COMPASS MAGAZINE VI | ISSUE 47 OCT/NOV 2023

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Sharing the Direction of Vancouver Island Communities

WE ARE ART

YQQ+CVA+Compass Gallery & Gifts=Party!

Kristina Campbell

COASTAL CHRONICLES

A Guide to Ammonite Hunting on Vancouver Island

Dave Flawse

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Big Island Book Fest's Award-winning Authors

JP Bailey

FEATURE ARTIST

Trevor Hunt at Spirits of the West Coast Gallery

T’ŁALIS - Pushing Boundaries

WELLNESS ARTIST

Lynn Gray | ElevATE'd Ware

Kealy Donaldson

STAY WELL

Reinventing Yourself

Dana Mahon

WALKING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS

How Coca-Cola Shook Up the Island's Soda Industry

Dalys Barney

SHIFT HAPPENS

Guilt: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Andrea Wagemaker

WWW.COMPASSMAGAZINE.CA

Painting the Wild Blue Wonder:

Lynda Glover

September 26 to October 21, 2023

Brushworks

October 24 to November 18, 2023

Members Christmas Show

November 21 to December 21, 2023

Time to Get Muddy

Reinvention

We’ve all been there—not happy with ourselves, not happy with life, not happy with our jobs or businesses. Life is challenging and if it were easy, everyone would be kicking it. Sometimes life calls for changes – big or small – and you must TRY to move forward the best you can to meet your own expectations! TRY is an acronym for Time to Reinvent Yourself. What does this look like? It means taking some time to do a deep dive within and find the pieces of your life that you are unhappy with. Reflect upon what bothers you the most and what is not working for you, your life or your business and find a new path to where you want to be! It takes goal setting, commitment and the drive to get there, but it is possible! Whether you are trying to be healthier, achieve a better education or take your career or business to the next level, it can be done. Keep a positive outlook and attitude towards your specific changes w goals, in mind, and the path will provide what’s needed along the way. There will be bumps – expect that you will experience setbacks; this is temporary, find your way back to the path and move towards your expectations of reinvention!

Gilakas’la, Emote, Marsii

Kealy Donaldson

compassmagazine@ourmail.com www.compassmagazine.ca

Kristina Campbell

Kealy Donaldson

Dave Flawse

Luna Loiseau-Tremblay

Dana Mahon

CONNECT

WE ARE ART

Gallery & Gifts

KRISTINA CAMPBELL

NOVEMBER 1 IS GOING to be an exciting evening at the YQQ airport with three separate events converging to create a splash!

For the past decade Comox Valley Arts has been curating an annual exhibition in partnership with YQQ. This year’s theme is “Polarities and Junctions”. The selection committee chooses from central island artist submissions to showcase their work in this high profile setting.

“An ongoing effort of Comox Valley Arts has been to move away from seeing art as a form of beautification and towards thinking about art as a way to spark inquiry, conversation and bridge differences. This theme offers artists a literal or abstract avenue for approaching a creative response,” says Executive Director Jennifer Casey.

“We invite you to consider the polarities you observe and navigate as an artist, and the places of convergence and junction where differences can be conciliated in nature, in communities, and in global conversations.” Submissions for the exhibition close on October 15, visit comoxvalleyarts.com/what-we-do/yqq for details.

The opening reception for this exhibition coincides with the grand opening of Compass Gallery & Gifts at YQQ and the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce (CVCC) Business After Business mixer. Compass Gallery & Gifts supports the ‘Island Good’ initiative, a non-profit initiative of the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance that makes it easy to find products made and grown on Vancouver Island and the neighbouring rural islands.

© Rawpixel.com

This reflects owner Kealy Donaldson’s strong commitment to local artists and artisans, introducing tourists and locals alike to the fabulous products made right here on Vancouver Island. Compass Gallery and Gifts is filled with locally produced jewelry, art, and delicious food products.

The event begins at 5:30 pm with live music and a champagne toast at 6pm hosted by Compass Gallery & Gifts. There will be a no-host beer and wine bar, charcuterie and desserts are compliments of Com pass General Store (Sister store to the Gallery and located in Downtown Comox). The gift shop will be loaded with holiday ornaments at Compass Gallery & Gifts, with artist Kelly Everill on hand to personalize ornaments as you shop.

Tickets for the event are available through comoxvalleychamber.com/events

COASTAL CHRONICLES

A Guide to Ammonite Hunting on Vancouver Island

DAVE FLAWSE

IF YOU TOOK A DIP in a shallow sea in the deep past, you’d likely be doggy paddling alongside ammonites. These predatory marine mollusks were related to squids and octopuses but had a hard, chambered shell, similar to the modern-day nautilus. After 330-million years mastering the world’s oceans, ammonites went extinct with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Their fossilized shells can be found around the globe, including on Vancouver Island. But they can be difficult to find. The Vancouver Island Paleontological Society (VIPS) offers fossil hunting excursions to its members. On a tour you are likely to find, among other things, ammonites.

