Program equips kids in need for school
On Thursday, volunteers helped unload 600 back to school packs for distribution to children going back to school.
The event was part of the Mustard Seed’s Fairstart campaign, where every child gets to start the school year with the necessary supplies, allowing them to escape the social stigmas that often start young for the underprivileged.
Summer break can be the toughest part of the year for some at-need families. The Mustard Seed’s food bank and family hamper-distribution program see up to a 25 per cent increase in use as parents face multiple battles over the summer.
Struggles include the end of school-based meal programs, paying for child care and the worry about how to cover the cost of school supplies.
The Fairstart program started 17 years ago to ease the pressure on these families. Families with school-age children have been registering for the program throughout July. The assembled kits, which include all essential stationery for the specific grade a child is going into, will be distributed the last two weeks in August.
Sponsorship by Monk Office Supply has resulted in a substantial discount in the cost of the supplies. Kits are valued at $50, but thanks to the support of sponsors and the community, a donation of $25 ensures a child receives all they need for the first day of class.
The Mustard Seed is still accepting donations from the public for new or nearly new clothes, shoes or backpacks at their offices at 625 Queens St.
The non-profit organization has been meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people living in poverty and the working poor in Greater Victoria since 1975. More than 50 volunteers serve more than 5,000 clients per month. For more information, go to mustardseed.ca.
Local PGA tourney raises $31,000 for kids’ health
The Bayview Place Island Savings Open, part of the PGA Tour Canada, raised more than $31,000 for the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island at a recent charity golf tournament.
This was the 33rd year the tournament, now called the Mackenzie Tour, has been held in Victoria. This was the eighth year in a row that the event took place at the beautiful but challenging Uplands Golf Course.
Mackenzie Financial, which has been the charity partner for two years, contributed $12,500 of the total funds raised. They are also slated to be the charity partner in 2016.
A cheque was presented to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Present at the event were: Rod Dewar, president of the Victoria Open Golf Society; Ken and Patricia Mariash, owners of Bayview Place; Andrew Higginson, adviser with the Island Savings Regional Council; Linda Hughes, president and CEO of the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island; and David Whitman, Times Colonist advertising sales director.
After the cheque presentation, guests were shown how the funds will make a difference to kids, with a tour of two programs offered by the Queen Alexandra Centre: A summer camp for children with disabilities and the Gait Lab, which helps children with physical challenges improve their mobility.
The Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island is a registered charity that raises funds for programs benefiting children and youth at the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health and others. It also owns and operates Jeneece Place and built the Sooke and West Shore Child, Youth and Family Centres. For more information, please visit childrenshealthvi.org.
Snowbirds’ acrobatics aid children’s charity
Thousands of people enjoyed a free air show put on by the Snowbirds on Wednesday. Many of the people in the days following inquired about CHILD, the charity the event was promoting.
CHILD is an acronym for Children with Intestinal and Liver Disorders. Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis are both major categories of inflammatory bowel diseases. Painful symptoms include bleeding, razorsharp pain, vomiting, swelling, fatigue and the constant feeling of being unwell.
The disease exists without much attention or recognition, because few people want to talk about a child’s problem with constant diarrhea or having to have a colostomy. There is currently no cure.
The federally registered charity was established in 1995 to fund research for children stricken by the disease. The organization was founded by former Social Credit MLA Grace McCarthy, Lindsay Gordon and Mary Parsons.
The foundation has built British Columbia’s first research lab on the site of the B.C. Children’s Hospital. It is staffed by 20 researchers and investigative staff working on finding a cure. Thousands of adults also suffer with the disease as well. The hope is that when researchers find a cure for children, it will also be a cure for adults.
Donations can be made directly to the CHILD Foundation through the United Way (please designate specifically that the donated dollars are to go to the CHILD Foundation) or via Visa, MasterCard, American Express or PayPal online or by calling 604-736-0645.
For more information, go to child.ca.
