April 2020 Parksville & Qualicum Beach What's On Digest

TAKE ONE WWW.WHATSONDIGEST.COM

APRIL 2020 | ISSUE 91

PARKSVILLE, QUALICUM BEACH & AREA

Broombusters PAGE 16 ECHO Players PAGE 22

Green Shirt Day PAGE 25

COVID-19

ANNOUNCEMENT Every event comes from an idea and a need, and those things haven’t stopped for Whats On Digest.

The last few weeks have flung society as we know it into a flurry of change and decision paralysis.

From becoming sanitary servants, to the opportunist re-inventing themselves, the world has tipped and everyone is struggling to keep their footing.

But some things never change, no matter what is happening around us. Humans are curious and resourceful creatures, when one door shuts we search for another to open, where opportunity exists we will venture towards it.

Because our business has always been to bring people together in participation, and to build community through entertainment, fun activities and an abundance of life that is what we will continue to do.

None of those things have changed. Over the next month, and maybe more we will capture some interesting, new things that people are doing to keep themselves and their virtual community entertained. We will share with you, the businesses that have pushed all the boundaries on ingenuity and are continuing to offer products and services.

You will be able to continue following the What’s On Digest by subscribing to our newsletter or on our social media platforms.

We look forward to keeping you connected. ~ Tom Alexander, Parksville, Qualicum Beach Publisher

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER visit whatsondigest.com and click "Subscribe"

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PROUD TO SUPPORT & PROMOTE COMMUNITY EVENTS & PROGRAMS.

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Have an event?

Want to advertise?

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ADVERTISING BOOKING DEADLINE

May Issue April 10, 2020 EVENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE

May Issue April 15, 2020 Submit events at whatsondigest.com PUBLISHER

Tom Alexander 778-400-9051 publisher@whatsonpqb.com WRITER

Brenda Gough stories@whatsonpqb.com

FEATURES 8 22 25

Broombusters ECHO Players Live Theatre Green Shirt Day

SECTIONS 4 6 18 19 24

Days to Remember in April Things to do What’s On Screen Eco Friendly Crafts Restaurant Directory

ALSO INSIDE Whats On Digest Parksville/Qualicum Beach edition is published by Do Stuff Media with permission of Whats On Digest Ltd.

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Trivia Questions What’s The Dif

Mailing Address: PO Box 411, Parksville, BC, V9P 2G5 778-400-9051 What's On Digest provides event information as a complimentary service. Events listed or mentioned have been compiled from sources considered to be reliable.

What's On Digest recommends that you contact the business or organization before attending their event to confirm date and other details. The publisher does not assume responsibility for omissions or errors in event listings and articles and may not be held responsible for the accuracy of event information.

ON THE

COVER Oceanside Family Health & Wellness Fair, Saturday, March 21.

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MONTHLY EVENTS

whatsondigest.com

DAYS TO REMEMBER

IN APRIL SPECIAL ALL MONTH Be a Donor Month

Canadian Cancer Society

IBS Awareness Month

Daffodil Days Cancer Awareness Month

National Oral Health Month National Dentist Hygienists Week - April 6-12th

Parkinson Canada Parkinson’s Awareness Month

National Medical Laboratory Week - April 21 to 27

SPECIAL DAYS 1

April Fools Day

13 FND Awareness Day

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National Sourdough Bread Day

16 Ntnl Wear Your Pajamas

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National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day

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World Autism Day

to Work Day 17 World Hemophilia Day

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National Find a Rainbow Day

17 Haiku Poetry Day

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Palm Sunday

18 Velociraptor Awareness Day

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National Teflon Day

19 National Garlic Day

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National Tartan Day

20 National Look Alike Day

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World Health Day

22 Earth Day

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National No Housework Day

23 World Book Day

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Vimy Ridge Day

24 National Pigs in a Blanket Day

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National Name Yourself Day

25 National Hug a Plumber Day

10 Good Friday

25 ANZAC day

12 Easter Sunday

28 National Superhero Day

13 National Sibling Day

28 National day of mourning.

13 Easter Monday

29 International Dance Day

13 National Blame Someone Else Day

30 National Bugs Bunny Day

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Things

To Do in a global pandemic

Life as we know it has changed. At least for now. We're pushing the boundaries on acceptable indoor body movement. We're discovering new wonders in all too familiar places. We're working on our inner habits and disciplines. So here's a list of things to do to get active, have fun, and stay connected in the COVID 19 Crisis.

Check them off as you go.

And then send a photo or video to share with your local community at info@whatsondigest.com

THINGS TO DO ISOLATION EDITION

devote to daily construction and gather round to race for the finish OR let it unfold over days and week with everyone having a go whenever they pass by.

Talent Show. What did kids do before before Netflix, iPads and the Nintendo Switch while parents sat around the table chatting about boring stuff... They made skits, dramas, recitals and songs to put on show before getting sent to bed. And why should kids have all the fun?

Table Hockey & Fooseball. These classic icons have been taking up 3-6 sqft of your spare room for long-enough! April 2020 is their moment to shine. Up the entertainment factor by picking a play-byplay announcer and a handy smart-phone video operator. Share your match on social media to supply your community with a hilarious replacement of the big-leagues.

TRIED & TRUE These classic rainy-day distractions can inspire nostalgia for any generation.

Share memories with great-grandma while passing them down to the next generation.

Build A Fort. It's fun AND educational!

Explore, learn, and teach the kids about the engineering innovations, technicalities, and limitations of the perfect blanket/chair/couch/ cushion/mattress/lampshade combinations.

Once you've established your cave-like shelter, plugin the fairylights, pop some pop-corn, unroll the sleeping bag, and find a movie on your phone or novel to read allowed and share a fortified night on the living room floor with your viral-survival buddies.

