Powell River Living April 2020 by Sean Percy

Digging In

How is Powell River handling COVID-19 so far? With hearts on our windows, and our hands in the dirt.

2020 L I R P A D OW N E T Y L L DEN LO C A 100% Y INDEPEN E EL FIERC LWAYS FRE A

BEST OF POWELL RIVER • EARTH DAY • VOLUNTEERS • AUTUMN SKYE MORRISON

Thanks

for your care & service! Hug a health care or essential service worker. (You know, virtually, or from a distance.) #ThanksHealthHero

Remember that we can help them by doing this:

â&#x20AC;˘ April 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ prliving.ca

How to protect yourself, your family, and your community

Those sick with cold or ﬂu-like symptoms MUST self-isolate for at least 10 days

International travellers OR contact with COVID-19 MUST self-isolate for 14 days

Stay at home as much as possible

(may return to regular restrictions IF no symptoms after this period)

(even if you have NO symptoms).

(except for essential workers, to get important supplies, and to relax or recreate in open outdoor areas)

If you must leave your house, keep your distance

Wash your hands (and phone!) regularly

Be kind and supportive of your family and your community

(6ft, 2m) and try not to touch your face after touching public surfaces

(especially after you touch public surfaces and before you eat

or prepare food)

A message from Powell River physicians POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

SIGNS OF SPRING: An American Robin amongst the cherry blossoms on Maple Avenue in March. photo by Sean Percy Powell River Living is a member of:

CONTENTS APRIL 2020 COVID-19: Caring for others

This magazine is supported entirely by our advertisers. We encourage you to choose the businesses that you see in these pages. We do. Publisher & Managing Editor

Isabelle Southcott isabelle@prliving.ca

How we’re rising to the challenge

A Growing Concern

Gardening through uncertainty

‘Essential’ Family Digs In

Pubic service workers in their garden

Tla’amin Rescues Dolphins

Trapped cetaceans get help

Associate Publisher & Sales Manager

Sean Percy sean@prliving.ca Editor & Graphics

Pieta Woolley pieta@prliving.ca Sales & Marketing

Suzi Wiebe suzi@prliving.ca

Best of Powell River

Life goes on! Vote for the best of it

Made in Powell River

Autumn Skye Morrison, artist

I Made the Move

A green oasis

Garbage is garbage

How one local just got rid of it

The Quickie Winners Three green stories

Accounts Receivable

Alena Devlin office@prliving.ca

Blast from the Past

Townsite’s old golf course

What’s Up & Biz Affairs

Gas prices, COVID-19 and cookies ON THE COVER The Politylo family gardens up a storm at their Black Point property: Cayla, Bryn, Nativa, 7, and Zevkiah, 10. See story on Page 14.

Photo by Pieta Woolley

April Events

Very little is happening. What is, is online

Take a Break

Crossword & Tarot

Last Word

National Volunteer Week

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

6 13 14 19 22 24 26 27 29 32 34 37 40 42

CAROLEANN LEISHMAN

is a City Councilor, a Municipal Director on the qathet Regional District Board and is the Chair of the Powell River Regional Hospital District Board. She is self-isolating at home with her dog Chocolate, is working remotely and attending meetings electronically until Dr Bonnie Henry tells her otherwise.

SUSAN MACKAY is the founder of Powell River based non-profit Whales and Dolphins BC / Wild Ocean Whale Society. Her love of the ocean and animals moves her to raise awareness for the protection of our environment and all species within it. MICHELLE PENNELL grew up by the sea on the southeast of England and is again in her happy place by the ocean surrounded by nature. Most days in all kinds of weather, she can be found photographing wildlife - pretty much anything with feathers, fur or fins. Michelle does volunteer photography for Wild Ocean Whale Society, Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society and Logger Sports.

THANKS SAVE-ON A number of Powell River Living’s usual distribution channels are closed because of COVID-19. Grocery stores are still open and you can find a copy at most of them. Our friends at Save-On-Foods have taken the step of adding a rack of magazines at each entrance, and are including free copies in home delivery and pick-up orders at the beginning of the month. Pacific Point, Townsite Brewing and Townsite Fruit & Veg are also adding PRL to their deliveries. Thanks to these community-minded businesses, we’re confident this issue will safely get to our readers, just as it has to you!

We welcome feedback from our readers. Email your comments to isabelle@prliving.ca, or mail to Powell River Living, 7053E Glacier Street, Powell River, BC V8A 5J7 Tel 604-485-0003 No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. © 2020 Southcott Communications. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement.

Volume 15, Number 4

ISSN 1718-8601

Powell River Living is 100% locally owned and operated by:

Complete issues are available online at:

www.prliving.ca

IN THIS ISSUE

Pandemic is, for now, also a unique time for renewal

oday is the last day the Powell River Living staff will be in the office together for who knows how long. It’s a relatively safe office; just three of us are in fulltime at this time of month, and our desks are far away from each other. We’re pretty good hand-washers and surfacewipers. Still. Deadline has passed; it’s time to pivot, and work remotely. It’s a privileged option. Many can’t. On the one hand, I’m thrilled to be going home to my kids. They’ve been troopers stepping up and taking on the laundry, dishes, cooking, tidying, animal care and more - sometimes willingly, and sometimes under duress. They’ve had way too much screen time, as both of us parents have been at work, figuring out how to manage our jobs for COVID-19. So heading home now to raise the gangplanks and steer my own ship – homeschooling, getting on top of long-ignored domestic chores such as gardening (see Page 13) and taxes – feels good. On the other hand, leaving the office means reality is setting in for me.

Considering the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 (Page 8), two facts have become abundantly clear. First, we’re still watching and waiting for this virus to come and do its work here in isolated Powell River. It may take time. And second, isolation is critical. Dr. Henderson locked down Powell River and lost just nine people to the deadly Spanish Flu. We can do something similar for COVID-19. We just need to keep doing it (Page 6). I wouldn’t have believed all this, if I’d been told about it a month ago. The change came so quickly. Our advertisers have adapted like champions, offering new delivery and shopping options, innovative supports for families and people who are struggling, enhanced safety measures, and much more. Life, in other words, goes on. Just like every April, PRL is launching our Best of Powell River contest this month (Page 22) - this time with an added section recognizing Powell River’s citizen leadership and resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Vote online at prliving.ca.

April is also our usual Green Issue, as Earth Day is, and continues to be, April 24. Jody Copely has reduced her garbage output to less than a bag a year (Page 27) and new resident Anne Thompson has created a green oasis on her property, including solar panels and multiple raised beds (Page 26). Our gardening columnist Jonathan Van Wiltenburg points out that this blight is serendipitous with spring planting (Page 13). If you’re stuck at home, this is certainly a unique pause to create more sustainable domestic systems. I don’t want to be Pollyanna about this. Sure, there’s opportunity here, for business, for change, for the earth to recover a bit, for families, for governments to step up. But all indications are, the worst of it, and the best of us, is yet to come.

PIETA WOOLLEY, EDITOR | pieta@prliving.ca

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

We’re in this together. If we learn anything from the COVID-19 crisis it will be that humanity is only as strong as our weakest link. A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM PUBLISHER ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT

BIG HEARTS: The hearts movement started in Prince George, BC, and has since spread all over the world, as neighbours show their support for each other while self-isolating. Opposite, Michelle and Barry Pennell re-decorated their Marine Avenue Logger Sports target sign to broadcast their care for Powell River. Top, a bold spray-painted heart shines over Maple Street in Townsite. Emily and Guido Sciberras drive by their grandchildren, hanging a heart out their car window. Tammy & Terry Olson’s cat Creamsicle is fascinated with her new window decor. Chalk hearts adorn sidewalks around town. South of town, Jan Padgett shows her love on her red door.

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

ur future depends on all of us. How we act now, how we respond collectively will determine the outcome of this pandemic. Governments around the world are telling people to stay home and only venture out when absolutely necessary. Social distancing is the new norm. Here in Powell River, all three local governments have asked visitors to stay away for the time being. Don’t even think about taking a day trip to Texada or Savary: you’re not welcome unless you’re a permanent resident. The drawbridge has been raised. We live in an isolated community accessible by air or boat. A body of water separates us from the lower Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island while a natural barricade of mountains cuts us off from the rest of BC. Because of this, it is easier for us than others to draw a line refusing all non-essential traffic to our region. This is exactly what our leaders have done. If you don’t live here, stay home. If COVID-19 does the same thing here that it did in Italy, it will infect at least a quarter of our population – that’s about 5,000 of qathet’s approximately 20,000 people. Some of those infected will require intensive care. “If you don’t think that sounds like a lot then consider the fact that roughly five out of every 100 patients will need to be put on a ventilator. While we are trying to get more there are only four ventilators available at our hospital (in Powell River) and two of those are for surgeries,” stated a press release issued by the Powell River Physicians COVID Steering Committee last month. In Italy, where their entire health care system is collapsing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors have to decide who gets a ventilator and who does not because there aren’t enough ventilators to support the rising number of critical care cases. We’ve been told what we need to do to flatten the curve so we don’t overwhelm the health system: Keep our distance from others by two metres or six feet, no parties, no coffee dates, no social gatherings. We need everyone to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing. We know it’s harder for kids and teens and it could become even harder the longer it goes on. In a column called

COVID-19 ONLINE Citizen Groups • Local Facebook champ Joseph McLean launched a group called Powell River COVID-19 Awareness to keep people informed about the latest developments in the COVID-19 crisis. • Laura Sigouin launched a Facebook group called Hearts from Powell River. It encourages people to make a heart and display it on their front porch or window. • The Powell River Mutual Aid – Folks Helping Folks Facebook group organized by Jessica Kay asks: What can you do to help out? What do you need? This is a page to support local neighbours, friends, and strangers to connect, find support and for folks to ask for help and offer to help each other. • On Twitter, post to #unitedpowellriver, #inthistogether and #worktogetherstayapart

Government Guides • The COVID-19 support app offers the latest updates and alerts from trusted resources. There’s also a self-assessment tool built in. • The BC Centre for Disease Control’s website, bccdc.ca provides information about COVID-19, how to protect yourself, your family and community, and what to do if you suspect you have the virus. • MLA Nicholas Simons’ webpage, nicholassimonsmla.ca, has links to all sorts of important information. • The Province of BC’s official information page is at gov.bc.ca/covid19. Learn about public health measures, school information and more. • Find information from the federal government about EI, business programs, travel restrictions and more at canada. com/coronavirus

Damage Control published in the Globe and Mail last month, writer David Eddie said: “Teens, like wolves, are pack animals. Trying to persuade one to enjoy and embrace a period of isolation “as an opportunity” is like placing a plate of kale in front of a shark and urging it to “look upon it as an opportunity to try something new.”” But it simply has to be done. Wash your hands well (20 plus seconds) and wash them frequently. Disinfect any outside surface (especially public) that you touch. Cell phones included. When I was a child my father, pediatrician, would tell us to immediately wash our hands when we came in from outside. We were to wash the germs off our hands before doing anything else. Good advice then, even better now.

At the end of December I was invited to a virtual ugly sweater party. I pooh poohed the idea of an online party. “Who would ever go to something like that?” I said scornfully. Three

Love

in a Dangerous Time How to care for each other during Powell River’s pandemic-imposed isolation

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

A “FIRM HAND” ON THE SPANISH FLU: Dr. Andrew Henderson, nurse Margaret Henderson (right) and Powell River’s entire medical team kept the 1918-19 epidemic contained. Just nine locals died. Worldwide, 50-100 million succumbed to the illness, including a deadlier second wave. Photo courtesy of the Powell River Museum & Archives

Quarantine? Worked great last time around BY THE LATE ARTHUR C. DUNN “Drs. Henderson & Marlatt performed miracles, and how they kept going is the greatest miracle of them all. Dr. Henderson was Health Officer at the time and took hold of the town with a firm hand at the height of the epidemic. Everyone was compelled to wear gauze masks over the mouth and nose when on the street or when likely to come in contact with other people. These masks were frequently sprayed with Lysol to discourage the flu germs . . . eventually the epidemic petered out and we

were left with the memories of the most tragic period in our history. I remember the deaths, I remember the trying conditions under which we laboured and the intense fear of many people. But my outstanding memory is the great service rendered to the people and the unselfish devotion to duty of Dr. Henderson and my good friend Dr. Marlatt.” - from the website, drandrewhenderson.wordpress.com by Ken McMillan, who is Dr. Henderson’s great-grandson.

months later, on March 24, I ate my words when I attended my very first virtual birthday party – my own virtual birthday party. Organized by friend Carma Sacree, we had drinks, giggled and caught up using the Zoom videoconferencing tool. I even received a handcrafted doll called Izzy made by a Lund dollmaker. Although I haven’t touched my gift yet, I witnessed it being unwrapped. It was different but I must admit, it was a lot of fun. Everyone I talk to is scared. Fear brings out the best in some and the worst in others but most are doing what they can to help. They’re shopping for elderly neighbours and friends who are vulnerable to the virus because of their already-compromised health, they’re running errands and checking in on those who are self-isolating. Our doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health care workers put themselves and their families at risk to care for us when we’re sick. Like us, they’re worried but they have a job to do and they’re doing it. We owe it to them to reduce the risk by practicing social distancing and staying at home as much as possible. Our essential service workers are still working so society can limp along during this pandemic. Pharmacies and grocery store workers, delivery drivers, pet stores, group homes, daycares, financial institutions, insurance agents, custodial staff, civil servants, local government workers, did I miss anyone? You are all heroes. Thank you. We need people to look up to. People to give us hope like BC’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Alberta’s chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who are leading us through this crisis. Dr. Henry has a fan club, and two Victoria women even recorded a tribute to her. Dr. Hinshaw’s face now graces a t-shirt that says: “We’re in this together.” And when she wore a dress

Library? Closed. Our collections?

