Clearwater Times, December 25, 2014

LOCAL NEWS: MORE CHRISTMAS STORIES ▼ A13, 15, 18, & 19

Times

Thursday, December 25, 2014 ▼ Volume 50 No. 52 ▼ www.clearwatertimes.com ▼ $1.35 Includes GST

THE

NORTH THOMPSON

VICE-CHAIR AGAIN:

2014

CCNA BLUE RIBBON

TNRD board re-elects Willow MacDonald.

See A3 inside.

First Place Best All Round Newspaper & Best Editorial Page Second Place Best Front Page All of Canada <1,250 circulation 2014 First Place General Excellence B.C. and Yukon <2,000 circulation 2014

Raft River students excel Kindergarten students (l-r) Brody Wynn, Garrett Krasnuik, Blake Irvine and Cole Dulaba belt out a song as they take part in the Christmas concert at Raft River Elementary School. The annual event took place on Wednesday, Dec. 17, in the school's gymnasium. For more photos, see page A10 inside.

Photo by Keith McNeill

New council has a busy first meeting Keith McNeill It was a full agenda when Clearwater's new town council met for the first time on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Possibly the most important item discussed, although not the most exciting, was a building permit bylaw.

The new bylaw regulates the construction, alteration, repair, moving or demolition of buildings and structures.

Chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx noted that there has been no increase in building permit fees for 18 years. The new rates will begin on Jan. 1.

Council also gave three readings to a bylaw to regulate its own meetings. The primary purpose of the bylaw was to legitimate changing town council meeting times from 7 p.m. to 2 p.m., and

the committee of the whole meetings from 5 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Town council meetings and committee of the whole meetings will continue to be held the first and third Tuesdays of the month (except in summer).

The bylaw also confirmed the change of meeting place from the former District office building on the Flats to the new council chamber in Dutch Lake Community Center.

Members of Clearwater's new town council pose for a photograph during a council meeting held Tuesday, Dec. 16. Pictured are (back, l-r) Dennis Greffard, Merlin Blackwell, Barry Banford, Ken Kjenstad, (front, l-r) Shelley Sim, Mayor John Harwood, and Gord Heisterman.

Photo by Keith McNeill

Highway 5 Little Fort, BC 250-677-4441

Highway 5 Clearwater, BC 250-674-3148

Located on Highway 5

A2 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

SD73 study says personal contact would be @KOOL Dale Bass – Kamloops This Week

Top academic grad A proud-looking Sarah Dohms holds the Governor General's award she received during an awards assembly held at Clearwater Secondary School on Dec. 12. The award is for getting the highest academic marks in the 2014 graduating class. Also announced at the assembly was the 2013 Governor General's award winner, Katie Bieber. Unfortunately, she was not present to accept it. Photo by Keith McNeill

If there’s one word to describe the school district’s distance-learning model completion rates, it’s unsatisfactory.

Kamloops-Thompson school district Supt. Karl deBruijn told trustees last week the rate is 25 per cent in the distance-learning programming offered through its @KOOL school, compared to 86 per cent in the traditional school model.

DeBruijn’s report flows from a focus group of principals, along with Dean Coder, the school district’s dean of international programs, that has looked at the data, studied similar programs in the province and started work on a hybrid model locally.

Among the recommendations taken to trustees were embedding distance-learning teachers in secondary schools and creating a space to support online learning.

The @KOOL graduation program provides courses to students in grades 10 to 12. During the 2012-2013 school year, there were 220 full-time equivalent students in the program — although data shows most students are taking a few subjects to complete their course of studies for graduation.

Most study through the @KOOL school in the former Pineridge elemen-

tary building in Sahali. For the Planning 10 compulsory course, teachers are embedded in schools. For adult distancelearning, the program operates out of Northills Shopping Centre in North Kamloops.

Trustees were told similar programs in Richmond and North Vancouver have better completion rates.

In each, teachers are embedded in secondary schools and distance learning is only part of their teaching requirements.

Teachers in the two districts said one of the reasons they have higher completion rates is because they have personal contact with their students.

Other recommendations from the study include moving the junior-secondary @KOOL component to the Twin Rivers Education Centre on the North Shore to provide more access to behavioural supports, relocate the elementary component into elementary schools, keep the Northills site for adult learners, restructure courses to emphasize personal contact between teachers and students when possible and ensure all students in distance learning’s graduation program meet with a school counsellor to develop a plan to meet the requirements for a Dogwood certificate.

The report shows revenue generated through distance learning is $2.6 million.

Film Commission offers short film bursary Submitted Thompson-Nicola Film Commission (TNFC), in partnership with the Kamloops

Independent Short Short Film Festival, will offer an annual Short Film Development Bursary starting in 2015.

The Short Film

Development Bursary will be worth $300 and, depending upon the quality of the applications, there may be opportunities for a second-place

bursary of $200.

The winner will be announced at the Kamloops Film Festival, which is held annually in March at the Kamloops

Paramount Theatre.

“We felt the idea of an annual bursary will help new and established filmmaking enthusiasts to jump-start their

projects and improve creative options,” said Steven Rice, TNFC chairman and TNRD director for Electoral Area “I” (Blue Sky Country).

UP TO 71% OFF! Avonlea fry pans feature one of the world’s

toughest triple-layer non-stick coatings and are completely PFOA Free.

20cm/8” Avonlea fry pan. List: $139.00. Now $39.99 24cm/9.5” Avonlea fry pan. List: $149.00. Now $44.99 28cm/11” Avonlea fry pan.

List: $159.00. Now $59.99

51% OFF!

65% OFF!

$1299 53% OFF!Paderno mug sets.

$3499

6pc jumbo steak knives.

List: $26.99.

74% OFF! Our 11pc Steel Eternity Cookware set is made from 18/10 stainless steel durable enough for

professional kitchens, but elegant enough for everyday use at home. Ergonomic riveted handles, thick encapsulated base for fast, even heat control. Induction compatible. Set includes: 1.5L, 2L, 3L saucepans, 5L Dutch oven, 3L sauté pan, 24cm/9.5” frying pan, and 5 covers. List: $699.00.

$19999

Colourful 6pc non-stick knife set.

List: $99.99.

Two colour combinations available: green, chocolate, mango, and peach, or blue, green, purple, and red.

List: $16.99.

$799 DECEMBER 26TH TO 31ST ONLY AT:

CLEARWATER

Clearwater Pharmasave 74 Young Road

Information & dealers: 1-800-A NEW-POT or www.paderno.com. Not all locations open Sunday. Quantities limited, please be early. Sale items may not be exactly as shown.

Applicants for the Short Film Development Bursary must submit a short written description of their film, which must be less than five minutes, and how the money will be used. They may also include other materials, such as pictures or documents or songs, to help convey the concept.

Applicants must be residents of Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) and the subject matter must be about a person, place, attraction, event, or tell a story relevant to the Thompson-Nicola region.

All applications for the 2015 bursary must be submitted to the TNFC by Monday, Feb. 16, either by mail to 465 Victoria St., Kamloops, B.C., V2C 2A9; or dropped off at the 4th Floor above the Kamloops Library; or emailed to tnfc@ tnrd.ca; or faxed to 250.372.5048.

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A3

Health program gives road bylaw favourable review Keith McNeill District of Clearwater's road cross-section bylaw has gotten a favorable review by Plan H, a program supported by BC Healthy Communities Society and Healthy Families BC. A recent article on the program's website highlighted the bylaw recently adopted by the District.

The article describes Clearwater as a rural community of about 2,400 people that was confronted by a major obstacle: a main highway running through the middle of it that divided the community into three distinct areas.

Key partners in the road networking plan put together with the help of Opus International included

no just the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure plus developers with property along Highway 5, but also Interior Health and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

A road network rationalization study involved five steps: classification of the existing road networks, development of future road network options, choosing one of three preferred road network options, reviewing the preferred road network plan with property owners, and a mobile public open house.

The mobile public open house involved five stations in the community that participants walked, biked or drove to.

The article quotes District of Clearwater

chief administrative office Leslie Groulx as saying, “What I thought was really awesome about the process was that the people who didn’t come out to participate in the mobile tour came out of their homes at the mobile station [just] to find out what was going on and [started] asking 'Hey, what is this all about?'"

After the road rationalization study was complete, the next step was to develop and implement a road cross-section bylaw.

A guideline was developed to show how a roadway might include several different transportation modes, such as walking or biking, as well as driving.

Town council adopted the bylaw in December, 2013.

A map shows Clearwater's village centre plus other zones.

Submitted graphic

Key outcomes and impacts include the District of Clearwater being presented with UBCM’s community excellence

New councillor gets sworn in District of Clearwater chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx (l) gives the oath of office to newly-elected town council member Dennis Greffard during a council meeting held Tuesday, Dec. 16. Greffard missed a swearing in ceremony held Dec. 2 because of a prior business committment.

Photo by Keith McNeill

TNRD board re-elects MacDonald as vice-chair

“

Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta as its The Thompsonnew chair.

Nicola Regional I’m excited the Ranta District board of replaces directors has re-electboard has put outgoing ed Electoral Area its faith in me chair Bill “B” (Thompson Humphreys, Headwaters) director to continue to who was Willow MacDonald represent them as elected to as vice-chair. that posiThe election took vice-chair. tion in 2013. place during the Humphreys Willow MacDonald board’s inaugural was formerly meeting on Dec. 11 the mayor of in Kamloops.

Barriere.

MacDonald has “I want served as vice-chair to thank the since 2013. board for their vote of con“I’m excited the board fidence, and am looking forhas put its faith in me to continue to represent them as ward to supporting them on vice-chair,” said MacDonald. upcoming regional projects and priorities,” said Ranta. “I The board also elected

Times Staff

”

award in the category of partnerships last September.

The District has created a trails task force to investigate

connectivity and recreation trails in the community.

Also, BuyLow Foods has embraced and implemented

the specification for a multi-use pathway and road standard as part of its new shopping mall development.

VAVENBY COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT The TNRD wants to thank the Vavenby community for their cooperation during the water emergency over the weekend of December 12th - 13th, 2014. The leak, which was causing the reservoir to drain, has been found and isolated.

Thank you to the Vavenby General Store for their hospitality and assistance. Also, thank you to Costco Kamloops and Buy-Low Foods Clearwater for donating bottled water to the Vavenby Community Water System. A special thank you to Rolf Schuchardt for helping the TNRD locate the leak.

Because system leakage is still evident, we request that the community continue to inspect their water lines to identify and repair any water leaks (taps, toilets, outdoor faucets, etc.). Keep an eye on your property for water puddles which may be an indicator of a water pipe leak.

C

apsule

C

omments

with MICHELLE LEINS

We often hear stories about the good and bad effects about consuming coffee. One idea that hasn’t been scientifically proven but looks retrospectively at large groups of people worldwide. There is a link between drinking coffee and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. It doesn’t seem to matter if the coffee is decaf or not but it is recommended that the coffee be drunk with little or no sugar and milk.

E-cigarettes are not legal in Canada but in countries where they are, there has been a significant increase in the number of youth who have never smoked start to use this new device. This group was almost twice as likely to start smoking regular cigarettes than those who never used e-cigarettes. That’s a concern to health professionals because nicotine is an addictive drug and can have adverse effects on the adolescent brain.

There has been much in the media lately about vitamins and whether they are worth the money. One supplement that is worth it is the one to help minimize age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD can lead to blindness, but good scientific studies have shown that formulas containing zinc, lutein and other products can help prevent this serious eye problem. Our pharmacists can clarify which is the best combination.

Willow MacDonald

also want to thank director Humphreys for his years of service and hard work as outgoing chair.”

There are thousands of different vitamin formulations on the market in North America.

How can you tell which is right for you? That’s our job as your pharmacist and we’ll be happy to help you with accurate information to take some of the guesswork out of this very popular subject.

PHARMASAVE Mon-Fri 9-6 • Sat 9-5

BROOKFIELD CENTRE

CLEARWATER, 250-674-3122

A4 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

Opinion

“ My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.”

- Hank Aaron, baseball player editorial by Tom Fletcher

Clark on climate, clawbacks, credit cards A year-end interview with Premier Christy Clark. For an extended version see the Opinion section at www.clearwatertimes.com.

MP McLeod’s reports on mental health in the workplace Editor, The Times:

We have all read about the increase of mental health issues in the workplace, with reports of nearly a quarter of the country’s working population currently affected by mental health problems or illnesses leading to absenteeism and turnovers.

In fact, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, workplace mental health has a $51 billion economic impact on businesses across Canada, and in the next 30 years it is estimated to reach $198 billion in current dollars.

At the beginning of 2014, the Minister of Labour asked me to investigate this critical issue and conduct consultations across Canada, meeting with academics, employers, employee groups, mental health agencies and most importantly to analyze the federal government funded implementation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s ‘Mental Health in the Workplace Standard’.

As I conducted these consultations it became very apparent that businesses and groups across

BC Press Council

Canada are increasingly more invested in the mental well-being of their employees. However, many are having challenges with implementing ‘the Standard’. Many stakeholders suggested a ‘how-to guide’ would be most welcome.

Just this week, the Mental Health Commission acted on this key recommendation by launching a hands-on, easy to use handbook entitled Assembling the Pieces: An Implementation Guide to the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

I would encourage all employers to review this voluntary set of guidelines, tools and resources to better help the psychological health and economic well-being of their workplaces.

Upon the completion of my report and recommendations to the Minister, I am confident that our government will continue to focus on this critical issue for Canadians.

Cathy McLeod, MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo

The Times 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 BC Press Council.

Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to BC Press Council, PO Box 1356, Ladysmith, B.C. V9G 1A9 For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

Times THE

NORTH THOMPSON

www.clearwatertimes.com Established September 23, 1964 Member, BC Press Council

TF: Are you still confident that we’re going to see a major LNG project approved by the end of 2014?

PCC: We’re still in negotiations with Petronas and Shell, so I don’t know if it will be by the end of 2014, but I’m hoping in the next few months.

