Today, students from over 700 BC schools will gather at Rogers Arena for Free the Children’s We Day and I’m delighted to be covering the event for the fifth year. We Day is an event (hosted in various cities across Canada and the United States) that brings together students who have made a difference in their community over the last year through school programs and We Day/We Act initiatives. They get to listen to inspiring international artists, peacekeepers, motivational speakers, global figures, charitable campaign leaders, and other young people who lead the change to “be the change” they want to see in the world.

Who is at We Day

More than 800 schools from across British Columbia are currently active in We Act. We Act is a full-year engagement program and support system for youth, schools, individuals, families and companies to turn inspiration into action. We Act goes hand-in-hand with We Day. It’s a highly measurable, highly impactful service learning program!

In 2012, students and educators from across the province have achieved remarkable social change results:

• Over 360 schools participated in Free The Children’s We Scare Hunger campaign made possible by Campbell’s, collecting 160,512 lbs of food for local food banks.
• Over 300 schools went silent for 24 hours, standing up for children in developing communities silenced by poverty and exploitation as part of Free The Children’s We Are Silent campaign.
• Over 460 schools participated in Free The Children’s We Create Change campaign made possible by RBC, raising over $190,000 in support of Free The Children’s water projects in developing communities overseas.

We Day Impact

Since 2007, youth involved in We Act have achieved remarkable social change results:

• $37 million raised for more than 1,000 local and global causes.
• 9.6 million hours volunteered for local and global causes.
• 4 million lbs of food collected for local food banks.
• 7.5 million hours of silence logged by youth who stood up for children in developing communities silenced by poverty and exploitation.

We Day Vancouver 2013

We Day Vancouver will be underway around 9:00am today with guests like Kofi Annan (Former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate), Martin Luther King III (Human Rights advocate and eldest son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Hedley, Craig and Marc Kielburger, The Honourable Roméo A. Dallaire (Lieutenant-General and author), Down With Webster, Kenyan Boys Choir, Spencer West and more.

We Day Vancouver Day Blog

Follow this blog for live updates from Rogers Arena all day today, Friday, October 18, 2013.

Update 20,000 school kids from across BC are on their feet in Rogers Arena as We Day gets underway. After opening remarks, including a message from Premier Christy Clark, the first speaker takes the stage. The lights go dark and the indelible words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech play over the sound system.

Martin Luther King III takes to the stage to lead the kids in a chant:

“Spread the word
Have you heard
All across the nation
We
are gonna be
a great generation!”

King said that if his father and mother were around today, they would have been a part of Free the Children’s Me to We movement. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Over the years we have become well-acquainted with Doolin’s Irish Pub on the corner of Granville and Nelson as it is the home of the Vancouver Southsiders (and we’re members). Hearty portions, a variety of menu options, local craft beer, and a festive atmosphere can always be found at this downtown pub. This month, they’ll be hosting two Halloween parties both with a “Saturday Night Live” theme.

Doolin’s Saturday Night Live Halloween Party

Where: 654 Nelson Street at Granville in downtown Vancouver
When: 7:00pm Saturday, October 26th and Thursday, October 31st, 2013.
Tickets: Available from your server ahead of time or from TicketZone online.

Join Doolin’s by dressing as your favourite Saturday Night Live character — from Wayne’s World, to Spartans cheerleaders to Stefon the Correspondent. This pub style Halloween party will have DJ spinning until 3:00am. Doors open at 7:00pm and early bird tickets are valid until 10:00pm. Regular tickets are valid until 11:30pm.

If you would like to attend, I have a pair of tickets up for grabs for the Doolin’s Halloween Saturday Night Live Party on Saturday, October 26, 2013. My winner will receive two tickets as well as two complimentary pints of beer. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment naming your favourite Saturday Night Live character (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am on Wednesday, October 22, 2013. The winner will receive tickets for the October 26th party. Must be 19+ to enter, win, and attend the event. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe trip home. Follow Doolin’s on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Update The winner is @leahmukai!

