Wednesday July 7th, 2021
The Atlin Whisper “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world.” Margaret Mead
PLEASE NOTE THE NEXT WHISPER WILL NOT BE UNTIL JULY 28TH, NOT JULY 21ST AS USUAL. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS SUNDAY JULY 25TH 6 P.M. THANK YOU
Atlin
Thank you!
When the Yukon River Quest was cancelled for the start on June 23, Paddlers Abreast chose the second best option, Atlin. We came down to Atlin with our Team and supporters. We paddled on Atlin Lake, took supporters out for a spin around the harbour, paraded our boat around Atlin, and took part in other activities. This is our 20th anniversary year. It is fitting to come to Atlin and thank all of you that have supported us over the 20 years.
You have supported us with donations, attending movie showings of “River of Life”, attended fundraiser events and bought our merchandise. Our 20th anniversary buff is still for sale, by the way.
Atlin has also contributed with local paddlers to the Paddlers Abreast Team over the years. This year the Team members from Atlin are Kelly Liebe and Åsa Berg. For those of you that don’t know who we are: Paddlers Abreast is a group of Yukon and Northern B.C. breast cancer survivors with a mission: -to provide opportunities for personal growth through the physical and mental challenge of paddling. -to provide opportunities for a shared and supportive experience -to create an understanding that those living with Breast cancer can live full and active lives. -to create an opportunity for remembering those who have not survived the disease. -to raise awareness about Breast cancer.
THANK YOU!
Atlin Volunteer Fire Department DISPATCHER/S NEEDED for the AVFD!
Dispatchers are needed to cover the emergency fire phone line 24/7 in the event of an emergency. A dedicated fire phone line is installed at no charge. Please do not hesitate if you are interested in being a dispatcher for the AVFD. You are needed now! =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Call the ACID at 250-651-7582 or email atlincid@gmail.com to sign up. The Atlin Volunteer Fire Department PO Box 202, Atlin, BC V0W 1A0 Phone/Fax: (250) 651-7582 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book a Seat at….Workshop Wednesdays in July 2021
July14th Watercolour on Canvas
July 21st Paint Like Ted (Harrison)
Contact: Call: 250.651.7668 OR Facebook message: Rhoda Merkel
July 28th Leather Medicine Bags
LANDFILL NEWS
BRUSH AND OTHER BURNABLES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT THE LANDFILL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
SATURDAY-MONDAY CLOSED ON ALL BC STATUTORY HOLIDAYS Canada Day - Closed Thursday, July 1st ……… Open July 3, 4, 5, 6 BC Day - Closed Monday, Aug 2nd …...………. Open July 31 & Aug 1, 3 Labour Day - Closed Monday, Sept 6th ……….. Open Sept 4, 5, 7 Thanksgiving Day - Closed Monday, Oct 11th ... Open Oct 9, 10, 12
HOURS: 12 - 5 PM Operated by the Atlin Community Improvement District
OLD BOLD PILOTS Of Beavers and Helicopters Paul Lucas
The ongoing story of Paul’s adventures will continue for many months yet. If you have missed any of it, you can check it out on What’s Up Yukon who publishes the Whisper on their site
https://issuu.com/whatsupyukon.com
Atlin,Summer,1979. My Grandfather used to say, “I don’t mind flying. I’ll fly as high as you like as long as I can keep one foot on the ground.” I guess I didn’t inherit that particular gene, because I love flying - especially in small aircraft. Yeah, it can occasionally get hairy, particularly in the north, but that doesn’t seem to diminish my love of being in the sky in one flimsy contraption or another. Over the years I’ve managed to stow aboard Pipers, Beavers, and practically every single engine Cessna built. My favorite aircraft though are the helicopters. I was introduced to helicopters while working for an exploration company on the B.C. Alaska border. The whole thing really wasn’t my idea. I would have been happy to sit under a tree and strum the old git box after my day of peeling, sawing, notching and stacking logs, but I needed cash to buy the second round of lumber from Marshall’s sawmill, and this was the solution. My trip to Border Lake introduced me to the Beaver, workhorse of the north. It’s noisy and slow but it carries a hell of a payload, lands and takes off short, and just keeps going. This particular Beaver became famous as the plane that Brian Dennehy piloted in Never Cry Wolf, which was filmed in and around Atlin. The pilot and owner, Dick Bond, was the definition of the old bold pilot. He was a feisty, wiry, chain smoking coffee drinker who’d had more close calls than Bayer’s got pills. I was a last minute addition to the flight, so he had to stick an extra seat in back. Border Lake is located on the Alaska/B.C. border. (Creative folks, these explorers). It is up above the Taku River system, and there are various ways to get there. Dick often took one of the short cuts down the Tulsequah river, a route involving a particularly bumpy section where the interior weather meets the coastal winds. Cold air coming off the glaciers complicates the issue, and the area tends to sock in at a moment’s notice but the route sure saves time! We were smack dab in the middle of it, and I could see that Dick was white knuckling it around Eaton mountain. I was firmly strapped into my seat and hanging on. Unfortunately, the seat wasn’t attached to the floor – a small oversight - so I began to roll around the cabin, knocking over this, ramming into that, all the while changing the payload balance, making the whole situation even more treacherous. Oddly enough, the thing I was most worried about was the little Yamaha guitar I’d borrowed for the trip. I had stuffed it into a soft case before leaving, and it sat pretty well unprotected amongst the rest of the cargo. So, around the cabin I rolled, holding the damn thing in the air with one hand while looking for hand holds with the other.
