December 8 - 2022

City buys moblie homes for transitional housing

important is because a number of resi dents that have impacted houses are still fixing those houses. Trying to get the various contractors in place to fix what needs to be fixed takes time. If these people are still working on their houses, they need a place to live while they work on their houses, that’s what this is provid ing.”

The units will be available at a sub sidized rent of $1300, well below their estimated market value at $1500 - $2000. Tenants will be responsible for the cost of their own utilities, but pad rent, prop erty management costs, lawn and snow maintenance, and repairs are included. Rental income will cover the cost of the project and its maintenance, and will not go towards the City’s general funds.

Dec. 8: 50% Snow -1°/-7°C

Dec. 9: 40% Snow -4°/-9°C

Dec. 10: 80% Snow -3°/-8°C

Dec. 11: 50% Snow -3°/-9°C

Dec. 12: Partly Cloudy -8°/-13°C

Dec. 13: 50% Snow -7°/-15°C

Marius Auer REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The City of Merritt has announced new updates on the progress of tran sitional housing for flood affected residents, while many homeowners and renters alike continue to recover from last November’s flooding event. A total of 31 mobile homes are being purchased by the City, to be placed in Diamondvale Mobile Home Park in partnership with the park’s ownership.

The homes, which will be 2-4 bed rooms in size, will serve as temporary or transitional housing for flood affected residents in the Nicola Valley. They are intended to be used for a 4 to 24 month period while alternate housing is built, repaired, or found. Renters will also have the option to purchase the manufactured home from the City at the end of their term. City staff told the Herald that manufactured housing was the fastest and most cost effective route to tempo rary housing for residents.

“From my understanding, the original concept was to get housing as quickly as possible, so manufactured housing was the direction that we went in, for speed,” said Kim Mullin, the city’s communica tions manager.

“We did look at the 3D printing of

housing, and while we do have some funding to go towards that, we have been unable to secure land for it at this time.

From a cost perspective, 3D printing housing is quite a bit more costly.”

While the manufactured homes have been chosen for now, 3D printed housing is not off the table altogether. The City added that conversations are underway with potential partners, including area First Nations. Temporary housing contin ues to be a priority for the City, with the newly elected Mayor and Council identi fying flood recovery as a priority.

The homes will be manufactured by Silver Mountain Contracting Limited, who will also organize and install the homes at Diamondvale Mobile Home Park on Clapperton Avenue. The order has been made, paid for through funding from the province’s $11.7 million housing initiative fund. The homes will be manu factured and delivered throughout spring of next year, with the first transitional housing occupant scheduled for occu pancy in February 2023.

“The housing will be provided for potentially flood impacted residents. They will have to pay a subsidized rent, which will include the pad rental to Diamondvale Mobile Home Park,” said Steve Schell with the City.

“The reason why this housing is so

The City said it has contacted 115 eli gible homeowners and renters, currently on Red Cross support, on an individual basis, inviting them to submit an applica tion. Of those 115, a total of 29 appli cations were received for the 31 units. Follow ups will be conducted, and appli cations remain open until the extended deadline of December 12, 2022.

For more information, visit www.mer ritt.ca/housing.

HEAD START

Merritt’s own Aboriginal Head Start program participated in the provincewide open house initiative this past weekend, welcoming residents of the Nicola Valley in to learn more about their programs and approach to early childhood education.

Search ‘ABORIGINAL’

On Saturday, November 18, the Home Based Business Market took place at the Merritt Civic Centre. Aside from highlighting different businesses, the event also gets involved with the community through donation.

Search ‘HOME’

Diamondvale Mobile Home Park will soon be host to 31 newly manufactured homes, to be used as transitional housing for flood affected Merritt residents. Marius Auer/Herald

A mock-up model of a unit that will be made for transitional housing. Photo/ATCO

Highway 8 accident causes power outage

Marius Auer REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

A vehicle incident involving a dump truck and BC Hydro power lines closed a stretch of Highway 8 for nearly 16 hours yesterday, and left hundreds without power for most of the day. A total of 1300 households ranging from Spences Bridge to Lower Nicola were without power after the morning rush-hour accident.

According to BC Hydro’s restored outages list, power initially went out for 450 households along the Highway 8 corridor following the vehicle incident

at 8:30 AM. Crews arrived approximately 3 hours later, eventually restoring power at 5:14 PM. Lights went out for 857 other households, mainly in Lower Nicola, at 9:40 AM following the accident. Power was restored to these households just two hours later, with BC Hydro listing the reason for the outage as “other.” They remind those out and about to never touch or approach a downed power line in the event of an accident.

“Never touch or try and move a downed, damaged

or low-hanging power line,” reads BC Hydro’s website.

“Be sure to stay back at least 10 metres, the length

of a city bus, and report it to 911.

Never touch or try to move a downed line.”

DriveBC informed road

users that the highway was closed at the time of the accident, as emergency response crews were on site. The stretch of highway in question, Fyall Road to Sunshine Valley Road East, reopened to single lane alternating traffic around noon. According to DriveBC’s Twitter page, the highway did not fully reopen until approximately 12:46 AM.

