As I reflect on the milestones in my life, 2023 holds a special place. It marks Power To Be's 25th anniversary and also 20 years since a car crash that altered the course of my existence. Little did I know that these seemingly unrelated events would intertwine and lead me to discover resilience, hope, and a renewed zest for life.

On the weekend of May 26-28, 2023, Power To Be held our 6th Power To Summit virtual fundraising event, which saw 80 teams of four racers work together to climb, fundraise, and spend time together in support of Power To Be.

For the past 15 years, the Family Roots program has been a core program offering here at Power To Be. Through partnership with Human Nature Counselling, the 5-month program supports solo-parent families living within Greater Victoria, B.C.

Ryan Peterson advocates for inclusion and leverages his creative thinking to drive change in the area of accessibility.  Ryan, a prominent name in the BC tech industry, and his wife Monica have a passion for inclusion and accessibility.  They established the Peterson Family Foundation to champion a world where barriers are removed, creating an environment that inspires creativity and possibility. 

In Fall 2022, Power To Be enjoyed lots of time learning and exploring in nature. Our programs were in full swing this fall with tons of adventures, collaborations, and behind-the-scenes action happening at Power To Be. The team is feeling settled in our new home, with staff, participants, and volunteers using the site as we discover the potential of our new buildings and its resources.

Power To Ski is an epic weekend of adrenaline-fueled powder skiing, fantastic food, comradery, and philanthropy deep in the Monashee mountains. The event was the brainchild of Power To Be’s founder Tim Cormode and a handful of loyal supporters over a decade ago.  Mustang Powder Lodge is the perfect place to host this spectacular experience.

In celebration of National Volunteer Appreciation Week we want to express a big THANK YOU to all of the incredible community members who have supported us through acts of volunteerism over Power To Be’s 25 years. The 2023 theme for National Volunteer Week is “Volunteering Weaves us Together.”

This year marks an incredible milestone for Power To Be, as we celebrate our 25^th anniversary! For 25 years, Power To Be has supported children, youth, families and adults living with barriers to discover limitless possibilities in our adaptive, inclusive nature-based programs. Throughout this time, we have seen the building of a beautiful community, including participants, volunteers, staff, partners, and donors’ intent on including everyone in the journey.

Em is a passionate and multi-talented member of our team who is making a difference in the lives of others through her work as Power To Be’s Program Lead. Her commitment to spreading joy, stepping out of her comfort zone, and embracing who she is, is truly moving the inclusion movement forward. Em is living the vision that everyone belongs in nature.

Are you looking for a fun way to explore the outdoors? Have you heard of geocaching? It's a worldwide activity with many thousands of community members participating in hundreds of countries. People hide containers called caches and then share the GPS coordinates with others, who then use their own GPS devices to try to find them afterward. It's like a treasure hunt, but instead of gold or jewels, you find trinkets, notes, or other small items left behind by previous seekers.

In Fall 2022, Power To Be enjoyed lots of time learning and exploring in nature. Our programs were in full swing this fall with tons of adventures, collaborations, and behind-the-scenes action happening at Power To Be. The team is feeling settled in our new home, with staff, participants, and volunteers using the site as we discover the potential of our new buildings and its resources.

Magic happens when you bring together organizations with shared passion. Staff and volunteer club leaders from NatureKids BC joined us virtually to learn about making the outdoors more accessible for all. We are passionate about our mission and know that for everyone to belong in nature, we need to work with partners to move the inclusion movement forward.

Last year, Power To Be’s Head of Programs and Services, Pete Carson, and I were approached with an opportunity to visit a number of organizations in Colorado who operate in very similar ways to Power To Be, with the intention to learn, share, and collaborate. Over three nights and two days at the beginning of November 2022, we were able to visit three organizations and one State Park, starting high in the Rocky Mountains.

On October 4, 2022, I took a world-class helicopter sightseeing trip around Southern Vancouver Island. The helicopter tour was arranged by Tim Cormode, Founder of Power To Be and now-CEO of Power To Give. Taking in panoramic views of local Victoria landmarks, travelling over Sooke Potholes and along the Greater Victoria Water Supply area, we connected as a family, colleagues, and new friends.

At Power To Be, we want to help our participants build skills and create positive outdoor experiences by removing barriers to nature. We are proud to offer a wide variety of programs to accommodate as many of our community’s needs as possible. The Inclusive Adventures stream is designed for folks who are keen to learn and grow through outdoor adventures.

At Power To Be, we believe that nature can help us grow and find belonging. The concept of wellness is woven throughout our programs. With the introduction of the Wilderness Wellness stream, we are building more intentional programs to support people beyond feeling good with the goal of supporting them in functioning well.

At Power To Be, we want everyone to feel included. We are proud of the adaptive and inclusive approach we use in our programming, so when the opportunity arose to build a new facility at our Prospect Lake site, we wanted to apply that same approach to our building design.

From day one of meeting Kendal she brings you into her heart and mind with true authenticity and care. She has a drive, genuine interest, and incredible creativity in the work we do. Thank you Kendal for all that you are to Power To Be! 

Long Beach Lodge boasts a spectacular view, incredible amenities, and warm hospitality. Located steps away from Cox Bay beach, just outside Tofino, BC, Long Beach Lodge has become a valued and generous partner of Power To Be.

Throughout the years, we have worked hard to improve our programs to make them more accessible. We cater these programs to our participants’ needs and desires and consistently discover new ways to support them in reaching their goals. By being curious, exploring, and asking questions, we have found many different kinds of adaptive equipment to support our participants in accessing nature and experiencing the magic of the outdoors.