North of 50 LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE
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June 2010 Vol. 8, Issue 6
GRAND CHIEF STEWART PHILLIP A Voice For The Land & The People
CANADA THROUGH IMMIGRANT EYES A Regional Perspective
SECWEPEMCTSIN REVITALIZATION Preserving a Language Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750 northof50.com
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CONTENTS
June 2010 Vol. 8, Issue 6
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32
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FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
COLUMNS
10 GRAND CHIEF STEWART PHILLIP The Native rights activist wasn’t always connected to his culture By TJ Wallis
26 HEALTH MATTERS
6 FROM THE EDITOR
28 STAYCATIONS LIllooet to Oliver, Wine Tours
7 YOUR LETTERS
14 CANADA THROUGH IMMIGRANT EYES Two Salmon Arm residents offer their perspectives on Canadians and Canadian Living By Don Sawyer
30 AWAY FROM HOME Life’s A Beach for Portugese Explorers By Chris Higgins
22 MUSIC FOR GROWN-UPS Songs and stories that inform and entertain By Jack Godwin
40 ARTS HAPPENING
32 LAWN BOWLING ACROSS GENERATIONS By Christine Pilgrim 34 DEBUNKING AN URBAN MYTH Don’t believe everything you read
35 BOOK REVIEW
41 COMING EVENTS 43 JUNE ACTIVITIES 44 COMMUNITY EVENTS 46 CLASSIFIEDS & DIRECTORY
38 SECWEPEMCTSIN REVITALIZATION EFFORTS Why language matters By Sherry Bennett
June 21st kick starts the 11 days of Celebrate Canada! which includes National Aboriginal Day (June 21), Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24), Multiculturalism Day (June 27) and concluding with Canada Day (July 1)! 4
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18 CALVIN WHITE A Lesson In “Possible” 20 REGIONAL ATTITUDE An interview with Elizabeth McLeod & Joyce Brinkerhoff 36 DON SAWYER Fair Comment: Born Under a Jupiter Moon
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North of 50
LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE
North of 50° is an i n d ependent, free m o n t h l y publication, locally owned, produced and distributed throughout the Thompson / Nicola/ South Cariboo/ Okanagan and Shuswap areas by 0727724 BC Ltd. Disclaimer: The publisher will not b e responsible for errors or omissions. In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertisement that is incorrect will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rate. T h e opinions and views contained in submitted articles to North Of 50° magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. T h e publisher retains t h e right t o e d i t a l l s u b m i s s i o n s , including a r t i c l es and l et te r s to the editor, for brevity and clarity. Copyright is retained on a l l material, tex t and graphics in this publication. No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose, except with the ex p r essed permission of North of 50 Publications (unless for private reference only). Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750 6
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FROM OUR EDITOR CANADA IS HOME TO ABOUT 200 ETHNIC GROUPS, according to Statistics Canada. This year, we will welcome around 250,000 new immigrants to this country, most of whom will arrive from various parts of Asia. Exactly how welcoming Canadians will be is up for debate. Few will admit that, despite Canada’s policy of multiculturalism, racism continues to exist in Canada. Sociologist Adrienne Schadd wrote: “Before we as a society can liberate ourselves from the grip of racism, we have to acknowledge that it exists, and that it is not something which has been blown out of proportion; neither is it the figment of some people’s imagination.” As Canadians, we do like to pat ourselves on the back for all our liberal thinking and progressive policies. And it’s true. For the most part, we are well meaning, kind people, and when blatant racism raises its ugly head, we won’t tolerate it. Good neighbours paint over racial slurs graffiti-ed on a church wall. A complete stranger jumps to the defense of a member of a visible minority being bullied by white supremacists. Canadians don’t like racism. But some racism is invisible, hard to pinpoint, so ingrained in our public policies and practices that we don’t even recognize its existence. The Chinese poll tax, residential schools, the Japanese internment are all examples of systemic racism, where public policy marginalized entire groups. Today, we need only look at the over representation of aboriginal children in foster care in BC. When you consider that aboriginal children make up 6 percent of the population, but account for 49 percent of the children in care, it’s hard to believe that systemic racism isn’t playing a role. Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society explained in a 2007 report to the Senate, “Many of the First Nations agencies will tell you that it is not a problem to get $300 a day to put a child into foster care, but try to give $25 to a family so they can afford to feed the child and keep him or her safely in their home, and it is not possible under the current formula.” It is much easier to ignore this type of racism when you are not on the receiving end. In April, I had the opportunity to speak with Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Okanagan Nation. Apprehended in infancy, he reconnected with his culture in his twenties. Beginning on page 10, the Grand Chief shares with North of 50 readers why he is committed to native rights issues. Also in this issue, on page 15, Don Sawyer tells the respective stories of two immigrants who came to Canada from far away places, in search of a better life. Then, on page 34, we debunk an urban myth that suggests immigrants receive more benefits than Canadian pensioners. You might be surprised to learn what economic benefits immigrants really receive when they come to Canada. Then, regular contributor, Sherry Bennett takes a trip to Chief Atahm school to find out how the Shuswap people are trying to save a language from extinction, on page 38. There’s a lot more good reading in this issue of North of 50, but I’ve run out of space, so you’ll have to just keep turning the pages to find the rest of the story.
TJ Wallis
YOUR LETTERS A readers response to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, May Issue I’m writing this to say I was moved by your article about grandparents raising their grandchildren. A lot is said about the hardship and extra burden put upon us, picking up duties that we should not have to even consider. Very little was said about the rewards we also receive by being parents all over again. Believe me when I say that many a time we were brought to tears and laughter by some of the antics our dear ones pulled off from out of the blue… ...As for receiving help financially from our present B.C. government, forget it! Their mentality is: if you already have a fat cow, feed it some more and it will produce more milk. Nice dream. For our sakes I hope it pays off, but I highly doubt it. Statistics tell us that over thirty percent of the grandparents in B.C. are raising their grandchildren. This statistic is alarming in itself but it goes nowhere near the massive savings, this government is receiving because of what the grandparents have taken upon themselves. I never took on the onus of raising my grandchildren because of what I was going to get out of it financially. My wife and I, took on these little ones because they needed someone, and needed someone real quick… ...I also want it understood that I am not whining because this present government is doing very little to help families that are similar to ours and living on a fixed income. What saddens one most is the little our governments are doing to combat the present drug epidemic that is presently world wide. Sure, they pound down the lowly street pusher at the bottom of the chain but the ones who are financing the show are left alone…
Crossword to easy Enjoyed reading the letter by Bill Otway. Hope that yours was a Copy of the Original sent to Gordon Campbell. Would like your/his EXPRESS permission to reproduce this letter for the purpose of forwarding to our MLA, (the word expressed conveys to me a method of obtaining mother’s milk). Also note that on page 19 “50 years ago this may” you have neatly changed the sex of Princess Margaret! Enjoy reading all of your Publication- including the ads. ps - Please could we have a little more challenging crossword? it seems to me that more and more people are retaining their faculties long after the age of fifty. Mike Lines
Happy Father’s Day June 20th
Name withheld by request
Getting used to the new format We really like the new North of 50 format. Missed the first issue, as it wasn’t recognizable, but now we know what to look for. Keep up the good work. Gail, Vernon
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North of 50
LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE
Publisher Dean Wallis dean@northof50.com Managing Editor TJ Wallis editor@northof50.com Advertising Sales Dean Wallis dean@northof50.com Kamloops & Area sales@northof50.com Layout & Design Kristi Carter krist@northof50.com Administration Caralyn Doyle caralyn@northof50.com Deadline for Ads to be submitted is the 20th of the month for publication the first week of the month Office Location: Suite 102 2516 Patterson Avenue Armstrong, BC Mailing Address: Box 100 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 ADS & SUBMISSIONS Phone: (250) 546-6064 Fax: (250) 546-8914 Toll Free: 1-877-667-8450 (877)NORTH50 Website: www.northof50.com ISSN 1710-4750 0727724 BC LTD Printed in Canada
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OUR CONTRIBUTORS TJ WALLIS has been the managing editor of North of 50 since 2003, when she and husband, Dean, first started the magazine. TJ has superhuman powers of persuasion and genetically altered thick skin. Her work has been published internationally, in various magazines and newspapers.
Since DON SAWYER retired as Okanagan College’s director of the International Development Centre, he has come to realize that retirement just means it’s easier to work evenings and weekends. Don and wife Jan emigrated from the US in 1969. Don has published more than 10 books and his essays have appeared in most major Canadian dailies. SHERRY BENNETT is a jack-of-all-trades by day, creative non-fiction writer by night, Sherry’s fondness for the written word developed decades ago in high school. With kids all flown the coop, and a Volkswagen topped up with gas, she’s recaptured her enthusiasm to head out on the road and track down people and stories that inspire the pen. As an actor, CHRISTINE PILGRIM is never quite sure who she’ll be on any given day. She has been known to play three different characters in one 24-hour period. In June, she’ll be Catherine Schubert, Grace Mackie, Mrs MacPherson the Schoolma’am, and Lady Aberdeen. Sometimes, she’ll even be Christine Pilgrim - but only when she writes for magazines like North of 50! JACK GODWIN is a retired history teacher who learned the value of captivating his students with fascinating historical anecdotes. As songwriter and lead singer for The Kettle Valley Brakemen he employs the same approach to entertaining adult audiences. Jack lives in Naramata.
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GRAND CHIEF Stewart Phillip
A voice for the land and the people By TJ Wallis
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip’s maiden voyage over the Coquihalla Highway was in the back of a sheriff’s prisoner’s bus in 1990. He was being transported, along with other protesters, including his wife Joan, to a courtroom in Vancouver to face charges related to a blockade of the BC Rail line at Seton Portage, near Lillooet. The day before, RCMP in riot gear, had arrived by helicopter to put an end to the protest. The police stomped up the hill in formation and began to arrest 16 members of the Okanagan Nation who were supporting the St’át’imc, who had been blockading the tracks for several days, in solidarity with the Mohawks at Oka and to demand formal recognition Aboriginal title. Phillip remembers, “We kept singing until there was just one singer and one drummer left.” It wasn’t the first time Phillip stood alongside a Native community outside his own. He is committed to uniting all Indigenous Peoples “in order that we may force the federal and provincial governments and third-party interests to fully recognize, respect and accommodate our Aboriginal Title.” It’s why he supported the Micmac and Shuswap peoples at the respective confrontations at Burnt Church and Gustafson Lake. It’s why he led the protest and blockade at Apex Mountain in the mid 1990s when the provincial government failed to consult the Penticton Indian Band before approving a massive ski resort expansion, which would have affected the watershed and dramatically increased traffic on the road through band land. And it’s why, this spring, he joined Chief Fabian Alexis and members of the Okanagan Indian Band at the blockade at Brown’s Creek Watershed. “We will not stand idly by and watch the destruction of our watersheds, water and culture,” he said in a letter of support to Chief Alexis. Phillip’s has spent most of his adult life lobbying for Native Rights.“My primary responsibility,” he says, “is to Indigenous people, to protect and defend the land and the people.” As a young adult, Phillip admits he was a long-haired, angry man, donning a red headband and army combat boots. The soft-spoken 60 year old has long since traded his battle fatigues for a shirt and tie, but he says, “I’m not any less angry.” While Chief of the Penticton Indian Band, he was often referred to as a militant, but it’s a label Phillip is proud of. Back in the 1970s “We had the civil rights movement and the anti-Vietnam movement in the US. Wounded Knee had just happened. There was a strong sense of social justice sweeping across North American and I got swept up in the Red Power Movement.” Closer to home, members of the Okanagan Nation staged a 10 day occupation of the DIA offices in Vernon. The Secwepemc, under the leadership of the late Ken Basil, had an armed blockade of the highway, protesting against poor housing conditions on the Bonaparte Indian Band reservation near Cache Creek. Many other blockades and occupations of Federal Buildings were taking place throughout B.C.
