Marc Smith has taken on another 30 Days Adventures campaign after completing a month’s worth of food truck meals earlier this fall and 30 days of local exploration this summer. His latest challenge is to complete acts of kindness every day for 30 days. From handing out flowers to strangers to buying cups of coffee for strangers, Marc has partnered with individuals and companies to help them give where they live.
I have joined Marc for one day during each of his “30 Day” campaigns and today we met up with Michelle Clausius of Covenant House to learn more about their work in our community.
Covenant House’s Mission: “Providing love and hope to Vancouver’s street youth. We help youth aged 16 – 24 who have fled physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse, those who have been forced from their homes or those who have aged out of foster care.”
Michelle is the Associate Director, Development & Communications and I have corresponded with her before about Covenant House campaigns. She recently sent me information about their Sleep Out happening on Thursday.
“It started in New York last year and it’s the youth’s reaction to the Sleep Out that made us want to do it.” Michelle told us that she knows one night isn’t going to make up a full experience but it’s this action, by local business leaders and celebrities, that will draw awareness and raise funds for Covenant House both in Vancouver and in other cities across North America.
About 20 participants are confirmed in Vancouver including Jillian Harris, Bob & Ryan Lenarduzzi, and Elaine Lui who have each been collecting pledges for their Sleep Out. The group have dinner at Covenant House over on Pender Street then they’ll have a roundtable discussion with youth from the shelter’s Rights of Passage program. Then it’s out the back door to spend the night outside behind the building. All those who will be sending updates to Twitter can keep their phones otherwise they need to be surrendered, as the youth do when they go to Covenant House.
“Because we’re privately funded, over half our revenue for the year comes in November and December,” Michelle added. Initiatives like this and the Christmas Backpack drive make a big difference.
Marc and I decided to pick up some items that are listed on the Christmas Backpack wish list before we met up with Michelle. We were drawn to the request for journals since we’re both bloggers and Marc’s been honing his writing skills over the course of his 30 Days campaigns. Michelle told us that it was a helpful pick as journaling is a therapeutic outlet and it encourages creativity.
“The blog gives our youth workers an opportunity to really feel a part of what we’re doing in the fundraising department because they write a lot of the stories, which is awesome!”
I also gave Michelle a copy of my new book, which is about blogging for business. I think the Covenant House Blog is fantastic and they could probably write their own book on blogging for non-profits.
Michelle said that when they launched their blog they immediately saw a jump in website traffic and donations. “When we started using Twitter and Facebook then it kind of went even further, that really seemed to help.” Frequent blog posts help with search engine optimization and give people a reason to come back to their site. Overall, the blog also gives those at Covenant House the opportunity to tell their stories.
After our chat, Michelle gave us a tour of the location at Seymour and Drake so that we could see their facilities and understand the safe environment they have built for the youth. We then parted ways. Marc went back to his office to document our day and I did the same. Another day, another learning experience where I discover more hard-working and dedicated people to admire in this city.
Follow Covenant House BC on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook, and keep track of Marc’s adventures by following him on Twitter.
Update Read Marc’s blog post about the day.
A Milestone Post
This post is actually the 5,000th post I have published on Miss604.com. Over the last 8 years the most popular tags and categories I have used to classify my posts include: Events, Non-Profit, Cheap Things to Do, Contests, Charity, Photography, and History. These are exactly the topics I love covering the most and sharing with my audience. I thought this post would be fitting content for this milestone and I’m thankful for the opportunities I have been given over the years to travel, meet talented people, learn more about local businesses, support non-profits, and share my passion. Thank you for reading!
Although it’s prevalent in America, you don’t see much pre-sport game tailgating in Vancouver — that is unless you find the right group on BC Lions game day. “The point is to get together with friends before the game to celebrate and partake in the long time football tradition of the tailgate party, which includes cooking, partaking in a few beverages of choice and getting primed to cheer on the Lions,” says Brian Wawryshyn of the fan site BC Lions Den.
Although they have been tailgating in Vancouver for years, Tailgate Empire was formed two years ago when the team played at Empire Field out at the PNE during BC Place rennovations.
“It was there that we enjoyed some of our best tailgating, as the lot was right next to the stadium and a lot of fans go into it and started to participate,” Brian says. “As a salute to the history of the team we decided to call our group Tailgate Empire, and we’ve gone with that name going forward.”
