PGOSAns are up for adventure!

Read more to find out where PGOSAns are exploring.

PGOSA Social Hikers – seeking new activity managers

The Social Hikers activity managers are looking for someone to take over the Friday hiking group. Preference would be two individuals, friends or a couple. The Activity Managers select a hike, usually 10-14 km with a elevation gains up to about 340 metres. The hike is communicated to the members of the group, with RSVP required by Thursday evening at 6. I am typically the leader, with Pat as sweep, but our hikers are always willing to assist with setting the pace and making sure the no one is left behind. We will remain as leaders until the end of the year, or sooner if someone steps forward.

Pat and I will still hike with this group, and we will step up if the new leaders are unavailable for some hikes. We are more than willing to share all of our knowledge, and we hope that the hikers hiking with this group will remain with this group. This group will have been functioning for 5 years come October 1st with Pat and I as leaders. We have enjoyed this group immensely and have welcomed I think over a 100 hikers. We currently stand at over 50 today. We have hikers here in the winter and some in the summer, some who only want to do the occasional hike. We have hiked with a little as 3, Pat and I and one other and with as many at 29 (that was a chatty group that day). The norm is between 8 and 15 a comfortable size.

Contact patandwendy@telus.net if you can help manage this group. Thanks! Pat and Wendy

PGOSA Paddlers

On Saturday, June 13th 2026, six members of the PGOSA Paddlers drove to Anutz Lake and made camp in a large meadow fronting on a beautiful yellow sand beach with a million dollar view. It was windy every afternoon, but on Sunday morning, we six ventured onto Anutz Lake, through the long channel joining it to Nimpkish Lake and explored the perfect calm and reflections of early morning. There we found karst formations in abundance, Quatsino limestone, and many small waterfront caves.

After a well-earned rest, we spent the afternoon at Little Huson Caves and as one member said, it was stunning. A whole river disappears into a wall of limestone and the resulting grotto is sunlit and can be explored.

The next day, Monday, we drove up some not-so-good gravel roads to Schoen Lake Provincial Park. Although it was somewhat overcast and a little windy, the Schoen Mountain is impressive. At one point, we could see ample snow and six or seven high waterfalls. The peak rose straight up from the lake.

9.4 miles at Nimpkish Lake and 7.3 miles at Schoen Lake. The photos below show Anutz Lake, the channel onto Nimpkish Lake, karst formations along the shore of Nimpkish Lake, a backwater bayou with lily pads, Little Huson Caves, and Mount Schoen.

PGOSA Curling update

Greetings all PGOSA curlers, hope you are all missing the curling rink!

Shannon and I have heard from the Parksville Curling Club (PCC).  They are in the process of setting up online registration for our league.  They have advised that;
– registration starts after July 13, 2026 at 10 AM for the fall season.
– payment is not required until the last week of September 2026.
– our league is already listed on their website (parksvillecurling.com).
– PGOSA members will be able to book practise ice online for no charge.
– the fees for the fall and winter seasons are $157.50 (includes 5% tax) per season for the league.
– All curlers must also pay $24 for Curl BC and $5 for Curling Canada once per year.

If you have questions, please email curling@pgosa.org

Hope you have a great summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall.
Shannon Nadeau and Linda Mick

June 15, 2026

For those who have ever considered playing volleyball or just want to have fun with a group of fun people, put this activity on your calendar.
I want to introduce Debbie Laughlin who is the PGOSA Volleyball Manager AND a volunteer with the Oceanside Special Olympics. Debbie is an example of how many PGOSA members give countless volunteer hours to the community. Debbie moved to the island 11 years ago and didn’t know anyone, so she joined PGOSA and experienced a group of fabulous people and activities.
She has managed indoor volleyball for 11 years, and for the past 3 years, they have played on the beach in Parksville. That is a well-kept secret (oops…not anymore). She also played slo-pitch for 2 years.

Her work with the Oceanside Special Olympics includes Slo-Pitch, Track and Field, Soccer and Bowling. For the past few years, a group of PGOSA slo-pitch players, first organized by Randy White, host a super-fun yearly competitions with the Special Olympics athletes. Both PGOSA members and the Special Olympic athletes have enjoyed the matches tremendously.
In May, Debbie added another competition to the schedule, and a PGOSA women’s team was assembled by Sue Maltby. I am guilty of letting my imagination get involved and brought tutus and tiaras. You might ask…did the umpires wear a tiara and tutu? The answer is yes to the tutu and no to the tiara (maybe it was a hair thing).
Debbie would like to say…“I am very grateful to Peter Kucey who sadly left us in 2020. Peter provided so much fun, friendship and great activities-we are truly a lucky bunch.”
We are proud of Debbie and all our PGOSA members that give their time and energy to the community.

Post-game team shot from the Special Olympics vs PGOSA. Can you spot the tutu?

President Rita

June 1, 2026

Well let me tell you of my experience with Barb, Lawanna and Alma who are keen volunteers with an abundance of energy. I’ve always considered myself quite energetic and enthusiastic, but I paled in consideration to these ladies. These ladies have one goal in mind and that is to be completely prepared and organized for the first PGOSA Pancake Breakfast of 2026.
How was I to know that the storage room (I didn’t know that PGOSA has a storage room) had to be emptied, cleaned, inventoried and organized. Did I tell you these ladies are keen and on their game. I was hauling out boxes, bins, sports stuff, and stuff that I didn’t even recognize. Thank goodness Jim Powell and some of the husbands were on hand to help.
The organization of the social events takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work. Organization meetings are happening before June 19th, where I hope I get the task of buying fun aprons for the cooks. I’ve been told that I can be the greeter, but only when I am cleaning up tables. I apologize in advance if I can’t spend too much time yakking, because I am “on probation”. A gentle reminder to me to multi-task will be appreciated. 😉
Please come out to the pancake breakfast and meet Barb, Lawanna and Alma so you can meet these awesome ladies who work tirelessly behind the scenes. And of course…the great food, and Jim’s coffee.
Aren’t you just a little curious about the aprons???

President Rita

Pancake Breakfast , June 17