Puzzle-Time. Jig-saw puzzels. Take. Time.

But finishing one together is surprisingly satisfying. Find a surface that your can

Guess Who. The classic board game might not be in your posession. But you can play the game without the visual componenet by using characters everyone in your household is familiar. Pick a theme like your favourite books, TV shows, or extended family. Find a partner or go around in a circle answering yes or no questions until the name of every secret character is discovered.

Playing Cards. In the age of streaming media and online video games, classic card games are becoming a lost art. Hearts, Euchre, Cribbage, Rummy, Crazy 8s Down The Line, Cheat, Draw The Well Dry, Old Maid, President, Spoons, and our personal favourite, King Mao (or just Mao) are just a few. Ask your grandparents which card games they grew up with and rekindle a love for a plain olf deck of 52 playing cards.

Schoolyard Handball. A largely forgotten game in Canada but still popular around the world. All you need is a tennis ball and an open cemented area like a garage or

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driveway. The concept is similar to volley ball or tennis. Use tape, chalk, or charcoal to mark the floor with contiguous squares; one foreach player. (appx 6ft x 6ft wide).

Determin which square is the king, queen, jack, 10, etc. Use your hand as a raquet to bounce the ball in your square toward your opponent's square. They must bounce it back to an opponent with only one bounce allowed per square. If a player misses the ball or if the ball bounces more than once in their square, they switch places with the person in the next lower square. (E.g. A person in the king square witches with the person in the queen square. The person in the queen square switches places with the person in the Jack square.) The champion of this game is a person that starts in the lowest square, switches all the way up to the king square, and can not be switched out of it.

HIDE AND HUNT Adults and kids and can try these creative spins on the classic family favourite, 'Hide & Go Seek.'

Photo-fig Hunt. Hide figurines peeking out from conspicuous places around your house and yard. Using your smart phone to take a cryptic snapshot for every figuring your hide, revealing only the most subtle surrounding details. If you have a wide age gap between participants, designate specific figurines/hiding places to specific ages. Show the photos to everyone so they know what they're looking for and let the games begin.

When more advanced players find figurines designated to beginners, start a game of hotter-colder to help the beginners out.

Ugly Trinket Caching. Find that small, ugly trinket your 8 year old nephew purchased for your birthday at a garage sale 2 years ago and take turns with a partner to hide it somewhere in your partner's everyday

routine. Check on it every now and then.

When it goes missing, it's your turn to search. When you find it, hide it again and wait for it to go missing. This game doesn't have to stop after your isolation.

Some claim to have kept it alive for years.

Fortune Caching. Elevate morale with the same snippet of satisfaction found in a fortune cookie. Only with the added intruige of a Treasure Hunt. Start by writing inspirational quotes, love notes, or existential axioms on tiny post it notes or sticky labels. Then hide those lables in your house and yard (draws, cupboards, under-tables, behind blinds, the inner edge of a door) to inspire your fellow in-mates. You may be stumbling upon them for years to come!

WILD AT HEART Isolation can feel like a cage if your like to release animal the inner-beast. Here's a few ideas to give your animal-side some air-time.

Fashion Show/Dance Party. Setup your living room with a cat-walk, lamp-shade spotlights, and party decor. Crank those the party tunes and set your smolder from stun to kill. When everyone has had a chance to show off their choice of evening robes (pyjamas, ball-gowns, animal costumes.) Form a circle and copy each others wildest dance moves.

DYI Photobooth. Before the front-facing camera, arcade style photobooths furnished the isles of malls and tourist traps. Make your own by experimenting with bed-sheet CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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SPOTLIGHT

whatsondigest.com

April 10 - May 25

Broombusters A grassroots group in the Oceanside area has been working hard for 14 years to end a war against the noxious plant

Story by Brenda Gough

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cotch Broom is a bully.

It is wily and tough and does not belong here.

Way back in 1850 Captain Walter Grant settled on Vancouver Island and planted a few broom seeds on his parcel of land in Sooke.

Who knew the highly invasive weed would spread north rapidly and densely across Vancouver Island and all across the Pacific Northwest crowding out native plants and wild flowers, threatening farm land and the re-growth of forests.

A grassroots group in the Oceanside area has been working hard for 14 years to end a war against the noxious plant the British army captain unknowingly started so long ago and spawning a dramatic loss of biodiversity.

Joanne Sales the Director of Broombusters Invasive Plant Society has been leading the battle against the aggressive yellow scourge since 2006 and she is hoping that even more volunteers will arm themselves with loppers and take the bully down.

She said with so many people unable to work during the CVID-19 pandemic perhaps even more volunteers will join the mission to eradicate broom from April 10 to May 25 because this is something they can do.

“More people are home in their communities looking for something to do. This is the perfect year to clear your community of broom,” she emphasized.

She said anyone willing and able to cut

broom is invited to volunteer with the Broombusters Invasive Plant Society but this year is unique, as social distancing requires that we stay apart so there will no longer be groups of people doing community cuts.

“Usually we choose locations for community cuts. But this season, we'll choose locations, but volunteers will go out on their own to cut the broom.”

Broom is a prodigious seed producer. The seeds have hard coats enabling them to survive in the environment for up to 80 years.

A single broom plant can produce up to 18,000 seeds which remain viable in the soil for 30-40 years.

Broom changes the chemistry of the soil around it so that other plants can't grow there. It spreads and grows quickly, creating dense monocultures.

Broom is a particularly serious threat to the biodiversity of Vancouver Island and the surrounding Gulf Islands, eliminating native plant communities that birds, butterflies and other animals rely on for habitat.

Broom is also particularly flammable and creates a fire hazard.

