The Burnaby Storytelling project is picking up steam, and an estimated 15 people should be ready to share their stories by mid-June.
The storytelling project, organized by the Burnaby Intercultural Planning Table, recruits new immigrants and refugees for training on how to tell their stories orally.
The idea is for them to share their tales with the public and at venues where people are working on refugee and immigrant issues.
Jody Johnson, project coordinator for the planning table, said it's important that fledgling storytellers have an opportunity to share their stories publicly soon after training.
To book a storyteller, contact Jan Taylor at jan [email protected].
70 years together
Congratulations to longtime Burnaby residents Harold and Joyce Munro who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 4. The couple married in 1943 and has lived in Burnaby since 1948.
Harold worked as a shipbuilder, and Joyce raised their three kids. The two are still in love, according to daughter Valerie Rozing.
Strawberry tea
Confederation Seniors' Centre is holding another strawberry tea on Sunday, June 9, from 1: 30 to 3 p.m.
Tickets include a strawberry dessert and a performance by Rick Valiant, who will be performing Frank Sinatra numbers.
The planning committee has been busy getting centerpieces and raffle prizes ready, and organizers are suggesting people get tickets early, as similar recent events have been popular.
Tickets are $7 for centre members, and $8 for guests. The tea will be at the centre, at 4585 Albert St. Phone 604-294-1936 for more information or tickets.
Farm fresh strawberries
Speaking of strawberries, the Rotary Club of Burnaby Deer Lake is selling buckets of fresh, sliced strawberries to raise money. There are two bucket sizes available: five kilograms for $35 or 13.5 kg for $59. The strawberries are clean, sliced and packed in their own juice, with no added sugar, but you have to move fast. The last day to place an order is June 9, and the pickup day will be June 15 at Brentwood Town Centre.
Call 604-857-5144 to order or go to www.rotaryburn abydeerlake.org.
Library awards
Kudos to the Burnaby Public Library, which was recently honoured with a merit award at the B.C. Library Association conference.
The award was for outstanding achievement in programs and services for the Embracing Diversity: Sharing Our Songs and Rhymes project, which is a web-based collection of children's songs and rhymes in various languages. In 2010, the library invited local people to perform their favourite childhood songs and rhymes, and video recordings of the performances were uploaded online. Each piece features scrolling text, so viewers can sing along, and there are English translations, too. To see the project, go to bpl.bc.ca/kids/embracing-diversity.
Burnaby's chief librarian, Edel Toner-Rogala, was also awarded for achievement in library service for her work in the early years with the B.C. Libraries Cooperative.
Green team
The Lower Mainland Green Team has been busy removing invasive plants from Burnaby Lake. A small army of 33 volunteers, in partnership with the Burnaby Lake Park Association, spent the day removing English ivy, periwinkle, policeman's helmet, hops, lamium and blackberries - all invasive species that can crowd and choke native plants. The volunteers were from Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Vancouver, New Westminster, Richmond, North Vancouver and White Rock. All together, they contributed 95 volunteer hours clearing the park. The Lower Mainland Green Team is organized through Meetup.com. The group gathers volunteers from across the Lower Mainland to help improve the local environment by clearing invasive plants, picking up garbage or harvesting vegetables, to name a few examples.
For more on the Lower Mainland Green Team, visit www.meetup.com/ The-Lower-Mainland-Green-Team.
Do you have an item for Here and Now? Email details to jmoreau@burnabynow. com.
