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- Nov 2 - Caribbean Hub dances for hurricane relief
Nov 2 - Caribbean Hub dances for hurricane relief
Weekly roundup and zombie worms
Capital Daily Team
November 02, 2025
Good morning !
That may have been the most heartbreaking experience in my 50+ years watching professional sports.
I have a feeling many of you feel the same if you followed the Blue Jays’ magic ride that ended oh, so close to a World Series title last night.
I hate to be the guy to remind, but there’s sports-fan pain and there’s real-world pain. Our first story is about a Victoria group putting together a fundraiser to support people in the Caribbean who have been impacted by real-world pain.
You may be waking up an hour later than you did last Sunday.
— Mark
Did you get caught up in the Toronto Blue Jays' thrilling playoff run? |
Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes
🌡️ Weather Forecast
NEWS
Dancing for a cause: Caribbean community rallies to support hurricane relief efforts back home
Graphic courtesy Vancouver Island Caribbean Hub
A group of ex-pats and supporters of the Caribbean community has launched a fundraiser for their compatriots recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
“We’d love to raise $5K, but we understand times are tough,” Kara Randall, a spokesperson for the Vancouver Island Caribbean Hub (VICH), tells Capital Daily.
“We’re hopeful for at least $2K to make a meaningful contribution to hurricane relief.”
Melissa made landfall in Jamaica last Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, and as of yesterday, its winds and destruction had claimed 28 lives on the island. At least 30 died in Haiti, which wasn’t hit directly by winds but suffered severe flooding. Two others were killed in the Dominican Republic.
In Cuba, no deaths were reported, but towns had to be evacuated, with more than 735K people forced to flee before the storm made landfall.
“My island is badly damaged, with homes destroyed and communities flooded,” says Oneil Randall, VICH president, who was born and raised in Jamaica and has friends and family there, including her mother, who lives in Clarendon, not far from where the hurricane hit hardest.
“It took a while to reach her because power has been going in and out across much of the island,” she says.
“Thankfully, she’s OK, but what’s happening there is catastrophic—devastating, really.”
She says people are struggling, and it’s going to take a long time for them to rebuild their towns and lives.
The VICH, which promotes Caribbean culture through arts, events, and education and serves a network of 400+ Caribbean and diaspora members, wants to help and show support.
It’s putting together a community-driven fitness fundraiser—a by-donation series of Zumba classes led by certified instructors, two of whom came up with the idea and will be volunteering their time.
Zumba is a high-energy dance-fitness program that teams Latin-inspired and international music with basic choreography to create an enjoyable cardio workout.
The classes are open to everyone. They’ll take place at venues across Greater Victoria throughout November, including sessions hosted in partnership with the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA)—a key supporter of the initiative.
All proceeds will support relief and recovery efforts in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
“Movement is part of Caribbean life—dance, rhythm, and energy,” Kara Randall says.
“A fitness fundraiser connects our culture to community wellness while inspiring people to move with purpose for a cause that matters.”
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Did you turn your clocks back? Daylight Saving Time ended overnight.
Missing man, Treshaun, 28, last seen Sept. 9 on Gorge E. [VicPD]
Rabbit owners, especially in mid-Island, should be aware of fatal virus.
Saanich road closure for sidewalk construction: Iona between Cedar Hill Cross and Broadmead, tomorrow through Friday.
Single-lane traffic: near 2926 Harriet, today, 9am-3:30pm.
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
