Ok Sun April 2017 by Okanagan Sun Magazine

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Stuck in water, at nightfall in lion country Osoyoos Rotarians have wild adventures on visit to South African development project

IN THIS ISSUE

BC Lions talk to Oliver students about violence against women

Page 8

Woman donates locks for cancer patients

Oliver’s ‘King and Queen’ enjoy 65-year reign

BC Lions tell students to break the silence

New golf pro’s Osoyoos job is ‘dream come true’

Father turns bedtime story into first novel

Trip to South Africa brings wild adventures

Love of horses brings Antigua man to Okanagan

Devour! Osoyoos festival returning in May

Around Town events calendar

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APRIL 2017

EDITOR

RICHARD MCGUIRE editor@oksun.ca

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RONDA JAHN production@osoyoostimes.com

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BRIAN HIGHLEY brianhighley@aberdeenpublishing.com

CONTRIBUT0RS KELSI BISSONNETTE is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Instructor. She has been working in the fitness industry for 20+ years and has owned her own fitness studio.

Stuck in water, at nightfall in lion country Osoyoos Rotarians have wild adventures on visit to South African development project

ON THE COVER Some Osoyoos Rotarians had wild adventures on a trip to visit a development project in South Africa. Pictured here, President Brian Rawlings got stuck in a river at nightfall in lion country. (Debbie Dow photo) Page 14.

We welcome feedback from our readers. Send comments to editor@oksun.ca or mail to Box 359, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0, Telephone 250-4957225. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or part by any means without the written permission of the publisher. While every care has been taken with this publication, the author(s) and publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors it may contain. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this publication. © 2017 Aberdeen Publishing. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement. ISSN 2291-2991.

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Emily Stewart takes a flying leap during a solo performance at the Sun Bowl Skating Club’s annual show in Osoyoos. The show features skaters of all levels. (Richard McGuire photo)

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Nicole Mitchell parts with 10 inches of her long hair to help patients recovering from breast cancer. Mitchell has been a client of Monica Nemes at Innervisions since she was a child and it means a lot to her to donate some of her hair. Nemes is a breast cancer survivor. (Lyonel Doherty photo)

Woman donates locks for cancer patients By Lyonel Doherty An Oliver hairdresser was brought to tears recently when a longtime client donated her locks for cancer patients. Monica Nemes from Innervisions was “very touched” by the “sweet gesture” of 24-year-old Nicole Mitchell who agreed to have her long hair cut off to help breast cancer patients on their road to recovery. It was particularly heartwarming for Nemes because she is a breast cancer survivor, and called herself the “hairless hairdresser” for some time. 4 www.oksun.ca

Mitchell and her mom, Kim Teichrib, have been Nemes’ clients for many years. Recently Mitchell decided to donate some of her hair to women suffering from breast cancer. During cancer treatment, many women lose their hair, but the Canadian Cancer Society collects donated hair and is able to make wigs for patients. Mitchell donated 10 inches last month. “It’s just hair,” she said. “Because my hair has been so processed, this is probably the best thing.” Mitchell said Nemes means a lot to her and she wants to help people who are going through a rough time. Nemes was so touched that she said, “I’m going to cry.”

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Oliver’s ‘King and Queen’ Ed and Anne Ackerman are still in love after 65 years. (Dan Walton photo)

Oliver’s ‘King and Queen’ in midst of 65-year reign By Dan Walton Shortly after Ed and Anne Ackerman moved to Oliver in 2007, they attended the Oliver Seniors Centre’s 50-Plus Tea, where the annual tradition of crowning the longeststanding local couple as the King and Queen takes place. Back then, Oliver’s King and Queen had been together for 67 years.

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“It’ll be forever until we get there,” Ed remembers thinking at the time. Forever has finally arrived for the Ackermans. In their 65th year together as a couple, Ed and Anne were crowned King and Queen at this year’s 50-Plus Tea at the Oliver Senior Centre. “I married a very patient man,” said Anne. “She put up with a lot,” Ed said. “I think we both did,” Anne replied.

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Each year, the local couple that has been married for the longest is crowned the King and Queen of Oliver (as long as they haven’t been crowned in the past). With the Ackerman couple claiming this year’s title, Ed is now a second-generation King of Oliver. His parents, after 67 years of marriage, were the Town’s King and Queen of 1996. For any younger couples aspiring to one day be the King and Queen of Oliver, “You just have to live a long time,” Anne joked. “That’s the best answer I ever heard.” However, that advice has to be embraced from an early age. “My son’s not going to get crowned – he waited too long to get married,” she said. Over the years, the vows that Ed made to Anne on their wedding day have been cited countless times, but there were no promises he couldn’t handle. “So far so good,” he said. The two first crossed paths in the late 1940s when they met at a house party. Was it love at first sight? “Pretty much for me – I don’t know about her,” Ed chuckled. “We just hit it off and we always did,” Anne said. “Sometimes you just know.” Ed and Anne have four children together, three girls and a boy. Their family home was on a small hobby farm in the Kettle Valley, and they raised pigs and chickens as livestock, as well as horses, cats and dogs as pets. “I was going to be a rich cattle rancher when I was a teenager,” Ed remembers thinking before reality sunk in. “I right away seen there was no money in farming. You have to really like it.” Shortly after becoming empty nesters, Ed and Anne decided to get rid of their animals and begin trotting the globe. After visiting dozens of countries, they’ve fallen in love with Fiji, where one of their daughters now lives. They visited another daughter several times in Alaska and they had a memorable trip through the Panama Canal. Ed especially likes tropical destinations where he can go snorkeling. Upon reflection, they feel blessed to have grown up in the era that they did. “I think we lived through the better times – I think you guys are going to have the worst times coming up as far as the world goes,” Ed said. “You could go anywhere and get a job if you wanted to move,” Anne recalled about the olden days. “Things were just good by comparison. We always had enough food. You didn’t have to worry about walking down the street alone at night.” Nowadays, Ed and Anne “just do normal things.” They enjoy playing pool and cards with friends; excursions to the casino; and catching the odd flick at the Oliver Theatre “It’s really nice to live here,” Anne said “You get to mix with lots of different groups.”

