Pauline Campbell Radio Cowichan
There are many new things happening at the our local Radio Cowichan, 97.5 on the FM dial, with the most exciting being as follows as told by radio chair Mike Bishop: “Radio Cowichan is broadcasting on our new frequency 97.5 FM Stereo right now! Industry Canada has authorized a three-week test period on 97.5 FM at 50 watts. Send us a comment to tell us where in the valley you are listening from! Youbou, Caycuse, Mesachie Lake, Old Lake Cowichan Road, Paldi, Tansor or are you hearing us better in Lake Cowichan? We’d really like to know. Help us celebrate...become a regular listener!”
Another exciting development is the spotlighting of a monthly Hometown Hero local to the Cowichan Valley that is making a positive impact on the people and/or community around them. Our first Hometown Hero of the year, and ever, is Betty Anne Weberg Sanddar.
Betty Anne was raised in Lake Cowichan and is a mother to three and grandmother to eight. Betty Anne’s whole life is dedicated to contributing to the community of Lake Cowichan and the surrounding areas. She worked at Kaatza Childcare for 27 years and now works at Lake Cowichan School and Playskool Daycare. Betty Anne has been at Lake Cowichan School for three years and has been employed through the CVRD at Lake Cowichan Recreation’s Play and Learn Program for three and a half years.
My main reason, though, for choosing Betty Anne as our first Hometown Hero, is in regards to her tireless work at the food bank. She started as a volunteer through the church she attended and is now chair of the society. Her dedication and the dedication of her volunteers have sustained this essential service through a time of insecurity. With the sale of the church it had been using, they needed to find a new home. They then had temporary housing in the Annex. At the time of the interview the deadline for them to leave the present location was Feb. 28 and they had nowhere to go. Since then, the good news is a new space for the food bank has been found.
Now there is the momentous task of moving. Betty Anne and the food bank would welcome volunteers to come and help in this process. Other ways to help are through cash and food donations, as well as attending the upcoming hot dog sales at Country Grocer throughout the year.
In regards to cash donations, the food bank is a registered non-profit that can issue tax receipts. Betty Anne posted this update on Facebook, “Well some very exciting news!! Lake Cowichan Food Bank has a new home!!! Today we signed a one year lease and as of March 1st 2016 we will be operating out of #105 205 South Shore Road!! We will still be actively looking and Fundraising for a permanent location. We are looking for volunteers to help out with Hot Dog Sales on January 16 and February 6 at Country Grocer and we will also be needing volunteers to help us move in February!! Anyone who would be willing to volunteer please message me or Cindy Vaast!! Thanks so very much to all who regularly volunteer, donate non-perishables or donate cash to us!!! Every donation is so very much appreciated!! Also we do want to acknowledge the very generous help from the Town of Lake Cowichan and Council as they provided us with use of the Mildred Child Annex for the last 14 months!! We really appreciate any and all help!!!”