From Our President
The first time I read The Pender Post was more than a decade ago, while on holiday with my then-fiancée, who had spent much of her childhood summers on the Pender Islands.
I was a journalist in Toronto at the time, and it was perhaps professional curiosity that led me to pick up a copy and start reading.
What I found was not unlike the issue you hold today – a beautiful love story about community and social connections, written for our neighbours with an aim on detailing the active heartbeat of life on the islands.
I immediately turned to my partner and announced that I would write for the publication some day. That was 13 years ago. It turns out all I had to do was ask, and they gave me the keys to the whole shop.
I am very excited and incredibly proud to introduce myself as Matthew Coutts, the new president of the Pender Post Society, and editor of this fine publication.
I am almost certainly a stranger to many of our long-time readers. Though I hope not for long. My family has been proud to call Pender home for the past several months, but we have been islanders in our hearts much longer.
My wife grew up with salt water in her veins. Our children have been blessed by the same love of the ocean and are privileged to have spent much of their earliest years among the trees, beaches, and lakes of this natural wonder.
My heart was captured on that first visit, no doubt by the same inarguable majesty. But I was really hooked by the people and the life that had been built here.
It was the volunteers I met on my first trip to the Nu-to-Yu, and the Tru Value cashier when I was asked where I wanted to donate my 1%.
It was people like Annie Smith, my predecessor, who dedicated so much of her time and energy into building something wonderful at The Pender Post Society.
I met Annie only a couple of months ago, when we sat down for a coffee and a chat about volunteering at The Pender Post. As fate would have it, she had decided it was time to step away from the position after four years. And it wasn’t a question of whether I could help, but how much I was willing to help with The Pender Post.
I came away from that conversation with a better understanding of what it takes to make the Pender Islands the place I find so special. It takes passion to invest one’s energy back into the community. And it also takes a far more finite resource: time.
The Pender Post is a testament to this. It is filled with dispatches from groups that rely on neighbours standing up as volunteers, sitting on boards of directors, lending a hand when they can and coming out to attend – and enjoy – events of all kinds.
I am excited to join the fray and as I settle into my new role, I am thankful to the volunteers, staff, and contractors who invest so much of their time and passion into The Pender Post Society.
I celebrate the talent and dedication of everyone who has helped produce our beautiful monthly publication for more than 50 years, and the time they have committed to moving us forward, as our community does the same.
I am thankful to the board members who have been its stewards for decades and hold an encyclopaedic knowledge of both its history and the hard work it takes to make this thing work. And I appreciate the new faces that have more recently joined, ready to step up and contribute their own time and passion.
The next few months will be an exciting time for The Post. We will be unveiling our new website and the groundwork for some fresh and interesting ideas has already been set in place.
I am excited to learn about my new home as we continue to build and grow. Please feel free to message me at president@penderpost.org with any questions, ideas or recommendations – specifically any trails or landmarks I should visit in the days and weeks ahead.
In Appreciation
Much Gratitude to The Pender Post’s New and Retiring Board Members
I’d like to say a huge thank-you to three Pender Post Society executives that retired from their roles at the Society’s AGM in April, and to the three people that have stepped up to take on these roles. I’ve worked very closely on the last 25 issues with retiring President, Annie Smith. I’m going to miss our monthly sessions at her dining room table but am sure we have many years of friendship to look forward to. Thanks to Matthew Coutts, our new President and Editor, who I can already tell is going to be great to work with. Dianne Allison has served The Pender Post for decades. Angie Gray, who you may know from Tru Value, is taking on her role as Treasurer. We’re grateful to Dianne for remaining on the board and for staying on as our Subscriptions Manager. Karen Hardie has resigned as our Secretary and is leaving our board to give her all to the Nu-to-Yu where she is President. Gay Perry, who has been a valued member of our proofreading team, has volunteered to be our new Secretary. I’m also very thankful to Val Butcher. Like Dianne, she has been with The Pender Post since… well, for a loooong time. It’s wonderful to have some new faces bringing fresh ideas and energy to our board, but it’s also great that Val is staying on as our Vice President to share the insights that her experience gives her. Thank-you so much to those that have given so much to The Pender Post and to those that have volunteered to steer our publication into the future.
Thanks to Our Paramedics
Many thanks and much appreciation to the paramedics for helping Frank and me recently.
Special Notices
Scouts’ Cub Car Rally
The Pender Islands chapter of Scouts Canada held their first annual Cub Car Rally at the Community Hall on April 16. Scout leader Kevin Casteels prepares to send three speedy competitors down the track and into history.
Taoist Tai Chi
The Taoist Tai Chi Pender group (part of the Victoria Branch) recently enjoyed a well attended open house session. If you were not able to attend, you’re very welcome to drop in on any Wednesday at the Community Hall (upstairs) from 9:30 – 11:30 am to meet us and register for sessions.
People of all ages and abilities can benefit from this practice. Enjoy new-found strength, resilience and wellbeing this spring.
For more information, please contact us at 250-383-4103, or email victoria.bc@taoist.org
The Pender Island Labyrinth
After a large community effort in October 2017, the Pender Island Labyrinth, located at St Peter’s Anglican Church was opened with dance and song. May 3 is Worldwide Labyrinth Day and you are invited to visit and walk. Of course, any time is the perfect time to walk and spend time in quiet contemplation – walk slowly, centering the mind and spirit. Some people walk regularly and others visit once in a while.
Feel free to stop by and try your meditative skills on this labyrinth. Bring your island guests and give them something different to do on Pender.
Labyrinths are an ancient spiritual tool dating back to 430 BC. A circular path leads into a centre point, and back out again. The path can be presented in a variety of spiral patterns. Our Pender Island Labyrinth, 50 feet in diameter and outlined by curved cement blocks, is designed with generous pathways accessible to people with balance and mobility concerns. It is in the same shape as the renowned labyrinth set into the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France.
Pender Youth featured in Play Touring the Gulf Islands
The cast of music, theatre and dance students from Gulf Islands School of Performing Arts take a break from their rehearsal for Billy Nothin’.
Photo: GISS photography student Adelaide Jones.
Billy Nothin’
May 31, 1:00 pm
Pender Island Elementary/Secondary School
Tickets: Talisman Books
The Gulf Islands School of Performing Arts at Gulf Islands Secondary School proudly presents the theatrical production of Billy Nothin’. The written script by Sean Dickson is brought to life by the student-created fusion of dance, music, and theatre. This show is not to be missed!
Two Pender youth are involved: musician Nick Croft, and actor/costume designer Tayler De Bruin.
With his crisp shirt and clean chaps, Ben Tilli takes on the role of lead detective, investigating the death of something he may not even know the answer to and raising questions he’ll only find by looking back into his own past. Billy Nothin’ follows the struggles of identity and desire as the residents of the Saddle-up Ranch climb their own mountains of swirling chaos. With original music written by GISPA music students, original choreography by GISPA dance students and character and production elements created by GISPA acting students, the students of GISPA are proud to offer their production to the communities of Salt Spring, Pender, and Mayne Islands.
The talented GISPA students produced, choreographed, and composed music for Billy Nothin’ under the direction of Jason Donaldson (theatre), Sonia Langer (dance), and Mayne islander Michelle Footz (music).
Billy Nothin’ will also be presented at the Salt Spring Island Artspring Theatre May 28 and 29, 7:30 pm, and the Mayne Island Agricultural Hall, May 30, 7:30 pm.
Remembering
Jeremy Michael Barber
November 29, 1955 – March 14, 2025
It is with deepest sadness and a heavy heart, I announce the sudden passing of Jeremy after a brief battle with cancer. He signed off on his final adventure on March 14, 2025, at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, passing away just three weeks after a diagnosis of cancer. Jeremy, following some of his family, arrived on Pender Island in the late 80s. Over the 35 years that he came to Pender he was either a full-time resident or part-time. He thought he had arrived in paradise. He loved to sail around the islands, several times going under the bridge in his sailboat, always a nail biter. His best friend and life partner of 28 years, Shirley Raddysh, will miss and love him forever. According to his wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be a private celebration of life at a later date.
Harry Bracket
Celebration of Life
We will be gathering at the Pender Island Legion on Saturday, June 21, 12 – 3 pm. All are welcome.
Stories That Brought You Here
Marc Lesperance – Transformations
Having grown up on a dairy farm in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario, Marc Lesperance bore witness to Canada’s transition from small, family-owned farms in the mid-eighties, to the industrialized methods that exist today.
He watched as neighbours struggling to make ends meet were forced to sell their land to those aiming to amalgamate and modernize.
“Gone are the days when you think of a family farm as, you’ve got a few cows, some chickens, some ducks. We were the last of them,” he said in a recent interview. “You may find the odd one now, but most of the farming now is large, milking parlours where they’re milking a couple hundred cows.”
The stories he shares about life on the farm are replete with praise for his father’s wisdom and stories about how hard his family worked to make it successful.
Chores in the morning and night – even on Christmas Day – were just part of life. Perhaps his most memorable duty was tapping trees in the spring, the beginning process of making maple syrup for the family.
Lesperance was 17 when he made the decision to join the Canadian military. In basic training, then military school in Kingston, he discovered an element of military life he deeply appreciated – camaraderie. His duties while in the military consisted mainly of communications work. He eventually transferred to the West Coast partway through his military career.
This was a deeply transformative time for him. “I tend to say, I was raised in Ontario but grew up in Comox. I did a lot of growing there,” he said. But as time went on, he no longer identified with the military. After nine years, he officially resigned.
Lesperance would take the lessons he learned in the military and working the family farm back to school, where he planned to study geography, but ended up with a degree in psychology. While attending university, he held two different jobs to support himself, one at a crisis counselling line and the other as a radio DJ.
With very little prior experience, other than working at a community radio station during high school, he was the benefactor of great timing. “I was looking for a job, and one of the places I applied to was the local radio station in the town I was in,” says Marc about this serendipitous experience. “I applied on Friday, and the next Friday I was on the air.”
He would be a live on-air DJ for 91.7 Coast FM and 98.9 Magic FM, in the years that followed. What was it like to work at small town radio stations? “Did you ever see that show from the seventies, WKRP in Cincinnati? … That’s in a nutshell what the experience was like,” he explains.
He cherished working with a group of unique characters at the radio stations. There, he would find camaraderie, friendship and family. Eventually he would chart a new course for himself, working as a dispatcher with the RCMP. This would start to pave the way for a move for him and his partner, Andrea, to Pender Island.
You can listen to more of Marc’s tale on my podcast, The Stories That Brought You Here. (tinyurl.com/episode-70)
Spotlight
Each month, we’ll introduce one of the many groups, clubs, committees and non-profit societies that make our island community so special. Get to know them better as they answer our questions.
Three on the Tree
What is your group? What do you do?
Three on the Tree is an arts non-profit from Pender Island, BC. We strive to increase arts connectivity in the community by supporting performance events, providing education opportunities, and engaging the youth.
Our most notable event of the year is the Magic Lake Lantern Festival; however we also run youth camps in the summer, work in the school on arts education, run a variety of one off workshops, and fund special events like ZOOiSLANDER.
When was Three on the Tree started? What sparked it?
The group was founded in 2000 by Penderite Jackie Dandeneau and her husband who were both performers. They both had extensive backgrounds in clown, theatre, and pageantry and brought them to lucky Pender.
Do you hold any community events or run any special projects?
Right now, we focus on either big, one-off events like the Lantern Festival or ZOOiSLANDER, and then have a separate stream of youth programming. We see it all as something that works together though, with youth we have taught growing up to take on management in our events and teaching the next generation of Pender creators in our classes.
We’re always on the hunt to help sponsor or find funding for projects that engage less mainstream styles of creativity or projects that bring different ages and backgrounds together. This is what makes our community so special and we want to create projects and programs that mirror this.
When do you get together and who can join?
Our board meetings are few, around three per year, but we welcome volunteers and members at any time. We’re actually in the process of reinvigorating a lot of the ways we handle membership but anyone who would like to volunteer or get more info can reach out via email to threeonthetreeproductions@gmail.com, and ideas are welcome that way too.
Are any of the founding members still in the group?
The board and contract staff have changed but there are certainly still many connections. Just this last season Jackie sent a friend over to the festival and we had a lovely back and forth. There was a big group of young parents who were the key volunteers originally and since then many have moved away, but we still feel their support – sometimes in person, sometimes monetarily, and sometimes with promotions.
Do you need volunteers to run your group? Are you looking for more?
We are finding that volunteer burnout is a big deal on Pender at the moment, but we are very grateful for those who come out. We have only a few board members, numbering about five per year, but we have a pool of maybe 100 who volunteer in different capacities for events.
We really have jobs for everyone from creators to tech wizards, to photographers, set-up helpers – you name a job and one of our events or programs could use the assistance.
What gets your members most excited?
The thing that feels unique is the cross -generational approach to the arts and the way in which we see the youth growing. Seeing people of any age come into their own through their interactions with arts and culture is very special, and being able to fund projects that encourage this is very important to us all.
What’s in the future for your organization? Anything exciting in the works, or dreams you would like to fulfill?
Our biggest dream is to have a space – somewhere to hold our workshops and prepare for events. Space is a big limitation on the island and our storage is currently in two separate places; we are really limited with expansion because of this. We dream of a shared arts use space. Anyone with a lead on that please reach out and chat.
How can people get in touch with you?
Send us an email if you have questions or would like to get involved or follow us on Instagram (@threeonthetreeproductions) or Facebook (Three on the Tree Production Society and Magic Lake Lantern Festival) for updates.
Pender Post Past
May 1975
Thanks to an overwhelming demand I am resurrecting the Pender Post Past article. Okay, it was only two requests, but I am easily overwhelmed. In this article we go back 50 years to the same month that The Pender Post first published. Let us see what was happening on Pender 50 years ago.
There was a meeting to establish the Magic Lake Property Owners’ Society after a survey of residents showed that the majority were in favour of a Society. This same Society is still operating today representing the homeowners of Magic Lake. The Legion announced that it would hold regular monthly dances with the admission fee of $2. The Legion was also hosting a billiard tournament at the Legion Hall. The island was celebrating getting a 7:30 am ferry to Swartz Bay and people were requested to make sure to utilize this sailing or it could be taken away.