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BC Lions players Eric Fraser (right) and Rolly Lumbala take a “selfie” with students at Southern Okanagan Secondary School after their presentation on violence against women. (Lyonel Doherty photo)

BC Lions tell students to break their silence on violence against women By Lyonel Doherty Two BC Lions football players came to Oliver recently with an urgent message to students: Break the silence on violence against women. One girl took the message to heart and thanked fullback Rolly Lumbala and defensive back Eric Fraser for coming to Southern Okanagan Secondary School to talk about the issue. “I’m glad they’re doing this (addressing schools),” she told the Oliver Chronicle afterward. “This (problem) is real; it’s not just in the movies,” she said, expressing deep concern about the sexual harassment that some girls are subjected to. “The jokes are not okay … we have to stand up (to this).” The BC Lions football team has been spreading the word to high schools across the province, asking students to “be more than a bystander” when sexual harassment and violence raise their ugly heads. “Being more than a bystander is not easy,” said Lumbala as he paced the gymnasium. “Some people don’t know how to intervene, but we’re not here to fight violence with violence.” Lumbala noted that one in three women experiences 8 www.oksun.ca

sexual assault in her lifetime, adding there are more than 1,000 physical or sexual assaults against women in B.C. each week. “Unless we change our ways and change the culture, one in three women are at risk,” Lumbala said. The fullback said women have been leaders on the issue of gender violence for years. But now it’s time for men to stand with these women and speak up. “We have to change how we talk in the locker rooms and stand up for the women in our lives.” Fraser spoke about relationships and dating violence, noting that jealous boyfriends keeping tabs on their girlfriends via texting can lead to physical and sexual violence. The player also told the students that catcalling is not funny and can be very intimidating to women. “Sexual assault can be (merely) slapping a girl on the butt,” Fraser said. The defensive back stressed that consent for sex has to be clear, coherent, and enthusiastic. “A girl can remove consent at any time; make sure it’s a mutual agreement.” He also reminded the students that alcohol impairment cannot be used as a defence in sexual assault. In addition, if a guy receives a naked photo from a girl

under 18 and he posts the photo on social media, he can be charged with distributing child pornography, Fraser pointed out. Lumbala urged male students to speak up and do something if they see a girl being sexually harassed or taken advantage of. “That’s the most important thing, step up and do something … it’s not a superhero approach.” Lumbala said it only takes one person to make a difference, and if someone tells the offender that his sexist joke is inappropriate, he’ll think twice about telling it next time. Fraser encouraged the males not to laugh at these sexist jokes, advising them to refuse to join in or simply leave the group. He also recommended that someone offer the victim support by standing beside her and asking if she is okay. Another method Fraser introduced was creating a distraction so the situation doesn’t escalate. Fraser acknowledged that it’s hard to speak out against a friend who is the offender, but he advised pulling him aside later and expressing a concern about his behaviour. “It’s on all of us to change the culture,” Fraser said. Sixteen-year-old Rylan Laranjo said a lot of students were caught off guard by the presentation because they didn’t know it was about sexual assault. Although it was a strong message, Laranjo said a lot of guys were offended because they felt they were being targeted. Laranjo stated that he has seen and heard sexual harassment in bigger cities, but it’s not common in Oliver. “I can’t relate to it because I’m not seeing it (here).” Laranjo said he would not sit idly by while a girl was

being catcalled. The youth noted he and a friend noticed a girl being touched and grabbed at a concert in Kelowna. So they told the offender to back off and took the girl to a safe area away from the unpleasant situation. In a classroom after the presentation, Lumbala told a group of leadership students that if they don’t speak up when someone is being sexually harassed, they are essentially condoning the act, which could land them in trouble too.

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Despite his young age of 34, Colin Snair has worked across Canada and is thrilled to have been selected to be the new head professional golfer at the Osoyoos Golf Club. (Keith Lacey photo)

