A company that offers culinary walking tours will be donating a portion of ticket sales from its Chocolate and Churches Tour to the Emanu-El Synagogue in response to the recent attack on the Jewish community in Pittsburgh.
鈥淲e are saddened to hear about recent events and wanted to donate to our local Jewish community,鈥� said Bonnie Todd, owner of Off the Eaten Track. 鈥淭he tour allows guests to get a 40-minute tour of the synagogue and to learn about their history and ask questions.鈥�
The tour visits five chocolate stops to sample local chocolate treats. The tour also includes a behind-the-scenes guided tour of Christ Church Cathedral and the Emanu-El Synagogue.
The tour costs $49.99. It will run 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and 16. Tickets must be purchased in advance at offtheeatentracktours.ca/victoria/tours/chocolate_and_churches_tour.
Calendar gives homeless聽a boost
Looking for a calendar that creates work for people experiencing poverty and homelessness? The 2019 Hope in Shadows is on sale now.
The calendar is a project of Megaphone magazine. Vendors are typically low-income community members who earn money, build skills and connect with others when selling the magazine and calendar on the street.
Hope in Shadows is a community-driven project that uses photography as a vehicle for people living in poverty to share their stories and to represent their community on their own terms.
Vendors buy each calendar for $10 and sell it to customers for $20, keeping the profits from every sale. The calendar-sales project has raised more than $1 million for vendors since 2003.
For more information, go to hopeinshadows.com.
Anglican diocese honours community members
Forty-three people from across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, including Rev. Remi De Roo, former bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of British Columbia, were recently invested into the Anglican church鈥檚 Order of the Diocese of British Columbia.
The investiture took place at a worship service held at Christ Church Cathedral in October. Recipients include social-agency founders, First Nations chiefs and other community leaders.
De Roo was invested as a honorary officer, while Gordon Harper, founder of the Umbrella Society, became an honorary member. Chief Robert Joseph, Reconciliation sa国际传媒 ambassador, was invested as an officer.
鈥淭he order is an opportunity for the church to recognize people who give of their time and talents to help keep the doors of the church open and to support people on the margins of our society,鈥� said Bishop Logan McMenamie. 鈥淎lthough we celebrate all laity for their contributions to the life of the church, the investiture is a way for parishes to raise up those who stand out at a particular time and place.鈥�
The Order of the Diocese of British Columbia honours and gives special recognition to members of the diocese (and in the case of honorary awards, those not part of the diocese) who have given outstanding service over a significant time in their baptismal ministry.
The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia is a regional expression of the Anglican Church in sa国际传媒, comprised of 45 parishes on Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and Kingcome Inlet. For more information, go to bc.anglican.ca.
Free canes available for聽seniors
A company that makes accessible bathtubs and showers for those with mobility challenges is donating 1,000 canes in honour of November鈥檚 Fall Prevention Month.
Canadian Safe Step Walk-in Tub Company has launched its Cane for Life initiative to help the 862,000 Canadian seniors who fall each year.
鈥淲e have pledged to give away 1,000 canes for qualified seniors and mobility-impaired Canadians,鈥� said Renato Cavaliere, the company鈥檚 CEO. 鈥淲e hope that we can contribute to reducing the number of falls experienced by seniors and mobility-challenged members of our society so they can continue to be active participants in our community.鈥�
Cavaliere noted that winter can be a tough time for seniors, largely due to ice, rain and poor outdoor conditions. These falls can be devastating to seniors and cause a strain on the medical system.
鈥淭he psychological impact of a fall can oftentimes be as devastating as the injuries sustained by a senior or mobility-impaired person,鈥� said Amaanali Fazal, a seniors鈥� advocate. 鈥淎 simple fall can lead to reclusion from social events, which often has other negative impacts on the overall health of seniors. But it has been proven by a significant number of studies that having a mobility aid has the opposite effect, meaning a higher quality of life for seniors.鈥�
Seniors can apply for a free cane at acaneforlife.com.
Maritime Museum hands out SS Beaver awards
Two Vancouver Island residents were among four British Columbians and a family of boatbuilders presented with the Maritime Museum of British Columbia鈥檚 SS Beaver awards at a ceremony in Victoria this month.
Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin presented awards to Donald Krusel, a resident of Saanich, and John MacFarlane, a resident of Qualicum Beach, for their contributions to the province鈥檚 oceans sector.
鈥淭he stories of this year鈥檚 recipients typify the diversity of sa国际传媒鈥檚 marine interests,鈥� said Jan Drent of the medal committee. 鈥淭hese awards are now in their seventh year and spotlight outstanding achievements.鈥�
Krusel was recognized for his work at the Port of Prince Rupert that transformed an under-used resource-export port to a thriving and expanding container terminal and diversifying trade gateway.