Once established it forms dense brush fields over six feet tall diminishing habitat for many species of animals.

Areas with dense broom shade out and kill native grassland plants and wildlife suffers as the growth becomes too dense for even quail CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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THANK YOU

to all the essential service and healthcare workers helping to keep our communities safe Our hearts are in the window in solidarity, support and love.

Bayside Resort Parksville

240 Dogwood St, Parksville 250-248-8333

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Things

To Do in a global pandemic

backgrounds and lamp-shade lighting. Cram as many people in as you can, and take 18 photos of suprise poses and silly faces WITHOUT looking at the screen. (It's not about looking good. It's about capturing the moment.) Pro-tip: Use an app like 'Layout from Instagram' to create that old photobooth look.

every colour.) Each player throws the dice, the one with the highest score can request a piece of clothing from each player until you are dressed all in the same colour. Use, hats, gloves, t’shirts, jackets, shoes, socks. The first person with every available colour wins!

Rubiks Cube Dinner | Team Version. Plan a week of dinners where every participant comes where only one colour; red, green, blue, yellow, orange, or white. (You don’t need every colour.) But DO NOT discuss who is wearing which colour. Co-ordinate your outfit and dress IN PRIVATE! You win the night when everyone comes dressed in a different colour. Pro-tip: Use black or denim to substitute for clothing that doesn't match your colour scheme.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF A New Un-do. If you've got no-where to go, and no-one to impress... Give your captive audience a laugh by doing something crazy with your hair. Try a ridiculous colour. Trying cutting your hair yourself. Put those corsair clippers to work.

Glow-splosion. Glow-ups are for highschool reunions and wanna-be insta-celebrities.

Add some dynamite to your make-up routine and maybe allow an extra 2 or 4 hours to cake your face with an inordinate amount of colour, contouring, lash enhancing and just random ornamentation. And this one doesn't have to be just for the ladies!

Rubiks Cube Dinner | 1for1 Version. Have a dinner night where each participant comes dressed in a combination of red, green, blue, yellow, orange, or white. (You don’t need

If you need to push ahead to feel alive, try these challenges to test your limits.

Inside Unplugged. Find your breaker panel and start switching. See how long you can last at home with no electricity. Candles for light, backyard fire-pits for hot meals.

And nothing but your hands and eyes for entertainment.

Battle of the Books. Connect with some bookworms at home or online and establish your personal goals. 3 books a month? 1 book a week? 5 books a day. Each person pledging to their own goal for the next 30 days. Include the title of each book in your commitment to keep things fair. Now divide the number of books you've committed to by 1000. (E.g.

1000 5 books = 200 points per book.) The first person to reach 1000 points wins the battle! Cheer each other on by sharing your discoveries from each chapter as you go.

Learn a Survival Skill. There is an abundance of water, proteins, nutrition, and minerals available in our Vancouver Island forests. Learning what is safe and what will keep you alive is a skill that every

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individual can/should know. Knots, tricks, and basic machines can also make the difference between life and death in a survival situation. Research information online at sites like northernbushcraft.com to learn individually, with family, or other room-mates.

Learn How To Code. COVID 19 has emphasized the benefits of digital technology.

Update your skills in the new digital workforce by investing your time in a free or inexpensive programming course like on Youtube or Lynda.com. All you need to start is access to the internet. If you don't know where to begin Try learning HTML. Then CSS. Then try Ruby on Rails, Python and Javascript.

Learn How To Draw or Paint. Draw cartoons, paint by numbers, learn henna art, paint your walls, draw a portrait. There are lots of tutorials online. Who know’s you might be good discover a hidden talent.

(You can start by checking out bobross.com)

Start A Memoir. Begin or end every day with a few words in a notebook or worddoc about a moment you remember. Start with a brief description about events and your actions. Then write down every sense you can recall; sights, sounds, smells and textures. Then try to record the emotions you felt; happy, sad, angry, proud, embarrased, etc. It will be hard at first but gets easier every time. Push through the wall when you feel like giving up the habit. You're saving yourself and others thousands of dollars in mental health therapy!

Dance Endeavour. The 80s 90s and 00s will go down in history as a moment when dancing ALMOST flatlined (props to b-boys and flashmobs.) But Gen-Z is picking up the batton with a new dance-moves sweeping the globe everyday. And the best place to find them is on the Tiktok app. Search for Oh Na Na Na, C-Walk , Renegade, Number One Baby, 7 Rings, Get Up, The Box, Don't Start Now / Full 180, Say So, Vibe- Cookie Kawaii, Out West, Gimme Some, Til the Morning.

And our favourite, Spooky Scary Skeletons.

Give them a try and share your attempt.

Juggle. Lets face it. It's impressive! We all know with a bit of practice you can do it.

You got this! Now challenge yourself and see if you can juggle and text at the same time. :) Take a look at Josh Horton world champion at jugglingwarehouse.com. Tag What's On Digest on Facebook or Instagram to share your progress with the community!

SHHHHHHH! Need to find some piece and quiet in a house full of crazy kids. Try these subtle silence enforcers.

Hide & Go Seek. You know it. Because it's fun. And it work. Everyone hides while one person counts to 30 with eyes closed.

When finished they announce "Ready or not, here I come!" Everyone stays as quiet as possible to avoid getting found, or being heard as they sneak around.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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and other ground birds to thrive.

Being slightly toxic and unpalatable it is browsed very little by livestock.

Broom quickly takes over disturbed areas along roadsides, railways, forest roads and rapidly covers fields, meadows and any deforested areas. It covers large expanses under power line corridors.

Scotch broom prevents reforestation, renders rangeland worthless and greatly increases the cost of maintenance of roads, ditches, power and telephone lines.

It has an enormous economic cost not only on Vancouver Island but worldwide.

