This year saw 900 runners enjoy perfect weather for the seventh annual Victoria Goddess Run on June 2 鈥� and an additional 52 took part virtually from all over North America, including Las Vegas, Coquitlam and Parksville.
The five- or 10-kilometre run was also a fundraiser for the sa国际传媒 Cancer Foundation, with $5 of each registration going to the charity, as well as individuals raising money for the charity.
In the past seven years, the event has raised more than $180,000 for the charity. It has also brought running and walking into the lives of many who had not considered they would ever compete in a race. For more information, go to .
Squash pro honoured for contributions to sport
A local business owner and respected squash coach is the recipient of a prestigious national award for his contributions to the game.
Stuart Dixon, owner and head professional at the Victoria Squash Club, has received a Certificate of Achievement from Squash sa国际传媒 for his contributions to the sport within sa国际传媒
Dixon was inducted into Squash sa国际传媒鈥檚 Hall of Fame in 2010 for his coaching achievements. He, along with his wife, Sandy Drever, were instrumental in establishing the club, located on Cook Street, in 1983.
鈥淚 feel so lucky that I chose squash as my sport,鈥� said Dixon. 鈥淭he community is always incredibly supportive. It also doesn鈥檛 hurt that I met my wife at a squash tournament.鈥�
He said that without his wife鈥檚 support, the club would not exist today.
鈥淲hat keeps both of us going is our dedicated and tight-knit community of squash players. This is about people as much as it is about squash.鈥�
Dixon has promoted the game and has coached players on a national and international level.
鈥淪tuart has built a wonderful community at the Victoria Squash Club,鈥� said Chris Hanebury, squash coach at St. Michaels University School. 鈥淗e has created a welcoming place for total beginners and regular players alike, from young children to mothers and fathers, even octogenarians.鈥�
For more information, go to .
Celebrate dad鈥檚 day in聽Oak Bay gardens
Learn how to co-exist with nature and still have a fabulous garden at the Father鈥檚 Day Garden Party Tour, June 17 at various gardens in Oak Bay.
The tour, hosted by the sa国际传媒 SPCA鈥檚 Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre and the Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society, will show participants how to grow a wildlife-friendly garden and how to choose plants that encourage birds to visit and others that are deer-resistant.
The tour will feature eight gardens as well as afternoon tea and a silent auction ballot with prizes.
Representatives from both organizations will be on site to answer questions and share wildlife information. A master gardener will also be available to share ideas for your garden.
An alternative plant sale will feature drought and deer-resistant plants for sale.
All proceeds will go toward animal-related research, animal care and veterinary services.
Tickets are $25. The tour runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the Windsor Pavilion, 2451 Windsor Rd. For more information, or tickers, go to spca.bc.ca/gardentour.
Veteran sa国际传媒 Transit driver ends 40-year career
After driving more than a million miles without an accident, Ron Brown has finally traded in his driving shoes for walking shoes.
Last week, Brown ended his shift at sa国际传媒 Transit after a 40-year career. He was 21 when he started driving, and it wasn鈥檛 long afterward that he met his future bride, Paula, who was working in the dispatch office.
It was a family business even before he joined in May 1978 鈥� at that time, both his father and his brother were already transit operators.
Highlights of his career include:
鈥� Becoming the youngest person to ever achieve Million Miler status (20 years accident free)
鈥� Seven-time regional bus roadeo champion 鈥� competing in several international events as both a driver and coach
鈥� Ambassador and driver during the 1994 Commonwealth Games
鈥� Part-time trainer for 15 years, and in 2009 moved to the role full time, training hundreds of students
鈥� Trainer and supervisor during the 2010 Winter Olympics
鈥� Host for many of the kid鈥檚 tours held at the Victoria offices
He was also deeply committed to the community, volunteering with the View Royal fire department, an active volunteer with the Victoria Operatic Society, vice-president of the View Royal fastball association and coach for both ball and soccer teams.
Ron is looking forward to spending time with his wife and two adult children and taking his puppies out for long walks. He is also an avid golfer 鈥� who clearly needs more practice.
Could you golf 100聽holes聽in one day?
Golfers are set to descend on Vancouver Island to take part in the Young Life Vancouver Island Ironman, a golf tournament Thursday at the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club.
At the tournament, golfers will raise money by golfing 100 holes in one day 鈥� that鈥檚 more than five full 18-hole rounds.
Money raised at the event will support staff and volunteers who work with hundreds of teens on Vancouver Island.
Young Life, founded in 1954, strives to create meaningful, mentoring relationships between leaders and teens and to create spaces where teens are listened to, and where questions of life and faith can be discussed.
If you are interested in taking part, or supporting a golfer, contact Ethelwyn Smith at 250-652-1318.
The event runs 6:15 a.m. to 7聽p.m. June 14 at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, 3515 Telegraph Rd. Cobble Hill.
For more information, go to .
Help open an Orange Door for homeless youth
Help provide transitional housing for youth ages 16 to 21 who are at risk of homelessness by buying a $2 orange door as Home Depot kicks off their Orange Door Project campaign.
Every night, in neighbourhoods across the country, more than 6,000 youth don鈥檛 have a safe place to call home.
Customers who purchase the paper doors at the two Victoria locations of the home-improvement store will directly support Threshold Housing鈥檚 efforts to assist at-risk and homeless youth across sa国际传媒.
