Charity and Donations

Indie, a two-year-old border collie-Australian shepherd cross from Nanaimo, is being featured with 14 other pets from across Canada in Bosley’s by Pet Valu’s 2023 calendar, which raises money to help homeless pets. (Brittni Panter photo)

Vancouver Island dog is ‘Miss August’ in national fundraiser calendar

Bosley’s by Pet Valu chooses photograph of Indie taken in Nanaimo

  • Dec 12, 2022
Indie, a two-year-old border collie-Australian shepherd cross from Nanaimo, is being featured with 14 other pets from across Canada in Bosley’s by Pet Valu’s 2023 calendar, which raises money to help homeless pets. (Brittni Panter photo)
14 members of Whonnock Roofing and Gutters shovelled walks on Nov. 30 for donations to the family of Savanna Gervais. (Clay Gagnon/Special to The News)

B.C. company shovels driveways to collect donations for 4-year-old cancer victim

Whonnock Roofing collected more than $6,000 for family of Savanna Gervais

14 members of Whonnock Roofing and Gutters shovelled walks on Nov. 30 for donations to the family of Savanna Gervais. (Clay Gagnon/Special to The News)
(Black Press Media Creative)

MacKenzie Scott donates $84.5 million to Girl Scouts

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $84.5 million to Girl Scouts of the USA…

(Black Press Media Creative)
Vanna White

‘Bingo on steroids’ event to bring Vanna White to Vancouver arena to raise money for 6 B.C. charities

Biggest payouts in B.C. bingo history are promised at the event, Oct. 1-2

Vanna White
Ken Barkman at Save-On-Foods in Garrison Crossing on June 5, 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

78-year-old Ken Barkman of Chilliwack riding 3,000 kilometres for BC Children’s Hospital

Grandfather helping son and wife, who have adopted four high-risk babies

Ken Barkman at Save-On-Foods in Garrison Crossing on June 5, 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)
A participant flashed a V for victory sign as the Fraser Valley MS Walk got underway in Langley City’s Douglas Park on Sunday, May 29. 97 participants raised more than $31,000. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Walk against MS raises more than $31K in Fraser Valley

First in-person event since pandemic merged regional walks into one

A participant flashed a V for victory sign as the Fraser Valley MS Walk got underway in Langley City’s Douglas Park on Sunday, May 29. 97 participants raised more than $31,000. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
Alexie Gray and her husband were blown away by the Child Life Specialists and other staff at BC Children’s Hospital, when their daughter Indigo was receiving care. Now they're participating in the RBC Race for the Kids to raise funds for the hospital.

Once sidelined by a rare and potentially fatal blood disease, this family is now giving back

For Indigo, the hospital was a magical place. Now she’s helping other kids have the same experience.

  • May 17, 2022
Alexie Gray and her husband were blown away by the Child Life Specialists and other staff at BC Children’s Hospital, when their daughter Indigo was receiving care. Now they're participating in the RBC Race for the Kids to raise funds for the hospital.
People are rallying behind the Drombolis family of North Langley. Dad Shane has been battling a rare form of cancer and mom Kristine was recently diagnosed with the very same condition. (GoFundMe)

Community rallies to help B.C. couple battling rare form of cancer

GoFundMe launched after wife was diagnosed with the same rare cancer husband is fighting

People are rallying behind the Drombolis family of North Langley. Dad Shane has been battling a rare form of cancer and mom Kristine was recently diagnosed with the very same condition. (GoFundMe)
Alexie Gray and her husband were blown away by the Child Life Specialists and other staff at BC Children’s Hospital, when their daughter Indigo was receiving care. Now they're participating in the RBC Race for the Kids to raise funds for the hospital.

Once sidelined by a rare and potentially fatal blood disease, this family is now giving back

For Indigo, the hospital was a magical place. Now she’s helping other kids have the same experience.

  • May 16, 2022
Alexie Gray and her husband were blown away by the Child Life Specialists and other staff at BC Children’s Hospital, when their daughter Indigo was receiving care. Now they're participating in the RBC Race for the Kids to raise funds for the hospital.
Alexie Gray and her husband were blown away by the Child Life Specialists and other staff at BC Children’s Hospital, when their daughter Indigo was receiving care. Now they're participating in the RBC Race for the Kids to raise funds for the hospital.

Once sidelined by a rare and potentially fatal blood disease, this family is now giving back

For Indigo, the hospital was a magical place. Now she’s helping other kids have the same experience.

