Fernie Fix November 2020

NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 167

THE

SELF-CARE ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE: Canadian Cyclist Sandra Walter gives up on pandemic training and makes time for an adventure with her parents.

Sadie Rosgen takes us on a journey on writing “My Poem.” Feature Resident Chris Charbonneau and his experience as an RT and volunteer with Fellaship. Val Lanthier shows us that our dogs need self-care too with helpful Dog Grooming Tips from a Pro. FERNIEFIX.COM

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An Innovative Modern Approach to Mine Design North Coal has incorporated best practices and modern technology from around the world into a mine design that will achieve strong environment performance.

inf o @ n o rt h c o al.c a | 7 7 8 .5 1 8 .0 7 75

n o rt h c o a l . c a

EDITOR’S FIX p5 SELF-CARE SPECIAL FEATURE p6 Unexpected Adventures by Sandra Walter

BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY p8 Business News Taking Care of Business - Essential Pandemic Resources

by Brad Parsell It’s in the Numbers by Roman Rybar, CFP Boosting Life Insurance

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT p16 Feature Artist – Peggy Black ArtBeat - Community Self-Care by Michael Hepher At Peace and Yet On Fire – My Poem by Sadie Rosgen Rental Fix – Coriolanus by Andrew Vallance Events This Month

NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 167 THE

SELF-CARE ISSUE

COMMUNITY p26 Feature Resident - Chris Charbonneau

by Krista Turcasso City Corner - The Snap Election by Ange Qualizza Planning Ahead - Self-Care for Moms and Dads by Kerri Wall

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR LIFE p31 Hitting the Trails - Fall Trail Work by Julie Kelly Fernie Mountain Mamas – Taking Time by Yvonne Prest

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE p33 Bark Break - Dog Grooming Tips From A Pro by Val Lanthier This is Life by Tyla Charbonneau - Knowing Versus Living

BITS AND BYTES p35 The Answer Guy – Paprika Recipe Manager

by Kevin McIsaac November Horoscope by Ashley Kristina Social Page

FERNIE FUN p38 The Last Page

COVER: Chompy riding his skinny tires in the snow.

Photo by Matt Kuhn, @mkuhnphoto THIS PAGE: I have a hilarious affinity for trees and definitely pull over often when the light is right. This is one of those times while sledding last winter.

Photo by Matt Kuhn, @mkuhnphoto

We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada

Nous reconnaissons l’appui [financier] du gouvernement du Canada

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Enhancing physical performance, mental/ emotional clarity and spiritual guidance.

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Kerri Maier Healing Touch Practitioner 250.423.1531 Living YogAdventures Enhancing physical wellness and sports performance, relationships, productivity at work or overall well-being.

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Simone Bourassa, M.A, B.A.Psych, RYT 500Hr livingyogadventures.ca 250.999.9363 Fernie Family Acupuncture

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Inspiring, supporting and integrating the layers of wellness for MIND • BODY • BUSINESS & LIFE

Contributors ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting.

ANGE QUALIZZA is a nutty economist who has a passion for policy, governance and everything to do with municipal government! Let’s lift up the carpet and take a closer look inside City Hall.

ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five.

For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com.

BRAD PARSELL is the manager of the Fernie Chamber and loves working with our local vibrant business community. He is also a music nerd with an ever-growing collection of records in his basement.

JULIE KELLY is the Manager for the Fernie Trails Alliance and loves spending time on the Fernie trails.

KERRI WALL specialises in group facilitation, mediation, parent coaching, and leadership training. She welcomes inquiries at kerriwall.ca.

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

MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada.

ROMAN RYBAR has worked in the financial industry since 1996. He became a Limited Partner with Edward Jones in 2004. When he is not helping clients he can be found enjoying bike trails or manning the bbq for family and friends.

Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@gmail.com.

SANDRA WALTER’S competitive mountain biking career spans more than two decades and is fueled by a love of the sport and a desire to improve.

She thrives on discovering new trails with friends and inspiring others to discover the joy of riding bikes. Follow her on social @sandrawaltermtb.

TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature.

VAL LANTHIER is the Vet Tech behind local pet sitting and dog walking services, Pet Tech Care. For her, it’s animals all day every day, with a focus on how we can enrich their lives.

YVONNE PREST wears a lot of hats: New mom, writer, teacher, councillor, chips and salsa fanatic. Her favourite hat is being a Fernie-ite.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM

CONNECT WITH US @FERNIEFIX

Published monthly by Claris Media.

To advertise and for general inquiries: info@clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 | clarismedia.com

Editor’s Fix

By Krista Turcasso, Editor BY definition, a martyr is someone who chooses to sacrifice their life or endure pain and suffering rather than give up their religious beliefs or something they hold sacred.

These days, this term is more commonly used to describe people who prioritize the needs of others over their own. And often, this sacrifice is equated to being a selfless, good person.

Well, it’s no wonder as a society we have such a difficult time taking care of ourselves! Making it a priority to work on a healthy body, mind and spirit. Ensuring we can show up as our best selves to our children, partners, families, co-workers, and community. It wouldn’t be seen as a sacrifice or selfless. No, it would likely be seen as quite the opposite - selfish.

It’s time to get over the stigma around self-care. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t take care of anyone else. First step, name what is stopping you (yes! Call out your inner martyr!) Second, recognize what you need, how you can make it happen, and move towards it. Third, support others as they do the same. Fourth, repeat, repeat, repeat (practice makes perfect, as they say).

Fifth, feel proud of yourself!

You deserve this, we all do.Yes, I’m talking to all you guys out there. Selfcare is for everyone. And as we move into the uncertainty of winter, with colder temperatures, less light and more challenges around socializing, it is more important than ever.

Also, please check in on your peeps.

Editor | Krista Turcasso • Creative Director | Vanessa Croome • Associate Editor | Kevin McIsaac All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

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SELF-CARE SPECIAL FEATURE

Unexpected Adventures

by SANDRA WALTER MY mind was blissfully blank as I rode, pedals and breath turning over in steady rhythm. I listened to and looked at nothing in particular, yet took in everything.

Sometimes my brain honed in on a wedge of gravel I wanted to avoid, other times it expanded to include the entire vista – green-clad peaks touching cobalt sky, turquoise water at their feet, eagle circling lazily in the summer heat. Then I’d catch the soft scent of sagebrush and the chatter of a chipmunk. Days blended together and this became who I was and what I did. The next campsite the only goal I needed. I was moving forward and that’s all that mattered.

In July, I had finally had enough. I was no longer happy beating up my body with hill repeats, maximal start intervals and tempo efforts with no fixed or tangible goal in sight. While fellow athletes seemed to thrive on pandemic training, I struggled to find motivation and purpose and lost the magic ingredient - fun. I finally put aside any aims at competition for the rest of the season and sought joy and adventure in my own backyard instead, nervously embracing the freedom and spontaneity of a clear horizon.

My first journey still involved a bike and took me nearly 900 convoluted kilometres and up 12,500 metres of total elevation gain, all earned over 10 days from Naramata to Harrison Mills, BC, as I sought out unpaved backroads and circumvented highways, at times following BC’s snaking rivers, Tulameen, Coldwater, Nicola, Thompson, Fraser, Bridge, Lillooet, and Harrison. Often my route took me the hardest possible way, as I travelled east-towest in a landscape dominated by strings of rugged north-south ranges. I urged my bike up a series of unforgivingly steep climbs, followed by treacherous downs that mirrored my emotions, as I tried to define

Submitted Photos myself as a professional athlete who had chosen to forgo racing her bike for the year.

It had been easy to convince my parents – both in their 70s, former mountaineers and still active and itching to get out of the house – to accompany me in their 1992 VW Westfalia campervan. Although I rolled primarily alone through the remote alpine backcountry that popped with vibrantly hued tiger lilies, lupines, and paintbrushes, I felt more comfortable just knowing they were also out there somewhere. The luxury of having my overnight gear transported, home-cooked meals, and a solid roof to sleep under were extras. In return, my parents could ease pandemic-induced cabin fever while travelling and exploring the province safely in relative isolation. It felt good just to be going somewhere.

Already on the first day, a washed out bridge thwarted our plan and forced us to modify the route with a frustrating detour.

At first it bothered me that I didn’t hit the target distance or reach the intended campground, but each day brought more and more roadblocks that forced improvisation and adjustment, so that soon I just expected something unforeseen would happen, it was only a matter of when. I learned that no matter how well I had planned it on paper, I could never know what was actually there when I reached a certain point on the map.

