Invermere Valley Echo, December 19, 2012

The Columbia Valley’s Newspaper Since 1956

From Canal Flats to Spillimacheen

VALLEY ECHO T he

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Vol. 56 Issue 51

invermerevalleyecho.com

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$ 15 INCLUDES HST PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NO. 7856

BERNIE RAVEN CHRIS RAVEN 1-866-598-7415 TEAMRAVEN.CA Offices in Panorama, Invermere & Fairmont

'Catch the Freeze' winners announced Page A3

Nor-Am Cup wraps up at Panorama Page A17

MaxWell Realty Invermere

PHOTO BY KRISTINE HAJAS/COURTESY OF TOBY CREEK ADVENTURES Toby Creek Adventures guide Gord Fullerton welcomes guests for their pre-Christmas snowmobile tour.

Serving the Columbia Valley and area Call us for your heavy duty towing We also offer: • Towing • Flat deck service • Locksmith • Boat recovery • Off road recovery • free recycling of scrap cars

A2 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - it all adds up!

Holiday Recycling Electronics Recycling There is a new, permanent electronics recycling depot for the Columbia Valley!

Invermere Bottle Depot 133 Industrial Rd. #2 Phone: 250-342-7272 Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-3:45pm Sat 10:00am-3:45pm They accept • Televisions • Earphones • Computers & peripherals • Microphones (keyboard, mouse) • Telephones • Monitors • Speakers • Fax machines • Radios • DVD/VHS players • Cable, satellite and PVR • Scanners boxes • Stereos, MP3 players • Vehicle audio and video Discman systems

Batteries One of the items people seem to stock up on at

Recycling Basics Wrapping Paper - all paper based wrapping paper can be recycled in the yellow bins or Invermere’s blue bag program. Foil based papers cannot be recycled and should be thrown in the garbage if they can’t be saved and reused. Please consider paper based paper when purchasing gift wrap.

Ribbons & Bows - cannot be recycled. They can be saved and reused. If they can no longer be reused, they go in the garbage.

Aluminum Pie Plates & Roasters - cannot be recycled. They can be rinsed and reused. If they are not longer usable, they go in the garbage.

Cardboard Boxes - all cardboard and boxboard (like cracker and cereal boxes) are recyclable. Please flatten them to conserve space in the bin or blue bag.

Tin Cans - all tin food and beverage cans can be recycled. They must be rinsed out.

Labels can be left on if they are difficult to remove.

Styrofoam - Even though Styrofoam is marked with a #6, it is NOT recyclable in our program. It should go in the garbage if it can’t be reused.

Plastics - all plastics with the triangular recycling symbol and the number between 1 and 6 (except Styrofoam) can be recycled in the yellow bins or Invermere’s blue bag program. They must be clean and every piece of plastic must be numbered.

Lids often are a different type of plastic, and if there is no number on the item, it goes in the garbage if it can’t be reused.

X

this time of year is batteries. Both alkaline and rechargeable batteries are recyclable.

7

The drop off location in the Columbia Valley is: Selkirk TV & Appliance, Invermere

Glass Recycling Glass goes in the yellow bins marked GLASS ONLY. The ONLY glass accepted for recycling is container glass. That means jam jars, salsa jars, wine bottles, olive oil bottles, etc.

NO other glass (including dishes or drinking glasses) is accepted. If in doubt, please leave it out.

Glass bins are located at the Columbia Valley Landfill, Edgewater Post Office, Fairmont Transfer Station, Invermere Industrial Park, Invemere Bottle Depot, and Radium Liquor Store

Plastics Not Accepted: • #7 plastics, dirty plastics, plastics with no number. They go in the garbage if they can’t be reused.

Holiday Hours COLUMBIA VALLEY LANDFILL December 24 9:00am-3:30pm December 25 Closed December 26 9:00am-6:00pm December 31 9:00am-3:30pm January 1 Closed All other days, the Landfill will be open from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

COLUMBIA VALLEY RDEK OFFICE The RDEK Columbia Valley Office is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm (closed 12pm to 1pm). During the holiday season, the only change to those regular hours is as follows: December 24 December 25 December 26 December 31 January 1

8:30am-3:00pm (closed 12pm-1pm) Closed Closed 8:30am-3:00pm (closed 12pm-1pm) Closed

For more information, contact the RDEK at 1-888-478-7335

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A3

Page Three

Have a news tip? editor@invermerevalleyecho.com or 250-342-9216

Lake Windermere surface frozen but not safe Ice needs to be eight inches for Whiteway to open to public NICOLE TRIGG editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

The key to winning the Lake Windermere Ambassador's 'Catch the Freeze' contest is knowing Lake Windermere inside and out. Just ask longtime Invermere resident Don Steedman.

Steedman, who made local headlines last winter after he accidentally plunged through the ice while mountain biking on the lake in January, was one of 50 or so people who entered the contest to guess when the lake's surface would freeze over edge to edge.

Steedman, along with Baiba Morrow of Wilmer, correctly guessed December 10 and the winners won an 'I Love My Lake' Tshirt for their accurate calculations.

"I'll wear it proudly," grinned Steedman.

But this doesn't mean the ice is safe, warned Lake Windermere Ambassadors (LWA) program co-ordinator Kirsten Harma.

The date of the freeze was determined visually over a matter of days by the contest's judges — Harma and District of Invermere mayor Gerry Taft — with a little help from LWA board member Terry MacRitchie, who witnessed two coyotes cross the lake on the 10th.

"We want to caution people that in no way do we claim that the lake is good enough to walk on or solid enough for any activity," Harma said.

According to histor-

Photo by Nicole Trigg/The Echo Lake Windermere Ambassadors program co-ordinator Kirsten Harma and District of Invermere mayor Gerry Taft congratulate one of the 'Catch the Freeze' contest winners Don Steedman on Thursday (December 13) after awarding him his prize — a special edition "I Love My Lake" T-shirt.

ic lake freeze information recorded by the Lake Windermere Project and based on MacRitchie's personal observations, this year's freeze date is the most delayed since 2004, when ice began forming in October but the ac-

tual freeze date was sometime between December 12 and 20.

Unfortunately, this means the Lake Windermere Whiteway — the 17 kilometre groomed track that runs all the way around the lake's ice — will not be ready

Le personnel des sources thermales Radium vous souhaite

from the staff of Radium Hot Springs

country ski track down at eight inches," said Brad Kitching, who is hired by

un joyeux temps des Fêtes

Special holiday hours

Heures d’ouverture spéciales durant le temps des Fêtes

Hot pool December 25 December 26 to January 1 January 2 to 3 January 4 to 5 January 6 to 8

Noon to 5 pm 11 am to 11 pm Noon to 9 pm Noon to 10 pm Noon to 9 pm

Piscine chaude 25 décembre 26 décembre au 1er janvier 2 au 3 janvier 4 au 5 janvier 6 au 8 janvier

Midi à 17 h 11 h à 23 h Midi à 21 h Midi à 22 h Midi à 21 h

Cool pool December 25 December 26 to January 1 January 2 to 6 January 7 January 8

Closed Noon to 10 pm Noon to 9 pm Noon to 4 pm Closed

Piscine froide 25 décembre 26 décembre au 1er janvier 2 au 6 janvier 7 janvier 8 janvier

Fermé Midi à 22 h Midi à 21 h Midi à 16 h Fermé

250-347-9485

Continues to 'colder' on Page A4

Legal Notice – Snowmobile Restriction Catamount and North Star Glaciers CLOSED TO SNOWMOBILING

Catamount and North Star Glaciers in the Upper Forster Creek drainage are closed annually to recreational snowmobile use. This closure is pursuant to Section 58 (1) (b) of the Forest and Range Practices Act.

UNDER REVIEW

Radium Sources Hot Springs thermales Radium parkscanada.gc.ca parcscanada.gc.ca

Warmest greetings

for public use before Christmas, or even New Year's.

"I'll put the cross

the Toby Creek Nordic Club to groom and maintain the Whiteway.

"The thing that concerns me the most is consistency," he said.

"I may have three inches over here but only two over there because the waters moving in that location or there’s a creek or a spring."

In a day, Kitching might drill 300 holes over the course where the track will go to determine its consistency.

"Really, I’m not paying attention to it until there’s at least six inches," he said.

"Generally speaking, if it’s minus 10 (Celsius) we gain an inch a night, or a day."

The Province is currently reviewing the existing closures on the Catamount and North Star Glaciers in consultation with local stakeholder groups. The existing Section 58 order will remain in effect until otherwise notified.

Enforcement patrols will focus on noncompliance.

Any forthcoming amendments to the closure area would be on a trial basis.

CURRENTLY OPEN TO SNOWMOBILING

• Forster Creek Trail • Forster Meadows • Thunderwater and Whirlpool Lakes

NEARBY SNOWMOBILING • Brewer Creek – intermediate riding south of Invermere • Rocky Point Creek - intermediate and advanced riding - Bugaboo Creek area • McMurdo Creek/Silent Pass - groomed trail west of Parson

For more information:

www.sitesandtrails.bc

A4 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

NEWS

Radium woman dies in highway accident Speed was a factor in two-vehicle collision that resulted in one fatality STEVE JESSEL reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

A Village of Radium Hot Springs woman has died after she was involved in a two-car collision on Highway 93/95, three kilometres north of Invermere.

According to a release from the East Kootenay Traffic Services, Cpl. Shayne Parker, Columbia Valley RCMP and East Kootenay Traffic Services responded to a two-vehicle collision at 9:06 a.m. on Wednesday, December 12. A southbound Dodge Dakota had lost control and crossed the centre line, and was struck by a northbound Chevy Silverado.

The driver of the Dodge Dakota was a 63-year-old female from Radium Hot Springs who was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The occupants of the Chevy Silverado were a 27-year-old female and her three-year-old son. They were both taken to hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries.

The collision is still under investigation, and Parker said it appears that speeding relative to the road conditions was a factor.

On Monday (December 17), Parker told The Valley Echo that RCMP will not be officially releasing the name of the deceased in order to protect the family.

Colder temperatures needed Panebianco case stalled Continued from Page A3

To have the Whiteway ready to go for New Year's, the temperature needs to be minus ten consistently for about ten

days, Kitching said, and as soon as the Whiteway is operational, the Toby Creek Nordic Club will make a public announcement and put signs out on the ice to indicate it's open for public use.

"I will just keep on monitoring it as it gets closer and closer and hopefully we’ll be able to get it going for New Year's," Kitching said. "I would say right now Christmas is out of the way."

by judge shortage Panebianco to stay in custody until bail hearing in February ANNALEE GRANT Cranbrook Daily Townsman

A judge shortage at the Cranbrook Law Courts has caused Brian Panebianco's bail hearing to be put over once more to February 6.

Judge Grant Sheard was unable to hear the Provincial Court case on December 13, and so Panebianco's matter was put over into the new year.

Panebianco, 23, is charged with manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death, robbery, assault causing bodily harm, and breach of undertaking. The

submitted image Lake Windermere's historic freeze dates as compiled by the Lake Windermere Ambassadors.

Ho l i d a y A d ve r t i s i n g D e a d l i n e s Please taken note that our advertising deadlines will change due to Christmas and New Year holidays.

December 26 issue Thursday, December 20 at 12 p.m.

January 2 issue Friday, December 21 at 12 p.m.

charges are in relation to the death of Invermerre resident Cory Jarock. He was originally taken into custody in July of this year with the latter three charges.

They were upgraded in August to include manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death.

Crown counsel Lynal Doerksen said Panebianco will remain in custody until the February date when a bail hearing will take place.

Columbia Valley RCMP Staff Sgt. Marko Shehovac has said that Panebianco was well-known to police before his arrest, and was also wanted on other outstanding warrants.

Panebianco's matter wasn't the only one affected by the judge shortage. Family court in Cranbrook was held with a judge presiding via video link from another location.

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Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A5

NEWS

Progress made on local abattoir Project will encourage local meats market by reducing cost and time of processing animals NICOLE TRIGG editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

The Columbia Valley’s cattle population has plummeted since strict meat regulations were introduced in B.C. after the 2004 “mad cow” scare, but the Windermere District Farmers’ Institute (WDFI) has a plan to buck the trend and reinvigorate the local cattle industry once again.

The organization’s proposal for a local abattoir, or slaughterhouse, is slowly gaining traction.

With a potential operator lined up and a $10,000 Columbia Basin Trust grant for a business plan in hand, the Windermere Farmers’ Institute is currently waiting for final approval on its agricultural non-farm use permit before approaching the Regional District of East Kootenay to apply for rezoning.

“We’re (also) getting ahead on the design so that the plan can preliminarily be approved by the BC Centre for Disease Control,” said WDFI projects co-ordinator Hedi Trescher.

“Hopefully by the end of January we are going to have a really good estimate of what it’s going to cost us and we will have the plan theoretically approved.”

Whereas local ranchers used to be able to slaughter their own cattle and sell it locally, the new regulations brought in after the “mad cow”, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), scare require that animals have to be slaugh-

tered in a provincially inspected abattoir in order to be sold to the public.

“What it means now is our nearest abattoir is in Cranbrook so in order to get some-

“Historically that area’s been used for rodeo and showing livestock,” said local rancher John Zehnder of Zehnder Farms.

“It’s just going to be a pretty basic building; it’s going to blend in with what’s there.”

He stressed that there would be no smell and that the public won’t be able to see the animals as the facility will be enclosed. And the

which operates the deli and butcher’s shop in downtown Invermere.

A business plan that details all the economic spin offs of having this particular facility available locally is being developed by Katie Wells of Wells Business Solutions to assist with the WDFI’s grant application process.

“Right now people who are in the val-

“We're hoping some of those small scale livestock operations come back.”

John zehnder, rancher zehnder farms ltd.

thing slaughtered, the farmer would have to haul the animal down there, then go home, then when it is slaughtered and inspected, he has to go down and pick up the meat and everything adds to the cost,” said Trescher.

“It just becomes impossible to do, particularly for ranchers in the Golden area.”

