Fernie Fix October 2021 by Claris Media

OCTOBER 2021 | ISSUE 178

THE

Fright ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE: Fright Issue Special Feature with Jon Turk and fear on the savannah. Feature Resident Simon Piney discusses the evolution of Fernie Search and Rescue. Feature Artist Nell Cline-Smith takes us through her exciting journey creating music with The Flaming Lips. And discover how the theme of “fear” is woven into each of the Fix columnists’ articles this month. FERNIEFIX.COM

OCTOBER 2021 | ISSUE 178

EDITOR’S FIX p7 THE FRIGHT ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE p8 The Lion in the Bushes by Jon Turk

THE

Fright ISSUE

BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY p11 Business News Taking Care of Business – Confronting Fear in Your Business by Brad Parsell

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT p16 Feature Artist - Nell Cline-Smith Musings of a Bookworm – Feelings of Fright and Fatigue Fuse Fernie by Jessica Bozoky ArtBeat – Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Michael Hepher At Peace and Yet on Fire – The Gains and Losses of Our Collective Wanting by Sadie Rosgen Rental Fix – Lucifer by Andrew Vallance

EVENTS CALENDAR p25 COMMUNITY p28 Feature Resident – Simon Piney City Corner – UBCM Resolutions by Ange Qualizza

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR LIFE p32 Backyard Adventures – FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) by Danyal Taylor Hitting the Trails – Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone by Julie Kelly

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE p36 Family Wellness – The Physical Implications of Fear by Dr. Taina Turcasso This is Life – The Perception of Fear by Tyla Charbonneau

BITS AND BYTES p41 The Answer Guy – Grouped Contacts by Kevin McIsaac Astrology – October 2021 by Ashley Kristina Through the Lens – The Fright Issue Photo Gallery The Social Page

FERNIE FUN p46 The Last Page

COVER: Alone in the Woods Photo by John Pelechosky, pele-photocreations.com THIS PAGE: Witching Hour Photo by Aaron Hagen, Beartooth Media @beartoothmedia

Claris Media acknowledges that the land on which we work, gather and recreate is the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa people. We are very grateful for this place and the abundance it provides. FERNIEFIX.COM

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BOOKED! FERNIE WRITERS’ SERIES

Join Jon Turk for the Canadian launch of his book, Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu. Local author Angie Abdou will lead a discussion with Jon Turk.

Thursday Oct. 28, 7 pm Hosted at the Fernie Heritage Library, on Zoom, and streamed to Facebook Live. Limited number of tickets available to attend the in person reading.

Editor’s Fix

Contributors ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting. ANGE QUALIZZA is a nutty economist who has a passion for policy, governance and everything to do with municipal government! Let’s lift up the carpet and take a closer look inside City Hall. ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five. For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com. BRAD PARSELL is the manager of the Fernie Chamber and loves working with our local vibrant business community. He is also a music nerd with an ever-growing collection of records in his basement. DANYAL TAYLOR is an all year-round adventurer. You can find him hiking in the remote wilderness, crossing crevassed icefields in winter, and bagging peaks at any opportunity possible.You can see more of these adventures @danyaltaylor. JESSICA BOZOKY quit her editing job in Australia to chase the snow. Having settled in Fernie, she’s found herself at home surrounded by mountains (of books). DR. JON TURK is a scientist, author, and National Geographic award-winning explorer whose worldview was altered by extended visits with Moolynaut, a Siberian shaman.

JULIE KELLY is the Manager for the Fernie Trails Alliance and loves spending time on the Fernie trails. KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material. MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada. Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@gmail.com. TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic physician, midwife, and new mama who is at long last practicing in Fernie. She is enjoying getting reacquainted with all of Fernie’s offerings with her family. TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature.

By Krista Turcasso, Editor I’m tired. My emotions are surprisingly close to the surface. I care less about things that used to be so important to me. My faith in humanity is dwindling. It’s a bit scary and alarming, but not unexpected. What we have and continue to face and go through has us in a continued state of fight or flight, and we’re moving into a state of adrenal fatigue. We have all been doing our best to protect ourselves, our families, our communities. Keeping ourselves up to date while perhaps learning we need to lesson exposure to social media – an act of selfpreservation. And if this is how I’m feeling, I think of those in government and health care. How are they continuing to work and support us? Some have chosen not to. How many will put up their hand for these roles in future? Yes, I’m battling fear. But fear is a survival instinct and can be helpful especially when acknowledged. It provides heightened awareness, focus and concentration, and can lead to courage, motivation and change. While there is still so much work to be done and challenges to overcome, I trust it will lead to big and positive changes… which is how to restore faith and turn fear into power.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM Published monthly by Claris Media. To advertise and for general inquiries: info@clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 | clarismedia.com Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

FERNIEFIX.COM

THE FRIGHT ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE

The Lion in the Bushes by JON TURK

My newest book, Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu, is set on the Kenyan savannah. On the third day of that expedition one of the men in camp handed me a wooden club, and asked me to accompany Dipa, the village headman, tracking a lion that had eaten a village cow. We followed the tracks to the carcass of a recently killed warthog. Clearly the lion was close, and because it was noon and its belly was full, it was almost certainly sleeping nearby.

I swung my club tentatively, feeling its balance, and realizing how inadequate it would be to defend myself, should the lion wake up and charge. I stopped, peered into the bushes, senses alert, feeling a deep fear. And then, quickly, out of my control, the fear morphed into anger. Why was I sent on this mission with only a club? And why was Dipa unarmed? There were many sharp, steel machetes in camp. Why didn’t someone give me a machete, at least? Or better yet, a solid, battle-worn Russian AK-47. Those jerks. What kind of

a Gong Show is this, anyway? This is my life on the line. Then. Whoa. Stop. Recalibrate. Fear can be a friend to warn you of danger. But fear is not your friend in the heat of the action. I’ve been there: Storms at sea, in the maw of an avalanche, on a dicey lead on vertical rock. At critical times when you must perform at the highest level, fear is a useless, dangerous, unwelcome distraction. So, in this moment, I take control of myself and peer into the bushes with all my senses.

In Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu, I ask how our Stone Age ancestors survived on this savannah when they were slower and weaker than the lion, with smaller teeth and claws. From the anthropological record, I learned that the human population began to increase dramatically when people discovered symbolic art, music, dance, and storytelling – long before they invented sophisticated tools and weaponry. They spun yarns around campfires about the origin of being, they learned to cooperate, and became tribal. Thus, the power for these puny bipeds to survive against the real and metaphorical lion in the bushes arose out of inner consciousness and communal cohesion. So, what went wrong? Why are we, today, with unprecedented tools, gizmos, and gadgets – why are we destroying the climate that sustains us; why is there so much anger out there? Anger. As I learned on that lion-tracking adventure, anger is a close relative of fear. Like beans and cornbread. Not a welcome relative, but a relative that shows up all too often, unannounced, demanding food and attention.

Around 12,000 years ago, hunter-gatherer tribes coalesced into agriculture-based cities. Priests and politicians came to power to manage these large, potentially chaotic, collective communities. And they learned that if you want to coalesce power, all you need to do is make people afraid. Then you can easily convince the people to become angry. And, presto, they will do whatever you tell them to do. A simple, but deadly and catastrophic formula, that has been used repeatedly, throughout the ages.

Photos submitted by Jon Turk “There is no inevitable reason why humans must listen to the Donald’s of the world, to harm one another and our planet. We can be bigger than that. Maybe, instead, each one of us is going to have to do some hard pulling on our own.” Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu is available at Polar Peak Books in Fernie, or wherever books are sold, nationally.

But we don’t have to go there. Remember, fear is not your friend in the heat of the action. As I write in the book,

I don’t know but I been told If the horse don’t pull you got to carry the load I don’t know whose back’s that strong Maybe find out before too long.” ~ Grateful Dead

FERNIEFIX.COM FERNIEFIX.COM

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Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

Submitted Photo

Emily Park Photo

Branch Out Learning Society

Danyal Taylor Fernie Sports Co Film and Photography fernietenniscoaching@gmail.com

44 Mt Washburn St 250-430-1474

danyaltaylor.com

Branch Out Learning Society is a nonprofit supporting families and individuals in the Elk Valley Communities.

Danyal Taylor is a professional photographer and adventurer located in the stunning town of Fernie, BC. Last year Danyal debuted his first calendar devoted to beautiful photos taken in Fernie and within the valley. He just released his 2022 calendar for sale! Sized 11x17, it will contain 12 beautiful photos for each month of the year. These will make great Christmas gifts for friends and family, especially those secret Santa gifts.

