Reminder: Ping Pong on Thursday

Come join us at Forbes Hall for ping pong Thursday nights from 7:00 pm till we get tired or 9:00 pm whichever comes first…

Ping Pong Team

Become a Citizen Scientist with the BC Annual Bat Count

May 15, 2024 Thetis Island, BC. The BC Community Bat Program is calling for volunteers to get involved in the BC Annual Bat Count.  Starting June 1st, bat biologists and volunteers will be enjoying late nights, counting bats at maternity roosts throughout the province. “Female bats roost together in summer and raise their young in maternity colonies,” says Rob Welsh, Thetis Island coordinator for the BC Community Bat Program. “They generally only have one pup per female in June.” The males do not help with raising the young and usually roost by themselves in large trees, rock cliffs, boulder fields, or barns and buildings. The Annual Bat Count involves sitting outside a bat maternity roost at sunset, and for an hour, counting all the bats that come out of that roost. “The maternity roosts that we count are in buildings and bat boxes.” says Welsh. Last year, volunteers conducted 888 bat counts at 274 different maternity roost sites across the province. “The data collected is really important as it helps us know how the bat populations are doing in BC,” says Welsh. “We usually do 4 bat counts at every roost site – two in June to count just the females and two more starting mid-July when the pups are learning to fly.”   Begun in 2012, the Annual Bat Count is the only long-term monitoring program focussed on bat summer roosts in BC. The counts help biologists monitor bat populations and track impacts to or recovery of species. If populations decline, it could indicate impacts from white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease that has decimated bat populations in eastern Canada and USA. The fungus that causes WNS was detected in 2022 in the Grand Forks region of BC, but WNS itself has not been detected yet in BC.   “A large number of the roost site we count, house Little Brown Myotis and Yuma Myotis, both of which are susceptible to white-nose syndrome,” says Welsh.   Bats in BC are key predators of many night-flying insects. They are essential parts of BC’s ecosystems and provide billions of dollars of economic benefit by helping control agricultural, forest, and urban pests. Please report a bat colony or sign up to help with bat counts by contacting Rob Welsh - rmwelsh@telus.net, or 250-246-1547. In partnership with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the BC Community Bat Program provides information and promotes local stewardship and citizen science. The program runs thanks to funding from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Forest Enhancement Society of BC, the Habitat Stewardship Program, and many regional partners including ThINC and the Islands Trust Conservancy. You can find out more about the BC Community Bat Program and options for helping local bat populations at www.bcbats.ca .

TIVFD Notice of Live Fire Exercise Today Wednesday May 15th

The Thetis Island Volunteer fire department will be conducting a live fire exercise at the Fire Hall between 7:00 pm and 9:00pm Wednesday May the 15th You may notice a column of smoke or smell smoke depending on the direction of the wind in the area of the fire Hall. Please do not call the non-emergency line at the hall or 911. The department will be monitoring for any other potential fires in the area not related to our training and will respond accordingly. Thank you, Deputy Chief Luckham

Telegraph Harbour Marina would like to invite you to our Opening Season Special!!!

Baron of Beef, Bun and au jus, coleslaw   $20.00 Vegetarian option available. Live Music & Open Mike Night. Come one, come all and celebrate the summer start up!!! Complimentary beverages available, coffee, tea and lemonade. Sample our crafted in Western Canada, Foothills Ice Cream. Thursday, May16th Times: Happy Hour 4-5 serving dinner by 5:30

Habitat for Humanity Pop-Up Donation Drop Event

Help support local affordable housing projects and waste reduction this spring by attending a Habitat for Humanity Pop-Up Donation Drop event!

Donate your new or gently-used building materials or clean, good-working condition appliances and home décor to Bings Creek Recycling Centre from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 18^th.

For a complete list of accepted materials, visit: https://www.habitatmvi.org/restore/donate-household-goods/

Lynne Smith

Coastal Fire Centre to Enact a Category 2 and a Category 3 Open Fire Prohibition

Thetis Island is moving to the Category 2(Yard Waste) and Category 3 fire ban on May 15th (Wednesday)

The Province is moving to the prohibition 36 hours later.

