North Island Gazette, September 05, 2013 by Black Press Media Group

GAZETTE See pages 11-14 for the Fall Fair insert

NORTH ISLAND

Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275

48th Year No. 36 THURS., SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

• TROPHY GRAB

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BC Hydro pulls plug on projects J.R. Rardon Gazette editor Two independent renewable power production projects on the North Island appear to have escaped the first round of costsaving cuts by BC Hydro, though additional cuts are forecast as the crown corporation continues a

review of its contracts in the coming months. BC Hydro has cancelled or deferred four electricity purchase contracts with independent power producers, and the total may reach 20 by the time a review of projects is complete, Energy Minister Bill Bennett said Thursday.

Bennett said the review is part of a broader effort by BC Hydro to meet his instruction to “spend less money,” as he leads an effort to reduce costs across all government operations. BC Hydro proposed cutting power purchase contracts, identifying 20 project proponents that

were not meeting their contract obligations due to financing, regulatory or other problems. That nonperformance gives BC Hydro legal authority to terminate or delay

See page 5 ‘Kokish project on track’

Port Hardy teams square off in final of Port Alice tourney. Page 15

• BIKES FOR TYKES

Annual Toy and Rod Run returns to North Island. Page 24

• IN MIDWEEK

For whom the bell tolls

Documentary follows carver’s pole from Fort Rupert to Argentina. Midweek, inside

Kassandra Griffiths, above, disembarks from the bus on the first day of school at Eagle View Elementary in Port Hardy Tuesday morning. At left, Mackenzie Moore approaches the school’s entrance with a look of trepidation. At right, Kerrigan Alfred gets a parting hug from her mom, Amber, before commencing the first day of the new school year.

LETTERS Page 7 NORTH ISLAND LIFE Page 24 SPORTS Page 15 CLASSIFIEDS Page 20-22

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Alice collects mill from the mill Gazette staff PORT ALICE— Neucel Specialty Cellulose Ltd. (“Neucel”) renewed its commitment to the Village of Port Alice last month when it presented a cheque in the amount of $1.12 million dollars to the Village for payment of annual property taxes. This payment represents one of the largest contributions to Port Alice’s operating budget and a renewal of Neucel’s promise to support the local community. Port Alice has a long history as a pulp and paper mill town. Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills originally built Port Alice in 1917. The pulp mill has operated at the current site for 96 years. “The partnership between the pulp mill in Port Alice and its residents dates back almost 100 years and

Port Alice Mayor Jan Allen accepts a $1.12m cheque for property taxes from Neucel CEO Wanli Zhao. Photo submitted

is still going strong,” Port Alice Mayor Jan Allen said. “Neucel Specialty Cellulose has embraced that relationship and is very supportive of the local community and its families. Together we are working toward

maintaining the excellent quality of life that we enjoy in Port Alice and to making this the most livable community on the Coast.” A new ownership group acquired the mill in 2005 and rebranded the opera-

tions as Neucel Specialty Cellulose Ltd. Another change in ownership in 2011 led to Neucel’s acquisition by the Fulida Group, a privately owned textile and manufacturing conglomerate.

This ownership change has breathed new life into the pulp mill and the community through increased investment. “Neucel and its shareholders believe in the importance of community and we look forward to working with local government to ensure the prosperity of the mill and the surrounding community,” said CEO Wanli Zhao. Neucel is a Canadian-based producer of high-quality specialty cellulose, with its office is located in Richmond, B.C. The company is currently conducting strategic investments initiatives to increase its production reliability, to further improve its cost competitiveness, and to enhance its specialty products in order to provide a distinct competitive advantage for its customers.

www.bcschools.cupe.ca @CUPEbcschools cupebcschools

Thursday, September 5, 2013

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VIHA commitment called into question Gazette staff PORT HARDY— Mayor Bev Parnham was able to impart some good news for Port Hardy’s health care at last week’s council meeting: “I’m happy to be able to tell you that a new physician has been hired for Port Hardy.” The new addition is expected to arrive on the North Island in the near future on a twoyear contract. But the good news was tempered by a growing concern over VIHA’s commitment to building a new facility in the town. Councillors saw a copy of a strongly worded letter to the VIHA board questioning its commitment to the North Island project. “We seem to be getting mired up in a lot of technicalities,” explained the mayor. “We’re planning it to death — we know what we want up here but VIHA isn’t listening.” As a result of frustration with emergency room closures in 2011, a Local Working Group formed and, over a six-month period, drafted a series of recommendations which were presented to VIHA. Among those recommendations was Mission Critical Recommendation 32, which recommended “VIHA … support the creation of two integrated Community Care Facilities in the region, starting with Port Hardy.” The response to the LWG’s report was in favour of this move: “VIHA wholeheartedly endorses this recommendation and has committed $100,000

Council Meeting Port Hardy in 2012/2013 to begin planning in earnest.” In subsequent meetings, the LWG was informed that a capital planning marker had been put in place to fund construction of the facility in 2014. But recently the mayor noted with concern a repeated suggestion from VIHA representatives that the proposed integrated healthcare model could be implemented without building a new facility. In her letter, the mayor pointed to the recently completed Oceanside Health Centre in Parksville as an example of the LWG’s vision, and underscored the importance of having all providers under one roof before noting the disparities between the progress on the two projects. “The Oceanside project managed to go from concept to design to finish within eighteen months. Port Hardy citizens are asking why it is taking so long for our facility to be built and I am asking on their behalf why our very committed but exhausted Local Working Group seems to be sent back to the drawing board time after time by VIHA regarding this project. I am also asking whether the (VIHA) Board is still committed to this project and a 2014 build date for the first facility in Port Hardy?” The letter also asks “Why should the citizens of Port Hardy and the Mt. Waddington region be satisfied

with less than the standard of care and superior health outcomes enjoyed by larger communities in the VIHA region from Campbell River south?” The VIHA board will be on the North Island some time around late September for a board meeting, and councillors looked forward to airing their concerns in person. The exact date is still to be finalized. Fire truck Council gave approval for the purchase of a light duty truck by Port Hardy Fire Rescue, though the approval comes with caveats. Fire Chief Schell Nickerson requested approval for the pur-

event, at the rate of $1,000.

“Why should the citizens of Port Hardy and the Mt. Waddington region be satisfied with less than the standard of care and superior health outcomes enjoyed by larger communities in the VIHA region from Campbell River south?” Mayor Bev Parnham

chase of the $9,000 vehicle, a 2006 F250 from Courtenay Fire Department. Nickerson proposed using funds from the Capital Works Reserve with contributions from the Volunteer Firefighters Association, and said the truck would have a host of potential benefits. Director of Corporate and Development Services

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Jeff Long told councillors “There’s a slew of rationale for it. It looks like a fairly good deal.” The council agreed to approve the purchase provided the PHVFA passed a resolution to cover the total cost. Council would then accept the cost of the vehicle’s maintenance. Salmon funds With the BC Salmon

Farmers Association’s AGM slated for Port Hardy later this month, Mary Ellen Waring, the association’s Executive Director, wrote to council asking that it agree to continue its annual sponsorship of the event. With the exception of 2008, the council has been a sponsor since 2005. Council agreed to continue its bronzelevel donation to the

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Bylaw adopted Councillors passed the District of Port Hardy Highway Closure and Dedication Removal Bylaw No. 1014-2013 with little discussion. The bylaw closes a 115.8 square metre parcel adjacent to Douglas Street which was designated on paper as a highway. Long told councillors that the District had posted notice of the intended closure and had received no feedback from the public on the issue. The council approved the bylaw, removing the highway designation and closing the parcel to all traffic.

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We all know that smoking is bad for our health. It has been shown that middle aged men who smoke show a more rapid decline in brain function as they age compared to men to don’t smoke. So here is another active step male smokers can make to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Quit smoking. If you have children, it’s good to have a digital thermometer in the house to take their temperature when they are ill. The advantage of the new digital units is that they can record temperatures in the mouth, armpit or rectum in under a minute. The old mercury-filled thermometers are no longer recommended. The ear thermometers are not recommended for newborns. It’s always interesting when research is done on a certain food and its effect on disease. Some good studies have shown a reduction in the risk of getting Parkinson’s Disease when people eat peppers 2-4 times a week. No one is quite sure why but making them part of your diet can’t hurt.

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VIHA marks milestone in Port Hardy Aidan O’Toole Gazette staff PORT HARDY— Port Hardy’s Joseph Lefort attended his regular monthly appointment with Nanaimo Regional General Hospital renal specialist Dr. Anthony Booth last Tuesday, just as he has done for the past year or so. But this time he was joined by VIHA executives, IT specialists, media representatives and Port Hardy Mayor Bev Parnham. And he did it all without leaving town. Lefort’s video consultation marked the milestone 10,000th use of Telehealth in VIHA since its introduction in 2007. “It sure beats a lot of travelling,” Lefort said of the technology. “It feels the same as being in a room in Nanaimo, but a couple of hundred miles closer.” Telehealth is still an emerging technology but its development could have a major impact on how healthcare is delivered in the future — particularly for the North Island and other rural areas. With 48 participating sites across 18 communities on Vancouver Island, the system allows patients to access specialist care from their local hos-

Above: Joseph Lefort was presented with a certificate marking his participation in the 10,000th Telehealth consultation in VIHA. Left: The view from the conference room of Port Hardy Hospital where local representatives connected with doctors and VIHA executives in Nanaimo and Victoria. A O’Toole

pital. Since its inception, VIHA estimates that use of the system has saved some 50,000 hours of patient travel time.

“This is really significant,” said Mayor Parnham, a member of the Mount Waddington Health Network. “Travel (for medical

visits) can be a huge drain on families. Quite often it leads to families leaving our communities.” Through the system

a patient in Port Hardy, for example, can travel to the local hospital and be connected with a specialist in Victoria, saving a seven-hour

trip each way — and the associated costs — for what may be a 10-minute consultation. At the last public Health Network Forum in Port Hardy, the travel barrier was cited as a contributing factor to the region’s poor health statistics. Time, cost, inconvenience, access to a suitable vehicle and winter road conditions all add up to missed appointments and consultations. In turn, chronic conditions go undiagnosed and untreated. Telehealth is seen as part of the remedy to this particular malady, through bringing healthcare to the patient. While oncology was the first field to take advantage of the system when it was introduced, an increas-

ing number of other specializations have become involved in the system, as was made evident by Tuesday’s milestone. Providers in thoracics, cardiology and mental health, among others, have now joined the Telehealth program within VIHA. Complimentary technology has and continues to be developed to facilitate these consultations. In the case of cardiology for instance, a nurse can use a digital stethoscope on the patient while a specialist hundreds of miles away can hear the heartbeat and direct the placement of the stethoscope using a chest diagram and pointer. For more information on Telehealth programs see www.viha. ca/telehealth.

North Island Community Services Society would like to invite you to our

35th Annual General Meeting Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 Time: 6:00 pm Place: Old School - Seniors Room - Port McNeill Cost: $1.00 - one year membership in Society, fee must be paid to be eligible to vote Financial Review Society Report Election of Directors The meeting is open to the public

Port Alice Seafood Dinner & Auction ~ Saturday, September 21st Famous annual seafood dinner, auction & meet the Tour de Rock riders. 6pm at the Port Alice Legion. Tickets available at the legion.

Port Hardy Community Event ~ Sunday, September 22nd

Meet the riders, head shaves & presentations. 11am at Carrot Park in Port Hardy. Everyone welcome.

