Okanagan Sun August 2016 by Okanagan Sun Magazine

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A small distiller with big ambitions

CONTENTS Feared, maligned and misunderstood

Page 6 PUBLISHER

ABERDEEN PUBLISHING INC. www.aberdeenpublishing.com

EDITOR

RICHARD MCGUIRE reporter@osoyoostimes.com

AD DESIGN

RONDA JAHN production@osoyoostimes.com

SALES

BRIAN HIGHLEY brianhighley@aberdeenpublishing.com

The romance of the desert

Oliver and Osoyoos wineries win top awards

Oliver bylaw officer walks softly, carries no stick

New Osoyoos cop wants to be part of community

Horse racing returns to Desert Park

Dubh Glas: a small distiller with big ambitions

Musician recovers his mojo as he deals with loss

Piano in Park has Osoyoos toes tapping

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Around Town events calendar

“I ran my condenser from my bathroom sink (in a Banff ski resort’s staff accommodation) and we drained the condenser out through the bathroom drain and that’s where I started making single malt.” - Grant Stevely (Page 14) AUGUST 2016

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.

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A small distiller with big ambitions

ON THE COVER Grant Stevely, the owner of the small Dubh Glas Distillery north of Oliver, has big ambitions. After producing the best single-malt whiskey in Canada, he wants to make the best in the world. (Richard McGuire photo) Page 14.

We welcome feedback from our readers. Send comments to reporter@osoyoostimes.com or mail to Box 359, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0, Telephone 250-495-7225. 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. © 2016 Aberdeen Publishing. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement. ISSN 2291-2991.

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Sun Sightings Laura Penney (left) and Sara Titus enjoy cool treats while taking in the music at the Oliver Sunshine Festival last month. After rain threatened to put a damper on the parade, the sun came out and so did hundreds of people. (Dan Walton photo)

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A group takes a walk in the desert as evening falls at Romancing the Desert. (Richard McGuire photo)

The romance of the desert By Dan Walton For one day each year in the summer, the Osoyoos Desert Centre keeps its gates open late for Romancing the Desert, when a handful of guests get to wine and dine while surrounded by the serenity of the arid ecosystem. The habitat is known to be quite barren compared to nearby regions, but activity in the desert becomes more vibrant at night as weather conditions become less extreme. Because the centre is normally closed by 4:30 p.m., Romancing the Desert offers a rare opportunity to explore the hiker’s boardwalk without the sun’s overbearing luminosity. “The opportunity to do a twilight walk through the desert is really special,” said Denise Eastlick, executive director of the Osoyoos Desert Centre. “It’s cooler, of course, and desert animals tend to be more active at night. Much of the desert wildlife tends to be nocturnal. One year during Romancing the Desert, just as the moon rose, we had a mother deer and a little fawn run in front of the it, making a silhouette. It was really magical.” There are no identical experiences during Romancing the Desert. As the moon systematically rotates through its cycle while the galaxy repositions the stars each night

to give Earth a new astrological pattern up above – all framed by the mountains of the South Okanagan and the weather’s haphazard formation of clouds – the celestial entertainment always has a fresh line-up of talent at each year’s event. “You see the stars very clearly. It’s a very peaceful setting,” Eastlick said. The evening includes an outdoor dinner, a guided tour along the 1.5 kilometre boardwalk trail – which will be augmented by after-dinner treats and wine tastings, and live music and a silent auction. The ecological preserve has been celebrating Romancing the Desert since the year 2000, and staffers and volunteers create a new theme for the tour each summer. “Because we’re celebrating the Osoyoos Desert Society’s 25th anniversary, this year’s theme will be historical highlights,” she said. Eastlick said the event offers a rare experience that blends the local natural habitat with fine foods and wines from the region. “It’s to showcase the beauty of our local habitat, but also to showcase our restaurants and wineries.” The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. Tickets are $70 per person and proceeds will support the Osoyoos Desert Society. For tickets, contact the Osoyoos Desert Centre at 250-495-2470.

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Oliver and Osoyoos wineries win B.C. Best of Varietal awards Secret of success is the land and the people who farm it By Lyonel Doherty Wine experts recently chose several wineries in Oliver and Osoyoos for prestigious awards in the 2016 BC Best of Varietal Wine Awards. The event, launching the 22nd Spring Okanagan Wine Festival, featured 24 different varietal categories, with a record total of 567 wines entered. The judges narrowed the selection down to 122 finalists with one overall clear winner being declared the best in each category. One of the wine experts who did the tasting at Penticton Trade and Convention Centre was Simon Gillett, sommelier at Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos. He and many others gave the thumbs up to Oliver’s Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, who won best Cabernet Franc (2013) and best Merlot (2012). If you ask Chief Executive Officer Sandra Oldfield what their secret is, she’ll give three: good people, good grapes and good winemaking, in that order. “Merlot and Cab Franc were outstanding in 2012 and 2013 because we are managing our vineyards much better,” Oldfield said. “We were able to pick at the peak of ripeness and the quality of the fruit was outstanding,” she added. “I’d say that comes from a vineyard crew that really knows what it’s doing, managed by a top viticulturist in B.C.” Oldfield also noted their cellar team has great depth so they know how to handle great grapes. Other winners included: Wild Goose Vineyards for best Gewurztraminer (2015), Inniskillin Okanagan (Dark Horse Vineyard) for best icewine (2012), Cassini Cellars (best red meritage blend Cabernet Dominated (2012), Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery for best red meritage blend Merlot Dominated (2010), Black Hills Estate Winery for best Viognier (2014), and Bordertown Vineyard and Estate Winery for best red blend (2013). Some wineries won multiple awards. For a full list visit http://www.thewinefestivals.com/awards/results/3/2 Tony Munday, executive director of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association, said the secret to this region’s success is the land and the people who farm it. “Our area produces the best grapes in the province, that is why over 60 per cent of the grapes for the entire wine industry are grown right here in Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country.” Munday said this area has the perfect mix of geography, topography, soil, sun and knowledgeable grow-

