Fernie Fix March 2018

MARCH 2018 | ISSUE 135

THE FEMINISM ISSUE Feature Artist Jesse Bell on her passion for travelling and capturing the moment.

Feature Resident Simone Bourassa and her journey to helping families in the valley.

Katie Hamar discusses celebrating women, celebrating ourselves and being a team.

Tom Gibson sets out to find classes led by inspiring women in Fernie.

Dr. Taina Turcasso writes about a feminist’s approach to health.

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BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN THE ELK VALLEY We are excited to announce an important change at CanAus Coal Limited. Effective immediately, we have changed the name of the company to North Coal Limited and launched a new brand identity.

Our overriding goal is to make a meaningful contribution where we live and work through a commitment to safe operations, collaboration and sustainable management of the land and resources.

While our name and look have changed, our core values and commitment to transparency, accountability and innovation remain the same. We will continue to work cooperatively with First Nations and communities to address important issues, maintain open, honest and continuous dialogue about our future plans, treat people with dignity and respect, and operate in a responsible manner.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the launch of our new website northcoal.ca coming soon.

NC Ad Fernie Fix.indd 4

Should you have any questions about North Coal Limited, please contact our office at 778-518-0775.

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MARCH 2018

EDITOR’S FIX | 5 BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY | 6 Business News/New Business Making Social Media Work - Instagram: Three Ways to Do it Better

by Christina Pilarski Business Advice with Patty Vadnais – Ride On Money Matters – Getting Ready for Tax Time by Ken MacLeod, CPA CA CGA

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT | 16 Feature Artist – Jesse Bell At Peace and Yet On Fire with Sadie Rosgen and Featuring Jaden Grivell: An Ode to Women Rental Fix – Star Wars: The Last Jedi

by Andrew Vallance

COMMUNITY AND EVENTS | 24 Feature Resident – Simone Bourassa by Krista Turcasso Planning Ahead: Parenting From the Passenger Seat by Kerri Wall Family Stoke – Go Girls by Shelby Cain Out and About with Rebecca Hall Fernie, Featuring an All-Female Cast

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR LIFE | 33 Two Trails Diverged in a Wood by Anne Keery – Tasting Victory Full Throttle: Like Riding a Bike by Shantelle Weir Never Have I Ever – Ice Climbing by Jesse Bell Hurt So Good – Classes Led by Inspiring Women by Tom Gibson Hitting the Trails: Fat Biking at Fernie Alpine Resort by Julie Kelly, FTA

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE | 43 For the Love of Food by Katie Hamar – Nourishment The Find – Fresh Takes by Crys Stewart Food Intelligence – Melissa’s Meal Planning Madness

by Tiffany Schebesch, RD, BASc Family Wellness – A Feminist’s Approach to Health

by Dr. Taina Turcasso, ND, RM

BITS AND BYTES | 51 The Answer Guy – File Recovery

by Kevin McIsaac Astrology with Yann Loranger

FERNIE FUN | 54 Fix Trivia

COVER: Alexandra Armstrong going big and showing the boys up at Island Lake Lodge on a recent trip with The North Face crew. Photo by Mike McPhee @mcphoto99

THIS PAGE: Surveying powder lines.

Photo by Nicole Matei @nicolematei

ISSUE 135

THE FEMINISM ISSUE

“Buying or selling a home is a big decision – you need an experienced professional to guide you through the process. When you work with me, you can count on personal, attentive & patient service, excellent knowledge of the area, great negotiating skills and expert selling strategies.”

4 GREAT SKI HILL OPTIONS! Handcrafted Log Chalet

Ski in Ski out Condo #213 5343 Fernie Ski Hill Rd 2 Beds 2 Baths 872 SqFt

5403 Highline Drive 5 Beds 5 Baths 3,763 SqFt 0.415 Acres

Live, feel and breathe the ski hill culture in this true ski-in/ski-out condo centrally located in the heart of the Fernie Alpine Resort.

Amenities include underground parking, elevator, storage, hot tub, and gym.

Ski off the hill into this timeless hand-crafted log based architectural post & beam home, custom designed to maximize the mountain views and lighting of Fernie Alpine Resort. $1,600,000

$334,000

Bear Paw Lodges Timberframe

Condo at Timberline Lodge

#201 5383 Highline Drive 5 Beds 4 Baths 2,610 SqFt

#524 4559 Timberline Cres.

2 Beds 2 Baths 861 SqFt

Perfectly situated within a few minutes walk to the base of the mountain and ski lifts. This 4 level split offers plenty of room for the whole family to spread out and relax after a big day on the hill.

Located at the base of Fernie Alpine Resort, this property is fully furnished, and features kitchen granite counters and stainless-steel appliances, and a beautiful rock-faced fireplace in the living room.

$1,275,000

$319,000

Looking for something specific? Contact Loralee to discuss your options.

Loralee Thomas Ph: 250-430-1070 loralee@ferniehomes.com • www.ferniehomes.com 1602 - 9th Avenue, Fernie, BC

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EDITOR’S FIX

O

ver the last two months, I have been without Internet and cable at home because, despite every attempt, there is a three month wait for those services in our area.

At first, we panicked. What about the kids?

How will we get our work done? The Olympics!!!!!

But within hours of moving in, our habits transformed. Sure, we make efforts to download shows off Netflix, and there are many places with WiFi close by but at home, we are on our own, spending quality time with our girls, logging time on the trainer, tickling the ivories, and reading. A lot. And I can’t get enough. Of any of these things!

Before long, I noticed how different I felt.

Confident. Happy doing what I’m doing, when I’m doing it. Being present. Then one day at work, posting something on Facebook I got sucked into the newsfeed.

Half an hour later, I noticed how much

Contributors ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinophile nerd who currently lives on the west coast.

Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting.

ANNE KEERY is a Jill of all Trades, working on becoming a master of some.

She loves to adventure close to home and across the globe, whether hiking up Fairy Creek or cycle touring in South America.

CHRISTINE PILARSKI of CIPR Communications believes in the power of meaningful relationships and strategic engagement, both on and offline.

After a 35-years in publishing, CRYS STEWART enjoys road trips with her husband between Fernie and Ontario.

When not writing, taking photographs or riding shotgun, she’s sharing a glass of red with family and friends.

This month JESSE BELL achieves her first ever ice climb on a frozen waterfall and she is so excited yah! Do something that scares you!

time had passed and it didn’t feel good.

I realized that while the hours doing the things I love are on the rise, time spent on social media has decreased significantly.

Leading up to this, I had come across some research on the negative impact of social media on adolescent girls, and now it worries me even more as I see the change within myself. As women, we are already confronted with unrealistic standards of success and beauty in all types of media. Now, as we scroll through social media feeds we see only the best part of everyone’s lives. The perfect cup of coffee, the happy family on the beach, the epic ski run. Everyone seems so happy, living the best life. The impossible-to-reach standard that was set by celebrities has seemingly (and fictionally) extended to the people in our day-to-day lives and we should be concerned about the impact exposure to this has on our youth, particularly young women.

2018 has been called the Year of the Woman. And it’s been amazing to see the positive changes being made, the JULIE KELLY is the Manager for the Fernie Trails Alliance and loves spending time on the Fernie trails.

KATIE HAMAR grew up in the Maritimes and has lived in Fernie for the past five years. She is a self-professed foodie, wine lover and works as the Sales and Event Coordinator at Island Lake Lodge.

KEN MACLEOD can be found playing hockey, golf,curling,biking or enjoying the other activities and culture events that Fernie has to offer.

KERRI WALL does healthy public policy work for IH, and mediation/parent coaching/group facilitation on the side. kerriwall.ca.

KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material.

PATTY VADNAIS is the Executive Director of the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, a winter-time wanna-be ski bum, and summer-time golf slice professional.

REBECCA HALL hasn’t done it all yet, but she’s working on it. She loves the Everly Brothers, new ice, and William Morris motifs.

empowerment it is garnering. But it’s also important to remember what has had to happen to get us here. What still needs to happen for true equality to take place including how to navigate the new tools in our age of information and one of the best ways we can teach our children is through leading by example.

As my girls continue to grow and are faced with the inevitable challenges coming their way, I will remember this lesson as well as invoking my inner Maya Angelou, “Grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch.You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”

Krista Turcasso, Editor FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM Published monthly by Claris Media. To advertise and for general inquiries: Clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 www.clarismedia.com Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome Associate Editor | Carolyn Nikodym All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

Born and raised in the Kootenays, SHANTELLE WEIR calls Fernie home.

Owner of Weir Boondocking Snowmobile Clinics, she spends her winter sharing her passion for snowmobiling with others.

SHELBY CAIN has lived in the East Kootenays most of her life. She’s a full-time writer and musician in the roots band, Wild Honey. Shelby’s first novel, Mountain Girl, is available at a book store near you. Her second novel? Any day now…

DR. TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic doctor and midwife practicing in Calgary, Alberta. She spends most of her time catching babies, and is inching her way back to Fernie.

TIFFANY SCHEBESCH is a registered dietitian and owner of Peak Nutrition Consulting where she helps clients create lasting changes towards their nutrition goals.

TOM GIBSON is all things skiing by winter, all things bikes by summer. “Go fast, be good, have fun, go faster.”

YANN LORANGER from Happy-Culture Inc. is your resource for Astrology, Tarot and Apitherapy and offers courses at the College of the Rockies in Fernie.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Business in the Valley

FEMINISM ISSUE BUSINESS FEATURE

Avalanche Canada South Rockies Field Team

have done that better’ or ‘I should have done….’ instead of really owning it. This was recognized in our team and now when we succeed we simply say ‘Nailed it!’”

Avalanche.ca/forecasts/ south-rockies

The South Rockies field team evolved into a team of women because Martina, Jennifer and Lisa had the qualifications and applied for a job they were interested in, at an organization that is challenging the status quo. There is still a long way to go, but seeing women being successful, professional and competent in traditionally male dominated fields supports the removal of those unconscious biases. “We celebrate our successes every day and encourage other women to take whatever path they choose, in a career that engages them.”

T

he Avalanche Canada South Rockies field team, made up of Jennifer Coulter, Martina Halik and Lisa Larson, was established to fill a gap in avalanche related data for the South Rockies and Lizard Range/Flathead forecast regions.

These regions are known as data sparse areas; where there are a large number of recreational backcountry users covering a very large and variable area. There are also relatively few professional submissions to support the development of the regional forecast.

The avalanche industry has traditionally been a male dominated profession. Many courses Jennifer, Martina and Lisa have attended thave only had one or two women enrolled. Having a field team that is comprised of three women is unique in the industry and also in the snowmobile community where women often face questions like, “It’s just you two girls out here by yourselves?”

The South Rockies field days have them working in pairs, travelling to popular backcountry snowmobile and ski areas to conduct field observations of the snowpack and avalanche conditions. The use of sleds is a big part of their day, and without sledding backgrounds this is where their learning curve has been the greatest. Preseason training provides knowledge on sled maintenance and emergency procedures, trailering and all the fun that goes along with pulling a trailer in the winter, and there is also a lot of learning through trial and error especially on the trail. “We’ve become very good at techniques to get a sled unstuck that don’t require us to completely lift the sleds,” says Lisa.

“Working together as women avalanche professionals is empowering,” she adds. “It feels good to have a successful field day

RAVEN EYE PHOTOGRAPHY

where we are met with adversity and have the skills, ability, strength and teamwork to solve the problem. There is a tendency for women to critique their successes; ‘I could

Avalanche Canada South Rockies is on Facebook @avcansouthrockies, where they post regularly on what’s happening in the snowpack in our area.

Winter Lunch and Spa

Join us for a Winter Lunch / Spa

Snowcat Ride and Lunch - $75 pp (spa extra).

Children 1/2 price (4-12). Little ones (0-3) FREE! Every Thursday - Sunday through the winter. *Check our website for full spa menu*

Reservations required

islandlakecatskiing.com 1.250.423.3700

Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

Big Bang Bagels 502 2nd Ave 250-423-7778

C

arolyn Doyle is Big Bang Bagels. What started out as a determined woman riding a bike around town selling bagels out of a basket soon evolved into a vision of a quirky, cozy café in Downtown Fernie.

Ten years later, Big Bang is one of the most popular eating spots in town!

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Alpine Chiropractic 701A 4th Ave 250-423-1452

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r. Eden MacGregor of Alpine Chiropractic is happy to report that she now offers direct billing to extended health benefits for her patients. She is able to bill directly to many extended health providers including; Pacific Blue Cross, Sunlife, Great-West Life, Chamber of Commerce Group Insurance Plan and Manulife. If you’d like to find out if your extended health can be billed directly through our office, please contact them at 250-423-1452 or edenmacdc@gmail.com.

As always, appointments can be booked online by visiting alpinechiropractic. janeapp.com.

Dr. MacGregor has been serving the Elk Valley since 2001 working with patients of all ages. She is also certified in Kinesiotaping and Advanced Foot Biomechanics and Orthotic Therapy.

