Community Updates (18) – Dec 12, 2014

Table of Contents:

1) The SPC thanks everyone for another productive year

2) Operation Red Nose - get a ride home in your own vehicle

3) Annual Christmas Sale at the Recreation Complex - until Dec 24th

4) Child Development Centre's 9th Annual Christmas Wish breakfast - Dec 16th

5) Communities that Care's - Positive Action Word of the Week - "Curious"

6) Free Computer help - Thursday's from 10am - 12 pm @ the Library

7) Love the Puddle - share your story & pics

8) Community Engagement Survey - available online

9) My DAD matters - Train the Trainer opportunity

10) Changing Directions - Thursdays from 2 - 3 pm at Skyline

11) St. Peter's Sing & Ring - Sunday Dec 14th

12) CMHA's Women's Spirituality Circle's Winter Solstice Celebration - Dec 21st

13) Is your community group looking for affordable facilities?

14) Annual Christmas Concert - Dec 20th at 6:30 pm

15) Council accepting applications for Heritage & Accessibility Advisory Committees

16) Council now accepting nominations for Certificate of Merit Award

17) Cariboo Chilcotin Metis Association - Dinner Dec 12th at 6pm

18) Christmas Food and Toy Drive - donate this Saturday and get a prize envelope.

1) The SPC thanks everyone for another productive year

Thank-you to everyone for making this another productive year.  Memberships are also due for renewal. Send us an email or give us a call.

The new SPC Board of Directors for the 2014 - 2015 year:

Carla Bullinger, Chair

Diane Wright, Vice Chair

Rosanna McGregor, Treasurer

Janice Fichtner, Secretary

Bruce Mack, Director

Matt Neufeld, Director

Shannon Thom, Director

Kourtney Cook, Director, and

Anne Burrill (appointed)

Please note, the SPC office will be closed over the holidays so send your event & project notices to be distributed in next week's updates.

The next SPC monthly meeting will be held on Monday January 26th at 11:30 am - location TBA.

2) Operation Red Nose - get a ride home in your own vehicle

As an alternative to a taxi this holiday season, call Operation Red Nose and they can drive your car home for you. Call 250-392-2222 for all the details. Make safety a priority.

3) Annual Christmas Sale at the Recreation Complex - until Dec 24th

Save 25% until Dec 24th when you purchase groups of ten drop-in passes.

4) Child Development Centre's 9th Annual Christmas Wish breakfast - Dec 16th

The annual  Christmas Wish buffet Breakfast on Dec 16th from 6 - 10 am at the Ramada. These meals help countless local families who cannot afford to buy gifts for their children. The cost of the breakfast is either cash donation or a new unwrapped child's toy. To sponsor a meal(s), please stop by the CDC at 690 N 2nd Ave or call 250-392-4481 with any further questions.

5) Communities that Care's - Positive Action Word of the Week - "Curious"

The Positive Action word of the week of Nov 25th is Curious: Eager to learn how and why things happen.

If you would like more background information about Positive Action please contact Carla Bullinger at 250-267-8249 or email comthatcares@sd27.bc.ca

6) Free Computer help - Thursday's from 10am - 12 pm @ the Library

The Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) is offering free computer help for laptops, tablets, Ipad's, e-readers and cell phones. Phone 250-392-3630 to register.

For more info on the CCPL visit www.caribooliteracy.com.

7) Love the Puddle - share your story & pics

http://www.williamslake.ca/652/Love-the-Puddle

Williams Lake is blessed with spectacular backcountry and cultural amenities. With an honest, free-rein lifestyle, Williams Lake is referred to by those familiar with the community as Willy's Puddle or simply the Puddle. 

Residents and visitors enjoy our varied playgrounds at facilities like nature and recreation centres, cowboy museums, art galleries, or in their hip waders, kayaks, on mountain bikes, and yes, even on the back of a horse.

This page of our website is  all about sharing how people Love the Puddle. Send us your stories, pictures or videos to help us showcase the countless ways to fall in love with this amazing community.  Tell us about your favourite people, clubs, facilities you enjoy, or simply how you best like to experience our big outdoors.

Williams Lake is a wonderful city that we want to showcase. So, whether you're a resident who was born and raised here, or you've visited and had a great time here; please let us know why you Love the Puddle.

Share the Love!  Please send us an email with a photograph, video link, or your story about a place, facility, person, favourite activity or whatever it is that you love about ​Williams Lake to​puddle@williamslake.ca.

8) Community Engagement Survey - available online

If you missed the community engagement lunch last week don’t worry! There is still time to have input in this important process. Click on the link below and complete the survey; it should only take 15-20 minutes to compete. If you send me an email before January 23, 2015 stating you competed the survey your name will be added into a draw to win one of two $100 fuel cards for Petro Canada.

As part of the Community Needs Assessment, the information gathered from this survey is being used to inform BC’s Regional Plan which aims to increase participation of Aboriginal people in the economy  This could include; going to school, getting training, looking for work, and finding and keeping a job.

For more information please call Barb at the Friendship Society at 250-398-0983.