The Pender Post was established to serve the clubs and organizations of the Penders and one of those services included publishing the monthly calendar of events. In 1975, Pender had far fewer residents than now but many clubs and meetings would often be scheduled at the same date and time as another club. The Pender Post requested that all clubs on the island post their events on the calendar so that duplicate dates and times could be avoided and people would be able to attend all the events they wished.
An article in the Post focused on environmental issues, many of which we still grapple with today. While bylaws controlled how small a house could be, it was pointed out that people should be able to build the small homes that were becoming popular at that time and the restrictions should be on how large a house could be.
I used to finish this article by taking excerpts from Nep Grimmer’s Reminiscences from his days as a child on Pender but this month in 1975 they were omitted, with the promise to return next month.
Government
Islands Trust
Here is my report for the Islands Trust activities that I have been involved in over the last month. It’s been relatively quiet but a lot of progress has been made.
Chief Administrative Officer Performance Evaluation Policy Committee (CAOPEPC)
On Monday, April 7 we discussed the draft CAO Performance Evaluation Policy in detail and requested that staff work with us to create a draft timeline to be included for future reference to understand the scope and timing of the review process steps.
Trust Programs Committee (TPC)
The newly expanded TPC met on Wednesday, April 2 in a special meeting to continue reviewing the draft Trust Policy Amendments. We made great progress during that meeting and covered sections 3.4.19 to 3.5.22.
On Wednesday, April 16 we discussed the reports from staff on a number of items where we had requested additional information, clarity, or new policies to be drafted. The next special meeting on Tuesday, April 29 will be focused on the remaining requests to staff and a review of the Part 4 Implementation section of the Trust Policy Statement.
The decision on the annual allocation of funds from the Secretariat Services to Coordination Groups in the Trust Area is as follows, which leaves a balance of $2,700 for anticipated late autumn applications for funds from other agencies, as has occurred in previous years:
That Trust Programs Committee allocate for fiscal year 2025/26:
- $1,800 to support the coordination of the Rural Island Economic Partnership,
- $2,500 to support the coordination of the Baynes Sound Lambert Channel Ecosystem Forum,
- $3,000 to support the coordination of the Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership,
- $4,000 to support the coordination of the Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound Community Forum, and
- $3,000 to support the coordination of the Southern Gulf Islands Forum.
South Pender LTC Special Meeting
A special LTC meeting was held on Thursday, March 27 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church to discuss Land Use Bylaw amendment 129 with a focus on Total and Maximum Floor Area. The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on Friday, May 2 at the South Pender Fire Hall.
Arts
Pender Island Art Society
Paper and Pages workshop with Susan Purney Mark
In April, we had an inspiring two-day workshop with Susan Purney Mark, making books and creating interesting paper adventures.
We had a fun workshop called What’s in the Toolbox? in April. Kelly Leroux explored the tools we use as artists – physical, mental, or metaphorical. Sometimes the most cherished tools are simple – old and battered, holding memories of years of use. Others may be the latest modern instruments. An everyday item may present a new perspective. One can present the ordinary, so it is outstanding, interesting, or extraordinary, finding new appreciation of the mundane beauty all around us.
There will be a life-drawing workshop May 12, 1 – 3 pm, at the Anglican Hall with Margaret Alpen. Bring your art tools and tune up your drawing skills.
Our Spring Show will be at the Community Hall Saturday, May 17, 10 am – 4 pm, and Sunday, May 18, 11 am – 3 pm. Come see a wide range of artwork from realism to abstract and all the in-betweens. You can check out the artists beforehand by going to http://www.PenderIslandArt.com. Admission is free. We look forward to seeing you there.
Joy, by Bea McDowell — one of the works to be featured in PIAS’ Spring Show May 17 and 18
Next month we’ll tell you about our plans for the June membership appreciation party.
Pender Island Celtic Music Society
Jack Martin
We are excited to announce that Jack Martin will be teaching beginner bagpipe chanter classes. The Pender Highlanders are generously donating the practice chanters and music books for the students to use. The first class will be held on May 5 at 6 pm at the Anglican Hall (before regular pipe band practice).
Jack brings nine years of piping experience to teaching his students. He competes each year in the BC Pipers’ Association sanctioned Highland Games in various places. Jack is in the Grade 1 class which, in the piping world, is not the beginner level. A piper advances from Grade 5 to Grade 1 over time with improving skill and lots of practice.
He has also competed twice at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Jack is keen to help all who are interested in learning to play the bagpipes. You can contact him on email at jackmartinf@gmail.com, or check the Pender Highlanders Facebook page for more information about the class plans. The Highlanders will be playing on the morning of Saturday, May 17 at the opening of the summer version of the Farmers’ Market. Hope to see you there.
The coveted Highlanders t-shirt has been spotted in Japan after a previous sighting at Buckingham Palace.
Pender Island Community Choir Society
Our spring concert on May 3 and 4, led by musical director Bev Barradell, challenged our members with singing in English, French, and Latin. Gabriel Faure’s Requiem was a big piece to take on and the choir worked hard to master it under Bev’s excellent tutelage.
Amid all the practising, the concert planning began. Volunteers worked hard to design advertising, coordinate the concession, book the piano tuner, set up the stage, etc. Unfortunately, the first poster created this year breached an artist’s copyright. When this was brought to the board’s attention, all posters were removed and destroyed immediately, a sincere letter of apology was sent to the artist, and the board promised that it will endeavour to use greater due diligence around copyright and artistic images. On behalf of the choir, the board offers its most sincere apology to the artist, Dorset Norwich-Young.
All in all, singing is a lot of fun and, nerves aside, the choir enjoys performing for the community. The members thank you for your support. The Community Choir’s next session will begin in the fall. If you’re interested in joining, please check next September’s Pender Post for the fall session’s first sign up and meeting date.
Pender Island Concert Society
Last month’s concert, J.S. Bach’s Long Walk in the Snow was very well attended and received with great enthusiasm. Tom Allen is such an engaging storyteller and was joined by a terrific group of musicians who helped bring the story of Bach’s youth to life.
Cree flutist and composer Jessica Sparvier-Wells.
Final Concert of 24/25 Season
Jessica Sparvier Trio
May 19 (Victoria Day), 7:30 pm
Community Hall
Our final concert this season is a very special performance by the Jessica Sparvier Trio. Jessica Sparvier-Wells (formerly McMann) is a multiple award-winning Cree flute player and composer based in Alberta, and you can find out more about her at jessicamcmann.com.
Jessica will be performing music from her new album, Prairie Dusk, together with Holly Bhattacharya (viola) and Connor Chee (piano). Her work draws on her classical background, traditional Cree language and dance, and ideas of connection, disconnection, and home.
I saw Jessica perform several years ago in Halifax, and it was such a wonderful and memorable experience that when I was considering artists to book for this season, hers was the first name that came to mind. I’m thrilled that she was able to include us on her tour and am really looking forward to this show.
Tickets are $30 for adults, free for youth 18 and under, and available at Talisman Books or online at ptarmiganarts.org/programs. Subscribers, make sure you use up the last of your vouchers for this concert. See you on Monday, May 19 at 7:30 pm at the Community Hall.
Pender Island Quilters’ Circle
Proud Canadian Banner by Susan Underhill (left) and Unicorn Quilt for Granddaughter by Denise Doyle.
Our April meeting was held at the Anglican Church Hall on April 14 with almost a full contingent of members present. The beautiful spring weather perked everyone up and encouraged them to get out and about. I thank Martha Deme for writing the Quilters’ Circle article for the April issue; it allowed me to abandon all my responsibilities and travel afar.
We started the meeting by addressing old and new items. We are invited to attend Hands Across the Water hosted by the Cowichan Valley Quilters Guild in Duncan on May 27. This is an annual gathering of five quilting groups and is hosted, in turn, by Mayne Island, Pender Island, and Cowichan Valley. Galiano and Saturna Island quilters also attend. It is an opportunity to share our quilting adventures and learn from others.
Martha revisited our annual participation in the Pender Island Fall Fair. She reassured us that she and her husband Frank will coordinate the hanging of our quilts for a display and Charlotte Edwards will gather our quilts. We appreciate their leadership in this endeavor.
Martha and Laura led a discussion on the leadership of our organization for next year. We are not a registered society so we are not obliged to appoint an executive. We proposed a more collective and informal type of leadership, a shared leadership model. Eleanor Heslop endorsed this idea and provided the history of Quilters’ Circle. It started as an informal gathering and, over time, morphed into a more formal organization. Laura suggested that the program for our once-a-month gatherings could be a group plan and that we provide suggestions at our May meeting. We could create a fall meeting plan from these suggestions and have it ready to present to our membership at our June meeting.
A plethora of completed quilts from 11 of our quilters were presented during the Show and Share section of the meeting. The quilts ranged in size and function from placemats and table runners to a queen-size bedspread. There was an amazing array of colours (soft hues and vivid jewel tones) and patterns (pieced and appliqued). It is interesting that some of our members put as much attention and care to the backing of the quilt as to the patterned front, sometimes utilizing several of the featured fabrics to create visual appeal.
I am interested in how our members were drawn to quilting and solicited recollections from them. Many of them were introduced to sewing and quilting by family:
“My Nana taught me to sew when I was 12. Time moved on and we moved on and I kept sewing. I finally decided to try quilting with a teacher from Australia when we lived in Singapore. The sampler quilt, an Aussie pattern, is still unfinished, over 25 years later. But I still love quilting to this day!”
“I had always sewed but my sister got me interested in quilting. She buys magazines, goes to shows, and dreams of quilting. I came to Quilters’ Circle to learn from this fabulous group.”
“My grandmother hand-quilted for the ‘missions’.”
“Watching my sister-in-law at her club and talking to the members. They insisted I sit down at one of their sewing machines and try it out. Disaster followed. I came to Pender Island and joined the Quilters’ Circle. I did not know that the block demonstrated was to be put into a quilt so I still have the eight house blocks and paper pieced trees in my stash!”
I will share more stories in future articles.
Next meeting: Monday, May 12, 9:30 am – noon, Anglican Church Hall. We will bring our own projects to work on.
Quilter’s Philosophy: We seek adventure in many ways. Some of us travel afar and others explore closer to home. Likewise, in quilting, some try unfamiliar patterns and techniques while others adhere to their preferences. It matters not what we choose to explore or create as long as we experience our own joy whether it’s far or near, new or old.
Pender Photo Club
Snowy Egret by Martin Ross.
It’s for the Birds!
An outstanding evening was enjoyed by the Photo Club on Monday, April 7, as guest speaker Martin Ross showed spectacular photos of birds he took on a trip through the Gulf Coast of the United States. Entitled It’s for the Birds, Martin presented 185 photos taken during the spring of 2024 while he and his wife toured for 17,000 km from their home in Cranbrook.
The photos were interesting, instructive, and fascinating to look at. Using a telephoto lens, fast shutter speeds, and a lot of patience and know-how, Martin captured birds both still and on the move. He emphasized the importance of capturing the bird’s eye. Not only was the show a visual feast, but Martin shared tips with us about ISO, tripods, cameras, and more that might make us better photographers.
The next meeting will commence at
7 pm on Monday, May 5 via Zoom. The theme will be Rocks. The link to attend can be obtained from Urs (ursboxler@gmail.com).
All camera lovers are invited to join our meetings. There’s no better way to meet other members and get an intro to the club and photography than by sipping wine while ensconced in the comfort of your own home. You are all welcome.
Pender Solstice Theatre Society
Solstice Theatre is offering a $500 bursary to a Pender Island resident or student who is pursuing their studies in the performing arts. Applications can be obtained by contacting us at pendersolstice@gmail.com.
Solstice’s Annual General Meeting will be on Sunday, June 8 at 4 pm at the Legion. It is a potluck with a bar and terrific live music. If you are a member or would like to become a member, come by and join us.
Summer is vacation time for Solstice before gearing up for rehearsals in September for the Christmas pantomime, Alice in Wonderland. However, we can always be reached at pendersolstice@gmail.com.
In the meantime, we wish everyone a fabulous spring and summer.
PIJazz
The band in 2015, grooving at the Spaldings.
The years pass, but the jazz remains strong.
The sickly season is passing, and the band is back at full strength. To celebrate, we took it on the road. Ok, it was two short roads and a ferry to Saturna, but rekindling the tradition of inter-island tea dances is pretty satisfying. We played great tunes, met wonderful people and were home at a responsible hour. While we took modern transport, the whole afternoon party scene used to be based around having a social life while being able to row home before dark. It was a simpler time.
The picture opposite is a nice piece of nostalgia, but also a reminder: If you are a past member or fan, do check out Pender Island Big Band on Facebook and give us a ‘like’.
We’re always open to new members as we continue our spring season: You know who you are. Give us a holler at brycewoollcombe@gmail.com with any questions. Keep up-to-date at ptarmiganarts.org/programs. We hope to see you soon.
Musical Musings: Social Media, Music, and Frustration
I know I’ve rambled about ways to game your streaming service into finding you new and fresh things to listen to, and I just recommended finding Pender Island Big Band on Facebook, but I must admit that social media and streaming are kinda getting on my nerves.
Sure, there is the problem of algorithms that create narrow boxes of taste and opinion, rage-bait to fuel engagement, and content that gets repackaged without added substance, but we’ve had that for ages. We used to be radio station partisans, aficionados of the Top 40 of this genre or that, and buyers of ‘Best Of’ tapes that never left the car stereo. Columbia House had no trouble telling us what to buy, using marketing tactics now used by big online retailers.
So it has always taken some effort to find the new and fresh and different. Once upon a time, before recordings, one had to physically go to London or Vienna or Paris to hear the cool cats. Later you could buy sheet music, but that had inherent barriers, too.
Through all this, the rays of hope have been the touring musicians, the brave venues that book the young and unknown, and the fans with the guts to give them a try. Heroes from before the time of Turlough O’Carolan, all across the globe, but especially the ones close to home. My hat is off to you all (especially Doug Cox and the Cumberland crew. There is a baffling amount of awesomeness there.)
Ptarmigan Arts
After School Theatre Club students in Scunge.
May is finally here and we are over the moon to share the first Tapestry of Words festival at the end of the month. Be sure to read below for details on our many offerings, and check our ad at the front of the Post for a schedule of events.