New golf pro’s Osoyoos job is ‘dream come true’ By Keith Lacey Colin Snair’s passion for golf has allowed him to travel and work across Canada. And now he feels like he’s won the lottery after his recent appointment as new head professional golfer at the Osoyoos Golf Club. When he found out in December that Osoyoos Golf Club was hiring a new head professional after the departure of Drew Bolokoski, who returned to Alberta after the recent death of his father, Snair didn’t hesitate applying for the job. “I had wanted to come to the Okanagan for the past five or six years, but landing a job in this area isn’t easy because people come here and don’t want to leave,” 10 www.oksun.ca

he said. “I had an interview with Lee Sapach (general manager of Osoyoos Golf Club and former head professional) and board members over the phone in January and felt that went well. “They invited me back for a second interview here in person in early January and the week after that I was offered the job.” Snair came to Osoyoos on Jan. 25 and managed to rent a house near town and officially began his duties Feb. 1. To say he’s excited would be a gross understatement, said Snair. “I’ve been going to the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington for concerts for many years and I would drive through Osoyoos and just marvel at how beautiful this

place was,” he said. “I always said I would play that (Osoyoos) golf course, but, unfortunately, I never did manage to play any course south of Kelowna. “I’ve lived and worked from coast to coast … in some beautiful places, but my heart was set on returning to the west coast and to land a head professional job here in Osoyoos is almost like a dream come true at this point in my life.” After hearing how Osoyoos Golf Club is usually open or very close to being open for business by mid-February, Snair said “it’s unfortunate you’ve had a winter like this, but it is what it is … you really can’t predict what Mother Nature is going to do.” Born and raised in Kemptville, Nova Scotia, Snair obtained a business administration degree from St. Francis Xavier University in the spring of 2005, but decided he wanted to pursue a career in golf, so he applied and was accepted into the Professional Golf Course Management program at Lethbridge College in Alberta in the fall of 2005. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in business, so I decided I would give the golf thing a go and I’m really glad I did,” he said. After graduation, he was offered the assistant pro position at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club and remained in that job for five years. “I fell in love with that area and the people and it was a fantastic five years and great way to start my golf career,” he said. Jasper Park was a public course and he wanted to experience working in a private club, so he applied for and was hired as assistant pro and eventually was promoted to associate golf pro at the Scarborough Golf and Country Club in Toronto. After two years on that job, he missed his friends and the lifestyle of Alberta, so he applied for and was hired as head golf professional at the Sundre Golf Club, 90 minutes northwest of Calgary. “I missed the mountains and I missed my friends and it was my first offer as a head professional, so I couldn’t turn it down,” he said. He enjoyed three great years in Sundre before being offered the head professional position at the prestigious Southwood Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg. He resigned from that position at the end of October.

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“That was my first job that was just not the right fit for me,” he said. The timing was perfect when he heard Bolokoski was leaving and Osoyoos Golf Club needed someone to replace him, he said. “When I look outside and see the mountains and the lake and how beautiful this place is … it’s nothing short of spectacular,” he said in an interview in February. “I can only imagine how much more beautiful it is once all the snow is melted and golf season begins. I knew right away this is where I was meant to be at this stage in my life.” His parents drove out to check out the area and were also astounded at the beauty of Osoyoos and the entire Okanagan, he said. One of his top priorities was hiring a new assistant pro. After narrowing the field, he chose Todd Tweedy, who has worked at Osoyoos Golf Club in the past. When asked to name his strongest assets as a head golf professional, Snair said he’s a people person who just happens to love teaching and promoting the game of golf. “I think my biggest strength is approachability,” he said. “My door will always be open and I love being on the pro shop floor talking to people and promoting the great game of golf and this wonderful golf club.” His contract is “year to year”, but at age 34 Snair said he believes he’s going to be in Osoyoos for several years. “I know this golf club is a big part of this community and I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone and becoming an active member of the community as well,” he said.

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Terry Magnus got the idea for his novel from working in potash mines. (Lyonel Doherty photo) 12 www.oksun.ca

Father turns bedtime story into first novel By Lyonel Doherty An original bedtime story that Terry Magnus used to read to his daughter every night is now a full-fledged novel . . . 20 years later. And the journey to get there was “incredible,” he says. The former Oliver high school graduate recently published his book “Hammerstein an Adventure: The Trek to the Land” on Amazon.ca. The novel is based on characters he made up in a story that he told his pre-teen daughter Sabrina every night before bed. “She never fell asleep (because she was so engrossed in the story),” Magnus said. The fantasy tale features a young Hammerstein who leaves city life behind to follow his dream filled with dwarven adventure. Sabrina was only five years old when the tales of Porqui and Pitar enthralled her. Now she’s 26 and living in Portugal, and is thrilled that the stories she grew up with are now the subject of a book that everyone can enjoy. Magnus started writing his novel eight years ago, but during the last two years he dedicated all of his time to it. He believed the only way to get it done was to treat it like a full-time job, and he was right. With all of the distractions at home, it is too easy to put it off, so he had to develop discipline. And he found the only way to really let his ideas flow was to write the story by hand via pencil and paper. Using a computer keyboard just didn’t work for him. Magnus, 61, was born in Oliver and raised on an orchard operated by his parents, Art and Mary Magnus. Fast-forward to Grade 12, which ironically saw him failing English, but in a twist of fate, his teacher Robert Bull mistakenly gave him a C-plus (another student’s mark) and passed him.

Magnus had no idea he could write until later on in life. He enrolled in BCIT in Vancouver to study electrical engineering, then worked in the potash mines in Saskatchewan teaching and marketing. He found that technical writing was his specialty. While working in the mines, Magnus used the unique environment as ideas that formed part of his book. He reveled in the fact that the workplace was 1.5 kilometres below the surface, where employees drove convertible diesel trucks in huge tunnels, some of which stretched 40 kilometres in one direction. There were parking lots and little villages down there. “It made me think of a Schwartzenegger or Alien movie,” Magnus said. Following his work underground, he came up for air and helped a friend market her orphanage with children’s stories. This was the turning point that gave him the confidence to write Hammerstein. Completing the book has given Magnus an incredible feeling of accomplishment. “It’s hard to put the pencil down and believe that it’s finished,” he said. For Magnus, Hammerstein is not only the character’s story, but “my story, our story, the oldest story, a story of hope and greatness.”