Among other things, MacFarlane is the curator emeritus at the museum, who compiles and disseminates lore about sa国际传媒 maritime heritage. He is the author of 14 books, including a guide in four volumes about the 5,500 oldest vessels still afloat in sa国际传媒, and many articles.
This year鈥檚 special award went to the Wahl Family of North Coast Boatbuilders. Three generations of the Wahl family have been involved in building wooden and glass-fibre work boats 鈥� and some recreational vessels 鈥� on the sa国际传媒 coast.
Nominations for the SS Beaver Medal for Maritime Excellence are submitted by the public and evaluated through a rigorous screening process. The award is a gold-plated medal cast from materials salvaged from the wreck of the pioneering SS Beaver mounted in a small display case. The awards are presented by the lieutenant-governor in her capacity as honorary patron of the museum.
For more information, go to mmbc.bc.ca.
Cleanup removes waste from Cowichan River
Island Health staff joined volunteers to safely remove about 1,000 sharps and drug paraphernalia during a Cowichan River cleanup in October.
About 20 volunteers went to various locations on the Cowichan River to retrieve garbage before it floated into log jams or out to sea.
Upon arriving at the river, they discovered there were sharps and drug paraphernalia among the garbage, clothing, old tents and household refuse.
Island Heath鈥檚 sharps retrieval crew, Warmland Sharps Pickup, worked alongside volunteers to sift through the garbage to ensure the sharps were disposed of properly.
Members of the public have already come forward to cover the cost of the tipping fees and to donate supplies and money to buy safety equipment for the volunteers.
For more information, contact Lehanna Green, 250-466-5351, [email protected] or Emily Charlie 250-715 4045 or [email protected]. Also, go聽to facebook.com/events/ 557444931370340.
Cridge Centre turns 145
The Cridge Centre for the Family celebrates 145 year of serving and supporting the vulnerable and those in need in Greater Victoria.
It is Western sa国际传媒鈥檚 oldest registered non-profit society. It serves people from all walks of life, from birth to end of life 鈥� and a whole lot in between.
Programs include: a transition house for women, supportive transitional housing, brain-injury services, childcare services, respite services, seniors鈥� services and young parent outreach program.
The centre is known for providing relevant and effective support to the most vulnerable populations.
The current campaign, Growing a Stronger Community, One Precious Life at a Time, is aimed at informing the public of the many ways they can help.
For more information, go to cridge.org.
Nepal school needs your聽donations
An earthquake in 2015 has made life harder in Nepal. A charity volunteer based in Victoria is hoping people respond to a Gofundme request for donations for the non-profit Children鈥檚 Home and School in Nepal.
The charity looks after 280聽orphaned, underprivileged and abandoned babies and children near Kathmandu and runs a school in Mahendrangar. Following the earthquake three years ago, the home took in additional children who were orphaned, displaced or separated from their families.
Sandra Arthur has been a volunteer supporting the work of the home for the past six years. Finding regular funding to support these children is not easy and donations have slowed of late.
She has embarked on a fundraising drive to purchase essential school supplies and items, such as uniforms, bags, books, pens and paper.
Computer equipment is also needed. Access to a computer is key to helping the students learn and connect globally. Providing youth with a modern way to explore the world could enable them to find a job in the future.
People can make a one-time donation, sign up to make regular payments or choose to sponsor a child for one year.
Arthur has started a Gofundme page: gofundme.com/ help-supply-school-supplies-nepal. For more information about the school and home, go to childrenshome.org.np or Facebook.
MS Society has vitamin D recommendations
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of sa国际传媒 has released evidence-based recommendations for vitamin D supplementation and maintenance of vitamin D serum levels for individuals suffering from an autoimmune disease. They say the new guidelines are meant to help people affected by multiple sclerosis make informed decisions about their health.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is the subject of increased interest in multiple sclerosis research.
The vitamin is found in two forms: D2 and D3, known as ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol, respectively. The body converts both of these forms to 25-hydroxyvitamin D, a molecule that is measured in the blood to determine a person鈥檚 vitamin D status.
Vitamin D is produced by the body through exposure to sunlight and ingestion of supplements.
In addition to this, small amounts of vitamin D are also found in food sources such as oily fish, vitamin D-fortified dairy products and egg yolks.
Research has shown a strong link between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of developing MS.
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of sa国际传媒 now has a table with the recommended daily intake (and blood levels) of vitamin D for individuals with 鈥� or at risk of 鈥� MS on its website.
The organization stresses that vitamin D alone is not considered an effective treatment for MS.
The recommended daily intake runs from 400 to 4,000 IU of vitamin D supplements.
For more information, go to mssociety.ca/hot-topics/vitamin-d.
