Rick Rake

It's true. Ag is big business. We took the Chamber tour.

Today Kathleen and I enjoyed the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce Agri-tour, better known as Agriculture is Big Business.  The six-hour bus tour with stops at Vedder Transportation Group, Van Belle Nursery and Ritchie Smith Feeds was well worth it.

Our mission was, according to the Chamber's marketing, to find out what makes Abbotsford the Agricultural Capital of Canada.  You may know that Abbotsford farms and agri-business create more than $1.8 billion for the city's economy and generates more than 11,300 jobs in the city.

So we got on the bus, watched a five-minute video and had the day outlined (on our bus at least) by Chamber vice-president and Agri Committee chair, Mike Welte from Farm Credit Canada.  He and Lavonne Bandsma offered wine and hat prizes for answering important trivia questions after each tour.  No, we did not snaffle the prizes.  Goldie was an organizer of the tour.

    
Our first stop was at Ritchie Smith where we donned safety equipment and were handed radios with earphones (because it can be a noisy place) so we could listen to the great things they are doing with feeds for various livestock. Just click on the link above to find out all about them.

 
According to Chamber info, Ritchie Smith, a privately owned local company, has provided high quality animal feed products to the Fraser Valley since 1968. They have a dedicated staff of some  90 employees including sales representatives, nutrition, manufacturing, delivery and general office personnel. 

Our tour guide was operations manager Leon G. Wamsteeker.

 
Here are some of the scenes we encountered along the way . . .

 
Filling the tightly-scheduled trucks with feed.

 
Internal operations.  Look at those screens.  Do you know where your Ritchie Smith truck is at this minute?

 
 
Some of the brass ... and key managers . . . the CEO is in the middle.

 
 
Checking out the high-quality feeds.

 
Time to move on to Van Belle Nursery.  We visited two locations there. What a huge operation.  We met some seasonal Mexican workers along the way.  We saw their accommodations.  Not bad!

 
 

 
Dave Van Belle was our amiable tour guide.  He loves his family business.

 
Van Belle Nursery sells millions of dollars in plants.  Costco is one of their big customers.

 
Ready for shipping ...

 
Bill Van Belle (at right) started this business with his wife in 1973. It is a wonderful success story. Ask him about it some time. The business began with just 10 acres of bare fields and a dream. Today, Van Belle Nursery includes growing space totalling 80 acres on three sites with customers across North America and a staff of growers, a sales team, and an office of leaders.

 
The sign shows you the last stop, Vedder Transportation Group.  Again click on the link above to see their story.  We had a wonderful lunch and tour here and listened to a speech by Richard Bullock, chair of the provincial Agriculture Land Commission (ALC). His job is to protect ag lands.

 
Mike Welte helps with the megaphone . . . we are looking at the Vedder Transportation Group rail division. The company operates a diverse fleet of 300 tractors and more than 800 semi trailers, employing hundreds of people.  The company serves as a liquid and dry bulk distribution partner to the world's leading food products manufacturers. This includes transporting more than one million litres of raw milk every day, 365 days a year, from local dairy farms to the processing plants.

 
Look into the Vedder tour crowd.  There's former B.C. agriculture minister John van Dongen (in the blue shirt)  He is doing a terrific job as Abbotsford South MLA.

 
Goldie and Lavonne from the Chamber make sure they have a teriific picture with a cherished member of the agri tour.

 
After our delicious catered chicken and salmon lunch at Vedder Transport, we listened to the passionate speech by ALC chair Richard Bullock about his job of dealing with thousands of applications to take land out of the agricultural land reserve ... not just in the Valley, but up north, too.  He said the Chamber's agricultural statement is bang-on. 

Bullock is a Kelowna orchardist and managing director of a large Okanagan orchard and agri-tourism operation.

He is active in industry organizations and has served as president of the BC Fruit Growers' Association, BC Tree Fruits Ltd., and Sun-Rype Products Ltd., and as director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. He is a former member of the British Columbia Marketing Board and the past chair of the British Columbia Farm Industry Review Board.

It was a great day of learning ... see you on next year's Chamber agricultural tour.  Yes, it is big business in Abbotsford.  The places we visited today were just the tip of the iceberg . . . so much more to see and enjoy.

Cheers.

 

Taking the Lede with $2.5 million namesake donation

 

As of today,  Abbotsford Canuck Place raised $9.8 million towards its second-phase target of $13 million for its children's hospice.

Making the news even sweeter, Dave Lede added $2.5 million from his family charitable foundation.

