Running on Gabriola

View from our Berry Point Rd. on Gabriola

On Wednesday morning, we usually head out to Berry Point Road and meet the rest of the GRUNTS (Yes, the runners under ninety) and go for an 8km run.  I missed the run this morning, but it is one of my favourite things about Gabriola.  We park by the lighthouse, do our run, and come back and pile 8 people or so into a VW van to share home baked goods and drink our coffee. 

Gabriola - on the water

We've found something to entice the kids to go fishing with us, tubing !  the last few nights we've managed to have a few hours to go fishing around Thrasher and the fishing has been excellent.  It's the perfect combination for everyone in the family and we've been lucky enough to bring home dinner from the sea both nights.

Ready, set, go SAIL !

There are lots of great activities and camps for kids of all ages to attend on Gabriola.  This week, my kids are attending the "sailing camp".  The instructor Tom Bradbrooke is great with children and is teaching them about points of sail, knots, safety and how to tack and gybe.  My 8yr old daughter and a new friend have been busy sailing across Silva Bay on their own.  I'm really impressed with what they've been taught and the weeks not even over yet!
If you live on the Island or if your planning a trip, you may want to look at some of the camps that the Gabriola Recreation Society offers.  (Submitted by Tina Lynch)

Peter and the Wolf on Gabriola

We are so pleased to have Mara Brenner on Gabriola, she's a fantastic dance teacher and great Pilate's instructor. Currently she's lining up all the dancers (I think about 45 of them) for an upcoming performance of Peter and the Wolf.

She's been busy with the costumes, props, set and teaching them all the steps. We are lucky enough that she is willing to put on two performances this Saturday, May 21 at the Pheonix Auditorium at the Haven, one at 1pm and the other at 5pm.

All the kids are so proud to try on their outfits and are anticipating their moment to shine on stage. The performance is 40 minutes long, the perfect length for those with even the shortest attention span. Entrance is by donation to the PHC.

Spring into ART on Gabriola!

The Gabriola Arts Council is offering a fantastic opportunity to "try out" some art classes during the weekend of April 9 &10th, 2011. There are a variety of classes to choose from, if you want to make fairy wings, learn acrylics, ballroom dance, try out watercolors or acrylics, juggle, make masks or felt with your child. Check the local Sounder for a list of the events and times, then head on up to the Coffee Bar at Artworks to sign up. Many of the courses are offered either for free or at a nominal cost (I didn't see any over $15), and are taught by our local artists. Last year, I signed up for the two day course with Karen Aaker for the introduction to Mosaic, it got me hooked and shortly after I signed up for one of her courses. During the course that I did with her, I made this fish backdrop for my husband and let me tell you, I really learned how much work goes into mosaics and that they are worth every penny they cost.
It's a great way to spend the weekend, one of the keys to happiness is to learn something new, why not give it a go next weekend.

Reading Rocks on this Rock.

If you want to encourage your kids to read this summer, stop by the Gabriola Branch of the Vancouver Island Library in the Folklife Village and sign them up for the Summer reading Club. This year’s theme is “reading rocks”, and they are making it fun for kids to explore and get familiar with the library. My kids went a few weeks ago with a friend and did the “scavenger hunt”, a great way to get them familiar with the library. We're filling up our reading lists and having fun, reading time at the Gabriola branch of the library this summer is on Tuesdays from 3-4pm. The Island Book shoppe is located next door to the library and offers a great variety of new and used books, and a nice selection from local authors & illustrators.

Gabriola Events - What to do on this little Island !

There are numerous things to do on Gabriola and we wanted to share these events with you, so we created our "Gabriola Events" Calendar. We list as many events as we can so that you can see the diversity of activities you can partake in. You'll find something for every age and interest group. If you see something listed, why not make a trip to the Island and attend the special event, you may never want to leave!

If you have an event that you would like us to put on our online calendar, please send us an email and let us know about it.

View our online “Gabriola Events” calendar to see what's happening here, and check back often as it's constantly being updated!

It's the end of the roll

And the beginning of a new art project ! If you are looking for an inexpensive and environmentally friendly way of starting a painting, consider getting a newspaper end roll from the Nanaimo Daily News(1-2575 McCullough Rd, Nanaimo). They have an assortment of them, I picked this one up last night for $3.

Stressed over the Holidays ?

I'd like to suggest Chocolate.

I'm in the midst of organizing the fundraising packages for the Nanaimo Diamonds Synchronized Swim club. Each swimmer will be visiting friends, family and neighbors to collect orders for Purdy's chocolates, orders will be collected by November 10th and delivered on December 14th. If chocolate is the answer for any of your holiday stress, then please plan ahead and come by the Coast Realty office on Gabriola and fill out one of the order forms on my desk. (submitted by: Tina Lynch)

The Marathon.

