Calendar
Bayside Plumbing & Gas Fitting
Lake Country
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www.lakecountrycalendar.com
Winfield, Oyama, Okanagan Centre and Carrs Landing since 1951
Qualified, reliable, bonded. Over 30 years exp. res./comm. service renovations, new installations, h/water tanks, dishwashers, washers, dryers.
250-317-2279
December 24, 2013
Inside
In charge The RCMP Lake Country detachment has a new commander in charge. ...............................
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RICHARD ROLKE/BLACK PRESS
ISABELLA ROMEI, of Lake Country, signs Eleanore Copelan’s shirt. Copelan was one of the Orange County sheriffs who escorted Romei
and other children around Disneyland during the Dreamlift Flight Dec. 17.
Dreamlift a trip of a lifetime for the kids
Packed to the rafters, the Lake Country Food Bank needs more space to carry out its work. The community is coming together to make it happen. ...............................
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Flyers ■ Home Depot ■ JYSK ■ Save On ■ Shoppers ■ Staples
RICHARD ROLKE Keegan Meise and Mitchell Kopytko didn’t let a visit to Disneyland prevent a little collaboration. In fact, as soon as the 12-year-olds met volunteer chaperon Kathryn Smith, they knew she was going on Splash Mountain whether she wanted to or not. “I want to see her get soaking wet,” said Meise, who attends Vernon’s Okanagan Landing Elementary. In fact, much of Tuesday’s Dreamlift Flight to the Magic Kingdom revolved around Smith and
expanding her comfort zone. “I have to keep up with them,” said Smith, a nurse at Kamloops’ Royal Inland Hospital. More than 50 children with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses experienced a whirlwind, sixhour tour of Disneyland Tuesday. The day started off bright and early with families arriving at the Kelowna International Airport at 4:30 a.m. The plane took off at about 8 a.m. and landed in Anaheim at 11:30 a.m., with buses then transporting them to Disneyland until
a 6:30 p.m. departure. And with such a tight timeline, every minute counted. Kopytko, who attends Kamloops’ Aberdeen Elementary, frequently would start rolling away in his wheelchair as a way to get his group moving. And with previous visits to Disneyland under his belt, he knew which rides were the best and the culinary treats to experience. “You don’t know what a churro is?” he said to a reporter who inquired about the fried pastry. At the same time, other groups were mak-
ing their way around the legendary attraction. For Rossland’s Ava Charbonneau Kidd, the highlight was the Small World ride, which features dolls singing and waving. “It’s sparkly,” she said from beneath her tiger-painted face. For Eva Pavan, of Nakusp, standing in line was worth the wait at the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. “I loved going under the water,” she said. Isabella Romei, a 12-year-old Lake Country resident, beamed when she talked about Splash Mountain.
“I got all wet,” she said. And that’s also what happened to Smith once Kopytko and Meise convinced her to get aboard the boat that careens down a 53-foot drop. But Smith’s involvement came at a price. If she got wet, the boys had to promise to visit some Disneyland princesses. “We’ve got a runner,” yelled Remoun Tadrous, with the Los Angeles Police Department and chaperon, as Meise bolted from the entrance to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine. Kopytko also tried a disappearing act.
But eventually, the boys fulfilled their promise and they headed off to the Matterhorn for a third time. Along with Smith, the boys’ other escort was Brock Syrnyk, a Kelowna International Airport firefighter, who has been on the flight twice before. “I originally wanted to see what it’s like and it’s great to see how happy they are. More people should see how this (trip) affects the kids’ lives,” he said. Orange Country sheriffs are a fixture during
SEE DREAMLIFT A3