Category: News & Announcements

All Genders Youth Group Installs Inclusive Pride Flag and Safe Space Stickers at CNH

The All Genders Youth Group within the CNH Youth Services are excited to share the display of an inclusive pride flag and a safe space sticker to the front windows of the CNH Main building on 5288 Joyce Street.

What is the All Genders Youth Group?
The All Genders Youth Group initiative is designed to provide 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and their allies with a safe, social, and supportive environment where they can deepen their understanding on relevant topics through conversations, workshops, and activities while making a tangible impact in their community through group-led community justice projects.

Why is this important to youth in the community?
To date, there are people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who are still being bullied and/or not accepted for showing who they truly are (e.g., parents of trans youth not supporting their children and their need for transition, youth not being able to share their feelings or their thoughts with friends/family who won’t understand, school not being a space where youth learn about the queer/nonbinary experience). In recognition of these challenges, the All Genders Youth Group came up with a unique design for a new safe space sticker and a window decal with the most current inclusive pride flag. This project is intended to be a visible and tangible show of solidarity to 2SLGBTQIA+ folks in the Renfrew-Collingwood area and will serve as a springboard towards further change and inclusivity within our organization and surrounding community.

A Very Brief History of Rainbow Flags
Similar to how crosses indicate a church building, rainbow flags have been used to signal a gathering place for 2SLGBTQ+ peoples, and are now regarded as a symbol for the community. There are many versions of the flag that have come to fruition (the first being by Gilbert Baker in 1978) and like the many letters that will continue to be added to the acronym, the flag will likely be revised in the future. The flag on the window is called the Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag, which was brought forward by Valentino Vecchietti in 2021. This flag is springboarded off the Inclusive Pride Flag designed in 2018 by Daniel Quasar (a non-binary artist) to include the intersex pride flag, which was created back in 2013 by Morgan Carpenter. This design was chosen by the All Genders Youth Group as it covers not only sexual orientation, gender identities, and BIPOC folks, but also recognizes more progress is needed.

A Breakdown of the Flag’s Colour and Meaning:
The Rainbow
• Red – life and passion
• Orange -healing
• Yellow – sunlight
• Green – nature
• Indigo – serenity
• Violet – spirit

The Triangle
Quasar spoke publicly about how work is still needed in terms of BIPOC and trans rights, and as such, the placement of the new colours in an arrow shape is meant to convey the progress still needed.
• Yellow background with the Purple Circle – the newest addition by Valentino Vecchietti. Added to the white part of the triangle, it now includes the symbol of the intersex flag, acknowledging intersex peoples within the community.
• White, Light Blue and Light Pink- the colours that are a part of the trans flag, encompassing anyone who identifies differently than the sex they were assigned at birth. Traditionally, the colours pink and baby blue were used to represent whether a baby is a boy or a girl. Here, the colors denote those genders and the use of white is to acknowledge folks who may be in the process of transitioning, do not identify with any specific gender, or those who have a neutral gender.
• Black and Brown – represents BIPOC peoples and taken from the Philadelphia Pride Flag designed in 2017. BIPOC people have often been left out of the queer narrative despite being the driving force behind the movement–like Marsha P. Johnson, for example.

A Note on Safe(r) Space Stickers:
This specific sticker was designed by one of the All Genders youth, which all participants supported in finalizing and creating a digital copy and getting it in sticker form.

Safe space stickers indicate a building or organization is accepting and inclusive to 2SLGBTQ+ folks. It should be recognized that these stickers indicate a space is safer, as there can never be a guarantee that someone else accessing a space is a safe person or has harmful views towards 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. This sticker does however indicate staff at CNH are expected to support the victim should those situations come up.

Final Note:
There is still more progress to be made. Though laws change and the larger public tend to lean more towards acceptance, there is still a long way to go, much more to learn and safer spaces needed, especially for youth who do not have a supportive household or friend group. Providing a safer space makes a world of difference.
On behalf of the All Genders youth, we thank you for your solidarity and support.

