Bus Shelter Art Project Continues to Flourish in Sooke

Running an arts organization is like putting on a show—every role matters, and everyone needs to be ready to step in when needed. But what happens when a key volunteer suddenly can’t make it? If no one else knows how to do their job, things can go sideways fast. Take a friend of mine who volunteered at a charity thrift store for years. She was the go-to person for sorting donations, managing inventory, and helping customers. Then, out of nowhere, she had a health crisis and had to take a long break. The store was thrown into chaos—donations piled up, the inventory was a mess, and everyone was scrambling to figure things out. If others had been trained to cover for her, it would have saved a lot of stress and confusion. That’s why cross-training is so important. If only one person knows how to do a job, their absence can throw everything off balance. At the Sooke Arts Council, making sure multiple people know how to handle key tasks means the show will always go on—literally and figuratively. 🎭 Why Cross-Training is a Game Changer 🤝 It Builds a Stronger Team: When volunteers understand different parts of the organization, they gain more appreciation for each other’s work. This creates a sense of teamwork and shared purpose. 🔄 It Helps You Adapt: The arts world is always changing, and being flexible is key. A well-trained team can jump in and fill gaps when needed, keeping the Sooke Arts Council running smoothly no matter what. ✨ It Makes Volunteering More Engaging: Learning new skills keeps things interesting. When volunteers get to switch things up, they stay excited and committed for the long run. ⚙️ It Keeps Things Running Smoothly: Events, exhibitions, and programs rely on volunteers, but life happens—people get sick, go on vacation, or have emergencies. If more than one person knows each role, things won’t come to a grinding halt when someone is away. 🚀 Easy Ways to Start Cross-Training 📋 Figure Out Who Knows What: Take stock of what skills are needed for each role and what talents your volunteers already have. This helps identify training opportunities and hidden strengths. 👥 Job Shadowing: Pair volunteers with others in different roles so they can watch, learn, and eventually take on new tasks. A gallery assistant, for example, could shadow an event coordinator to see how opening nights are organized. 🔄 Switch Things Up: Rotate volunteers through different roles now and then. This keeps things fresh and ensures multiple people can step in when needed. 🎉 Give Shoutouts to Multi-Talented Volunteers: Recognizing those who take on multiple roles encourages others to do the same. A simple thank-you in a newsletter, social media post, or a small token of appreciation can go a long way. 📝 Write It Down: Having step-by-step guides for key tasks makes training easier and helps volunteers feel more confident when stepping into a new role. A simple checklist for setting up an exhibit or managing memberships can be a lifesaver. 🌍 The Bigger Picture Cross-training doesn’t just benefit the Sooke Arts Council—it strengthens the whole arts community. It keeps things running smoothly, helps volunteers feel valued and engaged, and ultimately makes events and programs better for everyone. A flexible, well-trained team is one of the biggest assets an arts organization can have. By making cross-training a regular practice, the Sooke Arts Council can keep building a strong, adaptable, and creative community—ready to take on whatever comes next.

October 1, 2024 Rotary Club of Sooke Dear Donor, Here we are again for another Rotary Club of Sooke online auction at www.32auctions.com/vrad2024. Mark your calendar for the weekend of November 29 – December 1, 2024, when items and services like yours will “be on the block”. We are so grateful for your support in the past, we are humbly asking for your support again this year. This is our Club’s major fundraiser. All our funds raised are returned to programs Rotary supports, as well as, requests from within our community. Locally we have several little libraries, we distributed books to local schools and included a reading space at Sooke Family Day. This year we built a gazebo at the Diamond Jubilee Seniors Housing and purchased a large refrigerator for Meals on Wheels. We continue to support our local students with scholarships to further their education. We also made another significant donation to the new Gathering Place. Without your support our Rotary Club would not be able to continue giving back, not only to our community, but to international projects as well. You’ll find the Rotary Wheel at projects throughout our community, such as the Rotary Pier, the Ayre Manor and Diamond Jubilee Seniors Housing Gazebos, the Rotary Skate Park and a teaching garden at John Muir Elementary School. We have been invited back by the Sooke Lions to participate in Sookarama – Business Fair, held in April 2025, where we will hold a silent auction. This means that your donation may be held for this event instead of the online auction. Our online VRAD-2024 auction reaches thousands of people, in Sooke, greater Victoria and beyond - fantastic exposure for your business! Rotary Club of Sooke is grateful for your support, without it we would not be able to give back to our community or internationally. Please, will you support us again? Yours in Rotary, Nel Burger, President Jeannette Wilford, Estella Arlott, Rotary Club of Sooke Auction Chairs

From left to right: Jennifer Osmond, Sheila Thomas and Susan Percival

SAC is Proud to Expand Opportunities for Regional Artists

Dear Fellow Artists, Being the curious sort, I responded to a FB post about an Artist in Residence opportunity at the Sooke Campground. At first, I did not understand how an Artist in Residence could work in a campground. I had a great conversation yesterday with Stella, the campground keeper. Stella has a family background in the arts, has lived in a wide variety of places and brings an enthusiasm for promoting local artists with her. As we stood in the reception shack, looking out through the pouring rain, Stella had many ideas of how to incorporate art, both interior and exterior, as a way to promote and beautify the area. Murals, sculptures, wall art, workshops and interactions with campers were all possibilities. Stella’s enthusiasm was contagious and the potential for including art seemed endless. If any artists are interested in displaying small works in the reception shack the renovations that are underway are intended to provide space for wall display. There is already a selection of laser cut steel silhouette images waiting to be hung. Anyone interested in setting up to produce outdoor sculptures like chain saw carving, cement works, cedar bark weaving or other outdoor friendly products could chat with her about the possibilities. The ”in residence” concept is for those artists who would like to set up camp and share their expertise with other campers on a casual basis in exchange for camping fees. I might just take my little camper down for a few days and set up for some plein air painting. Painting rocks with the kids or sharing skills with adult campers would be a pleasant way to spend some time this summer. (The last time I painted at the flats I got a commission, much to my surprise!) Thank you to Stella for wanting to promote our local art scene in such a unique way. See you at the Flats! ~Susan Percival, SAC Secretary and Artist at Large

The Sooke Arts Council is pleased to be continuing the Bus Shelter Art Project which was originally hosted by EMCS. The project was initiated by Susan Percival, longtime employee of SD62, as a solution to the ongoing vandalism of the bus shelters. This project has resulted in 15 years of beautification, showcasing local talent and maintaining functional shelters. The Bus Shelter Art Project has hosted art from many different sources within the Sooke Region during the years. EMCS art students, primary school students and local adult day programs have proudly displayed their work. This tradition will be carried forward but will also include art and word from a wide range of artists, writers and performers in the Sooke Region. This is in the spirit of support for the wide range of art genres that co-exist and are represented under the Sooke Arts Council umbrella. Sooke Arts Council invites any and all interested artists, artist groups and arts based organizations to participate by contacting Susan at susanpercival@shaw.ca .

"We imagine a vibrant arts and culture sector in which people can bring their whole selves to their work." ~Pathways 

SAC Bus Shelter Coordinator Susan Percival and Team Transit Volunteers Maurina Joaquin and Sheila Thomas.

Sooke Arts Council member Kimberly Zutz at Whiffin Spit