I also learned that I could always figure it out, even if “it” wasn’t exactly as advertised, like if the road didn’t exist, if there were several unsigned roads instead of just one, if each of my three maps claimed something different, if I got lost, if my bike’s shifting suddenly stopped working, if the grade seemed impossibly steep, if I was following grizzly tracks all the way up the road, if I got a flat tire, if the intended route was closed and I had to add an extra day onto my trip, or even if I couldn’t find my parents and I didn’t have cell service.

By the end of the 10 days, the three of us had become accustomed to the changeable yet familiar routine of life on the road.

Some mornings, my mom joined me, riding her e-bike. She sped up climbs with ease and I reeled her back in, careening past on rough, dusty descents, exaggerating my voice’s vibrations on the washboard as I called out on my way by: “He-e-e-r-r-e I-i-i C--o-o-o-m-m-e!”

We finally reached our destination of Harrison Mills at the mouth of the Harrison River and the end of our journey felt anticlimactic. I wasn’t ready for it to be over, but an idea was already forming in my adventure-addicted mind. I pitched it to my parents a week or so later, and wasn’t at all shocked when the following day my dad had laid out a patchwork of maps, bisected by a wandering highlighted yellow line, across the dining room floor. “Can I show you the route I was thinking we could take?” he asked me.

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Business in the Valley

Knine Excursions is committed to giving your pooch fun, loving, and safe care while you’re out and about with your day!

Check out knineexcursions.ca for more info on Jess’ dog daycare services!

Knine Excursions

knineexcursions

WE ARE HIRING Journeyman and Apprentice Plumbers for Housing Project in Fernie.

Hiring ASAP. Apprentice Sheet Metal/ HVAC tech for Housing Project in Fernie.

Starting December 2020.

Please submit resumes to joe@gmmech.ca www.gmmech.net

BUSINESS NEWS

V. Croome Photo

V. Croome Photo

Fernie Heritage Library

Ghostrider Trading Company

492 3rd Ave 250-423-4458

661A 2nd Ave 250-423-5541

THE Fernie Heritage Library has extended its hours! Tuesdays through Fridays, they are open from 10am to 5pm for curbisde pick-up. Patrons are welcome to browse and borrow between 12-4pm. Saturdays, curbside pick-up runs from 12-5pm with browsing and borrowing available from 1-4pm.

GHOSTRIDER Trading Company celebrates 20 years! The store opened for business on November 24, 2000, the creation of Kay Chesley and Brenda Birrell, and became the destination for “all things Fernie” and was the anchor in the newly renovated Fernie General Store building.

The Heritage Library also has an online survey available to help them serve our community better. Find these links on their website (fernie.bc.libraries.coop) or facebook page (@FernieHeritageLibrary), or pick up a print-copy at the library circulation desk.

Over the years the name has stayed the same, however the concept changed under the ownership of Judith Johannsson and Sonya Erzinger. Women’s clothing and footwear were introduced in 2005, gradually dominating the store.

They also recognised that demand for women’s footwear grew every year, and decided to expand and open a separate shoe store across the hall.

Ghostrider Trading Company has been open 364 days every year since 2000 (not counting the 60 day Covid closure).

Judith and Sonya would like to thank everyone for coming through their doors.

“The support of our clients enables the store to donate regularly to an extensive roster of local causes.”

Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

VOTED BEST PLACE TO SEND THE FAMILY!

10th Annual

2019

Submitted Photo

Submitted Image

The Green Petal 421 2nd Ave 250-423-4486 THE Green Petal is excited to announce the opening of a second location in Sparwood this month! The shop will have a professional florist on staff and will offer flowers, plants, housewares, gifts and home deliveries. The grand opening is Saturday, November 7 from 10am-6pm and there will be prizes and the opportunity to sign-up for up-coming workshops at 106 Centennial St., call 250-425-0032 for details.

In Fernie, flower subscriptions and corporate rates are now available, start a subscription anytime and choose your flowers and frequency and they will deliver for free! Corporate rates are offered at 15% off to all qualifying customers. Stop by the shop or email flowers@thegreenpetal.ca to set either of these up.

Thinking about a wedding for 2021? The Green Petal has a professional florist and wedding specialist and consultations are now available.Visit thegreenpetal.ca for more details.

NEW BUSINESS

Knine Excursions knineexcursions.ca KNINE Excursions is owned and operated by Fernie local Jess Link. As a local Jess knows how the mines, tourism and outdoor activities can keep you busy and out of the house for sometimes the entire day! Knine Excursions is committed to giving your pooch fun, loving, and safe care while you’re out and about with your day!

Check out knineexcursions.ca for more info on Jess’ dog daycare services, or visit her on social media on Facebook @ KnineExcursions and Instagram @ knineexcursions.

Cheers to another epic Winter in Fernie!

parkplacelodge.com 742 Hwy #3 | 250-423-6871 FERNIEFIX.COM

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2020 VIRTUAL

FE RNIE BUSINESS E XC EL L ENCE AWARDS

A special thank you to all the sponsors who make these awards possible.

TITLE SPONSOR

Congratulations to all of the nominees, finalists and recipients of the 2020 Fernie Business Excellence Awards

FEATURE SPONSORS

Bronze Sponsors: Fernie FIx, Rooftop Coffee Roasters, Parkplace Lodge, Island Lake Lodge, Three Sisters Day Spa, Freshies, Fernie Brewing Company www.ferniechamber.com

Congratulations 2020 Award Recipients Citizen of the Year

People’s Choice Award

Team of the Year

Sponsored by City of Fernie

Sponsored by Fernie Fix

Sponsored by TD Bank Group

Lori Bradish

Fernie Fox Hotel

The Chopstick Truck

Employer of the Year

Community Tourism Achievement Award

Community Leadership Award

Sponsored by College of the Rockies

Spa 901 Business of the Year

Sponsored by Tourism Fernie

Sponsored by Best Western Plus Fernie Mountain Lodge

Fernie RV Resort

Megan Lohmann

Entrepreneur of the Year

Outstanding Customer Service Award

Sponsored by North Coal

Fernie Fox Hotel Chamber Business Legacy

Sponsored by Community Futures East Kootenay

Fernie Catering Co.

Sponsored by 2nd Edition Coworking

Giv’Er Shirt Works New Business of the Year Sponsored by Fernie Alpine Resort

Rooftop Coffee Roasters

Spirit Of Fernie Award

Sponsored by Jim Pattison Broadcast Group

Fernie Home Hardware Building Centre

Sponsored by Columbia Basin Trust

Tourism Fernie

Volunteer of the Year Award Sponsored by The Free Press

Ev Eijsermans

Strengthening Commerce in Fer nie FERNIEFIX.COM

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Business in the Valley

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Essential Pandemic Resources

by BRAD PARSELL WELCOME to my first column in the Fernie Fix! It is my hope to use this space each month to provide some supports, resources, and tips to our vibrant local business community. Of course, this year has been one of the most difficult in recent memory to navigate through as a small or medium business. A seemingly unending avalanche of COVID-19 information, updates, support programs and business data continue to flood our inboxes daily.

It can be a full-time job just keeping up with it all and has frankly become overwhelming at times.

This month, I will attempt to distill all of this down to three essential pandemic resources for any business owner or manager operating in BC. Having spent most of the past eight months trying to keep up with all this, I believe these three authoritative resources are the most comprehensive and helpful.

Before we jump into this list, I would like to take a moment to talk about the COVID-19 safety protocol basics in our local businesses. This month, the Fernie Chamber is launching a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of getting back to basics as we head into the winter ski season. We all realize that our ability to meet and gather outdoors in the colder months will be diminished. This means spending a lot more time indoors. We must all double down on our commitment to each other to regularly wash/sanitize our hands, maintain a physical distance of two metres from those outside our bubble, and to wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.

The politicization of wearing masks is unfortunate, and while it is certainly our last line of defense against COVID-19 – it

The Arts Station staff | V. Croome Photo is also optically a confidence builder among local and visiting consumers.Yes, there is no municipal or provincial mask mandate here and there are many businesses doing an outstanding job of maintaining physical distancing. But we must remember that most of our visitors come from southern Alberta and in some of those jurisdictions, masks have been mandated for quite some time now. It is confronting to people from those regions to arrive in a destination like Fernie where masks are not as common. I would encourage you to consider having your staff wear masks while on shift this winter for this very reason – we need to build confidence that it is safe to interact with Fernie businesses. Let’s go above and beyond the rules, and show our community that we care!

Here are your top three business resources for navigating the pandemic: 1. Work Safe BC (worksafebc.com) The province’s definitive resource for

health and safety in the workplace during the pandemic. There is a wealth of information including industryspecific advice on creating and updating workplace COVID-19 safety plans and protocols.

