For those who can’t typically wear jeans to work, here’s your opportunity to go denim...
Friday is Jeans Day, and by purchasing a $5 button or $20 lapel pin, you’re being given an all clear to be clad in denim – from head to toe – for that one day.
You’re also doing a kind and caring thing for hundreds of sick children.
Since 1990, Jeans Day has raised more than $19 million for BC Children’s Hospital. That’s a pretty significant chunk of change.
“Funds raised through Jeans Day have a huge impact on care at BC Children’s,” said president and Teri Nicholas, president and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.
“It takes a team to support a sick or injured child, and we are grateful to everyone who joins that team with the purchase of a button or lapel pin. It’s a small gesture that makes a big difference.”
If you want to join the denim team, and Jean Up on Friday, there’s still time to get your button or pin at the local London Drugs, Save-On-Foods, Costco, or IGAs in Langley.
Cars and burgers together - naturally
With the nice sumer-like weather upon us, Langley car enthusiasts have been hitting the streets in droves in recent days.
Can’t say as I blame them.
They’ve been spit-polishing their classic and collector cars and looking for any opportunity to attend show ‘n’ shine events.
Last weekend’s Langley Area Mostly British Motoring Club show in Fort Langley and the fourth annual Vintage Car Club of Canada show at Otter Co-op were very well attended by car owners and ooglers alike.
I suspect the same will be said for this weekend’s huge show at D.W. Poppy Secondary on Sunday, as well as the smaller scale show at Mr. Mikes.
Mr. Mikes Steakhouse Casual, just off 200th Street and the Langley Bypass, is hosting what they call their annual patio launch party, complete with a classic car show.
The reason I bring this up, is the event is raising money for Kids Can Help, and organization started by a young Langley man who raises money for BC Children’s Hospital.
The event runs noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, and features a barbecue with free Mikeburgers, a giant Jenga game, photo booth, and giveaways for all those who donate $10 or more to the cause.
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CUTLINE: CKNW reporter Shelby Thom of Langley earned a journalism excellence award recently for her work on a Langley story.
Broadcast journalist honoured
While she might technically be a competitor, I still want to tell you about Langley’s own Shelby Thom.
The reason, because she was honoured this past weekend for her excellence in journalism.
The Association of Electronic Journalists (RTNDA) presented the CKNW reporter. I mention it not only because she’s local, but because the story that earned her the award was Langley related – it was a story last October about a local school disqualified from an Indigo book competition to fill its library. Her story quickly turned things around for the kids at Douglas Community School.
Much like myself – although she’s much, much younger – Shelby knew from a young age that she wanted to be a journalist.
“My favourite course was English as I always enjoyed writing, and in my high school years, I’d write into the local newspapers to comment on stories.”
Two of her letters to the editor were published, and one essay was published in the Vancouver Sun.
“I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a journalist. We still have a school assignment from Grade 5 that asks “what do you want to be when you grow up”? There were 10 boxes to check including doctor, veterinarian, etc. I created my own box and wrote journalist.
“It asked why? I said “because I have a nice loud voice and I like to write’.”
Growing up in Walnut Grove, she attended Langley Fine Arts School from Grade 1 to 12. After graduation, Shelby spent two years at the University of the Fraser Valley, in a general studies program and took courses in journalism before being accepted to the BCIT broadcast and online journalism program in 2010.
She graduated in 2012, already an award winner, receiving the Red FM Canadian Talent Development Award.
She co-opted out of the program early to pursue her first full-time job in the industry as a news reporter at CHNL Radio in Kamloops, where she said she honed her skills and quickly became the court and crime reporter, anchored the morning news, and produced the Jim Harrison public affairs program.
She returned to Vancouver in 2014 for a full-time position at CKNW and that’s where she’s been since.
“This was my very first professional award nomination and win, so I consider it a defining moment in my career,” Shelby shared.
“ I’m also grateful this award is for a story from my hometown, where we were able to make a difference in children’s lives. The story reminded me why I do what I do, to share stories that matter for the greater good,” she said.
“This award is dedicated to the students who tirelessly worked to raise votes for desperately needed books. The gift of reading and literacy is vital to our public education system. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”
Congrats Shelby, and keep up the great work.
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CUTLINE: Forever Yours Lingerie celebrated its 20th anniversary recently. This and more business news in editor Roxanne Hooper's recent What's In Store column. The store was started, and is still owned and operated by, Brian and Sonya Perkins (pictured here with their daughter Lucy).
Celebrating two decades on the one-way
Speaking of parties, there was a heck of a shindig last weekend in downtown Langley City.
Sonya Perkins and her team at Forever Yours celebrated the lingerie store’s 20th anniversary.
Opening in 1996 in a 600-square-foot space in downtown Langley’s historic one-way district, Forever Yours Lingerie has come a long way in what feels like 20 short years, Perkins said.
Hardly mainstream when their doors opened, owner Perkins talked about sourcing potential suppliers in the days before the World Wide Web.
“When I started the business I researched all of our suppliers at the Vancouver Library reference department,” she explained.
“They had giant wizard-like books you had to flip through, each book listing manufacturers in Canada and the US - oh how times have changed!”
Indeed, in the past two decades Forever Yours Lingerie has grown right along with its customers and the Internet.
Known for their expansive selection and great service, Perkins – along with her husband and business partner Brian – have more than kept pace.
In 2009, Forever Yours Lingerie had outgrown its space and moved across the street to 10,000 square feet of with room for back offices, shipping/receiving, and a photography studio.
“We now offer products for women of all sizes including swim wear, shoot our own photography with our own models, and ship to customers from around the world,” Brian said.
While not usually the face of the business, Brian is the resident photographer and is responsible for most of the brand’s many images.
“Not all of the products we carry come with promotional images that reflect our clientele,” he noted.
“So when we launched Forever Yours Lingerie online, my love of photography naturally carried over to shooting with local models to help provide us with more diversity in our product images.”
Thinking about the next 20 years, the Perkinses reflects on their team of employees, who they describe as family, and the future the business may hold for their own children.
“After years of looking at the business day-to-day, we can see a future that includes the possibility of passing the business onto our children,” said Sonya.
“They will have to learn the business just like any other staffer, work their way up, learning as they go.”
Kudos to Sonya and Brian, and here’s looking at another 20 years.
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CUTLINE: Envision Financial employees celebrated a record-breaking shredding event in Cloverdale Saturday.
Residents shred thousands of pounds for local food banks
Remember last week I told you about a shred-a-thon being hosted in Cloverdale by the Langley-based Envision Financial.
Well, word came down that this little endeavour to safely rid you of all your personal document has paid dividends for the local food banks.
In fact,more than $2,300 in cash and 180 kilograms of non-perishable food items were collected when more than 200 people came out with 3,250 kilograms of confidential documents were dropped off for slicing and dicing.
“Identity theft continues to be a big concern and being proactive in shredding your financial documents before you discard them is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect yourself against identity theft,” said Jaime Lord, supervisor of corporate security at Envision Financial.
“We are excited to have so many local residents out to shred their documents and are thankful for their generous contributions to The Full Cupboard. It was a record breaking shredding event for us on all fronts!”
This year marks the fifth year that Iron Mountain has donated its mobile shredding services to this event.
The event also included support from the Surrey RCMP, who were on site to provide education and generate awareness.
“Helping the community in this way is only possible through the generosity of our community partners,” Lord said. “Raising awareness about fraud and preventative measures is very much a collaborative effort.”