Variety - The Children’s Charity of British Columbia

Miss World Canada - Beauty With A Purpose

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:01:00 -0800

We had some very special visitors to our offices on May 3rd...

Thirty-five delegates of the Miss World Canada competition were our guests, hearing from two of Variety’s grant recipients.

The contestants later presented a cheque for $64,000 to Variety - the sum of their combined fundraising over the last year.

Upholding the mandate of “Beauty With A Purpose”, the contestants are expected to participate in humanitarian and philanthropic activities which counts towards their overall score.

From gala evenings and banquets to fashion shows and bake sales, these amazing young ladies went all-out to help children who have special needs. Variety is honoured to be Miss World Canada’s charity of choice.

The Grand Crowning Gala takes place at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond on Thursday, May 9th.

Tickets available through Ticketmaster.

Pharmasave Rides For The Cause

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:52:00 -0800

Variety is lucky to have so many generous and creative supporters all across BC who fundraise on our behalf, doing everything from collecting coins and hosting barbeques, to birthday parties and gala events.

Steve Thompson, Marketing/Merchandising Manager at Pharmasave, saw a fundraising opportunity recently and jumped at it...or rather, jumped on it to be exact.

Steve is our guest blogger this week, and here’s his story:

“We were recently at our Pharmasave National Conference in Calgary and we ended up with a unique opportunity to raise a few dollars for Variety. Seeing as we were in Calgary we adopted the Western rodeo theme complete with cowboy hats and boots etc. At the vendor reception we all gathered and had the opportunity to network, chow down on some great ribs, learn line dancing and yes, ride the infamous mechanical bull. I took one look at that bull and smartly said ”no way am I getting on that nasty piece of business”.

Well, one thing lead to another and thanks to a couple troublesome instigators (Pharmasave owners) I found myself mounted atop a very threatening looking mechanical bull with a commitment to ride two minutes for Variety – The Children’s Charity. The challenge was to stay on the bull for two minutes, and then the Pharmasave owners gathered in the room committed to contributing $5,000 to Variety. I’m pleased to say I was able to ‘hang on for the cause’, getting thrown at just over 2 minutes! We generated over $5,000, with some of the vendors joining in as well. We all had a few good laughs.”

Variety has been Pharmasave’s charity of choice since 1998. Through its Scan & Donate program (adding $2 to the bill), sales of Gold Hearts and annual Golf Classic, Pharmasave has generously donated more than $1.8 million. Staff at Pharmasave also manage the registration for Variety’s Boat For Hope events across the province, truly showing their hearts every year to families with children who have special needs.

Thanks Steve – and to all the generous people at the conference for their “bullish” support!

Variety Children's Radiothon in Vernon

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:52:00 -0800

Variety was in Vernon last week, and our team enjoyed the chance to spend time with local volunteers and donors who came out in support of the 8th annual Variety Children’s Radiothon.

And it was a huge success! Hosted by 107.5 KISS FM, Variety was on the air for two days and raised a phenomenal $31,595 for children who have special needs. Generous callers also donated 301 Buddy Bears which were delivered to the staff of the Vernon Hospital Foundation. All of the funds raised in Vernon will go to help families in the North Okanagan area.

Skye Kaidannek is a social worker at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, and was thrilled to receive a new stock of bears on Friday: “I’ve been asking for some time now when we were going to get more bears – they really do make such a huge difference. For a child waiting for surgery or experiencing any other sort of stressful situation, the bears have such a wonderful way of bringing comfort. Thank you to everyone who donated a bear for a child.”

Thanks also goes to 107.5 Kiss FM, The Vernon Morning Star, A&W and The Jammery for their support, Kal-Tire for sponsoring the phone banks, Pacific Inn & Suites for providing accommodation for the Variety team, the many volunteers who donated their valuable time to answer the phones and of course, the generous donors who made this year’s event such a success. Special mention goes to Janice Foster who celebrated her 8th year in a row volunteering for the Radiothon.

If you would like to organize a fundraising event prior to the Nanaimo Radiothon, please contact Carlene Field at Variety: carlene.field@variety.bc.ca or 604-320-0505.

