NOVEMBER 2011 Rise and Shine!
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A Wide Path To Safety Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater, along with Wiltech Developments and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure crew celebrated the completion of a safer Highway 3A. The Ministry has constructed two-metre wide shoulders, added a concrete roadside barrier, and improved ditches. “Projects like this may not create provincial headlines, but they’re absolutely crucial for all users – on and off the highway,” Slater said.
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Home of the famous “Eastside” slushie and floats! 24 FLAVOURS OF ICE CREAM AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND!
open 7 days a week 8 am - 9 pm
Letters Okanagan Sun, Good luck with your new business in OK Falls. I really enjoyed reading your October 2011 magazine, while in Osoyoos last Wednesday, while also loving the great breakfast at the 1950's restaurant Suzie Q's Please please consider distributing your good marketing & advertising magazine to small villages along beautiful Highway #3. I am a retired Chartered Accountant of over 33 years, who is retiring in beautiful Midway. I feel villages east and west of Osoyoos really need your good marketing and advertising help! Hopefully soon your distribution will cover from Midway to Princeton - maybe by next summer before "tourist' season begins. Take care, Tom Howe, Midway
FINE JEWELLERY
Custom Jewellery and Repairs on Premises
CA$H for Gold ee the King for your Bling Come s !
Downtown Osoyoos
Dear Mr. Howe, Thank You for your kind words. For now we are really only focussing on Osoyoos, Oliver and Okanagan Falls but it is early days and anything could happen.
(250) 495-4484
Thanks for reading! OKSun
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OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 3
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CONTENTS • NOVEMBER
PUBLISHER
BRIAN HIGHLEY has run international campaigns with Adbusters magazine and published the OK Sun newspaper in Osoyoos. He is of course writing this, and feels strange referring to himself in the third person.
Senkulmen Business Park opened 7 The Big Year recap 9
11
REPORTER & PROOFREADER ANDREA DUJARDIN-FLEXHAUG has been living in the South Okanagan and writing for newspapers for 25-plus years, ever since she graduated from the Journalism Program at Langara, VCC
Nav Takes Nepal Part 3 12 Harvey Merritt remembers 23
CONTRIBUT0RS
War should belong to the tragic past, to history: it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future. ~ Pope John Paul II NOVEMBER 2011 Rise and Shine!
BERNIE BATES is a writer, cartoonist, poet and entrepreneur of native heritage, who grew up on a ranch. “I was the only kid I knew that could play cowboys and Indians all by myself!”
MAUREEN KRESFELDER was a teacher for 28 years. She retired to Osoyoos where she reconnected with her love of writing. Kresfelder belongs to the O’s Own writing group. Her work appears in two O’s Own anthologies, Sharing The Well and Whispering Down The Well. Both are available at the Osoyoos Library. JORG MARDIAN is a Certified Kinesiology Specialist, Myoskeletal Therapist, Fitness Trainer and Registered Holistic Nutritionist. He specializes in injury/pain therapy, functional fitness, weight loss and holistic nutrition.
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ON THE COVER
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 1
Development of the Senkulmen Business Park has begun. The Park was officially opened October 21, 2011. Photo by Brian Highley
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We welcome feedback from our readers. Email comments to brian@oksun.ca or mail to Box 177, Okanagan Falls, BC V0H 1R0 Tel 250.535.0540 No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or part by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Whilst 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. © 2011 Okanagan Sun Publishing. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement.
Complete issues are available online at:
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OK SUN
IN THIS ISSUE T hank you for picking up this copy of the Okanagan Sun Magazine. It is free to you, thanks to the support of our outstanding advertisers. A special thanks to Judy Harvey for last month’s Sweet Potato recipe. We tried it with our Thanksgiving dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it. In this month’s edition, Judy enlists Jeremy Luypen, Owner/Executive Chef at Terrafina Restaurant and Justin Paakkunainen, Executive Chef at the Walnut Beach Resort, to share their recipes for stock. This month we are reprinting an Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug article from the Remembrance Day tribute issue of the Okanagan Sun in 2007. It features Harvey Merritt of Okanagan Falls, who recalls some near misses back in 1944. Re-
membrance Day ceremonies are taking place in all three towns, so get your poppies while they last. Nav Gill’s journey to Nepal has come to an end, and we thank her for allowing us to share in her experiences. This edition features part three of Nav’s correspondence, and her final thoughts on the trip. By the way, minutes before this edition went to print, I received an e-mail from Ray Gill, explaining that Nav did not have an internet connection in Nepal, but had telephoned to dictate the article, while Ray typed. Just one small example of Nav’s commitment to getting things done, as anyone who knows her would attest to. We thank Ray for helping out at this end, and relaying the message from one corner of the world to ours.
Well, the weather may have turned a little bit colder here in the South Okanagan, but things are heating up in the construction world. This month we hear about the opening of the new Senkulmen Business Park, the completion of the widening of Highway 3A, and a peak at the beginning stages of the Canyon Desert development. We also check in with the Oliver Art Gallery, Okanagan Falls Parks & Recreation and Black Hills Estate Winery, to hear about all the goings-on with those groups. A reminder that the December and January issues of the Okanagan Sun are combined, so if your club or group has anything to share for January, let us know by December 15th. We’d love to hear from you. brian@oksun.ca
Don’t forget to “fall back” November 6 at 2 a.m. We invite you to stay with us at Casa Del Mell Visit our website for more photos.
www.casadelmell.ca
WiFi, BBQ
d, Queen Be Cable TV
Reservations are encouraged! casadelmell@telus.net
(250) 495-3936 OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 5
Rocking Horse Raffle Photo by Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug The annual Soroptimist raffle draw for a child's rocking horse is underway, with tickets available from any Soroptimist member, who are also setting up booths in the Oliver Mall and at Family Foods and Buy Low in Osoyoos. Shown here with the rocking horse are Soroptimist members (l-r) Dot Rathgeber, Joan Wilson, Bev Anderson and Sue McKortoff. The draw will take place at Rudy's Flooring in Osoyoos on December 22. Money raised will go towards the South Okanagan Safe House.
