Become a tree champion by joining in a walking tour or taking a workshop on fruit-tree pruning as the City of Victoria joins the Trees in Cities Challenge.
Victoria has become the first city in sa国际传媒 to join the global campaign. The city has pledged to work with the community to plant 5,000 trees on public and private land by the end of 2020.
People can plant a tree in their yard, volunteer at a neighbourhood tree-planting day and attend free, monthly tree-care workshops offered by the city.
Free workshops in February include For the Love of Trees, a walking tour and tree planting, 10聽a.m. to noon Feb. 8 from Centennial Square, and Tree Care and Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop, 10聽a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Fernwood Community Orchard, 1240 Gladstone Ave. To register for workshops, go to victoria.ca/recreation.
For more information, go to victoria.ca/treesincities.
Centenarian鈥檚 birthday party at Silver Threads
You are invited to join in the festivities around Helen Wells鈥� 100th birthday, Tuesday at Silver Threads on Richmond Road.
Wells and her late husband were among the founding members of the Golden Rods and Reels Fishing and Social Club of Victoria, which is a mere 43 years old.
Club members are hosting a potluck lunch party for Wells for achieving this milestone.
Celebrations start at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Silver Threads, 2340聽Richmond Rd. For more information, contact Solange Valiquette at [email protected], 250-656-1809 or 250-896-3529.
Good Citizenship awards presented at legislature
Lisa Beare, provincial minister of tourism, arts and culture, recently presented five Vancouver Island residents with the Medal of Good Citizenship at a ceremony in the Hall of Honour in the legislature.
鈥� Charlotte Brady and Anastasia Castro of Victoria were recognized for their work on environmental issues and are currently developing a program to make all schools in sa国际传媒 free of single-use plastics.
鈥� Dr. Patricia Roy of Victoria is a pioneering scholar and has published edited volumes, journal聽articles and book chapters about the history of British Columbia鈥檚 politics, economy and聽the causes and effects of racism encountered by its Chinese and Japanese communities.
鈥� Bruce Curtis of Courtenay was recognized as being a community leader and volunteer in several fields for more than 50 years. He has been a volunteer and leader of the Community Justice Centre for the Comox Valley, serving on the steering committee, as a volunteer facilitator and, for the past 13聽years, as its chief administrator.
鈥� Jack Hutton of Duncan has dedicated 45 years to serving disadvantaged and often marginalized people, while pioneering services for them in the area between Victoria and Nanaimo. He has improved the lives of thousands of mentally challenged individuals and troubled youth in the Cowichan Valley.
Launched in 2015, the Medal of Good Citizenship recognizes individuals who, through exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or reward. The medal reflects their generosity, service, acts of selflessness and contributions to community life.
This year鈥檚 recipients were selected from more than 100聽nominees.
For more information, or to find out how to nominate an unsung hero and role model in your community for next year, go to gov.bc.ca/medalofgoodcitizenship.
Entrepreneur program targets challenged youth
Youth with mental-health challenges can now enrol in the EnterpRISEing Youth Plus program, a free entrepreneurship training program that combines the flexibility of online learning with in-class support and coaching.
Community Micro Lending, a local non-profit society, has partnered with Rise Asset Development to deliver the program. The latter is a national charity dedicated to helping people with mental-health conditions or addiction achieve financial independence through self-employment or small-business ownership.
鈥淟ast summer we partnered with Rise to run the first ever sa国际传媒 cohort of the EnterpRISEing Youth Plus program and were so impressed with the participants and the ideas they brought to life,鈥� said Elysia Glover, executive director of Community Micro Lending. 鈥淲hen Rise invited us to partner with them for another cohort, we jumped at the opportunity.鈥�
The program鈥檚 lessons are delivered through an online learning platform, and participants are supported with in-person workshops and coaching sessions over the course of seven weeks.
Glover said the blended delivery provides participants with flexibility that many find supportive. 鈥淲e found that participants could move through the lessons at their own pace, as their health allowed.鈥�
The program is free to join for participants ages 16 to 29 who self-identify as having challenges with mental health or addictions. No diagnosis is required. The classes run Tuesday evenings between Feb. 11 and March 24. Graduates are eligible for a $300 startup grant to support their efforts after the program.
The deadline to register is Feb.聽7. For more information, or to register, email info@communitymicrolending or call 250-216-2605. For more information, go to risehelps.ca/enterprising-youth or communitymicrolending.ca.
Presentations stress importance of psychology
The sa国际传媒 Psychological Association is hosting five free public presentations on Vancouver Island, facilitated by a registered psychologist, to mark Psychology Month in British Columbia, at various venues Feb. 5 to 10.
The annual campaign helps raise awareness about the role of psychology in shaping mentally healthy communities.