You arrive at VIPS headquarters on a quiet street where a group huddles against the wind and drizzle. Fieldtrip

Coordinator Dan Bowen wears a weathered baseball hat. Twin brothers, who are around 15 years old, both sport blue jeans. One wears glasses, and rain drops bespeckle the lenses. Their grandma is tucked in a coat. Another middle-aged woman arrives with a smile. She waves then stuffs her hands deep back into her jacket pockets. Bowen scans the five in his charge. His curt instructions speak both to experience and subdued anticipation at the day’s promise: using a hammer to crack open concretions, cemented sedimentary rocks that conceal fossils like prehistoric time capsules.

You all break and meet again at Shelter Point south of Campbell River. It’s supposed to be a falling tide, but the waves spew white foam against the driftwood at the top of the beach. Bowen suggests the group gets a coffee to wait out the storm surge.

Cretaceous Seas © Dan Bowen, VIPS

Hands wrap around warm cups. One twin tells you his favourite type of dinosaur—something-something-asaurus. You say, “Cool” and nod. The other makes funny faces behind his brother’s back. Grandma chats with the middle-aged woman. Bowen sighs at the worsening storm and decides the group won’t go fossil hunting after all. But like any good leader he has a backup plan.

The cream carpet feels soft on your feet. A retired-age couple in tie-died shirts have invited the gang into their home. They extract a treasure rock from one of their display cases. A treasure rock is a concretion that contains many fossils, in this instance over a dozen ammonites the size of drink coasters. The twins jostle for position to get the closest; excited breath warms the ammonites. Bowen snaps pictures for a presentation he’s making.

The walls are adorned floor to ceiling with glass display cases. Fossils have burst out of them to lay on the plush carpet or on top of and below various other furniture items—end tables, the fireplace mantel, sturdy chairs. More fossils hide under the glass top of a coffee table. This is an easy place to find fossils.

Satisfied with the skills you’ve gained collecting ammonites, you want to learn more about the science of paleontology, so you attend the 14th British Columbia Paleontological Symposium at the University of Victoria.

In B119, Undergraduate Lab C, Bowen presents Sutures, Septas and Siphuncles: Identifying Ammonites with Ease. You’re late and find a seat near the back. Five long tables are arranged like city blocks. The glow of the projector shines on the faces crowed around each

table. Behind them are more tables full of ammonites.

At the front Bowen wields a wooden meter-ruler. He points at parts of ammonites on the projector screen and describes in technical detail how to distinguish between a few dozen of the over 10,000 types. Some species, like the funky, trombone-shaped heteromorph, don’t even look like ammonites. Others grew larger than truck tires. Each slide brings up a new picture. From your vantage point at the back, you see nods and the hear the accompanying “hmms” and “oohs”—the sounds of epiphany.

After a lengthy round of questions, the presentation moves to the ammonites waiting on the back tables. A woman clutches an ammonite the size of a watermelon. “Oooh,” she says, “Look at that, eh.” A man next to her pulls out a magnify glass attached to his nylon necklace to inspect the fine details.

For the first time since you began your odyssey to find an ammonite, you wonder why people do this. Is it the dopamine rush of cracking a concretion to discover what treasure awaits inside? Is it a need to deck out your home with all your best finds? Is it a desire to further humankind’s understanding of life on earth? Or is it the search for comfort? Not just of plush carpets, but the comfort that comes with connection to human beings—the shared experience of the hunt.

As the fossil enthusiasts mill about room B119, their excited chatter and laughter fill the room. Surrounded by hundreds of ammonites, they are as close as they will ever get to swimming in the shallow seas of the past. In this moment you’re satisfied that you’ve got this ammonite hunting thing mostly figured out.

Found by Mike Inglin, VIPS

Embreeoceras retaxa. Found by the late Doug Embree, VIPS

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Two for One: Big Island Book Fest Hosts Award Winning Authors

JP BAILEY

THIS YEAR, THE BIG ISLAND Book Fest hosts two outstanding, award-winning members of the Writer’s Union of Canada. Diana Stevan and W. L. Hawkin are among 50 authors you can meet and talk to at Big Island Book Fest on October 14, 2023, in Courtenay.

Diana Stevan likes to joke that she’s a Jill-of-all-trades— she has worked as a therapist, teacher, librarian, model, actress and sports reporter for CBC television. In addition, Stevan has written and published five novels and a novelette.

