You can still get on your bike and take part in this year’s Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria, with the launch of the 2020 #ridelocal Summer Challenge last week.
The annual group participation event has had to adapt to crowd restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of joining hundreds of other cyclists in one mass event, you can now partake in eight weeks of challenges to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ride.
You can choose between a fun or a pro challenge, with details of the week’s challenge — along with the prize incentives for participating — released every Monday. You will be encouraged to get on your bike, explore the area and support local businesses.
You can ride any kind of bike. Challenges are geared at all levels of cyclists, and you can take part in some or all of the challenges.
People are encouraged to use their favourite tracking app and post their rides on their social media accounts with the tag @tourdevictoria or use the hashtag #ridelocal.
Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria presented by Scotiabank is produced by Ryders Cycling Society of Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting cycling across Canada.
The event is free to join. Sign up to Race Roster to be eligible for prizes.
• For more information, go to tourdevictoria.com/ridelocal.
Family foundation to match donations for hospitals
The Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s annual Visions gala may have been postponed until 2021, but Charlotte Salomon and Chris Robinson have stepped up with a challenge to the community.
This year was to have been the 30th anniversary of the community fundraising event. Each year, funds raised at the gala go toward purchasing priority equipment for Royal Jubilee, Victoria General and Gorge Road hospitals.
In its place, the Salomon Robinson Family Foundation will be matching community donations in lieu of the Visions gala to a total of $200,000.
The funds will support It’s Critical, the Foundation’s latest campaign.
This campaign will fund the construction of Vancouver Island’s first permanent high acuity cnit and purchase critical-care equipment.
“It is with a heavy heart that we postpone this year’s Visions event until 2021. The decision was made out of respect for those on the front lines, and for the health of our community,” said Avery Brohman, executive director of Victoria Hospitals Foundation.
“We remain focused on supporting our hospitals in innovative ways. Thank you to Charlotte Salomon and Chris Robinson for their incredible and inspiring pledge of support. Together with them, our community can give patients in our hospitals access to improved critical care.”
In 2019, the sold-out Visions gala raised a record-breaking $1 million for priority leading-edge imaging equipment for Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals.
The Visions 30th anniversary has been postponed to Nov. 20, 2021.
Donations in support of local hospitals and frontline caregivers and in lieu of Visions can be made at victoriahf.ca/visions. Community members are also invited to create their own fundraising webpage to share with their networks. All donations made will be matched up to $200,000.
• For more information, go to victoriahf.ca/visions.
Rotary Club donates $10,000 for lodge pressure mattresses
The Rotary Club of Victoria recently donated $10,000 for the purchase of six pressure-release mattresses for beds at Broadmead Veterans Memorial Lodge.
“We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Victoria for their most generous support of the residents at Veterans Memorial Lodge,” said Heather Parry, board chair, Broadmead Care. “Their gift is particularly impactful at this time, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rotary Club of Victoria is helping Broadmead Care fulfill one its core principles in The Broadmead Way — creating environments where love, life and living matter. Our heartfelt thank you!”
Pressure mattresses are designed to assist in the prevention and management of bed sores.
The sores afflict individuals who are confined to their beds for prolonged periods.
• For more information, go to rotaryvictoria.ca.
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria launches first artists guide
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria will launch its first-ever TD Artists Guide for Vancouver Island in lieu of the TD Art Gallery Paint-In, which has been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The TD Art Gallery Paint-In, Victoria’s favourite art event for the past 33 years, was also the art gallery’s most important fundraiser of the year.
The new online guide will feature artists from Vancouver Island who would normally be found lining Moss Street with their creations on the third Saturday in July.
“This year, we are unable to bring the community to artists on Moss Street, we will instead be bringing the artists to the community virtually,” said Jon Tupper, gallery director. “It is our hope that members of the community take this opportunity to reach out and purchase art from the artists who depend on the TD Art Gallery Paint-In sales for their livelihood.”
Proceeds from the TD Art Gallery Paint-In support educational programs and creative experiences for people of all ages throughout the year.
The guide will be available from July 18 at aggv.ca/td-artist-guide-paint-in-2020. On the same day the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. by donation for their Annual Open House. The gallery is located at 1040 Moss St.
• For more information, go to aggv.ca.
Services for seniors team up
Two organizations that have been serving seniors in Greater Victoria for more than 100 years combined have joined forces. Silver Threads Service and Senior Serving Seniors now share space in a newly renovated centre. They will provide a variety of programs and services as well as information, referral and support for seniors in the community.
The storefront location can be found at 1911 Quadra St.
• Go to silverthreads.ca or seniorsservingseniors.ca.
St. Margaret’s School hosts justice camp
St. Margaret’s School is hosting SPARK for Social Justice Camp, a summer program aimed at socially conscious youth who might be concerned about what is going on in the world today, and who want to make a change. Participants at the week-long co-ed summer camp will work with facilitators to unpack social issues facing local and global communities and engage in the critical exploration of social systems through flexible, hands-on experiences.
• For more information, go to stmarg.ca.
The Road to Home: about families supporting families
Registration has opened for The Road to Home — Family Challenge, a one-day activity for family and friends to take part in while maintaining their social bubbles, which takes place Sunday, Aug. 23.
The event is a new fundraising idea for Habitat for Humanity Victoria. Participants will spend the day completing fun challenges in locations around the city and competing to win prizes.
Organizers have created a range of games and challenges suitable for all ages and abilities and designed to test both skill and patience, from building a birdhouse to designing a marble run.
“This event is about families supporting families, adapting to the challenges we all face this summer,” said Yolanda Meijer, CEO Habitat Victoria.
“This is a great opportunity to get out and have some fun while maintaining physical distancing, see our active build projects — and to meet our new Habitat families along the way.”
Proceeds from the event will go toward the 11 homes currently under construction.
The entrance fee for each group of up to six participants is $250. Every group registered will receive a gift pack, snacks and a competition card to complete and be entered to win the grand prize.
• For more information, go to habitatvictoria.com.
