A picturesque viewpoint along the West Bay Walkway in Esquimalt has become a symbol of goodwill between neighbours.

The site, off lower Head Street, is now adorned with firmly attached metal chairs and a side table, along with a commemorative plaque, courtesy of the City of Victoria.

The gift was made to mark Esquimalt’s centennial in 2012, which was also the year that Victoria celebrated its 150th anniversary. Both municipalities had a full schedule of events throughout the year.

Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said the offering from the city stands as “a friendly resting spot at the boundary between our two communities,” while Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin said he hopes it is enjoyed by local residents for years to come. The pair met at the viewpoint last week to officially unveil the new amenity.

Desjardins said the two Adirondack-style chairs are perfectly situated.

“They get sun all day long.”

Surviving pennies go to good causes

The federal government’s move to take pennies out of circulation has sparked a number of local efforts to collect the coins for charitable causes.

As of last week, pennies are no longer being given out to banks and other financial institutions. Over time, there will be fewer and fewer in use.

For the Rotary Club of Oak Bay, news of the shift earlier this year inspired a challenge to its members to collect at least 100,000 pennies. Members exceeded the goal with 127,200 pennies, which has taken six months, in a campaign they call Pennies to Heaven —The Final Journey.

A total of $1,272 was collected and earmarked for PolioPlus — Rotary’s international polio-eradication program. The club’s board had previously agreed to match the total up to $1,000, which boosted the take to $2,272.

The sum continued to grow. The federal government, in association with the Canadian International Development Agency, is matching money raised by Canadian Rotarians to fight polio on a dollar-for-dollar basis. That money is going to the World Health Organization’s polio initiative.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting Canadian Rotary clubs in similar fashion for the fight against polio.

The end result is $6,816 generated by Oak Bay Rotarians. With one polio immunization for a child costing 60 cents, the Oak Bay effort will help immunize more than 11,000 children.

For Grade 8 students at Gordon Head Middle School, a penny drive has given them a chance to help youth in developing nations. Every penny collected at the school during last week’s campaign will be going to the Free the Children organization for a program aimed at providing people with clean water.

And at Poets Cove Resort & Spa on Pender Island, a trove of pennies is part of a special Valentine’s Day package planned for fundraising phenom Jeneece Edroff and her parents. The Edroffs will be pampered during an overnight stay, courtesy of Poets Cove, and Jeneece will be given the pennies.

The 19-year-old has been collecting pennies for Variety — The Children’s Charity since she was a young girl, and will be heading to the Lower Mainland for the annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon after her Poets Cove stay.

Poets Cove manager Walter Kohli said pennies for Jeneece are being collected from staff, guests and others on Pender. The word is also out on Facebook, where Poets Cove has over 12,000 followers.

Team Emma wants your hair

Team Emma is in action this week with a special hair-donation event called Wigs for Kids.

The goal is to collect hair to make into wigs for children undergoing cancer treatments, which often cause hair to fall out.

The inspiration behind the event is Emma Smith, a Grade 4 student at Cloverdale Traditional School who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in October. Students, teachers and parents at the school began fundraising efforts for the Smith family soon after, and dubbed themselves Team Emma.

Money raised has helped the family with the expense of being away from home for extended periods when Emma, one of those who has lost her hair, is being treated at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. At present, Emma has finished her first round of chemotherapy in Vancouver and is hoping to be well enough to attend Wigs for Kids, set for Friday at Lizzie Lee and Me Salon, 5-3655 Shelbourne St.

The idea for getting people together to donate their hair came from Karen Pavich and her daughter, Natashia, who is one of Emma’s friends. When Natashia heard from her mom that hair could be made into wigs for people like Emma, she immediately said she wanted to donate hers.

Karen said Natashia told her that getting her hair cut would be easy, but what Emma is doing — fighting cancer — is what’s hard.

Salon owners Lisette and Leah Scabar and their staff are donating their time and talent to the event. Lisette is a cancer survivor herself.

So far, four students and two adults from Cloverdale school are lined up to donate their locks. Hair for a wig must measure at least 20 centimetres from the ear lobe, and should not be coloured or permed.

Call 250-889-5572 for more information.

Blues band aids heart foundation

Musical talent will gather at Hermann’s Jazz Club on Saturday to benefit the B.C. & Yukon Heart and Stroke Foundation.

The Deb Rhymer Blues Band, all-female blues group CURL (with Helen Davies, Dee Cooper, Susan Johnson and Christa Rossner) and Ashley Armstrong are all performing at a 7:30-11 p.m. show that helps mark February as Heart Month.

The show also has a Valentine’s Day theme for those who want to celebrate the occasion a few days after the fact.

Roses will be presented to the first 50 people through the door.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Tickets are available at Lyle’s Place and Long & McQuade.

Ross Place to hold seniors dating game

Valentine’s Day at the Ross Place Retirement Residence will once again be celebrated with the Seniors Dating Game.

The 2-4 p.m. event is open to single seniors 65 and older. Both Ross Place residents and visitors are welcome.

To register, call 250-381-8666 or email atrinder@chartwellreit.ca.

Child-aid group conducts survey

Success by 6, an organization concerned with early-childhood development, has chosen Family Day to launch this year’s Early Years Awards Survey.

From Monday until March 29, the public is invited to take part in the survey at earlyyearsawards.com.

The effort allows the community to have its say about the region’s most child- and family-friendly businesses, parks workplaces and more.

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