2. Destination BC (destinationbc.ca) The provincial tourism Crown corporation has been providing industry with countless resources and education opportunities through the pandemic and is an excellent reference point for local Fernie businesses.

3. Canadian Business Resiliency Network (cbrn.ca) Developed by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the federal government, this website contains information, analysis and a directory of helpful advice, reopening toolkits, financial supports, and other recovery information.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Business in the Valley

IT’S IN THE NUMBERS

Boosting Life Insurance

by ROMAN RYBAR, CFP IF you’re a Millennial – born between 1981 and 1996 – you’re either in the very early or relatively early stages of your career, and as the old song goes, you’ve got a lot of living to do. Still, it’s not too soon to think about a financial issue you may have overlooked: the need for life insurance.

Millennials need to ask three key questions when it comes to insurance:

When should I purchase insurance?

The answer to this question depends somewhat on your stage of Millennialism. If you’re a young Millennial, perhaps you just completed your post-secondary education, single, and living in an apartment, your need for life insurance may not be that great. After all, you may well have other, more pressing financial needs, such as paying off your student loans. But if you’re an older Millennial, and you’ve got a mortgage, a spouse and – especially – children, then you unquestionably need insurance, because you’ve got a lot to protect.

How much do I need?

According to advisor.ca a 2014 report from financial services research company LIMRA found almost half (45%) of Canadian households were under-insured, including 52% of millennials.You might have heard that you need life insurance worth about seven or eight times your annual salary. And while this isn’t a terrible estimate, it doesn’t apply to everyone, because everyone’s situation is different. A financial professional can look at various factors – your age, your marital status, number of children, size of mortgage, etc.

– to help you arrive at an appropriate level of coverage.

“You should at least consider all forms of insurance as part of your overall financial strategy.”

Keep in mind, also, that your employer may offer life insurance as an employee benefit. However, it might be insufficient for your needs, especially if you have a family, and it will probably end if you leave your job.

What type of life insurance should I get?

Many people initially find life insurance to be confusing, but there are basically two types: term and permanent. As its name suggests, term insurance covers a given time period, such as 10 or 15 years, and provides only a death benefit. It’s generally quite affordable, especially when you’re young and healthy. Permanent insurance, on the other hand, offers a death benefit

Stock Photo and a savings component that allows you to build cash value. Consequently, the premiums are higher than those of term insurance. Again, a financial professional can help you determine which type of insurance is most appropriate for your needs.

Thus far, we’ve only been talking about life insurance. But you may also need other types of protection, such as disability insurance, which can replace part of your income should you become ill or incapacitated. And you may eventually want to explore long-term care insurance, which can help cover you for the enormous costs of an extended nursing home stay.

You should at least consider all forms of insurance as part of your overall financial strategy. The future is unknowable – and as a Millennial, you’ve got plenty of future ahead of you.

Member of Canadian Investor Protection Fund FERNIEFIX.COM

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Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

PEGGY BLACK When we moved to Fernie, and I joined the Arts Station I had no idea that “becoming an artist” would be part of my creative evolution. A few years prior to retirement I studied interior design in an attempt to solve an anticipated problem of how to keep busy in Fernie. Keeping busy turned out to be no problem at all!

My background also includes a long ago diploma in fashion design followed by coowning an exclusive women’s wear store in Regina, Saskatchewan for over 30 years.

Graphic design, interior design, display and merchandising has always been part

of my life; add crafting, sewing and a bit of art along the way and these gave me the creative tools to work with.

Looking at art online has been an immense inspiration for me and when travelling abroad, David and I are drawn to modern art galleries. I am inspired by cleaner, more simple images set in modern frames, and this is reflected in my work. I am constantly surprised that my creations which begin with an idea from a previous image end up as an entirely different work of art.

Having finished the house renovations (isn’t that what one does when retiring here?) I found myself “needing” a modern piece of black and white art to finish off the living room. After a futile search of pieces that seemed too busy, it occurred to me that I could create my own. Famous last words… but in this case (after a number of failed attempts) I liked the results. Suddenly I was inspired to continue producing these very abstract images using black acrylic wall paint, cheap sponge brushes and adding small touches (aka blobs) of colour. Don’t get

me wrong, only about 1/4 of the images were successes, the rest hit the garbage.

From this, Abstract Thoughts - my first show at the Arts Station, came about.

At the time, I had decided that one show was all I had in me until I thought that I should try my hand at colour… a big leap.

From there I moved away from abstracts and was inspired to experiment. My journey continued (with appropriate art supplies) to canvas, pen and ink, mixed media and alcohol ink. Needless to say, my second Arts Station show was an eclectic

mix. Aside from the fun I was having, 90% of it sold and no one was more surprised than me.

Before the end of the show, I was already on to my next ideas which are as varied as ever. Staying home last spring and creating art was the epitome of self-care and time spent in my studio using my now non-stop creative brain was a very inspiring and positive experience. There were numerous times over the summer that my mountain biking group knew they were dragging me out of my “happy place.” How lucky am I?

The mountains, forest and trees all speak to me (it’s no wonder I didn’t paint in the prairies) and I can’t imagine being inspired to take this creative journey anywhere else.

The Arts Station and the art community here have been paramount to my confidence and success.

Peggy Black’s exhibit Abstracts and Outdoor Thoughts will displayed at the Fernie Arts Station this November. Peggy has created beautiful pieces with the gift of giving in mind. Visit theartstation.com to learn more.

Arts and Entertainment

ARTBEAT

Community Self-Care

by MICHAEL HEPHER AS an artist it is very difficult to feel like painting a pretty landscape is doing enough. I understand intellectually that beauty in itself can be life-changing, but it’s such a subtle thing to hang a picture above the mantle—it certainly sends the message that you care about quality and surrounding yourself with positive vibes, but does it help right the wrongs of our cultural past? Does it bring justice or equality? In the context of some of the big issues we need to address, silence only supports the aggressors, the abusers, but never the victim. I’ve always been passionate about my community, though as a middle-age, middle-class, white, straight male it’s a very precarious path to walk when you start to get involved with these important cultural issues. It’s precarious for one simple reason: I’m the problem. My peers and I need some self-care.

Recently I read that racism is not a black person issue, it’s a white person issue. For some reason the way it was phrased flipped the idea on its head for me. I’m white… I need to talk to my white friends about racism. The same could be said for an issue like homophobia: it’s not a gay issue, it’s a straight issue—but our lack of movement on the ‘straight’ side creates all kinds of genuine problems for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Unfortunately while we are thinking about it, mulling it over, and ultimately doing not-very-much-far-tooslowly, diversity flounders and black people die. The pressure is on and we need to start acting. We need to accelerate these conversations amongst ourselves so the good kind of peer pressure is evident.

In past columns I’ve been open with you about my struggles to create art through this strange time. As I learn more about the complex reasons behind my blockage,

I’ve discovered that resplendent skies and weepy-boughed cedars weren’t inspiring me at this important time in our world—I wanted my art to stand and be counted. I want to be able to look my kids in the eye knowing that I was part of the solution, or at least the attempt.

To help navigate my foray into sociallyconscious work, I enlisted the help of some experts who could help me make sure I avoided any rookie blunders—the last thing I want to do is clog up channels

Michael Hepher Photos important for direct messaging from people on the front lines. One of my advisers suggested I look close to home to find what is needed in my community. A.J. Leibling famously quipped, “The freedom of the press belongs to the [person] who owns one,” which happens to be true in my case, but having the means of production is only part of the equation— having the words is another matter altogether.

Diversity is an issue that has recently grown to be very important in our family, as has our involvement with the Fernie Pride Society and I’ve learned a lot from getting to know the people involved. Working closely with a family member whose life is impacted by issues of acceptance, I decided to create a series of posters to support the visibility of Fernie Pride Festival. First I printed 30, then another 60, and just yesterday yet another 100 posters. If you walked into downtown Fernie anytime in late September you might have noticed a slough of rainbows in the windows— the result of an amazing outpouring of support and acceptance from downtown businesses. It was, I think, the pinnacle of my artistic career, and all I had to do was look around me, spot a need, and act.

We all need to hear these simple words: You are accepted—loved and supported and welcomed. The underlying story is that some people still have a harder time finding acceptance than others.

When we can normalize acceptance we can reach the vulnerable and tired and suffering among us and help them safely to shore. It’s good, hard work, but it’s our world (and I’m speaking to my straight, white peers here) that sees the benefit: we get to live in a more vibrant, authentic culture.

Self-care is about looking at yourself and trying to figure out what you need to take yourself to the next level, then the same process applies to our community.

If you’re wondering what to do, let me suggest the workout I’ve been going through: allow your mind to be rattled a bit, allow your heart to be stretched a bit.

