Burnaby resident Nick Gregson received a grant from the South Burnaby Neighbourhood House to paint a mural at Hastings and Holdom.
Gregson has started the Metro Vancouver Mural Project in hopes to increase the number of street murals in the region.
He's working on a donated space for his mural at Holdom and Hastings, a wall that was often hit with graffiti.
Gregson has sketched an outline on the wall already, and he's hoping to have volunteers help on weekends throughout August.
"My goal as a young artist is to work with graffiti and tradition(al) art to make some new public art around the city and jump start the mural scene in Burnaby," he said in an email to the NOW.
"One big plus to painting in Burnaby, unlike Vancouver, is the city matches the funds," he added.
For more information, or to check out Gregson's work, go to www.nick gregson.ca. (I strongly urge you to do so, as he has some amazing art on his website.) To volunteer for the mural, email [email protected].
International food fundraiser
The Rotary Club of Burnaby raised approximately $6,500 at a fundraiser held in May at Burnaby Central Secondary.
The event featured culinary dishes from around the world, created by Central students in the ACE-IT culinary arts program, who used recipes submitted by Rotary members. There was Caribbean, African, Chinese, Ukrainian and Greek fare.
"It went very well," said Augustus Cruickshank, public relations chair for the Rotary Club of Burnaby.
Proceeds from the event go to the various causes the club supports. The Rotarians are involved in local community projects, providing lunch for the homeless, breakfast for Maywood students and Christmas dinner for low-income moms.
scan h They also support international projects to provide cataract surgery and hearing aids in the Philippines and clean drinking water at a school in Mexico.
These are only a few examples of a rather exhaustive list, and I would be remiss not to mention Rotary's international efforts to eradicate polio.
The Rotary Club of Burnaby is one of three local Rotary clubs and has 42 members, mostly people in the business community. For more information, go to www. rotaryburnaby.org.
Summer BBQ
The Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion is hosting a free summer barbecue on Friday, June 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be food, live music, games and crafts at the association's Still Creek Centre, at 2702 Norland Ave. Parking on site will be reserved for those in wheelchairs, and there will be a shuttle bus available from Burnaby 8 Rinks. Just look for a sign that says BACI barbecue, and the van will be there shortly.
For more information, go to www.gobaci.com.
Do you have an item for Here and Now? Email details to Jennifer Moreau at [email protected].