Port McNeill Block Party ~ Sunday, September 22nd

BBQ, family fun, meet the Tour de Rock team. 4pm – 7:30pm at Black Bear Resort. No admission fee. To ﬁnd out more, contact: North Vancouver Island Community Giving Co-ordinator, Patti Mertz. Cell: 250.218.7158 ~Email: pmertz@bc.cancer.ca Visit us on Facebook: Facebook.com/CopsforCancerBC OR follow us on Twitter: @Tourderock and mention #CopsforCancerBC

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Kokish project on track from page 1 contracts. The four contracts cancelled or deferred last week were not named by BC Hydro or the Ministry of Energy and Mines, citing legal constraints. Two major powerproducing projects are expected to come online on the North Island in the coming months — the Cape Scott Wind Farm on the northern tip of Vancouver Island is scheduled to commence test transmissions this month, and the Kokish River Hydroelectric Project near Beaver Cove is scheduled to come online early next year. “I haven’t heard anything about our project being cancelled, and I think I’d have heard by now,” said Chief Bill Cranmer of the ‘Namgis First Nation, which is partnering with Brookfield Energy on the Kokish River project in a joint venture called the Kwagis Power Limited

Pa r t n e r s h i p . flow both to “We have a [more-online and from the m u l t i - y e a r northislandgazette.com North Island contract with and opening BC Hydro. We’ll be the door for Cape Scott delivering power by Wind Farm to share its January or February, renewable energy with and we’re right on the island and the provschedule. We’re pretty ince. excited about it nearing The Wilderness competition.” Committee applaudBC Hydro has con- ed the announcement tracts with 81 operating of the cancelled or projects, mostly run-of- deferred projects, but river hydroelectric, and called for Bennett another 47 are under to name the projects construction or seeking affected while conpermits after receiving tinuing to cut costs by “cancelling many more purchase contracts. One of those is the unneeded contracts Cape Scott Wind Farm, with private hydrowhich is nearing com- power producers.” Joe Foy, the pletion and scheduled to begin contributing W i l d e r n e s s energy to the grid in Committee’s national campaign director, October. Brian Arsenault, singled out the Kokish project manager for River project on a short the Cape Scott Wind list of private power Farm, could not be projects the organizareached for comment. tion opposes on enviBut BC Hydro earlier ronmental and finanthis year expanded the cial grounds. “The Kokish River carrying capacity of its North Island trans- on Vancouver Island, mission lines, add- the Upper Lillooet ing infrastructure that north of Pemberton will allow power to and Kwoiek Creek

www.northislandgazette.com

in the Fraser Canyon are three examples of major private power projects in the works that risk great environmental and financial damage to our province,” Foy said Friday in a written release. “These contracts need to be rejected and the projects stopped dead.” BC Hydro released its latest draft resource plan last week, which estimates the province has enough electricity supply to meet growing demand for the next 10 years. Bennett said he is skeptical about that forecast, with population growth and industrial demand from new mines and natural gas development in northern B.C., but it gives the utility some breathing room. “I’m a real fan of the clean energy industry, but obviously we don’t want to be agreeing to buy more power than what we need,” Bennett said. With files from Tom Fletcher, Black Press.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Malcolm Island Economic Development Strategic Plan The Regional District of Mount Waddington proposes to engage the services of a consulting firm to undertake an Economic Development Strategic Plan for Malcolm Island. Project Description Sointula/Malcolm Island is experiencing a declining population and is at risk of losing vital business and community infrastructure that threaten its long term viability for investment, enterprise and working families. While the Official Community Plan (OCP) provides helpful guidance to react to development interests, many feel a more proactive approach is needed to generate development within those guidelines. There is an opportunity to guide the efforts of the Malcolm Island Grassroots Development Forum (MIGDF) through the development of integrated community economic development objectives within a strategic plan and associated community SWOT analysis. This plan and analysis will be the principal foundation in the building of the Forum’s capacity to affect change, in concert with local organizations, government and other interests. Contacts and Proposals Project Details and clarification of terms and conditions of the proposal process shall be directed to: Pat English, Manager of Economic Development Regional District of Mount Waddington Phone 250-956-3161 E-mail penglish@rdmw.bc.ca An electronic copy of the proposal marked Malcolm Island Economic Development Strategic Plan, addressed to Pat English, Manager of Economic Development, penglish@rdmw.bc.ca must be received by 4:30 p.m., Friday Sept 20, 2013. Submissions received after this time will be returned to the sender.

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

COMMENTARY

Comments? Box 458, Port Hardy, B.C. V0N 2P0 250-949-6225 Fax 250-949-7655 or email us at editor@northislandgazette.com

Fair marks new season

Well, apparently summer has wrapped up on North Vancouver Island. You’ve just shipped your kids back off to school (was that cheering or wailing we heard from down the street?). This weekend, the many volunteers, entertainers, judges and vendors of the Mount Waddington Regional Fall Fair will take over Chilton Regional Arena in Port McNeill. But lets be real. It may be called the “Fall” Fair, but the calendar says we’re still a couple of weeks from the first day of fall. And the local fair is, in reality, a celebration of summer. Those displays of vegetables, herbs, fruits, cut flowers and potted plants? All grown, harvested and displayed in summer. Preserves? Canned salmon? Ditto. Thanks to a first-time collaboration between the Fall Fair and the North Island Farmer’s Market, these displays are not only for viewing — many of the home-grown foods and preserves and handmade crafts you see on display at the fair will be available to take home from the market. It’s a great way to recognize, honour and relive the best days of a summer that, frankly, has been among the most pleasant in recent memory. Yes, it’s been a great season of growing, preserving, fishing, camping and travel. With the kids in school and the gardens winding down, however, we all know a change of the seasons is in the offing. And, as Canadians, we know fully well the season next up on the calendar: Hockey season, of course.

We Asked You Question:

Will the Federal riding change impact the North Island’s representation?

Yes 15%

No 85%

www.northislandgazette.com Total votes received for this question: 7 Voting deadline is Monday at 3 p.m.

Back to school labour disputes VICTORIA – Another school year dawns in B.C., with the prospect of disruptive labour disputes. First up are 27,000 support staff, in a legal strike position. These are the teacher aides, custodians, bus drivers and crossing guards. Most are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, with a few Teamsters and other locals scattered around the 60 school districts. Public discussion about these disputes usually focuses on wage increases, which CUPE members in schools haven’t seen for four years. Their current deals expired more than a year ago, after they were subject to the same two-year wage freeze imposed on the rest of government. The B.C. government moved from the post-recession wage freeze to a system they call “co-operative gains,” where raises must be financed by savings in other areas of the opera-

B.C. Views

with

Tom Fletcher

tion. Only two provincial employee groups have yet to do this: school support staff and teachers. Let’s look at a few provisions CUPE doesn’t talk about, on behalf of those self-employed taxpayers who have no paid holidays, no employer pension or benefits and no paid overtime, but are expected to help pay all of the above to government workers. The 60 contracts have many variations, but core elements are the same.

The North Island Gazette is published Thursdays at Port Hardy, B.C. by Black Press Ltd. Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #391275. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

OK, parents, you’ve survived the summer with the kids under foot every day. Take a moment for yourself with school back in.

Sorry, kids. Break time is over. Hope the vacation went well, but it’s time to crack the books and get back to class once again.

In the Central Okanagan school district, the starting CUPE wage rate is $17.37 an hour. The top rate is $26.59, or $28.78 for workers who qualify for a “trades adjustment.” All contracts have rigid seniority and “bumping” clauses to ensure that new employees absorb any reductions in working hours. From a taxpayer’s perspective, this leads to the maximum number of employees making the highest wages. Overtime in Central Okanagan is time and a half for the first two hours, and double time after that. Contracts also include the provision that unscheduled overtime is subject to a fourhour minimum. It’s amazing how often an unexpected hour of work can arise when it’s paid at quadruple time. Then there are paid sick days. The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation reports that the average B.C. private sector worker took 7.4 sick days last year. The A member of

This North Island Gazette is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province's newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REPORTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SALES REPRESENTATIVE . . . . . . . . . . . OFFICE MANAGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Follow us on Facebook: North Island Gazette

. Sandy Grenier . . . . JR Rardon Aidan O’Toole . Lisa Harrison . Sandy Grenier

public sector average was 12. The Surrey contract details the windfall of unused sick days that must be paid out to employees who retire as early as age 55. The maximum is 150 days, for a lavish perk only available to employees hired before July 1, 1996. Even so, we’ll be paying these bonuses out for years to come. It goes on and on. Six weeks’ paid vacation after 20 years, with an extra day per year after that. There are many little things, such as a $60 “swimsuit allowance” for teacher aides who take part in swimming instruction. This is not to devalue the work done by these people. It is to suggest that given the growing gap between public and private employment benefits, finding savings is reasonable. Tom Fletcher is legislative reporter and columnist for Black Press. tfletcher@ blackpress.ca

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One year home delivered North Island subscription = $48.05 (includes GST) For other subscription rates call the Circulation Dept at 250-949-6225

Thursday, September 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 7

letters editor@northislandgazette.com

Celebrating a North Island life

Dear editor, Our heartfelt thanks and praise to everyone who pulled together for a Celebration of Life for our precious sister, Mary Sherlock. Mary called Port Hardy home and we are so happy she found one. Meeting the people in this community, the family, friends, and coworkers who have stood by us and helped, and hearing the words spoken at her celebration make it easy for us to understand why Mary found her home here. We will be bringing that love we felt back to our homes and will carry it with us

always. Thank you to Mayor Bev Parnham for acknowledging Mary’s contribution to what she saw as her civic duty — to make the world a better place for everyone. Thank you to North Island Community Services for acknowledging that Mary went above and beyond in her work with NICS and her ability to think outside the box – and sometimes push the boundaries to make things the best they could be for the people she was supporting. Thank you to everyone from SD85 for acknowl-

Dear editor, While the Conservatives have spent the summer talking about their forthcoming First Nations Education Act, they continue to ignore the elephant in the room: the federal government dramatically underfunds First Nations students’ education. For a country like Canada, it’s shocking that only a third of high school students on reserve graduate each year. And while the reasons are complex, one stands out: the federal government, which is solely responsible for financing First Nations education, only funds First Nations students two-thirds of the average funding per student that the provinces provide to other schools. This financing gap contributes to lower test scores, stunning drop-out rates and a failure to equip students with the tools they need to compete and succeed in the modern workforce. It’s a big problem, especially since more than a quarter of the Aboriginal People in Canada are under 14. This is a huge loss for our economy. Canada is coping with a lack of highly skilled people in the workforce, a problem which is

projected to worsen. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders say higher investments in Aboriginal education are needed to employ this generation. One study found that by increasing Aboriginal education rates to the same level as non-Aboriginal Canadians could add $160 billion to the economy over the next seven years alone. Sadly, nothing is being done, government spin notwithstanding. Despite the Conservatives being in power for almost eight years, the Auditor General found the government cannot demonstrate any progress in closing the First Nations education gap. Their record of neglect is shameful. And they continue to deny there is even a problem. Giving all children a high-quality, relevant education and an equal opportunity to succeed is a core Canadian value. It is the right thing to do, and it’s also good for economic growth. It’s high time we closed the gap. Yours sincerely, Carolyn Bennett, MP Liberal Party of Canada Aboriginal Affairs Critic

Close the gap

Letters to the editor

"Mary called Port Hardy home and we are so happy she found one."

edging Mary’s commitment and sheer joy in working with the kids at PHSS and her delight in being involved in every event – especially if there was a costume involved! Thank you to North Island College for acknowledging Mary’s love of learning, her commitment to her personal

goals, and the camaraderie she nurtured with fellow students, faculty and staff. Thank you to North Island Crisis and Counselling Centre Society for acknowledging Mary’s involvement with the Crisis Line and her continued commitment to the work you do. Thank you to the

& Ra s t n Ra ves

Lighthouse Resource Centre for acknowledging Mary’s volunteering as bell ringer for the Christmas Hamper Fund; we can see her standing there in her Santa hat smiling and chatting with everyone. Thank you so much for sharing some of the words on the card for Mary from the folks at the Centre and for letting us imagine the lineup of people to sign that card and share a thought of Mary. Thank you to Mary’s fellow students, friends, coworkers and community members who came in to share the day. All the speakers shared “a Mary

story” that came from the heart. Thank you to Providence Place for facilitating the venue that was so warm to host the celebration of Mary’s life. Many hands make light work; special kudos to the organizers: Bob Cadwell, Nikki Shaw and family, Joan Holm, and baking from Mary’s coworkers from NICS. Thank you/Gi’lakasla Port Hardy for giving our sister a place to call home. We’ll be back! Tom Sherlock, Surrey Susan Sherlock, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Debris disgrace I walk my dogs every day at Thomas Point beach, it is a fantastically beautiful beach... except for the massive amount of rusty debris left! From where I don’t know! It is either car or airplane parts from long ago just left to rot. The amount of debris is shocking!

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Susan Kinley Port Hardy

Dave Landon Motors Ltd. has a career opportunity position open for an

Automotive Salesperson We are looking for that special person with superior customer service skills, a dedication to continual product training and the competitive drive to achieve sales targets. This position has the potential for advancement to a management role based upon proven sales results and exceptional customer satisfaction. If you feel you have the skills and ambition to meet and exceed our expectations please send a resume to dlsales@telus.net or make an appointment to apply in person to Todd Landon by calling 250-949-6393.

