At Pharmasave Broadmead, community support goes beyond words—it's a commitment lived every day. The team recently came together to support one of their own. A valued staff member, part of the Card family, was diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. During this difficult time, her husband also received a terminal cancer diagnosis. With both parents unable to work while raising their children, the situation was heartbreaking. In response, the Pharmasave Broadmead team launched a fundraiser to offer meaningful support. Through a gift basket raffle (valued at $700) and the sale of Purdy’s chocolate bars, they raised an incredible $7,636 for the family. This initiative quickly became a community-wide effort. Local residents showed overwhelming generosity and compassion—standing firmly behind a family facing unimaginable challenges. The Broadmead team was honoured to present the Card family with the funds, a gesture made possible entirely by the kindness of the community.

Throughout May, 533 team members came together to push past their limits and move with purpose, achieving an inspiring 16,000+ hours of movement as part of the Workout to Conquer Caner! Every rep, step and stretch was powered by personal stories, resilience, and the unwavering fight to conquer cancer.   We celebrated movement and milestones together as team members crushed personal goals, stepped outside their comfort zones, and completed their first marathons! Being part of this challenge brought us together in proving that when we support one another we can accomplish anything. Our partnership with BC Cancer Foundation represents our commitment to supporting innovative research, access to patient care, and progress toward transforming cancer treatment.  Together, we are stronger than cancer. BC Cancer FoundationThroughout May, 533 team members came together to push past their limits and move with purpose, achieving an inspiring 16,000+ hours of movement as part of the Workout to Conquer Caner! Every rep, step and stretch was powered by personal stories, resilience, and the unwavering fight to conquer cancer.   We celebrated movement and milestones together as team members crushed personal goals, stepped outside their comfort zones, and completed their first marathons! Being part of this challenge brought us together in proving that when we support one another we can accomplish anything. Our partnership with BC Cancer Foundation represents our commitment to supporting innovative research, access to patient care, and progress toward transforming cancer treatment.  Together, we are stronger than cancer. BC Cancer Foundation

Last week I had the immense honour of being awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, presented by Dan Huang-Taylor, Executive Director of Food Banks BC. I was deeply humbled to be recognized by Food Banks BC and Food Banks Canada in the category of Community Service and Philanthropy. Over the past 20 years with First West Credit Union, I have been incredibly fortunate to have my career aspirations, educational pursuits, and personal growth supported and celebrated by First West. First West has generously provided me with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in communities across BC. It is a privilege to support the many remarkable programs and partnerships that define First West’s community engagement. I am inspired by the dedication of Food Banks BC and its members. Their tireless efforts to increase access to healthy food and to innovate in support of client wellbeing is nothing short of extraordinary. As the need continues to grow, their commitment never wavers. I have not walked this path alone. The passion and generosity of First West team members across BC, our leadership, and our Board have been instrumental in supporting local food banks, our members, and our communities through challenging times. From the early days of Feed the Valley and The Full Cupboard, to our evolving understanding of food insecurity, we have seen how collective action can create lasting impact. I am deeply grateful for this honour - for the opportunities I have had, the experiences I have shared, and the partnerships that have shaped my journey. Thank you, Dan, thank you, First West and thank you to the hundreds of food bank team members and volunteers whose compassion and care strengthen our communities every day! First West Foundation Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union Island Savings a division of First West Credit Union Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union Enderby & District Financial, a division of First West CU Food Banks BC

Emma, Josh and Lizzy are researching fungi, AI, and endangered plants, respectively. They were excited to share their research findings at VIU’s CREATE conference in April. CREATE recognizes and celebrates student scholarship, research and creative activity. “It allows students to find out what their passions are, what their skillsets are, and to interact with material that just sets your brain on fire! When students receive support to engage with their research projects, it allows them to be seen.” ~ Kendra Stiwich, Director, Graduate Studies and Student Research Coastal Community is proud to partner with Vancouver Island University (VIU) and support inspiring programs like CREATE. Our sponsorship was made possible by our Sharing Our Success initiative: https://www.cccu.ca/about/community/sharing-our-success CREATE Conference is an annual event at Vancouver Island University and takes place at their Nanaimo campus. Learn more: https://research.viu.ca/create

Story Studio is an award winning charity that delivers innovative, ‘fun-first’ workshops that give youth the narrative tools to create amazing stories, using a methodology we’ve refined through work with over 12,000 youth. We pair emerging young writers with adult authors and illustrators, so they can learn from each-other. We operate both within the school system and outside of it to reach the kids who really need our help. In our School Age program workshops, youth (ages 5-10) engage in a process of story development, learning the skills that ‘real authors’ use to create their own unique tales. Along the way, participants are supported one-on-one by staff and volunteers to ensure that the program is accessible to youth of any literacy level, and builds on their individual strengths. The result is an improvement in both the technical skills associated with literacy (eg. grammar, spelling) but more importantly the emotional engagement and confidence that comes with writing a complete story. Each finished story is published, printed as a book by Story Studio staff, with copies given to the participant and school. In addition, support materials are given to families of youth participants to encourage reading and writing at home. With Peninsula Co-op's donation, we will deliver workshops to over 18 classes across Greater Victoria this fall. Helping hundreds of students learn the art of storytelling and fueling their passion for future leaning! Learn more here https://www.storystudio.ca/