Cow-calf operations make up the bulk of the valley’s cattle industry. Cows give birth to calves in the spring, which are raised through the summer and sold to feed lots in Alberta in the fall. The cows are then bred again and the cycle repeats. A nearby abattoir will allow for the animals to be slaughtered locally and marketed locally as local, grassfed or hormone-free beef, said Trescher.

“An individual farmer would then have the ability to find a niche market when he raises this animal,” she said.

The proposed location for the abattoir — to be called Columbia Valley Meats — is a piece of land owned by the WDFI accessible off Highway 93/95 adjacent to and north of Town & Country Feeds.

animals are rendered unconscious in an instant so they don’t have to suffer, he explained.

The scale of the operation is surprisingly small. Zehnder estimates that even in a busy period the abattoir might operate twice a week, slaughtering no more than five to six animals a day.

“I don’t think there’s much more demand for it than that; we’re thinking maybe 200 to 300 animals a year.”

While the abattoir is intended mainly for the cow-calf operations, Zehnder said the WDFI is hoping it will also encourage the return of the small livestock industry.

“I think there is also a demand in the restaurants for locally grown pork or lamb or goat so if we do have an abattoir it just makes it so much more convenient and more economical so we’re hoping some of those small scale livestock operations come back.”

The WDFI intends to obtain grants to build the abattoir then lease it out to an operator. So far there is a verbal agreement with the Konig Meat & Sausage Company,

ue-added beef business can’t access product in order to do their value added services,” said Wells, “but now they could purchase a cow and do that work themselves, or restaurants for example will be

able to either work with a local farmer or butcher.”

It could also open the door for certified organic livestock operations, said Zehnder.

“This just provides another marketing option and creates a bit more stability,” he said. “If you can get a portion of your sales going locally it just diversifies your income so you’re not stuck on that one market where you have to sell everything to the feed lots in Alberta.”

The WDFI is planning a public outreach campaign to find out if valley residents support having local beef available.

Send your comments to Wells by email at info@wellsbusinesssolutions.ca or call 1-800-291-1653 or 250-342-5991.

Canal Flats councillor resigns STEVE JESSEL reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

There has been a big shake up on the Village of Canal Flats town council, as councillor Evence Blanchard announced his resignation at a regularly scheduled council meeting on December 10.

"Hopefully sometime in the future he will run again, because I think that he did an excellent job," Mayor Ute Juras said. "He's very passionate about the community."

As a result of Blanchard's departure, Canal Flats will now head for a by-election to elect a new village councillor. A call for nominations has not yet gone out, and Juras said they will wait until after New Year's to begin looking for candidates. Following that, the by-election is likely to take place in late March.

"I'm hoping it will be someone that knows the community, cares about the community and has the community's best interests at heart," Juras said.

Juras said Blanchard had a lot going on in his life and felt that he could no longer give the time commitment necessary that the job deserved.

Blanchard could not be reached for comment.

"I just want to make sure people know that I think (Blanchard) did an excellent job, we will all miss him," Juras said. "He brought a lot to the table, but we understand that priorities change and we just have to go with that."

The Book Bar est. 1965

BOOKS • MAGAZINES • GIFTS

Giant boxing week sale!

WE DID IT AGAIN!!!!

We ordered WAAAAAY too much inventory! And it all MUST go...

10 to 60 % off everything* in the store *some restrictions apply

Sale runs Wednesday, Dec 26 through Monday, Dec 31.

1046 7th Avenue 250-342-6511

A6 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Opinion & Letters

Something to say? email editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

Let's not forget Winter Solstice NICOLE TRIGG editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

Christmas lights, Christmas decorations, Christmas parties, shopping for Christmas presents.... the weeks leading up to December 25 are a whirlwind of festive activities and things-to-do in preparation of what many consider to be the biggest and best holiday celebration of the year.

But tucked away in the third calendar week of December is another celebration, one that pre-dates the birth of little baby Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem and our Western calendar's distinction between Anno Domini (AD) and Before Christ (BC).

It's also older than Santa Claus, more formally known as Saint Nicholas, who was a fourth century Christian saint.

It's an astronomical and cultural event called winter solstice that can be traced back to Neolithic times, evidenced by archaeological sites such as Stonehenge in Britain and Newgrange in Ireland.

Newgrange, a tomb in Ireland that dates back to possibly 3,200 BC, is illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. As explained by Wikipedia: "A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December."

Occurring on the shortest day and longest night of the year, usually December 21, winter solstice is the time when the sun is at its southernmost point in the sky. Cultures worldwide have recognized its seasonal significance of reversing the longer nights and shorter days that lead up to mid-winter. And it continues to be celebrated with festivals, gatherings and rituals.

This year's winter solstice has an added perk.

It's regarded as the end of the Mayan calendar, a 5,125-year-long cycle that holds mythical signficance numerologically as well as astrologically.

You may have even heard that the world is going to end, a theory ridiculed by NASA scientists who compare the calendar ending to the one on your kitchen wall that doesn't cease to exist after December 31. Whatever happens — or doesn't happen ­— on December 21, it won't hurt to take time out from the hectic holiday rush and honour the ancient wisdom of our ancestors and tune into nature. Happy winter solstice to everyone.

Something on your mind?

The Valley Echo welcomes all letters to the editor and submissions from community and sports groups, as well as special community columns. Please keep your signed, legible submissions under 500 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity, taste, legal reasons and brevity. Each submission must contain a daytime phone number and place of residence. Send email submissions to editor@invermerevalleyecho.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PM is hurting Canada Dear Editor, Stephen Harper has done it again with his treasonous approval of the Chinese government-controlled CNOOC’s takeover bid for the Canadian tar sands giant Nexen. His deal gives the Chinese between three and six billion barrels of tar sands oil. Harper’s approval came with no public input and was announced late on a Friday afternoon — a clear attempt to sneak it under the public’s radar. The deal is bad for several reasons — the most important being his gift of a Canadian resource to a foreign government.

Even worse is the fact that Harper could at any time approve the Canada-China Foreign Investment Protection Act (FIPA). If he approves this act, CNOOC (and any other Chinese corporation invested in Canada) will be able to sue Canadian governments (federal and provincial) in secret tribunals if our governments do anything which CNOOC perceives as a threat to its corporate profits. This would include any environmental protections and job creation efforts.

Harper’s latest action is just one more example of his failure to protect the interests of Canada. Canadians must wake up to his treachery and tell

him that Canada is not for sale. The hypocrite Harper, who in the past railed against the communist Chinese government, must protect Canadian democracy and our natural resources. He must be told not to ratify FIPA. Norm Funnell Radium

Bribes vs. contributions Dear Editor, There has been a lot of negative comment lately about our provincial government’s ill-advised decision to make the Jumbo Valley an incorporated municipality complete with a puppet council but not one single resident.

Because of the Jumbo issue, another example of the government’s dishonesty has gone unnoticed here in East Kootenay. In April 2010, according to the Globe and Mail and CBC Radio, the Pacific Western Brewing Co. of Prince George hired Liberal insider Patrick Kinsella to lobby the provincial government for a substantial tax break that would not be available to other brewers.

In early November 2012, Pacific Western made an in-kind donation valued at $27,000 for use as an auction item at a political fundraiser cabinet minister Rick Coleman held in his riding.

VALLEY ECHO T he

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530 13th Street • P.O. Box 70 Invermere, B.C., Canada V0A 1K0 Phone: 250-342-9216 Rose-Marie invermerevalleyecho.com Regitnig publisher

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Nicole Trigg editor

editor@invermere valleyecho.com

Steve Jessel

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REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

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Two weeks later, Coleman granted Pacific Western the tax break they wanted. When this became public knowledge, the furor that erupted forced him to return the $27,000 donation and come up with a policy that is fairer to all the brewers in the province.

There is a very fine dividing line between what is a political contribution and what is a bribe. In my opinion, the $27,000 in-kind gift was a bribe.

If Premier Clark does not demand Rick Coleman’s resignation, it will be one more indication that our provincial government has lost its moral compass.

Jim Galloway Brisco

No more excuses Dear Editor, Fresh out of high school, I went to work for the retail giant Dylex. The company’s name is an acronym that literally stands for Damn Your Lame EXcuses. No lame excuses would ever account for poor performance.

I would like to inject the term “Dylex” into the editorial donnybrook between MLA Norm MacDonald and the one Norm refers to as “the local BC Liberals spokesperson.”

He dare not speak his name out of Continues to 'letters' on Page A7

Notice of Copyright: Reproduction of any or all editorial and advertising materials in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. It is agreed by the advertiser requesting space that the liability of The Valley Echo, owned by Black Press Ltd. in the event of failure to publish an advertisement or in the event of an error appearing in the advertisement as published, shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for only the one incorrect insertion for the portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect or omitted items only and that there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for such advertising.

BC Press Council – The Valley Echo 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.bcpresscouncil.org

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

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The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A7

Off the Record — Steve Jessel

Farewell and adieu Well, my time has finally come, and like dozens of local newspaper reporters before me, I’ll be leaving the valley I’ve called home for the past year in pursuit of greener pastures.

Some of you may know that I’m originally from Ontario, and having recently accepted a job with a newspaper in Belleville, ON, I’ll be heading back to start a new life in a new community before the end of the month. I’m not happy to leave, but I’m not entirely distraught either — family and friends are a lure too strong for me to resist.

That’s not to say I haven’t made some strong connections and great friends during my time here, but my goal never was to settle down indefinitely. I always planned on returning to Ontario some day, and while I’ve certainly become very fond of the Columbia Valley, opportunity beckons.

Over the last year, I’ve had some amazing experiences here in B.C. and I’ve met some truly incredible people. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who made an effort to make me feel welcome, from all walks of life.

Invermere and the Columbia Valley as a whole may be a small community, but you certainly aren’t short on warm, caring people who do their best to make this place a home to be proud of.

I’d also like to thank my fellow staff, past and present, at The Valley Echo. A huge thanks goes out to Marilyn Berry, Jess de Groot, Nicole Trigg, Renice Oaks, Dave Hamilton, Angela Krebs, Dean Midyette and Rose-Marie Regitnig for putting up with me and making me feel at home every day that I came into work.

I owe many of you a huge debt and although I’m leaving I’ll never forget the time I

spent here. I feel like no matter where I end up in life, I’ll always have a small piece of B.C. to call home, and for that I thank you.

There are so many organizations, groups and individuals I want to thank, but in the interests of concise writing, I’ll have to leave it at this. Some of you I’ve had the chance to speak with and thank personally, but just because I didn’t see you before I left doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate everything you do for your community on a daily basis. The Columbia Valley is without a doubt the most beautiful place I will ever have the opportunity to live and work, and it feels like I’m ripping out a part of myself by leaving. Hindsight is 20/20, and looking back now I truly wish I had made an effort to get to know some of you better, and to make more of my time here.

Best of luck, Steve Jessel

Community Calendar Submit your events: production@invermerevalleyecho.com

THURS DEC 20 • Last day to drop off Coats for Kids, CIBC, Monkey's Uncle, 4th Ave near RONA, Hot Springs Studio in Fairmont.

Deadline is noon.

250-342-2033 for more information.

Volunteers needed to hand out coats.

DEC 2123 • Late night shopping, Invermere, until 8 p.m each night • Killer Rollbots gift wrapping, visitor's information hut beside Book Bar, 6 8:30 p.m.

FRI DEC 21 • CV Rockies play Golden Rockets, LETTERS (continued from page A6) Eddie Mountain fear of conjuring up a monster — not unlike about fair representation for ALL of us? What Memorial Arena, like Beetlejuice or Bloody Mary! about jobs, healthcare, education and infra- 7:30 p.m.

This round: “Politics vs Accomplishments.”

Norm’s official opponent, BC Liberal candidate Doug Clovechok, comes out swinging, suggesting a responsible MLA should give constituents continued update on his accomplishments, not just a bi-weekly anti-BC Liberal commentary.

Norm vehemently disagrees, claiming that letting us know what he is up to would be akin to creating a “bragging list” and transparency surrounding his work would breach the MLA’s “code of ethics?” Dylex! Norm explains his primary role is to spout a non-stop smear campaign against the BC Liberal Party.

Norm clearly deserves some kudos; he works very hard for his party and he is a good critic — this is an essential component of his role and serves to keep the conversations and issues balanced. What about the rest of the role? What

structure? Many of us feel orphaned by Norm’s lack of representation, forcing us to search out surrogates in his absence. He has left us cut off, stranded — he had severed many ties between us and Victoria; he stands shoulder to shoulder with special interest groups and fights to kill jobs in our region, simultaneously ignoring the voices of those who support responsible growth.

Dylex Norm!! For eight years we’ve waited for your bragging lists and all we get week after week is NDP grandstanding and excuses.

To date, Doug’s bragging list is very impressive. Many of us already rely on him to carry our urgent needs to the provincial and federal governments and they listen. Doug supports education, strong communities, opportunities for families and initiatives that create jobs.

CONTINUES TO 'LETTERS' ON PAGE A8

Rotary of Radium Hot Springs meets at Higher Ground, Wednesdays at 7 a.m. Ongoing fundraising is going towards the Bicycle Pump Track.

Rotary Club of Invermere meets every Thursday at 11:45 a.m. in the mezzanine at Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena. The Rotary meeting on December 20 will be a Christmas party.

Chris Elder of Panorama Mountain Village presents everything Yureme will need for a ski season.

Rotary International

SUN DEC 23 • Tim Hortons Free Skate, Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena, 5:45 - 6:45 p.m.

MON DEC 24 • Christmas Eve Fireworks, Conrad Kain Park, Wilmer.

Bonfires and hot chocolate, 8 p.m.

• Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Fairmont Ski Area THURS DEC 27 • Tim Hortons Free Skate, Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena, 5:30 - 7 p.m.

MON DEC 31 • Village of Radium Hot Springs 22nd Birthday Celebration at Brent’s Shack, 3 - 6 p.m.

• Village of Radium Hot Springs Annual Fire Works Celebration, Springs Driving Range, 6:30 p.m.

EVERY SUNDAY

• Public Indoor Rock Climbing, Laird School, 5-8 p.m., $5.

