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Free PublicationSeptember 2010 Vol. 3, Issue 9, Publications Mail Agreement 41188516, ISSN # 1710-4750

North of 50AL RAINESUN PEAKS NEW MAYOR

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NORTH of 50 September 2010 3Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

AL RAINE By Amber Yake

AL RAINE IS A MAN who turned a lifelong passion into a lifelong career.

Raine has made skiing his life’s work. Along with wife, Nancy Greene, he has been instrumental in the development and promotion of ski tourism in British Columbia, first at Whistler and now at Sun Peaks Resort, the community to which he was recently elected mayor.

No stranger to resort living, the 68 year old has plenty of ideas for Sun Peaks. Employee housing, a school and healthcare are just a few of the items on his agenda.

“In order to have a great resort, you must also have a great community. I truly believe you have to look after the employees of a resort and their families,” he says.

Raine was actively involved in the Sun Peaks community leading up to his appointment as Mayor. He was a board member with the local Tourism Association for the past fourteen years and was chairman for the last two .

While some might think that Raine has his work cut out for him, this isn’t a man who stands down to a challenge or an adventure.

As a young teenager he hitchhiked up to Seymour Mountain every weekend to ski.

“I would leave my skis up at the mountain but I’d take my poles and boots and people knew I was heading up to ski. I don’t ever recall waiting more than 10 minutes to get a ride, anyone who was going skiing and who had room took you.” he laughs.

Before long, Raine was skiing year round. When he graduated high school he was ready for a real adventure – ski racing in Colorado.

But Raine never made it there. While working in the Yukon, he met a few Austrian ski racers who convinced him, that if we was truly serious about the sport, he should go to Austria. On a whim, Raine packed his bags and headed to Austria.

Three years later, he moved back to Canada, bringing with him invaluable experience. “When I was in Austria I learned that the resort is a way of life. Ski instructors, operators of hotels, people who have joy from skiing make the resort their life. Other people come and stay in their hotel and go to skiing lessons and really get to love skiing and the whole resort experience. It’s a lot of fun.”

He’d also dabbled in coaching there, but he could not have known that he was about to embark on his biggest adventure yet: Head Coach of Canada’s ski racing team.

When he first returned to Canada he began coaching the Ski Hawks in Montreal. His reputation as a great coach began to grow.

“[When] the head coach for the national team announced that he was going to step down and I got petitioned, I felt I was too young; I was only 28 years old and didn’t feel like I had the experience that you really, really need,” he says.

But with the encouragement of friends, Raine took the position and excelled at it.

In five years, he took a team that was unnoticed and uncompetitive to the next level. For the first time, Canada’s National Ski Team emerged as a real threat to the dominance of the European nations. Of all the things he has achieved, Raine considers this his greatest accomplishment.

“When I first took over we were really somewhat disorganized,” he explains. “We weren’t at a competitive level and when I left we were.”

With the success of the National Ski Team under his belt, Raine spent a few years working at Whistler and for the province of British Columbia. Eventually, he was ready for a change.

Once again, he relocated across the pond, this time to Switzerland, where he taught tennis and skiing and spent time with his family.

Raine has spent the majority of his life living and working at ski resorts. It is little wonder that he still makes time to do the thing he loves best: skiing.

“I ski at least every morning and probably every third day all day,” he says. “90 to 95 per cent of the time I’m with resort guests. You can make peoples’ day because when you know the mountain and you know where the best snow and weather is you can take people to spots they hadn’t even dreamed of going and it gives them a real thrill.”

Raine is also an avid road cyclist, tennis player and golfer. Staying active and being physically and mentally healthy is very important to him.

When asked what his future plans are Raine explains the secret to all his success.

"I never thought more than two or three years ahead,” he says. “I never planned to be a coach, I never planned to be a hotel operator, I never planned to get into the resort planning business, yet opportunities present themselves and I took them.”

Photo by Melanie Simmons/Sun Peaks Resort


AS IS OftEN thE cASE, I am currently reading three or four books at the same time. (Which might explain why it seems to take me forever to finish one.) But what’s interesting about my current crop of readings

is that while they are from dramatically different genres, they all focus on one overriding issue – empathy, and its importance not only to personal happiness but to politics and even our very survival. Empathy is commonly defined as “the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes,” and in his fascinating book The Political Mind, noted cognitive scientist George Lakoff tells us it is key to developing an understanding of our interdependent connections with the natural world and with each other. Developing such an “ecological consciousness,” he contends, represents a break from the concept of “economic man,” who acts out of unbounded self-interest and is fast “bringing death

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FAIR COMMENT

North of 50

to the earth.” While making the shift from “how to raid our environment for profit to how to live within it safely,” will not be easy, Lakoff tells us, it is possible – and necessary. Based on years of brain research, he demonstrates how we are hard-wired for empathy and thus have the equipment necessary to act in our collective self-interest rather than simply for individual aggrandizement. “We are born to empathize and cooperate,” he concludes. From a dramatically different perspective, the Dalai Lama reaches remarkably similar conclusions. In his book The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World, the Dalai Lama, along with his collaborator Howard Cutler, sees empathy as the key mechanism for breaking down destructive “them and us” attitudes and for creating a society freer of loneliness, intolerance, racism and distrust through a focus on “our common humanity.” “As modern society becomes more multicultural,” Cutler writes,” and we come into contact with diverse populations and a wider array of people, our capacity for empathy becomes increasingly critical.” Empathy, he continues, “has a powerful and almost magical effect in shifting our perspective to view others based on our similarities rather than our differences.”

Empathy - Or Else!

The one thing I really didn’t want for my 50th birthday was one of those over-the-hill parties with gag gifts and tacky decorations. Lucky me, in lieu of the cheesy party, my husband, Dean, chose to publish a very unflattering photo of me, along with my birthday announcement, prominently, in North of 50.

That was last December. I promised to forgive him for his inappropriate behaviour if he promised to take me on a Panama Cruise before my next birthday. Needless to say, the cruise is booked.

We got turned on to cruising about four years ago, when friends convinced us to join them on a Mexican Riviera Cruise (see that story on page 13). The year before that first cruise, I’d mustered up the courage to board a plane to England and that was triggered the onset of travel fever. Let’s face it, human beings were meant to travel. That’s why we invented the wheel – to go places. That’s why we invented the sailing vessel – to go places far way. That’s why we invented the airplane – to go places far away, faster. Travel is do-able. So we do it.

This will be my fifth cruise, sailing on the fourth different cruise line. Just for fun, I’m keeping a chronicle of my obsessive thinking for the six weeks leading up to the cruise - the planning, the dieting, the shopping - and the three weeks of the cruise – the exploring, the eating, the shopping. You can read all about it on North of 50°’s Travel Blog (www.northof50travel.blogspot.com), or follow the link on our website, www.northof50.com.

But before you sail away to the blog, make sure you don’t miss a single article in this issue of North of 50°. We start off this month (page 3) with Amber Yake’s personality profile of Al Raine, mayor of Sun Peaks Resort, BC’s newest municipality.

Shannon Linden’s provocative coverage of the legalization of marijuana for medical use in Canada begins on page 8. This controversial topic has been polemic, to say the least. Wherever you stand on this issue, you’ll find this article to be informative and insightful.

Starting on page 12, follow veteran travellers, Jim and Lian Couper, on their road trip up Highway 97, from the Okanagan through the Thompson and Cariboo. Next month they’ll take us even further north, as far as the Yukon border.

Sherry Bennett reminds us that education “ain’t” what it used to be on page 16. In Kamloops and the surrounding area, the children of settlers received their education at various private schools. The first public school in the region opened near Chase in 1884, and prior to that, the children of settlers received.

Finally, with Dragon Boat Festivals in Kelowna (September 17 to 19) and Penticton (September 10 to 12) the timing was just right for writer Dawn Renaud to get some firsthand experience paddling with a dragon boat team. That story is on page 19/

*OK, now that you’ve read the magazine cover to cover, mosey on over to your computer and join us on our Panama Cruise: www.northof50.

TJ Wallis


MY dAYS hERE continue to be filled with fullness, the fullness of the heart. On Monday evening I went to the home of a 17 yr old girl, who had been pleading to be admitted to hospital for 2 months. She has MDR-TB again and has been reduced to skin and bones - a tiny, frail child who looks like one of the starving in the worst of African famines. She was in her bed and my female counsellor, Ziyba and I came to see her.

Her anxious father stood by the doorway watching us, hoping. His hands fidgeted at his sides as he listened. His gray hair, his sad, worn face, alone in his home with this young daughter and her smaller sister.

There was nothing I could do other than assure her I would try to get her in the hospital. She knows she is dying without treatment. There was nothing more that I could do, so I asked her if I could hold her in order to pass some of my energy to her. She agreed; her smooth, brown arms strained to push herself forward on the bed to a sitting position. I bent to her and held her.

In my arms, her body was like a casing of paper holding protrusions - her skin covering a spine and tiny ribs. She was fevered. I felt her cheek against mine and I cradled her in my arms and breathed. My breath long and easy and flowing, hers in short puffs; short life her remaining life. I held her a long time until I felt that we had been connected. Then I asked Ziyba to do the same.

As I looked at her again, she was more relaxed and so I held her hand and spoke of dying. I said, “I’m going to tell you the truth, but I want you to listen to all of it.”She nodded. Then, through Ziyba, I spoke.

