What’s Up on Vancouver Island

The Red Cod Forge Gallery in Nanoose Bay will host an event the weekend of Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 that will feature demonstrations by four blacksmiths. The gallery show, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days, will support Nanoose Community Services, with 10 per cent of sales, according to owner and blacksmith Dave Kasprick. The event will feature three artists: Kasprick (blacksmithing and sculpture), Debra Kasprick (mixed metal art jewelry) and Kelly Corbett (realism painter). There will be blacksmithing demos on both days by four blacksmiths. The gallery will also be collecting warm items for Manna Homeless Society, such as toques, socks, gloves and foil emergency blankets. Anyone who makes a purchase or donates a warm item will be entered for a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Red Cod Forge sculpture. “Help us help out our favourite local community projects during this season,” Kasprick said. Red Cod Forge Gallery is located at 2155 Spur Pl. in Nanoose Bay. RELATED: Nanoose Bay blacksmith crafts lifelike octopus sculpture [https://pqbnews.com/2025/01/30/nanoose-bay-blacksmith-crafts-lifelike-octopus-sculpture/]

NOV. 29-30 Parksville and District Rock and Gem Club: Seventh annual Rock and Gem Show, Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, 747 Jones St., Qualicum Beach. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. $4 per person, children under 12 free with an adult. Free hourly draws, demonstrations of lapidary and jewellery, wide variety of vendors, silent auction, concession, kids activity centre. Family friendly, something for everyone. DEC. 3 Cookies, Carols and More!: Get ready for a magical afternoon filled with holiday cheer at the annual Cookies, Carols and More! event. Mark your calendars for Saturday, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and gather your kids, families, friends, and neighbours to join in the festivities and fun at the Jensen Centre (132 Jensen Avenue East, Parksville). DEC. 6 Craig Bay Choristers: Present ‘Born in Bethlehem’, 2:30 p.m. at Knox United Church, 345 Pym St., Parksville. A varied program of traditional and spiritual classics such as ‘Children, Go Where I Send Thee’ and ‘The Peace Carol’ with a message of hope, faith and peace. Seasonal and fun selections, too, as we sing ‘It’s A Marshmallow World’ and perform ‘The Holiday Tango!’ Directed by Lonnie Moddle, accompanied by Andrea Lahmer. Tickets $20 (12 and under, free) available from Fireside Books (cash only) 464 Island Hwy E., Parksville or by advance request to cbchoirconcerts@gmail.com. We support Oceanside Hospice. Christmas on the Farm: Little Qualicum Cheeseworks (403 Lowry’s Rd. Parksville), 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: By donation (suggested $5 per person). Bundle up and and enjoy a range of kid’s activities, Christmas crafts, storytelling, live music, wagon rides, holiday shopping, food, and hot drinks. Festive fun for the whole family! Parking at Morningstar Golf Course to catch a wagon ride to the farm. Accessible parking will be available in our main parking lot. Admission proceeds donated to the local Food Bank. Info: https://cheeseworks.ca/pages/events/christmas-on-the-farm. Bradley Christmas Artisan Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bradley Centre, 975 Shearme Rd, Coombs. Free admission, free parking, raffle, food truck. Celebrate the holiday season with a truly special shopping experience at this carefully curated event, featuring a selection of talented local artisans offering unique, handcrafted gifts perfect for everyone on your list. Proceeds benefit Bradley Centre Programming. Help us stock the Community Cupboard – bring a non-perishable item for our donation box. DEC. 14 Christmas Cantana: ‘This is Christmas’; Celebrating the heart of Christmas is taking place at St. Stephen’s United Church in Qualicum Beach, 2 p.m. Admission by donation to Salvation Army food bank. ONGOING Rotary Club of Parksville: New members welcome. Club meets at the Parksville Community Centre, 223 Mills St., every second and fourth Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Weekly Bottle Drop, every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Speedy Glass in Parksville. All recyclable bottles, cans and milk cartons accepted, with funds raised going back into the community. Info: www.parksvillerotary.ca. Holiday Market Series: Dec.6, Dec. 13, Dec. 20; 8:30 a.m. until noon, Veterans Way and the Community Hall in Qualicum Beach. Discover beautiful handcrafted artisan items, prepared foods, beverages, fair-trade chocolate, seasonal baked goods, wreaths, and table centrepieces from local Vancouver Island vendors. Join us at our free weekly farmers market, showcasing a variety of local small businesses. Support your community while finding the perfect gifts! Rest assured, all items are made by local Vancouver Island makers, bakers, and growers. Milner Christmas Magic: Dec. 4-7; 11-14, 18-21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with viewing until 8:30 p.m. Admission is by donation. 2179 Island Highway W, Qualicum Beach. Make memories with your loved ones this holiday season by experiencing Milner Christmas Magic – an outdoor stroll through thousands of twinkling lights and festive window displays! Our woodland garden comes alive with this spectacular light exhibit, and remember to enhance your visit by purchasing a pair of Holiday Specs, holographic glasses that miraculously transform lights into magical figures. Gingerbread Gift Shop plus selection of hot food and refreshments for sale in front of Milner House. Info: milnergardens.viu.ca/special-events. Royal Canadian Legion Qualicum Beach Branch 76: Open 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week; Cribbage, Mondays, 1:30 p.m. in the lounge; Ladies Pool, Tuesday, 1 p.m. and Drop-in pool Monday-Thursday, 1 p.m.; Euchre, Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m. in the lounge; Casual Fridays, 6 p.m. Meat Draws – Friday & Saturday from 4-6 p.m. in the lounge. Mexican Train – Thursdays 1 p.m. Monthly Birthday Celebration: second Wednesday of the month, 4 p.m. Bring appies, cake served; Duplicate Bridge – Monday and Friday, 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the hall. Music Bingo: Dec. 15. Food 5-7 p.m., Music 6-8 p.m. Upcoming events: Honours and Awards, Nov. 30, 1 p.m.; Christmas Dinner with gift exchange, Dec. 7, 5 p.m.; New Year’s Eve Party, Dec. 31. Royal Canadian Legion Bowser – Branch 211: Winter hours: Wednesdays through Saturdays, lounge opens at 3 p.m. Wednesdays: Ladies Pool and Cribbage – 4 p.m. Thursdays: Men’s Pool and Darts – 6 p.m. Meat Draws – Fridays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. Snooker – Sundays at 2 p.m. Live Music Jams, second and fourth Fridays each month. Info: 250-757-9222; www.rcl211.org; rcl211@shaw.ca. Members, guests and prospective members always welcome. Royal Canadian Legion Mt. Arrowsmith, Branch 49 Parksville: A community-based service organization offering social and recreation activities plus weekly lunch and dinner specials. Guests welcomed to drop in and see what we’re about. Tuesday: Canasta –1 p.m., Wednesday: Cribbage –1:15 p.m., Drop-In Dance Nights 7-9 p.m. Thursday: Euchre 1 p.m., Dominoes/Mexican Train–1:30 p.m. Friday: 10 Card Crib –1 p.m. Saturday: 8-ball mixed doubles Pool–11 a.m., Meat Draw 3-5 p.m. Book a private function, or community event. Catering available. Office: 250-248-5633 between 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Qualicum Beach Farmers Market: A vibrant hub of local commerce and community connection. Join us every Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, on Veterans Way, throughout the year, for a diverse assortment of vendors. The market also features live music, children’s activities, and food trucks, creating a lively atmosphere that’s enjoyable for all ages. Save-on-Foods/ Parksville Lions: FREE Family Skate; sessions on Sundays, from noon to 1:30 p.m. include ice rental, free loaner skates, loaner helmets and learn-to-skate aids. Costs are covered by generous donations from local businesses and organizations such as naming sponsor Save-on-Foods, Coastal Community Credit Union, Island Self Storage, Mid-Island Co-op, ParksWest Business, Riptide Graphics, Sunbelt Rentals, Wallpepper Designs and MLA Stephanie Higgins. No sessions Dec. 14, 21 and 28. Oceanside Breast Cancer Support Group: Have you received this devastating diagnosis? We can help. As breast cancer doesn’t take a break neither do we. We meet on the first Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of The Gardens in Qualicum Beach. Info: Lorraine, 250-954-2393. Oceanside Mixed Badminton Doubles Group: New members welcome; play twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Coombs at Arrowsmith Hall. Cost to play is $8 per person per session. Info: Sandi at cambren1@telus.net. Qualicum Run Club: New outdoor fitness club for slow pace women – friends, fitness, coffee! Ongoing year-round, running every month in all weather. Includes athletic conditioning, structured beginner fitness program and fun active community for women who ‘hate running!’ We meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9-10 a.m., adding new times as we grow. Membership is $150/month. Licensed, experienced, and insured. Welcoming women with pace 8:30 min/km and slower (13-20 min/mile), we run 2-3 miles in the hour on mostly urban routes. Register at qualicumrunclub.ca. Oceanside Women’s Business Network: Did you know there’s a women’s dinner and networking group here in Oceanside? If you’re a woman in business looking to grow your community and network, we’d love to have you join us! The OWBN meets once a month, on the third Tuesday of the month, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reach out to info@owbn.ca for more details. Info: www.owbn.ca. Little Qualicum TOPS: Group meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre in the Booth room. New members are always welcome. All attendees weigh-in from 10 to 10:15 followed by a program from 10:15 to 10:55. If you are interested in losing weight and require help, TOPS is here for you. Take Off Pounds Sensibly. Oceanside Photographic Society: General meetings on the first Wednesday of each month in the West Hall of the QB Civic Centre. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and run until 9:15 p.m. and include a coffee break. If you have an interest in the photographic arts and want to socialize with and learn from others that share your passion and interests please join us. Info: oceansidephotographers.ca Arrowsmith Needle Arts Guild: This group of embroiderers meets twice monthly in Parksville. Stitchers at all levels are welcome to come and explore all types of stitches, new ideas and make new friends. Meetings details from Lynda at 250-927-4015 and/or Moyra at 250-248-7108. Parksville Community Centre: Men’s Coffee and Conversation drop-in every Tuesday 10 a.m. to noon by donation. Women’s Coffee and Conversation drop-in every Friday 10 a.m. to noon by donation. Oceanside Orcas MS Support Group – MS Canada: Is MS new to you or someone you know? Or have you been coping for years and want a space to meet like minded folks to share experiences? Then this might be the group for you. We meet on the third Friday of every month, in person, in Parksville. Please contact MS Canada staff to learn more and join. Phone: 1-844-859-6789 Email: msnavigators@mscanada.ca. Website: https://mscanada.ca/find-support/ms-support-groups/vancouver-island-oceanside-ms-support-group. Oceanside Caregivers: Meet the last Thursday of each month at 1 p.m. at The Gardens Long Term Care, 650 Berwick Rd., North, in Qualicum Beach. We bring support by way of understanding, caring and resources, in a confidential setting. Info: 250-752-2104 or caroldowe@gmail.com. Parksville/Qualicum Fish & Game: The Dorman Shotgun Range is a fully licensed, well-equipped shooting range located on Dorman Road in Qualicum Beach. Shooters young and old at all levels of expertise are welcome. Practice shooting for Trap and Skeet are scheduled Sundays at 10 a.m. and every even-numbered Wednesday at 11 a.m. 100 Men of Oceanside: Group meets quarterly and its members commit to contribute $100 individually at each meeting to support an eligible Oceanside charitable group. Members’ individual donations of $100 quarterly ($400 per year) are issued federal tax receipts by the recipient organization and 100% of member donations goes to the selected charities. Actively recruiting new members. Info: 100oceansidemen.ca or email info@100oceansidemen.ca. PGOSA: We’re outdoors for hiking, biking, walking and talking, and indoors for line dance, card games, wood carving, badminton, curling, slo-pitch, volleyball, pickleball, walking soccer and more talking! If you’re 55 or older and live in Oceanside, Parksville Golden Oldies Sports Association is for you. Join online at PGOSA.org, or at the membership table at Oceanside Place Arena some Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – check our website for dates. Only $5 for the balance of 2025! Parksville Lawn Bowling Club: Drop-in activities through March 2026; Mahjong Mondays (Chinese version) 7 p.m. Cost is $2 per person per visit. Crib on Wednesdays, 1 p.m. start, $4 per person. Thursday is Bridge Day, 1 p.m., $2 per person. Info: parksvillelawnbowlingclub.com. Oceanside Stroke Recovery Society: Providing therapy and support to stroke survivors and their caregivers. Meets Fridays at St. Columba Church Hall, 921 Wembley Rd., Parksville at 11 a.m. Info: 250-586-6766. Qualicum Beach Museum: Now open Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ‘Learning Saturdays’ are great for families with children, and include a child-focused activity with a different theme each month. Info: 250-752-5533. Parksville PROBUS Club: We are a group of retirees enjoying friendship and fun activities for singles, couples and especially newcomers in Parksville. We are a very friendly bunch and have awesome guest speakers plus a broad range of interesting activities and social events. We meet at 9:15 a.m. on the third Monday of most months in the Parksville Community Centre, 223 Mills St. Visitors are welcome. $5 entrance fee covers coffee and light refreshments. Info: probusmembershipchair@gmail.com or call Lila 250-816-2708. Nov. 17: Guest speaker will be Xander France, Director of Sales and Marketing for Vancouver Island Ferry Company (Hullo Ferries). He will be discussing “Hullo Ferries: Past, Present, and Future,” sharing insights into the concept, design, and operation of the walk-on ferry service from Nanaimo to Vancouver, which became operational in 2023. Qualicum Beach PROBUS Group: We are an active social group of retired and semi-retired seniors which meets on the first Tuesday each month at 9 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Church (150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach). We have a variety of interesting and diverse speakers and several special interest groups. We welcome guests interested in exploring, joining us and meeting new friends. Check out our activities at www.qbprobus.com. NWB PROBUS Club Nanoose Bay: First Friday of each month. Please join us at 9:15 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church Hall 2600 Powder Point Rd. Meet new friends over coffee and goodies and enjoy interesting speakers. $5, coffee and goodies during social time. Visitors/new members welcome. Info: nwbprobus.org. Lighthouse Community Hall: 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. Second Sunday of each month a local charity hosts our Open Market (8 a.m. to noon) and Pancake Breakfast (8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.). For information on table rentals contact Barb: vendors@lighthousehall.ca. Pancake breakfast contact the office: admin@lighthousehall.ca or 778-424-9900. Arbutus Toastmasters: Find your voice and learn how to use it with confidence, kindness and meaning, in a safe, supportive environment. No experience necessary. Guests are welcome. We meet every Monday, 7-9 p.m. at 249 Hirst (Parksville Inclusion Bldg). www.arbutus.toastmastersclubs.org for more info or call Kristin at 250-248-1926. Qualicum Beach and Area Newcomers: Meet the second Tuesday of every month, 10 a.m., at St. Stephen’s Church Hall, 150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach. All residents welcome. Info: qbnewcomers.org. Oceanside Newcomer Alumni Society: Monthly meetings are the third Tuesday of the month at St. Stephen’s Church in Qualicum Beach at 10 a.m. Info: 250-917-8122. Seated Tai Chi: Tuesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m., Nanoose Place (Committee Room), Nanoose Bay. Helpful for everybody, and especially students with health and mobility issues. While seated in class, students learn movements which help to increase circulation, as well as to improve joint mobility, and to stretch the tendons and ligaments. Info: 778-744-0413; midislandtaichi.org. By donation. Parksville Shores Tai Chi: Every Tuesday and Thursday. Continuing classes. Done Tai Chi before? This is for you, come and join us. 9:30-11:30 a.m. $25 a month or $60 for 3 month. Knox Church 345 Pym St., Parksville. Info: www.parksvilletaichi.com. Coronation Street Social Club of Oceanside: Meets September through June on the second Thursday each month at Rotary House (corner of Fern Road and Beach Road in Qualicum Beach), 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. If you are looking for a fun, social group come and join us for lively talk, shared stories and meet new friends. Don’t need to be a fan of the show, all that’s required is a sense of humour. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be served. Info: 240-594-1965. Coombs Rodeo Grounds: Pancake Breakfast and Flea Market, the first Sunday of each month. For table rentals, call Val at 250-752-9735. Open Mic Music Night on the third Friday of each month September through May; 7 p.m.; kids and musicians free, adults $5. Coffee and snacks available. More info: 250-927-2747. Smart Recovery: Meetings are Saturdays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Women’s Only meeting on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. All meetings at 245 Hirst Ave. W. Info: 250-586-3727. Oceanside Orcas MS Support Group – MS Canada: Is MS new to you or someone you know? Or have you been coping for years and want a space to meet like minded folks to share experiences? Then this might be the group for you. We meet on the third Friday of every month, in person, in Parksville. Please contact MS Canada staff to learn more and join. Phone: 1-844-859-6789 Email: msnavigators@mscanada.ca. Website: https://mscanada.ca/find-support/ms-support- Oceanside Wood Carvers: Meet every Thursday morning 9 a.m. at Qualicum Elementary School (699 Claymore Rd.) shops room throughout the school year. Enter from the west end side door to woodworking room on left. Experienced and new carvers are welcome. Info: Bob at 250-586-8689. Victoria’s Quilts: Making quilts for cancer patients. Meeting every third Tuesday of the month September to June, 9:30 a.m. 3ish at Nanoose Place Community Centre 2925 Northwest Bay Rd. New sewers welcome all supplies provided. Info: koolpj43@shaw.ca. Parksville Tops 985 Weight Loss Support Group: Meetings, Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. Weigh-in, 5-6 p.m., Parksville Seniors Drop in Centre 144 Middleton Ave., Parksville. Parking and enter from the alley entrance. Info: Liz, 250-954-1809. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly): Qualicum 4754 is a weight-loss non-profit support group. We meet every Tuesday morning from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 184A, Second Ave W, Qualicum. Meeting includes a weigh-in and program. Info: Janice 250-738-6220. Oceanside Chess Club: Meet on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Marks Church, 138 Hoylake Rd W., in the basement. No cost to attend; small donations appreciated. All welcome. Qualicum History Tours: Historical walking tours with an experienced local guide leave every Tuesday from the Qualicum Beach Museum. $20 per person. Info: 604-754-4465. Qualicum Beach Seniors’ Activities Centre: 703 Memorial Ave., Qualicum Beach. SUNDAYS: Contract Bridge, 1 p.m. MONDAYS: Knitting in Lounge/crocheting for Manna, 9:30-11 a.m. Yoga, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Chair Yoga, 11 a.m.-noon, Qualicum Beach Ukulele Band, 12:30-2:30 p.m., Beginner Ukulele in Lounge, 3-4 p.m., Line Dance I, 3-4 p.m., Line Dance II, 4-5 p.m., Ballroom dance practice, 5-6 p.m., TUESDAYS: Fun Bridge, 9 a.m. -noon., Group of 8 in lounge Full 9-10 a.m., Whist 12:30 to 3 p.m., WEDNESDAYS: Hatha Yoga, 10-11:15 a.m., Fun With Chaz Guitar in lounge, 12:30 -1:45 p.m., Spanish Conversation, 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m., Chair Yoga, 1-2 p.m., Book Club in the Lounge, 2-3 p.m., Drawing & Painting, 2:30 – 4 p.m., Qwest, 3:15-5 p.m. Beginner Line Dance 5:30-6:30, Dance practice 7 p.m.-9:30 THURSDAYS: Beginner Bridge Lessons, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Darts – 10 a.m-12:15 p.m., Technology Tutor in Lounge, 1:30 -3:30 p.m., Drop-in Bridge, 12:00-3 p.m. Line Dancing, 4-5 p.m., Ballroom Dance, 5-6 p.m., Dance Practice, 6-7 p.m., FRIDAYS: Ukulele Friday, 10 a.m. – noon., Classic Guitar 10 a.m.-noon., Mahjong in the Lounge, 1-3 p.m., Art, 1-3 p.m. SATURDAYS: Hatha Yoga With Richard, 9:45 to 11 a.m., Qi Gong 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Overeaters Anonymous: Have you tried to control your eating, your weight, and nothing has worked? Join Overeaters Anonymous, we are recovering compulsive overeaters, under-eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, binge eaters and over exercisers. We meet at Knox United Church at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays in Parksville and at QF Foods Parksville, board room 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Fridays. Info: oaviig.org. Qualicum Beach FamilySearch Centre: Interested in adding to your family tree or finding out more about your grandparents? When you visit the Family Search Centre our volunteers are there to help you. Access to nine major family history websites including Ancestry. The centre is located at 591 Arbutus Rd., Qualicum Beach within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drop-ins welcome or make an appointment with Liz at 250-586-3575. CFUW PQ: 40th annual book sale donation drop box is located on the side of Save-On-Foods, facing Canadian Tire. We appreciate donations of gently used books and puzzles. For a large donation, please email booksale@cfuwpq.ca. Most of the sale’s proceeds are used for scholarships and other projects supporting women in District 69. Smart Recovery Meetings: Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. at SOS at 245 Hirst Ave. Questions call John at 250-586-3727. Oceanside A Cappella: Welcomes women singers of all ages. Rehearsals every Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Senior Activity Centre in Qualicum Beach. Director Rosemary Lindsey. Info: oceansideacappella@gmail.com. TooHotForCovers and Friends: Song Circle every Saturday at Parksville Legion 49 after meat draw, start 5 p.m. to closing. Info: 250-927-2559.