[Days after this Premier Christy Clark in her Victoria office after the fall legislature session passed interview, Petronas new tax and environmental rules for natural gas exports. Tom Fletcher/Black Press photo announced a delay in their investment decicoming to Ontario and Quebec. These are the sion until 2015.] same two provinces that have put a moratorium TF: I talked to a couple of SFU climate on extracting natural gas. They want to make mitigation specialists, and they agreed that it’s sure that we do it here, good enough for us to unlikely to the point of impossible to have a do, and send it to them, but they won’t do that major LNG industry and still meet Gordon themselves. I look at their last two conditions, Campbell's ambitious greenhouse gas target of and I roll my eyes a little bit. a 33 per cent reduction by 2020. What do you TF: All the way to New Brunswick, they’ve think? basically bought the anti-hydraulic fracturing PCC: I think that we may prove them wrong. myth?

Many of these facilities, not all of them, will be PCC: Yes. Somehow they all watched an partly or fully electrically powered up, so that American mockumentary or whatever you call reduces those impacts, and there’s going to be it, and believed it. Here in British Columbia we a real incentive to invest in new technology to do fracking better than anywhere in the world. minimize that as well.

It is the gold standard.

I think the bigger picture is what really matTF: Finance Minister Mike de Jong says we ters, which is that in shipping 82 million tonnes have a surplus estimated at more than $400 milof liquefied natural gas to Asia, we help them lion for this fiscal year, and he suggested that get off coal and other dirtier sources of oil, and much of that would have to go to pay off defithat is the biggest contribution that we’ve ever cits from previous years. Of course the opposimade to reducing climate change. tion is interested in welfare rates and in particuTF: Ontario and Quebec have taken a page lar ending child support clawbacks. What’s your from your book. They have seven conditions for view? an oil pipeline, Energy East, which involves conPCC: Like any family that’s been through version of gas pipelines and taking Alberta oil tough times, the first thing you need to do when to the East Coast. What do you think? you get back to finding a job and making an PCC: I think they took our five conditions income again, is to pay off your credit cards. and elaborated on them. So you’ve got British And that’s what we’re going to do.

Columbia, Alberta, now Ontario and Quebec, We are going to see if we can find ways to all signed on to some version of the five conimprove some of the programs over time, but ditions. And of course Enbridge and Kinder can’t do that until we can afford it. It’s typical, Morgan as well. the NDP want us to spend the money before we TF: What about the conditions they have have it. added?

– Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and PCC: One of the things they say they want columnist for Black Press newspapers. Email: to protect against is a shortage of natural gas tfletcher@blackpress.ca

Letters Policy The Times welcomes all letters to the editor. We do, however, reserve the right to edit for brevity, clarity, legality and good taste.

While all letters must be signed (and have a telephone number for verification purposes) upon submission, writers may elect to withhold their names from publication in special circumstances.

74 young Road, Unit 14 Brookfield Mall, Clearwater, BC V0E 1N2 Phone: 250-674-3343 Fax: 250-674-3410 Email: newsroom@clearwatertimes.com www.clearwatertimes.com

Subscribe to the Times

Publisher: Al Kirkwood Editor: Keith McNeill Office manager: Yevonne Cline

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

In Town / Out of Town Rates 1 year $57.75; 2 years $110.25 Prices include GST

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A5

Question of the Week

?

Do you think 2015 will be a good year for the North Thompson Valley?

Nicole Giesbrecht (with Robyn and Austin): Yes, because we're getting a new park in Blackpool ... and maybe a spray park.

Shai Richardson:

Melissa Wichmann and Callie Braham:

Joyce James:

I believe so. We've got John Harwood as mayor again and I believe he's been really good for Clearwater and the Valley.

We think it will be.

There are lots of exciting new things happening.

I would hope so.

Safety Mart has moved up to the highway and with a larger and newer looking building, people will think maybe there's something more here.

Tom Meland:

I pray so but I have some concerns and some real hopes.

Conservatives show callous disregard of veterans Editor, The Times:

The Conservative government shows callous disregard in its treatment of Canada's veterans.

Its neglect of vets is even more disgraceful when one considers that – according to research released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation – the Harper Conservatives are spending an estimated $263 million this year on its "information services staff" or, as the CTF says, "spin doctors."

At the same time, this government continues to fight veterans in court that seek fair compensation under the New Veterans Charter, and argues that it has no social contract or fiduciary responsibility to veterans.

When the government announced it would designate $200 million for mental health services for veterans, it implied the money would be spent over five years. Now we know that, in fact, it's 50 years.

At an average annual expenditure of $4 million, that amounts to small change

beside the hundreds of millions spent on its messaging machine this year alone.

Meanwhile, Veterans Affairs managers made hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses for cutting costs as the department shed hundreds of jobs and closed offices responsible for disability benefits and pensions.

Veterans deserve timely access to services whereas some now wait up to eight months just to be seen.

The NDP has pledged to reopen the nine closed vets offices. Veterans and their

Don't trust the banks with the economy Editor, The Times:

On the opinion pages of the Vancouver Sun there was a column by some young TD mouthpiece about how wonderful this new free trade agreement that Harper signed with China was. Oh glorious, the wealth and riches that would flow from this!

Of course, in all of this the two pipelines, Kinder Morgan and Northern Gateway, figure very prominently.

However, with such rightwingers as Stockwell Day and Gordon Gibson firmly against these Alberta tar conduits, not to mention the tremendous opposition to Kinder Morgan from the good folks at Burnaby, just why are the powers that be so determined

to push these dubious projects through?

When I want to talk to someone intelligent (beside talking to myself — Hah! Just kidding) I phone my youngest daughter to mull over the latest developments, i.e. the falling price of oil and all of its ramifications.

When the roughnecks are being laid off and activities being scaled back, why aren't these pipeline projects being put on hold?

Well, explained my daughter, with all the wheeling and dealing that goes on, CINOC (the Chinese state-owned energy company) now owns a good portion of the Athabasca tar sands.

And they couldn't care less

how they get that tar, as long as they get it.

All these so-called free trade (It's not free trade, as Lewis Lapham stated, it's managed trade — managed strictly for a corporate agenda) deals with China have, in typical Canadian fashion, given away the store!

In other words, we Canadians, as Andrew Nikiforuk has pointed out, are not masters in our own house.

This is what that “suit” from Toronto Dominion thinks is a good idea? Oh, the banksters!

Don't trust them with the economy.

Or the banks for that matter.

Dennis Peacock Clearwater, B.C.

Why has my surgery been cancelled five times?

Editor, The Times:

I am writing to ask why Royal Inland Hospital seems to be so poorly administrated.

I live with chronic pain and periodically require a surgical procedure that helps lessen the pain.

I have been booked for this procedure and

then cancelled five times.

Why? I have never heard of a patient being cancelled five times and I think it is a disgrace.

I am told I can’t get another surgery date until mid-January because that is the next time my surgeon

has operating-room time.

I am thoroughly ticked off because I am in a lot of pain, to the point I can’t think straight or function properly.

I have written to Terry Lake, our health minister and our MLA for KamloopsNorth Thompson, but

I have heard nothing back.

What does a person like me do?

I can’t afford private care and I think it is a great dysfunction of our health system that I can’t get my surgery in a timely manner.

Barbara Ray Beal Kamloops, B.C.

families should be promptly given the information and tools they need to help identify mental health issues and support those in need.

This is yet another example of Conservative arrogance and disrespect of the needs of veterans and their families – it is dishonourable and it has become habitual.

Bill Sundhu, NDP federal candidate, Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo

H

Baby!

Babies of 2014

In our January 8th edition, the Clearwater TIMES will celebrate babIES born In 2014

Don’t miss the chance to share your excitement by announcing the arrival of a new member of the family!

Submit the following information along with a clear photo

only

$27.

99 + tax

• name • Phone • baby’s First name • baby’s Middle name • baby’s Last name • Date of birth • Parents First & Last names Deadline for your entry is Dec. 31, 2014 • phone 250 674-3343 or drop in at our office in brookfield Mall

Bring on the Babies!

A6 www.clearwatertimes.com

50

YEARS AGO:

Weekly whist games held by Wells Gray Women's Institute in Upper Clearwater had been terminated for the remainder of 1964.

Games were to resume in January, reported Upper Clearwater correspondent Helga Premischook.

Kamloops Coach Lines was advertising daily, dependable motor coach service to Kamloops. The bus left Vavenby at 8 a.m., arrived in Kamloops at 11:05. It returned from Kamloops at 6 p.m., arriving in Vavenby at 9:15 p.m.

The following poem was an ode to the East Blackpool bus:

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

A Rattlin' Good Success We have rented a bus, I fear, Supposed to last for half a year; Broken steps and muffler hole, I wonder if it has a soul.

Without its brother trucks to start, It would stall or fall apart; One time a tractor gave a tow, A worn out battery was the foe.

As fate may have it, it caught cold, It stalled near Rutleys', I was told; It coughed and sneezed and blew its hose, Ford it had a big long nose.

HISTORICAL Perspective

BACK IN TIME Well anyway, through thick or thin, Our driver always brought her in; Kids all think this bus is fine, They'd buy it quick for just a dime.

Sure hope your troubles are over soon, And get a bus with lots of boom; One that will run with lots of ease, And on the road will never sneeze.

From your Clearwater WorkBC Jocelyn, Kathy, Val, Theresa, Stacey & Naomi

HIGHLIGHTS OF

LOCAL JOB POSTINGS VISIT

www.clearwateremployment.ca

OR THE JOB BOARD IN OUR OFFICE TO SEE ALL THE LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES

Front Desk Clerk #C0511 Janitor/Custodian #C0510 Support Worker #C0509 Job Coach #CB0507 Relief Motel Managers Blue River #CB0503 Motel Housekeeper Blue River #C0502 Receiving Clerk #C0500 Log Truck/ Lowbed Drivers & #CB0499 Log Processor Operator #CB0497 5 Job Postings in Blue River- Heli Ski Guide, Custom Wood Furniture Maker, Front Desk Attendant, Housekeeping Supervisor, Electrician! #CB0488

A FULL LIST OF JOB POSTINGS ARE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CLEARWATEREMPLOYMENT.CA _________________________________________________ CLEARWATER EMPLOYMENT SERVICES CENTRE 58A Young Road, Clearwater BC V0E 1N2 Phone: 250- 674-2928 Fax: 250- 674-2938 Hours of operat operation: Monday through Friday 8:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4:00 Email: info@clearwateremployment.ca www.clearwateremployment.ca Operated by Yellowhead Community Services

The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

40

Suze Krauseneck was master-of-ceremonies for the School District 26 Christmas concert. A band composed of students from Birch Island, Dutch Lake and Vavenby elementary schools played songs and carols. Paul Sonneson was the featured trumpet soloist with the Clearwater Secondary School band. The clarinet section of Joy Dickson, Linda Tonge, Sandra Whiteman, Joy Gregory, Lorraine Schulte and Debbie Zimmerman played a concerto.

The first evercurling bonspiel was held at the new North Thompson Sportsplex.

contractor, Interior Roads, did their own management and equipment maintenance, he said, "I just monitor their performance."

Featured CSS musicians during the annual Clearwater community concert were Merlin Reiter (trumpet), Rusty Clark (trombone), Shawn Richardson (guitar), Lisa Toma (flute), Laura Marshall (clarinet), Bill Liebe (bagpipes), Kari Montrichard (alto sax), Darcy Yurkiw (tenor sax), Sharon Strickland (saxophone), Lisa Odermatt (baritone saxophone), Barbara Wadlegger (alto sax), and Deanne Reiter (saxophone).

30

20

YEARS AGO:

YEARS AGO:

Police and relatives were searching along the Yellowhead Highway for two missing Alberta residents, Jim Hammond and Linda Gallant. The two had been traveling from Edmonton to Kamloops with a load of furniture when they disappeared. An unconfirmed report put their propanepowered pickup at a Clearwater service station.

"My job is the little spy in the backwoods," was how Department of Highways supervisor for the Clearwater area Jerry Beddington described what he did for a living. The highways maintenance

YEARS AGO:

Kevin Kriese was the new operations manager in the Clearwater Forest District. As integrated management resource officer, Kriese had played a leading role in developing the Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). His grandfather had run the original small sawmill in the Heffley Creek and Falkland areas before coming to Clearwater, where he worked at Camp 2 until his retirement.

The Little Fort ferry was back in use after being closed for over two weeks due to ice on the river.

Then in its 14th

year, Amalgamated Christmas filled 106 hampers for needy families in the Clearwater area.

Secretary Lois Moss said a lot of the credit for the successful campaign should go to its chairperson, "Sgt. Major" Pauline Gregory.

15

YEARS AGO:

The end of the millennium was just a few days away, and local Provincial Emergency Program coordinator Tracy Wynnyk suggested it was a good occasion for people to review their emergency preparedness plans.

PEP headquarters in Victoria was advising people to prepare for Y2K as they would for a severe winter storm or ice-storm.

Former Clearwater Library manager Muriel Dunford published a new history book: "North River: the Story of B.C.'s North Thompson Valley and Yellowhead Highway 5." The front cover featured a historical photo of pistolpacking poet Angus Horne and his associate, Jack Willis.

10

YEARS AGO:

Telus expanded its cell phone service so that it was continuous from Clearwater to Kamloops.

Residents of Wells Gray Country would go to the polls shortly to vote on a proposed aquatic center.

Sonya Beauchamp was picked to be tourism-marketing coordinator for Wells Gray Country.

Leonard Rilcoe of Barriere won $2.2 mil-

lion in a lottery. The 59-year-old father of three planned to retire from logging.

EDAC released a logo for the North Thompson Valley.

The logo highlighted the river and valley in relation to direction through the association with a compass symbol.

5

YEARS AGO: Murtle River Nordics advised that they had finally set the ski track on the Pyramid Campground access.

Clearwater United Church treasurer Lois Geiger presented Clearwater Hospice Society representative Betty Schulte with a cheque for $585. The money was the proceeds from the Voices United Choir cantata presentation.

1

YEAR AGO:

Rogers Communications would like to erect a cellphone tower next to the firehall in Clearwater, Mayor John Harwood announced. The tower would be 35 m tall, which should give better coverage than the existing Telus tower, which is 30 m high.

A Valley Voices article told the story of Royce and Nancy Gibson's marriage in the snow nearly 70 years earlier. They had met in 1938 when the Avola school kids (Royce) had a sports day with the McMurphy school kids (Nancy). They were married on Dec. 27, 1946, in Avola after Royce returned from serving overseas.

