Santa led the way at the Santa Shuffle 5K run and 1K walk, an event to support families in need.
This month, about 270 festively dressed Shufflers of every age gathered with the jolly man himself at Vic West Community Centre on Saturday to run, walk and jingle in support of those in need in our community.
Presented by the Running Room, the annual event raised just over $8,700 in registration fees and pledges this year.
“This is a wonderful holiday event. It’s truly about the spirit of giving; families helping families and kids helping kids,” said spokesperson Patricia Mamic. “All of us, no matter what age, can be a ‘Hero for Hope’ and make a difference in someone else’s life.”
Funds will help the Salvation Army provide holiday assistance to feed, clothe and shelter individuals and families in need of support over the Christmas season and throughout the entire year. Last year, the Salvation Army in Canada helped about 1.9 million people seeking assistance.
The Santa Shuffle, in its 27th year, takes place in 41 communities across the country. Last year, about 16,300 participants “shuffled” nationally and raised just over $640,000.
People can donate at one of the many kettles, by phone, in person at Salvation Army office locations across the province or online at salvationarmy.ca.
Angels have gifts for Our Place
More than 700 people in need were touched by an angel last week.
For the past four years, Our Place volunteer Linda Ryder has made it her mission to spread the joy of Christmas to vulnerable people who might otherwise go without.
Ryder runs Angel Gifts, a program that distributes gifts donated by fellow Our Place volunteers, local churches, schools, community groups and government offices.
Each gift has an approximate value of $40, and “angels” are encouraged to add a personal message to the recipient.
“It means so much to people to receive a gift that is meant just for them,” says Ryder. “I get so many hugs that I can’t stop smiling.”
Angel Gifts has been in existence for 15 years, with co-ordination passed from person to person.
“It’s truly wonderful to witness the community coming together like this and spread the true meaning of Christmas,” says Don Evans, executive director of Our Place. “Each gift is greeted with a smile of appreciation, and the occasional giggle, which warms all our hearts.”
For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com.
Lions Club looking for young Peace Poster artists
Gordon Head Lions is hoping more clubs in Victoria join the Peace Poster Contest.
Club member Jim Hoskins has been going to about eight schools in Gordon Head since 1991. He encourages students to enter their art in the competition.
The Gordon Head Lions awards money to the first, second and third place winners plus plaques and certificates from International Lions.
For more information, contact Hoskins at autohos@shaw.ca.
Mustard Seed prepares Christmas hampers
The act of giving makes a beautiful gift.
There is a great need for food and cash donations at this time of year at the Mustard Seed Street Church.
Every year in December, the agency provides about 1,200 Christmas hampers for individuals and families who would otherwise go without.
Each hamper is filled with food essentials, as well as gift cards to purchase a turkey and the traditional Christmas fixings.
People looking for a holiday present with meaning this season should consider a donation to the Mustard Seed in lieu of presents for family or friends.
Donations can be made online or in person at 625 Queens Ave.
For more information, go to mustardseed.ca.
Coat drive seeks warm clothes
It’s not too late to donate a new or used winter coat to those less fortunate at the 10th Annual Cool Aid Coat Drive.
Clean out your closet and make 1,000 of Cool Aid’s clients warmer, healthier and happier.
Mittens, gloves, hats, socks, sweaters and blankets are also welcome.
Drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. weekdays, except Christmas week, until Jan. 8 at Cool Aid’s Labour Pool, 465 Swift St. (near Wharf). For more info call Wendy at 250-388-9296 or go to coolaid.org.
Family Sunday benefits Syrian family
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria will donate all the revenues of book sales to a Syrian family moving to Salt Spring Island at today’s Family Sunday event.
At the Family Sunday event, the special guest is Margriet Ruurs and her book Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey, which features the artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr.
Meet Ruurs and hear about how this book was created in a collaboration between the author on Salt Spring Island and the artist in Syria.
The event runs 2 to 4 p.m. today at the art gallery, 1040 Moss St. For more information, go to aggv.ca.
Golf party raises $30,000 for women and kids
Participants in the 2017 Royal LePage Golf Party for Shelter raised more than $30,000 for local women’s and children’s transition houses in the Greater Victoria and Sooke areas.
The annual fundraiser was made possible by the event’s Gold Sponsors, Hole Sponsors, golfers, dinner guests, Hole-in-One contest sponsors, cash donors, and many prize and auction item donors.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps attended the cheque-presentation ceremony last week at the Cridge Centre. For more information, go to rlpgolf4shelter.com.
