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Evan Della Paolera
Osoyoos boy lives his dream playing hockey for his hometown
IN THIS ISSUE
Oliver actor Cody Kearsley stars in Riverdale Netflix series
Page 20
PUBLISHER
4
Retiring math teacher didn’t know he was ‘fantastic’
6
Author sets thriller novel in Osoyoos
8
Louie foregoes ‘peace and quite’ for progress
10
RCMP sergeant always knew he wanted to be cop
12
When others see trees, Richard Walker sees dinner
14
Hometown boy lives hockey dream with Coyotes
16
Social justice students aim to make a difference
20
Oliver actor stars in new Riverdale Netflix series
22
Cribbage vet scores ‘perfect’ 29 hand
23
Around Town events calendar
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MARCH 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.
Evan Della Paolera
ON THE COVER Evan Della Paolera, 17, is living his dream playing for his hometown Osoyoos Coyotes. He’s polite and well spoken off the ice, but on the ice he’s tough and aggressive. (Richard McGuire photo) Page 14.
Osoyoos boy lives his dream playing hockey for his hometown
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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Sun Sightings The beauty of night – This photograph from McIntyre Bluff overlooking Highway 97 and Vaseux Lake truly brings out the beauty of the evening landscape. (Dan Walton photo)
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OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 3
Barry Gruntman recently retired after a 31-year teaching career, 20 years of that teaching math at Southern Okanagan Secondary School. When he had doubts about his chosen profession, a student who told him he was “fantastic” helped convince him to stay. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
Retiring math teacher didn’t know he was ‘fantastic’ By Lyonel Doherty Teaching arithmetic for 31 years is enough to make anyone’s head spin, so retirement is looking good for Barry Gruntman. The accomplished athlete and math wizard recently left Southern Okanagan Secondary School after 20 years of teaching there. While it may have been hard saying farewell to students and co-workers, it wasn’t nearly as challenging as taking his old desk out of the classroom. That thing 4 www.oksun.ca
weighs as much as a doublewide. “I’m taking it home, but my wife doesn’t have a love for it,” he chuckled. Gruntman proudly showed off the desk’s features since they served his father for many years before Barry took it over. Where did the years go? “For me, sitting in front of the kids, time flies.” And during those years he saw his share of light bulbs turning on in their heads as they solved challenging math equations.
Yes, he did everything he could to make everyone’s “worst subject” interesting, but he didn’t oversell it or point fingers. That wasn’t his method to make the students get it. In fact, Gruntman stopped checking homework years ago and left it up to his students to determine if they knew the material or not. His students appreciated that he didn’t lecture them like so many other adults do. “They don’t have to be good at math or analyze poetry (to get by in life), but they should know if the bank is ripping them off,” Gruntman said. Well, it would be difficult for a bank to pull the wool over his discerning eyes, especially when he looks at numbers all day. While teaching mathematics was his chosen career, it didn’t start out that way. He began studying computer science but found it to be rather tedious, so he pursued a math and physical education degree. That fit him quite nicely as he loved numbers and playing sports. He was a great baseball player and chased hockey pucks until the junior league. One year he was club champion at the Osoyoos Golf Club. He continues to stay in shape hitting golf balls and playing squash with Osoyoos Times editor Keith Lacey. After his degree, Gruntman began teaching math in Vancouver, but he left that job and sold real estate for four years because he wanted to crunch some serious numbers. One day his old principal called and convinced him to come back into the teaching world. But it was one student who made all the difference in his decision to stick with teaching. Gruntman was assigned a Grade 10 class that “nobody wanted.” He recalled there were 10 students who were “annoying beyond belief.” (He almost felt like Sidney Poitier in the film To Sir With Love, where the students were undisciplined, to say the least.) “I said I was done, but this one girl said ‘you can’t leave, you’re fantastic, you just don’t know that.’” So Gruntman stayed and never looked back. “Sometimes you’re too close to the blackboard and you don’t see (what’s going on around you).” After talking to retiring teacher John Chapman from Oliver, Gruntman applied for a job at SOSS and got it.
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There were many defining moments for him at this high school: one was allowing the students to write math equations on the windows. Another was hearing a graduate say, “I hate math less.” That was a big “win” for Gruntman. The teacher said he was glad the students didn’t link him with the subject matter. The educator reiterated that he didn’t try to sell math to his students. He told them, “Do what you like (with your life). Don’t do what your parents tell you.” Tristan Duursma, a student at the school, said Gruntman was one of his favourite teachers. “He can relate to you. He would come down to your level and push you to your limits. I liked that.” But Duursma admitted that he didn’t take full advantage of what Gruntman was teaching. “He never wanted to see homework. But not pushing to see homework made you push yourself,” Duursma said. The young man stated he’s going to miss the talks he used to have with Gruntman after class. (Last week Duursma gave him a goodbye hug in the empty classroom.) Gruntman admitted that he’s had enough of teaching because he’s fatigued. “The paperwork, the work outside the classroom … I’m done with it.” No more school bells, no more schedules to keep. What a life. But now that he’s retired, the “scary part” is what to do during the day. “I’m starting to do crossword puzzles,” he noted with a little zeal.
