Westshore Living June 25, 2023

Spanning an area all across Greater Victoria, Pacific went to both elementary and middle schools to do everything from Q&A’s to book readings to soccer drills and games.

Hoping to inspire the next generation of soccer players and fans, Pacific FC’s school visits program gives kids the chance to meet and hear from professional athletes about the skills it takes to do well in school and anything you look to accomplish later in life.

Take for example, Keating Elementary School. During Pacific’s visit to Keating, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère and Cédric Toussaint stopped by a French immersion classroom to provide the students with francophone role models in their community. The two players answered questions in French and read French-language children’s books to the kids before heading

The end of June brings the end of another school year

And this past year, Pacific FC looked to make a lasting impact in the community through its school visits program.

out for a soccer game on the field.

Through the program, students in the participating classes - as well as the entire school community - have the chance to come out to a Pacific FC match afterwards. There is also the option to be ball kids or player ambassadors and walk out on the pitch next to players they previously met in person.

Although a light summer in regard to home matches, there are still opportunities to take the whole family out for a match this July, August, and early September, and watch those soccer stars who could come into your school in the near future.

Once September rolls around and school is back in session, there will be further opportunities to see Pacific FC visit even more schools in the community. pacificfc.canpl.ca

Things to consider when choosing a kitchen faucet

From rinsing vegetables to cleaning sink corners, spray heads are another consideration and range from pull-out and pull-down heads attached to the faucet, or adjacent side sprays.

“How the spray pulls down is going to be dictated by the style,” says Dixson. “Brands with contemporary styles have spray heads close to the same diameter as the spout. With traditional and transitional, which tend to flare out, will fall more naturally into your hand; ultimately, the faucet’s style will a ect the dimensions and how it performs.”

AESTHETIC: PRODUCT DEPTHS, FINISHES

Product depths include things that might exist within the same space, like accessories or bar faucets, lighting and cabinetry.

“When you’re choosing a fixture, it’s being married with something else and we want to ensure they function together to maximize their performance in unison rather than just as a single item,” explains Dixson.

Before open-plan kitchens were commonplace, kitchen faucets were relatively inconspicuous and fixture selection garnered less ambition. Today, your kitchen

daunting task when

“The main factor to consider is whether it’s for a new construction or renovation. If you’re renovating, you’re often inheriting things that exist, whereas with a new construction, you’re starting fresh and have more control in the direction things go.”

Overall, you’ll want to consider your style preference, type of faucet you want (one lever or two handles), and your current sink configuration.

To help make shopping for your new kitchen faucet a more seamless and enjoyable experience, these considerations and model options address some common questions.

FUNCTION: PERFORMANCE, VERSATILITY

Functionality should guide your selection process. Think about the features that would make your tasks easier and more e cient.

“Some manufacturers have technology built-in, like Brizo’s (Delta’s inspired line) voice IQ,” says Dixson. “You can command the faucet to turn on and o , or anything from pre-mixed temperature to distinct temperature settings or measured amounts.”

The Hansgrohe Focus o ers hands-free technology as does the Blanco, with their touchless SOLENTA Senso, which includes a sophisticated start-stop technology that automatically shuts o after 90 seconds.

There are also models with SmartTouch technology, which allows you to simply touch anywhere on the faucet body or handle. This makes it easy to activate only when needed, helping reduce water usage, and providing convenience and control.

Black matte and chrome finishes are two constants that retain their popularity. Chrome is the most cost e ective, whereas black matte, brushed or satin nickel, or polished nickel or gold are more expensive.

“Brizo is the artwork on the countertop and their Tulham comes in exciting mixed finishes, which speaks to the new trend of having more than one finish in your kitchen.”

Every brand has their own interpretation of tones, so be mindful when matching other materials in your kitchen.

Other considerations are size, scope and placement. Consider if your sink is under a window, whether you want a clean horizon, a low profile without visual interruption, or a showpiece. For more information visit splashesonline.com

Consult a Splashes Bath & Kitchen expert to learn more about the best kitchen faucet for your needs, and view their exceptional selection of reputable brands and quality products at one of seven Vancouver Island showrooms, including Victoria at #101740 Hillside Avenue and Westshore at #315-895 Langford Parkway.

