The non-profit Eastside Boxing Gym in Vancouver took a severe blow on Saturday morning when a fire broke out in its building on Commercial Drive, also claiming Woodland Smokehouse. The gym is still standing but suffered smoke and water damage to gloves, a heavy bag, and the boxing ring [Source: News1130]
The Eastside Boxing Gym benefits from the annual Aprons for Gloves charity boxing event:
In 2012, the founders of Aprons for Gloves began boxing as a way to unwind and keep in shape. While training at the neighbourhood gym, however, they found something far beyond stress relief and physical fitness.
The gym was filled with local East Side kids who, with the support of the coaches, were learning first-hand about persistence, respect and self-confidence both in and outside of the ring. In Spring of 2012, the gym was shut down, leaving many troubled youth without this safe and constructive environment. With this in mind, the Restaurant Rumble fundraiser was born.
Through Restaurant Rumble, Vancouver’s Gastown and East Side service industry fights to save the East Side Boxing gym. From bartenders to servers, managers and owners, members of the restaurant community form teams, undergo rigorous training and raise funds to box one another in the Restaurant Rumble ring. All proceeds from the fundraising and the event go toward the reopening of the gym and reviving its programs for local youth.
Eastside Boxing Gym Fire Fundraiser
You can support the Eastside Boxing Gym to get it back on its feet through this online fundraising campaign and by attending a screening of Restaurant Rumble: Episode 4 at The Bottleneck on Sunday, November 10, 2013 starting at 5:00pm. Admission is by donation.
From the organizers: “This gym not only represents the community spirit of the Eastside but has become a safe place for at risk youth to show up after school and engage in a positive and healthy environment. The closing of Eastside Box Club would have a devastating impact on the countless number of volunteers, coaches, trainer and participants who call it home.”
Follow Aprons for Gloves on Twitter and Facebook for more information about the regularly scheduled Restaurant Rumble and current fundraising efforts for the gym.
The Oakridge Style Heist Instagram Contest is currently underway as they get set to give away $5,000 worth of prizes, from their retailers like Crate & Barrel, to 15 lucky grand prize winners.
Photo courtesy of Oakridge
Shoppers like you are encouraged to visit the Style Heist Instagram Contest activation area in the West Galleria and snap a photo of an item on display that would give you a fall refresh. Share that photo on Instagram when you follow @OakridgeCentre, caption it, and include the #oakridgestyleheist.
The contest began on October 31st and it will close on November 5th so be sure to stop by to grab a photo and share it on Instagram for your chance to win.
To promote the Oakrige Style Heist Instagram Contest, I have my own contest giveaway for two lucky readers. Oarkridge has offered up two of $25 gift cards, here’s how you can enter to win one of them:
I will draw two winners at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, November 8, 2013. Each winner will receive a $25 gift card. Be sure to follow Oakridge on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram this season for contests, events, deals, and the latest shopping information.
Full contest rules and regulations are available online. Oakridge is located at 41st and Cambie in Vancouver and is easily accessible from the Canada Line.
Update The winners are @lnf and Brenda!
This morning our clocks fell back an hour and we’ll take a look back at what happened in Vancouver during the month of November over the last century.
November 6, 1917: Creating Lost Lagoon, separating it from Coal Harbour. Archives# PAN N54.
Click to
view full panorama by W.J. Moore.
This Month in History
Source: The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver
.
November 3, 1862
Three fellows named Morton, Brighouse and Hailstone filed a claim today for the land that is now Vancouver’s West End. They paid more than $1 an acre, which led scoffers in New Westminster—who thought the land was of little value—to call them “The Three Greenhorns“.
1946: View of The Orpheum and Granville St. Archives# CVA 1184-2290. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
November 8, 1927
The Orpheum, a vaudeville performance today inaugurated a new theatre in Vancouver, an elegant palace of entertainment that’s still around.
November 12, 1938
The Lions Gate Bridge opened without ceremony. The official opening would happen May 26, 1939 with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Mother.
1938: View from of Lions Gate Bridge construction (Archives# CVA 260-831) & Plaque commemorating the completion of the Lions Gate Bridge (Archives# CVA 95-9).
November 14, 1982
The 255-tonne fabric dome originally on BC Place was blown up today, creating the stadium’s signature ‘marshmallow’ top.
November 20, 1982
Vancouver voters today decided that it was okay to shop on Sundays.
November 22, 1894
St. Paul’s Hospital opened in Vancouver.
After receiving rave reviews for their season opener Tilt (including glowing remarks from my guest contributor Michelle Kim), Ballet BC’s ready to take on their second show of the season, presenting Fumbling Towards Ecstasy with the Alberta Ballet from November 14th to 16th.
Following Alberta Ballet’s triumphant tributes to the music of Canadian legend Joni Mitchell and England’s international superstars Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy features the music of Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan.
This Grammy, Juno and Gemini Award-winning artist, who has sold more than 40 million recordings worldwide and raised more than $7 million for charities, is the perfect continuation to the company’s exciting series of portraits of living music icons. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy “…shimmers in beauty…” says the Globe and Mail and traces the deeply spiritual odyssey of a woman’s life from first romantic encounter to mature love.
The Alberta Ballet talent includes choreographer Jean Grand-Maître, sets by Scott Reid, costumes by Paul Hardy, projections by Adam Larsen, lighting by Pierre Lavoie, and sound by Claude Lemelin along with the music of Sarah McLachlan.
All performances of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre at 8:00pm. If you would like to attend, I have a pair of tickets to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
One contest winner will be drawn at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, November 7, 2013 and will receive tickets to the performance on November 15, 2013.
Ballet BC’s season continues with The Nutcracker December 28th to 31st, Grace Symmetry February 20th to 22nd, and UN/A April 24th to 26th, 2014. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.
Update The winner is Tamikko!
The Surrey Tree Lighting Festival is coming up on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at Central City with headliners Victoria Duffield and Good for Grapes.
Surrey Tree Lighting Festival
Festivities will kick off at 12:00pm and run until 8:00pm at the Central City Mall plaza where a spectacular 55-foot tree will be lit after dark. Activities throughout the day will include a Kids’ World with road hockey, ferris wheel, food trucks, Storyville, Letters to Santa, Photos with Santa, ice carving, and more. Visitors are encouraged to bring a can of food for the Surrey Food Bank or a donation for the Surrey Christmas Bureau.
On the main stage you’ll find children’s entertainer Norman Foote at 12:00pm, Sweet Soul Gospel Choir at 2:00pm, Dr. Strangelove at 3:00pm, Good for Grapes at 4:30pm, Sway: A Tribute to Michael Bublé at 5:30pm, the tree lighting at 6:15pm and Victoria Duffield at 7:30pm.
This free family festival is presented by Coast Capital Savings and I am once again proud to be a media partner of this major City of Surrey event. Follow the City of Surrey’s events team on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