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Jennifer Fraser has set her new novel Crush: A Wine Thriller in Osoyoos. The book is a fictional tale of an investigative journalist with post traumatic stress disorder, who comes to Osoyoos for a less stressful assignment. But against her better judgment, she gets mixed up with a winemaker and smuggler. (Contributed photo)
Author sets thriller novel in Osoyoos By Keith Lacey Jennifer Fraser has many passions – with good wine, writing and spending vacations in Osoyoos near the top of her personal list. She has combined all three in publishing her new novel called Crush: A Wine Thriller. Fraser, who grew up in Vancouver but has called Victoria home for the past 14 years after working for 14 years as a professor in Comparative Literature at the University of Toronto, said all of the characters in the 280-page 6 www.oksun.ca
Crush are fictitious, but everything about Osoyoos is very real. “Anyone from Osoyoos will recognize all kinds of things throughout the book … certain streets, businesses and other things that make Osoyoos such a special place,” she said. Fraser currently teaches creative writing and literature in the International Baccalaureate program at GlenlyonNorfolk School in Victoria. Fraser, her husband and two children, ages 21 and 16, have spent virtually every summer as a family vacation-
ing in Osoyoos and she knew a long time ago that this town would be the setting for Crush, said Fraser. She originally wrote the first draft of Crush more than a decade ago, “but wasn’t pleased with it,” and made many revisions over the past couple of years before looking for a publisher once again several months ago. She’s thrilled with this version and is hoping the numerous rave reviews she has already earned will garner good sales when the book is officially launched during a book and signing tour set she hopes will kick off in Osoyoos in March. “I really worked hard to bring all of the elements that I wanted into the book and I’m very pleased with this version of it,” she said. A character called Paige Munro, an investigative journalist who still has nightmares about her partner’s death while covering the war in Syria, is the narrator in this unique wine thriller, said Fraser. Seeking a distraction, Munro secures what she believes will be a “safe assignment” writing and photographing a book about a hot new wine region in British Columbia. “Paige is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after just losing her husband,” said Fraser. “Her parents and friends are worried about her … but she wants to get back to work and decides to take what she feels will be an easy assignment and come to the Okanagan to write about wine. “But when she goes against her better judgment by getting involved with winemaker and smuggler Nicholas Alder, her world is turned upside down as the danger she sought to forget comes rushing back with brute force.” Illicit affairs, seedy characters and illegal smuggling across the border set the scene for thrills and chills, said Fraser. “Essentially, Paige’s life is in danger because the people she comes across. You don’t know who is good or who is bad.” Osoyoos provides the perfect backdrop for the wine thriller, said Fraser. “The true protagonist throughout the novel is wine,” she said. “But Osoyoos is featured prominently … with its rare beauty and amazing wineries. I happen to think Osoyoos is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It’s the perfect setting for a novel like this.” The book is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon and Fraser hopes to distribute hundreds to various winery gift shops once the book is officially released in March. The reviews of Crush: A Wine Thriller, have been excellent. “Whether you’re an avid wine lover or a casual sipper, you’ll be enthralled by Paige’s adventures. The journalist who normally covers wars and military coups receives an assignment that offers more mystery and danger than she’d expected. Her situation will keep you guessing until the final pages,” said Kathy McAree, founder of
Travel with Taste. “Crush offers the kind of taste that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page. It races, it hums, it heats the blood. Once you’ve pulled the cork on this heady adventure, you won’t put it down until the bottle’s empty,” said Terence Young, award-winning author of The End of the Ice Age. “Crush is a suspenseful, emotionally charged mystery, in which wine itself is arguably the true protagonist. So, grab a glass of your favourite B.C. wine and a copy of this book, and enjoy a perfect pairing, said well-known sommelier Sharon McLean. “Crush is a gripping romp through B.C.’s vineyards, a great mystery that portrays the uniqueness of the Okanagan. You’ll gain insight into the day-to-day activities in a winery, the stakes involved in a multinational industry, and the lengths to which some people will go to obtain power. Add realistic characters and a dash of international intrigue, and you have all the ingredients for a fastpaced, informative and very entertaining read. Whether you enjoy a good mystery or have a love of wine (or both), this tale is sure to please!” said Tim Ellison, Chef de Cuisine, Sommelier, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. Fraser has also written several other books and essays, including Teaching Bullies; Zero Tolerance on the Court or in the Classroom in 2015; Be a Good Soldier; Children’s Grief in English Modernist novels in 2011; and Rite of Passage in the Narratives of Dante and Joyce in 2002.
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Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie recently spoke of his personal passion for young people and his economic vision in a speech to the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
Louie foregoes ‘peace and quiet’ for progress and young people By Lyonel Doherty Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie admits that he’s in the last quarter of his life. But he’s going to spend that last quarter helping the younger generation succeed. That was the crux of his recent speech to the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce during “Coffee Connections” at Fairview Mountain Golf Course. Despite age catching up to him, Louie does not want what many older people desire – peace and quiet. He doesn’t want to sit around smelling the flowers, either. “My passion is looking after the young people, not my peace and quiet. If I have to put up with a little more 8 www.oksun.ca
noise (or waiting at another traffic light), that’s worth it for the young people and the families that need an income.” The chief, who has never taken a sick day off work in 30 years, acknowledged that most retirees understand the value of attracting businesses to the community. But there are a few who just want to sit in the backyard while young families scrape by. “We should be thinking about the younger people (and let them have their chance at success).” Louie referred to the Area 27 racetrack as a business that will impact a lot of people in the region. (He said the grand opening is scheduled for the first week of June.) He admitted that not everyone supports this enterprise,
adding that white people agree to disagree just as much as natives do. But Louie said when you see a $900,000 car cruising through the small town of Oliver, that’s a rare event. He said everyone who owns one of these super cars has a network of business people. “I’m looking forward to Area 27. It will bring a calibre of business people that this region has never seen before.” Louie said that Area 27’s spin-off benefits will be “unreal.” The chief said he was in an Oliver restaurant with someone recently and noticed that they were the only ones in there. “This is bothersome to business people. Many of our businesses are barely scraping by. I want to see wealthy people here laying down cash.” Louie said if it weren’t for Area 27, one winery’s entire stock of Chardonnay would not have been purchased. The chief said some people don’t want Oliver to exceed 5,000 in population because they don’t want to pay extra for police protection. He called this a narrowminded view. “They are not business-minded people … they are not sweating bullets in paying their staff.” Louie said the best way to prevent schools from closing in Oliver and Osoyoos is to bring jobs here and ensure that people with children earn paycheques. The chief, recently won re-election, said it’s a bad sign for the business community when an enterprise burns down and the lot remains empty. “We’ve got a big problem in Oliver and Osoyoos … we need business.” Louie said the people who are opposed to the Okanagan Correctional Centre are basically saying, “Send the jobs somewhere else, we don’t want them.”