Branch Out Society’s vision is to provide support to Elk Valley families and individuals who experience challenges in learning and/or behaviour, or those who struggle with cognitive or developmental disability to access any service which may be needed to achieve their best possible quality of life without limitation due to finances. That services available in communities should be accessible, with ease, to every person and family in need. Branch Out Society believes that supporting the individuals within our communities is the only way to build a stronger community. Stay tuned for Branch Out and Elk Valley Society for Community Living’s upcoming shared 50/50 fundraiser. For applications and more information please visit branchoutlearningtherapy.com/ about.

There are only a limited quantity printed, be sure to get yours as they sold out quickly last year. Visit danyaltaylor.ca to purchase your copy or to learn more.

The Fernie Junior Tennis Tournament, hosted by Fernie Sports Co. was held Saturday September 11. As a significant date in modern history, Fernie Sports Co. acknowledged and showed respect to the victims and families in the tournament briefing and throughout the day. There were nearly 30 entrants and despite a rain delay, there were dry courts and great weather for all the matches. It was a team effort by all coaches, parents, players, sponsors and friends. Special thanks to the parents who stepped on court to act as umpires and to the sponsors - Ryan Frazer Properties, White Ladder Painting, Edge of the World, Giv’er Shirt Works, Big Bang Bagels, the Bridge Bistro and the tournament photographer, Emily Park. The players made all coaches and parents proud. Wonderful attitudes, great spirit on court and some fantastic tennis, were all on display. For results, visit @ fernietenniscoaching on Facebook.

FERNIEFIX.COM

Submitted Photo

Fernie Trails Alliance fernietrailsalliance.com The Fernie Trails Alliance (FTA) had a busy season. Many accomplishments were achieved including hiring a paid trail crew, new trails and success with the Fernie Trails Pass.

NEW PACK! LAUNCHING OCTOBER

The trail network saw the addition of a new Fairy Creek hiking trail, the very popular Trail Dogs flow trail and uptrack, and FloReka Part 6. Improvements were made to the existing trail Al Matador, Far Side got a replacement (name to come!), and Mount Proctor hiking trail is in fantastic shape with new traverses and switchbacks.

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Thanks to Columbia Basin Trust’s Job Experience Trail Crew grant, the FTA hired its first paid trail crew. One supervisor and four trail crew members were hired to work alongside the Trail Manager.

@FernieBrewingCo #DrinkFernie

The new Fernie Trails Pass was a great success. There was a steady stream of passes purchased during the summer including a number of day use and weekend passes.

Business in the Valley

Submitted Photo

BUSINESS NEWS

Submitted Photo

Freshies Café

Giv’Er Shirt Works

iWe3 Coaching

601-a 2nd Ave

givershirts.com 250-423-6615

iwe3coaching.ca

You’ve likely seen a lot of changes at Freshies Café at the Huckleberry Plaza in downtown Fernie. There’s more to come! Starting October 22, they will be extending their hours Fridays and Saturdays until 7:30pm and offering a small, curated list of BC wines alongside three café inspired cocktails. They will also be expanding their food menu on these days to include charcuterie boards featuring Canadian cheeses and BC artisanal products.

After almost 18 years in business in downtown Fernie, Giv’Er Shirt Works purchased its own commercial building to base operations out of. Starting December 1, 1542 10th Ave will be Giv’Er’s new home and owners Erin and Kieran Summers couldn’t be more excited.

After 25 years in the energy industry, Jim Anderson stepped away to experience the world through the eyes of his three-year old.

Manager Ben Ingle says, “It’s going to be a great place to grab a pre-dinner drink, or to come and truly connect with your friends or family without a giant tv screen to distract from the conversation.” Freshies will also be available for private bookings! Follow them on Facebook @ freshiesferniecafe or visit freshiesfernie.com for more details.

Things will look a little different. Giv’Er will cease operations of its front retail store, focusing on screen printing and embroidery and evolving its wholesale operations to meet the needs of clients. Don’t worry, Giv’Er is in the process of partnering with a few choice Fernie retail stores to sell your favourite designs. Stay tuned to Giv’Er’s social media channels for exciting updates, photos of the new space and just general good times. “We look forward to continuing to serve the Elk Valley and beyond with the best quality screen printed and embroidered apparel. Just from a new location,” says Kieran.

This time away from work, Jim says, was pivotal in launching him on a new path forward. A path beginning with the creation of iWe3 Coaching. An accomplished industry leader and committed learner, Jim has witnessed the value of coaching, both for individuals and for organizations. It is often through being seen, heard and understood that people achieve far beyond what was thought possible. Now, as a certified executive coach, Jim partners with evolving leaders to propel them forward. Through transformative coaching conversations, he helps clients respond to challenges in ways that allow them to achieve their own professional and personal potential. Are you open to thought-provoking questions? Discovering the insights needed to create your own path to learning and growth? Contact Jim via his site to learn more.

FERNIEFIX.COM

OCTOBER CONTINUING EDUCATION IN FERNIE: First Aid and Safety

Business, Lifestyle and Leisure

z Occupational Health/Safety P1 | October 8

z Back country Navigation and GPS | October 2

z St. John Standard for Industry | October 12

z Red Cross Babysitting Course | October 2

z Small Water Systems Operation | October 14

z Canadian Restricted Firearms | October 3

z Transportation Endorsement | October 14

z MS Excel Level 3 | October 4

z Fall Protection | October 15

z Fernie Ambassador Program | October 7

z Occupational First Aid Level 1 | October 16

z Payroll | October 12

z Red Cross Emergency Child Care | October 16

z Excel, Macros and VBA | October 13

z Confined Space Awareness | October 18

z Canadian Firearms Safety Course | October 16

z Occupational First Aid-Level 1 | October 18

z Digital Camera Basics | October 17

z Traffic control Requalification | October 19

z Red Cross Stay Safe! | October 17

z Traffic Control | October 20

z Wills, Powers of Attorneys | October 18

z Occupational Health/Safety P2 | October 22

z Effective communication | October 19

z Hoisting and Rigging Safety | October 23

z Intro to Quickbooks Desktop | October 19

z Skid Steer | October 23

z Fernie Ambassador Program | October 20

z Occupational First Aid Level 3 | October 25

z Interview Skills | October 20

z Wilderness First Aid | October 30

z Digital Photography-Next Step | October 24 z Conversational Spanish | October 25 z Wordpress Web Design | October 26 z The Cloud | October 27

For more information on courses, please visit our website at cotr.bc.ca/ConEd or phone 250-423-4691

Business in the Valley

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Confronting Fear in Your Business by BRAD PARSELL

I’m always blown away in my day job by how brave small business owners and operators are. Running a business is certainly not for the faint of heart. Everyday you’re faced with extreme challenges and complex decisions that have massive ramifications not only for the survival of your business, but also for your own livelihood and those of your employees. And of course, the challenges and risk have never been more heightened in the business landscape than they are today. Fear has a huge role to play here. Fear of failure. Fear of being judged. Fear of making the wrong decision. Fear of losing everything.Yet every day, thousands of SME owners get up, get dressed, go to work, and make a conscious decision not to let these fears overwhelm them. I love the quote from George Addair that came in at number 43 of the top 100 Inspirational Quotes by Forbes back in

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” ~ George Addair 2013. Addair is famously quoted as saying, “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” It’s so true in the business world. Business success favours those who are bold, innovative, and fearless. But that can be a lot easier than it sounds to turn fear of the unknown into a positive force for your business, and not a crippling negative force. A great place to start is identifying your fear in your business. What exactly is it that you’re afraid of? Perhaps you feel like you’re not ready, that there is something external in your way, that you are out of your comfort zone and don’t know what is best for your business? Perhaps you’re simply afraid of not being good enough

Submitted Photo to compete in your industry? The truth is, you’re probably never going to be totally prepared or ready. And you’ll likely make mistakes or missteps along the way. That’s ok! Remind yourself constantly why you started your business and learn from these bumps along the road. Nothing would get done if you didn’t try. You will miss every single shot you don’t take a swing at. So, persevere and try not to procrastinate or fall into the trap of analysis-paralysis. Most importantly – find your support network. Whether it be family, your work team, or a mentor you really respect and look up to. Talking about your business fears out loud with someone you trust has a way of minimizing the sense of dread.You’re strong! You’ve got this! And always try to remember that “everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” FERNIEFIX.COM

Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

Nell Cline-Smith

Submitted Photos

I have always listened to music because my mum and dad play it all the time, but what really got me into it was going to shows. Our family regularly went to music festivals and when I was three, my parents took me to a festival in Wales called Green Man. I was immersed in music all day every day, and while I can’t remember much in the way of specifics, I remember being there and seeing lots of people and hearing lots of music. When we moved to Canada in 2012, my parents continued playing music and I was drawn to The Flaming Lips and learned all of the words to all of their songs. In 2017, I got to see them in Spokane with my older brother, his friend Sam and my dad. It was at that show that made me decide to learn more about music. Soon after that I got my first guitar, learning to play a staple few chords and began going to singing lessons with Rachel Behan. I really enjoyed singing and even though the performing part was a bit scary, enjoyed being on stage with other people. I had another opportunity to go see The Flaming Lips with my friend Laurali in Missoula, MT and had another great experience. Known for their flamboyant shows and audiences, I wore a parrot costume and spent the entire show at the front row. To my surprise, I was given tickets to go see them in Calgary again the next week! At the Calgary show I wrote a letter and gave it to the tour bus driver who took it on the bus. Just before the show I shouted “Wayne Coyne” as he was going on stage and he saw me and recognized the parrot costume from previous shows! He came Opposite page: Photo by Kyle Hamilton Photography

over and we talked with him and he got my dad’s number then went to look for the letter. When he found it, to our surprise he texted a picture of him with it, then during the show I was lucky enough to sing a bit of “Space Oddity” with him when he was in his bubble.

