- Grandview Woodland
During a tour of the Vancouver branch of the B.C. SPCA last week, Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick announced the provincial government will provide $5 million to support the society’s Facilities Development and Services Plan.
Craig Daniell, chief executive officer of the B.C. SPCA, says this financial support helps ensure companion and farm animals, as well as wildlife, will continue to receive the best possible care at the society’s facilities.
The facilities plan is an eight-year strategy, totalling $50.4 million, to replace or renovate aging B.C. SPCA infrastructure in 10 communities across B.C. — the largest capital plan in the organization’s 120-year history. The upgrades at SPCA facilities will vary depending on the specific needs of the local community. Projects include new community animal centres, facilities to house seized farm animals, storefront adoption centres and facilities to promote increased community access to spay and neuter services.
This contribution will also enable construction or planning for facilities in Vancouver, West Kootenay, Dawson Creek, Prince George and Kamloops to potentially begin in 2015/16.
The SPCA is also looking for volunteers to help with fundraising, advocacy and education roles. These critical individuals assist branches through activities such as dog walking, cat wellness, rabbit and small animal care, administrative support, special events, fundraising, education, volunteer coordination, fostering, advocacy and much more. Canine, cat, rabbit and small animal companions are also needed. Volunteer positions vary from branch to branch so visit spca.bc.ca/about/volunteer for more information.
- Mount Pleasant
Queer black women performers will celebrate the last day of Black History Month this Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Heartwood Community Cafe, 317 East Broadway, with playwright Vimalasara, poet Adelene Da Soul, grand slam poetry champion Jillian Christmas and artist Donna Mayhem.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner and drinks, and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on a $12 to $20 sliding scale with audience members asked to pay what they can afford. Visit soundsandfuries.com/concerts. Seating is limited.
- Downtown
Odlum Brown Limited presents The Sound of Mumbai in partnership with Room to Read and Indian Summer Festival at Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema at SFU Woodward’s March 5.
The Sound of Mumbai is a documentary film that follows a group of slum children in Mumbai, India, who are were given an opportunity to perform The Sound of Music with a classical orchestra.
Under the direction of Johannes Steinwender, an Austrian music professor who travelled to Mumbai to conduct the performance, the children learned and created a choral performance of The Sound of Music. The results underscore the magic and transformative power of music.
Although the classic film, with its imagery of mountains and edelweiss, may not seem like a natural fit for Mumbai, the Bombay Chamber Orchestra begs to differ.
Bramwell Tovey, music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, will introduce the film and share his insights on the impact of music on children’s education. All proceeds from the event benefit Room to Read’s education programs in India, which provide libraries, books and education for girls in both rural and semi-urban communities and urban slums. Room to Read launched programs in India in 2003 and has since established 6,500 libraries and provided funding for 6,000 girls to attend school.
The cinema is located at SFU Woodward’s, 149 West Hastings. A VIP reception takes place at 5:30 p.m. followed by the 7 p.m. screening. For ticket information, visit eventbrite.com.
sthomas@vancourier.com
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