What’s Up on Vancouver Island

When Sgt. Adrian Last joined the Canadian Rangers in early 2020, he didn’t expect the experience to reconnect him with his Indigenous roots. But over the past five years, serving with the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group in his hometown of Gold River has done exactly that, and given new meaning to a day that honours the generations who came before him. “It’s really important to acknowledge that there are Indigenous veterans, and that there have been Indigenous veterans,” Last told Victoria News. “Even though the relationships in this country haven’t always been perfect, Indigenous people have been fighting for Canada throughout history, right alongside everyone else. We’re all Canadians, and that’s what we fight for.” Each year on Nov. 8, communities across the country mark Indigenous Veterans Day, a national day of remembrance that originated in Winnipeg in 1994. Before its creation, Indigenous veterans were often excluded from Remembrance Day ceremonies. They couldn’t march together as a group or lay wreaths at cenotaphs. The day was established to correct that oversight and recognize the thousands of First Nations, Métis and Inuit soldiers who served in conflicts dating back to the War of 1812. More than 12,000 Indigenous people served in the Canadian Armed Forces in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Many brought valuable traditional skills to the battlefield, scouts, trackers and snipers whose knowledge of the land made them invaluable in combat. That same spirit of service continues today through the Canadian Rangers, a reserve force made up largely of Indigenous members who patrol and support remote and northern communities. They’re known as the “eyes and ears” of the Canadian Armed Forces, drawing on their traditional knowledge to assist during emergencies, sovereignty patrols and search and rescue operations. In Gold River, the Rangers have been part of the community since 1992. Last joined after his two children became involved in the Junior Canadian Rangers program, and the whole family soon followed suit. “It’s a really good way to serve your community and your country,” he said. “You feel like you’re part of something bigger than just the little villages we’re from.” Through his time with the Rangers, Last has also found space to rediscover parts of his own identity. His mother’s side of the family is Algonquin (Ontario), and he grew up in Mowachaht/Muchalaht (Gold River) territory on Vancouver Island. For years, he said, conversations around their Indigenous background were quiet, even avoided. “My mom was of the age where it wasn’t really talked about,” he said. “For me, joining the Canadian Armed Forces introduced me to strong, proud Indigenous men who encouraged me to explore my culture. It really opened a floodgate for me. It came at the right time.” Now, when Indigenous Veterans Day arrives each November, Last takes it as a day for reflection. “There aren’t big ceremonies in Gold River, but I use these days to think about the people who served before us,” he said. “It’s more meaningful now that I understand that part of my history.” For Last, the day is a reminder that honouring Indigenous veterans isn’t about separation from Canada’s story, it’s about completing it. “It’s all part of the same history,” he said. “Recognizing Indigenous veterans just makes that history more whole.” Indigenous veterans and military personnel will be honoured during an Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. at the cenotaph outside the B.C. legislature. After that, Legion #292 (Trafalgar/Pro Patria) will welcome Sgt. Last and CR. Smecher of the Canadian Rangers from noon until 2 p.m. to share how their local knowledge and heritage help them patrol, provide surveillance, and support the Canadian Armed Forces.

Parksville Fire Rescue was awarded $40,000 from the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Volunteer (Composite Fire Departments Equipment and Training) Fund enabling the purchase and installation of advanced decontamination equipment. Grant funding was approved in 2024 and the project with a total cost of $41,144, was completed in October 2025. According to a press release, installation of Meiko decontamination washer and related equipment has significantly enhanced the department’s ability to meet both community needs and the BC Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards by ensuring personal protective equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus, helmets, air cylinders and facepieces are properly decontaminated after each use, reducing the risk of long-term health issues caused by exposure to carcinogens and other hazards. This project has also enhanced the resilience of Parksville Fire Rescue operational readiness by significantly reducing the time and labour required to clean firefighter gear facilitating a quicker turnaround time. “By equipping Parksville firefighters with the knowledge and equipment to maintain clean gear, the department has taken a proactive step in protecting the long-term health of members,” said acting assistant chief Cam Cruickshank. “Knowing their gear is properly cleaned helps to alleviate stress and anxiety related to potential health risks, contributing to a healthier work environment in a high-risk profession.”

Five Ballenas Whalers senior varsity players were named to the B.C. Secondary Schools Football Island Division All-Star team. Offensive linemen Draeden Jones and Matt Crowie, receiver Riley Wilson, linebacker Bennet Switzer and defensive back Malcolm Williams were recognized for their performance during the regular season, assisting the Whalers to advance to the quarterfinals of the provincial playoffs. They will face the Argyle Secondary Pipers on Nov. 14. Switzer, who also plays running back, leads the Whalers defence with 50 tackles in the five games he played, with one interception and one touchdown. “It’s an honour to be placed in that skilled group,” said Switzer, who learned how to play football when he was in Prince George. “It’s cool to be recognized for work that I did in the regular season.” Williams, who is only in Grade 11, has also been a key defensively for the Whalers, having recorded seven tackles and three interceptions to his credit. “It was kind of unexpected,” said Williams. “It’s definitely nice though. It just shows that the hard work I’ve been doing is paying off.” The players named to the all-star team are selected by coaches of opposing teams in the Island Division. Head coach Dan Smith said they are proud to have five Whalers named as all-stars. He added that there are other players worthy of being included who just missed out. He told the other players that “they became all-stars because of the players around them give them opportunities to excel and to show their talents and their skills. That’s really what that’s about.” The Whalers also gave recognition to two of their junior players for helping the senior Whalers whenever they are short of players. Offensive and defensive linemen Bentley Dore-Radil and Douglas Pitt were honoured by the coaching staff as ‘Junior Ironman Call Up Players.’ Junior head coach Mike Seselja, who organizes the Nanoose Bay Halloween Walk involving the Whalers football team, congratulated players who took part in the annual fundraising event. The Whalers program will receive $17,036 and put more than $180 in cash donations, with $5,678 being donated to the the Nanoose Bay Elementary School and $500 to the District 69 Global Roams program. “We’ve been doing this for almost 14 years and it started off as a barbeque at someone else’s house,” Seselja said. “Three years later we did it at our house and then we decided to make it a fundraiser for a hockey team. We made $1,500 I think for the first time we did it. It was just by donation. That weekend has just ballooned into a big event.” The Halloween Walk attracts visitors from all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. The success of the annual event is contingent on the participation of players, the support of the Whalers parents, many volunteers, local businesses and also the community. “It’s a huge thing,” said Seselja. “The football program needs that money to carry on, to buy all the equipment, to pay the buses, and all the different things that you have.” Seselja pointed out two players for acting roles as pirates on the night of the Halloween walk. Brothers Oleksii and Yurii Katsevych were awarded the ‘Best Pirate Actors’ at the Halloween Walk. The Whalers are now preparing the for a AA quarter-final clash against the Pipers. The BCSSFA calls the match the featured game of the week that will be played in North Vancouver on Nov. 14. Williams wants to really avenge a earlier loss. “The last game, we were missing a lot of key important players,” said Williams. “This game, we should have them all back and healthy, just trying to dial in the game.” The Junior Whalers will take on the John Barsby Bulldogs in their AA quarter-final playoff match at Harewood East Artificial Turf on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m.

A program to help youths in Nanaimo get their driver’s licences can rev up thanks to a $50,000 grant. Nanaimo Youth Services Association recently announced a $50,000 grant from RBC for its ‘L2N’ driving practice program. The program provides free one-on-one driving practice for youths who face barriers to getting their licence. L2N, delivered in partnership with Snuneymuxw First Nation, has already supported 165 people, with 116 earning a novice driver’s licence and 12 getting their learner’s licence. The program is proud of its 80-per cent pass rate which it says is well above the provincial average. “In a city like Nanaimo, a driver’s license is more than a piece of plastic, it’s a key to a future,” said Anthony Maki, director of the L2N program at NYSA, in a press release. Nicole Slater, RBC’s incoming regional vice-president for north Vancouver Island, said in the release staff at bank branches in Nanaimo see young people facing challenges every day. “The L2N program provides a direct, practical solution that helps youth build a better future for themselves right here in our community,” she said.

A man who locked himself in a Nanaimo house and potentially had a gun has been apprehended and taken to hospital. The incident took place at Bowstring Close, near Departure Bay Road, Saturday, Nov. 8 at approximately noon, according to reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson, and it involved a person who was thought to be having a “mental health crisis.” The man was said to be acting “erractically” this morning. “Given that situation, the street was shut down,” said O’Brien. “Our emergency response team was called in, with hostage negotiator, and after a certain period of time, the individual was removed from the home, apprehended under the (B.C.) Mental Health Act, taken to hospital for psychiatric examination.” No shots were fired at police, according to O’Brien, but officers did utilize “less-than-lethal” ammunition, which did not significantly injure the man and the home has been secured. A search warrant is being prepared to allow RCMP officers to search the home for any firearms, the reserve constable said. It is not known whether the man was under the influence of illicit substances.

Guitar may not be everyone’s first thought when it comes to classical compositions, but when listening to the music of Ferdinando Carulli, guitar becomes a gateway to the late 18th century. The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra is starting its 2025-26 season on Saturday, Nov. 15, featuring guest classical guitar soloist Alan Rinehart playing Carulli’s baroque Guitar Concerto in E Minor, Opus 140. “It’s not a big piece, in terms of sound, but it follows a very typical classical form,” Rinehart told the News Bulletin. “You think of Mozart or Haydn if they had written a guitar concerto, it would be similar sounding to that.” Rinehart began playing classical guitar 50 years ago, and since then co-founded the Vancouver Guitar Quartet, released 10 solo CDs, and taught in the music departments at Vancouver Community College and the University of British Columbia. The musician said when he picked up the guitar in the early 1970s he was drawn into rock and folk, but that didn’t last long. “When I heard a classical guitarist and heard recordings it really caught my interest and I was hooked,” he said. “It became a real, total vocation for me and I have been doing it ever since.” Rinehart said anyone who studies classical guitar will come across Carulli as a fundamental musician in the genre. “He wrote a tremendous amount of music for early playing, and he wrote a lot of music for solo guitar but he really shines when he writes chamber music. It’s a real little gem in three short movements, about 16 minutes long. It has some moments of real beauty and moments of real drama.” The end result is what Rinehart considers a ‘conversation’ between the guitarist and the orchestra throughout the piece. “The orchestra makes a statement, the guitar answers the statement … then there’s some combined playing.” Other music attendees can expect in the upcoming show includes Vivaldi’s Concerto Alla Rustica, Tomaso Albinoni’s Sinfonia a Cinq, Opus 2 and Dag Wirén’s Serenade for Strings. “It’s an appealing program, it’s not going to be too intellectual or too unpleasantly modern,” the guitarist said. Titled Sweet Strings, the show takes place on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Ladysmith. Admission is $25 for adults, $5 for students and free for those under 13. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.nanaimochamberorchestra.com [http://www.nanaimochamberorchestra.com].

To the editor, As Remembrance Day draws near, our thoughts turn to the immense sacrifices of the men and women of our armed forces who bravely gave their lives for the freedoms we cherish today. Equally vital yet often overlooked are the merchant marines. These men and women, while operating under perilous conditions, were the lifeblood of the war effort, transporting troops and essential supplies such as weapons, food, fuel, clothing, etc. Their ships were frequently targeted by enemy forces leading to a high casualty rate. Thankfully, even today the brave merchant marines, in spite of being a highly hazardous industry, continue to ensure the global flow of goods. Just look what goes on in the Red Sea off of Yemen. Therefore, let us all collectively honour and remember all the brave men and women who served and still serve in our armed forces and our courageous merchant marines. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude and must keep their stories alive. Lest we forget. Patricia MacKay, Nanaimo — The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press Media or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. Letters policy: Letters should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Preference is given to letters expressing an opinion on issues of local relevance or responding to items published in the News Bulletin. Include your address (it won’t be published) and a first name or two initials, and a surname. Unsigned letters will not be published. Mail: Letters, Nanaimo News Bulletin, 777 Poplar St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 2H7 E-mail: editor@nanaimobulletin.com

Over the past few years, there has been a definite increase in the number of restaurants serving ramen in Victoria, either as a menu item or as the feature dish. Of the latter, one of the newest is Kinton Ramen in the new Customs House building between Lulu Lemon and Starbucks. Kinton Ramen is a Canadian chain with 52 locations across the country. Victoria’s rendition offers a modern interior of open ceilings with exposed ductwork, polished concrete floors, dark colours enlivened with orange pine-topped tables and backless benches, and lustrous golden-tiled wall panels. A yellow neon sign at the back advertises “A Bowl of Happiness.” Ramen is a Japanese street food, but at Kinton it is served restaurant-style. Fast food without the counter and menu boards, but as one would expect of any successful fast-food chain, the table menu is well laid out. Columns offer pork, chicken, beef or vegetarian, while crossing rows offer different styles of preparation: original, shoyu, miso, spicy garlic and spicy jalapeño. One selects from the grid, then chooses between thin, thick or Shirataki noodles, the latter of which are gluten free because they are made from potatoes. Bowls are all of one size and priced at $16.99 or $17.99. But of course, if you’re hungry, you can make that a combo. The Meal for One ($25.99) offers any ramen bowl, a choice of pork or vegetable gyozas or Tokyo Fries (topped with bonito flakes and shredded nori) and a Coca-Cola product beverage. Meals for two ($44.99) and for four ($87.99) are also available. An unusual twist is the Beer/Sake combo ($23.99), which gives you any ramen bowl plus a 16-ounce glass of Sapporo Draft beer and a 5-ounce glass of “house” sake. I and my dining partner, Carla, opt to pass on the beverages and order a bowl and a gyoza each. Carla chooses the basic Original Pork bowl with thin noodles, so I go bold, opting for the Spicy Garlic Beef bowl with thick noodles, to which I added a seasoned egg. And, as she chose the pork Gyoza, I go with the veggie. Gyoza ($6.99) is a Japanese dumpling, similar in style to a Chinese pot-sticker. Kinton serves them four to a plate, topped with a sweet chili sauce. Though the pork gyozas are good, Carla and I both prefer the vegetarian version for its fresher flavours that I find work particularly well with her Original Pork Ramen. Her bowl features a smooth cream-based sauce with a seasoned egg included, sea salt, nori, bamboo shoots, scallions and wood ear mushrooms in addition to slivers of fatty side pork (the same cut as side bacon, but without cure or smoke). The overall impression is smooth umami, almost bland, which I find preferable to the raw searing heat that dominates my bowl. I can barely make out the flavours of the beef broth, horseradish, bamboo shoots, scallions and garlic. My seasoned egg is perfectly boiled to a medium yolk (bright yellow with a jammy texture), and the large, thin, two-bite slices of tender grainy beef brisket are delectable, but neither is enough to compensate for the brutal deployment of chili oil. I can tolerate a lot of heat, but no matter the intensity, spice should always work with the other flavours, adding another layer to a complex, harmonious whole. This heat does not do that. I haven’t tried every ramen house in the city, but the ones I have visited our proud to offer in-house-made noodles. At Kinton, my server wasn’t sure. My takeaway is that this is fast food that will fill a belly at a reasonable price, but it’s not the promised “bowl of happiness.” Kinton Ramen 813 Wharf Street 250 590 9699 kintonramen.com

A sea of poppies and quiet reflection will fill Trafalgar/Pro Patria Royal Canadian Legion Branch #292 on Nov. 11, as the Victoria branch once again opens its doors for Remembrance Day. The day begins at the cenotaph at the B.C. legislature, where members of the legion will take part in the parade and wreath-laying ceremony before returning to the branch to continue the day’s events. Doors open at noon (411 Gorge Rd. E) upon the arrival of the Poppy Parade, followed by a lineup of performances including the Victoria Police Band at 12:30 p.m., the Canadian College of Performing Arts, the Victoria Police Chorus, the Castle-Carey Pipe Band, and The BackBeat Band. For branch president Bill Wilson, Nov. 11 is not just a date on the calendar, it’s a time to pause, connect, and remember. “As president of the branch, it’s a bit of a zenith for us,” said Wilson, who has served as president for three years. “We try very hard to encourage people to come out, socialize with one another, and recollect. Many of the folks at our branch are service veterans, and this is an opportunity for them to feel good about what they’ve undertaken in their lives and the contributions they’ve made to Canadian society.” Wilson said the meaning of Remembrance Day often extends beyond the battlefield. “It’s not a celebration of war,” he said. “It’s a recognition of the sacrifice that people have taken on. When I walked through the graveyards in Europe from World War One, seeing the age of those young men, it’s absolutely overwhelming. There’s no celebration in that. It’s a recognition and a collective sharing of wisdom from experience.” Wilson’s dedication to the legion stems from a personal connection. His father served in the Second World War in Burma, an experience that left lasting emotional scars. ”He survived without any physical damage, but he sure as heck had some emotional ones,” Wilson said. “I think part of my involvement comes from wanting to recognize the risks my father took with his life, and to do my small part to give back.” Under Wilson’s leadership, Branch #292 has grown significantly, both in membership and impact. The legion donates roughly $100,000 each year to veterans’ charities and emergency assistance programs, while also serving thousands of meals to community members. Wilson said he’s grateful for the City of Victoria’s recent decision to include the branch in its permissive tax exemption for nonprofits, which totals $512,714.20 between 2026 and 2028. “It’s an amazingly positive decision by city council,” he said. “That kind of support allows us to keep raising funds and helping local veterans, some of whom are living rough right here in Victoria. We’re proud of the work we do, and Remembrance Day is when it all comes together. It’s when we stop, remember, and remind each other why this matters.”