Stevan’s novels cross genres: from romantic mystery/ adventure to women’s fiction, to Lukia’s Family Saga trilogy, historical/biographical fiction based on her Ukrainian grandmother’s life in Russia and in Canada. The trilogy titles are: Sunflowers Under Fire, Lilacs in the Dust Bowl, and Paper Roses on Stony Mountain

When Diana isn’t writing, she loves to travel and read. She is currently working on a collection of short stories and a non-fiction book combining her impressions of 25 years as a family therapist with her love for gardening.

W. L. Hawkin started writing 30 years ago when she went through a relationship upheaval whilst also beginning a degree in Indigenous Studies at Trent University in Ontario. She says it was a traumatic but also exciting time in her life. The healing she experienced was revealed through the characters in her first novel. She recently published it as Lure: Jesse & Hawk, and won a National Indie Excellence Award.

W. L. is multi-genre writer, weaving together urban fantasy, speculative fiction, romance, thriller, and mystery, with a diverse cast of characters. Her

Diana Stevan Image courtesy DianaStevan.com

W.L. Hawkin

Image courtesy bluehavenpress.com

five-book series, the Hollystone Mysteries, feature a bisexual gothic magician and coven high priest, who travels to save his family and friends... W. L.’s books are set in the Pacific Northwest, and in Scotland and Ireland, so you can read and travel at the same time. Her latest installment is a vampire thriller with a romantic thread.

When asked about the Writer’s Union of Canada, W. L. had this to say, “The WUC is a solid organization that supports writers in diverse ways. This year is their 50th anniversary. They provide a community where authors and publishers can seek advice, sponsorship, and training.”

Both Diana and W. L. receive funding through the Union’s National Public Reading Program, and you can hear each of them read at the Big Island Book Fest.

Saturday, October 14th at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay, 411 Anderton Ave, 10am to 4 pm

For more info, visit www.bigislandbookfest.com

FOOD FOR THOUGHT National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Honouring the observation of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in alignment with the federal government on September 30th. The day is committed to learning and reconciling with the Indigenous People in your region.

The federal government officially designated the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a day to

honour the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. This day is to commemorate the tragic, painful history, legacy and ongoing impacts of residential schools in Canada.

In observance, most businesses will be closed on Monday, Oct 2nd and there are numerous community

events being held on that day. In Campbell River, the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex has minimized its operations on September 30 and are offering free family events in the afternoon.

On September 30th, you are encouraged to honour this day, through personal reflection, education, participating in awareness activities in your community or by wearing orange to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools.

For more information about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls to action, please visit the Government of Canada's website at www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html

Organizations hosting free events and webinars for Truth and Reconciliation:

Laichwiltach Family Life Society – 8th Annual Every Child Matters Walk, Sat. Sept 30th 11:00 am Campbell River, Spirit Square. Hosting ceremony and light lunch to follow.

The Gord Downie Chenie Wenjack Fund - free webinar on Mon. Oct. 2 @ 2:00 EDT, Intergeneration Resilience: Sharing Stories from Families of Residential School Survivors. downiewenjack.ca/events/

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is hosting a series of online learning opportunities related to Truth and Reconciliation. All are welcome – Join daily lunch and learns. www.eventbrite.ca/e/truth-and-reconciliation-week-2023-public-lunch-and-learns-tickets-704876573807?aff=oddtdtcreator

For reading, watching, or listening materials explore the Vancouver Island Regional Library Indigenous Interest page: virl.bc.ca/read-watch-listen/audience/indigenous/

To donate to Indigenous Charities: www.canadahelps. org/en/donate-to-indigenous-charities

Purchase an orange t-shirt from an Indigenous Designer in Canada: www.vanmag.com/style/fashion/ where-to-purchase-orange-shirtsfor-canada-day/

T’ŁALIS PUSHING BOUNDARIES TREVOR HUNT

©Zac Whyte

NOW SHOWING AT SPIRITS OF THE WEST COAST

ART GALLERY is “T’ŁALIS – Pushing Boundaries”, an art exhibition and sale featuring carvings by contemporary Indigenous artist Trevor Hunt (given name “T’łalis” translating to “A pod of Killer Whales swimming towards a village) of the Kwakiutl Nation. The exhibition is running until December 30th, 2023 at their Courtenay Gallery.

This exhibition and sale is showcasing Hunt’s innovative methods for approaching traditional Northwest Coast designs and motifs through a contemporary lens, while retaining a deep respect and recognition for the artistic and cultural traditions of his people. Through the incorporation of non-traditional colours, designs, mediums, and techniques, Hunt’s work pushes the boundaries of the Kwakiutl art form into the future.

On display are one-of-a-kind masterpieces, including a monumental steering paddle, dramatic masks, bold panels and paddles, spirited metalwork, as well as a complex and exquisite Orca Moon Mask. Each piece is rooted in tradition, but with a contemporary flare.

