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North of 50®LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE May 2011 Vol. 9, Issue 5

CorreCtional FaCility not in My Back yard

HoMe is WHere tHe Work is…a tour of Headbones Gallery

sPeCial stayCations insertHolidays Close to Home

Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750

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Store HourS

Salmon Arm 832-20648am to 7pm daily 8am to 9pm Thurs. & Fri.

Armstrong 546-30398am to 7pm daily 8am to 9pm Thurs. & Fri.

Sicamous 836-48998am to 9pm 7 days a week

View our current specials at: askewsfoods.com

Support Your Local Farmers

At Askew’s we are proud of the bounty of the land and grateful for the hard work of the farmers who grow our food. One person that stands out is Salmon Arm orchardist Ronnie Turner. Ronnie’s father, Robert Turner, emigrated to Canada in 1888 and after working for the CPR saved enough money to buy 70 acres of land in Salmon Arm. By 1906, the land was a thriving orchard growing Red Astrachans, Duchess Kings, Golden Russets, Northern Spys, and Seek-No-Further apples. Ronnie and brother Eddie grew up helping out in their father’s orchard and packing-house. After the big freeze up of 1949 that destroyed many orchards in Salmon Arm, brother Eddie continued to work the Turner orchards while Ronnie left to earn a living elsewhere, returning in his retirement to his mother’s house where he continues at age 97 to maintain the small orchard and large garden surrounding it.

the okanagan region is famous world-wide as the ‘fruit capital of Canada.’ During the summer months, Askew’s is thrilled to showcase a mouthwatering array of local tree fruits including peaches, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, nectarines and a variety of apples grown by fruit farmers from around the thompson-okanagan, Shuswap, and Similkameen Valleys.

Congratulations!

Rozalia Erdei of Vernon is the winner of the North of 50° Shuswap houseboat vacation

aboard a Twin Anchors CruiseCraft II, houseboat, valued at $2,200.

Rozalia Erdei

HOUSEBOAT VCONGRATULA

TIONS

WINNER of the North of 50° / Twin Anchors

ACATION

North of 50°LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDEMAGAZINE

The Publisher and staff at North of 50° would like to thank all our readers who took the time to enter our readership survey. We will be tabulating the results and reporting them in an upcoming issue.

Rozalia Erdei (centre) and daughter, Linda (left) accept their prize package from North of 50° editor, TJ Wallis (right).

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Store HourS

Salmon Arm 832-20648am to 7pm daily 8am to 9pm Thurs. & Fri.

Armstrong 546-30398am to 7pm daily 8am to 9pm Thurs. & Fri.

Sicamous 836-48998am to 9pm 7 days a week

View our current specials at: askewsfoods.com

Support Your Local Farmers

At Askew’s we are proud of the bounty of the land and grateful for the hard work of the farmers who grow our food. One person that stands out is Salmon Arm orchardist Ronnie Turner. Ronnie’s father, Robert Turner, emigrated to Canada in 1888 and after working for the CPR saved enough money to buy 70 acres of land in Salmon Arm. By 1906, the land was a thriving orchard growing Red Astrachans, Duchess Kings, Golden Russets, Northern Spys, and Seek-No-Further apples. Ronnie and brother Eddie grew up helping out in their father’s orchard and packing-house. After the big freeze up of 1949 that destroyed many orchards in Salmon Arm, brother Eddie continued to work the Turner orchards while Ronnie left to earn a living elsewhere, returning in his retirement to his mother’s house where he continues at age 97 to maintain the small orchard and large garden surrounding it.

the okanagan region is famous world-wide as the ‘fruit capital of Canada.’ During the summer months, Askew’s is thrilled to showcase a mouthwatering array of local tree fruits including peaches, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, nectarines and a variety of apples grown by fruit farmers from around the thompson-okanagan, Shuswap, and Similkameen Valleys.

Rozalia Erdei

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YOUR letters to:

Hi Calvin,

Just perusing the mag and read your recent article, and frankly, I’m surprised.

You never once mentioned that it is financial greed which drives the world economy and all governments and free enterprise “buy” into it. The media, in its attempts to sensationalize everything, amplify the whole demoralizing cacophony of absurdities. We import American TV programs via our cable & satellite technology. Two of the most popular programs are ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ and wrestling mania shows. What mentality of the average American family do these offerings reflect? Absurd.

Whether it is Big Pharma, the richest of all government lobby groups, endeavouring to shut down alternative and cheaper medical protocols and healing supplements that work, or man’s idiotic premise of spending more time & energy on mining the earth’s non-renewable resources than it realizes in benefit (notwithstanding the deleterious effect this activity has on the environment), or ignoring the fact that depleting the world’s ability to sustain its population explosion with traditional agriculture practices, allowing multinational food corporations to manufacture ‘plastic’ products, or promoting huge spectacles of so-called sporting & entertainment events which accelerate abuses of substance intake and personal confrontation and ultimately an unstable world, it all boils down to one word - GREED!

Wow! That was a long sentence, but not as long as the “sentence” man is serving on himself with the current attitude of avarice & duplicity.

I rest my case.Ed Murdoch

CALVIN absurd GreedDear Don,

I absolutely love your article titels: why cant i own a Canadian on religious foolery in light of homphobia and racism versus loving humanity. Great example to contrast with the crap. Well said and fun to read. Thank you Don.LedaRose Cedar, BSW

DON - responds

Thanks so much for your kind comments -- and for taking the time to write. It’s always great to hear from readers; especially when they have nice things to say!

Don

DON Why can’t i own a Canadian?

Dear Editor,

In regard to the puzzle in March’s paper, it seemed that one word “Genoa” did not “properly” appear in the puzzle. Perhaps you’re already aware of this? Or perhaps it was only the case in the issue that I looked in?

Sincerely,Patrick Longworth

EDITOR March 2011 - it’s a Puzzler

Vernon’s Amnesty InternAtIonAl HumAn rIgHts FIlm Fest, mAy 9Since 2005, millions of Afghans have been tuning in to Tolo TV’s wildly popular Afghan Star. It’s more than just a TV talent show… in Afghanistan you risk your life to sing. The contest is open to everyone across the country despite gender, ethnicity or age. Two thousand people audition, including three extremely brave women. And when viewers vote for their favourites via cell phone, it is, for many, their first encounter with the democratic process. Afghan Star, viewed by 11 million people per episode, is a catalyst for change. Afghan Star will be shown at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre on Monday, May 9th at 7pm. Admission is by donation. Prepare to experience cinema with a social conscience. Rated PG. For more info, call Lee at 250.938.5789 or email: info@amnestyvernon.ca. www.amnestyvernon.ca

Happy Mother’s Day!

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CONTENTS

FEATURES COLUMNS14 HOME IS WHERE THE WORK IS.A tour of Vernon’s Headbones GalleryBy Christine Pilgrim

23 START PLANNING YOUR SUMMER STAYCATIONKamloops has plenty to offer.By Kamloops Kendel

23 MEADOWLARK FESTIVALCelebrating the Water and the World Around Us.By Dawn Renaud

34 NO DOGS ALLOWEDSaint John Ambulance Therapy Dogs Make a DifferenceBy Lisa Harrison

23 STAYCATIONS

30 AWAY FROM HOMEPigeon Key: A tiny island with an enormous history

38 HEALTH MATTERS

40 ARTS HAPPENING

41 COMING EVENTS

43 COMMUNITY EVENTS

45 IT’S A PUZZLER

5 FROM THE EDITOR

12 REGIONAL ATTITUDEAn Interview with Jess Gunnarson, BC Corrections Spokesperson

18 DON SAWYERFair Comment - Is Everybody Cheating?

28 CALVIN WHITEThe White Paper - We Are Flitters

36 LISE SIMPSONThe View From My WindowI Love You as much as I Love Hamburgers

37 BOB HARRINGTONIt’s Your WorldSimplifying Your Life

May 2011 Vol. 9, Issue 5

DEPARTMENTS

14 30 37

Call it a jail, a lock-up or a correctional centre.

Does it amount to the same thing? And, where,

oh where will it be?

Story by Christine Pilgrim 8

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North of 50° is an independent, f ree m o n t h l y publication, locally owned, produced and distributed throughout the Thompson /Nicola/ South Cariboo/ Okanagan and Shuswap areas by 0727724 BC Ltd.

Disclaimer: The publisher will not b e responsible for errors or omissions. In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertisement that is incorrect wi l l not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rate.

The opinions and v iews contained in submitted articles to North of 50° magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

The publ isher retains the r ight t o e d i t a l l s u b m i s s i o n s , inc luding ar t ic les and letters to the editor, for brevity and clarity. Copyright is retained on a l l mater ia l , text and graphics in this publication.

No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose, except with the expressed permission ofNorth of 50 Publ icat ions (unless for private reference only).

Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750

LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDENorth of 50 FROM OUR eDitor

tHe DeBate over where to locate a new prison puts new meaning into the phrase, “the wheels of justice turn slowly.” The idea of a minimum security jail in the Okanagan was first floated in 1996 by the NDP.

The controversy was in full swing when I lived in Lake Country ten years ago. Back then, there was talk of putting the facility on the old Hiram Walker site on Jim Bailey Road. Winfield residents were less than impressed that they would have little influence on the decision to plant a prison in their backyard, because the land is in the boundaries of the City of Kelowna. The story seemed to die down, until 2008, when Kelowna-Lake Country MLA, Al Horning, announced the 200 bed remand centre was a go, but in the end, nothing more developed and the official announcement never came.

Since then, the proposed facility has almost doubled in size, but today’s controversy isn’t much different. Last December, Solicitor General Rich Coleman, invited Okanagan communities to submit proposals for a suitable site to build a 360 cell correctional centre.

Those who are opposed to the minimum security prison in their area have the same concerns Winfield residents had a few years ago. Christine Pilgrim explores the continuing controversy beginning on page 8.

While a prison is something many Okanaganites don’t want in their back yard, Thompsonians have been living with a regional remand centre since 1989. Reporter Jesse Lehail talked with BC Corrections spokesperson, Jess Gunnarson, about the relationship between that facility and the City of Kamloops. That interview is on page 12.

Sometimes it takes a controversy for us to appreciate what’s in our own backyard. Sometimes it takes an economic downturn. An unexpected benefit of the skyrocketing price of gas is that many people choose to save on the cost of travel by vacationing close to home. This year, Thompson Okanaganites are rediscovering their backyard as the perfect vacation spot.

May is the month to be a tourist in your own town, before the influx of visitors from far away places. Tourists come from all over the world to see our backyard. Maybe it’s time to remind ourselves of why. Check out our eight page Staycations special on page 23.

There is no shortage of fun events this month; however, there is a shortage of space in North of 50°’s pages. For the past nine years, North of 50° has been pleased to promote community events for free. But the fact is, the community events page has become so popular that there isn’t enough room to list all the events we receive. If you don’t see your event here, it’s not personal – honest. Sometimes, I have to be the judge. And like the judiciary, I can’t please all of the people all of the time. (But I try).

TJ Wallis

aPPreCiatinG our BaCkyarD

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PublisherDean Wallisdean@northof50.com

Managing EditorTJ Walliseditor@northof50.com

Advertising SalesDean Wallis dean@northof50.com

Kamloops & Areasales@northof50.com

Layout & DesignKristi Boekristi@northof50.com

AdministrationCaralyn Doylecaralyn@northof50.com

Deadline for Ads to be submitted is the 20th of the month for publication the first week of the month

Office Location: Suite 102 2516 Patterson AvenueArmstrong, BC

Mailing Address: Box 100Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

ADS & SUBMISSIONSPhone: 250.546.6064Fax: 250.546.8914Toll Free: 1.877.667.8450 (877)NORTH50Website: www.northof50.com

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LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDENorth of 50OUR ContriButors

lisa Harrison had high hopes for her dog Domino. His sweet personality seemed to make him a good candidate for therapy dog work. However, until care facilities welcome spunky dogs that jump into people’s laps, steal scraps of food and chase cats, he’s content to take Lisa on walks when she needs a break from writing in Kelowna.

