ANNUAL TRADITION | A jam-packed schedule has been put together for Lumby Days [A10]
Morning gStar
The
Sunday, June 3, 2012
P R O U D L Y
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N O R T H
O K A N A G A N
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FOR 72 MONTHS ON THE ALL NEW SIERRA & SILVERADO 1/2 TONS
BANNISTER 4703 - 27th St. VERNON • 250-545-0606
GM
DL#9133
Generosity pays off mission debt RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
CARA BRADY/MORNING STAR
Bob Egely cuts John Harrison’s hair using his high-tech barber chair designed and constructed by the University of Victoria.
Barber Bob’s back on the job CARA BRADY Morning Star Staff
Bob’s Barber Shop is back in business. Bob Egely never doubted that it would be. The Enderby barber had been cutting hair for more than 40 years when he had to have both legs amputated above the knee due to medical complications in 2010. He conducted his first haircut in two years Thursday to test drive his new, specialized barber chair. “This chair is the talk of Enderby. It’s huge,” he said as he demonstrated the high-tech chair made by the University of Victoria CanAssist Team, which has allowed him to get on with the job he loves. “It never crossed my mind that I wasn’t going back to work. I said I was going to to this, I just didn’t know how. There’s nothing you can’t do if you want to put your mind to it. I’’m so happy that I’m able to carry on and do my thing,” said Egely, 67. He had the basic idea for the chair himself but had no idea how it could become reality. “The old barber chairs were made of
cast iron and had ring around the bottom. I thought maybe there could be some kind of saddle that could move around. This looks like a small space ship. The chair for the client is a barber chair and the chair that I’m sitting on is like a small satellite that goes around it. This is fantastic.” Egely’s son got him in touch with the CanAssist Team, which develops and delivers technology which help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, including being able to work. A team of engineers, Darcy Lane, Paul Green, Carl Spani, Brandon Fry and Mike Lewis made the chair for Egely. “I was very excited to work on this project to put the engineering components together so that the chair would do what Bob wanted and be safe,” said Lewis, who was in Enderby Wednesday with the team, including Tanya Switucka, customer relations, to install the chair. The team consulted with Egely on what he needed the chair to do — reaching his tools and moving at different angles up and down and around the client. Then the members put their mechanical and electrical engineering expertise to work.
Egely is able to control the chair with one hand and transfer to and from his wheelchair independently. As far as the team knows, this is the only chair of its kind in the world. It weighs about 400 hundred pounds and is bolted to the concrete under the floor. The chair is battery operated so that Egely will not be stranded in a power outage. Funding for the development and construction of the chair, about $65,000, was through the Equipment and Assistive Technology Initiative, a program supported by the federal and B.C. governments. “This chair is such a great thing for me. I didn’t know what to expect but I know it’s all going to come back to me and I’m going to be busy again. I’m happy with it but I can’t say I’ve been unhappy about what has happened to me. You play ‘em as you get ‘em — the cards you’re dealt,” he said. Egely did his first cut for old friend, John Harrison, 92, who will be helping him around the shop.
See NEW on A3
Prayers have been answered at Vernon’s Upper Room Mission. The remaining bills for the $165,000 kitchen renovation have been paid off after two anonymous donations came in for $85,000. “There was complete shock and then tears,” said Lisa Froom, general manager, of her reaction when one of the donors — a couple — presented $80,000. “I just kept thanking them. They felt they had the resources and they wanted to help others. It’s very humbling.” The donation wasn’t a spontaneous decision. “They did their homework and spoke to myself and our board chairperson. They appreciate what we’re doing in Lisa Froom the community,” said Froom. The new kitchen, which has doubled in size, has separate areas dedicated to cooking, meal preparation and dishwashing. Previously, duct tape held cabinets together, the floor was rotting, counters were too low and residential appliances gave out under the demand of upwards of 250 meals a day. Raising the necessary funds for the kitchen has been such a struggle, that the completion of the campaign is an emotional experience for everyone involved, including employees at the mission’s bank. “When I deposited the cheque, the teller teared up. It touches the wider community,” said Froom. While the $80,000 and $5,000 donations have closed the gap for the kitchen project, there continues to be other needs at the mission. Specifically, authorities have insisted a sprinkler system be installed in the building. The price tag is about $100,000. “We’re looking for capital grants,” said Froom, adding fundraising will also be done through the collection of pennies and refundable beverage containers. A community open house will be held at the Upper Room Mission June 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. “They can get a look at the different things we do for the community,” said Froom. “Some people have a limited idea of what we do here.” To donate to the sprinkler system, visit the Upper Room Mission at 3403 27th Ave. or call 250549-1231.
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