Cathedral Grove is a trail network looping through an old growth forest in MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. 50 minutes north west from Nanaimo, and about 20 minutes from Parksville, it’s split by Alberni Highway 4, which is the route to Port Alberni and Tofino.

The name “Cathedral Grove” appeared in correspondence to the provincial government in the 1920s. This colourful description of the stately trees is reputed to have originated from the Governor General Viscount Willingdon in April 1928. Cathedral Grove was a well-known tourist stop on the Alberni Road in the 1920s and 1930s when the timber was owned by the Victoria Lumbering and Manufacturing Company. For 15 years the public encouraged the provincial government to acquire the lands within Block 35, Cameron Lake area. The citizens’ organizations, The Associated Boards of Trade of Vancouver Island, petitioned the government in 1929 to preserve forever, for the public benefit, the well-known stand of timber at Cameron Lake, known as Cathedral Grove. In 1944 H.R. MacMillan, a well-known forester donated the 136 hectares of land for the perpetual enjoyment of the public in recognition of the unique stand of trees. Three years later, the area was established as a Class A provincial park.

There are trails on either side of the highway but for our photowalk with John‘s parents (who are visiting from Iowa) we stuck to the south side where the largest Douglas Firs (one measuring more than 9 meters in circumference) stand. Trails are well marked and maintained, and despite a bit of mud it’s a very easy walk for all ages.

Cathedral Grove Photowalk

The 13th annual West Coast Women’s Show is western Canada’s largest and most popular women’s consumer event — and the ultimate girls’ night out. Taking place at TRADEX in Abbotsford, the show will provide three days of shopping, entertainment, fashion, food, and more from Friday, October 25th until Sunday, October 27th.

Sherry Holmes Presented by BC Hydro PowerSmart

One of the main features of the West Coast Women’s Show is its stellar entertainment line-up. This fall, Sherry Holmes, of HGTV’s Holmes Makes It Right® will be taking to the Do-It-Herself Home Improvement Stage twice per day on Saturday and Sunday during the show. I had the chance to reach out to Sherry to talk about her career in the skilled trades and on television.

HGTV’s Holmes Makes It Right®

Rebecca: Did you always plan on going into the family business or is it something that just happened naturally?

Sherry Holmes: “No. I actually never had an interest in working with my father. I’ve always had a mind of my own and I get bored very easily. I couldn’t see myself sticking to one career for too long. But when the crew was preparing to head to New Orleans, my dad asked me to give construction a try and participate with the build. It was my first construction job. I loved everything about it! And now five and a half years later, I’m still with the crew.”

Rebecca: I saw you on the Holmes in New Orleans series and read that you love to travel. Is that part of a bigger picture for you – getting to help out at home and on the road?

Sherry Holmes: “I love to travel! I want to see the world! I’ve done a couple of volunteer projects here and there. But I would love to do more and help everywhere I can by incorporating two things that I love: Working with my hands and travelling. That’s the dream.”

Rebecca: Do you think your own show would be in the works someday? (I read on a Holmes fan page that it might be…)

Sherry Holmes: “You never really know. Right now, I’m just working away. I’ll see what happens in the future. I never had an interest in working in television — I sort of fell into it. It took me years to get comfortable having a camera in my face, but now, I’m open to whatever possibilities television might bring me.

Rebecca: Women account for only about 5% of persons receiving a ‘certificate of qualification as a trade qualifier’ in Canada (per Stats Can). Do you think it’s important to get more women involved in skilled trades and how do you see that happening?

Sherry Holmes: “Of course I’d like to see more women in the skilled trades! I believe there’s always been a bit of a stereotype towards tradespeople, especially women. It’s really so empowering to be able to work alongside men and accomplish the same things. Being a specific gender isn’t required for any job anymore. I’m starting to meet more and more women who are involved in the skilled trades. It’s wonderful to see people really getting out there and doing whatever it is that will make them happy in a career.”

Rebecca: Your bio on the West Coast Women’s Show page says you’re a tiling superstar, what’s one tiling tip you can share that anyone can do or help with?

