Parks Canada is inviting everyone to join in a giant shoreline cleanup party at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Saturday.
Parks Canada staff, members of the Surfrider Foundation, the Ucluelet Aquarium and Vancouver Island University, will all be pitching in to pick up flotsam and jetsam from some of the park’s most popular beaches.
Shoreline cleanups take place regularly, but this occasion might be the largest organized by Parks Canada. Items that often wash ashore include marine debris such as plastic water bottles, polystyrene foam and fishing floats.
It is important to remove these items from the environment, as pieces of plastic and polystyrene can break into smaller and smaller fragments and be ingested by wildlife such as fish, turtles and birds.
Volunteers at the event will spend the day collecting marine debris, getting to know other volunteers, and learning about efforts to protect and preserve the marine environment, for today and for future generations.
The materials collected are finders-keepers. People can keep marine debris as a memento or, like Tofino artist Pete Clarkson, turn found items into sculptures, wall hangings and other art installations with minimal modification.
The event runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 27. Meet at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre (on Wickaninnish Beach), Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. People will be assigned a group and either stay on Wickaninnish Beach or be directed to Long Beach or Schooner Cove (using their own transportation).
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Pets are not allowed. Volunteers will receive free entry to the park and have light refreshments. For more information, go to parkscanada.gc.ca/pacrim.
Be a hero with renovation project
Organizers for a major renovation to a community meeting place in Esquimalt are looking for volunteers for the project, over three weekends in September and October.
HeroWork is about to perform a $500,000 renovation to the Rainbow Kitchen, inside Esquimalt United Church. The facility is in dire need of refurbishing, with volunteers working in crumbling, uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe conditions.
Work planned includes a kitchen upgrade, bathrooms, electrical improvements, window replacement, flooring, roofing, changes to the loading dock, landscaping (including a food-production garden), painting and more.
Volunteers are needed to join more than 300 people for a project akin to a modern barn-raising. Skilled tradespeople will rub shoulders with the public for what promises to be a memorable weekend experience. People will be assigned to teams and contribute as much time as they can spare.
“The excitement is building,” said Paul Latour, HeroWork founder and executive director. “We’ve been preparing for months. It’s now time for the general public to step up to the plate and participate.
“Many general volunteer positions are still available. And everyone is invited to attend our opening ceremonies and block party, as well as the Big Reveal. Both events are entertaining and incredibly moving.”
The Rainbow Kitchen serves 36,000 meals per year to people who face food insecurity on a daily basis.
The vital renovation will also ensure other community groups that use the space will have a facility that has been adapted with their needs in mind.
The work will take place over three weekends: Sept. 16-18, Sept. 24-25 and Oct. 1-2. To register or find out more, go to herowork.com.
Art raised funds for Alzheimer’s
Fair skies and generous donors made for a successful Art Under the Umbrellas event last Sunday.
Between 500 and 750 people took in Carolyn Kowalyk’s two-third-acre garden and viewed art created by 20 of her artist friends.
Some folks stayed for hours, sitting in the shady spots and enjoying the music of Sylvia McAvany playing the handpan.
The event was also an opportunity to support the We Rage, We Weep Alzheimer Society, which had representatives on hand to talk to the guests and display patients’ artwork.
At the end of the day, the group was delighted to find more than $600 in its donation box. For more information, go to werageweweep.com.
Stores unite to sell soda for United Way
Three grocery chains have joined forces for the first time with a soft-drink company to raise money for the United Way through soda sales.
During the United Together Campaign, grocery stores Thrifty Foods, Save-on-Foods and Country Grocer will donate 25 cents for every bottle and $1.50 for every case of Phillips Sodaworks product sold between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15.
This is the first time these grocery chains, with 21 locations combined, have joined forces to provide a common product and local cause.
“At United Way, we are always looking for new partnership opportunities and ways to collaborate with businesses to support people in need,” said Bruce Williams, United Way campaign co-chair. “It’s a privilege to be working with four partners who are deeply committed to our community, as they all prove in their day-to-day operations.”
The products included in the promotion include single and six packs of Phillips Sparkmouth Ginger Ale, Dare Devil Orange Cream and Capt. Electro’s Intergalactic Root Beer.
“We are thrilled to be able to team up with United Way and our local grocery partners on this campaign,” said Matt Phillips, founder of Phillips Sodaworks. “So much of our support comes from families who value local products with real ingredients, and we jumped at the opportunity to be able to turn around and support them.”
This promotion jump-starts United Way’s 2016 Community Campaign. Go to uwgv.ca.