Now the 30,000-square-foot children's hospice I've been talking about in my last two blogs will be called the Abbotsford Canuck Place Dave Lede House.

 
I met Dave Lede and his son Richard (above) at the Canuck Place campaign launch this morning at the west end of the Campus of Care site (at the hole where the hospice will be built).  Both guys are remarkably humble and wonderful to talk to. Dave heads the Ledcor Group of Companies which is building Canuck Place in Abbotsford.

 
More than 100 people attending the announcement, some of the most generous in the community, were thrilled with Dave Lede's donation (as Canuck Place communications and marketing director Thomas Marshall directed traffic for the media).  Canuck Place enthusiasts may recognize hospice board chair John Rose (far left) and CEO Filomena Nalewajek.

 
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary shared his delight with the audience and even bowed deeply like a Judo master in honour of Dave's incredible generosity.

 
It took a lot of work to plan the on-location announcement that included tours of the site where Canuck Place will be nestled among mature trees.

 
More signage was unveiled . . .

 
More pictures were snapped . . .

The crowd listened patiently ... then dispersed.

 

Fundraising is just beginning publicly for Abbotsford Canuck Place.

The fun continues ... and social media rock stars like Kristi Ferguson, Caree Bray, Danielle Knowles, Teri-Lyn Conrad and their hard-working Fraser Valley Twestival crew are planning an event at Langley Cascades Casino on Thursday, March 24.

Click here for all the details and to buy tickets.  A podcast interview on the event can be heard here.  They will tell you in their own words what spectacular Twestival food and entertainment is on tap.

Cheers.

 

Mahogany at Mill Lake, Abbotsford Canuck Place: Wow!

 

Diane Delves is a trend setter in Abbotsford.  The CEO and president of Quantum Properties, the developer of the 26-storey Mahogany at Mill Lake, doesn't spend a lot of time in the spotlight, but when she does something, heads turn.

At last night's Abbotsford Canuck Place announcement,  Mayor George Peary told me Delves is setting the standard for highrise development in the community, and the $272,000 she committed to the children's hospice shows her incredible generosity.

No wonder George started to get emotional while he spoke to his audience at The Viewpoint yesterday.

My job was a simple one.  I played the role of master of ceremonies and made sure the media was well connected and well informed.  We kept officialdom to a minimum and allowed the many guests to do what they do best ... socialize, sip wine and enjoy delicious appetizers.  

Click Media Works enjoyed working with Delves and her professional Quantum Properties crew these past few months.  People like Bev Hasenpflug (VP of Design), Lisa Lowry (marketing manager) and Kristofer Hansen (senior VP and CFO) made sharing the Quantum boardroom an experience we will never forget.

Working from a laptop on the lanai of a forest house on the Big Island of Hawaii or a Seattle hotel room was always a source of entertainment for all of us involved in Mahogany's Canuck Place project.

You should see the suite at The Viewpoint put together by Bev.  You get 15th floor views from the windows and experience efficiency in how well a space can be put together.

 

Laurie Shopland, the Canuck Place campaign manager; Filomena Nalewajek, Canuck Place CEO; Diane Delves and Debbie Lehmann, executive director of the Abbotsford Hospice Society shared a few smiles with us.  Also there was Jay Teichroeb from the City, Councillors John Smith and Dave Loewen, and MLA John van Dongen.  Eugene Klassen from Matthew's House (another part of the Campus of Care) also enjoyed the event.

 

Yes, there was the great cheque presentation with Quantum senior management and Filomena . . .

 

The Viewpoint presentation centre was put together beautifully and on time.

 
Thank-you's were in order . . .

 

 The press release read lke this:

A commitment to provide $1,000 from the sale of each of 272 units at the Mahogany at Mill Lake development means Abbotsford’s future tallest building will have its stamp on the Great Room at the new 30,000-square-foot Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

Diane Delves, president and CEO of Quantum Properties, the developer of Mahogany, said Canuck Place is “an important addition to our growing city and region. The compassionate care that they provide will be a huge benefit to Fraser Valley families.”

 Abbotsford’s $10 million Canuck Place Children’s Hospice essentially doubles the capacity of the Vancouver house. It is being built near Abbotsford Regional Hospital on Marshall Road as part of a cluster of three hospice facilities called Campus of Care.

“We encouraged Canuck Place to build in Abbotsford when we first heard of their intention for a second facility. We believe the generosity of Abbotsford residents will assist in making this vision a reality,” said Delves.