It's now been almost two weeks since I ran my first marathon, a goal I've held for as long as I can remember. This year, I knew that this would be the year for me to do it. I've realized over the past few years that life can change in an instant, and I knew that I was in a time of my life when I had the physical ability to complete it.

I joined the Running Room in Nanaimo and completed my first half marathon in the Spring of 2009 and continued the training for the Victoria Marathon.

Some weeks of training went better than others, and there were a few little challenges that would pop up (limited sleep,work,young children, sunshine, camping, life, etc). I really enjoyed the process, and for me the nerves built as October 11 drew nearer, I was lucky enough to have the pressure of creating enough paintings for the Gallery Tour to distract me. On Saturday night, Lesley Standerwick, Keli Stapp and I packed up the car, left Gabriola and headed for Victoria.

My anxiety hit as we we're driving and I realized that I was in the car with two personal trainers- what was I thinking ? I started to relax as they brought out a two pound bag of jelly beans for the drive and told me that we we're going to have dinner at 9 when we got to Victoria, this was more my style.

The three of us completed our first marathons on October 11th. I couldn't imagine going through the process on my own and was so pleased to share this experience with such supportive and knowledgeable friends. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, there was no wind, and we had friends and family there to cheer us on along the way. (Submitted by: Tina Lynch)

Gabriola 6 yr old hits the pool!

Last year we took our kids to swim lessons at the Beban Pool in Nanaimo, which just happened to be at the same time that the Nanaimo Diamonds Synchronized Swimming Club trains. This year, my daughter talked us into signing her up for the team. The clubs first fundraiser was a swim-a-thon, after only once class I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive about the situation. Bianca, my six year old daughter, led her little brother and dad around the neighborhood and collected pledges, our community is very giving and I’m not surprised that she raised $145 in an afternoon, but I am very thankful. The swim-a-thon went great, she swam with the use of a kickboard for 50 solid minutes and managed to get in 16 laps. Her little brother was kept busy too, he had made up a sign and ran up and down beside the pool cheering her on. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Gabriola Wine Festival!

To be honest, I really enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day and I’m still training my taste buds to distinguish a good glass of wine. On Saturday, September 26 the Surf Lodge ( 885 Berry Point, Gabriola Island) is hosting the 6th Annual Wine Festival from 3:30-6pm. You’ll be treated to a selection of over 100 wines to taste, you’ll want to pick up your $30 ticket soon from the Village Liquor Store or Artworks. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Childcare Options on the Island

If you’re looking for the perfect place for your tiny tot on Gabriola there are a few options to consider:

Hope Center offers a few options, they have a daycare, preschool and after school programs. You can visit their website at www.gabriolahopecentre.com or phone them at 250.247.8730. They are located in the North End of Gabriola near the Elementary school and Village.

Perry Road Preschool is in the South End of the Island and is open on Monday and Wednesday mornings for 2.5-5yr olds, Christine Watt is ECE trained and can be reached at 250.247.7478.

Gabriola Co-Op Preschool is run out of the Community Hall in the South End of Gabriola and is held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. If you’d like more information leave a message at 250.247.9292.

Private you’ll also find people that will care for your children in your home, if you’re looking for some names let me know, I’d be happy to pass them along.

You’ll find lots of activities posted on the bulletin boards and in the Sounder to keep your little one busy, some are run privately and other are run through the Gabriola Recreation Society (www.gabriolarecreation.org). These include, swimming lessons (summer only), gymnastics, yoga, and art and dance classes.

Picnic Place

The Descanso Bay Regional Park is a great little spot on the North-West side of Gabriola to go for a picnic, if youre catching the ferry from Nanaimo it’s just a short 1.5km walk from the ferry landing. You’ll find an idealic setting with picnic tables in a meadow with the sandstone shores just in front. There is also a campground located here, for more information or to reserve a campsite phone 250.247.8255.

Helping Hands

Gabriola Fellowship Church is hosting a summer camp for kids from 3 years old to Grade 7 this week, from July 6-10. This year’s theme is “ First Response-Help At Hand”, inside the church you can certainly see the organizers have been busy using their hands to create the setting with the handmade props and artwork. My kids (age 4 & 6) love going into this inviting atmosphere and learn a lot through the songs, games, sharing, crafts and activities. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Fish ON!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend on Fathers day, then the Silva Bay Salmon Derby, on Gabriola, comes at the perfect time... Held from dawn till dusk Sat. June 20th, and dawn until noon the June 21st, they are anticipating 75 or so participants, with all the nice weather we've been having in June hopefully even more than last year! We will be out there with our Dad fishing on Ship's Point - look for us reeling in the really big one...

Bob Meyer, of Silver Blue hints that, "fish have returned to their normal haunts off the Grande & the structure off Thrasher. Depths range 85 to 180 feet, Rhys Davis teasers in clear green scale for whole or strip baits, Coyotes in glow green/silver, green/white, or black white or the green spackleback hoochie are top producing lures." Bob Meyers fishing charters can be booked through Bob@SivlerBlueCharters.com .