Fill a home with hope
Help set up a home for someone in need by contributing to Fill the House, a drive organized by the United Way that takes place Sept. 14.
United Way and its community partners are looking to Fill the House with the basic necessities to set up a new residence.
The aim is to help youth, families, adults and seniors who need a bit of help on the road to success.
The social agency believes the pathway out of poverty starts with providing resources and opportunities for individuals to become more self-sufficient, such as safe and affordable housing, employment and healthy food.
Once people find a place to call home, they are better able to develop their job skills, find employment, build their financial security and foster the positive growth of their family.
During this collection drive, people are encouraged to pick a room and donate items from the shopping list.
Shopping list:
• Kitchen — Because preparing a healthy diet requires the right tools
• Small appliances
• Cooking ware
• Dishes and cutlery
• Bedroom — A sanctuary for rest and relaxation
• New, unopened bedding and linens
• Sleeping bags
• Adult and children’s sleepwear
• Living room — The gathering place for family and friends
• Gift cards for restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies
• Art supplies
• Pet food and toys
• Exercise/yoga mats
• Musical instruments, puzzles and games
• New or lightly used sports equipment, such as balls, bats, gloves, etc.
• Bathroom — Everyone needs the essentials
• Personal hygiene/toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, unopened shampoo/conditioner, razors, shaving cream, feminine hygiene products
• Diapers and diaper bags
• Cleaning supplies
• Work/Office — Organizing your work and home life begins here
Gently used iPads and tablets, USB flash drives, batteries, portable chargers, digital cameras
• Gently used tools, tool belts, work boots, rain gear, gloves
• Flashlight, first-aid kits, fire extinguisher, combination and key locks
• Backpacks and briefcases
• People can drop off their collected items from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 14 at Mayfair mall parking lot (entrance, Blanshard at Finlayson streets). The event is sponsored by Victoria Labour Council with venue support from Mayfair. For more information, go to uwgv.ca.
Women warriors are ready to race
Participants at the Easter Seals Woman2Warrior event, Victoria’s only all-woman charity obstacle adventure race, will sweat and overcome obstacles to help send more than 800 children and young adults to camp.
There is still time to register for the event, which takes place Aug. 28. This is the second year of the event. Last year, 175 participants raised more than $50,000 for the British Columbia Lions Society for Children with Disabilities.
Warriors take part in a non-timed five-kilometre run that includes trails, track and grass. There will be a dozen obstacles designed to test strength, agility, balance and endurance. Participants will lift, climb, crawl, jump, run, and get a little wet and dirty in the process.
There will be lots of volunteers on hand to provide support, encouragement and assistance if needed.
People can enter as individuals or teams, but each person is expected to raise a minimum of $300.
The funds raised at the event help send more than 800 children and young adults with disabilities for a week-long camping experience at one of three Easter Seals accessible camps, including Camp Shawnigan on Vancouver Island.
Campers have fun, try new things and take risks in a safe and supportive environment — much like the participants at Woman2Warrior.
Participants include first-time warrior Lana Montgomery, whose daughter Lydia suggested she sign up.
Lydia was born with kabuki syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, and has benefited from attending Camp Shawnigan for the past eight summers.
Costumes are encouraged. There will be awards and prizes for the top overall fundraisers and finishers.
The event runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 28 at West Shore Parks and Recreation, 1767 Island Hwy.
For more information, go to victoria.woman2warrior.ca.
Notes of thanks fill a wall
Come see what Victorians are grateful for by reading notes left at a Gratitude Wall at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church during this year’s Car Free YYJ.
The church, which has been part of Victoria for 150 years, took part in the car-free day in June with scavenger hunts, an alley full of kids’ activities and a wall of gratitude.
Giving thanks is an important practice for Christians, and a great way for anyone to feel more content in a fast-paced world. Knowing this, a team of volunteers created a Gratitude Wall outside the church on Douglas Street.
People were encouraged to write something they were grateful for on a card. These were then attached to strings on a frame, making a wall of gratitude.
The responses are heartwarming:
• Many are thankful for just being alive, for waking up every day.
• A majority were thankful for family: Adult children, time with aging parents, sisters, husbands and wives, including one who just returned safely from the Middle East.
• A cat named Boo, cute puppies, travel and good food are also featured.
• Some are thankful for faith and to live in a country where they worship freely, without worry.
• Perhaps most fitting for the celebratory day — many were thankful to be in Victoria and that the sun was shining on Car Free YYJ.
People can view the gratitude wall 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday until a service on Sunday, Sept. 18, in the foyer of the church, 680 Courtney St. (at Douglas Street).
For more information, go to standrewsvictoria.ca.