Hammerstein an Adventure: The Trek to the Land is now a full-fledged novel by Terry Magnus. It began as a story Magnus would tell his daughter before bedtime. The Oliver man was supposed to fail Grade 12 English, but in a twist of fate, he got the passing mark of another student by mistake. Only later, did Magnus learn he could write. OKANAGAN SUN • APRIL 2017 • 13

Osoyoos Rotary President Brian Rawlings finds himself stuck deep in water and surrounded by lions, hyenas and other creatures as night descends in Kruger National Park. (Debbie Dow photo)

Trip to visit South African development project brings hair-raising adventures to local Rotarians By Richard McGuire When a group of Osoyoos Rotarians travelled to South Africa in January, to visit their development project, they didn’t anticipate they’d also have some hair-raising adventures. The local club’s project was to donate waterless toilets to a daycare centre, known as a crèche, near Franschoek outside Cape Town. But the group of 11 also visited several South African Rotary Clubs and journeyed to Kruger National Park in the northeast of South Africa, which is teeming with exotic wildlife. It was there that several of the Rotarians took a wrong turn and their vehicle got stuck in a river as darkness descended and hungry lions and other wild creatures prowled out of sight in the bushes. As if that wasn’t enough, the trip included a dramatic 14 www.oksun.ca

car chase when thieves made off with a bag containing a computer, camera equipment and almost all the photographs taken by the trip’s unofficial photographer. The South African connection came about thanks to Osoyoos Rotarian Marieze Tarr, who along with her husband Garnet, is originally from South Africa and still has family there. The Rotary Club of Osoyoos focuses on raising funds for community projects in the South Okanagan. But they also support some international projects that fit within their mandate. And promoting clean water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as education, are part of that mandate. When Tarr spoke to the club in 2015 about the squalid conditions in some of the poor daycares, the Osoyoos club was enthusiastic about the toilet project. The innovative toilets cost around $800, explained Brian Rawlings, president of the Rotary Club of Osoyoos,

David Perehudoff (left) shows off to other Rotarians a waterless toilet he installed at a South African daycare. The Rotarians wanted to see if the toilets could be used in other projects. (Debbie Dow photo) but they require no plumbing. When the seat is lifted, it turns gears that mix the human waste with sawdust or ash to bind it. The final product is compost. Rawlings says the Rotarians were enthused to see the toilets in action because they wanted to know if the concept would work elsewhere. “I’m always looking for a cookie cutter thing,” said Rawlings. “Why do we have to reinvent stuff?” But unbeknownst to the Osoyoos Rotarians, the project had hit some snags after the toilets were purchased. The partnering Rotary Club in Franschoek was going through some internal problems. The toilets were in storage somewhere and never installed. Meanwhile, children at the daycare were using pails for toilets. When Rotarian David Perehudoff arrived ahead of the group and discovered the situation, he realized the rest of the Rotarians would have nothing to see when they visited the project. So he set to work, trying to install some toilets. “David being David got in there and shake rattle and roll,” said Rawlings. “He got two toilets physically installed at the crèche.”

It turned out that particular daycare would be getting plumbing, so a decision was made to relocate the three toilets to another daycare, but at least the visiting Rotarians got to see how the toilets worked. Perhaps the biggest adventure came at Kruger National Park, where the Rotarians saw lions, giraffes, elephants, buffalo, leopards, impalas and numerous other wild animals big and small. That was fine from the safety of a vehicle, and visitors were warned always to remain in their vehicles. But at the end of a long day of wildlife viewing, a vehicle carrying Rawlings, Perehudoff, their spouses Diana Rawlings and Leahann Nordin, and Debbie Dow, a Rotarian from Prince George, took the wrong road. Thinking they were returning the way they came, Rawlings thought nothing of driving across little dips in the road where small streams crossed. But suddenly they hit one that was especially deep and the car wheels became stuck in a concrete trough. “David says ‘give her’ and I can’t give her,” Rawlings recalls. “We’re not going anywhere.” Continued on Page 16 OKANAGAN SUN • APRIL 2017 • 15

When thieves grabbed the bag containing Debbie Dow’s cameras, computer and photos, her Rotarian host Victor Crouser and taxi driver Shepherd Dewa took chase. They followed the thieves the wrong way down a one-way street and ended up colliding with them, but caught them. Crouser’s new vehicle was damaged. (Debbie Dow photo)

Then water started gushing into the vehicle. Diana reminded her husband that she’d told him they should have stayed with the rest of their group. “I said Honey, you’re absolutely right,” Rawlings said. “But right now we’ve got to focus. We’ve got to do something, or we’re not going anywhere.” When Rawlings recounted the story recently to the rest of the Osoyoos Rotarians, he took a bit of poetic license. “We were in the middle of a frigging jungle,” he said. “There’s lions, hyenas, jackals and mad dogs and whatever. We’re sitting in the van and it’s stuck and the sun is going down. And we can’t get cell connections.” Rawlings says Perehudoff set about “doing his MacGyver thing” to try to get the vehicle out of the water, putting rocks under the wheels and trying to pry it. But nothing worked. And it got darker. The park gates close at 6:30 p.m. They were supposed to be back in their lodge by then. The rest of the group was already back and worrying. The manager at the lodge was upset, but he radioed a ranger before he left for the night. The stranded travellers found a fire, apparently made by the last group that got stuck, and they built it up and piled grass on it to send smoke signals. Finally, another vehicle came along the road, but the driver didn’t have a winch. He did, however, apparently send for help when he returned to civilization. At last another vehicle with a winch came by and pulled the van out of the river, but its front fell off in the process. There was no room for it, so they had to return the next day for it. At last, around 8:45 p.m., long after dark, the van, missing its front, drove up to the gate of the lodge where the rest of the group was waiting in worry. 16 www.oksun.ca