“You might die.” Immediately her face broke slightly and tears formed. These were the words she did not want. I pressed her hand, put my finger to her eyes and said not to cry but to listen. There was not enough strength in her to now give way to tears. I continued, “You might die because you are so weak right now, but right now you are alive. And I might die, when I leave your home and get in the taxi to return to my own home. Crashes happen here all the time. You know that. We are all going to die. None of us knows when. That is what life means. Right now you and I are both alive. I felt your life in my arms. So, instead of thinking about dying, I want you to focus on living. To give your energy to living. Don’t run away from the idea that you might die. But keep your gaze on the truth. Right now you are as alive as I am. You want to get into the hospital. You want to start the drug treatment again. You know how hard the drugs are, but you want to do it. That’s who you are. You want to live. So go in that direction. Put your mind on living.”

Then, I asked her to eat more, to eat small amounts all day long. Yogurt, milk, eggs, rice, fruit, whatever her father could offer. Make herself eat. To drink more. To pay attention to strengthening her body. That was her job now. Ziyba and I left.

Outside in the taxi, Ziyba began to cry. I asked her what it was like to hold the girl, her patient. She said she had been afraid. Afraid to come so close to someone with so little left of her. I said, that was what we could give. We could give warmth. We could give our love. We could give her human touch. A message, however unconscious, that she was worth being held by other humans, male and female, that she had value, that she was wantable. To experience through the physical intimacy of another living human her own aliveness, her own presence, her own heart beating. That was what we could give. And if she would die that night then she would have died at least with that.

Ziyba cried because the girl’s mother had died only two years prior from MDR-TB. She spoke of how Deena had reached out to her two months ago for help when she showed signs of having MDR-TB back again, how Ziyba had tried to get the doctors to re-admit her for treatment. This little girl had already gone through two years of treatment and was designated as a completed case. Ziyba cried because she had not been able to convince anyone to re-admit the girl. Since she last saw her three weeks ago, the child had declined severely, wasting away. This little girl who Ziyba had cared about for months and months when she first joined MDR who was now on a death bed and so thin that she was barely a body at all. For this child, Ziyba, my 26 year old counselor, cried.

And.......the next day the little girl was admitted to the TB hospital. And...three days later she is still alive. I have looked in her eyes again and there is a difference. She sees hope. I asked her if she would like me to hold her again. She looked away and replied that I should make my own decision.

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 [email protected] or to Calvin White c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

Calvin White is currently working with Doctors Without Borders in Uzbekistan, a landlocked former part of the Soviet Union. He will be there for about a year, working with victims of drug resistant tuberculosis and training counsellors to do the same. He continues to submit his columns to North of 50 from there.

Calvin White

Research shows that when we practice empathy toward one person in an “out-group,” we not only see the individual as a fuller, more complex human being, but we extend this understanding to the group as a whole. This “self-other overlap” makes it much more difficult to be biased, hateful or prejudiced since you are now seeing “the other” as being an extension of yourself. The outcomes read like a recipe for a better world: greater forgiveness, lower intergroup conflict, reduced distrust, reduction in social aggression, improvement in attitudes and evaluations of out-groups, and greater use of dialogue to resolve conflict. The Dalai Lama, Cutler and Lakoff not only emphasize the importance of fostering empathy as part of our quest to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and equitable global society, they also agree that there are specific, effective strategies for developing our innate empathetic tendencies in families, schools and through the media. I’m feeling more optimistic already, aren’t you? Well, now for the bad news. At the same time Lakoff and the Dalai Lama and Cutler were writing their books, a study that measured the empathy levels of university students was being conducted at the University of Michigan. Ongoing since the 1970s, the study is able to measure the increase or decline of empathy over periods of time. The results of the 2008 study? Hope you’re sitting down. “College kids today,” the report concludes, “ are about 40 percent lower in empathy than their counterparts of 20 or 30 years ago, as measured by standard tests of this personality trait,” with the biggest drop in empathy occurring after the year 2000. So why such a dramatic decline in empathy among young adults? The researchers speculate that it may have to do with the simple overload of information, three times what it was 30 years ago. Another factor: this group of students grew up with video games, “and,” as the study notes, “a growing body of research...is establishing that exposure to violent media numbs people to the pain of others.” The recent rise of social media may also play a role in the drop in empathy. Some studies indicate that relying on facebook, messaging and e-mail has actually reduced people’s capacity to perceive and recognize non-verbal cues, especially facial expressions. As well, online “friends” are easy to tune out, discard or decline when we are not in the mood to listen or respond, attitudes that could carry over to real life. Whatever the case, this is not good news. But all is not lost. With the emergence of the New Enlightenment Mind, as Lakoff calls his vision of 21st century thinking that recognizes how the brain and mind actually work, Lakoff believes it is not too late to engender an understanding that “our brains evolved for empathy, for cooperation, for connection to each other and to the earth. We cannot live alone.” But, he warns, “We’d better hurry up. The ice caps are melting.”

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 [email protected] 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.northerned.com.

Letter from Deena's Body


Coming EventsSeptember. Recent works by Megs Waterous on display all of September at the old Courthouse Gallery, 7 West Seymour Street. Megs imagery and form are meticulously worked in her decorative and functional table art tiles, fine clay jewelry finished with metalic lustres and sculptural vessels and wall pieces. Also at the gallery handmade items by local artists, hand spun and dyed yarns, weaving, pottery, sculptures, glass art, textile/felting, fine art paintings and basketry. Open Tues-Fri 10 to 5, Sat-10 to 4. Free parking, handicap accessible. kamloopscourthousegallery.ca

September 1 to 5. Cirque du Soleil - Alegria at the Interior Savings Centre. Tickets can be purchased on ticketmaster. Call 250.374.9200.

September 4 to 5. The Electric Mountain Music Festival - on the Merritt side Mountainfest. Tickets available at ticketmaster.ca or the Desert Hemp Hut in Kamloops.

September 4 to 6. The 61st annual North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo, Barriere. A celebration of agriculture, livestock, western country living and community spirit." For info email [email protected].

September 9 to 12. Porsche Club of America's National Gathering will host their National Gathering in the Austrain-inspired village of Sun Peaks Resort. The public will have the best opportunity to view the amazing display of Porsches, from vintage to brand new, on Saturday September 11th. The cars will be lined up throughout the alpine village at Sun peaks for the "Escape Show and Shine." As owners buff and polish their cars, the public has the chance to pick their favourite from the crowd! For info phone 250.578.5387.

September 10 to 11. September Songs. BC Living Arts presents another "Theatrical Concert" which they have become known for with past performance such as Satie de Paris. Directed by Alan Corbishley. This concert features the dramatic and beautiful music of Kurt Weill. $28/25/23 + HST. Tickets at Kamloops Live 250.374.LIVE.

September 10 to 12. Annual Rotary Fall Fair, 100 Mile House. Business exhibits, local clubs, entertainment at the South Cariboo Rec Centre, Call Bev at 250-395-1353 (Trade Show) and M.J. Castonguay 250-791-1950 (Fall Fair) or email [email protected]

September 10. Thompson Rivers University's 40th Anniversary Celebration at various locations throughout the TRU Kamloops Campus. Everyone welcome. Info at 250.852.7195 Event calendar: 10am, 2pm, 4pm - Campus Tours led by Student Recruitment, 4pm-Friends of Gardens Campus Horticulture Tour, 10am to 2pm - Open House at the BC Center for Open Learning featuring a Velcro Wall and free ice cream!, 10am to 5pm - A display of trades equipment from the inception of TRU: Then and Now Vehicle & Equipment Display at the Trades and Technology Building, 6pm - School of Social Work and Human Service 20/40 Anniversary Celebration Banquet at the Terrace, Campus Activity Centre: RSVP Now online or call 250-828-5364, 4pm to 8pm - Mainstage Entertainment & Childrens Activities Campus Commons, 4:45pm - Fundraising Cyclethon cyclists arrive on campus, 5pm - Official Flag Raising

Ceremony Featuring First Nations Drummers and a TRU World Parade, 5pm to 7pm - Family BBQ Open to the Public Tickets $10 in advance. Children under 5 are free. $15 at the BBQ, 8pm - Fireworks.

September 11. Kamloops Railway Days. Equipment displays by Rocky Mountaineer, CN and CPR, spirit of Kamloops railtours, model railway show and swap at Interior Savings Centre, door prizes and raffles, entertainment, refreshments, beer garden, kids speeder rides and more. Adults $10, Children and Seniors $5 and family $25. 250.377.8510 or 250.374.2141.

September 12. Paws for a Cause @ Pioneer Park. Walk for the animals! Festivities start at 8am, 5km at 9am, 3km walk at 9:30am. Contact Tammy Makortoff at 250.572.3297 or [email protected]

September 13. Hedley Live @ Interior Savings Centre. Hedley performs live with special guests on September 13 at Interior Savings Centre. Tickets available through livenation.com or 250.374.9200.

September 14. For the Love of the Land Benefit Concert. Valdy, Tiller's Folly & Hank Cramer perform at the Kamloops Sagebrush Theatre. Contact Kamloops Live Box Office 250.374.5483 for tickets.

September 18 to December 31. Jana Sasaki, Hapa Family at The KAG. This body of work by Jana Sasaki explores experiences and memories of ‘mixed’ cultural upbringing in Canada. It reflects upon the experience of being half Japanese and investigates how people of mixed cultural heritage view themselves and are viewed by others, an experience relevant to more and more Canadians. 250. 377.2400.