He pointed to the Burrowing Owl winery near Osoyoos as a business that has “raised the bar” in what it offers to customers. “We all need to raise the bar. You don’t do that by saying you want peace and quiet.” Louie talked about the future of the Osoyoos Indian Band, noting there are some “deals” that he hopes to announce soon. He also mentioned the existence of land claims that the band is working on in order to add more land to their reserve. “Many of you are making money on our land,” he said. “The OIB has been left out of the picture for a long time, so we’ve got some catching up to do.” Local entrepreneur Alberto Veintimilla commented that it would be nice to have access to more business opportunities when the band leases its land to companies. He noted that most of the bidding contracts go out of town. Louie said the band doesn’t own these companies but does have some influence. “We have to improve on that … we’ll make sure we throw (local) business names out there every chance we get.”
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Jason Bayda, recently promoted to sergeant, was recently made the permanent commander of the Osoyoos RCMP Detachment. He says he’s “ecstatic” because he loves the community. (Richard McGuire photo)
Sgt. Bayda, commander of Osoyoos RCMP Detachment, knew in Kindergarten he wanted to be a police officer By Richard McGuire Jason Bayda has long been the acting commanding officer of the Osoyoos RCMP Detachment, but now that position is permanent – along with a promotion in rank to sergeant. “I was ecstatic to hear the news,” he said in early February. Sgt. Bayda, 45, who started his RCMP career in 2001 and came to Osoyoos in May of 2009, has served as acting commander over several stretches. He acted as commander in 2015 following the departure of Sgt. Kevin Schur and prior to the arrival in June 2015 of Sgt. Randy Bosch. After Bosch was seriously injured in a May 2016 vehicle accident, Bayda again stepped up as acting commander. Bayda said that when it became clear the position was 10 www.oksun.ca
vacant, and the RCMP requested applications, he applied. “I wanted to be able to continue on with the successes we had been having here,” he said. “I just absolutely love this town.” In early December, he knew he was short listed, but he heard no rumours or rumblings that he had the promotion until he was informed Feb. 3. Bayda said his love for Osoyoos is in part because of the good relationship he has with Mayor Sue McKortoff and other members of council, as well as with the wider community. “I know many people here,” he said. “It really has become home and my family wants to stay here. This gives us the opportunity to do that and continue doing what I love.” The story of how Bayda became a police officer and rose to his new position has taken some unusual twists
Jason Bayda, then a corporal, tows some boaters who were stranded on Osoyoos Lake without fuel. The RCMP do boat patrols with an inflatable Zodiac during the busy summer months. (Richard McGuire photo) through his life. Bayda said he knew as early as kindergarten that he wanted to be a police officer. And that’s what he drew when teachers asked him to draw pictures of what he wanted to be when he grew up. But his career took a different twist when he finished high school and went on to the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He then went to work for the forerunner of FortisBC natural gas. “I had a really good job working for the gas utility,” he said. “But I always had this inkling that I really wanted to do policing.” He admits he was hesitant to apply because he feared that if he were turned down, it would be the end of his dream. As he got older, he realized that the dream would never come to fruition unless he took the plunge. After he and his wife, Rebecca, attended an information session with the RCMP, she asked him what he thought. He told her he had a strange feeling that everything they were describing was what he could bring to the position. She told him she was thinking exactly the same thing, and she said she was confident he would get in. “And so we made the choice, it really was a family choice, that I was going to apply,” recalls Bayda. “I was successful and couldn’t be happer.” Bayda grew up on Vancouver Island in Port Alberni and Nanaimo, and was lucky that his first posting was in Nanaimo.