In Oregon and Washington State, it causes around $100 million in agricultural and forestry losses, an enormous price to pay for some pleasant yellow flowers.

Those golden flowers may look attractive as they bloom throughout the month of April but right now is the best time to go to war against the alien invasive plant taking over huge areas of the Island.

Why is it better to cut broom in bloom?

According to Sales the plant is most vulnerable when in bloom, because the energy of the plant is above ground in the flowers. If cut at ground level, while in bloom, the plant usually dies because it cannot survive the summer’s extreme heat.

“It is more complex than we thought. In the spring the plant puts energy into the flower and the roots are weaker. Everyday folks go out in late spring to cut down Scotch broom plants and small infestations clearing their

own and neighbours properties, clearing roads, walkways and parks. We only work at this task while broom is in bloom,” she explained.

Sales said it is important to cut the broom before it goes to seed.

“Some invasive plants, you have to get every root out of the ground or it will re-grow… plants like knotweed and ivy. But with broom, a single plant is easy to kill…just by cutting. But a single plant can produce 18,000 seeds which survive in the soil for decades,” she pointed out.

Sales added the seeds won’t sprout unless they are exposed to the sun.

“So if we cut the broom plant and not pull it, the grasses and ground cover plants create shade and the seeds don’t sprout. If you pull the broom, you disturb the soil…the seeds see the sun and the seeds sprout.”

She said fortunately, broom is a soft woody weed and not difficult to cut but volunteers do need a tutorial before they can call themselves a Broombuster and in 2020 the group is going to war against the weed in a different way.

“This year we will choose “Cut Anytime” areas, where individuals can go on their own to cut broom. Broombusters will choose the areas and provide the tools. It is essential that anyone interested contact Broombusters before cutting. We need to prearrange the broom pick up and give clear instructions regarding cutting and stacking.”

In 2006 Broombusters started with six

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volunteers. In 2018 more than 500 volunteers cut broom for 5000 hours from Campbell River to Duncan and even Powell River and while they have made a huge impact, Sales said the broom is still a big environmental threat.

“We still need ten times that number of volunteers to get ahead of the spread. But we could do it for farms, forests and the future.

We need more farmland…not less. It is really hard to get broom out of a pasture. Better to not let it in. So, let’s get it off the roads.”

“We can’t seem to stop the deforestation from happening, but at the very least we need to protect the re-growth of tomorrow’s forests. When broom takes over, small trees are smothered. Trees can’t re-grow. In some parts of the world, like Southern New Zealand, broom has replaced what used to be forests. We must protect the forests of Vancouver Island for our children.”

In Washington State broom a Class B noxious weed. In California broom is a Class C noxious weed, which means the state attempts to control it, but it is up to volunteers to keep the plant from spreading on Vancouver Island.

Sales said her group is asking for just four or more hours of your choosing near where you live.

The requirements: Contact Broombusters so they can loan you loppers for the season, show you how and where to cut broom based on where you live, and explain such details as safety, how to stack the branches, etc. Then

you can go out and work in your designated area whenever you want, between April 10May 25, alone or at a safe distance from a friend or two.

“This is the perfect spring to get rid of the broom in your neighbourhood and for us to collectively take on areas where broom has spread out of control. These will not be community cuts, but they will be community efforts.”

Sales admitted that few people remember what the landscape actually looked like before Broombusters tackled the problem in Qualicum Beach.

“We took pictures. On Village Way we had to go in with chain saws it was so thick. Now people will see broom, but it is maybe 20 percent of what used to be in Oceanside. We have cut 75 percent of what was there and it is not coming back,” she stated.

She said invasive species is the second greatest threat to bio diversity on the planet but there are many other reasons why people should be concerned about invasive plants.

“Our eco system is a delicate balance. We need to protect the eco system because we love nature, and we are all part of nature. We should be concerned about bio-diversity.”

If you want to do something positive for native plants and animals visit: www. broombusters.org or email: Joanne Sales at: joanne@glasswing.com.

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Things

To Do

out local artist Alex Whitcomb online for ideas.

in a global pandemic

Hide & Go Seek Tag. If you have a large property, you can use the thrill of Hide & Go Seek to inspire some exercise. It's the exact same principle only when a hider sense they might soon be found, they can run away. The seeker only wins once all hiders have been tagged.

Murder in the Dark. All you need is the lights off and a flash light. Players are hiding and can continue moving around secretly until they are seen with the flashlight.

Pet Bearding. No, we're not talking about pet grooming. Pet bearing includes an optical illusion that you can make when photographing you and your pet together.

The illusion works when the photo captures your pet's nose and chin as they look back toward you so that your eyes are directly behind their nose and chin. The effect results in a nose, mouth and fury beard on the bottom half of your human head. It's hilarous. Post your photo online and tag What’s On Digest to share it with your community.

CRAFTY CREATIONS Put your right brain to work and get innovative and artistic with the resources at your disposal.

BE CONSTRUCTIVE Shape & Paint with Paper Mache. Flour, paper, water and white glue is all you need to get started. (Find advanced recipes online.)

Mix it all together and layering the paper around an intersting hollow object, like a balloon or carboard shapes. Once dry, it will hold it's shape as one solid object ready for painting. Pro-tip: Once you get the mixture and layering technique down, try experiementing with advanced sculptures.

Driftwood Creations. Find an unpopulated beach (there's plenty around) and collect some driftwood to make shapes and animals. Use wood screws and glue to create permenant sculptures for the yard and home decor. You will be surprised how quick and easy this is. Check

No excuses to put things off, use your new limitations to catch up on some valuable updates and projects.

Build Planter Boxes. Use any old wood laying around the yard to make a raised garden for dfresh herbs right in time for Mother's Day. The perfect opportunity to bond over some essential life skills.

