Positively Abbotsford
Young Learners Launch "Maylloween" for a Classmate
Students at Thomas A. Swift Elementary School proved that you are never too young to make a massive impact. This spring, a Grade 3/4 class learned that one of their classmates was undergoing treatment at BC Children’s Hospital. Wanting to show their absolute support, the class took matters into their own hands and organized a school-wide fundraiser they dubbed "Maylloween."
Staff and students across the entire school were invited to dust off their Halloween costumes in May by donating $4 or more to the cause. Driven entirely by the kids' empathy and energy, the creative dress-up day brought the community together and raised nearly $3,000 for BC Children's Hospital.
A Local Landmark Celebrates 40 Years of Giving Back
A massive congratulations is due to the team at The Honda Way, who kicked off June by celebrating an incredible 40-year milestone of doing business right here in Abbotsford.
Now under its second generation of family leadership with Dealer Principal Brendon Hall, the dealership is using its entire anniversary month as a "Customer Appreciation Month" to focus heavily on the community that built them. Over the last four decades, they’ve been a quiet, steady engine backing local youth sports, Fraser Valley charities, and local health initiatives. To mark the milestone, they've hit the ground running this week by sponsoring and volunteering at local community gatherings, including the Abbotsford Firefighters Charitable Society Golf Tournament. It’s a great reminder of how local businesses can become true anchors of the community.
Bonus Community Note: If you are looking for more local warmth this weekend, the Abbotsford Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) just wrapped up a major facility expansion, adding brand-new care bays, dedicated triage spaces, and specialized equipment to drastically improve mobility-challenged patient care right in the neighborhood.
🌡️ This Week’s Weather Forecast
Coming Events
📅 Around Town: What's On in Abby This Week
Health Talks: Demystifying Healthcare for Seniors
When: Thursday, June 4 | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Where: Garden Park Tower (2825 Clearbrook Rd)
The Scoop: A practical, free community workshop designed to help local seniors and caregivers confidently navigate healthcare services, local resources, and support networks in the Fraser Valley.
Legacy Dance Studio Year-End Show
When: Thursday, June 4 & Friday, June 5
Where: Abbotsford Arts Centre
The Scoop: Come out and support local youth talent! The dancers are hitting the big stage to wrap up their season with high-energy year-end showcases.
"Pressed and Painted" Graphic Guild Exhibition
When: Saturday, June 6 & Sunday, June 7 | 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM daily
Where: Clearbrook Library
The Scoop: Looking for a quick weekend outing? The Central Fraser Valley Graphic Guild is hosting a free weekend gallery highlighting original printmaking and painted works from talented regional artists.
Young at Arts Dance Academy Show
When: Saturday, June 6 & Sunday, June 7
Where: Abbotsford Arts Centre
The Scoop: The local arts scene keeps rolling through the weekend with another fantastic series of youth performances showcasing months of hard work and dedication.
Local School District Music Nights
When: Mon, June 8 (Chief Dan George Middle) & Tue, June 9 (Abbotsford Senior Secondary)
Where: Abbotsford Arts Centre
The Scoop: The year-end concert season is officially here. Pop in early next week to catch some excellent live music from our talented local middle and high school bands.
Artist in Residence Nature Walk & Workshop
When: Wednesday, June 10 (Morning)
Where: Starts at Mill Lake Park (Emerson Shelter) | Ends at Abbotsford Community Library
The Scoop: Join biologist and artist Aysha McConkey for an interactive outdoor stroll and workshop focused on Abbotsford’s unique geography and ecology. Free to attend, but registration is required!
🍹 Social & Nightlife: Out & About in AbbyCreate With Us – Community Crafting
When: Thursday, June 4 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Where: OPEN Space (#110 - 33765 Essendene Ave)
The Scoop: A casual, drop-in social space in downtown Abbotsford for creators. Bring whatever project you’re currently working on—whether it's writing, crafting, or digital work—to hang out and create alongside others. Entry is by donation.