The climate action plan entrenched in the draft OCP is not sustainable. No more electricity for EVs, EV stations, and all-electrical housing units at a density the power grid and Highway 14 can not handle. We need to revert to the 2010 OCP bylaw. The provincial debt cannot be sustained, and the public can pay no more. Do the responsible thing. Tell the provincial government to take Bill 44 back and let’s let the people of Sooke design their town in a way we can afford, and to protect our beautiful landscape, water and economy. Net zero is way too costly to build, let alone buy, and is insane as we need the CO2 to create oxygen from our trees, grass and ocean, so we have life. Now, even Bill Gates is backing off on the climate emergency. He is saying we need to house and feed the people. There is a change happening, and this OCP has become redundant. Ellen Lewers Sooke

When looking to get into full swing in the Cowichan Valley, the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is above par. The club started as a nine-hole dream, after the Arbutus Ridge Living Community project near the Cobble Hill coast line north of Mill Bay had its initial planning stages in 1984. The 225-acre site, which had been owned by the Patrick family for the previous 15 years, was subsequently purchased in 1986 by Canadian Retirement Corporation Developments. The largest and most expensive vision for the emerging community catering to those 55 and older was a new golf course. The nine-hole course was designed in 1987 by Bill Robinson of the firm Cornish & Robinson, who had become well know for his golf course creations across Canada. Course construction commenced on March 17, 1987, and was in full swing for its official opening on May 13, 1988. By the fall of 1988, 52 more acres of adjoining land had been purchased by CRC Developments. After a proposal for an addition, nine holes received a 90 per cent in-favour at a general meeting of the Strata Corporation on Jan. 17, 1989. Cornish & Robinson were called back to get on course design. Construction commenced in April 1990 by the firm Hall & Lindsay, who were retained to do the entire job from the initial land clearing to maintaining the course through the third cutting of the fairways. The additional nine-holes officially opened and operated as such until April 1991. Fore-sale GolfBC Group announced on July 12, 2019 that it had closed on the sale of Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, which then became a semi-private golf club owned and operated by the Yi Jing Golf Club Inc. In 2019, Arbutus Ridge went under the ownership of Central Walk, which also owns some of B.C.’s biggest malls such as Woodgrove in Nanaimo, Mayfair in Victoria, and Tsawwassen Mills on the mainland. Thriving with drive the Arbutus Ridge facility has continued to provide outstanding value to residents of the community as well as golf enthusiasts both on the 18-hole golf course and inside the clubhouse. Very proud of its sustainability efforts, Arbutus Ridge has earned numerous accolades including the 2017 Tourism Vancouver Island Employer of the Year award. Arbutus Ridge Golf Club administrator Agata Atmore, beverage cart manager Danielle Yin and golf pros Andrew Hajer, and Jayme Young who had nothing but wonderful things to say about their time and experiences with the club. Atmore, who has only been working at Arbutus Ridge for about six months, was born in Poland, raised in Alberta and has been a resident of the Cowichan Valley for the last 12 years. A golfer of 13 years Atmore describes herself as a just for fun golfer and loves to try and get on the course at least a few times a year and since starting in her new role, being a mother herself, she loves seeing kids in action. “I have love to meet new members and see people have fun,” said Atmore. This is Yin’s fourth year with Arbutus Ridge and in addition to managing the course beverage cart, she also works in the Pro Shop and administration office. She said what she has loved most is getting to know all the members from as young as juniors to those age 99. “I really like all the members here,” said Yin. “I’ve gotten to know a lot them very well so I really enjoy those relationships.” Hajer, who has been in the golf industry for nearly 25 years, moved to the valley from the lower mainland 12 years ago. He has been a golf pro for nine years and celebrates his ninth season with Arbutus Ridge where he is currently the Head Golf Professional. Hajer admits while he still has some loyal clients that he teaches he now focuses more of his attention on the business aspect of the golf operations. Young, who has worked with Arbutus Ridge for 28 years, has been a golf pro for the past 25 years and what he loves most about his job is teaching kids ages four and up. He starts by showing them the basics such as stance, posture, grip, and ball position. “I love seeing the look on their face when they finally hit that shot that they hadn’t been able to do and see that moment of wow I did that,” said Young. “It is super important that you have those fundamentals down in order to make the proper and efficient swings,” said Hajer. Young also teaches a lot of junior camps throughout the year, as well as the Shawnigan Lake golf team. “We’ll see 200 junior students throughout the year within the various camps and clinics,” said Hajer. “Jayme runs a phenomenal junior league,” said Atmore. “He’s a highlight for all the juniors for sure. I personally know 10 kids who just dropped out of hockey to pursue golf because of him.” Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, which is open 12 months a year and only closes on the days that Mother Nature makes the green white, currently has about 400 members that play on the course. They offer annual memberships and their full play no-restriction membership is $3,650 for the year. “We are also open to the public, and also host public players and public events,” said Hajer. “Anyone can come and use the driving range, dine in our restaurant, or play golf here. A membership allows full access to the course, and golfers can play as much as they want. It also gives discounts in our restaurant and golf shop. Another benefit of being a member is that we have an opening and closing day event, our club championship, inter clubs that play against other courses on the southern island, as well as our Mens and Ladies Day, and Couple’s Day.” They also offer Men’s Nights on Tuesday for a drop-in fee of $75 per night, which includes 18 holes of golf as well as dinner and prizes. A Ladies Night is also offered on Mondays for $45 which includes nine holes of golf, prizes, and dinner is optional. These nights run from mid April to mid September; the last event for this season took place on Sept. 16. “We usually average between a $1,500 and $2,000 prize table every Tuesday thanks to our sponsors,” said Hajar. Arbutus Ridge hosts plenty of public events for golfers of all ages and abilities throughout the year. They celebrated their third year hosting a two-person team event this past July which Hajer said went great and sold out. “It’s a great format, and people have a lot of fun,” said Hajer. One of their biggest annual tournaments is the Arbutus Ridge Amateur, which is typically hosted during the second week of June. It is slotted for the June 6 and 7 in 2026. “We will host about 130 to 140 of the top amateur players from mainly Vancouer Island but it also extends to golfers throughout B.C.,” said Hajer. “This has become a very popular event for us and we sell out in usually just a few weeks.” Things were in full swing as the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club hosted the 2025 – BC U17 Boys and Girls Provincial Championship, which consists of one practice round followed by three competitive rounds. One hundred seven younger golfers took part in the four day event from Aug. 18 to 21. At Arbutus Ridge Golf Club any tee time is a glee time but golfers of any age can embrace their inner Happy Gilmore and break out their hockey stick nine iron and favourite NHL jersey for the club’s popular hockey themed golf tournament ‘Power Play of Prizes. Always quick to sell out and held in October, this year’s event takes place on Oct. 25. “Out of all our events and tournaments, this is my favourite,” said Yin. “It’s just really fun, everyone is happy to play even if they are not playing well. They just like to be with their friends and have a few drinks which is good for me.” “It’s a scramble tournament,” said Hajer. “You create a team of four, play a scramble format, and compete for prizes.” The cost is $600 per team to register with the opportunity to walk away with tons of golf related prizes such as clubs, clothes, shoes, bags and more. “We do a shootout from the top of the balcony down to the 18th green below,” said Hajer. The glass on the restaurant balcony is exchanged for a hockey rink board that the players hit between, so if by chance a bad shot is hit, it does not go into the crowd. Atmor said that last year part of the patio was turned into VIP seating. While the Power Play event is open to the public, membership does indeed have its benefits as those who have played in previous years get first priority booking. Hajer said they often only need to fill a small number of spots. Not all 144 participants get to have the fun of hitting from the deck; players have to qualify for the shootout within their team on the day and then the top 30 get to slice from the sky. But Hajer’s favourite hole is five. “It’s a fun tee shot and you have to hit it over water, and then between two treed areas, then once you navigate that you have a really tricky green,” said Hajer. “Where you place the ball on the green really sets you up and you can have no chance if you get it into the wrong part of the green. So it’s really about that challenge off the tee, and then that challenge once you get on the green. That’s my favourite hole here.” Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is still accepting new members. Those interested can either reach out to Agata Atmore at admin@arbutusridge.com [http://admin@arbutusridge.com] or to Andrew Hajer at ahajer@arbutusridge.com [javascript:location='mailto:\u0061\u0068\u0061\u006a\u0065\u0072\u0040\u0061\u0072\u0062\u0075\u0074\u0075\u0073\u0072\u0069\u0064\u0067\u0065\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d';void 0]. Another thing sports enthusiasts will ‘LOVE’ is the three indoor tennis courts that Arbutus Ridge Golf Club has to offer. The courts are a separate entity from the golf membership and are also open to the public for bookings. For more information on all the club has to offer visit arbutusridge.com [https://arbutusridge.com/about/us]. Their new website will be launched soon. “It is the only indoor tennis court facility from Victoria to Nanaimo,” said Atmore. All four staff shared a common thread when it came to their favourite part of the job, which they all agree makes coming to work fun: the club members and the regular pubic they see and the relationships they get to build on a daily basis. The hope is that all golfers enjoy the well-groomed golf course that the grounds crew provides for them, as well as their experience with every staff member such as Yin who keeps players in ‘good spirits’ on the course. “We just want them to want to come back and to make Arbutus Ridge their home away from home,” said Hajer. “We just want golfers, whether new or seasoned, to take the passion and the love for the game. That is what we want to instill with everybody that we interact with. “We want to make them want to come back and to hit another bucket of balls or to book another tee time with us because they also enjoyed their interactions with us.”

With Remembrance Day approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on what we are remembering — and who we are honouring. One active service member, who chose to remain anonymous, offered the following advice. “There’s a lot of attention paid to the war dead and to those who were gravely injured in major conflicts. The World Wars and other major armed conflicts like Korea and Afghanistan tend to get mentioned, but a lot fewer people consider the dedication and valour of people who serve or have served in our military and come away forever changed. Maybe it’s because people just don’t know.” It’s a sentiment that might well be felt by Robert Cookson. He served for 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and retired as a Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class and, during that time, he fulfilled more roles and had more experiences than most people will have in a lifetime. Even though his service isn’t the highlight of Remembrance Day ceremonies, perhaps it should be included. “I was with the first group of soldiers that went into Honduras in 1990. Our job was to help disarm (insurgent) forces as they came down out of the hills,” recalled Cookson. “We were unarmed, but luckily the other nations who were there with us, like the Columbians, were armed. There were a few skirmishes as these men came down from the hills because communication was bad and some of them didn’t know that things were ending. They showed up with their weapons and the clothes on their back.” Even though that situation exposed Canadian forces to potential danger every day, barely a mention of the mission can be found anywhere in online searches of Canadian involvement abroad. Another example of untold valour in the forces occurred in 2003, when Cookson was serving as Coxswain on HMCS Ottawa. The ship was some 200 nautical miles off the Baja Peninsula, acting as an escort for the submarine HMCS Victoria. A major engine room fire broke out in the night, and fire crews responded. “There were 241 people on the ship,” said Cookson. “We had just finished training workups to test the ship’s readiness for deployment when the fire happened.” Cookson recalled how the fire crews had to battle the flames in 20-minute alternating shifts because of the impossible conditions. “The smoke was so heavy that you couldn’t see a foot in front of your face. There was one man, Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Sidney Smith, who kept going in, leading each crew to the place they had to spray to keep the fire from spreading. He probably saved the ship that night.” Now, anyone reading the official account of the event might consider it a relatively unimportant blip on the military radar. Under the heading key facts, that report states, “Due to leadership and firefighting efforts the ship was underway again in a normal engineering mode within two hours.” What exactly happened that night will probably never be known, except by the people who were involved. Cookson and the crew were debriefed, and limits were placed on what they could say. “I remember standing on the bridge with the captain and we stepped out to see the smoke and flame sparks coming out of the stack. He gave me permission to go check on the crew and when I went to see the fire teams they were running on adrenaline. It was like they’d look right through me.” The event changed some of the men forever. “I can tell you that a few were so traumatized that they were never the same again. They were released by the military and took civilian jobs. For me? I don’t talk about it much, but it’s always in the back of your mind.” Cookson’s experiences are only part of the story. His wife, Darlene, was with the first group of Canadians sent to Afghanistan. “On paper her deployment was six months. What people don’t realize is that she was away from me and our two kids for a year and a half. They sent her for training for nine months, let her come home for Christmas and then, on her birthday on Jan. 13, they shipped her to Afghanistan.” “I was at home with the kids, and we didn’t get to talk to her very often, and you didn’t make any definite commitments for calls because, if for some reason she couldn’t call, it would have been too much to handle,” said Cookson. “I knew she was going out with convoys and hanging out of the top of Humvees with a 50-calibre machine gun, so, yes, I was always worried.” Darlene won’t talk much about her experiences in Afghanistan, even with her family, but Cookson said that she was forever changed by the experience. “Even today, she can’t sit with her back to the room in a restaurant, and she hates crowds. She also hates the sound of bagpipes, because they used to play them during the ramp ceremonies when they were sending the dead home.” But Cookson said that everyone that served probably has some behaviour that’s a result of their service. “For me, these days it’s when we have a power failure and everything goes quiet,” he explained. “You see, on ship, when something goes wrong, like a fire, they turn off the ventilation system and that background hum disappears. That’s when you know there’s a problem and, if it’s the middle of the night, you roll out of your rack (bunk) and get to your station even before the alarm sounds.” “When it happens, even now, a power failure will wake me at home, and getting back to sleep can take a while.” These are the stories that perhaps don’t get told on Remembrance Day, but they may be one of the things that we should be thinking of when that Last Post bugle call sounds.

The recent B.C. court decision granting aboriginal title to private property in some parts of Richmond should concern all homeowners and property owners in B.C., but especially those of us who own homes or property in Sooke. Why should this be the case? Because embedded in the new 232-page official community plan (OCP) – which council intends to pass before the end of this year – is the following goal: “Commit to addressing the urgent need to respect and promote the inherent right of Indigenous peoples, including their rights to the land, territories, and resources,” (p. 145). In fact, in the land acknowledgment at the beginning of the document, this OCP lays the groundwork for this goal by claiming that “[these are] Indigenous … land rights in the territory that includes and encompasses Sooke.” Further, deep within this lengthy, vague, and confusing document is Action 4.11.1.2 (p. 146), which requires Sooke to “ … commit to developing an action plan to implement UNDRIP locally.” The term “UNDRIP” stands for United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is a non-binding international declaration that the NDP government of B.C. has incorporated into DRIPA (Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act). Under this law, the NDP has completely failed to defend private property rights in B.C. The consequences are real: at least one Richmond homeowner has been informed that his mortgage will not be renewed because of title concerns. There are many other grave issues with this proposed OCP, ranging from very high levels of densification in Sooke (much more traffic) to numerous expensive net-zero initiatives that have not been costed and will result in much higher property taxes (to name but two of several other serious concerns). I urge all homeowners and property owners in Sooke to find out about the proposed OCP, read the whole thing (if you can), and contact the mayor and councillors to let them know that you oppose this OCP. Our future and the future of Sooke is at stake. Veronica Pemberton-Billing Sooke

Avery Brohman is no stranger to moving mountains. After raising $40,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters while obtaining her public relations diploma in Guelph, Ont., she went on to spend the next 20 years in leadership positions at some of the most reputable and respected non-profit organizations across Canada, all before joining the Victoria Hospitals Foundation in 2018. Under her guidance as CEO, the foundation has more than doubled its annual impact at the Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals. And Avery does it all with a passion for bringing out the best in the community. “I lead with heart – I care deeply about the work I do and those who benefit from it,” Avery says. This year, the foundation raised enough to double Victoria General Hospital’s surgical capacity for Island women facing gynecologic cancer; Miracle Gala donors contributed a whopping $1.7 million. The result funded a second operating room with a suite of leading-edge, minimally invasive surgical equipment. For women who normally have to wait up to four months for surgery, it will be a game-changer. However, as always, Avery is looking ahead. “It was a milestone for women locally, so that felt very good, but the truth is we’ve just begun to advance women’s health here,” she notes. “If you were to ask any gynecologist or an obstetrician, they’d tell you they work in a very underserved area of health care, so I’m motivated to help them.” Rates of gynecologic cancers have increased by almost 50 per cent over the past decade, and the demand for advanced care is rapidly increasing. Annually, more than 500 women receive gynecologic oncology surgeries at VGH. For Avery, the biggest fundraising challenge is to help people understand that government funds only cover essentials in hospitals – not the advanced tools, equipment and research that transform care. “In simplified terms, basic healthcare is free. But if you want advanced healthcare and you want the best healthcare, it’s philanthropy that moves the needle,” she explains. “Once people understand that, it becomes easier. It becomes a collaborative approach.” The Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s ‘It’s Time’ campaign is geared towards innovation, particularly in surgery, with a focus on enlarging a robotics program that will expand hospital capacity, increase access for patients, and ultimately recruit and retain the “best and brightest surgeons” on Vancouver Island. “We want to have advanced healthcare locally that you would find in the best hospitals across North America,” Avery adds. It builds off the career milestone she’s most proud of: bringing surgical robotics to the Island. Victoria is now one of just two sites in B.C. that has a surgical robot. “We had surgeons waiting 17 years for this moment. So many surgeons and caregivers are trained on robotics, and when they get placed in a site or hospital that doesn’t have the tools they were using, it can be challenging. Bringing such innovation to a community hospital was transformational. We want to be a centre of excellence for surgical robotics.” In such a high-stakes, high-profile job, passion is integral to success and Avery attributes hers to two different reasons. When she joined the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), something ignited in her. “I was moved by being able to support someone’s life and essentially save lives.” Then, her father passed away eight years ago. Watching him receive around-the-clock care in hospital was incredibly emotional, but also proved pivotal. “It dawned on me that I’d like to give back my skills to a hospital,” she notes. “Seeing what they did for my father, I knew that it would be the next step in my journey.” Greater Victoria is now her home in every sense, and she’s created the footing she needs to give her job her all. “I dedicate a lot of myself to this role. It’s personal. It builds confidence in the community when they know me and they trust me. But my home life brings me so much balance,” she says. “My husband, Eric, is an executive who desires balance too, and he means the world to me.” That balance is found through a shared love of travel, a network of friends who care deeply about the community, summer nights at Royal Athletic Park (they’re HarbourCats season ticket holders) and a nine-month-old border collie named Meadow. “We call it the home team – me, Eric and Meadow.” As Avery moves forward, elevating care at Greater Victoria’s two busiest hospitals, she does so through a place of groundedness, emboldened by the tangible impacts she sees in the community each and every day. “Health is such a cornerstone of a community. By giving back to our hospital foundation, you’re helping everyone in this community,” she notes. “Along with my team, we’re driven to deliver on sustaining consistent growth as local healthcare needs grow, and we’ve got strong momentum in the community right now.” Time and time again, she is reminded that pivotal moments don’t happen alone; they happen when enough members of a community act with strength and shared purpose. “A community united for healthcare can do so much. Experiencing first-hand how transformative and life-saving one single gift can be is not something everyone experiences, and we have the great honour to witness these everyday miracles. The relationships we have with our donors are never taken for granted; they are a treasure to us all.”