Honoring the legacy of John Patrick McManaman: McManaman family, Golf for Kids, and UVic collaborate to support aspiring students

IIn a new partnership, the McManaman family, Golf for Kids and the University of Victoria (UVic) have established a tribute to the late John Patrick McManaman. Starting in September 2023, an endowment created on behalf of the McManaman family will be awarded annually to an undergraduate student at UVic’s Gustavson School of Business who is pursuing their Chartered Professional Accounting (CPA) designation.

Golf for Kids, a Victoria-based fundraising organization dedicated to assisting local children in need, is proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary on September 9. Established in 1997 as an initiative aimed at raising funds to aid a single young girl, the event has evolved into a formidable force, accumulating a total of $9.5 million in donations for various local children’s charities. This year’s upcoming event, presented by Don Mann Excavating Ltd., part of the Mann Group of Companies, is expected to raise an additional $1 million.

John McManaman, a pivotal figure in the establishment of Golf for Kids in 1997 and the organization’s long-serving treasurer, was born in Penticton before later settling in Victoria in 1966. Remembered as an exceptional and talented athlete, John played varsity sport for UVic and subsequently earned his chartered accountant designation.

The endowment and award pay tribute to John’s impact on Golf for Kids, his lifelong love of athletics and his commitment to supporting future accountants.

“We are honored to collaborate with the University of Victoria and establish this meaningful partnership in memory of John Patrick McManaman. As event organizers for Golf for Kids, our primary goal has always been to support local children in need, and this partnership allows us to extend that support to aspiring students at UVic,” says Dale Douglas and Murray Stewart, Golf for Kids co-founders. “We are grateful to the McManaman family

for their trust and generosity, and we believe that through this initiative, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of deserving students as they pursue their academic and professional dreams.”

The McManaman family expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to celebrate John’s legacy through the establishment of the award.

“Our family is very grateful to our friends at Golf for Kids for generously funding this award so that we may continue to celebrate and honour John’s legacy and his true passion for helping others.”

The award will be given to a UVic student in their third or fourth year, recognizing their exceptional dedication to their studies, community sport and their active pursuit of the CPA designation.

To learn more about how to apply for the award, please visit uvic.ca. For additional information about Golf for Kids, go to gol orkids.net

Why CHIP Over HELOC?

Just one of the questions

Van Isle Energy Star and Rebates

Founded in 1978, Van Isle Windows Ltd. has played an integral part in Vancouver Island’s and the Gulf Island’s renovation and new construction industries. As the largest vinyl window and patio door manufacturing company on Vancouver Island, they are in the unique position to not only deliver locally built products, but also to provide e cient and timely customer service. Their factory, based in Victoria at 404 Hillside Avenue, manufactures all their products on a custommade basis and the windows and patio doors are built with the highest quality materials.

Every unit is expertly designed to meet the demands of our

West Coast climate. In January 2020 Van Isle Windows launched two unique ENERGY STAR®, high performance most e cient windows on the market today in this region, as recognized and awarded by Fenestration BC. The series qualifies for the rebates being o ered by the federal and provincial governments as the windows require a U-factor of 1.22 or lower.

The lower the U-factor number, the better e ciency and upgrading your old windows to high performance windows couldn’t happen at a better time with all the various rebate programs currently being o ered. The three programs include the Income Qualified Clean BC rebates (up to $9,500) or

Regular Clean BC (up to $2,000), the federal government’s Greener Homes rebates (up to $5,000) as well as the interest free loan tied to the Greener Homes rebates (up to $40,000 over 10 years).

Customers must meet certain criteria to be eligible for these rebates, and it’s up to the customer to secure the rebates, but if you are interested in energy e cient windows and reducing your carbon footprint, call Van Isle Windows. By talking with one of their extremely knowledgeable sales consultants

about these three program requirements, you will be guided on the process on how to both access and benefit from these rebate initiatives.

All the products manufactured by Van Isle Windows Ltd. carry a complete lifetime warranty on installed products. And because they manufacture their products on Vancouver Island, customers can deal directly with the company, never needing to go through a third party. vanislewindows.com