The result was the album Where the Viaduct Looms, which is now ready for release and one single, “Girl in Amber” has been released with a video on YouTube that was produced in Fernie with the usual support of local go getters. The video was shot by Alex Hanson of Hipgnosis Media.

I kept in touch with him and while learning guitar with Ryan Mildenberger, Wayne would send me songs to learn and we would exchange ideas with Wayne coaching me along the way.

It’s been a year and a half since the project commenced and it has really helped me to decide that I want to be a musician.

I got involved in more music locally and did some busking in town and was lucky enough to play with Keith Greninger at a benefit for Troy Cook at the Northern. I was very nervous to go on stage but once I started playing, the nerves disappeared. I started writing my own songs and would send them to Wayne. He would work on them, and send them back with a Flaming Lips twist. It was really fun to hear the songs after they had added parts to them. The plan was to go to Oklahoma City to Wayne’s studio to record some but then… COVID! Wayne suggested I try to play and record a Nick Cave song called “Into My Arms” so I gave it a try and it went really well and he suggested I keep going and choose another song, by the end of September 2020 nine Nick Cave songs had been recorded, produced by The Flaming lips and mixed and mastered by Dave Fridmann. It was hard to complete the last two or three songs and I really didn’t think I could do it because he sings so deep, but Rachel Behan helped me work it out so I could sing them easier which was really helpful.

I just got back from a trip to Oklahoma City to record three videos for songs on the album. The Lips work really fast and all three videos were shot in one afternoon at The Criterion. It was super fun and also scary, but Wayne and the rest of the band helped me feel confident that I could do it. We also went to some shows and spent time backstage seeing all the stuff that goes on. I am not exactly sure what the next steps are going to be, but there is some kind of a plan to do some shows with them and also another plan to try and get a band together to perform some shows without them, too. It might take a bit of time to work all of that stuff out. When it comes to fear, I feel it all the time but I’ve learned that when people have confidence in you and encourage you it’s maybe because they know you can do it more than you do yourself, so it’s good to give it a try even if you might fail.

Follow Nell on her journey on her YouTube channel under Nell Smith and on Instagram, @nellsmith3108.

FERNIEFIX.COM

2019 Fernie Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards

photos courtesy of Fernie Chamber of Commerce

Our Commitment to Community This is our sixth year as title sponsor of the Fernie Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence awards and we are prouder than ever to be part of such a resilient business community. The Elk Valley continues to show consistently amazing achievements despite very demanding circumstances. i nfo@n ort hc o al . c a | 7 7 8 . 5 1 8 .0 7 7 5

north co al . c a

Arts and Entertainment

MUSINGS OF A BOOKWORM

Feelings of Fright and Fatigue Fuse Fernie by JESSICA BOZOKY October isn’t the only month dedicated to fright anymore, the past 19+ months have been a tornado of unpredicted scares. I could rattle on (or rant on…) for paragraphs, but we’ve all lived through a different experience. The one thing uniting us in this everchanging world, is our fatigue. The constant change of rules from a global scale to the rules of entering a grocery store. We’re tired. We’re frightened. We have no idea what the future holds. But we’re together through it all. Fear at its essence is from the unknown. American author, H.P Lovecraft says it best, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” If we can’t give words to what the feeling is inside us, and communicate wholly with validity, reason, and adequate vocabulary, we get scared. Words are such an important tool in helping us come to terms with, accept, and grow through fear.

other, rather than seeing us as a whole unit. The Fernie Heritage Library is a place of discovery, a safe and accessible space to educate or entertain oneself free from judgement, and in turn, free from fear. As well as connecting people to resources, we are a community hub connecting the community. We work hard to ensure our patrons feel included, heard, have access to what they need and want, and feel safe doing so. We have seen the way fear brings a spectrum of emotions out in people, and we wish to create a balanced space for all to enjoy. Together, in kindness.

Jon Turk’s eloquent and enlightening opening words offer us further insight into the natural reaction of fear, and the power it can hold. His latest book Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu, which was released in September, will have its official Illustration By Pruthvi Harshan.Visit ferniefix.com to find the Canadian Launch at the Fernie full size black and white illustration to colour in! Heritage Library’s Booked! Fernie Writers’ Series event on Thursday 28 “The oldest and strongest Education is illuminating. The more we October at 7pm. Keep an eye on our social emotion of mankind is know, the more we understand what we media for further details. fear, and the oldest and can do, how we can help ourselves and others, and the less scary it feels, both strongest kind of fear is fear internally and externally. A wonderful of the unknown.” place to begin figuring out what best ~ H.P Lovecraft describes how we feel, is to read the words Share the Nuggets of writers. With their profound gift of one planned for or knows exactly how to We would love to see what communicating, describing, giving depth words speak best for how you’re feeling, approach. Handling this with kindness and and breadth to stories, often their words from the words of a book. Send us openness is a good way forward, to alleviate can speak to you and your situation more quotes that feel authentic to your the pressures everyone is feeling regardless personal situation and we will post than you know how to. of their personal choice. Encouraging fear them (anonymously) to our socials: and furthering the anxiety stems from the information@fernieheritagelibrary.com The division we feel in our community is extremes of being on one team or the another frightening aspect of life which no FERNIEFIX.COM

Arts and Entertainment

ARTBEAT

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by MICHAEL HEPHER An old friend of mine used to talk about what he called ‘true myth.’ It was his way of describing what teachers have known for millennia: that a story can carry truth way deeper into our hearts than a rational argument. We can hear something and know it intellectually, but until we feel it, we don’t truly integrate it. When true myths resonate, they are imaginary vehicles that scoop up wisdom and unload it at the core of our being. On October 22, director Denis Villeneuve will release his epic interpretation of the science fiction classic: Frank Herbert’s Dune. I’ve never really been into sci-fi, but I read Dune as a teenager and was captured by Dune’s distant but believable world. As Tolkien did for fantasy, so did Herbert for interplanetary fiction. Dune weaves dynamic characters, a great story, and rich landscapes around a pillar of universal human truths. Rather than stifling those truths, he let the deep wisdom and philosophy seep out through the cracks of the story making it something more believable and poignant. One of the tough topics Herbert tackled was the idea of fear. We all know it. We all feel it. Our scientific understanding of fear tells us that the brain produces a more or less binary response in our amygdala. Sometimes called the ‘lizard brain,’ it’s the oldest and most basic part of our grey matter—tasked with keeping us alive. When we feel threatened, our rational brain hands the keys to our body over to the lizard brain to make the decisions where it really only considers two simple options: run or fight. In Dune, the main character finds himself in an existential predicament—if he moves, he dies. To overcome his fight or flight

response he uses a mantra to pull the keys back from his amygdala into his rational brain: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer... I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

Illustration by Michael Hepher Even as a teenager I recognized the real truth hidden in that bit of fiction: fear can teach us many things about ourselves, but only if we are willing to stare it in the face, allow it to pass through us, and look at the path it followed. When we wrestle the controls back from the amygdala, we can unlock a third kind of reaction—to feel the fear and proceed with caution. This middle option is an expression of our best self.

As far as I know, we aren’t facing intergalactic threats on a daily basis, but let’s face it: right now being alive is terrifying. I understand that desire to cut and run, or to dig in my heels and fight, because my instinct is to survive. My rational brain, however, tells me that survival is not enough. I want to truly live, and so I try to face the fear and examine the path it takes as it passes through me. As a society we are all running from an invisible enemy—one that floats around in the air and harms people indiscriminately. Of course we are afraid, and of course our brain keeps us primed for a response. Covid-19 has most of us living in a perpetual state of fight or flight. I can see it in my family, my neighborhood, my volunteer interactions, and all over the news. We are letting our lizard brains win by making decisions that are out of character and using words that are designed to keep us alive, but don’t they sound foreign even as they come out of our mouths? Is this how we want to live?

