This is Social Work Week in British Columbia, an opportunity to recognize the contribution the profession makes in every aspect of our lives.
Social workers work with individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations and communities.
“Social workers really do touch every aspect of community life. They work in government, in hospitals and in health-care facilities. They work in private practice providing counselling services,” said John Mayr, registrar of the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
They are there for loved ones in the hospital, by offering information and emotional support and by assisting in making appropriate plans upon discharge.
If you are going through marital struggles, a social worker will provide counselling to help you develop skills to work through those troubles.
A social worker will be at your side if you are struggling with mental health or addiction issues, providing the support necessary to achieve wellness.
The college is the regulatory body created by government to ensure only people who have the appropriate educational qualifications, work experience and ethical behaviour are members.
Not all individuals working in social work are social workers. With some exceptions, the term social worker can only be used by individuals who have registered with the college.
For further information visit bccollegeofsocialworkers.ca.
Chefs create a tasty fundraiser
Five top local chefs used their culinary expertise and imagination to help raise more than $185,000 for Our Place.
The five took part in Hungry Hearts, a fun and unique fundraiser aimed at raising both awareness and funds for the most vulnerable citizens of Greater Victoria.
“Once people learn of all the wonderful ways Our Place helps the impoverished in our community, they really step up to help,” said Laura Walsh, director of development. “That couldn’t have been made more clear on Wednesday night when the philanthropic and business community truly came together in a fun and unique way to help make our signature fundraiser a great success.”
The chefs used their culinary expertise and imagination in a competition to see who could create the most tasteful twist on soup and a sandwich.
Guests were invited to vote for their favourite dish. Nicholas Waters and Toque Catering Company took home the trophy by creating a gourmet combo of coconut black bean soup with chipotle crème fraiche, and a Cubano sandwich: mojo marinated pulled pork with avocado, pickle and Swiss cheese.
The other chefs were Takashi Ito of Inn at Laurel Point, Morgan Wilson of the Empress Hotel, Kevin Gomes of Food for Thought Catering and Jena Stewart of the Truffles Group.
This generosity couldn’t have come at a better time as Our Place has experienced a significant increase in demand for its services. The meal program served more than 525,000 meals last year — a 50 per cent increase over the previous year.
Our Place is an inner-city community centre serving Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable.
It provides more than 1,500 meals per day, hot showers, education, job skills, free clothing, counselling, outreach services and 45 transitional housing units. For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com.
Supporters buy truck for Salvation Army
The Salvation Army’s Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre took delivery of a new truck on Friday, thanks to the resourcefulness and generosity of the community-conscious entrepreneurs of Young Entrepreneurs Society and their sponsors.
It took a year to make the purchase possible.
Organizers held a reception at the centre, 525 Johnson St., on Friday to mark the occasion by acknowledging all donors who made it possible. For more information, go to salvationarmy.ca.
Grant program looks for bright ideas
Canadian environmental non-profit organizations are invited to apply for grants up to $25,000 offered by the Automotive Recyclers of Canada in partnership with Summerhill Impact.
This is the second year for Grants in Gear, which funds projects with potential to achieve tangible results in emissions reductions or pollution prevention in the transportation sector and/or excellence in automotive recycling techniques.
Four grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to organizations with ideas in the area of environmental best practices.
“By investing in like-minded Canadian organizations that strive to achieve tangible environmental results, we will see the benefit of promoting environmental sustainability not only for auto recyclers but for other allied sectors as well,” said Steve Fletcher, managing director.
Those interested in applying are encouraged to contact Shelby Kerbel to discuss their project in more detail: 416-922-2448, extension 304, or by email at skerbel@summerhill.com.
The application package and more information can be found at autorecyclers.ca/grants-in-gear-funding. Application deadline is midnight, April 10.
Healing music helps two cancer patients
The Crystalline Sound Healing Concert and silent auction is a fundraiser this afternoon for two women suffering from advanced ovarian cancer.
The two, Anne Marie Carlson, who lives in Nanaimo, and Anne Louise Carlson from Victoria, are both enduring major financial difficulty due to the disease. The two are not related.
Musician and sound-healer Mikeoula will perform one of her crystal-bowl concerts to help raise funds for the women.
Nancy Watters of Luminous Tones Music will open the concert with her healing soundscape using Alchemy crystal singing bowls. Later in the program will be special guest Allanah Dowe, playing cello with Mikeoula.
