JUNE 2016
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Star Man
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CONTENTS Okanagan Gleaners feed the world’s hungry with surplus food
Page 8 PUBLISHER
ABERDEEN PUBLISHING INC. www.aberdeenpublishing.com
EDITOR
RICHARD MCGUIRE reporter@osoyoostimes.com
AD DESIGN
RONDA JAHN production@osoyoostimes.com
SALES
BRIAN HIGHLEY brianhighley@aberdeenpublishing.com
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Lawn bowling fun for young reporter
6
Full-time mom becomes children’s author
10
Fungal disease threatening bats approaching
12
Young farmers can’t wait to get growing
14
Star man looks up from Osoyoos
17
Catching Mercury transiting the sun
20
Student probes climate change inpact on bobcats
22
Around Town events calendar
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23
Oliver Elks club proud to last 80 years
“There’s nothing in physics that says you can’t go back in time. You just have to figure out how to do it.” - Astronomer Jack Newton (Page 14)
JUNE 2016
CONTRIBUT0RS KELSI BISSONNETTE is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Instructor. She has been working in the fitness industry for 20+ years and has owned her own fitness studio.
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Star Man
ON THE COVER Astronomer and astrophotographer Jack Newton looks through the telescope at his observatory on Anarchist Mountain where he and his wife Alice run a bed and breakfast. (Richard McGuire photo)
looks up at Osoyoos skies
We welcome feedback from our readers. Send comments to reporter@osoyoostimes.com or mail to Box 359, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0, Telephone 250-495-7225. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or part by any means without the written permission of the publisher. While every care has been taken with this publication, the author(s) and publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors it may contain. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this publication. © 2016 Aberdeen Publishing. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement. ISSN 2291-2991.
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Sun Sightings A bull leaps into the air to toss his rider during the bull riding event Sunday at the 78th annual Keremeos Elks Rodeo on the May long weekend. (Richard McGuire photo)
Great stories from the South Okanagan
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Lawn bowling fun for young reporter By Trevor Nichols I’m not sure if it was just flattery, but when Eleanore Dempster told me I was a “natural” lawn bowler, I couldn’t help but smile. Dempster had asked me to come and try the sport to celebrate the start of The Osoyoos Lawn Bowling Club’s season, which officially began May 2. After I made a decent shot on one of my first-ever bowls, she immediately began trying to recruit me. “We’re signing him up Naga: he’s going to the provincials this year,” she yelled over to Naga Terada, past president of the club and one of my opponents in a friendly pairs match the club had organized to familiarize me with the sport. The club, down from a high-point of 40 members to 28 last year, is making a push for fresh blood by offering a series of programs aimed at signing up new and younger players. This year, the club is hosting several events and programs, including an open house held on May 7. Also planned are an introduction to events aimed at kids and families, a student program in conjunction with the school, a family night and team challenges. “The intent of all the outreach programs is to introduce the sport of bowls to as many people as possible with the ultimate goal of increasing membership. We are also trying to change the public’s perception that one must be old to play the game,” Dempster said. For my introduction to the sport, my partner Delores McKnee and I played four rounds against Dempster and Terada. McNee is a talented and fairly competitive bowler, and since I had already messed up by wearing heeled shoes onto the green, I was determined not to be the weak link. Lawn bowling is a lot like curling on grass. The bowls themselves are weighted on one side, which makes them curl at the end of their momentum much like curling stones. A round starts when the lead throws the “jack” – a
small white ball the size of a pool cue ball – down the green. The object is to get your bowls as close to the jack as possible, while keeping the opposing team’s bowls as far away as possible. Since the jack can be hit and moved on any shot, completely changing the layout and potential score of the game, and often negating particularly good shots, lawn bowling is actually quite fluid and exciting. It’s just as satisfying to knock the jack away from your opponent’s good position as it is excruciating to have your well-placed shots swept out from under you. After a few less-than-perfect shots, I was less confident of my status as a “natural” and I could feel my competitive nature taking over. Lawn bowling is somewhat unique in that players of almost any age and gender compete against each other, even at the highest level. This might be part of why being a good sport and not trash talking are written directly into the official rulebook. More than once, I had to check myself and hold back as Dempster and Terada started making good shots. McNee bailed out our team a few times, but we lost in the final end after a series of bad shots by me left us in a bad position. Dempster said that the mandated good sportsmanship makes the game a lot of fun to play for everyone, but pointed out the sport still holds plenty for the competitiveminded. That made sense to me. There is certainly a lot of skill and a surprising amount of strategy involved in the game – more than enough to get the competitive juices flowing. But there’s also a large social element to the game, which means you can have fun regardless. The club was offering free drop-in for anyone interested during the first month of the season. Even if you’ve missed that, I would recommend giving lawn bowling a try. Even despite our crushing defeat I still had fun: and that’s saying something.