Look at the needs of your community and use your voice as an artist to work on change. Start somewhere—anywhere.

Do something small. Act. It’s a longgame, but making these small changes means caring for everyone in our community. I’m going to continue painting the beauty I see around me, but now I will also be looking for ways to build a stronger world.

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Arts and Entertainment

EVENT CALENDAR

MONTHLY EVENTS Monday 2.11.2020 Gallery in the Round Call for Entry Deadline @ The Arts Station Tuesday 3.11.2020 Fernie Youth Art Collective @ The Arts Station, 6pm Thursday 5.11.2020 Walkie Talkie Book Club @ Fernie Heritage LIbrary, 1pm Friday 6.11.2020 Rainbow Connections: Ktunaxa Creation Story @ Seniors Drop-in Centre, 7pm with ?aqam Chief Joe Pierre.

Fernie Youth Art Collective @ The Arts Station, 6pm Sunday 15.11.2020 2021 Discretionary Grants Application Deadline @ fernie.ca Wood Burning Signs with Teena Davis @ Elkford Art Studio, 6pm Monday 16.11.2020 Committee of the Whole Meeting @ City of Fernie, 1pm Tuesday 17.11.2020 Fernie Youth Art Collective @ The Arts Station, 6pm

Saturday 7.11.2020 The Green Petal Sparwood Grand Opening @ 106 Centennial St.

Wednesday 18.11.2020 Virtual Business, Banter and Beer (BBB) @ Earth’s Own Naturals

Monday 9.11.2020 Intermediate Pottery Class @ Elkford Art Studio, 6pm Paint Night Fundraiser for Livingston Family @ The Jaffray Pub, 6-9pm Regular Council Meeting @ City of Fernie, 7pm

Friday 20.11.2020 Virtual PJ Storytime @ Fernie Heritage Library

Tuesday 10.11.2020 Virtual Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies

Monday 23.11.2020 Regular Council Meeting @ City of Fernie, 7pm Tuesday 24.11.2020 Virtual Workshop - Cash Flow Management @ Fernie Chamber of Commerce

Read Local Book Club: Freedom Libraries: The Untold Story of Libraries for African Americans in the South @ Fernie Heritage Library, 7:30PM Thursday 26.11.2020 Virtual Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies Teen Book Club: A Tinfoil Sky @ Kootenay Teen Book Club, 7:30pm Friday 27.11.2020 Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station, 10am Tea and Talk Book Club @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1:30pm Artisan Fair @ The Arts Station, 5-8pm Saturday 28.11.2020 Keep Calm and Stay Cozy - Adult Craft @ Fernie Heritage Library, 2pm Artisan Fair @ The Arts Station, 5-8pm

As things change and evolve, additional events may be added to the calendar. Make sure to stay up to date by visiting FernieFix.com/events Do you have an event to share?

Send it to krista@clarismedia.com for inclusion!

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Les Giguidous - French Songs and Games ages 0-5 @ AFRos Fernie, 10am Club Baguette Junior - ages 7 and Up @ AFRos Fernie, 3:30pm Rotary Park Tuesdays Baby Goose @ Zoom, 9:30am Storytime (ages 3-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library. 11:15am Try it for school-aged kids @ Home Challenge with the Fernie Heritage Library Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Burger and Beer Night @ The Northern

Wednesdays Curbside Challenge for school-aged kids @ with the Fernie Heritage Library Toddlertime (Ages 0-2 years) @ Fernie Heritage Library. 11:15am Team Trivia @ The Fernie Meet Draw @ The Legion Trivia Night @ The Pub, 8pm Thursdays InterActive Hour @ Zoom, 10am Bellies to Babies @ Zoom, 2pm Stag Leap Run Club @ Fernie Trails Club Baguette Adultes - Practice Speaking French @ AFRos Fernie via Zoom, 7pm

Fridays Storytime (ages 0-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library. 11:15am Club Cre8 Mornings @ The Arts Station, for school-aged kids Fish and Chips @ The Pub Fish and Chips Take Away @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Fernie Live Music @ Infinitea Saturdays Shawarma Take Out @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Legion Sundays Roast and Beats @ Infinitea, 6pm FERNIEFIX.COM

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Arts and Entertainment

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

My Poem

by SADIE ROSGEN

“What is a poet? An unhappy man who hides deep anguish in his heart, but whose lips are so formed that when the sigh and cry pass through them, it sounds like lovely music...And people flock around the poet and say: “Sing again soon” that is, “May new sufferings torment your soul but your lips be fashioned as before, for the cry would only frighten us, but the music, that is blissful.”

care of yourself first. Self-care is tuning into what you need and when you need it. It extends into every facet of our lives and is more important now than ever in our desperate world. Making time for ourselves to truly discover what refuels us, is everything. In the spirit of taking care of ourselves, why not write to yourself? Pen a poem so intimate and your own that it becomes a part of you.

Soren Kierkegaard, Either/Or

How to begin:

Self-care is investment. Self-care is wellbeing. Self-care is love. Self-care is something I became painfully aware of when I had my first child.You cannot take care of someone else if you can’t take

Grab a pen and paper, (our thoughts flow through us much better this way). Now close your eyes and look deeply within yourself. Begin to imagine three incredible qualities about yourself.

My Poem

By Sadie Rosgen

Keeping it positive will feel empowering.

Next, add a location and then describe that location and ask, why am I here? Describe your surroundings in that location, use words that excite you. Create a statement about your future and describe that statement. Once you’ve completed these steps, remind yourself that your poem is for you, it’s a sacred gift, and should not be judged by any insecurities you hold. I’ll share mine here to further illustrate this personal exercise.

Happy writing!

I am thoughtful I am strong I am meant to be here In my wildest dreams I am a warrior, shifting through time and space at a staggering pace, swirling like dust in all directions I am here to be reminded of my power I am here to release my pain I am here anyway Thrilled and miraculous world!

Deserving of love, my eyes are as open as my heart and my future, NOW forecasted by perpetual light.

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Arts and Entertainment

THE RENTAL FIX

Coriolanus

by ANDREW VALLANCE CORIOLANUS was originally a play based on the life of the legendary Roman general Caius Martius Coriolanus during a time of upheaval in the city of Rome.

Martius was blamed for the city’s problems at a time when stores of grain were withheld from the citizenry and civil liberties were suppressed due to a war between Rome and Volsci. Martius became famous for effectively quelling the riots which ensued.

Award nominations for Mary, Queen of Scots (1971), Isadora (1968), and Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966).

The play was one of the last two tragedies written by Shakespeare (the other was Anthony and Cleopatra) in the early 17th Century. Its tragedy lies in the fact that although Martius is a brilliant general, he is openly contemptuous of the ordinary citizens of Rome, and when he uses his military success to enter politics, he soon finds that his temperament is not suited to being a successful politician. The alliances he forges result in his ultimate downfall.

Coriolanus is a good movie with wonderful performances from first class actors. It may be based on an old Shakespearean play, but it is still very engaging and is definitely worth a look.

This 2011 British film adaptation is set in the present day. It was written by John Logan, an American screenwriter, with three Academy Award nominations, including for Best Original Screenplays for Gladiator and The Aviator, and for Best Adapted Screenplay for Hugo. Coriolanus is Ralph Fiennes’ directorial debut. He also stars in the film, assuming the role of Caius Martius.

Fiennes has a long career in film and theatre, and first achieved success on stage at the Royal National Theatre. His notable film roles include his portrayal of Nazi war criminal Amon Goth in Schindler’s List (1993) for which he received Academy and Golden Globe Award nominations, and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His performance as Count Almasy in The English Patient (1996) garnered him further Academy, BAFTA

The Scottish actor Gerard Butler has had numerous films and television series since his on-screen debut in 1997’s Mrs. Brown.

He made his television debut in 1998’s The Young Person’s Guide to Becoming a Rock Star.

He has one 2020 film in post-production, the American disaster film Greenland.

and Golden Globe nomination. More recently he has appeared as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series ( 2005-2011). He also has two films in post-production in 2020, the next James Bond movie (No Time to Die) and The King’s Man, a prequel to the Kingsman film series.

In spite of his success in film, he has continued to work in live theatre with a 2019 performance as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre. For his work behind the camera he received the Stanislavsky Award (2019) from the London Film School.

Other award winners who appear in Coriolanus are Gerrard Butler, who plays the military leader Tullus Aufidiu, commander of the Volscian army and Martius’ nemesis; Brian Cox as Roman consul Menenius Agrippa;Vanessa Redgrave as Volumnia, mother of Martius; and Jessica Chastain as Coriolanus’ wife Virgilia.