District of Clearwater investigates help for Midget hockey provincials Keith McNeill Clearwater Minor Hockey president Hans Wadlegger asked council during its Dec. 16 meeting to waive the ice fees at the Sportsplex when the association hosts the Tier 4 Midget provincial hockey championships.

The tournament will be held March 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20 but could last longer, depending on the number of teams enrolled.

Ice fees for the tournament would be about $3,000, depending on the number of days the event lasts.

Between six and eight teams are expected, which should bring in a fair number of visitors' dollars at an otherwise quiet time of year.

Clearwater hosted the Midget provincials last year as well. To avoid burn-out, organizers will target the larger businesses and

those that directly benefit when asking for donations, Wadlegger said.

Mayor John Harwood commented that hosting the provincial tournament is one benefit coming from the construction of new changing rooms at the ice arena done a few years ago.

As with similar requests, council took the matter under advisement for a decision at a later date.

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A7

Government introduces new railway crossing rules OTTAWA/CNW/ - The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, recently announced regulations to help prevent accidents and improve railway safety. The new Grade Crossings Regulations establish new safety standards for federally-regulated grade crossings.

Amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations will help identify and address safety risks proactively.

"The goal of the new Grade Crossings Regulations is to save lives by providing consistent grade crossing safety standards across Canada, and promoting collaboration between railways and road authorities,” Raitt said.

“The amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations will also help identify and address safety risks proactively.

We continue to work together to make the Canadian railway system one of the safest in the world,” said the Minister of Transport.

A grade crossing, also known as a road or level crossing, is where a railway line crosses a road at the same level. Railway companies and road authorities (provinces, municipalities, band councils, and private crossing owners) are all responsible for managing railway crossing safety in Canada.

These regulations improve safety by helping to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents, preventing derailments and injuries and saving lives. In particular, the regulations

improve safety by: • Providing consistent grade crossing safety standards across Canada; • Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of railway companies and road authorities; and • Improving safety features and promoting collaboration between all parties.

The regulations are results-based, meaning they contain options for bringing a consistent level of safety to each railway crossing in Canada.

They will take full effect over the next seven years.

The Government of Canada is also introducing amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations. Under the changes, rail carriers will be required to report leading indicator data to Transport Canada. Leading indicators are measurable factors that can be used to proactively identify and address safety risks. This new requirement will support better planning and performance measurement, more focused audits and inspections, and targeted programs that address specific safety issues.

The Regulations improve safety at federally regulated grade crossings, including approximately 14,000 public and 9,000 private grade crossings along 42,650 kilometres of federallyregulated railway track in Canada.

From 2009 to 2013, collisions between vehicles and railway equipment at public and private crossings caused, on average, 26 deaths and 26 serious injuries a year.

TNRD tipping fees increase Submitted The ThompsonNicola Regional District is raising tipping fees for household refuse as well as demolition, landclearing and construction (DLC) waste beginning January 2015 at all waste facilities in the TNRD. The tipping fees for household refuse will go from $60 per tonne to $80 per tonne, and tipping fees for DLC waste will go from $120 per tonne to $160 per tonne, as per a new bylaw that was adopted by the TNRD Board of Directors.

Also in effect as of January 2015, any amount of household garbage under 50 kg will again be charged $1 per bag, up to four bags, or 50 kg. Any amount greater than 50 kg will be charged at

the $80/tonne rate.

The new fee structure for household waste gives customers incentive to reduce and recycle while saving landfill space.

Diverting material from the landfill saves space for material that truly belongs there and keeps landfills open for as long as possible.

The fee structure also gives customers the ability to save money by source separating DLC waste. A separate lower fee will be applied to

select waste streams if they are separated.

The fee increases are in step with the userpay principle adopted in the TNRD Solid Waste Management Plan. These changes will move costs away from the taxpayer and towards the user.

The new fees will make TNRD fees comparable to other regional districts in the southern Interior. Presently, the TNRD has some of the lowest fees in the southern Interior.

It’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep

CONTACT US TO DISCUSS

Municipality gives to food bank Mayor John Harwood (l) presents a $1,000 cheque on behalf of District of Clearwater to Pat Stanley of Clearwater and District Food Bank. The money was to go towards the Christmas hamper campaign and other programs.

Photo by Keith McNeill

LIFE WITH PETS

Health Insurance for Pets As Canadians, we are fortunate in that our health care system, for all of its shortcomings, does provide tremendous peace of mind. If you or a family member are involved in a serious car accident or are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, you are not likely doing to have to lose your home or declare bankruptcy to pay your medical bills. Your monthly MSP bill likely does not exceed the cost of your mortgage.

Insurance is one of those odd things that we are not happy to pay but are happy not to use.

Not too many years ago, health insurance for pets was considered a luxury. Horse owners, by contrast, have been insuring their animals for decades. It makes sense to pay an annual premium when the cost of emergency surgery for a colic or injury can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. In many of these cases, the only alternative is euthanasia or permanent loss of function of a valuable performance horse.

With remarkable advances in modern veterinary medicines, our ability to diagnose and treat medical conditions in pets has increased at an astonishing rate. Not too long ago, many pets diagnosed with cancer or other serious conditions were euthanized because there essentially few treatment options available to cure the disease or even to comfortably extend the life of the pet. The same situation existed for congenital conditions (abnormalities that are present at birth, such as heart defects), or serious injuries or infections. Veterinarians and pet owners now have a wide array of treatment options for pets that can save lives and relieve previously untreatable conditions.

Our pets can be diagnosed by board-certified veterinary specialists with access to much of the same technological and medical advances used by physicians. But these innovations come at a cost. It is heartbreaking for pet owners who must decide between meeting household expenses and pursuing treatment for their pet. In many cases, the

Compassionate PET CARE Close to home

• Your goals and dreams • Your issues and obstacles • Your success and quality of life

CARIBOO COUNTRY MOBILE VETERINARY SERVICES Pam Barker, DVM Michelle Collett, RAHT

BRUCE MARTIN & ASSOCIATES BUSINESS ADVISERS & CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Clearwater (250) 674-2112

Kamloops (250) 374-5908

www.brucemartin.ca

Cariboo Country Mobile Veterinary Services

info@cariboomobilevet.com www.CaribooMobileVet.com facebook.com/cariboomobilevet

250-644-PETS (7387)

Michelle and Pam

www.cariboomobilevet.com choice is based on economics, not whether or not treatment would be effective.

Several companies offer veterinary health insurance for pets. Costs vary widely and depend on which services are covered. For the majority of pet owners, routine care is something they plan for and prepare in their budget. It is those sudden, unforeseeable accidents or illnesses that can be financially and emotionally devastating. Dogs get hit by cars, cats are attacked by other animals or a beloved pet can develop cancer with few, if any, warning signs. This is where pet insurance can provides invaluable peace of mind.

The amount of coverage you select for your pet depends on many factors, but may be simpler than you think. If something happened to your pet today, what amount could you afford for care? Could you borrow emergency funds from a friend or a relative? Do you have a credit on a card that you save for emergencies? This amount can then be figured as your deductible for your pet’s insurance policy. With a larger deductible, your monthly or annual payments become much less. Premiums are also lower for pets that are spayed or neutered. (Insurance companies know that unaltered pets have a much higher likelihood of being in fights or being hit by a vehicle.) Pets that have current vaccinations and routine veterinary care also tend to have lower premiums, as their health issues are usually diagnosed earlier when treatment is more likely to be effective, and often less expensive because the pet is not in crisis.

Most pet insurance companies have informative websites and many will allow you to compare rates and coverage and figure the costs of deductibles versus monthly payments. In a tight economy, insurance for your pet may seem like an extravagance, but that is the very situation where you may need it most.

A8 www.clearwatertimes.com

Cause a disturbance

On Saturday, Dec. 13, Clearwater RCMP responded to a report of a fight at a Christmas party.

Police were happy to learn upon arriving, that the situation had calmed, was minor in nature, and no police intervention was required.

The party carried on with no further disruptions or problems.

Semi slides off highway

On Sunday, Dec. 14, a semitruck slid off Highway 5 between Blue River and Avola. There were no injuries but it is another reminder to please drive cautiously. The roads can still be quite slick and dangerous.

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

CLEARWATER

1-800-222-TIPS Clearwater RCMP Report The weather forecast is calling for more mild temperatures right up to Christmas. Though the roads may appear clear, black ice will likely be common, especially in the evening due to the thawing and freezing happening each day.

Clearwater RCMP would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and safe and Happy Holidays.

Virk shuffled to new job in cabinet

By Tom Fletcher, Black Press VICTORIA – Premier Christy Clark has moved embattled cabinet minister Amrik Virk out of his advanced education ministry role as the government wrapped up its probe into unauthorized signing bonuses for new executives at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Virk trades cabinet

jobs with VancouverQuilchena MLA Andrew Wilkinson, who was serving as technology, innovation and citizens' services minister. The announcement came Thursday, after the government released the latest results of a probe of the Kwantlen hirings.

Virk was an inspector with the Langley RCMP and volunteer Kwantlen board

“When you need us, we’re close by” When a death occurs, we are here to help you, every step of the way. 24 hours a day, every day. If you have made pre-arrangements elsewhere and would like to discuss having your local funeral home take care of you, please feel free to call.

NORTH THOMPSON FUNERAL SERVICES 73 Taren Drive, Clearwater, BC, V0E 1N2

Call Drake, MaryAnn or Jennifer at 250-674-3030 or 1-877-674-3030 day or night.

Drake Smith, MSW (Funeral Director/Owner)

Jennifer Vincent (Apprentice Funeral Director/Manager)

member before being elected MLA for Surrey-Tynehead last year. In November, the NDP produced emails that contradicted Virk's claim he was not involved in a decision to get around B.C. salary guidelines for university executives.

Virk said he forgot about an email exchange where he proposed a research allowance for then-University of Regina dean of business Ann Lavack for the position of vicepresident academic at Kwantlen. B.C. public service pay rules limited the position to $170,000 a year, and Lavack took the job in 2011 with a $20,000 research allowance and a $50,000 "consulting fee" that were not reported to provincial officials.

Notice of Holiday Hours of Operation The Thompson-Nicola Regional District offices located in Kamloops and Clearwater will be closed from 1:00 p.m. on December 24, 2014 through to January 1, 2014 inclusive, re-opening on January 2, 2015.

The TNRD would also like to advise of the following holiday closures: All TNRD Libraries will be closed on December 25th, 26th and January 1st. Please visit www.tnrdlib.ca to see the hours of operation for your local library branch and the Bookmobile.

The Clearwater Eco Depot and the Vavenby solid waste facility will be closed on December 25th & 26th and on January 1st. Please visit the TNRD website at www.tnrd.ca for scheduled hours of operation for these facilities.

In the event of an emergency at a TNRD utility system (Blue River or Vavenby water system) during the office closure, please call (250) 318-7515.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Board of Directors

Kinder Morgan contributes to food bank Transmountain Pipeline operations supervisor for the North Thompson Scott MacDonald (centre) presents a $1,000 cheque to Heather Stanley (l) and John McFarland of Clearwater and District Food Bank recently.

Distribution of this year's Christmas hampers took place the weekend before last.

Photo by Keith McNeill

Millwright looks after Trans Mountain pump station Submitted Cam Smith became a millwright on the Trans Mountain pipeline at Valemount in spring 2014.

As the newest member of his team, Cam uses his mechanic skills to help look after a pump station along the North Thompson section of the Trans Mountain pipeline right-of-way.

Cam describes why his new job is a dream come true.

Q. What drew you to work on the Trans Mountain pipeline?

A. I’m from Devon, Alberta and had been working at an Edmonton factory that retreads commercial truck tires. I was eager for a new challenge and a change of scenery. My wife and I love to spend time outdoors and enjoy camping, backpacking and canoeing.

We had been wanting to move to the mountains for quite some time, but jobs were scarce since all the sawmills shut down. So when an opening came up for a millwright at Trans Mountain’s Valemount pump station, I saw that as a great opportunity and I jumped on it.

Q. What was your work background?

A. I got my start about 20 years ago at a printing plant where I ran presses before working my way up to mechanical maintenance foreman.

Q. What does your new job entail?

A. At the station, which is about the size of an average single-family home, one of my duties is looking after two 5,000-horsepower pumps that help move oil through the line at rate of about 2,000 cubic metres per hour. In one day, up to 300,000 barrels of oil move through the pipeline at a speed of five kilometres per hour.

The work varies every day. I don’t think I’ve done the same job twice. For example, today I started out doing station checks for all of the equipment at the station. After that we headed out to winterize some valves on the right-of-way. Each day is different.

Q. How important is safety in your day-to-day work?

A. Our focus on safety is a constant thing. We

Trans Mountain millwright Cam Smith is based out of Valemount. Photo submitted

perform safety checks at least twice a week at the station. We have a routine facility check procedure, which includes security checks, housekeeping checks, safety checks, environmental checks and equipment checks. There’s a whole variety of stuff we go through.

On the pipeline right-of-way, we do checks on the valves biannually – usually in spring and fall.

Q. What do you think of Trans Mountain’s approach to safety?

A. It’s amazing how safety-oriented this company is. At some of the places I’ve worked you kind of get the feeling it’s more talk than anything else.

Here, it’s not just talk. It’s the rule.

Any time you are going to do a job, if you’re not sure about it or if you want a refresher, you’ll find that it’s covered in the safety manual. I have yet to find anything that isn’t covered in depth.

Obviously I want to be safe. I want to go home at the end of every day. I want my coworkers to go home at the end of every day. I now have a higher standard of safety for myself.

Q. What kind of safety training does your team do?

A. Safety training is a continual process for all employees and that’s not going to end.

Our current training modules and safety plans are renewed every three years and we have to renew our training on all of them. This will be ongoing throughout my career.

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A9

My first Christmas in Canada – Hettie Buck Eleanor Deckert “I was 15 years old when I had my first Christmas in Canada,” Hettie Buck begins her recollection of Christmas in Clearwater in 1971.

How did a girl who grew up in the Californian desert come to experience that first special Christmas?

It is possible to trace Hettie’s story back over 125 years.

