May 19, 2011 Volume 10 • Number 20 50¢ Newsstand Price
downtown
INSIDe
5th Annual CAP Team
Golf Tournament
Track and field champs – page 2
June 16, 2011
SiGn up Today!
also
Eco-friendly products for children – page 5
www.kcbia.com 250-372-3242
your neighboUrhood. your newspaper.
Free legal clinic for low-income residents The best things in life just seem to happen organically. Whether it is happenstance, fate, or just opportunity meeting preparation, nothing legendary ever seems to be planned. Bill Gates and the computer revolution came out of a garage after Bill dropped out of Harvard, Play-Doh was accidentally invented in 1955 while trying to make a wallpaper cleaner, potato chips came about after a chef who was fed up with a customer complaining that his potatoes weren’t crispy enough decided to slice them really thin and douse them in oil and salt. The list goes on and on but the idea remains the same. It is such fate, happenstance, and timing that has brought Christina Cook, new Kamloops resident and lawyer at Bilkey Law LLP, and the Interior Indian Friendship Society together with Access Pro Bono to open a free legal clinic here in Kamloops. “I went to the Friendship Centre originally to volunteer at the soup kitchen,” Christina says. “The kitchen didn’t need help that day and I went to add my name to the volunteer list. I didn’t happen to have a pen so I gave a gentleman by the name of Barry James my business card and he said ‘Oh, you are a lawyer!’ I asked if there was anything I could do that could use my skills like a free legal clinic and he said no, but that was a great idea!” And so came the beginnings of the new free legal clinic here in Kamloops and all out of a series of events that if they never happened would not have came to this conclusion. From there Christina met with the executive director of the Friendship Centre and the ball officially started to roll. “We partnered with Access Pro Bono who is a non-profit that offers a variety of services
Lawyers Ambrose Ng (L) and Christina Cook of Bilkey Law LLP are working with Access Pro Bono and the Interior Indian Friendship Society to run a free legal clinic in Kamloops. The clinic provides legal services to people of limited means throughout Kamloops and the surrounding areas, and is open to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
and told them we would love to set up a legal clinic. They couldn’t believe it and jumped on board.” Access Pro Bono brought with them the skills to actually set up the clinic. This organization has the knowledge, insurance for the lawyers and systems already in place like booking appointments and paperwork.
“Once we had everything all set up I sent a letter to every single lawyer in Kamloops asking for their participation,” continues Christina. “So far we have ten lawyers who have come out to volunteer. We are ultimately looking for 20 lawyers. Everyone was surprised at how little time they had to commit to. There – continued on page 2
SPANX SWIMSUITS! KCBIA EL Apr7 2011.indd 1
Look slim and pretty poolside this summer in these high-style slimming suits! Come in and see our selection of Spanx Swimwear only at Beauty Code Boutique. 222 Victoria Street | 250.851.2633 | beautycode.ca