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To celebrate Griz Days, Carolyn has come up with a brand new bagel in honour of the local legend. Stop by and try the new Griz Breakfast Bagel! It’s a sausage patty topped off with a fried egg, a hash brown, aged cheddar cheese, spinach and finished with your choice of cream cheese, served in any one of their signature bagels. Jalapeno Cheese is our favourite! Bigbangbagels.com

Century 21 Real Mountain Living 362 2nd Ave 250-423-8650

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he world of Real Estate is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage, tenacity and dedication to care for others. Marilyn Brock and Nancy McNay have just that. Two years ago, after many years in the industry, they got together and decided they wanted SUBMITTED PHOTO to raise the bar, so they partnered to open their own Real Estate Brokerage, Century 21 Real Mountain Living Inc. Marilyn took on the challenge and became a Real Estate Broker, and is the only female Managing Broker in Fernie to hold this title. Nancy took the role of Manager and together they have built a successful business.

Marilyn and Nancy bring nearly 30 years of Real Estate knowledge and experience to the East Kootenays. They have created an office where clients can feel relaxed and confident that their personal real estate needs are being looked after. Marilyn and Nancy’s “Client First” attitude has allowed them to excel in their Real Estate business and are an excellent example of Women making a difference!

ET Hair Studio 462 2nd Ave 250-423-4813

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onique Mattersdorfer celebrated 20 years of running E.T Hair studio this past fall. The opportunity to buy a well-established local business presented itself and Monique jumped at the chance to become an entrepreneur in the industry.

As a working mom, owning the business has meant some challenges in balancing family and work life, however it has also had the incredible benefits of flexibility when it was

needed most. Without the support and team effort of her staff, this certainly wouldn’t have been possible. Monique feels privileged to have an amazing business in her home town which has also allowed her to contribute and support local groups, organizations and families. She sincerely appreciates being able to provide all the services of her salon to clients and friends both old and new.

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Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

Freyja Lifestyle Fashion 602 2nd Ave 250-423-0713

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hantel Vincent has been the owner of Freyja Lifestyle Fashion over the past ten years, taking her company from a small weekend project to a full Kootenay lifestyle brand and multichannel boutique. Freyja has expanded into online sales, footwear and a new Tween department for 2018.

She loves being in business in the Kootenays, it is a supportive community and her boutique allows her to have a much needed creative outlet.

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Chantel also serves as the Artistic Director for Wapiti Music Festival, a volunteer position. She is passionate about bringing arts and culture to Fernie.

When she is not at work she is chasing around her toddler.

Spa 901

“Being a mom and an entrepreneur is a world of its own, you’ve got to really love business to take this path. In Fernie, you are in good hands.”

901 2nd Ave 250-423-7722

Mother Nuture Doulas mothernurturedoulas.com

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fter a six month hiatus HypnoBirthing courses for pregnancy and labour will be returning to the Elk Valley in March 2018.

Sally Bevand of Mother Nurture Doulas is very excited to be able to offer this fiveweek couples education class (a total of 12.5 hours) that focuses on preparing both partners for the experience of childbirth.

HypnoBirthing classes are suitable for all expectant parents and support persons, whether planning to birth with a midwife, doctor, at home, birth centre or in hospital.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Experience breathing, relaxation and visualization techniques. Learn how to guide and support your partner during the birth process. Cover the same content as standard prenatal classes. Watch videos of women birthing using hypnosis.

Studies have found that women using hypnosis during labour experience less discomfort, shorter labour, fewer medical interventions and less postpartum depression.

Contact Sally via email at mothernurturedoulas@gmail.com, or call 250-430-1303.

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oot reflexology is now available at Spa 901.

Spa 901 would like to congratulate long term team member, Sally Lochhead, for becoming certified with the Reflexology Association of Canada. Reflexology is a natural healing art that works with the reflex areas in the feet that correspond to all the glands, organs and parts of the body. Stimulating these reflexes can decongest and help to relieve pain or discomfort in the body that it relates to, aiding to prevent and relieve health issues. Reflexology is deeply relaxing, having an enormous effect on your nervous system, therefore easing stress and prompting the body to begin its natural healing process.

Full details and online booking for this service are now available at Spa901.ca

Business in the Valley

NEW BUSINESS

Annex Suspended Annexsuspended.com

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nnex Suspended began as an art show in Fernie, BC at The Arts Station in early 2017. Michelle Galway and Brina Schenk had less than three months to join forces and make the most interesting mobiles they could think of. If that art show was successful, they were going to start a business. A few pieces sold at The Arts Station and a grand release of their first five official mobiles was set for June 2, 2017.

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Galway and Schenk continue to work on new mobiles and suspended art collaboratively and release new work on the first Friday of every month. Keep an eye on these two women by following Annex Suspended on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Making unique mobiles has always been their number one priority - mobiles that are hand painted, hand crafted, original and designed for all ages. They’re just getting started.

Valley Vitals

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ow does your business impact our environment?

Valley Vitals is a budding new business with big dreams of creating a sustainable food cycle in Fernie.Valley Vitals and Big Bang Bagels teamed up last year to redirect 4,000lb of food waste in under four months!

This spring,Valley Vitals is looking to partner with up to ten businesses in the food service industry to provide twice a week pick up, clean bins and biodegradable bags, and promote the business as part of a growing food revolution.

Valley Vitals will also be opening up a new Community Supported Agriculture program; this summer you could enjoy weekly fresh veggies, fruits, and herbs grown right here in Fernie!

If your business is interested in participating in this season’s compost program, contact Ashley at ferniefood@gmail.com. To find out more about their Summer CSA program visit Valley Vitals’ Facebook page.

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Ground Floor Coworking Space Groundfloorcowork.ca

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he sharing economy is the new economy and Ground Floor Coworking Space in Cranbrook, BC is elevating the growth of this new economy in the East Kootenay region.

Ground Floor Coworking Space is shared office space for freelancers, entrepreneurs, small but growing companies, and nonprofits who want to join a coworking community of professionals making a big impact through their work. At the heart of the space is Fernie’s own Tanya Malcolm who joined the start-up as their Community and Marketing Manager last year. Tanya is a digital storyteller, feminist and community organizer who is networking her way into the community of Cranbrook, advocating for the shared skills economy, and praising her Elk Valley connections. In her words, she’s “bridging the gap between two entrepreneurial communities who have infinite collaborative potential.”

If you’re a #girlboss who’s curious about coworking you’ve got to try the Ground Floor where sharing space, creates opportunity.

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Fernie Puppy School * THE PUPPY SPECIALIST *

CUSTOM COPPERWORKS DECOR

PRIVATES

Taking your dreams and making them a reality

CLASSES

Cathy Smith-Clark, CAPPDT • Professional Dog Training Instructor • over 30 years experience csmithclark2002@yahoo.ca 250.423.7257

Tim Popowich 250-423-0292

2018 LINEUP AND TICKETS ON SALE MARCH 1 wapitimusicfestival.com

tim@ferniecopperworks.ca www.ferniecopperworks.ca

Business in the Valley

MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA WORK

Instagram: Three Ways to Do it Better

3. Use Hashtags Effectively You are probably already using hashtags (you can add up to 30 hashtags per post), but, as of December, Instagram users can follow hashtags, just like accounts. Now you can reach more people by using targeted hashtags.

by CHRISTINA PILARSKI

I

nstagram is the fastest growing social media platform. It had 600 million users at the beginning of 2017 – and it started this year with 800 million. This means there are more people than ever to reach on the platform, but there are also more brands to compete with too. Having a strategic approach to standing out is key.

Instagram makes sense to tackle after Facebook; Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012. Facebook and Instagram have integrated key business features including your Pages Manager inbox, advertising, and cross-posting to both platforms.

Who should use Instagram? In Fernie – everyone. Instagram is a hugely popular platform in the Elk Valley. And, in general, individuals are increasingly looking for businesses on Instagram.

Why Instagram for your business? Over 200 million Instagram users actively visit the profile of a business every day.

Instagram can increase brand awareness and showcase personality. Think of Instagram as a way to share your backroom with potential customers – what’s the latest shipment? Who’s on the team? What are you doing on an epic powder day? How do you interact with the community? 33% of users are aged 30 to 49 and 59% are 18 to 29; Instagram’s huge millennial audience craves a personal connection with their preferred brands – this platform allows you to directly connect with them.

Make sure you don’t miss the chance to connect with potential customers by doing these three things on Instagram better: 1. Be Your Business Ensure your Instagram account is setup as a business account. This allows you

Instagram lists the hashtags each user is following on their profile.You can use this to find a list of hashtags that matter most to your potential customers. Go to the profiles of the people you want to reach and compile a list of hashtags common to them – use those hashtags on your posts to help maximize your reach.

STOCK PHOTO

to showcase contact information and connect your Facebook Business Page with Instagram. Remember the Facebook Page settings you adjusted last month? In the same area you will see an Instagram menu – that’s where you can link both of these business accounts.

I look forward to watching you start to create Instagram Stories and featuring your business’ backroom. Share your Instagram success with me at @CIPRComs by tagging #PRPower and #FernieSuccess.

This tip is also a reminder to be authentic and to stay focused. Ensure your passion for Fernie and your personality shine through – but ensure you stay relevant. Think about what your potential customers would be interested in and think about your business goals – your content should reflect both.

2. Instagram Stories When you open up your Instagram app you will see several circles before the feed of recent updates. Have you ever clicked through those? These are Instagram Stories; a feature that lets users post photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours. Stories have the most prominent placement on Instagram and 300 million users actively watch Instagram Stories daily.

Stories can be intimidating but start by posting a photo that features a limited time sale. Next share what the team is doing on a new project. Or show that empty coffee cup on a Monday. Be relatable and have fun. And, when you are feeling extra comfortable, use Stories to go live and talk to your audience in real-time.

Roberta Milne Registered Massage Therapist

250 278 0537 robertamilnermt@gmail.com ferniermt.com online booking available FERNIEFIX.COM

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rockies notary & legal A Division of Rockies Law Corporation

Real Estate, Family Law, Business Law, Corporate and Commercial, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury, Tax Law, Wills and Estates

Karen Tse | Graeme R. Nunn | Marian Gravelle

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PO Box 490, Suite 202, 502 Third avenue Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 Tel: (250) 423-4446 | Fax: (250) 423-4065

PO Box 1886, #116 - 101 Red Cedar Drive Sparwood, BC V0B 2G0 Tel: (250) 425-2114 | Fax: (250) 425-2204

info@rockieslaw.com

www.rockieslaw.com

Helping you find your way.

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Business in the Valley

Ride On

to make split second decisions. For some it was adjusting mid-air while for others it was choosing to skip a jump all together.

Each doing their best while minimizing damage (avoiding injury). Each being strategic in jump selection rather than going for their biggest tricks.You can do the same in your business. Take note of what your experience has taught you.

Watch for signals pointing you to your best options. Follow your plans, but know when you need to make changes for the safety of your business.

by PATTY VADNAIS

I

n February, we got to spend two weeks watching the Olympics. It was so inspiring. Watching athletes that spend their entire lives setting goals, achieving them, and then raising the bar. Working towards higher levels of competition and then making it to the Olympic stage.

I was inspired by Mikael Kingsbury’s story.

He studies moguls. If he isn’t physically practicing, he is watching recordings of mogul skiing. Always learning and always improving. He set a goal to be number one and he achieved it. It was a fantastic success story. But, not all events had the same storybook tale. If you watched the Women’s Slopestyle, you know what I mean. Like Kingsbury and his competitors in the Men’s Moguls, the Women’s Slopestyle was full of athletes who have trained for years to be the best in their sport. Athletes who had to deal with elements beyond their control.

At the event, the top snowboarding athletes in the world stood at the top of the run, and wondered – how is the wind going to affect my run? There was much write up in the news about how the gusting and unpredictable winds were terrifying and dangerous. The wind created a lottery system where some riders were able to make their jumps, while others had to forego jumps in favour of their personal safety. This was after the day of qualifying had been cancelled due to high winds.

How bad was it? Four-out-of-five of the best snowboarders in the world crashed on their runs.

Unfortunately, the best training and planning cannot always overcome outside elements. Sometimes the conditions beat you up. And in your business, it can happen the same way. Our best laid business plans can be affected by external economics and market adjustments, consumer fickleness, a bad social media review, a fall-through of a sale you thought was certain, a partnership

BUSINESS ADVICE

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Don’t let external forces define your business story.

Learn from those forces and reassess your goals with the experience you have gained. gone wrong, unexpected staffing change, or personal life challenge to name a few.

They are unknown and all your training and work will be important, but just as the snowboarders – you can be thrown for a loop.

Make sure your business is as resilient as those snowboarding women. The comments after the event acknowledged and accepted it for what it was. No one is happy about it, but no one is crying foul either. And we can bet they will all regroup and compete another day. When your business hits an unexpected gust of wind, take a few pointers from these inspiring competitors to continue on.

Adjust in the moment.

As these athletes did, try. For them it was the Olympics, they couldn’t not ride. In the moment, they relied on their training

Accept it.

The athletes acknowledge that weather conditions are part of their sport and that it is out of their control. This is not to say they were happy about the decision of the event organizers to go ahead with the event. But they also did not take on a personal weight because of it. In your business do the same. We hear it often, do not worry about the things you cannot control. Definitely an easier said than done mantra. Like the athletes, focus on your skills and abilities, the things you can influence, identify your fears and move forward.

Look forward.

Finally, look forward. There will be more competitions ahead for the women of Slopestyle. They will compete again on another stage. And while the Olympic experience may not be what they had hoped, it will not be the moment that defines their career. Don’t let external forces define your business story. Learn from those forces and reassess your goals with the experience you have gained. Look forward with your head up ready to face new challenges.

