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Community Events & Team News

Spectrum Society for Community Living > Community Events & Team News
31 October, 2024

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY
(EVENTS, NEWS, & AWARENESS)

Celebration of Life for Kathy Taylor

For those that knew and spent time with Kathy, please join us in remembering her at the Collingwood Neighbourhood House Multi-Purpose Room

November 15th from 1:30pm to 3:30pm | 5288 Joyce St Vancouver BC

Free underground parking via Euclid St and 2-hour street parking in the area.

Still Moon – Still Creek Salmon-Spotting

Releasing Chum Fry into Still Creek at the Renfrew Ravine

2024 Salmon-Spotting

Autumn is salmon-spotting season in the lower mainland! We invite you to witness these majestic and iconic fish, and at the same time help us to learn more about the health of their populations and habitat.

Salmon in Still Creek

In 2012, salmon returned to the Vancouver portion of Still Creek for the first time in nearly 80 years and spawned behind the Canadian Tire on Grandview Highway.

Since then, Chum salmon have returned in at least six separate years. We are hopeful that they will return again in 2024 since the number of Chum returning to the Fraser River has been good so far this year.

How to Join In

  1. Visit one or more of the locations marked on the map.
  2. Look for salmon!
  3. If you see salmon, take a photo.
  4. Whether or not you saw salmon, email salmon@stillmoonarts.ca and include:
  • Location? (click on the map for location names)
  • Date?
  • Where there any salmon there? How many? Could you tell what species it was?  Were they dead or alive?
  • Photo if you have one.
  • Anything else you noticed and would like to share.

Clicking on the map markers will tell you the location name, whether others have looked here, and what they saw.

We’ll add your photos and reports to the map as they come in.

Please make sure to email us even if you didn’t see salmon – knowing where the salmon didn’t go is just as important as knowing where they did go.

Click here to look at the Salmon-Spotting Map!

Still Moon Arts Society

Nurturing Joy: A 6-Session Journey to Navigate the Holiday Blues

Nurturing Joy: A 6-Session Journey to Navigate the Holiday Blues

Join us for an enriching 6-session workshop to help you embrace the holiday season with joy and resilience. As the holiday season can be overwhelming for some people, this workshop offers a holistic approach to navigate the holiday blues.

Session Highlights:

  1. Expressive Arts Exploration: Dive into creative expression through painting, drawing, and crafting. Discover how art can serve as a powerful outlet for your feelings and help you reconnect with your inner joy.
  2. Improv for Connection: Engage in fun improvisational exercises that encourage spontaneity and laughter. Learn to embrace the moment, build connections, and reduce stress through play.
  3. Holiday-themed activity filled with creativity, humor, and chaos : Join us for our “Ugly Holiday Sweater Extravaganza”! Unleash your creativity and craft delightfully hideous sweaters to lift your spirits this season. No sewing skills needed—just bring a sweater and a sense of humor! We’ll provide all materials and festive treats. Leave with a unique masterpiece that’s sure to spark laughter at any holiday gathering!
  4. Movement and Mindfulness: Experience the benefits of movement with guided sessions that incorporate gentle stretching and body awareness. Explore how movement can uplift your spirit and enhance your mood.
  5. Mindful Cooking: Discover the art of cooking with intention. Join us in preparing simple, nourishing dishes while practicing mindfulness, celebrating the sensory joys of food, and fostering a sense of community.
  6. Integration and Celebration: In our final session, we’ll come together to share insights, celebrate our journey, and create a personal action plan through creative means to carry the joy and resilience we’ve built into the holiday season and beyond.

Who Should Attend: This workshop is perfect for anyone feeling the weight of the holiday season, looking to connect with others, or seeking new ways to foster joy and gratitude!

When: November 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, December 3rd, and 10th
Time: Tuesdays from 2:30PM – 4:00PM
Location: MFC Programming Room (217) at REACH Community Health Centre
Registration Fee: Free
Contact: email mentalhealth.programs@reachcentre.bc.ca or call 604-251-3000 ext. 298

Take this opportunity to nurture your spirit and cultivate a brighter holiday experience. Spaces are limited—reserve your spot today!

About REACH

REACH Community Health Centre has been providing community-based health care for fifty years, and strives to be more than just a doctor or dentist’s office. Our interdisciplinary team offers a variety of health and social services under one roof. For more information, visit our Website.

Fall Sunday Funday – BLPA – Planting Event at Burnaby Lake Nature House

Fall Sunday Funday - BLPA - Planting Event at Burnaby Lake Nature House

Help the Burnaby Lake Weedbusters at The Burnaby Lake Nature House

We are planting native plants behind the Burnaby Lake Nature House. We will meet at the Nature House.

Tools and training will be provided.

This event will be limited to 15 volunteers.

  • If you are a new volunteer, please select the “New Volunteer” Ticket.
  • If you are a returning volunteer, please select the “Returning Volunteer” Ticket.

