Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful week and an amazing holiday season. Although this year may have been different than usual, hopefully you found new and creative ways to visit, stay in touch and celebrate each day with friends and family.
The Families in Need campaign hosted by the Halfmoon Bay Community Association was an amazing success and far exceeded what was originally expected. Jay Davis coordinated the campaign and reported the final total was $8,725. Jay said, “These donations helped us deliver Christmas stockings, gifts, toys, clothing, and food to families in Halfmoon Bay. The donations will also fund the food program at Halfmoon Bay Elementary until next December. Children who arrive hungry at the school will be offered a nutritional breakfast to get them off to a good start.” A heartfelt thank-you goes out to all the amazing volunteers and little helpers as well as a huge thank-you to Jay for working tirelessly to make this campaign such a great success. And thank-you to everyone who donated during a time when your help was needed the most.
The Halfmoon Bay Citizens Association may not have had much exposure in the community, and some may not know they exist, so one of their board members provided some insight into how they began and what they do.
The HBCA is a group that focus on a specific function of care for our environment. Since its incorporation as a non-profit society in 1999, the HBCA has taken on other environmental causes: tackling the spread of invasive species like Scotch broom and Japanese knotweed; supporting groups with copacetic interests such as the Sargeant Bay Society, the Trails Society, the Sunshine Coast Wildlife Project, and the Ruby Lake Lagoon Society; sponsoring workshops on invasive species, publishing brochures, and bringing in speakers to its AGMs with expert knowledge to share about aspects of the Sunshine Coast environment. One overflow meeting was concerned about summer drought and the perennial water shortage on the coast. Internationally known writers Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein were in the audience that night and became members of the association. The HBCA has lobbied local government to build bike and walking paths in Area B and contributed to the Official Community Plan. It has lobbied the SCRD to curtail commercial use of the Coopers Green boat launch ramp to preserve the park for community recreation. It is in the process of signing an MOU to oversee the Homesite Creek Recreation Area and has backed a community initiative to improve access to properties along Silver Road. Its advocacy and action orientation distinguishes the group from other Halfmoon Bay organizations in Area B but its members are every bit as community centred. For more information and to become a member, send an email to [email protected].
Be safe, be gentle and always be kind.
Have your “Say at the Bay,” please contact me before 5 p.m. on Mondays. [email protected].