January 13, 2023
National Day of Action for Child Care

Today, November 30^th, is a Canada-wide Day of Action for Child Care. As the Province moves forward with the implementation of their $10 a day Child Care BC plan, it’s important to recognize that quality, affordable child care cannot happen without the educators.

CNH will continue to be an advocate for professional wages and benefits based on a provincially funded wage grid because child care educators not only play a vital role in providing quality care and expansion of spaces, but they are essential in the education of young minds!

Visit https://youtu.be/FXNXxLadtJY to watch a video of four of our educators tell us why they chose the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) profession, what they love about their work, and what they are hopeful for, for the field of ECE.

We highlight the work of CNH’s amazing child care staff. Parents very kindly shared with us what their child’s educator means to their family and words of support for the ECE profession. These kudos are also being shared with our educators.

Some of our incredible child care staff

“I have found all ECEs to be kind, fair, great negotiators(!), caring, fun and respectful of our young ones. They encompass all the qualities a parent could ask for when entrusting them with the care of our precious children”

“Preschool teachers are exceptionally important in children’s lives, especially during their most impressionable years. They provide children with a support system, encouragement and build a great foundation for their future”

“I cannot overstate how much we appreciate the work that you all do in providing care and contributing to raising healthy and happy kids”

“The low level of pay available to these childcare workers versus the training they need and the precious people we put in their hands is greatly out of balance and I have seen firsthand where programs have lost AMAZING employees to better paying jobs”

“The bonds he has developed with these teachers and staff have allowed him to grow and develop into the wonderful toddler he is today. The staff are incredible, and always willing to learn how to adapt to our son’s needs.
The training, education, and continual improvement required to care for the diverse needs of all children requires a special person. Their contribution to the growth of our children is extremely valued and we are very thankful”

“They are all calm and honest, not passing judgment onto a parent or made to make them feel less. They are very understanding and honest and most of all friendly. All the staff that interact with C, are always smiling and seem genuinely to love their job. They always greet us with a smile every morning and even say goodbye after we leave. C is getting to be around people with good values and respect for one another. Plus, he really likes it I’m sure. Even if he does cry a bit when dropped off in mornings, ha-ha!”

“It’s a long day for my kids. It’s a profound relief, and a delight, to see them so excited to get to out-of-school care in the morning, and then always wanting “5 more minutes” when I pick them up at the end of the day. I know that they love this program because it’s a safe and enriching place for them to play”

“We value the educators at O’s daycare for providing genuine care and connection for all the little ones in their parents’ absence. I recall struggling when first sending him to daycare, and I was compassionately reassured that his needs would be met (including being held and hugged when pandemic measures encouraged social distancing)”“It takes a village to raise a child and that cannot be more true about the teachers at Terry Tayler. We couldn’t do it without their support, compassion, patience and care. They welcome us at every drop off and pick with a big smile no matter how well-behaved or difficult our child was that day. It is hard to be away from your child all day but knowing that our children are happy and well cared for at daycare makes a huge difference. Teachers are educating our future doctors, engineers, artists, business owners and so much more. That is a huge job and they deserve a fair wage!”

“We can’t express enough how grateful we are for the early childhood educators that teach and care for P. Knowing that she has a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment to go to everyday allows us to have peace of mind. It allows us to focus on what we need to do to contribute to the health and vibrancy of our household and community. P loves going to daycare and we know she feels safe and nurtured by the committed educators who teach her. We are so lucky to have to have these amazing humans in our community! We have the utmost respect and appreciation for the skills, knowledge, capabilities and empathy of the early childhood educators at your centre. We believe that our current early childhood education system under compassionates those providing such an important service to our community and we strongly support fairer wages going forward. Quality, affordable childcare for all!”

