Chairs for Charity a HUGE Success

As Published in The Langley Advance
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
by Heather Colpitts
All photos by Healther Colpitts

No Sitting Down on the Job Here

Terry Smith

A new fundraising event could become an annual holiday tradition with the success of Chairs for Charity.

On Oct. 27, 19 chairs were auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Langley Christmas Bureau.

The brainchild of Carrie Thachuk of The Passionate Home store in Langley, the event featured vintage chairs decorated in various motifs and sold through either a live auction or silent auction.

"I had a goal of $1,800 [raised]," she said. The final tally came in at $2,550 which will help the bureau make Christmas brighter for children whose families could not otherwise afford to provide them with gifts.

Carrie Thachuk, owner of The Passionate Home

Thachuk custom painted 15 of the chairs, a staffer did another three and Furniture and Upholstery donated the upholstering work. The chairs had been donated.
Organizers lined up support and tailored the chairs to specific themes. There was the Langley Rivermen chair and several from the Langley Starbucks, as well as local businesses. Celebrities Gabrielle Miller (of Corner Gas) and Cari Cucksey (of Cash and Cari) also lent their support to a chair apiece.

Maryanne Lechleiter from Urban Life Media collecting the silent auction bid sheets

Two bidders sharing a laugh

Local artist Lucy Adams even provided a matching painting along with her custom chair.
The fundraiser was a great deal of work but now that Thachuk has had time to sit and think, she's looking at having this event again in the future.She said those attending the auction helped make the decision. "People can't wait for next year," Thachuk said. "I think we're going to do it again."

hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com

1 Fish 2 Fish Fresh Seafood Market Celebrates Sustainability

For Immediate Release:  October 28, 2011

Langley, BC: As the first fish market in the Vancouver area to join the Ocean Wise™ program in 2009; to Heather Jenkins and her staff at 1 Fish 2 Fish Fresh Seafood Market, protecting and sustaining seafood and fish stocks has always been a top priority. With overfishing continuing to threaten our oceans today, Jenkins and her team are set to raise awareness about the Ocean Wise™ conservation program by celebrating Ocean Wise month with the 2nd annual Sip and Slurp event on Thursday, November 17th.

While throwing a party seems an odd way to turn the tide on overfished or depleted seafood and fish stocks, Jenkins thinks the best way is to lead by example and show customers and guests how delicious and accessible sustainable seafood is in the lower mainland. “We are proud to be an Ocean Wise partner and look forward to a great evening with our customers filled with award winning wines, Ocean Wise hors d’oeuvres and a raw Oyster bar.”

“In British Columbia we are fortunate to live along a coast line that provides us with a fish and seafood bounty unlike many,” remarked Jenkins “With more than 400 known species of marine fish living in the ocean waters off our coast, enjoying the bounty can sometimes come with negative impacts like pollution and an altered ecosystem.” Jenkins’ hopes that by hosting the event customers and guests leave having experienced a local and sustainable selection of Ocean Wise™ options that are available to them.

The 2nd annual Sip and Slurp event will be a fantastic evening with a collection of seafood hors d’oeuvres and wines, but it will also be informative with a display of Ocean Wise™ products, recipes, oyster shucking and cooking demonstrations. To Jenkins, it is about sharing with the public that 1 Fish 2 Fish value where their products come from and how they arrive in the market. “Ultimately we want our guests to have a great time, but to leave more knowledgeable about how the seafood they purchase impacts our oceans and rivers.”

Last year’s event sold out quickly and was a huge success. “We haven’t even started selling tickets yet and customers are asking if we will be hosting an event again this year,” notes Jenkins. “We expect tickets will go quickly, so stop in or give us a call to reserve yours!” Tickets will be available starting Saturday, October 29th for $30 through 1 Fish 2 Fish Fresh Seafood Market and include an evening of Ocean Wise™ creations expertly created by Mizuna Culinary, wines and pairings by Township 7 Vineyards and Winery and guest Oyster shucker and producer, Rob Tyrone most fondly known by his Ocean Wise™ certified Effingham Oysters.

1 Fish 2 Fish Fresh Seafood Market has been serving the local community for over 13 years, providing chemical free, wild and sustainable seafood choices for their customers. A proud supporter of the Nickomekl Enhancement Society, an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring wild Salmon stocks in the Fraser Valley, and certified Ocean Wise™ partner, 1 Fish 2 Fish Fresh Seafood Market is open 7 days a week with a seafood selection that is the best in the lower mainland.

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Media Contact:
Kristine Carrick
Urban Life Media
Office: (604) 510.5456  Mobile: (604) 831.2598
Email: kristine@urbanlifemedia.ca