CHristine PilGriM will take her old-fashioned schoolma’am characterto schools throughout the province again this May. But that won’t stop her keeping an old-fashioned eye out for new stories. To catch a glimpse of Mrs MacPherson the schoolma’am in action, check www.christinepilgrim.com.

DaWn renauD realized she needed an excuse for ignoring her chores and sinking into the alternate reality of a good book. Today she channels her creative immagination and affinity for words into more lucrative pursuits, writing for business and magazines and helping other writers hone thier craft. Dawn lives in a tiny house in Penticton.

kaMlooPs kenDel aka kenDel lavallee, is the Marketing & Communications Coordinator at Tourism Kamloops. With her Bachelor of Tourism Management from TRU, Kendel has a love for travel and tourism and in her spare time, can be found hiking with her two dogs, Kona (pictured with Kendel) and Bailey, and checking out the live local music scene in Kamloops.

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Call it a jail, a Prison, a Penitentiary, a loCk-uP, or a CorreCtional Centre – does it amount to the same thing? Not according to Penticton Councillor Judy Sentes who says the right terminology (a “correctional centre”) is crucial to the perception of what such a facility implies. To some it is an opportunity to enhance local economy; to others it’s a threat to their lifestyle; and to many it is an inappropriate way to address crime. Whatever it is, Solicitor General Shirley Bond needs to find somewhere to house what her predecessor, Rich Coleman, called “the record high number of short term inmates that continues to grow in BC.” So, the Ministry of Public Safety’s Corrections Branch is looking at building a 360 cell correctional centre with 10 living units (or pods), each serving 36 cells, somewhere in the Okanagan region. The facility will

accommodate an admissions area, administration, staff services, food preparation, health care, segregation, inmate programs and on-site parking. It is expected to cover 20 acres and cost around $200 million. As Councillor Sentes says, “Those awaiting trial should be accommodated as near as possible to the courts where their hearings are to take place, thus allowing easier access to local lawyers, police, social services and family, while reducing the burden on local lockups.” Any facility must be within easy access of Kelowna as it has the biggest courthouse in the area. Kelowna City Council went through the costly process of submitting a suitable corrections site years ago. But, as nothing developed from it, Council decided against repeating the process this time round. According to the fact sheet published on line by the

n.i.M.B.y. - not in My BaCk yarDBy Christine Pilgrim

By courtesy of NoPentictonPrison.com

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Ministry, a prison would produce approximately 240 full-time jobs, generating a payroll income of between $17 and$20 million annually, while the Province would provide the host community with substantial annual grants (between $500,000 and $1.5 million) in lieu of property taxes. At the Ministry’s invitation, Penticton’s Mayor Dan Ashton, along with four City Councillors, visited the North Fraser Pre-trial facility in Port Coquitlam, as well as Alouette Correctional Centre for Women and the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in Maple Ridge, to get an idea of what a local facility might look like. They were impressed by how much all three centres blended with their surroundings. Two were enveloped by trees and the North Fraser Pretrial facility looked like any other tall building in the industrial area where it stood. The living pods appealed to Councillor Garry Litke, although he is personally against the concept of prisons per ce. He noted the areas set aside for exercising, which meant prisoners would have no need to go outside for physical exercise. Penticton Council also met with Pitt Meadows RCMP whose Superintendent Dave Walsh said, “In my 18 years’ experience in a jurisdiction with a number of provincial and federal penal institutions, I have found that there is a net positive effect on the community due to the law-abiding, family-oriented type of people these facilities employ.” Three sites were submitted by Penticton Indian Band (PIB) for consideration: a location near Faulder, one adjacent to the experimental farms in Trout Creek and another inside City boundaries. PIB Chief Jonathan Kruger was unavailable for comment, but an article published in a March edition of the Penticton Western News, quotes him as saying, “If it is good for the community we will go for it; if not, then it can go somewhere else.” The paper further quotes Osoyoos Indian Band’s Chief Clarence Louie as “interested in anything that creates jobs and brings money to the area, but there is no need to get excited either way until a shortlist (of sites) is drawn up.” Once that happens, building should start in 2013, with completion in 2015. Most members of Penticton and Summerland Councils support a regional approach to securing a prison somewhere in the South Okanagan because they feel it would benefit all communities living in the area. Summerland’s Mayor Janice Perrino says the will of the people is more important than her personal opinion, but she favours Council’s submitted location on the north andwest side of Highway 97. She says, “It’s just outside town

A typical living unit (or pod) at North Fraser Pretrial Centre (above). Okanagan Area of Interest (below). Photos supplied by BC Corrections Branch.

but within municipal boundaries,” and adds, “The template shown by the Province looks like an unobtrusive business centre from the outside.” If its proposal is accepted, Summerland Council has agreed to put the final decision on whether or not to continue to some form of general vote. All the communities are divided in their responses. Those in favour, like Summerland’s Arlene Fenrich, foresee an increased tax base from prison staff and a boost to both businesses and community. On the other hand, Tom Bijvoiet, a member of a Penticton citizens’ group that is against a local prison, feels that the stigma attached to such a facility will stifle growth opportunities and negatively impact property values and tourism. The group has launched a petition available for signature in malls and on line (htttp://nopentictonprison.com). Bijvoiet says “I find it unbelievable that City Council would vote in favour, with the kind of opposition (of 81%) shown in a recent poll held by the Penticton Herald.” Reaction in Summerland is split 50:50. “Those for and against have equally strong opinions and put forward equally good arguments,” says Mayor Perrino. By contrast, contention is toxic in Lumby. Prison supporter Tracie Gobelle says many young people are leaving town to look for work and Lumby needs a way to jump-start its economy. However, fellow resident and former Green Party candidate, Huguette Allen, says she feels prisons as we know them should no longer exist; that they have been proven in the US to worsen the problems that underlie crimes, rather than rehabilitate. Allen feels that many young people leave prisons more entrenched in gangs, crime and drugs than when they went in and their negative behaviour when released might easily chase away the young families that have moved to Lumby for its small town friendly atmosphere and natural beauty. “A prison, no matter where it is built in this area, will be close to a school,” she says. She agrees with Penticton resident and retired professor of sociology, Dr. Gerald Kenyon, that we should address the social conditions that create the need for prisons. Dr Kenyon, who is interested in urban design and community development, says, “We don’t have a crime problem; we have a poverty problem, a mental health problem, and an education problem. Giving serious attention to each of these would allow us to begin to close prisons rather than build more of them.” He goes on to say that the presence of such institutions dominates small communities in so many

on tHe riseAlthough data regarding the number of inmates in BC prisons fluctuates, it is a fact, substantiated by ministries and criminologists, that our prison population is steadily increasing.

That begs the question: why?

According to BC Corrections, the number of prisoners awaiting court trial or sentencing has grown from a third to half of the entire prison population. Vernon’s Dirk Sigalet QC suggests that current court delays are due in part to a shortage of judges, self-representation by litigants and the increasing complexity of trials. Serious underfunding of legal aid services is also a contributing factor to court overloads.

BC Corrections confirms that a quarter of prison inmates are diagnosed with mental health disorders. Garry Litke, one of the four Penticton City Councillors who recently visited three Lower Mainland correctional centres, says that in 2001 the prison inmate count spiked by 708. That same year the government closed mental health institutions, with little backup from overstretched social services.

Increases in the prison population are also due to the changing profile of offenders. “Many now have gang affiliations, which lead to longer periods of incarceration,” says a BC Corrections spokesperson.

Perhaps these reasons should be included in those “heated debates” about a prison in the Okanagan.

For more local information see: www.lumby.cawww.penticton.cawww.summerland.ca

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ways, while recent studies show they make little or no net contribution to local economies. From a moral perspective, he asks, “How can we justify committing BC taxpayers to spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the next 50 to 75 years on an alleged solution to a social problem that neither prevents nor reduces crime?” Criminologist, advocate for victim’s rights and Professor of Criminology at the University of Ottawa, Irvin Waller, wrote the book Less Law More Order which deals with statistics as well as solutions. He says, “Whether data indicates figures are up, down or sideways, we need to find cost effective ways to deal with the overall problem of crime and its prevention. It should be tackled like a medical problem, or indeed any other: by diagnosis and action resulting from that diagnosis.” He quotes the Albertan government’s policy of being tough on crime but also tough on causes. Alberta looked into its task force’s findings on the causes and problems associated with crime. It responded with smart enforcement, smart prevention and examination of mental illness issues. Waller says for every $1 put into the project, $7 was saved on policing and prisons. He also quotes Winnipeg’s diagnosis and subsequent action on the increase of car theft in the city. A great deal of joy-riding by youth, some of which ended in untimely deaths, prompted Winnipeg’s three-pronged response: jail for prolific offenders; youth mentorship and education; and making cars more difficult to steal. This program cost Manitobans $20 million but saved them $80 million on policing and prisons. Waller says,“I’m not a left wing, bleeding hearts, small ‘l’ liberal. I am interested in what works. Some prisons are necessary, but they are merely part of the solution as a whole.” While heated debate on the issue of a local jail/prison/penitentiary/lock-up/correctional centre continues, former Penticton City Councillor, turned director of the Okanagan School of the Arts, Randy Manuel jokes, “The Chamber of Commerce mantra has always been: Penticton – a word from the local Indian language meaning A Place to Stay Forever. Now it could be: Pen-Pen – A Place to Stay for Two Years Less a Day.”* * The Provincial Government is responsible for the custody of offenders serving sentences of under two years (two years less a day), as well as those awaiting trial or its outcome, having generally submitted a “not guilty” plea. See the side bar for statistics.

BC PrIson InmAte ProFIle(2009/2010)

genDer88% male 12% female

etHnICIty59% Caucasian

22% Aboriginal

4% East Indian

3% Metis

3% Asian

3% Black

2% Hispanic

3% other or unknown

Age37% under 30 years old

32% between 30 & 39 years old

31% 40 years old or more

lengtH oF stAyRemand (average) 37 days

Sentenced (average) 72 days

Maximum 2 years less a day

oFFenCe tyPes (most serious offences accounting

for 53% of inmates. The other 47% on remand)

Break and Enter

Theft under...

Robbery

Cannabis Trafficking

Source: The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor

General Corrections Branch

Proposed Okanagan Correctional Centre, Inmate Profile

Federal Statutes

Assault Level 2

Breach of Probation

Stolen goods

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attituDeWhile various okanagan cities are in the midst of B.C government consultations regarding a new correctional facility, now seemed like an appropriate time to discuss the effects of having a facility in Kamloops. Interviewer, Jessie Lehail, spoke with Jess Gunnarson, BC Corrections Spokesperson about the Kamloops regional Correctional Centre, the effects on the community, and BC Corrections advice to communities in the midst of the consultation process.

Photo: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca

Q: What responsibility does BC Corrections’ Adult Custody Division in Kamloops have to the community?

A: BC Corrections’ mandate is to protect communities and reduce re-offenses.The Adult Custody Division of the Branch maintains custody of individuals the court has remanded and awaiting trial or those serving sentences of less than two years. One way we maintain relationships with the community is through our Community Advisory Boards. This correctional centre like eight others, works with their Community Advisory Board to ensure the local community remains aware of and involved in each centre’s operations. Given the Branch’s mandate to reduce re-offending, the correctional centre provides inmates with access to programs, counselling, and health interventions to address the factors that lead to criminal behaviours.

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Q: Has having a prison in the Kamloops area affected tourism and potential retirees?

A: BC Corrections has a track record of positive relationships with the communities where its prisons are located.