We finished out April in a terrific way – with the production of Scunge by the After School Theatre Club, led by Steve Dunsmuir. Twenty students spent months working away on their drama skills, culminating in a hilarious and environmentally friendly production. We were so impressed with their hard work and creative expression. We hope that Pender youth will continue to enjoy all the rewards of creating theatre. This wouldn’t have been possible without our partnership with Three on the Tree Productions. Thank you to everyone who supports creative opportunities for Pender youth.
Mosaic Fest
Early bird tickets available May 1
Mark your calendars for August 1 – 3 when Mosaic Fest will be happening in the beautiful pine forest behind the Community Hall. Last year was our first year in the new venue, generously made available to us by Karl Hamson, and it couldn’t have been a better festival atmosphere. We are very excited about this year’s event with some incredible artists playing, more interactive art workshops for the whole family, and the addition of Art in the Pines. Our headliners this year include The Brooks (Montreal, Quebec), Garret T Willie (Alert Bay, BC), and The Infinite Atom (Victoria, BC) plus many more local and regional artists to be announced. Early bird tickets are a great way to save on weekend passes and camping passes. If a weekend pass isn’t in the budget, consider joining our volunteer crew in exchange for a pass. We are looking for folks to help with everything from setup to artist hospitality, to site maintenance, to security. Head to themosaicfestival.com to buy tickets or apply to be a volunteer.
Art in the Pines at Mosaic Fest
For the past almost ten years, Pender Islanders and summer visitors have enjoyed one of the island’s most idyllic art shows and sales of the year: Art in the Orchard at the iconic Corbett House. Hosted by Eve and John Pollard and coordinated by Margaret Alpen, the show saw over 30 artists fill the orchard every year with pottery, weaving, paintings, stained glass, textile art, woodworking, sculpture and more, serenaded by live, local music throughout the day.
Last year’s event was one of the biggest and most successful in Art in the Orchard’s history, leaving artists and guests alike with a feeling of community, celebration, and togetherness. However, logistical challenges have proved difficult to overcome in recent years, and organizers took time this fall to figure out what Art in the Orchard might look like going forward.
The Ptarmigan team, together with Eve, John, and Margaret, have decided to merge Art in the Orchard with Mosaic Festival, happening August 1 – 3 in the
beautiful pine forest behind the Community Hall. Art in the Pines will be the new iteration of this iconic event on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, still tucked amongst the trees, still serenaded by live music through the afternoon, but with the infrastructure and volunteer support that Mosaic Festival can provide. We know we can’t replicate the magic of Art in the Orchard in a new location, but we will do our best to make this a seamless transition and a wonderful new experience for all the artists and festival attendees.
For artists: registration is open now. The cost is $35 for one day or $60 for both and includes a day pass for the artist and one assistant. For more information and to register, visit themosaicfestival.com/artinthepines.
Sarah Smith & Linda McRae in Concert and Songwriting Workshop
Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2
Community Hall
Do not miss this special concert: legendary Canadian songstress Linda McRae and local artist Sarah Smith in concert together, sharing their songs, stories, and singalongs for our Pender Island Community.
The talented pair are also offering a chance to join a very small, intimate songwriting workshop. On Friday May 2 at 2 pm Sarah and Linda will work with a small group of participants to get their creative juices flowing and learn their approaches to song-writing. This is a great opportunity to work with seasoned pros, whether you are just starting out, or looking to mix up your own writing practice.
Tickets: $25 for Concert, $100 for Songwriting Workshop, $115 for Concert/Workshop combo. Ptarmigan is a proud sponsor of this event and workshop.
Tapestry of Words
A festival celebrating story, writing, and literature
May 31 & June 1, with events and exhibits through May
Community Hall and Library
Indigenous story-teller Paul Chiyokten Wagner.
We are delighted to be hosting our inaugural Tapestry of Words, a festival celebrating story, writing, and literature, on Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. At the front of this month’s Pender Post, you can find a schedule to make sure you don’t miss a thing. For our feature evening presentation on May 31, we welcome best-selling author Iona Whishaw and Indigenous story-teller Paul Chiyokten Wagner. Opening the evening will be a reading from The Spellweaver’s Legacy, a YA Fantasy book written collaboratively by a group of Pender youth including Liam Sigierguson, Taeven Lopatecki, Quynn Stafford, Maeve Wilde, and Lauren Ohnona. These contributing authors started writing this book almost eleven years ago as part of an after-school writing club hosted by Leslie McBain.
Iona Whishaw was recently named a finalist in the BC Yukon Book Awards for Booksellers’ Choice for her latest Lane Winslow Novel. Her latest novel, The Cost of a Hostage, was just published, and we look forward to a reading and discussion with her. Paul Chiyokten Wagner is a Coast Salish storyteller and flutist. His performance on island last year left audiences mesmerized. We are so grateful to welcome him back to share the stories and music of his W̱SÁNEĆ heritage.
On Sunday June 1, Iona will be leading a workshop on The Craft of Writing. Whether you’ve never written or are a seasoned pro, this workshop is a phenomenal opportunity to practice (or discover) your craft with a best-selling author. Based on what Iona has learned in the last decade of writing, the focus of this workshop will be looking at how to hone in on who you are as a writer and how that translates to your writing. Prepare for some enjoyable exercises, sharing, and don’t forget something to write with.
Tickets to the feature event are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Craft of Writing registration is $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Youth 12 – 18: $10 either day, Youth 12 and under free. Passes are $50, $60 at the door.
But that’s just the ticketed events. Our free events will start on Saturday May 31 at the Community Hall with a Magic Show by Leif David, co-hosted by the Pender Public Library. Last year Leif’s Summer Reading Club magic show was such a hit, we needed a bigger space for him to wow all ages with his book-loving magic.
On Sunday, June 1 we have free opportunities at both the hall and the library. The library will host Paul Chiyokten Wagner for children’s storytelling and music at 10 am. Then at 11:15 am, we welcome Mayne Islanders Johnny Aitken and Jess Willows, who will read from their new children’s book Two Tricksters Find Friendship, a story demonstrating the power of friendship to bridge cultural differences.
At the Tapestry of Words festival, Liam Sigierguson, Taeven Lopatecki, and Quynn Stafford will read from the YA fantasy book they’ve been collaborating on for 11 years.
Meanwhile at the Community Hall, Talisman Books will be hosting a Local Author Book Fair from 10 am to 4 pm. They will have many of Iona Whishaw’s books, as well as a wide array of books from many Pender authors. At 10 am we are hosting our Local Author Coffee Meet and Greet, a special opportunity for our local writers to meet each other and their readers. While you’re at the Hall, be sure to pop upstairs at 11 am for a special Tapestry edition of Pender’s monthly Speakeasy.
For more information, visit ptarmiganarts.org/tapestry.
Weekly Community Gatherings
Every Friday, 12 – 1 pm
Community Hall
Join us for live music and fresh soup. This long-standing community program is a partnership between the Community Hall, Ptarmigan Arts, and the SGI Neighbourhood House.
Malakai, a young balladeer who performs with intricate artistry and powerful emotion, will play on May 2. On May 9, Mercedes Papalia will share a collection of emotional original melodies and cover songs by some of her favorite artists. On May 16 we welcome Owen Göertz. Göertz is a musician and producer born and raised on Pender Island, whose ambient soundscapes are deeply inspired by the tranquility of his surroundings. His upcoming performance on Pender Island marks a special return to his roots, sharing the music that was born from the landscapes that shaped him.
On May 23, we have a special treat: The Angelica Taekema Band, comprised of Angelica Taekema, mother to the cutest toddler, old soul and knitter; her husband, Marcel Taekema, the tallest cop on Pender Island; and friend Marc Lesperance, Ptarmigan board member, event DJ, Roadie/Tech and musician. With the help of Ptarmigan’s Band Camp, this trio came out of their music shells in 2024 and connected in the fall to decompress in the evenings by doing what they love: jamming to music. Having a heavy country lean to their songs, you’ll also be surprised by some familiar classic rock and a couple of originals.
Finally, Terry Chantler closes out the month on May 30. Chantler has lived on Pender Island for 28 years. He plays a mix of his own original songs and instrumental compositions for acoustic guitar, and covers British and southern US blues and classic old folk songs, in an intricate picking style learned from listening to Bert Jansch, Big Bill Broonzy, et al.
Camp Create (Ages 6 – 9)
July 14 – 18, 10 am – 4 pm
Community Hall
Registration open now
Camp Create is back this summer with an inspiring week of camp with our talented facilitators Ripley Stafford and Ben McConchie. Kids will enjoy art in the mornings with Ripley and after lunch will spend the afternoon immersed in the world of music with Ben. On the last day there will be an art showcase and musical performance for parents and caregivers. The registration fee is $230 which includes materials, with a $50 sibling discount. Please contact us if you are unable to afford the fee as subsidies are available.
All our tickets and program registrations can be found at ptarmiganarts.org. If you require assistance please contact info@ptarmiganarts.org.
Community
Community Hall
Pender Island Recreation and Agricultural Hall Association
Reviving a time-honoured tradition, the we hosted the Saanich – Gulf Islands riding’s very first all candidates meeting of the federal election on Sunday, April 13. Pender Islanders clearly appreciated the opportunity: on a beautiful, sunny afternoon over 180 people came out to hear from the candidates and ask thoughtful questions. Every chair was filled, with attendees lining the stairs and standing at the back. The Hall’s large doors were opened to ensure a healthy through-draft. The candidates offered informative remarks, and audience questions from the microphone prompted meaningful responses. The meeting was live streamed to the Community Hall’s Facebook page and remains available for viewing there. Earlier that day, the Hall was buzzing with activity. Auditions for the upcoming December pantomime took place in the lounge, while a Health Centre presentation on air quality was held upstairs. Some Islanders took in all three events – a Sunday afternoon well spent.
We are delighted with all the wonderful applicants for our summer staff positions and look forward to introducing our leaders to you next month, and telling you about all the summer camps and some of the special programs happening at the Hall this summer. We still have a fall-to-winter position for which we are hiring. The Heritage Programs Leader will manage the Youth Leadership Program, Friday Community Lunches or Friday Kids Camp, and the Saturday Market. They will also have opportunities to develop and lead workshops or activities, enhance displays, and support existing programs. This flexible role is tailored to your strengths and interests. Ideal for organized, creative, community and leadership-minded individuals with strong communication skills. Part-time or full-time, 650 hours. As a grant-funded position, applicants must be 16 – 30 years old. Find the full job descriptions at penderislands.org (under Opportunities) or stop by the Hall to chat with Andrea.
Friday Kids Camp (grades K- 5)
May 2 – June 20 (no camp May 23)
This camp runs on non-school Fridays and is packed with fun indoor and outdoor activities led by our enthusiastic leaders. The days are filled with creative crafts, exciting adventures, games, experiments, and more. Camp runs from 10 am – 4 pm, but there is a pre and post camp care option if needed. Thanks to the generous support of the Pender Island Legion and Green Angels Woodchoppers, full and partial subsidies are available, limited spaces available. Register at: http://www.penderislands.org/registrations
Friday Fun at the Community Gathering
Fridays 10:45 am – 11:45 pm
Join the weekly Community Gathering for fun activities, delicious lunch, live music and a visit in the café. At 11 am, join our youth leaders as they lead new activities each week. All ages are welcome, activities by donation.
May 2 – May Day Crowns
May 9 – Love Our Trail Day
May 16 – Make Cardboard Instruments
May 23 – Puzzle Fun
May 30 – Marshmallow Construction
Youth Leadership Program
Ages 10 to 12, and 13 to 18. Free
Join this fun and skills building program. Depending on your age and interests, you can learn how to do things like run the Community Café; help at special events; make posters; be a caretaker of the Community Hall; assist, organize and lead activities; mentor younger or less experienced participants; help older people with technology; be an event and activity photographer; help cook or bake; and many other areas, all while developing skills and getting great experience. Come in on a Friday or Saturday between 10 am – 1 pm and ask to talk to Andrea.
FILMS
Doors open 15 minutes before the films start.
Matinees
By donation.
Calendar Girls
Monday, May 5, 1:15 pm
Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Monday, May 19, 1:15 pm
See Community Support Programs for descriptions.
Spring at the Oscars
$5 – $10 suggested
Better Man
Friday, May 9, 7:15 pm
The true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. 2 hours, 14 minutes.
Anora
Saturday, May 17, 7:15 pm
Anora, a young woman from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. 2 hours, 19 minutes.
I’m Still Here
Saturday, May 24, 7:15 pm
Eunice Paiva begins a lonely battle to learn the truth behind the disappearance of her husband, former PTB deputy Rubens Paiva, while trying to keep her family together. 2 hours, 15 minutes.
Volunteer Needed
We are looking for volunteers for films, comfort center, advertising and office support as well as activity leaders and Youth Leadership Program Mentors. All training will be provided. If you are interested in volunteering or need more information on what these positions entail, please email bookings@penderislands.org or call 629-3669.
Featured Volunteer Opportunity: Youth Leadership Program Mentor
We regularly have 3 – 10 youth help out at the Friday Community Gathering, Saturday Market, camps and other special events, and they all want to learn real life work skills and have fun. We would love to have a few more adult mentors with a variety of skills they would like to share.
Dragonfly Child Care & Family Resource Centre
Pender Island Child Care Society
Workshop Series
Music in the Early Years with Mary Reher
Monday, May 12, 6 pm,
Dragonfly Centre
One Monday evening a month various speakers will present on a variety of topics related to parent self-care, growth, and empowerment. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to engage in demonstrations and discussions, as well as gain takeaway skills for parenting in everyday life. This month we are excited to have Mary Reher presenting. The cost to participants is $10 per workshop. Please contact Pam to sign up (contact below.) Thanks to the Victoria Foundation for their generous support of this series.
Dad n’ Me Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, May 24, 9 – 11 am at Dragonfly
Dad n’ Me Pancake Breakfasts are held one Saturday per month. This month it will be Pam and Benji flipping pancakes, sizzling up sausages, and brewing endless pots of coffee. This program provides a wonderful opportunity for children and dads, uncles, grandpas, or friends to come out for a free breakfast, socialize, play, and give mom the morning off. Thanks to the Ministry of Children and Family Development, this program is free.
Parents and Babes
Every Monday (except May 19),
9 am – 11:30 am at Dragonfly
Pamela Wadge facilitates this free drop-in program for parents, caregivers, and their children. This is an inclusive and welcoming place for children and their big people to come out and enjoy healthy snacks, adult and child interactions, developmentally appropriate toys, the fenced in yard and sandbox, and the book lending library. Thanks to Victoria Foundation and the Pender Island Child Care Society, this program is free.