Brian Cox is a Scottish actor who gained recognition for his portrayal of King Lear with the Royal Shakespeare Company. An Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner, he had notable performances in the Bourne series.Vanessa Redgrave’s acting career has spanned over six decades with Academy

Two thumbs way, way up.

Y A M A G O Y A FERNIEFIX.COM

25

Community

FEATURE RESIDENT

Chris Charbonneau

by KRISTA TURCASSO LAST fall was a tumultuous time for many in the Valley, with multiple cherished and loved members of our community dying by suicide. It shook our towns and broke our hearts, leaving many wondering what we could have done. How we didn’t know.

Where could we turn to now.

As we move into the same time period, the darker colder days taking hold with the added uncertainty of how COVID will impact us this winter, it’s at the forefront of our minds and hopefully making us realize how important it is to reach out, to talk, to support.

This month, in line with our Self-Care Issue I reached out to an individual who has dedicated his life to supporting and helping people, whether through his job as a Respiratory Therapist (RT) or as a volunteer with the Fellaship Men’s Support Group.

Originally born in Elkford, where he lived until he was 13, Chris Charbonneau and his family made a move to Campbell River on Vancouver Island. Having been exposed to the power bug, upon graduating he, “ski bummed for a bunch of years. I did six months in Australia, ski instructed, and then decided to become a backcountry ski guide,” he tells me. “That’s when I moved back to Fernie and worked at FWA for almost ten years, then at White Grizzly Cat Skiing north of Nelson.” Chris and his now wife Tyla knew they wanted to make Fernie home, so made the choice to go back to school to ensure they could afford to live in the Valley.

“Coming from a family with bad respiratory disease, and being asthmatic myself I was introduced to Respiratory Therapists early on. It was the first career

Submitted Photo that popped into my head, and I knew it was a way I could help a lot of people,” Chris says.

The couple moved across the country, “coast to coast” for education and work, which made them realize there really isn’t any place like Fernie and decided to move back ‘home.’ “We’ve been back here for three to four years now. There wasn’t an RT position at the Elk Valley Hospital

at that time, so I was commuting from Calgary until I got on with Cranbrook’s High Acuity Response Team. When they created a role here to service the Valley better, I applied and got the position.”

It wasn’t long into this job that the world was hit with the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“We did a lot of preparation and were worried for the community and our at risk folks. It was interesting while also very

stressful… being on lockdown. A whole lot of waiting for the wave to crash over you… but it didn’t. Now we know more about how to manage the disease, and have seen how the Valley behaves and feel very prepared.”

Chris has also witnessed how the pandemic has affected people mentally. “I’ve noticed it with friends and family - the stress of isolation, managing kids at home for months, the fear of the unknown and the virus,” adding that he also has concerns as many who are already struggling have this added burden. “Talking about self-care can feel cliche… but it is so important,” Chris adds. It is the reason he wanted to be part of the team to create a men’s support group.

“Men can become more isolated than women. Lone-wolfing it, isolating and pretending we don’t have feelings. For me, it’s helped to be part of a group where I can drop the mask. We have a meal and chat and offer a safe space, which is super important as guys often don’t want to look weak or be judged.”

Originally Fellaship met every 2nd Monday from 6-8pm at “their place” - 1592 10th Ave, behind the Women’s Resource Centre in Fernie. The group is non-religious, and evenings include a shared meal with everyone helping out and time to chat afterwards. “You don’t need to bring anything, just yourself. Meetings are on a drop-in basis,” their facebook group (@fellashipmensgroup) states.

“Due to COVID we can’t meet in person, which is tough. We meet once a week via zoom. If you don’t have the means to access the internet, we can help organize for you to have that access,” Chris says, adding that they have had good success stories.

Chris was also part of the team that created the Suicide Task Force. “Last fall there were so many suicides and our community was just rocked and we all had a sense of helplessness,” Chris, his wife Tyla and their friend Eveliene Eijsermans decided they wanted to do something. They hosted

an information night in February, with a packed house and many watching on Facebook live, demonstrating just how much this initiative is needed. Ev is now the lead of the task force, with Chris focusing on FellaShip, which he feels is evolving into a great community. “It will continue to grow, COVID is making it tough as we like to get out to volunteer and be involved with the community,” he tells me.Volunteerism and connectivity are proven ways to uplift not only others, but yourself and that’s what FellaShip is all about.

As we end our conversation, we agree that now is the perfect time to check in with friends, to take care of yourself, to get out and be active. “If you need or want counselling, seek it. There is so much stigma around it but seeking support for mental health is as important as seeking support for your physical health!”

6. What time of the year do you love most in Fernie, and why?

For me, it’s like a week ago. Early fall, larches are just turning, you can smell a bit of the cold in the air, there’s the anticipation of ski season, and you’re still biking like crazy.

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

I get up, make a matcha and check the stock market!

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

My favourite pastime is gardening.

10. Quote to live by: Audacity complements courage, hesitation fear.

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

Oh my gosh, we came in 2000 to take a Level 1 Avalanche course. I remember being in Rotary Park, practicing our beacon searches and snowflakes the size of loonies were falling.

Health. Beauty. Happiness. Confidence.

2. Who did you first meet?

Wendy LeMoine, I went up to the hill to ask about a job as a ski instructor.

3. Do you remember your first general impression of Fernie?

It’s weird for me as I knew it as a kid, it’s always been magical with unbelievably deep snow. “It snows here everyday,” I thought.

4. What keeps you here?

There’s no place else like it in Canada for community, for outdoor amazingness. After travelling the whole country, there literally is no place like this.

5. Do you have a favourite Fernie pastime?

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27

Community

CITY CORNER

The Snap Election

by ANGE QUALIZZA AS I write this we are a mere week away from election results, and I think we can all agree that predicting election outcomes is a fool’s game. I do know though, that after six years in local government my voting behaviour is forever changed.

Voting behaviour predictably changes when people start families, suddenly things like health care and public education become important.

My voting behaviour changed after staring at the stack of aging infrastructure our municipality owns; roads, waters, sewers, water mains that need replacing, water loss that is unacceptable, public buildings that are well beyond their working life and trying to move on our commitment to climate change goals.

Municipalities with populations over 5,000 people pay 70% of the police cost. In 2020 policing cost the City of Fernie $941,174.

With the RCMP moving through a unionization process, we have been told to prepare for our police costs to increase as a result of RCMP remuneration. I am supportive of RCMP and their right to unionize but am very concerned about the impact to our municipal budget.

Fernie right now is working hard on its commitment to public safety, the water leaks on the water main below Burma Estates are significant and will be worked on in 2020. Now that we own Maiden Lake, we need to complete a number of safety upgrades, and we will continue to chase grants to raise the level of our dike system to protect the community from flood threat.

The province has ordered local governments to produce a Housing Needs Report so that we are making data driven

Fernie affordable housing project starts to take shape.V. Croome Photo

“If the goal is to improve the lives of all British Columbians, local governments need support.” decisions, which is an excellent mandate and one that I support, however with the grant (20k) and our contribution from tax revenue (30k), the cost of complying with this provincial reporting requirement is costly.

What matters to me now, how do I vote?

I vote for governments that commit to working with local governments, we are the key order of government that has the

most impact on your quality of life. We are the government that owns roughly 60% of the infrastructure in British Columbia (fcm.ca/en/focus-areas/infrastructure).

We are the order of government that is currently dealing with the housing crisis, the opioid crisis, and the order of government taking a stand on climate change.

When the Province of British Columbia declared an emergency, we were the

order of government that was asked to implement the public health orders to keep our communities safe. We did so at a huge financial cost and will continue to do so at a cost.

The pandemic had local governments across the Province re-evaluate infrastructure projects and other critical investments that our communities need, despite knowing that reliable infrastructure is key in attracting investment, that new recreation centres help us attract young families and that we all have a critical need for housing.

We need recovery through infrastructure stimulus and investment that flows into local governments. We need a commitment to support economic diversification to help our resource dependent neighbours to stay economically viable.

The pandemic has highlighted our vulnerabilities around rural connectivity, we need to support working from home, all parties in this election should be committed to advancing universal broad band.

We need an opioid and mental health strategy.

The purpose of the Communities of Interest Advisory Initiative is to foster dialogue and communication between the five coal operations and community representatives within their area of influence.

We need action on climate change.

Six days out of a provincial election we have three candidates in Kootenay East and only one has called my office asking what the priorities for the City are.

My voting behaviour is entirely focused on who will be working to support the growing needs of Fernie.

Interior Health provides COVID-19 testing daily in Sparwood.