It’s said that one language dies every day and that roughly 6,000 others are at risk of going silent around the world. But a Victoria company is determined to bring these fading languages back to the forefront and prevent the loss of their culture and history. Language Foundry, formerly known as the Cultural Foundry Studio, is an education technology company with the mission of supporting the revitalization of endangered and at-risk languages worldwide. The startup’s e-learning platform addresses this “urgent cultural challenge” by providing communities with the tools to support language learning and revitalization in culturally grounded and accessible ways, explained CEO Chad Quinn. “We have a number of processes that we’ve developed to enable elders and speakers to record their languages,” he said. “And then, we use that to build a language model so that it can speak the language.” Once the linguistic platform is created, communities retain ownership over the content and data, ensuring cultural safety, sovereignty and long-term stewardship. “Everything is owned by the community because we find that it’s incredibly important for us to make sure that the communities retain ownership of the data,” said Quinn. Working under the invitation of Indigenous communities across Canada and the United States, Language Foundry creates gamified courses that take learners from beginning concepts to basic fluency. Each course is created to reflect the unique cultural identity of its language, from the artwork to syllabic keyboards. “(Students) can see, hear and play with the language as they go and learn more,” he said. “We tried very hard to make it a comforting and warm experience.” With their language platform launched in 2023, Quinn described the response as “amazing.” The platform now offers 14 languages and has over 10,000 students across Canada and the U.S. “It definitely gets you up in the morning,” he said. “It makes you really want to do the hard work of getting this rolling. “When we first started showing it, the emotions were pretty raw in terms of what we’ve heard.” Earlier this November, the company was selected as one of four Canadian startups to participate in the 2025 Web Summit held in Lisbon. Humbled to have been part of this opportunity to connect with investors, fellow entrepreneurs and like-minded professionals, Quinn now wishes to export his services worldwide. To learn more about Language Foundry, visit [https://www.languagefoundry.com/]languagefoundry.com [https://www.languagefoundry.com/].

With an historical Nanaimo building slated for demolition early next year, followed by construction of a new structure, members of Felice Cavallotti Lodge are reflecting on 125 years of existence. Cavallotti Lodge evolved from the Felice Cavallotti Italian Mutual Aid Society, founded on Nov. 4, 1900, by coal miners from Italy with the aim of assisting workers and their families in cases of injury, illness and death, according to historical perspective Days Gone By: Celebrating 125 Years of Cavallotti Lodge History. On the insistence of then-president Siro Rossetto, members contributed $100 each and land on East Wellington Road was purchased in the late ’60s. The current Italian community hall replaced a building referred to as ‘the shack’ and was officially opened in May 1979. In the present, Ian Cumpstone, the lodge’s board president, said the new building will have smaller capacity – the current hall fits close to 200 and its reincarnation between 140-150 – and will still be available for the community to rent. With inflation, the committee had to pivot from a planned two-storey building. “Obviously, prices are so expensive, but our goal as a committee is to future-proof the building so that future generations, once funds become available, decide they can put the second storey on, etc.,” Cumpstone said. “The initial building, we hope to start work mid- to late- next year, will have a hall and a members room, plus the kitchen [and] bathroom.” Building the new lodge is the priority, but ideas for programming, with an emphasis on youths, are being bandied about – membership has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re looking at establishing Italian language classes, Italian cooking classes … we are looking at maybe having an exchange program with Italy, where students can come here and we can learn off them, and then our students can go over there,” said Cumpstone. Felice Cavallotti was an Italian politician referred to as the ‘Poet of Democracy’ and someone founders saw fit to honour. “He battled for, not just the poor people in Italy, but he really was a people’s person and when Italy, in the mid- to late-1800s, was going through all its poverty, strife and unrest, he got into parliament as the opposition, and he was a very strong advocate for the rights of the Italians,” said Cumpstone. Concept drawings for the new lodge were designed by noted Nanaimo architect and lodge member, Ian Niamath [https://nanaimobulletin.com/2025/11/05/ian-azard-niamath/], who died in October. Cumpstone expressed gratitude for the contributions. “He did so much work … he was really [forward]-thinking,” he said. “These are his plans and everything that we could possibly want is in here. He wasn’t worried about how much it cost … He said, ‘That’s your job.’ So, it’ll be toned down a bit from this, but the basics of what he wanted and what we want will be in here.” The society was somewhat nomadic at the outset and having its own building allowed it to thrive. “They used to meet all over the place; they never really had a home, and so in the 1950s they bought this parcel of land here,” said the president. “They built a shack, and they mucked around on the shack for a year or two … once the facility was up, things really started to move. They started renting it out to all the different cultural business groups in the community and that still happens today.” Cavallotti Lodge members will be holding a demolition sale at its East Wellington Road site on Dec. 22 beginning at 8 a.m. Anyone can join the society and for more information, visit www.cavallottilodge.ca [https://www.cavallottilodge.ca/].

Going down the rabbit hole should be an experience. It should be something that promises whimsy and delight. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Rabbit Rabbit. Inspired by the metaphor of falling down the rabbit hole, Rabbit Rabbit is a Victoria wine bar and restaurant with an Alice in Wonderland twist. Located at 658 Herald St., the intimate space – about 760 square feet of dining room – packs a memorable punch. The branding was thoughtfully designed by Glasfurd and Walker and brought to life under the guidance of first-time restaurateur and owner, Sydney Cooper. But beyond the pops of bold art and the quirky details (like a painted red chandelier and the rabbit motif tastefully scattered throughout), the approach to food and wine is where the real adventure lies. Chef Billy Nguyen came on board when it opened last fall and has helped bring notoriety to the establishment, notably with Rabbit Rabbit recently listed as a finalist for Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants in 2025. Billy was also the runner-up on Top Chef Canada’s ninth season, competing alongside chef Andrea Alridge, now at Janevca (also a finalist for best new restaurant). But while Billy often felt misunderstood during most of his cooking career due to his flair for out-of-the-ordinary ideas, he says he’s found his place. “Sometimes you have people doubt you so much growing up – and your creativity – and it’s incredible that now people get to eat what goes on in my mind.” Billy is grateful to be given the freedom to let his creativity run wild. “Sydney said to me, ‘Do whatever you want.’” Though trust in one another developed over time, Billy and Sydney said they found kindred spirits in each other when introduced through a friend, James Langford-Smith of Pamplemousse Jus, who acted as a front of house consultant. Both had been through major career changes in their lives. Sydney was previously a policy analyst who did a full 180 to become a restaurateur after her now-husband introduced her to the world of wine at age 40; Billy had been in architecture school. Together, they were ready to create something novel and different. “I felt as though embarking on this huge project, which neither one of us had taken on before, was a positive rather than something to be intimidated by,” Sydney recalls. Her confidence was bolstered by sommelier and wine education through the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Vinica Education Society, plus a job at Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar in Victoria. Then, after trying Billy’s food in Vancouver, she found the missing piece. “Billy has a creative genius that he displays in the most approachable way.” His approach to cooking, a cultural fusion of French techniques with his British and Chinese-Vietnamese roots, was “boundary-pushing,” and “perfectly matched” to how she wants guests to experience wine. Billy’s flair for the comforting yet unconventional can be found in dishes like the popular lasagna with gochujang bolognese or pork and fermented mustard greens dumplings in a smooth sake cream sauce with chili and charred scallion oil and furikake. Billy’s creativity is further brought to life through his plating, influenced by his penchant for design. “I usually visualize what I want a dish to look like before I even create what the dish is. And then I start putting elements I know work together.” It took time for the chef to find a restaurant where he could truly be free to express his culinary ideas. Born and raised in London, he gained experience in West Coast, farm-to-table cooking and butchery once moving to Canada. Notably, he was the former sous-chef of acclaimed Asian-French fusion restaurant PiDGiN, which was, surprisingly, his first career foray into Asian cooking other than cooking at home with family. “I really discovered who I was as a chef when I started working there.” But it was Top Chef Canada and working with Sydney where he has found a new confidence in trusting his creativity and boundary pushing, he says. While Billy brings the whimsy, Sydney ensures it’s grounded in warmth and welcome. Her three-fold approach is to focus on “radical hospitality,” provide an approachable wine experience and provide an escape from the everyday. The wine program removes the “intimidation and pretentiousness” in approaching wine, she says, encouraging guests to explore at their own pace. Now that she deeply understands Billy’s style of cooking, she tailors her selections around what pairs best with his food. That mutual trust has resulted in something refreshingly different – playful food and wine served with an open-armed sense of welcome. “One of my goals for the restaurant is to truly become part of the fabric of the community,” Sydney says. “It should feel as essential as your neighbourhood grocery store.” To bring that vision to life, Rabbit Rabbit has started hosting Monday vinyl nights, curated by Jesse Owens of Hide and Seek Coffee. It’s an evening that caters to both industry friends and regulars, with an inexpensive “staff meal” feature (something “simple but comforting and delicious”) as well as drink specials and flights. “When guests come into Rabbit Rabbit, I want them to have a feeling akin to attending a dinner party at a close friend’s house,” Sydney says. The feedback so far suggests she’s succeeded. “The biggest validation came from my son, who’s 15. We all came in to celebrate one of my daughter’s birthdays, and he said, ‘Mom, your restaurant feels like Christmas.’ I nearly cried.” For the dynamic duo, it all comes back to a sense of wonder and welcome. “I don’t think people go out to dine for food. I think they go out to dine to experience something,” Sydney explains. “And the experience I want to give guests is one of being transported – of escape.”

Santa Claus is coming to town to visit the girls and boys of Nanaimo next weekend. With the sleigh being tuned and reindeer resting ahead of their Dec. 24 journey, Harbour Air has lent an aircraft to Jolly Old St. Nick for a fly-in on Saturday, Dec. 6, the first of his December appearances in Nanaimo. Santa is due to arrive at the Harbour Air dock at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 6, and will then head to his temporary workshop at 78 Wharf St. He will be at his chair for pictures with children from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day and again on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Santa will be at the workshop Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 4-7 p.m. to spend time with children with mobility or cognitive issues and on Thursday, Dec. 11 from 4-7 p.m. for pictures with pets. His last two appearances for 2025 will be Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. RBC Dominion Securities is sponsoring the event and while there is no admission, donations will be accepted for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Nanaimo’s RCMP officers will be out in force to support the community’s less fortunate families this holiday season. Officers with Nanaimo RCMP’s youth section will be collecting donations for their Cram the Cruiser drive in front of the Woodgrove Centre Save-On-Foods on Saturday, Dec. 6, to help Nanaimo’s families in need. The event runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when officers will be standing by to collect donations of toys, non-perishable food items and gently used clothing and footwear. Nanaimo RCMP’s youth section members work in the city’s schools to build relationships with students to foster a sense of safety and belonging, a Nanaimo RCMP press release noted. “Having police officers in our schools is vital,” said Const. Sherri Wade, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson, in the release. “They cultivate safe, positive connections that can last a lifetime.”

The junior Barsby Bulldogs are provincial champions. John Barsby Secondary School’s AA junior varsity football team won the B.C. High School Football championship, defeating the Argyle Pipers by a 34-3 score on Saturday, Nov. 29, at McLeod Stadium in Langley. “We started fast and kept our foot on the throttle the whole time…” said Rob Stevenson, the team’s coach. “We played one of our most complete football games.” He said the Bulldogs knew the Pipers had tremendous skill position players, but also knew that the ‘Dawgs had the better offensive and defensive lines and could win at the line of scrimmage. Barsby’s defence came ready to shut down Argyle’s best plays, and only gave up one big play all game. Meanwhile, Barsby’s offence echoed the defence’s physical tone and played to its strengths with a ball-possession game. “It started with preparation all week – basically all year,” Stevenson said. “We were building ourselves to be able to play this type of football game.” He said his team was fundamentally sound, blocking and tackling well and benefiting from the effort they put in on the blocking sled and in the weight room. “To culminate with a game like we played was immensely satisfying and I think it was felt not only be the coaching staff but certainly by the players,” he said. James Coco was chosen game MVP after scoring touchdown runs of 21 yards and five yards. Adyson Lloyd-Walters, chosen outstanding back, opened the scoring with a 29-yard touchdown catch from Baraka Gibson. Gibson also connected with Andrew Wright on a 20-yard TD reception and Barsby’s other TD was a four-yard run from Nathen Wilson. Stevenson thanked Bulldogs parents, alumni and other supporters for being the “loudest voices” in the stadium that day. In other football news, South-Side Minor Football’s junior bantam team won the provincial championship with an 18-16 win against Cloverdale on Sunday, Nov. 30, in Victoria, and South-Side’s peewee team also made it to the championship game this past weekend, finishing as runners-up.

It has stood for more than a century in testament to Victoria’s proud military history, but now the Bay Street Armoury will take on the name of a military figure whose history stretches back even further. The iconic building at 715 Bay St. will be renamed the General Sir Arthur Currie Armoury at a ceremony on Friday (Dec. 5). The date also marks the 150th anniversary of Currie’s birth (1875–1933), whose leadership helped define Canada’s role in the First World War. “Currie was born near Strathroy, Ont. and moved to Victoria in 1894. He was not a career military officer by upbringing or profession. He began his working life as a schoolteacher in Sidney and Victoria and went on to be a real estate developer and insurance salesman,” according to a release from the 5th (BC) Field Artillery Foundation. He rose through the ranks, and just before the First World War, Currie gave up his artillery command and was appointed commander of the 50th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders of Canada). “During the Great War, Currie served first as a brigade and then as a divisional commander, demonstrating a consistent commitment to strategic preparation and the careful protection of the lives of his soldiers. In 1917, he became the first Canadian-born officer to command the 100,000-strong Canadian Corps, leading it through some of the most significant operations of the war. Under his leadership, Canadian forces earned a reputation as one of the most effective and respected formations on the Western Front,” said the release. “Currie’s meticulous planning and insistence on realistic training played a central role in the Canadian success at Vimy Ridge, a battle that has come to symbolize Canada’s emergence as a nation. His leadership during the Hundred Days Offensive in 1918 helped bring the war to its conclusion, with the Canadian Corps often assigned the most difficult and strategically vital objectives.” After the war, Currie went on to serve as principal and vice-chancellor of McGill University. “In renaming the Bay Street Armoury, we honour a local son who rose to become one of the most respected military leaders of his time. But we also honour what he stood for: thoughtful leadership, responsibility in command, and the belief that Canada could and should define its own destiny,” states the 5th (BC) Field Artillery Foundation. The Bay Street Armoury was built in 1912-1914 and is a recognized federal heritage building because of its historical associations and its architectural and environmental value. “The Bay Street Armoury is a large structure whose form and detailing conjure up the images of a fortress through the incorporation of towers, crenellated turrets and a low wide arched entrance, reminiscent of a fortified gate,” according to the Parks Canada federal heritage designation. “The Bay Street Armoury is a very good example of an armoury designed in the Tudor Revival style with references to medieval military architecture.” Friday’s commemorative celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature military displays by the 5th (BC) Field Regiment RCA and The Canadian Scottish Regiment. At about 12:30 p.m., there will be a birthday tribute reception to Sir Arthur Currie by unveiling a plaque to rename the armoury in his honour and a ceremonial cake cutting with Alan Lowe and John Ducker, honorary colonels of The Canadian Scottish Regiment and 5th (BC) Field Regiment RCA. The free event will also feature displays by Valour Canada, Ashton Armoury, BC Aviation Museum, District of Saanich Archives, Victoria Esquimalt Re-enactors Society, Royal Canadian Legion, Sidney Museum and Archives, Fort Rodd Hill Historic Site, Friends of Macaulay, Municipality of Esquimalt Archives, District of Oak Bay Archives, Vimy Memorial Photo Display, Craigdarroch Castle and the Canadian Scottish Women’s Auxiliary Concession.