Canyon Desert Golf Villas ... Construction has started
Photo by Susan Wyatt 6 www.oksun.ca
Senkulmen Business Park Opens The Osoyoos Indian Band has begun construction of a wine distribution centre to serve the South Okanagan region as part of the first phase development of the Senkulmen Business Park, which was officially opened on October 21, 2011 by Chief Clarence Louie, Oliver Mayor Pat Hampson, Boundary-Similkameen MLA Honourable John Slater, the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification), and Senator Gerry St. Germain. Located on Highway 97 near Oliver, at the north end of the Osoyoos Indian Band reserve, the 45-hectare (112 acre) property is currently in the first phase of its 10year development plan. The business park will eventually accommodate up to 40 business tenants and create upwards of 1000 new manufacturing and supporting jobs in the region, based on an economic analysis prepared for the project. “The state-of-the-art business park will help diversify the local economy by attracting more commercial, light industrial and institutional businesses to Oliver. This will generate major economic spin-offs for the entire region for generations to come,” said Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie. The Senkulmen project offers a competitively priced business destination in a prime location, with easy access to markets in B.C., Alberta, and the United States. The business park will also contain many innovative features such as a proposed geothermal heating plant, a green sanitary system, fiber optic communica-
tions, environmentally-friendly landscaping, and sustainable architectural design guidelines. “Our government is pleased to have partnered with the Osoyoos Indian Band to help make this project a reality,” said the Honourable John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. “Investments such as this help bring employment opportunities and economic benefits, not only for the First Nation community but for the entire region.” With the site preparation and servicing work now complete, the OIB is ready to take Senkulmen Business Park to market. “Our official opening today marks the kick-off of an aggressive sales effort. We are working with international commercial real estate firms Cushman Wakefield and Royal LePage to ensure Senkulmen becomes the leading business destination in the Okanagan,” said Chief Louie. The business park already has its first tenant, a wine distribution centre being
built and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band in a joint venture with Bronquest Properties Limited. Ready for occupancy in mid-2012, it will feature 10,000-squarefeet of climate-controlled multi-winery warehousing space in the heart of the Okanagan’s wine industry. The Osoyoos Indian Band has invested more than $4.5 million so far in the development of Senkulmen Business Park, including $1.5 million for the construction of a new interchange on Highway 97 to provide convenient access to the site. The project also received $5.4 million in partnership funding from the Government of Canada’s Western Economic Diversification Canada Community Adjustment Fund, part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada’s Community Opportunities Program. “I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their vision and foresight in supporting this project which will have a real and positive impact on not only First Nations economic development, but the economic prosperity of the entire South Okanagan region,” said Chief Louie. In addition to the Senkulmen Business Park development, the Osoyoos Indian Band has two other major capital projects underway, including Phase 1 of Canyon Desert Resort, a 350-unit residential and vacation resort development in Oliver, and Phase 3, a 44 residential unit development at Spirit Ridge located at the Band’s 4.5 star Nk’Mip Resort in Osoyoos, B.C.
Photo by Brenden Ryan OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 7
Osoyoos Home Hardware A truly unique, Olde-Fashioned shopping experience! Open 7 days a week
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OSOYOOS ART G ALLERY PRESENTS
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November 5 – Dec
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ember 22
Sale of art works by area artists
Paintings, pottery, jewellery, textiles, woodcarvings, original cards & much more Gallery open: Tues – Sat Noon – 4 PM
Take this opportun ity to buy original Chr istmas gifts!
Deadline Fast Approaching for BC Community Achievement Awards Some have been as young as 10, while others are closing in on celebrating their ninety-something birthdays. They live in villages of just a few hundred souls or in cities with hundreds of thousands of neighbours. What they all have in common is that they have made their communities more caring, dynamic, beautiful and healthy. They inspire others to single them out for the BC Community Achievement Awards. Every year since 2003, the BC Achievement Foundation has asked British Columbians to nominate a person who either as a volunteer or in the course of their work has made a significant contribution that benefits their community. That contribution can be in any field: sports and recreation, arts and culture, multiculturalism, the environment, civic duty or community volunteerism are just a few possibilities. This year’s deadline for nominations is Nov. 15. “Every year, I am surprised and impressed by the many different ways through which people have made life better for others in their communities,’ says Foundation Chair Keith Mitchell. Nominating someone is easy. Obtain a nomination form online at www.bcachievement.com or by contacting the Foundation at 604.261.9777 or toll free 866.882.6088. Complete the form and submit it with: • a letter describing the nominee’s contribution • a brief personal history of the nominee • two letters of support for the nomination from people or organizations that describe the value and impact of the nominees contribution to the community A formal ceremony to recognize the award winners will be held in Victoria in Spring 2012 where recipients will be presented with the BC Community Achievement Medallion.
The Big Year By Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug ‘The Big Year’, which was partly filmed at Vaseaux Lake and other sites south to Osoyoos, hit the big screen last month, with an October 14 release date in the U.S. and Canada. It is just one of the latest film productions to head up to this side of the border in what has been dubbed as ‘Hollywood North.’ Okanagan Film Commissioner Jon Summerland is the man whose job it is to encourage and host potential movie makers when they come to this region to scout out sites. “There are a number of films looking at the South Okanagan,” says Summerland. “In fact, I’m scouting one this Thursday, and I’ll be in (a) helicopter with (a) director scouting next week for a major feature.” However, Summerland is tight-lipped about giving any more details, with confidentiality key at this point. Summerland was instrumental in helping bring production of ‘The Big Year,’ along with actors Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin, to the South Okanagan in 2010. Summerland says (as of press time), “I haven’t seen the movie, but I loved the script. I’m excited, despite some of the bad reviews I’ve heard.” Regardless of reviews though, the movie production left behind several positive factors, including a financial one. “I spoke with the producer the other day, and he said they left around $1,250,000 in the Okanagan for the shoot, in fact I got it on video.” Mark Obmascik, who authored ‘A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession,’ the book on which the movie is based, spoke to the Okanagan Sun recently. “I feel very lucky and very grateful to have my book inspire a movie,” he says. “I thought ‘The Big Year’ movie, though different than the book, was warm and fun and beautifully photographed.” He adds, “You’re lucky to live where you do!”
'Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox Graphic courtesy Barb Derksen
I
had read some less than stellar reviews and comments about ‘The Big Year’ online, so I went to this movie with low expectations, and the thought that it would be just ‘for the birds.’ It didn’t help that upon arrival at the Penticton Theatre, there were only seven other movie goers there for the show besides myself! Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. I admit I went to the movie mainly to catch glimpses of the local sites where it was shot last year, Vaseaux Lake, the Husky Restaurant in Osoyoos, Black Sage Rd., Spotted Lake, the Falcon Motel and Boot Lake. But in addition, there were the three big name Hollywood actors, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black, who had filmed in the South Okanagan amidst much local interest. ‘The Big Year’ is based on the book by Mark Obmascik ‘A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession’, a title which pretty much speaks for itself. Granted, birding isn’t the most exciting of activities on which to base a big screen 20th Century Fox movie, but the movie goer should
expect that going in. Directed by David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada; Marley and Me), ‘The Big Year’ follows three avid birdwatchers as they participate in a major annual birding event. The story takes the men, who are at different stages of their lives, through the precarious balance between real life and their passion for, well, the birds. Martin as successful businessman Stu Preissler, Owen Wilson as champion birder Kenny Bostick and and Jack Black as the quirky Brad Harris proved to be strong enough leading actors to collectively keep the movie on track, helped no doubt by Howard Franklin’s smoothly transitioning screenplay. Don’t expect the usual movie fare of heavy drama or romantic entanglements, it is about birding, after all! But you don’t have to be a nature lover to enjoy it, it is not an endless listing of rare birds. All in all, ‘The Big Year’ makes for pleasant and lightly amusing fare, covering the panorama of North America’s top birding regions, most particularly in our own backyard. Rated PG, ‘The Big Year’ is in theatres now.
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 9
Oliver Art Gallery Happenings
Photo by Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug
Oliver artist Arlie Richards puts her skills to the test with her acrylic painting 'Study In Blue.' She finds that sometimes working with a limited palette (green/blue/purple) can be a fun challenge. Local artwork by Richards and other local artists is on display at the Oliver Art Gallery on Main Street.
By Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug
T
he Oliver Art Gallery has been open for six months now, just coming out of a busy summer season. “We’ve had alot of local people coming through. We’ve had some local people purchase, as well as tourists,” says Arlie Richards, who is one of the 12 local artists in the cooperative. The group has already begun to get ready for the upcoming winter holiday season. “We’re just starting to hang some special Christmas sale items,” says Richards. “We’re doing smaller works of a hundred dollars or less, so that people will be able to have something for a Christmas concept.” Richards moved to Oliver this year at about the same time as the gallery opened in May. She has not always been involved in artwork though. “I didn’t pick up a paintbrush until I was 40,” she says with a laugh. “I had no idea I had any talent.” Her interest first began when she was in Denmark, and had the opportunity
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to work with oils with an art instructor. “I always wanted to be able to represent the beauty that I saw,” she says. “But I had no idea that I had any passion to do it.” When Richards returned to Canada, she took courses in watercolour, entered art shows, and some of her pieces now hang in private and corporate collections from Vancouver Island to Ontario. The artwork at the Oliver Art Gallery shows a variety of mediums, from vibrant, colourful acrylics to pastel watercolours to oil landscapes of local picturesque scenery. The exhibit does not remain static, and as Richards notes, “We move them around and we exchange them for new ones.” Some of the artists can also be seen working on their paintings in the gallery, while others offer custom created paintings upon request. The Oliver Art Gallery is open to the public year round and the winter hours are Tuesdays to Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is located at 34848- 97th Street.
NOW OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY 8 Am - 3 pm
Stop by for lunch! Soup & Sandwich special $7
250.497.6555
Main Street, Okanagan Falls
Black Hills Finalist in Entrepreneur of the Year Black Hills Estate Winery president Glenn Fawcett was selected as one of the finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Hospitality & Tourism Category for the Pacific region of Canada. “It is a great honour to have been named a finalist, and we at Black Hills are humbled by having collectively received this recognition. The combined vision, energy and contributions of the Black Hills team have allowed this to happen, said Fawcett. “We also thank our loyal customers who have supported our winery over the years. This is also a reflection on our limited partners who understand and support our vision and direction for the winery, and our board of directors who have backed our goal of continual quality evolution.” Black Hills, known for its flagship Nota Bene red wine and its Alibi white wine, has been named a finalist for its innovation, philanthropy, business growth and industry leadership.
Innovation · Black Hills has maintained its prime focus to continually improve its already widely-celebrated wines in a practice the winery refers to as continual quality evolution · The winery has established innovative guest experiences and immersive educational programs that are receiving rave reviews from customers.
Photo contributed
· The winery has pioneered unique entertainment events such as The Vinos (where amateur film-makers produce short films about the Okanagan wine industry) and the Nota Bene Release party which combines wine, regional cuisine, music and an array of entertainment experiences. · The creative marketing & social media practices of the winery won Black Hills the 2010 Tourism Excellence Award for Innovative Marketing & Promotion at the Annual Thompson Okanagan Tourism Industry Summit.
Philanthropy · Black Hills Estate Winery has made donations of special packages of wine & weekend stays at their vineyard guesthouse that have helped raise over $110,000 for 17 different charities in 2010. · Each year, Black Hills donates special live auction packages (which include wine tastings and accommodations for four couples in the owner’s private vineyard residence) to strategic high-end society gala fundraisers. · The winery is co-founder of the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival, which in three years has raised nearly $70,000 to support various local & children’s charities.
Growth · Black Hills Estate Winery has carefully and methodically grown the production of its wine while continuing to make qualita-
Where Oliver gets together to chat www.oliverdailynews.com tive enhancements along the way. This has been made possible by extensive capital commitments by the ownership group to obtaining and establishing the best winemaking and viticultural equipment and practices available. · Sales of the wine have nearly doubled over the last four years in a wine market and industry challenged by an uncertain global economy during that time.
Industry Leadership · Black Hills is the founder and host of the 4th Annual Winemakers Cup ski weekend at Mount Baldy each winter. This twoday industry networking event provides the opportunity for winemakers and Cellarhands from across B.C. to have fun in a convivial setting. New friendships are made amongst competitors and significant knowledge exchanges takes place up on the ski hill and in the local pubs. This is the only known annual event of its kind in the world. · The winery is the co-founder of the annual Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival (www.ocwf.ca). In three years this has evolved from a single event into a four-day world-class festival full of tasty & unique, entertaining events. This has been made possible by an exceptional collaboration between 17 wineries, four hotels, six chefs or restaurants, live musical performances, two tourism agencies, 17 Hollywood & Olympic celebrities, 18 film producers for The Vinos, 45 members of the media and nearly 1,600 enthusiastic fans for BC wine and food. In turn the festival has generated over $250,000 of media exposure for the wineries, restaurants and resorts of the South Okanagan, helping many people become of aware of the new and exciting wine and food tourism scene emerging there.
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 11
S
HT G U O
TH Gill L A FIN Nav By
PAL E N ON
I can remember my first night in Nepal like it was yesterday. I was so excited and yet so scared at the same time. I didn’t know what to expect, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. The days turned into weeks, and the weeks finally turned into a month when I noticed I was getting used to the traffic, the honking, the animals wandering everywhere and loud tone of people speaking. It’s two months later, and I would have never wanted it to go any other way. Nepal is a beautiful country, filled with amazing people who live a completely different life. I have learned so much about what life means. The most important thing I will take with me is the value of time. Life in Nepal is so slow paced that even
running late for meetings is the norm. To know that you have five minutes to stop in the middle of the street to talk to someone, or to sit down for tea with the same person, is something that you don’t do in all corners of the world, especially the west. People have time for others and families, and I have learned to value many different things in life, starting with people who make you smile. I would love to go on about every little thing I have experienced, but when thinking about the second half of my trip, here are the five things that stand out. 5) Nagarkot Nagarkot is a beautiful town located in the midst of nature. Hills surround you in every direction, and the polluted city air is finally replaced with true fresh air. Visiting Nagarkot was one of my favourite memories in Nepal. It’s known for its beautiful sunrise and sunset. Waking up at six a.m. on your day off is not usually what everyone wants, but the sunrise was definitely worth it. As you focus your sight, you can see the Himalayan Mountains standing tall. Nagarkot is the perfect escape from the busy life and shows you the true side of Nepal. 4) New Friends and New Culture In the second half of my trip, I saw myself open up to meet other people beyond my volunteer work. I started going to Darbar square in Katmandu every day, and met so many different people ranging from shopkeepers, street vendors, children, and the locals that came to Darbad Square daily. The more everyone saw me, the more they accepted me as their own, as I was told I look very Nepali. From these people, I learned what it truly means to live in Nepal. I learned many different lifestyles, traditions and a bigger picture of religion. From the outside looking in, everything is always different than actually being on the inside and observing. 3) The Dashain Festival Dashain festival took place at the beginning of October and lasted for over a week. The city became completely quiet as all village workers returned home for the festival. Large groups of people were at Darbar Square and of course in Thamel. On the last day of the festival the traditional red rice mixture is used to put a Tikka on the center of your forehead. Everyone goes to their elders on this day and gets their blessings. I had the opportunity to visit Nepal Child Conservation Home (NCCH) and watch all the children receive their blessings . I was honoured to receive a Tikka from the President of NCCH.
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PART III 2) Deepavali Festival Deepavali, which is the festival of lights, was celebrated at the end of October and lasts for a week. I found Deepavali to be such an amazing festival because it had so much combined together. The festival of lights begins in the middle of the week, and for three days the entire city lights up with candles, decorated lights, streamers and Rangoli (coloured powder) drawings on the ground. It is such a beautiful sight to see. On the last day of Deepavali, Bai Tikka is celebrated, which is the exchange of best wishes between the siblings. This festival alone taught me a lot about tradition and culture. The way a country celebrates their festival reflects so much about their values and cultural morals. 1) Kids in the Darbar Square My best memory that I will bring back
home with me is of times I spent with the children in Darbar square. My placements didn’t pan out as I had planned , so I decided to do independent volunteer work. I spent time with the children workers, street kids, rag collectors from the slums and the children who were waiting around for their parents to get off work. The things that I learned from these kids will carry me into my future. They taught me that we can only change this world when we stop to listen to what the people actually need. But before we even think of change, we need to establish the basic act of love within our hearts. I had an amazing time seeing these kids, be just kids, for a little bit of their childhood. Two months have gone by, and my trip has come to an end. Nepal was an eye opener for me ,and I will never forget
the things that I have learned and experienced. I came to Nepal without many expectations by allowing life to happen by the moment. I came here not just to discover a country but to discover myself. I know I accomplished both during the two months. If I had to leave one piece of advice to anyone wanting to do something different in their life, it would be to travel the world and be a social traveller. When you learn about our global family, you truly learn more about yourself. Namaste Nepal. Until we meet again!
