InspireHealth鈥檚 third annual Rain Walk in Victoria this month raised more than $40,000 to support local cancer patients and their loved ones.
Although not a drop of rain fell, almost 200 participants walked to raise funds and awareness toward supportive cancer-care programming.
Similar walks took place in Kelowna and Vancouver this month.
One of the teams participating, Teal We Find A Cure, consisted of more than 50 supporters who banded together for Anita Armstrong, who has a rare form of ovarian cancer.
Together with her devoted husband Nick, Armstrong and the team raised more than $6,200.
鈥淚f you ever have to deal with something similar, we totally encourage you to reach out to InspireHealth. They care, they nurture and they are real,鈥� said Armstrong.
For more information, go to inspirehealth.ca.
Hawk needs your help with聽serious disease
The sa国际传媒 SPCA鈥檚 Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre is appealing to the public to help a red-tailed hawk that recently came into their care with a number of health issues.
The hawk arrived with a severely overgrown upper and lower bill and covered in parasites. He also has a jaundiced skin tone, indicating a potential problem with his liver.
鈥淚t is possible this hawk has long-billed hawk syndrome 鈥� a disease that can affect raptors of any kind but is most common in red-tailed hawks,鈥� said Meghan Hatch, the centre鈥檚 assistant manager. 鈥淢ost birds with this syndrome will starve to death without treatment.鈥�
The overgrown bill makes it nearly impossible for the hawk to preen and hunt. He has lost weight and his feathers are no longer waterproof.
Staff at the centre will treat the hawk for dehydration and parasites, and have his bill trimmed, filed and reshaped.
The total cost of care is estimated to be more than $2,500.
If you can help this red-tailed hawk, visit the branch at 1020聽Malloch Rd. or go spca.bc.ca/medicalemergency.
Every Step Counts marks聽10 years
Last Wednesday, Every Step Counts celebrated 10 years of changing lives through running, walking, camaraderie and healthy food.
The wellness program is Cool Aid鈥檚 longest-running, most popular fitness program. It is designed for people experiencing barriers and challenges with housing, mental health, addiction and related issues.
It draws on the wide-reaching and long-lasting benefits of exercise and teamwork to foster self-esteem, confidence, energy and healthy lifestyle choices.
The program was created by the Victoria Foundation, Frontrunners and Victoria Cool Aid Society.
Currently, two groups of runners meet twice weekly at Cool Aid鈥檚 Downtown Community Centre, 755 Pandora Ave.
For more information, go to coolaid.org/resource/every-step-counts-victoria-cool-aid-society.
Souper Bowls of Hope is聽back again
Help support Victoria鈥檚 vulnerable youth at Souper Bowls of Hope, a lunchtime fundraiser in support of Victoria Youth Empowerment Society, April 4 at the Crystal Garden.
Attendees, better known as Souper Heroes to the event鈥檚 organizers, spend their lunchtime bidding on silent auction items, enjoying chef-made soups and local breads, and learning how their support is changing the lives of at-risk youth in Victoria鈥檚 downtown.
They also leave the event with a one-of-a-kind handmade, painted bowl.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 Souper Bowls of Hope event is focused on Helen鈥檚 Place, our downtown drop-in centre named in honour of Helen Hughes, Souper Bowls of Hope founder,鈥� said Michele Davis, event chair. 鈥淵outh ages 13 to 21 have access to supports and services at our Yates Street centre to store their belongings, access showers, toiletries and clean clothes, enjoy a home-cooked meal or just spend a few restful hours in a safe and welcoming space.鈥�
In the past 20 years, Souper Bowls of Hope has raised more than $1.2 million to support the Youth Empowerment Society, which in聽turn supports more than 13,000聽local youth.
At the event, members of the Victoria fire and police departments will serve lunch. Soups will be provided from the kitchens of Fairmont Empress, Union Club, Cheryl鈥檚 Gourmet Pantry and 10 Acres Bistro.
The Victoria High School R&B Band will provide the entertainment. For more information, go to souperbowls.com.
Keep the Mustard Seed in聽mind
The Mustard Seed Street Church is hoping Victorians planning for spring and summer keep the organization in mind in the months ahead.
Every year, the street church is overwhelmed by the generous holiday spirit of our community, seeing a substantial increase in donations over the month of December.
But it means they don鈥檛 know where they sit financially until the end of the year.
They are asking people to consider scheduled monthly donations to maximize the impact of their donations.
Scheduled giving helps the Mustard Seed Street Church forecast funding, budget finances and plan for future projects and initiatives.
Monthly donations can be set up to come directly from a paycheque, credit card or bank account 鈥� without any extra commitment and without increasing how much a person would normally give at the end of the year. For more information, go to mustardseed.ca.
Library wants to tell stories with music
Wade into music in a fun and creative way at Telling Stories Through Music, a group introductory program for adults, Wednesdays starting April 3 at the Central branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library.
The free program is presented by the Victoria Conservatory of Music in partnership with Parc Retirement Living and hosted by the Greater Victoria Public Library.
