The air shafts and the girders in the atrium area at Edward Milne Community School will serve as part of the “industrial” look at the sixth annual Taste of BC event on February 8.
Local restaurants, bakeries, eateries and pubs will be showcasing their incredible edibles and vineyards from the Okanagan will be showcasing their award-winning wines. It’s a evening out, a night to taste and sip, chat and visit with people who appreciate some of the finer things in life — like wine, craft beer, chocolate and appetizers.
Wait, the whole evening isn’t about just fortified drinks, it is also about steeped teas, coffee, silent auctions and giving to charity.
The Sooke Harbourside Lions are the ringleaders in this event and Lions Cathy Rogers, Stephanie Jenkins, Jo Russell and Joanne Payment are the get ‘er done people. They sat back to talk about the event and all of them were excited and enthusiastic for the evening as well as the cause.
“We really are trying to showcase the local eateries,” said Rogers. “People that have been before know it’s a great event.”
“This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, that and the Duck Race,” said Jenkins. “We hope to offer an event that brings friends and neighbours together for a fantastic event in Sooke.”
The silent auction, said Russell, offers everything from gift certificates to a new battery for your car. River Road Chocolate will have a display of chocolate and servings of dark, rich, hot chocolate (perhaps enhanced).
“This town is so generous,” said Jenkins.
All four of the women who are organizing the event are relatively new to Sooke, having moved here between a year-and-a-half to five years ago. They are staying and one of the many reasons is the friendships forged with other Lions.
Stephanie Jenkins came not knowing a lot of people and found the Sooke Harbourside Lions was a great way to meet people. Cathy Rogers wanted to come to a community that felt like a community. She found the Lions to be an ambitious, phenomenal community of women who give their hearts to the community.
They are all newcomers and they came from Colwood, Ontario, Metchosin and Surrey. Each has found Sooke to be a place which is welcoming and has a strong sense of community — and the Lions put you to work right away.
The evening begins at 7 p.m. and runs to 9:30. Tickets are $30 (less than last year) and are available through any Harbourside Lions member, Shoppers and People Drug Marts, Little Vienna Bakery, Pemberton Holmes or the EMCS box office.
The Sooke Harbourside Lions raise funds for a number of charities and community service agencies including Camp Shawnigan, the Christmas Bureau, Sooke Food Bank, the Crisis Centre, Easter Seals 24-hour Marathon and many others.