Peninsula Co-op is once again joining the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce in supporting the Black Tie Awards by sponsoring the Volunteer of the Year category.
“Moving Ahead by Giving Back isn’t just our tagline, it’s a foundational element of who we are,” says marketing and community relations manager, Lindsay Gaudette.
“All of us at Peninsula Co-op are honoured to sponsor the Volunteer of the Year category for the Black Tie Awards, which acknowledges and celebrates the extraordinary contributions of others in the community.”
In 2018, Peninsula Co-op presented the same award to Claudia Roland and Anne Balding of Meals on the Ground. The 100 per cent volunteer-powered initiative has created a real groundswell despite the fact that they do not advertise for support or donations.
“It was wonderful to receive the award, because it means people are hearing about us,” says Balding, noting that 2018 marked Meals on the Ground’s 10-year anniversary.
“It really was an acknowledgement of the 13 volunteer teams who buy the groceries and cook the meals — our volunteer teams are our organization.”
The Black Tie Awards will be held at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on the evening of Friday, April 17. Tickets will go on sale in March.
There are nine award categories, including Volunteer of the Year, and nominations will remain open until midnight on Jan. 31.
Visit www.blacktieawards.com to submit a nomination or call 250-748-1111 for more information.
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The BC Forest Discovery Centre has partnered with the Vancouver Island Sapsuckers, a group of local maple syrup producers, to put on the 13th annual Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days.
Visitors will explore many facets of maple sugaring in a fun festival atmosphere with live entertainment and the aroma of hot syrup from the evaporator.
You’ll learn how sap is tapped from local bigleaf maples and turned into a syrup that rivals the flavour of any produced in the eastern provinces while highlighting local producers.
Tapping demos, syrup tasting and mini-workshops will occur throughout the day. Start-up kits and other tapping supplies will also be available to buy, so visitors can go home and tap their own trees.
This festival is one of the few places visitors can sample and purchase bigleaf maple syrup in the marketplace that also features many other things from maple that are produced locally.
While visiting the centre, you’ll want to take in the many other museum displays, buildings, and new Forests Forever Exhibit, warm up around the fire pits, enjoy a festival feature menu item from the concession, and take unlimited train rides on the Green Hornet. There are lots of fun things to learn and do for all ages.
For more information, visit www.bcforestdiscoverycentre.com for all event and membership information. This event is the first of many events throughout the year that is included in the annual membership.
Businesses, community groups and individuals interested in helping with this event are asked to call 250-715-1113 ext. 23 to find out how to get involved, or to purchase their 2020 memberships.
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The Duncan-Cowichan Chamber of Commerce, together with LeapZone Strategies, is looking to offer a mini-retreat in May 2020 that will specifically cater to Couples in Business.
Hot off the heels of their upcoming TEDx Talk, Treat Your Relationship Like A Million-Dollar Client, Isabelle and Margarita will take participants through a unique and transformative workshop.
Designed to leverage the genius that is generated within a “couplepreneur”, this workshop will increase units of happiness in love and work, and help couples gain the clarity needed to elevate their business to the next level, together.
Combining work and life can be hectic, but taking time to reconnect as a couple and examine the inner workings of your business dynamic is important. With this in mind, the Chamber is looking for feedback to create a mini-retreat format that will best suit your schedule and needs.
“We are looking to host an afternoon workshop and catered dinner at one of Cowichan’s luxury resorts or bed and breakfasts,” says Sonja Nagel, executive director of the Chamber.
“What we’d like to know is what day of the week best suits you and whether you’d be interested in mixing business and pleasure, with an option to make it an overnight stay.”
If you have some suggestions or would like to express interest in the event contact the Chamber at 250-748-1111 or sonja.nagel@duncancc.bc.ca