Mental health is more than the absence of illness 鈥� it is a resource that gives the capacity to聽enjoy life and deal with challenges.
鈥淢ental illness does not discriminate 鈥� anyone can experience mental illness, and the burden of untreated mental illness can have negative effects on families, the economy and the health care system,鈥� said Alexina Picard, operations manager of the sa国际传媒 Psychological Association. 鈥淢any people affected by mental illness do not know where or how to seek help. Our referral service can help connect them to a highly trained, local registered psychologist who can provide assessment, diagnosis and evidence-based treatment.鈥�
The four presentations include:
鈥� Stress, Hassles and Burnout, with Dr. Barry Stein. The event runs 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Cowichan Public Library, 2687聽James St. in Duncan.
鈥� Stress and its Impact on Mental and Physical Health, by Dr. Du-Fay Der. The event runs 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Campbell River Library, 1240 Shoppers Row in Campbell River.
鈥� Opiate Crisis and the Correctional System: The need for a dramatic change in approach, presented by Dr. Bruce Monkhouse. The event runs 2 to 3:30 p.m. Friday at the James Bay Community Project, 547 Michigan St.
鈥� Helping Your Child Overcome Anxiety, presented by Dr. Carlton Duff. The event runs 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Cook Street Village Activity Centre, 380聽Cook St.
鈥� Relationships 鈥� Staying sa国际传媒ed, presented by Dr. David Mensink. The event runs 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Cook Street Village Activity Centre, 380 Cook St.
For more information, go to psychologists.bc.ca.
Canadian Tire stores raise $75K for cardiac equipment
Five Canadian Tire stores and an automotive centre have collectively raised more than $75,000 for the purchase of cardiac-care equipment for the Royal Jubilee Hospital鈥檚 Heart Health fundraising program.
Together the stores 鈥� Hillside, View Royal, Royal Oak, North Saanich and Langford, along with the Gordon Head automotive centre 鈥� raised the money through their annual at-the-till Fix-A-Heart campaign, which ran from Nov. 24 to Dec. 24.
鈥淲e are proud and honoured to be in five different neighbourhoods and give back to a local hospital that unites us all,鈥� said Mark Barsanti, the Langford store owner. 鈥淗eart health is near and dear to many of us in the community, and we are so grateful to contribute to the great work done by our expert caregivers at Royal Jubilee Hospital.鈥�
This year鈥檚 Fix-A-Heart initiative is to purchase large-volume infusion pumps for the hospital鈥檚 cardiovascular unit, coronary-care unit and electrophysiology lab.
With the support of the community, the campaign has contributed more than $915,500 since 2003 toward the Heart Health program at Royal Jubilee Hospital, bringing this cumulative total to close to $1 million.
For more information, go to victoriahf.ca/cardiac-care.
Save-on-Foods raises $35,000 for pediatric unit
Eight local Save-on-Foods stores have collectively raised more than $35,700 in support of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation鈥檚 efforts to purchase of a critically needed patient monitor for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Victoria General Hospital.
The Blanshard Street, Fort Street, Langford, Pandora Avenue, Sidney, Tillicum, University Heights and Vic West Save-on-Foods locations took part in Glowing Hearts, an in-store fundraising campaign that ran from Nov. 14 to Dec. 4.
Customers made at-the-till cash contributions, with donations recognized on green hearts and showcased on walls, windows and tills.
鈥淭he response of our community was overwhelming,鈥� said Ga毛lle van Erp, associate director of marketing and communications for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. 鈥淲e heard from many caregivers and patients, all so thankful to know the local Save-on-Foods stores were giving back to our local hospital, equipping our talented pediatric caregivers and supporting our friends and neighbours.鈥�
The stores presented a cheque to the foundation on Jan. 24.
The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Victoria General Hospital is one of British Columbia鈥檚 two units for critically ill children. On Vancouver Island, 98 per cent of pediatric cases are treated at the hospital.
For more information, go to victoriahf.ca.
Victoria seeks suggestions for Seniors Action Plan
The City of Victoria is accepting public input at a town hall meeting and open houses to help shape their Seniors Action Plan, Tuesday and Friday at Victoria City Hall and Cook Street Village Activity Centre.
Public input will help better understand the opportunities and barriers to making Victoria more healthy and age-friendly for seniors.
The town hall and open houses will give the community the opportunity to learn more about the Seniors Action Plan draft recommendations, speak with members of the Seniors Task Force and provide input.
On Tuesday, the open house runs 2 to 3 p.m., followed by a town hall meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. at Victoria City Hall.
A further open house will take place 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at the Cook Street Village Activity Centre, 380 Cook St.
The town hall will be webcast as well. For more information, go to victoria.ca/townhall. For more information on the Seniors Action Plan, go to victoria.ca/seniors.
