Hockey’s most outstanding players from the 2010-2011 season will be honored and recognized at the 2011 NHL Awards Wednesday, June 22nd.

Live coverage will begin at 7:00pm Eastern / 4:00pm Pacific and I’ll be covering the awards (red carpet and all) live from the Palms in Las Vegas. Updates will be made to this post if possible throughout the evening.

Here are this year’s nominees including six of our Canucks (updated throughout the event):

James Norris Memorial Trophy
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position. (presented by Kevin Smith & Cobie Smulders)
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings* recipient
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators

Bridgestone Messier Leadership Award
The Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award presented by Bridgestone has been awarded since 2006-07 and is awarded “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season.”
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins *recipient
Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings

Art Ross Trophy
Presented to Daniel Sedin by Jay Mohr

Daniel Sedin

Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is an annual award given to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association at the end of the regular season.
(presented by Criss Angel)
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks* recipient
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Ryan Kesler being interviewed after winning the Selke

Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

While scrolling through my Non-Profit list on Twitter the other morning, hoping to find some “good news” stories, one organization ‘leapt off the page’. There was a tweet from Kids Up Front to the Vancouver Art Gallery, thanking them for passes. Within a few hours I contacted Kids Up Front through Twitter and ended up having a phone conversation with Executive Director, Cindy Graves.

“There are a lot of good news stories that Kids Up Front creates every day,” Graves told me. “Because every day we are sending a child on average somewhere in this city to some wonderful event or activity.”

Kids Up Front is a grassroots non-profit organization that works with over one hundred local partner agencies to give local kids (age 18 and younger) the opportunity to visit places and attend events they wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience. The process is simple. Kids Up Front donors give tickets that in turn go to child-serving not-for-profit partner agencies who determine which child will be able to use them.

The donated tickets are for a wide variety of activities, anything suitable for kids and youth. This includes arts and culture, sports and recreation, live concerts, theatre, art galleries, museums, festivals, local attractions, overnight excursions, camps, and more. Children attend with parents or other family members, guardians, mentors, social workers, therapists, or program coordinators.

“We are providing the opportunities for family bonding but we’re also providing opportunities for the staff at our partner agencies to do some good work and sometimes it breaks down barriers that might be there to get through to these kids,” Graves said.

Partner agencies range from the YWCA and Big Brothers to women’s shelters, neighbourhood houses, youth centres, and community centres.

A Thank You card from recipients.

Graves added, “The kids we are serving are the kids who wouldn’t have access to these events.” The kids could be living in poverty or part of the working poor (if they live with a parent or parents), they could be psychological, emotional, or mentally challenged, they could be victims of crime or in trouble with the law. “But they’re all kids that deserve to be nourished.”

Kids Up Front works with agencies from Squamish to the Fraser Valley, the North Shore to Richmond. You can go online to donate your tickets or offer up a monetary donation. Graves said that every dollar from generous individual and corporate donations goes to help Kids Up Front develop and deliver unique programs.

The Kids Up Front Foundation is nation-wide, with programs in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Vancouver. Follow the Kids Up Front Vancouver on Twitter and if you have any extra tickets for events that you cannot use this summer, please consider donating them so that deserving local kids can have a fun day out.

The 29th annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards, celebrating the very best in Vancouver theatre, are taking place tonight at the Commodore Ballroom. As I did last year, I am sponsoring a live blog of the awards ceremony in order to show support and promote our city’s lively community.

The ceremony will begin around 6:45pm and I will be updating each category as the winners are announced. Each update will be time-stamped and I will try to get in a few quotes from award recipients.

Update 6:15pm The tag for tonight appears to be #Jessies on Twitter. You can follow along to see what guests are talking about online. The Commodore is filling up quickly as guests arrive and take their seats at the banquet tables on the ballroom floor. I have taken to my seat and have just arranged all award categories in the order that they will be handed out. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

June 21st is National Aboriginal Day in Canada and with it comes a host of activities, celebrations, and experiences from coast to coast, to coast. Tomorrow kicks off an 11-day campaign that will span Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24), Canadian Multiculturalism Day (June 27) and concludes with Canada Day (July 1). Here are just a few ways to join in on the festivities.

Master Carver Richard Krentz poses with his piece that now has a permanent home in Stanley Park

Klahowya Village
Stanley Park’s farmyard and miniature railway area have once again been transformed into Klahowya Village this summer. The area, where admission is $5, hosts artisans, storytellers, artists, carvers, dancers, drummers, and food vendors. The village will open at 10:00am tomorrow and the Spirit Catcher Train will be running as well (tickets are available from the train station).

Trout Lake
East Vancouver is hosting a full day of activities from a pancake breakfast at 1607 Hastings to a buffalo burger lunch in the park. The breakfast runs 9:00am to 11:00am, then there’s a march up to Trout Lake from 11:00am to 12:00pm. That will be followed by a festival at Trout Lake until 5:00pm with entertainment, vendors, arts & crafts, sports demonstrations, and more.

Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival – Kickstarter
W2 Media Cafe hosts the Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival Kickstarter event from 7:00pm until 10:00pm where four films will be screened. There will be refreshments and tickets will be available at the door for a donation of $5 or $10 to the VIMAF.

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
One of my favourite places to listen, discover, and learn in Whistler is the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Tomorrow they’ll be hosting a traditional pole blessing (at Whistler Olympic Plaza) at 10:00am followed by an art show back at the cultural centre along with performances and a summer BBQ. Admission will be by donation.

At any time of year, check out the following to learn about and appreciate our country’s history, heritage, First Nations culture, and explore amazing artifacts and artwork.

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Website, Twitter, Facebook, my post
Museum of Anthropology
Website, Twitter, Facebook, my post

If I’m missing an event taking place in your community, please feel free to leave a note about it in the comments.

Throughout the year, Liberty Wine Merchants hosts a handful of gala events that involve delicious wines, perfect pairings, and a charitable element. This season’s Champagne & Caviar evening will support amateur sports in BC.

Photo credit: sarah sosiak on Flickr

What The 16th annual Champagne & Caviar tasting event
When Thursday, July 7, 2011 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Where Vancouver Rowing Club, 450 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver

The evening will feature find champagne, the best bubbly, caviar, and a beautiful setting in Stanley Park. Tickets are $29.99 available at all Liberty Wine Merchants locations and the event does sell out. If you would like to jump the line, I have a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:

I will draw one winner at 10:00am Thursday June 23rd. You must be 19 years of age or older to enter, win, and attend. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe ride home.

Update The winner is Kody!