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PIONEER THE COLUMBIA VALLEY
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NOVEMBER 5, 2026
VOLUME 23 / ISSUE 45
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3 WOODCARVER PARK UNDER CONSTRUCTION Marleen Reijers from Royal Canadian Legion Windermere District #71 proudly shows off the 'poppy waterfall' art project and a thank you card from CV Fibre Arts Guild, with a tapestry created by Sharlene Scofield. See story page 12.
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PHOTO HEATHER MCLEOD
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
Bruno’s Plumbing Service Mike Sylvestre 250.342.5105 brunosplumbing@shaw.ca
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
VALLEY VIEWS
Serving The Columbia Valley
Auto Glass Replacement & Chip Repair Shower Doors | Windows | Mirrors & Railings 250-342-3659 info@invermereglass.com
WIN GS OVER TH E ROC KI E S N ATURE FE S TI VA L
Annual General Meeting Thursday, November 19th at 6:00 pm Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce Boardroom
Everyone is welcome but seating is limited. For more information contact wingsovertherockies@gmail.com
In top photo, a magpie lands on the rump of a bighorn sheep in Radium. At left, a cross made of poppies for Remembrance Day. TOP PHOTO STEPHANIE LEROUX LEFT PHOTO SYD DANIS
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
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VALLEY NEWS IREN to expand, hold open house By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com IREN Ltd. plans to grow, adding new data facilities in Canal Flats in the near future to handle artificial intelligence (AI) computing and processes. The expansion will create at least 200 shortterm construction jobs over the next year or so, as well as dozens of long-term jobs to maintain the new computing equipment. Rumours that IREN is set to build or expand have circulated throughout Canal Flats in recent months and reached fever pitch just before the municipal election, when Canal Flats councillors received an application (not from IREN, but a separate company — CF Bidco Property Holdings Ltd.) for a temporary use permit (TUP) for a work camp for up to 400 people from November 2026 to November 2027. Last week the company confirmed its plan to the Pioneer and outlined that it will hold an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at the Ponderosa Place Arts and Events Centre from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Building the new facilities will “take place
throughout 2027” and they “will not require new power or local water for cooling,” explained IREN Canal Flats data centre manager Shaylene Sagar, adding that the construction will also stimulate local spending in Canal Flats small businesses. “Engaging with our neighbours is important to us as we begin this work,” said Sagar, encouraging Canal Flats residents to join the open house. In response to questions from the Pioneer, IREN said that the new facilities will be built behind its existing 10-acre ‘campus’, on land that is still in the industrial zone. The company pointed out this means the new buildings will be further away from Canal Flats homes than the existing IREN buildings. “We are designing the campus for a closedloop system that recirculates cooling fluid like a car radiator. IREN is not sourcing local water for cooling. Any coolant that needs to be removed during maintenance will be collected, trucked off the property, and disposed of responsibly at a licensed facility,” wrote the company. IREN outlined that CF Bidco Holdings submitted the worker’s camp TUP application independently without IREN’s participation, that IREN currently has no plans to purchase that
land, and that it is “still evaluating options for workforce accommodations,” and will work “with local leaders to develop an appropriate plan for workforce accommodations that is sensitive to community needs” and “to mitigate any temporary local disruption as much as possible.” “We are engaging with village officials to determine the most appropriate accommodations for water, sewer, security, road use, and other factors. We are listening to feedback from the community and will provide more information as that plan comes together,” wrote the company. IREN, formerly called Iris Energy, is headquartered in Australia and operates a dozen data centres around the world, including three in British Columbia. The one in Canal Flats has operated since 2019, the others are in Prince George and Mackenzie in northern BC). IREN’s BC data centres collectively employ 275 people.
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IREN plans to add new data facilities in Canal Flats in the near future. PHOTO SYD DANIS
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
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Columbia Valley Classics Club president Arnold Scheffer and treasurer Don Parkin present Scott Wallace (middle) of Angel Flight with a $20,000 donation. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Big donations The 36th Annual Columbia Valley Classics Show & Shine has supported a $20,000 donation to Angel Flight and a $5,000 donation to the David Thompson Ski & Snowboard Club. Angel Flight shared that it plans to replace its dependable workhorse aircraft with a more efficient plane with lower operating costs. Donations are especially valuable as the organization works toward this goal, and its representatives expressed their gratitude for the club’s support. The club made several more donations from the proceeds to community organizations, including ICAN, Columbia Valley Search and Rescue, Little Mittens, Columbia Valley Hospice Society and Columbia Valley Christmas Bureau. This is just another example of how the Show & Shine event gives back to the community.
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
Woodcarver Park under construction in Radium By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com It will be a park to make a wizard proud. Construction on the long-awaited Woodcarver Park in Radium Hot Springs began late this summer and most of the major work should be done by early December. “It’s been busy,” Radium Village Arts and Culture Society president Valerie Bracken told the Pioneer. The society is leading efforts to build the park, which will honour legendary former Radium resident and woodcarver Rolf Heer, who had a reputation that reached around the world. Heer almost always wore red wizard robes and a red wizard hat, and lived in the village in his delightfully eccentric hand-built ‘Home of a Thousand Faces,’ which was a cross between a woodworker’s shop and the coolest tree fort you’ve ever dreamed up. That home was sadly lost in a 2018 fire, and Heer passed away in 2020 after battling cancer.
The arts and culture society vowed to turn the site of the ‘Home of a Thousand Faces’ into a public park. It’s been working to that end ever since, raising more than $1 million to turn the dream into reality. Beginning in August crews have been doing the foundations and concrete work, including the sonotubes and concrete pad that will support the park’s signature two-storey treehouse-like pavilion (which will be fashioned to resemble a pointy wizard’s hat, just like the one Heer sported), and a retaining wall. The wooden pavilion is being built offsite by a timber frame company near Golden, and will then be taken apart, moved to Radium and reassembled. Landscaping for the park should happen first thing in spring time. A local roofing company is creating the wizard-hat roof, which Bracken promises “is going to be a piece of art.” And an artist is at work trying to restore some of Heer’s original carved poles that survived the 2018 fire. Continued on page 5
Work on the highly anticipated Woodcarver Park in Radium Hot Springs is underway. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Pynelogs Arts and Culture Centre 1720 - 4th Avenue, Invermere, BC Join us to come and see a selection of contemporary and traditional
Indigenous work from the Columbia Valley
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 7th, 1:00-4:00pm, The show is open November 5th - 28th, 2026
Glass Jingle Dress by Robyn Tardif
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
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Builders hope to finish by next summer Continued from page 4 “The idea is to be fully complete by next summer,” said Bracken, adding that when shovels hit the ground this past August it was both “very exciting and such a relief to know that it’s moving forward. We’re in a time crunch, but we will get there. I’m happy to see Rolf’s legacy come to fruition ... many people will enjoy it. They’ll go to the park and remember Rolf if they knew him. But mostly they’ll have fun. That’s exactly what he would have wanted.” The treehouse pavilion will include some interpretive signage explaining the story of Heer’s life. As with any construction project, costs have crept up, and the society is still seeking donations to help get the park finished. Visit radiumarts.ca/ projects/woodcarver-park/ to learn more or to donate.
Sip, Style &
Sparkle! FASHION SHOW FUNDRAISER
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2026
Columbia Valley Centre
TICKETS
$ The foundations of a dream come true at Woodcarver Park. PHOTOS SUBMITTED
60
DOORS OPEN 5:30 PM FASHION SHOW 7:00 PM
Reserved Seating Tables of 10
Clarification A letter to the editor written by John Owen in the October 29 edition of the Pioneer was headlined “Reader challenges Wildsight rebuttal.” Owen had written a rebuttal to Taoya Schaefer’s letter that appeared in the September 28 edition. He referred to Schaefer as a Wild-
sight board member, but Wildsight informed the Pioneer that she is no longer a board member and her letter was not representing Wildsight. As a result, the word Wildsight should not have been used in the headline.
Welcome Delicious Prosecco Appetizers
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ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE Our advertising submission deadline is Fridays at 12:00pm for the following week’s edition. This includes display ads and all classified word ads. THANK YOU!