Second ReStore open for business (and donations)
Habitat for Humanity held a grand opening for their second ReStore on Saturday.
The new store, located at 3311H Oak St. joins the Langford location in offering buyers a range of donated new and used building supplies and equipment.
People can also donate reusable supplies or volunteer at the store. Proceeds from the sale of items help fund the construction of new houses for needy families.
“We are thrilled to be opening a second ReStore closer to the city’s core,” said ReStore manager Jim Walker. “Our Langford location at 849 Orono Ave. has grown tremendously over the past six years. Clearly, there is a thirst for great second-hand home-building supplies in the region and we wanted to make shopping at and donating to Habitat’s ReStores even easier.”
As part of the celebrations around the opening, people can bid on the Take A Seat for Habitat silent auction, featuring a number of one-of-a-kind artistdesigned chairs until Aug. 22.
The organization, founded in 1976 in the U.S. and introduced into Canada in 1985, was built on the idea of partnership housing. Habitat for Humanity volunteers give a hand up to those in need by working side by side with them to build safe, decent and affordable houses. There are 58 affiliates in 10 provinces and two territories. To date, they have built housing for more than 2,500 families in Canada and 600,000 houses worldwide.
Habitat Victoria is in the process of building a four-unit townhouse complex on Cedar Hill Cross Road and McKenzie Avenue. The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2015, bringing the total number of homes built in Greater Victoria to 22.
For more information, go to habitatvictoria.com.
Coast Hotels golf classic fundraising tops $72,000
The 13th annual Coast Hotels Shuhachi Naito Golf Classic raised a record $72,000 this year, thanks to contributions from hospitality-industry suppliers, entrepreneurs, managers and supporters.
The event took place in July at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club in Coquitlam.
This charities benefiting from the proceeds of the event this year are the Salvation Army and ALS Society of B.C. Coast Hotels already supports various Salvation Army shelter and meal-service programs in the communities where it operates. ALS B.C. has a personal connection for Coast Hotels, as former senior executive Shuhachi Naito — after whom the tournament is named — lost his battle to the disease in 2014.
“Bringing our community together to support two exceptional causes is so rewarding,” said Robert Pratt, president of the hotel chain. “Coast believes in being an active part of our communities and our annual golf tournament is one way we help make a difference.”
With proceeds from this year, the grand total raised from the event since 2002 is now $678,000. For more information, go to coasthotels.com.
Fear the Walking Dead? Party at Hotel Zed
Join the Super Heroes of Victoria and Hotel Zed to face your fear of the zombie apocalypse, all in support of the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation Aug. 23.
Suit up in your best swimsuit or Speedo, jump in the pool and swim instead of screaming as Hotel Zed premières the highly anticipated Fear The Walking Dead on an 80-inch screen mounted poolside next Sunday. Use of the Zedinator water slide is highly encouraged.
People can settle their nerves with a cool drink provided by Vancouver Island Brewery (first drink is free; after that you have to fend off the zombies and other guests). Munchies will be available to all those who do not eat brains.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Super Heroes of Victoria, a charity group dedicated to raising awareness for the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation and their Be a Superhero campaign.
Tickets are $15. Participants must be 19 years of age or older. The event runs 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Hotel Zed, 3110 Douglas St. Call hotel to reserve tickets. Name and email required.
For more information, go to superheroesofvictoria.org or hotelzed.com.
Anti-bullying group needs your help
Help stop bullying by volunteering to help BullyingCanada, a nationally registered organization.
The charity provides a 24/7 support line, a national scholarship program as well as school and workplace bullying-prevention programming.
It is currently seeking volunteers from across Canada to help in door-to-door fundraising, telemarketing to solicit for donations, data entry and technical assistance with the 24/7 support line.
It is looking for people who speak English, French or both. Please forward resumés to volunteertoday@BullyingCanada.ca or call 866-782-1307.
For more information, go to bullyingcanada.ca.