Community Updates – Mar 15, 2013

Community Updates – Mar 15, 2013

1) BC Poverty Reduction Coalition - Webinar Mar 19 from 12 – 1:30 pm

British Columbia has the highest poverty rate in Canada, and is now one of only two provinces left without a poverty reduction plan. Now is the time to tell your political candidates you want to vote for strong leadership on poverty reduction. 

If you're concerned about low wages, low welfare rates, the housing crisis, skyrocketing child care fees, the inaccessibility of education, the lack of essential health care, and marginalized groups in BC, come and join the conversation about what we can do to address these critical issues!

Register at http://bit.ly/povreductionwebinar for the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition's webinar for Tuesday March 19, 12-1:30pm

Learn more about a poverty reduction plan for BC and how to take action in this critical time, featuring a fantastic line-up of community experts:

Ted Bruce, Public Health Association of BC

Rita Chudnovsky, Child Care Advocates of BC

Ivan Drury, Social Housing Coalition of BC

Kathy Hartman, BC Teachers' Federation

Bill Hopwood, Raise the Rates

Seth Klein, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - BC

Gudrun Langolf, Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of BC

Robin Loxton, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities

Katie Marocchi, Canadian Federation of Students - BC

Adrienne Montani, First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition

Eyob Naizghi, MOSAIC

For more information please visit http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/

2) Spring Break at the Library – Puppets, Music and More

There will be no library Storytime over Spring Break (March 19-April 1) but there is a special children’s event with singing, stories, puppet show, and crafts on Friday March 22^nd from 10:00am-11:45am.  No cost, but registration is required with how many in your family (group) and children ages.

For more info please contact the Library at 250-392-3630 or email tdunlop@cariboord.bc.ca

Joint Spring Break Event with Success by 6 Community & Aboriginal Engagement Coordinator LeRae Haynes and Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Puppeteer Claire Schreiner.

3) United Ways Day of Caring – 2013

“It’s definitely not a typical day at work when you arrive at a United Way Day of Caring®. The idea is simple. An organization needs a new fence, or a paint job, or some landscaping, or some food hampers. So a local business donates a team of employees to get the job done. But it’s not just about the fence. It’s about a sense of caring through volunteerism and connecting people in the community with different skills, different knowledge, and different backgrounds. It’s about team-building for those employees, who have the chance to learn about the programs and services that the organization offers.

Our applications for 2013 Day of Caring® projects are now up on our website. If you are a company interested in participating in a Day of Caring® please fill out the Company Request Form and if you are a non-profit agency interested in hosting a Day of Caring® please fill out the Agency Application Form online.”

United Way’s applications for a Day of Caring in 2013 are now available at this link .If you would like to take part in a Day of Caring in 2013 please visit http://www.unitedwaytnc.ca/2013/02/apply-for-a-2013-day-of-caring-today/ and apply today.” (taken directly from the United Way’s website).

4) National Film Board Fall Screening – Mar 20

Film - Status Quo: The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada

Wednesday Mar 20^th at 7:00pm

All FREE screenings are in the CRDL Williams Lake Branch program room

Suite A, 180 N. Third Ave

Call 250-392-3630 for details or email cderksen@cariboord.bc.ca

5) Free Tax Help available for those in need

For almost 40 years, Surinderpaul Rathors and others volunteer to prepare income tax returns for people in need in Williams Lake. They are “government trained community volunteers” who can help those who cannot afford to pay someone for a return. This year there are less volunteers than in previous years so if you are able to help or want more information about this service please contact Surinderpaul at 250-398-5222 or 250-392-0909.

6) Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake – Apr 13 &14^th

This fun annual team fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Williams Lake combines free bowling with pizza from Panago. For a schedule, more information on how to register a team, or how to become a sponsor please visit www.bbswl.com or call 250-398-8391.

Register a team of 4 – 6 players and join us for 2 hours of bowling fun. With the pledges you collect, you can win some great prizes. Each team receives a large pizza courtesy of Panago Pizza! This year’s theme is ‘Birthday Bash. Feel free to dress up and ‘Let us Plan your Party.’ Come help us celebrate Big Brothers and Big Sisters 100 year birthday. No prior bowling experience advised!

7) Williams Lake and District Credit Union’s Community Investment Funds – due Mar 31

Grant applications for the WLDCU’s Community Investment Funds are due March 31 – for more information please visit www.wldcu.com/PErsonal/InOurCommunity/CommunityInvestmentFund

8) Activities at the Senior’s Activity Centre

Seniors Luncheon – Sunday Mar 17 from 11:30 – 1pm at the Senior’s Activity Centre. Everyone is welcome to attend so bring a friend!

