The Clay Hub

Great Change Begins Small

Submitted by Icel Jane Dobell

AChief, a Mayor, two MLAs, an MP, business leaders, Councillors, and 260 people attach their names to an article about adults bullying two children in our Valley (Unmasked: The Pandora’s Box Of The Valley). The story is personal and universal about abuse in our community. It strikes a chord. Emails come in about other bullying around the Valley, especially of children and teens.

The article is written out of faith that most people are

sickened by abuses growing epidemic and would speak

out, but feel powerless. The story, with a sign-up, is published in the belief that hundreds will sign on to show the children and their family that abusers are the minority and most people would stand behind or in front of the children. What now?

The grandfather of the abused children and I talk about whether the story is meant to go further. He is First Nations, I’m not. It makes no difference. We have a vision; a vision has us. We make a plan: go day by day; wait for signs.

During a pandemic, during apocalyptic smoke, during these dark times, when

leaders and citizens begin to stand together against abuse, and people put their businesses on the line—it’s a sign the times are changing.

Keep going.

Like many, we believe change in the world begins small and grows. We believe the most

important thing is to set an example for our children, have a round table, at the dinner table, sign on against

bullying as a family. Too many children know about abuses.

There are dark forces—there always have been. To rise above the darkness requires commitment, compassion, courage, coming together.

So what are we waiting for? Some visionary leader to show us the way? Some time? Later? There is no later, there’s only now and no one will lead the way unless it begins with you, me, us, together.

There are many devoted people working to end bullying in our Valley. When they hear about others signing on, they say the same thing: It’s time we come together to make a change.

What if thousands of people in our valley, beyond all differences—gender, race, culture, religions, politics— and embracing all our differences, our strengths, weaknesses and experiences, signed on—actually put our names on the line as ready to take a stand against bullying, verbal and physical? What if most of our local businesses, clubs, teams, organizations, schools, also signed on? What

if you put your name on the

line? You think it can’t make a difference?

As in the movies and fairy tales, so too in life—change begins not with knowing the ending but by simply beginning. To sign on to a beautiful beginning go to https://www.wheredowestand. ca/bullying

• All things natural and beautiful for you and your children • Beautiful and inspiring books for all ages and levels of interest • Wonderful organic merino/silk, wool clothing from age 0 - adult • Wooden toys, puzzles, games, silks, dolls, cards, calendars, prints • Birthday rings, craft kits, musical instruments and much more. • Painting, drawing, knitting wool, felting, beeswax, craft & lots handwork books & supplies Ph: 250-597-4763 ~ Located next to the Community Farm Store

Amazing books, supplies, resources and inspiration for homeschoolers, teachers, parents, carers and all “students of life”. (SOL) - We hope to see you soon!

READY OR NOT, FALL HAS COME, IT’S TIME FOR MORE LAYERS! Drop by and see our selection of organic wool bonnets, hats, mittens, leggings, sweaters, coats and wool/silk underlayers for the whole family. TO FEEL WOOL IS TO FEEL WELL!

Here at the Freya-Sophia Waldorf store we are inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner and committed to meeting the soul needs of our children and our community by providing books, toys, supplies, resources, classes, workshops, instruction, support and conversa-tion to those who visit us. We are here to help and to support. We are happy to accommodate orders by phone or email; we can ship your orders by mail or accommodate driveby pickup.

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New Hours OPEN 11-3 MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY Closed Sundays and Stat Holidays.

“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

Isabel Wyatt is known for her magical storytelling style, and for her love of historical tales, legends and myths. She wrote more than a dozen children’s collections that have become classics for a Waldorf-inspired curriculum. Our selection of books for all ages is growing daily, we hope you will come visit us soon. Open 11—3 Monday through Saturday.

ACUPUNCTURE MASSAGE THERAPY HERBAL MEDICINE Online Booking & Direct Billing www.pestleandpins.com

DR. KEVIN IANSON, Dr.TCM (R.Ac) AMANDA KNAPP, R.TCM.P (R.AC) CHELSEA RANEY, R.TCM.P (R.AC) EVAN MONCRIEFF, RMT

4705 Trans Canada Hwy I 250-889-9066 I Whippletree Junction

Island Hellerwork & Somatic Counselling ALIGN - CONNECT - EMBODY

NAN C. DESIGNS FELTING CLASSES ARE NOW ONLINE!

Local fibre artist Nan.c has so missed felting with a community in her bi-monthly classes during covid, that she has taken the classes online.

The first release of the series is an adorable and easy-tofelt little hedgehog. A great project for beginners both young and old. A cute little hedgehog can be felted in about 2 hours by felting along with the videos in this course. The course is broken up into 7 step-by-step video tutorials and printable templates that will break down everything into easy steps that you can follow. You can watch the video lessons at your own pace, pause, stop, replay any part of the videos, allowing you to master and perfect your felting techniques.

Nan.c teaches a super easy way to make those tricky hedgehog spikes, and you can use up that ball of wool yarn you’ve had in your stash for awhile. Don’t be afraid to make them in any colour, or visit a local yarn store like All Tied Up in Duncan for the yarn. If you’re new to felting, roving and felting needles can be purchased on the nan.c designs website, for mail out or local pick up.

There is also a supportive private facebook community in which to get additional support, advice and brainstorming help from other felters in the same course. It’s a great place just to share and see everyone’s adorable hedgehogs come to life.

Sign up for the course at www.nancdesigns.ca and watch out for the next course being filmed now: a lovely barn owl.

Heal Trauma Increase Vitality Improve Posture & Alignment Freedom From Chronic Pain & Injury Improve Movement & Flexibility Heal Anxiety & Depression Better Sports Performance

islandhellerwork.com I 250-661-1687

ZUUL - DESTROYER OF SHINS - An exceptional armoured dinosaur

Dr. Victoria Arbour, Curator of Palaeontology at the Royal BC Museum, will be giving a presentation on dinosaurs at the October 20th (7:00 pm) meeting of the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Society .

Dr. Arbour is a vertebrate palaeontologist specializing in dinosaur anatomy, systematics, and evolution. She joined the Royal BC Museum in 2018, following a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum, and a postdoctoral appointment at North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Dr. Arbour is the leading expert on the palaeobiology of armoured dinosaurs known as ankylosaurs. She has named several new species, including Zuul crurivastator – Zuul, after the Ghostbusters monster of the same name, and crurivastator, meaning ‘destroyer of shins’ in Latin, in reference to its sledgehammer-like tail club. In 2019, she co-authored a book, Zuul: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur with colleague Dr. David Evans (Temerty Chair of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Royal Ontario Museum). This book explores the discovery of a spectacular armoured dinosaur skeleton and what it reveals about the evolution and biology of these unusual dinosaurs.

In 2019, Dr. Arbour identified the first dinosaur species unique to BC named Ferrisaurus sustutensis – which means “the iron lizard from the Sustut River”, a reference to its discovery on the BC Rail line along the Sustut River. The new species is a hornless, parrot-beaked, plant-eater closely related to the Triceratops. By studying these bones and other fossils from the same region, Dr. Arbour is learning what BC was like during the age of dinosaurs, 67 million years ago.

If you would like to learn more about these fascinating dinosaurs and the work of Dr. Victoria Arbour please join the Zoom talk by Emailing cmilo@telus.net for the link. You do not have to be a member of the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Society to enjoy this presentation.