Salmon Arm Observer, November 11, 2015

Wednesday November 11, 2015 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST INcluded

Safeway closes the doors By Martha Wickett OBSeRVeR STAFF

Tears and hugs were in abundance on Thursday, Safeway’s last day in Salmon Arm. The store closed its doors on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m., after operating in the community since 1980. “It’s been a really difficult day,” remarked Kevin carson, a Safeway employee for 38 years, as he chatted with longtime customer Mark Pugh, who expresses condolences. “It’s been 15 years coming up in November,” recalls Pugh, referring to how long he’s been coming to the Salmon Arm store. every Sunday morning, he says, starting when his kids were small and were playing football. “It’s kind of sad to see it going. My internal GPS comes here automatically. I’ll have to program it to somewhere else.” You get to know so carson says many many people – then customers have been something like this coming in, not neceshappens, it’s like sarily to shop, but to say losing part of your goodbye. “I had one customer family. who comes in regularly. She has a scooter – she said ‘Kevin, who’s going to look after me Kevin Carson now?’” He explains she lives Safeway nearby and it’s not employee too easy for her to get around. “It’s very heartwarming to realize how much we’ve impacted people’s lives. You get to know so many people – then something like this happens, it’s like losing part of your family.” like most of his co-workers, he’ll be heading to another Safeway, his in Kamloops. Before that, he’ll spend five days in Salmon Arm helping to clear out the store and wrap things up. like carson, Todd carscadden agrees it’s a tough time. “It’s very sad – all the customers, employees, it’s like one big family,” he says.

evan Buhler/OBSeRVeR

Patriotism: Peter Kilby, retired brigadier-general, displays his service medals against a backdrop of

other framed military accomplishments earned in his career with Canada’s Regular and Reserve Forces.

Remembering his service Military: Peter Kilby shares his insights into the Armed Forces. By Barb Brouwer OBSeRVeR STAFF

A retired brigadier general with an impressive army career behind him was interested in the military long before he enlisted. Peter Kilby’s uncle Gordon was killed at Vimy Ridge in the First World War. “At a very young age, I knew who he was, where he’d been and what he’d done,” says Kilby of his mother’s older brother and how he invented his own “war” games as a youngster. “Harrison Mills, the little place where I was born and raised, didn’t have much so I did a lot of imagining and playing.” Kilby’s interest was also piqued by the Home Guard guarding bridges nearby during the Second World War.

“My mother was probably really worried that things would happen,” he says of his decision to join the Army Reserves in chilliwack in 1950. like a duck to water, Kilby discovered he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “We were all pretty much farm boys and the major in command of the company had won the Military cross in Italy,” he says. “We were impressed; he was a major with a big medal.” Kilby’s military career continued with a one-year stint with the Royal Westminster Regiment followed by a transfer to the B.c. regiment in Vancouver which, at that time, was a tank regiment. He served there for about five years when he was advised to join the Regular Forces. After conferring with his wife, Barbara, Kilby went into the Royal ca-

nadian corps of Signals for five years. “My last year-and-a-half was spent as the signal officer to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal canadian Regiment, which had a parachute element,” he says with a glint in his eye. The couple moved to Salmon Arm in 1971 where Kilby began a teaching career and shared his extensive military expertise by getting involved with the local Rocky Mountain Ranger cadet corps. Greater involvement followed when he accepted an invitation to return to the Reserves with the Rocky Mountain Rangers unit in Kamloops. His command lasted from 1980 to 1984 when he was asked to take command of the entire brigade. He ended See veterans on page A2

See Staff on page A3

This week A Salmon Arm tattoo artist is reviving a traditional First Nations’ method of body art. See A8. Curbside recycling is proving successful, but food waste remains a challenge. See A11.

Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports................A15-A17 Arts & Events ... A19-A21 Time Out................... A22 Vol. 108, No. 45, 44 pages

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