The B.C. SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre has just reported another successful season.
The non-profit organization, also known as Wild ARC, has seen about 2,700 animals through its doors since January, successfully reuniting more than 100 baby animals with their wild mothers. They include fledgling birds, deer fawns, raccoons, goslings, squirrels and rabbits.
“We do our best to rehabilitate every wild animal who comes into our care and give them a second chance at a wild life,” said Andrea Wallace, the facility’s manager. “The most rewarding moments in wildlife rehabilitation are release days, when we know we’ve successfully brought them back to health and done everything possible to prepare them for life back in the wild.”
They have also been recognized for their contributions toward the welfare of wildlife, receiving the 2019 Friend of the Earth award from the District of Metchosin.
The West Shore community also voted Wild ARC as their favourite non-profit.
“It’s overwhelming and very heartening to see the show of support throughout the community,” said Wallace. “It’s great recognition for our dedicated team of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and release all our wild patients.”
Wild ARC is a member of provincial and international wildlife rehabilitation organizations. A team of more than 250 active volunteers collectively donate more than 25,000 hours of their time every year toward animal care and other events.
Wild ARC relies on donations to carry out its work. Donate in person at its office, 1020 Malloch Rd. or online at wildarc.com/donate.
Here comes the fundraising calendar
Traffic came to a halt in Nanaimo last week when four figures, one in bare feet, walked across a zebra crossing on Northfield Road in a homage to the Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road album cover.
A photographer captured the local image of Abbey Northfield Road for the upcoming fundraising calendar, which features bands and album covers from past eras.
The calendar is a brainchild of Eden Gardens, a Nanaimo area nursing home for seniors with dementia, owned and operated by the Nanaimo Travellers Lodge Society.
Funds raised through the sale of the calendars will go directly to programs that help the residents learn and grow every day through art, drama, horticulture and music.
Other images in the calendar include a 1934 Ford truck down on the beach on Departure Bay for a picture titled Beach Boyz to Men.
This was not the first calendar by the group. A previous calendar featured movie and television re-enactments.
The calendars are expected to be available in early December. To pre-order a copy, or to make a donation, contact Eden Gardens at 250-760-2646 or go to edengardens.ca.
Victoria takes Tree Appreciation Day to heart
The City of Victoria, which manages 33,000 trees on 300 kilometres of boulevards and 137 parks and open spaces, recently celebrated Tree Appreciation Day by planting a few more last Sunday at Beacon Hill Park.
People were able to join city staff to plant Garry oaks and small trees and shrubs at a public event last week. They were able to go to a Ask an Arborist table to get information on tree care and tree identification.
There was a children’s art station as well as a tree-banding demonstration.
City arborists also led interested people on tree tours through the park’s natural areas.
Victoria is the first city in Canada to join the Trees in Cities Challenge. As part of this global campaign, the city will work with the community to plant 5,000 trees on public and private land by the end of 2020.
For more information, go to victoria.ca/parks.
Dinner, art sale benefits Threshold Housing
Delicious food and great art come together at Dinner and Art For A Cause, a fundraiser for the Threshold Housing Society, Wednesday at Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub and Guesthouses.
The event features a dinner and artwork for purchase by artists Derek Rickwood, Lisa Rickwood, Shelley Hordiyuk, Rita Daly, Patti Ransom, Daniel Market, Sandra Froher and Suzanne Heron.
Funds raised from artwork sales and donations will benefit Threshold Housing Society, who provides a community for at-risk youth in Greater Victoria.
The event runs 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub and Guesthouses, 308 Catherine St. For reservations, call 250-386-2739.
GoodLife marathon hits $2M fundraising mark
The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon this year raised more than $95,000 in charity fundraising, pushing the total raised over the past 15 years to the $2-million mark.
The event’s CHEK Charity Pledge Program enabled 21 charities to raise awareness and funds by encouraging individuals to run or walk for their individual causes and collecting pledges.
The top charity was Broadmead Care Society, raising $22,523. Broadmead also produced the top fundraiser — Jennifer Jasechko who raised $9,383. Second was John McGoff who ran for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, B.C. & Yukon, with $7,423. Third was Mandy Parker from Broadmead Care Society again, with $3,200.
“For Broadmead Care this was our first time out of the gate, and what a run. The support each Strides for Broadmead team member received from family, friends and their own personal fundraising initiatives was inspiring,” said Shannon Donnelly, fund-development co-ordinator for Broadmead Care. “The CHEK Charity Pledge program has been a wonderful opportunity to bring together people from all sides of our Broadmead Care family and work together on a shared purpose, to build communities where people of all ages and abilities can experience well-being and happiness.”
Applications are now being accepted for 2020 and will be reviewed and approved on an ongoing basis until March 2020. More information is available here.
