Three First Nations women embarked on their Miyo-wicehtowin (Cree for “living in harmony together”) walk across Canada this week to bring awareness to lateral violence in aboriginal communities.
Following a smudge ceremony at Mile 0, Isabel Okanese, 43, a Victorian who is Oji-Cree, set out on Tuesday for a six-month walk to Halifax, N.S., accompanied by elder Jackie Ballantyne and Glenda-Lee.
Okanese hopes to raise awareness of lateral violence (displaced violence directed against one's peers rather than one’s true adversaries) and create space for unity and healing via talking circles, cultural teachings and prayer. She will be laying down tobacco as she walks and will bring a vial of Pacific coast water to pour into the Atlantic ocean.
People can follow her trek on miyowicehtowin.webs.com or Facebook.
Triathlon for beginners raises $22,000 for MS
Last week’s Fort Street Cycle Beginner Tri for MS, a non-timed triathlon for those new to the sport, raised more than $22,000 for the South and Central Vancouver Island chapter of the MS Society of Canada. The event was hosted by TriStars Training.
Participants ranged in age from 17 to 69. While the majority of the competitors were local, from up-Island or the Lower Mainland, one couple came all the way from Saskatchewan. Their son had taken part in last year’s event and they were so inspired, they made a pact to participate this year.
More than 60 volunteers ensured that the athletes were well looked after.
This is the third year of the event, bringing the three-year fundraising total to more than $53,000. For more information, go to Facebook.
Free the Fuzz generates $6.5K for Special Olympics
Three police officers camped out on scaffolding for 48 hours at Uptown shopping centre last week to raise more than $6,500 and awareness for Special Olympics.
The Free the Fuzz event is one of the bigger fundraisers for Special Olympics, an organization that provides individuals with intellectual disabilities with opportunities to enrich their lives and celebrate personal achievement through positive sport experiences.
At last weekend’s event, law-enforcement officers from Victoria, Saanich, Central Saanich and Oak Bay supported their fellow officers by taking turns in the dunk tank and collecting donations. For more information, go to specialolympics.bc.ca.
Music Monday celebrates harmony
More than 2,400 students and staff from nine different elementary schools in School District 62 raised the rafters of the Q Centre as they sung in unison for Music Monday.
The national event celebrated its 10th anniversary on Monday with people across the country singing together to celebrate music in our lives and in our communities. This was the school district’s second year doing a district-wide event.
In the weeks leading up to the event the children had been practising six songs including We Are One, the official Music Monday song. There was a student percussion group made up of kids from a number of different schools.
The elementary schools in the Sooke zone went out into the community to celebrate Music Monday as well. For more information, go to sd62.bc.ca or musicmonday.ca.
Canstruction takes inspiration from movies
Drop by Mayfair mall today or Monday to see gravity-defying structures featuring characters, scenes and icons from popular movies including blockbusters, classics and animated films.
The Dahlia Society is hosting the second annual Canstruction event, which sees local teams designing and building structures made entirely out of full cans of food. At the end of the event the structures are dismantled and the cans donated to The Mustard Seed.
This is the second year of the annual event. This year’s theme is Movie Magic and each of the teams involved created a Hollywood-inspired structure.
“We are very excited about the enthusiasm these teams are showing for the second annual event,” said Christopher Mavrikos, founder and executive director of the Dahlia Society. “Their structures are going to wow everyone who has an opportunity to see them.”
People can vote for the People’s Choice Award by making a donation of $2 or a non-perishable food item.
Last year the event raised more than 29,000 cans of food and cash donations that together totalled almost $50,000. The cans from the event lasted until the middle of September. The display can be viewed during regular opening hours at the mall, 3147 Douglas St. For more information, go to thedahliasociety.com.
Saunders Subaru tourney raises $45,000 for kids
The fifth annual Saunders Subaru Golf Tournament, held last weekend at the Cowichan Golf and Country Club, raised $45,000 from the sold-out event.
Money from the event assists both children and families through the Saunders Family Foundation and the Comfy Kids program.
The foundation has also partnered with the Walton Group of Alberta. The group are best known for their Our Lady of Peace Ranches, which provide a fun experience for youth who have physical, mental, financial or emotional needs. The foundation is committed to sending 10 children to the camp this year. For more information, go to saunderssubaru.com or ourladyqueenofpeaceranch.com.
Follow Gilbert Beer on cross-Canada walk
Gilbert Beer is walking across Canada to raise funds and awareness for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. He will be documenting his progress on Facebook.
Charity wants your old bikes to send to Africa
A local grassroots charity is looking for at least 125 unused or unwanted bicycles to go to a new home and purpose in life in Africa.
Bicycles for Humanity Victoria is a grassroots organization that collects and sends bicycles to give mobility to some of the world’s poorest people. The charity has spent the last few months loading their seventh shipping container filled with over 335 bicycles and parts — and has found it still has room for a few more.
With this shipment the group celebrates the 3,000th bike collected locally, with two containers sent to Namibia, two to Uganda and the last two to Malawi.
Even bikes needing work are welcome, as refurbishing the bikes creates employment opportunities for local citizens. Some bikes find a new life as transportation for aid agency workers, for use by health-care or community workers on their rounds, for example. Some are sold to locals, greatly improving their access to food, water, employment, school and work.
Any profits from bike sales are plowed back into the program, toward the purchase of spare parts and to assist in paying for shipping costs.
“My motivation for doing this comes from wanting to give back and give a hand up, not a handout,” said Chris Wille, co-director of the organization. “While we may not be able to change the world, we can each do what we can to help those in need.”
Bicycles can be dropped off at Recyclistas, 25 Crease Ave., Brentwood Metal Salvage, 7481 W. Saanich Rd. and 847 Royal Oak Ave. Pickup is also available — call Chris or Linda Wille at 250-479-7415.
For info on where the bikes go and how they are utilized, go to b4hvictoria.blogspot.ca.
Bottle Depot returns to benefit Cool Aid
Your empties can make a difference for people in need. During the month of May, people putting their returnable bottles in yellow and blue charity bins at any Bottle Depot location will see their refunds directed toward the Victoria Cool Aid Society’s REES Program.
“Every day we see people in need at the Bottle Depot,” said Kelly Gorman, operations manager. “In addition to accepting empties from these hard-working men and women, we wanted to do something more to help.”
Every month, the return facility supports a local charity through these charity bins, which have raised $120,000 since 2010.
Bins are located at the company’s three Greater Victoria locations: 4261 Glanford Ave., 3961 Quadra St. and 655 Queens Ave. The first two are open 24 hours a day. The Queens Avenue location is available 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. People can donate to charities throughout the year by simply letting the teller know your wishes.
“Our staff and management team are 100 per cent behind the charity bottle drive,” said Gorman. “If it weren’t for our customers and staff backing it, we wouldn’t have $120,000 to give.”
For more information, go to bottledepot.ca or coolaid.org.