“Please consider that those who are spending large amounts of the day, often more waking hours than their primary caregivers, provide not only a watchful eye, but are also our children’s first professional educators. They provide rich learning opportunities, while building our children’s confidence and ensuring they are cared for both physically and mentally”

“As a parent who’s benefited from the $10/day program, I can see how it has allowed our family to redirect the funds to other important areas in our life but this monetary benefit has not been experienced by the ECEs”

“Early education is so important to us – Teachers play such an important role in a child’s earliest years, when they’re just picking up the foundational elements of life, and aren’t able to (or need to) rely as much on friends and other students, like they can in later years.
It’s laying the foundation for their education – Daycare is about so much more than simply learning basic skills – Our kids learn critical social and emotional skills and a partnership is formed between the child, their parents and the teacher. When this is done successfully, it lays the groundwork for it to continue throughout the child’s education.
– They help lay the foundation for education and discovery, for the rest of a child’s life – for a successful future.
They bring expertise in children’s development – they specialize in working with children the age of ours. They are pros at assessing, observing, and documenting their development. They focus on the child’s strengths and adapt their environment to their needs and likes.
– We see them building a warm and positive relationships with our children – important to us because children need to feel safe and cared for. They also help the kids build positive relationships with other.
They teach them so many important life skills – cooperation, sharing, being creative, using their imagination… They create a welcoming environment for children to make them feel right at home. They have patience for our children. They help us understand what is going on with our children.It has been so great to see them socialize with people outside of our home and family – this has made them very social people, which we so appreciate! They don’t get scared around new faces or around large groups”

#childcaredayofaction #ecematters @10aday @ecebc1 @ccabc

November 30, 2022
Giving Tuesday 2022

Nov. 29th is Giving Tuesday, a global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place after Black Friday. This year, we’re asking for your support! Make a donation or learn more about your contribution at: www.cnh.bc.ca/donate.

When Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) reopened its doors, the need for face-to-face connections became clear. It wasn’t simply about what programs we provide, but how.

For Adora Escondo, returning to CNH was key in boosting her mental, physical and social health. Over the last 21 years, Adora has participated in dance and exercise classes at CNH. She even spent some time volunteering with our children’s programs.

So, when the pandemic hit, Adora was left with little activity in her day-to-day life.

“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I didn’t have Zumba, I didn’t have these classes.”

For Adora, classes like Zumba are about more than just moving. Since Adora first came across CNH those many years ago, she said it’s become a place where she is free to express herself with little judgment while unwinding from work. It’s also a place that’s become her second home. In fact, her early days at CNH started shortly after her family moved to Canada from Iran and previously, the Philippines. Now, she’s here anytime she’s free.

“I even come here on Sunday,” Adora said.

A local resident of the neighbourhood, Adora said our low fees allow her to continue coming back, noting “even ordinary people can afford it.”

This year, we’re asking for your support to help us maintain these fees so people like Adora can access programs at CNH worry-free. We know that this has been a financially challenging time for many. If, however, you are in the position to help, please direct a donation, of any amount, to Collingwood Neighbourhood House to support our programming. Please help us enhance the lives of those around us by generously considering a tax-receiptable donation today.

November 28, 2022
Early Childhood Education Scholarship Application

The Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) Board of Directors is proud to provide a scholarship of $750.00 in honour of a long-term staff, Nina Vacca.

Nina passed away in 2021. Nina arrived to Canada as a refugee and was a lifelong learner; she pursued her Early Childhood Education Certificate later in life.

Nina worked at CNH as a manager of the LINC Childcare Program; she was also a childcare worker in the Families Branching Out Program and Family Place. She always showed a lot of love and care in the work she did with children.

Her contributions and work did not stop with her caring for children at CNH: she volunteered in her community every year to organize events for the Chilean community.

At CNH we want to celebrate Nina’s legacy by offering this scholarship to refugee and immigrant women.