Fashion Show
Prizes
Silent Auction
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HOSPICE SOCIETY OF THE COLUMBIA VALLEY
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
OPINION
Remember It’s quite an honour to be chosen as the Royal Canadian Legion’s ‘Silver Cross Mother’ as a proud symbol of Remembrance Day. This long cherished tradition, started in 1919, sees one mother chosen every year (by the Legion) to represent moms of Canada who have lost children during military service. This year’s mother, who served until October 31, was Nancy Payne from Ontario. She met a man in the Canadian Armed Forces and began communicating with him by mail. When they eventually met in person, they were like two peas in a pod and soon fell in love, with a marriage in the making. The couple had two sons, Chris and Randy, who also served in the Canadian army. Corporal Randy Joseph Payne was on duty as a member of the ‘Close Protection’ team in Afghanistan in 2006 when the G-Wagon he was riding in struck a roadside bomb. He died along with three other soldiers. Nancy found out the devastating news in the middle of the night. She couldn’t believe it. Sure, she knew these things happened on the battlefield, but never thought it would happen to her own child. Mothers never do. Since he was a young man, Randy’s dream was to be a policeman. He joined the Armed Forces in 2003 and loved military policing work, mastering the role with finesse. Nancy recalled how Randy really enjoyed the thrill of the job. She remembers how excited he was when he got the call to serve in Afghanistan. Although she didn’t share his enthusiasm, she never let on how unsettled she was. Randy had applied to be a member of the Close Protection team to safeguard VIPs such as former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Randy was among 158 Canadian soldiers who gave their lives during the mission in Afghanistan. His former high school honours him by displaying a plaque and photograph at the front entrance. His own son is now a combat engineer in the Canadian Armed Forces, and his daughter is a support worker. Nancy wants to keep every fallen soldier’s spirit alive, saying “we can never forget what they did for us.” Lyonel Doherty, editor
Historical Lens
Ernest Trethewey (left) and Frank Fairhurst hold up a big fish in this undated photo. PHOTO WINDERMERE AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013
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The Columbia Valley Pioneer is available free of charge at 13 essential businesses in the Upper Columbia Valley, limited to one copy per reader. This publication has been made possible by the support of our advertisers and is published every Thursday. The Columbia Valley Pioneer may be distributed only by its authorized contractors and employees. No person may, without the prior written consent of The Pioneer or its Publisher, take more than one copy of each issue of The Pioneer. The content is protected by copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited except with the permission of the Publisher.
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
LETTERS/OP-ED
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End of era as directors leave public office Submitted by RDEK It was the end of an era at a recent Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board meeting as several long-standing directors said their final farewell to public service. One of those directors was Rob Gay, who cracked the gavel on his 168th meeting as chair. “It’s hard to believe that it has been 21 years as the Area C director and it is difficult to sum up what it has meant to serve this region and to work with our board and staff over the years,” he said. “There has been tremendous change since my first term, but the one constant that I am tremendously proud of is the culture we have built around the regional board table here in the East Kootenay. There will always be diverse perspectives and opinions on issues, and being able to have healthy, respectful debate not only results in a stronger and more effective board, it leads to more thoughtful and well-rounded decision making. We are unique here in how well we work together, and this current board has been excep-
tional in every way. I will miss working with them and with the staff of the RDEK who are secondto-none.” In his 21 years of service, Gay missed only one RDEK meeting. After serving as vice chair for four years, Gay was voted as RDEK board chair in 2012 and for 14 years continued to be elected by his fellow directors to this role. He is the longest serving board chair in the RDEK’s history. In addition to his role as chair, Gay was also actively involved in a number of provincial and regional committees advocating for rural interests throughout his political career. The importance of respectful dialogue and building on the strong culture was echoed by other long-time directors who chose not to seek re-election, including Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick (12 years), Fernie Mayor Nic Milligan (four years), Elkford Mayor Steve Fairbairn (four years), Cranbrook councillor Norma Blissett (four years), Electoral Area B director Stan Doehle (12 years), and Electoral Area E director Jane Walter (15 years).
Former Sparwood Mayor David Wilks left office earlier this spring after serving a total of 13 years on the board. “Those outgoing directors alone account for 64 years of combined public service, which is an incredible amount of experience and regional knowledge leaving the table. I want to acknowledge them for their service and thank them for their profound contributions during their tenures,” added Gay. “While the board table will have some new faces around it, I hope collectively the directors will continue to embrace the spirit of mentorship and culture that this outgoing board has worked so hard on over the past four years. It is through this culture that relationships are preserved, good decisions are made, and a strong effective board is built,” Gay noted. “These past 21 years have been incredibly rewarding. During that time, I am proud to have contributed to building stronger rural communities, improving services, and creating greater opportunities across the region.”
Same roads, darker drives, more risk As days grow shorter and BC clocks don’t 'fall back,' hundreds of thousands of British Columbians who drive on the job will spend more time on the road in darkness or low light. With BC remaining on permanent Daylight Saving Time, sunrise will arrive later this winter. That means more work trips, morning commutes, and school drop-offs will take place in darkness. Rain, fog, and glare from oncoming headlights can further reduce visibility. The combination can make it difficult to see pedestrians, cyclists, and lane markings. “Reduced daylight hours and worsening weather conditions at this time of year increase the risks for workers, making it harder to see and be seen,” says Todd McDonald, head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC. Employers need to assess how changing conditions affect workers who drive for work and put appropriate controls in place to reduce those risks. “The roads you drive may be familiar but the risks are changing,” cautions Trace Acres, program director for Road Safety at Work. “In darkness or low light, it’s harder to
spot hazards on the road and react.” Prolonged morning darkness affects natural sleep cycles and may contribute to driver fatigue. This compounds the risk as drivers need to be especially alert to spot and respond to hazards when visibility is poor. “Fatigue can reduce concentration, slow reaction time, and affect decision-making,” Acres says. “Those are exactly the abilities drivers need when they can't see as far ahead.” The warning signs of fatigue include frequent yawning, difficulty concentrating, drifting within a lane, sore eyes, and difficulty remembering the last few kilometres. Work-related driving can be full time, part time, or occasional. It’s more than delivery or long-haul driving. It also includes trips such as visiting clients, attending meetings, picking up supplies, and travelling between worksites. Employers are responsible for assessing driving risks and taking reasonable steps to reduce them, including when employees use their personal vehicles for work. Road Safety at Work advises employers and supervisors to: • Identify work trips that now
take place in darkness or low light, particularly on rural roads and in areas with poor lighting. • Adjust schedules that call for driving early in the morning, at night, or for long periods, if possible. • Allow employees enough time in demanding driving conditions to complete trips safely without feeling pressured. • Review safe driving procedures for driving in poor conditions and make sure workers know what to do if they're fatigued or believe conditions are unsafe. What drivers can do Whether driving for work or personal reasons, Road Safety at Work
advises: • Slowing down when visibility is reduced and leaving more distance between your vehicle and the one ahead. • Watching for pedestrians, cyclists, wildlife, and roadside workers who can be harder to see in the dark. • Making sure headlights, tail lights, windshield wipers, and defrosters are working properly and that windows, mirrors, and lights are clean. • Being rested and alert before getting behind the wheel. Take breaks on longer trips. Road Safety at Work
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
Long-time councillor, Taft, signs off By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com
In a couple weeks' time something will happen for the first time in nearly a quarter century: an Invermere council that does not include Gerry Taft sitting for a meeting. Outgoing councillor Taft has served eight terms (including three terms as mayor) since first being elected in 2002, in an age when AOL. com was the third-most visited website in the world, when fax machines were used more often (for time-sensitive paperwork) than email, and when a newfangled currency called ‘the Euro’ was introduced across the Atlantic. Given Taft’s long tenure, his fellow councillors gave him the last word at his final council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Taft took the opportunity to thank the other council members and District of Invermere
staff for their hard work. He also outlined what he sees as some of the biggest challenges ahead for Invermere and its local government and offered some solutions.
“I'd take boring and functional over fancy and dysfunctional.” - Gerry Taft Outgoing councillor
“The problems and pressures facing local government are real, and there’s a lot of them,” said Taft, pointing to growing expectations from the general public, aging infrastructure, an aging population, increased regulations, higher service demands, limited funding, a lack of affordable housing, and an increasing lack of civility in society.
he implored council and staff to “make room for different.” He suggested current zoning bylaws are in some ways discriminatory, including one that disallows homes less than 16 feet (4.8 metres) wide. That was likely initially meant to keep people from living in trailers in town, Taft surmised, but it also now prevents tiny homes and laneway homes. He also pointed out that a great many trailers are actually nice these days, not the dilapidated mobile homes of trailer park stereotype. “Why do we even care if a house is on wheels really ... does that matter?” he asked. Taft also urged renovating, refitting and upgrading existing homes instead of building new ones. He advised the incoming new council to not be afraid of making mistakes, pointing out that people are flawed and imperfect and so are organizations — including governments.