Healthy Opportunities for Preschoolers (HOP)
Every Wednesday, 9 am – 10:15 am
in the school gym
Join facilitator Jennifer Ursell as she sets up new activities each week. There will be balls, bean bag toss, and hula hoops to chase, as well as stepping stones, balance beams, and loads of plasma cars, trikes and scooters. Come run, jump, balance, throw, kick, and generally get your wiggles out. HOP is designed for parents/caregivers to engage in physical activities and learn new skills with their children 1 – 5 years. Thanks to the Pender Island School and the CRD Parks and Recreation, this program is free.
Further Information
Check out our website for more information about our programs at http://www.dragonflycentre.ca. If you would like further information on Dragonfly activities, you can contact Pam at 629-3039 or by email dragonflyfamilycentre@gmail.com.
Friends of the Gulf Islands Society
Sign Our New Petition
Friends of the Gulf Islands is circulating a new petition appealing to trustees who are re-writing the most important document they control, the Trust Policy Statement (TPS). This document controls what bylaws Local Trust Committees can pass and what policies must be included in local Official Community Plans (OCPs).
For example, the current TPS does not allow Local Trust Committees to pass bylaws inconsistent with the growth management policies in their OCPs. Also, the current TPS does not allow Local Trust Committees to increase density in areas with water supply problems. Managing density and growth consistent with water supplies and protecting the natural environment are critical to protecting the trust islands for all British Columbians.
Our petition is asking the Trust Council to maintain policies that properly protect rural character, water supplies, and the natural environment. Please read the specific requests in our petition, and sign if you agree (tinyurl.com/fogi-petition).
G’Old Network
After nearly two years of contemplation and activity, Pender’s G’Old Network is reflecting on its accomplishments and learnings as we look forward to where we are headed. The network has a sole objective: to create an environment that supports all those who wish to grow old on Pender and, if they choose to do so, to eventually die here.
Since January this year, we have hosted several events, and still have a few to come before we take a summer break. Most recently, our April 3 Financial Planning for Elders workshop provided valuable information by Travis Koivula, Senior Wealth Advisor, Island Savings Wealth Management and Jennifer Kalia, Senior Financial Advisor, Island Savings Credit Union.
The session prompted several additional questions related to estate planning, some of which will be addressed at the May 1 workshop on The Indispensable Binder, led by retired educator Pat Holborn. The binder is a resource to help you collect all the information you need in the event of an emergency, death of a family member etc. The May 1 workshop is now full at 30 people, but you can add your name to Pat’s waiting list for a future workshop by emailing pholborn@shaw.ca.
On Tuesday, June 10, we will host an all-day session to celebrate the G’Old Network and collectively consider where we want to go next. One thing has been clearly demonstrated: Pender is home to a diverse, eclectic community of elders with so much talent and experience. We will be tapping into all that to consider some questions: What do we want next for the Network? How do we sustain the energy and resources needed to keep this thing going? And who will/should lead it?
Everyone is welcome to join the Network, and all are invited to the June 10 event regardless of whether you have come to any of our previous meetings. Please invite a friend or neighbour too. Register asap to be with us on June 10 by sending an email to support@goldnetworkonpender.ca.
By the way, the G’Old Network is now set up to take donations to fund our activities and expand our network. You can donate through our partnership with the Southern Gulf Islands Neighbourhood House at sginh.ca/donate-now. Follow the prompts and indicate that you are sending money to the G’Old Network by ticking the G’Old box.
Nu-To-Yu
Pender Island Community Service Society
We are busy preparing for our Silent Auction to be held on the central lawn at the Driftwood Centre on August 2. We already have several hundred items of great interest and variety, all courtesy of you, our donors, who never cease to amaze us with the treasures you bring in.
All donations can be brought to us at the back of the store on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9 am and 12 pm and also on Saturdays between 11 am and 2 pm. There are certain things we don’t take: large appliances, big pieces of furniture, golf clubs, and more. For a complete list of what we can not accept, please sidle on over to our website at nu-to-yu.com.
Mother’s Day is coming up. Come look around our store for gift ideas. We also sell gift certificates for thrifty mums with discerning taste.
Some of you have noticed that Tin Lizzy has been missing from her place on the cistern beside our front entrance for the whole winter. We’re happy to announce that she’s been given some love by her original creator, artist Steeve Larouche. When she comes back to us, she’ll have a pet to keep her company. Thanks to Steeve for this wonderful one-of-a-kind work.
Bursary Applications
Pender students and graduates: now is the time to submit applications for your post-secondary bursaries. Forms are available in the Nu-To-Yu (PICSS) folder at Dockside Realty at the Driftwood Centre and on our website at nu-to-yu.com. We’ve changed the bursary process slightly. The due date for applications is the last Friday in May, which is May 30 this year.
Building Fund
The effort to raise money for our new building continues with donations from individuals and organizations who appreciate what we are trying to do. All donations big or small help us inch closer to our goal. E-transfers can be made to the Nu-To-Yu Building Fund: nutoyudonate@gmail.com and please be sure to tell us who you are in the subject line of the e-transfer so we can thank you personally.
Pender Earth
Is the Climate Emergency Passé?
Does anyone else find it astounding that, as we teeter at the edge of unsolvable environmental catastrophe, the buzzwords in the media all start with the letter T: tariffs, taxes, and T**** (you know who). Is it possible that it’s come to this? It seems the majority of our politicians are willing to simply dismiss the in-our-faces crises we are surrounded by, in order to avoid the risk of alienating voters. And the shift in focus is reflected in the populace. In 2021, Angus Reid reported that 1 in 5 voters considered climate change their number one issue in the election. Present polling data suggests a mere 5% of Canadians list climate among their top two election issues.
Climate Café
How do we keep sane in these insane times? One essential sanctuary is community. One place to find support about these issues is the Climate Café. We meet on the first Friday of every month in the lounge at the Community Hall, 9:30 am, May 2. Hope to see you there.
Community Conversations
Our four Pender Islands Trustees have been invited to join Community Conversations with Rob Botterell on May 9 at 9:30 am in the lounge at the Hall. Come with your questions and concerns.
Pender Island Chamber of Commerce
Spring is in full swing on Pender Island, and that means our local businesses are beginning to gear up for what’s expected to be a bustling visitor season. While the influx of summer tourists can sometimes test our collective patience, it’s worth remembering how important they are to our island economy. Many of the services we all rely on – year-round grocery stores, cafés, tradespeople, and more – are sustained in part by the income generated during those busy summer months. When visitors support local businesses, they’re helping ensure those businesses can keep their doors open throughout the year.
Pads of new tearaway business maps are now available from the Chamber of Commerce.
We’re pleased to share that our new tearaway-style Pender Island maps are now available. These handy resources are great for businesses and accommodations to share with visitors. Each pad contains 100 sheets and is available for $60 to Chamber members and $100 for non-members. To order, contact the Chamber office directly.
We’ve also just finalized a Guide to Roadside Business Signs on Pender Island, following discussions with staff from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. It’s intended to help business owners understand signage regulations and make informed decisions about visibility and compliance. Copies are available through the Chamber office.
Our advocacy work this spring included engaging with the federal election candidates in our riding. We posed a series of questions to each candidate focused on their support for small businesses on the Southern Gulf Islands and shared their responses with our members. We believe it’s essential to amplify the voices of island businesses and to ensure they’re considered in policy discussions at all levels of government.
We held our Annual General Meeting on April 24. We’re looking forward to what the coming year will bring as we continue to support and promote the diverse range of businesses that call Pender home. We’re also planning our next Chamber Business Mixer for June – stay tuned for more details.
We’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Chamber members: Sahhali on the Bluffs (Aparna Deshpande), Swatko Flooring (Darren Swatko) and Third Leaf Solutions (Trika Pearson). You can find out more about these businesses, and all our members, in our online Business Directory (penderislandchamber.com).
Finally, a quick word to those who own or operate a business on Pender but haven’t yet joined the Chamber – or were once members and have let their membership lapse. We advocate on behalf of island businesses, but to keep doing that effectively we need your support too. Our strength is in our numbers. If you’d like to learn more about becoming a member, please reach out – we’d love to hear from you.
You can follow the Chamber on Facebook or Instagram for updates, and don’t forget we also host the Pender Island Tourism Facebook page.
Wishing everyone a successful and sunny season ahead.
Pender Islands Conservancy
Sanctuary Stewards Program
We’re inspired by how Penderites care for this island. Whether that’s by collecting trash for the Beach & Roadside Cleanup, pulling daphne in local parks or bashing broom every May, this community shows up for nature.
Soon there will be another way to participate in conservation activities: a Sanctuary Stewards program. This program will train volunteers for citizen science and restoration activities that will take place in special, Conservancy-owned private nature sanctuaries.
KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest, S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest, and other Conservancy nature sanctuaries are unique places secured for wildlife habitat and scientific study. Restoring ecosystems and monitoring wildlife in our nature reserves protects all species of plants and wildlife, and promotes understanding of coastal ecosystems in our region. This is particularly critical for supporting red-listed ecosystems, and species that are at risk and declining.
Join us at 7 pm on Wednesday, May 21 at the Anglican Hall to contribute to the design of the new Sanctuary Stewards program.
Ecology and Natural History Seminar
Friday, May 30, 7 pm, Community Hall
Marine ecologists Dr. Ben Neal and Dr. Loren McClenachan (UVic Environmental Studies) will join us for a coordinated presentation about local marine baselines, historical ecology, and marine conservation. Watch our website, social media, and posters around the community for more information.
Growing Old Growth with Tal Engel
Tal Engel discusses root pathogens that help to create structure, species diversity, and resilience in Coastal Douglas Fir forests.
Legendary forest rehabilitation expert, Tal Engel, led Conservancy staff and volunteers in a two-day, hands-on workshop on forest restoration techniques. We learned about some of the natural processes and relationships that promote coastal forest diversity, how commercial forest management has disrupted those relationships, and how to help restore diversity and make forests more fire resistant and resilient. The workshop was followed by a free, evening seminar where the community learned more about Tal’s work and took away ideas for strengthening forests on their own properties.
Bald eagle adult with young at first nest to hatch on Pender Island in 2025. Image by David Manning.
Natural History Notes:
Bald Eagles are Hatching
Since January, and even earlier in the winter, bald eagles have been rebuilding their nests for another breeding season and Pender’s resident naturalist, David Manning, has been keeping an “eagle eye” on their progress. The first Pender nest has now hatched, with two chicks vying for their parents’ attention.
Eagles need large, legacy trees (usually Douglas-fir) with robust branches that can support the weight of their massive nests: if you are lucky enough to have these veteran trees on land that you steward, and luckier still to have eagles (or other raptors like osprey) using these features for nesting or roosting, give them quiet and space during this very critical time.
Nesting raptors that are disturbed by human activity may still be seen perched in trees within their territory, and so you may think they aren’t being disturbed; however, if it is the time of year when they should be incubating eggs or feeding young, they should be busy with those activities – not perched watching you. Bald eagles on Pender Island have fledged very few young in recent years, possibly due to a combination of factors such as human disturbance during critical nesting times, low food availability or quality, and avian flu. Low survival and recruitment of young is one of the first steps that common species take toward population declines, so let’s do all we can to ensure raptors like bald eagles and osprey on Pender Island have a safe, quiet, and productive environment to support healthy populations throughout the Salish Sea.
Meet the Summer Staff
It’s May and that means it’s time to welcome Conservancy summer students to Pender. With their help we’ll be amping up research, restoration, and educational activities throughout the summer.
Casey Garrison is back as the Ecological Technician. She studies geography and environmental studies at the University of Victoria. She grew up in Victoria but has been visiting Pender Island since she was little because her grandparents lived here. This summer you’ll find her checking the light trap at Hope Bay, restoring local parkland, and monitoring birds nesting around the island.
UVic biology student, Erin Cho-Siksik, joins our team as the Conservation Interpreter. From May till September, you’ll see her at the Nature Centre, at the Farmers’ Market, at restoration activities, and assisting with other stewardship and ecological monitoring projects in the field.
Adam’s Nursery Notes
I’m about to discuss a very controversial subject, a topic that can turn friends into enemies and pit family members against one another: deer resistant plants. A friend recently bought a yarrow (Achillea millefolium) from Pender Native Plants. I stated with abundant confidence that the plant was deer proof. That very same evening a rogue ungulate munched that yarrow down to the ground. I hope my friend will take my calls again soon.
In all seriousness, no plant is deer “proof.” Deer may not eat your plants, but they could rub them while trying to remove velvet from their antlers in autumn. Or they could trample or lie down on them to take a nap. Then there’s troubled youth who eat everything because they haven’t yet learned what’s bad for them. We can put a cage around the plant, but I believe that ruins any positive aesthetic the plant may have.
That said, there is hope for our yards. Look for scented plants (though they eat my mint), and hirsute (hairy) plants are often not their favourite. Choose plants that grow fast enough to out-compete the grazing pressure, or plant in large quantities. Deer seem to like variety, so mass plantings might get grazed but will often survive. Choose trees that have foliage starting over 5’ (in stock at the nursery) so they can’t reach it easily. Just don’t forget to protect the trunk from deer rub in autumn.
There are also a variety of foul-smelling sprays you can try. Bobex and Plantskydd are common. I’ve had better luck with the latter. These sprays can be effective, especially on new plantings and when used early in the season. Deer are habitual and will come back to a tasty plant unless they learn early that it’s repulsive. Besides fencing off areas, I have found this the most reliable, if costly, method. There are many homemade recipes too. I’ve had some luck with leaving a diluted, scrambled (not cooked) egg to go bad and then spraying it as needed.
Persevere. Learn. Adapt. It’s what deer do. I hope I will still have friends on the island after this polarising article. Take it easy on me when you see me at the Driftwood.
Send all your horticultural questions to pnp@penderconservancy.org.
Pender Island Emergency Program
Pender Emergency Program coordinator Catherine Dawson, and Piers Island coordinator Barb Miodonski at April’s workshop on Reception Centres.
Spring is always a busy time for the Pender Emergency Program with several events and presentations for both the members of the program, and the Pender community as well.