The Mary Winspear Theatre has donated use of its Charlie White concert hall for the concert.
The event will also be an educational opportunity for women to make them aware of ovarian cancer. It affects women of all ages and is very difficult to accurately test or diagnose in its early stages.
Tickets are $20 at the door. The silent auction starts at 1 p.m., concert 1:30 to 4 p.m. (with an intermission at 3 p.m.) at the Mary Winspear Theatre, 2243 Beacon Ave., Sidney.
SPCA offers $100,000 in lottery prizes
By playing the B.C. SPCA Lottery for animals in need, people can help animals — with the potential of winning thousands of dollars.
Proceeds from the lottery help fund medical care, sheltering, spay and neuter services, advocacy, adoption, foster care programs and other services provided for homeless and abused animals.
“There’s $100,000 in cash prizes in this year’s B.C. SPCA Lottery,” said Krista Constantineau, manager of fundraising events at the organization. “It’s a win-win for animal lovers. You’ll help save the lives of animals in need throughout the province and have the chance to win one of 31 cash prizes. We know money isn’t everything, but it can sure help to have some extra cash on hand.”
This year, the animal welfare organization is focusing on the province’s overwhelming cat-overpopulation crisis. They are rolling out education and prevention strategies intended to help end the suffering of thousands of homeless and abandoned cats.
Tickets are $25 each, three for $60 and five for $90. There is an early bird draw on May 11 for $7,500 (the early bird ticket purchase deadline is April 26).
There are daily cash prizes throughout June — $2,500 each day and $5,000 on Fridays — with a special prize of $10,000 awarded on Father’s Day.
Buyers can request tickets online. Ticket purchasers must be 19 years of age or older and tickets can only be sold in B.C. For complete rules and regulations, visit spca.bc.ca/lottery.
UVic radio station kicks off fundraiser
CFUV, the student-run radio station at the University of Victoria, kicks off its annual week-long Fundrive (Friday until March 20) with a benefit concert on Friday.
The station’s mandate is to bring inspiring, intelligent and innovative programming to the airwaves. It celebrates 30 years of broadcasting this year. Organizers hope to raise $25,000 for renovations of the newsroom to increase spoken-word capacity.
For eight days, the station’s on-air volunteers will ask for pledges from listeners and the community to help support its work.
On Friday, the station is hosting the second Freq Show, its series of pay-what-you-can music showcases in partnership with influential, alternative music website weirdcanada.com.
Funds raised on March 20 will be directed to support the Women’s Radio Collective, an important media resource for women at CFUV.
Admission to Friday’s concert is by donation. Doors open at 9 p.m. at the Copper Owl, 1900 Douglas St. For more information, go to cfuv.uvic.ca/cms.
Underwater poker tournament pays off
Rockfish Divers’ recent Underwater Poker Tournament raised almost $600 for the Help Fill A Dream Foundation. The event took place in the centre pool of the Saanich Commonwealth Recreation Centre.
Sailors honoured for lifesaving efforts
Two CFB Esquimalt members were credited with saving a man’s life after he tried to poison himself with exhaust from his vehicle.
Leading seamen Christopher Boyd and Derek Cheetham were driving through James Bay on the way to a Victoria Royals game on Jan. 8 when they noticed a man tinkering with his truck.
As the men drove back through James Bay after the hockey game, they noticed the truck was running and a hose was connected to the exhaust pipe leading into the vehicle that was running.
Boyd and Cheetham called 911 and opened the door to air out the fumes.
“Fortunately, the driver’s door was [unlocked], so we were able to open it up and that vented the exhaust at that point,” Boyd said. He said the smell of exhaust was very heavy and the man was nearly unconscious.
Victoria police and B.C. Ambulance paramedics were on scene quickly the man was taken to hospital for treatment.
Boyd and Cheetham don’t know what happened to the man after he was loaded into the ambulance.
“All we know is he was alive when he left in the ambulance,” Boyd said.
Victoria police honoured the pair with the civic service award.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps thanked the men for “leaping into action.”
“That fellow survived because of you.”
Boyd, 32, and Cheetham, 22, who have been with CFB Esquimalt since September, said they were overwhelmed at receiving the award.
“At the end of the day, you’re not really expecting anything in return, it’s just instinct,” Cheetham said. — Katie DeRosa