The final tally for the Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer 2019 Tour de Rock is $1,136,396.
The team of 19 cyclists rode 14 days, made 200 stops and covered 1,100 kilometres on Vancouver Island to raise funds that will fuel new research discoveries and bring hope to children and their families living with cancer.
For more information, or to donate, go to tourderock.ca.
TP the Town a rolling success
More than 105,000 of rolls of toilet paper and 147 kilograms of feminine hygiene products were collected at 22 grocery-store locations across Greater Victoria during the 5th annual TP the Town event, Oct. 5.
The event, presented by Forza Promotions, saw grocery shoppers at Save-On-Foods, Country Grocer and Thrifty Foods donate toilet paper and/or feminine hygiene products while completing their Thanksgiving holiday shopping.
The proceeds have been donated to the Mustard Seed Food Bank and distributed to other local food banks through the Food Share Network.
Founded in 2012, TP the Town focuses on bringing awareness to people in need who are often forced to choose between food and toilet paper. This year, organizers added the collection of feminine hygiene products as well.
Event sponsors included the Wilson’s Group of Companies, Robinson’s Outdoor Store, Victoria Buzz, Ocean 98.5, The Q and The Zone, CHEK News, the Prodigy Group, Elite Promotional Marketing, Monk Office, Oui Jewellery and Hendra Moving + Storage.
Hats off to the 75 volunteers who gave up their day to collect the product. For more information, go to Facebook.
Victoria seeks artists to beautify storefronts
The City of Victoria is looking for artists to temporarily beautify and animate commercial spaces that have gone unoccupied in the downtown core.
Emerging and established artists in the capital region, including the Gulf Islands, are invited to submit their application to be considered for the city’s new Storefronts Victoria Exhibition Program.
The desire to beautify empty storefronts and large windows as part of the Health, Well-Being and a Welcoming City strategic objective.
The program also aligns with direction in the Create Victoria Arts and Culture Master Plan to link vacant spaces with artists and creative practitioners.
Submission is a two-stage process, with artists assessed on concept, execution and how their exhibit appeals to a diverse audience.
Artwork should be innovative, dynamic and can utilize display windows to their fullest potential and engage the public both during the day and at night.
In stage two, artists will submit a concept, with an honorarium provided.
Deadline for stage one applications is 4 p.m. Oct. 15, with selected artists will be contacted in late November. Applications and supporting documents must be uploaded electronically at victoria.bonfirehub.ca. Hard copies will not be accepted.
For submission guidelines and more information, go to victoria.ca/publicart.
Foundation donates $800K in respiratory equipment
The TB Vets Charitable Foundation celebrated its 75th anniversary with a donation of close to $800,000 worth of respiratory equipment to 28 different hospital, university and search and rescue foundations across the province — including the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.
“TB Vets Charitable Foundation is helping to drive research that aims to change the story for millions of people diagnosed with tuberculosis,” said Tim Staunton, Vancouver General Hospital Foundation. “Through the Recreation Therapy program, TB Vets is providing a helping hand to patients at Vancouver General Hospital who are battling the disease for days, weeks, months and even over a year.”
The TB Vets Charitable Foundation raises some of its funds through its Key Tag program, which it started in 1945.
It has returned more than 550,000 lost keys to their rightful owners.
Look for the TB Vets diamond keytags in the mail over the next few weeks. When you support the Key Tag program, your donation will help fund more lifesaving respiratory equipment in British Columbia.
For more information, go to tbvets.org/how-to-help.
Glenshiel residents open up to community
Residents of the Glenshiel are inviting the community at large to a Communi-Tea, Oct. 23 at the heritage home.
Enjoy music, tea and conversation at the event with some of the 68 residents that call it home.
The Glenshiel was built in 1908/1909 in the style of a turn of the century European hotel.
It currently offers meals, activities, bedsitting rooms and light housekeeping for low to middle income independent seniors, 55 and older. It is operated by the Glenshiel Housing Society, with B.C. Housing who leases the property from the Royal B.C. Museum.
The event is free to attend. It starts at 2 p.m. Oct. 23 at the residence, 606 Douglas St. Register at the front desk or call 250-383-4164. For more information, go to theglenshiel.bc.ca.
Buy new wipers, support cancer survivors
See clearly this winter with a new pair of windshield wipers for your vehicle — and help Broco Glass and Speedy Glass raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society to support women living with breast cancer.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To raise awareness and funds the two companies are partnering with the Canadian Cancer Society in the Drive Pink campaign.