Growing up in Gordon Head, every neighbourhood had that one weird kid who insisted on being “different” in all the wrong ways. The kid who seemed to take pride in breaking every unspoken rule of decency. You might have to interact with them at school, or pass them on your walk home, but you always did so carefully and reluctantly – never letting their chaos spill over into your life. In our region, Victoria has become that kid. The once-beautiful “City of Gardens” is now a walking cautionary tale – a city caught up in its own virtue-signalling and failed social experiments that it’s lost sight of what a functioning community actually looks like. Mayor and council have traded common sense for ideology, replacing accountability with performance politics. They’ve rolled out the welcome mat for open drug use, normalized public disorder, and then acted surprised when crime and public anger followed right behind. While surrounding municipalities have worked hard to build stable, safe and responsible communities, Victoria has doubled down on decisions that repel investment, drive out families, and attract exactly the kind of trouble they claim to be solving. It’s like watching the weird kid decide that lighting things on fire is a form of self-expression – and then blaming everyone else when the house burns down. And now the surrounding municipalities are all expected to support the city as it spirals further into dysfunction. But the truth is, the rest of the region is tired of cleaning up the mess. Langford, Esquimalt, Saanich, Oak Bay, View Royal and the rest of the CRD are quietly but firmly backing away. We’re not interested in importing Victoria’s problems – or its politics. We’ve seen the results: encampments in parks, open drug scenes in front of businesses and a downtown that feels less like the capital of a province and more like a social experiment gone wrong. Victoria’s leadership keeps insisting they’re just being compassionate – but there’s nothing compassionate about creating an environment where addiction, disorder, and crime thrive unchecked. It’s not empathy; it’s negligence disguised as progress. And the rest of the region has noticed. Rather than acknowledging its own missteps, Victoria’s leadership has turned to blaming neighbouring communities for failing to “share the burden” – as if the region’s reluctance to adopt the same failed approach were the problem. Victoria still has the potential to recover – to remember that compassion and accountability are not opposites. But until that happens, the rest of us will be keeping our distance. We’ll wish them well from across the street, but we won’t be coming over to play in their yard – not while it’s covered in needles, crime and excuses. Fred Richards Saanich

Art and recycling share a long, interwoven history. Art historians have found scores of examples in which artists have reused canvases or repurposed sculptures to create new works. Take Picasso’s The Crouching Beggar for example. In 2018, researchers discovered that Picasso had painted the work over a landscape (believed to be by Santiago Rusinol) to create his own work. These days, the practice of reusing or repurposing material to create works of art has entered a new renaissance of creativity and conservation. In Brazil, artist Vik Muniz specializes in reproducing masterpieces with recycled materials that range from trash to shredded magazines, wires, puzzle pieces and even dust. Floridian artist, Derek Gores creates masterful collages with shredded magazines, labels and more to create portraits of women or images of everyday life. Nick Gentry, a London based artist has earned worldwide attention by painting futuristic portraits onto floppy discs (for you Gen Z folks out there, those are old computer discs). He also uses old film rolls, VHS tapes and more. As might be expected given the wealth of artistic talent in British Columbia, the creative use of recycled material in art has also taken hold in Greater Victoria. Victoria sculptor, Melanie Golder, has used oil barrels to create magnificent lanterns, old phone and wire parts to create a sculptural reflection on love and belonging, and a fascinating crocheted collection of discarded wire to create an interactive sculpture that mimics an evolving neural network. Shawn Wolf, another Victoria artist, has created his own take on the throne from Game of Thrones. In that story, warriors beat their swords into a throne for the new ruler. In Wolf’s work, swords have been replaced with discarded keyboards. “I call it the throne of nerds,” said Wolf. “I get a little angry about all the stuff we throw away and I like the idea of giving it a new utilitarian use.” Some of the most innovative use of recycled materials in Victoria can be found at Monkey C Interactive, where artists David Parfit, Heather Troy and Scott Amos have created and displayed a series of strange and whimsical sculptures and art pieces that never fail to capture the imagination of visitors. The pieces are interactive and the public can enter their gallery to touch and play the sculptures in a surrealistic atmosphere that is, well, very different. “We make stuff out of other stuff,” said Amos, whose business card lists his occupation as “Mostly Harmless Mad Scientist.” “We basically take old tech and antiques and modify them to give them new life as interactive art music sculptures,” Amos explained. “There was this family who had a hardware store in the 1950s and when it shut down in the 60s they took this cash register and stored it in their basement. Over the years their children, and later grandchildren, played with it but they eventually were downsizing and didn’t know what to do with it. It was of no use, but it had all these memories attached to it, so they didn’t want to send it to the scrap heap.” Amos and his partner reimagined the register and turned it into Registroid – a piece that has been displayed all over North America. “We added sound responsive LED lights and modified it into a tech music looping machine. Press the buttons and music plays and if you hit just the right combination of buttons the cash drawer opens and it’s full of candy,” said Amos. The motivation for the group’s use of recycled material is, in part at least, rooted in a desire to find creative ways to reuse things that otherwise would be relegated to the junk pile. “We give things new life. Some of these things are beautiful works of art in themselves,” said Amos. “Take the old ‘tombstone’ radio sets – those big freestanding machines with wooden cabinets and rounded tops. They put a lot of work into creating them.” “It speaks to the world that we live in today that we don’t fix or reuse things anymore. We simply replace anything that breaks. We want to change that, and our art does that. When we’re done with the items, they can’t be mass produced or reproduced. Every piece is different and a piece of art that can endure.” Monkey C Interactive can be found at 706 Fort St., and the work of Melanie Golder can be viewed at shimmerandflow.com. [https://shimmerandflow.com/]

Calling all adventure seekers and family fun enthusiasts! Get ready for an unforgettable weekend as Ukee Days, the annual extravaganza, returns to Ucluelet. The action-packed 3-day festival starts Friday, July 28 and goes through Sunday. Its goal is simple, bring together locals and visitors alike to celebrate west coast culture. “Our normally sleepy(ish) seaside town explodes in a summery haze of Live Music, fun, entertainment, beer gardens, KidZone and logger sports,” says popular tourist joint Reef Point Cottages. For 72 hours straight, the usually peaceful seaside town transforms into a vibrant hub of excitement, offering a plethora of activities for all ages.  The festival kicks off on Friday evening with a West Coast BBQ featuring all the delicious seafood flavours that make our region so unique.  Round that off with a Pancake Breakfast the next morning, and you’ll have all the energy you need for the rest of the day’s activities. One of the highlights of Ukee Days is the thrilling logger sports demonstrations that showcase the rugged essence of the west coast. Watch as skilled lumberjacks compete in jaw-dropping competitions, displaying their mastery of age-old skills deeply rooted in our coastal heritage. An eclectic parade that winds through the heart of Ucluelet on Saturday exudes the community’s vibrant spirit. You’ll witness colourful floats, local groups showcasing their talents, and a sense of camaraderie that brings everyone together. Music lovers will also be treated! From homegrown fan favourite Mellissa Livingstone to Beatles tribute band “The Taxmen,” the festival offers a diverse lineup of live performances that will keep you grooving all weekend. For those over 19, the beer gardens provide a perfect spot to unwind and raise a toast to the festivities. But the whole family can enjoy exciting contests such as the Ucluelet Community Awards, a boat-building challenge, and an “awwww-inspiring” kids’ talent show. Of course, no festival is complete without delectable food and unique shopping opportunities. Ukee Days delivers on both fronts, with a wide array of food vendors serving mouthwatering treats and retail booths offering an assortment of treasures to take home. With something to captivate every family member, Ukee Days promise a fun weekend that will keep you up and about from sunrise to golden hour. Friday festivities occur mainly at Ucluelet’s village green (200 Main Street), and the Saturday and Sunday fairgrounds are at the Rec Hall field (160 Seaplane Base Road). Some Ukee Days events may be held elsewhere in town; check the schedule [https://ukeedays.wordpress.com/schedule/] for specific times and locations.

After 11 hours of swimming, there’s not a lot that could give you an energy boost. But loud cheers from friends, family and supporters were just enough to help West Vancouver’s Scott Rees complete his awe-inspiring swim across the Georgia Straight last weekend. “Hearing the cheers on the beach gave me the fuel, the fire I needed for the last 200 or 300 metres,” Rees told CBC News. It’s a journey not often attempted, but Rees had a reason that kept him going. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentose, which recently left him completely blind. He struggled to get around independently before he got his seeing-eye dog, Kaleb. [https://vanisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/scott-rees-pictured-with-his-guide-dog-Kaleb-406x494.jpeg]Scott Rees walks along the street with guide dog Kaleb | Swim The Strait | Facebook “The mobility that I have received through having a guide dog has given me back that freedom of moving around the city, getting to work, getting to the gym, getting to lunches with friends,” he told CTV News. He wants to make sure no one else has to go without the intense benefit that having a seeing-eye dog brought to his life. Rees’ goal of raising money to help others to afford a guide dog inspired him to swim across the dangerous channel. During his swim, Rees was joined by paralympic swimmer Donovan Tildesley, who swam alongside him for the first hour. “That is truly a champion and an inspiration in my mind,” said Tildesley of Rees’s performance to CBC. “What better way to spend a Sunday than helping out a fellow blind person pursuing a sport that we both love?” After leaving Sechelt at 6 AM, Rees arrived exhausted but elated at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo around 5 PM after just under 11 hours of continuous swimming. Rees’s efforts in training for and completing the swim have definitely paid off. As of Monday, he raised $124,401 for the charity Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind to help visually impaired people access guide dogs, according to the organization. None were more thrilled with the success of his swim than his wife, Alexandra, and two kids, who you can see greeting him as he walks onto the Islands shores in the video below. To support Rees’ swim challenge, you can donate at Swimthestrait.ca [http://www.swimthestrait.ca/].

Living in a community where everyone cares for their neighbours is ideal for most people. According to the District Coalition to End Homelessness, Campbell River is a town that cares. They have been receiving many emails lately from people who want to help those around them. The offers are from “self-described regular community members who were looking for ways to give back,” said Coalition Executive Director Stefanie Hendrickson to the Campbell River Mirror. The catch is that many people want to help but are unsure how to do it. “There’s just a sense of sort of helplessness when you look at such a complex challenge such as homelessness and people don’t really know how they can help,” she added. But, as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way. “This is a very hopeful sign that the community is starting to become engaged and reach out more.” To help guide communities on the best ways to confront growing housing and addiction issues at a grassroots level, the Coalition has just put together a resource to help give a bit of direction. The document lists local initiatives you can get involved with and inspiring stories of locals who’ve taken direct action to make a difference. One big step to making change is learning more about the root causes of local homelessness. “A lot of folks they get a lot of their information from social media, and a lot of what you hear on social media simply doesn’t have a lot of truth to it,” she said. “we wanted to give folks like a place to start to really find evidence-informed and data-driven resources so that people can learn about the causes of homelessness.” The Coalition hopes the document can become a community project in itself. They’re not looking to preach about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. They want to hear from anyone with other ideas or projects worth sharing, so they can grow the resource over time and benefit everyone. “We’re happy to consider additions or alterations to this document, and we hope that it will sort of evolve over time,” she said. You can review the document here and contact the Coalition [https://www.facebook.com/crdceh/] if you have other questions or want to contribute more resources. Living in a community where everyone cares for their neighbours is ideal for most people. According to the District Coalition to End Homelessness, Campbell River is a town that cares. They have been receiving many emails lately from people who want to help those around them. The offers are from “self-described regular community members who were looking for ways to give back,” said coalition executive director Stefanie Hendrickson to the Campbell River Mirror. The catch is that many people want to help but are unsure how to do it. “There’s just a sense of sort of helplessness when you look at such a complex challenge such as homelessness and people don’t really know how they can help,” she added. But, as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way. “This is a very hopeful sign that the community is starting to become engaged and reach out more.” To help guide communities on the best ways to confront growing housing and addiction issues at a grassroots level, the Coalition has just put together a resource to help give a bit of direction. The document lists local initiatives you can get involved with and inspiring stories of locals who’ve taken direct action to make a difference. One big step to making change is learning more about the root causes of local homelessness. “A lot of folks they get a lot of their information from social media, and a lot of what you hear on social media simply doesn’t have a lot of truth to it,” she said. “we wanted to give folks like a place to start to really find evidence-informed and data-driven resources so that people can learn about the causes of homelessness.” The Coalition hopes the document can become a community project in itself. They’re not looking to preach about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. They want to hear from anyone with other ideas or projects worth sharing, so they can grow the resource over time and benefit everyone. “We’re happy to consider additions or alterations to this document, and we hope that it will sort of evolve over time,” she said. You can review the document here and contact the Coalition [https://www.facebook.com/crdceh/] if you have other questions or want to contribute more resources. Living in a community where everyone cares for their neighbours is ideal for most people. According to the District Coalition to End Homelessness, Campbell River is a town that cares. They have been receiving many emails lately from people who want to help those around them. The offers are from “self-described regular community members who were looking for ways to give back,” said coalition executive director Stefanie Hendrickson to the Campbell River Mirror. The catch is that many people want to help but are unsure how to do it. “There’s just a sense of sort of helplessness when you look at such a complex challenge such as homelessness and people don’t really know how they can help,” she added. But, as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way. “This is a very hopeful sign that the community is starting to become engaged and reach out more.” To help guide communities on the best ways to confront growing housing and addiction issues at a grassroots level, the Coalition has just put together a resource to help give a bit of direction. The document lists local initiatives you can get involved with and inspiring stories of locals who’ve taken direct action to make a difference. One big step to making change is learning more about the root causes of local homelessness. “A lot of folks they get a lot of their information from social media, and a lot of what you hear on social media simply doesn’t have a lot of truth to it,” she said. “we wanted to give folks like a place to start to really find evidence-informed and data-driven resources so that people can learn about the causes of homelessness.” The Coalition hopes the document can become a community project in itself. They’re not looking to preach about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. They want to hear from anyone with other ideas or projects worth sharing, so they can grow the resource over time and benefit everyone. “We’re happy to consider additions or alterations to this document, and we hope that it will sort of evolve over time,” she said. You can review the document here and contact the Coalition [https://www.facebook.com/crdceh/] if you have other questions or want to contribute more resources.

It’s right out of the X Files, except its not fiction. At least according to a recent whistleblower. If you haven’t heard about the wild hearing that’s been going on in US Congress yet, you’re in for a ride. David Grusch, who led the analysis of “unexplained anomalous phenomena” (UAP) within a US Department of Defense agency until 2023, has been publically airing US intelligence’s alleged dirty laundry for the last few days. Grusch’s main claim – the government has had evidence of extraterrestrial life for decades. The hearing was prompted by claims from Grusch this past spring that the government was secretly harbouring alien spacecraft. He’s now repeated many of his former allegations under oath, saying he’d been informed of a decade-long program that retrieves and reverse engineers UAPs (the more modern name for UFOs). US Federal law makes it a crime to “knowingly and willfully” give “materially” false statements  [https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001]to Congress. If found to be lying Grusch could face up to five years in prison. “As I’ve stated publicly already in my NewsNation interview, biologics came with some of these recoveries,” Grusch said. These “biologics” were reported as “Non-human, and that was the assessment of people with direct knowledge on the program I talked to, that are currently still on the program.” This allegation might shock some – or seem like old news to others – Grusch is far from the first person to make similar claims. “The story aligns with a lot of similar stories that have played out, going back to the 1980s and 1970s, that together allege that the US government has kept an incredible secret, the literal most extraordinary secret that mankind could have, for not just weeks or months, but years.” Garrett Graff, a journalist and historian writing a book [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/UFO/Garrett-M-Graff/9781982196776] on the US government’s hunt for UFOs, told the Guardian. Van Isle has been a hotspot for claims that could back up the existence of aliens – including evidence of UFOs that has yet to be ruled out. One of the most intriguing “UFO” sightings was by Duncan local Hannah McRoberts. She took a photo on October 8, 1981, at about 11:OO AM, which to this day has yet to be disputed as a fake. She said she was just trying to capture the mountain landscape and only noticed a distinctly UFO-looking object hovering in one photo after she got back the film’s negatives. [https://vanisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Best-UFO-Photo-Ever-Taken-1-988x494.jpg] Analyses of the original negative included micro-densitometry, computer enhancements, and other measurements intent upon showing a support thread, atmospheric disturbance, or other evidence of a hoax. No evidence of a hoax was ever found, and the pictured UFO remains a strange unknown. Besides McRobert’s “accidental” photograph, 1981 was apparently the year for alien vacations to Duncan. The “Duncan UFO Sighting” was another craze well-documented in the media that year. Multiple witnesses saw a large, brightly lit object with a triangular shape hovering silently over the area for several minutes before vanishing. In 2013, another noteworthy incident occurred in Comox Valley, where many people reported a series of mysterious lights moving erratically in the sky they said were unlike any conventional aircraft or celestial objects they had ever seen. Beyond UFO sightings, Granger Taylor (yet another Duncan resident), fascinated with space travel, left a note telling his family he could communicate with extraterrestrials and was embarking on an interstellar journey before mysteriously vanishing. His story generated an entire documentary from CBC called Spaceman. [data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='988'%20height='494'%20viewBox='0%200%20988%20494'%3E%3C/svg%3E][https://vanisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Letter-left-by-Granger-Taylor-released-in-Spaceman-988x494.jpg]The letter Granger Taylore left his parents | CBC Taylor’s story and other reports like Lisa Nydahl’s encounter with a boomerang-shaped object (again in Duncan??) add to the island’s intrigue in the UFO realm. Whether the idea that aliens have reached Earth as a result of human imagination and natural phenomena or something more remains a subject of ongoing curiosity and debate. It will likely continue to dominate the news more than ever in the coming weeks. Van Isle will no doubt continue to be a place where people share their experiences and stories of the unexplained.