The cause of the accident is unknown at this time, but no injuries have been reported. For more information on safety around downed power lines, visit www. bchydro.com.

MERRITT & DISTRICT HOSPICE SOCIETY

Celebrate-A-Life Tree

is a time for sharing memories of family and friends who are no longer with us. Celebrate-A-Life with us this December by dedicating an ornament in memory of a friend or loved one. Stop by for your ornament and hang it on our Hospice Tree at the ‘Merritt Library’ or hang it on your tree at home or contact our office and one of our volunteers will hang an ornament for you. At the end of the event, the ornaments will be collected and saved until the spring when our Hospice Volunteers can attend a special ceremony to turn these tributes into ashes.

The Celebrate-A-Life Tree will be available most of December at the ‘Merritt Library’ with volunteers present 12:00-5:00 pm on the following days:

Thursday, Dec. 15, Friday, Dec. 16, Saturday, Dec. 17, Thursday, Dec. 22 & Friday, Dec. 23

Contact the Merritt & District Hospice Society www.merritthospice.org Ph: 250-280-1701 or email: merritthospice@shaw.ca

An outlined map of the affected area from the power outage. Photo/BC Hydro

Eyewitnesses say the dump truck entered the ditch after making contact with BC Hydro power lines. Photo/Brad Reimer

Story drives sports

In covering the volleyball provincials this past weekend, I had missed the conclusion of the bronze medal game. I was told Langley Fundamental had won, but that confused me because I saw girls on their team crying as hard as their opponents.

IZAIAH REYES HERALD EDITOR

Reflecting back on this moment, I can’t help but wonder, how can a simple game bring athletes such level of emotions that it could make them cry both in victory and in defeat?

The answer is, “because narrative drives sports.” It may be fun to shoot, pass, dribble, kick, hit, and spike a ball, but that is not why athletes do it. They develop a passion for the game because of the story they believe themselves to be in.

For the three days that these girls were on the court with their team, volleyball was their world. To them, that was the end all be all, a culmination of months of playing and training. Each girl was the hero of their own story, and they had their own ideas of how things would play out: the underdog rising to the occasion, the friend or family that dedicates their performance to their loved one/s, or the favourites reaching their goal to confirm everybody’s suspicions.

Understanding this, it makes so much sense why they may break down in a loss or even in a win. Sports is an open canvas, waiting for you to fill it with meaning through the broad strokes of your actions.

Herald Junior Reporters

MSS hosts Cold Weather Shelter Clothing Drive

In 2019, Merritt Secondary School (MSS) teacher Shelly Moorehead began the Cold Weather Shelter Clothing Drive for grads to give back to the community. This year, the tradition continues with the 2023 Grad Class beginning the drive.

“Over $60,000 goes into Merritt’s grad classes every year, including scholarships and bursaries,” said Moorehead when explaining why she felt the need to start the Cold Weather Shelter Clothing Drive in 2019.

“Our community gives so much to our grads, I felt like they should have a way to really give back.”

Moorehead also said, “in 2019 and 2020, our grads donated over 100 pieces of clothing each year. This year, I’m hoping we surpass 100 pieces of clothing. Ideally, every grad will donate at least one piece of winter wear.”

Winter is a tough season for many families, and winter apparel is expensive. Donations can be used or new, whether it be gloves, scarves, jackets, or earmuffs, anything helps.

“Most of our grads are downtown during lunch or in the morning, so taking five minutes to purchase a pair of gloves or a toque from the dollar store on your way to Tim’s or Starbucks is not hard,” Moorehead said, emphasizing that donating is possible for every grad, whether they are purchasing something new or bringing in something they do not wear anymore. Whether it be a jacket that no longer fits or a pair of thick socks

you bought just to donate, every piece of clothing will be appreciated.

For any questions, please email Shelly Moorehead: smoorehead@365.sd58.bc.ca.

From the Herald archives: December, 2015

FOOD BANK DONATIONS

Albas: ‘Home heating frustration’

me is the extent to how much the list of challenges has grown.

Some examples: Many citizens can longer receive a passport within a reasonable period of time.

passenger bill of rights is not helping them.

the cold winter months.

When I first was elected as a Member of Parliament, I fast discovered it was not uncommon for citizens to share personal documents with me on issues they were finding to be challenging to deal with when it comes to the federal government.

While that fact has not changed, what has surprised

Immigration backlogs have never been worse and some citizens, to their shock and dismay, discover supporting documents to their application have literally disappeared from their file.

Air travelers who experience immense frustration from travel cancellations have discovered the air

Many citizens in rural areas still cannot receive broadband internet despite promises to the contrary over the past five years.

Increasingly I receive winter gas bills from citizens who can no longer afford their home heating.

On that note one recent home heating bill caught my attention.

The person who sent the bill to me pointed out that they had to go on the “equal payment plan” in order to afford

For this individual that means 12 equal payments of $170 a month for a total of $2,040 for the year.

They also pointed out that close to a quarter of that bill $473 (23% actually) was solely paying for the carbon tax.