William Grant (who was present when the CPR’s “Last Spike” was driven at Craigellachie and was the first to grow and market strawberries near Victoria, B.C.) married Bella Eddie in 1888. He decided to relocate after root weevil destroyed his crop. He read about the success of Fred Steggs’ strawberries in Clearwater. Over time he cleared six parcels of land in the Clearwater area: Glen Eddie, Mountain Terrace, Raft River, Stewart Grant, Upper Clearwater Ranch, and Dutch Lake.

William and Bella’s daughter, Isabella Gertrude Grant, married Otto Miller and after their sons, William, Robert and Ronald were born, they joined William and Isabella in Clearwater in 1922.

The land that is now Dutch Lake Resort was their ranch.

Robert Miller’s dad sold the Dutch Lake land to Dorothy Bell and Grace McGraw in 1945.

In 1946, Grace

Hettie Haynes (later Hettie Buck) takes a break from toboganning and snowshoeing while on a hill overlooking Brookfield Mall in Clearwater. After growing up in California, this was one of her first snowy winters. Photos submitted

invited her two nieces, Mary Agnes Scott and Henrietta May Scott to help on the ranch.

Robert (Bob) Miller came a-courting, canoeing across the lake. He and Henrietta (Hettie) were married in June, 1948.

Ranch life and growing strawberries were supplemented by hunting and trapping, logging, being a park ranger and collecting animal, bird, insect and plant specimens for the University of Ontario. Anne and Peter were Bob and Hettie Miller’s children – home-schooled and learning skills passed on from their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

Hettie Buck picks up the sequence: “My family was my mom (Mary) and my dad (Ross Haynes), sister (Grace) and brother (Scott). Mom was a Canadian. She brought us all up to Clearwater to visit her sister, Henrietta

(Hettie) Grace McGraw almost every summer. We romped all over the hills, forests, ponds and gardens with Anne and Peter and called them “cousins” and their parents, “Uncle Bob” and “Aunt Hettie.” When our property in California was sold, Mom asked us where we wanted to move? We agreed: Clearwater!”

They arrived after a three day drive.

“We felt like we had been transported to Paradise on Earth when we moved to Canada for good,” Hettie Buck said. “We had visited many summers, but never in our lives had we experienced winter! We loved it. The kids who lived here rolled their eyes at me, thinking I exaggerated how ‘wonderful’ and ‘beautiful’ everything was ... the snow, the cold, the sledding and skating ... all normal activities for them, all new for me.”

“My cousins, Anne and Pete, created a rink on the pond. We went skating at night by the glow of lanterns, resting on bales of straw in the moonlight. The wind came up and turned our cheeks bright red!”

The excitement is still in Hettie’s voice after over 40 years!

“Aunt Het had a collection of old

Uncle Bob Miller checks out a trap set into a square notch cut into a cedar tree. An accomplished outdoorsman, he married Hettie Haynes’ mother’s sister, Hettie Scott (Miller).

skates in all sizes for whoever came. We would come tromping in, freezing cold, to enjoy hot chocolate and go out again.”

“People came from all around for a Christmas tree ... and one other extra-special treat: Uncle Bob was famous for making deluxe caramel. It’s a secret recipe, but we do know that he lovingly stirred it in a huge, heavy pot on the wood stove for eight – 11 hours. When he tested it ‘just right,’ he poured the candy out onto cookie sheets lined with waxed brown butcher paper.

“For Christmas, the best present each kid would get was a two-inch slab of that caramel. We would slowly nibble the soft sugary sweetness trying to save it as long as we could savouring, unwrapping and rewrapping. Someone might hide their piece so that who ever finished theirs first would come looking, begging for a bite.”

Hettie Buck recalled that there was always something delicious cooking or baking in the wood stove at any time of year.

“I remember that it was mostly Uncle Bob who did the baking. He had recipes and learned skills from his mother and grandmother. Bear lard was best for pie dough. Shortbread dough was patted into a pie pan, baked and cut into wedges. Appleup-side-down cake had a special warm caramel sauce drizzled overtop.”

Aunt Hettie Miller uses a canoe to bring in a buck after killing it herself. Her mother’s sister was a great influence on the young Hettie Haynes after the young teen moved from California to Clearwater.

Christmas Day dinner was a feast with so many foods from the garden.

“Our eyes were always bigger than our stomachs!” Hettie Buck remembers.

“Aunt Het made such good gravy and stuffing for turkey dinner.

Uncle Bob baked squash in the oven, scoring it and loading on the butter and brown sugar. We even had home made cranberry sauce.”

“After dinner, we kids would all lay around talking, reading, singing or listening to the adults tell stories and share family history. The adults sat at the long table that Uncle Bob made years ago.

A wide range of topics of conversation included: selective logging, flowers, grafting trees, bird watching, turtle migration, trapping, hunting, mechanics, seed preservation,

Proud supporter of the

North Thompson Star/Journal Monday, June 18, 2012

gardening, farming, history, conservation, wine making, climate change, and so much more!”

Hettie Buck recalled that at her Aunt Het and Uncle Bob’s place she had a continuous education.

“It’s at this time of year that I miss Uncle Bob and Aunt Hettie and all the relatives, friends and neighbours who came for a tree, tea, or skating.”

After the move to Clearwater, Hettie’s family operated Haynes’ General Store for many years. The store was located near the bottom of Stegg’s Hill on the Flats in Clearwater. Hettie married Barry Buck, the oldest son of well known local residents Ed and Eva Buck, and they had four children: Joshua, Justice, Jeremy and Jadessa (and there are now seven grandchildren).

In 1998 Hettie Buck graduated from Kwantlen in Richmond in journalism and public relations. Starting in 2005 she was marketing coordinator for Blue River Tourism for several years, and then manager for Clearwater and District Chamber of Commerce for a year, starting in 2012.

At present she is in charge of business development and sales with a Kamloops-based Internet company.

She is also the administrator of various Facebook pages, including Rich History of the North Thompson and Beyond.

www.starjournal.net A11

Terry Lake, MLA MLA Kevin Krueger,

Kamloops-- North Thompson Kamloops North Thompson

618B Tranquille Rd.

“Here to help you.”

Kamloops BC, V2B 3H6

Phone 250-554-5413 • Fax 250-554-5417

9 - 111 Oriole Road, Kamloops, BC V2C 4N6 Toll Free: 1-888-299-0805 From Darfield to Kamloops Call 314-6031

email: terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca • www.terrylakemla.bc.ca Nature plays a large part in Art by Ecki

By Elli Kohnert North Thompson Star/Journal

Canada, and eventu- carve on it!” ist on selling his work ally came to live in He notes that near- through craft fairs.

Cloverdale, B.C. It is ly all the materials he The couple say they

A10 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

Christmas concert amazes

(L-r) Austin Pelton, Kaitlyn Vaisnis, Lynden Spooner and Milo Hindle appear to pray as they sing a song during Raft River Elementary School's Christmas concert on Wednesday in the school's gymnasium.

Lucas Rau is Santa Claus as he takes part in the Christmas concert at Raft River Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 17. A good-sized crowd of parents, friends and relatives turned out for the annual event.

Astrid Ludwig (l) looks concerned after Joshua Foss tells her that girls cannot train to become the new Santa Claus.

Lesley Pinksen (l) and Jaime Ball look proud as they sing a song during the concert at Raft River Elementary School.

All photos by Keith McNeill

(L-r) Jorja Bond, Kileigh Foisy and Alyssa Ball wear Santa hats as they sing during the Christmas concert at Raft River Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Cassidy Tucker makes a realistic looking Mrs. Claus as she takes part in a series of skits that took place between acts at the concert.

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A11

Xmas display Christmas lights festoon the yard of Carrie and Greg Johnson south of Little Fort. The display has grown gradually over the past few years.

Photo by Keith McNeill

Healthy smiles start with daily dental care The dental care you provide for your child sets the stage for healthy adult teeth.

Knowing what to do on a day to day basis will reap huge benefits for not only your child’s happiness and well-being but also for your pocket book.

A daily oral care routine for your children prevents decay and helps empower them to make dental health a lifelong priority.

Baby teeth are just as important as adult teeth. They help children speak clearly and eat well. They also help form the jaw and hold space for adult teeth to grow into.

Your child will have baby teeth until he or she is 12-13 years old.

Here are some tips to help parents and caregivers keep those tiny teeth bright and healthy.

• Avoid transferring bacteria to your child.

It is best to avoid putting an object that has been in your mouth into your baby’s mouth. Babies are not born with decay-causing bacteria but these bacteria can be transferred from parents or caregivers to baby.

Replacing your child’s toothbrush every three months also reduces exposure to decay causing bacteria.

• Clean your child’s teeth every day. Baby teeth are at risk for decay as soon as they appear. Before teeth appear, wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, wet cloth once a day, every day. Once teeth appear, brush

with a rice-size amount of fluoride toothpaste twice a day, every day.

Once all baby teeth are in (about three years old), increase the amount of toothpaste to a pea-size amount.

A parent needs to brush their child’s teeth until they can write, not print, their own name.

• Lift the lip. Once a month, lift the lip to check for white or brown spots on the teeth. These spots are the earliest signs of tooth decay.

• Avoid juice, milk, and sweetened drinks between meals. Give plain water for thirsty

children between meals.

• Give healthy snacks like fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats, and grains. Sugary or starchy foods that stick to the teeth can increase your child’s risk of tooth decay.

• Visit your dental professional. The Canadian Dental Association recommends the first visit to be six months after the first tooth appears, usually by one year of age.

– Author Carol Gulliford is a dental professional practice leader with Interior Health.

Voices United perform Members of the Voices United Choir perform at Clearwater Community Baptist Church last Saturday evening. The choir consists of singers from various denominations under the leadership of Louise Weaver.

Photo by Keith McNeill

CHANGES COMING IN 2015.

As of Tuesday, January 13, 2015 tipping fees are changing at all TNRD transfer stations and Eco-Depots.

ECO-DEPOTS SMALL TRANSFER STATIONS (NO WEIGH SCALE) In partnership with

SAVE ANYWHERE. In partnership with In partnership with

SAVE SAVE ANYWHERE. ANYWHERE. ANYWHERE. In partnership with

Introducing the New Save.ca Mobile Cash-Back Feature.

With exclusive offers for the brands you love & $5 cash-out minimums through PayPal, you’ll never go shopping without your smart phone again!

Introducing the New Save.ca Mobile Cash-Back Feature.

Introducing the New Mobile Feature.

With exclusive offers for theSave.ca brands you loveCash-Back & $5 cash-out minimums With exclusive offersnever for thegobrands youwithout love & $5 cash-out minimums through PayPal, you’ll shopping your smart phone again!

Introducing the New Save.ca Mobile Cash-Back Feature. through PayPal, you’ll neverBack go shopping without yourSteps smart phone again!

Get Cash in 3 Easy With exclusive offers for the brands you love & $5 cash-out minimums through PayPal, you’ll never go shopping without your smart phone again!

Cash Back inReceipt 3 Easy Steps 1. Browse &Get Shop 2. Upload 3. Get Cash Back!

Get Cash Back in 3 Easy Steps

Browse the mobile app Take a photo of your Once you reach just $5, 1. Browse & Shop 2.

Upload Receipt Get Cashyou Back! for your favourite brand’s andin submit it 3.the money save will Get Cash receipt Back 3 Easy Steps mobile app 2.Take a photo ofapp your Once youCash reach just $5,your 1.Browse Browse & Shop Upload Receipt 3.

Get Back! offers, andthe purchase through the be transferred into for your favourite brand’s receipt and submit it the money you save them at any store PayPal wallet Browse the mobile app Take a photo of your Once you reach justwill $5, offers, and through the app 1. Browse &purchase Shop Upload Receipt for your favourite brand’s 2. receipt and submit it

them at any store offers, purchase Browse theand mobile app at anybrand’s store for yourthem favourite offers, and purchase them at any store

through the of app Take a photo your receipt and submit it through the app

be into your 3.transferred Get Cash the money you saveBack! will PayPal wallet beOnce transferred into your you reach just $5, the PayPal moneywallet you save will be transferred into your PayPal wallet

Visit save.ca/cashback to Learn More Visit save.ca/cashback to Learn More Visit save.ca/cashback to Learn More

Visit save.ca/cashback to Learn More

Household garbage rates will stay the same at $1/ bag or $10/pick-up truck.

DLC rates will increase from $20/ pick-up truck to $30/pick-up truck.

See complete volume based tipping fee schedule at tnrd.ca.

PLEASE SORT RECYCLABLE/DIVERTIBLE MATERIALS TO REDUCE YOUR TIPPING FEE.

(WITH WEIGH SCALE)

If bringing in bags of household garbage you will be charged $1/bag up to 4 bags. More than 4 bags or 50 kilograms will be calculated at $80/tonne Wood waste, asphalt shingles and concrete/asphalt are $100/tonne with a $5 minimum for loads under 50 kg.

Loads of DLC that are not separated out will be charged $160/tonne with a minimum charge of $8 for loads under 50 kg

For more information visit our website or talk to your local site attendant a partnership between

KAMLOOPS.CA TNRD.CA

A12 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

Sports Outdoor club prepares for active ski season Keith McNeill After what seemed like an early start to the cross-country ski season, recent warm weather has set things back for Wells Gray Outdoors Club.

Nevertheless, there is still a base of snow at the Candle Creek trails and plans are progressing for the rest of the season, according to club president Wes Bieber and registrar Hazel Wadlegger.

First event on the calendar will be a snow crasher and open house on Sunday, Dec. 28.

Participants should meet at the Candle Creek chalet at 1:30 p.m. to head out on the trails on their own or join one of the ski “hosts” who will be leading groups organized by level of fitness and skiing ability. There will be supervised children's activities near the chalet as well.

After skiing, participants will meet back at the chalet for an Apres Ski social, with apples, hot chocolate and more. They can chat with some local experts, find a new ski buddy, get some waxing tips, or just sit an enjoy the warmth of the fire. It will be a chance for longtime members to reconnect and for newer members (and not-yet members) to get to know other skiers in the area. Car pooling will be

available and is encouraged. Members are asked to bring a friend and a favorite appetizer to share.

The Rabbits program for young skiers ages four to 14 will begin on Saturday, Jan. 3. The club is always looking for parents to get involved and help the coaches (or become coaches themselves).

Although the program is not geared towards competition, there will be at least one opportunity to travel to races at either Sun Peaks or Kamloops.