Tofino just changed their downtown parking rules from parking to paid parking. While some concerns over affordability for residents were raised before the change was made, the expected $220,000+ in city revenue was too large to pass up for most of the City Council. “Frankly, people paying downtown will largely be tourists. There will be some residents, but most likely residents have the opportunity to avoid the downtown because they’re not here on holiday, and they can make other choices,” said Aaron Rodgers, Tofino’s Director of Infrastructure and Public Works, in a meeting. However, new concerns have been raised now that paid parking has been implemented. Residents from Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Ahousaht communities rely on the 110 allocated offshore parking spots to safely leave their vehicles while they travel home by boat or seaplane. Forty of these spots are given to Tla-o-qui-aht, according to the District of Tofino. However, new signage has led to confusion for both locals and tourists. To avoid the pay parking, some tourists park in the offshore spots, which were previously clearly indicated as such. “Even if we have a valid permit hanging on our rearview mirror, we have nowhere to park,” lamented Ahousaht resident Curt McLeod to Ha-Shilth-Sa. He has even seen vehicles with Washington and Alberta plates using these spots. Until recently, residents could park almost anywhere if the offshore spots were taken, but now all other parking spots are paid, so offshore residents run the risk of tickets or towing. In response to the concerns, the District of Tofino has said they know of the limited parking in the downtown core and are committed to working with offshore communities for a long-term solution. However, in an email, the city stated it is “aware that parking is limited in the downtown core and cannot meet the demands of everyone.” They emphasized that all drivers must comply with the posted time restrictions. Offshore permits are free and valid for one year, and residents can obtain them at the Tofino municipal office or register online with their license plate number and proof of offshore residency. But there is not much point in having an offshore permit if tourists fill the allotted spaces. The offshore parking spaces are available on a “first come, first served” basis. Permit holders may park in unrestricted areas or time-limited spots with the applicable fee if there is no offshore parking. McLeod highlighted the importance of the offshore areas for residents. “If there weren’t offshore areas…we wouldn’t be able to park in Tofino. That’s really our parking lot down there.” The change has confused everyone, and offshore residents hope for a resolution soon.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, underwater cinematographer and editor John Roney’s travel plans were shelved. So the Parksville resident decided to take his camera and capture local marine life. “I realized I had the opportunity to just hone in and film our local wildlife rather than travelling abroad and capturing the more famous tropical creatures,” says Roney. After two years of documenting the waters off of Vancouver Island comes the short film Beneath the Pacific Northwest. “It was filmed all over Vancouver Island, a lot in Victoria, up in Nanaimo and Nanoose Bay area, some even in the north island,” says Roney. “Really what made the cut for me was trying to fit in the animals that people didn’t already know about.” Just weeks after its release on YouTube and other online platforms the video is already drawing rave reviews. “The reception’s been awesome from both locals and around the world, so that’s been really cool,” says Roney. Roney hopes that the project helps educate islanders and British Columbians alike about the beauty that lies beneath the waves. “I think people don’t realize that we do have some of the best scuba diving in the world,” says Roney. “Most people think of Vancouver Island as having murky dark waters and the visibility is pretty poor, but at the same time the amount of colour is just amazing.” To see the full video and to see more of Roney’s work, visit his website [https://www.roneydives.com/].

Whether you love it or hate it, of all the sports news, none seems to generate funnier headlines than Pickleball does. The exciting mix of tennis and ping pong has a generous fan club in the gulf islands – and a just as prominent group of haters. The reason for so many people’s vehement distaste for what most would simply view as a fun game is the record level of noise it can generate. Unlike tennis, which uses a relatively soft and furry ball, pickle palls are made of hard plastic, producing an almost gunshot-like sound with every hit. The noise can be so bad that it induces some pretty crazy behaviour from those living near a court – a Chilliwack couple just went so far as a week-long hunger strike in protest of the pickleball courts near them. Yikes. While no one has yet had to resort to a hunger strike, residents across the Island have staged their own forms of protest. On Mayne Island, a BC Supreme Court judge recently dismissed a case involving a group of tennis players who had tried to take over two tennis courts to prevent people from playing Pickleball there. Although the case has gone away, the struggle over the courts created a genuine rift between Mayne Islanders. “It’s been quite devastating,” Adrian Gowing, Mayne Island Tennis Association president, told CBC News. “You know, we’re in our little village here. At times we get on the ferries to go places, and now you’re sort of looking around going, ‘Oh, I don’t want to talk to that person, I don’t want to talk to that person.’ It’s become quite uncomfortable,” said Gowing. On the other hand, Pickleball has been gaining a massive following in the Comox Valley and seems to be bringing the community together. “Pickleball is fun….. Pickleball is competitive….. Pickleball is recreational….. Pickleball is social; Pickleball is anything you want it to be!.. YOU WILL LOVE IT!” says the uber-enthusiastic Comox Valley Pickleball [https://www.facebook.com/cvpickleball.ca] group on their Facebook page. They host weekly skill sessions and don’t seem to have gotten any public flack over generating noise – likely because the courts are mainly indoors and out of residential earshot. In recognition of National Pickleball Day, the Comox Valley group is hosting an Open House at the Rotary Highlands Pickleball Courts for their 500 group members and anyone else that would like to join! Will this be your new favourite sport? Or do you hate Pickleball just as much as pickles? Let us know in the comments.

Sparky? Fire Cat? Miss Mew? Or simply Cat? Folks in the rural Vancouver Island community of Metchosin can’t seem to agree on a name for the feline that has prowled the municipal grounds for roughly 14 years. But one thing’s certain – whatever his name, and no matter who you ask, he’s a local legend. Rescued when he was a kitten by Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop, Cat – as he is known at the Fire Hall – quickly made himself at home. “He basically took over the town from there,” said Lt. Jacob Lamb. While the Fire Hall is considered Cat’s main territory, the feline has free rein of the municipal grounds – a familiar face at the Municipal Hall, council meetings and community events. “He’s just curious, and he wants to say hi to everybody,” says Lamb. “And everyone loves him. He’s in our local rag (Metchosin Muse) every chance they get. “Everybody knows him – if you live here, you know him.” Lamb, a 10-year member of Metchosin Fire, remembers being casually introduced to Cat when he joined the department – and quickly realizing who was really in charge. “He’s top dog for sure,” he says. “I would say he’s only just below the chief in the hierarchy, because he can only give us a few commands like, ‘open the door’, ‘give me food’ and stuff like that. Chief can give us a few more commands. “He is part of the hall as much as the fire hose is part of a truck.” Over at the Municipal Hall, Sparky – as he is known there – has made himself equally at home. “Sparky is the Fire Hall cat, and he is welcome to come and go as he pleases,” reads a poster on the hall’s front door, complete with a picture of the animal slouched on the floor. “He is very friendly.” Next to the hall’s security alarm keypad, a note urges employees to check the building for the cat before locking up – another sign of just how seamlessly the feline has woven himself into the daily life of the council. “We have to make sure he’s not snuggled up on the chairs in the council chamber,” says deputy finance officer Laura Whitmore-Guzauskas. A municipal employee for 19 years, Whitmore-Guzauskas has worked alongside the four-legged fixture since he first arrived. When asked how she feels about Sparky, she tries to play it cool, but her true feelings are quickly revealed. “I guess I love him,” she says with a laugh. “I mean, if he wasn’t the Fire Hall cat, I would have stolen him years ago.” The deputy finance officer admits she didn’t even realize Sparky was male until a few years ago, calling him Miss Mew because of his unique cry. “It’s not like a full on meow, it’s just this little mew,” she says, offering her best Sparky impression. At the Municipal Hall, Sparky patrols the office like he owns the place, checking on staff, dropping by the planner’s office and visiting the mayor. He’s even known to stray as far as the community newspaper office and the local coffee shop. Some suspect, using his feline charm, he’s managing to rack up four or five meals a day. “As you can see by his chunkiness, he gets his full share of snacks,” says Whitmore-Guzauskas. One of those responsible for slipping Sparky a few too many snacks is chief financial officer Geoffrey Kreek, who joined the team last year. He quickly worked his way into Sparky’s affections by stocking the office with every flavour of Temptations treats imaginable and an assortment of lickable snacks. Now, Kreek’s desk is a regular stop when Sparky makes his rounds, demanding treats, pets and attention, before settling down on his desk to take a well earned break. “Whenever he wanders up, he’ll claw up my pants terribly,” Kreek says, pointing to a few visible marks. “I’ve probably got more photos of him on my phone than anybody else.” Having a resident office cat has its perks, says Kreek. Not only is Sparky a welcome stress relief for him, he also proves a welcome distraction at council meetings. “He certainly helps at contentious council meetings,” he says. “When things are getting a little heated … he’ll just wander around and people get distracted – he’s a great benefit.” Back at the Fire Hall, the four-legged honorary firefighter is better known for causing chaos rather than diffusing it. Lamb remembers a prestigious event held on municipal grounds for International Women’s Day – community members and local dignitaries gathered for a plaque unveiling. “Cat comes flying out of nowhere and takes down this little baby rabbit right in the middle of the ladies’ little afternoon tea – it was a total scene,” he says. His curiosity has also gotten him into trouble far beyond Metchosin’s border. When the Capital Regional District hazmat truck visited for a training exercise, the inquisitive feline hitched a lift back to Central Saanich. “There was no confusion of what cat was in the Central Saanich Fire Hall,” said Lamb. “We quickly got a call telling us to come and get our cat.” Now in his senior years, Cat’s adventures are mostly confined to his home turf. “He’s slowing down now, he’s maturing and mellowing in his old age,” says Lamb. “He definitely has a pretty decent kill record around here for mice and stuff, but in his old age he’s not interested in hunting as much – he’s turned into a bit of a Garfield for sure.” Though Lamb insists he and Cat have more of a sibling-style relationship, there’s no denying the fondness between them both. “I’m not big on all of his manners,” he says. “I don’t like him walking on the table and he doesn’t like that I tell him not to. “But then it doesn’t matter. I’ll still feed him his treats and soft food just like everybody else – you just can’t say no to him.” With Lamb, Kreek, Whitmore-Guzauskas and just about everyone connected to the municipality at his beck and call, it’s easy to see why the legendary moggy has settled into Metchosin – embraced by a community that welcomes him with open arms, and plenty of treats.

The Regional District of Nanaimo plans to apply for a grant to purchase decontamination washing equipment. Staff sought permission from the RDN board, during its regular meeting on Nov. 4, to allow an application for $150,000 to be submitted to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund: Volunteer and Composition Fire Department Equipment and Training fund. The grant application is being done on behalf of the Town of Qualicum Beach, the District of Lantzville, the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department, the Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department, and the Nanoose Bay Fire Department. All the departments are eligible for up to $30,000. The money will be used to acquire fire gear washers which crews use following a fire, to decontaminate personal protective equipment. The washers make the work more efficient and provide the ability to reduce the carcinogens off of personal protective equipment. The RDN board endorsed staff recommendation to submit a group application for the grant.

Port Alberni is hoping to be the focus of HGTV’s Hometown Takeover Canada series. The show is a Canadian version of the popular U.S. series where small towns receive a makeover. Six public spaces, six businesses and six homes will be revitalized should Alberni’s bid be successful. In a report to city council, staff said the next step was to create a video about why Port Alberni should be featured on the show. Other Canadian cities, including fire-ravaged Jasper and Lytton have also pitched themselves as potential subjects of the series. The Scoop’s Nancy Wilmot did the voice over work for Port Alberni’s video, which features the mayor and leaders from Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations. If filming does come to Port Alberni, crews will be in town for five months beginning in April or May, with the show set to air in late 2026. There is no public vote on which Canadian town will be chosen for the show, the showrunners will be deciding which community they are most interested in featuring and revitalizing. A winner will be announced in the coming months.

Police have tracked down the car that was in the vicinity of a fatal crash in south Nanaimo last weekend, and are now renewing a call for witnesses and video. Rhys Edwards, who was 18, died in a crash on the Trans-Canada Highway on Sunday, Nov. 2, when the car he was riding in crashed in the northbound lane, near Morden Road. B.C. RCMP at the time sought information about another vehicle that left the scene, but now report that the vehicle has been located. “Both occupants of the Honda Civic … are co-operating with police,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin, B.C. Highway Patrol spokesperson, in the press release. “There is a lot of community chatter about this incident, and we are looking for more witnesses and video to establish exactly what happened.” Investigators are seek others who have “knowledge of the crash,” as they are looking to “establish a timeline for all vehicles that were in the area. Surveillance video is proving particularly useful, police said. “These investigations are highly technical and take a long time, but with continued help from the public, we will solve this,” McLaughlin said. Anyone with information on the incident, or video footage, is asked to call B.C. Highway Patrol in Duncan at 250-746-2751, citing file No. 2025-2168.

Much of what Vancouver Island eats comes from the mainland and Island residents would be wise to strengthen regional food structures, recommended panellists at a Nanaimo economic conference. Bolstering local food sovereignty was the topic Oct. 29 at the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance’s economic summit, with insight from Sabrina Crowley, owner of Casanova Seafoods; Kent Mullinix, director of the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic; James Donaldson, chief executive officer of the B.C. Food and Beverage Association; Gaby Wickstrom, general manager of Namgis Business Development Corp.; and Maurita Prato, executive director of Lush Valley Food Action Society. Donaldson, who moderated the discussion, said agriculture, seafood and food-processing in B.C. accounts for $20 million in annual revenue, but is “really dependent on imports.” Mullinix said there is about “two days’ worth of food in our communities” and that’s because of the nature of the system that has been built over the last 70 years. He reiterated the current “transnational” food system is not sustainable and stakeholders must roll up their sleeves and build a system that is resilient and serves communities “economically and socially.” “We keep fixating on silver bullets … Our vision has to embrace the long game, and then we need to work together, all of us, and based on that vision of an alternative food system … we need to build an action plan, a thoughtful, sequential action plan, and build it piece by piece by piece, and that’s going to take a lot of thought, but it’s also going to take a lot of support via policy and regulation,” he said. “We’re going to have to attract and incentivize and reward the leaders and builders of an alternative system.” Prato said the history of industrial agriculture is based on slavery and chemical usage and there are benefits that come from supporting local food economies. Vancouver Island’s geography doesn’t allow for large-scale growing of a single crop at one time, and the Island’s largest farms don’t compare in size to farms in other places, she said, leading to a “real diversity” in what is produced locally. “I would also say, on the Island, because of the size, there’s a relational quality to the food economy,” Prato told the audience. “Often people are having exchanges at farmers’ markets and they know their producer or they know their processor. So that brings this relational, social quality where people are engaged in the food system, and the more engaged people can become, the better the outcomes for people that care about the future.” According to Crowley, Uchucklesaht Tribe member and councillor, there needs to more teamwork and collaboration to share methods and knowledge. “I do know what I need to do as a farmer, but going out into the marketing side is a little bit new for me, [and] connecting with those processes and saying, how can we make this work, how can we make this happen,” she said. Wickstrom said the industry has potential to provide more jobs, and also talked about ways to diversify offerings just from what’s already being produced. “There’s also opportunities within the processing hub that we can come up with some different value-added products. I think that there are spinoff opportunities for micro entrepreneurs…” she said. “We had an idea that we could possibly do a food box distribution, similar to what Hello Fresh does, but maybe not quite as detailed … I think the sky’s the limit.” The State of the Island Economic Summit was held at Nanaimo’s Vancouver Island Conference Centre from Oct. 28-30.

BY IAN THORPE Autumn weather is definitely here and following a heart-breaking end to the professional baseball season, focus now shifts to fall and winter sports. For many, what comes to mind first is hockey, with leagues up and running at all levels. That includes hockey for kids, most notably the Nanaimo Minor Hockey Association. Longtime administrator Vicky Long sends word that games are well underway for players ages 5-20, with 885 kids enrolled. The season runs through until next March, with leagues for co-ed recreational and female recreational teams as well as competitive teams. Amanjit Pandher returns as NMHA president for the season ahead, assisted by first vice-president Graeme Fipke and director of hockey operations Matt Hughes. Also on the executive board are female director Allison Schneider, competitive coordinator Brad Remillard and recreational coordinator Mary Pearson. Chris Lawson looks after risk and safety, Amanda Medforth is tournament coordinator, Heather McEachen handles sponsorship and community, Cody Gessner is referee-in-chief and Taylor Jenkins is equipment manager. The are six teams in the Timbits U7 league where basic skills are introduced to newcomers. A jamboree for the league will be held this weekend, November 8-9, at the Nanaimo Ice Centre. Four teams comprise the U8 league and six teams form a U9 division. For U11 there are eight recreational teams and two rep squads. Another six rec teams and two rep teams are in the U13 division. Both U15 and U18 age groups have four recreational and two rep teams and there are also two teams at the U21 level. In the female divisions, U11 has a recreational and a rep team, there are two rec teams in U13 and one each in U15 and U18. Most divisions will have a home tournament or jamboree at some point in the season. Prior to the start of the season, Nanaimo Minor Hockey Association held its annual general meeting. In addition to the election of officers as listed above, awards were presented to top players from last year, as well as to officials and coaches. From the boys’ recreational division, top graduating U11 player was Hugh Kenning, with Bentley Herman the top U13 graduating player. The Jason Gow Memorial Trophy for the top U15 recreational player went to Kyptin McLaren and the Larry McNabb Memorial Trophy for the top U18 player was given to Devin Krishan. From the female recreational divisions, top graduating U11 player was Clara Chan. Rae Gannon was chosen as top graduating U13 player, Scarlet McHady was the top graduating U15 female and top graduating U18 female recreational player was Anastasia Trenholm. Turning to competitive division awards, the Eric Kneen Memorial Trophy went to top player Sutton Ranger from the U11 age group. Joe Apter received the Dick Robinson Memorial Trophy as top U13 player. The Don Sarkasian Memorial Trophy for top U15 competitive player was presented to Chase Shahi, while Ryder Dawes received the Bud Dumont Memorial Trophy as top competitive U18 player. Recognition of Nanaimo Minor Hockey referees saw Jackson Rauh named as most improved official from last season. Malone Mann got the nod as rookie official of the year. Referee of the year honours went to Anastasia Trenholm, who took home the Rick Hodgson Award for her efforts. Coaching awards were also presented at the AGM. The Ethan Brown Memorial Trophy for rookie coach of the year went to Jake Heller. Nicole Sugiyama was picked as most valuable recreational coach, receiving the Frank Crane Memorial Trophy. Darcy Gudmundson received the Ted Holder Memorial Trophy as most valuable coach from the competitive division and Tyler Zubkowski was named coach of the year from the female division. Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair and show good sportsmanship.

If you're a fan of Monty Python, Mr. Bean or Dr. Seuss, then a British duo coming to Victoria is serving something up that could be your cup of tea. British Comedy legends James & Jamesy (aka Aaron Malkin and Alastair Knowles) are coming to the Royal Theatre on Nov. 7 and 8 with their multi-award-winning tea-themed comedy, O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy. The uplifting, light-hearted comedy features two characters who first appear at odds: James, who believes what happens on stage is make-believe, and Jamesy, who believes that on-stage events are real and the audience does not exist. “Theatre is in its essence an exercise in imagination, a suspension of disbelief,” said Alastair Knowles, who plays the eccentric Jamesy. “O Christmas Tea focuses on and plays with this distinction.” For over a decade, the duo – who originally met in Vancouver while working with clowns – have performed together. Each year, the show develops and the tours expand, Malkin said. This year, they're heading to 37 cities. The duo's show is reminiscent of classic British pantos, blending physical comedy, quick-witted wordplay and interactive elements. Ultimately, their show is about creating a "magical experience" that fosters a deeper connection between audience members. “At this time of year, we’re inspired to dream big and tap into our child-like imagination,” Malkin said. “O Christmas Tea is a show that brings family and friends together." Tickets for the show are available at ochristmastea.com or from the Theatre Box Office (250-386-6121).

Whether featured in Richard Wagner's The Ring Cycle or Mozart’s The Magic Flute, opera families notoriously exceed the bounds of dysfunction. So, it's a testament to their hard work, creativity and patience that real-life opera husband-and-wife team Anne Grimm and Benjamin Butterfield have proven family life off stage can be every bit as exciting without the additional drama. The Oak Bay couple met mid-career, studying at a summer singing program near Chicago (Anne being from the Netherlands and Benjamin from Victoria). They later raised two daughters, now in their early twenties — a dancer and a rower, but both good singers, too. Between being away from one another for long periods of time, conflicting work schedules and mood swings, wavering from the excitement of a good show to the misery of a bad one, the couple knows all about taking on tough roles. It's a shared passion for music, they say, that's helped strengthen their healthy and ever-evolving relationship. “Although being in the same business has its challenges, Anne and I have remained enthusiastic and philosophical about our lives as musicians and more so as singers, because it continues to be a life full of discovery and change,” Benjamin says. “We have always been supportive of each other through the ups and downs of this career and life. There is never a dull moment.” In addition to their singing careers, Benjamin and Anne have been teaching a new generation of aspiring singers at the University of Victoria for nearly 20 years. Taking on the role of head of voice at the School of Music, they moved back to Benjamin’s hometown in 2006. Anne joined the voice department in 2009 but now teaches at the Victoria Conservatory of Music as well. butterfield1 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/oakbay/2025-august/butterfield1.jpg;w=960] Anne Grimm and Benjamin Butterfield have taught a new generation of aspiring singers at UVic for nearly 20 years. Don Denton “It was the right time for me — and us — to create more stability in our lives moving on a bit from being solely freelance performers,” Anne says. Settling down with a family and full-time teaching positions has given both Benjamin and Anne another perspective on their craft. “Teaching voice in my view is a journey of exploring and searching together where and how effortless singing can be found," Anne says. "The human voice is something so personal and unique; there are, of course, lots of technical tools, but the magic of it all is something else and never stops to fascinate me. Teaching requires flexibility and adaptability, and I learn with every lesson that I teach.” She also encourages her students, and all aspiring singers, to stay curious and enjoy the journey rather than getting caught up in the results. “If your heart is truly in it, good things will happen." Perhaps, unsurprisingly, Anne and Benjamin’s like-minded principles have helped them both rise to be internationally-recognized singers, albeit coming from two different continents. Benjamin, whose Victoria debut dates back to 1990 when he took on the role of Triquet in Eugene Onegin, has since made appearances with the likes of the Houston, Montreal and Vancouver symphonies as well as at Carnegie Hall, the BBC Proms in London and the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Anne started being recognized around the same time, touring and recording with the Amsterdam Bach Soloists under renowned early music specialist, Ton Koopman, with consequent contracts at the Salzburg Festival, Ambronay, Potsdam San Souci in Berlin, as well as a recent tour to Australia playing Marilyn Monroe in Gavin Bryar’s chamber opera, Marilyn Forever. Both have performed regularly with the Victoria Symphony and Victoria Philharmonic Choir. Pacific Opera Victoria fans may recall seeing Benjamin in February's run of Rachel Portman's The Little Prince. butterfield [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/oakbay/2025-august/butterfield.png;w=960] The Oak Bay couple met mid-career studying at a summer singing program near Chicago. Don Denton “My teacher in Victoria, Selena James, always reminded me that singing is a reflex. If you want something to happen, it does,” he says. “I was always reminded that the body is very smart and the head is very foolish. 'How do you sing a beautiful tone?', I would ask. 'You think it, dear. You have to have the heart of a poet. You must feel the music with your whole being, dear.' “Singing is physiological, but it is not a condition that one must try to overcome through heady techniques that can complicate the phenomena that is the human body and mind itself. Learning to sing, in my view, is learning to find the middle of everything so that you can present the totality of anything.” Being a singer supersedes everything and can take priority over some of a family's most precious moments. Holiday occasions, or anything dependent on a fixed schedule and predictability, are often sacrificed in a singer's busy and erratic schedule. Benjamin describes the process as a recurring loop of studying, auditioning, practicing, eating, travelling, performing and sleeping. One can stop and enjoy the view as well, they say, but given the rigours of an opera singer's life, it's incredible that Anne and Benjamin have found time to work on projects together along the way. The past few summers, they sang together at the Sicily Music Festival and Competition in Noto, Italy, where they also both teach. They also sang together locally for the 30th anniversary of the Victoria Chamber Orchestra and the 90th anniversary of the Victoria Choral Society. But, Benjamin says the most all-time memorable was the Butchart Gardens 100th Anniversary concert with the Victoria Symphony. “Anne was seven months pregnant with our second daughter, and our first ran down the lawn with abandon to the edge of the stage, enthusiastically wanting to join us. What a glorious day.” When they’re not on stage or in the classroom, the couple loves to take an evening walk along the esplanade at Willows Beach or Ogden Point. They enjoy walks on Mt. Tolmie to get to and from UVic each day, and try to keep their garden in shape. “We like to go to the grocery store together to get away from it all for a moment,” Benjamin says. “We also just marvel in general at how lucky we are to live in Oak Bay and to have been able to raise a family here in the first place.” Anne and Benjamin are currently at work on a faculty concert for this coming fall, as well as an upcoming 2026 tour called Opera? Are You Kidding Me? that's already booked for eight performances across B.C. There's a strong possibility the finale will be in Victoria, so Vancouver Island opera lovers can look forward to a local homecoming. This article is from the fall edition of Tweed [https://issuu.com/docs/24cddd94597e70acbafbd1e66d53ae6e].

For many, the golden era of radio is a time of happy memories. Families tuned in to programs all together in the living room, couples danced to toe-tapping classics, and popular music shows drew millions of listeners across America. That time period lasted until around the 1950s, when television became popular. Pacific Edge Chorus is bringing audiences back to those warm moments with their creative tribute, Harmony Hits the Airwaves. The chorus, a passionate group of women who stage a fabulous musical production every two years, will perform live with dynamic quartets Cascade, Chrysalis and Rumour Has It. The music they perform won't just be from yesteryear — it will also feature today's chart toppers, appealing to a broad audience. Leading it all will be a charismatic announcer "on air", guiding the audience through the fun. Those who want to "tune in" can mark their calendars for Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m., when the concert will take place at the Dogwood Auditorium at Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Rd., Colwood. Tickets, $25, are available at pacificedgechorus.ca [http://pacificedgechorus.ca].    

Step into the creative worlds of 13 of the valley's most talented artists with the Cowichan Valley Artisans self-guided fall tour happening across the region on Oct. 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on both days.   This is your chance to explore the valley at your own pace as you step into 13 Cowichan Artisan Studios and take in the stunning work of 15 curated artists along the way. Discover the creativity that defines Cowichan as you enter the private worlds of artists such as Bev Robertson, Tyler Hayes, Jock Hildebrand, Ruth Warkentin, Live Edge Design, Laura Gosnell, Margit Nellemann, Laurel Hibbert, Catherine Fraser, Diana Durrand, Wilma Millette, Bev Thompson and Cathi Jefferson. For more information on the artists, the map and tour visit cowichanartisans.com [https://www.cowichanartisans.com/events].  On this self-guided tour art lovers will discover the special places where local artisans transform raw materials into honest, authentic, original works. It's a great way to connect with local art and the creators behind it. See where these talented makers make their magic open, and discover the wonder of watercolours, oils, mixed media, collage, glass blowing, furniture design and redesign, fabric and wallpaper design, printmaking, sculpture, and pottery. Also on Oct. 25, and 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., local watercolourist Jennifer Lawson will be inviting people into her original log home located at 1516 Khenipsen Rd., to experience some of her new paintings along with some nibbles. There will also be a free draw to win one of Lawson's original works.       

A free-for-all-ages Halloween bash with local music, makers and 'ghosts' will light up Market Square on Saturday, Oct. 25.  "Why we're doing this event is to get people downtown to support local culture and food," said organizer Sarah Patterson, who started organizing pop-ups during the pandemic to support local artists, designers, DJs and small businesses. Patterson is also the owner of Migration Boutique. Organizers Make Good Party, who run events throughout the year, chose Market Square as the location thanks to its proximity to many local businesses and restaurants, plus its spooky factor. "Legend says somewhere below Market Square an ancient stream flows, and in the 1800s, fortunes in the form of gold nuggets were found. This led to squabbles between gold fevering prospectors who were willing to do anything to secure their fortune, including… cold-blooded murder," the press release for the event reads. "The Make Good Party will be summoning the ghosts of prospectors past with flowing rhythms and gold sounds designed to make you jump out of your skin and hit the dance floor!" The event runs 3 to 11 p.m. and features a dance floor curated by Woodhead, a local DJ, music producer, creative lighting/video and event producer who worked on Rifflandia. DJs include Woodhead, Leanne and Sarah-Hannah, Gano, Audiofax, Dataist and Clark. There will also be a Maker's Market curated by Migration Boutique, a licensed bar, food vendors, ghost walking tours, a kids' zone, tarot readings, and prizes for the best costumes. The Market area will be indoors, and the party will be held under a tent with heat lamps. City of Victoria is supporting the project through the OUR DWTN Ideas Fund.  For more information, visit instagram.com/makegoodparty [https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fmakegoodparty%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUUd4WEx2TkRHSFVaYlp4WAEeewMsUdcyxxpVKTkxNC_Cp-RujhShV5aaEyO5zBVAapBsdyKYuY4FpViyMY8_aem_xgrd4FjLvUCSNA4MqV8kVQ&h=AT2nXZvTDONEQgBq7qIXxVAixJVi2B5N375yHT85Xr5yE0MGlhhnNe9V-cn3Gin4m4rXIgfs15fFyMlOkOzH45RanyKQ5IhxPDw2L-bD0WIGpsNZHRtlXdAFj2kBl1le6cH-ANzE3T56gjx4EvhshyjRw1K6FepL2hM&__tn__=q&c[0]=AT2RPrSgkLw_80Mg-olnRq0nR0SN7xqtSQzJIKMq76t4CtYuiucDKyZXq6Wx2_pyhhtRKrwYnhPwdHaYCb817OLNJ4-PGPQZOpy0uSmx3FuboJeV_wY_zmumqfS1kGpb6nzNgEJ0HqLN9m7CTFUC5CNtVJ1cRhgMSQE].    

Two men meet while walking their dogs, and from that small moment, a friendship begins to grow. That’s the premise of Frank and Percy, the latest production from Attitude Theatre, which brings the British play to Victoria for its Canadian premiere later this month. Written by Ben Weatherill, Frank and Percy first hit the stage in 2023 at the Royal Windsor Theatre in the U.K., starring Sir Ian McKellen and Roger Allam. The story follows two retired men who strike up an unexpected bond while walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath. What begins as casual conversation turns into something more profound, a late-in-life romance that explores companionship, vulnerability, and identity with warmth and humour. For director Tony Cain, the story’s themes felt universal. “When I first heard about it, I thought, this story could be happening in Victoria,” Cain said. “It’s about two men who find friendship and eventually love later in life. We don’t hear these kinds of stories often, especially about people in their retirement years who are still discovering themselves. Romance and passion aren’t just for the young, they’re for all of us.” Cain said one of the cast members even shares similarities with his character, drawing from his own experiences to bring authenticity to the role. With that authenticity, the show also brings several other real-life situations that come with relationships, including tolerance.  “Tolerance is a major part of this play. The characters have conflicts, they fall out, but they work through it. It’s a very real depiction of relationships,” he said. The show, which stars veteran local actors Malcolm Harvey and Jim Forsythe, has been in rehearsal since early September. “This production has been a true collaboration. Everybody on the team has contributed, and that collective creativity makes the show special,” Cain said. With a team of about 18 people involved, Cain described it as the largest production Attitude Theatre has taken on. Frank and Percy unfolds across 22 short scenes with no traditional set, just two actors, a few wooden blocks, and a rotating mix of sound, light, and music to create the world around them. “It’s all about the relationship and dialogue,” Cain said. “There’s dance, there’s music, even a karaoke scene. It’s full of life and laughter.” Despite its humour, Cain said the play carries a powerful message about hope and human connection. “This is what theatre should do. It reminds us that no matter our age, we’re never too old to fall in love again,” he said. Frank and Percy runs Oct. 31 to Nov. 9 at SKAM Satellite Studio, 849 Fort Street. Tickets are available at attitudetheatre.ca/ticket-sales [http://attitudetheatre.ca/ticket-sales.].

Wendy Donawa is an accomplished poet hailing from Victoria B.C. She has produced her third book of poetry, ‘The Time of Falling Apart’ which explores themes such as politics, personal memories and historical memory. “I suppose all poetry is, in the end, autobiographical, because it’s what you’ve been thinking but memory, personal memory, historical memory revisits as you revisit intricate situations and rethink about them,” shares Donawa of her poetry inspirations. Recent events also shape the poetry that Donawa writes. She draws on recent events throughout the world to create her poems. “I think you can see I write in response to political events. Questions of ‘how do you live in a world that is so dark? And yet not give up on love, on beauty, on hope?” Donawa draws motivation to keep writing her poetry from several areas. “I have an itch to express feelings and put them into words. I’ve always been keen on literature. I taught literature for a long time. Sometimes I think through something and I think sometimes it takes words, so I work on that as a poetry impetus.” Donawa is touring across the Island to do readings of her latest work, something she finds connects her to her readers and helps share her intentions with her writing. “Writing is very solitary. You can get tired of your own company. So to share it in a reading, particularly if people are responsive and have interesting questions, I think it’s quite wonderful.” It takes Donawa years to put together a book of poetry and she feels a burst of activity once it is published. Be it reading tours, interviews with newspapers or feedback from readers. “You have a chance to get feedback when it’s first published. It keeps you a bit realistic, maybe a bit humble.” Her book has been broken down into themes to convey her various thoughts, reflections and ideas with her poetry. “I did that because it is such a wide range that I found myself hopping back-and-forth. THe first section is my earlier life and understanding of the territory I was born into and that I’ve come back to. Then it sort of moves into the wider world. A more widely political section. And then I think the third is an attempt to tidy it all up.” Donawa hopes to bring a light to the darkness that is happening in the world. “If you don’t have the comfort of faith, and the world is getting darker, how do you welcome in everything that is positive and hopeful? I don’t want to waste anyone else’s time with me and my work either. I want it to be worthwhile for people and worthwhile for me.” She looks to her surroundings for inspiration and comfort. Her residence in Victoria looks out over the Salish Sea and she never takes having that roof over her head for granted. Instead, she has great gratitude for all she has. Including her community. “I think one of the great blessings of life is love. Love of friends, love of a partner if you have one. I have made friends of other writers and poets. Friendships are… one of the great blessings of life.” Upcoming events include: October 24, 7:00 Reading with Laura Apol and Susan McCaslin Planet Earth Poetry Russel Books, 747 Fort Street, Victoria November 13, 7:00 Reading with Arleen Paré Artful: The Gallery 5263C Cumberland Road, Courtenay November 14, 2:00 Reading with Linda K. Thompson Qualicum Beach Museum 2:00 Beach Road, Qualicum Beach November 23, 3:30 Reading with Arleen Paré and Susan Braley Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion 1070 Tilicum Road