ers who know exactly which grapes should be growing where. Alistair Veen, sommelier, chef, and co-owner of Tap Restaurant, and 2016 BC Sommelier of the Year, said there is so much to be learned about the relationship between varietal, vinification and terroir when you blind taste all of the same region’s varietals against each other. “To taste 60 of them side by side, with the ability to re-taste if necessary is a very special exercise. We really got to see who was pushing the envelope of winemaking in B.C. and tasted the full gamut of what was available stylistically.” Veen said it’s an honour to taste the best of the best in B.C. Sharon Fiume, co-proprietor of Ciao Bella Winery, said entering these awards spurs ongoing motivation “to always keep learning” and producing the best wines.

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Loki, a Northern Pacific (Western) rattlesnake at Nk’Mip strikes a pose. (Richard McGuire photo)

Feared, maligned and misunderstood By Richard McGuire More British Columbians are afraid of snakes than anything else, other than terrorism, according to a recent poll. But snake biologist Jared Maida, in charge of the Snake Research Program at Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, says snakes are something to respect rather than fear. Rattlesnakes, says Maida, “are probably one of the most misunderstood and maligned creatures on this planet.” Through events like a tour and open house recently during World Snake Day on July 16, Maida and his colleagues hope to educate the public about these fascinating creatures. The results of the recent poll, by Insights West, are astonishing. Terrorism is feared the most at 43 per cent, but snakes aren’t far behind at 40 per cent – tied with heights. Snakes – including non-venomous ones – are more feared than nuclear war, at 37 per cent and even death itself at just 30 per cent. “People have this Hollywood idea of rattlesnakes being ferocious and they’ll come out of the bushes to attack 6 www.oksun.ca

you,” says Maida. “That’s furthest from the truth… Rattlesnakes don’t want anything to do with you.” Rather, they are quiet and docile and only use their rattles when they want a potential predator to freeze and be stunned. More likely, they’ll hunker down, lie low and try to blend in using their camouflage, says Maida. Their best defence mechanism, he says, isn’t their rattle or their venom, but rather their camouflage, which can make them almost impossible to spot until they move. The venom, explains Cole Hooper, a biology student working with Maida, is used to kill and pre-digest small prey. When bitten, a small animal like a mouse or vole will drop quickly and the venom will eat away its tissues turning them to a gel-like texture. Some types of snake elsewhere in the world can kill a person in a matter of minutes, but the potency of the venom of Western rattlesnakes is much lower. The antiserums now used are effective, meaning the risk of death is low. “Snakes are something to respect,” says Maida, who specializes in rattlesnakes, which are the main focus of the research done at Nk’Mip. “Rattlesnakes are dangerous, they are venomous and they pose a threat to us. But understanding their behaviour and their ecology, we

Snake biologist Jared Maida conducts a tour showing the work of the Snake Research Program at Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre near Osoyoos. Behind, colleague Cole Hooper holds an antenna used to locate rattlers. (Richard McGuire photo) don’t need to fear them like we do, say, terrorism. You leave snakes alone and the snakes are going to leave you alone. They don’t want anything to do with you.” The Snake Research Program, now in its 13th year, initially looked at ways to relocate snakes when construction was underway at Spirit Ridge and Nk’Mip. The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) is a major contributor, allowing the program to operate at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre and to do research on OIB land. Thompson River University, Environment Canada and Bellstar, which developed the resort, also contribute to the program. The work largely involves monitoring the migrations of rattlesnakes throughout the year from when they emerge from their dens in spring. Maida estimates there are about 30 to 35 dens in the southern portion of OIB land, and currently the program is monitoring the movements of 17 snakes that have radio transmitters surgically implanted. Hooper demonstrated to visitors how he moves an antenna around, listening to snakes on a receiver, using the angle of the antenna to determine their direction, a technique called “radio telemetry.” By circling around, he can triangulate to pinpoint the snake’s exact location. Snakes also have pit tags, a tiny transponder, inserted under their skin so they can be identified when recaptured. Their movements are plotted with GPS co-ordinates to track their migrations. “Snakes are migratory animals,” says Maida, adding that when we think of migratory animals, we usually

think of birds and larger animals. “Snakes are migratory animals just on a much smaller scale.” Rattlesnakes, he says, have an internal compass to know where they are going and they will travel as much as five to seven kilometres away from their dens. But when snakes are relocated more than about a kilometre from where they were found, they can become confused and might not find their way back to their den. Why study and protect snakes, especially rattlers? Maida says they are an important component of the ecosystem in B.C., feeding on mice, voles and other small mammals, but also becoming food themselves for birds of prey like osprey, eagles and hawks, as well as animals like badgers, bears and coyotes. Some of these species are themselves endangered. Rattlesnakes are also a good biocontrol agent for mice and voles, keeping their populations in check. This can be critically important for the winery and orchard industries of the Okanagan, Maida says. Rattlesnakes have also been listed as threatened for some time, he said, noting that his research looks at the impact of development on these snakes and their habitats. Maligned and misunderstood, these snakes may be. But in addition to researching their movements, Maida and his fellow biologists and biology students also want their program to educate the public. Maybe then they’ll get the respect and understanding they deserve and people will be a little less afraid. Watch our video about this story at OKSun.ca. OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 7

Donald Lowndes shakes hands before patrolling another area of Lion’s Park. (Lyonel Doherty photo)