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 13
Photo Andrea
live right on the fairway
The “bell was rung” when Bellstar Developments, Western Canada’s leading developer of resort and recreational communities, commenced construction of the first phase of detached and semi-detached bungalow villas known as the Canyon Desert Golf Villas in October 2011.
“But it really begins with the climate and the leisurely lifestyle,” testifies Eric Watson, Bellstar’s VP for corporate development and real estate. “The South Okanagan is rapidly becoming the go-to destination for increasing numbers of people seeking an active retirement. “Kelowna and Penticton are nice and not far away, but for many of our purchasers these locations have become too busy and congested, especially in the summer months,” Watson continues. “The people we’re attracting to Canyon Desert crave the serenity and authenticity of the lifestyle you find in the heart of Canada’s wine country.” Canyon Desert represents another successful project in partnership with the Osoyoos Indian Band, which also teamed up with Bellstar at the celebrated Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa. These properties are offered on a pre-paid 99-year lease on Crown First Nations land, fully registered with the federal government allowing for a high quality product at a great price. “Our association with the Osoyoos Indian Band has been a dream from the start. We’ve never had an issue as the band takes a very pragmatic business approach to working with its partners,” says Watson. “In actuality, it’s the leasing arrangement for the land and the HST plus PTT tax exemptions that makes these quality homes so affordable relative to comparable freehold developments.” Each Canyon Desert villa features an open-plan design with spacious living/ dining areas that flow seamlessly to integrated outdoor spaces for maximum relaxation and entertainment in Canada’s most desirable year round climate. Nine-foot ceilings are featured throughout; custom designed maple cabinets, choice of tile flooring, double car garages, elegant master bathrooms... the list of high-end amenities simply doesn’t quit... all from just the mid $300,000’s.
Located along and between the 8th and 9th holes of the Nk’Mip (pronounced inka-meep) Canyon Desert golf course in Oliver BC, owners in the initial stages of the development will enjoy membership and two years of free dues in the 18 hole championship golf that is described as “challenging yet user friendly and as beautiful as any course you’ll find in this golf-loving province”.
So come to wine country and celebrate the wonderful indoor-outdoor lifestyle of the South Okanagan. We’re talking great wine and great golf at a better-thangreat price.
Visit www.owncanyondesert.com or contact sales manager Susan Wyatt via email at: susanw@owncanyondesert.com.
set along the lush fairways of the nk’Mip canyon desert Golf course in oliver – the wine capital of canada – the canyon desert Golf Villas offer a limited selection of desert-inspired homes that are sensible as they are stylish. designed to celebrate the active lifestyle, this latest bellstar community combines the best of golf resort and residential living under the warmth of the southern okanagan sun.
occupancy suMMer 2012
Villas Starting in the MID $300,000’s with NO HST! Includes Golf MeMbershIp! al rendering only
Artist’s conceptu
esent actual built and may not repr
product. E.&O.E.
Now UNder CoNstrUCtioN!!
The developer reserves the right to make modifications and changes to building design, specifications, features, floorplans and pricing. Plan sizes are approximate and subject to change. E&OE.
register at www.OwnCanyonDesert.com or call susan at 1.877.798.3498 susanw@owncanyondesert.com Visit our sales centre 37041–71st st., oliver, bc
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Only 44 desert-inspired homes will be made available at The Residences at Spirit Ridge - an exclusive collection of villas perched above the Okanagan’s top rated resort. Join a select group of individuals that will revel in an incomparable lifestyle in the heart of Canada’s wine country. To ensure you are among those enjoying the luxuries of ownership, call or register today.
RESIDENCES FROM THE LOW $400,000’S
LaTE SuMMER 2012 pOSSESSIONS This is not an offering for sale as an offering can only be made by Information Statement. Illustration is for marketing purposes only and may differ from finished product. The developer reserves the right to change or modify the offer without prior notice. E&OE.
The Residences at Spirit Ridge
desert landscapes that surround the master-planned resort community. Desertinspired two and three-bedroom layouts feature desirable single level living with gourmet kitchens, luxurious master bathrooms, generous storage areas, double car garages, and expansive outdoor verandas that celebrate the Okanagan lifestyle.
When it comes to luxury living and tourist experiences in the South Okanagan, Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa is a one-of-a-kind resort destination characterized by the treasures of the Osoyoos area: spectacular scenery, affordable year round golf, award winning wineries, cultural and culinary treasures, Canada’s warmest lake, and a blissfully moderate desert climate.
In addition to use of the resort’s 4.5 star rated amenities and services, owners at The Residences enjoy exclusive use of their very own private infinity pool with an expansive tanning deck, outdoor hot tub, fitness centre, sports court and gated access.
Conceived in 2003 by Bellstar Hotels & Resorts and the OIBDC, Spirit Ridge has been transformed into the region’s top rated resort based on independent Trip Advisor ratings. And it’s about to get even better...
With construction commencing in early 2012, owners will have the opportunity to move in as early as late Summer 2012 or wait for a Spring 2013 possession. But interested buyers shouldn’t wait too long as only a select number of units are expected to be released during the year.
Nestled on a sun-drenched hillside overlooking Lake Osoyoos and the Sonora Dunes Golf Course, The Residences at Spirit Ridge Resort Vineyard & Spa is the acclaimed resort’s 3rd phase of development and the first to offer homes designed for year-round living. The enclave of forty-four luxurious Casitas-style villas showcase the dramatic views of the lake, mountains, orchards, vineyards and
Starting in the low $400,000’s, The Residences were released in September 2011 with record-setting sales for the region in 2011 - a testament to the tremendous value and quality being offered under the guidance of Bellstar, one of the most respected developers in Western Canada.
To learn more contact Curt Jansen – Director of Sales Phone: 250-495-2684 or email curtj@bellstar.ca Visit www.OwnSpiritRidge.ca Register and receive information & updates.
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 15
Active Kids Program A
ccording to the 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey, less than half of Canadian kids get enough exercise for healthy growth and development. Increasing active living for kids doesn’t have to mean a big commitment or a great expense, as the benefits from unstructured play are huge. Movement, such as jumping, skipping, and throwing, relieves stress and teaches coordination and athletic ability. Play also encourages imagination
and teaches social skills to kids. One Canadian encouraging unstructured play is Olympic rower Silken Laumann. She asks parents to set aside at least one night a week for active play with their children such as going for a walk, throwing a Frisbee, or riding bicycles together. Okanagan Falls Parks and Recreation have modeled some of their programming after Laumann’s ‘Rediscovering the Joy of Play’ movement. They offer a weekly
Shayla in the gymnasium at Okanagan Falls Parks & Recreation. Photo contributed.