The City of Surrey and its police board are caught up in a proposed class action lawsuit by former female police officers despite none of the six plaintiffs listed having been employed by the Surrey defendants. A proposed class action lawsuit by current or former female police officers against the City of Surrey, Surrey Police Board, 12 other B.C. cities and 12 other B.C. police boards alleges the plaintiffs were subjected to gender or sexual orientation-based discrimination, harassment, and bullying by officers and management of B.C.’s municipal police forces. Counsel for the City of Surrey and Surrey Police Board sought an order that would, prior to a certification hearing under Supreme Court Civil Rules, strike out the claims against them on grounds of jurisdiction. The case is brought under the Class Proceedings Act, with Justice Bruce Elwood presiding in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. None of the plaintiffs are or were employed by the Surrey defendants, Elwood noted in his October 28 reasons for [https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/25/21/2025BCSC2120.htm]judgment [https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/25/21/2025BCSC2120.htm]. “There are no factual allegations in the amended notice of civil claim of any acts or omissions by any officers or supervisors of the Surrey police force,” he pointed out. “Instead, the Surrey Defendants are captured by the plaintiffs’ general allegations of wrongdoing against all the “Municipal Police Defendants” and all “the Defendants.” The plaintiffs allege a “wide-spread institutional failure by those responsible to investigate complaints and protect complainants; and a workplace culture that enabled and protected perpetrators.” The plaintiffs are Cheryl Weeks, Anja Bergler, Helen Irvine, Cary Ryan, Lauren Phillips, and Ann-Sue Piper. “The plaintiffs seek to represent a class comprised of all persons who have been employed by the municipal police forces and who are female or were living or presenting as women at the time of their employment,” Elwood noted in his reasons. The defendants are listed as the City of Abbotsford, District of Central Saanich, City of Delta, Township of Esquimalt, City of Nelson, City of New Westminster, District of Oak Bay, City of Port Moody, Corporation of The District of Saanich, City of Surrey, City of Vancouver, City of Victoria, District of West Vancouver, Abbotsford Police Board, Central Saanich Police Board, Delta Police Board, Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board, Nelson Police Board, New Westminster Police Board, Port Moody Police Board, Saanich Police Board, Surrey Police Board, Vancouver Police Board, West Vancouver Police Board, Police Complaint Commissioner of British Columbia, His Majesty The King In Right of The Province of British Columbia, Attorney General of British Columbia, and the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “The plaintiffs allege negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional infliction of mental suffering, harassment, civil conspiracy, breach of privacy, and violation of their rights under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Elwood noted. “The plaintiffs seek to represent a class comprised of all persons who have been employed by the municipal police forces and who are female or were living or presenting as women at the time of their employment.” The women on behalf of the proposed class action lawsuit seek a declaration that the defendants breached their Section 15 Charter rights, and are seeking compensation in the form of general damages, damages for lost income, aggravated and punitive damages, and damages pursuant to the Charter. “In effect, the claim against the Surrey Defendants is the same claim that the plaintiffs propose to advance on behalf of the class members against all the defendants. It is, as Justice Saunders once described a proposed class action prior to the certification hearing, ‘an action with ambition,’” Elwood noted. By way of background, Surrey council on Nov. 5, 2018 voted to transition from the Surrey RCMP to a city police force. On June 29, 2020, the provincial government appointed the Surrey Police Board and on Aug. 6, 2020, the board established the Surrey Police Service, which became the city’s police of jurisdiction on Nov. 29, 2024. Elwood noted the SPS in March 2021 began recruiting officers and civilian staff in March 2021 and they became employees of the Surrey Police Board. “Initially, SPS officers were integrated into the Surrey RCMP, under the operational command of the RCMP,” the judge noted. “Although no date range is alleged in the notice of civil claim, plaintiffs’ counsel says the discrimination, harassment, and bullying of female SPS officers began in March 2021 and continues to present day. In other words, the proposed class action covers the entire period from initial hiring, including pre-unionization, collective bargaining, working under RCMP command, and ultimately serving as officers of the police of jurisdiction.” The plaintiffs’ legal counsel confirmed the proposed class includes police officers of all ranks, but not civilian staff. “As a result, it is necessary to consider the effect of two collective agreements between the Surrey Police Board and the unions representing the police officers, but not the separate collective agreement with Canadian Union of Public Employees (“CUPE”) representing the civilian staff,” Elwood noted. The Labour Relations Board certified the Surrey Police Union on July 30, 2021 as the collective bargaining unit for SPS officers below the rank of inspector and on March 10, 2022, the SPB and SPU entered into a collective agreement covering those officers, and then the LRB on Nov. 30, 2022 certified the Surrey Police Inspectors Union to conduct collective bargaining for SPS inspectors. While the SPU collective agreement covers working conditions, seniority and probationary periods, promotions, lateral transfers, remuneration, special allowances, court time compensation, overtime, employee benefits, maternity and parental leave, vacation and statutory leave and survivors’ benefits, Elwood noted, it has no specific provision against harassment or sexual harassment. The Surrey Defendants argue that the exclusive jurisdiction of an arbitrator to resolve disputes begins from the date on which the unions were certified as the exclusive collective bargaining agents for the SPS officers. They argued that as the SPS did not become the police of jurisdiction until after the unions were certified and the collective agreements took effect, that SPS officers’s working conditions “prior to that date were the responsibility of the RCMP,” the judge noted. “In other words, as I understand it, the Surrey Defendants say there is no gap in this case during which SPS officers may have had a claim against Surrey but no right to grieve their complaint under a collective agreement.” Elwood identified the “essential character” 0f the dispute, as argued by the Surrey Defendants’ legal counsel, “is the allegation that the defendants failed to ensure that the plaintiffs could work in an environment free from harassment, discrimination and bullying.” “The plaintiffs argue that the claims are not merely about working conditions. They say the essential character of the dispute is an institutional failure throughout British Columbia—spanning across all police boards, municipal employers, and levels of government—to keep the municipal police forces free from gender-based discrimination. The plaintiffs submit that the issues they seek to address are so pervasively embedded in police culture that this case is about something completely different than a dispute over working conditions.” Elwood said it isn’t “plain and obvious” the collective agreements provide access “to an effective remedy for all former employees of the Surrey Police Board who allege that they were subject to gender-based discrimination, harassment or bullying on the job. “The difficulty is that the plaintiffs have not pleaded any claims by any former members of the SPS. They have not pleaded the material facts on which a court could find that a former employee suffered gender-based discrimination, harassment or bullying that she cannot grieve under the applicable Collective Agreement. At this stage of the proceedings, there is no evidence of any claims by any former employees,” he explained. “In the circumstances,” he decided, a decision “must await the certification hearing and submissions on the criteria” concerning Section 4 of the Class Proceedings Act. “This Court does not have jurisdiction over claims against the Surrey Defendants that arose after the date on which a collective agreement became applicable to the bargaining unit to which the class members belonged,” Elwood concluded. “The question of whether, notwithstanding this conclusion, the Court should retain jurisdiction over claims by former employees of the Surrey Police Board is adjourned to the certification hearing.

When Ladysmith artist Sarah Leo began fainting without warning, she didn’t know if she’d ever get her health — or her rhythm — back. For two months, she lost consciousness regularly. Doctors never found a clear cause, but the experience forced her to rebuild from the inside out. “It took everything in my power to get myself back healthy,” she said, sitting in the cosy studio of her Ladysmith home. “This is the next chapter of my life because of that.” This chapter is one filled with art. Her creative projects span music, poetry and painting, but it’s her custom jean jackets that have become Ladysmith legends. Born in New Westminster and raised mostly in Edmonton, Leo’s family moved to Vancouver Island when she was 10. She later earned a Bachelor of Arts followed by a Bachelor of Education. She went on to teach high school, but the realities of the classroom and long evenings of marking left no time for her own creative practice. “I loved encouraging kids to believe in themselves,” she says. “But I realized I needed to take my own advice.” Then her body forced the issue. Leo began fainting several times a day. Once, when she collapsed at home, she called out to her Alexa smart speaker for help. The device connected her with her husband at work, who called a neighbour to help. Those were dark days filled with health issues and uncertainty, but Leo leaned on music to stay grounded. “I had never really listened to blues music before,” she said. “It’s people singing about their pain, and yet when they leave the stage, they’ve done something. They’ve transmuted that negative feeling and they’ve helped other people feel human.” That process of taking pain and turning it into something that helps others became central to her own recovery. “Art has always given me a way to feel better. Every challenge I’ve gone through, art has helped me get to a healthy place.” She painted, she sang, she took photos and she created a different kind of lesson plan: not one for her students, but for herself. She built what she calls her Bliss Checklist [https://sarahleoartist.weebly.com/-bliss-checklist.html], which includes music first thing in the morning, gratitude before coffee, a deep, slow breathing practice and more. That shift set the stage for an artistic breakthrough that started, quite literally, in her closet. On a previous vacation to Tofino, she had fallen in love with a thrifted jean jacket that made her feel amazing when she tried it on. She brought it home, hung it up and forgot about it. Fast forward to postpartum depression, health issues and a closet full of clothes that no longer fit. One day she came across the jacket and remembered how good it had felt in that moment in Tofino. “I found it, put it on, and I breathed the biggest sigh of relief that I’d felt in a very long time,” she recalled. “I wore it around the house like a lunatic for two weeks. I felt great. I felt like myself. I started going out again. I was going for walks. I thought to myself, ‘I have to give other people this feeling.’ Then I was like, ‘Hey, I could paint on these.’” And she did. The result is custom-painted jean jackets that make the wearer feel like a rock star. Each jacket order begins with a questionnaire Leo sends to her new client. “I ask, How do you want to feel in it?” she said. Clients provide their own jacket or choose from her inventory. Leo creates each piece digitally, projects her design onto the fabric, and then paints it with acrylics mixed with a fabric medium. Her signature style features text above and below a central image, with colour that seems to glow. Her clients are mostly local, and when she has stock, she sells in stores, but most of her business is direct and through her website [https://sarahleoartist.weebly.com/]. For now, her creations turn heads around town, but she’d love to see one on a red carpet someday and dreams of creating jackets for celebrity clients. The jackets range from $120 to $220 per jacket, but the real currency is emotional. Leo lives for the moment when a customer sees her completed work for the first time. She usually mails her creations, but not always. “Sometimes I drive the extra mile just to see the reaction,” she said. “They dance around, they scream, their eyes start tearing. It makes me feel so fulfilled to provide something that makes somebody feel that comfortable in their own skin.” That feeling is something Leo fought hard to attain for herself, always via her art. In addition to her jean jacket business, Leo is now an in-demand singer. She performs at venues across Vancouver Island, from galleries and universities to restaurants and bars. Her goal has never been about recognition. “It’s about how much impact I can leave in the places I’ve been.” Now thriving in both life and art, Leo makes her home a creative haven with her husband, Chek TV journalist Tchadas Leo [https://tchadasleo.ca/], and their young son. The family stays rooted in Ladysmith, a community Sarah credits for both inspiration and support. “It was the first place I really felt accepted,” she said. “People here take care of each other.” Surrounded by a caring community, Leo found the safety and support to care for herself. Now she’s inspiring others to do the same. “If I take care of me, I take care of everybody,” she said. It’s a philosophy that turned her own healing into art, and her art into healing for others, one song, one poem, one jacket at a time. web1_sarah-leo-before-and-after-sized [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_sarah-leo-before-and-after-sized.jpg;w=960]Now and then. Artist Sarah Leo stands with two of her hand-painted jean jackets — one created during a period of illness and depression, and another made after she found healing through art.

A Campbell River author has added another award to her resume. Shari Green was awarded the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People at a gala event in Toronto on Oct. 27 for her novel, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams. “Green’s gripping novel in verse explores the familial, personal, and political complexities of living in late 1980s communist East Germany,” the jury wrote. Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, and was also a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. The novel is centered around a 16-year-old pianist living in Leipzig, who tries to pursue her dreams during the months of protest preceding the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book begins in August 1989, and explores the pianist’s (Helena) hopes and dreams of becoming a conductor, disrupted by politics, such as the East Germany government’s ban on music such as Italian operas, Russian folk songs, and music from the United States, and even the Beatles. Her father is also a dreamer, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, and organizes protests when he is not teaching his university students to think critically about the world they live in. “When I was writing this book,” Green said during her acceptance speech,” I was struck by how often the events and themes of the time were so similar to what I was seeing in the news currently. And it reaffirmed for me the importance of listening to and sharing the stories of history.” In an interview with the Campbell River Mirror last October, Green said the book follows Helena as she is drawn into the protest movement known as the Peaceful Revolution, also known as Die Wende (“the turning point”) in Germany. The Peaceful Revolution began with a series of protests called the Monday demonstrations, which started in Leipzig on Sept. 4, 1989, outside St. Nicholas Church. Despite the Stasi’s attempts to crush the movement, the rest of the country soon followed suit.

It doesn’t happen often that a musical group comes along that redefines an entire genre and sets a new standard to which others can aspire, but that’s precisely what Gogo Penguins has done. The Manchester trio manages to seamlessly blend jazz, electronic and classical music in a way that is both exhilarating and wildly entertaining and their most recent album release, Necessary Fiction, is their most adventurous record to date. They’ve managed to retain their understated, cinematic sound while injecting expansive piano riffs, spectacularly sharp percussion and fluid baselines that set them apart from their counterparts. And that unforgettable sound is coming to Victoria on Nov. 17 when Gogo Penguins take the stage at the Royal Theatre. For those of you who haven’t yet experienced the amazing sound of Gogo Penguin, here’s a little background. They are an English jazz fusion band from Manchester, consisting of pianist Chris Illingworth, double bassist Nick Blacka, and drummer Jon Scott. They formed in 2012 and, as of 2025, they have released seven studio albums, two EPs, and three live albums. That’s the basics, but the band itself is so much more, which explains its exploding popularity in the U.K., France and across Europe. Their music features backbeats, minimalist piano melodies, and powerful baselines that have led to comparisons with modern classical composers Shostakovich and Debussy or contemporary minimal music composers like Philip Glass. “There were actually a lot of influences that we wanted to draw from,” said Blacka in a recent interview with Monday Magazine. “We’re from different backgrounds and each brings our own musical influences into the mix. Chris (Illingworth), for example, started out as a classical musician. I studied jazz double bass at Leeds College of Music and Jon (Scott) is a genius on the drums who has played for years and has this creative and flexible style that is just amazing.” “Really, though, we create music to feel the emotion of the sound, but it’s not an explicit meaning. People listen to us, and they bring their own meaning. They listen to it, and I’ve had people come and tell me how a track meant so much to them because it was the soundtrack of a particular event or crisis in their life. The same song can bring a sense of joy or hope or any of a dozen emotions out in different people.” The group has, to date, been able to create those feelings in their audience without any lyrical or vocal accompaniment, but on their most recent album, Necessary Fictions, they featured their first song with a vocalist, featuring British-Ugandan singer-songwriter Daudi Matsiko, whose smoky voice blends perfectly with the trio’s signature styles. “Daudi’s voice has been a friend for years. His voice is quite dark and gentle, and it really resonates with our music,” said Blacka. Victoria is the first stop for Gogo Penguin’s upcoming tour that will see them perform in a series of cities across Canada and the U.S. before returning to Europe for a tour that will take them across the continent for what’s sure to be sold-out crowds. “Success for me is to be able to do what we’re doing. Sure, money is always a part of success, but real success is that you get to bring something to the world that you want to say. We’re very grateful that we have that opportunity,” said Blacka. Tickets for Gogo Penguin’s Victoria appearance are available at www.rmts.bc.ca/production-detail-pages/2025-royal-theatre/gogo-penguin/.

Madrona Gallery: Ningiukulu Teevee | Nov. 8-21 | 606 View St. A leading voice among a new generation of Inuit artists, Ningiukulu Teevee bridges traditional stories and contemporary life in Nunavut through her striking drawings. Deeply rooted in Inuit mythology and the lived experiences of her community, Teevee’s work offers a modern lens on timeless narratives, blending past and present with sensitivity and clarity. The opening reception is Nov. 8, from 1-3 p.m. Tamara Bond - Plants and Animals | Nov. 22 - Dec. 6 In her newest series, Tamara Bond uses plants and animals as symbolic anchors for exploring human interconnectedness. Overlapping lines, colours, and recurring motifs invite viewers into layered visual stories, each piece a playful yet contemplative reflection on transformation, creativity, and our relationship with the natural world. Drawing inspiration from the imagery and language of children’s books, Bond’s vibrant works celebrate both the joy of painting and the beauty of connection. The artist will be in attendance at the opening reception on Nov. 22, from 1-3 p.m. Visit madronagallery.com [https://www.madronagallery.com/] for more. The Avenue Gallery: Bi Yuan Cheng - Echoes of Light| Nov. 6-20 | 2184 Oak Bay Ave. The Avenue Gallery presents Bi Yuan Cheng’s captivating ninth solo exhibition with the gallery, Echoes of Light. In this series, Cheng celebrates the beauty of the Canadian landscape through calligraphic brushwork, a mastery of light, and a refined use of colour. Born in 1957 and raised in Jinan, China, Bi Yuan Cheng began his artistic journey at the age of five under the encouragement and guidance of his father. By 11, he was mentored by one of China’s leading art professors, who honed his skills in oil and watercolour. Cheng continued his formal training at Jiangxi Art University and, after graduation, worked as a sculptor and created large-scale murals. In 1987, he received the distinguished title of “Chinese Art Master,” and in 1989, he was included in the prestigious Chinese Encyclopedia of Art. Cheng has been living and working in Canada since 1990. UVic’s Legacy Art Gallery: Salish Lines | Through Dec. 6 | 630 Yates St. This exhibit is a selective retrospective of the art and life of STAUTW artist Doug LaFortune curated by Dr. Andrea N. Walsh. Since 1973, LaFortune has worked as an artist in carving, drawing, painting, and serigraphy. Several of his totem poles stand in Duncan, and his welcome figures flank the entrance of First Peoples House at the University of Victoria. A carver for more than 40 years, Doug has been commissioned for various totem pole projects. This exhibition will include an archive of drawings dating back 40 years, and visitors are invited to meander through the decades of work. AGGV: a crack in the mirror| Nov. 22, until April 12, 2026 | 1040 Moss St. Artist Simranpreet Anand’s recent works capture the fissures emerging from her ongoing encounters with matter and material culture in our globalized world. Using plastic-laden material culture surrounding contemporary Sikh institutions as its starting point, Anand’s practice is indebted to familial and cultural community, engaging materials and concepts drawn from the histories of Punjab and its diasporas. Some of Anand’s pieces are collaborations with artist and ethnomusicologist Conner Singh VanderBeek. Also included in the exhibition will be works that consider the fabric of everyday life and its rich histories and contexts of labour. Deluge Contemporary Art: Meadow Variations | Nov. 7-29 | 636 Yates St. Vancouver-based multi-media artist and musician Lee Hutzulak brings his surreal and idiosyncratic vision to Deluge once again. Known for his long-running musical project Dixie’s Death Pool, Hutzulak has spent three decades cultivating a richly layered creative practice that moves fluidly between drawing, painting, and moving image. His visual and musical worlds often intertwine with his distinctive dreamlike imagery serving as both the visual identity of his albums and a reflection of the same imaginative landscape his music inhabits. This exhibit opens Friday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m. ,with a performance by Dixie Lee. web1_251028-obn-galleriesnovember-madrona_1 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_251028-obn-galleriesnovember-madrona_1.jpg;w=960]I am the Crow, You are the Crow is a mixed-media piece by Tamara Bond. (Courtesy Madrona Gallery) web1_251028-obn-galleriesnovember-biyuancheng_2 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_251028-obn-galleriesnovember-biyuancheng_2.jpg;w=960]The works of Bi Yuan Cheng are on display at The Avenue Gallery this November. (Courtesy The Avenue Gallery)

ECHO Players is preparing to welcome theatre lovers to the Vancouver Island One Act Play Festival, running Nov. 5 to Nov. 9 at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach. This adjudicated festival showcases a mix of established works and fresh new voices from across central and northern Vancouver Island, according to a news release by ECHO Players. Each evening features two one-act plays, followed by public remarks from adjudicators Eliza Gardiner and Ward Norcutt, with a final awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. Festival Lineup: Nov. 5 – 7:30 p.m. · Yesterday by Colin Campbell Clements, directed by Alistair McVey (ECHO Players) A Lady and a British officer, late of the Indian Army, find themselves alone, after escaping from a party. They begin to talk about their past, only to discover that they had met, long ago. · Going Avocado by Marian Buechert, directed by Gail Tisdale (ECHO Players) Five women find themselves in a holding cell after being arrested at a protest. They share the cell with a cynical stranger whose assertions force them to re-examine their moral assumptions. Nov. 6 – 7:30 p.m. · After Effects by Brian March, directed by Barbara Metcalf (Yellow Point Drama Group) On Remembrance Day, two men meet in a city park. Both of their fathers fought in the war on different sides, and the repercussions are felt years later. · The First to Stand written and directed by Leila Sadeghi A gripping psychosexual drama about a young actress on the brink of her off-Broadway debut. As she navigates an increasingly volatile relationship with a powerful partner, the play she rehearses begins to mirror her life. What unfolds is a haunting exploration of passion, vulnerability and ambition. Nov. 7 – 7:30 p.m. They Glowed Green written and directed by Kelly Barnum and Sarah Kielly (NDSS Performing Arts) Based on the lives of the “Radium Girls” — female factory workers who contracted radiation poisoning from painting radium watch dials using the “lip dip paint” technique. Poptart! written and directed by Ashera Richard (ECHO Youth Theatre) Tia’s excited to introduce her boyfriend Nick to her quirky, unpredictable family — but Nick quickly realizes this is no ordinary meet-the-parents night. From awkward dinners and bizarre family games to mysterious ‘energy jam’ and confusing rules, Nick struggles to keep up without losing his mind. With a secret safe word and plenty of laughs, this one-act comedy explores the chaos and charm of family, love, and learning to fit in — one wild moment at a time. Nov. 8 – 7:30 p.m. · Laundry and Bourbon by James McClure, directed by Dennis Hawkins-Bogle (Rivercity Players Society) The setting is the front porch of Roy and Elizabeth’s home in Maynard, Texas. Elizabeth and her friend Hattie are whiling away the time folding laundry, watching TV, sipping bourbon and Coke, and gossiping about the many open secrets which are so much a part of small-town life. They are joined by the self-righteous Amy Lee who, among other tidbits, can’t resist blurting out that Roy has been seen around town with another woman. · Poetry in Motion by director Mary Littlejohn (Nanaimo Theatre Group) Four fictional characters from famous poems show up in a waiting room, unsure of their purpose for being there. When the truth comes to light, they suddenly must fight for their existence. An awards ceremony is set to follow on Nov. 9. Come celebrate bold storytelling, passionate performances and the vibrant spirit of community theatre. Tickets are available at echoplayers.ca or at the Village Theatre box office.

