Community Connections Day - May 8th and 10th!
Join us for the 4th annual event at Lake Trail Community School. All welcome!
Community Connection Day is a three-day celebration designed to foster connections among neighbours, youth, and community partners. Take part in FREE workshops and fun activities for all ages.
Many thanks to the supporters of Community Connections Day, including the Province of British Columbia (Community Gaming Grants).
Thursday, May 8th
Youth Information booths
1pm to 4pm
Organizations with youth programs are invited to set up information stations at the school. Youth will visit with organizations to learn about your programs and make connections.
Confirmed:
Does your organization offer programs for youth? Set up a information table and engage with students!
Reach out to programs@LTCES.ca
Garden Party!
5:30pm to 8pm
Join us for a potluck, tour, and celebration in the Lake Trail Community School Garden! Enjoy experimental background music inspired by the garden, provided by local duo CircleComplex.
From music and crafts to gardening, is there an activity you would like to host?
Reach out to gardencoordinator@LTCES.ca
Saturday, May 10th
EVERYONE is welcome to join this vibrant celebration of community spirit and support. Connect with other community members, enjoy a salad bar lunch, and explore hands-on activities for all ages.
Community Connections Day is FREE to attend! Activities begin at 10am and run until 3pm.
Community Organizations!
10am – 3pm
Over a dozen local organizations will be on-site, sharing valuable information and offering engaging activities! Learn about the wide range of services available in our area, meet the dedicated people behind them, and enjoy fun, interactive experiences for all ages.
Whether you’re new to the valley or a longtime resident, come out and celebrate the incredible work our community partners do every day!
Be sure to check out the list of participating organizations below—and keep an eye on it as more are added in the coming days!
Garden Drop-in
10am – 3pm
Learn about what’s growing in the Lake Trail Community Garden, how you can get involved, and create a piece of art to help beautify this community space!
A chance to connect, create, and contribute to something meaningful together!
Art and Other Things!
10am – 3pm
Join fibre artist and LTCES Art Night Facilitator Patricia in creating a collaborative wall hanging. The idea is simple but powerful: many hands, each weaving a few strands, coming together to form a shared work of art—a beautiful metaphor for community connection.
After School Art Facilitator Noah will bring a community flag bunting to life, with everyone invited to add their own creative touch.
Comox Valley Arts and other local organizations will also be offering a variety of fun, hands-on art activities.
And don’t miss the yo-yo whiz—they’ll not only dazzle you with tricks but also show you how to master a few moves of your own!
Community Bike Repair
10am – 3pm
Spring is the perfect time to make sure your bike is in perfect shape for the summer. Come by and learn how to pump up tires, change a flat tire, make some adjustments and ensure everything is working!
Marc from Dirtbag Cycles will give your bike a tune up, and bring your along for the ride. Learn how to do the basic maintenance you need to keep your bike running well.
About Marc: I’m a community bike mechanic, helping people learn how to be self-sufficient and take care of their own vehicles for a more sustainable and equitable world.
CVOX
10am – 3pm
We are so excited to have the Comox Valley Community Broadcasting Society on site! CVOX will be interviewing community members and sharing some DJ-ing skills. Learn about this new community organization, how to ‘tune in’, and awesome volunteer opportunities.
Ambassador Bird Visit
10am – 3pm
LTCES is thrilled to welcome MARS to Community Connections Day! Come meet some amazing feathered friends and learn how MARS works to protect wildlife and habitats on northern Vancouver Island. Their rescued bird Ambassadors—animals that can’t return to the wild—help inspire and educate with the support of passionate volunteer handlers.
Hopes and Dreams for our Community!
10am – 12pm
The LTCES board is made up of volunteer community champions who are passionate about making our neighborhood the best it can be. You’re invited to join them for a fun and interactive activity where we’ll explore what matters most to you. From new programs and fresh ideas to creative ways of bringing people together, your voice plays a key role in shaping the future of our community school!
Alan Jossul Music
10am – 1pm
Have a morning coffee/ tea, or eat lunch while listening to Alan Jossul’s fingerstyle, acoustic guitar playing. Music that is playful, heartfelt and honest.
Pop Up Choir!