Bylaw officer walks softly, carries no stick By Lyonel Doherty The man in the business suit pulled into Lion’s Park in Oliver, got out of his car and nonchalantly unzipped his pants and started urinating in full public view. Bylaw enforcement officer Donald Lowndes couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The men’s restroom was only metres away, yet this man chose to relieve himself right in the parking lot. But it turned out to be an expensive pee break because he was fined $150. Lowndes, who works for SOS Security, has seen a lot of weird stuff in Oliver and wears his skin pretty thick. But he walks softly and carries no stick because that method seems to work, particularly in Lion’s Park. “It’s simply communicating with people and not talking down to them . . . it goes a long way,” he said. “I treat people according to their behaviour, not how they dress. The moment I don’t treat everyone the same, I should quit my job.” Lowndes, a licensed security guard, can be seen roaming Lion’s Park with a keen eye for infractions, such as open liquor and dogs off leash. And while many people lay the blame on fruit pickers and transients, Lowndes said most of the problems stem from the locals. One day he approached a local man who didn’t pick up after his dog took a dump. 8 www.oksun.ca

“He verbally attacked me and said why don’t you pick on the ‘Frenchies’ who are defecating in the park.” In another incident, four business people had open liquor in the park but were very co-operative when informed about the infraction. Lowndes said one older gentleman picked up after his pet and proceeded to throw the feces in the river. The officer said locals rarely apologize for their behaviour, noting he has had several seasonal workers in Lion’s Park apologize to him for breaking the rules. One young man had an open can of beer and became aggressive when Lowndes cited the bylaw. “He came back the next day and apologized.” The individual told Lowndes about a bad experience he had with a heavy-handed police officer (in another community), which is why he was confrontational in Oliver. Lowndes has learned how to deal with locals with behavioural disorders by asking them about their problem. “Understanding people is a huge step in doing this job,” he pointed out. But of course, there are some people who don’t respond well to anything you say, and that’s when the RCMP have to get involved. Lowndes said they had to issue an expulsion letter to one individual in the park, and another fellow was charged with assault.

Bylaw officer Donald Lowndes talks to a group of fruit pickers in Lion’s Park. (Lyonel Doherty photo) There have been a few drug seizures as well. Don Moore of SOS Security said Lion’s Park is a different park this year, thanks to Lowndes’ approach. Moore noted that last year it was very common to see dogs running loose, with people opening liquor and drinking it because nobody was there telling them they couldn’t. “Last year it was somewhat of a free for all . . . it was their (fruit pickers’) park. This year it’s not their park; it belongs to the town.” Lowndes said when people see him coming in Lion’s

Park they dump their liquor before he has to ask them. The officer stated that many seasonal workers now police themselves in terms of keeping the park clean. Lowndes does his part every day by volunteering to pick up garbage before he dons his bylaw enforcement uniform. Looking at the heavy-handed approach that other communities take, Lowndes said he could not operate under that ideology. “Some places I wouldn’t work for. I think the method we’re using here is effective.”

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Osoyoos RCMP Constable Sheldon Herman drew the straw to represent the detachment in a dance off at the Osoyoos street dance in July. He and partner Yinet Gonzalez won for their Gangnam Style dance, raising more than $300 for the Desert Valley Hospice Society. (Richard McGuire photo)

New Osoyoos RCMP constable loves people and wants to be involved in community By Keith Lacey Sheldon Herman is proudly carrying on the family tradition of serving and protecting – and he’s thrilled to be continuing his career in Osoyoos. Herman, 31, officially started the latest chapter of his policing career with the RCMP detachment in Osoyoos recently. He transferred to Osoyoos after spending the past seven years as a constable in Kelowna. Herman follows in the footsteps of his father Randy, who served 36 years with the RCMP, and his mother Tammy, who served more than 30 years with the RCMP and recently retired and moved to Osoyoos. “The fact that my mother chose Osoyoos to enter into retirement and the fact that I ended up here while looking for a transfer is completely coincidental,” said Herman. “This all happened in the past couple of months. I didn’t know that she was looking at Osoyoos when looking for a place to retire to and she didn’t know that I was applying for a transfer or that the transfer would bring me here.” When he was a young man growing up in Maple Ridge, where his parents served most of their respective RCMP careers, Herman said becoming a police officer 10 www.oksun.ca

was nowhere near the top of his list of priorities. “I was an avid mountain bike racer and mountain bike mechanic and was really hoping to make a career out of that,” he said. “But I got into a pretty serious accident and ruptured my spleen and that was pretty much the end of those dreams.” When he was 19, his parents more or less told him they wanted him to become an auxiliary officer with the RCMP, so he reluctantly signed up. “I really wasn’t interested, but both my parents insisted and I really didn’t have a choice in the matter,” he said smiling. His attitude changed immediately after his very first shift as an auxiliary officer. “I can still remember that first shift as if it happened yesterday,” he said. “It was just crazy and non-stop from the second I jumped in the police cruiser. “There was a robbery, a long foot pursuit, a couple of other incidents and I just loved it. I got out of that patrol car and told the officers I was working with, ‘sign me up’. I was hooked.” Herman found a job as an emergency dispatcher and waited patiently for his application to get into the RCMP college in Regina, Sask. He was finally accepted in early 2007 and spent six

Constable Sheldon Herman, who comes from a policing family, is passionate about catching impaired drivers. (Richard McGuire photo) months in formal training before graduating and being offered a job as a constable in Kelowna. He worked in Kelowna for seven years before applying for a transfer a couple of months ago. “I was very fortunate and blessed to get the posting in Kelowna,” he said. “I grew up in the Lower Mainland and really didn’t like the traffic and hated the weather and getting a posting in the Okanagan was about as good as it gets when you graduate from police college. “I really loved my seven years in Kelowna, but I really needed a change of pace because that city is

growing so fast and there has been a dramatic increase in crime the past couple of years. “It was becoming so busy that all I did was run and run some more to call after call and there was simply no time ever to do things like community policing and proactive policing. There was no chance to mix with kids or play sports. I just needed a change.” Getting transferred to Osoyoos is another stroke of incredible luck as he will be able to achieve his goals of getting more involved in community policing and working with youth, while still enjoying the great weather and lifestyle offered in the South