On Sunday, Feb. 1, there will be a moonlight ski. The event will start in the late afternoon.

The annual Birch Leg cross-country ski event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7. Participants are invited to dress up in Viking costume before taking to the ski trails. An authentic Scandinavian lunch will be served.

Wells Gray Outdoor Club will continue to support the cross-country ski program at Raft River Elementary School.

As conditions permit, the club will track-set the trails at North Thompson Provincial Park as well.

More information about the club as well as trail updates are available at the club's Facebook page and at www.wellsgrayoutdoorsclub.ca.

Wells Gray Outdoor Club president Wes Bieber (l) and registrar Hazel Wadlegger check out the conditions at the club's Candle Creek ski trails and chalet. A recent thaw has left the trails with little snow, but more of the white stuff is expected.

Photo by Keith McNeill

Snow woes — local mountains in need of white stuff Adam Williams – Kamloops This Week Kamloops-area

ski hills were hoping Santa will have a little snow in the bag when he comes through the Tournament Capital

this week.

Because, according to Environment Canada, Mother Nature isn’t bringing

much any time soon.

“There may be a little bit, but I wouldn’t say there will be a major increase,”

NORTH THOMPSON SPORTSPLEX 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Clearwater & District Minor Hockey • Become part of a winning team. Join Minor Hockey and learn to play Canada’s Game. Open to Boys and Girls. www.cdmha.info/ Register @ 250 674 2594 or nissa1537@gmail.com Raft Mountain Skating Club • Register @ www.raftmountain.com Adult Hockey • Mens Drop In Hockey Fridays, 8pm $10/each Oldtimers Hockey • Wednesdays 8:15pm • Sundays, 7pm • $10/each Wells Gray Curling Club • League play Tues., Wed. & Thurs. 7pm.

Register for the second half 250-674-3768 for info

FAMILY SKATING • Sunday Dec. 28 4pm Sponsored by Clearwater Black Hawks PARENTS, PRESCHOOL SKATING • Wednesdays at 10am HOME SCHOOL SKATING • Wednesdays at 1:30pm

Staff at the Sportsplex wishes everyone a Safe and Happy Holiday Season The Sportsplex will be closed Dec. 24-28 and Dec. 31 & Jan. 1 FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPORTSPLEX OR ANY PROGRAMS CALL 250 674 2143

Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist told KTW. Lundquist said a strong ridge of high pressure over much of B.C. has caused warmer than average temperatures throughout much of the province.

Another ridge was likely on its way before Christmas.

“It might warm up enough with that next one, too, that we might see some rain at the bottom of the hill late weekend, early next week,” Lundquist said.

“Once that’s by, I think our hopes can be raised a bit more.”

The long-term forecast may also be impacted by the emergence of El Niño conditions in the com-

ing weeks, Lundquist said.

El Niño, which occurs when the water off the coast of South America remains at least 0.5 C warmer than average for a three-month period, tends to bring warmer weather to Western Canada.

It can also create what Lundquist called a “split flow,” which forces storms south to California and north to the Yukon, meaning precipitation would bypass B.C.’s Interior.

It would be bad news for local ski areas, as recent warm weather has left many of them snow starved.

Sun Peaks Resort and Stake Lake Nordic Centre are open and operating,

though not under optimal conditions.

Harper Mountain has yet to open its ski area, though its tube park was to open on Friday, Dec. 19.

General manager Norm Daburger said the hill needs at least one more snowfall before it can open its slopes to the alpine crowd.

At Sun Peaks, a downturn in use by the local market has been offset by destination skiers.

The resort had accumulated a 69-centimetre base at its mid-mountain recording station as of Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Last season, Sun Peaks had a 55-centimetre base on Nov. 30 and a 79.5-centimetre base on Dec. 31.

Learn More. Achieve More.

If you or an adult you know would like to improve reading, writing or math skills, look under LEARN in the Yellow Pages™ or visit www.LookUnderLearn.ca

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A13

Christmas stories The Magic Rocket “Zoom ... Zoom,” yelled Max as he ran around the living room with his favourite toy rocket. Click-clock.

Click-clock went the sound of his mothers high heels on their wood floor.

“Quiet please Max, your father is trying to work but if you keep making this awful racket he won't be able to, “ she said, giving him the stink eye. Then she walked away. “But what am I supposed to do?” sighed Max. Then he just sat there wishing his mother would stop bossing him around, especially since it was Christmas Eve. But instead of doing anything about it he just sat there looking at the Christmas tree.

That night at midnight Max heard a strange sound coming from downstairs in the living room. So he tip-toed across the floor and looked over the bannister to see ... Santa Claus! Santa looked up from where he was standing and saw Max. He almost jumped right out of his black rubber boots. But he did not. “Well what do we have here,” cried Santa. “Um, well I just woke up and heard you delivering presents so I thought I would see what it was.” “Oh, I see,” said Santa with a grin. “Would you like to come on a sleigh ride around this fine old town of yours?” “Yes please,” cried Max with a grin.

When they got into the sleigh Santa lifted off and Max could see everything from the great view in Santa's sleigh. “You must love delivering presents because you get to see the world from up here.” “Oh yes,” chuckled Santa Claus.

When it was time for Max to go home he gave Santa a hug and ran inside and the last thing he heard from Santa was “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.”

Then he looked over at his toy rocket and his toy rocket gave him a little wink and Max still believes that his magic toy rocket made all of this magic happen.

By Dezirae Bond, Grade 5

The Pink Glitter Rocket Christmas Eve, 1988, 12:00 a.m.

Sarah stayed up trying to see Santa!

“I'm in my living room trying to see Santa.”

She sighed, “It's 12:00 a.m. Nothing yet.” Sarah sighed again.

“I give up.” Until the young girl found a candy cane and coal at the bottom of the chimney then she squealed, “Santa,” and hid. Santa set her present down.

Sarah seen her present, it was a pink glitter rocket with three modes - slow, fast and THIS ISN'T SAFE! “Wow” Sarah whispered. Santa looked over in her direction and then went on with his business.

Santa ate his cookies and drank his milk and with a ho ho ho and a blast of magic off he went to his sleigh and reindeer.

The next morning Sarah got up, got dressed, ate, got her rocket and used rope to strap it to her sled, then put on THIS ISN'T SAFE, pressed “GO” and yelled OH NO. The end

By Lucas John Rau, Grade 5

The Magic Rocket One Christmas morning a little boy woke up and went downstairs. Then he opened all his presents.

His sister Kate came downstairs and she found a present her brother missed. She gave it to her brother and he ripped the wrapping off. He was so excited!!!

He woke up his mom and dad because it was a rocket. The next day, he discovered that it was a magic rocket. So, he zoomed

around the house and thought it was fun.

by Soren Coates, age 8

The Magic Rocket One morning Bob woke up. I smell reindeer. He went downstairs to see his parents.

“Mom, Dad what's that smell?”

“Ho Ho Ho you should be asleep” said Santa “Well, I'm sorry: said Bob “You should be” “OK, I'll go to bed” “Oh wait, I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?”, said Bob. “Ho Ho Ho, your present is a surprise young man.

“Oh man, I want it right now.”

“NO, you must go back to bed now.”

“Fine, I'll go back to sleep now.”

When Bob woke up he went down stairs to tell his parents.

“Mom, Dad, guess what happened?”

“I saw Santa!”

“Yeah right,” said Dad. “I'm sure it was a dream.”

“No, it wasn't, I'm sure it wasn't,” said Bob. “Son, go back up

stairs and make breakfast,” said Dad “Well I'm hungry, but no,” said Bob. “You can do it yourself,”said Bob. “Well if we make breakfast, we get the first plate.”

“Fine by me,” said Bob. After breakfast, Bob said, “Let's open presents!”

“Sure, let's do it.”

The first present was a race car.

“Hey Mom. I got a race car,” said Bob. “That's nice,” said Mom. “Ha, where's Dad's present?”

“Well, you see your Dad's present was a vacation.”

“Oh, where did he go?”

“He went to Mexico. He will be back in a few weeks.”

“So Mom, where is my second present?”

“Well, your Dad has the other present.”

“Okay.”

A few weeks later, Bob's Dad came back.

“Dad, Dad where is my other present?”

“It's right here Bob.” “What is it?”

“Well it won't be here until tomorrow.”

The next day, “Dad! It's here! It's

a rocket.”

“Hey Dad, let's see what it can do.”

“Wow, it is like magic.”

“That is magic.”

“It is really magic.”

“Yes it is magic.”

“I can't control it. “ “Let me try.”

“Thus is easy.”

“I can't wait for next Christmas!”

By Linden

Jet Once upon a time there was a reindeer and his name was Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. And then Santa came and said Rudolph! It’s Christmas Eve. Oh, said Rudolph.

I have to pull a sleigh. Ok. Rudolph time to pull my sleigh. Then it broke.

I need a jet. Ok said

WITH OUR ENERGETIC, FUN, PROFESSIONAL COACHES

Join local coaches Teresa Heisterman for Junior & Senior Star Skate and Chelsea Hindle for Preschool & Canskate

RAFT MOUNTAIN SKATING CLUB REGISTRATION January 3 - Barriere at AG Foods from 3pm - 5pm January 4 - NT Sportsplex from 3pm - 5pm

Or register/info www.raftmountain.com Funding is available upon request for those eligible.

Lessons begin the week of January 5, 2015

Church Directory

“an Independent” congregation in fellowship with the broader Christian community in the area.

Your places of worship

Meeting at: 11 Lodge Drive (Behind Fields Store)

Sunday Worship Service 10 am On the Web: www.clchch.com For information 250.674.3841 or 250.674.2912

3083 Capostinsky Rd. • Service 11 a.m.

Sunday Morning Celebration Services Ian Moilliet Pastor 250-676-9574 Non Denominational

By Lilly Frost, Grade 2

LEARN TO SKATE

Clearwater Christian Church

VAVENBY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Rudolph. I’ll get you a jet and he came back with a jet.

Thank you Rudolph. How can I thank you Santa said. Well you can put me on the front of your jet. Ok Rudolph. Anyway, you’re the best, and they lived happily ever after.

St James Catholic Church Sunday Service Mass 11am - 12pm 324 Clearwater Village Road 250-819-5579

Clearwater Seventh-Day Adventist Church Pastor John Masigan Saturday Service - 10am Clearwater Christian Church Ph. 250-674-3468

CLEARWATER UNITED CHURCH Meeting at Catholic Church of St. James

WorShip

Sunday 9am

Rev. Brian Krushel

250-672-5653 • 250-674-3615 www.norththompsonpc.ca

Clearwater Living Streams Christian Fellowship

CLEARWATER NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY Dan Daase - Pastor Sunday Morning Worship 10:30am

Meeting at New Life Assembly every Sunday 5:00pm

(Kids church during service)

Contact Dave Meehan 250-674-3217 email: livingstreams@hotmail.com Clearwater Community Church open to everyone - all denominations

Wednesdays Am Ladies Bible Study Thursday 3-5pm Kids Club

Phone: 250-674-2345

308 W Old N Thompson Hwy

CLEARWATER COMMUNITY BAPTIST 24E Old North Thompson Hwy

Worship Service 10:30 250.674.1332 www.ccbaptist.ca

A14 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

& Service Directory s &Business Service Directory

TheJAGER LittleGARBAGE Gift Shop residential & commercial • Jewelry • Gift Baskets Garbage collection.

• Framed photo, prints & cards FishingBag - rods,recycling reels, lures, knives residential includes •Blue

• Local artists - and much more

containers available for construction Tuesday to Friday:sites, 10 am -yard 5 pm clean-up, industrial sites etc. 10 am- 4 pm Saturdays:

98

Phone Jager Garbage 250-674-3798 250-674-0101 NextBlackpool to Clearwater area Computers Serving from Vavenby to

r Rd

Rive

ter

rwa

Rd

Mu sgr ave

Clea

NO RTH THO MP SO NR IVE R

mps on D

Harby Rd

Sma ll Rd

W Septic - Installation - Service - Pumping Demolition - Excavation - Backhoe Service

Automo Ball Fie Fire Dep Gas

Trucking - Crane Truck - Water - Dump Gravel - Sand - Top Soil - Snow Removal

d

eR

olin

d

Tho

d

Contracting CONTRACTORS

Paul 250.819.3205

Hydro Rd

Jack 250.299.9510

Eden Rd

Electric Contractors

SCENTSY CERAMIC WARMERS Advertising VELATA BELGIAN CHOCOLATE FONDUES Needs A favourite idea for personal or gift giving and home and party entertainment.

Book now or orders placed weekly. No shipping or handling fees Call

THE TIMES Al Kirkwood

Sat.: 10am - 4pm • Sun.: 11:30 - 4pm 343 Clearwater Valley Rd. (Beside O’Bryan’s in the Laundromat at the TNT Building Entrance to Wells Gray Park) or call 250-674-3763 or 778-208-5359

674-3343

Pharma Picinic

r

Murtle C

Park Drive

Clearwater Information Centre Area

Licenced & Bonded Reg. NO: 99142

B.C. Reg. - CLOSED MONDAYS - • #24833 B.C. Reg. #24833

For All Kathy’s Jewelry & Gifts Your

Home Renovations R & C - Home impRovemenTs ToTal Home RenovaTions Additions, Bathrooms, Kitchens, Sundecks, Much More 42 yeArS experience in the hoMe iMproveMent BuSineSS

FAther & Son operAtion Call RiCk oR Cody mCCauley 250-674-3248

Plumbing & Drains Motor Licence Office

Plumbing Plumbing&&Heating Drains

Septic Service

NEED A PLUMBER? MOTOR LICENCE

NORTH THOMPSON VANDENBORRE

CLEARWATER SEPTIC SERVICE

NORTH THOMPSON OFFICE

NTPD ICBC Agent

District of Clearwater

phone: 250-674-2257 • Fax: DRAINS 250-674-2173 PLUMBING AND Box 157, 209 Dutch Lake Road, Clearwater, V0E 1N0 Office Hours: Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Open through the Noon hour

JASEN MANN 250-674-8151

NTPD

PLUMBING & HEATING

PROPANE & ELECTRIC FURNACE REPAIR

PLUMBING AND DRAINS Furnace Installation • Heat Pumps and Air Conditioning Radon Gas Mitigation • Serving Blue River - Little Fort

Leaks? Plugged Drain?