“...fear can teach us many things about ourselves, but only if we are willing to stare it in the face, allow it to pass through us, and look at the path it followed.” I desperately want to believe in the good of humans, but the dust of conflict and chaos feels like it’s swirling around me and it’s hard to see the people behind the comments and accusations. Instead of telling each other what we should or shouldn’t do, maybe we could tell each other stories—a bit of true myth—to give each other a peek behind the curtain. Everyone has a story, and if we give each other a tiny measure of grace by choosing that third option—not fight and not flight—we might just see the real person across from us. In turn, we might see how much like each other we are: just a bunch of humans afraid for our lives and trying to survive.

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Watch for

magazine in your mailbox this month. Remarkable stories of people and places in the Columbia Basin.

Jaffray enhances Community Hub with timber-frame gazebo.

College of the Rockies innovates to support students.

Mama’s Dumplings expands with help from Columbia Basin Trust programs.

New affordable rental units in Fernie take a bite out of the housing crunch.

Golden’s Shred Sisters gets business advice that strengthens its presence on the trails.

ourtrust.org/magazine

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

Arts and Entertainment

The Gains and Losses of Our Collective Wanting by Sadie Rosgen

In this present age of languish it seems as though our modern world has paralyzing effects, leaving us stagnant and incapable, frightening our very states of being. This type of fear and separation is not new in our history but perhaps to me or you, therefore my quest for enlightenment must continue... When I first met Julia Rigaux, I was a second-year theatre student at Red Deer College. I remember her relaxed nature, her songbird falsetto, and her dedicated Buddhist practice. Chanting her way through life and into my heart, she soon invited me to her family home in Calgary where I would meet Jack and Susan Rigaux, her loving parents. Together they would teach me all about Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism and as I scrambled my way through the ancient Chinese and Japanese Sanskrit, they patiently ushered me along on my journey to achieve enlightenment. As my practice strengthened, Jack built me a butsudan, an ornate wooden cabinet that I later hoped would house a Gohonzon, a sacred scroll that you chant to, once in the morning and once at night, everyday. Recently I travelled to Vancouver to accept my Gohonzon at the Nichiren Shoshu temple, the only one in Canada. After 20 years of knowing Julia and about 10 years of chanting, I would finally receive this sacred text to enshrine my butsudan. I am preparing and continuing on a journey of enlightenment. In this dis-ease I march steadily in the vibration of my power, dispelling the haunted nature of this life, this death, this breath, this fear. Face East and chant with me: Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo

The Gains and Losses of Our Collective Wanting By Sadie Rosgen an opera of emotions staged and lit poised for action humbled and exalted the lines between us are blurred and decaying our very relationships, swinging in the balance humbled and exalted I’m being emptied out make space for nothing and everything every second permeates humbled and exalted sublime honour ancient mantras collect my appetite the bell awakens humbled and exalted coming home in the quiet now uneasy and free satiate my vibration I am as you see me humbled and exalted FERNIEFIX.COM

Be a Part of the 2022 Fernie Wedding Guide. Do you have a beautiful wedding story to share? Are you a photographer, vendor or business interested in sharing your products or services with the growing number of couples planning their weddings in Fernie? Get in touch with Krista at Krista@clarismedia.com to discuss and learn more about this annual publication.

Arts and Entertainment

EVENT CALENDAR

MONTHLY EVENTS Friday 1.10.2021 Gallery Show Opening: Following Paint by Joni Laberge @ The Arts Station Saturday 2.10.2021 High Roller Bike Ride @ Fernie Mountain Bike Club, fmbc.ca Pottery Studio Supervised Drop in @ The Arts Station, 1pm Lifelong Learners @ Fernie Heritage Library, a monthly DIY group for adults including crafts, homesteading, life hacks and other projects. 2pm Sunday 3.10.2021 Ironman Open @ Fernie Golf Club Virtual Fernie Half Marathon, 3-Person Relay and 10km @ ferniehalfmarathon.com/races Scalawag @ Kodiak Lounge, instrumental folk music. Monday 4.10.2021 Kids Clay @ The Arts Station for ages 5-7, 3:30pm Intensive Pottery Workshop @ The Arts Station, 7pm Wednesday 6.10.2021 Pottery Wine and Wheel @ The Arts Station, 7pm Reclaim: Parent and Caregiver Self-Care Support Workshop Series @ Branch Out Learning, 8-9pm branchoutlearningtherapy.com

Monday 11.10.2021 Happy Thanksgiving Monday Tombstone Event and Closing Day @ Fernie Golf Club Tuesday 12.10.2021 Regular Council Meeting @ City of Fernie, 7pm Wednesday 13.10.2021 Intro to Adobe Illustrator @ The Arts Station, 7pm Special Meeting of Council @ City of Fernie, 8pm Reclaim: Parent and Caregiver Self-Care Support Workshop Series @ Branch Out Learning, 8-9pm branchoutlearningtherapy.com Friday 15.10.2021 Winter Season Pass – Fall Sale Ends @ Fernie Alpine Resort Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena Monday 18.10.2021 Kids Clay @ The Arts Station for ages 5-7, 3:30pm Committee of the Whole Meeting @ City of Fernie, 4pm Intensive Pottery Workshop @ The Arts Station, 7pm

Thursday 7.10.2021 Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies, 12:30pm

Wednesday 20.10.2021 Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies, 12:30pm Reclaim: Parent and Caregiver Self-Care Support Workshop Series @ Branch Out Learning, 8-9pm branchoutlearningtherapy.com

Friday 8.10.2021 Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena

Sunday 23.10.2021 Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena

Monday 25.10.2021 Kids Clay @ The Arts Station for ages 8-12, 3:30pm Intensive Pottery Workshop @ The Arts Station, 7pm Regular Council Meeting @ City of Fernie, 7pm Tuesday 26.10.2021 Read Local Book Club: Waiting for the Cyclone by Leesa Deen @ Fernie Heritage Library zoom, 7:30pm Wednesday 27.10.2021 Reclaim: Parent and Caregiver Self-Care Support Workshop Series @ Branch Out Learning, 8-9pm branchoutlearningtherapy.com Thursday 28.10.2021 Tean Book Club: Aggie Morton Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn @ Fernie Heritage Library, 6:30pm Booked! With Jon Turk @ Fernie Heritage Library, discussing his new book Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu. 7pm Friday 29.10.2021 BOO! Storytime @ Fernie Heritage Library, dress up for Halloween! 11:15am ages 0-5 Tea and Talk: Autopsy of a Boring Wife by Marie-Renee Lavoi @ Fernie Heritage Library Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena Fernie Business Excellence Awards @ TBD, 6pm. Visit ferniechamber.com for details. Sunday 31.2021 Happy Halloween!

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Les Tiguidous @ AFRosFernie, outdoor activities with songs, stories in French ages 0-5. 10:15am Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Le Club Baguette Junior @ Rotary Park, outdoor activities and games in French ages 7-12, 3:30pm After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Tuesdays Storytime (ages 3-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Fernie Options for Sexual Health Clinic Open @ Elk Valley Hospital, 6:30-8:30pm by appointment Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page

Burger and Beer Night @ The Northern Wing Night @ The Pub

After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm

Wednesdays Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Curbside Craft @ Fernie Heritage Library, pick up between 12-4pm, Tuesday through Friday Toddlertime (Ages 0-2 years) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Inclusive Kids and Teen Mindfulness Yoga Classes @ Branch Out Learning Team Trivia @ The Fernie

Fridays Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Storytime (ages 0-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Fish and Chips @ The Pub Fish and Chips Take Away @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Fernie Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Equine Assisted Learning Life @ Fernie Therapeutic Horse and Pony Club through Branch Out Learning

Thursdays Bellies to Babies @ Zoom, 2pm Club Baguette Adultes - Practice Speaking French @ AFRos Fernie via Zoom, 7pm Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub

Saturdays Shawarma Take Out @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Legion

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Arts and Entertainment

THE RENTAL FIX

Lucifer by ANDREW VALLANCE The devil is a central figure in Western culture. The ultimate rebel, he challenges God’s very polished, very tidy status quo, and at least in North American popular culture, gives voice to the anarchic, antiestablishment voices that exist in all of us. Whether Lucifer is portrayed as evil, as is the case in films like The Devil’s Advocate and The Prophecy, or comedically as he was in Bedazzled, he is always entertaining to watch. It has to be said, however, that truly sympathetic portrayals of the devil are rare to non-existent, at least in Hollywood.

based on the DC Comics character created by Neil Gaiman in The Sandman. Lucifer stars little known Welsh actor Tom Ellis, who is a double threat, meaning that he can both sing and act, and is definitely the best part of the show. He is so good in fact, that I sympathize with him. He is clearly very talented and does not belong in junk food TV. Ellis was born in Cardiff, Wales and went on to study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His notable roles include the character of Gary Preston in the British TV show Miranda (2010 – 2015), and starring roles in the ITV comedy Monday Monday (2009) as well as in the USA network series Rush (2011).