To apply, please complete the application online at https://bit.ly/nina-vacca-scholarship-2022 or get an application form from reception at CNH (5288 Joyce St) and email it to info@cnh.bc.ca. Deadline for applications is July 22, 2022 at 5 pm.

June 22, 2022
Collingwood Neighbourhood House Board Call for Nominations
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) is accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. This is an exciting time to join our Board as we move on from the pandemic to continue and develop as a vibrant organization.

Applicants should live and/or work in Renfrew-Collingwood, have a broad understanding of the neighbourhood, feel committed to becoming engaged in improving all aspects of our neighbourhood, and be able to bring expertise and perspectives that increase our organization’s capacity to be equitable and inclusive.

We are interested in hearing from people from all backgrounds and ages but are especially interested in applicants who are between the ages of 21-29 or are 55-plus. We are also interested in hearing from individuals who live with a disability. This year we have a particular need for those who have experience in health care, religious/spiritual associations, and knowledge of government. We are also particularly interested in candidates with relevant lived experience or who are representative of a historically marginalized group.

The CNH Board of Directors is committed to an anti-oppressive, anti-racist approach to its work and welcomes those who thrive in a vibrant, welcoming environment.

Our Strategic Plan has three strategic priorities:
- – Connect with and be more accessible, equitable and inclusive for people in the community.
- – Build community capacity to advocate for the future of the people in Renfrew-Collingwood.
- – Invest in our organizational foundation to support our sustainability and growth.
Applicants should be able to spend 8-10 hours per month on Board-related work and be able to commit to a three-year term, starting this October. The deadline for applications is July 8; members of the Board’s Nominations Committee will be contacting applicants July 9-23. If you are interested, please contact Board President Leila Trickey at president@cnh.bc.ca.
June 15, 2022
Registration for Spring Break Camps Now Open

Children ages 7-12 can look forward to two weeks of gymnastics, soccer, and basketball in our Spring Break Camps, coming this March 2022! These camps provide a fun and safe learning environment where they can play and beef up their skills and techniques in those sports, while also meeting new friends. To sign up, please call 604-435-0323.

Gymnastics Spring Camp
Instructor: Lucinda Donaldson
Ages 7 to 12
Monday – Friday, 9-4pm
Week 1: March 14-18
Week 2: March 21-25
Full day (9am-4pm): $150.00/week
Half-day (9am-12pm): $75.00/week
Maximum number of participants: 24

This camp, run by Gym Sense Gymnastics Education, will create an atmosphere of fun and excitement that encourages participants to safely learn new gymnastics skills and techniques. This program will educate, challenge, and entertain young children. Weather permitting, we will go outside to do fun and exciting field trips.

Please note: If your child is participating in full-day gymnastics camps, they must bring their own lunch/snacks. A supervisor will be present during lunch hour.

Click here to access the Gymnastics Spring Camp’s health and safety guidelines.

Spring Sports Camp
Instructor: TBA
Ages 8 to 12
Monday – Friday, 1-3pm
Week 1: March 14-18
Week 2: March 21-25
$65.00/week
Maximum number of participants: 15

A fun class for anyone who loves to play soccer and basketball. Learn to play the most beautiful game one week and learn how to improve your shooting and handles the next. This class will emphasize basic fundamentals and drills.

Click here to access the Spring Sports Camp’s health and safety guidelines.

February 24, 2022
Collaborate in the creation of a 2SLGBTQA+ Committee

We are reaching out to invite folks to collaborate in the creation of a new committee based in the Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood representing 2SLGBTQA+ communities.

In 2019 and again in 2021, an informal group that included CNH staff, neighbourhood volunteers, and partner organizations worked together to organize successful Renfrew Collingwood Pride events. We acknowledge and thank Sterling James, who initiated the formation of this group. After organizing these events last summer, there was interest from community members to have a formal committee to support organizing in the neighbourhood. That is why we are looking to start a new committee!

