May 3 to 6 at various venues. The event will be led by David Cherwien, author and director of music at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, based in Minneapolis.

Take in a weekend of music and workshops at the Hymn Festival and Choir Workshop, May 3 to 6 at various venues.

The event will be led by David Cherwien, author and director of music at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, based in Minneapolis.

People can attend a hymn festival on Saturday, featuring hymns that range from 6th-century plainsong to the work of modern composers, sung by a massed choir with voices from local churches — led by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir.

The workshops will examine the working partnership between clergy and music directors. The biggest challenge is aligning different agendas.

“The musician may be thinking, ‘what songs can these people sing?’ and the pastor may be thinking, ‘what will bring in more people?’ They aren’t necessarily compatible,” said Cherwien, an internationally known organist, composer and choir director.

Cherwien will also lead a workshop on improving volunteer choirs. The session will be an observed rehearsal and is open to all choir leaders.

Many churches are facing diminishing resources, such as fewer people in the choir, not enough time to practise and incomplete voicing where there isn’t a full complement of tenors, altos, basses and sopranos.

“We wind up with a negative cycle when something doesn’t sound that good and so people don’t want to be a part of it,” he said.

Admission is by donation and no registration is required. The event runs:

• Friday, May 4, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Clergy-musician relations: Session with Anglican and Lutheran clergy and musicians at Lutheran Church of the Cross.

• Friday, May 4, 7:30 p.m. — Hymn Fest: Come, Spirit of God — a musical evening featuring massed choirs at Christ Church Cathedral.

• Saturday, May 5, 10 to 11:45 a.m. — Getting the Best out of Volunteer Choirs: Master Class for Church Musicians at Christ Church Cathedral.

• Sunday, May 6, 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. — What Makes for Good Hymns and Liturgical Music: Congregational Forum at Christ Church Cathedral.

• Sunday, May 6, 10:30 a.m. Combined Service at Christ Church Cathedral.

For more information, go to christchurchcathedral.bc.ca.

Love comes in Shoebox Project

Help make Mother’s Day special for women in need by a donation to the Shoebox Project.

This Mother’s Day, dozens of women — some living in shelters, others at risk of homelessness — will open a box filled with love from strangers.

Donors typically pack a shoebox full of necessities — shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and socks — but also try to include luxuries such as makeup, nail polish or skin-care products.

The packages often include a brief note or card with words of encouragement and hope.

Each shoebox is meant to be filled with items valued to a maximum of $50.

The charitable movement boasts 45 chapters, delivering 25,000 gifts annually to hundreds of communities across Canada and the U.S.

Last year, Mary Lou Newbold delivered more than 20 boxes to Artemis, a YWCA group, and the Boys and Girls Club.

This year, she has names for more than 80 recipients, submitted from Artemis, Boys and Girls Club, Esquimalt Neighbourhood House and the Cridge Centre. She needs help to fulfil all the requests.

Newbold took on this task last year in honour of her own mom, who was a victim of abuse.

Participants can drop off a gift-wrapped shoebox (or a financial donation) at Mayfair Optometric, 3196 Douglas St. For more information, contact ml.newbold@mayfairoptometric.com or go to shoeboxproject.com.

Prospect Lake looking for art

Folks at the Prospect Lake and District Community Association are looking for “previously loved” art donations for their Art in the Vineyard fundraiser.

Organizers of the event are seeking all kinds of pieces of art that you might have tucked away in closets and crawl spaces — to be loved by new owners.

They will accept framed and unframed originals, prints, posters, paint-by-numbers, velvet Elvises, interesting collectibles … you name it, they will take it.

Last year, Art in the Vineyard raised almost $8,000. The money went toward the improvement of the grounds around the heritage Prospect Lake Hall, in the heart of the Saanich Peninsula.

The hall is one of the few remaining community-owned and managed halls in B.C. — used for programs, meetings and community events.

The collected art will go on sale June 23, with 40 artist and artisan booths scattered under trees. People can enjoy a stroll in the rose garden and refreshments in the old winery building at Starling Lane Vineyard, Old West Saanich Road.

To arrange drop-offs or pickups of donated art, contact Jackie at jackie.wrinch@shaw.ca or 250-479-4769. For more information, go to pldca.ca.

Basketball tourney is a memorial

Esquimalt Senior Boys Basketball team is honouring the memory of a player who ended his life during the season; the team will host a memorial 3-on-3 tournament, May 4 and 5 at Esquimalt High School.

The tournament will be in honour of Isaac Williams-Herrington, who touched many lives and helped many of his friends who were struggling with depression.

The team is promoting this memorial tournament not only to remember him, but also to talk about what is becoming a serious issue.

All funds raised will go to Need2 Suicide Prevention and Esquimalt High Schools Basketball Program. Some registration money will also support Victoria Night League Basketball.

Registration is open to any players in Grade 9 to 12.

The entry fee is $80 per team (maximum of four players). The tournament takes place May 4-5 (with times to be announced) at Esquimalt High School. Registration link: goo.gl/tmjp1Y.

Event will mark Asian Heritage Month

Celebrate Asian Heritage Month with an authentic eight-course Chinese meal and a talk by author Jen Sookfong Lee, May 5 at the Golden City Restaurant.

Books by Lee include The Conjoined, nominated for International Dublin Literary Award and a finalist for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. She is a regular contributor on The Next Chapter on CBC Radio One.

Net proceeds from the event will benefit the opening of a community drop-in place for seniors in Chinatown.

Seats are $45 per person. The event starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at the Golden City Restaurant, 721 Fisgard St. For bookings or more information, contact Charlayne Thorton-Joe at cpthorntonjoe@gmail.com.

Library chairman honoured for advocacy

Barry Avis, chairman of the Vancouver Island Regional Library board of trustees, is the 2018 winner of the British Columbia Library Trustees Association Advocate Award.

The award recognizes the outstanding advocacy work Avis carried out on behalf of library in 2017.

“Since being elected as chair of the board in 2017, Barry has stepped into his role with passion and forward-thinking ideas, and has been an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Rosemary Bonanno, the library’s executive director. “I am thrilled that the BCLTA has recognized Barry’s outstanding work by awarding him this prestigious prize. It could not have gone to a more deserving recipient.”

Avis will receive his award at the BCLA awards luncheon on Friday, May 11. For more information, go to virl.bc.ca.

PISE offers sport scholarships

The Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence is accepting applications for two performance-training scholarship opportunities for youth.

Scholarship awards valued at $500 from Liz Ashton and $1,000 from Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union, are available to youth athletes.

The awards are for individuals who have excelled in their sport, demonstrated positive leadership and sportsmanship, maintained a positive academic performance and are interested in taking their sport performance to the next level.

“PISE plays a key role in our community helping develop athletes and future sport leaders,” said Stacey Lund, business development manager at PISE. “We are very grateful to Island Savings and Liz Ashton for their generosity in helping support youth in their training at PISE.”

These awards will be provided in the form of a credit toward strength and conditioning services with PISE’s performance training coaches.

Further information and applications are online at: pise.ca/scholarship-opportunities.

Laughter raises money in Cowichan

Ticket sales from the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre’s 2018 standup comedy fundraiser I Am Woman, Hear Me Laff! raised $3,223 for the Cowichan Woman Against Violence Society.

This is the largest amount raised since I Am Woman, Hear Me Laff! began at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre in 2015.

Four-time Canadian Comedy Award-winner Debra DiGiovanni headlined this year’s comedy event, drawing the largest audience, with more than 450 people in attendance.

Since 2015, this annual night of fast-paced standup comedy has raised a total of $6,930 for Cowichan Women Against Violence. For more information, go to cwav.org.