At the March 27th meeting of the Strathcona Regional District Board, a couple of items affecting Cortes were on the agenda. Decisions were taken with regard to funding for our community halls, and equipment for our volunteer fire department.
Continue reading SRD Update: March 27th meeting and more
The Cortes Island Food Bank has met the rapidly expanding need for its services, but says it is time the local, provincial and federal governments stepped up to the plate. Only 110 food hampers were given out in 2022, but since August they have seen at least a threefold increase of demand every month. There were 86 clients in January and 70 in February. Prior to this, the highs for both months was 12.
“We really knew that the numbers that we were seeing in previous years were not reflecting the level of poverty that exists here. So we were doing some strategic things to try to increase people’s awareness of the food bank. That was a major reason why our numbers went up so significantly. People felt that they could come to us. They knew it was a safe place to come for support. I think our clients are already dealing with so many challenges in their lives. I encourage anybody listening, if you could use some help, just come to us and we’ll get you some food,” explained Beatrix Baxter, one of the Food Bank’s Directors.
Continue reading The Cortes Food Bank at a Critical Crossroad
Mark Vonesch is very passionate about Cortes Island and his activities as Regional Director. If this were a video, rather than a radio broadcast, you would see this it in his facial expressions. There is a hint of this passion in the words he chose and the tone of his voice.
Cortes Currents asked him for a recap of this past year and what to expect going forward into 2024.
Continue reading Mark Vonesch’s First Year In Office: Things ‘Accomplished’ and ‘In Process’
By Kim Paulley, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca
Cortes Island’s first community meal took place at Mansons Hall on Dec. 7, an event which hopefully will be the first of many in the coming year.
Ester Strijbos, coordinator of Better at Home for Cortes, says the meal is not just about food. The community meals are envisioned as all ages events that bring people together, she told CKTZ. “We know that food in a social setting is a super big component of building connections.”
Continue reading First Cortes Community Meal sets stage for more weekly meals in 2024
“There’s never a dull moment in Whaletown, but during December, things seem to have reached a ‘crescendo fortissimo compassioné,’ and I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. The first week began reasonably enough with two residents in Vancouver and Victoria hospitals for mental treatment. A cat named Jill was run over by a bulldozer, a couple of private parties, and the start of another feud.” – Gilean Douglas’ 1953 Christmas letter.
A collection of Douglas’ letters and her gilded Edwardian postcards will be part of the open house.
“People are welcome to come, find a spot, get a letter and read through it. See what was happening on Cortes Island back in the day,” explained Melanie Boyle Managing Director of the Cortes Island Museum.
“This Saturday, December 9th, between 11 AM until 4 PM, the Museum is running what we call Vintage Christmas. We thought it would be wonderful to offer another community space while the shoppers are down in Manson’s for the Holiday Fair.”
Continue reading A Vintage Christmas at the Museum