Given this state of affairs, it’s exciting when Tinseltown puts its weight on a TV show that portrays the Prince of Lies as a decent person. The show I’m referring to is Lucifer, a show dealing with the devil’s adventures during an extended vacation on earth, as he runs a night club in Los Angeles and moonlights as a consultant for the LAPD, helping to bring murderers to justice. Lucifer is delightfully trashy. Its creators clearly know nothing about police work, and most of the characters are poorly drawn, getting themselves thrown into relationships with people with whom they have no chemistry. Overall the show is very much like a four-colour comic book, which is not surprising since the story is based on a comic book series created by the legendary Neal Gaiman. Gaiman is an English author of short fiction novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His work includes the comic book series The Sandman (1989 – 1996) which became the first graphic novels of extraordinary success, and the basis for four ongoing series (including Lucifer) launched in 2018.

“Given this state of affairs, it’s exciting when Tinseltown puts its weight on a TV show that portrays the Prince of Lies as a decent person. ” Gaiman’s novels include Stardust, American Gods and The Graveyard Book (2008), for which he won both the Newbery and the Carnegie Medals. In 2013 his book The Ocean at the End of the Lane was voted Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards. Lucifer, the American television series premiered in 2016 and is

The show has a supporting cast of unnotables, including Lauren German as Detective Chloe Decker, Kevin Alejandro as Detective Dan Espinoza, D.B. Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Mazikeen, and Rachel Harris as Dr. Linda Martin. Not unexpectedly, the ratings for the first three seasons were low, but after the series was picked up by Netflix in the fourth season, it received high ratings and critical acclaim. It was renewed in 2020 for a sixth and final season. Filming took place primarily in Vancouver, BC, before it was relocated to Los Angeles in the third season. Lucifer isn’t totally horrible, but it is mediocre. It is, however, absolutely worth a look just to see Tom Ellis’ performance. Five seasons are available to stream on Netflix.

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Community

FEATURE RESIDENT

Simon Piney by KRISTA TURCASSO Our home is located in Parkland Terrace, overlooking Mount Fernie, the Three Sisters and Mount Proctor. Ascent Helicopters is just down the road from us. I am also an avid trail user and sit on the Fernie Trails Alliance Board. All of these things are central to my knowledge and understanding of how busy Fernie Search and Rescue (FSAR) is, and how this grows with each year. As a volunteer and a fan of ‘type two fun,’ I have immense respect for these individuals who dedicate their time to rescue those who need help in the backcountry. And like Simon Piney, Head of Operations at Fernie Search and Rescue says, as an active community that regularly explores the backcountry, eventually something is not going to go according to plan. Simon Piney grew up Geneva, Switzerland and spent a lot of time in the mountains and outdoors in his youth. “My dad was a big trail runner,” he says, which doesn’t surprise me as I know Simon continues to enjoy running up mountains to this day (as do his two sons!). He attended an English Boarding School, and with an interest in economics ended up at the London School of Economics. “Then, you go down that trail,” he tells me. “It led to International Finance, which was pretty fun. I worked raising money for companies around the world and was on a plane five days of the week.” But as you can imagine, this lifestyle can become tiring. Simon’s wife, Anna was also in finance and they decided that when they had kids, they would make a big change. “We didn’t have any great plans, but knew we loved the mountains, trail running and skiing. I had instructed when I was younger and was looking into instructing

courses. We had initially planned to go to Whistler but came across the Non-Stop Ski program in Fernie and thought, ‘we’ll do a season there and carry on.’ Like a lot of people, we didn’t make it further west.” Simon and Anna enjoyed the shift to Fernie. Simon was back doing the things he enjoyed as a kid, and Anna having

Photo by K.Vlasic grown up in the English countryside was happy to be somewhere more relaxed. They had just had their first son, Mac and Anna found engaging with the community of younger moms fulfilling and welcoming. Simon started working as a ski instructor, and also got set up with Search and Rescue right away.

“I joined as a board member, there were six or seven of us back then who did everyone. We had a few Canadian Tire radios and a truck. We had no technical teams - it was based on individual competencies and ‘let’s see what we can do.’ We’ve changed the whole structure and have an independent board who we report to. I am Head of Operations, and work with a Leadership Team. The five of us are responsible for day-to-day operations. We have technical rescue teams – Swift Water, Avalanche, K-9, Helicopter Long-line, Rope Rescue and Ice Rescue. And we have to maintain professional accreditation.”

behaviour based on where you are. If you want to practice a back flip, consider doing it at the ski hill vs. at Tunnel Creek.”

These changes were necessary, as when Simon started with FSAR, they would have maybe 10-12 rescues a year. Now, they are north of 40, sometimes with more than one in a day. They’ve seen a big shift seasonally, with summer becoming busier than winter. “It used to just be winter!” he says. The rescues are a wide range of things, but on the whole Simon recognizes that typically in our area people are experienced and prepared. “But sometimes, stuff goes wrong and calling us isn’t a failure. If you spend enough time doing these things, something is going to happen,” Simon says adding that when FSAR is responding, it’s always people who can’t walk out. He also wants to be clear that there is absolutely no charge for rescue in BC.

Where does FSAR hope to go from here? “We continue to try to increase the level of professionalism. The team itself, 30 people is a pretty amazing group from all walks of life… patrollers, paramedics, fire fighters, outdoorsy folks. We see people come out at 2am to help someone, then go to work. Or come off day shift and do a rescue. We are fortunate in Fernie to have a lot of professional rescuers interested in getting involved in the back country.”

“This is deliberate. If people are scared to call for a rescue, they don’t call until the conditions are more extreme. It increases mortality rates and is a risk to SAR.” Simon shares that one of the challenges are people’s expectations, and a lack of understanding of the terrain. “People get frustrated help didn’t come quicker, mostly urban people. It’s hard to emphasize how different it is here. If you break your ankle on Heiko’s trail, you are literally in the middle of nowhere… on the side of a mountain. It’s difficult to get to these places, and we don’t have a helicopter sitting on a pad outside of our building,” he says. “It’s important to moderate your

One accolade important to acknowledge is that Fernie is a regional centre for long-line – from the Alberta border to Invermere. “It took a lot of years to set up and fund and it’s been a huge success. Our ability to help people in need quickly and safely has improved dramatically with long-line. It’s life changing, and we’re super fortunate to have two amazing pilots here in Fernie Dave and Greg.”

And Simon? Even though it can be overwhelming, he is happy to continue with FSAR for the time being.

1. When did you first arrive in the Valley and what brought you here? 2005, and we came for the snow. 2. Who did you first meet? Dave Richards! 3. Do you remember your first general impression of Fernie? Oh, we immediately fell in love with how big and close the mountains were. 4. What keeps you here? Like most people, family, friends, the community and the outdoors. 5. Do you have a favourite Fernie pastime? Changes with the season, but my favourite, favourite thing is mountain biking. 6. What time of the year do you love most in Fernie, and why? I actually think mid-winter when it’s snowing a lot at night. I still get too excited to sleep. 7. Where do you see or hope to see Fernie in five years?

“If I was no longer physically fit, or a new group was coming in I would move on. But for now, I want to continue doing more of the same. We love living in Fernie, it’s a great place to live with kids.”

That’s a tough one. I just hope it doesn’t change too much. I think it will keep growing, but I hope it doesn’t lose its soul.

One last tip from Simon.

I am not a coffee person. I get up and have a cup of tea, look at the world news and figure out what sport I am going to do that day.

“You can’t eliminate risk. What is your plan if it goes wrong? Do people know where you are? Do you have equipment to stay alive and a means of communication? That’s the big difference. We push out further and further into the backcountry, thinking we’re not far from town, but the terrain is as extreme as it gets.” Thanks, Simon and the team at FSAR! I know I’m not alone in feeling deeply grateful for your service to our community and its visitors.

8. How do you start your day or what is one of your daily rituals?

9. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you. I once dropped a brief case on George Michael’s head! 10. Quote to live by: No one died wishing they had spent more time in the office.

