SOS CONNECTORAs we enter into our 51st year

at SOS, programs continue to gain traction and we continue to work to meet the community’s needs. Our youth programs are well attended, and we are ready to take the next step and expand the School Nite Out program to Qualicum Beach. Read more about the program, and the upcoming expansion, inside this issue.

We are also seeing lots of seniors in our programs, and we’re happy to offer a grocery shopping service for seniors in Qualicum Beach. This allows us to assist senior residents in the northern areas of the District. Our bus is now picking up seniors in the Bowser area, as well as Coombs and Hilliers, and bringing them to

Qualicum Beach to shop. Read more about that inside.

Our Seniors Connecting program expanded to Qualicum Beach last year, and we are hearing great feedback as it continues to attract residents in the surrounding areas for social interaction and a light lunch monthly.

We were thrilled to hear one of our volunteers announced as winner of Volunteer of the Year at the Qualicum Beach Chamber Awards dinner recently. Volunteers are the very heart of SOS, and we are so proud and grateful to have so many wonderful people helping us make our communities stronger.

We are currently in high need of help in our Thrift Shop, so if you have

some extra time, please consider connecting with our Volunteer Coordinator and joining us! Our volunteers have fun and report feeling valuable and connected to the community. We hope you have a bright and gratifying spring.

Program expansions and more good news

Clear the clutter and transform your lifeClearing clutter in the home is all the

rage right now, particularly with the Netflix hit series Tidying Up with Marie Condo. The series is based on Condo’s best selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

The show helps people get their head around de-cluttering, sorting items by category, and only keeping things that are truly important. On her website Condo says that by tidying your space, you can transform your life. She states,

“Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service — then let them go.”

Do you have some items that no longer spark joy? The SOS Thrift Shop is happy to take them off your hands! It’s a win-win, you receive “life changing magic” and the community gets funding for valuable SOS programs. Drop off items at the Thrift Shop (188 West Hirst Ave.) 7 days a week, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Now go transform your life!

SOS Community Services Centres245 West Hirst Ave. Parksville 250.248.2093744 Primrose St. Qualicum 250.752.2040sos@sosd69.com | www.facebook.com/SOSd69

www.sosd69.com

Susanna Newton

—Susanna Newton, SOS Executive Director

Spring 2019

The SOS Thrift Shop is happy to help with your de-cluttering endeavours.

Youth program expands

Kids playing, expressing and growingChildren in grades 4 - 6 express themselves

physically, socially and emotionally in an SOS program, and the program name has been changed to reflect that. Kids Movement: Play, Express & Grow was formerly known as Girl Talk and Guyz Time.“We wanted the new name Kids Movement to be more inclusive and inviting to kids,” said Child & Family Coordinator Alice Bailey-Tulia. “We want kids to feel like this is a safe space for them to express themselves, in the different arts and crafts that we do, or during field trips, games and other outings.”The program is split into two groups, one for girls and one for boys, and is offered in both Parksville and Qualicum Beach. Activities have included archery, bowling, Taekwondo, dance, yoga, popcorn olympics, lip sync battles and T-shirt tie-dying. Kids have created empowerment collages, taken part in assertiveness and boundary setting sessions, and made things at Oceanside Community Makerspace. The program has

also had guest speakers from the RCMP talk about cyber bullying, and Arrowsmith Search & Rescue members gave outdoor survival tips. For more on the program visit the SOS website, or call 250-248-2093 ext. 249 for the Parksville program or 250-752-2040 ext. 2 for Qualicum Beach.

Boys in the Kids Movement: Play, Express & Grow program visit Makerspace in Parksville.

School Nite Out (SNO) is a great program for local youth, and it’s not just the parents and caregivers who think so. “It’s a great place to hang out and unwind with other people,” said program participant Sage Herrett. “Some people have social anxiety and this lifts those people up. They can open up to people here.”

Kaiden Beal also attends the program and said its nice knowing the staff and volunteers care. “I like that they put in time to make it fun for us,” he said. Plus, youth learn to be respectful and to get along with others, he added.

SNO is well attended and SOS will be expanding the program to its Qualicum Commons location this Spring. “It’s exciting,” said Youth Coordinator Trevor Ballantyne. “This program has reached capacity, so it will be nice to give youth the option of attending the program closer to home if they live in Qualicum Beach, while also opening it up to young people who live in that area.”

SNO is for youth in grades 7-9. Participants meet once a week at the SOS Community Services Centre in Parksville where they play games, go on outings, do activities and enjoy a wholesome meal prepared by

SOS volunteers and staff.Brandi Klyne’s two children attend SNO and she

said from a parent’s point of view, it’s an incredible program. “I’m sure that there’s a lot of parents out there like us that can’t always afford to do the great things SOS does for them — taking them to special places like the movies and Airhouse [sports complex], — that’s a lot of money, and I recognise how much that saves us.” Ballantyne said the program in Qualicum Beach will also offer fun activities and outings.

For more information on the program, call 250-248-2093 ext. 232.

Youth enjoy the School Nite Out program in Parksville. The program will be expanding to Qualicum Beach this Spring.

