Add a Comment
by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by Variety Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
There’s just one week left to contribute to Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC’s spring Heartstrings campaign, where they’ve been stringing together messages of hope and inspiration from Variety kids, families and donors.
They say it takes a village to raise a child and that’s especially true for a child with complex needs. And for many families, their child’s support team needs different kinds of trained professionals who are financially out of reach for their family.
Every donation makes a difference. No matter the size of your donation, your generosity ensures that every child has the chance to thrive. The essential programs and resources Variety provides transforms daily realities for children and changes the trajectory of their lives for the better.
Prescott’s Story
Meet families like Prescott’s Mom, Lindsey from Kelowna. 2-year-old Prescott who was born premature and developed a condition known as PVL (Periventricular Leukomalacia) which led to a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis last year. Variety has been providing her with both physiotherapy and speech therapy as she is not able to walk or talk yet. Lindsey shares: “The therapies that Prescott’s receiving are having a tremendous impact and because she’s so young, they’re giving her the best chance to be independent as she grows. I’m so grateful to Variety and their generosity of their donors.”
Read more stories from Variety kids, be inspired, and support the Heartstrings campaign today with a donation.
About Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC
Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC steps in where health care ends providing direct help to children & youth with special needs province-wide. For over 55 years, Variety has ensured that children have the support to reach their full potential. Since 2010, Variety has distributed more than $40 million in funding to families and organizations in communities across BC.
Variety’s core grant areas range from adaptive, medical & mobility equipment to specialized therapies, educational support, mental wellness counselling and private autism & psychoeducational assessments. For information on how you can support Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC, visit variety.bc.ca or call (604) 320-0505.
Follow Variety on Facebook for their latest news and updates.
This weekend Miss604 is proud to sponsor Summer at Burnaby Village Museum and the Coast Mental Health Courage To Come Back Awards. There are also summer farmers markets, free community festivals and street parties, Pride events and more! Find these events and many other things to do around Metro Vancouver listed below:
Weekend Events in Vancouver Things to do June 9-11, 2023
Add a Comment
by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by The Improv Centre Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
The Improv Centre (TIC) on Granville Island presents a family-friendly summer show, Tall Tales: The Quest Is Up To You!, Fridays and Saturday nights from June to August.
Raf Rogers, Riley Hardwick, Holly Collis Handford, Alex Gullason, Emily Schoen. Photo by Jalen Laine Photography
Family-Friendly Improv Show on Granville Island
When: 7:30pm from June 29 to August 19, 2023
Show duration: 90 minutes including an intermission
There will also be a special opening night on Thursday, June 29 at 7:30pm and an additional Canada Day long weekend performance on Sunday, July 2 at 7:30pm
Where: The Improv Centre (1502 Duranleau St, Granville Island)
Tickets: Starting at $26.50 and are available online or in person at the TIC Box Office. Tickets for opening night (June 29) will be priced at $15.
Join our hero on a fantastical journey where the audience is the author. Inspired by fantasy fan favourites like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth and Lord of the Rings, Tall Tales: The Quest Is Up To You! will whisk audiences off to a faraway land where laughs and larks abound. What happens along the way? It’s up to YOU!
TIC ensemble member and creator of Tall Tales: The Quest Is Up To You!, Mary Saunders, says: “There’s something very appealing about a classic story arc to me, and fantasy tales are a really fun, limitless way to explore that. I wanted the format to reflect some predictable and nostalgic elements of storytelling while still being unpredictable in nature as well as rich and diverse in content. It has been exciting figuring out how to create a form that can both reflect those fantasy storytelling elements while being fresh each time. I’m looking forward to our ensemble getting the time and space allowed by long form to explore character arcs more extensively and dive into the richness of the world we build based on unique suggestions from our audience.”
Youth can also check out The Improv Centre’s Teen Camp! Intro to Improv Comedy for Grades 7-9 and 10-12 either July 17-21 or July 31 to August 4.
Sunshine, crisp waves, and the convenience of a quick bus ride makes Vancouver area beaches hard to resist. These sandy destinations the perfect places to take in the gorgeous weather not to mention fantastic local views. Of course, sometimes the easiest way to get around is to leave the car at home. Here’s a list of 5 local beaches, made easy to get to with transit, all beginning at a SkyTrain Station.
Spanish Banks Beach Granville SkyTrain Station to Spanish Banks Beach Located along the shores of English Bay in the West Point Grey neighbourhood, Spanish Banks boasts gorgeous views of mountains and downtown Vancouver, refreshing surf, and plenty of area for your favourite beach activities. Find your way to Spanish Banks beginning at Granville Skytrain Station, locate the bus stop a short 3 minute walk up Seymour Street. The 004 Blanca arrives every 12 minutes, ride for 21 stops – totalling around 30 minutes – and get off at WB W 4th Ave @ W Georgia St. Finally, from this destination Spanish Banks Beach is a quick 10 minute walk west on Sasamat Street.
Second Beach Burrard SkyTrain Station to Second Beach Second Beach is found in Stanley Park featuring picnic shelters, stand-alone barbeques, a heated pool, and scenic views. From Burrard Station Bay 1, the 005 Robson (arriving every 7 minutes) takes you down Robson Street for 8 stops where you disembark at SB Denman St @ Pendrell St. From here, a 13 minute walk on Morton Ave – which then turns into Beach Ave – until reaching the Stanley Park Seawall Path. Lastly, follow the path all the way to your destination Second Beach.
Burrard SkyTrain Station to Second Beach (alternative) From Burrard SkyTrain head north to Pender and catch the 019 Metrotown-Stanley Park bus and select the stop just before the roundabout as you’re entering the park. Exit there and cross the street, do under the causeway overpass, and follow Lagoon Drive or the Lost Lagoon gravel path all the way west out to Second Beach.