Seniors Potluck – Friday Mar 29 at 5:30 pm at the Senior’s Centre. Everyone is also welcome, so bring your favorite casserole, salad or dessert.

9) CTC’s Positive Action Word of the Week

The Positive Action Word of the Week is:  Kindness – To take care of others and take thoughtful actions.

For more information please contact: Carla Bullinger, Facilitator, Communities that Care, comthatcares@sd27.bc.ca or 250-267-8249.

10) March Update on Welcome WL project activities – Sharon Taylor

Media: We have a page on Facebook - Welcome WL - as well as a page on the new IMSS website: Welcoming Communities Williams Lake. We have also added entries for both the Welcoming Communities and ELSA projects to the Access Williams Lake website

Multicultural Cafes: pilot with Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy. We will try to have one between April and June to test out the model and make adjustments before promoting the idea in the fall. Several community volunteers have expressed an interest in supporting both the cafes and the workshops on citizenship and settlement issues.

Open House and Launch Party, 2:00 pm, April 4: The community is invited to an Open House at the IMSS Centre (118C First North Avenue) for food and celebration to launch the Welcome WL project.

For more information please contact:

Sharon Taylor: Project Coordinator sharont@imss.ca

Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society

(Williams Lake Branch)

118C N First Avenue, Williams Lake, BC  V2G 1Y8

778-412-2999

settlementwl@imss.ca

11) The next SPC Monthly Meeting is on Monday March 25 from 11:30 am - 1:00pm. The topic is Succession and Retention (location TBA). An agenda and last month's meeting minutes for your review will be sent out next week.

Community Updates – Mar 8, 2013

Community Updates – Mar 8, 2013

1) Embracing our Diversity – Mar 12/13 - A one day FREE forum on Building an Inclusive Community

This interactive forum will use an arts-based process to explore community issues and experiences around multiculturalism and inclusion.

Tuesday March 12, 2013

9 am to 4 pm (door open at 8:30)

Central Cariboo Arts Centre (old Fire Hall)

Lunch provided

Hosted by the Fraser Basin Council, Canadian Mental Health Association, City of Williams Lake, Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society and PeerNet BC

Come and learn more about the Williams Lake Celebrating Diversity Mural Project

Funding for this initiative provided by the BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training; EmbraceBC Arts Engagement Program

For more information and to register for this FREE event, contact Gail Lucier, Fraser Basin Council, 250 392 1400 or glucier@fraserbasin.bc.ca

2) CTC’s Positive Action Word of the Week

The Positive Action Word of the Week is:  Respect – To show special care for people.

For more information please contact: Carla Bullinger, Facilitator, Communities that Care, comthatcares@sd27.bc.ca or 250-267-8249.

http://socialplanningcouncil.blogspot.ca/2013/02/community-updates-mar-1-2013.html

3) Updates from the Fish Lake Alliance

a) The 100 Mile House Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Open House regarding the proposed mine at Fish Lake. The purpose is to have representatives from both sides of the issue in attendance so the public can ask questions. Taseko Mines will be there. The Friends of Fish Lake and the Fish Lake Alliance will be there. Please come out and support us! And bring your questions for both sides.

Saturday, March 16, 1:00 at the Community Hall (corner of Third and Birch in 100 Mile House

b) Last year, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency asked Taseko Mines Ltd to clarify/expand parts of its latest Environmental Impact Statement re the proposed mine at Fish Lake.

Taseko has submitted its responses:   http://ceaa.gc.ca/050/document-eng.cfm?document=86597 

There’s only a 15 day comment period, ending March 16. The request for comments is here: http://ceaa.gc.ca/050/document-eng.cfm?document=86627

Once the Panel decides it has enough information to proceed to hearings, they will begin in 30 days.  That means they could start as early as mid-April.  Time to gear up, folks.

Jenny Noble

Fish Lake Alliance

4) At the Recreation Complex…

a) Spring Break Day Camp - Our Rec & Roll Staff will be on board to lead a fabulous March Break Program.  For the first week have your kids come and  "Turn back Time!!" The will have fun playing dinosaur games, building forts like a caveman and much, much more!  For week 2 it is "Easter Extravaganza!" Your kids will do everything Egg style - Egg Bowling,  Egg Toss & Egg Drop!

March 18-22 / 25-28 

8:00am - 5:00pm

Ages 5-12  $30.00/Day

  

b) Spring Break Dayz at the Pool – 1:30-3:00pm

March 18 - Green & Slimy 

March 19 - Tropical

March 20 - Jungle

March 21 - Pirate

March 25 - Water Fight

March 26 - Survivor

March 27 - Sportz

March 28 -  End of Spring BASH!