September 18. Drum Circle for Global Unity. A vision of unity for Planet Earth! Join “Djembe Django Drummers and the Hot Shots” and drum for Global Unity at the Kamloops Children’s Art Festival. 10:45 am at the Riverside Park Band Shell. Bring your drum stool or chair, then using a drum, coffee can, water jug, or just your body, we’ll show you what to do for your 8 min. heartbeat rhythm. We need you to come and be part of the largest drum circle in the world and put your thoughts together for Global Unity! Contact Raven [email protected] or [email protected].

September 19. Barriere Curling Club Flea Market, 9:00am to 1:00pm, at Barriere Curling Rink, 858 Dunn Lk Rd. Phone Jane 250.672.9391 to book a table, Or come for a good bargain or try your luck at a 50/50 draw.

October 1 to 3. Clinton Art & Cultural Society, Annual Exhibition and Sale. Art and artisans, musicians, photography and authors. We invite you to join us in this extensive art show covering all aspects of art in the Cariboo. At Memorial Hall, Friday night, open from 6 – 9, wine and cheese, adults only. Saturday & Sunday, 1pm – 6pm. Phone Ursula at 250.459.2447.

October 1 to 22nd Annual Original Art Auction Exhibition @ The KAG. The Art Auction Exhibition is a two week preview of original works of art and other items on offer at this year’s art auction. Donated works by local, regional and national artists are featured along with fabulous products and experiences donated by business in British Columbia and beyond. Continuing this year, pre-bids are accepted during the preview exhibition, with the highest pre-bid amounts starting the bidding on auction night, Saturday, October 2. 250.377.2400.

September 23 to October 9. WCT presents Thunderstick. Western Canada Theatre brings you Thunderstick by Kenneth T. Williams at the Pavilion Theatre. Lorne Cardinal, of Corner Gas fame and Royal Canadian Air Farce Regular, Craig Lauson, star as mismatched cousins on the trail of scandalous political intrigue. See the play twice - Cardinal and Lauzon will swap roles every night! FMI: 250.372.3216 For tickets: 250.374-LIVE.

September 24 to 27. Provincial Winter Fair at The KXA. Annual celebration of our agriculture heritage, culture, and community. Wholesome family fun, friendly competition, and educational experiences. Our Fair is where agriculture, industry, education, and recreation unite in a supportive effort to portray dynamically, the resources and accomplishments of Kamloops and surrounding area. 250.572.6838.

September 24. Violinissimo! Chamber Musicians of Kamloops present Violinissimo! at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on 6th Avenue, 7:30pm. Violinist Cvetozar Vutev and pianist Daniela O'Fee will perform music by Vivaldi, Paganini, Sarasate, Wieniawsky and Kreisler. Admission by donation. Call (250) 377-1100 for info.

September 25 to 26. BIGCON. Kamloops Convention Centre. British Columbia Interior Games Convention will provide a venue for people to play board games, collectible card games, and miniature based games in a friendly fun-filled atmosphere. BIGCON is being sponsored by All A-Board Games and High Octane Comics. The convention is open to anyone interested in table top gaming. Email [email protected].

September 30. Carolyn Dawn Johnson in Concert at the Kamloops Cenvention Centre. The fresh-faced songwriter who originally hails from Northern Alberta drove 60 hours from her then home, Vancouver, BC, Canada to build a career in Nashville. She seemingly never looked back. She never had to. Carolyn Dawn Johnson is coming to Kamloops. Doors open at 8pm show at 9pm and tickets are available at ORA Restaurant Lounge by calling 250-372-5312

cALL fOR ENtRY: The Courthouse Gallery

Co-operative calls for entries to the 3rd annual Christmas at the Courthouse fine art and craft sale. This is a juried

event, application forms available at the courthouse gallery, 7 West Seymour Street, Kamloops. Open Tues to Fri 10 to 5, Sat 10 to 4. Visit kamloopscourthouse gallery.ca

LOgAN LAKE fALL fAIR & tEA - LL Curling Rink (Rec Centre) Registration: Friday Sept

17th 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm & Saturday Sept 18th 8:30 am - Noon. Tea & View Exhibits

- Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pmJoin us for this annual event if its handcrafted / homegrown or handmade you can enter it,

get the whole family involved you could be our next family aggregate winners. Raffle tickets

are on sale now, prizes are displayed at the seniors centre. For further information please call Pam 250 523 6788 or Berna 250 523 9614

messages will be answered promptly. Come out, participate and help make your fair a success.


home canning, straw bale houses!Mary Ellen Grant [email protected] or250.371.7172

Kamloops Garden Club Meets every 4th Wed. of the month in Heritage House at 7:00 pm. Jeanette Moslin (250) 372-9669.

The Wells Gray Country Seniors Society meet the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Resource Centre; Third Sunday Seniors Social at 1p.m. in the Munroe Room at Wells Gray Inn; Seniors Book Club meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Clearwater library. Contact Lois Geiger, [email protected].

The Kamloops Raging Grannies is a non-partisan group of women who use humor to actively raise the consciousness of citizens through peaceful means to promote positive change within our communities. More info 372-3105.

Tuesday afternoon cribbage at the McArthur park lawn Bowling Clubhouse (beside NorBroc Stadium) at 1:30 p.m. Everyone welcome. No partners needed. Crib, coffee and good company. Call 250-579-0028.

Are you a breast cancer survivor looking for fun, fitness and friendship? The Spirit Warrior dragon boat team is a great group of women who meet Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:45 pm at Pioneer Park in Kamloops. We are looking for more members, no experience required! Call Liama at 377-1947or Midge at 374-2566 or e-mail [email protected] or go to www.spiritwarriors.ca for more information.

Bridge at Desert Gardens Community Centre, every Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. 540 Seymour Street. For info call (250) 372-5110.

The Alzheimer Society of BC, Central Interior, 543 Battle St. Kamloops, offers programs and services for people whose lives are affected by Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Programs and services include education workshops and information and support groups for family caregivers and for people diagnosed with early dementia. Call 250-377-

100 Mile House100 Mile Legion All-Veterans get-togethers are held Saturdays at 2 p.m. at the legion. Meat draws at 3 p.m. For more information call 395-2511.

Creekside Seniors Centre offers activities for seniors such as pool, darts, bridge, whist, cribbage and carpet bowling. For more information call (250)395-3919.

South Cariboo Farmers' Market - Open from 1st Friday in May to Last Friday in September - Fri 8:30am to 1:30pm. Farm-fresh produce, bedding plants & perennials, baking; local craftsmen including woodworking, painting, jewelry; clothing, baby items, honey, BC salmon, hot food items, and much more... For info call Karen Greenwood at 250-395-3580.

108 Newcomers Group. First and third Thursday of every month at 10:30 am in the Community Centre upstairs room. Meet other newcomers over a cup of coffee in an informal setting. Drop-in fee: $2. Caroline 791-9250.

Spinners and Weavers meetings in the event calen meet every first Friday at the Parkside Art Gallery, at 385 Dogwood Crescent from 10 am to 2pm interest-ed people can contact our president Unni at: http://www.trollheimenweaving.com/

BarriereBarriere Survivors meet 2nd Monday of the Month 10:30 am to 12:30 @ Volunteer Centre. Anyone who has suffered a Brain Injury Ph. Kamloops Brain Injury Assoc (250) 372-1799 ask for John

Alzheimers/Dementia Support Group 1st Thursday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Volunteer Centre on Barriere Town Rd. Phone 250-377-8200 or 1-800-886-6946.

CHaseChase Village Friday Evening Market 4-7 pm. Local produce, baked goods, and arts & crafts.

KaMloopsBIG Little Science CentrePUBLIC HOURS 2009 - 2010 Discover & Explore Fun Science. Enjoy TWO FULL Rooms with over 130 Hands-on Stations. Thursdays and Fridays 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. With a Special Activity or Show at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays. For more information contact: Gord Stewart at: 250-554-2572 or 250-319-0689 E-mail: [email protected]

The newly formed Kamloops Garden Railway Club is looking for donations of large-scale track, buildings & rolling stock for a permanent "G" scale layout at The Kamloops Wildlife Park. Tax receipts will be issued. To donate or for more information on our organization ~ call Hans @ 250-828-1418.

Wonder CafeSoup Kitchen at Mt. Paul United Church, 140 Laburnum Ave. (Kamloops North Shore), serves hot lunch every Thursday from 11a.m. to 1p.m.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month at Medichair, boardroom. 210-450 Landsdowne Street, contact for info: Ken at 250-819-0315 or Evelyn at 250-828-6647.

Pottery classes for the Fab 55+. Discover or rediscover the great feeling of creating in clay- Hand building, sculpture, coils or slabs. Held every Tuesday from 1-3:30PM at Heritage House pottery studio in Riverside Park. $5 for non members $3 for members. Free clay is available for small projects and fee covers firing, glazing and use of tools. For more information contact Diane Britt at 573-2604 or 377-8793.

The local chapter of Green Drinks International (greendrinks.org) will meet on the first Monday of each month. November 2nd, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Green Drinks is a non-profit social group. Topics discussed in the past include gardening, green home building, air pollution,

8200 or 1-800-866-6946.