Q: What have been the economic benefits of having a correctional facility in Kamloops?

A: KRCC has a positive track record of inmate participation in work programs that benefit the community. These local partnerships can involve roadside clearing, park enhancement, firewood production, fire suppression, and other work that the community might request. In addition to being a resource to the local community’s needs, these programs give inmates hands-on experience learning the value of work ethic, teamwork and accountability, while earning a wage and gaining experience they can use after their release. In addition, each of BC Corrections’ correctional centres employs staff who contribute to the local economy, which generates economic spin-offs and benefits for the community.

Q: What are the biggest challenges of operating a facility like KRCC?

A: Our inmate population has been growing steadily for several years, as is the case across the country. We are working on an aggressive capital planand are working with the provinces and territories to get a more complete picture of the future of correctional services across Canada, including best practices. In addition, BC Corrections has seen a change in the inmate profile in recent years. For instance, 56% of the offender population are diagnosed with substance use and/ or mental health disorders. This leads to greater complexity in the management and custody of inmates.

Q: What advice do you have for proposed prison locations in the Okanagan?

A: It is critical that local governments and citizens be a part of selecting a site for this new secure custody centre. We have asked local governments to forward recommendations, so we can ensure we find the best site – one that has community support and meets all of the project criteria. As part of the consultation process, BC Corrections’ staff are making themselves available to meet with local government representatives to discuss operations and offer tours of existing facilities. Community support is a prerequisite for us. We will not build a jail where it is not wanted, which is why we have asked local governments to evaluate the opportunity and make recommendations.

Q: How long can we realistically expect a new facility, as built, to meet the community’s needs?

A: The majority of BC Corrections’ correctional centres have been built since the 1990s and intended to endure multiple generations. BC Corrections has developed an aggressive capital expansion plan with multiple phases to address the growing demand and consider the long-term forecast. Continuous monitoring of the infrastructure is undertaken to make appropriate renovations and improvements to meet the needs of the community and province.

Q: Are there any changes to the legal system or social services that can help to alleviate overcrowding in prisons within British Columbia?

A: BC Corrections has a responsibility to house all those who are ordered to adult custody on remand or sentenced up to two years. As such, we are responding to the increasing prison population through a $185 million capital expansion, the largest in BC Corrections history. It includes expansion for women at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre, which opened in 2010 and Alouette Correctional Centre that opens later this year. In addition, a Pre-trial Services Centre in Surrey will open in 2013. In the meantime, we have added 174 interim beds across the province to ease capacity pressures. Moreover, BC Corrections works closely to integrate with others in the justice, health, and social service ministries in order to maximize our shared outcomes.

CanaDian CanCer soCiety’s relay For liFeThe Kelowna Relay For Life takes place on June 4 - 5, 2011. Teams of up to 15 people take turns walking around a track for 12 or more hours. The Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is a unique opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones and fight back against all cancers and takes place on June 4 and 5th at Kelowna’s City Park. Each year more than 400 communities nationwide come together to fight back at Relay, supporting the largest cancer fundraiser in Canada. In British Columbia and the Yukon more than 50 communities participate. Since 1998, Relay For Life has raised more than $51 million in the fight against cancer. Last year in BC and the Yukon, the event raised more than $5 million for the Canadian Cancer Society. For event details or more information visit RelayForLife.ca

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WorkinG FroM HoMe is common in the Thompson/Okanagan. But how many homes double as art galleries, studios and publishing houses? That of Julie Oakes and partner Richard Fogarty, for one!

Oakes’s vision for their Vernon home, as well as Headbones Gallery and Rich Fog Micro Publishing, took six months to realize – start to finish.

Once the plans she drew up were approved by the Regional District, she and Fogarty began building, with the help of family - particularly son-in-law Steve Winkner of Forever Homes. The materials they used were environmentally-friendly, economical and local wherever possible.

Having travelled extensively in the East, Oakes is strongly influenced by its culture. Buddhas feature in her work as does

meditation in her life (Photo 1).

On the other hand, she drew inspiration for the picture gallery (Photo 2) from the palazzos (palaces) she visited when studying art in Italy. The exterior windows along the outside corridor allow natural light to filter through, illuminating paintings on the inner wall.

The Pass the Buddha series hanging in this gallery illustrates Oakes’s philosophy of abandoning ego. She first painted 23 different Buddhas; then passed the canvasses to 23 separate artists who added their interpretations and returned them. Oakes adjusted the Buddhas to suit their interpretations, then sent them back to the artists for final adjustment before the paintings’ completion.

Such courageous, imaginative projects come naturally to

HoMe is WHere tHe Work is....By Christine Pilgrim

PHoto 1

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her. For instance, she wanted the east wall in the studio/dining room/display/performance space (Photo 3) to be 24 ft. high in order to accommodate her huge painting Conscientious Perversity. It also works perfectly for Srdjan Segan’s 30 ft. long works that drape from ceiling to floor, thus providing a breath-taking backdrop for Melina Moore’s, Judy Rose’s and Tanya Lipscomb’s recent concert.

Once or twice a month, Oakes and Fogarty hold lavish dinner parties here for up to 40 guests at a time. The high windows light the room without taking up wall space or damaging paintings. In the Venetian palazzos that inspired them, they also made good crossbow slits to ward off intruders.

The bathroom (Photo 4) boasts tiled flying sparrows, sculpted by Oakes and fired and glazed by local ceramic artist Carolina Sanchez de Bustamante whose fabric wall hangings currently feature at Headbones.

The theme echoes Oakes’s installation, Swounds, at The Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario,

where a flock of her glass sparrows is suspended from the ceiling. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, 23 of the glass sparrows, reflecting the 23rd Psalm, fall to smash on the gallery floor. Each fall is prompted by the hymn God Sees the Little Sparrows Fall sung by soprano Neema Bickersteth. The shards add to a pile of broken glass that grows until the exhibition ends on June 19.

Says Oakes: “The concept deals with the fragility of life and the correlation between a loving omnipotence and the reality of violence and death.”

Although her work is playful, Oakes often uses shocking, sometimes macabre images, to make her point. See Unlucky Bunny (Photo 5).

She and Fogarty feature local and internationally acclaimed artists at Headbones Gallery. Their ten annual shows opened with Heidi Thompson’s abstract impressionist paintings and currently exhibit the work of Judy Chicago (The Dinner Party) and Srdjan Segan.

PHoto 1 PHoto 2

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Photo 6 shows the minimalist kitchen with its two small refrigerators and stove - the only modern appliances used to create and serve those lavish dinners.

Rich Fog Micro Publishing (Photo 7) specializes in art catalogues and annually publishes the Headbones anthology, documenting the year’s exhibitions with commentaries by Oakes. It also houses an extensive collection of unframed works in the Drawers Gallery.

The ten feet high doors in the reception hall (Photo 8) enable easier access for some of the huge avant garde works the couple enjoys exhibiting.

The doors help create the simple grandeur and serene palatial atmosphere of this home-cum-workplace where Fogarty and Oakes intend to set up a student residency program for when they exhibit in Toronto and New York.

While he smilingly looks on, she refers to her meditation practice, saying,“With my high energy I need to make sure I don’t spin in circles.” Judging by achievements and surroundings, her practice certainly works.

Check www.headbonesgallery.com for more details.

PHoto 3 PHoto 4

PHoto 5PHOTOS 1-4 & 6-8 BY RICHARD FOGARTYPHOTO 5 BY CHRISTINE PILGRIM

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PHoto 4

PHoto 6

PHoto 7

PHoto 8

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on a reCent eDition of CBC’s “Sunday Morning,” Michael Enright presented a fascinating piece on “academic integrity” (also known as cheating). While I was impressed by the various perspectives Enright brought to the issue, including students and the Academic Integrity Commissioner (who knew?) at the University of California San Diego, nowhere in the discussion did I hear anything about the institution’s obligation to engage students, to bring them into a “community of scholars” where cheating is not only morally wrong, but intellectually wrong and thus not even contemplated.

One student mentioned how much easier it is to cheat in a class of 1,000. While this is no doubt technically true, it also true that students cannot feel connected to their professors, much less their peers, when sitting isolated in gigantic theatres, their instructor a dot behind a podium on a stage,

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with little to no opportunity to interact in a meaningful way with their professor or other students. In a sense, we have developed institutions that cheat students, and students are responding in kind.

While I acknowledge, as the University of California commentator pointed out, that a full recollection of personal academic integrity transgressions is nearly impossible, my memory of the best courses I took in university – and high school for that matter – is of small classes of intense dialogue around relevant and compelling issues. These classes invited full intellectual engagement where ideas were challenged, tested, researched and debated. Assignments and exams grew naturally from the relationships and respect I developed not only for the knowledge and skills of my professor and fellow students, but for the ideas and concepts we discussed. This was genuine academic integrity, and the idea of violating it was simply unthinkable.

In these cases, papers became not pointless assignments to complete, but opportunities to reflect critically on the content of the seminars and readings and to synthesize my thoughts into a personal statement of my growth in understanding and knowledge of complex, meaningful issues. As university class sizes get larger and larger, and the movement in secondary and middle schools continues toward increased reliance on canned, mandatory curricula, the role of our educational institutions as credentialing factories becomes more blatant. Instead of making learning relevant, personally affirming and enjoyable, too often our schools sort students on their ability to “master” dead and deadening knowledge.

As an example of the kinds of strategies students use when faced with having to complete exams and essays that are more concerned with producing “measurable outcomes” than critical, creative thinkers or thoughtful learners, a student on the Sunday Morning program mentioned the case of an 18th century Chinese test taker. Required to memorize and write out several Confucian classics, he copied the texts onto his underwear and checked them out while visiting the Chinese equivalent of the washroom.

If we are genuinely interested in discouraging cheating in our schools and universities, I suggest that we begin by examining the dynamics of our classrooms. How creative are instructors in making their teaching compelling and meaningful? What responsibility do they take for ensuring

student learning? What efforts do the make to connect with their students at a personal level? Do they engage with their students through authentic dialogue? Do they encourage and recognize the importance of student to student discourse? How willing are professors to recognize and reward divergent points of view rather than regurgitation and compliance?

While in the States, I saw a billboard advertising a local community college. To the left of the sign was a picture of a young woman and next to her was this statement: “My name is Heather, and my instructors know it.” I would suggest that this institution may well experience higher levels of “academic integrity” than the norm: it is a lot harder to cheat when you are engaged with caring, connected teachers and students.

Perhaps the most telling comment on the show was the integrity commissioner’s comment that 40 years ago, 70% of university students said they entered college to “to develop a meaningful philosophy of life.” Today, she pointed out, 70% of entering students say they are in college “to gain wealth.” This is a staggering reality that is certainly rooted in social and economic pathologies created outside of -- and not remediable solely by -- our schools, one that clearly invites students (as well as business people, politicians, and plumbers) to get ahead at any cost, including cheating.

But if our schools and universities wish to dissuade students from following the logic of our societal preoccupation with gaining wealth at any cost, including cheating, they must recreate communities of learners where academic integrity is modeled by professors and teachers. In so doing, students in the social microcosms of our schools may learn that there are a lot more important (and satisfying) things in life than personal wealth and consumption, including a commitment to contributing to a healthier, more equitable larger society.

Don Sawyer is a writer, educator and former Director of Okanagan College’s International Development Centre. He lives with his wife in Salmon Arm. You can contact Don Sawyer by email at donsawyer@telus.net or by mail at Don Sawyer c/o North of 50°, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0. For more information on Don’s writing and development work, visit his web site at www.thenortherned.com.

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CSICentre for Seniors Information

ATTENTION EXHIBITORSNow accepting applications for the eighth annual

SENIORS EXPO to be held on Thursday, June 9, 2011 - 9:30 am - 4 pm

25 - 700 Tranquille Road (Northills Shopping Centre).Deadline for application is May 14, 2011.

