Events around Vancouver provide support for those in need
Many Vancouverites take this time of year as an opportunity to give back to their communities and to those less fortunate.
Here’s just a fraction of the good some are doing this holiday season.
Downtown
The Four Seasons Hotel presents the 27th annual Festival of Trees in support of B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Each beautifully decorated tree in this display was sponsored and decorated by individuals and corporations committed to supporting children’s health in this province. The festival is so popular, in 2008 it expanded to include the main area of Pacific Centre Mall. The event is open to the public seven days a week, until 11 p.m. There is no cost for admission, but a minimum $2 donation is suggested when voting for a favourite tree.
Last year alone this fun winter festival raised more than $148,000 in support of the most urgent needs at B.C. Children’s Hospital and more than 1,000 votes were cast for 41 beautifully decorated trees during the six weeks display at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, 791 West Georgia, and across the street at the upper level of Pacific Centre Mall.
West End
St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church appreciates the holidays can be a painful and lonely time for those experiencing grief or who, for a variety of reasons, find it difficult to enjoy any holiday cheer.
To that end, St. Andrew’s is hosting A Quiet Christmas Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., a reflective service for those who long for a patch of quiet in a hurried and harried season. The Quiet Christmas service includes beautiful seasonal music, poetry, prayers, candlelight and a spacious place to simply breathe. St. Andrew’s is located at the corner of Burrard and Nelson streets.
Province wide
When shopping for wine for the holidays, make sure to seek out bottles of Oliver, B.C.-based Time Estate Winery’s The Girls Vivacious Rose and The Girls Voluptuous Red, of which 100 per cent of the profits is donated the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation B.C./Yukon.
The Girls is the result of the team at Time who wanted to not only make delicious wine, but with support from the community, truly make a difference. Visit charitablewines.org.
City wide
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services is committed to helping those in need by opening up its firehalls across the city to act as depots for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.
To that end, all 20 Vancouver firehalls are accepting non-perishable food items for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and new unwrapped toys for children (no stuffed animals please), which will be distributed throughout the region by the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau
Drop-off hours for food and toys are between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. at your neighborhood firehall. Visit vancouver.ca to find a firehall near you.
Marpole
The Marpole Business Improvement Association and the Marpole Oakridge Family Place and Cornerstone Community Church are working together to help families in need.
The Marpole Cares charity campaign is collecting donations of non-perishable food items for food hampers at locations across the community including the Marpole BIA, the Marpole Branch Library; Vancity, RBC, Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, Scotiabank and the Oakridge Bank of Montreal location. Last year, the project saw 21 hampers provide Christmas dinner for more than 70 residents of the community.
Meanwhile, cash donations from Westbank Developments, Marpole Physiotherapy and other businesses covered the cost of gift purchases for children and a special holiday meal, including a frozen turkey, potatoes, fresh vegetables, and pumpkin pie, to the 20-plus families identified for Marpole Cares 2014.
Strathcona
The Rex Dog Hotel and Spa and Doghouse Daycares are collecting donations of cash and new or gently-used items for dogs this holiday season.
Much needed items include cash, gift certificates (Tisol, Rona, Staples) dog food, toys, blankets, beds, crates, leashes, harnesses, collars, feeding/water bowls, towels, flannel blankets, cleaning supplies and Canadian Tire Money. Items can be dropped off at three locations including Rex, 760 Terminal Avenue between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week; the Doghouse Daycare, 2425 Manitoba St. from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; and the Doghouse Daycare, 105-1833 Anderson St. from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Donations are dedicated to S.A.I.N.T.S RESCUE (saintsrescue.ca) and Thank Dog I Am Out Rescue (thankdogiamout.com).
Various locations
If you start now, you might just find a truly ugly Christmas sweater just in time for this inaugural five-kilometre run organized by the Now That’s Ugly Society.
The First Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Dash starts at the Olympic Village Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. before winding its way along the seawall to the Finisher’s Festival, complete with holiday-themed stations, snow blowers and giant Christmas characters. Proceeds help a child experience the magic of a wish. The $45 registration includes an ugly toque. Kids eight years and young can register for free. An after party takes place at the Vancouver Giants Ugly Sweater Game. To register visit nowthatsugly.com/vancouver-dash.
Meanwhile, the 13th Annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, taking place at the Commodore Dec. 19, is described as “The most fun you can have with your knitwear on!”
Celebrate a season of “sweateriness” with the original Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, an opportunity to showcase your ugliest, loudest, jingle-bell-est sweater and help grant a wish for a seriously ill child. Visit nowthatsugly.com.
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