Flight of the 7th Graders

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, seventh graders set to join Prince George's Duchess Park Secondary School start their transition to high school with a bang. Tearing through the hallways as part of a spirited scavenger hunt, they hurry to find their new classrooms, familiarize themselves with teachers and staff, and set the stage for the next five years amidst a backdrop of learning, growth, and community.

The Student

Life can change rapidly. Spencer is from Key First Nation on Treaty Four territory. After experiencing homelessness for five years, his journey led him to embark on a new path and enroll at Coast Mountain College in Terrace, BC. There, the cultural space within the Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat student residence has become very important to his spiritual practice: a place to smudge, to study, and to strum.

Stable Mabels

In Edmonton, knitters gather every other Tuesday in Jasper Place Library to share in craft and company. But knitting is just a means to a precious end: friendship. Together, they've stitched a community they can call upon.

New Beginnings

To have loved and lost is one of life's greatest, and most painful, gifts. And sometimes, we need a little extra hand to pull us out from our loneliest depths. Jim's life took an unexpected turn leading him to join a class at the Arts Centre at Cedar Hill Recreation Centre in Saanich. Through creative expression and a supportive community, opportunities arise to find healing, solace, and purpose in the face of grief.

The Teacher

Books are transformative. At Mill Woods Library, two teachers and their children share how reading has shaped their lives. As newcomers to Canada, they now call Edmonton home—and Mill Woods their home library.

Nourishing Connections

Food, family, and friendship—three things that are closely linked. Three best friends met at the Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat student residence in Terrace and won each other's hearts. Through laughter, shared meals, and mutual support, they make it feel just like home.

Fit Fellas

Men in their 70s, 80s, 90s and 100s gather at the West Vancouver Community Centre for Fit Fellas: a fitness program that has thrived for 45 years and offers much more than just physical exercise. Barry, a lifelong fitness coach who joined Fit Fellas over 26 years ago, tells us about the vitality of this special fitness community.

Barbed Choir

“Strong and wrong”—this choir embraces the indescribable power of making music together. At Whistler Public Library, a communion of voices fills the air with song—pitch be damned. It's not just a place for books, it's a venue for belonging.

Home Away from Home

Slow down. Treat others with compassion. Be grateful for what you have. Regardless of age, these are lessons we learn again and again. And through community connection, we can learn them together. At the Minoru Centre for Active Living in Richmond, people don't have to go through life's ups and downs alone.

Best Friends

First-time moms Becky and Chandy found the transition to parenthood a lonely and isolating experience. At the West Vancouver Community Centre, they found each other, and forged a friendship that changed everything.

Dance Party

The boogie knows no bounds. In Richmond, a dance class for seniors at the Minoru Centre for Active Living ensures there's joy in every step. 50, 60, 70, 80… once the music gets going, every pretense falls away.

Post Polio

The West Vancouver Aquatic Centre hosts a class for polio survivors facing the gradual onset of post-polio syndrome. But in the water, surrounded by friends, the disease no longer takes centre stage.