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Lawn bowling is a social sport, but offers more than enough for the competitive-minded. It only took a few throws for my competitive nature to take over. (Contributed photo)
OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 5
Full-time mom becomes children’s author
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By Lyonel Doherty To Simi Boparai, every woman’s daughter is a Rani (that means princess in Punjabi). And all little princesses deserve a story. So one day, in a land not so far away, the former Oliver resident felt an urge to create a story for her two-year-old daughter Sunam, and the response has been great. The 29-year-old mom and volunteer nurse recently self-published a children’s book called “Rani’s Ikk Do Tinn (translation: one, two, three). Boparai immigrated to Oliver from India in 1995 with her parents, Jas and Mandeep Sidhu, who operate Best of India. She attended Oliver Elementary School, where her first teacher was Mrs. McCarthy. Boparai had a passion for reading and spent a lot of time in the school library, where the stories came alive for her in a very meaningful way. “I see the same in my daughter . . . she loves reading, and Rani is her friend (now).” The years flew by, and Boparai graduated from Southern Okanagan Secondary School in 2004. After that, she enrolled in the nursing program at UBC Okanagan and graduated in 2008. Now she’s a full-time mom living in Surrey.
The inspiration to write the book came from her daughter. Boparai wanted to ensure that Sunam learned Punjabi since there was not much Punjabi literature for children. One can imagine that writing a book comes with a number of challenges, but Boparai faced a particular challenge in that she could only work on it for 20 minutes at a time during Sunam’s nap schedule. Needless to say, she had to use her time wisely during the eight months it took to write the book. Rani is a little girl full of adventure and curiosity, just like Sunam. She goes around counting objects and learning from the environment. “I try to see the world through my daughter’s eyes, every time you read the book it’s a different story (for her).” When Sunam comes to the page with the balloons on it, she will sometimes pretend to pick them up and carry them around. Boparai said she feels very blessed and happy about publishing her first book, and is now working on her second, a family-oriented short story. “As parents, that’s what we live for, to see the smile on our kids’ faces.” Parents who want a copy of her book can email ranibooks@gmail.com or visit Boparai’s Facebook page under Rani Books.
First-time author Simi Boparai wrote Rani’s Ikk Do Tinn after being inspired by her daughter, who loves the book. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
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Ken Richardson of Oliver empties a bin of beets into a chopping machine. (Richard McGuire photo)
Okanagan Gleaners feed the world’s hungry By Richard McGuire People driving north from Osoyoos to Oliver sometimes notice a cryptic sign as they pass Road 3 simply saying “Gleaners” and pointing to the west. “We are probably the best-kept secret here in the valley,” says Greg Masson, who manages the Okanagan Gleaners, a Christian-based volunteer operation that provides more than five million soup meals a year to hungry people around the world. “Most people don’t have any idea,” admits Bill Saul, a volunteer and director with the Okanagan Gleaners. Saul explained how the Gleaners take surplus vegetables and fruit that might otherwise go to waste, often donated by growers and packers by the tonne. Then they turn it into a dried soup mix that is sent by the barrel through Christian aid organizations to destinations around the world. The morning we visited in January, Saul, from Osoyoos, was at the Gleaners sorting frozen green beans in preparation for drying. Another 15 or so volunteers, some of them Prairie snowbirds and some of them locals, were also sorting or chopping beets and beans. Masiu Fine, originally from the Pacific island nation of Tonga, but in Oliver for the past six months, was pouring buckets of large beets into a potato-peeling machine that 8 www.oksun.ca
spits them out minus their skins. Inside the old tobacco barn that the Gleaners took over after they started in 1994, Carolyn Ellis from Oliver and John Hildebrand from Edmonton, are among the volunteers chopping peeled beets. “It’s a great mission for feeding the hungry,” said Ellis, who has been active with the Gleaners since she finished home schooling her children a few years ago. “It’s a fabulous atmosphere. It’s a lot of fun. There’s lots of people coming and going all the time so you meet people from all over the place, which is really exciting.” Hildebrand has been coming for about 12 years and in the past would stay over with his wife on their way to or from Arizona. He’s now grieving the loss of his wife, who died in August, but he’s come back to Oliver this year for the first time on his own. “I want to stay active,” said the retired truck driver, 76. “Even now having lost my wife, I have to be active. Everybody here said to me, ‘Come back because this is your family as well.’” Hildebrand was not the only Prairie snowbird volunteering at the Gleaners. Others come from such places as Prince Albert in Saskatchewan or Duchess and Olds in Alberta. “I’m here now for three months to get away from the Edmonton winter,” said Hildebrand. “You meet people
Ken Richardson of Oliver (centre) and Ian Jackson of Osoyoos (right) prepare beets for drying on trays. At left in the background is Okanagan Gleaners Manager Greg Masson. (Richard McGuire photo) from all over – from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, B.C. and Alberta. We all come here and we’re all friends.” Although the Okanagan Gleaners is a Christian-based organization, which sees itself as distributing God’s love to the hungry of the world, others are also welcome to volunteer or donate. “If somebody came here who wasn’t Christian, we wouldn’t close the door,” said Ellis. “We’re very open and it’s interdenominational, so that’s something that’s really interesting. You can have the gamut from Catholic to Baptist. It’s not just one denomination.” Next to the converted barn, the Gleaners provide RV hookups year round and tent space in the summer free to those who volunteer each morning. “I think there’s going to be a new buzz phrase and it’s going to be ‘voluntourism,’” said Masson, adding that when people go on vacation, it is an alternative to lying on the beach all day. Masson became the manager in April 2015, just in time for the annual mixing of the dried soup ingredients, the culmination of a year’s work. “We take all our ingredients and we store them,” he said. “Then, once a year in April we will set aside three weeks to mix all our product into a soup mix. That’s the fruition of what we’ve done all year. Yes, it’s nice to have barrels and barrels of dried beets and onions and peppers, but after
the end of April all that will be mixed into soup.” Saul shows a plastic bag of the dried soup mix. One bag with 25 litres of water makes 100 servings of soup. These are packed into drums holding about 65 to 75 bags each. Last year, the Okanagan Gleaners gave out 859 such drums. While most of what they produce is the soup mix, they also dice and dry apples, often including a bag or two of it with the soup. “They are like candy,” said Saul. The apple chips often go to orphanages, said Masson. “They’re handed out as a treat,” he said. “The nice thing is there’s nothing added.” In fact, the dried soup mix also has no additives such as seasoning either, Saul explained. “We don’t know where they are going and all of the countries they go to have different ideas of what seasoning is,” said Saul. “For most of them seasoning is something they grow and they can put their own seasoning in it.” When the Gleaners first started out, they made the mistake of putting in seasoning and people in some countries couldn’t eat it, he said. The Gleaners have tried drying such fruits as cherries and apricots, but the high moisture content and the need OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 9
Bill Saul of Osoyoos works on a tray of frozen green beans, preparing it for drying. (Richard McGuire photo) 10 www.oksun.ca
John Hildebrand of Edmonton slices beets inside the old tobacco barn used by the Okanagan Gleaners to prepare food. Hildebrand has been coming to Oliver for about 12 years on his way to and from Arizona as he escapes the Edmonton winters. (Richard McGuire photo) to pit them made them difficult to prepare. Apples have worked best, Saul said. After the vegetables and fruits are prepared by cleaning and chopping, they are put into 30 trays at a time and placed into two dryers. With most vegetables taking about seven and a half to eight hours to dry, this means that 180 trays can be dried over a 24-hour period. The concept of gleaning comes from the Bible, Saul explained. The Israelites were told to leave behind food from the harvest for the poor to glean and gather. “We expanded that a little bit,” he said. We pick up and have delivered to us fruit and vegetables. Some of the growers are tremendously supportive of our operation and actually bring us the vegetables in bins.” The Gleaners also have two refrigerator trucks and a five-ton truck and they go to growers and packers picking up surplus food, both fresh and frozen. “People aren’t willing to buy vegetables with a mark on them,” said Saul. “We have become fussier as consumers. That’s not good from a price standpoint for the grow-
ers, but it’s really good for us from a Gleaners standpoint because the growers give us more vegetables than ever before. The more fussy we get as consumers, the more product we get at the Gleaners.” Meanwhile, Masson was hoping to finish up with the beets so he could start into the 32,000 pounds of apples the Gleaners have on hand. Then he planned to pick up 14,000 pounds of potatoes from a generous regular donor in Grand Forks. “I should have done this years ago,” said Masson, who comes from a background in corporate advertising with Bell Media. “This is where I should be. I just love working with the people. As a Christian, I feel it’s my responsibility to follow the instructions that we have been given to look after the needy and look after the widows. They are always going to be with us, so this is a way I can give back and help a person who is struggling.” More information on the Okanagan Gleaners can be found at www.okanagangleaners.ca or by phoning 250498-8859. OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 11
Young farmers can’t wait to get growing By Lyonel Doherty Six-year-old Zoe Jones from Oliver may be the perfect poster child for healthy kids. She eats all her vegetables. The kindergarten student from Oliver Elementary School just loves her veggies and can’t wait to start growing her own as part of the Young Farmer program. Zoe said she likes taking care of plants. “I want to watch food grow and share my broccoli with other people,” she said. This is the second year the school has offered the program in conjunction with the Farm to School Salad Bar, sponsored by Hester Creek Estate Winery and Valley First Credit Union. Teacher Marji Basso said 12 students are taking part in the program, which allows them to learn firsthand how to grow their own food and make a business from it (by selling their vegetables). Zoe is joined by her older brother Isaac Jones who plans to grow zucchini, tomatoes and cucumber. He said it’s important to eat healthy, and by growing your own food you know exactly where it comes from. And there are no chemicals.
Isaac, 10, said he will water his garden every day and build a deer fence so the deer won’t eat his produce. “And I will weed it every time there’s weeds in it.” Fellow student Blake Miller, 10, is growing peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. “I wanted to participate in this program because it is a challenge because it is my first time gardening by myself.” Blake said it is important to buy local food instead of processed food from the major brands. Justin Vala and Aidan Wolfe said they are going to loosen some soil and plant seeds that are not genetically modified. The boys said they are involved in this because they want to learn teamwork and take responsibility for their health. Eight-year-old Kayla Koteles said she wants to participate because her family enjoys farming together. “It is important to eat local food because it is fresher and tastes better,” she stated. Ten-year-old Nicholas Lang said he wants to get involved because his dad used to be a farmer. “It’s important to eat local food because it’s not processed,” Nicholas said.
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These enthusiastic “young farmers” from Oliver Elementary School are anticipating good crops this season as they have money in hand and plenty of agricultural dreams to fulfill as part of the Young Farmer program, where they grow vegetables and sell them as a business. (Lyonel Doherty photo) Grade 2 student Ryder Yorke is growing beets, carrots and herbs. “It is fun and I can spend quality time with my papa, and help feed my family,” he said. “It’s healthy and it supports our community. Have good dirty water, wash it and love it.” Nathan Millward said he’s taking part again because last year his crop of beets didn’t work out. So he would like to try a different crop (potatoes and herbs). “It is important to eat local because it is more sustainable and it provides local farmers jobs.” Nathan said this locally grown food would not have to sit in storage long term and absorb carbon dioxide fumes while travelling.
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OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 13
Jack Newton looks through his telescope at his observatory on Anarchist Mountain. (Richard McGuire photo)
Star man looks up from Osoyoos By Richard McGuire One day, the sun will swell up in size, swallow Mercury, Venus and the Earth and then collapse into a little dwarf star the size of Earth. The good news is it probably won’t happen for billions of years – long after all of us are gone. That little note about our constantly changing universe comes from amateur astronomer Jack B. Newton, who runs a bed and breakfast and observatory with his wife Alice on the side of Anarchist Mountain overlooking Osoyoos. Newton, born in 1942, has always just been an amateur astronomer since getting his first telescope around age 11, finding Saturn in the sky and getting “hooked.” But the word “amateur” grossly understates his many accomplishments. His photograph of the sun was published alongside some of the greatest news photography of the 20th century in LIFE magazine’s 70th anniversary commemorative book. Other photos he has taken have been published in National Geographic, numerous astronomy publications and even by NASA.
For many years he photographed the sky for stock photography agencies and Canon pays him good money to use his photographs in their advertising. His stargazing isn’t so much aimed at astronomy research. “No, I’m just taking pretty pictures,” he said. Newton has also written six books about amateur astronomy and astrophotography, the first when he was in his 20s. Three of them were published through the prestigious Cambridge University Press. He has received numerous recognitions – including having Asteroid 30840 named Jackalice to honour him and his wife Alice. Newton chose the location of his home on the side of Anarchist Mountain with astronomy in mind. When he and Alice moved here from Vancouver Island in 1999, they built an observatory on an upper floor in their house and opened a bed and breakfast business aptly named the Observatory B&B. Guests are treated to a comfortable room, gourmet breakfast prepared by Alice and sessions of space observation at night and the next morning. “We spend a lot of time with our guests,” said Newton, who even has a small theatre in his home, complete with
Jack Newton took this photo of a “super” lunar eclipse in September 2015 (Jack Newton photo) model aliens, where he does an alternate presentation when the weather in Osoyoos doesn’t co-operate. The alternate presentation may include looking remotely through telescopes at the Newtons’ other home in Arizona. Those telescopes can be controlled by remote control from Osoyoos. The B&B fills up very quickly when the Newtons start taking reservations around Christmastime. “In six weeks, all the weekends are gone,” he said. “It’s very popular.” The idea for the bed and breakfast came about when the Newtons were living on Vancouver Island and Jack was managing a flagship Marks and Spencer store. When the store chain decided to pull out of Canada, Newton needed something else to do. He looked at the guestbook for his home where he had an observatory and realized that in four years, 5,000 guests had come through. “We had a lot of people going through the house,” he said. “We thought maybe we should make them pay for it. Maybe I can make a living at it.” Many guests bring their children, who are fascinated by the gadgets, props and the view of distant skies. But many adults are just as much in awe. “A lot of times it’s a life-changing experience,” he said. “I get people writing me all the time saying. ‘You changed my life.’” Many people have no idea where they came from,
something Newton explains when he talks about “The Big Bang.” In that theory, the universe was formed from a subatomic object that expanded in trillionths of trillionths of a second into the size of a watermelon, causing physics to take over with a resulting explosion. This caused various fields such as gravity and electromagnetic fields to form and permeate the universe. As the universe expanded, elements formed – first hydrogen, the simplest element, which later fused into helium and eventually other elements. “Everything in your body was created inside a star,” Newton said as he described the formation of our own galaxy. “We coalesced out of a cloud 4.5 billion years ago that was 93 per cent hydrogen, six per cent helium and one per cent the stuff we’re made of.” People are shocked to learn how the universe was formed and many people don’t know about it, he said. “Yes, 72 per cent of people in the U.S. think the world is only 5,000 years old,” said Newton. “That’s the trouble when you’re trying to get funding.” While Newton said there is no way to know for sure if there is life in other galaxies, and he can only speculate, he believes it’s probable. Especially since the Earth is teeming with life – some of it here billions of years – and since conditions for these “extremophile” life forms exist on other planets in our solar system, let alone in billions of other galaxies out OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 15
Jack Newton took this photo of a lightning bolt striking Osoyoos Lake in June 2015. (Jack Newton photo) in space, many with planets with similar temperatures to our own. “The chicken doesn’t lay one egg,” said Newton. “We’re here. You can’t get rid of life on this planet. We’ve been hammered so many times and it just keeps coming back.” Other galaxies are billions of years older than the 4.5 billion years on Earth, so it makes sense that intelligent life could have evolved elsewhere, he suggests. Newton was asked about the likelihood that people will travel to Mars in our lifetime. Inventor Elon Musk, founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors, has been working to build suitable rockets to take people to Mars, Newton said, adding that he expects people to get there sometime around 2025 or 2030. The trip will cost $500,000 each and will be one-way, Newton explained. That’s because radiation from the sun will cause space travellers to lose a third of their life expectancy. “If you come back, you’re going to lose another third of your life, so you might as well stay,” said Newton. “That’s the shocking fact.” Most space travel, however, will be difficult because of vast distances and the fact that humans are symbiotically tied to this planet through the organisms in our bodies 16 www.oksun.ca
that we depend on, the oxygen we need and the amount of gravity to walk upright. “We don’t live long enough (for space travel),” he said. “You’ve got to live two or three centuries, or 10 or 20 centuries to travel in space. You just can’t do it. And who’s going to fund a spaceship that takes 100 years to get there and then 100 years to get back. Nobody’s going to invest that kind of money. They want a return in their own lifetime. So until we learn how to fold space, we’re not going anywhere.” But Newton believes humans may one day unlock the secrets of time travel, folding space like in Star Trek. “There are two words that aren’t in my vocabulary,” he said. “One is ‘can’t’ and the other is ‘impossible.’ They don’t exist.” Newton travels back in time whenever he looks through his telescope at objects in space many lightyears away, viewing celestial events that may have taken place millions of years ago. But physically going back in time is another question. According to Einstein, and later proven, the faster you go in space, the more time slows down. “There’s nothing in physics that says you can’t go back in time,” Newton said. “You just have to figure out how to do it.”
When Mercury transited the sun in May 2016, Newton took this photo. Mercury is the little dot near the edge of the sun in the four o’clock position, dwarfed by our solar system’s giant star. (Jack Newton photo)
Catching Mercury transiting the sun By Keith Lacey Even by his own lofty standards, it was a very good week for local award-winning photographer and astronomy expert Jack Newton. It was a very good couple of days for Newton as a rare Transit of Mercury took place on Monday, May 9. Less than two days earlier, Newton was able to shoot Aurora Borealis – more commonly known as the Northern Lights – visible from Osoyoos. Newton was behind the lens of his high-powered telescope to shoot numerous photographs of the rare Mercury in Transit event. Planetary transits are amongst the most rare of astronomical events, said Newton. Only the two innermost worlds, Mercury and Venus, can pass directly between the Earth and the sun, which is exactly what happened with the planet Mercury crossing the sun for the first time since 2006, said Newton. “I caught it 20 minutes before it left the sun … it took four hours to completely cross the sun,” said Newton. Newton was using a four-inch refracting telescope with a hydrogen filter to capture the Mercury in Transit images. Less than two days earlier, Newton was entertaining guests at the bed and breakfast when one guest commented that there was an awesome display of lights going on down at the bottom of Anarchist Mountain towards the town of Osoyoos. “I asked him if the light show was green in colour and when he responded that it was, I knew it was the Aurora Borealis,” said Newton. “It was quite a spectacular display of lights that covered large parts of the town. I haven’t seen the Northern Lights dancing across Os-
oyoos like that in a very long time.” The intensity of the Northern Lights was so strong that Newton is convinced a “geomagnetic storm” caused by molecules being released from a “solar hole” hits the atmosphere on Earth and resulted in a light show to remember. “The Northern Lights are always spectacular, but they were especially intense and dancing on the Saturday evening,” he said. “I’m glad I was able to capture some pretty amazing images.” Transits of Mercury always occur in early May or early November, when the planet is near an ascending or descending node in its orbit – the point at which Mercury crosses the plane of the Earth’s orbit, Newton explained. Only then do the worlds align, allowing the fast-moving inner planet to cross the solar disc instead of passing above or below as usual, he said. November transits occur when Mercury is near perihelion, when it’s closest to the Sun and farthest from Earth. During May transits, Mercury is near aphelion, positioning it farther from the Sun, but nearer to Earth. To view Mercury transit the Sun, Newton said he had to use the specialized filter to protect his eyes. Viewed this way, a little black dot slowly moves across the face of the Sun, he said. The transit presents a rare opportunity to witness a planet’s orbital motion in real time, he said. The full transit last nearly 7.5 hours, but exact times can vary slightly depending on location, with the differences amounting to mere seconds, he said. The first transit of Mercury was observed back in 1631, by French astronomer Pierre Gassendi only 22 years after Galileo first trained a telescope skyward, said Newton. OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 17
By Kelsi Bissonnette Health and Wellness Coordinator Watermark Beach Resort
Collaboration and Working Together in Wellness and in Life. Working together with groups of like-minded people is the key to success for your wellness and business success. We all may feel the competitive edge to keep our clients or customers due to pressures of sustaining businesses in a smaller market. But in fact, the best way to be a success is to work with others who share a similar goal. Each of us has a unique gift to share, and when we work with others to help them, or even ourselves with our wellness, everybody wins. One great example of this collaboration is our Summer Solstice Yoga and Music Festival this June 18th held at Covert Farms. We have over a dozen wellness practitioners collaborating at the farm to showcase how they help people heal and become well. Shelly Covert and I are excited to host this event and we encourage everyone to come out. Tickets are available at covertfarms.ca/events and special nightly room rates are available at Watermark Beach Resort for those from out of town. Come join us on the Farm for Collaboration, Healing, Learning, Growth, Music and Fun!
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MEETINGS
at Osoyoos Baptist Church (lower level). We are a support group interested in eating healthy and losing weight. New members welcome. For more info, call 250-495-0410.
Grandmothers for Africa meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 1 p.m. at the Osoyoos United Church.
Osoyoos Elks #436, 2nd Wednesday meet at 7 p.m., Elks Hall, 8506 92
O’s Own Writers meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. New members welcome. Call Jody 250-495-2170.
Avenue. Call Annette at 250-495-6227 or Ken Thibault at 250-495-3936. AA meetings every Monday 7 p.m. St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Every Friday 7 p.m. St. Christopher’s Anglican Church. Call Louise 250495-1627.
OLIVER THEATRE Enjoy your evening out, taking In a movie at the Oliver Theatre!
Osoyoos Photography Club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday in Room 3 upstairs at the Sonora Community Centre. Informal meet at 6:30 p.m. regular meeting at 6:45 p.m. For more information 250495-4960 email: osoyoosphotoclub@gmail.com.
June, 2016 Programme Visit Our Website
www.olivertheatre.ca Fri. - Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues. June 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
The Multiple Sclerosis group meets the second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Interior Health office, 4816 89 Street, Osoyoos. Call Ron at 250-498-4372 or Donna 250-495-5001.
Regular Showtimes Sun. – Mon. – Tues. – Thurs…7:30 p.m. Fri. – Sat………….……….7:00 & 9:00 p.m. (unless otherwise stated)
Phone 250-498-2277 Oliver, BC
Thurs. - Fri. - Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues. June 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 One Showing Nightly @ 7:30 p.m.
Oliver & Osoyoos Search & Rescue. 7 p.m. every Thursday. 100 Cessna St., Oliver (beside the Air Cadet hangar) www.oosar.org. Osoyoos Quilters meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at the Elks Lodge, 8506 92 Ave. at 9:30 a.m. Call 250-495-2254 or 250-495-4569 for more info. Evening quilting every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Patricia at 250-495-7769.
Violence. Coarse and sexual language, sexual content.
Thurs. - Fri. – Sat. June 9 – 10 - 11
Thurs. - Fri. - Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues. June 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 One Showing Nightly @ 7:30 p.m.
Double O Quilters Guild meets on the 2nd Monday of the month, September through May. 9:30 a.m. at the Oliver Community Hall. Contact Lynda at 250-498-8804. Communities for Kids Osoyoos Table Meeting. 3rd Monday of month 4 p.m. at Sonora Community Centre. 250-498-8433 for info.
There will also be a matinee of this show on the Sat. at 2:00 p.m. All seats $6.00 for the matinee.
Sun. – Mon. – Tues. June 12 - 13 – 14 Sun. Mon. Tues. June 12 13 14
Parkinson’s Support Group meets on Monday from 1 - 3 p.m. at Sunnybank Lodge in Oliver. Call Maureen at 250-495-7978 for more info. Toastmasters... “Where leaders are made”. Drop in any Tuesday 7 p.m. at 5876 Airport St. in Oliver. Contact Shauna 250-485-8465 or meandwine@gmail.com. T.O.P.S. meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Open 7 days 7:00 am - 4:00 pm www.jojoscafe.ca
Coarse language, sexually suggestive scene.
Violence, coarse language.
Programme Subject To Unavoidable change without notice
8316 Main St Osoyoos 250.495.6652 OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 19
T.J. Gooliaff likes to climb mountains, but he will be spending the next year gathering information about the effects of climate change on lynx and bobcats across B.C. (Contributed photo)
Student seeks data on how climate change impacting bobcats and lynx By Keith Lacey A University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) student is completing his Masters degree studying the effects of climate change on lynx and bobcats across the province and he’s asking for assistance from local residents – and people across the province. T.J. Gooliaff, 24, is in the first year of his two-year Masters program in biology at UBCO and is working on this thesis that centers on the concept that lynx and bobcats in B.C. are being adversely affected by climate change. He’s asking members of the public who take photographs of either species of cat to send him those digital photographs, including date and location, so he can put together a comprehensive map of both species across the province. “I am using photos of bobcats and lynx submitted by the public to help map the current provincial distribution of both species to determine if their ranges have shifted in response to climate change,” said Gooliaff, who is originally from Agassiz, B.C. and completed his under20 www.oksun.ca
graduate studies and received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford in the spring of 2015. “I hypothesize that bobcats have moved northwards and into higher elevations as a direct result of climate change.” Historically, bobcats and lynx have been typically separated by snow depth, said Gooliaff. Lynx have extremely long legs and large snowshoelike paws, making them well adapted to travelling across deep snow. Both species are found in the boreal forests across Canada and Alaska, as well as the mountain ranges extending south into Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, he said. In contrast, bobcats are heavier, have small feet and sink into the snow, meaning they are susceptible to being targeted by other predators when they have trouble moving around in the snow, he said. Bobcats are found throughout the deserts and grasslands of the contiguous United States, as well as south-
Populations of lynx and their bobcat cousins in British Columbia may be affected by the impact of climate change on their habitat. (Contributed photo)
ern Canada, he said. “However, climate change has led to earlier springs and lower snow levels in western North America. As a result, suitable bobcat habitat may now be present in new areas in British Columbia.” Response from members of the public over the past several months has been outstanding as he’s received more than 1,900 photos from strangers since starting his research back in September, said Gooliaff. “I’m almost overwhelmed at the positive response,” he said. “But I do need more photos as I’m trying to map both species across the entire province.” The photographs members of the public submit to him don’t have to be award winning. “The photos don’t have to be great photography … they just have to show a bobcat or lynx or even just a part of either,” he said. “The photos can be blurry or dark and don’t even have to clearly show which cat species is present. “When sending me photos, please include both the date and location of each photo. Location should be as specific as possible and the most preferred would have latitude and longitude co-ordinates. If that information is not available, then please provide the name of the nearest road or landmark (including the distance from the road or landmark) or nearest town or watershed or Wildlife Management Unit.” None of the photos submitted as
part of this project will be published or shared with anyone without permission and photographers will retain full ownership of their photos, he said. “The results of my study will be gladly shared with those who are interested.” For decades, lynx and bobcats seldom shared the same habitat in B.C., but climate change has changed that and there are many areas where both species can be found in abundance, said Gooliaff. “Due to climate change, bobcats have moved to higher elevations and the effect that has had on the lynx population remains unknown,” he said. From the latest data, Gooliaff said there are healthy populations of lynx and bobcats in B.C. and they are both found across the Okanagan Valley. The lynx population remains strong across North America, but there are signs of dwindling populations of bobcats in Washington State, Idaho and Montana, he said. “My goal is to prove climate change has been the biggest reason why this species is in trouble in areas where they used to thrive,” he said. Gooliaff said his final Masters paper should be completed “in about a year” and it’s his hope to graduate and land a job as a wildlife biologist with the Ministry of Environment. Those who would like to submit photos can do so by email to tj.gooliaff@ubc.ca or Dr. Karen Hodges at Karen.Hodges@ubc.ca.
The Dangers Of Dehydration
More than 70 percent of the human body is made up of water. When you take in less water than your body actually needs, you Greg Wheeler, run the risk of Pharmacist dehydration. Diarrhea, vomiting, and sweating are all common ways to lose excess water. Symptoms of mild dehydration include thirst, loss of appetite, dry skin, skin flushing, dark-coloured urine, dry mouth, fatigue or weakness, chills and head rushes. Most dehydration is relatively mild and is treated by replacing fluids in the body. Usually slowly drinking small sips of plain water works. However, if water and electrolyte losses have occurred, there are a number of flavoured commercial drinks that have been formulated to replace electrolytes, such as sports drinks like Gatorade and paediatric formulas like Pedialite. If dehydration reaches the point of shock, contact emergency services immediately. Speak to your Remedy’s Rx pharmacist about avoiding dehydration.
105-291 Fairview Rd Oliver
250.485.4007
OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 21
JUNE The Front Street Gallery presents guest artists Sharon Snow and Lynne Marand “Here and There” from May 20 – June 16. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Mon. – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Osoyoos Lawn Bowling Club’s Jitney is open to the public on Fridays at 6 p.m. starting May 27. No experience necessary; bowls supplied. Smooth-soled shoes with no heels, please. $5 to play. Come out and give it a try. You could be a winner! 250-495-2092 or lawnbowling@eastlink.ca. The Summer Artisan Market on display at the Osoyoos Art Gallery on the corner of 89th and Main Street from May 28 to Sept. 5. Wine Country Racing Association hosts drag races at the Osoyoos Airport. Sunday, June 5. Gates open at 9 a.m. Racing starts at 10 a.m. Elimination round starts at 1 p.m. visit www.winecountryracing.ca for more info. The Osoyoos Festival Society is holding a fundraising barbecue on Saturday, June 4 in the parking lot of AG Foods from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Garage and bake sale Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Christophers Anglican Church at 74 Avenue and 87 Street, two blocks 22 www.oksun.ca
south of Main Street in Osoyoos. Thursday, June 9 “An Evening of Jazz.” 7 p.m. in the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre, 580 Airport Road, Oliver. Adults $10, students $5 at the door. Bring your own chair. This is a fundraiser for Oliver’s Grandmothers for Africa with music by the roof raising Thursday Night Jazz Band. Piano recital by students of Janet Marcotte Thursday, June 9 at Osoyoos Community Threatre at OSS. 7 p.m., free admission, everyone welcome. Cribbage and whist are being played at Sunshine Ridge Retirement Residence in Osoyoos and the games are open to the public. Whist is on Thursday, June 9, 10:45 a.m.; Wednesday, June 15 at 10:45 a.m.; Monday, June 20 at 10:45 a.m.; and Tuesday, June 28 at 10:30 a.m. Cribbage is Friday, June 10 at 3 p.m.; Tuesday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m.; Tuesday, June 21 at 10:30 a.m.; and Wednesday, June 29 at 1:30 p.m. Radio Astronomy Observatory open house on Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit and celebrate 100 years of NRC, including the ground-breaking radio astronomy work done at the Observatory. This is a family event, with interest for people of all ages and lots of activities for kids. Free.
Saturday, June 11 Oliver-Osoyoos Naturalists hike Midway trails. They go at a leisurely pace traversing switchback trails to the U.S. boundary atop the mountain to the south of Midway. Hiking trails are classed as easy to intermediate. Wonderful views. Meet at the Osoyoos Plaza at 9 a.m. Leader Carol Boan 250-4956107. Non-members welcome. A Welcoming Communities Summit hosted by South Okanagan Similkameen Local Immigration Partnership Council. Learn, discuss, grow with Nick Noorani on June 17 and 18 at Okanagan College, Penticton. Register at soslip.ca. The Front Street Gallery presents guest artist Merle Somerville, a landscape photographer, with “Open Spaces” from June 17 – 30. Vernissage is Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday, June 26 Oliver-Osoyoos Naturalists hike on Mount Kobau. This is a pleasant walk on two trails near the top of Mount Kobau. Meet at the Osoyoos Plaza at 9 a.m. Leader Marianne Hutterli, 250-498-2743 and Margaretha Hogeling 250-4854222. Non-members welcome. Cherry Fiesta, on July 1, parade forms available at the Osoyoos Times office.
Oliver Elks president Ron Ethier and past-president Lilly Zekanovic pour over the history books as they celebrate the club’s 80th anniversary in Oliver. The order began bringing its goodness to the community in 1936, under its first president, Brother G.A. Stuart. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
Oliver Elks club proud to last 80 years By Lyonel Doherty Not too many community organizations can say they’ve lasted 80 years. But the Oliver Elks has done just that. The group celebrated eight decades of service to the community last weekend by hosting a number of events and activities. “The Elks is your community family,” said new president Ron Ethier, noting the group has been doing good things in Oliver since 1936, when Brother G.A. Stuart was the first president. “Not many lodges survive 80 years; it’s something to be proud of,” Ethier said. The president noted that the club does so many things for the community, such as send handicapped youth to camp, support children with cancer, help the Oliver Ambassadors, and give out bursaries.
He noted the proceeds from their Sunday morning breakfasts go to help local youth. “It brings out a lot of goodness in the community. The important part is supporting the community, not the corporations that take your money.” Past-president Lilly Zekanovic said she joined the Elks because she simply wanted to help out, and they needed a secretary. “It’s like an addiction. Once you start helping you have to keep going. It’s a good addiction to have,” she said. Unfortunately, the Elks doesn’t have very many active members, Zekanovic pointed out. The order has approximately 80 members, but only about 15 are active. She noted that if every member donated one day of his or her time every three months, nobody would get tired of helping. OKANAGAN SUN • JUNE 2016 • 23
ALLAN TAYLOR www.allantaylor.ca · 250-498-9886
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www.allantaylor.ca 250.498.9886 24 www.oksun.ca