As this individual is not eligible for the BC climate action rebate, (In B.C. individuals earning $79,376 or more are not eligible for this credit) the question was asked how much higher the carbon tax would be next year.

This is a good question as on one hand that carbon tax in B.C. is provincial and yet on the other hand when BC signed onto the federal Pan-Canadian Climate Strategy they agreed to the guidelines will called for the carbon tax in BC to rise to $50 per tonne as of April 1, 2022.

$50/tonne is the current rate.

So what happens next?

Prime Minister Trudeau wants to triple the carbon tax here Canada at the following rate schedule:

The minimum

Carbon Pollution Price ($ CAD/ tonne CO2e) for 2023 is $65.

In the following years:

• 2024 $80

• 2025 $95

• 2026 $110

• 2027 $125

• 2028 $140

• 2029 $155

• 2030 $170

As the Canadian Climate Strategy was only in effect until the end of 2022, it is unknown if the BC NDP government will continue to follow the Trudeau Liberal government in this direction.

If it does, as you can see for 2023, this would

be a 30% increase over the current carbon tax rate.

It is easy to understand why the Bank of Canada has confirmed that the carbon tax does help to increase inflation here in Canada.

My question this week: Do you support B.C. continuing to follow the federal Liberal government in tripling the carbon tax by the year 2030 to $170/tonne?

I can be reached at Dan. Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.

The Nicola Valley and District Food Bank is now looking for donations of treats and goodies to fill the remaining Christmas hampers. “All year I spend telling people we are trying to increase the quality of food we get out to families,” said food bank manager Marlene Fenton. “But at Christmas time it’s about treats as well.” The organization is looking for boxes of chocolates and bags.

LETTERS POLICY

The Merritt Herald welcomes your letters, on any subject, addressed to the editor. Letters must be signed and include the writer’s name and address. Letters may be edited for length, taste and clarity. Please keep letters to 300 words or less. Email letters to: newsroom@ merrittherald. com.

Franchesca Adams MSS

Examples of winter apparel for the Cold Weather Shelter Clothing Drive. Franchesca Adams/Herald

DAN ALBAS

VIEW FROM THE HILL

Local author releases a new Christmas book for families

Marius Auer REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The holidays have officially arrived in the Nicola Valley, with festive activi ties aplenty and abundant decorations decking the ‘halls’ of downtown Merritt. Local author Bonnie Cowan looks to add to the cheer and good tidings for families in the Nicola Valley, releasing her annual Christmas tale just in time for winter break. This year, readers meet protagonist Kayden, in ‘Kayden’s Golden Christmas.’

Cowan, a retired mental health therapist and former Child Protective Services employee, has released the annual story for a number of years. After struggling to find anything suitable for families while shopping for a friend’s Christmas book gift, Cowan set out to write her own. She had taken a cre ative writing class at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology after retirement, and had always enjoyed writing. The story soon became an annual tradition.

“The first one was about six or seven years ago, and I decided at that time that I wanted to do one every year,” said Cowan.

“That was my commitment to myself

and, in the meantime, I write spo radically, poems and sometimes a bit of music. It’s quite diverse for me, but the book at Christmas is the pièce de résis tance.”

The Merritt author noted that her writing is influenced by the Nicola Valley, which she is proud to call home. The influence of past clients in the CPS system or her therapy practice is also present in Cowan’s writing, offering a unique perspective on grief, grati tude, and family ties. This year’s story, Kayden’s Golden Christmas, is a tale of giving, rejection, and resistance to accepting help. While Cowan assures readers they can expect a happy ending, the book teaches valuable lessons on supporting others and giving back. She encourages families to read the book together.

“Literacy is just everything, once you can read the world is yours,” noted Cowan.

Cowan is an advocate of literacy in children, and her enjoyment of her art form is evident in her passion and in her writing itself. In addition to her Christmas story, Cowan is working on a fiction novel, set in the Nicola Valley, that follows the life of a young woman moving to an area ranch from the city, and her experience as an outsider look ing in. Having experience as a writer in a small town, Cowan offered up some advice to aspiring authors. “Follow your dream, if you want

to write, you must write, it’s not nego tiable,” said Cowan.

“You must write. You must not give it up for something else that looks easier, or you mustn’t give it up out of fear that you can’t make a living, you must write. Follow your dream.”

Cowan’s latest work can be pur chased at Baillie House, Vision Quest Optical, Black’s Pharmacy, and Miss Vickie’s Petals and Plants.

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Author Bonnie Cowan. Photo/Herald File

Local author Bonnie Cowan has released her annual Christmas tale, with this year’s book, Kayden’s Golden Christmas, sure to bring families plenty of Christmas spirit. Izaiah Reyes/Herald

Merritt fire fighters’ toy drive

Marius Auer REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Local firefight ers are continuing their annual holi day tradition of giving back to the community, above and beyond the protection and aid they already afford the Nicola Valley.

The Merritt Firefighters Association, an organization rep resenting firefight ers of the Merritt Fire Rescue Department, is once again hold ing their annual toy drive.

