A great story of oysters, friends, and one tenacious hummingbird, sent in by Edwin Ochmanek.

Friends –

Thank you one and all for your generous support, your thoughtful conversation, your laughs and wonderful energy.

Even the those of you that we didn’t know before Sunday felt like family here – some fine connections were made and I look forward to deepening them in the coming year.

We made the donation on-line today; the last day for which donations would be doubled. In the end together we raised $672 which when doubled makes $1,344.

Add to that that at least one friend who couldn’t make it on Sunday made a donation on-line today after I emailed all that couldn’t make it.

While in the overall scheme of things, this might not be a lot of money, but every little bit helps. I am humbled by your care and support.

A number of you asked me to list the names of the companies that donated:

Sawmill Bay Shellfish Company based on Quadra Island, their leases are on Reed Island. Steve and Linda have gone a long way towards making their operation carbon neutral, and while not fully there – who among us is? – they continue to work towards this goal. Their wonderful shellfish can be found at various restaurants and fish mongers around town. I encourage you all to ask for their product by name when reaching for shellfish. Thank you Steve and Linda.

Blue Comet Seafood can be found at Vancouver Farmers Market. Thanks to fishermen Sasha and his father Tony and Michelle who runs their sales truck at the market.

Broadway International Wine Shop – Broadway @ MacDonald – graciously donated some of the wine we enjoyed. This is a daily owned and operated business that has been a presence in Kitsilano longer than I have. They have been wonderful community builders with regular wine tastings, hosting special dinners and supporting fundraisers. Thank you Jason and Chris.

Beyond Bread – 4th Ave and Alma – provided the delicious bread that accompanied the rest. There product is always amazing and worth the trip. Monroe is head baker, and his business partner Jim roasts the coffee. According to the French girl in my life, this is hands down the best baguette in town; and who are we to argue with her?

I encourage you all to support these wonderful businesses, and when you do, to thank them for helping our common cause.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank my wife, who pushed me to follow my desire for the fundraiser, who helped me get it together and take care of the aftermath. Without her it wouldn’t have happened.

I will leave you all with Natalie’s favourite parable that speaks to our current climate situation:

One day a terrible fire broke out in a forest – a huge woodlands was suddenly engulfed by a raging wild fire. Frightened, all the animals fled their homes and ran out of the forest. As they came to the edge of a stream they stopped to watch the fire and they were feeling very discouraged and edge of a stream they stopped to watch the fire and they were feeling very discouraged and powerless. They were all bemoaning the destruction of their homes. Every one of them thought there was nothing they could do about the fire, except for one little hummingbird. This particular hummingbird decided it would do something. It swooped into the stream and picked up a few drops of water and went into the forest and put them on the fire. Then it went back to the stream and did it again, and it kept going back, again and again and again. All the other animals watched in disbelief; some tried to discourage the hummingbird with comments like, “Don’t bother, it is too much, you are too little, your wings will burn, your beak is too tiny, it’s only a drop, you can’t put out this fire.”

And as the animals stood around disparaging the little bird’s efforts, the bird noticed how hopeless and forlorn they looked. Then one of the animals shouted out and challenged the hummingbird in a mocking voice, “What do you think you are doing?” And the hummingbird, without wasting time or losing a beat, looked back and said, “I am doing what I can.”

Thank you – each and everyone of you – for doing what you can.

With love and rage, Edwin