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The goal is to publish every letter, so keep them brief, clear and to the point. Be hard on the problem, not the person; skip quotes except where readily confirmable; accept editing for length and legality. Include full name and home community (plus phone number to confirm authorship). Mail, fax, email or drop off c/o the editor by 4:00 pm Friday.

8 www.northislandgazette.com

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Things to do on the

NORTH ISLAND

September 5 Sointula’s Vancouver Island Regional Library branch hosts parents/grandparents and kids craft and story time, 3-4 p.m. Info, 250-973-6493. September 7 Port Hardy Library branch hosts children’s story time and crafts, 10:30-11:30 a.m., featuring stories by author Melanie Watt. Info, 250-949-6661. September 7-8 Mount Waddington Regional Fall Fair at Chilton Regional Arena, Port McNeill. Enter or view locally produced arts & crafts; baking, preserves and beverages; flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits; art and photography, and much more. Entertainment, concession, more. To volunteer or for more info, call Brenda at 250-9497778 or email fleeton@telus.net. September 11 Port McNeill Scouts and Girl Guides host an open house, 6-8 p.m. at the Scout/Guide Hall, 420 Shelley Cres. For more info, Jed Jackson, 250-956-3808 (Scouts) or Cathy Griffith, 250-956-3749 (Guides). Online registration under way at www.girlguides.ca. September 11 The North Island Community Services Society AGM, 6 p.m. in the Seniors Room, Old School, Port McNeill. The meeting is open to the public but a $1 annual society membership is required to vote. September 12 Port Alice Library branch hosts a book discussion with Fran Guenette, 7-8 p.m. Info, 250-284-3554.

September 14 Port McNeill Lions Club hosts its second annual North Island Night, 7-9 p.m. at the Lions Hall. Featuring art show and sale presented in cooperation with North Vancouver Island Artists’ Society, along with wine samplings and cheese tasting. Tickets $15 per person at the door; for info call 250-956-4296. September 15 Annual Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Port Hardy Secondary School track. Registration at 9:30 a.m.; refreshments provided. Pledge forms available at Port Hardy Recreation Centre. Info, Melinda, 250-949-6686 days. September 15 Port Hardy Baptist Church hosts dinner and familyfriendly movie night, with two showings, 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Doors open at 3, dinner served between 5-6 p.m. $2 per person includes movie and popcorn, addition concession available. www.porthardybaptistchurch.ca. September 15 Hardy Bay Seniors host hamburger/hot dog barbecue, by donation, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., 9150 Granville. September 18 Port Alice Community Centre Club Night and Learning Centre open house, 7-9 p.m. Register for local clubs and organizations in the gym; in the computer room, meet the executive, explore new learning centre offerings and bring your questions or suggestions for future courses Port Hardy

RETURN-IT CENTRE & BOTTLE DEPOT

MEETINGS & ONGOING EVENTS

• Are you interested in being part of the team? Join the PH Fire Dept. drop-in meeting every Thursday at 7 p.m. at the fire halls. • Port Hardy Museum & Gift Shop open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 am to noon, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. • Quatsino Museum & Archives is open Friday to Sunday from 1:00-2:00 pm. Open daily July & August. FMI quatsino.museum@recn.ca • Every 1st & 3rd Saturday at 7pm: Coal Harbour Activity Centre Game Night. Bring a friend. Free. FMI 250-949-0575. • PH Lions Club Bingo every Thursday. Doors open at 5:30pm. • The German Edelweiss Cultural Club meets Thurs. at 7pm in PH Inn Pub. FMI 250-2301376.

Drop off your cans & bottles and all proceeds will go to the Gazette Hamper Fund. Hours: Thursday - Sunday 10am - 5pm

9300 Trustee Rd. • Port Hardy

250-949-7700

Herb Saunders Contracting would like to let our customers know that we now have

Good Sandy Top-Soil Also along with our construction equipment we have:

• Blast Rock • Bed Sand • Pit Run • Drain Rock, etc

Herb Saunders Contracting 901 Lanqvist Lane, Port McNeill 250-956-4598 ask for Ev for details.

Spa Therapist: $9,900 Hair Artistry: $9,900 Nail Technology: $3,900 #3B-311 Hemlock St. (Above Subway) Port McNeill

250-956-0004

products available

or improvements. Courses starting in September include digital photography, fitness, cooking, gardening, arts & crafts and more. Info, 250-284-3912. September 18 Port McNeill branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library hosts a back-to-school homework help session, 6-7 p.m. Info, 250-956-3669. September 19 Sointula branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library hosts a museum conference kickoff with Dr. Ed Dutton, University of Oulu, Finland, 7-8 p.m. Info, 250-9736493. September 20 Community Futures Mount Waddington hosts its annual Open House and barbecue fund-raiser to benefit the Gazette Hamper Fund, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 14-311 Hemlock St., Port McNeill. Come meet the staff and enjoy a salmon burger or hamburger, by donation. Info, 250-956-2220. September 21 Mount Waddington Highland Dance Association hosts its annual Highland dance competition, 9:30 a.m., North Island Secondary School. Features competition across multiple skill and age levels, as well as team and individual choreography classifications and the hornpipe challenge. Vendors, concession. September 21 Port Hardy branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library hosts an Introduction to VIRL for parents of home-schooled children, 10-11 a.m. Info, 250-949-6661. September 21-23 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock kicks off its 2013 ride on the North Island. Kickoff Saturday night in Port Alice with dinner at 5:30 p.m. followed by auction at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 180; tickets $20; Sunday begins tour with ride to Port Hardy’s Carrot Park and on to Port McNeill. Monday, it’s off to Woss before finishing up that evening in Sayward. More event details to follow. Info, www.tourderock.ca.

SPIKETOP CEDAR LTD.

Quality lumber since 1992

• Siding • Decking • Fencing • Timbers

Air dried clear lumber in stock

5935 Steel Road (TACAN Site) Call Jim: 250-949-1283 • Fax: 250-949-6865 burgess@cablerocket.com

custom cabinets Free in-home consultations Contact our Port McNeill design consultant Anna Goldsbury 250-902-1114 www.budgetblinds.com

Let us create beautiful, custommade cabinetry for every room in your home. Choose your style, colour and the perfect finishing touches. Our quality products and service are guaranteed.

the cabinet shop 250-956-4659

423 Pioneer Hill, Port McNeill

www.cabinetshop-portmcneill.com

Thursday, September 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 9

Monument funding approved for Bella Bella Gazette staff SH E A RWAT E R — The federal government last week announced up to $50,000 for a new project in Shearwater, which recognizes the importance of the former Bella Bella Air Force Base, now known as the community of Shearwater, during the Second World War. The monument will honour all of the military force members involved in the war effort in the

area. The funding, provided through the Community War Memorial Program and announced by Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs Aug. 29, will support the construction of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Station Bella Bella War Memorial. “Monuments and cenotaphs serve an important role in our remembrance,

because they are permanent symbols of the pride and gratitude Canadians share for our nation’s truest heroes,” said Minister Fantino. “It is important that we erect sacred edifices such as the RCAF Station Bella Bella War Memorial, and in doing so, inspire a renewed sense of remembrance within the community. This is why our Government continues to provide support for the building of ceno-

Slow down for school zones

Back to school! Time to learn about waiting your turn, lining up nicely, being courteous to others and following the rules. No, I’m not talking about students, I’m talking about the adults, because many of the traffic problems found in school zones are caused by parents driving their children to school. Even the occasional teacher might bend the rules if they are late for work. We all know that school zones are in effect on regular school days. Until recently, these days were determined at the provincial level and were uniform across B.C. Today, the school calendar

is determined by each school district, so there could actually be a difference from one district to another. For safety’s sake, it’s probably best to slow to the posted 30 km/h limit throughout the school year unless it is a statutory holiday. Let’s change the viewpoint from go to stop now. Parking around schools may create its own hazards by limiting visibility and proper movement. You probably don’t need me to remind you that children act on the spur of the moment without thinking their actions through. This makes them a significant hazard as they pop up in unexpected and inappro-

priate places. You increase the problem when you park or drive in places that you are not supposed to. Confusion is a bad thing in traffic. I’ve investigated child pedestrian deaths and I can assure you that it is not something you want to be involved in, even remotely. Take a few seconds extra around school zones. It won’t cost you much more out of your day; in fact, the savings could be substantial. Tim Schewe is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. To comment or learn more, please visit www.drivesmartbc. ca.

Pursue Your Career at Transport Canada Are you experienced in airport maintenance and seeking a challenging opportunity? Transport Canada is looking for a qualified individual to fill the following position in Port Hardy, BC: Airport Maintenance Specialist (GL-MDO-06) Reference #: MOT13J-010508-000011

taphs and monuments in communities across the country.” The Denny Island Community Development Association erected an obelisk monument commemorating all service men and women involved in the war effort in the area. It is co-located with a totem pole which was erected to commemorate First Nation Veterans. Commemorative

Smoking at school

plaques and a storyboard were installed as well as a flagpole and an RCAF flag. The plaques commemorate the crash of ‘Canso 9789’ in 1943, which resulted in the loss of one airman, as well as the loss of the vessel ‘BC Star’, which departed Bella Bella on July 24, 1943, and disappeared in Hecate Strait with the loss of all 15 seamen on board. The names of the First Nation

Veterans were added to a plaque installed at the base of the totem pole. The storyboard tells the history of the former base during the war. The Community War Memorial Program allows the government to partner with community groups and local organizations to build new cenotaphs and monuments to commemorate the sacrifices of veterans and men and women in

NISS principal Jay Dixon and Sea View Elementary principal D’arcy Deacon man the grill Wednesday during the annual School District 85 staff barbecue in Port Hardy. The lunch came during a two-day conference at the district office for staff J.R. Rardon and school administrators.

WALK-ON WATERFRONT LISTINGS Quatsino - $575,000

2 lots combined for a total of 23.47 acres. Beautifully landscaped with 420’ of oceanfront. Many extras including an Eaglecraft aluminum boat.

Lund Street - $699,000

Key duties include the maintenance of airfield and airport surfaces during varying seasonal environments as well as minor repairs of equipment and structures on site.

Nimpkish Heights - $399,000

Walk-on Riverfront property of 6.1 acres and beautifully updated 3+ bed, 2 bath home. Very private!

Open House

225 Cedar - Port McNeill Saturday, Sept. 7 • 12pm-3pm

Learn more about this position and how to apply at www.jobs.gc.ca by consulting the reference number listed above or by calling 1-800-645-5605. Interested? If you meet the requirements and reside in Canada or if you are a Canadian citizen residing abroad, please apply online before September 16, 2013.

uniform. Applications to the Community War Memorial Program can be submitted at any time during the year and are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Interested non-profit groups and other organizations may be eligible for funding to build new memorials or to make major additions to existing ones. For more information, please visit www.veterans.gc.ca.

Almost 4,000 sq. ft. custom home with amazing views of Hardy Bay and the coastal mountains. Catch crab and ﬁsh right outside your house.

Karin Moeller & Sandra Masales www.royallepage.ca • 250-949-7231

You must come & see this amazing family home with spacious rooms, beautiful ﬂoors & all a family could want including approved woodstove, tons of indoor storage space, 4 bdrms, 3 baths & a lovely level fenced yard front & back

10 www.northislandgazette.com Thursday, September 5, 2013

Humpback whale BCY0291, nicknamed “K.C.”, shows propeller injuries to his dorsal fin in a photo taken in August off the coast of Vancouver Island. Christy McMillan/MERS

Boat collision injures young humpback

Gazette staff The young humpback whale known as “KC” is portrayed leaping joyfully in a full breach on the cover of the current Vancouver Island North Visitors’ Guide. But he was laid low when he was struck by a boat off the coast of Vancouver Island in late August. “While, fortunately, KC’s injuries seem superficial (at least for now), this incident is not an isolated one and serves to illustrate the growing problem of vessel strikes on the B.C. coast,” Caitlin Birdsall wrote on the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network blog Wild Whales. KC, officially identified as BCY0291, came away from the encounter with what appears to be propeller scarring on his dorsal fin. Otherwise, he appeared to be in good condition when photographed following the incident by Jackie Hildering of the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS). Details of the strike

K.C., as he appears on the cover of the current Vancouver Island North visitors’ guide. Jackie Hildering

are unknown, as it was not reported. But KC’s boat encounter is just the latest in a series of near-misses — and one notable whale-boat collision — this year in B.C.’s coastal waters. In May, Ray Boyd of Campbell River required facial surgery after a whale breached in front of his boat and collided with it near Kelsey Bay.