Merrittonians can donate unused and unwrapped gifts for children of all ages in two drop-off boxes in the Valley, with custom and uniquely identifi able donation bins located at Walmart and Canadian Tire. Gifts can be pur chased from the stores, or brought from elsewhere. The donated gifts will be given to

the Nicola Valley & District Food Bank, for distribu tion through its annual Christmas hamper program for families.

“It’s been at least eight years since the asso ciations started doing this, maybe even longer,” said Captain Carl Johnston with Merritt Firefighters Association.

“We’ve been working with the Nicola Valley Christmas ham per program, Canadian Tire, and Walmart for numerous years, and they’ve always been supporters of it.”

Johnston explained that the idea for the toy drive came up originally dur ing an association meeting, with members having a mutual desire to give back to the community.

Originally, the association spon sored one family through the food bank, but wanted to increase their impact to be com munity wide.

“In years past, everyone spon sored just one family. The idea of the toy drive came up to make a bigger impact, especially for kids during that time of year. They’ve had some huge numbers come from those boxes,” noted Johnston.

Due to the often high volume of donations, sur plus toys are kept in storage by the food bank and used as part of its birthday program. The program offers birthday gifts to families who may not be able to afford them.

The Merritt Firefighters Association annual toy drive will run until Friday, December 16, at which point

donations will be brought to the food bank’s Christmas hamper program location. Those interested in donating are asked to donate unused and unwrapped items only. Walmart, located on Crawford Avenue, along with Canadian Tire on Forksdale, host the donation drop-off boxes.

“We’re simply putting out the means for people to donate, and it’s all about the people of Merritt being able to give back,” added Johnston.

Johnston com mended that the association is grateful to the community, the food bank, and participating busi nesses for their involvement in the annual toy drive.

For more informa tion on the Nicola Valley & District Food Bank, visit www.nicolavalley foodbank.com.

KAMLOOPS

Thank you to Barkman Concrete! The Shop Local Christmas prize pool is heating up with this Stackstone Fire Pit donated by Barkman Concrete!

Look up the Merritt Chamber of Commerce on Facebook or online for information on where and how to submit entries to the Shop Local Christmas contest.

Gifts can be dropped off in the handmade boxes located at Canadian Tire and Walmart in Merritt. Marius Auer/Herald

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

The Grinch to pose for photos in a fundraiser at Murray GM

REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

While Santa Claus may be the star of Merritt’s iconic Country Christmas week end, the Grinch was all the rage at this year’s annual light-up parade. Cruising

in his green rep lica Ford coupe, the beast from Mount Crumpit terrified – and delighted – parade goers as a part of the Merritt Stock Car Association’s (MSCA) float.

After much public cheer and praise on a local Facebook group, the Grinch himself is hosting a ‘Photos with the Grinch’ event at Murray GM to raise funds for the MSCA’s Kids Club.

Christopher Jones, a local rancher and

the masked man at the wheel of the green car, chose the Grinch look for the parade because of the bright green colour of his car. Using a borrowed mask and a suit from Amazon, Jones hit the road.

loved the car, the burnouts, and the Grinch. I played very hard to the audience and interacted with the kids,” Jones told the Herald.

Story continues on Page 15

“The people

Christopher Jones of the Merritt Stock Car Association greets parade-goers in his ‘Grinchmobile’. Marius Auer/Herald

Photo of the customized ‘Grinchmobile’ used in the Country Christmas Parade. Photo/ Christopher Jones

Marius Auer

“Some were scared, others very excited. The comments on The Merritt Grapevine tells the story of how the audience liked it. On the Grapevine many people asked who the Grinch was, and a few said they would love to have pics taken

with him. I came up with the idea of doing a session, kinda like photos with Santa in the mall.”

While the MSCA and Mr. Grinch himself didn’t win any awards from the Country Christmas Week Committee, the public recep tion of the green hermit was over whelmingly posi

tive. Jones said he reached out to Murray GM, who happily donated the use of their lot as a venue for the event. A local pho tographer has also volunteered their time to snap the photos.

Proceeds from the event will go to the stock car asso ciation’s Kids Club, which promotes racing and com

munity amongst the Nicola Valley’s youth. With the raised funds’ final destination set, it was just a matter of determining a price for the pho tos.

“I thought of charging $10 for a picture and donat ing it to charity, but then changed my mind to by donation. I did not want to exclude

anyone, especially kids, for financial reasons,” explained Jones.

“I am a member of the Merritt Stock Car Association, the Merritt Speedway is where I race my car. I have been active in their Kids Club in both donations and my grandkids as participants. It just seemed like a

natural [fit for the donations].”

Jones first bought his stock car, a model 1940 Ford 5 window coupe featuring a 1250cc Yamaha street bike motor, over two years ago. Falling in love with the sport, he became heavily involved with the MSCA. Jones is proud to call the Merritt Speedway

his home track. He serves as the orga nization’s media liaison. Jones said the Kids Club is not only a great introduction to the sport, but the program is sure to keep youngsters on the right track.

“Kids who race and work on cars do not bully kids, do drugs, drink, or steal. This is a community service

that we provide to give the com munity a sense of belonging,” added Jones.

