Four Victorians received the Medal of Bravery from Gov. Gen. David Johnston at a ceremony in Rideau Hall in Ottawa on May 2. The four were among 36 medals of Bravery and one Star of Courage presented that day.
Here are the official citations of their actions that led to the medals:
Cody Gidney, Grand Forks and Sooke
On Nov. 12, 2012, Gidney rescued two men who were in danger of drowning off the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Gidney grabbed a body board and a life ring and swam out more than 100 metres to reach the victims. He pushed the body board toward the stronger man, who then made it back to the beach on his own. After giving the life ring to the second victim, Gidney fought his way out of the rip current and towed the man to shore.
Paul Martin Hurst, Victoria, and Susannah Grayce Utendale, Edmonton and Victoria
On March 14, 2013, Hurst and Utendale rescued a girl from a burning house in View Royal. On his arrival, off-duty fire chief Hurst found Utendale desperately trying to locate her great-granddaughter inside the dwelling. The ceiling started to collapse on them, forcing Hurst to pull Utendale outside. He then re-entered the house, located the girl and brought her out to safety.
Const. Mark Jenkins, Victoria
On July 17, 2012, Jenkins rescued a suicidal man who had jumped off a bridge into a busy boating channel. Dispatched to the scene, Jenkins dove into the murky water and swam out to the distraught man. Although exhausted from his efforts to keep them both above the surface, Jenkins pulled the man toward shore.
Created in 1972, Decorations for Bravery recognize people who have risked their lives to try to save or protect the lives of others. The Medal of Bravery recognizes acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. The Star of Courage recognizes acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril. For more information, go to gg.ca.
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Dog Show for Mutts is听all听about fun
Every mutt will have its day as the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa holds its 6th Annual Best in Show: Dog Show for Mutts on May 24.
This is no ordinary dog show 鈥� it is way more fun, with categories such as: Best Dressed, Most Endearing Rescue Dog, Best Trick, Cutest Puppy, Cutest Male Dog, Cutest Female Dog and Most Original Hair. Proceeds from the event benefit the Victoria Branch of the sa国际传媒 SPCA. Prizes awarded include hotel stays, and restaurant, bar or spa gift certificates.
鈥淎s a dog-friendly hotel, supporting the sa国际传媒 SPCA is something that our team is extremely excited about,鈥� said Kimberley Hughes, general manager of the hotel. 鈥淭he Best in Show: Dog Show for Mutts is a fun way for us to support the important work the sa国际传媒 SPCA does in our community.鈥�
The event is open to the public.
The contest entry fee is $20 for the first event and $10 for each additional event. Contest registration is 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Show runs 1 p.m. to approximately 2 p.m. on the patio of the hotel, 100 Harbour Rd. A barbecue lunch is available for $10. For more information, go to deltahotels.com/Hotels/Delta-Victoria-Ocean-Pointe-Hotel-Resort-Spa or spca.bc.ca.
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Tourism has important role in economy
Guests are welcome to hear Paul Nursey, CEO of Tourism Victoria, speak at a luncheon hosted by the Canadian Club of Victoria on Tuesday.
At the luncheon, Nursey will provide an overview of the significant role tourism plays in the region鈥檚 economy.
Cost: $25 members, $30 non-members. The event runs at 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Harbour Towers Hotel, 345 Quebec St. Guests are welcome, but reservations are required at 250-370-1837. For information about the Canadian Club of Victoria and the speakers series, visit thecanadianclubofvictoria.com.
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Wing into spring with Sidney Concert Band
The Sidney Concert Band is putting on a Swing into Spring concert May 24.
The 35-member community concert band, with musicians of all ages, will be playing a variety of swing music and vocals for an entertaining Sunday afternoon under the direction of conductor Rob Bannister.
Tickets are $15. The concert starts at 2 p.m. at the Charlie White Theatre, Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave., Sidney. Tickets available from the Mary Winspear Centre box office or 250-656-0275, ext. 4.
For more information, go to sidneyconcertband.ca.
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Fundraiser supports animal rescue
Broken Promises Rescue is holding an Afternoon Delight Auction on May 24.
The event is a fundraiser for the animal rescue organization, with food, chair massage, fun photo booth and hundreds of auction items.
Tickets are $25 each. The event runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Olympic View Golf Course, 643 Latoria Rd.
For more information, go to brokenpromisesrescue.com.
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Donation will help save Peninsula streams
The Peninsula Streams Society can take on new projects and programs after receiving a $10,000 donation from David Spence and his wife Donna Otto of Brentwood Bay.