Okanagan, he said. “I’m truly blessed to have been able to land here in Osoyoos,” he said. “I’m a real people person and I’m really looking forward to meeting business owners, working with kids and being able to do community policing, which is something I just never got the chance to do in Kelowna.” Another top priority will be his passion to get as many drunk drivers off the road as he possibly can, said Herman. His father was struck and seriously injured when hit by a drunk driver while on duty and physical complications sustained as a result of his injuries led to his diagnosis of terminal cancer and eventual early death a couple of years later in 2006, he said. “Because of what happened to my father, I’m very, very passionate about catching impaired drivers,” he said. “In one year alone in Kelowna in 2012, I arrested 148 people for impaired driving, which I’ve been told is the most of any police officer in Canada that year. “There is simply no excuse for drunk driving. It’s completely preventable. But so many people still do it and they are destroying families. If I can prevent one family from having to go through what my family went through and can prevent one death or serious injury as a result of catching an impaired driver, then I’m doing my job.” Herman said he plans to spend at least the next five years of his career in Osoyoos and is very much looking forward to becoming a part of the community. “I love people and I’m really looking forward to becoming involved in the community,” he said. “I’ve already met so many people who have gone out of their way to be friendly to me and I know I’m going to love it here.” Herman has no doubt he will remain an RCMP officer for many years to come. “Like both of my parents, I’m a career officer for sure,” he said. “I bleed RCMP. I’m really looking forward to enjoying the next phase of my career here in Osoyoos.”

OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 11

Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for those donuts! Youth in the Mini Chefs program at Oliver Parks and Recreation line up for a turn to assist in the donut making project in the community centre kitchen. From left are Quinn Ross, Toby Lefebvre, Jackson Schaffrick, Tanner Zeeman, Kayla Koteles and Ethan Koteles. (Lyonel Doherty photo)

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Horse racing returns to Desert Park By Keith Lacey

Horse racing fans will want to mark Saturday, Aug. 20 on their calendar as the Desert Park Exhibition Society has confirmed that will be the lone race date in Osoyoos in 2016. “We have applied for and been granted our race license,” said Mike Valliere, the president of the Desert Park Exhibition Society, which manages the Desert Park racetrack facility in Osoyoos. “We’re excited about our race date and everything is set to go.” The society applied to have two thoroughbred race dates for 2016, but senior management at Vancouver’s Hastings Park racetrack – by far the largest horse racing facility in the province – objected and the provincial licensing agency decided to grant only one race date for Desert Park, said Valliere. The tentative plan is to hold at least four thoroughbred races and one quarterhorse race on Aug. 20, said Valliere. The card could be expanded if enough thoroughbred owners show interest in coming weeks. The majority of horses that come to Desert Park to race come from Washington State, but there are also a few owners who do race regularly at Hastings Park and will make the trip from the Lower Mainland, said Valliere.

The society remains hopeful it can host at least two race dates each summer moving forward, said Valliere. “The more the better,” he said. “If we can’t hold at least two, then we’re going to have to continue looking for other avenues to raise revenue.” A first-time jousting event was held at Desert Park over the Victoria Day holiday weekend in May and there was solid fan support for that event, so there’s a good chance a second jousting card will be held next spring, he said.

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Grant Stevely, owner of Dubh Glas Distillery at Gallagher Lake north of Oliver, holds up a glass of his awardwinning Noteworthy Gin. His ultimate goal, however, is to develop the best single malt whiskey in the world. (Richard McGuire photo)

A small distiller with big ambitions By Richard McGuire Grant Stevely, owner of Dubh Glas Distillery north of Oliver, has very high ambitions. “My goal is to produce the best single-malt whiskey in Canada and that is my first goal,” he says. But he doesn’t stop there. “Then eventually, the best single malt whiskey in the world.” Considering that Dubh Glas hasn’t yet produced any single malt for sale, that may sound farfetched, but Stevely is a hard-working, meticulous perfectionist who spares no attention for detail. And he’s driven by a passion that began some years ago when he produced small batches of single malt and later toured the distilleries of Scotland. 14 www.oksun.ca

“I really got the bug when I was in Scotland and trying the different styles Scotland had to offer,” Stevely says. He chuckles when he recalls that his first distilling efforts were done in the staff accommodation washroom at the Banff ski resort where he worked. “I ran my condenser from my bathroom sink and we drained the condenser out through the bathroom drain and that’s where I started making single malt and smallbatch whiskey,” he says. “I was very discreet about it. That’s an understatement.” When Stevely began looking for his own business to start up, his passion for single-malt whiskey came to mind. And the timing was good as the craft distilling industry was starting to emerge. In the fall of 2010, he purchased some property at Gallagher Lake and began the rezoning process and devel-

Stevely has recently released a new product, Virgin Spirits, which has not been matured, but otherwise is the base of his single malt. (Richard McGuire photo) oping a business plan. “I wanted to build a distillery from the ground up, which is distinctly different from a lot of other distilleries,” he says. “So we built the distillery with expansion in mind.” At the heart of the operation is a German-made Arnold Holstein still. Stevely travelled to Arizona to undergo training on its use. No sooner did Stevely open Dubh Glas Distillery in the spring of 2015, when he began winning awards for his first product, Noteworthy Gin. The distillery had only been open for a week when Noteworthy won the award for best gin in British Columbia at the annual B.C. Distilled event in April 2015, the main craft and micro-distillery festival in the province. This year Noteworthy was also named one of the top 75 spirits available in B.C. at the Vancouver International Spirits Competition. “Dubh Glas” is Scottish Gaelic for “from the dark water.” It’s pronounced “Douglas,” which happens to be Stevely’s middle name. It also reflects the importance he gives to the water used to make spirits, which he draws from a well on his land. The problem with single-malt whiskey is that takes at least three years to mature in barrels. So it will be a while yet before Stevely can start selling it. “I looked at other spirits that I could make in the interim while our whiskey is aging so we can pay to keep the lights on,” says Stevely. “I began researching gins.”