Photos with the Grinch will take place at Murray GM on Saturday, December 10, from 2 to 4PM. Photos are by donation. For more informa tion on the MSCA, visit www.merritt speedway.ca.

The cost of drunk driving in B.C.

NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

December is the holiday sea son, and as such it is a month full of celebrations which may involve drinking alcohol. People may want to indulge in beers, liquors, and spirits, but in planning

for a great night out, the Herald is reminding you to consider safe transportation. Do not drink and drive, otherwise you will be at risk for physical, legal, and financial con sequences.

According to the ICBC website, 64 people die, on average from intoxicated driv ing incidents. This estimate attributes a portion of these crashes during the month of December, while a third of it is esti mated to happen during the sum

mertime.

“No mat ter what time of year, there are many options to get home safely if you’ve had a drink or two. So, whether it’s after work or play, make the smart choice. Remember, the best time to decide

how to get home responsibly is before you start drinking,“ stated ICBC on their website.

Counter attack road checks are implemented in the summer and winter seasons by police across

Izaiah Reyes

With B.C. being considered to have the toughest drinking and driving laws in the province, drivers are asked to consider the financial implications when driving intoxicated. Photo/Herald File

Don’t drink and drive

caught driving under the influ ence of alcohol.

• Driving suspensions from 24 hours to 90 days

• Vehicle impound ment

• Fines, from $600 and up to $4,060

• Jail time

• Mandatory rehabilita tion

er’s license, and, if required, the driver may need to take the responsi ble drivers course, which amounts to approximately $1000 with tax.

ICBC states on their website that a Driver Risk Premium may be imposed.

the province to identify any driver that shouldn’t be behind the wheel.

ICBC states that B.C. has one of the toughest drink ing and driving laws in the coun try. Aside from the immediate poten tial physical harm drunk driving may cause, the mon etary repercussions are equally as bad.

“Don’t drive,”

said Adam Etchart, senior insurance agent for Hub International Insurance. “Find alternate trans portation because aside from endan gering lives, you could endanger your employment, end up with a criminal record, and it can cost a lot of money as well.”

ICBC notes the following potential penalties a driver may face when

• Installation of ignition interlock in your vehicle

“The vehicle impounds really can vary depend ing on what the offense is and what the RCMP gives to people,” Etchart explained. “It could range from a seven to 30 days of impoundment and the impound fees vary as well.”

Etchart also noted that there is a $31 card fee to get another driv

“Drivers license reinstatement costs $250, and there’s all sorts of dif ferent other fees there,” he added. “There may also be tickets to pay, and penalty points to pay which depends on the person’s driving record prior to the incident. Fees depend on the severity of the case and what the court decides the penal ties should be.”

“If you crash while driving impaired, you’re likely in breach of your insurance policy,” ICBC said on their website. “That means you could be person ally responsible for 100 per cent of the costs if you dam age someone else’s property or injure them.”

For more infor mation, please visit https://www.icbc. com/road-safety/ crashes-happen/ impaired-driving/ Pages/Default.aspx

Senior Insurance Agent and current City Councilor Adam Etchart Photo/Herald File

Cents remain in the bottom of standings after splitting games during road trip

goals to make the score 4-1. The team played an aggressive and solid period of hockey, only slowing down slightly in the third period. Cameron Symons scored at the 8:27 mark, making the score 4-2. After a hooking call late in the period for a Kings man advantage, Jack Blanchett made it 4-3 for the Kings. One minute later, with just 22 seconds left in the game, Cents Captain Davide Patella found the back of the net, making the final score 5-3 for the Cents win. Goalie Johnny Hicks stopped 36/39 in the game.

REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The Merritt Centennials are back on home ice this week after a weekend of island hopping, winning in Powell River the night before a tough loss in Nanaimo. Despite picking up some points this week end, the Cents remain at the bottom of the Interior Conference with a season record of 7–14–3.

Night one of hockey action saw the

Cents visit the Powell River Kings, with Cents opening up scoring on a power play advantage following a Kings board ing penalty just 5 minutes into the game. Kyle Isenberg scored the point, with new arrival Jackson Murphy-Johnson picking up his first point as a Cent with the assist. Anthony Yu with the Kings answered with a goal just two minutes later, ending the first period 1-1 despite three Cents penalties. The Centennials dominated the second period, scoring three unanswered

The second night was less fortuitous for the Centennials, losing a 7-3 game against the Clippers in Nanaimo’s Frank Crane Arena. It was a promising start for the Cents, who opened up scoring with a Walker Erickson goal just 2 minutes into the game. The Clippers wouldn’t answer until 12 minutes later, when Mike Murtagh found the back of the net to tie up the game and end scoring for the first period. The second period was off to a slow start, but the Clippers opened the floodgates at the 13 minute mark. Brody Waters opened it up with a power play goal after a Cents tripping call. This was followed by a shorthanded goal by Kai Daniells at the 15:37 mark, scoring despite the Cents man advantage. Charles Tardif would make it a 4-1 lead for the Clippers on another power play not long after at

the 16:57 mark, with Cents Kyle Isenberg in the box for cross-checking. With 50 seconds left in the period, the Cents closed out scoring to make it 4-2, with Tristan Allen scoring a wrist-shot for his first goal of the season. The third period was also dominated by the Clippers, with Michael Craig scoring just one minute in. Brody Waters scored again for the Clippers six minutes later, assisted by Kai Daniells. Jackson Krill of the Cents then answered with a power play goal at the 9:51 mark, making the score 6-3. Any hopes of a comeback were squashed with 4 minutes left in the game, with the Clippers’ Mike Murtagh scoring an empty net goal after Connor Sullivan was pulled from play for an extra attacker. Sullivan made 41/47 saves in the 7-3 loss.