WIDE OPEN

Your library card gives you access to free digital material! Download eBooks, eAudiobooks, and magazines using OverDrive Libby app and RB Digital app. Email us at info@prpl.ca for download instructions and tech support. See our website for more information about our online resources, and for updates about reopening.

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

POWELL R IVER PUBLIC LIBR ARY

info@prpl.ca • 604-485-4796 prpl.ca

“If we use this opportunity to improve the way we communicate with each other, our relationships will be stronger in the future and at least some good will have come out of this nightmare of a crisis.” with a periodic table print from Smoking Lily in Victoria, BC, the company received an overwhelming number of requests from people wanting to purchase the same dress. Movie stars, entertainers and top athletes used to be our biggest influencers – fashion and otherwise. Now our medical health officers are. Life has shifted, values changed. People who grow and sell food, people who provide health care, and people who provide services that support our everyday lives are being thanked like never before. My partner, Dwain Davis, the meat manager at Mitchell Brothers, says he’s never been thanked so much by his customers. Cards, baking, kind words. A bright yellow poster made by a grateful shopper. Most people recognize the long hours essential service workers are putting in and are appreciative however there’s always someone who isn’t. I’m disappointed when I see and hear of people being rude because a store has run out of flour or toilet paper. C’mon people! We need to work together; we weren’t prepared for this. Don’t steal masks from hospitals and hand sanitizer from local stores. United (at a distance) we stand, divided we fall.

WEARING HIS HEART ON HIS HAUNCH: Vinnie the mini horse sports a new haircut, dressing up his owner Sondra Butler’s property in Wildwood. In Grief Point, Alex Devlin, 7, shows off his mad fingerpainting skills. COVID-19 is an economic crisis. Many businesses have closed, leaving workers without a paycheque. Governments have initiated supports to help, but this crisis will have long-lasting effects economically. But first and foremost, this is a public health emergency. While seniors and those with chronic disease are more vulnerable, people of all ages can get this disease severely, according to the local physicians COVID steering committee. Some of our elderly who lived through the war say what’s happening with supply shortages reminds them of what happened during the war, but most

of us have never experienced a society so changed. I’ve never lived through a state of emergency and I guess many of you haven’t either. We don’t know what will happen next. We do know that our usual lives have been disrupted. Together we grieve for what we have lost already and what we could lose in the future. Seniors in care homes and our most vulnerable citizens are at increased risk. My 90-year-old mum’s assisted living home in Comox has been closed to all nonessential visitors since mid-March. She understands but

Is Covid-19’s self-isolation failing to be the blissful family time you were hoping for?

You’re not alone! Dear families-at-home-in-enclosed-spaces-trying-to-sort-it-all-out, What a time we are facing! It’s great to be able to spend time together at home with your family and we 100 percent want to encourage you to do just that! Enjoy some family time! That said, we also know that stress can create difficulty in families, or

surface older patterns and problems we have been too busy to take notice of or to get help with. You don’t have to handle it on your own. Our staff team at Powell River Child, Youth & Family Services are standing by!

By phone appointment, our staff can help problem-solve, recommend resources, help you work on plans for change, and support your family. Call or text Rachel at 604-223-7042 to get connected to one of our team. Hang in there. We’re here to help!

prcyfss.com

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

FIRST RESPONDER: Likely Canada’s first major piece of public art about the coronavirus pandemic - albeit unofficial - is at Willingdon Beach: a heart mural by local painter Catnip. “Even in such tumultuous times,” he said, “I found inspiration in the community sharing information on social media and coming together through things like the Heart Search, which reminded people that we are all in this together, and we still have each other. I wanted to share that inspiration so I went safely to the freewall and put a bit of my heart on it. “ she’s lonely. She’s hard of hearing so I can’t call her but she does email so that’s how we communicate. I’ve seen other people get creative while visiting family and friends from a distance. They bring musical instruments and play on the lawn, they hold signs up to the window that say: “We love you,” and wave and dance! If there’s any good to be found during this crisis, it’s in the love we are showing one another. Defined as caremongering – a movement where people help others in an organized manner – it first showed up on Facebook in mid-March. Facebook groups across the nation began recording the good happenings from Canada’s east coast to Canada’s west coast and all points in between. Here in Powell River, a Facebook group called Hearts from Powell River was launched so people could help others in their community, particularly those who are more at risk of health complications related to

REACH OUT TO SHUT-INS To send cards, notes and pictures to residents and staff in long-term care, the following email addresses are available to use. Emails can be for specific people or general messages of support to be shared. This excellent initiative belongs to the Powell River Hospice Society. Evergreen Extended Care: prghactivities@vch.ca Willingdon Creek Village: Laurie.Norman@vch.ca

COVIC-19. The pandemic has led to acts of kindness around the world, from delivering soup to the elderly, to donating fresh oyster mushrooms to the Salvation Army in Powell River, to picking up groceries for a neighbour, to free online fitness, yoga and food-growing classes. The acts of kindness taking place right now are heart-

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felt and beautiful. Without them, we’d have no hope and without hope there is nothing. If you have a story to share about an act of kindness shown to you or someone you know, please email isabelle@prliving.ca so we can tell the rest of Powell River about it. Speaking about kindness, across BC, people are going out on their balconies at 7 pm each night to clap, cheer, and bang pots in a province-wide show of support for health care workers. This nightly gratitude cheer brings neighbourhoods together and as terrifying as this pandemic is, we’re discovering pockets of opportunity in this crisis. If we use this opportunity to improve the way we communicate with each other, our relationships will be stronger in the future and at least some good will have come out of this nightmare of a crisis. Stay well, stay kind.

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The Boardwalk team is taking all measures necessary to keep you and us safe from the virus. We will do all we can to keep our staff employed and housed, and to keep our offerings affordable.

Call 604 483-2201 boardwalkrestaurantpowellriverlund.com

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

Powell River physician update on COVID-19 A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE POWELL RIVER PHYSICIANS COVID STEERING COMMITTEE (PRCSC): DR. EVAN ADAMS • DR. RACHEL BELL • DR. ROBIN MACNEARNEY • DR. BARRIE MCDONALD • DR. CHRIS MORWOOD • DR. NEHA MUSINI • DR. IAN RICKETSON • DR. WERNER SCHOEMAN • DR. CHARLES VAN ZYL

We need your help. The number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 are increasing rapidly around the world and here in British Columbia, and most local residents are taking this pandemic very seriously. These are extremely difficult times for everyone. Such widespread restrictions have never been asked of Canadians, not even in times of war. Unfortunately, it is not easy to respond to an invisible threat, and some people may still believe they are not vulnerable. About 80% of people will have reasonably mild symptoms from COVID-19, meaning that they may feel well enough to be up and around during their illness. Unfortunately, this virus is highly contagious, regardless of how mild one’s symptoms are. While seniors and those with chronic disease are

If we do not slow this virus down, our health care system will simply not be able to keep up.

definitely more at risk from this virus, COVID-19 can be life-threatening to people of all ages and anyone can spread it. Most of us have read the stories about the devastating effect just one person with symptoms can unknowingly have on the lives of others. Globally it is estimated that the average person infected with this virus will pass it on from one to four people unless they take strict precautions. If we do not slow this virus down, our health care system will simply not be able to keep up. The best way to protect each other and ourselves in this pandemic is to have a united community defence, as well as a medical one. We are all connected. Strictly self-isolate if you are sick or have traveled out of country recently. Stay home except for essential

work or supplies, to seek medical support, or to spend time outdoors. If you must go out, please keep your distance in public spaces. Wash your hands (and cell phone) regularly. And remind others to do the same. If you need to speak with a health professional for any reason, please call your Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner. You can also call 811. Excellent information is available online at www.bccdc.ca, including an online COVID-19 symptom checker. If you need to come to hospital for breathing symptoms, please call ahead for instructions before you arrive (604-485-3211). Please help us protect our health care system and each other. The sooner we each do what we can, the sooner our community and region can recover. Be smart, be safe, and be kind.

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

Help your hospital:

A note to our community Mother Nature wants to assure you we are doing everything we can to safely service, as well as protect, our customers and our staff. In an effort to do so, we are now 100% Curbside Pick Up and Delivery only. You can shop by either calling 604-485-9878 or emailing mnature@shaw.ca and our Mother Nature Team is waiting and ready to fill your order. Our goal is to continue to meet all your Garden, Home and Pet needs through these unprecedented times. We encourage you to sign up for our e-newsletter on our website, as well as follow us on Facebook & Instagram as we will share updates, feature new nursery & garden product arrivals, and tell you about in-store sales. In the meantime, enjoy Mother Nature (the actual Mother Nature!) with your family and pets. Seek solace, reduce stress and anxiety and best of all... discover how digging in the dirt can cleanse your soul! Thank your for your continued support and your positive comments confirming that we as a community, will do what it takes to get through this together! Virtual Hugs, Ron & Dianne

Who knows better

than Mother Nature?

7050 Duncan Street

604.485.9878 mnature@shaw.ca

Follow us for up-to-date info about pet care & gardening. fb.com/MotherNaturePowellRiver @mothernatureghp Sign up for our newsletter at mother-nature.ca

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NOTICE: We are taking the current COVID-19 situation seriously and are implementing all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. We also understand the immediate need for secure, affordable tools for your family ‘s online learning and entertainment.

Our showroom is available BY APPOINTMENT ONLY call/text 604 578-1320 or email corey@prmacs.ca • Only 1 person or group allowed in the store at a time. • If there is someone in the store when you arrive please wait outside until contact surfaces are sanitized after they leave.

• All contact surfaces, including door handles & keyboards/keypads are disinfected with 70% IPA between showings. • New shipments will be thoroughly disinfected.

ALL PRICES NEGOTIABLE Take care, and make the most out of your downtime! 4691 Marine Avenue

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

604 578-1320

prmacs.ca

Please be responsible CAROLEANN LEISHMAN | Chair, PR Regional Hospital District Board

I am going to echo the statements you keep hearing in the media day in and day out. STAY. AT. HOME. We are still in the “containment phase” of this pandemic in Powell River and the possibility of transmission of the virus throughout the community is very high if people carry on with business as usual. Whether people feel fine or think they are not at much risk of getting sick even if they start showing mild symptoms, everyone must treat this situation extremely seriously and take all precautions to not become part of the problem. We should all behave as if we and everyone around us is highly contagious. One of our biggest concerns is that if we start seeing our healthcare workers testing positive and/or getting sick with the virus then who is going to look after the rest of the population while they are unable to work? Or what about our amazing grocery store workers? I think we all want to know that our essential workers will be able to continue working and not get knocked down for two weeks with illness, so let’s all do our part to protect them. People need to stop focusing so much on themselves and feeling so hard done by and start thinking about others in the community. We are all having to make sacrifices and compromises in our lives with the things we have always just taken for granted. Our essential service workers ARE going to work every day so that the rest of us can be responsible and stay home as much as possible, so that more of us don’t end up in the hospital requiring care. “Flattening the curve” is not just one of the latest catch phrases. It is a mathematical prediction model of how the exponential spread of this virus can be slowed down, if we put enough measures in place early enough to keep the spread of the virus from getting beyond our capacity to be able to manage it with our limited available healthcare resources. I implore everyone to please listen to the medical health professionals and government officials who are sending out the official orders asking us to: limit our time away from our homes, stop gathering in groups, use physical distancing measures, and practice extreme cleanliness routines if you do have to venture

“Please assume that every smooth surface you could possibly come into contact with outside your home has been contaminated with the virus: door handles, handrails, benches, bus seats, toilets, sinks, conveyor belts, grocery store buggies, gas pumps, mailboxes.” - CaroleAnn Leishman out for groceries or essentials. It doesn’t get much easier to do the right thing than staying at home for a while. The Powell River General Hospital staff have been running simulations and procedures training for receiving COVID-positive patients at the hospital, so they are very well prepared to deal with this crisis. The concern that I really want to get across to everyone reading this is that if our community residents don’t take this pandemic seriously, by limiting social interactions, and if we don’t prevent a spike in the numbers of people getting infected, we may not have the capacity, in terms of healthcare workers and available beds, for a high number of ill patients to be cared for in the hospital all at once. I want to make it clear that every effort is being done to be prepared for an influx of COVID-positive patients being admitted to the hospital, but that is only going to be manageable if we can stay below the curve. Please assume that every smooth surface you could possibly come into contact with outside your home has been contaminated with the virus: door handles, handrails, benches, bus seats, toilets, sinks, conveyor belts, grocery store buggies, gas pumps, mailboxes. This virus is highly contagious, and you cannot count on others to run around cleaning and sanitizing these surfaces constantly. You must be responsible for taking all precautions yourself as though they are all contaminated. Wash your hands every time you go out of your house and every time you come home and many times in between. Thank you to all those who are taking this crisis seriously. You are making a difference for the rest of us.

NOT JUST A PRETTY PLANT: Charlese Nan’s Townsite garlic (left), Kevin Wilson’s Cranberry herbs (centre) and Hatch-a-Bird Farm’s greenhouse full of Wildwood greens (right).

