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WOn rejection (and Alice)
hen I was 12, I was rejected by the performing arts high school I had had my heart set on attending. I thought my world would end. I wanted, so badly, to be a ballerina. And in some ways, my world did end. The life of tutus, tulle and Tchaikovsky that I had dreamed of was gone.
In the wake of this rejection, I submitted a poem to the Star newspaper (the South African equivalent of the Vancouver Sun.) Titled “What the Wind Said to Me,” I imagine it was filled with angst and sadness and all that good stuff. It became my first piece of published writing. It was thrilling.
Since then, I have been rejected by the convent, the New York Times, the circus, and a list too long to recite here. Each “no” has left me sad. Annoyed. And confused. I don’t really know why the convent and the circus rejected me. (I don’t recall auditioning for either position.) I still sometimes catch myself dreaming of flying through the air in a sparkly outfit. The crowd under the Big Top goes wild as I grab the trapeze swinging towards me. It’s only later that I remember my fear of heights.
There is research linking rejection to increased emotional resilience; apparently, it develops patience, motivation, and perspective. That’s all simply splendid, but it’s still not fun. It feels so personal. But Booker Prize winner, Howard Jacobson, says: “Rejection is the one constant of human experience.” That means, I guess, that I’m not a special little snowflake after all – rejection
is universal.
When an email from a stranger popped into my inbox this week, asking me if I would be interested in collaborating on her rejection project, I was intrigued. I have written often about my love of strangers. It is from strangers that I have discovered the most fantastic things – while waiting in doctors’ offices, during intermission at theatres, in coffee shops, at cemeteries, and of course now cyberspace, though I find this trickier to navigate. (My childhood was devoid of technology. No TV. No cell phones. No computers.)
Growing up on the southern tip of Africa, I understood that the bubble in which I existed was tiny. Strangers offered stories of worlds I had not yet experienced, and perhaps never would. This was the era before stranger danger, where we spent our days wandering the neighbourhood barefoot, collecting pinecones, burning ants (I’m not sure why), and striking up conversations with people in the street.
Alice (the stranger who emailed me) found me online. (Twenty-somethings know how to do this.) She wondered if I would be open to chatting.
I responded: “Yes!” (A stranger, rejection stories, and a potential collaboration in one fell swoop – how could I say no?)
We met on Zoom. Alice is a force. Of talent. Passion. And kindness. She is an old soul with the energy and drive of youth. And she exhibits the kind of humility that understands that we are all inextricably
linked and stronger, by far, when we work together.
Alice shared her new project with me: a podcast called My Rejection Story. Her mission, she explains, “is to humanize the stories of some of society’s most successful thought leaders.” In these exclusive interviews, people like Gay Hendricks, Neil Patel, and other fairly famous folk, talk about the really tough times in their professional lives and how these have shaped the success they have since experienced.
Alice and I got slightly side-tracked on Zoom. But that’s what happens in the best of conversations, isn’t it? They veer onto dirt roads, T-junctions, mud puddles, and even the odd labyrinth-in-the-middle-ofa-forest. They make your world bigger. Offer new perspectives. And sometimes even turn strangers into friends. It’s why I can’t wait to tune into Alice’s podcast.
Guggenheim Fellow and award-winning writer, James Lee Burke, says: “There’s nothing like rejection to make you do an inventory of yourself.” To figure out what lights you up, what values you hold closest, what possible paths you have not yet taken.
If you have any experience of rejection, I’m betting you’re going to find yourself in these stories. And perhaps even some asyet-unconsidered possibilities. My Rejection Story launches in September on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and you can find the details here: hustlingwriters. com/podcast.
LINDY PFEIL
EROSE LEPIN TALKATIVE TWENTY-SOMETHING
The Coho Festival is back!
stablished in 1979, the Coho Society is a North Shore-based initiative that funds salmon research, supports hatcheries, and facilitates hands-on learning about salmon and conservation. The society primarily fundraises through communityfocused events. Most notably, the annual Coho Festival.
On September 8, after five years of the full-scale event being stifled, the Coho Society will once again provide the North Shore community with the opportunity to come together at Ambleside for this festival of celebration and education – a perfect kickoff to the new school year. The 2024 festival is sure to be a bustling event, complete with live music, a hovercraft landing, BBQ lunch, a Squamish nation canoe, and sporting events.
The Coho Run and Coho Swim are always highly anticipated features of the festival.
The Coho Swim offers participants both a 1.5 and 3km option, beginning and concluding at Ambleside Beach on the morning of the event. The swim event is highly on-theme with the cause for which it is fundraising, as
the open-water route is curated to mimic the migratory patterns of Coho and other species of indigenous salmon. Given the time of year and the environment, wetsuits are mandatory for the swim.
The 14km Coho Run will not be a feature of the 2024 event and is instead set to be resurrected in its full post-pandemic form in 2025.
When not taking a dip, grabbing a bite, or listening to the live bands onstage, eventgoers can peruse the stands to learn more about the society’s work and the importance of salmon conservation. Guests of all ages can even get up close and personal with a variety of live fish provided by Fisheries and Oceans.
Of course, this all is to fundraise for the variety of salmon-centric initiatives The Coho Society facilitates. President Tony Wachmann takes great pride in the work he has been involved in over his many years on the board. He specifically loves the highly local nature of their efforts.
“We are always on the North Shore,” he says. One such effort is the channeling of funds into both the North and West Vancouver
branches of Streamkeepers.
“Some people think we’re Streamkeepers,” says Wachmann, as he explains that the Coho Society is solely a contributor to the organization, rather than a branch of it.
The Coho Society is also a dedicated sponsor of the Seymour Fish Hatchery.
“(We) help as needed.”
In addition to distributing goods and funds, education is a large part of the Coho Society’s work. Throughout the year, they send volunteers into SD45 schools to teach students about local salmon cycles.
The board also grants a $1000 scholarship to a university-bound student who displays a passion for conservation. In the 2024 grad season, they were faced with a very welcome predicament: three such students met their criteria. Thus, three scholarships were granted.
For students approaching that hectic and
momentous time, the Coho Society can be an excellent outlet to complete required service hours.
The society has existed long enough to see former schoolchildren visited by volunteers grow up and volunteer for the society’s events and education initiatives. Like the salmon cycles they teach about, this is also a deeply meaningful cycle to Wachmann.
To learn more about the Coho Festival, its sponsors and activities, as well as the Coho Society’s other events and initiatives, an arsenal of information is available at cohosociety. com. Online registration for the Coho Swim can be found on the site and is open until September 5.
Rose Lepin is in the third year of her Bachelor of Media Studies at UBC. When not studying, she can be found reading, walking through her neighbourhood, or singing in the UBC varsity a cappella group, Eh? Cappella.
Photos: courtesy of the Coho Society Volunteers hard at work at the 2018 Coho Festival BBQ.
The start of the Coho Swim.
Photo: courtesy of Ron Den Daas Squamish Nation blessing of the salmon.
The ferries changed how Howe Sound sounds
BY Bruce McArthur
The Indigenous name for Horseshoe Bay, Howe Sound’s sheltered cove, is ch’xay or Chai-hai. This describes the sizzling sound made by small fish foraging along the shoreline. The small fish are long gone, and over the years, the sizzling sounds have been replaced by the droning rhythms of engines and the whine of tires on pavement.
Our family moved to Horseshoe Bay in 1942. I was 5 years old, and docked in my memories is the evolution of the bay’s sounds. Some days, if I listen closely, I can still imagine the sounds that echoed through the quiet bay in the ‘40s and ‘50s as the water taxis ferried their passengers to isolated destinations up the sound. You could hear frogs croaking, bees buzzing, and on occasion, the Naval Reserve Band marching from their temporary post at Whytecliff Lodge, to the intersection at the top of the hill.
The early water taxis were soon replaced by a newer breed of passenger vessel that served up a variety of louder whistles and grunts. On Sunday evenings, a sound treat was provided by a hard-rock miner headed to Britannia Beach. The bay would vibrate from the unique squeal of bagpipes playing from the deck of the Bonabelle as it disappeared up Howe Sound.
The passenger ferries were soon replaced by car-carrying ferries that gradually mutated to today’s monster ferries. The soundscape is now dominated by their loud hum and the buzz of vehicle traffic that is gobbled up and regurgitated at the Horseshoe Bay Terminal. As a youth, I was close to these sounds because I spent time on the docks
earning change in various ways: I delivered papers for Bowen Island, helped with mooring the small ferries and carried passengers’ luggage between the ferries and the Pacific Stage Line’s bus to Vancouver.
In my late teens, I worked at Black Ball Ferries as a dockhand, adjusting the tidecompensating ramp to the ferries. It was a noisy pulley and cable system operated by a grinding electric drive motor. There was a separate drive for the apron at the end of the ramp and the metal plates on metal decks produced a rhythmic “clack clack” as vehicles entered and exited the ferries.
On my first day alone on the ramp, I neglected to pull down the barrier that was to stop the foot passengers. Five of them started screaming and running to catch the departing Bainbridge. I yelled to the mate on board, who said, “Raise the apron and we’ll come back in to get them.” In my panic I pushed the down button with the five passengers still on the apron and I momentarily forgot that you had to hit the stop button before you could successfully engage the up button. I did not dump anybody in the drink but the last person off the apron was on his hands and knees.
The decks of the early ferries were quite low and low tides created a challenge because the shore to ship ramp angles were very steep. One logging truck created a mess in Gibson’s Landing because the driver went down the steep ramp and used only his tractor brakes. The trailer with its weight of logs on the ramp pushed the ferry out and dumped the load and trailer into the water. This resulted in a new tie-up procedure being initiated for the ferries.
And then there was the time the Bainbridge Ferry ran up on a log boom in the
fog. It didn’t have radar yet and relied on the echo return of horn blasts to signify objects of concern.
I also worked as deckhand on the SS Smokwa. It was a cool steamship with a hot engine room, and I swear that the engineer and oilers kept this the tidiest in the fleet. Because of steam, the Smokwa had the most unique whistle/horn and its “bwaap-bwaapbwaap” as it left the terminal never seemed to intrude on the quiet of the bay as much as the hoots from the other ferries.
For a short time, as a young adult, I worked as a ticket agent at BC Ferries, until other adventures called. Despite any uncomfortable interactions with the ferries, the
docking mechanisms or the public, a bond developed between the small group of ferry terminal employees, and I have fond memories of how close a team we became.
Looking back, I realize I paid little attention to the impact of the demolition of Keith Road and its adjacent properties for the original ferry terminal expansion. As I age, I feel more connected to the natural elements of our landscape and have a greater appreciation for its benefits. My fears for Horseshoe Bay drew me to protest the terminal and highway expansions, and I mourn the loss of the low sizzling noise that small fish once made along the shoreline.
Long before AI was used to manipulate images, John Aylward loaned Chris Adshead this photograph of Horseshoe Bay in the 1950s. The original photographer is unknown. The print had been heavily folded and creased. Using his then-current (circa 2013) Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 program, Chris was able to restore the image. It is an interesting study showing the village’s many changes over the decades.
Photo: courtesy of Chris Adshead
ISummer is waning
t is that time of year when our garden thoughts must turn to preparing for fall and inevitably, yes winter.
If you have a garden bed, look at your plants now and consider what interest they might bring later. Bobbing heads of Alium can remain attractive after they have faded if you help them stay upright.
Consider planting spring bulbs in containers, on balconies too, by layering. Plant later blooming bulbs deeper then sooner varieties, a few inches above, with maybe crocus last, closer to the surface. Plant shoulder-to-shoulder for the best effect. Read the package for blooming times. Remember too that most bulbs do well in shade.
Aerate lawns now, applying a thin layer (half inch or less) of turf mix soil and heavily overseed. You’ll be rewarded with a thicker lawn next year. Clear away moss as best you can.
You’ll still be harvesting fruits and vegetables but by the end of September pull up your tomato plants. Unripened fruit will ripen indoors.
Plant your peonies now. They like rich, well-drained soil, located in a sunny spot with a bit of afternoon shade. Plant two inches deep with the eyes pointing up and about three feet apart with a hydrangea as a companion or bearded iris in and around in the spring.
Gold-medal summer for Christa
BY Lindy Pfeil
Our own Christa Bortignon has done it again.
In July, she was selected as the best Canadian master athlete, in individual field events, by Canadian Masters Athletics (CMA). This is the sixth time that Christa has received the Olga Kotelko Award, named in honour of the late Olga Kotelko, who held more than 30 world records, and who went on to win more than 750 gold medals in the age 90-95 category.
On Saturday, July 27, Christa competed in Tumwater, Washington at the Washing-
ton State Senior Games. In 2023, almost 1700 participants between the ages of 50 and 100+ competed. The games have taken place every year since 1997 (with the exception of 2020, due to the pandemic).
Christa competed in track events, jumping events and throwing events in the age 85-89 group.
“I competed in seven events and won seven medals,” Christa says.
These included five gold medals in the 50m and 100m track events, long jump, triple jump, and discus, and silver medals for javelin and shot put.
We are so proud of you Christa.
If you have lavender don’t be tempted to shear it back now. Just clip off the wispy bits and wait till February to cut back a couple of inches.
Prepare beds in mid-October with a good layer of mulch, maybe of leaf mold (decomposed leaves). This will result in a great soil conditioner in the spring. Roses especially do well with a good mulch of this type. Any other weed-free composted ma-
terial is good.
A favourite tree is Stewartia. This is a relatively slow growing lovely woodland tree with lush green leaves in spring and white, camelia-like flowers in May/June and very colourful leaves in the fall.
Enjoy your garden!
Photo: courtesy of Attilio Bortignon
Christa on her way to another long jump record at the Washington State Senior Games at the end of July.
Doubles by the Shore tournament is a smash hit
BY Jan McCaffrey
The West Vancouver Tennis Club’s (WVTC) 2024 Doubles By The Shore tournament was a resounding success, with a sold-out crowd and spirited community support and sponsorship. Held under sunny skies, the event saw intense competition across eight doubles categories, all viewable from the clubhouse deck.
Brenda Brown, Real Estate Advisor with the Rennie Group and Grand Champion Corporate Sponsor, dazzled on the court with partner Marina Alexander, securing the 4.0 Women’s Doubles title. In the Men’s 4.0 category, Gavin Ritson and Karlos Pro-
WMICHAEL BERTON
kopuik successfully defended their championship from last year.
Now in its tenth year, the tournament was not only about fiery competition but also celebrated community spirit, thanks to the WVTC’s dedicated organizers and sponsors.
“2024 was one of our best years yet,” remarked head coach, Paul Tournquist, highlighting the enthusiastic turnout and vibrant atmosphere.
With the club gearing up for its centennial in 2025, the Doubles by the Shore tournament remains a key event in the North Shore and lower mainland’s tennis scene.
Don’t delay estate planning
e are all getting older and, in many cases, looking after aging parents while assisting our children in getting themselves established. With all the demands on our time and attention it’s easy to overlook our own arrangements.
It is crucial to have a will – one that is up to date and correctly signed. Without one, you place your family in a potentially costly and expensive situation, subject to misunderstandings, disagreements and possibly litigation. Compared to these risks, the cost of obtaining proper legal, tax and accounting advice to draft a thoughtful will is well
worthwhile. If you are married or in a common-law relationship, draft wills together so that they work harmoniously at the time of either death.
Be wary of off-the-shelf will kits, as they are basic in scope and may not cover your unique situation. If you are not an expert, it is wise to engage the proper advisors. Wills cover your affairs only at death. While you are at it, take the time to draft powers of attorney (POA) that appoint a trusted family member or friend to manage your financial affairs should you lose the capacity to manage these yourself.
Finally, consider drafting a representa-
tion agreement. This is essentially a POA for your healthcare that appoints a trusted individual to make medical and care decisions should you lose capability. If you have adult children, consider sharing your estate plans with them so that they are up to speed with your choices and rationale. Full transparency will greatly reduce the chances of surprise and family conflict later. Your forethought might also prompt them to seek out advice to make their own estate plans.
Michael Berton is a retired senior financial planner living on the North Shore.
WVTC member Terry Godinho, Head Referee Mark Sun, and assistant Jan McCaffrey Photo provided
Local youth organization aids the community
BY Queeny Gong
During the last month of school, as a rising senior at Sentinel Secondary, I started collecting funds to donate to elementary schools in need. As the founder and president of Horizon Hope for Youth (H2Y) Foundation, I organized fundraiser events with my fellow classmates and used my spare money from swimming lessons and tutoring to wrap up the necessary funds. We raised $6000.
Horizon Hope for Youth is a youth-led registered non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC. Our mission is to aid underprivileged students in local communities through donations to their respective schools. Over the course of a few weeks, volunteers hosted fundraisers such as Krispy Kreme bake sales and trivia nights.
My initial motivation for establishing H2Y came after being crowned Miss Teenage British Columbia, in April 2023. Before entering Miss BC, I had little idea about pageants. I had always watched them on
TV but never thought I could actually participate in one.
Although I lacked confidence, I thought it would be a great way to meet new people and try something outside of my comfort zone. For my platform, I chose to speak about the importance of physical and mental health.
I volunteered at swim clubs to help younger swimmers maintain a diligent lifestyle through sports. In addition, I participated in a multitude of community events, including RBC Race for the Kids, Italian Day, and Shoppers Run for Women. There, I was fortunate to be able to speak about my platform and act as a role model for other teenagers in my community.
What I love about growing up in West Vancouver is that, although it’s recognized as a small city, its rich culture and strong sense of community create a sense of belonging like nowhere else. With Grouse and Cypress Mountains so close by, I can ski in winter. And in summer I can enjoy the beautiful, breezy coastline just a minute’s walk from my home.
When my reign as Miss Teenage BC ended, I wanted to continue serving my community, so I created my own platform through an NGO. One of my long-held values, the importance of education, inspired my vision for H2Y. This led to the creation of my mission of helping underfunded schools, and I immediately began my work.
Over the course of a month, the organization raised $4000 on Go-Fund-Me and $2000 through Krispy Kreme fundraisers. I donated a portion of the funds to charities such as Make-A-Wish Canada and SickKids Foundation, another to Chartwell Elementary School in support of their United for Excellence Campaign, and the rest of the funds to LiangTouYang Elementary School in Hunan, China. Through these donations, my team and I successfully aided over 400 elementary students in my own community as well as an international community.
My experience in pageantry ignited my passion for community service, and I have learned much about myself throughout this process. The smiles from the students I encounter make all the work that my team and
I do completely worth it.
But it is not over just yet. H2Y plans to continue the work and expand further to help more schools and communities. The team is still working hard and has many new plans for the upcoming school year. More information can be found at h2yhopeforyouth.ca or by emailing queeny. g778@gmail.com.
Photo: Queeny Gong
H2Y volunteers donating $1000 to Chartwell Elementary School in West Vancouver.
A short history of the Nomads
BY Laura Anderson
Every Saturday morning for the past 60 years, a group of men sets off on their weekly run. Departure is 7:30 am sharp. Not a minute later. Ever. The group is the Nomads. And in the lead is Frank Kurucz, the man who brought fitness to West Vancouver.
By 7:32, they are streaming down the stairs to Centennial Seawalk at Argyle and 22nd Street, and the boulder with the plaque inscribed with Charlie Mayrs’ ode to his fellow runners.
Along this wall we runners glide, Embracing sun and sea, Respecting life and what it means, We celebrate. We’re free.
We’re thankful for this special place, Our home. Community.
And when we’re on our final run, We’re gone. Eternally.
Go back to 1960. Today, it’s almost impossible to imagine that an adult running on the streets would be considered eccentric. But 64 years ago, this was the case. Even so, they persisted.
Some had started running at lunchtime. For those who worked over town, Brockton Oval at Stanley Park became the gathering place. Charlie, for example, traded boozy lunches for a daily walk in the park. This was how he found his way to the oval, and a new life as a runner.
As befits all legends, there are multiple versions of the Nomads’ origins, but this is what I’ve been told:
Frank Kurucz had relocated from the YMCA over town to the YMCA in West Vancouver. (There was a Y in West Van? Yes, on Marine Drive at 17th Street, on the
northwest corner.) The Y’s fitness program, prior to Frank’s arrival, was minimal. There was basketball and a few health-conscious individuals knocking out a solo workout or throwing a ball around at lunchtime.
Being active was the foundation of the Kurucz approach to fitness. The point is not to win or even to keep up. The point is to keep moving.
In the YMCA’s small activity room and on the streets of West Vancouver, Frank applied his approach to fitness – common today, innovative then – alternating calisthenics with stretch and strengthening exercises. Nowadays, it’s known as interval training.
Running was a natural extension of Frank’s fitness philosophy. The first challenge was to get the guys outside. He proposed a lunchtime running program: a round trip from the YMCA to John Lawson Park, all of two blocks.
The reaction, “No way,” was emphatic but this turned out to be futile. Once someone committed to the running group, no excuses were accepted, ever.
“No one ran in those years,” Arthur Mudry recalls. “Drivers honked at us and shouted insults from the safety of their cars. One day, I had a deadline to meet, so I didn’t go. I got a phone call from Frank. Where are you? Are you coming or am I coming to get you? I went. That we continued, and thrived, was all due to Frank’s capacity to engage anybody and everybody.”
The group progressed, running east from the park to Thirteenth Street, increasing the distance to 10 blocks. Before long, the group ran Tuesdays and Thursdays, from the Y to the Capilano River and back to base. The Nomads consider themselves the first organized running group on the
North Shore.
The tradition of the Saturday morning run began when Frank moved from the YMCA to the West Vancouver Recreation Centre. By then, the original group, including Conway Chun, Ted Hadley, Gareth Hughes, Fred MacDonald and Art Mudry, and the newcomers, had named themselves the Nomads.
Launching from the seawalk, they ran a different route every week. East to Ambleside, over the Lions’ Gate Bridge and around Stanley Park, back across the bridge, up to the Cleveland dam and back to the rec centre, they ran, rain or shine. Followed always by breakfast.
As running took off, so did the Nomads, expanding over the years to about 40 runners. Most lived in West Vancouver, others came from all over the city to join the weekend run – and breakfast. They came for fitness and stayed for the camaraderie and lifelong friendships. Not everyone made the cut, however.
To become a bona fide Nomad, each man accepted three rules. The first, “no dogs, no kids, no vimmen,” was amended in later years to include “no cellphones.” The second rule was that Saturday morning
Photo: courtesy of John Moir
Mike Foster (front), Angus Wilkinson (L) and Carl Hunter (R), Rob Williamson and Charlie Mayrs (rear).
Photo: Laura Anderson
The legendary Frank Kurucz.
45 years of funding community projects
BY Denise Howell
On June 10, the West Vancouver Foundation proudly celebrated its 45th anniversary at the West Vancouver Yacht Club. Guests included the foundation’s current and former board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and fund holders. They came together to honour and celebrate the foundation’s impact throughout the years, but also to look toward the future and the foundation’s vision of building a healthy and vibrant North Shore, where everyone is valued, contributes and feels they belong.
Speakers included a welcome and storytelling by Elder Linda Williams; board chair Naomi Denning; past board chair and local philanthropist Nancy Farran; and president of Community Foundations of Canada, Andrea Dicks.
The West Vancouver Foundation has been bringing people together to inspire and steward local philanthropy and support community initiatives since 1979, when then Mayor Derrick Humphreys brought togeth-
runs began at exactly 7:30 am. The third, and most important rule, was “be prepared to be made fun of….” These rules, fundamental to the culture of the Nomads, are still enforced after 60 years, though most of the runners are now walkers.
The Nomads weren’t just running, they were training. “We weren’t focused on competition with other running groups,” says Charlie Mayrs. “We ran for enjoyment, but we were always in the top half in racing, fighting for the top 10.”
er local community leaders and philanthropists to form the first Board of Directors.
The first community foundation in North America was founded in 1914 in Cleveland and was born from the idea of pooling donors’ resources to address the community’s needs and have a lasting impact.
As a public charitable organization, the West Vancouver Foundation uses donations to support local charitable programs. With a focus on philanthropy, grants, and community insights, the West Vancouver Foundation supports the community through grants, scholarships, capacity building programs, a youth philanthropy council, and community insights.
There are currently over 200 community foundations across Canada, and annually they grant more than $375 million to local charities. The West Vancouver Foundation has 5+ annual granting programs that support charities on the North Shore, and 125+ family and charity funds. Family funds support causes ranging from funding the areas of greatest need in the community to issues close to the donors’ hearts such as animal
The Nomads ran individually, in their neighbourhoods, and all over the world. They ran together in Santa suits at Christmas, bringing carols and good cheer from care homes to the police station.
They ran in pairs and in teams: the James Cunningham Memorial Seawall race; the 24-Hour Relay at Swangard Stadium, the Haney to Harrison race. They ran on Bowen Island and at Whistler. They ran the New York Marathon, the Athens marathon, at the 1990 Olympics, and every year they ran
welfare, environment or seniors. Local charities that have funds include North Shore Rescue, Howe Sound Biosphere, Harvest Project and Hollyburn Community Services. Since its founding, the West Vancouver Foundation has granted over $13 million to charities across the North Shore.
the Vancouver Marathon.
The Nomads invented races – the infamous Battle of Rabbit Lane relay – for themselves, and for their community. They created the Masters Mile, a fixture at Community Day for 20 years, with race proceeds going to North Shore community services.
Frank’s average time for the Masters Mile was 6.47 minutes. He was proud of that record, and proud of the results of his work or rather, his mission: people living healthy lives.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can make an impact in the community and leave a legacy that helps create a more vibrant, healthy and caring community, contact the team at the West Vancouver Foundation at 604-925-8153 or visit www.westvanfoundation.ca
The Nomads continue to meet Wednesdays and Saturdays. Though most have slowed to a walking pace, the teasing and insults continue.
Running has given the Nomads health and fitness, lifelong friendships, and the fellowship that we learn, as the years go by, is priceless.
Thanks to Dave Brown, Barrie Chapman, Charlie Mayrs, Art Mudry, Tom Kurucz, Angus Wilkinson and all the Nomads for their contributions.
Photo provided
MC and Board Member, Darrell Ert, at the West Vancouver Yacht Club, a West Vancouver Foundation fund holder.
Sea to Sky Story Slam
BY Dhana Musil
With the generous funding of The West Vancouver Foundation, Erin MacNair and I hosted the inaugural Sea to Sky Story Slam at my Dundarave home in June.
Erin and I understand that the writing life, while enjoyable and therapeutic, can be lonely and isolating. We sit alone for indeterminate times, crafting pieces that, really, only come to life when shared with others.
Anaïs Nin said: “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.”
This is so true. We write and tell stories to make sense of the world around us. To come to terms with grief and desire and longings. Since the beginning of man’s time on earth, storytelling has been a constant: cave drawings, oral histories, folklore, it’s how we pass tradition and wisdom from generation to generation. It’s how we learn what’s underneath and inside our friends and neighbours, the people picking out bananas in the produce aisle beside us. Life is story. Everyone has a story.
The idea to host a story slam emerged when Erin and I attended the very popular Vancouver Story Slam, which, in its twentieth year, is North America’s longest running story slam. The ten storytellers were charismatic and engaging, and the audience members (close to 200 of them), engaged with the friendly competition, especially since it’s up to them to vote for the top three storytellers. The energy in that legion was one of camaraderie and community, and we knew we wanted to replicate something like this on the North Shore.
With the support of the West Vancouver Foundation, we were able to offer a lovely array of delicious snacks and award gift card prizes to the top three storytellers, a prize for the story that made us cry, the best line, and small tokens of appreciation for all the storytellers.
Both published and unpublished writers were in attendance. Some read, while some came for the sole purpose of being entertained.
Caulfield’s Kelly Lavallie read an excerpt from her book, Untying the Knot. North Vancouver’s Frances Peck, who also happens to be ambassador of the Federation of BC Writers, read from her new book, Uncontrolled Flight. Kailash Srinivasan, 2024
winner of The Writer’s Union of Canada’s Annual Short Prose Competition, read a beautiful piece about a boy growing up in India. The North Shore’s Jackie Bateman, author of multiple books, regaled us with a hilarious story about a scatological episode on a British train.
One reader said he felt like he’d found his people, and that he’d walked through a door into a place he never wanted to leave. Everyone agreed it was so much better than sitting at home watching Netflix. We laughed. We cried a little. We were astounded. We felt safe and heard and honoured. By the end of the evening, strangers had become friends. People exchanged contact information. Isn’t this what life is all about? To
share intimate moments with others. To connect. To hold space.
Our next Sea to Sky Story S lam will be held at the Delbrook Community Centre, where Erin is Artist in Residence. If you’re interested in joining our fall slam, tentative nights are set for Friday November 8, and February 7, from 7 to 9 pm. Registration is through the Delbrook Community centre.
Erin and Dhana also offer free short story classes, “Tiny Explosions: Writing Flash Fiction,” in October and January.
Participants in the magical storytelling evening, hosted by Dhana and Erin, at Dhana’s Dundarave home.
Photo provided
A night of celebration and fundraising for RCMSAR
BY Kevin Faw
On Thursday, July 11, the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue in West Vancouver hosted the latest version of Dinner on the Dock, a fundraiser in support of Station 1. The warmth of the day and the evening breeze on the Horseshoe Bay pier was sublime. The guests arrived dressed in their summer best and brought a celebratory vibe to match. The drinks were cold, the food was incredible, the stories we shared created new connections and refreshed old ones, and the sound of music and dancing lit up the dock to the end of a truly magical evening.
Events like this do not come along every day, where so many stars must align to bring it all together. But when they do, it is a privilege to be a part of it all and some thank yous are in order.
On behalf of RCMSAR Station 1, thank you to each and every one of our guests and
donors. Your generous contributions are what enable us to continue our mission in service of our community.
To our sponsors, thank you for aligning your brand with ours. We are proud to partner with you and without your support Dinner on the Dock would not be possible.
To our event supporters, who provide everything we need to host 300 people for dinner… outdoors… on a dock... thank you.
To the Horseshoe Bay and West Vancouver community, thank you for allowing us to serve and to give where we live and for allowing us to put on this wonderful party.
And finally, to each of the RCMSAR Station 1 crew members, support members, and their family and friends who come together for 24 hours to make this event happen, thank you.
We look forward to doing it all again next year.
Serving dinner required some careful maneuvering.
Photos provided
Without donors and sponsors the Dinner on the Dock fundraiser would not be as successful as it is.
IBrighten up your day with cock-a-leekie soup
t was yet another cold, wet, West Vancouver day and James and I were both tired of wintery weather.
“It’s almost as bad as Scotland!” he complained.
An idea came to me: we’d make cock-aleekie soup, the traditional national dish of Scotland. That would buck us up!
I looked up the recipe on the internet and that’s when I discovered that the soup had a history, dating back to Rome and Greece in the 1st century AD. Later, during the many wars fought between Scotland and England, right through the 18th century, Scottish soldiers in the field would cook cock-a-leekie soup in pots over campfires, if they were lucky enough to be able to steal an old rooster and veggies from the locals.
Well, thankfully we wouldn’t have to resort to theft, I thought. It would surely be easier for us, in 2024, to get ingredients from Fresh Street Market.
But I was wrong.
Leeks, celery, carrots, prunes and rice were no problem. But Fresh Street was less helpful when I wanted an old, or at least a mature chicken. Preferably a rooster. Their meat department doesn’t deal with oddities like that. The best they could offer was a plump, succulent 3.1-pound chicken. This full-breasted beauty wouldn’t contribute the gamy flavor of an old cock, but we soldiered on.
Hours later, the chicken, stewed with broth and layers of veggies, was falling off the bones. We discarded those and, with some trepidation, added chopped prunes to the steaming pot. It looked and smelled fantastic!
When it was cool, we wolfed down several bowls of the luscious soup, mopping them clean with hunks of bread. We licked our fingers. Bliss!
If we hadn’t been so full, we would have
danced the Highland Fling. Instead, we retired to the porch with a tiny tot of Scottish whiskey and laughed at the weather. Who can be dull with a bellyful of cock-a-leekie soup brightening their spirits? Nae body!
An Engaging Lifestyle Awaits
We’ll do it again, as soon as we have a whole day to make, enjoy and sleep off the pleasure of this Scottish treasure. Hoots mon!
convenience and stunning natural surroundings elevate the everyday. Just blocks from the ocean and mountains, and at the centre of a warm and vibrant neighbourhood, it’s the perfect place to call home.
ANNE BAIRD ANNE’S CORNER
Available for the 1st time in 18 years, #102 in The Heritage is a stand alone unit in this rarely available Central Ambleside o ering. The 2 bdrm, 2 bath plan boasts 3 outdoor spaces that are exclusive to the unit. The large east side patio o Solarium is perfect for a morning co ee while reading the paper but equally impressive is the large garden “walk out” o the Primary ensuite & 2nd bdrm. The Principle outlook is 33 ft across & framed of Floor to Ceiling windows. This gives o a ton of natural light and a ords exterior access from all principal rooms w. corridor views of Harbour & Stanley Park. Incl. H/W Flooring, Granite CT’s & open concept plan w. shopping, recreation, services, beach & Seawall only minutes from your front door. A must see turn key beauty!
Welcome to the Geographic gem that is unlike anything on the North Shore! O ering a truly unique experience, 5817 Eagle Island delivers maritime serenity nestled amognst a 16 acre Islander community. This shoreline archipeligo is host to 33 homes w. municipal services & infrasctructure that is only meters across the narrow channel by barge or boat. A classic “Pan Abode” artisan home where pride of Ownership takes center stage and o ers an e cient & tastefully updated 3 bdrm,1.5 bath layout on one level that is framed by zen gardens, walkways, mountain vistas & custom features throughout making clear why the gift of living here is so special. Schools, recreation & community center are only minutes from Eagle Harbour making this a must have lifestyle choice.
Located in this coveted Upper Caulfeild Community, 5240 Meadfeild Road is 1 of only 3 homes with this incredible 2 story layout. Not only does it bene t from the “Non Strata” 0 lot line designation, it is completely level on the MAIN oor w. NO STAIRS from courtyard entry & garage through to the PANORAMIC View side walk out patio. This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom end unit has seen tasteful updates throughout and boasts a brand new roof, 2 gas FP’s, 9 ft ceilings upstairs & the rare possibility of adding a main oor bedroom. The privacy & setting are pristine w. The Ocean & Island outlook that are the hallmarks of SAHALEE living. Open Sunday June 9th, 2-4 PM
” - Franco
In the 15 years that I’ve helped my clients buy and sell homes here, I’ve always
In the 13 years that I’ve helped my clients buy and sell homes here, I’ve always felt that I’m not just selling a home, I’m selling a lifestyle. When I move someone into a new home, the process doesn’t end with me handing them the keys; I’m involved in connecting them with their new community - my community. I was fortunate to grow up in Eagle Harbour and my husband, in Horseshoe Bay. Our son and daughter learn in the same classrooms that we did at Gleneagles - it doesn’t get more local than that. Since childhood I’ve been familiar with the trails, parks and beaches that my family enjoys today. I feel very fortunate to have fashioned a successful career doing what I love to do in this beautiful area I call home and I would love to help your family buy or sell the West Coast dream... because I believe it is.
I feel very fortunate to have fashioned a successful career doing what I love to do in this beautiful area I call home and I would love to help your family buy or sell the West Coast dream... because I believe it is.
195 ISLEVIEW PLACE $2,295,000 LIONS BAY
This tastefully updated 4 bdrm / 3 bthrm / 2729 SF family home sits on its own private oasis with stunning ocean and nature views. Offering an ideal open floor plan with 3 bedrooms up, and rec room with 4th bdrm down.
8579 ANSELL PLACE $3,488,000 HOWE SOUND
This completely renovated luxury home offers 4 bdrms / 3 bthrms / 2806 SF and stunning ocean views. Main floor features an open-concept plan, along with a master suite and second bdrm. Double garage and large flat gated driveway.
This extraordinary 5 bdrm / 5 bthrm / 5661 SF residence sits on over half an acre. Main level boasts an open plan, gourmet kitchen and office. Upstairs is 4 or 5 spacious bdrms. Downstairs offers a rec room, gym, sauna and hot tub.
405 TIMBERTOP DRIVE $1,999,000 LIONS BAY
35 PERIWINKLE PLACE $3,188,000 LIONS BAY
This 3 bdrm + office / 3 bthrm / 3000 SF masterpiece sits on a desirable cul-de-sac. Exquisite finishes and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout showcase the stunning panoramic views and an expansive deck leads to the jacuzzi and pool.
4619 CAULFEILD DRIVE $4,288,000 CAULFEILD
This 3 bdrm / 3 bthrm / 2,586 SF West Coast contemporary home sits at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. Featuring an ideal floor plan with 3 bdrms up and rec room on the lower level. Completely private with beautiful ocean views.
60 PANORAMA ROAD $2,495,000 LIONS BAY
This completely re-imagined Lewis Post and Beam residence was House & Home Magazine’s 2021 award
4711 WESTWOOD DRIVE $2,998,000 CYPRESS PARK ESTATES
This 4 bdrm / 4 bthrm / 4600 SF family home, perched on a large 13500 SF lot, boasts the perfect blend of elegance & comfort. Main floor beckons with a large kitchen and family room that seamlessly flow out to a private patio.
This 4 bdrm / 5 bthrm / 4426 SF completely renovated residence stands proud on a sun-drenched expansive corner lot. The main floor unveils a gourmet kitchen seamlessly merging into a family room and connecting to a serene backyard.
5732 WESTPORT COURT $3,400,000 EAGLE HARBOUR
This 5 bdrm / 4 bthrm / 4211 SF home on a 17050 SF lot is an entertainer’s dream. Beautifully renovated, it boasts 4 bdrms up, a ground-level full basement a gourmet kitchen on the main leading to an outdoor kitchen with gazebo. SOLD SOLD SOLD