Applications are available at www.csikamloops.ca or at the officeFMI contact 250-554-4145 - brenda@csikamloops.ca

25 - 700 Tranquille Road (Northills Mall) Kamloops

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If you have answered YES to any of these questions, it may mean that you have a hearing problem. Call today to book your hearing evaluation

northof50.com 21

stayCATIONS North of 50°A staycation is a bit like being a tourist in your own town. Instead of travelling afar for a vacation, you stay home and relax, taking day trips close to home. Living in the Thompson Okanagan is a bonus for staycationers, considering all there is to do here. Plan your staycation just like you would a regular vacation. Set a time and date for your ‘departure’. Buy a local guidebook. Go on a winery tour. Spend a day at the beach. Have dinner out. Visit a museum or art gallery. Check out one of the world class ski hills in the Thompson Okanagan. Experience live theatre. Attend a musical festival or sports event. Find a new hiking trail. The trick to enjoying a staycation is to make sure you do what you would do if you were on vacation: relax and explore!

Festivals, Fairs & Fun!

Be a Tourist in your Own Town

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Gray Scale - for B&W ads

Green

Black

2011 SUMMER EVENTS

It’s a world away in your own backyard, so make plans for a staycation in Kamloops this summer. There’s 107 things to do here!Come let loose and just play this Summer in Kamloops!

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“WHat Can you Do in kaMlooPs?” This is the most frequently asked question I encountered while working at the Kamloops Visitor Centre for many summers. Visitors to the area are in awe of the incredible landscape of pine forests, sagebrush dotted hills and towering silt bluffs. But then what? What CAN you do in Kamloops? When you’re heading west, just past Chase on the Trans Canada Highway, you’ll see our billboard with a pair of giant owl eyes staring at you and the claim of 107 Things To Do. Visitors to the city quickly find out that 107 is just the beginning.

A city with a population of over 85,000, Kamloops, is a vibrant community and is Canada’s Tournament Capital, playing host to many premier sporting events. So, when I have guests visiting who are into watching sports, I’ll suggest a soccer game at McArthur Island Park or a Kamloops Broncos football game at Hillside Stadium. And, if my guests are into getting active, I’ll suggest the Tournament Capital Centre (TCC), which combines a 65,000 sq ft indoor track, field facility, gymnastic centre and the Canada Games Aquatic Centre with a huge pool, diving boards, waterslide, hot tubs and a fun kids pool. The TCC will be one of the main venues this year for the 2011 Western Canada Summer

Games, so you’ll want to make plans to be in Kamloops this August.

But Kamloops isn’t solely about sports. Annual events and attractions offer something different to experience when on a staycation with friends or with the grandkids. The Kamloopa Powwow is an annual event where you’ll experience First Nations culture in the spectacular setting of the powwow grounds. While there, check out the Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park, where you can take a tour of a 2,000 year old village including underground pit homes and learn the stories of the Shuswap people. If you love classic cars, you must attend Hot Nite in the City Car Show ‘n Shine, which relives the glory days of the automobile with hot rods and muscle cars dominating 11 full blocks of Victoria Street in the city’s downtown core.

I highly recommend watching theatre under the stars at Prince Charles Park, home to Project X Theatre’s summer productions. Last year, Kamloops’ Home Town Boy and TV Meteorologist Mark Madryga, got to do a walk on role in the production of The Rocky Horror Show, wearing fishnet stockings and all! This year’s lineup includes ‘The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr’ and Robert Munsch’s ‘Munsch Ado About Nothing’ in the Park, and local theatre and music venues are always hopping with entertainment by well known music groups, comedians and theatre troupes.

Kamloops is known as Canada’s hottest golf destination. And for those who have a passion for golf, it’s apparent why. Nowhere else in British Columbia has a terrain more suitable for golf than Kamloops with its semi-arid climate. Whether you’re a great golfer or like me (mostly there to enjoy a day with friends), the 13 courses range in the levels of challenge. So you can test your skill at the likes of Tobiano, Kamloops Golf & Country Club or Rivershore Estates & Golf Links or have a more casual game at a 9-hole course. I’d have to say that the après golf activities are what I look forward to the most, and you can usually find my friends and me on a self-guided downtown brew tour or checking out the live music scene.

start Planning your suMMer stayCation!Son and dad with owl – BC Wildlife Park | Kelly Funk

By Kamloops Kendel

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When my family and I visit Kamloops for a getaway, there’s so much to see and do. Here are some of the things on our checklist of things to do:

l Steam back into history with the Kamloops Heritage Railway l Go for a hike at Kenna Cartwright Park

l Try a few of the 200+ restaurants

l Watch wolves being fed at the BC Wildlife Park

l Catch some live theatre or live music

l Go mini golfing with the kids

l Try out some indoor rock climbing

l Buy some fresh eats at the Farmers’ Markets

l Cool off at the water park in Riverside Park

l Catch up with friends on an outdoor patio

Marks StayCation Recommendations

So, I’ve probably mentioned about 30+ things you can do in Kamloops, not even including the guided fly fishing tours, Music in the Park, heritage homes walking tour, mountain biking and hiking trails, visiting the Centre of the Universe, steam train rides, museums, art galleries, flying over the city on a helicopter tour, rock hounding, etc… to get us to the promised total of 107 Things To Do, but I can assure you,

Kamloops night time pano – Kelly Funk

when you check out our website, you’ll be blown away by the unique and exciting things you can do in your own backyard of Kamloops on your next staycation. As always, we invite you to come let loose and just play in Kamloops! For more info visit www.tourismkamloops.com/explore

~ Kamloops Kendel

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FIndInG LIFE A LITTLE BORInG? nEEd A nEw PASSIOn? HOw ABOuT A LITTLE AdREnALInE?!

Try paragliding; its foot launched aviation fun.

Paragliding is the easiest form of aviation to learn and the fastest way to realize your dream of flight. In fact, you can be flying your own paraglider under supervised instruction after just two days of lessons.

Unlike ‘extreme’ sports such as base jumping, you don’t need to be a dare devil or athlete to learn. To the contrary, paragliding is quite intellectual with many pilots taking up the sport in their 50s. You could be next.

Paraglide Canada offers tandem flights or lessons ranging from two day sessions to complete certification programs. All you need to get started is gloves, boots and the right attitude.

The Okanagan Valley is home to some of the best flying conditions and scenery in North America.

Paraglide Canada has been helping people explore the freedom of flight with tandem experiences and lessons for more than 20 years.

Open Daily April 29 - Oct 31davisonorchards.ca 250.549.3266 Vernon

It’s about Family, Food & Fun!

A True Okanagan Experience A true oKAnAgAn eXPerIenCe

As the weather warms, the first signs of spring appear. Hills are awash with green, sunflowers show their sunny faces and the orchard trees burst with blossoms, promising fruit in the summer days ahead. Welcoming spring is Davison Orchards Country Village, open daily, April 29 through to October 31. Whether you’re local or from out of town, Davison Orchards is the perfect place to treat yourself, and your visitors, to a true Okanagan experience.

Savour a cup of locally-roasted coffee with a slice of famous fruit pie from the farm bakery. Take home some freshly-pressed apple juice and just-picked produce. And don’t forget to choose from the selection of delicious jams, sauces and preserves, all made right at the farm. Take the kids on an orchard tour aboard the Johnny Popper Apple Train, visit the farm animals and play at the Crazy Cow Kids Corral. Then sit back and relax, enjoy lunch on the patio, and delight in the spectacular view of the Okanagan Valley.

Davison Orchards Country Village – It’s about family, food and fun. Only minutes from downtown Vernon. Visit www.davisonorchards.ca

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aFter More tHan a DeCaDe the Meadowlark Festival is still going strong. “People are very curious about the Valley, ,” says Dick Cannings, one of the organizers, “and here’s a festival that offers exciting field trips on everything from rocks to birds to bugs to flowers to local history.” Each year the event draws locals into their own backyard and brings others from further afield. Most come as participants; others, like guest speaker Maude Barlow, come to share their expertise. A well-known author and activist, Barlow has been involved with international organizations focused on water issues—this year’s festival theme.

“We’ve got some interesting tours happening at Twin Lakes to do with the water issues that are happening there, ” she says festival co-ordinator Anita Dunford. Two canoe tours at Vaseaux Lake offer different experiences: one explores the area from a traditional First Nations perspective and will be

accompanied by youth drummers from the Penticton Indian Band while the other includes a hike. Perennial favourites are also in the line-up; horseback riding tours, batting events, astronomy, geology, wildlife drawing, walking tours at En’owkin Centre and ECOmmunity Place, and of course plenty of birding.

Cannings, a renowned birder and biologist, has been involved with the festival since its inception and says the festival serves three important purposes. “One is to let people in the Okanagan know about the valley and the species they share it with—why those species are so unique from a Canadian perspective and diverse from a continental perspective,” he says. “The second thing is to celebrate that.” While Penticton hosts plenty of festivals each year, the others (Elvis, jazz, wine, classic cars, etc.) are all in celebration of “us.” The Meadowlark Festival is about the

MeaDoWlark FestivalCeleBratinG Water

anD tHe WorlD arounD us

By Dawn Renaud

northof50.com 27

world we live in. “I hesitate to say it’s about the ‘natural world,’ because we are a part of the natural world,” he says. “This festival helps us remember that.”

The third purpose is boosting the local economy. “We get about the same number of people as all those other festivals, and actually cost the local taxpayers a lot less,” says Cannings. In a way, it was economics that got the ball rolling; although he’d been thinking about a nature festival for several years, he didn’t act until he got a phone call from the economic officer. “That triggered to get off my rear end. We got a committee together.” Some thought it was too late to start planning the festival for that year, but Cannings says they got so excited they did it anyway.

That kind of enthusiasm among the volunteers is what carries the festival. It was an immediate success with about 30 events and grew quickly to around 100. “The first few years it was entirely volunteer, and we kind of went through a number of volunteer program directors,” says Cannings. “One of them was my wife, Margaret Holm, so I saw at close hand how much work it was; so after five or six years we changed to a model where we tried to raise enough money every year to hire someone at least part time to do that.” Since then, they’ve tried to keep it at about 80 or 90 events—a mix of old and new. Some of them sell out quickly every year. “Certainly the birding events, the wildflower events, tend to be most popular,” he says—things most people don’t really have the opportunity to do on their own. The organizers could add more, but are aware they wouldn’t be able to keep such a close eye on the quality. “It works well right now. We rarely have programs we’re struggling to fill.”

The first day of ticket sales is always walk-in only, in keeping with the festival’s focus on helping the locals understand and appreciate their own environment. “We want to make sure they get that opportunity,” says Cannings.

The festival runs May 19 through 23. If you’re interested in taking in some of this year’s events, be sure to buy your tickets right away. Get them online at meadowlarkfestival.eventbrite.com or call 250.492.5275. Office hours are Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased in person during these hours at the festival offices, located at the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance, 246 Martin Street, Suite 203, Penticton. Dunford says there may still be volunteer opportunities available as well; those interested can use the same contact information to reach her.

By Dawn Renaud

Photos courtesy of Meadowlark Festival

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TRAvEL: IT’S GOOd FOR YOu!By Dawn Rueckl, Wells Gray Tours

Saint Augustine once said, “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” Those who are dedicated to a lifestyle of continued learning, personal health, and general well-being are definitely not those content to stay on the same page. For those people, travel is essential.

At the risk of criminal oversimplification, quality of life as you age is directly related to quality of health. Good health means sound mind and useful body. Maintaining good health means exercising and stretching mind and body to keep them fit and working, plus feeding both the right materials to make the ground fertile for growth. Travel can help provide all these things.

Travel is good for the brain because you are constantly learning and being challenged by the unfamiliar. You are forced to truly live in the moment, aware of new stimuli and releasing worries of anything but what is going on around you. You also tend to be more active when traveling.