National Volunteer Week

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:26:00 -0800

Our guest blogger this week – Bernice Scholten, Variety’s Executive Director – has a few thoughts to share:

“April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week and I want to take this opportunity to send all of our dedicated volunteers across BC an enormous Thank You! Through your generous donations of your valuable time and talent, you form the foundation of this organization - the solid support that holds Variety strong.

We all have busy lives but nothing compares to the challenges faced by families with children who have special needs. Knowing that there is a team of compassionate people, standing by to lend a hand wherever and whenever needed, is a comforting and encouraging thought.

Variety is fortunate to have hundreds of volunteers who lend a hand at all of our events throughout the year, and no matter what the role, everyone’s contribution really does make a difference. Happy Volunteer Week everyone – and thank you.”

And here’s a story about how volunteering for Variety make a difference in the lives one couple – who least expected it!

AmeriSpec Teams Up With Variety

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:39:00 -0800

We had some very special guests pop by our offices this week - Variety’s Executive Director Bernice Scholten was pleased to accept a cheque from the representatives of AmeriSpec for $3,650.00.AmeriSpec has been providing home inspection services to Vancouver customers for the last twenty-five years, and recently decided to become one of Variety’s corporate supporters. Since December theyhave reserved $25 from each home inspection fee for Variety, proving once again that it doesn't take long for a little to add up to a whole lot.

Sharon Martin, Manager, is passionate about AmeriSpec’s dedication to customer service, and what supporting Variety means for their company:

“We have always tried to make a difference and offer value-added service to our customers. Giving back to the communities we serve is one way we have done that. We were involved to some degree with charities in the past, helping to support various golf tournaments for instance. But we had never taken on our own cause, and we thought that it was time to do something meaningful. Our staff have really embraced the idea of rallying around a cause; it’s been great for team-building and unifying our focus.”

Sharon grew up watching the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon, and was part of a children’s group at her church that collected pennies to donate to the Variety Treatment Centre in Surrey. She remembers visiting the kids who had physical challenges, and the impact that had on her at the time.

“As a parent I am so grateful that my kids are healthy, and I can only imagine how difficult it must be when your children are sick. What really impresses me the most about Variety is how big the scope is with regards to the support that is offered to families.”

Thanks to the support of companies like AmeriSpec, more children than ever before in BC who have special needs will get the life-saving, life-changing and life-enriching support they need.

If your organization would like to get involved, please contact Paul Spelliscy at

604-320-0505 or paul.spelliscy@variety.bc.ca for more information.

Sunshine Coach for Lu'ma Native Housing Society

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:21:00 -0800

The importance of keeping families together while their child is undergoing surgery in hospital is something Variety knows all about. Many families receive grants to cover expenses such as emergency travel and accommodation costs, gas, parking and 
meals when they must visit out-of-community hospitals. Some children spend only a few days in hospital, but many are there for weeks, even months.  It's thanks to our donors that Variety can help families at this difficult time, when being together is vital.

 
Lu'ma Native Housing Society in Vancouver also understands the importance of keeping families together.  Since 2004, the Society has provided accommodations for aboriginal families who come from remote communities all over BC to be with family members needing surgery or other treatments in Vancouver hospitals. In their 8 years of operation, they have served over 4,000 guests at the Lodge, ranging in age from 0 to 100.

 
Andrea Foster, the Project Manager at Lu'ma's Aboriginal Patients' Lodge, says that one of their goals is to increase the expectations of health support for aboriginal people, by providing a stress-free environment for patients and their families to heal from medical treatment. Being together with their loved ones, preparing traditional meals such as moose and halibut, and partaking in healing and wellness ceremonies, is essential for First Nations families.

 
Variety was very happy to be able to help the staff at Lu'ma by providing them with a Sunshine Coach, and Andrea says everyone is thrilled with the new bus:

"We use the van to take children to doctors' appointments or to and from the hospital. Our families tell us that they appreciate how well they are looked after, and it really helps to take away the stress of being in often scary situations."