2006, at the legislature for the introduction of the New Relationship Trust. Photo: Province of BC (above) Grand Chief Stewart Phillip and Joan Phillip address the 40th General Council of the United Church in 2009. Photo courtesy of the United Church of Canada (opposite page) It was a time when Stewart Phillip was just beginning to connect with his native roots. Born in Penticton in 1949, he was apprehended in infancy by the Ministry of Social Services, when his parents, both diagnosed with tuberculosis, were sent to Coqualeetza Sanatorium, a former residential school, in Chilliwack, to recover. The policy of the day was to deny and prohibit any interaction with the birth family, and so it was that Stewart Phillip was raised in Hedley and later Quesnel by a foster family, who believed they were doing the right thing by insulating him from his parents, family and heritage. He knew so little about his birth culture that when members of a Cree family who worked at the same mill with him in Quesnel asked what tribe he was from, Phillip was lost for words and answered, “I’m non-status, I think.” He’d been taught that natives were violent and alcoholic, and he was assured he wasn’t like “them.” So when his ex-wife telephoned him at work to say his real Dad was at their home, Phillip was filled with mixed emotions. As he drove home to meet his blood relative, he was both elated to have a father and concerned for the safety of his wife and children. “I didn’t know this man. I had an image of some drunk guy stumbling around my house. I pictured him raggedly dressed, driving an old jalopy.” But Stewart Phillip’s father drove a mint condition, robin egg blue Ford Fairlane – and ironically, it was the younger Phillip who pulled into the driveway in an old jalopy. It was also the younger Phillip who had a drinking problem. Though he eventually got sober, his alcoholism led to the breakdown of his first marriage and ultimately, his return home to Penticton. Once home, he soon “became the newly minted home school coordinator, a liaison between school, home and the education ministry.” While he attempted to keep the community’s teenagers in school - a challenge considering northof50.com 11
“I think that indigenous poverty and injustice need a voice and I am really honoured to be a small part of that voice.” they could earn union ages at the mill - Phillip was getting an education of his own. Now immersed in the culture and Native Politics he began to understand the issues on a more personal level. He learned that his father’s 11 acre property, choked with knapweed, had once been abundant farm land, with vegetable gardens and orchards. But since the river had been channelized by the government, there was no water available to irrigate the land. Phillip wondered why gas lines, rail lines, public utilities and public roads were built on reservations? Why were governments and businesses prospering as a consequence of reserve lands being compromised from the Rights of Ways, while native bands lived in abject poverty, with no compensation for the use of their lands. Not surprising, Phillip became involved in band politics and was one of the youngest members to sit on council. He served 10 years as elected councillor and 14 years as Chief of the Penticton Indian Band. He’s been the Band planner, the Director of land management, Band Manager, Chair of the Okanagan Tribal Council and President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. In 2006, Philip received the honour of being
named grand chief by band elders during the Okanagan Nation Alliance annual general assembly. Phillip is especially proud of his almost 23 years of sobriety. As a direct result of his early lifestyle, Phillip faced life threatening liver cancer in 1996, and had a life saving liver transplant. “My foremost wish would be that all the indigenous people would be free of substance abuse issues and that our children would enjoy a successful post secondary education.” Today, his grandchildren are the centre of his universe. He and Joan, his wife of 26 years have -6 children and 10 grandchildren between them. Phillip said, “I thank the Creator that I was born Indigenous. It is such a blessing to be reconnected to my heritage.” In Grand Chief Stewart Phillip’s office is a quote from Anna Mae Aquash, a 30-year-old Mi’kmaq from Nova Scotia who became a powerful voice in the American Indian movement and who was murdered in 1975 on the Pine Ridge Indian reserve in South Dakota. It reads, “… The whole country changed with only a handful of raggedly-ass pilgrims that came over here in the 1500s. And it can take a handful of raggedy-ass Indians to do the same, and I intend to be one of those raggedyass Indians.” ...Anna Mae Pictou Aquash It’s a sentiment Grand Chief Stewart Phillip shares. “I think that Indigenous poverty and injustice need a voice and I am really honoured to be a small part of that voice.”
Joan Phillip, with Grand Chief Stewart Phillip at her side, speaks at the Sisters in Spirit vigil at CRAB Park at Portside, Downtown Eastside, Vancouver, Coast Salish territory, October 4, 2009. Photo courtesy of Jay Black
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A half-cup serving of Saucy Blueberries has fewer than 100 calories, so go ahead! Enjoy yourself! Go to www.bcblueberry.com where you’ll find more recipes, nutrition and other information! Saucy Blueberries 2 tablespoons (25 mL) sugar 2 teaspoons (10 mL) cornstarch 3 cups (750 mL) frozen blueberries, not thawed In medium saucepan, stir sugar and cornstarch together until blended; add frozen berries, toss until uniformly coated. Cover and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries thaw and the mixture starts to boil, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove lid, cook, stirring constantly, until boiling and thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice or additional sugar, if desired. Yield: 4 portions (about 2 cups or 500 mL) Per 1/2-cup serving: 92 calories; 0 g protein; 22 g carbohydrate; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 3 mg vitamin C; 3 g dietary fibre northof50.com 13
George Johnston at his home in Salmon Arm
CANADA
Through Immigrant Eyes Story & Photos by Don Sawyer 14 northof50.com
attended university, graduating from SFU and eventually Oguttu Odhiambo Omung. That’s the name George Oregon State, where he received his Master’s in Clinical Johnston was given at birth. It means “survivor” in the Luo Psychology. For the next 30 years, George worked in a wide language, the area of southwest Kenya where George was variety of BC Government positions: probation officer, born. And survive he has: the poverty and colonialism of childcare worker, clinician, social worker supervisor, early childhood in rural Kenya, the racism and discrimination manager, community development worker, and finally as the he faced in England as a boarding student, and the challenges regional Diversity Training coordinator, which brought him of establishing a new life in Canada. to Salmon Arm. Today, George lives in Salmon Arm, thousands of miles After more than 40 years in Canada, George says, “People from his origins, and even further from the customs of his in Canada don’t see themselves as having a culture. But they people and the support of his Kenyan family. do, and it is a very welcoming culture. Canadians don’t An ambitious boy, early on George realized that his options recognize it for the unique feature it is, but just compare in Kenya were severely limited. Educational opportunities Canadian attitudes toward visible minority immigrants to were few, and his family was too poor to pay tuition in other countries.” any event.By a stroke of luck, at the age of 11, George was “You can come here and just be,” George continues. sponsored to attend school in England and most of his There is no real clamour for you to ‘be a Canadian.’ You schooling took place in boarding schools there. During that are welcome to be here. And,” he adds smiling, “you’re told time he was an immigrant on a student visa, and it was politely ... while you’re here, please get your citizenship there he first encountered real racial differences. But he was papers. Join us. I don’t think Canadians understand how prepared. unusual this is in the world.” “You see, my mother had given me George admits he a way of looking at white people that has experienced mistrust, “I had a minister explain to became very valuable. Many white discrimination, and racism from hunters on safari would come to our me once how the Bible says time to time, “but here, even racists village. We would look at their odd blacks and whites are meant are kind of apologetic.” he says, habits, like wearing hats and heavy to live apart. He wanted “They know they’re attitudes khaki clothing in blistering heat. Or are out of character. Unlike the burning expensive candles in their me to know it was nothing US, Canadians are not familiar churches in the middle of the day. And personal. He was actually with racism, and they are vaguely going into the lake with some of their quite embarrassed. uncomfortable exercising it. clothes on. Well, we would shake “I had a minister explain to Only in Canada, I thought.” our heads. But my mother would me once how the Bible says blacks always say the same thing: ‘That is a and whites are meant to live apart. white people thing.’ She wasn’t being He wanted me to know it was nothing personal. He was judgmental, really. She was just pointing out the way things actually quite embarrassed. Only in Canada, I thought.” were.” With nearly 250,000 people living in Canada who George took his mother’s lesson with him to England, originated in The Philippines, Philipino-Canadians are our where he referred to it often, especially when he encountered third largest Asian immigrant group, just behind China and including being told by a classmate’s father, after his friend India. Florence Pepin, who arrived in Canada 25 years ago, is had invited George home for the holidays, that “We did not one of these. know that George was black. We cannot have him here.” Florence, or Flo, as she is called by her friends (which is “How did I feel?” George laughs. “I just felt, Oh, that’s must just about anyone she has ever met) and who also lives in be a white people thing.” Salmon Arm, was born in Manila. She grew up in a working By 1966 George had passed his A-Levels and been accepted class neighbourhood, where everything was shared to make into Oxford. But circumstances in Kenya had changed. sure everyone got by. Soon after entering college in The When George’s sponsor came to Canada after being expelled Philippines, Florence was forced to withdraw because her from Kenya, with much of his wealth stripped away, George family could not afford the tuition. To provide support for had only two options – return to Kenya or follow his sponsor her parents and siblings, 22-year-old Florence signed with a to Canada. He chose the latter. labour contractor, who placed her as a nanny in Hong Kong. After a few years in Ontario, George followed his mentor “It was a kind of slave labour,” Flo confides. “We were all west, and in the 60s, he found himself in BC. George northof50.com 15
Florence Pepen pictured above, with son Simon, daughter Joanna, & family pet Chloe, emigrated to Canada from the Phillipines 25 years ago. scared to say anything because we were afraid they’d revoke our visas.” Flo describes personal sexual harassment at the hands of an employer, and worse. “One girl who came to Hong Kong with me, we didn’t see her for weeks. Finally someone went to the apartment where she worked. Her employers locked her in the house whenever they left, even on weekends. She was virtually a prisoner.” After four years, Flo met Chinese-Canadian friends of her employers, who urged her to become their nanny in Toronto. “The wife of the family I worked for in Hong Kong didn’t want me to leave,” Flo laughs. “She told me Canada was too cold. And the taxes were high. I wouldn’t like it there.” But the opportunity to come to Canada, where, unlike many other countries, the years of a work contract count toward becoming a landed immigrant and eventually a citizen, helped her overcome her fear of the cold In Toronto, she enjoyed a wonderful relationship with her host family, but eventually Flo married and came west. But not long afterwards, the marriage broke down and she was left with two young children to raise on her own. “But I’m not afraid to work,” says Flo, who became a proud Canadian citizen in 1997. And indeed she isn’t; as a housekeeper and commercial building cleaner, she puts in more than 50 hours a week. “In that way I am like a Canadian,” she laughs. “I work hard.” “Canadians are very generous,” Flo continues. “When my husband left, employers and friends gave me money to get by, to help keep up my house. And look at the Haitian crisis. Everyone is trying to help. They want to give. You don’t see that in other places.” 16 northof50.com
But despite this generosity, Flo says, there still seems to be something missing. “Yes, Canadians work very hard. But for what? For material things. There is an emptiness they think they can fill up with things. But everything is not enough. We focus too much on the outside, how to make ourselves beautiful or how to get a new car. But we miss being good inside because it’s always about me, me, me.” And what can we do about this? “Take your eyes off yourself. People are so isolated and lonely. We don’t even know our own neighbours. It’s like idolatry. We idolize ourselves, or worship our work, new things. Then if we don’t get what we think we need, whether it’s a new TV or a new wife, or a new job, we get depressed. Even suicidal.” Depression is not very prevalent in the Philippines, Flo says, “because there are so many people to talk to.” When she first came to BC, however, thousands of miles from her family and on her own with two kids, she often felt isolated. Once, she confides, she was so lonely she even thought of suicide herself. “But then I said, ‘What would we do in the Philippines?’ So I made soup and took it to my neighbours. And they were surprised,” she smiles,“But very happy. Some of them are still my friends today.” Flo’s tone becomes uncharacteristically grave. “We need to stop wearing masks,” she tells me. “Too many people do not have good relationships; they haven’t grown up with good relationships. So they have a hole inside of them, an emptiness. But they pretend everything is OK. They think they can fill their emptiness up with things, or marijuana or alcohol. But they can’t. The only way to ease the loneliness is to reach out to others, to love people.” She smiles her bright smile. “Try making some soup and take it to your neighbours!” There is no standard immigrant story - the circumstances that brought them to Canada and the route they took to get here are as diverse and complex as each individual. For George and Florence, the journey has been a long one, both challenging and rewarding. ut they, like the millions of other Canadians who have immigrated to share this vast nation with us, have broadened our understanding of the global society we are all part of. And, if we listen, maybe they can also tell us something about Canada. Since 2001, Canada has welcomed about a quarter million immigrants each year, giving us, according to Canada’s Immigration Program, the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. With 34 ethnic groups with at least one hundred thousand members each, Canada also has one of world’s most diverse populations.