16 www.oksun.ca
in OK Falls
program that gives kids and families an opportunity to come together, laugh and get down to some good old fashioned ‘play’. The ‘Active Kids’ Program happens every Thursday from 6:00 – 8:00 pm with Youth Leader Ryan Bentley. The program is only $2 per child (adults no fee) and offers a variety of unstructured sports and games, from floor hockey to hula hoops to tricycles. Stop in and check it out. For other programs, visit www.okfalls.net.
This Little Piggy Went To Market
By B. H. Bates
I
f I were to ask one hundred people at random what they thought of the RCMP, the chances are they’d rank right up there with used car salesmen and people with bad breath. So why is there such resentment towards the RCMP? Out of those one hundred people at least 25 percent of them would have some sort of story about the boys in blue. Mostly I hear things like they come off as being self-important or how detached the detachments are from the general public. We humans are emotional creatures and we like to be treated as such, with caring and true concern. From an early age we looked up to our parents for these things then to our teachers, mentors and eventually our spouses. Authority figures should be respected. Do you show your boss respect? How about these people: friends, athletes and funny writers? How about these people: tax auditors, 300 pound bouncers and crazy little old ladies with handguns? They all deserve your respect, but for much different reasons. Now ask yourself this: in which category would I put the RCMP and why? It’s said that respect is something that is earned, not something that is to be expected. Over the last few decades the cops have had some bad luck, bad apples and bad
press. They went from being called the bulls to the pigs, and that’s a big drop in the barnyard pecking order. I remember a time, if you were to ask a little boy what he wanted to be when he grew up, chances are he’d either say a fireman or a policeman. Now they want to be gangster rappers with golden bling and nasty “bitches.” Oh my, how things have changed. It is said that the only thing that is constant is change. Do you think that the police in this province have changed for the better, or have they become complacent, bloated and robotic? Is it time to scrap the RCMP and rebuild a force that will serve and protect those who hold the real power, the people of British Columbia? The RCMP and Ottawa are trying to force British Columbia into signing a new contract under the threat of leaving the public unprotected. Personally, I hate to be put on the spot and forced to pick between the lesser of two evils. If you corner an animal, don’t be surprised if it bites you on the ass. And what if the citizens of British Columbia decided to fire the RCMP? Some people have asked, where would we get new people to replace the RCMP? I’m sure that the same people who make up the RCMP would line up for the new jobs. After all, who likes to pack up and move. Besides that, what would Ottawa do with
the 6,000 odd RCMP officers? Another thing that comes to mind is being fired for not doing your job very well. It’s a great motivator to try harder at your next job - wouldn’t you agree? And I think it would be a great way to weed out the so called bad apples. I think it would be great if we had the right to fire a cop who,let’s say, kicked a civilian in the face or sold drugs from his patrol car. Which brings us to accountability of the police and the justice system in total. This is the part that really burns my buns. We often hear on the news that the suspect is ‘known to the police.’ Which means these criminals are repeat offenders. So instead of standing on the side of the road with a radar gun, working for ICBC, wouldn’t their time be better spent keeping surveillance on these career criminals? As for the socalled justice system, I think that a major shift should be undertaken to serve and protect the rights of the victims instead of the criminals. While we’re at it, why not fire the judges too? Instead of being appointed to the bench, why not elect judges and review how many ‘slaps on the wrists’ they hand out? As the old nursery rhyme goes, this little piggy went to market, and this little piggy went wee, wee all the way home. I think that the people of British Columbia should call Ottawa’s bluff.
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 17
Cold Weather, Cool Shot
GOLF TIPS
By Derek Highley
A
s winter draws near and the daytime temperatures begin to drop, many areas of the country begin to see a firming up of the turf on their local golf courses. When you make your way to the first tee as the weather cools, you will begin to notice a difference in the course that you played throughout the summer months. So what can this mean for your golf game? Think of the Open Championship held every July across the Atlantic Ocean, the best golfers in the world competing on firm, fast golf courses. Well, winter month’s cold hard ground is similar to a true “links style” playing surface and the perfect shot for these conditions is the bump-and-run. A shot that is ideal for
18 www.oksun.ca
bringing your short game out of the air and back down to the ground. While most of you instinctively reach for your wedges to play any shot within 50 yards of the green, I encourage you to get a little more creative and start using less lofted clubs for those short shots. You will be amazed at how simple the bump and run is to execute, and how it gives you so many more options for playing shots from 50 yards and in. To play a nice and tidy bump-and-run all you need to do is make your putting stroke, but instead of using your putter you are going to use a mid-iron (5-6 or 7 iron). Set up to the shot just as if you were going to putt the ball. The two ad-
justments that you are going to make are to move the ball back in your stance and to open up slightly to your target. Moving the ball back in your stance increases your odds of hitting the ball cleanly, and lowers the likelihood of hitting the “dreaded chunk” shot. I like to play bump and runs with the ball positioned in line with my right toe (I’m right -handed). Once you set up, all you need to do is use your putting stoke. Act just as if you are already on the green, think of rolling your ball along the ground all the way to the hole, no wrist hinge, no weight shift, just “putt” it. The difference being that instead of your putter you will have an iron in your hands.
Forget-Me-Not By Maureen Kresfelder
I
Graphic courtesy Barb Derksen
cherish the black and white picture of the three of us—my mother, my brother and myself—which was taken in a photographer’s studio in 1945. It’s the only family photo we had taken during the war. My mother, seated, has her arm around my brother who is standing to her right and her other arm around me, standing to her left. She is wearing a high necked, long-sleeved dress with shoulder pads accenting her youthful waist. Around her neck hangs a silver locket, given to her by my father. It is inscribed with the words Seaforth Highlanders, my father’s regiment and has the Seaforth Highlanders insignia etched onto the front. Unseen in the photo, but certainly, she is wearing her wedding ring with “forget-me-not” inscribed on the inside of the band. Her shoes look sturdy and sensible and have slightly raised heels. My brother is wearing a sailor’s middy and shorts, knee stockings and dark Oxford shoes. He is blond and blue-eyed and smiles sunnily for the camera. He stands erect. His left arm rests on our mother’s lap. I am also wearing a sailor’s outfit—a navy dress with sailor’s middy. My shoes are a child’s—they are white lace-up boots (I am a year younger than my brother who is five)—and my stockings are short, peeking over the large bows of the laces. My hair is dark brown with auburn highlights. I am serious, head tilted down, as I shyly look at the photographer. I am leaning toward my mother, right arm on her lap. My mother, an attractive ebony brunette, looks calm, capable, in control. She smiles a guarded smile, the corners of her mouth just slightly turned up. She exudes responsibility. There is one person physically missing in this family portrait—my father. But he is there. Although he was killed in the invasion of Sicily in 1943, he continued to be a part of our lives. My mother at every opportunity would evoke his memory, would tell us about him all through our childhood and well into our teen years and beyond,
My mother Victoria Seefried married my father James Patrick Carney in 1939. For a year after they married they worked at the Banff Springs Hotel, she as a maid, he as a steward. My father joined the Seaforth Highlanders in July, 1940. He trained at Calgary and Kingston, going overseas on October 1, 1942 to serve with the army in Great Britain and Sicily. He faithfully corresponded with my mother during his time abroad. I have inherited those letters. In them, my father describes his regimented and oft frustrating life in the army, but more importantly they tell of his constant yearning to be reunited with his wife and children. Tragically, he was one of over 46,000 Canadians who did not return.
