This quarter, we’ve been embracing the warmth and fun activities of the summer! In addition to our daytime programs of paddling, hiking, and exploring, we’ve had overnight adventures in both Victoria and Vancouver to enjoy the beauty of nature at night.

On September 28^th, Power To Be invited a group of our participants and community group partners to join us on site and celebrate our new space for a housewarming event. This occasion brought participants, volunteers, and staff together for an evening of exploration, laughter, and pizza as we gathered in a place that has come to mean so much for our organization.

A model that Power To Be has been piloting and testing over the last few years is called Have A Go events. A free community event where we facilitate in partnership with other service providers to offer a chance for people of all ages and abilities to come and enjoy a day of outdoor fun. One of our volunteers mentioned how many folks have expressed how great it is to “just show up and the rest will come to be”.

Thanks to Power To Be's collaboration with the Ted Rogers Foundation, Eva Yang received a $10,000 scholarship. Eva went on to graduate from our Wilderness School in 2020, where she wanted to seek discomfort and try new activities. The scholarship is sending Eva on many new wild ventures and we couldn't be more proud.

Power To Be applied for the Toyota Cars For Good program back in 2021 and was thrilled to learn that we had been selected as a recipient of a brand new Toyota Highlander Hybrid alongside Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association and People in Motion. Thank you Toyota Cars For Good for helping us increase the good that we can do in our community!

This past year Power To Be has had the honour of working with wildlife biologist Joanna Preston. She inspired us to build nesting boxes for the endangered Screech Owl as you might have read about in a blog entry we shared earlier this year!

With the weather on their side, a group of families, staff and volunteers came together to enjoy nature. Our friends from Spinal Cord Injury BC got to explore Prospect lake, camp on our accessible tent pads, learn about banding, roast s'mores and so much more! It was definitely a weekend to remember.

This past quarter has been full of collaboration and connection for Power To Be. We have been bringing our community together to appreciate all that nature has to offer by pursuing new program structures that cater to learning, connection, and growth. We are excited to continue to bring people together through a shared passion for the outdoors.

We are getting closer and closer to welcoming our Power To Be community to a place they can truly call home—our gateway to nature at Prospect Lake. With this new site, we can give back by creating a space where our community can come together to learn, innovate and inspire others to explore the outdoors. After many years of planning, hard work, and collaboration we are almost ready to open the doors to our new home.

Connection is at the heart of every Power To Be program; connection with nature, ourselves and others. This has been the impetus behind our program planning. On a late May program, a group of youth and adults met in a park in North Vancouver nestled in an inconspicuous place off the highway. Alli has lived in the area for a decade and had never ventured to this special park. This was the 2nd of 3 “Activity Sampler” programs offered and focused on Hiking.

Matthias has been coming on our programs for over six years. He not only loves to challenge himself by climbing a rock wall or while paddling on Prospect Lake. Even during the pandemic, when our programs were virtual, he stuck with us and has continued to share valuable insight and feedback with us.

Despite the rain and chilled winds, our Vancouver Program Adventures Lead, Alli, led a large group of youths through Stanley Park. They took part in nature sculpting, hiking and some great conversations. The group had a wonderful program full of reflection and sharing that ended in lots of laughter and self-discovery!

Recently, we met with members from BC Mobility Opportunities Society (BCMOS), Strathcona Wilderness Institute, and CRIS Adaptive to discuss the TrailRider. This device will make the outdoors even more accessible and allow anyone to venture to incredible places, create connection within our community and discover the wonders nature has to offer.

Sometimes with a collaboration, all the moving pieces fit perfectly together, to create something truly beautiful. For 2021's edition of Sandpiper's annual holiday card, Power To Be participant, Adam, created a  beautiful design that aligned with Sandpiper's vision. The card was inspired by the word 'connection', and the result was amazing.

Students from Camosun College's Hospitality Management program fundraised for Power To Be with purpose and passion. They organized an evening of luxury with a wilderness boat tour, a three-course meal and a silent auction.

Rahul is one of our Board Directors here at Power To Be. Like the stern in the big canoe, our Board of Directors strategically guides our organization forward with passion and expertise. As a leader at his firm in the environmental field, Rahul brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his volunteer work with Power To Be.

Once a year our program team gets together and dedicates our time to sharpen and develop our skills at our Spring Training. For two years we were not able to have our traditional Spring Training so coming together this year with our program team had many reasons for why it was successful.

Each April, a group of 36 skiers come together for a backcountry cat ski trip in support of Power To Be, based out of the Mustang Powder lodge. This epic weekend boasts big powder, amazing food, and access to an outstanding mountain landscape.

As Power To Be’s Advancement Lead, Liz is truly connected to the Power To Be vision. She is always seeking new funding opportunities to elevate our program impact and making connections between people, places, and our purpose. Always up for a new challenge, Liz models living life to the fullest and saying YES to new adventures.

The new year brought new opportunities to Power To Be! In addition to bringing our community together to enjoy all that nature has to offer, we’ve been working on expanding the accessibility of our programs and the reach of our resources with the support of our incredible partners. Be sure to check out all of the adventures, collaborations, and impact that happened in Q1 at Power To Be!