The Cents next take on the Trail Smoke Eaters on December 9, followed by a game against the Cowichan Valley Capitals on December 10. Both games will be played at the NVMA on Cents home ice, and puck drop is slated for 7PM. Friday’s game will be holiday sweater night, followed by a Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday. Game attendees are encour aged to wear a holiday sweater, and bring a teddy bear or small stuffed animal to throw on the ice at the first Cents goal. These will be donated to community groups for distribution this holiday season.

Merritt Curling Club competes for charity and poultry

The Merritt Curling Club’s season is well underway, marking another year of action-packed fun in one of the val ley’s most popular pastimes. After years of scaled down events due to pandemic restric

tions, events and leagues are back in full swing this year.

On November 26, curlers gathered to play in the annual Turkey Spiel, with turkeys, chickens, and eggs up for grabs for winning teams.

In addition to

the prospect of poultry, regular curling matches were played, and lunch was served.

Proceeds from the “closest to the but ton” game, which had a $2 entry fee, were designated for charity. The event’s title spon sor facilitates the donation of funds raised from the

Turkey Spiel to a cause known province-wide.

“Save On Foods sponsors our Turkey Spiel and donates to us the turkeys, chickens, and the eggs,” said Bob Taylor, direc tor with the curl ing club.

“We collected money from entry fees, and we also

did a ‘closest to the button’ game for a toonie, with all proceeds going back to the BC Children’s Hospital.”

The BC Children’s Hospital is located in Vancouver, and provides care and research for those ages 0-16 from all over the

province. Despite being a non-profit organization them selves, the Merritt Curling Club often gives back to the community in a number of ways. The club also looks to engage the community in a number of ways, and invites those of all ages to try curling. Working

with Merritt Secondary School and several of ele mentary schools in the valley, the club promotes curling and physical activ ity throughout all walks of life. Eight junior teams cur rently play out of the Merritt Curling Centre on Mamette Avenue, in addition

to a plethora of other teams.

“The season is going great, we have 11 mens teams, 8 ladies teams, and we have a doubles league and a tri ples league,” noted Taylor.

Recently, the Curling Club host ed a dinner fund

The Cents will play at home this week after a split weekend on the road in Powell River and Nanaimo. Photo/Herald File

Marius Auer

Marius Auer REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

raiser at the Grand Pub, raising funds for much-needed upgrades to their

facility. With the money raised from this event, in addi tion to grants and a recent $6000 donation from

Canadian insurer Wawanesa, the club looks to lose the leaks and spruce up the sid ing.

“We’ve man aged to get a grant from the BC Gaming Commission for the roof. It’s been

a much needed thing for our club. The club is 50 years old now, and the roof is 50 years old, and we struggle with leaks in the wet season,” added Taylor.

“We just had a fundraiser because we’re going to try and spruce up the front of the build ing with some new siding.”

For more infor mation on the Merritt Curling Club, including upcoming events and membership applications, visit www.merrittcurl ing.ca.

Highlights from the 2022 Sr. Girls Volleyball Provincials

an exchange raffle with the other teams and there were different prizes and give aways included as well.

The following day, an opening ceremo ny was held at the MSS gym. Teams all arrived in a ceremonial grand march and heard speeches from different individuals, saw an Indigenous dance performance, as well as a number from the Merritt Performance Company.

Cavaliere also noted that Panthers player Brooklyn Snee was given the oppor tunity to sing the national anthem for the opening ceremony of the tournament.

“The team got up and hovered behind her to show support because she was a bit nervous going up by herself,” he explained. “She sang the anthem and killed it! It was a great way to start up our opening ceremony.”

Moving onto the games, it was a very action packed Thursday, with the Panthers winning their opening game at the MSS gym.

they would play in a competitive fashion.”

It was a family affair throughout the weekend, according to Cavaliere, noting that there were a lot of relatives involved with the different teams.

“I think it’s pretty cool to learn how many girls were actually daughters of coaches,” he said.

“You saw a lot of family oriented with the tournament. Notre Dame had two sets of sisters on their team.”

Notre Dame was the number two ranked team in the tournament, losing to eventual champions, Kalamalka Lakers in the semi finals.

“I was most impressed with the resil ience we showed certainly in our semi finals match against Notre Dame pushing

Merritt Secondary School (MSS) has concluded its highly anticipated hosting of the Sr. Girls AA Provincial Championship Tournament this past weekend. The suc cessful outing featured many storylines between the different teams. The event also proves that Merritt is a very viable host for such a high level tournament.

