Words June Murray Dagnall
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Celebrating 45 Years of Song
Founded in 1980, The Peninsula Singers has grown from a small group of friends into a 60-voice show choir performing two annual concerts at the Mary Winspear Centre. Over the decades, the choir has delighted audiences with music, choreography and heart, and raised more than $60,000 for the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation’s Music Therapy Program. Today, the Peninsula Singers proudly continue their tradition of song, community and charitable support. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!
Behind the Blooms
Go behind the scenes at The Butchart Gardens this November with a guided Greenhouse Tour led by an expert gardener. Tours run weekends in November for $10 per person.
Lest we forget
Each year on Remembrance Day the BC Aviation Museum opens it doors to ensure we never forget. The helicopter landing area behind The Hangar Flight Museum was once a parade square during the Second World War as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Eagle Copters and Alpine Helicopters partner with us to host the service in this space. Snow or shine, we find a way to remember. Admission by cash donation.
Peninsula Loses Its Santa
Santa Al passed away peacefully on September 29 with his family and friends close by, telling stories, reminiscing and keeping vigil at his bedside.
Many local children and families have taken photos with him at community events. The best part was always running back for the biggest, best hugs ever!
A group of local residents is trying to give Santa Al an amazing send-off and help him achieve his goal of donating over $100,000 to the Hospice; as of last December he was at $84,000. If you have special message for him or to his family, or would like to donate in his name, please visit https://www.facebook.com/santaforthehospice. For those that would like to pay their respects and celebrate Santa Al, please join on November 23 at 1 p.m. at: Chiefs & PO’s Mess, 1575 Lyall Street, Victoria.
Fall into the Salish Sea
Sidney residents can now enjoy discounted annual memberships to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea as a token of appreciation for their ongoing support of the Centre.
North Saanich Resident Publishes Her Next Novel
Published by Nightwood Editions, Meg Todd’s new novel, Most Grievous Fault, is a powerful debut about marginalization, motherhood, and the complexities of the social welfare system. In sharp, unsentimental prose, Meg Todd tells the story of Crystal Constantine, a young mother desperate to escape poverty, trauma, and the truth of her past. Meg Todd is a two-time finalist for the CBC Short Story Prize.
Shoreline Medical Society Grows to Meet Community Needs
Shoreline Medical Society continues to expand its impact across the Saanich Peninsula, growing from just five physicians to a network of over 25 medical professionals.
Butik Naturals Gives Back
Butik Naturals has donated $10,000 to the Shoreline Medical Youth Clinic through its Linen for a Cause campaign, which ran throughout August at their Sidney boutique. The funds will directly support no-cost, confidential health services for local youth, ensuring access to vital health care. A big congratulations to Butik Naturals for their generosity and commitment to the community!
Community Generosity Transforms Patient Care
The Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation has reached its $15 million fundraising goal to renovate the Acute Care Unit – a milestone made possible by the incredible generosity of the community. The transformation will improve patient comfort, safety, and care for generations to come. Learn more at www.sphf.ca.
Sidney Residents Give High Marks to Town Services and Quality of Life
The 2025 Sidney Citizen Satisfaction Survey, conducted by Ipsos with 1,156 residents, shows strong support for Town services (93% satisfied) and quality of life (98% rated good/very good). Key concerns include transportation, housing and growth. Council will repeat the survey every four years. Learn more at www.sidney.ca.
