Successful Repair Cafe
On April 30, Zero Waste Sooke held our 7th Repair Cafe and the first since the pandemic began. Some 40 people arrived with enthusiasm and with items to fix. Fixers achieved a ~50% repair rate. We are sad to report that broken toasters are, indeed, "toast". It didn't matter, as people who brought non-working toasters were happy to know at least that they weren't giving up on something fixable, and now they knew where to take broken electric goods for recycling!
Our biggest repair was a vintage waffle iron which had been a wedding gift many years before, and after hours of effort it is once again working well. Our facilitator Bernie taught an impromptu lesson in replacing power plugs on power cords that Jim brought to the Repair Cafe, a wheelbarrow full of cords along with a bag of new plugs. In true Repair Cafe fashion, the repair was done not FOR Jim, but WITH him as skills Bernie learned in Boy Scouts were shared with Jim and with our bicycle fixer, Cyal.
Those who didn't go home with a fix at least had coffee and a baked good to console them. Coffee was drunk, skills passed on, lessons learned, and that great community vibe filled the dining room again. Thanks go out to all fixers, attendees, and support staff (of whom there were many!) We're looking forward to the next Repair Cafe, later this summer.
Zero Waste Sooke is a working group of Transition Sooke and the Repair Cafe operates under licence from Repair Cafes International
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Transition Sooke Movie Nights
For 25 years, until the pandemic shut it down, Transition Sooke member Jo Phillips organized Awareness Film Night, monthly community screenings of topical documentary films that were held in the EMCS theatre. We thank Jo for her contribution to the community in this regard.
Jo is not able to continue this work, but is willing to mentor a group of new folks willing to take it on under the Transition Sooke umbrella.
And...there is an immediate opportunity to get started; Dogwood is sponsoring community screenings of the film Fracking the Peace. There is no expense involved and Dogwood will arrange a panel discussion following the screening. Those who would like to help organize such an event and become part of a movie night organizing group can contact Jo.
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Invest in Local Green Space: You can Own a Piece
photo by: Brett Cairns
The Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (JDFEA Parks and Rec) is looking to purchase 58 acres (23.5 ha) for a community park in Otter Point. The Commission has authorized the Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society to raise pledges towards this purchase. The JDFEA Parks Advisory Commission is separate from CRD Parks.
Since the purchase is not guaranteed, no money is being collected at this time. Fundraising is needed because the Commission’s land acquisition funds are made up with “cash in lieu” of park land dedications on subdivisions. The large lot subdivisions common in the JDFEA do not trigger any form of park dedication.
The 16-hectare William Simmons Memorial Park on Otter Point Road is a JDFEA community park. Others you may have visited are Seagirt Ponds Park, Otter Point Park, Fishboat Bay Park and the Sheringham Park trail. Parks in the Juan de Fuca are used and enjoyed by all residents of the area. The parcel under consideration is large mammal habitat so will benefit our wild neighbours, too.
Please consider making a pledge towards this purchase. To date, the JdF Community Trails Society has raised pledges of $91,000 towards a goal of $120,000.
To make a pledge, email Margot Swinburnson or Sid Jorna. Pledges will be called in when the acquisition takes place. At that time, people will also receive instructions as to how to complete their donation and receive a tax receipt.
--with information from Sid Jorna, President, Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society
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Monthly Meeting Keynotes and discussions—Do you have something to share?
Transition Sooke monthly meetings will be enlivened over coming months with short key-note speeches and discussions about local issues such as water, climate action, affordable housing, protection of forests and so on.
Do you have something near to your heart or that you have been working on, that you would like to share with Transition Sooke Members? Let us know.
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Transition Sooke Moves to Hybrid Meetings
May 4 was Transitions Sooke's first "hybrid" monthly meeting, in which half of participants attended in person (and ate carrot cake) and half, including the facilitator, attended through Zoom. The meeting was held in the Sooke library's meeting room, the technology worked seamlessly and excellent discussions were enjoyed about ways to re-engage people post pandemic, our hopes for Sooke, the District Official Community Plan, the upcoming municipal election (Transition Sooke will hold an All-Candidates Speed Dating event Oct 2- stay tuned) and more.
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Up-Coming Events
West Coast Climate Action Network (WE-CAN) is holding its AGM
Saturday, May 14 10 am to noon.
Click here is to register.
The AGM will feature the work of 5 different local climate action organizations from around BC. To find out more about WE-CAN, visit their website.
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Ongoing Transition Sooke Events
The up-coming June 1 Monthly meeting will be 6:45 pm - 8:40 pm in person in the Sooke Library Meeting Room and online via Zoom. Alysha Tylynn Jones will speak on climate, health, emotional well-being and Sooke's Climate Action Committee.
Transition Sooke monthly meetings are held at 6:45 pm on the first Wednesday of each month. Meeting dates for the next four months are:
- Wednesday June 1, 2022
- Wednesday July 6, 2022
- Wednesday August 3, 2022
- Wednesday September 7, 2022
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Transition Sooke Needs You!
Policy Wonks – Transition Sooke has a new Constitution and Bylaws! Now we need to ensure that our policies on decision making and membership are consistent with them.
Note-Taker for Monthly Meetings – Once again, we are looking for a note-taker for our regular meetings, the first Wednesday of each month. Third time will be the charm! Contact Susan.
Food Security – A few years ago we held a Green New Deal meeting followed by a workshop where we established a number of Action Teams. One of those Teams — Food Security — could really do with a coordinator.
Action Teams – Come and get involved in our Local Economy, and Transportation Teams.
Council Watch Dog – We need folks to attend council meetings (in-person or online) and write a short report on issues raise at Council that are relevant to Transition Sooke.
If any of these tasks interests you, please email us |
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Your Opinion Matters!
Your letters and articles on climate change, development, and community resilience in the Sooke News Mirror and the Sooke Pocket News keep important issues in the public eye. If you want to join one of Transition Sooke's Action Groups please contact us. And if you have a photo you'd like to send the newsletter, a letter to the editor, or a piece of news, please forward that to us as well. Thank you!
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