THE www.keremeosreview.com PM Agreement #40012521
Review Vol.17
Number 4
$1.15 including GST
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Wood enters federal political ring Tara Bowie Review Staff
Former RDOS director Angelique Wood has rebounded politically, earning the NDP nomination for the newly formed Central OkanaganSimilkameen-Nicola riding. Wood’s nomination was uncontested at the riding’s NDP nomination meeting in Summerland Saturday. “I think I have the work ethic and the drive to really make a difference to our area and our country and I want the chance to do that,” Wood said a day before the meeting. The relatively new riding was created by the 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution and includes south of Keremeos to the US border, as far north as Kelowna, Thompson-Nicola, Logan Lake and west to Princeton and surrounding areas. The new riding represents a portion of three-term NDP Southern Submitted photo Interior MP Alex Atamanenko’s Angelique Wood, NDP candidate for Okanagan Similkameenjurisdiction. Nicola, left, stands with fellow NDP candidate Dick Cannings, South The other portion, now dubbed Okanagan West Kootenay. Portions of the two ridings represent curthe South Okanagan West Kootenay rent MP NDP Alex Atamanenko’s riding of BC Southern Interior.
riding will be represented by Dick Cannings for the NDP party. Wood, at first reluctant to step up to the reins when Atamanenko first approached her in 2014 said she is now more than ready for the task. “I kind of came to the realization that there isn’t a lot of times in your life that you have someone that says ‘I will help you. I will stand behind you. I think you got what it takes to do what I do,” she said. Wood, a one-term Regional District Okanagan Similkameen director for area G lost her seat during the November 2014 election by a slim margin to current director Elef Christensen. The Hedley resident said her time with the RDOS helped prepare her for what she hopes is her new role in politics. “I sat on two southern interior local government organizations. I’ve driven all those places and met a lot of people throughout the riding,” she said. The Emily Carr Institute graduate spent more than a decade working in
sales and marketing at several art galleries and museums before moving to Hedley from Vancouver in 2006. Since living in the Similkameen, Wood has volunteered in a number of capacities including on the Hedley fire department and with local museums. She has also helped organize a variety of community conversation talks relating to relevant issues to all residents of the area. “I come with a lot of real life experience, not just limited. I live in a rural place but I have a lot of urban savvy,” she said. Atamanenko was thrilled with the nomination. “I’m really happy that she’s taking up the challenge,” he said. “Angelique has proven to be a real hard worker for her community.” The NDP is the last of the big three to make their nomination official. The conservative’s nominated current MP Dan Albas last June, while the Liberals nominated Karley Scott in December.
Women at higher risk for Alzheimers Submitted
Nearly three-quarters of Canadians living with Alzheimer’s disease are women. It’s an eye-opening statistic, but it’s not news to the many Keremeos families whose lives have been altered by the dementia journey. “Women represent 72 per cent of Canadians living with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Laurie Myres, the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s Support & Education Coordinator for the South Okanagan and Similkameen. “They could be your mothers, wives, sisters, grandmothers or friends.” That’s why the Society’s annual Alzheimer Awareness Month campaign in January has adopted the theme, The 72%. It aims to inform women in their 40s and older about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, brain health and how
the programs and services of the nonprofit Alzheimer Society of B.C. can help. More women than men are living with Alzheimer’s disease because they live longer and age is a significant risk factor, Myres said. The risk of dementia doubles every five years after age 65. Women also account for 70% of family caregivers. “The disease takes a tremendous toll on these women who eventually provide roundthe-clock care. The burden is especially high
for women raising families and holding down jobs.” Though women are disproportionately affected, “Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affect everyone,” Myres said. More than 70,000 people in B.C. face dementia. The 72% Awareness Month campaign kicks off in January but local families living with dementia can receive assistance year-round from Myres. She can be contacted at 250-493-8182 (toll-free 1-888-318-1122) or lmyres@alzheim-
erbc.org. Ten warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, provided by the Alzheimer Society of B.C. 1. Memory loss that affects day-to-day abilities Forgetting things often or struggling to retain new information. 2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks Forgetting how to do something you’ve been doing your whole life, such as preparing a meal or getting dressed. 3. Problems with language Forgetting words or substituting words that don’t fit the context. 4. Disorientation in time and space Not knowing what day of the week it is or getting lost in a familiar place. 5. Impaired judgment Continued on page 7