“Social media is toxic ... it creates division ... even in a small town,” he said. As a remedy Taft proposed the district “institutionalize the concept of ‘good enough’,” and elaborated that “there needs to be an honest conversation about standards, (and) what really matters.” He used the district office to illustrate his point, pointing out the squat, pale-grey building was formerly the Alex & Anthony pizza shop. Taft contrasted that to a few other, noticeably grander city halls elsewhere in the Kootenay, but emphasized he likes Invermere’s better, saying it does the trick just fine and the staff working in it are far more approachable than those at most municipal offices. “I’ll take boring and functional over fancy and dysfunctional,” he said. When it comes to housing (one of the issues Taft talked about most)
914 – 8th Avenue, PO Box 339 Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 Tel: (250) 342-9281 Fax: (250) 342-2934
Call for Volunteers
Outgoing councillor Gerry Taft served eight terms (three as mayor) since being elected in 2002. FILE PHOTO
Invermere Public Library Board Are you an avid reader? Would you like to see a new library? Help shape your library’s future. The District of Invermere is looking for community members to serve on the Invermere Public Library Board. Under the Library Act, board members are appointed by Council. The term is two years, starting January 1, 2027. Who can apply • Residents or electors of the District of Invermere. • Members of Invermere Council, District of Invermere employees, and Invermere Public Library staff are not eligible. What the Board does Library board members hold the library in public trust. They are responsible for making sure the library provides relevant, efficient service to the community it serves. Board work includes: • Making sure the library has adequate funding • Understanding community needs and advocating for the library • Developing and updating library policy • Setting a vision and strategic plan • Supporting the Library Director in carrying out the strategic plan, in line with Board policy What we’re looking for A strong commitment to community service, a respectful team approach, and good communication skills. New board members will attend training and information sessions to help them get started in the role. How to apply Submit a written application by 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 30, 2026, to: Kindry Dalke Director of Corporate Services District of Invermere Box 339, 914 – 8th Avenue Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 or by email: corporateservices@invermere.net
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Remembrance Day November 11th INVERMERE
EDGEWATER
10:30 am
Parade forms outside Legion General Public please gather at Cenotaph Park
3:45 pm
10:50 am
Parade moves to the Cenotaph
4:00 pm
10:58 am
Remembrance Day Service
4:05 pm
11:30 am
Parade leaves the Cenotaph
4:30 pm
11:35 am
Parade dismisses at Legion
4:40 pm
11:45 am
Open House Reception in Legion
Remember Remember
CANAL FLATS
Join Join
4:50 pm
Donate Donate
Wear ininRemembrance and WearaaPoppy Poppy Remembrance and Gathering at Cenotaph in Lion’s Park 10:45 am Please support the 2026 Poppy Campaign Please support the 2026 Poppy Campaign 11:45 am
Reception at CF Civic Centre
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
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Outgoing Radium council presses pause By Steve Hubrecht
steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com The outgoing Radium council pressed ‘pause’ on decisions and discussions related to several key issues facing the village in their final meeting last week. Council members did so to let those choices be made by the incoming new council, once it is sworn in. More specifically, council tabled a resolution on what kind of public consultation to pursue with Radium residents on the revised version of the Ridge Road housing project; tabled a draft version of its tourist accommodation (hotel and motel) stay enforcement policy; and held off doing anything with the main street design strategy other than receive the latest report. All three were big topics in Radium during the past year and during the municipal election campaign this fall. Outgoing Radium mayor Mike Gray, and other village coun-
cillors repeatedly suggested it was more appropriate for the new council to deal with these matters. That said, council members did offer their opinions on the various projects during their Monday, Oct. 26 meeting. When it came to the main street design strategy, councillor Carey Collin, who was re-elected and will be part of the new council, said it constitutes a “good starting point” for further discussion in the future. He pointed out the idea was never to do the whole plan at once (which would come with a staggering $17 million price tag) but rather to do it piecemeal over the next 20 to 30 years. When necessary infrastructure upgrades get done, and roads and sidewalks need to be dug up to put in new water or sewer pipes, for instance, the strategy will make Radium council and staff “think about how best to put it together,” said Collin. Councillor Dale Shudra, who
Outgoing mayor Mike Gray says Radium is on the cusp of meaningful change. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Remembrance Day November 11th Remember Donate Remember Join Join Donate
Observe 2 minutes of silence at 11:00am Wear and WearaaPoppy PoppyininRemembrance Remembrance and Honour Thank Remember Please support Campaign Please supportthe the2026 2026 Poppy Poppy Campaign
like Collin has been re-elected, spoke favourably of the Ridge Road housing project, saying “I hope it’s not tabled too long.” Gray also praised work on that project so far, saying “I’m damn proud of where this is .... (it is) potentially one of the most meaningful impacts on housing in Radium …this is a very significant project.” Radium chief administrative officer Adrian Bergles said village staff will “work in the direction of (the new) council” on the Ridge Road project. He noted that funding for the project still needs to be sorted (and will need to come from grants or other outside sources instead of Radium taxpayers), but that for the most part designs and drawings are done, meaning the project is shovelready. On the tourist accommodation enforcement policy, Gray said many residents have strong opinions one way or the other on the
topic, but added there is also a lot of background behind the policy that the public may not be aware of. He explained he once held a certain view on the issue, but this changed over time the more he learned. That makes this topic a difficult one on “which to thread the needle,” said Gray, but he noted that will be the job of the incoming council. Gray has served on Radium council for nearly a decade, since being voted in as a councillor during a 2017 by-election, and spoke with considerable passion at the end of the meeting, his voice occasionally catching with emotion. He thanked the village’s staff and councillors for their efforts over the years, expressing pride in what was achieved in the past decade, but outlining that plenty of challenges still remain. Radium is “on the cusp of meaningful change. But being on the cusp is not the same as being on the finish line,” said Gray.
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
COLUMBIA VALLEY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
OUT OF OFFICE…
27th Annual Business Excellence Awards The Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners of the 27th Annual Business Excellence Awards – congratulations to all winners and nominees! The awards were at lovely CopperPoint Resort this year and tickets sold out and the business community turned up; whether it was sponsors or winners, the theme of the night was togetherness and community. It was wonderful to see and hear the support that established and new business have for each other in the Columbia Valley, and seeing people connect and expand their networks while coming together for this annual celebration of not only business, but of the people who make up our incredible business community. Many of the sponsor speeches made note of seeing new faces in the crowd, a testament to the ongoing vibrancy and growth of the business community in the Columbia Valley.
There was also special mention of those who are the future businesses in our community – the Chamber is pleased to announce the “Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund.” Starting in 2027 the fund will award a $500 scholarship to a Columbia Valley student pursuing post-secondary education in business, empowering them to develop the knowledge and skills needed to lead, innovate, and succeed. By supporting local students today, the fund helps build a stronger and more prosperous Columbia Valley for tomorrow. A portion of all 2026 Business Excellence Awards sponsorships have been endowed; that’s over $1,000 invested in the future of business in the Columbia Valley. Help us grow this investment by donating on the Columbia Valley Community Foundation’s website at www. valleyfoundation.ca Thank you for everyone who attended this uplifting event! We can’t wait to do it again next year!
New Business of the Year:
Health & Wellness Business of the Year:
ALIGN Spin + Movement
The SC2 GYM
Retail Business of the Year:
Valley Strong Award:
Bird’s Eye Boutique
Dara’s Dolphins
Food & Beverage Business of the Year:
Environmental Stewardship Award:
Smokehouse 93
Playwest Mountain Experience
Accommodation Business of the Year:
Tourism Impact Award:
RidgeView Resort
Kootenay River Runners
Construction & Trades Business of the Year:
Non-Profit of the Year Award:
Vision Project Services
Wildsight Invermere
Manufacturing & Production Business of the Year:
Outstanding Customer Service, People’s Choice Award:
Taynton Bay Spirits
Emson Maintenance and Marine
Employer of the Year:
Business of the Year:
Eagle-Eye Tours
Om Organics
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
Saturday November 7
Thursday November 5 10:00 -11:00am - Seniors Fitness Columbia Valley Centre. Doors open 9:30 for warm-up and indoor walking-$2 drop-in. Please note: classes may be moved to Invermere Seniors Hall when the Columbia Valley Centre is booked for larger events. 10:15am - 1:00pm - Tech Time with CBAL at the Invermere Public Library. Contact the library to book your one-on-one 30 or 60 minute appointment for tech help. Appointments available between 10:15am and 1pm. 1:30pm - Floor Curling at the Invermere Seniors Hall. 6:30pm - Texas Hold'em Poker Invermere Legion, $30 buy-in. 6:30pm - Cribbage and Darts at the Legion. Come to the Legion and have some fun! Members and guests welcome. 7:00 - 9:00pm - Adults Drop-In Improv Theatre - Thursday nights at the Invermere Seniors Hall. It’s pay what you can with a suggested minimum of $10. All levels of interest and experience welcome, including people who have never tried it before.
Friday November 6 10:30-11:30am - Storytime at the Invermere Public Library. Join us for stories, songs and a craft. Geared towards preschool age, but all welcome to attend. 11:00am - Intergenerational Program at the Invermere Seniors Hall. 1:00pm - Duplicate Bridge at the Invermere Seniors Hall. 2:00 - 3:00pm - Friday Funday at The Invermere Public Library. Join us for a variety of activities and crafts. Registration required, must register by the day before the program. Drop off for kids aged 7+ (ages 5 & 6 must be accompanied by a guardian). 6:00pm - Meat Draw and 50/50 in the Legion. Members and guests welcome.
