The Namib Desert –Forbidding landscape vibrating with life

Submitted by Jane Thurgood Sagal

In 2006, I travelled to Nambia for work. Following the first week, my colleagues and I take the Desert Express – a train to Swakopmund on the west coast - to explore the oldest desert in the world along with the Skeleton Coast. The Namib Desert occupies an area of 80,950 square kilometres, of which 50,000 are protected.

The Skeleton Coast is a 40 km wide and 500 km long, coastal stretch in Namibia; it’s a hostile but fascinating area, with sand dunes so high, sailors in the distance mistake them for mountains, assuming a sharp drop-off into the water. Here, the cold and unpredictable Benguela Current of the Atlantic Ocean clashes with the dune and desert landscape of northwestern Namibia, causing shipwrecks and entombing sailors.

During lunch, our train travels leisurely through a game farm. Through the window, we excitedly observe tall majestic giraffes, bounding springboks, red-bottomed baboons, stately oryx, and other game. When springboks leap, they vault into the air and hang momentarily, lowering their head and arching their back while airborne.

When the train stops, we clamber onto a safari jeep, being lucky enough to see a mother rhinoceros with her baby. Following this discovery, we are hailed by mean-tempered ostriches.

Al-Anon Are you concerned about or affec ted by someone else’s drinking? For more information or to speak with someone from our fellowship, please call 250-878-2448 or 250-342-8392.

Alcoholics Anonymous If alcohol is causing problems or conic t in your life, AA can help All meetings are at 7 p.m. Columbia United AA, Invermere: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the BC Ser vice Building, South End – 624 4th St., Invermere. Please call 250342-2424 for more information or to speak with someone from our fellowship.

Cheers to Carla at The Black Forest Restaurant for the great ser vice when we were there for Catherine's bir thday

Cheers to Cris for posters, Katherine for adver tising and all the wonder ful people that attended our St Patricks day tea It was so fun :) Edgewater/Radium Hospital Auxiliar y.

Cheers to DCS plumbing for ALWAYS coming to save us, but EX TRA cheers for the last time for coming after already working a full day and then dealing with the least favourable conditions Cheers Doug! And Cheers too, Kyle!

Cheers to Nicole at Sobeys

Always so sweet and helpful :)

Cheers from Edgewater/ Radium Hospital Auxiliar y

~ REMEMBERING ~ Sean Stewart McFarlane

I long to stay

My body is gone but I’m always near

I’m ever ything you feel, see, or hear

My spirit is free, but I’ll never depart,

As long as you keep me alive in your heart

I ll never wander out of your sight,

I’m the brightest star on a warm summer night

I’ll never be beyond y our reach,

I’m the warm moist sand when you ’ re at the beach

I’m the colourful leaves when winter comes round, And the pure white snow that blankets the ground

I’m the tears that flow when you weep

And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep

I’m the smile you see on a stranger’s face

Just look for me I’m ever yplace

(Author Unknown)

We love and miss you always -Mum, Dad & Blair

Cheers to R ic at Sobeys for donating to our St. Patrick's Day tea. Thanks from Edgewater/ Radium Hospital Auxiliar y.

Cheers to Sonja Kanan for being so kind and accommodating You are awesome!

Iv y House Residents put out a great big CHEERS to Bill Ark and the crew for putting on the Communit y Talent Show on Sunday March 12 midday. We thoroughly enjoyed ever y per former and their talents The MC was mar velous, and the humor in bet ween during stage set up was wonder ful

Cheers and more Cheers to Rosanna and Shane for helping out and providing hot meals to someone in need

Listings

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Wanted 2 F/T Restaurant Cooks, Rocky R iver Grill, 8888 Arrow Road, Invermere, B C Permanent, F/T shifts, over time, weekends, days and evenings, $16/hour for 40 hours per week O ver time after 40 hours

Acreages For Sale

2 5 to 3 4 acre parcels

Great mountain views, privac y, individual wells, no building time commitment Located on sunny side of the Valley

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B B's Home & Design Ser vices

Renovations, Masonr y & Handyman Ser vices, Blinds & Install. Cabin checks/yard care/eavestrough cleaning/junk removal/dump runs Call 250-688-2897

THE HEARTFELT COMPANION: Ser vices for Seniors

Since 2014 we've provided kind and compassionate non-medical care, transpor tation to Cranbrook, overnight care, meal prep, grocer y shopping and more

Excellent local references 250-341-5683

Hear tfeltcompanionser vices com

Minimum several years' experience and completion of secondar y school DUTIES: Prepare and cook full course meals, prepare and cook individual dishes and foods, ensure qualit y of food por tions, work with minimal super vision, prepare dishes for customers with food allergies or intolerances. Inspec t kitchens and food ser vice areas Please for ward resume to Justin Atterbur y by fax 250-342-8889 or email: justatterbur y@hotmail com

If you have what it takes to work with a great Landscape Maintenance team, we want you!

We’re expanding our team and looking for hard working people, whether you have years of experience or you’re new to the green industry

Our company embraces life outdoors, we appreciate the satisfaction of hard physical work, and we take pride in keeping our clients’ properties healthy and looking fantastic using an established system. You will be taught how to safely operate mowers, weed eaters, blowers, and other tools and equipment We want you to be part of a team that works in, and appreciates, the weather of the Columbia Valley We work on very hot days, very cold days, rainy days, and very beautiful days.

If you’re the best, you won’t ever have to worry about being paid above industry standards, our starting wage is $20/hr We also offer an extremely flexible benefits package for team members who stay with us year round. If this is the kind of challenge you are looking for, please email enquiries to:

District Of Invermere

914 – 8th Avenue, PO Box 339 Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Tel: (250) 342-9281 • Fax: (250) 342-2934