So what are you waiting for? Travel – it’s good for you!

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onCe tHe WeatHer WarMs uP, the lure of a road trip is often too strong for many adventurous motorists to resist. Those who want to get away from it all and enjoy the minutiae of the trip often take to the road in short jaunts or extensive sightseeing vacations.

For road-trippers, it’s often about the drive itself

more so than the destination. There’s something appealing about hitting the open road and seeing the sights you would otherwise miss if traveling by air.

Thanks to displeasure with customer service and rising prices for commercial flights, a growing number of travelers are taking to the road, as is evidenced by the number of cars on the highways. Often affordable when done correctly, the

road trip is ideal for cash-strapped families or singletons looking to vacation on a budget.

* Make a plan. Although part of the mystique of the road trip is traveling at will, travelers who want to maintain some control over their travels should set a course of travel that inlcudes both lodging and restaurant locations. It pays to know where gas stations are, including ones that stay open for 24 hours. Running out of fuel can quickly spoil a road trip.

* Clean the car before departing. Chances are, road-trippers will acquire maps, fast food wrappers, discarded cups, and other paraphernalia while on the road. Starting out with a vehicle already overrun with junk can make traveling a drag. Clean the car before departing for the road, and continue to do so periodically during the trip.

* Mix highways with local roads. What’s the fun of taking a road trip if all that’s seen is a sea of cars going 90 kmh? Be sure to travel on slow-going local routes in addition to highway driving to mix up the trip and ensure the best opportunities for taking in scenery.

* Delegate tasks well. Find out who in the car reads maps well, is good at choosing tourist spots, makes meal decisions, and all the other necessities of the trip. Play toward people’s strengths, which will make for a more enjoyable trip.

* Get documents in order. Don’t forget to bring along updated insurance. Getting pulled over in an unfamiliar locale is never fun, but it can be less stressful if you know all of your documents are on hand and up to date. Inspect documents well in advance of the trip to allow for replacements to be sent if need be.

on tHe roaD aGain

A road trip is an ideal way to see the sights of the country without the stress of air travel.

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aWay FROM HOME24°41’47’’N

PiGeon key:

a tiny islanD WitH an enorMous History

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just over tWo Miles west of Marathon, Florida Keys, nestled beneath what is now called the Old Seven Mile Bridge, lies the historical treasure known as Pigeon Key. In the early 1900s, the five-acre island served as a base camp for workers during construction of the original Seven Mile Bridge, the awe-inspiring centerpiece of Henry Flagler’s Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad.

Visitors shouldn’t pass up the chance to explore Pigeon Key, which, despite its tiny size, played an enormous role in Keys history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, today it houses century-old buildings and a museum chronicling the construction of the Key West Extension, commonly called the Oversea Railway because its track stretched more than 100 miles out into open water.

The first Oversea Railway train rolled from the Florida mainland through the Florida Keys to Key West in January 1912, connecting the Keys to the mainland and each other for the first time.

A celebration to honor the historic railroad, lauded as the most unique railway in the world upon its completion, has begun in the Keys. Planned elements include history tours showcasing Flagler sites, bicycling expeditions, educational presentations and explorations of Pigeon Key. Events are to culminate Jan. 22, 2012, the 100th anniversary of the inaugural train’s arrival in Key West.

The Oversea Railway’s bridges and viaducts linking the islands of the Keys, including the landmark seven-mile span at Marathon, were regarded as an engineering marvel.

More than 400 workers lived in the railroad village on Pigeon Key, which had a post office, commissary and one-room school, during the Seven Mile Bridge’s construction from 1908 to 1912. Following its completion, maintenance crews continued living on the island.

A hurricane destroyed the railway in 1935, and a state highway was built to replace it. Pigeon Key then became headquarters to the Florida Road and Toll Bridge District, whose crews maintained the bridges from Jewfish Creek to Big Pine Key.

Starting in 1968, for two decades the island served as an environmental field station for international researchers studying tropical and subtropical marine and island

ecologies with the University of Miami. In 1993, the not-for-profit Pigeon Key Foundation assumed stewardship of the island and began restoration efforts.

Under the foundation’s tutelage, the tranquil, picturesque spot opened to visitors, providing them an opportunity to revisit Flagler’s era. The railroad museum, located in one of the original 1909 buildings, features exhibits including maps, historic photos, models and a picture postcard collection of the unique line over water.

Visitors can spend the entire day on the island, exploring the fully restored turn-of-the-century buildings, soaking up subtropical sun on a picnic, snorkeling the tidal shoreline and absorbing the history of the early Florida Keys.

Pigeon Key also offers hands-on private educational programs for students from elementary school to post-graduate levels through its respected Pigeon Key Marine Science Camps during summer months. Participants enjoy workshops on marine mammals and reef fish, coral reef systems, invertebrates and hard and soft corals found in Florida/Caribbean waters. In addition, they can become scuba certified during a camp session.

Accessible by ferry from a visitor center at Knight’s Key on the west end of Marathon, Pigeon Key also welcomes many visitors who walk or bike to it along a breathtakingly scenic portion of the Old Seven Mile Bridge, closed to vehicular traffic since 2007.

Guided ferry tours depart from Knight’s Key daily at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Return trips from Pigeon Key depart at 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. To reserve a seat on the ferry, call 305-743-5999. Reservations are not required but are suggested for holidays and weekends.

Cost for a day’s admission to the island, including the ferry transportation and tour, is $11 for adults, $8.50 for children ages 5 to 13 and free for younger children.

Pigeon Key information: www.pigeonkey.net

Marathon visitor information: 1-800-262-7284

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WHenever i travel to a Third World country, I am drawn to the differences of the landscape, the exotic nature of strange culture, dress or structures. And I’m almost always drawn to the character of the people. Western travelers to far off lands are often heard to say, “I really liked the people.” Down to earth, simple, engaging, beautiful, warm, friendly, are invariably ascribed to these populations. Once back home, its ho-hum, the usual. Why is this? Is it simply a matter of “different” being appealing? Of “other” having a cachet? Does leaving home open our eyes wide, automatically bringing out our photographic senses and making us pay closer, more intense attention? Consequently, do we see more clearly the goodness and attractive textures of humans, something we don’t always recognize in our own countrymen because we have normalized our own landscape and our own kind? Does it all come down to a case of one not appreciating our own? Maybe.

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Certainly, elements of this do factor into the perceptions and concomitant reactions we have. But maybe there is more. Maybe it has a lot to do with the living conditions, level of affluence and material accoutrements. Maybe it has something to do with the role that our work plays in our lives. Here, our work often defines us. We carry it as though it is us. I am a teacher. I am a lawyer. I am a nurse. And we also connect to our work in ways of profit. We think in terms of getting ahead, of accumulating, of saving for retirement. We look for stuff to buy, places to go, activities to try. All this seems natural. Curiosity plays a role. But each of these aspects tends to distance us from our cores, from the essence of who we are. We transform, or we live as human doings. We shift about moving from one accomplishment, one search, one purchase to the next. Many of us don’t know how to relax, to stay relaxed and content for a sustained period of time. We feel that we need to do something, attain something. Stay active is a mantra glued to the notion of retirement. So we flit about. Who are we then? Flitters. In Third World countries most ordinary people are not flitters. They aren’t cut off from themselves. They just are. Each day is about surviving to the next, not necessarily in a precarious way (though sometimes that is the case) but surviving, as in living, as in being. They define themselves by family, neighbourhood, community, tribe. Life is just that. Living each day. They arise and work and, of course, hope - but they don’t let hope interfere with reality. It’s mostly just earning enough to make ends meet and then enjoy the day as it is. Here, we are so often looking for more. Anxious about it. Celebrations and cultural practices are so much more important in the Third World because they are what can be looked forward to. That is what they have in their lives. Those celebrations and practices reinforce their identity. They reinforce the optimism and joy that their lives do have. They don’t go looking for it or go somewhere for it. They don’t join a club or try a new fad. They partake in celebrations as they arrive, happily anticipate their coming and feel happy after their finish. Life each day is what it is and this grounds those population and imbues them with a soul, character, identity. We go there, see them and we feel that they are present in their skins. Their eyes show who they are, connected to themselves - not searching for something else. Not so busy. In the West, most of the time I only see this kind of substance, this depth, this selfness, in the old. The old have stopped playing the game, stopped trying to fit in, stopped looking outside themselves for identity. It’s fascinating

that most traditional societies in poorer parts of the world venerate their elders. The wisdom ascribed to elders may not be the ideas they hold but the presence of their spirit. Two of my young friends just came home from 6 months in Latin America. They didn’t go as tourists but as studiers. They went to be. Thus, they lived in people’s homes, worked and volunteered. They opened up to all of what the people were. Their travel tales were not about what they saw or did, but about how they felt, about who they met, and about what self and human insights they gained. I see in their eyes the same presence that I saw in eyes in India, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Burma, and Afghanistan. So, I know that it isn’t a matter of who we really are but how we’ve chosen to live our lives. Calvin White is a retired high school counsellor who lives in the North Okanagan. He has over 70 essays published in various Canadian daily newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Province. If you have any comments on this column, you can write to Calvin White at calvinwhite@northof50.com or to Calvin White c/o North of 50°, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

tHe town oF lIllooet temPts wItH tAstes oF loCAl FruIt

In Lillooet, north of Whistler, summer means more than soaring temperatures and warm winds rustling the grasslands. Take, for example, the ripening apricots and budding Saskatoon berries flourishing throughout the town’s streets and backyards. So overrun by these golden gems and dark jewels, the town, in fact, took the natural next step: organizing a summer gathering to commemorate all things apricot and berry. During the aptly-named Apricot Tsaqwem Fest each July (Tsaqwem means Saskatoon berry in the local First Nations dialect), the Lillooet celebration tees off with a golf tournament, strikes a chord with street dances and live performances, provides crafts for the kiddies, barbecues scores of salmon, and whips up a variety of apricot cook-offs and fruit-infused dinners. Of particular note, visitors can take a self-guided “Jade Walk” — a tour of the town which showcases a variety of sculptures crafted from the precious stone that was extracted from Lillooet’s own jade mine (the first in the province, and one of the most significant producers of the coveted green gold in the mid-20th century). An inspiring tour sure to stir your appetite. www.lillooetbc.com

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until May 1997, tHat’s tHe siGn you’d have seen

posted at the entryways to most care facilities in the BC Interior. Dogs were considered unsanitary and their tendency to nuzzle up

to strangers disruptive. But attitudes have changed and

today, canines from the St. John Ambulance (SJA) Therapy Dog

program are welcomed in 36 facilities throughout the Thompson-Okanagan. These dogs have turned out to be a reliable prescription for spontaneous fun.

At age 88, many of Louise’s memories have faded, but one that remains vivid is of her childhood dog, Max, who rode to town on the front fender of the family vehicle. “Max went everywhere we went. He was a black collie with a platinum blonde patch on his hind quarters. He understood what we said and he was the joy of my dad’s life—more so than Marg and me!” (Marg was Louise’s twin sister.)

Today, at her home at Lakeshore Place, Louise is enjoying a visit from Meesha, a golden retriever owned by Geri Eakins. For

the past four years, Geri has visited Louise and other Lakeshore Place residents almost every week. As a Therapy Dog team, Geri and Meesha deliver a service that is as simple as it is effective in eliciting a healthy level of joy.

“Dogs, like people, have different gifts to offer,” says Geri. “Pets really get us to have fun. Cuddling and petting Meesha is a wonderful way for the residents here to open up and reminisce, but also to be in the moment.”

Meesha frequently places her muzzle on Louise’s knee, returning the octogenarian’s gaze. Scientific studies have shown that dogs have a remarkable capacity to read body language and respond with what seems like empathy. Louise

admits she prefers dogs to people. “They are affectionate and they don’t talk back,” she

says wryly.