The last big adventure came at the end of the trip when the group was back near Cape Town. They were moving luggage between two vehicles. Dow, the Rotarian from Prince George, had meticulously documented the trip with thousands of photos, bringing along three cameras. Her bag contained all her camera gear, her laptop, glasses and most important to her – the photos she’d taken. A hotel surveillance video shows a man and woman standing and talking next to the vehicles for a while. Suddenly, the man grabs Dow’s bag and runs to a getaway vehicle and the woman follows. A taxi driver, Shepherd Dewa, saw the theft and alerted Victor Crouser of the host Rotary Club and the two of them jumped into Crouser’s brand new Land Rover and gave chase. “They chased them across four lanes of traffic and went down a one-way street (the wrong way),” Dow said. “The thieves turned around and they collided. Then the three thieves took off running.” Dewa and some bystanders chased the thieves on foot, caught them, recovered the bag and held the thieves until police arrived. Dow, who arrived at the scene about 20 minutes later, calls Crouser and Dewa her “heroes.” At the police station, Dow had a chance to speak briefly with the woman. She told her that she and God can forgive them, but what she did was wrong because the Rotarians were there to help people in the shantytowns. The woman cried and apologized. The thieves, who were repeat offenders, were subsequently convicted. And the Osoyoos Rotarians had more than a few stories to tell.

Debbie Dow (centre), a Rotarian from Prince George who joined the Osoyoos Rotarians on the trip, poses with her two “heroes” – Victor Crouser (left) and Shepherd Dewa, who chased and caught the thieves who stole her bag containing her cameras, computer, glasses and photos of the entire trip.

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OKANAGAN SUN • APRIL 2017 • 17

WELLNESS WORDS

Over-thinking....

It affects our overall wellness. In many cases, overthinking is caused by a single emotion: fear. When you focus on all the negative things that might happen, it’s easy to become paralyzed. Persistently dwelling on distressing situations from the recent or distant past, known as rumination, can be a very destructive mental habit. It is closely linked to depression or anxiety, it can take away our confidence, our ability to solve challenges, and it can reduce our sense of control over our lives. Ruminators repetitively go over events, ask big questions: Why did that happen? What does it mean? But they never find any answers. Is overthinking and worrying the same thing? Rumination is not the same as plain old worrying. When we worry, we think about the future and what might happen. When we overthink and ruminate we are usually fixated on the past and what we are certain has already happened or will happen again. It can become as natural as breathing, comparable to driving a well- known route and then suddenly finding yourself in the driveway with no recollection of how we arrived there. It can become like being on autopilot. Reasons why a person overthinks and are primed to ruminate: our

memories are linked by a powerful emotional association. When an unpleasant event puts us in a despondent mood, it is easier to recall other times when we have felt terrible. We see only what our negative mood wants us to see – the events in our past that are negative, the events in our present that are negative, the things that could go wrong in the future. So why do some fall prey to this self defeating mental behaviour? Generally, according to researchers, rumination is more widely reported in women than men. Women who were studied, were in situations they believed that they had little control over during important events and informative times in their lives. Women were also more likely to accept undue responsibility for others wellbeing – known as co-dependency. Rumination has also been linked to negative behaviours such as alcohol abuse and binge eating. Steps to help with Overthinking: Observe Mindfulness - Mindfulness is a form of meditation that consists of simply focusing on the present moment without judgment. You notice your thoughts, not attach to them realizing they are simply just “thoughts”. It is like

watching leaves floating by in a stream – just let them go by. Redirect your Attention – A physical activity that combines mental engagement and social contact works well to derail the negative train of thought. Tennis, a brisk walk in nature, or even cards or Scrabble or any activity that is absorbing. Challenge your beliefs – Put your thoughts on trial and challenge their accuracy. Using the thought police. Some examples of this are: All or nothing thinking (looking at an issue in black and white terms) Disqualifying the positive (discounting anything positive as a “fluke”) or emotional reasoning (conclusions based on nothing but strong feelings – I feel guilty, I must have done something wrong) Be patient with overthinking habits as they take time to notice and heal. It is about finding shades of gray because life is rarely categorical. Be well, Kelsi Bissonnette Health and Wellness Coordinator Watermark Beach Resort.

YOGA • PILATES • SPINNING • TRX • STEP • SUP • MEDITATION • WORKSHOPS • RETREATS • WELLNESS

15 Park Place Osoyoos BC 250-689-6020

www.osoyoospilates.com Email inquiries contact us wellness@watermarkbeachresort.com 18 www.oksun.ca

MEETINGS

Osoyoos Rotary meets Thursday at noon at McKia’s Restaurant in the Best Western Hotel, Osoyoos. Osoyoos Woodcarvers meet Monday 9:30 a.m. upstairs at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. Call Joe at 250-495-5079 for info.

Kiwanis Club of Osoyoos meets at noon on the second and fourth Monday of each month at McKia’s Restaurant. For info contact 250-495-7701.

