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Letters to the Editor for the week of October 17

Whistler's Celebration of International Day of the Girl Last week was our community's seventh celebration of International Day of the Girl Child, a United Nations day that aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face while promot
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Whistler Secondary School students address the panelists at Whistler's 2019 International Day of the Girl event. Photo submitted

Whistler's Celebration of International Day of the Girl

Last week was our community's seventh celebration of International Day of the Girl Child, a United Nations day that aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. 

Since 2012, we've come together to see things from different perspectives, to be inspired by the stories we hear and use this to create positive change for girls at home and around the world. In the last seven years, we've raised a whopping $24,000 for the Howe Sound Women's Centre and our international partner, One Horizon, which works on the ground in Kenya. 

This year we had three incredible speakers discuss the topic of equality, with a Q&A led by students from Whistler Secondary School. It was illuminating, challenging, and thought-provoking, and it was incredible to get so much engagement from the audience, especially from our youth. 

We couldn't do this without Community Futures Howe Sound; Origin Design; Mountain FM; Arts Whistler; our incredible volunteers, Kevani Kestel; Maja McClosky; Danielle Kristmanson; John Hall; Kim Maitland; Alana Irvine; and Brittia Thompson, along with all the incredible community supporters who donated silent auction items. 

Thank you all and see you next year!

Dee Raffo // Whistler

They shoot and they score

Signal Hill Elementary Parent Advisory Council (PAC), and students in Pemberton, would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all those individuals, local families, local businesses and sponsors who supported the rebuilding of the school hockey court.

A project that started with the enthusiasm of a group of Grade 6 students hosting bake sales and hot chocolate stands quickly became an ambitious redevelopment plan. A huge wave of enthusiasm spread throughout the school and extended into the community.

The hockey court was removed and reinstalled with brand-new fencing in the summer, and will be finalized before the winter. We would like to thank all those who helped make this become a reality, including Education Assistant Jodie Sankey and all the Grade 6 students now in Grade 7 who brought their energy and dedication to the front of this cause. This project would not have been possible without the support of the following organizations, businesses and community members: Squamish-Lillooet Regional District and the Village of Pemberton; the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation; The Community Foundation of Whistler; a local Pemberton family who kick started our fundraising with a very generous donation; Pemberton Royal Canadian Legion; Grimms Deli; the Rempel Family; Brink Forestry Products; Pemberton Rotary Club; Murphy Construction; and the Real Estate Association of Whistler.

Thanks also to the School Administration, SD48, Signal Hill PAC and all the community members who volunteered their time and energy to the fundraising initiatives, and put funds into the cause. Thank you!

Claire Fuller on behalf of the Signal Hill PAC // Pemberton