10:30 - 11:30 - Story Time - Invermere Public Library. Join us for stories, songs and a craft. Geared towards preschool age, but all welcome to attend. 11:00am - 12:30pm - Lego Club at the Invermere Public Libray.. Drop in for free play with Lego and Duplo. This is not a supervised event. 2:00-3:00pm - Read It & Eat Cookbook Club is at the Invermere Public Library. This month we’re cooking from Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy by Tieghan Gerard. Stop by the library and choose a recipe to make, and then join us for a potluck meal. Registration is required. All adults welcome to attend. 5:00pm - 53rd Annual Invermere Firefighters' Ball at the Columbia Velly Centre. An evening of live music, food & drink, silent auction, and more. Tickets available at: www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/53rd-firefighters-ball . 6:00pm - Meat Draw and 50/50 in the Legion. Members and guests welcome. 11:30am - 5:30pm - Pet Halloween Photos at Chopper's Pet Supply. * New Date Due to Weather*. Drop by with your costumed furry family member and use the spooky backdrop to take fun Halloween photos of your pet! Small bake sale and hot apple cider for sale by donation. All donations go to GALS Animal Rescue. Thank you for your support!
Sunday November 8 2:00pm - Cribbage and Darts Come to the Legion and have some fun! Members and guests welcome.
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Monday November 9 10:00 -11:00am - Seniors Yoga Columbia Valley Centre. Doors open 9:30 for warm-ups and indoor walking $2 drop-in. Please note: classes may be moved to Invermere Seniors Hall when the Columbia Valley Centre is booked for larger events. 1:30pm - Cribbage at Invermere Seniors Hall. 6:30pm - Social Bridge at Invermere Seniors Hall.
Tuesday November 10 10:00 -11:00am - Seniors Fitness Columbia Valley Centre. Doors open 9:30 for warm-ups and indoor walking $2 drop-in. Please note: classes may be moved to Invermere Seniors Hall when the Columbia Valley Centre is booked for larger events. 11:00am - Scrapbooking at the Invermere Seniors Centre. 6:30 - 8:00pm - Second Winds Community Band Practises every Tuesday at the Catholic Church in Invermere. New members are welcome.
Wednesday November 11 10:00 -11:00am - Seniors Yoga Columbia Valley Centre. Doors open 9:30 for warm-up and indoor walking-$2 drop-in. Please note: classes may be moved to Invermere Seniors Hall when the Columbia Valley Centre is booked for larger events. 1:00pm - Duplicate Bridge at the Invermere Seniors Hall. 2:00 -3:00pm - Sewcial Hour - Invermere Public Library. Drop in with your textile projects or join us and have a cup of tea while you socialize with other makers. All welcome! No registration required. 6:00pm - Meat Draw and 50/50 in the Legion. Members and guests welcome.
Big Book Sale coming November 21 This week’s column was written by Friends of Radium Library volunteer Donna Tunney and Library Director Mark Anderson. Call 250-3472434 for more information. The leaves have turned, autumn is in full swing, and the Friends of Radium Library are busy reviewing their past fundraisers and planning their next big event. Despite strong winds and driving rain, we held our Pop-Up book sales during the summer’s Market on Main. We delivered great reads at bargain prices to residents and visitors alike. The library uses the proceeds generated from such campaigns to obtain programming supplies, fixtures, and, of course, more books. A big thank you to the folks at Radium Brewing for hosting our PopUp book stand at the corner of their building. Mark your calendars for our next big event — the Big Book Sale on
Saturday, Nov. 21. Stay on top of all the details by following us on FB @ Friends of Radium Library. If you love books, please consider volunteering with us. We welcome new members to help with fundraising throughout the year, or on a perevent basis, whichever works best for your schedule. If you have gently used books or complete puzzles you’d like to donate, please drop them off at the Radium Public Library. Our library has returned to a full slate of diverse fall programming. There are opportunities for patrons and interested guests of all ages, including StoryTime for toddlers (11:30 a.m. Wednesdays), Little Lambs for babies (11:30 a.m. Thursdays), Wholesome Hobbies for adults (November 27), Reading Buddies for interested children up to age nine, and a Classic Book Study for adults (watch our website for details and scheduling). We also invite readers to come peruse selected books featuring monthly and weekly themes. If you'd like more information about our programming or various collections, please e-mail info@radium.bclibrary.ca or call 250-347-2434.
There can never be too many book sales in the Columbia Valley. FILE PHOTO
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
REMEMBRANCE DAY NOVEMBER 11, 2026
Poppy waterfall community art project Submitted by Heather McLeod It started with a Facebook post on April 5: “Wouldn’t it be great to make a waterfall of poppies for Remembrance Day?” Marleen Reijers, a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Windermere District #71, had heard of a 2021 community art initiative in Cambridge, England, where volunteers had crocheted poppies. Included with her hopeful Facebook post were instructions for how to crochet a poppy. Over the coming months, Mar-
leen and the Legion partnered with the Columbia Valley Fibre Arts Guild to host four “how to crochet poppy” workshops: 43 people of all ages attended the first workshop. The Columbia Valley Community Foundation funded the project with $1,000 in Neighbourhood Small Grants, which were used to buy countless balls of red wool, crochet hooks, and cookies for the workshops. Over the four workshops, guild members and Marleen taught basic crochet stitches and how to make the flowers. The crocheted and knit-
ted poppies started pouring in, as well as donations of wool. By August 1,142 poppies had been handmade and donated to the Legion. As of October, the Legion had received 1,971, far surpassing Marleen’s original goal. The poppies are made of acrylic wool, which makes them more durable for outdoor display. In October, volunteers attached the poppies to a large banner of camouflage netting using zip ties. The resulting ‘waterfall’ will hang from the front of the Legion and drape over the patio.
This has been an incredible community project because anyone could contribute. It doesn’t matter how well you can crochet, because there are so many poppies and each poppy is absorbed into the bigger project. While most of the poppies followed the same crochet pattern, the poppies are unique, with different colours, sizes and even numbers of petals. Everyone is invited to view the ‘poppy waterfall’ at the Invermere Legion, and admire what our community can accomplish together.
Heather McLeod at the first poppy crochet workshop thanks to a small neighbourhood grant courtesy of the Columbia Valley Community Foundation. PHOTO SHARLENE SCOFIELD
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REMEMBRANCE DAY NOVEMBER 11, 2026
We Will Remember
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Marleen Reijers at the start of the poppy waterfall project. PHOTO RCL #71
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
ʔat hu wiⱡiⱡwinataⱡa’ni kwanaqnaniyikȼaⱡka.
{Ktunaxa Veterans, you are always in our hearts.}
Eileen Abraham Rex Aitken Duane Albert Joseph B. Andrew Mary Denise Antiste Thomas Antiste Edward Auld (I) Edward Auld (II) Francis Auld Jesse Numa Auld Paul Auld (I) Paul Auld (II) Randi Auld Virgil Auld Isaac Basil Gina Bigbeaver Fred Birdstone Zachary Birdstone Ryan Burnham Abel Capilo Anthony Caye Arnold Caye Francisco M. Caye Francois Caye Darren Couture Richard Couture Ronald Couture Tom Couture Wayne Couture Brayden Daniel Isaac David Mathias David F. Kenneth Dupuis Bernard Eneas Joseph Eugene Raymond Finley Tricia Finley Vernon Finley Anthony Fisher Benjamin Francis Ike Francis Nicholas Francis
Daniel Friday Kenneth Friedlander Jr. Clarence Gingras Eli (Dick) Gingras Francis Gingras Kenneth Francis Gingras Thomas Gingras Tom Gingras William Gingras (I) William Gingras (II) Sam Pierre Goodman Garnet Gravelle James Gravelle Nicholas Gravelle Aloysius Hewankorn Charles Hewankorn Dashane Hewankorn George Hewankorn Henry Hewankorn Jerry Hewankorn Leroy Irvine Hewankorn Rose Hewankorn Christopher Horsethief Harold Irvine Lloyd Irvine Maurice Isaac Steven Isaac Daniel C. Jackson James A. Jackson W. Douglas Jackson Wilfred Jacobs Lucien Jimmie Moses Jimmie LaVonne R. Heffner Juneau Louis John Kaius Howard Kallowat James Kallowat Camille Kenmille Donald Kenmille Eneas Kenmille Lawrence Kenmille August Lefthand Francis P. Lefthand Frank Lefthand George Lefthand
Kenny Lefthand Patrick Lefthand Victor Lefthand James Ray Lightbrown M. Jason Louie Misty Louie Robin Louie W.C. Louie Donovan Luke Melvin Madplume Frank Martin Camille Mathias Joseph Mathias Aloysius McCoy Isaac McCoy Joseph McCoy Abraham Michel Isadore Michel Johnny Michel Matt Michel Wilbert Michel Sebastian Mike Tyler Moore Edward Morigeau Helen Ruth Morigeau Joseph James Morigeau Dale S. Nelson Toby Nicholas Richard Nichols Peter Sam Nicolai Justin O’Bennick Richard O’Bennick Louis (Pug) Pablo Michael T. Pablo Thomas E. Pablo Mary Paulite Douglas Phillips Edward Phillips Frank Phillips George Phillips Joe Phillips Joseph Phillips N.R. Phillips Johnny Pierre Mose Pierre
Pete Pierre Pierre (Pete) Sanchez Harland Sanford Frank Martin Sam Martin Sam Mathias Sam Peter M. Sam Clarence Abel Sebastian Mark Sebastian Pat A. Sebastian Stanislaus Simon Joseph Skookum Jr. Michael Smith Henrietta Stanley Andrew Starr Jordan Stasso Lassaw Stasso Jr. Michaelanne Stasso Peter Stasso Lawrence Jack Stevens William Stevens Daniel Stiffarm Jeremy Stiffarm Louis F. Stone William Swanson Pierre Sylvester Marie Patricia Teasley Frank Tenas Herbert White Stanley White Joseph Whitehead Mrs. Joseph Whitehead Louis William Isadore Williams Joseph Williams K.G. Williams Leo Williams Please email corrections or additions to the list of Ktunaxa veterans to news@ktunaxa.org. Including details such as the regiments they served with will help ensure accurate records. Thank you.