That whale was not spotted in the immediate aftermath of the strike and its ultimate fate is unknown. The incident prompted whale researchers to renew their call for heightened awareness on the part of boaters, with increasing numbers of humpback whales plying local waters over the past decade. Adult hump-

backs range from 13 to 14 metres long and can weigh up to 40 tonnes, said Christy McMillan, president of MERS, and their behaviour in the water can be highly unpredictable. “Baleen whales surface unpredictably, much different from how boat operators are conditioned to expect as their experience is most often with killer whales,” Hildering said. “Humpbacks are new back to the coast and are in unpredictable locations.” Humpback whales have returned to the straits off Vancouver Island’s east coast in substantial numbers after several decades of infrequent sightings, the result of commercial whaling in the 20th century. Their return requires a new level of awareness on the part of both tour operators and private vessel owners, both MERS and the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network caution. To help avoid collisions and protect the health of both humans

The reel deal

A group of canoe paddlers takes advantage of a recent pleasant day to try some fishing off the breakwater in Port McNeill harbour.

and whales: • Be on the lookout for blows at all times. Large whale blows can often be seen from a long distance; • Be aware that humpbacks may surface unpredictably, sometimes after 5-10 minutes underwater; • Use extra caution

Mammal Incident Reporting hotline at 1-800-465-4336. • If you spot the distinctive whale flag, an orange-yellow-andblack circular image bearing a humpback fluke, on a nearby vessel, it means whales are in the area. Slow down and watch for blows.

2nd Annual

Pet Photo Contest

Vote Online Oct. 10 via Facebook Think your pet has what it takes to be crowned the cutest? Enter our Cutest Critter Photo Contest, and your pet could win!

FIRST PRIZE

$100 Cash MORE PRIZES TO BE ANNOUNCED These pets are so doggone cute, we need everyone’s help picking a winner! Cast Your Vote for the Cutest Pet on Facebook page Oct. 10

Email photos to reporter@northislandgazette.com or drop them off in person at the Gazette office on Market Street in Port Hardy.

Only $5* per photo *Entry fee must be paid by deadline to ensure entry.

Deadline for entries is Oct. 1. Winners will be announced in the issue of the Gazette Oct. 24

If emailing, photos should be as large as possible in .jpg format and don’t forget to include contact info.

GAZETTE NORTH ISLAND

J.R. Rardon

when travelling at high speed; • Ask marinas where humpbacks have been sighted frequently and reduce speed in these areas; • If you know of a collision or see boats driving recklessly around whales, call the DFO’s Marine

*The $5 entry will go back to the North Island Animal Shelters & the Cats Meow Society

Thursday, September 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 11

Mount Waddington Regional

Fall Fair 2013 Port McNeill Sept. 7 & 8 Chilton Regional Arena Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

“Sew it, grow it, show it!”

12 Thursday, September 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 13

Booth Participants Pizza Express

Wild Heart Music

North Island Forests

More Than a Rock

Gadgets and More

Wild Harvest Tea

Vancouver Island Regional Library

Strokes of Jade Massage

Port Hardy Return-It Centre Mind’s Eye View Studio Mt. Waddington Community Foods Project St. John Gualbert Book Store Port McNeill Lioness Ice Cream Treats Scentsy Products St. John Gualbert Church Chili Lunches North Island Concert Society Visions Learning Centre & Salon North Island Crisis & Counselling NVIAS Regional District of Mount Waddington Dragontalz Art North Island Employment

Mary Kay Canada Port Hardy Baptist Church

Get your Fall Fair Raffle Tickets (at the fair) for a chance to win… ✦ (2) Return trip pass for Lower Mainland route on BC Ferries

Tocara Jewelry Dogs Do Smile

Entertainment Schedule Saturday - Sept. 7 Dessert Contest

12:00pm

Official Fair Opening

12:15pm

Wild Heart Music Children’s Choir

1:00pm

North Island Community Band

1:45pm

Mr. Magic - Kevin Ogren

2:30pm

Erin Junkala

3:15pm

Contest for Best Dessert based on “North Island Roots & Rubber Boots”

4:00pm

Zumba demonstration with Kendra Parnham

3:15pm Saturday Make any dessert in the theme of the fair (North Island Roots & Rubber Boots). Enter on Friday before 6pm or bring to the contest on Saturday.

First Choice Fitness

✦ One night accommodation at Telegraph Cove Resort

Robert Scott Yoga Studio

✦ 26” Mens’ Raleigh Bike

Port McNeill Marine Rescue Society

✦ $100 RONA gift card 11:00am

Portside Dance Academy

Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue

& More!

Thank you to our prize donors!

11:45am

Team Charlton Highland Dancers

12:30pm

Coal Harbour Ceilidh Band

1:15pm

2nd Annual Children’s Dog Show with Alex Shore

3:00pm

Closing Awards Ceremony

Leanna Epicure Weight Watchers Canada North Island Quilters Guild Cat’s Meow Society - PH Tami’s Northern Garden & Specialties Carmen Mitchell Crafts Tri-Port Dragonboat Society

Sunday - Sept. 8

Children’s Dog Show 1:15pm Sunday Bring your dog to show off! Get entry forms at elementary schools, veterinarian offices & pet stores.

Forms, brochures, exhibit entry forms and other info is available at: http://www.mountwaddingtonfallfair.ca/

Port McNeill Minor Hockey Equipment Swap Hyde Creek Farmers Market is at the fair on Saturday. Featuring SCARECROW making for children 1-3pm

is upstairs at the arena 10am-3pm Sat & 10am-1pm Sun (no charge)

Enter Exhibits: Thursday, Sept. 5 from 6-9pm & Friday, Sept. 6 from 10am-6pm Proud sponsor of the 2013 Fall Fair Welcome everyone!

Come see our new line-up for the 2013-2014 season at the Fall Fair!

FREE North Island Children’s Youth Choir

Best wishes for a fabulous Fall Fair

ages 6-18

Starting Sept. 18

Practice every Wednesday at the A-Frame Church in Port McNeill.

Claire Trevena M.L.A. North Island

North Island Concert Society

Encorp Return-It Centre

1979 Nimpkish Cres. Port McNeill

250-956-3328

Email: claire.trevena.mla@leg.bc.ca www.clairetrevena.ca

See our booth at the Fall Fair For more info & to register call Deborah @ 250-956-3257

Welcome to the 2013 Fall Fair. Have a wonderful weekend.

12 Thursday, September 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 13

Booth Participants Pizza Express

Wild Heart Music

North Island Forests

More Than a Rock

Gadgets and More

Wild Harvest Tea

Vancouver Island Regional Library

Strokes of Jade Massage

Mary Kay Canada Port Hardy Baptist Church

Get your Fall Fair Raffle Tickets (at the fair) for a chance to win… ✦ (2) Return trip pass for Lower Mainland route on BC Ferries

Tocara Jewelry Dogs Do Smile

Entertainment Schedule Saturday - Sept. 7 Dessert Contest

12:00pm

Official Fair Opening

12:15pm

Wild Heart Music Children’s Choir

1:00pm

North Island Community Band

1:45pm

Mr. Magic - Kevin Ogren

2:30pm

Erin Junkala

3:15pm

Contest for Best Dessert based on “North Island Roots & Rubber Boots”

4:00pm

Zumba demonstration with Kendra Parnham

3:15pm Saturday Make any dessert in the theme of the fair (North Island Roots & Rubber Boots). Enter on Friday before 6pm or bring to the contest on Saturday.

First Choice Fitness

✦ One night accommodation at Telegraph Cove Resort

Robert Scott Yoga Studio

✦ 26” Mens’ Raleigh Bike

Port McNeill Marine Rescue Society

✦ $100 RONA gift card 11:00am

Portside Dance Academy

Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue

& More!

Thank you to our prize donors!

11:45am

Team Charlton Highland Dancers

12:30pm

Coal Harbour Ceilidh Band

1:15pm

2nd Annual Children’s Dog Show with Alex Shore

3:00pm

Closing Awards Ceremony

Leanna Epicure Weight Watchers Canada North Island Quilters Guild Cat’s Meow Society - PH Tami’s Northern Garden & Specialties Carmen Mitchell Crafts Tri-Port Dragonboat Society

Sunday - Sept. 8

Children’s Dog Show 1:15pm Sunday Bring your dog to show off! Get entry forms at elementary schools, veterinarian offices & pet stores.

Forms, brochures, exhibit entry forms and other info is available at: http://www.mountwaddingtonfallfair.ca/

Port McNeill Minor Hockey Equipment Swap Hyde Creek Farmers Market is at the fair on Saturday. Featuring SCARECROW making for children 1-3pm

is upstairs at the arena 10am-3pm Sat & 10am-1pm Sun (no charge)

Enter Exhibits: Thursday, Sept. 5 from 6-9pm & Friday, Sept. 6 from 10am-6pm Proud sponsor of the 2013 Fall Fair Welcome everyone!

Come see our new line-up for the 2013-2014 season at the Fall Fair!

FREE North Island Children’s Youth Choir

Best wishes for a fabulous Fall Fair

ages 6-18

Starting Sept. 18

Practice every Wednesday at the A-Frame Church in Port McNeill.

Claire Trevena M.L.A. North Island

North Island Concert Society

Encorp Return-It Centre

1979 Nimpkish Cres. Port McNeill

250-956-3328

Email: claire.trevena.mla@leg.bc.ca www.clairetrevena.ca

See our booth at the Fall Fair For more info & to register call Deborah @ 250-956-3257

Welcome to the 2013 Fall Fair. Have a wonderful weekend.

14 www.northislandgazette.com

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Trophies to be awarded Community Involvement Award

WIN

School Participation Award Best Booth Award

Ribbons, Trophies or Cash Prizes!

Grand Entry Award Perpetual Palette Award Best Photography Best Photographer Trophies for each age class Best Gardener Trophy Best of Kitchen Trophy Best Crafter Awards for each age class

Exhibit Cash Prizes:

Grand Aggregate Awards for each age class

$3 for 1st Prize

Admission Prices

$2 for 2nd Prize $1 for 3rd Prize

Cops for Cancer Childrens’ Activity Centre

Exhibit Entry Fees: Adults: 25¢

Fun & games!

Seniors/Teens/Children: Free

(per day)

Family Pass (max 6 members): $7 Adults: $3 Seniors (by donation) Children (6-23): $1 Under 5: Free

Thanks to the Committee Chair: Gord Glover Treasurer: Malcolm Fleeton Secretary: Pat Boyd

Judging: Brenda Fleeton Advertising: Kathy Howard & Brenda Fleeton

Booth Rentals: Christina Hinton & Brenda Fleeton

Decorating: Jessica Garrick

Entertainment: Brian Hicks & Marne Svennes

Planning/Set-up: Gordon Wolden

Web Master: Mark Jones

For more details see www.mountwaddingtonfallfair.ca BAAAA!

Come see our visiting herd of sheep!

The Regional District of Mount Waddington hopes to see you at the 2013 Fall Fair. Please check out our tables for more information on: · Recycling and Solid Waste Operations · Emergency Services and Preparation · Vancouver Island Tourism and · Mount Waddington Transit

Thursday, September 5, 2013

sports

www.northislandgazette.com 15

recreation

Submit results to 250-949-6225 Fax 250-949-7655 or email us at sports@northislandgazette.com • Deadline 10 am Monday

on deck

Tell us about items of interest to the sports community.

September 4-15 Hockey North Island Eagles rep hockey program hosts tryouts at Don Cruickshank Memorial Arena, Port Hardy. Sessions on alternate evenings and Saturdays for atom development, peewee, bantam and midget teams. Check schedule in this week’s edition, page 16. September 6-8 Slo-pitch Port Hardy Slopitch hosts its annual Indian Summer ball tournaments at Beaver Harbour Park. Men’s fast pitch and women’s slo-pitch tournaments. Concession available. Info, Dave at 250-9497221. September 7 Stock cars Tri-Port Motor Sports Club hosts points series racing at Tri-Port Speedway, 6 p.m. Concession, kids play area. $5 adults, $3 teens, $2 under 12 and seniors. September 7-8 Golf Seven Hills Golf & Country Club Men’s Open championship, 9 a.m. each day. 36 holes of stroke play with hole-in-one and other prizes. Info, call Seven Hills at 250-949-9818. September 21 Stock cars Tri-Port Motor Sports Club hosts points series racing at Tri-Port Speedway, 6 p.m. Concession, kids play area. $5 adults, $3 teens, $2 under 12 and seniors. September 21-22 Motocross Vancouver Island Motocross season points series races at Seven Mile Track. October 6 Stock cars Tri-Port Speedway rain day, if necessary.