Sport and business are tough. To excel they both take our full attention and determination. There will be times when we get knocked down from forces beyond our control. I encourage you to remember the Olympic women of slopestyle. Be inspired and ride on.

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Business in the Valley

Getting Ready for Tax Time

by KEN MACLEOD, CPA CA CGA

T

he deadline for filing your 2017 personal income tax return is April 30, 2018 or June 15, 2018 if you are self-employed. Organizing your tax information prior to submitting it to your tax preparer or before you begin to complete the return yourself reduces the risk of missing some pertinent information.

General If necessary, update your name, address, marital status, changes in dependents and Province of residency.

Other information required to be reported includes a declaration of whether or not you have foreign property (including cash, land, or investments) with a cost base exceeding $100,000. If so, you must complete form T1139 that reports the foreign property you own and the income earned on that foreign property.

2017 is the second year since the requirement to report the disposition of your principal residence was introduced.

In the year in which you dispose of your principal residence you must report the year of purchase, the proceeds received and the address of the property. The sale of your principal residence does not result in a tax liability if the property was your principal residence for each year you owned the property.

You should provide your prior year notice of assessment or reassessments for review.

Basic Information Slips Gather your income tax information slips together and compare them to last year to ensure that none are missing. This should include any of the following: • T4’s: all employers must deliver them

by February 28.

• T3 and T5 statements of income from trusts and investments, also to be delivered by Feb. 28 • T4A (OAS) and T4A (P) statements of old age security and Canadian pension • T4E employment insurance benefits • T5007 social assistance slips • T4A other income (pension, annuity, commissions) • RC62 statement of child care benefits received • T5008 trading summary slip reporting investment dispositions • T4RSP withdrawals from RRSP plans during the year • Information and receipts re alimony/ separation to be claimed Certain allowable deductions or tax credits should also be included: • T2202 education and textbook amounts for students (TL11A re schools outside Canada) • Union and professional dues • RRSP contribution slips (review to ensure you have slips for Jan/Feb 2018 • Donation receipts.

• Medical expenses. Group and summarize these by categories such as prescriptions, dental, optometric, chiropractic, massage. Note that Pharmacies can provide a yearly statement of prescriptions filled. Travel costs for medical purposes are eligible for trips over 40 km from home and can include hotel, meals and vehicle costs.

Travel Information should include date, location, medical person/facility and purpose.

• Child care expenses and BC fitness receipts grouped and summarized.

• T2201 disability certificate for those with an infirmity confirmed by a doctor • Moving expenses for a move during the year can be deducted. Refer to form T1M for the information required and deductions available or discuss with your tax preparer.

MONEY MATTERS

Self Employed Persons with income from selfemployment or professional services must report their income, expenses, and net income for tax purposes on schedule T2125.

The types and amounts of income should be summarized.

Refer to the descriptions on the above form and summarize the various types of allowable expenses. The purchase or sale of capital equipment should be included so that capital cost allowance may be accurately calculated. A mileage log should be maintained for business use of vehicles but you must at least provide the number of kilometres travelled for business use and the total number travelled in the year.

If your business is operated from your place of residence, you may be able to deduct certain costs.You should include a figure for the square footage of the home used for business purposes and the total square footage of the home.

If you have a complete summary of your income and expenses, it is not necessary to provide all the receipts as CRA does not require them to be provided at the time of filing.You should be aware that CRA may do a follow up or subsequent review of your tax claim and request documentation.

For expenses to be deductible, receipts must be available and should be maintained in case CRA requests to see them.

Rental Income Rental income is reported on form T776 and reference should be made to this form for the various deductions available. Incomes and expenses should be summarized by category separately for each property rented.

The above information is meant to be a general outline and may not fully address all items which may affect your tax position. For more information please consult with your professional tax advisor.

FERNIEFIX.COM

15

Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

Jesse Bell I first knew I loved to travel at seven, when my parents bought a camper van and we drove from Fernie to Vancouver Island. I played with slugs in the grass and dragged seaweed around the beach with my sister.

There’s a photograph of us then, with 90s mullets and florescent shorts being splashed by the waves, our mom holding both our hands.

Then at 13, I got my first film camera, a little point-and-shoot. Our family travelled to the Baja Peninsula and hopped into a small boat along the Gulf of California.

A wild grey whale swam up to us and I reached out, touched the barnacles on its nose, captured the moment with a click, developed it at the local camera store.

Four years later, as we drove through Monument Valley in Utah, I noticed the twin of a red pillar of sand in the reflection of a muddy puddle. The sun was hot, the dirt a dusty powder. I framed the red pillar within my viewfinder, included the puddle, pressed the shutter. I knew nothing of photography then, but looked back on that photo for months afterwards, a return ticket to a moment dearly departed.

Today I go nowhere without my camera.

I left Fernie to study journalism and photojournalism, and while writing’s my muse, a photograph captures the things I sometimes fail to remember—the viridescent grass that grows around a stone hut, the brilliance of white-stoned

alleyways beneath pink bougainvillea flowers, the fragility of ants in the sand.

I constantly reminisce, develop a deep sentiment for the places I’ve been. A photograph takes me back to how I felt in the moment; the smell of the salty sea, the good ache of belly-deep laughter, some undiscussed vulnerability. I leave bits and pieces of me behind, and bring back the language of those places within photographs.

On February 22 I opened my first gallery at The Arts Station, titled Wanderlust. A series of photographs, a collection of visual stories, from three adventures I recently had across oceans within a year. The exhibit

features the remote wild lands of Iceland, warm beaches and forests of Australia, and the pink-flowered, whitewashed alleys of Greece. Meant to inspire other people to not allow life to escape them, to encourage everyone to take a good look at the world.

Fernie, though small, is mighty in the way of support for the arts community.

Artists of all avenues are pedestaled in the same likeness, supported through galas and events, within books and in window displays. I feel incredibly humbled to be a small part of it.

As a member of the Fernie and District Arts Council, and a six-year columnist with the Fernie Fix, I’m astounded there’s still so much room for growth and representation for writers, painters,

photographers, sculptors, and musicians between the meandering Elk River and the east and west Fernie bridges. The art landscape of the valley constantly refashions itself—it’s delightful.

The photograph of my sister and I in our 90s mullets on the beach ignited many years of adventures; it’s the most wonderful thing. To wonder and not wander is an offence only to myself, so my intention is always to live life by a compass, and not a clock.

I hope to see you at The Arts Station this month.You might just find a good look at the world, you might decide you want to go somewhere new.

Wanderlust is at the Arts Station Gallery until March 19. For questions, comments, or to talk travel, contact bell.jesse1@gmail.com, or find her on instagram @jesse_be11.

FERNIEFIX.COM

17

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Arts and Entertainment

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

An Ode to Women

by SADIE ROSGEN Featuring Jaden Grivell

At one time Jaden Grivell was my paperboy. He is friendly, efficient, and downright congenial. When I called upon Jaden to write with me for the feminism issue, he asked if we could write one piece, together.

I found this invitation spectacular! Our collaboration was a total celebration and that is exactly what an Ode is. It’s a fantastical, often rhyming, love letter that is meant to be sung, danced or played (player’s choice).

I challenge you to read it out loud.

To share it with your friends.

To find that quiet place where all the words land somewhere inside of you for keeps.

Thanks, Jaden.

ODE TO WOMEN Angry Underprivileged She is the woman you’ve never met, the one you chose to forget.

Powerful Beaten Her frailty walks both sides of the line.

Salvaging her destiny becomes her motive.

War and anger must resign.

She paints an image in your mind, chanting her sophistication.

In her teaching you will find, this is her mission.

She is a friend that has come into view, Don’t let her pink fool you, Her light is as brilliant as the sun.

Intelligence, beauty, feminine, and fun.

She breathes ambition into a book.

A sister veiled by a mask.

She’ll steal your heart like a crook, this at times is her only task.

The flow of her dress will warm your heart.

She is your mother, and she is first.

She prepares the food that fills your everything.

Irreplaceable There exists no other.

The earth is your home and your mother.

BOOKED!

Y A M A G O Y A

Fernie Writers’ Series 2018 Presented by the Fernie Heritage Library

JOSEPH BOYDEN

2 2 2 2 2 GILLER PRIZE WINNER Friday March 9th, 7:00 pm

Fernie Heritage Library Doors at 7:00pm Reading at 8:00pm

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Arts and Entertainment

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

by ANDREW VALLANCE

I

must be getting old. That became clear to me when I watched Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It has never been clearer to me that the Star Wars saga was almost entirely created for children. It’s not as child friendly as an entry in George Lucas’ Horrible Prequel trilogy, but it is still obviously designed for youngsters.

For all that it tries to be like The Empire Strikes Back, widely thought of as the darkest and best film in the original Star Wars trilogy, thus placating the franchise’s oldest, and most critical fans, it fails to mimic the tone of that classic film.

It is, however, very good for what it is, an action-packed Christmas movie for tenyear-olds.

The director of the film is Rian Johnson, an extraordinary artist in his own right, who is probably best known at this point for directing Looper, the highly regarded time travel film starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bruce Willis and Jeff Daniels. He also directed the underappreciated Brick, a film noir taking place in a suburban high school, also starring Joseph Gordon Levitt.

Johnson, a massive Star Wars fan clearly tried to put his heart into this production, and is reportedly being allowed to write and direct another Star Wars trilogy which has nothing to do with the current Skywalker family and will take place in a region of the galaxy not previously seen by Star Wars fans.

The movie begins almost exactly where The Force Awakens left off, with what remains of the resistance fleet fleeing from the superior forces of the First Order. Most of the film is in fact taken up with the dynamics of that chase, and the resistance looking for a place to camouflage themselves while they run from the armada

of the evil Lord Snoke. The Last Jedi also deals with the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Rey, the junk trading hero of the last movie.

Daisy Ridley expertly portrays the vital role of Rey. Ridley seemed to come out of nowhere when she assumed the same role in The Force Awakens, but she can now be seen in Kenneth Branagh’s recent remake of Murder on the Orient Express.

It is fast paced, with a simple script and a large number of space battles, two excellent light saber duels and tonnes of incredibly cute and cuddly aliens, including a cameo

by Yoda.

One of the great tragedies of this film is that while this movie is filled with wonderful actors, from Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher reprising their roles as Luke and Leia Skywalker, to John Boyega as Finn, the Rouge Stormtrooper, the script never allows this talent-heavy cast to put

TM

THE RENTAL FIX

its best foot forward to show their true acting ability. While they all do a decent job, none of the performances are truly great.

But still, Star Wars:The Last Jedi deserves two thumbs up. Not the most complicated movie in the world but the special effects are excellent, and a good time will be had by all.

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21

Community and Events

FEATURE RESIDENT

Simone Bourassa

by KRISTA TURCASSO

F

ernie is home to an impressive number of women making things happen in our community. From those with roles in local government and organizations to those who have created and operate businesses lining our downtown to those providing support through educational and medical positions. It is so refreshing and encouraging.

Over the last couple of years I have noticed a group of women making a substantial difference in the lives of children in our community. I pass their offices multiple times a week, when I bring my daughter to preschool and am always impressed by the positivity they exude. Simone Bourassa is the fearless leader behind the East Kootenay Behaviour Intervention Program and I was curious to learn how she got this program off the ground… a program I am sure many would feel lost without.

Originally from Yellowknife, Simone has been living in Fernie for fourteen years.

Like many before her and many to follow, she came for a ski season and never left.

With an undergrad degree in Psychology and a masters in Integrated Studies and Applied Behaviour Analysis, she tells me she’s always been interested in why people do the things they do. “I find human behaviour and the science behind the brain fascinating,” she adds.

Prior to arriving in Fernie, Simone had worked as a behaviour interventionist.

Once here, she had a position at a hotel and with Bear Aware… doing what it takes to live the life we all love in Fernie.

She was presenting at a preschool in Elkford for Bear Aware when she was approached by a teacher, asking if she was ‘the one’ with experience in behavioural intervention. “I ended up helping with families who had kids diagnosed on the spectrum. Then I went on to do a workshop… and started working less at

KRISTA TURCASSO PHOTO

the hotel and more as a private contractor in behaviour intervention.” Simone could see the increased need for these services and recognized an opportunity. She and a colleague decided to start a permanent program for families in the East Kootenays.

Through the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC, which offers programs such as Bellies to Babies, Success

by Six, Early Years among many others, the East Kootenay Behaviour Intervention Program was born in 2011 and has grown to service Elkford, Sparwood, Fernie, Jaffray, Cranbrook, Invermere and Golden.

“We have 16 staff in total, all women,” Simone tells me. Not only do these women work on developmental milestones and goals for kids on the autism spectrum or those with developmental challenges (currently, their youngest client is 2.5 years old and their eldest 19), they support one

another and have become a strong team.

“Our staff are between the ages of 25 and 35. Many are furthering their education and are working hard at a challenging job that has a positive impact on other people’s life. Many do not have partners, so they’re doing it all on their own… and it’s so inspiring.” As she talks about them, you can see that they have created great relationships. Friendships. This crew is there for one another. And it’s a big reason they are so successful.

It’s been an exciting 14 years for Simone since she moved to Fernie, and above all else she has learned one important lesson.