 Details of the new relationship forged between Mahogany at Mill Lake and Canuck Place were announced at a special wine and cheese social at The Viewpoint, Mahogany’s newly completed presentation centre.

 Canuck Place CEO Filomena Nalewajek expressed her sincere gratitude to Delves and the Quantum Properties Group of Companies for their wonderful support of Canuck Place.

“We are so appreciative of this significant donation towards building the Great Room at our Abbotsford hospice – an inviting, multi-functional gathering space that will be used by the children and families who visit the hospice, along with Canuck Place volunteers and staff,” said Nalewajek.

 Abbotsford Canuck Place, now under construction, is just down the street from the Mahogany at Mill Lake project site at the corner of Gladwin Road and Bevan Avenue.

The Canuck Place Great Room sponsored by Mahogany will have enough space for up to 30 people. It will be welcoming and home-like, with couches, cushions, and upholstered chairs.

 In the evenings, the Great Room will be a respite for individuals or groups wanting to find a quiet place to read or relax.

 Once a week the Great Room will be used for Clinical Rounds, important meetings with care team members from every area of the hospice, joining the doctors and nurses to review the care needs of the children currently admitted to the hospice, those recently discharged, and those to be admitted next.

 
Refreshments were consumed.  People talked about the great promise of Canuck Place and the Mahogany at Mill Lake, and we all left with a little chocolate as a reminder of our visit.

 

Cheers.

Celebrating Christine Wiebe: Abbotsford's volunteer machine

 
 Jane Cooper (left) holds newly dedicated volunteer award named
in Christine Wiebe's (right) honour

When Christine Wiebe's adult son starting reading almost seven pages of her volunteer resume tonight, I wondered if anyone will ever be able to repeat her record.

If they even come close to it, they will likely be the recipient of a new Volunteer Abbotsford Award that will have Christine's name on it.  Jane  Cooper, executive director of the organization, was proud to make the announcement tonight at the "Celebrating Christine" event at The Reach Gallery Museum.

 
I've known Christine for some 28 years.  I even attended her wedding when she married Chuck Wiebe so many moons ago.

She was the executive assistant to such Abbotsford political titans as MLAs Bill Ritchie and Peter Dueck before she moved full-time into the world of volunteerism, playing key roles with Expo 86 and Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, the Spirit of B.C. and the 2010 Olympics.

 
Her friends, family members and colleagues watched an amazing PowerPoint presentation on the wall of The Reach where it was revealed she has touched the lives of some 1.3 million people, give or take one or two.

What else has she done over the past 35 years? Do you have a couple of hours?

She focused her energies on MSA Museum, Abbotsford International Airshow,  the 1995 Western Canada Summer Games in Abbotsford, the Disability Games, the Crystal Gala committee, and Heritage Fair.

 
She played a key role in the Clayburn Church restoration project, helped start Volunteer Abbotsford . . . and the lists goes on.

Christine said if people begin volunteering when they are young, "they grow with the community and form a good, strong base for that community.  There is a great deal of pride and satisfaction in being out in the community, mixing with the people doing your job and meeting needs within a community." 

At the moment Christine is the lead volunteer for the remarkable new Bakerview EcoDairy in Abbotsford.

It is said that her dedication, passion and commitment to Abbotsford is inspiring and contagious.  I know that is true.

So who came to help her celebrate tonight?  Let's take a look.

 
University of the Fraser Valley president Mark Evered, Volunteer Abbotsford president Doug Edgar and businessman Jati Sidhu were there.

 
Ron Price (centre), president and CEO of Abbotsford Airshow Society, came to wish Christine all the best.

 
Mark Taylor, the city's manager of parks, recreation and culture, posed with long-time news photographer John Morrow at Christine's celebration.

 

 Former Abbotsford mayor George Ferguson and his wife, Rea, attended.

 
Despite the resignation of Premier Gordon Campbell earlier in the day, Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen sang Christine's praises.

 
And of course John Morrow had to have one last pose with my wife, Kathleen, who thinks the world of Christine.  "She's one of a kind!"

If you want to be a stellar volunteer, consider this summit on Nov. 19 at the Ramada Plaza and Conference centre.

The world needs more people like Christine Wiebe.

Cheers.

Websters: Very best in B.C. journalism.

 

Alison Yesilcimen, Kelowna publisher turned entrepreneur, looks at her copy of a simple script and asks me: "Who is going to present the Webster? Who is going to say . . . and the winner is?"

Without flipping a coin, we decide Alison, my co-juror, will read the magical words for our category in front of a lively Hyatt Regency ballroom audience of 1,000. They've come to see who is the best in B.C. journalism for the 24th annual Jack Webster Awards.