What to bring

  • Water bottle, and your work/garden gloves and tools if you prefer.
  • Dress for the weather – layers, rain or shade hat, clothes you don’t mind getting dirty or torn (blackberry can be vicious), closed-toe sturdy shoes
  • Anything you need for your comfort and safety, e.g. medication, allergy pills, etc…

Location

Burnaby Lake Nature House – look for signs

Please take note that if the weather is nice, the parking lot can be very busy. You may need to park along Piper Avenue or at Warner Loat Park right off of Winston which is a 450 m/5 minute walk to the Nature House. There are also train tracks crossing which may be blocked from time to time.

If you would like detailed driving directions or instructions on how to get there by transit, click here.

Everyone is welcome!

We welcome everyone, including people with disabilities, people who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), and people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+).

We’ll be using Burnaby Lake Regional Park trails which are accessible to wheelchair users, people who use mobility aids, or child strollers.

We look forward to seeing you!

Space is limited. If you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket so that someone else may attend.

This event is a part of Burnaby Lake’s Fall Sunday Funday Event.

There will be one-hour nature walks after the event, and volunteers are welcome to attend them. The event schedule and sign-up links:

Sunday, November 10 – Fall Sunday Funday Nature Walks

Additional Information

The BLPA follows provincial guidelines to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases like influenza.

Our best practices include the following:

  • Our stewardship events are held outdoors.
  • Numbers are limited to ensure adequate distancing between participants.
  • We recommend wearing a mask when distancing is not possible.
  • You will not attend if you do not feel well or are sick.
  • Limited sharing of equipment with sanitization between users.
  • Participants will bring a mask, water bottle, and anything they need to feel comfortable.

When you register, you will need to confirm that:

  • You are at least 16 years of age or older (or 12 years of age with an adult with you) and
  • You have read and understood the BLPA health and safety guidelines.

The BLPA respects volunteers’ comfort level and privacy. Volunteers can opt out of being in photos. Additionally, no filming or interviews will be conducted during the event.

Click the links to find out more information about our Privacy Policy and Health and Safety Guidelines

WHEN: Sunday, November 10th | 11:00AM – 12:00PM

WHERE: Burnaby Lake Park – Nature House (4519 Piper Ave Burnaby, BC)

COST: FREE! Click here to get a ticket!

The Lumiere Festival 2024

Lumière Festival 2023: Vancouver dates, locations, details - Vancouver Is Awesome

The Lumiere Festival provides meaningful space and opportunities for emerging and professional artists of all disciplines and backgrounds to create and share their work within the community.

This free, four-day festival from Nov. 7th – 10th, 2024 will feature small to large-scale illuminated artworks, light based projections, and dynamic performances following the theme of Elements.

Click here to see the locations!

What is happening in Vancouver in November?

Metro Vancouver Croissant Crawl (November 1st-21st, 2024)

Click on the link below to see what’s happening:

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/events/calendar-of-events/vancouver-events/

Collingwood Neighbourhood House – Community Lunch Menu

Join us every Tuesday and Thursday for an affordable three-course meal at our Multipurpose Room (5288 Joyce Street) for only $7-8 from 12:15-1:30pm.

Buy your tickets at Collingwood Neighbourhood House reception!

For questions, email Susanna Chu at schu@cnh.bc.ca or call 604-435-0375.

[ID: Collingwood Neighbourhood House logo.]

Community Lunch Program at Renfrew Park Community Centre

[ID: a photo of the Renfrew Park Community Centre.]

Meals include a hot entrée, salad or side dish, dessert, coffee or tea. We try our best to use locally grown seasonal vegetables and fruit from community gardens! Lunches will be served on a first come first served basis.  Lunch can be bought in person with cash/credit card or online with a credit card, limit of 4 per person. Limited number of lunches available.

Adults/Seniors $7.62+tax | Children/Youth $6.19+tax

Fees for this program are non-refundable.

This week’s menu:
  • Lemony Lentil Soup
  • Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta
  • Pumpkin Spice Cake

WHERE: Renfrew Park Community Centre, Kitchen (Room 110) – (2929 E 22nd Ave, Vancouver, BC)

WHEN: Friday, November 8th | 12:00PM – 1:00PM

Vancouver Community Fridge Project

[ID: a photo of an open fridge, inside is various fruits and vegetables.]

The Vancouver Community Fridge Project is a decentralized food distribution network and mutual aid initiative created to provide healthy, free food and essential supplies to our communities across lower mainland.

Our mission is to combat food insecurity by encouraging our communities to take part in laterally-directed mutual aid, starting with providing free, safe, non-policed, accessible and nutritious foods through community fridges and pantries.

Click Here to Find A Fridge!