Ryan Handley snags the catch ahead of Blue Sox teammate Jason Harrison during Sunday's A Division final in Port Alice.

Load 'Em Up tops Port Alice tourney Gazette staff PORT ALICE— Load ‘Em Up took the top spot in the fifth annual Fred Donaldson Memorial Slo-pitch Tournament last weekend after a hard-fought comeback against the Blue Sox. A field of ten teams went through a roundrobin stage Friday night and Saturday to determine the standings for Sunday’s playoffs. Load ‘Em up took out the Generals early Sunday to earn their final berth after coming through the round-robin stages unbeaten, while the Blue Sox, also unbeaten before the final, dispatched the Woodchuckers in the other semifinal to claim their spot. After a single base hit between the teams in the first inning left the game scoreless, Cody Diotte hit an RBI double to right field in the second to open the scoring for the Blue Sox. Load ‘Em Up, true to their name, got the bases loaded in response but were unable to open

Above: Arlene Clair of Load 'Em Up at bat. Right: Load 'Em Up's Mitch Nelson moves in for the catch as Raylene Clair provides cover during the A Division final against the Blue Sox. A O'Toole

their account. A left field, twoRBI double from Ryan Handley extended the Sox’s lead in the inning. With one out in the third, Load ‘Em Up got on the board with an RBI of their own before a superb second-to-first double play from the Blue Sox dented their momentum. A series of fielding errors in the top of the fourth allowed the Blue Sox to go 6-1

up before Load ‘Em Up’s Tony Knighton smashed a home run with a runner aboard to bring the score to 6-3. A solo homer from Handley to open the fifth added to the Sox’s tally before Load ‘Em Up turned the game on its head. Three catches in a row put paid to the rest of the Sox’s order and sent Load ‘Em Up to bat four runs behind the competition.

A base hit to open was followed by a tworun homer from Mitch Nelson. Two ground outs could have blunted the momentum but instead the side got a third base hit followed by back-to-back RBIs. Another base hit was followed by a tworun homer before the Sox got their third out via a force play and found themselves trailing 7-9 going into the sixth. As in the fifth, three

catches in a row by Load ‘Em Up made for a quick turnaround and, on bat, the side had found its groove. A two-run double from Jim Clair was followed by an RBI from Knighton to stretch the lead to 12-7 and leave the Sox in a tough position going into the final inning. The Sox got two on base after a strikeout and a catch in deep centre field, but the target was too much

to ask and a swing for the fences at left field was caught by Knighton to give the title to Load ‘Em Up. In the B Division, the Fire Ballers put paid to Playing Hard and the Ballerz dispatched the Aces to make the final, the Fire Ballers taking the title. The C Division saw Multiple Scoregasms beating out Storm for the win.

16 www.northislandgazette.com

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Sports & Recreation

Golfers back in the swing Gazette staff SEVEN HILLS— Some of the top golfers on Vancouver Island will join local players this weekend when Seven Hills Golf & Country Club hosts its annual Men's Open Tournament. The 36-hole, stroke play tourney will run all day Saturday and Sunday, with hole-inone prizes, low-gross and low-net titles and a pro division. Players will be treated to a brunch Saturday and full dinner Sunday prior to the awards ceremony. For info, call the clubhouse at 250-9499818. Slo-pitch gets fast Port Hardy Slo-pitch will hold its final tournament of the season beginning tonight at Beaver Harbour Park in Storey's Beach. It will be a split affair, with a men's fastpitch tourney and a separate women's slo-pitch tourney held concurrently. Games will be played at 6 p.m. tonight and Friday, all day Saturday, with finals scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The women's slopitch final is set for 12:30 p.m. Sunday, with the men's fastpitch final scheduled for 2 p.m. For info, call David at 250-949-7221. Back on track Coming off their biggest weekend of the season to date, the drivers of the Tri-Port Motor Sports Club take to the dirt oval of Tri-Port Speedway Saturday for their next round of stock car points racing. Gates open at 5:30 and time-in is set for 6 p.m. A full concession is available, along with a children's play area. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youth, and $2 for children and seniors. Checker Cup kickoff The 32nd annu-

Sports Briefs al Charlie Checker Cup for North Island schoolchildren begins this weekend during the Mount Waddington Regional Fall Fair in Port McNeill. Contest host David Lyon of Sointula will have his board set up and welcomes challenges from all students for the contest, which runs through Father's Day weekend next June. The championship will go to the school with the most cumulative points. Individual awards are given to MVP and best sport.

Maintenance foreman Gord Wolden strolls past pallets of used plexiglass and boards auctioned off at Don Cruickshank Memorial Arena in Port Hardy last month. Ice went back in for the coming season this week with new plexiglass and aluminum-supported boards JR Rardon replacing the old wood-framed boards.

Major pane

North Island Eagles Tryout Ice Times Monday Sept 2

Tuesday Sept 3

September 2013

Wednesday Sept 4

Thursday Sept 5

Friday Sept 6

Saturday Sept 7

6pm-7:30pm PeeWee (‘02 & ‘01)

6pm-7:30pm Atom (‘04 & ‘03)

6pm-7:30pm PeeWee (‘02 & ‘01)

9am-10:30am Atom

Flood

Sunday Sept 8

Flood

7:45 - 9:15pm Midgets (‘98, ‘97 & ‘96)

7:45 - 9:15pm Bantam (‘00 & ‘99)

7:45 - 9:15pm Midgets (‘98, ‘97 & ‘96)

10:45-12:15pm PeeWee Flood 12:30-2pm Bantam Flood 2:15-3:45pm Midgets

Monday Sept 9

Tuesday Sept 10

Wednesday Sept 11

Thursday Sept 12

Friday Sept 13

6pm - 7:30pm Atom (‘04 & ‘03)

6pm - 7:30pm PeeWee (‘02 & ‘01)

6pm - 7:30pm Atom (‘04 & ‘03)

6pm - 7:30pm PeeWee (‘02 & ‘01)

6pm - 7:30pm Atom (‘04 & ‘03)

Flood

7:45pm - 9:15pm Bantam (‘00 & ‘99)

7:45 - 9:15pm Midgets (‘98, ‘97 & ‘96)

7:45pm - 9:15pm Bantam (‘00 & ‘99)

7:45 - 9:15pm Midgets (‘98, ‘97 & ‘96)

7:45pm - 9:15pm Bantam (‘00 & ‘99)

Week of Sept 5 - Sept 11 Day

Time Ht/Ft

Day

Time Ht/Ft

Thurs 0025 05 0645 1300 1858

14.8 3.3 14.8 4.3

Mon 09

0304 0854 1508 2141

14.1 4.6 15.4 3.6

Fri 06

0103 0715 1329 1935

15.1 3.3 15.1 3.9

Tues 10

0351 0934 1549 2234

13.5 5.6 15.1 3.9

Sat 07

0142 0746 1359 2014

14.8 3.6 15.4 3.6

Wed 11

0446 1021 1639 2336

12.5 6.2 14.8 4.3

Sun 08

0222 0819 1432 2055

14.4 3.9 15.4 3.3

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Sunday Sept 15

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Athlete of the Week loAd ‘em up The Port Hardy Slo-pitch squad outdueld the rival Blue Sox for the A title in the Port Alice Slo-pitch tournament Sunday. Photo submitted

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Certified & Experienced Inboard/Outboard Marine Mechanic Suzuki, Mercury, Volvo, Evinrude/Johnson 6710 Hardy Bay Road Port Hardy, B.C. ph: 250-949-8022 • fax: 250-949-8077 1-888-839-8022 email: stryker@cablerocket.com If you know someone who should be the Athlete of the Week, phone the Gazette at 250-949-6225.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Sports & Recreation

www.northislandgazette.com 17

Fairway repairmen are back on course J.R. Rardon Gazette editor SEVEN HILLS— As members of Seven Hills Golf & Country Club, Dale Dorward and Rick Milligan can often be found strolling the greens and fairways of the nine-hole course. But this summer you’re more likely to catch them driving a truck or quad than a golf cart. And more likely to be swinging shovels than golf clubs. Two years after undertaking a volunteer rebuild of part of the ninth fairway, the Port Hardy men are spearheading a similar — but much larger — repair of the first fairway. The work, on a hilly section of the fairway beginning just below the tee box, is meant to remove a series of deep moguls and turn the grade into a smooth slope. “(Fairway) nine was an experiment, to find out how the ground is here,” Dorward said last week while clearing rocks from the exposed soil on the site. “We weren’t even sure it would work, but we found out the ground here is in good shape.” Dorward said the numerous moguls that plague the slope shared by the first and ninth fairways result from patches of hardpan interspersed with areas of mostly organic fill. Over time, that organic layer simply rots away, allowing the sod to sink in those spaces between the firmer bedrock. “Given enough time, it will happen again,” he said. “Hopefully we can get another 30 years out of this first.” The “patch” on the ninth fairway, completed in 2012, involved a rectangle of turf roughly the size of a football field. Rather than take on the steep part of the slope leading up to the ninth green, volunteers repaired an area of flat to gently sloping ground just below the hill. The current area

under repair is more than twice as large as the ninth hole fix, and has both down- and cross-slopes. “It’s way bigger, and more complex,” Dorward said. “The drainage is a lot more involved.” And resources are thin. The project was approved by the club’s executive board, in consultation with course manager Kevin Black. Black admitted the volunteers’ success with the previous fairway rebuild helped them sell this latest project, but added there is always some trepidation when undertaking a job this large on a strictly volunteer basis. “It’s scary because of the size of it, and every time they do something we need to see what’s there,” said Black. “But when you get two guys like that who want to so something, you don’t want to turn them away.” The club is contributing a bit of funding to the project, but Dorward and Milligan have cajoled friends and North Island businesses for donations of equipment and expertise, as needed. If that limited budget runs out before the fairway is completed, the volunteers will be on their own. The work began earlier this year with the sod being removed from the fairway. The ground was then scraped with a minibulldozer blade to level the moguls and churn up rocks. The rocks were piled in rows before finally being picked up during a work party arranged by Dorward and Milligan last week. “We can finally see some daylight, now that the rocks are out of there,” Black said. “If they get the equipment they need, and the weather stays good, hopefully it will all go well.” Black noted the work done in 2011-12 on the ninth fairway taught the club some valuable lessons that have been

applied to the current project. “We’ll probably skip a couple of steps,” he said. “I think we’ll be more efficient with this one.” After last week’s rock-picking party, Dorward returned with a large screen, which he planned to drag over the soil to churn and level it in preparation for seeding. “If the weather cooperates, we’ll get some grass down in the next couple of weeks,” Dorward said. When work began, the tee box on the 354yard, par-4 hole was moved forward substantially and slightly to the uphill side of the fairway, leaving a 150yard, par-3 hole that is expected to remain for up to a year while the new grass is allowed to establish a solid root system. Meanwhile, though the main fairway remains unusable, players at least have a par-3 to start their round. “And it’s a good par-3,” Dorward said, bending to his work.

With the Seven Hills Golf & Country Club Men’s Open Tournament set to tee off this weekend, the first hole will be played as a temporary par-3 while volunteers repair its fairway. Left, club member Dale Dorward shovels a rock onto a small flatbed trailer on the fairway last week. J.R. Rardon

AROUND TOWN Port McNeill Lions Club is sponsoring

North Island Night Saturday

An event you won’t want to September 14, 2013 miss! 7pm - 9pm Port McNeill Lions Hall 2897 Mine Rd

Featuring

Art & Show Sale presented in cooperation with the North Vancouver Island Artists’ Society

Wine samplings Amazing Cheese Delicious

$15 per person

Tickets available at the door

The perfect combination for a perfect evening!