I will present the glass hardware.

Webster is a legend in journalism. He died in 1999, but saw what the foundation named in his honour was doing to inspire quality journalism through recognition and professional development.

 

Today's blog is not about the winners, the compelling speech by Bruce Hutchison lifetime achievement recipient Jim Taylor or the wonderful words by guest CBC broadcaster Adrienne Arsenault (with her mischievous look and green dress on the big Webster screen).

 
No, this is a pictorial stroll  through the awards night with some light commentary along the way.  Awards nights are often about the food, the people, and the anticipation.

 
Yes, chicken was on the menu, but before that we shared a few special refreshments with the Webster Foundation trustees on the hotel's 34th floor.

 
 
We met some top students who represent the future of journalism.

 
We bumped into lead juror Helen Slinger (centre - recently named among the Top 100 influential women in B.C. by the Vancouver Sun) and  fellow juror Jerry Thompson.

 
And then the flood of familiar faces rushed in . . . Mike Harcourt and Moura Quayle.

  
Guest speaker Vaughn Palmer (with Mike Smyth) and his colleagues.

 
I shared a few sailing stories with journalist and Gulf Yacht Club member Nick Palmer (left, below) and  talked about social media with old friend and Vancouver Sun deputy online managing editor Paul Bucci.

 
We bumped into Simon Fraser University public affairs and communications boss Don MacLachlan.  His wife Barbara has a keen eye for photography.

 
Renowned musician Dal Richards was back at the Webster Awards.

 
It was time to move into the Hyatt ballroom where my wife, Kathleen, met former Conservative politician and senator Pat Carney.

 
Jack Webster Foundation executive director (and awards miracle worker) Nora Newlands took the time to pose with juror Iona Campagnolo.

 
Then the screens on either side of the Hyatt stage came to life as our hosts Tamara Taggart and Perry Solkowski approached the podium.

 
Co-juror Alison Yesilcimen and her guest, Bob Wilson, account executive with Rogers, were ready to be our table mates.

 
 
More meal courses were served and people started visiting again.  Our table was graced with the presence of Crystal Orchison of the Mission Record and her friend David Hoff, a Webster Foundation trustee.

  
When it was time to leave we ran into Greg Johnson (centre below) of Pace Group which years ago arranged Harmony Airways fam trips for us to New York City and Maui.  He was with a radio buddy and Paula Amos of the Aboriginal Association of BC.

 

One last embrace was left for Marlyn Graziano, editorial director for Postmedia Community Publishing.  She is one of the most upbeat journalism executives we know. 

 

Will you be at the Websters in 2011?  Cheers.

Mad dash for Dish and Dazzle fun

 
After throwing on a crisp white shirt, a colourful silk tie and my best dark suit, it was time to fire up the Mustang, pick up my wife and head to our first Dish and Dazzle fundraiser at the swank Vancouver Convention Centre.

The event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars through the B.C. Hospitality Foundation to offer support for members of the hospitality community who find themselves facing insurmountable costs brought on by serious health issues. Funds also supply scholarships and bursaries for students enrolled in hospitality programs.  It is a great concept.

Kathleen and I have to thank Coletta and Associates, a new Click Media Works client, for inviting us as guests to this incredible food and wine event.  Tickets are $250 each.  We were sure to bid on silent auction items and purchase raffle tickets for a Napa Wine Country two-night stay and VIP wine tour and tastings for two at some pretty interesting vineyards and wineries.

It was quite a networking night for us as we made our way into the various rooms offering food and wine pairings.  Another section of the convention centre was action central for the bartender shakedown, a competition among six of  the province's best mixologists, including Danielle Tatarin of the Keefer Bar at The Keefer; Simon Ogden from the Veneto Lounge at the Hotel Rialto; Shaun Layton from L'Abattoir; Lauren Mote of the Refinery; Shawn Soole of Clive's Classic Lounge at Chateau Victoria and pictured below, Jacob Sweetapple from the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.  

 

When we first arrived, we were offered some delectable treats from Yew Restaurant and Bar (below) and a sip of  Segura Viudas Brut Rose from International Cellars. If you want the entire lowdown on who served what food and wine, click here:  http://www.bchospitalityfoundation.com/events/dish-n-dazzle-2010

 

 
We spotted Chef Ned Bell (pictured below) of B.C. Belgian Endive fame, a company with Abbotsford roots.  He was busy building an endive treat for the Cabana Bar and Grille and The Waldorf Hotel featuring Spanish-style Salt Cod 'Brandade', oven dried Windset Farms allegro tomatoes and lemon garlic parsley.   