FERNIEFIX.COM

Community

CITY CORNER

UBCM Resolutions by ANGE QUALIZZA It’s UBCM week, a week that I look forward to all year long. Just like so many organizations that were looking forward to being together in person, we had to move through the disappointment of one more virtual convention. Somehow though -despite online fatigue -we have 900 delegates online with us! Resolutions are one of the more important things we do at UBCM, it is what informs the Executive of our direction annually and shows us the areas of importance to our membership. This morning the executive asked for support for three Special Resolutions; SR1 CARIP Replacement Funding, SR2 Forest Management in BC and SR3 Strengthening Responsible Conduct. The Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program has provided local governments across BC with funding to achieve their commitments under the Climate Action Charter that helps us build staffing capacity, develop policy and plans, and leverage capital to achieve projects that help us advance local climate action plans. When the government cancelled this meaningful program without offering to replace it, and without consulting local governments the UBCM Executive took this issue on. We are asking for a new non-competitive fund to be implemented immediately that supports local governments as we try to advance climate action. We felt strongly as an Executive to bring forward a consolidated resolution that asks for greater engagement and consultation with local governments and Indigenous communities on forest policy, which includes matters related to old growth designations and deferrals. BC

Submitted Photo

“If you are going to bring an issue forward to your local government for consideration, an excellent first step is to look at the [UBCM] database to see what potentially has already been done in advocacy.” local government have been calling on changes to ensure sustainability of the

resource, protect old growth and improve accountability in tenure management. Fernie is the perfect example of a community that is vulnerable to forest policy. The third special resolution was about strengthening responsible conduct of elected officials. Over the past several years we have heard from local governments that they want tools and resources to assist them with responsible conduct, and ensuring all elected officials have a safe and inclusive opportunity while they take on the important work of community service is incredibly important. Not just to those serving, but to those thinking about running for public office. Resolutions take more than one day; we receive hundreds of them. They are where

we meet in debate and it is absolutely where I learn the unique perspectives of my colleagues. The heat dome this summer is the perfect example, how it impacted Fernie was fundamentally different than how it impacted New Westminister. In New West, one of my colleagues told us that within five minutes of his family home, thirty people passed as a result of the heat. Resolutions are where we really learn from each other. Coming together to appreciate and support our colleagues around the province is what makes UBCM such a powerful organization. We considered Parental Leave for Elected Officials, RCMP costs, funding for Fire Services, 911 Dropped Calls. We supported the policy paper and recommendations for the Ensuring Local Government Financial Resiliency Report. We supported a resolution important to all cycling communities, a Safe Passing Law.

If anyone would like to see the Resolutions past and present, please take a look at the online library. Please visit UBCM.ca and search Resolutions. There you will find a wealth of supported and not supported resolutions, and direction UBCM has taken. If you are going to bring an issue forward to your local government for consideration, an excellent first step is to look at the database to see what potentially has already been done in advocacy. As I write this, I have just finished greeting Sonia Furstenau Greens, and she is sitting next to me waiting for the opportunity to address UBCM. Right now, Shirley Bond is on stage speaking about the challenges local governments faced this year.

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Recreation and Outdoor Life

BACKYARD ADVENTURES

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) by DANYAL TAYLOR Fear. It is a bit of a weird one. It comes along and sneaks up and hits you when you really don’t want it to. Fear is our neurological response to certain environmental or thought-provoking exposures that wants to pump us with adrenalin to ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ a given situation. What if, instead, we do not put ourselves into that situation in the first place? With the ski season coming up I started thinking about all of the adventurous back country days last season. It was epic. I completed my AST2 with Mountain Addicts (totally worth it and highly recommend!). In avalanche training we are given the tools and frameworks needed to make good decisions, and when to turn around. After the course I got talking to Corin, our ski guide, and he introduced me to a Mountaineering Course at Icefall Lodge in the heart of the Rockies. So, off I went. The course was incredible. I learned everything I wished and hoped for. It was our final day and the final objective was to get up and down Icefall Peak, a 10,482ft monster that has only been skied a handful of times, the first on this course and we were going to be the second course to do so. At this point we had been skiing for six days straight, I had triggered two avalanches, almost got caught in two others, jumped into crevasses, navigated a complete white out and skied down the ‘Wild West’ - a glacier falling off a mountain. It was an intense time and my body and gear were starting to tell me to take it easy. The night before Icefall Peak, we were preparing ourselves for one last final

Danyal Taylor Photos push. Gear is easy, just pack it into a bag and off you go.Your mind though, that is something that needs training, experience, and exposure to develop confidence and skills. It isn’t something that can be prepared overnight. It was at this point the nerves and doubt started kicking in. I didn’t have the confidence in my worn gear and tired body.

similar happen in the Olympics when Simone Biles pulled herself out of the all-around event in gymnastics due to mental health concerns. Her team noticed something wasn’t quite right and Simone took control and made the bold decision to pull the pin. When you aren’t in the zone you are in greater danger of making mistakes, and mistakes can be fatal.

When we woke up I had this immediate feeling my head wasn’t in the game and I felt… off. At the time I couldn’t relate to it but most recently we’ve seen something

At any point up Icefall there are opportunities for mistakes to be made; it is a high consequence environment. Glaciers, avalanches, falling ice. We set off in the

morning and I tried to muster the courage, hide the feelings inside and harden up. An hour into the ascent. Crack. “Right. Everyone move right.” A chunk of ice split from the glacier above and came tumbling down about fifty metres away. Immediately there was a wave of snow charging down the slope and we mustered to get to a high point and avoid the danger. That was close. At this point, the six day adrenaline bender was starting to take a toll, my mind was hurting from consistently being out of my comfort zone. There was fresh snow on the ground though. The sky was quiet and blue. The conditions were perfect and everyone still wanted to keep going and push for the summit.

Ski patrol Stu turned around first. He had a family at home to get back to. I mustered the courage and started moving forward, but I still had this feeling, this doubt in my mind, that even though this would’ve been the greatest objective of the trip, I wouldn’t enjoy a second of it. There was so much going through my head. “Just go, you’re here already. It’ll be sick. The bragging rights!” I pulled the pin. And it felt amazing. Euphoric! Goodbye to all of the stress, worries and micro decisions that would need to be made. We had one of the most memorable skis back to the hut. 8am twilight hour sunrise powder ski. Bliss. The framework was telling me to go home, and I listened. No one tells you how good it can feel, even if you are disappointed you didn’t get to where you wanted to go. Lately there are many incredible stories of first descents, first climbs, athletes pushing

the boundaries. No one is perfect. We pressure ourselves to portray this image to our friends and followers that adventuring is all glam. But it’s not. We are fearful of the things we do, and even more fearful of backtracking on objectives. We fail, and sometimes fail hard. I wouldn’t take this experience as a failure. I was scared. It was a learning curve. Turning around and saying ‘maybe another day’ is worth practicing more than we think, and talking about it. There’s a certain respect to backing away from an objective, it shows courage and the ability to make smart decisions. I’m in this sport for the long haul, not the quick bragging rights. If you are heading into the back country this winter, complete an avalanche course and always carry the appropriate gear, have a trip plan and let someone know where you’re going.You can create your trip plan online at ferniesar.ca/ trip-plan. FERNIEFIX.COM

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Recreation and Outdoor Life

HITTING THE TRAILS

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone by JULIE KELLY, FTA Trying something new is always scary and can cause all kinds of emotions including excitement, anxiety, and perhaps fear. However, it’s always great to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. As we transition into fall, it’s an ideal time to try a different activity on our trail network. Alternatively, check out a trail or trails you have never explored before. Like me you may feel the need to explore new routes as the season is coming to a close. Recently, I did a great route with Chair of the Fernie Trails Alliance (FTA) Krista Turcasso. It was a good mix of terrain and included some trails in the Provincial Park and Fernie Alpine Resort. Don’t forget to purchase your Fernie

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V. Croome Photo the double track past the warming hut at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre. Cross over the Teck bridge, climb for a short distance and watch for the connector to Ben Emmett on your right. Enjoy some short and rooty climbs as you weave your way through the forest. Stay left following the signs to the ski hill. When you come to the road turn right and climb the View Trail and climb until you reach the top of Megahurtz. Take Megahurtz and continue descending down Old Goat, enjoying some old school single track. Stay right for some fun on Happy Gilmar, left on Stumpy Wood and Sherwoody. Continue on Bridge Connector for one short climb and descent back to the Provincial Park. Cross over the bridge exiting into the campground. If you want to bump up the fear factor, go for a soak in the creek - it could be chilly this time of year. Or consider hitting Stove Trail to Eric’s Trip! Get out and enjoy the trails and find your next adventure! Time: 2-2.5 hours Distance: Approx. 20km Difficulty: Blue FERNIEFIX.COM

