Okanagan Woman Spring 2015

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My Mom, My Hero

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SPRING | 2015 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR

TJ WALLIS EDITOR@OKANAGANWOMAN.COM

CONTENTS 06OKANAGAN WOMEN Book Authors

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12HONEY 13#WCW 14MOTHER’S DAY CONTEST FASHION PHOTOS 16SPRING WEEKS IN RAMATE VILLAGE 23TWO 25LADIES ON LITERATURE

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27MARVELOUS MUD

THE PUBLISHER RETAINS THE RIGHT TO EDIT ALL SUBMISSIONS, INCLUDING ARTICLES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY. COPYRIGHT IS RETAINED ON ALL MATERIAL, TEXT AND GRAPHICS IN THIS PUBLICATION.

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Beauty’s dirty little secret of just good, clean fun?

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What’s the best thing about being in a book club?

S

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE | TJ WALLIS

SPRING IS THE SEASON OF

growth

I

awoke this morning to a gorgeous blue sky and a forecast of “toasty warm.” How encouraging! The record snow has been washed away by the recent rains and it is obvious Spring is on its way. Spring is a season of hope, of renewal and shedding the dreariness that sometimes accompanies a socked in winter.

Of course, I wasn’t expecting to be here this last winter. In my last publisher’s message, I was excited to tell you about my upcoming travels to the US and the Northern Baja. Alas, things change. A family emergency delayed our travel plans, and we stayed home.

Because, as the saying goes; home is where the heart is.

There is something about the first signs of spring that make us want to make changes to our surroundings. It’s too early to plant the garden, so we start switching things up inside the house. Our minds start swirling with spring project ideas. We move the furniture, we organize the closets. We are women, it’s what we do. Our special advertising feature, Spring Home, begins on page 36 and your are sure to find some interesting spring décor tips there.

Spring also spurs us on to better health. We come out of hibernation, feeling a little groggy and we need to wake up and get the lead out. On page 30, Shannon Linden brings us an encouraging story that just might help you kick start tha fitness plan!

And while you’re in the mood to get in good physical condition, check out Laura Gosset’s beauty experience at a mud bath in Colombia, South America.

In this issue, we have another fascinating installment from writer and world traveller, Patti Shales Lefkos, who has being visiting and writing about Nepal for years. Her adventures might give you the voluntourism bug, too.

And Dona Sturmanis continues her series on women who make things happen. In the winter issue, Dona brought us the story of four Okanagan women athletes. This issue, she talked with four women book authors. Find out what inspired them and how they got published.

In December, in the midst of winter, we asked our social media fans and followers to submit 300 word essays celebrating Mom. Top prize is a two night stay at the fabulous Summerland Waterfront Resort.

And the runner-up prizes are pretty sweet, too. We received 42 entries and our top four pics, as well as the prize info, are on page 13 and 14.

Sometime in March, we’ll tweet and post on Facebook the details of another great contest and prize package. The winners will be published in our Summer 2015 issue. Like us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter to make sure you get the information to enter!

Happy Spring!

TJ Facebook.com/OkanaganWomanMagazine Twitter.com/OkanaganEditor

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 5

OKANAGAN WOMEN

BOOK AUTHORS Four Who Made It Through Persistence, Positive Reviews and Promotion

BY: DONA STURMANIS

Writing a book; many dream about it, but few complete the task. Meet four Okanagan women who have done just that.

A certain stick-to-it-iveness is required to get a book from concept to publication.There are countless hours of writing, editing and seeking out publishers who will hopefully like your manuscript enough to turn into a tome.The work isn’t over once a title is published; now comes the promotion, marketing and book signing, all to ensure a book keeps selling.

And then there is always the next book to write....

6 OKANAGAN WOMAN FALL | 2014

Patricia Smith O’Connor:

“Within less than an hour I had sold fifty books.”

T

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he three brisk-selling, well-reviewed books authored by Patricia Smith O’Connor of Armstrong are all different genres. My Patchwork Life (2005) is the tale of her early life growing up in Dublin. The Search for Jacqueline Smith (2006) is based on real events behind the death of a top model’s mother. Things Your Mother Forgot to Tell You (2012) is a guide for business women and women returning to the job market.

It’s based on Patricia’s corporate teaching experiences and her interviews with numerous celebrities. “The one thing they all had in common was the ability to find what they loved and market themselves until they became a success.”

Born and raised in Ireland, Patricia worked as a management consultant for leading British, Irish and North American companies. She is well-known internationally as a television and radio presenter and hosted her own show.

Patricia understands the importance of promoting her books. “I attended a Christmas Vernon Women In Business luncheon,” says Patricia. “I had a table with my books on it and within less than an hour, I had sold fifty. Many of the women purchasing them said they were for friends, as they had read all my books and loved them. I only wished my darling husband was with me to hear them say that.”

Patricia lost her husband Robert on February 3, 2014 and son Connor Patrick in April the previous year. “My writing and my dog Sara both saved my sanity after their loss.”

It was her late husband, Robert, an actor’s agent, who motivated her to write My Patchwork Life. “It was after I told him tales of growing up in Ireland and the mischief I got into. He insisted I write it all down.”

Patricia is now completing The Belle of New York, about the life of her great-greatgrandmother, and the follow-up to her first book, My Patchwork Life 2.

Patricia’s books can be found at the Armstrong Pharmacy, Brookland Books, Amazon and other sites, as well as Albany Books in Vernon.

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Karen Autio

“There really were German spies at work in my hometown in 1915”

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silver sugar spoon—a gift from her Finnish-Canadian grandmother—inspired Kelowna’s Karen Autio to write Second Watch in 2006, the first book in her bestselling historical fiction trilogy for young readers published by Sono Nis Press. It’s about the doomed final voyage of the Empress of Ireland, Canada’s equivalent to the Titanic, which sank in the St. Lawrence River on May 29, 1914. Among the 1,012 passengers who perished were relatives of Karen’s grandmother’s friends.

“I researched the Empress of Ireland and invented my Finnish-Canadian characters,” says Karen.

“Soon I had sufficient research gathered to write a novel for young readers.”

Karen’s sequel to Second Watch, Saara’s Passage, has some of the author’s own family history entwined in the story line - her grandmother was diagnosed with tuberculosis shortly after Karen’s mother was born, was quarantined in a Toronto sanatorium 1000 miles away and journaled letters to her baby.

Both Second Watch and Saara’s Passage were shortlisted for the Chocolate Lily Book Award, which celebrates the first choice of young BC readers.

Sabotage, the last book in the trilogy, was based on a tall tale Karen heard growing up in Nipigon, Ontario, that turned out to actually be true. “There really were German spies at work in my hometown in 1915 plotting to destroy the Canadian Pacific Railway bridge.”

Sabotage is her favourite book because it deals with spies, sabotage, enemy aliens, and internment in Canada during the First World War. Sabotage was nominated for the 2014 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile/Young Adult Crime Book, shortlisted for the 2015 Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award, and listed by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre as a “Best Book for Children.”

Karen’s successful books, selling over 6000 in total, have enabled her to travel across Canada doing book signings and school and library presentations. “I most enjoy interacting with elementary school students. It’s fun to see their reaction to such things as how spies communicated in code during the First World War.”

The Son The reso for b awa has page look histo Oka and Ka Bell Boo boo (h pape

The Kelowna author is grateful the her publisher Sono Nis is proactive about sharing publicity duties.

They created a Sabotage video, provide teacher’s resources, funding, arrangements, and promotion for book launches, submit books for review and award consideration, and much more. Karen herself has a website (karenautio.com) and Facebook author page where she regularly posts book news. In 2016, look for her picture book exploring Okanagan history focusing on Wild Horse Canyon (in Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park) and its vicinity.

Karen’s titles are available at Mosaic Books and Bell Tower Books in Kelowna and Hooked On Books in Penticton, by order from any independent bookstore, Sono Nis (http://www.sononis.com/) or as paperbacks and ebooks on Kobo and Kindle.

K.J. Steele

Her first novel took ten years to write.

“

“working closely with the school’s talented mentors, I was able to gain the validation and confidence that I can write literary fiction at an exacting level.”

Writing my first novel was my doctorate in creative writing,” says K.J. Steele of Summerland about No Story to Tell, published by American-based The Story Plant (2011). “From the moment I sat down to write the initial paragraph—which ultimately ended up being a 106,000 word novel—it would have been close to 10 years.”

K.J.‘s second novel, The Bird Box, was released in late February, 2015 by the same publisher. “It was quicker to write. The initial theme for the novel came to me several years ago, but I wrote the majority of this one in about one year.”

No Story to Tell revolves around a young, small town woman with forgotten dreams who blossoms into a new creature because of serendipitous encounters and events. The Bird Box is about the redemptive and restorative power of love in an insane asylum in 1954.

K.J. took courses from Humber College’s School for Writers in Ontario. “It was a proving ground for me and my writing. Spending summer workshops with other aspiring writers and working closely with the school’s talented mentors, I was able to gain the validation and confidence that I can write literary fiction at an exacting level.”

K.J. found the specialist fiction publisher, The Story Plant, through a friend. After a rewrite, No Story to Tell was accepted for publication and released. It received enthusiastic reviews and moved into the bestsellers’ list.

Promotion is a joint effort between K.J., her publisher, and an online promotions agency. “For No Story to Tell, I did a virtual tour, which seems to be the way of the future. Proper promotion of a book is essential to attracting a readership.”

Becoming a published novelist has definitely changed K.J.’s life. “I feel fortunate to be surrounded by a strong publishing network,” says K.J. “It has given me the freedom to move forward with confidence with my writing.”

K.J. Steele’s books will be available in paperback and e-book format through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as various independent American bookstores.

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Jennifer Cockrall-King

“Food and The City had an award right upon publication.”

F

ood culture writer and journalist Jennifer CockrallKing, of Naramata and Edmonton, wrote Food and The City: Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution (2011) for several different reasons. “I became intensely interested in urban agriculture on a tour of Cuba in 2007,” she says. “Urban agriculture was a keystone of its very unique food model. I also noticed an uptick in interest in community gardening in Edmonton, where I live when I’m not in Naramata. I’m a keen food gardener, so the elements merged into project that warranted a book-length commitment.”

Food and The City examines alternative food systems in global cities that are shortening food chains, growing food within city limits, and taking food security into their own hands.

Jennifer is proud of her Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award, a Canadian social justice book award writers enter by submitting a chapter of their bookin-progress. Food and The City had an award right upon publication. How nice is that?

“Getting a publisher was difficult,” says Jennifer. First, she took the Simon Fraser University Book Publishing intensive course in the Lower Mainland in summer, 2009. “I met wonderful people who helped connect me with Canadian agency Anne McDermid and Associates. I polished up my book proposal and it took them seven months to finally sell the book.

Lake Okanagan’s P LAC E T O E S C A P E

It was turned down by every Canadian publisher, but had lots of interest from US publishers. Prometheus Books had a good reputation and we went with them.”

Food and the City was well-reviewed in the UK, Canada and the US - translation rights have been sold to Korean and Japanese publishers, and a French translation is possibly in the works.

Jennifer is currently working on Food Artisans of the Okanagan Valley, to be published by Touchwood Editions in spring, 2016. She’s also working on a book about seeds and seed banks she hopes will come out the same year.

The author’s passion for writing about food has been channelled into organizing the annual Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop being held in Kelowna September 11-13 in 2015.

“We learn, eat, drink and share our knowledge and enthusiasm for food and wine writing over three days.”

Food and the City is available at Mosaic Books in Kelowna, Coles, Chapters, Amazon and as an e-book on Kindle.

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HONEY, the commercials are back on.

BY: LISE SIMPSON

I

recently watched the Super Bowl ads, and in between watching the ads I caught the game as well. It’s estimated that corporate America spends 1.85 billion dollars on Super Bowl ads. While the ads are certainly entertaining, I find myself wondering if this doesn’t seem just a tad obscene, as much of America remains stuck in the fallout from a massive financial crisis the likes of which we have not seen since the Great Depression. Still, who among us can help but fall in love with that adorable Budweiser puppy?

Now, for me personally, that ad will not make me run out and specifically buy an AnheuserBusch product. I dig the commercial, but I still dislike the beer. Advertising seeks to inform, persuade, or remind the consumer of the product. Consider me informed and reminded, but not persuaded, to buy a Bud. Some ads are clearly very successful in spiking sales. When I first saw the ads for Lincoln cars featuring Matthew McConaughey driving around muttering to himself, I laughed my head off. I thought they were stupid beyond belief.

And yet…Ford Motor Company, which owns Lincoln, reports that immediately after those ads ran, they had their best Lincoln sales in seven years. Sales spiked by 25 percent. As an ad

campaign it was immensely successful, probably aided, not damaged, by the hilarious spoofs done by Jim Carrey, Ellen, Conan, and the show South Park.

This past Christmas season, the UK department store John Lewis ran an ad that has now been viewed over 22 million times on YouTube alone.

The ad, which features a penguin, caused sales of stuffed penguins to spike by 300 percent. Of more direct importance to John Lewis, retail sales went up 13.2% in the first week alone after the ad aired.

American corporate giant Proctor and Gamble developed an advertising campaign for the Olympics with a brilliant add-on. The company’s “Thank you Mom” campaign donated money to Team USA so that Mothers could travel to the Olympics to watch their children perform. P & G first ran their “Thank you Mom” campaign for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and saw sales of their products (most of which are bought by women) spike by 100 million dollars.

Here in Canada, WestJet’s Christmas campaign proves that if you get it right, there are clear, measurable business benefits. I read a quote from WestJet VP Richard Bartrem concerning the 2013 “Christmas Miracle” campaign. Bookings increased by 77 percent, and revenues were up 86 percent over the previous year. Intended initially

12 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

as a social media campaign to build brand image, “the business results were literally amazing”, says Mr. Bartrem.

I find the ads for prescription medication the most hilarious on TV, and I wonder how effective they are at driving sales. Often, the list of possible side effects is funnier than the programme I’m watching. An ad for a pill that might help with mild depression shows a woman skipping happily through a field of flowers. But, the ad also warns that this pill might cause debilitating headaches, hair loss, sensitivity to sunlight, and explosive diarrhea. All of that would surely escalate one’s depression from “mild” to “severe” so I don’t think I’ll take that pill, thanks all the same. I’m sure WestJet is glad they don’t have to put a disclaimer like that at the end of their commercials. “Air travel may cause you to unexpectedly plummet to the earth, thus disturbing or possibly terminating your travel plans” would certainly diminish whatever warm glow the ad created in the first place.

Advertising mystifies me. A good commercial makes me admire the creative brains that made the commercial, but it doesn’t cause me to run to the store or go on-line to buy the product (especially if it might cause explosive diarrhea).

1.85 billion dollars on Super Bowl commercials? It is indeed a crazy world we live in.

OKANAGAN WOMEN

CONTES T

#WCW

DAY WINNING ESSAYS ON NEXT PAGE In between issues, we post information about upcoming events and contests on our Facebook Page. On December 26th, we let our Facebook Fans know about our Mother’s Day Contest and they responded with wonderful tributes to their Moms. Everyone who submitted a Mother’s Day Essay, as well as their Moms, will receive a complementary 1 year subscription to Okanagan Woman Magazine. You are all stars!

OK Woman Mag 2015

If you’re a twitter user you may have noticed the hashtag #WCW.

Moms are often the unsung heroes in our lives. They fix our lunches, suffer through driving lessons, babysit our children, bandageOK our Woman Mag 2015 wounds, hold our hands during tough times and teach us life lessons.

WE LOVE YOU MOM!

“WCW” stands for “Woman Crush Wednesday,” and it is a way for people to share pictures and stories of the women they admire through social media.

Okanagan Woman has its own version of #WCW. We call it Wednesday’s Woman.

The Okanagan Shuswap has no shortage of inspirational and influential women and Okanagan Woman is dedicated to telling those stories. Our editorial office receives so many requests to include stories of local women in our print publication that we are in the unfortunate position of not having enough pages to accommodate them all.

But we have the Internet, for which we are eternally grateful. Space is always available on-line, allowing us to feature even more fabulous women. Like us on Facebook to find out who is this week’s Wednesday Woman.

If you’d like to share your story with our on-line readers, visit our website and fill in the on-line form. If we love it, your story could appear in an upcoming issue of the print publication, too!

okanaganwoman.com

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2015

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 13

OKANAGAN WOMEN

CONTEST

DAY

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MY MOM, MY HERO MOTHER’S DAY ESSAY

JENNY MCKINNON AND MOM DEBBIE MALIEPAARD

I want to tell you why my mom inspires me. On August 1st of 2014 we got the devastating news that my mom has cancer. We later found out that she has stage four ovarian cancer, and not only were we dealing with such scary news, my Mom’s father passed away on Aug 5th unexpectedly. My mom got very sick, very quickly and she was in and out of hospital for three months, we thought we were going to lose her. I know she was so terrified, but despite how sick and how scared she was, she continued to fight. She continued to keep going, even when she had days where she felt like she couldn’t do it. She also lost her hair during her chemo and we bravely shaved our heads together. She also refuses to be ashamed of her beautiful bald head. My mom has seen so many struggles throughout her life, so many that she could probably write a book, but the greatest thing is that despite her struggles, she has never given up on trying to better herself or to keep pushing through. I had a happy childhood because of her, and the strength I find today as a mother myself, can be attributed to her and the amazing example she has been to me. I am blessed to call her my mom.

14 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

DANI ORTMAN AND MOM JANET LOEWEN

RUNNER UP

CONTEST WINNER

WHAT A DELIGHT TO READ SO MANY ESSAYS OF WONDERFUL WOMEN! HERE ARE OUR TOP FOUR PICKS!

When I was just a little girl, you couldn’t tear me from her side. She was the brightest star in my precious little sky. She would wake for us and spend her days with us. She made a wholesome home for our little spirits to flourish and fly. And as I grew older, and things got tougher, I could still always trust in her arms as a place to run and hide. And even now as a grown woman, whom do I call when I need to cry?

We have our goofy little rituals, of eating cake and sipping wine. Staying up to the wee hours chatting about life and love and how it’s all going to be just fine. She listens to all of my wild ideas, about space and the power of our mind. She never judges me, with her eyes so compassionate and kind.

We have travelled to far off places, and got lost on the lands of unknown shores. We have shared a million laughs, and with every tale that lives on, we share a million more.

Now I’m not the type to take life lightly or do things easy.

And it’s likely that my ways might even drive her crazy. But no matter the mountains I set out to climb, it’s with her words of wisdom, that I’ve succeeded every time. Because when she told me ‘you won’t know until you try’, I’m not certain she realized it would become the mantra, I go on to live my life by.

Into this world she brought me, with her tender love and limitless care. How can I possibly thank her, for being more than just a mother to me, in the infinite moments that we’ve shared.

I love you mom.

JANET WEENING AND MOM PENNY NORDSTROM

It wasn’t until the day I got my Learners license and my mom took me to my first parking lot to drive, that I knew I had an incredible mom. The hype on driving was real. I had the car in drive ready to make the switch back to the passenger seat, went to brake and shift the car into park... Next thing you know, we shot forward. I didn’t hit the brake, I hit the gas and after giving my mom a heart attack I knew. You spend your whole childhood dreaming of marriage, children, a career, a life; your own life. At age 35, Poppy DeGeorgio a beautiful mother of 3 became a beautiful widow with three children. We’re dealt cards in life, obstacles we have to overcome in order to move on and gain knowledge, experience and become stronger as individuals. My mom has a way of taking every obstacle thrown in her direction and overcoming it, making it look effortless without ever having to ask for help. It takes a strong willed, amazing person to be able to heal children who are mourning, while you’re mourning yourself. There’s been times when my mom just needs someone to hold her and tell her everything will be alright; instead she has always been the one with arms wide open for my two brothers and I. My mom took a broken home that experienced such a tremendous loss, and has turned it into a loving environment. It’s always been our needs over her own. 300 words will never be enough to explain the kind of human my mom is. My inspiration everyday to be a better person, comes from her. Keep on keeping on mom, I hope to someday be half the person you are.

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RUNNER UP

RUNNER UP

SHAYLA HEARNE AND MOM POPPY DEGEORGIO

My Mom inspires me in so many ways. Not just me, but all 4 of my siblings and our spouses.

