Family Services of the North Shore’s Christmas Bureau is hosting a raffle – with five great prizes up for grabs – that ends tonight!
The Christmas Bureau ensures that low-income and vulnerable families, individuals, and seniors living in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Lions Bay, and on Bowen Island can celebrate the holidays. By purchasing a raffle ticket you support their efforts and have a chance of wining an awesome prize.
Christmas Bureau Raffle Ends Tonight
Enter here for a chance to win a beautiful, original Ross Penhall Painting: “First Impressions” size 30×40, oil on canvas
Enter here to win two economy class return tickets for travel to any Air Canada scheduled destination in North America, including Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Enter here to win one of three gift cards for Beach House Restaurant (one $500 gift card and two $250 gift cards are up for grabs).
More Ways to Support
Making a financial gift will help the Christmas Bureau staff and more than 450 volunteers operate the program during the holiday season. Your gift will guarantee that the team can provide individually-selected presents and holiday gift baskets for more than 2,500 people in just a few short months. Your gift will also help train volunteers and keep the lights on at the Toy Shop, so parents can select gifts from the heart for their children. Donate here today. Gifts over $20 with purchase receipts are eligible for a tax receipt.
For more information, and ways to show your support, follow along on Facebook.
Related: Family Services of the North Shore’s Christmas Bureau Toy Drive & More
The TEDxSurrey team is riding the momentum from three highly successful past events and now proudly presents their first event under their new banner! Hosted in person on February 19th in Surrey, this is set to once again be the premier TEDx event in Western Canada.
This in-person event will feature 12 speakers plus energizers and entertainers, all within a fast-moving, half-day schedule. Expect to be engaged and entertained, and to have your thinking shifted on today’s most important topics. You’ll leave feeling inspired and equipped to make lasting changes wherever you live.
TEDxSurrey 2022 – A Shift in Thinking
- When: Saturday, February 19, 2022
- Where: Bell Centre for Performing Arts (6250 144 St, Surrey)
- Tickets: Available online now for $69 + fees/tax
- All tickets purchased before December 31 will automatically be entered to win a fun, safe, and ergonomic ENVO electric bike with a retail value of $2500!
- There’s also a new initiative from the speakers to give back to at risk-youth in Surrey. In association with Pathfinder Youth Society, you can donate the value of one ticket (tax receipt included) to send a youth to attend the event.
Tickets for the live, virtual version of the event are available now.
Speaker Lineup
Ana Carrizales
Peruvian-Canadian writer, filmmaker and producer based in Vancouver. Her latest film was the recipient of the Harold Greenburg Fund and the BC Arts Council Media grant.
Denise Withers
A story coach who’s helped leaders make change for 35 years through her work as an award-winning filmmaker and innovator.
Fatima Zaidi
President of her Rotary Club and member of Mayor’s Taskforce on Inclusion, Diversity, and Accessibility. Zaidi’s mission to create leaders who inspire change, improve lives and uplift humanity, took shape as a result of experiencing bullying in high school. She transformed this adversity into an opportunity for growth and spearheaded a national anti-bullying campaign.
Frances Litman
Award-winning professional photographer and multi-media artist who has organized some of Canada’s largest zero-waste Earth Week festivals, founding a free community solutions hub: CreativelyUnited.org, and produced and hosted a popular Climate and the Arts webinar series.
Kevin Lamoureux
Faculty member at the University of Winnipeg who has served as Associate Vice President for the University of Winnipeg, Education Lead for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. His most recent book contribution, for Ensouling Our Schools with Dr. Jennifer Katz, is being used by educators across Canada working to create inclusive spaces for all students.
Dr. Lara Boyd
Professor and Wall Scholar at the University of British Columbia. She is both a Neuroscientist and Physical Therapist. Dr. Boyd directs the Brain Behaviour Lab at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Petra Zebroff
An avid student of human sexuality for over 25 years. After founding, Libida, the first women’s online sexual magazine and community, Petra went on to write for popular magazines and websites such as Psychology Today and focuses on sex research and innovation to understand the areas of sexual initiation and eroticism.
Riley Moynes
Public educator, founder of a national wealth management firm, and author. One of his most recent books, The Four Phases of Retirement, became a Canadian best-seller within 12 months of publication, and is the basis of his TEDx Talk.
Dr. Robert McDermid
An intensive care physician, the former Site Medical Director of Surrey Memorial Hospital and the current chair of the Health Authority Medical Advisory Committee for Fraser Health. Dr. McDermid is a Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia and is an author on more than 40 scientific publications and book chapters.
Dr. Sharlene Gill
A Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and a Medical Oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies at BC Cancer. Dr. Gill is also actively engaged in education and research, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters to her credit, and has presented widely at national and international cancer conferences.