“We can all create change in ourselves.

It’s interesting to see those changes in the kids and the families we work with and even in yourself after having worked with them. My education and job have changed me and how I think,” and I have

quickly learned that Simone is someone who embraces change and continues to find ways to effect change in those around her. She has a lot of plans for this program, including community outreach through workshops and parent and community training. “There are a lot of kids who are young now but won’t always be. Communities need to understand and accept, and I’m really happy to share knowledge.”

We look forward to learning more and seeing the continued positive change you bring to Fernie and beyond, Simone!

For those interested in this program, visit Bip.ccscranbrook.ca. The Autism Community Training website (Actcommunity.ca) provides information for those on the autism spectrum including funding. For kids who aren’t on the spectrum, there are additional funding sources available. Contact the program coordinator for more information at ekbip. coordinator@ccssebc.com or 250-4263344.

1. When did you first arrive in Fernie and what brought you here?

6. What is your favourite time of the year in Fernie and why?

I love winter and summer equally. I came here for the winter, but I love summer.

I love biking, I love the heat. But I love powder days. Pretty much any day it doesn’t rain is my favourite day in Fernie.

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aily

D Open

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301 Hwy 3 | 250-423-3002

7. Where do you see Fernie in 5 to 10 years?

I hope it stays kind of the same. Small and close knit and wonderful.

8. How do you start your day or what is one of your daily rituals?

I usually start my day by teaching or going to a yoga class. And then walking my dogs.

9. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you.

I have a black belt in karate.

10. Quote to live by: Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.

Dr. Seuss.

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September 2004, this will be 14 years and it was a ski season that brought me here.

2. Where did you first live in town?

I lived in a one bedroom apartment across from the hospital before they were nice.

3. What was your first impression?

I love this place. I remember thinking it smelled amazing in the summer and fall.

4. What keeps you here?

The friends that are now my family and the environment, our surroundings and all the playing you can do. And the community as a whole. It’s just an amazing place.

peak to lake in under an hour

5. Do you have a favourite Fernie memory?

The first time I rode Dirt Diggler.

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FERNIEFIX.COM

23

Beekeeping Basics Become a beekeeper in the East Kootenay, ideal for the hobby beekeeper, this course will introduce you to the basics of practical beekeeping and will provide you with the knowledge to get started with your own honey bees. Course includes demonstrations of equipment and protective gear along with beekeeping techniques, best management practices along with 1 Field Trip Day.

March 19 – April 9 May 12 Field Trip $249

Certified Lash Artist This Classic eyelash extension class is a 16-hour class with an additional 5 hour online certification on Eye Anatomy, Conditions, and Basic Eye Diseases written by a board of certified Doctors.

In this course, you will learn safety, hygiene, technical skills, how to design a perfect set, how to isolate so no lash damage occurs, and how to educate your client in keeping beautiful healthy lashes for a lifetime.

April 7 & 8 or April 21 & 22 $1725 To register contact Fernie Campus at

250-423-4691 or email fernie@cotr.bc.ca

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Community and Events

Parenting From the Passenger Seat

Model life outside unconscious bias.

Don’t be afraid to confront stereotypes and call yourself out when necessary. Countless times I have asked myself, “would I talk to my son that way if he was my age?” As an adult I carry a lot of power, which is only problematic if it lies below my awareness.

I realize that teens are often thought of as lazy or up to no good and I’m prepared to talk about these misperceptions.

by KERRI WALL

L

ast month’s column advised this is not the time for parents to check out even if we feel burned out, because teen years are often when the wheels fall off the wagon. Teenagers are still assembling a picture of the universe and they need our support. How can you be close with your teen who is building their independence?

I will explain some options using a lens of equality to give examples.

Kids this age sometimes look like they don’t want us, with their privacy and eye-rolling, so parenting teenagers is best accomplished as a guide-on-the-side. Let your teen take the wheel but be a smart and attentive passenger.

In the passenger seat while your teen drives their life, you can be connected through proximity and a sense of sharing the journey. Teenagers need us close by and they need to feel like they are in control.

This can simply look like hanging around, but I think of it as ‘on-call parenting’; your daughter or son might not seem to care if you’re in the house, but your presence will have a guiding and regulating effect that is exactly the task at hand in this phase of parenting.

The important things in their lives can be the toughest for us to be open about. Peer pressure, sex, drinking, bullying – teenagers are thinking about all of it. Some are even facing the realities of addiction, abuse, or death in their families. Teen minds are flexible and ready to grapple with the world around them as they figure out their place in it. If you can model integrity in your life choices it will give your teen courage as they navigate their own.

PLANNING AHEAD

Additionally, don’t be afraid to stretch yourself beyond gender norms. Some dads sing Taylor Swift karaoke with their teenage daughters. Some moms practice at the dirt jumps with the boys. Engaging with your child’s interests is a freeway to increased connection. Plus, some parts of our culture are framed around prejudice and power-imbalance; we can be the change we want for our kids.

V. CROOME PHOTO

Teenagers are still assembling a picture of the universe and they need our support. How can you be close with your teen who is building their independence?

Be available to listen.

I remember one time my son exclaimed, “girls are so confusing!” As a female I might feel compelled to respond with, “no they aren’t!” or “boys can be confusing too,” but instead I asked, “You think so?” which led to him verbally unloading a bunch of tension he was carrying. As an interested ‘passenger’ I reflected his thoughts back to him like, “You’re trying hard to be a good friend,” or “relationships are a lot of work.” It’s not my job to fix anything. The number one protective factor for healthy teen development is the consistent presence of a caring adult.

Offer a thoughtful perspective.

I was at a male-dominated sports store where a teenager I’m close to was working.

I commented how impressed I was with his knowledge and ease with the customers and he told me, “I know everyone who comes in here.” When two girls walked in I privately asked what their names were.

He didn’t know. With a smile and a light tone of voice I said, “Oh – I guess you only know the names of the important customers.” He playfully poked my arm and replied, “Hey you said it, not me!” We both laughed. I used tools of appreciation, playfulness, and observation to connect with – and correct - a teenager I care about. These are some of the best tools we have.

Parenting expert Dr. Gordon Neufeld advises us to “connect before we correct.”

If you lean too heavily on the ‘correct’ side of the equation your teenager will let you know with their anger, aloofness, or absence. Remember to let them drive, but stay awake during the ride.

FERNIEFIX.COM

25

March 2018 MONTHLY EVENTS THURSDAY 1.3.2018 Beautea Night with Spa 901 @ Infinitea, 6-9pm with $10 manicures and massages Griz Full Moon Ski and Social @ Elk Valley Nordic Centre, 7pm.

Snow to Ice Challenge @ Fernie Trails. Complete Four Trails in 72 hours by March 4, 7pm International Fly Fishing Film Festival @ The Vogue Theatre, 7pm. $15, tickets available at The Vogue Theatre or Elk River Guiding Co. Special Griz Days Edition of Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub, 8-10pm FRIDAY 2.3.2018 Lego for Engineers @ Fernie Heritage Library, 4-5:15pm.

One engineer and one child, build and create with prizes and snacks. Must register.

Ski with the Griz @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 10am-3pm Griz Days Pub Crawl @ Local Bars, 3-8pm. Must register.

Winter Griz Magic @ The Arts Station, 5pm – 7pm. Family friendly, crafts, photo booths, music and story telling.

RegGe and Noel Live @ Infinitea, from 8pm Cold Cuts Live @ The Pub, 8-11pm Case of the Mondays @ The Northern, Whistler DJs Great Gatsby Griz Days Masquerade with Flatspin and Jenn Frost @ The Royal, 9pm SATURDAY 3.3.2018 Pancake Breakfast @ The Community Centre, 9am-12pm Finning Griz Days Junior Griz Training Ground @ Fernie Community Centre, activities and BBQ for kids ages 4-14. 11am – 2pm Family Storytime: Griz Days Edition @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-1:30pm Griz Craft Fair @ The Community Centre, 9am-2pm. Griz pin for entry.

Garage Sale @ Fernie Family Centre, 10am – 2pm Extreme Griz Competition @ Fernie, must register.

Griz Days Snow Volleyball Tournament @ The Royal, must register Baby Griz Crawl @ Community Centre, 12pm CRA Community Volunteer Income Tax Program @ Fernie Heritage Library Board Room, 1-4pm, every Saturday until April 28 Griz Days @ The Northern, 12-6pm. Throw the tail on the pig, piggy wheel of prizes, bacon eating contest and more.

Hot Wing Eating Contest @ The Fernie, 4pm Town Party @ Station Square, 4-10pm with Lumberjack Shows, live music and fireworks.

Parade @ Main Street Downtown Fernie, 5:30pm Hark Raving Sirens @ The Fernie Hotel, 7:30pm Full Moon Ride and Bonfire Social @ Rolling Hills Cabin, 6pm. Ferniesnowmobile.com Val Kilmer and the New Coke @ The Northern, 80’s Cover band from Nelson SUNDAY 4.3.2018 Raging Elk Dummy Downhill @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 1pm MONDAY 5.3.2018 Movie Night: Forest Gump @ Infinitea, 7pm TUESDAY 6.8.2018 CRA Community Volunteer Income Tax Program @ Fernie Seniors Centre, 11am-2:30pm, every Tuesday until April 24

WEDNESDAY 7.3.2018 Rotary Youth Exchange Presentation by Randal Macnair @ Parkplace Lodge, 12pm Senior Storytime for All Ages @ Tom Uphill Manor, 1:30pm Toonie Race @ Elk Valley Nordic Centre, 7pm Wine and Wheel @ The Arts Station, 7pm Big Little Lions @ The Arts Station, 8pm Ben Rogers and The Blooded Yonder @ The Northern, 9pm THURSDAY 8.3.2018 Astrology Readings and Dreadlock Maintenance @ Infinitea, 6-9pm Elk River Alliance AGM @ The Arts Station, 6-8pm (upstairs). Potluck to proceed meeting.

FRIDAY 9.3.2018 Shop Late Friday @ Freyja Lifestyle Fashion, 6pm Booked! Fernie Writers’ Series: Joseph Boyden @ Fernie Heritage Library, 7pm Rob Boland Live @ Infinitea, 8pm Moontricks @ The Royal, live electronica Skratch Bastid @ The Northern, Toronto DJ SATURDAY 10.3.2018 Freestyle Fun Day @ Fernie Alpine Resort, fun comp day with mogul skiing and slopestyle.

Tiger Moon Live @ The Northern Smoothie – DJ and Live Saxophone @ The Royal SUNDAY 11.3.2018 Fernie Birkie! @ Elk Valley Nordic Centre all ages Little Warriors: Prevent It @ Fernie Heritage Library, stop child sexual abuse workshop. 1:30-4:30pm. Must register.

MONDAY 12.3.2018 Movie Night: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas @ Infinitea, 7pm.

TUESDAY 13.3.2018 Book Trailer Film Club Movie Fest @ Fernie Heritage Library, 3:45-4:45 WEDNESDAY 14.3.2018 Walkie Talkie Book Club: Wired to Create by Steve Kauffman @ Fernie Heritage Library, 10am Senior Storytime for All Ages @ Rocky Mountain Village, 1pm Tourism Fernie AGM and Networking @ The Clubhouse, 8:30-11:30am Export Navigator Workshop @ Fernie Chamb er of Commerce, 8:30am-12pm THURSDAY 15.3.2018 Sensory Storytime Round Table Discussion @ Fernie Heritage Library, 6-7pm Beautea Night with Spa 901 @ Infinitea, 6-9pm with $10 manicures and massages Mountain Magic Tour with Smalltown DJs, Justin Martin and Christian Martin @ The Northern FRIDAY 16.3.2018 Lunch and Learn: Keep it? Fix It? Toss It? Donate It? @ Fernie Seniors Centre, 12pm Karl Hosts St. Paddy’s Day Jam @ Infinitea, 8pm DJ PJ and Friends @ The Royal SATURDAY 17.3.2017 Monster Energy Boarderstyle @ Fernie Alpine Resort St. Patrick’s Day Party with Rock River Rebels @ The Rusty Edge, 8pm

CHECK OUT THE FERNIE FIX EVENTS CALENDAR ONLINE AT FERNIEFIX.COM

The Runs and Cold cuts Rock and Roll St Paddie’s Day Party @ The Royal St. Patrick’s Day Party with Cold Cuts @ The Northern MONDAY 19.3.2018 Little Critter Ski @ Elk Valley Nordic Centre, 6pm gears toward kids 12 and under Movie Night: Sausage Party @ Infinitea, 5pm.