“Get out there and plant your crops!” What are we to do?

Well I have an idea. Instead of hoarding things that keep your bum clean, let’s focus our attention onto something that could really make a difference in warding off this hysteria. Let’s forget about the social media and the news, and focus on exercise, lots of fresh air, and healthy food. I’m talking about gardening of course! The timing of this viral outbreak could not be more perfect from a food gardening perspective. Spring is here now, so whether you’re a seasoned food grower, or a total beginner, there is no better time than now to start a food garden. Get out there and plant your crops in the next six to eight weeks. And if the world really does go for a big dump, you’ll have all your nice home grown food to hoard all to yourself. Happy gardening.

APRIL GARDENING TASKS

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You cannot meet with friends. You can forget about your planned holidays. The grocery stores are struggling to keep the shelves stocked as shoppers overload their buggies. And the end of all this does not seem to be anywhere in sight.

Sit down and put to paper a plan for your summer annual flower boxes and pots. It is always a good idea to come up with a planting plan prior to heading to the nursery so you can make sure your pots will have well-balanced growth, colour, texture, and interest throughout the summer. Renovate the garden. Feel free to dig up and move around perennials in areas that have gotten cramped or just are not working. You must get ahead of the weeds now! Otherwise you will have a large chore on your hands in the coming months. Think about acquiring some mulch to smother the weeds and also help with moisture retention. You will not regret it one little bit. If you’re into beautiful green lawns, take advantage of moist mild spring weather. Aerating, liming, over-seeding, and applying a fertilizer would all be beneficial to establish a strong, healthy green carpet. Prune back your early spring flowering shrubs: forsythia, duetzia, spirea, heather, keiria, daphne, hamemalis, witch-hazel, sarcacoca, edgeworthia. Plan ahead for our dry summer weather to come. Think about ideas that will minimize your water usage and maximize your efficiency (i.e. Irrigation system, plant choice, design, soil and mulch, etc). Keep sowing your vegetable and flower seeds: squash, pumpkin, lettuce, beets, spinach, greens, carrots, parsnips, chard, celery, early potatoes, leek, onion, and summer flowering annuals. Greens and lettuce should be sown every three weeks. Harvest your early crop of rhubarb and your asparagus. Continue this for the next six weeks. Yum yum!



s this foreboding viral cloud looms overhead, what has unfolded in the last few weeks could be summed up in one word: crazy. When I head to town I can just feel people are on edge. Big media has been relentless, not only hitting us with facts, but also creating overwhelming hysteria. What I find so curious about all this COVID-19 stuff is not whether or not I will get it (I have two young kids; I am certain it will rip through the house at some point). What I find fascinating is the behavioral response to all this. I’m talking about the stuff like hoarding huge amounts of toilet paper. My wife saw a woman the other day buy over 80 rolls of the stuff. It doesn’t even make sense. I heard it quoted “it’s a lung bug, not bum bug.” I heard from a local vendor that there has been a run on guns and ammunition, too. For real? This is a bad cold/flu, not a Zombie apocalypse. I thought the mantra was supposed to be “keep calm and carry on,” but it doesn’t seem possible anymore. It seems unwise to go out or travel anywhere.

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BY JONATHAN VAN WILTENBURG | jonathan_vw@yahoo.com

Whether you’re planting for food supply, to ease your general anxieties, or both, PRL gardening columnist Jonathan Van Wiltenburg makes the case for digging in.

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A growing concern

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Essentialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; family digs in for healthy

n the Black Point area, this family of gardeners is putting in an extra effort this year. Bryn Politylo, a letter carrier with Canada Post, and Cayla Politylo, a public health nurse in VCHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nurse-Family Partnership program, will both likely be considered essential service workers, so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making every second count at home with their kids, Zevkiah, 10, and Nativa, 7. How has COVID-19 affected your life so far? Cayla â&#x20AC;˘ It seems to have permeated every part of life in some way. We were not able to go to the Okanagan as planned to see family and the 50th wedding anniversary celebration for my parents. It had to be cancelled. We worry about our parents more. We worry more about making sure we arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bringing germs home with us. It feels like home is more of a haven and refuge than ever. Grocery shopping has changed for us as we usually do this as a family on the weekends, with one of us popping into a grocery store at least every other day to pick up fresh food for dinner. We actually meal-planned and did a large shop (we have never done this before) to reduce the amount Bryn has to go in a store. We are carrying hand sanitizer with us everywhere and are so much more aware of what we are touching. The kids are washing their hands so much more than ever before! We are not seeing our friends or going to our usual Wednesday night and Sunday morning gatherings, but find that we are in touch with others more

STILL WORKING, STILL GARDENING: Cayla, Nativa, Zevkiah and Bryn Politylo at home in their Black Point garden, with doggie Aleucha. Parenting is about to get a whole lot more challenging for this public health nurse and letter carrier. photo by Pieta Woolley often that we normally wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be in touch with so much. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your usual garden like, and why? Cayla â&#x20AC;˘ We usually have a fairly large variety of vegetables and a small amount of raspberries and strawberries. We find it interesting to try new things and see how they fare in our garden. How have you changed your gardening plans for this year, and why?

Cayla â&#x20AC;˘ They have changed somewhat, as we may focus more on just planting those things that we know grow reasonably well in our garden, but also produce higher yield for the space they use, as well sticking to those things that we eat a lot as a family such as potatoes, cucumbers, peas, cabbage, scallions and kale. Why do you think so many people are gardening with such enthusiasm at this time?

Cayla â&#x20AC;˘ Some people (not us though) find that they have more time on their hands due to self-isolation and social distancing and now is a good time to try things they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had the time to do before. Or maybe just to do something different than watch the news and Netflix all day (gardening will make them feel way better.) Secondly, I think people are feeling the need to be self-sustaining. During uncertain times people start to ques-

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hearts and spirits “I think most people may be more secure knowing that they can provide for some of their needs and in addition, knowing where your food comes from - and saving money also helps that feeling of security.” - Cayla Politylo

tion things and one of those things has been food supply. I think most people may be more secure knowing that they can provide for some of their needs and in addition, knowing where your food comes from - and saving money also helps that feeling of security. For Zevkiah and Nativa, how is COVID-19 affecting their lives? Cayla • Having the pool and the climbing gym as well as karate and gymnastics closed down, means not having these things be a part of their weekly routine anymore. No playdates has been a bit of a bummer over Spring Break and they were not too pleased to not get to see their cousins! However, the siblings are finding that they can actually play with one another and are slowly rediscovering how fun our yard can be. They are somewhat thrilled to not be going back to school. Nativa states that she will miss “soccer math” and Zevkiah had just picked a topic for an upcoming science fair and says he is regretting not being able to do this as well as a field trip to Science World that his class was working towards. How will you keep learning going for your children? Cayla • I’m thinking I may need to go out and purchase a printer so that I can print off work sheets.

For Zevkiah, we will continue with Mathletics online as well as French and English reading. We’ll take them out in nature as much as possible, and get them planting seeds in the garden. I am eager to see what the Province and the School District are planning, as they have said that they will be assisting with continued learning. How are you as parents and spouses supporting each other through this? Cayla • We hear each other’s concerns but help each other keep things in perspective so there is no room for fear while still being mindful and understanding the seriousness of the situation. We’re doing our best to keep the atmosphere at home as normal as possible. What do you hope we all learn from this, as a community? Cayla • That we need to watch out for and care for others, especially the vulnerable. That the community can really come together to support one another and care for one another. We are so much better when we lift each other up! How resourceful we really can be with a little bit of effort. That we can change our lives to protect others and protect our earth as well. That we can feel so much more fulfilled when we slow ourselves down. Most everyone can grow some of their own food, even in planters on a balcony. That we never again take essential service employees for granted, and I’m talking not just the nurses and the doctors, paramedics, etc, that we fully appreciate and honour, but also the grocery store employees and those that have continued to work in the public so we can still get what we need (and want, let’s be honest) to stay healthy and nourished during these times. And… fastidious hand hygiene that we will maintain for the rest of our lives!

Tax services

Helping you through tax time with

Starting at:

safety & security

$60. General tax return $40. Senior $40. Student Bookkeeping services available

Tax time is well underway! In the middle of this difficult time for Powell River and for our world, we’re here for you! Here’s how we can help you with your taxes while you stay safe at home: 1. Phone us It’s very simple by phone. We’ll set up a phone appointment with you while you stay safe at home! We can access your Revenue Canada information on-line and get any other information we need from you over the phone. Call 604-485-7009.

2. Go online Email us to set up an appointment to handle your tax return from a distance. Email: jonathan@bydandbusinesstax.ca

3. Mail us Mail your tax information and receipts to us and we will call you to process! Mail to: Bydand Tax Shop, PO Box 1022, Powell River, BC. V8A 0T5,

4. Drive Thru Should the mall close, look for our Drive Thru Tax drop-off station in the parking lot near the CIBC entrance from 11 am to 1pm, Mon to Sat.

Currently we are able to receive tax returns in person during the mall’s reduced hours of 11am - 4pm.

BYDAND BUSINESS & TAX Located in TC Mall across from Post Office (previously the Byte Size Tax Shop)

604-485-7009 @bydandbusinesstax Jonathan Gordon

604.483.1633

kathybowes@remax.net

kathybowes.com

www.bydandbusinesstax.ca

Watch our space on Facebook and Instagram for the most up to date information. POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

Top 10 crops to grow if the future feels uncertain

Jerusalem artichoke

It’s a thug, be warned. Once in the garden it is hard to get out. It will grow almost anywhere. The crop is a sweet starchy tuber that can be cooked similar to potatoes.

Kale

A hardy green from the cabbage family that is worth growing because it can be harvested all season and right through to the following spring. All parts of the plant can be eaten, stem, leaves and flowers. It readily self seeds in fall. Can be cooked or eaten raw in salads.

Potatoes

One of the easiest and most prolific crops. Pop them in in the spring and pull them out in the fall. They store easily so you can eat through to the following spring.

Herbs

(Copious amounts of all of them). If food chains are disrupted, and all we are eating is potatoes and kale, we will need some serious flavour to keep it interesting. Grow lots of sage, chives, thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano, tarragon etc. The more variety the better.

Perennial arugula

Beets

An easy to grow green that just does not stop growing. It is drought-resistant and lowmaintenance. It has quite a spicy tang on the tongue when eaten.

Everybody knows beets, the sweet roots that are easy to grow and will last in the ground right through until the following spring. The leafy tops are also edible.

Claytonia (Miner’s lettuce)

Tomato

Soft spinach like green that’s worth growing because it grows all winter long. It is easy to grow and easy to eat. It self seeds readily.

The queen of the garden plot. They are a bit more labour intensive, but so prolific and so incredibly versatile. You can live off them in summer, but they can also be canned in a multitude of ways to be saved for winter. A must in my opinion.

Garlic

Life without garlic may not be worth living. If the world begins to unravel, we are going to need some serious flavour to keep meals interesting. Also garlic is said to be extremely healthy for you and it does have antibiotic properties.

- Jonathan Van Wiltenburg

Beans (fresh & dried)

Eat fresh green beans all summer, and the dry beans all winter. Beans grow very easily, once planted they romp along nicely. All you have to do is harvest.

Scholarships Each year Powell River Community Forest offers three (3) scholarships of $3,000 each to Powell River students entering (or already enrolled in) a forestry or natural resource management university program or in forestry-related occupational trades and training programs. Applications may be sent at any time. Visit our website for more information.

Perimeter Tiles / Drainage Landscape Preparation Certified Onsite Wastewater Systems Excavating & Site Services 604 487 0466 Rock Walls Serving the Sunshine Coast for 27 Years Office: 604-487-0466 • Cell: 604-208-2010

SEEKING NEW BOARD MEMBERS Life6 Cycle Housing Society is currently recruiting new Board Members who are interested in affordable 6 Sand Excavations housing by developing and applying their skills6 to advance this cause. The Board is seeking individuals who Gravel 6 Drainage & Erosion Control may have experience in financial or legal backgrounds, construction project management, administration, 6 Soils 6 Site social & Underground Services business, work, or who have a wide network of contacts in the community. The Board meets monthly Septic Systems type Ion&various II PLcommittees IN MP throughout the year. for a dinner meeting and works If you are new to town, or someone who has some time and interest in the social housing sector and CLARKE FULLER ROWP community development, we encourage you to apply. For more information on our mandate and to see a CELL 604 2010 description of the duties of a208 Life Cycle Board Member, visit the Society’s website at lifecyclehousing.com. RR#3 C-2 Stillwater Powell V8Aof 5C1 Interested applicants are asked to River submitBC a Letter Intent outlining why you want to participate and the skills you can bring to the Board.

Letters must be submitted electronically to lchouse@uniserve.com no later than 2 pm, Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

IT’S COMING!

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• April 2020 • prliving.ca

Opening April 25-26 SATURDAYS 10:30 -12:30

SUNDAYS 12:30 - 2:30

604.414.5076 | 4365 McLeod Rd.