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
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REMEMBRANCE DAY NOVEMBER 11, 2026
Lumberjacks Carl and Jack go to war (The following are excerpts from a story written by Elinor Florence.) Thousands of lumberjacks, members of the Canadian Forestry Corps, logged the forests of Scotland during the Second World War to produce desperately needed lumber for the war effort. Among them were Carl and Jack Jones, two brothers from Invermere. The two boys enlisted on September 12, 1940 when Jack was 21 years old and Carl was just 18. After Carl finished Grade 10, he began working as a teller at a local bank, but he longed to join his older brother in the great adventure overseas. The Jones brothers weren’t alone in their decision to join the Canadian Forestry Corps. Other local men who volunteered were: Alexander (Sandy) Dobbie, Alex (Jigger) Johnston, Charlie Pickard, Roy Smith, Andrew Staberg, and Archie Thompson. Lucien Jimmie, Isadore Michel, and Matty Sam were from area Indigenous reserves. The Jones brothers sailed April 5, 1941 on the Motor Ship Batory (an
ocean liner belonging to the Polish merchant fleet that acted as a troop transport ship during the war) and landed at Gourock near Glasgow, Scotland. They took the train to Beauly, a village not far from Inverness in northern Scotland. From here the foresters were dispersed among the vast Scottish estates. Both Jones brothers were stationed near the town of Kiltarlity as members of No. 18 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, District 5. The work was hard, and the damp, chilly climate with mixed rain and snow was more challenging than the cold Canadian winters. The men’s hands were often cut up by handling wet lumber in raw weather. After the war, Carl and Jack Jones returned to their beloved Rocky Mountains in November 1945, and were greeted by a huge homecoming celebration in Invermere. The brothers purchased a truck and became haulers, working in the lumber and mining industry. Carl died on March 16, 1995, and Jack died on October 11, 2007.
Carl and Jack Jones from Invermere joined the Canadian Forestry Corps during the war. PHOTO SUBMITTED
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We must remember. If we do not, the sacrifice of those one hundred thousand Canadian lives will be meaningless. They died for us, for their homes and families and friends, for a collection of traditions they cherished and a future they believed in; they died for Canada. Lest We Forget sssssssss
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
REMEMBRANCE DAY NOVEMBER 11, 2026
RCAF camerawoman loved photography (The following are excerpts from an article written by Elinor Florence.) A career in photography was the goal of Lou Marr, who called herself “the original turnip who fell off the back of the truck” when she joined the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division. The job demanded hard work, but it also allowed her to fly right along with the men in training. For this farm girl, it was the thrill of a lifetime. Lula Pound grew up on a farm
without electricity or plumbing near Daysland, Alberta. When her father died, her mother continued to run the farm with the help of Lou and her younger brother. Lou finished high school and 10 days later, on July 8, 1942, she married Thomas Marr, a young man from Manitoba who worked as their hired man. Tom had already joined the Canadian Army and was on his way overseas. Tom was in uniform; Lou wore a sheer blue dress trimmed with lace. Her new husband kissed her good-
We Will Remember
bye and left in the pouring rain. She didn’t see him again for four years. Most of the boys from high school had already joined up and left town. Lou was burning with patriotism to serve her country, and fight for Canada. Lou’s mother drove her to Edmonton and she enlisted in the RCAF in April 1943. After six weeks of basic training, the women received their assignments. Lou was first assigned to code-and-cipher, but she really wanted to study photography, and she was given permission to take the 11-week photography course. Lou had originally learned to take photographs on her old Brownie camera. Now she learned how to take apart and assemble a camera, how to develop and print photographs, and how to piece together aerial maps. This was one of the
more difficult trades that the women learned. Lou’s training also included flights with an instructor and a pilot, “some 18-year-old kid who was just learning to fly himself,” according to Lou. Wearing one-piece coveralls, armed with a huge camera and a heavy parachute on her back that hung down to her knees, she would lie face-down on the floor of the airplane over a piece of plexiglass and miles of open air, taking photos of the terrain below. Of course, her dream — like virtually every Canadian woman in uniform — was to be posted overseas. “I can remember sitting on the curb with a young guy, both of us crying,” she said. “I was crying my eyes out because I didn’t get an overseas posting — he was crying because he did!”
Lou Marr asked her husband Thomas permission to join the war, and he said only the air force because he took a dim view of the behaviour of 'army girls.' PHOTO SUBMITTED
Lest we forget.
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REMEMBRANCE DAY NOVEMBER 11, 2026
Welcome to rookie pilot's nightmare
Give Leo Richer a Lancaster to fly and he was in his element. PHOTO SUBMITTED (The following are excerpts from an article by Elinor Florence.) Leo Richer grew up in a small town called Iroquois Falls in northern Ontario, where his father worked for a paper company. He was one of eight children, so he had to leave school early and work in the mill to help support his family. Although he had his heart set on being a pilot, at the start of the war the RCAF would only accept university graduates. But by 1942, the RCAF was recruiting anybody with a Grade 8 education. Leo passed the IQ test and the physical with flying colours and trained in Canada until May 1944 before arriving in England to start flying heavy bombers. On September 8, 1943, he began his next level of training on Harvards at No. 2 Service Flight Training School at Uplands, just outside
Ottawa. In spring 1944 Leo finally set sail for England and began to train on twin-engine bombers, and then on the mighty four-engine Lancaster. Leo was still quite inexperienced during his training flights when he crashed his Lancaster in December 1944. He was trying to land at RAF East Kirkby with only two functioning engines and misjudged his speed. Although the Lancaster crashed into a pasture and broke into two pieces, luckily everyone survived with minor injuries, except a poor horse that died when it was struck by the starboard wing. Leo still had little practice with formation flying when he finally made his first bombing mission to Wesel, Germany on February 18, 1945. Here’s how he described it: "Flying a Lanc in formation was a formidable task. I had only about six to eight hours of formation fly-
ing on single-engine Harvards at Uplands Air Force Flying School in Ottawa. I soon learned that you kept at least 50 feet behind the Lanc ahead of you. His slipstream could stand you on your tail. We hadn’t been briefed on formation flying in a Lanc. Just get up there, chaps, and have a go at it. Typical English! You had to try to anticipate the deceleration or acceleration of your leader. With a wallowing, overladen aircraft, you worked your ass off just to keep within sight of him.” “We took off individually and formed up at a designated rendezvous, or so we were supposed to. Trust me to screw up on my first Ops. I stooged around at the 10,000feet level, looking for my squadron, finally saying to hell with it and deciding to go it alone. There were lots of Lancs aloft – it was a 1,000-bomber raid – so I just latched on to the nearest squadron and joined in the fun . . . I don’t recall how many Lancs went down my first Op. I was scared shitless and just wanted to drop our bombs and get the hell home.
It was a horrifying experience, watching a mortally-hit Lancaster go slowly spiraling down, trailing a dark plume of smoke, hoping against hope that he would be able to bail out and stay alive.” Leo made it back to base with crew and aircraft intact, but he was surprised to find that his crew was marked down to go out again the very next night, to the same target of Wesel, Germany. Leo flew until August 1945. One of his duties after the war ended was bringing home the freed prisoners of war from the continent in his Lancaster. After his return to Canada, he moved west to Windermere, where he started a water taxi business with his sister Edmae, a former Wren (Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service). He named his water taxi RRoger after the Lancaster. In 1947 he married Winnifred Foster of London, Ontario, who had served in the Wrens with Edmae. They eventually purchased the general store and post office in the village of Windermere.
