The annual Healthcare Heroes Charity Slo-Pitch Tournament at Exhibition Park over the Easter long weekend was a resounding success, bringing together food trucks, lively music and beautiful weather – all in support of a great cause.
 
Hosted by the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation (FVHCF), the tournament drew a record-breaking 23 teams and raised an impressive $42,000 for hospitals in the Fraser Valley Eastern region.
 
"We extend our gratitude to the 23 teams that participated as well as tournament coordinators, Teri Vander Wyk, Lisa Dick, Don Fitzgerald, and Troy Bernier, our sponsors, umpires, volunteers and spectators who helped to make this tournament such a success," said Leslie Gmur, Fund Development Coordinator at FVHCF. "This year's event exceeded our expectation and we are looking forward to Healthcare Heroes Slo-Pitch Tournament in 2026.”
 
FVHCF extends its heartfelt thanks to its key sponsors:

• Blueridge Liquor Store – Beer Garden Sponsor
• SN Hospital Transport – Registration Sponsor
• Fix Auto – Advertising Sponsor
• Fraser City Installation Ltd. – Entertainment Sponsor 

 
This year's winning teams included:
A Division: 1st place - Lights Out, with Gorilla Gang as runners-up
B Division: 1st place - Ragrets, with Skittled as runners-up and honorable mentions go to the Growlers 
C Division: 1st place - Balls & Dolls, with Smoking Jays as runners-up

The Mission Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2025 Grant Cycle 1 will be open for applications April 4-April 30. Funds will be disbursed to a variety of organizations and groups within Mission.
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The Foundation invites community groups to apply to enhance the needs within the City of Mission during 2 grant cycles each year. The first is held in the Spring, and the second in the Fall. These grants support a range of diverse groups, including youth sports, the seniors centre, arts, adult and student education, animal welfare, food security, summer camps and the trades, to name a few. The availability of these funds is made possible through the generous contributions of donors committed to improving Mission. The Mission Community Foundation is grateful to the donors who make these grants possible. 

The Mission Community Foundation's grant program focuses on charitable and non-profit organizations and groups within Mission, ensuring that funds are used according to donors' wishes to meet the needs of the community. The Mission Community Foundation operates as a non-profit organization, promoting philanthropy to create lasting impacts and legacies. 

If you wish to learn more about the Mission Community Foundation and how to donate, please contact Board Chair, Shelley Carter, or Executive Director, Jamie Hayes, at [email protected]. 

CIVL Radio invites you to RSVP for the premiere of ‘COUNTERCULTURE: 20 Years of CIVL Radio in the Fraser Valley’ on Saturday, April 5th at CEP Chilliwack, as part of UFV’s 50th anniversary alumni weekend. 

Film Logline: University students in the early 2000s begin broadcasting countercultural programming from a scrappy, campus radio station in B.C.’s conservative Fraser Valley – sparking a new era of arts, culture, thought and community in the region. 

Starting at 12 pm on April 5th, CIVL staff, volunteers and board invite you to join us in Chilliwack at UFV’s CEP campus, kiddie corner from the brand new repeater tower awaiting approval to broadcast permanently at 92.3 FM in Chilliwack. Refreshments, musical performances and a panel discussion hosted by filmmaker/journalist Kier Junos, funded by UFV 50, will be part of the celebration, as we showcase the development of Canada’s youngest campus radio station, first incorporated as a BC Non-Profit Society in June 2005. 

CIVL Executive Director Aaron Levy: “Scholarly research, publications and promotional initiatives have endeavoured to illuminate the work of campus radio for decades, but this feature documentary aims to be the first comprehensively documenting the context, impact and importance of 40+ years of community and campus radio in Canada, through the lens of Fraser Valley residents and UFV students’ contributions as the youngest campus on FM nationwide.” 

This documentary explores the history of Abbotsford’s local DIY punk music community, it’s struggle to support local arts and culture, and to provide outlets and engagement for youth and students in the area, going back to a time before the Abbotsford Centre was a hockey arena; before UCFV became UFV; and before there was campus radio in the Fraser Valley. Through the voices of CIVL founders, board members, UFV professors, local musicians, former CIVL staff and volunteers, as well as campus and community radio personnel from all across Canada, this documentary aims to shine a light on the need for media literacy, accessibility, community engagement, mentorship, freedom of expression, and the challenge of being a small grassroots group in the midst of massive institutions in the 21st century. 

CIVL’s 20th anniversary documentary project was initiated as a Community Radio Fund of Canada Radiometres grant in 2020 for $50,000, with the goal of documenting the successes, struggles, unique position, and history of UFV’s Campus and Community Radio Society, on the eve of expanding its FM service to Chilliwack, and has been evolving as work continues towards that goal. To date, CIVL has invested approximately $75,000 towards the doc. 
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Finally, while CIVL’s final CRTC approval for 92.3 FM remains forthcoming at this time (stay tuned for updates), after ISED approval in ‘24, the April 5th celebration will also launch acceptance of submissions for the 10th annual Fraser Valley Music Awards at fvma.civl.ca 

A new creative hub is coming to downtown Mission! Earth & Ember, a pottery studio and art collective, is thrilled to announce its grand opening on Saturday, March 29th, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The event will take place inside the studio’s charming courtyard location in the heart of downtown Mission, offering a day full of artistic celebration, community connection, and hands-on experiences.

The grand opening will feature an artisan market, showcasing talented local artists and makers, delicious offerings from local food vendors, and interactive experiences such as pottery painting. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the studio, meet the artists, and learn more about the collective’s mission to support and inspire creativity within the community. 

A ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce, will take place at 12:30 PM, marking the official launch of Earth & Ember as a cornerstone for art and culture in Mission. 

In addition to the festivities, Earth & Ember will be accepting resumes at the event for individuals interested in joining the collective. The studio is looking for passionate art enthusiasts to contribute to the space, with available work hours from Thursdays to Sundays, 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM. 

“We’re so excited to open our doors and invite the community into this creative space,” said Kirsten Cheyne, founder of Earth & Ember. “Our goal is to cultivate an environment where artists and art lovers can come together to create, collaborate, and share their passion for handmade craftsmanship.” 

The grand opening event is free and open to the public, making it the perfect opportunity for art enthusiasts, families, and community members to experience the vibrant energy of Earth & Ember. 
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For more information about Earth & Ember, find them on social media @earth.and.ember.co or visit them at 33261 1st Avenue, in the courtyard between Bee Thai and Magnolias on Main.