Diverse Family Roots

05/27/2026

The Trail & District Arts Council is excited to present a range of great musicians at Kootenay Savings Music in The Park. With two acts per night, it’s the perfect opportunity for all the family to get together outside and listen to great live music in beautiful Gyro Park from June 25 to August 13.
On July 23, RemarkABILITY Fest, in partnership with Diverse Family Roots, will provide unique experiences to engage the public and celebrate inclusion and diverse community.
RemarkABILITY Fest launched last year and our openers, Rock Squad, that includes members who are Autistic, are excited to return!

RemarkABILITY Fest launched last year and our openers, Rock Squad, that includes members who are Autistic, are excited to return!
Rock Squad is a 4-piece band covering classic rockers from the past that will rock your socks off! The band was formed after two members Luc Picard (drums) and Marshall (Guitar) met at Autism BC during one of their Awareness Events.
Luc is also the inspiration for Rock4autism. He was diagnosed with autism before his 3rd birthday, and has been drumming since he could sit up! He won the K-5 talent show in grade 3 with his keys and vocals rendition of Song Sung Blue by Neil Diamond. In 2016 he began performing at Open Mic jams in the Vancouver area, and now he plays bass, drums, keys along with guitar.
Rock4autism had its first Fundraiser at the Paddlewheeler Pub in 2017, because the staff at the pub loved Luc so much. They donated over $2,000.00 to Autism BC at that time, and in 2018 Rock4autism 2 took place at the outdoor stage at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody and that is where Rock Squad was born.
The rest of Rock Squad are Andrew MacFarlane on lead guitar and Dean on bass. Andrew is a very talented professional musician, and has been a supporter of Rock4autism ever since it all started at his Open Mic jam. Get ready to rock with Andy on board!
Playing classic rockers from the past...from Lay Down Sally, to Rock and Roll All Night, to Born to be Wild, you'll want to chill near the dance floor....Luc and Marshall also love to engage with the crowd...we all know it's more fun for the band AND the crowd when there's crowd participation!!

05/27/2026

JUNE 1 .
Minimum wage raises to $18.25 in BC .
For those working , this is great .
For those working , this just gets you closer , quicker to the earnings limit before claw back of dollar for every dollar you go over $16,200 annually .
What to do ?
Nothing - take the hit .
Manage work hours to not take the hit .
It’s never easy - is it !!

05/25/2026

MONDAY MONDAY
A September teaser.😎😎

05/24/2026

DADS MATTER
A Safe space for Dads.

Dads Supporting.
Dads Connecting.
Dads Inspiring.
Every Sunday- 6;30 Pm . 7;30 Mountain.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtf-Cqpz8qGdDOhE0IeVcKZ4KDnkrO2rUg

05/23/2026

EIDES ( Isabella Dickens Elementary School) in Fernie $2 from kids tees and $7 from adult tees headed to Diverse Family Roots.
Thank you Katie Barnett

05/23/2026

RIONDEL R3SET
SILENT AUCTION ITEMS ….. so far 😳🥳🥳

August 20-24

05/22/2026

WELCOMING New board members.

I would like to introduce everyone to :
Jeremy Gauthier- Kamloops.
Lori Watters- Nanaimo.
Lynn Henderson- Fernie.

05/22/2026

Today’s Trail Times .
😎

05/21/2026

SHARING FROM A MOM

We Left This to You (The Demise of Grassroots Organizing and the Costs Disability Housing in BC)



Over the past few decades there has been a change at the provincial government decision making level regarding the provision of housing for persons with disabilities in BC from grassroots organizing to government funded organizations. Many parents tirelessly pursuing housing options for their family members with a disability gave these important mandate responsibilities over to government organizations such as BC Housing, Community Living BC, and BC Non-Profit Housing Association to name a few.



Failed Models and Prohibitive Costs – Unaffordable, Affordable Housing



During recent years regardless of the on-going monumental efforts from parents, parent organizations and community level organizing we have seen little to no progress on housing for persons with disabilities throughout the province of BC. In fact, many of the models still being promoted and funded are the same failed models from decades ago. These are the same exceedingly expensive (multi-million dollar) projects with the same failures to provide adequate, inclusive, affordable and safe options for those with a disability in BC communities. Projects seeing fruition today are often one-off projects based on some confluence of lucky circumstances only available to some in some communities. There is no consistent strategic planning or progressive policy follow through for British Columbians with disabilities for housing. Why are we building so many cost prohibitive projects when there are many more practical and cost-effective models and innovative possibilities available? I am very familiar with the complexities of providing affordable housing in our communities.



Thirty-six years later, in our small ruralish community after more than 30 years of advocacy effort, community-based research, political kicking the can down the road and years of delay we have changed from previously suggested models to a “supportive” (segregated) housing project promoted and soon to be built at great cost in this community without sufficient social support infrastructure. This is also being promoted by a local non-profit and local politicians as a successful “affordable” housing model for this community. This is despite decades of advocacy for inclusive, affordable housing models based on local evidence-based research and community level projects geared to the unique needs of this community. I am not saying supportive housing should not be provided in any community. How it is provided is important and not used as a convenient political tool to make it look like housing for people with disabilities is being addressed. It is an era of provincial and municipal policy where public hearings (Bill 44 and LGA, OCP alignment waivers, random Affordable Housing Policy amendments) community discussion or municipal government transparency are no longer involved in municipal community housing projects. There is no table to get a seat. I have certainly tried.



Why are we taking extensive measures to provide the most expensive regressive models of housing for our persons with disabilities in this province? Many of these projects take years to provide with considerable commitment and herculean efforts by parents, developers, funders and community organizations only to have the funding pulled at the last moment or have housing projects built that are not suitable, appropriate, or available to our family members due to current provincial or municipal housing policies and terms of office. These projects are exceptionally time consuming for families, housing advocates and exceptionally expensive for government funders at all levels, for tax payers and by extension renters.



Please reconsider and rethink the processes and policies in place to provide housing for persons with disabilities in this province before their current substantial lack of housing reaches further critical levels. We owe it to our family members especially the thousands of families who have adults with disabilities still living at home with their parents.

Send a message to learn more

05/20/2026