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Our Community: Enjoy, defend parks at Big Wild Challenge

People of all ages are invited to take part in the MEC Big Wild Challenge, a fun trail run or walk in East Sooke Regional Park in aid of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, on Saturday.
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Brittany Decker, director of community campaigns, on a bench that will be part of this year's United Way campaign. darren stone, times colonist

People of all ages are invited to take part in the MEC Big Wild Challenge, a fun trail run or walk in East Sooke Regional Park in aid of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, on Saturday.

This is the third year of the annual event, with a choice of five-, 12- or 21-kilometre routes. The five-km route is moderate, the 12-km is challenging and the 21-km is challenging and advanced. All trails feature a wide variety of terrain, with rocks and roots; they’re steep with uneven and rugged landscape throughout.

“Our parks give us clean air to breathe and fresh water to drink,” said Bruce Passmore, executive director of the society. “This fun event will give people the chance to take in some of that while supporting CPAWS’s efforts to defend our parks — to ensure we never lose these critical spaces.”

The event is one of seven fundraising and awareness trail runs held across Canada in September.

Volunteers will be serving up lunch and smiles at Aylard Farm after the run to all participants.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, created in 1963, is a charity dedicated solely to the protection of our public land and water.

Outdoor outfitter Mountain Equipment Co-op has supported the society’s mission for more than two decades. It donates one per cent of its gross revenue each year to conservation and outdoor-activity causes. In addition to organizing Saturday’s trail-run events, it will match up to $20,000 of funds raised by participants.

Registration is $20 advance, $40 on the day of the event (cash only). Runners can sign up as individuals, families or teams. Participant check-in starts at 7:30 a.m. The 21-km race starts at 8:30, 12-km at 10 and 5-km at 10:30 a.m. at Aylard Farm in East Sooke Regional Park, off East Sooke Road. For more information, go to bigwildchallenge.org.


Explore history of local First Nations
 

Hear the songs and stories of the aboriginal tribes that first walked these lands at Transformation Through First Nations History, on Wednesday.

Learn about the spiritual history of this land from First Nations leaders and elders over three weeks as Our Place explores the history of this rich culture.

History and contact have changed the landscape for the first peoples, but through songs and stories, they have maintained their sense of pride and brought their voices together again.

This Wednesday, Bradley Dick will present History of the Lukwungen people of South Vancouver Island. The series continues with Alex Nelson: Residential School Through Our Eyes on Sept. 23 and Chief Robert Joseph: Truth and Reconciliation Today, Sept. 30.

The event is free to attend. It begins with a traditional First Nations meal (by donation) between 6 and 6:45 p.m., followed by traditional music for 15 minutes before the main presentation, which runs 7 to 9 p.m. at the First Metropolitan United Church, 932 Balmoral Rd.

For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com


Slow your Mustang down for annual toy run

Members of the Vancouver Island Mustang Association are holding their annual Salvation Army Toy Run next Sunday, Sept. 20.
If you would like to take part, you’re asked to bring along a new, unwrapped toy or cash donation.

There were almost 100 participants last year who joined in a scenic, one-hour cruise, ending up at the Beaver Lake picnic shelter site, lower Beaver Road.

The Salvation Army will once again be hosting a barbecue for all attendees, as well as accepting donations.

Meet at Parking Lot 4 of the University of Victoria (enter off McGill Road) at 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Doug Wong, 250-391-4933, or go to vima.mysite.com.

United Way campaign says Make Your Mark

The United Way is gearing up for this year’s community campaign with Make Your Mark, an event on Wednesday where people are asked to show support for their community by signing a pledge wall.

Last year, thousands of donors pitched in and helped 80,000 people — children, young people, families and seniors — change their lives.

The event takes place from 7 to 10 a.m. in Centennial Square. This event is sponsored by Victoria Labour Council. For more information, go to uwgv.ca.


You and your dog can walk for the SPCA

Enjoy a walk in the park and help the SPCA rescue animals from cruelty at the Paws for a Cause fundraiser today.

Activities after the walk include a Kids Zone, doggie games, a paws parlour (a lounge for pooches), massage therapist, dog psychic and basic grooming. Participants can enjoy a barbecue with beef and veggie burgers.

Registration opens at 10, with the three-kilometre walking starting at 11:30 a.m. at Clover Point. For more information, go to spca.bc.ca


St. Luke’s Church throws birthday bash

The Parish of St. Luke Cedar Hill is celebrating its 155th anniversary with a family day, homecoming service and a concert Sept. 19 and 20.