While some may find it difficult to welcome colder months by turning back the clocks and settling into earlier darkness, one Oak Bay tradition always brings light back to the streets – and to the hearts of Greater Victoria residents. Celebrating a quarter of a century, the Oak Bay Light Up marks its 25-year anniversary, heralding the coming of the Christmas season. Taking place on Oak Bay Avenue between Wilmot Place and Monterey Avenue, the fun began at 2 p.m. with crafts, games, street food and entertainment. The event offered a wide range of free, family-friendly options, including letter-writing to Santa, a hula-hoop tent, a drawing station, a wreath-making area and more. Throughout the afternoon, spectators enjoyed live music from various artists and groups, including the Whoville Children’s Choir, the BC Fiddle Orchestra, Oak Bay High’s jazz combos and the Joy of Life Choir. This kept the little ones busy leading up to the heart of the event, the official light up at 5 p.m., when the ceremonial plugs were connected to illuminate the buildings, lampposts and trees along a section of Oak Bay Avenue. Shortly after, both Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance to greet the crowd and pose for photos. Orchestrating the event was Heather Leary, who said the celebration has always had community at its core. “There’s lots of stuff for families to do and enjoy the start of the season,” she said. “We take pride in it being free, so people can come and really just enjoy being in the community.” Taking root at the turn of the millennium, Leary explained that the event began with Matt McNeill, owner of the Penny Farthing Pub, and other local business owners who wanted to bring some happiness during hard times. “They got together and wanted to do something to bring some cheer to the community after the tragedy of 9/11,” she said. “The idea was to bring some light to the darkness and to have an event that would kick it all off.” Rapidly becoming a community favourite, Leary said this year’s turnout was excellent, with several thousand people attending. “We were expecting a good crowd because I’d been hearing all month, as the lights were being put in, that people couldn’t wait for the lights to come on and for the village to be lit up,” she said. Laura Balcarras and her two children were among the attendees, and the celebration is marked on their calendar every year. “Every year we like to come to this event because it’s quite magical, especially when Santa comes in,” she said. While the event takes a considerable amount of time and energy each year, Leary is proud to welcome the public year after year to an event that wouldn’t be possible without the broad support of the community. “It’s driven by the business community, but it’s well supported by the fire department, the police department and suppliers who come and bring their A-game,” she said.

Sayward Elementary School was briefly a film set for a zombie movie. The school hosted students from Carihi Secondary’s video productions class for two days, as the two schools collaborated on making a zombie movie featuring actors from both schools. Safe Zone: A Zombie Film is “an amazing collaboration between schools,” said Joe Shields, the Carihi video productions teacher. “My senior students got to direct and film the Sayward film students, and the Sayward students got to experience filmmaking,” said Shields. “Not to mention the staff of Sayward School let us turn their school into a film set for two days.” The Sayward PAC supported the project by providing meals and supplies. Nolan Clark, one of the actors in the film, said it was a really good experience, but admitted to being nervous at times. He said that everything worked out in the end. It was the first time he had acted on screen, but he had been acting for two years in his drama class. Spencer Montgomery was one of the camera operators. He calls the experience fun, but stressful. “Only having two days to get a whole movie done was a lot of work, but I’m glad we managed to make it work,” he said. The Carihi film class arrived at Sayward around 11 a.m. the first day and didn’t leave until five p.m. the day after. Montgomery also said filming with Sayward’s Grade 4 students went well. “I was very surprised. Most of the Grade 4 students portrayed zombies, except Eddie Robson, who played a survivor with Clark and another Carihi student, Kayden Clinton. Shields said the whole project came together after a discussion with Sayward Principal Kai Taylor about how the school has 43 students, but is designed for 300. It was also borne out of an idea for the Sayward students to meet some Carihi students. The majority of students in Sayward will end up at Carihi during their high school years. Some of those students are nervous about getting on a bus and going to the “big city.” So they used this film set as a learning opportunity and had the Sayward students meet their high school counterparts face-to-face. “These kids aren’t that scary, and what better way to make them not be scared but make a zombie movie with them? So we went up there with the attitude of collaborating with these young students so they would come to see that these guys are safe and fun,” said Shields. Taylor said he wanted to make connections with other schools so his students are ready and can protect themselves when they move on to new schools, likely to Phoenix and then Carihi. “The kids loved it,” he said. “Particularly the older ones. We focused on the older class because they are the ones who are going to be making the transition to Phoenix…They leaned into it. They loved it.” Safe Zone had its premiere on Nov. 13 at the Timberline Secondary School theatre. Other Carihi students involved in the film include Tim Hardy (camera), Edwin Clements (camera), Indy Cook (director), Steven Jordan (sound), Rex Bailey (sound), Gabriel Felipe (sound), Rylee Dejong (make up), Breanna Gyles (make up), and Jaiden Copenance (make up). Additional adults who helped make the film come to life include Melissa Cada, Brenna Robson, Catherine Clinton, and Sean McLaughlin. Timberline’s Brennan Hagen, Jana McFarlane, and Laird Ruehlen helped with the screening on Nov. 13.

What is really happening in Sooke? Many residents are troubled by persistent rumors that our elected officials have already decided to adopt the draft official community plan (OCP), even as our mayor calls us to a public hearing – now the third time in five years, for the exact same proposal that has repeatedly been rejected by our community. The message from the public is clear: this document does not reflect Sooke’s needs. Instead, it comes from outside consultants who seem unfamiliar with our local concerns. It reads as boilerplate language with little customization for Sooke. Moreover, important promises remain unfulfilled. Previously, community members voiced strong concerns that the development permit applications (DPAs) were confusing, lacked transparency, and left property owners uncertain about their rights. Residents specifically requested that new bylaws should only affect new builds, rezoning, or undeveloped land – not existing single-family homes. Mayor Tait and council assured us that there would be no expropriation of private lands, including foreshore properties, and that the DPAs would be clarified or removed. It’s worth noting that the Sooke basin and foreshore are already strictly regulated by provincial and federal agencies. Additional local regulations do nothing to address the serious affordability crisis facing our community. Instead, they will drive up costs, worsen affordability, and make obtaining permits more difficult. Builders and families already face long delays; more bureaucracy will mean more staff, higher administrative expenses, and ultimately offset any potential permit revenue. Real revenue comes from major projects – new builds or development of bare land – not from regular families, but from ultra-wealthy developers. What’s especially troubling is that, despite ongoing opposition, the district has targeted waterfront properties three times in five years yet has failed to notify affected owners directly. Each time, the same proposals are recycled, without meaningful changes or engagement. The transparency issues identified in previous hearings persist. Such practices show a lack of accountability and respect for taxpayers. Why is the district disregarding previous council and mayoral instructions, and why aren’t our leaders standing up for Sooke residents? Matt Mortenson Sooke

One Canadian every 10 minutes is diagnosed with vision loss – but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have to lose independence. Living safely and independently with vision loss was the subject of a talk by Evaleen Baker at the Nanaimo Seniors Services Network’s Seniors Health Fair last month. “It’s not a death sentence to get diagnosed with an eye condition. I know we put a lot of emphasis on our eyesight, but we’re here to support that independence,” Baker said. “I don’t want to see people missing out on any activities because of vision, the only thing I can’t do is restore one’s driver’s licence.” Baker is a certified low vision specialist with Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, a not-for-profit that helps Canadians with vision loss live safely and independently at no cost to the person. For Baker, that means being a part of equipping more than 6,000 people on Vancouver Island with the skills they need to move about independently, a career she started after seeing how the health system in Ontario treated blind patients. “We truly didn’t understand vision loss. I would get doctor’s orders – go in, feed, dress, medicate, look after these people – and the only thing wrong with them is they didn’t see. I was like, ‘this is awful, why are we doing this to you? Why don’t you get up and we’ll do it together?’” After going back to school to focus on supporting patients with vision loss and being hired on with Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, a large part of Baker’s job now is introducing aids to patients, whether that’s using different smart device apps, helping them learn to cook again or figuring out grooming routines. “People don’t tend to go blind the way we misunderstand. It’s 10 per cent of our clientele that go totally blind. Ninety-per cent of our clients always have some degree of functional eyesight to work with and that is the misconception in the general public,” Baker said. “They see it as a black-and-white issue. It’s definitely not.” She said most vision loss is gradual, presenting the opportunity to learn to adapt along the way. Macular degeneration remains the most common form of vision loss, especially prevalent in those over 50. The macula is the part of the eye focusing on fine detail at the front of the eye, but macular degeneration worsens that field of vision without impacting peripheral vision. This means that while the person may not be able to make out the details, they can walk into a room knowing if there are people or objects. For those experiencing vision loss who still have partial sight, one of the first things Baker recommends is task lights. “The more light we can position on top of a task, often it is quite enhancing and more contrasting and much easier to access. By age of 50 and getting older, most people want more lighting. They start turning on more lights and I always talk about that light: get that light into a goose-neck or a flexible arm, get that light positioned on top of the task and away from the face, and that can really make a significant difference.” Contrast in colour can also be useful. Black coffee in a black coffee mug or white plates on a white tablecloth might be difficult to distinguish, for example. “I always tell people, watch where you lay objects, watch for where your surfaces are, look f0r different types of contrast,” Baker said. “There are ways of enhancing contrast, people will do it on the phone.” Sunglasses are another tool, both for reducing eye damage to begin with, as well as for assisting those who require added contrast. The key is finding the right tint for the environment. For those who don’t yet have vision damage, Baker said not wearing sunglasses in sunlight is “the fastest, easiest way to lose eyesight.” All sunglasses sold in Canada are required to provide UV protection, regardless of price, but if the product is bought from outside of Canada, it might not have the same protection. Seeing an optometrist for an eye exam every two years is also recommended. Baker said Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada prefers to work with the clients as soon as a diagnosis is received, whether by self-referral or medical recommendation. “The doctors get pretty fixated on how they’re going to fix this or what they are going to do for it, but they don’t really think about how this person is managing once they leave the doctor’s office,” she said. “Once that diagnosis comes in, it doesn’t matter one’s visual acuity, I’ll meet people who are driving at 20/20 but they have been diagnosed and they need that support.” For more information, visit http://visionlossrehab.ca. [https://visionlossrehab.ca]

It’s said that one language dies every day and that roughly 6,000 others are at risk of going silent around the world. But a Victoria company is determined to bring these fading languages back to the forefront and prevent the loss of their culture and history. Language Foundry, formerly known as the Cultural Foundry Studio, is an education technology company with the mission of supporting the revitalization of endangered and at-risk languages worldwide. The startup’s e-learning platform addresses this “urgent cultural challenge” by providing communities with the tools to support language learning and revitalization in culturally grounded and accessible ways, explained CEO Chad Quinn. “We have a number of processes that we’ve developed to enable elders and speakers to record their languages,” he said. “And then, we use that to build a language model so that it can speak the language.” Once the linguistic platform is created, communities retain ownership over the content and data, ensuring cultural safety, sovereignty and long-term stewardship. “Everything is owned by the community because we find that it’s incredibly important for us to make sure that the communities retain ownership of the data,” said Quinn. Working under the invitation of Indigenous communities across Canada and the United States, Language Foundry creates gamified courses that take learners from beginning concepts to basic fluency. Each course is created to reflect the unique cultural identity of its language, from the artwork to syllabic keyboards. “(Students) can see, hear and play with the language as they go and learn more,” he said. “We tried very hard to make it a comforting and warm experience.” With their language platform launched in 2023, Quinn described the response as “amazing.” The platform now offers 14 languages and has over 10,000 students across Canada and the U.S. “It definitely gets you up in the morning,” he said. “It makes you really want to do the hard work of getting this rolling. “When we first started showing it, the emotions were pretty raw in terms of what we’ve heard.” Earlier this November, the company was selected as one of four Canadian startups to participate in the 2025 Web Summit held in Lisbon. Humbled to have been part of this opportunity to connect with investors, fellow entrepreneurs and like-minded professionals, Quinn now wishes to export his services worldwide. To learn more about Language Foundry, visit [https://www.languagefoundry.com/]languagefoundry.com [https://www.languagefoundry.com/].

Regarding the idea of adding yet another expensive crosswalk to serve the patrons of Mary’s Blue Moon Cafe, I would point out that there is already a nearby crosswalk if the patrons can be bothered to take the extra steps to use it. I often drive along there and am always aware of the people who are exiting their vehicles and heading across the road, sometimes without even looking. Yes, it’s a hazard, but (no pun intended) it’s a two-way street: pedestrians take care, drivers take care. Don’t worry, your burger and fries will still be hot by the time you get them. Mike Trainer North Saanich

Few cases puzzle VicPD detectives as much as the disappearance of Emma Fillipoff, now marking 13 years without answers. The 26-year-old was last seen on Nov. 28, 2012, walking barefoot nearby Victoria’s Empress Hotel on Government Street. On the night she vanished, officers checked on Fillipoff around 7 p.m. after an acquaintance who saw her on a street corner expressed concern about her state. After a brief conversation, the officer left, noting she appeared safe at the time. Shortly after, her van was located in a nearby hotel parking lot. Inside were most of her belongings, including her passport, laptop, journals, camera, and recently borrowed library books. In a press release, VicPD noted that Fillipoff appeared to be experiencing “the onset of mental health challenges.” While Fillipoff’s story remains unresolved, her case is now with VicPD’s Historical Case Unit and the investigation is still ongoing. For her mother, Shelley Fillipoff, the 13th anniversary is a painful reminder of the years that have slipped by. While each Nov. 28 brings renewed grief, she reflects the hope she held early on, believing it was only a matter of time before she and daughter were reunited. “As time wore on, keeping that hope alive became more difficult,” she said. Despite the years, she continues to cling to that hope, drawing strength from her three other children, who keep her grounded. “Without it, I have nothing,” she said. Shelley shared that a new six-part series, Barefoot in the Night, will launch on Emma’s 40th birthday. Aiming to renew public awareness of the case, it will premiere on Jan. 6, 2026. More information and ways to help in the search can be found at helpfindemmafillipoff.ca. Details about Fillipoff’s disappearance and other Canadian missing person cases are available on the RCMP’s National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains website.

Get those snowboards and skis ready, Mount Cain is still eyeing an opening date of Dec. 6. Not only are the plans for it be open, but kids 12 and under can now go for free on Vancouver Island’s “other” ski hill. “The age for free lift tickets has changed for this season from six to 12 years old and younger,” says a press release from Mount Cain. “To take advantage of this for your kids, just check in at the ticket booth, complete the waiver, attach your pass somewhere visible, and you’re set to ski.” Season passes for kids 12 and under are still available, but for a small fee for printing the pass. “This initiative is part of our commitment to providing affordable and sustainable recreational activities to North Islanders, and we can’t wait to see your smiles on the slopes,” said the release. Full ticket breakdowns and other information about the ski hill — located about halfway between Campbell River and Port Hardy — can be viewed at mountcain.com [https://www.mountcain.com/].