He was there from 2001 to 2007, starting in general duty and then moving to the criminal intelligence section. “I came up for transfer and I was fortunate to get Lytton, which is a fantastic community,” he said. “I absolutely loved my time there.” But then he was offered a promotion and a chance to come to Osoyoos. “When you hear about Osoyoos, you certainly can’t turn that one down,” said Bayda. Asked about how crime has changed since he’s been in Osoyoos, Bayda said this community isn’t crime-ridden like many other places. “We have the same crimes that all other towns and cities have, but just on a much lower scale,” he said. “We have certain people in this town that we know are involved in crime, and some of them have gotten away with it for a little bit too long.” Bayda said he plans to focus on these offenders, but he insists that overall Osoyoos is a safe community. Asked about his policing philosophy, Bayda emphasizes the importance of police working with the community. “The community is your eyes and ears,” he said. “We can’t do this job without the community support, without them calling us when they see things.” The older approach of police was to want to do everything, but that’s not realistic, he said. “We need the community to work with us,” he said. “My philosophy would be for our members to work with the community as one large team. I think we can have a lot of success.” OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 11
Richard Walker has a vision of communities developing multi-generational food forests containing layers of shrubs, small trees, medium trees and large trees – just like they would be found in a forest. Many edible and medicinal plants are well suited to the South Okanagan, he says. (Richard McGuire photo)
When others see trees, Richard Walker sees dinner By Richard McGuire The ancestors of humans gathered their food in trees of the forests, so Richard Walker is drawing from the distant past when he promotes food forestry. Historically, the most desirable places for human habitation have been where the sounds of birds signaled the presence of food, he said. Walker, who now lives in Osoyoos, grew up on an organic mixed farm near Tofield, Alta. He moved to Grand 12 www.oksun.ca
Forks in 1985 and developed a three-and-a-half-acre “worn-out horse pasture” into a food forest. Now he’s growing one here in Osoyoos. Walker was a recent guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Osoyoos where he expressed hope that the food forest can be adopted in Osoyoos. A food forest, he said, uses the concept of stacking shrubs, small trees, medium trees and tall trees, just like they would be found in a forest. He spoke about the many plants – some well known,
some less known – that can produce food and medicine. “That way we can get a lot more production out of a given area,” said Walker. “It also adds a lot of biodiversity to our environment, whether we’re in the city, a town or the country.” Walker showed the Rotarians photos of some of the fruits, berries, nuts and leaves that could be grown and eaten here. There are nuts like pecans, that grow on spreading trees, Asian pears, raspberries and many kinds of kiwi that are smaller and less furry than the ones commonly found in the grocery store. “In my experience, once people have tasted the argutas, the smaller fruited varieties, they are total converts,” he said referring to a hairless kiwi a fraction of the size of the ones sold in stores. “You’ll never go back to eating the large ones, because they taste so much better,” said Walker. You could get a food forest started very quickly on a small piece of land, he said, but a thriving food forest is a long-term commitment. You are growing perennials rather than annuals. “I like to think of it like banking,” he said. “One is your cash account which is the kind of gardening we do with annuals. Our food forest with perennials is our RRSP.” But because the food forest is a multi-layered system, some of the smaller plants and bushes like strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currents and perennial vegetables could produce in the first year. “That could actually happen very quickly,” Walker said. On the other hand, canopy trees, which are also part of a mature food forest, might not produce for about five or 10 years. So why aren’t there more food forests around, either run privately or as community projects? Walker says they have been springing up in such diverse places as Sheffield, England; Saskatoon, Sask.; Seattle, WA; and Kamloops and Penticton in B.C. “It’s going to vary widely from community to community,” he said when asked about obstacles the concept faces. “There are two or three stumbling blocks. Access to land would be the first problem. And the commitment to dedicate the land to it. Obviously what we’re planning here is a long-term strategy.” He suggested that a food forest project could be multigenerational, but over the years, many people would benefit from it. There’s also the initial perception of people who don’t see a forest as a source of food. “Once people realize and see working examples of it, it makes a big difference,” said Walker. “It’s a concept that runs almost opposite to what we’ve thought about the way we can produce food. It’s a different way of doing things.” Does a food forest make economic sense, or is it only something that people pursue out of passion? “It can be any of those,” said Walker. “It can be made
to work economically quite easily. It can be just a work of love, of enjoyment. Instead of playing golf, you might be working in the food forest.” He acknowledges that it’s labour intensive at the beginning, but he said the labour requirement drops off sharply as the forest becomes established. Walker envisions community food forests similar to community gardens, with those who do the work reaping the benefits. They could even be run in conjunction with community gardens. “There are many different formulas for how they work,” he said. Walker his written a book about the concept, “Food Forestry North of the 49th,” which was published at the beginning of 2016. He also does consulting for people interested in starting a food forest. Walker said he would love to see a community food forest started in Osoyoos. “We have unbelievable potential here,” Walker said. “What you could grow here and how you could do it is just stunning.” He also sees potential synergies between food forestry and Osoyoos culinary experiences. “We have the perfect (climatic) zoning here for pecans,” said Walker. “What I really dream about is seeing the Okanagan River lined with pecan trees.” Walker can be reached at 778-437-2028.
OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 13
Evan Della Paolera swoops in on North Okanagan Knights goaltender Daniel Paul during a game at the end of the season. A broken shoulder in the second game of the playoffs against the Knights has side-lined him for the rest of the playoffs. (Richard McGuire photo)
Hometown boy Evan Della Paolera lives his hockey dream with Yotes By Keith Lacey Evan Della Paolera is living the dream shared by so many Canadian hockey players by being able to play the game he loves at an elite level in his hometown. Born and raised in Osoyoos, Della Paolera, 17, played all of his minor hockey in the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association (SOMHA) system and grew up watching the Coyotes from a very young age. “I was one of the kids who picked up the rubber ducks from the Chuck-a-Duck promotion at the Coyotes games,” said Della Paolera, as polite and well spoken off the ice as he is aggressive and tough on the ice. “I did that for three years I believe. Like many other young hockey players in this town, I grew up watching the Coyotes and dreaming of playing for them some day and to have that dream come true this season is pretty special.” After playing a couple of games last season as an Alternate Player while playing Midget hockey, Della Paol14 www.oksun.ca