Interior Authors Group, a group that brings people together who are interested in the art of writing, meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Kamloops Art Gallery, 465 Victoria St., at 7p.m. Call Ted Joslin, 250-374-8910.

Join a fun men’s and women’s a cappella chorus, The Hub City Singers, in rehersals every Tuesday, 7 to 9p.m., at the Old Yacht Club, 1140 River St. Members don’t have to be able to read music. Call 250-578-7503.

Seniors Dance with the Golden Serenadors every second Friday of the month at the North Shore Community Centre, 730 Cottonwood Ave. Admission $4 Call 250-376-4777

PATCHS, a grassroots community-based group working to achieve positive changes in the health care system, meets the first Monday of each month at Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul St., at 6:30p.m. Call Rick, 250-579-8541 or email [email protected].

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month. Contact: Ketina at 250-571-1456.

Kamloops Family History Society meets the 4th Thursday of each month at Heritage House, 100 Lorne St., Riverside Park, 7-9 pm (Sept to May). Guests and new members are welcome. For info call 250-579-2078.

lilloett

Lillooet Quilters Guild meet the last Wednesday of the month at 7pm at the Friendship Centre - September thru June.

laC la HaCHeOAPO #176 Pioneer Centre offer several activities, such as pool, bridge, Canasta, square dancing, contra, rounds, pilates, and general exercise. For more information call Ron 250.396.7298, Agnes 250.396.7231 or Hazel 250.396.7698

lillooetRoyal Canadian Legion Branch 66 737 Main Street Lillooet BC 250-256-7332Meat draws every Friday 5:30-8:30PM Members

and Guests always welcome

Carpet Bowling for Seniors, Mondays & Thursdays from 10:30 - 11:30 am at the Gymnasium or Mezzanine at the Lillooet & District REC Centre, 930 Main Street. Drop In Fee.

50+ Fitness at the REC Centre. aerobic style fitness class, Nov. 10-3, 9-10 am, $56 Phone (250) 256-7527

logan laKeLogan Lake Seniors holds Bingo Fridays 1-3, 80 - 150 Opal, Village Centre Mall. Call (250) 523-2759.

MerrittBingo Tuesdays at 1 p.m. at the Merritt Senior Centre. Rummoli and Pool Fridays at 7 p.m. 2202 Jackson Avenue.

Join the Toastmasters to gain confidence! They meet every Tuesday at

5:00 pm at the Merritt Library.

ESL Coffee Circle - Practice your English skills every Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Merritt Library.

Frosty Fridays at Merritt Legion - Hamburgers served every Friday at the Merritt Legion from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

savonaJoin us for exercise Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 a.m. OAPO Branch 129, 6605 Buie Road/Savona Access Road. Call Jennier Coburn for more info at (250) 373-0081.

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PAtIENtS ON POt:thE fEdERAL gOvERNMENt MAKES WAY fOR MEdIcAL MARIjUANABy Shannon Linden

IMAgINE YOU ARE A cANcER PAtIENt undergoing chemotherapy treatments. The dingdong of your doorbell might be music to your ears—and relief for your pain and nausea—as a courier delivers drugs to your door.

Wrapped in foil-lined pouches, your medical marijuana will come like any other pharmaceutical drug; clearly labeled for content and potency, instructions for use, and an expiry date.

RCMP won’t swoop in and seal your deal with an arrest for possession of an illegal substance. The pot you bought came from a safe source, grown, packaged, and specially delivered by your dealer, the federal government.

In July of 2001, Health Canada implemented the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR), a program allowing, under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a person who suffers from severe and debilitating medical conditions to access marijuana.

Before recreational users start freely rolling fatties, make no mistake—the privilege to partake is limited those who, with physician approval, qualify under specific, government-created criteria. Cannabis (marijuana) is a controlled substance and the growing and possessing of the product remains illegal.

Health Canada media relations officer, Ashley Lemire, puts it this way: “The importation, exportation, trafficking, production, sales, preparations, derivatives and similar synthetic preparations of cannabis is prohibited by law unless”—

and here’s where things get interesting—“Authorized by Health Canada.”

cANNAbIS fOR thE cURE

According to Health Canada, those who can apply to possess Cannabis fall into two categories. The first includes people requiring compassionate end-of-life care, those who suffer epileptic seizures, severe pain/and or muscle spasm from multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and disease, or arthritis, as well as pain, loss of appetite and severe nausea from cancer and HIV/AIDS infection.

The second category is reserved for those who have debilitating symptoms other than those described in the first category. A medical specialist must confirm a patient’s diagnosis and testify conventional treatments have failed or are inappropriate.

gEttINg thE gOOdS

Prairie Plant Systems Incorporated (PPS), a Saskatoon based company specializing in the growing, harvesting, and processing of plants for pharmaceutical products and research, runs the government grow-op in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

Cultivation, harvesting, drying, packaging, storage, and testing of plants are performed under strict and controlled conditions in a biosecure, underground growth chamber. Soil-free mediums, irrigated potable water monitored for microbial and metal contents, and limited use of pesticides help produce proper pot.

Milling of the plant results in a homogeneous product, required for research purposes and accurate THC levels. Irradiation ensures users with compromised immune systems are not exposed to toxic spores.

And prices are competitive. Dried marijuana costs $5 a gram—plus tax. A packet of 30 seeds (3 seeds produce one plant) will run you $20—plus tax. Like any dealer, the feds want to be paid up front. According to Health Canada’s website (www.hc-sc.gc.ca) the program has grown in popularity and significant debt has

been incurred as a result of accounts in arrears.

You can put your pot on your credit card but don’t expect help from provincial plans. Marijuana is not approved as a

therapeutic drug under the Foods and Drug Act. You can, however, claim costs as medical expenses on your taxes.

Health Canada will issue a month’s supply of dried marijuana at a time, based upon the daily amount proposed by the medical practitioner, or the government will send a one-time-only shipment of seeds so that a

license holder may produce his or her allotted supply.

Not comfortable growing your own stash? The government also


issues Licenses to Produce on behalf of patients, to qualifying third parties.

It sounds simple enough. But according to many medical experts, the effects of medical marijuana are anything but clear.

WIELdINg WEEd: MORE gREY thAN gREEN

Conflicting study results on the medical effects of marijuana along with lack of ability to monitor patient intake, not to mention the controversial nature of the subject, combine to make the prescribing of marijuana murky for Canadian physicians.

A Kelowna doctor (identified as “Dr. Smith” to protect patient confidentiality) says while the call for cannabis is common, endorsing the drug makes him—and many of his colleagues—uncomfortable. “I am in fact a vocal opponent,” he says. “The few patients I prescribe for were already using marijuana. They are typically complex patients who historically claim the drug is beneficial but it’s very difficult to monitor.”

Dyck’s Kelowna pharmacist manager, Cameron Zaremba, agrees. “The medication is ordered directly through Health Canada but it isn’t approved and it does seem like a messy way to give a drug. There are variable ingredients and it’s hard to monitor.” Zaremba says while he doesn’t see marijuana as a panacea for relief, he does try to keep an open mind, directing interested patients to further information.

Dr. Smith concedes marijuana may alleviate specific symptoms (particularly in spinal cord patients) but he ultimately believes giving the drug the medical nod may cause more head shaking problems than it cures.

Of particular concern to the doctor is the THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) component of cannabis. Marijuana contains over sixty cannabinoids and several hundred other chemical substances, with THC being the most prominent psychoactive cannabinoid. Its concentration determines the potency of the drug according to Health Canada—and can be incredibly dangerous, according to Smith and innumerable medical professionals like him.

“If you talk to pediatric psychiatrists involved in early psychosis intervention,” Dr. Smith explains, “There is a strong anti-marijuana stance in that group due to the effects they say come from heavy marijuana use in preteens and patients in their early twenties.”

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association’s website (www.cmha.ca), “Marijuana is safer than other street drugs in that no known overdose deaths are recorded from marijuana alone.” But the same information page cites several studies suggesting heavy use of marijuana can bring on psychotic states in healthy people and that young people who frequently use the drug are more likely to develop schizophrenia later in life.

Further warnings advise, when used in conjunction with other therapeutic drugs that share the same metabolic pathways, marijuana may mess with the prescribed drug’s effects. NOt thE dEvIL’S WEEd

If you want clean, quality cannabis for medical use, Kelowna’s BeKind Okanagan Growers and Compassion Club (www.okanagancompassionclub.com) claims to be your answer.

Co-founders, Bob K and his brother in law, Paul (both prefer not to use their last names) opened the club’s doors in August of 2009 with a mandate to promote and advocate for the health and emotional well being of medical cannabis users.

While the pair appreciate Health Canada’s program, they believe it doesn’t support quality of product or ease of accessibility people in crisis need. “The process is too lengthy,” Bob explains. “Physicians are reluctant to sign and even then, the government can turn people down. Without our assistance, people are waiting years to get help.”

Club clients include a man with neuropathic pain who was unable to navigate Health Canada’s website and a woman with fibromyalgia whose husband was

getting ripped off, buying marijuana of questionable content at Kelowna’s City Park.

“People of all walks of life use our services,” Bob says. “A lot of them are women over 40 who don’t want anyone to know they use cannabis. These people are professionals but we’ve serviced the homeless and drug addicted too.”

Which is not to suggest BeKind isn’t a reputable business. “This isn’t a place to get high,” Bob insists. “You can’t come in here without medical documentation saying you have a condition that Cannabis helps.”