鈥淣ever before in our 13-year history have we received such a single large, personal donation,鈥� said Ian Bruce, executive co-ordinator of the society. 鈥淲e will receive the funds over a three-year period, distributing the money into project-development activities over that time.鈥�
He said the donation will be used to leverage other funds, allowing the society, a primary environmental stewardship organization, to further its protection of Saanich Peninsula streams.
The Peninsula Streams Society is active in 15 watersheds and delivers educational programs to more than 1,000 students every year. For more information, go to peninsulastreams.ca.
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Iris Luncheon promotes talk about mental illness
The Victoria branch of the sa国际传媒 Schizophrenia Society is hosting its fourth annual Iris Luncheon on Friday.
The event, sponsored by the Investors Group Downtown, features Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Paula Romeliotis, a young woman who has lived with mental illness, as the keynote speakers.
The luncheon comes on the heels of the Canadian Mental Health Association鈥檚 Mental Health Week, an annual national event held the first week of May. The event encourages people to learn, talk and reflect on all issues related to mental health. May is also Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States.
Silent-auction items will also be available at the luncheon.
Tickets are $35. The event runs 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Union Club, 805 Gordon St. There are a limited number of tickets. Drop by the office, 941 Kings Rd., to purchase a ticket. For more information, go to bcssvictoria.ca or call 250-384-4225.
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Young people learn about听philanthropy
The Victoria Foundation celebrated the philanthropic achievements of students from seven high schools at a special event last week.
More than 75 students had participated in the foundation鈥檚 Vital Youth program. Launched in 2003, the program is designed to engage young people in proactive, values-led grant-making to a broad range of organizations. This year, students supported causes that ranged from addiction and mental-health programs to therapeutic riding, emergency youth shelter and others. The students made grants to charities totalling $17,500.
鈥淰ital Youth introduces high school students to the world of philanthropy and the charitable community,鈥� said Sandra Richardson, CEO of the foundation. 鈥淪tudents gain important lifelong leadership skills as they carry out the process of making thoughtful grants to benefit our community.鈥�
The program is part of a movement by community foundations across sa国际传媒 to engage youth in community development and grant-making. The year-long project is run primarily as an extracurricular activity in schools. Participants have to identify areas of focus, research local charities and carry out site visits.
Established in 1936, the Victoria Foundation is sa国际传媒鈥檚 second oldest community foundation and the fifth largest in the country. For more information, go to victoriafoundation.bc.ca.
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Donor challenges others to back hospital fund
The Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation has 12 months to match a $900,000 pledge by a longtime donor toward the third and final phase of the hospital鈥檚 operating-room upgrades.
The foundation鈥檚 goal is to raise $3 million to design and construct a new, state-of-the-art operating room sterilization department in the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. The project represents the third and final phase of the hospital鈥檚 operating-room upgrades. With this pledge added to the total, $2 million has been contributed to the campaign, with less than $1 million left to raise.
The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has made the gift in memory of a well-known philanthropist, David Freeze.
鈥淔oundation staff are working hard to ensure that donors are aware of, and able to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to see their donations have double the impact,鈥� said Gordon Benn, president of the foundation.
The sterilization department will be located directly outside the operating room and will allow sterilized surgical equipment to move through a contained sterile hallway to the operating rooms. Making sterilization part of a closed-loop system will allow the hospital to keep functioning within the most advanced levels of infection control.
The Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation is a registered charity founded in 1985 by a group of Peninsula residents who wanted to support their community hospital. For more information, go to sphf.ca.
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Savings staff raise $2,500听for Easter Seals
Staff at Island Savings in Duncan recently presented the Easter Seals sa国际传媒 and Yukon with a cheque for almost $2,500 to help send children from Duncan and the Cowichan Valley area to Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan this year.
The donation was raised during Jeans Day events by the credit union鈥檚 staff members in 2014. For more information, go to lionsbc.ca.
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Fun run to help end听brain听tumours
The Brain Tumour Foundation of sa国际传媒 is holding its annual Victoria Spring Sprint event May 24. The walk and fun run is part of a national movement to end brain tumours.
Every day, 27 Canadians are diagnosed with brain tumours. Primary tumours, those originating in the brain, affect eight out of 100,000 people. Metastic tumours, cancer originating in other areas of the body that has spread to the brain, raised the number to 32 per 100,000. There are an estimated 55,000 Canadian brain-tumour survivors.
Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies at 9:45 a.m. with the 2.5 or five-km walk or fun-run starting at 10 a.m. Wrap-up event at noon at Parking Lot #10, University of Victoria. For more information, go to springsprint.ca or braintumour.ca.