Soroptimist International of Osoyoos meets the third Tuesday of the month at McKia’s Restaurant, Best Western Hotel, Osoyoos at 6 p.m. Call Joan 250-495-2929 if wanting to attend.

Stroke-Brain Injury Recovery group meets Friday from 10 - 11:30 a.m. at the Osoyoos Health Centre, 4816 89 St. Osoyoos Elks #436, second Wednesday meet at 7 p.m., Elks Hall, 8506 92 Avenue. Call Annette at 250-495-6227 or Ken Thibault at 250-495-3936.

Women’s weight loss, “Lean Living”. Weekly meetings, Wednesday at 1 p.m. and Thursday at 7 p.m. Phone Althea at 250-460-0391 or email Althea@womengrowingstrong.com for more information. Osoyoos Autoimmune Support Group meets every second Wednesday of the month at the Osoyoos Health Centre, 4816 89th St., from 1:15 -3:15pm. Join us for discussions on Sjogren’s, RA, Lupus, Fibro, etc. Everyone welcome. Call Marilyn 250-495-0666.

OLIVER THEATRE

O’s Own Writers meet the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. New members welcome. Call Jody 250-4952170.

Enjoy your evening out, taking In a movie at the Oliver Theatre!

April, 2017 Programme

Sun. – Mon. – Tues. – Thurs…7:30 p.m. Fri. – Sat………….……….7:00 & 9:00 p.m. (unless otherwise stated)

Phone 250-498-2277 Oliver, BC

Sat. - Sun. – Mon. – Tues. April 22 - 23 - 24 - 25

Visit Our Website

Osoyoos Photography Club meets the first and third Thursday at the Sonora Community Centre. 6:30 p.m. For more information 250-495-4960 osoyoosphotoclub@gmail.com.

Regular Showtimes

www.olivertheatre.ca Thurs. - Fri. - Sat. April 6 - 7 - 8

The Multiple Sclerosis group meets the second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Interior Health office, 4816 89 Street, Osoyoos. Call Ron at 250-4984372 or Donna 250-495-5001.

Coarse language, drug use, violence.

Thurs. - Fri. April 27 - 28 Showtimes on Fri. @ 7:00 & 9:20 p.m.

Violence, coarse language.

Osoyoos Quilters meet on the first and third Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. Call 250-4952254 or 250-495-4569. Evening quilting every first and third Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Vera 250-495-2738. Elks Lodge, 8506 92 Ave.

Sun. - Mon. - Tues. April 9 - 10 - 11

Closed Thurs. - Fri. April 13 - 14

Parkinson’s Support Group meets on Monday from 1 - 3 p.m. at Sunnybank Lodge in Oliver. Call Rod Freeman 250498-8427 for more info.

Violence.

Sat. - Sun. - Mon. -Tues., Thurs. - Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tues., Thurs Fri. April 15 - 16 - 17 - 18, 20 - 21

Toastmasters ... “Where leaders are made”. Drop in any Tuesday 7 p.m. at the Osoyoos Baptist Church, north side entrance, 6210 Hwy. 97. Contact Shauna 250-485-8465 or meandwine@ gmail.com.

Violence, coarse language. Violence, coarse language.

Sat. - Sun. - Mon. -Tues., Thurs. - Fri. April 29 - 30, May 1 - 2, 4 - 5 One Showing Nightly @ 7:30 p.m.

AA meetings every Monday 7 p.m. St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Every Friday 7 p.m. St. Christopher’s Anglican Church. Call Louise 250-495-1627 or 250-6890415. The Osoyoos Library Book Club meets the third Wednesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. in the library. Artists on Main paint Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. upstairs at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. Sue 250-4957664. The Osoyoos Royal Purple meets the third Wednesday (except July and Aug.) at 7 p.m. at the Osoyoos Elks Hall, 8506 92 Ave. For info call 250-495-7788 or 250-495-7561.

Subject to classification.

Coming In May Coming In May

There will also be a matinee of this show on the Sat., at 2:00 p.m. All seats $6.00 for the matinee.

Programme Subject To Unavoidable change without notice

OKANAGAN SUN • APRIL 2017 • 19

Veteran trainer Lionel Joseph and his three sons (Kwame is seen riding in the background) are back in Osoyoos to train a large stable of horses at Desert Park. (Keith Lacey photo)

Love of horses and racing has brought Lionel Joseph from Antigua to Osoyoos

By Keith Lacey Lionel Joseph’s lifelong passion for horses – and horse racing – has resulted in him travelling around the world and landing here in Osoyoos for the second consecutive winter and spring. Born and raised in the gorgeous Caribbean island of Antigua, Joseph’s passion for horses was formed at a very young age and he has pursued his passion for his entire adult life. That passion has been passed on to his three sons – Kwame, 19, Jimmy, 26, and Ray, 30 – who all train horses professionally for a living. Kwame is also one of the top young jockeys in Canada 20 www.oksun.ca

and his ability as a jockey is the reason his dad and brothers now work out of the Northlands racetrack facility in Edmonton for the past couple of years. Lionel and his sons brought 14 horses to the Desert Park racetrack and training facility in February with two more horses on their way. They would spend the next 10 or so weeks at Desert Park getting their horses ready for the racing season at Northlands. This is the second winter in succession that Joseph and his sons have come to Desert Park with a large stable of horses to train them for the race season in Alberta. Joseph said his passion for horses started at a very young age and has never dwindled.