He decided it must be unique to stand out from the crowd. It couldn’t be the same style of London dry gins that everybody else is making. In the end, he chose eight botanicals that give Noteworthy Gin its unique flavour. These are full fresh oranges, coriander seed, French lavender and yellow yarrow flower to provide the citrusy, floral forward nature of the gin. To back it up with a bit of a spice note, he includes Ceylon cinnamon and allspice. For the juniper, a key ingredient of gin, he chose a sweet Eastern European juniper berry from Bulgaria. As a backing sweetener, he uses Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans. Most recently Dubh Glas has introduced a new product called “Virgin Spirits.” It’s 100 per cent malted barley, unfiltered, un-aged and bottled at 50 per cent alcohol. Although he can’t call it a whiskey – to be a whiskey it must be aged – it is the same spirit that is being put into barrels at the distillery to become future single-malt whiskey. Stevely said he was receiving demand for a vodka and when he shared the new spirit with people, they wanted to buy bottles right away. “It’s a really complex new spirit. It’s really polished, so I’m very proud of that,” he said. Nothing is added – it’s just barley, yeast and water. But Stevely said the complexity is achieved by starting with 100 per cent B.C. barley, using a whiskey strain of yeast, and putting it through a double distillation process. From there it’s a question of running the still at the right speed to produce a complex-tasting spirit. When Stevely talks about his future ambition of producing the best single malt whiskey in Canada and eventually the world, he acknowledges that he’s never going to make a lot of it. He’s going for quality rather than quantity. “I want to produce the best and that comes with new innovative maturation techniques,” he said. “We have a great base spirit right now.” The warm climate of the Okanagan lends itself to accelerated maturation, Stevely said, adding that he also has unique barrels that he’ll use in a traditional way. He echoes the words of a veteran distiller, John Hall of Forty Creek Whisky in Grimsby Ontario: “We can respect tradition, but we don’t have to be bound by that tradition.” Stevely says that will be his approach as he seeks to innovate. “For me I want to be known for complex spirits,” he says. “Our single-barreled products are all going to be unique, in their own right.” Stevely, who regularly offers tastes of his products at local farmers markets and in the Dubh Glas tasting room, is grateful for the support he’s received from the local community. But his ambitions extend beyond the South Okanagan. “I want to be known on a bigger stage than just locally,” he says. Watch our video about this story at OKSun.ca. OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 15

Chris Bromage is back performing and recording music under the moniker End of Empire. He’s pleased with reaction to his self-titled CD. (Richard McGuire photo)

Osoyoos musician recovers his mojo as he deals with tragic loss of best friend By Keith Lacey Chris Bromage quit a promising music career at age 23 after his best friend was killed in the largest plane disaster in history involving a single plane. The fond memories of that friend are also the reason he’s returned to music and is looking forward to some very big things following the release of his acclaimed first CD. “I was just 23 years old and losing my best friend in that plane crash just devastated me,” said Bromage, who now calls Osoyoos home. “My best friend (Kim Mathews) and I were living 16 www.oksun.ca

together and playing in the same band in Japan … he was one of the 520 passengers killed in the Japanese air disaster Flight 123 on Aug. 12, 1985. After he died, I just gave up on music and didn’t play a note for more than 20 years. Ironically, his death is the reason I quit music and he’s the reason I returned to music.” Bromage, who was born and raised in Leeds, England, was driving his daughter from Vancouver to Harvard University in Boston two years ago when a life-changing incident took place. After he dropped his daughter off and was on the return trip to Canada, Bromage’s vehicle blew a tire. It was while waiting for assistance to replace the tire that

he suddenly felt overwhelmed thinking about his long lost best friend for the first time in a long time. “It was at that moment waiting for help in my car that I suddenly realized I had never, ever dealt properly with Kim’s death,” he said. “What I had done was ignore the sadness and I realized I wanted something much more positive to come out of his death. I felt I owed it to him to start playing music again. “I decided I would start playing and writing again and in a matter of days, I was writing two or three songs a day … a couple of months later, I ended up with 200 to 300 songs.” Bromage took the best of those songs and recorded them in the spring of 2015 under the moniker End of Empire. Reaction to Bromage’s heartfelt, thoughtful songs has been fantastic and well-known American producer David Wright ended up signing Bromage to his record label. His self-titled End of Empire album was recorded in Surrey in March and April 2015 with some additional backing vocals and percussion added at his home studio in Osoyoos last August. The title track was partially recorded in White Rock last January. Bromage is thrilled with how the album turned out and is hoping to return to the studio sometime in the next two months to record a second album. Songs from the first CD focus on “serious issues” like homelessness, corporate greed, poverty and how so few possess so much in today’s modern world, said Bromage. “I wanted to create an album that reflected upon the political and social issues I felt were pressing and important in 2015,” he said. “The album is a commentary upon these important societal issues, not the smaller personal issues of day to day life. The record should be viewed as a concept album with a loose narrative, not simply a collection of individuals songs.” He took the name End of Empire as an aspirational name reflecting a desire for human beings to end their seemingly continuous drive to achieve power and wealth usually, in the case of empires, at other people’s expense. “The album reflects my belief there is a direct line from past historical event and actions that are inextricably linked to present events and that they all shape what is happening in the world today,” he said. “I strongly believe no act sits in splendid isolation, no matter how far back we trace our historical steps. “Everything that happens on a micro or macro level can be traced back to another event, another point in time. The songs of the past vibrate into the social ills of today.” Bromage spent several years travelling and studying the history of former British Empire countries, including Canada, Belize, Fiji, Samoa, Jamaica. St. Kitts, Barbados and Australia “and from those experiences and people I met along the way, End of Empire the album was born.”

