Dana Osiowy is thrilled to be taking the helm of New Westminster Family Place and helping local families.
The Queensborough resident started work as Family Place’s new executive director on Aug. 21.
“It’s so great,” she told the Record. “I am loving it.”
Prior to taking on her new role with Family Place, Osiowy was the engagement manager with Vantage Point, which assists not-for-profits.
“I was really happy with my former position, but this came across my desk – I have a deep love of Family Places,” she said. “It’s right in the town I live in. It’s right around the corner from my kid’s daycare, and my husband works in New West, too. I feel as though I should be here.”
A native of Ontario, Osiowy moved to the Kootenays in 2003, where she held jobs such as serving as executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters in the Kootenays and working at Kootenay Family Place in Castlegar. While taking parental leave after the birth of their son, Harrison, 16 months ago, Osiowy’s husband Jordan took the little one to Family Place programs around the Lower Mainland.
New Westminster Family Place offers parent education programs, support groups, volunteer programs and free drop-ins (including playtime, crafts and snack time) for children and their parents. Along with services at its main branch at 93 Sixth St., it also offers satellite programs at locations like Lord Kelvin Elementary School.
“Right now, I am just getting to know everyone, getting to know the people who come to the office. I’m just trying to get to know the community a little bit better,” Osiowy said. “I just really want to make sure that we are connected to the community. I want to make sure that we are serving our families in the best way we can, so we are very responsive to them. Also, I am looking toward doing some communication stuff. I’d like to see a little revitalization of our brand and get ourselves out there.”
Family Place is having a pub night fundraiser on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the Paddlewheeler Pub. Tickets are $25 (includes a burger and a beer) and are available at Family Place.
For more information on Family Place, call 604-520-3666.
Save the date: Saturday, Sept. 16
Meet some of the folks who call Queen’s Park Care Centre home at the Queen’s Park Healthcare Foundation’s annual community barbecue on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Drop by the event that’s taking place in the backyard of the centre at 315 McBride Blvd. and enjoy a free hamburger and drink, and meet some of the seniors living at Queen’s Park Care Centre. Info at www.qphf.org.
Reliving a 1967 adventure
A member of the Eastward Ho team will be sharing stories from his adventure at this month’s New Westminster Historical Society presentation.
As part of Canada’s 100th birthday of confederation celebrations in 1967, four local men paddled from New Westminster to Expo 67 in Montreal to honour the milestone, the First Nations and the explorers who used a system of rivers and portages to cross the country.
“To accomplish this, they would paddle a canoe from New Westminster on the Fraser River to Expo 67 in Montreal,” said a press release from the historical society. “This presentation will honour their efforts and talk of this amazing trip known as Eastward Ho.”
Jim Reid, a member of Eastward Ho, will attend the New Westminster Historical Society evening on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Century House, 620 Eighth St. He’ll talk about the trip and show a video prepared for its 25th anniversary in 1992.
Take note: because of the renovations at the New Westminster Public Library, the historical society’s presentation is taking place at Century House. The programs are free, and everyone is welcome.
Car seat recycling
Wondering what to do with your kids’ old car seat? Wonder no more.
The City of New Westminster is hosting a car seat recycling event where residents can bring their expired car seats and recycle them for free. It’s taking place on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the New Westminster Recycling Depot (at Sixth and McBride, next to Canada Games Pool) and at the Queensborough Return-It depot (Unit A – 409 Boyne St.).
Seniors Festival returns to New West
Red Robinson may have just retired after 64 years in radio, but he’s set to rock at Seniors Festival 2017.
Robinson is the keynote speaker at the festival, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 21 in celebration of National Seniors Day. The festival is on from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Century House, 620 Eighth St.
Robinson, whose roots in music go back to the beginnings of rock ‘n’ roll, will be sharing a few highlights from his new biography, Red Robinson. Along with spinning discs for decades, he appeared on stage in Vancouver with Elvis in 1957 and the Beatles in 1964.
Also appearing at the Seniors Festival are Bobby Bacchus, a crooner who performs songs made famous by singers like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin and Nat King Cole, and Janice Bannister, a stand-up comic, wellness speaker and owner of Laughter Zone 101. The festival also features an information fair, a market where older artists sell their wares, interactive activities, prizes and more.
For more info, call Century House at 604-519-1066 or drop by Century House.
Do you have an item for Around Town? Send ideas to Theresa McManus, [email protected].