Weekend DJ Night at The Tipsy Barrel
When: Saturday, June 6 | 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Where: The Tipsy Barrel Pub (33720 South Fraser Way)
The Scoop: Looking for a weekend night out? DJ Bruce Briscoe will be spinning Top 40, dance, and country tracks. No cover charge all night, plus drink specials kicking off at 9:00 PM.
Live Country: Bailey Zimmerman Live
When: Wednesday, June 10 | 7:00 PM
The Scoop: A massive mid-week event for local country music fans as the breakout star brings his Different Night Same Rodeo Tour right to the arena stage here in town.
📜 Abbotsford History Moment: When South Fraser Way Was a Railway Line
Today, South Fraser Way is Abbotsford’s busiest commercial corridor—a multi-lane stretch of traffic, shopping centers, and restaurants. But if you stood in the middle of that asphalt back in the early 1900s, you wouldn't be dodging cars; you'd be standing directly on the steel tracks of the Great Northern Railway (GNR).
Long before it became a paved road, this vital strip of land was cleared to connect Abbotsford to a massive international rail network.
The Border Connection: In 1907, the GNR built a line extending north from the international border at Sumas straight through the heart of the Fraser Valley. It ran right along the exact path where South Fraser Way sits today.
The Old Station: The railway line carried both passengers and vital agricultural freight. The old Abbotsford GNR station sat near the intersection of what is now South Fraser Way and Essendene Avenue, serving as a bustling hub for farmers shipping milk and berries out of the valley.
From Rails to Roads: As vehicles took over and local rail traffic slowed down, the tracks were eventually pulled up. The flat, wide, cleared right-of-way left behind by the railway provided the perfect, ready-made foundation for the city to pave its main east-west automotive artery.
Did you know? The slight, sweeping curve you feel in the road today near the downtown core exists entirely because early 20th-century locomotives required a wide, gradual turning radius to navigate the local terrain!
💡 Timeless Frugal Kitchen Tips
The "Liquid Gold" Jar: Never wash bacon grease or meat drippings down the drain. Keep a glass jar in the fridge for saved grease. It acts as a free, incredibly flavorful cooking oil for frying up potatoes, eggs, or sautéing onions.
Stretching Meat with Extenders: In the 1930s, meat was a luxury. To make a pound of ground beef feed a crowd, homemakers would mix in "extenders." Adding cooked rolled oats, cooked lentils, or dry breadcrumbs to meatloaf, meatballs, or burger patties doubles the volume without losing the texture.
Reviving Stale Bread: Never throw away stale bread. Turn it into homemade croutons, run it through a blender for breadcrumbs, or use it for a classic bread pudding. If a loaf of bread is just starting to get hard, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave it for 10 seconds to instantly soften it back up.
🍳 Depression-Era Recipes: Making a Little Go a Long Way
1. The Classic "Poor Man’s Meal"
This was a staple of the 1930s because it relies on three cheap, shelf-stable ingredients: potatoes, onions, and simple sausage or hot dogs. It’s warm, filling, and incredibly easy to throw together in one skillet.
Ingredients:
3 or 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 hot dogs or a bit of cheap smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons of oil, butter, or saved bacon grease
Salt and pepper to taste
How to Make It:
Heat your oil or grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the cubed potatoes and chopped onions to the pan. Cook them down, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes start to get soft and brown on the edges (about 10–15 minutes).
Toss in the sliced hot dogs/sausage.
Continue frying until the meat is browned and the potatoes are completely tender and crispy. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
That is it for this week. Hope you enjoy. Next week I will be adding in a Business Directory and more Employment Opportunities I find online.
If there is anything else you want to see added let me know. I may send out a second e-mail on Sunday depending on time and have some remote work for anyone looking for that type of thing.
Remember be kind to your neighbor and to those in the community.
Contact me at [email protected] with anything you would like to see posted.
Have an awesome weekend!!!