There are only a limited number of spaces still available for bakers to take a whisk and choux off their baking skills at the 11th annual Gingerbread Showcase, November to January at the Parkside Hotel and Spa.
The holiday event is the premier fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity Victoria.
Individuals, families, friends or other teams can collaborate in the creation of a gingerbread house based on this year’s theme: Building a Diverse Community.
At the event, home chefs, professional bakers, artists, designers, architects and others compete for prizes in seven categories: First Place Amateur; First Place Professional; Best First Impression; Best Interpretation of the Theme; Most Creative and Original; Best Use of Skill and Technique and The Peoples’ choice award — as voted for by showcase visitors.
The rules for entries are simple: Everything used in the creation must be edible; each entry must be created on a 61-cm (24-inch) square base; each entry must to be at least 45 cm (roughly 18 inches) tall.
Creations will be on display from Nov. 16 to Jan. 5, 2020. More than 30,000 people are expected visit the showcase and vote for their favourite while making a donation to Habitat Victoria’s build fund.
Last year’s event raised $93,000 to help build a home for a single mother in Central Saanich.
To register and for more information, go to habitatvictoria.com/2019-gingerbread-showcase-baker-signup.
Women’s cycle tour rolls in Sunday
A group of strong, resilient and compassionate senior women cyclists, some in their 70s, will be met by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps as they pedal the last few kilometres of a 275-kilometre fundraising cycle tour, Sunday, Sept. 8, at Centennial Square.
The 37 women, ranging in age from 56 to 75, have been taking part in the Victoria Grandmothers for Africa’s 13th annual Cycle Tour. It is the group’s largest annual fundraiser.
They ride in support of, and in solidarity with, African grandmothers, through the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
The Victoria Grandmothers for Africa are just one of almost a dozen grandmother groups on Vancouver Island and totalling close to 250 across Canada. These groups have raised more than $33 million for African grandmothers since 2006.
The cyclists come from Victoria, Campbell River, Comox, Courtenay and Vancouver. One of the cyclists has been involved since the first tour in 2007. Another has done 11 consecutive tours since 2008.
Helps will lead the riders from the Selkirk Trestle to Centennial Square for a welcome-home ceremony.
The celebration runs 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Centennial Square.
For more information, go to victoriagrandmothersforafrica.ca.
Volunteer Fair will be looking for you
Representatives from more than 60 community-serving agencies will be on hand to tell you about numerous engaging and meaningful volunteer opportunities at Volunteer Victoria’s annual Volunteer Fair at the University of Victoria, Thursday, Sept. 26.
Volunteer Victoria is the only volunteer centre serving all of Greater Victoria. They recruit and support volunteers of all ages and stages of life, matching potential volunteers with interesting opportunities. They serve causes of all kinds, while providing training to staff and volunteers.
At the fair, you get to meet some interesting people, find out more about caring community-based organizations and, in the process, possibly find the right volunteer opportunity for you.
Opportunities available include visitor services co-ordinator for Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens. The successful applicant will act as ambassador for the exhibits and provide customer service. He or she will add commentary and highlights to self-guided tours and, through self-study and regular meetings, research permanent/special exhibits to create and improve visitor experience.
Training is provided and the time commitment is just four hours per month.
The volunteer fair runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 26 in the Michele Pujol Room in the Student Union Building of the University of Victoria.
For more information, go to volunteervictoria.bc.ca.
Help put braillewriters where they’re needed
Help raise funds for the Brailler Bounce Initiative at a walkathon organized by Braille Literacy Canada, Saturday, Sept. 14, starting at Starbucks at the corner of Blanshard and Fort streets.
The registered charitable organization hopes to raise about $1,500 from the walk and donations over the next few months.
The funds will go toward costs associated with the refurbishment of Perkins braillewriters — the equivalent of a typewriter for the blind.
Braille is fundamental to literacy for the blind, and braille is produced by the use of a braillewriter.
Unfortunately, braillers are expensive, costing upward of $1,000 each, and most people simply cannot afford to purchase these machines.
Braille Literacy Canada collects unused Perkins braillewriters, refurbishes them and distributes them to those in need at no cost.
They find their way into the hands of a blind child, adult or senior who can benefit from the ability to write in braille. Since this initiative began in 2015, more than 55 braillers have found themselves new, appreciative homes.
The downtown route takes walkers through Rockland and Fairfield and back along Cook Street.
People can help by registering for the six-kilometre walk, collecting pledges or donating online (canadahelps.org/en/dn/42917) toward the cause.
Participants meet at 9:30 a.m. at Starbucks at the corner of Blanshard and Fort (801 Fort St.) with the walk starting at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 14.
For more information, go to brailleliteracycanada.ca/home. If you have questions, email info@blc-lbc.ca or 1-877-861-4576.
