The Bowen Island Community School Association (CSA) held a Cherry Blossom Donation Drive at the Ruddy Potato on Wednesday and Thursday last week to continue our fundraising efforts towards the purchase of the three new playground pieces. After 2 years of fundraising we are thrilled to announce that installation is scheduled for March or April of this year. Mere weeks away!
The cherry trees in bloom are an iconic part of the BICS playground and symbolize growth, rejuvenation and youthful energy. Every part of the tree symbolizes our Community Playground contributors: from a solid foundation found in the large trunk and supporting branches out to the numerous smaller branches, leaves and blossoms.
We would like to thank the Bowen Island Volunteer Fire Department (Fire Chief Ian Thompson pictured above with BICS Principal Scott Slater and Yorrick Grade 3 student council rep.) for their generous contribution to the project and for placing their blossom on the tree. The playground committee were recently invited to attend the weekly Fire Dept. meeting and make a presentation on the playground. We entered the inner sanctum a little nervously but were quickly put at ease, and in fact we had a great time! We loved hearing Lloyd Harding’s stories of the birth of the original playground in 1981. Then we noticed Frank Seaberly, grandfather of Levi Seberly, in the group. You might remember Levi making The Undercurrent last year with his donation of craft fair funds to the playground project. Continuing to look around the room we realized that most of the volunteers had connections to the Community School and the playground. Ian Thompson’s own four children all played there. Other volunteers are either parents of children who use the playground or were themselves students at BICS years ago. We felt we were at home with the right group of Bowen Island individuals and dedicated volunteers who understand and support the playground project.
We would also like to thank Irly Bowen Building Centre for their donation. Your generous support of Bowen Island initiatives plays such an important part in the on-going sustainability of many projects.
We had so much fun (in between dodging snow, rain and windJat the Ruddy Potato!) It was lovely to see so many of you dashing into the Ruddy either in preparation for Snowmaggedon or for the upcoming Family Day long weekend.
Thank you to the wonderful Ellen McIntosh at the Ruddy Potato for instantly supporting using their space!
Thank you always to the supportive staff at The Undercurrent, Meribeth Deen and Maureen Sawasy. We appreciate the enthusiasm and willingness to include us in the community paper.
Thank you to each of you, our wonderful generous donors! In no particular order and hoping that I haven’t missed anyone, here you all are:
Courtney Morris, Bethen, Nuala and Martha, Tim Hausch, Tristan Butler, Vera Keogh, Tyler Matzen, Hazel & Eden’s mom, Joy, Alisa Semina, Chris Coulter, Kathy Clarke and Pedro, Noah and Dillon, Jane & Frazer and Cree, Mary Lynn Machado, Barb, Caroline LaPointe, Tammy Shultz, Robbie from kindergarten, Robyn Culter, Bernice, Nagavi family, Renate, Louis, Tess MacDonald, Barry & Heather Adams, Gale Lyttle, Oskar and LM, Tina N., Sasha, Felicity, Jess and Burle from The Sweet Stand, Sarah Haxby, Joanna Mereu, Frank Gish, Katherine Gish, Phil Kemp, Russell Porter, Ann Walters, Barbara Hall, Scott Slater, Fraser Simmons and Sylvia Boss.
Finally, thank you CSA Board Members for being there to be part of this drive: Helen Wallwork, Scott Slater, Sarah Haxby, Frazer Elliott, Katherine Gish and special thanks to Yorrick, Grade 3 BICS student council representative who added a great presence to the occasion!
Excited about this project? Great…. here is how you can contribute! Stop by the BICS main to make a donation, check out our CSA Facebook page or contact [email protected]to make a donation and have your name added to a cherry blossom on the donation tree! Thank you for your support Bowen Island.