It was hilarious. And boy did we laugh We laughed so hard that tears came to our eyes - with that half strangled, high pitched croak you spit out when the defecation is hitting the rotation. Finally, we hit some smooth air, and everything settled down. Ruffled feathers were patted into place and whatever conversation is possible inside a noisy Beaver returned to normal. “How about those Blue Jays, two games in a row…….” But there were no complaints when the floats finally scraped the gravel beach of Border Lake. --An exploration camp is a world unto itself. The only rationale for its location is the presence of minerals, and minerals can be anywhere. More often than not, they are far from human populations - remote wilderness areas rarely visited by man - so for a guy like me, working in one was an exciting prospect. And it didn’t disappoint. A typical camp day would find us jumping in the helicopter at eight in the morning, armed with soil sampling bags, mapping supplies, a rifle, a radio, and huge lunches from the cookshack. We would be dropped off well above treeline and would spend the day hiking down, sampling and mapping as we went. My partner on these jaunts, more often than not, was Billy B. That’s as much name as I got. He was on the big side for this work, size and weight being a consideration when loading small aircraft, but he was experienced and good at what he did, so all that went by the way. We shared a perverse sense of humour, and we spent our days laughing our asses off as we tumbled off those mountains. He would stop when something set him off, that mop of ginger hair would start bobbing up and down as he struggled for breath and, if the thing was funny enough, he would drop to his knees and pound the ground with his ample fist. It wasn’t the most efficient way to work but, by gum, we scared off the grizzlies. Then at 4 p.m. we would find a flat spot, lay out an orange locator blanket and settle down to wait for the helicopter. You might hear it first, that little whirr cutting through the massive silence on the mountain, then the dot would appear on the horizon and you started thinking about dinner. Yahoo! Evenings were spent with my back against a tree, playing guitar and staring out over some of the most spectacular country known to man. The whole thing was magnificent. I was well through a university program, and headed towards a degree in marine biology when music shanghaied me. From that moment on, I’d never considered any other occupation - until now. Prospectors spent their time doing just what we were doing on this mountain - here and all over the world, and the whole thing was mighty attractive. Still, I had a cabin to build, and this was a decision I could make when all was said and done. The flight out was, fortunately for my carcass and flimsily protected guitar, in the helicopter. As I climbed aboard Larry, the current camp pilot, another wiry, compact lad (these pilots seem to favour
that size and shape), motioned towards a notch in the mountains with a sort of John Wayne flair, and said ... “I like to take a different route back every time. I was thinking we would go through there. Do you mind?” “Are you kidding me?’, I replied, “we can go via Nome as far as I’m concerned.” So off we went, picking our way through the landscape until, at about halfway, he turned, pushed that little beanie back on his head and yelled “Lunch?” through the headphone mic.
The cookshack had packed us a humdinger for our return trip and it was time to find out what was in there. I nodded, and he immediately dipped into a long arc towards the tongue of LLewellyn Glacier, landing right on one of the leading tips of that magnificent monster. Once the helicopter had wound down, we pulled out folding chairs, the little ice chest full of food, and a large thermos of coffee. After finishing up, we just sat in silence, sipping coffee, smoking cigarettes, and staring. “Well, this ain’t too shabby”, I murmured. Larry’s eyebrows arched and his face lit up. Tossing the remaining coffee grounds over an icy lip, he turned and grinned. “I get to do this every day. Every damn day. Can you believe that?” Well, that was it for me. Any chance I got, I was going to climb into one of these egg beaters and fly away. --There’s a famous saying in aviation: There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots.