Plant Vegetables. It's the perfect time to prepare the vegetable garden. Now more than ever we understand the importance of being self sufficient, teach your kids and yourself which vegetables to grow when, what natural fertilizers do we have around the house, and how to space vegetables when planting.

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Launch a webpage for family or friends.

Family members and volunteer groups can use them to share photo albums, news and record milestones. And building a webpage is MUCH EASIER than it used to be. Spending a day setting up a free webpage can help keep people connected, and memories alive. For photo albums try the Instagram app, Tublr. com, or Flickr.com to add endless photos with captions. For news and milestones try wix. com, squarespace.com, or wordpress.com Separate the Trash and Treasure. Dig out the antiques, and forgotten trash and treasures. Set aside the clutter that belongs at the dump. And create spaces to store your treasures with respect. Antique dealers can be contacted online for a one on one consultation to help you put a value on special items. Start by calling a dealer in your city.

VENTURE OUTSIDE Here on Van Isl, we're lucky to be surrounded by sparsely populated natural beauty. Enjoy it without becoming a burden on emergency services.

Jump on Wheels. You've never had a better excuse to get your knack back and make time for exercise. Rollerblading, Skateboarding, cycling. There are plenty of open places to do this while keeping a safe distance.

Safety Tip: Wear protective gear and avoid risky terrain to ensure an accident doesn't unnecessarily burden the health care system.

Trench Race. Find an unpopulated beach (there's plenty around) with sandy shores to create a canal of trackwork winding down the sandy slope with a shallow pit at the end. Release a handful of marbles at the top of the track to see which one makes it to the pit first. The more turns and the longer the track the more exciting this is. Watch an example at youtu.be/yOVyWwLy8Ls

Branchrood Boat Race. Find an unpopulated river-side (there's plenty around) and hunt down some unique looking fallen branches.

Decorate your brandes with sticks and leaves to resemble a boat. Determin a start and finish line and launch your Branchood Boat upstream. Experiment with different shapes and sizes to see which branches travel fastest.

Safety Tip: Be very careful to stay away from deep/fast-moving water, or steep slopes to ensure an accident doesn't unnecessarily burden the health care system.

Gardening. A simple and beloved activity. Gardening is good for the body and soul. And there's lots of ways to try something different.

ENTERTAINMENT While many sporting, music, and performing art events are cancelled, there's plenty happening online.

Waterfall Chasing. A perfect way to get out in rainy weather and enjoy Vancouver Island wonders from inside your car. Mark known waterfalls on a map and head out to see what surprise off-streams the rainclouds have produced. Highway 4 and Highway 28 are especially exciting!

Local Open Mics & Exhibits. Showcase your favourite music or art as performed by YOU! You can easily start a live video feed with apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok, Zoom, Google Hangouts or Marco CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Things

To Do in a global pandemic

Polo and make it as public or private as your want. You can even even setup groups and times with friends to collaborate a set of performances. Let us know about your upcoming live performance if you would like it to be announced by the What's On Digest!

Your Favourite Artists. Check on your favourite bands and artists online. Many of them are performing live from their own studios! Try catching these shows...

onto your big-screen for a househould adventure.

Jackbox Games. Play games with friends and family in your livingroom, or remotely.

All you need is your own mobile device to and a computer get started. Learn to play at jackbox.com.

Discover virtual museums. Discover history, art, science, nature and more through virtual exhibits from Canada’s museums and heritage organizations. Visit virtualmuseum.ca.

Travel The World. Virtually explore the Taj Mahal (India), Mont Blanc (France), Miniatur Wonderland (Germany), The Grand Canyon (USA), Galapagus Islands (Ecuador), The Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), The Great Barrier Reef (Australia), Venice Canals (Italy), and trails all over the world.

Visit google.ca/maps/about/treks/

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT. Performing daily via Instagram in a series he's calling "Musical Everydays."

THE BLUE JAY SESSIONS. Every Wednesday, 2 p.m. MT. Canadian musicians playing in songwriters’ rounds.

DAN MANGAN. Hosts a weekly Side Door-related show called #Quarantunes.

Every Saturday, 12 p.m. PT CAPE BRETON'S ASHLEY MACISAAC. Has put togather a "quarantine ceilidh. Enlisting country singer George Canyon and comedian Bette MacDonald to perom for the live stream series on MacIsaac's social channels. It kicks off on April 1st with other dates to be determined.

DISCOVER ONLINE The internet hosts 1,758,979,244. publicly accessible websites. Just in case you haven't seen them all yet. We're sharing some of our favourites. Share them

Make Music. If you have the Google Chrome web-browser on your computer, you can use the Chrome MusicLab extension to play with all sorts of free musical concepts.

It's fun for adults and kids! Visit musiclab. chromeexperiments.com

Trivia Questions

1 2 3 4 5

Vancouver Island’s 3rd largest City?

What is hypotension?

Face on U.S. five dollar bill?

What does hypodermic mean?

Results from the chemical interaction of iron, oxygen & water?

