The Harrison Festival Society will launch the 2023/24 Season of the Performing Arts with iconic west coast singer, songwriter, and guitar wizard Roy Forbes on September 30th, in the Harrison Memorial Hall. 

Roy Forbes is one of Canada’s best loved songwriters and performing artists. He’s been at it for over fifty years now and has picked up some tokens of appreciation from his peers along the way. There is a street named after him in his hometown of Dawson Creek in Northern B.C. and a star on Vancouver’s Granville Street where the names of the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame members are enshrined. Over the years, Roy has had a couple of Juno nominations and has a handful of WCMA awards on his shelf. In 2021, he received a CFMA ‘Producer of the year’ nomination for his work on his current album, Edge of Blue. 

Mainly, and more importantly, Roy is firmly etched in the minds of thousands, tens of thousands in fact, of music lovers across the country. Some remember a skinny kid who went under the name of Bim, others the more mature man who reclaimed his ‘real’ name. Some got to know him at festivals from Faro in the Yukon to Lunenburg in Nova Scotia, as Roy trod the boards from the seventies to a stellar finale performance at the fortieth anniversary edition of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. For others it was Roy as a member of a contemporary folk supergroup- UHF- where he joined forces with Shari Ulrich and Bill Henderson. Over the last five decades Roy has had a few brushes with fame and endured, becoming an organic part of Canadian music. 

The last few years have been a challenge. Having dealt with poor vision all his life, Roy was blinded by an accident in 2015. He may have lost his sight but not his vision. Roy adapted to his new reality relatively quickly, returning to touring, performing, and recording, and all the other things he does so well. 

As Roy began getting used to a life without sight. New songs began to emerge. Ten of those songs became the core of his current record, Edge of Blue, something like his 11th solo effort. 

Edge of Blue may just be the Vancouver singer-songwriter’s best yet- a summation by an artist who has been doing this for a long time. Edge of Blue is 10 songs full of wisdom, confessions, vulnerability, sensuality, self- reflection, and celebration. This is art song- memorable words, compelling compositions, spare production, and a voice every bit as original as when the “kid full of dreams” first hit the big city over fifty years ago- pure Roy Forbes. 
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Come hear Roy perform these newer songs alongside his back catalogue of great tunes in the historic Harrison Memorial Hall on Sept. 30th. Show starts at 7:30pm. 
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Tickets are now on sale at www.harrisonfestival.com. 

Since its inception just a few short years ago, the Westcoast Outlaw Shootout has been growing in popularity. The last big drag race on the west coast of Canada for the season includes the Finals in West Coast Pro Modifieds, and the new West Coast Outlaw Series which includes the high flying MDA Fabrication 275s, Gulf and Fraser Limited Street,  Inline Sales Outlaw Street, and Gerry’s OK Tire Real Street. Added to the list this year will be the Western Canadian Nitro Bike Series Final, Canada West Doorslammer Shootout, and JR Shootout!
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Spectators can be sure these teams will be giving everything they’ve got into this race to try to snag a championship! Typically low temps this time of year make the perfect conditions for record breaking numbers and personal bests. Come and see the action Friday for only $15/person, $20/person Saturday, $10/person Sunday. Get a whole weekend pass for only $40/person. Kids 12 and under are always free with a paid adult. More information and tickets are available at www.missionraceway.com

Images are by Ken Sanders, Bill Hawke, Paul Grant and Louren Sansregret

My name is Karsen Scott.  I am thirteen years old. I enjoy writing because it allows me to show my creativity and my feelings through a story.  I became interested in writing when I was reading one day and thought, “Hey, I can do that!”. I wrote about a pig named Dave and our adventures on the farm. I came up with the idea for the “Sanedelo” when I was sitting in my room, I made up lots of creatures and I will probably make sequels to this story.​

I moved to Mission about 5 years ago. My favorite thing to do here is to walk around downtown with my friends.

Hi, my name is George McDavidson. Have you ever seen a living sandwich? Let’s begin. I am eighteen years old, I am very athletic, I love biology, and all living things. Yes, even spiders. My favorite animal is probably a dog because they are the best with humans, and they are very nice most of the time. I am tall, have long blonde hair, wear baggy clothes, and a pair of purple Jordan Ones. I live in California, where it is warm and damp.​

Today is August 9th, 1963, and I live near an abandoned science lab. They say it was abandoned because a bunch of creatures that are very alien like took it over. The air around the lab has gas in it, that makes it hard for humans to survive. Only the creatures can survive. I found that people don’t die here but they don’t know what’s real or fake after they leave. I always wanted to go there but I was scared because I don’t know what is in there, and I have a little fear of the unknown. One day I said “screw it”, and went to explore the area. So, I walked over to the science lab and saw around it was very foggy and polluted with nuclear waste, garbage, animal feces and even corpses of animals like squirrels and rats. It also smelled very awful!!!