Leo Richer and his flying crew. PHOTO SUBMITTED
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
BEYOND THE
BLUE LINE Rockies fall to Bruins but beat Leafs By Stephanie Stevens While the ghosties and goblins were out trick or treating, the Columbia Valley Rockies were after treats of a different kind on October 31. The British Columbia Hockey Conference (BCHC) Junior A team was on the road all last weekend, seeing them in the Jack Goddard Memorial Arena against the Grand Forks Border Bruins on Halloween, and facing the Nelson Leafs in the Nelson Community Complex on Sunday, Nov. 1. The bust up with the Border Bruins didn’t end in the Rockies favour, with the Bruins taking the game seven to three, but despite the immediate lead Grand Forks took and kept, head coach and general manager Tucker Braund said the team didn’t quit. “We played well for the first 15 minutes or so, then took too many penalties and they capitalized on the powerplay,” said Braund. “Our penalty kill can be better for sure. I like that we didn’t quit but I think we can play a lot better than we did.” The first period ended without any scoring from Columbia Valley, but Trae Lees (assists from Wesley Lizotte and Nolan Torhjelm) stepped up in the second. Third period action saw Cooper Barclay (Keaton Thompson) and Danil Timchuk (Parker Cutts and Meric Poncelet) pot one apiece, but the game closed out seven to three for the Bruins. Netminder Ivan Tourin stopped 38 of 45 shots
on goal. The next night in Nelson, Braund said the team played “very close to a full 60 minutes. “Again, we can be better on the penalty kill … we gave them some life there. We battled some adversity but then we took the game over later.” Braund added the continued work on conditioning is showing and the team is buying into what it is going to take to stay on top. “Is play consistent right now? No, but we are working at it every day. It’s going to be a battle with those teams all year for a playoff spot and we have to match the intensity every weekend.” Opening up the Rockies scoreboard in the second was Barclay (Evin Bossel, Cutts), followed by Timchuk (Bossel and Poncelet), Bossel (Cutts) and Cole King (Torhjelm and Lees). The third period saw Ryker Klassen pot an unassisted goal, Bossel beat the Leafs goalie in a penalty shot and Cutts (Lees and Poncelet) and Lachlan Hanton (Timchuk and Cutts) got and empty netter apiece to finish the game 8-4. Tourin was in once again between the pipes and stopped 20 of 24 shots sent his way. Assistant Captain Cole King is optimistic about the mindset of the team after the up and down weekend of play. “We knew coming into this weekend that we needed these points badly,” said King. “The game in Grand Forks, we started slow and ultimately didn’t come out with the result we wanted, so playing on Sunday we knew we needed to win. “Our start was on point and all our lines
were going. When they (Nelson) got up a goal we didn’t quit, but instead responded with a few goals of our own.” While it still needs work, King said he thought Sunday’s penalty kill was better the previous night. “We were able to win a big game and jump up in the standings.” The boys are back in Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena this Friday, Nov. 6. Puck drop is 7 p.m.
Head coach Tucker Braund says their penalty kill needs to improve. FILE PHOTOS
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
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Being called 'bird brain' is an honour by Arnold Malone
We humans tend to diminish other critters. They are looked upon as lower-life critters. This is not an article to claim that other creatures are our equal but rather, to document that many birds and animals have capacities that are truly surprising. Often, they have a capacity that seems beyond belief. Chickadees can hide 10,000 seeds and find them when needed. They can use tricks to protect their stash. If a chickadee believes it is being watched it will make a fake deposit. Sort of like fake news. Then deposit the intended seed when no other bird is watching. Some squirrels have a similar capacity. They can store food all everywhere for a future food source. (Grey squirrels are not in this league, they hide their food and then never remember where it was hidden. (Sort of like myself in my woodworking shop, looking for the tool I used just moments ago.) Corvids are an amazing group of birds. They are the crows, ravens, magpies and jays. Obviously, their brains are smaller than ours but as a ratio to body size their brains have a larger portion. Corvids have a den-
sity of neurons that is much more compact than in a human brain. An interesting observation was recorded at a US university campus. A grassed triangle framed by three sidewalks on the campus was a location where a crow frequently stood and watched the passers-by. One female student, began tossing food and then gradually over time was allowed to come closer to the crow until the crow was eating from her hand. If other students tried to approach the crow it would hop a short distance away. The female student each day across the seasons while wearing different attire could approach the crow with ease. This required that the crow had the ability to use facial recognition. It knew the student even in a parka. The crow was content to be in the grassy triangle while students and staff passed by. Then one day an off-campus man walked along an adjoining sidewalk and the crow made a shrieking and alarming sound and flew off and out of sight. That person was the same man who two years earlier had wrestled the crow to the ground and placed a band on its leg. Was this memory?
How did the crow know? The raven and the New Caledonian crow are considered the smartest of the corvids, on par with the intelligence of the great apes. They have the capacity to solve problems, use tools and play games and morn their dead. Researchers have observed ravens sliding down an embankment of fresh snow and then fly back up and slide down again and again. To us, all crows look alike. However, crows have friends and relatives. They tend to hang together with other crows with which they have allowed in to their friendship circle. Corvids have been observed making tools and using them. They will bend a reed in to a hook to ex-
tract a grub from a hole in a log. In a laboratory setting, crows would bend a soft wire into a hook to extract food from a narrow glass tube. Australian researchers wanting to understand the movements and the territory of magpies gathered five of them in an enclosure and placed a harness on each of them. On the harness was an attached GPS sensor. Then they watched for a surprising hour as the magpies cooperatively worked to remove all five harnesses. A spoiled research plan but an interesting observation about the cooperative abilities of these birds. The next time, during a disagreement, someone calls you a bird brain, just smile and say, “Thank you."
Crows and other corvids are very intelligent birds, like these ones in Fort Point. PHOTO ROD MARTIN
Several buildings and name changes for museum
Curator's Corner By J.D. Jeffery
Things were growing at a steady pace at the museum in 1958, the beginning of the Windermere District Historical Society. The first building was purchased in 1964 followed by a number of name changes for the museum itself. The 1970s gave the museum a second building and a third building at a new location. The next decade provided two more original buildings to the compound, and
the sixth building was built on site to protect some of the outside equipment. The museum, at this time, was always fundraising and getting extra funds to cover the operating costs for all the buildings. From the very beginning, volunteers were a staple to running the museum; they created displays, made decisions on the direction of the museum as well as manned the museum during open hours. As the number of buildings grew so too did the open hours for visitors. Volunteers were getting harder to find that could cover the growing hours needed to open the
buildings. In 1987, the board of directors decided to create an endowment fund so the interest could be used to help hire a part-time curator. In 1906 a building was built in Athalmer for the local notary, Frank Richardson; it was one of the buildings located on Main Street. When business in Athalmer slowed due to mining fluctuations the building stood empty and unused. Several years later it was moved to the Crossroads after the Farmers' Institute bought it to use as an office at
the Co-op Feed Store. In the early 1980's the institute built another building to include an office, leaving this one empty and unused again. J.P. Peacock, a Calgary lawyer, noticed the lone building in 1985 and with help from his friends, other lawyers with second homes in the valley, they purchased the notary and had it moved to the museum in 1988. To showcase its original use, a store was set up in the front of the building, and a notary office was created in the back room.
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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
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21
Here to Serve You CARPET CLEANING
CARPET CLEANING
CARPET CLEANING
FAST & RELIABLE
Carpets Dry in 1 Hour (250)342-9692 (Business) (250)342-1273 (Cell)
Water, Fire, Wind, Sewer Emergency Services & Residential & Commercial Carpet Cleaning OFFICE
250-342-1158
24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE
250-342-3052
INVERMERE, BC
• Residential & Commercial Carpet Cleaning • Upholstery Cleaning • Tile and Grout Cleaning • Furnace, Dryer and Duct Cleaning • Insurance Claims
Call NOW
24 Hour Emergency Flood Service
250-688-0213
ptarmiganrugclean@gmail.com
CONTRACTING
• Fastest Dry Time on the Market • Stain Removal Specialists • Carpet, Upholstery, Area Rugs • Citrus Based - No Steam • Environmentally Friendly Products • Prompt Reliable Service • Serving the valley since 2006 Visit www.heavensbest.com
CONCRETE
Renew Windows Limited
• Ready Mix Concrete • Concrete Pumping • Over 50 colours available and in stock
ENERGY STAR
• Vinyl Window Sales and Installation • New Construction and Renovation • Professional Installation
250.270.0086 • 20+ years of experience
Phone: 250-342-5833
• DELIVERED ON TIME at a fair price • Full range of sand and gravel products.
Cell: 250-270-9444
We are located at 9120, Hwy 93/95, which is five kilometres north of Tim Hortons
Specializing in all heating, electric, gas and wood. • Fireplaces • Commercial and residential • New builds • Renovations. A licensed, registered and bonded company
Emergency Service calls available
Give us a call! James 250-688-1267 or Jerry 250-342-5299 Email jeffersoncontractingltd@gmail.com COMPLETE FRAMING SOLUTIONS
BUILDING SYSTEMS
TRUSSES | ENGINEERED FLOOR SYSTEMS PREFABRICATED WALL PANELS WHOLESALE LUMBER | FRAMING CREWS Tel: 250.341.6075 1351 Industrial Road #3, Invermere, B.C. Email: info@duskbuildingsystems.com www.duskbuildingsystems.com
SAVE
HERE TO SERVE YOU Business Directory
SAVE
SAVE
10%
15%
20%
BRONZE
SILVER
GOLD
$66
39
$62
$5872
per insertion (4-12 consecutive insertions)
per insertion (13-51 consecutive insertions)
per insertion (52 consecutive insertions)
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Contact Amanda Nason at 250-341-6299 x102 or advertising@columbiavalleypioneer.com
ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE Our advertising submission deadline is Fridays at 12:00pm for the following week’s edition. This includes display ads and all classified word ads. THANK YOU!