This is a letter I wrote to Oak Bay council to request an update or insights into why Evo is not allowed in Oak Bay. Ten years ago, when we lived in Vancouver, we were able to be a single-car family, having both Evo and bikes (with a proper bike network) to utilize. I know of several other friends who have been able to achieve the same reduction in their lives. We moved to Oak Bay and fortunately live close to the Victoria border and still can access an Evo (if one is near Foul Bay Road). I wanted you to consider that if you embraced a car share program in this town, it would result in a significant reduction of people who can commit to eliminating a full-time vehicle. The argument for parking is not valid, and one car share can represent a vehicle for dozens of people. I get that no one will want to use this in Uplands, but the rest of Oak Bay is a great opportunity for integrating more progressive means of alternative transportation. The proven success in all the districts of Vancovuer and Victoria shows it works. I would urge council to please revisit this at an upcoming meeting. Mark “Skip” Taylor Oak Bay

A paramedic from Victoria recently returned home from a trip to Jamaica where he paved the way for other health-care professionals from Canada to go in and help ease some suffering left in Hurricane Melissa’s wake. After the devastating storm made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Oct. 28, the country, as well as neighbouring Cuba, Haiti and other Caribbean nations, saw significant damage and multiple deaths and injuries. Weeks later, the aftermath is still being felt as work continues to repair key infrastructure and return power to communities. Andrew Mills has been a paramedic for 15 years. He currently works in Victoria as an advanced care paramedic and serves as the disaster response manager for BC Emergency Health Services. While this was his first time working with Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT), which provides disaster relief with volunteer health professionals, it was not his first time doing humanitarian work, including two stints in Ukraine in 2022 and 2023. After arriving in Montego Bay on Nov. 17, Mills and the CMAT team set up at Cornwall Regional Hospital. Mills said his role on the trip was logistics – setting up safety, security, transportation, the clinical setting and more for the team of nurses and doctors arriving to help care for patients for the rest of November, and into December. After arriving in Montego Bay on Nov. 17, Andrew Mills and the CMAT team set up at Cornwall Regional Hospital. (Photo courtesy of CMAT) [https://vancouverislandfreedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/11/40987695_web1_20251125-vne-VicParamedic-Jamaica-andrew_3.jpg] Steps from the emergency room, CMAT has its tent set up with all the things you would expect in an urgent or primary care clinic here in B.C., Mills explained. People are being seen by triage staff, and if deemed lower acuity, those patients are being sent to the CMAT tent for further diagnosis and treatment, taking a huge amount of pressure off the hospital. Cornwall had its power and water disrupted for several weeks following the hurricane, with staff operating on what was essentially a mass-casualty response. Multiple people were being turned away due to being over capacity. “The situation was pretty dire, but the tireless nurses and doctors at Cornwall Regional Hospital have been working around the clock to treat patients and try and return their operations to normal,” said Mills. “As a paramedic who has worked all over B.C. and served 10 years in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and has worked through the opioid crisis, through COVID-19 and through multiple mass-casualty events, the overwhelming impact on the hospital is something I’ve never experienced in my entire life.” The country is currently dealing with a deadly leptospirosis outbreak, which has claimed several lives. The disease is spread through contact with water, soil or food contaminated by urine from infected animals, and outbreaks can occur following heavy rainfall or flooding. CMAT explained that, while the immediate physical injuries caused by a storm like this are generally not major, the weeks after can bring major concerns around communicable diseases like cholera and dengue fever, as well as chronic disease management. With destroyed homes and infrastructure, people who live in crowded shelters are exposed to infections, but if they opt to remain outside shelters, they can still be affected by the elements. “People with chronic illnesses may have lost their medication and assistive devices in the storm. And of course, babies needing to be born will wait for no one,” the organization said. The devastating storm made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Oct. 28, causing widespread power outages and significant damage to key infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of CMAT) [https://vancouverislandfreedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/11/40987695_web1_20251125-vne-VicParamedic-Jamaica-andrew_2.jpg] “It was very challenging… I mean the entire country was affected by this hurricane. If not directly hit, then certainly had family, friends, etc., that were impacted. There’s a lot of devastation in the western part of the country, with homelessness right now being a major issue faced by everyday Jamaicans.” The incoming CMAT team was prepared to camp out in the hospital tents, however, they ended up being welcomed at a local hostel, alongside other essential workers like the Jamaican Public Service employees who are there en masse trying to restore power. The hostel itself did not have power, however, Mills said it had running water, and they were extremely grateful to the owners for giving them a place to stay. As for Cornwall hospital staff, Mills said even as they work tirelessly, many are doing so while facing their own challenges. “Homelessness was being faced by the clinical staff at the hospital – who were coming to work their shifts, but were returning to either a shelter or a friend’s place overnight,” Mills recalled. One of the most impactful parts of the trip was seeing the “widespread human suffering,” but also the warmth, kindness and resilience of the Jamaican people. “Once we put up the Canadian flags on the tents at the hospital, we had a surge in people coming by to see what we were doing, and just to thank us – just to pop in their head and say, ‘Thank you, to you and to Canada, for being here and supporting us in this difficult time’,” said Mills. “We get to come home to Canada at the end of our rotation… but, despite our impact there, the recovery is going to be a long road measured in months and years for Jamaica, and truly the work has just begun. I’m quite proud of the work CMAT is doing, but the people of Jamaica are going to need beyond this first phase of initial intervention.” Mills added that CMAT [https://cmat.ca/]is currently fundraising for the ability to send a third rotation of people to Jamaica to help out, as they’ve been asked to extend their time there for as long as possible.

I disagree with Saanich Mayor Dean Murdoch’s rebuttal to the Mount Tolmie Community Association on so many fronts with respect to consultation over the Shelbourne Valley Action Plan. Firstly, the official community plan (OCP) was rushed through in May 2024, a year before it was mandated by the province. Based on talking to my neighbours and friends, nobody knew about it until after it was passed. This was a failure of the municipality to inform the public. Those who did know had overwhelmingly objected to it, but were ignored by a majority of council. I chose to live on a no-through street of primarily low-rise homes to distance myself from corridors. Yet this TOA (transit-oriented area) will allow up to 18-storey buildings (about half the height of Mt. Tolmie) on our street. Not only will these buildings tower over single-family homes, but ironically also dwarf the recent developments of six storeys on Shelbourne and McKenzie. When I raised this issue with one councillor, they mistakenly believed that the TOA was mandated by the province. If a councillor doesn’t know this, what would one expect from the public? Another feature of the OCP is allowing building heights up to 12 storeys on Shelbourne Street, McKenzie and Cedar Hill Road. This is a three-sided attack on the Mt. Tolmie community designed to squeeze residents out and create another Metrotown. So when council is determined to rewrite the Shelbourne Valley Action Plan and push the Quadra McKenzie Plan to fit their well-laid-out agenda, evident in the official community plan, people will become frustrated and not heard. Michael Riefman Saanich

B.C. entrepreneur Mandy Farmer was recently awarded the title Business Leader of the Year at the Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce’s (CQCC). CQCC’s 10th annual Black & White Gala Business Awards were held in Toronto on Nov. 14. The CQCC Business Leadership Awards celebrate trailblazers driving inclusion, innovation, and growth in Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ business community. Farmer is the current president and CEO of Accent Inns, proudly owned and operated by the Farmer family since 1986. She took over the role from her father, Terry Farmer, in 2008. She is also the founder of Hotel Zed and Tofino restaurant, ROAR. She was previously named RBC Women of Influence Entrepreneur of the Year in the excellence category in 2020, won the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s Business of the Year award in 2018 and was named Hotelier of the Year by Hotelier Magazine in 2017. “This might be one of my proudest moments…ever,” Farmer said in a LinkedIn post. “As a CEO, I fiercely believe in leading with love. I want every employee and guest who walks onto our properties to feel celebrated and welcome exactly as they are.” Her post further said that in practice, inclusion is in both big and small initiatives, from gender-inclusive washrooms, pronouns on email signatures and name tags, pride events at their properties, queer love in marketing, and benefits that support gender-affirming procedures. “This award is given to ‘individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and advocacy within the 2SLGBTQI+ business community.’ Obviously, nothing happens because of one individual. I’m so grateful for my amazing team who ensures that everything we do is centered around inclusion: our hiring practices, learning materials, marketing, daily operations, policies, guest experience and so much more.”

Oceanside Concert Choir will perform ‘Messiah’ by George Frideric Handel on Dec. 7 at Knox United Church in Parksville. The performance presented by Oceanside Music Association will feature soloists Michael MacKinnon (baritone), Adam Dyjach, (tenor), Shanté Van Horlick (mezzo soprano) and Andrea Rodall (soprano), as well as the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Karl Rainer, according to a news release by Oceanside Music Association. They will be joined by guest trumpet players Mark D’Angelo and David Stewart. Oceanside Concert Choir Music Director Ann Barber-Becqué will be conducting. ‘Messiah’ has become a musical tradition unparalleled in the English-speaking world. “Its popularity dates back almost to when it was first performed in Dublin in 1742,” said musical director Ann Barber-Becqué. “It is the most requested piece of music by choir members, and it always draws a large audience when we perform it.” Barber-Becqué said ‘Messiah’ has everything. Dramatic and exciting musical passages based on familiar Biblical texts, achingly tender arias performed by soloists and joyous choruses, three of which the audience is invited sing along with. She added that the choir is excited this year to be joined by two professional musicians performing the trumpet accompaniment and solo. D’Angelo is the Principal Trumpet with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra. He also plays trumpet with the Vancouver Island Symphony and teaches music at Capilano College. Stewart is well-known in the community having taught music at Kwalikum Secondary School for more than 25 years before retiring from teaching. He is frequently seen performing the ‘Last Post’ on Remembrance Day and is a member of the Arrowsmith Big Band. Handel’s ‘Messiah’ opens in dramatic fashion with the birth of Jesus being announced by angels. The scene shifts to his ministry among the Jews, his suffering, death and resurrection. This is followed by the spread of his message to the world. The choral work concludes with thanksgiving and the promise of a heavenly afterlife. The concert starts at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and are available online at www.oceanside-music.ca or with cash at Fireside Books in Parksville and Edge Outdoors in Qualicum Beach. Unsold tickets will be available at the door through cash and debit/credit card. For more information visit www.oceanside-music.ca or call 250-594-4755.

A brass band will team with choirs to perform holiday music up and down Vancouver Island next month. Festive Brass will bring its Christmas in Canada tour to 10 Island communities between Dec. 6-21. The traditional family Christmas concert will include a “rich mix of timeless carols and festive favourites, along with new Canadian compositions.” In addition, the brass musician ensemble will be doing its own versions of Christmas classics such as Silent Night and Good King Wenceslas. Stevan Paranosic, Festive Brass leader, told Black Press Media that the group wanted to present the program with a twist. “It’s like a fun program of Christmas music, but not in a pedantic kind of way,” he said. “We like to add a little bit of fun to the program and musical shenanigans just to keep everything light and feel-good.” This takes the form of adding a polka twist to Up on the House Top, turning The First Noel into a slow jam and adding a Latin twist on We Three Kings. “We have a few more traditional things. The highlight I think is going to be the piece near the end where we take the famous Christmas poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, and the lyrics will be sung by the choir and the brass will add some musical snippets underneath while they sing through the poem.” By performing with choirs, Paranosic said it gives the brass players time to have a break between pieces, as well as the opportunity to combine to create a nostalgic atmosphere he considers intrinsic to a Christmas show. “Immediately adding words makes all the shenanigans make a little more sense because it wouldn’t make sense musically if we venture into a new direction if we don’t have the words to kind of lock you into, ‘oh yes, they’re singing about this song.’” As a result, audiences can expect a heartwarming concert, and a celebration of the true spirit of Canadian Christmas. “We’re inundated right now with Christmas music everywhere, elevators, malls, it’s all in the background and it seeps into the unconsciousness, but when you go to see it live in a concert we feel that the choir and the lyrics and the brass paired together kind of anchor you back to what is the meaning behind each one of these Christmas carols and just gives you that nostalgic feeling again.” Attendees are invited to sing with the choir during select songs. The tour starts in Nanaimo on Dec. 6, and other concerts are planned in Port Alberni, Sidney, Chemainus, Duncan, Gabriola Island, Victoria before the tour concludes with shows in Parksville on Dec. 20 and Courtenay and Campbell River on Dec. 21. For ticket information, visit www.festivebrass.ca/holidaytour2025 [http://www.festivebrass.ca/holidaytour2025].

Stakeholders discussed how to better support Indigenous patients receiving health care on Vancouver Island, where the health authority has become one of the province’s first to undertake a B.C. Cultural Safety and Humility Standard assessment. The topic was discussed during a panel on integrating Indigenous healing practices into health care at a summit hosted by the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District on Nov. 13 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. Brennan MacDonald, a vice-president of regional operations with the First Nations Health Authority, said she is proud of Island Health for stepping forward to be the first health authority in B.C. outside of the First Nations Health Authority to voluntarily undertake a B.C. Cultural Safety and Humility Standard [https://healthstandards.org/standard/cultural-safety-and-humility-standard/] assessment. She said it’s a great example of something a health authority can do to make improvements to the system to deliver culturally safe and appropriate care. “I think that all health authorities will go through the process, it is just a matter of timing and sequence,” she said. “Island Health being the first means we have a chance to model for the rest of the province, and the country, what it looks like to go through this. The standard itself is also being adopted nationally, so there will be opportunities for provinces across Canada to undertake similar work with the same goals.” The standard recognizes that First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals and communities experience racism and discrimination at many levels when seeking health-related care and services, creating barriers and harm including unacceptable rates of illness and distress, reduced access to care and services, and ignorance of cultural practices resulting in non-adherence to treatment plans. It can lead to avoidance of the health-care system due to fear and mistrust. The standard includes guidelines such as understanding Indigenous rights, protocols, and practices; incorporating those competency requirements into job descriptions, recruitment and hiring; and providing regular, mandatory anti-racism and cultural safety and humility education and training in the workplace. “It’s guidance around organizational structures and procedures – it will ensure we understand how to keep racism out of the health system and services that we’re designing,” MacDonald said. She added that the standard will provide a benchmark for health authorities to gauge where they are performing well and where they need to improve. Also speaking as part of the panel was Dr. Christine Hall, deputy registrar for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, who shared that the college has been collaborating with other B.C. health regulators and the Ministry of Health ahead of implementing the Health Professions and Occupations Act [https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/bills/billsprevious/3rd42nd:gov36-3#section467] in the spring. The act stipulates that superintendents must consult with Indigenous persons who provide similar types of health services in accordance with Indigenous practices; and administrators’ lists of support workers should include names put forward by Indigenous governing bodies. “Within the act are very specific legislative directives around management of our Indigenous patient needs…” Hall said. “Two steps around that are the creation of an Indigenous advisory circle, and that also includes support for Indigenous peoples who have been wronged in the health-care system. How do we now lead the system with actual Indigenous support – that’s formalized under the [act]. And of course we’re training all of our committees and our people around that.” In the long term, she said the college is working to embed Indigenous cultural safety and anti-racism principles into quality assurance and practice enhancement policies, as well as exploring partnerships regarding training for registrants. “While these are long-standing issues, the formalization of it is new for people who come to get a licence in B.C. So we’re walking with them as they understand what is expected of them.” Chief Michael Recalma of Qualicum First Nation shared a personal story during the event about receiving a kidney transplant and dialysis. One morning, when he was originally scheduled to go home but couldn’t, he said it was the practice of cedar brushing that turned that hospital room into a safe space. MacDonald noted that ceremonies and practices hold an integral part in healing. “The mind is very powerful, it can contribute to illness, or it can do the opposite,” she said. “That feels very empowering and I think that is a big foundation of what our wellness is about and how it shows up in our work.” MacDonald said part of supporting Indigenous patients is holding space for individuals to advocate and assert for their needs, but also to strive for a system that recognizes the diversity of approaches to well-being so that advocacy isn’t necessary. “While there are some who are able to do that, the history we know exists within our health-care system has caused harm.” In a statement, Island Health said there is ongoing work in bringing the B.C. Cultural Safety and Humility Standard to life as it moves towards accreditation, including the release of an organizational anti-racism and discrimination position statement and Indigenous-specific anti-racism and discrimination policy that “affirms everyone’s right to work and receive health care in a safe, anti-racist, and discrimination-free environment and aims create an environment that directly addresses Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination.”

Customers would come from far and wide, eager to take home something sweet or savoury, and always comforting. Victoria Pie Company was a beloved fixture in the Victoria Public Market, but its charm and customer base were threatened to be lost for good when the public market closed its doors in June 2025 after a sale to Loblaws. But Victoria Wan, a local baker who called Victoria Pie Company home for two years, was determined to not let that happen. “Even when I first started working for them, I recognized how special this local business was. I loved my job. I love making pies. We didn’t close because we failed, we closed because circumstances failed us,” she told Victoria News. “Marie has been relentless in her support and encouraged me to give my own business a try. I figured, if not now, when?” Wan started Indigo Bakes and is bringing the Victoria Pie Company’s recipes with her, with the blessing of previous owner, Marie Takahashi. Chicken Pot Pie, Mushroom Gruyere and Apple Pie are on the menu, with plans to add more options as the venture grows. Fans of the pies will be glad to know that the popular recipes are remaining the same. “There’s a reason the shop survived as long as it did and I’m not going to mess with a good, and delicious, thing,” Wan said. The pies – with both an Indigo Bakes logo and a Victoria Pie Co. one – are now found in the frozen section in HOB Fine Foods, The Market Garden and Kid Sister Ice Cream with fresh pies available in Peppers Foods. Pies can also be ordered online from South Island Farm Hub. While Wan’s current pie selection is small, she hopes that the love and support for Victoria Pie Company will eventually lead to another brick-and-mortar location. The company has been in business since 2013. As for Takahashi, who purchased Victoria Pie Company in 2023 as owner of Two Crows Craft Foods, she is on her own journey; she got herself a camper and is currently driving cross-country, seeking beautiful views and good food, Wan said. Takahashi said all the customers who have reached out to her since its closure have shown her how important Victoria Pie Co. was to the city. Knowing she wanted to keep the business alive in some form, when Wan reached out, it was the right fit. “Victoria was our primary pastry maker and is incredibly passionate about baking,” Takahashi said. “One of the hardest moments of my life was looking at my son and saying we had to close our business because we couldn’t find a space. But we roll with it. In the meantime we’ve got Victoria carrying on the pie traditions, and I couldn’t think of a better person to do it. She’s a self-taught chef and everything she does turns to magic.”

With December just days away, Nanaimo residents can get an early start to holiday festivities with a German Christmas experience this weekend. Nanaimo Christmas Village is taking place at Cavallotti Lodge on 2060 East Wellington Rd. till Sunday, Nov. 30, complete with arts and crafts for sale from various area vendors as well as traditional German fare – sausages, sauerkraut and pretzels. Peter Lange, one of the event’s organizers, said there are differences between a traditional German and Canadian Christmas. “The [lead] up to Christmas I think, is the main difference,” he said. “These Christmas markets in Germany would last for a month, so they start beginning of December, and then they run all the way up to Christmas and they are typically outdoor.” The event will give 50 per cent of donations to the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive [https://nanaimobulletin.com/2025/11/25/great-nanaimo-toy-drive-hoping-for-communitys-help-with-gift-giving/] and is an official drop-off site for the charitable effort. Lange said the joy of Christmas and the desire to bring smiles to people’s faces is the reason it was chosen as beneficiary. “We also know some people who grew up quite poor, and I know from some of them that said this toy drive, and the gifts at Christmas, was one of the best memories they had as a kid,” he said. An estimated 600 people came through the doors the first day (Nov. 28) and Lange estimates over 2,000 people will attend through the event’s three days. Nanaimo Christmas Village is open until 5 p.m. Saturday and will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information go to www.nanaimochristmasvillage.com/ [https://www.nanaimochristmasvillage.com/].