Wildsight Wildideas Focus Group @ Infinitea, 7pm Mr. Royal @ The Royal, must enter TUESDAY 20.3.2018 Building, Creating and Making @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-2:30pm ages 7-12 Reverend Horton Heat with Unknown Hinson and Igor and the Red Elvises @ The Northern WEDNESDAY 21.3.2018 Charades and Puppeteering @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-2:30pm ages 7-12 Movers and Shakers: Creative building fun and games @ Fernie Heritage Library, ages 5-6, 3-4pm Business Beer Banter @ Brecan Interiors, 5:30-7pm THURSDAY 22.3.2018 Children’s Movie and Popcorn @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-2:30pm ages 7-12 Astrology Readings and Dreadlock Maintenance @ Infinitea, 6-9pm Ukulele 101 @ Fernie Heritage Library, 6:30-7:30pm Stanton Warriors @ The Royal FRIDAY 23.3.2018 Tea and Talk Book Club: Everybody’s Son by Thrity Umrigar @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1:30pm DJ Dubconscious @ The Royal, Bloom Nelson Monster Energy Presents 7” of Pleasure with Mat the Alien, DJ Pump and DJ illo @ The Northern SATURDAY 24.3.2018 Fernie Stoke Fest @ Fernie Community Centre. All Ages Show from 5-7pm with Shred Kelly and Circus Acts Insomiacs. 10+ show with Shred Kelly, Devarrow, The Runs, Akronym and DJ PJ, Rafferty Funksmith and Circus Acts Insomniacs Kokanee Retro Party @ Fernie Alpine Resort MONDAY 26.3.2018 Movie Night: The Green Mile @ Infinitea, 7pm.

Cooking Class hosted by Local Chef with Austrian Theme @ Infinitea, 6-9pm TUESDAY 27.3.2018 Building, Creating and Making @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-2:30pm ages 7-12 WEDNESDAY 28.3.2018 Charades and Puppeteering @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-2:30pm ages 7-12 Movers and Shakers: Creative building fun and games @ Fernie Heritage Library, ages 5-6, 3-4pm Wannabe: A Spice Girls Tribute @ The Northern FRIDAY 30.3.2018 Ohm Girl @ The Royal SATURDAY 31.3.2018 Griz Kidz Winter Carnival @ Fernie Alpine Resort Duplex and PK Sound @ The Royal

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March 2018 WEEKLY EVENTS

CONTACT INFO@CLARISMEDIA.COM TO SHARE YOUR EVENTS, BOTH ONLINE AND IN PRINT. IT’S FREE!

DINING, NIGHTLIFE and SPECIALS MONDAYS

Pair it up Appies @ Boston Pizza Pool Tourney Mondays @ The Pub Lasagna Specials @ Elk Valley Pizza Shoppe Wing Night @ The Fernie Hotel Free Movie Night @ Infinitea Massage Mondays @ Trillium Day Spa Ladies Night @ The Northern Local Jam Night @ The Kodiak Lounge Monday Mayhem with Goffles @ The Royal Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Snowshoe and Dine @ Fernie Alpine Resort Pasta Night @ Loaf Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials

TUESDAYS

Gourmet Pasta Specials @ Boston Pizza Wing Night @ The Pub Bar & Grill Pizza Night @ Elk Valley Pizza Shoppe Two for Tuesdays @ Trillium Day Spa Beer, Burger and Bingo Night @ The Northern Cheap Night @ The Vogue Theatre Dinner and Swim Special @ Fernie Stanford Resort Karaoke @ The Royal Half Price Appetizers @ The Fernie Hotel.

Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Pasta and Wine Night @ Cirque Restaurant

OUTDOOR & FAMILY MONDAYS Parent Power Hour @ Fernie Chamber of Commerce Dominoes, Duplicate and Mahjong @ The Seniors Drop in Centre Pickleball @ Fernie Community Centre Indoor Walking @ The Community Centre Ladies Only @ Fernie Old School Boxing Parent Tot Funtimes @ Fernie Family Centre StrongStart @ Isabella Dicken Elementary School Drop in Gymnastics @ Elk Valley Gymnastic Club ages 0-4 Tiguidous – Learn French While Having Fun @ CBAL Office Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Cribbage Club @ Trinity Lodge, Grades 1-6 Open Skate @ Outdoor Rink, 6-7pm. No Sticks TUESDAYS Crib/Whist, Chess and Drop In @ Seniors Drop in Centre Storytime Ages 3-5 @ Heritage Library Ladies Archery @ The Elks Hall Junior Boxing @ Fernie Old School Boxing Club Indoor Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre Open Climbing @ Evolution English Conversation Cafe @ CBAL Office Drop in Climbing @ College of the Rockies StrongStart @ Isabella Dicken Elementary School Fernie Community Choir @ The Fernie Arts Station Kindergym @ Fernie Family Centre Family Early Years Hub @ Fernie Heritage Library Free Guided Meditation @ Soar Studios Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Book Trailer Films @ Fernie Heritage Library

WEDNESDAYS

High Flyers Pool Comp @ Kodiak Lounge Wings Night @ Boston Pizza Wine Evenings @ The Brickhouse Trivia Night @ The Fernie Hotel Waxing Wednesday @ Trillium Day Spa Wing Night @ The Northern Wax On Wednesday @ 901 Spa Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Zak’s Jam Night @ The Royal Half Price Ice Bar @ Lizard Creek Lodge Ice Bar Tarot Readings @ Infinitea Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials

THURSDAYS

Pizza Night @ Boston Pizza Jam Night @ The Brickhouse Hot and Cold Cocktail Night @ Infinitea Featured Pub Burgers @ Max Restaurant & The Pub Bar & Grill Burger and Beer Special @ The Fernie Medium Pizza Special @ Elk Valley Pizza Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub Bar & Grill Thirsty Thursdays @ Kodiak Lounge Pizza Night @ Loaf Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Winter Bike and Dine @ Fernie Alpine Resort

Seniors Programming

Kids Programming

WEDNESDAYS Crib, Gentle Exercise and Tai Chi @ Seniors Drop in Centre Adult Badminton @ The Community Centre AA Meetings @ The Anglican Church Basement Competitive Boxing @ Fernie Old School Boxing Club Toddlertime Ages 0-2 @ Fernie Heritage Library Indoor Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre Open Climbing @ Evolution English Conversation Cafe @ CBAL office StrongStart @ Isabella Dicken Elementary School Kindergym @ Fernie Family Centre Celebrate Recovery @ Mountainside Church Knit Clique @ Fernie Heritage Library Drop in Gymnastics Ages 0-4 @ Elk Valley Gymnastic Club Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Wine and Wheel @ The Arts Station Latin Vibes: Rhumba @ The Arts Station Lego Club @ Fernie Heritage Library, ages 7+ Apres Ski Yoga @ Lizard Creek Lodge THURSDAYS Morning Yoga, Drop in, and Canasta/Cards @ Senior’s Centre Pickleball @ Fernie Community Centre RC Club @ Fernie Community Centre Community Basketball @ Fernie Secondary School Mixed Senior Recreational Boxing @ Fernie Old School Boxing Youth Archery @ The Elks Hall Bellies to Babies @ Fernie Women’s Centre Open Roller Skating @ Max Turyk Gym Indoor Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre,

FRIDAYS

Nacho Night @ Boston Pizza Fish & Chips @ The Pub Bar & Grill Meat Draw and Members Draw @ The Fernie Hotel Date Night Special @ Spa 901 Fish & Chip Night @ The Pub Live Music @ Loaf, 6-9pm Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials

SATURDAYS

Kids Pool Party, BBQ and Movie Night @ Lizard Creek Lodge Meat Draw & Bar Quiz @ The Legion Coffee and Baileys Special @ The Bridge Bistro Vinyl Appreciation Night @ Infinitea Rib Night @ Max Restaurant and The Pub Open Mic Night @ Fernie Hotel Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials

SUNDAYS

Hip Hop Sundays @ Kodiak Lounge Cocktail Specials @ Cirque Restaurant Kids Specials @ Boston Pizza Caesars on Special @ The Brickhouse All day breakfast @ The Fernie Roast Dinner @ Infinitea Dinner and Swim @ Fernie Stanford Resort Curry Sundays @ The Pub Caesars Special @ The Bridge Bistro Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Half Price Cocktails @ Cirque Restaurant Swim

Skate

Library Program

Other

StrongStart @ Isabella Dicken Elementary School Free Guided Meditation @ Soar Studios Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Knits and Knots @ Fernie Heritage Library, ages 8+ Open Skate @ Outdoor Rink, 6-7pm. No Sticks FRIDAYS Cribbage @ Seniors Drop in Centre Jitney Darts @ Fernie Legion Toddlertime Ages 0-2 @ Fernie Heritage Library StrongStart @ Isabella Dicken Elementary School Kindergym @ Fernie Family Centre Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Evening Uptracking Tour @ Fernie Alpine Resort Pre Ski Saturdays Stretch and Warm Up @ Lizard Creek Lodge Open Skate @ Outdoor Rink, 6-7pm. No Sticks SATURDAYS Karma Meditation Class @ Essential Yoga Studio Open Climbing @ Evolution Prenatal Yoga @ Essential Yoga Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Open Skate @ Outdoor Rink, 12-2pm. No Sticks SUNDAYS AA Meetings @ The Anglican Church Basement Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Guided Meditation @ Soar Studios Open Skate @ Outdoor Rink, 12-2pm. No Sticks

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Community and Events

FAMILY STOKE

Go Girls

by SHELBY CAIN

I

don’t know what happened. But you do.

For you, the Olympics is over. I hope it was exhilarating and suspenseful. I hope you skipped appointments and overcooked dinner and hit your shin on the coffee table as you leapt from the couch in celebration. I can’t wait. For me - it all starts tonight.

While I love the fact that the winter Olympics can make me a die-hard bobsled fan on a Tuesday afternoon, my favourite sport to watch is hockey. Some of the best Olympic memories I have are of watching Canada win gold. Beat the Americans.

Or the robotic and unflinching Russians.

But I have a confession. Until recently, my interest lay only in men’s hockey.You’d think that as a woman I’d be rallying around my sisters and quick to chastise the grumblers who say women’s hockey isn’t the same. Not as tough. Not as good. But I didn’t. In fact, I agreed.

REEK

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Here’s the thing. It’s not the same. The women don’t body check and they don’t fight. They do pass the puck like technicians, skate like warriors, and fire shots with the precision of a surgeon.

They’re awesome. They’re different. And maybe there’s something to be learned from that.

Men and women are not the same. News flash? I didn’t think so. Women are finding their voices this year – loudly and with determination - and speaking about all types of injustices and inequalities. But there might be some confusion about what they’re actually saying. The message has been lost in exultation. It‘s not to ignore gender. Rather, lets acknowledge and celebrate each other’s strengths and differences. One is not better than the other. Abandon the age-old thinking that physical strength equals worth, and the right to hold the power. That’s cave-man logic. Instead, broaden our horizons and

PERI DE MARCHI | AMY DE MARCHI PHOTO

recognize the fact that value has many forms. If we remove gender as a box to be ticked when assessing a person’s value, then we’ve arrived.

So, back to women’s hockey. Did you happen to watch the women’s gold medal game in Sochi? Touted ‘the best women’s hockey game of all time’ by Globe and Mail, not to mention the rest of our country. Canada claimed a fourth straight gold when they triumphed over the Americans with an overtime winner by the remarkable Marie-Philip Poulin.

I jumped. I cheered. I bumped my shin.

And I will forever be a women’s hockey fan. For the hits and the fights? No. But that’s not why I like men’s hockey, either.

I like it for the heart and the skill and the bragging rights. We do it best. Right here, in little old Canada. And, if we want to get nit-picky, the women actually have a significantly better record of winning on the world-stage than the men do. They’ve been struggling to train and prepare and make us proud with a fifth straight gold, all while keeping their day jobs.

years old she ditched her figure skates because she wanted to play hockey like her brothers. I don’t think she has any current aspirations to compete against men, but that innate desire girls have for equal treatment and opportunity is present at a very young age. In the past there was a not so ‘sub’ conscious message perpetuated, that girls aren’t as good as boys. At sports or math or fixing cars. It’s changing. But starting as an underdog and striving to prove society wrong is a great motivator.

On every level. I grew up with two brothers and a neighbourhood full of boys.

All I wanted in life was to do what they were doing. To get better. Be stronger. Earn their respect. And you know what? I did.

It led me to a life of thick skin, not taking ‘no,’ and working hard to achieve my goals.

Are they better hockey players than me?

Yes. Have I accomplished things they’ve respected and admired? You bet your ass.

I hope Canada’s women won their fifth straight gold. I hope the men won, too. The Olympics is over, but the fight for equality rages on. Go girls.

In an interview Ms. Poulin did leading up to the Olympics, she said that at four FERNIEFIX.COM

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Community and Events

INSIDE AND OUT

Fernie, Featuring and All-Female Cast

1

by REBECCA HALL

F

or me, January is film festival month.

Not because of the Golden Globes but because this year, I rejoined the committee of the Reel Canadian Film Festival. I helped begin the festival around 2006 after Carolyn Nikodym suggested that our enthusiastic Indie Films Fernie group had all the right stuff to put together a film festival. In this age of Oprah speeches and female superheroes, the tenth annual RCFF was a gentle testament to the power of women and welcomed an all-female list of special guests starting with the young and talented Siobhan Williams, who played the love interest in the opening night film Adventures in Public School. Awardwinning costume designer and Fernie local Flo Barrett received a warm welcome as she returned for her second appearance at the festival. Our third special guest, Grace Brulotte, was the first woman to heli-sit-ski in Canada and starred in the short documentary I’mPossible by Colleen Gentemann.

RMFF | GABRIELA ESCOBAR PHOTOS

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Fernie’s own Eden Amundsen taking top billing in the F12-14 age group.

Outside, the slopes were heating up as Fernie Alpine Resort launched the new Fernie Freestyle Mogul Pitch with two days of Alberta Freestyle Association mogul competition. 21 young women and 38 young men from around the region bumped, jumped and flipped their way to glory at the first of what will hopefully be an annual event for Fernie. At the Griz Bar, the Kokanee Snow Dreams Festival kept the party going late into the night and with bountiful powder, it was an amazing weekend to be on the hill.