Rob Callaway, a member of the team with a Masters degree from UBC Okanagan, passionately educates visitors. “The general public only hears about the THC content,” he explains. “But CBD (cannabidilo) is the anticonvulsant, anti-anxiety component that counters the psychotic affects of THC. Health Canada only offers one strain and it seems to be too low in CBD.”

“We help people get exactly what they need,” he says. “If you have epilepsy we suggest you smoke Sativa product. For spinal cord patients, Indica is good.”

Ada Bertucci, an Okanagan Valley resident with Multiple Sclerosis, has been using medical marijuana since 1994. She used to buy ‘outdoor’ (pot with no name to it, from places like the park) but now she gets everything she needs, including dried marijuana she smokes and cookies she ingests, from BeKind. “Marijuana helps with muscle spasm, pain management, and insomnia,” she explains. “I used to take Valium. Now I only use Cannabis. It has kept me sane and spiritually it helps me deal with my diagnosis.”

For the most part, RCMP aren’t interfering. Staff Sergeant, Brian Gateley, unit commander for the South East District Federal Drug Section in Kelowna, says medical marijuana users stay within police radar. “We hear about people using it according to regulations. They aren’t really the problem. Our concern is more with distributors using licenses inappropriately.”

“Technically we are illegal,” Bob admits. “But the supreme court of Canada says compassion clubs must be recognized for the good they do. It’s civil disobedience.”

LASt dANcE WIth MARY jANE

You can’t help but like the North Okanagan’s Marcel Dubois (not his real name). A charmer with an infectious smile, he’ll bend your ear, weaving his way through a lifetime of memories, spinning stories in his gravelly French Canadian accent. But you may not approve of his medical methods.

“I drink too much coffee,” he admits. “Ten to fifteen cups a day.” His physician shakes her head at the implausible invincibility of his lungs, subjected to steady streams of smoke—and not just the tobacco type.

“I’ve been smoking pot for half my life,” Dubois says. “It relaxes me.”

He used to smoke marijuana recreationally but since surviving colon caner in 1985 (he now has a colostomy) Dubois turns to cannabis for comfort. “I don’t bother with the government kind,” he admits. “I get if for free from friends.”

He says he has his doctor’s approval, claiming cannabis relieves pain, helps him sleep, and improves his appetite, not to mention his indigestion. “I used to have ulcers. I tried every kind of medication but now I smash marijuana up really fine and sprinkle it on my cereal with a banana and brown sugar. The ulcer is gone.”

Dubois lives alone. He’s still driving, hunting, and woodcarving. He says quite simply, the secret to his longevity is not slowing down. An artist, sculptor, carpenter, musician and violin-maker, he’s always “smoking busy.”

“Marijuana keeps me going,” he grins. “That and Aloe Vera gel.” At 101-years-old this October, clearly Dubois is onto something.

What may not be so obvious is where to stand on the issue of medical marijuana. It’s a complex, controversial subject—one demanding thorough research, expert advice, a little caution and a lot of open-mindedness before decisions can be made. At the end of the day, it’s very Canadian.


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Of thE 70 OR SO cOUNtRIES I’vE ExPLOREd, never have I found a concentration of wildlife equal to that which lurks on the northerly portion of Highway 97. On a recent trip I encountered bison, caribou, moose, deer, black bear, mountain sheep, fox and beaver. Previously I’ve seen wild horses, skunk, porcupine and coyote. None were encountered while peering through a preserve’s protective fence or while whacking through the underbrush: all were spotted from a cushiony car seat and in most cases I had time to shoot the critters with my camera.

Without having safaried in Africa, I dare to say that this is the best place on the planet to have casual encounters with nature’s larger creatures. Deer can be seen almost anywhere (including my yard in Kelowna) while the rarer beasts start populating the roadside just north of Prince George where my first sighting was a mother bear and her furry cub wobbling across Highway 97. The greatest density came north of Fort Nelson where the big boys (bison and caribou) roam at will. This area also provides a home for Stone mountain sheep that are attracted to the roadside where they lick salt left from winter highway maintenance. Moose paddle regularly in roadside bogs while wild horses, on rare occasions, trot into openings.

Highway 97 happens to be the longest north/south highway in North America, stretching all the way from the town of Weed in California to the Yukon border. Take away the wonderful wildlife and you still have, in my opinion, the continent’s most interesting highway. It outpaces the much ballyhooed Route 66 for nostalgia and history. The U.S. portion of 97 features two ghost towns and dozens of dusty villages little changed from the ‘50s. However the best of natural splendour and quirky tourist magnets comes after one heads north from the Okanagan.

Let us take a leisurely drive north and see what this highway offers. First stop: Kamloops. In the Interior’s second largest city you can grasp the scope of feral fauna at its BC Wildlife Park and then go back to the time of steam with a ride on the Heritage Railway’s 1927 Spirit of Kamloops, which might just be robbed by Bill Miner and pals on horseback. Riverside Park, where the North and South Thompson rivers merge, offers free concerts every summer evening and is a Mecca of art and recreation.

After passing Kamloops Lake and viewing the balancing rock at Savona I suggest you speed past the cache of dowdy motels and gas stations known as Cache Creek then stop at the interesting historical museum in Clinton that displays a desk behind which Hanging Judge Matthew Begbie held court. Clinton and 100 Mile House offer up assorted junk and collectible shops for antique seekers and at 108 Mile Heritage Site a restored roadhouse, barn and original log buildings are yours to explore, free of charge. Just north of Clinton take a side road to Painted Chasm, a scaled down Grand Canyon that get no recognition. After 5 km. you’re back on 97.

Williams Lake, at the end of the lake, has a plethora of pleasant parks, but some will be more attracted to its good gas prices, usually 5 cents less than the Okanagan. Quesnel, as well as being a pretty place for an historic riverside stroll, stands as the gateway to Barkerville, the best restored gold mining ghost town in all of creation, although disagreement might come from the citizens of the Yukon’s Dawson City (not to be confused with Dawson Creek, ahead, both named after geologist George Dawson).

tAKE A WILd RIdE ON 97By Jim Couper

cont'd on page 16


cRUISINg thE MExIcAN RIvIERABy TJ Wallis

WhEN MY fRIENd, Cheryl, called to say she and her husband, Chris, had found an incredible deal for a Mexican cruise vacation, our ears perked up. At a total cost of $511 CDN per person, we were practically salivating. Of course, we’d have to share a stateroom to get that deal, but these veteran cruisers assured us that no one ever spends any time in their room. “The cruise ship is huge,” they said, “You won’t even know we’re there.” Cheryl’s enthusiasm was wildly contagious and before I could process a single rational thought, I heard myself reading aloud my Mastercard number and telling her to book it. My husband, Dean and I spent the next four months berating ourselves for the impulsive decision. Sure, we were all good friends, but would we still be friends after sharing a 10 x 13 room for seven days? We were about to find out … We boarded Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas at San Pedro pier, south of Los Angeles. The ship boasts a magnificent atrium (called the Centrum). Its centre piece is an outstanding 36-foot high polished metal sculpture, an interpretation of the dancing, sprite-like figure from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Comfortable seating areas and a champagne bar beckoned. A grand staircase leading up to the fifth deck and the pursor’s desk, along with two glass fronted elevators added even more elegance. Swept up in the opulence, I felt confident that a small, shared stateroom was a fair trade off for this kind of luxury. Knowing our luggage was still en-route to our room, or perhaps in a subconscious effort to defer the inevitable, we dawdled in the Champagne bar and the Centrum, taking in all its glory. The extensive use of glass for decorative features, the glass roofs and large windows help create an amazing feeling of space, bringing the views of the outside in. A pianist served up soft melodies on the grand piano. Eventually, we made our way down the narrow hallway to stateroom 4011. Hesitantly, we swung open the door and moved single file into the room, leaving the one suitcase that wouldn’t fit, in the hall. For a couple, the small inside stateroom is perfect. For four adults it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Instantly, we knew that our friendship, tested in this way, would surely fail. In a desperate attempt to save our sinking ship called Friendship, Cheryl made a beeline to the Pursor’s desk and Dean began the phone work in two simultaneous, aggressive attempts to get another room – whatever the cost. Bigger staterooms are available where four will be quite comfortable, but trust us on this: The small stateroom with the Pullman bunks is too small for four adults. Luckily another stateroom was available and Dean and I gladly moved to the eighth deck. The staterooms sorted, we were free to explore the rest of the ship. It’s huge! 915 feet long, 105.6 feet wide. The Vision of the Seas is twice as wide as Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive and three times as long and twice as high as the “Hollywood” sign. There are 11 passenger decks and capacity for 2435 guests and 742 crew. Though there is more than one restaurant on board, we enjoyed beautifully presented formal dinners served each evening in the two tiered Aquarius Dining room. Passengers are assigned to dining times, tables and tablemates. Huge windows and a grand staircase create an elegant atmosphere, but it is the staff who make dining aboard a delightful experience. The second day was spent at sea and provided a perfect opportunity to unwind by the pool and start on my tan - tropical beverage in hand. Drinks are not included in the cost of the cruise, but they’re reasonably priced (about $5 US each, not including the 15 percent mandatory gratuity). Evenings, we usually spent an hour in the Casino Royale before plunking ourselves in the plush velvet seats of the Masquerade Theatre to enjoy performances by The Coasters, some outstanding comedians, and a couple of contemporary musical stage productions. There’s plenty of other evening entertainment, too, including live music and dancing at the various themed bars and lounges.

