January 2010 Thompson Edition - North of 50

An Independent Lifestyle Newsmagazine for a Grown-up Audience January Volume 3 Issue 1

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TRANSFORMING TRAGEDY INTO TRIUMPH

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 January 2010

NORTH of 50 January 2010

Transforming Tragedy Into Triumph

A competitive speed skater with the River City Racers, 15-year-old Josie Spence is one of several Kamloopsians to bear the Olympic Torch on Day 91 of the flame’s journey to Vancouver.

When Josie Spence bears the Olympic Torch on January 28, she’ll be running with an angel.

Fourteen months ago the 15-year-old’s name was submitted into RBC’s Carry the Torch Contest. Included in the contest rules was a requirement to submit a pledge to do something to create a better Canada.

In August the Grade 10 South Kamloops secondary student received an email from RBC stating she’d been chosen to carry the Olympic Torch for a 300 metre stretch along its 45,000 km cross country journey to Vancouver for the start of the 2010 Winter Games.

“I was so shocked I couldn’t say anything,” says Josie as she reflects back on the moment.

“For me, being chosen was extra special because of my dad. He’s the one that entered me in the contest.”

Less than three weeks after submitting his daughter’s name, Owen Spence lost his life in an accident at home.

“My dad was so into winter sports. He was so excited about the 2010 Olympics. It’s an honour to be chosen, but for me it’s about more than just the community spirit of the Olympics. It’s about my dad.

“I know he would be here cheering me on. I know he would be so proud of me.”

Losing her father at such a young age unquestionably could have sent the teenager’s life on a downward trajectory.

But inspired by the traits she most admired and respected in her father, Josie took tragedy and transformed it into triumph.

“I guess I’m just like my dad,” posits Josie with soft-spoken strength. “I’m not a quitter. I don’t like to give up on anything.”

Epitomizing two Olympic principles — striving for excellence and living boldly — Josie has taken her pledge to make Canada a better place and make each

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day count. And turned it up a notch.

By honing her energies in on her athletics, Josie’s quickly become a skater to be reckoned with.

In less than nine months time she has had her name added to the B.C. Provincial Development Speed Skating Team roster, earned the title of one of Canada’s top five junior female skaters in the 3000m event and made her world speed skating debut, with sister Tori, at the International Skating Union’s Junior World Cup Speed Skating competition.

And she’s not done yet, far from it.

While her short-term goal is set on qualifying for the B.C. Winter Games in March, Josie’s set her sights on a loftier goal.

“If I try and put my mind to it, I really think I can get to the Olympics,” Josie says, pointing out that with the typical speed skater not peaking until their mid-20s, she still has time to perfect her craft.

Whether it’s tearing across a sheet of ice at 60 km/h at the McArthur Park Sports Complex, in the open air on Logan Lake, at the Okanagan Regional Training Centre in Kelowna or the Olympic Oval in Calgary, the frozen oval is Josie`s home away from home; a second home she more often than not shares with mother/ River City Racers club coach Cathy Turnbull Spence and siblings Tori, Sara and Eric.

Competitive long and short track speed skating has long been a family affair in the Spence household.

With Josie’s parents Cathy and Owen founding the River City Racers Skating Club upon moving to Kamloops in 2000, the Edmonton native’s life has been shaped by her exposure to a sport that demands grit and determination.

“My entire family is blessed with athleticism and all involved in the sport.”

Quantifying the number of hours she spends training

story and photos by Sherry Bennett each week is something Josie must stop and think hard about, if only because physical activity has become so wholly integrated into her being.

Hours on the ice blur into hours in the weight room, hours cross-country skiing through the quiet forest, hours running through Kamloops’ hilly terrain —activities that leave Josie feeling full of life and with a strong body and mind.

“Sports are so important for youth. They do so much to help cope with stress.

Sports make me feel so uplifted, so cheerful. Whenever I’m having a bad day I go for a run and feel so much better.

“If I could give any advice to parents it would be to support children in their sports. Support them in their activities. Support them in whatever they do. It’s incredible how much difference it can make.”

The tremendous highs and tremendous lows Josie’s experienced at such a young age allow her the ability to speak with wisdom beyond her years.

Regardless of where conversation flows with Josie Spence, conversations void of blame and resentment, discussions invariably travel back to family.

“My family is what inspires me. My mom and my family are always there for me and always have been. Always. Whatever I’m doing they are always behind me supporting me.

“I love skating but I don’t want to be just a skater. I want to have a family. I want to have a job.”

When Josie bears the Olympic Torch on day 91 of the relay, on a stretch of pavement located between Kamloops and Williams Lake, she’ll be holding the torch high and thinking of her father.

And reflecting on the year she discovered the true meanings of family, community and inner strength.

“Never give up. No matter what happens. Never give up.

“Keep on trying, no matter what happens."

A competitive speed skater with the River City Racers, 15-year-old Josie Spence is one of several Kamloopsians to bear the Olympic Torch on Day 91 of the flame’s journey to Vancouver.

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NORTH of 50 January 2010

Putting a Face on Poverty and Homelessness

story and photos by Christine Pilgrim

partner, terms the same people 'clients'. Both organizations offer counselling through Income Assistance, Interior Health, the Meitei Society, Addictions Counselling, Employment Agencies, Welfare and Housing.

But Gateway is operated under the auspices of the nonreligious John Howard Society which also provides shelter for 24 men as well as 14 transitional housing rooms and 9 rooms for a drug and alcohol harm reduction program.

Kelly Fehr, the Shelter Manager at Gateway, which offers beds to 13 men and 12 women year round, in all temperatures, outlined some relative statistics.

34% of male and 38% of female clients have children.

45% of male and 36% of female clients have been homeless for under a month.

15% of male and 7% of female clients were in prison at some time during the last 5 years.

Fehr points out that mental health, addictions and disabilities are under-reported by his clients, so the following statistics will not be totally accurate:-

Ryan (left) and Ronnie (right) tell their stories at the Upper Room Mission

“Are there no workhouses?”

With echoes of Scrooge's harsh Christmas solution to accommodating London's poor and homeless in 1843 still ringing in our ears, perhaps now is an appropriate time to reflect on the plight of our poor and homeless in 2010.

In Vancouver, as the Winter Olympics approach, seven shelters have been opened and the RCMP have been given legal powers to assist homeless people to these shelters when an extreme weather alert is issued.

But what about the poor and homeless in the much colder Okanagan?

I recall New Year's Eve a year ago, when it was at least minus 10 degrees, with an icy wind that must have rendered the temperature even lower. Bundled against the cold, my then beau and I walked arm in arm along Vernon's Main Street, en route to what promised to be a delicious meal at our favourite restaurant. Suddenly a frozen figure lurched toward us. Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded, “Help me! Please help me!”

The man had no gloves and no scarf nor hat. I put his frozen hand into my warm coat pocket and draped him in my scarf and toque as we trundled him off to the Salvation Army Night Shelter. When we reached it, we were confronted by a locked door and a sign that read, “This Shelter will remain closed tonight because it is not cold enough.” Not cold enough?! As we herded our reluctant charge off to another shelter (which turned out to be unavailable as well), a police car drove up. Two officers emerged. That night, 'The Tank' was the only refuge that could be afforded our friend ... by this time we knew enough of his sad life story to call him such.

In fact, most of the people served by the Upper Room Mission, John Howard Society and Gateway in Vernon, the Gospel Mission and Women's Shelter in Kelowna and the Salvation Army Men's Shelter in Penticton are there because of life choices and circumstances that might have overtaken many of us.

I spoke with three specifically at the Upper Room Mission's open house at dinner time just before Christmas. Each had a different story.

Ryan rents a room without cooking or washing facilities in a rooming house. At 11.5ft by 11.6ft, it is the biggest of three similar rooms and costs $450 per month. He's somewhere over 60 and uses two canes to walk. He says he is forced to dumpster dive to augment his pension sufficiently to survive.

At the same table sits Ronnie, a recovering alcoholic. He's starting a new life with the help of Gateway services, after six weeks at the Three Voices Treatment Centre in Creston. His clean cut face, clear eyes and warm smile promise success, but he will need a great deal of support.

Then there is Rob. Rob Aguilar is a handsome, engaging, intelligent young man who looks as if he has everything going for him. But four years ago, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The evening of our conversation marked the imminent arrival, after a 12 month wait, of the electric scooter he needs to be mobile. “It is a good day,” smiles Rob who says he once earned up to ten thousand US dollars per month as a computer programmer with typing speeds of 90 words per minute. Now, because of his condition, he is lucky if he can accomplish 20 or 30 words per minute. (Symptoms of MS can include vision problems, fatigue, muscle stiffness, weakness, poor balance and spatial awareness, tingling sensations, bowel, bladder and sexual problems, pain, numbness, difficulty concentrating and depression.) So Rob eats at the Mission.

His room is even more expensive than Ryan's.

This random selection of guests represents a cross section of the 110 others eating at the Upper Room Mission that evening. The term 'guests' is carefully chosen by the faith-based Mission because nothing is expected from the people it serves other than respect, participation and help with the clean up that any guest coming to dinner might offer.

On the other hand, Gateway, the Mission's working

16% of males and 18% of females have disabilities.

34% of males and 32% of females have addictions.

20% of males and 26% of females have mental health issues.

Gateway has provided 'low barrier' shelter for 395 different men and 170 different women since it opened in Vernon on September 15th, 2008. (The term 'low barrier' embraces everyone in distress. 'High barrier' is more discriminating.) However, Gateway has been forced to turn away over half as many again (255 men and 35 women) because it was full at the time.

In order to accommodate Gateway's client overflow when its 25 beds are occupied, the Upper Room Mission recently received government approval to lay mats and provide blankets etc. for 20 people in its dining room, with added toilet facilities, once the temperature drops to minus 1. Executive Director, Chuck Harper, who joined the charity almost a year ago, put the argument to the Province that the H1N1 virus is a real threat to people sleeping out in the cold and that any temperature below zero is too cold.

Gateway also passes on some of its funding to the Upper Room Mission to cover the meals it provides to Gateway clients. The two charities work closely and harmoniously together.

The Mission provides 3 meals a day 7 days a week for an average of 110 people.

The regular 14 member staff at the Mission is augmented to 20 during the winter months and they are supported by 100 volunteers, including those who run the adjacent thrift store which is responsible for a great deal of their fund-raising.

Chuck Harper says that without these volunteers and generous donations from businesses and the community at large, the Upper Room Mission would be unable to function. They are always in need of extra toiletries, socks, bus passes, phone cards, gift certificates, toques, mitts – in fact, anything that can be easily carried in a backpack.

Meanwhile, Kelowna Mission is being granted $37,000 by the provincial government to allow its Inn from the Cold to continue to provide winter shelter.

Continued on page 5

NORTH of 50 January 2010

Rob Aguilar, one of the guests at the Upper Room Mission.

Local MLA Steve Thomson said recently in a press statement, “The Province recognizes the efforts of the dedicated, faith-based volunteers who have run Kelowna's Inn from the Cold since 1999.”

He said this grant of $37,000 will help cover operating costs through to the end of March at the Inn from the Cold's new location where the cost of bringing the building up to code had strained resources.

In Penticton, Reg Petrie, Supervisor of the Salvation Army Men's Shelter, says it costs them $1,000 per night to house and feed 20 guests at each of the seven churches involved in their Extreme Weather Response Program. Once temperatures reach minus 10 degrees, Petrie collects the bedding and toiletries held in storage for each of their potential guests and drives them to the church that has volunteered to take in those less fortunate on that particular night. The guests are given an evening meal and a hot breakfast in the morning.

The program only started in early December and the organization is learning the ropes for its Inn from the Cold. Petrie hopes to avoid volunteer burn-out.