She was the youngest of 6 children, and her birthday landed on the last day of school which meant it often went unnoticed. But none of our birthdays ever went unnoticed.

She baked wonderful cakes, planned fun family gatherings, and sang to us in her beautiful voice!

She has always worked hard to give her family and others the very best she possibly could. She can comfort a baby like no one else can; she can crochet toques for all 18 grandchildren; she can sew them all pyjamas too- all for the simple pleasure of seeing a smile on their faces.

A few years ago she was diagnosed with cancer and I remember clearly the night before her surgery she said to us, “I look forward to seeing what good will come from this.” She is our rock. That is a term our family uses for her because we all know her strength and that she keeps the family together.

Family has always been a priority to my Mom. She has shown us how to really love a husband, how to love God, and how to raise a family. She is my mentor, my role model, my inspiration, my Mom… I LOVE HER! And if you met her, you would love her, too! My Mom, My Inspiration.

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SPRING FASHION Photos 16 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

F

or each issue of Okanagan Woman magazine, we receive dozens of submissions of incredible creative art from area photographers and we are always in awe. We can only publish a few and we find ourselves sometimes having to select between the best and the best. Thank you to every photographer and their teams who took the time to create these outstanding works of art.

This issue’s cover and centre spread images were submitted

by Apryl Stead, a newcomer to the Okanagan. Apryl and her husband, David Pitts, have recently moved here from Newfoundland, where they were award winning photographers.

“The most wonderful part of being a photographer is that we are documenting a part of someone’s life, an important day in their life, or capturing their beauty. Even if for one session, they can have it forever.

We try to capture feeling through a single photo, in an expression or a look in the subject’s eyes. We love helping create a set, the right clothing choices, getting the clients introduced to wonderful hair and make-up artists who spoil them. A session should be a full experience they will never forget. And the photos should be something they will cherish forever.”

SPREAD: PHOTOGRAPHER APRYL MAXINE STEAD WHITE WILLOW PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.WHITEWILLOWPHOTOGRAPHY.CA HAIR/MAKEUP MISSY MACKINTOSH WWW.MISSYMACKINTOSH.COM SUNGLASSES GEORGIE GIRL WWW.GEORGIEGIRL.CA EDITORIAL MODEL - KALI WELLS

FAMED PHOTOGRAPHER ANSEL ADAMS ONCE SAID, “PHOTOGRAPHY IS MORE THAN A MEDIUM FOR FACTUAL COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS. IT IS A CREATIVE ART.”

SUBMIT YOUR

PHOTOS TO OKANAGAN WOMAN MAGAZINE WANT TO SUBMIT PHOTOS TO OUR QUARTERLY PHOTO CONTEST? HERE’S SOME TIPS: 1. WE LIKE IMAGES THAT PORTRAY STRONG, CONFIDENT WOMEN. 2. AT LEAST ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS, I.E. THE PHOTOGRAPHER, THE MODEL, THE HAIR AND MAKE-UP ARTIST, MUST BE FROM THE OKANAGAN SHUSWAP AREA. 3. PAST PHOTO SPREADS CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK TO GET A FEEL FOR THE KINDS OF PHOTOS THAT APPEAL TO US. 4. PHOTOS SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN SEASON. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE SUBMITTING FOR THE SUMMER ISSUE, MAKE SURE THERE ISN’T ANY SNOW IN YOUR SHOT - AND BEACH SHOTS ARE OUT FOR WINTER. 5. THIS SUMMER (2015) OUR THEME IS DIVERSITY. PLEASE VISIT US ONLINE FOR PRIZE INFORMATION AND TO FIND OUT HOW TO SUBMIT PHOTOS FOR OUR UPCOMING SUMMER 2015 ISSUE. THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE SUMMER ISSUE IS MAY 1ST, 2015

WWW.OKANAGANWOMAN.COM

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 17

PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART DIRECTION GRANT JOHNSON (GRANT STUDIO) INSTAGRAM.COM/GRANTSTUDIO VINTAGE WARDROBE STYLING BY ANGELA BRICKER OF GEORGIE GIRL VINTAGE, WWW.GEORGIEGIRL.CA KELOWNA MAKE UP BY DENISE BARNES CAMERAREADYCOSMETICS.COM HAIR STYLING BY JANA HILL OF NOGGINZ HAIR STUDIO, PENTICTON FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS BY SHANNON MICHELLE PRODOR OF TANGERINE ORCHID,KELOWNA MODELS KRISTINA, EMILY, KELSEY AND DELANEY OF DEJA VU MODEL MANAGEMENT DEJAVUMODELINGMANAGEMENT.COM HERITAGE HOME LOCATION PROVIDED BY: JUSTIN O’CONNOR, SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY CANADA OKANAGANLUXURY.CA

PHOTOGRAPHY: SONIA NICHOLSON WWW.SONIAPHOTOGRAPHY.COM MUA: ALANA WHEELER HAIR STYLIST: DAVID GREENWOOD CLOTHING STYLIST: KERRY YOUNIE MODEL: COLLEEN BACHMANN JL MODELS

WHY A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE?

NADINE WESTGATE A message from Nadine Westgate Sage Executive Group Broker Owner: At Sage, we pride ourselves in leveraging, sharing and embracing all the unique talents and strengths from every member of our team. We empower our agents to rise to the top.

WE BELIEVE: - Agents should be free to focus on what they’re good at.

- Tools, processes and systems shouldn’t take you time; they should save you time.

- Respect, integrity and trust are yours and our top priority - Coaching and training are easily accessible, technology needs to be embraced. Leadership and culture matter.

Are You Ready to Take

the Okanagan Plunge?

With 5 offices throughout the Okanagan we invite you to stop by, say hi and check us out!

At Sage, we look for team members who : - are committed to personal success, who go to great lengths to care for their clients, - who believe in commitment, time with family and enjoying the great land that is the Okanagan, and - who are willing to challenge the ‘standard process’ about how this business is supposed to work.

Real estate is hard work and we are looking for team members who are willing to truly commit to their own success. You commit and we commit. We believe in teamwork, the buyers, the sellers, the handshake and good wine. All real estate agents, nor real estate companies, are created equal. At Sage, we believe in you, and making our home yours.

Are you up for it? Call Sage 250-861-5122 today!

www.realestatesage.ca

KELOWNA HEAD OFFICE: 108 1980 Cooper Road 250-861-5122

WESTSIDE: KELOWNA 1-2525 Dobbin Rd DOWNTOWN: 426B Bernard Ave 778-754-6656 250-861-5122

VERNON: LAKE COUNTRY: 3110-29 Ave Oceola Rd & Hwy 97 250-549-3390 778-480-5003

Stop by online www.realestatesage.ca | email admin@realestatesage.ca

CREATING HAPPY OWNERS WHO LOVE SUNSHINE!

DEBRA KELLY HOLA! I am so lucky to have grown up a Kelowna girl! I am now a passionate OKANAGAN real estate agent, dedicated to making your sales experience ‘easy and joyful’. I am madly in love with two resort destinations, The Okanagan and Cabo San Lucas, MX, both of which I call home. In the summer of 1993 I moved to Cabo San Lucas for what was to be a one-year adventure in paradise.

With my three young children in tow, the sleepy little fishing village was warm and life by the sea took hold of my soul. The simple life was perfect. There was no TV and only two little telephone centers in town. Twenty years later my ‘one’ year adventure continues and there is no place else I would rather be… except here in the sunny Okanagan!

I love to golf, snow ski and walk my dog, Bruce ( who is way too cute and only 6 pounds) along the sunny beaches of both Okanagan Lake and the Sea of Cortez. I welcome a phone call to talk about ‘all things’ Real Estate for either Kelowna or Cabo. Also, I can easily help you with questions of where to stay in Cabo, play golf, best restaurants and lively whale watching trips! Oh, and where to enjoy the best margaritas!

Call now to discuss your real estate plans as our 2014 Okanagan market saw a 24% increase in sales over 2013.

Don’t wait too long! 250.448.4997

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 21

TWO WEEK S I N

RATMATE V I L L A G E BY: PATTI SHALES LEFKOS

SUNRISE IN NEPAL

“

Teacher, teacher,” they called in strident voices. “Eraser, eraser.” Sadly, I was the only teacher and there was but one single eraser for the entire class. A disheveled girl with eager eyes and ill kept hair, seated in the back row, was hoarding the single eraser. She lent it to others stingily, in an attempt to gain friends. A blur of grade two students sat before me, three to a wooden bench, tattered scribblers and grubby backpacks crushed across the narrow desks. I stood paralyzed before the sea of 22 smiles, most missing their two front teeth, all demanding the immediate attention of this new foreigner.

Teachers everywhere know there is one class in every elementary school everyone dreads. For some reason, new students who have parachuted into the class at the last minute, too many boys, too many girls, too big a spread from the brightest to the most academically needy or simply a challenging combination of personalities, it is known as the toughest class in the school.

22 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

“MY GUIDE RAJ AND I TREKKED THE STEEP UPHILL 300 METRES, STEPPING SLOWLY, SLOWLY, BISTARI, BISTARI, SWEAT STICKING OUR SHIRTS TO OUR BACKS IN THE 30 C HEAT AND HUMIDITY.”

PHOTO: MORNING ASSEMBLY, BHAIRABI SCHOOL

RIGHT: CAMPSITE WITH SEA OF FOG OVER TOWN OF ARUGHAT BELOW

In Bhairabi School in the small village of Ratmate, in a remote area of Gorhka, east of Kathmandu, in Nepal, it was Grade two and I had volunteered to teach them.

Two days before my guide Raj and I trekked the steep uphill 300 metres, stepping slowly, slowly, bistari, bistari, sweat sticking our shirts to our backs in the 30 C heat and humidity. My legs protested this first hike of my trip. I was already weary from the seven-hour hardscrabble dirt road drive from Kathmandu. My last uphill climb had been a cool cross-country skate ski in -5 C weather only week previously at home at Silver Star Mountain in BC’s Okanagan Valley. The contrast was debilitating.

