Do you have a gently used bicycle gathering dust at home? Turn it into a smile on the face of a child this Christmas by donating it to Bikes 4 Kids, an initiative of Russ Hay’s the Bicycle Shop.
This is the third year the store, working with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Mustard Seed and the Single Parent Resource Centre, is collecting and donating new and used bikes for needy children.
Last year, the event, with the help of businessman Tim Quocksister, meant more than 120 children found a bike under the tree on Christmas Day.
Word of the initiative has spread, with more than 500 requests for bikes this year. Families are looking for everything from bikes for toddlers to adult bikes for teens trying to get to work.
Bikes can be dropped off at both Victoria and Sidney branches of the store, 650 Hillside Ave. or 2426 Bevan Ave., Sidney. For more information, go to russhays.com/bikes4kids.
Businesses refurbish car for single mom
A single mom struggling to raise two teenagers was given the keys to a refurbished car as part of an annual pre-Christmas initiative by a local automotive body shop, AkzoNobel and the Acoat National Benevolence Program.
For the past four years, Superior Collision Repairs, along with 48 business sponsors, has taken a car that has been written off and turned it into dependable transportation.
The vehicle was by Canadian Northern Shield (an insurance company). Company staff volunteered their time with approximately 30 hours of labour.
All the parts and paint were donated by various trade suppliers such as OK Tire, Vanfax, Lordco, Keystone and AkzoNobel, a company that makes paints and coatings. Coast Capital Insurance pitched in by covering the first year’s insurance.
This year, Nicole Beaumont was chosen as the recipient of the refurbished vehicle. She is a single mother who is raising both her 15-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old nephew.
Her new ride means the family will get reliable and safe transportation, improving their quality of life.
A package of gifts stuffed in the car’s trunk included fitness passes, family activity passes, gift certificates, food and necessary household supplies.
For more information, go to superior-collision.com/ community-involvement.
300 invited to dinner by local restaurant
A local restaurateur who has brought food to the homeless twice a week for the past two years is celebrating the season by renting a hall to feed as many as 300 tonight.
Kuku’s Take Out and Delivery, an East Indian restaurant, has been feeding the hungry for the past seven years. For the past two, owners Randy Madahar and his wife Anita have been providing free meals to the homeless, as well.
This year, they have decided to rent a hall to serve a full turkey dinner to those less fortunate.
“We have had a lot of support, especially from Blue Bird Cabs,” Madahar said.
While they typically serve as many as 80 people every Wednesday and Sunday, they are prepared to accommodate 300 tonight.
“Nobody goes away hungry,” he said.
Dinner runs 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at the Burnside Community Hall, 471 Cecelia Rd. Donations for the event can be made at the restaurant, 24 Burnside Rd. West.
For more information, go to kukusrestaurant.com.
Shivering swimmers help raise money for refugees
A group of 20 swimmers braved the cold to take a dip off Willows Beach last week to raise money to bring refugee families to Victoria.
Participants collected pledges for the Oak Bay United Church, which has partnered with Masjid Al-Iman Mosque and Saint Aidan’s to bring as many refugee families as funding permits. These communities have also committed to support the families when they arrive.
Make cheques to Oak Bay United Church and include the word Refugees. Charitable-donation tax receipts available.
For more information, go to oakbayunitedchurch.ca or visit their Facebook page.
Campaign raises money to fill a family’s dream
A young child’s dream will soon come true, thanks to the generosity of staff at the Victoria branch of CIBC Wood Gundy taking part in the annual CIBC Miracle Day.
Every year, on the first Wednesday of December, traders and investment advisers at CIBC Wood Gundy donate their fees and commissions to help kids in need. With the help of their clients, the local branch donated nearly $300,000 in fees and commissions. This is not the first time the branch has participated in this unique fundraiser. It has raised more than $1.5 million since 2003.
Last year, the one-day event raised more than $5.5 million for more than 550 children’s charities across Canada.
In Victoria, the advisers support, among others, Help Fill a Dream, 1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre, the Victoria Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Victoria, and KidSport Victoria.
This year, the Victoria branch presented a $10,000 cheque, on behalf of Help Fill a Dream Foundation, to Coen Wallace and his family. The family plans to use the funds for a vacation at the Aulani Disney Resort in Hawaii in February.
For more information, go to cibc.com/ca/inside-cibc/ community-matters/ miracle-day.html.