Since 1966, Variety has placed over 566 Sunshine Coaches in communities across BC. Funded by generous donors, these vans and buses give thousands of children who have special needs the opportunity to travel safely to and from school, medical appointments, and therapeutic outdoor programs designed to give them the same opportunities in life as other children.

If you would like to be a Sunshine Coach donor, please contact Peter Chipman at Variety: peter.chipman@variety.bc.ca or 604-320-0505.

Maya & Pepe

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:02:00 -0800

*photo courtesy of The Now Newspaper

Keeping an eye on the kids and making sure they’re okay is something every parent does. But this takes on a whole new meaning when a child has autism. Nicole’s daughter Maya was a bolter, which is a common trait in kids with this developmental disability.

“She has no sense of danger. She’d just open the door and run off down the street. We had the emergency services at our house at least once or twice a month.”

Nicole even took to sleeping on the floor outside of Maya’s bedroom, worried that she’d try to bolt in the night.

“I was on constant alert, living my life in 10 minute increments, always having to check on Maya.”

Then Pepe came into their lives.This wonderful young Lab is an Autism Support Dog, specially trained to keep children like Maya safe. She wears a blue jacket that is attached to a harness that goes around Maya’s waist. When Maya tries to bolt, Pepe is trained to sit. It didn’t take long for Maya to learn that when she was with Pepe, running away was something she simply could not do.The difference the dog made in the family’s life was immediate and profound.

“When we got Pepe – it changed everything completely. As strange as it sounds, living in constant fear and worry becomes a part of you. I had no idea how stressful our lives had been until it was over.”

Variety was able to give two grants for $50,000 each to the Autism Support Dogs organization in recent years, enabling them to train 8 dogs for placement in homes with children who have autism and are bolters. Bill Thornton is the CEO of BCGDS, and was thrilled to be able to help the family;

“Parents are now inclined to go more often into public places, knowing that their child is safe with the dog. And the animal’s blue jacket, with the prominent Variety logo on it, is a clear indicator to people that the child has a disability. It also reminds the observer that people care.”

To our generous donors, we say “thank you” for caring. Your support gave a life-changing opportunity to one very special girl, thanks to a gift of a beautiful dog named Pepe, who keeps her safe.

Pirates Pillage for Variety

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:46:00 -0800

Legend has it that St. Patrick (who we commemorate every March with shamrocks and other festivities), was kidnapped at one time by pirates and held captive for many years.

Whether or not that’s true, I recently discovered that Saturday, March 16th was the 9th annual St. Pirate's Day in Victoria, and while most people were going about their weekend business, a group of local buccaneers were celebrating their most recent booty haul.

John Somogyi, when he's not swashbuckling his way around town, is an archaeologist (digging up real buried treasure!). His friend Brian Stennes is an authentic sea dog who's been swabbing decks in the Royal Canadian Navy as a bosun for over 25 years. These two mates put together a crew and held a fundraiser at a recent Victoria Grizzlies game. They hauled in a chest full of loot – almost $500 – for Variety.

“The original idea was to put a group together of people who liked piratey things and do good deeds at the same time, and so Vancouver Island Pirates was born” remembers John. “Brian’s been involved with Variety for some time now so this is the charity we like to fundraise for.”

Brian is one of the supporters of Variety's Boat For Hope in Victoria which will take place on June 1st this year. It's a fun day of seafaring adventure for kids who have special needs and their families, with volunteers decked out in pirate rig, ready to show the landlubbers a good time!

So next time you see a group of swaggering old salts waving the Jolly Roger around BC's capital, give them a wave and a thank-you for showing their big pirate hearts to Variety's kids.

(ps "pirate rig" is an actual term for "casual dress". Who knew?)

White Spot Keeps Telethon Tummies Tame

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:45:00 -0800

What does it take to feed an army? I found out a couple of weeks ago while taking a tour backstage at the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon with Bill Senghera, Variety’s First Vice President on the board of directors.

Bill has been with White Spot restaurants for over 37 years, and is currently the Business Consultant/Risk Manager. He has volunteered his services in a number of roles for Variety, but one of his main responsibilities is overseeing the craft services (ie. food!) for the thousands of people who volunteer at Telethon each year. Over 140 staff from various White Spot restaurants around the Lower Mainland volunteer their time to run the cafeteria, with many people coming back year after year because they love being a part of the event so much. Even the overnight shift isn’t hard to fill!

