Alec Wheeler, the tireless events and membership manager at the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce reminds us that it’s just two weeks until the first annual For the Love of Nonprofits symposium.
Wheeler says that since the initiative was announced at the beginning of the March, the community response has been overwhelming. Registrations are already over 65 per cent to capacity.
“Given the local penchant for last minute bookings, this is significant,” she says.
“But perhaps even more encouraging is the engagement from organizations wanting to get involved in support of the program.”
The Chamber has announced the addition of the Advisory Café, which will be hosted at the symposium venue and held concurrently with the main program of presenters. Representatives from Volunteer BC, Leadership Vancouver Island, Warmland Restorative Justice Society, Canadian Association of Gift Planners and the Association of Fundraising Professionals will be on hand to provide advisory services, information and resources throughout the day.
Also, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Max Gordon, executive director of Charityworks (Capital Region Charitable Gaming Association), will be on hand to provide information and guidance in relation to changes to the BC Community Gaming Grants Program.
“The Community Gaming Grant Program distributes $140 million annually, but with ever-changing guidelines and growing community need, organizations need a resource they can trust,” says Gordon.
“Our priority at Charityworks is to support the important work of organizations that make communities strong, so participation in For the Love of Nonprofits is a no-brainer. We look forward to answering your Community Gaming Grant questions at the Advisory Café.”
The Advisory Café will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Best Western CVI located at 6457 Trans-Canada Hwy., and is open on a drop-in basis to all symposium attendees and chamber members. The space will also serve as a break-out room for attendees and participants to grab a coffee, connect and collaborate.
The symposium has also garnered funding support from Economic Development Cowichan and Coastal Community Credit Union, who will be sponsoring the luncheon featuring guest speaker Kristi Fairholm-Mader of Social Enterprise Catalyst.
The event also inspired a personal donation from Rick Martinson, soon-to-be-retiring Partner at MNP and prolific volunteer and community advocate.
“If the community has a need you can either wait for government to do something, or you can just do something about it yourself,” says Martinson.
Among other volunteer roles he’s held in the nonprofit sector over the years, Martinson was the Vancouver Island regional chair of the Canadian Diabetes Association, and growing up with the chronic disease has taught him to focus on personal responsibility in all aspects of life. “I associate volunteering and self-reliance. If you care about what is going on with yourself and your community, then get involved and make a difference.”
For the Love of Nonprofits will be held at the Best Western CVI on Wednesday, April 10.
Full day passes are available, as are tickets to individual sessions throughout the day. Registration closes at noon on Monday, April 8 and remaining spaces are filling up quickly.
To register visit www.duncancc.bc.ca or call 250-748-1111.
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Three Duncan projects are among the finalists for the 12th Annual Vancouver Island Real Estate Board Commercial Building Awards, set for April 4 at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay.
Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn was named a finalist in the Renovation category, Parhar Business Park is a finalist in the Industrial category and Tim Hortons was named for its renovation in the Retail category.
The number of finalist projects, while lower than the previous year, still represents a strong market in the region. The gala will be held in the Comox Valley for the second time, celebrating the best in commercial, community and industrial buildings north of the Malahat on Vancouver Island, which were completed between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2018.
A team of independent judges chooses the winners in the 10 categories of these awards: Renovation, Multi Family Townhome, Multi Family Apartment, Multi Family Non Market, Institutional, Civil, Community, Mixed Use, Industrial and Retail.
Gold sponsors of the event are Re/MAX Commercial, MNP LLP and Coastal Community Credit Union. Category sponsors are NAI Commercial, Yellow Sheet Review, Herold Engineering, Colliers International, Invest Comox Valley, CIBC, BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) and Berk’s Intertruck. Black Press is the Media Sponsor.
The event is expected to sell out, and tickets are $125 plus GST, which can be booked through www.businessexaminer.ca/events