Thetis Island Regular LTC Meeting - July 13, 2026

Just a reminder that there is a Thetis Island local trust Committee meeting next week on July 13th. 930 at Forbes Hall.

There is a public participation period on the agenda as well. The last meeting was pretty well attended.
Agenda is on Islands Trust website.  Previous meeting minutes are also available.

Always good to keep informed.

Kathleen McGarvey 

Dangerous Goods

There will be DG for Thetis ONLY this Thursday. 

Cheers

Sharon

Family Fun Day: Saturday August 8th, 10AM to 2PM

Call Out for Volunteers!

If you have volunteered for the Thetis Island Community Fund Family Fun Day in the past, we are grateful. If you haven't participated, maybe this is your year! The whole operation requires upwards of 40 volunteers to support games, food and activities, plus the set up and clean up!! There are all kinds of jobs, big and small. Some of our volunteers reach out in advance of the day, and ask to be assigned to specific activities/stations. That's great, and we are more than happy to accommodate. Some are free-wheeling and just want an assignment.

Please advise your intent to volunteer, by July 15th, to: 

communityfund@thetisisland.net  

Just your name and phone number, unless you have a time slot or specific assignment request. [Note: Generally the event (August 8th this year) runs from 10 til 2, then clean up of grounds and hall for about one hour. But you need not be there the whole time!]

The TICF team and some volunteers will be at Forbes Hall setting up on Friday the 7th, between 4 and 5PM. Volunteers who feel they need some orientation are welcome to drop by during this time. You can assist with set up, ask your questions, volunteer for specific duties or just familiarize yourself with the various event components. 

Thank you in advance to all the volunteers!!!

News From Nurse Practitioner Erin Van Wieren

July 7, 2026 

Hello,

I am writing to share an important update regarding the Thetis Island outreach portion of the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic. 

I will be temporarily leaving my practice on Thetis Island to cover a maternity leave in the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic. This temporary leave is anticipated to last for 18 months. 

Thetis Island is such a lovely community, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the warm welcome that I have received over the past 3.5 years. This was a hard decision, but working in a larger clinic will allow me to advance my practice by working closely with other NPs and GPs in a more direct and collaborative way. 

After a recruitment campaign, a new NP was hired on a temporary contract to fill the Thetis Island portion of my position. The new NP, Hayley Mercer, started with Island Health on July 6th. I will personally be transitioning Hayley to the Thetis Island Clinic over the summer months to ensure that there is as little disruption to your health care as possible. We do not anticipate that this will impact the clinic schedule or your regular access to care. 

Standing or annual lab requisitions ordered by myself will still be valid. Prescription refills will also remain valid. Testing such as MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds and X-rays will remain active. 

You can continue to reach out to Kari, MOA, at 250-739-5700 x54814 as the main contact for the Thetis Island Clinic. 

If you do not wish to temporarily be attached to the new provider, you may choose to un-attach from the Thetis Island Clinic and register for a new provider through the Health Connect Registry | HealthLink BC. If you do not have access to a computer, you can call 8-1-1, or if you are deaf or hard of hearing, please call 7-1-1. Please notify the office if you choose to leave the practice and you will be provided with instructions to transfer your records. 

Cowichan Valley - Cowichan Valley HealthLink BC 

If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the PCN Director, Carla Bortoletto at Carla.Bortoletto@islandhealth.ca.

Best Wishes, 

Erin Van Wieren, NP

Nature of Forests Weekend Speaker Profile: Richard Hebda

Richard Hebda will be our final presenter. He will give a talk at Forbes Hall at 1:30 pm Sunday July 19, and will be joined by other presenters in a panel discussion at 3-4:30 pm

Richard Hebda

Richard Hebda has a B.Sc. from McMaster University and a Ph.D. (Botany) from the University of British Columbia (1977). He is Curator Emeritus (37 years of service) at the Royal British Columbia Museum and adjunct faculty (42 years) in the School of Environmental Studies (also Biology and Earth Sciences) at the University of Victoria. He was the first faculty coordinator of the Restoration of Natural Systems Program at UVIC in which he taught ca. 70 course sessions) until 2025. With his graduate students and colleagues, Richard Hebda is (co)author of 140+ scientific papers in botany, environmental history, and climate change, 350+ popular articles on native plants, climate change and gardening; (co)author/editor of several books and reports (grasses, ethnobotany, human remains in north BC glacier). He has served as consultant and report writer for governments, private individuals, non-government organizations and First Nations. Most recent contributions include a chapter on climate and the epilogue in the book on the Salish Sea archipelago (ANU Press), a paper on BC interior climate change and vegetation history and one on climate-vegetation-ocean relationships to ice sheets on Vancouver Island.