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A Message from Lift Community Services

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Thank you for your generosity and concern for Powell River’s most marginalized during the evolving COVID-19 situation. In support of keeping our staff, clients and community healthy, all of Lift’s service locations are either closed or restricted. We are continuing to serve all our clients through phone or online appointments and will continue to provide access to supports and resources on an appointment basis. Lift Community Services is also working together with BC Housing and the City of Powell River to put a plan in place that provides options for our community members who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness to have a place to sleep, self-isolate safely, and access sanitation facilities.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Inclusive Services Inclusive Services Please follow us on our Lift Services Facebook page Connecting a Thriving Connecting a Community Thriving where we will keep the community informed of our ongoing efforts and progress. Coastal Community Coastal Community Community Resource Centre: 604.485.0992 – legal advice, internet/computer/phone, general support See below for a list of available Lift programs/services with contact information.

Building closed – available by appointment only between 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday to Thursday Lift Head Office: 604.485.2004 – general inquiries Building closed, available by phone BOND: 604.485.2604 –support for new and expecting mothers Building closed – available by phone, call to make an appointment Family Place: 604.485.2706 – support for families with young children Building closed – available by phone, call to make an appointment Literacy Outreach: 604.414.7020 – support/tutoring available for adult learners Building closed – available by phone, call to make an appointment Immigrant Services: 604.414.3630 – support for immigrants Building closed – available by phone, call to make an appointment Food Security Project: 604.344.0531 – local food resources and how to access them Building closed – available by phone, call to make an appointment WorkBC Centre: 604.485.7958 – employment services Building closed, available by phone Homeless Outreach: 604.223.8375 – support to find housing/shelter Building closed – available by phone, call to make an appointment Overdose Prevention Site: 604.223.4430 – witnessed use and harm reductions supplies Building open until further notice Supportive Housing Building: 604.223.4430 – housing for those who are at risk of homelessness Building open to staff, tenants, and medical personnel only (no visitors) CAN YOU HELP? If you would like to donate items or money to Lift, please contact our Community Support Programs Manager, Jessica, at 604.414.9880. STAYING HEALTHY: Lift is supporting their staff by offering work-at-home options, EI top-ups for those accessing sick leave, daily wellness check-ins for staff, and ongoing support from the leadership team to navigate difficulties during this time. Lift Community Services is prioritizing the health and well-being of their staff, clients, and community every step of the way. THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY: Thank you all for your ongoing support and commitment to keeping our community safe during this trying time. We look forward to connecting with you soon!

liftcommunityservices.org

@liftcommunityservices POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

Chickens bring joy & eggs

“Powell River really is a great place to be in a time of uncertainty. “ - Ari Dublion

e attended the YouTube school of carpentry to build this coop, based around an old kiwi trellis, with scrap wood and generously-donated metal roofing from a friend - which is being repaid in eggs. We have three chickens. We get about 18 eggs a week. Their names are Greybum, Redbum and Blackbum. We were

pleasantly surprised that they love dandelions so it’s a win-win. The best surprises are how quiet they are and how affectionate. We love how our neighbours enjoy watching and listening to them too. Our chixflix is better than your Netflix! - Jane and Jeremy Brockington

Vintage windows and scraps, recycled

G Planning for major change

e chose our small acreage south of town and started gardening about 16 years ago motivated in part by the high probability that some kind of major change is coming our way. As the looming threat of a global pandemic was presenting itself in January, I thought to my self, “This is the perfect time of year to plan for a disruption.” We can prepare now for the real possibility that we’ll need to subsidize a dwindling food supply. Powell River really is a great place to be in a time of uncertainty. Thanks to the tireless efforts of local volunteers and ideologues, we have a food security con-

sciousness. We’ve been working together for years sharing and bartering the produce of our gardens. We’ll be planting a few extra rows this year, and starting a few extra seeds just in case things get worse before they get better. Our beautiful garden also brings us joy when we manage to tear ourselves away from our screens, and I have to give credit where credit is due. The magic you see in the photographs is mostly the handiwork of my wife Danika who designs, plans, plants, and maintains the kitchen garden. - Ari Dublion

ardening has always been a stress relief for me, and building things has always been a stress relief for my husband. It’s a good match - he makes the planter boxes, I fill them with vegetables, and we both get to eat them. With everything going on in the world right now it seemed especially important to focus on food security, self care in the form of beloved hobbies, spending time outdoors, and doing a project together that allows us to interact with neighbours as they walk by, while still keeping to social distancing requirements. Our planter boxes are made from cedar, weather treated on the outside, lined with sheet metal, and then filled with a lasagna garden method - cardboard on the bottom, then large branches trimmed from our fruit trees to act like a giant on the toolbench. The deer fencing is made from leftover sponge, grass clippings, and finally a comlumber, fishing line, rocks we dug from post mix. our garden, and some chandelier crystals. The cold frame is made from two vin- Kate Dryden-Dunn tage windows, some scraps of wood, and and Peter Dunn some hardware that was kicking around

Garden

To plant a is to BELIEVE in tomorrow.

~ Audrey Hepburn

Visit our website and follow us for up-to-date info about pet care & gardening. fb.com/MotherNaturePowellRiver • mother-nature.ca •

What will you find at the Townsite Public Market? 18

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

@mothernatureghp

Who knows better

than Mother Nature?

7050 Duncan Street

604.485.9878

Art Housewares Gifts Beauty Clothes Climbing Grocery Crafting Kids Baked Goods ...and so much more!

Photo by Michelle Pennell

Dolphins Rescued off Tla’amin Lands

convenientchef.ca We’re OPEN Monday thru Saturday for pick up FREE DELIVERY (on orders over $60) Mondays & Fridays in April

How to 1. Visit us at 5830 Ash Avenue, Townsite, or order: 2. Call 604-483-9944

one of the first to realize the animals were trapped. He managed to get waders on and gather tarps and blankets to continue with the rescues. He commented that he had never seen anything like this. The rescues were definitely a team effort by about 20 people doing what they could. Everyone felt exhilarated after the last of the dolphins were successfully carried out of the trap in the tarps and blankets and released into deeper water. For the most part, the dolphins seemed to readily accept the human intervention. Once in deeper water, someone stayed with them for a bit so that they wouldn’t turn and re-strand. This also allowed them to realize that the Orca had departed. The dolphins regrouped and headed off slowly in the opposite direction.



Ear

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An amazing effort by the Tla’amin First Nations and other onlookers to help out 16 Pacific White-sided Dolphins trapped, and then stranded, in a centuries-old rock fish trap built to trap herring and other fish

One hundred Pacific White Sided Dolphins were first spotted in front of the Westview viewpoint when Transient Bigg’s Orca of the T090 family dispersed them in the afternoon of Monday, March 16. They followed the smaller group up to Tla’amin, forcing them ever closer to shore. The dolphins took refuge behind the berm of an old Tla’amin fish trap in shallower water than the Orca could get to. The Orca watched and waited patiently for any of the dolphins to make a run for it. The dolphins in the fish trap ran out of time and became trapped with the quickly falling tide. Emotions run high seeing animals in distress. People ventured into the frigid waters to help these dolphins out of their predicament. Tla’amin salmon hatchery manager Lee George was

020

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

SLIPPERY WHEN WET: Tarps helped move the 16 cetaceans safely out of the shallows. Photo above by Susan MacKay, photo right by Michelle Pennell

Pacific White Sided Dolphins have only returned to our inside waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland in any significant numbers since 1995. They had previously been considered a pelagic (open ocean) species. Usually they travel in numbers ranging between 15 to 100 but there can be as many as 3,000 or more grouped together. They are intelligent, gregarious and can be truly acrobatic with huge leaps and complete flips out of the water. In front of Powell River we have seen numbers of approximately 1,000 in a spectacular herd a couple of years ago. Another member of the Dolphin family are Orca, or Killer Whales; so named because they were thought to kill all species of fish and marine mammals. In our BC waters we have three distinct species of Orca: Resident, fish eaters (herring, salmon, halibut); Transient Bigg’s, meat eaters (seals, sea lions, other marine mammals, birds); Offshore, rarely in our inside waters, they have been seen eating

both fish and mammals. The Orca we see most frequently in front of Powell River are the Transient Bigg’s Orca, who prey on seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals. They are very good hunters. Adaptive in their hunting skills, they sneak up on fast moving prey, such as Dolphins or Dall’s Porpoise. Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs) presentations and workshops dealing with marine mammal response, cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, will be rescheduled as soon as possible. Anyone wishing to participate and be a part of our team, please drop a note to our rescue@wows.org email. We will send out notification of rescheduled dates, once determined. We held a training session with DFO on whale refloatation Feb. 15th at Willingdon Beach. Information learned from this training session was to be in the scheduled workshop.

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• April 2020 • prliving.ca

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

Powell River Living’s

fifth annual Best of Powell River Contest

Let locals and visitors find the hidden gems only you know about! Write in your answers – serious and humorous – before May 30 for your chance to win groovy prizes. Note: One entry per person. You must answer at least 15 categories.

Or enter at prliving.ca/bestofpr Enter to win: A Pollen Sweater and other great prizes.

Coronavirus

Star Individuals

Best local crisis leader

The Most ‘Powell River’ Person of the Year

Best local good-news story from this pandemic

Best local politician

Best grocery / shopping solution

Best volunteer

Best neighbourhood response (what they did)

Best-dressed person

Best business response for staff

Best hair or beard

Best thing to do while self-isolating

Best dressed dog

Best snack for nesting

Best local celebrity

Best local online resource for COVID-19

Best do-gooder

Best coffee scene Best coffee for drinking Best pizza Best kid-friendly restaurant Best crisis-time Facebooker

Best Facebooker - insightful Best patio

Civic Pride

Best Facebooker - fun Best server (name)

Food & drink

Best neighbourhood

Best meal under $10

Best local souvenir – free

Best brunch

Best free food

Best local souvenir – paid

Best burger

Best cocktail

Best event or festival

Best salad

Best local beer

Best tourist attraction

Best ice cream

Best prepared food at a Farmers’ Market

Best protest movement

Best dessert

Best farm-fresh produce at a Farmers’ Market

Best scandal

Best appetizer

Best price on groceries

Best public washroom

Best fish & chips

Best grocery store produce

Best-looking storefront

Best other local seafood dish

Best butcher

Best sports team

Best take-out

Best bakery

Best holiday light display

Best buffet

Best liquor store

Best reason to move here

Best restaurant for a quiet conversation

Best convenience store

Best reason to stay away

Best veg-friendly restaurant

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

Best dog groomer

Best place to run

Best retail salesperson

Best hike with kids

Best corporate philanthropist

Best hike for a sweat

Best construction-related tradesperson

Best mountain bike trail

Best mechanic

Best dog park / area

Best big box store

Best public garden

Best sporting / outdoor goods

Best place for swimming

Best thing you’ve found at a local garage sale

Best hotel

Best thrift store

Best place to park an RV

Best teacher / coach / instructor

Best place to pitch a tent

Best non-food booth at a Farmers’ Market

Best zunga (rope swing, not beer)

PollenSweatersInc.

Arts Best local band / musician Best place to watch live music Best place to shake your booty Best visual artist

Medical, body care and healing

Best fishing spot

Best GP or Nurse Practitioner

Best place to enjoy the rain

Best dentist

Best marijuana or vape store

Best gallery Best local designer: clothing or jewelry Best local Web site

Best hiking hut

Best massage therapist

Best pharmacy

Best mural

Best SCUBA diving spot

Best hair salon Best hair guru (name)

Industry Best item made in Powell River Best commercial aquaculture or fishing operation Best forest industry operation Best construction company

Best spa

Retail & Service Best gas station - service Best gas station - price Best gifts Best gardening store

Who are you?

Best esthetician (name) Best spiritual experience

Name

Best spiritual leader

Best work-out

Phone number

Best yoga

Best men’s clothing Best women’s clothing Best realtor Best financial institution Best insurance

Outdoors & Tourism Best beach Best place for a beach fire Best park

Bring this form to the PRL office by May 30, 2020 or fill it out online at prliving.ca/bestofpr

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

MADE IN POWELL RIVER

Global reach for local painter

utumn Skye Morrison is a thriving self-employed artist here in Powell River. Her childhood was spent traveling the “boundlessly majestic landscapes” of North America, developing a deep wonder for nature and the diversity of humanity and culture within it. “I’ve been translating this inspiration through art since my earliest memories, and I’m grateful that creativity was always supported by my family.” As a self taught artist, Autumn Skye’s greatest teacher has always been the painting process itself. This humbling and empowering process remains her muse and master, and now takes her around the world to teach and exhibit internationally. “I am supported and inspired on a daily basis. The community here is small and tightly woven, and at the same time incredibly inclusive, diverse, and creative. It is a wonderful place to come home to after long journeys abroad. It has the perfect balance of community and sanctuary, social opportunities and quiet solitude.”