Yesterday’s news is today’s magic trick. Clutching an old copy of the Sooke News Mirror, magician Guy Simmons tells his audience he’s about to perform the classic torn-and-restored newspaper trick – but with a twist. “Because I tell you exactly how it’s done,” he says. “But before I show you this, I want you to know that everything that I say is absolutely true – except the lies, of course,” he adds with a wink. He begins to rip the pages into strips, insisting he’s only pretending, then pressing the paper into a tight, small parcel. “But this was all a trick, and I really haven’t done that,” he says. Then, with a quick flick of his wrists he shakes open the paper, magically restored, as if nothing had ever happened. Cue rapturous applause. It’s an illusion Simmons has performed countless times over a magical career that has spanned decades – one of his favourites, he says. But after years away from the spotlight, he’s returning to performing for reasons that go beyond entertaining a crowd. Like the newspaper he brings back together, the 74-year-old hopes revisiting his old stagecraft wizardry might help him rebuild some joy in his own life – though he knows it won’t be as simple as waving a magic wand. Recent years have been hard on him. Ongoing legal proceedings following a relationship breakdown have left him without a home, living aboard his boat in Sooke, about a half-hour west of Victoria, since late 2023. Now, with more legal costs looming, he’s facing the possibility of having to sell the boat too. “So I’ll be homeless,” he said. “I’ve been having a really bad, bad year and been very depressed.” While he has been receiving mental health support, Simmons has decided he needs to take an active role in helping himself. It was a chance meeting with a palliative care nurse that gave him the idea to return to magic – not for applause this time, but for healing. “I thought maybe I should go out and do a little bit of my magic act for people that are maybe worse off than I am – maybe that’ll make me feel better,” he said. Now he’s hoping to bring his act to local retirement homes, hospitals and palliative care units, offering a few moments of wonder to people who might need it most. “Everyone needs magic at this time of year.” Simmons’ love of magic stretches back to childhood, when his uncle and “an old lady” he knew taught him card tricks. That early fascination carried him into a life spent creating, performing and dreaming up illusions. His early career began performing in front of children to build confidence and learn how to hold an audience. As his skills grew, so did his ambitions. He connected with other magicians, including his longtime mentor, the late Len Ventus – a founding member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians – and with other like-minded friends, he formed a troupe called the Magic Alliance, performing as the Wizard of the North. In the late 1980s and through the ’90s, they staged everything from close-up magic to large-scale illusions, appeared on television, and even performed at the International Brotherhood of Magicians convention in Montreal. Their act also earned them a spot on the front page of The Linking Ring, a respected magic journal. “We were doing crazy stunts, building wild props – just creating all the time,” he recalled. Simmons recalls performing one of magic’s most notorious stunts, the bullet catch, using a real pistol and a bullet with the initials of an audience member carved into it. His first wife Leeann would fire the shot, Simmons would “catch” the bullet in his teeth and spit it onto a plate. “It was the most dangerous trick in the world. “That’s how I broke my tooth,” he jokes, pointing to one of his front teeth. Simmons wasn’t just a performer; he was a builder. An artist by nature, he designed and fabricated his own illusions, sets and props. For years, he poured his creative energy into a personal project in Richmond Hill, transforming his childhood home into what he called the Magic Castle, part workshop, part museum, part TV-set-in-progress. He and a small team of artists and builders produced everything from jewelry to large custom pieces for clients, including props and architectural features for Toronto collector Bill Jamieson’s private museum of oddities. But a septic hip infection in 2010 derailed everything. The two-year recovery forced him to abandon the Magic Castle, sell the house, and let go of his long-planned television projects. He shifted from performing illusions to flipping homes to earn a living – work that eventually brought him to Sooke. Still, he never lost his love for magic. What draws him in, he says, isn’t just the sleight of hand, but the storytelling and the chance to make someone smile, to spark a moment of wonder. “I like telling stories, making people laugh,” explained Simmons. “If someone walks away happy – if they say, ‘Wow, how did you do that?’ – that makes me happy too.” Anyone who can help Simmons connect with an audience that would benefit from some magic in their lives, can email him: gwiz@lenvintus.com.

Community members are asked to drive in and share some Christmas charity next week. Sunshine Mountain Ford Lincoln’s Give and Go event, in support of the Salvation Army and Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank, will be held Friday, Dec. 5. This is the dealership’s 10th year hosting the event and first since it changed its name to Sunshine Mountain, and it’s a meaningful initiative for the business every year, said Ann Marie Clark, dealer principal. “It’s to make it easy for our community to donate to those people that are struggling at this time of year. It is a tough time of year for a lot of people,” she said. Motorists are asked to drive up to the dealership to donate money, non-perishable food items, unwrapped toys, and warm winter clothing like jackets, socks and tuques. Last year the event resulted in at least $4,000 raised for each charity, plus 4,000 kilograms of food, two sacks of clothing and 300 new toys. “It’s so much fun watching all the people come through. Last year we had a whole flat-deck of bikes dropped off. The generosity in the community is crazy,” Clark said. “It’s really fun to host it and get to see all that.” Give and Go happens from 5-7 p.m.

A brass band will team with the Island Bel Canto Singers to perform holiday music in Nanaimo next month. Festive Brass will bring its Christmas in Canada tour to St. Andrew’s United Church in the Old City Quarter on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. The traditional family Christmas concert will include a “rich mix of timeless carols and festive favourites, along with new Canadian compositions.” In addition, the brass musician ensemble will be doing its own versions of Christmas classics such as Silent Night and Good King Wenceslas. Stevan Paranosic, Festive Brass leader, told the Nanaimo News Bulletin that the group wanted to present the program with a twist. “It’s like a fun program of Christmas music, but not in a pedantic kind of way,” he said. “We like to add a little bit of fun to the program and musical shenanigans just to keep everything light and feel-good.” This takes the form of adding a polka twist to Up on the House Top, turning The First Noel into a slow jam and adding a Latin twist on We Three Kings. “We have a few more traditional things. The highlight I think is going to be the piece near the end where we take the famous Christmas poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, and the lyrics will be sung by the choir and the brass will add some musical snippets underneath while they sing through the poem.” By performing with Island Bel Canto Singers, Paranosic said it gives the brass players time to have a break between pieces, as well as the opportunity to combine to create a nostalgic atmosphere he considers intrinsic to a Christmas show. “Immediately adding words makes all the shenanigans make a little more sense because it wouldn’t make sense musically if we venture into a new direction if we don’t have the words to kind of lock you into, ‘oh yes, they’re singing about this song.’” As a result, audiences can expect a heartwarming concert, and a celebration of the true spirit of Canadian Christmas. “We’re inundated right now with Christmas music everywhere, elevators, malls, it’s all in the background and it seeps into the unconsciousness, but when you go to see it live in a concert we feel that the choir and the lyrics and the brass paired together kind of anchor you back to what is the meaning behind each one of these Christmas carols and just gives you that nostalgic feeling again.” Attendees are invited to sing with the choir during select songs. Like Island Bel Canto Singers in the Harbour City, Festive Brass will perform with other area choirs, including the Village Voices of Qualicum Beach in a Dec. 20 performance in Parksville. For ticket information, visit www.festivebrass.ca/holidaytour2025 [http://www.festivebrass.ca/holidaytour2025] and for more on Island Bel Canto Singers, visit http://islandbelcanto.ca [https://islandbelcanto.ca/].

Dancing her way to Italy. Nine-year-old Milah Hanson, who has been training at Cowichan’s Carlson’s School of Dance with co-owner and director Ricki-Lee Allison since the tender age of three, is wrapping up a worldy experience that most young dancers can only dream of. She was chosen by Team Canada Dance to represent the country at the official International Dance Organization (IDO) World Acrobatic Dance Championships in Castellanza, Italy from Nov. 17 to 22. IDO is a World Dance and Dance-Sport Federation with a membership of more than 90 nations, representing more than 250,000 dancers from six continents. “We couldn’t be more proud of Milah and grateful to her amazing family for all the support they show her,” said Allison priro to the trip. “Traveling to the mainland for rehearsals and the extra costs to be part of this team requires a lot of commitment from her whole family and it doesn’t go unnoticed. “With Milah being so young, she may not realize what an opportunity this is, but we know it will stay with her all her life that she represented Canada in Italy. We are all so excited for her and can’t wait to cheer her on.” It is quite appropriate that Milah’s family and teachers are doing backflips as she embarks on this exciting and life changing opportunity as the young dancer has also been training with Duncan Dynamics Gymnastics Club for the last six years. At Carlson’s Milah puts her best foot forward in several dance styles including acro, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap. “Acrobatic dance combines dance with acrobatic and gymnastic movements so Milah does very well as she trains in both dance and gymnastics in the Cowichan Valley,” said Allison. Milah is definitely making moves as she gets ready to compete on this worldy stage; when first asked what she was most excited about for her trip to Italy, her first response was pasta. “I’m also excited to do my aerial,” said Milah. It’s a move where a performer flips or cartwheels through the air without their hands touching the ground.

The recent letter writer who complained about the changes made to Ravine Way, which was done many months ago, does have a point to be concerned about when the B.C. Ministry of Highways starts altering busy, key traffic routes. If he is heading to the Pat Bay Highway, he has several options to make a right turn from Douglas to get to Blanchard/Vernon via Saanich Road, Finlayson, Tolmie, Cloverdale, Hillside, or Bay, whichever is most convenient. I wouldn’t think sitting at 3 long lights to take his old way via Douglas, Carey, Ravine, to Vernon is any faster than the ones I mentioned. Taking away the left turn from Highway 1 to Carey was not a good idea, as many go to Uptown to shop, and given that we all know accidents happen most at intersections, adding more traffic is ridiculous. Ravine is slated for buses, and the new hub will make it easier for them to travel around. Too many cars were going down Vernon and turning left at Ravine, causing huge backups on Vernon just so drivers could avoid Highway 1 at Saanich/Boleskine. Now, cars from Saanich westbound must cross 4 lanes of traffic to get to Save On Foods, only a short block down the hill. This right turn onto Vernon backs up Saanich and Tattersal as many cars sit there until all 4 lanes of traffic are clear, instead of grabbing an open lane and merging left, left, and left again, which can be hard to do given the short distance. Any car wanting to get from Vernon to Douglas can just loop around in the left lane before the fire hall and get to the other portion of Ravine, and to Carey. The B.C. Ministry of Highways is well known for ruining neighbourhoods as they own the highways and ferry roads, and somehow don’t look at the big picture when designing or rerouting traffic. The Keating exit is a perfect example, still not done. All this money for bike lanes, which garners no tax revenue, and our main roads get entire lanes chopped or reduced. Go figure. Stuart Walker Central Saanich

Thank you for featuring the rewarding hobby of stamp collecting in the Nov. 20 issue of the Peninsula News Review, “Stamp collectors keeping an old hobby alive.” I can certainly commend the work of the Victoria Stamp Club, and I wish to alert your readers to the existence of the Sidney Stamp Club, which meets regularly on the second Saturday of each month, starting at 1 p.m. at the Highway Christian Fellowship on McDonald Park Road. Please join us to enjoy, trade, buy and sell stamps from all around the world, and most importantly, for the friendship and fellowship of our members. Chris Gainor, president Sidney Stamp Club

A bunch of us who live near 1899 Cochrane St., the site of a proposed eight-townhouse development, have managed to convince Saanich not to allow the developer to remove a majestic 80-year-old tree we call Big Monty. It took letters to Planning and Engineering, meetings with councillors, rallies, media exposure and a petition with over 600 signatures to achieve this. However, Seba Construction still plans to build a unit, somewhat smaller, but so close to Monty that it’s well within the tree’s critical root zone. As well, they are seeking permission to prune the crap out of Monty to squeeze the unit in. According to artificial intelligence, this combination does not bode well for the survival of the tree in the long term. Apparently, other developers have been permitted to prune “problem” trees to the point that they die not long after, and then no permit is needed to remove the dead tree. Bill 44 allows eight units on this site. Why not build eight compact units that don’t stretch the thing from lot line to lot line? Nope. Why not build two floors above grade and one below so that it’s more in context with the houses around it? Nope. Why not build a flat roof instead of a peaked one so that the height of the thing is not so imposing? Nope. Why not have more off-street parking? Nope. Because our other petition with over 300 signatures addressing the above issues is being disregarded, we are faced with three storeys plus a peaked roof in a two-storey neighbourhood, four of seven trees removed and the rest in danger, one guest parking stall for the whole complex, increased run-off on our slope that has some neighbours really worried, a popular pedestrian/bike way that will become dangerously congested and eight high-end townhouses that will definitely not provide affordable housing for those who need it most. On top of this, the developer has asked for five variances. Dave Secco Saanich

Four men from Nanaimo, thinking outside and inside of the box, so to speak, have gone offshore to try to bring home affordable housing. Cueva Homes is the brainchild of realtor Ryan Stolz, builders Bill Xing and Adam Splawski, and Elliot Layton, who partnered to create a line of manufactured modular carriage homes, designed and engineered in Canada and built in China, that could be one piece toward solving B.C.’s housing puzzle. “We’re all involved in real estate and finance in Canada right now, and development, and the reality is … it’s unsustainable to build the housing that the government is saying we need and we want, and [affordably] it can’t be done,” said Stolz, Cueva vice-president of sales and marketing. Under provincial Bill-44, the government is trying to increase housing density. One way to do go about that is to maximize use of existing single-family home properties by adding a second structure. But with traditional building, homeowners can run afoul of hurdles, such as rising costs and wait times for available trades and permitting. “Knowing all that because we go through it, we decided to say, what could we do that is … controllable, that’s adaptable to all aspects of life?” Stolz said. The partners surveyed owners of properties that can accommodate carriage homes. “How can we make living situations easier? … How can something like this serve as an extra suite for income? Families? People who want to age in their [property], but they want to move out to something like this and have their kids [move] into their home? Investors? Airbnb? There’s just lots of different ways this could work with people in backyards,” said Splawski, Cueva’s chief executive officer. From the survey data they planned a home design that can be sited with minimal preparation and permitting. The first two units – a one bedroom and a two-bedroom, each with 495 square feet of floor space – arrived in Nanaimo in late October. The units come complete with German-made appliances sourced locally, outdoor canopy and front deck, everything except furniture and can be delivered and installed in a matter of weeks. The units are welded steel frame construction and designed for energy efficiency, incorporating an energy recovery ventilation system. Nine-foot ceilings give rooms a sense of spaciousness. Xing, Cueva Homes president, said the homes are designed by Canadian engineers and teams. “And then we have [specialists] in tiny houses, all in China, who did an amazing job on the interior layout and the material finishes … there’s not a single drywall throughout the house … There’s no potential for moulds, water damages or anything like that. All materials are recycled materials or composites … We put a lot of thought into the design to make sure that, even though it’s as tiny as 495 square feet, it doesn’t feel like 495 square feet,” he said. The first units are being shipped completely assembled, but that drives up shipping costs and limits the unit floor space and configuration. “In the future we want to be truly modular, so we’re going to have a warehouse with stacks of wall panels and have everything assembled on site, which obviously we’re going to have local – our own guys and contractors – to do the work, but that is the only way to make this home bigger than what it is because we’re already at the upper limit of the size,” Xing said. “If we want to do anything beyond 495 square feet we’ve got to go modular.” Switching to modular assembly will allow the company to connect modules to create floor space and configuration variations for townhome and condo projects, temporary housing and other applications. “In the time being we’re trying to fill the void, which everyone is trying to do, but they can’t get the price down,” Xing said. The cost, landed in Vancouver, for either the two- or one-bedroom unit is $165,000 plus site preparation and installation, which Splawski said for a “fairly straight forward one” in Nanaimo is another $40,000 to $50,000, putting the total cost at around $210,000 plus GST. Final costs would vary depending on delivery costs to more remote locations on the Island or the B.C. Interior and the type of installation required. The homes can also be configured for remote sites to run completely off-grid. Cueva Homes handles all aspects of site preparation, including foundation work, trucking, crane operation and utility connections. Installation for the company’s two show homes took about four days. “You’re looking at a week to two weeks of foundations in, services hooked up and ready to go and then when crane day shows up it’s landed, another day to unpack and set the deck up and that’s it,” Splawski said. The company currently has manufacturing capacity for 100 homes per month, but is still waiting for full CSA certification, expected in early 2026, Stolz said, so the company is taking reservations for sales. City of Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog and chief administrative officer Dale Lindsay have met with the Cueva Homes partners to view the products. “I am excited by what I saw. We need to encourage innovative approaches to meet our housing challenges. This type of housing is definitely a real solution for part of our housing crisis,” Krog said. Lindsay said the city has been encouraging detached secondary suites on properties for a number of years. “With the more recent changes that the province has required for zoning, I think there’s opportunity on many properties in the city to consider additional housing units, whether those be site-built or factory-built homes, that are available to residents and it’s great that people have options to pick from,” Lindsay said. He noted manufactured homes are approved by the Canadian Standards Association and negates the city’s role in permitting for traditional on-site building permitting. “We don’t inspect those units. They’re done at the factory,” Lindsay said. “We provide permitting for siting and making sure that they’re serviced properly. It’s a slightly different role we play, but at the end of the day, more housing opportunities is what everybody wants.”