No order of government can address all of the challenges facing our communities, but we stand a much better chance when we work together. If the goal is to improve the lives of all British Columbians, local governments need support.

Testing is recommended for anyone with cold, influenza, or COVID-19-like symptoms, however mild. If you develop symptoms, use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to determine if you need further assessment or testing for COVID-19.

If you are experiencing symptoms and require a COVID-19 test, call the IH Covid line 1-877-740-7747 or you can book an appointment yourself through the COVID-19 Test Booking Form: news.interiorhealth.ca/covid-19

www.evcnpvoice.com FERNIEFIX.COM

29

Community

PLANNING AHEAD

Self-Care for Moms and Dads

by KERRI WALL THE very best reason I can think of for investing time, energy, and money into self-care is that adult mindset and behaviour has a huge influence on the young people nearby. It is difficult to take care of ourselves the way we would like to because the demands of the world outside us never stop screaming. However, kids don’t have the ability to tend their own mental and emotional landscapes, so our support is crucial. Do you remember the advice about putting on your own oxygen mask first?

be like moving a mountain to address emotional issues, but at least others have begun to pave paths out of the wilderness.

It’s a nice idea to care for ourselves in the ways we deserve and probably never got when we were children. Now that WE are the grownups, the option to leave town, sleep in, or celebrate a win might be only a decision away.Yet in all honesty, I was crap at looking after my own needs for too many years. Something my son said to me when he was five highlighted that I needed to shift my perspective. I was saying I loved him more than anyone else in the whole world – a common declaration for moms to make – and he replied, “You should love yourself the most because you are the person you spend all your time with.”

Females often acquire unconscious training to look after others first. There can be an expectation that women sacrifice their own well-being for that of their children, their families, and their own parents. In both the paid and unpaid labour fields women perform the vast majority of personal caretaking like cooking and looking after the physical needs of children and elders.

Parents matter too I deeply considered the observation my son shared. The idea of truly caring for myself seemed like it would be hard to execute, however I understood that I had to be my best self in order to parent the way I yearned to. Said another way, I had lofty parenting goals, but like an athlete with specific performance goals, I would have to train and practice the skills I wanted to be able to draw on at a moment’s notice.

Athletes look after their minds and bodies in order to perform at a high level; I would have to do the same.

Sexist programming Boys and girls get treated differently from right after the time they are born, and pressured to conform to society’s ideas of what makes a ‘good woman’ or the ‘right kind of man.’ These messages are hard to escape, but once you see them they are everywhere. And seeing is the first step required to make change.

V. Croome Photo We know that mastering the basics like getting enough water, cutting down on sugar and caffeine, and getting regular exercise are requirements on the self-care journey. Can moms and dads learn to treat ourselves with the same degree of TLC that we shower on our kids? We have seen that practices like journaling, meditation, and volunteering can make a difference.

At some point, it’s necessary to go deeper and uncover the old patterns that make us forget WE matter too.

We all know If you have not heard the message that mental health matters, you may have been in the backcountry for too long. Every person I know has been touched in some way by things like stress, sleep problems, substance use, anxiety, and depression.

Even though those problems confuse and discourage us, it helps that people talk more openly about them now. It can still

This work is necessary! However, women should not have to take it on exclusively.

Men are targeted with cruel expectations of being unfeeling, stoic, and managing the world. We hold up the idea that strong, competent, independent males are the standard. We are all given the message that men should not need personal or emotional help.

Can you see why it might be hard for all kinds of parents to commit to self-care?

These old-fashioned perspectives are dying off, which makes me very happy. I hope every kind of parent gets a glimpse of how truly valuable you all are.

Recreation and Outdoor Life

HITTING THE TRAILS

Fall Update

by JULIE KELLY, FTA THE Fernie Trails Alliance (FTA) has been caring for the trails all season long. Here is an update on some of the recent work completed since last month’s article.

same spot.You can look forward to Far Side being re-built next year west of the Swine climb.

Mount Proctor - Fairy Creek Trail

Mount Proctor Re-route

Pushing the high elevation trail building season right to the limits, the crew managed to rebuild 4,000m of the steep section of the Fairy Creek trail. This section took a total of 29 volunteer and 11 paid main days to complete. Next year they will get back out to finish re-building the last 1,600m to complete the Proctor route.

Our volunteers were busy working on the Mount Proctor trail re-route for a total of 25 hours. The crew installed carstonite signs and decommissioned the old hiking route above the powerline. The new route around the meadow is now well marked all the way from the start of Swine to the top.

General Maintenance

We are requesting that hikers follow the new route that starts at the beginning of the Swine climb and then use the old Far Side. The idea is that hikers and bikers cross the lower road and the powerline at the

Submitted Photo

Majic, Purdy Law Corporation

Trusted Legal Advice for over 30 years George S. Majic, Q.C. (d. 2003) • Glen A. Purdy, Q.C Caeli H. MacPherson, JD Providing a full range of legal services, including:

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www.majicpurdy.com

Sparwood Office (By Appointment Only) 119 Centennial Square Sparwood, B.C. T: (250) 425-7216 F: (250) 425-0400

Our volunteers and contractors were also busy doing general maintenance on the trails before the snow hit. The bottom of Hyperextension got some love reworking the corners. Our contractors spent 19 hours on this lower section. In addition, Brokeback got 40 hours of work and Swine down got its annual tune up with 24 volunteers hours.

Route of the Month: Hike to the Montane Hut Time: 1-1.5 hours Distance: Approx. 7 km Level: Green This November, slow down and take a stroll to the Montane Hut, and take in the stunning view of Fernie Alpine Resort and the Lizard Range. Start at the old barn off Coal Creek Rd. and follow the multiuse trail along the river. Cross over the Montane Nordic trail, working your way up through the trees. Stay right continuing over the bridge, crossing the Nordic track one more time. Take a sharp right on to Montane Green, an Inclusive Trail made possible with the support of the Columbia Basin Trust and Parastone, has a gentle grade with a wide surface all the way to the hut.

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Recreation and Outdoor Life

FERNIE MOUNTAIN MAMAS

Taking Time

by YVONNE PREST THIS month I was lucky to interview local mama and registered nurse, Leilani Levesque. A woman who I look up to and who always comes to mind when I am striving to find balance as a mama in my own life. I first met Leilani on a home visit when we first had our son. She left us feeling inspired and confident as we moved forward as new parents. Here are some of her ideas on finding balance, taking time for health and celebrating every win, even the small ones.

What does self-care mean to you?

Self-care means listening to my body.

Trusting my thoughts and feelings as to what I need and want. Understanding what will fill my cup and allow me to do the best and feel the best that I can. It’s about being honest with myself, acknowledging both my desires and my needs. It’s accepting where I really am and then finding ways to take care of myself, heal parts of myself, and nurture parts of myself so that I can be happy and fulfilled. It’s taking time to centre so that I can be a good mom and person. Allowing me to enjoy my friends and family while feeling good mentally, physically and spiritually.

What kind of activities encompass your self-care?

I really enjoy dancing and listening to music. Reading or listening to what inspires me. Playing out in nature or on the water.

I enjoy biking, hiking, and skiing. I love to have an adventure on the horizon. I like to plan an adventure with friends and family to have something to look forward to. Even just to see something new. I embrace practices that allow me to build new memories or those which benefit my mind and body long term.

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What role do the outdoors play in your self-care regime?

As big of a role as I can incorporate. When outside, I can appreciate where we live and see the good fortune in all that we do. Time in nature is integral to health.

Breathing in our clean air (this is not a privilege everyone has), grounding down and finding a slower pace away from the ‘busy-ness’ of daily life. I feel my very best when I’ve challenged myself mentally and physically. My favourite is being completely in the moment. So focused that thoughts and worries fall away and then I look around myself and everything is brighter, more vibrant and I’m grateful for it. Being outside doesn’t always have to be about high intensity activity, just taking nature in through all five senses is a total reset.

How do you balance between work, time for self, and motherhood?

It’s a balance that shifts and changes as my

children get older. I have my key priorities and I make lots of lists! What’s most important gets done and then other things fall right off the list and that’s ok. I try to fit in what I can, where I can, and remain flexible. I often have to remind myself of what I am doing right and what is working well and not focus on what is missing. Celebrate the wins, even the small ones.

How do you teach or implement self-care regimes with your kids?

They see what we do and our routine communicates a strong message. So if I take time for myself and for them, to eat well and rest well and spend time in nature, then I hope they will too. They obviously need our guidance but the example we set makes the biggest impact. I also try to respect their uniqueness and to discover what works best for them by asking questions and letting them explore their own approaches and interests.