In order to do this, we would like to come together as an interim planning group to create the terms of reference for the committee, including the community responsibilities, committee name, and process for new members to join. Once this work has been finalized, we hope that the official committee will be formed by April 2022.

We are inviting representatives from community organizations, residents and individuals connected to Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood, with priority given to BIPOC 2SLGBTQA+ individuals, to join 3 planning meetings starting in January 2022 to work together to create the committee structure.

Please email Emily Rees by January 10, 2022 if you are interested in being involved.

December 23, 2021
Mutual Aid CSA at CNH opens for 2021
Do you believe everyone should have access to fresh foods? Do you want to support neighbours who face barriers to accessing healthy, culturally appropriate, and locally-grown food? Join CNH’s Mutual Aid CSA!

What is a CSA?

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs are direct relationships between farmers and community members that involve a subscription to a farm’s harvests. They are an alternative socioeconomic model of agriculture and food distribution whose overarching goal is to create a sense of community through local markets, quite different from shopping at big box grocery stores.

Your membership to CNH’s Mutual Aid CSA will support the Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School (TFNFS), an integrated vegetable and livestock farm that centers regenerative agriculture and Indigenous food systems perspectives and is managed in partnership between Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPN) and the Tsawwassen First Nation. Through this CSA program, you’ll be receiving 8 weeks of fresh, local produce delivered directly from the farm school to Collingwood Neighbourhood House. You will also be subsidizing a box for a low-income community member!

How our program works

When you sign up, you will receive a box of fresh locally grown vegetables, and so will a family in the neighbourhood who is unable to afford healthy food options.

Not interested in joining but still want to support a low-income neighbour to access fresh foods? You can make a donation to the program. 100% of these funds will go towards subsidizing a CSA for a neighbour in Renfrew Collingwood.

What is Mutual Aid?

Mutual aid systems involve cooperative networks of care between people in a community and involve the core principle that everyone has something to contribute as well as something they need. Mutual aid systems are long-term and grassroots responses to a common struggle and ultimately work toward justice and equity for all.

What is in our CSA

We will be working with the farmers at The Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School (TFNFS) to include a variety of fresh produce in your CSA box. The exact types of produce will vary according to the seasons and harvesting environment but we are working to focus on providing culturally appropriate vegetables that will be familiar to residents of Renfrew-Collingwood. See the graphic below for some of the produce TFNFS has been growing:

Membership details

Members pick up their CSA weekly on Friday evenings between 5–7pm at Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH). CNH is conveniently located 2 blocks away from the Joyce Skytrain station and includes parking access, wheelchair accessible front entrance, and elevator from the underground parking.

Our first pilot season is expected to run from September 10 to October 29, 2021 for a total of 8 weeks.

Stay connected as we will be working to run a second season for the 2022 growing season.

Payment options

Option 1

Buy your own box and subsidize a box for a neighbour

Pay $45/week for 8 weeks = $360 total

Option 2

Make a donation

Suggested donation $30 to buy a box for a neighbour

Who is eligible to receive a subsidized CSA?

Subsidized CSA boxes are intended to support community members facing food insecurity to access healthy, culturally appropriate, and locally harvested produce. In general, CSA subsidy recipients are referred to the program through a CNH program or service.

Subsidized CSA cost $20/month = $40 total

Specific criteria are as follows:
- Are interested in receiving and utilizing fresh produce weekly
- Lives in the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood
- Experiences food insecurity
- Referred to the program through a CNH service (ie. Settlement Services, RISE, Seniors Services)
September 16, 2021
Scale Your Impact: Community Systems Change 9-Month Certificate
Systemic racism, a global pandemic, poverty, homelessness, gentrification, social isolation, limited funding models, overstretched service models. These are just some of the big issues facing the neighbourhood of Renfrew-Collingwood and beyond. They are big complex issues that require creative and innovative responses that get at the root of the issues. They require a new form of leadership and collaboration that can transform the mindsets, culture, and systems that keep these problems in place. As a neighbourhood with a thriving nonprofit sector, creative arts community, and mobilized residents, Renfrew-Collingwood is uniquely positioned to demonstrate a new way to create lasting change.

