350.org

Gabriola Elementary School took part today for 350.org, an international day of climate action. Students of all ages had been preparing with letters, power point presentations, a song, & coming up with ways that each of us can reduce our carbon footprint, which they presented in a very powerful assembly that the community was invited to.

The teachers, students, parents & volunteers did an amazing job in pulling this together… It provoked thinking about our environment and the effects of climate change.

The 350.org website shows 4457 actions taken in over 172 countries to take a stand for a safe climate future. It’s also a great resource to help fascilitate conversations with kids, with activities that they can do. We chose to do a project on “Icelandic Butterflies” which we created with the kids and submitted on the 350.org website. The Butterflies created will be in the display gallery as of October 24, 2009 – the International Day of Climate Action. Mor-more, kept busy this week painting 3 kids shirt with the 350 logo - they looked fabulous...

The embracing of 350.org in our community, and especially by the school just shows that there is hope!

Art Start: Fairy Wings Worshop

Perfect timing… Halloween being just around the corner and the Art Start weekend featured a “fairy wing” workshop. For those who haven’t seen the stunning wings around the island, at many events, the wings are hand crafted by a very talented young group of ladies on the island or participants of their workshops.

From start to finish Hayden & Genny, (wing creators extraordinaire), led the workshop with 12 eager participant of all ages. In three hours, the wire frames that sat at the tables to start were hand shaped, covered with nylons, vividly painted on & decorated with glue, flowers, and of course glitter. The results were amazing! Gabriola has 12 more sets of wings, thanks to the Arts Council & everyone for putting on this spectacular workshop.

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

See you at the Fall Fair…

Gabriola’s annual fall fair, is set to take place on 20 September 2009 at the Gabriola Commons, from noon to 3:00. There will be something for everyone this year, from the local musicians, 4-H displays, demonstrations, a petting zoo, quilting bee, & so much more…

For those with a green thumb, there will be competition for ribbons in the agricultural categories & with the summer we’ve been having there’s sure to be some spectacular displays! The scarecrow contest, a competition, that the Lynch family won in it’s first year, is sure to be fierce – we still proudly display our scarecrow in mom’s garden, it’s the perfect perching place for the birds, it’s supposed to scare off!

If your interested in entering into the competitions, entry forms are available on island at Raven Feed, Wild Rose Garden Centre & Wheelbarrow Nursery. (Entries will be accepted on Sunday morning, competition day, from 9:00am to 10:30 am.

Come and find out what’s taking the place of the “recycle” fashion show! See you at the fair…

The Big TENT !

There will be a lot of entertainment this weekend, August 21, 22 & 23 - presented by the Gabriola Theater Festival, with productions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There are 8 productions offered in a variety of locations on the Island. Single show tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door, except for the Itchy Fish production of “A midsummer night in Oz” which will only cost you $5 at the door. To find out show times and places to get your tickets visit : www.gabriolatheatrefestival.ca .

There are a lot of other events as well, Zigster the trickster will perform some magic in the Village between 10-1 on Saturday, and you can stroll down Lochinvar between 10-4 on Saturday,the street will be closed to traffic for 50 local artists that will have booths set up to share their creativity.

Ever thought of Joining the Circus???

Well today on Gabriola the New Old Time Chautauqua came to the island with its crew of 61 performers to give Gabriola Islanders a full day of circus events…

The musical vaudeville circus in its 28th annual summer time tour, came through the Village in full costume and musical instruments, and I mean through the Village leading the parade… Everyone was welcome and there were many familiar faces in the crowd, mostly behind big red noses… No sooner did they enter the parking lot at the Folklife then the parade carried on through Village Food Market, gaining yet more unsuspecting shoppers who soon became lured by shiny instruments, and the vibrant costumes. In front of Artworks they did a teaser of what’s in store for their big performance at 7:00 tonight at the Commons, and tickets are available right at the Entrance to the Commons.

But before the show these merrymakers led the parade, first through the office & out the back window, back to the Commons. All those who had ever thought about joining the circus were welcome by the performers both adults & kids had the opportunity to learn a variety of skills including juggling, acrobatics, mask making, clowning, etc.

For those that can’t get enough tonights “Big Show” is going to inspire – bring a blanket or a chair, the performance take place on the lawn...

The New Old Time Chautauqua is a non profit organization, whose mission is to nurture and build community through laughter, entertainment and education. They present family-oriented events in diverse communities, especially to rural and under-served populations. The traveling troupe partners with local organizations and service groups, with the intention of inspiring creativity and supporting community.

This summer Aqua Chautauqua will travel by boat and bus to maritime communities in Canada and Washington State. The merry band of performers and educators will create community events with colorful
Parades, creative and informative workshops and vaudeville shows with all the bells and whistles.

This show will benefit the fund raising efforts of the Commons to reduce carrying charges for the mortgage and enable renovation projects to get underway sooner. Thus the motto at "The Commons... a Place For Everyone" can be truly implemented!