Geri asks the dog to do tricks as Louise doles out the treats and other residents clap appreciatively. While each volunteer-canine team is unique, the outcome is almost always positive.

Joyce Wegner and her Welsh corgi, Winston

have been visiting Cottonwoods weekly for nearly a year.

“I think what residents get from a visit is a touch of home,” says Joyce. “Many of them had dogs as children or at home before coming to Cottonwoods. They really miss the opportunity to interact with their furry friends, so when they see Winston it gives them that special connection.”

Today, Joyce and Winston make their way to the television room to meet their first friend,

Lou. For the past few months, Lou has required around-the-clock care for diabetes and cancer. “I think I feel better after seeing Winston,” Lou offers. “I certainly look forward to seeing him. He’s just getting used to me and I to him. He’s a good, patient dog.” Winston quietly sits next to Lou’s chair. He is

no DoGs alloWeDStory & photos by Lisa Harrison

northof50.com 35

remarkably calm for a two-year-old dog and Joyce attributes it to regular training in addition to the initial, intensive session provided by SJA.

During training, dogs are exposed to unfamiliar sounds such as bells, loudspeaker announcements, or the clatter of a tray dropped on the floor. While on the job, the therapy dogs continue to learn from a range of encounters.

Even when Lou’s wheelchair emits a loud beep, Winston barely twitches. “Winston used to get startled by that sound,” says Joyce. But now, he’s become accustomed to the chair.

The next stop is Edith’s room where the resident is in the midst of a jigsaw puzzle that challenges her mind as well as the damaged nerves in her fingers. Having grown up with cats and dogs, Edith affectionately refers to Winston as “her pet”. “I get my hair done for Winston,” she laughs. “I have to look good for him.”

For patients with Alzheimer’s disease, therapy dogs can even trigger breakthroughs. Esther Almond and her dog Boomer were frequent visitors to Sunpointe Village until the dog suddenly passed away this winter. Beginning in 2008, they regularly visited a woman named Janina. As Esther later discovered, she had been imprisoned in the Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. “Janina had Alzheimer’s and it is common as the disease progresses that the individual will revert back to their native tongue (which, in her case, was Polish),” says Esther.

Esther tells the story of one of Janina’s remarkable visits with Boomer. “She placed her frail hands on both sides of Boomer’s big face and started to speak English again. She said, ‘Look how beautiful this dog is. You can see how smart he is when you look into his eyes.’ One of the caregivers walking by said, ‘I didn’t even know that she could speak English; you will have to leave Boomer here so we will know what she wants.’ He brought her back to the present, if only for just a little while.”

The benefits of the Therapy Dog program for seniors are numerous, but what about the volunteers and their dogs? For Joyce, seeing the residents perk up is worth the time in her busy schedule. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction and it really is good for the dog,” she says. “Allowing him to participate in this activity is stimulating and enjoyable for him. It’s good discipline too.”

Leigh Ciurka, the program’s Regional Coordinator has received heart-warming feedback from seniors. “The therapy dog team may be the only visitor for a while and the resident really looks forward to spending time with them.”

Leigh, along with care facility residents, would like to see more people and pets in the program. Joyce and Winston, for example, are the only team that visit the large Cottonwoods complex. Leigh’s ideal is a team that consists of a compassionate, patient human and a well-trained, calm, gentle dog. Both should be willing to commit their time on a regular basis, but she stresses that the rewards make it an easy commitment to maintain.

For more information about volunteering as a Therapy Dog team, visit the Saint John Ambulance website (www.sja.ca ) or contact Leigh Ciurk, the Regional Coordinator BC Interior (email: lciurka@bc.sja.ca)

Geri Eakins and her golden retriever, Meesha, visit Lakeshore Place resident, Louise.

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Way BaCk in WHat Feels like another lifetime my boyfriend proposed marriage to me on a random day in February. We had already been living together for awhile and he was feeling some heat from me, my parents, his parents, and society in general to turn our gig into something sealed with a ring. He purposefully did not propose on February 14th, knowing that Valentine’s Day is a day I have always eschewed for being predictable, trite, and manufactured by De Beers and Hallmark simply for creating a corporate profit spike in a sluggish winter economic cycle. I actually do not know the original purpose for the day, and frankly I don’t care how noble the original intent may have been, because the commercialized version that exists now does not float my boat. I maintain to this day a sharp cynicism towards Valentine’s Day, and twenty-plus years into our marriage we still don’t mark the day in any way. The amount of money we’ve saved, not buying roses and chocolates all these years, is starting to amount to something quite significant.

Given this cynicism, perhaps it’s somewhat peculiar that I embrace Mother’s Day as warmly as I do. It’s difficult for me to explain this. Certainly, Mother’s Day could be perceived as being just as commercialized and predictable as Valentine’s Day. But there seems to be a more genuine grass-roots feeling of love associated to the day, if that makes any sense. Mother’s Day, to my view, has real heart, whereas Valentine’s Day has nothing more than heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.

I have known the pleasure of lying in bed listening to the sounds of my tidy kitchen being torn asunder by two young boys. Sleepily supervised by their bleary-eyed father (it was often six a.m., in his defence) the boys excitedly prepared some kind of atrocious breakfast for me, which of course I ate with enthusiasm. When the boys were slightly older and could be somewhat relied upon to behave politely in a restaurant, thereby not casting shame upon the family, we did the Mother’s Day brunch scene. We did this for a few years and it was great fun, largely because it meant I didn’t have to clean up the kitchen, and the boys were so stuffed I didn’t have to cook lunch. In recent years as the boys grew into enormous teenagers I simply began requesting a day where I can spend the whole time gardening (this guarantees me time alone, a rare commodity in my life) and the boys together with their Dad must cook me dinner. Of course, my husband and I both acknowledge our own mothers as well, although truth be told the day holds little value for either of them anymore.

I know that for many families, the complexities of divorce and second marriages can make the day a logistical nightmare. I know of one blended family that has so many different Moms to acknowledge and honour that getting it all accomplished requires military-like precision and split-second timing. And the delicious irony is that, of course, it all gets accomplished because the mothers do the planning.

Perhaps, like Christmas, Mother’s Day is best appreciated when our children are young. Consider the magic contained inside a homemade Mother’s Day card, with a lopsided heart and a cartoon-like mom with weird hair. One year my youngest made me such a card. He was about five years old. Inside he had neatly printed “Happy Mother’s Day. I love you as much as I love hamburgers”. I still have this card, and its charm and sincerity will never fail to delight me. That card encapsulates what I love about Mother’s Day.

Lise Simpson has lived with her family in Armstrong for 14 years, and would not return to the Coast for any sum of money in any global currency. She is a terrible poker player, and becomes alarmingly agitated if delivered late to an airport. She enjoys pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain

LISE

siMPsonI Love You as much as I Love Hamburgers

THE VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

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By Bob Harrington

SIMPLIFYING YOUR LIFEit’s your WorlD

tHe siMPle liFe is a very elusive tHinG.

There was a time when a man who desired to live a simple life shouldered a sack of necessities and struck off into the wilderness with a gun and an axe. Today those who wish to live a simple life move to the country, have a bulldozer make a road to the place where they wish to commence this life of simplicity and bring with them a truck load of furniture, and five tons of other necessities. Shortly they find that there are other people in the same areas seeking the same sort of life. Between them they get up petitions in order to have telephones and electricity and schools, not to mention pavement to the door. So we move on, and so the simple life eludes us and vanishes from one after another of the remoter portions of the land.

Actually, we find that the simple life is not quite so simple after all. We are borne along on the stream of our times and on the ways of our society. We are conditioned early in life to luxuries on a magnitude that would have been beyond belief only a few decades ago. We have incubated a built-in want system within ourselves, and it is threatening the resource capacity of the earth to provide us with what we fancy are our needs.

It is interesting, is it not? We are seeing a growing paradox as people on one hand are turning their focus on living a life of simplicity, but on the other must run madly to keep up with the racing economic juggernaut. Although there are neither male nor female dollars, we expect them to reproduce at a rate of six or seven percent per year. That we tear down the walls of our houses to keep the fires of our ambition stoked, goes unnoticed.

On their vacations more and more people are streaming to the quiet places, the undefiled places. They find that the streams still ripple down from the hills and swish through rock-walled canyons. They learn that the water is still sweet where man has not yet brought his concept of progress. They care and they fear. They hope that next year when they come back, it will be the same, but they fear that the bulldozer will have come along and that another magic place will have disappeared forever. The machine has given us the power to destroy and the machine does not care. It is the individuals who must do the caring, humans who must control the machine. It is so easy to alter our surroundings, so impossible to restore them.

In order to find the simple life, we must learn to simplify. But most of us are so out of tune with nature that we no longer are aware of such a truth. Yet the Christian ethic which theoretically guides much of our philosophy tells us that material accumulations are of far less value than the spiritual progress we make. We are reminded that none of us can add to our stature by taking thought and are told to “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, yet even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Go look at a western wood lily or a tiger lily, absorb yourself in its intricate beauty and ponder the truth of this. We are told that where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also. Look at a rippling stream, chuckling along with its enigmatic little sound. Beauty IS nature and is abundant within the reach of every eye.

Gandhi had a vision of the simple life which is worth thinking about. As he said, “I suggest we are thieves in a way. If I take anything that I do not need for my immediate use, and keep it, I thieve it from somebody else. I venture to suggest that it is the fundamental law of nature, without exception, that Nature produces enough for our wants from day to day, and if only everybody took enough for himself, and nothing more, there would be no pauperism in the world, there would be no person dying of starvation.” In short, he felt that he dare not possess anything which he did not need.

The simple life is indeed elusive – that is because one of the more elusive things in today’s world is to be content with little. To want little is to have much.

Check out Bob’s latest book, The Soul Solution:The Need for a Theology of the Earth with a foreword by Dr. David Suzuki. Bob’s books are available at Bookland in Vernon and Kamloops, Mosaic Books in Kelowna, and Hooked on Books in Penticton.

northof50.com38

HealtH MATTERS

WoMen Have lonG Gone to great lengths to change the texture of their hair. Those with straight hair will curl and perm to achieve wavy locks, while individuals with a mane of curls often desire sleekness not easily achieved without blow-drying and processing. Women who have been undergoing popular treatments to enjoy straight, sleek hair may be realizing some serious, unwanted side effects as a result.

For some time now, women have been flocking to area salons to undergo straightening treatments that promise long-lasting results in minimal time. One of the more popular names is the Brazilian Blowout(R), a professional smoothing solution, purported to have been developed by style specialists in Brazil. Treatments like the blowout made headlines for a time thanks to the dramatic results they provided for women with curly, kinky or overly frizzy hair. In about 90 minutes, a customer can walk out of a salon with pristine straight hair that lasts up to 3 months. However, recent news regarding these products has been less than stellar. Certain individuals began experiencing negative health effects, possibly attributable to the salon processes.

The controversy surrounds the formaldehyde that is contained in the product. While reformulations now tout that these straightening treatments are formaldehyde-free, experts say that they really do contain formaldehyde, just

small, safe levels. But what constitutes safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that .2 percent of formaldehyde is allowed in toiletry and cosmetic products as a preservative. The Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Administration has tested Brazilian Blowout(R) and other similar products, like Keratin Complex(R) by U.S. brand Coppola, and has found that some contain up to 10 percent of formaldehyde, despite saying they’re free of the chemical.How the hair-straightening properties of formaldehyde were discovered is relatively unknown. Some suggest it is from the way wool is straightened with formaldehyde in the textile industry. Until then, formaldehyde was largely known as a preservative, such as in embalming fluid. Formaldehyde and other derivatives, such as aldehyde, glutaraldehyde, formalin or methylene glycol can be skin, respiratory and eye irritants. When these chemicals are heated -- as is part of the process in popular blowout treatments -- toxic fumes are often the byproduct.

