Sooke, B.C. (October 30, 2023): Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) and the Sooke Region Food CHI Society are excited to announce the signing of a Licensing Agreement between the two organizations on October 1, 2023.
The first goal of this initiative is to establish a community garden to support local food production and assist with local food sustainability strategies. Hopefully, the first growing season will occur next spring once the ground is prepared. Food CHI will also be developing a plan to expand the existing orchard and locate beehives for honey production within the orchard.
“We see this as a unique opportunity to give back to the community in which we are located and to play a small role in addressing the ongoing issue of food sustainability,” said Bill Riggs, Chief Executive Officer of RCMSAR. “This project has great potential for the community, and we are really pleased to work with the Sooke Regional Food CHI to make it happen.”
“Food CHI is excited about our partnership with RCMSAR and the East Sooke community garden volunteers to establish this community garden and to care for the orchard,” according to Ellen Lewers, Food CHI President. “We will assist the East Sooke Region to become more self-reliant on food production on this incredible property. We are pleased to be working with the board of the RCMSAR who are so supportive in working with us to support their neighbours.”
There will be ongoing discussions on what other agricultural activities could be undertaken in the future.
About Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue
The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) is a volunteer-based charitable organization that operates more than 30 marine rescue stations along the coast of British Columbia and inland waters. With over 900 volunteers, emergency response crews are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week ready to respond to marine emergencies. RCMSAR volunteers also prevent emergencies by providing the public boating safety information, conduct pleasure craft safety checks, and provide free access to children’s lifejackets at PFD loaner stations located at many docks and marinas in the communities that they serve through the Kids Don’t Float program. RCMSAR’s mission is “Saving lives on the water”.
Established in 1978 originally under the name the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary–Pacific, RCMSAR is called on to respond to marine emergencies by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in British Columbia through an agreement with the Canadian Coast Guard.
Contact:
Bill Riggs
Chief Executive Officer
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue
media@rcmsar.com | ceo@rcmsar.com
1-778-352-1780 ext. 104
About Sooke Region Food CHI
Sooke Region Food CHI was incorporated as a non-profit society in 2008 to promote and protect agriculture in the Sooke Region, including East Sooke. Food CHI has a well-established community garden at Sunriver, and an orchard established with scions from local old orchards grafted onto the trees and maintained by Glen Theilin.
Contact:
Ellen Lewers, Food CHI President
esookecommunitygarden@sookefoodchi.ca
sookefoodchi.ca