The Victoria General Hospital Auxiliary is praising the actions of a 12-year-old girl who went door-to-door in her neighbourhood selling poinsettias to raise money to help build a separate waiting room for children at Victoria General Hospital.
The money that Shreesha Ramandev, a Grade 8 Glenlyon Norfolk student, raised will go towards the creation of the Kid Kave, a waiting room where young children can escape during the often long waits in the emergency department.
“We were thrilled that a young student would be so keen and work so hard,” said Val Smith, co-ordinator of the hospital Auxiliary’s Poinsettias for Patients campaign. “Shreesha also dug into her own savings to donate to the cause and continues to seek support in her quest.”
She said that while the deadline for this year’s poinsettia campaign has passed, people can still become an “Emergency Room Santa.”
“Your donation of $20 will provide an ER worker with a poinsettia for Christmas and contribute to the Kid Kave. We have a professionally painted mural, Westcoast Life by Marcela Strasdas and her team, and a mobile by Carol Koebbeman to help distract kids — and more to come,” said Smith.
The Victoria General Hospital Auxiliary is a federally chartered charity and has been raising funds for equipment and amenities for the hospital since it was built in the 1980s.
• For more information, go to vgha.ca
>>> The Gift of Music: 50 guitars in play for families in need
A View Street café is looking for 50 unwanted or unused guitars that they can re-string and give to families in need for Christmas in a campaign they call The Gift of Music. Organizers at Soupa Cafe say a gift such as an instrument can not only change a family’s Christmas, but for many, their lives.
To make it even more magical, they’re involving local music stores and volunteers to add in gifts for siblings as well as treating the family to a meal on Christmas Eve.
To date, they have received about 18 donated instruments and roughly $1,000 in donations to spend at Long and McQuade, which offered the group a discount and donated 10 new ukeleles. Along with used guitars, the group is looking for money to buy additional gifts for the siblings, to pay the guitar tuners and to buy a few amps, strings and other accessories.
Recipients will be selected via a draw from those who fill out an online form.
There are four businesses that serve as drop-off locations during regular business hours in Victoria and the West Shore, including Soupa Cafe at 736 View St., M2 Graphix on Langford Parkway in Langford, Tanlo Floristry on Lilian Road in Victoria and LC Coins on Menzies Street in Victoria.
A similar campaign in 2019 collected 35 instruments.
• For more information, or to donate, go to thegiftofmusic.ca.
>>> Victoria’s Power To Be receives new vehicle
Victoria-based Power To Be, a non-profit organization that helps those living with cognitive, physical, financial and social barriers get access to nature through adaptive recreation programs, is one of three organizations to receive a new Toyota vehicle with modifications for physical accessibility — each valued at up to $70,000.
The donation is from the Toyota Cars for Good program, which recognizes organizations fostering inclusion through physical accessibility.
“We are proud to support the work being done by so many local 91原创 organizations to break down the barriers to movement and foster a more inclusive society for people in their communities,” said Cyril Dimitris, vice-president, sales and marketing for Toyota Canada.
Other recipients included the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association and the Kamloops and District Society for People in Motion. Three additional organizations, Variety: The Children’s Charity of Ontario, Ability New Brunswick and Opal III Fredericton Respite Services, each received $5,000 to recognize their efforts to foster inclusion through physical accessibility.
“This year’s submissions to the Toyota Cars for Good initiative were absolutely incredible,” said Billy Bridges, 91原创 Paralympian and one of the judges on the selection committee.
“In a year of such negativity and struggle, it has been so heart-warming to read about all the amazing things 91原创s are doing from coast to coast to coast to better the lives of people facing physical barriers.”
• For more information, go to toyota.ca/toyota/en/cars-for-good.
>>> Food for Esquimalt Neighbourhood House
The township of Esquimalt and 91原创 Union of Public Employees staff are collecting food in support of Esquimalt Neighbourhood House.
Non-perishable foods can be dropped off at any Township of Esquimalt facility between now and Dec. 21 during business hours. Locations include the municipal hall, sports centre, public safety building, recreation centre and the public works yard.
Donations can also be left out for pick-up.
Residents can place non-perishable food items in bags labelled food drive. A CUPE staff member will pick up the donation on the same day as the regular household garbage pick-up. Residents will receive reminder cards in the mail with dates and donation information listed.
Pick-up schedule:
• Week of Dec. 13 to 17 — north side route
• Week of Dec. 6 to 10 — south side route
Esquimalt Neighbourhood House is a non-profit that provides support services to children, youth, adults, families and seniors. For more information, go to enh.bc.ca.
Elements Casino Victoria will also be hosting an on-site food drive for the duration of the Love Your Local campaign, with all items collected to benefit the Goldstream Food Bank.
Non-perishable food items will be accepted between Nov. 29 and Dec. 10 at the casino, 1708 Island Hwy.
>>> Soap for Hope fills basic needs
Soap for Hope marks Nov. 30, the ninth annual Giving Tuesday, with a reminder that no one should have to choose between personal hygiene products and food as we enter the holiday season.
So far in 2021, the charity, which collects and reprocesses hygiene and linen items from the hotel industry, has distributed almost 408,000 hygiene products to those in need through 491 community facilities. The products included soap, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, linens, toothpaste, hand sanitizer and masks.
Giving Tuesday was founded as a counterpoint to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It calls on communities to support charitable organizations working hard to improve the quality of life for those less fortunate.
“Soap might sound so basic, but sometimes you need to start with the basics to build up hope and dignity for those that need it the most,” said C. Anne McIntyre, executive director of the charity.
“Your donation directly helps to provide all the items we must purchase. Imagine if you didn’t have toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant or feminine products. How would it feel to go out into society knowing that you didn’t brush your teeth or feel clean? Your donation does make a difference.”
• For more information, go to soapforhopecanada.ca.