Storytellers raise funds for Power to Be
The Victoria Storytellers’ Guild raised almost $300 at their recent Canadian Storytelling Night.
Storytellers included three generations of one family. Lily Ferris, who is about six years old, joined her mother in telling a Chinese creation myth. They were joined later by Jennifer Ferris, her grandmother.
The money raised will go toward Power to Be, which works to help people with disabilities and barriers be able to experience the outdoors, friendship and comradeship.
For more information, go to victoriastorytellers.org.
Sock hop at Esquimalt United on Nov. 17
Take off your shoes and shed your inhabitations at the Esquimalt United Church’s Neighbourhood Hootenanny Time Machine Dance Party, Nov. 17 at the church’s Wheeley Hall.
The old-time sock hop features Chris Frye on guitar and vocals, Brooke Maxwell on piano and vocals, Peter Dowse on bass and Matt Pease on drums, playing dancing music suitable for all members of the family.
Admission is by donation. The event runs 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17 in the church’s Wheeley Hall (corner of Lyall and Constance streets).
For more information, go to esquimaltunited.com.
Christmas sale Saturday at Mount St. Mary
Join Mount St. Mary Hospital’s residents, staff and families at their annual Christmas market, Saturday at the facility.
There will be more than 20 local vendors and artisans selling unique gifts, including woodworking, jewelry, knitting, Christmas wreaths, art, cards, baking and more.
The event includes white elephant, attic treasures and jewelry tables as well as a silent auction.
There will be festive entertainment, with piano and flute choir performances.
Snacks and a hot turkey lunch available for purchase or take some items home from a bake sale.
All funds raised at the Christmas market will guarantee Mount St. Mary residents have programs focused on the well-being of the whole person.
Admission is free. The event runs 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nov. 17 in the Mount St. Mary Hospital Village Square, 861 Fairfield Rd.
For more information, go to mountstmary.ca.
Indigenous films screening at Vic Theatre
The Victoria Downtown Residents Association is hosting the screening of two Indigenous documentaries, Nov. 17 at the Vic Theatre.
Our Voices, Our Stories (2016) was directed by Barb Cranmer and produced on the occasion of the St. Michael’s residential school demolition in ’Yalis (Alert Bay).
All Our Relations (2019) is the world première of Barbara Todd Hager’s new APTN documentary series on Indigenous history and genealogy, featuring a 22-minute episode about Barb Cranmer and her family.
These documentaries are shown in a spirit of truth-telling and reconciliation.
The event is possible through support from the Victoria Film Festival, the Alliance of Aboriginal Media Professionals and the City of Victoria.
Tickets are $5, with proceeds going to Vic High’s Indigenous Education Program. There will be an opportunity for additional donations at the event. The event runs 2 to 5 p.m., Nov. 17, at the Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas St.
For more information, go to victoriadra.ca.
Apparel line to aid Peers Victoria
Fatso High-Performance Peanut Butter is collaborating with Peers Victoria on a campaign to empower and promote body positivity and to end the stigma associated with sex work.
The joint initiative will shed light on the importance of safe and decriminalized sex work and to help address the stigma that harms people in the sex industry.
The company will donate all profits from its apparel line — indefinitely — to Peers. It hopes the initiative will serve to facilitate change and education among current and former sex workers.
Established in 1995, Peers Victoria provides support, night outreach, drop-in services, harm reduction supplies, education, employment programs, meals and more.
For more information, go to eatfatso.com/pages/peers-and-fatso or safersexwork.ca.
Victoria budget town hall set for Nov. 21
Learn more about the City of Victoria budget by attending a town hall meeting Nov. 21.
The City of Victoria has begun its 2020 budget discussions, with a draft 2020 financial plan that allocates $258.7 million to operate the city’s more than 200 programs and services and $42.1 million in capital infrastructure projects.
A budget meeting is scheduled for Nov. 15, with a budget town hall meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at Victoria City Hall. Residents can attend in person or participate from the comfort of their own homes by submitting questions online or by phone during the meeting.
For more information, go to victoria.ca/budget.
Giant book, jewelry sale coming to Salt Spring
The Salt Spring Literacy Society is holding a giant book and jewelry sale at the Salt Spring Farmers’ Institute, Friday through Sunday.
The hall will be filled with jewelry and books in more than 40 categories, and replenished throughout the sale.
The sale runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Salt Spring Farmers’ Institute, 351 Rainbow Rd., Salt Spring Island.
• A related event is the inaugural Write on the Rock Children’s Book Festival on Saturday at the Salt Spring Public Library.
The event includes a presentation about creating picture books with award-winning author Aidan Cassie, a picture-book-making activity and a session on creating graphic novels with Mike Deas.
The festival runs 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Salt Spring Public Library, 120 McPhillips Ave., Salt Spring Island.
For details on either event, go to saltspringliteracy.org/book-sale.