His songs include the voices of protagonists from the pro and anti-imperialist wings of the British Empire – including Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela – interspersed with the voices of American protestors taking to the streets in Ferguson, Missouri after a black teenager was gunned down by a police officer. “The record is dedicated to those who love above hate and for every kind act or gesture that reverberates down through time,” he said. “I do believe no good deed is ever wasted and it spreads out like the ripples on a lake sending a message of hope and possibilities to all who come into its path … and good deeds do reverberate down through time. “Although the record is dark in subject matter, it is a message of hope and possibility. It is dedicated to my best friend Kim and the music we never got to complete.” Bromage didn’t grow up in a musical family, but fell in love with David Bowie’s music as a teenager. “I used to fiddle around on the piano and organ, but I wasn’t very good,” he said. He attended a “teenage disco camp” that was popular in Britain at the time and heard Bowie’s song Life on Mars “and that changed my life.” He learned how to play guitar and eventually joined a punk band. “Punk came along and that was it for me,” he said. “I loved the punk ethos that you could do whatever you wanted and could just go for it without being an accomplished musician.” He played in bands in England and then decided to move to Japan where he met Matthews. They formed their own band there, when tragedy struck. Bromage has had an amazing life outside of music. He has worked as a real estate developer and sports agent for many years. He had heard about the Okanagan and decided to make his first trip to Osoyoos back in 2004 “and simply fell in love with the place,” he said. He and his wife Janine have returned every year since. In 2007, he and his wife built the Club Sierra subdivision near Osoyoos Golf Course. After their children left home, they moved to Osoyoos last year and into one of the units. “It has long been my belief that the Okanagan Valley is the most beautiful part of this amazing country and we happen to believe Osoyoos is the most beautiful part of the valley. We just love this town.” Bromage said his second album that is about to begin recording would be much lighter in tone. “I got all the heavy stuff out on the first one … this one’s going to feature a lot of poppier, fun tunes … in other words the complete opposite of End of Empire,” he said. End of Empire is available on iTunes and Amazon. Several videos of his songs are also available on YouTube. OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 17

By Kelsi Bissonnette Health and Wellness Coordinator Watermark Beach Resort

Your physical core is a complex series of muscles, extending far beyond your abs, including everything besides your arms and legs. It is incorporated in almost every movement of the human body. These muscles can act as an isometric or dynamic stabilizer for movement, transfer force from one extremity to another, or initiate movement itself. Your emotional core beliefs are unconscious beliefs that influence our entire lives, tell us what we can and cannot do, and drive our behaviours. These beliefs were planted between the ages of infancy and six years old. We then take these core beliefs with us into our adulthood unconsciously. Both the physical and emotional core can be discovered and strengthened. Our physical core has threedimensional depth and functional movement in all three planes of motion. Many of the muscles are hidden beneath the exterior musculature people typically train. The deeper muscles include the transverse abdominals, multifidus, diaphragm, pelvic floor, and many other deeper muscles. Your core most often acts as a stabilizer and force transfer centre rather than a prime mover. Yet consistently people focus on training their core as a prime mover

Wellness Words

Getting to the Physical and Emotional Core …

and in isolation. This would be doing crunches or back extensions versus functional movements like deadlifts, overhead squats and push-ups, among many other functional closed chain exercises. By training that way, not only are you missing out on a major function of the core, but also better strength gains, more efficient movement and longevity of health. It is important to first achieve core stability to protect the spine and surrounding musculature from injury in static and then dynamic movements. Research has shown that people with higher core stability have a lower risk of injury. Likewise, it’s also vital to your success and well-being to strengthen your emotional core. When you have a strong emotional core, you’re able to handle the stresses that challenge you each day. You’re also better able to withstand the emotional traumas that life occasionally sends your way.

When your emotional core is weak, the daily grind between work and personal issues can wreak havoc on your emotional stability. It can paralyze you and leave you so emotionally vulnerable that anything, no matter how big or small, can basically send you over the edge. You can end up in a depressed state of mind that makes your outlook on life seem so overwhelming and bleak that you don’t know how you’re going to make it another day. So what can you do to turn this around and develop an emotional core that can withstand today’s stressful life? First you must not let your life get too out of whack. You need to recognize your issues as they come up and take action before you become so ill that it takes drastic measures to get you feeling better and back to your old self again. Here are a few steps to strengthen your emotional core: 1. Take time for yourself 2. Nurture your relationships 3. Eat healthy foods and get some physical exercise 4. Get a good night’s rest 5. Develop personal interests 6. Meditate 7. Seek Help Both the physical and emotional core strength is important to our wellbeing. In good health, Kelsi Bissonnette

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

at Osoyoos Baptist Church (lower level). We are a support group interested in eating healthy and losing weight. New members welcome. For more info, call 250-495-0410.

Grandmothers for Africa meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 1 p.m. at the Osoyoos United Church.

Osoyoos Elks #436, 2nd Wednesday meet at 7 p.m., Elks Hall, 8506 92

O’s Own Writers meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. New members welcome. Call Jody 250-495-2170.

Avenue. Call Annette at 250-495-6227 or Ken Thibault at 250-495-3936. AA meetings every Monday 7 p.m. St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Every Friday 7 p.m. St. Christopher’s Anglican Church. Call Louise 250495-1627.

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

Osoyoos Photography Club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday in Room 3 upstairs at the Sonora Community Centre. Informal meet at 6:30 p.m. regular meeting at 6:45 p.m. For more information 250495-4960 email: osoyoosphotoclub@gmail.com.