Follow them on Twitter (@BrlLitCan) for the latest information and any last-minute changes or adjustments. Should the event be rained out, further information will be provided to all participants about a rescheduled date.
$5 breakfast kicks off United Way campaign
Drive up, get a breakfast for just $5 and help a hungry child at the United Way’s #Drive4Five fundraising event, Sept. 17 at Save-on-Foods on Blanshard Street.
Get coffee, a muffin, a piece of fruit and a juice for just $5 at the event, the official kickoff for the United Way Greater Victoria’s 2019 fundraising campaign.
Funds raised will go toward combating child hunger, which affects one in five children who live in poverty in the province.
The event is sponsored by the Victoria Labour Council, with event support from Save-on-Foods.
You can also treat your workplace to breakfast by pre-ordering breakfast bags (by Sept. 13) for groups of 10 or more at drive4five@uwgv.ca.
The event runs 6:30 to 9 a.m. Sept. 17 in the parking lot of Save-on-Foods, 3510 Blanshard St. (entrances off Blanshard Street and Vernon Avenue).
United Way funds a network of local programs and services in Greater Victoria helping children get a good start in life, helping people break the cycle of poverty and building strong communities. For more information, go to uwgv.ca.
Pink Shirt Day founder joins WITS foundation
Travis Price, co-founder of Pink Shirt Day, has just joined the WITS Programs Foundation, a bullying-prevention program that has been taught in more than 1,200 schools in Canada.
Price, of Berwick, N.S., co-founded the original Pink Shirt Day with David Shepherd in 2007 when they bought and distributed 50 pink shirts after a male Grade 9 student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt during the first day of school.
The last Wednesday in February is now the national anti-bullying day in Canada. Over the past 12 years, Price has spoken at hundreds of Canadian schools and worked with more than 100 countries to spread the Pink Shirt Day movement to stop bullying and embrace kindness.
The WITS strategies (Walk Away, Ignore, Talk it out, Seek help) for young children were brought forward in 1998 as a bullying-prevention program after the death of Reena Virk.
WITS is now used in schools in Canada, the U.S. and Brazil.
Price will now work with the WITS Programs Foundation to bring both their messages to Canadian children in an effort to reduce bullying and create a better Canadian society.
The WITS Programs Foundation is a registered Canadian charity based in Victoria.
For more information, go to witsprogram.ca.
Choir raises thousands for local, global charities
The Arbutus Singers has raised more than $33,700 for local and global charities in their 2018/19 choir season.
Proceeds from concerts and other fundraisers raised more than $18,500 for the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s ChoirKids Program and more than $15,000 for programs in Eritrea, South Sudan, South Africa and Kenya.
“We want to thank the staff and volunteers of the Victoria Conservatory of Music, Eagle Heights, Africa, St. Joseph the Worker and St. Elizabeth’s churches for allowing us to share our music to support their excellent causes,” said Jack Boomer, director, Arbutus Singers. “We’d also like to thank the Bema Theatre group at the Congregation Emanu-El for allowing us to participate in their ‘sell tickets to the theatre’ fundraiser.”
The Arbutus Singers, a non-auditioned six-part choir, hopes to raise more than $40,000 for different charities during this concert season. For more information, go to arbutussingers.com.
New pickup for up-Island Habitat group
The Nissan Canada Foundation has awarded a $60,000 grant to Habitat Vancouver Island North to acquire a new Nissan Titan pickup truck as part of its ongoing partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada.
The new truck, which replaces a 22-year-old vehicle with more than 850,000 kilometres, will contribute to the foundation’s efforts of building safe and affordable homes for deserving families from Bowser to Port Hardy.
“We were ecstatic when we received the news that Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North had been selected to receive the vehicle grant, as we’ve been applying for the program since 2016,” said Tom Beshr, Habitat Vancouver Island North director of development. “Countless volunteers, staff, and resources are required to build affordable homes for families on northern Vancouver Island, and the dependability and capability of this new Titan will certainly help create efficiencies with our home build projects.”
The Nissan Canada Foundation accepted proposals from 50 Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Canada, who were asked to demonstrate their relationship with local Nissan dealerships and how a new vehicle would help them better serve deserving families in their community.
“We’re excited that for the first time ever, the vehicle grant has been awarded to a B.C. recipient and will help Habitat Vancouver Island North serve more families in their community,” said Steve Milette, president of Nissan Canada Inc.
Previous recipients of the vehicle grant include Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga (2016), Ottawa (2017) and Newfoundland (2018).
Since the inception of the Nissan Canada Foundation’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada in 2008, more than 1,400 Nissan Canada dealership and head office employees have spent over 9,000 hours volunteering, contributing to 50 home builds from Halifax to Vancouver.
To date, the Nissan Canada Foundation’s contribution of donations and volunteer hours towards Habitat for Humanity Canada has exceeded $1 million.
For more information, go to habitatnorthisland.com.
