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THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 83, Issue 245 | www.dailybulletin.ca
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MLA updates RDEK board on local issues ALR review, road maintenance among topics under discussion TRE VOR CR AWLEY
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The Champs. Skip Alysha Buchy, Third Kaila Buchy, Second Haylie Farquhar and Lead Arissa Toffolo have claimed the East Kootenay Junior Girls Curling Championship and will represent the region at the Provincials in Kamloops at the end of the month. The girls, all students at Selkirk Secondary, played off and won in Invermere this past weekend.
A big need for ‘Bigs’ Big Brothers Big Sisters Cranbrook Kimberley seeks adults willing to give time to kids C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been operating in Cranbrook and Kimberley for the past 36 years, but it may not be top of mind with most people. BBBS provides opportunities for adults to mentor and spend time with youth who may need a positive adult role model. Executive Director Bev Middlebrook says there are currently 25 ‘matches’ of adult and youth in the organization but more people willing to be a big sister or brother are needed. “We just ask for a minimum of an hour a week and a commitment of one year,” she said. “You can do any activity. You can go out for a pop and just talk, a walk. You don’t have to do things that cost money.” It is time that the youth need; time to
talk and feel someone is listening; time to develop a meaningful relationship. “The kids looking for Bigs could be from single parent families, or foster kids,” Middlebrook said. “Kids being raised by grandparents, maybe kids dealing with grief over the loss of a parent, or kids who are bullied and don’t have strong social skills. “It’s really rewarding for the Bigs. The Littles are changed by the supportive relationship, and it can last a lifetime.” Currently, there is a waiting list of Littles waiting for Bigs they can be matched with. Middlebrook is really hoping that some new Big volunteers can be found in Kimberley. She wants the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to grow in Kimberley as well as Cranbrook. “We are fortunate to have this program
here. Not every community does.” Big Brothers Big Sisters is different from other mentoring organizations in that they seek volunteers who are committed and consistent, willing to serve at least a year, but the hope is the relationship continues until a child graduates high school. Studies show that by doing so, mentoring services help kids stay in school, avoid risky behaviour, and experience first-hand the importance of helping others in their community. Professional staff is there to work with you, the child and the family throughout the course of the mentoring relationship to provide necessary training and support. If you would be willing to be a Big Brother or Big Sister in Kimberley or Cranbrook, please email livia.lara@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca.
The Regional District of East Kootenay board of directors had some questions answered by Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett at a monthly meeting in Cranbrook on Friday. According to chair Rob Gay, who was re-elected chair for the next year, the board invites the regional MLA out to a meeting once every six months to keep directors updated on provincial initiatives and issues that affect constituents within the riding. “He asks us for our issues, so we gave him a list of 13 issues and he goes away and does homework on them and comes back and presents on them or brings back material on them,” Gay said. “…Today he gave us a few ideas that we need to get back to him on so he’s asking us for our opinion on how he would like to approach other ministers within the government to help solve our problems.” Before the meeting, the RDEK had sent a list of 13 questions to Bennett on a range of topics such as energy policy, treaty negotiations, off-road vehicle legislation and winter road conditions. One specific topic that Bennett raised with the board had to do with land inside the Agricultural Land Reserve. The sticking point involves the fact that landowners within the ALR, which is specifically set aside for farmland use, enjoy a tax break. However, a recent redrawing of ALR boundaries will exclude a number of existing properties within the ALR, and those landowners will lose the tax break. The advantage of being excluded from the ALR means that landowners have more freedom to develop and increase the value of their land, according to Gay. “He’s [Bennett] asked our board for advice to say, ‘Do we take all these folks out and say now you’ve lost your tax advantage?’,” said Gay. “Or do we say, ‘If you want to come out, you lose your tax advantage, but maybe increase the value of your land, maybe do some different things with your land that you couldn’t in the past…’”
See MLA, Page 4