For more information call

250-956-4296

REGIONAL DISTRICT OF MOUNT WADDINGTON COAL HARBOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COMMISSION 2013 GENERAL LOCAL BY-ELECTION NOTICE OF NOMINATION Public Notice is given to the electors of the community of Coal Harbour in the Regional District of Mount Waddington that nominations for the office of: Two (2) Coal Harbour Local Community Commission Commissioners to be elected for the remainder of the remaining term (December 2013 to December 2014), will be received by the Chief Election Officer or a designated person, at the following location: Regional District of Mount Waddington Office 2044 McNeill Road Port McNeill, British Columbia 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 3, 2013, to Tuesday September 24, 2013 (excluding week-ends) Nomination documents are available at the Regional District of Mount Waddington Office or RDMW’s website: http://www.rdmw.bc.ca QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE A person is qualified to be nominated, elected, and hold office as a member of the Coal Harbour Local Community Commission if they meet the following criteria: • Canadian Citizen; • 18 years of age or older; • resident of British Columbia for at least six (6) months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed; • be a resident of Coal Harbour, British Columbia; • not disqualified by the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia or from being nominated from being elected to, or holding office. FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE ABOVE MAY BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING: SHANA SHAMBROOK, CHIEF ELECTION OFFICER LIETTE PATTERSON, DEPUTY ELECTION OFFICER

250-956-3301

18 www.northislandgazette.com Thursday, September 5, 2013

Farmer’s market added to Fall Fair lineup Gazette staff PORT McNEILL— If you’ve ever perused the produce exhibits at the Mount Waddington Regional Fall Fair and wished you could take home some of the food, this weekend may provide that opportunity. The North Island Farmer’s Market will take advantage of a temporary new location and expanded hours Saturday when it teams up with the Fall Fair to offer produce and other items to fair-goers, residents and visitors. The farmer’s market, traditionally held through the summer months next to the Hyde Creek Petro Canada station, will get a spot in the parking lot of Chilton Regional Arena, near the main entrance to this weekend’s Fall Fair. The market will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with vendor set-up starting at 10 a.m. The previous farmer’s market, held Aug. 24 in Hyde Creek, proved to be the largest of the season to date, with more garden produce on offer and several new vendors. In addition to its normal selection of home-grown and -baked food, handmade crafts and other items, the North Island Farmer’s Market will

Left: David Thompson prepares a display of garden produce at his family’s stand prior to the opening of the last North Island Farmer’s Market at Hyde Creek Petro Canada. Right: Shannon Shepley of Port McNeill, left, is ready for business with her baked goods while other vendors prepare their tables prior to the start of the fourth North Island Farmer’s Market of the season. J.R. Rardon

AZE TTE

host a scarecrow-making event for kids from Earning your own noon-3 p.m. money/sense of HAR The completed • TS NO RIS NI SSA Japa UNAM N value I SKIF debri nese scarecrows will be F b on Is s found oat, o ther land w a Page ’s West shed u displayed through2 Coast p . Job experience out the North Island for between the fair and Halloween, and one Exercise lucky scarecrow will Pag e be selected as the perRecognition wor ant pro • NIS thy S B NORTH ISLAND HOSPITALS R oy IS manent farmer’s marcau vides li swee s bask ES UP e se — ft fo gam ps pair tball sq es ag u r a d o p ket “mascot” in a vote age Page ainst G f hom PROJECT COMMUNITY e old R 13 Being a member 11 iver. by participating venINFORMATION SESSIONS of a team dors. The Vancouver Island Health Authority Vendor space is available for $5 per is hosting community information table. Vendors must • IN meetings for the North Island Hospitals MID Port Hard WEEK envis provide their own y Carr ion new vetera ot Pa n s look rk Project in Port Alice, Port Hardy and Mid for week cenotap tables and canopies, h. , insi de Port McNeill. if desired. To reserve a spot, or to volunThese meetings will focus on the teer a one-hour block scope and progress of the $600 million Por t of time to help kids Hall McNeil l’s Satu rday Steve build scarecrows, project, which includes a new $266 Ve to b ene rbrugg Hyde Creek fit th e e fig boasts email Neva Perrott at ht a th gain ree “S million, 95-bed Campbell River st b reas tanley C t ca pmfarmersmarket@ nce ups” du Port Alice r. ring the Hospital on the existing hospital site, Reso Victo r’s S gmail.com or call 2501-86 ecre r t pa t g 6 e Fort Rupert Port Hardy a and a $334 million, 153-bed Comox & -956 nt, h 956-2527. eld Spa at th -490 e Co mm 0 u The farmer’s mar-

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT and REAL ESTATE SERVICES FOR RENT

LANDLORDS WANTED

Valley Hospital at a new site in Courtenay.

Find out more about how the North Island Hospitals Project will support your health care needs and those of your family and your community when these new state-of-the-art acute care facilities open in 2017. The information sessions will take place at: • Port McNeill Community Hall 1473 Broughton Blvd. September 17th, 7-9 p.m.

Major Ferguson

Realtor/ Property Manager majorferguson@gmail.com

#9 - 9624 Upper Carnarvon Place #20 - 9547 Chancellor Heights 7205 A - Market Street 7205 D - Market Street

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 19

Cash for conservation Gazette staff Non-profit groups working to promote sustainability in B.C. are invited to showcase their work and enter a contest to win one of five $10,000 conservation awards. Through the C o m m u n i t y Champions program, BC Hydro encourages nonprofit organizations to demonstrate environmental leadership

in their community and use the award to help implement their sustainability initiatives. To enter the contest, BC Hydro is asking non-profit groups to explain their sustainability projects in a threeminute YouTube video and submit it online before Sept. 30. BC Hydro will select up to 15 finalists and then the pub-

lic will determine three winners by voting for their favourite videos between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15, and the remaining two will be determined by a panel of judges. B.C. classrooms are also welcome to vote for a winner. By voting, each class will be entered in a draw to win $1,000 for a sustainability project in their school. Last year’s C o m m u n i t y

It’s a wrap

Champions showcased a wide range of sustainability projects, ranging from developing gardens at North Vancouver schools to teach students how to grow food and cook their own meals to the promotion of water conservation and stewardship in lake communities in the Kootenay region. For more information visit: champions.bchydro.com.

Overwaitea employees shrink-wrap the SUV of Rob and Faye Martyn to mark their recent retirement from the Port Hardy grocery store.

Tim Bird

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20 www.northislandgazette.com A20 www.northislandgazette.com

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LEADER PICTORIAL C

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS IN MEMORIAM GIFTS

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

HELP WANTED

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE BC Help Tomorrow’s Families Today– leave a gift in your will. legacy@rmhbc.ca

GET FREE Vending machines 100% lease financing, all cash income, 100% tax deductible, become financially independent, all Canadian company. Full details call now 1-866668-6629, Website: www.tcvend.com.

CLINICAL Counsellor - 14 hr/wk contract with renewal + expansion potential, North Island Survivors& Healing Society - Trauma & Abuse Counselling Centre, Campbell River, Open until suitable candidate located. Apply to: contact@nishs.ca

An Alberta Oilfield Company is hiring dozer and excavator operators, Lodging and meals provided. Drug testing required. Call (780)723-5051 Edson,Alta.

THE LEMARE GROUP is accepting resumes for the following positions: • Off Highway Logging Truck Drivers • Hydraulic Log Loader Operator • Grapple Yarder Operators • Chasers • Hooktenders • Heavy Duty Mechanics Fulltime camp with union rates/benefits. Please send resumes by fax to 250-956-4888 or email to office@lemare.ca.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING EVENTS GROW MARIJUANA commercially. Canadian Commercial Production Licensing Convention October 26th & 27th. Toronto Airport, Marriott Hotel. www.greenlineacademy.com. Tickets 1-855-860-8611 or 250-870-1882.

INFORMATION IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL WE CAN HELP Port McNeill-Mon and Fri 8pm Room 3 at the old school. 375 Shelly Crescent. Call Greg 250-949-0153 or Rick 250-230-4555. SointulaThur 7:30pm at the Sointula Medical Centre. 25 2nd St. Call Annie 604-250-7085.

INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTORSHIP Weston Bakeries is looking for an independent distributor for the Campbell River and Port Hardy regions. Must be physically fit with prior business experience. Contact Cory for more details, 1-250-580-0135 Asking price $115,000.

HOSPITALITY

PERSONALS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Port Hardy meets every Wednesday & Saturday at the Upper Island Public Health Unit on Gray Street at 8pm. Sundays at the Salvation Army Lighthouse, 8635 Granville St., at 7pm. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Port Hardy meets on Mondays & Fridays at 8pm. Located at Upper Island Public Health Unit on Gray St. (rear entrance), Port Hardy, B.C. For more information call 1-877379-6652.

TRAVEL GETAWAYS LONG BEACH - Ucluelet Deluxe waterfront cabin, sleeps 6, BBQ. Fall Special. 2 nights $239 or 3 nights $299 Pets Okay. Rick 604-306-0891

TIMESHARE CANCEL YOUR Timeshare. No risk program. Stop mortgage and maintenance Payments today. 100% money back guarantee. Free consultation. Call us now. We can help! 1-888-356-5248.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ALL CASH drink/snack vending business route. Complete training. Small invest. req’d. 1888-979-VEND (8363). www.healthydrinkvending.co

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION RATED #2 FOR AT HOME JOBS • Huge Demand In Canada • Employers Seek Out Canscribe Graduates • Over 90% Graduate Employment Rate

www.canscribe.com info@canscribe.com 1.800.466.1535

THE HAIDA WAY is looking for a front desk person and a bar server. Bring resume to the front desk at Haida Way or fax to 250-956-4710.

PLACES OF WORSHIP

LOCAL CRISIS LINE 24/7 Port Hardy (250)949-6033 Alert Bay/Kingcome (250)974-5326

EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS

PLACES OF WORSHIP

PORT HARDY BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of Trustee & Highland Morning Service 11:00 am Plus regular family activities Office: 250-949-6844 www.porthardybaptistchurch.ca Pastor: Kevin Martineau 11/13

ST. COLUMBA ANGLICAN UNITED Reverend Wade Allen 9190 Granville St. Port Hardy Phone 250-949-6247 11:00 a.m. Sunday School and Service Wed., 1:00 pm Bible Study Everyone welcome Meeting rooms available columbac@uniserve.com

11/13

FULL GOSPEL CHURCH 2540 Catala Place Port McNeill (across from Firehall) Sunday 10:30 am - Morning Worship Church Office 250-956-4741 Pastor Stan Rukin Youth Pastor: Steve Taylor Cell: 250-527-0144 Office hours: 10am-4pm Mon-Thurs Visitors always welcome www.ptmcfullgospel.org

11/13

CHRIST CHURCH ANGLICAN Alert Bay Sunday Services - 10 am Reverend Lincoln Mckoen 1-250-974-5844 Warden Flora Cook 250-974-5945 Warden Joan Stone 250-974-2234 11/13

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 4680 Byng Rd. Port Hardy Pastor George Hilton 250-949-8925 or 250-949-8826 “Everyone welcome” Saturday Services 9:30am - Bible Study groups 10:45am - Worship/Praise service Wednesday @ 7pm - Prayer meeting Avalon Adventist Jr. Academy Offering Christian Education 250-949-8243

11/13

FIELD CLERK Needed for out of town work site (21/7 schedule). Mature, flexible and positive communicator, understanding of importance of safety culture. Reporting to onsite foreman & Edmonton HO. Transportation to & from work site provided. Potential to grow with company; jobs@commandequipment.com Fax 780-488-3002. PORT HARDY CHEVRON is hiring 2 F/T, Pmt, Gas Bar Cashiers for 8905 Granville St, Port Hardy, BC, VON 2P0. $10.30/hr. Rotating shifts: day, night, weekends, Stat holidays. Duties: Greet customers, identify price of goods and receive payments. Wrap or place merchandise in bags and any other duty as instructed by the Manager. Apply in person or email to: ss0992@chevronretail.ca

PLACES OF WORSHIP

LABOURERS GROUND PERSON required for Utility Line Clearing Co. Must have valid drivers licence, chainsaw experience an asset. Asplundh Canada ULC - Fax 604-856-8899 or email bc@asplundh.com.

TRADES, TECHNICAL LASOTA CONTRACTING Ltd. is looking for a qualified ticketed blaster. Send resume to: lasota6@telus.net

PLACES OF WORSHIP

North Island Church Services NORTH ISLAND CATHOLIC CHURCHES Sunday Masses St. Mary’s Port McNeill: 9am St. Bonaventure Port Hardy: 11am St. Theresa’s Port Alice: Saturdays 5:00pm Alert Bay: 1st & 3rd Saturdays 10am Father Scott Whittemore 250-956-3909

11/13

PORT MCNEILL BAPTIST CHURCH 2501 Mine Road Sunday 9:45 am (Sept-June) - Sunday School 11:00 am - Worship Service 7:00 pm - Evening Fellowship Youth Group Wed - 7:00 pm Children’s Programs & Adult Bible Studies are scheduled throughout the year. For information contact Pastor Dave Purdy • 250-956-4737 11/13

LIGHTHOUSE RESOURCE CENTRE • Chaplain Services • Bible Studies • Spiritual Counselling • Weekly AA Groups (8635 Granville St. Port Hardy) 250-949-8125

PORT ALICE ANGLICANUNITED FELLOWSHIP Reverend Wade Allen Sunday Services - 4pm 1-250-949-6247 Box 159, Port Alice You are extended a special invitation to share in our Services

PORT HARDY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP at Providence Place, 7050 Rupert St Sunday Worship 10:30 am & 7 pm Tuesday Prayer 7:30 pm Midweek Biblestudies - Call the church for time and place 250-949-6466 Pastor George & Karen Ewald (home) 250-949-9674 E-Mail:pastorgeorge@providenceplace.ca 11/13

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

INFORMATION

The next regular School Board Meeting of the Board of Education of School District No. 85 (Vancouver Island North) will be held on

Monday, September 9th, 2013 6:00 p.m.

