By Andrew Mitchell
Participation is up so far for the fourth annual Whistler Welcome Week, according to organizer Michelle Chang.
Welcome Week kicked off on Monday with a pancake brunch hosted by the Rotary Club of Whistler Millennium and Whistler Fire Services. According to Chang, the brunch hosted between 150 and 200 newcomers to Whistler, up from about 50 last year.
Attendance at the snowboard movie hosted by Westbeach that evening also doubled from about 80 last year to 150 this year.
The Whistler Employment Resource Centre’s annual job fair, held on Tuesday and Wednesday, was a success with an estimated 850 interviewing for 36 local businesses. In 2005, between 325 and 350 prospective employees took part.
Three events remain in WelcomeWeek:
• Whistler-Blackcomb will be hosting a scavenger hunt and barbecue on Thursday, Nov. 2 at noon, meeting at staff housing at Base II, with participants following a series of clues in and around town to better orient themselves to the community.
• LUNA (Late and Unique Nighttime Alternatives) will be hosting its fourth annual DJ pool party, Moist IV, on Friday, Nov. 3 from 9 p.m. on at Meadow Park Sports Centre. The cost is $3 for LUNA members and $5 for non-members.
• The fourth annual Jill Ackhurst Community Welcome Dinner is at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, with businesses and members of the community hosting tables for newcomers, answering their questions and sharing advice. Last year’s event had more than 700 participants and interest is high again this year.
Whistler Bylaw Services will be providing the food, Tourism Whistler will be providing the venue, and over 200 volunteers will be helping to set up and clean up after this event, which features live music from Kostaman and presentations from community members.
Tickets are $3.