As far as the grocery list goes, here’s what White Spot donates to fuel the folks who bring you the show each year:

* 3,500 hamburgers
* 800 litres of soup
* 1200 sandwiches
* 120 sheet cakes/desserts
* 750 cookies
* 500 muffins
* 40lbs tomatoes
* 100 lbs lettuce
* 10lbs onions
* 175 cases of water = 4,200 bottles
* 350 flats of pop = 8,400

Keeping garbage out of the landfills is a high priority, and recycling containers collected much of the waste. Variety would also like to thank Sysco for their food distribution services, donating a huge trailer to deliver all of the food to the Red Robinson Theatre in Coquitlam.

Thank you White Spot for truly being a Variety partner, year after year.

Volunteers Find Love at Variety Telethon

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:51:00 -0800

From Saturday February 16th to Sunday February 17th, Variety broadcast its 47th annual Show of Hearts Telethon on Global BC.

If you watched the show, you will have seen wonderful videos of the families who have been helped by Variety, the amazing kids whose stories inspire us everyday, interspersed with concert footage from superstars such as Rihanna, Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber and Michael Bublé.

But what most of you didn't see was the flurry of activity going on behind the scenes.

It's been a long time since Variety produced the Telethon live from the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. Today the show is super-size production run by not only an army of television technicians, writers, directors and on-air personalities, but enough volunteers to populate a small village.

Every year, approximately 2,600 volunteers lend a hand (many hands!) to run the registration tables, concession, transportation, and of course, to answer the phones. For many, it's a chance to see old friends, relive memories of Telethons past, and catch up on a year's worth of "family" news. Because that's what the Telethon really is - a huge family reunion.

In fact one couple can thank Variety for bringing them together in the first place!

Niels Jensen is a single dad who, for the last 28 years, has volunteered at many Variety events, including the Telethon, Boat For Hope, Golf Classics and, his specialty, the Kids Coin Drive. He collects the coins, rolls them and makes sure they're delivered safely to where they are processed. Debbie Parkins is also single, but her kids are grown and living away from home. For a mom who raised 2 children, it was hard not to feel needed anymore. Despite being very shy, she looked for a way to get involved and give back.

The two met a few years ago at the Mascots Race in Hastings Park - Debbie's first volunteering event for Variety. Despite her shyness, she found the courage to chat with Niels. But when he introduced her to his then 12-year-old daughter, who was also helping at the event, she figured he must be married. Time went by and they met again at a Variety Volunteer Thank You barbeque. This time Niels didn't let her get away, and the two spent hours talking. Debbie was impressed that he had remembered her name, and even more delighted to discover that he, too, was single. The spark lit into a flame.

For the last 7 years they've traveled all over western North America together on Niels' motorcycle. And everywhere they go, Niels searches for a pebble to give to Debbie as a memento of their holiday - a little rock shaped like a heart, or a book - and each one comes with a story to help remember their adventure.

But last Christmas he decided to do something special. He found a 25lb piece of granite that he carefully wrapped in green and red paper. When she opened her gift, Debbie had no idea what to do. It was the biggest stone Niels had ever given her. Then he finally said, "Turn it over". Underneath, Niels had engraved in gold lettering a message that read: "You are my rock. Will you marry me?"

Debbie says she stood there speechless for about 10 minutes. Then the tears and the laughter flowed, followed by a rush of phone calls to family and friends. Finally, Niels came over to her and said "Well? You still haven't given me an answer!!"

From giving back to help kids who have special needs, to finding true love, both Niels and Debbie feel like they have come full circle. They're thrilled to have found each other - but not really surprised. As Niels says, "When you volunteer for a cause that has great meaning to you, you meet other like-minded people. We know everyone here has huge hearts and we know where they're all coming from."

The two have set a wedding date for September 2013 and plan to host the event at the Hastings Park Race Track - the site where they first met at a Variety fundraiser all those years ago. Plans for the future include more travel, with time put aside every year to come back to Telethon.