Cloverdale residents will finally get a new high school in 2016. A decision by the provincial government that is long overdue. From the time both of my girls started high school, with one attending Clayton Heights Secondary and the other attending Lord Tweedsmuir they have been extremely overcrowded. So much so that when applying to attend from out of the school boundary they try and trade off with each other to help each other out. Clayton will trade one student for another from Tweedsmuir.

This year my eldest attends Clayton Heights and she has mentioned it's been the worst yet for overcrowding with barely enough room to walk through the halls between classes because the halls are jam packed with students. 

The government also plans on purchasing land for another needed elementary school in the Clayton area as well as another elementary school and long overdue high school in South Surrey.

To read more about the planned schools click the following link:

 http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/02/government-announces-new-secondary-school-for-surrey.html

Happy National Flag Day, Canada! 

National Flag Day in Canada has been recognized since February 15th, 1996, marking the day when the red and white flag was first raised over Parliament Hill in Ottawa back on the same day in 1965. Our National Flag of Canada turns 48 today and proud Canadians fly the flag across the country and around the world.

Happy National Flag Day, Canada! 

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at the Bettina Reid Group.

We hope you spent your Valentine's Day with the ones you love. 

Help support mental health here in Canada by supporting Bell Let's Talk today!

For every text message sent, long distance call made, tweet using the #BellLetsTalk or Facebook share of the Bell Let's Talk image - Bell Canada will donate 5 cents to help fund mental health initiatives across Canada.

Clara Hughes as the face of Bell Let's Talk gives people a sense that if an Olympic athlete who always seems to have a smile on her face can have mental health issues and be okay...than so can anyone. It also goes to show that it doesn't matter what walk of life you come from, mental health issues can affect just about any one of us. The stats are that 1 in 5 of us will suffer some form of mental illness in their lifetime. Clara and Bell are not only trying to bring awareness to mental health but help to remove the stigma that always seems to follow. I know from my own family...if there was ever any issues it was better not to talk about it and hope that it will just go away instead of dealing with it. Which likely only makes the problem worse as people ignore that the family member needs help or makes the family member feel ashamed.

A few weeks ago I talked about Blue Monday and at this time of year when it is cold and wet or snowy outside depression seems to hit even the least likely of us. If Bell Let's Talk can help spread the word I am all for it. Whether you tweet, make a call send a text or share the image on facebook...it's easier than doing just about anything and it's a way to make a difference. So help me support Bell Let's Talk day!

For more information on Bell Let's Talk visit their website at the following link:

Bell Let's Talk 

Happy Family Day from all of us at The Bettina Reid Group!!!

What are you doing with your family today? 

Gong Hey Fat Choy 恭禧發財 Happy Chinese New Year from all of us at the Bettina Reid Group!!!

Chinese New Year is the most important festival in Chinese culture, a time devoted to family and wonderful feasts. This year is the year of the Snake.

Looking for some great activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year visit the following link:

Gong Hey Fat Choy 恭禧發財  

Wishing you prosperity throughout the year!!! 

I was so excited, this was the 1st year we had the opportunity to get out to some of the restaurants in Dine Out Vancouver.

This past weekend we took friends of ours out to dinner at La Piazza Dario's Ristorante Italiano in the Italian cultural centre just a few minutes from downtown Vancouver. We had never been but our friends raved about it, so we thought we'd try it out. We were definitely impressed with not only the food but the impeccable service. The decor is a little dated, but as long as you can get past that you will be pleasantly surprised. Their food was just like an Italian Mama's good cooking. Brought me back to when I was a little girl, where I grew up just outside of Toronto where I was surrounded by Italian Mamas that all wanted to fatten me up "Mangia, Mangia". What child wouldn't love being offered delicious food every time they visited. 

My girlfriend and I tried the Dine Out 3 course menu and really enjoyed our Red Snapper...one of my favourite types of fish to eat. Where the men went for meat and pasta. Every last bite from appetizer to dessert was absolutely delicious.

I highly recommend La Piazza Dario's Ristorante Italiano next time you are looking for good Italian food. Now we have 2 great Italian restaurants to choose from La Piazza Dario's Ristorante Italiano and the Poor Italian  . 

Let us know what your favourite Italian restaurant is!

I wrote about Breast Cancer awareness during Breast Cancer awareness month in back in October.

http://www.bettinareidgroup.ca/Blog.php/october-is-breast-cancer-awareness-month

Today I am writing again as a woman, wife, mother of girls, sister, daughter, niece, grandaughter...and friend.

Another one of my close friends was in the hospital today to have a cancerous lump removed from her breast. The day after I wrote my blog back in October another close friend shared with me that her mother-in-law was also diagnosed with breast cancer and going in for a lumpectomy.

Thankfully both women found out they had Breast Cancer after having their regular mammograms. I don't even want to think of what could have happened had they not gone for their mammogram. Now all we can do is hope for the best and be there to support them.

But the real reason for today's blog was just how shocked I was to find out that only 1 out of the 4 friends I asked today goes for their regular scheduled mammograms. When the stats are that 1 out of 3 women will get Breast Cancer....it scared me to think any one of these women without having had their mammogram, they reduce their chances of early detection and take the risk if they have cancer that it spreads and becomes deadly without having a chance to fight it. It's not something any of us wants to think about, but already 2 of my very close friends one at 30 years and the other at 50 years old have had Breast Cancer. Both very healthy women... they are only 2 of the many women that I know or know of that have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Nowadays I cannot imagine anyone not knowing someone affected by this nasty disease.

Here in BC the province will cover Mammograms for women 40+ years, if you haven't gone for yours....put it in your calendars to do. It's not just about you, it's about those that you love. Encourage the women in your life to get theirs done too. Do what I did and ask those women if they have been getting theirs done regularly and I am sure you will be surprised at how many haven't had the screening done.  

All provinces will sceen for breast cancer if you are between 50-69, but each province has different guidelines for screening from age 40-49. For screening locations in BC click on the following link:http://www.smpbc.ca/Program/Locations+and+Mobile+Services.htm