Active Page Articles

1 10, 2023

Active Page Article October, 2023

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T15:20:26-07:00October 1st, 2023|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News|0 Comments

By Alison Colwell

Blackberry Festival

This year the Galiano Club’s Blackberry Tea will be on Saturday October 7th. Doors will open at 11am, and you can pick up your pies, or enjoy a soup, or a slice of pie and ice cream until 2pm.

We will be accepting pre-orders for pies again this year. Email the galianoclub@gmail.com with your request. We will have Blackberry, Blackberry & Apple, Blackberry & Peach, Apple Cinnamon, or Maple Pumpkin Pies. Pies are $20 each.

We will need volunteers to serve and help with the clean up on Saturday. Plus, pie making volunteers all week – contact Alison for more information.

The Galiano Club’s New Truck

Three years ago, the gleaning coordinator for the Community Food Program, asked if the Club would consider purchasing a truck. Moving the orchard ladders was sometimes challenging, plus hauling the rest of the equipment and the boxes of fruit. “A truck would make life easier,” said Emma.

It took two grants and two years but this winter the Galiano Club purchased a work truck.And we never anticipated how much we’d use it, or just how much easier it would make life. It’s being used for gleaning, of course. And the garlic co-op. But I also use the truck to pick up supplies for the food bank. The first time I took it to town, I got almost 1700 cans of salmon in the back, plus three carts of groceries for Soup Monday.

And thanks to the United Way and The Victoria Foundation for making life easier for all of us moving food around Galiano.

Galiano Club’s Annual Christmas Market

The Galiano Club’s Annual Christmas Market will be happening over two days again this year. Saturday Dec 2nd and Sunday Dec 3rd. If you would like to be a vendor, please send us an email at galianoclub@gmail.com with your preferred day. (Day requests will be accommodated on a first come basis.)

Galiano Players

By Sonia Baker

Not long after arriving on Galiano, I became involved with the Galiano Players and began producing a Christmas pantomime. Our first Panto was Cinderella, and very quickly the Christmas Panto became a fantastic success. I have directed seven Panto’s so far on Galiano, but now I’ve turned the tradition over to new director, Brahmi Brenner. The Panto is in very good hands, and we can look forward to a wonderful production again this December.

Now I’m moving in a new direction. I’m privileged to be directing a dark comedy with two very talented actors, Joy Wilson, and Christina Stechishin. Working on their character development has been fun for us all. This one-act play will keep you wondering about the outcome until the very end. Please join me Friday October 20th or Saturday 21st, at 7pm at the South Hall.

Come watch these two incredible actors in a play you’ll be talking about for a long time.

1 09, 2023

Active Page Article September, 2023

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T15:23:24-07:00September 1st, 2023|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News|0 Comments

Annual Blackberry Tea

Galiano Island is home to several varieties of blackberries. The native Bramble type is often found on trails and the Himalayan variety (an invasive species) is often found bordering roads and gardens. The Himalayan variety has larger, later developing berries that are more protected by thorns.

For decades now, the Galiano Club has been holding a Blackberry Festival on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. The Blackberry Tea is the main fundraiser of the Galiano Club, and the money raised goes to support the community hall and parks. This year the festival happens on October 7th.

Volunteers spend the week up to the festival making and freezing a variety of pies. At the Festival you can purchase whole pies, which are fresh or frozen. Plus soup and bread are served along with slices of pie, and ice cream. Last year volunteers made 200 pies.

It looks like there will be an abundant crop of blackberries this year. (Thankfully the tent caterpillars didn’t get them.)

You can help support the Galiano Club by picking blackberries. Freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a Ziploc bag. (Blackberries can be dropped off on Monday Soup Days, or by contacting Alison.) We also need pie-making volunteers in the week before the festival. No experience is necessary – and if you want to learn how to make a pie, I guarantee you will know how by the end of the day. Plus we need volunteers to serve and clean up on Saturday October 7th.