Buy a coffee for first responders
Heather Kennedy is hoping more Victorians join her in showing her appreciation for first responders.
She has been buying pre-paid gift cards at coffee shops and then leaves the cards at the coffee shop, instructing staff to use them whenever a first responder comes in for coffee.
Kennedy has only once been recognized for her act of kindness.
She was still in the coffee shop, having just purchased the card minutes earlier, when a first responder came in for a coffee. The clerk said the coffee order had been paid for — and pointed to Kennedy.
The first responder cried.
Kennedy is hoping others will join her in doing the same.
For more information, contact her at onishinokitsone@gmail.com or 250-479-5625.
Song of hope for Canuck Place
Longtime Vancouver Canucks broadcaster Jim Robson is lending his legendary voice to benefit Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in a classic rendition of Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy with his son Rob.
The duet was originally performed by Bing Crosby and David Bowie on Bing Crosby’s Merrie Old Christmas TV special in 1977.
“My dad showed us the importance of not only making things easier for people who needed help,” said Rob. “If our duet can help achieve that, then all these threads will have come together in the best possible way. Our family home, where we first saw this song performed on TV 40 years ago, was just a few blocks from Canuck Place.”
The duo recorded the song with Jim in Vancouver and his son in a studio in Budapest.
They gave special thanks to Sound Kitchen Studios Vancouver who donated their services and Music Backing Tracks, which waived the licensing fee.
The song is available for download at canuckplace.org/robson.
Help hospital foundation this Christmas season
This holiday season, when you purchase a hot beverage at select Esso stations that have Tim Hortons at 7-Eleven stores, $2 will be donated to the Vancouver General Hospital and University of British Columbia Hospital Foundation in support of their Angel campaign.
Money raised will go toward purchasing medical equipment and funding research projects to advance patient care. Customers will also receive an Angel lapel pin to commemorate their contribution.
Since the launch of the Angel campaign in 2001, trees at Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Hospital and GF Strong Rehab Centre have been filled with thousands of angels carrying messages of love and gratitude to friends and family, medical teams and hospital staff.
In 2016 alone, the foundation raised more than $610,000 during the holiday season.
The campaign runs until Dec. 22. In Victoria, go to the Esso station at 4001 Quadra St. (at McKenzie Avenue). See participating stores at vghfoundation.ca/7-eleven.
Kenneth Brind awarded Legion of Honour
A representative of the French consulate was in Victoria last week to present Kenneth Brind, a former navigator who served on Lancaster bombers during the Second World War, with the Legion of Honour.
During his tour of duty, Brind flew multiple missions over France and Germany.
He was awarded the medal, the highest honour that France can grant a person, at a moving ceremony that took place at the Legion residential unit on East Saanich Road on Monday.
Teen donates blood in father’s memory
A 17-year old student from Reynolds Secondary School in Saanich is involved in a group blood donation in memory of her father on Tuesday.
Katy Berglund and 16 of her classmates will be donating blood — all for the first time.
“My dad had been donating blood with the company that he worked with [Coast Mountain Bus Company] for years,” said Berglund. “They would all take the bus to the clinic to donate in Vancouver. He would tell me stories about seeing big burly men pass out from fear of needles, nonetheless he said it was important. My dad passed away when I was 10 of a heart attack. This is the first year I can donate and I want to continue donating for him and his memory. I want to give others life because my dad spent his life trying to do that as well.”
Berglund wants to encourage eligible people in Victoria to become regular donors, as well.
The Victoria donor centre is at 3449 Saanich Rd. For more information, or to book an appointment, go to blood.ca/donate.
Shoppers ‘chip in’ for juvenile diabetes
Customers at Thrifty Foods contributed more than $17,000 during November’s Diabetes Awareness Month.
Throughout the month-long campaign shoppers “chipped in” by purchasing Thrifty Tortilla Chips to support the Vancouver Island chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and its mission to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
For every purchase, Thrifty Foods contributed $1 to the foundation. Customers were also able to contribute to the cause by donating their three-cent reusable-bag rebate, or making a cash donation at the till.
“I’m so grateful to all the shoppers who contributed to this fundraising effort. This money will be used by the JDRF to fund research for a cure for Type 1 diabetes,” said Central Saanich resident Mika Ogilvie. “My dream is that some day my daughter [three-year-old Lily] along with the 300,000 other Canadians who have Type 1 diabetes, can live free from this complex and unrelenting disease.”
For more information, go to jdrf.ca.
