BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY

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Fernie Brewing Company

26 Manitou Rd 250-423-7797

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Fernie Chamber of Commerce

ferniechamber.com 250-423-6868

The season isn’t the only thing changing around here! Fernie Brewing Co. welcomed a new recipient to their Cheers to Peers initiative in October, the Uplift Community Support Association.

New to the Elk Valley, Uplift hopes to bring the community together by providing support to individuals and families to help them achieve success, positivity, quality of life and enjoyment. With exciting and educational services like Parent Coaching and Behavioural Intervention, this is an organization that helps the whole family, and one which we can all raise a glass to!

Proceeds from FBC’s Cheers to Charity Flights will be going towards Uplift’s programming until December 31, 2021 – so swing by the Tasting Room this fall and grab yourself a flight of brews in support of this amazing local organization! The Fernie Ambassador Program was designed to enhance the customer service level in Fernie. It is a four-hour program where attendees have an opportunity to learn basic customer service skills and also learn all things Fernie! The first half of this session is in the class room with the second half consisting of a walking tour of Fernie’s Historic Downtown.

The Fernie Chamber understands how hard this past year has been and is aware of how beneficial this program can be to local businesses and are offering 10 paid seats per session (50 total) so that Chamber Members can send their staff to the 2021 Fall/winter sessions for no cost. Email jesse@ferniechamber.com for details. Submitted Photo

Fernie School Aged Care

44 Mt Washburn St 250-430-3155

This fall, Fernie School Aged care turns 10, providing 10 years of after school care for Fernie kids.

This program was created simply because there wasn’t after school or vacation care in Fernie. Starting with only two full time registrations in October 2011, it has grown from one little empty classroom to three classes, a lot more kids and many amazing staff throughout the years who have shaped FSAC to become what it is today.

FSAC has consistently grown to meet the needs of Fernie’s families. Latest additions are a second room to accommodate the families on their waitlist, as well as creating a unique Pre-K program ‘Fernie Prep school’ which embraces outdoor learning, STEM and mindfulness each day. Opening new programs in the midst of a pandemic has not been an easy feat but true to their original goal (to provide professional care for Fernie’s young families) FSAC has persevered and succeeded.

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Fernie Kindergym

521 4th Ave

Kindergym is back, but a little different due to COVID-19. It is not running as a drop-in program for the time being and instead will be running one month at a time with registration required. The board has also made a number of changes to ensure it is as safe as possible for those in attendance, including proof of vaccination for adults to attend.

The program runs Mondays and Thursdays, 10am-11am at the Fernie Family Centre. There is a maximum of 20 children per program, and one parent or caregiver. No water or snacks provided, please bring only water for children.

Visit Fernie Kindergym on Facebook for more information and to keep updated, or email kindergymfernie@gmail.com to register.

#FernieStreak

After three successful years, the January #FernieStreak is back. What started out as a January incentive to get outside for 30mins, throughout the often coldest and least-inspiring month of the year, has evolved into so much more: a way to check-in with friends; try a new activity; spend time with family; set a personal goal; and come together as a community to raise funds.

The 2021 #FernieStreak, deep in an uncertain pandemic, proved to be a much-needed addition to many people’s calendars, with 459 adults, kids, and dogs getting their streak on – raising $6,775.22 for the Kootenay Foundry Starlight Campaign. Looking forward to January 2022, the #FernieStreak committee is asking, who would YOU like to support? Watch out for an online submission form for a chance to submit a deserving recipient of your choosing.

Full 4th Annual #FernieStreak information will be available online shortly, at stagleaprunning.com or via the #FernieStreak Facebook group.

REACH Parenting

reachparenting.ca 250-423-0601

Andrea Ormandy is a Certified Hand in Hand Parenting Instructor and is part of a global network of Instructors. For her, finding Hand in Hand Parenting happened out of necessity, as she has two strongwilled children who required her to up her parenting “game” so she could become the parent they needed her to be.

Connection is an essential need in our daily lives, and children are no different. Andrea teaches simple tools aimed at providing this for our children. Parenting is often unsupported and exhausting work. Parents deserve to be supported and she teaches parents how to find this. Andrea brings passion and enthusiasm to her teaching, providing first-hand examples of the Hand in Hand Tools in action.

You can contact Andrea through her site and follow her on Facebook @ Reach Parenting - A Hand in Hand Parenting Instructor.

R&K

CONTRACTING SERVICES

For all your excavating needs!