Richard has given hundreds of technical and popular public lectures in British Columbia and beyond covering topics from growing snowdrops to global climate change. He has also been an authoritative voice on television and radio on topics such as Climate Change and invasive species. Richard played and plays a key role in the conservation, preservation and restoration of natural areas, most prominently Burns Bog in the Lower Mainland of BC. Richard co-organized and participated in a key national gathering about wildfire and restoration. (UVIC, Feb 2025).

Supported by the Weston Family Foundation, Richard Hebda heads the Crop- Climate project. This Citizen Science initiative tests potato and dry bean varieties across Canada as an adaptation to climate change (www.heritagepotato.ca). He received the Queen’s Jubilee medal for his work in palaeontology, and the national Bruce Naylor award for natural history curatorship. In 2025 he was given
the “Above and Beyond” award for service in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Victoria. Richard is also past president of the BC Iris Society and editor of the Society’s Rainbow Goddess.

About Richard's talk:

Sunday July 19 1:30-2:45PM - Forbes Hall
The Past, Present and Future of Gulf Island Forests

Richard's slide presentation will take us on a fascinating journey from the last glaciation through the present state of Gulf Island forests and forward into the future. Richard will offer knowledge and tools that will help the Thetis Island community develop resilience and prepare for the disruptions that climate change is bringing. You are encouraged to download and read Richard's chapter titled Climate of the Salish Islands published in the book Salish Archipelago. Available at: https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/series/asia-pacific-environment-monographs/salish-archipelago

Boat Trailer Parts

2 - used Carlisle Sport Trail trailer tires 5.3 0 12 on rims $40 each

4 - new 5" Boat Spool Roller Bracket Assembles - $10 each

OTHER: sourdough bread knife - NEW $10

rod darsenau@gmail.com

Want Cash AND a 5th Wheel? I'm Paying YOU $200 To Take This One Away!

I've got an abandoned 5th wheel sitting on my land. Instead of paying a junk removal service, I'm paying YOU $200 to tow it off my property.

The Deal:

Hull is solid, tires still hold air
Interior's wrecked—perfect for rebuilding into a chicken coop, storage unit, or whatever you dream up
You keep the entire trailer PLUS pocket $200
Perfect for: Hobbyists, DIYers, farmers, homesteaders, or anyone with a truck and a vision.

Email me before someone else grabs this deal! valerian.abel@gmail.com

Unwind & Dine @ Telegraph Harbour Marina

When: Saturday, July 11, 2026

Doors: 6:00.    

Dinner: 6:30

To Start

Garden-Fresh Zucchini Flan & Greens

A delicate, velvety zucchini flan served alongside a crisp bouquet of fresh garden greens, lightly dressed to perfection.

To Follow

Glazed Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with Herbed Rice Pilaf

Tender chicken thighs slow-glazed in a rich savory-sweet teriyaki reduction, presented over a fragrant bed of fluffy herbed rice pilaf.

To Finish

Dark Chocolate Mousse with Toasted Pumpkin Seed Oil & Sea Salt

An airy, decadent dark chocolate mousse, elegantly drizzled with nutty toasted pumpkin seed oil and finished with a delicate whisper of flaky sea salt.

RSVP to cafe@telegraphharbour.ca to reserve your seats!

Ferry Back Running

The ferry is back running - due to delay, schedule has been affected for morning sailings. 

Ferry Scheduled Trips Cancelled

Chemainus - Penelakut Island - Thetis Island

Issued: 8:45 am

Due to a mechanical issue with the loading ramp, the following sailings between Telegraph Harbour (Penelakut Island) – Preedy Harbour (Thetis Island) - Chemainus today, July 7, have been cancelled.

Cancelled Sailings:
7:20 am departing Penelakut
7:45 am departing Preedy Harbour
8:25 am departing Chemainus
9:00 am departing Preedy Harbour

Terminal maintenance is en route to resolve the problem. Sailings on this route for the remainder of the morning are at risk of cancellation if they are unable to do so.

In the meantime, a water taxi has been sourced to provide supplementary service starting at 9:20 am from Penelakut and operate in shuttle mode between the three terminals. Access to the water taxi pick up and drop off locations can be found here:

Thetis Island: Community Public Dock
Penelakut Island: Island Dock off Hook Road
Chemainus: Municipal Wharf 

We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of these cancellations.

For up-to-date sailing and departure information, check Current Conditions, follow @BCFerries on X or phone 1-888-223-3779 for further assistance.

Youth Pickleball (To Be Held on Wednesdays Starting July 8)

Next Youth Pickleball will be Wednesday July 8 at 9:30 am.

All ages welcome for Drop-In (youth up to age 16). No sign up required. Equipment provided. No experience necessary.

The Happy Picklers

Campfire Ban on Thetis

This is a reminder that the solid fuel CAMPFIRE BAN comes into effect on Monday, July 6th at midnight. CSA Approved propane campfire appliances are not subject to the campfire ban at this time.

Thetis Island Vol. Fire Dept.