Home Depot sa国际传媒 covers all administrative costs of the campaign. This means 100 per cent of customer donations benefit local youth shelters, drop-in centres or aid organizations.
Since 2007, this national program has raised more than $8.6聽million. Last year, it supported 120 organizations committed to giving hope to homeless youth across the country.
The campaign runs until June聽24.
Customers can also make online donations at .
Celebrate the So(u)lstice at Royal Oak Burial Park
Take an afternoon stroll with the accompaniment of music, poets to remember departed friends and family at Summer So(u)lstice, Saturday at Royal Oak Burial Park.
This is the ninth year of the event, an opportunity to welcome the public to celebrate the summer solstice as well as the park鈥檚 95th anniversary.
鈥淲e are very much looking forward to hosting our 9th Annual Summer So(u)lstice at Royal Oak Burial Park and celebrate our 95th anniversary of serving the people 鈥� our families 鈥� in this community,鈥� said executive director Crystabelle Fobler. 鈥淭his event continues to offer a great opportunity to remember and honour our loved ones, while enjoying an afternoon on our beautiful grounds.鈥�
This year, the official kickoff to the afternoon鈥檚 festivities will honour Dave Obee, editor-in-chief and publisher of the sa国际传媒, for all of the work he has done on behalf of the park.
Victoria鈥檚 renowned a capella women鈥檚 choral group Ensemble Laude will be singing throughout the park and in the mausoleum.
Local composer Brooke Maxwell has gathered local musicians to create The Sweet Chariot Processional Band 鈥� harpist Gwyneth Evans, and clarinetists Erin Onyschtschuk鈥檚 and Dominic Thibault.
The public can have a personal poem composed by resident poets, including Yvonne Blomer, poet laureate for the City of Victoria, Carla Funk and Wendy Morton 鈥� whose random acts of聽poetry inspired this unique tradition.
Visitors can create unique floral tributes, messages, parchment memory flags and park staff will be on hand to help visitors locate sites of ancestors.
Light refreshments will be served. The facility is wheelchair accessible. Royal Oak Burial Park is the only not-for-profit, community-owned burial park in Greater Victoria.
The event runs 1 to 4 p.m. The kickoff takes place at 1:30 p.m. June 16 adjacent to the fountain at Royal Oak Burial Park, 4673 Falaise Dr. An event map with performance schedule can be found at .
Help St. Luke鈥檚 tidy聽up聽the cemetery
Get some fresh air, exercise and learn about early residents of Cedar Hill, Lake Hill and Gordon Head at the monthly community cleanup of St. Luke鈥檚 Historic Cemetery on Saturday.
The church always need volunteers to help weed and tidy the historic churchyard. Tasks include cleaning headstones, weeding and cleaning graves.
Please bring your own gloves and tools 鈥� some tools will be available. Light refreshments will be served.
The cleanup runs 8:30 to 11 a.m. June 16 at the cemetery, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Rd. For more information, go to stlukesvictoria.ca/events or call 250-477-6741.
Family Fishing Weekend all over the Island
You don鈥檛 even need a fishing pole 鈥� just pack up the whole family for the Family Fishing Weekend, at 14 venues on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, June 15 to 17.
Timed to coincide with Father鈥檚 Day, the event is meant to encourage connecting with the great outdoors 鈥� fishing, learning and socializing 鈥� as part of quality time together.
Participation in the weekend events is free, with hands-on tutorials available for beginners or those looking for a refresher.
Loaner rods, reels and tackle are provided for those who do not have their own gear.
The events offer opportunities to learn about fishing gear, share freshwater and saltwater fishing tips, learn about environmental stewardship and the tradition of recreational fishing.
鈥淐o-ordinating events over the Father鈥檚 Day weekend is an opportunity to remind people fishing is often a social activity,鈥� said Wayne Saito, Family Fishing Society of sa国际传媒 president. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not only the solitary angler casting on a lake. It鈥檚 a way to spend quality time with other people in the outdoors. We see all generations at Family Fishing Weekend events from the very young who will be holding a rod for the first time to parents and grandparents proudly sharing their own fishing tips and techniques with the next generation.鈥�
Fishing licence requirements are waived for the weekend, meaning Canadian residents can fish licence-free over the three days, although some requirements remain in effect.
Events include:
鈥� Campbell River 鈥� Discovery Pier and Echo Lake, June 17
鈥� Chemainus 鈥� Fuller Lake, June聽17
鈥� Courtenay 鈥� Fish and Game Club Pond, June 16/17
鈥� Duncan 鈥� Mayo Lake, June 16
鈥� Gold River 鈥� Star Lake, June 17
鈥� Ladysmith 鈥� Bush Creek Hatchery, June 16
鈥� Nanaimo 鈥� Colliery Dam, June聽17
鈥� Port Hardy 鈥� Seagate Dock, June 16, and O鈥機onnor Lake, June聽17
鈥� Powell River 鈥� Inland Lake, June 17
鈥� Quadra Island 鈥� Village Bay Lake, June 16/17
鈥� Shawnigan Lake聽鈥� Shawnigan Lake, June 16
鈥� Victoria 鈥� Malahat Outdoor Sports Centre, June 16
Events are supported by the Family Fishing Society and organized by fish and game clubs, the Conservation Officer Service, municipalities, community groups and local businesses.
A complete list of participating communities, locations, and event descriptions, along with step-by-step fishing instructions, can be found at . Freshwater and tidal fishing regulations, including daily catch quotas, always apply; details are posted at or .