about his birth in Dublin to Irish parents, his impoverished childhood in England, his love of reading and poetry and song, his hatred of the English, his Irish lilt, his quick temper, his break from the Catholic church to marry my Protestant mother and his love of his wife, his children and his new country. My mother kept his memory alive in another way too. Every November 11th, with poppies pinned to our coats, Jim and I would go with mother to the Cenotaph at Victory Square in Vancouver for the Remembrance Day service. It always rained. Despite our rainwear and mother’s large umbrella (and our individual ones in later years) the rain splashed our legs and crept down our necks and blew against our wind-reddened cheeks and teary eyes. All through the service the dismal weather underscored our solemn spirits. At 10 o’clock the veterans and Armed Forces personnel paraded in, then the speeches were made, “In Flanders Fields” recited, the wreaths laid, the Last Post played. At 11 a.m. the two minutes of silence was ob-
served, followed by the playing of Reveille. And finally a piper played The Lament as the military paraded out. I still have a visceral response to the sounds of the Last Post and Reveille; my heart constricts, my throat tightens and I remember our dad, the kind of man he was, and his sacrifice. For years Mother planned to take my brother and me to Sicily to visit my father’s grave, a pilgrimage she said to honour her husband, our father. Finally my brother’s holidays coincided with mine and the three of us could go. In 1996 we flew to Rome and then Palermo, Sicily. We rented a car and drove through medieval towns until we came to the Canadian War cemetery at Agira. We stood on the windswept hillside of the cemetery and viewed the endless rows of graves; we were overwhelmed by the slaughter. As we walked up and down each row reading the inscriptions on the upright headstones, we remarked on how young most of these soldiers were. And how little they’d seen of life. My father, in his early 30's, was one of the oldest. When we came to his grave stone Jim read aloud the inscription, centered between an engraved maple leaf and a cross: K53780 Private J.P. Carney the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada 21st July, 1943, Age 34. And at the bottom, partially obscured by shrubs, the words Sweet memories linger ever Time cannot sever them. With voices choked with emotion Jim and I thanked him for our mother, and told him how we’d always wished we’d known him. And how proud we were of him. Again we stood beside mother and again she held us. Then Jim and I left her alone to commune with her husband, perhaps to tell him she still loved him and/ or to thank him for the children they’d sired, and that the children had “turned out well.” Mother, with wet eyes and cheeks, embroidered handkerchief clutched to her chest, didn’t share her graveside thoughts with us. She always was a private person. But she did tell us that she had achieved her goal—to bring us all together again, for one last time.
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 19
Acute Otitis Media Available at these and other fine locations: OSOYOOS
Ambrosia Suzie Q’s Buy Low Ella’s Greek Restaurant Dairy Queen Family Foods Petersen’s Market Shell Husky Sun Valley Dental Centre Waterfront Eyecare Mike’s Barber Shop Pharmasave Bonnie Doon Edward Jones Osoyoos Art Gallery Yore Movie Store Shoppers Drug Mart
OLIVER
Oasis Gas Bar T2 Market Buy Low A&W Super Valu Eastside Grocery Ye Olde Welcome Inn Sabyan Automotive Service & Repair Canadian Tire Amos Realty Pizza Yum Yum’s Crucetti’s Macdonald Realty Oliver Art Gallery
OK FALLS
IGA Pharmasave Caitlin’s Heritage Market Falls Market
Acute otitis media (AOM) is an infection of the middle ear cavity, frequently seen in children of preschool age. Children suffering from AOM usually complain of an earache accompanied by a fever; infants will react by crying, sleeplessness and irritability. About two-third of cases are bacterial in nature, whereas the remaining one-third are most likely to be caused by a virus. A doctor's examination will determine whether an infection is present, or whether there is a case of fluid in the ear by examining inside the ear. Doctors will sometimes prescribe antibiotics to treat infections of the middle ear. About eight out of 10 children with ear infections get better with no antibiotics at all. Many times when you visit the doctor with a child suffering from AOM, the doctor will weigh the risks versus benefits in deciding whether to initiate antibiotic therapy or not. If your child has an earache, remember that antibiotics do not relieve pain during the first 24 hours, and do not reduce fever any quicker or better than over the counter pain and fever medicines. Antibiotics also do not protect children from getting more ear infections. Your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic for your child only if it is needed. There is a high rate of spontaneous recovery from AOM, which is why a lot of times doctors will have parents do a 48 to 72 hour period of watchful waiting in children over two years of age. After that period, the doctor will reassess if symptoms persist to see if an antibiotic is needed at that time. Repeated courses of antibiotics can leave children with an increased susceptibility for developing infections caused by antibioticresistant bacteria. Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria, but sometimes the bacteria are strong enough to resist the antibiotic. Then each time your child takes the antibiotic, more of these “strong” bacteria may survive. Eventually the antibiotic stops working for your child. When this happens, these same bacteria can spread to family members and playmates. When given antibiotics too frequently there is an increased chance of developing diarrhea, upset stomach and yeast infections. If someone is given antibiotics when they are not needed, they may not respond to the antibiotics further down the road if needed for a more serious infection, such as pneumonia or meningitis. Never give your child an antibiotic that was not prescribed for him or her or share antibiotics with others. In the meantime, applying heat to the painful ear may provide some comfort to older children. As well, oral acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can be used for relief from pain and fever. There is no good supportive evidence to recommend the use of antihistamines or decongestants, as they have shown no benefit in children under the age of six years. For help with choosing the right over the counter pain and fever medication for your child, or calculating a dose, stop by Skaha Pharmacy in Penticton.
3030 Skaha Lake Rd Penticton, BC V2A 7H2 (250) 493-8155 20 www.oksun.ca
A closer look at volatility If you're an investor, you know the impact that volatility can have on your portfolio. Ups and downs in financial markets, individual securities and even mutual funds can have you smiling one day, worried the next. However, it is possible to manage volatility so price fluctuations won't be such a concern. When you understand volatility and how it works, you can take steps to manage its impact. Volatility is important because it is a measure of risk and potential reward. It is the tendency of securities to rise and fall over a short period. Large swings equal high volatility. More moderate swings represent lower volatility. The higher the volatility, the greater the potential for short-term returns and the greater the risk that your investment will decline in value over a short period. If you have the potential to make a lot of money you often have the potential to lose a lot as well. Less volatile investments may not have the same potential for windfall profits, but they usually don't have the same degree of downside risk. You can gauge the volatility of an investment by examining its price history. For example, if a stock has a tendency to fluctuate considerably over a short time, it is volatile. This is especially the case if
Osoyoos Sonora Centre 10:00am
the price movements are out of sync with the market. While you might expect stocks to move up and down with general market conditions, a volatile stock will often fluctuate even in times of generally stable markets. A low-volatility stock will vary in price much less. Its price moves may be more gradual, and it may even move in tandem with a market index most of the time. Should you be concerned about the volatility of an investment? If you want to assess potential risk before investing for the short term, the answer is yes. If you're willing to take on more risk to earn potentially higher returns, more volatile investments might be suitable for your portfolio. If you want low volatility, with the tradeoff of lower returns potential, look for lower volatility investments. You should also be concerned about the overall volatility of your portfolio-in other words, how much the value of your portfolio fluctuates and over what period of time. This is easily managed by ensuring your portfolio is well diversified. Hold individual investments that vary in their degree of volatility, as well as including all major assets classes in your portfolio. Individual asset classes don't always move in tandem, and they seldom fluctuate to the same degree at the same time.