“As a young boy growing up in Antigua, I would stop at the local racetrack on my way home from school just to look at the horses,” he said. “I love them as animals and then I watched them race and I was hooked … and I’ve been hooked ever since.” Joseph worked in the horse racing industry in Antigua for more than 20 years as a trainer, before making the move to the United States, where he worked and lived in The Bronx in New York City. He continued to work as a trainer in America’s largest city for more than six years, before making the move to Toronto to work at Woodbine racetrack for a couple of years. His reputation as a talented trainer and Kwame’s talents as a jockey ended up in the family moving to Edmonton last year. “Kwame had a really good offer to race at Northlands, so me and my other boys decided to follow him there,” he said. His first year as a trainer at Northlands went extremely well, said Joseph. “I trained horses for 39 races and we ended up with nine winners, a bunch of seconds and a few thirds,” he said. “You can make a pretty decent living with those kind of results and we’re hoping to do even better when we go back to Edmonton for the new season in early May.” After a long 17-hour drive from Edmonton early in February, Joseph said he was surprised by the amount of snow and cold weather that blanketed Osoyoos this winter. Last year at that time, there was no snow and warm weather had already started, which made for perfect conditions at Desert Park, he said. Because of the unusually cold winter weather, the track at Desert Park remained frozen when they arrived and it was going to be at least two or three more weeks before his horses could get on the track for daily workouts, he said when interviewed in February. But the good news is the winter weather in Osoyoos is still much nicer than the bitter cold that has engulfed Alberta and much of Canada

and his horses will get in the training they need to fully prepare for the race season over the coming 10 to 12 weeks, he said. “Even though it’s still a little cold, the horses don’t have to inhale the bitter cold we get in Alberta,” he said. “The nice weather will be coming very soon and we have all kinds of time to get them ready by the end of April.” Desert Park has a “very good reputation” with trainers and owners in Alberta and that’s why he decided to bring his horses here last year for the first time, he said. “Everyone at Northlands knows all about Osoyoos and Desert Park,” he said. “It’s a great place for spring training because it’s just too cold in Alberta. “Me and my family really enjoyed ourselves last year and we knew right away we would be coming back.” He and his sons stayed in a local hotel last year, but are being put up by good friends near Osoyoos for their entire stay this time around, he said. After spending the past four years in Canada, Joseph said he and his three sons, his wife and one daughter have all applied to become Canadian citizens. “This is where we want to be,” he said. “Canada is a wonderful country.” The fact you can make a decent living working in the horse racing industry is a huge bonus, he said. “Like any sport, you have to win,” he said. “When you train horses that get wins, you get more owners interested in hiring you and then you make more money.” Joseph said he would love to return to Osoyoos in the summer months to enjoy the gorgeous weather and promised he would bring a stable of horses if the Desert Park Exhibition Society organizes race dates this coming summer. As for the future, Lionel said he and his sons will continue to return to Osoyoos and Desert Park for spring training for many years to come.

A Look at Glaucoma Glaucoma is a type of eye damage in which optic nerve cells are killed by excess fluid pressure in the eyeball. It’s the second leading cause Greg Wheeler, of blindness in Pharmacist North America, behind diabetes. Glaucoma often runs in families and people of African origin are six times more likely than Caucasians to get Glaucoma. The biggest problem with glaucoma is that most people don’t notice symptoms until they begin to have significant vision loss. Only a few people get headaches, red-eye, or blurred vision. If you don’t get your eyes tested regularly, the first noticeable symptom could be small blind spots in your vision. Fortunately, with early detection and treatment, vision loss can be minimized or prevented. Anyone older than 20 years should have glaucoma screening every 1 or 2 years. After 65 years of age, you should have them checked every year. There are a number of medications available that can reduce eye pressure and prevent damage. Most are given as eye drops. For added insight about glaucoma, speak to your Remedy’s Rx pharmacist.

105-291 Fairview Rd Oliver

250.485.4007

OKANAGAN SUN • APRIL 2017 • 21

The Watermark Beach Resort will again be the scene of Devour! in May. (Richard McGuire photo)

Devour! Osoyoos festival featuring food, wine and film set to return in early May By Keith Lacey Combining great food and wine with the confines of a small film festival has proven to be a recipe for success. The world’s largest culinary film festival, called “Devour!” is set to return to Osoyoos for the second consecutive year and ticket packages are now on sale. Last year’s festival was offered by management at the Watermark Beach Resort and this year the resort has teamed up with Destination Osoyoos, the town’s tourism marketing and economic development agency, to offer an expanded weekend of short films, fine food and great wine, said DO executive director Kelly Glazer. The original Devour! Festival was organized in Wolfville, Nova Scotia five years ago and now attracts more than 11,000 visitors over five days, said Glazer. “It’s an incredible event,” she said. “It’s going to take us some time to get to that level, but we’re very excited about our second event here in Osoyoos. “The Devour! brand is now being franchised across the country … with each region adding its own unique touches and we’re looking forward to putting our own South Okanagan focus and making it spectacular.” This year’s festival will take place from May 5 – 7 and Devour! Osoyoos will feature a diverse mix of culinary events at restaurants and wineries throughout the region paired with a selection of special festival-exclusive hotel rates and packages. The event was created by Chef Michael Howell in Nova Scotia and business partner and film industry veteran Lia Rinaldo as a celebration of cinema, food and wine culture. Ingrid Jarrett, general manager of the Watermark Beach Resort, is excited about the event. “As founding partner of Devour! Osoyoos, we recognize the importance of showcasing the overall destination as well as our incredible local culinary scene,” said Jarrett. “It was an absolute honour to host the inaugural event at Watermark in 2016 and we are so excited to be 22 www.oksun.ca