Over six weeks, participants will explore the basic elements of music, such as rhythm, melody and beat. They will use virtual instruments on electronic tablets (provided).
Participants will experiment with a variety of instrumental colours and sounds, to co-create musical drama, leading to storytelling through music.
Each week, you will explore new sounds, create new music and tell a new story.
The program is free to join, but space is limited. No previous experience necessary. It runs 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, April 3 to May 8 at the central branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library, 735 Broughton St.
Registration at vcm.bc.ca/ programs/telling-stories-through-music.
Research to look at聽cannabis and MS
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of sa国际传媒 recently announced a partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to provide $1.5 million in funding for cannabis and MS research. The funding will go toward research into the use of cannabis to manage symptoms associated with MS and its effect on the disease.
鈥淭he MS Society is pleased to invest in this first-of-its-kind funding opportunity in Canadian MS research,鈥� said Dr. Pamela Valentine, president and CEO of the MS Society of sa国际传媒. 鈥淎s an organization, we have a mandate to provide information that is rooted in evidence. Cannabis is still a relatively unknown substance from the perspective of evidence-based research, so investing in research on cannabis use is an important first step for determining its applicability and efficacy toward managing MS.鈥�
The $1.5 million will span five years to help accelerate cannabis health research in MS. Research will include basic science, clinical, health services and policy research approaches.
Due to the previously illegal status of cannabis in sa国际传媒, investment in cannabis research has been limited. Legalization of non-medical use of cannabis has increased the need for evidence-based information and enabled such research to expand.
This gives sa国际传媒 the opportunity to be an international leader in cannabis research.
For more information, go to researchnet.ca or mssociety.ca.
Choirs united at聽St.聽Aidan鈥檚 church
The Linden Singers of Victoria welcome award-winning Vancouver choir EnChor and its new director, Morna Edmundson, for a joint concert, April 13 at St. Aidan鈥檚 United Church.
The program will feature the choirs individually and en masse with almost 100 voices, with a spotlight on local compositions.
Featured composers include Jennifer Bennet, David Archer, Kathleen Allan and Tobin Stokes.
Admission is $20 for those age 25 and older and free for those under 25. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at St. Aidan鈥檚 United Church, 3703 St. Aidan鈥檚 St. Tickets may be purchased from choir members, at the door on the evening of the concert or online at lindensingers.ca/ concerts-tickets.
Robotics team eager for聽world championships
The Reynolds robotics team, the Reynolds Reybots, who recently won the Rookie All Star Award at the First Robotics sa国际传媒 Canadian Pacific Regionals event, is hoping to raise enough money so that they can to go on to compete at the world championships in Houston, Texas, April 17 to 20.
This month, teams from Hawaii, New Zealand, California, Calgary and Vancouver gathered at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre to compete against each other.
Although the Reynolds team qualified to compete at the world championship event, the bigger challenge for them is how to raise the $10,000 cost to attend. Costs include the registration fee, shipping-container construction and travel for the 12 students in the team and two coach/mentors.
In Houston, they would compete against more than 600 other robotic teams from 60 countries.
The team is hoping to obtain sponsorships and donations to their GoFundMe page to pursue their passion for robotics.
The GoFundMe page link is at gf.me/u/rg89ar.
Teachers to be honoured for World Teachers Day
Recognize the outstanding contributions of public, independent and First Nations school-system teachers, principals, vice-principals, administrators and support staff by nominating them for the 2019 Premier鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Education.
Children, parents, school administrators and community members can nominate a deserving teacher, administrator or support-staff member who has made a lasting impact in the lives of students.
This year, 10 awards will be given out, with six honouring teachers, two open to school and district administrators and two recognizing support-staff members.
The 30 finalists will be announced in mid-May and will be invited to an awards ceremony at Government House on Oct. 4, World Teachers鈥� Day.
Winners will receive a $3,000 bursary for professional learning, a $2,000 contribution to their school community for professional learning and a commemorative work of art. Deadline for submissions is April 30.
To nominate an education professional, go to gov.bc.ca/ excellenceineducation.
Mid-Island rabbits need聽vaccine
This is the last week rabbit owners can order a vaccine to protect their pets against rabbit hemorrhagic disease.
Last spring, areas around Nanaimo and the Comox Valley were declared hot spots for the disease, which can be fatal to both feral and domestic rabbits.
Filavac has been found to be an effective vaccine to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease.
As the disease has the potential to resurface at any time, many rabbit owners are eager to have their animals re-vaccinated annually.
This year, Veronica Gventsadze, a veterinarian from the Lower Mainland, is applying for the importation of the Filavac vaccine for the whole province.
Rabbit owners are being asked to contact their veterinarians to express their need for the vaccine and the number of doses required. The more ordered, the lower the cost per dose will be for everyone.
If your veterinarian is not ordering the vaccine, they will pass the request on to a clinic that is.
This count must be completed this week, as the order is being submitted on March 30.
For more information on聽the聽disease, go to spca.bc.ca/news/rhd.