Now that the BC Lions are back in BC Place, the party has moved. “It has always been a struggle to tailgate in Vancouver. For a few years we bounced around from lot to lot, but the problem is the stadium and the team don’t own any parking lots around the stadium. Those that do own the land decided they didn’t want it, mostly out of a lack of understanding of what we are about.”
Brian and his fellow fans successfully found a location partner and after a trial period and some negotiations, they are very pleased to work with Easy Park. Tailgate Empire now meets in their lot at Quebec and Terminal, right across from the Main Street Skytrain station.
If you love to tailgate (no matter your team) then all you need to do is show up to be a part of the “Empire”. Festivities usually get underway around 9:00am with breakfast and for the Western Final coming up this weekend, there will be much more going on.
Here are Brian’s simple rules for tailgating :
- No charcoal barbeques, propane only.
- All garbage is to be taken away with you.
- No cans or bottles. Everyone must use a plastic cup.
- Respect all fans, and their property.
- All parking spots must be paid for on arrival.
- Most important of all, have fun!
The CFL’s Western Final will be at BC Place on Sunday, November 18, 2012 at 1:30pm. Follow Brian and the BC Lions Den fan site on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
The Arts Club is ramping up for the holidays with a handful of seasonal shows that will warm your heart. The first to open is It’s a Wonderful Life at the Granville Island Stage which will run from November 26th to December 29th, 2012. This theatrical adaptation will transform the familiar story which is based on the classic film by Frank Capra.
Bob Frazer and Jennifer Lines in the Arts Club’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life. Photo by David Cooper.
Performances will be Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:30pm, and Wednesdays to Saturdays at 2:00pm and 8:00pm. Tickets are $29 to $49, inclusive of taxes and fees. Book your tickets by calling the box office at (604) 687-1644 or by making an online purchase.
I absolutely love going to the theatre at this time of year and I’m happy to share the experience. The Arts Club has offered up a pair of tickets to opening night of It’s a Wonderful Life for one lucky Miss604 reader and their guest. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Monday, November 19, 2012 at 12:00pm. Opening night is Thursday, November 29, 2012. The Granville Island Stage is located at 1585 Johnston Street on Granville Island. On the day of your show, take your ticket to the adjacent Backstage Lounge beforehand to receive a 15% discount on your food purchase. Follow the Arts Club on Facebook and Twitter for more information throughout the season.
Update The winner is Dan Worrall Leah!
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is one of the institutions that got me hooked on museums when I was young thanks to class trips. Feeding my brain, learning about the world outside my own community, and discovering what was once possible to achieve – and what could be accomplished. They have just launched an excellent campaign to beat the early winter blues by offering free admission for the next five Thursdays in a row.
From 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Thursdays from November 15, 2012 to December 13, 2012 the Vancouver Maritime Museum will offer free admission. Check out permanent collections and the new LURED exhibit:
LURED presents the work of renowned contemporary artists Stan Douglas, Uriel Orlow and Allan Sekula alongside Vancouver Maritime Museum objects and archival material. Together they provide unique perspectives on the maritime shipping industry –– its origins, consumer desire and the risks taken by the ‘invisible’ seafarers who work to meet those demands. LURED is a collaborative exhibit between the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the Charles H. Scott Gallery, Emily Carr University of Art and Design.
Follow the Vancouver Maritime Museum on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about their programs and exhibits.
The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival is happening over the next four weekends around the scenic Harrison. Surrounded by mountains, glacier-fed rivers, and valley pastures, the bald eagle festival is a great time to explore the region while witnessing the world’s largest gathering of these magnificent birds.
Stop in at the Mission Chamber of Commerce on your way to the Inch Creek Hatchery or visit the Kilby Historic Site for exhibitor talks then watch for eagles at the estuary via Tapadra Estates. Each weekend will have and information centre, suggested spots for eagle viewing, and featured locations for exhibits, talks and activities.
You can also book a boat tour in advance out of Harrison Hot Springs. John and I did a Harrison and Fraser River eco-tour by boat one year and it was very informative. We loved exploring the beautiful region from the water and although we didn’t spot any eagles at the time (it was in July) we did see Osprey.
Download the full festival guide here for information about events and speakers. Check the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival website weekly to find out more about featured locations and activities, and follow the festival on Facebook.