Dr. Simon Donner
Simon Donner is an interdisciplinary climate scientist and professor at the University of British Columbia, where he teaches and conducts research at the intersection of climate change science and policy. Dr. Donner is a lead author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recent Sixth Assessment Report and is a member of the Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body.
Suzanne Venuta
A mental health educator, advocate, consultant, writer, mentor and inspirational speaker. She does this through the lens of lived experience and has been speaking to public and professionals about living with a mental illness, her healing journey, the importance of compassion, and the power of connection for the past 16 years. Suzanne speaks to post-secondary psychology, nursing, and social work students, parents, and teachers.
For all the latest news and updates, follow TEDxSurrey on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
TEDx events bring the power of TED to local communities. They’re Independently organized by curious individuals looking to capture the power of the ideas around them. Operating under a license granted by TED, TEDx events feature live speakers who spark conversations and generate a shift in thinking.
Miss604 is a proud partner of TEDxSurrey
Updated December 21 at 2:05pm (scroll to bottom for latest)
This afternoon at 1:00pm the Government of BC announced new holiday restrictions in BC due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
New BC Restrictions due to COVID Omicron Variant Over the Holidays
To address rising COVID-19 case counts and keep people safe, the provincial health officer is issuing revised orders, which take effect on Monday, December 20, 2021
Measures will extend to January 31, 2022, at 11:59pm, and include:
- limiting indoor, personal gatherings, including in rental and vacation properties to the household/residents plus 10 individuals, or one additional household maximum if all are aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated;
- requiring the BC Vaccine Card for organized events of all sizes and ensuring the QR code is scanned at events;
- seating requirements and restricting movement between tables at food and liquor-serving premises, and reinforcing the need to wear masks when not seated;
- limiting venues of 1,000 individuals or more to 50% of the seated capacity with reinforced masking requirements and scanning of the BC Vaccine Card QR code;
- pausing all sports tournaments while the order is in effect; and
- all New Year’s Eve organized gatherings and events will be restricted to being seated-only events, with no mingling or dancing allowed.
The provincial health officer is also emphasizing the need for retail stores to have COVID-19 safety plans in place for holiday and Boxing Day sales.
“These measures will help us to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the ones we care about,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Slowing the spread and keeping each other safe is a cause in which we are all connected. It’s that togetherness that will get all of us through the next days and weeks.”
B.C.’s COVID-19 case rate has nearly doubled over the past week. So far, there have been 135 cases of the Omicron variant of concern identified in B.C., with numbers expected to rise rapidly. While public health continues to monitor the impacts of Omicron, including severity of illness and hospitalizations, the recommendation is to take a cautious approach at this time.
“While vaccination remains the best defence against COVID-19, we are now dealing with the new threat of a more transmissible variant,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer. “We need to take these measures until we understand the full impact Omicron will have in the B.C. context. It is imperative people follow the new orders in how they celebrate this season. However, there are many things we can now do safely with reasonable and prudent measures like wearing a mask, staying home when sick, getting tested and, most importantly, getting fully vaccinated.”
In addition to the provincial health officer orders, British Columbians are advised to limit indoor gatherings to those who are fully vaccinated, to ensure proper ventilation indoors, to avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and to follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.
For the latest information visit the Health BC website and BC Government news website.
UPDATE December 21, 2021
Revised provincial health officer orders will take effect on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at 11:59pm.
The restrictions will extend to January 18, 2022, at 11:59pm, and include:
- no organized indoor social events and gatherings of any size;
- concerts, sports games and theatres reduced to 50% seated capacity, regardless of venue size;
- closing gyms, fitness centres and dance studios;
- closing bars and nightclubs; and
- limiting table sizes at restaurants, cafes and pubs to a maximum of six people per table with physical distancing or barriers.
These restrictions are in addition to the revised orders that took effect on Monday, December 20.
The Ministry of Health is postponing non-urgent scheduled surgeries starting Jan. 4, 2022, to manage pressure on acute care facilities. Urgent and emergency surgeries will continue, and rescheduling will be determined through continuous monitoring of capacity and COVID-19 impacts throughout January and on a regional basis.
“COVID-19 cases continue to increase at a concerning rate, and we must take stronger measures to help protect British Columbians and ensure our health-care system is there when people need it,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “It’s a critical time in our fight against COVID-19. Now is the time for us to act, and to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep our loved ones safe.”
Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said: “I know everyone is looking forward to being around their family and friends this holiday season after two challenging years. These restrictions balance the need for people to come together with the people they love with the need to collectively act to slow the spread of COVID-19. We know how to get through this – by following the same measures we’ve followed in the past to protect each other.”
In addition to the provincial health officer’s orders, British Columbians are advised to get fully vaccinated if they have not already done so, to get their booster shot as soon as one is offered, to stay home if they are sick, to avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and to follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.