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northof50.com 17
WHITE
CALVIN
A Lesson In “Possible�
I VISIT TWO PATIENTS in the Intensive Care Unit when I go to the main MDR-TB hospital here in Nukus, Uzbekistan. Intensive Care here is three small cells in which the patients reside on narrow beds possibly for the rest of their lives. Possibly not. The two patients that I visit teach me about the possible. One is 31 year old G. She has been on her bed in ICU for the past 4 months. She has a sponge mat to place under her hips to counter the emergence of bedsores. Her MDRTB is in the back, lungs and left eye. The other is K. She is partially deaf and beset with other ailments. Only 27 years old, she looks much older. Both are thin. Bones within skin. Neither can walk, though K is very agile and can fold and unfold herself into various positions on the bed. I was the counselor who first told K that she had MDRTB and that it meant months in hospital and two years of daily treatment with toxic drugs that cause dire side effects. Her face contorted with shock, and after stunned silence she smiled and said she would just have to be strong. Then, 18 northof50.com
her sister and I helped her to back to her room, one of us under each arm. Now, when I come to our hospital and enter her room she stretches out her stick-like arms to me and pulls me to her for a long embrace. When we finish the embrace, I kiss her through my mask on her cheek. Neither of us can speak the other’s spoken language, and of course our cultures and upbringing are radically different, but we communicate fully. When the nurse or doctor see our long embrace, they can’t figure it out. G is a different story. For a few weeks, I didn’t bother to stop to talk to her, instead only offered a handshake and hello on the two days that I came out to our hospital. But she began to take an interest in my comings and goings and our relationship began. One day, another counselor and I took out G and K in wheelchairs. They both crave to be outside and breathe and interact. K’s eyes open so widely once in the natural world. She takes everything in, examining the state of the grasses, the leaves on the trees, whether the apricots are forming, the clouds, the spraying of water from garden irrigation pipes. To be with K when she is in this state is to be with an enlightened being who lives fully in the now. G, who has long worried that she will never walk, asked us to go farther, out of the hospital garden compound and along the road to wind through the pastures. We obliged. In fact, we semi-raced the two wheelchairs. We wanted them to feel the motion, the air flowing against them, to know that they were as alive as anyone else and that we didn’t see them as limited or forgotten. We wanted to spark them. After 400 metres we halted and watched cattle grazing. G joked that when she could walk, we should go out farther in the day and buy some fruit from the farmer and then go back again in the night and steal some more. The four of us spent an hour together and it was great. Two days later, even though it wasn’t my first time doing so, the local doctors raked me over the coals for taking them out without permission, for racing them, and for going away from the hospital. It’s the nurses’ responsibility for patients in ICU they exclaimed. The personnel here are terrified that should anything happen they will be held responsible. Their best course of action tends to be none. Since, I have to work with patients for many more months, I accepted the doctors’ remonstrations and apologized. Ten days later, G started to walk by herself. Her stick thin body moving slowly, carefully step by step out to the hall, disheveled hair, worn pink bed clothes. Then, a few days ago, she made it up two flights of stairs to sit and watch television. When the doctor found out, she ordered G to stop doing it. It was too risky. G felt defeated and cried when she told me about it. But she continues to walk.
As for K, because I am very busy and out of hesitation at the doctors’ ire, I backed off and decided to let the hospital personnel take care of things. Fifteen days after I last took out G in a wheelchair, I asked permission and took her out again. She loved it. Naively, I asked when she had last been out. When you took me out, she replied. I felt ashamed. G’s eyes roamed everywhere and she smiled at all she saw. 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 Calvin White is currently working with Doctors Without Borders in Uzbekistan, a landlocked former part of the Soviet Union. He will be there for about a year, working with victims of drug resistant tuberculosis and training counsellors to do the same. He continues to submit his columns to North of 50 from there.
June 1960 50 Years Ago This Month 6th - Roy Orbison releases “Only the Lonely” 9th - Typhoon Mary in China killed at least 1,600 13th - “Alley-Oop” by Dyna-Sores peaks at #59 15th – The movie, The Apartment, starring Jack Lemmon was released 15th - BC Ferries, starts service between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay 16th - The Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins, was released in NY 17th - Ted Williams hit his 500th HR 20th - Heavyweight Floyd Patterson KOs Ingemar Johnstown (NYC) 10 - 27th - Connie Francis Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool was at the top of the Billboard Charts 25th - Earthquake in NE Belgium 25th - Madagascar gains independence of France 30th – Opening of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! in London’s West End 30th - US stops sugar import from Cuba 30th - Zaire (formerly Belgian Congo) declares independence from Belgium northof50.com 19
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Elizabeth McLeod (far left) and Joyce Brinkerhoff (far right) with members of the Kelowna Community Resource Host Program left to right Latif, Alex, Sonia, Duc, Penny, Nancy, Doreen, Elna. Photo: TJ Wallis
REGIONAL
ATTITUDE In May, North of 50° met up with Elizabeth McLeod, Settlement Services Manager at Kelowna Community Resource Centre (KCR) and Joyce Brinkerhoff, co-president of the Kelowna Intercultural Society at the Diversity Health Fair held at Okanagan College on KLO Road. Both organizations offer services for newcomers to Canada.
Please tell North of 50° readers a little about your respective organizations, especially as it relates to immigration or multiculturalism. Elizabeth: KCR is a multi-service organization. We have been providing services in a variety of areas since 1983. That includes volunteer and community services, crisis intervention services, services to families with young children and adoption services, as well as immigrant services. For newcomers to Canada, we help them identify their needs and barriers and give them information and referrals to services in the community that can help them. KCR also has a labour market specialists, and translations services to assist newcomers. Joyce: The mandate of the Intercultural Society is to ensure access to language training, settlement and any other training or services to assist immigrants to participate fully in Canadian society. We organize cultural programs and events and promote tolerance of other cultures.
According to Statistics Canada, one in five Canadians is foreign-born and about 58 percent of recent immigrants are from Asia and the Middle East. What is the largest issue or challenge that these new immigrants face? Joyce: Jobs. There’s something about having a job; it’s our identity; it gives us hope. Newcomers will sacrifice other services – English language classes for example – in order to work, even at a low paying job below their skill level. Non-English speaking immigrants know they need English to get ahead. English speakers from other countries know they need mentoring on the Canadian systems and cultural norms. English classes and settlement services are really vital to successful integration. However economic reality or social pressure to have a job can be overwhelming and immigrants will get by with less. As home-grown Canadians, we can do so much more at encouraging immigrants to pursue what is best for them and for all of us in the long term. The Canadian system of services being offered by various agencies and levels of government can be very intimidating. This is likely why there are specialized services for immigrants – not to give them more but to make them more available
Elizabeth: The “kiosk” has been very popular. Its high quality content promotes cultural awareness, displays the demographics of immigrants to Kelowna, provides information from Kelowna immigrants’ country of origin, and has video clips of newcomers who make a difference in our community. It also has examples of how we can make Kelowna more welcoming one action at a time - such as inviting a newcomer for dinner, volunteering in the host and buddy program etc. Kelowna is relatively new to this concept of multiculturalism and we are seeing increased immigration to Kelowna. We are more about doing it right the first time than trying to right wrongs from the past. http://www.kcr.ca/page/immigrant-services http://www.interculturalkelowna.com http://www.oktosay.ca
Elizabeth: Employment, definitely. Anecdotal accounts of physicians and engineers immigrating to Canada only to drive taxis or clean offices are common. The impression that today’s immigrants are not faring as well as past generations of immigrants who came to Canada has been backed up with statistics: earnings of recently arrived immigrants are dropping; the unemployment rate is high. Yet at the same time, some regions of Canada are experiencing labour shortages. Positions go unfilled while qualified professional or skilled immigrants remain unemployed or underemployed. The OK to Say protocol was developed to address critical incidents of racism in the Central Okanagan. Tell us a bit about this program. Joyce: The idea of OK to Say is to encourage victims of racism to report incidents by telling them how to report. And it encourages the mainstream not to stand by and let racism happen. It’s like that saying, “Evil will prevail when good men do nothing.” There are three ways to change things; by law, by community consciousness and by social restraint. That’s what OK to Say is about. We can change attitudes by making racism socially unpopular. We’re taking Ok to Say around to community organizations and public events to get the word out. We’ve taken it to School District 23 offices, various business and agency staff meetings, Family Fun Day and A Taste of Home. KCR has developed an interactive mobile “kiosk that contains touch screen technology. What’s the purpose of the kiosk?
Joyce Brinkerhoff, Co. President of the Intercultural Society of the Central Okanagan promotes the Ok to Say protocol. northof50.com 21
Music For Grown-Ups BY JACK GODWIN
IT SEEMS THAT POPULAR MUSIC is almost always directed toward young people. Lyrics, when intelligible, are often obsessed with falling in and out of love. The performers look and act in ways meant to affront adults and challenge their values. Whether it’s heavily tattooed young women or boy/men with perpetual sneers in place, the goal is to shock and offend their parent’s generation. These rebels without a cause quickly can become tiresome to those of us who’ve seen it all many times before. Fortunately there exists a new wave of music aimed at more mature ears. “Heritage Music” is a contemporary expression of one of the oldest forms of entertainment. Long before our modern era of textbooks and exams, people learned their history from wandering singer/storytellers called troubadours. These itinerant entertainers traveled 22 northof50.com
from community to community spreading traditional lore in the form of stories and songs. Through their efforts, locals developed an awareness of and an appreciation for their heritage. Of course this wasn’t “mandatory school” so the troubadours had to hold their audience by making learning fun. Their stories had to be gripping and the music infectious. Modern heritage entertainers try to provide interesting history for their listeners through a similar interplay of stories and songs. The story hooks the audience’s interest and the song either completes or compliments the story. We all listen with more interest after a singer introduces a song with an explanation of how it came to be written. That performer is providing context for us and it invariably increases our appreciation of the song. Heritage entertainers do this throughout their shows.
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Generally speaking, people who pay money to attend a heritage music performance are adults. There comes a time in our lives when we seek a connection with the past. This doesn’t usually happen in our hormonecharged teenage years, but curiosity about our past becomes more important to us as we mature. While many audience members are drawn by their own memories of the steam rail era, the big attraction in a Kettle Valley Brakemen concert is the historical context that the show provides. Also, we live in a world where “reality” has a very strong appeal. When a movie begins with the words ”based on a true story” we tend to care more about it. Anything that expands our sense of “how we got to here” may not help us understand where we’re going but it’s desirable nonethe-less. Of course humans have always regaled each other with stories, but stories that inform as well as entertain are doubly valued. When songs that accomplish the same goals are included, the combination makes for a very powerful entertainment package. For further information on heritage performances by The Kettle Valley Brakemen please visit www.kvbrakemen.com.
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Depending on the chosen heritage theme of the performers (some possible themes might include “the cowboy life”, “the fisherman’s way”, or “opening the west”), each song is introduced by an historical anecdote that hooks the audience on an emotional level. In the case of The Kettle Valley Brakemen, we specialize in western Canada’s steam rail era. Our topics include those that might be expected: railway construction stories, train wrecks, robberies and brave derring-do by railroaders, but we also cover ghost train sightings, on the job pilfering, construction camp prostitution, and even feminism. The stories can be dramatic, humorous, shocking, or all three. An original song with easily understandable lyrics follows each tale, employing styles that include gospel, folk, blues, rock, and bluegrass.
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HEALTH MATTERS Rabies Risk Higher During Summer Months
The upcoming long weekend means more people are outside enjoying the warmer weather and opening summer cabins. This warm weather can also mean increased risk of contact with bats, which are the primary carrier of the rabies virus in BC. So, if you’re going to be outside this weekend and throughout the summer months, Interior Health is reminding people to avoid contact with bats. Between 4-8% of bats that come into contact with people and are tested from BC are positive for the rabies virus, so it is important that people stay away from touching live or dead bats and for parents to remind their children not to play with or touch bats. IH also recommends bat-proofing your home or cabin, as bats can fly into poorly sealed cabins and homes, or roost in attic spaces. Domestic pets such as dogs, cats or ferrets that were born and raised in BC pose a very low risk of transmitting rabies to humans. Vaccinating your pets will protect them from rabies.
Last year, about 150 people were treated in BC for potential exposure to rabies. Treatment is most effective when administered soon after exposure. Without vaccination to prevent its onset, rabies is almost always fatal. Bats have tiny sharp teeth and claws, so scratches or bites to people from handling are not always visible, and it usually takes weeks or even months for symptoms to appear. Anyone who has handled a bat should contact their Public Health Unit or their physician for an assessment. Interior Health offers these tips to protect yourself: Prevention: •Do not touch live or dead bats. •Make your home or cabin “bat proof”. Keep your doors and windows closed, make sure your window screens don’t have any holes and keep your attic area free of bats by keeping all vents properly screened and closing off other openings. •If you find a live bat in a room of your home, open the window and close interior doors until the bat leaves. •Seek professional bat-control advice (from a professional specializing in pest control or a wildlife specialist) if your work or home is inhabited by bats. •Avoid locations or activities where bats are likely to be found (eg. caves). •If you have a pet dog, cat or ferret, make sure they’re vaccinated regularly against rabies.
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If you have been exposed: •Thoroughly wash any bite wounds with soap and water. •Contact your local Public Health Unit or family doctor immediately. •Safely contain the bat to prevent others from being exposed but do not risk further exposure, and keep the bat until Public Health can arrange pick-up for testing for rabies. If those tests are negative, the month-long immunizations for the bat-exposed person are not necessary. For more information: See HealthLink BC File #07 at http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/ healthfiles/hfile07.stm
The Sneezing Season:
Allergies and Your Health By Dr. Shelby Entner
The end of winter brings the first signs of spring: flowers, grasses and trees blooming. For millions of Canadians it is the beginning of their battle with seasonal allergies, or allergic rhinitis. The Canadian Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Foundation estimates that 20-25% of Canadians have hay fever and with the mild winter we’ve experienced this year in the Okanagan, it may be shaping up to be a tough year for those folks. A mild winter means that we are in for a dryer and warmer spring and summer, increasing pollen counts and creating a longer allergy season. Those who experience seasonal allergies are well aware of how frustrating their symptoms can be. Runny noses, itchy and watery eyes and sneezing are just some of the unpleasant symptoms that have the greatest impact on sufferers. Being prepared ahead of the explosion of pollens and grasses can be a huge benefit for those prone to allergies. Allergies happen when your immune system is exposed to an allergen and your body releases histamine from the mast cells. The response leads to swelling of the mucous membranes, an increased production of mucous and tears and an itchy throat. The body attempts to “capture” the allergen and remove it from the system. Why some people are more prone to allergies and over produce histamine is a complicated matter and may be related to genetics, food sensitivities, stress and general immune health. A survey commissioned by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson suggests as many as 10 million Canadians may suffer allergy symptoms. The survey also found that 55 per cent of Canadians claim their allergies cut into their productivity and more than a quarter say they’ll limit their outdoor time to prevent the onset of symptoms. Most people experience fatigue and daytime sleepiness, impaired sleep, a decrease in cognitive functioning and an overall sense of unhappiness. Treatment options for allergic rhinitis often include reducing your exposure. Certain times of the day, especially in the early morning hours, have the highest pollen counts. Checking the pollen counts on a weather station or website may help to decrease your exposures. Keeping your home clean by washing sheets and towels frequently will help to keep the mucous membranes less irritated. Using a good quality HEPA filter vacuum is also very beneficial. Pharmacological medications are plentiful but many people dislike the side effects or the dependency they feel having to take something to control a symptom for half of the year. There are numerous clinical studies showing that
natural medicines such as Vitamin C, quercetin, butterbur and other nutrients can be as effective as antihistamines but do not create the side effects. Another treatment option that many allergy sufferers have tried is immunotherapy, or allergy shots. Allergy shots can be painful and require many trips to a physician’s office to be administered. For those who fear needles or for children, alternatives are available. In other parts of the world, especially in Europe, sublingual (under the tongue) treatment has become increasingly commonplace. In 1998, the World Health Organization referred to it as a “viable alternative” to injection therapy. We currently treat airborne allergens with the sublingual drops and have high rates of success. It is a gradual desensitization that results in a patient being able to handle pollen, dust, grass or animal dander and not require allergy medications. Many people have been thrilled to realize that they don’t need to get rid of their cat for the sake of their partner’s allergies! Finding safe, effective, and individualized ways to treat allergies allows people to enjoy the spring and summer weather and to get out and celebrate the fantastic outdoor activities we have here in the Okanagan. Dr. Shelby Entner is a naturopathic physician in Vernon at Okanagan Natural Medicine. www.oknaturalmedicine.com
WARNING Foreign Product Alert
Health Canada is advising consumers not to use the unauthorized health product Botanical Slimming 100% Natural Soft Gel, also sold as Meizitang, due to concerns about possible side-effects. This product was found to contain undeclared sibutramine, a prescription drug that should only be used under the supervision of a health care practitioner. Botanical Slimming 100% Natural Soft Gel / Meizitang is not authorized for sale in Canada and has not been found in the Canadian marketplace, but it may have been brought into the country by travellers or purchased over the Internet. One or more shipments have been stopped at the Canadian border. Health Canada will take appropriate action and inform Canadians as necessary should it determine that the product is being sold in Canada. For more information, please visit: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_ fpa-ape_2010/index-eng.php northof50.com 27
STAYCATIONS
50° 41’ 0” N
A staycation is a bit like being a tourist in your own town. Instead of travelling afar for a vacation, you stay home and relax, taking day trips close to home. Living in the Thompson Okanagan is a bonus for staycationers, considering all there is to do here. Plan your staycation just like you would a regular vacation. Set a time and date for your ‘departure’. Buy a local guidebook. Go on a winery tour. Spend a day at the beach. Have dinner out. Visit a museum or art gallery. Tee off one of the more than 50 golf courses in the Thompson Okanagan. Experience live theatre. Attend a musical festival or sports event. Find a new hiking trail. The trick to enjoying a staycation is to make sure you do what you would do if you were on vacation: relax and explore!
Lillooet welcomes its first winery FOR ROAD TRIP WARRIORS BC’s Highway 99 is a favoured route, thanks to stunning scenics and pit stops that are more than just a mere distraction. Hit the road north of Whistler to Lillooet, and you’ll find yourself in brand new territory: Cariboo wine country. While the setting for the province’s 1800s Gold Rush seems an unlikely place to pour a Riesling, or mull over a Meritage, the new Fort Berens Estate Winery aims to change all that. What began as a would-be trading post for the Hudson’s Bay Company some 150 years ago (the fort never came to fruition) instead provided fertile ground for tomatoes, melons and alfalfa; a fitting site for the fledgling winery, helmed by Heleen Pannekoek and Rolf de Bruin of the Netherlands. (Newly emigrated to Canada, one might say they are staking their own claim in the province’s historic gold fields.) As the town’s first commercial winery and vineyard, Fort Berens nurtures eight hectares (20 acres) and six varietals: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. And while these vines won’t produce their own vintages until 2011, the couple will craft signature blends from carefully-sourced Okanagan grapes. The perfect setting to sample? The winery’s tasting room, set within a refurbished barn. A worthy stop along a road trip rife with gems. www.fortberens.ca
Hester Creek Estate Winery savours the fruits of it’s labour For winemaker Rob Summers, crisp whites blending peach, pear and pineapple notes alongside robust reds lush with cherry and blackberry flavours is simply the fruits of his labour. His reward? Hard-earned hardware lining the shelves - and recognition that he and his Hester Creek team are coming into their own. Indeed, the vineyard, situated on 85 acres in BC’s South Okanagan wine country, has garnered a bit of buzz: new ownership has brought with it an innovative winemaker, an enthusiastic guest services team, a fresh portfolio and a whole new attitude. Not to mention a brand new Mediterranean-inspired guest centre and tasting bar, executive lounge, barrel room and demonstration kitchen. In the latter, locally-inspired menus fashioned by visiting chefs pair perfectly with the winery’s signature sips of Trebbiano, Pinot Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Partially buried within the Okanagan hillside, the state-of-the-art facility melds architectural interest with natural temperature control; the winery’s eye on green design also employs a 100 per cent drip system within some of the oldest vinifera cultivated in BC. Eager for an extended stay? Luxuriate in a villa, complete with private patio and sweeping views of the vineyard and orchards below. And a glass of Hester Creek’s best, of course. www.hestercreek.com
28 northof50.com
One Okanagan Winery Keeps it Red, White and Green It’s one thing to craft a vintage worthy of winemakers’ hardware (250 medals, and counting), it’s quite another to achieve said standards with a decidedly green focus. But for Tinhorn Creek in the province’s winery-rich Thompson Okanagan, farming their own vineyards using sustainable practices is simply the way it’s done. Let us count the ways: designated as Canada’s first Carbon Neutral Winery in 2009, Tinhorn Creek is recognized by The Land Conservancy as a partner for their ongoing stewardship, forgoes toxic baits in favour of habitat modification for pests, composts onsite and bottles with only recycled glass produced within 500 kilometres of the winery. But being a trailblazer really isn’t that new for this south Okanagan vineyard: they also hold the distinction of being the first winery in the country to bottle their entire portfolio with a Stelvin screw-cap (bye, bye cork taint). And that’s why you can count on Gewurztraminers boasting crisp peach, melon and grapefruit notes, alongside bright, berry-infused Pinot Noirs and meaty Merlots rife with black cherry. Toast at the tasting bar, or swirl and sip during the Tinhorn Creek Summer Concert Series. With 2010 headliners including The Dudes, Wide Mouth Mason and Dustin Bentall (son of Legendary Hearts front man, Barney Bentall), there’ll be plenty of reasons to raise a glass. www.tinhorn.com
Tinhorn Creek sources fruit exclusively from its own vineyards: 150 acres of prime land on two very distinct benches. Photo courtesy: www.tinhorn.com
The ‘Makeshift’ Project: dressing green goes viral.
Story Courtesy CTC Vancouver, designer vows to wear only homemade clothes for one year. Her project is gaining virtual fans. Vancouver’s Natalie Purschwitz thinks more about clothes than most of us do—and not just because she’s in the biz. (It’s costume, clothing design and art that mostly pays the bills.) She thinks about clothes because of a wacky, interesting experiment she’s in the midst of. She has vowed, for a whole year, to wear only things she has made herself: no cheating. She’s now nine months in. The spring lineup comes off the griddle bit by bit, day by day, as needed. Purschwitz looked great the day we popped in to her tiny street-front showroom space in the historic Gastown district of her Vancouver hometown: lavender tights, denim skirt, longsleeve grey cotton shirt, a ribbed cotton vest and—the pièce de résistance—a modular snap-together belt. And this: shoes. Homemade shoes! She reckons she’s sewed more than 200 individual items, including plenty of felted and woolly hats and scarves and aprons: Canadian-winter couture. The project, called Makeshift, was explained on the door. It’s a “research project that investigates the relationships between ‘clothing,’ ‘making’ and ‘living.’” That’s a bit artspeak-y, and you could call Makeshift an art project. It’s for sure not a political statement. (“Everybody was comparing it to the [foodie experiment du jour] 100 Mile Diet,” she says, shaking her head. “I guess because it’s also a yearlong and limit-based.”) It is a money-saver—Purschwitz has bought nothing but raw materials, snaps and buckles and glue, harvesting fabric from “Hunt & Gather,” her clothing line she used to create for her shop of the same name. But more than anything, it’s a social experiment. “I wanted to see what clothes mean,” she says. What Makeshift has meant so far for Purschwitz is double-takes on the bus and a flurry of attention worldwide through her blog. Turns out, when you make a pact like this with yourself, it changes the kind of things you can do. Recently a friend asked her to come skiing. Nope: she’d have had to make her own ski clothes, boots and equipment. “I used to be into running,” she adds. “But now I don’t have a pair of running shoes.” northof50.com 29
AWAY FROM HOME Life’s a Beach for Portugese Explorers By Chris Higgins
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37°00′52″N
WHAT WOULD MAGELLAN DO? I was looking for the best home base to explore Portuguese Algarve, the European sunspot with its famous coastline. The Algarve boasts 155 kilometers of sandy beaches, cliffs and tall sea stacks beside the alluring Atlantic Ocean - lime green, warm and serene. But which charming seaside spot should I choose? Google Earth The ancient Portuguese explorers didn’t have Google Earth but I did. So I went cruising along a virtual Algarve coast and discovered Praia de Gale near Albufeira. A few clicks on pictures of golden beaches with unique sand formations and I instantly knew this was the spot. I barely broke a sweat. Eat your heart out Magellan. Next decision – where to stay? I hit on a few of Google Earth’s red bed icons and Vila Joya, a boutique resort with Moorish architecture, caught my attention. Sometimes a special destination warrants distinctive accommodation. Vila Joya, with its 2 Michelin Star restaurant, award winning spa, luxury suites, and stunning sea views, called to me like a Siren. 2 Michelin Stars and 300 Sun Days Vila Joya has put the Algarve and Portugal on the culinary map. Along with Portugal’s highest ranked restaurant, every January they host the Tribute to Claudia Festival, with top chefs from around the world. They were also named 2009 World Travel Awards’ Leading World Boutique Resort. Overlooking Praia de Gale, Vila Joya sits on 3½ ha. of lush aromatic gardens of palm trees, bougainvillea, and jasmine. A short path took us to the golden beach where we enjoyed the warm water even though it was October. The Algarve enjoys a microclimate with temperatures staying in the 20s C well into the fall, and 3000 hours of sunlight a year. “300 sunny days a year is what brings people to the Algarve,” says Justin Ultee of Vila Joya Resort in Abufeira. “It is an excellent place to spend your winter. It is almost sunshine guaranteed. That is pretty much why we all travel to the Algarve.” Discovering the Old World Although we started our Portuguese exploring online, once we arrived we discovered the Algarve the old fashioned way, by exploring its historic and scenic nooks and crannies. We didn’t have to go far from Albufeira to enjoy some fish and unforgettable day trips. Not surprisingly fishing has been a way of life for millennia in the Algarve and a visit to the Sardine Dock of Portimao, the biggest fishing port on the coast, is a must. The smell of charcoal and barbecued sardines fills the air.
Not Just Another Port Another centuries old tradition in Europe is wine. Vila Joya has a new 12,000 bottle wine cellar with Portuguese and imported wines. While the Algarve is not traditionally a wine region, we took a trip to Adega Do Cantor (Winery of the Singer) Vineyards, which has been producing quality wine for 20 years. Three quintas (Portuguese wine growing estates) supply the grapes, including Quinta Do Moinho owned by Cliff Richards, Britain’s perennial pop star. Caramel Islands A short ferry ride from Olhao, accompanied by friendly locals, dogs and chickens, took us to the peaceful sandbar island of Armona. Here we were greeted by the delightful butterscotch fragrance of mustard plants drying in the autumn heat. We booked a house, aptly called Refugio dos Putos (Haven for Kids), for the night. There are no cars on this secluded oasis of sandy beaches and white rolling dunes. Refugio turned out to be the most stylish house on Armona with everything we could possibly need including children’s toys, iPod dock, you name it. Armona and a collection of sandbar islands lie at the mouth of the Ria Formosa estuary. We took a motor boat tour to nearby Culatra with Steve of KT Algarve Tours. This tour company also offers kayak tours. Sleepy Culatra is the highlight, true Portuguese culture, a working fishing village. Steve was an exceptional storyteller, and touring the village we saw octopus hanging on clotheslines and were offered the sweetest tasting clams in the Algarve. The charms of the Algarve are diverse, from rustic to lavish and from ancient to modern. You just need to take the time to become a Portuguese explorer. IF YOU GO: Vila Joya Resort www.vilajoya.com Refugio dos Putos www.ownersdirect.co.uk/portugal/P7351.htm KT Algarve Tours www.ktalgarve.com Adega Do Cantor Winery www.winesvidanova.com/vineyards.htm
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Jeremy Woo (in red), Linda Yule (in blue) and Audrey Pope (in white) measuring up to see who measures up at the Vernon Lawn Bowling Club. Photo by Christine Pilgrim
Lawn bowling across generations ... by Christine Pilgrim
TO PARAPHRASE A FAMILIAR NONSENSE RHYME: Spring has sprung; the grass is riz .. I wonder where the bowlers is... Bowlers is on the green... Lawn bowling throughout the Southern Interior, from Kamloops to Osoyoos and Merritt to Salmon Arm, is now in full (arm) swing. And a good number of younger bowlers have joined the fray. For example, enthusiastic members Connor McGowan of Kelowna and Jeremy Woo of Vernon are both Grade 10 students. Like many other bowlers, Woo curls during winter and switches rock for bowl as soon as the Okanagan sunshine returns. He’d like to see bowling follow in curling’s footsteps to become an Olympic sport. Now evening bowling has been introduced in many clubs to accommodate those who work during the day. According to president, Bill Aldag,Vernon’s recent open house to encourage new bowlers was gratifyingly well attended. 32 northof50.com
Vernon Secondary School’s Physical Education instructor Jan Sheehan brought her class for target practice last month. She said bowling perfectly balances archery for those students wishing to “take aim and fire.” She first brought her Healthy Lifestyles P.E. students three years ago. “They loved the experience,” she said. “It also gave them an opportunity to relate to older people.” And the “older people” benefitted by sharing their experience with the teens. As Ralph Stevens of Seaton Secondary brings his P.E. students in June, Vernon Lawn Bowling Club is considering the possibility of setting up league matches between schools. If this trend continues, it may not be long before the greens are populated by young and old dressed in all colours of the rainbow, high-fiving and jiving between ends to the music that sometimes wafts their way from the bandstand in Polson Park. For more information about bowling throughout the Interior, go to www.bowlsbc.ca.
Camjammers Annual Rod Run July 9-11
THE VERNON CUSTOM CAR ASSOCIATION (aka: Camjammers Car Club) was first formed in 1956 and has been operating continuously since then. Members hail from all over the North Okanagan/Shuswap area.
Over the years the club has hosted many events such as car shows, poker runs and road tours. Three years ago the decision was made to, once again, host an annual rod run. So the search was on for a suitable location and the Lions campground in Lumby fit the bill. It offered up campground for those wishing to camp as well as an ideal fenced ball diamond for the car show. It’s also close to the Twin Creeks Motel for entrants who need accommodation. The annual three day event includes registration and socializing around the campfire on Friday night. Saturday’s itinerary includes a morning poker run with a BBQ lunch and games. In the afternoon, an afternoon car show takes place at the ball diamond. Please bring a donation to the food bank, grocery items or cash. When we return to the ball diamond for an afternoon car show, admittance to which is a donation to the food bank, either groceries or money. Saturday evening features music, hot dogs and refreshments around the campfire. On Sunday the winners are announced and door prizes are awarded to the participants and everyone says their farewells.
‘32 Ford sedan owned by Ron Kirkpatrick of Chilliwack was the Vernon Custom Car Assocation’s club choice winner of the 2009 annual rod run event.
In 2009, the event raised approximately $1100 cash and a van full of groceries for the food bank. This year’s event will take place July 9, 10, 11.
One of many restored classic cars you’ll see at the Carjammers annual Rod Run held in Lumby northof50.com 33
IMMIGRATION By TJ Wallis WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE a professor told my Social Sciences class about her family’s experience coming to Canada as refugees fleeing South America. They landed in Montreal and were sent to stay in a dirty, flea bag hotel with a shared toilet down the hall. As she told the story, tears welled up in her eyes. It had clearly been anextremely difficult time. So, when I received a chain email that claimed refugees in Canada receive far greater assistance from the government than Canadian pensioners, I was immediately skeptical. It took only a Google search to confirm my strong suspicion that the information in the email was false. It’s an urban legend that began in Canada in 2004, and has since spread to the United States and Australia. The federal government & Canadian Council for refugees have both made it clear that the information in the emails is untrue. ** You can find Federal Governments full rebuttal at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/facts/aid. asp Refugees come to Canada in different ways, but no matter the category, refugees receive very limited income assistance from the government. Here are the facts, as reported by the Canadian Council for Refugees. • Refugee claimants and refugees recognized by the Immigration and Refugee Board receive no special income assistance. They may, depending on provincial regulations, be entitled, like other residents, to social assistance. • Privately sponsored refugees are not entitled to 34 northof50.com
government assistance (including provincial assistance) during the period of their sponsorship (usually for one year after arrival in Canada). Their income support must be provided by their sponsors. • Government assisted refugees have access to financial assistance from the federal government through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). This financial assistance is generally for one year maximum and is received only if they do not have their own financial resources or income. The exact rate depends on the size of the family and is tied to social assistance rates. In Ontario, for example, a single person receives $635 per month. In addition, government-assisted refugees are entitled to a one-time set up allowance, to cover such things as clothes, basic household effects and installation of a phone. For a single person there is a maximum allowance of $905. Most resettled refugees arrive in Canada with a significant debt burden, since they are expected to repay the Canadian government for their transportation to Canada as well as the cost of their medical examination undertaken as part of their processing to come to Canada. Refugee families therefore often begin life in Canada with a debt running to thousands of dollars. Interest is charged on this loan at a rate set by the Department of Finance each year. If you have received a chain email or read a letter to the editor spreading this false information, consider these suggestions from the Canadian Council for Refugees. • ‘Don’t believe everything you read in the paper…’ The same applies to the Internet! • Think before you click –Sending on this email can have devastating impacts. It spreads false rumours, hurting people who have already suffered in their home countries. Let’s offer them a better welcome to Canada than unfounded stigmas and prejudices. Another great on-line resource is the Urban Legend Resource Page: www.snopes.com. You can check to see if an email you’ve received is true or full of bologna.
BOOK REVIEW by Cathryn Wellner
Sterling Haynes credits a stroke for his post-retirement writing career. “I was left with a partially paralyzed right foot but a writer’s creative right brain. I think I got the better end of the deal, but then I may be prejudiced.” I confess I’m prejudiced too. I know the writer and retired doctor who penned those words. This is by way of full disclosure since I’m about to tell you I loved Sterling’s second anthology of medical tales. His first anthology, Bloody Practice, prepared me for Wake-Up Call. I expected earthy humour, compassion for his patients, an underlying sense of justice, and lots of medical terminology. I was not disappointed. Sterling reaches back into his youth for some of the stories that influenced his decision to become a country doctor. He remembers donating blood when his mother needed a transfusion and the deep satisfaction it gave him. He recalls his mentor and friend Dr. Harry Weinlos arriving at the hospital with cold hands because he had given his gloves to a patient who didn’t have any. On the first night of his junior internship at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, the tall, gangly young man with roughworkened hands stood up to an experienced nurse. Sterling diagnosed a rare condition and insisted the surgeon be called in. The nurse figured he was wrong on both counts but complied. Although the patient died, the intern’s tricky diagnosis, skilled performance in an emergency, and reliably good humour earned him the nickname of the Jolly Green Giant. After stories from the early years of Sterling’s training in Canada and the US, Wake-Up Call is divided into sections that cover his years practicing medicine in the wilds of BC’s Cariboo, in the interior regions of Thompson and Okanagan, and in the Deep South of Marion, Alabama. A number of themes emerge, but one is dominant: his compassion for his patients, whatever their circumstances, however complicated their lives. The results were not always comfortable or even safe. During his residency with Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, Sterling was called to treat an elderly black
woman in excruciating pain from a bowel obstruction. It was night, and the neighbourhood where she lived was in one of the cities roughest areas. He turned down the offer of a police escort, but when he parked he was immediately surrounded by six young toughs. He waved his doctor’s bag, but it was the woman’s son, threatening the men with his Saturday night special, who cleared a safe passage for him. “Mother Mary” survived, and the grateful family adopted Sterling as “their ‘white’ doctor’”. Years later, in Marion Alabama, Sterling and his wife, Jessie, opened the first barrier-free clinic in town. Although Jim Crow laws (mandating racial segregation) had been stricken from the law books, non-whites were still shunted off into separate waiting rooms and separate wash rooms in most doctors’ offices. “Everyone, black and white, was free to use our flush toilets and to drink ice water from our water fountains,” Sterling writes. “During the summer heat all fifty waiting room chairs were in use—everyone enjoyed the air-conditioned waiting room and the daily gossip.” Another major theme in the stories is black humour. Sterling can find something to laugh about in any situation. In one tale he writes about a priest who called from a residential school to talk to him about young boys who were wetting their beds every night. The school was having trouble keeping up with their laundry. Sterling dismissed the complaint as the usual effect of homesickness until he learned the frustrated young women on the staff had tied butcher’s twine around six of the boys’ penises before they went to bed. By morning the thread was so thoroughly embedded in the swollen penises the boys had to be rushed to the hospital. Typical of the good-humored young doctor, he figured out an effective way to make sure their systems were working again. He took the boys out into the parking lot for a peeing contest. Readers without a medical background may puzzle over some of the terminology, but they will understand the flavour of Sterling’s memories of life as a country doctor. The stories are short. So sit back. Put your feet up, and prepare for a chuckle. Cathryn Wellner is a Kelowna writer. Links to her work can be found at http://cathrynwellner.com. northof50.com 35
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MY KENYAN FRIEND GEORGE was over the other day, and it just happened to be my 63rd birthday. “Your birthday,” George exclaimed. “I see. And what time were you born?” I gave him the information, and he nodded knowingly. “About how far from the 49th parallel?” “I don’t know, George,” I answered, puzzled. “Three or 400 miles I guess. Why?” “I see, I see,” George said again. “It all makes sense now.” “George,” I said in exasperation, “what makes sense now?” “The way you are. You see, you were born under a Jupiter moon. In Luo astrology, that means you are a very, very sensitive person.”
“Gosh, thanks, George,” I said bashfully. “No, I mean really sensitive. It’s a wonder you’ve been able to maintain a long-term relationship.” Since this was exactly what my wife had been telling me for 40 years, I wasn’t sure I liked where this was going. “Jan must be an amonye, one who eats you up.” “Well,” I admitted grimly, “it has been a struggle sometimes.” “Not for you, for her. She has to eat you alive,” George said. “You are so full of nonsense no one could take it all. So when you dump all your frustrations and anguish on them, amonyes don’t listen.” I knew it. “They can’t!” George went on. “Because you go on and on. So finally they just swallow you to keep you quiet. It’s the only way to shut you up.” This was a lot of information in a short time. I sat looking at my coffee trying to decide whether or not Jan had put him up to it. “That’s why you write for a purpose. You are sensitive. It’s why you want to change the world. You see the stupidity all around us and you can’t stop it. Most of us just get out of the way. But not you. You take it all on.” I had the feeling he was not saying this to compliment me on my civic engagement and sense of social responsibility. “In Luo society we realize that your type has to withdraw at times. To cocoon, we say. You can’t survive in the world without withdrawing occasionally. To get recharged. You get worn down.” Sigh. What he said was true, though I’d never thought about it in exactly those terms before. A Jupiter moon, eh? By coincidence (or not), I had scheduled a four-day retreat for the very next day. I had thought of it as a writing retreat, a purposeful, productive four days of solid writing, punctuated by the odd hour out to walk Farley the Lapphund. Then back to work, writing furiously to save the world, to make things right, to counter all the wrongheadedness rampant out there.
scouring the web and then visiting various cabins and resorts that made the short list. I had found my place, a snug cabin just two hours from home set in cedars and firs overlooking a tiny green lake. Quiet. Secluded. Just the place to get to work. And here I am. But a funny thing seems to have happened. I’ve been spending a lot of time listening to the fire crackle in the wood stove, walking in the woods and sitting on the porch. After two days, this is the first clattering of the keyboard. That young adult novel I’d hoped to be well along on? I dunno… Somehow that path that Farley and I took that led us by a pile of old log slabs, now so overgrown with moss it looked like a gnome’s house shingled in bright green, seems more important. That tiny stream we found trickling down the mountainside more fascinating. And when we bushwhacked our way back to the main trail and I yelled in mock relief, “We made it, Farley!” and he raced excitedly back and forth along the trail as if he were a puppy again, I laughed more deeply, more genuinely, than I had in a very long time. And sitting on the porch, the lyrics of the forest seem more beautiful than anything I could possibly write, for this is certainly not a place of silence. Way up on the mountainside across the lake the pines and cedars are chatting softly. A small stream announces it arrival at our lake. Rain pads softly on the cedar shakes and drips on my notebook. A loon flaps noisily in the water, and a grey squirrel, not at all happy with Farley as a neighbour, chitters in a tree. Deep, deep in the woods, an owl hoots at who knows what. Last night when he who-whoed, Farley stood by the rail and peered intently into the darkness. But today he lies quietly by my chair, not even bothering to flick an ear toward our owly friend. I guess I’ll get at that novel. Sometime. But right now I want to do a crossword in front of the fire. Then there’s the book I’ve been wanting to finish. And that cliff hike I’d like to take… 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 web site at www.northerned.com.
For nearly a year, I had been researching the right site, northof50.com 37
B.C. is on a list of National Geographic’s five global hotspots for language extinction
Secwepemctsin Revitalization Efforts Story and photo by Sherry Bennett
STRADDLING THE SOUTH THOMPSON RIVER and sagebrush peppered hills that sweep up into mountains is Tselcéwtqen Clleq’mel’tn (Chief Atahm); a small red-roofed schoolhouse housing a fervent resolve to save a severely endangered language. In a survey conducted by Nathan Matthew through the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society in 1999, out of a total of 7,597 members in the Secwepemc (Shuswap) Nation, there were 308 fluent speakers of the language. Fast forward a dozen years. While there are more Shuswap Nation members learning their mother tongue, less than 250 fluent Secwepemctsin speakers remain. “It’s scary,” says Robert Matthew, principal of the Chief Atahm School. “We [Chief Atahm] need to produce more speakers than are passing away in the community, mainly because other communities don’t have as many speakers.” “But we are not going to give up,” says the educator and administrator who has led the school for the past 16 years. “We can revitalize. We’ve already made a difference.” For thousands of years the Secwepemc people carried their vast knowledge of the land through stories and legends in their eastern or western Secwepemctsin dialects. Sadly, most of the aboriginal languages, including Secwepemctsin, are considered either severely endangered or nearly extinct. Secwepemctsin is one of 23 dialects within the Salishan language group. With an estimated 32 aboriginal 38 northof50.com
languages and 59 dialects in B.C., the province houses 60 per cent of Canada’s aboriginal languages. Because half of the 32 languages are spoken fluently by fewer than 50 people, linguists include B.C. on a list of National Geographic’s five global hot spots for language extinction. In 1987, concerned with the rapid decline of the language in their communities, a group of progressivethinking Secwepemc parents began an immersion program using a pre-school language nest modeled after the successful Maori initiative Te Kohango Reo and the Hawaiian Aha Punana Leo. Securing a building on the Adams Lake Reserve adjacent the community of Chase, these same parents opened B.C.’s first language nest program where infants to children under five were placed in a natural, home-like setting with elders speaking nothing but Secwepemctsin. Children’s activities varied from nature walks, crafts, story time, playtime, cooking and singing. Working in an environment where decisionmaking responsibilities have always been delegated to the collective – staff, parents and elders – Chief Atahm’s current framework includes a nursery language nest, a full immersion program for kindergarten through Grade 3 and a bilingual (semi-immersion) program for Grades 4 to 9. The school spent two decades developing and perfecting a language curriculum that is now viewed as a model of excellence in immersion programming and language revitalization. Both the school’s curriculum and teaching methods are featured front and centre in annual school-
hosted language conferences and summer teacher institutes that attract hundreds from across Canada and the U.S. Within the walls of this circular-shaped education centre, where reflections cast on computer screens are that of mountains, sky and tilled soil awaiting seeds from eager young hands, modern is inextricably woven with traditional. Secwepemctsin is used in all subjects through conversation, stories, legends, songs and dance. In addition to a full range of core content courses such as math, language arts, science and social studies, students are immersed in culturallygrounded life skills that run the spectrum from traditional carpentry, fishing, sewing, to organic gardening. “We are unique and we teach how we are unique,” says Matthew while leading a tour of the school. In addition to the Kamloops Indian Band run Sk’elep School of Excellence, five schools in the KamloopsThompson School District (Haldane, John Tod, Ralph Bell elementaries/North Kamloops, South Kamloops secondaries) offer Secwepemctsin as part of their curriculum. Chief Atahm operates the only aboriginal immersion program within the Shuswap Nation. Despite the success of Chief Atahm’s immersion program that currently instructs 62 youth from the Adams Lake, Neskonlith and Little Shuswap bands, Matthew says there are many Secwepemc parents who have not yet been able to fully grasp the aboriginal immersion concept and its ability to prepare youth for the post-secondary world. “I respect people’s decisions, but the whole idea here is quality education. What we have here is an educational system that teaches both skills and cultural identity – two things that complement each other. We think the traditional way of learning still applies today. “When students leave this school they are wellprepared students that can go anywhere. Our curriculum compliments student learning and contributes to selfidentity. It provides students with confidence they can take into post-secondary education and the workforce.” Any language, regardless of the dialect or size, requires a healthy habitat and with such, one of the biggest challenges First Nations language preservationists face today pertains to intergenerational transmission. Though Secwepemctsin thrives on the campus of the Chief Atahm, the language is not making its way into the home and community portals to the extent it needs to be to flourish says Matthew, a statement backed up by The First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council in an April 30 report. “Some of our students speak the language at home, but not all of them. Pop culture is a strong thing. More activities that do not compete with English need to be created.” Believing aboriginal language and heritage had no place in the new social construct, residential schools forbade
aboriginal youth from speaking in their mother tongue; for decades the Secwepemc language lay buried within elders ashamed to pass it along to their children. Jessica Arnouse, language program project researcher for the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society, points out that aboriginal people are now realizing the importance of bringing the language back. “More and more people want to learn and write the language at any age,” says Arnouse from her small third floor office overlooking the arbour of the Kamloops powwow grounds. “Things are improving. Slowly, but they are improving. The dialect is still endangered, but it will work its way back.” Up until 20 years ago, when Dutch linguist Aert Kuipers developed the present writing system for the language, Secwepemctsin (the language of the Secwepemc) was an oral language. Founded in 1983 with the purpose of uniting efforts to promote the Shuswap language and culture, SCES serves as a repository for Secwepemc language resources. With the majority of fluent speakers over 65 years, Arnouse says travelling out into the community to collect sound recordings of elders is a top priority for the SCES. “Audios of the language can go a long way. “A person needs to hear the language. It’s one of the most important parts. We need the audios so kids can listen to the language.” While the SCES works independently of the Chief Atahm School, their mission is the same – to preserve a dying language. “If we lose the language we lose the biggest parts of our history and culture,” says Arnouse. “It is the language that ties everything together. If we lose it we lose ways of knowing ourselves.” Secwepemc Cultural Education Society – a non-profit organization devoted to preserving and promoting the language, culture and history of the Secwepemc people www.secwepemc.org/ FirstVoices – a group of web-based tools and services designed to support Aboriginal people engaged in language archiving, language teaching & culture revitalization www.firstvoices.com/ Chief Atahm Immersion School www.chiefatahm.com/Home.html The First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council (includes B.C. Language Map and 2010 Report on the Status of B.C. First Nations Languages) - www.fphlcc.ca/ School District #73 – Connecting Traditions: Explore Secwepemc Pre-Contact Life - www.secwepemc.sd73.bc.ca/ Land of the Shuswap – George Manuel Institute www.landoftheshuswap.com/msite/gmanuel.php
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june
VPAG vernonpublicartgallery.com
EXHIBITIONS KAG kelownaartgallery.com
SAGA sagapublicartgallery.ca
“BERN SMITH: A Tribute to the Artist” Sponsor: Linda Rohlfs Agency Inc. Opening: Jun 4 at 7pm Show: June 5 to June 26. REEL ROOTZ - An exhibition of short films by emerging First Nations artists - May 27 to July 18, 2010. Reel Rootz is an exhibition of short films by emerging First Nations artists, in our Reynolds Gallery space. NOBUO KUBOTA - HOKUSAI REVISITED - June 5 to July 18, 2010. Opening reception and performance Friday, June 4, 7-9 p.m., is open to the public
June 3 and June 17, SAGA JAZZ CLUB: An everchanging selection of jazz musicians come together for a fantastic evening of live music. Admission by donation - 7pm.
APPLE BIN PAINT-IN - Thursday, July 1, 2010 between 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., the Canada Day tradition continues!
ARTS HAPPENING
PENTICTON ART ART GALLERY pentictonartgallery.com
JOANNA CHAPMAN-SMITH in Concert 7 pm Friday June 25. Tickets: $10 members/ students. $15 non-members. Alone on stage, sitting atop a percussion rig made out of a suitcase and outnumbered by instruments, she charms unassuming crowds into singing along and letting themselves be carried away into her world. For info call (250-492-2928), or visit her website: www.myspace.com/joannacs GALLERY VERTIGO galleryvertigo.com
June 6 - BANNER MURALS - with instructor James Postill June 13- CROCHET A SUMMER SCARF with members of the Gallery Vertigo Knitting Circle June 20 - MAGAZINE PORTRAITS - with instructor Angelika Jaeger June 27 - ART AS A SPORT - with instructor Miranda Aschenbrenner
UBCO BFA GRADUATING CLASS - INTUIT Topham Brown Gallery May 27 - July 29 GLENN CLARK IN SEARCH OF THE PICTURESQUE Caroline Galbraith Gallery May 27 - July 29 KINDALE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSOCIATION TRIPLE ARTISTS: REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE Community Gallery May 27 - July 29
PERFORMANCES CREEKSIDE THEATRE www.creeksidetheatre.com
VERNON PERFORMING ARTS ticketseller.ca
MUSIC OF THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE In Story and in Song Friday, June 18 2010 at the Powerhouse Theatre $25 General Admission July 13, GADELLE - The newly formed all-female group Gadelle embodies the spirit of the Acadian people with their fiddling, their songs, their stories and their dance in every performance.. All four women are multi-instrumentalists, playing and switching instruments and trading turns step-dancing throughout the show. The sound is Acadian, the songs are French, the banter is bilingual and the spirit is alive. Tickets / reservations at 250.766.9309
THE AUSTRALIAN EAGLES EXPERIENCE Sunday, June 20 2010 - 8:00pm. Join the five highly respected, multitalented musicians in The Eagles Experience – Hotel California, a faithful recreation of The Eagles’ timeless hits, a show that salutes the talent and musicianship of the original members.
COMING EVENTS June 1 to 3 - SEASONS SURPRISES, an exhibition of local artists Dianne Korsch and Barb Hofer, at the upstairs gallery at the Red Rooster Winery, 891 Naramata Road, Penticton,. Features 50 original paintings in a variety of mediums and subjects. Opening reception scheduled for Sunday, June 6 from 1pm - 4pm. Everyone is welcome. June 11 to 13 - DISTRICT 70’s 38th ANNUAL AA CONVENTION. Location- Japanese Cultural Centre, 4895 Bellavista Rd. Vernon. For tickets and more information Call Colleen L- 250.308.9979 or Andy W 250.308.0578 or Email: vernonaaroundup@gmail.com. JULY 11 & 12, FIRST ANNUAL COMMUNITY DAY AND PRO-AM GOLF TOURNAMENT. Vernon Golf and Country Club is donating the golf course for the two days and Kalamalka Rotary will manage the event which is expected to raise as much as $30,000 toward the Rotary commitment of a quarter million dollars for the maternal child floor of the new VJH Tower of Care. Pro-Am Details: Cec Ferguson – 250.542.0151
June 19 - SUNSHINE FESTIVAL. The largest street fair & sidewalk sale in the North Okanagan. In 2009, about 12,000 people attended. Stroll through downtown Vernon and find outstanding bargains, enjoy live entertainment, fun activities for kids, street cafes, art & cultural performances, a rock climbing wall, 2 entertainment stages, 2-3 bounce and plays, pony rides and professional face painting. 9am to 5 pm, 29th Street.
june competition in four main categories, Pork Shoulder, Ribs, Beef Brisket, and Chicken. Teams from across Western Canada and the Northwestern United States compete for thousands of dollars in prize money, an entry in the World BBQ Championships in Kansas City, and most importantly, bragging rights over their fellow competitors. Alex Miller - Event Co-Chair at 250.878.4810. June 23 - MATTHEW GOOD AND HIS BAND, with guests. Kelowna Community Theatre , 7 pm. Tickets at Unionevents.com, Ticketmaster.ca, charge by phone 250.860.1470 Tickets (incl. GST) $34.50 (plus service charges) June 24 - GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW ARMSTRONG-SPALLUMCHEEN OUTDOOR AQUATIC CENTRE. 12:00-2:00pm. Event begins with a BBQ at 12:00 and the Official Opening Ceremony at 1:00pm. The over $2,000,000.00 budget for the project was jointly funded by the City of Armstrong, the Township of Spallumcheen and an $800,000.00 infrastructure grant from the Government of British
June 19 & 20, DAN HILL. After nearly a decade of focusing his efforts backstage, internationally renowned Canadian artist Dan Hill is back in the spotlight with his first album featuring new material since 1996. He will be presenting his new cd “Intimate” along with a book release “I Am My Father’s Son”. Grammy and Juno Award Winner, singer-songwriter. At The Dream Café, 8pm Penticton. Tickets $36. Info at 250.490.9012 June 20, 4th ANNUAL SMOKE ON THE WATER BBQ FESTIVAL, one of the largest BBQ competitions in Canada, as well as Kelowna’s Best Burger In Town restaurant competition, an entertainment stage, beer garden, and a marketplace. A “Southern Style” BBQ northof50.com 41
Columbia “Towns of Tomorrow” program. The new pool will be a six lane Junior Olympic pool with zero depth beach entrance leisure area. There will be a separate Tot Pool with floor geysers, a 103 foot two loop water slide, a diving board and a Water Umbrella, Spray Tree and Matchstick spray in the leisure pool area. The new pool and building will be completely handicapped accessible including a family change room for users that require assistance. A hot tub will be included along with a future sand volley ball court. June 25 to 27 - 9th ANNUAL PENTICTON PACIFIC NEW ELVIS FEST Headliner, Brandon Bennett with Special Guest Danny Vernon. Approximately 30 tribute artists being judged at Okanagan Lake Park on Lakeshore Drive beside the Lakeside Resort. Pancake breakfast, food & refreshment vendors, and a fabulous gospel show Sunday morning at 9am. Call 250.493.4055 or 800.663.5052 or visit www.pentictonelvisfestival.com or email info@pentictonelvisfestival.com. June 25 to 27 - PEACH CITY CRUISE, Over 800 of
Windshield Repair & Replacement lWindow & Door Renovations lRollshutters & Rollscreens lCustom & Standard Shower Doors lGlass/Mirrors lSealed Units lScreens/Plexi Glass
the finest antique cars. Car viewing and Memorabilia Auction Friday evening. Collector Car Auction 12:30 pm Saturday, courtesy of TheElectricGarage. com. Activities for the whole family, live music, vendors. Visit www.peachcitybeachcruise.com or call 250.487.2303 or 866.889.2288. June 26 - SHUSWAP DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL, Rowing has been a part of outdoor leisure and recreation in the Okanagan for many years. A Dragonboat race is a colorful, exciting event to watch as boats with teams of rowers glide across the waters to the beat of a drum! Features about 16 teams, mixed or all women. At the Salmon Arm Marine Park / wharf. July 15 to August 8 - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. A blazing cornucopia of musical styles, and featuring such song favorites as Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door, and Go, Go, Go Joseph, this Old Testament romp emerges as both a timely and timeless tale of tragedy and triumph and a dream of a show for the entire family! Kelowna Actor’s Studio. 250.862.2867
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Your tax-deductible gift to Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation will support health care needs for residents living in the North Okanagan, Columbia/Shuswap. For more information call (250) 558-1362 or visit www.vjhfoundation.org
Authorized Dealer 250-542-8191
• Topsoil • Compost • Sand & Gravel • Bark Mulches • Decorative Rock •Flagstone •Landscaping Supplies • Concrete Pavers
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ACHIEVEMENT BANQUET BRIDAL BRIDESMAID CAKE CELEBRATE CEREMONY CERTIFICATE COMPLETION DAD DAY DEGREE DIPLOMA EDUCATION ELOPE FIANCE GIRL GOLF GOWN GRADUATION
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23 Farm credit administration (abbr.) 24 Extremely high frequency (abbr.) 25 Ingest 26 Dined 27 Deuce 28 Conger 29 North by east 31 sloshes 32 Possess 33 Close 37 What you take 38 semi____ 39 Sow 40 ___ West (Batman) 41 Musical symbol 42 Cultivate 43 marriage month 44 Same cite as previous 45 Taboo 46 Departed 48 Owned
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Community Events ARMSTRONG Knitting Circle. You are invited to a relaxing evening of sharing, learning & meeting new friends. Bring a project, needles & yarn or just yourself. Beginners always welcome. Now accepting yarn donations for local charitable projects. Judy at 250.546.9475 or Marlene at 250.546.6325. www.knittingcircle.ca Armstrong Toastmasters. All ages welcome! Come try Armstrong Toastmasters, the best communication & leadership training you can get in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. Every Tuesday, 7:20pm to 9:30pm. Coffee, tea & snacks. Armstrong Spall Chamber of Commerce, 3550 Bridge Street. 250.546.3276 or 250.558.8110 or visit www.freewebs.com/ armstrongtoastmasters/ ENDERBY Enderby and District Wheels to Meals Society Luncheon held every Wed. at the Seniors Complex. 1101 George St. Come for a home cooked meal & visit with friends. Meals $6 & you must be 65 or older.
or mwasylyshen@alzheimerbc.org. Also a support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer Disease & related dementia on the 2nd Tuesday of the month in the evenings. The Rug Hooking Circle meets every second Monday at 1pm in Room 204, Rotary Centre for the Arts. Practice a traditional Canadian art form in a group setting. Angela at 250.767.0206 www.rughookingteacher.ca Westside Jam. Open mike jam every 1st and 3rd Friday, 6:30 to 9pm. C & W, blues, bluegrass; old-time, gospel, etc. Meets at Westside Seniors Hall in Westbank. Carl 250.707.1030 or Gerry 250.768.4421 LUMBY Lumby Legion.Join us Thursday for darts, Friday for Pool, Saturday for our meat draws & keep your eyes open for our specialty dances & events! 250.547.2338.
Enderby Cliff Quilters meet at Enderby Evangelical Chapel, 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month, 1pm to 5pm. Call Sonia at 250.838.0685 or June at 250.903.1799.
PENTICTON The Penticton Seniors Computer Club drop-in days at the Leisure Centre, 439 Winnipeg Street, are: Monday 1 to 3pm, Wednesday 1 to 2pm, Friday 1 to 3pm. Mac Computer Support Monday 10 am to 11 am. Members and visitors welcome. 250.492.7373.
KELOWNA The Kelowna Newcomers Club Meetings 7pm, 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Seniors’ Centre on Water Street. Enjoy interesting and informative speakers & join some of the many activities available. Coffee & goodies served 250.764.9686.
The Penticton Concert Band rehearses under the leadership of Gerald Nadeau on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30pm at the SeventhDay Adventist Church Hall in preparation for upcoming concerts. Intermediate to advanced players www.pentictonconcertband.ca or 250.809.2087
Ballroom dancing every Sunday evening. 7:30 to 10:30pm at the Water Street Senior Centre, 1360 Water Street Dress code: no jeans, runners, or sandals. Dance lessons 1/2 hour before the dance. Cost $6.00 Tea, coffee and cookies included.
Penticton South Okanagan Seniors Wellness Society 696 Main St. Programs for the community. Volunteer Development, Friendly Visitor Program, Health Education, Elders Leading & Adopt-A-Grandparent. 250.487.7455.
Friends of Knox Mountain Park - Annual General Meeting, Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 7:00 pm at Simpson Pavilion, Top of Knox Mountain Park. Contact: Maureen Lisle 250 868 9396 (evenings) Newcomers Welcome. Raging Grannies: a group of concerned ladies who express their concerns with satirical songs & other activities. Meet 2nd & 4th Mondays, 11 am, Kelowna Legion, 1380 Bertam. 250.860.1576. Dance with live music every Thursday night at the Water Street Activity Centre. 7:30 pm. For those 50+. $4 members, $6 nonmembers. The Alzheimer Society of BC holds a support group for people in the early stage of Alzheimer Disease & related dementia on Tuesday mornings at 865 Bernard Ave. 250.860.0305 44 northof50.com
Royal Canadian Legion. Monday Night is Miser Monday with chicken wings & Baron/Beef $3 each, bar specials. Entertainment 5 to 9:00pm every Monday. Friday is Membership appreciation Night with 5:30 to 6:30pm full course meal & entertainment, 6:30 to 10:30pm. Wednesday is Bingo Day, 1:00pm & 6:30 pm Bingo. Meat Draw every Saturday & Sunday; 250.493.0870 The Franco 50+ group meets Thursdays to socialize in French, from 1:30 to 3:30pm. Lina at 250.492.2549 RUTLAND Dance with live music every Saturday night at the Rutland Activity Centre. 7:30 pm. For those 50+. $4 members, $6 non-members.
SALMON ARM Salmon Arm Duplicate Bridge club meets at 6:45pm every Tuesday at the downtown Activity Centre & every Sunday at 12:45 pm at Branch 109. 250.832.7454 or 250.832.7323.
Sunshine Seniors meet 2nd & 4th Friday of the month, downstairs at the Peace Lutheran Church, 1204-30th Ave. 1:30 pm. All 55+ invited to fellowship, devotions, games & always excellent treats & coffee. Annual membership is $3.
Fletcher Park Seniors Resource Centre 320A 2nd Ave., N.E. Meals on Wheels, Lunch With Friends, Monday Morning Market, Shop & Drop, Income Tax Service, Advocacy, Foot Care, Volunteer Drivers for medically related appointments, up. 250.832.7000.
The Vernon Lapidary & Mineral Club (Rockhounders) meet every 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7:30 pm. (except July and August) in the Art Centre, 2704A Hwy 6, in Polson Park. 250.545.1274, or 250.542.0616.
SICAMOUS Senior Citizen’s Meals (Wheels to Meals) at the Eagle Valley Haven in the C o m m o n R o o m . Phone ahead, 250.836.2437 or 250.836.4718 or 250.836.4302 or 250.836.2031.
Schubert Centre, 3505 30th Ave. Shuffleboard, Monday to Friday at 8am 250.549.4201
Sicamous Family Market at the Seniors Activity Centre, Saturdays 8:30am to 2pm. 250.836.2587. TAPPEN Carlin Hall, Bluegrass/Slowpitch Jam. Tuesday nights 7 to 9pm. Bluegrass instruments only. 250.835.2322. VERNON North Okanagan Seniors Action Network Meetings at the Schubert Centre every 2nd Tuesday of each month. Hosted by seniors Resource Bureau. 250.545.8572 The Vernon Seniors Choir under the direction of Lyn Taron rehearses each Wednesday from 12:30 to 2:30 pm at the Halina Complex in the Vernon Rec Centre. Our motto is “ Music is our contribution.” 250.545.3119 or 250.542.2264 Elks Lodge, 3103-30th Street. Every Friday Nite, Supper at 6pm Cost $7.50 for Home cooked meal & Mini Meat Draw, 50/50 draw after dinner. Everyone Welcome, members & non-members.
First & third Saturday of every month from 10 am to noon. Knitting Circle at Gallery Vertigo. Admission is a $5 donation to Gallery Vertigo’s Smarties Family Sunday Art Program. 250.503.2297 or see www.galleryvertigo.com VERNON LAWN BOWLING CLUB in Polson Park offers 3 FREE LESSONS to beginners! Appropriate footwear the only requirement. Bowling - competitive and/or social - every Wed, Fri and Sun at 1pm and every Tues and Thurs at 6.45pm. For details, check www.vernonlawnbowlingclub.com or e-mail vernonlbc@gmail. com or call the club at 250.542.0212. Breathing Exercises for relief from asthma, allergies, COPD, bronchiitis and other chronic issues. Every Monday at 1-2 pm and Friday 11 am-12 noon at the People Place, Vernon. Donation Only. For more information email Melissa: blueeagleyoga@yahoo.ca WINFIELD Cribbage Tournament at the Seniors Activity Center 9832-Bottomwood Lake Rd. Each 3rd Sunday of the month. Entree fee $12. Excellent lunch included. Games start at 10am. Play partners & meet new friends. John 250.766.3026
Vernon Singles Club. Upcoming Dances, held at the Eagles Hall, 5101-25th Ave. or at the Schubert Center - 3505-30th Ave. Dawn 250.558.9974 or Lottie 250.549.2495
List your community event by calling toll free 1-877-667-8450 or email details to info@northof50.com.
Fun Time Seniors 50+ Thursdays at the Schubert Centre from 10 to 11:30am. Free event including games, entertainment, talks & videos. 250.545.5984 or 250.549.4201.
Wordsearch Solution: Hurray for grads of Twenty Ten Crossword Solution:
Oil Painting. Drop-in Fridays 1 to 4 pm at the Vernon Community Arts Centre. Fee is $3 for members, $4 for non-members. First Tuesday of every month the Vernon Placer Miner Club (gold panning club) meets at 7 pm, bsmt of Peace Lutheran Church at 1204-30 Ave. Guests welcome. Memberships for family, $20/yr. Donna Smith 250.545.3832 or mrspumpkin36@hotmail.com or Jerry Stainer 250.549.4395. Brazilian Embroidery Chapter Stitching group gathers every second Thursday of the month, 7 pm. Pat at 250.549.2219 or Mary 250.545.3939. northof50.com 45
Classified & Directory Two recivers Bell Express vu. Very good condition asking $75 each, or $100 for Two. 250.549.6754. Reciver number 4100. Lawn bowling balls,set of 4-older type glenselite super grip size 1,$100. Phone 250.542.0236. For sale auxiliary fuel tank for a pick up truck,custom built,60 gal c/w electric transfer pump ,12 volt dimensions,48”x24x15”, $300. Contact rldal@shaw .ca or phone 250.314.2008. 85 amp Chev alternator, $60. Dewalt cordless drill & charge, $100. 2-18 v. Dewalt batteries & charger, $85 each. Call 250.542.5698. Wesco Tred Mill for sale like new $75. 4 doz canning jars $3 per doz or $10. for all. Roof top TV antenna $5. Shower door ( 3 piece) $25.00. Phone 250.545.9665 or e-mail pcboomers@shaw.ca. Special dolls $25-100, breadmaker $15, toaster oven $15, speakers $20, monkey pod wood $2 and up, Tupperware $2 and up, records $1-5, books $25-50, toys and lots more. Phone 250.765.6240. Buy an RV lot on beautiful Swan Lake in Vernon, B.C. Cheap living at $150/month. View lots, some with park models at www.swanlakervlots.com. New: deluxe metal bedframe adjusts to king $45., non-stick electric griddle still in box $25., 2 used bi-fold doors, new track, $5. each 250.503.2086 Vernon.
The Healing Arts Association of Okanagan The Healing Arts Association of Okanagan will be hosting HAAO Holistic & Health Fairs the last Sunday of the Month June 27th except Aug 20th Sundays 10-5pm at Kelowna Royal Anne Hotel on Bernard 1 block from Sails. Enjoy the benefits of Massage, spiritual readings, EFT, Healing touch, Shiatsu +more services & sessions. www.healingartsassociation.com haao@shaw.ca Admission Fee: Donation to the Food Bank
Armstrong Wine and Brew
1996 - 2010
Lisa, Owner/Operator
FUNERAL SERVICES
Soloflex Home Gym, used once, includes butterfly and leg attachments, plus two weight strap sets, $999.99. Revelstoke 250.837.3741.
Free Classified Ad Policy We’ll place your ad, up to 25 words FREE, as long as the value of the item you are selling is under $1000. This offer is available to individuals only and is not available to businesses or commercial enterprises. One ad per household, space permitting. The rate for business / commercial ads or for items valued over $1,000 is $14 plus tax up to 25 words then 25 cents for each additional word. Email your ad details, along with your phone number and address to: classifieds@northof50.com or fax to: 250.546.8914
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Full Funeral Services •Pre-Arrangements Cremation • Memorial Markers Independently owned & operated Serving Enderby, Armstrong & Vernon
Happy Days Nanny Service
Livestock & Pet Care when you can’t be there
Over 30 Years Experience • Bonded • Licensed • Insured • References Available Call: @ 250-832-7308 Cell: 250-550-7249 or creamo@telus.net
Joy & Stewart Gladstone Care & Grooming
250.545.8054
Telex noise cancelling aviation headset, brand new, never used, $250.00. Revelstoke 403.836.9908.
HOUSE FOR SALE: 2 bedroom house in sunny Lillooet. $159,000, 1056 sq. feet, 1/2 acre lot, fruit trees, nice view. Email for more info: oktechnical@gmail.com Phone: (250) 256-7775
Box 339, 2545 Patterson Ave. Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0, 250-546-6954 www.armstrongwineandbrew.com
2980 Smith Drive, Armstrong Tel. 546-7237 Fax. 546-8237 email:pafsarmstrong@telus.net www.personalalternative.com
Doll collection being sold by granny. One in rocker, 15” high, $20; 22”, 45 years old, $25; 33” tall 52 years old, $20. Write sallys1@telus. net for their pictures. 250.833.2129. Moduline Home For Sale in Westbank. 2 bed, 2 bath, own land, $35/month strata, 12x32 insulated garage, maintenance free yard, $265, 900. Phone 250.769.6446.
Monthly Specials
• Pet Show Grooming • Kind & Gentle Care • 30 Years Experience
Valley Monuments Keith or Evelyn Franklin
Memorials of Distinction 4316 29th Street, Vernon, BC V1T 5B8 Phone/Fax: 250.542.6411 Toll Free: 1.877.511.8585
Braun Denture Clinic Doug Braun, R.D. Erika Braun, R.D. DENTURISTS
OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE New Dentures - Partials-Relines - Repairs 250-549-4745 McCulloch Court #114-3400 Coldstream Ave. Vernon
LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE
North of 50
North of 50 LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE
April 2010 Vol. 8, Issue 4
IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN The Realities of Living in the Okanagan
AN EARTHSHIP HOUSE Darfield Family Goes Green BACK TO THE EARTH Oliver Couple’s Rock Solid Home Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Organic Home Delivery Service northof50.com
North of 50 LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE
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Armstrong Business ®
May 2010 Vol. 8, Issue 5
THE MANY FACES OF FAMILY
A WONDERFUL WAY TO FAMILY The Road to Adoption OKANAGAN/SHUSWAP MOMS Striving to Find Balance GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN Making it Work Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750
JOURNEY OUT OF DEPRESSION northof50.com
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