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Chemainus celebration making a return in October

Inaugural event in 2019 showcased the town within the community
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Roy Summerhayes is organizing the Our Chemainus – A Celebration event again on behalf of the Chemainus & District Chamber of Commerce. Summerhayes operates the Seniors101.ca website and has also just put out the printed version of the Greater Victoria 2021 Seniors’ Directory. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Our Chemainus – A Celebration is back after a one-year hiatus due to COVID.

The debut event in September of 2019 at the Sawmill Taphouse and Grill Event Venue was packed with members of 35 organizations, businesses and groups setting up booths, and garnered a strong show of support from the public. The event is billed as a showcase for the town as a great place to live, work and play.

Related story: Community organizations, businesses unite in Chemainus celebration

Island Savings is the sponsor for the return engagement on Saturday, Oct. 16, with director Roy Summerhayes serving as the organizer again on behalf the Chemainus & District Chamber of Commerce as the loosening of restrictions continues and allows the community to reemerge from COVID.

“We’re ready,” said Summerhayes. “The town’s ready. It’s been difficult for everyone. We’re here. We haven’t died. We’re looking forward to showing people who live here what we have here.”

During the inaugural event, there was a great cross-section of community organization booths, and businesses in town and outside town with an interest in Chemainus. It’s expected to generate just as much of a response as the first time and perhaps even more with people anxious to get out and about and do things again in the months ahead.

“It’s great to get the veils off,” said Summerhayes. “It’s exciting. The town’s back.”

The event is obviously still nearly three months away, but he wanted to get the word out now that it was coming. More details will follow as the date draws closer.

But people interested in having a booth at the celebration can certainly get in touch with Summerhayes now at 250-246-1227.

There’s no cost to attend or for a group or organization to set up a booth. Many from the different groups found it was a great chance for networking that might not have been otherwise possible without such a gathering.

Related story: Printed product proves popular with seniors’ directory

Meanwhile, Summerhayes has also just released the printed edition of the Victoria Seniors’ Directory 2021. He’s working on the 2021 Nanaimo edition that goes to print in early September and then will get going on the Cowichan Valley Seniors’ Directory in early October for printing in January 2022.

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Kristy Landry of Edward Jones at the first Our Chemainus – A Celebration in September of 2019. (File photo by Don Bodger)
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The Sawmill Taphouse Event Venue will again be the site for Our Chemainus – A Celebration. (Photo by Don Bodger)


Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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