Remembrance Day 2011 Oliver Oliver Cenotaph 10:00am
You can also reduce volatility worries by focusing on the long-term. With a longer investment horizon, temporary fluctuations don't matter as much. You reduce volatility risk and take advantage of the fact that over the long-term, the direction of markets is generally up. You can even take advantage of volatility to enhance returns. If you invest at regular intervals-through a periodic investment plan, for instance-volatility can work in your favor because your regular investment amount will buy more when prices dip. This technique is known as "dollar cost averaging," and it can lower your cost of investing. Ask your financial advisor for help in assessing and managing the volatility of your portfolio. Member Canadian Investor Protection Fund
MATTHEW R TOLLEY (250) 495-7255 #3-9150 MAIN STREET OSOYOOS, BC V0H 1V2
OK Falls Elementary School Time
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 21
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JU C D W O Y’S ith R Ju N dy E H R ar v
Beef Stock, Vegetable Stock and Caramelized Onions We are so lucky with the caliber of our chefs in this valley Just ask the students from Osoyoos Home Hardware who recently attended cooking classes and learned so much. We have asked two of these chefs to share their recipes for stock:
Jeremy Luypen, Owner/Executive Chef at Terrafina Restaurant at Hester Creek, shares his recipe for:
Justin Paakkunainen is the Executive Chef at the Walnut Beach Resort and shares his recipe for
Beef Stock 5 # beef bones (knuckle) 1# of onions ½ # each carrots and celery 1 can tomato paste Roast beef bones in oven on high heat till brown and then add in vegetables and tomato paste. Roast till vegetables are crispy but not burnt. Add to large stock pot and cover with water. Water should be 4” higher than the top of the beef bones. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer making sure that the stock has bubbles gently breaking the surface of the stock so that it won’t get cloudy. Do not cover. Cook for 6 to 8 hours and then strain the stock. Return to the stove and reduce by half. Jeremy suggests that you can get these bones from any butcher. They will have them in the back for a good price. He also suggests that you freeze stock in your ice cube trays and store in bags in the freezer. When you need a whack of flavor just pop one of the cubes into gravy, soup or whatever to enhance your dish.
Vegetable Stock 2 each of the following: onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic cloves (smashed) 4 ribs of celery 3 sprigs each of fresh thyme and parsley 1 tsp. black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 cup white wine 6 cups cold water 1 fennel bulb (optional) 2 handfuls of button mushrooms sliced, (optional) Dice all your veggies to a 1” dice, to increase the surface area and extraction. He suggests you caramelize your veggies with a little bit of olive oil (except the tomatoes) for a richer, more flavor intensive stock. You could start from raw by avoiding this step and just add everything to the pot. Once the veggies begin to take some colour, deglaze your pot with the white wine and reduce by half. Add the remaining ingredients and top off with the cold water placing on high heat. Once at a boil, drop to simmer for 1 hour, strain and season with salt to desired taste. Adding the mushrooms and fennel will give your stock a rich, earthy taste and enhance the complexity.
Caramelized Onions I bought a big bag of sweet onions at Covert Farms this summer. The onions were starting to sprout and had to have something done with them. I had read somewhere that you can cook them in your slow cooker on low for 12 to 14 hours so decided to experiment. 1 sliced 7# of onions (cut in half and then sliced thinly) and placed in the slow cooker placing ¼# of butter atop and stirring occasionally. The onions did brown and I decided to process in ½ pint jars for 15 minutes at 10# pressure. With the 7# of onions I got 7 – ½ pint jars. I added a little good quality maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and sea salt for flavour and was pleased. Caramelized Onion & Olive Tart 1 pkg. puff pastry 1 jar caramelized onions 1 small jar sliced black olives Shredded mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese Roll out puff pastry, thawed on a baking sheet . Spread with the onions. Top with sliced black olives and shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 400 oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and serve with a green salad or as an appetizer. We served this appetizer at a decorating class at Osoyoos Home Hardware and it was a hit. You must come by the store soon and check it out – Frances has torn it apart again for a whole new look. Please go into the parlour – she has the greatest gift ideas including some whimsical wine glasses. 22 www.oksun.ca
OK Falls veteran Harvey Merritt remembers... By Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug The Remembrance Day article below is reprinted from a past issue of the Okanagan Sun. In an update on Harvey Merritt, he turns 89-years-old this month, and is doing well. Merritt was a widower at the time of the article, but he has since remarried Janice Gilbert, formerly of Oliver. Gilbert is participating in the Okanagan Falls Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11. Okanagan Falls resident Harvey Merritt is one of the lucky ones...he came home. Merritt had some near misses during his service overseas during World War II, but fortunately he came home to tell about them and live a full and productive life. Merritt first joined the service in the small town of Russell in northern Manitoba. He joined the forces on June 19, 1940 and was on the train to Winnipeg the next day. Training followed at Fort William and at Camp Borden where the new officers practiced with real weapons, including Bickers and Tomgson submachine guns. Eventually the time came to head overseas, and Merritt found himself on the ship the Horonsay. It took a long nine days to travel over the sea to Liverpool, in part because of the German U-boats they had to deal with. “They were right there at the gate waiting for us when we went out,” Merritt recalls. In an armada of 110 ships, the Canadians experienced the loss of about 10 of them. Upon arrival in England, more training followed through the winter and “every kind of weather,” recalls Merritt. Years of training, in fact, up to northern England to test out weapons, and then to northern Scotland for tank training and more weapons training. Finally, in the middle of May of 1944, they were moved down to Le-OnSolint to get ready for D-Day, which was about three weeks away. When Merritt and his fellow soldiers headed for France and D-Day (June 6, 1944), there are many hits and misses, and inevitable losses to their own side. One particularly risky situation Merritt recalls, left him with schrapnel in his buttocks but luckily not much else. “We were surrounded on three sides,” he remembers. They were at a French airport, it was night and there was a blackout, and the
radio was silent. “We were sitting in a little bush quietly,” says Merritt. It was his job to get a message to an officer higher up. “I left at 80 miles an hour,” he says. The Germans fired an 88 shell at him. It went through the scout car he was driving. “I had one can of white gas, and one can of red gas, one can of apple cider and one of water. And it went right through them all and of course there was a great fire.” After he made it through the fire “the major gave me hell for fooling around out there,” he says. But Merritt got the message through. Merritt says about being scared, “you haven’t got time.” “You’ve got a job to do.” When the war came to an end on May 8, 1945, Merritt says his CO Colonel Wilson led the surrender for the Oldenberg sec-
tion of Germany. Merritt and his company didn’t get back to Canada until 1946. Their final mission overseas was to account for and turn back all of the equipment to Army Command. The trip back across the ocean to New York took only three days, far shorter and less to contend with than the trip to England. Merrit eventually made his way by train to B.C. and married and worked at the coast until retiring to Okanagan Falls in 1993. He wants young people to remember on Remembrance Day the meaning of it and the poppy. Services are held at the local Okanagan Falls school and Merritt sometimes gives brief talks to the kids and helps distribute poppies. “It’s a good thing for them,” he observes.
