Community

Dental staff from Victoria’s Urban Smiles dance to *NSYNC for a music video promoting the clinic’s reopening. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

VIDEO: Victoria dental staff dance to *NSYNC to promote reopening

Urban Smiles staff ‘want you back’ after closure in response to pandemic

Dental staff from Victoria’s Urban Smiles dance to *NSYNC for a music video promoting the clinic’s reopening. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Megan Taylor’s daughter holds up a handmade needle-felted orca made from a Knotty by Nature felting kit. (Courtesy of Megan Taylor)

PHOTOS: Greater Victoria crafters share their isolation creations

For some, COVID-19 pandemic offered more time for creative endeavors

Megan Taylor’s daughter holds up a handmade needle-felted orca made from a Knotty by Nature felting kit. (Courtesy of Megan Taylor)
The Rotary Club of Sooke is staying connected using Zoom to hold meetings. The group shows off masks made by Rotarian’s wife Linda Ferguson. (Photo contributed by Rotary Club of Sooke)

Sooke community groups keep in touch – from a distance

Sooke Rotary, Lions Club hold meetings online to stay connected

The Rotary Club of Sooke is staying connected using Zoom to hold meetings. The group shows off masks made by Rotarian’s wife Linda Ferguson. (Photo contributed by Rotary Club of Sooke)
Visitors of the Sooke Fine Art Show check out an art piece. This year, the Sooke Fine Art Show is switching to an online platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jack Most/Sooke News Mirror)

Difficult times highlight resilience in Sooke traditions

Many annual events disrupted to COVID-19; community finds creative ways to keep spirit alive

  • May 11, 2020
Visitors of the Sooke Fine Art Show check out an art piece. This year, the Sooke Fine Art Show is switching to an online platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jack Most/Sooke News Mirror)
Oak Bay kindergarten students explore connection between trees and kindness

Oak Bay kindergarten students explore connection between trees and kindness

Willows students take part in project showing the benefits even a picture of a tree can bring

Oak Bay kindergarten students explore connection between trees and kindness
VIDEO: Firefighters spark drive-by salute for retiring North Saanich fire chief

VIDEO: Firefighters spark drive-by salute for retiring North Saanich fire chief

Retirement party cancelled under social distancing orders

VIDEO: Firefighters spark drive-by salute for retiring North Saanich fire chief
VIDEO: Victoria vet clinic makes Lizzo-inspired COVID-19 music video

VIDEO: Victoria vet clinic makes Lizzo-inspired COVID-19 music video

Feltham Animal Hospital still open with modifications

VIDEO: Victoria vet clinic makes Lizzo-inspired COVID-19 music video
Haircuts for Good is asking people to cut their own hair or someone else’s, and make a donation the usual cost of a cut to help health-care workers. (Submitted)

Haircuts for Good asking for donations through home haircuts

Donations can go to food banks or health-care foundations of your choice

Haircuts for Good is asking people to cut their own hair or someone else’s, and make a donation the usual cost of a cut to help health-care workers. (Submitted)
James, 7, had an extra special social distancing birthday surprise when his mom secretly arranged a parade of fancy cars to roll down the family’s Saanich street. (Photo by Greg Samborski)

VIDEO: Community surprises Saanich boy with car parade on seventh birthday

Police, sports car drivers show up for social distancing birthday surprise

James, 7, had an extra special social distancing birthday surprise when his mom secretly arranged a parade of fancy cars to roll down the family’s Saanich street. (Photo by Greg Samborski)
An emerging ecotourism destination in B.C., the small coastal town of Tahsis is well known for its sport fishing and community spirit. (File photo/Campbell River Mirror)

Island mayor confident of small community’s ‘resilience’ in ‘trial’

The mayor of Tahsis believes that nothing can dampen the spirit of this ‘strong’ community as it heads towards its 50th anniversary

An emerging ecotourism destination in B.C., the small coastal town of Tahsis is well known for its sport fishing and community spirit. (File photo/Campbell River Mirror)
The District of Sooke has eliminated a fund supporting community organizations as it struggles with diminishing revenues against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis. (Pixabay)

COVID-19: Sooke eliminates community grants program for 2020

‘We need to find savings for our constituents and our community rights now,’ mayor says

The District of Sooke has eliminated a fund supporting community organizations as it struggles with diminishing revenues against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis. (Pixabay)
Scrub caps made my Greater Victoria sewers help protect Victoria health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Facebook/Cloth Castle)

COVID-19: West Shore sewing community makes scrub caps for health care workers

Langford’s Cloth Castle helps distrubute nearly 100 caps to Victoria hospitals

Scrub caps made my Greater Victoria sewers help protect Victoria health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Facebook/Cloth Castle)
Black Press Media, Save-On-Foods bring groceries to families and food banks

Black Press Media, Save-On-Foods bring groceries to families and food banks

Heart Soul of the Community contest shares $12,000 across Western Canada

Black Press Media, Save-On-Foods bring groceries to families and food banks
Glynis Mullen proposed a simple communication tool to check on neighbours and the community during COVID-19 which has been shared on social media across the country and beyond. Facebook photo/Glynis Mullen

Helping those at risk, one piece of paper at a time through ‘isolation communication’

Simple paper tool during pandemic making its way across Canada thanks to social media.

Glynis Mullen proposed a simple communication tool to check on neighbours and the community during COVID-19 which has been shared on social media across the country and beyond. Facebook photo/Glynis Mullen
Greater Victoria has no shortage of fun activities to keep kids busy over spring break. (Unsplash)

Nature, books and sports: Greater Victoria has no shortage of kids’ activities for spring break 2020

Some of the many activities in the region for spring break

Greater Victoria has no shortage of fun activities to keep kids busy over spring break. (Unsplash)
Our Place Society has run out of clothing to give to their family members. (Photo courtesy of Grant McKenzie)

Clothes cupboards bare at Our Place Society

Donations can be dropped off at any time, seven days a week

Our Place Society has run out of clothing to give to their family members. (Photo courtesy of Grant McKenzie)
Island Food Caring launches program to tackle food insecurities

Island Food Caring launches program to tackle food insecurities

Victoria Foundation and five local grocers team to launch campaign on Feb. 27

Island Food Caring launches program to tackle food insecurities
Nanaimo’s Curtis Wright won $1 million playing Lotto 6/49. (Photo submitted)

Nanaimo man wins lotto, plans to buy $16,000 fridge

Curtis Wright a winner in Lotto 6/49 draw

Nanaimo’s Curtis Wright won $1 million playing Lotto 6/49. (Photo submitted)
Paul Martin

Of Sooke honours, awards and congrats

A quick glance at what’s happening around our community

Paul Martin
Couples can enjoy a morning of bird watching with the Victoria Natural History Society on Valentines Day at the 22nd Annual Valentine Couples Birdathon. (Facebook/Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary)

Love birds take flight at Saanich Valentine’s Day birdathon

Yearly event draws bird-loving couples to Victoria Natural History Society

Couples can enjoy a morning of bird watching with the Victoria Natural History Society on Valentines Day at the 22nd Annual Valentine Couples Birdathon. (Facebook/Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary)