Victoria A.M. greeted cruise passengers for almost 40 years
A group that welcomed visitors coming off the cruise ships to Victoria while dressed up in Victorian and Edwardian attire for almost 40 years recently held their first reunion.
Formed in 1983, the Victoria A.M. Association was made up of downtown business-people who would get up in the wee hours to attend their weekly early-morning networking meetings.
“Some would moan and groan about the early time, but I would tell people that the meetings were worth getting up for,” said Diana Shnider, a long-time member of the group. “I would get up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready for the meetings.”
The group took on the role of goodwill ambassadors for the city. Apart from greeting visitors at Ogden Point, they also commissioned large wooden signs on the side of highways leading into the city, which still stand today.
One of the members who owned a flower shop came up with the idea of the annual Victoria Flower Count. She also donated yellow roses for the greeters, who would pin them on visitors — so that staff in downtown businesses could quickly identify customers who had come off a cruise ship.
The reunion attracted about 50, who reminisced about the thousands of visitors and hundreds of ships that they had welcomed. They welcomed their last ship in 2020, just before the pandemic took hold.
A group of six members: Rod Burkhart, Val Smith, Mary-Jane Posno, Janna Ginsberg Bleviss, Ian B. Lawson and Gail Poole greeted visitors disembarking the Explora 1 on April 17 for old time’s sake.
“It was an incredible experience meeting and greeting cruise ship passengers,” said Shnider, who is on the reunion committee. “And a lot of memories.”
Victoria Foundation funds Indigenous priority projects
The Victoria Foundation will distribute $506,000 in grants through the Indigenous Priorities Fund, a newly created pilot program that will support social, cultural and legal infrastructure for Indigenous communities in the capital region.
The fund, which was announced on Tuesday, was developed by the Foundation’s Indigenous Granting Advisory and will prioritize Nations, followed by Indigenous organizations, to support priorities they have identified within their communities.
A total of 17 applicants — four local Nations and 13 other applicants — received funding for programs that reflect Indigenous values and priorities.
“This new initiative builds on the Victoria Foundation’s ongoing relationship with Indigenous communities and on the recommendations of the Foundation’s Reconciliation Task Group,” said Sandra Richardson, Victoria Foundation CEO. “We wholeheartedly support the important work of the grant recipients, and we recognize and respect that it is essential for this process to be Indigenous led.”
The funding for the grants was made possible through several of the foundation’s Community Action Funds and discretionary funds, along with donors with a special interest in supporting Indigenous communities.
The program resonated with grant applicants, with demand exceeding the available amount fourfold.
For more information, including a list of grant recipients, go to .
Artists work their magic on doors for Habitat
A door is the entrance to a house. But at Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s Open a Door charity art auction, it can also be the door to affordable home ownership.
Dozens of once-ordinary doors have been transformed into visions of a brighter future and symbols of new possibilities by a group of local artists.
The artists were given doors from one of the non-profit organization’s ReStores, with instructions for the artists to create anything they choose with the materials they selected.
Instead of a panel of judges, people get to decide their favourite, with the people’s choice award going to the artist whose door gets the highest bid.
“The door to affordable home ownership that Habitat Victoria opens is such an important one,” said Scott Dutchak, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Victoria. “We advance opportunities to transform forever renters into owners who attain true housing security.”
The doors are available for purchase by auction, from now until Thursday, May 23.
Pictures of all the doors are online and on public display during regular hours at Centre Court, Mayfair Shopping Centre, 3147 Douglas St.
To participate in the auction, go to
Toyota donates to Trans ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Trail
A major automotive manufacturer is setting its sights outdoors, with a $100,000 investment in the Trans ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Trail.
Toyota ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Inc. has formed a new national partnership with Trans ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Trail, with the donated funds set to develop and maintain the largest trail network in the world.
Spanning more than 28,000 kilometres, the trail runs from coast-to-coast-to-coast, connecting urban and rural communities through diverse landscapes.
In Victoria, an information kiosk — the Arthur Currie Green Pavilion — is located at the north end of Tyee Road (north of the Point Ellice Bridge) and lists donors who played a role in the creation of the trail.
“Trans ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Trail not only serves as the steward of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½’s national trail, but also plays a critical role in addressing climate and biodiversity challenges through their multi-faceted approach to environmental sustainability,” said Stephen Beatty, vice-president, corporate, Toyota ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Inc. “At Toyota, we are committed to operating in harmony with nature and we’re proud to partner with Trans ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Trail in their mission to connect Canadians with the great outdoors, through active transportation and lowering their carbon footprint.”
As a National Trail Partner, Toyota’s contribution will support ecological restoration, restoring damaged trails, ongoing trail care and pioneering research to build climate-smart trails with strengthened resilience.
The funding will also support key educational programs.
For more information, go to .
Experts offer tips on end-of-life planning
Learn about getting your affairs in order and discover your health-care options at an end-of-life planning event by two consultants in the field, held at Caffe Fantastico, May 2.
This free event, organized by Karla Kerr, End of Life Planning and Care, and Daralynn Wei of Orderly Affairs, is intended to provide information people need to feel informed and empowered about end-of-life planning.
Kerr, a licensed funeral director and end-of-life doula, will share both transparent information and practical end-of-life planning services. Wei will talk about advance-care planning.
The event runs 6:30 to 8 p.m. May 2 at Caffe Fantastico, 965 Kings Rd.
For more information, go to or .
New gallery named for art historian Roger Lee
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is recognizing art historian Roger Lee with the naming of the Roger Lee Gallery of Asian Art, in honour of his parents.
Lee has been a donor to the art gallery for the past decade, making his first donation of Yixing teapots to the gallery in 2015. The Asian Art gallery now showcases his collection of several hundred Yixing teapots.
“My gift is to honour my grandparents’ and parents’ successful struggle to immigrate, live and thrive in Victoria and ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½,” said Lee, a resident of Vancouver with strong family ties to Victoria. “I am grateful to the AGGV for housing my babies, my donation of the 350+ Yixing teapots, in their new home.”
Lee’s grandparents came from Toison and Poon Yue in Guangdong province, China. His paternal grandfather, Lee Due, came to ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ to work on the railway and later settled in Victoria. His maternal grandfather, Chow Suey Kay came for the gold rush and later set up a piggery around Colwood.
Lee’s parents Henry Lee and Marion Joe Lee were born in Victoria and attended Victoria High School. After their marriage, they moved to Vancouver.
The new Roger Lee Gallery of Asian Art opened on Saturday, April 27. It will house the gallery’s Asian art collection, featuring about 400 objects and works selected to showcase the breadth and diversity of the gallery’s collection.
For more information, go to .