Youngsters build hampers for needy families
Students at Macaulay Elementary School have learned how a community can come together to help others.
The students of Deanna Reid’s Grade 2 class have been working hard to collect donations to create 15 hampers for needy families in the community.
The seven- and eight-year-olds wrote letters, called on businesses and hosted a bake sale, raising more than $2,500 in donations.
When asked about their experience, students commented:
“Ms. Reid, all we had to do was write a letter and people donated to our cause.”
“People in our community really care about others.”
“This year, our class has being doing a lot of good for our community and the world.”
For more information, go to macaulay.sd61.bc.ca.
South Park students create a lasting monument
Students of South Park Family School took a lesson to heart by creating a lasting monument for the whole community.
Last year, children at the school were taught about the Seven Sacred Teachings, the foundation of the aboriginal way of life based on seven natural
laws: love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility and truth.
To capture the classroom learning, school administrators decided to create a tile wall, where every student and staff member created a tile with an animal that represents one of the seven virtues.
The wall was unveiled at a ceremony late last month attended by 200 students, staff, parents and community guests. Joe Thomas and representatives of the Esquimalt Nation were on hand to perform a blessing and drumming song.
The children involved said they look forward to coming back in 10 or more years to see their tile.
“This amazing project is a symbol of what we value at South Park Family School — staff, parents and students working together to provide rich and authentic learning that results in creative and beautiful products,” said Sean McCartney, principal of the school. “We hope that for years to come, this beautiful tile wall will be a reminder of the seven sacred teachings and the value of a community working together.”
South Park Family School offers an alternative education program. It offers a coastal kindergarten, kindergarten and Grades 1 through 5. It focuses on fine arts and environmental awareness and encourages parent participation. It has no geographic catchment area.
For more information, go to southpark.sd61.bc.ca.
Events at Our Place mark the holiday season
Our Place welcomes the holiday season with three events this week.
• The Big Latke Lunch and Dreidel Spin-off celebrates Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights with volunteers from Congregation Emanu-El taking over the kitchen. The event runs noon to 1 p.m. Monday.
• Our Place and CBC present Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, with music by the Open Door Choir, the Victoria Good News Choir and special guest Carmanah.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children and can be purchased online or in person. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., performance at 7 p.m. Monday at Alix Goolden Hall, 900 Johnson St.
• Our Place volunteer Linda Ryder runs Angel Gifts, a program that relies on the generosity of volunteers, local churches, schools, community groups and government offices to give out more than 750 personalized presents to people living in poverty on Wednesday.
“It means so much to people to receive a gift that is meant just for them,” Ryder said. “I get so many hugs that I can’t stop smiling.”
Each gift has an approximate value of $40, and “angels” are encouraged to add a personal message to the recipient.
Our Place is an inner-city community centre serving Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable.
For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com.
It’s turkey time again, thanks to Dodd’s Furniture
Dodd’s Furniture will host its annual Christmas dinner on Friday.
The meal of turkey and all the fixings is open to those less fortunate in the community. The holiday supper runs 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Our Place, 919 Pandora Ave.
Metal workers’ union helps child health foundation
Vancouver Island Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers Local 276 celebrated its 75th anniversary with a cheque for more than $14,000 to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island.
Members donated individually, as well as holding several fundraising events over the year: a silent auction, bottle drives, and a show and shine. The union contributed $5,000 to the total.
Funds will support Jeneece Place, a home away from home for Island families who must travel to Victoria for their child’s medical care. For more information, go to childrenshealthvi.org or smwia276.ca.
Successful fundraiser adds eggs to hampers
Five years ago, when volunteering at a Christmas hamper program in Nanaimo, Karen Pierce was taken aback by the fact that there was not enough money to buy eggs.
Along with a group of friends, Sue Trebett, Lori Tanner, Tammie O’Rourke and Vicki Adamson, she hatched the idea of Eggstravaganza, a program to purchase eggs for hampers.
This year’s fundraiser, which included a dance, silent auction, live auction, food and lots of fun, was attended by 100 people. The group was excited to discover that they raised more than $6,000 — far exceeding expectations.
The eggs will go in Christmas baskets distributed by Hamperville, a partnership between Loaves and Fishes Food Bank and the Nanaimo branch of the Salvation Army.
For more information, go to hampervillenanaimo.org.