 

  
We met some wonderful food and wine industry people along the way, including Dana Lee Harris (below) who is putting together seminars for the Whistler Cornucopia event in mid-November.

 
We stopped for a shot of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, then moved onto the table of sweets.

 

 
For $180 in Seattle, you too can acquire a jacket like this one worn by esteemed Canadian Professional Bartenders Association director David Wolowidnyk (2008 Bartender of the Year).

 
We watched our bids on some of the auction items, mingled with the masses, and took the time to soak up the ambiance.

 

 
More nibblies . . . more wine . . . more good conversations . . .  and we started to say our goodbyes, in particular to our Coletta and Associates friends, Leeann Froese and Christine Coletta (with Kathleen on the right, below).

 
Still hungry?  Why not join us next year? 

 
Still thirsty?  Try this, but don't drive.  Cheers!

 

 

Here's a little country in the city: EcoDairy, Farm and Country Market

 

They say Abbotsford is the City in the Country.  Today at Bakerview EcoDairy and Nutrifoods Market on Sumas Way, Kathleen and I experienced a whole lot of country as we worked our way through the huge crowds to see what happens when you mix this new facility with the city's weekly Farm and Country Market.

It was very busy, but highly organized.  With an annual Christian school auction underway and Lepp Farm Market holding a special Fall Tasting event, it was surprising how many people left the comforts of their home to enjoy so many Abbotsford events in the warmth of the October sunshine.

 

Young fiddlers' sweet, toe-tapping tunes helped fill the air with excitement as we met so many friends, including marketing guru Tanya Curtis from the NutrivaGroup which oversees the EcoDairy and Abbotsford School Trustee Shirley Wilson (below). My wife, Kathleen, is squeezed in the middle.

 
Vintage vehicle displays, rides in a buggy pulled by Friesian horses, pony rides, cotton candy sales, and the full offering of the farmers market kept patrons amused on the 89-acre site featuring the first demonstration farm of its kind in Canada.

 
  
The Nutrifoods grocery store on the site sells the farm's unique Vitala milk and eggs products.

 
 
 
Clothing, jewelry, metal cutouts, honey, vegetables, and all those wonderful goods that farmers markets are known to carry were there.

 
Tall people, short people and costumed characters filled the parking lot.

 

I was particularly pleased to meet Jodie Jacobsen (below), sales and marketing coordinator for Tourism Abbotsford. 

 
If you haven't been to the Bakerview EcoDairy or Nutrifoods Market yet, you can explore it by clicking on http://www.ecodairy.ca/.  Some great videos are online to show you how the herd of 50 cows decides when it's time to be milked.

No matter how you look at it, today's Vintage Fair on the EcoDairy site is a stunning example of Abbotsford agri-tourism.

Cheers. 

  

Fall tasting at Lepp Farm Market: October sunshine

 
 
Pick a pumpkin . . . any pumpkin.  Halloween is on its way and the weather is sunny enough to keep most people from acting a little scary.

Kathleen and I hopped into the car today to explore local farm markets, and this was one of two stops that drew us in.  Stay tuned for installment No. 2.

Lepp Farm Market on Highway 11 between Abbotsford and Mission showcased a number of businesses outdoors, and it was a joy to network with friends and meet new people.  We at www.clickmediaworks.com and www.betweenthevines.ca love doing that.

Everything from hazelnuts to ice-cream, balsamic vinegar to Canadian Angus Beef was showcased and ready for tasting.

 

Abbotsford's very own Chef Dez (above) was grilling skewered Angus beef and mushrooms for a wine pairing with samples of red from Cedar Creek Estate Winery in Kelowna.

So at the same time we met Cedar Creek winery president Gordon Fitzpatrick who was very helpful with his wine knowledge.

Lepp Farm Market also offers cooking classes in its teaching kitchen inside, and we were thrilled to see a pamphlet listing some of the incredible people we've met over the years.  The full list includes Chef Dez, of course. 

There's Chef Jeff Massey of Restaurant 62, Darlene Tanka, Chef Travis Rea and Chef Ned Bell who has been doing some incredible work with B.C. Belgium endives, a farming operation based in Abbotsford.

We watched the crushing and weighing of hazelnuts, marvelled at the huge pumpkin offerings, explored the sandwich selection as we fought through the market crowds inside and finally relaxed in the sun at one of the patio seatings.