Answers found in this issue

17

We’re thinking of you and looking forward to seeing you soon! ~ Lefty

parksville

qualicum beach

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••• What’sOnScreen ••• Check out our top 20 shows streaming on your favourite subscription services

NOW AVAILABLE TO WATCH

THIS APRIL, 2020

1 SHAUN OF THE DEAD | 2004 Horror, Made Simon Pegg & Nick Frost in Europe, Comedy Edgar Wright 97% ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS 2 MIND | 2004 Drama, Romance, Science-Fiction Jim Carrey & Kate Winslet Michel Gondry 90%

14

4 ISLE OF DOGS | 2018 Animation, Comedy, Bryan Cranston Drama, Fantasy, Science-Fiction Wes Anderson 86% & Koyu Rankin MONEYBALL | 2011 Drama, Sport Manu Luksch 86%

RU PAUL | SEASON 12 6 86% Michelle Visage

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE | 2017 12 Miles Teller & Haley Drama, War & Military Jason Hall 73% Bennett PAUL | 2011 Science-Fiction, 13 Seth Rogen & Simon Pegg Comedy Greg Mottola 71%

3 BLACK PANTHER | 2018 Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Science-Fiction Chadwick Boseman & Michael B. Jordan 86% Ryan Coogler

5 Pitt

11 INK MASTER | RIVALS Reality Trial 18 Episodes 78% Dave Navarro

Brad

RuPaul &

PHANTOM THREAD | 2018 Romance, 7 Daniel Day-Lewis & Vicky Krieps Drama Paul Thomas Anderson 83% JUST MERCY| 2019 Drama, Crime 8 Destin Michael B. Jordan & Jamie Foxx 83% Daniel Cretton 9 FROZEN II | 2019 Animation, Comedy, Kids Jonathan Groff & Josh Gad & Family, Fantasy Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee 77% 10 BEYOND THE LIGHTS | 2014 Drama, Music Gugu Mbatha-Raw & Nate & Musical, Romance Gina Prince-Bythewood 77% Parker

MOBY DICK | 2017 Drama, Animation William Hurt & Ethan Hawke Mike Barker 70%

15 LOTS OF KIDS, A MONKEY AND A CASTLE William Hurt & | SEASON 1 Drama, Animation Mike Barker 70% Ethan Hawke 16 NEIGHBORS | 2014 Comedy Seth Nicholas Stoller 69% Rogen & Zac Efron NEIGHBORS | 2014 Comedy Seth 17 Nicholas Stoller 69% Rogen & Zac Efron 18 THE CONGRESS | 2013 Science-Fiction, Robin Wright & History, Drama, Animation Ari Folman 69% Harvey Keitel 19 DR. OAKLEY, YUKON VET | SEASON 7 Horror, Science-Fiction, Mystery & Thriller 2 Episodes 68% Michelle Oakley 20 THE BOSS BABY: BACK IN BUSINESS | SEASON 3 Action & Adventure, Comedy, Kids & JP Karliak & Miles Family, Fantasy, Animation 1 Episode 65% Bakshi

Did we leave out your favourite? Tell which show you think deserves a spot on our top 20. Write to info@whatsondigest.com

19

ECO FRIENDLY CRAFTS The desire to create eco-friendly and sustainable crafts, whether up-scaling a thrift store item or using sustainable materials in the project such as recycled materials or natural dyes.

Felting: Dig up some of that wool laying around. Needle felting has begun, by rolling up a small amount of wool and stabbing it with the felting needle. When the wool is stabbed it pulls the wool into itself. By stabbing the wool with the needle over and over while turning the wool it continues to pull and lock together and forming a shape. Order from your local craft or yarn stores.

Garden Rock Painting: Pick up some of the smooth rocks laying around the yard and on the beaches. Break out the paint and start painting faces or rock pets for the garden.

They make a great speaking piece.

Make a Bug Hotel: You can create a sort of condo hotel by using a wooden box or cut a 2ltr plastic bottle. Create sections with alternating types of filler, such as leaves, twigs, bark, wood chips, reeds, sticks etc.

Roll hollow tubes tightly so each tube is sealed.

Depending on the size of the hole will determine

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what sort of bugs that live there. Loop a piece of twine or yarn and hang from a tree or fence. how to at www.inhabit.com Seed bombs: Give back to mother earth with easy to make seed bombs. Blend together used scraps of construction paper, water, and seeds in a food processor, then form into tiny muffins. Let dry and then toss

in the ground. As the seed bombs receive sun and rain, the paper will eventually compost and the the seeds will germinate.

Mosaic from old CD’s Transform and old piece of wood, make a wind chime, frame or reface some scraped chargers. Nearly all of us have old CD’s laying around. Break them into pieces and start gluing, seal with a natural varnish from Earth Paint.

Jigsaw bowls: These bowls are fun to make and a great way to give new life to old puzzles. Simply stick together with glue, you can make different shapes with balloons, balls, old plastic plant pots etcetera, anything that can break away. Paint or Varnish to seal.

22

ECHO Players Live Theatre The ECHO Players Society is deeply grateful for the dedication and resilience of our membership and the overwhelming support we have received from the community during our current closure. Last month, the ECHO Players Board of Directors followed mandates set forth by local and provincial health authorities and shut down our performance space, The Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach. This brought our current season to an abrupt end, and caused the postponement of two ECHO Players productions.

We recognize the importance of the arts in our community, and the unprecedented shutdowns of so many cultural and artistic organizations impacts us all. We also feel for other small businesses in Oceanside as they struggle to keep afloat in extremely volatile economic times.

While our curtain is down and our theatre is dark, we still have a lot going on behind the scenes as we hope for the best, and continue to plan our upcoming 2020-2021 season. Once we are given the green light to reopen The Village Theatre and we can safely resume our activities, ECHO Players warmly invites you to join us for a wonderful and exciting new season of live community theatre.

With unique plays that span past, present and future, plus a yet-to-be-determined bonus production presented and the club’s perennial favourite comedy night, , ECHO Players’ new season shows that a little laughter, a little magic, and a healthy dose of human connection can help to heal us all.

Our first production of the season is , by Canadian playwright Joanna McLelland Glass.

Originally scheduled for this spring, will now open ECHO’s season with its hopeful message that love can be lovelier the second time around. Brimming with the romantic optimism of the post-war era, this comic love story features great characters, some back room tippling, gossip, hockey talk, salty language and even a local bordello. It’s a story you can’t help liking, and a hero you can’t help cheering for. ear promises extra sunshine when we all need it the most.

