Fall highlights: october- december 2022

Between September 6th and December 13th, Monica Hofer taught thirteen Intermediate African Hand Drumming classes at Errington Hall. Many of the eighteen people who comprise the Intermediate class have been part of this drum circle for four or five years, and the group is quite advanced. Each week, they energetically explore complex rhythms together. 

Following the African Hand Drumming class, Monica teaches a half-hour dun class, which is open to those who take her Intermediate Drumming class. Dun is a type of African bass drum played with drum sticks. Nine dun sessions were offered this fall. Fewer dun sessions were offered because most of the drummers were travelling for the first month of classes. As the dun class is smaller, absences can have a large impact on the class. Throughout the fall, a few late registrants joined the class. By the time the classes wrapped up in December, the dun class was full with eight participants. 

Because of snow, the November 29th drumming class had to be cancelled. It took the recreation coordinators some time to sort out snow credits and refunds.

    The first week of October is Active Aging Week. This year’s event was six days long, and forty-two activities were offered by twenty different host organizations throughout Oceanside. ACRA hosted a special Sole Sisters Walk at Little Qualicum Falls. In total, twenty-six walkers attended this walk, two of whom were new people who heard about Sole Sisters because of Active Aging Week.  

The four women who comprise the Beyond Beginner Adult Marimba class continue to have rehearsals every second week at the Bradley Centre. This fall, they enjoyed seven music-making afternoons.

Initially, two workshops with Peter Kurelja had also been scheduled, but one was cancelled for snow and the other was cancelled because of sickness. Because Peter returned to university in Victoria in early January, it was not possible to reschedule the workshops.

  On October 31st, the 52ndannual Coombs Candy Walk was held at the Coombs Fairgrounds. This was the first indoor event since 2019, and the theme was “When the Toy Box Comes Alive.” Each room in the Candy Walk interpreted the theme in a slightly different way and exhibits included famous toys, teddy bear picnic, farmyard, Lite-Brite and toy cars. Estimated total attendance was 650, which is consistent with past numbers. 

Over the past few years, there have been some community concerns about the firework, so this year, the committee decided to explore some alterative entertainment options. Mezzi Rising, a professional hoola hooper mesmerized youngsters and adults alike with her hoola hooping light show. Children’s musician Ian Johnstone captivated an audience of small ghosts and ghouls in the Arrowsmith Hall. The committee felt that live entertainment was just as delightful as fireworks, and the parking lot crew mentioned that traffic was much easier to manage without the 8:00pm fireworks rush.

This event requires a tremendous volunteer effort because to decorate the Chicken Barn; manage the exhibits; and staff the parking lot, concession, and haunted house. It truly takes a community to coordinate this event. Coombs Old Country Market donated the food for the concession. Mid-Island Co-op sent volunteers to assist with decorations. Coombs-Hilliers Fire Department managed the concession. Arrowsmith Agricultural Association donated the use of the grounds and built an impressive photo booth. Ballenas Dry Grad organized the Haunted House. Silver Meadows Farm donated the pumpkins. And many, many, many community volunteers shared their time. Special thanks go to the Jennah Stavroff for being such a vital piece of the planning committee.  

 On Friday afternoons at the Coombs Fairgrounds, Recreation Coordinator Keenan Bevan instructed the second installment of ACRA’s Preschool Play (ages 3-5) and Child’s Play gym (ages 6-10) programs. Youth leader Caelyn Corcione assisted, and the group delighted in an assortment of gym games, sing-a-longs, dances, and skill-building activities. Each class can accommodate twelve people, and ten children signed up for younger class and eleven joined the older class.

Six dates were scheduled, but the final class on December 23rd needed to be cancelled because of snowfall, and one Child’s Play session was cancelled because of low attendance.