Not missing a beat, just one week later it was time for the JEEP Junior Freeski competition at Fernie Alpine Resort. Big mountain skiing and riding with plenty of big air made for a fantastic show, with

It may be hard to remember some of those amazing January powder days as we head into March, but there’s still plenty of winter fun to be had. Don’t miss all the fun of the fest at Fernie’s biggest event of the year, Griz Days gone plaid!

Take a moonlight ride with the Fernie Snowmobile Association, or drop by the last of the Fernie Nordic Society’s winter events on March 1, 7 and 11. Later in the month there’s the Monster Energy Event and Kokanee Retro Weekend at Fernie Alpine Resort and the return of Shred Kelly for Stokefest! It’s party time!

MOGUL COMP | TROY NIXON PHOTOS

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Mogul Comp 4. Calgary’s Jaida Lewis hit a high note and took 2nd place in the first round of competition at the Fernie Freestyle Mogul Competition Vagina Monologues 5. Director Paige Mueller and Assistant Director Adalaine Mueller take centre stage at the Vagina Monologues 6. Cast members Rachel Cline and Meaghan Collins brought plenty of laughs to the performance

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Outdoor Life

TWO TRAILS DIVERGED IN A WOOD

Tasting Victory

by ANNE KEERY

T

he classic PBJ, providing all the goodness of protein, fat and carbohydrates, is a fantastic hiking food.

It stays together without the worries of an errant piece of lettuce slipping out the back and depositing a glob of mustard onto your perfectly sweaty, brand new Patagonia gear.

Ah the sandwich, the comfort food of school lunches, but also a symbol of sexism. So popular a catchphrase that a Facebook group was created telling Hillary Clinton to go make a sandwich instead of participating in politics. So popular that when then 14-year-old Jade Hameister skied 150km to the North Pole, becoming the youngest person in history to do so from outside 89 degrees, the Internet deplorably rallied with cries of “make me a sandwich.”

Luckily for us, Hameister was entertained.

The next time she visited a pole, it was a 600km ski across the Ross Ice Shelf to the South Pole pulling a sled containing her supplies, a journey taking 37 days which culminated on January 10, 2018, when Hameister celebrated joining only 140 people to ever make the journey by making herself a sandwich. I bet it tasted like victory.

Katie Sarah of Australia also tasted victory, though I doubt she was eating a sandwich on top of Mount Sidley in Antarctica.

On January 14, 2018, the 49-year-old Australian became the first woman to climb the highest peak and highest volcano on every continent, known as the “7-7s.”

Clearly Antarctica is where women are shining in 2018, with a fair showing from Australians.

These two new records were set in January of 2018, and the year is still young. Across all sorts of sports and outdoor pursuits, women are pushing new boundaries.

Ashima Shiraishi has already taken a firm

JESSE BELL PHOTO

hold of the title best female rock climber in the world, starting at age 15. Her natural childhood curiosity had her bouldering in Central Park at age six and setting route climbing age records by age eight all around the globe.

She was not quelled, not told that her clothes meant she could not boulder and explore, she was encouraged to climb around the world. I suspect she was stuffing chalk into her pockets as a small child.

Hameister and Shiraishi are all pushing the boundaries of what has ever been done, as a new generation of female outdoors athletes. Sarah is pushing the boundaries as part of a generation with decades of exploring left to go. We may not all be

aiming to conquer Antarctica, but these women can certainly inspire everyone to push their own boundaries.

Luckily, the Elk Valley offers up a dizzying array of new sports and outdoor pursuits just waiting for us to conquer. We can literally choose peaks, put in the blood, sweat and tears and conquer mountains.

Climb the highest peaks, or the gentlest.

Explore Mother Earth, she is called Mother Earth after all. We do not all have to push the limits of what is humanly possible, but we can set our sights high, push ourselves to go over there and do it.

The next time you pull a sandwich out of your bag, remember that you can explore the whole world, and taste victory.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Outdoor Life

FULL THROTTLE

Like Riding a Bike

by SHANTELLE WEIR

T

he common consensus is that riding a sled is a sport for men. It’s often a weekend away for the guys. However, more women are getting involved in the sport. This is partly because we are seeing stronger female role models and we are discovering that proper riding techniques make sledding easy, like riding a bike.

While not everyone has figured this out yet, I will continue to say this because an investment of time to learn about body position, counter-steering and momentum will change how you ride.

Sleds are heavy, like 500 +lbs. I’m an average-sized woman, and at first this seemed daunting. That was, until I learned a few things that helped me control these large machines. Proper body positioning is essential. It is easy to relate to two wheels under you, like on a bike. So it makes sense that if you’re too far forward on your bike you would be spinning wheels and if you’re too far back you’ll be popping wheelies down the trails. When you’re standing on a sled, you want to align your centre mass over the centreline of the sled.

We call this the ‘ready position’ in biking.

Position yourself in a similar stance, as you would on your bike, not too far forward not too far back. This is the first step to make your sled feel more natural and comfortable to ride.

Side hilling is the manoeuvre that gets you from one side of a hill to another, traversing really. Most people are either too hard on the throttle in order to get from A to B quickly, or they’re constantly getting sucked down the hill. Both of these result in you losing control of your sled.You should be able to go slow across the hill, even stopping if need be to reassess and ride safely. Imagine riding your bike across a hill, your bike starts to lean downhill.

What is your first reaction? Naturally it’s to turn downhill and regain balance. This is what you need to do on your sled too,

MATT KUHN PHOTO

except we call it counter-steering. This feels unnatural on a sled because your downhill ski will be up in the air, but that’s okay. If you can think of your uphill ski and your track just the same as your front and back tire on your bike, everything you know about biking applies. Countersteering leans your sled on edge into the hill, making it so you don’t have to rely on your body weight or throttle to stay balanced.

Momentum is the tricky one, and it took me some time to master. It seems simple, you’re sledding, you add some throttle and you have momentum. However speed is not always momentum. When riding in the mountains the terrain is always changing, requiring a need to adjust your momentum to achieve smooth, continuous riding. Imagine on your bike, there’s a small downhill and an immediate uphill, if you want to ride it smooth you must have enough momentum to get to the top on the other side. So you make sure you have enough pedal strokes in before you enter the downhill. This way you have enough momentum to coast up. If you

came into it with too much speed, you would fly off the downhill, landing on the uphill and lose you’re momentum that would carry you through. In sledding it’s the same thing, if you don’t have enough momentum before climbing a hill, you’ll need to use throttle.

Throttle makes the sled harder to control and more likely to get stuck. So we master the skill of carrying momentum through obstacles, whether it is fast or slow, to remain in control.

Males once dominated both biking and sledding, but now these sports are for everyone. If you’re able to see the similarities between biking and sledding and develop the proper technique, you will find your sled can feel effortless and light, just like riding your bike. I look forward to watching the culture of sledding change, as more women get involved and continuing to encourage camaraderie and a safe comfortable learning environment to support all riders to learn what they are capable of.

FERNIEFIX.COM

35

Outdoor Life

NEVER HAVE I EVER

Ice Climbing

by JESSE BELL

2

014: “Do you want to come ice climbing?” No, I’m good.

2016: “Ice climbing?” Nah. 2018: “Want to go ice climbing tomorrow?” Maybe.

It’s a Sunday morning in late January, and my hiking boots break through the windblown crusty snow to powder underneath. I’m on my way to Star Creek Falls in the Crowsnest Pass, because though I’ve postponed ice climbing for years, it’s time to face a little fear.

Dana McMahon leads the way, an avid ice climber from Fernie. He and his wife Michelle have invited me for a day of climbing on a relatively conservative waterfall.

We walk a well-worn trail along a snow-covered creek surrounded by pines and into a narrow canyon, just outside Coleman. We meet with a small, frozen waterfall, and unstrap our crampons from our bags. Slipping my boots into the crampons, and careful not to cut my pants on their sharp metal teeth, we follow Dana up along the canyon.

Ten minutes later we meet with Star Creek Falls, 15 metres high, hidden below a steep scree ridge and towering trees that blow violently in the chilly wind.

How nice to find a place you never knew existed, especially when on a mission to do something that terrifies you. The ice on the left side of the falls is a solid blue, glimmers turquoise. In the centre, water plunges into an icy hole, and on the right, snow pillows and more white ice.

JESSE BELL PHOTO

“Sounds easy enough.”

“It’s really beautiful! How do you approach it?” I ask.

Michelle belays Dana as he leads the climb up the turquoise-coloured ice. He alternates slamming his tools (ice axes) into the ice, then steps, then digs again. Five minutes later he’s at the top and repelling down to us newbies who shake a little in our boots.

“I’ll lead climb the left side, use my ice screws, then make an anchor,” Dana replies.

“Who’s climbing first?” Dana looks to me. I gather my wits and attempt my first

climb in my flimsy hiking boots, crampons, harness and climbing helmet.

Dana directs me for where to put my feet, how to swing my axe, what angle my crampons should enter into the ice. It’s not long though before my feet cramp and, five feet off the ground, I give up. The hiking boots aren’t stiff enough to support me as I hang from the ice.

“Maybe you’ll fit into Michelle’s mountaineering boots?” he suggests.

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I concur, wrap myself in my puffy coat and grab my salami sandwich. I sit below the waterfall while Ashley and Russ take turns climbing. Russ climbs the right side of Star Creek Falls—he’s incredibly tall, ascends with ease. Ashley struggles the same as I, happy to have the companionship of uncertainty. A little support.

Zonya Knooihuizen mortgage broker 250.423.1864 zonya@shaw.ca www.eastkootenaymortgage.ca

After snacks, Dana encourages a second climb, this time on the right side of the falls with the snow pillows and ice chunks.

I dig my left axe in, then right, slam my boot with crampon into the ice. Dig, step, repeat. Before long I’m ten feet off the ground, and my feet feel great. My hands freeze; I let them hang below my heart, allow the blood to rush my fingertips, then climb again.

Halfway up the falls I yell to Dana, who’s gone to visit with Russ below.

“I think I want to come down!” I yell.

“Do you though?” he asks.

“I don’t know!” Ugh. I keep climbing, determination suddenly outweighing discomfort. A few moments later I reach the top, greeted by quiet woods and frozen water, shadowed beneath leafless trees.

photo: Robin Siggers

“That looks okay,” I reply nervously, and slip my feet into Michelle’s mountaineering boots. Stiff indeed, I can’t bend my ankles in them. The moment I slam my foot into the ice, though, my confidence skyrockets.

Mountaineering boots are the best solution.

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March Group of the Month: Griz Days, Fernie Chamber of Commerce

This is Tyler’s sled. Don’t be like Tyler.

Safe sledding.

“It’s really pretty up here!” I yell, then repel to the bottom. High-fives all around, so grateful for the encouragement.

For the remainder of the day, after Ashley finishes the same climb, and along the snowy walk out of the canyon, in the car driving back to Fernie, I can’t shake the joy.

I just finished my first ice climb, and I’m buzzing.

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Spring is nearly here!

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Outdoor Life

HURT SO GOOD

Classes Led by Inspiring Women

by TOM GIBSON

F

ernie is home to some truly inspirational people. It seems this little town not only attracts talent, but allows talent to flourish as well. In this month’s issue I picked three inspirational women who lead popular fitness classes in Fernie.

Up first is Julie Kelly and her TRX/ Spin class. Julie is a very talented marathon and ultra marathon mountain biker. While most people ride their bike for an hour or two, Julie races her bike for twenty-four hours, nonstop and she’s pretty fantastic at it too, with national and international races and titles to her name! Julie leads a spin/TRX class out of Evolution Gym. Half the class is a typical spin class, each week having a slightly different focus. Julie will mix it up using everything from time trials to under-over intervals, all focused on getting the most out of your time on the bike. The second half of the class is focused on getting a strong core. Julie uses the TRX system to aid this. If you’re unfamiliar with TRX it can only be described as a sling type devise that supports your body weight while Julie guides you through different moves to build core strength. This class is great for anyone who wants to improve their overall fitness but it’s also perfect for any keen mountain biker, as it will improve your power output on the climbs and make you stronger to handle those technical descents.

KIM SHOPLAND | MATT KUHN PHOTO/CROSSFIT FERNIE

to incorporate different kinds of fitness into her weekly routine. She focuses on exercises to strengthen muscles and boost your metabolism and is sure to get you going helping you to start your week off on the right foot! Still not sure that this is for you? Vitality Gym (where Eden is based out of) offers a free trial class, what have you got to lose?

Last but certainly not least, we have Kim Shopland and her classes at CrossFit Fernie. A lot of people are intimated when Early bird gets the worm, right? Well if that’s the case then Dr. Eden Magregor’s they hear CrossFit. They think it’s too hard, worry they are not fit enough to try it out, early morning HIIT class is something or they’ve heard they will get injured doing everyone should check out. HIIT stands CrossFit. They may have googled it and saw for High Intensity Interval Training. In some crazy looking fit people doing some recent years research has shown that high crazy workouts with crazy speed and crazy intensity, short duration training is one of the most effective ways of training, a quality weight. CrossFit can be categorized into two styles. There is the “Sport of Fitness over quantity approach. As a Chiropractor CrossFit” and the general core strength and and outdoor enthusiast Dr. Eden likes conditioning methodology of CrossFit.