Why the increase in the number of homeless and rising costs of accommodating them? Some of this growing trend can be attributed to five years of skyrocketing house prices which have, in turn, led to exorbitant rent increases. Also, the boom in tourism in the Okanagan means less accommodation is available at reasonable rates to locals. The Winter Olympics have also cost the Province dearly and many programs have suffered cutbacks.

The gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' widens increasingly and, according to Mr Fehr at Gateway, the erosion of a middle class society in Canada is palpable. He says, “If we could have used a mere portion of the millions of dollars spent on the Olympics on the construction of transitional housing, we would have reduced BC's homeless by 75%.”

Yet there are fewer facilities for the homeless now than in Dickens' day!

In a recent article in the Osoyoos Times, Paul Everest noted that there are no shelters whatsoever in Osoyoos.

The Town Council declared that if a community group wanted to put a shelter plan together, it would work with them and provide support. In the meantime, anyone finding themselves without accommodation at minus 10 degrees or lower would have to approach the RCMP who would then contact the Ministry of Housing to see if the person could be transported to Penticton.

It appears that if the mostly faith-based charities were not ready and willing to serve their communities, there would be nothing for the poor at all. MLA Stevens said that the number of homeless has doubled since 2001.

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Kelly Fehr of Gateway says, “It would be beneficial if people in the community would realize that the majority of people who are homeless are suffering either from severe mental health issues and/or disabilities and a good portion of them also face eviction. It is therefore unreasonable to expect that a majority of the homeless can find long term employment and sustain it. The community needs to pull together and show compassion and love to these individuals to assist them in becoming contributing members of society.”

Fehr does not suggest that everyone follows in the footsteps of Prince William and dons a toque to spend a night on the streets, but we might take socks and mitts and toothpaste and phone cards and bus passes to the local shelter or food bank; we might volunteer at a thrift store; we might put more aside from our Christmas tinsel and fairy lights budget and instead give something toward a bed or a dinner for one less fortunate; and perhaps next time someone asks for a dollar in the street we might look them in the eye when we respond, smile and say, “Happy New Year!”

After all, it isn't as if we are living in the Dickensian era ... is it?

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Children welcome. Beds are accessed on a firstcome, first-served basis. Short-term stay. Call ahead for more information and for bed availability.

Contact: 250-828-1121 or emerald.house@cmha. bc.ca Emerald on Third - Support services for women seeking housing and housing supports. Details at: www.kamloops.cmha.bc.ca Contact: 250-374-1090 or emerald.third@cmha.bc.ca Kamloops Integration Project - Assistance for individuals with mental health and/or addiction issues in accessing housing, financial, transition and referral support services. 830am-430pm, seven days per week. Contact: 250-851-5949.

Kamloops Safe House - Temporary shelter for youth. Contact: 250-314-0771.

Men's Christian Hostel - Offers temporary shelter, meals, showers, and a tub to hand wash laundry.

Contact: 250-372-3031.

New Life Mission's Residential Support Recovery Program - Intermediate housing for men who desire assistance in dealing with chronic alcohol or drug use. Contact: 250-434-9898.

Out of the Cold – St. Vincent de Paul Society.

November through March, offers dinner, overnight shelter and breakfast to homeless people every Sunday and Wednesday, and all other nights during which the temperature reaches minus 10 degrees Celcius or colder. Contact Ron: 250-318-4704.

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 January 2010

EDITORIAL a division of 0727724 BC Ltd.

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I had hoped to slip into my 50th year with a soothing cup of coffee and very little fanfare, but alas, I am married to Dean, who chose to use his power as publisher of this magazine for evil, by announcing my recent birthday to all our readers. Thank you, dear readers, for the lovely birthday wishes. I have forgiven Dean with the understanding that he will take me on a Panama Cruise before my 51st birthday.

Five years ago, I had a secret plan to celebrate my 50th birthday with a good old fashioned early retirement.

But plans change, don’t they? I couldn’t have known then that I would fall into the trap of workaholism.

It crept up on me, really. I enjoyed a solid day’s work; I don’t deny it. But before long, I was staying at the office an extra hour a day, then two, then three. Soon I was taking work home.

I work while I cook dinner. I work while I eat dinner -- with one hand on my fork and the other on my computer keyboard. I switched from showers to baths because it is so much easier to read paper work in the bathtub.

Sleep? Who can sleep when there is work to do? I keep a pen and notebook on my bedside table, so I can write down anything that suddenly occurs to me in the night – and it does – often.

My favourite topic of conversation is work. Nothing is more annoying than being asked to stop doing my work in order to do something frivolous – like say, go for a walk, take a vacation, go out for dinner, watch a movie. Please, people, I have work to do.

I didn’t see myself as a workaholic. After all, work is rewarding. A job well done gives a good deal of satisfaction. But I confess, working 12 hours a day – day after day – week in week out – eventually, it’s just exhausting.

If Dr. Phil offered me a recovery program, but I had walk off that stage immediately and go with the counselor to a world famous treatment centre, I would decline his offer. I am not ready to quit work cold turkey, but I am willing to take a couple of giant steps back.

And that is my new year’s resolution. To work less. My desire for early retirement has all but disappeared – I LIKE this job. But slowing down feels like a resolution I can stick to. So …

Let me introduce you to Cassandra Redding, North of 50’s new Creative Director. Cassandra will be picking up a lot of my current duties, and adding a few new ones to her job description.

Born, raised and educated in BC, Cassandra brings many years of writing, editing and copywriting to the table, as well as a strong marketing background. Over the next few months, you can expect to see a few subtle changes in the design and layout of North of 50. If you love it, you can thank your lucky stars for Cassandra’s input and creative genius. If you hate it … talk to Dean.

And dear readers, I implore you to support me in my efforts to slow down. I am ‘working’ on kicking this addiction to work, no pun intended. If every time you call the office, I’m here, you will know that I have been backsliding and slipping into old habits. Feel free to remind me of this editorial. Feel free to steal Obama’s slogan and encourage me. You can do it, TJ. Yes, you can.

NORTH of 50 January 2010 FAIR COMMENT

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Cutting Arts Funding Hurts Us All

Did you catch this item back in October?

“B.C.’s beleaguered literary organizations are forming the Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia one day after the Arts & Culture branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & the Arts simultaneously removed all funding from the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia ($45,000), BC BookWorld newspaper ($31,000) and B.C. Association of Don Sawyer Magazine Publishers ($20,000).”

No? That’s probably because there was little outrage expressed by the press – and even less fanfare by the government. And this little announcement was just the tip of the iceberg: Provincial funding for the BC Arts Council is dropping by 82%, from $19.5 Million (2008/09) to $3.5 Million (2009/10 and 2010/11). What do they do? Well, everything from supporting professional arts and cultural organizations throughout the province to funding amateur theatre, music, dance, visual, media and literary arts organizations, to maintaining programs that support community arts groups, festivals, museums, training and service agencies.

As William Gibson, author of Neuromancer put it, “As a futurist, someone with some experience in long-range scenario-based corporate and municipal planning, I’ve seen my share of jaw-droppingly shortsighted proposals. But these proposed cuts to support for the arts in BC (almost 90% by 2011) really take the cake. This is governance guaranteed to rot the fabric of our province’s future.”

So what? I can hear you asking. I’m no artist. Perhaps not, but you do live in a province enriched, culturally and financially, by the thousands that work in the cultural industry. And make no mistake, it is an industry. According to Stats Canada, Cultural industries contributed $40 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2002 alone. During that same year, Mining and Oil and Gas extraction contributed only $35.4 billion.

The Agriculture and Forestry industry contributed $21 billion to Canada’s GDP, approximately half that of the Cultural sector.

It’s also an industry that employs a whole lot of people, and the numbers are growing. Whereas Agriculture and Forestry combined with the Mining, Oil and Gas industry, employed 602,200 Canadians, Cultural industries in Canada were responsible for directly employing 597,000 Canadians in 2002 or 3.8% of Canada’s workforce. Between the years of 1996 and 2001, employment in the cultural sector grew at an annual rate of 3.4%, significantly faster than the overall Canadian employment growth rate.

A Place Like India

When this column comes out I'll still be in India with 17 high school kids from Salmon Arm, Enderby, and Armstrong. Today, one of the girls broke down because the day before we had passed an unconscious man splayed out on the street, face up with a sock stuck in his mouth. His head was partly out into the lane of traffic.

All of us were walking about twenty feet from his body, walking at a fast pace to get somewhere. We all looked over at his silent, prone body. We did not stop. The girl Calvin White had broken down this day afterwards because she still felt ashamed that she did not stop to try to help. Ashamed that she had been afraid of a possible reaction should the man have awoken. Ashamed of giving in to powerlessness.

I watched as she cried and assured her that it was principled and compassionate that she had felt that way and was now in emotional upheaval. That the shame and helplessness was appropriate. That not knowing what to do, but staring that in the eye and allowing oneself to feel miserable, feel the pain, was indication of strength and depth.

We shortchange our young here in Canada. We protect them from danger.

We create "good memories" for them, safe environments, orderly, predictable existences But in our understandable and caring intentions, we prevent them from wrestling consciously with the deep issues of self.

We don't give them enough experience with pain, with suffering, with raw, visceral unfairness. They do not experience enough situations where they are tested about who they are, about what life is, about what is meaningful. In our part of the world, we have allowed our children to live in triviality. We have allowed them to be sold to the marketers of gadgets and style. This is a life of emptiness. This rare school trip to India is to introduce them to the world of brokenness. To the world of no answers but one of personal responsibility. To the world of common blood.

The half-naked 8 year old who begs outside the temple while swinging a weeks old baby in her arms forces us to feel, to shrink in horror at the possibility for life altering calamity should the baby slip from that one child's arms and smash onto the hard red of the cobblestones.

What can we do? The other street boy outside the mosque that is driven away by

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It’s ironic that the announcement came while my wife and I were in Europe, attracted by the museums and public art that enrich so many European cities. There, the importance of artists to a nation and a culture has been understood—and supported—for hundreds of years, resulting in societies that are more literate, more aware, and more engaged. And also more cognizant, apparently, of the significant economic benefits generated by the arts.

Let’s use the example of $96,000 of cuts cited above. When you attack the writing and publishing sector, you force BC printers out of business. Those publishers who can afford to, take their printing out of the province. When publishers themselves are forced to shut down, their staffs are put out of work. The books that would normally be produced and sold locally go elsewhere, reducing provincial sales and income taxes. Fewer BC writers are published, at a significant economic and cultural cost. When you slash support for BC BookWorld, you are jeopardizing the most effective book advertising medium in the province, leading to reduced sales. Reduced sales means more bookstores close, especially the smaller independent bookstores that are so central to the social and cultural life of smaller communities. When local magazines close, not only do we lose unique BC voices, we lose advertising revenues, national and international profile, skilled employees, markets for local writers, and wages.

Something is seriously wrong with the Government’s financial priorities. Salmon Arm’s local Arts Council was informed a few months ago that the $24,000 they had received annually to organize arts activities in the community and maintain the Art Gallery (the gallery—which hosts weekly jazz concerts, regular exhibits of local art, poetry readings, concerts by local and visiting musicians, exhibits of art from regional school children, weddings, community group fundraisers and many other activities—is a true community centre) was being eliminated. On that same day, the SA City Council was informed, without any request on their part, that $30,000 was being made available to them to host the Olympic torch run through our city.

These latest moves by the government send a chilling message: Art-related industries and activities critical to local communities and to the maintenance of a literate, aware and engaged society are neither valued nor respected. Clearly, massive subsidies to the Olympics and corporations and the construction of highways and bridges (though all the arts cuts combined wouldn’t pay for a mile of the Highway 97 expansion) take precedence over the work and contributions of thousands of artists, writers, musicians, actors, publishers and crafts people across BC. Don Sawyer is a writer, educator and former director of Okanagan College’s International Development Centre. He lives with his wife in Salmon Arm. You can contact Don Sawyer by email at donsawyer@telus.net or by mail at Don Sawyer c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0. For more information on Don’s writing and development work, visit his website at www.northerned.com

the hard blows from a cane rod, whack! whack! whack!, flailed by the merchant across the way who does not want him begging from us foreigners. That same boy who moments earlier had a few sections of orange placed in his outstretched palm by the 17-year-old in our group.

What to do with all this? With all the thousands of other contradictions and dilemmas in a place like India? We have taken our young on this trip to immerse them in a pulse and a truth that can indelibly connect them to themselves. None of us on the trip have control. We do not know what we will encounter at any moment.

This is a far more accurate representation of life than what we attempt here in Canada, far more representative of the personal trials each of us will encounter at any moment in our own lives. We strive for and pretend to have control. We put on a good front. But inside, many of us are scared. In India, for these teenagers. We tell them it's appropriate to be scared. We tell them to look deeper, to pay attention, to let in the pain, to open up to understanding, an understanding that cannot be verbalized, quantified, but only acknowledged.

Yesterday, we also spent an afternoon at the house in Delhi where Mahatma Gandhi was shot to death. All over the compound are his words - words about personal responsibility, about common bonds, about seeking truth, about facing suffering. And there are stone footsteps placed along the last route that Gandhi walked toward the prayer ground before he was shot by a Hindu fanatic incensed by Gandhi's embracing of Muslim rights. The footsteps suddenly stop at the point where he fell dead in 1948. All of us could feel the palpable energy, the "vibration", of that spot, and to a lesser extent of the whole complex.

Later on, before we left, we gathered together to sit on the grass of the prayer ground and face the seat where Gandhi used to sit. In all Gandhi ashrams, the prayer services always included prayers of the major religions. So, our small group of mainstream teenagers decided to conduct our own short service. We recited a Muslim prayer, a Hindu prayer, a Buddhist prayer, and finished with the Lord's Prayer. I think Gandhi smiled a bit. And I think he smiled even more as our young girl cried today.

Calvin White is a retired high school counsellor who lives in the North Okanagan. He has over 70 essays published in various Canadian daily newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Province. If you have any comments on this column, you can write to Calvin White at calvinwhite@northof50.com or to Calvin White c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

page 8

Coming Events January 8-10 Cariboo Challenge Sled Dog Races. Around 108 and Sepa lakes Silent Auction Jan. 9,10 at the Heritage Site, 108 Mile Ranch. Dinner & Auction Jan. 9, 2010 at 6 pm hosted by the Hills Health & Guest Ranch 250 791 5225. sleddograce@thehillshealthranch.com January 10 Polarthon-Skate-Run-Ski Join us for a fantastic winter triathalon (skate, run and cross country ski)event). The event will be begin at Owen’s Oval at Logan Lake at 9am on Sunday January 10th. This is a fun event for the whole family.

Participants are encouraged to dress up. A prize is given to the best costume. There will be hot chocolate by the bonfire following the event. There is also a No Speed Limit challenge following the event. An RCMP officer will clock the speed of your fastest 100m as you skate on the oval. Ice painting available for the children and speed skates available for the public to try.

January 10-15 37th Polar Carnival Logan Lake January 10 to 15, 2010 Lots of events planned: Family Afternoon, Volunteer night, Mall Night, International Food Night, Games Night.Volunteers are needed to help at all venues. Check www.loganlakewhy.ca.

January 13 Kamloops Symphony Presents Platypus Theatre's How the Gimquat Found Her Song Platypus Theatre's How the Gimquat Found Her Song Canada’s Platypus Theatre has been a trailblazer in creating programs for children that bring classical music to life in an intelligent, entertaining and interactive way. After more than 200 performances around the world, How the Gimquat Found Her Song, a heartwarming tale told in Dr. Seuss-like verse continues to garner rave reviews and keep audiences of all ages spellbound. 7:00 p.m. at the Sagebrush Theatre. Call 250-374-5000 for tickets or more information.

January 14 Pink Floyd Experience comes to town!

Come experience The Pink Floyd Experience at Interior Savings Centre on January 14, 2010. Tickets range from $34.50 - $40.50 and can be purchased through ticketmaster at 250-374-9200.

January 15 Snowed In Comedy Tour If you are ready to laugh, don't delay in getting your tickets to the Snowed In Comedy Tour. Glen Wool, Craig Campbell, Dan Quinn and Ed Byrne will be performing at the Convention Centre on Friday, January 15th. For more info call 250-374-5483 January 16-17 Kamloops Symphony presents the Magic of Vienna A traditional Viennese New Year’s performance. The lively, infectious music of the Strauss family – waltzes, polkas, gallops and more…a veritable feast! Saturday 7:30 pm and Sunday 2:00 pm at the Sagebrush Theatre.

Call 250-374-5000 for tickets or more information.

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

January 16-24 Sun Peaks Winter Wine Festival Sun Peaks Resort and the Okanagan Wine Festivals present this unique wine festival that is a wonderful marriage of wine, food, and outdoor recreation. Sun Peaks Resort is known for its picturesque alpine village and world renowned dry powder. When combined with world famous Icewines and Late Harvest wines from Okanagan Wine Country, this festival is a truly memorable Canadian winter getaway.Sun Peaks Resort: 1-800-807-3257 January 16 & 17 The Magic of Vienna Saturday 7:30 pm and Sunday 2:00 pm, Sagebrush Theatre. A traditional Viennese New Year’s performance. The lively, infectious music of the Strauss family – waltzes, polkas, gallops and more…a veritable feast!Sagebrush Theatre. Call 250-374-5000 for tickets or more information.

January 20-30 Project X Productions presents You Are Here

by Daniel Maclvor with shows at 7:30pm (no show Sunday) at the Old Courthouse Cultural Centre. Tickets are $15 at the door - reserve by calling 250-377-8818.

January 21 3rd Annual Wine Soiree @ Hoodoos Enjoy an evening of wine and music sure to delight all wine enthusiasts. Showcasing fabulous cheeses & canapés created by Executive Chef Willie Petz.

Performance by Celtic Harpist, Gregory Sawisky.

Tickets are $40 (includes applicable taxes). 6:00 - 8:00 pm January 22 Kamloops Symphony Presents the Da Vinci Codex In his own time, Leonardo da Vinci was equally renowned as a performing musician. This fully scripted show features dances, fantasias and vocal works from the time of Leonardo. Interwoven with the music are selections from Leonardo’s own writings and from his contemporaries. The Toronto Consort is Canada’s leading chamber ensemble specializing in the music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and early Baroque.

Guest Artists: The Toronto Consort Friday 7:30 pm, Calvary Community Church. Call 250-374-5483 for tickets and more information.

January 22 Carly Rae Jepsen in Concert ORA Restaurant and the Kamloops Convention Centre present Carly Rae Jepsen and Specials Guests Paul Filek and Michael Bernard Fitzgerald in concert for one night only. Carly Rae was first introduced to Canada through her time on Canadian Idol, and now she's tearing up the charts with songs like "Bucket" and "Tug of War". See Carly Rae Jepsen and guests in concert. Tickets $25.00 All ages show. Kamloops Convention Centre Dinner Theatre For tickets: call 250-372-5312 January 22-24 The 2010 Kamloops Mid-Winter Challenge Race The Thompson Valley R/C Race Club is proud to present: The 2010 Kamloops Mid Winter Challenge Race January 22nd to 24th This year the race will take place in the “Grand Hall Room” at our Thompson Rivers University here in Kamloops! This is a beautiful facility with lots of room for our track and pit space, all

NORTH of 50 January 2010 within one large room. Tables & Chairs provided January 23 Mayor's Gala for the Arts The Mayor’s Gala for the Arts will be held on Saturday, January 23 at the Kamloops Convention Cetnre. Tickets are $80 each (plus GST) and are available at Kamloops Live Box Office, 1025 Lorne Street, by calling 250374-5483 or www.kamloopslive.com. Consider giving the “Gift of the Arts” this year for Christmas.

January 24 2010 Overlander Ski Marathon 2010 Overlander Ski Marathon Sunday, January 24, 2010 10/ 30/ 50/ Km Free Technique Corporate And Recreational Relay Challenge 3X5km Kid's Races - 30 Km Relay This Exciting Event Will Utilize A 10 Km Lap Circuit Of Some Of The Beautiful Trails At Stake Lake. The Course Will Take The Skiers Through The New Stadium On Each Lap.It Will Be Challenging And Exhilarating January 28-February 6 Western Canada Theatre Presents The Foursome

By Norm Foster Location: Sagebrush Theatre Tickets at Kamloops LIVE! Box Office, ph. 250-374-5483 or visit 1025 Lorne Street Monday & Tuesday - 7:30 pm, Wednesday to Saturday - 8:00pm, No Show Sunda.y

Dementia Education Workshops Getting to Know Dementia Basic information about Alzheimer’s and related dementia helps deal with the disease at all stages.

Wednesday January 6, 2010, 9 am to 12 noon Staying Well While Caring This workshop is about sustaining oneself as the demands of caring change.

Tuesday January 12, 2010, 6- 8:30pm Approaches to Communication and Behavior Changes Approaches and strategies to support the person with dementia that equip you to cope with less friction and stress.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9am to12 noon Getting to Know Dementia Basic information about Alzheimer’s and related dementia helps deal with the disease at all stages Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 6 to 8:30 pm All workshops take place at the Alzheimer Society of B.C., Resource Centre, 543 Battle Street, Kamloops.

Call 250-377- 8200 or e-mail ssmith@alzheimerbc to register.

Shaping the Journey, Living with Dementia Shaping the Journey is an educational program designed specifically for people experiencing the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, as well as a care-partner, family member, or friend Tuesdays, February 9 to March 16, 2010, 9:15 am to 12 noon Contact Sheila Smith at (250) 377-8200 or e-mail ssmith@alzheimerbc.org to arrange an interview before February 5, 2010

NORTH of 50 January 2010

Community Events 100 Mile House

1799 ask for John

100 MILE - Diabetes dropin is held every Tuesday from 1-2 p.m. at the South Cariboo Community Health Centre. Speak with the nurse or dietitian. Everyone welcome. For information phone 395-7676.

100 Mile Legion AllVeterans get-togethers are held Saturdays at 2 p.m. at the legion. Meat draws at 3 p.m. For more information call 395-2511.

Creekside Seniors Centre offers activities for seniors such as pool, darts, bridge, whist, cribbage and carpet bowling. For more information call (250)3953919.

108 Newcomers Group.

First and third Thursday of every month at 10:30 am in the Community Centre upstairs room.

Meet other newcomers over a cup of coffee in an informal setting. Dropin fee: $2. Caroline 7919250.

Barriere

Barriere Survivors meet 2nd Monday of the Month 10:30 am to 12:30 @ Volunteer Centre. Anyone who has suffered a Brain Injury Ph. Kamloops Brain Injury Assoc (250) 372-

Alzheimers/Dementia Support Group 1st Thursday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Volunteer Centre on Barriere Town Rd. Phone 250-377-8200 or 1-800-886-6946.

Chase

Chase Village Friday Evening Market 4-7 pm.

Local produce, baked goods, and arts & crafts.

Kamloops

BIG Little Science Centre PUBLIC HOURS 2009 2010 Discover & Explore Fun Science. Enjoy TWO FULL Rooms with over 130 Hands-on Stations.

Thursdays and Fridays 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. With a Special Activity or Show at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays. For more information contact: Gord Stewart at: 250-5542572 or 250-319-0689 E-mail: gord@blscs.org The newly formed Kamloops Garden Railway Club is looking for donations of large-scale track, buildings & rolling stock for a permanent "G" scale layout at The Kamloops Wildlife Park.

Tax receipts will be issued. To donate or for more information on our organization ~ call Hans @ 250-828-1418.

Breast cancer support group meet the second Saturday of the month at Lansdown Village, lower level, 111-450 Lansdowne St., from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Call 250-374-9188.

Wonder CafeSoup Kitchen at Mt. Paul United Church, 140 Laburnum Ave. (Kamloops North Shore), serves hot lunch every Thursday from 11a.m. to 1p.m.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month at Medichair, boardroom.

210-450 Landsdowne Street, contact for info: Ken at 250-8190315 or Evelyn at 250-8286647.

Pottery classes for the Fab 55+.

Discover or rediscover the great feeling of creating in clay- Hand building, sculpture, coils or slabs.

Held every Tuesday from 1-3:30PM at Heritage House pottery studio in Riverside Park. $5 for non members $3 for members. Free clay is available for small projects and fee covers firing, glazing and use of tools. For more information contact Diane Britt at 5732604 or 377-8793.

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page 9

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo The local chapter of Green Drinks International (greendrinks.org) will meet on the first Monday of each month. November 2nd, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Green Drinks is a nonprofit social group. Topics discussed in the past include gardening, green home building, air pollution, home canning, straw bale houses!Mary Ellen Grant megloops@gmail.com or 250.371.7172 Kamloops Garden Club Meets every 4th Wed. of the month in Heritage House at 7:00 pm. Jeanette Moslin (250) 372-9669.

The Wells Gray Country Seniors Society meet the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Resource Centre; Third Sunday Seniors Social at 1p.m. in the Munroe Room at Wells Gray Inn; Seniors Book Club meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Clearwater library. Contact Lois Geiger, lgeiger@ mercuryspeed.com.

The Kamloops Raging Grannies is a non-partisan group of women who use humor to actively raise the consciousness of citizens through peaceful means to promote positive change within our communities.

More info 372-3105.

Tuesday afternoon cribbage at the McArthur park lawn Bowling Clubhouse (beside NorBroc Stadium) at 1:30 p.m.

Everyone welcome. No partners needed.

Crib, coffee and good company.

Call 250-579-0028.

Are you a breast cancer survivor looking for fun, fitness and friendship? The Spirit Warrior dragon boat team is a great group of women who meet Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6pm at Pioneer Park in Kamloops.

We are looking for more members, no experience required!

Call Liama at 377-8514 or Dell at 320-1765 or e-mail spiritwarriors@shaw.ca.

Bridge at Desert Gardens Community Centre, every Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m.

540 Seymour Street. For info call (250) 372-5110.

The Kamloops Family History Society meets every fourth Thursday throughout the year Sept - May. We meet at the

Heritage House from 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

To all bridge players: We welcome new players to our 12:30p.m. Tuesday gatherings at Desert Gardens Community Centre on Seymour Street. If you know the fundaments of the game, you can learn as you go. Call Dave, 250-3744963, or Peg, 250-376-0250 The Alzheimer Society of BC, Central Interior, 543 Battle St. Kamloops, offers programs and services for people whose lives are affected by Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Programs and services include education workshops and information and support groups for family caregivers and for people diagnosed with early dementia. Call 250-3778200 or 1-800-866-6946.

Interior Authors Group, a group that brings people together who are interested in the art of writing, meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Kamloops Art Gallery, 465 Victoria St., at 7p.m. Call Ted Joslin, 250-374-8910.

Dance to the music of the Kamloops Old Time Fiddlers every 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month from 8:00 to 11:00 pm at Heritage House, 100 Lorne Street. Members $ 6.00 ea., non-members $ 7.00 Everyone is welcome. FMI 250-376-2330.

Join a fun men’s and women’s a cappella chorus, The Hub City Singers, in rehersals every Tuesday, 7 to 9p.m., at the Old Yacht Club, 1140 River St. Members don’t have to be able to read music. Call 250-578-7503.

Seniors Dance with the Golden Serenadors every second Friday of the month at the North Shore Community Centre, 730 Cottonwood Ave. Admission $4 Call 250-376-4777 PATCHS, a grassroots community-based group working to achieve positive changes in the health care system, meets the first Monday of each month at Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul St., at 6:30p.m.

Call Rick, 250-579-8541 or email riturner@shaw.ca.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7

pm on first Thursday of month. Contact: Ketina at 250-571-1456.

Lillooet

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 66 737 Main Street Lillooet BC 250-256-7332 Meat draws every Friday 5:30-8:30PM Members and Guests always welcome Carpet Bowling for Seniors, Mondays & Thursdays from 10:30 11:30 am at the Gymnasium or Mezzanine at the Lillooet & District REC Centre, 930 Main Street.

Drop In Fee. 50+ Fitness at the REC Centre. aerobic style fitness class, Nov. 10-3, 9-10 am, $56 PHone (250) 256-7527 Adult Drop-in Hockey, September through March noon to 1 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays at the REC Centre. Drop in Rates Appy

Logan Lake

Logan Lake Seniors holds Bingo Fridays 1-3, 80 150 Opal, Village Centre Mall. Call (250) 523-2759.

Merritt

Bingo Tuesdays at 1 p.m. at the Merritt Senior Centre. Rummoli and Pool Fridays at 7 p.m. 2202 Jackson Avenue.

Join the Toastmasters to gain confidence! They meet every Tuesday at 5:00 pm at the Merritt Library.

Savona

Join us for exercise Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 a.m.

OAPO Branch 129, 6605 Buie Road/Savona Access Road. Call Jennier Coburn for more info at (250) 3730081.

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS LISTING: List your community event FREE on this page by calling toll-free 1-877-667-8450 or email details to editor@northof50.com

North of 50 Lifestyle Newsmagazine For a Grown Up Audience

Past issues available at

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page 10

Equinisity

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 January 2010

story and photos submitted by Liz Mitten Ryan

On 320 acre Gateway 2 Ranch in the interior grasslands of British Columbia, horses have a special job as teachers and healers.

Equinisity is "the gift of finding the unexpected yet truly meaningful perspective through the almost 360 degree vision of the equine"

The ranch offers E.A.R.T.H. (Equine Assisted Re-connective Therapy and Healing) programs to participants who come from all over the world to manifest their heart’s desires and a oneness connection to the land and the animals. The program recreates the experience of oneness and love found when we re-connect to our inner child.

Gateway 2 Ranch is home to crystals, vortexes, and natural flora and fauna as well as author Liz Mitten Ryan, her husband, and their sixteen horses, dogs, cats and Tesoro the steer. In this pristine setting, all things properly align for the highest earthly vision human beings can possibly experience.

Here, the free-roaming herd shares the barn/house with Liz and Kevin. The horses are loved and treated as family. Indeed, the animals of Gateway 2 Ranch have co-authored Liz’s four award-winning books.

The four books have garnered eight Independent Publishing awards, gold and silver Indies and Ippy’s and most notably a silver Nautilus Award.

Nautilus Book Awards Winners are carefully selected in a unique three-tier judging process by experienced teams of book reviewers, librarians, authors, editors, bookstore owners, and leaders in the publishing industry. Mitten Ryan and Prima are in terrific company, as past Nautilus winners include Deepak Chopra, the Dahli Lama and Eckhart Tolle.

The Truth According to Horses is a handbook to life through which the horses reveal a higher perspective and a wisdom untarnished by human mass-mind belief. Living year-around in close proximity with the herd and in seclusion from the rest of the world, Mitten Ryan has identified a door to spiritual realms and mysteries that many would like to open, but do not know how.

Visitors stay in wall tents and the Spirit Lodge in rustic yet very comfortable surroundings, and share vegetarian and organic meals prepared by a gourmet chef. Walking the land they experience a long forgotten connection with the rocks and trees, learn shamanic rituals and reclaim their power as wise spiritual beings in the company of spiritual equals.

In the pristine grassland, lakes, and forests of Gateway, the horses interact at liberty, visiting and communicating with amazed participants, sharing their healing gifts and teaching the subjects of truth and intuitive connection. Playing and riding is all done at liberty or with halters, bareback pads and treeless saddles.

To learn more visit www.lizmittenryan.com.

NORTH of 50 January 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Comfort Foods That Won't Spoil Your Waistline Most cultures have their share of comfort foods that seem to make a bad day better.

Or perhaps they evoke feelings of family or special holidays. The trouble with most comfort foods is that they tend to be carbohydrate-laden, high-calorie items that can pack on the pounds. Something you may not be apt to do after making healthy resolutions.

There are ways to turn favorite comfort foods into healthier options that still satisfy. Consider these modifications to the foods you love.

Stew: Hearty stews can make winter weather bearable. Swap out fatty meats, such as chuck, for leaner cuts or even chicken breast. Increase the ratio of vegetables to meat and potatoes for a filling option that still has the ingredients you love. Use low-fat gravy or broth to create the stew liquid and thicken with a little cornstarch.

Chili: A warm bowl of chili is a favorite for many. Use the leaner cuts of ground beef (such as sirloin or ground round) and skim off any excess fat during cooking.

Or simply go with ground turkey or chicken as an alternative. Increase the amount of peppers and beans you add to the chili mix. Achieve flavor with seasonings, instead of fat. Serve with low-fat shredded cheese on top and a dollop of fat-free sour cream.

Mashed potatoes: Who can resist a heaping serving of mashed potatoes? The trouble is the butter and milk in the mix could make those potatoes much heavier in calories than you desire. Make mashed potatoes with a 50-50 ratio of potatoes and cauliflower. The texture will be the same, but you'll be using fewer carbs. Replace butter and milk with low-fat stock for flavor. You can also mix in some low-fat sour cream to thicken your potatoes and add a little bite to the flavor.

Mac and cheese: Macaroni and cheese may be one of the all-time favorite comfort foods. But with that much cheese, it's not so comforting for those watching their weight. For a healthier version, swap out regular macaroni for whole wheat. Use a low-fat cheddar or even an easily melting low-fat cheese spread in place of whole milk cheeses. Skim milk will help make the combination creamy, as will low-fat evaporated milk. Beef up the nutritional value of the dish by adding diced tomatoes or peppers. Turn it from a side dish into a main dish by adding lean ground turkey.

Potato chips: Do you enjoy a bowl of potato chips while watching television?

Urban Chickens

page 11

Many do, with consequences. Baked varieties are healthier, or try making your own "chips" at home. Thinly slice potatoes with the skin on.

Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Dust with salt, pepper or your favorite seasonings. Bake at 400 F until the desired crispiness is reached.

Lasagna: This popular Italian dish is heavy on cheese, possibly meat and pasta. It can be a recipe for dieting disaster.

Substitute a whole grain or multigrain pasta noodle for regular lasagna noodles. Alternate layers of your lasagna with thinly sliced eggplant or zucchini to cut down on the amount of pasta. Select nonfat cheeses and use sparingly. Skip the sausage or ground beef and replace with chopped spinach.

Pizza: Pizza is a popular comfort food. The best way to cut the calories from pizza is to make it yourself instead of ordering out. Use a whole-wheat dough and low-fat cheese. Make the pizza more filling by piling on fresh vegetables. If you prefer plain pizza, fill up on a side dish of salad so you're less tempted to indulge in two or three slices.

Bread: Bread products can be better for you when you choose whole grain or multigrain varieties. Instead of butter, consider dipping bread in a small amount of seasoned olive oil.

by Trudy Frisk

The chickens are coming. From Kamloops to Vancouver fowl fanciers arelobbying city councils to approve keeping back yard birds. This isn't a B.C. phenomenon. Across the U.S. sales of chickens to urban residents are up by 25%.

"City folk are turning to chickens," reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "not just as child-friendly pets, but as garden accessories, call them live yard-art, at a time when the mere glimpse of a few fat birds puttering around in the petunias lays a big smile on their faces. Call it the simple life. Credit the fresh eggs.

Regardless,chickens are flying high, not just in Atlanta,

but right across the country."

This schmaltzy urban take on chickens just shows what good P.R. can do for a species. I respect chickens. There's no better method of turning grasshoppers, grubs and seeds into eggs. For decades chickens provided sustenance to the farm family and a source of income to the farm wife. These days, however, few people know chickens personally.

They've heard the stories. The Little Red Hen, that thrifty provider, diligently working away while other animals scoffed at her. Chicken Little, the world's first non-human weather predictor, warning that the sky was falling. Wise, dedicated, caring birds. Just the sort of thing for the back yard.

Someone should warn those city folk that, unless they change their assumptions about chickens, they are in for some nasty surprises.

They can kiss their petunias goodbye, along with most other yard plants. Those sweet birds busily pecking around the property also bite and scratch and will uproot any plant they can get at. City gardeners will have to choose: chickens or petunias. It's not likely they'll get to keep both.

"Child-friendly,eh?" There's an urban myth in the making unless chickens have changed considerably since I used to pass the hen-house at a full gallop, hoping to out-distance the rooster. Somewhere, in some breed, there may be roosters which have taken a pledge of non-violence. I never met one. Leghorns, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, one and all had roosters renowned for their ferocity. Size is no guarantee of

gentleness; the bantam roosters were toughest of all.

As for being "child-friendly", we children were the ones they picked on because we were smaller and more vulnerable. I still have the faded scar from the time I ran headlong into a barbed wire fence trying to get away from the resident rooster.

Nothing made an impression on that rooster until the day when, drunk with confidence, he over-extended himself and attacked our father. Father was just coming out of the out-house, doing up his braces and thinking solemn thoughts when the rooster launched himself and landed, talons out, right in the middle of Father's back. The rooster soon realized his mistake. Dislodged from his perch, he ran faster and faster around the yard pursued by Father who was kicking at him while holding up his pants and uttering strong words.

People usually protest that this sort of behaviour is to be expected from roosters, but that hens are quiet, kindly, clucking creatures, symbols of domestic coziness. Hah! City chicken-lovers are about to discover the origin of the term 'pecking order'!

All nature is a circle. What goes into a chicken, whether it's worms or chicken feed, must inevitably come out. Unless the chickens are penned, which lessens their interactive potential, the resulting manure will be all over the yard. Explaining to a chagrined canvasser for the Heart and Stroke fund that she's just slipped on a pile of yard-art droppings may mollify her.

Then, again, maybe not.

I'm betting it won't be her ''carbon footprint'' she's thinking of while attempting to clean her shoes.

Page 12

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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NORTH of 50 January 2010

NORTH of 50 January 2010

page 13

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

A History of Ski-Jumping in Kamloops

Originating with the Norwegians, the daring sport of ski-jumping catapulted to popularity in Canada’s west in the late 1800s.

As early as 1925, thousands of Kamloopsians lined the hill behind the Royal Inland Hospital to catch their first glimpse of ace plankmen soar through the air, like Revelstoke’s famed Nels Nelsen.

Intrigued with the high-flying sport from the getgo, Kamloopsians discussed the notion of constructing a permanent ski hill in Kamloops for a dozen years before the Kamloops Rotary Club pioneered the development.

In Novomber 1938, persuaded by Nels Nelsen’s argument that Kamloops’ terrain and snowfall were perfect to support a lucrative skiing industry, the Rotarians made the commitment to construct a premire ski facility on the old George ranch, located three miles west of Kamloops at present day Dufferin.

The service group undertook the task on the understanding that when the preliminary work was done, Kamloops skiers would form a club to manage the undertaking and promote skiing in the region.

In less than three months, from December 1938 to February 1939, the Kamloops Ski Plant was constructed, the Kamloops Ski Club born, two major ski events held and Kamloops positioned firmly on Western Canada’s ski destination map.

The Kamloops Ski Club celebrated the opening of the Kamloops Ski Plant in grand style with a skijumping tournament featuring some of Canada’s finest jumpers on January 22, 1939.

Forming a thick black border around the hill, a crowd of 1,500 watched in awe as Canadian ski champion Tom Mobraaten soared to victory with a 51.5 metre leap.

Skiing officiates could barely contain their enthusiasm for the ski facility and before the final jumpers were hurling themselves down the mountainside, B.C. ski clubs were pleading Kamloops Ski Club president Weston Frost to submit an application to host the 1940 B.C. Ski Championships.

Less than two weeks after the hill’s official opening, KSC members were hard at work finalizing details on its first annual competitive meet and Frost was soliciting CPR officials to have Kamloops added to the railway’s Snow Train itinerary.

So fervent was ski fever in Kamloops that Mayor C.E. Scanlan proclaimed the afternoon of February 15 a civic holiday.

With the Ski Plant’s jumping and slalom hills located just 200 metres apart, the several thousand

story by Sherry Bennett

Photo courtesy Kamloops Museum & Archives Enthusiasm of championship ski artists and of 1,000 new-born ski fans ran high in 1939 as the Kamloops Ski Club formally opened the Kamloops Ski Plant.

spectators in attendance were able to switch their attention from one type of ski sport to the other with little effort.

At no time in the three-hour meet was there a minute lapse in action. The 40 jumpers entered necessitated a jump to be made every minute-and-ahalf. Ivind Nelsen, brother of Nels Nelsen, competed under the colours of the KSC and soared to first place in the A jump competition.

Due in large part to the commanding success it experienced in its inaugural year, the KSC easily secured rights to host the 1940 B.C. Provincial Ski Championships.

But in sharp contrast to the ski club’s instant success out of the chute, its second year would go

down in the record books for all the wrong reasons after the mildest winter in 42 years left the Ski Plant’s jumping chute bare.

The decision to notify ski officials at Vancouver that the local conditions were not suitable for the championship tournament was a bitter pill for the Kamloops Ski Club to swallow, delaying for some years, Frost’s dream that Kamloops could indeed become a great winter sports centre.

Explore the untold stories of our past

Visit the Museum

All new exhibits and Children's Museum in 2010 Open year round

Hours: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm ~ Thurs until 7:30 pm Closed: Sun - Mon ~ 250-828-3576

WINTER CLEARANCE SALE January 11th at 9 am sharp!

Discounts from 25 - 75 % off on all clothing in stock to make room for new spring arrivals.

607 Cliff Ave., Enderby, BC 250-838-7121

museum@kamloops.ca ~ kamloops.ca/museum

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Places to Find Powder in 2010 Sun Peaks Resort Catches a Bad Case of Olympic Fever

In the contagious spirit of the 2010 Winter Games, this February 12 - 28 Sun Peaks Resort invites everyone to be an Olympian, at least in their dreams. Revelry knows no bounds at this triple-mountain complex. >From the creative minds who first added Snowshoe Golf to BC’s winter sports vocabulary come two new demonstration sports—Nordic Ski Nerf Biathlon action coupled with an extreme speed event, Tube Luge.

Trophies will be as highly prized by the winners as any medals listed on the resort’s podium count board where Canadian athlete’s accomplishments, together with the other top five nations, will be regularly updated. And there’s plenty of excitement to be had on the slopes – this is, after all, the yearly training ground for the mighty Austrian ski team. An added bonus? Canada’s most renowned Winter Olympian, skier Nancy Greene Raine, calls Sun Peaks Resort home. (Adventurers can ski with Greene Raine most weekends at 1 p.m. from the top of the Sunburst Chairlift.) To fully appreciate what makes an Olympic medal special, drop

by Nancy’s Cahilty Lodge to check out her impressive trophy stash. The ever-youthful senator may even offer to hang one around your neck, a priceless Olympic bonus. www.sunpeaksresort.com

Getting an Edge at Panorama Mountain Resort

When visiting pros first dialed Panorama Mountain Village’s new Showoff Terrain Park last spring, they were quick to label it the biggest and best in the Canadian Rockies. To prove that was no fluke, this March 20 – 21, Panorama (due north from Cranbrook’s Canadian Rockies International Airport and a short drive from Calgary) will host the second annual Showoff Freestyle Weekend, featuring four events, cash prizes, and live music. The park’s freestyle terrain nestled alongside the Mile 1 chair provides a haven for those not tempted by the breezy expanse of Founders Ridge.

Plus, the Mile 1 quad lift offers improved access for those snow sliders who want an “I can see forever” experience. Further up the 2,370-metre (7,775-foot) mountain, Panorama has opened a formerly inaccessible heli-ski area between the View of 1,000 Peaks and Stumbock’s runs. Deep powder turns, glades, and plenty of the intermediate-level terrain that Panorama is renowned for gives skiers and riders a glimpse of what to expect in this new area in coming years. In preparation for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and

Paralympic Winter Games’ alpine ski races held at Panorama’s sister resort, Whistler Blackcomb, watch out for an international gathering of Olympic alpine ski teams—including the Canadian Women Alpine Ski Team, the Canadian Alpine Snowboard Team, the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team and local Olympian, Nick Brush, guide for Paralympic silver medalist alpine downhill ski racer, Chris Williamson—here to sharpen their edges and skills. www.panoramaresort. com

Circus Time at Apex Mountain Resort

The outcome of a visit to Apex Mountain Resort in the south Okanagan is a no-brainer: those who journey uphill from Penticton in search of champagne powder snow end up following a predictable routine. The day starts with an oogey-gooey cinnamon bun at the Fresh Tracks Café, followed a few descents later by a stop at the Billy Goat Hut, then, after as many cruisers as possible on the Motherlode—best intermediate run in the Okanagan—settling into the Gunbarrel Saloon to warm up. During mid-winter cold snaps, such a regime is truly heart and feet warming. This is a good thing, especially when the winds blow cold atop mile-high Beaconsfield Mountain, where views stretch south into Washington State. February gives added incentive for snowboarders and skiers to stick together. On Valentine’s Day, Pentagon Board Shop hosts the first annual Show A Little Love Showdown, a spectator-friendly, big-air slopestyle snowboard event in the heart of the resort. No need to hike to the terrain park to catch the action as riders drawn from throughout the valley launch off a Showtime booter at the top of the course followed by a jib or two down into the village. Not to be overshadowed, the week-long Canada Post NorAm Freestyle Frenzy (February 26 - March 2) offers skiers the chance to blast through Apex’s World Cup mogul course, throw down one or two monster kickers, and stick a judge-pleasing landing to claim top spot.

Sounds like the white circus is definitely coming to town. www.apexresort.com

Bulkley Valley Nordic Marathon

Maybe it’s the rolling white landscape, the crisp mountain air, a touch of cabin fever, or a distillation of all three. Whatever the draw, expect a competitive, pentup field of skinny-ski skiers to turn out for the Bulkley Valley Nordic Marathons—both classic and skate.

Held in the snowy heart of Northern BC on February 27 - 28, winter marathons epitomize the region’s es-

NORTH of 50 January 2010

Home prit de ski. From past experience hosting such loppets, most recently the Western Canadian Championships in 2007, volunteers at Smithers’s Bulkley Valley Nordic Centre know how to stage always-colourful, mass-start races. Plus the centre’s wood-frame Buchfink Lodge is plenty big enough to handle all comers, whether in search of a good wax job or a cup of steaming mocha. Cross-country ski roots run deep here on the slopes of massive Hudson Bay Mountain, home to the largest nordic club per capita in the province since 1984. When it comes to enjoying the countryside, the 5,575-strong citizenry of Smithers (seven of which qualified as cross-country skiing officials for the 2010 Winter Games) outperform their Yellowhead Highway town’s size. One caveat: majestically-horned moose also call the Bulkley Valley home. Don’t be surprised to find the occasional ungulate munching its way along a backstreet, not to mention in one of the valley’s moose meadows that double as nordic terrain in winter. The sight of the shy creature is enough to set any marathoner’s adrenal glands aflutter. www.bvnordic.ca

NORTH of 50 January 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

and Away

by Hannah Rollmaker

Benidorm, located on the beautiful Mediterranean coast, has been the vacation spot of choice for many Northern Europeans ever since the 1960s, when holiday packages came into vogue and the city went from a quiet fishing village to a tourist hotspot almost overnight. The Benidorm of today is widely known for its oceanfront resorts and amazing cityscape, built with tourist money thanks to the millions of visitors who come to Benidorm to leave the world behind for a week. Benidorm also boasts some of the most raucous

Niagara is more than just home to the beautiful falls.

This place in Canada also holds numerous hotels and motels that offer breathtaking views of the scenery.

There are many hotels and motels in Niagara Falls.

Niagara is one of the famous wonders of the earth that has an average of at least 28 million tourist visitors over the year. Peak tourist season is during the summer – the time when these falls look their most beautiful. There are many recommended places you can book into during your visit to Niagara Falls. Among the top most beautiful luxury hotels and motels in Niagara Falls are the following.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls – This five star hotel offers magnificent views of the Niagara Falls.

It is indeed the nearest hotel structure built beside the

and enjoyable nightlife around the Mediterranean, making it a hedonist’s Eden. It wasn’t always this way, though.

Before it became a bustling holiday wonderland, Benidorm was a city built with the noblest intentions: The aim was to create a zoned city that allowed every landowner extra space for privacy and comfort. This was an amenity unavailable in most of the other Spanish cities at the time. The city was perfectly situated to make use of all the natural grandeur that Spain had to

falls. It is a 42 storey building with 512 luxurious room accommodations. The Embassy offers Whirlpool Presidential Suites and a nightly Fireworks presentation by the falls. Tremendous recreation facilities are also provided such as an indoor pool, fitness center, whirlpool, outdoor sun deck, arcade game room, scenic wine route and the Shaw festival theater. Embassy Suites is definitely a trademark of many top hotels and motels in Niagara.

Marriott Niagara Falls Falls view Hotel & Spa – This is a 23 storey hotel with 432 guest rooms and suites overlooking the Niagara Falls. It is considered as among the best hotels and motels in Niagara. It is an awarded hotel for its top quality services and outstanding hotel amenities as well as facilities. Hotel amenities include an indoor pool, outdoor sun deck, whirlpool, sauna and steam room. They also offer in room massage treatments.

Blue Moon Motel – This is among the top hotels and motels in Niagara Falls. It is an affordable high quality motel located at Lundy’s Lane near Factory Outlet and the Niagara Golf Club. Motel amenities include an in ground heated swimming pool, picnic garden with barbecue area and a children’s area. The motel offers Jacuzzi Suite rooms, Family Suite rooms and different accommodation packages you can choose from.

Fall Manor Motel – This is a small motel that has

page 15 offer. The glimmering Mediterranean Sea was an arm’s reach away and coastline turned into lush, green pastures. More incredibly, beautiful Spanish Mountains were not far away inland. These mountains helped and still do help to give Benidorm what is known as a “microclimate”. Put simply, Benidorm enjoys some of the most consistently pleasurable weather thanks to the height of these mountains sending unwelcome wind patterns elsewhere. This same Benidorm exists today, albeit only in spirit. The pristine location is still perfectly seated between rolling mountains and a gorgeous seascape, making it a bounty for both the eyes and the body. The curious zoning laws of Benidorm are still enforced, as well, though this only applies to the seventy thousand or so people who call the city home. The many tourists that visit each year have as their home some of the finest hotels on the continent, like the Gran Hotel Bali, overlooking some of the most beautiful and cherished beaches known to man. Most notable among these beaches are Llevante, Poniente, and Mal Pas. Each one of these pristine locations has been recognized by the EU to be of the highest quality possibly attainable.

Benidorm, perhaps due to the many tourists who fall in love with the city and refuse to leave, is one of the most ethnically varied cities in Europe and has the highest immigrant population in Spain. Add to this the fact that hundreds of different races and backgrounds visit Benidorm each day and the end result is one of the most international cities on the planet. Surprisingly, there is very little crime and illicit activity to be found in Benidorm, aside from the seedier late night cabaret shows. Although most tourist towns keep a firm hand on crime in order to not detract visitors, perhaps the real reason that Benidorm is generally peaceful is because, no matter what your background, the city is simply too enjoyable for anybody to hold a grudge or feel anger. This very unique town on the Mediterranean just might be the closest thing to a Utopia that our species will ever have.

About the Author: For accommodation in Benidorm check this list of Benidorm hotels: http://www.hotelsrgo.com/Spain/Benidorm.html

been running for over 50 years now. It is one of the most affordable hotels and motels in Niagara. This small motel offers a wide variety of room accommodations from single bed rooms to honeymoon suites. All of which are clean and perfectly designed for elegance and convenience. Motel amenities include a picnic area, large outdoor pools, pet friendly cottage units and shuttle buses to the falls.

Anchor Lodge Motel Anchor Lodge Motel is an ideal motel for people who want to visit Niagara Falls and get a restful sleep afterwards. Unlike other well known Niagara hotels and motels, Anchor Lodge motel is located where it remains silent and reserved from the busy Niagara Falls. Anchor Lodge also offers Jacuzzi rooms and Family rooms with complete basic amenities.

The majestic and awesome beauty of the Niagara Falls attracts more than 12 million visitors each year.

Though the falls are the main attraction, the area around Niagara Falls also presents some of the best tourist places.

Visitors planning to visit this magical and popular tourist destination will also find a wide variety of hotels and accommodations near Niagara Falls. Cheap hotels and inns such as the Knights Inn Niagara Falls, Econo Lodge at the Falls North and the Caravan Motel offer value for money accommodations. Tourists looking for luxurious and 5 star hotels are recommended the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview and the Marriott Niagara Falls Hotel & Spa.

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News & Information Lowdown on New Year Tax Changes for 2010 submitted by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

• On the East Coast: NB soars into tax competitiveness while NS plans tax hikes • On the West Coast: BC’s sees modest gains and HST looms The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has released its annual New Year Tax Change calculations which provide projected personal income and payroll tax changes taking effect January 1st, 2010.

CTF researchers calculated the changes for a variety of income levels and family scenarios while adjusting 2009 income levels for inflation.

“The main tax changes for 2010 involve small payroll increases and the HST in Ontario and BC. Meanwhile, large deficits and rising debt are putting pressures on governments to raise taxes further,” said CTF Federal Director Kevin Gaudet.

Payroll Taxes on the Rise, Again While the EI and CPP tax rates have not increased, their thresholds have. This means that anyone earning more than $47,200 will pay an additional $44 in payroll taxes in 2010.

“These payroll tax increases are likely just the tip of the iceberg as the federal government looks to run major EI surpluses through higher EI rates over the next few years,” continued Gaudet.

General Business Income Taxes The federal government continues to reduce business income taxes. They drop to 18% from 19%.

Provincial Winners and Losers “Every New Year sees winners and losers, and this year the hands-down winners are the taxpayers of New Brunswick,” said Gaudet. “The CTF has been a champion of lower, simpler and flatter taxes in Canada, and New Brunswick is moving in the right direction.”

“British Columbians can also expect modest tax relief, but deficit spending and the new HST threaten to undue those gains, however modest,” Continued Gaudet.

Regarding Ontario, Gaudet noted a meagre move to lower the first bracket by a single point and meaningful reductions for business income taxes. However, Gaudet pointed out that those gains will be offset by substantial increases for individuals and families with the tax hike in the top two tax brackets and the new HST. Turning to the rest of Canada, Gaudet stated, “They’re just coasting. There were few other major income or payroll tax changes.”

The provinces of Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island continue to refuse to automatically index their tax brackets each year, causing a stealth tax hike via bracket creep.

New Brunswick Storms Ashore The first tax bracket rises from 9.18% to 9.3%. The second bracket drops from 13.52% to 12.5%. The third drops from 15.2% to 13.3%. The fourth bracket drops from 16.05% to 14.4%. This means that New Brunswick taxpayers not only take home significantly more money, but that they also will have a greater incentive to work harder with punitive marginal tax rates somewhat flattened.

• A single individual making $60,000 will save $488, bringing this individual near the national average with an effective tax rate at 27.3% • A family with a single earner and two children making $80,000 will save $922, bringing their effective rate near the national average at 25.6% “Compared with other provinces, New Brunswick is only moving towards an average standing in income taxes come January 1st. However, this is meaningful progress. New Brunswick can and should go further. However, its first priority, as is that of all governments, must be to get spending under control and balance the books,” stated Gaudet.

HST on its Way With the HST coming into force July 1st, 2010, the CTF is demanding that the Campbell government in BC offset any potential tax grab. “While raising the Basic Personal Amount from $9,373 to $11,000 should go part of the way in providing needed relief for low-income earners, middle-class families are still getting slammed by the HST. In BC and Ontario, the HST needs to be reduced by at least 2 percentage points,” continued Gaudet.

In trying to appease voter anger over the HST, the McGuinty government in Ontario is making a meagre adjustment to the first income bracket, moving it from

NORTH of 50 January 2010

6.05% to 5.05% while completely offsetting most gains for Ontarians by increasing the thresholds for the two surtaxes in place. For example, a family with a single earner and two children making $100,000 will save a paltry $106 due only to indexation amounts increasing greater federally and provincially than the CTF adjustments used for inflation. In essence, Ontarians can expect a modest tax hike in terms of real income – not including the impact of the HST. “The HST will eat up a sizable portion of Ontarian’s take-home pay. Rather than bribing taxpayers with a one-time cheque and raising surtaxes to wipe out the modest moves made in the first bracket, McGuinty needs to lower the HST to as low as 10% in a way that is fair to everyone,” concluded Gaudet.

Airline Updates

Air Canada and Jazz provide the following update for flights from Canada to the United States: Air Canada and Jazz remind customers that due to new security measures imposed by Canadian and U.S. government authorities on flights from Canada to the U.S., there are strict limits in effect for carry-on articles allowed in the cabin.

Air Canada advises passengers that the new regulations permit only a single carry-on item and recommends customers consult Transport Canada guidelines at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/backgrounders-menu-5781.htm for details on permissible carry-on items such as a small purse, laptop computer or infant care items.

To accommodate customers travelling to the U.S., Air Canada is waiving excess baggage charges for checked baggage on a temporary basis for U.S.-bound customers travelling from Canada. Customers will be permitted to check up to three items of baggage at no additional charge until further notice.

Customers can continue to expect delays on U.S.-bound flights. Northbound flights from the U.S. to Canada are also being impacted due to late inbound aircraft. Customers can also expect potential delays on domestic and international flights due to airport congestion and delayed aircraft.

Air Canada recommends passengers travelling to the U.S. from Canada check the status of their flight before going to the airport and arrive early for their flight in order to allow adequate time for additional personal searches. Under new rules enacted by Transport Canada and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, passengers and their carry-on allowance will be strictly limited and subject to full searches at airport screening points.

"We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our customers during this challenging time and ask them to assist us in getting them to their destination faster by bringing as little carry-on as possible," said Duncan Dee, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "Air Canada is doing everything it can to maintain its schedule, despite the delays caused by security screening issues outside its control. However, our number one priority remains the safety and security of our customers and staff."

Due to heavy volumes customers may find response times are longer than normal at call centres. Customers should check the status of their flight at www. aircanada.com .

SIDEWALK CLEARING FOR SENIORS The City of Kamloops has contributed towards the sidewalk-clearing program for seniors, which is coordinated by SIRRS – the Senior Information, Referral, and Resource Society.

Seniors needing volunteers to clear snow from the sidewalk in front of their home must pre-register and pre-qualify for assistance based on income.

Volunteers are needed in many areas of the city, and the Society strives to match seniors with volunteers in their neighbourhood. This is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together, or anyone who wants to help their neighbour. Children must have permission of their parent or guardian, and in the interest of senior safety, all volunteers must undergo a (free) Police Records Check.

If you would like to register for assistance or for volunteering, SIRRS would be pleased to hear from you. You may drop into the society offices, phone, or email them for forms and more information: Monday-Friday; 9:30am-4pm 25 – 700 Tranquille Road, Kamloops, BC V2B 3H9 Phone 554-4145; e-mail sirrs@kamloops.net

NORTH of 50 January 2010 A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE STORY

High Maintenance

by Sterling Haynes

Six weeks before Christmas I started vomiting and couldn’t stop. Twenty-four hours later I was trundled off, by my wife Jessie, to the emergency room of the Kelowna General hospital. Dr. Sean and a merry band of nurses managed to stop the vomiting and rehydrated me with intravenous fluid. A small umbilical hernia had grown into a large rupture from the retching. The Norwalk virus was the culprit.

My wife and Dr. Sean advised me to see my GP, Dr. Bernie – and I did. Dr. Bernie made an appointment for me to see a general surgeon who advised me to lose weight before surgery. The nurse recommended a weight reduction plan formulated by a group of experts. The receptionist told me that she was going to an international group of women called Weight Watchers.

She gave me their address. The office was in an evangelical church with no elevators.

On Friday, the 13th of January I arrived for the meeting on the second floor of the church. Climbing the long flight of stairs left me puffing as I entered the room. Things looked ominously busy – women talking, being weighed, buying weight watchers cookies and books and registering for the course. Apart from all the little kids running around there were twenty women for each man. I couldn’t understand why the majority of women were in attendance, each female’s looked fit and fashionable. Many of the women’s bouffant hair styles were contoured. I thought “the higher the hair, the closer to God.” I soon realized there was some royalty and religion involved in these meetings. There was picture of “Fergie” on the back wall, it was a bit tattered and held by thumb tacks… their Princess and my savior.

I paid my $12.00 and received a booklet of rules, a slide rule for calculating points and calories and my weigh-in card. The trim woman handling the electronic weigh-in scale gasped when she looked at my weight because it was so high.

As I plugged in and turned on my hearing aids I heard her say, “How tall are you?”

“I used to be six - two but I’ve shrunk in a linear direction by two inches and expanded horizontally.”

She looked at me quizzically then said, in a-no-nonsense way, “Please step over to the receptionist and fill out our admission application form.”

The receptionist was a beautiful blonde. She was trim and wore expensive form fitting clothes well. She was left-handed and signed me up. Then I noticed three diamonds on her ring finger. A gold wedding ring was next to her knuckle. The diamond next in line was the smallest, the next two were over one half carat and filled the space to her distal knuckle; she had a sparkling finger to go with her white teeth and radiant smile. I was dazzled.

I wondered to myself how many times she has been engaged, possibly three? What could have happened to the first two engaging young men? The old saying entered my brain – “gentlemen prefer blondes but do blondes prefer gentlemen?” This receptionist held the answer on her ring finger. Perhaps she had been engaged three times?

The calculated figure for my weight reduction was to be 25 pounds. I was to become a svelte 220 pounds; my goal had to be attained in three months. The calories were estimated by the point system and by using the paper slide rule. It was suggested by our leader lecturer that we buy food in bulk at Costco. A 100 lb. sack of low calorie, crispy synthetic potato chips was rated “best buy” of the month. These tough chips were guaranteed to satiate hunger. I wasn’t to eat too many.

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

These tasteless potato chips lasted for a year but I never returned to Costco to replenish my supply.

Our leader was young and personable and presented her pitch with joie de vivre. She wore an immaculate pantsuit with a wool shawl that accentuated her figure.

The toes of her shoes were pointed and she had stiletto three-inch heels. She walked without a wobble.

The next rule suggestion was to use seven-inch plates to serve food. Regular dinner plates, nine inches in diameter, would be better left in the cupboard.

This attractive young woman continued the lesson by giving out silver stars to previous students. Small stars could be attached to your weigh-in book if you lost five pounds in a week. A large star, like a sheriff’s badge, could be worn on your sweater if you lost 10 pounds.

Over the course of three months I won two small silver stars for my book. I tried to satiate my hunger by eating the synthetic potato chips. Twice, during the three month course I lost five pounds in one week. I blushed with the applause and adulation from my women class-mates when, twice, I went to the front of the class to receive my silver star.

The young beauty, my teacher, had a red streak dyed into her long black hair. Before the start of the first class I complimented her on the stunning look and suggested that it was similar to the red streak seen on expensive sport cars. I joked that the least her husband could do was

page 17 to buy her a BMW convertible. Our instructor beamed and after that and she never forgot my first name.

She began the first lesson with four points written on the white sheet board at the front of the class: come every week and try and reduce your weight weekly, pay attention, ask questions” and stay focused. Finally, the last rule was – show up every Friday morning.

As a new boy, I was to stay after class with five women newcomers for integration and instruction.

We were told while food and calories were important, that WE must drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Plagued by prostate trouble and a leaking faucet, I thought, if I did this I’d have to pick up to pick up a jumbo box of snuggy diapers on my way home.

When we were getting ready to leave I looked behind me and saw a massive young man with a shaved head and a bearded chin. He must have snuck in quietly. He wore a loose fitting sweatshirt, same as mine, but his belly was probably bigger. Our combined weight was more than 500 pounds. On my way out I was asked to “show up” next Friday and to buy the latest promotional DVD. “We only have VHS at home.”

The receptionist shrugged at me and said “Too bad.”

She flashed me her radiant smile and sparkling finger.

“See you next week.”

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NORTH of 50 January 2010

Health Matters

A l z h eimer's Awareness Mo n t h

January is Alzheimer Awareness Month across Canada. 500,000 Canadians, including 70, 000 British Columbians, have Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.

Living with a dementia is challenging for the person with the disease and for those who care about them so it is important for families to be informed.

“Getting assessment of deteriorating cognitive abilities early is important” says Sheila Smith, Central Interior Support and Education Coordinator from the Alzheimer Society of B.C. Often people avoid or delay reporting changes such as memory problems, difficulty with numbers, mood swings, decreased judgment, trouble following directions or suspiciousness and confusion. They may believe that these are normal signs of aging, or fear that they have Alzheimer’s and feel their quality of life is over.

“Investigation by a physician is critical because the changes may be caused by a condition that can be treated and reversed. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or a related dementia gives the person with dementia and their family time to learn about the disease and ways to maintain quality of life, plan for the future and try medication that may help with symptoms,“ says Smith.

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is dedicated to helping individuals and families build the knowledge, skills and confidence to live well with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. The Kamloops Resource Centre delivers the Alzheimer Society of B.C. services and programs in the Central Interior Area between Williams Lake, Bella Coola, Lilloeet, Lytton, Merritt, the North Shuswap and Valemont.

The Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s programs and services include:

• free information and fact sheets • lending library materials • education series for people with early dementia and their care partner • education series for family caregivers, other family members and friends • Early Stage Support Groups for people with early symptoms • Information and Support Groups for caregivers • tele-workshops for Caregivers • individual one-to one telephone support or face to face support by appointment • A Dementia Help-line operates Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm • two regular publications, InTouch for caregivers and Insight for People with dementia, are available by mail or on our website www.alzheimerbc.org.

The Investors Group Walk for Memories, on Sunday January 31, 2010 raises funds to support the availability of programs and services to people in the Central Interior who experience the impact of Alzheimer’s in their life. Call 250-377-8200 or 1-800886-6946 to register to walk or donate.

Call 250-377-8200 or 1- 800- 886-6946 or e–mail ssmith@alzheimerbc.org for details of specific programs and services in the Central Interior Area.

Life-Saving Transplant Programs Go Platinum!

This year, BC Transplant, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is pleased to celebrate two significant milestones—the 20th anniversary of both the liver and the lung transplant programs in BC. Organ donation saves lives. Register your decision on BC’s Organ Donor Registry at www.transplant.bc.ca or telephone 1.800.663.6189.

Sneak Some Exercise Into Regular Activities

Many people equate "exercise" with doing a workout video or heading to the gym. This doesn't have to be the case at all. Regular daily activities provide a lot of the exercise a person needs and can be tweaked to provide even more. * Move while watching TV or playing video games: There are several video games today that make physical activity part of the fun. Even if your gaming system doesn't feature getting up and being active, do so on your own. While watching a television show, dance, walk in place, do jumping jacks, or any other activity during commercials. * Go outdoors: Instead of recreational activities inside of the house where space is limited, play games, go on walks, or organize a pick-up sports game in the neighborhood. You'll burn calories, get exercise, and enjoy fresh air, too. * Leave the car at home: Whenever possible, bike, walk, rollerblade, or get to your destination another way. Suburban life tends to create the car-to-store-tocar-to-house pattern, which doesn't make for much physical activity. * Keep moving: If you simply must sit, such as in school or at the office, tap or kick your legs. A little movement is better than none at all. * Park further away: When in store parking lots, park furthest from the entrance so you're forced to walk a bit more to and from the car. * Take a walking tour: Sightseeing during a vacation? Many big cities are perfect for strolling. With so much to see, you won't even realize how much walking you're doing.

NORTH of 50 January 2010 CELLPHONE BAN WHILE DRIVING Under changes to the Motor Vehicle Act introduced by government last fall that take effect on January 1, 2010, drivers will be allowed to use only handsfree cellphones and devices that require only one touch to activate. As of February 1, a driver talking on a hand-held phone or electronic device will be subject to a fine of $167. In addition, drivers caught texting or emailing will be subject to three penalty points.

For new drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), there will be a full ban on all cellphone and electronic devices, including hands-free.

A recently released report entitled ‘Teens and Distracted Driving’ by Washington D.C.-based Pew Research found that of those teens 16 to 17 years of age who own a cell phone or text regularly, more than half have talked on a cellphone while driving, and one in three has texted while driving.

To abide by the new law, licensed drivers can use hands-free technology that is activated by a single touch to a button or, when it is safe to do so, pull over and stop their vehicle before they talk or email.

Police, fire and ambulance personnel who may need to make calls in the performance of their duties, and motorists who need to call 9-1-1 are exempt from the legislation. The use of two-way radios for commercial or industrial vehicles will be permitted.

Details on what is permitted and what is prohibited under the legislation is at: http://www.pssg.gov. bc.ca/osmv/publications/index.htm.

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Watch the 44th Annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon The Children’s Charity of British Columbia and Global BC will present the 44th Annual Show of Hearts Telethon on January 30th and 31st, 2010.

Since raising $60,000 at the first Telethon in 1966, Variety and Global BC have continuously worked together to create an incredible 2-day experience every year that features amazing stories of hope from around the province as well as fantastic entertainment from around the world. Thanks to the generosity of British Columbians, the Telethon has come a long way – last year’s Telethon raised a record breaking $8,304,513 for children who have special needs and organizations that support children.

“I cannot tell you how important your donations are to the children that Variety helps. We are receiving more requests for financial assistance then ever before. The need has truly never been greater. The Telethon is a wonderful opportunity for people to gather in front of their televisions and see first hand what these children are going through. Viewers are also able to witness the incredible difference their donations are making,” says Barbie Hislop, Executive Director of Variety – The Children’s Charity.

The Telethon features 23 hours of taped concerts and performances by world renowned entertainers as well as moving and inspirational stories about children in BC that have been helped by Variety. The Telethon is hosted

by Global BC personalities including, Jill Krop, Tony Parsons, Chris Gailus, Deborra Hope, Steve Darling, Kristi Gordon and Wayne Cox. Also sharing hosting duties again this year is fan favourite, Bob McGrath of Sesame Street.

Visit www.variety.bc.ca for updates on the entertainment as well as information about the children that will be featured. Remember to tune-in to the Variety Show of Hearts on Global BC at 7 pm on Saturday, January 30ththrough 6 pm on Sunday, January 31st. The special phone line to make donations- 310-KIDS – will be open and begin accepting donations January 23rd, a week before the telethon. Your donation will help Variety inspire hope, enrich lives, and build a better future for children in British Columbia.

Do you have a personal experience story you would like to share with North of 50 readers?

We would like to invite you to submit your story for publication. A personal experience story can be about anything. It might be inspiring, funny, scary or wierd. It might be about a wonderful holiday or a travel nightmare. It might be about pursuing a lifelong passion, how you coped with a health crisis or a personal loss. It could be a love story, a ghost story, a travel story. It’s YOUR story, whatever that is.

Guidelines: Stories should be between 600 and 800 words and can be on any topic, but must be your personal experience. You must include your telephone number and address. These will not be published and are for verification purposes only. Submit your story by Mail to: Personal Experience, Editor, North of 50, Box 100 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 or email to: editor@northof50.com or fax to: (250) 546-8914.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR! CONTEST I know what you’re thinking! Christmas hasn’t even arrived and you’re already talking about Valentine’s Day! I have to!

How else can I tell you about our new fun contest.

VALENTINE’S DAY WRITING CONTEST FOR NORTH OF 50 READERS!

Tell us a love story. It can be any kind of love story - humourous or heart warming.

It can be about the first time you met, the last time you saw each other, unrequited love, a long distance romance - YOU TELL US in 500 words or less. Best three stories will be selected and printed in the February issue. Fiirst place winner will also win a Valentine’s gift basket valued at $40. So put pen to paper and get that entry to us by January 16th at midnight!

You can email your story to contest@ northof50.com or you can fax it to us at (250) 546-8914, or mail it to: North of 50 Contest, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 January 2010

MOVIES & BOOKS THE BOOK SHELF from the publishers

TRAUMA FARM

BOOK DETAILS: September 2009 ISBN 978-1-55365-474-2 Hardcover 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" 352 pages Nature $35.00 CAD AWARDS Winner of the 2009 Writers' Trust of Canada Non-Fiction Prize Long-listed for the BC Award for Canadian NonFiction

An irreverent and illuminating journey through a day in the life of the affectionately named Trauma Farm, with numerous side trips into the natural history of farming.

Beginning naked in darkness, Brian Brett moves from the tending of livestock, poultry, orchards, gardens, machinery, and fields to the social intricacies of rural communities and, finally, to an encounter with a magnificent deer in the silver moonlight of a magical farm field. Brett understands both tall tales and rigorous science as he explores the small mixed farm—meditating on the perfection of the egg and the nature of soil while also offering a scathing critique of agribusiness and the horror of modern slaughterhouses. Whether discussing the uses and misuses of gates, examining the energy of seeds, or bantering with his family, farm hands, and neighbours, he remains aware of the miracles of life, birth, and death that confront the rural world every day.

Trauma Farm tells a story that’s poetic, passionate, practical, and frequently hilarious, providing an unforgettable portrait of one farm and our separation from the natural world, as well as a common-sense analysis of rural life.

NEW IN THEATRES - from the producers

LEGION

January 22, 2010 Supernatural Action/Thriller In the supernatural action thriller Legion, an out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race.

When God loses faith in Mankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity's only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner and the Archangel Michael (Paul Bettany).

LEGION is rated R by the MPAA for “strong bloody violence and language.”

DEAR JOHN February 5, 2010 Drama

Directed by Lasse Hallström and based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, DEAR JOHN tells the story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John’s increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas--correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.

YOUTH IN REVOLT January 08, 2010

The outrageous and heartwarming tale of Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) and his quest to win the heart of Sheeni (newcomer Portia Doubleday) and hopefully lose his virginity along the way. Based on C.D. Payne's culthit novel of the same name, YOUTH IN REVOLT is directed by Miguel Arteta.

EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES January 22, 2010

From his working class roots, John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) had finally begun to taste success in corporate America. Supported by his beautiful wife Aileen (Keri Russell) and their three children, John is on the fast track. But just as his career is taking off, Crowley walks away from it all when his two youngest children,Megan and Patrick, are diagnosed with a fatal disease. With Aileen by his side,harnessing all of his skill and determination, Crowley teams up with a brilliant, butunappreciated and unconventional scientist, Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford).

NORTH of 50 January 2010

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SNOWBIRDS Arizona Border Buffet Bye Cab California Call Camping Canada Canadian Crossing Desert Email Far Fishing Go Green Groups Highway Holiday Home Icy Insurance Keno Bay Mail Mexico Money

New Year Parks Pool Recreational Resorts Roads Sandy Sea Seniors Snowbird South Stay Sun Sunshine Swap Time Trailer Travel Trip Truck Vehicle Wet Winter Yank Yuma

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters spell out a hidden message. Words can go left or right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. Answers to puzzle is on page 22.

Back issues of

DOWN

Across 1 Hay 6 Wing 9 Recede 12 Tan Color 13 Drink Slowly 14 Toilet 15 Asian nation 16 Government agency 17 Container 18 Bunsen Burner 20 Finale

22 Asian peninsula 25 Exhibited 26 Doctor (slang) 27 Jogger 29 Eye infection 31 Visit 32 Less than usual in size, power or character 36 Looked at 39 Gone to lunch 40 Medicine from a plant 43 Comic book word

45 Texas stew 46 Hot his 47 Combine 48 Communication Workers of America (abbr.)

50 Sends by post 54 Vane direction 55 Tons 56 Heron 57 Distress call 58 Aurora 59 Full of swamp grass

1 Welkin 2 ___ Sting 3 Male sheep 4 BB Player Abdul Jabar 5 Old Man ___ 6 Afloat 7 Kisser’s need 8 N.A. Indian 9 where the funny bone is 10 State capital 11 Removed the bones 19 Qualm 21 Noble 22 Disks 23 Spoil 24 Gelid 25 What pepper makes you do 28 Unworn 30 Vile 33 Long time 34 Dirt 35 Possessive pronoun 37 Roof hanger in winter 38 Gable 40 Peaks 41 Rhinoceros’ nickname 42 Vetoes 44 Use 46 Caps 49 Date 51 Anger 52 Headed 53 Pigpen

are available on line at www.northof50. com

SUDOKU Each Sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each. Each puzzles solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all numbers from1 to 9: each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.

Sudoku solution on page 22

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NORTH of 50 January 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

R e a c h 100,000 plus

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in Armstrong. $1075.00 a month which includes utilities, satelite, A/C, and dishwasher.

1400 square feet with two large bedrooms. Call for appointment 250546-8910 or 250-546-8975 Chase - 1 Bedroom appartment, close to downtown, $530/mo. includes utilities & cable, available immediately.

Call (250) 679-2700 or (250) 766-1223.

1966 SS396 walnut shifter knob also SS396 rear trunk emblem original parts, asking $150.00 for both. Rebuilt 350 heads #333882, asking $950.00 for the pair. Call (250) 542-7118.

Washer and dryer Maytag $400.00 for pair.

Single box spring with metal frame and mattress like new $300.00.(250) 542 7118

Coloured Candle 19 inch T.V, remote control ,works, adjustable stand $35.00, 4 All season tires 195/75 R14. Mounted Good shape $150.00 ph 250-546-8776 For Rent 1 bedroom apartment close to DoT $530.00 month includes util & cable. Available immediately Call (250)679-2700 or (250)-7661223 For sale. 4 Maxtour tires and rims. P215/70 R15 98T M-S. from 2000 Pontiac Montana. Used less than 5000k $450.00 ph 250494-9542

ac Sp 85 Western pocketbooks $40. for all. ph 250-5032086 (Vernon) Hand embroidered table cloth 30-60 years old , also damask table cloth. from $10 up. Ph 250-4976311 For sale Sofa Bed very comfortable , very clean, good condition asking $150.00 or best offer ph.

250-554-1399 For sale Daybed, single mattress, white frame, hardly used asking $100.00, 2 brand new River Cree Resort fall jackets, mens sz M and L. Light fleece lining. Black and dark grey. $40.00 each 250-860-0187

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* Offer not open to businesses / commercial

PUBLIC INPUT NEEDED In Clearwater, the Official Community Plan Steering Committee is looking for input from the public. You are encouraged to contact any of the Steering Committee members or go to the District website; www.districtofclearwater.com to provide input of what you think would make our community great. The Official Community Plan is a tool to help Council and citizens manage change in a community. It reflects the values and priorities which have been articulated by Council and the general public. An OCP is a “living document” that provides clear direction and can continually be adapted to reflect communities' trends and respond to special circumstances. OCP’s are typically reviewed every 5 years.

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British Sweets, jewelry, glassware, special occassion gifts, handbags& pashminas, games & puzzles, toys, baby items, specialty chocolates.

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NORTH of 50 January 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

page 23

well as the number of bears that have to be destroyed each year. There are a number of criteria that communities must achieve to be recognized as Bear Smart, including:

· Prepare a bear hazard assessment of the community and surrounding area. · Prepare a bear-human conflict management plan designed to address bear hazards and land-use conflicts identified in the previous step. · Revise planning and decision-making documents to be consistent with the bearhuman conflict management plan. · Implement a continuing education program, directed at all sectors of the community. · Develop and maintain a bear-proof municipal solid waste management system. · Implement Bear Smart bylaws prohibiting providing food to bears, whether as a result of intent, neglect, or irresponsible management of attractants.

B.C.’S FIRST ‘BEAR SMART’ COMMUNITY

The Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, is pleased to announce the City of Kamloops is B.C.’s very first ‘Bear Smart’ Community.

“Kamloops stepped up to the plate by developing a community plan to reduce bear-human conflicts, installing bear-proof garbage cans, and educating people about Bear Smart practices,” said Environment Minister Barry Penner. “I congratulate the residents of Kamloops for their diligence and enthusiasm in working towards Bear Smart status and achieving it, and setting an example for other communities to follow.”

Designed by the Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, the Bear Smart Community program is a voluntary, preventative conservation program.

“Through partnerships with the B.C. Conservation Foundation and ThompsonNicola Regional District, the City of Kamloops has been successful in implementing a conservation program including educating our citizens on reducing bear-human conflicts,” said City of Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar. “Receiving this designation is a great accomplishment for our city staff, our partners and all community members. I thank everyone for their participation and support in keeping our community a healthy and safe place to live.”

The goal of achieving Bear Smart Community status is to address the root causes of bear-human conflicts, reducing the risks to human safety and private property, as

“There are many benefits that come with being designated a Bear Smart Community,” said Terry Lake, MLA Kamloops-North Thompson. “Benefits include reducing the number of bear-human conflicts, and fewer bears being destroyed because of careless human behaviour. Kamloops is a great ambassador for the Bear Smart program, and an excellent model for shared environmental management and stewardship goals.”

The Conservation Officer Service (COS) is the enforcement program of the Ministry of Environment. It delivers compliance and enforcement services in support of more than 30 provincial and federal statutes. The COS is also the lead program for managing and responding to wildlife-human conflicts where there is a risk to public safety or property damage.

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NORTH of 50 January 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Attention Home Buyers:

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