FOKUS meetings (Focus On Keeping Us Strong) are held Friday mornings 10:15 to 11 a.m. at the PH Health Centre Boardroom. This week features Haida Bolton, author and forest therapy guide on Jan. 19 and next Friday, Jan. 26, Jennifer Edwards, a Health Centre nurse, will talk about programs available locally and share some of her favourite health tips.
PODS Trivia Night is this Friday, Jan. 19 starting at 7 p.m. at the Legion, $5 per person and maximum of six people per team. Contact Evan to RSVP at 236-989-9994. Come early, before 6 p.m. and enjoy fish and chips dinner.
Saturday, Jan. 20, the 42nd annual Robbie Burns Night at the Legion will include dinner, the Coast String Fiddlers and the Gibsons and Pender Harbour Pipe Bands. Poets Hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 at the Legion and Harbour Insurance.
The much loved Bargain Barn is open for business for the 2018 season. Come check out the amazing deals and by doing so help support the Pender Harbour Health Centre. The Bargain Barn’s hours of operation continue to be Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Thursday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The Pender Harbour Women’s Connection will be ringing in the New Year Jan. 23 at 9:30 a.m. with a Robbie Burns theme for their first gathering of 2018. The Suncoast Harp Ensemble, under the direction of Wendy Humphreys Tebbutt, will be performing Celtic pieces. Tebbutt’s background is in classical music and she has an extensive soprano career. She has also worked as an orchestral harpist with the Vancouver and Edmonton Symphonies. Margaret Skelley and Pamela Woods, both very experienced musicians, join Tebbutt in this ensemble. So put on your glad plaids and come out to enjoy a morning of Scottish music and homemade treats.
Kickboxing Against Parkinson’s is a new program being offered at the PHAFC Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 23 to March. Instructor is Lois Randle. This training is an exercise therapy recommended by the Parkinson’s Society as it provides increased mobility, steadiness, relief from depression and overall fitness. Exercises are non-contact. Phone to register 604-885-6866.
Sunshine Coast Trail Challenge begins the week of Jan. 22. Walk run, elliptical, cycle or swim the distances of the Sun Coaster Trail and Dakota Ridge Trails. For each section enter to win a prize.
Thursday, Jan. 25 Harbourside Friendships starting at 10:30 a.m. will host a joint discussion with seniors and elementary school students, with lunch at noon. Drop in $10.
Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival Midwinter Weekend Con-certs are set for Jan. 27 and 28. See page 31 and visit www.penderharbourmusic.ca for more info.
Sunshine Coast Health-care Auxiliary advises that they are again offering program funding through their Granting Program to Enhance Healthcare on the Coast. In their first year of operation, they were able to provide small grants to five community programs. This year their budget has been increased and they hope to be able to support more services. The application is at www.sunshinecoasthealthcareauxiliary.com under Granting Program.
The results are in and here are the winners of the most successful Polar Express Tour of Lights for best decorated homes. Garden Bay: #1 Rose and Brian Everett, #2 Len Lee. Madeira Park: #1 Virginia Anntilla, #2 Tanya and Richard Massullo, #3 Bruce and Donna Brown, #4 Rob Stiglitz and Cindy Schroeder. Honourable Mentions: Joy and Grant Ellert, Sheila Munro and Darren Morton, Patti Soos, David and Mary MacKay, Cheryl and Art Jensen, Shelby and Kyle Leach, Matt and Alana MacDonald, Ian and Jackie Grant, Decorated Star in Garden Bay. Two outstanding businesses, EarthFair Store, that wrote and sang a song for the Polar Express, and John Henry’s for lights and Christmas Craft Fair.
Contact me with your news Mondays before noon for the Friday edition of Coast Reporter at dilysanne@hotmail.com
