The 10th annual Power To Play Victoria, a corporate team-building adventure race with philanthropic goals, raised $237,000 last Sunday.
Hosted by the Victoria chapter of Power to Be, the event attracted 36 teams to challenge each other in a 10-kilometre adventure race. It was comprised of 15 challenges on land and water at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park.
Dana Hutchings, director of advancement and communications, said that 144 racers took part and that money raised will be used to provide adventures rooted in nature to more than 1,100 people living with financial and physical barriers.
The outdoor adventure race challenged team members to rely on each other and draw on their communication skills to complete the obstacles throughout the course.
Teams competed in events such as the truck pull, dance-floor challenge and raft build. Some of this year鈥檚 new challenges included a beaver slip-and-slide and a gauntlet.
The top fundraising team was Scotia Wealth, which received the Act-of-Kindness Award for raising more than $21,800. Royal Bank of sa国际传媒 completed the course with a top time of two hours, seven minutes and 45聽seconds.
For more information, go to powertobe.ca/event/power-play-victoria.
Open house at聽rehab聽centre
Ride a bicycle that makes paralyzed muscles move, wear goggles that track eye movements to find the source of dizziness or experience a robotic machine that stimulates waking at a open house at the Move Adapted Fitness and the Neuromotion Centre for Rehabilitation, June 9.
鈥淎dvances in rehabilitation technology are significant and we want to make these technologies accessible to those who need it,鈥� said Hillary Acosta, manager at Neuromotion. 鈥淗aving everything in one location makes it so much easier for clients to take advantage of and makes for better overall care.鈥�
You can discover the world of rehabilitation technology with tours of the clinic, opportunities to try equipment and a presentation by Courage To Come Back award winner Michael Coss.
You can ask specialists on concussion, try chair yoga or take a hearing test. Learn exercises to help deal with Parkinson鈥檚 Disease or discuss the mysteries of neuroplasticity with Dr. Jacqueline Pierce.
There will also be a fundraising barbecue, music and entertainment.
The event is free. It runs 11聽a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 9 at Move Adapted Fitness and the Neuromotion Centre for Rehabilitation, 775 Topaz Ave.
For more information, go to neuromotionphysio.com.
Educator honoured with聽PM鈥檚 award
A Victoria early-childhood educator has received a Certificate of Excellence from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for her work fostering creativity through art and nature.
Lexie Biegun, of Lexie鈥檚 Little Bears Child Care on Millstream Road, was one of 17 national-level recipients of the 2019 Prime Minister鈥檚 Awards.
This is the 25th year of the awards, which recognizes the Canadians who work hard to give the next generation the best possible start in life.
Each award winner has demonstrated a unique approach to education that motivates both young Canadians and fellow teachers to reach their full potential, said a statement from Innovation, Science and Economic Development sa国际传媒.
Recipients are recognized for teaching excellence in science, technology, engineering and math and early childhood education
Biegun was presented with her award at a ceremony with the prime minister in Ottawa on May聽28. For more information, go to ic.gc.ca.
Fundraiser earns $160,000 for Cool Aid
The Homecoming Gala sold out in its third year and raised more than $160,000 for the Victoria Cool Aid Society.
The event, the society鈥檚 premiere fundraising venture attracted 230 guests who dined on gourmet food and entertained last Saturday night at Ship Point.
鈥淎ll proceeds from tickets sales, silent auction and donations聽will be used to help people who need housing, healthcare and recovery programs,鈥� said Lori Angelini, manager of philanthropy.
For more information, go to coolaid.org.
Wearable Art a聽fundraiser聽for SPCA
People with a love of fashion, art and animals can indulge all three at Wearable Art For a Good Cause, today to June 15 at Moden Boutique, Sidney.
The organizer behind the fundraiser, Marion Evamy of Red Art Gallery and Devon Bird of Moden Boutique, got together to create unique, one-of-a-kind clothing items to the support the sa国际传媒 SPCA.
鈥淲e both feel how we treat animals is an important reflection on us as a society,鈥� said Evamy. 鈥淲e decided to encourage donations to the SPCA by combining fashion and art that would appeal to other animal lovers.鈥�
The pair created a new clothing line based on Evamy鈥檚 colourful dog portraits and joyful abstract paintings as their starting point.
They have created limited-edition T-shirts and tote bags, along with 15 one-of-a-kind satin bomber jackets, created from original artwork filled with happy colours and imagery.
The event kicks off today and runs through to June 15, subject to availability of the limited-edition garments.
Organizers say 30 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of all specialty clothing will be donated to the Victoria chapter of the sa国际传媒 SPCA.