While a comfortable homestay was available, I opted for camping as asthma would not allow me to sleep in a home with an indoor cooking fire. Raj, and our cook, Kamal, set up camp on one of the few level spots close to the school. The Western toilet, reserved for volunteers, reigned up eight precariously steep cement steps. No nighttime forays for me.

Raj heaved my red North Face duffle bag into the small yellow dome tent, my home for the next two weeks. I strung my Canadian flag on our clothesline then dove into the black Ace the Himalaya duffle full of school supplies. Nervously I searched for the CD’s of easy English songs, large charts of lyrics and simple conversation dialogues, and vocabulary card games I had prepared at home more than 11,000 kilometres

Sharu, a gap-toothed girl with a broad smile, dressed in a pink T-shirt and dusty beige Adidas shorts, stepped forward.

“What is your name?” she asked, in surprisingly clear English. “Patti,” I said.

“I am Sharu,” she said. “ She is Bina,” motioning to a shorter girl standing slightly behind her. Bina rewarded me with a smile as wide as the valley below, revealing the space where her two front teeth used to be. A faded orange shortsleeved shirt dotted with a yellow apple topped flowered cotton pants and plastic flip flops. These two, along with Bina’s older brother Ganesh, rapidly became my best friends. They visited our campsite every day, eager to learn and proud to display their English skills. Bina would point at our red plastic wash water jug and say, “This is a water,” or, grab my arm and say “This is a girl.”

The next morning a transformed Bina, resplendent in her school uniform, blue shirt and back pleated skirt, sat perched on the wooden bench in the front row, her shiny black hair smoothed into a neat ponytail. Earlier I had caught site of Sharu standing erect for morning assembly at the head of the grade 3 line. The back of her hand pressed against her forehead in salute, her gleaming white teeth highlighting a serious expression as she belted out the Nepali national anthem.

Retired for several years and a principal for the last twenty years of my career, I

THE FIRST WEEK WAS BRUTAL. SONG CHARTS PEELED OFF THE ROUGH GRAY CEMENT WALLS WHEN MY MASKING TAPE WOULDN’T STICK IN THE HUMIDITY, THE CD PLAYER I HAD BOUGHT IN KATHMANDU TO HELP ME TEACH SONGS ATE UP THE BATTERIES. away. Students in dusty weekend clothes, as curious about me as I was about them, gathered nearby on the pathway leading to the communal tap, the only source of water in the village.

hadn’t taught in a primary classroom for more than 25 years. It showed. I felt like a beginning teacher on the opening day of school in September. The first week was brutal. Song charts peeled off the rough gray cement walls when my masking tape wouldn’t stick in the humidity, the CD player I had bought in Kathmandu to help me teach songs ate up the batteries.

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 23

TOP LEFT: SHARU (LEFT) AND BINA WELCOMING ME TO THEIR VILLAGE TOP RIGHT: TEACHING THE ALPHABET IN GRADE 2 BOTTOM LEFT: TEACHING A SONG I LEARNED AT STORY TIME AT VERNON PUBLIC LIBRARY TO GRADE 1 BOTTOM RIGHT: RAJ NEUPANE, GUIDE, FRIEND AND TEACHING ASSISTANT IN GRADE 2 CLASS

wouldn’t stick in the humidity, the CD player I had bought in Kathmandu to help me teach songs ate up the batteries. Electricity was intermittent at best and non-existent at worst. One teacher, and my faithful guide, friend and teaching assistant Raj, one eraser and precious few pencils. A nightmare.

By the end of the third day I was exhausted. The imposter syndrome reared its ugly head. What made me think I could step in and teach anywhere in the world? Am I too old for this?

Somehow I made it through that first week. No TOC’s in existence, I agreed to fill in for the head teacher, Tanka, who was attending teacher training that week. I followed his schedule of teaching all of the grade levels from one to six. I also took time to observe other classes, mostly characterized by rote learning, and other teachers peered through the non-screened shuttered windows to watch me encourage student participation in songs and games. Still each class was delayed by trying to find pencils, erasers and dry erase pens as well as chalk for the hopelessly scarred whiteboards and ancient ragged-edged blackboards.

The 20-minute walk Raj and I often took at the end of the day to the nearest source of refrigerated Everest beer was worth every step. We debriefed the days and by the end of the week we hatched a plan.

On Saturday I strode back down the 300 metres we had gained the week before to the town of Arughat, population 4,000, with singular purpose. I’m going to make my life easier by buying enough supplies for the kids if I have to walk all the way back to Kathmandu to get them.

We didn’t have to go that far. Raj led me to an open storefront selling school supplies. I purchased 30 pencils, sharpeners, erasers, scribblers and sets of pre-sharpened coloured pencils. We dropped into a miniscule back room internet den, 100 Nepali rupees, about $1 per hour, for an emotionally gratifying check of email messages from the outside world. Then we scarfed down some freshly prepared, steaming veggie momos, traditional Nepali dumplings, while guzzling frosty Everest beer. Later, in the heat and humidity, we sweated our way back up the hundreds of stone steps to the village.

By the end of the second week students had learned to respect my request to raise their hand. The locally constructed whiteboards purchased from funds raised by the grade 5 class at Vernon, BC’s BX Elementary were carried up the hill and installed. Everyone, including the teachers, Raj and our cook Kamal, were singing the English songs I had been teaching.

One last after school campsite tea party with the staff and early morning tearful farewells and we disappeared down the dusty road in a whirlwind of Nepali powder. The gap-toothed grins of Sharu and Bina and the image of Ganesh’s agile leaps among the cornstalks chasing baby goats away from our tents are with me still.

IF YOU GO:

Volunteer experiences are available through Kathmandu based trekking company Ace the Himalaya, www.acethehimalaya.com and registered Nepal charitable foundation Sambhav Nepal, www.sambhavnepal.org

24 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

L O L | L A D I E S O N L I T E R AT U R E

1

PHOTO SHANNON LINDEN

Y

ou could argue it is the delectable array of sumptuous food and generous glasses of local wine.

Unquestionably it is the company we keep.

The LOL have been meeting for more than three years and with every book we read, every month we gather, our friendship grows as our discussions delve deeper.

But this past season, as we cocooned cozily beneath couch throws, we marveled that the great joy—and challenge—of book club, is reading

What’s the best thing about being in a book club?

BY: SHANNON LINDEN

outside our comfort zones. Some of us love to keep it light; others like to dig into the darkness, while a few ladies love non-fiction most. Our two winter selections are both highly acclaimed, best selling novels, but couldn’t be more different.

The Rosie Project is described by critics and readers alike as delightful, a feel-good story from a unique new voice while The Goldfinch—eleven years in the making and winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction—is a heartbreakingly bleak story.

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THE ROSIE PROJECT

BY GRAEME SIMSION As winter slowly washes away and the earth begins to bake with spring’s renewal, grab this novel for a quick and sunny read.

It’s a modern day romance written by a man, and narrated by an unlikely charmer, genetics Professor, Don Tillman.

Convinced he can’t make it beyond a second date, Tillman devises a project to find the perfect wife. In keeping with his obsessive and acutely scheduled personality, his questionnaire is guaranteed to eliminate anyone who is, “not punctual or orderly and most definitely

IT’S A MODERN DAY ROMANCE WRITTEN BY A MAN, AND NARRATED

BY AN UNLIKELY CHARMER, GENETICS PROFESSOR, DON TILLMAN.

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L O L | L A D I E S O N L I T E R AT U R E

not a barmaid, a smoker and drinker, or a late arriver.”

Of course the woman who ends up captivating Professor Tillman’s heart is all of the above.

Some readers criticized the book for making light of Asperger’s— one Good Reads participant went so far as to say, “This does for autism what Pretty Woman did for prostitutes...” plays on it for entertainment and laughter.

The author says it is a romantic comedy but touches on some serious issues, like what love really is and who deserves it.

Well-written and wonderfully plotted, full of funny and colourful scenes, including Tillman concocting cocktails that would rival Tom Cruises’, it’s hard not to like this book.

“I’d give it six stars,” Laura said, “because I like happy books!”

4 cheers!

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I ENJOYED TARTT’S THOUGHTS AND PHILOSOPHIES WOVEN THROUGHOUT HER PASSIONATE DIATRIBE ON THE AFFECT A BRILLIANT PIECE OF ART HAS ON THE HUMAN SOUL. ~ VIKKI

THE GOLDFINCH

BY DONNA TARTT Theo Decker is just thirteen when he survives, but loses his beloved mother, in a terrorist explosion at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Brilliant and beautiful, delightful and deeply devoted to her son, all that is left of the remarkable woman is her love of art—immortalized, for Theo, in the 1654 Carel Fabritius painting, The Goldfinch, strewn among the ashes. Theo knows he must escape the building, but not before taking the painting with him.

The book follows the tragic tale of Theo’s life as it unravels over the next fourteen years. A wealthy friend’s family briefly takes him in before he moves to Las Vegas to be with his estranged father and his aging hottie girlfriend, Xandra, then returns to New York, and finally washes up in Amsterdam.

Along the way he encounters eccentric characters, like the philosophical (and drunken, drug-addicted) Russian teenager, Boris, and Hobie, a father figure who teaches him the craft of antique restoration.

Tormented by his gut-wrenching longing for his mother, Theo guards The Goldfinch and gets drawn into the dark underworld of drugs and dealing art.

Vikki summed up the tone of this book: “It transported me but to an uncomfortable, hellish place. I enjoyed Tartt’s thoughts and philosophies woven throughout her passionate diatribe on the affect a brilliant piece of art has on the human soul. Passages in the book shall forever haunt me. Fatalistic is a word that comes to mind.”

Cindy G loved the quote about how death may always win, “but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it; that maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway… It is a glory and a privilege to love what death doesn’t touch.”

Meanwhile, Laura was fascinated with Boris, “The hedonistic, disreputable, thieving, drug and alcohol addicted, Ukrainian, best buddy.”

A complex and compelling story, The Goldfinch is wordy—but I would argue beautifully so; Tartt is a gifted writer. It’s too long—nearly 800 (God help us) pages, but it’s the book of the year, receiving no shortage of both praise and criticism.

Reading The Goldfinch is an investment— but worth it, in our opinion.