Kim trains strength and conditioning for better fitness, fat loss, lean muscle building, more energy, better nutrition habits, and general feeling of awesomeness that comes from treating ourselves right. BaseCamp trains both strength and conditioning (think cardio) but there is no technical barbell movements and it’s open to anyone.

BaseCamp is like a beginner strength and conditioning class, it is open to anyone, is a great workout for all fitness levels and no previous experience is needed. Before and throughout the class, Kim provides proper movement instruction to ensure everyone is getting a great workout.

One thing is for sure, these three classes and the women behind them will surely inspire and leave a lasting impression… and an acute awareness of muscle groups you may have long forgotten or not have felt in some time!

FERNIEFIX.COM

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FINE ALES • PUB-STYLE MENU • POOL TABLES • NIGHTLY SPECIALS • FREE WIFI

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Outdoor Life

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3 Studios | 2 Doors 1 Movement

FERNIE ALPINE RESORT PHOTO

Fat Biking at Fernie Alpine Resort

by JULIE KELLY, FTA

One Week Intro $35 1 class per day new clients only Book Online:

soarstudios.ca

Distance: Approx. 8 km Time: Approx. 1 – 1.5 hours Difficulty: Blue

T

his month I challenge you to get out of town and hit the trails at Fernie Alpine Resort for some winter riding. In celebration of the Feminism issue, encourage some female friends or family members to join and consider making a morning or afternoon out of it. #sistersinsweat

To access the multi-purpose trails park in Lot #4. The Silk, Manchuria and Scandia Loop are regularly groomed but check the resort’s website for the most up to date information to get the most out of your ride.

It’s not much of a warm up with a steep hill right out of the gate from the parking lot. It will likely be a bit of a grunt so you may want to push your bike until you get up to Silk Trail. Once you get up there it’s a fairly gradual climb then levels off for a little bit. I like to do the loop clockwise.

Continue on the Scandia Loop for 5km of up and down terrain with a couple of nice viewpoints along the way. Climb back up, connect with Silk Trail and enjoy the downhill back to the parking lot.

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March Events & Activities • • • •

March 4 - Raging Elk Dummy Downhill March 16 & 17 - Monster Boarderstyle March 24 - Kokanee Retro Weekend March 31 - Griz Kidz Winter Carnival

Weekly Winter Activities

Tuesdays - Snowshoe & Dine Wednesdays & Saturdays - Yoga @ Lizard Creek Lodge Thursdays - Winter Fat Bike & Dine Saturdays - Evening Uptracking Tour - Kids Pool Party, BBQ & Movie Night Sundays - Nordic Ski Sunday For all activities please check out SKIFERNIE.COM

ph: Nick Nault

Kids Springtime Fun • No School Ride Days: March 9 & April 2 • Kids Spring Extravaganza Camp: March 27-30

WEEKLY SPECIALS

Tuesdays - $20 Pasta & Wine Dinner Wednesdays - $15 Ice Bar Sundays - Half Price House Cocktails 3-6pm

un

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Health and Lifestyle

FERNIE FLAVOURS

Nourishment

by KATIE HAMAR

L

et’s talk about Nourishment; defined as the elements necessary for growth, health, and good condition. To nourish means to promote the growth of something or someone. The word is typically spoken of in a food context but it is not just the body that requires nourishment. The heart, the mind and the soul all require this support. To nourish means to encourage in the hope that the recipient, the nourished, will thrive.

Let’s talk about Women; strong, smart, dynamic, powerful, supportive women. So much of the nourishment we receive in life is from the hands of women. The soul food we give each other is what allows us to grow, to push our boundaries, and to stay afloat when seas get rocky. Nourishment from women, like the dictionary’s definition, provides us with the elements necessary for growth, health and good condition.

Here are four ways we can nourish one another: Celebrate others.

Be happy for other women. Give them recognition and praise. Think about how you can help them feel confident by giving them genuine compliments. This will inspire them to keep going by letting them know they are seen and making a difference. There is enough room for all of us to succeed. As the saying goes, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

In fact, you could light up the whole world.

Empowered women, empower women.

Resist negativity.

Do not feed in to gossip and bullying. It is the gossiper’s own insecurities coming through, thinking that by bringing down someone else, they will be lifted higher.

Oftentimes, when we criticize something in another, it is because we see the quality

KATIE’S FAMILY | SUBMITTED PHOTO

There is enough room for all of us to succeed. As the saying goes, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” In fact, you could light up the whole world.

Empowered women, empower women. reflected in ourselves. Confidence is quiet, insecurities are loud and jealousy works the opposite way you want it to. If someone is speaking negatively, say something. Act from a place of kindness by asking the person what’s really bothering them. Their criticism of another could be a sign that they’re going through something. Do not feed into the cycle of gossip. As Michelle Obama said, “When they go low, we go high.”

Share resources and think as a team.

Think about how you can offer your skills to a situation. Maybe a girlfriend is starting a business and you have experience

with web design or marketing. Look for opportunities to help but understand you can’t be the best at everything. If you know someone else with a pertinent skill, put your two friends in contact with one another. Network and build a team. Foster a tribe of supportive women.

Celebrate yourself.

Express your own brilliance without blocking someone else’s. We sometimes hide our victories for fear of making others uncomfortable. There is a way to be proud of your accomplishments while continuing to shine light on other women. Understand that vulnerability is strength and allow yourself to communicate where you need help. Live from your own self worth and remember that you are the most important woman in your life. When spreading kindness, don’t forget yourself.You cannot pour from an empty cup.

Let’s talk about Nourishment. Let’s talk about Women. Let’s talk about how the two go hand in hand and how everyone can win. Here’s to beautiful, badass women. Let us nourish one another and thrive.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Health and Lifestyle

THE FIND

Fresh Takes

by CRYS STEWART

SHOES, A SERVICE AND A SUN-CATCHER DELIVER SURPRISING ROUTES TO EMPOWERMENT.

Walk This Way “I’m going to work hard, play hard and thrive wearing uncomfortable, high maintenance shoes that only work with a few of my outfits,” said no one ever. And yet, don’t we all say that to ourselves on occasion? Chantal Vincent, owner of lifestyle fashion boutique Freyja, knows what her clientele really wants (and needs). “Why not wear the most comfortable thing and express your style and be on trend?” she asked me rhetorically. With the new line of footwear from Vancouver-based Native Shoes she’s introducing to Fernie this month, you can. These kicks are all about lightness– remarkably light in weight, light on fashion dictates (the refreshingly spare designs offer maximum dress-up-or-down versatility) and enlightened. Native Shoes respects animals and humans equally and is certified by PETA as an approved vegan brand.

“They’re the perfect Fernie shoe,”Vincent declared. And to push the point home, she added, “They’re very durable, very stylish and easy to clean.” That should put a skip in your step.

Native Shoes, starting at $65 at Freyja, 602B 2nd Ave. New styles arriving every month throughout spring.

NATIVE SHOES, NEW AT FREYJA, ARE VEGAN, VERSATILE AND VERY LIGHTWEIGHT.

Best Face Forward (For Everyone) If eyes are windows to the soul then eyebrows are their equally significant frames. But what if those frames have faded or vanished completely? For a lot of people, it can feel like they’re missing much more than some tiny hairs. No surprise then that “Wow!” is the most common response clients say to Lindsay Reynolds, owner of Three Sisters Day Spa, after she’s microbladed their brows to enhance or reconstruct them. [Full disclosure: I’m Lindsay’s proud stepmom.] After being the first to introduce the service to Fernie last year, Reynolds said bookings have continued to grow. “I knew the demand was there and there were few microblading artists in the Elk Valley.” Both women and men have the service done “because they’ve lost their brows due to thinning hair or medical conditions.

Microblading is a way to feel confident again.” A semi-permanent process using pigments to add fine, natural-looking individual hairs, it’s been a game-changer in the You Only Better department. And it’s no secret in the beauty industry that darker, fuller eyebrows make a face appear younger. As Reynolds diplomatically put it, “The way I position the hair strokes, I try to lift things up.” It’s a time-saver, too. “We’re an active town,” said Reynolds.

“Some people would love to have full, defined brows without wearing a stitch of makeup when they’re out skiing or biking.” That’s something a lot of us can see eye to eye on.

LINDSAY REYNOLDS OF THREE SISTERS DAY SPA WITH BEFORE AND AFTER IMAGES OF CLIENTS’ EYEBROWS.

By appointment only. Two-hour initial session with 4 to 6 week touch-up, $425, at Three Sisters Day Spa. 472 2nd Ave, 250-423-6395

Powder of the Paw Claudette Daigle-Dixon has been making works of art using stained glass for 15 years but over the last year she decided to leave her corporate life behind to become a full-time stained glass artist. Through Wigwam River Glass Creations, she offers sun-catchers, nightlights, tree ornaments and even stained glass desk accessories–all inspired by nature. Owls, bears, fish, icicles, trees and feathers find their way into her designs, shimmering with shards of coloured light. “I grew up in the boreal shield in Northern Ontario,” she said, explaining the source of her ideas, before adding with a chuckle that of all the sun-catchers she creates, her favourite depicts a leaping walleye. Her first bear paw sun-catcher came by chance. “I was asked to do a commissioned piece,” she said. The paw was the outcome of it and has become a staple of her collection ever since. For West Coast First Nations people, the bear represents family, home, strength and great self-awareness. Considered an elder kinsman, this animal is shown respect for having the spirit of a warrior and for knowing when to stand up and fight.

Daigle-Dixon and I agreed: The bear sure seems to be the walking definition of a feminist. Give a bear paw sun-catcher to someone you’d like to honour or to inspire yourself–with an unending supply of candy-coloured sunbeams thrown in at no extra charge.

Bear paw sun-catcher, $68 at Fernie Arts Co-op. 572 2nd Ave and etsy.com/ca/shop/wigwamriverglass.

CLAUDETTE DAIGLE-DIXON IN HER WEST FERNIE HOME STUDIO WITH ONE OF HER BEAR PAW SUN-CATCHERS.

Health. Beauty.

Happiness. Confidence.

Spring Smiles!

Visit your Hygienist today!

Jordan and Katherine

292 - 2nd Avenue, Fernie, BC

250-423-6838

dentist@kahane.ca www.kahane.ca FERNIEFIX.COM

45

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all plaid before & during Griz Days

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Cheers to the Griz!

Health and Lifestyle

Melissa’s Meal Planning Madness

your freezer with homemade freezer meals!

Every Sunday, make a “one-pot meal,” great options include soups, chili and stews.

They freeze great in individual portions for lunches during the week, and the “one pot” aspect of meal prep cuts back significantly on the dishes you’ll have to clean at the end. After a few weeks of portioning and freezing, you’ll be left with a variety of healthy freezer meals so you’re not stuck with the same option every day. As a bonus, if this is pulled out before school in the morning it can double as an ice pack in your children’s lunches.

by TIFFANY SCHEBESCH, RD, BASC

M

elissa loves her busy family and lifestyle, however when it comes to dinner time, Melissa has been feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated lately.

Heading into the warmer weather, her family seems to get busier than ever. Her three children are signing up for their spring sport sessions which mean a jampacked schedule of shuttling children to their practices and competitions.

Somewhere in between work and after school activities, Melissa is also tasked with getting a healthy meal on the table - and something everyone will eat! She’s read about the countless benefits of having more homemade meals versus processed foods, she’s just not sure how to implement this on a day-to-day basis. The end result is more frozen pizzas and “meat and potatoes” than she would like to admit. After months of struggling, Melissa chose to visit her dietician to learn about meal planning hacks to help her survive the busy months ahead!

These tips go out to all the superhero ladies in Fernie who need a little extra motivation with mealtime planning!

Take Ten (minutes) It’s true, meal planning does take time.

However this initial investment of only ten minutes will save the stress and hassle of trying to decide last minute what to make for supper. Here’s how to use your time most efficiently. Write out two different breakfasts and three different dinner options for the week on a piece of paper or note in your phone. Lunches will be solely leftovers and freezer meals, so we’ll put that thought aside until tip number two. Keep these choices simple, something like overnight oats for breakfast or a stir fry works great for dinner. Bonus points, choose recipes with similar ingredients like chilli one night

FOOD INTELLIGENCE

SUBMITTED PHOTO

[Melissa]’s read about the countless benefits of having more homemade meals versus processed foods, she’s just not sure how to implement this on a day-today basis. and tacos another will help shrink your grocery list. Getting the family involved here can be a great idea so everyone knows what to expect, and there’s no fuss when dinner rolls around.

The Freezer is Your Friend Frozen TV dinners were historically a staple in family homes for their convenience and simplicity. Unfortunately, they’re often heavily processed with a lot of ingredients you can’t pronounce. The answer? Stock

Let Your Smartphone Do The Work When it comes to meal planning, utilizing the technology we have at our fingertips can save us a lot of time and stress. One of my favourite apps to help with meal planning is “Any List” – a virtual grocery list you can share with your family. As you create your meal plan for the week, you can add in any ingredients you need onto the app. During the week, members invited to share the list have the ability to add ingredients, and cross them off after they’ve been picked up.You can also create a grocery list specific to each meal plan.

