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PEOPLE 'N PLACES: Zonta spreads wealth around to Victoria charities

Victoria youth awarded prestigious Duke of Edinburgh awards

Z DOLLARS … Zonta Club of Victoria public relations chair Vernice Shostal passed us a quick note last week to let us know the club’s April 12 fashion show was successful.

The Zontas raised $2,080 for PEERS, and last weekend wrote an $8,000 cheque for Wear2Start, another local women’s charity, from the club’s gaming proceeds.

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DUKING IT OUT … Three Victoria teens – Maria Hoffman, Kyle Becker and Tristan Becker – were among 65 youth from across B.C. to be presented with the Silver Level Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on April 26

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the most prestigious international youth award in the world with more than seven million participants in 141 countries.

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OH, SUNNY DAYS … City of Victoria parks employee Doug Balkwill loves his job this time of year, when he and his colleagues have the privilege of spending their days outside in Beacon Hill Park and elsewhere around the sunny city.

“I love what I do on days like this,” he says, on a 20C day at Quadra Park.

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WELL DESERVED HONOURS ... Dan Gunn, executive director of the Victoria Advanced Technology Council, picked up the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builder of the Year award from Startup Canada last week.

The grassroots startup organization said Gunn was recognized for having the greatest impact in advancing the success of entrepreneurs, startups, startup communities and entrepreneurial activities and has been a leading evangelist and champion of entrepreneurship.

The University of Victoria also picked up an award as the most entrepreneurial post-secondary institution in Canada.

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REAL CHAMPS … Alliyah Allen, Marin Piasentin, Ethan van Tol and Sophie Wood, of Victoria, have just returned from The War Amps 2014 B.C. Child Amputee (CHAMP) Seminar, which brought together young amputees from across the province.

The Champs attended the three-day seminar, which focused on the latest developments in artificial limbs, dealing with teasing and bullying and parenting an amputee child.

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FIRE THREAT … Bit of a scare last week for Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard from that fire on Chatham Street. Television reports initially said the fire was on Herald Street and showed black smoke over his family-owned building.

Fortunately, it was a building behind the Leonard’s and it was planned for demolition. No one was hurt.

And how was your week?

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Do you have an item for the People’ n Places column? Contact Kevin Laird by email at editor@vicnews.com or phone 250-480-3265.