Part of a solution toward ending homelessness in the capital region became a reality last week with the opening of the Cottage Grove supportive housing project on Quadra Street in Saanich.
Victoria Cool Aid Society, which originally purchased the property from the family of the late Herman Rebneris in 2014, will be the operator. The facility will house 45 seniors and others who have been homeless.
Capital funding was provided by the federal and provincial government, the Capital Regional District, Municipality of Saanich and City of Victoria. Initial funds that started the project were provided by Cool Aid and donations to the society鈥檚 Help End Homelessness capital campaign.
Funds from Island Health covers contracted services with staff on hand 12 hours per day.
For more information, go to coolaid.org.
Locals in focus in wildlife听photo contest
Three local photographers have captured top spots in the sa国际传媒 SPCA鈥檚 2017 Wildlife In Focus photography contest, which attracted hundreds of entries from amateur photographers across British Columbia.
Victoria photographer Mike Woods took first place in the Backyard Habitats Category, while Sooke photographer Mike Walsh and North Saanich photographer Colin Franks captured first and second place in the Wild Settings category.
鈥淲ith more than 580 photos submitted, it was a challenge for the contest judges to highlight only a few of the many amazing photos celebrating sa国际传媒鈥檚 diverse wildlife,鈥� said Sara Dubois, the society鈥檚 chief scientific officer.
First-prize winners will be featured in the society鈥檚 Spring 2018 AnimalSense magazine and the top three in each category will receive prizes and gifts.
Check out the winners at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus.
Vote for Our Place employment program
Help the Our Place Society secure funding for its new employment program 鈥� a pathway out of poverty for vulnerable and homeless adults 鈥� by casting votes for the project in a national contest.
After two years of research and planning, the society is ready to unveil its new jobs program, which focuses on people who have multiple barriers to employment. It will offer long-term support to people who want to work, but can鈥檛 find or keep a job on their own.
The project includes training, work experience and a network of potential employers to create real work opportunities.
鈥淲e know that it is not enough to look at someone鈥檚 homelessness, or disability in isolation,鈥� said Jeremy Ball, program manager. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we have created a wrap-around, whole-person approach that will support individuals toward long term success.鈥�
The society is hoping to secure a $50,000 grant from the Aviva Community Fund through a national contest that requires the听public to cast votes for the project.
People have until Thursday to vote at avivacommunityfund.org/ voting/project/view/17-218
For more information, go to ourplacesociety.com.
Have some poutine, feed听youth in need
Hungry Victorians can eat their fill of delicious curds and help feed youth in need as well during Poutine Week, a fundraiser in support of Mealshare Victoria, starting Monday at participating restaurants.
Poutine Week is an opportunity to eat the dish of cheesy goodness guilt-free.
For one week every order of poutine will result in a free meal to someone in need. You don鈥檛 need tickets, just an appetite.
Poutine Week runs Oct. 16 to 22. Go to poutinewithpurpose.com for a list of participating restaurants. Talk about it using the hashtag #PoutineWeekYYJ.
Victoria seeks youth-poet nominations
The City of Victoria, in partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library, is seeking nominations for the position of Youth Poet Laureate.
Created in 2013, the position provides the community with access to strong youth voices. The successful applicant is tasked with reaching out to vulnerable youth populations and encouraging peer-to-peer education and inspiration through new works and by developing a community youth-poetry event.
The youth poet laureate is an honorary one-year term position from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. The position will receive a $1,750 honorarium and $1,000 of project funding, in addition to a year-long mentorship with Victoria鈥檚 poet laureate, Yvonne Blomer.
Applicants must be between the ages of 14 to 24 years and reside in the capital region. The deadline for nominations is 4 p.m. on Oct. 31.
For submission guidelines, go to victoria.ca/poetlaureate.
Counselling centre fundraiser on Saturday
The South Island Centre for Counselling and Training is holding its 42nd anniversary fundraising gala on Saturday, at the Delta Ocean Pointe.
The society is a registered charity providing professional and accessible mental-health counselling and training services to those in need in the capital region. They also offer professional level training for clients, professionals and the public.
This year鈥檚 keynote speaker is Dr. Timothy Stockwell, PhD.
Tickets are $95. The event runs 6 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 21. For further information, or to purchase tickets, call 250-472-2851 or visit southislandcentre.ca.
Rotary roses just听smell听nicer
You have until Friday to get a dozen delivered roses for $32 at the Roses from Rotary fundraiser hosted by the Harbourside Rotary Club.
You can get a dozen long-stemmed roses, delivered in the Greater Victoria area (Sooke to Sidney) for $32.
鈥淲e hope to sell around 1,200听dozen roses,鈥� said Andrew Turner, chair of the fundraiser. 鈥淚t feels really good to not just brighten someone鈥檚 day, but to know you鈥檙e also giving back to the community.鈥�
Last year, Harbourside Rotary raised almost $165,000 for community projects.
Order online by Oct. 20 and the roses will be delivered on Oct. 28.