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What kind of support did you receive? Autumn Skye • My passion for art was always recognized and supported by my family, and that gave me the motivation and confidence to begin sharing my art at a young age. Entrepreneurship has always come pretty naturally to me, so as a 13-year-old, I became a regular vendor at local craft fairs and other events. My original paintings began selling, and I reinvested this money back into my art supplies and found new ways to get my work out to my ever-broadening audience. Was it successful immediately or did it take some time? Autumn Skye • The market is always shifting and growing, as is my skill set

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

How has your business changed since it launched? Autumn Skye • As my audience grows, so does my need for efficient systems to answer the needs of a growing business. Originally I did everything myself, from answering emails, to organizing wholesale and consignment accounts, to filling online orders, packing boxes, going to the post office, etc. It began to be more than I could handle alone, and was really weighing on my mental load and schedule, leaving less and less time to actually paint. So, in the perfect moment, a conversation with a friend resulted in her taking on all my packing and shipping, and online sale communication. She now works 20-25 hours a week for me, which has supported her greatly and benefited me immensely. I still answer most of my other emails and manage my social media presence, however that too is now changing as another friend is beginning to more consistently step into those roles. I really believe in creating an envelope for prosperity to flow into. Before my assistant began working with me, I was actu-

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Where did your idea come from? Autumn Skye • For as long as I can remember, I knew my mission was to share my creations with the world. As soon as I was old enough to hold a paintbrush in my hand, I began making art.

and creative vision. There are always ebbs and flows, experimentation of new stylistic directions and trials of different products. Not everything is a hit, however, I do find that if I follow my authentic expression and the voice of my inspiration speaking through me, then people respond well to it. I have noticed over the years that the more I attempt to steer my creativity based on projected fashion or “what would sell,” the less impact it has. My inner joy and peace are my creative compass, the “ah-ha” moments of inspired epiphany. These samadhi moments of true creative surrender and flow are what propel me forward and give my work potency.

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What’s your product? Autumn Skye • Original Paintings in acrylic, art prints, and other reproductions of my work in various mediums and products.

“The more I attempt to steer my creativity based on ...‘what would sell,’ the less impact it has.” - Autumn Skye Morrison

BEAUTIFUL HORROR: Autumn Skye Morrison’s work evokes often-painful environmental truths. For Perseverance, (above, acrylic on canvas, 2016) Autumn writes, “The Celts believed that the white stag was an agent from the ‘Other world’ and a bringer of great changes to those it encountered. The white stag often appeared when some sacred law was being broken.” Top right, the self-portrait Honey (acrylic on canvas, 2017.) Find her on Facebook, Instagram and Etsy, and a full gallery at www.autumnskyeart.com. ally dreading orders, as it would mean I would have to fit that into my already full schedule, and it often left customers waiting longer than necessary if I happened to be traveling. Now, I celebrate these online sales, as I know it means prosperity for me, my assistant, as well as high-quality and promptly-shipped artwork. Who are your customers? Autumn Skye • My customers are very diverse, ranging from first-time art-buyers, to long-term collectors. I trust that each piece of art goes where it needs to. Many pieces stay local to the Sunshine Coast, and many ship internationally. How do you market? Autumn Skye • After a decade of extensive outreach in the arts, music, transformational-festival, yoga, metaphysical,

and Visionary Art communities, I have gained a significant online following [her Facebook page, for example, is followed by nearly 336,000 people]. I still do a few international events per year, plus keep a consistent online presence through Instagram, my website, newsletters, Facebook, and interviews on other people’s podcasts. Why do you choose Powell River as your base? Autumn Skye • My Mama lives here. And I adore the people, the climate, the natural beauty, the creative and playful community. What business supports do you wish were available, but aren’t? Autumn Skye • I do wish there was an art supply store here so that I could shop

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To protect our patients, staff and the community, we are temporarily closed. “We are on the brink of monumental change, and I trust that through creative and mutually beneficial strategies, we will see our town thrive.” - Autumn Skye Morrison locally for my tools and supplies, rather than ordering online or shopping elsewhere. There have been dreams for many years amongst the arts community of an Arts Academy, which I still hold as a vision. Somewhere that could host workshops, offer Artist Residencies for out-of town artists, be a venue for local artists to exhibit, plus have a multi-media venue for the performance arts and music. What advice do you have for others who want to make & sell stuff from Powell River? Autumn Skye • Be creative with where and how you connect with the public. Appeal to multiple factions of the community, and diversify your products to reach the needs and tastes of more people. Powell River is an incredibly supportive community, and the more you reach out, interact, collaborate, and share, the more you will feel the rewards of your hard work, and have a positive and inspiring effect on the town. At this profoundly shifting time, as we all adjust our focus from a global to a local economy, we need to more and more connect with our neighbours and build allies and sustainable markets. When we spend our money locally, our local market is fortified, and other business owners can further employ staff and support our business. We are on the brink of monumental change, and I trust that through creative and mutually beneficial strategies, we will see our town thrive. What’s your next project? Autumn Skye • I always have a roster of paintings in progress in my studio, so I’m excited to bring some of these new pieces to completion in the coming months. A large hardcover book of my art and writing has been an intention for many years, and I feel that will come to fruition within the next two years. I also have a number of teaching engagements over the next year, and am excited to continue to support others through inspiration and creative empowerment.

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

A green

oasis

SOAKING UP THE SUN: Ample raised beds and solar panels help Anne Thompson make the most of the Spring weather, for a sustainable Tla’amin Lands nest.

I MADE THE MOVE

lahanie’s newest resident, Anne Thompson, is recently retired from her work with libraries and in the mental health field. She was born in Vancouver, raised in Burnaby and then moved to Cultus Lake in her teens. Anne attended what was then Fraser Valley College for a year before transferring to Simon Fraser University to do half a degree in Computer Science. She has two great daughters and a wonderful future son-in-law who live in the Tri-Cities. Anne lives with an indoor cat named Mylo. “My neighbourhood here is quiet, peaceful and the neighbours are friendly.” Why did you choose to move to Powell River? Anne • I chose Powell River as I wanted to live in a house again, to have a big garden and, eventually, grow all my food. On a whole-food plant-based diet I may be able to come close. When? Where from? Anne • I moved from a Coquitlam condo near the end of November 2019.

What surprised you about Powell River once you moved here? Anne • So many people know each other; it is very windy (in the winter, I’ve been told); living north of Powell River itself seems a long way out but is only a 20 minute drive or so; and, the wildlife is abundant. What made you decide to move here? Anne • I found a house in the Powell River area that was affordable and I have some friends who live close by. What aspect of your previous community do you think would benefit Powell River? Anne • One thing Coquitlam had, which, apparently, Powell River does not, is a podiatrist. I heard that there may be a podiatrist who provides services in Powell River from time to time, but I haven’t connected yet. Where is your favourite place in Powell River? Anne • So far, my home. I have been enjoying making improvements to the house and the property.

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How did you first hear about Powell River? Anne • Having lived in BC all my life I don’t recall when I first heard of Powell River. But it certainly came more to my attention when a friend moved here and I visited a couple of times. What challenges did you face in making a life for yourself here? Anne • It has been a bit of a challenge not having a pickup truck. However, I’m not planning to sell my hybrid vehicle to get one. If you were mayor what would you do? Anne • My overriding focus would be on mitigating the climate emergency. What are Powell River’s best assets? Anne • The trees, the ocean, the wildlife, and - where I am - the quiet. What is your greatest extravagance? Anne • Besides my house, my greatest extravagance has been my solar panels. They are a dream come true! Which superpower would you most like to have? Anne • A superpower? I don’t think so. I just want to be true to myself. If you know someone we should feature in I Made the Move, please email isabelle@prliving.ca with your idea.

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• April 2020 • prliving.ca

Garbage is garbage. Jody Copely refuses to make refuse.

BY ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT | isabelle@prliving.ca

How many garbage bags do you fill in a week? A month? A year? Our house generates about half a bag a week. On average, residents of the qathet Regional District produced approximately half a seven-kilogram bag of garbage each week in 2019. I’m not proud of that fact, but it’s less than we used to produce (and we have two fewer people living there now that the boys have gone.) But quite honestly, I haven’t spent a whole lot of time thinking about it. Until I met Jody Copely. Jody is what you might call a ‘super recycler’. During a recent 12-month period, this woman filled a small bag (smaller than a grocery store shopping bag) with trash only once! Once. Yes, once. “I compost a lot, I reuse a lot and I recycle a lot,” she told me. If she’s out with friends and has a cup of tea she’ll bring the tea bag she uses home (if the coffee shop doesn’t compost) so she can put it in her compost. And, she never uses plastic cups. Jody washes out bottles and bags and gets them refilled. Mostly at Ecossentials, the Farmer’s Market and the Winter Market. She’s a vegetarian and she finds it easy to compost all her food waste and she composts all the dust and lint she picks up while

COMPOST EVERYTHING. DON’T BUY OVER-PACKAGED ITEMS: Those are Jody Copely’s (above right) tips for getting your household garbage down, way down, to less than a bag a year. Above left, Powell River’s Debbi Dupuis left a pandemic heart on her garbage in late March. “This morning I watched the garbage man pick up my garbage, rip the heart off and put it on his truck,” she recalls. Garbage stinks, but sanitation workers? We love them. cleaning. Jody has been interested in reducing her consumables for years but it wasn’t until she saw the awardwinning documentary, The Clean Bin Project, where partners and filmmakers Grant Baldwin and Jan Rustemeyer compete to see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least garbage, that Jody challenged herself to a zero-waste challenge. She realized that in order to reduce the garbage she created she had to reduce the garbage she brought into her home. She wouldn’t buy anything that had a handiwrap covering on it or fruit that had sticky plastic tape. She also had to think about what she wanted to buy. “Could this package be recycled and reused?” she asked herself before committing to an item.

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So instead of buying new clothes when something got a hole in it or a rip, she focused on repairing the item and repurposing things. “I started doing Boro stitching,” she explained. If Jody didn’t want something she’d ask others if they wanted it and pass it along. She says Wendy Drummond has been a huge help in teaching her how to mend clothes and do needle felting. “Now I repair almost everything.” She also participates in Wendy’s clothes swap group. “These swap groups are a fantastic way to reduce garbage and recycle your things,” she says. Other tricks include using the library regularly, having a sticker on her door that refuses junk mail, and refilling soap containers from a local vendor. She also lives by the three R’s: Refuse, Reuse – wash – and Reuse again!

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

Texada Island Airport Master Development Plan W ith significant input from the community during public engagement, the Texada Island Airport Master Development Plan has been created.

The Texada Airport Advisory Committee has adopted the Plan and will be sharing the key directives with the community during the next scheduled public engagement. The intent of the Texada Airport Master Development Plan is to streamline strategic decisions regarding the airport, including operations and capital investments. It will also provide a road map for future development of the airport. Public engagement identified key priorities, including regular scheduled flight service, emergency services, airport and runway maintenance and facility upgrades. The Texada Airport Master Development Plan was produced in consultation with qathet Regional District staff, Electoral Area D Director Sandy McCormick, Dillon Consulting, Texada Airport Advisory Committee, residents of Texada Island, Texada Island Chamber of Commerce, as well as business and industry stakeholders. qathet Regional District would like to thank the dedicated volunteers on the Texada Airport Advisory Committee and all Texada Island residents who participated in the Master Development Plan process. Photo by Margy Lutz

For more information, please visit qathet.ca.

Concerned about Wildfire?

re you oncerned about wildfire risks to your home and property? Improving your home and property is the best way to protect it from wildfire. The qathet Regional District is pleased to announce that it will continue to offer free FireSmart home and property wildfire hazard assessments in 2020. Property owners may also qualify for rebates up to $500 for completing eligible FireSmart improvements around their homes. Residents who are interested in an assessment and recommendations are encouraged to contact our Regional FireSmart Coordinator Marc Albert at firesmartpr@gmail.com.

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

202 - 4675 Marine Avenue Powell River, BC V8A 2L2 604-485-2260 • administration@qathet.ca

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WE They won DELIVER! the Quickie Small and large orders

BY MAYA LARAMEE - TOP TEEN ENTRY

othing lasts forever. Childhood ends. Days once spent running along a white beach and falling into clear blue water will turn to days being paid to sit at a desk and type on a computer. The cabin she grew up in will be torn down as the weather bullies it into retreat. Once statuesque maple trees are cut down and made into firewood. Vivid Mugo Pines grow brown due to lack of care and they shrivel, making themselves so very small. She once would run around them. Now they barely exist. A single rosemary bush is the only surviving plant, though the ground is dry. That rosemary bush blocks the pathway and screams for attention, which it happily receives. At the bottom of chipped and weathered white steps is a stretch of beach - no footsteps are found in the golden sand. The beach is simply smooth and undis-

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Ephemeral Cycles

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On February 29, PRL and PRPL hosted the second annual Quickie writing contest, a three-hour affair, on the theme of “the environment.” Judges Karl Siegler (retired publisher), Gwen Enquist (published novel writer) and PRL’s own Sean Percy awarded the following top place. th D

turbed beauty. The sandy cliff-bank slowly decays, soft yellow sand streaming down to the beach in waterfall-like form. The island will shrink into oblivion and she will never return. She’ll still call the island ‘home’, for the connection has not been lost. In time, there’ll be nothing left of her home and she’ll have to accept it. Somewhere, a new island will emerge. New children will call it home. Perhaps they’ll be her children and they’ll run on a sandy beach and fall into shining water. They’ll live in a cozy log cabin, where beauty envelops them daily. With their mother, the children will tend to a vivacious Mugo Pine, and a tall standing maple tree will be seen across the dirt road. She must hold onto a lesson. Nothing lasts forever: not childhood, happiness, nor sadness. Surely not a cliffside either.

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Good Guest

BY NANCY DIETRICH - TOP ADULT SHORT ENTRY

hen it comes to what we can do for our local and global environment, one thing always comes to mind: Just be a good guest. Barbara Ward said “We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as other creatures do.” She was right. Be a good guest. Use less water, use less towels, just use less. Don’t leave on extra lights, don’t overwhelm the home with electronic devices.