August, 2016 Programme Visit Our Website

www.olivertheatre.ca

Summer Showtimes 7:00 & 9:00 p.m. Nightly (unless otherwise stated)

Phone 250-498-2277 Oliver, BC

Sat. – Sun. – Mon. – Tues. – Wed - Thurs. – Fri. Aug. 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 Showtimes nightly @ 7:00 & 9:20 p.m.

Sat. - Sun. – Mon. – Tues. July 30 - 31, Aug. 1 - 2 Showtimes nightly @ 7:00 & 9:10 p.m.

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 250-498-4372 or Donna 250-495-5001. Oliver & Osoyoos Search & Rescue. 7 p.m. every Thursday. 100 Cessna St., Oliver (beside the Air Cadet hangar) www.oosar.org.

Violence, coarse language.

Wed. - Thurs. - Fri. Aug. 3 - 4 - 5 Showtimes nightly @ 7:00 & 9:15 p.m.

Osoyoos Quilters meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at the Elks Lodge, 8506 92 Ave. at 9:30 a.m. Call 250-495-2254 or 250-495-4569 for more info. Evening quilting every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Patricia at 250-495-7769. Double O Quilters Guild meets on the 2nd Monday of the month, September through May. 9:30 a.m. at the Oliver Community Hall. Contact Lynda at 250-498-8804.

Violence, coarse and sexual language.

Sat. - Sun. – Mon. – Tues. Aug. 6 - 7 - 8 - 9

Communities for Kids Osoyoos Table Meeting. 3rd Monday of month 4 p.m. at Sonora Community Centre. 250-498-8433 for info.

Violence, coarse language.

Sat. – Sun. – Mon. – Tues. – Wed - Thurs. – Fri. Aug. 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 – 31, Sept. 1 - 2 Showtimes nightly @ 7:00 & 9:20 p.m.

Parkinson’s Support Group meets on Monday from 1 - 3 p.m. at Sunnybank Lodge in Oliver. Call Maureen at 250-495-7978 for more info.

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

Wed. - Thurs. - Fri. Aug. 10 - 11 - 12 Showtimes nightly @ 7:00 & 9:15 p.m.

Toastmasters... “Where leaders are made”. Drop in any Tuesday 7 p.m. at 5876 Airport St. in Oliver. Contact Shauna 250-485-8465 or meandwine@gmail.com. T.O.P.S. meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Open 7 days 7:00 am - 4:00 pm www.jojoscafe.ca

Violence, coarse language.

Sat. – Sun. – Mon. – Tues. – Wed - Thurs. – Fri. Wed Thurs. Aug. 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 Showtimes nightly @ 7:00 & 9:20 p.m.

Frightening scenes, violence.

Violence, coarse language.

Programme Subject To Unavoidable change without notice

8316 Main St Osoyoos 250.495.6652 OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 19

Janis St. Louis, the founder of the Piano in the Park program, looks on while Tristan Brunet-Dupont, 22, of Montreal, plays only minutes after the piano was installed in Gyro Park in early June. (Keith Lacey Photo).

Piano in Park has Osoyoos toes tapping By Keith Lacey You know when you’ve come up with a good idea when people start responding almost immediately. That’s exactly what happened on a recent afternoon when a donated piano was installed near the concession stand in Gyro Park in downtown Osoyoos. The brainchild for the Piano in the Park program was Janis St. Louis, one of the three founders of the popular Music in the Park concert series that has attracted so many music fans to the Gyro Park bandshell during its inaugural season last summer. Last month, volunteers helped anchor the piano – which was donated by the Turnbull family in Osoyoos – to a concrete slab near the concession stand. Within seconds, several musicians or aspiring musicians had gathered around the musical instrument, including Tristan Brunet-Dupont, 22, from Montreal. Brunet-Dupont is an accomplished pianist and he was all smiles as he stepped behind the ivory keys and started belting out tunes in the blazing Okanagan heat. St. Louis said she got the idea to put together the Pia20 www.oksun.ca

no in the Park program here in Osoyoos after her niece, Samara St. Louis, was visiting Kelowna last summer. “My niece was visiting last summer and was taking a walk in the park in Kelowna and noticed they had a public piano and how popular it was,” she said. “I checked things out and discovered they have several of them in parks in Kelowna and right away I thought about putting something together to try and get one in Osoyoos.” She is a friend of Bonnie Turnbull and her family and they generously donated an old piano they had owned at their Osoyoos home for many years. She then started contacting local businesses. Home Hardware generously donated some paint and the Osoyoos Home Building Centre donated the wood and parts to build a protective case for the piano, said St. Louis. Her husband Marcel and a couple of his buddies spent all day putting together the wooden case that will protect the piano from the elements – and anyone thinking about vandalizing the piano, she said. She contacted the Town of Osoyoos and found out there weren’t any serious issues over liability and insur-

Coping with common skin conditions Acne Acne is most common in teenagers and is caused by overactive sebaceous glands. Creams and lotions with benzoyl peroxide, salicylic Greg Wheeler, acid, glycolic acid Pharmacist or sulphur are available through Remedy’sRx without a prescription. For serious acne, antibiotic lotions may help. Rosacea It’s not yet known what causes rosacea, a skin disorder that causes your face to become redder and appear inflamed. If it becomes severe, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to reduce inflammation.

During an introductory ceremony in June, Kayla Turnbull was one of the first musicians to use the piano at Gyro Beach, which was donated by her family for the public to enjoy. (Dan Walton photo) ance and organized an official opening ceremony to unveil the Piano in the Park program. An experienced piano tuner from Naramata volunteered to make the trip to Osoyoos to professionally tune the instrument and anyone with any talent playing the piano will be able to play a tune or two for the rest of the summer and years to come, said St. Louis. “There are a lot of other cities and communities in Canada who have introduced these public pianos and they have been a huge hit wherever they have been introduced,” she said. “I think this will be another way

to get people to our beautiful downtown park and another way to allow people to enjoy themselves.” The amount of community spirit involved in making this all happen so fast has been remarkable, said St. Louis. St. Louis said she and her partners are looking forward to the Music in the Park concert series for 2016, with free concerts every Friday evening until Aug. 26. Her hope is to keep the piano in Gyro Park until the fall and then have it shipped over to the Sonora Community Centre, where it will also be available to members of the public.

