Tim Barnes, president of Vancouver Island Brewery, has just issued a corporate challenge to other community-minded businesses to pitch in and help clean beaches on Vancouver Island.
Last week, his company stopped brewing beer for a day. The entire staff of 35 spent the day cleaning a beach near Dallas Road instead. The initiative was in support of the Vancouver Island chapter of Surfrider, a grassroots environmental organization that works to protect and preserve the world’s oceans and beaches.
“Every month, we usually have a meeting and do a team-building exercise,” said Barnes. “This month, we used the time to do a beach cleanup instead. We did the cleanup and enjoyed a beer together later — naturally.”
This is not the first time the local company has participated in a cleanup, but it was the first time the whole company did it together. They plan to do another one in the fall, this time cleaning up a remote beach.
“The folks at Vancouver Island Brewery are an amazing bunch,” said Jamie McKay, chairman of the Vancouver Island chapter of Surfrider. “They have led the charge in businesses getting behind local environmental groups. This support has been pivotal in our remote-beach cleanup efforts.”
While individuals outnumber corporate volunteers, he has seen an increasing number of companies expressing interest in supporting environmental initiatives.
Hold on to Your Butt, an awareness campaign to encourage smokers not to dispose of their butts on the beach or in the ocean, and Ban the Bag, a call for the elimination of single-use plastic bags are two campaigns Surfrider is running.
For more information, go to vancouverisland.surfrider.org or vibrewing.com.
Triathlon raises thousands for MS
Last week’s Fort Street Cycle Beginner Tri for MS raised more than $14,500 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
The event is a non-timed, triathlon-training event geared for beginner triathletes or those returning to the sport after an absence.
As a fundraiser, it has garnered more than $82,500 over the past five years.
The event is an initiative of TriStars Training.
For more information, go to tristarstraining.com/ beginner-tri-for-ms.
Plant lovers ready for sale at Abkhazi
Bring your wheelbarrow to buy your plants for the season and tour the garden that love built as the Friends of the Abkhazi Garden Society host their Plant A Holics Sale next Sunday, May 21.
Shop for a good selection of tropicals, Pacific Coast irises, woodlanders, ferns, grasses, succulents, geraniums, fuchsias and more — many propagated from plants found in the garden.
Vendors at the sale will also offer some rare and unusual plants.
Proceeds from the sale will go toward plants, materials, tools and support for the work of the Friends of the Abkhazi Garden Society.
The sale will take place in the garden started by Prince Nicholas Abkhazi and Princess Peggy in the 1950s. The half-hectare garden was the couple’s pride and joy, eventually becoming known as the garden that love built.
The sale runs 9 a.m. to noon, May 21 at the showcase garden, 1964 Fairfield Rd. Cash or cheques only please.
For more information, go to friendsofabkhazi.ca.
Students promote hearing health
May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month. Throughout the month, audiologists put in extra effort to highlight the importance of hearing health.
This year, the Canadian Academy of Audiology is helping audiologists promote hearing health care by sharing projects submitted by the next generation of audiologists from University of British Columbia, Western University and Dalhousie University.
The Canadian Academy of Audiology University Challenge tasks graduating students with coming up with ways to promote the field of audiology and hearing-health awareness to the public.
The students’ submissions have been posted on the academy’s website. For more information, go to canadianaudiology.ca.
Grants will get kids into sports
The Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence last week announced the Condo Group is the new presenting sponsor of the SportStart Grant. The grant allows children and youth who face social and economic barriers to attend camps and community programs.
“Organized sport plays a significant role in the lives of the members of our company,” said Tony Zarsadias, one of the owners of the real estate company. “Sport is one of the best places we learned how to persevere, deal with disappointments, set and achieve goals, interact with others, deal with adversity, be social, be in the moment, make friends and simply enjoy moving.”
Every year, about 40 children receive funding from SportStart Grant so they can participate in PISE summer camps and programs. In addition, more than 1,000 children annually are helped by community outreach funded through the grant.
For further information, go to piseworld.com.
Cowichan SPCA is best branch in province
The Cowichan and District SPCA took home this year’s B.C. SPCA Branch of the Year award at the society’s AGM last week.
It was not an easy decision.
“Staff and volunteers at all of our locations across the province do amazing work that helps save the lives of B.C.’s most vulnerable animals,” said Mark Takhar, chief operations officer for the association. “The Cowichan and District Branch stands out because it has a truly dedicated team of staff and volunteers who go above and beyond for all of the animals in their care. They’re constantly engaged in community outreach to improve the lives of animals — both animals in their care, as well as animals throughout British Columbia.”
The branch has an active community council that helps support activities. It engages the public in areas such as membership development, humane education, advocacy, volunteer development and fundraising. For more information, go to spca.bc.ca.
Carnations will honour mothers
As we celebrate Mother’s Day, perhaps it is a fitting time to think of mothers who are no longer with us. Royal Oak Burial Park is giving away 500 white and pink carnations as a small gift to visitors.
“White carnations are for mothers who have passed away, pink carnations signify gratitude and love for all mothers,” said Crystabelle Fobler, executive director of the park. “Families can take the carnation and place it on her grave at the park, or take the flower to a place wherever they choose, perhaps a location that meant something to mom.”
Anna Jarvis was the American woman behind Mother’s Day, and she is believed to have started the tradition of wearing a pink carnation to show love for your mother — or a white one to honour your mother if she has died.
Pick up a carnation today between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the entrance of Royal Oak Burial Park, 4673 Falaise Dr. For more information, go to robp.ca.
Vital Signs survey needs your opinions
What do you think are the 12 most important issues facing the capital region today? The Victoria Foundation is asking residents to weigh in with their opinions as part of the annual Victoria’s Vital Signs community checkup, open until July 1.
Victoria’s Vital Signs is a combination of public opinion and statistics that gives a snapshot of livability and well-being in Greater Victoria.
The information collected helps non-profit organizations, civic leaders and individual donors make decisions about granting, policy-making and charitable giving.
“At our foundation, we make granting decisions based on the top issues and opportunities identified in Vital Signs,” said Sandra Richardson, CEO of the foundation. “Citizens play a key role in helping to guide our organization and the many others who also use Vital Signs as a reference for granting, planning or other strategic activities.”
Survey respondents are asked to identify what they think are the dozen issue areas critical to our community.
Vital Signs is a national program, co-ordinated by Community Foundations of Canada, which leverages local knowledge to measure the vitality of our communities, and support action to improve quality of life.
Victoria’s Vital Signs was launched in 2006 and this will be the 12th consecutive year the foundation has produced the report.
The survey runs until July 1. To take part, or for more information, go to victoriafoundation.ca.
Walkers look for veterans in need
Victoria is one of 17 cities where teams of walkers will be on the lookout for Canadian Forces veterans on the streets or in shelters who are in need of help on June 10.
This is the second year of the Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada’s Coast to Coast Tour of Duty. The national charity and service provider of Veterans Affairs Canada has assisted more than 1,600 homeless and in-crisis veterans since 2010.
Walks will be led by teams of volunteers in 17 cities: St. John’s, Sydney, Charlottetown, Halifax, Dartmouth, Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor, Chatham, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria.
The walk starts at 1 p.m. on June 10.
Anyone interested in taking part is asked to contact VETS Canada at [email protected]. For more information, go to vetscanada.org.