Be a good guest. Pick up what you leave lying around. Share what you have instead of buying more. Bring hostess gifts that are usable, local, unwrapped. Be a good guest. There is always something to be done, something you can do. So, decide to become a good guest right now. It’s a start. Treat our earth as the irreplaceable hostess that she is. If we don’t, just like a bad guest, we won’t be allowed back. Ever.

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The Mother

BY ANN BYRNE - TOP ADULT LONG ENTRY

“Take me to the trees,” he said. This was unlike Jack.

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Most of his life, he took to the woods when it pleased him. As a boy, he rarely paused to ask, only calling out to his mother as his palm hit the screen door handle. “I’m going outside!” He’d roam as young boys do — with ease and without worry — to the far side of Cranberry Lake, the back bush of Townsite and up and down the skirt of Valentine. When the old mayonnaise jar was emptied of milk and the butter and jam sandwich eaten, he’d find his way back to the dinner table, leaving one home for another. As a teenager, the woods sheltered Jack and his friends from the prodding eyes of adults and the constraints of school. The trees offered their bodies for bonfires on the shore of West Lake, the water delighting enough in the young laughter to echo it off of its surface for the rest of the forest to enjoy. The shadows lent themselves to ghost stories and beer-cracking and Jack’s first kiss. The woods were vast enough to hold the awkward instability of their youth and wise enough to know it would not last. When he grew into the adult he loathed to be, the one tolerable thing that remained was the forest and so he found his fate as a logger. His fortune, in money and in soul, came from working the backcounty. It was hard work — often grueling work — in all manner of weather to the choking of chainsaws. “Widowmakers, this job,” his boss had told him that first day, but Jack didn’t worry. He didn’t plan to marry. He got good at eying the terrain, the amount of rain that soaked into the soil, the shade of dark in the sky. He measured, de-limbed, and calculated to minimize the damage of the falls to the trunks of the great Mothers. The Mothers — that’s what the backcountry men called them, in deference to their affection for the old logs. There were near misses. Once, a buddy of his misjudged a cut. When the Mother started falling, Len started running. Jack had held his breath for a minute un-

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til the tree shuttered and Len appeared among the thick branches. He climbed out, brushing cedar from his shoulders like a blessing. Len cracked a smile. “Man glitter,” he said. But for all of the danger and the isolation and the throbbing joints, Jack couldn’t give up the satisfaction he felt when he saw a neat roll of trunks stacked on the flatbed of a lorry or pulled by a tug down the strait in a boom. So when he retired, he retired to the woods, once more on foot. The forest forgave him, and on his walks, he took his time with the trees, running his hands down their pitted skin and taking in the smell of their cones. He walked the slashes he had helped create, trying to palliate his guilt. Finally, he became a Bloody Old Man and joined the Brigade, using his skill to fashion the Mothers into picnic tables and memorial benches and bridges so that others could see the trees that had saved his life. But now that was over. Now, he lay dying. On the first X-ray, the branches on his lungs were filled with buds, like an early cherry tree. But the buds had grown like knots of woods that bulged like a burl and clogged his blood. Wasn’t the burl the prized piece of wood? Wasn’t deformity polished into beauty? “Take me to the trees,” he said. And the nurses nodded and made the necessary calls and soon he was being lifted into the open mouth of the ambulance. It wasn’t far — just to the stand of conifers he could see from his hospital bed — but it was far enough. And the ambulance opened and he was lifted again and then set down at their feet. His lungs — the ones that were betraying him — betrayed him no more. He breathed in the earth and the shine of the sun and the creek that ran nearby. Most of all, he breathed in the trees knowing, that in due time, the generous Mother would embrace him once more when he was laid in the earth in a slice of her trunk. And oh! What beauty exists when you stop tearing down and sawing and screaming. What glory unfolds when you see for yourself, a thing for itself, and not what it brings you.

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City Transfer’s method of moving goods has saved over 380,000 litres of fuel per year, which equates to lowering our carbon footprint by 1,100 tonnes annually. “Imagine if we did not run a barge service, taking all the trailer units we barge and driving them on the road using BC Ferries every day. This would add 20 trucks per day on the highway,” said Tony Shigeoka, vice president of Customer Relations for City Transfer. City Transfer understands their responsibility to the environment. “The design of our unique water-land services – utilizing the combined barge and truck delivery system – is the most efficient way to transport goods and services,” In addition, City renews their local truck fleets every six years, which provides them with the latest in technologies and highest fuel emissions standards available. “We will continue to investigate fully electric alternatives as they are becoming more economically viable. Balancing our environmental efforts with fiscal responsibility is challenging, but we are making positive change.”

at the ice rink and arena. The new ceiling not only looks great but also reduces costs. A new REALice vortex system at the Complex spins the water coming through the pipes and removes trapped air. This allows ice-making with cold water instead of hot, saving gas used for water heating. City Hall, Museum, Public Works Yard, and Dwight Hall were upgraded with new energy-efficient LED lights. The new lights, in addition to creating a much better visual environment, save big on energy - the City will see over $23,000 in electricity savings per year from this upgrade. Low-speed electric vehicles are a new vehicle category now permitted on City streets. The City is looking to add these to the municipal fleet, and has hosted demos from E-Ride Canada and Canadian Electric Vehicles.

Incentives work!

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During a recent Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory First CU discovered that their largest GHG emissions come from employee commuting. In addition to using hybrid company cars, allowing people to work from home, and participating in Bike to Work Week, First has installed bike racks at their various locations and purchased ebikes for employee use. Employees can sign the bike out for personal commuting purposes, or use it for traveling to and from meetings during the day. Not only has it been a fun way to reduce GHG emissions, it’s been a great incentive for employees to get active and get outside!

Fifteen homes upgraded their heating system from fossil fuel (oil and fossil gas) to clean electric heat pumps with the help of City and provincial rebates. These homeowners will not only enjoy lower energy bills, but also benefit from air conditioning their new heat pumps provide on hot summer days.

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Commuting cure at FCU

Responsible disposables

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Aaron Service is your go-to store for restaurants, businesses and individuals who want to reduce their impact on the environment. For restaurants, Aaron has takeout containers – both recyclable and compostable. They also sell plastic cups that can be recycled, said Manager Trevor Anderson. “Most of the products we have are Canadian or US made.” The line of paper towel and toilet paper they sell is Canadian made and made from 100 percent recycled paper. Some of it is septic and RV friendly which means it breaks down faster. When recycling food containers, you can’t compost ones that have wax linings, he noted.

Plant a fir seedling

ELECTRIC AVENUE: The City of Powell River hopes to add a low-speed Might-E Truck to the fleet.

City reduces costs & emissions

The City of Powell River is striving to become more sustainable and reduce both its corporate and community carbon footprints. The City has purchased self-watering planters for Marine Avenue that will dramatically reduce the time the trucks are required to idle to power the pump and water the old planters, cutting down carbon emissions and fuel costs and freeing up staff time for other tasks. The City also partnered with BC Hydro to install the region’s first fast electric vehicle charging station at the North Harbour parking lot. The station will allow locals and visitors to get a full charge in under 40 minutes. The Recreation Complex got a few sustainable upgrades including the new shiny low-emissivity ceiling

See you at the drive-thru

This is a “Greening of our Community” courtesy of a fundraiser that happened at Little Hut Curry hosted by Malaspina Land Conservancy Society. We raised $500 for trees and honored one of our Board Members, Ted Crossley, who had passed away. When I ordered the trees from PRT Growing Services Ltd. in Campbell River they loved the concept of community restoration so much they gave us another 500 trees. So 1,000 free fir seedlings to nurture and protect all over Powell River, sequestering CO2. - Lesley Thorsell

No bag for you

Disposable bags just don’t exist at Canadian Tire anymore. You can’t buy one. The home and garden retailer does offer reusable cloth bags for $1. Kudos Canadian Tire!

Transit expands

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qathet Regional District built bus shelters and expanded bus service to promote mass transit, said Al Radke, qathet’s Chief Administrative Officer. “We upgraded the solar energy collection system at Haywire Bay so we do not have to run the generator at the caretakers’ cabin,” he said. qathet Regional District also purchased a hybrid vehicle last year.

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Overgrown golf green still resplendent BY JOËLLE SÉVIGNY

e are graced with many green spaces in and around Powell River which has made it easy to enjoy the early tastes of the sunshine this past month. Walks along Willingdon Beach and the Sea Walk are some of the local favorites since these locations not only allow us to feel the sun on our skin but also offer breathtaking ocean views. Once upon a time, one of the most common trails for a casual stroll was called the Beach Trail; it went from the Townsite, beginning at the mill site by the steam plant, through the old golf course, and down to the beach (the one at the mid-point to Willingdon Beach).

The Beach Trail followed the Michigan & Puget Sound Railway bed after the tracks were removed in 1929. Since it also followed the golf course, the clear landscape offered spectacular views of the Malaspina Strait; it is no wonder that it was enjoyed by many on sunny Sunday afternoons. Folks from Westview would also walk in from the south end to enjoy it! This was before the days of the rampant use of motorized vehicles, when people walked about everywhere. Even so, there are more trail systems today than there were back then. Apart from walking down to the Shinglemill or along the Beach Trail, casual walking trails were not trending yet. The beautiful large bigleaf maple

SWING INTO SPRING: The Beach Trail along the old golf course with the maple tree and the Sallie Scanlon Lodge in the background. This Townsite course is long overgrown, but Myrtle Point Golf Club and Putter’s Mini Golf remain open this month (with extra precautions). Photo courtesy of the Townsite Historical Society. tree that was present on the golf course (which you can see in the photograph) is still present today. If you want to see it, you can park on the pull-out at the intersection of Fir Street and Marine Avenue, then go down the old set of stairs that lead to what was the site of the Sallie

Scanlon Lodge and walk down the path for a couple minutes until the magnificent tree comes into sight! Blast from the Past is a monthly historical column written by the Townsite Heritage Society’s board member Joëlle Sévigny.

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But we’re postponing our “Franken” and “We Love Locals” sale. We know you still want to get a Pollen Sweater, because there’s No pop bottles were hurtinmaking Sweaters. nothing better which toPollen cuddle up You’ll be helping sheep stay cool in summer. or to explore the outdoors. The pure wool warm evenorder whenonline wet. So,stays for now, please Non-itchy,atand soft enough to wear to sensitive sk pollensweaters.com and,next please, Machine washable and dryer safe at moderate stay positive, cautious and kind! tempera

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• April 2020 • prliving.ca

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How School District 47 is handling the

unprecedented disruption caused by Covid-19

Powell River Schools remained closed after Spring Break. But local educators are still teaching and students are still learning. School District 47 is committed to providing elementary and secondary school students with a continuity of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The District Leadership Team, together with various stakeholders, spent Spring Break working on plans to provide all students and parents with a variety of educational opportunities that are flexible, said Kristen Brach, District Principal for School District 47. So what’s the plan? Students and families will be given lots of flexibility and options. “We are not aiming to replicate the classroom experience; however, we are making sure we have a variety of options and learning activities tied to our curriculum,” said Allison Burt, District Coordinator for School District 47, noting that local plans represent a collaboration between the BC Ministry of Education’s guidelines, School District 47’s Continuity of Learning Team, and individual administrators and educators. Parents will still have regular contact with teachers through email, phone and video conferencing. “Learning opportunities are all around us and can happen in any settings,” said Dr. Jay Yule, Superintendent for School District 47. “We are committed to keeping students and families connected and providing support for ongoing learning. We’re here for you. Use this opportunity to explore, play, connect and keep learning.”

Parents, be calm about this The threat of COVID-19, missing school, and not being able to play with friends is putting substantial stress on children and teens, says Allison. “People are scared. They’re overwhelmed. It’s important that we pay attention to our physical and mental health as well as educational activities.” Flexibility, choice, patience, and a variety of ways to achieve goals are of the utmost importance so students can continue to learn during this global crisis.

Elementary students: “At the elementary level, our priorities are literacy, numeracy, and social emotional learning. We are simplifying the curriculum for the rest of the year, but want to make sure that students and families have opportunities to keep learning,” said Kristen. To cover the remaining curriculum, elementary school students will be given choice boards – a graphic board that lets students choose how they’ll learn a concept related to the curriculum - for numeracy, health and social studies, etc. For example, one of the choices may be baking a cake with your parents or taking a walk and writing about what you see, hear and feel. Another choice may be reading a book and keeping a journal. Extra work such as e-books and other learning programs will also be available online. There will be lots of offline and online options for students and families to use if they wish. Students may share their work and receive feedback from their teachers in various ways, including online with their teachers through their e-portfolios. Administrators will find solutions for students who do not have access to a computer, said Kristen. Expect to hear from your child’s teacher by April 3.

Help your child succeed, without stress: 1. Make a schedule When you have a schedule, your routine becomes more predictable and less is left to chance. For many, a schedule provides a sense of normalcy and reduces anxiety.

2. Get enough sleep. When you are tired things that wouldn’t normally seem overwhelming can become big issues. Make sure your children get enough sleep (the amount depends on their age) and you’ll find they cope better.

3. Play outside! Play is an important component of a child’s development. Social isolation is hard on everyone and even more so on children. Encourage them to play outside when they can. Get the family out on a hike, a bike ride, walk the dog or do some gardening.

4. Take a break. Students should take regular movement breaks, drink breaks and snack breaks. They don’t have to be long but a break can improve productivity.