era set his sights on making the Coyotes for the 2016-17 season and spent endless hours in the gym to be in the best physical condition of his young life. Mission accomplished – as head coach and general manager Ken Law said he had no choice but to keep the hulking six-foot-five, 200-pound winger. “He made this team on merit … not because he’s a local kid,” said Law. “He played so well during training camp that I had no choice but to select him and he’s earned his spot on our club and become a really big part of the team.” Being able to play in front of his parents Mark and Angela, his brother Brandon, 15, and sister Ashley, 13, as well as numerous family members and friends at every home game at the Sun Bowl Arena is simply a thrill, said Della Paolera. “My Mom and Dad have been so supportive of me my entire hockey career,” he said. “They don’t miss a game in Osoyoos and they travel to almost all the road games
against teams in our division. “It’s incredible to be able to play in your hometown and have your family and all of your friends in the stands cheering you on. It’s everything I thought it would be and more.” Moving up from minor hockey to Junior B has been as difficult a transition as he thought it would be, but his large body, great skating ability and toughness have made him a visible presence on and off the ice. Della Paolera has chipped in with four goals, two assists and he’s among the league leaders in penalty minutes with 180 as the regular season wrapped up recently. That’s also made him a target for opposing players and in the second game of the playoffs, one such incident left him with a broken shoulder, side-lining him for the remainder of the playoffs. “It has been a big, big jump, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge,” he said. “The size of the players and speed of the game is so much faster in this league than in midget. “The players are smarter, faster and make plays better and you had better be ready to compete or you can get embarrassed out there. It has been a big jump, but a good one and I’ve loved playing at this elite level.” The Coyotes are once again one of the best teams in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) and one of the favourites to win a league title. They were regular season juggernauts the past two seasons, but things fell apart in the playoffs and Della Paolera doesn’t believe that will happen again. “Everyone on this team is very close and we’re best friends and always joking around, but on the ice we go to war for each other,” he said. “We have a great group of guys and great bunch of hockey players and we really feel this team is special and we’re capable of great things.” Della Paolera said it will be “very tough” for any team in the league to beat the Coyotes in a best-of-seven playoff series. “We’ve had a great season so far, but we’re trying to play our best down the stretch here so we can head into the playoffs playing our best hockey,” he said in an interview near the end of the regular season. “We know what’s happened the last two years falling short in the playoffs and we don’t want that to happen again. “Every guy on this team really believes we can win a championship this year and that’s the only goal.” Della Paolera said his future goals include trying to earn a spot on a B.C. Hockey League team next season. If that doesn’t work out, “I would gladly like to come back for a second season with the Coyotes.” If he keeps improving his hockey skills, he would love to pursue a hockey scholarship in the United States. “I’ve always kept good grades and would love to take the NCAA route and pursue a quality education, while playing at a very elite level,” he said. “I know I have to keep improving, but I think it’s attainable.” Law said Della Paolera’s charismatic personality, huge size and ability to create chaos on the ice have made
him a very popular teammate. “He’s a very popular guy in the room and the players love the fact he’ll go out there and hit everything that moves,” he said. “He’s one of those kids who will do whatever it takes to win and every good team needs guys like him.” Once Della Paolera learns to use his physical attributes better, he’s going to have a lot of teams at a higher level looking at him, he said. “He’s a huge kid and tremendous skater, so he tends to go out there and run over every guy he sees,” he said. “Once he learns he doesn’t have to run all over the place and can still be effective, he’s going to become a force. He’s a really attentive kid and grasps everything we’re trying to teach him and he’s become a much better player over the course of the season.” Law said he hopes Della Paolera is successful in moving up to the BCHL next season, but would welcome him back with open arms if he’s not ready.
Evan Della Paolera from Osoyoos is living his dream playing hockey for the Osoyoos Coyotes, the team he grew up cheering. (Keith Lacey photo) OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 15
Social justice students at SOSS aim make difference with hands-on program By Dan Walton The most politically engaged students of Oliver are especially passionate about tackling the issues of extreme poverty and mental illness. During a lunch break recently at Southern Okanagan Secondary School, Grade 12 students in the Social Justice program held a fun fair. The cafeteria was full of info displays about their year-end projects, which were each based on a humanitarian undertaking of their choosing. There was a carnival-style game at each station, which was used to engage peers and raise money to make a difference. Jacob Bollock decided to take on the issue of homelessness in the South Okanagan. “We have no place for homeless people here in Oliver,” he said. “No place for them to go, nowhere to get taken care of. No place for them to be able to give back to the community.” Whether it’s done as a public or private initiative, Bollock would like for a building or small plot of land in a central location to be donated to those without a home. “They’d be able to give back easier because they’d be connected and they’d be near town so they’d be more visible instead of hiding behind the bridges or buildings,” he said. Many residents of Oliver are homeless simply because it’s unaffordable, Bollock said, which has resulted in endemic couch surfing. “We have absurd housing prices,” he said, adding that there’s a large discrepancy between average wages and average housing costs. Shelby MacRae, who’s also in the program, addressed the homeless problem as well. “Over the course of my life I’ve noticed that homelessness in the South Okanagan has gone up,” she said. “Me and my group decided that taking on homelessness would be a good idea because even if it helps just a few people, that’s the difference we want to make.” Earlier in the semester, MacRae’s group ran a blanket
drive and collected many warm fabrics for the Salvation Army Compass House in Penticton. “They shelter homeless people over the winter and everybody donated what they could for blankets.” One of the issues interwoven with homelessness is mental health, which was the focus of Brittaney Silberg’s project. “I see a lot of people around me struggling with mental health and I struggle with it as well,” she said. “I want people to be made more aware – they don’t need to just self-diagnose, they can go get help and there’s a lot of support everywhere.” Silberg said insecurities and the fear of exposing vulnerabilities prevent many people from addressing their mental illness, and a greater sense of awareness will break down those stigmas. “Everybody is growing up too quickly and technology is introduced into our lives too soon. I want to give people a better understanding of what mental illness is and how it can be healed,” she said. “Anxiety is getting way bad for teenagers in Canada.” The instructor for Social Justice, Sarah Riordan, said the program gives students the opportunity to show the greater community that they want to be an active part of it. “People underestimate teenagers and often think of them as self-centred,” she said. It was important for the year-end project to require students to engage their issue of choice with a hands-on approach. “They can’t just write a report or something.” One group of students this year included lobbying the government to increase funding for aboriginal education in isolated reserves, and another group raised money for World Wildlife Federation. In years past, students raised money to set up a microfinancing account locally, and that continues to grow and gain momentum, Riordan said. “They really do care about other people and issues in the community.”
