TUESDAY January 14, 2014 Vol. 29 • No. 4 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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ARTS
SPORTS
The Winter Jazz series continues Thursday at the Little Red Church with Ralph Barrat and the Sharp Seven. page 7
An outdoor skating rink for the WinterBites Festival is taking shape in Simms Millennium Park. page 10
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Return of snow delights skiers Better month late than never for people bound for Mount Washington
her tiger onesie and my son whooped his way down every run.” Opening day had been scheduled as Dec. 6, and with the good news that opening day had finally come over a month later, the resort website was inundatRenee Andor ed with those checking for updates. It went down over Record Staff the weekend due to those Mount Washington high traffic volumes, but Alpine Resort saw the was back up and running season’s first skiers and Monday morning. For updates on mounboarders fly down the hill tain conditions, and to view Sunday. While it was wet and the resort’s webcams, visit stormy Friday and Sat- www.mountwashington.ca, urday in the Comox Val- or check the resort’s Facebook page. ley, Mount As of Wa s h i n g A big part of why Monday ton was morning, finally get- we moved here was the the midting that mountain so we were mountain dumping snow base of snow chomping at the bit for was 100 it needed it to open. My daughter centimeto be able celebrated by skiing in tres, with to open machineits alpine her tiger onesie and my groomed, operations. son whooped his way s p r i n g C o m o x down every run. conditions Va l l e y Helen Austin listed. musician, T h e and avid skier, Helen Austin and Hawk Chair, Whiskey her family were among the Jack Chair and Easy Acres snow sport enthusiasts who beginner area, including all flocked to the mountain on Magic Carpets, are in operation daily from 9 a.m. to opening day. “We were thrilled to 3:30 p.m., according to the finally get up the moun- website. The Eagle, Suntain and do some skiing,” rise and Boomerang chairs Austin said Monday. “A big were not yet open as of part of why we moved here Monday. Nine of 17 Nordic trails was the mountain so we were chomping at the bit are open, too. The Tube for it to open. My daugh- Park continues to operate. ter celebrated by skiing in ... see SKIERS ■ 2
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GAYLE BATES (RIGHT) is pictured with Anh Le at the Sun, Moon and Stars Masquerade Ball, a CVAG fundraiser. PHOTO BY RON POGUE
Community rallies around Bates Scott Stanfield Record Staff
You may know her as an MC for the Child Development Centre Telethon or the Wearable Art Show. Perhaps you know her from the art gallery, the Soroptimist club or the Sid Williams Theatre board. Maybe you’ve listened to her teaching waste
reduction or instructing at a Worldhost Customer Service training program. Maybe you know her for her colourful hair. If you haven’t guessed her identity, it’s Comox Valley resident Gayle Bates, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The single, selfemployed mother of two and grandmother of two with a third on the way
will not be able to work for about a year during treatments. Medical will cover radiation and chemotherapy, but not the mortgage, bills, gas, groceries, health-bolstering supplements and additional treatments. The public is pitching in to help. Over the past week, about 240 people have contributed more than $16,000 through an
online fundraising campaign dubbed Gayle Bates — Future Cancer Survivor. The goal is to raise $65,000. Her children — Jackson Tegu and Ashley Hoffart — say their mother is “completely overwhelmed with everyone’s generosity,” as stated on the campaign page. “I can’t express the ... see CANCER ■ 2
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