Centennial Beach Bridgeport SkyTrain Station to Centennial Beach Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen features a spacious playground, numerous walking trails, sheltered picnic areas, and a café. From Bridgeport SkyTrain Station in Richmond, the 602 Tsawwassen Heights arrives every 60 minutes. Following this, stay onboard for 4 stops and disembark at South Delta Exchange @ Bay 2, exchange buses for the 619 Boundary Bay. Next, ride the bus for 12 stops and get off at SB 67 St @ 3rd Ave. Finally, a short 10 minute walk down centennial Pkwy takes you to Centennial Beach. Furthermore, this trip totally just under an hour.
White Pine Beach Moody Centre Station to White Pine Beach Beautiful walking trails following the lakes shoreline, sandy beaches, cooling water, and picnic tables make White Pine Beach a popular summer hangout spot for families. Firstly, from Moody Centre Station catch the 182 Belcarra for a 30 minute ride (33 stops). Secondly, disembark at WB Bedwell Bay Rd @ White Pine Beach Rd where you then walk under 20 minutes to the final destination of White Pine Beach.
Crescent Beach King George Station to Crescent Beach Enjoy swimming, nature trails, views from the pier, and so much more at Crescent Beach. To begin your journey, the 394 White Rock Centre arrives every 30 minutes at the King George Station Bay 2. Ride the bus for 13 stops, totally under 40 minutes. Next, exchange buses at the South Surrey Park & Ride Bay 2 for the 352 White Rock Centre bus and stay on for 9 stops. Finally, exit the bus at SB 128 St @ Crescent Rd and exchange for the 350 Crescent Beach. Stay onboard for 3 stops and disembark at WB Sullivan St @ Beecher St. From here Crescent Beach is a quick 5 minute walk.
Also this Summer
TransLink is partnering with local businesses, restaurants, museums, and other regional destinations to provide discount incentives for customers who take transit to get there. Participating organizations and details are on the Ride & Shine Webpage, along with an interactive map with wayfinding information about how to travel to tourism hotspots sustainably.
The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver (“CHV”). Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV. This month’s post has been written by Jason Bosher.
Happy Pride Month from Covenant House Vancouver!
The Origin of Pride Month
Although Pride Month is considered by many as a celebration, it is important to remember that the origins of Pride began with an uprising against oppression and discrimination; namely the Stonewall Uprising (often referred to as the Stonewall Riots).
Jaden’s Journey
There is insidious disinformation out there that problematizes and pathologizes trans folks. What is armchair philosophy to some folks ends up resulting in harm for trans folks, here and around the world.
At age eight, Jaden ran away from home. Being a trans youth in South Asia was extremely challenging. Jaden was caught and brought back to the family home, where they were hidden from society. Moving to Canada did not change things. Jaden was not allowed to have many friends, and when they wished to express themselves through art, supplies were purchased and brought to the family home. The family thought that they were protecting Jaden, but they were doing the opposite.
Jaden came to CHV from a hospital setting, as they were dealing with their psychosis and suicidality that stemmed from family not allowing Jaden to be transgender. At that time, Jaden’s art was very dark — black and white compositions full of dead or decaying images.
Over time, Jaden came to the realization that they identified as male and female. Now, Jaden looks at their gender as an expression of how they feel that day. Jaden has now moved to the female-identified floor of Rights of Passage. Even early on in their stay at CHV, Jaden stated that “CHV was the best thing that ever happened to me!”
Jaden takes pamphlets that pertain to the trans community, when they meet with family, to try and help them understand. Jaden has learned to have conversations around the pamphlets via text messages, because if the messages are upsetting, Jaden can simply delete them.
A regular occurrence at CHV is teatime, hosted by Kadee, Lead Spiritual Care Practitioner at CHV. It’s a time for youth to gather with Kadee, have tea and chat in a very casual setting. Kadee has noticed that Jaden had begun to practise self-care. Kadee said: “It’s wonderful to see that in a non-dictating space that we provide, Jaden is exploring who they really are. For some, being trans is a linear process where the internal self and the external self align, but I can see that having both a male and a female presence, is very true to who Jaden is. It’s a privilege to see someone trust their own voice and trust their own sense of what they need and who they are.”
Last year, Jaden was able to celebrate Pride for the first time. Their Pride artwork was made into posters and pins. Jaden’s artwork has gone from black and white to a flourish of colour and celebration. Jaden, who is quite shy, is now reaching out to other 2SLGBTQAI+ groups to meet other young people. Jaden wants to take their experiences and work with, and support, other youth.
Jaden’s mental health is stable. It’s been a year since they’ve had an episode of psychosis. Jaden has used their artistic talents to create a comic book in order to help parents understand what it’s like to live as a transgender person. Feeling liberated enough to express themselves has been a huge success for Jaden.
Recently, Jaden met with family and told us that their family called them Jaden for the first time! That was the first expression of acceptance that Jaden has received from their family.
*Name and identifying details have been changed for privacy reasons.
Family rejection is the most common cause of 2SLGBTQAI+ youth homelessness
2SLGBTQAI+ youth are much more likely to struggle with mental health concerns
Organizations, like CHV, that support queer youth are important in the community because, as Kadee puts it: “We see the difference it makes to have a hospitable place for trans, non-binary, and other youth across the gender spectrum. If you believe in helping young people flourish, then supporting all youth is important, across society. For youth to have the experience of ‘I am loved, I am welcomed, I am respected, not in spite of who I am, but knowing exactly who I am,’ is something that they take from here, that serves them for the rest of their lives. And then, they advocate to make that true for others.” If you’d like to help youth flourish, click here.
How do you celebrate Pride? Follow Covenant House Vancouver on their social channels and share the ways that you embrace inclusivity.