Throughout the month they will donate $2 from every pair of windshield wipers sold. Tricco, the supplier for both chains, will also match the donation.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women.
“Breast cancer is an issue that affects many local people,” said Fernando Pierri, director of operations for Belron.
“It is for these reasons that we are committed to supporting breast cancer research, services and screening education and awareness work.”
Funds raised through the initiative will help local women with breast cancer live their lives more fully through groundbreaking research and services that provide information and help women and their families cope with the disease.
Participating franchises include: Broco Glass, 2405 Douglas St.; Speedy Glass, 1790 Island Hwy.; and Speedy Glass, 1901 Government St.
Drive Pink is a cause marketing partnership between the Canadian Cancer Society and local vehicle dealerships across the country. For more information, go to cancer.ca.
Cowichan arts council launches speaker series
The Cowichan Valley Arts Council is launching their fall lunchtime speaker series, covering a range of fields, including curating your family stories, bas relief coin design and Chinese visual art, weekly Oct. 16 to Nov. 6 at the Portals Studio in the Cowichan Community Centre, Duncan.
Oct. 16, Saving Art: See paintings from the perspective of an art conservator and learn how the care for your treasures.
Oct. 23, Vision of China: The Art of Stephen Lowe: Born in China, Stephen Lowe immigrated to Canada and from his art studio in Victoria, shared his vision of China sensitive watercolours.
Oct. 30, Creating and curating a show using your family history: Artist Fran Benton used her father’s war memorabilia to create a show with drawing, sculpture, printmaking and a film, Dad’s War, which opens Oct. 28. Benton will talk about how to create an exhibit that is personal.
Nov. 6, Mint Condition: Designing Bas Relief Images for Coins: Angela Pistrucci will discuss the intricate process behind creating art for coins.
Admission by donation (suggested $5). All the events start at noon at Portals Studio, Cowichan Community Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan.
For more information, go to cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca.
Royal B.C. Museum hosts Indigenous art symposium
Take in two days of workshops, followed by a panel discussion, traditional feast and cultural performances at Making as Medicine: Indigenous Art Symposium, Nov. 2 and 3 at the Royal B.C. Museum.
Developed by Lindsay Delaronde and artist Nicole Mandryk, the City of Victoria’s Inaugural Indigenous Artist-in-Residence, the two-day interdisciplinary and inter-generational event will present and explore Indigenous ways of making through engaging in traditional arts.
Participants will be able to choose between three hands-on traditional learnings, including beadwork, Coast Salish knitting or cedar weaving.
A free public panel discussion will take place 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the second day of workshops.
Indigenous artist entrepreneurs Lou-ann Neel and lessLIE will take part in a panel discussion about their experience as makers in context to the economy, cultural appropriation and establishing their careers through alternative pathways.
To close the event, a full traditional salmon feast will take place, followed by a drumming performance by ANSWER Drum Group in the Mungo Martin House on Sunday.
This is the third interactive Indigenous symposium hosted at the Royal B.C. Museum, in partnership with the City of Victoria and the Indigenous Artist Entrepreneur Program.
Registration is required for both the workshops and feast. Workshop tickets are $35, available for purchase through the Royal B.C. Museum, and feast tickets are $45 and available for purchase through the City of Victoria. For workshop registration, go to royalbcmuseum.bc.ca. For tickets for the traditional salmon feast and more information, go to victoria.ca/publicart.
Be prepared: ShakeOut quake drill this week
Join thousands of British Columbians to Drop, Cover, and Hold On for two minutes in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut, a province-wide earthquake drill on Thursday.
Victoria has a one-in-three probability of a damaging earthquake in the next 50 years — and we need to be prepared.
Victoria households, schools, businesses and organization are encouraged to sign up online to participate.
Drop, Cover, and Hold On is the best thing you can do to reduce injury and death during an earthquake. The drill is an opportunity to practice how to protect yourself during an earthquake and to increase awareness on the need to know your risks, make a plan, get your kit together, and get connected.
Emergency Management Victoria is offering free emergency preparedness workshops this fall. Learn what families and businesses need to have on hand to cope up to seven days without outside assistance.
Sign up for Vic-Alert, the City of Victoria’s free emergency notification service, to receive updates by text, phone or email on major emergencies that may affect you. For more information, go to VictoriaReady.ca.
The earthquake drill starts at 10:17 a.m. Thursday. For more information, go to shakeoutbc.ca.