We will be accepting pre-orders for pies again this year. Email the galianoclub@gmail.com with your request. We usually have Blackberry, Blackberry & Apple, Blackberry & Peach, Apple Cinnamon or Maple Pumpkin Pies. Pies are $20 each.

It’s always a wonderful community event. Thank you to the Galiano community for supporting the Blackberry Festival.

1 06, 2021

Active Page Article June, 2021

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T12:37:16-07:00June 1st, 2021|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News, Club Parks|0 Comments

Galiano Club Update, June 2021

By Jack Garton

The summer is opening its door, and by the time of this publication we will have enjoyed some of its warm welcome. Hot spring days are a wonderful thing. The feeling of warmth on our skin, the smell of life everywhere, colours bursting from trees and flowers; a sweet relaxation starts to take over.
However, before long, the reverie includes hopes for rain and fear of another dangerous wildfire season. As someone who prefers warm sun, there’s an unease underneath these sunny days. Maybe even a tiny bit of guilt for enjoying the heat. No, I think it’s more a sense of responsibility that pairs with the enjoyment. These recent years of BC wildfires have driven home just how interdependent we all are, humans and our environment.

The Galiano Club manages some beautiful outdoor recreation lands on the island, which we hope islanders make use of, but it’s always good to mention that during the summer it’s important to check the Fire Danger Rating, and to be very cautious if it’s High or Extreme.

Thanks to the volunteers who helped pull Scotch Broom from the trails recently, it’s a job that really benefits from many hands. It’s also a chance to spend some time with fellow islanders, and enjoy some much-needed social connection. This community has always had a knack for pulling together to get hard things done.

A note that the Galiano Club’s 96th Annual General Meeting (via Zoom) has been postponed until June 27. Members will receive an email with further details.

1 05, 2021

Active Page Article May, 2021

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T12:33:25-07:00May 1st, 2021|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News, Club Parks|0 Comments

Galiano Club AGM

While we hope that everyone is enjoying the spring and spending time outside, alas COVID 19 is still with us and this year’s Galiano Club AGM will be on Zoom, scheduled for May 30. If you would like to vote on any of our resolutions, contribute to the discussions, or get familiar with the many ways in which the Club stewards its lands and assists the community on Galiano, put it in your calendar! To vote in the AGM, all you need to do is renew your membership for 2021 at galianoclub.org/about/membership. It costs $10 for the year and all Galiano residents or property owners are eligible. Non-residents who wish to support the club are also welcome as Associate Members (without voting privileges). The last AGM included lively discussion and debate, with the highest attendance on record. Hope to see you there.

Easter Chocolate Sale

Our latest chocolate fundraiser was an egg-celllent success! A big thank you to the volunteers who helped make and sell the chocolates, we appreciate all your help. Like previous chocolate sales, everything sold out. The very last bag of chocolates went to…….Buzz!

Broom Blitz

It’s that time of year again when the blooming broom needs to be cut. We are going to focus on a couple of areas in the Community Forest. We will be going out several times in the month of May, so if you have any time to spare and would like to help please email Diana at dburgoy@gmail.com.

1 04, 2021

Active Page Article April, 2021

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T12:33:41-07:00April 1st, 2021|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News, Club Programs, Galiano Players|0 Comments

Galiano Club Update, April 2021

Making it through a pandemic winter is no small feat. Hope seems more tangible now, as the earth fills in with colour and warmth, and we hear optimistic news of vaccines and re-opening plans. Recent health regulations have relaxed to allow groups of 10 to gather outdoors, and the trails and parks in the Heritage Forest, Mt Galiano and the Bluffs are great places to gather in small groups and experience the beauty of spring on the island.

This spring also marks a year since the beginning of the pandemic, and it has been a difficult year for many. The Community Hall has been empty for much of the time, without the usual busy schedule of classes, workshops and events that make it such a treasured place. Everyone has risen to the challenge of finding creative ways to get things done remotely, but it’s not the same as sharing space together, and we miss it deeply.