In April, Pender was the host for an inter-island training session as BC Justice Institute instructor Deborah Reid led an all-day workshop on Reception Centres. These centres would be opened to provide assistance (food/clothing/shelter) to people who are displaced from their homes due to a disaster. 20 Emergency Support Services (ESS) volunteers from Mayne, Saturna, Pender, and Piers Islands attended, as did two members of the CRD’s Protective Services branch. After a morning of instruction, the participants put their knowledge to work in the afternoon by opening a mock reception centre and registering “evacuees”. Everyone felt it was a valuable way to gain experience without having to go through a real disaster.
To mark Volunteer Appreciation Week, Pender coordinators Catherine Dawson and Joann Cottrell organized an event on April 29 for all the volunteers in the program. Between our Duty Officers, ESS program, Communications and Neighbourhood Program, we have around 200 volunteers and we are very grateful to each of them for their commitment to making our island safer. Photos and writeup to come in next month’s Pender Post.
May 4 – 10 is Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada and there will be a display at the Driftwood window, an information table at the Saturday market, and road signs around the island to remind you of this annual event.
Remember, emergencies can happen at any time. Depending on the severity, your household could be on its own for several days or even weeks, while first responders help those who need it most. While many of us are prepared, provincial surveys have shown that most aren’t. If you are part of the latter group, make a commitment today to get prepared by creating an emergency plan, assembling a grab & go bag, and storing enough food, water, and other supplies to be self-sufficient for up to two weeks. It can make a world of difference.
Know the risks, make a plan, and get an emergency kit. Go togetprepared.gc.ca to get started. Taking action so that you, your family, and your community are prepared for emergencies, means that hardships may be lessened or avoided, leading to a better response and faster recovery. And don’t forget to check out the Southern Gulf Islands Emergency Program Facebook page regularly for ongoing information on emergency preparedness and other news.
Wildfire on Pender: Evacuation
May 20, 7 – 9 pm, Community Hall
After last year’s very successful “Wildfire on Pender” meeting at the Community Hall, we will be sponsoring a follow-up presentation. It will focus more specifically on evacuation: why it would happen, how it would happen, what to do if it did happen, and how to be prepared in case it does. Speakers from Pender Fire, SGI Emergency Program, and the CRD will be in attendance so mark the date on your calendar and bring your questions and concerns.
Finally, the Southern Gulf Islands Emergency Program is once again sponsoring Emergency Resilience Grants for 2025. You can apply on your own, or on behalf of your household, neighbourhood, or organization for a grant of up to $5000. See the ad on page 2 for more details of how to apply. Deadline is May 13, so get that application in now.
Pender Island Farmers’ Institute
The Pender Island Farmers’ Institute AGM was held April 5 with the Farmers’ Market Vendors Meeting. The new board of directors are Martha Bueckert, Shawn Crichton, Barry Denluck, Barbara Johnstone, and Michelle Marsden. The vendors meeting was well attended, and details were finalized for the 2025 market season.
The Pender Island Farmers’ Market season opening is May 17 from 9:30 am – 1 pm at the Community Hall. The market was established in 1978 and is a member of the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets. Everything is made, baked, and grown on Pender Island. Come out and support your community, buy fresh, local produce, meat, eggs and baked goods and local art and handcrafted items. Enjoy coffee in the lounge or treats from the market. We welcome new vendors, especially farm and food vendors. Please check out the details at pifi.ca.
We are updating our Farmstand Google map. If you would like to be listed or have changes to your current listing, please contact us at penderislandmarket@gmail.com. You can check out the map on our pifi.ca main page.
Fall Fair
We have a few new additions to our Fair exhibits this year. We’re introducing a new division in Section E: Honey and Beeswax.
Bees play a significant role in growing a garden and not only are they the greatest pollinators, they produce the sweetest harvest. They are a crucial part of agriculture. Did you know our Western honeybee can recognize human faces as well as making the best honey? Honey is healthy and healing. It’s the bees’ knees! Visit the Fair to see our Bee display and entries of honey, beeswax soaps, candles, and food wraps. Bees are truly amazing.
The Photography Section has been revitalized to include many new classes in both black and white and colour. Only in this section have we dropped the non-professional and professional subdivisions. So it is open to all amateur photographers. Section C: Vegetables, has been checked over and quantity changes to some classes have been corrected to match the BC Judging Standards. Please see our new catalogue coming out soon in print and online to review the new additions.We’re still looking for conveners in Preserves and Livestock. We’re also searching for help to construct and run our zucchini races. If you have some carpentry skills or enthusiastic help for this, please volunteer to penderislandfallfair@gmail.com or contact Michelle.
We wish to thank Anne Burdett for creating and running our Did Ya Know campaign on social media and in The Pender Post throughout the months leading up to Fair Day, August 23. Great work indeed.
Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 13 at the Hall lounge at 7 pm. All are welcome. See where you can fit in at our community fair; it’s sure to be a grand one.
Pender Island Fire Rescue
Hello, Pender Islands. As of April 18, our crews have responded to 86 emergency calls this year.
April continued to be an action-packed month for our crews. As nine members completed their Hazardous Materials Operations Course, Saturna Island Fire Rescue joined our team. This was a three-day course focusing on identifying, isolating, and cleaning up hazardous material incidents and our role in assisting regional hazardous material technician teams. So, thank you to all the members who completed this vital course, getting one step closer to gaining their NFPA 1001 structural firefighting credentials.
May historically brings us nice weather and spring yard clean-up. Please remember that burn permits are required year-round and are valid January 1 to December 31. When doing a backyard burn, you need a Category 2 permit. The fire pile can be up to a maximum of NINE feet in diameter by SIX feet tall. Ensure you read the conditions of the permit and see that you have all necessary distances from combustible materials. When burning, you must ensure you have adequate means to control and extinguish the fire. A working garden hose that reaches beyond the pile is the most suitable option, plus a shovel or hard rake is good to have. We receive many questions about whether you need to be standing at the fire the entire duration of the burn, and that is not necessary, as the permit states it just needs to be supervised. We have had issues where people leave the island while burns are still going, and that will bring out the big red trucks. Lastly, the material is required to be down and dry for at least 30 days. This is to help prevent excessive smoke, as we are in a sensitive smoke control region within the province. Starting the fire small, with fine dry material and building up to the whole pile, will help reduce the chances of you having a smoky nuisance smudge fire.
Missing or obscured civic address markers continue to hinder emergency responses. Ensuring that your civic address marker is installed correctly and meets CRD bylaws is essential for all emergency services when responding to your call. The blue and white reflective number signs available through Alea Design on Mayne Island are growing in number, but every month we respond to calls where they are not even posted or are not easily identifiable. Please take thirty seconds to walk down the end of your driveway and look to see for yourself. Can we easily identify your address in the dark, with flashing lights? Think worst-case scenario, as it will help us out immensely.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone for such excellent feedback on our social media content. It brings us great joy hearing how much you love the content, and we will continue to work hard creating new and engaging videos. On that note, our post for dispatcher appreciation week was so much fun to make, but the reel was done for comedic relief, and NO, Chief Dine is not retiring. All I can say is when Chief does make that decision, the announcement will be award-worthy. So, thank you to everyone who wished him well; it’s not yet that time.
Remember, smoke detectors save lives. Test them annually and change the batteries if you have not done so yet this year.
Pender Island Food Bank Society
Rising Prices, Tariffs, and Uncertainty
Global uncertainty, elections, trade tariffs, and rising prices are bringing unease to all of us. Most of us are watching our loonies and toonies a lot more carefully these days, and not only considering whether there is a made in Canada option, but also whether we really need that item. For folks facing food insecurity, these are really difficult times. Imagine yourself in a place where you are struggling to put food on the table for yourself or your family. The extra anxiety of not knowing what is happening with tariffs and rising prices makes for very stressful situations. We are seeing an increased number of registrants at the Food Bank and more frequent visits by some of our clients who are unsure of what is around the corner.
As part of Food Banks Canada’s annual Hunger Count, we recently asked Pender Island Food Bank clients a few questions. We found that almost 50% of the households using the Food Bank had someone in the household with a disability.
When asked what the primary reason was that led their household to visit the Food Bank we heard overwhelmingly that the cost of food was the primary driver, followed by:
- Social assistance/benefits too low
- Not enough work hours
- Cost of housing (rent, mortgage)
- Low hourly wage
- Cost of utilities (hydro, heat, water, internet)
- Sickness/medical expense
- Unexpected expense
When asked what the most critical government policy changes were that would help to alleviate their households’ hunger concerns we heard the following things (most important items are at the top of the list).
- Increase the amount of affordable housing
- Raise pension levels for seniors
- Increase support for low-income people living alone
- Implement a guaranteed annual income/basic income
- Increase social assistance benefit levels
- Raise provincial minimum wage levels
- Increase levels of provincial disability income supports
- Improve access to Employment Insurance
- Increase mental health supports
- Access to healthcare
We are guessing that many of the things on the Food Bank clients’ lists of concerns are similar to yours. Please use your voices to lobby for those in our community who are less fortunate. And, where you can…we welcome donations of cash (e-transfer to penderislandfoodbank@gmail.com) and food (current best-before dates, undamaged non-perishables). If you are a gardener with extra produce this summer, we happily accept donations of fresh fruit and veggies (email us at penderislandfoodbank@gmail.com or drop off at the Food Bank Friday mornings between 8:30 – 10 ideally).
Pender Island Health Care Society
May is Hypertension Awareness Month
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is common, but many people don’t know they have it. Although factors like age or family history can’t be controlled, other risk factors can be managed through health and lifestyle choices like quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy diet and physical activity. Hypertension increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other conditions, so it’s worthwhile to monitor your blood pressure with a home monitor, the blood pressure machine at the pharmacy, or at medical appointments. Work with your primary care provider to develop a plan to control and monitor blood pressure.
Mammography Screening Van
May 6 – 9
The BC Cancer Agency Mammography Screening Van is coming to Pender May 6 – 9 and will be stationed at the Anglican Parish Hall. If you are due for a screening mammogram, please call the booking line at 1-800-663-9203. You do not need a referral from your medical provider. If you received a reminder by mail, you can also book online using the code provided. Visit bccancer.bc.ca/screening/breast to learn about recommended intervals between mammograms, who should get screened, and more. Regular screening mammograms can find breast cancer early, usually before it has spread.
Update on Primary Care at the Medical Clinic
The early spring has seen more changes to the provider schedule at the medical clinic. In addition to their Pender services, Dr. Bruce Rebner and Nurse Practitioner Lee-Ann Jespersen are each travelling one day a week to Saturna Island to provide primary care services there, and Dr. Sam Marriage, who is new to the island, has stepped in as a regular locum one day a week at the Pender Island Clinic. Dr. Marriage grew up in Australia, attended medical school in Melbourne, and completed her Family Medicine residency and Emergency Medicine fellowship in Ontario. Her area of interest is bringing healthcare to marginalized populations and she has special training in addiction medicine, medication abortion, and gender affirming care. She also enjoys teaching residents and medical students. Outside of work, Dr. Marriage says, “I love to bake, powerlift and watch endless cartoons with my kids. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to work and live on Pender Island; my family has had a home here since I was a kid and I have always loved the island and its people.”
Dr. Caroline Knight is enjoying a well-earned retirement after providing over two years of excellent service to the Pender Island Clinic. Dr. Knight stepped up when it was needed most and provided much needed service and stability to the medical clinic. Her work with us is most sincerely appreciated and we wish her the very best in her new adventures.
Our Amazing Volunteers and Helpers
The strength behind Pender’s community achievements lies in the dedication of its volunteers. The Health Care Society is especially grateful to its hard working supporters, who consistently offer their time and expertise.
We want to give a heartfelt shoutout to Dave and Darlene Harrison, who rolled up their sleeves for this year’s epic spring property clean-up. With Dave’s continued contributions as an indispensable member of the Building Committee, and Darlene’s green thumb bringing life to the gardens, this dynamic duo has truly left their mark. Your dedication and hard work shine bright—thank you both.
Special thanks as well to Dr. Don Williams, who first arrived on Pender as a physician in 1986. Even in retirement, Dr. Williams remains active in the Health Centre gardens, pruning trees and sharing his wonderful stories. His commitment to regular exercise, often traveling by bicycle, serves as a testament to his vigor and community spirit.
To all our volunteers and helpers: your efforts are appreciated more than words can express. You make Pender a better place – thank you.
Volunteering can bring its own rewards – and there is specialized training and support for volunteer positions in the Monday Seniors’ Activity Day (for example, driver, barista, lunch helper), as a driver to medical appointments, or as a social visitor. For more information, please contact Marcella Reay, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@penderislandhealth.org or 250-629-3346.
Speaker Series
Here’s to Your Good Health
On Sunday, April 13, Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol, Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University, delivered a fascinating presentation about air quality, and the increasing frequency of air quality advisories. As the lead in the BC Lung Foundation’s BREATHE project (Building Resilience to Emerging Airborne Threats and Heat Events), and as a professor in Human Risk Assessment and Toxicology for Public Health, Dr. Nicol teaches people how to protect themselves from wildfire smoke and extreme heat events. She shared information on both outdoor airborne particulate matter such as wildfire, traffic emissions and diesel generators, and indoor sources such as wood-burning stoves, propane-powered appliances, incense, and candles. Commercial indoor air cleaners, when properly maintained, do a good job of cleaning indoor air, but they can be pricey. The BREATHE project includes giving workshops where participants can make inexpensive and easy-to-build homemade air cleaners with a 75 watt box fan, a MERV-13 furnace filter, and some duct tape. For a video of the talk and Dr. Nicol’s slide presentation, click Community Programs at penderislandhealth.org, and scroll down to Speaker Series. For more information on how to build your own indoor air cleaner, check out
bclung.ca/diyaircleaners.
Health Centre Open House
Saturday, July 5, 11 am to 4 pm
Please mark your calendars to join us for refreshments, behind-the-scenes tours and an opportunity to learn more about the Centre. More detailed info coming in future Pender Posts.
Travel Assistance Program
The Travel Assistance Program (TAP) is run by the Ministry of Health and helps with transportation costs for BC residents who must travel within the province for eligible services that are not available in their own community. Here on Pender, it is typically used on BC Ferries for medically necessary travel to Victoria. For details about eligible services, please visit gov.bc.ca and search for TAP BC. Pender-registered patients or emergency care patients requiring further care may request a TAP form from the Medical Clinic. They may be picked up during office hours, 9 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm. Patients must complete the form well before the day of travel, by calling the TAP automated service line
(1-800-661-2668) to receive a confirmation number.