a part of the festival’s continued expansion this year.” Howell said he is very much looking forward to returning to Osoyoos in early May. “The first Devour! at Watermark Beach Resort was a huge success, and we are thrilled that this year’s festival has grown to incorporate the surrounding area,” he said. “The South Okanagan is one of the top food and wine destinations in the country, and provides the perfect backdrop for celebrating Canada’s excellent culinary and film offerings.” Devour! Osoyoos will highlight the South Okanagan’s spectacular food and wine scene, offering guests an opportunity to enjoy creative food and drink selections from celebrated local and visiting culinary talent, said Glazer. Top events include a film-inspired gala dinner featuring leading B.C. chefs, tasting tours, cooking demonstrations, a champagne brunch, cocktail reception, and more. In addition to artsy attractions, festival-goers can also soak up the stunning surroundings of the lakeside destination at various properties by taking advantage of special Devour! Osoyoos packages and rates that are now on sale. “Devour! is another example of community collaboration in Osoyoos where businesses come together to elevate festival experiences, year after year,” said Glazer. “Destination Osoyoos and its tourism and hospitality partners look forward to showcasing Devour! to locals and visitors who love the South Okanagan as much as they love food and film.” The target market for Devour! is Vancouver and the Lower Mainland as well as Calgary and Edmonton, but she also expects many people from Penticton and Kelowna to attend as well, she said. Glazer is confident Devour! Osoyoos will be a great success this year. For more information and to book hotel and resort packages, go online and visit www.destinationosoyoos.com/devour-osoyoos.

APRIL The Federation of Canadian Artists presents Spring Colours, a juried exhibition, at the Osoyoos Art Gallery, 8713 Main St. from April 1 - 22. Gallery open Tuesday – Saturday, noon - 4 p.m. The Front Street Gallery presents its spring show ‘Emily Carr Paints the Okanagan’ from March 31 – April 27. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Community yard sale benefiting The Osoyoos Child Care Centre and their playground project. Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. $20 to rent a table and open to all. Please bring priced ready-to-sell items. Snacks for sale too! To reserve a table call 250-495-5020. The Rob Robertson Band is playing Jojo’s Cafe on Saturday, April 8 starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available at Jojos. Info at: @therobrobertsonband on Facebook. There will be A Healthy Living Presentation at the Osoyoos Library on Wednesday, April 12. Discover how the four pillars of weight loss relate to everything you do in your life. 10 a.m. You’re invited to a Visiting Artist Reception for Lian Quan Zhen that it being hosted by the Burrowing Owl Winery on Friday, April 14 from 3 – 6 p.m. in the tasting room. Enjoy a complimentary glass of Burrowing Owl wine while viewing original paintings by this world-renowned artist.

11th Annual Blossom Spring Bazaar on Saturday, April 15 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Oroville High School Commons. Admission is free. Sponsored by Blossom Ministries. A variety of handcrafted items, health and fitness information, various community services information, beauty and skin care, jewelry, home interior and much more.

Frank Venables Theatre presents Phantom of the Opera with the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada on Tuesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults and $17.50 for students, available online at www. venablestheatre.ca and at the theatre box office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Easter Eggstravaganza will be on April 15 at Town Square. Pancake breakfast from 8 – 11 a.m. Family fun from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Easter egg hunt at the elementary school at 10 a.m. Hot dogs by donation from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Musaic Vocal Ensemble presents Annelies, The Story of Anne Frank, on Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Frank Venables Theatre. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, visit www. venablestheatre.ca.

The final Osoyoos Desert Society show and talk is on Saturday, April 15. This documentary and talk will be about caribou. Admission is by donation. Watermark Beach Resort from 2 – 4 p.m.

Osoyoos Medieval Faire May 20 and 21. There will be a medieval feast, jousting and a medieval village. Tickets are available online at osoyoosfair.ca.

Osoyoos Flea Market is celebrating its 15th anniversary on Saturday, April 15 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Drop by for cake and coffee. 8905 Main St.

The Osoyoos Wellness Clinic is open on Thursdays. Come and get your health monitored at the Cactus Centre (off Kingfisher Dr.) from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Cost is $1 with refreshments available.

Students of the Oliver Elementary School Fine Arts Club show their talents with Disney - The Movies; The Music at Frank Venables Theatre 7 p.m. April 19-20. Call the school office at 250-498-3468.

Drop in Hockey players needed! Men, women, 18+. Sun Bowl Arena, Tues. & Thurs., 10 - 11:30 a.m. Great exercise workout! Non-contact, no slap-shots. Helmet & gloves required. Goalie “Tutor-Shooter”.

The Sage Valley Voices and the Oliver Elementary School Canadiana Chorus will perform ‘My Canada’ at the Frank Venables Theatre on April 23 at 2:30 p.m. and the Osoyoos Community Theatre on May 1 at 7 p.m. Ticket $12 at the door. Food bank donations welcome.

Send your events to: events@osoyoostimes.com

OKANAGAN SUN • APRIL 2017 • 23

Eileen McGinn

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24 www.oksun.ca