Around the ring

Donations sought for fire victim

The June fire in Oak Bay that levelled a Dalhousie Street house also destroyed the home of a UVic employee. Marnie Coulter, development officer for the faculty of human and social development, was renting a suite in the home. Coulter was holidaying on Canada's east coast when the disaster struck and didn't learn of her loss until a week after the fire. Unfortunately, she didn't have insurance and lost everything. While devastated by the loss, she's grateful for assistance efforts already underway by colleagues at UVic. Michelle Connolly in the dean of human and social development office and Birgit Castledine in the development office are receiving cash donations. A trust fund has also been established in Coulter's name at the legal firm of Woodward and Company, 844 Courtney Street, Victoria, V8W 1C4. Donations of household items may be brought to room A102, Human and Social Development Building. Please keep larger items you wish to donate at home and e-mail (mdc@uvic.ca) or phone (721-8050) Connolly with a description of the item and she'll pass the information along to Coulter.

Learning blossoms with new garden
A native plant garden established this spring will give students of the environment another campus location to practise their field skills. The native plant study garden, located between the Sedgewick and Centre for Innovative Teaching, has been planted in memory of Dr. Lorene Kennedy, a botanist who left a substantial gift to UVic's school of environmental studies. The school collaborated with facilities management staff on the garden, which contains indigenous plants such as Garry oak, ocean spray, huckleberries and sedum, many of which have ethnobotanical significance to local native groups. The garden was formally dedicated at the end of May but is still a work in progress-grounds staff will continue planting when cooler weather arrives in the fall. It's one of many campus projects to enhance and restore native ecosystems.

Thanks, from the 24-Hour Relay
Charlayne Thornton-Joe (right), co-chair of the Vancouver Island 24-Hour Relay for the Kids, presents a plaque to UVic team co-captains Kelly Ignacio (left) and Dr. Craig Pinder (seated), vice-president of development and external relations, for the university's sponsorship and many hours of organization for the event. The relay, now in its ninth year, is the largest annual fundraising event on Vancouver Island. Proceeds go to the B.C. Lions Easter Seals summer camp for disabled kids. This year the relay raised $520,893, with UVic's team contributing $3,300. "These kids get a week at camp that impacts them amazingly," says Thornton-Joe. "It's much bigger than just running."