Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Good Neighbours: Metchosin firefighters training crews in Peru

Three Metchosin firefighters will spend their spring break training firefighters in Peru as part of a project by Firefighters Without Borders Canada. The local contingent, which consists of Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop, Capt.
A4-0324-firefighter-bw.jpg
Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop and two other firefighters from the district are going to Peru, with the Firefighters Without Borders organization, to train firefighters in that country.

Three Metchosin firefighters will spend their spring break training firefighters in Peru as part of a project by Firefighters Without Borders Canada.

The local contingent, which consists of Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop, Capt. Jason Humphries and Jamie Johnston, will spend two weeks training the all-volunteer Peruvian National Fire Service.

The firefighters will share their knowledge on topics including fire attack skills, auto extraction, fire investigation and emergency scene management.

“I’m going to go down there with an open mind,” Humphries said. “As much as I am going down there to teach, I am sure I’ll be learning something in return.”

Firefighters Without Borders Canada started in 2008. The group has donated 13 fire trucks and equipment valued at more than $2 million. In 2010, the group expanded into include training programs. For more information, go to fwbcanada.ca.

Leadership Victoria presents awards

Leadership Victoria announced the winners of its ninth annual Victoria Leadership Awards, which honour individuals and organizations for community leadership and service:

• Robert (Bob) Harman — Leadership Victoria Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Dr. David Chuenyan Lai and Ana Maria Peredo — University of Victoria Community Leadership Awards.

• Gordon Harper and Colin Smith — Rotary Community Leadership Awards.

• Rupinder Prihar — Vancity Youth Award.

• Shawn Steele — Leadership Victoria Alumni Award.

• Victoria Cool Aid Society — Victoria Foundation Community Leadership Award .

• Jean McRae — United Way of Greater Victoria Award for Collaboration and Partnership.

• Dianne de Champlain — Royal Roads University Leadership Excellence through Coaching and Mentoring Award.

For more information, go to leadershipvictoria.ca.

Haiti training centre takes a step forward

Ben Badke, a local civil engineering technologist, has just returned home after a week at an orphanage in Port Salut, Haiti.

Badke was part of a team of architects and engineers from across North America volunteering with Engineering Ministries International Canada. The team spent a week preparing the master plan and design for a vocational training centre for Heart for Home Haiti.

“The centre will offer job-training skills to Haitian orphans who are aging-out of the orphanage system,” says Kevin Wiens, a project leader for Engineering Ministries International Canada.

Badke and the team also visited two of the orphanages that will be sending students to the new facility.

For more information, go to emicanada.org.

Spirited efforts raise $6 million plus

At United Way Greater Victoria, SPIRIT represents Solutions, Possibilities, Investment, Resources, Impact and Teamwork. So it is fitting the organization chooses to bestow Spirit Awards to organizations, teams and individuals who have achieved outstanding results in their United Way campaigns.

Almost 300 people packed the Crystal Ballroom at the Fairmont Empress on March 14 to find out the winners. Their efforts raised more than $6 million.

For more information, go to uwgv.ca.

Camosun students in bottle-coin drive

Camosun College students are launching a bottle and coin drive to raise awareness about diabetes.

People are encouraged to drop off bottles and donations to 836 Reed St. (off Finlayson Street between Quadra and Blanshard streets). The students will be on hand 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday. For information, contact John Mallach at mr.mallach@gmail.com.