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Welcome Week jammed packed with activities

All newcomers to town take note: there is no better place to learn the ins-and-outs of Whistler than at the annual Welcome Week, which runs this year from Monday, Nov. 12 to Saturday, Nov. 17.

All newcomers to town take note: there is no better place to learn the ins-and-outs of Whistler than at the annual Welcome Week, which runs this year from Monday, Nov. 12 to Saturday, Nov. 17.

Think pancake breakfasts, movie premieres, and a welcome dinner as just some of the activities lined up to introduce newcomers to what the Whistler community has to offer.

Most notable is the Jill Ackhurst Community Welcome Dinner, which takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. at the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre. The dinner will bring together 500 newcomers and 200 residents in a feast of locally produced food. Each table will have two locals and six newcomers, so that locals can welcome and help guide newcomers to the town.

This is also the first year that all food at the Welcome Dinner will be locally grown. This was made possible by Slow Food Sea to Sky.

Beyond the Welcome Dinner, there are a host of activities to keep newcomers busy throughout the week as they get acquainted with Whistler.

The week officially kicks off on Monday with a pancake brunch that will be held at the Whistler Fire Hall from 10 a.m. to noon. A total of 200 people showed up for the brunch last year, so get there early to ensure a full belly.

A Westbeach movie premiere is also taking place on Monday. The films In Transit and Apples and Oranges will be screening at 7 p.m. at MY Millennium Place.

For those still looking for employment, a job fair has also been organized for Welcome Week. The fair will take place on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre. Potential employees should bring their resumes and be prepared for interviews at the event.

After the job fair, a dodge ball game will run from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday at Whistler Secondary School. No experience is necessary for participants. Entry is $7 or $3 for LUNA (Late and Unique Nighttime Alternatives) members.

LUNA is a local group that offers affordable, alcohol free events for young adults throughout the year. Memberships will be available at the dodge ball game for $5.

For those looking for more group activities to participate in, a scavenger hunt has been put together for Thursday, and a pool party will take place Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight at Meadow Park Sports Centre. The theme of the pool party is “pirate booty”, and the night will include live music by DJ Phroh and a fire show by Phoebe Phoenix. Entry to the pool is $5 or $3 with a LUNA membership.

Welcome Week winds down on Saturday with free access to Meadow Park Sports Centre facilities throughout the day.

Whistler’s biggest charity rummage sale will also take place Saturday, Nov. 17 at the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and all proceeds will go to the Zero Ceiling Society, a group that offers innovative snowboard and employment programs to at-risk and street youth from the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky corridor.

For more information on the many events taking place during Welcome Week, contact the Whistler Community Services Society at www.mywcssorg .