Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry is one of 25 recipients of the City of Victoria’s 2021 Honorary Citizen Awards, which recognize individuals for outstanding service and personal achievements for the betterment of the community.
The awards were established in 1970 and are presented every four years. This year, the city received the most nomination packages in recent years, with the number of recipients almost doubling.
Recipients are current or former residents of the local First Nations, the City of Victoria and the capital region who have demonstrated outstanding contributions in the areas of arts and culture, business, communication, community volunteering, education, environmental stewardship, heritage, Indigenous, multiculturalism, social and health issues, sports and youth up to 24 years of age.
Aside from Henry, recipients include:
• Former B.C. deputy premier Carole James
• Former Victoria city councillor and heritage advocate Pamela Madoff
• Philanthropist Andrew Beckerman
• HeroWork Victoria executive director Trevor Botkin; Adrienne Carter, co-founder of the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees
• Eddy Charlie and Kristin Spray for their work on Orange Shirt Day
• Robin-Lee Clarke, president of Butchart Gardens, for tourism promotion
• Keith Dagg for community work
• Jane Devonshire for her work in emergency preparedness and the environment;
• Nəʔəmtənat Florence Rose Dick for her work on reconciliation for Lekwungen-speaking people
• Kim Dixon, executive director of James Bay New Horizons
• Ivonne Hernandez for pushing cultural boundaries and mentorship
• Raven Lacerte for raising awareness about violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people
• Andrei Marti, a youth advocate who raises awareness for Type One diabetes
• John McEown for services to people experiencing homelessness
• Jean McRae, CEO of the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
• Shelley Morris with the Cridge Centre for the Family
• Tara Moss, advocate for accessibility rights
• Carey Newman from the Kwakwak’awakw Nation for his work as a leader, role model, change maker and educator
• Psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts for advocacy for children and families
• Social justice champion Asiyah Robinson;
• Gloria Roze for her work with the Indigenous street community
• Bruce Saunders, for the Movie Monday initiative.
Due to the pandemic, the in-person award ceremony will be delayed until 2022.
• For more information, go to victoria.ca/honorarycitizen.
Calls to Action Scavenger Hunt
Follow clues and win prizes while learning about Truth and Reconciliation at the Calls to Action Scavenger Hunt in James Bay, Nov. 6
Individuals or groups can participate, exploring the neighbourhood of James Bay, on the homeland of the Lekwungen Peoples, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
The event is free to join and registration is optional. Pick up your clues for the 10 sites any time after 1 p.m. Nov. 6 at Irving Park in James Bay, Menzies and Michigan Street. There will be a mini scavenger hunt for those with mobility challenges. Community supporters and sponsors include the James Bay Beacon, James Bay Community Project, James Bay United Church, James Bay New Horizons, KAIROS Victoria, Legacy Art Gallery, Munro’s Books and WorkBC. To register and to find out more details, contact scavengertrc@gmail.com.
Campaign aims to give 10,000 socks to the needy
You can help buy 10,000 pairs of socks for people experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness this winter.
This is the 14th year that Cool Aid, Congregation Emanu-El, Kia Victoria, La-Z-Boy Furniture and PVH Legwear Canada — makers of McGregor Socks — are working to provide warm socks to the needy.
“When I started this program, I was looking for a simple but effective way to help people in our community who are living in poverty,” said Michael Bloomfield, campaign organizer. “You cannot underestimate the importance of a good quality pair of warm, dry socks, especially during the winter months.”
Cool Aid purchases the socks from PVH Legwear Canada at a deeply discounted price and La-Z-Boy Victoria donates the shipping costs. This year, Kia Victoria has joined the effort with a $5,000 matching campaign. Kia Canada will also match every $5 donation at Kia Victoria — up to $5,000.
“We are thrilled to be part of this campaign,” said Bethan Osterman, owner of Kia Victoria. “Doing something tangible for those in our community who are less fortunate is part of our corporate responsibility and an important part of our company culture. It’s a small something that we know makes a big difference to the people who receive the socks.”
The socks will be distributed through 25 organizations from Nanaimo to Victoria, including on Salt Spring Island. To date, the campaign has distributed 112,500 pairs of socks worth $562,500.
The campaign will run until Nov. 30. Donations can be made online at coolaid.org/socks, by calling 250-383-1977 or at Kia Victoria.
Cowichan Valley group explores the art history of war
The Cowichan Valley Arts Council will be offering two online sessions on how art has been used in the past to celebrate victories in war.
Rob MacLean, a former history teacher, will host the sessions and lead a discussion on the art history of war and look at contemporary ways to commemorate conflict. Artists have recently been denouncing war and embracing peace, with the second session looking at how modern memorials reflect that by acknowledging the human toll rather than glorifying battle.
The sessions will take a close look at some famous war-related paintings, followed by discussion. In the second session, MacLean will examine the evolution of war memorials from ancient Rome to Vimy to Vietnam.
Both sessions are free. Part one on war paintings runs 2 to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 8; part two on war memorials runs 7 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 9. Sign up at cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca/event.
Items sought for Island Strong auction
Community Living Victoria is looking for items for Island Strong, its first virtual silent auction, Nov. 15 to 21.
The Island Strong theme reflects the great spirit, caring and strength of the Island community as demonstrated throughout the pandemic.
Items can be grouped together to create packages or auctioned individually to ensure there is a range of price points for people to bid on. Items could include Vancouver Island travel, restaurants, services and experiences.
For more information, or to donate, contact nicole.woods@shaw.ca.
Poinsettia donations buoy front-line hospital workers
Show front-line hospital workers and security staff you care by donating a poinsettia to them this holiday season through the Be an ER Santa option in the Victoria General Hospital Auxilliary’s Poinsettias for Patients campaign.
The deadline to order locally grown poinsettias for Christmas is approaching fast. Orders have to be made by Nov. 16 for delivery at the end of November.
You can buy the plants — available in four-, 6.5- and 10-inch pots, mixed planters or a four-inch miniature Norfolk Pine — for yourself or as gifts. You can also designate a plant to go to an emergency room or security personnel this year.
Plants range from $7.50 to $40.
To order, go to shop.vgha.ca.
parrais@timescolonist.com
