The City of Victoria is looking for applications for next year’s Youth Poet Laureate.
Created in 2013, the role of the Youth Poet Laureate includes reaching out to vulnerable youth populations, developing a community youth poetry event and encouraging peer-to-peer education through new works.
“Poetry is a great medium for youth to relay artistic expression,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “The Youth Poet Laureate will have the opportunity to showcase their craft and push the boundaries of creativity.”
The position comes with a $1,750 honorarium, $2,000 in project funding and the option to be mentored by the city’s Poet Laureate during the year. Funding for the position is shared by the city and the Greater Victoria Public Library.
Applicants must be age 14 to 24 and reside in the capital region, including the Gulf Islands. Applications will be accepted until Nov. 8. For submission guidelines and more information, go to victoria.ca/youthpoetlaureate.
Movember gives lift to B.C. First Responder Resiliency Program
The B.C. First Responder Resiliency Program will receive more than $426,000 over the next two years as part of Movember’s Veterans and First Responders Mental Health Grant Program.
Movember, a men’s health charity, is contributing a total of $1.6 million to four mental-health-oriented programs in Canada with the aim of preventing suicides among veterans and first responders.
The First Responder Resiliency Program is an in-person, retreat-based program designed to enhance the psychological resilience of police and firefighters in the province. The program, which runs over four days, provides tools and skill development aimed at strengthening attendees’ stress-competence and capacity at any stage of their career.
Last year, four of the top 20 teams in Movember’s Great Canadian Fire Challenge were from Vancouver Island — North Saanich Fire Department, Central Saanich Volunteer Fire Department, Pender Island Fire Rescue and Tofino Volunteer Fire Department.
The four Canadian-based mental-health initiatives are part of a larger-scale effort to support veteran and first-responder communities globally. In total, the program will support 14 initiatives worldwide, with an overall investment of over $7.5 million, making it the organization’s largest-ever investment into the first responder community.
• For more information, go to movember.com/ca.
Greater Victoria network wins Nature Canada award
Greater Victoria Naturehood — a network of non-profit, public and private organizations that work together to connect residents and visitors with nature — has received Nature Canada’s Conservation Partner of the Year award.
Every year, Nature Canada, a member-based group founded in 1939, recognizes organizations and individuals with awards to honour hard work and dedication to nature protection and restoration. The awards go to recipients that have taken initiative and work toward nature-positive solutions within their communities.
This past summer, Greater Victoria Naturehood ran an online program to educate children on the importance of nature and the environment. Recently, the organization received a communications award for its work commemorating bird artist Fenwick Lansdowne.
• For more information, go to naturecanada.ca.
Metchosin school launches competition on local sustainability
Metchosin’s independent Westmont Montessori middle school has announced the creation of the Westmont Prize, an annual competition that this year focuses on local sustainability, for Vancouver Island students from Grades 7 through 11.
“The Westmont Prize is a fantastic opportunity for youth to explore issues that are important to them,” said Magnus Hanton, head of school.
This year’s theme is Toward Real Sustainability, with teams choosing one of five local sustainability topics to tackle: old-growth logging, climate change, the toxic drug crisis, affordable housing or a living wage.
The winning team will share a $10,000 university scholarship to a school of their choice.
Hanton said the idea is that collaborative work with peers, supported by adult mentors working in relevant fields, will lead to youth creating innovative solutions that can be put into practice. “I’m very excited to see the results of their efforts in addressing local sustainability issues.”
Interested students can sign up teams of four for the competition before Nov. 15. There is a $100 entry fee per team.
The Westmont Prize was launched in celebration of Westmont’s new high school program that starts in September 2022.
• For more information, go to westmontschool.ca.
Cookies on the menu in Ladysmith’s virtual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run
Runners from across Vancouver Island are invited to sign up for this year’s virtual Cinnamon Bun Run, with registration open between now and Nov. 24. Participants will receive a limited-edition Cinnamon Bun Fun Run cookie from the Old Town Bakery in Ladysmith.
The five-kilometre run/walk and 10-kilometre run to promote healthy outdoor family activity before the holiday season is presented by the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association, with a maximum of 600 registrants. This is the second year the event has had to be held virtually.
Participants can choose their own start time and date for the event, but must complete the event virtually before Nov. 28. The traditional run route will be made available for anyone who wants to stick to tradition, but participants can choose their own route for the walk/run.
Participants should track their run or walk with a device and save a screenshot to upload to Race Roster. The results can be uploaded between Nov. 25 and 28.
Cookies will be available from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting Nov. 29 at the lower parking lot entrance to the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association, 630 2nd Ave. in Ladysmith.
Registration is $10 for adults (13 and over) and $5 for children 12 and under. Proceeds will help fund the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association and its programs. For more information, go to lrca.ca.
District of Saanich presents Envrionment Awards
The District of Saanich is recognizing individuals, businesses, organizations and youth with Environment Awards.
This year’s recipients were recognized for their work on projects ranging from park and forest restoration to sustainable food production, invasive species removal and native planting, supporting allotment gardens and contributing to the health of the municipality’s lakes and watersheds. Awards include:
• Individual – Craig Elder
• Volunteer — Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Volunteer Program
• Business — The Plot Market Garden
• Youth — Lambrick Park Secondary School
• Biodiversity Conservation — Ferndale Forest Pulling Together;
• Sustainability — Capital City Allotment Garden Board of Directors
• Long Term Environmental Achievement — Rick Nordin
“I couldn’t be prouder to recognize the winners of Saanich’s Environment Awards,” said Saanich Coun. Rebecca Mersereau. “The 2021 award winners have shown impressive initiative and effort, which I hope will inspire others to take more action to steward our shared resources.”
In addition to being honoured at a Oct. 25 council meeting, award recipients receive a framed certificate and recognition on a commemorative plaque at Saanich municipal hall.
• For more information, go to saanich.ca/enviroawards.
