Cowichan Collision is the recipient of the prestigious Priory Vote of Thanks Award from St. John Ambulance.
It’s the first Priory Vote of Thanks Award that St. John Ambulance has been allowed by its national headquarters to honour a local business in the Cowichan Valley.
The national award, bearing the seal of the Order of St. John and signed by the Governor General, is an expression of gratitude in recognition of exemplary dedicated service, assistance or support to the Order of St. John in Canada.
Cowichan Collision also received the BC Council Award from St. John Ambulance several years ago as a provincial thank you for the company’s many years of support.
“We are so grateful to Cowichan Collision for their continued support over the years,” a press release from St. John Ambulance said.
“They never say no and always help in any way that they are asked. They have helped repair, get parts donated and set us up with other community supporters.”
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The Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce is taking exception to the plan for businesses to bear the responsibility of enforcing the province’s new vaccine verification program.
By order of the Provincial Health Office, proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will be required to access some events, services and businesses beginning on Sept. 13.
A statement from the chamber said that the business organization fully supports the program, but stands with the BC Chamber of Commerce in asking for more clarity on its enforcement and implementation.
“While this is an important step in helping businesses keep employees, customers, and patrons safe, the chamber disagrees with burdening businesses and frontline workers with the enforcement of public health-related initiatives,” said chamber president Julie Scurr
“Many of the surveys done across B.C. that we have been privy to demonstrate that majority of business owners are in support of the vaccine and vaccine verification program. While these businesses want to avoid an impending lockdown and understand a vaccination verification program could prevent that, they do not agree with having their staff enforce this public health order.”
Scurr said that with the increasing COVID-19 numbers, the chamber believes that the only way out of this pandemic is through vaccination.
However, she said that imposing a health order that relies on enforcement from businesses, who are already dealing with an exponential labour shortage, is not acceptable.
“In the last 18 months, businesses within our community have fielded closures, capacity, and social-distancing restrictions, enforced mask mandates, labour shortages, and are now being asked to police a vaccine verification program. It is simply not sustainable to put this burden on businesses.”
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Cowichan Tribes is thanking Nexus, its prime contractor for the new $8.3-million affordable housing project that is currently under construction on Boys Road, and the other companies and individuals involved with the project for keeping it on track and on schedule.
Dana Thorne, Cowichan Tribes associate director of housing, said they include a number of Cowichan Tribes members and member-owned businesses.
She commends Porlier Pass Contractors, Matt T Excavating, Raven Stone Construction, HG Xcavating, Fran’s Trucking, Proframe, A-2-Z Traffic Control and a number of archaeological monitors who are working on site.
The project, a partnership between Cowichan Tribes and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, involves the construction 32 new modular housing units, and work began last month.
“With over 700 applications (representing more than 1,500 band members) on the wait list for on-reserve housing, getting housing built quickly and efficiently is a priority for Cowichan Tribes,” Thorne said.
“This is why modular manufacturing is being used for our new housing project.”
In July, a drone video captured 12 individual modules being brought in on a flatbed truck and installed by a crane.
An additional 10 modules were delivered to the site last week.
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After almost 30 years in the yoga and fitness business, Lura’s Yoga on Queens Road will be closing its doors for the final time on Sept. 14.
Owner Lura McCallum said the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt her business, and she has had to close for a total of eight and half months since it began in March 2020.
She said the pandemic affected her customers pretty hard and Lura’s Yoga is not viable anymore.
But McCallum said she has no plans to retire and intends to honour all the passes and memberships that Lura’s Yoga has through in-home classes and other means.
“I’ve always said that I would never retire and would keep going,” she said.
“I’m going to wait and see what happens in the future. I’m considering continuing with yoga workshops, retreats, meditation sessions and other pursuits.”
McCallum has a long history of providing yoga and fitness programs in the Cowichan Valley over the decades.
She has taught yoga to the Cowichan Valley Capitals hockey teams and worked with numerous sports teams at various schools, including Cowichan Secondary School’s senior boys and girls basketball teams and field hockey team, and Brentwood College’s cross-country runners and Duncan Christian School’s physical education groups.
McCallum can be reached at 250-748-3839.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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