Community Support Programs
Maintain Your Independence (MYI) Exercise Classes
Classes are $50 for the eight sessions or $8 to drop in and run from the Community Hall. If the cost poses a hardship, contact Community Support for assistance. Many thanks to the CRD/Pender Parks and Recreation Commission for their financial support of the MYI program. To register, call 250-629-3346 or email Marcella at activities@penderislandhealth.org.
Mondays
Tai Chi Practice Space
9 – 10:15 am
There will be no instructors; it will be time to share in the flow together. Registration is encouraged in case we need to contact you. Free.
18 Postures for Seniors with Judith
10:30 – 11:30 am
These exercises were designed in the 70s by Western and Eastern medical practitioners in Shanghai to improve wellness for seniors. They incorporate slow stretches, breathing exercises, improving balance and posture, and stimulating acupuncture points. There are three sets of exercises performed to music. Led by Judith Young. $5.
Tuesdays
Moderate Yoga with Daniel
9:15 – 10:15 am
Improve your activity levels and build strength, balance, mobility, and range of motion in your joints and spine. The class will include breath work, meditation, gentle stretching, a balancing sequence, and relaxation. Wear loose clothing and bring a yoga mat.
Gentle Chair Yoga with Daniel
10:30 – 11:30 am
Increase flexibility, stay limber, and improve balance. This class is suitable for those with mobility challenges and difficulty with balance and is ideal if you are recovering or have arthritis or joint injuries. Please wear comfortable clothing.
Essentrics with Heather
10:30 – 11:30 am
A slow to medium-paced full-body workout that simultaneously stretches and strengthens every muscle in the body. Essentrics reduces muscle tension, unlocks tight joints, develops lean muscle tone, and improves posture. You will leave class feeling relaxed and energized. Bring a yoga mat. Class is done in bare feet. There is no class on June 10.
Strength Training for Seniors with Misha K. (legs, back, and biceps)
12 – 1 pm
Build muscle strength. Maintain bone density. Improve balance, coordination, and mobility. Reduce your risk of falling. Maintain independence in performing activities of daily life. This is a slow, full-body workout with bands that are provided. Bring a water bottle and wear comfortable clothing.
Wednesdays
Strength Training for Seniors with Misha K. (shoulders, chest, and triceps)
12 – 1 pm
Build muscle strength. Maintain bone density. Improve balance, coordination, and mobility. Reduce your risk of falling. Maintain independence in performing activities of daily life. This is a slow, full-body workout with bands that are provided. Bring a water bottle and wear comfortable clothing.
Thursdays
Moderate Yoga with Candace
9:15 – 10:15 am
This moderately paced class teaches foundational yoga shapes, introducing breath and the ability to flow from one posture to the next. With a focus on alignment, pranayama (awareness of breath), guided meditation, and a rooted sense of joy and play. You will build strength and mobility, flexibility and balance, while gaining range of motion in your joints and spine.
MYI: Gentle Chair Yoga with Shelley
10:30 – 11:30 am
Increase flexibility, stay limber and improve balance. This class is suitable for those with mobility challenges, difficulty with balance, and is ideal if you are recovering or have arthritis or joint injuries. Please wear comfortable clothing.
To register or join our monthly newsletter, leave a message for Marcella at 250-629-3346 or email activities@penderislandhealth.org.
Monday Activity Day at the Community Hall
Engaging seniors and friends in our community
Workshops
This month, we have a workshop and a discussion group that can be available via Zoom for participants at home on Saturna, Mayne, or Galiano Islands. These are Creating a Mini Travel Journal and The Artist’s Way (done your way) by Julia Cameron Discussion Group. Both workshops will be presented by Monica. If you are interested, please register at sginh.ca/seniors or call the office at 250-629-3665.
The Artist’s Way (done your way) by Julia Cameron
May 12
Have you always wondered what this book was about? Did you start reading it but didn’t finish? Have you completed the book but want to go back and redo parts or the whole thing? Join us in this monthly discussion group if you answered YES to any of these questions. Along with sharing, there will be self-directed activities such as artist dates, filling the well, and morning pages. There are so many benefits from a group, like sharing, insights, and accountability.
Meet The Pender Post Society
May 12
Discover what makes this cherished local publication so special. Editorial team members will present the organization, and the work it does bringing The Pender Post to life every month, to inform and unite residents, visitors, and lovers of our beautiful islands. Meet upstairs at the Community Hall at 1 pm.
Create a Mini Travel Journal with Monica
May 19
Learn to make an accordion-style journal with special watercolour paper. These are perfect for recording summer travels, quick sketching, plein air painting, or just to have in your pocket for jotting down your thoughts. Once you’ve made one, you might want a set for all your different activities or to give one away. $10 Pre-register
Special Activities
May 5
Book Club
Read any book by Maggie O’Farrell. Relax, meet new friends, and discover great books together. RSVP is encouraged.
Seniors Advisory Committee
Share your ideas, connect with others, and help us create programs that matter to you for the Monday Activity Day. Your input helps shape the activities, events, classes, and workshops offered, whether it’s fitness classes, arts and crafts, films, or social events.
Helping Ourselves to Health: Shelley and Violant lead us in an exploration of energy or ‘ki’ to discover how cultivating ki can improve our mobility, health, and stability. In this one-hour session of mindful breathing, meditation to activate ki, ki testing, self-massage of potent points, and light Qi gong stretches to eliminate and prevent illness (Eight Brocades), we learn ways that we can strengthen ki to eliminate and prevent illness. The cost is $5
Film: Calendar Girls
This British film is based on the true story of a group of middle-aged women in Yorkshire who raise money for a local hospital by posing nude for their annual Women’s Institute calendar. The film follows the women as they grapple with personal struggles, find new purpose, and become unexpected celebrities after their calendar becomes a massive hit.
Caregivers and Grief Support Group
An opportunity for self-care, a place to discuss your concerns, get information, find out what others have done, share your feelings, and connect with others.
May 12
Artist Play Date with Audrey
Every second Monday of the month from 10 am – 12 pm.
All materials supplied. Paint, draw, collage, glue, and simply create. Please note that this is not a structured class. Audrey will be available to answer questions. No registration is required, $5 drop-in fee.
May 19
Group Walk on Molly’s Trail
Meet Audrey at 10:30 am by the front doors in the hall as we head off to explore Pender’s newest trail. The route is approximately 3 km and will take us on a winding path into Karl Hamson’s property. This hike is not suitable for folks with mobility issues. Please wear sturdy shoes. No dogs, please. Afterward, join us for coffee or lunch.
Film: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
This is the second film adaptation of James Thurber’s 1939 short story. It follows a daydreamer named Walter Mitty on his quest to find a missing negative print and its elusive photojournalist for the cover of Life magazine’s final print issue.
Caregivers and Grief Support Group
This is an opportunity for self-care, a place to discuss your concerns, get information. Find out what others have done, share your feelings, and connect with others.
May 26
Make Do & Mend Morning
Join Fix-it Peter, Tech Savvy Shon, and our Sewing Experts, all dedicated to sharing skills and giving new life to broken or worn-out items. Bring in your broken, confusing, or worn items and learn how to repair or use them alongside our wonderful helpers. Drop-in
Listening for Whales
Did you know Pender Island is home to a live-streaming whale listening station focused on one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals? Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how Raincoast is using underwater microphones, video, and citizen science to monitor Southern Resident killer whales and the vessel noise and disturbance that may be hindering their recovery. Our new Whale Sanctuary Listening Station is helping us track when these endangered whales use the protected waters off Pender and whether the sanctuary is doing its job. Come learn how local action is making waves for whale conservation across the Salish Sea.
P.A.L. What is Pender Active Living?
Join us to learn how to provide extra support for those who need help with mobility, hearing, or have other challenges that may make them feel uncomfortable or concerned about participating in social or recreational activities. This support means that everyone can join in. Interested in becoming a PAL? We provide training to help you feel confident in helping others.
Day Trip to Raven Rock Farm
Join us for a joyful walk through the diverse grounds of Raven Rock Farm. We’ll weave through the vegetable plots, berry patches, flower gardens, herb beds, and orchards, stopping at viewpoints to discuss a variety of topics. During the walk, we’ll share our story and discuss what’s growing around us – from the garden starter plants in the spring bursting out of our timber-frame greenhouse to the gardens lush with lettuce and the hoophouses full of basil, peppers, and tomatoes. Educational and eclectic in nature, our guided farm tour varies with the seasons and is tailored to guests’ interests. The cost is $10. There are still spots available. Please email Marcella for the registration link at activities@penderislandhealth.org or call the Community Support Office at 250-629-3346.
Acts of Kindness/Gratitude
This month, we are delighted to highlight a short story written by Roy Oram. If you have an uplifting short story to share, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Marcella at the Community Support office.
Blazer
By Roy Oram
In the sixties, Kathy and I spent several summer holidays at a ranch near Keremeos, BC. I enjoyed the horses and Kathy, having given up riding after her first experience on horseback, enjoyed swimming in the lake which was just a few feet from our cabin.
The food at the ranch was very good and very plentiful. We were fed huge breakfasts which included eggs, bacon, pan-fried potatoes, and pancakes, too if we wanted them. Lunch consisted of soup, salad, and cold meats. Dinner was usually roast beef, lamb roast, or pork roast with all kinds of vegetables and home-made pies for dessert. Coffee or tea with cake was served before bedtime after entertaining ourselves with the other guests in the ranch house.
At 7:30 am, the wake-up call was a knock on the door of the cabin and the call, “Good morning. Hot water!” A large pitcher of hot water was left for us to wash at the old-fashioned washstand with which each cabin was furnished. On cool mornings, we would light the stove, with the wood provided, to take the chill out of the mountain air. Breakfast was served at 8:30 am sharp. Latecomers were not appreciated. All the guests sat around a very long table. Morning chatter was always great fun.
For the first couple of years, I was given very steady, gentle horses. When the management thought I was able to ride well enough, I was promoted to horses which were a little more lively. One such horse, aptly named “Sparky,” was the horse which really taught me to ride. Sparky, just four years old, loved to argue with me about when and where I wanted to go. He made riding fun as well as challenging. But we really got along very well together.
One night after dinner, a call came out for volunteers to round up some horses which had broken through a fence and had wandered up a wooded mountain. There was a danger that the horses might find their way over the mountain to the highway and be killed by the traffic on the busy road. Six riders volunteered; I was one of them.
I was given a very large, retired cutting horse, twenty-one years old, whose name was Blazer. Blazer loved to work. If he saw a cow, his ears perked up as he waited for his rider to join his game. Blazer would not walk under a tree with branches so low that his rider would be injured, nor would he pass between two trees too close together. He was
very smart.
We all started up a draw, then near the top of the mountain, each rider was sent in a different direction. I was sent right over the top of the mountain. The thought of becoming lost crossed my mind for a moment, then I dismissed the thought and carried on the search for the missing horses.
Blazer picked his way along the edge of a rocky bench, and while the view was spectacular, we found no horses. Suddenly, I realized that it was getting quite dark. The clear sky was dotted with thousands of stars which were beautiful to see, but there was no moon. I again became concerned about becoming lost, especially since I was now several miles from the ranch. Then it became very dark. I was lost! Stories I had heard about cougars having been sighted in the area did not help my feelings at that time. If I had been alone, I would have probably panicked, but having my friend Blazer with me was a comfort. About this time, I could picture myself spending a chilly night on the mountain.
Finally, I dropped the reins and said to Blazer, “Let’s go home, boy!” Now I was just Blazer’s passenger. Blazer made a turn and started down a very steep trail of loose shale. He slid down while I held on for dear life to the saddle horn. My heart was in my mouth until we reached the bottom. Then Blazer trotted along a grassy bench, then through a pitch black thickly wooded area and onto another slippery trail down the side of the mountain. It was probably just as well that I couldn’t see where we were going as this ride was even steeper and more slippery than the last. I just hoped that Blazer would not fall down. As we reached the bottom, I saw a light in the distance. It was the ranch. Blazer had brought me home!
The missing horses were now in the corral, and a search party was being assembled to try to find me. Everyone was happy that they did not have to go back out in the pitch-black night to look for me and Blazer.
I took the saddle off Blazer’s back, removed the bridle, then gave him a good combing and rubbed him with towels. After he was fed and watered, I kissed him good night, and I meant it.
From that day on, whenever I stayed at the ranch, Blazer was my horse. Blazer taught me that horses are really intelligent animals and that they like people as much as we like them.
Pender Island Museum Society
In the spirit of community work bees to bring in the hay or raise a barn in the old days, museum volunteers recently began to move selected pieces to off-site storage.
Long Weekend Historic Walks
This year, BC Museums Week is May 12 – 18. This recognizes “the importance of museums, art galleries, historic sites, cultural centres, and other memory institutions as keepers of legacy, places of learning, and drivers for the economic and social well-being of our communities.”
At the Pender Islands Museum, we love connecting residents and visitors to the unique nature of island life, past and present. We enjoy seeing the intergenerational magic that happens when older people visit the museum with their adult children or grandchildren.
As part of Museums Week and our ongoing 20th anniversary year celebrations, we’re bringing back two popular historic walks:
Roesland Then & Now
Saturday, May 17, 11 am
Historic Roesland Resort in today’s Gulf Islands National Park Reserve operated as a farm – resort for more than 70 years. When families came to stay, the cameras came out. Come along as we walk to the exact spots where old photos were taken, revealing the changing nature of a special place for Indigenous Peoples and settlers.
Meet in the parking lot. Finish up with a museum visit; we’ll open early just for you.
A Walk through History at the Pender Cemetery
Sunday, May 18, 11 am
No more FOMO. Some of you got in touch after last summer’s cemetery tour to ask if it would be repeated. Join storyteller Simone Marler and “meet” a few known and less-well-known people from Pender’s past, before she changes up the cemetery walk with new stories in August.
Meet at the cemetery gate; parking available.
To register for either/both walks, e-mail pendermuseum@shaw.ca or call Simone at 250-217-0823. Age 10 and up, please. By donation to the museum. $10/person recommended. Limit 25 per tour.