“This truly was a special event,” said MSS Athletic Director, Gian Cavaliere. “From the parents who traveled to support their kids, to the coaches, and to the ath letes themselves, they were all so pleasant and their feedback on how appreciative they were of our tournament, and the

work we’ve put in was pretty cool to see.”

The tournament began with a welcome banquet Wednesday night, November 30, at the Merritt Civic Centre. All 16 teams gathered for a celebratory dinner, catered by Kekuli Cafe, before putting their game faces on the following day.

“The theme of the banquet was ranch es and rodeos,” Cavaliere said. “Teams came all dressed up in their best cowgirl outfits, we even had one team who sported a cow costume with inflatable balloons as utters.”

The banquet featured Indigenous drummers, guest speakers, and different activity stations relating to the theme of the night. Teams all brought one prize for

“They won their first game against Smithers and the there was a huge crowd who came out to support them,” said Cavaliere. “I know that they were nervous playing in a provincial tournament with some high end teams but they pulled out that first win.”

Unfortunately, the Panthers did not get make it further into the tournament, losing their next series of games but win ning their final match to land a 15th place finish.

“What I thought was pretty great was the amount of people from the communi ty who came to support them in their last game because, for a lot of these Grade 12 girls, this was the last ever volleyball game

2022 AA Sr. Girls Provincial Volleyball Champions Kalamalka Lakers. Izaiah Reyes/Herald

The Merritt Curling Club’s annual Turkey Spiel attracted dozens of Merrittonians for its return on November 26. Marius Auer/Herald

Izaiah Reyes

NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

MSS Panthers play their opening game against Smithers Secondary. Izaiah Reyes/ Herald

From Page 19

back to win in five sets after being down two matches,” said Lakers Coach Dean Francks. “We lost our first match of the tournament but from there, I’d say, we continually got better.”

Francks noted that he understood the amount of work required to run the provincials as Kalamalka was the host three years ago.

“In my mind, Gian and the rest of the committee did an outstanding job of putting on this tournament,” he said. “The whole thing was first class right from the start, truly a great experience for all the athletes in the tournament. We felt welcomed by the community, seeing the banner as we entered the town was just awesome.”

A similar upset also took place against number one ranked team Langley Fundamental, with the winner, Mulgrave Secondary, eventually falling to second place after a hard fought championship match with the Lakers.

“The top four teams ended up in the top four rankings, that is a testament to BC High School Sports getting the rank-

ings right coming into the tournament.”

Brent Magnowski, coach of Langley Fundamental Titans, Magnowski, led the Titans in a come from behind win against Notre Dame for third place. This was his last season with the team after six years of coaching.

“Leaving after being able to coach my daughter and some of these other kids for the last six years has been a blessing for me,” he said. “Being here was the icing on the cake.”

Magnowski applauded the people behind the event stating, “it’s one of the best tournaments that I’ve been to in the last 10 years.”

“I have to admit, the volunteers, the staff, and the officiating were amazing.”

Cavaliere explained that he and the rest

shared some emotional words about how the community was affected by the 2021 floods but still showed resiliency and the willingness to host the tournament.

“The entire crowd stood up and gave a standing ovation,” he recalled. “I think that was a way of displaying their gratitude towards us. It was a really cool moment for me and will definitely be tattooed in my mind forever.”

A number of people throughout the tournament had reached out to Cavaliere in person or via email, to send him a message of appreciation with the amazing event that everybody involved with the tournament has put out.

“This raises our profile and raises our brand,” he said. “It gives teams another option to come and play sports. Merritt

school has no plans to bid for a provincial tournament of a different sport.

“I want to thank all the sponsors, the officials, community of Merritt, MSS staff and student volunteers, the host moms who looked after each team, my committee who’ve put in multiple hours of work to ensure that this tournament ran as well as it did,” he said.

“Depending on how much we can do, there might be plans down the road to put a bid for hosting this again.”

of the organizing body tried to accommodate for many requests and needs for the visiting schools. One such need demonstrates how willing MSS was to go above and beyond.

“One of the schools lost a student Monday before the tournament,” said Cavaliere. “The student was a friend of the team and the school reached out to us asking if we can provide some counseling services in case the girls need it, and we were on it right away.”

MSS provided three counselors for the event which the girls took advantage of on Saturday.

“It was pretty heartbreaking for us to hear the news, but we were happy to provide the support that team needed.”

Prior to the provincials, MSS had already hosted two 16 team tournaments which gave the committee a good sense of what to expect with logistics of running the games. However, the provincials is more than just the games, and reflecting back on how the event turned out, the MSS Athletic Director realized a few things.

“I think the one thing that really surprised me was the sheer number of volunteers needed to run an event like this. We’re talking about score keepers, lines people, people at the ticket tables, people making and delivering food, and people taking products to the different venues. We were very fortunate that MSS and the community of Merritt came out in huge numbers to help support this tournament through volunteer roles.”

During the closing ceremony, Cavaliere

is a great location, you wouldn’t have to travel very far to get here. Going to a tournament here you will be guaranteed that it is well ran, and you know you will be cared for because of the work that is being put in.”

As of now there are no immediate plans to host another high profile tournament like this. Cavaliere notes that there are already hosts for the following provincial tournaments and that the

Coach Brent Magnowski talking to the Titans during a time out huddle. Izaiah Reyes/Herald

Gian Cavaliere addresses the crowd during the awards ceremony. Izaiah Reyes/Herald

Silver medal winners Mulgrave Secondary School. Izaiah Reyes/Herald

Notre Dame serves the ball during the bronze medal game. Izaiah Reyes/Herald

COMMUNITY

Do you have a community story idea? Tell us about it by calling 250-378-4241 or emailing reporter@merrittherald.com.

Mystery cowboy discussed during Nicola Valley Museum and Archives’ AGM

building with, turnout exceeded museum management’s expectations.

“It was pretty good attendance, more than I was even expecting,” said Camerong Bridge, manager of the NVMA.

“We just wanted to go over everything and let the membership know what’s going on. We didn’t have any bylaws or anything we had to vote on, it was just sort of a general update on some of the projects we’ve done over the past year.”

who was a cowboy up in Douglas Lake in 1930. We don’t know who he is, there’s nothing to indicate what his name was. She [Charters] has spent the past few years doing some research, talking with people, and seeing if anybody can remember any of the specifics that may indicate who he is.”

down, we’re still open here throughout the winter season,” added Bridge.

The Nicola Valley Museum and Archives are located at 1675 Tutill Court, and open Tuesday through Friday from 10AM to 5PM. For more information, call 250-378-4145, or visit www.nicolavalleymuseum.org.

The identity of the author of the small diary that was found in the archives of the museum is still unknown, but volunteers are closing in on the mystery cowboy’s name. Photo/NVMA

Auer REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The Nicola Valley Museum and Archives (NVMA) may be tucked away on Tutill Court, but that won’t stop them from being in the forefront of the community as the organization marks another year of preserving history with their annual general meeting.

Being a non-profit organization, the NVMA is required to hold an AGM to apprise members of operations and ongoing projects. Held on November 17 at the Seniors Centre that the museum shares a

In addition to their set exhibits, featuring a large collection of local historical pieces, the museum also maintains a rotating display in house. Most recently the display showcased local artist Bev Veale’s art gallery show, which detailed her family’s extensive history in the valley through her artworks and the use of museum artifacts.

Another ongoing project of the NVMA is the organization’s hunt for the identity of a local cowboy that resided in the Nicola Valley nearly 100 years ago. Their only lead, a diary written by the mystery man, has sent members on a wild goose chase for further clues. Member Mary Charter delivered a talk about her efforts to uncover the cowboy’s identity during the AGM.

“We have a diary here at the museum that’s been around for a little while now,” explained Bridge.

“It lays out a year of this guy’s life,

Charters and Bridge have had conversations with community members about the man and his movements, distributed copies of the diary, and searched local records for a possible match. The most recent breakthrough came when Bridge decided to check the Armstrong General Store ledger after reading a page in the diary where the cowboy mentions grocery shopping. Unfortunately, it appears that another community member paid for the man’s groceries on loan, as no matches were found in the ledger.

A number of members have gotten involved in the search, and the community is encouraged to inquire about the search for the mystery cowboy themselves. The NVMA remains open year round.

“Come on

On November 19, the Merritt Curling Club hosted a fundraising dinner at the Grand Pub & Grill to raise money for the curling centre. A number of donated prizes were up for grabs in their fundraising raffles. Photo/ NVMA

Story available online, see ‘CURLING’

CONTAIN-IT STORAGE

1750 Hill Street

Phone: 250-315-3000

THE CHURCHES OF MERRITT WEL COME YOU

Crossroads Community Church 2990 Voght St. • 250-378-2911

Service Time: Sundays 10:00 a.m.

Merritt Baptist Church 2499 Coutlee Avenue (at Omre)

Sunday ser vice 10 am, Phone (250)378-2464

Merritt Lutheran Fellowship in St. Michael's Anglican Hall • 250-378-9899

Service Time: 3rd Sunday each month 1:00 p.m.

Sacred Hear t Catholic Church Corner of Jackson & Blair • 250-378-2919

Mass Time: Sundays 9:00 a.m.

St. Michael’s Anglican Church 1990 Chapman St. • 250-378-3772

Service Times: 2nd and 4th Sundays only 10:00 a.m.

Trinity United Church Corner of Quilchena & Chapman • 250-378-5735

Service Time ever y Sunday 10 am

Somang Mission Community Church (SMC) 1755 Coldwater Ave. (The Cadet Hall)

Sunday Service Time: 4:00 pm • 250-280-1268

Nicola Valley Evangelical Free Church 1950 Maxwell St. • 250-378-9502

Service Time: Sundays 10:00 a.m.

Marius

2002 Buick

VIN# 2G4WS52J821168205 Debtor: Ahmed A Amount owing: $1,278 61

2005 Toyota Yaris VIN# JTDJT123850068689

Debtor: Bobbi Aitchison Amount owing: $4,723

Ph: 250-525-0073 1kevindunn@ protonmail.com

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