New Installs YOURGot FRIENDLY REPAIR MAN Wells & Pumps ≈ Yearly Maintenance ≈ Frozen pipes WATER WELL SERVICES We are right around the corner

Jim Vandenborre • Fully insured jhepv@hotmail.com

250.674.2688 250.674.8552

visa,Guaranteed debit, mc accepted• 250-674-8151 Fully Insured • 100%

XXX

Groceri Informa Library Liquor S Lodging Medica

North T

MONDAYS LARRY SYMONS- •CLOSED LICENSED & BONDED -• CLEARWATER

Gifts Hardware AAdvertise D VERTISING

Golf

Wildwood Rd

r

Car

bR

Tra u

Rd For d

Gaggin Rd

Kidd Rd

Good Prices • Great Service • Quality Work

son R

Swan

ke R

Phillips Rd

Symons Electric SYMONS ELECTRIC

ch

GarbageGifts Collection GARBAGE COLLECTION

Webber Rd

Lower Clearwater

n Bla

674-3343

Reg. NO: 99142

Park Drive Clearwat er Village h Rd Trutc

250-674-3875

Defossee Pl

Gran

Steeg Rd

Renovations • HAFI Jobs

THE TIMES Al Kirkwood Licenced & Bonded

Pl son Rob

d on R Stati

40+ years experience

n Rd cke Rd Helm obson R Capostinsky White Rd

Building Contractor

250-587-6175 250-587-6175

Murtle Cr

For All Your Advertising Needs Call

Electric Contractors ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Foote Rd

Blair Pl

HANS OUNPUU

Trucking - Crane Truck - Water - Dump Steve Noble Davoron Rd Gravel - Sand - Top Soil - Snow Removal Jack DeCosmos Jenkins Rd 250.299.9510Rd Jenkins Rd

r

Murtle C Azure Dr

Electric Contractors Contractor A D VERTISING Advertise

L

n La

Rob Kerslake

Paul 250.819.3205

d gR r un e D Yo odg

Rd Roy

250-674-1182

Ta re nD r

d ch R Bea

Clearwater Valley Rd

250-587-0010

Red Seal Carpenter marshallmcrae55@gmail.com

Lakeview Rd

Rd

North Thompson Provincial Park

Demolition - Excavation - Backhoe Service

MARSHALL MCRAE

Lake Rd

ri New Construction, Renovations, l Enterp e v e L e h nt Tiling, RoofiOng.

dt

mi

h Sc

Gl en Rd

Dun

Construction & Renovations from Sunset Rd Foundations Mt. View Rd Septic - Installation - Service - Pumping to Roof

DNA Construction ses Dan Arnold

Journeyman Carpenter

Contracting Construction

Construction and Home Renovation

Eden Rd

st Fore ice Rd Serv

250-674-4083

Hydro Rd

Rd nch Do

Construction Construction

Steve Noble h ort

w sha Ker

250-674-4083 Carpenter 250-674-3386 - 213 W. OldJourneyman N. Thompson Hwy.

• NEW CONSTRUCTION Rob Kerslake on Hwy ps • RENOVATIONS • ROOFING om Th Hazel DowdsOld N

Buck Rd

Wyndhaven Pl

t Rd

ll ine Va Sunsh

CLEARWATER, B.C.

Dr

Brookfield Rd

• Paint Supplies • Plumbing & Electrical • Hardware • Plywoods • Lumber • NEW CONSTRUCTION • Fencing Materials • Vinyl Sidings • Roofings • Specialty Items • RENOVATIONS ROOFING • Treated Timber • Farm Gates •• Interior & Exterior Doors Complete Farm & Garden Centre • Customer Service at its Best CLEARWATER, B.C. Hazel Dowds Winter Hours • 8:30am - 5pm • Monday to Saturday

d 2R mp Ca Mileen

Hazel’s Housing Hazel’s Housing PRO-FORM Feeds

Fa wn Rd

Business & Service Directory Ogden Rd

Construction Gill Creek Rd & Dunlevy Rd QUALITY WORK Renovations from Richie Rd Foundations to Roof ey Rd

Your number one stop for all your garden, building and farm supplies

Rd mit um eS k La

Wildwood Rd 649 Kennedy Road • Dutch www.wellsgrayservicecenter.ca Lk Rd EEK e Rd CR ervic st S ELD Fore KFI OO BR

Brookfield Mall Area Construction Carpentry CARPENTRY

QUALITY WORK

ard

N0 pm

ge refer- SERVICE to our website: itecboomtruck.com Lod APPLIANCES PARTS Kindly - SALES CALLS USED

Wadlegger Rd

Carpentry Building Supplies

DOUG JAMES 250-587-6151 Dr

W yn dh av en Rd

Vern Anne Pl

Detailing 250-674-2522

XXX

Archibald Rd

ley Rd Clearwater Val

Financial Statement preparation • corporate & personal income taxes

d Four Star Service g R cage We can safely lift you inunthe Yo to put your task close at250-674-0079 hand. Pull a pump, lift a tower, top a tree Hourly, daily and weekly rates • Includes operator

Birch D

Downie

Greer Rd

Ridge Dr

PARTS - SALES - SERVICE CALLS phone: 250-674-2532 • Kamloops: 554-2533 • Fax: 554-2536 USED APPLIANCES

s Marcel’ Automotive &

APPLIANCE REPAIR Itec Enterprises MAN LIFT WITH WINCH

Ferry Rd

s.net

250-674-0079 Feb. 1st to Apr. 30th - Every Thursday May 1st to Jan. 31st - By Appointment DOUG JAMES Hours: 9:30 am to Noon, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

N

GlFULLY CERTIFIED en Rd 60 FOOT STICK BOOM

Hern Rd

nt

Rison Realty • 32 E Old N. Thompson Hwy.

TH RIVE R R O

To Wells Gray Park

Elliot Rd

ers

R OAPPLIANCE REPAIR Accountants NChartered Four Star Service

Automotive Repair Upper Clearwater

Riverview Cr

36

xes

RIV CPA, CGA STONE & HCACOMPANY RTCPA, Jason O’Driscoll, - Bob Lawrie,E

Appliance Repair Boom Truck APPLIANCE REPAIRS

Kennedy Rd

s

Appliance--Repair Accountant Certified ACCOUNTANT CERTIFIED

S Ka outh m 12 loo to 5 k ps m

d

& PORTABLE TOILET RENTALS

Give us a call before it’s too late! BEST rates in town

“Interior Health approved” POTABLE WATER SERVICE

250-674-3562

Police ( Post Of Real Es Restaur

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A15

Business & Service Directory Towing

Taxi Service TAXI SERVICE

Business & Service Directory CLEARWATER TOWING LTD.

WELLS GRAY

TAXI

24 Hour Service Free Scrap Car Removal 516 Swanson Road Used Auto Parts

AVAILABLE 24 HOURS • 7 DAYS A WEEK

250-674-3123 NELS HINDLE OFFICE: or CELL: 250-674-1427

250-674-2214 • 250-674-1542

®

Contracting

ll at On Caall... t we do i

On all Services

Skid Steer & Backhoe | Covered RV & Boat Storage | Mini Storage Units | Septic Service & Planning | Concrete | Construction 250.674.0145 | info@oncallservices.ca | 851 Yellowhead Hwy S. Clearwater, BC V0E 1N1

Tuesday – Saturday 8am – 5pm info@alltorq.net | 851 Yellowhead Hwy S.

His Mom Is Looking for a Hairdresser.

Will She Find Your Business?

Christmas stories The Magic Rocket In 2004 at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Vampire Santa was seven hundred years old! Vampire Santa loved to deliver magic rockets!

He only liked to deliver magic rockets because he wants to send kids to block the sun so he can roam the earth!

One day when the sun came out Vampire Santa started to burn.

Quickly the elves said ‘’we give up. We can keep on sending kids in to the sky!

The sun was almost uncovered! Vampire Santa continued burning. Vampire Santa found a ring with a picture of fangs on it!

Vampire Santa put it on!

The sun was all the way uncovered.

Nothing happened?

The elves were confused. Santa was confused!

Santa whispered to himself, I will try again next year Christmas was saved! Magic rockets would continue to be delivered!

By Kaylee Pringle, Grade 4 The Magic Rocket One day there was a little boy that really wanted to get a rocket ship for Christmas. On Christmas he didn’t get it.

He was really sad but he saw one more present under the tree.

He took it and ripped the wrapping. He was so excited he ran to his parents. He gave them a really big hug he played with it for seven hours straight.

The next morning he played with it for about two hours but he didn’t seem too excited. But the next morning it was going green and also it was getting a little bigger and it got bigger than his house.

It was a rocket ship.

The little boy went in it. In it there was a button that said: planets on it. The boy pressed the button then pressed moon.

It was counting down three, two, one blast off!

The rocket was going so fast that the little boy’s head almost fell off. About seven hours later he landed.

He went out side. It was freezing but he could live with it so he placed his flag and went back in his ship.

It took longer to

get home. It took about 20 hours to get home. The little boy was so tired he went straight to bed.

He couldn’t go to sleep because he was thinking about it. The end.

By Nick Anderson, age: 8 The Magic Rocket Once on Christmas Eve there was a young boy named Mark.

Mark could not sleep that night. He was daydreaming about what he would get from Santa!

Then at midnight he heard something.

So he got out of bed to see what it was. He looked outside.

It was Santa’s sleigh. But where was Santa? So he went down stairs and opened the door.

Mark ran over to the sleigh and saw a rocket.

Then he looked back at the house and saw Santa eating

the cookies they put out for him. Then he closed his eyes and opened them. He was in his bed so he looked at the clock and it was 7 am. Then he ran down stairs and opened his present from Santa. It was a rocket!

By Brendan Green, Grade 4 The Magic Rocket Once upon a time there was a little penguin named Peabody and he had no friends.

One day a little seal and the penguin said, “Do you want to be friends?” and the seal said, “Yes, I will be your friend” So they went off and they went to the jungle and they heard a big crash. There was a big rocket ship. They said, “Should we go in it?” “Okay, said the penguin.

So they went in the rocket ship and they went off to space.

When they got to

Advertise your business for as low as $16/week Call for more information or come in to the Times #14-74 Young Road

250-674-3343

Jupiter, they saw an alien.

The alien said, “Ooooooaaaa!” and they said, “Aaaa! They got in the rocket and they went off. The End

by Devin Holland, age 8 The Best Christmas Dinner Ever Once upon a time there was a little girl.

She said to her mom that they could have a Christmas dinner. Her mom said that would be a great Idea.

“Perfect,” she said “because I want to have it at grandma’s house, ya! Ya!” the girl shouted.

The the girl went up to her room and wrote a letter to her grandma.

She said: Dear grandma. Mom’s going to have a Christmas dinner at your house. Sincerely, Lucky.

Then she went downstairs and told her Mom that she

was going to the Post Office. “Okay.” Then she went to the Post Office and mailed it.

She waited and waited and waited. Then she got a letter back saying: Awesome, we’re having Christmas at my house, ya! So when it was time to go, her Mom yelled at her to put her boots on. Oh man. When they got to grandma’s, they had turkey and said mmmm! So the girl got a plate dished up and ate with her family.

After everyone had left they had their own family dinner themselves. So then they had pop and coffee while the kids ran around and played with the girl toys.

They all said, “Now that was the best Christmas dinner or brunch ever!”

And that was the story of the Best Christmas Dinner Ever!

By Joey Ressler, age 8

A16 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

ROAD MAINTENANCE (THOMPSON) INC.

Check Before you go! www.DriveBC.ca

1655 Lucky Strike Place | Kamloops, BC | V1S 1W5 | Phone: 250-374-6690 | Toll Free: 1-800-661-2025

Thought of the week Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.

~ Edna Ferber

Season’s Greetings The Thompson Rivers University Regional joint brochure will be in your mailbox over the Christmas holidays Watch for it!!!! If you do not receive a copy please call 250-674-3530 or email sarduini@tru.ca to request one, or stop by the Dutch Lake Community Centre to pick one up.

Youth Gymnastic begins right after the New Year, phone and register your child to secure a spot in the program.

UPCOMING COURSES Foodsafe Level 1 Dec 16 & 17

Gymnastics - Youth Jan 6 – Mar 12

Wells Gray Country

Various prices

ONLINE WORK-RELATED TRAINING

UPCOMING EVENTS

Dec. 31: New Years Eve Dance, Blue River Event, 9 pm, Legion Upper Hall Dec. 31: New Years Eve Bullarama, Barriere Agriplex tickets available at the Star/Journal (Bullarama 7pm dance to follow) Jan. 4: Raft Mtn Skating registration, 3-5 pm, NT Sportsplex, or www.raftmountain.com

$95

Please call 250.674.3530 to make an appointment for online work-related courses.

Jan. 5: Badminton, 7:30 – 9:30, CSS gym, info 250-6742518 Jan. 6: Regular Council meeting, 2pm, 209 Dutch Lake Rd. Jan. 9-11: Midget Rep Tourney, NT Sportsplex Jan. 25: Ice Fishing Derby, Dutch Lake, sponsored by Clearwater Rotary Club. Info 250-674-2795 Jan. 31-Feb 1: Novice Hockey Tournament, NT Sportsplex

REGISTER TODAY

TEL: 250.674.3530 IN PERSON: 209 Dutch Lake Rd. EMAIL: sarduini@tru.ca • www.tru.ca/regional_centres/clearwater

ONGOING EVENTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • Tuesday Morning Coffee (TMC): Meets 10am – 11:30 @ Clearwater Community Baptist Church. All women and children welcome. (9:30-10 am Bible Study). Info 250-674-3624 • Women in Business Luncheon: Last Wed. of the mth at Wells Gray Inn, 12–2 pm. Preregister at 250-674-2700 • Clearwater Choir: Youth 3:30 - 5 pm; Adult 6:30 - 9 pm, Tuesdays, Clearwater Christian Church • Crafts & Conversations with Cheryl. Tuesdays 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the North Thompson Aboriginal Sharing Center. Phone 250-674-3703 for more info.

• Clearwater Farmers’ Market May – Oct. Saturdays 9am– Noon. For more info please call Anne at 250-6743444.

