The sixth annual Light Up the Quay event is offering a friendly contest to Quayside residents for the best Christmas lights display.
The event, sponsored by the Quayside Community Board, is also a fundraiser for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.
The board has partnered with the Boathouse restaurant to collect items for the food bank until Dec.
21. Anyone who brings a non-perishable food item to the Boathouse for the food bank box between 3 and 6 p.m. daily will receive a happy hour appy.
The Quayside Community Board encourages residents to stroll the promenade and Quayside Drive, take in the light displays, visit River Market for some shopping and stop by the Boathouse to take a break and make a donation to the food bank.
The public is invited to participate in judging the light displays, which will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Anyone who's interested in judging should meet at the Boathouse at 5: 30 p.m. and meet the Quayside Community Board's executive, before joining a walking tour of the Quay that starts at 6: 30 p.m.
Awards will be given out for best residential displays, best building and building lobby and the Clark Griswold Award (most over-the-top, tacky, commercialized Christmas light display).
LOOKING BACK
New Westminster Historical Society will focus on early New Westminster Christmas and new year's food, drink gift and decorations at this month's meeting.
The historical society's evening is being held on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7: 30 p.m. in the auditorium of the New Westminster Public Library. This presentation will look at what was available to the early community in terms of the things needed for year-end, Christmas and new year's celebrations.
A press release notes that the presentation will include seasonal photos of Christmas and the New Year.
The program is free and everyone is welcome. There is no need to pre-register.
OPEN HOUSE
New Westminster's representatives in Ottawa are inviting community members to their upcoming open houses.
Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian is holding his annual open house on Friday, Dec. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Nikkei Centre, 6688 Southoaks Cres. in Burnaby. He'll be collecting non-perishable food for the food bank and coats for the Rotary Coats for Kids campaign.
New Westminster-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly is collecting nonperishable food and money for the SHARE food bank at his open house, which is being held on Tuesday, Dec. 20 from 4 to 8 p.m. at 1116 Austin Ave. in Coquitlam.
People are asked to RSVP for Donnelly's open house by calling 6046649229.
CELEBRATION
Coun. Lorrie Williams headed south on the weekend to take in a convocation ceremony in Washington State.
In 1985, Williams founded the Canadian Harambee Education Society, which provides support for girls in Kenya and Tanzania who want to go to high school if they meet certain scholastic standards. Initially the program assisted boys and girls, but it was later changed to helping girls because they were so much more disadvantaged than male students.
"One of my boys I getting his PhD in agriculture at the University of Washington," she said. "I am going to Washington to watch him get his PhD."
Williams said she often receives phone calls from students who have benefited from the support of the Canadian Harambee Education Society.
"They find me and tell me with CHES that they would not have been able to do it, they could not get over that high school fee thing," she said. "It's wonderful."