Sherry Holmes: “A superstar, eh? Well, that’s quite flattering! Tiling was one of the first jobs I excelled in. As I learned I got myself into some interesting scenarios. My biggest tip would be to clean as you go! There’s nothing worse than trying to clean up dried concrete film off beautiful, expensive tile. Also, always make sure you back-butter your tiles. You want to make sure you get good adhesion between the floor and the tile. You don’t want your tiles cracking and popping up later!”

Catch Sherry Holmes at the West Coast Women’s Show on Saturday, October 26th at 1:00pm and 3:45pm on the Do-It-Herself Home Improvement Stage and at 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Sunday, October 27th.

West Coast Women’s Show

The show will run Friday, October 25, 2013 from 1:00pm to 10:00pm; Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 10:00am to 9:00pm; Sunday, October 27, 2013 from 11:00am to 5:30pm at TRADEX in Abbotsford. Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors ($7 on Friday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm), $9 for youth (13-17), $4 for children (6-12), and children 5 and under are free. Ticket prices include GST. Ticket sales are cash only at the gate at TRADEX.

Vancouver Opera presents Tosca from October 26th until November 3rd, opening its 2013-2014 season with Puccini’s last great 19th century opera. Featuring lavish sets and costumes, a magnificent chorus of more than 50 voices, and with 60 players in the orchestra pit, Tosca is a thrill for the senses.

In Rome in 1800, the cruel chief of police, Baron Scarpia, is consumed with desire for Floria Tosca, the city’s most celebrated singer. Using terror, extortion, and fraud, Scarpia threatens Tosca and imprisons her revolutionary lover, Mario Cavaradossi. Before Scarpia can have his way with Tosca, she plunges a knife into his heart. In the opera’s harrowing climax, the lovers are reunited, only to be betrayed, from the grave, by the evil Scarpia.

Set in a time of political and religious upheaval, Puccini’s masterful drama paints three unforgettable portraits: the fiery, pure-hearted Tosca; the passionate political idealist Mario; and the deeply depraved Scarpia. Puccini’s score is filled with soaring melody, authentic Roman atmosphere, and spellbinding tension.

Tosca has everything a really great melodrama should have: sex, politics, and religion—a jealous diva; an artist willing to die to oppose tyranny; a depraved baron hiding a lust for dominance behind a mask of piety; love, jealousy, subterfuge, spies, violence, attempted rape, murder and betrayal. Add to that several of Puccini’s greatest arias and the luscious orchestration and it’s easy to see why Tosca has been one of the most frequently staged works in the operatic repertoire. Whoever said the opera was boring had certainly never been!

Opening night is Saturday, October 26, 2013, with subsequent performances Thursday, October 31; Friday, November 1; Saturday, November 2 at 7:30pm and a matinee performance on Sunday, November 3 at 2:00pm. All performances are at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets are available exclusively through the Vancouver Opera Ticket Centre online or by telephone at (604) 683-0222.

Vancouver Opera extends a special treat to Halloween night audiences. All patrons who attend the Thursday, October 31st performance of Tosca in costume will receive $10 in “Opera Bucks”, which may be used toward the purchase of a single ticket for any remaining 2013-2014 Vancouver Opera performance.

I have a pair of tickets to give away to Tosca as well, here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, October 21, 2013. The winner will receive a pair of tickets to Tosca on Friday, November 1, 2013 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Vancouver Opera 2013-2014 Season

Tickets for Vancouver Opera’s 2013-2014 season are now on sale. The season includes Tosca (opening October 26th), Albert Herring (opening November 30th), Don Giovanni (opens March 1st), and Don Carlo (opens May 3rd). Follow on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their upcoming performances.

If you haven’t yet experienced the opera, I highly encourage you to do so. Ever since my first “Blogger Night at the Opera” (with Eugene Onegin in 2008) my appreciation has grown. The talent, voices, emotion, orchestra, and stunning sets that the Vancouver Opera manages to produce will blow you away.

Update The winner is Julian!