Easter Chocolates

With Hall rentals being one of the mainstays of Galiano Club fundraising, one of the fun alternatives we have come up with is selling chocolates! The Christmas and Valentine’s Day sales were very popular, so we are planning an Easter chocolate sale on Saturday, April 3rd from 11-3 in front of the hall. There will be Almond Roca $6, Chocolate bark $6, Turtles $6, vanilla cream filled chocolates $7 and of course, Truffles $7. We are going to offer a box with a variety of chocolates for $15. If you would like to pre-order please send an email to galianoclub@gmail.com and put chocolates in the subject line. We will confirm your order and then you can pay by e-transfer. Pre ordering is recommended, we sold out quickly at our Christmas and Valentine’s Day sales.

Galiano Club Arts and Culture

Something to look forward to as the days grow longer, the Galiano Players will be presenting a series of short plays this summer, in outdoor garden venues around the island. Each performance will also be paired with some outdoor music. The events will be COVID safe, with small casts and limited audience capacity, and each will be an intimate and unique artistic experience. To make the plays more widely accessible, each one will also be recorded and broadcasted online as a “radio play”. Stay tuned for the dates, and more info on each play.

These will be the first initiatives of the newly expanded Arts and Culture mandate of the Galiano Club. We hope that, similar to the many branches of the Food Program, the Club can support a wide variety of creative and cultural programming. Let us know if you have ideas, and would like to volunteer in this area.

Don’t forget to renew your Galiano Club membership for 2021! It only costs $10, which can be e-transfered to galianoclub@gmail.com with “2021 Membership” in the subject. The Membership form can be found on the Galiano Club website. Members can help shape the many exciting opportunities the Galiano Club offers on the island, and help make the community beautiful and strong.

1 03, 2021

Active Page Article March, 2021

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T12:27:33-07:00March 1st, 2021|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News, Club Programs, Galiano Players|0 Comments

Galiano Club Update, March 2021

By Jack Garton

Sitting in the kitchen, watching icicles drip off the roof: as if we needed another reason to stay inside at home. Ok, going outside in the snow can be fun. Usually, once the effort is made to bundle up and venture out into the unreasonably picturesque forest, the cold air feels invigorating, the soft lines of the snowscape feel gentle on the spirit, and the pace of the slowly swirling flakes is refreshing, and sort of mesmerizing.

It always seems a bit unfair, though, when a cold snap comes after spring has already been promised. (But the snowdrops!) Winter can be isolating, especially on Galiano, and many folks are looking forward to the longer, warmer days coming when we can spend more time outdoors, in contact with nature and with other humans.

As the pandemic lockdown continues, social events at the South End Hall are still on hold for the time being. However, the Galiano Club board is working hard behind the scenes to keep its many community initiatives alive. The walking trails are all open, and work is always being done to make them easier to use and more accessible. At the top of the Wildfire Loop in the Community Forest, a plugged culvert is being repaired by Galiano Excavating, who also did a great job grading the access road to the Bluffs recently.

Many of you may have noticed more space and light (!) around the Hall. A huge rotting cedar was recently taken down. That tree was on board members’ minds every time a strong wind started to blow. Thank you Gord Palmberg, for all your work falling, bucking and chipping the tree. We’ll all sleep better, thanks to your work. We’d also like to thank Lief for his heavy equipment work, and our supportive neighbour for allowing much of the work to be done on his property.

Our Valentine’s Day Chocolate Fundraiser was a big success. Thank you to the volunteers who participated in several days of chocolate making leading up to sales on February 12th and 13th. Many braved the snow on Saturday to pick up their pre-orders and a few were able to purchase at the door. Apologies to those who arrived to find us sold out. We’d better make even more next time; clearly Galiano loves chocolate.

By the time this update reaches readers, it will be March, and there’s hope that nettles will have begun poking up, and the sound of frogs will be serenading us as the sun sets on warm (or just not-freezing) days. Making it through a pandemic winter is no small achievement. Social connection has always been necessary to coping through the long dark season, and this year we were unable to warm each other with hugs, laughter, stories, food and songs in the way we usually do. The Galiano Club will keep working hard this year to find opportunities for connection and community, come what may. Don’t forget to renew your membership for 2021 if you haven’t already! It only costs $10 for the year, can be done easily on the Galiano Club website, and includes the opportunity to vote at the AGM on important issues facing the island.