Dancing Man Festival- It ‘Haint going to be boring !

This year the Dancing Man Festival is being held in the summer, and it kicks off on Friday July 10th with the HAINTS at the Community Hall. Tickets are being sold at Artworks, and if you sign up in advance you can take a lesson before the Country Barn Dance starts rolling.

There ya go pardner! Cowboy Up...

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

Gabriola Elementary Schools Year End Assembly

Once again the Gabriola Elementary School gym was full as the community was invited to celebrate the Year End Assembly.

We sat excitedly, watching the kindergarten class decked out in their graduating caps, carefully created by Mrs. Ellis, Kindergarden teacher extrodinaire, as they received their certificates. They were escorted into the assembly with their Grade 7 buddies, who have served as role models throughout the year and have definitely set them down the right path.

It was a very supportive environment with many feelings flowing throughout, lots of joy, some tears, a lot of recognition for teachers, students, the PAC and our retiring principal. For both Tina & I, having gone through the school system on the island, it sure brought a lot of fond memories back...

Congrats to all the students, and the beautiful "Blues" send off to Principal Rooney, who is retiring...

A nice beginning for summer and a tribute to those leaving the school.

The Empty Bowl Project Part Two

On May 30th, we took the opportunity to drop into Sunstone pottery, on Gabriola to create our bowls for Hunger in support of People for a Healthy Community's Emergency Food Depot.

On walking into the pottery studio, we felt fortunate to have the talent if many exceptionally tallented local potters who came out to lend their support and guide us in molding, creating & glazing our bowls for hunger. We spent time sculpting, creating & re-creating the bowls - trying to get them just right, only to look at Emma & Jane (4 years old) and realize who had created the master pieces!

The bowls are now finished, thanks to Potter Graham Sheehan and his colleagues, and will be on display at Artworks from 18 June to 24 June, 2009. The bowls are up for silent auction, so you can bid on your favorite bowl (or for those who just want to donate bid on bowls 37 to 40 - they may not be beautiful but they were created with joy!)

All proceeds from this event go to Gabriola's Emergency Food Depot - so it's a great cause, & helps our community locally.

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.

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

Tiller's Folly in Concert on Gabriola Island

The Gabriola Arts Council is pleased to welcome Tiller's Folly,the Pacific Northwest’s internationally traveled, virtuosic ambassadors of song.

Tiller’s Folly features lead vocalist and guitarist Bruce Coughlan, fiddle/mandolin player Nolan Murray, and bass player/vocalist Laurence Knight.

"This full-throated Canadian Celtic group, a cross between Stan Rogers and the Clancy Brothers, is on a stirring crusade. It wants to establish an oral story-telling tradition for the settlers, fishers, natives, loggers and adventurers of the misty West Coast."Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun

Opening for Tiller's Folly is Gabriola's very own Myles Black & The Pearly Whites.

Advance tickets: $15 at Artworks

Tickets at the door (if available): $18

Randi will be on the door for the evening - so make sure to say hi!

Artists in the Village

Saturdays is a busy place in the Village, as people come out to the Farmers Market on Gabriola, and then proceed to the Village to finish up shopping, have a cup of coffee with friends, or perhaps pick up a fishing rod – for the afternoon. Well in the summer, there’s another reason to stop by the Village. The Gabriola Art’s council is featuring a different two artists each Saturday through until 5th September. It’s a great opportunity to come and meet some of the islands local artists who will display their art under the tents.

The Gabriola Arts council will also be selling art, by some very talented islanders, on magnets, ready to grace any metal surface in your home, and a great island keepsake. This year, there is a choice of 5 different magnets from artists such as; Dianna Bonder, Rick Cranston, Tammy Hudgeon, Rohana Laing & Sheila Norgate. If your not able to make it there on Saturday, they are also available at Gabriola Artworks. Cost is $5 each or the full set for $20 (receipt for charitable donation available). The funds will enable the Arts Council to continue to support artists and bring art to the Gabriola community.

Coats Marsh Regional Park to officially open on May 22

Clyde Coats' former family property will officially open to the public as Coats Marsh Regional Park on May 22nd. The ceremony begins at 11:15 am on May 22, at the Aiden Road entrance to the park located off of Coats Road. The new Regional Park is a 45.7 hectare parcel of wetlands and forest and is protected in a partnership between The Nature Trust of British Columbia, the Regional District of Nanaimo, and the BC Trust for Public Lands.

"Conservation is of great importance to residents of the Regional District of Nanaimo," said Larry McNabb, Chair of the Regional Parks and Trails Advisory Committee. "We are looking forward to the opening ceremony, and we are tremendously grateful to Mr. Coats for the opportunity to care for this property and manage it as a Regional Park."