• M&M (Mrs. & Ms.) Social. Last Sun of the mth Wells Gray Inn. 1pm: 250-587-6503 • Blackpool Community Hall Coffee House; Local musicians – 2nd Fri. of the mth. 6:30pm. Concession, $3 or 2 for $5.

• Clearwater Elks Bingo - 2nd & 4th Wed. Elks Hall 5pm, Info call Phyllis 250-674-3535 • Cribbage Wed. at the Royal Canadian Legion. 12:30 pm.

• Fun Darts Fri. at the Royal Canadian Legion. 6 pm.

CHILDREN & FAMILIES • Racoon StrongStart - Raft River Elem school days Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 8:45-11:45am • Racoon StrongStart - Vavenby Elm school days Wed 8:50-11:50am • Clearwater Breastfeeding Group: 3rd Wed. of every month 7:30pm @ YCS • Mother Goose - Monday mornings, reg. Kerry 250674-3530 • NT BC Home Schoolers: Meets Fri. afternoons. Call Leanna 250-674-0057 for details HEALTH & HEALING • AA Meetings: every Wednesday, #11 Lodge Dr, 250587-0026 anytime • Shambhala Meditation Group: meets every Tuesday at Forest House 6:30-8:00 pm. Info: 250-587-6373.

• Connections Healing Rooms - Wed. 1-3pm (except stat. holidays). 86 Young Rd. No charge. Sponsored by Living Streams Christian Church. www.healingrooms. com.

• Healthy Choices – Tues 9am Clearwater Christian Church bsmnt (behind Fields). $2/wk drop-in free. Kim 250-674-0224 • Clearwater & District Hospice 3rd Mon. Sept-Jun 10am Legion 778-208-0137.

RECREATION • Drop-in soccer: May-Sept. Tuesdays & Thursday at 7pm at CSS field. Everyone welcome!

• Bowling: Mon. 10–12pm & 1-3pm; Thurs., 1-3pm.

Seniors Centre at Evergreen Acres. 250-674-3675 • Clearwater Sno-Drifters: 1st Thurs every mth. 250676-9414 • CNT Rod & Gun Club: 3rd Tues. of the mth. Blackpool Hall 7pm Nov., Jan., & Mar. AGM in May • Volleyball: Winter, dates TBA, at Clearwater Secondary School Gym, $2 drop in. Info: 250-674-1878.

• Youth Group: ages 12-18, Sat. 7-10 pm Dutch Lake Community Center, info 250-674-2600 • Yoga Tree – Call or email Annie 250-674-2468 annie. pomme@hotmail.com • Core Strength Fitness. Tuesdays. 10-11am 250-6740001 • Badminton: Mon & Wed, Oct – Mar, CSS gym, 7:309:30 pm, $3 drop-in fee, info 250-674-2518 • Drop in Basketball: Winter, dates TBA, $2 drop in at Clearwater Secondary School Gym. Info: 250-674-1878 • Slo-Pitch: Clearwater mixed Slo-Pitch league May – July.

Contact Carmen Archibald 778-208-1773, 250-6742632 • Drop in Soccer: June -Sept, tues and Thurs, 6:30-8:00 PM, CSS field, $2 drop in, grade 8 to adult SENIORS • Wells Gray Country Senior’s Society 3rd Sun Social Meet at the Wells Gray Hotel at 12:30pm for lunch or dessert, & chat • Wells Gray Country Senior’s Society Book Club Last Thursday of the mth 2pm at the library. All seniors welcome.

TO ADD YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT OR ORGANIZATION CALL THE TIMES AT 250-674-3343

this ad is sponsored by

Bayley’s Bistro

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A17

Your community. Your classifieds.

250.674.3343 fax 250.674.3410 email classifieds@clearwatertimes.com

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9am -5pm Brookfield Mall, Clearwater Ph: 250.674.3343 • Fax: 250.674.3410

CLASSIFIED RATES AND DEADLINE Buy a Classified in the Star/Journal Buy a Classified in the Times and goes the The Times FREE. andyour your adad goes intointo the Barriere Star/Journal FREE. Regular Rate: 8.50 + GST Maximum 15 words .20c per word extra Special Rates: 3 Weeks; $22.15 + GST Free Ads: Lost, Found, Student Work Wanted Free ads maximum 15 words will run 2 consecutive weeks.

Happy Occasions: Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, etc.

1 column by 3 inch - $18.49 + GST Deadlines: Word Ads: Mondays 12pm 5pm Display Ads: Mondays 12pm It is the policy of The Star/Journal and The Times to receive pre-payment on all classified advertisements.

Ads may be submitted by phone if charged to a VISA, MC or an existing account.

CHECK YOUR AD! Notice of error must be given in time for correction before the second insertion of any advertisement. The paper will not be responsible for omissions or for more than one incorrect insertion, or for damages or costs beyond the cost of the space actually occupied by the error.

Advertisers are reminded that Provincial legislation forbids the publication of ads which discriminate 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.

Readers; in ads where ‘male’ is referred to, please read also as ‘female’ and where ‘female’ is used, read also ‘male’.

NOTE: When ordering items out of province, the purchaser is responsible to pay provincial sales tax. Do not send money in response to an advertisement without confirming the credentials of that business, and be aware that some telephone numbers will be charged for by the minute

Announcements

Travel

Coming Events

Timeshare

Raft Mountain Skating Registration

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.

Barriere - Saturday, Jan 3 3-5 p.m. at AG Foods Clearwater - Sunday Jan. 4 3-5 p.m. at NT Sportsplex or www.raftmountain.com

Information Barriere A-A Meetings Every Tuesday at 7:30pm Pentecostal Church 818 Amnesty Road 250-672-9643 250-672-9934 Safe Home Response Providing a safe place to escape for women and their children.

Volunteers always needed.

Call 250-674-2135.

HOSPITAL AUXILIARY THRIFT SHOP

Located across the railway tracks in Vavenby, B.C. Wednesday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Great deals - low prices

Personals Clearwater: AA Meetings Every Wednesday, #11 Lodge Drive, side door.

Call 250-587-0026 anytime MEET SINGLES right now! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now: 1-800-712-9851.

Travel RV LOT Rentals $8.95 a day.

362 days of sunshine, pets, events, classes, entertainment. Reserve by 11/01/2014.

Visit: www.hemetrvresort.com.

Call: 1-800-926-5593

Employment Business Opportunities THE DISABILITY Tax Credit. $1,500 yearly tax credit.$15,000 lump sum refund (on avg). covers: Hip/knee replacements, arthritic joints, COPD. For help applying 1844-453-5372.

Career Opportunities MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION is an in-demand career in Canada!

Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online training you need from an employer-trusted program.

Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-888528-0809 to start training for your work-at-home career today!

Drivers/Courier/ Trucking SEEKING class 1 drivers for super b flat deck work. Canada wide and US hauls. We offer modern equipment, e logs, steady year round work, and family security through extended benefits and a matched contribution pension apply on line at sutco.ca fax resume and abstract to 250-357-2009 or call 1-888-3572612 ext. 230

Employment

Services

Rentals

Rentals

Rentals

Drivers/Courier/ Trucking

Home Care

Apt/Condo for Rent

Homes for Rent

Suites, Lower

Access Respite Care & shift coverage whenever you need it. Certified quality home support. 778-220-7003

Clearwater: Small 2 bdrm apt, own entrance, close to town. $600/mo + util. Avail Jan. 1, 2015. Call Julie 250-674-0188

Birch Island: 2-bdrm suite, $550/mo. Avail now. Incl sat tv, util & laundry. Wood heat.

Ph. 250-674-1768

Photography / Video

Community Newspapers

Clearwater: 3 bdrm, 2 bath, home on Bain Rd. Wood pellet & elec heat, 10 acre lot. $1250/mo + util. Mature adult.

NS Ph. 403-816-7979 Clearwater: 3bdrm, Peavine Rd, new renos, lg deck, 1500 sq ft. $850/mo; 3 bdrm house, 220 Dutch Lake Rd, $795/mo, recent renos. Call Chum 250674-3668.

Vavenby: Nice clean 3bdrm house w/bsmt, carport, & storage sheds on half acre w/river view. F/S, W/D, $900/mo, $450/dd. Call 250-674-0002 Very attractive 2-bdrm manuf home, f/s, washer, dryer, central air, office area, carport. $750/mo. Now avail. Thompson Crossing Blackpool, Clearwater. Ph. 250-587-6151

2010 Dodge Caravan SE, 3.3 litre, V-6, 115,272 km, $9750.00 Ph. 250-674-2010

Lakes District Maintenance Ltd. has openings for

PHOTOS

PLOW TRUCK OPERATORS

Positions are available in Bob Quinn Lake and Jade City.

Both are camp locations with bunkhouses available for successful candidates. Positions are for this winter season.

Wages start at $21.18/hr plus isolation, bunkhouse & other allowances. Experience is an asset, but not required. Class 3 BC Drivers licence with air required. Apply with resume and current drivers abstract:

In person: 881 – Hwy 16W Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0 Fax: 250-692-3930 Email: careers@ldmltd.ca More career opportunities at ldmltd.ca/careers/

Trades, Technical Port Hardy, BC. Busy GM dealership looking for two full time positions to be filled immediately.

Certified GM technician Ticketed Bodyman Very competitive pay scales, benefits, and flexible schedules.

Send resume to cory@klassengm.com SKILLED trades! Experienced welders and completions team members needed in Grande Prairie, AB. Welders, B-Pressure Welders, Painters with Steel experience. Fly in - Fly out with 1 week at home a month. Accommodation provided.

Alberta wages without the high rent!

Send resume to: hr@wester nmanufactur ing.ca www.westernmanufacturing.ca

Services

Financial Services ARE YOU $10K Or More In Debt? DebtGo can help reduce a significant portion of your debt load. Call now & see if you qualify. 1-800-351-1783.

INCOME TAX PROBLEMS? Have you been audited, reassessed or disallowed certain claims by Canada Revenue Agency? Call Bob Allen @ 250-542-0295 35yrs. Income Tax experience, 8.5yrs. with Revenue Canada. Email: r.gallen@shaw.ca C- 250-938-1944

Help Wanted

by Keith McNeill

Digital and film photographs.

Phone 250-674-3252 or email:keith.mcneill65@gmail.com

Home Improvements FULL SERVICE Plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, reliable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. Call 1-800-573-2928.

Merchandise for Sale

Firearms FIREARMS: ALL types wanted, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation.

Licensed dealer 1-866-9600045. www.dollars4guns.com.

Furniture For Sale Brown chenille three cushioned sofa. $50 or best offer. As is where is. Call Leslie at 250-672-5706 to view.

Misc. for Sale 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 1-800-4572206 or visit us online at: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

Real Estate Mobile Homes & Parks Optional RENTAL PURCHASE 1974 Homco-Ambassador (One move factory to site) 12x68

2bdrm Featuring Living rm with tip out, Dining rm w/buffet & hutch Refrigerator, Range, Washer & Dryer, Oil Furnace Screen porch & family rm additions Unit had an auxiliary roof over the majority of time on site Asking $25,900 Phone: 250-587-6151

Help Wanted Contract Delivery Driver

• Pick up in Vernon and deliver to Barriere Once a week on Wednesday • Time sensitive • Must have reliable vehicle, insurance and capability to haul 2 tonnes of weight.

Please submit resume to the

North Thompson Star/Journal 10-4353 Conner Road Barriere, BC or email al@starjournal.net

We’re at the heart of things™

Duplex / 4 Plex Barriere: 3 bdrm, 1 1/2 bath, duplex, large fenced backyard, 1 car garage. $895 + util. DD. Pets neg., N/P, N/S Avail Dec. 15. 250-672-0041.

Barriere: large 1 bdrm apartment in quiet neighbourhood.750sqft. $615/mo. Pets negotiable. Call 250-682-2231

Transportation

Vehicle Wanted Volkswagen van/bus with split front window. Any info pls call Kevin 403-690-7646 or email vdublove@hotmail.ca

Trucks & Vans

A18 www.clearwatertimes.com A18 www.clearwatertimes.com

The Magic Rocket On Christmas Day as soon as David woke up he got dressed and sped downstairs through the hall into the living room waiting for his family to wake up. But just then David remembered his parents said that if he woke up first he could open a present before anyone else woke up.

David snatched the first present he saw with his name on it and tore the wrapping open. David gasped in surprise because his present was a rocket.

There was a button on the rocket and David pushed it.

The top of the rocket started to open and

Christmas stories

a pipe came out. Candy started pouring out and David caught one in his mouth. But there was a side effect and David was teleported to the place it was made ... the North Pole.

By Dylan Booth, Grade

The Magic Rocket Wake up, wake up Mom. Santa has been here, said Ted. OK Mom groaned. When Mom got to the living room Ted had already ripped open a present.

It was a rocket.

A rocket Ted said, puzzled, and kept on unwrapping presents.

After lunch Ted called all his friends. When all his friends were there

he lit a match and all the rocket did was fall over. Ted was very disappointed, although he was so excited when he found the rocket he didn’t see a little pack of magic powder.

The magic powder would let the rocket blast off. You would have to open up the tip of the rocket and dump the powder in, and then light the match.

When the rocket didn't blast off, Ted went back inside and sat in the arm chair in front of the Christmas tree. That's when he found the magic powder. That's where the rocket was! He turned it over and the instructions were on the back.

His friends were still there so he dumped the powder into the rocket, lit his match and lit the rocket... BOOM!! It blasted off! It blasted off! Ted yelled excitedly. He ran and found his mother and told her all about it.

The End

By Reid Muddiman, Grade 2

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

again. Then it was winter. When it was Christmas it didn't happen people were so happy that it didn't happen.

By Owen Sim, age 8

Christmas Light-Up fun Youngsters and adults gather around a table at the Wells Gray Infocenter to decorate gingerbread men. They were taking part in Clearwater Rotary Club's annual Christmas Tree Light-Up on Dec. 7. Photo submitted

The Best Christmas Dinner Ever It was Christmas morning. I am so excited, I can't wait for the presents. I gasp in excitement. Then there was a pretty doll for me. I played with it until dinner.

Then my mom told me to go and invite Mr. And Mrs. Anderson and I did.

Now I'm so excited for dinner. We are going to have turkey and stuffing and we did and I love it.

The end.

