Community Updates – January 18, 2013

Community Updates – January 18, 2013
1) Family Literacy Week – Jan 20 – 26


The City of Williams Lake officially declares next week Jan 20 – 26th Literacy Week.

The Williams Lake Library kicks of Literacy Week this Saturday Jan 19th with special events for kids. Games for kids starts at 10:45 am to be followed by a special story time at 11 am with local author Victoria Greenley and illustrator Raylene Hale who will showcase their new book “I don’t like my grumpy face”. At 11:20 am there will be singing with LeRae Haynes from Success by Six. Then from Jan 22 – 26th the public is invited to play board games throughout the library. This week is also Library fines amnesty week. Bring in a bag of groceries to be donated to the local food bank and the Library will waive your fines.

Next week’s Tribune will be the “Reach a Reader” edition, worked on in conjunction with the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) featuring stories and photos about literacy. Every copy sold of Thursday’s Tribune by CCPL volunteers will go directly to the CCPL to help with it’s goals.

2) Food Policy Council Update:
Keep the date: Feb 27th, 1pm, Community Futures Board Room: introduction of New 2013-16 Food Action Plan for community review and input.

As we start the new year, here is a brief summary of our 2012 successes, and 2013 goals.

2012 Successes!

Growers Coop: The Cariboo Growers Cooperative completed its 3rd and best year yet, and we are incredibly pleased with the ever-increasing support the community is showing, demonstrating our commitment to, and belief in, a strong local economy and access to fresh, healthy, organic local food.

Official Community Plan: The City of Williams Lake passed its newest Official Community Plan this year, with local food and agriculture as one of the top 10 priorities. The food policy council continues to work with the city and CRD to further a local food strategy for the Cariboo region.

Second community local food forum: Our second food forum led to the identification of 9 key areas of interest for the Food Policy Council to work on in coming years.

Cariboo Lodge Community Garden: Enjoyed its 3rd successful year as well, and was enjoyed by over 20 community members. Many of these gardeners will be planting a new garden at their seniors complex during 2013, allowing even more gardeners to get their hands dirty this coming season.

Memory Garden Community Garden: 2012’s biggest project was the Memory Garden, and physical evidence of the garden’s presence finally arrived in the form of the first section of fence, 45 raised-bed plots, and the erection of the WLSS-student-created welcome sign. Over a dozen community members have reserved plots already, with many more still available.

Community participation in the project was incredible, with a small but dedicated group meeting regularly to plan, and over 80 individuals coming to the two main work-bees. This included representatives from Rayel MacDonald’s family and friends,

A huge thank you to: United Way, the City of Williams Lake and CRD, Tolko, the RCMP, Rona and Home Hardware, Cariboo GM, and our many volunteers.

2013 Plans!

The Memory Garden will continue to be a main focus of the FPC in 2013, but it’s certainly not the only egg in our basket! Again, please join us on February 27th (see above) to hear about our plans for the year).

Memory Garden:  Early spring will see work in the garden begin again, this time with the installation of a sitting area and memorial plaque in loving memory of Rayel MacDonald.

As the season continues we will be working on: inviting more gardeners into the space, adding drip line, fruit trees, further developing plans for a community root cellar and greenhouse, beginning construction if possible, creating a series of gardening classes to be held in the garden.
On February, 27, The gardeners group committee will join the FPC Quarterly Meeting.

Seedy Saturday: In May we will host the 5th annual Seedy Saturday Event, and planning will begin shortly to ensure this is the best one yet!
Local Currency: In partnership with the Social Planning Council, the Food Policy Council will continue to develop a proposal for a community currency focused on strengthening the local food economy.

Inviting Participation in Our Priority Projects: One of the main goals of the Food Policy Council is to reflect the needs, passions and talents of the community. To this end, we invite you to contact the Food Policy Council (via Cody. see below), and/or come to the February 27th meeting (see above) to see how you can get involved in any of our projects above, or with one of our other priority projects, including: community root cellar, community greenhouse, community gardens, community composting, gleaning (food recovery, local food marketing, local currency, & urban chickens.

We look forward to another great year of growing sustainable food systems and healthy communities.

For more information please contact Cody Slinn at 250-392-0294 or codyigk@hotmail.com or Tatjana Bates at 250-267-5412 or tatjana.bates@interiorealth.ca

3) Scout Island Nature Centre & the Young Naturalists present: A Starry Night Jan 26 from 6-8 pm

Local Astronomers Lynn & Steve Capling will guide this evening of star gazing for all levels. Bring your telescope or binoculars if you have them. Dress warmly for lying in the snow and no headlamps or flashlights please. If very cold or overcast the event will be cancelled. For info, phone 398-8532 or 250-855-8443 or email mmmforbes@yahoo.ca

A Free Public Program made possible by Field Naturalist fundraising and volunteer time.

The Young Naturalists’ Club welcomes kids aged 5-14 accompanied by an adult. You don’t have to be a member, but if you join YNC you get BC’s only home grown nature magazine for children NatureWILD and meet other nature-loving families.

For info on any YNC programs, phone 398-8532 or email j_trelenberg@hotmail.com

4) Communities that Care - Positive Action Word of the Week.

Welcome back to the Positive Action Word of the Week. “Thoughts” is the word of the week.

Thoughts: Ideas that result from thinking.

In the preschool kit this unit begins with a lesson on the positive action of managing the feeling of love. The two hedgehog puppets demonstrate that “When we act in a loving way at school, we treat each other with respect. We share our toys. We listen when someone speaks. All of those things are loving ways to act. And all those actions are positive actions.”;

This first lesson lays the foundation for the other feelings that the students will learn to manage by using positive thoughts and actions. Feelings such as sadness, anger, and worry. And our hedgehogs remind us that we can do positive actions for our friends when they are feeling sad or worried.

For more info contact Carla Bullinger at comthatcares@sd27.bc.ca

5) Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex Free Events

Free Skate – Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club on Saturday Feb 2 from 1 – 2:30 pm

Free Skate – Sponsored by Oliver & Co. on Sunday Feb 17th from 2:45 pm – 4:15 pm. Please bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank.

*All free events are advertised under the FREE events tab on the www.activewilliamslake.ca website. Feel free to print off posters to display throughout town. For more info please contact the Cariboo Recreation Memorial Complex at 250-398-7665

6) Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Area Association (WLCBIA) AGM

On Feb 7th from 6 – 8 pm at the Alley Katz Bistro (525 Borland). The AGM is open to all members of the WLCBIA. Members include all businesses and commercial property owners within the WLCBIA boundaries as outline by City Council by-law 2063. Details available soon by mail, on website, or by contacting them directly. If you have questions please call the office at 250-398-5717 or visit www.wlcbia.com online.

7) REMINDER - the next Social Planning Council Meeting
Monday January 28th being held at the Glass Slippers Boutique from 11:30 – 1pm. The Glass Slippers project is a wonderful example of what community collaboration looks like in action and is the perfect place to host our next meeting which focuses on just that… community collaboration. Agenda and reminders will be sent out later this month, so mark your calendars.

8) Reminder - The Potato House Annual General Meeting is on January 21st from 5 – 7 pm.

It is a potato themed potluck with a competition for the best potato dish and all are welcome to attend. Contact the Potato House team for more info or email Mary Forbes at mmmforbes@yahoo.ca