4 Cheers!

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TOP RIGHT PHOTO: WALLOWING AWAY IN EL TOTUMO’S MAGICAL MUD.

marvelous

MUD M

BOTTOM LEFT: SLOWLY SWALLOWED BY MUD, A BIZARRE, GRAVITY-FREEING SENSATION.

BEAUTY’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET OR JUST GOOD, CLEAN FUN? BY: LAURA GOSSET (PHOTOS SUPPLIED)

UD! The word conjures visions of making sloppy, brown pies in the backyard as a kid. Not since then have I associated mud with fun.

That was until I visited El Totumo Volcano in Colombia, South America. About fifty kilometers northwest of Cartagena, the mound resembled a giant termite’s nest and, instead of lava inside the crater, there was mud the consistency of brownie batter – thick, gritty, but silky - and not nearly so tasty.

According to local lore, a priest sprinkled holy water onto the once lava-spewing mountain and tamed it into the naturally occurring mud bath that exists today. I found this little gem in my guidebook and, much to my husband’s dismay, decided a visit would make the perfect day trip from Cartagena.

In only our bathing suits, we climbed a rickety, wooden staircase clinging to the outside of the volcano. From the top, we had our first view into the caldron below, a pond filled with glorious goo the color of ash and a dozen bobbing, mud-encased tourists. Taking a deep breath, we carefully navigated the slippery ladder to transcend into mud mayhem.

While we feared we might sink, never to be seen again, the soft, warm mixture was surprisingly buoyant.

Legend claims the crater has no bottom and indeed our attempts to touch with our toes resulted in flailing limbs, uncontrollable body rolling, and bumping into fellow bathers, floating by us like weightless astronauts.

For the equivalent of $1.50 (CAN), a Colombian attendant - who definitely was not a Registered Massage Therapist - gave us an uninspired rub, which felt more like an exfoliation. When we were done, he shot our torsos towards the exit ladder almost like he was parking jet skis.

We emerged totally covered, looking like alien beings with only our eyes and teeth showing.

ing, st

s,

nt—

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 27

BUT MY SKIN GLOWED, MY COMPLEXION WAS CLEAR, I FELT RELAXED, REJUVENATED, COMPLETELY STRESS-FREE TOP RIGHT PHOTO: EMERGING LIKE ALIENS FROM THE MUDDY DEPTHS OF THE VOLCANIC CRATER. BOTTOM LEFT: EL TOTUMO MUD VOLCANO NEAR THE COASTAL, CARIBBEAN CITY OF CARTAGENA IN NORTHERN COLOMBIA.

Next we were hustled down to a lake nearby, where a group of women whipped off our suits, poured buckets of fresh water over our heads and dispensed a good, old fashioned scrub of everything - and I do mean everything. We squatted as low as we could go in a vain attempt to cover our unmentionables.

While we were wallowing in El Totuma, the earthy experience got me pondering the health and beauty benefits of mud treatments.

With a bit of digging, I discovered the tradition of slathering mud on the body goes back centuries. Even Cleopatra believed black mud scooped from the bottom of the Dead Sea made her more beautiful. Today, the mud bath remains a staple at spas everywhere.

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The use of mud baths to help with musculoskeletal and skin disorders is known as “fangotherapy” (“fango” being the Italian word for mud). The precise mechanisms underlying the capacity of mud to soothe and heal does not seem to be scientifically understood and, despite its long history and popularity, these treatments are still the subject of debate in modern medicine.

Dr. Craig Crippen M.D. CCFP has devoted his practice exclusively to both medical and cosmetic skin care procedures and treatments at DermMedica, his Kelowna clinic.

“I would not expect anything out of a mud bath session, except for perhaps relaxation and stress relief and some fun of course”, he said.

Dr. Crippen did note some studies have suggested patients with osteoarthritis require less pain medication when regularly treated with warm bath soaks.

He expects similar treatments using mud would have comparable effects.

Even though the scientific value to the skin is about as clear as mud, for years it has been used to naturally treat conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, dermatitis and other skin problems.

Mud’s therapeutic properties are also touted by spas worldwide for improving circulation, detoxifying, cleansing the pores, restoring elasticity, softness and clarity, and absorbing oils from and adding minerals back into the skin.

Debra Pender, the owner and operator of Beyond Wrapture, the first day spa to open in Kelowna, is passionate about the mud treatments offered at her four locations.

“Mud is the best,” she praised. “After their treatment, my clients can immediately feel the difference in their skin. Our mud treatments contain balanced amounts of valuable minerals and trace elements that, when absorbed, create a young, healthy, fresh, supple-looking skin.”

BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, WHAT’S MY VERDICT ON MUD? Unfortunately, I didn’t look ten years younger after my dirty dip in El Totumo and, for the next few days, I was blowing mud from my nose, scraping it out of my ears and wiping it from places I didn’t even know I had. A lingering aroma of egg followed me for an entire day and my poor bikini will never be quite the same.

But my skin glowed, my complexion was clear, I felt relaxed, rejuvenated, completely stress-free and maybe even a little less over-the-hill. The best therapeutic benefit of all - it put a smile on my face.

Laura Gosset is a lawyer who does everything but practice law. Passionate traveller, serial adventurer, sports enthusiast and writer, she believes wine is to women as duct tape is to men - it fixes everything.

PROFILE

Tanner Lorenson BY: PATTI SHALES LEFKOS

PHOTO BY: BARRY HODGINS

D

on’t be fooled by her blond waves, soft blue eyes and gentle demeanor: Vernon Senior Secondary grade 12 student Tanner Lorenson is a force to be reckoned with.

From volleyball to volunteering, Tanner does it all with grace and humility.

A resident of Vernon since entering BX Elementary in grade 6, Tanner has gone on to fully embrace school and community life. While she insists the Humanities are her favourites, Tanner also excels in math and sciences and completed grade 11 requirements while still in grade 10.

Time for workouts? You bet. Tanner trains six days a week as setter on the VSS girls volleyball team. Outside of school she’s a member of the Vernon Volleyball Club and the UBCO Junior Heat Volleyball squad. Beach Volleyball, including competing in the BC Summer Games, keeps her active during the summer months. Still, she always finds time to retreat to her favourite spot in the world, the rustic family cabin on deep, cold water Adams Lake, near Chase, BC, built by her dad and his brothers.

During the winter Tanner hits the slopes at Silver Star, where she has skied since the age of 8. With all this activity, she’s lucky her dad sells physiotherapy equipment.

Despite her obvious mastery of academics and athletics, her all consuming passion is volunteerism. This dedication to service for others was first triggered when in grade 4 she saw a video about a third world country. The coin drive she initiated collected $2,000 which she donated to the US global aid agency Mercy Corps.

Enthused by her success, Tanner’s life has continued to exemplify her personal guiding principle, “Try to leave the world a better place.”

At age 15 Tanner was one of nine Canadians invited to join students from

the US and Mexico at the Trilateral Youth Ambassador Exchange funded by the US government. The program included a homestay in Modesto, California, a series of workshops focusing on civic education and community activism as well as a visit to Washington, DC. Then, in Grade 11, Tanner was accepted into the Vernon School District’s full semester Students Without Borders program at Kalamalka Secondary School.

During a five week volunteer stint repairing parks in Panama she gained an appreciation of indigenous cultures. The experience changed her life. “It opened up my eyes to ways to make a change, how to take a passion and put it in to action. It showed me just how powerful my voice could be,” she says.

These days she has been using that power as chairperson of the VSS Student Voice Committee. “The position has given me the opportunity to make presentations about LGBT issues, spearheading a campaign last spring to combat homophobic behavior and language to give students and teachers perspectives and ways of communicating around the issues.” As a member of the VSS Leadership Club, Tanner has participated in events like the Pink Panther Volleyball Game and dressed in florescent pink for the Drive Thru Breakfast at the Vernon Lodge sponsored by Safeway, KISS FM and the Vernon Vipers for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

No surprise her quintessential career is that of international human rights lawyer.

Chances are her mom, Vernon lawyer Tracey Lorenson, had some influence. “I look up to her so much,” says Tanner. “She is strong, well-spoken, and tells me there is nothing you can’t do. It would be an honour to end up like her.”

If she sounds too driven and serious for you, think again. Tanner takes time out to hang out with her 15-year old sister Reilly.

“We’re best friends,” says Tanner. “She can always make me laugh. She has a quick wit.

I admire that.” Down time might find her watching her favourite movie Shrek, “It’s hilarious,” or listening to Shania Twain. “I hack around on the guitar. My aunt Stephanie taught me some chords.”

A chocolate Labrador, Nash, named for basketball great Steve Nash, rounds out the family scene.

So what’s in the future? Tanner, voted by her peers to be the Valedictorian for the graduating class at VSS, will make that one last speech and begin her next adventure.

Plans to attend the University of Victoria will have to be put on hold for a year as she has been awarded a scholarship by Vernon’s Kalamalka Rotary Club to spend a year in Thailand. Tanner’s idea of perfect happiness is when all areas of life are in balance; family, school work and service to others. This is one dynamic young woman well on the way to her ultimate goal.

TANNER TRIVIA ON THE SERIOUS SIDE 50 Years from Now: Environmentally We will no longer be dependent on non-renewable resources if action is taken now.

Socially Race, sexuality and gender will not dictate what people can do.

Book on the Night Table Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE: Go To Pre-Game Fuel Oatmeal and Bananas.

What People May Not Know About Me “I can spin a basketball on one finger.”

Her screensaver? Best pic with her boyfriend.

Technology Must Have Her phone. “It connects people all over the world.”

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 29

SPRING INTO Summer With a Renewed Fitness Plan

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BY: SHANNON LINDEN

Summer, it turns me upside down. Summer, summer, summer, it’s like a merry-go round.”

Or so The Cars sang— and most women can relate, as the season of sunshine sends us on a dizzying ride. We’re thrilled the days are brighter; beside ourselves bathing suits can’t be far behind.

MARY JUNG, PHOTO BY ALLYSSA COSTERTON-GRANT

“Women, especially mothers, are culturally raised and praised to focus on the health of our children but not our own” We’ve spent the winter indoors, bundled like babies in those silly onesies, and suddenly we’re supposed to bare our bodies and hit the beach?