Secondary students: Grade 8 to 12 students who are passing their classes will receive their current mark as a final grade, and will have opportunities for continued learning. Grade 12 students who are on track for graduation will graduate. For Grades 10 and 11 students, the Ministry graduation assessments will be postponed. Grade 12 students who have not yet completed the Grade 10 Numeracy Assessment but are otherwise on track to graduate will have the opportunity to meet this graduation requirement. For those in Grades 8 to 12 who are not passing, or would like to improve their marks, students will have the chance to bring their grades up. “Our high school team is working to make sure students and families know what to do to complete or improve their mark or if they are failing. “Teachers will let them know what they need to do. This may look a little different from class to class,” Allison said. “We are also working with other stakeholders to ensure the smooth transition of graduating students going on to post-secondary institutions,” she said.

Want to learn more? Contact us. School District #47 4351 Ontario Ave 604 485-6271

www.sd47.bc.ca

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

We’ll beam you up

WHAT’S UP

Thank-you Canadian Tire and Mitchell Brothers

Think Real Estate.

General Contracting New Home Certified Renovations

No garbage tags, no compost

Foundations Finish Carpentry Decks & Siding

Chad Rubletz, owner 604-414-0745 9306 Malaspina Rd.

malaspinacontracting.com

Everyone’s plans have been disrupted by COVID-19, including the Girl Guides. This is the time of year for their annual cookie sales fundraiser. They usually go door to door selling cookies. With a state of emergency declared during the COVID-19 pandemic, they can’t. But fear not, two local retailers have kindly stepped up and are selling the cookies for the guides. You can still get your fix of Girl Guide cookies at Canadian Tire and Mitchell Brothers.

GriffithsProperties.com val@griffithsproperties.com

604 483-6930

The City is not requiring garbage tags during the COVID-19 state of emergency. Garbage tags will not be required for the first two garbage bags (12 kg or less per bag) per single family household per week. Any additional bags will require tags and removal of excessive amounts of garbage will remain at the discretion of the garbage collector. The City has also temporarily suspended the compost pilot project.

Give.

In a word, we believe in the inspiring power of generosity. With one simple action, you can spark something greater than yourself. That’s what Bob James did back in 1962 when he founded Raymond James. He believed a business had a responsibility to generate more than profits. Today, we continue his legacy in words and actions as we seek to go forward by giving back. In partnership with Raymond James Canada Foundation, Rene, Leslie & Lisa donated over $30,000 in 2019. Proud to have supported Powell River Cycling Association, Powell River Fire Fighters Charitable Society, Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society, Powell River Hospice, Canadian Cancer Society, Sick Kids Foundation, Powell River Diversity Initiative (Community Resource Centre & Refugee Relocation Fund), MS Society, Canucks Autism Network & PALS Autism Society. LIFE WELL PLANNED.

RENE BABIN, CFP & LESLIE ECKLAND, PFP Financial Advisors rene.babin@raymondjames.ca leslie.eckland@raymondjames.ca

LISA BOESE

Administrative Assistant lisa.boese@raymondjames.ca Unit D - 4670 Marine Avenue, Powell River, BC, CA V8A 2L1

T: 604.489.9797

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

Meet the Afterglow team

Monique Giles

Sarah Schindel Stylist

Makeup Artist, Brow Specialist, Stylist

Holly Barnes

Samantha Peters

Eva EasterbrookKapetanakis

Makeup Artist, Waxing and Nail Technician

Kelly Brooks

SAFE & CLEAN: Save-on-Foods manager Nate Alcos poses with one of the new plexiglass barriers at a check-out in the store. Grocery stores are an essential service with COVID-19, so for the safety of customers and staff, everyone is taking safety very seriously. That includes social distancing messaging on signs on the floor, and elsewhere. Photo by Isabelle Southcott

Where’s Waldo?

Have you seen Waldo? You know, Waldo. The star of the Where’s Waldo series is known for his distinct wardrobe of a red and white striped shirt, blue jeans, brown boots, red and white striped socks, glasses and red and white bobbled hat. Apparently, someone removed Waldo from Powell River Therapeutic Riding’s Sensory Trail last month.

“Waldo is very important to the 70 riders who enjoy looking for him every week. If you’ve seen Waldo or have a Waldo you could donate we would really appreciate it,” said Shannon Rogers Durant, instructor for Therapeutic Riding in a Facebook post. If you have seen Waldo please return him. Many children are counting on you to do the right thing.

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Parents!

Looking for something fun, safe and supportive to keep your youth connected & busy? We can help! Find Powell River Youth Resource Centre on Facebook

@powellriveryrc FREE! Lessons Activities Games Contests Prizes

Physical isolation doesn’t have to mean social isolation. Powell River Youth Resource Centre is stepping it up online! Free lessons, activities, games and contests go live beginning Monday, April 13 from the Powell River Youth Resource Centre Facebook Page! Creative writing classes, The Big Powell River Youth Project for Covid19, cooking classes with simple treats to make at home (and win prizes!), Youth Share Your Talent Interactive Fun and much more to come! Activities for tweens and teens. Find out more on our Facebook page.

prcyfss.com POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

WITH SEAN PERCY sean@prliving.ca

Check before you go

As businesses respond to COVID-19, the list of closures, revised hours and revised services is extensive, as companies search for ways to still serve customers without close contact. Many have responded with online offerings, pickup and delivery options and more. Check on social media, or call the business you want to work with to get the latest info.

COVID-19 Business Impact Survey

The City of Powell River is asking businesses to let them know how COVID-19 is impacting their businesses. Visit participatepr.ca to find the survey and other business resources. The projects is through the City’s Business Retention and Expansion Program. The information provided in individual completed surveys will be kept confidential, said City officials. Reports will be prepared using aggregate data from all surveys submitted to better understand the overall impact on businesses in the community. It’s also important to share your company’s experience facing this crisis, because aggregate data from the survey will be added to a provincial database to help inform decision makers on what supports need to be provided.

Roofing you can trust. As Powell River’s leading roofing contractor since 1980, we provide high-quality installations of all types of roofing systems, and all of our workers are trained and ticketed in each specific roofing application.

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The Davic Group, led by Dave Formosa, has purchased the Beach Hut. The deal follows last year’s purchase of Putter’s Mini-Golf operation. Dave says there are synergies both for Putters and Beach Hut, which are across the road from each other, and the rest of the company’s operations, which include the Shinglemill. “We know the food and beverage business,” Dave told Powell River Living. “It seemed the Beach Hut was coming up for sale every year or two, so when it came up for sale, we had a look and we felt it would be a good match-up for Putters between the two.” He says ice cream will be in both locations, and people shouldn’t expect any big changes this year. As he did with Putters, where improvements continue, he expects to do upgrades after getting a feel for the business. Dave said he hopes the City will allow him to upgrade the “ugly, unwelcoming cinder-block building.” He says the purchase of the business and lease are part of expansions that are required to make Davic a successful company. With four children and grandchildren, there are more people the business needs to provide for, Dave said.

Cannabis store a social enterprise

A proposed social enterprise between the Davic Group and Brain Injury is part of Davic’s diversification efforts. Owner Dave Formosa says it has taken 15 months to get approval by the provincial government for a cannabis shop at the Phoenix Plaza next to Capone’s and the Brain Injury Society. Council has given the green light to the project, but it still needs a public hearing before getting a license. The proposed operation would employ clients of the Brain Injury Society. Dave Formosa, the principal of the Davic

new spring fashions

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Davic buys the Beach Hut

Group, said he “went along reluctantly” with the idea because his children felt that the cannabis business is the new wave. Once it has approval, Dave says the operation could be open in three months.

Bookkeeper strikes out on her own

Christie Mitchell has launched her own bookkeeping business. Having worked as a bookkeeper for years for other operators, Christie said she has wanted to start her own business for years and the time was finally right. Thrive Bookkeeping is completely online, so she can do books for people who live anywhere. Companies can submit digitally and have access to their books from anywhere they can get internet. Christie is also a certified QuickBooks Advanced ProAdvisor and offers consulting for the program. Find her on Facebook @thrivebookkeeper, visit thrivebookkeeping.ca or call Christie at 604-414-4607.

Ralmax digs into Jervis quarry

Ralmax is hiring operators to prepare a quarry at St Vincent’s Bay, in Jervis Inlet south of Saltery Bay. “We bought the property in 2015 and it had an existing quarry permit on it,” said Sage Berryman, Co-CEO of the Ralmax Group of Companies. Ralmax is a group of industrial businesses from southern Vancouver Island focused on marine transportation. “We have since been cleaning up the site and getting it ready for potential quarrying activities,” Sage told Powell River Living On and off, the company, and local subcontractors, have been cleaning the site and investigating the future business opportunity for the quarry. They hope it will be able to provide the aggregates to meet Ralmax’s internal needs.

Kelly Creek Community Church Pastor: Mike Martinig

We’ve cancelled all our formal gatherings for the foreseeable future. So we won’t hold an in-person Easter Sunday service. But services do continue online. We have moved everything to our Kelly Creek Community Church Facebook page.

@KellyCreekChurch

Closed Tuesdays

Tug-Guhm GALLERY & STUDIO Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to see the latest products and fashions. Call or message us for delivery or for private shopping.

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• April 2020 • prliving.ca

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BY PIETA WOOLLEY, EDITOR | pieta@prliving.ca

A Virus halts local events

t the beginning of each month, I start putting together the PRL events section for the next issue. I contact venues, look for events online, and see if what happened last year is happening again. It’s a labour of love for me; a weird obsession. My coworkers don’t totally understand why I am so fascinated with Powell River’s events scene. Here’s how I’ve tried to explain it: Events - local music, movies, plays, exhibitions, lectures, information sessions, and much more - represent the character of this community to me. It’s how we get to know each other, to show each other who we are, by what we produce, and what we attend. It’s how we maintain and celebrate our relationships with the wider community: think of Blackberry Fest, Seedy Saturday, or Kings games. They are who we are. So I was devastated when the April events section started to crumble in mid-March, as the reality of preparing for the COVID-19 pandemic slowly became

clear. Governments reduced gatherings from 50 people, then to 10, then to recommending self-isolation. The Townsite Jazz Festival cancelled. The Marathon Shuffle cancelled. The Community Easter Egg Hunt cancelled. Local minor hockey tournaments cancelled. We lost April’s art exhibitions and crucial fundraisers, and May’s Powell Riviera: The Musical. Churches struggled to plan Holy Week and Easter. By now, most have sorted out online solutions. The Patricia Theatre has closed. So has the Max Cameron, The Evergreen, The Library, The Art Centre, and James Hall. Our casual live music venues, pubs and restaurants, have closed except for take-out. Looking ahead, PRISMA is cancelled for June. Kathaumixw is postponed to July 2021. Thank goodness for Facebook, where this community continues to gather, and for agencies such as the local Library (see below), which are managing to keep us together, and looking outward, in the absence of our extraordinary, precious events.

April

ways the PRPL is going to sustain your literary and educational needs through COVID-19

1. E-books & Audiobooks

3. Magazines & Films

4. Homeschooling support

5. New York Times

Library-to-Go source for eBooks and eAudiobooks. Download the app called “Libby” for easy access to this collection on your mobile device. Instructional videos are also accessible on the OverDrive website.

Over 2,000 digital magazine titles through the RB Digital app, including back issues of all your favourites. RB Digital also provides eBooks, eAudiobooks and streaming of alternative films through their platform Indieflix.

Tumble Books has provided free access to a K-6 children’s eBook database, Tumble Math for K-6, a mass of cool Graphic novels, eAudiobooks for all ages, and Romance Book Cloud for some steamy distraction. Find the passcodes on prpl.ca.

Read the Gray Lady online with the code on our website. - PRPL’s Natalie Porter

2. Learn to do almost OverDrive is our main anything on Lynda.com

Next day delivery. 100% guaranteed.

Free access to Lynda.com - the ultimate database for tutorials on topics from graphic design, business management to digital photography.

75 YEARS

CITYTRANSFER.COM

CALL TODAY to schedule your next delivery

Lost your library card?

Email info@prpl.ca. Staff can help you get this stuff. PRPL is on YouTube!

POWELL RIVER | SUNSHINE COAST | VANCOUVER

604.485.8100 You can still order, and receive, your beer & wine.

4741 Marine Ave

604 485-4838

To better serve you during COVID-19

We are OPEN for phone-in orders

Meat, Fresh Produce, Deli Meat and Cheese, and Groceries Hours for pick-up: 9 am to 4 pm

With the increasing risks of COVID-19 we are temporarily closed to the general public. We will continue to work on your products and will be doing bottling by APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are in need of supplies, please call, message or email your order and we will call for pick up. If you are self-isolating (as many should) please call us for options. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

We make it easy!

7030 Glacier St | 604.485.0345 | westviewubrew@yahoo.ca

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

COMMUNICATE WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY

HELP & ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER

Call, email, text, message Send a letter or card Post to social media Check in with senior neighbours Make together-time count

Put a heart in your window Cheer your medical staff at 7 pm Donate to local charities Donate to medical research Tutor a child you know online

Big April Dates

Decks Siding Doors Fences Gutters Windows Insulation Excavating Patio Covers Aluminum Railings

April 3

April 21

Isra and Mi’raj

Easter Sunday

Religious and spiritual gatherings, like other gatherings, are not permitted. So many local faith communities have pivoted to an online solution for worship services and other gatherings. Check your local church’s website and Facebook pages for links - well in advance of the service you want to attend!