WAXING SPECIAL 15% OFF All Waxing for the Month of March 250. 498. 6898 6250 Main St. Oliver, BC
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Grade 12 student James Wheeler tries to score with a ping pong ball in a cup at Shelby MacRae’s station during the social justice carnival at SOSS. Looking on are Bethany Smith, Satbir Aujla and Tony Abellan. Students learn about social justice through hands-on projects. (Dan Walton photo)
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OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 17
WELLNESS WORDS
How to use Creativity for Wellness
What is creativity to you? Do you feel you are not a creative person because you are not a musician, artist or poet? You may be surprised to hear how creative you really are and how important creativity is to vitality, youth and wellness. All humans have a unique creative essence that shows in many different ways. We are all creative. We all have a need to express ourselves in our own unique way. This can be through cooking, our choice of clothing, how we raise our children, photography, a blog or even a building project. It is about finding what we are passionate about, what lights our fire and gets us excited. When we are in “the flow” and being creative we notice time passes so quickly because we are fully engaged in what we are intending, developing or creating. Creativity is an elixir of life. It keeps us from being dried up and brittle by keeping our life-force energy channelling into new ideas, projects and visions. When our creativity diminishes, life is rigid, inflexible, stagnant and does not evolve. Our bodies will also mimic this essence and our bodies will too
become tight, inflexible, immobile and unwell. In yoga the Sacral Chakra is connected and the centre to our creativity. The Sacral Chakra is the second chakra located in your lower belly and pelvis. Passion is the fuel of creative energy. Everything you create, a poem, a drawing, or a website, originates from the energy of second chakra. It is also where your fertility originates. A person with an open Sacral Chakra is passionate, present in their body, sensual, creative, and connected to their feelings. Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity is characterised by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. This spring, open up to the idea of finding, recognizing and exploring your passions. Feel how your energy will shift when you start using your creative connections. Don’t be afraid of your passions. Allow them to fill you up and inspire you. If you do not have a creative outlet yet, keep seeking
one that lights you up and makes you feel most alive. Dancing, waterskiing, gardening, star gazing, woodworking to knitting – it does not matter the activity and do not be afraid to try something new. Not only is it great for cognitive health to learn, it is good for our overall wellness. Enjoy the process. In Wellness 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
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www.osoyoospilates.com Email inquiries contact us wellness@watermarkbeachresort.com 18 www.oksun.ca
MEETINGS
Grandmothers for Africa meetings are the second Wednesday of the month, 1 p.m. at the Osoyoos United Church.
T.O.P.S. meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Osoyoos Baptist Church (lower level). We are a support group interested in eating healthy and losing weight. New members welcome. For
O’s Own Writers meet the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. at the Osoyoos Arts Centre. New members welcome. Call Jody 250-4952170.
more info, call 250-495-0410. Osoyoos Elks #436, 2nd Wednesday meet at 7 p.m., Elks Hall, 8506 92 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 250-495-1627.
OLIVER THEATRE
Osoyoos Photography Club meets the first and third Tuesday in Room 1 downstairs at the Sonora Community Centre. Informal meet at 6:30 p.m. regular meeting at 6:45 p.m. For more information, call 250-495-4960 email: osoyoosphotoclub@gmail.com.
Enjoy your evening out, taking In a movie at the Oliver Theatre!
February, 2017 Programme Visit Our Website
www.olivertheatre.ca
Regular Showtimes 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., Thurs. – Fri. Feb. 18 - 19 - 20 - 21, 23 - 24 Showtimes on Fri. & Sat. @ 7:00 & 9:25 p.m.
Thurs. - Fri. – Sat. Feb. 2 – 3 - 4 Showtimes on Fri. & Sat. @ 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 250-4984372 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.
Nominated for 14 Academy Awards Including
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay Coarse and sexual language.
Sun. – Mon. – Tues. Feb. 5 - 6 - 7 Sun. Mon. Tues. Feb. 5 6 7
Nominated for 3 Academy Awards Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress Best Adapted Screenplay
Osoyoos Quilters meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. 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 first and third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Vera at 250-495-2738.
Coarse language.
Sat. – Sun. – Mon. – Tues., Thurs. – Fri. Feb. 25 - 26 - 27 - 28, March 2 - 3
Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tues., Thurs. Fri. Thurs. – Fri. – Sat. – Sun. – Mon. – Tues., Thurs. – Fri. Feb. 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 – 13 – 14, 16 - 17 One Showing Nightly @ 7:30 p.m.
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 250498-8804.
Academy Award Nomination for
Communities for Kids Osoyoos Table Meeting. 3rd Monday of month 4 p.m. at Sonora Community Centre. 250-4988433 for info.
Best Visual Effects
Parkinson’s Support Group meets on Monday from 1 - 3 p.m. at Sunnybank Lodge in Oliver. Call Maureen at 250495-7978 for more info. 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.
Violence.