Treasures from the Attic Returns
We had feedback from those who missed the museum’s special Treasures exhibition in February. Recall that we took things out of storage that had never been displayed before. We don’t have space to set up the entire show in the museum, but we are planning to display key pieces starting in May. Stay tuned to Facebook for updates.
Major Museum Milestone
And where is the space for these displays coming from in our great little museum, you ask? In early April, the museum acquired off-site storage, made possible by the community-minded generosity of a local family. As we declutter, simplify, and move things around, we’re taking a key step in the museum’s long term revitalization plan.
Pender Island Parks and Recreation Commission
Waterfall in The Enchanted Forest Park on South Pender.
At the April 2025 meeting, the Commission approved a special event permit for the annual Pender Classic Disc Golf Tournament on May 22 – 25. The Golf Island Disc Park is well cared for and managed by Pender Disc Golf Society, and is a publicly available, free course that provides a cherished amenity for recreation in our community.
The Enchanted Forest Park on South Pender is managed by the Commission and is also subject to a conservation covenant. For several years, the Commission has been working to replant trees and remove invasives. At the recent meeting, the idea of establishing seasonal wetland ponds was discussed. The accompanying picture shows the seasonal waterfall that drains the north side of Spalding Valley, and typically runs from late October until late April/early May.
Work on the Schooner Way trail is progressing. Phase 1, from the Ball Park to Medicine Beach, has been cleared of trees and the trail construction tenders were opened on April 16. It is anticipated that work will begin just in time for summer traffic. Final lay-out, design, and engineering for Phase 2, from Medicine Beach to the School, is being advanced concurrently.
The Thieves Bay picnic shelter project is also in the planning and development phase and the Commission expects to advance discussion of this project at the May meeting.
Led by three commissioners, all Parks and Recreation parks and trails on Pender have been visited, inspected, and reported to develop an updated inventory. The data is being compiled and reviewed with a view to creating an updated map and guide.
Ocean access is an important attribute of some Parks and Recreation trails. Two accesses, MacKinnon Road and Gowlland Point, have stairways that are reaching their best before date. Ben is advancing the planning and review steps necessary with a view to rebuild these before next winter.
The Commission approved the closure and decommissioning of the Ellena Road Ocean View loop trail on South Pender due to a high density of ecologically valuable snags currently serving as wildlife trees. These standing dead trees pose safety concerns for trail users but are important habitat and can be retained if the trail is closed. Additionally, forest regeneration has diminished the ocean views the trail once offered, making it redundant with the nearby Saturna View Loop Trail, which remains accessible and continues to provide a superior viewpoint.
In March, the Commission considered the future of ‘doggy doo’ stations in some of Pender’s parks. The consensus at that time was to phase out the stations starting by ending the supply of waste bags. Well, that did not go over so well with some members of the community. We appreciate all the correspondence and engagement. At the April meeting, the decision was reversed. After all is said, and not much done, the issue remains the same – a few inconsiderate dog owners taint the conscientious and well-behaved majority.
Should you venture down to Shingle Bay Park, you will see restoration work underway along the stream and to the east along the Masthead – Shingle Bay Trail. This work is led by Pender Islands Conservancy working with the Commission’s support. Additionally, Ben plans to replace the aging bridge crossing the stream in the next several months. The field is still wet for much of the spring. Correction of this requires drainage which is challenging due to evolving rules and restrictions around what can and cannot be done on our public park lands.
2025/2026 Recreation Grants: Call for Applications
The Commission is now accepting applications for 2025 – 2026 Recreation Grants, which support local community groups in offering inclusive and accessible recreational, athletic and cultural programs. Eligible groups are invited to apply for funding to cover program-related costs such as moveable equipment, operating supplies, room rentals, and wages. Please note that capital projects or initiatives not open to the general public are not eligible.
Applications will be evaluated based on their ability to remove barriers to participation, offer broad community appeal, demonstrate financial viability, promote inclusion, reduce social isolation, and contribute to overall well-being. Priority will be given to projects with the widest community benefit and a plan for acknowledging PIPRC in promotional materials. To apply, complete the application form available online (https://tinyurl.com/rec-grants) and submit it, along with any attachments, to penderparks@crd.bc.ca with “Recreation Funding Application” in the subject line. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2025. For more information, contact a Commissioner at the same email address.
Our next meeting will be May 12 at 3:30 pm at the Community Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Pender Island Public Library
Kids’ Magic Show
Join our second annual Kids’ Magic Show with professional magician Leif David. Due to last year’s success, we’re moving to a bigger venue at the Community Hall so more kids and families can experience this fun event. Come ready to be amazed by this kid-friendly show on Saturday May 31 from 11 am to noon. This event launches our 2025 Kids Summer Reading Club, with this year’s theme “Colour Your Summer” to inspire kids to read. Leif David, from Kelowna, BC, will wow us with magic, comedy, music, and lots of audience participation.
Author Readings
The Library is excited to partner with the inaugural Tapestry of Words Literary Festival by hosting two great children’s programs on Sunday, June 1. See Ptarmigan Arts for details.
On Display
In May we celebrate Canadian Asian Heritage Month with the 2025 theme, A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience. This theme emphasizes the contributions and strength of Asian Canadians throughout history and their ongoing impact on Canada’s cultural, economic, and social landscape. Come borrow books by Asian Canadian authors and gain experiences through their heartfelt and varied stories.
Art in the Library
The Art of Book Covers: celebrating a selection of the beautiful and intriguing covers from books by our Pender Island authors. Browse a visual book display and discover a local author as your next best read. Exhibit displayed in partnership with Ptarmigan Arts, April – May 2025.
Seed Library
Time for gardening. Stop by our Seed Library cupboard and pick up free seed packets of lettuce, beans, peppers, kale, and flowers. The Seed Library cupboard is generously maintained in partnership with the Gulf Islands Food Co-op (gulfislandsfoodco-op.org).
New Books
Adult Fiction and Mystery
Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One (Kristen Arnett), The Jackal’s Mistress (Chris Bohjalian), The Paris Express (Emma Donoghue), The Wedding People (Alison Espach), Broken Country (Clare Leslie Hall), All the Other Mothers Hate Me (Sarah Harman), The Boxcar Librarian (Brianna Labuskes), Splinter Effect (Andrew Ludington), Like Mother, Like Mother (Susan Rieger).
Adult Non-Fiction
Natural Yarn Dyes (Anna Bauer), How to Survive a Bear Attack (Claire Cameron), From a Square to a Circle (Delores Churchill), Wild Harvest BC (Linda Gabris), Perseverance (Stephan Kesting), Poutine (Justin Giovannetti Lamothe), Just Say Yes (Bob McDonald), Climate Injustice (Friederike Otto), Who We Are (Murray Sinclair).
Adult Sci-Fi and Graphic Novels
The Hidden Life of Trees: A Graphic Adaptation (Frederic Bernard), Aunt Tigress (Emily Yu-Xuan Qin), When the Moon Hits Your Eye (John Scalzi).
Youth and Young Adult
Apocalypse Taco (Nathan Hale), The Land Knows Me (Leigh Joseph), Old School (Gordon Korman), Mallory and the Trouble with Twins (Arley Nopra), Coolest Club Ever! (Stephen Shaskan), Bloom (Nicola Skinner), Momo Arashima Duels the Queen of Death (Misa Sugiura).
The Library is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, but closed on Saturday, May 17 in lieu of the Victoria Day holiday.
For assistance, contact libraryhelpdesk@crd.bc.ca or call 250-629-3722 to chat with friendly staff.
Pender Island Recycling Society
Tire Recycling
May is Tire Month here at the Recycling Depot. The cost is $3 per vehicle tire off rim, or $8 for on-rim tires. Bicycle tires can be recycled for free. Please call ahead if you plan to bring in more than four tires at a time. Last year we accepted 72 vehicle tires for recycling. All tires are processed here in BC and recycled into material used for playground surfaces, athletic tracks, and rubber mats.
Plant Pots
We have lots of plastic plant pots available right now for reuse, located just outside the doors to the Freestore. If you have extra plant pots that you would like to donate, please knock out any excess soil and stack them in the designated area. Any plastic pots or trays that are broken or past use can be recycled with the hard plastics inside the barn, provided they aren’t dirty.
Backhaul Program
Your support of our backhaul program is greatly appreciated. Every week our drivers load up the truck with your recyclables to be hauled to Vancouver Island. On the return trip we haul soil, gravel, or mulch to your property. Materials are sold at cost, and the delivery charge is $160 to North Pender, or $180 to South Pender. This program is very popular and we are currently booked through August, but it’s a great time to get on the list for a fall delivery of landscape materials.
Bike Shop
Join us on Tuesday, May 6 for the grand reopening of the bike shop in its new location beside the Restore. Bike mechanic Laurie will be on site for repairs or to talk with you about purchasing a refurbished bike. We are also currently organizing a donation of good quality used bikes to the Migrant Farm Worker Bike Program, a group dedicated to providing reliable bikes and safety accessories to BC farm workers so they can travel to their workplace and out into the community.
Dish Loan Program
If you’re hosting a gathering or event this summer keep our dish loan program in mind. This program is a great alternative to single-use dishes and tableware. We have dishes, cutlery, glassware, mugs, napkins and serving dishes available to rent. Everything is an eclectic mix, and we ask for a donation between $5-50, depending on how many items are borrowed. For safety we ask that you wash all items before using as well as after.
We hope you are enjoying the spring weather and, as always, we thank you for your continued support of the Pender Island Recycling Depot.
PAC
Pender Island School Parent Advisory Committee
Top Reviews
Can the Southern Gulf Island spirits save the wasteful and greedy Ebeneezer Scunge? The After School Theatre Club did a fun and funny play called Scunge, written and directed by Steve Dunsmuir. On Wednesday, April 16 the group performed this play twice; once for the whole school during school hours and again that night for parents and other locals. “Best play at our school, so good,” said Ethan Whittingham, grade five.
Beach Clean Up
Pender Island School students broke into groups on April 14 to collect garbage from the local beaches. Kindergarten to grade nine students participated in this event. After cleaning the beaches, they returned to the school for potato soup.
Nice Weather
The last two months of school means outside fun. The kids will have track and field, fun day, and field trips to look forward to before the end of the school year.
PenderPOD
John Allan in a Rebel Rags tee shirt.
Join us to Celebrate Pender Ocean Defenders on Saturday, May 10 at the Pender Community Hall.
Pender Pod is marking a decade of activism and community engagement to protect the Southern Resident Orcas and the health of the Salish Sea.
There will be drop-in family activities at the market between 11:30 am and 1 pm to decorate a flag with sea creatures. Suggested donation $5. Ptarmigan staff will be on hand to help.
From 1:30 to 3 pm you can print a t-shirt with Tom Hetherington of Rebel Rags. Tom has a beautiful collection of linocut blocks (whales, salmon, seals, kelp, letters) and paints to complete your unique design. Suggested donation $15 to $20 depending on whether you bring your own plain tee or we provide one (limited sizes).
Drop by the POD table to sign up for this activity or come to the Hall at 1:30 pm.
The evening program begins at 7:30 pm; doors open at 7 pm.
Bruce McConchie is our emcee for the evening. We’ll present POD Memories, a narrated history slide show of our significant moments. The Sinister Seniors will perform one of their memorable skits. There will be Orca songs, (some produced on Baleinophones).
Check out our silent auction items, including a bottle of Sea Star wine and some vintage Pender Ocean Defenders tee shirts. Find out about the Pender Whale Sighting Network and our volunteer work for the whales.
An Orca cake and refreshments will be served.
See you there.
The Center for Whale Research announced a sighting of another new calf on April 6. J63 was seen swimming close to J40, the presumed first-time mother.
Celebrate Ocean Week Canada 2025 and join us at the Community Hall on June 6 at 7 pm. Dr. Deborah Giles is the guest speaker. Dr. Giles is the Science and Research Director at the non-profit Wild Orca which joined forces with the SeaDoc Society in 2025. You may have heard of her and her famous “poop sniffing” working dog, Eba. Dr. Giles will be giving us an overview: from poop to policy – what feces can tell us about the health of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales”.
Royal Canadian Legion
John Pender presents donation to the Epicentre’s Michael Cowan and Tina Christensen.
Have you ever noticed how you can go through an entire winter of cold, wind, rain, sleet, and snow and never experience the slightest sniffle? But, sure as can be, as soon as you string together a couple of sunny, warm days in April your nose begins to run and the sneezing gets so bad you start scaring the dog.
For these many years this has happened more times than not…and here it is again. Now, I’m not complaining – okay, maybe I am – but it’s deadline time for this report and I’m finding it hard to concentrate on matters at hand for the good old Legion. Of course, I could just ramble on incoherently for a few paragraphs. I mean, how many people would even notice the slight deviation from the usual drivel I come up with – hey, just one more president who doesn’t make any sense.
I think the Buckley’s Complete is finally beginning to kick in, so perhaps I may yet be able to pass on some relevant Legion news.
One thing I need to mention is that May is our last month for full course Friday Night dinners. I will be doing ham and scalloped (au gratin) potatoes on May 9. The menu for May 23 is still being negotiated. Check the website for updates. On June 6 we start our summertime BBQs on the patio and, contrary to talk on the street, there will be no tariffs on those chicken burgers. Hard to believe that another summer is almost here!
Meat draws continue to draw in the crowds every Saturday at 40 pm. All money raised at the meat draws goes back into the community. As an example we recently gave $3500 to the Epicentre Day Care which finally opened on March 17. Congratulations to all of those involved in achieving this much needed addition to our Island.
Bingo happens on May 10 starting at 1 pm and the chase for the grand prize continues. Don’t forget the Cara Luft concert on Tuesday, May 13 starting at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale at Talisman for $30. Cara is a celebrated Juno Award winning artist, renowned for her deep roots in folk and traditional music, so we hope to see you there. Popular Pender Island duo Deer and Coyote will be opening for her, so it should be a great evening.
The Legion general meeting will be on May 31 starting at 2 pm. Why not attend and support your Legion?
Now I am very tired and will have to end our little talk. Hopefully next month I will have my head clearer and my ramblings a little more informative. One can always dream. If you want to sign up for the monthly newsletter, send a quick email to secretary239.rcl@gmail.com.