  • May 9, 2022
Alexie Gray and her husband were blown away by the Child Life Specialists and other staff at BC Children’s Hospital, when their daughter Indigo was receiving care. Now they're participating in the RBC Race for the Kids to raise funds for the hospital.
Grade 7 student Riley Campbell has raised $1,300 selling cookies to help soon-to-arrive Ukrainian refugees. (Tanmay Ahluwalia/Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Langley girl selling cookies to help soon-to-arrive Ukraine refugees

$1,300 raised, so far, by a 12 year old from Willoughby

Grade 7 student Riley Campbell has raised $1,300 selling cookies to help soon-to-arrive Ukrainian refugees. (Tanmay Ahluwalia/Langley Advance Times)
Conductor Boris Brott in a photo posted by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra ahead of its “A Tribute to Ukraine” benefit concert, April 20 at Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre.

VSO’s ‘A Tribute to Ukraine’ benefit concert now pays tribute to conductor killed on a Hamilton street

Boris Brott died Tuesday in Ontario city, two weeks before April 20 concert in Vancouver

Conductor Boris Brott in a photo posted by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra ahead of its “A Tribute to Ukraine” benefit concert, April 20 at Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre.
Lily Bowers with her Ukraine flag-style quilt, made to help raise funds to support those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Sparwood woman raises over $2K for Ukraine with special handmade blanket

Lily Bowers donated $2,210 raised through ticket sales to the Red Cross

Lily Bowers with her Ukraine flag-style quilt, made to help raise funds to support those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Ukrainian members of the 2008-09 Canada World Youth exchange dress in their traditional clothing for an event in Port Alberni 13 years ago. (PHOTO COURTESY BEN SCHEIDEGGER)

Canada-Ukraine exchange students return to B.C. town to help and to remember

2008-09 Canada World Youth students spent three months in Ukraine and three months in Alberni

Ukrainian members of the 2008-09 Canada World Youth exchange dress in their traditional clothing for an event in Port Alberni 13 years ago. (PHOTO COURTESY BEN SCHEIDEGGER)
Sarah Beairsto (left), seven-year-old Harper Harvey and Debra Legge with boxes of Girl Guides cookies outside a warehouse in North Delta on Saturday, March 12. (Photo: Tom Zillich)

Girl Guides back to door-to-door cookie sales after 2 years of doing business differently

Chocolate/vanilla cookies sold in spring, and those who love the mint ones have to wait until fall

Sarah Beairsto (left), seven-year-old Harper Harvey and Debra Legge with boxes of Girl Guides cookies outside a warehouse in North Delta on Saturday, March 12. (Photo: Tom Zillich)
Lily Bowers of Sparwood is creating a quilt made with Ukrainian flag colours to help raise funds to support refugees. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Sparwood local creates quilt for Ukraine

Any funds raised from the quilt’s sale will go towards helping refugees escaping the war in Ukraine

Lily Bowers of Sparwood is creating a quilt made with Ukrainian flag colours to help raise funds to support refugees. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
“Star Wars” characters at Surrey's Hubcast studio for a segment to air during this week's Variety Show of Hearts telethon. (Submitted photo)

‘Star Wars’ characters in Surrey to entertain Variety Show of Hearts viewers

Annual telethon runs from Thursday to Saturday this week

“Star Wars” characters at Surrey's Hubcast studio for a segment to air during this week's Variety Show of Hearts telethon. (Submitted photo)
Matt, Jody, Lucy and Lilly Gallant (alongside Izzy) have received help for Lucy’s disabilities from Variety BC. Lucy’s story will be shared as part of Variety’s annual telethon broadcast on Global TV. (Submitted Photo)

Quesnel kindergartener ‘poster-girl’ for Variety telethon

Lucy Gallant, along with her twin sister Lilly, have been filming commercials for the telethon

Matt, Jody, Lucy and Lilly Gallant (alongside Izzy) have received help for Lucy’s disabilities from Variety BC. Lucy’s story will be shared as part of Variety’s annual telethon broadcast on Global TV. (Submitted Photo)
Victoria Humane Society celebrated what would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday with a collage as people took part in the #BettyWhiteChallenge, donating cash to an animal charity. (Victoria Humane Society/Facebook)

Love for Betty White tallies nearly $500,000 for animal welfare groups in B.C.

What would have been iconic actor’s 100th birthday sees $40,000 donated to Victoria Humane Society

Victoria Humane Society celebrated what would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday with a collage as people took part in the #BettyWhiteChallenge, donating cash to an animal charity. (Victoria Humane Society/Facebook)
Corinna Wiebe, with daughter Sydney Stenberg, was overwhelmed when she saw the extent of renovations to their Aldergrove home. (LifeApp video image)

VIDEO: Aldergrove woman with cancer gets new home, thanks to local charity

Charity releases video to thank more than 200 volunteers, 80 companies and 130 donors

Corinna Wiebe, with daughter Sydney Stenberg, was overwhelmed when she saw the extent of renovations to their Aldergrove home. (LifeApp video image)