Health and Lifestyle

BARK BREAK

Dog Grooming Tips From A Pro

by VAL LANTHIER MEET Laura! You might recognize her from Elk Valley Dog Grooming right here in Fernie, where she lives with her partner and their two dogs, Odin and Jake. Odin is an extremely sweet and good natured black Lab. They recently adopted Jake, the black Shepherd, and at only seven months old, he brings lots of young energy into the mix.

With Laura being a professional groomer, I’ve brought her on board so she can share her expertise on dog grooming.

Why is grooming an important part of owning a dog?

Grooming is very important for the health and well being of your dog. Whether you do it at home or have a professional grooming your dog, it is a great time to check for skin irritations, warts, lumps and bumps or infections that may go unnoticed day to day. It also keeps their skin, coat, ears and nails healthy, preventing health issues that may arise without regular grooming.

What are the benefits of grooming your dog?

Keeping your dog’s coat clean and mat/ tangle free can help prevent hot spots, rashes or infections. It’s also very important to keep your dogs nails trimmed to prevent possible joint pain or ingrown nails. Anyone who has let their fingers or toenails grow even just a bit too long understand how quickly it gets comfortable and it’s even worse for dogs who rely so heavily on all four paws. It’s also so nice to have a clean, good smelling dog to cuddle.

What breeds require the most grooming needs compared to those that require less?

Any dog that has hair that grows is going to need more grooming. Although double coated dogs (dogs with that fluffy white

Laura Kallio Photo undercoat) need a fair amount of grooming as well. A group of breeds that we often see coming in without proper grooming are doodles (breeds of dogs mixed with Poodles). There is a misconception that they require less grooming when in reality they can require more since they often have a mixed coat which can tangle, mat and get out of hand easily if not brushed at home regularly.

What tip would you give to general dog owners about grooming?

The biggest tip I can give owners is to get your dog used to being handled. Rub and hold their feet, check inside their ears and mouth, massage their body, legs and head.

It will help you when grooming them at home, it will help groomers and vets but it will also really help your dog. If you can make being handled normal for your dog, they will be happier and less stressed when they get groomed or go to the vet for a check up.

Another tip Laura would like to add, especially for those grooming their own dogs at home, is about brushing your dog. Oftentimes owners brush the top of the coat and don’t get down to the skin where mats start thinking they’ve brushed their dog out when really they haven’t.

The technique is called line brushing and it’s actually very simple. It involves lifting your dog’s coat until you see the skin and start brushing from the very base of the skin. Not only does this help remove and prevent mats from forming, it also helps reduce shedding when properly maintained.

It’s no doubt dogs with short hair don’t have the same grooming needs as the fluffy ones, but ultimately, all breeds require a certain level of regular grooming maintenance to keep them at their best.

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Health and Lifestyle

THIS IS LIFE

Knowing Versus Living

by TYLA CHARBONNEAU WHEN I ask others how they engage in self-care the response usually focuses on some form of exercise. Physicality is an important piece of self-care, but it is only one small piece. Effective self-care practice needs to encompass social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual (in what ever form this means to you) aspects as well. Selfcare may be going for a bike ride or ski. It may also be ending a negative relationship or advocating for yourself in a difficult situation. It can take the form of saying no when you need a break or working to find more balance in your life. It is found in those moments where you truly connect to another human, take a deep breath of crisp fall air, learn a new skill that challenges your cognitive mindset, or when you wrap your hands around a mug of warm tea. We need to broaden our horizons on what we consider self-care to include a more individualist approach to overall wellness.

We also need to be careful in thinking of self-care as a panacea or quick fix. It is not the treatment for mental health concerns but rather a form of prevention. Dr. Eric Gentry of the Arizona Trauma Institute talks about self-care as revitalization. He says that it often comes in the form of things we initially may not want to do, like exercise or difficult conversations, that lead to fuelling our lives in the long run.

We need to be cautious of seeing selfcare as indulgence.Yes, a trip to the spa, a great glass of wine, or tasty chocolate can make us feel good in the moment, but true self-care involves the activities that have long lasting impact in our lives long after the action ends. Going for a walk, connecting with friends, making time to lean into our emotions, reading, finding spirituality through traditional or non-

Submitted Photo

“Effective selfcare practice needs to encompass social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual (in what ever form this means to you) aspects as well.” traditional means such as nature can help us to regulate the physical, cognitive, and emotional components of who we are.

Most of us can easily list off all the things we need to do in order to take care of ourselves, but are we really doing it? Is the holistic in nature? In my experience we tend to be very good at knowing what to do and struggle with the actual living it part. In fairness there are many barriers that get in the way such as negative thought patterns, low energy and motivation, mental health concerns, or self-doubt. And oddly we sometimes think that if we read enough about a theory it will just magically manifest in our lives without effort. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case, like all self-improvement, self-care requires putting in the work. The next time you reach for a new book or podcast stop and ask yourself how you are living the last great wellness tip that you learned.

Then develop this question into a daily habit, “How did I live self-care today?”

You may find it helpful to add this inquiry to a previously established activity such as brushing your teeth at the end of the day.

If the answer is “I did not do anything,” be kind to yourself, beating yourself up for not doing something is not the best motivator. Instead simply make a plan to do something for yourself the following day. If you develop this habit it is likely that you will redefine what self-care is, what it means to you, and perhaps most importantly how you intentionally live it each and every day.

Now, stop reading about it and go live it.

Bits and Bytes

THE ANSWER GUY

Paprika Recipe Manager

by KEVIN MCISAAC WAY back in 2008, I wrote a column for the Fernie Fix on finding recipes online.

I wrote about Epicurious, Foodnetwork. com, and Allrecipes.com, all of which are still extremely popular. I made mention of a couple of recipe programs for your computer, but the thrust of the column was on finding recipes.

and standard. Ingredient amounts can be automatically scaled up or down. It has timers built-in that recognize times in the instructions, so you can click on it and have it create a timer for that section. It lets you create meal plans, pantry, and shopping lists (features I don’t personally use as I prefer to wander the grocery store for an hour trying to remember what I came for).

Quite a bit has changed since 2008.

Finding recipes online has become the norm. For me, the difference has been that I’m no longer looking just to find a recipe. If it’s good I want to keep it. I used to bookmark the good ones with Del.icio. us, but that website died years ago. So, these days I like to capture them and keep them on my computer. I especially like to do this with recipes that I modify.

For example, I’ve discovered that for a lot of chemically leavened baking (i.e. baking that uses baking powder and/ or baking soda) I have to use about 20% less than called for in the recipe because Fernie is over 1000m. Are your cookies coming out of the oven puffy and magical and then falling flat while they cool?

This is why. And once I have done this, I modify the recipe, so I don’t have to keep remembering to reduce the amount.

I am a cookbook nut. I gave away 100 last year and still have, well, a lot. And part of the reason I have started giving them away is I’m finally storing most of my recipes on my computer. I’m keeping all the cookbooks I’ve collected while travelling as the recipes are often unique to a region and difficult to find online but many of my formerly go-to cookbooks are gathering dust these days.

For a long time I used Evernote as a freeform recipe storage database, but I’ve

Of course, you can add your recipes as well.

And it lets you easily email recipes to, and receive recipes via email from, your friends.

been moving everything to Paprika. It’s a purpose-built program that has one killer feature - it lets you browse the internet and when you see a recipe you like, you hit the [Download] button and it grabs the recipe and stores in Paprika. With ingredients, photos, instructions, and nutritional information all organized and stored. It’s almost magical.

Paprika comes with hundreds of preconfigured sites, everything from recipe sites like Allrecipes and BBC Food, to food blogs like Smitten Kitchen and Yoga Journal, but honestly, I haven’t found one yet it can’t automagically grab from.

Any recipe you grab can be edited and notes can be stored. Ingredient units can be easily converted between metric

There is a free version so you can try it out in advance. It’s limited to 50 recipes and doesn’t support syncing across devices, but it is otherwise the same as the paid version.

The paid version is not cheap. It costs $7 on the app store for IOS. It’s a universal app so you only have to buy it once and then load it on your iPhone and iPad. It’s also available for Android. It costs $30 USD for Windows, which is steep, but also about the price of one cookbook. Having the app on all your devices and the paid version means your recipes will synchronize across all of them. Find something interesting on your phone? Save it and have it display on your iPad while you’re cooking it later.

That’s handy.

The interface is clean and well laid out, but I did have to read through some sections of the help as it didn’t behave entirely the way I expected. That’s probably more to do with me than the software.

So, if you’re ready to move up to 1985 in recipe management and stop using that old card file system you got from your mother, check out Paprika.