It’s a truism when we say those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it, but for Pacific Opera Victoria’s artistic director Brenna Corner, the act of remembrance that Canadians undertake each November is far more than ritual – it’s a deeply human exercise in empathy. It was that profoundly Canadian thing — our understanding of war and sacrifice — that in part inspired her to bring Mary’s Wedding back to the stage in a new form. The powerful play, about a young Prairie couple whose love story unfolds through dreams and memory against the backdrop of the First World War, was written by Stephen Massicotte in 2002 and later transformed into Mary’s Wedding: The Opera by Massicotte and composer Andrew P. MacDonald in 2011. The poignant piece – reworked by the pair and now called Remembering Mary’s Wedding – blends spoken word, song, and archival imagery into a moving meditation on love, loss, and the way we remember. Massicotte and MacDonald teamed up to create a new framing device that recasts the story through the eyes of a modern observer. In the re-imagined work, a professor begins a lecture on Canada’s role in the First World War, but as he speaks, memory and imagination overtake him. His talk unravels into scenes from Mary’s Wedding itself – a merging of scholarship and emotion that blurs the line between teaching history and reliving it. The result is a piece that feels at once intimate and expansive: part lecture, part dream, and wholly about the way remembrance connects us across time. For Corner, the slimmed down, more intimate work fits naturally within what she believes opera – and theatre – do best. “Remembering is one of those things we do really well in theatre and opera,” she says. “That sort of storytelling and jogging memories and reminding us of other times and other worlds – almost building our ability to empathize with that – is what the power of art is, in my opinion.” That sense of living memory is amplified through the production’s use of multimedia and archival imagery. Pacific Opera has again partnered with the University of Victoria’s Special Collections and Archives, which created a digital archive for the 2011 premiere filled with letters, photographs, and diary entries from Victorians who lived through the war years. Those images – projected throughout the performance – weave the fictional story of Mary and Charlie into the real history of the community that surrounds the audience today. Of course, Victoria has a more than passing connection to the First World War. One of its own, Sir Arthur Currie – a former real estate developer and militia officer before the war – rose to become commander of the Canadian Corps, leading Canadian troops to victory at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. It was a battle many historians describe as the moment Canada was born as a nation. Mary’s Wedding was written around another pivotal Canadian moment in that history – the Charge at Moreuil Wood, on March 30, 1918, when Lt. Gordon Flowerdew led the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) in one of the last great cavalry charges of the war. In many ways, that brutal battle signified the end of an era – a moment where courage and tragedy rode side by side into history. Corner hopes Remembering Mary’s Wedding will become an annual offering – a quiet act of reflection woven into the company’s season and the community’s remembrance rituals. “I just didn’t want it to be a spectacle,” she says. “I wanted it to be an opportunity to continue what you were doing in the ceremony – you take that moment of silence and we think and we reflect. Music is so powerful. I wanted it to offer an opportunity for us to continue that internal remembrance.” Remembering Mary’s Wedding will be performed Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Baumann Centre (3 and 7 p.m.) and on 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Royal Roads University’s Dogwood Auditorium, where veterans and service members will be welcomed as honoured guests.

Caryl Churchill may not have known about deepfakes or artificial intelligence when she wrote A Number, but her 2002 play feels eerily prophetic today. Not only does it probe the ethics of human cloning, it digs into greed, guilt, and the cost of trying to play God. In Dandelion Theatre’s new Victoria production, actor and producer Eric Grace brings Churchill’s spare, unsettling script to life at Paul Phillips Hall, where a father and his cloned sons wrestle with questions of identity, responsibility, and what it means to be truly human. “It’s sort of partly surreal, partly black comedy, partly tragic,” says Grace. “It’s full of ideas – what makes you unique, what happens when that’s taken away, and how far science can go before it starts rewriting who we are.” The story unfolds through five short scenes between a father and his sons – all genetically identical, yet shaped by very different lives. When a 35-year-old man discovers he’s one of an unknown number of clones, he confronts his father, demanding answers and ratcheting up the tension. What follows is a series of brutal, revealing encounters that strip away layers of deception and regret. One son was given up for adoption, another was created as a “second chance,” and a third appears – calm and self-contained – his only connection to them, his DNA. As each meeting shifts in tone, Churchill exposes human greed, the cost of tampering with nature, and the haunting impossibility of redemption. James Johnson plays all three versions of the son – the original and his two clones – shifting seamlessly between innocence, rage, and eerie composure. “It’s a real acting challenge,” Grace says. “James has to become three completely different people, even though they share the same face.” A towering figure in contemporary theatre, Churchill is celebrated for works such as Top Girls and Cloud 9, which broke ground for their feminist politics and structural daring. Her writing in A Number is famously fractured – sentences trail off, overlap, and collide – forcing actors to inhabit the halting rhythm of real thought. The result, in Grace’s words, is “hard but rewarding,” demanding absolute focus from performers and audience alike. At just under an hour, the play’s compression makes every pause and silence count. Grace sees the play’s science-fiction premise as strikingly relevant in an era of AI and digital replication. “It’s really the ultimate deepfake,” he says. “We’re already living in a time when you can copy a person’s face, their voice, their movements – and the laws haven’t caught up.” “There’ll be some laughs, some shocks, and, I hope, plenty of conversation afterward,” Grace adds. “You come away asking, if I saw someone identical to me on the street, would I be fascinated, or terrified?” Dandelion Theatre presents A Number by Caryl Churchill, Nov. 7-16 at Paul Phillips Hall, 1923 Fernwood Rd., Victoria. Tickets and information: dandeliontheatre.ca.

Police have tracked down the car that was in the vicinity of a fatal crash in south Nanaimo last weekend, and are now renewing a call for witnesses and video. Rhys Edwards, who was 18, died in a crash on the Trans-Canada Highway on Sunday, Nov. 2, when the car he was riding in crashed in the northbound lane, near Morden Road. B.C. RCMP at the time sought information about another vehicle that left the scene, but now report that the vehicle has been located. “Both occupants of the Honda Civic … are co-operating with police,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin, B.C. Highway Patrol spokesperson, in the press release. “There is a lot of community chatter about this incident, and we are looking for more witnesses and video to establish exactly what happened.” Investigators are seek others who have “knowledge of the crash,” as they are looking to “establish a timeline for all vehicles that were in the area. Surveillance video is proving particularly useful, police said. “These investigations are highly technical and take a long time, but with continued help from the public, we will solve this,” McLaughlin said. Anyone with information on the incident, or video footage, is asked to call B.C. Highway Patrol in Duncan at 250-746-2751, citing file No. 2025-2168.

Half of the hospice beds in the Comox Valley are going to be temporarily closed as part of a contingency plan put in place for the end of COVID-era funding. During the pandemic, the province set up emergency funding to pay for contract nursing across the province. The plan was for that funding to end in 2025. However, as the deadline approached, Golden Life Management and Island Health were unable to find funds to continue with the contract nursing and have had to enact the contingency plan, which was to close hospice beds in order to maintain the level of long-term care beds in the Valley until the next fiscal year. After that, the beds can be reinstated if funding or staffing is secured. “The next step where we got involved was receiving a message from Island Health on Tuesday about this contingency plan that we knew nothing about,” said Comox Valley Hospice Society executive director Christine Colbert. “For us that was unacceptable. We really see those beds as community beds.” The hospice beds are at Aitken Community Hospice, which is owned and operated by Golden Life Management within the Ocean Front Village facility. The hospice society provides counsellors and volunteers to support the people in hospice and their families. “We know that the level of care that they get in hospice is different than what they would get in long-term care,” Colbert said. “Long-term care is not palliative care. They do palliative, end-of-life care, but hospice is a specialty place for that to occur.” The closure is supposed to be temporary, or until the end of the fiscal year in March. However, Colbert is worried that even a temporary closure will result in nurses and other staff leaving, and taking their expertise with them. “Our concern is, given the stress on the long-term care and given the stress on our acute care, that it may be all too easy not to get those beds back,” she said. Courtenay-Comox MLA Brennan Day wrote a letter to Health Minister Josie Osborne on Nov. 6, saying that the closure is “unacceptable.” Day says that the beds were cut as a “direct consequence” of the ministry’s overtime and contract nurse funding cuts. “The Aitken Community Hospice, which operates in partnership with the Comox Valley Hospice Society, will lose 50 percent of its capacity under this decision,” a release from Day’s office says. “Skilled hospice nurses have already warned they will not simply transfer into long-term care positions, meaning the province risks losing decades of experience in palliative care.” The Aitken Community Hospice was opened in 2022. At the time, it increased Comox Valley Hospice Society’s capacity from four beds to six beds. “The decision to take hospice beds offline to ‘preserve’ long-term care capacity is not a solution, it’s a symptom of a system in free-fall,” said Day. “End-of-life care deserves dignity, and that dignity is not found in a crowded hallway or shared room, nor in forcing families to take on this sacred work alone at home without support. That is unacceptable.” Day asked the minister to pause the cuts, reinstate admissions to the beds at Aitken and direct Island Health to review the decision making process. “Conflating hospice and long-term care funding is reckless and undermines the extraordinary work that the Comox Valley Hospice Society and its care team perform every day,” Day said in his letter to the minister. Colbert said that she is hoping a solution can be found, and that she values the relationship the society has with their partners in Island Health and Golden Life Management. “We want to come to a solution with them in good communications and good partnership,” she said. “But we also feel that those six beds are deserved and are needed for our growing an aging community and and we we are not accepting that.” Golden Life Management has been working towards hiring non-contract nurses, and have “done a tremendous amount of work within just the past couple of months, and we trust that will continue,” Colbert said. “It’s a funding issue, and so there is a solution,” she said.

A new facility, specializing in the food storage and distribution of local crops and value-added food processing, will be constructed in Summerland. On Nov. 7, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Okanagan Food Hub was held at 15815 Highway 97. The food hub is described as a state-of-the-art facility that will have more than 2,100 square metres, with 557 square metres of cool storage. It is scheduled to open in May 2026. The project is the initiative of LocalMotive Farmers Network Co-op and Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub. Thomas Tumbach of LocalMotive said the facility is important for the community. “The new facility will enable local farmers from our region to access new markets, create new products and increase the viability of their farms,” he said. “At the root of it, agriculture impacts our whole culture.” The food hub will provide members with access to a collaborative space with shared technology, specialized equipment, expertise and commercial kitchens. Aaron McRann, Chief Executive Officer of Community Futures of the South Okanagan Similkameen, said the money for this project came from local donors. He said many funding partners have come together to provide the money for this project. Brian Southern, a food scientist and founder of Indiana-based AgroRenew, has been involved with the food hub project. He said the facility, once completed, will provide an economic benefit for Summerland. Every dollar invested will bring in $1.75 to the local economy. He also said it is important to have an initiative that focuses on local agriculture. “We all want success for this project,” he said. “We want to have a sustainable food system. We want to be self-sufficient.” Charles Cornell of Community Futures said the project will be a pay-per-use model and will serve as an economic engine for the community. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said the idea of a food hub in the community has been around since at least 2013. The Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub, Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen, the Ministry of Agriculture and the municipality have been working on this regional food hub since 2023. In 2024, LocalMotive Organic Delivery joined as a partner. Holmes added that Summerland is a logical location for an agricultural facility, since the community has a strong farming and cultivation tradition. In addition to apple research and the wine industry, Summerland has also played a role in cherry development. Today, around 80 per cent of all cherry varieties in the world were developed in Summerland, Holmes said. Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food for the province, said the food hub is a way for small-scale food entrepreneurs to connect with their market. Since becoming the agriculture minister in 2017, she has cut the ribbon on 14 B.C. food hubs with provincial funding. She added that other food hubs have started without funding from the province. One of the food hubs, in Port Alberni, has expanded significantly and will have a second ribbon cutting in January 2026, she said. “What an incredible moment this is for the Okanagan,” Popham said before the Summerland groundbreaking. “This is the moment agriculture has been waiting for.”

Colin Mochrie has made a career out of thinking fast, and soon he’ll be doing it live in Victoria. The Whose Line is it Anyway? star will join longtime collaborator Brad Sherwood for their improv show, Asking for Trouble, at the Royal Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 20. The show thrives on audience participation, with no two nights ever the same. “Everything starts with the audience. They yell out suggestions, we bring people on stage for about half the show, and then we just try to survive it. It’s sort of a live version of Whose Line without the dead weight,” joked Mochrie. The tour begins this month in Ohio and runs until October 2026, with Canadian stops in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Kitchener. For Mochrie, who calls Toronto home, it’s a chance to perform closer to his roots. “Canadian audiences just love to have goofy fun,” he said. “We get such a great range of suggestions up here. It’s nice not to have to cross the border and just focus on having fun.” Mochrie found a passion for improv at a young age and honed his craft with Vancouver TheatreSports. “When we first started there, way back when, we used to go to the McDonald’s next door and say, ‘Come see our show’,” Mochrie recalled. “I don’t know what I would be doing without improv, honestly. I’m so grateful for how things have turned out.” Mochrie and Sherwood first met 35 years ago through a show at The Second City in Toronto, which Mochrie’s wife, Debra McGrath, produced, before teaming up on Whose Line just months later. It was there that their quick wit and chemistry quickly turned into a lasting partnership. “Brad’s the younger, really irritating brother, and I’m the older one trying to keep him in line,” Mochrie said with a laugh. “He loves words, I’m more surreal and weird, but it somehow works.” Their live act has evolved into a mix of classic improv games and unpredictable audience moments. No scripts, no safety nets, just two comedians trying to outwit each other and the crowd. “It’s the most death-defying experience that I’ll ever get in my life,” Mochrie said. “I’ll never jump out of a plane, but there’s something really relaxing about standing in front of an audience who have paid money to see a show that we don’t have at that particular moment.” Victoria isn’t new territory for Mochrie, who has performed in the city twice before and even attended his nephew’s wedding here in 2024. “It’s a beautiful city,” he said. “I’ll probably head over to the Empress for afternoon tea just to feel classy for a bit.” As for what to expect, Mochrie said the show will feature a few familiar Whose Line-style games, a musical nod to Victoria, and plenty of moments that can’t be replicated. “Every show is a one-time thing,” he said. “Nobody will ever see that exact show again. The audience gives us everything, and we just try to make it funny.” The show begins at 8 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the Royal Theatre.

If you asked the Victoria HarbourCats about their home field, Royal Athletic Park, being named in the 2025 federal budget, the response would be equal parts excitement and disbelief. “We’re excited, but shocked,” said managing partner Jim Swanson, still processing the news. The HarbourCats learned about RAP’s mention in the federal government’s budget outline through a phone call Swanson received Tuesday night. The ballpark was listed under the $51-billion Building Communities Strong Fund, a 10-year initiative administered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada that would distribute funding for community infrastructure projects across the country starting in 2026. RAP, which has stood in the same location for more than 100 years, is the only facility on Vancouver Island mentioned in connection to the fund, and one of just four in B.C. “I was first alerted to this being in the proposed federal budget by a local media member,” Swanson said. “We were very happily surprised to see it and to think of the possibilities down the road.” The City of Victoria owns the park, which hosts the HarbourCats of the West Coast League as its anchor tenant. It had been slated for renovations in 2024 with the help of $12.8 million in provincial funding from the Growing Communities Fund. But in July, the city reallocated $1.5 million of that, originally designated for park upgrades, to its community safety plan. Swanson said neither the team nor the city had any prior knowledge that RAP was under consideration for federal funding. “This is in a proposed budget, which hasn’t been passed yet,” he said. “We are dealing with governments where things can change, and where projects often take a really long time. But the initial response was awesome. It’s great to see a city-owned but regional asset recognized as something worth investing in.” If the funding comes through, Swanson said there are plenty of areas at the aging ballpark that need attention. The lights are more than 40 years old, the washrooms and fixtures are so outdated replacement parts are no longer available, and accessibility upgrades are needed throughout the facility. “The lights, the irrigation, the sod, those are big ones. The washrooms need to be redone, the concession equipment is outdated, and the seating is worn. There’s a lot of work to be done to make sure it’s a modern, accessible venue,” he said. He added that the irrigation system and field surface have not been fully redone since the FIFA Under-20 World Cup came to Victoria in 2007. While hopeful about the potential funding, Swanson said timing and coordination will be key, with the HarbourCats set to host the West Coast League All-Star Game in both 2026 and 2027. “If there’s any concern with announcements like this, it’s about the timing of implementation,” he said. “We just want to make sure the park remains usable during baseball seasons and that any work enhances the experience for fans and players.” Swanson said the HarbourCats are eager to work with the City of Victoria to ensure any upgrades strengthen the park’s value to the community. “Our approach is to work closely with the city in a spirit of open communication and partnership,” he said. “Royal Athletic Park is a vital community space. If opportunities come from this funding or any other, we want to help make sure it continues to serve the city and the 80,000 to 100,000 fans who come through its gates every year.” The City of Victoria did not respond to requests for comment on the application process or its plans related to the potential funding.