The clothing can be seen at Moden Boutique, 2418 Beacon Ave., Sidney. Evamy will also have a small quantity of shirts and totes available during the Artsea Spring Studio Tour, June 8 and 9 at Red Art Gallery, 10204聽Surfside Pl., Sidney.
For more information, contact Marion Evamy at redartgallery.ca or Devon Bird at Moden Boutique, 250-655-0774.
Belly dancers shimmy for聽Cridge House
You are invited to an evening of belly dancing at Shimmy for the Shelter, a fundraiser for the Cridge Transition House for Women, Friday, June 7, at the Victoria Event Centre.
Watch dancing entertainment by the Victoria Shimmy Mob, Sacred Centre Dance and other special guests.
Tickets are $25 at the door and $20 advance. Doors open at 7, with the show starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 7, at the Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad St.
For advance tickets, email [email protected]. For more information, go to cridge.org.
CRD commission funds聽21聽arts groups
The Capital Regional District Arts Commission has approved $65,945 in funding to 21 local not-for-profit arts organizations through the Arts and Culture Support Service鈥檚 new Equity, Idea and Incubator funding programs.
The funding is part of an initiative to reach a broader representation of artistic practices in the region and remove barriers to public sector funding.
鈥淚n 2016, we heard through the Building our Arts Future engagement process that we needed to improve access to arts funding for under-represented arts communities,鈥� said Jeremy Loveday, chair of the Capital Regional District Arts Commission. 鈥淭he programming that we鈥檙e funding is helping cultivate the region鈥檚 unique cultural landscape and build a more inclusive society.鈥�
Newly funded arts initiatives include: The Beau Dick Memorial mural project, the International Institute for Child Rights and Development鈥檚 puppet play for human rights and the Tiny Tiny Cozy Fest, a weekend-long music and arts festival on Mayne Island.
Of the grant recipients, 71 per cent are receiving funding for the first time. Arts organizations funded by the CRD attract more than 730,000 attendees annually.
The CRD Arts and Culture Support Service is provided by Saanich, Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal, Highlands, Metchosin, Sooke and the Southern Gulf Islands.
For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/arts.
Cards for a Cause supports Rotary Garden
Spend an afternoon learning card-making skills from an expert at Cards for a Cause, a fundraiser to support the new Rotary Garden at Cowichan Hospice House, Saturday, June 8 at the Cobble Hill Community Hall.
Proceeds from the workshop, which can accommodate up to 100 people, will support the creation of a garden space for end-of-life care at the new Cowichan Hospice House, which is due for completion in 2020.
The garden will be a place of soothing breezes, dappled sunshine, native plants and healing spaces for individual contemplation and family use. The paths will be wide enough for wheelchairs and beds, with a playground and a place for healing ceremonies to take place in privacy.
All Cowichan Valley Rotary clubs and the Kitchen Sisters have aligned efforts to raise the $325,000 needed to create this new space.
Along with helpers at each table, there will be refreshments and an opportunity to meet with friends and community members over a shared activity.
School-age children are welcome with a parent or guardian.
Tickets are $25. The event runs 1 to 4:30 p.m. June 8 at the Cobble Hill Community Hall (also known as the Farmers Institute), 3550 Watson Ave., Cobble Hill. Tickets available at Eventbrite. For more information, contact Ruby Zimmer at [email protected] and Carol Ralstin at [email protected] or cowichanhospicehouse.ca.
Top award for Greater聽Victoria library
The Greater Victoria Public Library recently won a top international award for their Change Your Mind campaign.
The American Library Association awarded the Greater Victoria Public Library the 2019 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations award for marketing and public relations excellence.
鈥淭his campaign reaches beyond our traditional user base and beyond library walls,鈥� said Maureen Sawa, GVPL CEO. 鈥淐onversation about discovery, curiosity and human potential are taking place in coffee shops, on social media, on the bus and wherever people connect. Libraries have always changed minds, and I am proud GVPL鈥檚 promotion has succeeded in changing people鈥檚 minds about libraries.鈥�
The campaign included custom graphics featuring a friendly brain, in-branch signage, and a web and social media presence all designed by in-house staff.
People were invited to take an online quiz that diagnosed what kind of mind they had 鈥� Creative, Curious, Adventurous, Healthy or Hungry 鈥� which then provided a curated list of books and e-resources and a link to get a free library card branded with the brain types.
More than 32,000 people completed the brain quiz.
The award comes with a prize of $10,000 US, which will be presented at a reception in Washington D.C. in June.
This is the first time GVPL has won this prestigious international award.
For more information, go to change-your-mind.ca.