“I enjoy pushing myself on each piece, to be constantly changing and evolving,” says Hunt. “I've never made the same mask twice. Every piece is unique to its own, and every piece to me has a part of me in it, made with dedication, love and patience.”

Hunt is part of the Kwakiutl Nation in the village of T’sakis (or Fort Rupert, BC) on Northeastern Vancouver Island. As a small community of about 300 members, this village has been teeming with culture and art for thousands of years. As part of the Hunt Family, one of the most recognized families of the Northwest Coast, they have generations of internationally acclaimed artists and carvers including Trevor’s father, Stan Hunt, his grandfather, Henry Hunt, and his great-grandfather, Mungo Martin, one of the most influential Kwakwaka’wakw members in recent history.

Kwakiutl artists have always been considered among the most innovative of the Northwest Coast, implementing the principles of traditional formline design with a less confining, more individualistic and theatrical approach towards form, colour, expression, and storytelling.

“We have been working together with Trevor for close to 15 years and I am always surprised by the innovative approaches Trevor has come up with.” says Gallery Co-Owner Walter Stolting.

“His bold use of colours and his impeccable design, carving and finishing skills have made every piece we purchased from him a perfectly executed one of a kind beautiful piece of artwork. To top it off he has a very humble approach towards customized wishes, making nearly everything possible, as long as it is in harmony with his drive for excellence and artistic principles.”

Pushing the boundaries of the Kwakiutl art form into the future.

T’ŁALIS – Pushing Boundaries can be viewed at the gallery and virtually. Admission is free, and visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation for our “Small Acts, Big Impacts” Food Bank Drive and Fundraiser. Every donor will be entered into a draw for a gift bag valued at $250. www.spiritsofthewestcoast.com

FEATURE ARTIST

TREVOR HUNT

CARVED BEAR PANEL

WELLNESS ARTIST LYNN GRAY ElevATE'd Ware

KEALY DONALDSON

WHEN LYNN GRAY STARTED HAND stamping her mom’s vintage silverware, it had sat in her closet for years before she gave much thought to what to do with it. Then one day she came across a cool gallery, saw some hand stamping on another product, and was inspired to try it on her own silverware collection.

There were lots of mistakes in the beginning, but she worked her way through them to bring a lovely finished product to the market via Facebook and Etsy. She was thrilled when she started receiving sales and positive response from buyers. Working with her heightened sense of humour, Lynn came up with sayings and mantras for the stamping process on the silverware. Her favourites are her cocktails statements—especially the martini ones—and the sentimental sayings. “They are near and dear,” she says. Then people started to phone her to give her their vintage silverware. It has all been a learning process along the way.

She can’t quite remember when she started burning boards, but she bought herself a standard set of burning equipment and started with wood pieces and practiced until she got better at it. When she sold her first piece, Gray was ecstatic, to say the least. It inspired her and affirmed that she was heading in the right direction. At that point, design wasn’t as important as getting the product looking right and having happy clients. That was in 2019—and she hasn’t looked back!

Today, she has mastered her art. Through another process of community development, Gray got involved on a personal level with Grassroots Kind Hearts and helped structure that society into a formal non-profit. That led to some amazing relationships in the Campbell River community and ideas that coincided with the development of her charcuterie boards to bring an

Indigenous flair to the design. She connected with Gina Hunt (Kwakiutl) and Ken Cooper (Nuxalk) as part of her journey and contribution to Grassroots Kind Hearts. They felt out the possibility of working together and came together in an amazing way. When you see Gray’s work married with the artistry of Hunt and Cooper, it elevates the piece to another level. Embellished with hand-pulled cedar braids, local shell, devils club and beads, they have absolutely created a unique one of a kind artisan offering. It truly doesn’t compare to anything else you have ever seen.

The knowledge and connection that Hunt (Wa Dzi Di) and Cooper (Kluquachee) bring to the table is authentic and heart-warming; Gray says she is honoured to work them. They continue to harvest and prepare embellishments for these stunning pieces, and share their insights throughout the year. You can view their website at cedarspiritcreations.com.

With the Christmas season on the horizon, Gray is extremely busy. She is preparing for Christmas Shows, expanding her online presence, and busy creating her gorgeous one of kind gifts. Her work is now available at the new Compass General Store in Downtown Comox. You can visit her website, and follow her gorgeous art work on social media.

STAY WELL Reinventing Yourself

DANA MAHON

WHOOOOO ARE YOU? WHO WHO, WHO WHO?

Does that song reference date me? It’s by The Who circa 1979. Imagine if you could become somebody new simply by deciding?

I turned 50 in August and I would say I’ve reinvented myself (talking major changes here), roughly 10 times in the last 20 years, 6 of which have been in the last 5 years; not because I’m flaky, unsettled or indecisive. Au contraire. Rather, I felt when it was time to forge a new path, and I trusted it was the right one. Spoiler alert, it is always the right one or we wouldn’t be on it.