That being said, after a lifetime of hair raising flying, old bold Dick Bond ended up dying in his bed like any good, God-fearing man. Who says life doesn’t like a laugh.
Dear Tlingit Citizens, Atlin Residents, and Atlin-Taku Stakeholders, Are you are interested in learning more about the Atlin Taku Land Use Plan and the BC-TRTFN relationship? What? We are pleased to invite you to participate in two, online workshops to discuss the Wóoshtin Yan Too.Aat Land and Resource Management and Shared Decision Making Agreement (the ‘G2G Agreement’) and the Wóoshtin wudidaa: Atlin Taku Atlin-Taku Land Use Plan (ATLUP). Why? July 2021 marks the ten-year anniversary of the signing of the G2G Agreement and these two workshops provide an opportunity to explain the background to the agreement and the plan, reflect on implementation efforts over the past decade, and provide an update on current activities and opportunities for on-going engagement for community members and stakeholders. The signing of the G2G Agreement in July 2011 marked a turning point in the relationship between our two governments. It also set in place new collaborative arrangements, including the Government-to-Government Forum (G2GF) which is responsible for implementation, a G2G Engagement Process for the coordinated review of development applications, and a suite of Joint Initiatives (JIs) to address topics such as mining, fish and wildlife management, and parks and protected areas planning. The workshops this coming July will not only explain the origins of the G2G agreement and the ATLUP, but also provide updates on each of the current areas of work, and provide an opportunity for questions and discussion with community members and stakeholders. Where and When? The two workshops will be convened online, using Zoom, and will be scheduled as follows: § Workshop #1: Origins of the G2G Agreement and ATLUP, Tuesday, July 20, 2021, 9:00am-12:00pm § Workshop #2: Current G2G Arrangements and Activities, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, 9:00am-12:00pm You are encouraged to participate in both events if possible as the first will provide important background information for the second. To participate in these events, each person will need to connect via your own computer or tablet, through a reliable internet connection. How to Register You can register online using the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/x/atlin-taku-workshops-july-
20th-and-21st-tickets-161154580689 To ensure that there is an opportunity for interactive dialogue, the size of the workshops will be limited. All efforts will be made to accommodate participants from a range of backgrounds. If you would like to participate, please do sign up early. A detailed agenda for the workshops will be circulated to confirmed attendees about one week before the workshop, together with log-in details. For reference, copies of the ATLUP can be found here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/crown-landwater/land-use-planning/regions/skeena/atlin-taku-lup Copies of the G2G Agreement can be found here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resourcesand-industry/natural-resource-use/land-water-use/crown-land/land-use-plans-and-objectives/skeenaregion/atlintaku-slua/lrm_shared_decision_making_taku.pdf For further information about the July 2021 workshops, please contact: Chantelle Shultz (TRT G2G Co-Chair) at lead.negotiator@gov.trtfn.com Or Karen Miller (BC G2G Co-Chair) at Karen.Miller@gov.bc.ca Ministry of Indigenous Relations and
Reconciliation Negotiations and Regional Operations Division – Skeena Region 250.876.7087 cell: 250.876.8631
NORTHERN HOMES REAL ESTATE Food Basket A great opportunity for the whole family to be involved and grow a sustaining business! The building, land, rental suite, and grocery store are all included. A great way for the whole family help make a comfortable living. Lots of room to build your house on site, with a great view of the lake, if you wish. $300,000 plus stock Atlin Highway 72 acres along the Atlin Highway with fabulous view of the mountains and lake, overlooking Surprise Lake Road as well. Not suitable for subdivision but offers an incredible homesite. $185,000 SOLD $187,500 Coming Soon Once the snow is gone and access is possible, this gem is off grid, well maintained and absolutely the perfect retreat. Hopefully should be available for viewing. Trond Gulch In a pastoral setting, backing onto Munro Mtn, this one-bedroom, 715 sq.ft. off-the-grid home on 9.88 acres is surrounded by Crown Land and extremely