Welcome to the Survey! http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/aew1/copy-urban-aboriginal-job-survey/

Urban Aboriginal People in BC's Job Market and Economy: A Planning Survey is a collaborative project of the Provincial Coordination Team, made up of: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Métis Nation BC, BC Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, BC Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation, and Union of BC Municipalities.

9) My DAD matters - Train the Trainer opportunity

From the Communities that Care table - Beulah went to a conference and listened to a panel of young fathers and some of the challenges they faced. She was very inspired with their stories and is interested in having a conversation to see if the community would be interested in a Train the Trainer session that is taking place in Vancouver and/or possibly Prince George.  This full day workshop provides tools needed to engage fathers and to facilitate father involvement networking in the community.  There is a possibility to either have a trainer come up or have a couple of people go down.  Workshops are taking place in February 16 & 17.  A number of people have expressed interest in this www.mydad.ca .  Contact Beulah for more information: manager@womenscontact.org

10) Changing Directions - Thursdays from 2 - 3 pm at Skyline

From the Communities that Care table: Thursdays from 2:00 -3:00 at Skyline, Michael facilitates a group for young men that support aboriginal youth between the ages12-18. Wrap around approach.  They work with a maximum of 10 youth each.  Part of the program is to have the youth identify supports in the school, in the community, etc.

You can do referrals through the website www.changingdirections.ca (it's easy).

11) St. Peter's Sing & Ring - Sunday Dec 14th

Bring a bell and ring & sing along with a wonderful selection of Christmas music on Sunday Dec 14th starting at 3pm at St. Peter's Anglican Church on Carson Drive in Williams Lake.

12) CMHA's Women's Spirituality Circle's Winter Solstice Celebration - Dec 21st

The Canadian Mental Health Association Multiculturalism Program and Women's Spirituality Circle invite you to Winter Solstice Celebration.

Illuminate the darkness with food, friends, music and dance!

Date: Sunday December 21

Time: 2 - 5 pm

Location: Thompson River University Cafeteria

Donations of non perishable food welcome.

For more information call Marilyn Livingston 250 302 9119 or Margaret-Anne Enders 250 305 4426

13) Is your community group looking for affordable facilities?

If you are looking for space to host your community group activities through School District No 27, please view the brochure on their website at http://www.sd27.bc.ca/community-use-of-schools/

Subject to the availability of facilities for educational purposes, the Board of Education will make school facilities available for public use on a basis that provides priority to youth activities or other activities that give support to activities that enhance community needs and services. 

The SPC is collecting feedback from organizations who are unable to find affordable recreation facilities - email spc-coordinator@xplornet.com

14) Annual Christmas Concert - Dec 20th at 6:30 pm

You are invited to the “The Warm Glow of Christmas!”  This annual holiday event features various musicians from the Cariboo.  An offering for the poor will be taken up.  Refreshments to follow the program -- feel free to bring a plate of goodies!  This event takes place at the Adventist Church at 782 9^th Ave N., in Williams Lake.  For more information please call 250-398-5642.

15) Council accepting applications for Heritage and Accessibility Advisory Committees

The City of Williams Lake is currently accepting applications for positions on the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Accessibility Advisory Committee.
The Heritage Advisory Committee’s purpose is to investigate any matters pertaining to heritage conservation, and provide Council with recommendations on heritage matters. Members serve for a two year term.

The Accessibility Advisory Committee’s mission is to remove physical and social barriers so that persons with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community life. Members are

appointed for a one year term.

Applications must include name, address, home and work telephone numbers, together with an outline of the reasons for your interest in serving on the committee. A Striking Committee of Council will consider all applications.
Application deadline is Jan. 9, 2015. To submit your application, or for more information about advisory committees, contact Cindy Bouchard, Manager of Legislative Services, at 250-392-1773 or cbouchard@williamslake.ca.

16) Council Now Accepting Nominations for Certificate of Merit Award

Williams Lake is the hometown of Rick Hansen, Carey Price, and many others who have achieved national or international recognition for their achievements, and the City of Williams Lake would like to recognize those individuals.

City Council is now accepting nominations for 2014 Certificate of Merit Awards to recognize any citizen of the City of Williams Lake or the fringe area of the city that has accomplished an achievement that brings national or international fame to the City of Williams Lake during 2014. Their achievements will be recognized by City Council meeting in early 2015.

To nominate an individual, provide his or her name and a short resume of their contributions for council to consider. Nominations can be dropped off at City Hall by Jan.9, 2015. For more information, contact Cindy Bouchard, Manager of Legislative Services, at 250-392-1773 or cbouchard@williamslake.ca.

17) Cariboo Chilcotin Metis Association - Dinner Dec 12th at 6pm

Tonight at 6pm, join the Cariboo Chilcotin Metis Association for their annual Christmas dinner at the St. Andrews United Church at 1000 Huckvale Place. Doors open at 5pm - please bring a potluck style dish. Santa will arrive after dinner so if you have a child to register, please call 250-392-4428.

18) Christmas Food and Toy Drive - donate this Saturday and get a prize envelope.

With all proceeds going to the Salvation Army food bank, bring a new toy or non-perishable food item to the Tribune office on Saturday Dec 13th from 10:30 am - 1pm at 188 North 1st Avenue. Gifts will be exchanged for a prize envelope from our gift tree that has gift certificates from local businesses.