Two youth from government care will receive additional financial support to pursue their post-secondary education, thanks to Victoria grandmother, volunteer and philanthropist Peggy Howard.
Howard raised $15,000 with the help of her friends and family to create her own bursary plan for youth through the Adoptive Families Association of B.C.
The 2014 recipients are the first to receive Howard’s legacy, and will be issued $1,000 each towards their education costs.
Dominik Zembrowski, 22, from Vancouver, is using his award to enter his second year in BCIT’s mechatronics and robotics program, and 19-year-old Lindsay Lillian from Nanaimo is planning to pursue Vancouver Island University’s hairdressing program.
•••
NEW LOOK, NEW NAME … Executive House Hotel will take on a new name and fresh new look next year, says Wendy McNabb, director of sales and marketing.
The hotel, at 777 Douglas St., is being rebranded as DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria.
Refurbishment of the entire hotel is under way. Upon re-opening in spring 2015, the hotel will be the first Hilton branded hotel on Vancouver Island giving travellers to Victoria access to the acclaimed Hilton rewards program.
“Although the hotel will undergo dramatic changes, our focus on guests and local community remains the same,” says McNabb.
•••
WELCOME HOME … Brad Crewson, manager of the Streets to Homes program in Victoria, was invited to be one of 12 international participants to the Building and Social Housing Foundation’s World Habitat Award conference in Los Angeles recently.
The foundation organized a five-day international peer exchange. Participants attended from Chile, South Africa, Denmark, Belgium, UK, India, Canada, France and the U.S.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be invited and to share the experience and successes with our Streets to Homes program with others and most importantly, to learn from their experiences in order to improve what we do to assist people in Victoria experiencing homelessness,” said Crewson.
•••
WELL-DESERVED HONOUR … Royal Canadian Navy sailors who served on HMCS Victoria during Operation CARIBBE were awarded the Operational Service Medal during a special presentation, presided over by Rear-Admiral Bill Truelove, commander of Maritime Forces Pacific.
The Operational Service Medal is awarded to those who have endured a certain level of risk, threat, hardship or operational intensity during operation.
HMCS Victoria is a long-range hunter-killer submarine based at CFB Esquimalt.
•••
ON THE RUN … Victoria-based Frontrunners Footwear has acquired Peninsula Runners, making this store its fourth location on Vancouver Island.
For Rob Reid, Frontrunners owner, and co-partner Nick Walker, it is business as usual with the existing staff being retained, and it will continue to carry a large selection of running shoes and apparel.
“We will continue to work with the same suppliers and intend to enhance the selection and inventory,” says Reid. “The running clinics will also remain, as well as the sponsorship of the Kool Half-Marathon in May.”
•••
Do you have an item for People ’n Places? Contact Kevin Laird by email at editor@vicnews.com or phone 250-480-3265.