September marks the time for fresh start on many avenues.
Children are back at school, courses and workshops have begun anew at recreation centres and colleges and charitable organizations, their volunteers and staff back from their summer hiatus, begin pounding the drum again for donations.
On the latter point, this month is a busy one for groups launching campaigns, causing people in our community to stand up and take notice.
While police and media riders have been training for months, the Canadian Cancer Society’s Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock is ramping up for the start of the two-week ride this weekend, and the accompanying excitement and mayhem that ensues during the Tour’s stops at communities all over Vancouver Island, including Sidney on Oct. 4.
An even more longstanding cancer-fighting fundraiser, the Terry Fox Run, happened last weekend in Central Saanich. Organizers implored people to donate for cancer research as participants mimicked, in a small way, Terry’s mileage efforts.
The United Way of Greater Victoria kicked off its 2012 campaign last week, with a $6 million goal, and the CIBC Run for the Cure for breast cancer, happens this Sunday.
At times it seems we are bombarded by messaging from not-for profits, all of which are well-meaning and deserve assistance. Many such groups are facing serious challenges at a time when government funding is tougher to come by.
Some choose to tune out the pleas for help. But thankfully, many more people continue to either donate cash or their time to causes that help people in our community.
We encourage you to consider either. Even if your finances don’t allow a donation, your skills and abilities can be put to a valuable task.