Stylists have reported getting headaches, having watery eyes, trouble breathing, or feeling nauseous after applying treatments. Clients have experienced everything from burning to itchy skin to hair loss as a result.

Litigation against popular blowout products is ongoing in certain locales. In turn, the manufacturers of these treatments are also suing for misrepresentation. While there are limited self-imposed bans of some of these products, blowouts are still widely available at salons. It is up to the client and the stylist to decide whether they want to run the risks of the treatment.

For those who are looking for straight hair other ways, flat irons and regular blow-drying are less expensive ways to achieve the results. However, these more traditional treatments only last until the hair is washed or a humid day arises.

GettinG siCk a HiGH PriCe to Pay For straiGHt Hair

Salon treatments designed to straighten hair may offer more than sleek locks.

northof50.com 39

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Fintry sPrinG Plant Festival on May 14 at

Fintry ProvinCial Park

early tHis sPrinG B.C. Parks contracted to replace the veranda around the Manor House in Fintry Provincial Park. The job is now complete and the rotten old veranda has been replaced with a splendid new one and without the rusty screening the full splendour of the House’s granite walls can for the first time be clearly seen from the lawn.

Traditionally the first event of the year at Fintry has been the Festival of the Falls. This has often been a great success, but some visitors have suggested that it is time for a change. With this in mind the Friends of Fintry have decided to move Spring event from the field in front of the Octagonal Barn to the lawns of the Manor House where they are planning a Spring Plant Festival on Saturday, May 14 from 10 am to 4 pm Gardening advice will be available from Master gardeners and Garden Clubs, and plants and seeds will be on sale together with arts and crafts. Westside musicians will play from the new Veranda, and children of all ages will be invited to play games on the Front Lawn. Lunch will be available from 12 noon to 1:30pm. Admission by donation. Tour of Manor House and Barns: Adults $5, children under 12 free.

Garden Clubs, plant growers and other vendors have been invited to join us. Plants and seeds will be on sale together with arts and crafts by the residents of the Westside. Local musicians will play from the new Veranda, and children of all ages will be invited to play games on the Front Lawn. Lunch will be available from 12 noon to 1:30pm.

Summer Solstice Soirée

Tickets $50 each

Friday June 3rd, 2011Paddlewheel Hall, Okanagan Lake

Doors open 7:00 pm Tapas Tour served 7:30 pm Silent Auction 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Dancing starts 10:00 pm

Purchase tickets at www.noccs.caor by phoning 250 558 9963 x202

NORTH OKANAGAN CHILD CARE SOCIETY

An elegant evening celebratingour love for children and the longestdance of the Okanagan Sun

2nd Annual Fundraiser hosted by the

~ black tie & flip-flops suggested ~

$25 charitable donation receipt provided for each ticket purchased

Only 200 tickets available ~ Advance purchase required by May 25th

Now to May 15th, ART IS... ”Art Is..” is a showcase of student art from Princess Margaret, Summerland Secondary and Pen High. As the title suggests, art is an incomplete concept. Ever-changing yet ever-lasting in our collective psyche; we

need to create. We don’t have to be told as young children to create; give us crayons, paste and paint and the world is our canvas. As we age, however, we are faced with the big aesthetic questions of: What is Art? What is good Art? Who decides the outcome of these questions?

Now to June 8th, ART IN ACTION EXHIBITION: TIME FRAME. This exhibition features approximately 125 works of art created by students in Kelowna’s public and private high schools. Art in Action is a celebration of the creativity and artist talent of local youth. Each year, high-school students are asked to explore their imagination, creating their own creative visions of life through painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, and photography.ar

ts H

APPE

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G

may

VERNON PUBLIC ART GALLERY vernonpublicartgallery.com

May 26 to July 28, UBCO BFA GRADUATING CLASS: PREVALENT MATERIAL.

KELOWNA ART GALLERYkelownaartgallery.com

ALTERNATOR CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTalternatorcentre.com

Now to May 21, TRADITIONS AND TRANSITIONS. This show explores and pushes the boundaries and attitudes towards contemporary printmaking. Selected works address current debates in printmaking affected by technological

advances and a concurrent desire to honour traditional practices. Artists provide national representation and scope with works using traditional, conceptual and mass production techniques. This exhibition demonstrates how works made in dramatically different ways can be relevant and exist side by side.

PENTICTON ART GALLERYpentictonartgallery.com

KAMLOOPS ART GALLERYkag.bc.ca

June 11th to Sept. 3rd, YOUSUF KARSH AND EDWARD STEICHEN: THE ART OF THE CELEBRITY PORTRAIT organized by the National Gallery of Canada. This exhibition of 35 prints shows the remarkable skills of Karsh and Steichen, two of the twentieth century’s greatest portrait photographers. They first met in New York City in 1936, when a young Canadian, Yousuf Karsh called upon an emerging American photographer, Edward Steichen, in his New York studio.

northof50.com 41

CoMinG EVENTS may

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May 19. Michael Kaeshammer will perform at Creekside Theatre, 7:30 pm. He has been called Canada’s triple-threat combo of piano virtuosity, vocal ability and charisma. This potent combination has earned the Toronto based artist international critical acclaim and a loyal and growing fan base. Kaeshammer’s performances are pure delight and his energy knows no bounds. He has piano technique to burn and to his audience’s delight has an acrobatic way with a grand piano. There’s not a brighter star on the jazz horizon! Tickets: $32 General $30 Senior/Student. Reservations /Information 250.766.9309 or www.creeksidetheatre.com

May 18. Kid Rock at Prospera Place. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Show starts 7:30pm. www.selectyourtickets.com.

May 20. Local Blues legend, Sherman doucette at 7:30pm at the Vinter’s Poolside Grill, Capri Hotel 7:30 to 10:30 pm. No Cover. Ample complimentary parking. 250.860.6060 or dine@coastcaprihotel.com

May 23. Canada’s world-class Ukrainian dance company, sHumKA brings their breathtaking and virtuoso dancing with dramatic storylines to Kelowna Community Theatre. A blend of Ukrainian dance, a dash of classical and contemporary movement, threaded with stunning costumes is an electrifying performance! 250.469.8506.

May 6 & 7. Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. Filled with timeless tapping and wonderful flapping, dashing leading men and a dragon lady of a villainess audiences will love to hate, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a perfectly constructed evening of madcap merriment. Taking place in New York City in 1922, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of young Millie Dillmount, who has just moved to the city in search of a new life for herself. It’s a New York full of intrigue and jazz - a time when women are entering the workforce and the rules of love and social behavior were changing forever. Times and ticket info at www.ticketseller.ca

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May 13. A fundraiser for Mike Puhallo and his family to help with travel and medical costs with partial proceeds going to the Cancer Centre for the Southern Interior (Kelowna). Featuring Gary Fjellgaard, Dave Longworth, Tim Hus and band, Hugh McLennan, Butch Falk, Shirley Field, and Matt Johnston. Concert starts at 7pm. Tickets are $15 in advance (call 1-888-763-2224 or visit The Horse Barn) or $20 at the door.

May 15. Scotiabank MS walk is happening again this year starting at Interior Savings Centre. Check-in between 8:30 & 9:30. Walk starta at 10am. You can walk, jog or role the 1,2,5 or 10km route through Riverside park and along rivers trail. There is music, kids area, light breakfast and BBQ lunch. This is a pledged based fundraising event with tons of great prizes and incentives. To register as an individual or team (4 members or more) please go to www.mswalks.ca or call 250 314 0773. We welcome families, friends and co-workers to come out and make every step matter, together we will end MS!

SALM

ON A

RM

May 5 to 10. Shuswap Theatre presents Heartbreak House, a comedy by George Bernard Shaw and directed by James Bowlby. Preview May 5, $9 at the door, Opening Night May 6 (includes Cash Bar and complimentary appetizers after the show), Show time 8pm, Doors open at 7pm Show runs May 6 – 14 with a matinee on Sunday, May 8, dark Monday and 2 for 1 Tuesday May 10. www.shuswaptheatre.com or 250.832.9283

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May 20 to 22. The 2011 BC Open Gold Panning Championships and Family Fun days at the Gold Panner Campground /Chalets in Cherryville. 60 km east of Vernon on Highway 6. No gate admission, open to everyone. A weekend full of fun and good food. Pancake and ham breakfasts Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am to 9:00 am and a Beef Steak Barbecue Saturday at 5:30 pm. In addition to Games- Pan Toss, Claim Staking, Gold Rush, and Dirt Toss all of which have gold nugget prizes, there will be Metal Detecting Events each day and Bannock Baking Saturday at 6:30 pm. Music each evening. Visit http://cherryville.homestead.com/goldpanning.html for a complete list of times & events. Book campsites by phoning 250.547.2025. All other info, Diane Fulbrook, 250.503.1035.

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1015 Fairweather Rd.Vernon, Ph: 558-6919 Jackpot line: 558-1599

B OGNIFAIRWEATHER

Know your limit, play within it

Open 6 days/nights Days 11 am, Saturday 10 am, Evening 7 pm

Friday - Saturday - Twilight

Fairweather Rd.

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for detAils

HOME HEALTH CARE CENTRE

A DIVISION OF KIPP MALLERY PHARMACYMarilyn Tutt, Manager

K M

273 Victoria Street, Kamloops, B.C., V2C 2A1

P (250) 372.0842 l F (250) 372.1736

Toll Free 1.800.482.0134

Headaches? Arthritis? Trouble Sleeping?

At HANDS ON HEALTH we can help!

Constitutional HomeopathyYoga Therapy * Physiotherapy

HANDS ON HEALTH CLINIC1315 Summit Drive, Kamloops

250.377.7675 www.sacredbody.net

Huxley Homes Ltd.

l6 low maintenance strata lotsl1800+ square foot homes with basementslDouble Garages lMaple Cabinets & Hardwood Flooring

3535 Wood Avenue

Custom Designed HomeslHardiplank SidinglArchitectural AccentslMain Floor LivinglGreat Designs

250.546.8791PATRICK PLACE

www.CommunityHomeSellers.com

Hawthorne Lane

Interlakes Tailgate Sale &

flea marketMay 21, 2011 a 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Gates open 8:00 am

Interlakes Rodeo GroundsCorner of E.Sheridan Lake Road and Highway 24

Grounds admission: $1Sellers: $10

per pick up/table

Rain or Shine a Concession open

Sellers RSVP by May 15 a Phone 250-593-0203

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* Please phone for our out-of-country rates.

To have North of 50 mailed directly to you:

1. Clip or photocopy this form and mail with a cheque for $23.52 to North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC,

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2. Or call 1.877.667.8450

All your information is kept confidential.

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North of 50®

LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE March 2011 Vol. 9, Issue 3

Publications Mail Agreement 41188516SSN# 1710-4750

MATURING DEMOGRAPHICA Boon for Savvy EmployersNARAMATA CENTRE:

Changing with the Times

WIN AHOUSEBOAT VACATION

$21.00 + HST/per year*

(12 issues)

250.542.7727

4709-29th Street, Vernon, BC morgansglass@shaw.ca

lWindshield Repair & ReplacementlWindow & Door RenovationslRollshutters & RollscreenslCustom & Standard Shower DoorslGlass/MirrorslSealed UnitslScreens/Plexi Glass

Family Owned & Operated since 1963

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Community EventsArmstrongArmstrong Toastmasters, Cat Got Your Tongue? Go out on a limb. Develop lifelong communication & leadership skills in a supportive environment, every Tuesday night 7:30 to 9:30pm at the Armstrong Spall Chamber of Commerce. Guests welcome. Free. “Making Effective Communication a Worldwide Reality” Visit http://armstrongtoastmasters.webs.com/

enDerByEnderby & District Garden Club’s Annual Plant & Manure Sale at Riverside Park gazebo, May 14th, 8am to noon. Plants from $1 to $8 . 35 lb. bags of goat manure, $2.50. This annual sale is a major fund-raiser for community projects such as tree planting, Cornerstone Garden maintenance, and helping with the gardens at Parkview Place and Granville Getaway. 250.838.6643.