Galiano Players

By Sonia Baker

The players haven’t been doing much in the last year because of COVID-19, but we did manage to put on the play in the garden last summer and this year we will be hosting Shakespeare in the garden probably the end of June beginning of July with the hopes that the Covid restrictions will be lifted so we will be able to get more people and as it’s outside that will work fine. And if all is well this November, we will put be putting on the much-loved Pantomine again. Stay tuned to see what else the Galiano players have in store for you!

1 12, 2020

Active Page Article December, 2020

By Galiano Club|2023-09-13T12:22:06-07:00December 1st, 2020|Categories: Active Page Articles, Club News|0 Comments

Galiano Club

By Jack Garton

Hello, and Happy New Year from the Galiano Club. As I write this, 2020 is coming to a close, and I am settling into my first few weeks as a new member of the Board of Directors of this great organization. It is an honour to help with this group that has been serving the Galiano community for almost 100 years. It is also an honour to work with such an accomplished Board! The experience, skill and attention brought to the table in service to Galiano is humbling.

Our community has been rocked this year by the many challenges of the global pandemic, but The Galiano Club has worked hard to help us be resilient in the face of it all. Food Security and Affordable Housing have been at the top of the list, but also Social Connection (the Food Program is about to test its first virtual Games Night) and Land Management (with a climate change perspective) are areas where great work is happening. Often these two areas overlap these days, as more of our socializing happens outdoors. 2 new bike racks are being installed at the Bluffs, to help those spending time in the beautiful lands there.

With many Galiano islanders passionate about community issues, membership in 2020 ballooned to 420 members, with historic attendance at November’s ZOOM AGM. I’d like to remind everyone that many of the Club’s regular fundraising avenues have been curtailed, and renewing your membership for 2021 is a great way to help with the programs many of us rely on. The Membership Form can be found on the Galiano Club website, and it only costs $10 for the whole year.

A huge thank you to the donations of lights for the Hall and food for hampers that we received in time for the holiday season, they brought some much-needed midwinter cheer. Here’s to the new year, may it bring us even closer together.

A Note Of Reflection On The Past Year

By Judy Hayes

The turn of the year is always a time for reflection on the past year. And what a year it has been for everyone! It seems both an interminably long time since mid March 2020 and also amazing that 9 months have passed. There are many reasons to be grateful that we live on Galiano. Everyone has done their part, and, to date there has not been a case of Covid on the island.

Within a week of the first shut-down, the Galiano Club Food Program staff had developed a plan whereby, with the support of our dedicated volunteers, we were able to continue making frozen meals. These frozen meals, along with hampers filled with groceries, were delivered to those in isolation, quarantining or in need. The frozen meal deliveries continue to be available to seniors. By the end of April, staff and volunteers were able to open the Food Bank weekly and we have been able to expand to include fresh produce and other necessities not previously available. We are fortunate indeed to have such dedicated staff and volunteers associated with the Food Program.

These initiatives were supported by funding from the Victoria Foundation, United Way of Great Victoria, Food Banks BC and Mayne Island Food Bank. Support also came from the Mustard Seed in Victoria and from food and services donations from Galiano farmers, fishers and businesses. In addition, donations from individuals to the Food Program, the Food Bank and Food deliveries were substantial.

We were all able to enjoy the Bluffs, Mt. Galiano and the Community Forest. They were not affected by the order closing provincial parks and the Galiano Club made the decision to keep them open. Volunteers continued to patrol these lands and identify any issues. And for a bit of fun, the Galiano Players were able to put on an outdoor play on land made available for the event. Again, with the support of many volunteers.
We can now see some light at the end of the tunnel and look forward to a time when we can again get together in the Hall for lunches, events, plays, concerts and socializing with our friends and neighbours.