It would be impossible to take in all the daytime activities aboard ship. Each morning the Cruise Compass, a daily planner was delivered to our room, listing the activities of the day. To name just a few, there are ping pong tournaments, Spanish classes, cartooning instruction, digital camera seminars, a scrapbook workshop, an ice sculpture demonstration and poolside activities like the belly flop contest. Our ship boasted two pools (one indoor), 6 whirlpools, a gym, a rock climbing wall, and a day spa. Though we went ashore at every port-of-call, several people stayed aboard to enjoy the ship’s amenities. Our first port of call was Cabo San Lucas, at the southernmost tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula where the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortés meet. Though Spanish is the official language, English is spoken by most shopkeepers and restaurant staff. The bay is stunning with gorgeous sandy beaches and dramatic rock outcroppings. The harbour walkway is lovely; we were sidetracked by the sign for the Giggling Marlin, a hot spot famous for its party nights and a hoist that hangs patrons upside down next to a marlin mural (hence the name). It was a little early in the day for gymnastics, so we settled for a Cerveza or two, before hiring a glass bottomed boat to take us to Playa del Amor (Lover’s beach) for an afternoon of snorkelling. Our next port of call, Mazatlan, is a much larger centre than Cabo San Lucas. There, we hired a taxi – a cross between a volkswagon and a golf cart – to tour the charming and historic sites of the city. We stopped to shop at Mazatlán’s Golden Zone. Though the Mexican and Indian handicrafts are pretty much the same as any shop in Cabos San Lucas, I found the prices in Mazatlan less expensive and the shopkeepers more willing to negotiate. At an open air bistro, we ordered a traditional Mexican meal – with Cerveza - and watched gutsy tourists donning well worn equipment to parasail off the beach. Ideally, I would have preferred another day at sea, before the third port-of- call, Puerto Vallarta, but since we were there, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see the sights The ship docks about three miles north of downtown Puerto Vallarta but private taxis and vans can be easily gotten outside the terminal gate. We had plenty of choices for shore excursions at all the ports-of-call. We stuck to water sports, but there are jungle tours, Hummer tours, tequila tours, glass factory tours, and whale watching tours. You can take a day sail on a pirate ship or a catamaran, or swim with the dolphins. And of course, there’s always shopping. At the end of a busy day in port, we returned to the ship for a fantastic meal a great show, and luxurious surroundings. As the ship sailed back toward Los Angeles, the temperature dropped a bit, triggering an enthusiastic discussion about booking a cruise to Alaska next summer. On the last day, we spent time at the indoor pool, and wandered through the on-board shops, which were surprisingly, reasonably priced. Arriving back in Los Angeles, some of our fellow cruisers were planning to take a Los Angeles Highlights excursion, to kill some time before their flights back home. We, on the other hand, decided to stay a couple of extra days. Who knew when we’d have the chance to come back? We wanted to eke out few more days of sunshine before returning to the snowy Okanagan. So, perhaps it wasn’t surprising to receive a phonecall from my friend Cheryl shortly after we arrived home: “Did you know you can get a direct flight from Kelowna to Los Cabos. Do you want to go? “Do we have to share a room?” “Of course not.” And then … before my brain had time to process a single rational thought, I found myself reading aloud my Mastercard number and telling her to book it.

Follow TJ and Dean on their Panama Cruise aboard Holland America Lines, leaving September 19, 2010 on North of 50’s Travel Blog www.northof50trvelblogspot.com or follow the link on North of 50s home page www.northof50.com

and Away


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If thE 492 tAMIL ASYLUM-SEEKERS who recently arrived by boat on BC's shores are "queue-jumpers", then I guess my parents were too. They came as Vietnam War draft dodgers from the US in 1967. Like a couple of the Tamil women just arrived, my mom was pregnant with me. My parents did not seek advance permission from the Canadian government to immigrate. They did not fill out any paperwork before arriving. And they could no more seek permission to leave from their home government than these Tamils could, for what they were doing was, as far as the US was concerned, illegal and would result in my father's arrest. Of course that's the thing about being an asylum-seeker –– you don't get into a queue. When you've got to go, you've got to go. Hell, my folks didn't even know Montreal (where they landed) was a predominantly French-speaking city. So they just showed up. The difference, however, was that in those days, they got landed immigrant status in 20 minutes at the airport. Over the course of the Vietnam War, about 100,000 American war resisters came to Canada (many with less formal education than my folks and thus unlikely to score particularly well under today's immigration point-system). But those aren't the only numeric comparisons I find curious. Among the common reactions to the arrival of the MV Sun Sea is the proposition that Canada’s alleged lax immigration laws make us a global sucker –– a target for many of the world’s migrants. This is an absurd notion. World conflicts, environmental disasters, and a global economic system that keeps billions impoverished has resulted in millions upon millions of refugees and displaced people. In Pakistan alone, the current flooding has produced upwards of 14 million internally displaced people. Globally, according to the UN, there are over 43 million "forcibly displaced people," of which about 15 million are refugees. The vast majority of these globally displaced people are not being absorbed by wealthy countries, but rather internally or by neighbouring poor countries –– the places least able to afford the costs and with the bleakest economic prospects. The number of refugees accepted by Canada has declined in recent years, and last year we accepted fewer than 20,000 — a drop in the global bucket, just over 0.1% of global refugees. Surely, when a few hundred people arrive on our shores, we can afford to treat these people with respect and grant them due process. Here's another curious comparison: The real and much more significant Canadian immigration story of recent years (at least measured numerically) isn't about refugees or people arriving by boats. It's about the explosion in temporary

foreign workers. The number of temporary foreign workers coming into Canada each year now exceeds 200,000, and now surpasses the number of immigrants. But the Harper government hasn't been sounding the alarm about this. On the contrary, the federal government has been promoting and facilitating the massive growth in this category of migrants. Why? Because unlike regular immigrants and refugees, these workers are being specifically requested by employers, their indentured status makes them unable to exercise key employment rights and leaves them highly vulnerable to exploitation and unsafe conditions, and they are unable to make the same claims to the social and economic rights that Canadians take for granted. Immigration is central to the story of Canada –– waves of people who came, mostly to meet a domestic need for labour, and sometimes fleeing harm and conflict. But historically, once people arrived, either as immigrants or refugees, they were upon landing met with a social contract: they could avail themselves of the social and economic rights Canadians enjoyed, and in a few years could be granted the full rights of citizenship. With the explosion of temporary workers and tightening of regular immigration admissions, the government is effectively saying, "that deal is off –– we're happy to have temporary indentured labour, but don't think you can be a Canadian." When my parents arrived in the '60s, a small minority in Canada were keen to label the Vietnam war resisters will all manner of unwelcome labels — much as the Canadian government is currently doing with respect to the Tamil asylum-seekers today, quickly labeling them as terrorists, criminals and queue-jumpers. But for the most part, the Vietnam war resisters were welcomed, and went on to make a valuable contribution to Canadian society. Much the same can be said of the Vietnamese boat people who arrived in the late 1970s. Why can't these better receptions be the norm, rather than the xenophobia that characterizes more recent arrivals? And here's what troubles me most. In a world still coming to terms with the reality of climate change, the truth is that the number of global climate migrants and displaced people will soon dwarf the UN numbers sited above. Will this recent ugliness mark each new unexpected arrival, or can we have a rational conversation about what our moral obligations and humanitarian response should be to the global realities ahead? - Seth Klein is Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ BC Office, www.policyalternatives.ca.

REfLEctIONS ON thE tAMIL MIgRANtS fROM thE chILd Of “qUEUE-jUMPINg” ASYLUM SEEKERS By Seth Klein

WhAt’S hAPPENINg IN thE dIStRIct Of cLEARWAtERPUbLIc hEARINg – ShIPPINg cONtAINERSAt the August 17th, 2010 Regular Council Meeting Council read for the first time the “District of Clearwater Zoning Bylaw No. 0940, Amendment Bylaw No. 60, 2010” regarding Shipping Containers. Council has scheduled a Public Hearing for September 7th, 2010 at 132 Station Road in the Council Chambers at 6:30 pm to hear public submissions. The public is encouraged to come and see what Council is proposing and to have their say on the use of shipping containers within the District boundaries. FIRE BAN The fire ban continues to be in effect for campfires and all open burning across the Kamloops Fire Centre and the District of Clearwater this is to assist in preventing human-caused wildfires. SPEED BOARD VOLUNTEERS The District of Clearwater is looking for a Service club or group of volunteers who would be interested in manning a Speed Board to help make the District highway safer. Individuals would be trained on the use of the board and would have to go through a Criminal Record check. If you are interested please contact the District Office at 250.674.2257. RECYCLING BATTERIES The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has partnered with Call2Recycle Canada to set up drop off sites at all their library locations including here in Clearwater. Residents and organizations are able to recycle all household batteries including alkalines or single-use batteries as well as rechargeable batteries and cell phones

weighing less than 5 kg. There is no charge for recycling these items. Greffard’s Saw Shop operates as a drop off for car, lawnmower and ATV batteries and will pay cash for them.cLEARWAtER WALKS ONStarting on September 6th, 2010 “Clearwater Walks On” walking program will start a FREE 10 week program that will gradually introduce adults to walking as a healthy lifestyle choice. Walkers are encouraged to meet at the Rotary Sports Park on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30 pm where participants will be educated on the importance of goal setting, keeping motivated and on track with incorporating physical activity into their daily routine. Guest speakers will also be discussing topics such as proper footwear, nutrition and more. Come out and walk yourself to a healthier you!2010 cANOE REgAttAHave you submitted your choice for the Regatta Golden Girl? Have you picked the events you want to participate in? Have you registered your team yet? Don’t want to go in any activities? Then how about volunteering to help so you can still partake in the fun. Contact Shelley Sim, Regatta Coordinator - C/O DISTRICT OF CLEARWATER Box 157, Clearwater, BC V0E 1N0 Ph: 250 674 3286 Email:[email protected] Regatta details: www.clearwatercanoeregatta.com


Health Matters

Kamloops, BC

Host organization: asK Wellness CentreDate of Walk: saturday, september 18, 2010start location: Kamloops Farmer's market, stuart Wood schoolImportant Times: 10:00 am - Registration 10:45 am - Walk begins 11:30 am - Barbeque

MANY cANcERS ARE WELL KNOWN ANd qUItE cOMMON. Oral cancers, or those that occur in the mouth and on the lips, aren't discussed as frequently but are just as important to know about.

