Charity Spotlight

Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities – November 2011 Spotlight

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities (PRDA) is a Langley based charity that provides provide therapeutic horseback riding to individuals with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. Established in 1973, PRDA is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with a wide range of disabilities.

Therapeutic horseback riding provides children and adults with numerous benefits including improving balance and coordination, increased confidence, and the excitement of movement “free of any mechanical aids.” Participants also get a chance to bond with the horses, make friends and have fun while receiving therapy.

But therapy here is more than just riding the horses.

Read the rest of this entry »

Clothes On Wheels – Charity Spotlight – October 2011

Saturday, October 1st, 2011

The downfall of the economy has greatly affected many lives in the Fraser Valley. Lifestyles have been altered, priorities shifted, necessity changed. You now ask yourself, do I really need a $100 pair of heels? I should buy rain boots and rain jackets for my kids or buy gas instead.

Many families and individuals don’t even have a choice – money is so tight they can’t buy boots for their kids, can’t afford a car, and just pray they even have a few dollars to feed and clothe their family or themselves.

Read the rest of this entry »

Pebble Pedal to the Pier

Monday, September 5th, 2011

The legend: Good luck, good health, good wealth, longevity and happiness will be granted to anyone who carries a pebble from one shore to another. It can be a far away shore or one close to home… from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, from Crescent Beach to White Rock beach. One person can carry pebbles for many, as long as the many give a heartfelt gift to support seniors.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ridge Meadows Search & Rescue – August 2011

Monday, August 1st, 2011

You head out on a leisurely summer hike. You, like everyone else, plan to be home by dusk after a great day on the trails. But suddenly something goes wrong – the trail doesn’t look the same anymore and you are a bit unsure which way you came from.

Imagine this scary scenario. Being lost in the wilderness is a terrifying occurrence for anyone and it happens to everyday folk more often than you think. Even if you do have a phone to communicate, you may very well not know where you are to ask someone to help you out.

Read the rest of this entry »

Centre for Child Development – July 2011 Charity Feature

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Ask any expectant parent if they hope their baby will be a boy or a girl, and they’ll probably say the most important thing is that he or she be born healthy.

For Sam and Torie Rehman, all seemed well when they welcomed their son, Bennett, into the world five years ago. But they quickly noticed that his left hand was constantly clenched—and when they tried to open it, there was quite a bit of resistance. After a CT scan at BC Children’s Hospital, Bennett was diagnosed with Polymicrogyria (PMG), a neurological disorder similar to Cerebral Palsy. “It’s tough,” says Sam. “You cry when you first find out—when that bubble bursts, and you realize your son or daughter isn’t going to be the same as other kids.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Abbotsford Children’s Theatre – June 2011 Charity Spotlight

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

All the world may be a stage, and the men and women merely players, but Abbotsford Children’s Theatre believes kids deserve their moment in the spotlight, too. That’s why the organization—which welcomes young actors from ages eight to 18—provides a positive environment in which they can hone their skills.

Founder and Artistic Director Freddy Latham started the program after she searched—but couldn’t find—for an artistic outlet for her then-nine-year-old daughter. So, she rented a space and put an article in the local paper, and Abbotsford Children’s Theatre was born.

In the beginning, Latham directed and produced all of the plays, with occasional help from a parent or friend.

Read the rest of this entry »

Fraser Valley Gleaners – May 2011 Charity Spotlight

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

It’s a common sight in most Fraser Valley produce retailers—abundant displays of perfect vegetables, uniformly sized and unblemished ready to go from market to our dining room tables. What we don’t see is the vast amount of imperfect produce that often goes to waste.

But in a South Abbotsford plant, a group of volunteers is hard at work, turning that waste into a nutritious food supplement that has made its way to needy recipients in over 40 countries worldwide.

Read the rest of this entry »

April 2011 Charity Spotlight: C.A.R.E.S. Cat Shelter

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011

We are big animal lovers here at FVP. Cats, dogs, horses, iguanas, pigs, birds – we love all pets and the thought of a pet without a home simply breaks our hearts.

For many reasons pets end up homeless, stray or abandoned. Amazing organizations such as this month’s featured charity, C.A.R.E.S. Cat Shelter (Canadian Animal Rescue & Extended Shelter), take these animals into their shelters, care for them and ensure they are found new forever homes.

C.A.R.E.S was founded in 1993.

Read the rest of this entry »

March 2011 Charity Spotlight: Blankets For Canada

Monday, February 28th, 2011

If you’re reading this article, chances are that last night you slept in a warm bed snuggled under a warm blanket. But across the Fraser Valley—and indeed, the country—there are countless people who bed down each night under bridges, in doorways or even in cardboard boxes. The volunteers at Blankets for Canada aim to provide a basic necessity—a warm blanket—for some of society’s most marginalized citizens.

“The majority of us climb into bed at night and take it for granted,” says Nancy Gallagher, who heads up the Abbotsford Chapter of Blankets for Canada. “The thanks, the hugs and the connections we make let us know the difference these simple gifts make in peoples’ lives.”

Gallagher’s involvement in the charity was, as she calls it, “a happy accident.”

Read the rest of this entry »

February ’11 Charity Spotlight: Semiahmoo House Society

Monday, January 31st, 2011

It’s a brisk winter day in Whistler as a group of teens enjoy tubing down the mountainside. Peals of laughter punctuate the swooshing sounds of the tubes carrying their human cargo to the course’s end. But a closer look reveals these aren’t your average teenagers; they are developmentally disabled individuals on an outing offered by White Rock’s Semiahmoo House Society.

First established in the late 1950’s, Semiahmoo House Society (SHS) provides critical assistance and support to some of society’s most vulnerable people—the men, women and children who live with mental handicaps, and their families. “We believe that all our community members have a right to services such as ours, allowing them to participate in the same activities in life as their non-handicapped peers,” says Director of Development, Zena Peden.

Read the rest of this entry »

Email
Name