Arrowsmith Community Recreation Summer Highlights
July - September 2018

Growing Wild Summer Camp

ACRA was very pleased to present the second annual Growing Wild Camp, July 9th-13th on the Coombs Fairgrounds. Schoolteacher Caity Generaux and ACRA Recreation Coordinator Kristine Stephenson welcomed 26 youth, ages 9-13, to this unique summer camp. The children enjoyed learning to orienteer, care for a horse, put up a tent and fish. A highlight of the week was a tour of the BoMé Cheese Factory, where they were also treated to a delicious lunch of salad and macaroni and cheese. Special guests at camp each day included RCMP Community Police Officer, Danielle Swanson and Auxiliary Staff Officer, Mike Dally, as well as Japanese origami expert, Shino Yoneda and international student volunteer, Mei Hirokawa. The children had some trepidation about being put in handcuffs and seeing the inside of a police car, but hopefully this was a one-time experience for them! Special thanks go out to all of the community businesses and volunteers who kindly supported the camp. A yummy ice cream cone at the Coombs Market was a wonderful way to end a week of rural camp fun.

Building Learning Together Storybook Village

Recreation Coordinators, Kim and Kristine enjoyed a delightful morning hosting one of the buildings at BLT’s Summer Storybook Village at the Qualicum Commons. They had the opportunity to meet many local and vacationing families, with their exuberant preschool children. The children enjoyed making coffee filter butterflies, having the most fun dabbing the bingo dabbers as many times as they could on a piece of paper! They were all excited to take home their butterflies to hang in a window.
Coombs Fair

The ACRA Recreation Coordinators helped the Coombs Fair committee on fair weekend, August 10th-12th, by directing exhibitors to their locations, helping exhibitors set up and working at the admission gate. The rain did not keep people away and the fair welcomed crowds to their “Year of the Goose” event.
Youth World Music Camps

The Errington War Memorial Hall was alive with the sound of djembe drums and marimbas, during the 9th annual Youth World Music Camp, August 13th-17th. For the first time, Camp Director, Val Dare, opened up the Introduction to Marimba morning session to children ages six-eight. The new program was met with resounding success and the Intermediate and Advanced sessions were full with past participants, who have become like a family. Many of the returning participants play in the youth marimba group, Zazu. ACRA Recreation Coordinator, Kristine and visiting musician, Ines Jani, planned and facilitated the lunchtime recreation activities for the camp participants. Kim and Kristine helped to host the final performance evening, and organized the lending of the marimbas for the camp. The hall was standing room only for the concert, and the audience was treated to a fabulous show by these young musicians.
 
Adult World Music Workshops

ACRA organized and hosted four late-afternoon and evening adult world music programs. The talented artists who were instructing at the youth camp all kindly agreed to offer adult workshops. Participants enjoyed Introductory and Intermediate Marimba and Djembe, as well as a West African Dance workshop. The adults who attended all enjoyed the enthusiasm of the instructors and the opportunity to try something new, or practice their rhythms with a different instructor.

Errington Hi Neighbour Day

Anyone who has lived in Arrowsmith, or in Oceanside, for that matter, has heard of Errington’s Hi Neighbour Day, known for the shortest parade in history, zucchini races and fresh cooked corn on the cob. The ACRA Recreation Coordinators took on the job of planning and hosting the new Children’s Activity Area. Parents and their children, of all ages, had a blast weaving their way through an obstacle course, racing on wooden skis, hopping in potato sacks, and the favourite, chucking chickens into an old toilet seat. The children were treated to freezies after they participated. The parents and the Errington Hall Board were thrilled to have this new area open to children to run off some energy.
ACRA AGM

The Arrowsmith Community Recreation Association held its Annual General Meeting at Grace United Church, August 22nd. All seven of the 2018 ACRA Board members unanimously volunteered to continue on the Board going into 2019. Janet Boley will continue as the ACRA Chair, Donna Furneaux, treasurer and Barb McLaughlin, secretary. ACRA was pleased to welcome Area F Recreation Commissioner, Reg Nosworthy to the meeting. Reg is a passionate advocate for Arrowsmith and the work the team does in the community. His experience and expertise is very much appreciated by the Recreation Team and the Board of Directors. Janet Boley and the Board expressed kind thanks to the Arrowsmith Recreation Team for their dedicated work. 
ACRA-RDN 2019 Budget Operating Proposal

