A grateful France recently recognized the gallantry and sacrifice of a group of military personnel who helped liberate the country more than 70 years ago.
Commodore Marta Mulkins, commander of naval reserves, and Formation Chief Petty Officer Mike Feltham last week visited Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead to present six of the home’s residents with the Legion of Honour, France’s highest decoration.
The medals were in commemoration of last year’s 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The veterans were recognized for the parts they played in the liberation of France.
The recipients included:
• Jack Porter, who joined the South Alberta Reserve Regiment at the age of 17. A sergeant in charge of technical stores, he landed on the beach in Normandy with supply trucks.
• Bill Capek, who served with the Lake Superior Scottish during the Normandy Invasion. He went on to help free the canals in Holland and fought his way into Germany.
• Ken Parton served with the 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany in a light armoured vehicle.
• Geoff Lesueur, who as a member of the 49th and 83rd Squadrons flew 48 missions from 1944 to 1945 as a rear tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber. His missions over France and Europe include D-Day and pathfinder flights.
• Philip Jeffrey was a leading coxswain and part of the combined operations on D-Day. He was with the 262 Landing Craft Infantry Flotilla on Landing Craft 250 that landed on Juno Beach.
• Earl Clark was with No. 18 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps. A Polish ship ferried him across the English Channel, where he scrambled down netting hanging from the hull to get into the landing craft that delivered him to Juno Beach.
Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion of Honour recognizes exemplary service to France.
For more information on the Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead, go to broadmeadcare.com.
Charities can benefit from GoodLife marathon
Charities and non-profit organizations have until Friday to submit their applications for the CHEK Charity Pledge Program of the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.
Last year, 18 charities raised more than $122,000 from the event by encouraging individuals to run or walk for their causes and collect pledges.
Charities typically raise between $2,500 and $80,000 through corporate sponsorship, pledges or donations. More than $1.5 million has been raised since the inception of the program.
“The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon provides a fundraising platform for large charities and small ones, without having to worry about organizing the actual event,” said Cathy Noel, general manager of the event.
Applications for the charity pledge program will be accepted until Jan. 29. For more information and to apply go to: runvictoriamarathon.com/ sponsors-charities/chek-charity-pledge-program.
Lose your locks for a good cause
Some people are so generous they will give you the shirt off their back. But how many are willing to give the hair off their heads?
Last year, 10 generous souls did just that at an annual Cut-A-Thon hosted by Lizzy Lee and Me, a hair salon for children, in support of Wigs for Kids B.C.
Although the event isn’t until the end of February, organizers want people to know about the event far in advance.
“Cutting all your hair off is not something you just decide to do one day,” said Caroline Woodbridge, salon manager. “Often people need several weeks to talk themselves into it.”
This is the third year of the event. Last year, hairdressers at the salon snipped 10 ponytails and raised just under $600 in pledges for a cut/style. Their goal is to double that figure this year.
For more information, go to lizzyleeandme.com or wigsforkidsbc.com.
Hotels pitch in for Our Place meals
The Hotel Association of Greater Victoria is leading by example, in the hope that its actions will inspire other local businesses to help the city’s less fortunate.
For the past year, the association, which represents 48 hotels and motels in Greater Victoria, has supported Our Place Society by donating funds to cover the cost of a nutritious lunch once a month.
Last week, the hospitality group went one step further, presenting Our Place with a $7,800 donation after a lunch, served by hospitality industry members, for the almost 500 guests who depend on Our Place for a good meal each day.
The Hotel Association of Greater Victoria regularly donates to support local events, festivals, educational scholarships and community outreach campaigns. It is a chapter of the B.C. Hotel Association, based in Vancouver.
For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com or bchotelassociation.com.
Autism network plans Family Fun Weekend
Vancouver Island families living with autism will have an opportunity to socialize and meet others in the community at an event hosted by the Canucks Autism Network next weekend.
The Family Fun Weekend includes a family skate on Saturday and a movie matinée Sunday. The event is free to any family living with autism on Vancouver Island.
“We are thrilled to be hosting this family fun weekend for families living with autism in the Cowichan Valley,” said Lindsay Petrie, marketing and communications officer of the charity. “Our goal is to bring families affected by autism together in support of one another and to connect with the community as a means to bring awareness to our programs offered on the Island.”
The festival was made possible thanks to proceeds from the charity’s Savour Cowichan Festival fundraiser.
The Canucks Autism Network offers autistic children programs such as skate, swim, soccer, physical literacy, camp, social programs, bike clinics and family events throughout the year.
The family skate takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 30, at Shawnigan Lake School. Skate rentals will be available, as well as complimentary refreshments and cookies.
The movie matinée showing of Kung Fu Panda 3 takes place from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 31 at the Caprice Theatre in Duncan. Complimentary popcorn and refreshments will be provided.
Families do not need to be members of the charity to attend, but they are asked to RSVP by completing a short form at canucksautism.ca/familyfun.
For more information, go to canucksautism.ca or email [email protected].
Eat some pizza and do some good
Feel like a pizza with an order of goodness on the side? Welcome to the Mangiamo! celebration.
Most people love pizza, and local restaurant Pizzeria Prima Strada has turned it into a fun way to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Beginning Feb. 19, the restaurant will continues its Eat Well, Do Good campaign with its third annual Mangiamo! (“Let’s Eat!” in Italian) promotion, where the eatery donates $5 from every special three-course fixed-price meal.
“Mangiamo! is an opportunity for Prima Strada to support an important organization while offering our customers a great meal,” said owner Cristen DeCarolis Dallas. “We wanted to contribute to a community organization that has supported our family. With Mangiamo, everyone wins — our customers get a great meal at a special price and the Heart and Stroke benefits.”
The fixed meals are $25. The event runs Feb. 19 to March 6 at all three Prima Strada locations — on Cook, Fort and Bridge streets. Each restaurant will feature its own menu, which changes weekly. They all include an appetizer, pizza (with meat and vegetarian options) and dessert. Last year, the event raised more than $3,000 in one month.
For more information, go to pizzeriaprimastrada.com/blog or heartandstroke.bc.ca.
New group wants 100 community-minded girls
If you are a girl aged between eight and 13 and are community-minded, 100 Girls Victoria would love to see you at their meeting today.
Patterned after 100 Women Who Care, the girls’ organization meets for one hour three times a year to donate between $1 and $10. They then collectively vote on a worthwhile organization to receive the total. This will be the group’s second meeting. At the inaugural meeting last September, they raised more than $200 for KidSport.
The group was founded by two 11-year-olds, Ella Stanger and Lily Cote.
“We are really hoping to get 100 girls to come to our event — we had about 28 at our first meeting in September,” said the girls in a joint statement. “We want to inspire other girls to give and help them see that by coming together we can make a big difference.”
The meeting takes place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. today at the Burnside Gorge Community Centre, 471 Cecelia Rd. No parents allowed, but high school-aged chaperones will be in attendance.
For more information, go to facebook.com/100girlsvictoria.