I’ve relocated several times, moved at 43 to a town where I only knew one person; became a barista at 44 (read: being trained by 18 year olds!), opened a yoga studio, years later closer said space, leaving my sole

revenue behind, wrote and released my first book at 45, moved to a farm to live in an RV at 47, and am now living on the incredible North Island, developing a wellness retreat called Nature’s Edge. I share these examples as a reminder that it is never too late to become a new you.

So how do we know if it is reinvention we are seeking/ considering, vs just a break from what can feel like mundanity or routine. How do we decipher restlessness from that deep desire to be or do or have something truly different?

For me, the answer comes from inside. It isn’t the result of a shiny new thing dangling in front of me, or because I’m bored. This feeling often comes following a significant experience that causes me to pause, reflect, and then quite often to shift. It is as though

© Maew

“growing pains” guide the next move. In other words, when I require and desire an entirely different space, one that will support forging a new path, I know it’s time. It isn’t a rash or hasty decision, but one met with quiet contemplation and intention.

When we reinvent ourselves from a space of knowing, feeling and trusting, it is vastly different than coming from escapism, confusion or grasping.

What about fear of the unknown? Hesitation. Doubt.

The more we practice trusting, the easier it gets to take “leaps of faith”. When we believe that with some (calculated) risk, good intention, relaxing into things, and a letting go (trust), that we can have what lever it is we seek, then we are rewarded with that very thing. Once we land on our feet a few times, stepping off the safety platform becomes less terrifying. This doesn’t mean there won’t be some fear, hesitation or doubt, but those things will eventually be replaced with eagerness, action and belief.

We can never be certain of the exact outcome in advance but we can certainly paint the picture of our most desired outcome and manifest it, or close to it, into our existence and reality. Worst that happens…? We “fail” which we all know is just an F word that really means learn.

The key to reinventing ourselves is simple. Do you want to? If you do, then you can. Remain open to the possibility that something greater than us is at play and is showing us where to go

next. If we knew how things would turn out ahead of time, life would be boring hehe, but if we can trust the journey, even a bit, life becomes a lot more fun,

Depending on where we’re at in our lives, it can seem daunting or even impossible to reinvent ourselves. Yet when we think of coming up with new ways of doing a familiar task, or even giving suggestions on how someone else might reinvent themselves, it seems possible, doable, or even exciting. Why is that?

It seems the more established we are, the older we get and the more we believe (consciously or otherwise) the message society leads us to believe i.e. play small, stay safe, that’s too hard, or that we’re too old to start over, when it comes to forging a new path for ourselves we are often the first ones to entertain doubt, yet when friends or even strangers share their desire to quit their job and open a their dream business, or sell everything and move abroad, or run away with a new lover whom they haven’t know for long, or… insert your own example, we would likely be the first ones to cheer them on. We read about these people all the time and more often than not we think, wow, how amazing! But we rarely see ourselves as the very people who can do the same, but we most certainly are!

Reinventing ourselves doesn’t always need to be monumental, especially if it is extremely uncomfortable at first. Perhaps the first kick at the can is starting to speak up a bit more, letting the world know who you are and what you have to say! Perhaps it is leaving relationships (personal, professional or otherwise) that no longer serve you, preparing for ones that do. Perhaps it is in fact moving, opening that business, traveling around the world, or writing your book! Whatever it is, just know that we are ALWAYS becoming, and reinventing ourselves is part of pur evolution and growth because life is never static. As long as we ask for what we want, we can have it, just breathe easy, knowing it is all on its way to you.

WALKING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS

HOW COCA-COLA SHOOK UP VANCOUVER ISLAND’S SODA INDUSTRY

Big soda bubbled to the top during the 20th century, upending decades of local soda tradition

DALYS BARNEY

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from Dalys Barney’s book, Message on a Bottle: Nanaimo’s Soda History. She discussed the ongoing project during an Island Notables interview last year.

You can learn more, or purchase her booklet, at vanislehistoryexplorer.ca

WHEN HIS NANAIMO ANTIQUE store of more than 30 years was closing, Curiosity Cove owner Gerald Gonske reminisced about how customers were often looking for items that represented the city. "'People would ask, "What do you have that's a symbol of Nanaimo?"' Gonske said. 'I couldn't have anything better than a Rumming's bottle.'"

In 1889, a 20-year-old William Edward Rumming and his older brother Charles Henry Rumming set out from Liverpool, England with Vancouver Island as their intended destination. By the time of the 1891

Island bottling plant on Fifth Street, Nanaimo Image courtesy Nanaimo Community Archives. 2018010A-P116

census, William Rumming was living in Nanaimo's Middle Ward and working as a soda water maker. He had joined John Mitchell at the Pioneer Soda Water Works on Wallace Street.