People are invited to a Family Fun Day on Saturday at St. Luke’s Anglican Church and the Lutheran Church of the Cross, with games, an obstacle course, arts and crafts, and a woodworking table.

The event kicks off with a pancake breakfast, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Church of the Cross with activities between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at St. Luke’s Church. There will also be free coffee, juice, hamburgers and ice cream.

A Homecoming Service takes place at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 20 at St. Luke Cedar Hill Anglican Church, where people are encouraged to discover or make a connection — from finding the location of relatives buried in the cemetery, to neighbours and people in the community who have never visited before.

A concert, Anything Goes!, starts at 2:30 p.m., with an afternoon of classical, jazz, musical theatre and sacred selections by vocal and instrumental performers. The performance is put on by the St. Luke’s Music Ministry Team and musically talented friends of the church.

Admission to the concert by donation, $15 suggested, with proceeds to St. Luke’s Choral Scholar Fund.

Some activities take place in the parking lot of St. Luke’s Church, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Rd., so people are asked to park in the Church of the Cross parking lot (enter off Cedar Hill Road). For more info, call 250-477-6741 or visit stlukesvictoria.ca


Come on back to Cook Street centre

The Cook Street Village Activity Centre is throwing a Welcome Back event to introduce themselves to new arrivals to the city, as well as reacquainting with members returning from their summer vacations, on Friday.

At the event, people can have a meal of green salad, beef stew, homemade biscuits and peach cake for dessert.

Entertainment provided by Puppets for Peace, a musical mix of humans and puppets.

There will be a sing-along and repartee evoking the bygone days of the British Isles.

Tickets $10 members, $12 non-members (sales end Tuesday). The event starts at 12:30 p.m. at the centre, 380 Cook St. For more information, go to cookstreetvillageactivitycentre.com.


Clubs want you to come to open house 

The Monterey Recreation Centre in Oak Bay is hosting an All Clubs Open House, aimed at people 50 and older, on Thursday.

Representatives from more than 30 local clubs will be on hand — with displays on table tennis, ukulele, walking, Chinese brush painting, wood carving, billiards, concert music, drama and art.

The Oak Bay Seniors Activity Association and members of the Monterey Recreation Centre will also be on hand.

Free admission. The event runs noon to 2 p.m. in the Garry Oak Room of the recreation centre, 1442 Monterey Ave.

For more information, go to recreation.oakbay.ca


Birthday girl aids Our Place with donation 

Shirley Charman celebrated her 90th birthday on Sept. 1 with a dinner — but guests at Our Place got presents instead.

While the birthday girl and her husband, Eric, entertained guests at a gourmet dinner in her honour, her thoughts were with the less fortunate in the community.

Instead of gifts for herself, Shirley and Eric, well-known local philanthropists, asked their friends to make a donation to Our Place Society instead.

Along with matching dollars from the couple, the dinner raised almost $20,000 for the inner-city charity.

“We are so grateful for Shirley and Eric’s compassion and support,” said Don Evans, executive director. “This tremendous demonstration of philanthropy as a way to honour Shirley’s special day will have a meaningful and positive impact on the mostvulnerable members of our community.”

For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com


Concert will help raise Oak Bay pole 

The Community Association of Oak Bay is hosting a benefit concert to support the Sno’uyutth pole project at the Oak Bay High School.

Rock and Roll to Raise the Pole features local singer-songwriter Mike Demers and The Lonely, a Roy Orbison tribute band.

Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

The event starts at 7 p.m. at The Oaks restaurant and tea room, 2250 Oak Bay Ave.

For tickets, call the restaurant at 250-590-3155.

 
Take a pie in the face for Mustard Seed 

Will you take a pie in the face? The Mustard Seed is challenging individuals, local businesses, churches and schools to wear a shaving-cream pie toward a goal of 100,000 pounds of food and $100,000 in donations.

This is the second year for the charity’s #YYJPieOff Challenge, which encourages people to take a pie in the face, encourage others to do the same and share the video of the deed on Facebook. The campaign starts Saturday and runs until Oct. 30.

People are asked to add #YYJPieOff and #MustardSeedVic hashtags to their videos.

Food and funds collected can be dropped off between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 30, the last day of the campaign, at 625 Queens Ave. for the official Weigh-In event. For more information, go to mustardseed.ca