After reading the article on the group from St Andrew’s Church challenging Sidney mayor and council to spend the night in the cold, I have a challenge for this church and all the churches in Sidney and beyond. Why don’t they look into opening a warming shelter themselves? Do they not have the facilities, such a washrooms and kitchens, along with space sitting empty overnight? Perhaps they could start the process by contacting Broadview Church in Saanich, which has been able to open a warming shelter for this winter. After all, wouldn’t this be the Christian thing to do? Lisa Domshy Saanichton

It’s the elderly women caught up in the war in Ukraine that really get to Darrell McKay. “These people should be relaxing in their senior years and not worrying about missiles coming in or, you know, no heat, no hydro, no water,” McKay says. “These people shouldn’t be going through that, but every war does this, right?” The Campbell Riverite volunteers with an evacuation crew in Ukraine run by a group called East SOS. The group goes to the front in the eastern part of the country under occupation by Russian forces, evacuates people from small towns and villages and puts them on trains to safer areas of Ukraine. Helping them off the bus after they’ve spent hours fleeing the Russian war machine leaving behind their homes and all their possessions in the towns and villages of the eastern Ukraine, McKay is moved by the elderly in particular. “I was helping this elderly lady, she was very old and very little, and we had all of her bags in a pile, and she moved like 10 feet, and went back and forth with her bag,” McKay says. “And I was trying to figure out what she was doing. So she moved 10 feet, moved the bags, moved 10 feet, moved the bags … And at first it was a bit irritating, but I realized that those bags were everything she owned. That was, that was all she had now. So she was very protective of her life and those plastic bags. So seeing, you know, an 85 or 90-year-old person, when their life has just been boiled down to like, five plastic bags. It’s pretty tough to watch.” McKay is currently in Ukraine, the ninth time he’s been there since retiring and deciding that he wanted to help the country after it was invaded by the Russian military in February 2022. This is his second trip this year, going over earlier in September. He has done a variety of jobs during his visits, but this time he is working directly with evacuees, something he had hoped to do right from the start. “My goal when I first went over there was work on an evacuation crew,” he said. “And so, after seven trips, I made it on the evacuation crew.” He is working with a group called East SOS in Pavlograd. The group is made up of professionals from many avenues of life. They help with busloads of people, like senior citizens or young families. A lot of the evacuees have mobility issues and need assistance getting on and off the buses and moved to trains. “It’s pretty tough work but it’s helping mobility challenged people. Whatever we can do. We’ve got carrying aids, we’re carrying seats and wheelchairs and stretchers and we load them up as we can and get them on their way.” The transfer points are right in the face of the war. “It’s getting hit by Kinzhal missiles and drones pretty well every day. Yeah, it’s active, very, very noisy but I’m working with a good crew. They’re awesome.” McKay acknowledges the physicality of the work but says it’s probably more emotionally demanding. The psychological impact often hits you later. “It’s not scary at the time but then when you come home and you digest it, that’s when you start. That’s when it creates a little bit more of a frightening feel to it.” On a recent trip, he was on a train when somebody fired an exploding round into it. “It came through probably 20 feet away from me and blew up in the train hall, right? Like right in front of us … It didn’t register until a couple days later.” McKay draws inspiration from the people he works with. He’s worked with Ukrainian Patriot in the past and through the connections he’s developed over the last four years, he’s joined up with East SOS. “I’ve made some amazing contacts and I tell you, the people I’ve met are just (incredible), it’s probably the biggest impact on my life. I’m 61 years old and the last four years has been pretty, pretty huge in my development and experiences in life. “So these are people that love their life, value their life, but they also risk it by helping others. And they’re not looking for, you know, glory, or, you know, (to be) a hero … they’re just doing it because they know what’s right, and they’re available to do it. And I think some people have a thicker skin. They can deal with some of this tough stuff.” McKay has written a book about his experiences and it reflects his feelings towards his compatriots. It’s entitled “My Time With Heroes” and he will donate the proceeds from the book to Ukraine. (Find it on Amazon or email darrellontheisland@gmail.com) He hopes to keep the conflict in people’s minds and drive support towards the country. He’s proud of Canada’s role in the conflict and notes that Ukrainians love Canadians. “(When) they know I’m Canadian, right away that door opens up.” McKay believes he’s on the right side of history and he’s still fit and able so he’ll keep doing this for a while. But the plight of the elderly is a particular motivation for him. “I think my weakness is seeing the old people. Yeah that definitely weighs heavy with me. Seeing the old people go through this. I met a 94-year-old lady. She was in a refugee center and I came back seven months later and she was in the same refugee center. So you know, she’s spending the last of her days, you know, in a room for 15 people, bunking down at night with everybody, rather than in her pretty little home.”

Re: Sidney shelter dispute sparks night-in-the-cold challenge, in the Nov. 20 Peninsula News Review. Overnight shelter programs do nothing to alleviate the homeless problem. The current issue of an unresolved shelter for the homeless is indicative of poor management within provincial and local government and some affiliated charitable organizations. It boils down to ineffective strategic planning, and no better example is found within BC Ferries in long-range planning for ship replacement among its fleet. Recent news reported that BC Ferries was ordering four replacement vessels from communist China because domestic or friendly suppliers could not meet the criteria for delivery. Clearly, the board of directors of BC Ferries, who are appointed by the province, lacked adequate due diligence in ensuring adequate planning was in place for replacement vessels. If the province cannot adequately ensure the timely replacement of vessels through essential strategic planning, how will it ever be able to deal with the ever-increasing problem of homeless people? As the homeless issue is going to get worse in the coming years, it is time for our bureaucrats and local charities to look at best-in-class performance, such as the Island Crisis Care Society and its management of Orca Place in Parksville, where qualified homeless persons can rebuild their lives through a 24/7 solution in cooperation with the City of Parksville and BC Housing. Why do we insist that all safety codes required for residential housing be required to be in place for a temporary emergency shelter? Leaving the homeless on the street during extreme weather does not meet any safety code. Anthonie den Boef Sidney

LGBTQ community members and allies gathered this week to mourn and remember transgender people murdered around the globe. In Nanaimo, the Transgender Day of Remembrance was held at Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre on Thursday, Nov. 20, honouring 281 transgender people who were killed over 12 months between 2024-25. Organized by the Nanaimo Pride Society, Nanaimo’s candlelight vigil also counted lives lost to suicide, bringing the total to 360 – 25 pages of names that were read individually, along with the country they were from and age they died. Lauren Semple, Nanaimo Pride president, spoke at the ceremony, telling attendees the vigil serves to remember all the victims whose lives were taken by anti-transgender violence and hate. “This is not an easy gathering,” Semple said. “The Transgender Day of Remembrance asks as to look directly at loss, to look directly in the eyes of grief and the very real violence that trans, two-spirit, non-binary and gender non-conforming people face in our communities and around the world. “Here in Canada we like to tell ourselves a story that we are safer, that things are good here and in some ways that is true, in some ways there has been progress, but the reality is still very, very hard and uncertain.” Semple quoted a recent national survey [https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/facts-stats.html] that reported trans people were twice as likely as their cisgender counterparts to report unwanted sexual behaviours against them in public, at 58 versus 23 per cent, and three times as likely to report sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, 69 versus 23 per cent. While there are human rights protections in B.C. and Canada, she pointed to a “wave of political attacks” on the rights of trans people, including in Saskatchewan where there is a bill that would discipline school staff for using a trans person’s name or pronouns without parental consent. “In Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith spent this transgender week of awareness using the notwithstanding clause to protect a package of incredibly harmful laws that restrict gender-affirming health care for youths, ban trans girls and women from sports and force schools to out students to their parents. These laws target a tiny, tiny group of young people who already face higher rates of bullying, homelessness and suicide.” Even British Columbia isn’t immune from anti-trans political attacks, she said, pointing to a bill brought forward by One B.C. earlier this year which would have banned puberty blockers and other gender-affirming care for minors, restricted public health coverage for transgender British Columbians and opened up health-care providers to lawsuits for treating trans people. The bill failed at first reading. “The fact that it was tabled here should be warning these ideas are being tested, that the rhetoric is not that far from our doorstep,” Semple said. According to Trans Europe and Central Asia [https://tgeu.org/trans-murder-monitoring-2025-reveals-new-trend-in-anti-trans-violence-systematic-targeting-of-activists-and-movement-leaders/], a trans-led nonprofit which tracks the numbers, this year’s murders show “a dangerous shift” with a growing number of victims being trans movement leaders and activists, accounting for 14 per cent of reported murders. The report notes that this suggests an “attempt to silence those fighting for trans rights worldwide.” Following the ceremony, Semple told the News Bulletin it’s impossible not to feel rage and anger at the need for action. Earlier in the ceremony, she instructed people that while it is important to mourn the dead, people also need to commit to “fight like hell for the living.” “Individual allyship is powerful and important and everyone here tonight was showing that, but it is not enough to change power and change policy,” she said. “That is really where we need to stand up and speak up and help stand for the trans community and get us through what is raking back of rights and increasing violence and hateful rhetoric … If people don’t start speaking up and voting for human rights, for trans rights, when they hit the ballot box, we are going to continue to see this happen and it is only the beginning of the attacks and harm the 2SLGBTQIA-plus community will feel as a whole.” The Transgender Day of Remembrance began in 1999 as a vigil by Gwendolyn Ann Smith to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender Massachusetts woman killed in 1998.

Ken Lavigne is coming to Parksville to get the audience into the spirit of Christmas on Dec. 4. He’s looking forward to singing a few classic holiday tunes like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘White Christmas’ when he performs with his ensemble at Knox United Church. “I have some songs that are really special to me like ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Ave Maria’, these are songs that really tap into my classical singing chops,” Lavigne said. “We have a lot of fun.” He will be joined by a musical ensemble that includes a piano, double bass, violin and percussion, and he’s even considering a re-visitation of ‘Santa Baby’, the classic song made famous by Eartha Kitt. The Christmas season has always been a special and meaningful time for Lavigne. “With Christmas music, there’s such a sense of joy and light that can be really affecting for people,” he said. “And of course there’s so much nostalgia that’s sort of built into it.” He might be best known for being a founding member of the Canadian Tenors, and toured with them for several years. Lavigne also made one of his dreams come true when he performed with the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Lavigne has always loved to sing, but he didn’t consider studying it for his career until he received a recommendation from his choir teacher as he was heading into his university years. That education opened his eyes to world of classical music and once he’d heard the voice of Luciano Pavarotti, he knew what he wanted to do. He is looking forward to returning to Parksville. “I absolutely love the space. Knox United is an incredible performance place, they just have so much going on and the audience is always warm and they’re always up for a good time.” Lavigne added that his Christmas shows always include a fun surprise that has become a tradition over the years, and although it’s “top secret”, anyone who has been there will remember. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 and are available online through Eventbrite [https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/knox-presentsa-ken-lavigne-christmas-tickets-1825276684699] and with cash at local retailers Close to You Boutique, Edge Outdoors and Fireside Books.

This holiday season, the PQB News is reminding readers of the importance of shopping local. A massive part of that experience is the people, the folks behind the counter. Here’s a peek at just a few of the many businesses that keep our local economy buzzing: Business: Close to You Address: 174 Corfield St S, Parksville, BC V9P 0C1 Owner: Sandra Herle Years in Community: 35 years Offers: Women’s fashion, lingerie, nightwear, footwear, swimwear, and accessories. Quote: “Communities would not survive without small business to support sports teams, pay the taxes for sidewalks, the water and all that stuff. I know when I go on holiday, I like to go somewhere to shop or somewhere to eat. So, if there wasn’t a small business community, I think it would be tougher on tourism. We’ve got a strong tourism group.” Sandra Herle started Close To You, a lingerie business, in 1991. Over the years, the store has expanded and features a myriad of women’s clothing, accessories and shoes. The store continues to serve devoted clients, who Herle said have greatly helped her stay in business for 35 years. “This town has always been good to us,” said Herle, who was first in the bicycle shop business before transitioning to women’s fashion. “We have been through everything. We’ve been through the real dive in the economy and COVID was the worst because you didn’t know if there was going to be an end. But we’ve got such a loyal base of clients. They have aged with me.” Small businesses, said Herle, is vital to the local economy. Their success also relies on the support they receive from residents and visitors. “Communities would not survive without small business to support sports teams, pay the taxes for sidewalks, the water and all that stuff,” said Herle, who added that they are also an asset to local tourism. “I know when I go on holiday, I like to go somewhere to shop or somewhere to eat. So, if there wasn’t a small business community, I think it would be tougher on tourism. We’ve got a strong tourism group.” Business: Coast and Cottage Address: 5-160 Corfield St. S, Parksville, British Columbia V9P 2G3 Owner: Rianna Sharp Years in community: six years Offers: Ladies clothing, home decor, art kits and art works. Quote: “It makes a huge difference even just a little support like following us on social media or sharing our stuff or word to mouth.” Owner Rianna Sharp has been operating the business for six years now. When she started, she said they mainly had vintage and paint but they have now evolved and has included women’s clothing. As well, they promote over 80 artisans locally and all over the Island, which leads to a unique experience for shoppers looking for something different. “We have a ton from the Island,” said Sharp. “We try and something for everybody. We have a lot of decor and gift ware as well as home goods and a little bit of food, a little bit of health food. We try and have a sampling for everyone. Basically, whatever you could use or need, we try to carry.” Sharp says it’s important for the community to endorse the small businesses. “When we first opened, there was a lot of stores like us, which is great for the community,” said Sharp. “And then they’ve since closed because it’s really hard to be small business nowadays with many competitions and ordering online. It makes a huge difference even just a little support like following us on social media or sharing our stuff or word to mouth.” Sharp said their store is more than just a gift shop. “We have customers that come in and they say that it’s their happy place,” said Sharp. “We try to offer a bit of an experience.” Sharp hopes for a busy holiday season. “Having more foot traffic and even more events downtown that really support shopping locally would be amazing,” said Sharp. Business: Skulls Skates/PD’s Hot Shop Address: 164 W 2nd Ave, Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 1T4 Owner: Peter Ducommun Years in Community: 4 years Offers: Canada made skateboards, parts, apparel Quote: “A large portion of the skateboard industry, the products are made off-shore these days and so to have something made locally is a little bit unusual. I think that’s what people appreciate about it.” Peter Ducommun set up his business in Qualicum Beach, with one of the oldest demographics in Canada. Choosing the town was unusual for Ducommun as the products in his store called PD’s Hot Shop, appeal to a more younger generation. Yet since he opened in the heart of downtown Qualicum Beach, his skateboard shop has become well-known in the business community. Ducommun said they were surprised with the reception they have received. “The people here have very been welcoming,” said Ducommun, who is also known as PD. “We love how diverse Qualicum Beach is because of its reputation that it’s a retirement community. It’s a bigger mix than you imagine. You assume that it would just be retired people only but it’s much more than that, I would say. That’s something we learned. We had no idea when we moved here that is the case.” What PD’s Hot Shop offers are skateboards, snowboards, skimboards and bicycles that they designed and are built in Canada. Ducommun said, they are so proud to offer to residents and visitors Canadian-made merchandise. For Ducommun, who created the skateboard brand in 1978, building the products locally also means jobs, which allows people to earn and spend money locally. It also helps the town’s economy. “Qualicum Beach is a beautiful little town and it requires a lot of upkeep,” said Ducommun. “They have a lot of staff and all that money has to come from somewhere. We’re fortunate that we do have a lot of visitors because it’s such a beautiful place to visit particularly in the summer. We’re finding since we opened here that winter is getting busier as well.”

Communities to Protect Our Coast has chosen Danny Hall as this month’s Climate Hugs recipient. Hall is a teacher of science, math and French at Kwalikum and Ballenas secondary schools. He also finds time to be on the executive of Nanaimo Area Cycling Coalition and Strong Towns Nanaimo. An advocate for alternative transportation in the RDN, Hall brings careful research to this topic and offers thoughtful planning suggestions. “We can make small changes that will make a big difference for cyclists and pedestrians,” he said. Enthusiastic when he highlights the examples of good planning in Qualicum, Parksville and the Old Town area of Nanaimo, he still feels there is room for improvement. Traffic-calming designs and reformed parking mandates are tools he would like to see municipalities consider using more judiciously. He notes the Parksville Transportation Plan could better reflect the 80 per cent of people surveyed who wanted better walking and cycling infrastructure. He refers to the Qualicum/Parksville cycling route as excellent and well-used by cyclists of all ages. “Roads and parking for cars take up at least half or more land space in an area,” he said. “Cities and towns are a lot more sustainable if they have a diversity of housing options. This can be supported by alternatives to cars.” To add further clarity, Hall added, “if you want people to choose viable alternatives, they have to feel safe. I’m looking to make places where people can walk and cycle safely.” Hall’s parents were both teachers and he learned from them that volunteer work as an individual or with a community group could make a difference. As a young student hiking and skiing in the outdoors near his home, he was inspired to study science. “Green spaces even in high-density urban areas are important,” he said. “Large paved areas create heat islands and impermeable surfaces cause flooding. By design, these areas physically force people to drive. Walkable residential and business hubs are popular with everyone.” Hall points to the heat dome in June of 2021 which killed hundreds of people in B.C. and billions of sea creatures as a pivotal moment. He wanted to make a meaningful difference because “this is a crisis that threatens us all.” He became involved at that time volunteering with NALT to help eradicate invasive species and participating in the dialogue around climate change at Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. At home, he helped his parents to replace their front yard with pollinator plants. NALT was a source for these plants as well as Streamside Native Plant Nursery in Bowser. Now as a teacher himself, Hall said, “my hope is to help build a future where my students can be happy and thrive.” Hall asked that his $50 Climate Hugs award be donated to the Hamilton Wetlands and Forest Protection Society fund for purchasing Hamilton Marsh.

Works from Island artists will feature prominently across the Nanaimo area this weekend as part of a self-guided art tour. Nanaimo Artwalk, presented by Nanaimo Arts Council, will see 50 artists featured at 20 venues in downtown Nanaimo and the Old City Quarter, including at Nanaimo Museum and Nanaimo Art Gallery, on Saturday, Nov. 22 till 4 p.m. Coni Long, one of the featured at Nanaimo Museum who deals mainly in acrylics, said Nanaimo is a good place to paint en plein air (outdoors), as it has many options. “I’ve painted with a Nanaimo, group of artists and painted around Bowen Park, Neck Point, Jack Point, all around … I’m not here in the summer, so when I paint, it’s usually good,” she said. “If it’s not raining, it’s good.” Nanaimo Artwalk continues Sunday, Nov. 23 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more, go to https://nanaimoartscouncil.ca/ [https://nanaimoartscouncil.ca/] or search for Nanaimo Arts Council on Facebook.

A musical performance by the members of A Cappella Plus will raise voices about the gifts children give us to celebrate World Children’s Day. A Cappella Plus will perform Through the Eyes of a Child, to recognize UNICEF’s Global Day of Action for Children, held in November each year. The gifts of children – humour, wonder, innocence and simplicity – will be celebrated with an program of spiritual songs, popular tunes and traditional Christmas melodies, all children-oriented, noted a press release. The program will include This Little Light of Mine, The Gift to be Simple, Kookoorookoo, Teach Your Children Well, Away in a Manger and others. A Cappella Plus sings in support of the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island which works to reduce barriers to health care access for Island families. The foundation’s Homes Away from Home program includes Jesse’s House, currently under construction at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Donations to the program can be made online or at the concert. A Cappella Plus performs Through the Eyes of a Child at Brechin United Church on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and will be available at the door or online at www.accappellaplus.ca.