By the fall of 1892, John Mitchell and William Rumming were more than just colleagues at Pioneer Soda Water Works, they were also brothers-in-law. John Mitchell married William Rumming's sister Emma Eliza on September 24, 1892. Unfortunately, within just a few years, John Mitchell died on March 21, 1895.

For a period of time after William Rumming assumed control of the company, Pioneer Soda Water Works used bottles with W.E. Rumming's name embossed vertically on them instead of John Mitchell's. Just before the turn of the 20th century, the standard Rumming bottle changed to the one with the embossed crossed pick and shovel that local bottle collectors know and love.

In the 1920s, William Rumming faced a new competitor in the soda market…one by the name of Coca-Cola. According to the book Soda Kings of B.C. & the Yukon, "This largest of international soda companies arrived in British Columbia in 1907 on an agency basis with Cross & Company [of Vancouver], but Coca-Cola was initially poorly received by the local market."

The brand didn't seem to take off on the Island: "After the Vancouver plant opened in 1921, Coca-Cola tried shipping their bottled pop to the island from Vancouver but found it unprofitable, despite attempts by several managers." However, in May of 1922, a Coca-Cola-owned bottling plant was opened in Nanaimo on Selby Street and produced 2000 dozen bottles of Coca-Cola daily.

The Nanaimo bottling plant was just one piece of Coca-Cola's Canadian manufacturing and distribution system which, according to a 1923 advertisement, included four syrup factories, 21 bottling plants, and five warehouses across the country.

Perhaps predicting the impact having a Coca-Cola branch right in his own town might have on his business, Rumming made arrangements to start bottling two well-known brands – Kist (a brand from the Citrus Products Company that included a line of fruit

flavoured sodas, notably lemon, lime, and orange flavours) and Hires Root Beer. The book Soda Kings of B.C. & the Yukon says, "By the 1920s, an affiliation with a national brand was a key strategy to success. Certainly by the 1940s national or international brands were sold in almost every town in British Columbia."

Coca-Cola bottled by William Rumming in Nanaimo would not have been bottled in these Bastion bottles, but in its own distinctive contour bottles. Coca-Cola's iconic 6.5 ounce "hoop skirt" or "Mae West" bottle had been originally introduced in 1915 and came to Canada around 1919. To maintain its brand image, Coca-Cola insisted that all local bottlers used the distinctive bottle. As well as needing its own bottles, bottling Coca-Cola was not without its challenges. "All Coke bottlers were required to maintain strict production standards which were far more stringent than any other brand of the era."

The Rumming enterprise had a name change to Rumming's Limited and continued to expand on Vancouver Island. In 1943, William Rumming retired and sold the business to three men with experience working for

Coca-Cola. William Rumming died in Victoria in 1957.

When Rumming's Limited was sold to Gene Koster in 1953 it became Island Bottling Company. Koster had worked with Coca-Cola in Regina before serving in World War II, and he later worked at the company's Moose Jaw plant.

Goodwill Bottling of Victoria bought Island Bottling in 1965. Goodwill Bottling had been started by Edward Gudewill in June of 1954 when he purchased the Old English Beverage Company, a licensed bottler of Coca-Cola, on Johnson Street in Victoria.

In 1955, the company moved to a former knitting mill on Erie Street, near Fisherman's Wharf. Over the next 24 years the company expanded throughout Vancouver Island and across the B.C. mainland with seven more franchise acquisitions.

This was a time of consolidation, not only in British Columbia soda businesses, but also in the industry at large. Wometco, a Florida-based company that had a soft drink division as well as cable television and movie theatre interests, was buying up smaller Coca-Cola outfits, including those in British Columbia.

A Vancouver Sun article from 1965 details how Wometco had recently bought Coca-Cola franchises in both Vancouver and Chilliwack, and how "owners of the Victoria and Nanaimo franchises turned down Wometco's offer."

By the late 1980s, Coca-Cola had begun acquiring Canadian bottlers in earnest. T.C.C. Bottling Limited was formed in Canada by Coca-Cola in 1987 and according to the book Canada’s Coca-Cola, the company, "was acquiring the franchise bottling rights of the many independent bottlers across the country. (T.C.C. Bottling's name would be changed to Coca-Cola

Beverages in 1989.) When the new bottling structure was announced, Coca-Cola's own bottling plants produced about 55 per cent of the company's sales. By 1991, as franchise bottlers were absorbed, Coca-Cola Beverages accounted for 93 per cent of sales in Canada and was the fourth-largest Coca-Cola bottler in the world, with nineteen plants and sixty-two distribution centres. Today, all Coca-Cola products are bottled in Canada by Coca-Cola Beverages."

