Red kettles are back for the holidays
Uptown shopping centre was swallowed up in a sea of red Saturday as celebrities from the entertainment, sports and political arenas helped to kick off the 127th annual Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign.
For the next six weeks, Salvation Army red kettles will line the streets in more than 40 communities across the province. The campaign, which has a goal of raising $225,000 locally, provides funds to feed, clothe and shelter individuals and families in need of support this season — and throughout the year.
The public is encouraged to stop by to drop off a donation for those in need of assistance.
For more information, go to fillthekettle.com or salvationarmy.ca.
The Salvation Army also receives money from the Times Colonist Christmas Fund. To donate to the TC fund, go to timescolonist.com/christmasfund.
Disabled artists’ work showcased at AGGV show
See artwork by artists with various disabilities at the Artists with Disabilities Showcase, Friday and Saturday at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
The show, now in its fifth year, features drawings, paintings, sculpture, woodwork and fabric art by 27 local artists.
The goal of the event is to understand mobility issues and the support for the dignity, rights and well-being of people with disabilities.
Admission is free. The event runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss St. For information, go to drcvictoria.com or Facebook.
Help fill a dream at Country Grocer
Support the dreams of Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands children by buying a Dream Bouquet and Island-grown Christmas tree during the annual Country Grocer Holiday Campaign.
This is the seventh year of the campaign, which sees proceeds from sales of the two items, as well as donations collected at the till between Nov. 19 and Dec. 16 go toward the Help Fill a Dream Foundation.
“Help Fill a Dream is a local Vancouver Island organization that supports families with a child facing serious health issues. We have seen the powerful difference that Help Fill a Dream makes in the families that are supported,” said Country Grocer director Peter Cavin.
“Whether it be financial support, a family vacation, a piece of medical equipment or a backyard pirate-ship playground, Help Fill a Dream’s work and kindness helps families through difficult times.”
Established in 1984, Country Grocer is a Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island company with seven stores and more than 700 employees.
Help Fill a Dream is a resource for families at a time of great need. For information, go to helpfilladream.com.
Music-wellness program aimed at all ages
PARC Retirement Living and the Victoria Conservatory of Music have recently announced a partnership that will include a Centre for Music Wellness in the future.
The two partners will be offering music-wellness classes for adults of all ages in the community.
“Music has been shown to be an important factor in maintaining the mental, physical and emotional health of adults of all ages, and we are pleased to be able to offer these innovative classes through our new Centre for Music Wellness,” said Jane Butler McGregor, CEO of the Victoria Conservatory of Music.
A six-week term costs $63 plus a $2.25 transaction fee.
Classes are 45 minutes in length. Activities include movement to music, improvising through a variety of music instruments, practicing team co-ordination through making music with handbells, creating a group radio play or co-writing a new song, and discovering effective relaxation techniques with music. For more information and class registration, visit: vcm.bc.ca/program -areas/therapy/programs.
Open house Monday at community kitchen
The Shelbourne Community Kitchen is hosting an open house on Monday. You can take part in a casual tour and enjoy some light refreshments made at the kitchen.
More than a food bank, the kitchen offers participants smallgroup programs to learn how to source, prepare, grow and preserve nutritious and affordable food on a limited budget. It also provides emergency food support if needed.
It supports more than 400 people from the local community.
The kitchen was founded in 2013 by St. Luke Anglican Church, Lutheran Church of the Cross, St. Aidan’s United Church, Camosun Community Association and the Mt. Tolmie Community Association.
The event runs 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at 3541 Shelbourne St.
For information, go to shelbournecommunitykitchen.ca.
Operation Helping Hands launches next week
Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada will be rolling out their second annual Operation Holiday Helping Hands, a coastto-coast outreach initiative to support and aid our less fortunate Canadians, next week.
The organization seeks to ensure those who served our country are not forgotten during the holidays, with volunteers helping out at local shelters, drop in centres for the general good of the community across the country.
As part of Operation Holiday Helping Hands, the organization is encouraging all Canadians to consider doing the same, or donating a gift card for a veteran in need.
Their initiative runs Dec. 3-9. They are calling for people volunteering to tweet @vetscanada or send pictures to vetscanada@gmail.com.
For more information, go to vetscanada.org.
Christmas bake sale benefits Mount St. Mary’s
Get your holiday sweets and support a great cause at the Great Christmas Bake Sale Saturday at Mount St. Mary Hospital’s Village Square.
Join Telus South Island community ambassadors as they sell packages of six cookies by donation. Numerous local bakeries, including Toque Catering, the Roost Farm Centre and Cobs Bakery, are each donating 12 dozen holiday cookies.
Proceeds from the event support the purchase of ceiling lifts to ensure residents can be safely moved from the bed to their bathroom to their wheelchair.
While at the cookie sale, consider visiting a special Festival of Angels display inside Mount St. Mary Hospital’s Blessed Marie Anne Blondin Chapel.
Santa (the Times Colonist’s Jeff Bell in disguise) will make a surprise visit to kick-off cookie sales and will hand out candy canes to kids in attendance.