private. Sauna and guest cabin. Was lived in year around for many years with well established raised garden beds. Possible to be totally self sufficient in this hide away! Truly unique with perfection evident throughout! $350,000 2nd Street Stunning custom built home featuring fabulous open floor plan with vaulted ceilings, 2 bedrooms, full bath, a lift that takes you to the lower level with pantry, storage and a 16’x28’ heated shop with 10’ ceilings. R40 walls, R60 ceiling! Soffit has been completed and heated floors installed in the spacious bathroom! Private location with guest cabin included. Cross country ski trail out your door! $295,000 SOLD Third Street 2 bedroom, bright home on a quiet 75x100 lot with a 24x40’ shop with 12’ ceilings. Some updating needed but most rooms are 15’+. Major foundation and roof work already done. $189,900 SOLD 3rd Street Gold rush cabin on 33x100 lot plus a storage shed, right downtown. $59,700. SOLD $62,000 Warm Bay Road 12.4 acres with great mountain views, log home, several outbuildings and shop. Well on site. Off grid. Two titled lots. $195,000 SOLD for full price 4th July Bay Half acre lakefront property with log home that has one BR on main level and 2 more in walk out lower level. Well, large garage, greenhouse and wood shed completes the package. $299,500 FIRM SOLD First Street 2500 sq.ft. basement entry home with 4 bedrooms, 24x24’ garage, 60’ shed for wood, quads or whatever you need, very private 2 acres. $187,000 SOLD Wilson Street Quiet mountain views from this four-bedroom, 1600 sq.ft. home on two acres. Open yard with raised beds and greenhouse. Where else can you find a kitchen like this at this price? Great value at $197,500 SOLD Call Myrna at (250) 775-1019 Leave message via text or email myrnablake1@gmail.com
Choices
Go to northernhomesbc.ca for more details.
Awakenings
We have the choice
For years they have been doing it,
To live in Love, and by Love
Slowly turning up the heat.
Or to live in Fear, and by Fear
Slowly, so slowly So we wouldn’t notice
These two choices are very real They are here before us now
And we didn’t
Asking, which one do you want? Until now, Narratives
Now that we are beginning to pay attention We sense the slowly rising temperature,
Two narratives;
We like frogs in water
Polar opposites
And we refuse to be boiled
Both incredible
We are jumping out
Both plausible
And crying foul play Naming the perpetrators
Both claim fact
Naming their methods and their motives
Both claim science
Their plans and agendas And we are banding together
Both claim the moral high
Restoring our path
Both deserve our full attention
To Love, Truth, Beauty, and Faith.
Free and open discourse our only hope.
Transformations
Divisions
We the people Take responsibility
United we stand; divided we fall.
For our world
So they cultivate countless designed dualities:
And for allowing it to be what it is today.
Have and Have-Not
And now,
Us and a Them
For committing fully to making it a better
This and a That
place.
Black and a White Green and Red
We the people
Left and a Right
Take responsibility
V and No V
To open our minds
And thus we divide ourselves, unknowingly
To think critically
Such that the 1 per cent
To become aware
Can continue to rule the 99
And to raise our consciousness Stephen Badhwar, June 2021
“Imagine When” Imagine when the frail turn strong and those who are broken made whole. Imagine when those who are lost find their way back home once more. Imagine when in fearful times the brave will rise so we won’t fall. Imagine when the good in us matters more than our place of birth. Imagine when all we hold dear is safe and sound in a just world… forever. Jeff Salmon
Tailgate Sales Location: Tarahne Park ball diamond. Saturday Dates: July 17, August 21, September 11 Time: 10 – 2PM Barring really bad weather conditions or extreme events, we will hold to these dates. If you would like a space reserved, please message or contact Jane Curry 6517697. There are also spaces for last minute vendors. $5 for a table or by donation. Check the posters around town and on facebook: Atlin Community Buy and Sell.
Big Water Society
Accessing Remote Free Counselling Services, Jan Forde, Community Counsellor for Big Water Society, Atlin, BC Jan Forde, MSW, RSW Cell: 867-333-6829 Email: bannyforde@gmail.com Areas of experience and expertise: PTSD, trauma (childhood and residential school), domestic violence, addictions, grief and loss, relationship and family issues, anxiety and depression, sexual assault and harassment. Work place issues and lateral violence, meditation and mindfulness.