22
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
PIONEER
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
CLASSIFIEDS 250-341-6299
admin@columbiavalleypioneer.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHEERS
GE! NEW BROKERA NEW TEAM!
Spooky Cheers to the Westridge Witch who scared all the trick or treaters when they reached for candy. Oooh! Cheers to Myla and Alex for the great job cleaning my home. It is spic and span clean. Everything sparkles.
SERVICES GERRY TAFT 250.341.1202 ROBIN SHMIGELSKY 250.342.1548
K. B. Creations Handyman services, Renovations, Masonry, Plumbing, Drywall & Painting. Please call Kevin 250-688-2897
ANNOUNCEMENTS
from Parson to Canal Flats
Applications are open for the Carol Wilkie Memorial Steamboat Mountain Music Bursary Musicians of all levels and any age may apply. Funds may be used for: workshops, music camps, lessons, master classes, college, or university music programs. Download application: www.steamboatmtnmusicfest.ca
Al-Anon. Are you concerned about or affected by someone else’s drinking? For more information or to speak with someone from our fellowship, please call 250-878-2448 or 250-342-8392
CHEERS Cheers to Jaye and Heath at Selkirk Cellulars. You are both so patient and understanding. Cheers for the great customer service! Cheers to my widdle fwend for being an awesome person. I can always count on you to be there when I’m down and out.
ACCOMMODATION FOR RENT Residential Commercial Industrial Proudly serving the Columbia Valley Mark Raymond Master Electrician/ FSR B
778-963-0035 gvalleyelectric@gmail.com
HOUSE FOR RENT 4,000 sq ft log chalet/ ranch on 40 acres, could include pasture for horses (extra). 2 bedroom with full bathrooms for rent. $1100/month, utilities included. Couple preferred, but singles ok. No dogs. Off Grid power in Brisco. References required. Phone 403-321-7148 for more info.
FIREWOOD Firewood for Sale. Seasoned 16” lengths or cut to your specifications. Competitive pricing. Contact: 250-688-0373
admin@columbiavalleypioneer.com HELP WANTED
ATTENTION
ASPIRING MUSICIANS
Deadline: November 15
Alcoholics Anonymous. If alcohol is causing problems or conflict in your life, AA can help. All meetings are at 7 pm. Columbia United AA, Invermere: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the BC Service Building, South End624 4th St. Invermere. Please call 250-342-2424 for more information or to speak with someone from our fellowship.
250-341-6299
Half duplex for rent May 1/ June 1. Spacious Two bedroom and den with deck for 1 yr. lease, 5 min. walk to downtown Invermere. $ 1950 plus cable/hydro. NS/NP 403-874-0483 Furnished Bachelor Suite available immediately Invermere. Parking and utilities included. Quiet, NS wanted. $1000/ month Phone 250-342-6178 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom fully furnished with 2 underground parking stalls at the Pinewood in Radium. Fully secured. $1725 month. Cable and internet not included. Available Sept 1. 403-999-2783
Production Labourer – Brisco, BC Brisco Wood Preservers Ltd. is a major Canadian producer of CCA-treated wood poles, supplying utility and communications companies throughout Western Canada. Our main pole production facility is located in Brisco, BC, just north of Radium Hot Springs in the beautiful Columbia Valley. Our Brisco facility supplies poles to our treating facility located in Peers, Alberta.
Position Overview
Reporting to the Operations Supervisor, the Production Labourer will learn and perform a variety of tasks related to pole production, inventory counting, general cleanup, and other duties as required. This position is located at our production facility in Brisco, BC.
Key Responsibilities
• Perform assigned tasks efficiently while maintaining a strong focus on safety, quality, and production. • Work on production skids, including inspecting peeled poles for defects, classing, sizing, and cutting poles to length. • Complete paperwork neatly and accurately to ensure inventory records are properly maintained. • Work effectively as part of an assigned crew. • Follow established procedures and safe work practices to consistently produce highquality results.
Qualifications
• Previous experience in a pole production facility is an asset; however, we are willing to train the right candidate. • Experience using a chainsaw, tape measure, and other hand tools. • Ability to follow direction and work cooperatively with others to complete assigned tasks. • Basic math skills. • Self-reliant, organized, motivated, and quality oriented. • Physically capable of performing the duties associated with a production environment. • Forestry experience is an asset. • A valid Advanced First Aid certificate is considered a strong asset.
What We Offer
This is a permanent, full-time, year-round position offering a competitive wage starting at $32.68 per hour and benefits. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Deadline for applications is 5:00pm Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter addressed to Kevin Olson - Operations Supervisor in PDF format and email it to cscheffer@briscowood.com
P.O. Box 4, 2866 Brisco Road, Brisco, BC, V0A 1B0 250-346-3315
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
OBITUARY
23
OBITUARY
In Loving Memory of
Russel Krasnuik
February 23, 1957 – October 17, 2026
Russel Krasnuik passed away on October 17, 2026, with his wife Melodie by his side. After a courageous nine-month battle with cancer, Russel spent his final days in the place he loved most, surrounded by the beauty and tranquility of the farm he called home. Russel moved to the Columbia Valley with his family in the early 1990s to establish the Adventure Tourism Program at the College of the Rockies. With a passion for the outdoors and bringing people together, he helped create a community climbing wall at the former college campus. It was there that he formed many meaningful friendships and lasting connections with people throughout the Columbia Valley. When the Adventure Tourism Program relocated to Golden, Russel chose to remain in the valley, a place that had become deeply rooted in his heart. He continued to give generously of his time and energy to the community, becoming an active member of the Columbia Valley Soccer Association. He also dedicated many of his summers to establishing and running the Play Radium Adventure Program, creating opportunities for local youth to explore, learn, and discover their own love of adventure and the outdoors. Russel’s professional life was a reflection of his dedication and passion for teaching. In the spring of 2026, he retired after 18 years of service at Medicine Hat College, where he held several roles, including Science Instructor and Academic Chair of Science. His career took him on many adventures through his work in Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership. He concluded his teaching career as a Kinesiology Instructor, a role that allowed him to further pursue his passion for strength and conditioning coaching. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Russel found his greatest joys in the simple and meaningful things in life: his family, the outdoors, sport, and his cherished farm. He was happiest surrounded by nature. Even throughout his illness, the farm remained a place of peace and purpose. Russel will be remembered for his kindness, his generous spirit, his love of nature, and his unwavering dedication to the people and pursuits that mattered most to him. Above all, Russel was a devoted family man. He leaves behind his loving wife, Melodie; his son, Hunter, and grandson, Braxton; and his daughter, Holly, and granddaughter, Lillian.
FOR SALE
HELP WANTED
FORGOTTEN WINDERMERE “Our best selling book of the summer” — Grant Hofer, owner Four Point Books, Invermere 120 pages of historic photos documenting the early history of the Windermere Valley, from Brisco to Canal Flats including Invermere, Radium and Fairmont. AVAILABLE AT: • Four Points Books • Lambert-Kipp Pharmacy • Pharmasave • Windermere Museum • Crossroad Market/Esso • Radium Hot Springs Visitor Centre WHILE QUANTITIES LAST
GROUNDSKEEPER StrataSTRATA Maintenance Personnel POSITION SUMMARY SUMMARY - –Akiskinook Akiskinook is looking fill POSITION is looking to fill to a full seasonal groundskeeping positions. an outdoor outdoor time, year round, maintenance position.This Thisisis an hands-onrole role assisting assisting with andand gardening, hands-on withlawn lawnmaintenance maintenance snow as well as beach, tennis removal, as care well of as the caremarina, of the marina, beach,courts, tennisboatyard, courts, recreation centre, and overall grounds. boatyard, recreation centre, and overall grounds. RESPONSIBILITIES – You will be accountable for the RESPONSIBILITIES - You will be accountable for the overall overall maintenance of the common areas throughout the maintenance of the common areas throughout the property resort at a level consistent with the high standards expected atofaAkiskinook. level consistent with the high standards expected of Akiskinook. QUALIFICATIONS – The successful candidate must possess
QUALIFICATIONS - The successful candidate must possess the following competencies and experience: the following competencies and experience: • High attention to detail • •High attention Team player to detail • •Team player Ability to run and maintain equipment • •Ability toofrun maintain A love theand outdoors andequipment a great work ethic • AWage love ofwill thebeoutdoors and a greatonwork ethic and determined based experience • Swimming pool operator is an asset, but qualifications. Resumescertification may be submitted to not aakisk01@telus.net requirement. or faxed to 250-342-0122. Wage will be determined based on experience and qualifications. Resumes may be submitted to akisk01@telus.net.