By Saya Stelter, age 8

The Magic Rocket One beautiful day a magic rocket came to Earth. Everyone was scared because they thought it was aliens

but it was magic person.

It went on the news too. People had night mares. Because it was scary.

I wish it didn't happen. It was loud, but it stopped. Then it was a happy Christmas.

Then it was summer. Then it was fall.

People were hoping it wouldn't happen

The Christmas Girl One day a girl named Julie was loving and joyful. I have a sister named Holly, too. My pet unicorn named Krystal was a “Beautiful, Beautiful” girl.

All of them went for a walk to the farm.

All of them had a lot of fun at the farm. By tomorrow it will be Christmas. Santa will come.

The next day it was Christmas. I said to my sister, “I am frozen.” You ARE FROZEN! Yes. Elsa sang a song. Knock knock knock! Do you want to make a snowman? Oo oo oo come with me. Still you never ever told me I'm sorry. Let's go and play ok ok wee AAA. I'm making a snowman. The end.

By Rogue Schley, age 8

December A p r i l 2 3 25 - 2- 931, , 22014 0 1 2 This weekissome This week all people close you about give andto take, need a little Capricorn.

Do space. for Honor their others, and theyrequests will and show do for you. them A special some respect, Caprievent calls for some corn.

Your relationextra-special gifts.

December 22– ships will weather January 19 the time apart.

January 20– February 18

This Crossword Sponsored by

WELLS GRAY HOME HARDWARE 86 STATION RD., CLEARWATER

674-3717

February 19– March 20

Aquarius, Some habitsthings are hard are bound to move to break, Aquarius. quickly you Look to aonce mentor to put plan mohelpaand youin will tion.

GetA all of your succeed. fitness ducks a row to goal is in easily achieved make smooth with a anew piece of transition. equipment. You may have to do some homework.

You can probably The odds may be have funagainst in any stacked you, situation week, Pisces, but this that doesn’t Pisces.

Your mean you won’tyouthcome ful will out exuberance on top with a little keep you busy and ingenuity. A weekend laughing. endeavor requires a leap of faith.

March 21– April 19

April 20– May 20

May 21– June 21

Aries, youAries, feel and Speak up, amazing this the problem willweek. be Your can solved.enthusiasm A little miracle be quitemakes contagious, at home for an and manyweekend. friends interesting may Travelcome planscalling come in the hopes that your together. good vibes rub off.

You Cast may aside have all doubt, difficulty Taurus. Thesolving offer is a difficult problem genuine and will bring atyouwork week, manythis rewards.

A Taurus.

Take a metest of faith begins— thodical be strong. approach, Money woes and ease.the solution will come to you before you know it.

Things may not Feeling blessed have going these been days, Gemini? your Gemini, Pay itway, forward.

A but there isatstill compromise homeno reason for disapraises everyone’s pointment. spirits and funYou ensues will find a way all weekend long! to bounce back from these setbacks in a few days.

June 22– July 22

Cancer, your presA business relationship ence alone is an enough blossoms with to impress people addition.

A larger-thanthis week. Focus life personality dropsall of energy on byyour with an offer you positive things, and can’t refuse.

Oh boy, you willCancer. accomplish oh boy, quite a bit before the week is over.

Work andsmiles familyon Lady Luck issues are on you, Libra, andyour there mind, Libra.

Find is nothing beyond your ways balance reach.to A treasured work andresurfaces, family as heirloom best as you bringing backpossibly many can. be hard fond Don’t memories.

September 23– on yourself if you October 22 cannot manage everything.

July 23– August 22

Leo, a good Oops,now Leo. is You fall time your behindtoonassess a project, health goals and raising some make a few eyebrows.

Notplans to for theYou new year. worry. will get It’s backwithin on trackreason sooner to change or than youyour think,diet thanks start a new exercise to an innovation. regimen.

Scorpio, The tiniestthis of week ischanges a great time to make a vast complete projects improvement in a that have been onis project.

A rejection your platein for quite a blessing disguise. some time.forAll you Be grateful what really do is you’re need given, to Scorpio. set your mind on them.

August 23– September 22

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY

Incredible efficiency Spend less, save more this weekdefinitely has you and you’ll zipping get more,through Virgo. More your to-do list, in your bottom line Virgo.

Enjoy and more peacesome of relaxation time once mind. Flowers provide you have completed a great pick-me-up. all your projects.

October 23– November 21

Sagittarius, you News from afar gets may feel rushed the creative juices by external pressures, flowing, and you but it’s really to accomplish moreup than you to set your you have in some own time, pace.

If youA keep a Sagittarius. game of calm things wits athead, the office fallchallenging. in place and November 22– will proves December 21 you can complete your tasks.

Clearwater Times Thursday, December 25, 2014

www.clearwatertimes.com A19

Christmas stories

Like that toy train Alida and Bowen Clare check out a toy train being raffled off during a Christmas Bazaar held at the Clearwater Elks Hall last weekend. The two youngsters are from Kamloops and were visiting relatives in Clearwater.

Photo by Keith McNeill

Christmas Dinner Lucy came running downstairs and looked out the window and seen hills of snow everywhere. And was wearing a nice dress with hearts and heart shoes.

There was excitement in her head that needed to shoot out of her like a volcano. Her whole family came for dinner.

It looks like fun to me, but Lucy fell down the stairs and she broke her leg. But she still had lots of fun then she had a nice dinner. The end.

By Dakota Hicks, Grade 5 The Magic Christmas Rocket Just a few cold days before Christmas Mia looked under the Christmas tree and there in all the presents sat an unwrapped red and blue rocket!

She called her mother to ask if she could have the rocket and her mother said yes!

As soon as her mom told her she could have the rocket she raced up the stairs and played with it until it was time for bed.

The next day she was shaking the rocket

and then she heard someone say, "Hey kid stop shaking me!"

Mia looked around the room and nobody was there. She asked the rocket if it said that. "Yes," it replied.

The next day Mia woke up and the rocket was gone! Mia went to go tell her mom but her babysitter was sitting on the couch waiting for Mia to get up.

What are you doing here?‚" she asked.

Cristina announced, "I am going to watch you until your parents get back."

So Mia went up to her room and the rocket was sitting there on her bed. "YEAH!" she screamed, then she ran down the stairs with the rocket and then ran back up to her room as she thought this rocket is really magic.

Her parents got back the day of Christmas Eve. That night Mia hardly slept.

She was up and ready to open up presents.

She raced to her parents room and bounced on them until they got up.

Mia scrambled down the stairs to open presents. Her father handed her a

present. She tore it open and there was the beautiful magical red and blue rocket.

About an hour later she went back up to her room to talk to the rocket. They had a lovely conversation.

Then all of her family came for Christmas dinner including her cousin Emily. She dragged Emily up the stairs and the rocket talked to her as well.

Mia loved the magic rocket more than anything.

By Hannah MacDonald, Grade 5 The Magic Rocket Santa’s sleigh is broken. Then the elves built a space ship.

It went to Mars. The aliens saw him and the started to chase him and then he shot his flare.

Before the aliens caught it, Rudolph spotted it and told the others. Then they fixed up his old sleigh and went and got him.

By Soren Arduini, Grade 2 The Worst Christmas One day at my home in Vavenby, B.C on McCorvie Road, to be exact. I have a giant family of sev-

enteen. We all loved Christmas. We were anxiously awaiting Christmas dinner.

I was about four thousand and five years old. It was 1814.

We cooked on a fire!

I was really looking forward to lots of turkey, rice and natural root vegetables.

Quickly, I ran as fast as I could down a muddy hill and slipped down I broke almost every bone in my body.

Well except my arms!

I was in the Clearwater doctor's office before I knew it!

I took a very long time to recover!

Five years later. I had made my mud home/cave into a better cabin with cut down trees.

I had been cooking dinner in the home and the turkey started on fire!

No fire trucks here!

It was soon ash!

The worst part was I missed Christmas dinner again! I sure have bad luck at Christmas.

Hope my 2014/2015 year and your year works out really well.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! I have a new cabin on my wish list!

By Nathaneal Toscano, Grade 4 Best Christmas Dinner Ever!

It is Christmas in Canada .

I live in the province of B.C on Robson Street. We are inviting our neighbours over for dinner.

Just as we finished up setting up the table the neighbours came and we all sat down at the table.

We were munching away when Santa burst threw the window.

Oh my goodness! He gobbled up all turkey, the chicken, the salad, hamburgers, and the vegetables.No wonder he is so chubby.

We begged him to use his pocket money to buy more grub Lucky for us, he had some extra cash in his

jacket and handed it over to us.

So we invited him over for our next dinner but first my mom gave him a big spanking he yelled “ouch”!!!!

He said he is going to ban spanking from the world, it should be illegal.

So this was the best Christmas ever because we saw Santa eat so much and we enjoyed his company.

By Rylan Stelter, Grade 4 The Magic Rocket One magic night Santa’s sled broke down. Then Santa went back to his work shop and he replaced his sleigh with a magic rocket. The magic rocket looked like a corn dog or a hot dog.

Santa still used his reindeer because the sleigh was really really heavy from all of the presents Santa had to deliver. The reindeers’ names were ... Comet, Cupid, Rudolph, Dasher, Prancer, Dancer, Vixen, Donner and Blitzen.

By Hunter Breckenridge, age 8 Christmas Magic One night on Christmas Eve a girl Sabrina, was looking under the Christmas tree and she found something not wrapped up. She asked her mom and dad. They said they wrapped it up.

Then it was time for Sabrina to go to bed.

Sabrina got the cookies out that she made just for him then got into bed.

Then Sabrina waited till everything was quiet, then she tipped towed down the stairs and looked really close at the rocket. Then she heard a soft voice, go to bed Sabrina, so she did.

The next morning was here. Sabrina ran down the stairs to look for the rocket. When she found it, it was on the top of the tree. Her mom saw and got it

down from the top of the tree. Then Sabrina ran to her room and then it started to talk to Sabrina.

Sabrina laughed and asked it to talk again so it said lets go play outside.

Sabrina ran down the stairs and got all of her snow gear on and went outside.

They made a snowfort and a snowman.

They even made a big big snow chair. They had the best time. She even gave him a name Robby the Rocket.

One night Robby the Rocket turned into a real rocket. He was big and could take you to space.

He was probably the best rocket you could ever have. The next day Sabrina asked if she could go to space. She said yes, but she had to go with her so they waited for Sabrina’s dad to come home because he had to go to space with them.

They arrived in space at 8:48 the next morning on Robby’s home planet adventure time and his best friends Finn and Jake she got to meet them but now she had to go home to earth so Siberian and her mom and dad went home with Robby the rocket and then Robby had to go home to planet adventure time.

Sabrina saw him every Christmas after that.

By Claire Arduini, Grade 5 The Best Christmas Dinner Ever I was really excited for Christmas and my mom was too.

But there was no Christmas tree so me and my mom went to go get a tree for Christmas but we had no decorations.

So we had to go get some to put on the Christmas tree so it is nice. But what would we have for Christmas dinner? We should have ham and turkey.

That would be the

best Christmas dinner ever!!!

By Rebecca Stefanyk, Grade 2 The Magical Rocket Matt woke up his parents on Christmas morning, his parents they did not wake up.

And so Matt ran downstairs and he seen a rocket and so he climbed into the rocket but he did not know something. The rocket was magical, but Matt did not know so he pressed a button and it took him to Santa Land. And the elves were surprised to see a human in Santa Land and the elves took him to Santa’s workshop and Santa was surprised too.

Santa said, "Are you the one who I gave the rocket to?" and Matt was like sir, and Santa smiled at Matt and said you pressed a button.

Santa took Matt to the rocket and Santa said, "Now press the back button‚" And when Matt got home everyone was awake and they said do you want to open your presents and Matt said, "No, I just want to sleep.‚" And when Matt woke up he saw presents at the end of his bed.

By Dayton Flegel, Grade 5 The Magic Rocket One day it was early in the morning. It was almost Christmas!

Santa was getting ready for Christmas.

When he found the sleigh he noticed that it was broken!

On no! said Santa.

Ho ho!! Mrs. Claus came. What's wrong sweetheart? Santa said I have a broken sleigh.

Well, said one of the elves, we could make you a rocket.

Yay! Said one of the reindeer. Oh, oh, ho, ho said Santa.

Why don't you want to drive the sleigh?

Because I want to take a break! Ok said Santa.

By Isabell Wright, Grade 2

A20 www.clearwatertimes.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Clearwater Times

y p p a r a H e Y w e N

Selected Varieties 400 g

10

$ 2

Faith Farms Cheese

for

S VING LE SA B A T BEA

UN

Garden Salad or Cole Slaw Mix Fresh Express Product of USA 12 oz. & 14 oz.

1/2

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS

PRICE SALE

Back Attached

1/2

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS

Original Macaroni & Cheese - 225 g

GS

SAVIN ABLE BEAT

UN

Ragu Pasta Sauce

PRICE SALE

Dempster’s Sliced Bread White - 570 g or 100% Whole Wheat 675 g

Knorr Sidekicks

1/2

Selected Varieties 111 g - 153 g

GS

UN

50% Off The Regular Retail Price

1/2

PRICE SALE

1/2

PRICE SALE

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS

SAVIN ABLE BEAT

PRICE SALE

1/2

PRICE SALE

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS

50% Off The Regular Retail Price

50% Off The Regular Retail Price

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS

Liberté Méditerranée Yogourt Selected Varieties 500 g

50% Off The Regular Retail Price

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS

50% Off The Regular Retail Price

Prices Effective: Sunday, December 28, 2014 to Saturday, January 3, 2015. CLEARWATER, 365 Murtle Crescent SW, (: 250 - 674 - 2213 Store Hours: Sunday - Saturday: 9:00am - 7:00pm WESTERN CANADIAN OWNED & OPERATED

lb

4.15/kg

50% Off The Regular Retail Price

Kraft Dinner

Selected Varieties 630 ml & 640 ml

1

88

Fresh Chicken Legs

SOME ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO GST AND PLUS DEP, RECYCLING FEE WHERE APPLICABLE*. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES. SOME ITEMS MAY NOT BE EXACTLY AS ILLUSTRATED. MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT GROCERS.

Don’t Fo rg To Chec et In Stor k For Holide Store Ho ay urs!