Scale Your Impact: Community Systems Change Certificate is a community-based certificate that draws on the strengths of the neighbourhood by bringing together community partners, leaders, artists, and others who are working to make this a thriving neighbourhood.

Through this 9-month certificate, participants have the opportunity to learn with a cohort about how to get at the root issues of the problems they are working on to create lasting change, while increasing their leadership and facilitation capacities. Through the curriculum, participants develop a toolbox of innovative methods and collaborate with other inspiring leaders to impact change.

Through Scale your Impact, you will:
•Understand the big systems you are working in and where the leverage points for change are
•Get at the root causes of big issues such as systemic racism, homelessness, climate change, and more
•Use human-centred design tools and other innovative methods to increase creativity and idea generation
•Understand why self-awareness is a necessary part of effective social innovation
•Engage creative and adaptive leadership to leverage change in the issues you care about
•Increase your capacity to communicate and collaborate, in particular across difference
•Build bridges and create safe spaces across diverse people, communities, cultures, sectors, and silos.

When? September 2021 to June 2022 (8 half-day sessions monthly on Fridays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm)
What?
- 8 half-day workshops
- Monthly Community of Practice online gathering
- Peer learning opportunities
- 1-1 coaching session
- Applied learning projects, supported by a Systems Change Small Grant
Who?
- Connectors and leaders in Renfrew Collingwood
- Community partners and non-profit staff
- Artists
- Business people
- Students and educators
- Anyone interested in amplifying systems change
Where? CNH Annex (3690 Vanness Ave) and online

About the program

Over the 8 sessions, we will cover a broad curriculum that will allow you to better tackle the big complex problems you are working on. Your learning will be supported by a monthly online meeting of a Community of Practice where you can deepen your learning and bring forward questions you are working with. You will also have the opportunity to workshop the big problems you are working on, and will have the opportunity to work in peer learning groups and with a 1-1 with a coach who can support you to deepen your impact. There will also be small grants available to support a project or intervention to make change around a problem you are working on.

All workshop sessions take place on Fridays from 8:30am-12:30pm on the following dates:
Session 1 (Oct 1): Intro to social innovation and systems thinking
Session 2 (Nov 5): Collaboration and communication
Session 3 (Dec 3): Creatively intervening in a system
Session 4 (Jan 28): Self in the system – adaptive leadership for impact
Session 5 (Mar 4): Diversity, equity, and power in systems
Session 6 (Apr 8): Resilience, anti-fragility, and care of the self
Session 7 (May 13): Increasing, scaling, and evaluating impact
Session 8 (Jun 17): Reflection, integration, and celebration

**Please note that the program is planned for in-person but may need to move online depending on the context.**

**The time commitment for this program is approximately 8 hours per month. You must attend all sessions in order to be eligible for the certificate.**

Application

Scale your Impact is a free program with the generous support of the Vancouver Foundation. There is a maximum of 24 participants in this program, and seats in the program are secured through a simple application process. To apply for the program, please go HERE to submit your application.

Given the limited spots in the program, we encourage you to apply early to save your seat. Please note that we are only able to accept a maximum of 4 people per organization due to size limits.

For more information, email Lisa Gibson at lgibson@cnh.bc.ca or Maria dela Cruz at mdelacruz@cnh.bc.ca.

About the instructors

Lisa Gibson (she/her) is a facilitator, coach and systems change consultant. She specializes in helping people and groups bring their whole hearts forward in creating a more just, caring, and sustainable world. With over 20 years experience in local and international work at multiple scales, she specializes in working with individuals, organizations, and communities to embed systemic change, transform belief systems, and construct alliances across diversity. Lisa is a founding instructor of the Scale Your Impact Certificate and of Simon Fraser
University’s Social Innovation Certificate program. She lives with her family on the unceded ancestral Coast Salish lands of the əsəlil̓wətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), & Sḵwx̱wú7meshsi (Squamish) Nations.