• Radium Seniors’ Carpet Bowling, 1:30 p.m., Seniors' Hall 2nd SUNDAY • LW Alliance Church Sing and Celebrate, 7 p.m.

For more information call Clarence Stauffer, 250-3429580 EVERY MONDAY • Gentle drop-in carpet bowling, 1:30 p.m., Seniors' Centre • Cadets, 6:30-9 p.m. for boys and girls, ages 12-17. Cost: FREE (includes uniform). Info: Rick Dendy 250-341-1509.

• Duplicate Bridge, 6:30 p.m., Invermere Seniors’ Hall, $2/ person. Visitors welcome • EK Brain Injury Support Group, 1-3 p.m., Family Resource Centre. Info: 250-344-5674 1st & 3rd TUESDAY • OPT clinic, 6:308:30 p.m., Inv. Health Unit, 85010th Ave. Confidential service: low-cost birth control, and STI testing 1st TUESDAY • Invermere Camera Club 7 p.m. Tanya, tanyadeleeuw65@ gmail.com EVERY TUESDAY • Yoga THRIVEYoga for Cancer Survivors. Hot springs studio, Fairmont Village Mall. For info call Jan Klimek at 250-342-1195 • Shuswap Bingo at the Shuswap Indian Band Office downstairs, doors open at 5:30 p.m., early bird at 6:45 p.m., regular games at 7 p.m.

• Cubs (8-10 year

olds) and Beavers (5-7 year olds), JA Laird, 6 - 7 p.m.

1st & 3rd WED • Scrabble Night at Invermere Public Library. 6 - 8 p.m.

Call 250-342-6416 2nd & 4th WED • Seniors' Day at the Invermere Library.

Bus provided EVERY WEDNESDAY • Indoor soccer, DTSS gym. Drop-in, $2, 8:30-10:00 p.m.

EVERY THURSDAY • Cadets, 6:30-9 p.m. for boys and girls, ages 12-17. Cost: FREE (includes uniform). Info: Rick Dendy 250-341-1509 • Children's Air Rifle Program, with the LWDRGC, Inv. Community Hall, 7 - 8:30 p.m., free of charge, ages 6-15. Learn safety, marksmanship, equipment provided EVERY FRIDAY • Baby Goose program for parents and babies up to 18 months. 9:3011:30 a.m. at Eileen Madson Primary. kandruschuk@cbal. org • Public Indoor Rock Climbing, Laird School, 5-8 p.m., $5.

• Preschool Story Time at the Invermere Public Library, 10:30 a.m. For info visit invermere.bclibrary.ca EVERY SATURDAY • Public Indoor Rock Climbing, Laird School, 5-8 p.m., $5.

INVERMERE THRIFT STORE • Thursdays 10 a.m.

- 4 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 1 - 4 p.m.

A8 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

LETTERS (continued from page A7) He is working to improve vital staffing in our healthcare system, fights for seniors and aids in creating partnerships for industry.

Aside from his fulltime job, Doug works tirelessly in commu-

nities throughout the Columbia River-Revelstoke riding to improve the overall quality of life for the people in our region — all of this and he still finds ample time to rebuke socialism and criticize

the NDP Party.

Norm is well paid by the tax payers of B.C. and boasts the third highest travel expenses in the province — we had an expectation of a much higher return on our

investment than an NDP cheerleader...

Doug already understands the roles and responsibilities of an MLA and acts accordingly.

I will look forward to reading the lists of

his accomplishments as our MLA — accomplishments that will be worth bragging for!

Dave McGrath Invermere

Read the signs Dear Editor, The Valley

Echo

of December 5 described the discovery of a huge water leak at 12th Avenue.

When the total system consumption of water is higher than normal, one should suspect a problem. At this time of year, with no lawn irrigation,

the volume of water distributed should be approximately equal to the amount sewage received at the disposal beds. A large difference in these volumes should be viewed with suspicion.

Stan Rokosh Invermere

Ramble On— Marilyn Berry

Peek at pensions

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Somebody asked me a while back about some upcoming changes to Canadian pension they had heard about. I said I would look into it to see what was going on. Well, I’m glad I did because I learned a lot.

The specific fear that I was asked about appears to be unfounded, thankfully. There was a private member’s bill before Parliament suggesting several changes, one of which would have affected residency requirements in order to collect the Old Age Security (OAS). The current requirement is 10 years of adult life and will remain that way because the bill suggesting a shorter period of time has been withdrawn.

At this time, you have to be 65 in order to collect the OAS (unless you are a survivor — there are some different rules for that) and the amount you are paid is pretty much based on how much of your adult life you lived in Canada. The OAS is funded by the Government of Canada. Major changes being introduced over the coming years will affect those aged 54 and under, however. For instance, they are going to have to work a couple of years longer until the age of 67 before they can collect.

The Canadian Pension Plan

(CPP) is completely funded by mandatory contributions from both employees and employers. It likely wouldn’t hurt to consult a professional before applying for this or any pension. I’m contemplating applying now at the age of 60. Or I could decide to wait until I’m 70 — it is my right to do so. The amount I receive each month will be less, though, the earlier I elect to receive it. By the way, in order to qualify for a CPP you must have worked in Canada and contributed to the plan for at least one pay period.

Don’t start thinking about fairness here — the amount you receive is based on the amount contributed on your behalf so I doubt that anybody working for one pay period is going to get much at all!

The fear on the street has always been: “By the time it’s my turn there isn’t going to be anything left!”

I’ve been hearing that since I was in my early twenties and, as a matter of fact ,I may have even said it a time or two. It looks to me, though, that the baby boomers will be looked after.

If you’d like to learn more about this, visit www.servicescanada. gc.ca and you’ll find a lot of information.

Just In The Nick Of Time– We’d like to deliver our greetings for a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our neighbors and friends.

Thanks, folks!

North Star Hardware & Building Supplies Ltd. Independently owned 410 Borden Street • Athalmer

250-342-6226

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A9

NEWS

Wealth of health

PHOTO BY NICOLE TRIGG/THE ECHO Graduates of the College of the Rockies health care assistant program celebrated at Strand's Old House Restaurant on Friday (December 14) after finishing their practicums at Invermere's Columbia Garden Village. Graduates of the program will provide front-line care, including home support as well as residential care. The next intake for the program is scheduled for January. BOTTOM ROW (L-R) Instructor Karen Leinor, Raeleen Fehr, Darcey Dorherty, Instructor Aline Sholinder, Carmen Mendoza, Imelda Mendoza and Elisbeth Ballman. MIDDLE ROW (L-R) Amanda Thiesen, Emelisa Ombing, Erin Elliot, Jacquiline Valerio and Chelsea Pilot. TOP ROW (L-R) Andy Weismmann, Angela Carroll, Efren Bedia.

RDEK Public Hearing Notices Bylaw 2417 & 2418

Bylaw Amendment - Lake Windermere

Invermere bylaw enforcement services contracted out Briefs from the District of Invermere council meeting on December 11 STEVE JESSEL reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

After advertising for three weeks for the position of bylaw enforcement services, the District of Invermere (DOI) received only one proposal and as such have awarded the contract to the Commissionaires British Columbia (CBC).

The initial term will commence on January 1, 2013 and will run until December 31, 2013. At that time, the contract may be terminated or extended to a maximum of five years. The proposal submitted will cost the district an annual amount of $26,520, not including taxes. The Commissionaires’ proposal is based upon 20 hours per week at an hourly rate of $25.50 plus applicable taxes. The contractor will be responsible for investigation, reporting, resolving violations, issuing violation tickets and warnings and the collection of fees for municipal bylaws, including but not limited to: zoning, development permits, streets and traffic, unsightly premises, signs, deposit of fill, soil removal, loitering and public nuisances, noise, building, animal, wildlife feeding and solid waste.

The Commissionaires is one the largest private security organizations in Canada, with over 20,000 employees across the country and approximately 300 in the B.C. Interior. The CBC also provide enforcement services to 16 other municipalities of similar size.

New water billing bylaw eyed While the DOI is exploring a new water billing bylaw to combat ever-mounting infrastructure costs, basement suites will be exempt from any changes.

Currently, the district charges anywhere from $85 to $465 bi-annually for a base water meter fee. The proposed bylaw would see a $95 bi-annual base fee for all residential units, including strata owners, apartments, duplexes, three-plexes and four-plexes.

Council voted 4-1 in favour of excluding basement suites from any new bylaw, with councillor Greg Anderson saying that it would serve to discourage illegal secondary suite owners from identifying themselves and getting their suite registered.

There are only 47 legal secondary suites in Invermere, although mayor Gerry Taft acknowledged that there are plenty more that are unaccounted for.

District Director of Finance Karen Cote said applying the new water billing bylaw to the 47 registered secondary suites in Invermere would bring in roughly $9,000 per year. Councillor Paul Denchuk was the only councillor to vote against excluding basement suites.

“The argument for charging a flat fee versus a ‘per water meter fee’ was that inherently there is a base cost of providing water to a dwelling unit and includes the cost of maintaining the distribution lines, pressure reducing stations, the chlorine contact chamber, the water metering program, cross connection program, reservoirs, booster stations, etc.,” Cote stated in her report to council.

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Board of Directors is considering an amendment to the Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw and the Lake Windermere Official Community Plan.

Bylaw No. 2417 cited as “Regional District of East Kootenay – Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 1992 – Amendment Bylaw No. 277, 2012, (LWMP Implementation / RDEK)” will include six new surface water zones and corresponding definitions and regulations for Lake Windermere.

Bylaw No. 2418 cited as “Regional District of East Kootenay – Lake Windermere Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2061, 2008 – Amendment Bylaw No. 13, 2012, (LWMP Implementation / RDEK)” will include a new shoreline development permit area and amend the policies for Lake Windermere.

A public hearing will be held at: Windermere Community Hall 4726 North Street Windermere, BC Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 7:00 pm The Board has delegated the holding of this hearing to the Directors for Electoral Area F, Electoral Area G and the District of Invermere.

If you believe that your interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw, you may prior to the hearing: • inspect the Bylaw and supporting information at the RDEK office in Cranbrook from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays; • mail, fax or email written submissions to the addresses/numbers shown below; or • present written and/or verbal submissions at the hearing.

Submissions cannot be accepted after the public hearing.

All written submissions are public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This notice is not an interpretation of the Bylaw. For more information, contact Karen MacLeod, Planner, at 250-489-0313, toll free at 1-888-478-7335.

Bylaw 2423

Bylaw Amendment - Columbia Lake The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Board of Directors is considering an amendment to the Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw.

Bylaw No. 2423 cited as “Regional District of East Kootenay – Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 1992 – Amendment Bylaw No. 278, 2012 (Columbia Lake / RDEK)” will amend the surface water zones for Columbia Lake.

A public hearing will be held at: Columbia Ridge Community Centre 6890 Columbia Lake Road Fairmont Hot Springs, BC Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 4:00 pm The Board has delegated the holding of this hearing to the Directors for Electoral Area F, Electoral Area G and the Village of Canal Flats.

If you believe that your interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw, you may prior to the hearing: • inspect the Bylaw and supporting information at the RDEK office in Cranbrook from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays; • mail, fax or email written submissions to the addresses/numbers shown below; or • present written and/or verbal submissions at the hearing.

Submissions cannot be accepted after the public hearing.

All written submissions are public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This notice is not an interpretation of the Bylaw. For more information, contact Karen MacLeod, Planner, at 250-489-0313, toll free at 1-888-478-7335.

19 - 24th Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8

Phone: 250-489-2791 Toll Free: 1-888-478-7335 Email: info@rdek.bc.ca Website: www.rdek.bc.ca

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A10 www.invermerevalleyecho.com Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

COMMUNITY

Later in February, Klemmer and Associates will return to the resort to facilitate a Personal Mastery weekend. Contact Shopland at 250-342-8978 for more information, tickets and registration for both events. Advance tickets for the January workshop are $20 (also available at The Book Bar) or $59 at the door.

Available in most new Ford vehicles with 6-month pre-paid subscription

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A11

COMMUNITY

Crafty kids

Where Family and Fun Come Together

VENICE POOL TABLE

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BRISTOL POOL TABLE

Photo by Steve Jessel/The Echo Students from Windermere Elementary had a chance to do a little artwork when they visited Pynelogs on Wednesday, December 12, and were proud to show off their handmade snowmen to a certain photographer who stopped by.

Water expert weighs in on local water debate Upper Columbia residents must anticipate challenges, plan together for the future: Sears LAKE WINDERMERE AMBASSADORS

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Special to The Valley Echo

now or a lot later,” she said. “It will be cheaper to address things now than to wait until things are really a problem and really expensive.”

Sears also suggested that people should not expect the valley to stay in its present state, but that it will be influenced by things like climate change and population growth.

“We live in one of the best parts of the world. People will want to move here because they live in places that are getting less and less nice.”

Participants expressed an appreciation for water-based recreation in this region and the tourism in the area because of the lake. Their concerns related to uncertainty about future water quality, water quantity, lake levels, and how water management will affect the wetlands and the wildlife that depend on them.

Participants also expressed a love of fishing, and a concern about the loss of native fish and the introduction of invasive species.

The LWA plan on hosting more community conversations about water in the coming year.

“This is the first of several open conversations we would like to host to discuss our lake and watershed, how we interact with them, what's being done to protect them... and what can be done,” said LWA chair Paul Christy.

In FR sta E HE llat E RE io IN n

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SUBMITTED PHOTO BY KIRSTEN HARMA Dr. Anna Warwick Sears of the Okanagan Basin Water Board advises Upper Columbia residents to tackle water challenges before they become serious issues.

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The Lake Windermere Ambassadors (LWA) recently hosted an event designed to tap into local knowledge and build greater awareness of watershed issues. Dr. Anna Warwick Sears, executive director of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, was the keynote speaker and spoke with an audience of about thirty people on December 10th at CopperPoint Resort.

Sears advised residents in the Upper Columbia watershed to anticipate future water challenges before they become serious problems.

Conversing with each other about water is the first step in this process.