Against Bob's best advice, and I give him full credit as the local fishing expert, I'll be fishing with some unidentified pink lure - for those that know me that's no surprise :), (I'm not sure my Dad will be impressed.)

Tickets are $25 per rod, $50 for immediate family.

Tickets are available at Village Paint and Hardware, or Silva Bay Marina, Harbour Chandler or Pages Resort & Marina.

Prizes on lower deck at 1 Sunday, and includes some great stuff, combo GPS/sounder, portable VHS, etc. $1,000 for largest Chinook. $1,000 donation to the Nanaimo River Hatchery. Good luck!

Gabriola's First Theatre Festival - August 21 - 23rd, 2009

What a weekend it's going to be... 7 main stage productions, the launching of a young peoples theatre company & so much, much more! With so much local talent on display, you'll want to get your tickets early so as not to be disappointed - ticket information as well as information on the festival and the 7 main stage shows can be found by visiting: www.gabriolatheatrefestival.ca .

Alongside the productions to be found on the main stage, the weekend will be jam packed with additional activites in the Village area including;

Razberry's Jazz Cafe - in between theatre shows look for the open stage between Rasberry's & Artworks where you'll find a variety of local musicians and entertainers.

The Gabriola Lions - legendary pancake breakfast will be served on Saturday the 22nd between 9:00 - 11:00 am.

Street Art - come by and be enthralled and inspired by the work of more than 50 local island artisans who will be displaying their work.

Take home a piece of Gabriola History!

As a movement to protect the many petroglyphs on the Island, the Gabriola Museum decided to make reproductions of the petroghlyphs. They encourage rubbings and photographs of the reproductions, and if you go during museum hours you can buy a rubbing kit which includes the cloth and special wax crayon. There are over 30 reproductions to take a look at here, and you can choose from a variety of animal and human shapes.

This is a great outdoor activity for those that want to learn a bit and take home something unique, I took my 5 year old daughter and she loved the process, learning about the petroglyphs, looking at each one and doing the rubbing.

May - June 21: Sat to Sun: 10 am to 4 PM

June 25- Sept 7: Thur to Mon: 10 am to 4 PM

September 12 : Sat to Sun: 10 am to 4 PM

Admission
Adults: $2.00
Children (under 12): Free

For more information on the Gabriola Museum visit their website at : http://www.gabriolamuseum.org/ Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Gabriola Home & Garden Tour 2009

Well hopefully everyone is enjoying watching their gardens grow and flourish with all the beautiful weather, even if you don't have a garden there's a unique opportunity to view some gardens that are rarely open to the public.

Gabriola's 11th annual Home & Garden Tour will be held this year on the 28th June 2009, there will be 9 private homes/gardens that will be open and two local nurseries, so you can go & shop after viewing all the inspiration of others.

Tickets are $20.00 and all proceeds go to People for a Healthy Community, right here on Gabriola and is their largest fundraiser of the year. It helps to support local programs such as our Emergency Food Depot, Violence Prevention porgrams, the Christmas Bureau, Social Soupls, Gardening Projects, and so much more.

The hand selected locations are carefully choosen to represent a variety of west-coast gardening &/or unique island homes, this year there are 5 new locations that have never been on the tour before, including culinary gardens, and everything from new to well established gardens. This fundraiser tries to showcase and give a glimpse of island life.

Make sure to get your tickets early for this popular event... Tickets are available at Artworks, Wheelbarrel Nursery & WildRose Garden Center her on the island. In Nanaimo at Dig This, Falconer Books & Carpe Diem, or you can hold tickets with a Visa or Mastercard by contacing Diana Mumford at #250-247-9092 or by email at: dmumford@shaw.ca .

(Also for the third year in a row, there will be the auction of a Sheila Norgate painting, which she so kindly donated for the use of our posters)! So bid big...

Visit the online website at: http://www.gabriolatour.islandbrowser.com

Trail Running - the Gut Buster 1/2 Marathon

Last Sunday, we headed for the hills in Nanaimo to take part in the the Gutbuster trail running series. Lesley Standerwick, who is a personal trainer on Gabriola (www.standerwickpt.com) was with us and finished the half marathon in great timing.

The trail system was amazing, we started at the Colliery Dam (just off of Wakeshiah) and went towards Nanaimo lake roads, on the ridge we saw a beautiful view of Nanaimo, the ocean and Gabriola. There were plenty of ups and downs on the route, a few rivers to cross, which weren't bad, and through this mud puddle at about the 12 Km mark.

If your looking for a nice place to go for a hike, you might like to try some of these trails, or the trail system around Westwood Lake is a nice 6km hike. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH