NOVEMBER 2017 FREE www.oksun.ca
The South Okanagan Grasslands
Preserving a national treasure
IN THIS ISSUE Osoyoos Gift Cupboard women trying to help homeless Vince
Page 12
PUBLISHER
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Hurricane Irma mission etched on technician’s mind
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Balancing the needs of competing river users
8
Preserving a national treasure
10
A selfless act for a friend needing a kidney
12
Taking care of Vince
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Classical concert series kicks off at Venables
15
Around Town events calendar
“
I’ve got two [kidneys]. I only need one. You can have the other one.” ~ Josh Hackett volunteers to be kidney donor for his friend Matt Hassen. (Page 10)
NOVEMBER 2017
EDITOR
RICHARD MCGUIRE editor@oksun.ca
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OPERATIONS MANAGER/GRAPHIC DESIGN RONDA JAHN production@osoyoostimes.com
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BRIAN HIGHLEY brianhighley@aberdeenpublishing.com
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KEN BAKER sales@osoyoostimes.com
The South Okanagan Grasslands
Preserving a national treasure
ON THE COVER Parks Canada has long had the goal of representing each of the distinct natural regions in the system of national parks. Until now, the B.C. Interior grasslands have been a key omission. That may be changing. (Richard McGuire photo) See story Page 8.
We welcome feedback from our readers. Send comments to editor@oksun.ca or mail to Box 359, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0, Telephone 250-4957225. 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. © 2017 Aberdeen Publishing. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement. ISSN 2291-2991.
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Sun Sightings The great pumpkin patch – Sisters Olive (left) and Ellie Armstrong from Edmonton build a mountain of pumpkins at Reid’s Greenhouse in Oliver as they prepared for Halloween. With Halloween now behind us, it’s no time at all until youngsters are focused on Christmas. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
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OKANAGAN SUN • November 2017 • 3
Hurricane Irma mission forever etched in mind of FortisBC technician from Oliver By Lyonel Doherty A FortisBC power line technician from Oliver says he will never forget the smiles on people’s faces after Hurricane Irma wiped out their community. So he had to ask why they were smiling amidst all of that destruction. Their answer was simple? Because they were still alive. Conor (last name withheld by request) was one of 14 linemen who volunteered to travel to Turks and Caicos Islands (southeast of Miami, Florida) to restore power immediately after the category 5 storm hit in September. Technicians were quick to volunteer when Fortis Inc. activated its emergency response plan in anticipation of the hurricane. Conor said he signed up for the mission because he felt compelled to help these people in crisis. “Being a lineman, when people’s power is out, we go to work,” he said emphatically.
The Fortis crews were actually the first responders on the ground, even arriving before the Red Cross. Looking out the airplane window, Conor could immediately see the colossal task that awaited them; there were downed power lines everywhere. On the streets, he saw many buildings with no roofs or windows left, but the people were jovial to see the newcomers. Before going to work, crews were briefed on the situation, including the risks and hazards involved. “The biggest hazard was working in the extreme heat and humidity,” Conor said. “The humidity was out of this world; it felt like working inside a sauna.” But the technicians made sure they stayed well hydrated with bottled water and lots of ice. They were also encouraged to take breaks in air-conditioned vehicles. The team stayed in a hotel that was badly damaged with no air conditioning, which made sleeping very difficult.
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Crews from Kelowna, the South Okanagan and the Kootenays ready to head out from the Kelowna airport to join counterparts from across Canada to help restore power to the Island of Turks and Caicos in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. From left: Jesse, Mike, Conor, Aaron, Kevin, Travis, FortisBC powerline technicians; and Dean, operations supervisor. (Contributed photo) Despite these challenges, and seeing how hard it was on the island’s inhabitants, the crew was in good spirits. People were cheering them on wherever they went. Conor worked 13 hours a day “putting poles back in the ground and putting wires back in the air.” The crew’s main priorities on South Caicos were restoring service to the water treatment plant, the medical centre and the airport. One troubling setback that Conor’s crew had to endure was being forced to leave the area because another hurricane, Maria, was heading their way. “I was not a big fan of leaving … it’s not a lineman’s
nature to run away from a fight,” Conor said, noting that leaving those people behind was hard. But fortunately most of their completed work survived the second storm. Conor spent nearly four weeks in South Caicos, so he was happy to come home to his wife and children, albeit a little sad to leave people still without power. When asked why he chose power line technician as a career, he said he loves working outdoors and likes helping people in their time of need. In total, Fortis teams restored power to more than 14,800 customers (77.5 per cent) of the islands.
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Director Jiri Bakala films a scene of raging water for ‘A River Film,’ a documentary about the competing needs of Okanagan River users. A recent public screening filled the Oliver Theatre. (Contributed photo)
Film tells of balance between needs of Okanagan River users By Richard McGuire The water of the Okanagan River is a precious resource that must be managed to balance the needs of competing users. That’s the message of a new 38-minute film, “A River Film,” that was shown to the public in a full-house free screening at the Oliver Theatre on Oct. 25. The film made its debut a week earlier at the annual public meeting of the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control in Osoyoos. There are five key interests in the Okanagan Valley regarding water, says director Jiri Bakala, of Kelownabased Ascent Films – flood control, agricultural irrigation, fisheries, First Nations and recreation. “One of the biggest challenges was to tell the story of how these interests are often in competition with each other and how the people who manage the watershed and waterways have to balance these interests,” said Bakala. He points to the example of Shaun Reimer, who manages the dam at Penticton for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO). During last spring’s flooding, Reimer was under pressure to let as much water as possible out of Okanagan Lake, but letting too much out too quickly would wash 6 www.oksun.ca
sockeye eggs out of the gravel near Oliver, threatening the fishery. Likewise, property owners are concerned about damage to docks and boat mooring if water levels rise too high, whereas irrigators downriver don’t want their water intakes hanging in the air above low water. As John Arterborn, a fish biologist with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, put it in the film: “Unfortunately water is always a finite resource and unfortunately, when it comes to competition between people and fish, the fish usually lose.” Bakala said it was determined that the best way to tell the story of these competing interests was to follow the Okanagan river system through the four seasons. The film was largely funded by the International Joint Commission (IJC), the Canada-U.S. body that manages international waterways. Also backing the film were the Department of Ecology in Washington State, who commissioned it on behalf of the IJC, and the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) in Canada. Many of the people interviewed throughout the film represent those organizations, but there are also interviews with people involved in agriculture, dam operations and local politicians. Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff is one of the people
interviewed. From the opening scenes showing measurement of the winter snowpacks that will provide water to the river, the entire film takes place outdoors. “One of the things I wanted to do was to keep the entire film outside,” said Bakala. “I didn’t want to go inside and sit down in somebody’s office or somebody’s living room and do an interview.” So the interviews are all filmed along the river, interspersed with scenes of the Okanagan Basin in different weather conditions. Filming took place over about a year and a half, starting in February 2016 and concluding with this spring’s flood conditions. This spring, Bakala was able to catch what he missed the previous spring, but he couldn’t catch everything. ‘One phenomenon he wanted to film, but which didn’t occur, was water from the Similkameen River backing up the Okanogan River below Oroville, Wash.
Most of the work on the film was done by Bakala and his wife Lucie Bakala, the producer, but there were other collaborators involved. Local filmmaker Kenton Gilchrist, for example, composed the music. Bakala has done numerous documentaries on a range of issues, from health to the environment. One such film was about Gloria Taylor, a woman with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), who became an advocate for medically assisted dying. “Every time you start a new film as a documentary filmmaker, you find out how much you learn about these topics,” said Bakala. “For us it was incredible. We learned so much about the river that we had no idea. I’ve lived here for over 15 years now, and you take so many things for granted.”
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Director Jiri Bakala, of Kelowna-based Ascent Films, shot ‘A River Film’ with his wife Lucie and other collaborators. The film was funded by the International Joint Commission, the Department of Ecology in Washington and the Okanagan Basin Water Board. (Contributed photo)
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Mount Kobau is the crown jewel of the South Okanagan Grasslands. Rising to 1,873 metres (6,145 feet), its ecology changes as you climb. Once proposed for an observatory, it offers clear skies for stargazers and its slopes provide views of the valley below, including Spotted Lake. (© Richard McGuire photo)
Preserving a national treasure By Richard McGuire The South Okanagan Grasslands have long been a glaring omission in Parks Canada’s efforts to represent each of Canada’s significant natural regions in a national park. The region is home to 56 federally listed species at risk including plants and animals found nowhere else in Canada. It was 1979 when a young biology graduate named Richard Cannings took a contract job with Parks Canada to research locations in the dry B.C. interior for a park to represent this missing region. It was obvious to him that the South Okanagan, one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada, had features missing from other locations on the interior plateau. Times change and today Cannings is the NDP Member of Parliament representing South Okanagan-West Kootenay in Ottawa. It may, however, be another poltical conjuncture that leads to fulfilment of this long-sought dream. A new NDP provincial government and a Liberal feder8 www.oksun.ca
al government announced plans in late October to move forward jointly with local First Nations to make a national park reserve in the South Okanagan a reality. It wasn’t the first time governments in Victoria and Ottawa agreed to move forward with a national park reserve. In October 2003, the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding to study the feasibility of establishing this park. An overly ambitious size for the project and mishandled relations with the community soured many local residents on the idea – especially those who saw it, rightly or wrongly, as a threat to activities such as ranching, hunting and use of off-road vehicles. The draft study found a scaled-down park feasible, but in January 2011, the B.C. Liberal cabinet got cold feet and put an end to it. The idea remained on ice until 2015, when the reluctant provincial government bowed to pressure and began considering a still smaller park area. October’s announcement only restarts a process that may yet preserve this national treasure. This time, if they don’t blow it, the political stars just may be aligned.
In springtime, yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot dots the grasslands. (© Richard McGuire photo)
Blue Lake is one of several lakes in the southern area, surrounded by trees. (© Richard McGuire photo)
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Matt Hassen’s kidneys are failing, but now he’s scheduled to receive a transplant donated by a friend on Nov. 8. Hassen, 37, who works as a bartender at the Owl Pub in Osoyoos, will need to take seven months or more off work to recover from the surgery. Last month a fundraiser was held at the Owl to help him with post-surgery expenses. It was very well attended and funds are being matched by the BC Hospitality Foundation. (Richard McGuire photo)
A selfless act for a friend By Richard McGuire Matthew Hassen is lost for words to describe the selfless act of a friend, Josh Hackett, who is donating a kidney to him. Hassen, 37, works full time as a bartender at the Owl Pub in Osoyoos, but most of the time that he’s not working, he sleeps to restore his internal batteries that are drained by his kidney disease. If all goes well, Hackett will donate his kidney for transplant to Hassen on Nov. 8 at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH). “There are no words to describe it,” said Hassen. “It’s a completely selfless act. There are humans out there who can really change your world, and he is one of them.” Hassen said he met Hackett last year when he trained him to tend bar in Penticton. When Hassen put the word out after his kidney disease took a turn for the worse a year ago, Hackett was one of those who responded. “I’ve got two,” Hackett told him. “I only need one. You can have the other one.” After months of blood and tissue testing, Hackett was found to be a perfect match, Hassen said. Hassen has been a Type 1 diabetic for three decades and he always knew he could have kidney problems. “We were watching the kidneys over the last 15 years,” 10 www.oksun.ca
he said. “It took a downturn about two years ago when I was working in Vancouver. My decision to move back home was to be closer to my parents and be closer to the kidney team in Penticton, who have been absolutely amazing.” It became a case of looking for an organ transplant or facing dialysis. Hassen said it took him a couple weeks to absorb the news and discuss it with his parents. Then he reached out to friends on social media. “I’ve had enough loss in my life,” said Hackett. “I didn’t want to go through that again. When I found out I might be able to help Matt out, I didn’t hesitate.” Normally the progress in the four to five months of testing and screening between donor and recipient is anonymous, but as a friend, Hackett kept Hassen updated. In September, Hackett sent Hassen a Facebook message telling him the Nov. 8 date for the operation. A couple days later, VGH confirmed it. The two men will both go to VGH where doctors will remove one of Hackett’s kidneys and transplant it into Hassen. Recovery from the operation can take about a year and Hassen expects to be off work for seven months or more. He’s currently living with his parents, Mat and Ev Hassen, in Osoyoos. But medical employment insurance only covers 15 weeks, and the hospitality industry doesn’t normally offer
the kinds of benefits that certain unionized occupations do. So Hassen turned to fundraising. People in the service industry who experience longterm illnesses normally need draw down savings if they have them, or have a good support system. It’s to fill that gap for hospitality workers that the BC Hospitality Foundation was formed. And that charitable organization agreed to match dollar for dollar whatever Hassen was able to fundraise, up to $5,000. A fundraiser was held at the Owl Pub on Oct. 14 and it was well attended. It was standing room only as patrons paid $20 for a burger, fries and a glass of beer or wine. Osoyoos has a history of kidney donors and recipients. And many of these people turned out at the fundraiser. Back in 2013, a group of past and potential kidney recipients and donors formed under the banner, “Share your spare.” They met regularly at the Kemp Harvey Craig accounting office. When the group formed in 2013, they set as their goal to find kidneys for any Osoyoos resident who needed one. They promoted the message that a person only needs one kidney to live, and therefore can be a live donor. As well, patients often do better from a live donor than from a kidney harvested from a deceased person. The Osoyoos Coyotes got on board, putting patches on their jerseys proclaiming, “Be the Kidney.” Among those attending the fundraiser was Judy Sloan, an Osoyoos resident who received a kidney transplant three years ago from a cadaver donor. She’d already talked to Hassen about the process. “She was really helpful,” said Hassen. “I had the kidney team, but it was really cool to be able to speak to someone who had actually gone through the experience. She told me what’s going to happen. The first six months are crazy, matching up the antirejection drugs. But it’s going to be great and it’s good to see somebody who went through the process.” Lynn Cunningham, another who had been involved with the group, also received a kidney from a cadaver donor. She’d previously gone so far as to advertise for a matching donor. Brian Rawlings originally planned to donate a kidney to Sloan, but he ended up donating one of his kidneys to
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another Osoyoos woman, Julie Wolter, in 2015. Terry Craig, of Kemp Harvey Craig, had earlier donated one of his kidneys to his wife, Laura. As well as these people from the group, June Sletten, believed to be Canada’s oldest living kidney transplant recipient, also attended. She came to Osoyoos in 1975 and received her kidney transplant back in 1986. With all this history, Osoyoos has developed a name for itself as a community that promotes transplant awareness. With Hassen set to become the next Osoyoos kidney recipient, Rawlings suggests that the community may indeed be recognized as the Kidney Capital of Canada. (With files from Keith Lacey)
When Josh Hackett (right) learned about Matt Hassen’s need for a kidney, he offered one of his. “I’ve got two. I only need one. You can have the other one,” he told his friend. (Contributed photo)
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Vince Sam is the most recognizable homeless person in Osoyoos. There have been past efforts to find a roof for him in the winter, but Sam says he likes his freedom and prefers to sleep outside. Now, as Sam experiences health issues related to aging and his lifestyle, the women who run the Osoyoos Gift Cupboard are trying to find him a safe spot to pitch his tent. “He’s our town icon,” says Brenda Dorosz, who runs the gift cupboard with Gaye Horn and Jen Shiels. “Everybody takes care of him. (Richard McGuire photo)
Taking care of Vince By Richard McGuire
Anyone who has spent any time in Osoyoos has probably encountered Vince Sam, a homeless man who can often be seen taking bottles to the recycling depot. During town parades, he follows the horses with a wheelbarrow and shovel, cleaning up behind them. In the past, people have tried to find a home with a roof for him – especially in the chilly winter months. But Sam refuses, saying he prefers to sleep outside. But Sam, now in his mid-50s, is showing signs of aging. He has arthritis in his knees and this is affecting his mobility. Originally from the Pemberton area, Sam came to Osoyoos as a young foster child. The three women who run the Osoyoos Gift Cupboard are now trying to find a solution for Sam as winter approaches. They’ve talked to Sam about his wishes and respect the fact that he doesn’t want a roof and walls. He just wants a safe spot to stay outside. The Osoyoos Gift Cupboard is a project that just celebrated its first anniversary. It is run by Brenda Dorosz, Gaye Horn and Jen Shiels. It’s a cupboard next to town hall where people can take household items they need. And it is supported by the generosity of Osoyoos residents and businesses. The three women have taken their project far beyond the little cupboard, tapping into the generosity of the 12 www.oksun.ca
community and their belief in helping one another. Last winter, they walked through the town handing out about a dozen sleeping bags to homeless people. When a local couple lost everything in a fire that destroyed their mobile home, the Gift Cupboard women tapped into local generosity to get them back on their feet. “The residents of this community never cease to amaze me,” said Dorosz at the time. “Whenever somebody needs help, they always come through.” Dorosz says their attention to Vince is just part of what the three women do. “We’ve taken it on as a project that expands the Gift Cupboard,” she said. They’ll be appearing at town council this month to seek a solution that works for everybody – including the town staff who try to keep the town neat and those in the tourism business who want the town to show its best face. Barb Stephens, the former owner of Yore Movie Store, which closed two years ago, said Sam used to stop by her store almost daily and sometimes the two shed tears together over sad animal films. She’s stayed in touch, though less frequently. “The community I think looks after him,” Stephens said, adding that there’s a mixture of reactions to him. “I think there’s people who really do have a big heart for him because he’s a very likeable character… He’s just part of our community. He’s our most visible homeless person.” “Vince is very loveable,” says Dorosz. “He’s our town icon.”
Concert series kicks off at Venables Special to the Sun Imagine yourself in November facing the early gloom of another dark evening. Flash to another scene. It’s you on Friday, Nov. 10 arriving into the bright lights of the opulent Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver, meeting friends and hunkering down as the Piano Cameleons, a talented pair on two grand pianos, tackle some of the most beloved classical masterpieces in the spirit of the great interpreters but enhancing their renditions with improvised variations worthy of the best jazz players. Their show, Classics with a Jazzy Touch, is just the start of a winter season of music brought to you by the South Okanagan Concert Society (SOCS). So what else is on board for this season? What musical adventures await you? On Friday, Jan. 19, Cheng2 Duo (pronounced Cheng Squared Duo), will find classical pianist, Silvie, and cellist, Bryan, on our stage. The duo have been making music together for 14 years and are celebrated for their artistic excellence, generous spirit, and compelling vibrancy. Their New York debut at Carnegie Hall in 2011 was met with a full house, rave reviews, and an invitation to perform again in 2013. On Friday, Feb. 9, Cari Burdett, a troubadour with gypsy ancestors, will take you ‘cabaret style’ around the world through song. She delivers a vibrant, genre-defying fusion of jazz, art song, folk and world music and sings with a timeless theatrical flair in multiple European languages. Accompanied by a quartet of talented musicians, her rich mezzo soprano voice will hold you spellbound. The final concert of the season will bring back some old friends who are much loved in this area. The Joe Trio is not your average piano trio. They can’t be neatly categorized. Witty, charming and tremendously
musical they engage an audience in a way few classical musicians can. Their arrangements can sometimes mix many styles in delightful ways, but always leave the audience with a new appreciation for classical music. Now imagine yourself choosing your seat and buying tickets. The price is more than right as those in attendance will continue to enjoy world-class musicians performing under ideal conditions at the magnificent Frank Venables Theatre. That could mean buying the whole four concert series in advance at only $19 per ticket. It could mean buying any two or three tickets in advance at $21 per ticket or a single ticket at $23. A single ticket at the door on the evening of the concert is $25. Children and youth are only $2.50 per ticket no matter when they are purchased. You also have choices and you can buy online at www.venablestheatre.ca or you can go to the theatre box office in advance on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. If you need assistance, just call the box office at 250-498-1616. Now don’t just imagine, but actually take action to get concert tickets that are on sale now. Get dates secured with your friends. All concerts are at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver and start at 7:30 p.m. The SOCS has been bringing high-quality classical musicians and performers to music fans across the South Okanagan for several years. The concert series is supported by both the Osoyoos and District Arts Council and the Oliver Community Arts Council. While there are many other concert series that are promoted across this region, the South Okanagan Concert Series is the only one that is committed to promoting classical music. Those requiring bus transportation from Osoyoos can call Janet at 250495-6487 to make arrangements.
A Look at Mental Illness Mental illness is surprisingly common. One in every 5 Canadians will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Greg Wheeler, Pharmacist Mental illness is not a single disease but a term for many disorders, including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders and organic brain disorders. The good news is that all mental illnesses can be treated. To assess your own mental health, answer these questions: Ability to enjoy life - Can you live in the moment and appreciate the “now”without dwelling on things from the pat or worrying about the future? Resilience - Are you able to bounce back from stressful events and hard times without losing your optimism? Balance - Are you able to juggle the many aspects of your life? Self-actualization - Do you recognize and develop your strengths so that you can reach your full potential? Flexibility - Do you feel, and express, a range of emotions? If you or someone you know is concerned about mental illness, be sure to contact a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.
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OKANAGAN SUN • November 2017 • 13
MEETINGS
Osoyoos Rotary meets Thursday at noon at McKia’s Restaurant in the Best Western Hotel, Osoyoos. Osoyoos Woodcarvers meet Monday 9:30 a.m. upstairs at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. Call Joe at 250-495-5079 for info.
T.O.P.S. meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Osoyoos Baptist Church (lower level). We are a support group interested in eating healthy and losing weight. New members welcome. Call 250-689-5159. Kiwanis Club of Osoyoos meets at noon on the second and fourth Monday of each month at McKia’s Restaurant. For info contact 250-495-7701. Stroke-Brain Injury Recovery group meets Friday from 10 - 11:30 a.m. at the Osoyoos Health Centre, 4816 89 St. Dan 250-4958055, Fiona 250-498-3122.
2929 if wanting to attend. Autoimmune Support Group meets every second Wednesday of the month from 1:15 - 3:15pm. Call Marilyn 250-495-0666.
Alzheimers support group meets every 2nd Tuesday from 1 - 3 p.m. Call Laurie 250-493-8182.
Double O Quilter’s Guild meets on the 2nd Monday of the month, 9:30 a.m. Drop in every Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., September to May at the Oliver Community Hall. Contact Linda at 250-498-4193.
Soroptimist International of Osoyoos meets the third Tuesday of the month at McKia’s Restaurant, Best Western Hotel, Osoyoos at 6 p.m. Call Joan 250-495-
Grandmothers for Africa meetings are the second Wednesday of the month, 1 p.m. at Osoyoos United Church. Call Elaine at 250-495-3140.
OLIVER THEATRE
Osoyoos Elks #436, second Wednesday meet at 7 p.m., Elks Hall, 8506 92 Avenue. Call Annette at 250-495-6227 or Karen at 250-495-0778.
Enjoy your evening out, taking in a movie at the Oliver Theatre!
November, 2017 Programme Visit Our Website
Oliver & Osoyoos Search & Rescue, 7 p.m. every Tuesday, 100 Cessna St., Oliver (beside the Air Cadet hangar) www.oosar.org.
www.olivertheatre.ca
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
Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues., Thurs. - Fri. Nov. 18 - 19 - 20 - 21, 23 - 24
Thurs. - Fri. Nov. 2 - 3 Showtimes on Fri. @ 7:00 & 9:10 p.m.
O’s Own Writers meet the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. New members welcome. Call Jody 250-495-2170. Osoyoos Photography Club meets the first and third Thursday at the Elks Lodge, downstairs, 6:30 p.m. For more information 250-495-4960 osoyoosphotoclub@gmail. com.
Coarse language, sexually suggestive scene, violence.
Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues. Nov. 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Subject to Classification
The Multiple Sclerosis group meets the second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Osoyoos Health Centre, 4816 89 Street, Osoyoos. Call Donna 250-495-5001.
Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues., Thurs. - Fri. Nov. 25 - 26 - 27 - 28, 30, Dec. - 1 Showtimes on Fri. & Sat. @ 7:00 & 9:10 p.m.
Frightening scenes.
Thurs. - Fri. Nov. 9 - 10 Thurs. Fri. Nov. 9 10 Showtimes on Fri. @ 7:00 & 9:10 p.m.
Osoyoos Quilters meet every Tuesday at Elks Lodge, 8506 92 Ave. Call 250-4952254 or 250-495-4569. Evening quilting every first and third Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Vera 250-495-2738. Parkinson’s Support Group meets on first Monday from 1 - 3 p.m. at the Osoyoos Health Centre, 4816 89th St. Call Claudette 250-485-8954 for more info.
Violence.
Sat. - Sun. - Mon. - Tues. Nov. 11 - 12 -13 - 14 Sat. Sun. Mon. Tues. Nov. 11 12 13 14 Showtimes on Sat. @ 7:00 & 9:30 p.m.
Toastmasters ... “Where leaders are made”. Drop in any Tuesday 7 p.m. at the Osoyoos Baptist Church, north side entrance, 6210 Hwy. 97. Contact Walter Peron 250-498-2389.
Violence.
Free Matinee - Saturday, Nov. 25 @ 2:00 p.m. Free Matinee Saturday, Nov. 25 @ 2:00 p.m.
Despicable Me 3
Sponsored by OBA and Sat. – Sun. – Mon. – Tues., Thurs. – Fri. Sat Sun Mon Tues., Thurs. Fri. Dec. 2 - 3 - 4 - 5, 7 - 8 Showtimes on Fri. & Sat. @ 7:00 & 9:20 p.m.
Supportive Care Group for people coping with serious illness and loss. Thursdays at the Supportive Care Centre, 22 Jonagold Place, Osoyoos. Call Lisa at 250-495-1590. AA meetings every Monday 7 p.m. St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Every Friday 7 p.m. St. Christopher’s Anglican Church. Call Louise 250-689-0415.
Coarse language, violence, nudity, drug use.
Free Matinee - Saturday, Nov. 11 @ 2:00 p.m. Free Matinee Saturday, Nov. 11 @ 2:00 p.m.
Nut Job 2 Sponsored By The Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 97 Sponsored By The Royal Canadian Legion
Thurs. - Fri. Nov. 16 - 17 Thurs. Fri. Nov. 16 17 Showtimes on Fri. @ 7:00 & 9:15 p.m.
The Osoyoos Library Book Club meets the third Wednesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. in the library. Artists on Main paint Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. upstairs at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. Sue 250-495-7664.
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Explicit violence.
Subject to Classification
Programme Subject To Unavoidable change without notice
NOVEMBER The Osoyoos Senior Centre is offering a six-week course on an ‘Introduction to Line Dancing’ starting on Nov. 1. Lessons are from 8:45 – 9:30 a.m. Cost is $1 for members and $3 for non-members. For more info call Terry 250-495-5350. SOAP Theatre presents Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot (or Holmes for the Holidays) Nov. 2 to 4 at Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver. Showtimes 7:30 p.m. each day with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Nov. 4. More information and ticket information at www.soplayers.ca. The Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre will take place on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Watermark Beach Resort. Tickets are $49 and are available online at Eventbrite.ca. The Annual Western Dance with Highway 97 is at the Osoyoos Senior Centre on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets in advance only at the centre for $15. Osoyoos Coyotes play several home games in November. On Saturday, Nov. 4 they host the 100 Mile House Wranglers. On Saturday, Nov. 18 they play the Revelstoke Grizzlies. The Wranglers are back on Saturday, Nov. 25. Then on Wednesday, Nov. 29 the Kelowna Chiefs visit. Game times are 7:35 p.m. at the Sun Bowl Arena. Oliver United Church invites you to join them for their Fall Tea and Bake
Sale on Saturday, November 4 at 1 p.m. Visit with family and friends over lunch and stock up on some delicious home baking. The church is at 511 Church Ave. at Kootenay St., Oliver.
at the Osoyoos Elks Lodge, 8506 92 Ave. Come on down and get your Christmas shopping done early.
Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard play a concert on Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver. Tickets available by calling 250-4981626 or at www.venablestheatre.ca. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Desert Valley Hospice Society’s 10th annual ‘Celebration of Caring Hands’ fundraiser is Saturday, Nov. 18 in the Frank Venables Theatre foyer. Tickets are available for $25 at Beyond Bliss in Oliver, Mills Office Productivity in Osoyoos or from the DVHS Supportive Care Center in Osoyoos 250-495-1590.
The BC Cancer Agency’s Screening Mammography mobile service will be in Osoyoos from Nov. 7 - 9. To make your appointment, please call 1-800663-9203. The van is located behind Shoppers Drug Mart.
‘David James and Big River’ is coming to the Frank Venables Theatre. This tribute to Johnny Cash is on Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the theatre box office or online at www.venablestheatre.ca.
The Osoyoos Concert Series’ next show will be on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Bravura Baritones. Tickets for this show are available at Mills Office in Osoyoos and Sundance Video in Oliver. Tickets are $23 in advance or $25 at the door of the Osoyoos Community Theatre.
The Osoyoos Senior Centre is having a craft fair Saturday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Soup and a bun available from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The South Okanagan Concert Society presents the Piano Cameleons, classics with a jazzy touch on Friday, Nov. 10 at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver, at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets online at venablestheatre.ca or at the box office. Bus transportation from Osoyoos or for more information call Janet at 250-495-6487. On Sunday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. the Elks are holding a craft sale
The Front Street Gallery presents guest artist Dorian Woods Poloway from Nov. 24 – Dec. 7. Join the artist Saturday, Nov. 25 from noon – 2 p.m. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ‘A Louisiana Hayride Christmas’ is coming to the Frank Venables Theatre. Tickets are $45 and available at the theatre box office or online at www.venablestheatre.ca for the Nov. 30 show at 7 p.m. Send your events to: events@osoyoostimes.com
OKANAGAN SUN • November 2017 • 15
CBC television personality Rick Mercer made a surprise visit to Festival of the Grape in Oliver last month to take part in the grape stomp competition with team members Linda Bolton and Tony Munday. Mercer turned a lot of heads with his antics, such as sucking on the flow tube. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
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