All fridges and pantries that are apart of the VCFP network will be operating on a strict no policing, no-shame policy. This means, the VCFP does not condone patrolling how fridge users engage with the fridge, gatekeeping, or any exclusionary or harmful behaviours. The fridges should be accessible, welcoming places based on trust and communication of needs, established by and for the community.

Learn How to Get Involved! 

FINANCIAL UPDATES

BC Hydro – Free Portable Air Conditioners

[ID: a photo of an installed portable air conditioner.]

Available for income qualified households and individuals referred by regional health authority programs.

If you live in an income-qualified household and/or have received a recommendation letter from your regional health authority’s Home Care Program you may be eligible for a free portable air conditioner (AC).

This program is available year-round. If you apply during the winter and fall, you’ll have your evaluation completed and receive your unit sooner than during warmer months. Homeowners can also choose to self-install their units, which may help in receiving a unit quicker, during the summer.

This offer includes:

  1. One portable AC unit: Portable units are on wheels and are installed by connecting a flexible duct hose through an open window. They’re plugged into a standard wall electrical outlet.
  2. A one-time installation: You’re responsible for ongoing maintenance, take-down and reinstallation. If you own your home, you can opt to self-install your unit.

A portable AC unit is ideal for small, closed-in areas, like a bedroom. It can help create a safe cooling space during extreme heat events during the day and at night. For more information on how to prepare for heat events, see guidance from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

How to apply:

  1. Review the eligibility criteria to make sure you qualify.
  2. If you rent your home, you’ll need to get your landlord’s consent. Complete the landlord consent form [PDF, 1.7 MB].
  3. Apply online for your free portable AC unit.
  4. After you apply, our team will reach out to you within a few weeks to let you know if your application is approved.*
  5. Approved applications will then be forwarded to our contractors. Our contractor will contact you within one to two weeks to schedule a visit to your home.
  6. Customers who own their homes can choose to self-install their units or have the AC installed for you.

There are no fees or shipping costs.

* Please note that air conditioning units are available on a first come, first served basis amongst qualified applicants subject to funding. 

BC Hydro – Customer Crisis Fund

If you’re a residential customer experiencing a temporary financial crisis, such as a loss of employment or benefit income, unanticipated medical expenses, or a death in the family and you’ve fallen behind on your BC Hydro bill, you may be eligible for a grant payment to avoid disconnection of your service.

Eligibility for a grant

To receive a grant from the Customer Crisis Fund, you need to meet a few criteria:

  • Be a residential account holder.
  • Be applying for a grant for your primary residence account.
  • Your account must have payments overdue by at least 21 days or be facing disconnection. You can apply as early as when you have a balance owing on your account, but your application will be on hold until your payment is 21 days overdue or your account is facing disconnection.
  • You must have experienced a life event, within the last 12 months, that caused a temporary financial crisis.
  • Have an outstanding balance of $1,000 or less, and have demonstrated some attempt to make payments towards your bill.

You may receive one grant per account holder annually (one per year). If a grant application is denied and your circumstances change, you can apply again in the same year.

Click here for more information and how to apply!

[ID: logo of BC Hydro Power Smart]

Inclusion BC Provincial Budget Alert 2024-2025

Spectrum is a member of Inclusion BC and supports their provincial advocacy on behalf of individuals and families with developmental disabilities.

Click here for their report on the provincial budget announced for 2024-2025. 

[ID: logo of Inclusion BC]

[ID: a logo on a white background with text that reads: 'Plan Institute for caring citizenship']

Plan Institute Webinars

The Plan Institute has FREE upcoming regular webinars on the topics of the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and Wills, Trusts and Estates Planning.

RDSP

The Registered Disability Savings Plan is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan for those with disabilities to better financially plan for their futures. The Level 1 webinar is meant for those who want to learn about what the RDSP is, who qualifies, and how to apply. The Level 2 webinar is for those who already have a RDSP, or have already taken Level 1.

Next Level 1 Webinar: Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 | 7:00PM – 8:30PM

Next Level 2 Webinar: Tuesday, November 19th, 2024 | 7:00PM – 8:45PM

Click here to register and for more information

Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning (BC Only)

This webinar is meant for those who want to become better informed on the process of wills, trusts and estate planning to better secure the future of your relative or loved one with a disability. There is a limit of 60 participants so early registration is encouraged!

Next Webinar: Thursday, November 21st, 2024 | 7:00PM – 8:15PM

Click here to register and for more information

REFERRAL PROGRAM

[ID: a graphic design with a yellow background. There is a white hanging sign with bold yellow text that reads: 'Employee Referral Program'.]

Is there anyone you know that is looking for meaningful work?

If you have a friend, family member or meet someone in the community that is interested in joining the team and you refer them to Spectrum, you could be eligible for a referral bonus!

If the person referred is hired and maintains at least 6 months of consistent employment with Spectrum, we will award a $250 Referral Bonus.

*for more information on the program, please email hr@spectrumsociety.org

We thank you for bringing us quality applicants/employees!