“Having a good future means acting today,” said Sears. “When is the best time to plant a tree? Thirty years ago; the second best time is today.”

“Right now we have the problem of the 'incredible shrinking government',” cautioned Sears. “With all the cuts to the budget and reorganization of Ministries and responsibilities, we lost the people who used to monitor water quality and quantity.”

She told the audience not to expect provincial government to step up to sort out water issues in this region. Her advice for the residents of the Upper Columbia was to identify shared values and concerns, then plan together for the future.

“You’ll either have to pay a little

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A12 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

COMMUNITY

Greenways extends paved trail Future goal is to link Fairmont Hot Springs to Radium GREENWAYS ALLIANCE

What could be better than buying a gift of learning for that special someone this Christmas Season?

College of the Rockies offers a variety of general interest courses including: * learning a different language * photography * cooking * arts & crafts * fitness and sport * home beauty * outdoor education * computer workshops and more.

There’s something for everyone.

Register today!

Contact the Invermere campus today:

250.342.3210

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invermerevalleyecho.com

Special to The Valley Echo

This fall, the crew from Kootenay Paving completed the last section of the trail now connecting Castle Rock, through Invermere and up to the Tim Hortons at the crossroads. Now walkers, hikers, runners and cyclists are getting closer to realizing the goal of connecting Radium and Invermere via a safe paved pathway for non-­motorized users.

B:8.81” Greenways' vision is to build a paved spine T:8.81” trail that will connect S:8.81”

both valley communities and extend down to Fairmont Hot Springs along Westside Road. From the paved spine, many other types of trails can be developed which will cater to additional user groups and activities.

These types of trails can really help bring a community together.

"Just look at the large numbers of people who utilize the paved trail from Banff to Canmore or Cranbrook to Kimberley”,

SUBMITTED PHOTO The new paved trail connecting Castle Rock, Invermere and the Crossroads.

said Greenways director Mark Halwa.

“It is great to see national level athletes roller skiing along-

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A key success factor has been the alliance between all the partners. The Shuswap band and the Ministry of Transport worked together to make the land available, the RDEK managed the paving project, the District of Invermere has been maintaining the existing trail and Columbia Basin Trust has recently provided a $25,000 grant for another phase — the Copper Point trail.

The current phase was approximately $38,000 ­— the Ministry of Transport contributed $6,000, the RDEK $15,000, and Greenways contributed the remaining $17,000.

Greenways does have a plan to connect the latest trail extension now at the crossroads to its existing Old Coach trail, which extends all the way into Radium, and is currently working with several land owners to ensure the trail will get to the Dry Gulch entrance of the Old Coach trail with only one highway crossing.

Visit www.greenways.ca or Columbia River Greenways Alliance on Facebook or email info@greenways.ca to find out more and get involved.

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A13

Last Minute Gifts Last minute holiday shopping tips Christmas Pyjamas are in!

CONTRIBUTED

We also carry jewellery, leather, books and many more great gift selections

Special to The Valley Echo

Nearly everyone has a last minute holiday shopping horror story to tell. Be it a late-season grab for a child's must-have gift or fighting fellow procrastinators for a parking spot come the waning days of the season, veteran shoppers have experienced it all.

Panic and last minute shopping is a common scenario around the holidays.

Shoppers have the best intentions to get their gifts early, but whether because of work obligations or social events, the task seems to get pushed further and further into December. Soon many are staring down the calendar experiencing sweaty palms. Many others may be putting off holiday shopping simply because of the current state of the economy and affordability.

While those with more experience might know the tricks of the late season shopping trade, novice procrastinators might need a few of the following tips to make it through the season without a horror story of their own.

• Shop local! Save yourself hours on the road and shop here in town. Use the time you would spend driving considering what to pick up locally for those on your list. Though procrastinators are in no danger of becoming extinct, most people do get their holiday shopping done well in advance of Christmas Day. As a result, truly last minute shoppers might find the shops aren't so crowded

the days just before Christmas.

While the pickings might be slim for shoppers who wait until then, the lines may not be as long and the parking spots probably won't be as scarce.

But keep in mind it will be impossible for a gift purchased on Christmas Eve to find its way under a tree unless you personally bring it to a loved one. If you can't give the gift in person on Christmas, don't wait until Christmas Eve to buy it.

Many local shops are having special late night shopping events close to Christmas in order to help the last minute shoppers.

• Gift certificates: They may not have sentimental meaning behind them, but gift certificates are fast and easy. Chances are you can run into a store and be out with a handful of gift certificates in less than 15 minutes, depending on lines at the checkout counter.

Also, many supermarkets, bookstores and other retailers offer gift certificates kiosks enabling you to shop for different gift cards all in one place.

• Go the food-andbeverage route. One of the worst things about last minute holiday shopping is dealing with fellow procrastinators at the local shops. Last minute shoppers tend to be as short on patience as they are on time. To avoid the lines, last minute shoppers can give the gift of food or drink for those friends or family members you will be seeing during the holiday season. A

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nice bottle of wine or regularly. With fluctua collection of gour- ating gas prices, filling met cheeses make up the tank can be an thoughtful gifts, and expensive venture. last minute shoppers Having a pre-paid gift don't need to visit card can help. a busy shop to get • Donate in a loved them. one's name. If a spe• Consider a monthly cific charity is near gift. A monthly gift like and dear to a loved a magazine subscrip- one's heart, make tion or a membership a donation in their to a monthly club (i.e., name. Charities are "Pastry of the Month") among the many orare gifts that keep on ganizations that are giving all-year. Late- struggling to surseason shoppers will vive in the current find these options es- economy, and your pecially appealing as donation might go a they can almost always long way to helping be ordered in just a few a cause your loved minutes, whether it's one truly supports. over the phone or via There are many local the Internet. charitites and non• Gas card: It may profit groups, as well. sound funny and Perhaps introducing tacky, but a gas card your loved one may from a brand-name spark a new passion station is a univer- and they'll continue sally acceptable gift to get involved!

2.8125” x•3” Gift wrapping: for anyone who drives

look for gift wrapping services to save on time. Your gift purchase may have been last minute, but that doesn't meant the gift itself needs to look last minute.

Bring it to a someone with the skill to wrap it beautifully.

Waiting until the last minute for shopping can induce some anxiety. But knowing about easy gifts for procrastinators can take the stress out of this type of shopping. Remember this helpful list and finish your last minute shopping this Christmas season with less stress.

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Come into the Valley Echo office and sign our signature page!

• The cost is $5 which goes towards our Columbia Valley Food Bank.

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Fairmont Goldsmiths Give a timeless gift to that special someone this holiday season.

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year.

Golden office holiday hours:

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Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

FEATURE

The art of Christmas tree making NICOLE TRIGG editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

A

short, scraggly Douglas Fir leaning off to one side might not look like anything of value to most people, but to Eric Rasmussen, it has the potential to become a perfect Christmas tree with a little bit of help.

Born and raised in Edgewater, Rasmussen has been farming native stand Christmas trees in the Columbia Valley his entire life. Native stand trees, unlike those farmed on a plantation, are naturally occurring and the Columbia Valley is full of them.

“The valley bottom is excellent on this real poor, hilly, gravelly ground for native stand Christmas trees,” said Rasmussen, surveying a piece of property full of Douglas firs to the north of Radium Hot Springs. “The soil is poor here, it’s very, very low grade timber, and so that’s why the Christmas tree thing has taken off so well here.”

In its heyday, the valley’s Christmas tree industry saw nearly half a million trees cut a year. That was back in the ‘50s when two large American buying companies – the Kirk Company and JA Hofert – owned large tracts of land in the area and were operating in full swing. The majority of their trees went to California, some went to the Eastern seaboard and others even as far as Mexico.

Smaller operators were also shipping trees to Calgary, Edmonton and the prairies.

“They did a lot of development work on the Christmas trees,” said Rasmussen. “Both companies had big crews that worked year round on improving the Christmas tree quality; locals were working in the whole system of farming Christmas trees.”

Production dropped in the late ‘90s when both companies downsized and moved out of the area.

Nowadays, Rasmussen estimates that about 100,000 trees are harvested annually by property owners wholesaling their own trees, with roughly one hundred individual operators selling anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 native stand trees each.

“There are lots of small pieces of private land that are being used and farmed,” Rasmussen said.

The government also leases out pieces of property through Christmas Tree Permits, he said, but the permits are increasingly harder to come by.

“One of the reasons for the downfall is that the Ministry of Forests has not wanted to be involved in Christmas trees, and that has been a real downfall in the industry,” Rasmussen said. “Earlier

years with different management, they really pushed the Christmas tree thing and it was a good thing for many people.”

Another reason for the drop in production, according to Rasmussen, is that the art of native stand farming is no longer properly practiced.

“ T h e re’s lots of people who will go and cut what we call a wild tree, get whatever they can get here, and that’s where it’s at,” he said. “My point is you have all these millions of stems that are there and are not going to amount to anything unless they’re worked on.”

The work is called culturing, which is the process of shaping, shearing and thinning a wild tree over time to help develop it into a perfectly symmetrical tree. Rasmussen said that while most native stand trees vary in age, from 30 to 100 years, a wild tree that has been worked on can develop into a perfect Christmas tree within five years.

“It’s just the most amazing thing,” he said, pointing to a branch angling upwards that he’s identified as a future Christmas tree. “It will straighten itself out.”

Sacrificing other branches on a stem will allow

for one branch to become the dominant leader and eventually develop into a tree. With cultural work, one stem can generate multiple trees over time and evidence of this method can be seen on what’s called “stump trees” from Radium to Edgewater.

“If you walk around, you can see on different stems where a branch has been cut off, it was a Christmas tree,” Rasmussen said. “I’ve got up to 11 growing off the same stem.”

Any brush created during the cultural work is then left at the base of the stem where it decomposes to produces nitrogen and carbon, which act as natural fertilizer.

Height ranges from two to 20 feet with the five to seven footers accounting for 75 per cent of orders. A single tree at today’s prices is worth roughly $10 to $15 dollars; the key to being profitable is always having a tree on the go.

"There’s a tremendous market,” he said. “People who are in it cannot begin to supply the market and at the moment there are very few people who are putting the effort in to getting a quality tree so they aren’t pursuing it enough.”

For the valley to have a thriving native stand Christmas tree industry again, Rasmussen said what’s needed are people who have the initiative to do the physical work and the necessary planning.

“First of all you would join the Kootenay Christmas Tree Association and pick up what knowledge you can there and then we have field days where we do a full day of teaching,” he said, “and what most people do is they find somebody who is doing well in the industry and they go and work with them for a while.”

When you’re in it, he said, you understand whether you’re going to get a thousand or 3,000 off a parcel of land.

“It’s always a visual thing but you go into an area and you work every stem and you plan out what’s going to happen,” Rasmussen said. “Every stem here should make a Christmas tree, the smaller ones, every one will make it.”

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A15

Letters to Santa

Geoff Hill MaxWell Realty Invermere

This week The Valley Echo managed to intercept the flow of Santa letters from Edgewater Elementary School to give our readers a peek at some Christmas wish lists before they're sent to the North Pole.

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A16 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Arts & Entertainment Violin virtuoso

PHOTO BY NICOLE TRIGG/ THE ECHO Electric violinist Kyla T. Uyede LeBlanc, better known by her stage name Kytami, graced the stage with DJ Joshua James at Bud's Bar & Lounge on Wednesday, December 12 as part of her Beats, Strings and Life Tour with opening act, fellow electric violinist Michael Fraser. Kytami gained fame performing with the group Delhi 2 Dublin and is now pursuing a solo career.

Bestseller for Kootenay author lows the story of twenty-five year-old Conrad Kain, from his tiny Austrian village of Nasswald located in the heart of the Rax Mountains to Canada. Kain boarded a CPR ship en route to the Canadian Rockies and became the first official mountain guide of the STEVE JESSEL newly formed Alpine Club of Canada. reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com Powell's novel was first released in early 2012 through his own publishA Kootenay author can celebrate a ing company, Wild Horse Creek Press huge success this week, as Keith Powell's and is now available at bookstores historical novel, Raising Kain – The Adventurous Life of Conrad Kain, Canada’s across the Kootenay region.

Book reviewer and Alpine Club of Greatest Mountaineer, is now a Kootenay Canada member Ron Dart has the foland British Columbia bestseller having lowing to say about Raising Kain: sold more than 1,000 copies.

"Raising Kain is a must-purchase “It is known in the book industry that and must-read for those keen to know if a book sells 5,000 copies in Canada more about Canadian mountaineering or 1,000 in British Columbia it is considered a bestseller,” said Powell, a history and culture, the Alpine Club Cranbrook-based author, in a release. of Canada and, equally important, a “So I guess at over 1,000 copies sold, creative approach and interpretation it makes my second book a 'Kootenay' of Kain’s life through photographs, bestseller and B.C. bestseller too."

CONTINUES TO 'RAISING' ON PAGE A20 Raising Kain begins in 1909 and fol-

Raising Kain sells over 1,000 copies to become a Kootenay bestseller

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SUBMITTED PHOTO Cranbrook author Keith Powell's second book, Raising Kain, follows the life of local legend Conrad Kain, one of Canada's greatest mountaineers.

Peace · Love · Happiness

What does ART From the CV Arts Board of Directors mean to you?

Visit columbiavalleyarts.com for our current events calendar, or call 250-342-4423.

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A17

Sports

Have a sports tip? editor@invermerevalleyecho.com or 250-342-9216

High stakes at Panorama Canadians perform well at Audi Coupe Nor-Am Cup at Panorama this past week, Invermere local Grasic 37th in Super Combined STEVE JESSEL reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

The international skiing stars of the future have been at Panorama this past week, as the Audi Coupe Nor-Am Cup hit the slopes from Monday, December 10 to Monday, December 17.

The event began with the Ladies' Super-G on December 12, and in a strange happenstance, no less than three skiers would tie for third place in the event. Canadian Mikaela Tommy and Americans Abby Ghent and Anna Marno all finished with a total time of 58.45 seconds for a third place tie.