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Bits and Bytes

ASTROLOGY

November 2020

by ASHLEY KRISTINA NOVEMBER is marked with intensity and momentum as the sun moves through the sign of Scorpio and into Sagittarius.

The energy of Scorpio is about death, rebirth, regeneration and transformation.

Scorpio is a fixed water sign that rules the occult, sexuality, the afterlife, passion and intuition that plunges deep into the undercurrent of reality.

An exciting phenomena occurs this month - most planets are direct by the end of the month (only Uranus and Chiron are retrograde). When planets go direct (move forward in the sky from the point of view on Earth) we experience forward momentum on Earth.

Mercury is the planet that rules communication, our thought processes and our nervous system. Mercury turns direct November 3 (also election day in the USA) in the late signs of Libra and travels through Scorpio for the rest of the month, adding a mental intensity. Mars, the planet that rules our drive goes direct November 13. November 15 brings the new moon in Scorpio with an exalted theme that should feel very uplifting.Venus ingresses into Scorpio November 21 as the Sun ingresses into Sagittarius. Neptune goes direct in Pisces November 28 and November 30 is the full moon, which is also a penumbral lunar eclipse. Eclipses are times of change on Earth so expect change as we enter into December.

A very happy birthday to the November Scorpios and the early Sagittarians.

Aries

It has been both an inward and retrospective time. Mars, your ruling planet, goes direct and continues to travel through your sign so aspects of reality you have already (re)visited will be visited again, however this time there will be change.

Taurus

While the sun travels through Scorpio, the opposite sign of the zodiac of Taurus, great balance can be achieved.Your career is a highlight this month. Keep patience until mid-month when Mars turns direct and momentum occurs. Also: stay calm!

Gemini

This month has potential for profound changes as the eclipse occurs in your sign.

It is said that eclipses have a way of moving us toward our destiny so prepare to have what is not best for you removed from your life and to be aligned with where you are meant to be going.

Cancer

Earth should start to feel a little bit more normal this month as planets turn direct.

Prepare for the rapid change of pace that will be coming by the end of this month.

What is the best way for you to move forward?

Leo

Scorpio - Leo energy form a “square” in the zodiac, like oil and water. They do not mix and are completely different in nature but together are beautiful. Find the beauty to express this truth. Surround yourself with the people who see you truthfully.

Virgo

This is a charged time on earth and the stagnation of 2020 moves this month.

There is great opportunity for you so take charge. The energy of the sky is aligned and everything is set up so you must simply walk the path. Furthermore, you have the whole month to prepare.

Libra This year has been an inward, slow time and it cumulates this month with a focus on relationship and connection to finances.

It could feel emotionally heavy with all the

Scorpio energy so take time for yourself everyday to breathe fresh air and declutter your mind. Stay fresh.

Scorpio

Co-creator/creatrix: this month holds incredible opportunity for you, especially in the sector of love. The planets are aligned to help you and your heart.You have the biggest power in the zodiac, of all the signs so harvest it and manifest what you will.

Sagittarius

The eclipse cycle is along the GeminiSagittarius polarity so big changes are occurring for you. Eclipses are like the hand of God shuffling energy around on Earth: it is best to trust the process and helpful to expect the unexpected and trust the process.

Capricorn

The Big 3: Saturn, Jupiter and Pluto are commanding you to full self-mastery. For those having a hard time, see how you can shape up. For those who’ve mastered their energy: watch these planets support you as they move direct in the sky.

Aquarius

Relationship clarity comes after the middle of this month, after a year of introspection and retrospection. There is potential for unexpected surprises and new information which your ruling planet, Uranus, creates.

Do not make major decisions until the end of the month.

Pisces

Your ruling planet, Neptune, goes direct at the end of the month so 2020 will finish for you with some major changes.

However this occurs in your life will be a major shift as this occurs with the eclipse.

Information will be bubbling up all month so pay attention.

Bits and Bytes

SOCIAL PAGE

Out in the Community: What are you most looking forward to this winter?

Wyatt Mason: Making a HUGE snow fort and skiing down off the top of it!

Cohen Mason: Christmas!

I am most looking forward to lots of time outside in the snow (xc skiing, fat biking, snowboarding, snowshoeing) with my family and friends, along with getting back into yoga and reading lots. ~ Katya Choroszewski What am I most looking forward to this winter?

Can I say beating my husband in the Elk Valley Dolphins’ annual 5K swim? Kidding! But I am so happy that the pool is open again, along with everything else we’ve long taken for granted.

I’m looking forward to a winter of Fernie being safely back in business swimming pool, ski hill, restaurants - and none of us taking any of it for granted. ~ Angie Abdou

The City of Fernie developed a “Let’s Talk” online platform! “We’re listening! The City of Fernie is committed to full, inclusive public consolation and community engagement and want to make it easy for you to participate!

All it takes is registering, then take part in or follow the progress of projects such as the 2020 Citizen Satisfaction Survey, the Covid-19 Community Forum, The Active Transportation Master Plan and the Skateboard/All-Wheel Park and Outdoor Hub Facility! Visit letstalk.fernie.ca to get started. The City also extended the application deadline for its 2021 Discretionary Grants to November 15! fernie.ca The Fernie Heritage Library is in action both online and in their beautiful heritage space! Weekly, adults and kids can pick up Cozy Kits or Curbside Crafts and then tune in on the Library’s Facebook page (@ FernieHeritageLibrary) to follow along. Story Time, Toddler Time, Try it at Home experiments and more are all posted on Facebook for you and your family to enjoy at your leisure. It’s no wonder that the amazing staff and volunteers of the Fernie Heritage Library are this year’s recipients of the George S. Magic Spiritus Award! Congratulations.

This October the Fernie Museum opened its doors to the public, with regular hours in October and November Thursday through Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Enjoy their This is Fernie Exhibit and peruse the always interesting Museum Gift Shop. ferniemuseum.com

Have you visited workinfernie.com?

A collaboration between the Fernie Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Fernie, this site is the place to find out everything you need to know about working in Fernie! Find a job, post a job, buy a business, resources for employment, information on what summers and winters are like here. It’s impressive and extensive - well done!

The Arts Station is being as creative as ever to ensure our community keeps getting a healthy dose of arts and culture. From this summer’s Art History Videos and Art on the Deck to the upcoming Artisan Fair to continuing to host rotating exhibits in the gallery space to a virtual edition of the Wednesday Concert Series, they kept us engaged, entertained and rumour is there is more planned for this coming winter! Stay up to date at theartsstation.com.

Fernie Alpine Resort announced its 20/21 Winter Operations Additional Policies and Procedures!

Make sure you know before you go - visit skifernie.com/ covid-19/winter/

Island Lake Lodge is excited about this ski season and they are encouraging residents to sign up for day skiing!

Could be a great season for us locals - visit islandlakelodge. com or call 250-423-3700 for details.

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37

Fernie Fun

THE LAST PAGE

Spot the Difference

FIND THE

Can you find five differences between these two pictures?

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

Somewhere in this issue is a little leaf.

Can you find it?

Name the Location

Answers Last Month

These businesses, buildings or locations are located somewhere in Fernie, can you name them?

Electric Charging Station at City Hall, Memorial at Maiden Lake, Best Western sign, Gazebo at Annex Park

ED U C FO R

ATIO N

P R EP AR E

- M alc

olm X

IS TH

E PA

SSPO RT TO TH E B ELO FUTU N G RE, S FO R T O T IT TO H OS E DAY. WH O

TOMO

RROW

FIRST AID AND SAFETY:

UPCOMING COURSES: VIRTUAL LIVE

FACE-TO-FACE COURSES

• • • • • •

St. John CPR C and AED

November 7

Occupational First Aid-Level 1

November 14

Transportation Endorsement

November 18

Occupational First Aid-Level 3

November 21

Confined Space Awareness

December 7

St John Standard for Industry

December 14 and 15

?

For more information on courses, please visit our website at cotr.ca/ConEd or phone 250-423-4691

•

Fernie Ambassador Program

November 10 November 26 December 10

•

MS Excel Bundle • MS Excel Level 1 • MS Excel Level 2 • MS Excel Level 3

November November November November

• • •

Intro to Quickbooks Online

November 17

Excel, Macros and VBA

December 7

Game Narrative

December 7

16 16 23 30

Acreage Living at Burma Road Estates A rare opportunity to build your mountain retreat on an acreage lot within the city of Fernie.

www.BurmaRoadEstates.com

Fully serviced on City of Fernie water and sewer, with underground power, telephone, cable and internet.

Wonderful sunny exposure and adjacent to a forested 10-acre park and overlooking the Elk River to the Lizard Range.

TWO LOTS REMAINING Lot 15 - 1.8 acres Lot 18 - 2.97 acres