NEW COUNSELLOR KATIE ISRAEL @ BIG WATER SOCIETY
HELP WANTED Driver - Class 3 with Air Brakes To do Water Delivery and Septic Pump outs for the community. Monday – Friday hours Wage Negotiable Potential for Year Round Employment APPLY TO DANA OR MARY AT 250-651-7463 GRIZZLYHOMESERVICES@GMAIL.COM OR STOP BY THE SHOP
Do you experience mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, substance use and addiction? Maybe you are at a crossroads and feel stuck? Come and let’s join hands in creating new pathways to increase wellness and inner peace. CONTACT: bwscounsellor@bigwatersociety.org Office: (250)651-2189 Cell: (867) 334-9524 Mondays and Wednesdays
Atlin Pet Care 287 Tatlow Street
Your pets home away from home! Indoor/Outdoor Runs Heated Kennels Boarding-Grooming-Pet Supplies Emergency Care-Veterinarian Referrals SPCA AGENTS George Holman 250-651-7717 Marj Holman 250-651-7758
Please note that requests for same day water delivery must be received no later than 11 am of said day. Thank you! Water delivery and Sewer Removal are available Monday through Friday Did you know we sell and service Toyo Stoves? We offer competitive pricing on the latest models. Call the office for more information Phone 250-651-7463 Email grizzlyhomeservices@gmail.com Mailing address is Box 318, Atlin BC V0W 1A0
Summer Office hours – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 8 am - noon
Sincerely Yours General Store & Canada Post Location OPEN
Mountain Shack Café Restaurant With thanks, Dana and Mary Hammond Fast Fancy Food Great Service
Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm Closed for lunch 12:30 – 1:30 CLOSED weekends and Statutory Holidays
110 Discovery Avenue In Atlin, B.C.
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
MOBILE WELDING SERVICE AVAILABLE
250-651-7789 Closed Tuesdays
Contact: Alain Vanier 250-651-0037
Reasonable Rates!
Fishing Charters
Custom Fish Art- Fiberglas and Wood GARY HILL’S FISH ART
SVOP Licence, 24 ft. Boat, Transport Canada Commercial Registration – Insured Gary Hill, Atlin B.C. V0W 1A0 Licensed, B.C. Guide Call -250 651-7553 Email garyphill59@gmail.com $850.00 per day - $550.00 per 1/2 day
Sewing Machine Cleaning, Repair, & Setup
GARY HILL’S – CUSTOM, FISH REPRODUCTIONS PHONE 250 651 7553 EMAIL – garyphill59@gmail.com 7 MONARCH Drive – ATLIN – BC. V0W 1A0 WEB SITE – http://gary-hill.com
Downtown Atlin Right beside The Gold Claim (Jessica’s café) On 6th street across from the Rec Centre • 50’wide x 100’deep • flat level gravel pad • Clear of any obstructions • Room for parking along 50’ frontage • Great site for business or home REDUCED from $90,000 to $75,000 Contact: Elissa Miskey atlinwellness@gmail.com
Message: 604-265-5700
Atlin Christian Centre Affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Services Sunday 11 a.m. Come join us! (778) 721-0710
Terry 250 651-7769
Atlin Lot for Sale
St. Martin’s Anglican Church 10 a.m. Sunday Everyone welcome!
Atlin Community Library Open Every
Friday and Saturday 2-4p.m. Everyone Welcome
When you can’t put your prayers into words, God hears your heart.
Shaolin Kung Fu and Kyokushin Karate Classes
Tuesdays from 7.00 PM to 8.00/8.30 PM Provisional Location: Schoolfield Teacher: Bart de Haas, 3rd Dan All ages are welcome Children up to 13 years: $ 2 Adults: $ 5 bart@bartdehaas.com 250-651-2244
FOR RENT Fully furnished, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite for rent in downtown Atlin . Walking distance to all and across from the Tarahne park. Looking for long term rental ... for more information, viewing or additional pictures, please contact: Rob Motley rtmotley@gmail.com Phone (250)651-2241
Yang Style Tai Chi Classes With sufficient participation, we hope to start on Wednesdays from 7.00 PM to 8.00 PM Possible Location: Rec Centre All ages are welcome Children up to 13 years: $ 2 Adults: $ 5 bart@bartdehaas.com 250-651-2244 The next Whisper is Wednesday July 28th Submissions are due no later than Sunday 6pm July 25th. Compiled and edited by Lynne Phipps. Paper for printing courtesy of Northern Homes Real Estate Printing courtesy of RCMP Atlin; Ink costs courtesy of Literacy Now. Classifieds, news, upcoming events Contact 1-250-651-7861 or lynnephipps@hotmail.com if you have, pictures or articles you would like to submit. Please note that submissions should be sent in either WORD or JPEG whenever possible. PDF must first be printed and then scanned back into the computer in order to format it into the paper. This costs in both paper and ink. We know that at times a PDF is the only way, which is okay when necessary, but otherwise, as the Whisper is a FREE community service we appreciate your support in helping to keep the costs down as much as possible. Thank You!