For more information, go to harboursidestore.ca.
Nanaimo care home needs听volunteers
Volunteers are needed to help staff the bistro and gift shop at the Eden Gardens dementia care home in Nanaimo.
The home, run by the Nanaimo Travellers Lodge Society, provides life-enriching programs and activities so that elders with dementia maintain an active and engaged lifestyle.
The bistro and gift shop is a hub for activities, allowing elders to interact with others and visit with their family and friends in a casual, relaxed setting.
Volunteers are needed to keep it open for 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday to Sunday.
People can volunteer for just two hours a week, every other week or even just once a month.
Cash-handling experience would be an asset, and an RCMP security check is required. All volunteers receive orientation that includes essential information about caring for those with dementia.
Please contact Carolina Ponsford at 250-760-2639 or Sandy Parise at 250-760-2646 for more details.
Event raises $12,000 for听local non-profits
A recent fundraiser 鈥� Raise the Roof for Shelter 鈥� helped raise awareness and $12,000 for local non-profits that assist women and children facing domestic abuse.
This was the fifth year of the event, presented by Victoria real estate duo Tasha Medve and Saira Waters. This year鈥檚 event, held at the Robert Bateman Centre, saw a turnout of more than 100 guests.
Proceeds support four local non-profit organizations, including Victoria Women鈥檚 Transition House, the Cridge Transition House for Women, Sooke Transition House, and Margaret Laurence House.
The sponsoring charity is Royal LePage鈥檚 national Shelter Foundation, which has raised more than $24 million since 1998. For more information, go to royallepage.ca/realestate/ about-us/shelter-foundation.
Great sa国际传媒 ShakeOut quake drill this week
Practise 鈥渄rop, cover and hold on鈥� during the Great British Columbia ShakeOut earthquake drill on Thursday.
Join more than 760,000 British Columbians, businesses and government agencies who have already registered to take part in the for the annual earthquake drill.
Dave Cockle, Oak Bay fire chief and president of the sa国际传媒 Earthquake Alliance, has hopes the number of people participating will reach one million this year, amounting to just under one quarter of sa国际传媒鈥檚 population.
The sa国际传媒 coast is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, with more than 3,000 earthquakes occurring every year. While most are too small to be felt, the risk of a major earthquake, one that causes significant damage, is always a possibility.
The Great British Columbia ShakeOut is sa国际传媒鈥檚 largest earthquake drill, with individuals, organizations, businesses, governments and agencies taking part.
The more people know about what to do during an earthquake, the better prepared they will be to respond and recover in the event of the real thing.
An estimated 30 million people worldwide will practise how to 鈥渄rop, cover and hold鈥� at 10:19听a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19 in accordance with the annual Great ShakeOut.
For more information, and to register, go to shakeoutbc.com.
Finalists named for philanthropy awards
A number of local philanthropists have been named as the top three finalists in six award categories for this year鈥檚 National Philanthropy Day awards, Nov. 22 at the Victoria Conference Centre.
The finalists are:
鈥� Generosity of Spirit Award
Gordy and Ravinder Dodd
John McEown
Patricia & Kenneth W. Mariash Sr.
鈥� Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Award
Deedrie Ballard
Keith Dagg
Tracey Drake
鈥� Corporate Responsibility Award
Think Communications Inc.
The Neal Estate Team at Re/Max Alliance
CFAX 1070 Radio
鈥� Outstanding Philanthropic Service Club Award
Royal Jubilee Hospital Auxiliary
Ladysmith Health Care Auxiliary
鈥� Youth in Philanthropy Award ages 5-10
Liam Docherty, Ewan Docherty and Connor Docherty
Sophie Coburn
鈥� Youth in Philanthropy Award ages 11-18
100 Girls Victoria
Stuart Cameron
Emma Locke (Two Hearts One Wish)
The National Philanthropy Day celebration is presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Vancouver Island. It runs 4 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas St. For more information, go to npdvictoria.com.
Local non-profit up for听national award
A local not-for-profit is one of 26 finalists for the 2017 Nature Inspiration Awards hosted by the Canadian Museum of Nature, with听the winners to be announced Nov. 8.
The awards recognize individuals, groups and organizations whose leadership and innovation connect Canadians with the natural world.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 finalists provide inspiring examples of what it means to connect with nature, promote its value and find solutions to living sustainably with it,鈥� said Meg Beckel, president and CEO of the museum. 鈥淎ll should be proud of what they do, and we are grateful for the opportunity to recognize their achievements with the Nature Inspiration Awards.鈥�
Victoria鈥檚 Power To Be, an organization offering accessible outdoor education is a finalist in the Not-For-Profit category (small/medium organization).
Winners receive $5,000 that they can designate to a beneficial program of their choice.
The Canadian Museum of Nature is sa国际传媒鈥檚 national museum of natural history and natural sciences. It will host a gala on Nov. 8 to celebrate the finalists and to announce the winners in each category. For more information, go to nature.ca/awards.