Health and Lifestyle

FAMILY WELLNESS

The Physical Implications of Fear by DR TAINA TURCASSO, ND RM Many people find the idea of a little fear, in the form of a scary movie or a haunted house, enjoyable. It’s thrilling. These types of experiences create a spike in cortisol which can increase the heart rate and give you a burst of energy. This can seem harmless, because it’s usually only over a short period of time and once it’s over, you will typically go back to feeling however you did before the movie. If you don’t maybe horror/thriller movies aren’t for you. When you translate this response to fear to the real world and in a situation like the one we are currently in where there is a global pandemic causing a constant or even fluctuating level of worry and fear for many people, the resulting physiological changes can be detrimental to your health and feed into a cycle of more anxiety and fear. Anxiety about the unknown will activate the fear centre in the brain called the amygdala which acts like an alarm, interfacing with the stress system to keep our body and mind on high alert. After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands, which release epinephrine (adrenaline) into the bloodstream causing your heart rate to go up, increases your breathing rate, and increases your alertness. Sugar is also released to provide fuel. This cascade leads to activation of the second component of the stress response system, the hyothalamicpituitary-axis (HPA axis). The HPA axis relies on hormonal signals to keep the sympathetic nervous system fired up and the hypothalamus releases a hormone that ultimately leads to the release of cortisol from your adrenal glands. After the threat

“All we can do is get through this one day at a time, continue to look out for one another and our families, and control what is in our power to control...”

V. Croome Photo has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks into gear, calming everything down. Unfortunately, merely the suggestion of danger, even if it is never experienced, is enough to trigger the amygdala and activate the stress response. Many people

are unable to find a way to put the brakes on stress and chronic low-level stress keeps the HPA axis activated. After a while, this can have an effect on the body that contributes to the health problems associated with chronic stress. Persistent epinephrine surges can damage blood vessels and arteries and increase blood pressure which raises the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that helps to replenish the body’s energy (glucose) stores that are depleted during the stress response but inadvertently contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and cause weight gain. Further, the immune system can bear the brunt as these physiological effects of chronic stress damages cells in the body which elevates inflammation levels resulting in a sterile immune response. This can create an imbalance in the immune function because the immune system is reacting to multiple “threats.” Fortunately, we can all learn techniques to counter the stress response, and this will help us far beyond the pandemic years. Here are a few things to consider in order to improve your immune response as we head into another pandemic winter:

Exercise Engage in moderate exercise, at least 30 minutes, 3x/week (ideally 150 minutes/ week). Moderate means at around 40% maximum workload, when you can still talk but not sing. In one study comparing students exposed to the same psychological stressors, the exercising students had low levels of inflammation and elevated mood throughout. Interesting, higher intensity was not as effective at protecting mental health or reducing inflammation.

foods that you know make you feel good and the treats (piece of chocolate and a glass of wine, for example) are on top of your foundation.

Supplement Get a treatment plan together for yourself with your health care provider and stick with it, at least until spring. Ensure it includes vitamin D and a good multivitamin and keep other vitamins such as vitamin C on hand for when you are exposed to extra stress or fighting a cold.

Mindfulness Commit to engaging in a mindfulness practice daily for even 10 minutes, whether that is meditation through one of the many apps available or a short yoga practice. Mindfulness will improve mental health, decrease the stress response, and maybe even increase telomere length (think longevity).

Reduce Stress Sometimes it is actually possible to eliminate the stressor. If you can, do it. Change jobs, end the relationship, whatever you can do to reduce the external stress in your life. The current state of the world is so challenging for so many people. Whether it’s fear around getting sick, fear of our childrens’ well-being and safety, fear for our livelihoods, fear for our disenfranchised, or fear for our planet, it may be well-founded but it is possible to lessen the impact that it has on your health and even on your perception of the world. All we can do is get through this one day at a time, continue to look out for one another and our families, and control what is in our power to control and that is how we look after ourselves and how we interact with those around us.

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Diet Double down on your efforts at eating healthy. Stick to unprocessed foods, low sugar, low (or no) alcohol, and lots of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables. Think about creating a foundational diet with your core healthy foods, and then incorporate some treats. This way you will ensure you are still getting in all of the

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Health and Lifestyle

THIS IS LIFE

The Perception of Fear by TYLA CHARBONNEAU

Are you 100% safe right now in this moment? Most of us will respond with, yes, right now in this moment I am safe. Anyone who has experienced a significant amount of trauma will look around and list all of the things that could go wrong at any time. This is because once the mind experiences something fearful it does everything in its power to stop us from feeling that way again. It is like a built-in protective system. There are however a few problems with this system. The first is that the mind will perceive danger when none actually exists. Unfortunately, the mind does not fully know the difference between thinking about a negative event and living it. This

“For many of us this fight or flight system has been on overdrive for the past 19 months. This increases our levels of cortisol in our bodies, may impact our sleep, can decrease our ability to rationally think and problem solve, and may greatly impact the quality of our lives. ”

V. Croome Photo means real or imagined, the autonomic nervous system engages in a fight or flight response, even when it might not need to. Secondly, the more time we spend in fight or flight the more we develop a fearful or traumatic response to the world around us. For many of us this fight or flight system has been on overdrive for the past 19 months. This increases our levels of cortisol in our bodies, may impact our sleep, can decrease our ability to rationally think and problem solve, and may greatly impact the quality of our lives. When considering threat, we often think only of physical danger, like a bear running at us. In reality the threat of physical violence for many of us is actually quite low. Perceived threat

also shows up in thoughts such as I am not good enough, I am not likeable, I am going to get in trouble. When we think these thoughts about ourselves our nervous system kicks into the same fight or flight as when in physical danger. In reality, we are actually better equipped to deal with physical threats than we are these thoughts. Mostly because physical threat is often short lived, thoughts can linger with us for hours or days at a time. According to Dr. Eric Gentry, a traumatologist, we do have the ability to engage our parasympathetic nervous system in order to end the flight/flight response. Start by paying attention to your thoughts, do you notice when you perceive a threat and feel unsafe? We can interrupt the threat response, which typically looks like anger or avoidance by paying attention and reminding ourselves that we are in fact safe in the moment. We have to tell our minds that while yes what we are imagining happening is possible, it is not happening right this moment. Once we tell our minds that we are safe we also need to tell our muscles. We cannot be angry or anxious in a relaxed body. We can do this by taking a deep breath, doing a head to toe body scan and releasing any tension we feel as we go through squeezing and releasing. We can also do a little wiggle of the shoulders or allow all of our muscles to be like wet noodles and shake it out. It is possible that you may need to go through this a few times to interrupt the threat response. It is also helpful to try this out in the least emotionally engaging moments in your life and build up to the bigger ones. If someone cuts you off and you feel angry try it there first, then build up the most challenging interactions such as conflict with others or challenging intrusive negative thoughts about yourself. The content provided in this article is for information purposes only. It is not meant as a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you find yourself in distress, please reach out to your local physician who can provide mental health resources in your community.

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Working Together to Keep Our Neighborhoods Safe At Teck, safety is a core value and we believe in everyone going home safe and healthy every day. Halloween is an opportunity to demonstrate community cooperation and care, while making magical memories for our families. By following our public health guidelines, we can work together to ensure our neighborhoods stay safe and healthy. www.teck.com

Bits and Bytes

THE ANSWER GUY

Grouped Contacts by KEVIN MCISAAC

Digital amnesia grows daily in our lives. Once upon a time, I could remember every single person’s phone number that I knew. Now I can barely remember my phone number. Once I put a phone number into my phone, I promptly forget it. This is a minor problem, but it highlights that there are some phone numbers that I do need at my fingertips that I use rarely and so am unlikely to remember. I’m speaking here of things like emergency numbers. One challenge is, in an emergency or urgent situation, I find I can’t always remember what I put the number under. As an example, I can never remember if I stored the local number for the police under ‘Police’ or ‘RCMP.’ I’m not talking about 911. That one I remember.

I search for Help and see the list of emergency and urgent numbers and I tap RCMP to call them. In my Emergency contact, I have RCMP, RAPP, Wildfire, Flood, etc. So, I don’t have to remember what everything is filed under. It’s all under Help. To dial I just find Emergency in my contacts then hit the correct label I need to dial. By the way, this trick isn’t limited to emergency numbers.You can use it for anything where there is a group of numbers logically connected. Another example might be for a company that you call all the time, but there are several

people that you deal with and they change regularly. Instead of creating a contact for each person, create the company as a contact and add the phone number for each person changing the label to the person’s name or perhaps their position. Then, when the person changes, you can change the name, leave the number and leave it under the company. Now you don’t have to remember each person you deal with, just the company. Happy Computing.

