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Punjabi Language Celebration
Punjabi Language Education Association’s (PLEA) 12th Annual International Mother Language Day on February 21, 1:30-4:30 p.m. at North Delta Recreation Centre, 11415 – 84th Avenue, Delta. * Information sharing about the continuous efforts to have Punjabi language education in BC’s public schools, colleges and universities. * A critical look at the Language Education Policy of BC’s Education Ministry created in 1994.* The audience will also be given time to voice their opinions and engage in an open dialogue. * Punjabi learners will share poetry, songs and their ideas. * PLEA cordially invites everyone to come and be part of the annual celebration of Punjabi language. * Free event. Refreshments. For more information, contact: Balwant Sanghera at 604-836-8976, Sadhu Binning at 604-437-9014, Parvinder Dhariwal at 778-838-1121 or Paul Binning at 778-889-8255.
Central City Shopping Centre: Lunar New Year
Surrey’s Central City Shopping Centre together with Surrey Neptune Seafood Restaurant, Concord Pacific – Park Avenue and OpenRoad Lexus Richmond are celebrating Lunar New Year “Year of the Goat” with a focus on the four basic necessities of life: clothing, food, housing and transportation. This year’s celebration will feature traditional Asian festivities and exciting performances for everyone in the community: Saturday February 21, from 12 noon to 5:30 p.m. Lucky draw prizes will be given away including a Grand Prize of $1000 Central City gift certificates which anyone could win just for attending.
South Asian Seniors: Legal Will & Estate Planning
Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian adults / senior members and non-members to attend a seminar on Legal Will & Estate Planning by Vandana Kapoor, Pre Planning Director at Valley View Memorial Gardens, Surrey, on February 22, 2-3:30 p.m. at Shanti Niketan Hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple, 8321 – 140th Street, Surrey. There will be a question-and-answer session. Tea and light snacks will be served. Contact Surendra Handa at 604-507-9945 for further information.
Pharmacy Career Event
SFU Surrey Campus, 250 – 1345 102nd Avenue, on February 24, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Connect for Immigrants Program & BC Pharmacy Association, Canada, presents an event for internationally educated professionals or students interested in pursuing careers as pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy-related fields. Registration is required in order to attend this event. This event is complimentary and sponsored by SFU Surrey, the BC Pharmacy Association and Back in Motion: Skills Connect for immigrant program. Register today as spaces are limited. Link: http://www.bcpharmacy.ca/international. Presenters: Dr. Shakeel Bhatti, PharmD, CPhA Board Member; Mohamed Hasanine, Agassiz Pharmacy, Pharmacy Owner; Sandi Hutti, Coordinator, UBC Canadian Pharmacy Practice Program; Nadeem Zia, President, OpenDoor for Success Association; Bal Dhillon, Director, Pharmacy Technician Society of BC.
All Star Wrestling
Revenge of the Vampire on Friday, February 27 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. at Alice McKay Building-Cloverdale Fairgrounds, 6050 176 Street, Surrey. Tickets: $20 for front row, $15 for general – available at: www.allstar-wrestling.com or 604-710-0872; Central City Comix, 10221 King George Highway, Surrey – 604-584-2664; Comic Scene, Evergreen Mall, 8912 152nd Street, Surrey – 604-582-2877. Meet the wrestlers after the show at Rusty’s Pub at 17770 56th Avenue, Surrey.
KPU Surrey’s Open House
Surrey campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) on Saturday, February 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Future students, local businesses, families and the general public are invited to check out interactive exhibits, attend mini-lectures, take a campus tour, and connect with instructors, students and alumni. Activities including sculpture creation, an indoor putting green and mini golf, a chemistry magic show, salsa dance lessons and a social media contest. There will also be entertainment, prizes and The Beat 94.5 on site. There will be a free shuttle between campus and the nearby Newton Athletic Park for any visitors who want to see the KPU Eagles men’s and women’s soccer teams in action at the Eagle’s Nest. Prizes include $500 tuition waivers and other prizes totaling more than $3,000. You can win prizes by tweeting at the open house using the hashtag #KPUOpenHouse. While not required, advance registration is recommended at kpu.ca/openhouse. KPU Surrey is located at 12666-72nd Ave. Parking is free. For more information, contact the KPU Future Students’ Office at 604-599-3030 or email study@kpu.ca.