This means if you use this same week’s meal plan in the future, you can refer back to the grocery list instead of creating a new one. Another favourite app of mine is “Cookspiration.” This is a dietitianapproved resource for healthy recipes to get you inspired to cook, based on your mood, what you’re doing and the time of the day. Don’t be afraid to use the Internet to search for healthy recipes as well, foodie blogs can be a great source for recipes. Be critical however, to look for recipes that have an abundance of veggies, more plantbased proteins and use lower fat cooking methods.

Melissa utilized her new set of tools to make it her goal to make a meal plan every Sunday for the next month. With the help of her family, she was confident this would alleviate her dinner-time stress and get her family back on track with healthy eating!

FERNIEFIX.COM

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i fi n t e

Masquerade with Flatspin & Jenn Frost

Rock & Roll St. Paddie’s extravaganza

03.19 Mr. Royal 03.22 stanton warriors (UK)

with duplex, sTRAUS & FLATSPIN & PK sound

03.23 DJ Dubconscious 03.30 Ohm Girl 03.31 Duplex & PK Sound

OPEN 9pm-2am monday-saturday 501 1st Ave. Fernie, BC

-B

T

03.03 Dragon Fli Empire w CONA 03.09 Moontricks w mister moffat 03.10 Smoothie Live SAX w 4 on 4 on 03.16 DJ PJ & Friends 03.17 The Runs & Cold Cuts

a

03.02 Great Gatsby Griz Days

for more details

Check Facebook for all our events this month!

In

THE RO Y AL MARCH EVENTS LISTING

'kitchen always open'

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&

Bou

ti q u e

Infinitea this March Licensed, all ages, full fresh food menu, board games, musical instruments 0pen noon-late every day except Tuesday

Monday's Free Movie Night 7pm $6 Meals. Free popcorn.

Wednesday's Tarot reading's from 7pm Thursday's All 2oz cocktails & Specialty teas/coffees $8 Friday's Live music from 8pm Saturday's Record Appreciation Night & Wine Specials Sunday's $10 Roast Dinner 6-9pm (book!)

Book a party at Infinitea ph # 778-519-5258

Located on 5th St downtown

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• Voted ‘Best Quick Food Fix’ Fernie Fix Awards, 2015 502 2nd Avenue, Fernie BC 250-423-7778 www.bigbangbagels.com

Health and Lifestyle

A Feminist’s Approach to Health

recommended and why, and maybe even talk to your doctor about getting a set of routine blood work done to get a baseline to compare future results to. If you have been diagnosed with a condition or illness, learn everything you can about it.

What are the standard treatments? What are the alternative treatments? What diet is recommended? What changes can you actually make in your life to improve your chances of recovery?

by DR. TAINA TURCASSO, N.D., R.M.

I

t’s an exciting time to be a woman, to witness the shift in the role of women in our society and the opportunities that will open up to us and to future generations of women as a result of this shift. Perhaps it’s not the first thing you think of when you think of equality and feminism, but changes in the status quo of women’s health care is an essential part of this movement.

As a midwife, I am always advocating for women and supporting them in advocating for themselves; it’s one of the main reasons women choose midwives and why I wanted to be one. The importance of being an active participant in your health and well-being extends beyond pregnancy and childbirth, however. It’s just as important (albeit different) to take an interest in what happens to your health and your health care across the board. A truly feminist approach to healthcare would consider each person as an individual, whether they were male, female, gay, straight, cis, trans, young, or old.

It would take in the whole person; a truly holistic way to treat people and not their ailments. It would also focus on advocating for women’s health in a way that would promote prevention.

FAMILY WELLNESS

SARAH PULLEN PHOTO

also that of your family, especially your parents, siblings and grandparents. Talk to your family and document what you learn so that the information will be available when you need it. It might help to make a timeline and write down everything you can remember as it related to other events in your life. Surgeries, hospitalizations, abnormal blood work, time off work, anything that felt significant at the time is In 2018, this “year of the woman” take an probably significant to your health history. interest in your health so that you can live Keep this someplace safe so that you can a long, healthy life not just for you, but for add to it as needed. Include medications, the women and girls around you. There allergies, blood type (if you know it) and are several ways that you can start the conversation with your doctor or other care anything else that comes up. provider, and here are a few things to get Educate Yourself you started: It cannot be overstated that education is our best weapon. Arm yourself Know Yourself with an education on what you, as an An accurate history accounts for individual, need for your health. Know approximately 80% of all diagnoses. It what screenings are appropriate for you, is vital to not only know and be able to what types and amounts of exercise is relay your personal medical history, but

Do the Work Looking after yourself isn’t easy. It’s one thing to know what you need to do to have a positive impact on your health, but it’s another thing entirely to actually do it. Many people won’t, waiting for motivation that will never come. Whatever it is, whether it’s changes to your diet, new exercise routines, quitting smoking etc., just do the thing and the motivation comes later. Doing the work is how you value your body and your life. Take the time for yourself to work on this self-care because other people won’t do it for you.

Women are caretakers first, looking after our children, parents, partners, patients etc., often neglecting to look after ourselves. If those around us don’t value us, it is because we teach them how to treat us. This extends to our relationships with our care providers.

Tell them that you want to take an active interest in your health, ask them questions about your health care. They will respect that you want to be involved and your relationship will change for the better as a result. If it doesn’t, then find someone else who sees you as the individual you are.

It is difficult to take responsibility for your own health, and many people are happy to just leave it all in the hands of the experts and certainly, they play an important role in maintaining your health but so do you.Your health will be better, you’ll live longer and be happier, if you become involved in your own health.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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JOIN US THIS WINTER AT THE BRICKHOUSE A GREAT PLACE TO CHILL AFTER AN EPIC DAY ON THE SLOPES

• featuring a 100% BC only wine list and beer on tap • lunch and dinner menu with homemade burgers • open 7 days a week, 11:30am to close • live music • thursday jam night www.thebrickhousefernie.com

401 2nd avenue 250.423.0009

Stop by for great end of season close out deals on Men’s, Women’s and Kid’s gear We are much more than a fly shop, come check out our gear for all your Fernie Adventures!

791 - 7 th Ave. • 250-423-7239

Bits and Bytes

File Recovery

by KEVIN MCISAAC

A

friend called me up recently to ask about recovering data off a USB drive.

He’d spent a few days putting together an important spreadsheet in Excel, only to have the drive fail when he tried to move the data from his Mac to his PC. USB drives are incredibly useful. These days it’s nothing to get a USB drive that’s 128GB in size for $30 or $40. Astonishing.

Especially considering that’s what we used to pay for 128MB in size (1/1000th) just 14 years ago. The one downside of cheap portable storage: we occasionally forget how fragile storage can be.

So, what to do? The first rule, which makes all the rest of what I’m about to write unnecessary is never, ever have just one copy of any file you don’t want to lose. Of course sometimes, as in the case with my friend, the act of making a copy is when you discover the problem.

If you don’t have a copy and need to recover the file it may be possible. Why it may be possible, even when the drive is “unreadable” has a lot to do with how storage on drives works.

All drives, whether they are hard drives, CD disks, or USB drives, have to be formatted. Formatting a drive means writing a File System to the drive. I’m going to ignore partitioning and lowlevel formatting here as they’re likely not relevant to a file recovery situation.

A file system is a structure that’s written to the drive that maps virtual files to physical files. So, imagine a JPG image file for example, being written to a drive. First the operating system queries the file system to see if there is room. Then if there is it looks for an open file slot. Once found it writes a portion of the file to the drive based on the physical allocation sizes. If there’s not enough room in that block, it looks for

The first rule, which makes all the rest of what I’m about to write unnecessary is never, ever have just one copy of any file you don’t want to lose. another block to write to and adds that block to the file description. And so on until the file is all written. To read it it does the reverse.

Let’s look at an analogy. Imagine you have a very large file cabinet. The drawers are small, but there are many of them.You want to store a large folder of documents.

You look on the front of file cabinet looking for a drawer that’s not marked full.

You find one so you start emptying your folder into that drawer. It doesn’t all fit.

You write the folder name on the drawer and go looking for another empty drawer.

Once you find one you empty your folder into the new drawer and go back and write the new drawer’s number on the front of the first drawer.

THE ANSWER GUY

application called EaseUS Data Recovery.

It has a free version which will let you recover up to 2GB worth of data. Perfect if you just need to recover a couple of photos that one of the kids accidentally deleted. The Pro version runs about $70, but is regularly on sale. Cheap compared to spending another two days of your time recreating your lost work.

This doesn’t always work. If you’ve written new files to the drive between losing your old files and trying to recover them, you may find you’ve overwritten what you want to get back. Also, sometimes the drive itself is corrupted and can simply not be read. Hopefully in those cases you have a backup. Sometimes though if you’re lucky and you have the right tools you can bring files back. p.s. If you have any specific questions for the Answer Guy send them to info@clarismedia. com. Chances are good that if you want to know others do too.

When you want the file, you find the first drawer and it tells you the next drawer where the rest of the file is... and so on.

Files are stored in sections all over the drive and the file system keeps track of it all. Most often when a drive becomes unreadable it’s because the file system has been corrupted. The files are still there, but the index for finding them is lost. Or to use our earlier example, the drawers are still full, but the cards describing what’s in each drawer have been lost.

File recovery software goes through each drawer and uses what’s known about different files, such as JPG files, Excel files, Word documents, etc. to build a new file structure. The new file structure lets you copy the files off again.

In this case I was able to take his USB drive and recover the files. I use an

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Bits and Bytes

March 2018

by YANN LORANGER

J

ust like January, March has two full moons creating a strong contrast with February which had none.Venus, carrying all the values of beauty, heartfelt sharing and love will move quickly throughout the month, away from the influences of the second full moon which poses a challenge to Mars, our will and our desires.

Since we all have a little bit of each sign within us, consider each of the following as addressing a specific part of yourself. Read it all for every aspect within yourself.

Aries (March 21 - April 29) Beauty All seems normal until spring arrives, when your planning skills become shy.

The emerging energies of springtime flow through your feminine qualities more than your masculine ones. If you’re used to focusing on your masculine qualities, men or women, you will feel highly uncomfortable.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Expectation You’ve been waiting for a long time and have proved your patience.Venus is arriving full speed and will enter Taurus in the last hours of March. This is what you’ve been waiting for – finally living in an empowering environment. Just a few more weeks to get through and you will be comforted.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Practical You were following the lead of your inspiration, but suddenly start worrying about the progress of what you’re doing.

Your mind is absorbed by the famous question, “How to…”.You know deep within that the source of inspiration is still alight, but in your mind work should be the priority.

Just like January, March has two full moons creating a strong contrast with February which had none.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Challenge You might experience some of the most tensed time of the year, especially towards the end of the month. There’s a great chance to work on something that you’ve been postponing for “tomorrow.” The month might start calm and easy, but day after day, intensity will steadily rise.

ASTROLOGY

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Artist February will harmoniously flow into March for you, like a thread that never ends.Your creativity will be highly productive. It’s time to work on a masterpiece, it is rather rare that you find yourself able to work with such ability and inspiration.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Embers Early March will make you feel stuck.Your great ideas will seem to be too small and not very well oriented.You’ll hold back your desire to make a move. As time goes by, you relax and as Spring arrives, new hopes will start shining within.

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Knightship

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Conviction

You will be somehow weather sensitive.

With the warmer days, you’ll find courage and strength, like “Gawain” in some of King Arthur’s stories, tuning with the strength of the sun. This growing spring energy will keep you cheered up, while the colder days will feel heavier.

You want to show to the world what happened with the wrong ambitions and desires of mankind. This is a very difficult work, since we are all part of this dearest humanity. It demands lots and lots of humility.

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Watchman You feel responsible for the vigilance necessary during this third and last month where all the planets stand on their half of the zodiac, facing the full moon standing on the other half.You should be mindful of the ideas you’re having. Excessive selfishness could ruin the work you’ve initiated since the beginning of the year.

Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Facing Faith is knocking at your door.Your strong desires brought you here and it is time to face the consequences. There might be commitments you cannot go back on or contracts that reveal themselves to be negative. What you’ve earned might result in a loss in the end.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Agitator You won’t allow all this to happen unnoticed and discreetly.You won’t be directly on stage, but will make a lot of noise each time something special happens, bringing the work done by others to the consciousness of the crowd.

Pisces (Feb 19 - March 20) Beauty “Beauty” is taking hold of your brain, and never has your brain felt this small and useless. Two scenarios are possible: Your devalued intellect will trick “Beauty” to possess it, wanting to gain value.

Your intellect will protect “Beauty,” identifying it with true value.

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Fernie Fun

FIX TRIVIA

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

RIDDLES

Can you spot the five differences between these two images?

Credit: Riddles.com

Have a picture to submit for Fernie Fun? Send it to info@clarismedia.com.

FernieFix

1. What has no body and no nose?

2. I have a head and a tail but no body... What am I? 3. What lives as long as it eats but dies when it drinks?

4. If Friday the horse goes into the park at 7:00 and on Sunday the horse goes into the park at 8:00 what is the horses name?

FIND THE Somewhere in this issue is a little female gender sign.

Can you find it?

ANSWER SPOT THE DIFFERENCE FEBRUARY

ANSWERS TO RIDDLES:

1. Nobody knows. 2. A coin 3. Fire 4. Friday

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