About 50,000 new cases of head and neck cancers, in which oral cancers are grouped, are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Roger Ebert, the famous movie critic, lost his lower jaw from complications from oral cancer. He currently uses computer technology to communicate and must be fed intravenously because of an inability to eat in the standard manner. Denver Nuggets coach George Karl was recently diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma on his tonsil.

Mouth cancers can develop on the tongue, lips, cheeks, gums, or on the roof of the mouth. These types of cancers are treated similarly in most cases.

Because there can be many causes for mouth ailments, oral cancers initially may be difficult to diagnose. There are some symptoms that may be indicative of mouth cancer.

These include:

* a sore that will not heal* jaw pain or stiffness* a feeling of something stuck in the throat* white patches on the mouth* difficult or painful chewing* loose teeth or improperly fitting dentures* a lump or thickening of the skin of the mouth

Visit the dentist or a doctor if any symptoms persist for more than two weeks. A professional will rule out other potential causes, such as toothache or infection first.

Most oral cancers begin in the thin, squamous cells that line the inside of the mouth and lips. These cells can mutate and eventually cause tumors. If left unchecked, oral cancers can spread to other areas of the body.

While there is no definitive cause for oral cancers, there are certain factors that put a person at greater risk of getting a mouth cancer. First and foremost is any type of tobacco use. Smokers and those who chew tobacco are at a very high rate for mouth cancer.

Individuals who use alcohol in abundance are also at a higher risk.

Other possible causes include:

* previous radiation treatment for other head or neck cancers,* unprotected exposure of the lips to UV rays, and* contraction of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Oral cancers can rob a person of the ability to speak, eat, drink, and could result in some sort of disfigurement. Early detection and treatment can help prevent these effects. That is why a doctor should be consulted promptly if there are persistent symptoms

gEt tO KNOW ORAL cANcERS

Oral cancers can occur inside of the mouth or on the lips

EAch YEAR, MILLIONS Of NEW cASES of cancer are diagnosed across the globe. Although there is no definitive cause for many of the cancers out there, certain lifestyle choices put a person at a greater risk for cancer. By making a few simple changes, that risk can be reduced.1. Eat steamed broccoli. Broccoli is one of the superfoods purported to help reduce cancer risk. However, microwaving or overcooking broccoli can destroy up to 97 percent of broccoli's cancer-preventing flavanoids. Therefore, eat broccoli raw or lightly steam it to retain the most nutrients.2. Load up on garlic. Garlic might contribute to bad breath, but the side effect may be worth it. Garlic contains sulfur that can help fend off cancer by stimulating the body's natural immune system.3. Enjoy orange foods. Sweet potatoes, carrots and cantaloupe contain carotinoids, which can reduce risk of cancer.4. Eat some blueberries. Blueberries top the list for antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which can contribute to cancer.5. Drink plenty of water. The body needs water to stay healthy and flush out contaminants. Therefore, enjoy eight glasses per day.6. Get a little sunlight. Not only does sunlight boost mood, which can reduce stress and keep the body in top form, the body receives most of its vitamin D from the sun. Minimal sun exposure will increase vitamin D in the body. Too little vitamin D can actually contribute to some cancers.7. Reduce animal fat intake. Cut down on the amount of high-fat dairy and meat products consumed.8. Walk 30 minutes a day. Even moderate exercise can reduce cancer risk.9. Reduce exposure to chemicals. Let those dandelions sprout in the lawn, skip dry cleaning clothes and use natural items around the house for cleaning. This reduces a person's exposure to potentially toxic chemicals that may contribute to cancer.10. Enjoy grapes. Grapes contain the cancer-fighting compound resveratrol, which is found in wine. However, grapes do not offer the potentially negative consequences of alcohol consumption.11. Choose organic whenever possible. Organic foods are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers, making them better for the body.

11 WAYS tO REdUcE cANcER RISK

Eating foods like broccoli can help reduce cancer risk


On a short detour east to Barkerville, Cottonwood House Historic site provides the best accommodation bargain you are likely to find: camping, a small four-bunk cottage or an historic log cabin, plus breakfast, firewood and a tour of this historic roadhouse settlement, goes for $12 to $40 (that’s per family, not per person).

At nearly 150 years of age the mountain town of Barkerville has an incredible history that includes being burned to the ground and then rebuilt, and having

tAKE A WILd RIdE ON 97 cont'd from page 12various revivals and desertions. After gold was found in 1862 the population ballooned and it became one of the biggest cities west of Chicago and north of San Francisco.

TO BE CONTINUED: Jim and Lian Couper’s road trip continues in the next issue (October 2010) when they head further north on Hwy 97.

(Left) Caribou, Fort Nelson(Middle) Barkerville street scene(Right) Fort Nelson, Muncho Lake, looking north All photos by Jim Couper

fOR chILdREN Of thE 21St cENtURY, heading back to school at summer’s end is a highly anticipated event involving a new backpack, a new wardrobe and perhaps even a new laptop.

Contrary, for those children lucky enough to have attended school in the 19th century, September symbolized the start of months away from home or arduous commutes on horse-drawn carriages and boats to one-room schoolhouses. In 1866 only four public schools dotted the landscape of the mainland of the colony of British Columbia – the boarding school in Yale representing the nearest school to Kamloops.

Prior to the birth of the public school system in Kamloops, a number of private schools undertook the task of introducing settlers’ children to the three Rs – reading, riting and rithmetic.

Kamloops’ first private school opened in 1878 after Nellie Roper, co-owner of the Dominion Hotel, instructed pupils out of her log home behind the hotel. A year later Nellie and husband Thomas expanded their educational venture by

EdUcAtION IN KAMLOOPSconstructing Prospect Cottage, a boarding school on Peterson Creek geared for children of pioneer ranching families.

Between 1880 and 1882, St. Ann’s convent opened two Catholic schools just west of the Hudson’s Bay Company post on Mission Flats – St. Ann’s for girls and St. Louis’ for boys. Though St. Louis had the capacity to accommodate 150 boys, farming families were reluctant to pluck their sons from the fields and the school folded two years later.

Although the boys’ school floundered, the girls’ school proved to be a great success. So popular was St. Ann’s Academy that the school had to relocate three times: first to the new town site then to the 300 block between Battle and Nicola Streets (where a junior boys section was added) and finally to the present location on Columbia Street.

Due to St. Ann’s success as a private school, the district’s first public schools tended to crop up in outlying areas – the first public school opening at Shuswap Prairie near Chase in 1884.

The district’s second public school, constructed to meet the demand of an influx of farmers settling in the North Thompson, opened 20 km north of Kamloops in 1885. The North Thompson School – which grew to become the present Rayleigh elementary, on a different site – is the oldest continually-operating school within the present City of Kamloops.

By February 1886, with the boom created by the railroad in full swing, the need for a public school within city limits was dire. With such, a site was chosen – the hillside where the former courthouse is now situated – and the Kamloops Public School erected.

The commodious new school house, affording a fine view of the North Thompson River, opened its doors to a strong force of 78 pupils in September 1886 under the charge of E. Stuart Wood.

Information contained in this article extracted from Heritage Education by Ken Favrholdt and Early Education in Kamloops by John Stewart.

Photo courtesy of Kamloops Museum & Archives

By Sherry Bennett


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SUDOKUEach Sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each. Each puzzles solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all numbers from1 to 9: each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.Sudoku solution on page 18

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters spell out a hidden message. Words can go left or right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. Answers to puzzle is on page 18.

