A second retail cannabis store has opened within the City of Duncan.
High5 Retail began operations in late October at 521 Canada Ave.
“It has been really steady over the first week and a half,” said Jas Basi, a spokesman for High5.
The business employs eight people full time and is owned by Keepy Johel, a veteran of 20 years with the RCMP Auxiliary.
“They’re making good, living wages and they’re all from the Cowichan Valley,” says Basi, who is a former Mountie with 26 years of service.
Basi says the business is anxious to share profits with the community.
The store will now be open from 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
“We’re gifting the City of Duncan $100,000 over two years to put back into the community. It will go to local charities and groups,” he says.
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It’s a difficult subject to talk about but at one time or another it affects all of us. And it reaches into the workplace and has an impact on business owners and employees.
The Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce is honouring National Bereavement Day with a Special Speaker Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 21.
“Bereavement is a shared experience, in that we all face loss at some point in our lives, and yet it is seldom talked about and often isolating,” says Alec Wheeler, events and membership manager for the Chamber.
“The grief associated with losing a loved one can negatively impact all aspects of a person’s life if the proper support networks and resources are not available. As we approach the holidays — a joyful season for so many — we are also reminded that it can be a particularly difficult time of year for others.”
The BC Bereavement Helpline (BCBH) was established in 1988 and has become a provincial leader in providing education, support and advocacy for the bereaved, their caregivers and professionals. The BCBH works to increase public understanding of grief as a life process through their many services and programs.
John Dubé, president of the BCBH, will be the speaker at the luncheon being held at the Cowichan Golf Club.
It’s an opportunity to learn about the positive impact the organization’s group support model is having for bereaved individuals, what businesses can do to support employees who are dealing with loss, and what resources are available to help manage grief related to loss of a loved one.
“To grieve at work is difficult,” Dubé acknowledges. “There is awkwardness from co-workers who are not sure what to say, reminders for co-workers of their own unspoken losses, questions from supervisors. How do I balance work productivity and compassion for loss? What can the employer do?
“These are all difficult conversations that need to be had with respect, compassion within a work environment,” Dubé says.
This event is open to the general public, as well as Chamber members.
“Everyone is welcome, so you’re invited to take this opportunity to reach out to a friend or colleague — someone who might benefit from a little extra support — and invite them to attend,” Wheeler suggests.
Tickets are $33 plus GST and include a delicious, hot lunch buffet from the team at Warmland Catering. Advance registration is required and seating is limited. Chamber members can contact the Chamber office if they wish to redeem 5-Pack tickets for this event.
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You’re invited to the Habitat for Humanity mixer on Thursday at 6235 Glenn Fields Rd.
This will be a different kind of Chamber mixer.
This event will be held in a newly constructed HFHMVI duplex, the very first of their builds to be completed in the Cowichan Valley.
Event attendees will get the opportunity to take a tour of one side of the duplex with HFHMVI’s build manager. You’ll learn about how a Habitat Build is different from a regular build and see how Habitat has adapted the unit to meet the special needs of the family chosen to live there.
Following the tour, guests will enjoy some snacks and drinks and a quick address from HFHMVI’s executive director, Marcel Aubin, who will explain a little more about how the Habitat for Humanity home ownership program works.
Capacity will be limited for this event, so be sure to register in advance. The homes will be very close to completion by Nov. 14 so they will be dry and warm. While no protective gear will be required, comfortable/practical footwear is recommended.
The mixer takes place on Thursday, Nov. 14 between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