Link to full information PDF here. 

Fire Chief J. Caldbeck
Thetis Island Vol. Fire Dept.

Pick up of Phone Book Proof

If anyone is, or going to be, in Victoria in the next few days, could they swing by 911 Fort Street (Island Blue/Fotoprint) to pick up the proofs of the new phone book?

Just two books, not boxes yet :-) 

If you can, please let me know and I'll alert the people there.

Thanks in advance!- 

Veronica   

veronicashelford@gmail.com  250-246-1509 or 250-701-9336

Wanted to Buy

Wanted to buy: small trailer to haul motorcycle.
E mail:  brmorita@yahoo.ca
Thank you

Anyone Stopping by Rexall on Esplanade?

Is anyone going to the Rexall on Esplanade sometime this week? I have a bottle of eye drops to be picked up. Not a rush, so not to take extra time, but if you were going there anyway and could get it for me, that would be wonderful. Just let me know and thank you!

Veronica 

veronicashelford@gmail.com or 250-701-9336

Scam Alert- Phone Calls Pretending to be from TELUS

SUMMARY:
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from Telus, wanting to discuss your "home services order" or some similar phrase, *don't talk to the caller*, but instead *hang up*, then call Telus back at the phone number on the Telus website.

DETAILS:
I just received a scam phone call from someone claiming to be from Telus, wanting to discuss my "home services order". I do indeed have a pending Telus order, so I spoke to the person.

The caller asked for my name, email, driver's license number, and then my data of birth. At this point I became suspicious that the caller might not really be from Telus, and I ended the call. I then called Telus back (at the phone number from their website) and they confirmed that they had NOT called me, i.e., the phone call I received was a scam call trying to get my personal information.

The key point is to call Telus back at a phone number you are sure is valid, i.e., a phone number on the Telus website or printed on a Telus bill.

Jonathan T

Ukrainian Fundraiser at Forbes Hall - May 25th

Thank you for your support thus far for the upcoming Fundraising Dinner.

We express our gratitude for the contributions sent by those unable to attend the dinner. Your donations will make a significant difference in the lives of those in need, especially since it is uncommon for donations from distant places to reach the frontlines of relief directly. Recent donations have purchased food, hygiene supplies including diapers, toys for children, power banks, pet food, and paid for the digging of a well. People are very grateful.

Please remember that your attendance is a donation in itself.

We decided to hold a dinner for this cause because we were made aware of the immediate impact of these donations on the communities receiving relief, and it felt like a good fit for the kindness of Thetis Islanders. Last year, a Community Dinner was held at this time, which was heart-warming and joyful for both guests and volunteers. So why not put the two together and create an evening of sunshine and light to help others?

A dedicated group of volunteers quickly responded to the call, and the menu will be like last spring's Community Dinner. With a buffet meeting most dietary needs, there will be a fabulous array of salads for all to enjoy, along with roast chicken and focaccia, followed by dessert. To honour Ukraine's culinary culture, there will be a delicious Holbutsi appetizer. Additionally, there will be a no-host bar for guests to enjoy a beverage with dinner.

We look forward to a lively evening of Thetis Islanders enjoying a great meal while raising funds to help others.

Event, Food and Charity inquiries: Ann Dickie dickie.ann@gmail.com

Ticket Sales: Ellen Rush ellenrush@gmail.com

Charity Background information: 

Peggy Thompson - Thompson.peggy80@gmail.com

Free Portable Air Conditioners from BC Hydro

Did you know there is a program that provides free portable air conditioners based on income? 

Check out the link below.https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/residential/rebates-programs/savings-based-on-income/free-air-conditioner.html

If you believe you qualify contact Michelle Sutter (acanthurus61@gmail.com or 250 613 8289) or Jeanine Caldbeck (chief11@telus.net). We will assist you in your application and will write the letter to the Regional Health Authority to aid your application .

Michelle Sutter, 

Chair,

Forbes Hall Health Services Group