The Fourteenth annual “Singin’ Good News” at Birch Meadow Farms, 637 Enderby-Grindrod Road, Enderby, June 24, 25 & 26. The Southern Gospel Style Music Concerts begin at 5pm on Friday; 1pm and 6pm on Saturday; and 1pm on Sunday. Admission by donation. Parking is available for self-contained RVs. 250.838.7454 or visit www.singingoodnews.com for list of events / musicians / speakers.

KAmlooPsMother’s Day Fashion Show, Bake Sale & Tea - Saturday, May 7. Bake Sale at 1pm, Fashion Show & Tea at 1:30pm. Tickets $12 in advance from the North Shore Community Centre. 250.376.4777.

May 15. Tanks with Pancakes from 10am to 2pm at the Heffley Community Hall. Special guests: Kamloop Vintage Sports Car Club (adopt a road sponsors). Everyone welcome, bring your classic, vintage car or hot rod. Trunk, Boot Sale, Flamed Fridge Raffle, Bake Table, Door Prizes, Meat Draws & 50/50. $5 Pancakes/Sausages/Coffee). 250.578.0496 or 250.214.0550. www.heffleycreekhall.webs.com or 250.320.3303.

KelownAKelowna Singles Club Dances every 2nd Saturday in the Rutland Centennial Hall, 180A Rutland Rd. N. Doors open 7:30 pm. Dancing from 8:00 pm to midnight. Bar and refreshments, plus a light lunch at 10:30 pm. Tickets at

the door. Members $9. Non - Members $12. Memberships are $12/year 250.763.1355 or 250.763.1867 or charlotte_schade@hotmail.com.

PentICton4th Annual Burger and Beer Pub Night presented by Grandmother’s for Africa on May 11 at the Barking Parrot. 5:45 to 8:30 pm. Silent auctions, entertainment and lucky draws. All proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation supporting grandmothers and AIDS orphans in Africa. More info at 250.493.0076. Tickets $10 at Lakeside Resort or call 250.492.8569.

sAlmon ArmThe Salmon Arm Horseshoe Club holds regular practices, Tuesday & Thursday evenings starting at 6:30 pm from May until fall coolness. New members and visitors welcome. Scheduled tournaments throughout the valley. First local tournament ,Sat., May 7th. Ken at 250.832.1994 or Faith at 250.832.9873.

wInFIelDCrib Tournaments at the Seniors Activity Center 9832 Bottomwoodlake Rd, each 3rd Sunday of the month except July and August. Registration 9:30 am. Game start 10:00am. Entree fee $12. Excellent lunch and free coffee included. Call John 250.766.3026 or sparekey@telus.net.

VernonFriday Nite Supper at the ELKS LODGE 3103 - 30TH ST. 6:00 PM -A homemade meal includes soup or salad, buns, dessert and coffee all for $ 8.00 - Everyone welcome - members and non-members. A Mini Meat Draw & 50/50 follow dinner. All funds raised to to charities in Vernon. www.vernonelks.com Bar opens at 5:00 pm. CRIB TOURNAMENT - ELKS Lodge - First and second Sunday of each month. Eks lodge - 3103 - 30th Street. Registration at 9:30 - Crib at 10:00 pm Cost $ 10.00 -Please bring lunch. 250.549.1883 Everyone Welcome

Communtiy Event listings are intended for non-profit sponsored and non-commercial events. we will list your event free of charge, space permitting. Please email details to info@northof50.com or fax to 250.546.8914.

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aCross1 Dyke4 Expression7 Afloat (2 wds.)12 Wing13 Compass point14 New York borough15 Learn from books16 Makes honey18 Hi20 Downwind21 Adios22 Posy26 Dieter’s joy28 Young lady29 North American Indian31 CDS33 Revolutions per minute34 Bro.’s sibling35 mothers warning37 Guarantees40 Sibling’s daughter

43 Title of respect44 Knobs45 Water surrounded 3 sides50 Baseball stick51 Amid52 Sun’s name53 Caustic substance54 Respiratory organs55 Abdominal muscles (abbr.)56 Vane direction

DoWn1 Country house2 Out loud3 Macho nature4 Untied5 African antelope6 Dress edge7 More able8 What a forest is made of9 Weep10 Vane direction

11 Hatchet17 Mottle19 MGM’s Lion22 Display areas23 Likeable24 Breach25 Shade Tree27 Yarns29 Utilize30 Container32 To wear on your feet in the day36 Roman numeral seven38 Exploiting39 Jewelry41 Different type of soil42 Sugar-free brand45 Bud46 Flightless bird47 Not (refix)48 North American nation49 Throw

May 8th, Mother’s day Pancake Breakfast at Hullcar Hall

8 am till 11 am$5 per breakfast – and what a breakfast it is!

Buttermilk pancakes, eggs, sausages & the best homemade baked beans in the world!

Coffee or Juice- all for $5. There will even be door prizes! We’re looking for

volunteers to help with breakfast, too!Memberships for the Hullcar Hall Society are $20 per

person or $30 for a family. Membership funds help us keep the lights on. Lapel pins also for sale.

For more info call Sherri 250.546-1944(corner of deep Creek & Hullcar Road)

Armstrong / Spallumcheen

CaMPinG

it’s a PuZZler

LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE

Visit our website for links to our blogs and Facebookwww.northof50.com

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eDuCationACADEMIC ALCHEMY ALPHABET BLANKBOHEMIANCALCULUSCALLINGCANDLECASTECLASSCOMPETENCYCRAMCRASHCREAM OF THE CROPCREATECREDITTEDDOCTORATEEDIFICATIONELEMENTARYEMERITUSENCYCLOPEDIAEXAMEXPERTFRACTIONGRADES

HEARTYHISTORYHONOURIDEALIDIOMINDOCTRINATELANGUAGELEARNEDLESSONSLIBRARYMARKMATHEMATICSOPINIONORATORICALPANICPLANNERPLATOPUBLICPUBLISHREADSREFINEMENTRETAINSRETRAINROMEOSCHOOLING

SCIENCESOCIALSTEERSTIPENDTEACHERTEACHINGTENSETEXTBOOKTHEORYTHESISTITLETUITION

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Classified & Directory

Free Classified Ad Policy. We’ll place your ad, up to 25 words FREE, as long as the value of the item you are selling is under $1,000 and you are not a business or commercial enterprise. One ad per household, space permiting. The rate for business / commercial ads is $25 for 25 words, then 50 cents for each additional word. Email your ad details to classifieds@northof50.com or fax to 250.546.8914

1990 Ford F250, 7.3 diesel, 4x4, extended cab, 235,000 kms, recent tune-up, 1 extra set of winter tires on rims, $4000. 1994 Ford Tempo, 200,000 kms, extra set of winter tires on rims, $1000. 1999 Ford Taurus, GL, 160,000 kms, extra set of winter tires, $2700. 250.546.6208.

8” Schmitt Cassigrain telescope, Original Orange Tube, Driveable Mount, full selection of eye pieces. Custom built Packing Trunk, $550. Phone 250.763.8316.

Wood framed window 45”x14” – opens out on long side – includes screen and metal security bar $15; bathroom faucet and basin plug, $10. Phone 250.549.2714.

Electric lawnmower $55, large wheelbarrow $9, long, heavy duty hose $8, metal bow rake, hoe, swede saw, fertilizer spreader, dandelion puller and miscellaneous yard tools – cheap, make offers. Phone 250.549.2714.

Mates bed in good condition, 3 drawers, no mattress, $60.Phone 250.542.0228.

Professional Magic Props, Magic Video Tapes, Magic DVDS and Magic Books, good for beginner aged 8 or advanced - valued at $2000 asking $700 cash. Phone 250.770.2042.

Crystal Pinwheel punch bowl with lid/ladle/tray and 12 mugs. 8 4 1 2 3 5 7 9 66 3 2 7 1 9 4 8 57 5 9 4 8 6 3 2 19 7 4 6 5 8 2 1 33 8 5 1 2 4 6 7 92 1 6 9 7 3 8 5 41 6 3 8 9 7 5 4 25 9 8 3 4 2 1 6 74 2 7 5 6 1 9 3 8 W

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Bowl is 40 mug capacity, $135. Ladies Free Spirit bike, $75. 4 ft x 6 ft. stone top patio table - new still in the box paid $399 plus tax asking $275. Phone 250.766.0262.

Gas and electric lawnmowers, weedeaters and 6hp shredder. Cheap prices on all. Phone 250.492.8501.

Antique 1911 nickel-plated cash register, brand name National, excellent condition, $600 o.b.o. Phone 250.545.5846.

Blood Pressure Monitor by Life Source, paid $150, asking $80 o.b.o. Phone 250.497.5618.

Telex Active noise reduction avaiation headset, brand new, never used! Includes, carry case and portable push-to-talk switch, $250 o.b.o. Brand new gas leaf blower, Echo PB200, $125. Phone 250.837.3741.

Prime Lakeview Lots from $150,000. Vernon/Kelowna area, nice trees, no time limit to build. Also, 1 spectcular, 3 acre parcel, $490,000. Owner financing. Phone 250.558.7888. www.orlandoprojects.com.

For Sale By Owner - Moduline Home, 2 bed, 2 bath, gas fireplace, large living room, own land - $35/mo. maintenence fee, 45+ age restriction, insulated garage, 14x34, $252,500. Phone 250.769.6446.

36 Acres on Arrow Lake, 1000 ft. lake frontage, creek and water rights, public road, gentle slope, very private. $795,000. Phone 250.369.2281.

Exercise Bikes in excellent condition. 1 upright style, $15, 1 recumbent style, $49. Phone 250.546.6454.

Electric Hospital Bed, Invacare Model 6630, adjustable -6 buttons, $800 o.b.o. Phone 778.478.0012.

Valley MonumentsMemorials of Distinction

Keith or Evelyn Franklin

4316 29th Street, Vernon, BC V1T 5B8Phone/Fax: 250.542.6411lToll Free: 1.877.511.8585Email: valleymonuments@shaw.ca

Lisa, Owner/Operator

Armstrong Wine and Brew

Box 339, 2545 Patterson Ave.Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0, 250-546-6954www.armstrongwineandbrew.com

1996 - 2010 Monthly Specials

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•Business and administrative services •Faxandphotocopyservices •Resumes,wordprocessing •Dataentry •Desktoppublishing&graphicdesign

•Accounting and bookkeeping, including: •HSTreports •Payroll,WCB&sourcedeductionremittances •Accountsreceivable&payablereports •Customerinvoicing •Payingvendorbills •Year-endadjustmentsandtaxpreparation

ARMSTRONG BUSINESS CENTRE2516PattersonAvenue,Armstrong–across from Sears

250.546.8910

BIG PRESENCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Every Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm, starting May 8th to October 9th. Local organic produce, art, food and drink, wagon rides. Mother’s day, live music, raffle, auction, hamburger and hotdog BBQ, bake sale and flowers for mom and grandma. Face painting and balloons for children. Caravan Farm Theatre is a not-for-profit professional outdoor theatre company located on an 80-acre farm outside Armstrong in the Township of Spallumcheen.

www.caravanfarmtheatre.com. 1.866.546.8533. 4886 Salmon River Road.

Caravan sunDay FarMers Market at Caravan FarM tHeatre

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2516 Patterson Ave., Armstrong250.546.3096

SilhouetteFashion Boutique

Open Now in Armstrong