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Coming up in Cowichan: cancer canvassers, BCFDC accessibility event, Kids Learn to Fish Day, runner for Hospice

Cancer canvassers out and about, look for the purple
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Cancer Society canvassers will be wearing purple. (submitted)

Cancer canvassers out and about, look for the purple

BC Cancer Foundation door-to-door canvassers are in the Cowichan Valley.

Canvassers will introduce local residents to the BC Cancer Foundation, the largest funder of cancer research in the province, and our monthly donor program.

Monthly donations support the life-saving research taking place at the BC Cancer Agency — helping improve cancer care for those in the community.

For security and safety purposes, canvassers wear ID badges and BC Cancer Foundation purple vests.

Please note that BC Cancer Foundation canvassers will invite you to take part in the Foundation’s monthly giving program only and will not accept cash or one-time gifts at the door. Once you have signed up for monthly gifts, you will receive an email confirmation immediately.

If you have any questions about the door-to-door program, partner in discovery monthly giving program, or a fundraiser in your neighbourhood, call Colleen Malli at 1-888-906-2873 or visit bccancerfoundation.com.

Forest Discovery Centre celebrates accessibility

The BC Forest Discovery Centre is celebrating accessibility with invitations to a large number of care homes and senior facilities to visit the Centre.

This is the second celebration of their accessibility and will take place over two days, May 4 and 5, with free admission for seniors, those with mobility issues or learning disabilities, and their caregivers.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It is through the assistance of local grants that the BC Forest Discovery Centre has been able to improve wheelchair accessibility in many ways at the centre. They have recently installed a hydraulic wheelchair lift for the train, improved many of the boardwalks and have completely renovated the washrooms and front entrance. Chris Gale, manager of the BCFDC adds, “it took us a little longer than we expected, but the last two projects we are pleased to be able to show off to the public.”

The special two days include a free all-day breakfast style buffet, entertainment, free train rides and lots of fun.

A limited number of the public tickets will be available at the door with a discounted $5 admission, and a limited number public buffet tickets are also available for a fee of $5, with proceeds for both tickets going to assist with costs.

Everyone is welcome, however groups of six or more should register for the two-day event by email to cgale.bcfdc@shaw.ca or call the BC Forest Discovery Centre so that the times may be coordinated for boarding the train, and food quantities can be planned.

Gale gladly adds “all aboard”, and now more than ever, means all aboard.

Kids can learn to fish with experts for free on May 6

The Cowichan Fly Fishers Association of Duncan and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC are hosting the 11th Annual Kids Learn to Fish Day on Saturday, May 6 at Chemainus Lake Park.

The entire event, which runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. is free for the kids.

There are a number of fun and educational booths and activities for the kids to go through and participate in, culminating in the chance to catch (and release or keep) a trout raised at the trout hatchery in Duncan. The kids are also given a free lunch and a participation prize.

Most of the booths are outlined in the Learn to Fish Guide that is viewable on the Freshwater Fisheries website. They include some basic knot tying, rod and reel, tackle box, fish identification and more. The Fly Fishers have added a fly tying station to show the kids some fly tying and lots of flies. This year there is also going to be an aquarium with fingerlings in it for the kids to see.

In previous years about 200 children have attended the event, between the ages of three and 15, along with their families.

“Sometimes it is hard to tell who enjoys the day more, the children or the volunteers seeing the children learn about sport fishing and the environment, all while having fun,” said organizers.

If you have any questions contact kidsfish@shaw.ca or check out the Kids Learn to Fish event page on the Cowichan Fly Fishers Association website (http://www.cowichanflyfishers.com/) or https://www.facebook.com/kidslearntofish/

Valley woman running to raise money for Hospice

Judith Belton is running.

She’ll have gone 500 kilometres, 120 km of it on the Cowichan Valley Trail system, by May 7, but that’s not the end of the story.

Belton is fundraising during her run, which she’s dubbed Judith’s Second Marathon of Home, with proceeds going to the Cowichan Valley Hospice Society’s Hospice House project. Belton’s run finishes on the same day as the Hike for Hospice at Providence Farm.

Belton’s first run, which she did last year, benefitted a refugee support project in Victoria, and took in the length of Vancouver Island.

This time she’s concentrating on the Cowichan Valley.

“I’ve twice run around Shawnigan Lake as part of this initiative,” she said in a press release. “I do my running in ‘bits’ on the weekends and after work. I call these runs ‘marathons of home’ because I use them to explore, celebrate and support positive things that are happening in my Vancouver Island and Cowichan Valley ‘home’.”

To find out more or donate, contact Gretchen Hartley at Cowichan Valley Hospice Society at 250-701-4242, 3122 Gibbins Rd., Duncan, B.C., V9L 1G2.