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Thursday, April 12, 2012 Williams Lake Tribune
COMMUNITY
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art in honour of saving wild salmon
COMMUNITY NOTEBOOK Friday, April 13 Saturday, April 14 Dinner theatre fundraiser The Maranatha Christian School is presenting an adult “Courtly Dinner Theatre� fundraising event on Friday, April 13 and 14 starting at 6 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $15. and available at Maranatha Christian School. Donations will be collected at the event for the students’ trip to Europe in the spring of 2013. The evening will centre around a performance of the comedy “Twinderella.�
Saturday, April 14 TDC authors read
Gaeil Farrar photo
The world is certainly changing. A few weeks ago I saw a situation comedy on television where there was a Skype table set up at a wedding for guests who couldn’t attend in person. I thought it was a somewhat unusual and interesting concept but never expected to see it in real life. Then last Thursday evening one of the three artists showed up for the opening of their show at the Station House Gallery by Skype. Here Krista Liebe chats with Louise Towell from her home in Burnaby. To the right is one of her paintings. Towell and the other two artists in the April show, Maureen Lebourdais from Horsefly and Celia Brauer of False Creek, met through a watershed group and created their multi-media show Salmon Nation: Out of the Blue to draw attention to issues and to inspire communities to honour water and the role it plays in all life. Towell is also founder of the popular wooden fish painting project, examples of which can be found on fences at Scout Island and in Horsefly.
Armchair trip to Colombia on tap for Scout Island banquet Dr. Tom Dickinson, a respected scientist at TRU, Kamloops, will be the guest speaker at the Scout Island Nature Centre fundraising banquet on April 20. In 1989 Dickinson came to Cariboo College to teach and do research in the biological sciences. In 2009 he was appointed Dean of Science. He assisted in the development of the Natural Resources Science Program and taught the first courses in wildlife management. He also was involved in the establishment of the Wells Gray Education and Research Centre. He has actively participated in assisting provincial and local naturalist organizations and developing land-use plans in the Kamloops region. His research interests include bird communities in high elevation forests and energy utilization by nuthatches. He enjoys being a natural historian and bird watcher, and continues to inspire others with these interests.
Photo submitted
Dr. Tom Dickinson is an avid birder, wildlife researcher and teacher.
During the banquet, Dickinson will talk about his travels in Colombia, a country of magnificent beauty and one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth.
“This talk will provide a snapshot of Colombia’s rich cultural and ecological diversity as it was revealed to me during a brief visit in 2011,� Dickinson says. “My travels centred on what is called the Coffee Triangle — an area bounded by highland rain forests of the Western Andes and the towering peaks of the dry Central Andes. “In my talk I will share some insights I got while birding in this area about the agricultural practices that give rise labels such as ‘bird-friendly’ and ‘fair-trade’ to the coffee from Colombia and I will show some pictures of spectacular avifauna of the region. He says the economy of Colombia is changing rapidly and as it changes an essential role is being played by a network of important bird areas and small NGO stewardship groups. “There are many ways in which we in North America can help them in their important work,� Dickinson says. The funds raised by the ban-
quet will be used to develop nature programs at the Scout Island Nature Centre for school classes, children’s groups and family events throughout the year, says society president Fred McMechan. As well, funds will be used to continue with projects to maintain and enhance the trails, and to improve the habitat for wildlife and plants. “The Nature House is a very important interpretive centre where visitors, including tourists, can learn about the wonderful natural world in the Cariboo Chilcotin region,� McMechan says. “To provide this service funding is required to meet needs such as the improvement of the displays, the provision of educational resources and the employment of university students to act as hosts. Tickets for the banquet may be purchased at the Open Book, the Scout Island Nature House or from members of the Williams Lake Field Naturalists.
The Tourism Discovery Centre is hosting an author’s reading event on Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Authors will be showcasing, selling and signing copies of their books and participating in reading passages from their books. Among the authors attending will be Verena Berger, Bruce Watt, Sage Birchwater, Diana French, Lorne Dufour, Liz Twan, Van Andruss, Gloria Atamanenko, Dr. John Roberts, and Susan Smith-Josephy. There is no charge to attend the event.
Saturday April 14 Arts on the Fly chili cook-off  The Arts On The Fly Committee is hosting the first annual Horsefly Chili Cook Off this Saturday, April 14 at the Horsefly Community Hall at 6 p.m. All local organizations and individuals are invited to enter their best pot of chili and accompanying corn bread. The locals will be there to put them to the test, and vote on the best tasting in both categories. Prizes will also go to those with the best decorated table! The entry fee is $25 per team with funds going to the music, dance and art festival in Horsefly this summer. To register call Steffi Krumsiek at 250-620-0592. The family event will feature live music. Admission is by donation and attendees buy rolls of quarters to eat and vote on the chili and corn bread.