The event is free to attend and runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 2. The easy-to-freeze-cookies are by donation ($5 suggested). Entry into the Festival of Angels is by donation as well ($2 suggested). Santa on hand 9 to 9:30 a.m. The event will take place at Mount St. Mary Hospital, 861 Fairfield Rd.
For information, go to telus.com/community.
Winemakers’ dinner to support nature sanctuary
Camosun College culinary students encourage the community to eat with nature at a fundraising Winemakers Dinner supporting Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary on Dec. 2.
Second-year hospitality students will be hosting a dinner and silent auction to raise muchneeded funds for the sanctuary.
The four-course meal, with wine pairings, will use fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
Proceeds from the event help maintain the delicate ecosystems of the sanctuary, a living classroom for educational excursions for school children and the community as a whole.
Tickets are $85, with a goal of raising $5,000. Doors open at 5:30, dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 in Dunlop House Restaurant, on the grounds of Camosun College Lansdowne campus, 3100 Foul Bay Rd. Tickets at bit.ly/naturedinner or for information, go to swanlake.bc.ca.
Food program aims to help families year-round
The Gift of Good Food aims to keep giving the gift of healthy food to families all year long, not just at Christmas.
In its third year, the program aims to raise $75,000 to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for 150 families facing poverty in Greater Victoria throughout 2018.
The program is organized by the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group and uses their food access program, The Good Food Box, to support local communities.
In the end, the total funds are distributed amongst fifteen partner organizations from Sooke to Saanich.
Every $500 supports a family with a food box every two weeks throughout 2018.
“Every dollar we raise will go right back into delivering food to families in the capital region,” said Lee Herrin, executive director of Fernwood NRG.
Participating community centres and organizations are responsible for choosing families to receive a food hamper. Donations can either support a community directly, or can be distributed evenly amongst the partner organizations.
The campaign runs until Dec. 31. To donate, go to thegiftofgoodfood.ca/donate.
Christmas craft fair and art sale Dec. 2
Make this holiday season the most meaningful ever at a Community Craft Fair and Art Sale, Dec. 2 at the First Metropolitan Church.
Admire the artistic and musical talents of current and former clients of Cool Aid, Our Place, Pacifica Housing and Anawim House.
The craft fair runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 at First Metropolitan Church, 932 Balmoral Rd. Cash only.
Pet photos to aid veterans with PTSD
Get your pet groomed for the annual Pet Pictures with Santa, hosted by Pets West, to benefit Vancouver Island Compassion Dogs, Dec. 2 and 3 at the Elk Lake Howard Johnson Hotel.
The fundraiser has been an annual tradition for more than 23 years. This year proceeds from the event will go to providing therapy dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD.
Professional photographs will be taken by John Penner of John’s Photography.
The event runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3 in the lobby of the Howard Johnson Hotel and Suites, 4670 Elk Lake Dr. For information, go to vicompassiondogs.ca or petswest.ca.
Sharing of the Lights remembers loved ones
The holiday season can be a stressful time for those grieving a loved one. If memories of past celebrations with family and friends who are no longer here magnify feelings of loss, consider attending Sharing of the Lights at the University of Victoria’s Finnerty Gardens today.
Organized by Victoria Hospice, the gathering is an opportunity for people to share their concerns, make connections and honour the lives of their loved ones.
At the event people can share candlelight and company, to transform the grief and loneliness that can arise at this time of year into companionship and community.
The event runs 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. today in the Finnerty Gardens, University of Victoria Lot #6. For information, go to victoriahospice.org/events/ sharing-lights.
Missing woman’s mom won’t give up the search
The mother of a woman who went missing five years ago is returning to Victoria to hold a candlelight vigil on Tuesday from the Empress Hotel.
“I decided the five-year mark was a significant milestone in the search for my daughter,” said Shelley Fillipoff. “I have one job in life and that is to find Emma.”
Emma Fillipoff was 26 years old when she vanished on Nov. 28, 2012. Her mother, Shelley Fillipoff, has been searching for her since then.
In the years since her daughter’s disappearance, Fillipoff has spearheaded an ongoing search with the help of a volunteer team of civilians.
She is hoping her visit to Victoria will spur the community to help find her daughter.
“It’s imperative that Emma’s case be kept in the public eye,” she said.
To that end, she’ll be distributing posters, visiting locations frequented by her daughter and giving interviews to news media while she is in town.
The candlelight walk will run 7:17 to 8 p.m. Tuesday across from Empress Hotel, 721 Government St. For information, go to helpfindemmafillipoff.com.
You can help change lives in Africa
Learn about life-changing projects a local charity group has undertaken in Africa at the Africa Awareness Event, Monday at Fort Tectoria.
The aim of Education is Power is to improve access to education for Africa’s future leaders, all the while inspiring young people to give back globally through responsible citizenship.
Enjoy coffee, tea and light refreshments, as well listen to some smooth African rhythms at the drop-in event.
Guest speaker at the event is Ken Kamero, a university graduate supported through Education is Power Africa. He has come to Canada to talk about environmental activism successes, including being a key part of banning plastic bags in Kenya.
The event runs 6:30 to 9 p.m., with Kamero giving his talk at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27. The event takes place at Fort Tectoria, 777 Fort St. For information, go to educationispower.org.