In the next event, the Ladies' super combined, the Canadians took the first of many first place finishes, with Erin Mielzynski claiming top honours, followed by fellow Canadian Roni Remme. Mielzynski continued with fantastic performances as the week went on, taking third place in the Super G, third place in Giant Slalom and finally another first place in Slalom, cementing the 22-year-old's status as one of Canada's top rising stars. Mikaela Tommy also had a fantastic week, placing second in Giant Slalom.

On the men's side, the event didn't open until Wednesday, December 12, when Canadian Paul Stutz handily won the first Men's Slalom event. Local skier Martin Grasic also competed, but had a tough couple runs and was unable to finish. Grasic was also unable to finish his runs during the Men's Giant Slalom competition, but recovered to sit in 63rd place out of 110 racers in the Men's Super G as of press deadline, with one run left to complete. Grasic also performed well in the Men's Super Combined, taking 37th place. The top Canadian finisher in Giant Slalom was William St. Germain, who took second, and in Super Combined Canadian Philip Brown finished in third.

photos by Steve jessel/the echo Canadian skier Curtis McKillop (top) almost loses his balance during the Mens Slalom on December 13; Slovakian Matej Falat (bottom) took sixth place with a strong run.

Columbia Valley Rockies Home Game:

Friday, December 21 7:30 P.M. Thank you to our major sponsors

VS

A18 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

SPORTS

Rockies beat Kimberley, overtake Creston in standings Rockies add league's fourth leading scorer to roster, now in fourth place in division STEVE JESSEL reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

While the Columbia Valley Rockies

have been on the losing end of plenty of

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shutouts this season — five, to be exact — they hadn't yet shut out an opponent 32 games into the season. That all changed on Friday, December 14 against the Kimberley Dynamiters when rookie goalie Stewart Pratt stopped 30 shots to backstop the Rockies to a 1-0 victory on home ice.

"It was a team effort," coach Ross Bidinger said. "I mean obviously Pratt played well but we were playing good defensively."

The Rockies were sporting a new look roster heading into the game against Kimberley, having acquired high-scoring forward Brendan Burge from the Fernie Ghostriders prior to the Rockies 4-2 loss to Golden on December 11. Burge is one of the top pointgetters in the league, having amassed 20 goals and 19 assists in just 23 games with the Ghostriders this season, averaging over a point and

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VALLEY ECHO T he

The Rockies would have a golden opportunity to overtake the Creston Valley Thunder Cats in the standings when they played in Creston the very next night (December 15), and with a 4-1 victory the Rockies took sole possession of fourth place in the division. Four different Rockies players scored in the victory, and goalie Stewart Pratt had another outstanding night in net stopping 25 of 26 shots.

The Rockies would next play the Fernie Ghostriders in Invermere on December 18. The score was not available by press deadline. The Rockies final game before the Christmas break will be against the division-leading Golden Rockets, when they visit the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena on Friday (December 21).

photo by steve jessel/the echo Forward Ryan Henderson takes possession of the puck during the Rockies 1-0 win over Kimberley on December 14.

a half per game. He hasn't slowed his torrid scoring pace since joining the Rockies either, scoring two goals against Golden in his

no better save than on a two-on-one break

by Kimberley midway through the period.

Pratt would also stop several attempts on the

“We put a solid effort in... and that was pretty much the key to it.” ross bidinger columbia valley rockies coach

first game on December 11, and following that up with the opening goal of the shutout win against Kimberley on December 14 and an assist against Creston on December 15.

With three goals and an assist in his first three games with club, Burge was second in the league in goals with 23, and fourth in points with 43 at press deadline, despite having played considerably less games than some of his contemporaries. "(Burge brings) some skill, he's a leader," Bidinger said.

"He's just good allaround."

After Burge's first period goal against Kimberley just over a minute into the game, the Rockies consistently controlled the pace of play as the period went on, and outshot the Dynamiters 14-7 through the first 20 minutes. Heading into the second period, Pratt was playing lights out, and made

ensuing rebound, and the Rockies clung to their 1-0 lead heading into the third period despite the Dynamiters beginning to find their offensive spark.

The Rockies definitely opened the final period on the back foot, allowing several quality chances in the opening minutes.

Luckily for them, Pratt would bail them out time and again as the period progressed, although he'll probably want to get his goalposts a thank-you card after Kimberley had several shots ring off the uprights.

With eight minutes remaining Pratt could be seen nervously glancing up at the scoreboard, but on this night everything would bounce the Rockies way. A couple minutes after having yet another shot ring off the iron, Kimberley would get their best chance to equalize on a breakaway, but the Dynamiter skater

would lose his footing, the puck, and consequently the game as the Rockies won by a final score of 1-0.

"We really wanted those two points," Bidinger said. "We put a solid effort in… and that was pretty much the key to it."

KIJHL Standings-Dec. 17 Kootenay Conference - Eddie Mountain Division Team

GP

W

L

T

PTS.

Golden

33

19

11

1

41

Fernie

29

18

8

1

39

Kimberley

34

19

15

0

38

Columbia Valley

32

11

17

0

26

Creston Valley

34

12

20

0

26

Kootenay Conference - Neil Murdoch Division Team

GP

W

L

T

PTS.

Nelson

32

24

6

1

50

Castlegar

32

19

7

5

44

Beaver Valley

33

20

11

1

42

Spokane

32

12

18

1

26

Grand Forks

34

5

27

0

12

Oldtimer Hockey Standings Regular Season Team

GP

W

L

T

PTS.

Inside Edge

14

9

4

1

19

Warwick Interiors

14

8

3

3

19

Huckleberry's

14

7

4

3

17

Finish Line

14

5

6

3

13

Radium Petro

14

6

8

0

12

Kicking Horse

14

5

8

1

11

Hi-Heat

14

5

8

1

11

Aquair

14

5

9

0

10

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A19

SPORTS

Movember no more PHOTO BY STEVE JESSEL/THE ECHO The Columbia Valley Rockies Movember campaign has come to an end, and Rockies players Brandon Lijdsman (left), Josh Haley and Rockies guest services girls Lauren Phillips (mid left) and Hunter Pietrasky were on hand to present Sheila Tutty with a check for $1,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. The funds were raised through sales of treats and from puck tosses.

Thank you!

For the extra help across streets and the short rides!

DLW

Radium Hot Springs Sunrise Rotary Club Our commitment is to ‘Service Above Self’ The Club meets at 7 a.m. every Wednesday at Higher Ground.

Since 2003, the Radium Rotarians have: 1) Built Rotary Park at the junction where Highway 93 meets Highway 93/95, 2) Provided funds for the construction of one of the bridges on the Sinclair Creek trail system 3) Sponsored student exchanges between local high school students and those of other countries such as Brazil and Japan 4) Provided bursaries for graduating students.

5) Partially funded the lovely lights and trees that decorate the main streets of Radium each Christmas time 6) cleaned Radium’s mile-long hill of debris twice a year with local Rotarians and friends 7) Raised funds to support an internationally project to eradicate polio worldwide 8) Helped support an orphanage in Honduras.

Blast Off — Hayley Wilson & Kate Atkinson

'Tis the season to be healthy This time of year is notorious for over-indulging, which can lead to unwanted weight gain and reduced energy. It’s easy to lose control of good eating habits over the holidays since everywhere you turn there are goodies and treats galore.

But staying on track is possible, and with a few tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be able to avoid weight gain and maintain that temple of a body you’ve been working towards all year!

1. Commit to making time for your workouts. You may have to adjust what time your workouts take place (such as switching them to the mornings, for instance), but the holidays don’t mean a holiday from exercise!

2. Moderation is key. Denying yourself of sweets will only make you want them more. Instead, set a daily sweets limit and stick to it.

3. Eat before you go to a festive gathering. If you show up to the party hungry, you’ll likely end up spending more time at the food table rather than socializing with your family

and friends.

4. If the party is a potluck, make a healthy dish to share.

By doing so, you know that at least one of the items is a healthy choice. Use a small plate, focus on veggies, and never go back for seconds.

5. Ensure you are eating a healthy, protein-rich breakfast. Protein helps give you the feeling of satiety that will last you much longer than a sugar-laden muffin.

A veggie omelet or protein smoothie are both quick and easy ways of starting your day off on the right foot!

6. Avoid displaying holiday goodies. If something sweet and tempting is staring you in the face, the laws of nature say that you will eat it regardless of whether or not you’re hungry! Give yourself a fighting chance by keeping sweet treats in one spot and not in plain view. The same is true for the office.

Rather than having a dish of bonbons at your desk, keep them in the lunch room. Refer back to Tip #2 when this gets tough.

7. Alcohol counts. If you

find yourself saying ‘It’s the holidays, let’s have another!’, remember that all forms of alcohol are empty calories that get stored as fat more easily than calories from other sources. Keep your drinks to a minimum and especially limit your intake of festive rum-nogs!

8. If you fall off the healthy wagon, climb back on! You may have a day or two of over-indulging, but don’t let that be an excuse to throw away all of your efforts. Dust yourself off, put on your runners and head to the gym.

You’ll be happy you did.

The holidays are a time to get together with friends and family and enjoy each other’s company.

While high fat and sugary foods are definitely a part of this time of year, don’t let them take centre stage. By following the tips listed above, you’ll be well on your way to avoiding weight gain. Happy Holidays!

Hayley (250-688-0024) and Kate (250-688-0221) are certified personal trainers with Fitness 4 Life. Visit their website at www.fitness4life.tv.

Radium Hot Springs Sunrise Rotary Club

District of invermere

914 - 8 Avenue • Box 339 Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0 Tel: 250.342.9281 • Fax: 250.342.2934 www.invermere.net info@invermere.net The District of Invermere 2013 Community Garbage Collection and Recycling Calendar will be distributed in the next couple of weeks. For a sneak peek of January 2013, please go to our website www.invermere. net. The 2013 calendars will be mailed to each resident but if you do not receive a calendar by January 2nd, please drop by the Municipal office to pick one up.

Holiday Schedule for Municipal Office

The Municipal Office will be closed for the Holidays from Monday, December 24th, 2012 to Friday, December 28th, 2012. The office will reopen on Monday, December 31st, 2012.

District of Invermere 2013 SCHEDULE REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL

The District of Invermere Council meets regularly throughout the year on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Office (914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere) January 8th & 22nd February 12th & 26th March 12th & 26th April 9th & 23rd May 14th & 28th June 11th & 25th July 9th August 13th September 10th & 24th October 8th & 22nd November 12th & 26th December 10th Agendas are posted on our website www.invermere.net prior to the meetings or are available at the Municipal Office.

A20 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Curtain call PHOTO BY NICOLE TRIGG/THE ECHO (L-R) Wallace Warbrick, Brooklyn Karklin, Hannah Nyegaard, Nika Louwtake a bow last Wednesday (December 12) night after the J.A. Laird's Christmas concert, “An Adaptation of a Christmas Carol” written by Mrs. O’Sullivan. It involved students as actors, artists, musicians, dancers, costume and set designers, and technicians. Through fine arts groups, students had an opportunity to focus on two areas, choosing from textiles, visual arts, music, drama, dance, and technical arts.

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Coats For Kids

Coat drop off locations until December 20th at 12 p.m. are: • •

CIBC, Mondays to Fridays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monkeys Uncle Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. 4 p.m.

•

•

443 Fourth Avenue near RONA, There will be a box outside for dropping off coats.

Please drop off coats in good condition and clean, thank you.

• The new Hot Springs Studio in Fairmont Distribution will be on December 23rd, 2 p.m. 7 p.m. at the Invermere Legion and December 27th 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Hot Springs Studio.

Contact Kristine Tan at 250-342-2033 for more information. Volunteers needed to help sort and distribute the coats.

Give and Save Until December 21, 2012 bring an item for the Columbia Valley Food Bank into the Valley Echo, and you will save 30% on your classified ad running in the same week.

Book review — The Book Bar

A glimpse into the world of autism Book review: Love Anthony Author: Lisa Genova Excerpt: And so there we were, the two of us lying on the deck together, smiling at the sky. And as the sun moved on, and our square turned to shade. Anthony sat up and shot me a sideways glance and a pleased grin that I swear said, Wasn’t that AWESOME, Mom? Didn’t you have the best time looking up at the sky with me? And then he screeched and flapped his hands and ran into the house. Yes, it was, Anthony. It was one of the best times I’ve ever had.

In her third novel, author Lisa Genova combines her bold storytelling with her academic background to give autism a voice. From the best-selling author of Still Alice and Left Neglected comes Love Anthony, a poignant tale of unconditional love, loss and acceptance.

The two main characters, Beth and Olivia, are left dealing with life-changing losses. Beth’s husband has recently left her for another woman while she struggles to come to terms with his affair and rediscover herself. Olivia’s life has been on hold since her son Anthony died, leaving her with so many

unanswered questions: what was the purpose of his life, why did he have to have autism, was he happy?

To lend a credible and believable voice to Anthony, who is non-verbal communicative at the severe end of the spectrum, Genova immersed herself in research. Consulting colleagues (she holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard), clinicians, and parents of children with autism, Genova

manages to beautifully articulate the thoughts of a young boy, without sounding forced or romanticized.

Over the course of the novel, the two protagonists discover their commonality, Anthony, and a friendship that forms hesitantly grows into a shared experience. As Beth struggles to finish a novel that desperately needs an ending, Olivia creeps closer to unlocking the key to Anthony’s mind.

The same way Still Alice gave a fresh perspective to Alzheimer’s, Love Anthony gives readers an intimate glimpse at autism, giving voice and thoughts to the person living with it. Both main characters further the story and understanding of the ups and downs of autism: one who has lived with it firsthand and is trying to find peace with it, and the other who couldn’t relate to autism until her life was touched by it.

While the novel incorporates themes of self-discovery and understanding, the greater message is acceptance and personal growth from life’s challenges.

This week’s Book Bar book review was contributed by Lindsay Mcpherson.

Raising Kain is an A++ keeper: Dart CONTINUED FROM PAGE A16

Columbia Valley Food Bank

letters, lenient fiction and hard fact history. This tome has certainly raised Kain again to the pedestal he belongs on in the Canadian mountaineering hall of fame… Raising Kain is an A++

keeper and charmer of a book that invites many a reread."

Raising Kain is Powell's second historical novel following his 2010 Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak. Powell is currently collecting stories for his next book about hiking and climbing adventures on Fisher Peak.

"It is my hope that this book, Raising Kain, The Adventurous Life of Conrad Kain — Canada’s Greatest Mountaineer, captures some of the rich heritage and legacy that Conrad Kain left behind in his relatively short but extraordinary life in the Canadian Rockies,” Powell said.

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A21

Brain Games

Columbia Valley

Weekend Weather

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Few flurries

Variable cloudiness

Cloudy periods

Temp: -1oC o Low: -8 C Precip: 1 cm

Temp: -4oC o Low: -8 C Precip: none

Temp: -4oC Low: -9oC Precip: none

December 21

Crossword December 19, 2012

December 23

December 22

CLUES ACROSS 1. 1st Hall of Famer Ty 5. Coat with plaster 9. Reciprocal of a sine (abbr.)

12. Jai __, sport 13. Straight muscles 14. 10 = 1 dong 15. Peru’s capital 16. Of a main artery 17. Latin for hail 18. Give birth to a horse 19. Colors material 20. Triglyceride is one 22. Take a plane hostage 24. Margarines 25. A tributary of the Missouri River 26. Bring up children 27. 3rd tone of the scale

VALLEY ECHO T he

28. Light boat (French) 31. Relating to geometry 33. Cursed, obstinate 34. Aluminum 35. Sec. of State 1981-82 36. Barn towers 39. Bonito genus 40. Deep ravines 42. Spirit in “The Tempest” 43. Small restaurant 44. Bambi for example 46. Actor DeCaprio 47. Ambled or strolled 49. Cleanse with soap and water 50. Atomic mass unit 51. Var. of emir 52. Supplemented with difficulty

53. Manuscripts (abbr.)

54. Frambesia 55. Auld lang __, good old days CLUES DOWN 1. A young cow 2. Collection of miscellaneous pieces 3. Mali capital 4. Onion rolls 5. “10” actress Bo 6. Performs in a play 7. Iguana genus 8. Fox’s Factor host 9. French hat 10. One who rescues 11. Female students 13. Rolls-__, luxury car 16. Slow tempos 21. Relating to the ileum 23. Irish flautist

invermerevalleyecho.com

250-342-9216 customerservice@ invermerevalleyecho.com

28. Sleeping place 29. Indicates position 30. Prepared for competition 31. One who shows the way 32. Of I 33. Decayed teeth 35. Seraglios 36. More free from danger

37. Great amounts 38. Surreptitious 39. Arabian greeting 40. Angel food and carrot 41. # of ancient wonders 43. Ball of thread or yarn 45. To interpret: explain 48. Doctors’ group

Answer to December 12:

Horoscope Four th week of December

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Last week’s Sudoku answer -->:

ARIES Both social and business communication require some tact this week, Aries. You can handle it, and you should be prepared to meet some interesting people.

CANCER Cancer, this week you could gain the attention of people in high positions. Use the opportunity to get your best points heard if you have the chance.

TAURUS Taurus, your confidence and energy are strong, but you seem to be having difficulty sitting still for enough time to get a handle on other people’s opinions and viewpoints.

LEO Leo, this should be one of those glorious weeks when you have the feeling that everything is moving along smoothly and according to your master plan.

GEMINI New options present themselves that are excellent for educational pursuits, Gemini. Friends will be supportive of any ideas that you devise, even if they seem a little off-center.

VIRGO Virgo, your confidence is high and there is just about nothing that you fear or think you cannot handle this week. Float along on these feelings of euphoria for a while.

LIBRA Libra, you will show leadership in your profession over the next several days. This also will extend into your personal life, where you may have more energy in home affairs.

SCORPIO Scorpio, indulge your curiosities, as your imagination and creativity are very high.

Projects that require artistic work or writing should be the top priority on your list.

SAGITTARIUS Sagittarius, this is a good week to explore new business opportunities. Apply your efforts to solving some complex problems that others have shied away from.

CAPRICORN Capricorn, your feelings of restlessness might be because you’re not accustomed to sitting still for too long. You will think of ways to fill the time.

AQUARIUS Broaden your social contacts, Aquarius, and this way you will extend your professional reach as well. There always are opportunities for networking.

PISCES You may find that needs at home quickly drain you of any energy, Pisces.

Simplify your routine to find some relief.

A22 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Building your Wealth Market Update

Level

Weekly change

Year-to-Date

12,297

1.1%

2.9%

Dow

13,135

-0.2%

7.5%

NASDAQ

2,971

-0.2%

14.1%

Oil US$/B

$86.73

0.9%

-12.2%

CDN $ Per USD

$0.986

-0.3%

-3.5%

S&P/TSX

The Importance of Tax Planning and Strategies If you haven’t done it already, it’s time to start work on what and how you will pay your taxes. Don’t leave it much longer or you will lose the flexibility of options, which allow for ways to save.

In our modern world, taxes are a fact of life. They affect every Canadian in almost every aspect of what we do. Whether it's earning an income, making a purchase, owning real estate, investing, running a business, or transferring your estate, life is full of taxable consequences. If you leave them unchecked by your plans, these taxes could consume an ever increasing amount of your livelihood.

For the greater part of Canada’s history, there was no income tax. Customs and Excise taxes on goods going in and out of the country were the most important income sources. Income tax was brought in to pay the expenses of war and the promise was that it would end when the need was gone. Well, it seems the need has never gone away.

All over the world it’s the same. What was brought in as a temporary program in most places has become the largest contributor of income for most countries.

While the Income Tax Act was created specifically to ensure that everyone pays their fair share (it’s a graduated tax, beginning relatively low for the poorest Canadians and rising for the richest), it’s important to realize it also ensures all taxpayers the right to organize their financial affairs in such a way

so as to minimize their taxes whenever and however possible within the legal confines of the Act. And, that – not tax evasion – is the objective of tax planning. (There is a big difference between avoidance and evasion. The first is legal and encouraged. The second is illegal and the country spends a lot of time and money to catch evaders.)

Most average Canadians think of tax planning as a tool of the rich, only.

However, many of the planning strategies available to those with large incomes are available to those with lower incomes. In both situations, tax planning and tax strategy can make a difference in legally minimizing the end payment of taxes owing by anyone. In addition, you have the confidence that, in the end, you did not pay any more than was necessary.

The biggest mistake many people make is to wait until April to concern themselves with their taxes. Waiting

for the last possible date eliminates any freedom to take advantage of options to reduce your payment. The best tax planning, with the most options, is done throughout the year.

There are many points during the year at which you can make financial decisions that could significantly impact the amount of taxes owed. The Act is full of income exclusion rules, key tax credits, retirement plan contribution options, and investment rules that are easy to miss or miscalculate without the organization and foresight that tax planning provides. This opportunity is available at every level of income, not just the highest.

And, if there is any certainty beyond taxes, it is that tax rules will change as they seem to do nearly every year. After all, the government wants to get what it feels it needs and ensure no one is paying less than a fair share. Because changes to the rules usually affect such important things as exclusion amounts, credit eligibility, retirement plan contribution limits, and the tax rates themselves, they will almost certainly affect any spending, saving, investment and borrowing decisions you might make throughout the year.

At its core, tax planning is the process of organizing your finances in such a way to take advantage of the many rules that allow you to maximize the amount of income you keep each year or defer into the future. This concept is at the heart of the reasoning behind

planning for paying taxes. And this is where you can derive a benefit.

While the process is essentially the same for any taxpayer, it may entail different types of tax strategies depending on your particular financial situation.

Using these strategies allows you to create a tax program that is unique to you. Strategies for deferring or splitting income are important; you can defer or maximize retirement contributions, capital gains or losses, and property ownership, either present ownership or a desire to own is applied to the tax plan; charitable giving, too, is a part of what you do and is applied differently in each situation. All these become are developed to meet your specific to your needs and create your unique program.

Tax planning and tax strategies involve application of the rules and provisions of the Income Tax Act, which is huge and constantly changing. Because their effective application can result in hundreds or even thousands of dollars of tax savings each year, it is strongly recommended that you seek the guidance of a financial professional with experience in income and investment planning strategies for minimizing personal income taxes.

Every year, as a part of the financial planning process our clients go through, taxes are very important. So they are for you, even if you aren’t clear on how they work. Chances are, you are paying more than you have to.

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

INDEX IN BRIEF FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS TRAVEL CHILDREN EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS SERVICES PETS & LIVESTOCK MERCHANDISE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE RENTALS AUTOMOTIVE MARINE

AGREEMENT

It is agreed by any Display or Classified Advertiser requesting space that the liability of the paper in the event of failure to publish an advertisement shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect item only, and that there shall be no liability in any event beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. bcclassified.com cannot be responsible for errors after the first day of publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors on the first day should immediately be called to the attention of the Classified Department to be corrected for the following edition. bcclassified.com reserves the right to revise, edit, classify or reject any advertisment and to retain any answers directed to the bcclassified.com Box Reply Service and to repay the customer the sum paid for the advertisment and box rental.

DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION

Advertisers are reminded that Provincial legislation forbids the publication of any advertisement which discriminates against any person because of race, religion, sex, color, nationality, ancestry or place of origin, or age, unless the condition is justified by a bona fide requirement for the work involved.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright and/or properties subsist in all advertisements and in all other material appearing in this edition of bcclassified.com.

Permission to reproduce wholly or in part and in any form whatsoever, particularly by a photographic or offset process in a publication must be obtained in writing from the publisher. Any unauthorized reproduction will be subject to recourse in law.

ON THE WEB:

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A23

Announcements

Travel

Employment

Information

Travel

Education/Trade Schools

ADVERTISE in the LARGEST OUTDOOR PUBLICATION IN BC The 2013-2015 BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis

The most effective way to reach an incredible number of BC Sportsmen & women.

Two year edition- terrific presence for your business.

Please call Annemarie 1.800.661.6335 email: fish@blackpress.ca Al-Anon - Are you con-

cerned about or affected by someone else’s drinking? If so, please join us. Al-Anon meets EVERY Monday in Invermere at 7:15 PM at the Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church, 712 - 12th Ave, (behind the Invermere hospital).

For information, please call 250-342-8255

ALCOHOLICS Anonymous If alcohol is causing problems or conflict in your life, AA can help. Call 250-342-2424 for more information. All meetings are at 8 p.m. Invermere: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday groups - Columbia United AA at the BC Services building, south end, 625 4th Street Invermere. Radium Friendship Group: Friday, Catholic Church. All meetings are open.

FREE pick up and delivery for Christmas hampers Dec 20th.

Call 250-347-9982

Lost & Found LOST: IPhone 5, black with lime-green case between Home Hardware & Canadian Tire. Reward will be given 341-5703

Travel

Timeshare CANCEL YOUR Timeshare.

NO Risk Program, STOP Mortgage & Maintenance Payments Today. 100% Money Back Guarantee. FREE Consultation. Call Us NOW. We Can Help! 1-888-356-5248.

CONDOMINIUM HOTEL 1-2-3 bdrm condominiums 8251850sq ft. Convenient Beach Access, Heated Pool/Hot Tub In-room Washer/Dryer, Flat Screen TV’s, Free Wi-Fi, Private Balconies, Daily Housekeeping, Handicapped Rooms Available.

Weekly/Monthly Rates, Free Local Calls, Free Local Beach Transportation.

Conveniently Located to Shops and Restaurants. www.crystalpalmsbeach resort.com 1-888-360-0037.

11605 Gulf Blvd. Treasure Island FL 33706.

Automotive BUSY Commercial Truck & Trailer Repair Shop in Salmo, BC seeking JOURNEYMAN or fourth year APPRENTICE MECHANIC. Shop works a four on three off schedule. Extended health care & pension plan available. Wages dependant on experience & qualifications.

Please email resume to: rob@summitrepair.ca (PDF) or fax to 250-357-2009 attn Rob.

Career Opportunities LEARN FROM home. Earn from home. Medical Transcriptionists are in demand. Lots of jobs! Enrol today for less than $95 a month. 1-800-466-1535 www.canscribe.com admissions@canscribe.com TRAIN TO be an Apartment/Condominium Manager at home! We have jobs across Canada. Thousands of graduates working. 32 years of success! Government certified. www.RMTI.ca or 1-800-6658339, 604-681-5456.

Christmas Corner

There are at least two things that cannot be produced and boxed overseas and put on our store shelves at christmas. One is the spirit of peace and goodwill, the other is a real Christmas tree.

Have a merry “Real Tree” Christmas.

In Memoriam

In Memoriam

Tracy Riches December 21st, 2011

Sadly missed and lovingly remembered.

Your wife, Faye

Help Wanted

INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR SCHOOL. NO Simulators. In-the-seat training. Real world tasks.

Weekly start dates. Job board!

Funding options.

Apply online! IHEschool.com 1-866-399-3853

An Alberta Construction Company is hiring Dozer and Excavator Operators. Preference will be given to operators that are experienced in oilfield road and lease construction. Lodging and meals provided. The work is in the vicinity of Edson, Alberta. Alcohol & Drug testing required. Call Contour Construction at 780-723-5051.

Obituaries

Obituaries

Michael Edward Wiegert (Mike)

HAWAII ON the Mainland, healthy low-cost living can be yours. Modern Arenal Maleku Condominiums, 24/7 secured Community, Costa Rica “friendliest country on earth”!

1-780-952-0709; www.CanTico.ca.

Employment

Employment

December 22, 1968 December 14, 2012 With deep sadness we announce the passing of Mike Wiegert after a long, courageous battle with cancer.

Mike will be forever remembered in the hearts of his two sons, Dylan and Michael; his mother, Jeanette Hendricks; his stepfather, Norman Hendricks; his brother, Chris and family, Becky, Ben and Mya; as well as his extended family in Switzerland and Australia.

There will be celebration of Mike’s life at the Alliance Church in Invermere at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 22, 2012.

We would like to thank Dr. Louw in Invermere, and all of the doctors, surgeons and staff and the Foothills Tom Baker Centre for the wonderful, caring treatment that Mike received during his fight with cancer.

Career Opportunities

Career Opportunities

Obituaries

Obituaries

Shirley Dian Hudson It is with great sadness that the family of Shirley Dian Hudson announces her sudden passing in Radium Hot Springs on December 12, 2012.

Shirley was born to Walter and Miriam Ryter in Golden, British Columbia. on August 29, 1949.

Shirley was well known for always being a vivacious, vibrant and cheerful lady who never failed in putting others ahead of herself. She was naturally nurturing, was loved by all she met and loved them back unconditionally. She had an all encompassing love for life and everyone and everything in it, and with her passing remains a void that cannot be filled. Shirley leaves behind a legacy of dedication to work, people, and her children and grandchildren.

Shirley will be lovingly remembered by her sons Jason Franzen (Rhonda), Craig Franzen (Maricel), and daughter Andrea Franzen (Peter James); Grandsons Joshua Weber and Jacob Franzen; Granddaughter Caitlyn Franzen; Mother Miriam (Molly) Ryter; Sister Suzanne Roth; Brothers Gary Ryter, Gordon Ryter, David Ryter, Edgar Ryter and Greg Ryter.

She was predeceased by her husband Robert James (Jet) Hudson; and her father Walter Ryter.

A Celebration of Shirley’s life was held on Sunday December 16, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at Radium Valley Vacation Resort.

Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service.

Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com

A24 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Employment

Employment

Services

Services

Merchandise for Sale

Real Estate

Rentals

Help Wanted

Ofďƒžce Support

Financial Services

Misc Services

Misc. for Sale

Other Areas

Homes for Rent

Black Forest is looking for kitchen helper. Call or drop off resume. 250-342-9417.

MERRIT B.C Data Entry Clerk: responsible for daily data entry of time sheets for up to 150 unionized employees. Payroll experience would be a definite asset. Please forward Resume to careers@rokstadpower.com

DROWNING IN debts? Helping Canadians 25 years. Lower payments by 30%, or cut debts 70% thru Settlements.

Avoid bankruptcy! Free consultation. www.mydebtsolution.com or Toll Free 1 877-556-3500

CRESTEEL HVAC (‘81) LIMITED

FIREWOOD Support Rockies Hockey.

Fir,Pine, & Larch.

Phone 250-342-6908 GREAT GIFT IDEA! ChillSpot is The COOLEST Dog Bed-A new and innovative, thermodynamically cooled dog bed, that enhances the cool tile surfaces our pets rely on during the warm weather months. Use promo code COOLGIFT For 10 % off! www.chillspot.biz HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available.

1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper?

STEEL BUILDINGS /metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed!

Call 1-800-457-2206 or online: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca

20 ACRES FREE! Buy 40-Get 60 acres. $0-Down, $168/mo.

Money Back Guarantee. NO CREDIT CHECKS. Beautiful Views.

Roads/Surveyed.

Neaer El Paso, Texas. Call 1800-843-7537. www.sunsetranches.com

3 BR HOUSE - Great location & lake views! One level, W/D, F/S, DW. Avail Jan 1st. $815 + Utilities. Jeff 250-688-1105

INVERMERE PETRO CANADA is currently accepting applications for full time and part time employment.

Apply in person to 185 Laurier Street, Invermere, BC between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Work Wanted Clean, class 2 with air nonsmoker, call Dave 250-3413541

Services

Passionate about print

Commercial print company seeking experienced team members. All positions considered; top compensation for top performance.

Email: don@RMPrint.com Required for an Alberta Trucking Company. One Class 1 Driver. Must have a minimum of 5 years experience pulling low boys and driving off road. Candidate must be able to pass a drug test and be willing to relocate to Edson, Alberta. Fax resumes to: 780725-4430

M O N E Y P R OV I D E R . C O M . $500 Loan and +. No Credit Refused. Fast, Easy, 100% Secure. 1-877-776-1660.

Financial Services IF YOU own a home or real estate, Alpine Credits can lend you money: It’s That Simple.

Your Credit / Age / Income is not an issue. 1.800.587.2161.

Help Wanted

Legal Services CRIMINAL RECORD? Don’t let it block employment, travel, education, professional, certification, adoption property rental opportunities. For peace of mind & a free consultation call 1-800-347-2540.

The Bow View Lodge in beautiful Banff, Alberta is looking for a

LODGE MANAGER

The successful candidate will bring to us the following RVBMJýDBUJPOT t " QSPWFO SFDPSE JO B TJNJMBS TJ[F SFTPSU IPUFM PG BU least 2 years in a management or supervisory position. t " TFMG TUBSUFS BO JOJUJBUJWF UBLFS BOE B IBOET PO MFBEFS Strong sales and promotions skills, with an FNQIBTJT PO XFC CBTFE TBMFT JT B EFýOJUF BTTFU 1MFBTF F NBJM ZPVS SFTVNF SFGFSFODFT BOE DPWFS MFUUFS UP F NBJM KNJMMFZ!CBOGGQBSLMPEHF DPN We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Pets & Livestock REGIST. Great Pyrenees Pups 700.00 mic.chip, 1rst shts, health guar 250-998-4697 delivery avail.

Help Wanted

This position will be responsible for: t &OTVSJOH UIBU UIF HVFTUT BSF TBUJTĂ˝FE XJUI UIF rooms and services provided and follow up on any guest concerns. t 0CUBJOJOH UIF IJHIFTU QPTTJCMF PDDVQBODZ BOE revenue through maximizing internet sales, setting future rates and creating unique packages. t 3FDSVJUJOH USBJOJOH BOE TDIFEVMJOH PG BMM departments and encouraging staff retention by providing “hands onâ€? leadership. t 0QFSBUJOH UIF MPEHF JO B XFMM NBJOUBJOFE BOE TBGF manner and responding to any emergencies.

250-342-6312

Pets

Health Products GET 50% off - Join Herbal Magic this week and get 50% Off. Lose weight quickly, safely and keep it off, proven results! Call Herbal Magic today!

1-800-854-5176.

Furnace and Heat Pump Installation Service and Repair

Help Wanted

Merchandise for Sale

Heavy Duty Machinery A- STEEL SHIPPING STORAGE CONTAINERS / Bridges / Equipment Wheel loaders JD 644E & 544A / 63’ & 90’ Stiff boom 5th wheel crane trucks/Excavators EX200-5 & 892D-LC / Small forklifts / F350 C/C “Cabs�20’40’45’53’ New/ Used/ Damaged /Containers Semi Trailers for Hiway & StorageCall 24 Hrs 1-866-528-7108 Delivery BC and AB www.rtccontainer.com A- STEEL SHIPPING STORAGE CONTAINERS / Bridges / Equipment Wheel loaders JD 644E & 544A / 63’ & 90’ Stiff boom 5th wheel crane trucks/Excavators EX200-5 & 892D-LC / Small forklifts / F350 C/C “Cabs�20’40’45’53’ New/ Used/ Damaged /Containers Semi Trailers for Hiway & StorageCall 24 Hrs 1-866-528-7108 Delivery BC and AB www.rtccontainer.com

Help Wanted

Misc. Wanted Looking for heavy duty bandsaw & Wood- Mizer bandsaw.

Call Peter 250-342-1073 Private Coin Collector Buying Collections, Accumulations, Olympic Gold & Silver Coins + Chad: 250-863-3082 in Town

Real Estate Acreage for Sale Acreages “columbiavalleyproperties.com�

Homes Wanted TRADE my home in Calgary (MLS C 354 2937) plus prime lot in Bella Vista for your home in Panorama or Columbia Valley. Call Ray @ 403-473-3359 or 403-890-4950

Floor ReďŹ nishing/ Installations

Rentals Apt/Condo for Rent 2BDRM, 1 1/2 BATH Willow View apartment for rent, in Canal Flats. Great view, 2 parking stalls, F/S, D/W. Walking distance to arena, park and store. $850 + utilities & D.D., references required. Available immediately. Call (250)3495306 or (250)489-8389, leave mess.

Radium - 405 Top unit Pinewood West building. 2 bdrm, 2 bath, underground parking, fully furnished. All inclusive. Avail immediately. $1000/mth. Call Lina @ 403-264-2782 or 403277-7898 ask for Emilio RADIUM - Cozy 1 bdrm, 1 bath condo over 800 sq ft for rent at the Peaks available Jan 1. 7 appliances, underground parking, pool, indoor and outdoor hot tub. NS, Deposit required. Asking $800/ month.

403-285-4759, 403-291-4804, 403880-9719

RADIUM - downtown Reduced!

New 2 bdrm, 2 full baths in The Pinewood. 3rd floor, fireplace, N/S. $900/mth, utilities included.

Underground parking.

Available immediately.

Call Judy 250-345-0225 or 250-341-1903

Suites, Lower RADIUM - Spacious bright 2-bdrm, 1 bath, shared laundry, shared large back yard. $600/mth + D/D + hydro.

250-347-9970.

Suites, Upper 2 bedrm, newly renovated, fridge, stove, D/W, W/D, N/P, N/S. $850 + DD, utilities included. 250-342-3335

Transportation

Auto Financing

Floor ReďŹ nishing/ Installations

LPN Golden Life Management, Southern BC’s largest seniors care provider, is seeking Licensed Practical Nurses for Columbia Garden Village in Invermere, BC. Check us out at goldenlife.ca/careers and send your resume to careers@glm.ca or fax to 250-489-2673

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RN/Director of Care Golden Life Management, Southern BC’s largest seniors care provider, is seeking an RN/Director of Clinical Care for our new Residential Care at Columbia Garden Village in Invermere, BC

DreamTeam Auto Financing “0� Down, Bankruptcy OK Cash Back ! 15 min Approvals

1-800-961-7022

www.iDreamAuto.com DL# 7557

Cars - Domestic LOOKING FOR A DEAL ON A NEW VEHICLE? Save up to 40% OFF your next new vehicle...

No games or gimmicks, deal direct with local dealerships. www.newcarselloff.com No qr code reader?

Text info: 778.786.8271

/HDUQ PRUH DW PXVFOH FD

Trucks & Vans 2001 Dodge Sport Caravan $3000 250-342-3378

Check us out at goldenlife.ca/careers and send your resume to careers@glm.ca or fax to 250-489-2673

CHURCH SERVICES DIRECTORY ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION Of INVERMERE OF Worship Services every Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Christ Church Trinity 110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere fraser Coltman Pastor Rev. Fraser Pastor Rev. David Morton 1-866-426-7564

WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY ANGLICAN-UNITED

CANADIAN MARTYRS CATHOLIC CHURCH

Roman Catholic Parish Pastor: Father Gabriel 250-342-6167 Invermere 250-344-6328 Golden Confession: 1/2 hour before Mass Canadian Martyrs Church Sunday, December 23rd 712 - 12 Ave, Invermere Sunday,10:30 December 23th a.m.

Saturday at 7 p.m.

Service of Lessons & Carols, Christ 9 a.m.

Sunday at 9 a.m.

Church Trinity, Invermere All Saints, Edgewater St. Joseph Church th Monday, December Highway 93-95, Radium Hot Springs 9:30 a.m. 24 Christmas Eve Services Sunday at 11 a.m.

God’s Breakfast Club 6 p.m. Christ Church Trinity, Sacred Heart Parish Invermere 10:30 a.m.

808 - 11 Street, Golden 8 p.m.Sunday All Saints, Edgewater School Sunday at 5 p.m.

10 p.m. St. Peter’s, Windermere Christmas Pageant, St. Anthony’s Mission Tuesday, December 25th Christ Church Trinity, Corner of Luck and Dunn, Canal Flats 10:30 a.m. Christmas Day Invermere Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Christ Church Trinity, Invermere (served from Kimberly) 250-342-6644 100-7th Avenue, Invermere www.wvsm.ca Reverend Laura Hermakin

RADIUM CHRISTIAN fELLOWSHIP FELLOWSHIP For more information call 250-342-6633 or 250-347-6334 Loving God, Loving People #4 - 7553 Main Street West, Radium Sundays at 10 a.m.

Bible Studies #4 - 7553 Main Street West, Radium Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

Kids’ Church Edgewater Hall Thursday 6:30 p.m.

LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH

326 - 10th Ave. 250-342-9535 REV. TREVOR HAGAN Senior Pastor www.lakewindermerealliance.org Sunday,December December 2323th Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

10:30 FOURTH SUNDAYa.m.

OF ADVENT Worship and LifeSUNDAY Instruction, “The THIRD Love Of Christmasâ€? ‌ Pastor Trevor OFministering.

ADVENT rd

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY Hwy. 93/95 1 km north of Windermere Pastor: Murray Wittke Sunday Service 10 a.m. Worship & Word Kid’s Church Provided

“K.I.D.S.� Church, for children Age 3 to Grade 1; and and GradeLife 2 toInstruction, Grade 5, during Worship the Morning Service.

Call the office at 250-342-9511 “The Joy Of Christmasâ€? ‌ for more information.

Monday, December 24th Pastor Trevor ministering. www.valleychristianonline.com 2:00 p.m. “K.I.D.S.� forSummit. children Panorama Church, Service at the Age 3 to Grade 1; and Grade 2 6:00 p.m.

Sharing Truth Candlelight Service to Christmas Grade 5,Eve during the Morning at L.W.A.C. Showing Love Service.

8:15 p.m.

Panorama Service in the Great Hall.

Following the Spirit

The Valley Echo Wednesday,December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A25

Remember When Community Event Calendar

Reminder

Have you got a community event planned for January?

Email us the details in a brief message and we will include it on our Events Calendar page in the December 26th issue for free!

Send your event to production@invermerevalleyecho.com or call 250-342-9216.

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Echo file photo December 2006 — Downtown Invermere became a magical place on December 3 during the Invermere Business Committee's annual Super Sunday celebration and parade. North Pole resident Santa Claus was the parade's special guest and he arrived in grand style, on the back of a beautiful sleigh, much to the thrill of the toddler-heavy crowd.

A look back at what's happened in the valley over the last 50 years RENICE OAKS Special to The Valley Echo

or Klein and the ribbon was held by Mayor Halvorson and Roger Madson.

1992 — 20 years ago: Students from David Thompson Secondary School volunteered to operate a children’s market on Super Sunday. A dozen students from Grades 8 to 12 helped, as parents dropped off their children at Joe Peters Curling Club between noon and 4 p.m. They took the children shopping, then brought them back to the curling rink to show them how to wrap their gifts. It is fun for the kids and great for parents who got their own shopping done too!

2002 — 10 years ago: Former newspaper editor Ron Ede was presented the Queen’s Jubilee medal

by Kootenay-Columbia MP Jim Abbott. Abbott said that based on the 301 federal constituencies throughout the country, a total of 6,020 medals would be presented, which emphasized each recipient’s distinction. Mr. Ede said he was very, very proud of receiving the award, being picked out of thousands of other worthy people.

2007 — 5 years ago: Royal Canadian Army Cadets Two Platoon Invermere received a $1496.82 donation from the Invermere Legion Branch No. 71.

The cadets had nine members that travelled to Cranbrook, as Invermere needed at least 35 cadet minimum to have its own company. The funds were to help with travel costs.

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1962 — 50 years ago: The Windermere District Red Cross executives were reelected at their annual meeting. The list was president: Mrs. J.A.Laird; Vice President: Mrs. W.H. Cleland; Secretary: Mrs. Henry Block; Treasurer: Mrs. George Rossington; Honourary president: Miss.

E.M. Fisher and Honourary Vice-President: Mrs. S.H. Northcott — all of Invermere.

1967 — 45 years ago: Seven valley pioneers were honoured at a pioneer dinner that attracted nearly 200 people at the community centre. Mr. and Mrs. O.A. McGuinness, Mrs. W.H. Cleland, Mrs. Charlie Thornton, Fred Foyston, Hope Brewer and W.R. Coulter received Centennial Medals. Mrs. Brewer, although not a centennial medal recipient, was also a valley pioneer. A brief biography of these honoured pioneers was given as each received their medal from Village Chairman Marvin Tunnacliffe.

1972 — 40 years ago: M.D. Burns, District Sales Supervisor for Greyhound lines of Calgary, announced that Greyhound buses would now come to Invermere, stopping

daily at the Invermere Hotel.

The first bus arrived at the Invermere Hotel on Wednesday, November 29 at 4 p.m. with Mayor W. Roy Lake, Village Clerk Allan Miller and hotel operator ‘Reg’ Wishlow on board.

1977 — 35 years ago: Facts about Invermere in a supplement: Originally named “Copper City” by Edmund T. Johnston, who was the original owner of the land on which the present townsite is laid out. The property was later sold by Johnston to L.O. Garnett, of Rossland, B.C., who laid out the new townsite and changed the name to “Canterbury”. This was about 1889 or 1900. Hugh G. Gordon erected the original hotel in Invermere (then Canterbury) in 1900. He operated it until about 1904.

1987 — 25 years ago: The new “Hal Bavin Heliplex” opened its doors on Friday, December 11. It was built by owner-manager of HeliSkiing, Roger Madson, and named after the late Hal Bavin. The Heliplex gave access to 2,000 square kilometres of ski terrain. It accommodated 44 skiers a day in four groups of eleven. They had five guides.

Over 200 guests attended the opening and among those guests were the Honourable Bill Reid, Minister of Tourism and Mayor of Calgary, Ralph Klein and Mayor of Invermere Ron Halvorson. The official cutting of the ribbon was done

by Minister Bill Reid and May-

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Being a Safe Pedestrian at Night My life is usually mostly rural in character, but I’ve been visiting Surrey this week as both a driver and a pedestrian. Given the spate of vehicle / pedestrian collisions in the news lately it has been interesting to consider how they happen in light of my unusual surroundings. I think that a large component of the problem is haste with drivers and lack of attention by pedestrians.

Here, it seems, everyone is in a hurry. Travel is more often than not done at speeds in excess of the limit and stops are either not done at all or done because one is forced to. Beat the lights, make that turn, get there before the other driver and do what is needed rather than what is proper.

As I stood waiting to cross at an uncontrolled marked crosswalk last night a woman pulled up the the stop in front of me prior to turning right. She was already half way through the crosswalk and focused on finding the gap in traffic to her left. The first time she looked right toward me was after she started moving to get into the gap that presented itself.

Pedestrians often wander right out into traffic without making eye contact with drivers or scanning for traffic as they cross. Add that most of us were in dark clothing and some listening to music instead of their surroundings and it is no wonder that some are struck. It’s almost like they are taunting the drivers to see and stop as required.

Small wonder that there are problems!

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience.

To comment or learn more, please visit www.drivesmartbc.ca.

101A 1028 7 Avenue PO Box 130 Invermere BC • Phone: 250-342-2175 • Fax: 250-342-2669

Tuesday to Friday: 9:00 – 12:30 and 1:00 – 5:00 • Saturday: 9:00 – 2:30

www.kootenayinsurance.ca

A26 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Serving the Valley RADIUM HOT SPRINGS ESSO • Gas • Propane • Diesel • Automotive Repairs • Tires & Batteries • Greyhound

• CAA approved automotive repair •

MECHANICAL REPAIRS AVAILABLE 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 7 Days A Week

250-347-9726

7507 Main Street West

Sholinder & MacKay

Septic Tank Pumping Portable Toilet Rentals NEWER SEW ERA CAM

• Complete sewer/drain repairs • Reasonable rates - Seniors’ discount • Speedy service - 7 days a week • A well-maintained septic system should be pumped every 2-3 years • Avoid costly repairs

Sand & Gravel

Complete line of aggregate products for construction and landscaping

Snow Removal Service

The WaTer & air Company!

Ph: 250-342-5024 Cell: 250-688-5594 24 hour service

RR#3, 954 Swansea Road, Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K3 www.equityrepair.ca • rjennix@hotmail.com

CONTRACT OR HOURLY MACHINE RENTALS AVAILABLE

DCS Plumbing & Heating Universal Doors & Exteriors Sales • Service • Installation

24-Hour Emergency Service

DOUG

250-341-8501 Senior Discount

Lambert-Kipp Pharmacy Ltd. J. Douglas Kipp, B. Sc. (Pharm.)

Laura Kipp, Pharm D. Irena Sedlakova, B. Sc. (Pharm.)

Your compounding pharmacy Come in and browse our giftware!

Open Monday - Saturday • 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

1301 - 7th Avenue, Invermere • 250-342-6612

• Garage Doors • Passage Doors • Truck Doors • Windows • Sunrooms • Patio Covers • Vinyl Decking • Aluminum Railings • Siding • Soffit • Facia • Window Capping • Renovations Invermere

Phone

Water Treatment: filtration and purification Furnace and Duct cleaning

Equity Repair & Maintenance Ltd.

• Excavators • Mini-Excavators • Bobcats • Dump Trucks • Water Trucks • Compaction Equipment • Snow Plow • Sanding Equipment • Crane Truck • Mobile Pressure Washing & Steam Cleaning • Underground Services • Site Prep & Demolition • Road Building • Land Clearing • Controlled Burning • Rock Walls • Rip Rap • Topsoil • Sand & Gravel

• Plumbing, Repair and Installation • Drain Lines • Hot Water Tanks

250-342-6452 • 250-342-3773 Cell: 250-342-5833

Office:

Bruce Dehart 250-347-9803 or 250-342-5357

Hot Shot • Furnaces • Heat PumPs • air conditioning • FirePlaces• Hot tubs • cHemicals • service & maintenance • gas Fitting 385 Laurier Street Phone: 250-342-7100 Invermere, BC Fax: 250-342-7103 www.diamondheatingandspas.com

To advertise, call: 250-342-9216

250-342-6700

Purify the water you drink and the air you breathe!

Kerry Colonna

QUALITY QUALITYAUTO AUTOSERVICE SERVICE YOU YOUCAN CANTRUST TRUST

Lake LakeAuto AutoService Service ALL ALLMAKES MAKES••ALL ALLMODELS MODELS AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVEREPAIRS REPAIRS OPEN OPENMONDAY MONDAYTO TOFRIDAY FRIDAY 8:30 8:30A.M. A.M.- -5:30 5:30P.M. P.M. Main MainStreet Street••Downtown DowntownInvermere Invermere 250-342-9310 250-342-9310

Cranbrook Pest Control Environmentally-friendly integrated pest management Ask about our maintenance programs All work guaranteed

Thermal Imaging PEST QUESTIONS? Visit our website: WWW.CRANBROOKPESTCONTROL.COM info@cranbrookpestcontrol.com

250-426-9586 • 1-888-371-6299

to give your business maximum exposure for your advertising dollar?

Call 250-342-9216 for more information.

READY MIX CONCRETE Your search for quality and dependability ends with us.

Your search for quality and dependability ends with us.

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Specialists

Carpet System & Upholstery Cleaning Specialists Guaranteed Truck Mounted • Customer Satisfaction

TruckHubman Mounted System • Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed Dean Toll Free: 877-342-3052

Dean Certifi ed Hubman Technician

Certified Technician 250-342-3052

250-342-3052

TollInvermere, Free: 877-342-3052 BC V0A 1K3 Invermere, BC V0A 1K3 odysseyrestoration@telus.net

odysseyrestoration@telus.net

• CONCRETE PUMP • SAND & GRAVEL • HEAVY EQUIPMENT RENTALS • CRANE SERVICE

Proudly serving the Valley for over 50 years.

For competitive prices and prompt service call:

250-342-5089

Located in the Diamond Heating & Spa building in Athalmer

250-342-3268 (plant) 250-342-6767 (office)

The Valley Echo Wednesday, December 19, 2012

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A27

Business Profile

Sometimes to get better results, it takes improving your personal leadership!

Radium gift shop has global feel Owners of local gift and souvenir shop looking ahead

• • • • •

STEVE JESSEL

Align your skills with your purpose Define your personal and/or professional goals and bring clarity to your plan Learn how to move through what’s holding you and/or your business back Inspire yourself and be inspired by other like-minded people Have fun, be creative and feel empowered

The Valley Echo

The global economic downturn of the last several years may have been felt across the Columbia Valley, but one local business owner says it's all going to change in the coming years.

“Radium is going to take a turn again and go back to the big tourist town it was years ago, which is a wonderful thing,” said Arnie Wassing of Radium Bighorn Gift and Souvenir.

Wassing, a long-time businessman who spent 26 years in the wholesale market, opened Radium Bighorn Gift and Souvenir with his wife Angie Matchett just over a year ago, and the pair are off to a great start at their location at 7535 Main Street West in Radium Hot Springs. In addition to having a fantastic location and a highly visible shop, Wassing said their store focuses on delivering a highquality product line that is always changing to meet the needs of their customers.

“Definitely we’ll be changing our product line all the time to meet the needs of locals, and we call them ‘weekend warriors’ out of Calgary and Edmonton,” Wassing said. “Making sure

Presented by the premier personal leadership company Klemmer and Associates photo by Steve Jessel/The Echo A mix of local and global goods can be found at Radium Big Horn Gift and Souvenir.

that we have different product every time they come in, that there’s something new and unique for them to see.”

To aid this endeavour, Wassing has taken advantage of his wholesale business background to compile a complementary array of merchandise from all across the globe. Leather purses from India, wool sweaters from Nepal and hand-crafted sculptures from Montana are just a few of the goods on display, although Wassing said they try and purchase local products whenever possible as well.

“We try to buy as much as we can Canadian content, but at the end of the day some of it does need to come from other countries,” Wassing said. “We try to really go low on the Made in China.”

The store also offers books, sleepware, photo prints, jewelry and more, including clothing branded with the Radium Wonder Land logo as part of the new Radium community marketing

plan introduced this past May. Wassing is a strong believer in the tourism industry, but said that he wants the store to appeal to locals just as much as international visitors.

“We’re getting a lot of (international) tourists… but especially the American travellers,” Wassing said. “I would say they’re 60 per cent of our business right now, which is amazing, that’s one that surprised us.”

Having customers visit from all over the world also plays right into Wassing’s hands, as he said his favourite part of the job is meeting and talking with new people. Having grown up in Radium, Wassing also has a good knowledge of local history and landmarks which definitely comes in handy.

“It’s almost like we are another visitors centre,” Wassing laughed.

Radium Bighorn Gift and Souvenir also takes an active part in the community they call home, sponsoring a number of local events. In their first

year of operation, Wassing and Matchett have already sponsored Music on Main, the local Rod and Gun Club, and the Headbanger Trail Challenge, with no plans to stop anytime soon.

“We’re definitely involved with helping with anything that Radium needs,” Wassing said. “Just to make sure Radium keeps growing in the right direction.”

Champion’s Workshop January 15th, 2013 • 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. *$20 per person

Personal Mastery Workshop February 8th, 9th, 10th, 2013 • only *$395 (save $200) * Ticket pricing prior to January 15th, 2013.

Ticket, Information & Registration: Elizabeth Shopland • 250 342 8978 • eshopland@telus.net Champion’s Workshop Tickets also available at The Book Bar, Invermere Workshop location: Copper Point Resort, Invermere, B.C.

invermerevalleyecho.com

We’re ready... are you?

All Semi-Precious Stones Set In Sterling Silver

We Pay The Taxes!

Books Jewelry

Gifts Crystals

#4 - 1206 7th Ave., Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0

250.341.5291

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Did you know we have huuuuge Seniors' discounts?

A28 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 The Valley Echo

Late Night Holiday Shopping

Shop until 8 p.m. in Invermere D e c e m b e r 21 - 2 3 Shop late and shop local this holiday season.

Happy Holidays These Invermere merchants will keep their doors open until 8 p.m. to help you shop for the holidays:

Be Gifted, Black Star, The Book Bar, Essentials, her Public, Inside Edge, Summit Footwear, Three Bears Gift Shop, Tiffany’s Thredz Presented to you by Invermere merchants & the Invermere Business Committee of the CVCC