The work of a young Nanaimo artist will represent the imagination, identity and insight of a new generation of artists when it is displayed on the city’s street banners next year. The City of Nanaimo has announced that Grade 11 student and local artist Solana Van de Leur’s design was selected for next year’s street banners, marking the first time in the program’s history a youth artist’s design has been chosen. According to a city press release from earlier this month, the street banner program this year invited young artists from across B.C. to help shape Nanaimo’s streetscape through original artwork that reflects youth identity, imagination and insight. The release described the winning artist as a passionate artist, writer and competitive figure skater who works across multiple mediums that include acrylic, watercolour, digital illustration and sculpture. Van de Leur’s design, depicting an arbutus tree framed by day and night as a symbol of resilience and transformation, was selected for its visual depth, rich symbolism and heartfelt storytelling, the release noted. “Art and storytelling have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and through this contest, I got to tell a story about myself while depicting something as iconically Nanaimo as an arbutus tree,” said Van de Leur in the release. “It is such an honour and so surreal to know that soon I will get to see the banner that I designed all over my neighbourhood and community.” The banners will be installed in the spring throughout downtown and along traffic corridors.

Via Choralis will return with its annual December concert with a new artistic director at the helm. Grant Harville, whose accomplishments include winning the London Conducting Masterclass Competition and the Agatha C. Church Conducting Award, will make his mark with Magnificat, a concert on Sunday, Dec. 7 at St. Elizabeth Church in Sidney. “I’ve been fortunate to work with a variety of local choirs and orchestras, and every new group I encounter is a new challenge and a new horizon to reach for,” Harville told Peninsula News Review. Harville came to the Island with his family in 2020, and has since been music director of the Civic Orchestra of Victoria and conductor of the Victoria Conservatory of Music Chorale during the fall 2025 term. He describes Via Choralis as a “Sidney institution” – one that he looks forward to both shaping and growing from. For Magnificat, he has chosen Christmas- and winter-themed music by John Rutter, Felix Mendelssohn, Gustav Holst and Indigenous composer Andrew Balfour, plus a sing-along of seasonal favourites. “‘Classical’ is more a marketing term than a musical one, and it’s less a single genre than 50 genres in a trenchcoat,” he said. “There’s a tremendous diversity in the world of classical music, and it is our privilege to explore and share it.” On accompaniment will be Kinza Tyrrell, who is music director of Vancouver Opera in Schools, a coach at UVic Faculty of Music and music director of the UVic Chamber Singers, while being considered one of Canada’s top collaborative pianists. Magnificat takes place at St. Elizabeth Church, 10030 Third St. in Sidney on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30 and are available at Tanner’s Book Store, from 3common.com and from members of the choir. Magnificat starts at 2 p.m. at 10030 Third St. As per what Harville hopes audiences will take away from his first concert as artistic director? “Joy, community, beauty, and an excuse to step outside of their day-to-day and enjoy an afternoon where their only obligation is to sit back and let the music wash over them.”

Molding creativity. Jane Wolters of Chemainus will be showing off her hand-made pottery and a selection of her paintings at Excellent Frameworks located at 115 Kenneth St. in Duncan with her solo exhibition titled Jane Wolters Retrospective from Nov. 3 to 23. Suzan Kostiuck, owner of Excellent Frameworks, the home of the EJ Hughes Gallery, is excited to showcase the work of Wolters who she met 10 years ago while working for the local arts council. Kostiuck was wowed with Wolters’s functional stoneware pottery line that had an image of lavender plants on it and bought a set for her family upon visiting Wolters’s home studio. “I’ve followed her work for years, and one of the galleries I worked for in the past carried her work as well, so I’ve always been able to keep in touch with Jane,” said Kostiuck. “Earlier this year I really wanted to host another retrospective show of a local artist and she was the first choice, so I was thrilled when she kindly accepted my offer to showcase her works. “Having her work in my gallery is an honour, and being able to see the variety of glazes, forms, and pathways that her works display is amazing.” Wolters, who has been creating artworks for the last 48 years, was born in England but has called Vancouver Island home for most of her life where she has been a professional potter with her focus mostly on stoneware and porcelain. While Wolters was technically self-taught, she does admit to taking some wheel-throwing lessons in the beginning. Over her artistic career her pottery has comprised of a wide range of styles: made-to-be-used tableware in nature-inspired patterns and fine porcelain glazed in classic copper reds and celadons, as well as one of a kind art pieces. “Mostly wheel-thrown, many of my pots are fired in a gas kiln to achieve the copper reds, celadons and other beautiful reduction glazes I love,” said Wolters. “I’ve also experimented with saggar firing, which involves firing the pieces in a container with weeds and other materials to produce lovely random markings.” Wolters said she has been fortunate to have attended many valuable workshops with outstanding potters from all over the world, and has also immersed herself in courses in various subjects including portrait sculpture. In additon to her pottery she began to learn how to paint several years ago in an effort to find another creative outlet that was less physically demanding. “In the process I’ve learned a great deal of art theory, history, and design,” said Wolters. “Oil on canvas has been my favourite painting medium; the sensuous feel of the paint coming off the brush onto the canvas, the way the paint smells, the look of the thick oil paint building up on the surface, all feel right.” On her painting path, she has also explored acrylics, which she finds to be a more playful and adventurous medium. Wolters has both a home studio and gallery and welcomes visitors to view her works by appointment by emailing [email protected] [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection]. “I feel incredibly lucky to be an artist,” said Wolters. “There are always new ideas, new paths to travel along, and there are never enough hours in the day to explore them. I hope attendees of the exhibit go away realizing the wide and interesting variety possible with clay.” “I hope people who come to see her works get a sense of the human touch that each piece contains,” said Kostiuck. “Every line, every spot the light touches, Jane’s artistic spirit has also touched, and that is part of the intrinsic beauty of art.” web1_jw-works-1 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_jw-works-1.jpg;w=960]Chemainus resident Jane Wolters, who has been a professional potter for the past 48 years, will have her solo exhibit titled Jane Wolters Retrospective on display at Excellent Frameworks in Duncan until Nov. 22. Seen here is one example of her work. (Submitted) web1_jw-works-2 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_jw-works-2.jpg;w=960]Chemainus resident Jane Wolters, who has been a professional potter for the past 48 years, will have her solo exhibit titled Jane Wolters Retrospective on display at Excellent Frameworks in Duncan until Nov. 22. Seen here is one example of her work. (Submitted)

Men’s mental health is Western Edge Theatre’s theme for the whole season, and appropriately, the first play takes place almost entirely inside the protagonist’s mind. A Baker’s Dozen, written by Ward Norcutt and directed by Jonathan Greenway, will be presented at Nanaimo’s OV Arts Centre from Nov. 21-30. The play has a single setting in one sense, with the protagonist alone in a hotel room, but he shares the stage at all times with family members acting out his memories. “While the hotel room is the physical setting, we do see these glimpses into the memories of his childhood, of his upbringing, of his young adulthood, of his life progressing through these vignettes of memory that pop up in different dramatizations,” Greenway said. A lot of writing is personal on some level, but Norcutt said with A Baker’s Dozen, “it couldn’t be more personal than this play.” Serious issues such as suicide, abuse and addiction come up as Norcutt’s protagonist tries to understand and work through intergenerational trauma. “It’s basically a fictional telling of a true story,” the playwright said. “I’ve based it very much off my own life and it’s been a cathartic, healing-process journey for me.” Norcutt said he didn’t want to direct the play and never meant to star in it, so taking on the lead role “makes it doubly flayed open.” “I guess it’s very easy to relate to the character, but hard in that it’s been an exhausting process,” he said. “But it’s a really good process and I hope it’s a really good play.” The surreal settings of the mind and memories appeal to Greenway, who said the theatre is the perfect place for audiences to suspend disbelief and be transported, through lighting, music and other techniques, into the protagonist’s thoughts. The director is working with a dream cast, he said, and rehearsals are going well, if a little emotional. “There’s often tears shed by one of the cast members or myself or the crew just watching the rehearsal process, which is cathartic all around,” he said. “I think there’s something in this piece that everyone can relate to in terms of their own mental health whether it’s good or bad.” Greenway is also Western Edge’s artistic director and chose men’s mental health as this season’s theme because it’s important to him, and also because it’s an “undiscussed topic” that still carries stigma. A Baker’s Dozen, the first of four productions this season, and is taking on the theme head-on. “It’s important, I think, for people – especially men – to understand that we need to own our own lives and try to work through our sadness, our anger, all the things that we hold onto so dearly, because we were taught to. I know I was,” Norcutt said. “Hopefully a play like this will help people realize that they can do that too and not have to run away from it, or hide from it, or mask it.” WHAT’S ON … Western Edge Theatre’s A Baker’s Dozen will be shown at the OV Arts Centre from Nov. 21-30. For tickets and more information, visit the Western Edge Theatre website. [https://westernedge.org/]

Jane Siberry is the first to admit she is not an easy singer to categorize. As music journalist Ian Grey once wrote: “She sings about dogs, God, angels, sex and more in a multi-octave voice unhampered by considerations of gravity.” Find out for yourself this week, when Siberry comes to Vancouver Island for performances, starting tonight in Victoria. Siberry is considered one of Canada’s most original and influential singer-songwriters. She was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on Oct. 17 by fellow music icon k.d. lang. Siberry’s work is visionary and ever-evolving. Best known for transcendent works like ‘Calling All Angels,’ ‘Love is Everything’ and the iconic ‘Mimi on the Beach,’ she has created a singular body of work that defies labels. Her contribution to The Crow soundtrack, ‘It Won’t Rain All the Time,’ continues to resonate decades later. After leaving Warner/ Reprise Records in 1996, Siberry founded her own label, Sheeba, and pioneered a ‘pay-what-you-can’ model for music downloads. She also expanded live performances beyond traditional venues with global “salon tours” — from llama farms in New Zealand to garages in Australia, kominkas in Japan, kitchens in Finland and bell towers in rural England. Audiences describe her performances as “intense, heraldic, funny and startling.” Siberry opens her Island run at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Victoria Nov. 22, hits the Duncan Garage Showroom on Nov. 23, moves on to the Parksville Museum Heritage Church Nov. 24 and wraps at Char’s Landing in Port Alberni on Nov. 25. For more information, check out her website [https://janesiberry.com/tour].

One Saanich company is preparing to give back as the holiday season approaches. For the past 10 years, Rather Be Plumbing has offered free plumbing labour for residents in need. This year’s program runs from Dec. 2 to 5. Customers only pay for materials. The company says it’s ready to help with anything from leaky faucets to clogged drains or any other plumbing emergencies. Nominations for friends, loved ones, or a neighbour can be made by contacting 250-589-8555 or ratherbeplumbing@gmail.com. The program is intended for Greater Victoria residents facing financial hardship to ensure help goes to those who need it most.

Travel writer Bill Arnott has enjoyed visiting the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area so much he and his wife decided to make Qualicum Beach their part-time home. Arnott is well-known for his overseas travel saga Gone Viking, as well as A Season on Vancouver Island — a B.C. best-seller and now his most recent release A Festive Season on Vancouver Island. He and his wife, Deb, spent three months of “concentrated travel” up and down the Island, taking in the holiday sights, talking to locals and researching outside of the usual summer holiday peak season. “I was really trying to see and do as much as possible in the car and on foot, from November, right through the new year,” said Arnott, who divides his time between Vancouver and the Island. While checking out festive lights, concerts, plays and museums, he realized there is at least one commonality with every person he met, regardless of their religion – that the festive season brings everyone together. “Most folks are looking for this very same thing, especially through the festive season – gathering up loved ones past and present, celebrating a sense of abundance and gratitude and they’re just being together with the folks that we care about,” Arnott said. Whether people associated the season with their faith, or came at it from a secular point of view, many of the perspectives were the same: time with loved ones, lights, songs and sharing a meal. “Peacefulness” is one word that comes to mind when visiting the Island in the last few months of the year, Arnott said. Sometimes he would be the only person visiting a museum or find himself walking along the beach at low tide, with fewer people out walking their dogs or strolling the boardwalk at Parksville beach. “There’s a little bit more activity in nature because there’s a little bit fewer tourists, so it seems like the eagle and seal activity is a little more vibrant,” he added, and said he met birders who had spotted dozens of eagles hunting at spots such as the mouth of French Creek. Other times he would find himself at a bustling craft fair or the farmers’ market. “There’s a celebratory feel. You see the different things in the shops, in the decorations.” One highlight was Moonlight Madness in Qualicum Beach, where he and his wife were among thousands who turned out last year for carolling, evening downtown shopping and cocoa. A Festive Season combines Arnott’s travel narrative with the visual art of his painted photos – digitally stylized for the book. “What I love about it is I feel that it offers a much more engaging, or a richer, sensory engagement,” he said. A Festive Season completes a travel memoir trilogy that also includes A Season on Vancouver Island and A Season in the Okanagan and covers the different seasons. “One of the things I was communicating is the festive season – I feel isn’t really necessarily tied to a calendar. “It can be as much a state of mind as anything.” A Festive Season was released on Nov. 4 through Rocky Mountain Books [https://rmbooks.com/] and is available at books shops in the mid-Island area, including Fireside Books in Parksville and Bellflower Bookshop in Qualicum Beach. RELATED: B.C. travel writer visits Parksville Qualicum Beach for new book [https://pqbnews.com/2022/09/07/b-c-travel-writer-visits-parksville-qualicum-beach-for-new-book/] RELATED: Qualicum Beach couple publishes 1st book of photography [https://pqbnews.com/2025/07/20/qualicum-beach-couple-publishes-1st-book-of-photography/]

This article is from the winter edition of Boulevard Magazine. The gentle notes of a flute are almost drowned out by the deep baritone of the ocean swell rolling into the surrounding rocks. White spray mists the air with salt and the rhythmic sway of kelp caught in the surf has a hypnotic appearance. Settling back into a black lounger, I watch the sea and allow my mind to empty of the endless to-do lists, grocery orders and prep needed to be done for the upcoming holiday meal that will see a dozen or so family members gather in my home. Instead of focusing on all that still needs to be done – the birthday party I need to plan for my daughter and the Christmas shopping I haven’t started – I allow myself to be in the moment. It’s something I usually struggle with, but here, on the pool deck at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, it’s easy to get lost in the ambiance of Salish Sea. I’m here for the afternoon, enjoying the Boathouse Spa upgrade that gives me access to this serene waterfront. When I arrived at the spa, I was given a quick greeting while I was checked in, and then we were off on a tour. Past reception, I’m met with the smell of eucalyptus and cedar emanating from the indoor sauna. Tiled change rooms are stationed on the left – complete with a bathing suit spinner hanging on the wall outside them – and the last door on the right hides a private oasis filled with plants, cosy chairs and windows overlooking the pool deck. Despite two of the four walls being made of glass, the room feels private, like a secret retreat that offers hot and cold tea, infused water and a trail mix snack in case you find yourself peckish while you wait for your treatment. The treatment rooms themselves are not actually in this building; they’re nestled between the pool deck and the sea, and provide a front-row view of the ocean. Left to my own devices, I quickly change and wrap myself in the velvety plush robe provided before settling into a lounger beside the sea with a cup of iced yuzu herbal tea. It can be hard to give yourself permission to slow down during the holiday season, especially with so many commitments and expectations. But it’s vital to check in with yourself and be mindful of the harm stress causes on your body. While it was originally a reaction meant to protect our bodies from predators and other aggressors, stress has transformed to be triggered by everyday demands. Mayo Clinic staff note the nervous system response to stress triggers causes the body to release a surge of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. While adrenaline makes the heart beat faster and causes blood pressure to go up, cortisol increases sugar in the bloodstream. Cortisol also slows functions that would be harmful or non-essential in a fight-or-flight situation – changing immune system responses and suppressing the digestive system, reproductive system and growth processes. This reaction is meant to stop when the perceived threat has gone away but when stressors are always present, that fight-or-flight reaction stays on, putting you at risk for a number of health issues including depression, heart attack, heart disease, stroke, weight gain, sleep problems, trouble with memory and focus, and headaches, to name a few. That’s why the Mayo Clinic says it’s more important than ever to learn how to manage stress and relaxation is a key component. After soaking up the sea, it’s time to soak in one of the two hot tubs. I can feel the tension in my shoulders melt away as I lean back against the edge and look up towards the hotel. Rooted above the pool deck, its brown brick facade shines in the afternoon sun and its slate grey roof matches the rocks surrounding the hot tubs. While the furthest hot tub is tucked into a private little nook surrounded by greenery, the other is set higher up and gives views of the mineral pool and sea. After my body is sufficiently relaxed, I transition to the outdoor sauna. Inside this stargazer sauna I’m met with a large window framing the sea and making it feel as if I’m sitting on the rocks while the ocean laps at my feet. The heat from the 85-degree sauna immediately permeates my skin and I sit back against the bench. Breathing the cedar smell deep into my lungs, I look up and see the ceiling is also made of glass, showcasing blue sky. While tempted to cloud-watch, I turn my attention back to the ocean and continue to focus on the rolling waves, realizing they’re not grey, mirroring the clouds rolling past overhead, but a deep, dark aquamarine. Just as I’m starting to wonder how long I’ve been sitting here, the final grains of white sand fall in an hourglass timer by the door, indicating I’ve reached the end of the suggested 15 minute stay. Outside the sea air is chilly but refreshing and I hesitate beside the mineral pool, expecting it to feel frigid after the sauna. But I’m pleasantly surprised as I ease myself in. The heated pool is almost the temperature of a warm bath and I sit on the sunken ledge, allowing the water to wash over me as the sound of a little water fall trickles into the main pool. Deciding to complete the circuit, I venture back into the building to try out the eucalyptus-infused indoor sauna, returning to the pool again after 15 minutes. Looking at the subtle clock, I can’t believe I’ve spent two hours here already and it’s almost time for my treatment. With the holiday season usually packed full of events, meals and holiday cheer, it’s hard to escape for a weekend away to take a break from the hustle and bustle the season brings. An afternoon at the spa, however, can be just what the doctor ordered. Sitting in the lounge, enjoying a gemstone-infused glass of cold water, I’m greeted by Kim, my practitioner. She’s spent six years at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and more than 18 years in Korea perfecting her craft. Her enthusiasm is palpable but not overwhelming in the serene space. As she leads me back outside to the treatment rooms, I already feel like I’m in good hands. The Boathouse Spa offers a full menu of different treatments designed to help you slow down and unwind, including facials, massages and body treatments. Today, I’m receiving the botanical glow facial, which the spa describes as a cosmeceutical treatment that harnesses the power of nature while restoring the radiance of all skin types. Pre- and probiotics balance the microbiome while antioxidant-rich maple bark extract stimulates collagen and elastin. Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps, leaving skin healthy, resilient and glowing. Just what I need with a teething toddler that’s leaving me to survive on four hours of combined sleep a night. Inside the room I’m tucked into a heated bed adorned with a fluffy duvet that feels as if I’m being wrapped in a cloud. Already, I can feel my eyes grow heavy as Kim advises me to take a deep breath, drawing in a eucalyptus blend that continues the earthy scents layered throughout the spa spaces. Kim gets to work as I try – and fail – to pay attention to what she’s doing. It’s a delightful blur of warm towel wraps, soothing cold compresses, and Kim deftly painting my face like an artist with her brush. She uses a combination of products by Babor, a German company known for being a pioneer in skincare and as setting the standard in skincare research. There are also scalp, hand and arm massages that leave me in a zen-like coma state that Kim has to prompt me out of with a repeated request for a deep breath of that eucalyptus scent once again. I wish I could tell you more about the treatment itself but I’m left in the best kind of daze, knowing Kim has carefully tailored each selection, and my face is glowing. She does offer advice as she goes and reiterates that she will write it down, noting I’m in no state to be taking mental notes. True to her word, she leaves me a detailed regimen, written on a ‘Doctor Babor’ Rx prescription pad, outlining what types of product I should use and when – all geared to my specific skin requirements. Advice this tired mama desperately needs as I have been woefully neglecting my skin – and body – while going through the first years of parenthood. And just like that, I’m back sitting in the lounge, sipping on a hot cup of the custom ‘Oak Bay Fog’ tea blend and marvelling at a state of relaxation I didn’t know was possible. All without even leaving Greater Victoria. DO. Take advantage of the heated outdoor mineral pools and hot tubs. Amenities on the pool deck include water and towel service, assigned lounge chairs and use of the stargazer sauna. This optional upgrade for spa guests will leave you feeling replenished as you take in the surrounding Salish Sea. SEE. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s Wellness Reset series wraps up Nov. 15 with a live taping of Jessi Cruickshank’s hit pop culture podcast Phone a Friend. The hotel is also offering a number of holiday-themed events including breakfast with Santa on Dec. 7, a Christmas Day brunch, and a New Year’s Day brunch. EAT. Guest utilizing the mineral pools also have poolside access to Boathouse Kitchen and Bar. The menu features a number of signature cocktails, slushy delights, wine and bubbles, and carefully curated brews that accompany lighter fares to nibble on. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel also offers coastal-inspired Italian dining at Faro, more traditional pub fare at the Snug Pub and premium cocktails in the Lobby Lounge. SLEEP. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel offers luxury accommodations highlighting traditional architecture with modern in-suite amenities. Choose from guest rooms, boutique suites, one-bedroom suites or penthouse options with either residential, marina or panoramic ocean views.

