Variety – the Children’s Charity has announced that the Variety Show of Hearts is returning to Global BC as a 3-day event. The iconic fundraiser will kick off on Global News Morning on Thursday, February 24 where viewers will be introduced to some of the amazing kids they’ve helped in 2021. The stories will then continue on all of Global BC’s newscasts throughout the day and on Friday, February 25. Viewers will then be treated to even more stories & surprises when the 56th Annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon airs on Saturday, February 26 from 1:00pm to 5:30pm.
54th Annual Show of Hearts Telethon. Photo by John Biehler.
Variety Show of Hearts Telethon
Returning to the stage will be hosts Chris Gailus, Sophie Lui, Kristi Gordon, Neetu Garcha, Paul Haysom and Jay Janower from Global BC as well as 980 CKNW’s Jody Vance. Joining them will be Show of Hearts favourites, Howard Blank, Alvin Law and Marco Pasqua along with actor and parent advocate, Bethel Lee, singer-songwriter, Seven Taviss and Variety Youth Champions, Janelle Milne and Esabella Strickland.
“The past two years have been challenging for us as a charity as we continue to see more and more families reaching out for support,” said Cally Wesson, CEO, Variety BC. “Two years ago, we received 10 grant applications a week and now we’re receiving over 10 applications a day. With the continued support of British Columbians, we’re hoping to help even more kids across the province in 2022.”
Throughout the three days, viewers will see their donor dollars in action when they’ll be introduced to children who have been helped by Variety including 4-year-old Cassie from Richmond who received hearing aids and 5-year old Ace from Abbotsford who received an adaptive stroller.
This year’s entertainment line-up will feature special guests, David Foster, Katharine McPhee and Colin James. In addition to winning sixteen Grammy Awards, David has also won both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe while earning three Oscar nominations for “Best Original Song”. Born in Victoria, the Canadian icon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013. Katharine rose to fame in 2006 after finishing as runner-up on Season 5 of American Idol. Following the success of her 2007 self-titled album, she branched into acting on television and in films. Katharine went on to make her Broadway debut in 2018 playing the lead female role of “Jenna” in Waitress. Colin – who has earned seven Juno Awards over the span of his career – will be taking time out from his cross-Canada tour to perform songs from his newly released 20th studio album, Open Road.
And making their Show of Hearts debut will be six-time Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter, Serena Ryder, singer-songwriter, William Prince, Penticton’s own spoken word poet, Shane Koyczan and Canadian violinist, Adrian Anantawan.
“The Variety Show of Hearts brings people across the province together, with the common goal of providing added support to kids and their families,” said Bhupinder Hundal, News Director & Station Manager, Global BC. “During these challenging times, the need to support Variety is even greater and we at Global BC look forward to sharing stories of what your support means for so many families.”
Last year’s Show of Hearts raised $6,681,873 to benefit children with special needs province-wide. Donations can be made by calling 310-KIDS, going online, or by texting “KIDS” to 45678 to make an automatic $20 contribution.
Miss604 is the proud the proud Social Lounge sponsor of the Show of Hearts
The last weekend of January has a hearty list of events including more Dine Out Vancouver goodness, Lunar New Year activities, films, walks, talks even roller skating Find these and more things to do in Vancouver this weekend listed below:
Vancouver Island-based Puzzle Lab is set to launch a new orca-themed puzzle: Rise. Designed in collaboration with Bowen Island artist Di, $20 from every puzzle sold benefitting Raincoast Conservation Foundation efforts to raise awareness and support orca conservation in British Columbia.
Puzzle Lab’s “Rise” Puzzle to Support Orca Conservation
The Rise puzzle is unique in its design, even for the innovative Puzzle Lab. It features 206 identical orca-shaped pieces in an Escher-style tessellation pattern. The technology in Puzzle Lab draws from cofounder Andrew Robev’s knowledge of parametric, computational, and generative design, involving writing custom computer algorithms to generate highly complex geometry and digital fabrication (using robotic tools such as a laser cutter, 3D printer, or CNC router).
Composed of scientists and conservationists, Raincoast uses research, public education, and the courts to safeguard the land, waters, and wildlife of coastal British Columbia. The 74 Southern Resident Orcas (the Salish Sea/Southern Vancouver Island and Puget Sound) face extinction due to declining salmon stocks, pollution, and overfishing.
“We’re honored to be able to raise money and awareness while working with a local artist who also gets paid for each puzzle sold. It’s gorgeous, and also one of our most challenging puzzles yet.” -Tinka Robev, Puzzle Lab
Bowen Island-based artist Di has long held an intimate connection with the West Coast and its wildlife. Her reverence for nature has led her to contribute her talents and voice to its celebration and conservation.
“I am excited to collaborate with Puzzle Lab for this Puzzle with a Purpose! It combines all the reasons I make art: celebrating the remarkable natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, encouraging others to explore the world through the lens of creativity and art, and giving back to conservation initiatives such as Raincoast.” – Di, Artist
The puzzle will launch online January 27th. Puzzle-makers are encouraged to share their support (and puzzle progress) using the following social hashtags: #PuzzleWithAPurpose #PuzzleWithAPorpoise #PuzzleLab.
Puzzle Lab was founded by Tinka Robev and Andrew Azzopardi, architects who met at the University of Waterloo before moving to Victoria, BC where they established Studio Robazzo design and branding agency in 2014. The coronavirus pandemic provided the creative outlet and opportunity for them to launch a unique puzzle company enticing people to get off their devices and into the real world. Puzzle Lab was officially launched in 2020, with the addition of partner, Sharon Parker, and is dedicated to fabricating heirloom-quality puzzles that provide a platform for talented Canadian artists.
Reel Causes presents its third #Indigeneity event, in partnership with Indian Resident School Survivors Society, in-person January 27th at VIFF Centre and virtually from January 29th to February 8th.
Reel Causes #Indigeneity Event Series
When: January 27, 2022 doors 6:15pm, screening 7:00pm
Screen virtually January 29 to February 8, 2022
Where: VIFF Centre (1181 Seymour Street)
Tickets: Tickets: $10 in advance or $15 at the door
In creating this event Indigenous Curator Rylan Friday, said: “My goal is to showcase various narratives that hold a universal truth and to showcase that, as Indigenous people, we’re more than our trauma and tragedies. We’re also our songs, our humour, our stories, our traditions. We are medicine.”
The event features four stories of survival and resilience in the face of colonial oppression:
Clouds of Autumn (Director: Trevor Mack)
Remembering the Forgotten Children (Director: Graham Constant)
Joe Buffalo (Director: Amar Chebib)
Mary Two-Axe Earley: I Am Indian Again (Director: Courtney Montour)
Set on the Tsilhqot’in plateau in the 1970s, Clouds of Autumn focuses on a young Indigenous boy named William and his older sister Shayl whose carefree childhoods are torn apart when Shayl is forced to attend a residential school. Singular visual interpretations infuse co-director Trevor Mack’s family history with a slowly shifting tone that evokes loss and love.
Graham Constant created Remembering the Forgotten Children while at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR). The film follows him and his colleagues as they visit the site of the former Muskowekwan Residential School, tour the school, speak with Survivors, and learn about the unmarked burials surrounding former school property.
Joe Buffalo is an Indigenous skateboard legend. He’s also a survivor of the notorious Indian Residential School system. Following a traumatic childhood and decades of addiction, Joe must face his inner demons to realize his dream of turning pro.
Mary Two-Axe Earley: I Am Indian Again shares the powerful story of Mary Two-Axe Earley, who fought for more than two decades to challenge sex discrimination against First Nations women embedded in Canada’s Indian Act and became a key figure in Canada’s women’s rights movement.
Post-film discussion includes Trevor Mack, Graham Constant, Joe Buffalo, Courtney Montour, Indian Resident School Survivors Society Executive Director Angela White, and is moderated by Chris Reed (aka Continental Breakfast).
Reel Causes partners with filmmakers and Canadian causes dedicated to addressing global social justice issues. They host film screenings followed by a Q&A session to educate and inspire our community, and provide a forum for authentic conversation around the issues that affect us locally.
A new and memorable way of celebrating Lunar New Year is set to appear in Richmond at Gateway Theatre with Into the Light[在燈光之中] happening February 18 – 20, 2022. Into the Light is an all-ages, immersive, walk-through experience,bringing a unique approach to Lunar New Year, a holiday celebrated by many in the community.
Into the Light. Gateway Theatre. Photo by Sarah Race.
Into the Light [在燈光之中]
When: February 18 – 20, 2022
Friday –5:00PM to 8:00PM (last entry)
Saturday and Sunday – 1:00pm to 8:00pm (last entry)
Several of the rituals and customs practiced today during Lunar New Year, such as wearing the colour red, are said to have originated in the ancient tale of the sea-monster Nian (年). According to this legend, on the eve of Lunar New Year, Nian came out of hiding, terrorizing villages for food, and the villagers worked together to ward off the monster and the darkness with lanterns, loud noises, and bright light.
“We wanted to explore why we still celebrate and participate in these customs today and highlight the mythology behind rituals, amplify the Richmond community, and emphasize togetherness.” says Jasmine Chen, Gateway Theatre’s Artistic and Community Producer. “Into the Light offers a unique way of engaging with and learning about Chinese cultural traditions for everyone, no matter their cultural background.”
Created by Hong-Kong-born, Vancouver-based multidisciplinary artist, Stephanie Wong, and award-winning Richmond-based artist, Marina Szijarto, Into the Light invites audiences to step inside the tale of Nian and embark on a journey that will take them through the darkness, into celebration and light. Inside the immersive experience, audiences will be guided by illuminated lanterns and bursts of sound, colour and light, learning how certain Lunar New Year rituals became a tradition we still celebrate today.
As audiences exit the immersive experience and step into the light inside Gateway Theatre’s lobby, they will be able to participate in the lantern-making tradition and proudly hang them on the community display for all to see. The paper lantern kits can also be taken home where the assembled lantern is believed to bring good luck into the home. At the end of the experience, audiences are encouraged to visit a shrine and post their wishes for a prosperous new year.
Into the Light is an accessible way for all audiences to gain a deeper understanding about the origins and significance of Lunar New Year celebrations, to understand why these traditions are still valuable today, and to pass down this important cultural knowledge to future generations.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to this experience, here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Copy/paste the text below on Twitter for a bonus entry (1 entry)
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to #IntoTheLight at @GatewayThtr https://miss604.com/2022/01/into-the-light-immersive-lunar-new-year-experience.html” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. UPDATE: The winner is Virginia!