Coats Marsh Regional Park features a wetland and stands of rare coastal Douglas fir. Two creeks run through the property and eventually connect to Hoggan Lake. The land also kitty corners the 707 Acre Community Park, owned and managed by the Regional District of Nanaimo.

"By protecting this unique property we have taken a tremendous step in establishing a large protected area on Gabriola Island that contains rare plant species and provides habitat for numerous wildlife," said Doug Walker, Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Trust of B.C. "At the same time, this acquisition will provide the people of the Regional District of Nanaimo, in particular Gabriola Islanders, with the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation of this ecological gem in their community." With the acquisition of the former Coats lands, the RDN now has 2016 hectares (1,769 acres) of regional parkland, including two campgrounds, nine day-use parks, and seven trails. The RDN manages more than 160 community parks, including the 707 Acre Community Park adjoining the former Coats property.

The Nature Trust of British Columbia is a leader in protecting BC's natural diversity of plants and animals through the acquisition and conservation of critical habitats and other areas of ecological significance. Through partnerships like the Coats Land Acquisition, The Nature Trust has invested more than $63 million to secure more than 61,000 hectares (150,000 acres) of critical habitat throughout British Columbia. (www.naturetrust.bc.ca)

Ever considered living next door to a conservation area... There is a gorgeous 5 acre property located at 1040 Coats Drive, which is currently listed for sale, additional details can be found at: http://www.discovergabriola.com/index.php?page=2&id=49 .

Gabriola B&B Association Hosts Open House

Gabriola is a destination for many tourists whether it be to enjoy the kayaking around the gulf islands sea shore, scuba diving, a wonderful golf course, walking trails, our summer time markets, the island winery, & a visit to some of the many artisans that make Gabriola there home…

If you would like to stay overnight on Gabriola Island and explore the island in greater depth, there are many Bed and Breakfast establishments located either on the waterfront or near the ocean.

You are invited this Sunday, 3 May 2009 - to tour the 12 bed and breakfasts that comprise the Gabriola Bed and Breakfast Association from noon to 3:00. Maps and brochures available at Art Works and Beaches Convenience Store. The B&B associations website can also be found online at: http://www.gabriola-accommodation.com/accommodation.com/ , where there is photos, write ups and links to the B&B's personal webpages.

*Be sure to stop by Jupiter Ranch on the tour, who are also featuring an art sale of works by two very talented ladies on the island, Sylvie Milman & Tammy Hudgeon.

Mmmmm.... I smell chocolate!

Coast Realty's Community Easter Egg Hunt, Food & the KERPLUNKS !

Open to all ages, at the Commons on Saturday, April 11th, the day starts at 12 noon with our very own, Juno award nominees, the “Kerplunks”. Dance and sing along, there will also be a concession with hot dogs and drinks by donation to our 4H Club. Then, the really big event of Easter Weekend, and starting at 1pm ‘sharp’, is the Easter Egg Hunt, itself. This is a sight to behold if you’ve never been and the Easter Bunny makes a surprise appearance especially for picture taking, young and old.

So, you ask, “How many eggs are hidden amongst the trees, and meadows?” We asked the Easter Bunny, and with a wiggle of his nose, he whispered “way, way over 10,000”!

So, come one, come all and don’t be late, race time is 1:00 (and it starts on time)... It’s bound to be a fun day.

This Community has "Roots"

The Gabriola Arts Council has come up with another theme for this years Community Art Show. This year they have chosen "Roots" and I can see that the community is gearing up for the fun filled event. Those wanting to participate this year will need to fill out a registration form (available by email from gabriolaartscoucil@shaw.ca) and have their art piece ready for Monday, April 21 by 4pm.

You'll see a range of artistic interpretations of the theme, mediums, sizes, and ages of the artists. It's pretty fulfilling for anyone to have an art piece hanging up in a Gallery and this is your chance. In the past, I have participated in the heart, star & off-the-beach shows. I've always come away from the shows amazed by the diverse art pieces that are created on the Island.

The"Roots" community art show opens with a reception at Artworks on 23 April 2009 at 7:00 - 9:00 pm, and the show runs through until 3 May.

Something out of this WORLD

Something out of this world, is happening this weekend (feb 19/20/21)at Jupiter Ranch (http://www.jupiterranch.com/) on Gabriola Island. While this island is renowned for the number of artists it attracts, Sylvie Milman, the owner of the Jupiter Ranch B&B, is keeping the arts community on its toes.


Bringing in new inspiration and opening her beautiful studio as a classroom, she has a guest artist Dominik Modlinski here to teach beginner and intermediate painters who wish to expand their knowledge of acrylic painting techniques while enhancing their perception and creative visualization. Dominik will introduce colour exercises based on three primary colours and white to introduce students to colour mixing and achieving unlimited colour harmonies. Randi is signed up to attend, and we're hoping to see some colorful canvases at the end of the weekend. Sumbitted by Tina Lynch.