April 9 Vimy Ridge Day

April 14 Palm Sunday

April 18

604.483.2224 6801 Cranberry Street info@joehuetzelmann.com

it’s our guarantee

Maundy Thursday

April 22

April 19

Easter Monday Earth Day

Good Friday

REWARD you with 500 More Rewards points

own Home Gr

REPLACE the produce item you purchased

Good Food ets Farmer’s Mark Foodie Festivals Farm Gates

Powell River agriculture in Local food and

REIMBURSE your money for the item

Yom HaShoah

Passover

If you are not 100% satisfied with your produce purchase, we will:

May 1

April 20 - 27

No fish for you

Why eating fromis rs our own wate such a challenge

New

val Mushroom Festi November 3 Local Farms

Sustainable food ols program in scho

2019 FREE Owned 100% Locally n & Locally Grow

This spring, Powell River Living will publish the 10th annual edition of

Home Grown

Powell River’s ONLY magazine dedicated to agriculture and local food More than a grower’s or diner’s guide, Home Grown also takes you behind the scenes to see who is creating food, where and why. We’ll look at how you can grow your own, and share maps and instructions to help you find where to get locally-produced food.

* See in store for details.

Save-On-Foods Powell River: 7100 Alberni Street

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

• Want to get on Powell River’s food map? • Want to get the word out about your products or services?

Contact Sean at 604-485-0003 sean@prliving.ca or Suzi at 604-344-0208 suzi@prliving.ca DEADLINE IS APRIL 13

Don’t flush wet wipes! Please put them in the trash, or they’ll clog up the pipes.

While toilet paper disintegrates into pulp when flushed, other things that get dropped in the toilet clog the pipes and pumps, create “fatbergs” that damage the sewer systems, and could cause sewer to back up into your house! The City of Powell River has pulled four sewage system pumps for cleaning and removed two blockages in the collection system since the COVID-19 emergency began escalating because wet-wipes had plugged them up, according to Infrastructure Services Director, Tor Birtig. “We absolutely want people to follow preventative sanitation during this crisis,” said Birtig. “But wet-wipes are not to be flushed down the toilet and into our system. Please, put them in the garbage.” “In this challenging time when we are spending more time at home as we do our part, we must be conscious that our homes have to function,” said Birtig. “The last thing we need is to have the sewer lines clog and essential services stretched as we work to serve the public needs.”

Just because it says ‘flushable’ doesn’t mean it is!

To allow sewers to operate properly, residents should not flush wipes, paper towels, hygiene products or any other paper products down the toilet.

What’s on your mind, Powell River? Have your say in shaping projects, policies and initiatives for your City with participatepr.ca. It’s the City’s new online engagement site that allows you to contribute your ideas and feedback on municipal issues and projects important to you! Currently, we’re looking for feedback on parks and trails, where we should have bike racks, improvements to the Recreation Complex, the 2020 budget and more. Plus, we always have a brainstorming section open so you can share your ideas about pretty much anything.

You’ve got great ideas to share and we’re committed to working more closely with you. Get in on the conversation at participatepr.ca

powellriver.ca

POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

TAKE A BREAK Art from the Attic events have been postponed. Watch for a new date to be announced, and thanks for your donations and ongoing support of PR Hospice and PR Sunshine Gogos.

TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST and so much more! Latest diagnostic equipment saves you time and money

20 years experience

604 487-9602

Full mechanical repairs Nation-wide guarantee

A regular transmission service keeps your transmission healthy. When was your last service?

Make a real difference. Donate to the Powell River Hospital Foundation. 604 485-3211 ext 4349 | 5000 Joyce Avenue, Powell River, V8A 5R3

www.prhospitalfoundation.com

5814 Ash Avenue

604-483-4130

local76@unifor76.ca

Balancing Nervous Systems Naturally Return to Reverence ~ working with elements of the natural world JULIETTE WOODS offers card readings, shamanic sessions, medicine gatherings, and immersion programs online and in-person. Find her at 3FoldBalance.com and returntoreverence.ca

hen our nervous systems have been activated, fears triggered, and thoughts preoccupied by a crisis situation of any kind - both real and perceived (this includes imaginary monsters under beds, irrational phobias, global events, accidents, etc.) our electrical brainwave patterns shift, our fight or flight responses kick in, and a myriad of chemical releases alter our physical composition. This is an appropriate design, yet, our society has largely forgotten how and when to discharge this activation from our bodies and we live with pressure to maintain “good vibes only” and bypass certain necessary components of our human experience. Feel out what you most need at this time, and reassess often to allow for full and healthy processing. Some of us will need to settle swirling thoughts and jumpy, fear based, or overwhelming emotions. We can do this naturally by spending time near moving bodies of water, the negative ions have a measurable benefit on our well-being. Carrying a palm-size stone in a pocket helps prevent disassociation through its weight, literally providing a “touch stone” of support. Dance helps move feelings we feel stuck with while elevating our mood chemically. Repetitious chores like washing dishes create meditative and re-

VODKA: Jalapeño

LET IT BURN: Transform your heavy feelings, such as rage, by holding a fire ceremony, listening to loud music or stomping around the house. flection opportunities. Video calling a calm friend, snuggling a pet, creating art, stepping into ritual or ceremony, drinking medicinal teas, or soaking in an Epsom salt bath all will reduce over activation that is current or has built up. Some of us will need to take a different approach and spend time being with intense emotions and thoughts. Allowing space to grieve or really cry hard; get angry and yell; or purge through intense physical activity like chopping wood, running or weight lifting, or throwing heavy rocks into the sea. Trauma-release exercises are poses that induce muscle shaking to simulate natural shock respons-

es, a response many often try to stifle in the moment of a crisis. A fire ceremony to “burn away” and transform heavy feelings, or burning letters ranting out our anger can be done even with a small candle indoors *remember to prioritize fire safety! Listen to emotionally evocative music loudly, stomp through the house, and take up space with physical movements. Most of us would do well to oscillate between these two groups. Giving ourselves safe spaces to balance our nervous systems will build resiliency, efficacy, and ability to care for ourselves and our loved ones. It takes time. And we have that time.

Due to Covid-19, Capone’s Cellar is: • Implementing a rigorous cleaning and hygiene program • not accepting bottle returns at this time.

An authentically well-balanced mixture of heat and fresh Jalapeño flavour sets this Vodka infusion apart. Cheers to spicing up a classic Canadian cocktail!

Sunday to Thursday 9am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 11pm Corner of Duncan & Joyce • 604 485-9343

Great Selection • Cold Beer • Coolest Prices Our prices include all applicable taxes!

Rob Villani

Stacey Fletcher

Katya Buck

Injured in an accident? We deal with the insurer and court matters so that you can focus on getting better.

• April 2020 • prliving.ca

Real Estate Commercial Law Wills & Estates Divorce Family Mediation Criminal Law ICBC Claims Civil Disputes

Our goal is to provide quick, responsive services, creative solutions and sophisticated strategies for our clients

Phoenix Plaza • 604 485-6188 • villaniandco.com

3 4

8 9

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Fitness should work.

Ice, snow and January in PRL

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If it isn’t, call Nancy.

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It’s like having a gym all to yourself!

• Train safely in your private gym with no distractions or intimidations. You are always the only client in the gym.

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• Special consideration for anyone with joint or medical issues.

• Free consultations. See if it’s right for you!

Powell Where River the hearts are

Across

Down

5) How many trees Armitage plants per item 2) 4) Work together, stay 7) Wash your 8) Dolphins caught in fish ___ 10) Willingdon golfers 12) Local health shop 14) Don’t flush these 15) Closed, but card still gets services 16) Don’t touch your 18) Distancing for health 21) Punch holes in lawn 23) Pick up, or community support org 24) Sweater maker, collected by bees 25) Burial option for a better planet 28) Willingdon concession, The Beach ____ 29) Farmers’ _____ to open April 25 32) COVID-19’s cause 34) Salish Sea booze maker 36) Post and many businesses do this 37) Important bait fish spawns in spring

1) Symbol of support, love & life 3) Bydand’s specialty 5) Mechanic’s specialty at Black Point 6) Some employees do it from home 7) Afterglow owner, Christmas foliage 9) Short writing contest 10) Valley’s social distancing project 11) Ocean path at Westview, Tla’amin 13) How many feet apart, or under 17) Home planet 19) Graffiti artist 20) Garfunkel, or what’s hiding in the attic 22) Restaurant option drive thru or 26) Convenient cooker 27) Travelers must self30) Decline or garbage 31) Spring dirt diggers 32) Pink trees, or ice cream topper 33) Coiled wire, or time of year 35) Artist Autumn ___Morrison 36) Gardener does it, you live in yours

Do you provide health services in Powell River? Contact Sean Percy before September 1 to get your free listing in Powell River Living’s ZEST magazine.

sean@prliving.ca or 604-485-0003

Wa • lose nt to: • tone? weight? • get fit ? Call N ancy!

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604-223-4158 totalbodytraining.ca

Stress & Pain Reduction

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Your relax & rejuvenate specialist

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Powell River

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K E

Solution for last month’s puzzle: Powell River Schools

L L

O N

B U 13S E 14S

C R 11A N B E R R Y D

M A X

S L

A N

L M

S T 36

H A Y 28 W I

W E

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A N S L D

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P P E R 33S I

A I

C H R

F R E N C H

O C E A N V

E 26 C O L

C M A

P R O D

N 9

T R U S T E E S

D U A L

L A A M I

T E X A D A

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POWELL RIVER LIVING • April 2020 •

National Volunteer Week April 19-25

CELEBRATE VOLUNTEERS DURING CORONAVIRUS

He’s Still Galloping

1. Give a shout-out to your volunteers on social media. 2. Email your volunteers a personalized thank you that highlights the impact of their individual contributions. 3. Write a reference letter for a volunteer who is applying for a job, internship or school program. 4. Gather thank you messages from your clients and pass them on to the volunteers who have made a difference in their lives. 5. Nominate a superstar volunteer for an award. - From Volunteer Canada

Last Word

BY ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT | isabelle@prliving.ca

s a child growing up on the family farm in Elderbank, Nova Scotia, horses were always part of Owen Keddy’s life. They had a nice team of dapple-gray horses and a Shetland pony. Owen and his siblings would jump in the sleigh when there was snow or ride the pony when they wanted to. Knowing this, his daughter Linda thought Owen would enjoy being exposed to horses again when he retired from the mill. “Dad, you grew up on a farm, why don’t you go over to Therapeutic Riding and take a look and see if you can help?” said Linda way back in 1994. Owen took his daughter’s advice and visited Therapeutic Riding, met the horses, the physiotherapists - the

“He always keeps a pair of gloves in his pocket for the kids on the cold days.” people and saw what they did. He liked what he saw and decided this was a good place for him to help out. Therapeutic Riding was still new when Owen first began volunteering there. It was formed in 1991 to provide horseback riding to help children and adults with physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities. Owen remembers Daphne Wilson and Sylvia Stoddart, two physiotherapists very involved in Therapeutic

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Riding back then. They used an old trailer to store tack and gear and when a lesson was over, he used to lead the horse back home across the street to what was then Linda and Dan Parson’s farm. Today, Therapeutic Riding owns seven horses, they have an indoor riding arena, a proper office building, and a good barn with turnout paddocks. More than 75 students ride horses there.

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A HAPPY RETIREMENT: Top, Owen Keddy leads Powell River Therapeutic Riding horse Zora, 25 years in to his volunteer gig with Powell River Therapeutic Riding. Above, Owen and his wife Val Keddy at Therapeutic Riding’s silent auction last year.

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Every Thursday, Owen – who is a horse handler – arrives at the stables in Paradise Valley just before 9 am. He brings the horse that he has been assigned to handle that day (usually Desi but not always) inside, removes his blanket, grooms him and picks his feet before tacking him up. By 9:30, he has Desi in the riding arena where they wait for their student. “The kids are all in the waiting room with their helmets on,” said Owen. “They come out and get on.” Instructor Shannon Durant puts them through their paces for the next 45 minutes. Meanwhile, Owen, Desi, Desi’s rider, and the two side walkers, listen carefully. “You get to know the horses,” says Owen. “You get to know their quirks and traits. I haven’t had a bad session in all the years that I’ve worked there.” Once the kids are in the saddle, the adults don’t talk. The students do exercises and when their session is over, they go for a ride in the trails! As they progress, they might only need one sidewalker or just one person leading. Annie Racine, Office and Volunteer Coordinator for Therapeutic Riding, praises Owen’s long-time work with the nonprofit. “Owen always has a smile on his face and is eager to help anyone,” she said. “He arrives early in the morning to groom and tack up the horses, and then stays to handle the horse for his riders. He always keeps a pair of gloves in his pocket for the kids on the cold days. “Owen is a dedicated volunteer, he is always helping when we have work parties to clean debris from the trails and at our annual events. “He truly cares - he is a warm, caring and very funny man. He gets along with everyone, riders, staff and volunteers and brings a smile to each and every one of us.” Owen celebrated his 25th anniversary of volunteering with Therapeutic Riding last fall and he still looks forward to his Thursday mornings. When he heads out on Thursdays, his wife, Val, leaves for her volunteer job with the Powell River Health Care Auxiliary. “We call Thursday our Volunteer Day,” he says. When asked what he likes about it he says: “I just like horses and kids.”

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