TransLink is taking a major step forward in assisting customers who are blind or partially sighted by installing braille signage at every bus stop throughout the region. To make it easier to find bus stops, TransLink will also install tactile walking surface indicators at every bus stop on property that TransLink owns or leases.
TransLink Installing Braille Signage at Every Bus Stop
These improvements will help customers who are blind or partially sighted better navigate the transit system by letting them know which stop they are at and which buses they are waiting for. Once installed, TransLink will be the first transit system in Canada to install braille signage across its entire bus system. Installation began on December 16th and is projected to complete by the end of 2022.
The braille bus stop signs will contain:
- Information written in both Unified English Braille and raised tactile letters
- Bus stop ID numbers
- Bus routes serving that bus stop
- Bay or bus stop indicators
- Customer Information phone number
“These braille signs and walking surface indicators will help so many people in the community more independently navigate our transit system,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. “Accessibility is imperative to a quality transit system, and I am very proud of this major step forward for our customers who are blind or partially sighted.”
In addition to the braille signage, tactile walking surface indicators will be installed at every bus stop on property that TransLink owns. These raised surface indicators will be mounted on the ground to help customers who are blind or partially sighted know they are near a bus stop while helping direct them to the front door of the bus.
“The installation of these signs providing transit information in both braille and tactile letter formats is demonstrative of TransLink and Coast Mountain Bus Company’s commitment to providing accessible transit in Metro Vancouver,” says Rob Sleath, a member of Access Transit’s User’s Advisory Committee.
“Tactile signage affixed to a bus stop ID pole will allow those of us with sight loss to accurately distinguish an ID pole from a municipal parking regulation pole and will provide us with the transit information that is readily available to sighted transit users. This will be a major contributor to our ability to travel with confidence anywhere throughout the entire Metro Vancouver area.”
These changes are the result of robust engagement with TransLink’s User’s Advisory Committee, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and many other regional stakeholders.
TransLink has also been expanding real-time text-to-audio next bus technology at bus stops. Since 2020, TransLink has installed real-time text-to-audio information at every RapidBus stop throughout the region and at every stop at UBC Exchange.
“The installation of braille signage and tactile walking surface indicators will help improve the accessibility of TransLink bus routes for riders who are blind or partially sighted,” says Robert Gaunt, Executive Director, CNIB. “We commend TransLink for making this important investment and for their ongoing commitment to improving the overall accessibility of Metro Vancouver’s public transportation system.”
This initiative is part of achieving TransLink’s goal of being one of the most accessible transit systems in the world. For customers seeking assistance with live transit information or customer support, call the Customer Information team at (604) 953-3333.
FAN EXPO Vancouver 2022 will be the first production of the exposition since February of 2020 and they already have a star studded lineup confirmed for Family Day Long Weekend (February 19-21, 2022)!
FAN EXPO Vancouver 2022
- February 19-21, 2022 at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Fresh off his return from space with Blue Origin, FAN EXPO Vancouver will welcome Canadian legend William Shatner (“James T. Kirk”, Star Trek). A rare and exciting chance to meet and hear from Star Trek fan favourite as he celebrates and wraps up his 90th birthday tour. With more than 70 years in front of the camera, his newest venture as a space voyager has landed him the title of the oldest person to ever fly in space. Fans will have the opportunity for photo-ops and autographs, and to hear from him onstage — they might even get the chance to ask him about his newest documentary, Shatner in Space, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime December 15th.
Shatner will join previously announced guests for FXV 2022 including Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter franchise), My Hero Academia voice actors Justin Briner, Jason Liebrecht, and Christopher Sabat, Clerks franchise favourites Kevin Smith (“Silent Bob”), Jason Mewes (“Jay”), Brian O’Halloran (“Dante Hicks”), Jeff Anderson (“Randal Graves”) and Trevor Fehrman (“Elias”).
Update: Ming-Na Wen (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett) and Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street) have been added to the lineup.
FAN EXPO Vancouver is a three-day celebration of all things pop culture, from superheroes and sci-fi, to anime and gaming, to cosplay and collectibles. Convention goers from the greater Vancouver area and beyond will come to gather in fandom. In true Family Day long weekend fashion, organizers have supercharged the fun for all ages, especially in the Family Zone.
Tickets are on sale now and early bird pricing is available until February 4, 2022.
Early bird single-day passes range from $32-$42 for adults, and children under 12 can attend the convention for free on Sunday and Monday with the use of the Kids Free Coupon. Three-Day passes are also available, as well as Premium and VIP packages. All tickets provide full access to the Expo, including workshops and panels, celebrity Q&A’s, hundreds of vendors and artists, gaming areas, cosplay contests, and more.
Follow FAN EXPO Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