“Ninety-nine percent of women’s goals are related to weight loss,” Kelly (Game Changer) Van Montfoort says. Co-Founder (with husband, Jason) of Lynchpin Strength and Conditioning, she should know. A personal trainer at Kelowna’s One-Life Health and Wellness, she’s been in the business of building better bodies’ for18 years.

Who doesn’t want to look hot when the sun sizzles—nothing wrong with that—but the truth is, physical fitness is paramount to our overall health.

“People know they should be exercising,” Mary Jung, Ph. D and Assistant Professor of the UBCO School of Health and Exercise Sciences, says. “But women, in particular, need to focus on—and value more—the plethora of non-weight related benefits.”

Jung points to the endless number of studies proving that exercise instantly improves our mood (the brain releases endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine; feel-

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good chemicals). “Exercise rejuvenates us and refreshes our minds. It makes us more productive at work, increases creativity, and instantly melts away stress and anxiety.”

Why then, don’t more of us do it?

“In a word,” Van Montfoort says, “perfection. People expect it from themselves and presume those already in shape have it when it comes to their training schedules, eating habits, and other lifestyle factors.”

Combine the perfection problem with arbitrary weight-loss goals and unrealistic expectations, and you have the ingredients of a failed fitness plan.

Ever set out to complete a list of errands, hollering to your husband you’ll be home soon, only to get a text hours later asking where you are (followed by, ‘What do you want to do for dinner?).

Same thing happens to our fitness plans.

Life and traffic get in the way. Women in particular are sidelined by family commitments.

“Women, especially mothers, are culturally raised and praised to focus on the health of our children but not our own,” Jung points out. “Putting ourselves last often means exercise comes after kids are in bed, lunches are packed, laundry is done, bills paid and the next day’s dinner planned. Research tells us that mothers, over fathers, experience extreme guilt for taking time out of their day to do something for themselves.”

All women—mothers or not—make the mistake of wanting it all—and wanting it now.

“People chronically set themselves up to fail with the best of intentions,” Van Montfoort says. “They plan to train five times a week, count calories, quit drinking and smoking, all on the same day. The chance of successfully changing any habit declines significantly when a second is added.”

“Being ill prepared to actually engage in the behavior is problematic,” Jung adds.

“People know what they want but don’t learn the essential skills to stick to an exercise regime, like setting proper goals, tracking progress, self reflecting and evaluating.”

What to Do andTricks toTry “Women can first focus on themselves,” Jung recommends. “It’s not selfish to take

care of your own health.” By taking care of ourselves, we do our best to be there for others. Plus it’s a great example to set for our kids. Van Montfoort brings her eightyear old son to the gym, while Jung uses teachable moments to reinforce fitness.

“My daughter is allowed to use permanent markers when she writes mom’s exercise schedule on the kitchen calendar,” Jung says. “It’s a big deal for a five-year-old, and this way I model and explain how exercise is healthy.”

Jung also insists a self-monitoring plan is important. “It’s often overlooked because of its simplicity but daily self-monitoring keeps you honest, accountable and ontrack, especially when you miss a workout.

“That’s the most important time to write it down,” Jung says, “or use a fitness app to help you keep track.”

“Focus on your exercise plan, rather than the end goal,” she encourages. “So many women think it will be motivating to put a picture of an airbrushed model on the fridge to facilitate a regimented routine. Sadly this has actually been shown to decrease longterm motivation with unfair comparisons.

Plus it’s not related whatsoever to the plan—the steps getting there do not show up in the picture.”

She suggests you post a brag calendar in which you reward yourself with a sticker for every day you exercise.

Van Montfoort agrees. “People mistake getting into shape as an event, something they can do for a short period of time, rather than seeing it as an ongoing process and lifestyle. Commit to the process and have patience with the fact you have new skills to learn (which will naturally involve making mistakes) and allow yourself time to grow and adapt.”

Finally, remember even trainers don’t always feel like hitting it.

“I’m not motivated to work out every day,” Van Montfoort says. “What people find counterintuitive is when I find that motivation. It comes at the end of the workout, not before. Most people aren’t giddy with anticipation to clean house either. The sense of satisfaction comes at its completion, when you can appreciate a job well done and enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

Above all else, be kind to yourself.

“Speak to yourself with positive words of encouragement, like you would your best friend on her way to her goal,” Jung says.

“Practice self compassion!”

—Even when you try on that swimsuit for the first time this season.

Follow writer Shannon Linden, next issue, as she tests out the theory that running for someone else (Just do it—for Charity) helps us reach our fitness goals faster.

PHOTO: PERSONAL TRAINER, KELLY VAN MONTFOORT, CONTRIBUTED

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“Motivation comes at the end of the workout, not before. Most people aren’t giddy with anticipation to clean house either.

The sense of satisfaction comes at its completion, when you can appreciate a job well done.”

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 31

TRAINER TO THE STARS LIKES WORKING WITH EVERYWOMAN

where healthy smiles start

BEGINNER WORKOUT:

2-5 MIN WARM UP (WALK, JOG, JUMPING JACKS, SKIPPING) *10 air squats *30-second plank *10 pushups from toes or knees *1 min rest *10 air squats *10 tabletop, opposite arm/ leg extension (“superman’s”) *10 pushups *1 min rest

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he’s helped pump up some pretty impressive people, but Kelowna personal trainer, Kelly Van Montfoort, says working with celebrities in Vancouver isn’t so different than guiding the rest of us.

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kelownasmiles.com 250 762 2521

“They’re just regular people. A lot of time was spent waiting around on set so they could squeeze in a few exercises.”

She and her husband, Jason, have worked with Ben Stiller, The Rock, Ann Hathaway, Olivia Wilde, and the cast of The Fringe, Bomb Girls, Twilight and Tron.

While Stiller stands out as a favorite—“His humor is the same off screen,” Van Montfoort says—she is most impressed with regular women who work hard.

“I’ve seen incredible changes in many clients, but local radio personality, Roo Phelps (Country 100.7), is someone every woman can relate to. She didn’t come from an athletic background or have what we call a ‘gifted’ body type.

She has made incredible changes— check out her Facebook page.”

And try one of Van Montfoort’s workouts to the right. These exercises use bodyweight, no equipment required, so you can take them anywhere—even the beach.

32 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

*10 air squats *10 full sit-ups *10 pushups *5-10 min (walk, jog, jump jacks, skipping) INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED CARDIO AND CORE:

WARM UP (50 JUMPING JACKS; 10 PUSH-UPS; 10 AIR SQUATS) *100 jump rope skips (or jump over an obstacle) * 50 sit-ups *75 jump rope skips *40 sit-ups *50 jump rope skips *30 sit-ups *25 jump rope skips *15 sit-ups INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED BODY WEIGHT WORKOUT:

WARM UP (10 MINUTES OF INCLINE WALK; OR JOG) *10 pushups *20 “superwoman’s” *30 reverse lunges (15 per leg) *40 sit-ups *50 air squats *Repeat the cycle, 3 to 5 times *Repeat warm-up exercise for 10 min. cool down

Interested in training with the Lynchpin Team? Contact them directly at: 250681-3818 or email kelly@lynchpinstrong.com Check out the

One-Life Health and Wellness Center at www.1-life.ca or call: 250 869-1427

PROFILE

Jean Busch-Hocken KGH FOUNDATION SUPPORTER

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PHOTO: JEAN BUSCH-HOCKEN

ean Busch-Hocken’s first home was on Pandosy Street near Kelowna General Hospital. She was born at KGH and delivered all three of her children there too. Fast forward to 2015, driving under the sleek overhead walkway and watching the construction on the new Interior Heart & Surgical Centre, it’s easy to see the hospital’s appearance has changed considerably over the years.

So too have the lifesaving processes and procedures, not to mention the medical equipment required.

For Jean, the connection was obvious.

She opted to begin a relationship with the KGH Foundation. Working with her Financial Advisor, Jean purchased a life insurance policy and made the Foundation the owner and beneficiary.

She receives a tax receipt each year for the premiums paid, and above all knows she is supporting the advancement of medical care in her community.

Diane Paterson, Manager of Gift Planning at the KGH Foundation works with many generous donors like Jean.

“It is extremely rewarding when I help donors fulfill their Legacy gift whether that is through a gift in their will, a gift of life insurance or another type of gift planning,” says Diane. “Planned giving allows donors to make a gift that is meaningful to them that they may not be able to accomplish during their lifetime.”

For more information, contact Diane at 250-862-4300, local 7011 or diane. paterson@interiorhealth.ca.

“I HAVE HAD A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH KGH AND THE FOUNDATION. I FEEL FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK.”

Darrell and Margaret Porubanec Legacy Donors, Kelowna, BC Darrell and Margaret Porubanec REMEMBER KGHBC IN YOUR WILL Legacy Donors, Kelowna,

Every gift to the KGH Foundation impacts the lives of your family and community now and for generations to come.

To discuss ways to create your legacy, please contact Diane.

DIANE PATERSON Manager of Gift Planning 250.862.4300 local 7011 | diane.paterson@interiorhealth.ca kghfoundation.com

REMEMBER KGH IN YOUR WILL Every gift to the KGH Foundation impacts the lives of your family and community now and for generations to come.

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 33 To discuss ways to create your legacy, please contact Diane.

Celebrate

YO UR S I L HOUETTE W W W. A R M S T R O N G W O M A N . C O M

O F F ER : 15% OFF

BRING THIS AD IN TO OUR ARMSTRONG BOUTIQUE FOR

ANY NEW SPRING FASHIONS. OR ENTER DISCOUNT CODE OKWM15 TO ENJOY 15% OFF NEW SPRING FASHIONS ON-LINE.

VALID UNTIL MAY 31, 2015

2516B PATTERSON AVE ARMSTRONG | 250.546.3096

34 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

THE

C A N A D IAN FA SHION S C E NE

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hen Silhouette Fashion Boutique opened almost five years ago, the plan was simple. Bring well-priced women’s fashions to Armstrong, where there was no ladies wear store.

We quickly learned that sizing isn’t consistent in the fashion industry, and just because the label says “large” doesn’t mean the garment is a Canadian “LARGE.” So, to ensure our sizing made sense, we decided to look at Canadian Fashions. And then we discovered something wonderful!