School Board Ofﬁce, Port Hardy This is a public meeting. All interested parties are welcome. LEGALS

LEGALS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS NOTICE is hereby given that Creditors and others having claims against the Estate of John Terrance Mallory also known as John Terry Mallory and Terry J. Mallory, deceased, who died on April 21, 2013, at Campbell River, BC, are hereby required to send them to the undersigned Administrator, c/o Shook Wickham Bishop & Field, Barristers and Solicitors, 906 Island Highway, Campbell River, British Columbia, V9W 2C3, before the 7th day of October, 2013, after which date the Administrator will distribute the said Estate among the parties entitled thereto, having regard to the claims of which it has notice. Patricia Gail Booth, Administrator, c/o Shook Wickham Bishop & Field, Barristers and Solicitors, 906 Island Highway, Campbell River, BC, V9W 2C3.

CHILDREN

CHILDREN’S MISCELLANEOUS

11/13

ST. JOHN GUALBERT UNITED ANGLICAN CHURCH 250-956-3533 Email: gualbert@uniserve.com Sunday Worship - 9:00am Reverend Wade Allen All Welcome 175 Cedar Street Port McNeill 11/13

GWA’SALA-’NAKWAXDA’XW SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH at entrance to Tsulquate Village (8898 Park Dr) Saturday/Sabbath 10:00 am-Sabbath School 11:15 am-Worship Service Pastor Randy Elliott 250-230-1885 cell 11/13

11/13

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

To Learn, To Love, To Serve ECE and K-9

Avalon is pleased to announce our Play School and Pre-school Program under the guidance of Miss Teresa Heare.

Avalon Adventist Junior Academy Is Accepting ECE children and Students For The 2013-2014 School Year. Free Tuition for Kindergarten and New Students Grades 1-4. Fifty Percent Discount for New Students Grades 5-6 Small classes, Family Atmosphere, Caring Teachers, French K-9, Spanish 8-9, Sports Program Provincially Accredited School, Teachers, and ECE Staff with a Safe, Caring Environment Where Learning Flourishes Holistic Approach Addressing the Intellectual, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Development of Students Come to a School that All Can Enjoy. Please call Clifford at 250-949-8243 or email wagonwoody2003@yahoo.ca

Your Community, Your Classiﬁeds. Call 1-855-310-3535

Thursday, September 5, 2013 North Island Gazette Thu, Sept 5, 2013

www.northislandgazette.com 21 www.northislandgazette.com A21 PERSONAL SERVICES

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

NOW HIRING

Western Forest Products Inc. is an integrated Canadian forest products company located on Vancouver Island that is committed to the safety of our employees, the culture of performance and the discipline to achieve results. We currently have the following openings:

Detailed job postings can be viewed at

http://www.westernforest.com/business-value/our-people-employment/careers WFP offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefit package. If you believe that you have the skills and qualifications that we are looking for, please reply in confidence to: Human Resource Department Facsimile: 1.866.840.9611 Email: resumes@westernforest.com

HELP WANTED

Posting #21, Noon Hour Supervisor PHSS, $19.16 per hour, 4.5 hours per week, while school is in session. Posting #22, Custodian Eagle View Elem., $20.52 per hour, 35 hours per week, 10 months per year. Posting #23, Custodian Woss Lake Elem., $20.52 per hour, 7.5 hours per week, 10 months per year. Posting #27, Noon Hour Supervisor Sea View Elem., $19.16 per hour, 4.5 hours per week, while school is in session. Further information regarding Position Duties and QualiďŹ cations can be found on our website at: www.sd85.bc.ca under â&#x20AC;&#x153;Career Opportunitiesâ&#x20AC;?. Please complete a CUPE Application Form which is available at our website and quote the appropriate posting number. Closing date for applications is 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, 2013. SD85 thanks all applicants for their interest, however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted. These are CUPE Local 401 positions. Apply to: Mr. John Martin, Secretary-Treasurer School District No. 85, Box 90, Port Hardy, B.C. VON 2P0

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NAMGIS FIRST NATION invites applications from qualified candidates for the following position: ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE CLERK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ALERT BAY

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Namgis First Nation has an exciting opportunity for an Accounts Receivable Coordinator to join the team in Alert Bay (Northern Vancouver Island), BC. In this role, your main responsibility will be to facilitate and administer the monthly accounts receivable cycle for the accounting department. Reporting to the Assistant Comptroller and Comptroller, you will oversee: â&#x20AC;˘ Processing receivables (invoicing, housing, utilities, travel reimbursements, contracts, etc.); â&#x20AC;˘ Maintaining the backup documentation and filing system for our accounts receivable system; â&#x20AC;˘ Invoicing, collecting and performing maintenance of all receivables; â&#x20AC;˘ Customer sales receipting/deposits and deposit/receipt reconciliation; and â&#x20AC;˘ Payment processing. We invite you to submit your application if you have formal post-secondary accounting training and an accounting/bookkeeping certificate; however, candidates with at least 2 years of solid accounting experience and an exemplary attitude will still be considered. You qualify for the role if you have previous experience in accounts receivable, accounts reconciliation, and bank deposits. Intermediate Excel skills are crucial to your success on the job, and Adagio accounting software knowledge will be considered an asset. Lastly, in order to be a good fit with our organization, we are searching for a dedicated professional with superior communication and people skills. You have a keen interest in ongoing learning and are enthusiastic about taking on professional development opportunities. Closing date for applications: 12:00 noon on, September 27, 2013 Please Send resumes to: Namgis First Nation, PO Box 210, Alert Bay B.C. V0N 1A0 Fax 250-974-5900 or apply online at: namgis.bc.ca We thank all applicants, however only those chosen for an interview will be contacted. Namgis First Nation invites applications from qualified candidates for the following position: POSITION: ACCOUNTANT; FINANCIAL ASSISTANT ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Namgis First Nation is one of the most economically developed First Nations communities in British Columbia. Located in Alert Bay on Northern Vancouver Island, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Namgis First Nation oversees and governs the education, social services, environmental management, and treaty issues of the local area, ensuring the resources therein continue to play a vital role in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Namgis culture and social life. Â ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY Working in accordance to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), you will be responsible for the financial accounting, budget preparation and various reporting for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Namgis First Nation (NFN) and other active entities operating under the legal auspices of the NFN. Specifically, you will: â&#x20AC;˘ Oversee the daily financial operations; â&#x20AC;˘ Provide financial management and reporting; â&#x20AC;˘ Provide budget and operational plan processes; â&#x20AC;˘ Ensure financial systems and internal controls are followed; â&#x20AC;˘ Provide direction to accounting staff and ensure the accounting department is running smoothly; â&#x20AC;˘ Liaise with the Â Â various committee members, senior administrators, department heads, staff and the general NFN membership if required. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Namgis First Nation (NFN) is seeking a candidate with a CA or CMA designation and several years accounting experience, preferably in a First Nation Organization. Sound supervisory skills are essential as is a commitment to developing and supporting a culture of trust, respect and empowerment. The ideal candidate will have strong computer skills including a high level of expertise with MS Office Programs.Â You will have exceptional attention to detail along with top-notch problem solving, decision making, organizational and planning skills.Â Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the look out for a quick learner who has the analytical skills to succeed in this role and deliver results on time. For more information on the position and benefits please see our website at namgis.bc.ca. Closing date for applications: 12:00 noon on, September 30, 2013 Please Send resumes to: Namgis First Nation, Po Box 210, Alert Bay B.C. V0N 1A0 Fax 250-974-5900 or apply online at: namgis.bc.ca We thank all applicants, however only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.

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Posting #20, Special Needs Noon Hour Supervisor PHSS, $20.52 per hour, 4.5 hours per week, while school is in session .

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Posting #19, Noon Hour Supervisor Eagle View Elem., $19.16 per hour, 5 hours per week, while school is in session.

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Posting #18, Noon Hour Supervisor Eagle View Elem., $19.16 per hour, 5 hours per week, while school is in session.

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Falling Supervisor Westcoast Falling Ltd has an opening for a full time Falling Supervisor in its Holberg Forest Operation. The successful candidate will play a key role in running the day to day operations while ensuring safe, quality and productive work standards are maintained by all Westcoast employees. The successful candidate will be highly motivated, work well in a team environment and possess strong organizational and communication skills. Candidates must have: â&#x20AC;˘ 10 years west coast falling experience â&#x20AC;˘ 2 years Falling Supervisor experience Assets would include: â&#x20AC;˘ Level 3 First Aid ticket â&#x20AC;˘ Danger Tree Blasting ticket â&#x20AC;˘ Wildlife Danger Tree Assessment ticket â&#x20AC;˘ Be familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications â&#x20AC;˘ Experience with supervising mechanical harvesting and processing equipment would also be an asset. Westcoast Falling Ltd. is a Contract Falling Operation located in Holberg on Northern Vancouver Island. Please reply by: Phone: 250-288-3301 Fax: 250-288-3302 Email: centrone@recn.ca

22 www.northislandgazette.com A22 www.northislandgazette.com PERSONAL SERVICES

Thursday, September 5, 2013 Thu, Sept 5, 2013, North Island Gazette

PERSONAL SERVICES

FINANCIAL SERVICES

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MERCHANDISE FOR SALE SPORTING GOODS

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2-3 BDRM trailer plus large shed located near airport on large treed lot. Well behaved pets welcome. References required. Ph. 250-949-7189.

PORT McNEILL: Hyde Creek furnished 1 bdrm suite, selfcontained with kitchen, private country setting. Amazing ocean views, very clean, cozy & warm. Laundry, hydro, digital TV & wireless access incldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. N/S facility. N/P. Refâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. Avail. Oct. 1 - May 31. $800./mo. 250-956-2737.

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The Special Services Worker will work and support children and families to increase living skills, parenting skills, behaviour management and communication choices. The position may include routine crisis intervention. The majority of this service takes place in the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home. Preference will be given to applicants with post-secondary credentials and/or related human services experience. Previous work experience is an asset. This position is 31.5 hours a week. A valid driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license and a reliable vehicle is necessary as travel will be required. A criminal record check will be required. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Please forward resume with cover letter by September 13, 2013 to: North Island Community Services Society PO Box 1028, Port McNeill, BC V0N 2R0 nicsbc@telus.net

LANDS AND RESOURCE MANAGER The Quatsino First Nation, located on northern Vancouver Island, is seeking applications for a Lands Manager. The primary purpose of the position is to ensure meaningful engagement of the Quatsino First nation in all decisions surrounding Resource Development and land use within the Quatsino Traditional Territory, with the objective of balancing sustainable economic diversiďŹ cation and environmental health, and in keeping with the values of our ancestors and history, and for the beneďŹ t of present and future generations of QFN members. Responsibilities: â&#x20AC;˘ Monitoring and compliance of all traditional territories, including environmental issues, competing interests, land condition, and most importantly, identiďŹ cation of cultural and traditional use areas â&#x20AC;˘ Assist in the development of a Quatsino Land Use Plan (long term) â&#x20AC;˘ Coordinate the QFNs participation in referrals, mediation and litigation matters and provide recommendations to Chief and Council. â&#x20AC;˘ Participation and attendance at negotiation and mediation meetings, preparation of reports, and furtherance of legal decisions by the leadership. â&#x20AC;˘ Maintain records of all QFN traditional territories including surveys and mapping products â&#x20AC;˘ Conduct ďŹ eld inspections, as required â&#x20AC;˘ Conduct and participate in formal meetings and negotiations â&#x20AC;˘ Develop agreements with Government Departments and the private sector to ensure consistency of formal communication on issues relating to land management â&#x20AC;˘ Participate in discussion with government departments and other levels of government on lands management issues relating to legislation â&#x20AC;˘ Prepares proposals as required â&#x20AC;˘ Solicits funds for special projects as required â&#x20AC;˘ Responsible for custody and care of all project ďŹ les â&#x20AC;˘ Ensure proper monitoring of permits and other lands-related documents â&#x20AC;˘ Monitors the lands program and provides advice to staff and the leadership via reports â&#x20AC;˘ Oversees the carrying out of remedial measures to ensure compliance by conducting physical site inspections or by reviewing reports â&#x20AC;˘ Other responsibilities as assigned Preferred QualiďŹ cations: â&#x20AC;˘ Undergraduate degree in a Natural Resource or Business Administration program of studies, and/or a combination of education and work experience â&#x20AC;˘ Knowledge of First Nation issues within British Columbia â&#x20AC;˘ Strong communication and writing skills â&#x20AC;˘ Computer knowledge (including GIS) Rate of Pay: Depending on experience Please submit resume including a covering letter by 3 p.m. September 17, 2013 to: Ralph Wallas Quatsino Lands and Resources OfďŹ ce 305 Quattishe Road Coal Harbour, B.C. V0N 1K0 Email: rwallas@quatsinofn.ca Fax: 250-949-6249

DUPLEXES/4PLEXES

Call 250-956-3526.

