A6 www.wltribune.com
Tuesday, September 4, 2012 Williams Lake Tribune
VIEWPOINTS
s 0UBLISHER 3ALES -GR Lisa Bowering s %DITOR Erin Hitchcock EXT editor@wltribune.com Free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad. - Albert Camus
Fall fairs great for neighbourly get togethers
First Nations baby baskets cosy/practical
T
his may be peculiar to my family, but when my boys were babies, they looked
alike. They don’t now, but in  some of their first  pictures I wouldn’t know who was who  if it wasn’t  for  their clothes or the backgrounds, and they each  had different kinds of beds or carriFrench ers.    Connection Our youngDiana French est son had the b e s t of all bed/carriers, a First Nations baby basket. He spent his first months in it.   You don’t see these baskets much these days, more’s the pity.  If I had more space I’d explain just how great they are.  They are narrow, made of woven willow branches. Mine was lined in sheepskin and covered in a bright cotton print. It had a buckskin attachment to lace baby in during transport, and straps for carrying it like a back pack or for suspending it from something (like a hook in the ceiling) so baby was at eye level for socializing.  It had a wooden hoop  over the middle for holding a blanket or mosquito net.  It was a great carrier for camping or travelling (no car seat rules then.) Unfortunately, I loaned it to a neighbour and never got it back. Son #1 remembered how handy the basket was and he wanted one for his first born. By then they were hard to come by, but we managed to get one. His wife wasn’t overly enthusiastic, she’d never seen one before and she had a cradle and crib ready. However,  when son went to fetch her and baby from the hospital, he took the basket. Baby (GS#2) made it clear from the start that was where he wanted to be and  he slept and travelled in it until he outgrew it. Ditto his sister, GD#2. GD#2‘s  brand new son (GGS#3) inherited the basket. Re-covered,  it’s as good as new. He too knows  a good thing. According to his mom, he loves it.   Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian, and book author.
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Our Viewpoint
Walking around the lakecity informative You notice things when you walk, something I’ve always known because I grew up in a family that did not own a vehicle. Walking around Williams Lake recently a few things have caught my eye. There’s a man picking up garbage on his own accord. I saw him one evening near the Tribune and recently one afternoon near Red Tomato Pies. Not wanting his name or photograph put in the paper, I cannot give you any further details except that he’s been picking garbage up off our downtown streets and sidewalks since mid-June. By last week he’d accumulated 30 bags, he told me. I’ve seen several of the photo-
graphic coverings for utility boxes that have been installed. There are horses by Boitanio Park, blueberries by the mall, a mountain biker near the Sandman, mountain racers and salmon by Kondolas, and a rusting truck near the CIBC. The community garden below Williams Lake Secondary has a display board, several garden boxes, and a Memory Garden sign. Coming back up from a swim at the point on Williams Lake two weeks ago, I noticed there are little cactus bushes that can be pretty harsh. My nephew was visiting from Montreal and when he and my son raced back up, hoping to nab the front seat for the ride home, my
A politically independent community newspaper published Tuesdays and Thursdays by: Black Press Group Ltd. 188 North 1st Ave., WilLIAMS ,AKE " # #ANADA 6 ' 9 s 0HONE &AX Lisa Bowering EMAILS editor@wltribune.com or classifieds@wltribune. Publisher/Sales Mgr. com, view our web page at www.wltribune.com. This Williams Lake Tribune is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent within 45 days to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby Street, Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bc.presscouncil.org All material contained in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY THE RIGHTS HOLDER 0UBLICATION -AIL 2EGISTRATION .O !NNUAL 4RIBUNE -AIL 3UBSCRIPTION WITHIN #ANADA '34
nephew cried out that there was something on his foot. As I made my way over to help him out, a tall stranger asked if we needed help. In the end he carried my nephew up to the truck for me. Turns out the guy was visiting his girlfriend and is from Kamloops. I’ve been known to walk and read — a habit I picked up a couple of years ago. In Prince Rupert, I even managed it with an umbrella. Whether I’m walking and taking in the world around me, or walking and consuming the world inside a book, I figure it’s a learning experience. I’d encourage everyone to enjoy walking.
Erin Hitchcock Editor
— Monica Lamb-Yorski
Gaylene Desautels Kym Tugnum Ad Control/Production Circulation
Advertising Representatives: Brenda Webster, Lori Macala and Sharon Balmer. Ad Design: Leigh Logan, Sherri Jaeger, Mary Langstrom, Anne Blake. Staff Reporters: Gaeil Farrar (Community Editor), Greg Sabatino (Sports Editor), Robyn Chambers and Monica Lamb-Yorski. Tribune Correspondents: Veera Bonner (Big Creek), June Bliss (Alexis Creek), Linda-Lou Howarth (Riske Creek), Rosi Hartmann (Rose Lake/Miocene), Rhonda Kolcun (McLeese Lake), Bruce MacLeod (Horsefly). Tribune Contributors: Diana French, Liz Twan.
airs are a great place for neighbours to get together, unwind, and take in the fruits of their labours. The Williams Lake Harvest Fair is coming up this weekend on Sept. 8 and 9, and is an annual event that’s hosted every fall in the Cariboo-Chilcotin. The fair is focused on showcasing the importance of agriculture to all those who attend, and has been a family favourite of ours for years. What can you expect at the W i l liams L a k e MLA Harvest Musings Fair? Donna Barnett There are all kinds of activities! Competitions and exhibitions happen all day, each day. Look out for loads of entertainment at the stage by the exhibit hall, a children’s play land with endless activities, fun rides, countless vendors, food concessions of all kinds, 4-H competitions, kids wild pony rides, and of course, the BC Pro Riding Finals – a long-time favourite of many Cariboo residents. This year the Cariboo Goat Breeders Association will be showcasing their goats at the fair where you’ll have the chance to check out products that are made with goat’s milk or fibre. While you’re there you can learn all about the furry friends. Admission is only $6 for adults, $3 for seniors and youth aged six to 12, and free for children under five. Help the community usher in the fall with this great family event – kick back, or live a little! It’s all up to you at the Williams Lake Harvest Fair. Donna Barnett is the Liberal MLA for the Cariboo-Chilcotin.