JOHN SLATER, MLA Boundary Similkameen
8312 - 74th Avenue Ph: 250 495-2042 P.O. Box 1110 Fax: 250 495-2042 Osoyoos, BC Toll Free: 1 877 652-4304 V0H 1V0 john.slater.mla@leg.bc.ca www.johnslatermla.bc.ca OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 23
Garden Talk With Lloyd Park Planting bare-root Planting ball and trees burlap shrubs • Place tree in water with a solution of liquid fish fertilizer, 2 Tablespoons per gallon, for at least two hours and up to 24 hours • Dig a hole twice the depth of the root, and twice the root spread, and then soak. • Prepare a soil mixture by using 1/3 existing soil, 1/3 sharp sand and 1/3 peat moss, decomposed manure or good compost, and also a large handful of 6-8-6 organic. • Place some of the mixture in the hole so that the new tree is to grow at the same depth it was growing in the nursery. • Re-soak the hole and the then backfill to the existing soil line. • Make sure to stake all tress. Build a dyke around new planting to hold water. Add a mulchof straw, sawdust or bark (Pine, Spruce, Fir, Hemlock) to prevent moisture loss and prevent soil from packing. • Use chemical fertilizer when planting
• Soak the ball in a pail of water for 1/2 an hour before planting • Dig hole twice the depth and twice the width of the ball • Fill the hole full of water • Place a mixture of good soil in the bottom of the hole so that the soil line of the tree will not be any lower than surrounding soil. • Re-soak the hole • Never remove the burlap from around the plant. Slit, fold back and bury the burlap • Fill the rest of the hole with a mixture of good soil •
Make a small dyke around the newly planted tree to hold water. Add a light mulch of bark, sawdust or straw to soil, to prevent it from drying out and packing
• Re-soak twice a week in cool weather and three times per week in hot weather
*Next month’s edition I’ll give away a recipe for a soilless mix; great for tomatoes, peppers, squash & cukes
OLIVER 250.498.3448 35633-99th Street
24 www.oksun.ca
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Eat Right For Energetic Workouts By Jorg Mardian If you’re into working out, then you may be on some type of restrictive diet to speed up weight loss. Don’t get into the habit. With a vigorous workout routine you can’t afford to be on an eating regimen which leaves little fuel in the tank. No get-up-and-go means less of that quality lean muscle you’ve been seeking. Here are some points to help you meet your training goals quickly and effortlessly: **Don’t restrict your calorie intake — Doing so fails to meet your energy needs. If your workouts are fairly intense and you don’t meet your daily caloric quota, you may actually lose lean muscle. Eat natural and eat healthy to power your workouts. **Eat a variety of foods – lean foods are great, but don’t get stuck on a few selections. A balanced approach means you should dip deep into an assortment of healthy grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy. **Don’t rely on protein for energy — Your major fuel should come from whole carbohydrates, which sustain the first 30 minutes of exercise. With adequate carbohydrate intake, protein contributes less than 5% of the energy needed during exercise. Eat protein after your workout, to enhance recovery.
shake in the morning and bring along a balanced lunch and snacks, so you won’t be tempted to skip a meal. **Don’t worry about the perfect meal — but be picky about the quality of your selections. Canned, boxed or junk foods lack many of the nutrients, essential fats, enzymes and co-factors necessary for health and well being. If you do fall off the wagon occasionally, move on and make a better choice at your next meal. **Consume plenty of water – Hydration definitely affects athletic performance. Drinking before, during and after exercise is necessary. Sports drinks can be helpful in replenishing electrolytes lost during more intensive exercise, but be cautious of added sugar or other undesirable ingredients. The real secret to successful weight loss and overall good health is brief, intense workouts and clean (wholesome) foods. With some right guidance, your effort and motivation will lead you to any goal.
**Don’t get into the low fat cycle — Good fats in moderation, actually speed up your metabolism, because they’re healthy and locked in nutritionally sound foods. Commercial fats, in junk foods and refined foods, are those which are contributing to our obesity epidemic. And those hyped fat-free supermarket foods simply replace fat with sugar. **Don’t skip meals – It can be easy to forget a meal or two during a busy day, while catching up with most of your daily calories at night. But this habit causes your body to hang on to body fat, rather than lose it. Try oatmeal or a delicious
OKANAGAN SUN • NOVEMBER 2011 • 25
WHAT’S NEW AT BONNIE DOON? Oxygen for health and healing
O
xygen is one of five elements needed to sustain life and, clearly, one of the most important. For decades oxygen has been used to treat the sick and injured, and for the treatment of certain medical problems such as bone infections, wounds and other emergencies like carbonmonoxide poisoning and decompression sickness. Oxygen provides life and energy to every living cell. If poor eating habits, drinking, pollution, toxins, drugs or lack of exercise abuse the body, the cells are deprived of vital oxygen and the immune system may be weakened. Low oxygen levels are undesirable because they affect the body’s cell metabolism and may even cause it to manufacture improper chemicals, and/or give rise to various health problems. Today, noted authorities also stress that most diseases, especially yeast or fungal infections like candida albicans, occur most frequently in any oxygen poor environment in the body. Dr. Stephen Levine, a molecular biologist and respected nutrition researcher, has also stated “We can look at oxygen deficiency as the single greatest cause of all disease.” In his original hypothesis he has said that an “oxygen deficiency accompanies and is an integral aspect in all disease states.” Thus the development of a shortage of oxygen in the blood could very well be the starting point for the loss of the immune system and the beginning of feared health problems such as cancer, leukemia, AIDS, seizures, nerve deterioration and candida. If the normal environment of the cell can be maintained, it will not lose its growth and reproduction potential. Sub-oxygen creates sub-oxidation. An oxygen deficiency plays and important part in cellular contamination. Oxygen is a powerful detoxifier and when it is deficient, then toxins begin to devastate the body functions and deplete the body of life giving energy. When the immune system is compromised by a lack of oxygen, the body is more susceptible to opportunistic bacteria, viral, and parasitic infections, colds, and flu. Oxygen deprivation can also trigger lifethreatening diseases – as underscored by (twice) Nobel Laureate Dr. Otto Warburg’s
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assertion that cancer and other infections or diseases cannot live in an oxygen-rich environment. OXYGEN THERAPY Oxygen therapy is any supplemental process that safely increases the available dissolved oxygen content in the body. Therapies may also include processes that enhance the body’s ability to use oxygen or promote oxygen absorption. Some of the accepted oxygen therapies include: bottled oxygen - often prescribed as inhalation therapy for serious bronchial and other respiratory problems, Ozone Therapy (O3) – is primarily used to increase blood oxygenation, circulation, immunity, and to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi. Ozone applications include air and water units available to purify and oxygenate your air and water. Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy (H2O2)- hydrogen peroxide is manufactured in the bloodstream to help fight bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and other invading pathogens. Breathing Exercises - are thought to increase lung capacity, which transfers more oxygen to the bloodstream. Many people are shallow breathers, and disciplines such as yoga and other forms of exercise can be very
helpful. Cell-food- Dietary Supplement may be the easiest and most cost effective form of oxygen therapy. Oxylift- skin tightening unit which uses oxygen to purify and build collagen in your skin to eliminate wrinkles, acne and more. Oxygen plays a very important role in the body, acting as a guardian and protector against unfriendly bacteria and disease organisms. Oxygen energizes cells so they can regenerate. Our body uses oxygen to metabolize food and to eliminate toxins and waste through oxidation. Our brains need oxygen each second to process information. In fact, all of our organs need a great deal of oxygen to function efficiently. The ability to think, feel, move, eat, sleep and even talk all depends on generated energy from oxygen. One of oxygen’s major functions is disintergration. Rubble, garbage, toxins, refuse, debris, and any useless substances are destroyed by oxygen and carried out of the system. For more information drop into Bonnie Doon’s at 8515 A Main Street, Osoyoos. “40 years of Service, Experience and Education” ref: Cellfood by Dr. Da- vid S. Dyer.
Bonnie Doon Health Supplies Let us help you to better health 8515-A Main St Osoyoos, BC
(250) 495-6313
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