Firefighters from Greater Victoria are among the 219 who have signed up for the B.C. Lung Foundation’s 22nd Climb the Wall fundraising event at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre on Sunday.
Participating firefighters include teams from Colwood, View Royal, Esquimalt and Oak Bay, ready to climb the 48-storey hotel’s fire stairs wearing up to 34 kilograms of turnout gear.
“We’ll be welcoming close to 400 participants this year: our firefighting friends, and people who support lung health. They’re vital to our fundraising, and it’s inspiring to see them take on the challenge of such an arduous climb,” said Christopher Lam, B.C. Lung Foundation president and CEO. “It’s one of Vancouver’s most popular competitive events — and we always welcome our special friends from Greater Victoria.”
Participants are given timing chips to record their times. The average time to reach the top floor of the hotel is just over 15 minutes, with most firefighters reaching the top faster than that. Awards are handed out to the fastest climber and fastest team climb.
In 2020, when the last in-person event was held, Burnaby firefighter Craig Smith made it to the top in six minutes, five seconds.
This year’s event has raised more than $92,000 so far for the foundation’s Asthma Education Centre, which delivers asthma-management education to the 100,000 B.C. children and youth living with the condition.
• For more information, go to bclf.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=514.
>>> Supporting Pink Shirt Day
The WITS Foundation and CKNW Kids Fund have received more than $35,000 in support of Pink Shirt Day during Denny’s Grand Slam Day fundraiser on Feb. 15. WITS, an anti-bullying group, is an acronym for Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out and Seek help.
For one day, families across Canada were able to buy a Grand Slam breakfast at participating restaurants for $3.99, with all proceeds benefiting local bullying-prevention organizations.
• For more information, go to dennys.ca/promotions/community.
>>> VicPD add 16 volunteers
The Victoria Police Department has announced the addition of 16 members to its volunteer program, bringing the total complement to almost 70.
Last year, volunteers with the department contributed more than 4,500 hours to a variety of programs, such as foot and bike patrols, Speed Watch and Lock Out Auto Crime. Volunteers also connected with residents at community events and special community projects.
“Our volunteers are an essential part of our community engagement efforts to support community safety” said Victoria Police Chief Del Manak. “They are out in the community seven days a week. You’ve likely seen them conducting Speed Watch in school or playground zones, encouraging drivers to slow down or helping people learn about pedestrian safety at community events. The impact of their work is felt across the City of Victoria and Township of Esquimalt, and they are a clear example of citizens and police creating a safer community together.”
• For more information, or to volunteer, go to vicpd.ca/joinvicpd/volunteers.
>>> Roses from Rotary
Brighten someone’s day with a bouquet of roses and help raise money for charity at the Harbourside Rotary’s Roses from Rotary Campaign.
For $45 you can have a dozen roses delivered by a volunteer Rotarian to someone in the Greater Victoria area (Sooke to Sidney) on Saturday, March 4. Senders can include a personal message with the bouquet.
The service club is hoping to raise $15,000 for local and international charities.
“The recipient of your roses will think you are terrific for supporting our charities, because you sent them roses for no special reason,” said Peter Baillie, a member of the group. “Consider sending roses to a spouse or partner, other family members, employees, business associates, or clients. The potential is limitless, and, if you order 10 or more dozen, the price is just $43 per dozen.”
Order online at harboursidestore.ca.
• For more information about the programs funded by the initiative, go to harboursiderotary.org/page/where-we-fund.
>>> Cocktail for a Cause
Cara MacLeod, supervisor for Clive’s Cocktail Lounge, has created a Cocktail for a Cause, with $7.50 from each cocktail supporting the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre.
The cocktail, which she calls Who Runs the World, is made with La Gritona Reposado tequila, blood orange oleo and lime yuzu soda, rimmed with a light dust of tajin.
It can be enjoyed at Clive’s Cocktail Lounge for $25. Collaboratively, the lounge, Chateau Victoria, Reserva Brands and La Gritona will contribute to a charitable donation of $7.50.
The cocktail was inspired by Melly Barajas Cardenas in Valle De Guadalupe, Jalisco, in Mexico. Cardenas is the proprietor of La Gritona Reposado Tequila, an operation run almost entirely by women.
“From the girls in the agave fields to those who cook the agave, process the fermentation, it’s all women,” said Cardenas, the master distiller. “Some of it is really hard work, like cutting the agave. Most men could do this faster. But it’s not something women can’t do. It just takes a little bit more time.”
• For more information, go to clivesclassiclounge.com/about-us.
>>> Trees for Life luncheon
The Royal Commonwealth Society Vancouver Island is hosting a special luncheon at the Union Club on March 13 to commemorate Commonwealth Day, with youth from middle and secondary schools as special guests.
Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday of March, with 2023 designated as the Year of Youth.
Students from Stelly’s Secondary School will lead a presentation on the theme of Trees for Life: Trees in the Ground.
Other invited schools include Colquitz, Bayside and Cedar Hill middle Schools, as well as Parkland, WSANEC Leadership, Oak Bay, Claremont, Reynolds and Victoria secondary schools.
Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin and Yukon Commissioner Angélique Bernard will be on hand for the occasion.
Attendees will be provided with Western red cedar seedlings to take home.
Local crafters will provide other forms of trees — sculpted coniferous trees from repurposed wood, tree images and artifacts and even chocolate trees.