One View Royal councillor is calling for a pause to the town’s short-term rental restrictions as thousands pour into Vancouver and Seattle for next summer’s FIFA World Cup games. Coun. Don Brown says temporarily lifting restrictions will benefit fans visiting the region and give the local economy a boost. “I can see people coming up from Seattle, I can see people coming over from Vancouver,” he told the Goldstream Gazette. “Sure, they’re going to come for the games first and foremost, but they’re obviously going to want to come before and after to take part in some of the other attractions that are going to be close by.” The World Cup takes place between June 11 and July 19 and will offer 104 matches. Seven games will be played in Vancouver, and Seattle is slated to host six others. Brown wants View Royal to pause restrictions between June 1 and July 31, giving those visting the Island plenty of time to explore the region’s most popular attractions. While the councillor says local bars, restaurants and grocery stores would benefit from a potential influx of tourists, he adds the move could help families, too. “It’s … an opportunity during these tough economic times for perhaps a younger family or people that just have room in their home … to put some cash in their pocket,” he said. Brown says the pause is also a chance to test-drive possible changes to the town’s short-term rental rules. “It would give us an idea that if … all of a sudden you get hundreds and hundreds of complaints, we might say, ‘Well, we tried this, we’re not going to do it again.’ Or they might say, hey, ‘There are no problems at all, maybe we should allow … people to have short-term rentals on a regular basis,’” he said. Brown plans to table the notice of motion on Nov. 18, which, if approved, would be debated at the following meeting on Dec. 2. While communities across Greater Victoria, including Highlands, Langford, Victoria and Oak Bay, allow short-term rentals, View Royal is one of few that prohibits them alongside Colwood and North Saanich.

Victoria’s own heavy metal band Spiritbox continues to rock the stage on a whole other level. The band, nominated for a Grammy in 2024 and 2025, have been nominated again for Best Metal Performance for song Soft Spine. The first round of voting, which determines all the Grammy nominees for 2026, happened on Friday, Nov. 7. Also nominated in the Best Metal Performance category is Night Terror by Dream Theater, Lachryma by Ghost, Emergence by Sleep Token and Birds by Turnstile. To date, Spiritbox has zero wins but two nominations – also in the Best Metal Performance category. Fronted by vocalist Courtney LaPlante, the band came close last year to being the first female fronted band to win Best Metal Performance in the history of the award, which was introduced in 1990. However, Marina Viotti, the opera singer who accompanies Gojira on Mea Culpa (Ah! Ca ira!) – 2025’s winner – became the first woman to win. LaPlante is the only female lead vocalist in this year’s nominees. The band’s nomination follows a year of movement, including the release of their second full-length album Tsunami Sea in March, and a major North American tour that started in in April. They also performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on July 7. Grammy winners will be announced Sunday, Feb 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, broadcasting live on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+.

Tofino just changed their downtown parking rules from parking to paid parking. While some concerns over affordability for residents were raised before the change was made, the expected $220,000+ in city revenue was too large to pass up for most of the City Council. “Frankly, people paying downtown will largely be tourists. There will be some residents, but most likely residents have the opportunity to avoid the downtown because they’re not here on holiday, and they can make other choices,” said Aaron Rodgers, Tofino’s Director of Infrastructure and Public Works, in a meeting. However, new concerns have been raised now that paid parking has been implemented. Residents from Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Ahousaht communities rely on the 110 allocated offshore parking spots to safely leave their vehicles while they travel home by boat or seaplane. Forty of these spots are given to Tla-o-qui-aht, according to the District of Tofino. However, new signage has led to confusion for both locals and tourists. To avoid the pay parking, some tourists park in the offshore spots, which were previously clearly indicated as such. “Even if we have a valid permit hanging on our rearview mirror, we have nowhere to park,” lamented Ahousaht resident Curt McLeod to Ha-Shilth-Sa. He has even seen vehicles with Washington and Alberta plates using these spots. Until recently, residents could park almost anywhere if the offshore spots were taken, but now all other parking spots are paid, so offshore residents run the risk of tickets or towing. In response to the concerns, the District of Tofino has said they know of the limited parking in the downtown core and are committed to working with offshore communities for a long-term solution. However, in an email, the city stated it is “aware that parking is limited in the downtown core and cannot meet the demands of everyone.” They emphasized that all drivers must comply with the posted time restrictions. Offshore permits are free and valid for one year, and residents can obtain them at the Tofino municipal office or register online with their license plate number and proof of offshore residency. But there is not much point in having an offshore permit if tourists fill the allotted spaces. The offshore parking spaces are available on a “first come, first served” basis. Permit holders may park in unrestricted areas or time-limited spots with the applicable fee if there is no offshore parking. McLeod highlighted the importance of the offshore areas for residents. “If there weren’t offshore areas…we wouldn’t be able to park in Tofino. That’s really our parking lot down there.” The change has confused everyone, and offshore residents hope for a resolution soon.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, underwater cinematographer and editor John Roney’s travel plans were shelved. So the Parksville resident decided to take his camera and capture local marine life. “I realized I had the opportunity to just hone in and film our local wildlife rather than travelling abroad and capturing the more famous tropical creatures,” says Roney. After two years of documenting the waters off of Vancouver Island comes the short film Beneath the Pacific Northwest. “It was filmed all over Vancouver Island, a lot in Victoria, up in Nanaimo and Nanoose Bay area, some even in the north island,” says Roney. “Really what made the cut for me was trying to fit in the animals that people didn’t already know about.” Just weeks after its release on YouTube and other online platforms the video is already drawing rave reviews. “The reception’s been awesome from both locals and around the world, so that’s been really cool,” says Roney. Roney hopes that the project helps educate islanders and British Columbians alike about the beauty that lies beneath the waves. “I think people don’t realize that we do have some of the best scuba diving in the world,” says Roney. “Most people think of Vancouver Island as having murky dark waters and the visibility is pretty poor, but at the same time the amount of colour is just amazing.” To see the full video and to see more of Roney’s work, visit his website [https://www.roneydives.com/].

Whether you love it or hate it, of all the sports news, none seems to generate funnier headlines than Pickleball does. The exciting mix of tennis and ping pong has a generous fan club in the gulf islands – and a just as prominent group of haters. The reason for so many people’s vehement distaste for what most would simply view as a fun game is the record level of noise it can generate. Unlike tennis, which uses a relatively soft and furry ball, pickle palls are made of hard plastic, producing an almost gunshot-like sound with every hit. The noise can be so bad that it induces some pretty crazy behaviour from those living near a court – a Chilliwack couple just went so far as a week-long hunger strike in protest of the pickleball courts near them. Yikes. While no one has yet had to resort to a hunger strike, residents across the Island have staged their own forms of protest. On Mayne Island, a BC Supreme Court judge recently dismissed a case involving a group of tennis players who had tried to take over two tennis courts to prevent people from playing Pickleball there. Although the case has gone away, the struggle over the courts created a genuine rift between Mayne Islanders. “It’s been quite devastating,” Adrian Gowing, Mayne Island Tennis Association president, told CBC News. “You know, we’re in our little village here. At times we get on the ferries to go places, and now you’re sort of looking around going, ‘Oh, I don’t want to talk to that person, I don’t want to talk to that person.’ It’s become quite uncomfortable,” said Gowing. On the other hand, Pickleball has been gaining a massive following in the Comox Valley and seems to be bringing the community together. “Pickleball is fun….. Pickleball is competitive….. Pickleball is recreational….. Pickleball is social; Pickleball is anything you want it to be!.. YOU WILL LOVE IT!” says the uber-enthusiastic Comox Valley Pickleball [https://www.facebook.com/cvpickleball.ca] group on their Facebook page. They host weekly skill sessions and don’t seem to have gotten any public flack over generating noise – likely because the courts are mainly indoors and out of residential earshot. In recognition of National Pickleball Day, the Comox Valley group is hosting an Open House at the Rotary Highlands Pickleball Courts for their 500 group members and anyone else that would like to join! Will this be your new favourite sport? Or do you hate Pickleball just as much as pickles? Let us know in the comments.

October 3, 1936 – October 22, 2025 With broken hearts we announce the peaceful passing of Frank Andrew Herman on October 22nd in Nanaimo, B.C. at the age of 89. Above all else, Frank loved his family and will be deeply missed by his children Craig (Tina) and Lynda (Larry), and his two grandsons, Liam and Dawson. He is survived by his sister, Sharon and preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Patricia, his brother, Edison, and his dear friend, Joan. Born in Nanaimo to his parents John and Josephine (Andre), Frank graduated from NDSS in 1956. Frank met Pat in 1958, and they married in 1959. Frank was trained as a Registered Industrial Accountant and his career with McMillan Bloedel began in 1957 in Port Hardy. As his career progressed, he became a Logging Division Manager, and lived in Ucluelet, Port Alberni and Campbell River. Frank retired from McMillan Bloedel in 1991. As a side endeavor, in 1970, Frank, together with 3 partners, developed Arbutus Point Estates (now known as Madrona Point in Nanoose B.C.) Having been successful with that venture, they then went on to build a development at Fairwinds, including the Fairwinds Golf Club in 1979. Frank and Pat loved to travel the world, with his favorite destination being Australia. One of his highlights was being able to brand cattle on the Australian Outback! Another favorite pastime was fishing, where he enjoyed many adventures with Craig. Frank will be remembered as a loving, kind, generous and devoted father, Bubba and friend to many. His quick wit will be missed by all. His family is grateful for the incredible care and support from the staff members at Berwick on the Lake in Nanaimo. At Franks’s request, there will be no funeral service, but a celebration of life will take place at a later date.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Kelly Brian McKenzie on October 14th, 2025, at the age of 66. He was predeceased by his beloved grandparents who raised him, Hugh and Bessie McKenzie; his father, Rex McKenzie; and his uncles Doug and Hughie McKenzie, and Clint Unwin. He is survived by his partner of 14 years, Kathy Sarrasin; her children, Jeremy (and family) and Jaclyn Sarrasin; his brothers, Michael, Sean, Collin, Kevin (Rebecca), Graham, and Aaron; and his aunt, Nita Unwin, whom he always thought of as a big sister. He is also lovingly remembered by numerous other family members and friends. Also missing him deeply is his Chihuahua, Eli — they were inseparable. Kelly drove transit in Nanaimo for 36 years. He retired 8 years ago and enjoyed every minute of it. Kelly loved animals, the outdoors, Island drives and adventures, kayaking at Spider Lake, and playing his guitars. Kelly will be laid to rest at Cedar Memorial Cemetery at a later date. Family and close friends will be notified.

For the second year in a row, the UVic Vikes women’s rugby team came up just short in the U Sports national championship, losing 15-13 to the UBC Thunderbirds on Nov. 2. The low-scoring final was a nail-biter, and fourth-overall meeting on the season between UVic and UBC. The Vikes had beat the Thunderbirds in all of those occasions, including a 18-17 win in the Canada West final on Oct. 19. But, on Nov. 2, the host Thunderbirds got the upper-hand. In the dying seconds, Claremont Secondary School graduate Adia Pye scored the game-winning try for UBC, sealing the Vikes’ fate. > The crowd goes wild!???? Adia Pye scores a breathtaking try, putting UBC ahead! > > La foule est en délire!????Adia Pye marque un essai époustouflant, mettre > @ubctbirds [https://twitter.com/ubctbirds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] avant ! > > > > > > > Watch live ???? Regardez en direct : https://t.co/B2EnlWxShC > [https://t.co/B2EnlWxShC] > > UBC: 15 > UVic: 13#ChaseTheGlory > [https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChaseTheGlory?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] | > #ViserHaut > [https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViserHaut?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] > pic.twitter.com/j2BVYfIOlR [https://t.co/j2BVYfIOlR] > > — U SPORTS Rugby (@USPORTS_Rugby) November 3, 2025 > [https://twitter.com/USPORTS_Rugby/status/1985159087705792577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] “I want to start off by saying that UVic are an absolutely outstanding team,” said UBC head coach Dean Murten. “They’ve got some world-class players, they’re well-coached, they’re aggressive defensively and knew it was going to come down to the wire, but not the last play of the game, absolutely not.” The Vikes entered the tournament with strong credentials, coming in as the number one ranked team in the country. On the individual side, Olympic silver medalist, Carissa Norsten was named U Sports player of the year, while head coach Brittany Waters received U Sports coach of the year. “She comes to practice early, she works as hard as anyone in this league,” Waters said before the tournament. “You often see the superstars get the recognition, and with this one, it really is so well-deserved. She’s a leader for our group in more ways than one.” Norsten, along with Olivia Newsome, Justine Blatt-Janmaat, Emily Findlay and Sierra Gillis, earned spots on the tournament all-star team. Victoria opened the U Sports Final 8 tournament with a 41-8 victory over the University of Ottawa, followed by a 42-0 semifinal win against the University of Guelph.

The Nanaimo African Herage Society put fairy tales front and centre in royal tea party, at which attendees got to dance and hear stories about women of colour who have contributed to B.C.’s heritage. On Oct. 19, Elsa from Frozen, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Snow White and more gave local children a show, joining them for tea and activities. Queen Shalema’s Princess Tea Party is an annual event hosted by the society, giving opportunities for children to hang out with their movie heroes – including not only princesses, but also a guest apperance from Spider-Man. In a press release following the event, Shalema Gantt, founder of the the Nanaimo African Heritage Society, said the event was well-attended.

When Ladysmith artist Sarah Leo began fainting without warning, she didn’t know if she’d ever get her health — or her rhythm — back. For two months, she lost consciousness regularly. Doctors never found a clear cause, but the experience forced her to rebuild from the inside out. “It took everything in my power to get myself back healthy,” she said, sitting in the cosy studio of her Ladysmith home. “This is the next chapter of my life because of that.” This chapter is one filled with art. Her creative projects span music, poetry and painting, but it’s her custom jean jackets that have become Ladysmith legends. Born in New Westminster and raised mostly in Edmonton, Leo’s family moved to Vancouver Island when she was 10. She later earned a Bachelor of Arts followed by a Bachelor of Education. She went on to teach high school, but the realities of the classroom and long evenings of marking left no time for her own creative practice. “I loved encouraging kids to believe in themselves,” she says. “But I realized I needed to take my own advice.” Then her body forced the issue. Leo began fainting several times a day. Once, when she collapsed at home, she called out to her Alexa smart speaker for help. The device connected her with her husband at work, who called a neighbour to help. Those were dark days filled with health issues and uncertainty, but Leo leaned on music to stay grounded. “I had never really listened to blues music before,” she said. “It’s people singing about their pain, and yet when they leave the stage, they’ve done something. They’ve transmuted that negative feeling and they’ve helped other people feel human.” That process of taking pain and turning it into something that helps others became central to her own recovery. “Art has always given me a way to feel better. Every challenge I’ve gone through, art has helped me get to a healthy place.” She painted, she sang, she took photos and she created a different kind of lesson plan: not one for her students, but for herself. She built what she calls her Bliss Checklist [https://sarahleoartist.weebly.com/-bliss-checklist.html], which includes music first thing in the morning, gratitude before coffee, a deep, slow breathing practice and more. That shift set the stage for an artistic breakthrough that started, quite literally, in her closet. On a previous vacation to Tofino, she had fallen in love with a thrifted jean jacket that made her feel amazing when she tried it on. She brought it home, hung it up and forgot about it. Fast forward to postpartum depression, health issues and a closet full of clothes that no longer fit. One day she came across the jacket and remembered how good it had felt in that moment in Tofino. “I found it, put it on, and I breathed the biggest sigh of relief that I’d felt in a very long time,” she recalled. “I wore it around the house like a lunatic for two weeks. I felt great. I felt like myself. I started going out again. I was going for walks. I thought to myself, ‘I have to give other people this feeling.’ Then I was like, ‘Hey, I could paint on these.’” And she did. The result is custom-painted jean jackets that make the wearer feel like a rock star. Each jacket order begins with a questionnaire Leo sends to her new client. “I ask, How do you want to feel in it?” she said. Clients provide their own jacket or choose from her inventory. Leo creates each piece digitally, projects her design onto the fabric, and then paints it with acrylics mixed with a fabric medium. Her signature style features text above and below a central image, with colour that seems to glow. Her clients are mostly local, and when she has stock, she sells in stores, but most of her business is direct and through her website [https://sarahleoartist.weebly.com/]. For now, her creations turn heads around town, but she’d love to see one on a red carpet someday and dreams of creating jackets for celebrity clients. The jackets range from $120 to $220 per jacket, but the real currency is emotional. Leo lives for the moment when a customer sees her completed work for the first time. She usually mails her creations, but not always. “Sometimes I drive the extra mile just to see the reaction,” she said. “They dance around, they scream, their eyes start tearing. It makes me feel so fulfilled to provide something that makes somebody feel that comfortable in their own skin.” That feeling is something Leo fought hard to attain for herself, always via her art. In addition to her jean jacket business, Leo is now an in-demand singer. She performs at venues across Vancouver Island, from galleries and universities to restaurants and bars. Her goal has never been about recognition. “It’s about how much impact I can leave in the places I’ve been.” Now thriving in both life and art, Leo makes her home a creative haven with her husband, Chek TV journalist Tchadas Leo [https://tchadasleo.ca/], and their young son. The family stays rooted in Ladysmith, a community Sarah credits for both inspiration and support. “It was the first place I really felt accepted,” she said. “People here take care of each other.” Surrounded by a caring community, Leo found the safety and support to care for herself. Now she’s inspiring others to do the same. “If I take care of me, I take care of everybody,” she said. It’s a philosophy that turned her own healing into art, and her art into healing for others, one song, one poem, one jacket at a time. web1_sarah-leo-before-and-after-sized [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_sarah-leo-before-and-after-sized.jpg;w=960]Now and then. Artist Sarah Leo stands with two of her hand-painted jean jackets — one created during a period of illness and depression, and another made after she found healing through art.

A Campbell River author has added another award to her resume. Shari Green was awarded the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People at a gala event in Toronto on Oct. 27 for her novel, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams. “Green’s gripping novel in verse explores the familial, personal, and political complexities of living in late 1980s communist East Germany,” the jury wrote. Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, and was also a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. The novel is centered around a 16-year-old pianist living in Leipzig, who tries to pursue her dreams during the months of protest preceding the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book begins in August 1989, and explores the pianist’s (Helena) hopes and dreams of becoming a conductor, disrupted by politics, such as the East Germany government’s ban on music such as Italian operas, Russian folk songs, and music from the United States, and even the Beatles. Her father is also a dreamer, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, and organizes protests when he is not teaching his university students to think critically about the world they live in. “When I was writing this book,” Green said during her acceptance speech,” I was struck by how often the events and themes of the time were so similar to what I was seeing in the news currently. And it reaffirmed for me the importance of listening to and sharing the stories of history.” In an interview with the Campbell River Mirror last October, Green said the book follows Helena as she is drawn into the protest movement known as the Peaceful Revolution, also known as Die Wende (“the turning point”) in Germany. The Peaceful Revolution began with a series of protests called the Monday demonstrations, which started in Leipzig on Sept. 4, 1989, outside St. Nicholas Church. Despite the Stasi’s attempts to crush the movement, the rest of the country soon followed suit.