Outer Gulf Islands RCMP
I’d like to give a shout out to the Gulf Islands Fire Rescue Cadet Camp participants on completing their course. It looked like a lot of fun. This year, police officers from the RCMP’s West Coast Marine Services (WCMS) provided their support for this important initiative by stopping by in the Police vessel Lindsay.
On the West Coast of BC, the RCMP has three full time patrol vessels which are crewed by the WCMS. The patrol areas for these vessels stretch from Washington State to the south tip of Alaska, which is nearly 26,000 km of coastline. The RCMP’s police vessel Lindsay was built in 1992 and is named after former RCMP Commissioner Malcom Lindsay. Each vessel acts as a floating detachment and is equipped with everything needed to ensure law and order is sustained even in the most remote areas of the coast.
The cadets got an up-close look inside the Lindsay and engaged with members of the WCMS, learning about the job and what it takes to become one of these highly trained team members. After the meet and greet the cadets were treated to a maritime patrol of Navy Channel, between Pender and Mayne Island.
For the period of March 16 to April 14, we responded to 37 calls for service, which was down from 46 for the same period in 2024.
iPhone Crash on the High Seas
On April 5, an automatic crash detection from an iPhone was reported to the 911 system. Initially the GPS of the phone showed that the crash occurred on the east point of Saturna Island, however with further investigation it was determined that the GPS actually showed that it was in the middle of the ocean. Members were able to contact JRCC and the US Coast Guard to assist. It was confirmed that the alarm originated from a cruise ship as it was passing by. A passenger had fallen, which set off the iPhone crash detection system. The crew was able to attend to the passenger.
Off the Roadway Avoiding a Deer
Also on April 5, Pender Island Fire rescue, BCAS, and the RCMP responded to a vehicle collision near the 5000 block of Canal Road. Investigation determined that a lone male drove off the roadway avoiding a deer which ended up with his vehicle traveling down the embankment approximately 100 feet. The male was able to get out and climb back up without anything more than bumps or bruises.
Look after each other; thanks for reading.
SGI Community Resource Centre
Connect with Your Island’s Housing NOW Island Associate
Got questions about the Housing NOW Homeshare Registry? Curious about how the program works or how it can support you as a homeowner? We’re happy to connect, answer your questions, and walk you through the benefits of registering your available homeshare. Drop a line to Jacqueline Dupuis, Pender Island’s Housing NOW Island Associate: housingnow@sgicommunityresources.ca.
Sustainable Funding Initiative’s Grant Writer Rebate Project
Are you part of a non-profit organization in the Southern Gulf Islands looking to boost your funding capacity this season? The Grant Writer Rebate Project is here to help.
Registration for our third intake opens May 5 and runs until May 25. This initiative supports local non-profits by offering financial support toward hiring a dedicated grant writer.
Spots are limited, so don’t wait – pre-register now at http://www.linktr.ee/sgisfi. Successful registrants will be contacted before June 5.
Take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen your grant applications and grow your impact.
Job Board
Looking to connect with talented job seekers across the Southern Gulf Islands? Our job board is here to help. We encourage employers to take advantage of this valuable resource to expand their reach and find the right candidates. By posting your opportunities, you gain wider exposure throughout the islands, making it easier to attract skilled workers who are eager to contribute to the local community. Don’t miss out – list your job openings today at tinyurl.com/sgicrcjobs.
Summer Youth Job Opportunities
Exciting opportunities are opening up for youth on the Southern Gulf Islands. The Community Resource Centre is currently hiring for several positions, including Community Development Associates and an Information Assistant, with start dates in May and July. These roles offer a great chance to gain valuable experience while contributing to community initiatives. If you’re passionate about making a difference and looking to get involved this summer, we encourage you to apply. For full job descriptions and application details, visit our website at tinyurl.com/sgicrcjobs.
Spring ushers in a season of renewal, bringing longer days, warmer temperatures, and fresh opportunities to engage with the community and appreciate the beauty of the Southern Gulf Islands. It is the perfect time to experience local events, strengthen connections, and make the most of all that this vibrant region has to offer. As we step into the new season, we encourage everyone to take advantage of the many ways to enjoy and contribute to the life of our islands.
SGI Neighbourhood House
Community Justice Program
The volunteers at the SGI Community Justice Program don’t just steer the ship – they help build it, guide it, and keep it moving. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who has given their time. whether by serving on the steering committee, joining us in circle, attending workshops, stopping by our market booths, or helping to bring community justice and the circle process into their communities. Thank you to each and every person who has contributed to this meaningful project.
Does conflict resolution, community building, and healthy communication sound like your kind of thing? We’d love to have you on board. Join our team or volunteer with us this summer – we offer training, a supportive environment, and plenty of opportunities to get involved in the world of community justice. Get in touch by emailing cjp@sginh.ca.
55+ Seniors Program
The Seniors Monday Activity Day has two workshops in May that are in person on Pender Island; they are also available via Zoom on Saturna, Mayne, and Galiano. See Community support Programs, page 35, for details.
Job Board
The Neighbourhood House will soon be posting job openings for summer students interested in working on the islands. We’ll be hiring a Volunteer Program Assistant and Youth Development Coordinators for various locations across the islands. Keep an eye on the job board for the latest opportunities at tinyurl.com/sginhjobs.
Recreation and Leisure
Pender Island Garden Club
The Garden Club annual plant sale is at the Community Hall Saturday, May 3 from 10 am until 1 pm. There will be flower and vegetable starts plus perennial flowers, foliage, and shrubs. All plants are donated by club members and sold for very competitive prices.
The April meeting of the Pender Island Garden Club was held in the garden of our club member, Michelle Marsden. Michelle is a co-coordinator of Pender Islands Fall Fair and the convenor of the floral section. She has many years of experience from her own beautiful garden and her hard work with our Fall Fair. The meeting was about the rules and tips regarding Fall Fair floral entries. It starts in the garden where growing the best plants possible is the goal.
The Fall Fair catalogue has the rules and specifications for the floral section. It comes out in late spring or early summer, in paper at the local shops, and online. Please read carefully as the rules and specifications are important to show entries to their best advantage. The judges that come to our fair are trained and mostly come from off-island. The standards used are from the BC Standards for garden clubs, floral and vegetable. The judges have two years training and two years of practical, on-site experience.
After growing the best possible plants, picking and conditioning are important. Avoid the heat of the day for picking. Early morning is good, as is the cool of the evening. Take a bucket of tepid water into the garden when cutting flowers. Cut each stem at an angle and remove any leaves that would be under water and place them in the bucket. The stems can then be taken to a cool place. They can be re-cut under tepid water on a slant. The stems can stay for several hours or overnight. Floral preservative extends the life of most cut flowers. Commercial products are available but it is easy to make your own. Add a tablespoon of vinegar, a teaspoon of sugar and three to five drops of household bleach to a quart of water.
Flowers and foliage are judged on the basis of freshness, health, and size in the stem and foliage, the brilliance of colour and the freedom from insect and weather damage. They should be consistent in size, colour, form, and characteristics. The fair provides containers for the blooms and foliage so they can be judged solely on the entries themselves.
The Garden Club encourages everyone to enter the Fall Fair, youth and adults. There are categories for both. For more information look at the website,
bcfairs.ca.
Our May 8 meeting for club members is about deer resistant planting.
Pender Island Junior Sailing Association
Since our last publication in the April Pender Post, we’ve made an amendment to our 2025 summer course schedule. The FunSail course advertised for August 4 – 8 has been replaced with another course. The courses are now confirmed as follows:
CanSail Levels 1 and 2 and CanSail Levels 3 and 4
July 21 – 25 and July 28 – August 1
Can Sail Levels 2 and 3 (introductory course)
August 4 – 8
CanSail Levels 1 and 2 and CanSail Levels 3 and 4
August 11 – 15 and August 18 – 22
CanSail Levels 1 and 2 students must be 9 years old to adult and they will be sailing in Pirate boats with three students in each boat or two adults in one boat.
CanSail Levels 2 and 3 (introductory course) students must be 10 years of age to adult and who may have previously accomplished some or all of the CanSail 2 components and are ready to be introduced to the components of CanSail Level 3. They will be sailing in Pirates or Bytes and Lasers.
CanSail Levels 3 and 4 students must be 12 years old to adult. The students will be sailing on Lasers and Bytes.
It is not unusual for a student to fully complete all the components of a CanSail level in one or more weeks. There is no Pass or Fail in a course – the requirements are to be able to complete all the sailing components within that level of sailing before being able to move to the next level. Adults do take all the courses but should be aware that sailing small dinghies requires some physical flexibility. All students must be able to swim with the aid of a PFD (personal flotation device/life jacket), which is provided if they do not have their own. Students in the Level 1 and 2 course must participate in a capsizing exercise on day two in order to continue in the course.
As in previous years, registration for courses will begin at 8 am on May 1 for returning students and other household members, and May 15 for new students. Registration is an online process required by BCSail accessed through our website: penderislandjuniorsailing.com. Cost of each course is $250. Payment is made through the registration site. Enquiries should be sent to infopijsa@shaw.ca or acoffey@telus.net
We are able to offer courses at a reasonable cost due to ongoing support from the Tru Value Spirit Board, CRD Parks and Recreation, Pender Island Yacht Club, Pender Island Legion, Browning Harbour Pub and Marina (Mill Bay Marine Group), Pender Island Golf, other organizations from time-to-time and volunteers who help each summer.
Our Board members are: Allyson Coffey, Commodore, Tom Caston, Vice-Commodore, Rick Mudie, Treasurer, Acting Secretary Allyson Coffey and directors Manfred Burandt, Carolyn Cartwright-Owers, Dave Harrison, Peter Hinton, Carly Janes, Andrew Mastalerz, Herman Nievaart, Fiona Percy, Bruce Waygood, and Don Williams.
Sound interesting? Why not come join us and have fun watching and interacting with all the excited sailors? If you are a boater, sailor, family member, friend of students, or an islander who would be interested in helping out on the beach during one or more of the course weeks or with our weekly BBQ, please know that we welcome all. Contact us at acoffey@telus.net.
Pender Island Otters Swim Club
At long last, Panorama Pool is open again after its major filtration system work. We start our summer session on May 2, and this will go through to August 15. We will see how many swimmers we get registered this summer, and if our enrollment exceeds our offered three-hour time slot, we do have the fourth hour available to us. All practices are on Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm. If there is interest, we can also apply for space on Tuesdays, as we did last summer, but that would only be for July and August dates. Registration links have been sent out to current members, but anyone else interested, please either go to our website at http://www.penderislandotters.ca or reach us at penderottersswimclub@gmail.com.
Quick note here, while we do swim through the summer, and hope some folks might attend a few meets, we also are offering a half summer option (either May/June, or July/August) at half the registration fee for that. There is now a code to apply to registration if that is the option selected. All registrants will also have to cover the $45 annual insurance fee, but that is good through to the end of April 2026.
We held our AGM on March 30 and welcomed Jaime and Andrew MacLean onto our board. Good to have some tech savvy folks to help streamline the registration process and also come up with new ideas. We also want to thank stepping down board member Jorgen Jesperson for his time on our board, and for keeping the entries for the school newsletter going for the past two years. We also want to acknowledge Clara Dickieson, our winter head coach for her time with us. She is moving on in her career, and was fully booked for the summer.
We are good to swim through the summer with coaching from our four remaining coaches: Jeremy Ellis, Sidney Boone, Deirdre Knister, and Elizabeth Gyerkovits. Jeremy and Sidney will be covering the Junior, Senior, and Walrus groups, and Deirdre and Elizabeth the Otter Pups. Talking to our coaches at the AGM, they all wanted to congratulate our swimmers on wonderful improvement over the winter. Sidney and Jeremy have been working on 100 meter challenges in freestyle and backstroke with great excitement from the swimmers. The technical intricacy of the breastroke was a challenge that all met and succeeded, with our breastroke expert Jeremy demonstrating his technique.
Another fun challenge was a swim-off between our coaches to the cheers of the group on deck. And not to be outdone, in the warm pool, Coach Deirdre reported that seven-year-old old Otter Pup Maria swam the length of the pool in one breath and did eight somersaults at the end. Look for more exciting stories to happen as the summer progresses. Hope to see lots of returning and new swimmers in the very clean pool come May 2.
Cover Story
One of my favourite places on Pender Island, the Pender Organic Community Garden, is located in the middle of a sheep pasture on Karl Hamson’s farm. I took this month’s cover photo last spring on my way to the garden and have been waiting ever since to share it with you. What a couple of posers, eh?!
Weather Observations for March
| Average Temperatures | Extreme Temperatures | Precipitation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max | Min | Mean | High | Low | Rain | Snow | Total | |
| Magic Lake | 11.4 | 4.8 | 8.1 | 17.5 on 28th | 1.0 on 12th | 101 | 0.0 | 101 |
| “Normal” | 11.0 | 4.0 | 7.5 | 21.5 in 1991 | -4.5 in 1989 | 76.0 | 1.7 | 77.7 |
Spring is here. Clocks were changed to Daylight Saving Time on March 9. Some people complain about DST because they have to get up too early or go to bed too late. The favourite complaint when I was a child used to be that the cows did not like the change to their milking time, but the cows would just ignore the clocks and continue their normal routine. The farmers seemed to cope with the situation. Spring Equinox is March 20 when the sun crosses the equator on its way north and daylight extends longer each day for six months.
Swallows, hummingbirds, and turkey vultures must have their own calendar because they always return to Pender in March from their winter in the tropical south. However, this year for the first time in my memory, I saw no violet green swallows in March. I saw a few swallows in early April, but not many. There seemed to be a shortage of insects and perhaps that is why there were so few swallows. Most of our ducks go elsewhere for summer breeding but some of them left early this year. Duck and geese behaviour has been strange for a couple of years. Speaking of wildlife, I did not know until recently that there are beavers in Magic Lake. They cut down two mature fruit trees and one large, magnificent Dogwood tree on my property.
Winter sometimes lingers on into March; nighttime temperatures are quite likely to be below zero and sometimes it snows. This year there was no March snow, not even a frost. The temperatures were slightly above average, and the rainfall was well above average.
I consider May to be our first month of summer. Maximum temperature in May is often in the high twenties and hopefully the lake water is warm enough for swimming. Rainfall in May is unpredictable. Over the years it has varied from 1.8 mm to 77.8 mm with no trend of increasing or decreasing.
I hope you have the weather of your choice in May and, if not, June will soon be here.
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