FOSTERING A BETTER FUTURE: First Call, B.C.’s advocacy coalition of 95 provincial and regional partners working on behalf of youth and children, hosted its annual fundraiser. A record 550 guests converged at Fraserview Hall for the charity dinner that featured Canucks president Trevor Linden. While the former hockey player was mum on any NHL trades, Linden did lend his voice to the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»Foundation’s Fostering Change initiative to improve policy, practice and community connections for young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood. Fronted by Adrienne Montani, provincial coordinator of First Call, the event included an Indian buffet dinner, silent auction and Westjet raffle. Attendees then heard from “Captain Canuck” and a panel of youth leaders. The event generated a record setting $40,000 to support First Call’s ongoing efforts to ensure healthy outcomes for the province’s children and youth.
SEX TALK: Sexual and Reproductive Health Day, held yearly Feb. 12, is a national event designed to raise awareness and encourage dialogue about sexual and reproductive health issues. This year marked the 13th annual event, established by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Options for Sexual Health (OPT), Canada’s largest non-profit provider of sexual health services, information and education programs, presented its third SRH Day Breakfast at the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»Marriot Pinnacle Hotel. Yours truly emceed the morning affair led by OPT executive director Jennifer Brakespear. Katrina Pacey, executive director of Pivot Legal Society, was honoured with the organization’s Sexual Health Champion Award. Leading Pivot’s rights campaigns for sex workers, Pacey successfully argued the unconstitutionality of Canada’s prostitution laws at the Supreme Court of Canada.
EMBRACING DIVERSITY: In 2009, Rod Knight and Jeannie Shoveller from UBC’s School of Population and Public Health got permission to run a summer camp to collect research on sexual minority youth in B.C. Their findings endorsed the need for an outdoor camp experience that catered to the needs of queer, trans and allied youth, and drew on the strengths of existing community members and organizations. CampOUT was born. Six years later, more than 500 participants from B.C. and the Yukon have participated in the four-day camp program free of charge to develop leadership skills, build self-esteem, embrace diversity, while being themselves. Fully funded thanks to the support of individuals, corporations, foundations and the university, the organization, led by founding camp director Anna White, hosted its annual donor recognition event at Scotiabank’s corporate headquarters. Applications are currently being accepted for the seventh running July 7-10.
