At press time we are still a fair ways out from the holidays (Hallowe’en’s still more than three weeks away!). However, the spirit of giving, especially to those who need an extra bit of help, is always in season, especially for 100+ Women Who Care Alberni.

A Chapter of the larger 100+ Women Who Care organization, that spans Vancouver Island. Coming together quarterly, these ladies pool their money to help support charities in the Valley, and with more than a hundred members, you can imagine they give quite a bit!

Today, I was lucky enough to have a chat with committee members Jennifer Maher and Darlene Coulson to discuss their upcoming meeting this evening (6pm at the Best Western Barclay on Stamp Ave), a bit of the group’s history, and a huge milestone they recently hit in sheer volume of donations!

If you’d like to learn more about 100+ Women Who Care Alberni, and are maybe considering joining, you can check out their official website, or follow them on Facebook.

Today, October 2nd, marks the end of the Tour de Rock, AKA “Cops For Cancer,” for 2026. Spearheaded by police officers, paramedics and other emergency response workers, this charity bike ride has spanned the length of Vancouver Island, raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society, specifically to support research and programs that help childhood cancer patients.

Ahead of the tour’s conclusion, I had a chance to chat with Port Alberni RCMP Officer Darren Karn to ask how he’s feeling at the end of his first run. He has a bit of advice for anyone who might want to join the tour next year, and a quick check-in regarding essential eating on the Tour de Rock (Swedish Berries for Life!). Oh, and I made sure to ask if he’s going to have to bike all the way home.

At time of posting, the Tour de Rock has raised almost $690,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. If you’re seeing this on October 2nd, 2026, you can still donate here. And, if you’re reading this later, no sweat. There’s always next year!

Thanks so much to Darren and the whole team at Tour de Rock for taking time to chat with me over a long and very busy ride. It’s been a genuine pleasure! Thanks as well for the use of their pictures in this post, and on our social media.

If you’d like to hear more about Darren’s Tour de Rock Journey, check out my other two interviews with him! Part 1. Part 2.

Rain or shine, the intrepid riders of the Tour de Rock keep on cycling! Emergency personnel from around Vancouver Island have joined this ride to help raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society, helping fund research and support programs for childhood cancer patients. And, among their number is Port Alberni RCMP Officer Darren Karn.

My latest check-in with Darren was a bit shorter, due to the breakneck pace of the ride, but we still had a great chat about the communities the Tour de Rock has passed through, the heartwarming fundraising spirit of this island, and the very BEST of treats to munch on while you’re biking for a great cause!

To check out Part 1 of Darren’s Tour de Rock Journey, click here!

To donate to the Tour de Rock and help fight childhood cancer, click here, or donate in person at events like the 10th Avenue Co-op’s Hotdog BBQ while the riders are in town on Friday, September 25th!

More info about the Tour de Rock can be found here.

You’re bound to see a bunch of cyclists on the roads as you drive around the island this week and next. Tour de Rock, aka “Cops for Cancer” is ON! Police officers, paramedics and other emergency service personnel are biking across Vancouver Island to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society, specifically to support research and programs for childhood cancer patients.

And, amongst those riders is Port Alberni RCMP Officer Darren Karn! Over the next week, we’ll be checking in with him to see how his Tour de Rock journey is going, which communities they’ll be in next, and how well the donation drive is doing. In this first interview, we talk about Darren’s recent move to Port Alberni, what sort of training you need to do to bike across this isle, and which communities have floored Darren with their generosity.

If you would like to learn more about Tour de Rock, have a look at their posting on our events page! And to donate and help Darren’s cause, check out the official Cops for Cancer page, here.

Stay tuned on Thursday for Part 2! ~Tom

On Thursday, September 24th you’re invited to hop in on the Port Alberni Association for Community Living’s Annual General Meeting! It’s a great opportunity to learn about what the PAACL does for our community, and get involved yourself.

If you fancy a sneak preview, though, your morning radio guy was lucky enough to sit down with PAACL Director Nicole Uzelman to get the scoop on what you can expect. Have a listen to find out about the work that the PAACL does to support people with intellectual disabilities in the valley, how you can become a member (for a very affordable cost), and what you can learn at the Shared Advocacy keynote address with Dr. Paula Holmes-Rodman after the AGM!

To learn more about the AGM and Shared Advocacy, check out the Peak’s event listing here. Make sure to RSVP by Tuesday, September 21st!

Bryan Adams has dropped a new single, The Ballad Of Terry Fox, which celebrates one of Canada’s most enduring heroes.

Inspired by the extraordinary life and legacy of Terry Fox, the song tells the story of his historic Marathon of Hope and honours the courage, determination and spirit that made Terry an inspiration to millions around the world.

Terry’s journey began with a simple but extraordinary idea: to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. What followed became one of the most powerful stories of perseverance and hope in Canadian history and a legacy that continues to inspire people around the world more than four decades later.

For Bryan, it was Terry’s ability to turn one person’s determination into a movement that inspired the song. The release of The Ballad Of Terry Fox comes as Terry’s story continues to inspire new generations. More than a tribute to a Canadian hero, the song is a celebration of the enduring power of hope, perseverance and the belief that one person can make a difference.

“I remember Terry’s run back in 1980 when I was on tour In Canada playing 200-capacity clubs,” says Bryan. “I was 20 years old and I think Terry was a year older than me.

“When he stopped near Thunder Bay on September 1, I had just played in Ottawa, and his run was all over the news. Thinking back, it was a pivotal time in Canada (after the Quebec referendum). Without knowing it, Terry gave a slightly fractious country a ‘something’ and ‘someone’ that everyone could agree on and unite behind.

“I’m extremely proud to be part of Sean Menard’s film and especially proud of Terry and his legacy.”

The track is accompanies by the official music video directed by Sean Menard, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the upcoming documentary Run Terry Run. The video brings together Bryan’s musical tribute and the story of Terry’s Marathon of Hope, capturing the spirit of a journey that continues to resonate across generations.

Ready for your close-up, Port Alberni? HGTV’s Hometown Takeover Canada is almost done filming here in town! As the deadline looms, there are a lot of questions still up in the air: How’s work been going at the Harbour Quay? What is that big structure that (Tom thinks) looks like something out of the Viking age? How are we going to celebrate the new renovations? And…is everything going to get done on time?

Well, lucky for us, HGTV’s Sarah Keenleyside was nice enough to pop on by the Peak and spill the beans! As a guest host, she’s been working alongside hosts Bryan and Sarah Baeumler to make sure everything is in top form for the big reveal/block party at Harbour Quay on August 28th (more about that here)! And, of course, she couldn’t resist gushing about what a wonderful place Port Alberni is, and how she can’t wait to see more people see how beautiful it is.

Thanks so much to Sarah, and the whole team from HGTV! It was a genuine pleasure.

Hometown Takeover Canada premieres this fall on HGTV, or you can stream it on Citytv+!

#HometownTakeoverCanada

Have you ever wanted to know what it takes to publish your own novel? Dive into it with Port Alberni author Holly Marie Stocking, who recently published the second book in her series The Rós Chronicles!  I was lucky enough to sit down and chat with her ahead of an author talk she’ll be doing on Wednesday, July 29th at the Vancouver Island Regional Library, Port Alberni Branch (more info on that on the Peak’s Events Page). Learn about what kind of world you can expect to encouter in The Rós Chronicles, some of Holly’s influences, and some inside information on what it means to get published. ~Tom

This interview has been edited for time and clarity.