Shakti Society
Do you know a woman who has excelled in the field of art, academia, sports or business? Do you know a woman that has contributed to her community or has made a significant impact in a profound way? Do you know a woman who has met challenges and hardships and overcome adversity who is using her journey in a positive way? Shakti Society considers these achievements as outstanding displays of ‘Shakti’ and as we have been doing for the past 12 years, we want to recognize these vital women for their hard work and accomplishments. The 13th annual Shakti Awards will take place on Friday, April 10 at the Aria Banquet Hall in Surrey. Women can be nominated in one of the following categories: * Academic Achievement Award
* Public Service / Volunteer Award * Business Entrepreneur Award * Artistic Achievement Award * Sports and Recreational Award * Resilience Award – A woman who has overcome adversity and has used her personal journey in a way to inspire and motivate others to be positive despite challenges and setbacks. Her achievements may reflect one of the above categories or she can simply be a woman who takes care of her children, parents or herself. Complete your nomination at http://shaktisociety.com/home/nomination-form/ no later than midnight February 28. To purchase tickets, sponsor or donate, become a vender or volunteer, contact Sonia at 604-307-8796 , Iti at 604-831-7728 or Sandhya at 778-788-6936. All funds raised will be donated to Shakti: Empowerment of Women, Children and Families Society. http://www.shaktisociety.com
PICS Society: Volunteer Income Tax Clinic
Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society is establishing PICS Income Tax Clinic this year from the last week of February to April in partnership with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Clinic Program of Canada Revenue Agency. This program will engage PICS volunteers who have been trained by Canada Revenue Agency to help community members who have low incomes to electronically file their income tax returns. To be eligible to avail this free service, your income must be as follows: * Single Person: $30,000 or less * Single parent with child: $35,000 or less * Each additional child: $ 2,500 * Couples: $40,000 or less * Investment income under: $ 1,000 * You have a simple tax return (no self-employment, no bankruptcy, no forms for deceased, no capital gains/losses and no rental income). * You must attend in person. Income Tax Clinics will be located at the following locations: * PICS Head Office, #205—12725—80 Avenue, Surrey. * PICS White Rock Office, #206—1461 Johnston Road, White Rock * PICS Vancouver Office, #200—8153 Main Street, Vancouver. For more details, contact: Deshpal Grewal (deshpal.grewal@pics.bc.ca) or Manjinder Thandi (manjinder.thandi@pics.bc.ca) Phone: 604-596-7722.
‘Literacy for Life’ Adult Program
“Literacy for Life” is a free adult program that is being held on Friday nights from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. from now until May 15 at Kwantlen Polytechnic University Learning Center, Richmond Campus, 8771 Lansdowne Road. To register, visit any branch of Richmond Public Library, call 604-231-6413 or register online at www.yourlibrary.ca/events. This program is free and offered in English. Participants will learn skills to improve job prospects or explore further education opportunities with tutors from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Participants must have intermediate-level speaking and listening English skills. This program is sponsored by the Community Adult Literacy Program of the Province of British Columbia. If participants attend all 12 sessions they will be awarded a KPU Certificate of Completion.
Ehsaas South Asian Readers and Writers Festival
Tuesday, March 3 at 6 p.m. at UFV’s Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies, Room F125, Abbotsford Campus. Renowned author Shauna Singh Baldwin will be at this year’s Ehsaas South Asian Readers and Writers Festival. Shauna will be presenting her talk, titled “Why Names Matter” where she will address how a story truly begins the moment we name a character. Patriarchy claims us with a last name, then further differentiates us by gendered first names. What name would you give yourself? Some of us may silence our own names, take androgynous names, pen names, respond to nicknames or code names. In this talk, Shauna tells us why we should legitimate and encourage matrilineal and creative naming. All are invited to attend and refreshments will be provided. Inform your friends, colleagues and book clubs across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
Surrey Libraries: Author Events
* Authors Among Us will take place Wednesday, March 4, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Guildford Library: Tom Zytaruk, Sandy Chernoff, Diana Ng, and Judy McFarlane will speak to the theme Trailblazers and Pathfinders: Making Our Own Way. Call 604-598-7366 to save your spot. * Canadian Mystery & Crime Writers will share their writing experiences at the Fleetwood Library on Saturday, March 7, 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Dietrich Kalteis, E.R. Brown, Robin Spano and Sam Wiebe. To register, call 604-598-7347. * Meet Gerard LaSalle on Tuesday, March 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Newton Library. Register at 604-598-7406. LaSalle is an MD, CMO, award-winning filmmaker, teacher, and story-teller.
Surrey Women in Business Awards
On Thursday, March 5, the Surrey Board of Trade will host the 6th Annual Surrey Women in Business Awards Luncheon. Keynote speaker Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Steve Darling of Global BC is Master of Ceremonies. On Thursday, March 5 at Eaglequest Golf Course (7778 152nd Street, Surrey). Registration and lunch – 11:30 a.m.; program – 12-1:30 p.m. Admission (+GST): $55.00 each or $440.00 for a table of 8. Nominations were judged on the nominee’s work in Surrey, business acumen, leadership, balanced lifestyle and community involvement and service. For additional information about the event, contact Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade, at 604-340-3899. anita@businessinsurrey.com
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Business Immigrant Integration Support (BIIS)
Free seminar on “How to do business with WorkSafeBC” on Friday, March 6, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Settlement and Business Centre (#570 – 1333 West Broadway, Vancouver). Speaker: Michael Song, Occupational Hygiene Officer, WorkSafeBC. Information and registration: 604-558-4909 / businessinfo@success.bc.ca / www.successbiis.ca
SAFA: International Women’s Day
SAFA is presenting International Women’s Day (IWD) with a South Asian focus in partnership with the Langara School of Nursing. This event will take place on March 8. This year’s theme is “Make It Happen” through education, empowerment and awareness. The day promises to be one of education, promise and fun. You can participate in this conference via poster or oral presentations. Informational providers have the opportunity to come and share their resources and information via information booths. Registration fee for service provider is $50. For further information, contact Prav at Pdhaliwal@langara.bc.ca. / Suki at Sgrewal@langara.bc.ca / visit www.safa.ca / Call 778-688-3996.
Zakir Hussain’s Celtic Connections
Chan Centre presents Zakir Hussain’s Celtic Connection on Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m. at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC, 6265 Crescent Road, Vancouver. Ticket prices: from $36. Box Office: 604-822-2697 / chancentre.com. In person at the Chan Centre ticket office: open Tuesday-Saturday, 12-5 p.m. Website: chancentre.com.