“Lord what fools these mortals be!” ECHO Players’ holiday offering this season is sure to be the stuff of dreams. A Midsummer Night s Dream by William Shakespeare promises a familyfriendly feast for the senses. Magic, mayhem and merriment abound in this timeless classic featuring fairies, mischievous mythical beasts, a goofy troupe of actors and a posse of youths in the first blush of love. Enjoyed by generations of theatre goers, and cleverly adapted for the modern age, it is sure to bring the warmth, merriment and magic of midsummer to your holiday season.

The third offering from ECHO Players is Matild Th M i l; a delightfully raucous romp, as told through the lens of five year old English schoolgirl, Matilda. Based on the story by Roald

23

Dahl, Matilda: The Musicalis the winner of more than 90 international awards, including 23 for Best Musical. Time Out Magazine says ‘Matilda: The Musicalis guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been a child.’

For the final mainstage production of the season, ECHO Players presents Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor’s How It Works. The play deals with timely coming-of-age topics and focuses on how we can begin to heal from hurtful experiences that hold us back by telling the stories behind them to others. Daniel MacIvor has written a smart, funny, powerful, compassionate play about the agonies of adolescence and of parenthood, about the mistakes we make and the second chances we’re sometimes lucky enough to get.

From the storeroom of a prairie hardware store to the sprite filled woods that surround us; from a library that comes alive to a search for humanity in Halifax, plus the added bonus of an ECHO Youth Players production and our ever-popular Spam & Maple Syrup (de Turd), ECHO Players offers our community an upcoming season filled with opportunitiestogrow, heal and connect once again through the performing arts. We are hoping to resume our ticket sales in July. Go to www.echoplayers.ca for information.

We thank you for your continued support in a rapidly changing world.

Dahl, Matilda: The Musicalis the winner of more than 90 international awards, including 23 for ECHO Players is a not-for-profit community theatre group which has been presenting live community theatre on the Village Best ‘Matilda: The Musicalis guaranteed to delight anyone TheatMusical. re stage for Time over 45Out yearsMagazine .Dahl, Matilda: The says Musicalis the winner of more than 90 international awards, including 23 for who’s ever been a child.’Best Musical. Time Out Magazine says ‘Matilda: The Musicalis guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been a child.’

For the final mainstage production of the season, ECHO Players presents Canadian playwright For the final mainstage production of the season, ECHO Players presents Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor’s How It Works. The play deals with timely coming-of-age topics and focuses on how we can begin to heal from hurtful experiences that hold us back by telling the stories behind Daniel MacIvor’s How It W o r k s .

The play deals with timely coming-of-age topics and focuses on them to others. Daniel MacIvor has written a smart, funny, powerful, compassionate play about agonies ofhurtful adolescence and of parenthood, aboutthat the mistakes we make and the second how we can begin to healthe from experiences hold us back by telling the stories behind chances we’re sometimes lucky enough to get. them to others. Daniel MacIvor has written a smart, funny, powerful, compassionate play about From the storeroom of a prairie hardware store to the sprite filled woods that surround us; from a library that comes alive to a search for humanity in Halifax, plus the added bonus of an ECHO the agonies of adolescence and of parenthood, about the mistakes we make and the second Youth Players production and our ever-popular Spam & Maple Syrup (de Turd), ECHO Players offers our community an upcoming season filled with opportunitiestogrow, heal and connect chances we’re sometimes lucky enough to get. once again through the performing arts. We are hoping to resume our ticket sales in July. Go to www.echoplayers.ca for information.

From the storeroom of aWeprairie hardware store the sprite thank you for your continued support in a to rapidly changing world. filled woods that surround us; from a library that comes alive to a search for humanity in Halifax, plus the added bonus of an ECHO Youth Players production and our ever-popular Spam & Maple Syrup (de Turd), ECHO Players offers our community an upcoming season filled with opportunitiestogrow, heal and connect once again through the performing arts. We are hoping to resume our ticket sales in July. Go to www.echoplayers.ca for information.

ECHO Players is a not-for-profit community theatre group which has been presenting live community theatre on the Village Theatre stage for over 45 years.

We thank you for your continued support in a rapidly changing world.

ECHO Players is a not-for-profit community theatre group which has been presenting live community theatre on the Village Theatre stage for over 45 years.

www.echoplayers.ca

www.echoplayers.ca

24

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Find 10 differences # 149 Ap20 ©1984-2020 Whats On Digest

25

Tuesday, April 7

Green Shirt Day

“Poor Old fool,” thought the gentleman as he watched an old man trying to fish in a puddle of water outside of the bar. He decided to invite the old man inside for a drink.

In support of organ donor awareness/ registration across Canada Story by Brenda Gough

As they sipped their whiskeys, the gentleman thought he’d humor the old man and asked, “So how many have you caught so far?”

A

lot of people these days are feeling frustrated that there isn’t more they can do to help out society during the COVID-19 pandemic but registering as an organ donor is something that can make you feel good while waiting for things to get back to normal.

Green Shirt Day, in support of organ donor awareness/registration across Canada takes place on Tuesday, April 7.

The campaign is aimed at inspiring one another by registering as donors and telling our families of our intentions.

The day is being held in honor of the Logan Boulet Effect and people are asked to wear green to remember the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy and the lasting impression it had on Canadians.

Green is the official color of organ/tissue donation and ironically the color of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team.

On April 6, 2018, people in Canada were heartbroken to hear the news of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Of the 29 passengers, sixteen lost their lives and thirteen will all bear physical and emotional scars for life.