Maria dela Cruz (siya/she/they) is a Systems Change Community Developer with CNH; a trauma informed decolonizing anti-oppression certified executive coach and facilitator; a peacemaking circle practitioner; and a founding member of the Fierce Filipinx Femmes Ancestral Circle (FFFAC), on the unceded sacred ancestral territories of the Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations. Maria is the Vice President of the board of directors of WAVAW as well as her co-operative housing board. She also provides sliding scale or pro bono coaching and leadership empowerment to women, femmes, and youth in transition.
August 20, 2021
Nootka rose honours lives lost during pandemic
Over the last year, many of us have lost loved ones and neighbours. Regardless of whether the cause of death was COVID-19, an overdose or any other cause, losses during this time have been especially hard because we haven’t been able to gather or travel to participate in funerals, or give each other hugs.

In honour of those who have lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, RISE Community Health Centre and Community Development—both departments of Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH)—organized a planting ceremony at the Norquay Food Forest (2732 Horley Street) on May 3, 2021.

The ceremony was led by Elder Eugene Harry (XiQuelem). Together, we planted a Nootka rose.

The memorial Nootka rose is accessible to all. It is a place to honour, find solace, and reconnect to the land. We encourage you to visit the site, with safety in mind, to pay your respects in whatever way is meaningful to you. Whether that means weeding around the rose bush, leaving behind a special stone or feather, or even to simply sit on a bench and enjoy the birds.

About the Nootka rose

The Nootka rose, also known as the wild rose, was chosen for the planting ceremony to symbolize the heart medicine that many of us need during this pandemic.

The Nootka rose is native to the Pacific Northwest coast. As a perennial, multi-stemmed shrub that spreads to form patches by underground shoots, the plant speaks to the interconnectedness that we have with each other. We
chose a plant to represent the medicines that we need today and what we are seeding to nurture as medicines for
future generations.

From all walks of life, we are connected by the pandemic. As the years come and as this rose plant gets established, we chose a plant we can share shoots with so that community members can keep sharing in the heart medicine.

The Nootka rose is low maintenance, and prefers full to part sun and moist soil, but is resilient in tolerating a variety of growing conditions. In the wild, the Nootka rose is common along forest edges, sunny fields, hedgerows and moist ditches. When grown in, the bush stands tall and full of heart-shaped petals. A reminder to open our hearts and that we always have a plant relation we can lean on.

The Nootka rose bush offers a diverse range of healing properties. The roots, leaves, flowers and fruits of the plant are edible. In the spring, you can harvest the leaves, roots, and stems. The flowers can be harvested throughout the summer and the fruit after the first frost.

The scent of the rose calms the senses as well as the skin. Both the petals and hips are often used in many therapeutic cosmetic preparations and contain volatile oils that are soothing and uplifting and aid to relieve states of depression and broken-heartedness. The fruits of the rose are fleshy red hips that are pear shaped. Rosehips are gathered in the autumn after the first frost and are generally dried for use as a tea, jam and jellies. The hips are high in vitamin C and a good medicine to help us to stay healthy in the winter, fight off colds and flus, keep regular and absorb our iron intake.

The Nootka rose is a reminder to take care of our wholistic wellness and those around us.

The original planting ceremony was livestreamed online. To view the event, visit CNH on Facebook. We also encourage our community to support the newly planted Nootka rose by watering the soil around the roots.
- Elder Eugene Harry (XiQuelem) stands next to the site of the Nootka rose during the planting ceremony.
- Flowers and stones decorate the site of the rose bush.
- The Nootka rose in full view.
- A handmade plaque shares the purpose of the bush.
- Elder Eugene Harry (XiQuelem)’s drum leans against a fence.
June 29, 2021