Doris Catherine Trigg April 1, 1929 – October 20, 2026
Doris Catherine Trigg (née Bohme) passed away peacefully on October 20, 2026 with family by her side. Doris was born in Vermilion, Alberta, the fourth child of Edward John Bohme and Rose Katherine Bohme (née Katsch) just as the Great Depression began. Doris grew up with three older brothers and a younger sister. She is survived by her brother, Ronald Bohme and her sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Miller. Although the family had few possessions, Doris and her siblings enjoyed a wonderful, carefree childhood in a family that emphasized a strong work ethic, commitment to family values and the importance of faith. In 1945, the family moved to Edmonton and in 1949, Doris graduated from St. Mary’s High School. She entered the Edmonton General Hospital School for Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse in 1951. During her time at school, Doris was president of the nursing school student’s council and participated in a wide variety of sports, including basketball, baseball, swimming, skating, table tennis, badminton and curling. In the early 1950s, Doris worked as a nurse in locations across Alberta, including the Municipal Hospital in Tofield, the Aberhart Memorial Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Edmonton and the Viking Municipal Hospital. During the summer of 1953, she worked at the United Church Hospital in Cold Lake and in the fall of that year, took a position as school nurse at the Vermilion School of Agriculture where she taught Home Nursing, Physical Education and Mathematics and coached the women’s basketball team. In the spring of 1954, Doris took a nursing post in a six-bed hospital at Port Radium, NWT on the eastern shore of Great Bear Lake. It was there that Doris met her true love and partner for life, Murray Trigg, a junior geologist for Eldorado Mining & Refining. The two were married on July 14, 1955, in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1956, Doris and Murray moved to Eldorado, Saskatchewan where they welcomed the birth of their eldest son, Gary. Daughter Colleen was born in 1958, followed by Shelley in 1959. In 1960, Doris and Murray, with their young family in tow, moved to Montreal so Murray could attend classes at McGill University. The family spent the next four years moving back and forth across the country as Murray completed his doctorate in geology and continued to work summers in Eldorado as a geologist. During these hectic years, Doris and Murray welcomed the arrival of Nancy in 1962 and Kevin in 1963. Murray completed his studies in 1964, and daughter Kathryn joined the family in 1965. The following year, Doris, Murray and their six children moved to Edmonton where daughter Heather was born. For the next two decades Doris spent her time raising their children while Murray established his consulting business which meant extended periods away from his young family. In addition to being a full-time wife and mother, Doris also spent time volunteering for the local Girl Guide chapter, food bank and library branch. She coached basketball, assisted at swim meets and was president of the Women’s Auxiliary of St. Thomas More Church in Edmonton. Doris especially cherished summers spent with her children at the family cabin at Ma-Me-O Beach on Pigeon Lake. These were treasured times to relax by the lake, play Scrabble, badminton and tennis, and enjoy being together as a family. She also enjoyed winter activities, particularly skating on her speed skates, curling and skiing with the family. Shortly after Murray retired in 1991, Doris and Murray moved to Victoria, B.C. They spent their summers at their cottage in Windermere, B.C. where Doris spent countless hours wandering the beautiful Columbia Valley collecting and painting wildflowers while Murray was occupied with fly fishing. Over a fifteen-year period, Doris painted approximately 500 wildflowers and wild mushrooms from an area that spanned Vancouver Island in the west to Saskatchewan in the east. Over the years, Doris and Murray spent their winters in Victoria and enjoyed holidays in France, Italy, Spain, England, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. Doris was a warm, gentle and intelligent person with a wonderful sense of humour. She was generous and kind, and laughed easily. Doris was a patient and devoted mother and grandmother who enjoyed playing Scrabble, reading, doing crossword puzzles and watching The Sound of Music. She will be missed by all those who knew her. She is survived by her children, Gary (Sue), Colleen (Gary), Shelley (Kevin), Nancy (Jean-Denis), Kevin, Kathryn (Al) and Heather as well as thirteen grandchildren Blair, Patrick, Christine, Kyle, Belinda, Rosalie, Eloise, Josephine, Jonah, Sofie, Natalie, Charlotte and Olivia and six great grandchildren Eddie, Maeve, Hayden, Katie, Zoey and Hailey. The family would like to thank the Memory Care staff at The Scenic Grande for their care and support over the past three years. In addition, the family extends its heartfelt thanks to Doris’ Angels (Mercy Sanchez, Mabeth Jordan, Evelyn Sanico, Mila Meladi, Nieves Blances, Laura Cano, Gina and Rebecca) for the love and compassion they provided to Doris in her final years. They gave her laughter and joy. Doris will be remembered with love by her family and all those whose lives she touched. A private family service will be held to celebrate her life and honour her memory. The family is grateful for the many expressions of sympathy and support.
24
THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
FAITH
Growing older, making room By Brent Woodard Windermere Valley Shared Ministry I turn 69 this coming spring. I’m soon looking at retirement. I’m not alone. I’m part of the 'baby boomer' generation. My generation is contributing to the fact that the Canadian population is getting older. As older people, we affect the economy. We’re stepping out of the workforce, so we are no longer a part of production. We consume differently. Many seniors either live in established homes or they want to downsize to something smaller. Seniors travel more and want to be served in restaurants and hotels. Seniors need a lot more health services – from drugs to operations to assisted living residences. Furthermore, seniors no longer give birth to children. So, the point is, an aging, infertile population affects the economy. How do I know this? Because I read an article by The Bank of Canada titled “Demographic Changes are Reshaping the Canadian Economy.” Without immigrants, the article says, the population of Canada would decline, the economy would contract, and a lot of services would cease being provided. This is just an economic reason why we, and countries like Canada, need immigrants. Immigrants are younger. They have children. They want to work. They pay taxes. They serve seniors. They serve a lot of people in various capacities. They offer a whole range of skills and abilities. They will
eventually buy the homes that baby boomers want to sell. They are also, overwhelmingly, hard-working, dedicated, good-natured and fun people to be with. There are issues that arise around immigration – initial housing shortages, higher rents, extra demand on schools and health care systems, cultural diversity. Issues around immigration are to be expected, and need to be managed well. I find it helpful that a good 'rule-of-thumb' approach to immigration is that both compassion and wisdom are needed. Compassion would involve seeing both our needs and the needs of immigrants. It would involve seeing how immigrants want a better life for themselves and their children. They want to contribute, belong, and enjoy the beauty of this part of the world. Some come from poor economic and social conditions. Increasingly, people will be 'climate migrants,' fleeing inhospitable conditions due to climate change that countries like Canada helped create. And, wisdom is needed in managing immigration-caused-issues. The Bible consistently supports compassion, justice and care for immigrants, often referred to as “strangers”, “foreigners” or “sojourners” in scripture. And there are biblical reminders to be wise. Wisdom is one of the by-products of being rooted in our true/divine selves. May we who are growing older be welcoming, appreciative, compassionate and wise to newcomers in our midst.
Food bank needs stock Columbia Valley Pioneer staff The Canal Flats Food Bank is reaching out to the community to help fill its shelves. The independent dispensary, which began operating 19 years ago, has assisted 18 families (including nine children) this year. It accepts cash and food donations, and is currently requesting donations of pasta, soups, canned vegetables, rice, jam, peanut butter, ketchup, youth snacks, and cereal. Any non-per-
ishable food is accepted. Cash donations are used to buy milk, bread, eggs, fruit, meat, etc. Food donations can be dropped off at 8783 Tamarack Street. Cash donations are also accepted by eTransfer at canalflats.foodbank@gmail. com. People who need food hampers are asked to call the dispensary (250-688-2770) on Monday if they need it on Wednesday.
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
Columbia Valley
Churches LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH While you are with us, you are always welcome to join us.
Sunday at 10:30 am 326 10th Avenue, Invermere 250-342-9535 | www.lwac.ca
WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY (Anglican - United) Sunday services: 10:30am In-person or online (for the zoom link go to wvsm.ca) Minister: Brent Woodard 110 - 7th Ave. in Invermere 250-342-6644
VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY Pastor: Justin Furse Sunday 10 a.m. Worship Service 4814 Highway Drive, Windermere 250-342-9511 | www.vcachurch.net
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
St. Anthony’s, Canal Flats: Saturday, 4 pm Canadian Martyrs’, Invermere: Sat 5 pm, Sun 9 am St. Joseph’s, Radium: Sunday 11 am Father Francis Dela Cruz | 712 -12th Ave., Invermere 250-342-6167 canadianmartyrs.ca
RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Sunday 10 a.m. Worship service Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater | 250-342-6633 #4, 7553 Main St. Radium | 250-347-9937
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Worship Service, Sunday, 11 a.m. Sunday School, 10 a.m. President Kendyn Mackensie • Columbia Valley Branch • 5014 Fairway, Fairmont Hot Springs 250-439-9041
CHURCH OF CHRIST (Iglesia ni Cristo) Worship Service: Sunday 9 a.m., Thursday 7:45 p.m. Chamber of Commerce (Lions Hall) For inquiries: 250-688-1643 250-270-2208 or 250-688-0629 For more info about the church, you can Google online at incmedia.org or pasugo.com.ph
JESUS IS LORD CHURCH, INVERMERE Sunday Service: 10:00am 1310 7th Ave Invermere (Invermere Inn Hotel) Pastor: Barkley Bayani 250-341-5160