Gotta hand it to volunteers in the central Island.
Yet another successful Family Day in Qualicum Beach. Parents and teachers helping out with the Ballenas dry grad prom Saturday night. The BC Bronze Gloves boxing event. The Qualicum Beach Museum opening.
All of those — and many more — were successful due to the help of volunteers who believe in those particular causes or events.
The News published its Get Involved special section last week, extolling the virtues of volunteerism — not the least of which is ensuring the region has enough events, and a diversity of them, to make our homes all the more livable — and it’s clear the people in the mid-Island agree in its value.
Congratulations to the organizers of those and other events that relay on people giving so freely of their time and efforts.
Elsewhere, volunteers with positive outlooks and a mind for local environmental issues are needed to help turn around the fortunes of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve.
The group is in dysfunction and faces the loss of the biosphere outright if they cannot come to a consensus on their direction and reach the general population with their message.
Many people still wonder what the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere is, or even what it does. The News has run columns from the group, detailing their issues and perspectives, but feedback has been scarce.
It’s time the biosphere group realizes that they need to come together for a common goal, increase local awareness of the value of a biosphere designation and only then work on the little issues that face the region.
— editorial by Steven Heywood