Generational wealth is being squandered on Vancouver Island through poor planning. A lack of planning, documentation and open dialogue can also lead to family conflict, legal disputes, tax inefficiencies, unintended beneficiaries, and business instability. These were some of the considerations brought forward by thought leader and best-selling author Dr. Thomas Deans, a renowned expert on generational wealth transfer, during a Nov. 6 visit to Campbell River. The evening, hosted by the Campbell River Community Foundation at the Tidemark Theatre, aimed to spark conversation on what happens when B.C. families fail to plan for the future, and transform discussions on charitable giving, legacy and estate planning. Deans, author of the best-selling family business book “Every Family’s Business: 12 Common Sense Questions to Protect Your Wealth,” discussed the pitfalls of not having an estate plan in Canada. Deans noted how there is an entire generation in Canada that feels completely trapped when it comes to transitioning their wealth, amidst an era marked by the widespread accumulation and concentration of wealth. When individuals die without a will or a clearly communicated estate plan, their wealth does not simply transfer; it often unravels, he said. With his talk, the goal was to challenge traditional beliefs and broaden perspectives on how generational wealth can be passed down to maintain and enhance both family ties and the wealth itself. Deans urged participants to rethink the concept of wealth transfer. Instead of viewing it as a single event – often occurring at death – he proposed it should be a deliberate, multi-generational dialogue. The night began with a screening of the documentary “UnCharitable,” which critiques the traditional constraints that limit non-profit organizations in fulfilling their missions. Deans also explored the legal and financial aspects of estate planning, business succession, and strategic philanthropy in a practical discussion with a panel of local experts.

As a Saanich homeowner, I’m deeply concerned about the hostile, mob-like behaviour displayed by Save Our Saanich supporters at recent council meetings. Shouting people down isn’t democratic participation – it’s intimidation, and it discourages others from speaking. I appreciate council’s work to create a respectful, inclusive community. They deserve a public space where ideas can be debated without fear or harassment. Clear, enforced expectations for civility at meetings are essential. We cannot allow Saanich to drift toward the polarized, aggressive politics we see elsewhere. Canadians solve problems by listening, cooperating, and assuming good intent. That’s the culture we should defend. Dawn Smith Saanich

The close of the year is a season defined by its rituals. Gatherings around the holiday table, the sparkle of festive celebrations, and the quiet moments of reflection all carry with them a sense of threads of continuity that tie us to the past while inspiring what is yet to come. Wine, with its ability to capture time and place in a single glass, becomes more than a pairing; it becomes part of the ritual itself. As proud supporters of B.C. wineries, we have curated these Okanagan selections to accompany defining moments – honouring tradition, elevating celebration, and creating memories that linger long after the last toast. CedarCreek Platinum Jagged Rock Chardonnay Okanagan | 2022 From the striking Jagged Rock Vineyard in the South Okanagan, this chardonnay is a true expression of place. Grown in rocky soils under intense summer sun, the fruit develops both richness and precision. Fermented with wild yeast and aged in French oak, the wine shows layers of lemon curd, green apple, and white peach, lifted by subtle notes of brioche and toasted almond. A streak of minerality carries through the palate, bringing freshness and length to its creamy texture. Elegant and complex, it is a chardonnay that speaks of both power and finesse. Perfect for pairing with seared scallops, roast chicken, or wild mushroom risotto. $57.99 (plus tax and deposit) Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards Fitz Brut Okanagan | 2019 Hailing from the Skaha Bench in the Okanagan Valley, this traditional-method sparkling wine is a celebration in itself. The brut opens with lively aromas of green apple, lemon zest, and toasted brioche. On the palate, fine bubbles carry bright acidity and layers of citrus, almond, and a hint of minerality, finishing with remarkable finesse. Crafted with meticulous care, it’s a bottle that elevates every occasion from a holiday toast at midnight to pairing with oysters or smoked salmon, even popcorn by the fire. $39.49 (plus tax and deposit) Black Sage Vineyard Cabernet Franc Okanagan | 2022 From the sun-soaked vineyards of the South Okanagan, this cabernet franc delivers intensity with elegance. Layers of ripe blackberry, cassis, and plum are framed by notes of tobacco leaf, dried herbs, and subtle spice. French oak aging lends structure with fine-grained tannins and a lingering finish of dark chocolate and cedar. Bold yet balanced, this wine is built for cool-weather fare perfect alongside braised short ribs, roasted root vegetables, or simply enjoyed fireside during the holidays. $34.49 (plus tax and deposit) Laughing Stock Vineyards Portfolio Okanagan | 2022 This flagship Bordeaux-style blend showcases the depth and elegance of the South Okanagan. Merlot leads the way, supported by cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot, all aged in French oak for just under two years. The result is a polished wine layered with cassis, plum, and black cherry, accented by cedar, cocoa, and subtle spice. Silky tannins frame the fruit, carrying through to a long, structured finish. Portfolio is a benchmark of Okanagan red winemaking, equally at home at a festive table today or rewarding years of patience in the cellar. Perfect alongside roast beef, lamb, or rich mushroom dishes. $61.49 (plus tax and deposit)

Before 1840, if you wanted to send a letter overseas, pretty much the only option you had was to find a willing captain, explained vice-president of the Victoria Stamp Club Jan Hofmeyr. “They would informally collect letters, and when the bag would be filled, they would sail off, and then try to collect payment from the person receiving it,” he said. “It made communication really difficult.” To fix this haphazard system, the British government created the first adhesive postage stamp for public use. Called the Penny Black, it featured a profile of Queen Victoria and allowed letters to be delivered at a flat rate of one penny, regardless of distance. “The whole concept was you buy a stamp that proves you’ve paid,” said Hofmeyr. “The government does the business of collecting and distributing. After that, communication exploded and letter writing went through the roof.” This unassuming invention would end up revolutionizing the world of communication, making it more reliable, efficient and fast. At the same time, a new kind of hobbyist emerged, collecting these small, unassuming pieces of paper, and philately was born. Nearly a century after the invention of stamps, the Vancouver Island Philatelic Society was founded in 1931, offering a space for philatelists and casual collectors to gather and exchange. Shortly after their inception, the group began hosting quarterly stamp and postcard fairs. Now celebrating more than 90 years of tradition, the renamed Victoria Stamp Club held its annual fall fair at the Sandman Hotel on Nov. 16, where more than 28 collectors showcased their best material to attendees. Among them was stamp dealer Terril Leishman. Sitting among his countless three-inch ring binders filled with sheets of stamps, the Alberta native explained that he and his wife have built their collection over a lifetime of travels to more than 86 countries. Yet the man’s passion began long before he met his wife, starting at the young age of 11 during his first job as a paper deliverer for the Edmonton Journal. “Every Saturday morning we’d have to go to where they’re printing everything,” he said. “We had to go back there to get paid for our rounds. “Right next to this building, there was a little stamp store, so you’d come out with a pocket full of quarters and I’d spend it on stamps.” The self-described history buff said the appeal of collecting stamps lies in connecting with and learning about other cultures, beyond the act of letter writing. “I love nations, I’ve travelled extensively around the world and I love to be able to look at stamps and kind of source what they’re about and their history,” he said. “A lot of the older stamps tell you a story. “You learn about geography, about countries, and you end up talking to like-minded people.” Among his most prized finds is an American stamp featuring George Washington. Unbeknownst to him, Leishman bought the collectible from a German seller on eBay for $15, only to later discover it was worth $5,000. “People over there didn’t know and I didn’t know until I got it here,” he said. “I had it expertised and there you go.” However, these days, profit isn’t on Leishman’s mind, as he says that all proceeds from his stamp sales are going to the Peace Arch Hospital. For him, the fair was an excuse to get out, meet like-minded folks and share his stories worthy of being immortalized in an epic novel. Among them is the time he travelled down China’s Yangtze River and ended up in a small rural village to buy Cultural Revolution-era stamps that had survived Mao Zedong’s regime. Although the stamps later proved to be forgeries, it was the adventure that mattered to Leishman, who is flying to Cambodia this February. While both Leishman and Hofmeyr mentioned that stamp collecting is a fading hobby, following its golden era in the ’70s and ’80s. “This younger generation doesn’t know what a stamp is,” said Leishman. “They’ve never written a letter because this is a technical age, and that’s understandable.” With the advent of social media, which in itself revolutionized communications like stamps nearly 200 years ago, the nature of philately has evolved through the ages. “Stamps used to be a natural collectible because they just turned up in your postbox,” said Hofmeyr. “Now, I think they’ve become more like a conventional antique collectible.” And perhaps witnessing things changing, coming and going, ebbing and flowing, is just a part of life that needs to be accepted, concluded Leishman. “This might be the last group here today because collectors are aging out,” he said. “We’re just turning the page on history.”

After living for over 25 years in Oak Bay, we are leaving to start a new life in the U.K., and we wanted to take a moment to thank some of our favourite people and highlight places that have given us so many great memories here: Nature on our doorstep: what a gift from nature we have in Oak Bay. We particularly enjoyed Cattle Point, Willows Beach, McNeil Bay and our ‘secret bench’. Bowker Creek and our home and neighbours on Hampshire Road. Oak Bay High School, where our daughter had an incredible high school experience. Nohra Thai Kitchen in Estevan Village: Joel, Phen and Laurie and their wonderful food. Willows Galley in Estevan Village: Dave and his great staff, and their fantastic halibut & chips! The Oak Bay Beach Hotel, both before (where we had our wedding reception) and after their big rebuild. Oak Bay Pharmasave and their amazing staff, including Tony, Hue, Sandy and many others. Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen, and especially Christina! The Oak Bay Garagellenium: ‘one person’s junk is someone else’s treasure’ – what fun. And speaking of junk, the Oak Bay dump. I don’t know how we could have survived without it! Thanks, Oak Bay, you were a wonderful place to live. We’ve made many happy memories here and will always treasure them. All the best, Pam and Guy Lafreniere Oak Bay

In loving memory ~ August 30, 1968, Parksville, BC – November 10, 1995, disaster in Nepal It’s been 30 years since we last saw your face. We still think of you every day. Dear Kelly, We’ll see your smile in the sunshine, Hear your name upon the wind. The streams will shout your laughter, Which always made us grin. Your heart was always giving, and your spirit always free. Whenever you would cross my path I felt better, about me. You were in tune with nature, little kids and mother earth. Your currency was thoughtfulness, you knew its power and its worth. Your giving, unconditional, never asking toll or fare. Our lives will be a little poorer now, for yours, we cannot share. But as we free our hearts from pain, a richness will be there. Because you shared your life with us a load as light as air. And so, we’ll say goodbye for now, to our traveling Kelly man. We’ll try and be somewhat like you In every way we can!! Love Dad

February 5, 1928 – October 28, 2025 In Loving Memory ~ Our beautiful Mum, Lena Doreen Loor (Easterbrook) passed away peacefully, at the age of 97. Mum lived her life with a positive outlook, healthy habits, and a true joie de vivre that carried her well past her goal of 85 years. Born in Nanaimo, Mum’s family moved to Cumberland in 1937, where she met and married the love of her life, Albert. In 1951 they moved back to Nanaimo, where they rekindled old friendships and made new friends that lasted a lifetime. Doreen is survived by her son Randy (Leah) and daughter Shaun (Ray), and was predeceased by her husband Albert, parents Leonard and Florence Easterbrook, and sister Thelma Anderson. A celebration of Mum’s life will be held in the New Year. Please visit www.earthsoption.com [http://www.earthsoption.com]to read more about Mum’s life and share your condolences.

Nina Krieger’s first foray into provincial politics has been nothing short of a “wild ride.” While working as executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, she decided to seek the BC NDP nomination in Victoria-Swan Lake for the 2024 election. Under the tutelage of retiring longtime NDP MLA Rob Fleming, Krieger learned about the constituency by connecting with residents and local organizations. On Oct. 19, 2024, she was elected with more than half the vote. She began her first term as parliamentary secretary for arts and film before being promoted eight months later. When Premier David Eby reshuffled his cabinet back in June of this year, he made a call Krieger did not expect, offering her the role of minister of public safety and solicitor general. “It was a true honour to be asked to take on this role,” she told Victoria News. “It was wholly surprising but also a challenge and opportunity that I agreed to going forward with, with great humility for the role, gratitude for my predecessor and with great determination to do the work to advance public safety that British Columbians are expecting.” Occupying this role for the last six months, Krieger sat down with Black Press Media to discuss her role, challenges, priorities and future goals. Central to her position, she explained, is prioritizing “adequate and effective policing” to ensure public safety for all B.C. residents. With collaboration at the core of her approach, Krieger seeks to work across ministries to improve the province’s correctional, coroner and victim services. “(We look) not only to ensure that we’re tackling crime, but also addressing some of the root causes of crime and supporting people when they need help,” she said. “The complexity of advancing public safety, which is beyond the work of any one ministry, is just such an awesome challenge.” Currently, Krieger is working with Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, to examine where public safety intersects with housing and health care. Krieger also mentioned working with police forces across the province to ensure they have the resources needed to address crime and local challenges. Another item atop Krieger’s list is to invest in the province’s specialized integrated units to combat specific issues like drug and human trafficking. However, enforcement is not Krieger’s only concern, adding that supporting victims of crime and vulnerable populations is also important. “In Victoria, we’re launching an initiative soon called Health IM, which is a digital tool that lets police log and capture specifics related to a mental health crisis and allows that information to be passed seamlessly to health professionals, really supporting compassionate interactions with people and ensuring they get the care that they need,” she said. Being in session since Oct. 6 in her new role, Krieger said there’s never been a dull moment. “It’s been a wild ride and it’s been really exciting,” she said. “As a minister, I have a role in that question period, fielding questions about various issues related to public safety from the opposition and from the other parties, so it’s been action-packed.” While Krieger said that “so much has happened” over the past year, she added that the foundation of her work remains anchored in the community she represents every week at the legislative assembly. “My work outside of the ministry office with community organizations continues and really fuels the work that happens in the chamber,” she said.

A non-profit wants to start filling shoeboxes with gifts for women in Nanaimo who are experiencing homelessness. In a press release, the Nanaimo chapter of the Shoebox Project announced it will hold a collection drive from Monday, Nov. 17, to Dec. 8, seeking “shoeboxes full of essential items and special gifts for local women impacted by homelessness.” Items such as toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap) and gloves, journals, pens and dark chocolate are sought, the press release noted. Donors are also encouraged to include a card “with an inspiring message,” the release added. Island Crisis Care Society, Risebridge and Pacifica Housing will distribute the shoeboxes, which can be dropped off at Nanaimo North Town Centre’s administration office, Thrifty Foods at Port Place Shopping Centre, CurVa-Voom, Serge and Sew and Lobelia’s Lair. The goal is 210 shoeboxes this year. The project has collected more than 650 shoebox gifts since 2021. “We are so grateful to the community for their generosity,” said Laura Kelsey, Nanaimo Shoebox Project coordinator, in the release. The drive has expanded to include gender-neutral shoeboxes as well. For more information on the Shoebox Project, go to www.shoeboxproject.ca/chapters/nanaimo [https://www.shoeboxproject.ca/chapters/nanaimo].