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 • MARCH 2017 • 19
Cody Kearsley, formerly of Oliver, plays Moose Mason in the new Netflix series Riverdale. The actor showed promise back in 2009 when he took the lead role in his high school’s production of Grease. (Publicity photo)
Oliver actor among cast of new Riverdale Netflix series By Dan Walton A new Netflix series has given the Archie Comics a dark new twist, and an actor from Oliver is part of the new drama unfolding in Riverdale. Riverdale is the title of both Archie’s fictional community and the new Netflix series. Cody Kearsley, who graduated from Southern Okanagan Secondary School in 2009, was hired as the actor who personifies Moose Mason, a friend of Archie’s who portrays the quintessential high school jock. American pop culture has a knack of glorifying high school football, but like many high schools in Canada, there was no opportunity to play on a team at SOSS. But as an actor, Kearsley was able to experience that deep passion Americans have for the game – while filming 20 www.oksun.ca
the pilot episode of Riverdale, he spent hours as Moose Mason, dressed in full gear underneath the Friday Night Lights-style set. Before he graduated, Kearsley was involved in athletics at SOSS, but most of his extra-curricular energy was spent as an entertainer. His first inkling that he wanted to take acting seriously came as a student of Alison Podmorow. “Her drama classes were incredible,” he recalled. “I would always hang out there on lunch hour – her class was the place to be. She made acting cool. If anyone is seriously considering performing after school, they need to get involved with her productions.” Podmorow said Kearsley was fun loving with a big personality. “He was an excellent theatre student who really loved the craft of acting.”
The drama teacher said she actually thought he was going to be a dancer, like one of Beyonce’s backup dancers. “I did think he would make it in the industry in some way.” Podmorow said Kearsley was a natural on stage; a real presence. And that presence really shined when he starred in the school production of Grease. “Not only was he awesome as Danny Zuko, he also choreographed the whole show.” The teacher said she is very proud of this young man. “He has worked extremely hard for this break. These things don’t come easy. They take dedication, commitment and grit.” Podmorow gave kudos to Kearsley’s mother, Marlene, who was the “most supportive mom in the entire world.” Podmorow noted that her family is hooked on Riverdale. “We can’t wait to see the next episodes.” Kearsley said his experience in Grease was special because all of the other cast members – being high school students – were all amateurs. “The good thing about amateur actors, and I still consider myself to be one, is we put 150 per cent effort into it. We’re all so excited to be there and so excited for the project – everyone is so passionate. We feel all the heart and soul go into it.” For those who manage to become professionals, acting can lose its magic and just become a job, he said. Even though Kearsley is in his mid-20s and portrays a teenager on screen, he said he wouldn’t have been able to handle the role of Moose Mason when he was the actual age of the character. “An actor needs more maturity to play out these kinds of life problems,” he said, doubting the abilities of his younger self. “When I was in high school, I was a nut job, I was all over the place.” Whether SOSS was putting on a play or musical, Kearsley loved being on stage. After graduating high school, he attended dance school in
Los Angeles on a scholarship, and then enrolled in a three-year acting program at the Theatre of Arts in Hollywood. He subsequently received the Michael Chekhov Award for most promising actor. But even though he’s proven himself as a competent actor on a Netflix series, Kearsley still feels like a starving artist. He’s likely to continue his role as Moose Mason if Riverdale can achieve high enough ratings, and new episodes are currently being released through the website every Thursday. Regardless of whether Riverdale goes beyond one season, Kearsley’s acting career has been taken to the next level, and he said he’s become much more comfortable acting in front of a camera. “I used this show as an opportunity to learn how to act on set,” he said. “I really feel like I’ve grown as an actor and person.” Netflix has plans to shoot other original material in the Vancouver area, Kearsley said, and he’s hoping they’ll need more of his help. “I love Netflix’s original programming – their quality of writing, acting and directing – I hope they keep creating more of these outstanding jobs.” His mother, a veteran teacher for 26 years, and librarian at Tuc-el-Nuit Elementary, said Cody’s career is making good pace. “To me, Riverdale’s just a stepping stone to where he’s going,” she said, adding that, “He has perseverance, good work ethic, a passion for acting and he’s just one of these people that’s very nice – people like him.” Growing up in a small town like Oliver didn’t discourage her son from pursuing his dream of being a professional actor. Between school plays and the Elvis competition at the Penticton Peach Festival, Marlene said Cody’s had a passion for performing since he was three years old. “He’s very versatile, he can adapt to whatever situation is presented to him. He always goes in with 110 per cent.”
Head Lice: Nothing to be afraid of The thought of little creatures crawling over your head is yucky. But the reality is that head lice are as contagious as the common cold.
Greg Wheeler, Pharmacist
Lice are very small insects that measure about the size of a pinhead and can live on the scalp. They are spread by direct contact with people or objects and are particularly common in children. One of the first signs of head lice is an itchy scalp, but this symptom is not prevalent in everybody. Head lice move fast, are hard to see and are usually found very close to the scalp, at the bottom of the neck and behind the ears. To look for lice, part hair into small sections and comb through using a fine comb, moving slowly. If you or someone in your family has lice, be sure to check everybody for lice. There are several good over-thecounter treatments for lice that use a mild insecticide to kill the lice. Speak to your Remedy’s RX pharmacist about ways to get rid of head lice.
