A West Vancouver police officer will be remembered in a memorial service taking place in New Westminster.
A service for Const. Louis Beglaw is taking place on Friday, Sept. 27 at Queen’s Park Arena. In addition to being a member of the West Vancouver Police Department since 2003, he also served as the deputy commanding officer of the Royal Westminster Regiment and was an officer in the Canadian Army reserve.
The Justice Institute of British Columbia lowered the flags to half-mast in tribute of Beglaw, who graduated from its police academy. Beglaw, a police service dog handler since 2007, died after suffering a medical emergency while on duty on Sept. 16.
The memorial service is open to all of Beglaw’s friends, family, military personnel, emergency responders and members of the law enforcement community.
The City of New Westminster has advised citizens that intermitted road closures will be in effect on Sept. 27 between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. A military funeral procession will be marching along Queens Avenue to First Street, where it will turn and march into Queen’s Park.
Stand for seniors
The Seniors Service Society is inviting people to take a stand for seniors.
In celebration of National Seniors Day on Oct. 1, the New Westminster-based society is inviting community members to gather at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street and stand for seniors. People are encouraged to bring signs and banners – and invite their friends to attend.
For more information about the gathering that takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 1 from 12 to 1 p.m., call the Seniors Services Society at 604-520-6621.
Popluck tea
Popluckers enjoyed an afternoon tea in the sunshine during a brief hiatus from last weekend’s heavy rains.
Popluck New Westminster’s final event of the year was an Afternoon Tea Delight on Sept. 21, when residents dined on baked goods and treats fit for high tea. Because the weather forecast was a bit unpredictable, organizers opted to hold the event under cover on the second level of the New Westminster SkyTrain station.
Last year, New Westminster residents Neal and Melinda Michael launched Popluck New West, which features pop-up dinners in open air spaces. Previous events have been held at locations such as Westminster Pier Park and the Front Street parkade.
Helping out
The folks at Queens Avenue Daycare are spreading the word about a disease that that can have devastating effects.
Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week was recognized across Canada from Sept. 15 to 21, during which time MitoCanada encouraged people to turn their porch light green in recognition of the disease.
“Green is the colour of mitochrondrial disease. We had Green Day. Everybody wore green clothes,” said Stephanie Erdelyi,the centre’s executive director. “We wore green ribbons for the entire week of awareness.”
On Sept. 16, kids and staff mixed up some special green lemonade, which they sold.
“We had a lemonade stand. The parents made donations,” Erdelyi said. “The financial tab was $200. It was an overwhelming response.”
Supporting Mitochrondial Disease Awareness Week has special significance to the staff and families at Queens Avenue Daycare.
“Earlier this year, we lost a member of our Queen’s Avenue Daycare family to mitochondrial disease,” Erdelyi said. “We wanted to do whatever we could to support that family and raise awareness. None of our daycare community, staff or parents, had ever heard of this disease before.”
According to MitoCanda, mitochrondrial disease refers to a group of disorders that are the result of a genetic mutation that causes the mitochrondia to fail.
“When mitochondria fail, less and less energy is made in the cells. The cells may stop working or die. Depending on where the affected cells are, parts of the body may not function properly and many health problems can result. The symptoms of mitochronial disease can range from mild to severe,” states the website. “There is no cure for mitochondrial disease.”
For more information, visit www.mitocanada.org.
Got an idea for Around Town? Contact Theresa by email, [email protected].