Canadian made and designed fashion is alive and well and we have plenty of it at Silhouette Fashion Boutique.

Since it was important for us to have well-priced clothing, we were concerned that we might not find enough Canadian fashions that could retail for under $100. We quickly learned that wasn’t going to be a problem. In fact Canadian fashions are very competitively priced. Shop and compare. One need only look at any brand name label to realize the fashion houses are not passing the savings they receive by manufacturing off shore on to the consumer.

We liked the idea that buying Canadian is good for the local economy, but we weren’t being altruistic in the beginning. We just liked what we saw - innovative, stylish and unique fashions that you don’t often find in department stores.

Over time, we’ve become quite adamant about carrying Canadian fashions in our boutique. We learned that buying Canadian supports our country’s economy, encourages new designers to be even more innovative, and it means supporting safe working conditions for textile workers around the world.

We’ve changed things up quite a bit since we first opened.

We’ve renovated and expanded our floor space.

Our boutique is open to the world, check us out online, www.armstrongwoman.com and visit us at our Armstrong location: 2516B Patterson Avenue.

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 35

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After record snowfalls this past winter, we welcome the first spring crocuses poking up through the ground. There’s something about this time of year that inspires us to throw open our windows and let the fresh breeze in. Spring is an ideal time to infuse renewed energy into our living space.

Every spring many Okanaganites are suddenly struck with the urge to take on a home renovation project. Perhaps it is because we have just spent much of the winter indoors, and our home décor seems passe. It no longer feels current – and well, we just can’t contain our enthusiasm for change.

Our homes are where we unwind, reconnect, and escape the work day hassle. We want our homes to be inviting and comfortable and it’s good to know that decorating it can be simple and affordable.

36 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

When it comes to home decor, there are no rules. Everyone has their own unique style.

Whether you want to freshen up the bedroom, redo the kitchen, or spruce up the bathroom these local area businesses can offer expertise and ideas.

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DASH OF MODERN

From what started as a side business in a minivan has turned into something greater than expected. Nicole, a former insurance broker with a strong background in warehousing and logistics, came up with the idea with her husband Bill. “It started from picking things up at Ikea for family and friends on monthly trips to BC Children’s Hospital. Within a year of being in business, we knew Dash of Modern had the ability to grow, so we moved to West Kelowna”, says Nicole.

So what exactly does Dash of Modern offer? Nicole excitedly explains “Dash of Modern is your Interior BC solution to everything Ikea. We deliver everything Ikea, including the kitchen sink, from bendy straws to full kitchens. Dash of modern will also design and install kitchens, bathrooms and closet spaces that will have you falling in love with your

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home again! You can even use your Ikea gift cards towards assembly and installation.”

Dash of Moderns clients are extremely happy about how easy and convenient the service is. “So simple, I make a shopping list on the Ikea website and email it to Nicole at Dash of Modern, she sends me an invoice and they pick up my items on their next trip” says Joanne M. of Kelowna. “I have always gotten my items within 4-5 days and get so excited when they come to the door. The best part is that I can have them deliver it already assembled. Their shipping rates are a fraction of what Ikea charges and returns or warranty issues are dealt directly with Dash of Modern. Not only do they save me money, they save me time.”

June, G of Lake Country recently had Dash of Modern install her kitchen, walk in

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closets, coffee bar and laundry room. “Nicole and Bill helped make my vision a reality. I was able to leave the details to them.”, June explains. “Nicole and Bill are so lovely to have in your home. Besides being fun, they are so knowledgeable about Ikea products. Truly a positive experience!”

For more info on Dash of Modern, check out their website www.dashofmodern. ca or Facebook.com/ dashofmodern

DASH OF MODERN

Delivering Everything IKEA including the kitchen sink!

Design-Delivery-Assembly

DM DASH OF MODERN

Dash of Modern Furniture Supply West Kelowna, BC Ph: 1-866-951-3274 (DASH) Cell: 250-315-9719

DASHOFMODERN.CA

38 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

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Better sleep for better health

Are you tired of body impressions in your MATTRESS? A

hhh…the dreaded Geoff explains: Going back body impression! 12 years ago and beyond, Sleepy’s – The mattresses did not get body Mattress Store have impressions. Most good the cure! mattresses performed very So, you’ve just invested in well for years and stood a new sleep set and already the test of time. Today’s in less than a year you notice mattresses last only half the a hump up the middle of time, on average 5 - 6 years. the mattress with two deep And most get the dreaded impressions on either side body impressions in a very where your bodies lie. You short period of time. call the salesperson that sold it That’s because ‘they don’t to you and are told that body make ‘em like they used to.’ impressions are normal, that Some years back, the mattress the mattress is conforming industry went away from to your body. You are told to flippable mattresses – and rotate your mattress more started a PR campaign to often or if you have a king convince consumers that half size, to make quarter turns a mattress was better than a and this should minimize the whole one. Most factories issue. Then you find out that upgraded the quality of the these sags have to be visibly components in the top of the more than 1.5” to 2” deep mattress to give the bed more before the manufacturer will integrity. But it didn’t take do anything about it. You long for the larger mattress explain that you have to roll stores to put pressure on the uphill to meet your partner manufacturers to reduce and are told again that this their wholesale costs so is normal. retailers could amp up their While it may be true that profit margins. To do this, this issue is very common, manufacturers resorted to “it is not normal!” says Geoff using inferior components McLeary of Sleepy’s - The and/or sourcing lower priced Mattress Store, on Baron fillers from China. Even Road in Kelowna. springs systems come from

overseas now.

After hearing the same story time and time again from consumers who had come to his specialty mattress store looking for a solution, Geoff decided to team up with the Restonic Mattress factory in Vancouver to resurrect the two sided flippable mattress. Restonic Mattress builds their beds with integrity, they use all North American components, and they are not in any of the bigger mattress stores. They have won the Women’s Choice Award for the most recommended mattress brand for 3 years in a row. As well as the Consumer’s Digest Best Buy Award for the 8th year in a row.

A two sided mattress may cost 15 - 20% more than a non flip mattress but has double the life span. McLeary says, “Sleepy’s offers a range of two sided mattresses starting at a $388 queen size.”

Sleepy’s also specializes in a lesser known superior material used in their mattresses, toppers, and

pillows - pure latex. Latex is the longest lasting material used in the mattress industry and is derived from the rubber tree. You never have to flip or rotate a quality latex mattress, so these comfortable sleep systems will perform for the long term. Sleepy’s most popular latex bed offers a 20 year full non prorated warranty and an unheard of ¾” body impression tolerance over that 20 year period of time.

Sleepy’s strives to be the most “green” sleep shop in the Okanagan, offering a nice range of green, natural, and organic mattresses and bedding for your better sleep

and better health. You will find Sleepy’s – The Mattress Store just behind Costco on Baron Rd in Kelowna – or – visit their virtual showroom at www.sleepys.ca.

Sleepy’s – The Mattress Store - #3-1725 Baron Rd. - Kelowna. T. 250-868-2337 E. sleepys@shaw.ca W. www.sleepys.ca OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 39

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SPLASHES BATH AND KITCHEN CENTRE When a company continues to build its name and brand for more than 120 years, you know they’re doing something right. Throughout the decades, the staff at Splashes Bath & Kitchen Centre, (a division of Andrew Sheret Limited,) has continually provided clients with the fixtures and service they’ve come to expect from the Andrew Sheret and Splashes names.

Like Splashes, many of the brands lining the walls in the showrooms have staying power in the industry. Having been in business for decades, they are constantly searching for new and better ways to improve on their products, as well as customer satisfaction.

As the world moves towards a greener lifestyle, reducing water has been close to the top of everyone’s “to-do” list. Leading the charge with a number of innovative ideas - including Dual Cyclone Toilets – are brands like Toto. These toilets use 4.8 liters per flush and come into the bowl at two points at the top of the rim. This sends the water “cycloning” around the bowl, effectively washing the bowl three times each flush.

Not only does this cut down on cleaning time, it decreases unnecessary water use.

It’s a normal occurrence that once Splashes “experts” explain this to a customer, they want this feature (Who wouldn’t?).

The Dual Cyclone also means

THIS BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION OF MODERN AND COUNTRY PROVIDES AN AMAZING CONTRAST FOR YOUR SPACE. A STUNNING VESSEL SINK CAN REALLY PROVIDE A FOCAL POINT FOR ANY BATHROOM.

40 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

that there are only two holes along the inner rim, so there is less buildup of bacteria inside the bowl compared to a toilet with the traditional 30 or so small holes along the inside edge.

Cutting down on cleaning time even further is another perk of these bowls: Sanagloss. This proprietary coating, set on the inside of the bowl, keeps the bowl cleaner, allowing users to say “bye-bye” to harsh cleaners to wash the toilet. What’s better for helping the planet than reducing the amount of chemicals going to the wastewater treatment plant?

Splashes loves to introduce new and innovative products

as well as taking pride in the environment, by building LEED certified buildings and offering a large number of water saving and energy saving product options in their showrooms. At Splashes Bath & Kitchen Centres, your style meets their expertise, with a wide variety of bath and kitchen solutions to help you celebrate, entertain, relax and enjoy.

www.splashesonline.com

SPLASHES EDITORIAL

Your Style.

Our Expertise.

20 Victoria • Nanaimo • Campbell River • Courtenay • Parksville • Langford • Duncan SHOWROOMS Vancouver • Surrey • Richmond • Chilliwack • Port Coquitlam • Abbotsford IN BC: Kelowna • Vernon • Penticton • Kamloops • Castlegar • Prince George • Salmon Arm

splashesonline.com

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 41

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JORDANS

“As a designer, I have realized that my clients may fail to remember what I did or said, but they will never forget how I made them feel.” - J. Sarizan A new year means a fresh start and what better way to kick off 2015 than by updating the look of your home. This year’s interior design trends are all about creating a dramatic impact from simplicity. Fresh design and decorating ideas reflect the change of a lifestyle. Creating unexpected combinations of contemporary and new decorating materials reflect inspiring interior design trends that blend manufactured and artistic ideas together. Older pieces of furniture and home decor accessories become new again, and there is no need to be locked into a certain style or look.