I found a bright yellow container, leaking a bright green and dark green liquid that was steaming. The container had a black hazard sign on it. The container looked old and worn out, the paint was faded and peeling off showing the silver container. It was covered in dents that could be from rocks that people have thrown at it.
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I also saw a weird creature that was a sandwich-looking thing with wings. It looked like it was a bologna sandwich. I was wondering if I could eat it but at the same time if it would eat me!? I called it the Sanedelo. I thought it was a fitting name because it has “San” like sandwich. As I started to approach it, I inhaled the gas and started coughing a lot. The coughing scared off Sanedelo and I started hearing things like laughing and screams, crows, and barks. I thought I was going insane, so I started to walk away because I didn’t want to die. I was backing away when I bumped into a trash can, I fell over and got knocked out because I hit my head. Around one hour later, I woke up to the smell of a peanut butter and jam sandwich. I sat up and rubbed my eyes and my head. I looked around and saw a  majestic looking thing, a sandwich with bright white wings. It was a peanut butter and jam sandwich! I was so close I could touch it. I tried not to move so I didn’t scare it away and so I could study it. This was so different it was like I was dreaming.  I couldn’t look away even though my head was throbbing and I wanted to go home. I couldn’t move. After a while of sitting there, I slowly stuck my hand out, offering for the Sanedelo to approach. It started to fly a little bit and I got scared but then it slowly landed on my arm. It felt like a normal sandwich, but it had the wings of an eagle. I found that it had a few tiny teeth they looked like little pieces of corn. I tried to stand, and it flapped its wings but stayed on my arm. I stood up and it was still on my arm. It was as heavy as a parrot.

As I walked home it sat on my arm. When I got home, I tried to put it on my bed, but it wouldn’t budge. I tried to shake it off and it shot peanut butter and jam all over my room. I tried to push it off. It finally hopped off of my arm, but it was indented. The bread was smushed and it look like my handprint. It didn’t look injured, but it was just sitting there on my bed and it didn’t move for a solid minute. Then it slowly crawled over to my pillow and laid down. I think it went to sleep, because it didn’t move for another few hours and the bread slowly got less indented. When it woke around three hours later it started to fly and I got scared. So I took a photo and then I opened the window. I know you’re probably thinking why would I let it go? I wanted it to be free and safe. Besides, I got a picture to show my friends to prove I wasn’t making this up. Now when I walk past the lab, I will not be scared because I know there’s one thing that will come and say hi. Of course, I know that I won’t always see the same Sanedelo, but I will see different ones and make new friends with each of them.  I wonder how many varieties there are inside?

And so this ends my story of the Sandelo, my first creature find.

The Mission Friendship Centre, located in downtown Mission, is a dedicated non-profit organization that has been serving the community for 50 years. This  institution has been a beacon of hope and support for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals striving to attain their goals of health and wellness.

Offering a wide range of essential services, the Mission Friendship Centre plays a pivotal role in enhancing the lives of its community members. Among the services provided are Alcohol and Drug services, Support groups, Healing Circles, Hot Lunch programs, Outreach services, and a Breakfast program available twice a week. These services are carefully designed to address various needs and challenges faced by individuals in the community.

In addition to these vital services, the Mission Friendship Centre actively fosters a sense of community and connection through events and initiatives. One such event is the bi-weekly Drum Circle, where community members come together to share in the joy of music and rhythm. This event not only brings people together but also promotes a sense of unity and well-being.
Beyond their commitment to serving the community, the Mission Friendship Centre is also deeply involved in raising awareness about critical issues such as the ongoing Opioid Crisis, housing challenges, and the availability of mental health resources. Their efforts in this regard are crucial in addressing pressing community concerns and fostering positive change.

One of the most significant aspects of the Mission Friendship Centre's work is the emotional support they provide to those in need. Their compassionate and caring staff are always ready to lend a listening ear and offer a helping hand to individuals facing difficult ​circumstances.

The Mission Friendship Centre is conveniently located at 33150 First Avenue in Mission. They are open from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with the exception of statutory holidays. Individuals seeking assistance or information can also reach out to them by phone at (604) 826-1281 or visit their website at https://missionfriendshipcentresociety.com.
For those who prefer to stay connected through social media, the Mission Friendship Centre maintains an active presence on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/missionfriendshipcentresociety1). Here, visitors can find monthly calendars detailing upcoming events and activities, ensuring that all members of the community can stay informed and engaged.
The Mission Friendship Centre's 50-year journey of service to the community stands as a testament to their unwavering commitment to promoting health, wellness, and unity. With their diverse range of services, dedication to raising awareness about critical issues, and the warm embrace of their emotional support, the Mission Friendship Centre continues to be a cornerstone of hope and assistance for all who seek it.