• And that’s a wrap! Amy Oakes has finished her 11th year canvassing for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
She has gone from raising about $350 the first year she went out canvassing at age seven, to raising $3,750 in 2018.
“Thank you to all my donors, I’m extremely honoured to announce this year I had 97 individual donors donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation,” said Oakes. “I honestly can’t believe I have fundraised for 11 years starting in Grade 2. In Grade 2 I set a goal of raising $10,000 before ever stopping. By the end of Grade 6, I had raised the most money each year in elementary and half of what the school district raised. Each year I have made a goal, and I have passed it each year, setting it a little higher for the next year!
“For the 2018 Heart Month, I set a goal of $2,500, which would also make me reach my $10,000 goal. I knew it would be challenging but I was prepared to set my mind to it and dedicate myself to the fullest,” Oakes said.
Incredibly, Oakes has accomplished this feat while working full-time at Save-On-Foods.
In the end, Oakes has raised $11,250 over 11 years.
“I couldn’t thank everyone enough,” she said. “Big shout-out to my dad (Colin) for the days and long nights he put in helping me keep everything organized. For every hour I walk around door to door is about two hours of paper work/keeping organized! Like they tell you, hard work pays off. Follow your passion whatever it might be; I have, and look how much I have succeeded.
“Remember every seven minutes a Canadian dies to either a stroke or a heart attack.”
Oakes will be recognized nationally for her dedication and years of service.
In 2016 she was named one of 157 canvassers to receive the gold heart 2016 pin on Vancouver Island and in 2017 received the gold heart pin again, one of only 90 to have received it.
“I always have done and dedicated my fundraising to my grandfather Malcolm Oakes and these past years have now dedicated it also to my uncle George Scholten,” Oakes said.
She also recognized her mother Tina Lee, and former Community Development coordinator Edward Pullman.
• In February, the residents of Warmland were treated to a barbecue hamburger luncheon courtesy of the Duncan Knights of Columbus.
“What a wonderful reception we were given,” said the group’s Lorne Thickett.
This would not have happened without the support from Duncan Knights of Columbus and some of the parishioners from St. Edward’s Catholic Church who volunteered to help. A barbecue luncheon will be held on the second Sunday of every month.
“We would like to thank Country Grocer, Canadian Super Store, Island Bakery, and the Old Farm Market for their valuable support. Many thanks also go to Fr. Stephen Paine, Jim Korman and Greg Mathews for organizing this heartfelt event.”
• Over the next few months, BC Hydro will be replacing more than 9,000 wooden distribution poles across the province as part of its ongoing maintenance program, including 160 poles in Duncan.
Power poles last about 40 to 50 years on average, but weaken and deteriorate over time due to adverse weather, insects and wildlife.
BC Hydro maintains and operates a vast and complex electrical system in B.C., which includes 900,000 wooden poles that hold more than 58,000 kilometres of overhead distribution lines and 278,000 overhead transformers. Replacing power poles is one of the investments BC Hydro is making in aging infrastructure to improve the safety and reliability of the electricity system.
To ensure the safety of our crews and the public, BC Hydro may need to disconnect power when replacing aging power poles. Crews will notify customers in-person, by mail or phone about these scheduled outages for maintenance.
• Approximately 450 realtors and dignitaries gathered at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre on March 9 to witness the installation of VIREB’s board of directors for 2018, and the Cowichan Valley is well represented.
Janice Stromar, 2017 VIREB president, passed the gavel to incoming president Don McClintock from RE/MAX of Duncan. Stromar takes on the role of past president this year, with Kaye Broens from RE/MAX of Nanaimo serving as president-elect for 2018.
Returning to the board this year is Cowichan Bay’s Lovina Miller.
• Cowichan Cobble Hill 4-H District held their public speaking event last Saturday with two seniors, Allison Gelling and Victoria Kovacs, moving on to Vancouver Island Regional Public Speaking, along with two Cowichan Cobble Hill juniors, Hailey Nolette and Freya Gallagher-burg, representing the 4-H District.
Participants in Saturday’s event also included Paisley Kovacs, Romona Darwin, Caillum O’Dell, Nishua Dhami, Angus Trombley, Sebastian Harding, Willow Gelling, Peyton Haslam and Lydia Laindry.