5) Message from Scout Island Nature Centre – Vote local today

Local Students that took part in the 2011 "Students Working and learning in Their Watersheds" (aka the Salmon Trip) made films that they have submitted to the Green Games.  This trip is a joint project of Scout Island, SD 27, DFO, and UNBC/Quesnel Research Centre.  You can go on line until the end of March and vote for these films to help them win.

Please take the time to vote--only one time needed

It does ask you to log in etc. which is a pain, but it is worth supporting our local students.  Just copy and paste in your browser and you will go straight to the film to vote for it.

Columneetza Secondary:

http://bcgreengames.ca/component/project/?id=907
http://bcgreengames.ca/component/project/?id=915

Some details about the Green Games - Since online voting has begun we have received over 1400 votes in the Viewer’s Choice Awards. Share this great opportunity to participate in BC Green Games with your colleagues and community partners­ - voting continues until the end of March.

We have received projects from 131 teams from 107 schools in 38 school districts
Projects cover a huge range of topics. Judges have begun reviewing projects and submitting scores.  We will select and announce all winners in early April. 

Forwarded by,

Sue Hemphill
Scout Island Nature Centre
Environmental Educator
1305A Borland Rd
Williams Lake BC V2G 5K5
250 398 8532 or 620 3498
http://www.scoutislandnaturecentre.ca
http://www.williamslakefieldnaturalists.ca

6) Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society Updates

a) Art is Your Business 2013 in Williams Lake

The Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society, along with the Station House Gallery, are very excited to have partnered with Island Mountain Arts to hold a three day Art is Your Business Conference here in Williams Lake.

The conference will take place at various locations around Williams Lake’s downtown core from May 3 -5, 2013 and is designed for artist, musicians, creative entrepreneurs.

There will be an opening reception on Friday evening at 7:00pm and workshops on Saturday and Sunday from about 9:00am - 5:00pm. These workshops focus on marketing, accounting, and business information geared towards artists. The intention is to teach creative entrepreneurs the tools to build successful businesses to diversify and improve their community’s economy.

Island Mountain Arts delivered a similar conference in the Fall of 2011 which was very

successful. Participants travelled from Vancouver, the Okanagan, Clinton, 100 Mile House, Canim Lake, Quesnel, Prince George, Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Fort St. James, Houston, Smithers, Terrace, Fort St. John and Dunster to total 72 participants in visual, performing and musical arts as well as arts administration. These participants have written glowing letters that helped secure funding from the Cariboo Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalistion. Courses like these specifically geared towards artists are not available in other places in BC.

To register please call Island Mountain Arts at 1-800-442-2787 or visit imarts.com

Arts on the Fly Festival - Seeking Volunteers

Arts on the Fly music and dance festival 2013: In order to maintain the festival, the Arts on the Fly committee is dependent on a huge crowd of volunteers and are asking for willing hands to help prepare everything and support them in the actual festival. One of the main focuses this year will be the Kid's Zone. It was a great success last year and the committee visualizes it being even bigger this year. They will also have Martin Comtois as their chef in the performer kitchen again. The Vendors' Market, the Beer Garden and of course the four Stages will need many busy hands before, during and after the festival. Everybody who helps for a minimum of six hours will get one free festival pass. If you want to commit yourself today, write an email to Stefanie Krumsiek or leave her a message at 250-620-3421.

c) For a full newsletter including funding opportunities from the CCACS please visit http://www.centralcaribooarts.com/news/ccacs-newsletters.html

7) Nurtured by Nature:  Why We Need Time Outside – Apr 5/13

This year’s Williams Lake Field Naturalists’ Fundraising Banquet shines a spotlight on our vital need to get outside. 

Ex-Chilcotin cowgirl and naturalist/writer Briony Penn shares the science on how being trapped indoors is harming us.

Studies prove that our sedentary ways are impacting life expectancy and quality for our children, and making them less resilient to the upheaval caused by climate change. Briony brings some of the best success stories on how to turn this juggernaut around.  She’ll share some rich seeds of ideas for natural history programs from the mouths of the next generation themselves. 

Join us on April 5, 6:00 at the United Church Hall for a delicious meal and entertaining evening.  Tickets are available from the Open Book and Williams Lake Field Naturalists, and should be purchased by March 30.

Jenny Noble, Coordinator

Scout Island Nature Centre

(250) 398-8532

8) Some Updates from the Communities That Care (CTC) Table (from meeting minutes)

Reconciliation Project – Anne Burrill reported that they have secured additional funding for the youth engagement piece. This will allow them to expand on the video project that the youth will be working on during the commemoration event.