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At Jordans Interiors, we realize that every client values their home and wants it to resonate with their individual tastes and personality and we use the latest styles to create a distinctive, timeless design that is uniquely yours. We offer a boutique service built on close relationships with our clients.

We appreciate how exciting and overwhelming designing a home can be. Understanding your unique personal style, budget, and design needs is our main goal.

So, whether you are decorating a new home or want to enhance your dream home, we invite you to contact our professional, creative, and highly skilled interior designers to help you select the key pieces that will make your home a true reflection of your lifestyle.

We provide personalized complementary interior design services that make people’s homes emulate who they are.

It’s not so much about making a statement, it’s about our lives.

“For me that is exactly what great design is meant to be”.

Since 1929 when Jordans opened their first store in Vancouver, our customers have continued to return because of our large selection of quality furniture; and our “second to none” customer service.

OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDE: • A wide selection of quality and high-end furnishings for every area of the home; • Custom “one of a kind furniture pieces”; • Drapery and window coverings; • Custom bedding and toss cushions; • Upholstery and reupholstery; • Lighting; • Artwork ; • Unique accessory items and • Exquisite area carpets, tile and floor coverings.

At some point in your home’s life cycle, it will benefit from an upgrade, to not only improve its function and technological interface, it also requires this for flow, comfort and ultimately market value. We can help design the concept, materials and finishing for your renovation plans. Creativity, inspiration and cutting edge materials are what Jordans’ will use to make your dream a reality.

Jeanette Sarizan, B.ID. Interior Designer Jordans Interiors, Kelowna 250 861-8656

THIS LIVING ROOM IS INSPIRED BY VANGUARD FURNITURE... IT SHOWS THE “UP AND COMING” TRENDS OF COMBINING FURNITURE EMULATING 40S/50S/60S HOME DECOR, MIXED WITH A JUXTAPOSITION OF TRADITIONAL/ TRANSITIONAL SEATING PIECES AND CONTEMPORARY/MODERN FABRICS, CARPET AND ART WORK. 42 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

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PHANTOM SCREENS The demand for multi-season outdoor living spaces shows no sign of stopping. More and more homeowners in the Okanagan are creating outdoor living areas where they can entertain and relax in style from early spring until late fall.

Somers Screen Solutions, an authorised distributor of Phantom’s retractable screens throughout the BC Interior region, has been helping homeowners make the most of their decks and patios since 2000. “People want to bring the outdoors inside their homes, and to extend their indoor comforts to the outdoors. We’re seeing many new homes with open sight lines that extend from the kitchen to dining and

living areas - and ultimately into patios and decks. Many of these are incorporating Phantom’s retractable screens to provide insect-free ventilation and shade from sun without interrupting the flow of the home,” said Ron Somers, president of Somers Screen Solutions. “Motorized retractable Executive screens by Phantom Screens, installed on patios, decks, and other outdoor living spaces – help to create ultimate outdoor rooms, block out the bugs, deliver shade when needed, and control the interior temperature (cool or warm) in the screened areas,” adds Somers.

Phantom`s motorized retractable screens are perfect for allowing homeowners to

enjoy the fresh air and the views that the great outdoors has to offer. A truly versatile solution for screening openings up to 25 feet in length and 16 feet in height, these motorized screens do it all: only there when needed, they can be connected to sun and wind sensors, plus programmed to retract or lower no matter whether you are at home or not. And the wide selection of color and mesh choices ensures a perfect match with any architectural style or design.

Phantom`s new SMART STOP feature, now a standard for most of their motorized screens, delivers added peace of mind for

homeowners: it eliminates the risk of damage to the mesh due to objects preventing a clear path for the screen to descend.

In short, Phantom`s screens are a must in order to make the most of your home and enjoy the warm days of spring and summer in comfort without having to contend with the heat, the bugs, or the scorching sun. With a little bit of planning, anyone can create an outdoor living space that will add to the overall value of the home and provide years of enjoyment.

PHANTOM`S MOTORIZED RETRACTABLE SCREENS ARE PERFECT FOR ALLOWING HOMEOWNERS TO ENJOY THE FRESH AIR AND THE VIEWS THAT THE GREAT OUTDOORS HAS TO OFFER. OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 43

E D I T O R S

T O P

C H O I C E

COMMON MISTAKES MADE ON HOME RENOVATION PROJECTS

Home improvement projects can turn a house into a home. Homeowners plan scores of renovations to transform living spaces into rooms that reflect their personal tastes and comforts.

Homeowners going it alone may find things do not always go as planned. In fact, a Harris Interactive study found that 85 percent of homeowners say remodeling is a more stressful undertaking than buying a home. But homeowners about to embark on home improvement projects can make the process go more smoothly by avoiding these common pitfalls.

OPTIMISM IS GREAT, BUT YOU ALSO SHOULD BE A REALIST. KNOWING WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD GO WRONG PUTS YOU IN A BETTER POSITION TO HANDLE ANY PROBLEMS SHOULD THEY ARISE. THE PROJECT MIGHT GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH, BUT PLAN FOR A FEW HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY.

FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

VANGUARD

FURNITURE COLLECTION

THE ART OF NORTH AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

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IN TER IOR S

44 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

Some homeowners don’t realize just how big a commitment they have made until they get their hands dirty. But understanding the scope of the project, including how much demolition and reconstruction is involved and how much time a project will take can help homeowners avoid some of the stress that comes with renovation

projects. For example, a bathroom renovation may require the removal of drywall, reinforcement of flooring to accommodate a new bathtub or shower enclosure and the installation of new plumbing and wiring behind walls. So such a renovation is far more detailed than simply replacing faucets.

may make a property less appealing to prospective buyers. Trends come and go, and improvements can be expensive. If your ultimate goal is to sell your home, opt for renovations that will look beautiful through the ages and avoid bold choices that may only appeal to a select few buyers.

NOT ESTABLISHING A BUDGET

FORGETTING TO PROPERLY VET ALL WORKERS

Homeowners must develop a project budget to ensure their projects do not drain their finances. If your budget is so inflexible that you can’t afford the materials you prefer, you may want to postpone the project and save more money so you can eventually afford to do it right.

Without a budget in place, it is easy to overspend, and that can put you in financial peril down the line.

Worrying about coming up with money to pay for materials and labor also can induce stress. Avoid the anxiety by setting a firm budget.

MAKING TRENDY OR OVERPERSONAL IMPROVEMENTS Homeowners who plan to stay in their homes for the long run have more free reign when it comes to renovating their homes. Such homeowners can create a billiards room or paint a room hot pink if they so prefer. However, if the goal is to make improvements in order to sell a property, overly personal touches

F O R T H O S E WH O S E E K O U T T H E B E S T I N D E S I G N .

Exquisite fabrics. Distinctive details. Custom combinations.

The Alustra® Collection infuses remarkable, intriguing elements of window fashion into every design.

Visit this participating dealer for more information about the Alustra® Collection.

It is important to vet your contractor, but don’t forget to vet potential subcontractors as well.

Failing to do so can prove a costly mistake. Contractors often look to subcontractors to perform certain parts of a job, and it is the responsibility of homeowners to vet these workers.

EXPECTING EVERYTHING TO GO AS PLANNED Optimism is great, but you also should be a realist. Knowing what potentially could go wrong puts you in a better position to handle any problems should they arise.

The project might go off without a hitch, but plan for a few hiccups along the way.

OVERESTIMATING DIY ABILITIES Overzealous homeowners may see a renovation project in a magazine or on television and immediately think they can do the work themselves.

Unless you have the tools and the skills necessary to do the work, tackling too much can be problematic. In the long run, leaving the work to a professional may save you money.

Home improvements can be stressful, but homeowners can lessen that stress by avoiding common renovation mistakes.

Contact Us for all your window treatment & upholstery needs

Unexpected combinations and unparalleled style.

1015 Kalamalka Lake Road Vernon ph: 250-545-4571

akaroomservices.ca OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 45

RECIPE Advertising sales representatives

The Girls

NIGHT OUT Invite all of your friends over when you make this!

LOOKING

FORA FEW GOOD PEOPLE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PART OF THE OKANAGAN WOMAN TEAM?

BY: COLTON MACRAE

Not your basic cocktail. With plenty of citrus, it’s sweet and really hits the spot. This drink is delicious, easy to make and sure to please any cocktail snob! Make sure you have plenty of lime slices and maraschino cherries on hand to garnish and enjoy while sipping your delectable drink!

INGREDIENTS • 1 oz blueberry vodka • 1 oz peach schnapps • 3 oz cranberry juice • 3 oz pineapple juice • 1/2 oz simple syrup Combine above ingredients and pour into a martini shaker. Shake vigorously until shaker is cold. Fill your 10 oz. glass with ice, then pour generously. Garnish with lime zest and maraschino cherries for a finishing touch.

Enjoy!

Okanagan Woman is looking for independent advertising sales representatives to help take our print and on-line publication to the next level.

Two commissioned sales positions available, with protected territories in the Central and South Okanagan. The successful candidates will be highly motivated and organized team players, with friendly personalities and confident communication skills.

As part of the Okanagan Woman team, you will experience a high level of autonomy with plenty of flexibility and support.

Advertising sales representatives will work from their home base and must have a valid driver’s licence, reliable vehicle, home computer and cell phone. The position is commission based with a competitive sales structure and performance bonuses.

Responsibilities include: research, cold calling, meeting with prospective advertisers, developing sales strategies to achieve sales targets. You will work closely with the advertiser and the graphic designer to create advertising campaigns for clients, and use CRM software to log and organize client profiles.

If you have confidence in your ability to close contracts and help grow our company, please submit a resume and cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in the position to TJ Wallis, publisher/editor at

editor@okanaganwoman.com

46 OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015

ADRIATIC

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8106 Highland Place, Vernon BC V1B 3W6

1 -1-866-545-2028 Phone: 545-2028 Toll Free:

www.adriaticgranite.com

OKANAGAN WOMAN SPRING | 2015 47

C H E R I S H E V E RY M O M ENT

Sterling silver charms from $25

Exclusively at select PANDORA Stores

Experience at: ORCHARD PARK SHOPPING CENTER 778.484.7005 • orchardparkjewellery.ca

Some jewelry displayed patented (US Pat. No. 7,007,507) • © Pandora • PANDORA.NET