Word Search &Crosswords

AFFORDAIDBADCANADACANCERCHRONICCLUBCONTROLCULTIVATECUREDOPEDRUGEATEPILEPSYEXEMPTEXPENSEEXPLOREFORGANJAGROWOP

HEALHELPHEMPHERBINDICAINJURYJAILLAWLEGALLICENSEDMARIJUANAMEDICALMINDMIRACLEPAINPOTRAIDREGISTERREGULATIONRELIEF

REPORTSATIVASEEDSSICKSLEEPSTUDYSUPPLYTHERAPYTOXINSTRIPUSEWEED

WEEdY WORdS

ACROSS

1 Large open area6 Sarcastic9 Cycles per second12 Rotating mechanism13 French “yes”14 Alternative (abbr.)15 state flower of New Mexico16 Single17 Regret18 Ripe20 Beast of Burden

22 Behavioral psychologist25 censor26 The other half of Jima27 Kindest29 broadcast bulletin31 Coupe or sedan32 Alleviate36 Cat toy stuffing39 Sign of the zodiac40 pinafore43 Madams45 Pointed out46 Publicity

47 Yosimity____48 North American Indian50 Type of tree54 Poisonous snake55 be sickly56 ---con carne57 Aye58 power saving lights59 Output

DOWN

1 Saute2 Promissory note3 And so forth4 Native5 Fire-breathing monster6 Teak7 Operate8 Relents9 Diamond weight unit10 top feathers11 Word with home or in19 Expels21 Diet22 Metal fastener23 Reverence24 Oath25 Uncannily28 Soup container30 Large flat-bottomed boat33 Boxer Muhammad34 Perceive35 Goddess37 Yearly38 Office of pope40 Analyze ore41 Stage42 Plays44 Headquarters of British India46 Carried49 Truss51 Single dice52 Building addition53 Crimson

September Word Search.TXTE M E C O N T R O L D T T R L E I

A X R E G U L A T I O N O E A R P

C D E L E G A L A P L M X T C O A

A C A M I R E P O D K C I S I L I

F E H N P C A N C E R B N I D P N

F R T R A T Y L P P U S S G E X H

O E M A O C F E I L E R L E M E A

R P A I V N R C C L S E A R L S T

D O R D E I I O E M N R E P E H O

S R I R B A T C F I E U H E E H D

D T J U O R T L W R P C D R P E B

R L U A S P E A U A X S A O S A I

U I A D J E L H D C E P W N D N N

G A N H Y N E A N L Y O E T J H D

D J A V I T A S I E R C R U D E I

P E E L S H O G M G I I R I E M C

A E P I L E P S Y L P Y A W X P A

www.WordSearchMaker.com

AFFORDAIDBADCANADACANCER

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Word Search Solution:Medical miracle or hophead hoax

Buy an RV lot on beautiful Swan Lake in Vernon, B.C. Cheap living at $150/month. View lots at www.swanlakervlots.com.

Couch & Loveseat in excellent condition, multi Blue /Green Colour with Oak trim. $325. Phone 250.549.1910.

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volt Dewalt cordless drill with 2 batteries, charger & case, $50. Metal Coleman cooler, $25. Phone 250.542.5698.

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9 drawer dresser with 7ft. high mirrorm $120. 6’x6’ entertainment centre, $250. Gentlemans

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dresser, $55. 40’s Music Box Collection, $19 each. Piano keyboard (new, still in box), $110. Queen size bed headboard, mattress, box spring & frame, $350. Phone 250.276.3808.

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Moduline Home For Sale in Westbank, 2 bed, 2 bath, own land, $35/month strata, 12x32 insulated garage, maintenance free yard, $255,900. Phone 250.769.6446.

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September 1960 - 50 Years Ago This Month5th - Cassius Clay captures Olympic light heavyweight gold medal11th - 17th Olympic games close in Rome Italy19th - The University of Calgary is founded24th - 1st nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, launches (USS Enterprise)26th - 1st of 4 TV debates Nixon & Kennedy took place (Chicago)


PAddLES UPBy Dawn Renaud

WhAt tO WEAR, WhAt tO WEAR. I dig through the gear I’d used for white-water kayaking in icy northern rivers. Keeping warm won’t be a priority on Skaha in the dead heat of summer. Wetsuit? Not likely.

At a business luncheon I’d mentioned my latest assignment: write about dragon boating. Marion—looking very fit as always (she’d recently completed a bike run from Vancouver to Seattle)—threw down the gauntlet: I couldn’t write about it if I hadn’t tried it. Her team, the Peach City Dragons and Dragon Ladies, would be practicing this evening on Skaha Lake. “Join us,” she’d said, and of course I’d accepted her challenge.

It all sounded so easy at the time, but I haven’t done anything strenuous for some time. And just what does a dragon paddler wear? I decide on a sleeveless shirt and loose fitting capris made from some wonder-fabric that dries quickly. Paddling gloves? Boots? I toss the whole kit in my trunk, add a towel, a bottle of water, and my lifejacket (the only one I’ve ever worn that doesn’t shove my shoulders up to my ears while I’m seated), and head for the beach.

Two teams are gathering, and one paddler tells me to help myself to a paddle from the rack in the boathouse. They’re pretty much all the same, she says, but avoid those with rough spots on their handles. Looks like gloves are a good idea.

I take a few photos of the boat-launching process, then canvas the paddlers. They tell me they paddle because it’s great exercise, a good excuse to get out on the water, a social opportunity. “Dragon boating is the bestest sport on the planet,” says team coach Jen Monai, who has been involved with the sport for several years; she also paddles with another team, the Desperate Housewives. “Everyone can get out there and try it. It’s a sport for any age. I’ve been on a dock where they loaded a 94-year-old woman into the boat. She didn’t walk herself down there, but we got her in and she just paddled away. It was fabulous.”Along with their weekly practices, some teams compete in local, national and international festivals. A couple of years ago, Jen’s team made it their goal to get to a festival San Francisco. She says that was a “whole pile of fun,” but in terms of location we actually have better conditions right here in BC. “We have a great venue here in Penticton. Kelowna has a fabulous venue; so does Vernon. Salmon Arm’s is spectacular. And then we have all the ones on the Island. They’re just really well run.”

Several of these venues are managed by Go Rowing and Paddling (GO), an amateur association on a mission to get people of all ages and athletic abilities out on the water and having fun. Their Penticton manager, Don Mulhall, has been involved with the sport since 1993, when he joined a corporate team in Vancouver. He says it was the sport’s accessibility that drew him: there’s no need to be a jock to join.

Penticton’s festival, which runs Sept. 10–12, has grown by 50 per cent in each of the last two years. “We have 66 teams registered this year,” says Don, “which means about 1,800 athletes.” While they do rely on volunteers, GO has a team of people who fill the festivals’ key positions. GO also supplies the boats. “To make it fair, the boats are identical,” he says. Each is about 45ft long and weighs around 850lbs. For festivals they’re “dressed up” with a head and a tail, and a seat is installed on the prow for the drummer.

The teams race in different divisions, and one of the fastest-growing is the

seniors’. In the mixed, at least 8 of the 20 paddlers must be women. There’s a separate division for all-women teams, and another for teams made up entirely of breast cancer survivors.

Beverly Rice often saw the dragon boats out on the water near her home, including Penticton’s Survivorship. “I was walking along one evening when they were just getting ready to go out to paddle,” she says. She’d finished her own treatment for breast cancer a couple of years before, and she stopped to talk. The team convinced her to climb into the boat right then and there. “I’ve been with them ever since.”Current captain Donna Walker joined the team as soon as she moved to Penticton, and says it’s not just about camaraderie and getting fit. By the time the season ends, she says, “you have such passion—you’re stronger, more athletic, and you feel so much better.” It also brings out the competitive spirit; a few years ago the team took first place in both the survivors’ and the women’s divisions in a Vancouver festival. “We can be very competitive when we’re racing,” agrees Beverley, “but we’re very supportive of the other teams.”

They’re supportive off the water, too.“On the boat, it’s just dragon boating; we don’t talk about breast cancer,” says Donna, but members also participate in a mentoring programs, fundraising and awareness campaigns—always with an accent on the positive. (Decorations for the recent Peach Festival parade involved a giant bra.)

The first survivor team was established in the late ’90s to find out if there was any genuine reason to restrict upper body activity after treatment for breast cancer.

“Previously, it was a no-no,” says Beverley, who points out that paddling a dragon boat is more of a full-body workout.

She’s right. While I run to the parking lot to stow my camera, the Peach City Dragons and Dragon Ladies fetch the boat from across the bay. They pull ashore to pick me up, and I settle into a seat mid-ship right behind Marion. “Paddles up,” says Jen. I try to follow along with what Marion’s doing. After a few minutes of ineffective paddling—I’m not feeling any real resistance on my paddle (except when I rough up the handle on the side of the boat)—I’m relieved when Jen orders us to rest while she gives

us a refresher on proper technique.Turns out I should be watching the lead paddler on the opposite side of the boat. It’s the front pair’s responsibility to synchronize their strokes, and it’s our job to match their rhythm. We provide the power; at the back of the boat, the sweep steers by controlling the rudder.

Jen reminds us to sit close to the side of the boat, bending our outside leg at the knee and bracing our outstretched inside leg. Inside hand atop paddles’ T-shaped handle. Rotate torso. Lean out and forward, using upper body weight to plant paddle. Pull. Lift when even with hips. Repeat.

We swap sides midway through the session, and at one point she divides us in the middle, two teams facing each other for a tug of war. We give it our all, but there’s no surprise when the side with the most men wins. While returning to the beach we practice a series of power surges—alternating paddlers rest, crouched forward. When it’s my turn to paddle I get to lunge without fear of whacking Marion, but it’s obvious my technique still needs a lot of work.

A few muscle groups may be complaining when I climb out of the boat, but I’m not. Lots of laughter and a good workout—what a great way to spend a summer evening.

Team effort: Getting the huge boats back out of the water is all part of the workout. Photo by Dawn Renaud


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September 2010 Thompson Edition - North of 50