On April 7, 2018, Humboldt Broncos defenceman Logan Boulet succumbed to his injuries. His parents offered to donate his organs so that six lives could live on. They did so because Logan told his parents he was registering as an organ donor and that he was inspired by his coach and mentor Ric Suggitt.

Suggitt passed on June 27, 2017 and was also an organ donor and saved six lives.

As news spread of the organ donations, more than 100,000 people registered to become organ donors in the days and weeks that followed.

The Logan Boulet Effect is leaving a lasting impression on Canadians.

Since 2018, hundreds of thousands have taken the important step of talking with their families about their wish to become an organ and tissue donor

The old man replied, “You’re the eighth today.”

What’s

The Dif

©

Answers: #149

1) Sock 2) Bush 3) Hole in BBQ 4) Bigger Tank 5) Moms Shirt 6) Spatula is Fork 7) Dads Hair 8) BBQ grill 9) Shoe Lace 10) Ear

Trivia Answers 1

Campbell River

2

Hight blood pressure

3

Lincoln

4

Under the skin

5

Rust

26

and many are confirming that decision by registering their intent to donate through their provincial organ donor registration system.

It’s suggested that for every person who registers their intent to donate, they speak with an average of four others about organ donation.

In Canada, almost 90% of Canadians say they support organ donation, but only 23% have actually registered their intent to donate.

Though donation rates have improved over the last ten years, there is more to be done as approximately 250 Canadians die annually waiting for an organ transplant.

Nanoose Bay resident Vince Ditrich knows personally how important it is to keep the conversation on organ donation going.

part of his life performing with has already lost one member and he has some big writing projects on the go so he doesn’t want to be another casualty of the pandemic.

Spirit of the West entered the music scene in 1983 with a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences that made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.

Ditrich joined the Vancouver based band in 1989 and until its disbandment in 2016; he continued to be the manager for Spirit of the West.

By this time he had been suffering from kidney failure for several years and missed some of the final performances.

In September 2014, John Mann the lead singer of the band announced that he had

"The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” ~ Kalu Ndukwe Kalu Ditrich is best known as the drummer and manager for the Canadian folk rock band Spirit of The West.

On the heels of the band’s retirement four years ago, Ditrich underwent a kidney transplant and although he is feeling good these days, he knows that is life is at risk if he contracts COVID-19.

Ditrich said he is trying to stay calm during the pandemic knowing that transplant recipients fall into the category of high risk and he is more vulnerable than most people.

“I am on massive anti-rejection drugs that I take twice a day. It immunosuppresses you making you more susceptible to the Coronavirus,” explained Ditrich.

When Ditrich received his kidney in 2016 he also had the bad fortune of contracting H1N1 which put his transplant in peril.

“H1N1 was the most hideous sickness. It is the Spanish flu. If I get Coronavirus I am dead,” he admitted.

Ditrich said the band that he spent a big

been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Mann died on November 20, 2019.

Ditrich said he is in good health these days and he is grateful that he received the gift of a kidney from his extended family after suffering renal failure in early 2014.

“I started doing dialysis in the beginning of 2015. I went through several years of intense inconveniences but some people suffer through decades of it. Like so many people with kidney disease I had no inkling.

It didn’t show symptoms until I was at about 10 percent function. It surprised me because I felt fine but I am diabetic. That is what propelled my kidney failure. All but one of my male cousins died of the disease.”

Ditrich said his niece’s husband gave his kidney to someone else so that he could get a kidney through a paired match donation program.

“He joined the registry after he realized I was having a hell of a time finding a match.

According to the National Kidney Foundation...

He went in and tested and didn’t tell me. He surprised me in the hospital. He said to me “by the way I am a match to do this. I can give mine away.” A few months later they said he is good to go and they found someone for you and now we are going to do the swap,” he described.

Ditrich who has been a Nanoose Bay resident for many years grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta where he honed his skills as a drummer at a young age.

“My first gig was April 4, 1969 on my 6th birthday. I played drums with my dad’s band at the German Canadian Club in Lethbridge, Alberta. I made $15 back then, same amount as they get now,” he chuckled.

These days Ditrich is spends most of his time writing.

The talented musician has always been a prolific writer but he is extremely excited to see what happens when a novel he wrote rolls off the press in March 2021.

Ditrich secured a three-book deal with a Toronto publisher late last summer.

His said his first book; The Liquor Vicar is a light hearted fictional novel bursting with musical references as well as a cast of vivid characters of the most Canadian type.

Ditrich said he leans towards humor and comedy so he will not be writing about his organ transplant experience.

“We need to think of bigger and better things than someone’s adventure through a transplant, but if I can help someone if they are frightened it would be my honor to help. I don’t want to glorify my journey. Yes, I almost died but how many people went to war and died? I encourage people to register as organ donors and be cadaver donors.”

people with kidney disease and transplant recipients are at higher risk for developing serious complications from COVID-19.

Most people don't think twice about their kidneys. But when kidneys stop working, dialysis or transplant is needed to survive.

In 2018, there were 2,782 organ transplant procedures performed in Canada, according to the latest information published by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

This is an increase of 33% since 2009.

Despite this progress, Canada still has a shortage of organs for transplant.

At the end of 2018, there were 4,351 people on wait lists for organ transplants (2,890 active and 1,461 on hold1). Additionally, 223 people died that year while on a wait list for an organ transplant. The increased need for organ transplantation is in part being driven by the rising number of Canadians diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease, which went up 32% over the 10 years studied.

Kidneys (1,706) and livers (533) were the top organs transplanted, followed by lungs (361), hearts (189) and pancreases (57).

As of December 31, 2018, more patients were on wait lists for kidneys (3,150) and livers (527), compared with lungs (270), hearts (157) and pancreases (156).

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