The ACRA Board and Recreation Coordinators completed and submitted ACRA’s 2019 Budget Operating Proposal to RDN Manager of Recreation Services, Dean Banman and Superintendent of Recreation Program Services, Hannah King. ACRA continues to be very appreciative of the RDN’s support.
Sole Sisters Walking Program

Under beautiful blue skies and the backdrop of the ocean in Rathtrevor Park, on September 19th, the Sole Sisters welcomed 38 women to the first walk of the season. Many of the women had continued their “Joyful Walks” informally over the summer, but were happy to get back together as a regular group. The success of this group is that it supports older women, of all fitness levels, to come out and try trails that they would not try on their own, in a friendly, social atmosphere. There is room for fast-paced walkers, who will loop back or wait for the group at a scenic spot along the way. ACRA is looking forward to another successful Sole Sisters year.
Active Aging Week 

ACRA was excited to offer two activities for the RDN’s Active Aging Week, September 24th -30th. Cardio Dance Fitness instructor, Jen deHaan, kindly volunteered her time to host a free drop-in cardio dance fitness class at the Bradley Centre, on Monday, September 24th. Twenty-eight women and men were grooving and moving to upbeat music, while getting in a great workout.

Breathtakingly beautiful Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park was the destination for the Sole Sisters Active Aging walk on September 26th. The hike welcomed 31 participants, and many photographs were snapped along the way. Thank you to RDN Recreation Programmer, Jenn Hopewell, for her hours of organizing, hosting meetings and promoting all of the wonderful programs.

Introductory and Beyond Beginners African Hand Drumming

The ten-week fall session of djembe drumming started September 17th in the Errington War Memorial Hall, and for the first time, instructor, Monica Hofer offered a dun (West African bass drum) program. Many of the Beyond Beginner participants started with Monica as beginners and were eager to get going again.
Food Skills for Active Seniors

ACRA is hosting the six-week Food Skills for Active Seniors program from September 27th to November 8th in the Arrowsmith Hall kitchen at the Coombs Fairgrounds. This free program is funded by the Ministry of Health, managed by Diabetes Canada, supported by the RDN and Save-On Foods, and facilitated by Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Miranda Cockayne. Many seniors live on a limited income and must learn to cook for one, so the seniors who are attending appreciate learning new recipes, safe food handling and storage, meal planning, healthy snack preparation and much more.

Week five’s class will see a visit to Save-On Foods to learn about reading labels and how to buy affordable and healthy products. Each participant receives their own handbook full of cooking tips and delicious recipes. At the end of each class, the group sits down together at a family-style table to share their prepared meal and socialize.
Parksville Qualicum Beach News Arrowsmith Insert

Much of September was dedicated to the planning, organizing and writing of the semi-annual Arrowsmith insert in the Parksville Qualicum Beach News. The theme for the fall insert was “Creating a Community for Youth in Arrowsmith.” The insert will be published in mid-October. ACRA is very appreciative of the continued support of the PQBNews and community businesses that sponsor the insert.

Ongoing

Community Meetings


ACRA Recreation Coordinators attended community meetings in July, August and September to help organize and plan the Growing Wild Summer Camp, Coombs Candy Walk, the Food Skills for Families program, and all of the fall programs.

Promotion and Registration

The Recreation Coordinators are responsible for the ACRA website and Facebook, promotion and registration for programs. They receive and reply to phone calls and emails regularly and continue to manage all of the registration for programs independently.
Grants

ACRA supported the Arrowsmith Agricultural Association by writing and submitting an RDN Community Recreation Grant, on their behalf, for the 2019 Coombs BC Family Day event.
Community Cupboard

ACRA continues to lend equipment and instruments to non-profit groups in Arrowsmith. During the summer months, instruments were provided to the Errington Hall for the Youth and Adult World Music Camps, and signage and safety equipment to the Coombs Fair and Silver Spurs riding group for fundraising activities.