If you are from out of town and would like to visit the Lepp Family Market, the address is 33955 Clayburn Rd. You can email them at [email protected].

Below are just a few more of the fun images we shot during our visit to Lepps today.  Enjoy!  Cheers.

  

 
 

 

  

 

Katie Powell is going on a six-month world tour!

 

I was at Eat! Fraser Valley when I first met Katie Powell and her significant other, Evan Hunken.

My wife Kathleen was just finishing one of her wine shows on the Grapes and Hops stage at Tradex when we saw the young couple coming toward us. 

Earlier in the week Katie started talking to me on social media and I shared a few of my coveted secrets on how to make communications channels work in a community like Abbotsford.

"You don't mind wearing my sash and glasses, do you?" she asked me.  "No, of course not," I replied as friend Summer Dhillon, her good friend, and my wife were trying not to laugh.

Fast forward to Thursday afternoon when the social media channels were electric with news of her victory in the "Get Rid of Me" contest which earned her a six-month trip around the world through On the Go Tours based in the UK.  Video of her win was released in London on this link.

Thanks to Facebook/Twitter communicators like Goldie VanGarderen of Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce and Dave Farmer of MSA Museum, Katie's life-changing news was out in minutes on TNN (the Twitter News Network).

 
Katie garnered 35,646 votes for the draw to win.  The contest featured 1,300 contestants from around the world, and she hustled on Team Kevan like nobody's business.  She networked, went to community events, created her own website, designed custom T-shirts, and did her utmost to grab media attention.

The picture with her raising her glass was snapped Thursday night at MSA Museum during the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce monthly Connections event.  Katie, 22, is a graduate of Mouat Secondary and is the museum's PR co-ordinator. 

When I talked to her Thursday she was excited and was thankful for the support by her followers.   "I want to have a party for everyone who helped," she said. 

I suggested a bring-your-own beverage and food event.  She was thinking about The Rancho as a venue.  That's all to be determined.

Katie and Evan will keep a video diary of their travels, and I can't wait to see it.

Dave Farmer (the guy in the hat in the photo below) announced Katie's victory to a hearty round of Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce applause.

 

Congratulations Katie!  Your will to win is incredible.

Thanks for letting us share in your success.

Cheers.

  

Giving hope to others at Christmas: Offer a Toonie.

 
Look up at the guy on the right.  Recognize him? He is very well known in Abbotsford.  Now look below and see the guy on the left.  They could be the same person.  But sometimes I think Uultsje DeJong, above, is crazier about Christmas.

 

I met with Uultsje and Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce president Pat Sapielak this morning to find out how much he really enjoys the season and to hear of his message of good cheer in the community this year.

You will be hearing a lot about his first "Christmas - Legacy of Hope" campaign, one which will support the Abbotsford Food Bank, the Salvation Army and the Cyrus Centre.

Mark Dec. 3 on your calendars.  And I will tell you why later.

"For many, Christmas is a time of love . . . of family . . . of giving, but for others, it's a time of loneliness and need," said  Uultsje.

For his fundraising campaign he want us to come together in the spirit of Christmas "where we can each give just a little . . . we can accomplish so much and can affect so many lives by giving them hope."

His goal is to raise funds through a Toonie Drive with community partners and businesses.  Already the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre is welcoming the opportunity to partner with others.

"We will culminate this fundraiser with a Celebration of giving at the hospital on Dec. 3 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a by-donation pancake breakfast," he said.

 

Local dignitaries will be there to accept donations of cash, food and unwrapped gifts.

Get this ... for those of you who won't be able to drop in to have breakfast with the civic-minded partiers, there will be a drive-through service. 

So the man I know as a school trustee and leader with Abbotsford Restorative Justice is turning into Abbotsford's very own Santa with an idea to help established campaigns for those who particularly need help around Dec. 25.

"Your support and help over the next couple of months, through the collection of funds for the Toonie Drive, unwrapped gifts and food, promotion of the event, and encouragement of participation at your place of business will go a long way in helping us come together as a community to help our neighbours," he said.

It takes only one person to start a movement, and I think Uultsje is well on his way.  I encourage the local press to get involved.  I know other organizations like the police and fire departments have been asked for their support.

 

You can communicate directly with Uultsje by calling 604-614-3524 or emailing him at [email protected].  His co-fundraiser is Irene Chambers at 604-851-4700.  Email her at [email protected].

See you at the hospital.  Let's all make sure those in need in our community can enjoy the festive season and sit down to a delicious warm feast provided through generosity.

Thanks for listening.

Cheers.