This trend played out locally, both on the Island and at a provincial level. Coca-Cola bought Wometco in 1984, including its British Columbia division. At the time, Wometco was one of North America's largest Coca-Cola franchise bottlers, consisting of over a dozen bottling plants and dozens of distribution facilities.

On the Island, Goodwill Bottling was sold to Beatrice Companies Inc. in 1983, which was in turn sold to the American Coca-Cola Company in 1986, and then to Coca-Cola Canada in 1989. So ended the more than 100-year history of locally owned soda bottlers on Vancouver Island.

International soft drink brands have been dominating the market for decades. But a renewed interest in flavoured carbonated drinks could mean hope yet for local soda makers on Vancouver Island.

Just think about how many flavoured sparkling water and speciality soda choices there are now at the grocery store. People seem to be ready for different soft drink options, especially ones that are organic, traditional, or locally made.

With the rise in popularity of craft brewing, as well as a "buy local" trend amplified during the global COVID-19 pandemic, it seems as if companies offering these products could be on the right track to reestablishing the Island's thriving soda industry.

YQQ Commences Non-stop Service on WestJet to Puerto Vallarta!

Comox Valley Airport is launching a new Fall schedule highlighting twice weekly non-stop service to Puerto Vallarta with WestJet. Starting Saturday November 4th, non-stop flights will depart every Saturday and Tuesday, with returning flights on Friday and Mondays— doubling the direct service to sunny Mexico just in time for the winter weather.

"The strong demand for service to Puerto Vallarta last season prompted WestJet to increase the non-stop offerings on this popular route, demonstrating WestJet's on-going commitment to Vancouver Islanders for flying out of YQQ. As the only non-stop sun destination available north of the Malahat, we look forward to seeing travellers from central and northern Vancouver Island to taking advantage of the direct flights." said Airport CEO Mike Atkins. "While there are daily connecting flights to almost anywhere in the World, when you are just looking for a sunny break, it is nice to avoid the busy hubs, particularly over the holidays."

Fall schedules come into effect after Labour Day, with Air Canada and WestJet adapting for seasonal demand to provide connectivity through all three hubs. Travellers are encouraged to book early for the best flight options.

The Comox Valley Airport Commission (CVAC) is a federally incorporated, non-profit entity, established through letters patent in 1996.

For more information, visit www.comoxairport.com

© Byron Moore

SHIFT HAPPENS

Guilt : The Gift That Keeps on Giving

ANDREA WAGEMAKER

LET’S FACE IT, we all know the feeling. For some of us it can be our daily bread. It’s the feeling that rubs us like salt in a wound, that has us feeling resentful, empty, full of self-doubt, and simply depleted for a number of reasons. It may have been for something we did, something we think you did, something we shouldn’t have done, something we didn’t do enough of, something we’re doing better than everyone else. I’m sure if I wanted to write a listicle on the subject, it could fill a page. Maybe even stretch into infinity. Who knows?

But that’s not the issue here. The real issue is: Why does this emotion exist at all?

Throughout history I imagine the topic has crossed many a great mind. Guilt is a learned state of being.

“In this way, man wounds himself, this master of destruction, of self-torture.” It is such a waste of energy, a regret that has no business in our day-to-day life. It accomplished by nothing more than a simple shaming device that weakens the spirit to ensure things stay just the way they are.

I grew up believing guilt was a time-honored tradition passed from generation to generation like my grandmother’s secret recipe for cinnamon buns. Ironically, I also believed it was synonymous with child-rearing. My mother did it flawlessly to me, my grandmother did it to her, and as messed up as it sounds, I felt the need and imagined that if I too wanted to be a good parent and have such wonderfully well-disciplined children, all I needed to do was continue the tradition.

Guilt is defined as committing some offense against a moral code. Yet it can also be a feeling, real or imag ined, that you have done something wrong. And if you can’t imagine one, there are plenty of triggers ready and willing to come to your aid. Think about it: even the littlest things jump into our minds about diet— Did you eat today? If you did (and be honest now) you probably ate something that contained at least one of the following: fat, salt, caffeine, dairy, egg, MSG, red meat, sugar, nuts, chocolate, gluten or was processed. On someone’s list you failed to eat correctly. You may have even overeaten. If you’ve managed to avoid all of these pitfalls, you probably feel virtuous and healthy and alert. If so, don’t relate your eating habits to me. I will feel guilty and eat a cookie. You wouldn’t want that on your conscience.

What does green mean? Green used to just be consid ered a color, right? But now it is a way of life. Do you recycle? Get good gas mileage? Take the bus? Hang out your clothes to dry? Compost? Garden? Turn off un used lights? How big is your carbon footprint? The list goes on and on. So how do you stop this conversation in your head?