11:00am to 12:15 – Rehearsal
12:30 – Performance
LTCES Plant Sale
11am to 3pm
Kick off your gardening season with our first-ever plant sale, featuring a variety of veggie starts and garden plants!
All proceeds support Lake Trail Community Education Society, so you can feel good about giving back while adding plants to your garden for the season ahead. Don’t miss out on this chance to green your thumb and support a great cause!
Have plants to donate? We’re collecting donations for our upcoming fundraiser in support of this fundraiser. Email foodandgarden@LTCES.ca
Drop-in Gym
11am – 2pm
Got some energy to burn? Pop into the Lake Trail Community School gym and play some games in a fun and welcoming space. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
Hands-On Sound Experiments
12:30pm – 3pm
Unseen Sight is West Courtenay’s own experimental music duo. Blending traditional and unusual sound devices into fantastical soundscapes with peculiar and unexpected results. Come play with various noise making devices to create layers and loops of sounds with Josh and Dave, or just sit back and enjoy the musical ride.
Drop-in. No experience necessary!
Anxiety and the Brain Workshop
1:30pm to 2:30pm
A Quest in the Morrison Creek Woods
1:15 – 2:30pm
Welcome, you brave souls, to the World of Wild Craft Play! Find yourselves mystically teleported to the end of the earth as you ignite wonderment and awe in the natural setting of the Morrison Creek Forest with foam swords, props and hidden treasure. Dress with appropriate footwear for running in the woods, a belt on the outside of your clothes, and bring water. Costumes highly encouraged!
For adults and children age 8+. Facilitated by Jamie Black, Founder of Wild Craft Play ‘sCool.
Join us!
Are you a community organization, businesses or individuals who would like to offering information, a workshop or activity for community members? This is an opportunity to share the work you do, and be a part of a meaningful day of connections.
Salad Bar Lunch
Noon: Welcome and Pop Up Choir Performance, followed by lunch
** Lunch will be served until 1:30pm.
One of Lake Trail Community Education Society’s key programs is our weekly free salad bar. LTCES has served over 5000 lunches to students and staff at Lake Trail Community School this year.
Join us at Community Connections Day for a salad bar lunch experience and find out why it is a weekly highlight for Lake Trail students!
We will also have coffee, tea, fruit and treats on offer.
Donations for food and beverages will be gratefully accepted.
Community Organizations
Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Centre.
The Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Centre (CVLLC) assists residents of the Comox Valley to enhance the literacy skills needed to benefit themselves, their families and our diverse community. The CVLLC will be on site with engaging activities including the Community Book Bike!
Foundry Comox Valley
The Foundry is a safe space where youth 12-24 can get free, confidential help and support without judgment. Find out more about their offering and join a FREE workshop for youth on anxiety – details to come!
Wachiay Friendship Centre
Morrison Creek Streamkeepers
MIKI’SIW Métis Association
The MIKI’SIW Métis Association is a non-profit organization. One of their Key Strategic Goals is to provide a permanent community gathering space where Métis people can celebrate culture, share knowledge, and grow the association together.
CVOX – Locally Grown Radio
The Comox Valley Community Broadcasting Society is a donor-funded and volunteer-powered organization enabling public access to broadcasting and dedicated to providing community-based information and music programming representing diverse voices and cultures.
Comox Valley Arts
CV/Arts cultivates a thriving, culturally dynamic Comox Valley through advocacy, partnerships, events, promotion and programming in the arts.
MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre
MARS is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured and orphaned wildlife across Vancouver Island. They also provide education programs to raise awareness about local ecosystems and conservation efforts.
Comox Valley Multicultural and Immigrant Support Society
A registered charity and non profit powered by a volunteer board and members since 1991. Their mission is aimed at increasing overall education and awareness surrounding social & cultural issues, while promoting overall diversity throughout the Comox Valley.
Comox Valley Hospice Society
A registered charity and non profit powered by a volunteer board and members since 1991. Their mission is aimed at increasing overall education and awareness surrounding social & cultural issues, while promoting overall diversity throughout the Comox Valley.
Comox Valley Community Health Network
The CVCHN is a community-driven network that facilitates collective action to positively impact the social determinants of health in the Comox Valley. They believe a healthy, sustainable, resilient community is a shared responsibility.