Safety Bus – Sally was unable to attend the meeting but others at the table were able to provide some updates: a) The bus is set up and ready to go, b) Two TRU 3rd year nursing students are doing a needs assessment and want to hold group forums in the community to elicit opinions from the local youth about this health service proposal. Contact Michelle Young if you want more information or can help organize a forum. myoung1979@shaw.ca

For more information on CTC program please contact: Carla Bullinger, Facilitator, Communities that Care, comthatcares@sd27.bc.ca or 250-267-8249.

9) The next SPC meeting – March 25/13

The next SPC meeting is all about the Succession and Retention of residents in Williams Lake. The meeting is on March 25 from 11:30 am  - 1pm (location TBA) so mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information.

Community Updates – Mar 1, 2013

Community Updates – Mar 1, 2013
http://socialplanningcouncil.blogspot.ca/2013/02/community-updates-mar-1-2013.html

1) Boys & Girls Club of Williams Lake’s spring break program


A spring break program is available at the Club but pre-registration is required so call 250-398-5730 or visit their webpage for more information.


2) Be Wild this Spring Break at Scout Island Nature Centre


Nature Exploring and Art in Nature for Ages 6-13, March 19-21


Don’t sit at home bored ---Join us for the Spring Break Program that will have you outside exploring, playing games and having adventures every day between 9:30-3:00 pm.

We will be outdoors as much as possible actively exploring and playing. Each day will be different. We will be detectives looking for clues to identify: Spring birds, Animal tracks, Signs of spring, Carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores using skulls and more.

Each day will also include an art activity (sketching, writing, collage)

The cost is $15 a day or $40 for all three days. Call 398 8532 or shemphill@midbc.com to register.

3) Notice of Cancellation – Free Skate

Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex Free Skate on Sunday Mar 3rd has been cancelled. Stay tuned for more events coming soon.


4) Seniors Activity Centre Activities


a) Free health talks by local health care professionals are held at the Seniors Activity Centre Thursdays from 9:30 - 10:30 am to cover various health related topics.


b) Potluck supper for seniors is held on the last Friday of every month starting at 5:30 pm. Bring a dish to share and enjoy socializing – feel free to bring a friend along with you.


5) TRU Splash of Colour Gala – Mar 2/13


This year’s TRU fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday Mar 2 - tickets are available at TRU and PMT Accountants for $95 and this Gala will feature cocktails, dinner and dancing as well as live and silent auctions.


6) Womens International Day dinner at TRU March 8


The Womens Contact Society (WCS) celebrates International Women’s Day with a business fair, dinner and concert on Friday March 8. The Fair starts at 5 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm and a concert to follow. Seating is limited to please contact the WCS or TRU to purchase your tickets.


7) Embracing our Diversity – Mar 12/13 - A one day FREE forum on Building an Inclusive Community.

This interactive forum will use an arts-based process to explore community issues and experiences around multiculturalism and inclusion. Come and learn more about the Williams Lake Celebrating Diversity Mural Project.


Tuesday March 12, 2013, from 9 am to 4 pm (door open at 8:30) at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre (old Fire Hall). Lunch provided.


For more information and to register for this FREE event, contact Gail Lucier, Fraser Basin Council, 250 392 1400 or glucier@fraserbasin.bc.ca


8) SPC Community Collaboration Minutes

For those of you who missed Monday’s meeting, last months minutes are available online. Please visit http://socialplanningcouncil.blogspot.ca/2013/02/jan-2813-meeting-minutes.html


9) Final reminder - Enterprising Non-Profit Workshop in Williams Lake – Mar 6/13 from 6 – 8 pm


United Way Thompson Nicola Cariboo and the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society have partnering to present an Enterprising Non-Profit Workshop in Williams Lake. More information on ENP is available online at www.enterprisingnonprofits.ca


There is only 15 spaces available so please contact Leah at info@centralcaribooarts.com or Melissa at melissa@unitedwaytnc.ca.


10) Access Williams Lake – search online for community resources.


If you are looking for services, organizations, programs visit www.accesswilliamslake.org. Search by organization name, categories or print a hardcopy.


11) Wii Olympics at TRU is on April 7th so start your training!


Back by popular demand, The Boys & Girls Club is hosting the second annual Wii Olympics. This is a fun and free family fundraising event that incorporates learning with fun as teams represent a Country to compete in Wii Olympics (including opening and closing ceremonies and prizes).


This is a project in collaboration with TRU student practicum hours. Team leaders and volunteers will be needed for this event so please stay tuned for more details.