105-291 Fairview Rd Oliver
250.485.4007
OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 21
Doreen Cox has been playing the popular card game cribbage for more than 60 years and had never come close to scoring a perfect hand, but that all changed recently. (Keith Lacey photo)
Cribbage vet scores ‘perfect’ 29 hand By Keith Lacey It took more than 60 years to do it, but Doreen Cox has achieved the dream for every diehard cribbage player. Cox, 72, first started playing the popular card game when she was a little girl growing up in small-town Manitoba and has been playing on a fairly regular basis ever since. Just recently, while playing with a group of snowbirds during their regular Tuesday afternoon cribbage tournament at the Walnut Beach Resort, Cox achieved “the perfect hand” and scored a very rare 29. “I was taught cribbage by my grandmother when I was a little girl of maybe six years of age and we used to play for hours on end every time I visited my grandmother,” said Cox. “I have been a regular cribbage player most of my life and had never really come close to getting a perfect hand, but then it happened and I couldn’t really believe it.” In order to score a perfect 29, players must be dealt a jack as well as three fives as part of five cards you are dealt from the deck. You must discard one card “into the missy.” The only way to score 29 is to draw the fourth five that matches the colour of the jack in your hand, which is exactly what happened for Cox. “I had the three fives and the jack of hearts in my hand and when the cut card was the second red five, I knew I had the perfect hand,” she said. “When I laid down my hand, I let out a small scream and everyone in the room just stopped dead and started cheering and applauding. 22 www.oksun.ca
“I had been playing this game for more than 60 years and had never come close to a perfect hand and I know people who have been playing for much longer than I have who have never had a perfect hand. “It was pretty exciting and I know I won’t forget it.” Ironically, Cox and her partner Shirley Smith did not win that particular game despite her perfect hand. “We were way too far behind for my big score to make any difference in that game,” she said smiling. “I finally get the hand all cribbage players can only dream of and we didn’t win the game. That’s how it goes I guess.” Getting a perfect hand in cribbage is even more rare than scoring a hole-in-one in golf or getting hit by lightning, said Cox. “The odds against scoring a perfect hand are astronomical … it doesn’t happen very often,” she said. “I’ve been part of games where you score 28 (which involves a hand where you have four fives and the opposite-coloured jack), but the perfect hand is incredibly rare.” Cox and her husband Clayton have been coming to Osoyoos from Morden, Manitoba to spend the winter months here for the past 17 years. “Like almost everyone else, we came here to enjoy the warmer weather and we loved the place that first winter and have been coming back ever since,” she said. There are dozens of other snowbirds who rent rooms at the Walnut Beach Resort over the winter months and Cox has helped organize the regular Tuesday afternoon cribbage tournament for years. “It’s a fun and very social game and I’ve enjoyed playing it very much all these years,” she said.
The Front Street Gallery presents Janet Bednarczyk ‘Line, Layers and Living Things’ from March 3 – 16. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Calligraphy and Clay runs at the Osoyoos Art Gallery from March 4 to March 25, featuring the work of Connie Furgason and the Osoyoos Potters. The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. Desert Park Exhibition Society AGM will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8 at Desert Park in Osoyoos. New members wanted. Memberships will be available for $25. Come and show your support and help to keep this organization alive. Free healthy living presentation at the Osoyoos Library on Wednesday, March 8 at 10 a.m. ‘Eating More Whole Foods’ with health and wellness coach Desiree Stiles. Are you getting enough nutrition in your body to truly live? Join this free wellness workshop powered by Juice Plus and Tower Gardens. Roast beef dinner and all the trimmings at the Osoyoos Legion on March 8 starting at 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person and available at the canteen daily after 2 p.m. Proceeds will go to help our veterans. Grease will be presented by Southern Okanagan Secondary School at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver on Thursday, March 9 and Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Sun Bowl Skating Club presents Can’t Stop the Feeling on Thursday, March 9 at the Sun Bowl Arena in Osoyoos. Show begins at 6 p.m. Admission is by donation.
MARCH
The Osoyoos Secondary School drama club presents Beauty and the Beast at the Osoyoos Community Theatre. Tickets $10 and available at the high school, Imperial Office, drama club members or at the door if any left. Shows on March 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. and March 12 at 3 p.m. The next Osoyoos Desert Society show is on Saturday, March 11 with “Wild Ways.” This documentary highlights efforts to preserve bears, elephants and other cherished species by connecting the world’s wildlife refuges. Admission is by donation. Watermark Beach Resort from 2 – 4 p.m. The Healthy Living Fair will take place from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on March 11 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. Pre-register for the Healthy Living Assessment on their website www.healthylivingfair.com. Admission is free.
On March 14 at 6 p.m. head to Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver for a free screening of the award-winning documentary The Age of Love. Sponsored by Interior Savings, this funny and charming film is challenging stigmas about love and romance with age while bridging the divide between generations. Trailer: theAgeofLoveMovie.com. The Osoyoos Concert Series final show of the season will feature a Cayla Brooke with an Eva Cassidy Tribute on Thursday, March 16 at the Osoyoos Community Theatre. Tickets at Imperial Office or Sundance Video for $23 at the door $25. 7:30 p.m. start. Purchase next year’s tickets at a discount. Open Door Group/WorkBC and the Osoyoos Indian Band invite you to the Spring Job Fair on Thursday, March 16 from 2 – 5 p.m. at Sen-
PokChin School Gym, 1156 Sen Pok Chin Blvd., Oliver. There will be a wide variety of employers (i.e. Constellation Brands, Watermark Beach Resort, BC Corrections and many more). The Second Annual Competitive Showcase is being presented by The Dance Studio on Friday, March 17 at 6 p.m. at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver. See a collection of routines performed by the studio’s most dedicated dancers. The Front Street Gallery presents Gary Fox ‘Inspired by Nature’ from March 17 – 30. Join Gary at the “vernissage” on Saturday, March 18 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Gallery located at 60 Front Street, Penticton and is open Tues. – Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Steve Hillis and his one-man tribute to Garth Brooks is coming to the Osoyoos Legion on March 18. Tickets $15 and are available at the canteen. There will be a Rock ’n Country dance party following the show. There will be a two-day watercolour and acrylic/oils workshop with Alex Fong on March 25 and 25 at Casa del Mila Oro, #47 - 5401 Lakeshore Dr., Osoyoos. Cost is $105. Bring your lunch and plan to have fun. To register call Sharon at 250-495-2019 or email saleonard@eastlink.ca. Good Rockin’ Tonight takes place on Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. at Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver. It’s an intimate evening of piano and song performed by Rod Russell. If the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s is your music, you’ll love this show. Send your events to: events@osoyoostimes.com
OKANAGAN SUN • MARCH 2017 • 23
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