R&K Contracting Services has the equipment to build roads, dig basements, prepare water and sewer lines, level driveways, landscape and excavate yards and lots, auger holes and prepare foundations. Commercial & Residential Snow Removal Available

Call for an estimate: 250-423-1964 rkcontractingltd@shaw.ca 9847 Stephenson Road Fernie BC www.rkcontractingltd.com

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StrongStart Fernie

1601 2nd Ave

Outdoor StrongStart began in October, in its new location next to Bright Beginnings! This free early learning program for families or caregivers and their children, ages birth to five years old, supports the development of young children prior to school entry.

You must sign up for a weekly spot the week prior, and with smaller group sizes only one parent/caregiver can attend. Additionally, only two adults per household can be listed to register. Sessions are Monday to Thursday, 9:30-11am. Join their Facebook page (@StrongStart Fernie) for updates and any changes to this schedule and remember that adults and children need to complete the Daily Health Check each time. Submitted Photo

Sparwood Chiropractic and Wellness

sparwoodchiro.com 250-425-6330

Sparwood Chiropractic and Wellness would like to welcome the newest member of their team, Dr. Kallie Doucette, Naturopathic Doctor. Kallie is passionate about helping people prevent chronic disease and optimize their health. Common complaints Kallie works with are unexplained fatigue, difficulty sleeping, chronic stress, low mood, poor digestion, headaches, and women’s hormonal concerns. If you have never seen a Naturopathic Doctor before, Kallie is offering free 15 minute meet and greet visits if you would like to learn more about her services.

Sparwood Chiropractic and Wellness is a one-stop hub for multidisciplinary health care in the Elk Valley providing Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Registered Massage Therapy, Custom Orthotics, Nutritional Counselling, Shockwave Therapy, and now Naturopathic Medicine under one roof. They pride themselves on providing personalized, one-on-one patient care for all types of injuries and conditions.

Online booking and direct billing available. Submitted Photo

Uplift Association

The Uplift Association, founded by Brenna, Shelley, Tabitha and Cari, is a community hub where the coming together of hearts and minds provides support and programming to the youth and family in the Elk Valley in a mindful and meaningful way.

Their vision is to support individuals and families toward independence and their own personal ideas of success, positivity, quality of life and enjoyment.

Services include:

Behaviour Intervention Academic Support Parent Coaching Respite

Coming Soon...

Thrive Guidance for teens Social Groups Job Coaching Life Skills

Visit them on social media @upliftassociation and send them a direct message for more information!

Being Respectful, Patient and Kind

by BRAD PARSELL

Back in September, the Fernie Chamber of Commerce launched a campaign to support Fernie’s businesses and their frontline workers. The campaign encourages residents and visitors to be “respectful, patient and kind” with staff as our local businesses navigate unprecedented worker shortages, lack of attainable housing for staff, and evolving public health guidelines in response to the pandemic.

Fernie’s frontline staff are absolutely critical to the success of our businesses and local economy. Hundreds of people in our community work behind the scenes to keep our tourism engine going – housekeepers, kitchen staff, servers, and retail clerks. Without this amazing team of people, Fernie would not be the vibrant community and destination that it is today. Unfortunately, there have been many instances of staff in local businesses being treated poorly by customers.We understand that people are tired, and frustrations are high. But there is no excuse. Fernie businesses are doing their best to provide exceptional customer service, but there are strong headwinds that some of our businesses are navigating.

Labour shortages were no stranger to Fernie prior to the pandemic, but the ripple effect of 18 months of public health measures have certainly compounded the issue. Border closures have severely restricted the free movement of foreign workers, which resort towns like Fernie completely depend upon to power our businesses. With an aging population in Canada, we have more Canadians leaving the workforce each year than those entering the workforce – so immigration is key to our success. The Fernie Chamber (along with the Whistler Chamber) has been strongly advocating at the federal level for less friction in the immigration process and more quotas for rural resort communities like Fernie. We have also worked tirelessly with Tourism Fernie on our workforce attraction efforts to promote Fernie as an incredible place to work, live and play – using the platform workinfernie.com and associated marketing campaigns.

Despite our best efforts, we recognize that operations and service delivery for a lot of businesses will be extremely challenging this ski season. We need to go out of our way to be kind and supportive to the workers we do have that show up every day and try to deliver a remarkable experience while on the backfoot.Thank them. Let them know they’re appreciated and that these ever-changing challenges are not their fault.Taking out your frustrations on frontline workers is completely unacceptable, regardless of your situation or your ideology. We need these folks. Thank you for being respectful, patient and kind with our businesses this winter.

THANK YOU FOR BEING RESPECTFUL

PATIENT & KIND.

Fernie businesses are doing their best to provide exceptional service while short staffed and adapting to ever changing COVID-19 Guidelines.

#FernieSuccess

“Despite our best efforts, we recognize that operations and service delivery for a lot of businesses will be extremely challenging this ski season. We need to go out of our way to be kind and supportive to the workers we do have that show up every day...”

#FeelinFernie

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