Our community: Appeal for a young poet laureate, mental health assistance for first responders

The City of Victoria is seeking nominations for next year’s Young Poet Laureate.

Established in 2013, the role of the Young Poet Laureate is to reach out to vulnerable youth populations, develop a community youth poetry event, and encourage peer education through new works.

“Poetry is a great way for young people to relay artistic expression,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “The young poet laureate will have the opportunity to present his profession and push the limits of creativity. “

The position comes with an honorarium of $ 1,750, $ 2,000 in project funding and the opportunity to be mentored by the city’s poet laureate during the year. Funding for the position is shared by the City and the Greater Victoria Public Library.

Applicants must be between the ages of 14-24 and reside in the Capital Region, including the Gulf Islands. Applications will be accepted until November 8.

Movember Boosts BC’s First Responder Resiliency Program

BC’s First Responder Resiliency Program will receive more than $ 426,000 over the next two years through Movember’s Veterans and First Responders Mental Health Grants Program.

Movember, a men’s health charity, is donating a total of $ 1.6 million to four mental health-focused programs across Canada to help prevent suicide among veterans and first responders.

The First Responder Resilience Program is an in-person retreat program designed to improve the psychological resilience of police and firefighters across the province. The program, which takes place over four days, provides tools and skills development aimed at building participants’ competence and stress capacity at any stage of their careers.

Four of the top 20 Movember Canadian Fire Challenge teams last year were from Vancouver Island: North Saanich Fire Department, Central Saanich Volunteer Fire Department, Fire Department of Pender Island and the Tofino Volunteer Fire Department.

The four Canadian mental health initiatives are part of a larger effort to support veterans and first responder communities around the world. In total, the program will support 14 initiatives around the world, with an overall investment of more than $ 7.5 million, making it the organization’s largest investment ever in the first responder community.

• For more information, go to movember.com/ca.

The Greater Victoria network wins the Nature Canada award

Greater Victoria Naturehood – a network of nonprofit, public and private organizations working together to bring residents and visitors closer to nature – received Nature Canada’s Conservation Partner of the Year award.

Each year, Nature Canada, a membership group founded in 1939, honors organizations and individuals with awards to honor their hard work and dedication to protecting and restoring nature. The awards are given to recipients who have taken initiative and worked on positive solutions for nature within their communities.

Last summer, Greater Victoria Naturehood hosted an online program to educate children about the importance of nature and the environment. Recently, the organization received a Communication Award for its work commemorating bird artist Fenwick Lansdowne.

• For more information, go to naturecanada.ca.

The Metchosin school launches a competition on local sustainability

The independent Westmont Montessori College of Metchosin has announced the creation of the Westmont Prize, an annual competition focused this year on local sustainability, for Vancouver Island students in grades 7-11.

“The Westmont Prize is a fantastic opportunity for young people to explore issues close to their hearts,” said Magnus Hanton, principal of the school.

This year’s theme is Towards True Sustainability, with teams choosing one of five local sustainability topics to address: ancient logging, climate change, the toxic drug crisis, affordable housing, or a living wage. .

The winning team will share a $ 10,000 university scholarship to a school of their choice.

Hanton said the idea is that collaborative work with peers, supported by adult mentors working in relevant fields, will lead young people to create innovative solutions that can be put into practice. “I am very happy to see the results of their efforts to address sustainability issues at the local level. “

Interested students can register teams of four for the competition by November 15th. There is a registration fee of $ 100 per team.

The Westmont Prize was launched to celebrate Westmont’s new high school program which will begin in September 2022.

• For more information, go to westmontschool.ca.

Ladysmith Cinnamon Bun Fun Run Virtual Race Menu Cookies

Runners from across Vancouver Island are invited to register for this year’s Virtual Cinnamon Bun Run, with registration open by November 24. Participants will receive a limited edition Cinnamon Bun Fun Run cookie from the Old Town Bakery in Ladysmith.

The 5-kilometer run / walk and 10-kilometer run to promote healthy family outdoor activities ahead of the holiday season are presented by the Ladysmith Resources Center Association, with a maximum of 600 registrants. This is the second year that the event is to be held virtually.

Participants can choose their own time and date to start the event, but must complete the event virtually by November 28. The traditional running course will be made available to all who wish to stick to the tradition, but participants can choose their own route for walking it running.

Participants must track their run or walk with a device and save a screenshot to upload to Race Roster. The results can be downloaded between 25 and 28 November.

Cookies will be available Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting November 29, at the entrance to the Ladysmith Resources Center Association lower parking lot, 630 2nd Ave. in Ladysmith.

Registration is $ 10 for adults (13 and over) and $ 5 for children 12 and under. Profits will be used to fund the Ladysmith Resources Center Association and its programs. For more information, go to lrca.ca.

Saanich district presents environmental awards

The district of Saanich rewards individuals, companies, organizations and young people with environmental prizes.

This year’s recipients have been recognized for their work on projects ranging from the restoration of parks and forests to sustainable food production, removal of invasive species and native planting, supporting home gardens and contributing the health of the lakes and watersheds of the municipality. The rewards include:

• Individual – Craig Elder

• Volunteering – Volunteer program for Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary

• Company – The market garden of the plot

• Youth – Lambrick Park High School

• Conservation of biodiversity – Ferndale Forest Pulling Together;

• Sustainable development – Board of Directors of Capital City Allotment Garden

• Long-term environmental achievement – Rick Nordin

“I could not be more proud to recognize the winners of the Saanich Environmental Awards,” said Saanich Coun. Rébecca Mersereau. “The 2021 award winners have shown impressive initiative and effort, which I hope will inspire others to take more action to manage our shared resources. “

In addition to being honored at a board meeting on October 25, awardees receive a framed certificate and recognition on a commemorative plaque at the Saanich Town Hall.

• For more information, go to saanich.ca/enviroawards.

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