LEGAL SERVICES

North Island Community Services Society is seeking highly motivated, organized and outcome-experience based individuals to work in the Special Services Program.

PORT MCNEILL MCCLURE APTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S.

New Management 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom apartments. Competitive prices.

HELP WANTED

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RENTALS

POOL TABLE and accessories in very good condition. 4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;x8â&#x20AC;&#x2122; $400. Ph: 250-949-9826

REAL ESTATE

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AT LAST! An iron filter that works. IronEater! Fully patented Canada/U.S.A. Removes iron, hardness, smell, manganese. Since 1957. Visit our 29 innovative inventions; w w w. b i g i r o n d r i l l i n g . c o m . Phone 1-800-BIG-IRON. CRIMINAL RECORD? Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let it block employment, travel, education, professional, certification, adoption property rental opportunities. For peace of mind and a free consultation call 1-800-347-2540.

PORT HARDY Well maintained 6-plex Great investment $385,000 Call Noreen 250-949-6319 imagine.it@cablerocket.com

HOUSES FOR SALE PORT McNEILL. 5-BDRM Double-wide with basement, 5 bdrms, 2.5 bathrooms. View, private fenced yard. $159,900. 250-956-4009.

MOBILE HOMES & PARKS

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/ newspaper? RESTLESS LEG Syndrome and leg cramps? Fast relief in one hour. Sleep at night. Proven for over 32 years. www.allcalm.com Mon-Fri 8-4 EST 1-800-765-8660.

PORT HARDY 2 bdrm trailer on its own lot. Excellent condition, private back yard. Boat/RV parking. $99,000. Contact Gary 250-949-8684.

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SEAHAVEN APARTMENTS 7070 Shorncliffe St. Oceanview 2 bdrm suite. Fridge/stove, balcony, blinds, private parking stall, locker, laundry on premises. Quiet, adult building, non smoking, no pets. References required. Inquiries contact 250-230-1462.

TWO OCEANS IN COAL HARBOUR

Large fully furnished 2 bdrm Apartments include F/S, W/D, pots and pans, towels and linens. Clean, comfy, quiet, renoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d, repainted and upgraded. Rural setting overlooking harbour. Satellite TV channels included ($90 value). Available Sept 1. $850 inclds hydro or $650 + hydro with a 1 year lease. 1-250-949-8855. More info at www.twoceans.com

3 BEDROOM, 2 bath 1/2 duplex on McDougal Rd in Port Hardy. Available immediately. $850/month plus utilities. Brian or Tanya at (250)245-1187 PORT MCNEILL- 3 bdrms, 2 full bath. $950+ utils. NS/NP. Available Sept 1. Call 250902-8143.

MOBILE HOMES & PADS 3 Bedroom 1 bath Mobile home in Highview Trailer Park. Large 25x12 shop. Looking for long term lease. No Pets. $800 per month with a damage deposit. Contact 250-9236475 or email: allendr@telus.net for more info

PORT MCNEILL Mobile Home Park Pads for rent. Short walk to shopping, school & ocean. $283.00/ month Call 250-956-2355

COTTAGES

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Woman in 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s would like to either share accommodations or work for room & board in Port Hardy. Kid, senior & animal friendly. Outside smoker. N/P, valid drivers license. Call 250-527-1000.

Includes satellite TV, internet, jacuzzi bath, No pets. (250)949-7939 www.bearcovecottages.ca

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EMERGENCY COORDINATOR with the DISTRICT OF PORT HARDY NOTICE OF NOMINATION

TOWNHOUSES SEAWIND ESTATES town home. 3 bdrms, 1.5 bath. W/D, large yard. Ref. req. Avail Sept 30. $825/mth. Call 250-9497079 before 7pm.

TRANSPORTATION AUTO FINANCING

The District of Port Hardy invites applications for the position of Emergency Coordinator. This is a volunteer position, although an honorarium is provided. Ideally, the successful candidate will have some prior training related to emergency planning and the establishment and operation of emergency operations centres (EOCs). Training will be provided through Emergency Management BC and the Justice Institute of BC. The Emergency Coordinator may be required to act as EOC Director during emergency events that necessitate establishment of an EOC, is responsible for coordinating regular meetings and activities associated with the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emergency Planning Committee, the day to day management of the local Emergency Program including coordination of staff and resources, coordination with external emergency management organizations, and implementing training exercises and operations under the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emergency Plan. For a more detailed listing of the duties of the Emergency Coordinator, please see Emergency Program Bylaw 172007. This Bylaw is available at the Municipal Hall at the address below or on the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.porthardy.ca (select Municipal Hall at the top of page, then click â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bylawsâ&#x20AC;? and then â&#x20AC;&#x153;Common Bylawsâ&#x20AC;?).

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Applicants must submit a letter stating why they are interested in and in what manner they are qualiďŹ ed for the position, along with their rĂŠsumĂŠ and list of references, by email, fax, hand delivery or mail, no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 13, 2013, to: Jeff Long, Director of Corporate & Development Services District of Port Hardy 7360 Columbia Street, PO Box 68, Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0 Ph: 250-949-6665 Fax 250-949-7433 jlong@porthardy.ca The District thanks all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Black Press is proud to be an official sponsor for the 2013 Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, with photojournalist Arnold Lim on the 21-member tour team as a media rider. Follow Arnold’s personal story of training for the Tour and the ride itself at tourderock. ca under the blog posts, or on Twitter at @arnoldlimphoto. ON TOUR: This year’s Tour de Rock begins in Port Alice on Saturday, Sept. 21 and ends Friday, Oct. 4 in Victoria. Tour de Rock raises funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research and programs. HELP OUT: Donations can be made at copsforcancer.ca FIND OUT: To catch up on all the Tour de Rock news, photos and videos, go to:

bclocalnews.com/ tour-de-rock

www.northislandgazette.com 23

Motivated by personal experience Chris Bush and Auren Ruvinsky Black Press

Few reasons are more compelling to grab a spot on the 2013 Tour de Rock team than to help give your own son and other children a fighting chance to beat cancer. Const. Misty Dmytar, 39, is relatively new to the Nanaimo RCMP detachment, but she and her two-year-old son, Griffyn, are well known in the Comox Valley where she served until recently, and to Tour de Rock teams from the last couple of years. She is one of two riders from the Nanaimo area, joining Const. Ed de Jong, who is based at the detachment on Gabriola Island. When Griffyn was just four days old he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of infant cancer that presents about 50-70 cases a year in Canada. Dmytar and her partner had to get Griffyn into treatment immediately. “Griffyn was the youngest they’d ever seen that had come in with neuroblastoma,” Dmytar said. Surgeons took a tumour the size of a baseball, weighing 230 grams, off of his right adrenal gland. They took the gland too. Initial treatment produced positive results, but an ultrasound taken a few months later revealed a tumour on Griffyn’s other adrenal gland and spots on his liver. Five months of chemotherapy treatment halted the disease. The tumour shrunk to half its size and the spots on his liver are still there, but the disease has been effectively dormant since 2010. For now and hopefully forever, Griffyn has

Photos by Chris Bush and Auren Ruvinsky

Tour de Rock riders Misty Dmytar, left, with her son Griffyn, a cancer survivor; Ed de Jong; and Jesse Foreman are all motivated to participate in Cops for Cancer by different experiences, but they’re hoping their efforts pay off in improving the lives for children and families who are going through cancer. beaten cancer. He returns for more tests this month. In the meantime, Dmytar is training for the tour, which starts Sept. 21. Combined with fundraising, it’s a big commitment for a mother of two who works 12-hour shifts. Const. Ed de Jong, 43, is a recent arrival to the central Island region. He moved to Gabriola with his family in January after serving in Terrace, B.C. His reason for getting in the saddle for the 2013 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock is simply to offer something back to the community in which he works. “For me, being in the position I’m in as an RCMP member, the ability to give back to the community is a big thing for me and just the fact that this event supports kids with cancer makes it such an easy decision to do,” de Jong said. With two children – a son, 11,

and daughter, 14 – who are healthy, de Jong counts his blessings. His father-in-law is a cancer survivor. Living on Gabriola Island means catching a ferry to Nanaimo to meet up with other team members for training rides out of Parksville and Nanaimo. The time and transportation restrictions have translated into de Jong doing most of his training alone on Gabriola roads. A 90-kilometre ride means three laps around the island. Oceanside RCMP’s Tour de Rock rider Cpl. Jesse Foreman said he was inspired to get involved by “looking at my own healthy kids and when I saw some who weren’t healthy I wanted to do something.” His boys are currently seven and nine, making their understanding and support important to Foreman as he squeezes training between his family and full-time job at the Oceanside detachment where he’s in charge of community policing.

Have a whale of a time in your own backyard!

The Unforgettable Killer Whale (Orca)

Like his fellow riders, he’s been touched by cancer in his family with a grandfather, aunt and uncle all dealing with the disease on some level. He is also inspired by five-yearold Lucas, the junior rider he’s been teamed up with. The local kid was in and out of the hospital for eight months and lost his kidney to cancer, but is now in remission. Foreman said that other than having to go back to Children’s Hospital every four months for tests until he’s 18, “you can’t tell him apart from any other kid.” For these three riders, they say it’s the least they can do to support these kids. “The more money we raise through Tour de Rock, the more chance these kids have and the better the treatments that will come out,” Dmytar said. photos@nanaimobulletin.com writer@pqbnews.com

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

24 www.northislandgazette.com

North Island Life

Keno the dog turns to look over his stuffed Teddy bear while waiting for the J.R. Rardon start of the annual Toy and Rod Run in Port McNeill Saturday

Live to ride, ride to G Live

Gazette staff PORT McNEILL—With the throaty roar of a 1,200cc engine and a tap of the gearshift, fuzzy pink bunnies and a stuffed Christmas polar bear rolled away from the local Community Centre on the annual Toy and Rod Run to Port Hardy Saturday. Of course, these and the many other toys taking part in the ride brought their leather-clad chauffeurs. On the same day thousands of Harley-Davidson riders descended on Milwaukee, Wisc., for the company’s 110th anniversary, a smaller but hardy group of riders — Top: Marilyn Niemeyer of Campbell River waves and she and dozens of other riders make their way up the hill from Carrot Park en route to Port McNeill during Saturday’s ride. Above: Riders motor up Campbell Way in Port McNeill. Right: The pig roasting crew carries the main course to the cutting table in Hyde Creek. Far right: Dawn Harilstad drops her gift off at Gus’s Bar and Grill.

most of them astride Harleys — made their presence known on North Vancouver Island. The annual Toy and Rod Run, hosted by Port McNeill riders Dawn Harilstad and Annie Leblanc, drew participants from across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and as far as Alberta to the east and Salem, Ore., to the south. Carrying toys and childrens’ fishing rods, the bikes toured to Port Hardy for a stop along Market Street in front of Carrot Park, then returned to Port McNeill for the traditional piling of the

presents on the pool table at Gus’s Bar and Grill. The toys are given to the local Lions Club for eventual distribution with the Gazette Hamper Fund Christmas Hampers. Later Saturday, the riders and local residents mingled in Hyde Creek for the eighth annual Pig Roast and Stomp at the home of Darcy and Annie Leblanc. Featuring a buffet style dinner, complete with pit-roasted pig, cash bar and live music from Steelhead, the event raised additional funds that will be donated to needy local causes.