It is crazy how easily guilt finds its way to our door and, crazier, how we let it in. We let it capture our sense of obligation and then allow it to become a permanent fixture on the shelf of our self-esteem until some thing snaps inside and we finally say, Screw it! I’ve had enough.

I imagine it might have a lot to do with age, because the older we get the less we give a crap about mean ingless things and the opinion of others. It just maybe a wakeup call from the universe to say: thanks for en during all those guilt-trips I plopped on your plate and carry on.

Either way you look at it, braving the wrath of guilt is a major feat, it is an empowerment over yourself and those crazy mind demons that rule you. As Joan Didi on once said, “the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs.”

This is where we start to rebuild, it truly is an inside job from within. We all have the power and foundation to be strong it’s finding the right tools, the right per spective to ensure the walls remain upright you will

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CUP OF DESTINY Tea Leaf Readings

find that a light bulb finally comes on and a path illuminates that will bring along a magnificent joyfulness in having the opportunity to be ourselves and be okay with who that person is and the decisions we make moving forward.

For me this is the stuff of rare insight I wish I could have told my younger self. That, and a million other things that I suppose would’ve saved me from a lifetime of grief. I realize after years and years of knowing only one thing, emotions will bond together.

With guilt comes shame, yes, the two hang out together – it’s a double-edged whammy of a sword that not only marginalizes us, but paralyzes us and make it which makes it that much harder for us to let go. Without a doubt. And when it does, try and remember guilt doesn’t always have to be part of the equation. The puppet master pulling those strings only has the control you give it, so don’t give it. Don’t cave into it, stare it in the face, then cut the damn strings and go live your life for you.

If you need help, Hypnosis and Lucia Light is a wonderful way to get inside the mind and install positive thoughts and change out the old hardware that has been playing out your whole life.

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BACKYARD BIRDING

The Dark-eyed Junco

LUNA LOISEAU-TREMBLAY

AS AUTUMN GENTLY blankets the North Island with its golden hues, the natural world undergoes a quiet transformation. Among the many signs of the season is the appearance of the Dark-eyed Junco, a small and unassuming feathered friend. Whether you're a seasoned birder or a casual observer, take a moment to appreciate the subtle beauty and captivating habits of this common yet enigmatic resident of our region.

The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a small sparrow with a distinctive, slate-gray plumage that gives it an air of understated elegance. Its name is derived from the conspicuous dark patch that encircles its eyes, resembling a stylish mask. Often described as the "snowbird," the Dark-eyed Junco features white outer tail feathers, which flash conspicuously in flight.

What truly sets this species apart is its remarkable regional variation in plumage. On Northern Vancouver Island, you're likely to encounter the "Oregon" subspecies, characterized by a pinkish-brown hue on its sides. These subtle variations in appearance make the Darkeyed Junco a fascinating subject for birdwatchers.

Dark-eyed Juncos are adaptable birds and can be found in a variety of habitats, from coniferous and mixed forests to suburban gardens. Around the North Island, they frequent forested areas, where they forage for seeds and insects on the forest floor. While they are often ground feeders, they are also known to visit bird feeders in backyards, adding a touch of charm to your garden.

While Dark-eyed Juncos are found in coastal regions of the North Island during the summer, they are more commonly associated with winter when they migrate to lower elevations. In summer, they seek cooler, more secluded areas, where they build nests on the forest floor or in low shrubs.

Autumn brings an intriguing change in behavior for Dark-eyed Juncos. These birds are migratory, and as temperatures drop, they begin their journey from the higher elevations of Vancouver Island to lower regions. Campbell River's milder coastal climate provides a welcoming haven for these winter migrants.

During this season, you'll notice an increase in Darkeyed Junco activity in your yard. They are social birds and tend to forage in small flocks, creating a delightful spectacle for birdwatchers. You may find them pecking at fallen seeds, searching for insects, or taking advantage of your bird feeders.

The Dark-eyed Junco, with its unassuming appearance and intriguing behaviors, adds a touch of magic to the North Island's coastal autumn landscape.

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) © Kerry Hargrove

Male Dark-eyed Junco © Danita Delimont

BIG BOOK FEST Island BIG BOOK FEST Island

A WRITERS & READERS EVENT FOR THE ISLANDS

IN THE SALISH SEA

ONE VENUE. 15 GENRES. 50 ISLAND AUTHORS.

Saturday October 14, 10am-4pm

Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Upper Level Downtown Courtenay

Admission by cash donation. Meet, mingle, and talk with writers and readers from across the region. Connect with other fans and discuss books. Purchase & take home your winter reading and gifts.

bigislandbookfest.com

Big thanks to our sponsor, Bennett Sheet Metal and Heating, for helping make this event possible.

Over 60 Years of HVAC Solutions for the Comox Valley. We provide service & installation of heating and air conditioning systems for residential, commercial and industrial clients.

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Big Island Book Fest is presented by