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I have come up with a solution that works for me and it may work for you, too if you have an iPhone. This may work similarly on Android but I don’t have one to test. My solution takes advantage of the fact that you can change the label for a phone number entered for a contact. I created a contact called ‘Emergency.’ When I edit that contact, I can add phone numbers. When I click on the green plus sign to add the cursor goes to the phone number. After entering the number, click on the Label on the left (usually defaults to ‘home’ or ‘work’) then you’ll get a list of phone number Labels. Way down at the bottom you’ll see a selection ‘Add Custom Label.’ This is the secret sauce. I can enter any Label I want. In the example above I entered ‘RCMP.’ Now if I need to call the RCMP local number,

Happy Thanksgiving Take time, not only on October 11 but rather every day, to give thanks to the many frontline and essential workers who are supporting our country through the COVID-19 pandemic. Show them your respect and gratitude by continuing to follow COVID safety protocols to lessen their burden.

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Bits and Bytes

ASTROLOGY

October 2021 by ASHLEY KRISTINA October gives another month of s l o w energy on Earth as many planets continue to travel in retrograde motion. Mercury, the planet that rules communication is also retrograde for most of the month so be extra careful as miscommunication easily occurs during these times. The good news is Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter end their retrograde near the end of the month and November might feel less restrictive. A new moon occurs October 6, where both the sun and moon sit at 13º Libra, and tightly conjunct retrograde Mercury and Mars. The theme of this month is PARTNERSHIP but be extraordinarily careful as mercury is playing tricks. One

may say something and the other will take it exactly the opposite, and then act (Mars) accordingly. The full moon comes just after noon on October 20 and sits at 27º Aries. Aries is equivalent to the big bang in its energy, and the moon rules emotions so a full moon heads up as partnerships may have some explosive energy! Mercury turns direct October 23 but remember, there is always a two-week period on each side of Mercury (actually being) retrograde where communication (and travel) typically remains wonky so Mercury retrograde energy is more like a seven week scenario (3-4 times each year).

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The Sun enters Scorpio in the early morning of October 23 this year, and Mars enters Scorpio October 30. Mars is coruler of Scorpio (along with Pluto) so this will be an extra SCORPIONIC Scorpio season, and especially Halloween. Happy Hallows!

Aries Chiron, the “wound” has been travelling retrograde in Aries for several months now. There’s a wound, we all have one, and we’re all feeling it. Awareness of this is helpful. Astrological lore: the wound is where the light shines though. Spend time.

Taurus There will be a type of Taurean that loves this slow time on Earth, and there will be a type that gets stagnated because of it. Check in.

Gemini Venus, the planet ruling love, opposes your energy for most of the month. This is not necessarily a negative thing, it can make a certain tension in love relations though. Love is your major theme.

Cancer Pluto continues to oppose your energy. Pluto is the shamanic planet, which is all about the under currents. This intensity however it manifests for you will continue into 2022. Pluto does finally turn direct October 7.

Leo Partnership is the major theme this month and humility allows for both compromise and integrity. This all leads to longevity of relation.

Virgo It’s truly an important month that you put yourself first and take good care. It’s been a time, it’s always a time, but these times have been extra… take care of your health.

Libra The first three weeks of October are very Libra-esque, meaning everything is about partnership.Venus travels through Scorpio making love relations intense. Be careful to not miscommunicate.

Scorpio Venus travels through Scorpio for most of the month, and as Venus enters Sagittarius, the Sun and then Mars enter Scorpio. October and November are supportive of your energy!

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Sagittarius The people you love are the most important to you, especially at this time and you know that, and so do they. No worries.

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Capricorn Saturn, your ruling planet, goes direct October 10, after 4.5 months retrograde. Forward momentum begins, with a sigh of relief.

Help support our Books for Kids 2021 campaign so that we can reach more families in the Elk Valley.

Aquarius Uranus, your ruling planet remains retrograde until the middle of January 2022. This will most likely affect your energy and make it more inward. Aspects of the past come up to be revisited.

The Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) is celebrating 20 years of providing free community-based programs! Help us support programs such as; Book Under Every Tree, Baby Goose, Draw Together, Come Read with Me, and Block Builders. These programs are designed to help parents, help their kids become life-long learners

Fernie Cardlock will donate 4¢ per litre of fuel purchased here when you pay by DEBIT.

Pisces Neptune, your ruling planet remains retrograde until December 1. Aspects of your past are also up for revisit and review.

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Bits and Bytes

THROUGH THE LENS

Fright, Through Your Lens Photo by Vince Mo, @findingvmo October 2017 - The undead spilled out of the Royal and roamed the streets and businesses of Fernie spooking locals and visitors before meandering back to the Royal dance floor for presumable beer, brains and rocking out to Rob Zombie’s ‘Dragula.’ The Royal Hotel was the go-to place in Fernie for late night partiers. Known for fantastic live music and DJ acts, as well as a host of themed events from German Sparkle Party to Mr Fernie. It was a sad day for many when the Royal Hotel & Bar closed its doors earlier this year.

Photo by Emily Park Photography @emilyparkphotographyfernie Cameron the dragon slayer. A fearless three year old in the face of a dragon! Dressing up for halloween and feeling invincible. We can’t wait for Halloween! Composite image created using image purchased from Phil at HisandHerphotography.

Bits and Bytes

S OCIA L PAGE

Out in the Community: Q. How have you faced your fears and what advice can you give to others trying to do the same? Megan Kelly I have faced my fears by not overthinking in the moment. Usually I ask myself if I think I can do something and if the answer is yes I just go for it. I try to imagine the situation working out well and the feelings of accomplishment I would have after doing something scary. This visualization is motivating for me and helps to erase the negative emotions around fear. Also I believe in trying to do something scary often because I feel just like anything the more you practice the better you get.

Emily Brydon Fear is a choice - you can always look at it as an opportunity. I have had to face fear my whole life from standing in the start gate at a downhill ski race, to redefining my identity upon retirement at 30 to how do I balance everything I want in life against time. It always comes back to three key pillars: 1. Be prepared - put in the work. 2. Build and maintain your tribe of people who support you through anything. 3. Trust your gut and heart - when you peel away the layer of emotion surrounding the fear and get to the core it is often more manageable.

FYI To support Basin communities in preparing for, responding to and adapting to challenges associated with our changing environment, the Columbia Basin Trust has created a new Climate Resilience Program for collaborative projects in the region. This $1.5-million grant program supports largescale, multi-year initiatives led by local governments, First Nations or non-profits in the Basin. Visit ourtrust.org/climateresilience to learn more. The City of Fernie and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 2093 reached a new collective agreement in September. The four-year contract offers wage increases between 2 and 2.5% each year to all members, improved benefits for employees, and flexibility to support providing services to the community including much improved weekend service. This agreement will be in effect until February 29, 2024. fernie.ca Last month, the Fernie Chamber of Commerce launched a new campaign to support Fernie’s businesses and their frontline workers, encouraging residents and visitors to be, “respectful, patient and kind.” Staff at our local businesses are navigating unprecedented worker shortages and evolving health guidelines, including BC’s Vaccine Card. Posters for the campaign are available to be printed from the Fernie Chamber website (ferniechamber.com) or you can pick up a professionally-printed poster from 2nd Edition Coworking in the Free Press building between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. In September, the 118th Convention of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) took place, providing a platform for local government leaders to establishment policy directions for UBMC’s engagement with the provincial and federal governments. At this convention, the membership selected its Table Officers for the 2021-2022 Executive Board which included Mayor Ange Qualizza of the City of Fernie elected second Vice President, after serving third Vice President the past year. ubmc.ca The 2021 Wake Canada Wakesurf Nationals were held mid-September on the shores of Moyie Lake, attracting 58 competitors from across Canada. “The East Kootenay is home to some of the most talented riders in the country and it was so great to be able to showcase our region and our local talent over the weekend,” says Wake Canada Wakesurf Director, Isaac Hockley. Ryder Duczek of Cranbrook won his second consecutive Pro-Men’s Skim National Championship, with his younger brother Dagen finishing fourth. Gabrielle Hockley of Moyie impressed the hometown with a first-place finish and National title in Pro Women’s Surf. Fernie’s Caroline Villeneuve brought home a silver medal in the Pro Women’s Skim, and Cranbrook’s Montanna Rousselle took first place in the Open Women’s Skim. wakecanada.ca FERNIEFIX.COM

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Articles inside

BITS AND BYTES

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR LIFE

BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

EVENTS CALENDAR

COMMUNITY

THE FRIGHT ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE

EDITOR’S FIX