Getting your income taxes done can do more than just lift a heavy weight off your shoulders. Often it is the key to unlocking much needed government benefits. “We have many clients that are unable to do their taxes on their own, and they rely on the government benefits, so this is a huge relief for them,” said program coordinator Elizabeth Nicol.

The SOS Income Tax Program works in conjunction with the Revenue Canada Community

Volunteer Income Tax Program. This ensures that volunteers participate in on-line training sessions.

Don Innes has been an SOS Tax volunteer for many years and says he finds the work very rewarding.

“I enjoy it. We save people a lot of stress. It’s very complicated for people, and they are very appreciative.”

The program is available to local residents who earn up to $30,000 annually, $35,000 for single people with a dependant,

and $40,000 for married or common law couples. For more information visit the SOS website. Call 250-248-2093 to make an appointment. The tax season runs until April 29, 2019.

SOS helping to reduce stress at tax time

A grocery shopping service for seniors in Qualicum Beach and surrounding areas is making a big difference. Val Tinney said that with her recent hip replacement and the snow around her apartment, she was having a hard time getting anywhere, let alone the grocery store.

“This is wonderful because I can’t drive my car right now,” she said. “You can only ask your friends to do so much for you, otherwise you won’t have any friends left,” she said.

The grocery shopping service is part of the Oceanside Better at Home program, a partnership between SOS and United Way of the Lower Mainland, funded by the BC Government.

Seniors are picked up by the SOS bus every second Friday and brought to Qualicum Foods to shop. The service also assists seniors in Parksville and surrounding areas where participants alternate visiting different grocery stores. Volunteers with the program assist with shopping, and participants enjoy a coffee break before they are

returned back home. Liz Lewington coordinates the program for SOS and said the social aspect of the service is key.

“This is a nice opportunity for seniors to not only get their grocery shopping done, but to get out of the house and have some social time.”

Patricia Rodgers started using the service recently and thinks it is much needed in the community. “It is really great. I think it fills a hole, there isn’t anybody doing this,”

she said. “I think more and more people are going to need this kind of service.”

Ethne Towill also uses the service and agreed that it is helpful, and added that the volunteers and staff are very friendly.

This service is for District 69 residents, from Nanoose Bay to Bowser, including Hilliers, Whiskey Creek, Coombs and Errington. Call 250-752-2040 for more information.

Seniors get groceries and more

Val Tinney gets some grocery shopping done at Qualicum Foods thanks to the SOS Oceanside Better at Home program, with assistance from SOS Bus Driver Chuck

Woodward, before heading upstairs for a coffee break at A Step Above.

Jarrett wins Volunteer of the YearThroughout his life, Ron Jarrett has

always enjoyed lending a helping hand. Recently, he was thanked for his volunteer efforts and named 2018 Volunteer of the Year at the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce Community Awards dinner.

“I am very honoured to have received this award as I know there are many, many dedicated volunteers in our great community,” he said.

Ron is a volunteer driver for the Medical Appointment Transportation Service. He also drives people to non-medical appointments like the hair dresser or the bank with the Oceanside Better at Home (OBAH) program. He transports people to Seniors Connecting get-togethers and helps with set up and take down in that program. He assists in the Christmas program, helping set up the Toy Shop, and transporting gifts and other items. He has also spent time as a Friendly Visitor in the OBAH program.

Although Ron sometimes worked

long hours when his children were growing up, he made time to volunteer in their activities. He led Boy Scouts for eight years, and he managed his son’s hockey team for eight years. “To get the best out of any program requires people to give to the program, in whatever way,” said Ron. “Plus, I’m bossy,” he chuckled. “Yes,” added his wife Barbara. “He’s very organized,

very enthusiastic.” “I’m an assertively encouraging sort of person,” Ron added with a smile. “I have a hard time standing back and watching.”

Ron and his wife retired to the area from Fort Saskatchewan three years ago. Ron said he likes the Oceanside area and the people here, and he enjoys making a contribution. “It’s good to give back,” he said.

SOS has approximately 365 reasons to celebrate its success in District 69. This is how many active volunteers the organization has to “lift communities” into a cohesive, caring, and thriving community. SOS will once again host its Volunteer Recognition Luncheon & Years of Service Award Ceremony during National Volunteer Week, which is April 7-13, 2019. The theme that Volunteer Canada has set for National Volunteer Week this year is Lifting Communities. As spring approaches, our lives tend to become a little busier

– golfing, gardening, biking; however, it never ceases to amaze me that people still put aside that little bit of time to contribute to civic responsibility and volunteer. For this I take pleasure in recognizing active SOS volunteers during this special week of commitment and dedication to lifting our communities. The SOS event will take place Thursday, April 11, 2019 at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre to celebrate these achievements. We have many volunteer needs and opportunities, so if you or someone you know can reap

the benefits from becoming an active volunteer, please give me a call so we can chat over a cup of coffee and find that right fit for you. If volunteering as a couple is something you would like to explore, there are many options available. Random monthly gift card draws, special events, and up to date SOS information are just a few perks along the way to “lifting your community”! Until then – Happy Spring! —Renée Caulder, Coordinator of Volunteer Resources

365 great reasons to celebrate

Ron Jarrett was named Volunteer of the Year at the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce Community Awards on Feb. 20.