COMMUNITY
BUSINESS
PEACHLAND’S Evan Guthrie crossed the finish line first at the 2012 RBC Kelowna GranFondo held on Saturday.
THE MISS KELOWNA Lady of the Lake pageant finale is this Friday night at the Kelowna Community Theatre. Meet the candidates one last time prior to the big night.
A NEW vehicle body repair course at Okanagan College is getting the green light of approval from the local automotive repair industry.
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TUESDAY July 17, 2012 The Central Okanagan’s Best-Read Newspaper www.kelownacapnews.com
▼ MEL KOTLER
Philanthropist loses battle with cancer Alistair Waters ASSISTANT EDITOR
One of Kelowna’s best-known businessmen and philanthropists has died. Mel Kotler, who helped raise millions of dollars for several local charities and events, including the Okanagan Jewish Community Centre, the United Way, Cops For Kids, the Rotary Centre For the Arts, breast cancer research, The Sindi Hawkins Cancer Centre for the Southern Interior, the annual AIDS walk, the annual Canada Day Festival and Project Literacy lost his battle with cancer on Sunday. He was 70. “It’s very sad news,” said Kelowna city manger Ron Mattiussi on Monday. “When Mel came to Mel Kotler this city, he jumped right in with both feet. Many people don’t contribute but he did, he really did.” Mattiussi’s words were echoed by Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray, a long-time friend, who said Kotler’s contributions to the community helped a broad spectrum of organizations and causes here. “A lot of people who come to Kelowna come here to get away from a busy life or retire, not Mel. He was such a well-organized community contributor,” said Gray, who met Kotler through a mutual friend shortly after Kotler moved to Kelowna in 1985 and the pair remained friends for the next 26 years. The last time Gray saw Kotler was at the latter’s 70th birthday party in June but he said he had talked to his old friend a few times by phone since then. “When you know someone is sick like that, it’s not a shock (when the end comes) but it does come as a surprise,” said a subdued Gray, who only learned of his friend’s passing Monday morning when contacted by See Cancer A6
creatively splash paint on a cement wall at City Park, assisted by a group of students from local high schools who helped out on their own time. The mural project on the concession stand/washroom building was coordinated by the Kelowna Art Gallery.
▼ COURT
Judge to decide fate of aggressive dog Kathy Michaels STAFF REPORTER
The fate of an Okanagan dog is being considered in a provincial courtroom this week. The Central Okanagan Regional District is requesting court permission to euthanize Peter and Jennifer Madsen’s malamute husky, Shadow. The dog allegedly at-
tacked Rachelle Hole and her dog, Bella, March 26, 2011 while they were on a walk near their Lake Country home. Shadow was not on a leash and, according to Hole, was behaving aggressively from first contact. He approached barking and growling, Hole said, so she pulled her dog to the left.
Then, she testified, he came at her other side, prompting her to give him a kick. She told the court Monday that he then bit her, ripping open her leg, causing her to drop Bella’s lead, who then jumped in and brought the other dog down. Shadow, Hole said, lay flat to the ground in the aftermath, while she came
to terms with her injuries. “I was bitten on my left side and back lower left side, numerous times,” said Hole, who had a number of life-threatening health issues stemming from the bite in the weeks that followed. “Within 20 seconds the whole incident was over.” As Hole lay on the ground, a couple came
by and took Bella home, and informed her husband what happened. Tony Hole closed up his home and arrived at the scene of the attack to see a “volunteer holding part of (his wife’s leg).” “I remember a good part of the left leg’s skin protruding from the hand
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DOWNTOWN MURAL…Artist and sculptor David Doody loads a water balloon with yellow paint that he used Saturday to