Eczema Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, features small, itchy bumps and is most common in babies and small children. It is best to stay away from creams, ointments, soaps or anything that will irritate the skin. A doctor will prescribe corticosteroids or antihistamines if necessary. Psoriasis Psoriasis is a severely itchy, chronic skin condition. There is no permanent cure, but there are many creams and lotions available, including coal tar, that help. Talk to your Remedy’sRx pharmacist or doctor about other treatments such as topical steroids, ultraviolet B light and calcipotriene. These common skin conditions can affect the quality of your life. Ask your Remedy’sRx pharmacist for help coping with them.

105-291 Fairview Rd Oliver

250.485.4007

OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 21

Merritt Rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; River Fest four-day pass winners There were huge smiles and lots of excitement for two lucky local ladies recently when they learned they won a pair of four-day passes each to the Merritt Rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; River Fest 2016. Receiving the passes from the Okanagan Sun were Cheryl Das (left) and Sonia Rezka (below). The music festival ran from July 28 to July 31. (Richard McGuire photos)

22 www.oksun.ca

Wednesday Night Market at Osoyoos Town Square from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This market runs until the end of August.

Show runs from Aug. 2 – Sept. 16, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information please visit http:// fca-sos.ca/show

Oliver Thursday Night Market from 4:30 – 8 p.m. and Music in the Park 6:30 – 8 p.m. Oliver Community Park. Concerts are free but donations are appreciated.

Blood donor clinics at the Penticton Seniors Drop-in Centre at 2965 South Main Street. August 8 and 9 from 1:30 - 5:30 p.m. Download the GIVE BLOOD APP, book online at www.blood.ca or call 1-888236-6283. Check your eligibility to donate.

Saturday Market on Main until the end of September. Osoyoos Town Square 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Locally made produce, arts, crafts, breads, wineries, cideries and distilleries. Fun for the whole family. The Grist Mill in Keremeos has music on Aug. 12 featuring Ellestad Wilk Duo. Gary Fjellgaard plays on Aug. 18 and Old Man Luedeke on Aug. 25. Tickets are $20 and available for sale at the Grist Mill, www. oldgristmill.ca or 250-499-2888.

Liquidity Wines at Okanagan Falls is holding an Artist Lecture Series. Hear from internationally acclaimed Canadian artists as they discuss their work, what inspires them and describe their creative process. Saturday, Aug. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 10, 3 p.m., Liquidity Wines, 4720 Allendale Rd., Okanagan Falls. To reserve a space call 778-515-5500 or visit Liquiditywines.com.

Osoyoos Music in the Park is on Friday nights through the summer. Free show starts at 6:30 p.m. at Gyro Park. Aug. 5 – Darlene Ketchum Quartet; Aug. 12 – Beamer Wigley and Rick Wood; Aug. 19 – Dale Seaman & Highway 97; Aug. 26 – Royal Canadian Navy Band and Rusty Copeland.

A great place to see the Perseid Meteor Shower on Aug. 13 is at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, 717 White Lake Road in Kaleden. Free admission. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. 7:15 p.m. gates open, 8 p.m. talks, 9:30 p.m. stargazing. 250-497-2300. Concession available.

The Front Street Gallery presents ‘Agape Art’ from July 29 – Aug. 11. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Romancing the Desert is on Aug. 13 at the Osoyoos Desert Centre. Tickets are $70 each and only available in advance by calling 250-4955470 or emailing mail@desert.org. Wine tasting, dinner and twilight walking tour.

The Artists of the South Okanagan-Similkameen are inviting the public to a showing of their members’ artistic creations in their upcoming exhibit at the Shatford Centre, 760 Main St., Penticton.

The final Osoyoos street dance will be held on Aug. 13 in at the bandshell in Gyro Park from 7 – 10 p.m.

AUGUST

Interior Savings present Moonlight Movies on Aug. 15 at Osoyoos Elementary School upper field and Aug. 16 at the Oliver Community Park. Bring your chairs and blankets and enjoy Zootopia under the stars. This is a free event, but a donation of $10 per family would be appreciated. Concession and games starting at 7 p.m. Movie at dusk. Thoroughbred horse racing returns to Desert Park in Osoyoos. Come to Desert Park, 3800 Golf Course Drive, on Aug. 20 and place your bets! Post time 1 p.m. Gates open at noon. Food vendors, beer garden, 50/50, para-mutuel betting. Box Theatre Camp (Kids Summer Theatre) is happening again this year at the Keremeos Grist Mill and Gardens. The program is for seven to 12 year olds and runs 9 a.m. to noon, Monday to Friday, Aug. 22 to 26. Registration is free and numbers limited. Call 250-499-2352 between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday to Friday. Deadline is Aug. 18. Rotary Club of Osoyoos is holding its annual Lobster on the Beach event at Gyro Park on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $65 ea. If you would like to reserve a table (8 to a table) or want tickets please call Judy Miller-Bennett at 778-437-2555. Parkinson SuperWalk is the single most important provincial and national awareness and fundraising event for Parkinson Society British Columbia (PSBC). Oliver Community Centre, 6359 Park Drive, Sunday, Sept. 11. Registration: 9 a.m. walk starts at 10 a.m. 1 or 5 km. routes. Contact: Tracey 250-498-4562.

OKANAGAN SUN • AUGUST 2016 • 23

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